Live from the ballyard: Smoltzie and I avoid each other!
I spent about a half-hour in and around the Red Sox clubhouse, and I should tell you the Red Sox have a great vibe about them. Kind of like the old Braves, only a tad livelier, and nothing like the new Yankees, who come across as spoiled and surly. The Red Sox, I can report, have a splendid mix of guys.
And now you’re wondering: Amid this splendid mix, did I encounter My Favorite Pitcher in said clubhouse? Not really. (Nor did I go looking for him, or he, I feel sure, for me.) My Favorite Pitcher and I almost crossed paths when the Sox were preparing for batting practice, but we both turned our heads. (We’re really good at this, as you may know.)
I can also tell you I’m writing a little something for Sunday print — and for posting here later today — on Red Sox manager Terry Francona, whom I see as the New Bobby Cox. (And I mean that, Larry, as the highest possible compliment.) Francona is a delightful conversationalist, and we media types got to talking with him about Michael Jordan — whom Tito, as he’s known, managed in Birmingham in 1994 — and then we got around to Michael Jackson and Anna Nicole Smith.
And I’m thinking, “Gee, Bobby Cox never has that sort of conversation with the media.” But lo and behold, I walk across to Cox’s Batcave and he brings up Michael Jackson, and then John Schuerholz, who’s sitting there, asks Cox what was the first record he ever bought, and Cox says he never bought a record in his life and Schuerholz says his was “Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley and the Comets. And there we went.
I brought up the Temptations and the Supremes as my first recorded purchase. Dave O’Brien mentioned Wild Cherry. (I swear.) Then we got going on Kiss — O’Brien’s first concert, you should know — and Mark Lemke said something about Gene Simmons that I choose not to reproduce here.
And now you’re up to date on all essential baseball matters. And if you’d care to share your feelings about Michael Jordan or Michael Jackson or Anna Nicole Smith or Gene Simmons or even this afternoon’s Braves-Red Sox game … well, I’ll be happy to chat back all afternoon long.
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227 comments Add your comment
Drock
June 27th, 2009
3:12 pm
So what kind of music is Bobby Cox into? Or is he a talk radio kind of guy?
NORRIS
June 27th, 2009
3:38 pm
so how bad is Mclouth? will it be lengthy?
Dex
June 27th, 2009
3:38 pm
Who Kissed who? Im confused
Ernest
June 27th, 2009
3:38 pm
It is amazing that the Braves are still in the hunt considering how bad they’ve played over the last few weeks. Maybe this is the ‘bad stretch’ every team has during the season and the rest will be over .500 ball? Am I being to optimistic?
SlimG
June 27th, 2009
3:39 pm
Smotzie is a putz. He always was and always will be. Is he still see a psych?
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
3:43 pm
I think he’s more a talk radio guy — and baseball. He has XM in his truck, and I know he listens to games on the way home.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
3:45 pm
According to Dave O’Brien, McLouth could play tomorrow but probably won’t.
BT
June 27th, 2009
3:53 pm
Did anyone mention the great hustle of G Anderson in left field last night. GA has to be a real inspiration in the clubhouse
BT
June 27th, 2009
3:55 pm
Enter your comments here
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
3:56 pm
As I said the other day, Garret is a glider.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
4:00 pm
Lineups: Varitek and Jason Bay get the day off the Sox. Blanco starts for McLouth and leads off. Hernandez stars for Escobar and bats eighth. Wakefield and Vazquez are your hurlers.
Random
June 27th, 2009
4:00 pm
SlimG (June 27th, 2009 3:39 pm): “Is he still see a psych?”
What a putz.
What’s your first language — Pig Latin?
BT
June 27th, 2009
4:02 pm
Yeah I remember. Does Bobby mention anything about the “Glider.” How is our clubhouse atmosphere?
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
4:03 pm
I should also report that a major gaffe on my part seems to have been averted, if only just. I contrived to spill a Coke Zero on the ol’ keyboard 45 minutes ago, and my cursor is just now reverting to midseason form. For a minute there, I was thinking the chat would be conducted via MY NEW IPHONE.
Lots of Sox fans here. You knew that already. And it’s about 118 degrees. You knew that as well.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
4:05 pm
What with discussions ranging from MJ to MJ to Anna Nicole to Kiss, Garret was one name that didn’t arise. But he’s playing left field and batting fifth, for what that’s worth.
Truth to tell, I sort of breezed through the Braves’ clubhouse today. But it seemed the way it always does. Not much changes, ambience-wise. Hasn’t for about 20 years.
John T
June 27th, 2009
4:07 pm
IPHONE is great MB, welcome to the club. Is Escobar feeling the heat from Bobby still? Think they’ll leave him in the 5 spot?
Rick
June 27th, 2009
4:08 pm
Really, Braves are fortunate the rest of division is playing to their level. But that said, they lost 90 last year, the pitching is better this year–might get them 8-9 more wins. but their offense can’t overcome defensive lapses & the inevitable poor pitching performance, So, how many teams make the plyaoffs with 81-84 wins ? Zero.
When Yankees were here & I saw Texiera’s numbers-lord, if he had been paid & stayed, Braves would be in 1st place this year.
But instead we wait for offense (in no particular order) from Francouer, Johnson, Kotchman, whoever that glider is in left, a semi brain dead shortstop, and some bench guys who think they should start.
So, 5 position players who haven’t contributed much. Looks like a 4th place team to me.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
4:11 pm
Thanks. I’ve only downloaded four or five apps, but it is pretty amazing.
And not to sound all pessimistic or anything, but it should be noted that the 2008 Braves lost 90 games and were two games better than the 2009 team to this point.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
4:16 pm
Pedroia leads off with a single to left, but McCann throws him out — pretty handily, actually — stealing.
BT
June 27th, 2009
4:17 pm
MB, that the clubhouse hasn’t changed in 20 years is very telling. Braves lost 97 games in 1989 and could in 2009. GA was probably still a glider in 1989 though. I bet he was constantly late for class.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
4:23 pm
And he probably didn’t appear to mind if he was, BT. That’s just the way Garret Anderson looks. Always has.
Two singles for the Sox, but Vazquez strikes out Drew and Ortiz. Nothing doing in the top of the first.
Chris
June 27th, 2009
4:27 pm
Mark,
I troll all the sports publications on a daily basis as I’ve recently become a drain on the working class.
I’ve never seen a writer who interacts with the fans like you and seems to genuinely enjoy it. It’s refreshing,,,thank you
Smoltzie's Whipping Boy
June 27th, 2009
4:29 pm
You should try being the Official Scorer that credits a hit on a ball that rockets off his knee all the way to left field that costs him 4 earned runs in the inning. Silly me, how could I have NOT realized that a 100mph comebacker was a “routine” play.
If you aren’t sucking up to Smoltz, you are on his black list and it shows in every aspect of his hypocritical life.
Just sayin’….
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
4:30 pm
Gosh, Chris. I don’t know what to say. Except thanks very much.
Top of the second now, no score.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
4:34 pm
Updates: Kotsay just walked leading off the inning; I’ve now risked the continuing existence of this chat by going to get a large cup of water, which I will endeavor not to spill, and I find myself writing like a broacaster: “Nothing doing in the top of the first”? Where did that come from?
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
4:40 pm
Bottom of the second, no score. Glidin’ Garret took an odd route to get under Julio Lugo’s fly ball, but he got there. And two more strikeouts for Vazquez, who it seems I’ve underrated hugely. He’s a heck of a pitcher.
APGuy
June 27th, 2009
4:45 pm
How do things look down on the front row?
sidslid
June 27th, 2009
4:47 pm
Ican’t let the Anderson play go this flippantly. That was disgusting and a watershed disciplinary moment. If Anderson is still on this team in a week, Cox has lost all control and that should be it for Bobby.
Boribrave
June 27th, 2009
4:51 pm
Oh God! When are we going to get rid of Frenchy?!!!
He is doing absolutely nothing in this team. I know he aint worth nothing in the trade market right now, but having him in our team doesnt help at all.
Mark, have you heard something about possible trade for a new right filder before the trade deadline?
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
4:52 pm
About the same as on Row 2, Mr. Newberry. (That’s Paul Newberry of the Associated Press, folks. Great writer but something of a wise acre.)
And Sid, I don’t know what to tell you. I know esteemed colleage DOB — he’s sitting in Row 1 to my right — had a particularly damning phrase in his game story: “Garret Anderson didn’t bother backing up [the play].”
But Glidin’ Garret’s in the lineup today. So apparently the manager isn’t too upset.
Tom from Charlotte
June 27th, 2009
5:00 pm
I went to a Braves-Red Sox game the last time Boston visited Atlanta. Red Sox Nation was in the house — numerous, vocal and having a blast. I was hoping Braves fans would rise to the occasion and vie in the spirit of friendly rivalry to out-cheer the Bosox faithful. Alas, it was not to be. Most Braves fans instead sniped at the Sox fans and booed them. Disappointing. Please tell me it hasn’t been like that this visit.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:00 pm
Nothing much seems to be happening, trade-talk-wise. And that’s all over baseball, not just here. It’ll heat up, figuratively speaking, after the Fourth.
Michael
June 27th, 2009
5:00 pm
Does Cox have different standards for Anderson (trusty veteran) and Escobar (young guy who needs to be put in his place)?
StingerSplash
June 27th, 2009
5:02 pm
Red Sox radio crew just savaged G. Anderson. Talked about how slow he looks now and how he appears to have lost the ability to judge balls. Got onto him about the play in last night’s game.
And welcome to the iPhone world, Mr. Bradley. It’s … awesome. Just wish AT&T had better coverage in less, shall we say, metropolitan areas of the world.
With other Dave O’Brien in the booth, Red Sox radio crew has talked a lot about Georgia football today. Really.
StingerSplash
June 27th, 2009
5:04 pm
Paul Newberry can thrash you, Mr. Bradley. Not that he would. He’s far too nice a fella.
Ask him about the Thunderbolt Patterson Cadillac match and the missing hubcaps.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:04 pm
Officially, I’m told Escobar didn’t start today because his hip flexor is bothering him again. Unofficially, I’m told not to buy into that too much.
And Michael, I think your point is the proper one: Anderson, at this age, is what he is. (Not to sound like Frenchy here.) Escobar is still, theoretically speaking, young enough to learn.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:09 pm
Thanks, Stinger. Are you listening to the Red Sox broadcast via the Sirius XM app on your iPhone?
And Mr. Newberry has told me the Thunderbolt Patterson Cadillac match story. It involves wrestling at some old place off where the Glenridge Connector is today and is much too long to get into.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:11 pm
Back to baseball: Red Sox have had four consecutive leadoff men aboard but haven’t gotten one to second base. Braves have more stolen bases than hits. Nobody has a run. Bottom of the fourth now.
Henry
June 27th, 2009
5:12 pm
I have been a fan of the braves since ‘66 thru good and bad but I have one word for the braves now and that is “pathetic”
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:15 pm
Pathetic? They’re tied with the Red Sox after four innings and are only 4 1/2 games out of first place!
I know. That’s not much of a case I’m making there. But it’s the best I can do at present.
sidslid
June 27th, 2009
5:18 pm
Now I have it figured. With McLouth and Infante out, Anderson has to play. I am now OK with a release after McLouth is back (remember Bob Wickman-it doesn’t matter if it’s a veteran).
StingerSplash
June 27th, 2009
5:19 pm
Not listening on iPhone, though that is the next app to get. Will look sweet next to urbanspoon and The Masters app (Billy Payne thinks of everything! Except for transportation and getting street vendors out of the way. But that’s an old story.)
Nope, listening on mlb.com on my other computer.
Ken Stallings
June 27th, 2009
5:22 pm
Mark, trust me, I’m a pilot. It isn’t a glider if it can’t get off the ground! What Garrett did on that play wasn’t gliding. It was staying tied up on the ramp, grounded!
That lack of hustle was the type of play that got Andruw Jones benched. If you recall, Cox stood on the dugout steps and ordered him to run in as his replacement was running out to the field. It was in the middle of the inning, in front of 40,000 fans, and it was a message in public.
I’m shocked Cox didn’t do the same thing to Anderson, and he should have.
This tells me Cox might be getting frustrated with this team to the point of thinking they are beyond help. Cox has always had a willingness to dicipline those who did not respect the game. Failure to run in on a grounder is a failure to respect the game.
The Braves aren’t giving their pitchers good defense and worse offense. They are losing close games against quality opponents because of these mental and physical breakdowns. I find it hard to accept why Cox hasn’t sent a stern message already. He needs to.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:23 pm
Mr. Newberry, you should know, is curious as to your secret identity, Stinger.
Bottom of the fifth, scoreless.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:26 pm
I covered the game when Bobby pulled Andruw. Nobody seems to remember it was a hugely hyped pitching match — Maddux against Kerry Wood.
And it was stunning that night, Ken. And I don’t really know what more to say about Garret. I can only tell you he has always had that languid air about him. But he was a really good player for an awful long time with the Angels.
StingerSplash
June 27th, 2009
5:28 pm
Mr. Bradley, I will send you an email … maybe (it is mbradley@ajc.com, no?). I figured that would stir Mr. Newberry.
But he truly is as good as they come, as a person and a writer.
DidTheyCall
June 27th, 2009
5:30 pm
MB, are you hearing anything on the possibility of Brandon Jones coming up and getting some starts in LF? One of the talking heads on ESPN Radio last week seemed to think that may be the Braves approach since trade talks have died down a bit.
All I'm Saying Is...
June 27th, 2009
5:31 pm
Is that all we’re going to talk about today? Garrett’s lack of hustle from yesterday’s game? Like that’s the reason we lost that game. Like that’s the reason we are a mediocre team. GA is back starting today because people who know baseball like Bobby Cox know that in baseball unlike any other sport, you have to have a short memory to be successful — remember if you fail 7 times out of 10, you can still make it to the hall of fame. I’m sure Bobby pointed out GA’s mistake to GA and it won’t happen again.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:33 pm
I haven’t heard anything about Brandon Jones. Sorry.
I will say this about professional athletes: They’re paid to hustle. Performance can wax and wane, but effort should not.
sidslid
June 27th, 2009
5:35 pm
Why doesn’t SunTrust and the other corporate types ever have hot babes in the SunTrust Plaza? It’s always full of fat old guys. The national TV audience must think the ATL is Phoenix East
The Herd
June 27th, 2009
5:37 pm
Is there any chance the Braves could demote Francouer again? In spite of his recent, er, uh, surge?
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:39 pm
Cox is now yelling at plate umpire Marty Foster. Vazquez didn’t get a call on 2-2 and 3-2 to Ortiz. The Red Sox finally have a man in scoring position.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:40 pm
If they weren’t going to demote Frenchy when he was hitting .240, they’re not going to do it now.
All I'm Saying Is...
June 27th, 2009
5:41 pm
Trade deadline isn’t until 7/31 so don’t expect much until we get within a week of that date. What I want to know is when will we give someone else a chance in right field? How many at bats does it take to know Francoeur needs to be replaced on a regular basis? We obviously can’t send him back to the minors. We can still win the division and if we hit a hot streak going into the playoffs anything can happen … but it’s unlikely unless we get some consistent production at the plate from all of our outfielders. Nate is doing okay and GA’s bat has come around so we cannot continue to tolerate Francoeur’s lack of hitting .249 average and only 12 walks in ~270 at bats and lack of power 8 doubles and 5 homers(!)
sidslid
June 27th, 2009
5:44 pm
Scary. Vazquez pithces are now getting good swings on them. It is raining in Sandy Springs. Could use a little rain delay at the Ted about now
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:44 pm
Tough luck for Vazquez. He has struck out eight Sox, and two of the first four singles were on broken bats. And now he’s behind 1-0. Mark Kotsay poked one into left to score Youkilis, who’d walked ahead of the walk to Ortiz. And I know we’re going to hear afterward how Big Papi should have been called out twice.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:45 pm
Clouding up big-time at the ballyard. One of those pop-up storms, I’d say. Just call me Ken Cook.
BT
June 27th, 2009
5:45 pm
GA charges the sharp hit to left by Kotsay, comes up throwing with his rifle arm and nails the runner at home. That is what happened isn’t it?
All I'm Saying Is...
June 27th, 2009
5:45 pm
Bradley: You try playing the outfield position over 162 games, many of them in 100 plus degree temperatures, and let’s see you back up every ground ball hit to an infielder and hustle on every single play…I’m not excusing GA, I’m just pointing out that you are making a mountain out of a mole hill giving the real problems (lack of hitting and/or power from RF, 1B, and 2B are killing us overall (plus you could have put CF and LF in that group too up until Nate’s arrival and GA turning it on a bit) we obviously have as a team.
Reid Adair
June 27th, 2009
5:46 pm
Come on, Mark. Why should you avoid John Smoltz? I certainly hope it’s not because you are worried about what his reaction to all of your written criticism of him might be.
bali
June 27th, 2009
5:47 pm
in your opinion who are the braves that hustle and give effort and those that do not/ wonder why they keep playing people who are just going through the motions
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:48 pm
I just wouldn’t want to subject either of us to one of those Awkward Moments, Reid. Life is too full of Awkward Moments as it is.
Blanco with a leadoff single.
All I'm Saying Is...
June 27th, 2009
5:49 pm
That storm cell hitting Sandy Springs right now is heading south by southeast (down I-75) but will likely miss Turner Field as its angling more eastward (per my desktop weather application on my p.c. courtesy of The Weather Channel)….
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:49 pm
I think the Braves hustle and give professional effort, with the occasional exception of Mr. Escobar.
Homer
June 27th, 2009
5:49 pm
“Yeah, Moe, that team (The Braves)sure did suck last night. They just plain sucked! I’ve seen teams suck before, but they were the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked!”
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:50 pm
Thanks, All I’m Saying. And we’ll call you … how about Glenn Burns?
Or would you prefer Dagmar?
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:52 pm
Alert the wire services! (Actually, they know. Mr. Newberry is sitting behind me, as was mentioned earlier.) The Braves just executed a sacrifice bunt. Martin Prado did the deed. Man on second, No. 10 at the plate.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:53 pm
More rotten luck. No. 10 hit the ball hard for the first time all day, but Pedroia gloves it. Two out, No. 16 at the plate.
All I'm Saying Is...
June 27th, 2009
5:53 pm
Bradley and Smotlz are both acting egotistically cowardly by not burying the little grudge they have. Egotistically in that they each believe this thing between them is REALLY IMPORTANT such that neither can speak or acknowledge each other (like any of us really care) and cowardly because neither one will actually bring it up, put it behind them, and move on to (far) more interesting things…(honestly, Bradley, please stop writing about whatever it is that’s got you and Smoltz’s underwear in a wad—most of us really don’t give a hoot.
bali
June 27th, 2009
5:53 pm
always thought dob was a wild cherry kind of guy
NCBravesFan
June 27th, 2009
5:53 pm
Could say Guy Sharpe with a pulse. But that would be a little creepy.
dawgfan1911
June 27th, 2009
5:54 pm
Vasquez is dealing but you know this line-up the Braves are throwing out here is horrible. They look like a minor league hitting line-up and Mcain is the only threat in the batting order. Chipper looks old, his swings look slow and of course noone else is doing anything as usually. The starters this year have pitched their azzess off and the hitters arent doing anything, another line out by Chipper??????? This is one of the most boring teams in baseball to watch. They need to clean house fire bobby cox, frank wren, terry i dont do anything pendelton and start over from scratch.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:55 pm
It would be creepy, NC. But it did make me laugh. Out loud.
McCann grounds to first. Into the seventh, 1-0 Sox. And I’ll admit this Braves’ lineup isn’t looking like Harvey’s Wallbangers against Tim Wakefield.
All I'm Saying Is...
June 27th, 2009
5:58 pm
More on Francoeur (per MLB.com):
On one hand, in the 45 games that he’s played dating back to May 1, Francoeur has hit .229 with two homers and a .557 OPS. In addition, Francoeur has hit just .226 in his past 62 at-bats with runners in scoring position.
On the other hand, Francoeur is batting .317 with a 5/4 BB/K ratio since the beginning of June.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:58 pm
About here, the aging Mr. Bradley feels compelled to educate you younger folks. Tim Wakefield beat the Braves in Game 3 of the 1992 NLCS and was way ahead in Game 6, and we geniuses down the right-field line in the auxiliary press box at the old stadium decided Pittsburgh manager Jim Leyland needed to pull the knuckleballer from Game 6 and then start him in Game 7 the next night. But Leyland didn’t, and the Pirates’ starting pitcher — Doug Drabek — carried a shutout into the bottom of the ninth. Whereupon Terry Pendleton led off with a double into the right-field corner.
I have no memory of what happened next.
bigmacattack
June 27th, 2009
5:59 pm
If Javy or the bullpen gives up just 1 more run and this thing will be a blowout
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:59 pm
And with that, Tim Wakefield is removed for a pinch-hitter. Mike Lowell flies to right. Seventh-inning stretch.
dawgfan1911
June 27th, 2009
6:02 pm
By the way, screw John Smoltz and I hope he gets knocked around all year long! He wanted out of Atlanta but tried to blame the Braves like it was the organization that was getting rid of him. He wont last an entire year with Boston he will be hurt again.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
6:02 pm
Can I just say something? “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” does nothing for me. Of course, I’m an urbanite from the metropolis of Maysville, Ky.
NCBravesFan
June 27th, 2009
6:05 pm
It’s only 1-0 but it feels like we’re behind by six runs, doesn’t it?
Life in the 'box
June 27th, 2009
6:05 pm
GA gets barbequed for slacking off on a play, yet “journalists” can blog back and forth between each other separated by 2 feet and that’s doing what you’re paid to do????
StingerSplash
June 27th, 2009
6:05 pm
At what point is it good pitching (Beckett and Wakefield) and just plain lousy hitting (1 run through 16 innings at this point)?
And, Mr. Bradley, tell Paul he saw me as shotgun to Jay again at Augusta National, just like the old days.
NO MORE BOBBY
June 27th, 2009
6:06 pm
SMOLTZ FOR MANAGER 2010
dawgfan1911
June 27th, 2009
6:06 pm
the Braves need to get rid of Garret Anderson, Francour, Kelly Johnson, Kotchman, and bring up the young guys from the farm system and let them play. We have nothing to lose. I know we are only 4 games out but with this lineup we cant beat any of the teams in front of us. Bring up the young guys and let them do what these old guys are doing now, Fly out, pop out, ground out, strike out, its terrible to watch. That inning lasted all but 4 minutes. Its horrble. I love the Braves but I am ashamed at what I am watching on the field.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
6:06 pm
Manny Delcarmen just threw a pitch the scoreboard registered as 96 mph. The one fastball I remember Tim Wakefield throwing was clocked at 74 mph.
The_Superhoo (Montana by way of Virginia)
June 27th, 2009
6:06 pm
SIGH. on the one day we get offense, we have no pitching. Then we get pitching back, and have no offense.
Pathetic.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
6:08 pm
Good pitching beats good hitting. And good pitching beats the living heck out of bad hitting.
BugKiller
June 27th, 2009
6:09 pm
But Mark, come on man.
Cox would NEVER have come back from 3-0 down to beat the Yankees in the ALCS.
And you can bet your butt that Cox would have found SOME way to lose to the far-less-talented Rockies two years ago in the Series.
Just as he did in 1993, 1996 (when up 2-0), 1998, and 2000.
Bobby Cox can’t hold Francona’s jock, to use a baseball expression.
Francona, when given a great team, produces.
Cox, when given great teams, underwhelms.
The new revised-history of the Atlanta Braves has Cox taking control of mediocre talent and winning 14 straight divisions with them.
How quickly EVERY Cox Apologist forgets that for a time, the Braves WERE the Red Sox and Yankees.
Without, you know, the multiple trophies.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
6:11 pm
My apologies to BugKiller. I gave a shout-out to Cox critic Larry above but plumb neglected his comrade. Won’t happen again.
sidslid
June 27th, 2009
6:13 pm
There is an Eric Clapton look-alike making the moves on a Mike Smith look-alike in “The Plaza”
YoungerThanThatNow
June 27th, 2009
6:14 pm
Mr. Bradley (see how polite I am) you look much too urbane to hail from Maysville KY… I’ve been there!!
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
6:15 pm
Sid, I’m going to pretend I didn’t read that.
Great battle here. Vazquez still throwing seeds, Youkilis fouling off Strike 3. Two real pros at work.
YoungerThanThatNow
June 27th, 2009
6:16 pm
Enter your comments here
Jon
June 27th, 2009
6:16 pm
“And good pitching beats the living heck out of bad hitting.”
I would crack wise about a lead off hitter averaging barely above .100, but given his 2-3 performance so far, I’ll cut Blanco some slack.
The_Superhoo (Montana by way of Virginia)
June 27th, 2009
6:16 pm
UGH. great.
All I'm Saying Is...
June 27th, 2009
6:16 pm
Kelly Johnson: 229 at bats in 2009 and a .218 average with 5 homers, 20 RBIs, 15 doubles, 20 walks and 39 strikeouts—-most teams have either speed or sluggers playing second base and Braves are getting neither this year [Dan Uggla with Marlins: 256 at bats in 2009 and a .223 average with 15 homers, 45 RBIs, 11 doubles, 40 walks, and 60 strikeouts]
Casey Kotchman: 211 at bats in 2009 and a .275 average with 2 homers, 28 RBIs, 17 doubles, 17 walks, 23 strikeouts—most teams get far more from their 1B at the plate [Pujols: 256 at bats in 2009 and a .328 average with 28 homers, 75 RBIs, 17 doubles, 58 walks, 29 strikeouts]
Pujols is a future HOF but not Uggla.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
6:16 pm
And Youkilis triples off the right-field fence on the 11th pitch of the at-bat. What a ballplayer.
Vazquez is done. O’Flaherty to pitch to Ortiz.
BravesGrrrl
June 27th, 2009
6:18 pm
Would you say there are more Sox fans or Braves fans in attendance? On TV, it looks like a Sox homegame. Frustrating . . .
Gaijin
June 27th, 2009
6:18 pm
121 pitches – and now Cox is pulling him!
BAD play by Francouer – either catch the ball or play it off the wall – you live out there for crying out loud – you should KNOW if you have a chance or not!
YoungerThanThatNow
June 27th, 2009
6:19 pm
Vazquez is coming out with two out in the eighth and has pitched much too good to be trailing by a run, with not much hope of the score changing before the whistle blows. IMO that’s about as good a job toeing the rubber as one can do against the BoSox.