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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
6,463 comments Add your comment
ncscoots
October 26th, 2012
4:29 pm
13 million for Hugo to be a mediocre blogger!
Sorry, I’m saving my money to print t-shirts.
Bat Masterson
October 26th, 2012
4:34 pm
CB_
No doubt Heap was tracking a HOF career before this year. Still doable if he’s healthy.
Murph
October 26th, 2012
4:34 pm
BP, I’ll talk about Willingham… John Willingham, BBQ pioneer.
http://www.willinghams.com/
Shaun
October 26th, 2012
4:35 pm
Then thing about Uggla is, yes, he’s been extremely disappointing, but it’s not like he’s been completely worthless on offense. He’s basically produced at a league-average level. Second base production is such that league-average production is average second base production.
So Uggla at least keeps the Braves afloat at that position. Sure, I readily admit that this is not what the Braves were hoping for when they acquired him and signed him to a long-term deal. No one like it. But it is what it is and the Braves can do okay even with Uggla as a mediocre player.
Gary O.
October 26th, 2012
4:35 pm
Efrim,
If the Braves had the money, it would have been nice if they could have signed Beltran last offseason. I think Prado would have been fine as our super sub for one year, because he would have gotten plenty of PT at 3B (Chipper always misses time), LF (Beltran would need days off, if he isn’t hurt), 2B (Uggla was coming off an up and down year, and could use some days off) and even 1B. And then this year, we would only have to worry about CF.
Darn budget restrictions.
Hugo Z Hackenbush
October 26th, 2012
4:40 pm
All together now…”We’re not paying him 13 mil a year to get base-on-balls!” Or is that bases on balls?
Gary O.
October 26th, 2012
4:41 pm
Shaun,
He’s basically produced at a league-average level..
Which would have been fine if he was making league average salary. But like you said, given his contract (highest in MLB for a 2B), Braves have to very disappointed.
And if he was doing his job (RH power bat who hits lefties), there may not have been as much urgency to get such a premium player this offseason.
And because of Uggla’s struggles, I think it is very unlikely that the Braves will pursue a LH hitter (like Gordon).
Gary O.
October 26th, 2012
4:43 pm
I know that hind sight is 20/20. But it’s hard to believe that 24 other players were drafted before Mike Trout (including Mike Minor at #7).
Hugo Z Hackenbush
October 26th, 2012
4:43 pm
Which reminds me, is there such a thing as a decent store-bought bbq sauce? If so, I’d like to know what it is.
BravePack(FreeFan)
October 26th, 2012
4:45 pm
Murph I love BBQ.
CB
October 26th, 2012
4:46 pm
Bat,no doubt. We forget sometimes what a great early career he had with the recent injuries to McCann. Definitely HOF worthy if he gets his health back and deserves better support from Braves fans than he receives here.
Efrim
October 26th, 2012
4:46 pm
Royals claimed Chris Volstad, so I’m sure he’ll be there #1 starter.
DS1
October 26th, 2012
4:48 pm
Small comfort that 23 other teams missed on Trout too.
ncscoots
October 26th, 2012
4:51 pm
Royals claimed Chris Volstad
This should be an indicator of the internal opinion of their staff.
Shaun
October 26th, 2012
4:53 pm
Gary O., some of what you write is definitely true about Uggla, all of it is probably true.
I would just say if you could pick a position to have a mediocre player, it would probably be secondbase because it’s relatively easy to find a good hitter in left and maybe even in center, this offseason.
Murph
October 26th, 2012
4:53 pm
Definitely HOF worthy if he gets his health back and deserves better support from Braves fans than he receives here.
I’m gonna wait until the next 5 or 6 years of his career play out before I declare my Heap for HOF support.
Again, I like the guy, but… well… I mean, Murphy was/is my favorite player of all time, and I don’t think he belongs in the HoF.
The best of the best of the best, that’s who belongs in there. Not players who were really good for a handful of years and then petered out. Jury is out on BMac until he’s a bit further along into his career.
Threadkiller
October 26th, 2012
4:53 pm
Hugo, Try Sweet Baby Ray’s!
DS1
October 26th, 2012
4:54 pm
Efrim
Would KC bite if we offered them ANY 3 starters from our org for Myers?
Gary O.
October 26th, 2012
4:56 pm
Shaun,
I just looked at Uggla’s numbers against LHP since 2006. For some reason, I thought they were better than what they were (in Miami).
2012:
220 .371 .405 .776
2011:
.201 .288 .360 .648
2010:
.306 .409 .575 .984
2009:
.208 .344 .408 .752
2008:
.191 .310 .321 .631
2007:
.245 .325 .504 .829
2006
.307 .363 .458 .821
ncscoots
October 26th, 2012
4:58 pm
I’m gonna wait until the next 5 or 6 years of his career play out before I declare my Heap for HOF support.
I think folks were saying that he was “on track”, Murph, and I think that’s reasonable. A player who makes the All-Star teams every year he’s been in the league and wins a Silver Slugger every year he’s been in the league, well, that’s a pretty good start to the resume.
Murph
October 26th, 2012
4:58 pm
I can almost picture Hanson in those KC blues on throwback day… close your eyes and picture it… seeing him on the mound… oh, there goes another one over that big crown in CF…
Aaaahhhh….
richbrave
October 26th, 2012
4:58 pm
For those of you espousing GATTIS in the regular line-up, I’d take pause. He’s being confounded down south in his past eight games. The junk-ball pitchers have I suspect found a hole in his swing, and he’ll need to iron that out to be a regular.
But, for right now taking HINSKI’s place as a RH fastball-hitting HR guy, maybe.
Murph
October 26th, 2012
5:01 pm
A player who makes the All-Star teams every year he’s been in the league and wins a Silver Slugger every year he’s been in the league, well, that’s a pretty good start to the resume.
Sure. I just don’t like throwing around the “he’s a future hall of famer”… it’s like declaring your 5th grade girlfriend to be the love of your life.
I wonder where Robin Berry is, speaking of 5th grade girlfriends….
DS1
October 26th, 2012
5:01 pm
Richbrave
blasphemy!!!
Bat Masterson
October 26th, 2012
5:04 pm
deserves better support from Braves fans than he receives here. _CB
Some people here would have ripped Babe Ruth to death.
Lew
October 26th, 2012
5:09 pm
Hugo – Got to agree with Threadkiller – Sweet Baby Ray’s is pretty good – especially the Sweet and Spicy.
richbrave
October 26th, 2012
5:11 pm
GATTIS: He’s played a lot of C and 1B and has had limited work in LF. Decent fielding numbers, not superior.
Have no idea of his abilities calling a game behind the plate, but should work well as the emergency catcher with his minor-league experience [114 G].
37 G – LF [.981 fielding %] all in 2012, but only 7 G at 1B with 3 E and 47 PO [.943 %]. Not particularly good in a small sample size at first.. He is getting a little work at 1B down south as well as the OF.
Disgusted
October 26th, 2012
5:11 pm
If Uggla hit .250 instead of .233 and ,220, it would have been received a little better.
But I do think he can get his FLA Marlin form back.
I could accept his 2011 numbers, not what we say in June thru August this past season.
.250/.340 with the 30 HRS and 90 something RBIS is acceptable enough. That is more of what we expected.
Bat Masterson
October 26th, 2012
5:12 pm
The junk-ball pitchers have I suspect found a hole in his swing
He’s just lulling them into a false sense of security. Once the stakes are high enough…… BOOM, game over
CB
October 26th, 2012
5:12 pm
Bat,they would have loved Ty Cobb. He had “grit”.
Disgusted
October 26th, 2012
5:13 pm
Gattis is a AAAA player — if we get anything from hm its a bonus.
richbrave
October 26th, 2012
5:14 pm
GATTIS: Has played far less than I originally thought at 1B. He needs work there, and in LF both of which he’s getting in VENEZUELA.
phil
October 26th, 2012
5:15 pm
Bat Masterson
October 26th, 2012
5:04 pm
deserves better support from Braves fans than he receives here. _CB
Some people here would have ripped Babe Ruth to death.
***********
He needed some ripping for abandoning pitching….couldn’t hit a lick.
richbrave
October 26th, 2012
5:15 pm
I do think the BRAVES are projecting GATTIS into HINSKI’s slot on the bench this ST.
phil
October 26th, 2012
5:15 pm
lol….gattis talk never stops here!!
Bat Masterson
October 26th, 2012
5:16 pm
it’s like declaring your 5th grade girlfriend to be the love of your life.
Jan Bailey, 1st grade…….. Long black hair, angelic face………. First crush and still remember her all these years later
CB
October 26th, 2012
5:18 pm
You had a crush in 1st grade,Bat? Early puberty?
Bat Masterson
October 26th, 2012
5:18 pm
CB _
No doubt Cobb wanted it and had heart to boot. You could tell by the knife and the revolver in his pocket.
richbrave
October 26th, 2012
5:19 pm
phil:
And why swhould it? He reminds me of AL SIMMONS in his development.
I can project him onto the bench next year as HINSKI’s replacement. Of course, what the BRAVES think is all that matters in that regard.
richbrave
October 26th, 2012
5:22 pm
BAT:
I had no idea. You old lothario you.
Bat Masterson
October 26th, 2012
5:23 pm
CB_
I don’t know maybe so. I know I loved that girl.
I lived in the country when I was little and there were some older girls that liked to get naked with us in those days. Bored I guess, anyway that’s a whole nother story.
jfp
October 26th, 2012
5:24 pm
Efrim,
Asked you earlier what you thougt about the Braves picking up Scutaro and putting Uggla at 3rd. Worst case scenario putting Scut at 3rd. Then getting Pagan for center, althought I believe we will probably end up with Spann. Then getting a front line starter because we are going to have to give up someone who is ready to pitch now in the bigs in order to fill our obvious needs.
Bat Masterson
October 26th, 2012
5:25 pm
He needed some ripping for abandoning pitching….couldn’t hit a lick.
Greatest baseball player ever.
CB
October 26th, 2012
5:25 pm
richbrave
October 26th, 2012
5:31 pm
PRADO v- rated 7th best LF in ML’s by ESPN.
.984 fielding % in LF in 2012.
jfp
October 26th, 2012
5:35 pm
richbrave,
And that’s not eve supposed to be his best position. Our MVP for 2012.
Lew
October 26th, 2012
5:36 pm
“Some people here would have ripped Babe Ruth to death”
In 1921, Ruth hit .378, .512, .846 with an OPS of 1.359, 59 HR and 171 RBI in 152 games.
In 1922 he “fell off” to .315, .434, .672, 1.106 with 35 HR and 99 RBI in 110 games.
Had the blog been in existence then I can envision numerous claims of Bumbhood and claims that he’d read the end of his career.
Of course, he only hit 40+ HR in 9 more seasons……
jfp
October 26th, 2012
5:36 pm
even, not the greatest typist.
Lew
October 26th, 2012
5:37 pm
Reached the end of his career. This one’s on the keyboard and not my typing ineptitude.
jfp
October 26th, 2012
5:39 pm
Lew,
The blog would have traded him, but only after beheading him.
richbrave
October 26th, 2012
5:39 pm
jfp:
Well, he’s our toughest out in the line-up, I’m sure of that.
I wish we had seven more position hitters just like that……well, maybe five with two HR mashers.
Lew
October 26th, 2012
5:40 pm
jfp – Traded him for prospects.
richbrave
October 26th, 2012
5:42 pm
Hey, LEW:
Get your ducks in a row [and I don't mean LaQUINTA] up there near RANDOLPH….. I think you folks are in for some early season winter weather.
Just getting to the bottom of that jug…thanx a million.
jfp
October 26th, 2012
5:44 pm
Lew, you are probably right, they may not have beheaded him just castrated him. Almost the same thing.
richbrave, if not for last year with the staph infection. His consistency has been awsome. Love to watch him play.
richbrave
October 26th, 2012
5:45 pm
BAT:
Yeah, the line behind the bus shed…….thank goodness the bell rang ending the break before I had to saddle up.
Lew
October 26th, 2012
5:46 pm
richbrave – How is your Wife doing? Haver the Doctors figured out what was wrong and fixed it?
You’re welcome for the syrup – get the new stuff in February or early March.
Strange, but the Weather Service is claiming we’ll be in the mid 50’s all of next week. I really don’t think they have a clue what will happen. I’ll be happy as long as we don’t have a repeat of Hurricane Irene – we’re just now getting back to a semblance of normal up here after having almost 400 roads washed out.
Bat Masterson
October 26th, 2012
5:47 pm
rich_
Nice memories, huh.
Lew
October 26th, 2012
5:47 pm
jfp – There would have been all sorts of fat jokes and comments about how out of shape he’d gotten and how those hot dogs and beer were killing his career because he had no pride in himself and no desire to improve.
Lew
October 26th, 2012
5:49 pm
But I had the snow tires put on last week and had the car winterized – always a good idea before the end of October.
richbrave
October 26th, 2012
5:50 pm
LEW:
They’ve settle on a diagnosis [Churg-Strauss Syndrome], but not a permanent course of treatment at this point. This disorder is pretty much permanent with a few exceptions. It waxs and wanes, probably from here on. I imagine once it’s under control. she’ll be on a life-long low dose prednisone treatment.
Lew
October 26th, 2012
5:52 pm
richbrave – Got to be careful about long term use of prednisone – it can cause weight gain and all sorts of problems all on it’s own. But if that’s all they have that works? Guess it’s the lesser of the evils, for sure.
richbrave
October 26th, 2012
5:53 pm
Bat Masterson
October 26th, 2012
5:47 pm
“…..rich_
Nice memories, huh……”
For a 10-year old? Pretty frightning actually. That’s fifth grade in the sticks for ya’.
jfp
October 26th, 2012
5:53 pm
Lew, right again. We have a relentless group, hope they aren’t judged with the same harshness they apply to baseball players. There are so many hard luck stories about athletes who get hurt and are never the same. Then there are the few that overcome adversity. Without opportunity no one would ever see that and I’m hoping Mac will be one of those. He certainly appears to have the right attitude to be one of those and I have a tendency to believe it when DOB says that he should have a good recovery.
Lew
October 26th, 2012
5:56 pm
jfp – I think we’ll see a highly motivated individual.
richbrave
October 26th, 2012
6:00 pm
LEW:
PREDNISONE is the base-line drug. If the disorder remainds stubborn, they throw in CYTOXIN and other anti-cancer, cancer causing goodies. This is not a pretty scenerio, but at least one family member has had something similarly-related for 20 years. Some major obesity, but otherwise O.K. at this point. My wife’s 70. At this point I’d take 20. I certainly don’t expect it for myself, but I wish her the best of course.
Lew
October 26th, 2012
6:04 pm
richbrave -Sometimes you just have to take whatever treat the worst symptoms the best. Seems everything has weight gain associated with it. I’ve been on five spearate meds for diabetes with weight gain as a side effect. Gained well over 100 pounds AFTER getting treated. At our age, it’s really hard to lose it, too.
Have you checked out supplementation to counteract some of the effects? Check the MayoClinic.com site – they’re a great resource.
jfp
October 26th, 2012
6:07 pm
Lew, agreed. Don’t believe he is our major concern. I think he will be fine and if not, it won’t be from lack of effort. Still have to solidify the outfield and or 3B. Gonna be fun to watch over the next couple of months. Anticipate good things to come and expect some disappointments as well. There is no way that everything will fall just in our favor, got to be give and take and both sides have to feel like they won. Whether a trade or signing a free agent.
richbrave
October 26th, 2012
6:09 pm
MAYO, and CLEVELAND clinics, JOHN HOPKINS plus one center in BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA are the four vascullitis centers around the country. We’re in the process of hooking up with JOHNS HOPKINS. Paper-work in the works for referral, and a look-see.
Lew
October 26th, 2012
6:12 pm
Johns Hopkins should be relatively close to you, anyway.
richbrave
October 26th, 2012
6:12 pm
LEW:
We’ll get the low-down on prednisone long-term treatment there, I imagine.
richbrave
October 26th, 2012
6:14 pm
SO FW’s first move will probably be the options after the end of the WS. Anybody think that McCANN’s won’t be picked up?
jfp
October 26th, 2012
6:21 pm
richbrave,
Sorry to hear about your wife’s situation. Will definitely say a prayer for the 2 of you.
I am one of those who believes that FW picks up the option and doesn’t regret it. My only question would be how does that effect insurance, since he had the injury and surgery prior to picking up the option?
flange1
October 26th, 2012
6:21 pm
Jons Hopkins is a fine facility rich, they took great care of my Dad!
Hugo Z Hackenbush
October 26th, 2012
6:30 pm
Threadkiller and Lew, oddly enough I just got some SBR (vidalia onion flavor) to try on some bbq. Not wild about it, but I’ll keep looking….
richbrave
October 26th, 2012
6:40 pm
Thanx for the boost guys.
Lew
October 26th, 2012
6:41 pm
Hugo – I never tried the vidalia – I usually get the sweet and spicy or make my own Jalepeno/Hickory.
Lew
October 26th, 2012
6:47 pm
richbrave – Well, I guess – if nothing else – you got a sugar high from the Vermont’s finest.
jim
October 26th, 2012
7:30 pm
Someone posted that Gattis is being confounded by junk ballers in Venezuela over his last 8 games. From what I see looking up his stats, he has only played 8 games all told and is hitting 311 with a 1022 OPS. In his last 2 games he is 3 for 8 with 2 BB 1 HR and 2 doubles. He is one behind the league leader in HRs and RBIs. That does not sound like he’s being confounded.
As far as what he was sent down to learn on defense, that is the biggest problem. He has only been DHing.
nolie
October 26th, 2012
7:41 pm
Ryan Klesko became a better player once he left here once he got a place in the lineup…Disgusted
no he really did not, he had a couple of seasons when he hit lefties better at least for average, but most of his years he stunk against them still
nolie
October 26th, 2012
7:46 pm
PRADO v- rated 7th best LF in ML’s by ESPN.
.984 fielding % in LF in 2012…rich
screw them ESPN nancies Fielding Bible had him second in +/- all season. Their results are almost always more reasonable than ESPNs
nolie
October 26th, 2012
7:48 pm
y’all think Gattis is gonna sit on the bench up here next season? Really?
I’d say that is very unlikely b4 September anyway
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 26th, 2012
7:55 pm
y’all think Gattis is gonna sit on the bench up here next season? Really?
I’d say that is very unlikely b4 September anyway
Hater!
nolie
October 26th, 2012
7:57 pm
Hater because I don’t think they will take a chance on stalling out his progress by sitting him much of the time? I’d say it was the opposite
George_George
October 26th, 2012
7:57 pm
richbrave
October 26th, 2012
5:15 pm
I do think the BRAVES are projecting GATTIS into HINSKI’s slot on the bench this ST.
*******************
Soundsgood to me, it means we would have a 3rd CATCHER on roster, something I have been talking about all year..
nolie
October 26th, 2012
8:00 pm
anybody having any trouble with Chrome? all of a sudden a coupla weeks ago I started having trouble with a few sites, ESPN and Walmart specifically. some of the links on those sites no longer respond but they work ok if I switch to Mozilla. perplexing
George_George
October 26th, 2012
8:01 pm
S/O nolie
Have you read any books by JONATHON NASAW? he is very good.
nolie
October 26th, 2012
8:04 pm
no I haven’t George but I have heard of him. Truth is that although I used to be a devout reader I don’t think I have read a book in a coupla years now, also not watching as many movies.
George_George
October 26th, 2012
8:05 pm
ok, nolie
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 26th, 2012
8:51 pm
Hater because I don’t think they will take a chance on stalling out his progress by sitting him much of the time? I’d say it was the opposite
Oh, I’m sure you’re right. If they see him as a decent prospect, I bet he goes to AAA til at least June. I just don’t know if he could be a consistent starter though, so I’d put him on the bench.
I use Chrome for everything, only here is slow. All other sites work normally. I actually switched to Chrome cuz my Firefox sukked so bad….
David from Athens. AL
October 26th, 2012
8:56 pm
Nolie, it started about two weeks ago … trouble with Chrome … will not open new pages … tried their recommend fixes …. but doesn’t work. It works fine on laptop and IPAD. I wish I knew hoe to fix ????
David from Athens. AL
October 26th, 2012
8:57 pm
sorry … how to fix?
Disgusted
October 26th, 2012
9:40 pm
Nolie — Klesko did improve vs lefties for 3 yrs after he left here but after 4 yrs in SD he began to run into injuries and did slow down.
Granted he did not have the power vs lefties as righties. But for 3 yrs running from 2000 to 02 he put up good numbers
Looking at the splits during the time he was here he was never given that much of a chance vs lefties, he never improved vs them. Early on he was platooned with the likes of Dave Gallagher, a journeyman to boot.
I don’t think that Bobby got the most out of Klesko.
David O'Brien
October 26th, 2012
10:04 pm
From my man in Venezuela who keeps me updated on goings-on there in the winter league, I just got this message:
Evan Gattis just hit another HR (4) for the Aguilas – a line drive to Center-Left Field. Apparently his teammates call him the “White Bear.”
ncgary
October 26th, 2012
10:05 pm
yeah i like sweet baby rays too not too bad for mass produced
ncgary
October 26th, 2012
10:16 pm
rich , i dont mean anything bad by this, but the prednosone did wonders for my poodle.
shes 14 now and back in february lost the use of her back legs
after a week of not healing i took her to the vet expecting to hear put her down
but he gave her a shot of prednosone and some muscle relaxers and pred pills
i slowly weaned her off of them and she is still doing great despite the old age thing. she does eat more now and gained weight but a small price to pay. wish it would work for me
i start the riultek monday
its supposed to give me 3 to 6 more healthy months. keeping my fingers crossed
and supposedly israel has had some good luck with stem cells shot into the brain
who knows i might beat lou gherigs yet. chipper beat his hit total .lol
Powderfinger
October 26th, 2012
10:20 pm
ncgary and richbrave—I’ve had issues going on in my life lately, but you two really know how to put things in perspective. I wish nothing but the best for you both…
ColoradoBravesFan
October 26th, 2012
10:30 pm
Hey hope it’s not to late to make predictions… or wishes in some cases.
CF – Victorino
LF – Gattis
3B – D. Wright
2B – Prado
Uggla traded and Braves eat $8 Million
Hanson or Maholm traded with a pitching prospect for top CF prospect. Starlin Marte of Pirates.
B-Mac returns to All-Star and Silver slugger status.
Bethancourt hits .275/330/450 in minors
Tredo tears up AAA… .315/.370/.500 Still lots of errors
Luman Harris
October 26th, 2012
10:36 pm
No offense to Chipper, because I think he is (was) great – but I don’t think we’ll miss him next year. The flexibility that Wren has now (he can go after a LF or 3B with equal verve, and play one against the other) and that FG will have during the season (what a rare, versatile resource Prado is!) …. i like our chances to have a much more potent offense.
nolie
October 26th, 2012
10:42 pm
that is weird David, I just tried it on my laptom that runs windows 7 and it worked ok. hmmm
Luman Harris
October 26th, 2012
10:46 pm
And wow, wouldn’t Angel Pagan look great in centerfield!