Braves collapse, and the shine just came off Fredi Gonzalez
Fredi Gonzalez watched as the Braves blew an 8½-game wild-card lead in 23 days. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
Fredi Gonzalez was quietly handed the Braves’ managerial job before Bobby Cox ever stepped out the door in a wink-wink, nudge-nudge deal, and nobody really had a problem with it.
He had the resume and the personality. Everybody liked and respected him. He knew the players, the organization and the city. The Braves weren’t making over the manager’s office as much as they were changing a light bulb.
Something went wrong.
This is not a “Fire Fredi Gonzalez” column. But we’ve just witnessed one of the worst collapses in sports history, and the Braves can’t just assume that a few roster tweaks are going to fix the problem. When a team goes 10-20 down the stretch — including 0-9 against their two biggest competitors (Philadelphia and St. Louis) — and loses three consecutive series to the division’s flotsam (Mets, Marlins, Nationals), this isn’t about just injuries or a few guys going into a slump.
The vibe was missing this season. That’s on Gonzalez. The team fell apart when it needed to come together, blowing an 8½-game lead in 23 days. That’s on Gonzalez. The Braves seemed tight and meek and borderline frightened, as if waiting, hoping, white-knuckle-praying for a playoff spot to just fall into their lap. They didn’t just take it, and didn’t play like they felt they deserved it.
That’s certainly on Gonzalez. The shine just came off the perfect replacement.
I understand this isn’t football. Managers make in-game decisions, but they aren’t calling plays. They change the lineup and the batting order. Gonzalez did that. He pulled Chipper Jones out of the No. 3 spot. He benched Jason Heyward.
Ultimately, the question is whether a manager is making a team better, making it believe. The Braves clearly weren’t, therefore Gonzalez clearly didn’t.
Even with injuries, this was twice the team that reached the postseason last year and lost three one-run games to the eventual World Series champions in San Francisco.
Gonzalez doesn’t need to go. But he needs to change. Or maybe someone. Gonzalez said Thursday that all of his coaches are coming back. But for all the screams from the cheap seats about former hitting coach Terry Pendleton, his replacement, Larry Parrish, didn’t bring anything to the table.
Maybe Gonzalez just needs to change himself. Maybe he came in and, consciously or subconsciously, didn’t want to disrupt things too much in the first season after Bobby Cox retired. It was such a feel-good season last year, that would be understandable. But if that was the strategy, it backfired.
When asked about the collapse following Wednesday’s final loss, Chipper Jones said, “It’s cruel, because probably nobody in Atlanta sports is probably under as much scrutiny as he is filling in for Bobby Cox. To have it slip away in late September, it’s cruel. It’s really cruel. It’s not indicative of the way this team played, the way he managed, and what we deserved in this situation.”
Not sure about the “deserved” part of that quote. The Braves just played 162 games. That’s enough time.
They blew it. They blew it like no team in Atlanta sports history. That blew it like few teams in all of sports history. The only people who aren’t saying today that they blew it live in Boston — because they have their own problems.
What just happened is mind-numbing. But even before the collapse, the Braves seemed to have chemistry issues. They never quite came together like most anticipated. This was a team that figured to challenge Philadelphia in the National League East and possibly for a World Series.
There aren’t a lot of tangible things we can pin on Gonzalez. He certainly stuck with Derek Lowe too long, and the decision to start him Tuesday over rookie Julio Teheran blew up in the manager’s face. He made the bold decision to go with Jose Constanza over the struggling Heyward in right field for several starts, which seemed to ignite the lineup. But then he switched back to Heyward, who is the better player, but still seemed to be a mess.
But it never should have come down to that decision, or to a few starts by Lowe. When a team goes 10-20 to close the season and gets swept at home in the last three games, the issues are bigger than that.
Implosions like this are on the manager. He didn’t make the team better. The Braves underachieved. And Gonzalez just lost the benefit of the doubt.
By Jeff Schultz
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845 comments Add your comment
Brown Eyed Girl!
September 29th, 2011
12:04 pm
@ Dennis, and she calls him Albie!
billygoat
September 29th, 2011
12:05 pm
Wait… everyone’s saying he should never have benched “Georgie” but didn’t JC get injured? Didn’t he HAVE to sit a couple of games, only to come back and not have the same capabilities he did or be the same spark he was before the ankle sprain?
IMHO, it started getting sideways when JC got hurt, “B-Mac” came back from the DL, and Lowe lost his command of the ball… I’m not saying Fredi filled Cox’s shoes, but he didn’t make a total mess of things – he worked with what he had, was able to make some magic with rookies and struggling veterans who’d never admit they’re struggling (Yes, I’m calling out Mr. Larry Jones. Especially after he came out with the “suck it up and do your job” meeting, yet, for him in the last series, he had 1 HR, a 2B, and, seemingly, inning killing DP’s).
It can’t ALL go on Fredi’s shoulders. Blame should go where it belongs… with everyone on the team, from top down.
North Florida
September 29th, 2011
12:06 pm
The Braves still should of done it with any of your AAA references (Lowe, Constanza, Heyward, Diaz, Wilson, McStink). Look at your neighbors to the south- the Rays are a AAA team that are only in the league to give the Yankees and Sox’s a punching bag…yet what did they do? So, blame the manager, blame the offense, blame the players, blame chopper and mccant for hitting a wall in september, blame the coaches, blame the trainers, blame the doctors, blame yourself, blame the city, blame your fellow atlanta sports fans for not even being able to sell out a game in the thick of a playoff race, blame the media, blame the umps, blame the economy.
matt
September 29th, 2011
12:07 pm
Haven’t read some of the other posts, but here is what I believed happened that cost us dearly this year:
1. After we got Bourn we benched Heyward, brought in Costanza and started playing small ball…and it WORKED!! So why did we then sit Costanza after he cooled off a little. We shouldn’t have abandoned this way of playing after just a few losses. Didn’t Fredi manage this way in Florida? Why not stick to what he is used to?
2. Injuries to 2 of our best pitchers: Jurjens and Hanson. This one is a no-brainer and is no one’s fault.
3. D. LOWE: should have sat him, regardless of how much we pay him.
4. Uggla: This may even out, but how many games did we lose at the beginning of the year because of his lack of hitting in with RISP.
5. Overall lack of hitting in RISP throughout the year.
6. NO KILLER INSTINCT: see Phillies (especially last night): they beat who they are supposed to beat and are a pain in the @$$ to finish off.
I’m sure there are more. The issue is, I don’t know how to fix any of that. I mean we can add another bat…a steady kind of guy that hits between 275 and 300 every year. Or we could also use a “power arm” in the starting rotation. I’m just not sure if that is enough. Maybe hire a new hitting coach?
4.
pb
September 29th, 2011
12:07 pm
Don’t know if it all falls on Fredi’s shoulders, but being the manager, he will get the blame (or the credit.) Also wish Chipper Jones would just not speak at all after games, given his inane and meaningless comments. ( Like: you can only control what you can control, you have to tip your hat to other team, etc.) Maybe it is time for him to retire.
Bravefan for life
September 29th, 2011
12:07 pm
I have been saying this since mid season. I agree 100% with this one.
Bill
September 29th, 2011
12:07 pm
At what point do the players get blamed for not making adjustments in their hitting. As much as TP bothered me as hitting coach I feel as though the team had better approaches at the plate. It seemed as we had more walks and hits when it mattered than last year. As far as pitching goes they will learn and get better. Injuries happen to everyone deal with it and move on.
First Tee 9/29/11 « Grounds Crew Report
September 29th, 2011
12:07 pm
[...] don’t know what collapse was worst. Atlanta or Boston. Either way, they will be watching the post season from home this [...]
AmosM
September 29th, 2011
12:08 pm
After a collapse of this magnitude, it’s not a question of who earns what percentage of “blame.” The manager is responsible, period, and this one has to go. If they want to reinvigorate the fan base, the Braves should dismiss the entire coaching staff today. Now.
Larry G
September 29th, 2011
12:08 pm
This team cannot hit consistantly! I don’t care how great the pitching was most of the season but you can’t win any games 0 to 0! This isn’t soccer, it’s a real sport! Anybody notice that Frenchy (Jeff Francour) lead the american league in doubles, had over 20 home runs, 80 RBIs and batted in the .280’s in a bad year for hitters! Yes he still strikes out to much but with the other stats that can be overlooked. On top of that he’s still one of the best defensive right fielders in the game. I think that output could have helped this lineup. This is the player that this idiotic management gave up on and traded for NOTHING!
I’ve been a Braves fan shice 1957, but this was the biggest heartbreaker of all. Freddi Gonzales has no fire! He should have raised holy hell about the 3rd base missed call but he went away meekly. (Bobbi Cox would have! although he screwed up his pitchers also) Maybe some fire at the top would generate some fire below! Can all of the couching staff except for the bull pen crew. Change the philosphy of hitting, (patience at the plate, small ball, base stealing manufacturing runs) let your starting pitchers pitch when they are going well, none of the 100 pitch and your our crap! How many complete games did the Phillies have compared to the Braves. When a starters going well let him finish. That way you save your bull pen for when the starters get in trouble, not burn them out by using them every day unecessarily. Starters used to pitch many more innings than they do today and had long careers (Warren Spahn the perfect example) This team can do better next season with a few additions and subtractions to the lineup, but unless the coaching staff and the philosophy changes it will be another dissappointment!
Sideline Dude
September 29th, 2011
12:08 pm
Please, just bury the bums & let’s not rehash the season. Maybe Chipper will reconsider during the offseason & retire.
Blackberry Cobbler
September 29th, 2011
12:09 pm
Now the AJC wants to jump on Freddi. This after hardly ever criticizing Booby Cox for the same managerial ineptitude during his tenure.
The reasons this team lost are really quite simple:
-Jayson Heyward had a bad sophomore year.
-Prado was a downgrade from last season
-DLowe should never have been on this team in the first place.
-Neither should Shafer or McOUT
-Uggla had 2 decent months out of the entire season
-Hanson had his ups and downs even before the injury
-Chipper had a pretty good year but as usual missed a lot of games
Dennis Reynolds
September 29th, 2011
12:09 pm
And when they get married they’re going to invite you to the wedding.
Stats Guy
September 29th, 2011
12:09 pm
“spoon divy” – Phils didn’t start selling out until they had a shiny new stadium and started winning. The stats are there, check ‘em out. Braves historically outdraw Philadelphia, just not since the mid 2000’s.
Also, Braves had a better home record than Philly this year. So there goes your theory.
Bill
September 29th, 2011
12:10 pm
When you refuse to bunt after the first two hitters get on base then it is directly on the manager. I don’t care who the batter is, you have to manufacture runs when you have a bunch of clutchless hitters. If Chipper Jones can’t bunt then that is the manager’s problem. If it would hurt his feelings to bunt that is a joint problem. Based on his average the bunt was the correct play. Umpiring is another problem as the call at third base was ridiculous and cost the braves a run that would have won the game in regulation. It wasn’t even close. However why in the hell is he stealing third with no outs and two men on base?????
jerry
September 29th, 2011
12:10 pm
Since Schultz didn’t mention the fact that the Braves lost Jurrjens and Hanson as a possible reason for the collapse, he obviously doesn’t think that had anything to do with it. Dumb.
Paschal Malone
September 29th, 2011
12:11 pm
This writer Schultz captured what I thought………..the team looked scared about something, no fire in their belly, they needed leadership…..most of all the needed a good stiff talking to. In Ireland we say it a litle differently……like a good bollikin’
Too late now……….the nice guys are playing golf today.
Young Team
September 29th, 2011
12:11 pm
The team was young and had a bunch of injuries. With a healthy chipper back in 2012–the braves should rule the division and make the playoffs.
Mr. Jones
September 29th, 2011
12:11 pm
You’re an idiot Jeff Schultz. Fredi can’t bat FOR these guys. I think he did a fine job. Pitching injuries and tired bullpen didn’t help either. Do us all a favor and go back to blowing football picks.
Booby Cox 2.0
September 29th, 2011
12:11 pm
Nuff said….
Dennis Reynolds
September 29th, 2011
12:12 pm
Im just thankful that the Red Sox did the same thing. Misery loves company.
Im starting to think Im the curse to this team, though. The other day was my birthday. All I asked for was a Braves win, Cards loss, and Fantasy Football win. L’s across the board. Not to mention by second favorite team is the Red Sox. I follow them almost as close as I do the Braves. And I know everything about the Braves, sadly.
Tdawg
September 29th, 2011
12:12 pm
Doesn’t anybody get sick and tired of watching Heyward take strikes right down the heart of the plate and then watch him swing at pitches out of the strike zone. Craig Heyward was the biggest flop in all of baseball this season. How can a person with such athletic talent, suck so bad? Look my man. You are here to drive in runs, not take strike after strike and hope for a walk. He!!, if you are afraid to hit the play golf. Maybe you can hit a ball if it ain’t movin. Craig wasn’t the only one to choke, but I have no problem saying that if the did his part the Braves would have clinched long ago. I’d fire Freddy for the simple fact that the idiot had the nerve to put Lowe in again. Brian Mac. When we needed you most, you also choked. The only thing wrong with this team is that it had no heart.
Always Next Year, Not
September 29th, 2011
12:13 pm
I’m glad you said exactly what I said before Lowe even pitched Mark. I said that Julio Teheran should have pitched instead. As a manager you got to go with the hot hand not a veteran that used to pitch well. Teheran had been almost dominant in his few starts. Lowe had been abysmal all year. Common sense says start Teheran.
Chipper went 0-4 last night, only starter without a hit. He came up in some RISP situations too.
McCann IMO called the wrong pitches a lot in the Phillies series and we all know he hit about .125
Heyward was supposed to be the next Hank Aaron or at least the next Andruw Jones. He wasn’t even the next Michael Tucker…
Fredi went far too long at SS with Alex Gonzalez. There were weeks when Alex went 0-35 and left 50 men on base.
Then the Braves got Matt Diaz & Jack Wilson. These guys should just retire. Diaz couldn’t even hold down the pinch hitters position with the lowly Pirates.
Venters and Kimbrel both have control issues. They both walk way too many hitters.
To summarize, yeah the Braves had injuries (Hanson,Jurrjens,Chipper) but so did the Cardinals. Its is beyond unacceptable to lose series to the Mets,Marlins,and Nationals when your playoff life is on the line. This team just isn’t that much better than the Mets,Nats,& Marlins. They aren’t on the same level with Philly,Arizona,and Milwaukee.
smyrnabob
September 29th, 2011
12:14 pm
I concur Jeff. We will have to consider this part of Fredi’s learning curve. Maybe if he had been here a while and had some clout he could have boldly benched Lowe, and not used Venters and Kimbrel so much in August. Eventhough the Braves might have blown a few games then, they would have been stronger down the stretch and saved not only games, but kept the Braves out of that downward spiral in September.
The offense was the reason for this demise though. With the bats the Braves have, the batting struggles must be blamed on the swing for the fence on the first pitch mentality that arose this season. Now that Wren has moved to a balanced run and power lineup, a new type hitting coach would be the next step to implement these assets.
abc
September 29th, 2011
12:14 pm
The braves missed out on the playoffs by 1 game. In rough terms, 10 runs added equals 1 win in the standings. Fredi, through bullpen mismanagement, line up decisions, and other dumb in game decisions cost the team run over the course of the year. The managers job is not to win ball games, thats on the players. A managers job is to manage, which mean put the team in the best situation to win. Fredi failed miserably at this. Players slump all the time, its part of the game. But there is no excuse for a manager to consistently go against what the odds say are the correct moves.
Fredi has to go
Eric D
September 29th, 2011
12:14 pm
To me, they have no heart nor leadership! There was a report that before the game, the guys were in the locker room laughing and joking around. You’ve blown a 8.5 game lead in one month and are tied with St Louis (who is playing HOU with 100 loses) for the wild card. That locker room should’ve been quiet as a church mouse and these guys should’ve been itching to get on the field. It all goes back to leadership!!!
Charlottedawg
September 29th, 2011
12:15 pm
I’m sorry to say it….but I don’t think it’s even close. Fredi Gonzalez should be fired. Period. As an avid baseball fan, and high school player….it blew my mind that it took Gonzalez until the last 2 weeks of the season to actually secure a batting order. I’ve never seen a manager switch around the batting order on a daily basis the way he did in my 25 years of following the Braves. How in the world are hitters supposed to get comfortable at the plate when they have no idea where they might be hitting from day to day? McCann’s slumping…well…just move him to the 6 spot…Chipper not really cutting it? Let’s hit him 5. Uggla needs a boost…hit him 2nd. Freeman is on fire…hit him 3….wait Chipper’s hitting ok again…move him to 3…now hit Freeman 5….let’s move Uggla to 4….what about McCann….well….can’t we hit him 3rd? No, Chipper’s there…well…let’s move him back to 6….and Heyward needs to hit, since he hasn’t done anything all year…so let’s bench one of the only consistent hitters we have (Constanza) and play Heyward for the heck of it…or we can occasionally hit Diaz…what a joke.
Conrad
September 29th, 2011
12:16 pm
It would have been beautiful to see Brooks Conrad bail the Braves out when he got his pinch hit appearance.
Still boggles my mind that he’s still in The Show.
Dr. Detroit
September 29th, 2011
12:17 pm
You will never see a healthy Chipper again. His knees are shot. No amount of surgeries can get your knees back to 100%.
ash
September 29th, 2011
12:17 pm
In spite of all the negative comments by the arm chair managers…Thanks for another exciting base ball season in Atlanta. The Braves are my horse, even if they never win a race. Go Braves!!!
Stats Guy
September 29th, 2011
12:17 pm
Here’s my take:
Kimbrel overrated. Closers are overrated. He had two things: velocity and wildness. Phillies did what so many other teams have not against Craig…. when the pressue was on they just laid off. And let Kimbrel do what he does: throw junk.
Young bullpen overworked by Fredi. The arms just gave up.
No rotation depth: early in the season a “key” to the postseason was a healthy rotation, and that didn’t happen.
Lowe: The guy is horrible. I can’t believe at 35 we signed him to such a deal. And we are stuck with him next year? I say take away his parking spot, give his picture to Turner Field security, and lock him out. Don’t pay him. If he sues leave it up to an Atlanta jury to decide what he gets.
Chipper: Losing ground balls “in the lights”? Chipper, you are done. Time to retire.
Heyward: Lazy fielding cost us a few games. He’s horrible in right and I don’t see him getting better.
Fredi: Bonehead moves all season long. Put a manager in there who understands what wins games, not all this “gut” decision making.
bigcrimson75
September 29th, 2011
12:17 pm
Bottom line, someone has to get the ax for what just happened. Clipping the hitting coach is not the answer(although im in favor of that too). Fredi did a terrible job with this team. This team should have the 2nd best record in the NL. The Braves were for most of the season the 2nd best team in the NL. To finish out of the playoffs is simply not acceptable. Its not a Steinbrenner knee jerk reaction move. This collapse was historic. To stand by & wait til next year will simply not work this time. The Manager deserves the blame & the Manager deserves to lose his JOB
bart
September 29th, 2011
12:17 pm
Last year the Braves worked counts, were patient at the plate and made the most of the little offense they had. This year players come out swinging wildly and show no plate discipline. That comes from a coaching philosophy. All on Fredi.
Dennis Reynolds
September 29th, 2011
12:18 pm
If Heyward has a rough spring, I think Matt Diaz might just be our starting right fielder next season. Heyward was obviously called up before he was ready. Thats well documented in here but its the complete truth. He isn’t able to make the adjustments necessary to stick in the big leagues.
Just think..we passed on Mike Stanton for Jason Heyward.
P Rose
September 29th, 2011
12:18 pm
HOW TO FIX THE BRAVES:
1. Go with youth, like Tampa Bay (Medlen, Delgado, Minor, Freeman, etc.)
2. Stop spending gazillions for washed-up journeymen (Lowe)
3. Drop the chop!
4. Clean up the neighborhood surrounding the Ted.
5. Stop charging gazillions for beer and terrible food.
6. Drop the 7th-inning hoedown.
7. Drop the cap shuffle and tool race.
8. Lower ticket prices.
9. Stop allowing corporations to buy all the best seats.
10. Beg Jones and Lowe to retire.
11. Give the stadium announcer something to calm him down.
12. Sign more speed players like Bourn. Teams that play in pitchers’ parks win with speed and defense, not the 3-run homer.
13. Play more A-B-C fundamental baseball. Get ‘em on, get ‘em over, get ‘em in (see #12).
14. Sign players and a manager who are willing to show some life on the field and in the dugout so the fans can relate.
15. Ted, Arthur – ANYONE – please buy the team from Liberty Media!
fonzischeme
September 29th, 2011
12:18 pm
Not bragging here but I did tell my wife in April Fredi would put Linebrink in a game during a crucial spot in a crucial series and he would cough it up. Fredi pitched to Kemp with a base open – anyone rationalizing that Fredi can do this job is lying to themselves. His performance in these pressers is just atrocious. The man takes NO responsibility for any of this. None, Nada! He’s not even enough of a man to do that! Quite the contrary, he thinks they had a good year, that’s the mindset the braves want running the team? Choking is just GREAT! Count me out.
NEVER underestimate the power of poor managerial decisions play in demoralizing a team. The Braves looked beat for over a month. They had ZERO confidence. I feel sorry for them. Every night they had top beat the people in the other dugout and Fredi’s poor managing. That’s tough over 162 games.
Kawakami
September 29th, 2011
12:20 pm
So, will the Braves give Lowe the Kawakami Treatment and assign him to Mississippi next year?
Gonzalez Must Go
September 29th, 2011
12:20 pm
Best Remark of this column:
“They blew it. They blew it like no team in Atlanta sports history. That blew it like few teams in all of sports history. The only people who aren’t saying today that they blew it live in Boston, because they’ve got their own problems.”
Dennis Reynolds
September 29th, 2011
12:21 pm
I said it last night as Linebrinke unathletically trotted out to the mound in the 13th…”Were about to get Linebrinked”
Rock
September 29th, 2011
12:21 pm
Sad to see the season end, but glad we have been put out of our misery. By the number of comments Braves fans are TICKED and should be. However, the season is over and now we need to look at what needs to be done to get to the top. Gonzalez will not read any of this, but you can bet he is as sick as we are or worse and will be doing a big assessment of his work and that of his coaches. Experience is a great teacher and you would hope that they all learned a great lesson in 2011. The same goes for management. I do wish Chipper would do a personal assessment and realize he is not worth what he is being paid and go into retirement. He can afford it. Can you imagine what type player management could get with Chipper and Lowe’s combined salary. But then again, the Red Sox payroll was over $160 million and they are as sick as we are today. Since Sports Illustrated wrote the article about the Braves three young stud relievers they have went down hill big time. So I am not blaming this on the manager, players or management. It is all SIs fault and our PR staff. Weird how an article on pitching can impact a team’s hitting so drastically. Cannot wait to see what the Braves do, but for now let’s get on with college football. I would say Falcons, but they look like they may be the Braves of the NFL.
HoosierBrave
September 29th, 2011
12:21 pm
You cannot pinpoint a few performances that lead to the demise. There were too many to list. When an entire squad of professional athletes is struggling, one person is responsible for turning things around. In this case the responsbility lies w/ Fredi. Bottom line, Fredi did not get things turned around and he had plenty of time to do it.
DawgDad
September 29th, 2011
12:21 pm
“The roster, while not perfect, is mostly fine. A lot of guys underachieved inexplicably this year, but there aren’t any gaping holes. ”
I see it a little differently. AGon plays good defense, but the infield is below the standard for a Division winner across the board (Freeman is no better than an average first baseman at this point; aside from his home runs Uggla is a disaster, AGon struggles to get on-base, and Chipper is a defensive liability). Prado did not pan out offensively in left field, a position which has been vexed the past few years, Heyward needs to turn the corner in a positive direction development-wise (and he needs to be given that opportunity next year), and there needs to be an honest assessment of McCann’s problems, which pretty well tanked his performance across the board in the second half. They need to address the imbalance L-R in the lineup, the lack of an effective #2 hitter, and the lack of team speed (outside of Bourn and Heyward this is a team of turtles).
Ted Williams
September 29th, 2011
12:22 pm
Hey, dig me up and have my son get my head out of cold storage. I’ll be at spring training and show you guys how its supposed to be done.
Gonzalez Must Go
September 29th, 2011
12:22 pm
Why was Diaz starting against righthander last nite?? Constanza no good??
Tdawg
September 29th, 2011
12:22 pm
One last thing. I am sick and tired of these whining crybabies with the over worked relief pitching BS. Crap people, how is pitching 150 inning’s for an entire season being over worked? Pitchers back in the day would log in 350 to over 400 innings a year for 20 to 25 years and not use that over worked lame excuse for not getting the job done. Maybe the real problem is that they are not getting enough inning’s. Sure the refief pitching faltered a bit down the streach, but the thing that killed this team was the hitting and the air headed coach that kept throwing Dereck Lowe out there. I will never watch another braves game until they actually make the playoffs. Stated to swear to it, but I won’t go there.
Stats Guy
September 29th, 2011
12:22 pm
Bart – FULLY AGREE on plate discipline. These guys were swinging at smoke all season, especially from mid-August on.
M10
September 29th, 2011
12:23 pm
F.Gozalez should be fired.He seems to have no clue how to manage a ball gm,pnching to Pence was a mistake.I remember he did the same thing in Colorado with C.Gonzalez that cost us the gm.Also Diaz should of never started that gm,it should of been Heyward or Constanza.Heyward would be fine if Cox and chipper telling him to be more agressive at the plate,chipper calling him out about playing through the injury when he doesnt play enough himself.Heyward should go back to what made him sucessful and not listen to anyone.You pp have no clue.
Leo Mazzone
September 29th, 2011
12:23 pm
Are you kiddin’ me? Don’t change nuthin’! The Braves are gonna be fine.
Bobby Cox
September 29th, 2011
12:23 pm
We hit the ball hard, just right at people.
FL dawg
September 29th, 2011
12:23 pm
Yeah alll Braves fans are hurting now. But things could be worse. A fans view of the Braves:
Pitching; Hanson, Hudson, Beachy, Minor, Teheran
Pen- The top 3, add Lowe (gotta put him Somewhere) Moylan can the rest
1b,2b- solid
SS- ??
3b-Chipper/Prado
C-solid
LF-??
CF-solid
RF- Tradebait for those ??? C’mon Wren