Atlanta Braves: Another loss to the Padres… should we wave bye-bye to our Wild Card chances?
Two nights at the Ted, two losses to the last-place NL West Padres.
YOU TELL US: Have the Braves just blown their Wild Card chances? How can these playoff hopes be saved?
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100 comments Add your comment
The Grinch
August 27th, 2009
11:46 am
Y’all, we don’t need to trade Vasquez. The money from declining Huddy’s option and not resigning either Gonzo or Soriano is more than enough for a power hitter (and ANYONE to replace Norton) in the offseason. Add Heyward, Valdez and Campillo back, and we’ll be looking pretty good.
Poorbrave
August 27th, 2009
11:48 am
I’ve been saying it for three years now. The Braves will not make the play-off again with Bobby Cox as Mgr.
Please retire Bobby…….if not, Wren needs to retire him (BC). Braves need a house cleaning!
Blackberry Cobbler
August 27th, 2009
11:52 am
Brian McCann is not known as a good defensive catcher. He’s a good bat but his defense has always been a work in progress. I thought last night was the worst game I’ve seen him play in a long, long time.
Jimv
August 27th, 2009
12:03 pm
I doesn’t matter. Bobby never knew how to manage a playoff game, anyway.
ATL Braves SUCKERED fan
August 27th, 2009
12:05 pm
Like the OLD MAN MOORA once said “Playoff!?! Playoff !?! Playoff!?!… are you kidding me.. Playoff !?! Playoff!?!…
Bob
August 27th, 2009
12:05 pm
Yes, they have actually never really been in. They make to many routine mistakes like not getting bunts down, too many blown saves and McCann as good as he is, way often, tags without the ball.
CARTERSVILLE DAWG
August 27th, 2009
12:08 pm
Stick a fork in them and hopefully Bobby as well. They are done.
37YrBravesFan
August 27th, 2009
12:13 pm
Done. Wrap ‘em up and stick ‘em in the freezer til next year.
Angus
August 27th, 2009
12:16 pm
Chill out folks. Compare this season to last. We’ve done better than expected (.500).
It could be worse – you could be a Mets or Cubs fan right now (both teams were projected to be light-years ahead of the Braves this year).
If you were expecting a WS ring this year, you were destined to be let down anyway.
The next couple of years are looking good – if, and only if, Chipper returns to some semblance of normalcy. If Chipper is done, we’ve got yet another big hole to fill.
John
August 27th, 2009
12:19 pm
Trade Jones. He is a blite on the team. Sulks around and it’s time for the bum to retire or get traded to the Nats.
Skeezix
August 27th, 2009
12:26 pm
They do seem to be soft. Lay out of work for the slightest toe ailment. You will not find any Johnny Benches or Gehrigs or Ripkens among this bunch of wussies.
DM
August 27th, 2009
12:34 pm
Bye Bye Wild Card
Dominick
August 27th, 2009
12:42 pm
Not done yet, we got all of september to play baseball!
bravesfanforever
August 27th, 2009
12:42 pm
I never expected this team to make the playoffs so if they made it would be a bonus.
I agree that there does not seem to be a sense of urgency. Cox really does manage as if there’s plenty of time at any time during the season and I guess when you don’t have the talent, there is no way to catch up. Always worked in the past because we had the firepower and JS to trade for a big hitter in mid-season. We simply used the first half to figure out who was going to contribute and figure out where the holes were. Was the same thing for 14 years.
Does anyone realize that if we had not played 3 non-hitters early in the season, this team may have been in a better position right now? Just think if we won even 3 more games had we played our best players, we would be 2.5 games behind Colorado instead of 5.5 and we would all be excited about making the playoffs. Why does Bobby insist on playing sub .200 hitters hoping they will snap out of it? Look at Greg Norton. Sometimes guys *never* get out of their funk.
Why not play the BEST PLAYERS and try to win EVERY GAME from day 1?
Change is good people. I love Bobby but man, everyone has their time. Hall of Fame hitters retire when they can no longer cut it so why not managers?
We need more power.
We need more speed.
We need to change the philosophy across the entire organization that speed is good.
Anyway… We’ll be in a much better position next year. I realize there was a bit more going on than just playing the best players at the same time. We had to play Frenchy in order to trade him and we actually got something in return (good job FW). This is not a bad team. It’s just missing a couple of elements such as a middle of the order guy in LF or maybe Heyward in RF, a come back by Chipper (use a lighter bat or lose weight–good call from someone else), and get more speed. This team is WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too slow! This team seemed to always have 1-2 speed burners during those 14 years. You gotta have SOME speed for balance.
Dominick
August 27th, 2009
12:42 pm
Not done yet, far from it!
pat
August 27th, 2009
1:01 pm
Dear Braves,
Uh, what the hell are you doing?!
Bobby, when a pitcher is getting shelled it’s ususally a good idea to take him out before he gives the other team an insurmountable lead. Just saying… If your pitcher gives up 8 runs in an inning, he was done waaaaay before that 8th run.
Atlanta born and bred
August 27th, 2009
1:39 pm
Mo has left the building.
Mighty Casey
August 27th, 2009
1:43 pm
YES. Chances of playoff blown. Unless, they pull off an upset just as unlikely as losing to the last place team. Like sweeping the Phillies for the rest of the season.
JR
August 27th, 2009
1:50 pm
Toast.
Mighty Casey
August 27th, 2009
1:50 pm
Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright,
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and little children shout;
But there is no joy in Mudville — mighty Casey has struck out.
newbravosfan
August 27th, 2009
2:00 pm
I have not given up hope yet. Throughout this entire season it seems like the Braves have always played down to the opposing team’s level, and besides Hanson, it does not seem like any of the other pitchers has that killer instinct to get fired up to oppose a medicore team. Given the upcoming schedule, the next 6 are against Florida and the Phillies, the season is not done yet.
BigD
August 27th, 2009
2:04 pm
The Braves are done. It’s time to call in the youngsters.
jackets77
August 27th, 2009
2:05 pm
So Frank Wren can have the balls to make a tough decision on 2 future hall of famers, Smoltz and Glavine (both correct decisions btw), but can’t make a decision on Greg flippin Norton?? Really?? He’s the GM..it’s a personal move…he needs to tell Cox Norton is gone, we’re calling up Conrad or anyone else….I’m so sick of seeing Norton bat every single game in a crucial pinch hit spot.
jackets77
August 27th, 2009
2:06 pm
And by the way…i kind of agree with nwebravosfan…the season is not done b/c the Braves will win like 6 of the next 8 when everyone says they’re dead, get us all excited, and the lose like 5 of 6 to some horrible teams they should beat…that’s been them this year in a nutshell…
Mort Merkel
August 27th, 2009
2:12 pm
Yeah, they’re not gonna make it. They had to kill the Padres, who are looking like the ‘86 Mets against the Bravos. Still, the Braves have made a ton of progress over last year. What’s Falcons coach Mike Smith say? It’s a process.
Chipper is a LOSER
August 27th, 2009
2:16 pm
When Chipper gave up, so did the rest of the team. Instead of stepping up and being a leader, he whined about how tired he was. Chipper needs to GROW UP OR GET OUT!
Robdog
August 27th, 2009
2:24 pm
This team is playing and mananging like the playoffs would get in the way of vaction. Time to clean house Frank
Dave
August 27th, 2009
2:28 pm
I just LOVE all of the fair-weather fans (note the sarcasm!!).
Granted, they should have won the first game against the Padres, but yesterday, they ran into a team that just started to hit. It happened in the Mets series as well, and it is going to happen again (and again). EVERY team will lose at least 40 games when they just get beat by a hot-hitting team, and they will WIN at least 40 games when THEY are the hot hitters.
Look at the standings now versus two days ago. NOT much difference!!
If they win tonight and the Marlins and Phillies lose, they are back to where they were two days ago.
They CAN come back if they get hot and run off a 7-to-10 game winning streak, which CAN happen if they get the pitching and hitting synchronized. Will that be enough to catch the Phillies? Probably not, but it would make a run at the wild card feasible.
Of course, the Rockies or Dodgers or both have to cooperate by losing. The Braves can control their own fate by playing well on the upcoming 7-game road trip against the Phillies and Marlins, but they cannot beat the Rockies or the Dodgers because they do not play them anymore.
BTW, Bobby Cox has IMHO managed this club brilliantly this year. He has NOT panicked and has handled the problems with great patience. I saw the play with Garrett Anderson running. Had he been sent to the plate, he would have been out by 30 feet! Had one of the young pitchers been running, ANY of them would have been out by 10 feet if a good throw was made.
Finally, regarding the Diaz bunt: Had it worked, he would have been elevated to sainthood for his brilliant decision! He just bunted it too hard and right at the first baseman; that happens with a hard-throwing reliever. I doubt that he would have gotten a hit had he swung away, so I believe he made the right decision! It is easy to judge and condemn and second guess in hindsight.
One last issue: Everyone is piling on the Braves for losing the last two games, yet I have not read ONE item about the abysmal crowds at those games (less than 20K for a team in a pennant race)! Maybe this town does NOT DESERVE a team in the playoffs given the lack of support they have shown!
Something to think about!
shaggy
August 27th, 2009
2:32 pm
The playoffs have never been in reach for these guys. I know if I was a pitcher struggling the only cure would be to face this line-up. This Stauffer kid was what 1-6, yet the braves made him look like the greatest pitcher to pick up a baseball. Much like the Braves I am done.
ben
August 27th, 2009
2:34 pm
This team was done after spring training, but you can sure stick a fork in them now. When is Wren going to make some changes and put a team out there that has a chance of winning. It seems as though the team has quit. You get blown out by a last place team on your home field and the 1st three hitters go 0-16 in one loss. Get real, Wren! Go out and get the fans some players who give it all and produce. This will be the same ole, same ole next year.
Angus
August 27th, 2009
2:47 pm
Props to Dave @ 2:28
Ray
August 27th, 2009
2:49 pm
Yes, it’s possible for our Braves to make the playoffs, but, as Dandy Don Meridith would say, “Turn out the Lights, the party is over!
jackets77
August 27th, 2009
2:51 pm
Dave…have you seen anythign from this team this year to show you that they can win 7-10 in a row?? have they done that at any time this year?? i wish they would do that too, but i’m afraid it just might be wishful thinking at this point…i hope i’m wrong.i really do
richbrave
August 27th, 2009
3:22 pm
NO, but………
We no longer control our own destiny. Now it will be necessary for the ROCKIES/DODGERS to go into a ten game swoon for LOS BRAVOS to become a contenda’ once again. “You was my brudda’ Charley, you shudda’ looked out for me a little bit. ….I coulda’ had class. I coulda’ been a contenda’. I coulda’ been somebody instead of a bum, which is what I am…..” So lets look to our brothers in the NL West and hope they do what TERRY’s brother CHARLEY didn’t.
The Lemmer
August 27th, 2009
3:29 pm
Dave’s right…….the Turner Field crowds are pathetic.
Cox has done well considering he’s got a less than potent lineup. Everyone is so quick to jump on him when all he can do is trot out the best 9 guys he’s got everyday. I could manage the Yankees right now, but to accomplish what he’s done with the Bravos is commendable.
TB
August 27th, 2009
3:34 pm
The Braves are one of the most consistent boring ho-hum teams in MLB. There is no emotional leader on this team including Cox. I’ve said it before many times that any decent manager could have one more than just one World Series Championship with a rotation like Maddox, Glavine and Smoltz, but the Braves settled for mediocrity with Cox. It’s my prediction that once we finally get a manager with a little fire in his gut, the attitude will change not only in the clubhouse, but more importantly on the field. In the meantime, it is what it is as long as Cox’s contract is renewed. It’s time for ownership to realize they are losing their loyal fan base.
Clyde
August 27th, 2009
4:04 pm
Can you imagine if Jim Mora from Indy Colts fame was coaching the Braves right now?
“Playoffs? Don’t talk about Playoffs! You kidding me? Playoffs?
stupup74
August 27th, 2009
4:10 pm
If LA wins today, we are still alive. Maybe that will slow the Rox down, so we are not dead, but the doctor has his hand on the plug.
I love how everyone blames things on Cox and his “lack of fire” or the crowd at Turner Field is “not into the game” or stuff that makes no sense or really matters.
You can argue against Cox on how he handles the pen or makes out a lineup. However, this team has no true cleanup hitter. They have not true leadoff hitter. Right Field and 1b have been a hole up until very recently. LF and CF has not been much better. McLouth has hit all of .260 since being here. He has been extremely average, just like Anderson. Chipper is too old, and they just gave him a huge extention. Boy that is smart. He is too old and fragile to be the offesnive leader. He is still productive, and a weapon, but can’t be THE ONLY weapon.
The braves rotation has been a disappointment. Lowe has given up 182 hits in less than 160 innings. The pen is over worked not only by Cox, but by the fact there are only 3-4 reliable arms out there. It is amazing O’Flarety has lasted as long as he has.
To put how bad Lowe has been he has given up 232 base runners. KK, as bad as he has been, has only given up 133 hits in 136 or so innings.
If you want to get rid of Cox, i don’t disagree, but get rid of Wren as well. The front office has never given Cox a team without a fatal flaw whether it was a bad bullpen or a pop gun offense. The 3 years they actually put it all together, they won in 1995, ran into the Yankees in 1996, and Eric Gregg/Marlins in 1997. 1991 and 1992 you can blame on Cox, but after 1997 it was the Front Office fault.
The two games vs. San Diego hurt, but this team lost ALOT of winnable games in April, May, and especially June.
chuck
August 27th, 2009
4:32 pm
the braves should be in triple a league. I’m talking about the atlanta braves, not the gwinette braves. stick a fork, they are done.
Phil
August 27th, 2009
4:40 pm
Angus,
You might also want to read Don’s post @11:04 AM if you want to know
what Cox has REALLY done this season. I wouldn’t call any of those moves “Brilliant”.
Phil
August 27th, 2009
4:55 pm
The Lemmer,
You said you could manage the Yankees right now. You could have also managed the Braves when we have Glavine/Maddux/Smoltz and won 1 World series, maybe 2 or 3. Cox is a buffoon and needs to go.
Pal Joey
August 27th, 2009
5:47 pm
Lewis Grizzard once wrote a book entitled “They Tore Out My Heart And Stomped That Sucker Flat”. That is the way the Braves have made us feel since 2004. This year may be the worst since they should have made a real run at the playoffs. No such luck. Bobby still played his favorites until the season was effectively over. Still batting Chipper third when he cannot seem to hit a ball with a tennis racket. Same ole Bobby. When will this madness end?
Doug
August 27th, 2009
6:16 pm
I like how far we have come since last year and look forward to an even better season next year. Having said that, we have suffered too many “never should have lost” games this year to recover. I don’t see the kind of September we would need to win even the wild card.
Skeezix
August 27th, 2009
6:20 pm
They do need to start thinking about moving McCann from catcher to first base. He is a great hitter but never will be a great defensive catcher. Chipper looks like it is tearing him up inside for not being there at this key time in the season. He has never experienced this kind of futility at the plate. Many questions will remain ,mostly about the offense, after this season that Wren needs to resolve or 2010 will be disappointing also. Did I hear right? Only 250 fans were there for the last part of the game? Shades of Montreal!
Angus
August 27th, 2009
7:27 pm
Now that’s funny Phil – you citing Don. The same guy who says you should never swing at a 2-0 count and that Bobby Cox is horrible because the Braves don’t see more pitches (even though he can’t explain why Tony LaRussa’s club sees even fewer pitches – unless he’s willing to go on record that both Cox and LaRussa are horrible – that, I’d like to hear).
AppalachiaBrave
August 28th, 2009
1:06 pm
This team has no GRIT! I liked the Conrad kid because he has GRIT! TOO many laid back players just making another payday. I guess baseball really is JUST a business. Their done.
BuzzBomb
August 29th, 2009
6:28 am
How long is Cox going to let his pitchers, pitch to a player such as Ryan Howard who beats them everytime?
Mitch C
August 30th, 2009
1:42 pm
I know this post is a few days old, but I’ll chime in.
The two losses to the Padres, hurt, badly, and if we end up losing the wild card by one or two games, we will look back on those games.
While we have an uphill battle, we are only three and a half games out of the wild card, with five weeks lefr. We still have a chance. While we do have some games left with extremely difficult teams like Philly and the Cardinals, we also have thirteen remaining games with NL East bottom feeders Washington and New York. If we play as we are capable of,. and the Rockies slip just a bit, we can do this.
There is still time, but we must not allow what happened against the Padres to happen anymore. If we can win series from here on in, I think we will find outselves right in the thick of the wild card chase, all the way to the end.
Mitch
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September 1st, 2009
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Matt
September 15th, 2009
8:59 pm
how can you say that? Booby Cox is one of the leagues best coaches of all time!!!!