As constituted, these Braves aren’t going to win anything

Very sad start to the season…make move for A-Gon! The pitching is here…we just need a solid, consistant bat in the middle of the order and the others guys will feed (and hopefullly hit) off that.

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I suppose a “first!” is in order….

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You technically waived it, Nick.

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On the substance, spot on, Mark. Wren seems to think that if plays 4 hands with a 50-50 chance of working, that he’ll end up winning all the hands. He’s been a bit unlucky in that he appears to have lost every hand he’s played, but he wasn’t realistic in the first place: the odds that Cabrera would hit were spotty, the odds that Glaus would come back at his age given the injuries (and his new position) were fair at best; and Chipper’s age made the risk fairly obvious. You can’t assume that all the breaks will come your way, and it doesn’t appear that he has any real backup plan (last year, at least we had Prado when Kelly Johnson did his disappearing act).

The future is still bright, so I wouldn’t trade the farm to get anyone. But I would consider unloading some veterans at the middle of the season to help continue the restocking process. I might also shut Jurrens down or at least keep his innings way down so that he’ll be effective in 2011. 2010 is done. Hopefully Freeman can come up mid-season and start getting some major league ABs. This team cannot continue to use retreads at 1B and LF/CF when those are positions that cry for offensive production. Escobar will snap out of it eventually. The others just aren’t that good.

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The Braves couldn’t hit oil if they fell out of a boat.

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To quote Metallica, this article is “Sad but True”.

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Remember when you could win games with Pitching and defense?

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You cannot wipe your BOTTOM….

…of the National League East…..

….without T. P.

Don Baylor > Terry Pendleton

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To add to your point MB it’s not just that hard hit balls have found their way into opposing gloves. No, they can’t hit…way too many K’s, many of them looking. I have never seen a complete line-up this baffled at the plate.

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Even before the start of LAST SEASON, I told you so.

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A good team can overcome a bad start.

But this is a mediocre team at best, and most likely a bad team. If they do wind up firing Pendleton, it won’t make any difference. The Cubs hired Rudy Jaramillo and Derek Lee and Aramis Ramirez are both hitting under .200. The coach is not up there in the box swinging the bat; it’s on the hitter if he’s not producing.

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frank wren’s made some pretty nice trades to build up the farm system again after the teixeira debacle (of which i was in favor at the time) — it’s the big-league braves that seem. but now that trade, having failed to result in a playoff berth for the braves, and with several of the prospects the braves yielded having developed into serviceable-to-good major leaguers, is widely regarded as a failure. why do people want to repeat the same mistake for adrian gonzalez. let alone the fact that the braves are in better position to sell than to buy, and the padres vice versa.

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Was at a Gwinnett Braves game a feww weeks back…they were playing Charlotte Knights….the manager of that team..Chris Chambliss…He is available….

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Just pick me up off of waivers along with greg norton!

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they’ll win something- Most Pathetic Team Of 2010. This is what happens when you spend 75% on pitching & 25% on hitting. The 25% is mostly band-aids to fix our problems, but the band-aids keep falling off and the scabs are not healing.

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Hopefully we can unload some of the old-timers (like me) at the trade deadline for some prospects to replace the ones we gave away for Mark Texeira (sic?). Let’s face it, it’s time to rebuild.

Oh yeah…I’m bored.

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Braves fans need a dose of reality – your just a little better than Pittsburgh & KC with LIberty as owners. We need a letter writing campaign begging Ted Turner to re-buy the Braves. Also, Wren, Cox & Pendleton would NEED to be fired for the team to start performing. Your payroll will not go over 150 again, will it?

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So now that the entire team and organization has been fired, let’s talk about something important.

Mark, do you get ill when you drive home and find your neighborhood littered with the AJC Reach?

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All those dumb people picking the braves to win the wild card. We are the second worst team in the NL. That is funny.

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Gee, you mean FRENCHY and KELLY JOHNSON were not so bad after all. To bad as both are what 26-28?

Sure wish we had SALTY at first and HARRISON in the rotation.

Hate to see CHIPPER AND BOBBY COX get booed this year but it’s inevitable with this team. Hate to see them go out like Glavine and Smoltz (one year too late)

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Solution to getting Wren fired: BOYCOTT THE TED! Only go to Free Friday Fireworks – we need to have an average attendance of UNDER 10,000 – that should get Wren fired! BOYCOTT THE BRAVES AT HOME!

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Bobby Cox could only win it all once with, arguably, some of the best line-ups ever assembled. He sure isn’t going to win with this bunch.

When you can’t hit, you have to manufacture runs. Bobby has never done that; he sits around waiting for the 3-run dinger. And, you’re just not going to see that often with this bunch.

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Billy Wagner

April 30th, 2010
11:14 am
Hopefully we can unload some of the old-timers (like me) at the trade deadline for some prospects to replace the ones we gave away for Mark Texeira (sic?). Let’s face it, it’s time to rebuild.

HERE HERE. IF WE ARE GONNA SUCK LETS DO IT WITH A BUNCH OF PROSPECTS THAT WILL PAY DIVIDENDS DOWN THE ROAD. WE ARE NOT, AND I REPEAT NOT JUST 1-2 PLAYERS AWAY FROM BEING GOOD. BUT PLEASE LETS SHOW RESPECT FOR CHIPPER JONES, BOBBY COX AND TERRY PENDLETON! THEY WERE BIG TIME CONTRIBUTORS TO THE GREAT TEAMS WE HAD IN ATLANTA. WITHOUT THEM, WE NEVER WOULD HAVE GOTTEN A TASTE OF WHAT ITS LIKE TO BE GREAT.

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i’m a little surprised, mb, that you have acceded to the doomsayers before april’s even over. the rockies of two years ago had a better lineup, no doubt, but their starting pitching wasn’t as good as the braves’ staff. glaus definitely seems to have lost some bat speed, but i cannot imagine mclouth, cabrera, diaz, and escobar will continue to underperform their career averages. even mccann, the most reliable hitter in the lineup the past few seasons, has been asleep for most of the year. this team has a nice run in them, and given that all the teams ahead of the braves have serious weaknesses, it’s ludicrous to write them off on april 30th.

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and could possibly be mathmatically eliminated by the all star break

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Last night while the re-run played I watched the History Channel.

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I have never been on the fire TP bandwagon, but Kelly Johnson is leading the NL in homers……Kelly Johnson! He was as bad as could be here now he looks like Chase Freakin Utley in Arizona. Is it TP? Maybe it is the BC, I don’t know. I hope the next manager is not one that is so easy on his guys that they take advantage of him. Do you think CJ would have not been called out a long time ago if Ozzie Guillen were managing the Braves? I just want somebody besides Prado to show a sign of life and some emotion. Nobody seems to care right now that they are playing so horrible.

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Mark,

Didn’t you just post a column that said this team was something special? I guess the “specialness” of this team has worn off in 10 days. Eat crow much?

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the main reason the braves cant win is that all their hitters play for other teams now. if you want to leave the braves have a good year and try to get the money you deserve. The braves can surely find a washed up player to play for less. Looks like cox with the help of the front office will finish his managerial career as he started . The worst team in baseball

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As your first paragraph says, there are far too many holes on this team. They’d have to trade for 4 or 5 guys. Not going to happen.

MB – we’ve been saying this for years. Cox finally is reaping what he has sown. As is Wren. It’s fitting that Bobby will bookend his career with last place finishes.

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What did you write after that 2-0 lead in the ‘96 Series?
What did you write after that 9th inning comeback this year?

C’mon, Mark.

And if approximately $95 million isn’t enough to build a contending team in MLB, you need a new GM.

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TommyP, $95M may be enough to build a team but you can’t pay players such as Lowe, Kwami, and CJones the kind of money they get and not get anything in return.

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Why can’t the Braves ask / request that Cox move upstairs and begin helping Wren and JS evauate players. No disgrace in that. Then hire a new manager and seriously begin the rebuilding proces.

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Hey MR…your an idiot. LaRoache wasn’t taking a 1 year deal…

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MR: Might point exactly. $95 million is enough to field a contender.

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Everywhere I look I see different #’s on the Braves salaries, but per ESPN’s Braves clubhouse page:

$84.4 mil (16th in MLB)

15 to D Lowe, 14 to Chipper, 7.33 to KK.

Quick math says 43% of the budget goes to those 3 alone.

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Please, don’t forget – Shurholtz traded Wainwright for JD Drew & Eli Marrero- that deal brought years of good results.

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And tell me Angus, how is the 43% of the payroll performing?

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Paddy O, I don’t remember those guys bringing that good of results to the Braves….

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By the way Nick…if Adam keeps performing the way he is now..the Dbacks will extend his contract….he is a true play and firstbase man.

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Trade Jason….only because he may become the greatest hitter in the game…do not let him stay under the influence of TP…god that man will ruin him for sure.

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Minus a miracle the season is over. This team’s performance has been shameful, bordering on the criminal. Frank Wren isn’t a very good GM to start with, throw in owners who don’t care and he is even worse. That leads to what the real problem is. The problem really isn’t the team itself. Its the ownership. Liberty media is Time Warner lite, they care very little about putting a good product on the field. They sign players way past their prime and expect them to produce or maybe they don’t expect that at all. WE NEED NEW OWNERS.

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Only stating fact…players that the Braves cast out are playing better and smarter for other teams…

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braves sweep the astros, then go 5-4 on the remainder of the road slog to get right back in it. starts with tommy hanson on the mound tonight.

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Hey sadbravesfan, you are almost correct. You just did not go far enough…we need to clean house from ownership down to hitting instructor.

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Your March 30, 2010 blog entry contained the following passage:

“Me, I’m still skeptical. I eagerly await the coming of Jason Heyward, but I also wonder if the age on this team — and there’s a ton of it — will show over 162 games. I wonder about the offense. I wonder about the defense. I wonder about the zen of Wren. I’d be more than happy to be proved wrong in my doubting….”

Kudos on getting this one right.

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4 of the 6 Division leaders have payrolls far less than the Braves. I guess the Yankees should bench or trade Teixeira. The bum is batting .139. They should give up on him like most of you fair weather fans want to give up on most of the lineup.

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Right on…Mark…it is so frustrating…I would settle for middle of the road right now. But alas I am afraid that this team is going to be a cellar dwellar.

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I agree with others that Terry Pendleton may not be all that hot of a hitting coach, but it’s a joke if some of these folks believe that just by firing TP that all of the Braves are going to start hitting over .300. No hitting coach ever in the history has had that much of an effect on a MLB team.

There are no magic hitting coaches or managers that can take a line-up that is so lacking in offense and magically make them a championship caliber team. it just does’t work that way.

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bvillebrave, Chipper’s hit well below his norm twice before. Many think he is a HOFer, so I would say even proven veterans are capable of really forgettable years.

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Mark Bradley at 11:53:

“The season’s not over. Not even close to over. But I just don’t see a high ceiling, to borrow from Coach Hewitt, with these Braves.”

Let Herschel Talker rephrase what Mark Bradley is really saying:

“The season’s not over. Not even close to over. But for these Braves, as currently constituted, it’s over.”

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I’m bookmarking the article now, Mr. Bradley. We’ll revisit in a little bit.

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I can’t get no satisfaction

Well I’m driving in my car

Jim Powell comes on the radio

Tellin’ me more and more

About some useless information

I’m tryin’ to hide my humiliation

I can’t get no, no no no

Hey hey hey, that’s what I say

When I watch Peachtree TV

And John Smoltz comes on to tell me

How good this team could be

Well he can’t be for real, guess he doesn’t smoke

The same cigarettes as me

I can’t get no, no no no

Hey hey hey, that’s what I say

I can’t get no satisfaction

Well I’m ridin’ round the world

And I’m doin’ this and I’m tryin’ that

And I’m tryin’ to make some girl

I say baby wanna go see the Braves next week?

She says no, they’re on a losing streak

I can’t get no, no no no

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Relax Archie, relax! Lot’s of games to go and I just pulled the hex off the Braves.

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Where is Sonny Clusters? Is he in a slump, too?

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Why is everyone so hard on Melky and Glaus for our struggles? the reason this team is losing is because Chipper and McCann are not performing. Those guys make this offense work. Glaus isn’t clutch, and Melky isn’t spectacular, but they aren’t this team’s juggular either. And by the way, look at their numbers since on the 0-7 road trip:

Melky: 8-26 (.307), 1 2b, 1 rbi
Glaus: 5-17 (.294), 1 2b, 1 rbi

Chipper and Mac can save this team.

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INVENTED the language. Geez.

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What a calendar year it’s been for Atlanta’s pro sports fans. The Falcons hopes go down with Ryan’s turf toe; the Thrashers dump their best player and still seek their first ever playoff W; the Hawks are on the verge of a cataclysmic fail, and the Braves have taken a pratfall and – apparently – can’t or won’t pay to get up.
The only good news – Waddell got elbowed out. Wren will be next.

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Chipper should have retired. He’s lost the ability stay healthy and it’s sapped his production.

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Mark … you are spot on. Another good English phrase is “a dog’s breakfast.” As in, “this Braves season is starting to look like a dog’s breakfast.” Check it out.

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lets bat the pitcher 8th. works pretty well for St. Louis.

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You can’t tie up that much money on two WAY over the hill players (Lowe and Chipper) and then complain that you don’t have enough money to do anything with!!!!!! This team is not built to win, not even close. Chipper couldn’t be further from a 3 hitter.

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But Wren’s not worried. He can’t see what’s in front of him.

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they need to sign Dye to play LF. and see if they trade McLouth to the Nats for Nyjer Morgan. I think an outfield of Dye, Morgan, and Heyward would be a big improvement. Then you’d have Diaz and Melky coming off the bench. I think they’re better suited for part time playing any how.

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Wren can be forgiven for the Chipper extension. He was coming off that monster campaign in 2008 and got off to a good start in 2009. And then, he suddenly stopped hitting last summer.

The offense and defense is not very good, because we’ve gone stopgap on some position players. It’s not that we can’t afford better players … it’s that Wren overpaid for DLowe and Kawakami. Those two players alone (currently slotted as our 4th & 5th starters) eat up more than a quarter of the payroll.

Those are the two “hands” that have ended up costing us this year.

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NC Braves fan, I also think they gave Chipper that contract as a knee-jerk reaction to all the negativity surrounding the way the Smoltz situation was handled.

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it will do no good to boycott games or call for Wren’s dismissal the simple fact Liberty does not care. Has anyone heard them say a word since they bought the team? While TP and the rest of the staff’s (except Hubbie) dismisal would certainly be a step in the right direction, the bottom line is if ownership does not give a damn the team will only continue to sink. I thought we hit bottom during the 70’s and early 80’s this is going to be worse much worse. Liberty has clearly shown the worse the team does record wise and at the gate the better for them its called tax write off that is all the Braves are. Finally we can beg for a new owner but one cannot buy what is not for sale.

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This is the result of the Braves drafting philosophy of making young high school pitchers their priority. The farm system has a dearth of solid hitting hitting prospects and it’s been going on for years. They’re always exceptions of course(Heyward, McCann, etc.), but by not aggressively seeking offensive players we’re paying a heavy price now.

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I have to ask, Mark…

…what was your preseason prognostication about this team? Wasn’t it rosy? Just giving you a hard time; I enjoy your writing.

This team failed in the offseason when they mis-read and mis-played the Adam LaRoche situation and failed to make ANY kind of move to rid the rotation of Derek Lowe. Even still, you have to wonder if there absolutely ZERO interest in re-signing Kelly Johnson to a 1-year deal ( I mean, isn’t that basically what he did with Arizona?) to allow him to re-assert himself. he DID play LF once upon a time, and we DID have a hole to fill out there (neverMIND how nice it would be to have Prado play 3B on Chipper’s DL stints.

Re-signing LaRoche, KJ and hell, even paying MOST of Lowe’s 2010 salary to be elsewhere would’ve made this team immensely better than currently constituted; but then, hindsight’s 20/20. I just remember how VIVIDLY Cox and the team’s braintrust went on and on and on about Johnson’s terrific swing and hitting ability; you’d have thought if ANY organization in baseball thought he had anything left in the tank, it’d have been the Braves, especially for the money he wound up getting.

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Jermaine Dye is actually a great idea. We KNOW he can hit. He may lead the team in HRs for the year if he comes (except for maybe Heyward). Do they want to spend $5m on a 1 year contract for an aging slugger? That is the only question. Did y’all see the stat that the Braves are like 1-12 in games where they don’t homer this year? Evidently Bobby didn’t or he would be doing things to try and generate runs (ie manufacture runs). We LIVE off of the long-ball, but we don’t hit long balls…I’m not a mathmetician, but if you look at that formula, it means you die (preverbally of course).

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Mark, You’ll be singing a different tune on Memorial Day when the Braves are in second place 3 games behind the Phillies.

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Being tied with the Dodgers for the Worst team in Baseball is certainly better than NOTHING, but who is going to buy a ticket to a Braves game now?

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Putting a player in a Braves uniform and “seeing how they do” is Bobby’s idea of coaching. He has given up on motivating his players or teaching them anything. He treats every player like Chipper Jones, who doesn’t need to work hard to be good. Well, we have now seen how bad his work ethic is in all of his little injuries. I can’t imagine this guy is doing anything good for our young players. I don’t care if the season is not “over” yet. I saw them that Saturday against the Mets, and I don’t care to see them anymore. They are a team that lacks effort, lacks fundamentals, lacks intelligence. It is a culture of mediocrity, under an enormous mirage about how great their manager is and how privileged they are to play under him. A player would be much better off in a different organization.

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mark bradley i hate reading ur blogs more than anyone else here.
i dont know y u have a job

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Why is firing the manager out of the question? Cox has been a major league manager for 28 seasons and has 1 championship (and that was 15 years ago). That percentage is laughable. During many of those seasons, the Braves clearly had baseball’s best team, yet came up short. Now, they don’t have the best team and are coming up much, much shorter.

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I would take Vasquez over Lowe right now. Frankly, I’d rather keep KK and let Lowe walk.

I guess the other GMs were onto something when there were no takers for Lowe. But for ridiculous run support in his first three starts, he would have zero wins with no hope of any wins on the horizon. At least Hudson, JJ, Hanson and even KK look like they know what they’re doing on the mound.

To the point at issue, I think the attempts to play on the cheap have caught up with the Braves. Having Melky and Glaus as regulars is simply pitiful, but that is what you should expect when you have cheap, veteran players playing prime hitting positions (1B and LF). Add to that the fact that McClouth all of the sudden can’t hit, and you are in trouble. Pitchers can simply pitch around the only decent threats in the lineup (McCann and Prado).

Unfortunately, I see no moves coming. The Braves are waiting until next year, when Freddie Freeman and Jordan Schaffer can hopefully bring some young (read: cheap) production to the lineup.

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I agree with you @ 12:50 Awesome Genius GM. MB is fun to go back and forth with – especially when he live-blogs from events.

And while Troy’s time in ATL has been rather *ahem* modest … the word play with his last name on the blog has been hall of fame caliber.

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Hey! I’m with MR. Let’s replace TP with Chris!! That’s a great idea! I saw a pitcher on the G-Braves’ game last night that the announcers expected might go up to replace JJ with his injury for a little while. That was the first G-Braves game I’ve ever watched, although I didn’t watch all of it. They’re 2nd in their division, and won 6-0 vs Norfolk last night. Some of the AAA guys might actually do better than the major leaguers we have on the A-Braves team.

Question: Has Bobby tried putting Infante in CF yet? I wonder if he’d be any good in that position. Infante also has speed, doesn’t he? Why not a batting order similar to this?

1. Infante – CF
2. Prado – 2B
3. Jones – 3B (when he’s playing or well…)
4. McCann – C
5. Heyward – RF
6. Escobar – SS
7. Freeman – 1B….ok, ok I’m dreaming. Glaus – 1B
8. Diaz – RF
9. Pitcher

Of course, there would need to be a callup from the Minors to replace Infante in the infield as a backup, and some ineffective poor soul would need to go down to the Minors. If this roster has been tried already, though, forget I asked. LOL.

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The players we traded to Texas alone would have been a godsend to this team right now.

Most of those guys werent very good. Salty especially stinks. He isnt even starting.

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Kashi – the obvious answer for your predicament is to send the entire Braves team to AAA Gwinnett – perhaps there they can find more suitable and equitable competition? Do you think if this team makes the playoffs, the competition will be against really hard teams too?

With fans like you, no wonder this team can still put people in the seats. I’ll bet you even have a tomahawk!

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I have been a Brave fan since 1949 and feel sure this is the worst hitting team they ever had. This is partially due to the players aquired by Wren, but some blame has to lie elsewhere as players who leave seem to learn to hit again.

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OOOHHHHH YEEEEAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!

DEM BALLS BE ALL UP IN THE SUGAR WAVE!!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

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Wren has been atrocious, but, you hit the nail on the head…this ownership is carrying what all small market killing teams will never overcome, yet will never admit; a flat out CAP on the payroll that simply will not let this team acquire any talent. the ONLY hope is to take 4 to 5 years to grow the farm and win something, then dump them all when the talent is 3+ MLB years, and start over. ala the Florida Marlins strategy…win the World Series, then fire sale. (twice!).

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“Mark, thanks for finally writing what should have been written earlier.”

Huh? Pretty much this exact same column has been written for the past three days by about three different writers.

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Worst to First!

It could happen.

Couldn’t it?

OK. It’s probably no more realistic than thinking I’m going to win the multi-million dollar lottery, but I bought a lottery ticket this week.

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Help! The Braves have fallen and they can’t get up! Will SOMEONE please call for help? Please?

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Mark is there a gopher prize for the basement dwellers ?

Embarrassing is the word……..Grown men paid millions to play a child’s game, behave in a professional manner on the field, and it looks like they have not prepared themselves at all.

I guess then all starts at the top….. Organization, Management, then coaches……The whole thing sticks of failure, and poor habits.

Why does a guy like TP who has never been a great hitter, become a hitting coach ?

Why does a guy apparently way over the hill, stay on as manager.

Seems they are kissing two guys butts, and showing respect for a job not being done very well.

I would let Bobby and TP go today…….thank them, and then move on as that is going to be the case anyway………

The organization will loose Millions this year as we see an EMPTY STADIUM……and they are so hard to watch even on TV.

The fan base is disgusted with the play, attitude, and the lack of professionalism shown in the total picture…….

I guess Bobby will be scratching his head yet again, hopefully he won’t beat his wife this year.

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Tommy Gunz is going to night. Braves win and Hawks win. Both because of Tommy Hanson.

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I think Kashi is correct……..We just need to play worse teams then the Braves…….

Are there any out there ?

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How the hell can you feel bad for Frank Wren? He gave a washed up Derek Lowe 60 million. He gave an unproven Kawakami 29 Million. He traded Gorkys Hernandez for a guy in McLouth who had only hit over .250 for one season in his career.

The Vazquez trade can’t be judged fully until Vizcaino is ready, however, getting a useless of like Melky is just awful and inexcusable. His only good move thus far was getting jurrjens, and even that is looking less and less stellar. I do not feel bad for him at all and his attitude is really starting to anger me.

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Pretty much summed it all up in this article. If we arent going to get the payroll, then we will never get the players. What we have is a bunch of mediocre hitters trying to bring us to a world series, which is a long shot for any team to shoot for. There is potential for the braves this year, and it is still early. But, doesnt seem as if it will ever happen. Also MB, why single out Kawakami. Lowe is absolutely horrific on the mound with no confidence but for a couple of innings. Jair looks as if hes got the same problem as Lowe. Not only that, I guarantee you that if Kawakami were to pitch elsewhere, he would have the run support that Lowe had last year with his crappy ERA. Oh and screw you LIBERTY, thanks for nothing. All you care about is the minimal profits your gaining right now. Keep heading in that direction Liberty and you will be out of here, God I only hope.

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The symptoms of the Braves win-loss infection are readily apparent: anemic hitting, crooked inning pitching and lack luster mental readiness. The examples of these symptoms have been well documented: Good job DOB and JS, et al.

I would like to offer this man’s explanation into the root cause of these symptoms. There is a disease in the Braves’ coaching/leadership department. I don’t believe it’s Bobby. He’s earned a pass on this one although the ultimate responsibility lies with him. The disease is fits squarely on the shoulders of veteran players and Terry Pendleton. I indict these two groups on the following bodies of evidence:

On the charge against TP:
*How many players have now left TP’s tutelage to be almost instantaneously more productive elsewhere? Quick answer: Kelley Johnson, Jeff Francoeur, Mark Kotsay, & (delayed) Andruw Jones. Note that before they left they all saw significant declines under TP.
*How many productive Braves hitters actually use TP as their hitting coach?
-Chipper reports to his dad.
-McCann reports to his daddy.
-Escobar gives credit to Edgar Renteria.
**Prado is the bright spot on TP’s resume.
*How many players on the current Braves roster have fallen short of expectations or regressed under TP?
-Jordan Shafer, Nate McClouth, where’s the can’t miss Scott Thorman? (Careful Heyward)
*The largest indictment, however, maybe the story of the beloved Frenchy:
-Francouer has said publically several times that TP advised him before his first full season to bulk up so he could hit more HRs. Scouts widely attribute this change in Frenchy’s build to a decline in his athleticism that eventually ushered him out of Atlanta in a trade for Ryan Church. Frenchy himself was seeking help from Coach Buck over at Parkview HS, Chipper, Rudy Jamarillio – - anybody but TP.

Conclusion: Even if it’s not all TPs fault – he’s lost the confidence of the players and thus his effectiveness – it’s time for a change – now.

On the charge against veteran leadership:
I bring an accusation against waning Brave Chipper and gone Brave John Smoltz.
(Don’t everybody crucify me at once. For the record Chipper is my favorite baseball player of all time.)
*It’s been rumored for almost a decade that Chipper slacks off in the physical conditioning department and is somewhat of a loner or silent ‘leader’ in the club house. Brian Jordan recently confirmed both charges on Fox Sports South. Chipper’s nagging injuries are evidence of his lack of conditioning and lack of conditioning is evidence of laziness which reflects in his fielding and the attitudes of younger Braves. Example: Escobar. While Chipper has always been TEAM first and the consummate professional he has not always been a WIN first guy – this team needs a WIN first guy.
On the culture that Smoltz lead and the culture that he left. Smoltz, however much you love him, is a ME first guy. And he’s got the right to be so arrogant – he had the nastiest slider in the game for a decade. I love Smoltz. But when it came to taking one for the team that wasn’t the plan. He was the Brett Favre of the Atlanta Braves. Maybe I’ll close, Maybe I’ll start – Build the team around my plans and my talents said Smoltz. This is bad for team chemistry and if he weren’t such a great guy he wouldn’t have lasted as long as he did with the Braves. I understand his time was waning and he wanted to ‘win now’ but his approach was detrimental to the team. Example the feuding between himself and Chipper over the last few years of his tenure.

I love Chipper and TP. But this team’s ship is sinking because it has been christened as a life preserver for the golden Braves for several years (I speak of Cox, Glavine, Smoltz, & Chipper). Even Frank Wren’s scouting reports seem to have been printed in 2000 – Lowe, Glaus & Partners.

Atlanta Braves baseball is not a tribute band. It’s a major league ballclub and there is nothing more this team needs right now than a Lou Pinella. A guy who says “I don’t care who you are or what you did yesterday or what your paycheck reads. If you don’t produce you’re on the bench.” I’m all for sentimentality but save it for the jersey retirement ceremonies. No club could win with 62% of it’s payroll dedicated to players age 35 and over (Jones, Lowe, Huddy, KK, Wagner – all 35 or turning 35 this season) and all on multi-year contracts with their best years behind them.

There are apparently two theories with how to sell tickets in Atlanta: put a winning ballclub on the field or put a sentimental underdog with no realistic chance. I’m sick of the sentimentality. There’s no crying in baseball, it’s time for some changes.

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I had optimism at the beginning of the season…But now I am getting used to the cries of:
Braves Lose! Braves Lose!

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Again, all I heard from Spring Training was that the players were going to go “all out” to help Bobby go out a winner. Again, they must have meant “all out to SUCK A$$”.

Sure, hitting is a problem. However base running blunders (not by just Yunel) and Little League errors in the field are BIG TIME SIGNS of ineffective coaching. It’s like these guys just loafed through Spring Training while Bobby Cox spent his time talking to reporters about this being his last year AND how great and special Jason Heyward is going to be.

Even if we were hitting, we’d still SUCK because we cant run the bases nor field the ball. Also, no one is being held accountable, other than Yunel and Heyward (taking too many pitches, lol).

It apparent why rest of baseball loves baseball. They know that without superior talent, Bobby can be out managed.

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Enter your comments here

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In my last posting, I meant to say “It’s apparent why the rest of baseball loves Bobby Cox” in the last paragraph.

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Here is what I’d do to try and fix the Braves:

1. Insert Nate McLouth back into the lead-off spot. Because of his contract, the Braves have no choice but to hope that he can revert back to his old self. Even if he still sucked a month from now, things wouldnt be worse then they are now from the lead off position. However the upside is that he rebounds and starts to hit again. If that were to happen, then he’d be able to use his speed to steal a base help jump start our offense. If he cant turn it around, then call up Jordan Schafer in June (assuming his wrist has fully healed) and bench McLouth.

2. Insert Jason Heyward into the #2 hole. We need speed at the top of the order. Why not take advantage of Heyward’s patience at the plate by having him hit #2 (instead of bashing him for taking too many pitches), which would give McLouth a chance to steal a base if he can manage to get on base. Heyward would get better pitches to hit hitting in front of………………..

3. Insert Martin Prado as our #3 hitter. Prado has been raking at the plate. However, he only has 4 RBIs because no one is getting on in front of him. At least with Heyward in front of him, he’d have someone who has a decent chance of getting on base. Also, Prado is patient enough to give Heyward a chance to steal a base.

4. Keep McCann in the #4 slot. He’s our best power option, period.

5. Insert Escobar into the #5 hole. Sure Yunel is struggling. However, I’m willing to give Escobar the benefit of the doubt and attribute his struggles to being in an early season slump. When he rights himself, he will be able to insert some much needed power into the #5 hole.

6. Drop Chipper down to the #6 hole. While I feel that Chipper’s best (or even decent days) are way behind him……..it isnt realistic to push for the Braves to bench him (because of his contract and iconic status). So I propose having him bat #6 in the order and SHOW that he can still hit. Make him EARN his way back into the #3 hole.

7. Insert Omar Infante into the #7 hole and have him play 2nd base…..moving Prado over to 1st………..meaning that Glaus’ days with the Braves ARE OVER. Freddie Freeman needs more time in Triple A. So barring a trade, why not just shuffle the lineup? Glaus’ bat speed is simply not there anymore. Infante makes good contact and can handle the bat.

8. Keep Diaz and Cabrera platooning in left and batting in the #8 hole. This would limit the damage they’re causing. Hopefully one of them would find it in themselves to catch fire at the plate.

9. Dump Bobby Cox and hire Bobby Valentine. Cox’s coddling approach isnt working. We need a manager who will light a fire under their A$$E$.

Chase Utley was the #2 hitter for the Phillies during his first few years in the Majors. However he was moved to the #3 spot when his patience at the plate translated into a high batting average AND power. Why not use that approach with Heyward? Take advantage of Heyward’s patience at the plate and allow him to grow into a more aggressive hitter.

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There are a couple of things the Braves can do to improve. Move McCann to first base he is brutal behind the plate. Put Hinske in left field he is a better hitter than either left fielder right now. I would love to see Chipper gone his best days are behind him.Get some one who cares about playing ,Anyone!!

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LIST OF THINGS TO DO AT TURNER FIELD IN 2010:

1) Watch real MLB teams come into town and marvel at how good professional baseball players look doing their job. Also wish we still had the money to pay such players to come to Atlanta.

2) Scoot up to all of the empty higher-dollar seats in front of us for a better view.

3) Chant “Cox! Cox! 62-100!!!”

4) Count down the days until Liberty Media sells the Braves and hope it’s to a human, legitimate owner.

5) Watch Jason Heyward age 20 years in right field by season’s end trying to carry the team offensively.

6) Watch for Chipper’s retirement announcement, coming soon…

7) Bring on the ostrich races, baby!!!

Party like it’s 1979 all over again!

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I guess Wren thought he could win with these “blue light special” players. When you get these over the hill players, that is exactly what you get. Time for some changes at the top.

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LAROCHE JACKED 2 HOMERS LAST NIGHT…..AND WE HAVE TROY GLAUS. THAT WAS THE DUMBEST MOVE THE BRAVES COULD HAVE MADE AFTER THE MAN BATTED WELL ABOVE 300 THE SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON. TP SHOULD HAVE HIS JOB HANDED TO HIM ON A SILVER PLATTER AND BE GONE. ALL THE BRAVES PLAYERS WHO SUCKED HERE SO FAR ARE HITTING ABOVE 300 WITH OVER 5 HOMERS TO START THE SEASON. THATS 25 HOMERS MORE THAN THIS CLUBS HOMERLESS STREAK. SOMEBODY PULL THE PLUG ON THE MANAGEMENT….BOBBY THANKS FOR LEAVING ONCE THE YEAR IS OVER.

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Mark, thanks for not being politically-correct and telling it like it is with the Braves. Jeff Shultz has been beating that drum since last November. The Braves fans have been pleading for change for three years!
Atlanta used to have a real professional baseball team with players who had the stuffing, instead of the stuffing like many on today’s team. Just watch other games and see how the desire to win is really strong. Here, it is the strong desire to finish the game and go play golf. If I were the manager, I would make the teams keep practicing, just like you get a basketball player to keep practicing free throws until they can’t miss. But, practice doesn’t make perfect; Perfect practice makes perfect, as a wise football coach one said. Let’s get the people who will direct whatever talent we have now, and clean house as soon as we can. I am real disappointed that the Braves, like other Atlanta sports teams are losers! We never go home with the the trophy.
So Mark, keep talking sense and at least we will “win” with you if only in our dreams!

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Don’t be so quick to rush TP out the door. We might need him in the line-up.

The Braves have all the players they need to save money and be at least as good as they are right now, and they are already under contract.

TP at 3B
Brian Jordan in LF
Ron Gant in CF
Joe Simpson at 1B

That doesn’t solve the problem at SS, but either Yunel comes around or Chipper goes back to his original position.

They can’t be any worse than what we have now.

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angel=sorry typo in a hurry.

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Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue

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Why would the Braves trade for Gonzalez anyways? This team needs a lot more help than just one player. We need a GM, coaches, players, etc. Too many holes to fill to waste prospects so you can finish 4th in the East.

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georgiadawgg, keepin’ it real. And by that I mean racist. But whatever.

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Has anyone noticed what Kelly Johnson and Adam LaRoche are doing? They should both be in this lineup! Yes, Martin Prado is a keeper, but we could have Johnson at second and Prado at short!

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Im 34 years old, been watching the braves for 30 years, my excitement this year went from very high to an all-time low. We can preach about who to fire and who to hire but the bottom line is that we are still fans, if not we wouldnt be on here everyday looking at the next possibility. We can turn things around, but it better happen soon. 5 games back is not too bad behind we just need to win the next 3 series and then re-group. Lets just pre-tend we have gotten or June out of the way early…..statistics show that we stink it up every June…..Come on Braves, Im still rooting…..trying to at least!!!!!

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They might when the biggest bust in braves history. Or they could set the record for consecutive losses. They only need 15 more losses to tie the 1899 Cleveland Spiders! I say let’s go for it!

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9 straight losses since their stupid leave the dug out after a homerun moment.

I won’t be going to a game until they get rid of the pathetic coaching. Should have kicked bobby and his idiot clan out 5 years ago.

14 division titles and one world series. That is booby cox

Then you have the hawks. Pathetic. Thrashers. Pathetic. Falcons. Pathetic.

And people wonder why fans don’t get into these teams.

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Mark

If the Braves are indeed done the quit your job because you have nothing else to write about. Seriously, take Cynthia Tucker and Jay Bookman with you.

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Larry, if it took you 20 years to stop forking over $11K per year for Braves season tickets you shouldn’t be commenting on anybody else’s IQ.

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”it’s only been X amount of games”…man, that refrain is getting old. ”it’s only been” can only last so long. yeah, it’s only been 22 games. and there have only been 8 wins. i don’t care what point in the season you are in, that is terrible. and what do you expect as an upside from a dismal line up? you think they are gonna go on ”a tear” a rip off 14 wins in their next 22 games? they aren’t built for that. they can’t hit, the defense isn’t amazing and the pitching has started to try and over compensate…and it’s getting ugly. jason heyward wasn’t supposed to have to carry this line up, remember? he’s a rookie and now, along with prado, they are all there is to the offense on a daily basis. and relying on a rookie to carry you is…stupid. he is a fantastic player and when he gets hot he it is a thing of beauty. but he’s a rookie. he will have cold spells. all that is left when he’s cold is martin prado. the guy can flat out hit, but unless he starts turning his two-hit games into 2-homer games…well..can’t win a lot of games when the box score shows 3 prado singles and nothing else form the braves.

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I wrote a long comment before that didnt seem to go up, so I’ll try again.

Mark, I agree with you that this Braves team as currently put together won’t compete for a wild card or division. The offense is pathetic. However, you failed to state in your article that the team would have a shot for, at least a wild card, if a gentleman named Franklin E Wren would get up off his butt, and get us one more hitter. Earlier this week Jeff Schultz, I believe, stated that Adrian Gonzalez would be a fit for this team, both economically, as he only makes 5 mil a year, and for the lineup. The starting pitching has been very decent, and has had little run support to work with. However, if we had one more big hitter, to go along with Mccann, Heyward, and Chipper, when he hits, that would make all the difference in the world.

Tell me, Mr Bradley, do you think that one more big hitter via trade would make the difference, and if so, do you see Frank Wren trading for one?

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We all new Chipper was done last year.They just surrounded him with less talent.Like i said before these braves won’t win 100 games in 2010.

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Why in the world trade ANY reasonable minor league prospect for Gonzalez? This team isn’t going to be saved by one good bat. McLouth, Glaus and Melky Cabrera are all flops. I doubt they could be traded for anything, so just cut them and open up roster slots for young players. Bobby is at least 5 years past the point where he was a good manager. Not necessary to fire Pendleton now, as the new manager can/will do that. If Wren, who’s already had a year to do his search, can’t find a good manager, then fire him too.

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mitchc–if you are frank wren…what do you trade? what do you have right now to trade with? and if you get gonzalez, you had better sign him because you can’t have texiera part 2. all the guys traded to texas in that deal are starting for the rangers. so, you gotta sign him…with what money? chipper is coming off his contract when gonzalez is a free agent, but then you have to compete with the red sox. so your only option is to try and sign him to an extension. but now that ryan howard signed a 25 mil a year deal, you have to use that as your starting point. i say starting point because gonzalez is younger and has more baseball in his future. realistically, i’d say that is not gonna happen. and that’s without even saying that the padres are in first place. probably what will happen is they will release someone and sign…oh, i dunno…jermaine dye. some of you think that is a good idea. i do not. is that really upgrading? he hit something like .220 last year. something will happen. i do believe that. and i think that glaus won’t gonna be a brave in a month.

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Any idea when Liberty Media might sell the Braves?

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Wren, Booby, and TP.

The tri-fecta of in-effecta.

Yes, you can use that.

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I’[ve read over and over from posters that the Braves didn’t/don’t need Elvis Andrus because they have Escobar. It is long past time for someone to state the truth. No one outside of Atlanta homers would take Escobar over Andrus. And, as for Adam Wainwright, the Braves have no one remotely close to him in pitching ability.

It may well be that the Braves never fully recover from the bonehead trades for Drew and Teixeira.

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Well, at least there’s something to cheer about today.
Tiger Woods is about to miss the cut. He’s got a nice fat +5 going today. No Tiger means no hearing about him or his crap all weekend long on TV. He can go home to … his piles of money? Certainly not his wife.

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The Braves will start a winning streak tonight!

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Bzzzt. Wrong answer. Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson are more than remotely close to Wainwright in ability.

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If I do buy the Braves, I’ll get them out of Atlanta as fast as I can. . .

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There’s a beautiful, petite girl at Ga Tech?? Must live off campus . . .

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At 7:35pm tonight at Turner Field the Braves will start a 6 game winning streak that will end 5/7/2010 in Philadelphia.

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Enter your comments here

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We need…. Slumpbusters… Paging Tiger WOods.

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Sam,

I agree with you.

I love how everyone loves to talk about Cox, and how he needs to light a fire under people. Y’all Chipper makes 13 mil. Lowe make 15 mil. That’s 28 million reasons they will not listen to anyone. This is not backwoods H.S., rub some dirt on it baseball. Last I looked Lou Pinella is on a short lease in Chicago.

That said, if you want to critize BC with how he manages the pen, or some of his strategy, I love those arguments, and some can be made. If you feel that Bobby Valentine can do better, that’s cool. Who many penants has Bobby V. won outside of Japan?

The manager is not the issue, Wren and ownership is.

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They will win.

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Six game winning streak starting tonight.

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AND THESE SPORTS WRITERS WERE BUMPING THEIR GUMS ABOUT HOW GOOD THE BRAVES WERE GOING TO BE…I KNEW THEY WOULD STINK. CHIPPER MOVES LIKE MY GRANNY AND CANT STAY IN 3 STRAIGHT GAMES, THAT JAP IS WORSE THAN JO JO REYES..THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES IN ITS SELF… MY 12 YEAR OLD SON COULD OUT HIT, GLAUS AND CABRERA AND THROW IN THE FACT THAT NOBODY CAN HIT A HOMERUN EXCEPT HEYWARD? THESE GUYS SUCK. TERRY PENDLETON HAS TO BE THE WORST HITTING COACH IN HISTORY OF THE MAJORS! WHY DID WE LET JOHNSON AND LAROCHE GO AGAIN?? IF YOU LIKE PATHETIC BASEBALL, TUNE INTO TBS FOR THE BRAVES!!!!!

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I know this was supposed to be Bobby’s year, but it should have been 1996. Bobby just didn’t know when to quit. If Wren was smart (and that’s open for debate), he would cut Glaus, Kaz, Lowe, McNohit, Melkey, and trade Chipper to the AL (as a DH) and Escobar for someone with a brain. Also, tell the fans that 2010 is a rebuilding year and then bring up our best prospects for experience. Now, you don’t want them being contaminated with Cox’s and Pendleton’s arcane philosphy, so go ahead and give them a big sendoff and celebration before the Allstar break. Need a manager? How about anyone who managed the Marlins over the past 10 years.

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Te Braves shouldn’t trade for Adrian Gonzalez . Their best hitting prospect in the minors is Freddy Freeman a first baseman . They also have Jordan schafer , who looks like he could be a good center fielder coming back from injury . When he comes up , move McLouth to LF . Their only remaining gaping hole would then be 3B . it is pretty interesting that the two hitters that the Braves basically gave away last year , Francoeur and Kelly Johnson , are both hitting better than anyone who is still on the team . Maybe Terry Pendleton IS the problem .

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Wouldn’t you say this slump has everybody trying too hard? I’m not saying Chipper is going to turn into the 1999 Chipper, but I don’t believe Yunel will stay down. Glaus has not worked out, but I think he will eventually turn into a .250 hitter with about 20 homers (granted, not what the Braves brass expected). I just think that once we get out of this funk, everybody will loosen up and start to play up to their true capabilities. This is not a last place team in my opinion.

Last question: If there was a realistic chance that Adrian Gonzalez would sign an extension with the Braves, would you pull a trade with the Padres to include Freddy Freeman and a group of other prospects, similar to the Mark Teixeira trade except that we keep Gonzalez actually stays?

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Vazquez is spelled just like that, not with an “s”

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[...] As constituted, these Braves aren't going to win anything [...]

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Slumping major league pitchers take heart, Don’t worry! Your chance to right the ship is near! The Braves are coming to city near you! They can make the worse pitcher a Cy Young.

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This team really stinks. It may be time to dump everyone over 30 (including Chipper), play the prospects like Freeman, and hope for success in 2012 or 2013. I was in love with Cabrera, but one more bonehead play and I may puke.

Maybe we’re just cursed, considering I couldn’t wait to see KJ gone, and now he leads the league in HRs. Hindsight may be 20-20, but wouldn’t he look good in LF right now? Wren is not batting .000, though- Prado is a better second sacker than KJ, and Vasquez was apparently the right SP to dump.

I say create fun playing Freeman, and Schafer when he’s healthy, because we aren’t going to win-

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Pretty aparent that they suck. I think for a couple of years they have needed to fire the hitting coach. Kelly Johnson couldn’t hit as a Brave, but he’s knocking the cover off the ball with his new team and so is Adam LaRoche. Some of these guys we have were pretty good hitters before being traded to the Braves. Adopting bad mechanics and having no one to correct them is the problem. Sorry people TP needs to go.

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Check your calendars guys. It is still April. The last 120 years of baseball have proven one thing, you do not judge teams in April. Go back and look at all the World Series winners and then check their April and May records.

April is about showers bringing May flowers. It has nothing to do with how a baseball team will end up on Oct 1st.

Salud!

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The braves need to dump most of their roster, front office and worthless coaches and bring in people who know what they are doing. Hopefully, these tightwad morons who own the team sell soon.

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This has got to be the first year that LaRoche has been abobve 200 at this point in the season. Further evidence that every single thing that can go wrong with the Braves, has gone wrong with the Braves.

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Man o man o man.It does my heart good to see I’m not the only one making the observations I have for the last decade.When the money dried up, it was all about what Bobby,Chipper,Smoltz, and co wanted.Think I’ll buy stock in Cure-Aid and Band Aid.

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After watching the Braves and Hawks no wonder I’m in love with “Jack Daniels.” Pour me a drink Mark.

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the braves had not had a hitting coach since don baylor left in 2000 to manage the cubs. TP was a great 3rd baseman, but as a hitting coach he didn’t help Andruw Jones (he went to Texas for help) or Jeff Francouer (now doing well with the Mets). With 5 starters hitting under .200, let’s get a hitting coach who can help the team. At the rate the Bravos are going now, last place is a lock. Good pitching can win games but you can’t win when you don’t score runs.

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oh yeah?

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me say!

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If anyone here is ever stuck on a desert island with Mark Bradley, be sure to keep an eye on him. He’ll probably panic and try to gnaw off someone’s leg on the second day…

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Maybe you should just stop making predictions…you embarass yourself

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Leadership starts at the top and everyone can keep blaming Wren, Cox, TP etc but Liberty Media is the cause of this trouble. They are absentee owners. If Arthur Blank were to buy this team I bet there would be some big changes.

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You are exactly right, Mark. This roster is incapable of making significant accomplishments.

Melky Cabrera, Troy Glaus and Eric Hinske were supposed to improve the offense; once again, Frank Wren was wrong.

Wren got rid of Mike Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano to bring in Takashi Saito and Billy Wagner. Saito hasn’t done much, and the 38-year-old Wagner announced yesterday that he will retire at the end of the year.

Things aren’t going to change with this situation, though, until ownership changes the general manager.

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I understand Chipper has a sore right hip, and I am wondering how he will treat it, as I also woke up with a sore hip this morning and will have to face my day with it; Of course I am 77 yrs. old, so his treatment and mine may be different, but I will still have to do my chores today, sore hip and all. I feel sorry for Chipper and his ageing body.

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Mark whats your pick in Kentucky Derby? I’m going with Ice Box….what do you think?

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@MR – They have replaced a TON of coaches over the last few years: Gonzales, Corrales, Mazzone, Baylor, Yost, etc. TP seems to me to have a problem making the hitters listen to him. Remember how Andruw used to try to yank 5-run homers on every pitch in spite of TP’s best efforts. It’s tough to make a 25 year old millionaire listen to anyone,so I have a hard time blaming TP, but I think he should get a little more forceful.

Also, we are a sustained winning streak away from being right back in it. I predict we’ll see Freeman this year if he keeps producing at AAA, but they’ll wait to bring him up to avoid super-two status.

If JJ can get it together, we’ll be okay with our rotation, KK included. If not, we have Medlen, Minor, some other options. I think most of our hitting will level out. Diaz, McCann, McLouth, and Chipper will be better than they have been. Glaus seems to be following the Raul Mondesi script, but I predict we may see more of Hinske and Prado at 1st if Glaus keeps stinking. Infante can take over 2B if necessary. As for Escobar’s brain, he seems to be a slow starter mentally. He’s had his annual disciplinary benching, and now he should improve. Let’s at least see a little bit of May before we throw in the towel and sell everyone off. C’mon now! Where y’at hometown fans?!

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Dorothy Davis: that’s beautiful.

I think I’d put it differently. Unless there’s a lot of improvement from our hitters, we ain’t gonna compete; obviously.

However, I don’t think Glaus, CJones, McLouth, Diaz, and Escobar are gonna hit a combined .170. I have higher hopes for upside than does MB, I suppose.

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”

Willy

April 30th, 2010
11:04 am

The Braves couldn’t hit oil if they fell out of a boat.”

Hell Willy, they couldn’t hit oil of they fell out of a boat in the Gulf of Mexico.

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Get rid of Glaus one more double play ball with the bases loaded.Sign a thumper like Padres Gonzo and hope Nate finally starts to hit on constant basis.

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RE: KJ homers. On another site they did an analysis (distance and location) and every HR except one would have been a HR in any park in MLB.

That is great for KJ and really bad for TP and the Braves.

If KJ does this all season Wren looks like a hack and TP looks like someone who will be unemployed.

KJ is hitting
Kotchman is hitting
Frenchie is hitting & walking (though he dipped a bit after a very strong start)
LaRoche is not his typical 1H mess and is hitting w/power (apart from a week one-two slow start)

Change of scenery as an excuse is looking lame right about now. How is TP doing with the Braves?

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Note AJ is better than all except from Heyward in the OF.

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Typical Atlanta Fans. The Braves have not competed as expected, but it’s still early. Some of the comments including the “boycott” are exactly why you are surrounded by Cubs, Yankees, and Red Sox Fans when we go to their home games away from home at Turner Field. The Cubs haven’t been to a World Series in forever, but their fans remain loyal.

The solution is to go after Adrian Gonzalez. We desperately need a guy that can put the ball on the other side of the fence at least 40 times a year. Someone the opponent fears, that can protect Jason Heyward when he eventually moves to the three spot.

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The braves beat houston!!!! YES!!! They are back baby!!!! On to the world series!!!!

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Everybody have some fun and pick YOUR choice of the only 3 theories you can have about the Braves pathetic season (from above)!!

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Before anybody gets too excited be reminded of the fact that Bobby Cox is absurdly loyal to all his assistants. I don’t remember him EVER cutting one loose under any circumstances. He will support Terry Pendleton to the end of the earth even if the Braves don’t score another run all year long. He’ll just say it’s bad luck and they’re still hitting the ball hard – just right at people. People, this is where your hard earned money is being spent. Get the $1 tickets and wear the paper bag over your head so the media doesn’t point you out as a loyal never-say-die fan – you don’t want to look like a fool in public!

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Kotsay with a homer today. Andruw Jones with 2. Francouer doing well. Kelly Johnson on fire. Not a coincidence. It’s all about bobby and terry. Now we know why this team has always had a crap offense and never won more titles. Time for them to retire.

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Chipper Jones = $14 Million
Francouer = $5 Million
Andruw = $500,000
Kelly Johnson = $2.3 Million
Laroche = $4.5 Million

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Terry Pendleton’s been hand picked by bobby cox to be the manager next year—get used to it—more mediocrity to come!

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I’m glad he is doing better, but let’s not act like Frenchy did not need to go. Heyward any day and twice on Sunday.

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All of you who are conceding the season after a month are all idiots! Especially MB, you should know better than to throw in the towel this early in the season. I don’t know if you wrote this article because you had nothing else better to write, but you will be eating your words come All-Star weekend and the Braves will be right there atop the standings. Boy, shame on you.

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Barnacle Bill Bavasi is obviously a homer. The Braves have no one remotely as good as Wainwright. Let the two you named do something. Potential doesn’t mean squat.

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chipper needs to be released.

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this is hard to watch for a life-long Braves fan. I actually watched the entire Halliday game. THE ENTIRE GAME. I want so bad to believe in Bobby and TP if nothing more than for the joy they gave us back in the day. Throughout everything that has befallen the Hawks and Falcons, the Braves were the one constant to count on. Yeah they were probably going to get put out in the first round of the playoffs but after suffering through the NBA and NFL seasons the boys of summer were all you had left. And for the 162 games of the regular season they were a great escape for a sports city mired in mediocrity. You know how I knew this was worse than I thought??? I looked at the standings the other day and saw that we had the same record as the Kansas City Royals. Yup, THE ROYALS. Now with Bobby on his way out, its not out of the realm of possibility that TP and Chipper could be right behind him. Then what?? Yeah the Hawks are in the playoffs and the Falcons are improving, but once Bobby and TP are gone, we won’t have anything left from that Magical run in ‘95. You know what this feels like?? The day I found out wrestling was fake. I kinda knew it was coming but I loved it so much that I didn’t want to believe it could happen. But I’ll still watch. I’ll still cheer them on. I’ll still curse my tv every time we ground into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded. What can I say, I’m a fan, that’s what we do. Now if you’ll excuse me I’m gonna go watch Sid Bream round third base again.

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Wow… a slow start and this tard writes the rbaves off….I admit frustrationlevel has increased over the past week or so but I mean its a week a stretch of ten games….glaus is picking it up greatly…chip still blows but w.e….heyward is god…..pitching is good….martin prado is a beast….and notice the key the last two games when our leadoff hitter does what hes supposed to do….he sets the table for the rest of the line-up facing the worst team in baseball also helps the confidence but sometimes thats what you need…..go bravos and chipper d.l or pick it up we love you here but watching your horrible swing so far makes me think your ten years older than you are we know you still got it ….best of wishes

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In 1990 before the Braves won 14 titles in a row; I was the only Atlanta Braves fan in my state. After the good times, 14 in a row and 1995 series win, everyone on my block was a (Bonified) Braves fan. It appears the Bandwagonners are jumping ship! And soon, I will be the only Braves fan on the block again. But, you know my favorite Braves team had a lineup like: Washington,Ramerez,Hubbard,Murphy,Horner,Chambliss,Benedict. It was WTBS replay, Skip Carey comedy everynight, and watchin Ted Turner pull marketing schemes that still boggle the mind with cheer. Great things come to the “TRUE” fans that take the good and the bad in stride. Let’s have fun watchin and hold off on the (these Braves aren’t going to win anything)negativity! This season is far from over and I have a feeling Braves fans won’t have to wait long before the “Bandwaggoners” are climbing back on”. Go Braves!!!!

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What a bunch of babies – I will stick with this team. They will get it turned around and do very very well. Mark – good thing you don’t actually have a say in how the Braves are run!

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gadawg
yeah show me this season a slump by the phillies over 4 games. it won’t happen. even the mets won’t go past 5-6.

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For four years and 24 games the Braves have been irrelavent. The Braves of 2010 are going nowhere and unless changes occur at the top the mediocrity will continue.

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“We love dirty laundry”

All you nay – sayers,get a life! (Especially you, Bradley)

The Braves will be fine!

They”re a SECOND HALF TEAM! Always have been.__________________

Quit whining!

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Eric,
Consider this. After a 9 game losing streak, the Braves are only 4 games under .500. Hardly a reason to claim the season is over and we should give up hope on the season. Come on folks… Some of you act like you have never watched a 162 game season before.

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I think you all are being to pessimistic. The Braves do have a good team. McCann is the best catcher in the NL, Heyward is well, Heyward, and McClouth, Chipper, Melky, Yunel, and Glaus won’t hit under .200 for the whole season. I think these Braves could win the wildcard with a little bit of luck. We have the pitching staff to do it.

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Derek Lowe is, dollar for dollar, the absolute worst player in major league baseball. I’d sooner release him and pay him than have him pitch for the same ludicrous dollar. Mr. Wren, when you screw up, you really take the cake.

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mb go take a hike!!!!
go be a jounalist for the mets or phils!!!
the atl doesn’t need your opinion!!!
p.s. and paul hewitt agrees to show you the door!!!!!!!!!!!

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worst article ive ever read

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The braves want play better than 500 with this lineup, time to get younger.

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mr. bradley, i should point out that kawakami’s been a better pitcher than vazquez this year, is making less money, and never would’ve gotten a pitcher of vizcaino’s caliber in a trade. i don’t really think sacrificing one year of vazquez was a bad thing. he wasn’t going to repeat last year’s success. but… i’m just as frustrated with the team as you are and have definitely grown tired of watching average baseball every year.

…but shame on you for giving up so early. you’re right that they look terrible at the plate right now, but you should never throw in the tomahawk after only 25 games. a lot can happen in 132 games and you can’t honestly believe that yunel and mclouth will continue to hit like this all year. im not really sold on glaus, but i’ll cut him some slack for another week or so since he probably needs some time to get back in the swing of things after basically not playing last year. as far as chipper goes, you cant count on him to even stay in the game, his defense isnt great, and often he’s playing hurt. he’s been a great player, but i don’t think i’ll be too upset if he hangs it up when bobby does.

for the short term, there are two things that i personally think would really help the team:

a) bat prado leadoff. he’s great at getting on base and doesn’t have a ton of power. i can’t think of a better person on the team right now that would profile better as a leadoff hitter. sure, he doesn’t have the fastest legs, but clearly the lead off spot has more to worry about. it’d be nice to have some consistency for once at the top of the order.

b) platoon hinkse and glaus. i think hinske has at the very least earned the right to a platoon at this point in time. glaus may turn it around, and then again he may not, but it’s pretty obvious that for now the team would benefit from hinske getting more at bats.

i honestly think the offense would have noticeably more success if those two changes were made. it’s not like they’ll all of a sudden drive in 8 runs a game, but it’d at least be a more effective lineup. what do you think?

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[...] Mark Bradley on the Braves Dour Outlook [...]

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Ha, I think the team went on a three-game tear just to make our columnist core look like idiots. Which they’re not, I hasten to add, but a baseball season is long and grueling. We may have seen the worst of this team, but I remain convinced we haven’t seen the best.

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Mark Bradley is nothing more than another retarded columnist who has no idea what he is talking about and is a disgrace to the city of atlanta. After reading all this sad comments it just reassures me that the city of atlanta has the worst fans in the world, it makes me so sick. its been a month of baseball and you all are already saying we are done which is extremely ignorant. Once the braves have a good may all these people will be saying the braves arent that bad even mr. mark bradley. Im sick and tired of hearing so called braves fans or any fan of an atlanta team rip their teams constantly day in and day out. Those people are not real atlanta fans and are a disgrace to the city every single one of you. Especially mark bradley

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[...] Braves need more bats if they want to win anything [AJC] [...]

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Bradley,

I can’t believe this paper pays you for this…

But then again, consider the paper… liberal piece of crap… (oh, that was directed at you and the paper.)

You are the worst. NO backbone, no clue what you’re talking about, and non-sense articles to rile up the herds (please folks, don’t buy into what Bradley is selling, while he may be correct in some statements, to call the season a wash an april 30th is absurd, especially for a team that just won 3 straight since.)

You are one of the many wrong things in this city Bradley. Scram

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Agreed GT BOYZ, agreed.

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This is what you get with BCox, a bunch of old players that he feels comfortable with. My opinion is that Escobar is trying to play his way out of Atlanta, still fresh in his mind what happened last year. Inspiration by rah rah or fear is the job of the Manager, and it’s obvious that the Braves have neither. Don’t let a few wins against a bad team fool you, when they play the top teams they are the bad team.

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Columns like this make me miss Furman Bisher.

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@Fire Frank Wren: “For four years and 24 games the Braves have been irrelavent. The Braves of 2010 are going nowhere and unless changes occur at the top the mediocrity will continue.”

Change “occurred at the top” two years ago — you want to change GMs after each and every individual season that the team doesn’t make the playoffs?

Your and idiot.

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It’s funny how Bradley didn’t even mention Cox’s name in the article.
Being the Cox worshipper that he is, he still won’t blame Cox for anything.

Pathetic fundamentals, letting pop ups fall, base running errors, not covering home plate. Un-inspired play, guys batting in the order that need to be dropped down, goes on and on. These are things the Manager can control.

The only thing you got right is this team isn’t going anywhere, even if we did sweep Houston. This season was doomed last year when Wren announced Bobby Bowden Cox would be back.

Ok Bradley, I’m waiting for your annual “Bobby Cox the Greatest Manager of All Time” blog.

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I love that we pounded the Lastros, but those pesky (G)Nats are next and we couldn’t beat ‘em when they were terrible, and now they’re actually pretty good.
I’m with Bradley in that I don’t understand this roster construction and why Wren keeps getting 4th outfielders masquerading as full-timers.
I mean, if you’re not a power hitter, that’s fine, you gotta bring something else to the table, such as blinding speed, or being a great contact hitter, playing great defense. Milky and Diaz are neither (Diaz has gotten lucky the last couple of years because nobody knew who he was, so he’d go up there hacking – now they know, and he’s below the Mendoza line). Then there was Church last year. It’s basically the same player profile. What gives?
As for Glaus, the worst thing about him finally heating up to being luke warm is that Cox will now stick with him another couple of months in the 4-5 hole.
And who’s idea is it not to have a lead-off hitter? Furcal has been gone for 5 years and there still is no lead-off hitter. Can Cox and Wren say with a straight face that not having a legit lead-off hitter doesn’t matter. I’ve heard Cox say as much.
Honestly, I’d rather have Gregor Blanco on the roster than Melky – at least Blanco can run.

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hey bradley, why dont you get out of atlanta. your opinion bends like grass in the wind. Weren’t you the one who said “I’ve said it before, and I say it again: Something’s happening here. The Braves are believing in a way they haven’t believed since the run of division titles was broken in 2006…they’ve got a difference maker on their side now, a difference-maker who isn’t yet old enough to take a legal sip of champagne. Be he will be come October”. BUT you change your mind, declaring these Braves arent worth anything? Its the first monthof the season, there’s plenty of baseball left. There’s no need for your pessimistic attitude in this town, and your negative view of the Braves isn’t exactly helping the cause for us to send Bobby out on a good note. Keep your negative thoughts to yourself

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The great thing about your preditions in past (GT was not in the Final 4), is they are a guess, and sometimes bad ones.

so this assumption is probably as accurate as that one

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Frank Wren is a disaster and must go. ‘Nuff said. Well, not quite: Bobby Cox deserves a better last hurrah than this. There.

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This braves team is the only line-up in baseball that’s already down by three runs before the end of the national anthem. This was suppose to be the year for Bobby to go out winning. I bet the end of the year never looked so far and retirement never looked so good to Bobby now.

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The tigger above me needs to learn how to get behind all of the organization. I bet he is a bouncin phillies fan!lol

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Drew, Yo, you must be Wren’s brother. Wake up, MB is right, it is not a good major league team. A new GM is needed, look at Wren’s track record, it is not good.

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This is only Third year right? John Schuerholtz wasnt always one of the best GM’s! It took time for him to get adjusted to his role. The Braves are a still a relatively young team and I just think everybody who is freaking out over the horrible job Wren has done should just calm down before they wet their pants! He has done what he thought was right to do. And I guarentee you he hasnt made these decisions on his own! If we should fire anybody, It should be ole D.P.

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EnEVERYONE in the media is afraid to say a word about Terry Pendleton, and it’s probably because they as I, feel like he is going to be the next Braves manager. That on top of the fact that the race card would probably come up should they say anything. Do we not have a sports journalist with this paper with any backbone? One that can tell it like it is? Pendleton is terrible. Before it’s over with this year, Hayward will be batting 200, along with the rest of the teamter your comments here

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I agree with you on that one homer. Jason Heyward better be prayin that he gets traded if he wants to have a successful career! Terry Pendelton was a great hitter, but he is not a coach. And it all goes back to this, do not criticize Wren! And the only reason Kawakami hasnt been a success is because our offense hasnt backed him up! How ignorant can a person be to think that Kawakami is not doing what he can at the bottom of that rotation! One other thing, the only way we are gonna send Bobby Cox off on a good note is if writers like Bradley can keep their traps shut.

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THE real problem is the very poor onwership that does not want to spend any money so atlanta has their baseball,basketball and the soon departing hockey, with the worse ownership anywhere in america.
only the falcons have the only owner who really cares.

it is time the fans start a boycott to send a loud message to these awful owners that either they invest in these teams or get rid of these teams !

enough is enough!

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It’s way to early in this baseball season , i wouldn’t write the Braves off as a failure yet . They are only 2 games out of first place . The Braves are playing pretty good baseball behind teams like the Mets and Phillies who happen to have a multi million dollar offensive line up . The Braves need only to pick up a good lead-off hitter ,they have the pitching already. GO Braves

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I love Chipper’s comment after the game if they had been no-hit again:

“I think if that would have happened, you probably have to put us all on a suicide watch.”

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This is a very tough Eastern Division. We are going to see some great baseball. My prediction: This will be our A-team lineup within the next 4-6 weeks. Schaefer, Prado, Jones, McCann, Glaus, Heyward, Escobar, Diaz. B-team, take out Chipper and add Infante to the bottom of the order. This will make them competitive on a night to night basis. Enjoy the season, but with the division being this competitive, I don’t see the wild card coming from this division.

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This is a joke of a team. We are getting 1 hit by a 47 year old WAY PAST HIS PRIME pitcher with an ERA of 5.70, lol.

Fielding the ball is an adventure with this bunch.

Finally, Bobby Cox will no doubt say once again that “we hit the ball hard tonight”. Well, here’s a news flash Bobby……….so the the Phillies, lol. Only with the Phillies, they actually drive the ball with a purpose…….instead of swinging wildly like the Braves do.

We’ll be 8 games out of first come Monday morning. We’re going to get swept. BANK ON IT!

I love the Braves, however I’m a realist. WE SUCK A$$!!!!!! No other way to put it. And our manager only sees fit to coddle his players and coaches. PATHETIC

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..This is a joke of a team. We are getting 1 hit by a 47 year old WAY PAST HIS PRIME pitcher with an ERA of 5.70, lol.

Fielding the ball is an adventure with this bunch.

Finally, Bobby Cox will no doubt say once again that “we hit the ball hard tonight”. Well, here’s a news flash Bobby……….so the the Phillies, lol. Only with the Phillies, they actually drive the ball with a purpose…….instead of swinging wildly like the Braves do.

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;;This is a sorry excuse of a team. We are getting 1 hit by a 47 year old WAY PAST HIS PRIME pitcher with an ERA of 5.70, lol.

Fielding the ball is an adventure with this bunch.

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;;Finally, Bobby Cox will no doubt say once again that “we hit the ball hard tonight”. Well, here’s a news flash Bobby……….so did the Phillies, lol. Only with the Phillies, they actually drive the ball with a purpose…….instead of just hacking like the Braves do.

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What are the odds that Bobby Cox will say during his fluff session with the Atlanta press that “we hit the ball hard tonight”?

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………that “we hit the ball hard tonight”?

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…..that we had some good swings?

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2 hit complete game shutout by a 47 year old pitcher? PATHETIC!!!!!!!!!!!

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Oh they just need a little treaking. Let’s lose McLOUTH, CABRERA, and JONES. Move GLAUS to third. Plug in DAMON, FIELDER and HOLLIDAY then…………….oh, its too late for that? The free agent season is over? So why didn’t we do that? Weren’t they all unrestricted FA’s this year?

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Mark, after watching how the Braves have played lately, this is what I’ve concluded.

This team is trying to remain “Competetive” with guys who are older, and have huge salaries. They are using the pipe dream of chasing a wild card. (The Phillies are way too strong to even think we can catch them for the East, and now they are starting to play like themselves) Thus, most of our payroll is eaten up on guys who are old and unproductive.

Lowe: Makes 15 mil. Has a nearly 6 ERA. The only reason he has a winning record, is that until last night, the Braves scored ten runs a night for him.

Chipper: Old, unproductive.

Glaus and Hudson: Not “old” yet, but neither exactly young, and not what they used to be.

I was thinking of how we got good for fifteen years in the 1990s. In the mid 80s, we made a decision to stop trying to chase 500 with old, unproductive guys, and said “We’re going to take our lumps for four or five years, finish in last, and rebuilid through the draft” Such a philsophy got us Justice, Avery, Smoltz, Glavine. (Okay, we traded for, and signed, a few free agents that helped us win. The Madduxs, and Pendeltons, and Neagles)

I think this team might be at the same stage as we were in say, 1985. After we struck out with Sutter and that awful contract. (Which we are still paying) We decided to take our hits, and lose for five years, so we could be good for fifteen.

I know Lowe is likely untradeable with that contract, and Chipper isnt going anywhere but to retirement. I’m beginning to think: Maybe it would be best if we lost 100 games this year, instead of “recovering” to finish at 500. Such might get us the number one pick next year. The last time we had the number one pick, in 1990, a pretty good hitter named Mr Larry Wayne Jones came our way.

Turner Field might be empty for a few years, like the old park was from 1985 to 1990, but, if we tear down, to eventually build up, we might agan create a dynasty. like we had from1991 to 2006.

No fan wants to see his team be bad. It was painful to watch the Braves in the mid to late 80s, but this team is even more painful to watch. By 1989 and 1990., when Smoltz, Glavine, and Justice were on board, you just had a feeling “These guys are good, and they’re young. This might be something special”.

The current Braves should build around three guys. Hanson, Heyward, and Mccann., Those guys are good enough, and young enough, to be productive for a decade, like Glavine and Smoltz were.

My bet is that Liberty wont, or cant, do this, because they will want to get people to the ballpark now. Even if we start hitting, all this will get us, at best, is a team that is mediocre, with no high draft picks, and no real future.

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Ernie Harwell was traded for a baseball player. Greg Olsen was aquired by the braves in the 90s for some baseball equipment. Does anyone think we could get anything for Frank Wren. His resume: signed Derek Lowe to a high priced multi year contract, traded his best pitcher from last year (Javier Vasquez) for Melky Crabrera. Failed to offer a contract to slick fielding, home run hitting, Adam Laroche. Did not offer a contract to Kelly Johnson (8 home runs .320ba for Arizona), he also could play left field. Traded Jeff Francouer for Ryan Church, where is he now. Maybe if we throw in Terry Pendelton some minor league team might give us some batting practice baseballs for them, but then we would be taking advantage of that team.

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I’m not a doomsdayer, and rsrely comment, but here goes. The Braves paid $60M for a sinkerball pitcher. That is on Wrenn. This forced us to trade Vazquez for nothing.

Stop ragging on Glaus, he’s not the problem. Wrenn is the problem. Glaus has no pop, but he is the 2nd leading run producer. Our corner infielders and catcher have 6 HRs. Our CF is below the Mendoza line. They can’t possibly be this bad all season.

We will probably finish around .500.

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I say DO THE CHOP

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Go Braves! And take the Hawks with you!

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