Atlanta Weather

| Traffic

Search
Mark Bradley

Bobby Cox: Still cranky after all these years

5:12 pm July 23, 2009, by Mark Bradley

There are moments when you’d swear he has mellowed. He is, after all, 68. But then one umpire makes one call and the Thumb King reminds us why he is the most-ejected man in the history of humankind.

Bobby Cox posted No. 146 Thursday at Turner Field, and it was a weird sort of ejection. He wasn’t so much outraged as incredulous. A 3-2 Barry Zito curveball to Yunel Escobar in the sixth inning was adjudged Strike 3 by plate umpire Jeff Kellogg, with whom Cox has a history. (Then again, Cox has amassed more history than David McCullough.)

Martin Prado, running on the pitch, was thrown out at second base after appearing to slow on his approach. Thus di what could have been runner-on-first-and-second-with-one-out become nobody on and three out in a tie game.

The manager emerged from the dugout and walked — he did not run — toward Kellogg. At first it was unclear which play Cox was arguing, and afterward those among us in the press box weren’t sure he’d been ejected. (Leaving the dugout to dispute balls and strikes is a mandatory tossing.) But Kellogg’s gestures were far from demonstrative, and a clarification came only midway through the next half-inning: The Thumb King had indeed gotten Heave-Ho No. 146.

Only afterward did Cox leave no doubt as to which call he found abhorrent. “A little high?” he said, referring to the fateful breaker. “I’ve never seen a ball called a strike that, not in 50 years.”

More: “I was yelling to Prado, ‘Stay up, stay up!’ [Meaning don't slide because Escobar had presumably drawn a walk.] That was so high it was a joke.”

And then: “That could’ve been the game.”

Maybe. The Braves lost 5-1, ending a rousing homestand on a dissonant note. They botched two bunts and made two errors in an eighth inning that yielded four San Fran runs, none earned. Still, the day was noteworthy not for the game or its misplays, but for this:

The 146th ejection of Cox’s career came on the worst call the Thumb King has ever seen. Worse than Eric Gregg and his double-wide strike zone. Worse than Kent Hrbek fork-lifting Ron Gant off first base. Worse than anything.

Until Ejection No. 147.

(Oh, and the call itself? It didn’t look all that bad. But that’s why he’s the Thumb King and we’re all just serfs.)

  • Print

106 comments Add your comment

Cox has lost it

July 23rd, 2009
5:28 pm

You still suck Bradley. Stop trying to jinx the Braves. It’s neither cute nor funny.

Gen Neyland

July 23rd, 2009
5:39 pm

Is this the return of the Kelly Johnson Jinx..? Geez, I hope not. Wish we could find a spot for Conrad. Maybe we’re shopping/showcasing Johnson..?

Herschel Talker

July 23rd, 2009
5:39 pm

Mark – keep up the great blogging. It’s been phenomenal. That being said, Cox is a clown. He needs to be jettisoned sooner than later

Mark Bradley

July 23rd, 2009
5:44 pm

Why, thanks, Herschel. And might I say, even though we disagree on Bobby Cox, your screen name is among the top five I see on a regular basis.

(Although “Lars Tainted” is pretty good, too.)

DP

July 23rd, 2009
5:51 pm

The game today wasn’t lost on an umpire’s call, it was lost because the Braves botched two consecutive routine plays to first on bunts by the Giants. The casual play by Kotchman was reminiscent of Adam LaRoche jogging to tag first a few years ago and getting beat there by the runner. And then Moylan looks to third (where he had no play) before making a wild throw to first.

Did anybody get a look at the cetch former Brave Dewayne Wise made in the 9th today to save Buerhle’s perfect game? Outstanding, and he had just been put in the game for defense. The clip is up on the CNNSI website, probably ESPN as well.

NRBQ

July 23rd, 2009
6:03 pm

Maybe he was cranked off that he pulled our starter who was working a 4-hitter, to see six relievers give up 8 hits.

Be great if he learned something from it, but…….

All I'm Saying Is...

July 23rd, 2009
6:06 pm

Joe Torre wins while rarely displaying a pulse in the dugout, Tony LaRussa displays smoldering intensity (yet is rarely tossed) and Bobby Cox wins with constant supportive chatter when his guys are batting and a lethal fuse when defense is in order. Different strokes.

Back to the big picture: We are HOT with 6 wins and 2 losses since the All Star break (and have 13 wins versus 7 losses in July thus far). We last lost on Saturday night and then we reeled off four in a row—-I’ll take that. So, let’s move on beyond today and get the winning party started again against the Brew Crew.

LET’S GO BRAVES!

Lars Taint

July 23rd, 2009
6:14 pm

Thanks Mark, but it’s actually Lars Taint. The Taint is the area in between your two unmentionables. Also referred to as the Gooch.

David Granger

July 23rd, 2009
6:24 pm

Always thought that Cox was a good manager, but didn’t get everything out of some of the teams he has had. A baseball season is a marathon, while post season is more of a sprint in nature. Bobby’s been good at building a team for the long haul, not so good at getting maximum results in a short series. He’s an Eisenhower, not a Patton.

All I'm Saying Is...

July 23rd, 2009
6:48 pm

Been a Braves fan since 1969 so I’m grateful for the 1 WS title we have and the numerous winning seasons and playoff seasons we have had since 1991 but Bobby and Greg Maddux share a trait: both were outstanding over 162 games but in the playoffs—hmm, not so much. How many times did we make the playoffs between 1991 and 2005? How many NLCS? How many WS? And only 1 WS win? Tough facts to overlook and I suppose someone has to get the blame. Still, I’ll take it. LET’S GO BRAVES!

Mark Bradley

July 23rd, 2009
6:55 pm

You all know — to some of your chagrin — how highly I regard Bobby Cox. But the man can run through some pitchers. Seven of them today. (I know, it was bad luck on Gonzalez — who should be OK in a day or so, Cox said — but still …)

Braves Mom

July 23rd, 2009
6:57 pm

I watched the ESPN game Sunday night and it took until about the 2nd inning for the announcers to start gushing over how great Bobby is. And then there is the recent poll in SI of actual MLB players of which manager they would most like to play for, Bobby won by a wide margin. It makes me laugh how it is recognized all over the country how great he is, and there are so many here who don’t realize it. Kind of speaks to how uninformed so baseball fans are here in GA, kind of sad.

I turned on the game in the 8th today, just in time to see Kelly Johnson drop the ball at first.

If the Braves can get anything for him, please, please trade him!

Sonny Clusters

July 23rd, 2009
7:32 pm

We was thinking about who we’d want to be friends with on the team now that Jeff is gone to New York. We was pretty sure it’d be Kelly Johnson because Kelly has some at-bats like Jeff did when he was playing ball here. I know Kelly was not at his best when he dropped that ball because he hasn’t been playing major league ball for the past few weeks and some people say he hasn’t been playing major league ball all season, I don’t know. We was pretty sure Conrad and Prado both was playing better than Kelly and Kelly might get traded or something but there he is right back on the field and it reminds me of Keith Lockhart when he was playing with the Braves but even he was better than Kelly. We was also thinking that trying to trade these players when they are so far down is not going to get us much. We was remembering how Kelly Johnson and Ryan Langerhans was the toast of the town when they was projected to be the outfielders here and how both those boys petered out when they got their chance to play here for Bobby Cox.

Kurdt Kobain

July 23rd, 2009
7:32 pm

I’m pretty sure the ball hit the runner, and Johnson didn’t drop the throw. And I disagree, Mark, on the call. That pitch was way high. The frustrating part was Kellogg seemed to give Zito the corners, and the letters too apparently, and was not giving them to KK, who was pulled early because of his huge pitch count, not just because Cox likes to use a lot pitchers.

Ugly game, but all is not lost. Gotta shake it off and get back to business tomorrow.

Albert Hall

July 23rd, 2009
7:40 pm

I hit for the cycle in 1987, and stole 33 bases. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hallal02.shtml

Bobby’s only flaw, in my view, is that he works his relievers too much. Every season it seems he wears them out by July or August, and my biggest (and, truly, only) concern with this franchise this season is that we’re going to burn out both Gonzo and Moylan by the end of the month. Moylan came back earlier than I believe anyone has ever done from Tommy John surgery, and Gonzo’s got a history with arm trouble also, but both men have just been ran ragged this year.

On a side note, Kawakami’s been great for us, but his flaw remains in that he throws too many pitches to be efficient enough in going seven innings with consistency. I wouldn’t mind at all if he were the Mike Marshall of our bullpen when Tim Hudson comes back, someone that could be relied on to go 120 innings of relief or so a season.

Hillbilly Deluxe

July 23rd, 2009
7:45 pm

Why is he yelling “stay up”? Prado should finish the play out and let the umpires do the umpiring. You’d still have a runner at second with two out (assuming he beat the throw).

Nice David McCullough reference though.

Bob Horner had a sweet compact swing

July 23rd, 2009
7:45 pm

We needed to take 3 out of 4…and we did….we had allot of “ropes” hit today that were barely foul…that’s why we lost….

Roja

July 23rd, 2009
7:46 pm

Apparently when Corky Miller left town he willed his secret to how a .090 something hitter can stay on the Braves 25-man roster to Norton. That’s about the only explanation for sending Conrad down rather than sending Norton packing.

DP

July 23rd, 2009
7:49 pm

I’ll bash Kelly Johnson at any legitimate opportunity because I don’t think he’s an MLB caliber second baseman, but that play at first wasn’t his fault. He was trying to reach across the runner with his body exposed and it looked like Moylan’s throw hit the runner before it hit KJ’s glove. That play was all on Moylan.

jk

July 23rd, 2009
7:54 pm

What about the pick off play. I was there live and he looked out. Kelly did get a hit by the way. More than some of the others like um McClouth who hit into a double play.

Mobile Homes » Blog Archive » Bobby Cox: Still cranky after all these years | Mark Bradley

July 23rd, 2009
7:56 pm

[...] More: Bobby Cox: Still nettlesome after every these eld | Mark Bradley [...]

Buckman

July 23rd, 2009
8:05 pm

Roja: Good call. You know what? Maybe Conrad doesn’t keep hitting .350 or whatever it was.. but for now I’d much rather have him than Norton. The veteran stuff really doesn’t count for much when your batting average is 2 digits.

wes covington

July 23rd, 2009
8:18 pm

What would fans/media say if it was Escobar who made the casual flip of the ball to first on a bunt play instead of Kotchman? Hardly a word has been mentioned about it. Escobar would have been roasted. It turned the game around.

Dawgdad

July 23rd, 2009
8:27 pm

MB, right on about burning pitchers. What in the name of Eddie Haas was he thinking about when he took out O’Flalerthy and Logan. Logan throws to one batter who bunts to CK, who blows the play, enter Cox with the hook. We are 1-1, excellent chance to go into extra innings and all we have left to pitch is wildman Acosta and our closer, assuming Kerosene Moylan lives up to his recent history. Cox needs to call it a career, a great one after all.

Veteran fan

July 23rd, 2009
8:32 pm

When is MLB going to do something about the umpiring? I remember the days of Shag Crawford, Harry Wendelstadt, and other great umpires. The instant replay almost always showed that the umpire made the correct call. Now the instant replay shows that they are wrong about 50% of the time. This year the umpiring has been AWFUL. There are five umpires that are almost always terrible, yet they are back year after year. The call today by Kellogg was one of the worst I have ever seen in 43 years of following baseball!

Dawgdad

July 23rd, 2009
8:44 pm

Veteran Fan, you are right on about the umpiring. I’ve been around the block and never in my many years have i seen such inconsistancy. Someone should be appointed to decide what exactly is the strike zone, and umpires who consistantly refuse to call strikes by that definition need to fired. When I coached youth baseball I constantly encountered umpires with their own definition of what is fair. They either favored the pitcher or the hitters and if you got them away from the field they would explain why, using some flawed logic. They should be impartial to either and call the stike as it is defined.

One thing that is not talked about enough is how much the umpire behind the plate influences the game. There were games when Glavine was pitching that it was senseless to even start him. If the umpire refused to call the ball on the corners or off the corners, Glavine was doomed, so why start him. KK is the same, he has no chance is he gets the wrong umpire. Those umpires that make the pitcher throw the ball into a breadbox sized strike zone, turn the game into a slug fest and make it long and boring. The umpire controls the tempo of the game and who wins and loses too dang much. Todays ump was favoring Zito by giving him pitches that KK was not getting, especially the high strike. Where is the commisssioner?

Hillbilly Deluxe

July 23rd, 2009
9:11 pm

Veteran fan & Dawgdad

And what about the trend of the last 25 years or so of umpires baiting players and looking for conflict?

Doug Harvey was the best umpire that I remember.

Mark Bradley

July 23rd, 2009
9:12 pm

Thanks, Hillbilly. And you know how David McCullough narrated much of “The Civil War” on PBS? I could’ve sworn the voice was John Chancellor’s. And the one thing I do possess is an ear for voices.

Mark Bradley

July 23rd, 2009
9:15 pm

And back to the Zito curve: It started way high, but it dropped. That’s a hard pitch to call because you’re not sure where it crosses the plate. Even the center field camera doesn’t quite give you that.

Another reporter and I were talking about it on the way out of the stadium, and we kind of agreed: Might have been a bit high, but it wasn’t the worst call in the history of sports.

Mark Bradley

July 23rd, 2009
9:16 pm

Doug Harvey was a fine ump, tall and authoritative. But I remember Nestor Chylak being regarded as the best balls-and-strikes guy.

Great name: Nestor Chylak.

Hillbilly Deluxe

July 23rd, 2009
9:22 pm

Never thought about it but the voices are/were similar. David McCullough is from Pittsburgh and John Chancellor was from Chicago so that doesn’t explain it. This discussion is going to show our age though.

Mark Bradley

July 23rd, 2009
9:27 pm

No, it doesn’t explain it. But it absolutely shows our age. Me, I’m 103.

Antonio Gramsci

July 23rd, 2009
9:40 pm

Didn’t you just write about how defense is evidence that a team believes? You just wrote this, Mark. YOU JUST WROTE THIS. What did they do today? The trend is not your friend in baseball. What is your friend? Empirical observation. What made the team suddenly a contender again? “Dumping Frenchy and KJ. Prado and Church in the lineup.” No. No. NO. This team is average. Bah. Stop careening from one idea to the other. Celebrate the mediocrity that is the Braves, Mark. No errors one game, two the next. Pound “The Freak” one game, lose to Zito the next. This is not Zito five years ago.

It’s done, nice and boring, Write nice boring columns about the nice boring Braves and how they keep their uniforms so nice and boring and clean.

HERBIE

July 23rd, 2009
9:42 pm

Hey COX HAS LOST IT You are the one that sucks go get a life

HERBIE

July 23rd, 2009
9:45 pm

Antonio i you dont like his blog that much why dont you go read a sex blog

Hillbilly Deluxe

July 23rd, 2009
9:45 pm

If I’d had the proper amount of sleep for the hours I’ve been awake, I’d be 135.

Reid Adair

July 23rd, 2009
9:45 pm

In all seriousness, why should Bobby Cox “mellow” now? Why should he be any different than he has been over the years, especially during the 14 consecutive season streak?

Bobby is going to be Bobby. I think he has more than earned that right.

HERBIE

July 23rd, 2009
9:46 pm

Hey mark if you dont like the blog you dont have to read it

HERBIE

July 23rd, 2009
9:46 pm

way to go reid

HERBIE

July 23rd, 2009
9:47 pm

Enter your comments here

Are They Insane?

July 23rd, 2009
9:47 pm

Have they lost their minds?

Sending down Conrad (a .344 hitter who plays the game the way it should be played) to bring up a .217 loser who’s proven he can’t play in the bigs. Um, hello Braves brass knuckleheads, but Conrad is a major part of this resurgence that the Braves are experiencing.

Why don’t we just trade back for Frenchie while we’re at it?

ARRRRRGHHHH!!!

Mr. A

July 23rd, 2009
9:54 pm

Mark… umpires appear to be rather cocky! Have you had many up close dealings with them and if so, which ones are the bigger jerks and which ones are “actually human”?
My buddy goes to a umpire camp every year in Florida and they all say that Bobby is one of their least favorite managers. And Dusty Baker was their consensus favorite manager. They say if he comes out to argue then he is more than likely right!

dave

July 23rd, 2009
9:59 pm

Hey MB, was it John Chancellor or David McCullough that did Fred Flintstone’s voice?

terry forster

July 23rd, 2009
10:07 pm

Cox got tossed because he wanted to show Escobar he’s got his back. Makes Escobar feel important, especially after the tough media relationship lately.

Antonio Gramsci

July 23rd, 2009
10:08 pm

Reading it now. Thx Hubie. Good advice. Word, dog.

Mr. A

July 23rd, 2009
10:10 pm

Great article MB

Mark Bradley

July 23rd, 2009
10:16 pm

Thanks, Mr. A. And it’s funny you ask about umps: As a rule, we writers don’t talk to the umpires. But there was one Sunday in Cincinnati in June 1992 when I was dispatched to the umpires’ room as a pool reporter after the Braves lost to the Reds — those two were fighting for the lead in the NL West then — to ask about a call that had set Cox off. The crew chief, who did the talking, was Cowboy Joe West. The guy who made the offending call?

You got it. Jeff Kellogg. That’s why I said he and Cox have a history.

And Dave, I always thought John Chancellor did Scooby Doo’s voice.

Mark Bradley

July 23rd, 2009
10:18 pm

And thanks for the spirited defense, Herbie.

Fast Eddie Perez

July 23rd, 2009
10:44 pm

Church has been looking good in the outfield, maybe he should get more time in CF, like the way he plays, kinda like Brooksie all out hustler, we should have kept & let Norton take his .109 average down the road, ya think we can get by without him??? Dumb move Booby, I dont wanna hear that veteran bat crap, both are switch hitters, one is hitting .344 vs .109, enough said!

Sir Stealth

July 23rd, 2009
10:58 pm

Bobby Cox is the father, son, and holy ghost of Atlanta sports. If you believe otherwise you are an insolent ignoramus. Go get ‘em Bobby!

Billy Bob

July 23rd, 2009
11:12 pm

Where is the incentive to be a good relief pitcher on this team? No matter how good he is pitching he knows that his time in the game will be very short. He usually throws more warm up pitches than game pitches. They all know that and it has to affect
their attitude and effort. Their ability and performance has no bearing on the game. I’m only talking about those who actually care.

Bubba

July 23rd, 2009
11:31 pm

Help me understand how a more experienced veteran pinch hitter with a .109 average is better for the team than a younger player with a .344 average, plus lots of hustle.
I was always told that success comes from the proper use of your your best tools.
Maybe I just don’t understand Braves baseball logic, but if I was a betting man, I’d bet that I ain’t the only one.

Coach (2010 or Bust)

July 23rd, 2009
11:31 pm

Yes, Bobby ran through seven pitchers today. Which is why our season is so much in doubt. The man abuses his bullpen.

So, for the millionth time…….Cox is his own worst enemy.

Joey

July 23rd, 2009
11:34 pm

And Sir Stealth is the supreme ignoramus. Bobby Cox has once again messed with this team’s chemistry, or karma. Brooks Conrad helped ignite this good stretch for the Braves,helped maintain it, and for that gets sent back to AAA so that Kelly Johnson can bestow us with his fine play. No other manager in the major leagues would have made this move in the middle of this team’s best run in 3 years. Even Chipper, whoseldon criticizes anyone said of this streak, “we got rid of the holes in the lineup.” This team has been winning despite Bobby Cox. Shoot, he probably pitched a fit over Francouer being traded, saying, “he just needs a little more seasoning, he’s almost there.” Now we’ve got KJ to stomach the rest of the year. What did he and Frenchy have on Cox. They probably witnessed a few more slaps over at the Cox homestead. I just hope there’s a reason another extension hasn’t been announced for Bobby Cox. Maybe this is the last year of it. I just hate to see the guy that cleans the nose harvest off the dugout floor loose a job.

Mark Bradley

July 23rd, 2009
11:38 pm

Wait a second. Today’s loss was because the Braves demoted a bench player in Brooks Conrad? Really?

Mark Bradley

July 23rd, 2009
11:40 pm

Far be it from me to take up for Greg Norton, but … baseball men prefer having older guys as pinch-hitters. Not saying it’s right or wrong. I’m just saying that’s the way it is. You’d rather have a guy who has been around facing a good pitcher in the late innings.

Then again, you’d also like to have someone who’s hitting above .109.

Joey

July 23rd, 2009
11:41 pm

How many times has DOB given us the stats on how different relievers pitch relative to the consecutive days of pitching? He is a sports writer!!! Our manager apparently only keeps up with the number of days til KJ can get back up his rear. Oh, and how many days since his spouse’s last “attitude adjustment.” Father, son and holy ghost of Atlanta sports. Yeah right…

Brad Pittman

July 23rd, 2009
11:46 pm

Bobby Cox is a jackass. A demented old grandpa who should have been put out to pasture long ago. I guess he has a lifetime pass in the organization because of that awe-inspiring 14 year divisional title run–that produced ONE world championship.

Coach (2010 or Bust)

July 23rd, 2009
11:46 pm

Bradley, some people want to make a mountain out of a mole hill. Conrad is a career minor leaguer who got his latest cup of coffee. As long as KJ stays on the bench, I have no problem with this roster move.

Coach (2010 or Bust)

July 23rd, 2009
11:50 pm

But no, Greg Norton has not done his job. He should not be on this roster.

Coach (2010 or Bust)

July 23rd, 2009
11:55 pm

Here is a fair argument.

Our Braves and the Marlins have identical records at 49-47. Which is the better team and which of the two managers ( Bobby Cox or Fredi Gonzalez) has done the better job?

Think about it.

Joey

July 24th, 2009
12:01 am

MB, a bench player who contributed greatly to this streak the Braves were on, the streak which only started when Kelly Johnson got benched. A bench player who made several excellent plays in the field, and had several CLUTCH hits. KJ never hits til the pressure is off, a la the last 4 weeks of last season when everyone had tuned them out. MB,some day, you will be honest with yourself and admit that the Braves would have made a lot more history without Bobby Cox managing (like numerous world championships) than 14 division flags with him.

Joey

July 24th, 2009
12:06 am

Okay, Coach, lets keep Kelly Johnson on the bench with his .214 batting ave and record breaking strike out ratio, not to mention his defense. But let’s get rid of Norton… Let’s say the mountain is comparative to a average human brain. Then I guess your’s is the molehill.

Rick

July 24th, 2009
12:53 am

Cox should have been FIRED years ago! I don’t care how many divisional titles you have unless you win the World Series you are a failure! And Cox has been a failure ever since the 1996 season!

Coach (2010 or Bust)

July 24th, 2009
12:58 am

Joey, you are my hero :)

Coach (2010 or Bust)

July 24th, 2009
1:13 am

By the way, after Cox was ejected in the eighth inning our Braves imploded. They committed two errors in one inning and kicked the ball all over the place.

Atlanta had committed just four errors all month before the eighth inning. In fairness, four game sets are notoriously difficult to sweep.

Was Mark Buehrle great yesterday or what? It was only the second perfect game I have ever seen live (I watched the last two innings).

scottbravesfan

July 24th, 2009
4:04 am

Greg Maddux’s post season stats are great. His win lose is at .500 because the offense did not score any runs for him and the bullpen sucked on all of those Braves teams in the 90s.

Keith Lockhart | All Days Long

July 24th, 2009
4:38 am

[...] Bobby Cox: Still cranky after all these years | Mark Bradley By Mark Bradley We was pretty sure Conrad and Prado both was playing better than Kelly and Kelly might get traded or something but there he is right back on the field and it reminds me of Keith Lockhart when he was playing with the Braves but even he … Mark Bradley – http://blogs.ajc.com/mark-bradley-blog/ Tags: all days, All Days Long, cell, cellphone, free ringtones, free tv, iphone, Keith Lockhart, latest news, News, ringtones, themes, tv [...]

DHD

July 24th, 2009
8:02 am

Cranky? Because he cares when the ump blows a call? He had no choice in that situation. It was one of the worst calls I have ever seen. Good for Bobby for standing up for his players. I don’t call that cranky.

Mark Bradley

July 24th, 2009
9:03 am

So Rick: According to your thinking, 29 managers would get fired every season because they didn’t win the World Series. Is that about the size of it?

atlbravesfan44

July 24th, 2009
9:23 am

Yes, definitely somebody better than .109. Before you know it ol’ Norton will be playing bingo again.

Alex

July 24th, 2009
10:14 am

Why are the Braves not going after one of the Nats players? Johnson, Dunn, Willingham all seem to fit needs.

Mark Bradley

July 24th, 2009
10:18 am

And what exactly should the Braves offer for those Nats? Kelly Johnson? Greg Norton? Jeff Bennett?

Alex

July 24th, 2009
10:19 am

All those sound fine to me. Medlen? None of those guys have long-term value to us.

Mark Bradley

July 24th, 2009
10:22 am

That’s the point, Alex. None of those three Braves would yield anything in trade. You have to give up something of value to get something of value, and I think the Braves are apt to stay with what they have.

Alex

July 24th, 2009
10:29 am

Yeah why not?

Alex

July 24th, 2009
10:42 am

Ignore the last comment. Yeah, I agree those players aren’t great, but if they can shop them for a player like Johnson or Willingham, I think it should be done.

PMC

July 24th, 2009
10:51 am

Shouldn’t anyone be allowed a little conjecture when you ask thier opinion of a call in the moment?

Geez Hrbeck was 1991 ages ago and that call sucked too. It was high. Kellogg blew it but that’s nothing new.

Baseball umpires are the most arrogant in all of sports. (How’s that for conjecture?)

If they would freaking show replays at turner field the crowd and the umpire would know how wrong or how right they are.

jgon

July 24th, 2009
11:06 am

The pitch was high and outside

Coach (2010 or Bust)

July 24th, 2009
12:19 pm

Yes, the pitch was high and outside. It was also the second time in less than week that the Braves have been nailed by a strik’em out, throw’em out double play.

Small ball isn’t the Braves forte and they are dead last in stolen bases.

Necromancer

July 24th, 2009
12:23 pm

I wouldn’t have had a problem with KJ being here if they had released Norton.

If Norton was on any other team playing for any other manager, he would have been released.

This just goes to show you how “special” Bobby Cox is. I think he’s damaged his brain from all of that nose picking. One of his fingers must have gone up too far.

Okay, that was juvenile…

BonnyLu

July 24th, 2009
12:39 pm

I don’t know, I’ve been Bobby speak with umps several times this year without getting tossed. Some of these I just KNEW he’d be ejected, but he wasn’t. I think he might have mellowed . . . . a little!

Chris

July 24th, 2009
1:24 pm

I get the “baseball man” theory about batting an experienced guy in late innings. But Greg Norton can’t hit the broad side of a barn. He’s old, tired, and sucks.

Brooks Conrad was hitting frigging .350.

There’s just … no … argument.

Thomas

July 24th, 2009
1:29 pm

I will agree with Bobby on the call by Kellogg was to high and I also agree with the language he used to explain his disdain for the strike zone that was erratic. When he emerged from the dugout to argue balls and strikes was a direct ticket to the house.

nuf sed

July 24th, 2009
1:30 pm

Give em hell Bobby.

KT

July 24th, 2009
1:45 pm

We couldn’t win before Johnson was sent down, will we now struggle to win with him back?. PLEASE send him down and bring Conrad back up!

ruppert

July 24th, 2009
1:55 pm

I was behind home plate yesterday. CK had the runner easy at second on the bunt, Logan ran off the mound and was standing in the way of the throw. CK had to wheel and throw to first instead. Second screw up Ross was telling Moylan to go to 3rd while Chipper was saying 1st. Kellogg sucked behind the plate. Braves need to learn to bunt. SF bunted like 4 times in a row a caused all kinds of problems.

TT44

July 24th, 2009
2:26 pm

My goodness, when I realized KJ was in the game…..I felt like the Braves will go on a 10 gmae loosing streak….please show me I am wrong…
All has been positive with out KJ, (nothing personal) he walks on the field and we became the bad news bears!

BravesLover

July 24th, 2009
4:18 pm

If you look at Johnson’s set up at first yesterday you will notice he set up with his RIGHT foot on the base. This means he has to reach across his body to catch Moylan’s throw and, also, that he has a longer distance to reach to try to catch the ball. If he sets up with his LEFT foot on the base he then he is squared up to the ball coming toward him and has a shorter distance to catch the ball and the ball doesn’t touch the runner and KJ fields it cleanly for the out. Well, maybe, but knowing ham hands he drops it anyway. Even if his ham hands and catches like he has boxing sparring gloves on his footwork continues to be atrocious. Lack of fundamentals is on several players which is one reason why we will continue to be mired in the middle for a while.

Mitchell

July 24th, 2009
6:27 pm

Forgive me for being biased but that call was bulls*… just like about four or five other ones in the game.

Umpires suck.

Mitchell

July 24th, 2009
6:44 pm

That game would have been a lot easier to brush off if it didn’t make you have to wonder what they’re made of all over again.

There a certain types of close games that they win and you can feel like they’ll win and then you had two almost identical games in the same homestand where you can physically sense that they don’t know what they’re doing and that their communication is messed up. Those leave you feeling a little uneasy.

They also make you have to remember that a 6 and 2 homestand probably more than they could have asked for. That’s exactly what they needed to do and whether it’s good news or bad, they’re going to have to play at this level or higher the rest of the way to be in the playoffs.

Jeremiah

July 24th, 2009
7:39 pm

BC Rocks!!! Go Braves!

Jeremiah

July 24th, 2009
7:41 pm

I think, sometimes…all teams just have bad days…Braves have been real hot lately and I’m confident they can bounce back quickly and get the mojo going again! Go Braves!

Rick

July 24th, 2009
8:18 pm

Amen to that Mark! What really frosts me is that after 2 or 3 years of just winning divisional titles Cox should have gotten his pink slip! He is also pathetic as a manager. Look at all the talent he has had over the years and all he has is ONE World Series title? Comparing how long Cox has been managing to Joe Torre and see whom has more Worls Series titles and rings. Torre has been managing far less than Cox yet Torre has him beat in W.S. titles. Shucks an empty paper sack could outmanage Cox. Cox is a doofus! Plain and simple.

JASon

July 24th, 2009
9:42 pm

Mitchell’s right, the umpires screwed us yesterday! That ball was about a foot high, dude. I was so ticked…

SCBravesFan

July 25th, 2009
2:13 pm

Mark,
The pitch WAS high. The Braves should have had runners on first and second and one out. And who knows how the game turns out from there?

Was it the worst call in the history of organized sports? No. It wasn’t. But the pitch was high.

mudcat

July 26th, 2009
9:53 am

Every time KJ plays & Norton pinch hits, that’s 5 outs we spot the opposition. Hard to win that way!

Mac

July 26th, 2009
9:56 am

Badley( misspelling intentional) I think you have been staring at your monitor too long and your vision has suffered. The pitch in question was head high. That is definately beyond “not that bad”. Everyone needs to remember where this team was before 1991. Yes, we have missed the playoffs for three years but we missed them for what 23 out of 25 before 1991. I understand why Bobby is consistantly rated as the manager most major leaguers want to play for because he goes to bat for them and expects them to behave as adults. We all could use management and peers who do that.

frenchy hittin over 300 n we goof

July 26th, 2009
12:54 pm

well well KJ is back so now we can start losin again thank u Wren n company n frency is hittin 330 with mets since Trade…..wonder why i wonder if due to howard johnson there…..lookin good TP u feel the pressure knowin u be fired after season n no worrys B.Cox comein back for another season of losin….

Booger

July 26th, 2009
2:35 pm

It’s about time somebody called Bobby Cox the “Thumb King” . . . his technique is all thumbs. He will wriggle his thumb high into his nasal cavity and come out with . . . well, he is productive with his thumbs. Those of us into nose picking will tell you that the “Thumb King” is among the very best. Bobby has brought nose picking into the living room with his famous “on camera” picks. I admire Bobby and I’ll bet you do, too.

TSmiley7

July 26th, 2009
9:15 pm

Why don’t the Braves get in the trade mix for Roy Halladay? He would improve our already great 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 he 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?

Braindawg

July 27th, 2009
6:11 am

Bobby Cox is a hof manager. And I should say continues to be a HOF manager! The man has always gotten more out of less, not the other way around! Hats off to Mr. Thumb! Although, Mark Bradley, I’ve got a finger for some of the bloggers that post “Cox is old, and needs to be let go!” That is all…..Later!

HOWARD

July 27th, 2009
6:15 am

MARK, LET ME HEAR YOU SAY “HOW BOUT THEM VOLS” !! YOU KNOW YOU LOVE THE ORANGE AND WHITE.

boratman310

August 4th, 2009
8:55 am

I do not under stand why we cannot get a a coach for the braves that wants to win and put the effort into it as falcons coach Smith. I think the braves fans need to boycot the rest of their games until the management commits to winning.

jarner

September 4th, 2009
11:01 pm

Can “The Brain” get ejected from being our manager? That’s a milestone I could applaud!

sal governale

September 5th, 2009
2:10 am

Must be nice to be Bradley. Write vindictive hack articles about Smoltz, while you’re the only one in your profession who has anything negative to say about a HOF pitcher making an unprecedented comeback at age 42 after major shoulder surgery. Collect a paycheck for a recycled 2-month old story about Cox’s ejections, pretending it’s a new article, hoping no one will notice.

For all those who’ve predicted the death of the newspaper industry, see the article above as Exhibit A. It’s coming.