Why, these Braves might be playing in October after all
I’m starting, again, to think this is going to happen. I thought the Braves were a playoff team when they left Lake Buena Vista, and then I watched the first 80 games and thought, “Wrong again, Brad.” (Bobby Cox, as you know, calls me “Brad.”) But now they’ve won six of seven and they just beat Tim Lincecum and I’m back to where I was in the spring.
The 2009 Atlanta Braves. A wild-card team.
Only three back in the WC standings, if you’d care to check.
What Frank Wren and I thought would happen all along is happening now: The pitching would keep them in every game, and they’d hit enough to win most of those games. The hitting took a while to come around — to be honest, I’d convinced myself it never would — but here it is. And this looks like a real team, a good team, a team that wouldn’t be out of its depth in October.
This isn’t the same team we saw in May, both figuratively and literally. Jordan Schafer and Kelly Johnson are in Class AAA and Jeff Francoeur is a Met. Those were, as a multitude of you pointed out, the biggest holes in an unassuming batting order. But now Martin Prado is hitting like Pete Rose and Francoeur isn’t killing innings and Nate McLouth is providing professional, as opposed to amateurish, at-bats. And did I mention that the pitching is still great?
And did I mention that Yunel Escobar is playing like the All-Star shortstop Chipper Jones believes he can be? The National League player of the week last week, and now a threejack off the San Francisco Freak.
Loading ...And you know how you can tell something has changed? No, by not the hitting. (Sometimes that’s a function of lousy pitching by the other side.) By the defense. Every member of the infield made a splendid play in Tuesday’s game, and even Garret Anderson kept a ball down the line from reaching the corner and becoming a double.
Defense, see, is infectious. Defense is a clear sign a team is believing. And so, after 3 1/2 months of doubting myself and these Braves, am I.
Now watch them go lose Thursday afternoon.
(But if they do, you can, via the magic of the Internet, yell at me for jinxing them. I’ll be doing a live chat from the ballpark starting about 12:30 p.m. and going throughout the day. I look forward to your patronage.)
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136 comments Add your comment
NRBQ
July 22nd, 2009
11:34 pm
Wow. No fool posted 1st! yet.
NRBQ
July 22nd, 2009
11:35 pm
And Brad, you’re gonna wear yourself out jumpin’ on and off the bandwagon.
arif11
July 22nd, 2009
11:38 pm
Mark,
Do you see the Braves trying to add bullpen help at the deadline? I only ask because there doesn’t seem to be a good bat that doesn’t become a FA at the end of next year. AND, our hitting is coming around…perhaps persuading Wren that we don’t need that big bat after all.
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2009
11:42 pm
I think trading for a relief pitcher is about all the Braves are now apt to do, Arif. And even that might not be mandatory. If Hudson is back by the end of August, you’d figure either he or Kenshin Kawakami will pitch in relief.
MikeInValdosta
July 22nd, 2009
11:50 pm
The BUI in me must inform you, if the Braves are playing in October it will be due to their record.
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2009
11:56 pm
Not necessarily. They might receive a sponsor’s exemption. Like Michelle Wie.
CKS
July 22nd, 2009
11:56 pm
Mark, based on your column, and acknowledging up front that this is all hypothetical (don’t want to tempt the baseball Gods too much), how would a best-of-five playoff rotation look? (Assuming the Braves would have time to set the rotation any way they’d want, which is yet another big if)…D-Lowe, Jurrjens, and Vazquez??? In that order? What do you think? (Again, just dreamin’…I’m the same cocky fan who busted on a bunch of NYY fans after game 2 in ‘96 and the baseball gods have never forgiven me (I live in the northeast so I’m surrounded…). THanks.
GSU Student
July 22nd, 2009
11:57 pm
How do you see the Braves using Infante when he returns?
Zach
July 23rd, 2009
12:00 am
Mark,
do you think the braves would consider going to a six man rotation when huddy comes back? What are we going to do with Kenshi when huddy is back pitching?
Coach (2010 or Bust)
July 23rd, 2009
12:03 am
It takes a lot to win me over but this bunch of ball players is starting to. Like many, I thought they would win all along but the playoffs were really iffy when the season started. The odds are still steep but my Braves are alive and kicking. Winning is fun, enjoy it!
Mark Bradley
July 23rd, 2009
12:06 am
CKS, I’d say it’d be like this: Game 1, Vazquez; Game 2, Jurrjens; Game 3, Lowe; Game 4, Hanson.
Teams never use a five-man rotation in the postseason.
And GSU, I’d guess Infante will be what he is — a utility man. Don’t see anybody beating out Prado at 2B.
scottbravesfan
July 23rd, 2009
12:09 am
I don’t see how the Braves don’t at least win the wild card. The Rockies, Giants, and Cubs aren’t anything special. If the Braves can just have an average offense their pitching is good enough to win easy.
Steven
July 23rd, 2009
12:10 am
Mark can you please plead with Wren not to make any moves and stand pat. It’s not the sexy thing to do but its the right thing. I can’t see adding a reliever that wouldn’t come in after the 7th inning in most meaningful games would help much. It’s unlikely still in my mind that the braces make the postseason but i like this core alot and i think braves fans have a lot to look forward too. Anyone see francouer blow that fly ball tonight against the nats? I am so glad that guy isn’t in our outfield anymore.
Rev. Otis Nixon
July 23rd, 2009
12:12 am
Why are you so much more likeable than the other Braves writers, Brad? For some reason, your columns never seem overly pessimistic, nor homer-ish. I am a fan, dude.
IlliniBrave
July 23rd, 2009
12:16 am
Mark: I really really appreciate your honesty – you do call ‘em like you see ‘em. It takes some guts for a writer to say what most fans knew – that Kelly, Frenchie, and Shafer were killing us at the plate AND in the field. Other columnists (DOB, CR) won’t be so bold. Thanks for the refreshing frankness of your columns. It bugs me when writers are too “politically correct.” Sure you are sometimes wrong – but that’s what happens when you take risks and express an opinion. Keep up the good work!
AP
July 23rd, 2009
12:17 am
Adding some power @ 5/6 would be nice. I keep looking at the Natinals not that they would give up Zimmerman. He @ 3b and move #10 to first? Dunn could be a possibility but for the K’s.
Braves Fan
July 23rd, 2009
12:22 am
I would like to see the Braves go to a 6 man rotation when Hudson is back at full strength…
1) It would be a tryout for the rotation next year. Based on this year, you would think JV, JJ, and TH are locks for next year. Lowe has pitched good, but not great. He will be back because of his un-tradable contract.
2) That leaves KK and Huddy for the last spot. These two can pitch for their spot the rest of the way…
3) The other advantage of this is it will keep the innings down for JJ, TH, KK, and TimH….JJ and Hanson don’t need to throw a ton of innings in August and September alla Mark Prior. Same goes for KK to a lesser degree. And Huddy does not need to go out and start 2 games a week…
4) That being said, I think they will let Huddy walk at the end of the year, as KK’s production vs. contract is probably a better value than Huddy…
Keith
July 23rd, 2009
12:23 am
Mark,
What are the odds of the Braves catching the Phils? I mean, we still have a lot of games head to head against them, and there are a lot of teams in the wildcard hunt. I kind of think we have a more realistic chance of catching the teams in the wildcard rather than the red-hot Phils…even though the odds themselves would say it will be difficult to make the wildcard ours.
GO BRAVES!
I think it could be a good time to consider buying season tickets.
We shall see.
Braves Fan
July 23rd, 2009
12:26 am
How about Nick Johnson for a mid-level prospect and Kotchman? Just make him shave the child molester mustache first…
Coach (2010 or Bust)
July 23rd, 2009
12:27 am
scottbravesfan, the current offense is anything but average. In the month of July this team has hit .297 with 20 HR’s and 105 RBI in 19 games.
It is stunning to say the least. Nobody saw Martin Prado coming, nobody. No one could have expected the Pirates to trade Nate McLouth to us. Not to mention getting Ryan Church for Francoeur, and Garrett Anderson has been steady as a rock in LF.
Some things just cannot be explained. Baseball at times can simply become easy to explain and then completely mesmerizing in it’s complexity. I’m dumbfounded beyond words.
The Dust
July 23rd, 2009
12:28 am
Hudson won’t walk. Why? Because he has a year left. That means that Vazquez is still trade bait, because Hudson and KK have no value at this point with Hudson coming off surgery and KK being mediocre at best with a fat contract attached.
Stephen
July 23rd, 2009
12:37 am
I just saw the poll results- 97% think the Braves are a playoff team. To distort/rephrase that: does anyone think there is a 97% chance that the Braves make the playoffs? (I realize there aren’t many votes yet). I’d say the probability that the Braves make the playoffs is somewhere in the 30% range, albeit up from 20% a couple weeks ago. Keep in mind that we lost 3 games on the Phils during this stretch.
It’s about time for a little regression to the mean/reality check. Do we really think that Prado is a .320 hitter for the rest of the season, or do we entertain the possibility that maybe he’s overachieving and will likely come down to earth? Do we think that GAnderson is going to keep up with the dingers at this rate? Do we really expect zero injuries (Chipper, I love you sir, but I’m looking in your direction)?
Which do we think is a better dataset to predict the rest of the season: the Braves’ recent dominance or the other 80 games they played? I love the optimism, but I’m not there yet. Best of luck, but I’m not holding my breath.
ATL FAN
July 23rd, 2009
12:38 am
In my opinion if we could get a Juan Pierre type lead off hitter, We will win the division. That threat with our pithing will catipult us dramaticly. We can make due with our power but the threat of speed with these guys hitting behind him takes us deep into the playoffs. Juan pierre fits this team very nicely offensively and defensively Plus he knows what it takes to be a winner. He’s been on nothing but winning teams.
bravesfanbob
July 23rd, 2009
12:43 am
I am glad to see Kelly Johnson doing well in Gwinnett. He’ll bring a little more in a trade, maybe. I would never activate him. Brooks Conrad’s 3 run homer against Washington is one of the biggest sparks during this run, and he’s provided much more than we’d dreamed. Besides, with Omar coming back to back Prado, we have no place for him. Even Conrad will be sent down when we activate Infante. Trade Kelly and Ryan Church for Matt Holliday. The only teams that might make a better offer would be a team who thinks they could sign him, but in this economy, this is one year that no team knows if they’ll be able to sign a player like him. It’s a perfect time to get a rental. Sure he’s a rent a player, and he would cost a little more salary wise, but we’d have one more bopper for the rest of the season. We have Heyward for next season, so Holliday would be a perfect fit for 2 months in right or left, (move Garret Anderson to right if necessary, I’ve always preferred a righty in left, and a lefty in right, easier to throw out of the corner). We need to get one more bat to keep up with the Phillies when they get Roy Halladay. That all being said, I am so proud of my Braves for how they’ve been playing. Thanks for keeping all of us very interested!
Coach (2010 or Bust)
July 23rd, 2009
12:46 am
Hey Stephen, I get the pessimism. I really do. This is still the slowest Braves team that I have ever seen in my life. However, the pitching is real and did you know this team has committed just four errors in July? I’ll translate that for you my friend.
Baseball games are won with two main ingredients. Pitching and Defense. No, not offense or the long ball or even with the running game.
Pitching and Defense. This team is executing both facets flawlessly.
Mitchell
July 23rd, 2009
12:57 am
With regards to the survey, I was one of the five solitary indivuals who voted “No”. I had to do it. I’m not sure why. I think it’s because the thought of this team winning the World Series is way too much for this Braves fan to deal with.
I can’t think about the Braves making the post-season without fantasizing about the possible scenarios of the final out. Is it Marteeen hitting a three run 8th inning homerun in Game 6 to win it and Gonzo to close it out? Or maybe Tommy Hanson pitching a complete game two-hitter in Game 7, striking out 14 batters? Or is it a blow-out double digit victory in Game 4 to sweep?
See, once I start, it’s hard to stop. I really can’t think about the playoffs without going all the way but it does appear that the former is a distinct possibility.
For the record, I’m invariably picturing the Red Sox each time. We could take ‘em.
Coach (2010 or Bust)
July 23rd, 2009
1:00 am
A few more things to mention and I’ll shut my trap. Our Braves are scoring 5.6 runs per game while posting and ERA of 3.13. They also have thirteen quality starts to go along with their 13 wins and have reeled off seven quality starts in a row.
Over and Out
July 23rd, 2009
1:03 am
Don’t let yourself believe. It only leads to heartache.
Big O
July 23rd, 2009
1:33 am
Stephen the glass is half full dude I heard Chip say tonight that we have more games left agaist teams in our division than anyone in the league. I think we have 7 or 8 left with the phonies. If they dont get a top line starter like M.H. we can catch them but if they do the wild card is most def in reach
Puma
July 23rd, 2009
1:42 am
Ahhh, Bradley you are an idiot, but you crack me up, and I enjoy you blog. Keep it up!
Main Street Mafia
July 23rd, 2009
1:51 am
Stephen, I have to disagree with mostly everything you said. You can’t misinterpret the poll that way. No one on this web site would say the Braves are 97% in the post-season. Martin Prado will like continue to hit like he is because he’s a good hitter. His career average is .313 so if by falling back down to earth you mean that his average drops 10 points then I’m okay with that. Garret Anderson is a good hitter. If by fall back down to earth you mean his .287 average goes up to his career average of .296, I’m okay with that. The guys you mentioned are not overachieving; they’re doing what they’ve done their entire career. Although when it comes to Chipper and injuries, I have no comment.
RayRoy
July 23rd, 2009
1:56 am
“The National League player of the week last week, and now a threejack off the San Francisco Freak.”
Maybe it’s just my warped, twisted mind. But I find there is a questionable element in the formulation of this particular sentence.
*whistles*
Johnny Reb
July 23rd, 2009
2:04 am
They really need to trade Escobar now. Did you see the way he tossed his bat on that homer tonight? Disgraceful! You’d never see a true professional like Kelly Johnson pull that nonsense. After all, even Bradley publicly wonders if Escobar is a “lost cause”.
(before I’m ripped by the sane minority of Braves fans, the above was dripping with sarcasm. Except for the Bradley shot. I’m surprised a reporter with his pedigree hasn’t gotten the answer to his burning question posed Tuesday about “who does Yunel’s hair?”. GOOD GRIEF! No wonder REAL baseball towns make fun of us).
Mark Bradley
July 23rd, 2009
2:07 am
Nobody wants Casey Kotchman. How many first basemen hit seventh?
Mark Bradley
July 23rd, 2009
2:08 am
And IlliniBrave, I’m not “sometimes wrong.” I’m always wrong. But thanks for the endorsement.
Josh
July 23rd, 2009
2:14 am
BravesFan, that’s what spring training is for. Why would you want to take starts away from Hanson, Jurrjens, and Vazquez by using a six-man rotation. Come on, us braves fans are smarter than that.
Josh
July 23rd, 2009
2:15 am
Oh, and Mark, it’s late. Catch some z’s.
Big O
July 23rd, 2009
2:30 am
I checked the schedule we have nine games left with the phonies and six of those are at the Ted. Ouch I just pulled my hamstring jumping back on the playoff bandwagon. I love the Bravos but I was looking at the playoffs next season. Not now with this little run we can do it.
October baseball at the Ted. We took it for granted yall. But now how bad do we want it.
ATL FAN
July 23rd, 2009
2:40 am
juan pierre=world series
UcantCLA
July 23rd, 2009
2:43 am
Just wanted to point out the Ken Griffey Jr. is DHing in Seattle and he’s batting .211 with 10 HR’s while Garret Anderson is batting .287 with 7 HRs and Diaz hitting at .304 with 4 HR’s. The braves got better by not getting Jr.
UcantCLA
July 23rd, 2009
3:00 am
Also I think Soriano is a free agent after this season, someone want to tell Frank Wren to sign him ASAP. Pay that man his money cause I like Gonzalez but I dont trust him like I Soriano.
Richard Nieh
July 23rd, 2009
3:31 am
I don’t think they are a wild card team. I think they can win the division. I really hate Phillies’ rotation and I truly believe the rotation surge in the second half is only temporary. That rotation will fall unless they have Roy Halladay to stabilize it. Even they have Halladay, Phillies better hope he wins every start against the Braves or they will find their sacrifice is useless.
In addition, Braves just beat Tim Lincecum and they have beaten both Santana and Halladay before. I believe anyone from the Braves’ rotation is capable to beat any ace from any league. That is some kind of rotation. There are still 2 plus months to go and Braves will play 9 more games against Phillies. Their pitching will decimate the Phillies.
UGASlobberknocker
July 23rd, 2009
3:56 am
I thought at one time the best move would be to try and trade Kochman and maybe a pitcher or two for a big bopper first baseman. I have changed my mind. He still isnt hitting like a first baseman should; but as you mention in your column, defense means a lot. Bad defense can kill the spirit if a team faster than anything. To lose a game or to give up a run due to an error hurts a lot more than giving up a homer. Defense is the one aspect of the game where perfection is expected, A good hitter is out 70% of the time. A good pitcher still gives up 3.5 runs a game. A 3b can field 1000 ground balls, and if he fields 980 of them and botches 20, he is a bum.
I am now of the opinion let’s ride this horse as long as we can, make no deals , save our prospects, then tweak in the offseason. I believe that the Braves are no worse than the #3 team in the NL right now, and as we Braves fans know all too well, once you get to the postseason, anything can happen. It matters not what the Dodgers or Phils reg season record was.did in the regular season…anything can happen. And our pitching staff is better suited for postseason these days..we dont have to worry that the low and outside pitch that was a strike all season turns into a ball in the playoffs as was the case in the 90’s. We have a diff style of pitcher for the most part now.
Keep up the good work “Brad”..this is the best blog in the ajc (Schultz a strong #2).
honest_abe
July 23rd, 2009
4:17 am
brad, did you have to jinx the team again. every time you write a positive article about the braves they go on a losing streak. then when you say they’re done they do something positive. NO MORE ARTICLES ON THE BRAVES UNLESS YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING NEGATIVE!
seriously though baseball has about as much appeal as bobby cox in spandex.
my prediction: huddy comes back. the braves somehow manage to get rid of kawakami for a reliever. the braves win the wildcard and go on to win the world series. yay.
luvthosedawgs68
July 23rd, 2009
5:04 am
Just a few comments to add…. Have any of you realized where the Braves defense would be without Casey at first base? Between the scorchers hit to him and the short-hops he gobbles up at the bag, his defense IS the reason he’s so valuable. Also, .280, with 35 RBI’s is not too bad for a 7/8 place hitter. Also, Martin Prado won’t be giving up the 2 spot for a while. Its been a long time since I’ve seen a more humble and appreciative player on the Braves. As long as Bobby understands he can’t overuse Gonzo and the rest of the bullpen, I have a feeling the Braves will show us some amazing things over the last 2+ months of the regular season.
NCBravesFan
July 23rd, 2009
6:08 am
I’m not convinced that the division race is over by any stretch. It will be interesting to see what changes the Phils make heading toward the trade deadline. If they decide not to get a front-line starter to pair with Hamels, there’s still plenty of time for us to catch them.
Getting back to the Braves – and this is a really good point you make,Mark – the defense tells you everything about how this team is doing right now. They looked so listless a couple of weeks ago, and now they are a really exciting team to watch in the field and at the plate.
After three years in the wilderness, I think that’s what we were all hoping for coming into this year.
abudefdef
July 23rd, 2009
6:16 am
Hmmmm, Braves are off to a RED HOT start after the All Star break…why is there ANY talk of trading ANYONE? The team is playing great defense, getting great pitching, and hitting at opportune times…
If it ain’t broke, DON’T FIX IT!
Ross
July 23rd, 2009
6:44 am
‘64! ‘64! ‘64!
-drl
BDAWG
July 23rd, 2009
6:48 am
Keep it going Bravos! This is the first time in a very long time that the Braves nation feels like it did in the mid-90’s. The pitching is great, clutch hitting is well above average and the defense has been awesome. I think they will make the playoffs but hey, if they don’t I will still be here watching and cheering my beloved Braves and like the Cubs, we always have next season
Ernest
July 23rd, 2009
6:54 am
Good point by luvthosedawgs68 regarding Kotchman. It seems many fans don’t have the same appreciation for defense as they do offense. One way to stop a team from scoring runs is to play good defense. Though he is not the ‘big bopper’ everyone would like at first, he is not chopped liver. He’s one of the team leaders in doubles, does not strike out much, and has a decent OBP. IMO, these stats are as helpful to a team as anything else.
richbrave
July 23rd, 2009
6:56 am
There’s no denying that the team offense is markedly improved with FRANCOUER and JOHNSON out of the line-up, PRADO in it, and ESCOBAR batting sixth. Let’s see if they can reach my predicted 86 win level. Continue playing like this and maybe they break 90. They certainly look like they can at this point.
Braves are dreaming of October baseball. | The Recycle Bin
July 23rd, 2009
7:01 am
[...] Bradley of the ajc thinks Atlanta has a playoff worthy team. This isn’t the same team we saw in May, both [...]
jimmya
July 23rd, 2009
7:04 am
heres hoping this is the real braves team now and they dont start playing like they did the first half
MiltonDawg
July 23rd, 2009
7:31 am
If they continue like they’ve been doing…screw WC, how about Division title? I just hope the Phils cool off and we beat them during the head to head matchups. Must carry this hot streak into August/September. Somebody has lit a fire under these guys!! GO BRAVES!!!
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
July 23rd, 2009
7:41 am
I am going to say I was wrong, the Braves need to be buyers. Go get Holliday. Just don’t give up Yunel. Oh and sign him to a long term contract while he can’t speak English and figures out how to say Boras.
Del
July 23rd, 2009
8:02 am
One alternative to the Kelly J. problem coming up shortly is to have him replace Norton as a bench player and back-up fielder. He sure couldn’t do any worse than Norton is doing this year. DFA Norton. We gain in plate power, speed and defense. Sounds like a winner to me!!
MightyQuinn
July 23rd, 2009
8:06 am
“…sign him to a long term contract while he can’t speak English and learns how to say Boras.”
Don’t always agree with you BW, but thats funny, I don’t care who you are!
Dave
July 23rd, 2009
8:07 am
A number of Braves fans have egg on their face. Some were outraged by not resigning Smoltz what do you think now? Some wanted to keep Glavine which would have meant Hanson would still be at Gwinnett what do you think now? Some morons felt like Escobar was too hard to handle and should be traded what do you think now? I think a number of Braves fans know little about what is best for the Braves now or in the future.
Drixie
July 23rd, 2009
8:11 am
We certainly have the pitching to make a run. The offense needs to average about 5 runs a game and we will be in most games down the stretch. If you look at the lineup now that “Stenchy” is gone, we have no “easy outs” and with the exception of McClouth, everyone is hitting in the .270’s or higher. Go Braves!
SimpleDawg
July 23rd, 2009
8:15 am
Patience is paying off…..and addition by subtraction – KJ, Frenchy, Jordan.
Pitching, defense, and timely hitting will win championships. Right now, the Braves are getting plenty of both.
Let’s allow this group to play out the season and see where we end up. I’m thinking we can still win the division. As several have pointed out, the Phillies’ undoing will be there pitching. The Mets are the Mets – if there’s a way “to spit the bit”, they’ll find it. The Fish don’t seem to have enough pieces to be consistent.
Braves win, Braves win, Braves win ! I sure do miss Skip.
Joey
July 23rd, 2009
8:19 am
Brad, I hope you knocked on wood after you wrote your prediction… Dell, you must watch a different Kelly Johnson than I do. I don’t know a second baseman in the major leagues that plays worse defense than KJ. This good run started when Prado became an everyday starter and KJ was sent down.
Joey
July 23rd, 2009
8:30 am
UcantCLA, you’re right about the Griffey deal. And compare Furcal’s stats to Escobar’s. I guess sometimes the best deals are the ones that don’t get made…
Kashi
July 23rd, 2009
8:30 am
You “MEDIA” has been protraying ESCOBAR as a cancer in clubhouse and trade rumor since spring trainning. Do you have anything to say about his last night 3 runs jack against starting all-star pitcher? A day before his two plays was playing in ESPN all night for top play of the day. You got anything to say about it? C’mon you MEDIA—you always find something negative about him. I’m sure you all have something to write about it. You know what—BRING IT ON.
WREN is preparing a package similar to McCain/Francour to Escobar. Here it go…write about it.
Billi
July 23rd, 2009
8:33 am
………..”and now a threejack off the San Francisco Freak” A humorous line there Brad.
John
July 23rd, 2009
8:34 am
I do not see the Braves catching the Phillies. That said the Braves find themselves in a new divisional race the 2nd half of the season. Here are the teams we have to beat.
Houston
Chicago
St Louis
Colorado
Florida
Milwaukee
San Francisco
It will be tough, very tough, but possible.
Maxwell Snark
July 23rd, 2009
8:40 am
Defense gets it done. Rafael Belliard and Sid Bream. Bream played 12 seasons and hit 90 homers. Schuerholz got him for his glove. Belliard hit exactly one homer in his career. This team has a bit of that ‘91 feel to it.
southern hope
July 23rd, 2009
8:45 am
Honest Abe, you’re hilarious!
Mrs. Chanandler Bong
July 23rd, 2009
8:50 am
Some good bloggin’, “Brad.” I too am starting to believe. And unlike the first half, we’re not winning 1 and losing 4. We’re winning 4 and losing 1. They’re actually starting to look like baseball players.
abudefdef
July 23rd, 2009
8:51 am
Sign Yunel because he is a great shortstop and is going to develop into on of the all around best in the game…Don’t trade for Holliday, like I said before, it it ain’t broke, don’t fix it…no need to bring in someone who might mess with the chemistry that is gelling in the clubhouse, especially when they come in and everyone knows they’re just here until the end of the season…I’d rather the Braves keep who we have, and stay patient with Heyward and Freeman, those two kids are going to be BEASTS when they get up to the bigs, as long as the Braves show some patience with them…now, if Wren wanted to trade for Holliday and sign him to a long term deal with the team, that would be awesome…I would love to see a lineup of Mclouth, Prado, Chipper, Holliday, McCann, Escobar, Heyward, Freeman, pitcher for the next 3-5 years…imagine that offense, combined with the starting pitchers? Fans would fill the seats and the team would rake in the money, causeu it would be WINNING…imagine the concept if you can
Mrs. Chanandler Bong
July 23rd, 2009
8:53 am
A question for you Mark: I’m currently operating under the assumption that we will be able to keep both our Type-A free agent closers next season. I’m also hoping we’ll choose to keep Soriano. That being said and assuming we don’t pick up another strong closer, who do you see moving into the set-up spot?
Mrs. Chanandler Bong
July 23rd, 2009
8:54 am
Oops — I meant “unable.”
Alex
July 23rd, 2009
8:57 am
You guys want to talk about a team playing over their heads, how about the Phillies? They have the worst pitching staff I’ve ever seen for a playoff team. Happ is pitching very well and should continue to be good but not great down the stretch. Hamels hasn’t pitched well and could turn it on, but what about Blanton, Moyer, and whoever they use at 5? Those guys are horrible and its a complete joke they win games. Ibanez and Werth are on rediculous paces to shatter their career highs in HRs. Ibanez has 25 hr in 70 games? Yeah ok hes not Pujols. Werth has 21 hr in 90 games, he’s about a week away from setting a new career high.
The Braves are on fire and need to ride it as long as they can. Both teams will cool down and the Braves will smoke the Phils in Sept with pitching and defense. I didn’t even talk about what the Phils call a bullpen lol.
raleighbravesfan
July 23rd, 2009
9:02 am
Dave, you are right on. We fans have opinions, but we cannot have the knowledge that the team braintrust posesses. Also, we don’t have to worry about the budget.
Steven L.
July 23rd, 2009
9:10 am
Mark,
If you had to make one move for a bat, gun to your head, what would it be? I say trading with the Nats for Adam Dunn. He comes at $8M a season, which is not awful, and is a perfect clean-up hitter with his 40 homer seasons and .400+ OBP. Yea, he strikes out, but so what? Also he’s played 1B some this year and in year’s past so he replaces arguably the weakest part of our line-up for a clean-up hitter that only costs us $3 million more for 2009. If not a trade, what about letting Infante take some bats at 1st? Wouldn’t you rather him out there than Kotchman??
Our lineup with my proposed trade (with batting averages and on-base % in brackets)
Nate McLouth (.258/.330) — Maybe this is the weakest part of our line-up? Ouch
Martin Prado (.323/.384)
Chipper Jones (.290/.406)
Adam Dunn (.267/.400) — 24 homers, 65 RBIs, .941 OPS
Brian McCann (.305/.377)
Yunel Escobar (.308/.370)
Garrett Anderson (.287/.320)
Matt Diaz/Ryan Church
What do you think guys?
DawginLex
July 23rd, 2009
9:13 am
Mark,
I hope you haven’t jinxed us again. You remember some of last year’s predictions didn’t turn out so hot?
I have said all along if Hudson can come back and help and the Braves get any kind of hitting, they are capable of pulling it off. I’m just glad the Mets are imploding.
Looks like Jodie Meeks did the right thing afterall. 2 years guaranteed. He knew it was a weak draft and that his PPG was going to drop with the talent in Lexington and the style of play. Great kid, he deserves it just for putting up with Billy G’s mind games.
Bama Aaron
July 23rd, 2009
9:14 am
I do think the Braves can be a playoff team this year. Pitching is outstanding and could possibly get better with Hudson back. This is just my little ole opinion but if I’m Cox Huddy is a reliever the rest of the year. Long man or 6th, 7th inning man. The rotation is solid and I wouldn’t mess with it now that Lowe is back to his normal self.
The Defense has been outstanding (not counting Church’s miss on a touch ball last night). They’ll be in every game they play the rest of the way with those simple ingredients.
The hitting is coming around (hey even Kotchman is on a hitting streak) so the Wild Card is definitely in reach. Probably more reachable than the Phils, though that could still happen.
Don
July 23rd, 2009
9:20 am
Point being missed by the Baseball Writers is that with their Pitching, this is the way the Braves should have been playing the entire season – had it not taken Cox forever to get Prado in the lineup and to get Francoeur out of the lineup – and if Cox had any undestanding of the necessity for teaching/emphasizing/demanding that our hitters work the count and make the opposing pitchers throw a lot of pitches. With Cox’s lack of management having the Braves next to last in all of baseball in average number of pitches seen per at bat, we will not maintain good run production and will return to our losing ways. Do Baseball Writers (like Cox) not understand that failing to work the count and make the pitcher throw a lot of pitches guarantees terrible run production. Doing so enables your hitters to see what the pitcher has, adjust to the pitcher, get better pitches to hit, make him make mistakes, tires him out, gets you into the teams weak middle relief and multiple other advantages. How can a manager manage for 20 plus years and not understand this first priority and most essential element of offensive management. This is the reason that Cox’s teams have always had poor run production compared to their offensive talent. And this says nothing relating to his terrible in game strategy moves, refusal to adjust batting order to take advantage of hot hitters, refusal to put best players in lineup, mismanagement of the bullpen etc.
abudefdef
July 23rd, 2009
9:37 am
OUCH…someone’s a #6 hater
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
July 23rd, 2009
9:41 am
Problem with our lineup is Church and Diaz can’t platoon cause Diaz has no arm. Right needs to be addressed as well as first but first might wait for Freeman. .270 with limited power is not a 1st baseman, that position is for a power hitter. The saying goes be strong up the middle not at the corners.
Jeremiah
July 23rd, 2009
9:44 am
Don, and all like BC bashers are just plain IDIOTS!!!!! Don, you said it…BC has been managing for 20+ years and is one of the most successful baseball managers of all time, and IMHO the BEST! You Monday-Morning quarterbacks never give up…You really think you know Baseball better than BC?? The man used to play for the Yankees prior to his knee issues, he was on the team with Mickey Mantle! He has been in baseball for DECADES and has forgotten more about baseball than DON or anyone else could ever hope to know…YOU PEOPLE ARE PATHETIC!!! Get over it and recognize that Atlanta is LUCKY to have the HOF Manager that we do have!! You the man Bobby Cox, forget these MORONS!!!!
Paddy
July 23rd, 2009
9:48 am
Johnny Reb…your real old school. Get rid of our shortstop because of the way he tossed his bat? You sure your real name isn’t Connie Mack or Whitey Herzog?
SuckItBennett
July 23rd, 2009
9:57 am
I see a lot of Kotchman bashing on the blogs. So, he’s not Tex at the plate, no doubt. But, he does have the highest fielding % in all of MLB and that saves some of the runs he does not provide as homers at the plate. Modern day Sid Bream but with better hands and about 10 times as fast.
Angus
July 23rd, 2009
9:57 am
Steven L.
I’m with you. While Dunn’s defense isn’t great, neither is Diaz/Church’s.
Never underestimate the value of a 1st baseman w/o an error. But if push comes to shove, and we have to go all out, I wouldn’t mind seeing a Kotchman/Prado platoon at 1st with Infante at 2nd against lefties.
I’m in agreement on McLouth also, but have no good ideas. Possibly trade for an OF with speed instead of power dropping McLouth to 8th? Maybe bat Prado 1st, McLouth 2nd? Dude just needs to start hitting.
Purple Maize
July 23rd, 2009
9:58 am
Sid Bream was a .260 hitter and only one time hit as many as 20 homers. Kotchman is better than Bream.
Michelle Wie
July 23rd, 2009
9:59 am
Screw you, Mark!
Chargehim40
July 23rd, 2009
10:00 am
I love the trade proposals on here…KJ and Ryan Church for Matt Holliday, Shafer/Medlin/Diaz for Ryan Braun, etc.
Quantity does not equal quality
mcfirst
July 23rd, 2009
10:01 am
How do you see the Braves using Hudson and Hampton when they come off the DL?
Oh wait…
wood3331
July 23rd, 2009
10:03 am
Brad,
Defense is not a sign of believing. Defense is a direct result of hustle. When everyone hustles you win. When you win everyone hustles. Pretty simple formula. Nice to see an Atlanta team playing this way night after night. Go Braves.
Roy Hobbs
July 23rd, 2009
10:05 am
This team looks much better. I still think there is a lack of power and speed, but if the improvement comes from within, well thats great.
Infante and Hudson are wildcards. Its pretty hard to say what we are going to get from them. There seem to be 4 or 5 closer/8th inning types on the market. If one could be had for a reasonable price, and we could effectivly limit our starters to needing 6 quality innings, I have to think this team could arrive at the post season very fresh.
Angus
July 23rd, 2009
10:05 am
Thank you Jeremiah. I had a long diatribe in mind myself – guess I’ll save it for tomorrow’s BC naysayers.
Sag Pants
July 23rd, 2009
10:05 am
Don, when did you get into the Hall of Fame. And how many more Major League wins do you have than Bobby Cox?
Uh huh, thought so.
hotrodding
July 23rd, 2009
10:15 am
Mitchell = gentleman and scholar.
Nick C
July 23rd, 2009
10:16 am
Everyone is missing the point. Freeman is at least 2 years away from the big leagues, and Heyward is at least one year (maybe july ‘10 if he continues to shine). Garret Anderson will be gone at the end of the year leaving diaz in left, mclouth in center, and church in right. I’m pretty certain Schafer will be the starting CF next year and mcLouth in LF (remember he is a corner outfielder by trade). Also, for all you kotchman haters out there, the guy is on the pace to win his first gold glove. Remember all that talk about earlier about how defense is one of the keys to winning it all? Yea. If the top of the order keeps it going with Prado, and even throw in kelly johnson (who is always hot at the end of the year), we don’t necessarily need *huge* numbers offensively from casey, just his glove. The biggest thing the braves hitters need to do is continue to support their pitchers, as well as everyone keep the morale up. When the offense slows down, and pitching may get tired down the stretch (which both will most likely happen), they will need morale and eachother to pick up after themselves. If they can do that they will make a strong push for october baseball. If they miss out this season, but finish strong, 2010 will look awfully nice.
GO BRAVES!
John
July 23rd, 2009
10:21 am
I agree with the poster regarding Kelly Johnson. He would be better than Greg Norton coming off the bench. Nothing against Norton, but he really does not seem like a Major League player anymore. If they are not going to trade KJ, then let him pinch hit. Other than that, I would not change anything right now. This team has been frustrating all year because it seems like they could do so much better. Hopefully, they will keep it up.
Mark Bradley
July 23rd, 2009
10:32 am
If I’ve jinxed this team, I jinxed it back in March. Can’t double-jinx the same club. It’s in the rule book of jinxing.
And the Braves just announced they’ll be on 680 the Fan next season and its FM affiliate. How do y’all feel about that?
blazon
July 23rd, 2009
10:35 am
a blogger of merit called bradley
is claiming his forecasts go badly
so modest is he
he exceeds DOB
in listing his picks that end sadly
DawginLex
July 23rd, 2009
10:38 am
If 680 isn’t anymore powerful than it used to be, I’m still out of luck. I miss riding down Nicholasville Road at night listening to WSB as clear as a bell.
I miss Skip too.
Drez
July 23rd, 2009
10:41 am
Where are the Terry Pendleton haters this week???
chemdawg
July 23rd, 2009
10:43 am
Braves won’t trade for anything now. Hudson will be back soon. They’ll wait until the offseason to deal one of the 6 rotation guys for an OF/1B (probably a LF to replace the departing GA?) and make a run at it next year with essentially the same pitching staff and a better batting order.
I Came To Rock
July 23rd, 2009
10:45 am
So the Braves are no longer part of the Project?
PMC
July 23rd, 2009
10:45 am
The 680 thing will be good for us Mark. It is quite difficult to pull of the Flagship duties and when 750 had it I know it was kind of annoying for them because it was tough to make back all thier money… but as a fan… anytime your team can be on a 50,000 watt station that is allowed to operate as such at nighttime… it’s a good thing for those of us who want to listen. I do hope maybe they upgrade to HD Radio to further improve the signal quality.
Mark Bradley
July 23rd, 2009
10:47 am
I used to live just off Nicholasville Road. My wife worked at the Shillito’s — remember Shillito’s? — at Fayette Mall.
Gnashers
July 23rd, 2009
10:47 am
There once was a man called Ennis…
PMC
July 23rd, 2009
10:47 am
It just isn’t going to be as fantastic as it was on one of the grandfather stations like WSB you can hear clearly halfway across Alabama.
Blackberry Cobbler
July 23rd, 2009
10:48 am
I like the way the Braves have been playing lately.
I’d feel even better if D. Lowe could ever find a way to make it beyond the 5th or 6th inning. I little better out of him would help this team.
The differences in this team recently have been the emergence of Escobar, Prado at 2B rather than KJ, a better hitting from Anderson, and better bullpen relief especially Soriano.
Think how much better our record would be if Booby Cox hadn’t waited so damn long to ship Schafer and KJ to the minors and if he hadn’t kept putting Jeff Bennett out there in relief.
Jeremiah
July 23rd, 2009
10:52 am
The only issue is that I don’t think 680 has a very good signal OTP (Outside the Perimeter
) Maybe we can pickup 100.5FM though? Honestly, I have never tried that station….I thought it was hip-hop or something!
Dr. Warren
July 23rd, 2009
10:55 am
What are the chances the Braves go after Roy Halladay so they can approach their 90’s pitching dominance? 0%? Guess they need some hitters instead…
chemdawg
July 23rd, 2009
10:55 am
As for this year Mark: I think the statistical chances of chasing down the Phillies by 5 1/2 games is better than the chances of playing 3 games better than 4 or more teams in a wild card race.
DawginLex
July 23rd, 2009
10:55 am
I know Shillito Park but that’s it. I’ve only been here 10 years.
Nick C
July 23rd, 2009
11:01 am
I think for the braves to go after Roy Halladay would be the stupidest thing Frankie could do. I would hope he wouldn’t pull off another John Schuerholz blunder (i.e. Mark Texeira). That was the dumbest thing ever, and cost us big (see Rangers pointing and laughing now). We have starting pitching depth and are good there. Maybe get a solid middle relief guy, and that’s it. Our bench is solid, and lineup is also pretty good. Let’s for once work with what we have and hope they play out to their potential. As a big braves fan from Philadelphia, it would be so wonderful to see the braves knock off the phillies hopes of another division title.
Clay
July 23rd, 2009
11:14 am
My ideal scenario would see Tim Hudson back in his old form, and would displace Kawakami to the bullpen. Our rotation would be sick! And having someone like Kawakami in the bullpen would do wonders for them. I’d love for the Braves to be able and make a play for a big bat, but we may not need one afterall
philly fan doc
July 23rd, 2009
11:26 am
Why they won’t. The SF Giants. Better pitching, timely hitting. You guys are just dreaming. This is our Division now. Its not the 90’s and early 2000’s. Wake up Braves fans!!!!!!!
RHR
July 23rd, 2009
11:26 am
Hey, who is that using Coach’s name?
I love this team, I loved them when they sucked and I loved them when they won it all. I don’t want to get my hopes up, they’ve had a couple hot streaks this season already but this one feels different…maybe because it looks like the players have bought in this time.
Braves Fan
July 23rd, 2009
11:37 am
Im sorry Philly fan, but have we not just taken the first 3 games from the Giants for those exact reasons you said they would win? Go F#@% off and boo Santa
Nick C
July 23rd, 2009
11:42 am
Hey “filthy fan doc”, being from Philly I understand full-well how fans in that city work. You boast big time when your team is up and shut-up when they suck. Please understand that the phillies are one ryan howard, or chase utley injury, or slump for that matter away from losing this division. This is not your division now, this is the battle of pitching, which the phillies lack “quality” depth at. You’re best pitcher is a guy who is 46, and gets rocked by the braves every time he faces them. I would love nothing more than the braves or another team to un-seat the phils and another kick them out of the postseason race. I’m sure next year there will be some batteries thrown Chipper’s way (as phillies fans like to do, see JD Drew). Go cry back to Pat Gillick and tell him you need him to come back to the GM seat and find a way to get Roy Halladay. That is the only way your starting staff can survive down the stretch. I def wouldn’t bank on Brett Myers to be the savior once he returns.
Braves Mom
July 23rd, 2009
11:47 am
SO, SO glad the Braves didn’t trade Escobar.
I think they have a great shot if they keep hitting.
It has been fun to watch as of late.
What will they do w/ Kelly Johnson? I heard they have to make a decision by Friday. Notice how well they have played w/o him?
Fat Matt
July 23rd, 2009
11:54 am
The best thing for the Braves this year might be NOT to win the division, but rather to make the playoffs as a WC.
Let’s pull a Florida Marlins on someone else for a change.
Alex
July 23rd, 2009
11:54 am
My goal is to never heard Kelly Johnson’s name ever again now that Prado is a beast.
Alex
July 23rd, 2009
11:55 am
I think Josh Willingham would be the best fit for a trade if they do make one. I agree that Kotchman at 1b is fine. Willingham shouldn’t cost too much and can provide some power as a corner OF.
Steven L
July 23rd, 2009
11:59 am
Alex, why would you prefer Willingham over Dunn? Dunn has more power, a better on base percentage, and a much better OPS (which I think is the best measure of a hitter). I think Dunn is the more feared hitter.
As far as it moving to 680 the fan it really makes no difference. What we should care about is the signal strength of the FM station that is actually the one playing the games. I forget their name but it’s the one that has the Regular Guys.
louisville slugger
July 23rd, 2009
12:06 pm
I’m just not sold on Dunn; yes, when he hits the ball, he can hit it a long way, but so many strikeouts can kill rallies (by not moving runners over, no sac flies, etc.). I’m becoming convinced the Braves should stand pat offensively, given that the (probable) available players are not really an upgrade over the current squad (particularly the way they’re hitting now).
JMac12203
July 23rd, 2009
12:06 pm
Ilove it. The Braves play a few good games, and we are already scheduling playoff rotations. The Braves ARE NOT PLAYOFF CALIBER, and if by some chance the Marlins, Mets, Brewers, Cubs, Cardinals, Giants, and Rockies all fall flat on their faces (which is what would have to happen for the Bravos to play game 163), they would get embarrassed just as they have done each playoff season this century. They are not a playoff team, and I think that in a couple of weeks reality will set in. They are playing so far over their head and above their talent level, that when they fall, it will be a very loud THUD!!!
taxman kenneth
July 23rd, 2009
12:07 pm
Why in the world would the braves keep Norton and send Conrad back down? That makes no sense at all.Norton cannot hit his weight. Stupid move!
‘Duk’s Dozen: Jair Jurrjens continues march into our conscious
July 23rd, 2009
12:07 pm
[...] 2. Tell you what. With all the young stars Atlanta has been developing and the wild card race Mark Bradley were still alive, it really makes me wish that the Bravos were still on the Superstation and that Skip Caray were still alive. [AJC] [...]
taxman kenneth
July 23rd, 2009
12:11 pm
The General Manager of the Texas Rangers was on the ESPN game last night talking about the players the braves gave them for a rental Tex. I don’t think he could beleive the braves would be that stupid. The best player in the deal is still in the minors and 3 are on the major league roster for Texas. He had high praises for Salty, Andrus, and Harrison also who is on the disabled list but is a good pitcher and the best pitcher is in the wings waiting for his callup.
Scott B
July 23rd, 2009
12:13 pm
It’s impossible for me to evaluate the Braves post-season hopes in an objective fashion. I cannot watch the games with a clinical detachment because emotion over takes me and, in the end, I’m just another biased fan. It would be foolish of me to say that this Braves team will make the playoffs.
Having said that, THIS TEAM WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS!!! Turner field, this October, will bring back to mind that old tomahawk choppin’ nostalgia. GO BRAVES!!!
Marc
July 23rd, 2009
12:25 pm
I heard KK was going “balls deep” today for the sweep.
Live from the ballpark: The Braves test Bradley's mojo! | Mark Bradley
July 23rd, 2009
12:27 pm
[...] mention this because I just posted a little something about how I’m thinking the 2009 Braves will be playing in October. The 2009 Braves have won six of seven since the All-Star break and have closed within three games [...]
fieldofdreams
July 23rd, 2009
12:33 pm
Wren deserves a war hoop. Right now he’s Executive of the Year, given the way he’s tinkered with and massaged this lineup. He had to buy pitching, granted, but JJ, Anderson, Church, and McLouth were great pickups that came cheap. Let’s not settle for a playoff berth; if the bats keep thumping, our starting rotation makes us a threat to win any series, regular, or playoff.
‘Duk’s Dozen: Jair Jurrjens continues march into our conscious | ReadSports.com - Your primary source for all sporting news
July 23rd, 2009
1:01 pm
[...] 2. Tell you what. With all the young stars Atlanta has been developing and the wild card race Mark Bradley were still alive, it really makes me wish that the Bravos were still on the Superstation and that Skip Caray were still alive. [AJC] [...]
‘Duk’s Dozen: Jair Jurrjens continues march into our conscious | Lancilo USA
July 23rd, 2009
1:04 pm
[...] 2. Tell you what. With all the young stars Atlanta has been developing and the wild card race Mark Bradley were still alive, it really makes me wish that the Bravos were still on the Superstation and that Skip Caray were still alive. [AJC] [...]
‘Duk’s Dozen: Jair Jurrjens continues march into our conscious | Newstion.com
July 23rd, 2009
3:00 pm
[...] 2. Tell you what. With all the young stars Atlanta has been developing and the wild card race Mark Bradley thinks the team has entered, it really makes me wish that the Bravos were still on the Superstation and that Skip Caray were still alive. [AJC] [...]
Antonio Gramsci
July 23rd, 2009
5:08 pm
Drugs are bad, mmmkay? So stop taking them before writing your blog.
falcon4life
July 24th, 2009
12:51 am
Mr. Bradley, wild thought here…one more big bat, maybe 2. Austin Kearns and/or Adam Dunn from the Nats. I agree w/one more reliever. Wildest thought…we’ve won 7 of nine so far against the Phillies. 7 of 9 again; if it doesn’t tie for 1st, it’s darn close. As long as injuries don’t kill em, at least the wild card
falcon4life
July 24th, 2009
12:54 am
oh yeah or Willingham
TSmiley7
July 26th, 2009
11:48 am
Why don’t the Braves get in the trade mix for Doc? He would improve our already fantastic rotation and we wouldn’t lose much, if any, money if Vasquez was a part of the deal. The Jays want to replenish with talented youth. Our FS is among the top systems in baseball and can afford to lose a top prospect or 2 alongside Javy as long as Heyward isn’t sent to Canada. Schafer could be a good part of the trade as well now that we made the McLouth trade and won’t need another CF for at least 4 years. The Doc trade would also eliminate our overuse of Moylan and possibly Gonzalez as well because Halladay can go 8 or 9 every 5 days plus Doc would be the TRUE ace our staff needs because Lowe just isn’t it. Why don’t we get in the mix for the most consistent starter in baseball over the past 6 years?