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Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
4,816 comments Add your comment
nolie
December 5th, 2012
6:21 pm
Dee Gordon has got to be a joke rumor
Brava
December 5th, 2012
6:21 pm
That Dee Gordon stuff makes no sense unless it’s part of a multi-team deal.
Murph
December 5th, 2012
6:21 pm
It’s going to be interesting to see who FW ends up going after. I’m betting it’ll be somebody who could be a legit leadoff hitter. I really like the idea of keeping our guys intact from Prado (2 slot) thru Simmons at the 8.
Alex Gordon or… or… who?
Brava
December 5th, 2012
6:24 pm
Jeff Passan @JeffPassan
With the outfield market dwindling, Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. is past the tire-kicking stage with Michael Bourn and trying to gauge price.
Brava
December 5th, 2012
6:25 pm
Adam Kilgore @AdamKilgoreWP
Bryce Harper will not play in the World Baseball Classic, his agent Scott Boras says.
Brava
December 5th, 2012
6:26 pm
Dan Simpson @DSimpson88
Dee Gordon had the same WAR as Eric Hinske last year. -1.1.
Brava
December 5th, 2012
6:26 pm
Mark Bowman @mlbbowman
Wren said Teheran and Delgado will likely only make one or two more starts before shutting it down in the Dominican Winter League.
Murph
December 5th, 2012
6:28 pm
Delgado vs Teheran, ST 2012…
I got $5 on Delgado. Any takers?
Brava
December 5th, 2012
6:29 pm
I say Delgado, too, Murph.
DS1
December 5th, 2012
6:29 pm
Choo??
old man
December 5th, 2012
6:30 pm
Wow, that’s one hell of cut on the thumb.
Padres have been grooming him as a starter. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Cashner.
Maybe they suddenly need a RH starting pitcher. Headley? Gyorko?
JasonInFL
December 5th, 2012
6:31 pm
Is FW still working on Upton or not?
Brava
December 5th, 2012
6:34 pm
Joe Posnanski @JPosnanski
Report: Somebody who was once good is signing with a semi-hopeless team for too much money. #wintermeetings2012
nolie
December 5th, 2012
6:34 pm
I’d say we have about as much chance of landing Justin as Mac has of winning the “Skinniest Catcher in MLB” award
old man
December 5th, 2012
6:35 pm
#Padres RHP Andrew Cashner out 3 months after lacerating thumb tendon in hunting accident. Likely to start on DL.
Well, Jack, you’re out for more than three months if you’re on the DL in April. It’s December right now, isn’t it?
He’s maybe slotted as a back end starter, but with a cut tendon in your pitching hand (I assume it is) you might be thinking you need to bring in an extra MLB starter pronto. Do you count on him ever coming back?
Murph
December 5th, 2012
6:36 pm
So, the Indians are looking at Dee Gordon as a possible replacement for Asdrubal should they trade him…
Well, Pastornicky is pretty darn similar to Dee Gordon. At least offensively.
Teheran, Pastornicky (or Ahmed), and Francisco for Cabrera
Flip Cabrera and a few other pieces to AZ for Upton
old man
December 5th, 2012
6:37 pm
Teheran + Francisco + EOF/Venters/Walden + tier B prospect = Headley?
I didn’t think so.
George_George
December 5th, 2012
6:38 pm
Braves extend Fredi G through ‘14 (updated)
******************************************
GOOD GRIEF!
Over/Under/Over
December 5th, 2012
6:40 pm
So the Braves went to the Winter Meetings looking for help on the field and ended up extending Fredi’s contract!
Good freakin’ grief!
They will probably leave tomorrow whistling past the graveyard and saying that they will fill the vacancy from within!
O.M.G.
December 5th, 2012
6:42 pm
Sounds like a “For Love Of The Game” type injury.
Brava
December 5th, 2012
6:42 pm
David O’Brien @ajcbraves
#Braves have interest in FA OF Nate Schierholtz, had .321 OBP/ .728 OPS for PHI/SF; has .305 career PH avg in 128 AB. LH hitter
BFChris28
December 5th, 2012
6:43 pm
David O’Brien @ajcbraves
#Braves have interest in FA OF Nate Schierholtz, had .321 OBP/ .728 OPS for PHI/SF; has .305 career PH avg in 128 AB. LH hitter
Brava
December 5th, 2012
6:45 pm
Wren will join MLB Network after the break.
BFChris28
December 5th, 2012
6:45 pm
Frank Wren is coming on MLB Network after commercial!!!!!!!
Nowhere man
December 5th, 2012
6:45 pm
You are right George. Two more years of cap tipping, we just have to keep running him out there, you have to believe the back of the bubble gum card.
Over/Under/Over
December 5th, 2012
6:48 pm
“Scott Boros is taking questions”
Yep and he is no less truthful than when Wren is taking questions.
Also my mind was all over Nate Schierholtz when he was non-tendered. I was like, “the kind of cheap fix the Braves will go after who will not be an answer to anything.”
nolie
December 5th, 2012
6:48 pm
Bonafacio and now Schierholtz, snugglin’ down deeper into that warm enticing dumpster
premium has taken on a whole new defiinition lately……
nolie
December 5th, 2012
6:50 pm
not surprised at all by the Fredi extension
ncbravesfan90
December 5th, 2012
6:56 pm
Wren says he would love his team with one more addition….
BravoMan
December 5th, 2012
6:56 pm
“One more…one more.”- Frank “The Great White Hair” Wren
DS1
December 5th, 2012
6:56 pm
Schierholtz has good RH/LH splits for a LH hitter. Would be a decent backup for the outfield, but not sure he is capable of covering CF in a pinch.
Brava
December 5th, 2012
6:59 pm
Frank said Francisco has gotten himself in good shape.
nolie
December 5th, 2012
7:00 pm
he is a bench player who Frank is looking at to mostly start probably
George_George
December 5th, 2012
7:00 pm
richbrave
December 5th, 2012
5:57 pm
Brava:
Same degree of circumspection here, 98.6. I’m waiting for his first 100 AB’s next season to make an evaluation.
**************************************
the above sounds fair to me. If after 100 ABs BJ has 30 base hits, 6 HRs, and 16 RBIs I will be nicer to him.
nolie
December 5th, 2012
7:00 pm
lotsa good shape players who can’t stop making too many outs
DS1
December 5th, 2012
7:00 pm
I kinda hope we end up hanging onto Francisco. Hard to find guys with that sort of power.
Brava
December 5th, 2012
7:01 pm
David O’Brien @ajcbraves
Not what I’m hearing. BTW, Gordon hasn’t played OF at any pro level. RT @gregweaver31: @ajcbraves thoughts on the interest in Dee Gordon?
chipl1960
December 5th, 2012
7:05 pm
nolie not looking at him to start. bench player, spot start, pinch hit. A complimentary piece. I am certain this is not an addition Frank would make and call it a premium piece.
TheOnlyBravesFan
December 5th, 2012
7:06 pm
I expect Huddy to be sightly worse, he’s declined the last 3 years… Maholm will be about the same, 3.70 ERA. Minor will be about the same as Maholm. Delgado may be better than Hanson, but not by much, probably around 4.25. Medlen for a full year likely wont be better than Beachy and his halves combined… those 2 combined for what, nearly 20 wins and an ERA in the 2s. Medlen will be above 3, imo.
Not really as good as this year’s team ended up being, and so far we’ve replaced Chipper and Bourn with Upton and Schafer/Franwhiffco. Not too inspiring.
nolie
December 5th, 2012
7:07 pm
I can stand Francisco on the bench, maybe even platooning with the right combo of players, Prado,’cisco and somebody who can actually hit , but not starting regularly;though I kinda hate to see them bounce Prado around on an almost daily basis. Still with the available funds, settling for that will be a disappointment IMO
nolie
December 5th, 2012
7:08 pm
I’m a cynical old f@rt chip…
DS1
December 5th, 2012
7:12 pm
TOBF
You are selling Minor a bit short. I think he’s going to be better than you are giving him credit for. Saw him pitch in SF last August. He was going after hitters and looked really good.
And Chipper only played 2/3 of the time. His replacement in the lineup was not nearly as good. His overall numbers (including his replacements) will not be that hard to replace.
Brava
December 5th, 2012
7:14 pm
1m David O’Brien David O’Brien @ajcbraves
#Braves working on other plans, if don’t get big LF. I could see possibility of Schierholtz in LF w/ a Reed Johnson type, Prado some 3B & LF
George_George
December 5th, 2012
7:14 pm
MAHOLM for ELLSBURY even if a one year rental. ELLSBURY would look good either in LF or CF and leading off.
nolie
December 5th, 2012
7:14 pm
with that hair and that smile, ol’ Smilin’ Frank could be a great politician, and I never believe anything that they say. If their mouth is moving they are either spinnin’ or lyin’ outright …..
David O'Brien
December 5th, 2012
7:15 pm
Braves have interest in free-agent OF/PH Nate Schierholtz.
I think this is Braves working on multiple plans, since they might not get an every-day type LF. I could see possibility of something like Prado at 3B and some in LF with Johnson/Schierholtz , with Francisco at 3B against lefties (if they don’t trade him). All kinds of ways it could go.
Schierholtz hit .287 (51-for-178) with .360 OBP and .826 OPS vs. righties last season, and as a pinch-hitter he has a .305 career average (39-for-128) with a .770 OPS.
DS1
December 5th, 2012
7:15 pm
And why would we assume that Schierholtz and Francisco are going to be Chipper’s replacement, with 10-12 million to spend.
Some folks need to take a small dose of patience.
nolie
December 5th, 2012
7:15 pm
Braves working on other plans, if don’t get big LF. I could see possibility of Schierholtz in LF w/ a Reed Johnson type, Prado some 3B & LF
yeah pretty much what I been saying all along
David O'Brien
December 5th, 2012
7:16 pm
Gonzalez extended through 2014 as Braves pick up option
http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-braves-blog/2012/12/05/braves-extend-fredi-gs-contract-through-14/?cxntfid=blogs_atlanta_braves_blog
nolie
December 5th, 2012
7:17 pm
And why would we assume that Schierholtz and Francisco are going to be Chipper’s replacement,
previous history???
DS1
December 5th, 2012
7:18 pm
nolie
Can’t imagine FW going into the season with that sort of situation. I think the talk about using his current players is a smoke screen.
ncbravesfan90
December 5th, 2012
7:18 pm
So payroll will be around 85 million to start the year if they go with a platoon situation in LF. If that’s the case, I will not go to a game this year. No excuse to have the money and not spend it, especially with the $25 mil that each MLB team will get next year. Unexcusable.
chipl1960
December 5th, 2012
7:18 pm
That is a word I can understand Nolie. I lean more towards optimism which sets me up for disappointment every year unless we win the WS. When one is a cynic you already expect failure but can be pleasantly surprised.
DS1
December 5th, 2012
7:19 pm
With guys like Cody Ross and Shin Soo Choo available, just not seeing it nolie.
DS1
December 5th, 2012
7:20 pm
It’s only December 5th folks.
nolie
December 5th, 2012
7:22 pm
I am optimistic about a lot of stuff chip, but usually somewhat pessimistic about them spending for the players who are needed, and unfortunately often right about that.
Plus putting such a negative spin on it might cause a reverse jinx and make things better
ChattTownBrian
December 5th, 2012
7:23 pm
Nate Schierholtz
Didn’t I just say this was my gut feeling on what Wren’s plan was – a platoon? ANOTHER platoon situation!
nolie
December 5th, 2012
7:24 pm
I would love Choo, but he is a one year rental. he is relatively cheap for what he produces so I doubt they give him away.
Ross I think might end up back with Boston if they can deal Ellsbury who I do not want at all
Braves Fan In Maine
December 5th, 2012
7:24 pm
I would rather have them save there money instead of getting schierholtz
George_George
December 5th, 2012
7:24 pm
nolie
December 5th, 2012
7:14 pm
nolie, What are your thoughts concerning BRAVES signing of BJ? If I remember correctly before you got banned you had your doughts on getting him.
braveslifer
December 5th, 2012
7:25 pm
I agree with DS1 on Minor. He was a totally different pitcher after the All Star break. Pre All star break ERA 5.97 Post All Star ERA 2.16. In fact if you take away the month of May he was good to great the other months. For those that don’t trust ERA he ended May with a negative WAR at least -1 if I remember correctly and finished with a positive 1.4 WAR. Bill James is projecting him to have a 3.76 ERA and a 3.84 FIP for 2013. I think he is going to have a much more solid year all around and become staple in the rotation. Just in case you were wondering there was the same amount of innings pitcher by Minor Pre and Post All Star Break.
TheOnlyBravesFan
December 5th, 2012
7:26 pm
nice to har FW sound more optimistic on JU front… butknow they say they have enough $$ to et an impacy bat? The aid they had just 10mil and we still need some bench bats.
Nice to hear the Franwhiffco rumors… would be nice to send that OBP hater out of town and get something good in return… send EOF with him, can’t send Minor though. But that’d leave Lew with just 1 of his faves left! Trade ‘em all, Frankie.
Joe Adcock
December 5th, 2012
7:27 pm
Who is Nate Schierholtz? Never heard of him. And please don’t say he is some kin to Frank’s backstage Boss. No, to this Nate. and any other player named Nate. And any manager named Fruiti. Oh, too late for that, huh? Premiere player Frank Wren. Nothing less.
DS1
December 5th, 2012
7:27 pm
Schierholtz is not a good platoon option. If you want to create a platoon situation, you get a lefty that rakes against righties and vice versa. Schierholtz’ splits are WAY too even.
This is a backup OF’er, not a platoon player. If you want to get a platoon, there are a lot of better options out there.
Trader Jack
December 5th, 2012
7:27 pm
The Braves have $5-$6 mil to spend, not the numbers like $10-14 mil.
ncbravesfan90
December 5th, 2012
7:29 pm
“The Braves have $5-$6 mil to spend, not the numbers like $10-14 mil”
They have 10-14 mil to spend unless the payroll is going to be down 10 mil from last year.
DS1
December 5th, 2012
7:30 pm
FW was earlier on XM. When Bowden point blank asked him if he had the means to sign a big bat like a Swisher, he without hesitation said yes.
BFChris28
December 5th, 2012
7:30 pm
Mike DiGiovanna @MikeDiGiovanna
Source: #Angels close to signing RHP Joe Blanton to one-year deal. He pitched for #Phillies/#Dodgers last season. @joeontheradio tweeted 1st
ncbravesfan90
December 5th, 2012
7:31 pm
Wren has said all along that the payroll for this year will be 95-100 mil. Thats all you need to know.
BFChris28
December 5th, 2012
7:31 pm
Bill Shaikin @BillShaikin
For #Angels, combined annual salary of Blanton, Hanson, Madson, Burnett should be less than projected annual salary of Greinke.
chipl1960
December 5th, 2012
7:33 pm
A reverse jinx. That is what we need. like on Seinfeld when George said he was going to do the opposite of what he should in every instance. Kinda like calling “ballgame” in the first inning when something bad happens.
Trader Jack
December 5th, 2012
7:33 pm
ncbravesfan90
The EFFECTIVE payroll for 2012 was $83.5 mil. Forget the $10 mil that went Cleveland with Lowe.
The $83.5 is what was spent to field the team in 2012.. The $10 mil was written off along with Lowe
Angry acworth man
December 5th, 2012
7:34 pm
Frank Wren is a JOKE!! It’s all good…the more bad decisions he makes, the more likely that we won’t have to deal with his garbage this time next year!!
DS1
December 5th, 2012
7:34 pm
Choo and Alex Gordon would be my first choices of players that realistically might be available. Ross would be a fallback. But there are probably others available that we aren’t even talking about much.
nolie
December 5th, 2012
7:34 pm
nolie, What are your thoughts concerning BRAVES signing of BJ?..George
I am not a fan of his George. He has as much physical ability as about anybody in baseball and showed it the first two seasons. I do not know what happened but the last 4 years have been mediocre and well below what he should have produced.
There is no way to know what we will get for our 15 mil. If he plays with the concentration and enthusiasm of his first few seasons we will be very well off; if he plays like he has the last 4 he will still be a decent player but not worth 15 mil and he will frustrate a lot of Braves fans just like he has a lot of Rays fans.
It is done so no use ranting against it, we can only hope that he matures and develops the skills and concentration that will serve his tools well. Go BJ!!!
George_George
December 5th, 2012
7:34 pm
George_George
December 5th, 2012
7:24 pm
nolie
December 5th, 2012
7:14 pm
nolie, What are your thoughts concerning BRAVES signing of BJ? If I remember correctly before you got banned you had your doughts on getting him.
************
I guess nolie is takeing a wait and see stand on BJ. We shall see.
ncbravesfan90
December 5th, 2012
7:35 pm
Trader Jack-
That doesn’t matter. 92-95 mil was spent last year and there will be a slight increase in that this year to around 97 mil i would guess. That’s why wren keeps sayin he has so much flexibility because that 10 mil came off the books, chipper retired, and bourns salary is gone too.
TheOnlyBravesFan
December 5th, 2012
7:37 pm
Dont need to acquire Dee Gordon, he’s junk. A glorified Pastornicky. Why not put Rev in LF or flip to AZ?
Wren musta said he was looking for premium platooners, not players….
Brava
December 5th, 2012
7:37 pm
Teddy Cahill @tedcahill
Y’all just missed some BIG Juan Francisco Things down in the DR. Bartolo just grooved him a fastball and it went a long way.
Brava
December 5th, 2012
7:38 pm
Jason Martinez @mlbdepthcharts
RT @Alden_Gonzalez Sources confirm #Angels are nearing a deal for starting pitcher Joe Blanton.
Brava
December 5th, 2012
7:38 pm
Jerry Crasnick @jcrasnick
Free agent lefty Jeff Francis has agreed on a one-year major league deal with #rockies pending a physical, source said.
nolie
December 5th, 2012
7:38 pm
Having the money to sign one and actually doing it are two different things.
Frank deserves to be booed and ridden out of town on a rail……
George_George
December 5th, 2012
7:39 pm
Thank you nolie. My problem with him is not hitting at least .250 in past four years. His best year .300 BA was his first full season, then it seems the pitchers learned something about him.
old man
December 5th, 2012
7:39 pm
Fredi is not as good as Bobby was when Bobby left.
He’s not near as bad as the wailers and gnashers of teeth on the blog would have you believe.
If he made an error in that wild card game, it was not the one that cost us. Someone else did that.
Is he the manager I would pick right now? No. But the ones I would pick instead happen to employed elsewhere. Is he what is holding us back? No. Underperforming players and a restrictive budget hare holding us back.
Brava
December 5th, 2012
7:39 pm
7m Bob Nightengale Bob Nightengale @BNightengale
The #Rangers say they will give Josh Hamilton a four-year contract, but won’t go to five years with the free-agent center fielder.
Trader Jack
December 5th, 2012
7:40 pm
ncbravesfan90
First, take anything any GM says with a grain of salt. They all talk out of both sides of their mouths.
Right now the Braves are at $82-83 mil, if Wren had $97 mil to spend he wouldn’t be shopping where he is right now.
nolie
December 5th, 2012
7:40 pm
Did you see that answer George?
DS1
December 5th, 2012
7:41 pm
Frank has promised that he is going to pay off my credit card if he doesn’t spend all his money!
C’mon Frank, stick with Juan Fran and Georgie C!!!
TheOnlyBravesFan
December 5th, 2012
7:43 pm
Yeah, Minor is projected for a 3.75 ERA next year, not far from my projection. That’s #4 starter territory. He wasn’t as bad as his 1st half, but isnt as good as his 2nd. He should be more consistent this season.
nolie
December 5th, 2012
7:43 pm
never mind, I see that you did
damn it there goes that board crap again
nolie
December 5th, 2012
7:43 pm
never mind, I see that you did
O'Ventbrel
December 5th, 2012
7:43 pm
When Bowden point blank asked him if he had the means to sign a big bat like a Swisher, he without hesitation said yes.
Yeah, Schierholtz wouldnt be a bad bench guy but he is definitely not anything more than that.
nolie
December 5th, 2012
7:44 pm
you think 3.75 ERA is a #4 starter????
old man
December 5th, 2012
7:45 pm
Is there a way to watch the Licey Tigers via web?
DS1
December 5th, 2012
7:45 pm
TOBF
I really don’t put much stock in some of those “experts” projections for players. They always play it safe.
Minor will be better than Maholm next year.
Brava
December 5th, 2012
7:45 pm
Steven Lewis @SNL24
Buster Olney says the @Braves are the best fit for BOS OF Jacoby Ellsbury. The #Braves would need to give up Delgado or Teheran. #ESPN #MLB
ncbravesfan90
December 5th, 2012
7:45 pm
Trader Jack-
Why would a payroll drop when attendance went up? Every year the past few years the payroll has hovered around 90-95 mil. Nothing to change that now. 95-100 mil to spend, just like the GM and everyone else has said.
old man
December 5th, 2012
7:46 pm
Dang, how do you guys get italics and bold in your posts? I feel like an idiot not knowing. Help me out here.
Brava
December 5th, 2012
7:48 pm
Jon Morosi @jonmorosi
#Royals interested in a variety of free agent starting pitchers, sources say. Anibal Sanchez appears to be their top choice.
DS1
December 5th, 2012
7:48 pm
When Minor trusts his stuff and goes after hitters, he pitches more like a 2 than a 4. Guys get better with experience and time.
And if Medlen can throw anywhere close to the way he did last August and September, he’ll be in the Cy Young conversation.
I’d love to see us give Huddy some more rest as the year goes by, so as to keep him more fresh down the stretch.