Live from the ballpark: Braves put Bradley mojo to test!
I’m here at the ballyard to conduct a grand experiment. I’m here to see if the El Marko mojo still works. (”El Marko” was what Max Baker, who was so addled he nominated me for president of our senior class at Maysville High, occasionally called me.) And my mojo is mighty. From the AJC of Oct. 22, 1996:
“That the Braves are going to win this World Series is apparent. It is also, in the grand scheme, secondary. No longer is this team playing against the overmatched Yankees. The Braves are playing against history … This is the greatest team of the post-free agency era, among the best ever. You can trot out any of baseball’s storied assemblages – the 1927 Yankees, the Gas House Gang, the Big Red Machine – and wonder how these Braves would have fared, but that sword cuts two ways: Would those clubs have seemed so majestic if they’d had to hit against the Braves?”
That was, alas, the zenith — or the nadir — of El Marko’s so-called career. The Braves led that World Series 2-nil. They would lose it 4-2. The team I likened to the 1927 Yankees lost four straight to the 1996 Yankees. Talk radio in New York (and there’s a lot of it up there) had great fun with me for months.
I 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 of the wild-card lead. They’re playing well. And I’m here today to watch them lose 15-2 and make me look silly for, oh, the 797th time this calendar year.
I’ll be happy to entertain any and all questions as we put my powers of hexation to the test, and I’ll begin with a couple of notes: The Braves announced today they’ll be moving to 680 The Fan and its FM affiliate Rock 100.5 next season, which affects me not one whit. (I’ve got Sirius XM.)
Loading ...And according to esteemed colleague David O’Brien, the Braves have recalled Kelly Johnson and sent Brooks Conrad to Gwinnett. And Bobby Cox has named Johnson his starting second baseman for every game the rest of this century. (Kidding about that last part.)
Oh, and one thing more: In the moments before we get going here — it’s overcast, by the way — you might take a look at another El Marko post from this morning, this one posing the musical question: Is Tommy Hanson the best Braves’ rookie pitcher ever? As ever, I thank you for your patronage.
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509 comments Add your comment
Greg Norton
July 23rd, 2009
1:58 pm
Nice catch by Schuerholz. Church’s homer stolen.
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
July 23rd, 2009
1:58 pm
63 pitches in 3 innings, sounds like the bullpen is getting the day off
Bama Aaron
July 23rd, 2009
1:58 pm
LOL.. ok Mark that was funny.
Pitch counts already at 60…looks like we’ll see alot of the pen today.
And guys don’t have a cow about KJ being back up…that was expected. Now he can audition for other teams before the deadline…but keeping Norton instead of Conrad is still stupid.
phar71
July 23rd, 2009
1:59 pm
I am watching this on gamecast, how close was the church hit to going out?
Mark Bradley
July 23rd, 2009
1:59 pm
Great catch by Nate Schierholtz (no relation) in right field. I thought Church had hit a home run, but Nate S. made a leaping stab, as we say in the trade, at the wall.
Jeremiah
July 23rd, 2009
1:59 pm
I was at a game in Texas a month or so ago…They do the “Flex Cam” between innings where people get on cam and flex their biceps…I thought it was interesting, but Kiss-Cam has funnier moments…
MatthewH
July 23rd, 2009
1:59 pm
Sorry, Bank Walker- I knew when I I typed that it didn’t seem right.
troutbum4439
July 23rd, 2009
1:59 pm
Noah…as baseball fans we’ll continue to remember our favorite play by play annoucners just like our favorite players (Skip and Dale Murphy for me). I can remember getting sent to bed as a kid before braves games were over and hiding my radio under my pillow to hear Skip, Don, Pete, and Joe call games…especially in October,
Scott
July 23rd, 2009
1:59 pm
Proven vet? he’s hit above .267 once in his career. he provides little value to this organization
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
July 23rd, 2009
1:59 pm
MB I think Exile is actually a country act now with a little bit of success. I’m just saying
Greg Norton
July 23rd, 2009
2:00 pm
I just want it to be known that I share my batting average with KK.
Bama Aaron
July 23rd, 2009
2:00 pm
Mark how close to being a HR was Church’s out? Gamecast is showing it right at the wall…
The_Superhoo
July 23rd, 2009
2:01 pm
Come on Natey. Make em pay for walking the pitcher!
phar71
July 23rd, 2009
2:01 pm
Mark Bradley
July 23rd, 2009
1:59 pm
Great catch by Nate Schierholtz (no relation) in right field. I thought Church had hit a home run, but Nate S. made a leaping stab, as we say in the trade, at the wall.
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Bama Aaron
July 23rd, 2009
2:01 pm
ok…saw your answer… I was typing as you were making your post…this chat thing can lag sometimes…
MiltonDawg
July 23rd, 2009
2:01 pm
Does anybody know what Norton was hitting in Gwinnett before getting called up? Was it better than KJ’s? I can understand calling up KJ after this past week or so, but i liked the little guy Conrad. He gave us speed and a decent bat. The last AB i remember for Norton was a bases-loaded strikout against…was it CO?
Craig "Speedy" Ehlo
July 23rd, 2009
2:01 pm
Not to add any fuel to the fire, but did anyone notice that KAWAKAMI has the same Avg. as Norton???
The following Braves players have a current average lower than Greg Norton (only those with ABs are listed):
Vazquez (36 Ab)
Acosta (1)
Carlyle (2)
Bennett (2)
Moylan (1)
James Parr (1)
Kris Medlen (11)
In that list, Vazquez is the only one with a hit.
Noah
July 23rd, 2009
2:02 pm
Troutbum…so true. And it doesn’t matter about the game, they are just great storytellers you want to hear them no matter what. Over the years was there ever a CD or anything put out on Skip Carey and the braves?
In Seattle they put one out after the incredible 95 run and again after the 1st 25 years…and since they have had their HOF announcer from day 1 until today all the best highlights are done by him, great stuff.
Mrs. Chanandler Bong
July 23rd, 2009
2:02 pm
Greg Norton, are you even in the dugout? Or are you hanging out with Mark Bradley doing a sort of tag-team live blog?
TJ
July 23rd, 2009
2:03 pm
Hey MB, I did see Wren on the phone…are there any moves you see the Braves making before the deadline?
Chris
July 23rd, 2009
2:03 pm
Well, Nate is a career .260 hitter.
The_Superhoo
July 23rd, 2009
2:03 pm
God Nate! Come ON!
We need him to wake up NOW
Mark Bradley
July 23rd, 2009
2:03 pm
Matthew H., you of all people should know I never kid. Rowland’s Office is a Braves-related blog, and a fine one.
Top of the fourth. Prado hit into a DP. Probably feeling the heat from KJ.
Mark Bradley
July 23rd, 2009
2:04 pm
Not Prado on the DP. Sorry. McLouth.
Chris
July 23rd, 2009
2:04 pm
It was Nate.
Ryan
July 23rd, 2009
2:05 pm
What is the score?
Greg Norton
July 23rd, 2009
2:05 pm
The bases load strikeout was against the Mets, Milton. I already noticed my average and KK’s, Speedy. I hit .324 at Gwinett with 10 RBI.
david
July 23rd, 2009
2:05 pm
Bradley and his co-writers have been trying to have escobar traded and that failed,so now he defends norton.I up my trade to norton,bradley,bennett,anderson and a bag of used balls!
The_Superhoo
July 23rd, 2009
2:05 pm
McLouth hit into that DP…not Prado?
BravesFan79
July 23rd, 2009
2:05 pm
Keep Kaz in place of Gonzo?? I think Gonzo is highly underappreciated around here! Remember he once went 30-40 something innings without giving up a run in relief. I think its important to keep Gonzo AND Soriano……. if anything trade Kaz or Lowe to make room for Hudson.
Jeremiah
July 23rd, 2009
2:06 pm
Scott…Do you even know how to value a good pinch hitter from the bench? Leyritz never had crazy stats either, but everyone sure remebers his name…That is how I see that Norton can potentially benefit us down the stretch..He is a proven VETERAN PINCH HITTER! He does not have to have gawdy numbers in order to contribute, but he has been successful being a PH in this league…It is too early to give up on him, his opptys have been few and far between and there is simply time to see if he can still help us…No need to rush, release him, have the phillies or another contender pick him up…and then have him punish us in the playoffs…It is too early for that!
troutbum4439
July 23rd, 2009
2:06 pm
I have never seen a Skip tribute CD but i’d get in line to buy one. I could recite some of his more famous calls from heart. Sometimes Chip will sounds EXACTLY like him…so much so that its eerie. He’s great too.
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
July 23rd, 2009
2:06 pm
You mean McClouth
Mark Bradley
July 23rd, 2009
2:07 pm
Speaking of the Giants, the speculation is that they’ll be the team to trade for Matt Holliday. And they could use him. They’re 15th among 16 NL teams in runs and homers. They are, however, second in ERA, which is why they have a winning record. They’re like the Braves, only more so.
Ishikawa with another hit.
The_Superhoo
July 23rd, 2009
2:07 pm
At this rate, I’d be glad to see KK make it through 5 innings…71 thru 3.2
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
July 23rd, 2009
2:07 pm
McLouth
troutbum4439
July 23rd, 2009
2:08 pm
getting in line…reminds me of a joke that we heard while in P.V. Mexico earlier this year. We were at a tequila factory and the guy got done giving us the tour and said the had bottle for purchase. He wanted to make sure he got all of the $ up front and made sure that he told us you could only by the said tequila on the mexican internet….IN-LINE….we almost died from laughter
Sting 'em Buzz
July 23rd, 2009
2:08 pm
KK would give Harry Doyle fits
Mark Bradley
July 23rd, 2009
2:08 pm
Oh, and somebody mentioned a while back that Leyritz hit a Wohlers changeup. I could’ve sworn it was a slider.
Greg Norton
July 23rd, 2009
2:08 pm
When Bradley defend me… last I heard he just said I was a good singer.
Greg Norton
July 23rd, 2009
2:09 pm
did
Sting 'em Buzz
July 23rd, 2009
2:09 pm
Hudson isn’t going to be worth a flip this year, so I wouldn’t trade Lowe to make room for Huddy.
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
July 23rd, 2009
2:10 pm
KJ batted .308 with 3 HR. 7 RBI’s in one game.
Mark Bradley
July 23rd, 2009
2:10 pm
Kawakami: 77 pitches through four. He’s OK. Except for the weird double, he’d be pitching a shutout.
BamaBrave
July 23rd, 2009
2:10 pm
Minnesota says they need IF help, why couldn’t we trade KJ and GA for Jason Kubel maybe?
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
July 23rd, 2009
2:10 pm
Slider
Greg Norton
July 23rd, 2009
2:11 pm
Wifi in the dugout. Serenading my teammates.
Greg Norton
July 23rd, 2009
2:12 pm
Bama, I think Garret only helps us. His average is creeping up as noted on MLB.com earlier this week.
Noah
July 23rd, 2009
2:12 pm
Troutbum…really ashame the Braves haven’t put something out on their glory years. I have a few CD’s + videos from the Seattle years.
It would be a great item for their stores, especially now that Maddux is in their HOF and Carey is no longer with us. I’m really surprised they haven’t done it. I guess in Seattle the radio voice became so big in 1995 that ESPN Sportscenter was playing his audio as they showed the playoff highlights that his name became so big everyone wanted an item like that.
BamaBrave
July 23rd, 2009
2:12 pm
Bank, I know what being sarcastic is, I thought you were serious though, there have been alot of people saying trade him but I think people are changing their minds these days, thank goodness.