Braves take their mediocre act on the road
Bobby Cox drew his first ejection of the season. Given how his team has played, it's amazing that it has taken this long. (Brant Sanderlin/bsanderlin@ajc.com)
The last time the Braves completed a homestand, they leveled the Toronto Blue Jays, had a few games where the batting order suddenly didn’t resemble a funeral procession (8, 12, 10 runs) and won six out of nine. And everybody rubbed their eyes.
As it turned out, that wasn’t the start of something big. More like the end of it.
The Braves lost to the remains of the Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-1, Thursday at Turner Field. They split four games with a team that came to town with an 11-19 road record and an anemic roster further dented by the trading of its best player (Nate McLouth).
They went 4-5 on a homestand, even with six of the nine games coming against the Cubs and Pirates, the flotsam and jetsam of the National League. That puts them at 15-17 at home and 29-30 overall. These past days in Atlanta also included yet another PR volcanic eruption following the release of Tom Glavine.
Hey — what a great time to leave town.
Return? Let’s keep that option open.
“We haven’t been as good as I thought we’d be,” Chipper Jones said earlier Thursday, even before this latest loss. “I thought we had the potential, with Mac [Brian McCann] and Frenchy [Jeff Francoeur] and Kelly [Johnson] and [Yunel] Escobar having another year under their belts, to be pretty good. You really look to those guys to take the next step.
“The good teams don’t have outs in their lineup. They don’t have any holes in their lineup. We’re just having trouble.”
Braves starter Javier Vazquez leads the N.L. with 105 strikeouts. So why is he only 4-5? (Brant Sanderlin/bsanderlin@ajc.com)
The problem isn’t so much that the Braves went 4-5 on a homestand. The problem is that 4-5 on a homestand is closer to the norm than an aberration. The team that bubbled over with enthusiasm and held grand expectations coming out of spring training – folks, those guys are long gone. This is your team, Atlanta.
It’s only June. The season is only a third over. Realistically, how long can the Braves wait before making a move?
“We’re not waiting,” Jones said. “We’re playing as hard as we can. Sometimes it just doesn’t happen for you.”
Javier Vazquez went 0 for 2 with a sacrifice Thursday. I wish I could tell you the Braves’ starting pitcher was the worst hitter in their lineup. Not quite. Of the first four batters in the order, the only hit came from Barbaro Canizares, who was called up from Gwinnett at 10:30 a.m. He had never played a major league game, but suddenly found himself hitting cleanup spot.
Welcome to the Braves – land of opportunity.
The Braves have been shut out a National League-high seven times this season. They’ve scored two or fewer runs in 23 games, including 11 of the last 20. They also rank 12th in runs, home runs and walks, 14th in total bases, ninth in on-base percentage and 15th in stolen bases, all of which basically means they can’t play big ball or small ball.
Nobody’s feeling the pinch more than Vazquez. He allowed only a run and two hits in eight innings before Bobby Cox inexplicably pulled him (a decision that backfired when the Pirates scored twice off Rafael Soriano in the ninth). Vazquez is only 2-2 in his last seven starts, despite a 2.56 ERA.
Frustrated?
“It’s happened to me so much,” Vazquez said, “I don’t get frustrated any more.”
He knows now. This is his team. This is your team.
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101 comments Add your comment
Sam Everyman, Citizen Journalist
June 11th, 2009
6:24 pm
Chipper is relying on Frenchy as much as McCann. The whole team seems to be. Therein may lie the problem.
Jeff, did you happen to pick up on Bobby’s nickname for Barbaro Canizares? There are interesting possibilities there. They may have to turn off Bobby’s mic.
mitch
June 11th, 2009
6:26 pm
You and Chipper combining your mighty intellects in such a cogent analysis of the Braves’ woes is more than I can take just before supper. Go home, JS. Have a drink. YP, Mitch
Ward Cleaver, Beaver's Dad
June 11th, 2009
6:26 pm
Barbie? Canny? Zarry? Barbie Cannyzarry? C’mon kid.
mitch
June 11th, 2009
6:28 pm
My goodness! Almost first again. Mitch
Henry D.
June 11th, 2009
6:30 pm
This is a poorly coached and managed team. I understand Escobar putting the ball in his back pocket last night while Pittsburgh was running the bases. He thinks everyone runs the bases like the Braves do. And until we get rid of the likes of “Frenchy”, Kelly Johnson, and the laziest man in baseball Garrett Anderson we will still be a 500 club or worse at the end of the season.
Robards
June 11th, 2009
6:42 pm
It’s a shame they waste so many well-pitched games. I remember the last playoff year (2005), the Braves were 34-39 or so and sort of turned things around with a 6-run rally against the Orioles. Perhaps that’ll happen again, but it seems unlikely with this club. Chipper sounds like a defeated man.
jake
June 11th, 2009
6:47 pm
Good stuff, JS. Telling it like it is when “is” isn’t so good is never fun, but this is a chronic condition that’s been going on for years. If this were a healthcare issue, the CDC would be all over the Braves. Come to think of it….
NCBravesFan
June 11th, 2009
7:21 pm
So if you’re Frank Wren and the team is more than 10 games out July 1st (a distinct possibility), do you blow it up with major changes on both the pitching and offensive side … or do you try to make modest changes, hope for the best and see what happens the rest of the way?
SL3
June 11th, 2009
7:31 pm
This road trip might do us in. It would be nice to be on the receiving end of a lopsided trade like with Teixeira. Hopefully, Shuerholz can go on vacation and let Wren trade away for some young talent who can hit in the clutch and with some power. Let’s be realistic, this team isn’t going to the world series. We seem to have pitching so trade Lowe’s 60 million contract for something good. Then lower ticket and concession prices for the rest of the year.
BT
June 11th, 2009
7:33 pm
Does the following quote from Chipper mean he thinks the Bravos are done?
“We’re not waiting,” Jones said. “We’re playing as hard as we can. Sometimes it just doesn’t happen for you.”
I hope not!
Supes
June 11th, 2009
7:34 pm
So Jeff, what’s your point? Anyone can rant and rave and give stats. Are you proposing a solution? I guess not, that requires you to actually do some research and not scrap and write “something” in the last minute to put up a new blog.
Everyone here (who is a Braves fan watching) that the Braves offense is anemic and has players who have yet to step up (although after a while, when does it stop being a slump? When is Jeff just average? Below average?)
Need a new LF, RF, 2B, need your regular 1B in the lineup.
There you go. 4 positions, one as soon as Casey returns should stabilize.
You have Cody Johnson and Jason Heyward in high single A ball right now. They will be (barring health or a trade of some sort) your corner OF in 2011.
Until then…who knows. How about asking Frank Wren about it. Media gives this guy a free pass all the time (that would be your employer Jeff).
NCBravesFan
June 11th, 2009
8:07 pm
Supes – don’t want to speak for Jeff, but my take away is he’s sharing his own opinion, which is essentially this team is going nowhere this year. That’s a somewhat bold call given the fact that the Braves are .500 with a little over a hundred games to go.
How to fix it is a whole ‘nother blog post. This one comes first.
And what is Wren gonna answer right now anyway – “Yep Jeff, this team sucks and is going nowhere – here’s my five point plan to get us to the WS while improving my communications skills exponentially.” ?
Baracked the vote!
June 11th, 2009
8:11 pm
the problem with the Braves it the front office has been popping LSD over the last few years and tripping thinking these guys were just “one player”, (whoever that may be) from making the playoffs. they are far from making the playoffs. and mclouth amy have been the pirates best player but he is just an average center fielder. the team should get rid of kelly johnson, franceour, and whoever is playing left field at the moment and try to make the playoffs in 2011.
Supes
June 11th, 2009
8:40 pm
The point is NCBravesFan, that Wren is the GM. He and John S. put this team together. If this lineup doesn’t produce like it should (even after the addition of Nate McLouth), they should be help accountable. However, the SOFT Atlanta Media will do no such thing. Maybe if we are lucky, we’ll have Kincade on 680thefan speak up, while Buck defends Braves Management.
I could tell this team wasn’t going to go anywhere in May. I guess Schultz needed June 11th to write this piece. Not sure what team he was watching in May. It’s been hit and miss since the season started. 2 months April/May is an adequate sample to go on.
Time to start calling out Wren for putting this incredibly inept offensive lineup.
You have 3 legit hitters. B-Mac, Chipper and Yunel…with Casey (close behind when he’s healthy, esp. since May when he picked it up a bit). That’s it. You added Nate McLouth (hope that works out for the long haul, but he hasn’t been here enough to make a considerable difference). That’s half a lineup (esp. when B-Mac is out to rest or Chipper is out due to some sort of nagging injury). So the Braves are going to battle with “half a lineup”.
We are lucky to have one of the better Starting Pitching rotations in the NL that’s kept us around .500. It’s the only area that Wren addressed in the off-season and it’s coming back to bite us in the rear end.
Oh, and there was a reason the Angels let Anderson go…and it wasn’t b/c he was still good!
Howard
June 11th, 2009
8:40 pm
It all started with Bobby Cox…he should’ve been gone long ago. All those grandiose division titles, and how world titles??? One! How many did Cox and his pathetic coaches blow??? 3 or 4?? Take a look at the Kansas City Royals the last 10 years or more…there are your Braves, folks…both teams courtesy of the same man…John Schuerholz!
mudcat
June 11th, 2009
8:50 pm
I told the wife in April, as soon as the Brave go on a five game winning streak and have won more games than they’ve lost, we’ll start going back to the ball park………………………Maybe next year.
Jeff Schultz
June 11th, 2009
8:54 pm
SAM: I was just worried that if Barbaro rounded second base, he’d break down on the backstretch and then they’d have to, you know, euthanize him. (attn: PETA. It’s a joke.)
MITCH: I am home now. Can you pour me a drink? … And if you’re fourth, you’re OUT of the money.
HENRY D: Personally, I just think the players aren’t very good. But needless to say, there’s been a lot of Cox and Pendleton bashing going on this year.
ROBARDS: I can see how Chipper’s comments came off that way. I don’t know if he’s “defeated,” but he’s definitely frustrated and maybe there is a level of resignation. He’s definitely not happy, I know that.
JAKE: CDC and the Braves. There should be some sort of endorsement there, no?
NCBRAVES: Great question. Don’t know he answer. It obviously depends in part when they would be 10 games out — 2 weeks from now or 6 weeks from now. Because at some point you start thinking about next year. But we’re not nearly there yet.
SL3: World Series? Uh, no. Gotta agree with you there.
Jeff Schultz
June 11th, 2009
9:01 pm
BT: Don’t think so. He just means they’re trying as hard as they can and, well, this might be as good as they are. At least until they get better.
SUPES: Uh, you think there hasn’t been criticism of Frank Wren?
NC BRAVES FAN: “And what is Wren gonna answer right now anyway – “Yep Jeff, this team sucks and is going nowhere – here’s my five point plan to get us to the WS while improving my communications skills exponentially.” … That’s pretty funny.
MUDCAT: Yeah, I don’t see these guys winning 5 straight right now. Something big would have to change.
willie
June 11th, 2009
9:01 pm
Coiuldn’t agree more. This is an 80 win team at best. Man, I miss the glory days.
Mitch C
June 11th, 2009
9:10 pm
Jeff, what would you suggest the Braves do to improve?
Frank Wren has made many changes to this team since last year’s 90 loss disaster. He brought in an ace. (Derek Lowe) an innings eater who has pitched very well. (Javy Vazquez), and got us a power hitter for a very reasonable price. (Nate Mcclouth).
This team has been extremely Jekyll/Hyde this year. We’ve had a few stretches in which we’ve played very well, others downright awful, and some, like this week, when we’ve been just mediocre.
I will be very interested to hear your suggestions as to what the Braves can do to have a shot at winning… the wild card? Or, do you think there’s nothing they can do, and that fans will have to be resigned that they will likely be no better than 81-81, give or take a game or two?
Mitch C
The Grinch
June 11th, 2009
9:10 pm
Wren will make a move. He’s put too much into this season to have it continue this way. Kelly is a good hitter in the 7 hole, but Bobby refuses to bat him there. Maybe another manager will notice his value in that spot and he could be useful in a trade. KJ, Frenchy, Jo-Jo, and another one of our excess starters (Campillo?) might bring us a desperately needed bat. Prado can play 2nd. I firmly believe that while we’re currently a .500 team, we really don’t need much more to put us over the top. I have faith in Wren, though I know I’m in the minority.
Sam Everyman, do citizen journalists eat cheese and crackers?
wawel78
June 11th, 2009
9:11 pm
Great article Jeff. I’m not turning the tv off but this series was especially frustrating. I went to see the kid pitch on Sunday and watch the bravos play with heart to come back but haven’t seen it Wed or Thurs. With the schedule we’ve got coming up, we’ll know by the all-star break if we’re buyers or sellers.
I’m excited about watching Hanson tomorrow, though (still could not care less about the Glavine situation).
Bob Horner was a dead pull hitter.....
June 11th, 2009
9:15 pm
Jeff…settle down man…you forget we have good pitching..you are not “omnipatent”…but your Friday articles during football season make me buy a paper…
I respect your opinion…but I still think the Braves can turn things around…beacause of their…STARTING PITCHING…..same recipe as the 90’s….
Frenchy Flop
June 11th, 2009
9:31 pm
this team is severely flawed. All pitching and little hitting leaves Bobby Cox a mediocre boy….you can only win so many games 3-2. Sooner or later you have to score some runs and we lose more games 3-2 than we win to boot! Good teams have at least 6 “good-to-great” hitters. Braves barely have four….80 wins is the ceiling for this team. Power comes from the corner outfield and 1st base position – we are 0-3 there with Kotchman, Garrett Andersson and Frenchy…..no more banners to be hung in Turner Field anytime soon, I’m sorry to say
Frenchy Flop
June 11th, 2009
9:35 pm
and another thing…….if you don’t hit for power you are supposed to hit for average…..Braves don’t do either.
SlimG
June 11th, 2009
9:36 pm
We have so many outs on this team it seems like a double A team. Who scares you in this lineup? Chipper, McCann, McClouth that’s all. Every else is an easy out nine out of ten times.
Reid Adair
June 11th, 2009
9:48 pm
Jeff, this is impossible! Don’t you remember? Frank Wren and Terry McGuirk said every game counts, and the vast majority of people on the AJC blogs were convinced that promoting Tommy Hanson (great post you had on his debut, by the way) was going to be the difference in making the playoffs, perhaps even winning the division.
However, as you’ve said before, this team has more problems than just the fifth spot in the starting rotation. The offense (if you can even call it that) is inconsistent – for the sake of being somewhat nice.
Now, offensively, Frank Wren went after Rafael Furcal and Ken Griffey, Jr.; he failed on both free agents. Before the Wren lovers bring it up, he did manage to get Garret Anderson (.254, 3 HR, 17 RBI) and Casey Kotchman (.277, 2 HR, 24 RBI). Not exactly the offensive numbers that would wow anyone for a first baseman and everyday leftfielder. And he did trade for Nate McLouth (.250, 1 HR, 2 RBI in Atlanta), but it’s too early to truly evaluate McLouth’s numbers.
Herschel Talker
June 11th, 2009
9:52 pm
JS – outstanding article. You are on a roll lately. If you would, please give DOB a clue. He is a blind homer. All he does is make excuses, and he will be saying it ain’t over yet right until they are mathematically eliminated. It’s nice to have a sportswriter call it like it is. This is just a mediocre team, plain and simple. And I don’t see how it gets better anytime soon considering the black holes in the offense that won’t be filled for quite some time from the farm system.
Rev. Otis Nixon
June 11th, 2009
9:53 pm
more braves bashing…
Sam Everyman, Citizen Journalist
June 11th, 2009
9:54 pm
The Grinch, yes, all journalists are fond of cheese and many eat crackers as well. Citizen journalists appreciate a good cheese tray and a beer at the ballpark. Somehow, though, citizen journalists must find their way into the pressbox where the cheese trays are kept. Without the proper press credentials this can be tough. A kindly old journalist will sometimes pass cheese but that is another story for another day.
Josh
June 11th, 2009
10:03 pm
Schultz, I wish you were gone just like Terrence Moore. Carroll and Dob are all the Ajc has when it comes to the Braves. You sir are just terrible. Just go hop on the banwaggon for the Blow Sox!
Michael
June 11th, 2009
10:07 pm
Did someone really say the Atlanta media is “soft” after everything Jeff writes? He’s pretty fair on the Braves. When they suck, he says it (see this blog).
The problem Atlanta has is bats. You have Chipper, who has turned into a .330/20HR guy. He cannot be the main source of power. The next best hitter is McCann, who won’t play every day since he’s a catcher. Someone who can hit 30 homers or steal 30 or 40 bases needs to be in this lineup. Barbaro had a good stick in Gwinnett. Let’s see if he’s a nice power surprise in the bigs.
The Atlanta Braves - Page 456 - VolNation
June 11th, 2009
10:08 pm
[...] Nothing we didn’t know in this article, but a nice read anyways. Braves take their mediocre act on the road | Jeff Schultz [...]
bigmacattack
June 11th, 2009
10:11 pm
And we wish you were out of a job as well Josh.
Hot Phone Sex Princess
June 11th, 2009
10:15 pm
Clearly Jeff needs to make a phone call…
If you’re gonna get all hot and bothered, you ought to put it to good use.
brewdawg
June 11th, 2009
10:16 pm
Yeah, funny how everyone misses the “glory days”. All we heard back then was, “I’m tired of just making the playoffs every year! World Series or bust!!” We all took that run for granted.
Another thing, this kind of start used to be commonplace during that 14 year streak. Difference being that no matter how nervous it made us, we all knew they’d bust out of it sooner or later. Call me an optimist, that part of me still hasn’t gone away. It’s less convincing, but still I can’t help but think, “This team will run off 12 of 15 sooner or later and we’ll be back in things.” Now go ahead and make fun of me.
Josh
June 11th, 2009
10:24 pm
brewdawg, great post man! I still have hope for this team like you, and some of you act as if the Braves have never won anything! did you just think the Braves would keep winning the east the next 30 years? seriousy the run was gonna end sometime and so it did. Get your rear out to the park and support them win or lose. I guess you will just let the banwaggon Boston fans fill up our stadium two weeks from now! I bet that gives our players even more confidence to win games?
Burgess
June 11th, 2009
10:26 pm
Chipper Jones is a tremendous talent. He can’t be a leader because he is out of the lineup too much. Let’s see, he’s missed games this year because of his thumb, toe and elbow. And he took himself out of the lineup one night because he was dizzy. He’s a regular Cal Ripken, Jr isn’t he ? Why should the younger players look up to him ? How about the play in the 9th inning today today when they LET Adam LaRoche “steal” second ? I’ve had little league teams throw the runner out at second in that 1st and 3rd situation with 2 outs. And these guys are major leaguers ?????
Sam Everyman, Citizen Journalist
June 11th, 2009
10:28 pm
Hey, being out of work is no fun. Citizen journalists don’t get paid. Saying Dob is “all the AJC has” pretty much explains what’s going on on Marietta Street now, doesn’t it? That’s like saying all Kroger has is souse meat. To his credit, Jeff is no homer. Of course, few of us are. There is a Homer blogging here but we established earlier that he is not the blind Homer – and he would never hop on the banwaggon – not even the Barbaro Banwaggon.
JD
June 11th, 2009
10:38 pm
Chipper said it perfectly…the reason we’re no good is because guys aren’t taking the “next step.” McCann’s obviously there. Yunel’s close. But Kelly and Francoeur….Frenchy’s taken a step back while Kelly either plays like an All-Star or Greg Norton’s apprentice.
I wish our offensive woes, coupled with the continued struggles of Francoeur, Kelly, Schafer, etc. would cause management to at least consider replacing Pendleton. If for no other reason than to just humor us. Show us they’re trying.
indybravesfan
June 11th, 2009
10:45 pm
Thank god I did not vote for Obama…As the Braves are going to need all of my hope!
SEC Fan
June 11th, 2009
10:53 pm
I know French catches alot of head, which he deserves but KJ is awful. He is a below average fielder,strikes out too much, and can’t hit for average. Give me Prado at second, he is scrappy and can field.
Jeff Schultz
June 11th, 2009
10:57 pm
MITCH C: You’re not going to like my answer. To some degree, I think they’re stuck. They’re not going to significantly add payroll if another team wants to shed a high-paid star, and I don’t think they have any real valuable commodity they could move in trade (at least not that they would be willing to move in trade). They can make relatively minor deals and hope for a bump. But I think this is pretty much your team . And the answer to your question is, I don’t think this is a playoff team.
WAWEL78: Thanks. And, yes, Hanson will be fun to watch.
BOB: You could be right. But they had the best starting pitching they could’ve had today. And they lost.
REID: I said that? Damn I’m smart. Wait, I can’t say that. You say that. … Seriously, I do think the McLouth trade will turn to be a great move.
MICHAEL: Thanks. I’ve been called smart, dumb, soft, unfairly hard, a visionary and a nincompoop – and sometimes all in the same post. And they’re probably all right, depending on the time of day.
HOT PHONE SEX PRINCESS: Do you accept collect calls? Times are tough, babe.
O'brien
June 11th, 2009
10:59 pm
If only the Braves had signed Adam Dunn, or Raul Ilbanez. But Frank Wren said he was concerned about their balance (offense and defense). I think he was more concerned about the budget (not his fault).
I think Bobby should have left Vazquez to start the 9th, but pull him at the first sign of trouble. Knowing Bobby’s luck though, if he leaves him in there, he probably gives up a run, and then Bobby gets blamed for leaving him in too long.
Jeff, any suggestions for what to do with Frenchy?
Traver
June 11th, 2009
11:16 pm
As I sit here wearing my 1995 Workd Series Greg Maddux home jersey I just have to wonder – Will anybody show up on July 17th? We already know Glavine and Smoltz won’t be there (thanks to our brilliant GM) but what about the rest of us? How did we manage to get back to the days of Tommy Boggs, Daryl Chaney, and Brian Asselstein so quickly. Back when ther were 7 people in stands and two of the worked for the Braves (the Bleacher Creature and Chief Noccahoma). What a debacle.
For who ever said there is a five ppoint plan to fix the Braves- lets condense that to a two point “F” plan – “Fire Frank and Frenchy.”
dobearsbare
June 11th, 2009
11:18 pm
Missed opportunities are ruling for this club. This homestand was one, and the next road/home stretch is the make/break stretch of the season. If McLouth was their big deal, then yes, they’re in trouble. He’s a good player, but the Braves came out of that deal needing one more bat. The serious teams will go get what they need. The Braves will take it to 211 degrees and then back off before getting all the way to a boil. Which is a shame, because the pitching really is good enough to make this a special year.
WVBravesNut
June 11th, 2009
11:19 pm
I have been a huge Braves Fan for years and quite frankly tired of reading all the entries of these so called Braves fans on here. For one the Braves are far from out of this race, they just need to find there groove. As far as Jeff francoeur goes you guys need to just back off and support the man instead of continuing to put him down and put even more pressure on him. If you look at the numbers his numbers are not much different than Kotchman’s. This kid is still very young and has a tremendous upside, his defense is great and he plays hard everyday. Get off his back and let him play ball without looking over his shoulder. I hope Jeff gets back on track and all you guys downing him has to eat crow. If Frank deals him it will be a big mistake. I did’nt hear anybody praising him today when he was the best we had. Remember we praise in public. Make this kid feel good and show him support like when he first came around.
count_schemula
June 11th, 2009
11:20 pm
McCann is solid. The eye thing… that’s not really his fault and he looks to be dealing with it pretty well now.
Diaz has not been the Diaz of 06-07. Anderson is an ok hitter, but kinda slow on the basepaths, and has not shown much in left field.
Centerfield has been a mess since about 2 before Andruw left. McLouth is ok, but the trade does not really do that much for me.
Frenchy is straight messed up. He’s not a baseball player. And he’s not quite the athlete he was in his first couple of years. He never really learned to hit in the minor leagues and he has nothing to fall back on to make adjustments at the major league level. His feet are a mess. His head is a mess. We are going to end up getting nothing for “the natural.”
Kotchman? He’s ok, but we had LaRoche, who played solid D and had 20+ HR power. Kotch has no power. He was helping out pretty well with multi hit games and then got hurt.Tex was a rental and we lost a lot of farm youth. Why did we trade LaRoche again? I like Gonzo ok, but… we LaRoche was never going to command top money and he’s not a bad 1st baseman.
Escobar? He still has promise, but we did not want to still be in the promise stage at this point. His spacey D and sorry baserunning show me that he still thinks it’s a sandlot game.
KJ? Was streaky at the best of times. I like what Prado brings over him at this point.
The pitching is mostly decent and they’ve made adjustments to the pen and with Medlen and Soriano and Gonzo we have some heat back there.
The Mets are weak. The Phillies have no pitching. But it’s the Braves who are in 3rd place.
Go Braves! But this is a frustrating team. I’m no Dunn fan, but doesn’t he look like the right off season signing now? As easy as that is to say from my Laz-ee Boi in June.
The Grinch
June 11th, 2009
11:26 pm
Kroger’s best deals on souse meat are on Wednesdays.
O’Brien, Bobby isn’t capable of pulling a pitcher when there are signs of trouble; your point is intelligent but moot in the current scheme of things. He can only replace them too early when they’re hot or hang them out to dry when they clearly don’t have it. No middle ground, which is understandable considering how complicated it is to judge when a pitcher’s throwing well or not. Or…actually, it isn’t very difficult to tell, is it? Hmmm. Well, he loves the game and backs up his players media wise. I guess that’s worth 5-7 losses per season with incorrect in-game moves that a 6 year old girl could manage for much less money.
Despite payroll and Bobby, we’re only a power bat away from greatness. Trust in Wren.
Paul Lentz
June 11th, 2009
11:27 pm
Just imagine this line-up if the Braves could acquire a right handed, power hitting right fielder:
1. Nate McLouth
2. Yunel Escobar
3. Chipper Jones
4. (power hitting right handed right fielder)
5. Brian McCann
6. Garrett Anderson/Matt Diaz
7. Casey Kotchman
8. Kelly Johnson/Martin Prado
9. (starting pitcher)
Now that would be a balanced line-up. And when Omar Infante comes back, I’d put him at second base and send Kelly to the bench.
By adding “one right handed power hitter who can play right field” that would drop everyone down a spot and in effect strengthen the bottom of the line-up. However, the lack of right handed power, plus people batting higher than they should in the batting order…..is killing the Braves offensively.