If Braves’ Pendleton got blame before, he better get credit now
Terry Pendleton deserves some credit for the Braves turning into one of the better hitting clubs in the National League. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
So does this mean Terry Pendleton isn’t so bad?
(Sarcasm.)
After going 6-5 on what could have been a crushing 11-game road trip, the Braves are 14-5 since a 6-4 loss to Florida – Kenshin Kawakami shockingly was the losing pitcher – and 29-13 (.690) since a nine-game losing streak.
Nobody figured they were that bad at 8-14. Some probably wonder if they’re really this good at 10 games over .500 in mid-June.
But I just wanted to bring something to your attention. Despite still getting little production from their expected primary run producers – Chipper Jones, Brian McCann, Yunel Escobar – the Braves have been climbing in National League statistical categories.
They rank No. 1 in walks (.295), No. 1 in on-base percentage (.352), No. 2 in doubles (124), No. 2 in runs (.327), No. 4 in batting with runners in scoring position (.277), No. 5 in total hits (.565) and No. 6 in batting average (.262). All in all, that’s pretty good for a lineup most of us wanted to blow up in April.
Which leads me back to Pendleton.
During this 14-5 stretch, the Braves are scoring 5.58 runs per game. That’s a full run more than the previous 45 (4.58).
Hitting and pitching coaches get way too much credit and blame. Pendleton wasn’t the reason Jeff Francoeur nose-dived in Atlanta. Similarlly, Pendleton is not the reason Martin Prado has turned into a .332 hitter. Coaches can help only so much in terms of pointing out flaws and making suggestions. Players either adjust or they don’t.
When Leo Mazzone left the Braves for Baltimore, it was comical the way some fans believed the Braves were suddenly going down like Pompeii, as if Mazzone created the greatness that was Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz.
What happened when Mazzone went to the pitching-poor Orioles? Suddenly, he stunk. All those people who whined when he left the Braves suddenly went mute.
Funny. The same thing is now happening with Pendleton’s critics. We’ve gone from screams to crickets.
If Pendleton is going to get the blame for Nate McLouth, he needs to get some credit for Troy Glaus, Eric Hinske and Omar Infante.
Can’t have it both ways, folks.
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181 comments Add your comment
Coach On The GO
June 14th, 2010
4:01 pm
Hitting coaches..just like managers….get way too much credit for good or bad performances. Hitters still swing the bat, pitchers still execute the pitch. Coaches are there to make sure they are doing what needs to be done to execute a good swing or pitching delivery. Leo would be the first to tell ya..he had it pretty good here in Atlanta..pretty good crop of arms to manage back then!
Braves would do good by hiring TP, or Ned Yost…or Ron Gardenhire..I think he’s in his last year of a deal. Love that guy!
GSU Eagle 91
June 14th, 2010
4:03 pm
I have thought for the last several sesons that TP would become the Braves next Skipper when Bobby called it a day…..I still feel it will happen…..
bfred
June 14th, 2010
4:10 pm
TP can’t be manager until he gets some new sunglasses. Those things are horrific. Like 1982 Bash Brothers terrible.
I’d love to have Gardenhire, but no way he’s going anywhere.
Art Vandelay
June 14th, 2010
4:28 pm
So, “Wad” (what an apropos moniker), should we assume your theory also holds true for Hispanic players like Albert Pujols, Roberto Clemente, Pedro Martinez, Juan Marichal, Johan Santana and the rest of the massive list of current and future hall-of-famers from Latin backgrounds? Or did they just manage to somehow overcome the apparently genetic and/or cultural disability that comes with having brown skin and speaking Spanish as a first language? What’s your expert opinion on the prospects for success (or failure, as it were) for today’s black players? How about the Asian ones, or the Jews? Better yet, what’s your explanation for smackhead white guys like Josh Hamilton or juicers like McGwire, Clemens, Pettitte, Brian Roberts, etc.? Were they just unduly influenced by the negativity brought into the clubhouse by all the ungrateful spic–er–Latin players?
And before you try to insult someone’s vocabulary, you might want to study up on your homonyms. You know, things like “there” versus “they’re” or “their.” But really — thanks for the irony. You gave a lot of people a good laugh with your “reality-based” comments. That must be one miserable reality you live in.
Roy Hobbs
June 14th, 2010
4:40 pm
If what you say is true, so is the reverse. If he deserves credit now, he deserved blame then.
Honestly, this is the worst blog/article ever. Sure, TP cant swing the bat for them, but he can prepare them, give them a gameplan, get them all on the same page, make sure they are aware of tendencies and trends, make sure they are prepared for different things they might be asked to due in a given at bat, etc.
Basically, the things Prado talked about when discussing how he had seen Slowey in the minors and knew they needed to get after him early. Or Conrad talked about when discussing his thought process when Bobby told him they might try a squeeze.
Those are the things I expect from a hitting coach, and I still see no evidence that Pendelton is doing them.
Seriously, worst blog ever. “LALALALA Look at the Braves winning games, you were all dumb for thinking Pendelton is bad!” You could have saved yourself twenty minues of typing and just ran that as your story.
Roy Hobbs
June 14th, 2010
4:42 pm
Oh, going back to Leo, you should read “The Baseball Economist.” You might not have liked the guy, but numbers supported the fact that guys had an ERA nearly .75 runs better under Leo than they did under other coaches.
jerry
June 14th, 2010
4:45 pm
TP has never been a factor, one way or the other. If he were, it would have been evident, one way or the other, a long time ago. In other words they would be really bad or really good hitters—-as a team.
Coach (2011 or Bust)
June 14th, 2010
4:53 pm
Terry Pendleton. The next skipper to run this team when Cox retires. He cut his teeth under the tutelage of Whitey Herzog as a player, then played under Cox and has been a very successful hitting coach with the Braves since 2001. He has earned the managers job the hard way, and nobody else is in such perfect and qualified position to take over in 2011. He’s the no brainer manager candidate.
Bob Horner could pull anybodys fast ball
June 14th, 2010
5:03 pm
I am not Shaun…but I agree w/ him in that the Braves are hitting well and this is not “in spite of” TP…when they were NOT hitting in April it was not “because” of TP….one more caveat…what if Chipper and Escobar get it going in the dog days of summer…it could happen…it will need to happen I’m thinking Glaus cools off at some point…heck he’s on fire no way he keeps this up…other guys need to pick it up…(ie Chipper, McCann,Escobar)
DollarDawg43
June 14th, 2010
5:17 pm
Are any of the TP bashers EVER going to respond to the fact that the Braves have been outscored only by Colorado and Philadelphia during TP’s tenure? Bash away, but we’re talking about eight years here. In the world of major league baseball eight years represents a pretty darn good stretch; I would say he is passing the test of time.
Frenchy, Andruw and K. Johnson have done the same thing for other teams they did here. If they had gone somewhere and started tearing it up the TP bashing might have some credence but their performance (or lack thereof) since leaving the Braves only reinforces the argument that their struggles had nothing to do with TP.
Cheat On Trojans!
June 14th, 2010
5:23 pm
“If Braves’ Pendleton got blame before, he better get credit now”
How’s bout we wait until the Braves either get far in the playoffs or win a world series before we give that clown any credit.
If Pendleton was such a leader why didn’t he help win a WSC in 1991 and 1992?
Cheat On Trojans!
June 14th, 2010
5:23 pm
“Bash away, but we’re talking about eight years here.”
And ZERO WS appearances……
Tralfaz
June 14th, 2010
5:25 pm
ollarDawg43—that is only ONE statistic. One could argue that this only means we are very good at piling on alot of runs on the weaker pitchers, and that argument would be backed up by the fact that our won-loss record does not correspond to that, in spite of the fact that we have very good pitching
Einsteindawg
June 14th, 2010
5:30 pm
Jeff, what is this “head case” you refer to when addressing Escobar and McChoke? I thought huge salaries were the cure for all ills.
Nacho Daddy
June 14th, 2010
5:34 pm
Bring back Clarence Jones ! ^ ^
0 0 ?
/
o
…
Nacho Daddy
June 14th, 2010
5:35 pm
^ ^
0 0 ?
/
o
itpdude
June 14th, 2010
5:42 pm
The Braves are hitting now because they don’t listen to Terry anymore.
He’s gone at the end of the season.
Dennis G. Berdanis
June 14th, 2010
6:03 pm
Maybe I’m wrong, but even when you or Bradley compliment an Atlanta coach or player, how come it never really feels like you’re supporting that player as much as you’re taking yet another opportunity to tweak the city of Atlanta and put down its fans?
The Grinch
June 14th, 2010
6:03 pm
Whatever you may think of TP as a hitting coach, there will be an awful lot of ^&%%ed-off people if he becomes the next manager. Whether it’s fair or not, he is often perceived as being an extension of Bobby and I think most folks are ready for a change. I also believe Frank Wren is one of those people. I agree with Jeff that Freddi G. is both the best and most likely candidate.
4 Jacks
June 14th, 2010
6:10 pm
Great article Jeff. Most of these “experts” that blame Pendleton have no clue, or were the last ones chosen in their neighborhood pickup games. All hitters go through slumps, and some of todays atheletes are just to dense or proud to take lessons to heart. You can only do so much, and kets face it, some guys are career 240 hitters or less. Pendleton was the epitome of a great teammate and ball player. I am not saying he is a great hitting coach, but he is a good coach, and I beleive he is in the top 15 percent of all around coaches out there. It just gets back to we all need someone to blame, to point the finger at when all our favorite ball players are not hitting over 300.
FUZZUP
June 14th, 2010
6:11 pm
120rd Just lucky!!!
Paul In Richmond
June 14th, 2010
6:28 pm
There are two types of hitters – one who is looking for the home run every at bat and another who is more patient and less likely to strike out swinging from his heels. Ron Gant, Andruw Jones, Frenchie and some others on this team have been the former. They either were “on” and the stats skyrocketed or they were “off” and they were abysmal. (Though frequently Bobby left them smack in the middle of the lineup while shuffling contact hitters up and down the order).
TP was (and teaches) contact hitting. The HR guys don’t listen to him. The new guys and the contact hitters do. That is how you have guys like Diaz and others hitting over their average while the power guys disappoint.
This year the team is leading in WALKS! What does that tell you? It says that this is finally a TP team – without Jones, without Andruw and without Frenchy. This team of leftovers is playing basic baseball and TP certainly gets the credit for that as does Bobby. Bunts, stolen bases, walks were foreign to this bunch even as recently as a month ago.
I say Kudos to the entire management.
Chuck Allison
June 14th, 2010
6:30 pm
All I know about TP is that he was always overweight and refused to lose weight. He looked like the Pillsbury doughboy. He was also the one who walked off the field in a big pout because the Braves pitcher wouldn’t hit a batter as Terry ordered him to. I sure wish he had left us a long, long time ago. He does nothing for the team, except remind us of embarassment.
GWK
June 14th, 2010
6:30 pm
Just goes to show that too much blame is placed on coaches. These players are professionals and it is like blaming Haney everytime Tiger doesn’t win a tournament. Get real folks, MLB players are the best in the world at what they do, they aren’t little leagers who can be messed up or coached up. They simply have to execute because that is what they do.
I hope the Bobby and TP haters will settle down some now and let’s watch these guys do what they are paid to do; win ball games. GO BRAVES!!!
Where's The Love For Terry P?? - True Sports Core Forums
June 14th, 2010
6:34 pm
[...] [...]
the least of these
June 14th, 2010
6:44 pm
Thanks Art and Chet for revealing PT’s second career. However, would you mind clarifying: is that NASCAR or FORUMLA ONE? Thanks much. It is gratifying to read comments by two people with the obvious superior analytical skills that you two possess and abundantly demonstrate. In my humble opinion as imprecise as most of us are we could have easily gotten off on tangents without your keen intelligences to keep us on point.
the least of these
June 14th, 2010
6:48 pm
And, Jeff, with all due respect, you may want to consider revising your initial comment that “you cannot have it both ways”. From reading through this particular blog I would suggest that you have about 38 or so responders who are intellectually nimble enough to have somewhere in the neighborhood of about “74 different ways.” Amazing dexterity. A few “American Idol” contestants for sure.
the least of these
June 14th, 2010
6:56 pm
Now dad-gum-it, Paul, if you are going to make so much sense and so ably and rationally justify such a positive, yet accurate and precise, approach, just go somewhere else where your simple, accurate analysis will not be such an embarrassment to the rest of us. P.S. This comment was not written by Paul’s wife. P.P.S. Paul, do you have a wife? My wife wants to know.
OldTimer
June 14th, 2010
7:14 pm
Who needs a hitting coach? Jeff, do you need a writing coach? I think not. Hitters can hit and writers can write.
Chris
June 14th, 2010
7:34 pm
Jeff….right on. Although some disagree, I believe he deserves consideration for the head job when Bobby leaves. The guy knows baseball and he”s worked under Bobby for years and played for him as well. He knows why players love to play for him and he adapt some of those same ideas and philosophies when he takes over.
Bob Horner could pull anybodys fast ball
June 14th, 2010
7:36 pm
Old Timer….cool post…..I’m fat I need 2 lose weight…but I don’t need a coach it’s not rocket sceince..I’m 42..I also don’t give mt old lady enough 4play….cut down on the beers and calories and pay cash for the stiffy pills..(my insurance won’t….it’s like they know I’m a loser..)…..point is…we are responsile 4 our actions or lack thereof….we r what we r
freshd
June 14th, 2010
7:44 pm
Nobody can fix YUNEL, I hate to see him come to the plate with men on base with less than two out because he is gonna swing at the first pitch, and hit into a double play. I hate that NATE McPOPUP got hurt, but it was time for a change in centerfield. You know the world is gonna end when I saw ANDRUW JONES batting leadoff last night for the WHITE SOXS.
Frank Wren
June 14th, 2010
7:45 pm
Fed up with Wren,
So you’re saying that Terry gets credit for the guys that are struggling but doesn’t get credit for the guys that are doing well?
This is so typical of a fan of any team in any sport who doesn’t like a coach.
Fire R
June 14th, 2010
7:47 pm
Enter your comments here
jroc
June 14th, 2010
7:52 pm
Hitting at the beginning of the year was down all over MLB thats why so many no hitters were thrown.I am just glad that the Braves bats have woken up.Hope to see them hitting it at the end of the season and on into the playoffs.Go Bravos.
Mike Jay
June 14th, 2010
7:58 pm
The Grinch,
You said “Whatever you may think of TP as a hitting coach, there will be an awful lot of ^&%%ed-off people if he becomes the next manager. Whether it’s fair or not, he is often perceived as being an extension of Bobby and I think most folks are ready for a change. I also believe Frank Wren is one of those people. I agree with Jeff that Freddi G. is both the best and most likely candidate.”
Umm, you do realize where Feddie G. tutored right?
Babe Ruth
June 14th, 2010
8:29 pm
I just want Selig to give me those 200 or so foul balls that could have been homeruns but the umps said they were too close to call. I would get my record back.
Babe Ruth
June 14th, 2010
8:30 pm
TP? that’s short for turlet paper
scott
June 14th, 2010
8:45 pm
Art Vandelay your “confederatle flag count” is just as insensitive as wads comment about latin players. I am proud of my familiy’s sacrifice in that war just as I am proud of the sacrifices my family has made under the stars and stripes. Your probably the kind of person that thinks me a biggot and a racist because I appreciate the Confederate flag and what it stood for. Now about the baseball…TP is a consistently good hitting coach as the braves are consistently good on offense…and finally I hope Gonzo is the skipper next year.
TPisAWFULLLLLLL
June 14th, 2010
8:52 pm
he still is terrible he makes his players think to much about there swing ,so much so they they forget the Squaring the ball up and hitting it hard somewhere part….As for Leo we did go down hill when he left..and He did a great job in Balt..he made Bedard a household name…Leo is the man behind the streak we had ..
bird
June 14th, 2010
9:06 pm
Great Job TP!! Its about time a blog was started on this topic. Thank you Mr. Shultz. GREAT JOB TP!!!!!!!!!!!!
hal
June 14th, 2010
9:12 pm
the preformance of kelly johnson hasnt improved give your stupid head a shake the guy was leading the nl in home runs up to a week ago
Stumpknocker
June 14th, 2010
9:12 pm
That’s right “Shootzie”, can’t pile the blame without stacking some praise…..whatever, but I for one think you are a little politically motivated. So some Brave hitters are doing well now, lets declare TP the greatest hitting instructor of all time. The proof of the pudding however is how quick he turns a slumping hitter around. The implanting of hitting philosophy and plate dicipline….traits that TP isn’t known for. And still some previous bloggers declare he was a great hitter…..Bullsh?t…the man was a career .260 hitter… He couldn’t win a WS as a player and hasn’t coached in one since he’s been here. Point made !!!
thunderbull56
June 14th, 2010
9:33 pm
Uh,NO.
Roja
June 14th, 2010
9:39 pm
The only “race” problem most of us have is that for the past 5 years we have been out of the PENNANT RACE!!
And by the way, as fans, we CAN have it BOTH ways!!
Braves Fan
June 14th, 2010
9:42 pm
Amen Chet,Amen! Stop the hating!
Roy Hobbs
June 14th, 2010
9:49 pm
Dumbest Blog Ever.
DBE. Write it down. Its going to become a household phrase, like LOL, except more accurage.
Roy Hobbs
June 14th, 2010
9:50 pm
accurage = accurate rage btw.
reason
June 14th, 2010
9:51 pm
The reason the Braves are hitting is because they stop listing to him, Pendleton. This man would be just as bad if he were white as he is black, so the race card won’t work here. Comparing Aaron to Pendleton is childish and shows a lack of Baseball know how. There are those that when they can’t think of something smart use the raceamobile to ride around in,
MitchC
June 14th, 2010
9:53 pm
Jeff, I never specifically blamed Pendelton persay. I was more questioning why Wren wasn’t getting us another hitter. That having been said, the Braves have been playing well lately. It’s too bad that we couldnt gain more of a lead in the NL East, because, as we know, the Mets have been hot, even if the Phillies are stinking it up.
Hopefully, with the killer road trip over, and bunch of home games coming up in the next few weeks, we can gain a decent sized lead by the All Star Break, especially with as well as we’ve played at home this year.