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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
4,816 comments Add your comment
Powderfinger
December 8th, 2012
9:22 pm
Chipper’s gone. Not a part of the team. I don’t give a flying rip who he dates, and I certainly don’t presume to judge him in the morality department. He admitted to cheating on one wife, but I have yet to see a timeline or any accusations (from an involved party, i.e., his ex-wife) regarding his latest relationship. Worry about this year’s team, not last year’s team…
Nowhere man
December 8th, 2012
9:23 pm
V.J. for a man of 60 you are doing quite well yourself.
Brava
December 8th, 2012
9:25 pm
Leave Chipper alone. Good grief! He’s retired. Why should anyone care who he dates? It’s his business.
Powderfinger
December 8th, 2012
9:25 pm
“V.J. for a man of 60 you are doing quite well yourself.”
Are there some pics of CAB on the internet that I am missing? (Only meant in the friendliest way…)
Half Empty
December 8th, 2012
9:26 pm
McLouth has a 101 OPS+ even after a few bad years. That is not really below average
Nowhere man
December 8th, 2012
9:28 pm
The AJC ran the story about him dating a playboy model send your complaints to them. Just like they kept the link about his divorce up for months.
cabravesfan
December 8th, 2012
9:28 pm
VJ has a ways to go before he hits 60…and is doing very well for himself
TheOnlyBravesFan
December 8th, 2012
9:28 pm
NFL is more fair and balanced with money and spending… its more about the scouting and coaching. League popularity grows. Baseball has the mega-haves, the sorta-halves, and the no way in hell do we haves… it’s more about money. Popularity shrinks.
sigh… shame that the sport is falling apart like this.
Mark
December 8th, 2012
9:29 pm
Mclouth has hit over 260 1 time in his career. Once over 260!!
cabravesfan
December 8th, 2012
9:29 pm
Powderfinger-
You can only wish there were pics of me on the Internet
Half Empty
December 8th, 2012
9:29 pm
Nowhere Man reminds me of RonnieMilsaps a whole lot. He was always ragging on Chipper and he was always being judgmental about everything
MIBravesFan
December 8th, 2012
9:29 pm
Beyond that, to the extent that anyone on this blog had any claim to a right to judge Chipper’s personal life when he was playing baseball (”I pay to go the games so I pay his salary” or some argument like that, which was always weak and probably came from people who didn’t actually go to the games in the first place), the man is retired – his personal life is none of your damn business.
cabravesfan
December 8th, 2012
9:30 pm
The NFL has a salary cap & a low spending threshold. It makes for a much more balanced league
Half Empty
December 8th, 2012
9:31 pm
who really cares all that much about BA anymore? There are far more important aspects to hitting. He is still a 101 OPS+ hitter. That is technically above average
Mark
December 8th, 2012
9:31 pm
The ones complaining about Chippers new girl are just wishing their wives looked like his new one
Of course my wife wishes my check book looked liked Chippers too!
Nowhere man
December 8th, 2012
9:32 pm
Then tell the AJC not to run anymore stories about Chipper.
Brava
December 8th, 2012
9:32 pm
Yes, Nowhere man, I’m aware of that and it really disappointed me to see that story in the AJC. I don’t know who is in charge of making these decisions, but obviously
Yes, Nowhere man, I’m fully aware of that and was very disappointed to see that story in the AJC. It was more worthy of The Enquirer. That still doesn’t excuse your bringing it over here and trying to make a big deal of it. It made you look petty.
Brava
December 8th, 2012
9:33 pm
Sorry about that, I was editing what I wanted to say and forgot to delete.
Half Empty
December 8th, 2012
9:33 pm
Then tell the AJC not to run anymore stories about Chipper @Nowhere
how apt is that guys name???
Nowhere man
December 8th, 2012
9:34 pm
The blog’s motto we discuss anything but politics and religion
Venice Jim
December 8th, 2012
9:35 pm
nowhere man – did you see this when I posted it for you?
http://www.gocomics.com/lio/2012/12/01
VaBravesFan
December 8th, 2012
9:35 pm
Good thing about the NFL in my opinion is that contracts are not fully guaranteed. So if you don’t do the job your paid to do at the level of expectations your gone. Teams arn’t stuck with horrible contracts.
Example for NFL Contract
Redskins signed Albert Haynesworth to 7 year deal 100 million. But only around 45 million of it was guaranteed. So after a few years and things not working out they got rid of them and were not on the hook for the remaining years and money.
And every NFL contract is like that. When you see the deals being done in the offseason “Skins sign Pierre Garcon to 5 years 41 million” That isn’t the real deal. Only the deal if he plays well enough to actually finish the contract.
Imagine if the MLB was like that.
Powderfinger
December 8th, 2012
9:35 pm
CAB—I work with some younger folks, and they keep telling me to google Kenny Rogers on MAD TV to see myself. I did. It stings a little…
Nowhere man
December 8th, 2012
9:36 pm
After seeing the pictures of Lexi Ray I would say that Chipper made the best catch of his career.
Mark
December 8th, 2012
9:36 pm
When you watch a game, pay attention to when a hitter comes up to bat and they still put in this order BA, HR, RBIs.
There is a reason for that. Everybodys a Billy Beane want to be.
Brava
December 8th, 2012
9:37 pm
The blog’s motto we discuss anything but politics and religion
This is true, but from my experience, few of us deal in smut around here.
TheOnlyBravesFan
December 8th, 2012
9:40 pm
Maybe the MLB needs a salary cap… esp. since the Dodgers dont seem to have one.
That would be nice Va… but aint gonna happen now. Union would hate it, protects the owners too much.
Nowhere man
December 8th, 2012
9:40 pm
That was very cool Vj.
Brave New World
December 8th, 2012
9:41 pm
Greinke is about to become the highest paid righty in MLB history. Timing is everything in the free agent game.
VaBravesFan
December 8th, 2012
9:41 pm
I mean just imagine cutting Dan Uggla and only paying a portion of that contract 65 million contract. If it were a NFL contract only around 20 million of it would actually be guaranteed. The Braves could basically say goodbye and not owe him anything else. I like the NFL way.
Your paid amazing money to play a sport. Now were paying you to perform at a certain level, produce or your out. plain and simple. Not be great, and sign then a huge deal and underperform with no risk of losing out on money and so on.
Half Empty
December 8th, 2012
9:42 pm
they also often post OBP too. I am not a Billy Beane fan, and to associate stats with Beane that way is ludicrous.
those are there because baseball is very reverent of its history and those were the only stats they were knowledgeable enough about to use 100 years ago. Does not mean that there have not been improvements made since then, or do you still drive a horse and buggy Mark?
Nowhere man
December 8th, 2012
9:42 pm
I guess some would call what Lexi Ray does smut others might see it as fine art.
Half Empty
December 8th, 2012
9:44 pm
maybe so, but everybody would call your posts obnoxious obsessions Nowhere
Mark
December 8th, 2012
9:44 pm
No but my truck is a 2001.
Powderfinger
December 8th, 2012
9:45 pm
VaBravesFan—Football players get screwed, especially when you consider the violence and long-term effects of playing that game. I know most of them would do it all over again, but there has to be some middle ground between the MLB and NFL way of doing things…
Brava
December 8th, 2012
9:45 pm
JIM BOWDEN @JimBowdenESPNxm
According to a Dodger source here is break-down of Greinke’s contract: 12m signing bonus ‘13: $17m ‘14 $24m ;15 $23m 16 $24m 17 $23m 18 $24m
Mark
December 8th, 2012
9:46 pm
I don’t know about the Art part but the Fine is very true of Lexi!
Nowhere man
December 8th, 2012
9:47 pm
Half empty you should use the other half to complain about soemthing else.
TheOnlyBravesFan
December 8th, 2012
9:47 pm
Chipper’s making catches, you’re fumbling in your efforts to hate on him….
JC Brave
December 8th, 2012
9:49 pm
Buster Olney @Buster_ESPN
It’ll be interesting to see whether Clayton Kershaw or David Price becomes the first $200m pitcher ever; they have best shot right now.
“Interesting” he says… More like “Disgusting” … These MLB salaries are getting way beyong ridiculous…
Brava
December 8th, 2012
9:49 pm
Drew Silva @drewsilv
Bill DeWitt Jr. bought the Cardinals for $150 million in 1995. The Dodgers just signed Zack Greinke to a contract worth $147 million.
Nowhere man
December 8th, 2012
9:49 pm
No if I was hating on him I would be talking about throw aways.
TheOnlyBravesFan
December 8th, 2012
9:50 pm
Braves coulda made that work…. but whatever, it’s over
MIBravesFan
December 8th, 2012
9:50 pm
On a different topic, ESPN’s 30 for 30 series is playing “You Don’t Know Bo” Watching a bit of that leads me to ask, was he a better baseball player or football player? And what might he have done as a baseball player if he hadn’t played football? (My memory may be wrong, but he got hurt playing football, didn’t he?)
Nowhere man
December 8th, 2012
9:52 pm
Nothing wrong with a Chopper to Chipper
MikeInFl
December 8th, 2012
9:53 pm
VaBravesFan, maybe they should do away with contracts altogether and just pay them at the end of the year based on WAR. (of course, if they did that, Jack Wilson would owe the Braves $3.6 million for last year)
Mark
December 8th, 2012
9:53 pm
Hurt his hip on an ordinary looking tackle.
Brava
December 8th, 2012
9:54 pm
Wow!
Jeff Passan @JeffPassan
The Dodgers will pay a 17.5% luxury tax on their 2013 payroll, which will push their total outlay closer to $265 million.
Nowhere man
December 8th, 2012
9:55 pm
I think Bo was a better Football player
VaBravesFan
December 8th, 2012
9:56 pm
Powder
I totally agree. Reason football players contracts will never be fully guaranteed is cause of the nature of the sport. Players see there seasons and even careers come to and end each week of the football season. Also the average length of a football players career are much lower. No owner would ever risk guaranting a full contract. That’s why contract are the way they are. But I believe they should get more % of the money guaranteed.
MLB contracts shouldn’t be fully guaranteed, there should be some kind of clauses added to contracts where salaries can be altered based on some combination of production and durability and so on. It just amazes me that someone like Vernon Wells is gonna collect 42 million over the next 2 years and he’s so bad he can’t even start over Peter Bourjos in the Angels outfield.
And these clauses shouldn’t be different for each contract it should be the same for every contract signed for all players.
Brava
December 8th, 2012
9:57 pm
Jeff Passan @JeffPassan
The luxury tax for Years 2-4 of exceeding the $189M threshold are 30%, 40% and 50%. The Dodgers are almost at the 30% mark already for 2014.
Mark
December 8th, 2012
9:58 pm
Unbelievable athlete. Football was easy for him. Hold ball and run hard and fast. But baseball? Could run obviously but hit with unreal power, throw, field and run up walls! Remarkable athlete
Half Empty
December 8th, 2012
9:58 pm
you should use the other half to complain about soemthing else.
now that is funny. an obsessive/compulsive poster complaining about someone else.
see the thing is that if you don’t do that you never hear from me on the subject. so it looks like your lack of self control is the cause
Brava
December 8th, 2012
9:59 pm
Jeff Passan @JeffPassan
Oof. And this is why I need to read more. Tax of 17.5% is on the money exceeding threshold. So Dodgers’ payroll more like $233M this year.
The A Bomb
December 8th, 2012
9:59 pm
Well, get ready for Dodger Stadium to become a gang-infested pit of death again.
Half Empty
December 8th, 2012
10:03 pm
Remarkable athlete
but wait, he had a terrible batting average so how could he be worth squat?
actually he was a great athlete who could hit a lot of homers but the rest of his hitting skills were pretty crappy
TheOnlyBravesFan
December 8th, 2012
10:06 pm
makes sense Va… too much for the MLBPA to accept it
Mark
December 8th, 2012
10:10 pm
Half
Did not say I’d want him on my baseall team. Read the post completely and pay attention to detail.
I said:
Unbelievable athlete. Football was easy for him. Hold ball and run hard and fast. But baseball? Could run obviously but hit with unreal power, throw, field and run up walls! Remarkable athlete
He did all this part time. A great, great athlete.
Half Empty
December 8th, 2012
10:12 pm
I read it all and I chose to respond keeping in mind how much BA seems to mean to you
VaBravesFan
December 8th, 2012
10:13 pm
All long term contracts 4 years or longer should have some kind of salary deduction clause for the contract signed. Something like up to a possible 20% of the yearly salary can be deducted due to durability issues and/or production of some kind.
Decline in players is gonna happen, but there paid to do a job. Your salary basically is the bar on what’s expected and if you cant meet it while showing a normal decline in skills and production you shouldn’t be paid the full amount. It makes sense to me.
It’s still better than the NFL way… I mean you see contracts like 5 years 35 million (7 guaranteed) and the players completely sucks in his 1st season and they flat out cut him and pay him the remaining guaranteed portion of the contract and the remaining 4 years 28 million just completely goes away. If you don’t produce like we paid you too, your gone.
Not, I finally hit free agency and I’m a good player and get the big bucks and just completely turn to crap but oh well I’m getting paid still, there’s nothing they can do about it. I guess they can pay me top dollar to sit the bench or to play for another team or release me and I can sit on the couch collection checks from a MLB ballclub until my full contract is paid.
Brava
December 8th, 2012
10:14 pm
Jon Heyman @JonHeymanCBS
whether #dodgers get Ryu tomorrow or not, they have interest in anibal or lohse. remember, harang & capuano are on block.
nolie
December 8th, 2012
10:14 pm
what good is a contract if it can be unilaterally broken?
Nowhere man
December 8th, 2012
10:15 pm
That should read at least 3/4 Empty
MIBravesFan
December 8th, 2012
10:16 pm
So what happens if the Dodgers find no takers on their castoff pitchers? They just pay everyone?
Mark
December 8th, 2012
10:17 pm
It does indeed.
I was curious after your post and saw his lifetime average was 250. Not great but not as bad as some of the Bravos regulars. And they only play baseball. Thats my point on how great he was athletically
Brava
December 8th, 2012
10:17 pm
DeionSanders @DeionSanders
I love Bo Jackson and what he represented. He encouraged me to play both sports & 2b true 2 who i was and the gifts that God gave me. Truth
nolie
December 8th, 2012
10:17 pm
its not like the owners are not rolling in profits anyway
Nowhere man
December 8th, 2012
10:17 pm
At least now MAYBE the Greinke talk will be over.
Brava
December 8th, 2012
10:19 pm
Drew Silva @drewsilv
Dodgers now set to pay around $235 million in payroll and luxury tax in 2013. But local TV deal nets ‘em $250 million per year. Comfy math.
Nowhere man
December 8th, 2012
10:19 pm
Brian Jordan another great two sport star.
Danny Ainge’s baseball career not so much.
nolie
December 8th, 2012
10:20 pm
Bo was an exciting player and a great athlete. too bad about the hip.
IIRC he even played a little semi-pro basketball
VaBravesFan
December 8th, 2012
10:21 pm
nolie
It would kinda be like the opposite of Incentives. There would be caps on the amount that can be deducted and so on based on the players salary or whatever. I bet the NFL players would love this idea for them. Make all contracts guaranteed, but there could be a deduction of salary yearly, but the contract can’t just be squashed. So it might be a 5 year 50 million deal, but you could possibly lose 10 million over the course of the contract (if the cap was 20% for example)
Or this idea can be only for the final 2 years of any contract signed or something. Like I said I’m just spitballing here.
MikeInFl
December 8th, 2012
10:22 pm
The flip side of the guaranteed contracts is the team control of players for six years (after potentially several years in the minor leagues). This not only gives mid-market teams a chance to compete (not equality, but a chance) but also depresses the pay of great players through several of their best years. A guy who’s drafted out of college doesn’t really control his destiny until he’s pushing 30 (unless the team chooses to extend him early).
Paying an aging veteran for declining performance hurts, but getting the services of Mike Trout for $500K is pretty sweet.
TheOnlyBravesFan
December 8th, 2012
10:22 pm
Teheran and Mauricio Cabrera to the Dodgers for Greinke and 80mil in salary after the season… LOL
Mark
December 8th, 2012
10:24 pm
Howie Longs comments were the best.
“God put him here to show other great athletes what a really great athlete looks like” or something close to that.
VaBravesFan
December 8th, 2012
10:25 pm
Well atleast they start at the bottom like normal people. Even tho there bottom looks amazing to us. lol.
nolie
December 8th, 2012
10:25 pm
I’m an old-fashioned believer that a man’s word is his word and a contract is sacred I guess
Mark
December 8th, 2012
10:26 pm
Herschels Freshman year was certinly much more deserving of the Heisman then Manzel
cabravesfan
December 8th, 2012
10:26 pm
Dodgers needed to make a splash- new owners needed to show the fans they were serious about turning the team into serious contenders. I don’t expect this type of reckless spending to continue in the coming years.
Mark
December 8th, 2012
10:28 pm
noie
Wish our world was like that still when a persons word meant something!
Powderfinger
December 8th, 2012
10:34 pm
nolie—I agree (in a perfect world). But I can’t help but think of the contracts that today’s college football head coaches are signing, and what they’re worth…
Brava
December 8th, 2012
10:35 pm
Jeff Passan @JeffPassan
Dodgers currently have $210,130,953 in commitments for players on their roster today. The Astros have $800,000.
Mark
December 8th, 2012
10:36 pm
Really nice piece on Bo
VaBravesFan
December 8th, 2012
10:37 pm
nolie
I agree with that, just saying that the so called clause I’m talking about would be within all contracts. So it’s not like the player will all of sudden see his monthly checks or whatever being less out of nowhere.
I’m a firm believer in that if your being paid to do a job you should do it well and to the best of your abilities. But regardless of how long you’ve been doing the work and so on that you should maintain a level of work ethic and ability and performance. If I’m a mason tender still 10 years from now (I sure as hell hope not) and I can no longer do certain things should I be paid the same just because I’ve done it for so long and so on… Depending on what it is I can no longer do and also what my current job duties would be would determine my answer. But in most cases I would say No I shouldn’t make the same.
But I’m just a stubborn 25 year old who is sick of teaching people older and younger than me how to do things when they make the exact same wages or even more. LOL
keyLargo
December 8th, 2012
10:47 pm
Manzel wins the Heisman as a freshman. I remember when Herschel deserved it as a freshman but they gave it to George Rogers of SC because they didn’t give the Heisman to Freshman.
Not Disgusted
December 8th, 2012
10:49 pm
MLB contracts shouldn’t be fully guaranteed, there should be some kind of clauses added to contracts where salaries can be altered based on some combination of production and durability and so on. It just amazes me that someone like Vernon Wells is gonna collect 42 million over the next 2 years and he’s so bad he can’t even start over Peter Bourjos in the Angels outfield.
VA Brave — Its up to the owners to hold the line on the length of those contracts. They control the purse strings. The players union can cry all they want but if owners would hold the line and never give more than a 5 yr contract, some of the garbage would stop.
I would like to see it in writing that there will be a 5 yr max on contracts. Sort of protects the team and protects the game.
IF the best players make in the 30 plus mil range than so be it.
As for Uggla, if he hits 36 HRS and slugs .450, and plays decent second base he is woth what the Braves will pay him the next 3 yrs in this market for MLB talent.
Not Disgusted
December 8th, 2012
10:53 pm
I’m an old-fashioned believer that a man’s word is his word and a contract is sacred I guess
Nolie — In sports that went out the door a long time ago.
College Football coaches are some of the sleazyist — Nick Saban, Bobby Petrino are as sleazy as Borass for that matter.
Say what you will abotu Richt, you will never get a coach with more integrity and as much as that loss burned, the foundation is there in that UGA program to win and still have a shot at the NC.
IF Chizik can win one so can RIcht.
keyLargo
December 8th, 2012
10:55 pm
Not a chance in Hades the MLB Players union agrees to limit the length of contracts. I don’t see them giving any concessions as long as the owners are doing things like signing $250 Million TV contracts.
MIBravesFan
December 8th, 2012
10:59 pm
I’m no fan of Nick Saban, but I would never call him sleazy.
We would lose so much baseball if they ever tried to get an NFL-like structure, that to me it would not be worth it.
VaBravesFan
December 8th, 2012
10:59 pm
Thinking about contracts and so on, boy it would be awesome if that how it worked with all jobs.
I’m a Free Agent (Unemployed) Grade A Mason Tender, certified Forklift operator and rigger. My asking price is 3 years 90,000. 30k a year. Start the bidding! hahaha
Bigwheel
December 8th, 2012
11:00 pm
DOB, do you know why a-fraud is waiting until mid january to have his hip surgery? Going to mess up his holiday plans? If I were cashman, i’d go after voiding his contract. What a complete loser, he needs to team up with The Rock and make spactacular cough action movies.
VaBravesFan
December 8th, 2012
11:01 pm
Wow, just noticed alot of people are picking my Redskins to upset the Ravens…. Should be a tough game. Hopefully we can make it 4 Wins in a row.
Joachim Gilman
December 8th, 2012
11:03 pm
“MLB contracts shouldn’t be fully guaranteed, there should be some kind of clauses added to contracts where salaries can be altered based on some combination of production and durability and so on.”
Yes, poor, struggling batsmen should bequeath their salaries to billionaire owners. Why should the laborers have any aspirations to generating some money. Let it all go elsewhere.
MikeInFl
December 8th, 2012
11:06 pm
“laborers,” LOL.
Venice Jim
December 8th, 2012
11:06 pm
Jon Heyman @JonHeymanCBS
greinke contract contains no no-trade provision
Like another team would be dumb enough to pay a nowhere-near-the-top-of-the-A-List-type-pitcher that much money…
Joachim Gilman
December 8th, 2012
11:09 pm
‘“laborers,” LOL.’
What? You don’t think they work hard?
Venice Jim
December 8th, 2012
11:09 pm
Of course, the most hysterical post of the day was Mr-Slobber-Over-Greinke-For-6-Months calling him a 2nd Tier pitcher…
VaBravesFan
December 8th, 2012
11:09 pm
Joachim
Well when you compare the idea with what NFL players contracts are like it makes sense.
MikeInFl
December 8th, 2012
11:12 pm
I don’t think they work $24 million year guaranteed for 6 years hard. For the most part.
Brava
December 8th, 2012
11:13 pm
DOB, do you know why a-fraud is waiting until mid january to have his hip surgery? Going to mess up his holiday plans?
I can answer that. His doctor has him on a pre-surgery strengthening regimen.