Sad to say, this Braves’ season could be over very soon
Folks, the Braves could be finished by the Fourth of July. They’re 30-33, no longer even in third place in the NL East. Of their next 15 games, not one is scheduled against a team under .500.
There’s no reason to think they’ll make a big move in the standings this next fortnight. They haven’t since the season’s first week. There’s a basic reason for that: They’re just not very good.
The starting pitching is solid but not 1990s-era solid. The relievers are so-so. The offense is awful. They’ve already made one major trade, and they’re 4-7 since Nate McLouth arrived. There’s not much more they can do to better themselves except play better, and at this point it doesn’t appear they’re capable.
Loading ...They’ve scored 37 runs in the 11 games since the McLouth acquisition, and even those numbers are misleading. Seven times in those 11 games they’ve scored three runs or fewer, and all seven times they’ve lost. Not to put too fine a point on it, but they just can’t hit. And I doubt they’ll ever hit much.
Twelve of the next 15 games are against the Red Sox, Yankees and Phillies. Those teams can hit. I wish I could say I’m optimistic, but I’d be lying. By the time the Peachtree Road Race gets here, the 2009 Braves could be done running.
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406 comments Add your comment
roger dyals
June 17th, 2009
4:05 pm
Mark, i think you’ll probably say that Bobby’s overall track record has been good and speaks for its self. However, he should probably have retired before this season as he was thinking about doing. I really think a younger manager and younger players from the farm will eventually pay off. If Francouer would open his stance more I truly believe he would see the ball better but I think he is to bull headed to try something like that. I’m up in my sixties now and believe I can still hit bette than Jeff.
JeanE
June 17th, 2009
4:05 pm
I totally agree with Cutler’s comments…right on, dude!!!
Gary K.
June 17th, 2009
4:05 pm
Garret Anderson – seems to play with zero enthusiasm. Dump him
Francouer – doesn’t have a clue at the plate. needs a fresh start away from pressure of home folks.
Kelly Johnson – a disappointment this year. Just a journeyman at best.
Escobar – Wasted potntial. Can’t keep his head in the game. One bonehead play after another. Shape up or ship out, dude.
Chipper – even he says his mind says one thing but his body does something else. That’s a sign of age and slowing reactions.
Pitching – improved but no support
Pendelton – nice guy not much of a hitting coach apparently
Bobby Cox – terrific manager who’s time has passed. Not one to ever light a fire under a player or the team.
This year is done. They can’t compete very well with mediocre teams much less good ones. No match for Phillies or mediocre Mets.
J K
June 17th, 2009
4:07 pm
MB, I think you will write that Bobby needs to change his approach to certain players. That he may be a little TOO patient, but that in the end he can only work with the tools he is given. (Also, he taxes the bullpen too much. Those guys are coming off fairly recent injuries!)
PMC
June 17th, 2009
4:10 pm
They are done, the were done a week ago. THey are getting solid pitching but they can’t do anything with it because several of the guys on the roster… especially the bottom of the order are 4A minor leagers making several million dollars to contribute virtually nothing.
mobetta
June 17th, 2009
4:10 pm
Already in the doldrums waiting for football season; just release chipper, trade Mcann for a minor league prospect, and give Kenijawanagatanamgha or whatever his name is another $35 mil. Fulton County Staduim years, here we come.
chipper jones rules
June 17th, 2009
4:14 pm
main problem is the farm system. other than McCann, what have we produced since Furcal?
Francouer? not quite.
if you cant spend like the big boys, the farm system becomes uber important.
and apparently the cubbard is kind of barren, and they arent teaching them the fundamentals down there.
yeah, I know the potential of Hanson and others, but potential doesnt win games.
Bruce Chen had potential, Andy Marte had potential.
just saying
Gene
June 17th, 2009
4:18 pm
I think that the Braves’ front office is inept, to say the least. The treatment of Smoltz and Glavine has affected player morale, although that is only a small part of the problem. It is a boring baseball team, with players staggering around like zombies. I have been a fan of Bobby Cox from the beginning, but nothing short of a major house cleaning–including Scheurholtz and Wren–will return the franchise to respectability.
Nova Scotia Steve
June 17th, 2009
4:21 pm
Hey Mark, Its funny I was just going to post you a message to ask if you could write something that really rips into this team they deserve it.
This team just isn’t very good! And its not. Jeff Bennett and Peter Moylan have been brutal at times this year…Bennett was just and I mean JUST getting by with the skin of his teeth all year…now his luck has run out…Moylan hasn’t been the same since surgury and yes I know he came back early maybe not the right move.
The offense is terrible…just terrible…how many time have we said that…But I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this season for Atlanta is about to get ugly folks…you can just see it coming and it has been coming for a long time…
We’ll be completely out of any race for a play-off spot by the end of this month…Its reality folks, look at the teams we’re playing over the next 12-15 games.
A team gets one or two runs against us and I say to myself every night…And I watch EVERY SINGLE night…at least a portion of the games on MLBTV…(And believe me its not cheap!)We’re going to have a tough time coming back and more often then not we relly do and don’t come back.
And we continue and I stress continue to make bottom feeder pitchers look like Hall of Famers…This team has done it for years and years…Its almost old news. Bobby Cox’s talked last week about running into hot pitchers as the reason…well you know if funny these pitchers always seem to get hot against the Braves and play for teams that haven’t even sniffed at .500 records in years…So they don’t stay hot for two long.
My friends…I think its time for Bobby to grow a set and say these players need to step up and take responsibility for their actions on the field which have been poor at best!
Show some God Damn emotion for once for Christ sakes!
Tyler Durden
June 17th, 2009
4:22 pm
Isn’t it really incredible (maybe MB can address this at some point as well) how little the sports teams in this city have accomplished? Even Pittsburgh, a so-called “small market” town has won 11 major sports championships since 1970. And they don’t even have an NBA team. Atlanta, represented by all 4 major sports, has won 1. ONE! I challenge someone to find another city that has every sport represented that has performed this poorly. This city’s sports organizations are truly pathetic. I absolutely despise the collection of players on the team this year, with the exception of Brian McCann and a few others. They should trade him so he’ll have a chance to play with a winning team. The Braves are going absolutely nowhere.
Pretend Hero
June 17th, 2009
4:22 pm
Last nights game was a perfect example of why Pendelton should be fired. On paper, it looks like they can hit. All the stuff you pointed out in your article defending him. 12 hits in the game! But they did not hit for power, they did not hit with runners on. They did not draw walks.
You are correct, this team is not very good, but its really a shame that Pendelton is being allowed to ruin so many young hitters.
Hoosier Aaron
June 17th, 2009
4:22 pm
We are second to last in MLB in stolen bases and last in attempts…let’s not forget that 7 of the stolen bases were by McLouth with the Bucs…so we’re really last.
Just for the fun of it….let’s try a double steal, hit ‘n run, squeeze, go from 1st to 3rd on a base hit..make Frenchy bunt with runners at 1st & 2nd so he doesn’t ground into an inning ending double play.
Please…do something to try to generate some runs.
observor
June 17th, 2009
4:23 pm
Bobby Cox has become the baseball equivelant of the other old Bobby down there in Tallahassee. Seems like they are both too disconnected and lacking in fire to adequately manage/coach at their past high levels and inspire and lead young men. Both of these legends are doomed to fade away with a whimper instead of that last big bang they are hoping for.
Hotspur
June 17th, 2009
4:23 pm
Mark, I’ve always enjoyed reading your stuff. Like many sports columnists, you’re wrong often enough, but unlike many, you’re man enough to acknowledge it and even a good enough sport to poke fun at yourself for it. Most of all, I like your stuff because when you are wrong, you’re wrong the way a fan is wrong: you’re wrong because you follow your heart and not your head. You love these Atlanta and Georgia teams, and that’s always the thing that’s motivating your opinions, predictions and conclusions. Just like a fan (because clearly you are one).
But in this case I give you props for the opposite, the exception that proveth the rule. Here you’re doing what even real fans must at some point, when hope becomes untenable and simply can no longer be reconciled with harsh reality: you’re facing the truth and not flinching from it. It’s what we all need to do — especially Frank Wren — because four seasons in a row of under-performing expectations says all that needs to be said. In your concise phrase, the Braves just aren’t very good. And they really haven’t been for several years. And they’re really not going to be in the next several, unless changes are made.
The commenters screaming for Bobby’s head, or TP’s, or Frenchy’s, or KJ’s, or whomever’s, are fans senselessly cursing the heavens because the reality hurts. It’s not one thing, folks; it’s a bunch of things. They can be changed, but the first step in recovery is admitting you have a problem.
I happen to be a big fan of Frank Wren’s at this point, because I think he’s admirably demonstrated he knows his job: make the Braves better in any reasonable way he can, without sentimentality or emotion. He has to be coldly rational, and he has been. I don’t know if he’s a great GM, but I don’t think anyone can question his steely fixation on the one goal his job entails.
Will he be able to see clearly and make the changes necessary? My guess is yes. But my guess is also that it’s going to get worse before it gets better. I think he’s going to have to break up a chunk of this team and rebuild with a new offensive cast around Chipper and Brian, the only two legitimately great position players the Braves have.
So brace yourself, Mark, and fellow members of the lunatic commenting fringe. The bottom’s about to fall out over the next two weeks; the drunk is going to see the bottom of the glass and realize he’s been lying to himself. He said he could control it, but he can’t. He needs to quit the stuff. He needs help.
So say it with me: My name is Bravesfan, and I’m a hopeaholic.
Jose Conseco
June 17th, 2009
4:24 pm
There is only one solution to the Braves annemic offense, and you all know what that one thing is.
Darren
June 17th, 2009
4:24 pm
I agree Mark. I have been thinking the same thing. This team is done.
I am usually an optimist when it comes to the Braves too. I remember thinking the signing of Jim Presley would put them over the top.
MilitaryDawgInDC
June 17th, 2009
4:25 pm
Alot of people want to blame TP but he’s not the one out there hitting. We simply don’t have any stars outside of Chipper and Mac. Mark is spot on for once. We just aren’t that good. We’re a middle of the road team. I’d guess we’ll finish something like 80-82 or 75-87…something along those lines…I’d go with a youth movement also for the remainder of the season, get rid of the dead weight..Kelly Johnson, Jeff Franc, Garret Anderson….These guys are not every day players in the bigs. In the offseason, get a derosa, and pickup a proven slugger than can bang in 35-45hrs a year and hit 270-300………keep the pitching intact…well dump jeff bennet and o’flarty
MilitaryDawgInDC
June 17th, 2009
4:26 pm
I’d knudge bobby out and invite Freddie Gonzo from Florida to come back to manage the team.
Art
June 17th, 2009
4:27 pm
Anderson and Kotchman 2 hitters whose biggest hits are singles to centerfield. Get rid of Anderson and get a right handed power hitter to play left field. With that the Braves can succeed even with a weak hittin Kotchman. With a power hitter to play left that might take the pressure off of Francoeur and he might become the hitter the Braves thoutht he would be.
Fred
June 17th, 2009
4:31 pm
Te team has no personality,there’’s no speed so there goes the threat of the stolen base,no consistent power anywhere to give the threat of the long ball,and they don’t seem to be able to the situational hitting to play small small.Worst of all you’ve got 3 places in the batting order(Francouer,Johnson and the pitcher)that are of late automatic outs.There’s nothing about the team that other teams have to prep for.There’s really no big deal letting the top of the order get on base since once you get past McCann no one is a threat for anything…..
Mark Bradley
June 17th, 2009
4:34 pm
Thanks for the kind words, folks. I’m writing the Cox thing as we speak.
Ramblin Wrecker
June 17th, 2009
4:37 pm
Would you trade one of the Braves good starters (i.e. Javier Vasquez) to get a big bat in the lineup? If you’re only scoring 3 or fewer runs most games, wouldn’t you trade an opportunity to have a well pitched game every 5th game for the chance to score 4 or 5 runs every game out? I would think that making sure quality starts by Derek Lowe, Jair Jurrjens, and Tommy Hanson are capitalized on is more important than having 4 quality starts not capitalized on. Then you just leave the 4th and 5th spots up for chance with KK and maybe Kris Medlen, but I think with decent run support either one of those guys could win enough of their starts to keep the Braves competitive. And the Braves have Tim Hudson making his comeback in August. And either Vasquez or Hudson will have to be gone next year anyway, because the Braves can’t afford both, and the other guys are signed long term (Lowe, KK) or are cheaper (Jurrjens/Hanson/Medlen).
I don’t know who might match up favorably in a potential trade, but I do know that the options for starting pitching has grown thinner with the injuries to Jake Peavy (out a couple months) and Erik Bedard (scratched from his last start), and Roy Oswalt and Halladay not available. So to me the NL leader in strikeouts would be a very enticing trade piece.
big o
June 17th, 2009
4:39 pm
MB I think you are correct with this team. I think there might be a serious morale problem. The players see how the team treated Glavin and Smoltz and it has sunk morale.
Mark Bradley
June 17th, 2009
4:41 pm
I would have traded Javier Vazquez for Matt Holliday a month ago, but I’m not sure it would make much difference now.
brian from bremen
June 17th, 2009
4:45 pm
In my opinion, the Braves are “done” offensively. I am an avid fan, but it is “painful” to watch the games. Way too much pressure on the 1 thru 4 guys to produce. 5 thru 9 are terrible. Can’t hit a lick. If the organization doesn’t make a move with the players, they obviously don’t believe it’s that. Then try a new hitting coach. It’s one or the other. The TV ratings have got to be crashing. Hitters needed bad.
AGTFan
June 17th, 2009
4:45 pm
This season is going to be over for the Braves in a few weeks, unless a lot of guys suddenly get very hot. If the name is not McCann, Jurrjens, or Hanson, start shopping them. Anyone that can get sufficient YOUNG value in return gets traded. If guys like JF or KJ can’t bring in any value, let them play and see if they can turn it around. If they can’t turn it around, cut em.
nictonjr
June 17th, 2009
4:47 pm
JV for MH doesn’t sound like a Billy Beane trade anyhow…
McCann Fan
June 17th, 2009
4:49 pm
1. McClouth
2. Infante
3. Escobar
4. Chipper
5. Mac
6. Kotchman
7. GA/Diaz
8. Kelly
Johnny Quest
June 17th, 2009
4:51 pm
Erin is in Omaha?? She left her flip-flops in my den.
realistic
June 17th, 2009
4:51 pm
The Braves still have too many sacred cows, Bobby Cox being the most sacred. I respect Bobby Cox, but the Braves need a major shake up. The players must be rocked from their comfort zones, like we average joe’s experience daily in todays corporate world. In the real world, you don’t produce, you are history. There needs to be more energy and fighting spirit. They need a good fight in the dugout! Hire Valentine or somebody that can ruffle Chipper’s feathers. Darn we are boring and and not mentally tough enough. Put up a fight!
Mark Bradley
June 17th, 2009
4:51 pm
You’re right, Nicton. It doesn’t. The A’s would want young guys. And the Braves are running out of young guys.
Danny
June 17th, 2009
4:51 pm
I believe the Bravo’s were doing the same thing last year expecting different results. They just go to the ball park and go through the motions. No desire in the team (EXCEPTION FOR A FEW). SOMEONE!!!! needs to be in that dugout to fire them up. BUT………
Steve
June 17th, 2009
4:51 pm
Braves, good 1-5 starting pitching.
Bullpen looks good on paper, but always seems to allow runs.
Starters: McClouth, Escobar, Jones, McCann, and Kotchman are Championship caliber.
Johnson, Francouer and the Anderson/Diaz combo are not. And I really like all those guys, just being brutally honest.
Bench: Prado, Infante, Norton, Ross – about as good as you can expect from the bench.
Steps to win it all: Need 2 more outfielders who can hit.
2 Middle Relievers who can shut folks down.
And maybe replace Kenshin with Hudson when he’s healthy.
One last thing – Bobby needs to say next year is his last coaching – obviously the quality of manager has increased the last five years or so. He needs ot retire with honor.
Do those things and were contending for a World Series. Now getting those pieces, that’s a different story…..
Mark Bradley
June 17th, 2009
4:52 pm
I’ve met Bobby Valentine. Let me say this as gently as I can: The Braves would want NO PART of Bobby Valentine.
Outside Robber
June 17th, 2009
4:52 pm
Mark,
You’re an excellent writer and observer of the Braves. Thank you for that. I also believe you’ll bring it with the Bobby Cox issue which is, in my view, at the heart of the team’s issues at present. Good, bad, or indifferent, I look forward to reading your views on this topic.
Cecil34
June 17th, 2009
4:52 pm
This is what you get (and what you are going to get in the future) when you have Liberty Media owning the team. Pure and simple as pie.
Baseball played on a scale of economy.
The payroll, to be blunt, needs to be in 150 mil range to attract top tier talent to this organization.
Newsflash, that ain’t going to happen with this ownership.
Anybody ever ruminate over why Sherholz moved upstairs? Maybe he knew what was coming down concerning econmy baseball and decided it was time for Wren to “make a name for himself.”
This whole team (including front office and ownership) is a nothing more than a manifestation of giving 70% effort and hoping the breaks fall your way to be competitive. Use smoke and mirrors to mislead the fans.
You can tell how well that is working by the home attendance.
Thanks, Liberty Media and AOL/Time-Warner for royally screwing up a good thing we had going here.
PMC
June 17th, 2009
4:54 pm
on the bright side much like the thrashers now that they are completely totally finished, Maybe the 7 and 8 hole hitters will finally start hitting.
roger dyals
June 17th, 2009
4:55 pm
One more thing and I’ll shut up. It truly hurts to follow a team from Boston, to Milwaukee to Atlanta and see them become so inept. However, I for one don’t want to see us pay big money and trade talent for a player who will be gone within the year. Money, in my opinion has ruined all sports. Who’s to blame? We the fans who continue to pay big bucks to go to the game. There is not an athlete alive who is worth twele, fifteen or twenty million a year to play three or four months of the year. Money has ruined all sports and I don’t see an end in sight. I’m through. Just wanted to vent frustations.
Alex
June 17th, 2009
4:58 pm
For all of the pats on the back our scouts and talent evaluators get, they continually to fail to deliver guys who can produce. Outside of McCann, we’ve seen the likes of Langerhans, Orr, Thorman come and go. We expect KJ and Frenchy to grow and get better but it just isn’t happening. Who knows, it may click some day like it did for DeRosa, but right now they account for two gaping holes in our line up. Needless to say, Schafer was the most painful example of our inability to read talent.
Instead of focusing on drafting local talent, target high character guys like the Twins do. Their farm is continually pumping out quality major leaguers who keep them competitive in a much tougher league.
Tough times to be a Braves. Thank God for JJ, McCann and Tommy Hanson. Those three are the franchise.
Packerman
June 17th, 2009
4:59 pm
I’ve been on a couple of these blogs before and defended Kelly Johnson. I’m sorry. I was completely wrong to do so. If Infante were healthy, we wouldn’t be dealing with him.
I think it’s time to move Casey Kotchman. I think he’s a player of value that will at least get us a few prospects in return. Even though he’ll never admit it, it’s time to move Chipper to first base. He’s so limited at third now, it’s almost irresponsible to keep him there. A move to first means less stress on him physically, which means less rest needed, which means his bat stays in the lineup.
Our immediate options for second base and Chipper’s replacement at third are limited, obviously, but with an infield that looks like 1B-Chipper, 2B-Prado, 3B-Infante, SS-Escobar we would be in pretty good shape, at least offensively.
The outfield remains the biggest question mark on our team. I think dealing Frenchy and Matt Diaz and releasing Anderson would be in our best interest. Before I get jumped, I know we won’t get much more than a couple (maybe) of low level prospects for them, but the move needs to be made. It just needs to be made at the right time. Once Schafer is ready to come back up, he’ll take over the CF position and move McLouth to one of the corner spots. Let Blanco and Barton platoon the other spot for the rest of the season.
Now, this would allow for a few million $$ to be freed up for us to go after a bridge-gap in the outfield in the offseason. We go after a free agent who we can sign to a short term deal who won’t be a liability in the field. Just a guy who we keep only until Heyward is MLB ready.
I’m not sure how long Heyward is expected to take to get up to the majors, but I hope for the Braves sake, it won’t be any longer than the All-Star break next year.
Does anyone know what’s keeping him at High-A Myrtle Beach? It seems like he had such a great spring that sending him to A ball seems like a waste. Anyone with real insight?
Kentavo
June 17th, 2009
5:00 pm
I thought Braves were going to be able to hang with the improved starting pitching, but not even Smotlz, Glavine, Maddux could win with a lineup of 3-and-a-half hitters.
Next Coach
June 17th, 2009
5:00 pm
Bobby Cox- the eternal bridesmaid. There were some great coaches in the past and Bobby Cox will go down as a great coach. I truly believe however, the game has passed him by. We need to manufacture runs- do whatever it takes. Who was the last consistent base stealer we had? Otis Nixon, maybe? Marquis Grissom could maybe be it. We even had Kenny Lofton and Bobby never let him run. Let’s be patient at the plate, steal bases, bunt runners over- whatever it takes. This needs to be a TEAM approach.
Next Coach
June 17th, 2009
5:03 pm
And in fairness to the Braves GM staff- some of the “big fish” that got away in free agency (Ken Griffey Jr, etc) haven’t exactly been lighting it up on their respective teams either. So face it- I think things could actually be worse. All we need is a wild card to get to the dance!
Yea Right
June 17th, 2009
5:05 pm
Their not good at all. I have not watched them at all and have not been to one game. I dont plan on going either.
Wren did great rebuilding the rotation, although I dont think they should have signed KK. They would have been better off getting a Dunn or someone who can hit on a daily basis.
They braves never have fixed all the problems. These players we have are just trash. Even Chipper and Escobar are going 0 fers and Im fed up. If they want a team they need to spend some money and get players. Maybe they can trade KK and Jo Jo and get another bat, although at this point I can say this for certain.
Weakness, at short, 2nd, left field, right field and the bench. To many holes and we will never fill them. I would bring up Heyward and give him a shot and see what he can do. I would also bring up Hernandez and put him in a spot. You people who want Brandon Jones and Diaz to play. Thats the problem. We have to many fillins playing everyday rolls. Like Johnson and Francoeur and Anderson. My God this lineup stinks. We will be in last place before the July deadline.
Outside Robber
June 17th, 2009
5:06 pm
Packerman,
You provided lots of grist for the mill in your 4:59pm comments. Well said.
Jake
June 17th, 2009
5:09 pm
timthebrave had an interesting twist on history. How can you take anyone seriously who says that it was the Germans that bombed Pearl Harbor ?
Several of the writers / critics hit the key points. First, the Braves put the world on notice that they were not serious when they let Texeira go.
Second, Bobby Cox is a hometown hero, but his stubborn approach leading to keeping Pendleton as hitting coach and Francoeur in the lineup are problems.
Get used to it. This team is done.
JayDubu
June 17th, 2009
5:09 pm
As they typically do, the Braves will beat the Reds tonight, and give us all one more day of false hope.
As someone stated earlier, if KJ and Frenchy played to their career highs, this team would be so much better.
They need to have a couple or three players get on the type of hitting streak that Chipper had after his dizzy spell.
FANS
June 17th, 2009
5:10 pm
our team is weak and our fans are weak. we are giving up on the season when there are 100 games left. a good run and your right up there. we are not use to trust and belive. why? if we didn’t do that for 14 years.
the reason why we can’t compete is out of our reach. MONEY in a small market
bravesfanforever
June 17th, 2009
5:12 pm
I really don’t know why it seems that management and most fans are afraid of a rebuilding year. Just because you overturn more than half the line up does not mean we won’t be competitive. Getting rid of everyone but Chipper, McCann, and McLouth and possibly even trading Vasquez and Hudson would free up over $30 million and the guys we get back could make us much better. Might take more than a year to see the results but we have all seen how teams can trade away key players and end up even better afterwards.
I don’t know about you guys but I’m tired of this team floundering. We’ve been going through this for 5 years now. It’s like a really bad movie that you have to see over and over for a college course.
I would rather have a rebuilding team that would give us hope. This team is going nowhere and it looks ugly for the next couple of years. You know there is no way that just Freeman or Heyward is going to save this team. Clearly there is going to be some turn over and who knows if Chipper is still going to be hitting at 39. So Wren better get some big talent from all the trades I think he needs to make. It’s unfortunate that we may have to sit tight until mid-2010 to see all trades transpire!! Man, I don’t think I can take the torture.
Former Smoltz Fan
June 17th, 2009
5:14 pm
Nine innings of Braves baseball is one of the most frustrating thing to watch. You just know that a 2 run deficit is insurmountable, even in the first three innings, with six innings to go….