From ‘epic fail’ to the playoffs: Saluting Frank Wren’s wild year
Chipper Jones went down, but Frank Wren stood tall all season. (AJC photo by Hyosub Shin)
One year ago today, Frank Wren consummated the trade that prompted this correspondent to write the geeky words “epic fail” and to describe it as “the worst thing I’ve seen all year.” (Not that you can actually see a trade happen, but I was so stunned I was thinking even less clearly than usual.)
It was, as I’m sure you remember, the Javier-Vazquez-to-the-Yankees swap, and two of the three acquired players (Melky Cabrera and Mike Dunn) have already been rendered ex-Braves. And the third, young pitcher Arodys Vizcaino, hurt his arm midway through the minor-league season. But you know what I’m calling Frank Wren 365 days later?
My man of the year in Atlanta sports.
The Braves broke a four-year playoff drought for many reasons — Jason Heyward’s flying start, Tim Hudson’s recovery, Troy Glaus’ month of May — but mostly they broke it because their general manager kept plugging leaks, of which there were many. The lineup on Opening Day shared only two starters with the one that took the field for Game No. 162, which meant an awful lot had gone wrong. But the Zen of Wren in Twenty-Ten was his utter persistence in drawing up new plans.
The Braves’ relationship with Yunel Escobar finally soured, so Wren imported Alex Gonzalez to play shortstop. Glaus went bad after lifting the Braves to first place and Chipper Jones got hurt in August, prompting Wren to pry Derrek Lee from the Cubs. At the trade deadline Wren acquired Rick Ankiel and Kyle Farnsworth from the Royals, and lo and behold they were the key figures in the Braves’ first playoff victory since Oct. 6, 2005.
That no single Wren move had the dramatic oomph of John Schuerholz’s trade for Fred McGriff in July 1993 only underscores the point: This GM wasn’t shopping with Ted Turner’s bankroll. Wren had to buy cheap and keep buying. It’s a cliche to say that baseball teams assume the personality of their manager, but this season offered a twist: The 2010 Braves actually took after their general manager. They were dogged. They were resourceful. They kept figuring out ways to steal a ballgame here and there.
At the end they had almost nothing left: Chipper was gone after hurting himself making the Braves’ second-best defensive play of the year, and Martin Prado got hurt making the season’s best defensive play. Glaus stopped hitting. Nate McLouth never started. Kenshin Kawakami won only one game and was replaced in the rotation by Kris Medlen, who hurt his arm. The Braves’ first two starters in a key three-game series in Philadelphia were the rookies Brandon Beachy and Mike Minor, the former making his big-league debut.
Somehow this incredible shrinking club made the playoffs, whereupon Billy Wagner was lost. And still the Braves were one strike from taking a 2-1 series lead on the team that would win the World Series — Eric Hinske, an offseason Wren find, had hit a stunning two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth — when the inevitable-in-hindsight collapse occurred.
Without Wagner, Bobby Cox turned to two rookies — first Craig Kimbrel, then Dunn — to try and close. Without Jones and Prado, the Braves were down to the third-stringer Brooks Conrad at second base. (Conrad had already made so many errors at third base in the regular season’s final week that he was moved across the diamond.) Dunn yielded the tying single to Aubrey Huff, and then Conrad made his third error of the most awful night any player has ever had.
“The worst loss I’ve ever had,” Wren would say later, but in its way that wrenching Game 3 only showed how much the Braves had to surmount to get that far. The Phillies had a bunch of guys hurt, but they got well, and when in doubt Philly can always go buy another pitcher. (This July it was Roy Oswalt.)
To view the Braves in preseason was to think, “If all goes well, they’ll have a chance to make the playoffs.” Almost nothing followed the script, and still they made it. They made it because Wren was willing to try anything and everything — and did.
Oh, and Javier Vazquez? He stunk as a Yankee.
By Mark Bradley
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137 comments Add your comment
Benjamin
December 22nd, 2010
12:35 pm
Best closing sentence ever, MB.
FIRST!
jdknipe
December 22nd, 2010
12:36 pm
Boom Roasted
Supes
December 22nd, 2010
12:38 pm
Mark…I don’t think you can still label th Vazquez trade to the Yankees a bust.
Arodys Vizcaino still has a lot of upside and folks within the organization are high on him…on the other side, do you think we get UGGLA from the Marlins without Dunn? We probably would have had to give up Venters (if they wanted a LH young arm) if Dunn hadn’t been on the team in result of that very same trade you lambasted last year.
and yes Vazquez flamed out in NY, just like many thought that he would b/c he had done it all before. Wren knew what he was doing…given that he couldn’t move D-Lowe due to his contract situation we were stuck with him. Javy had to go and so he went.
Until Vizcaino is proven “as a bust” the verdict for this trade is still out. Keep that in mind Mark.
Will
December 22nd, 2010
12:40 pm
Game three. Still hurts to think about it. Maybe always will. And I don’t think I’ve ever even been SECOND commenting on a MB blog.
braves gonna win it all in 11
December 22nd, 2010
12:41 pm
third!!
Herschel Talker
December 22nd, 2010
12:42 pm
MB:
Well said. I request both of these follow ups to this fine piece of work:
From #2 in the country to ‘epic fail’ against Colorado: Saluting Mark Richt’s pathetic tenure.
From the Eric Hinske clutch of all clutch HRs to blowing a game by leaving Brooks Conrad in the game and pinch running a catcher for a catcher: Saluting Bobby Cox’s pathetic tenure.
HT
Benjamin
December 22nd, 2010
12:46 pm
Supes with good points…
…personally, I’m very high on Viz. TJ surgery at his age isn’t anywhere near the death sentence it used to be, and he’s still a highly valued prospect. Re: the commentary concerning Mike Dunn, the Vaz trade ultimately led to the Uggla deal, imo. Dunn’s a solid young reliever, and as pointed out, without him, it’s likely we’re moving Johnny Venters.
Keith
December 22nd, 2010
12:51 pm
Mark,
After yesterday’s blog and my comment, you made a reference to Hinske’s homer in the playoffs. Thanks.
I’m sure it wasn’t because of me reminding you, but thanks to letting me think it was!
GO FALCONS!
Milt Famey
December 22nd, 2010
12:55 pm
Mark, You’re right about Wren. He did a fine job within his limited budget. The trade of Vazquez was prompted by that budget. It freed up money to sign Glaus and Hinske. It also provided a tradeable asset in Dunn and Vizcaino is still listed in the Braves top 10 prospects. Melky was a mediocre OF but overpaid for sure. Merry Christmas and look forward spring training.
Keith
December 22nd, 2010
1:01 pm
I also made comments about thanks to Wren for making a deal to bring back Hinske. Mark, I think we are on the same page. Any openings at the AJC?
Good work.
vmguru
December 22nd, 2010
1:01 pm
“the Zen of Wren in Twenty-Ten” – Great alliteration Mark – I like it. And I agree with you – Wren really has done a far better job than many of us (especially those on the AJC blogs) ever expected.
Keith
December 22nd, 2010
1:02 pm
I’ve always liked Wren. He does a superior job.
Mark Bradley
December 22nd, 2010
1:03 pm
You planted the seed, Keith. Thanks much.
Mark Bradley
December 22nd, 2010
1:04 pm
Kudos, Benjamin. And thanks.
JSS
December 22nd, 2010
1:05 pm
Only four people in Atlanta professional sports need to have been mentioned. Marynell Meadors, Kathy Betty, Rick Dudley “Doo Right!,” and Craig Ramsay all merit the collective Atlanta Sports People of the Year. If Betty owned the Falcons, they’d not have that big “?” mark hanging over their success.
The Braves are still a “collective” group of underachievers… Still I look forward to seeing how Heyward and Uggla progress in shedding the failures which taint the past Braves era…
Happy Holidays
Ted M
December 22nd, 2010
1:06 pm
Wren is off to great start for 2011 season too.
JSS
December 22nd, 2010
1:11 pm
“Conrad made his third error of the most awful night any player has ever had.”
Nope, not worse than hanging sliders to either Chili Davis, Jim Leyritz, or Charlie Hayes!
Milt Famey
December 22nd, 2010
1:13 pm
Speaking of FW’s limited budget, I read his interview yesterday by DOB in which Dave asked him if he felt like the budget limited his management. Of course FW said the right things like always but he had to be thinking–’Duh,what do you think? If I had a 160M budget like the Phillies, we would have easily have won it all.’
Mark (a different one)
December 22nd, 2010
1:17 pm
Wren also appears to have thick skin and the ability to focus on the overall goal. Sometimes us fans can’t see that. Great article and I agree 100%.
I also believe Wren has done a great job setting us up for next year. Everyone has to work within a budget, and Wren doesn’t use that as an excuse. It is a fact for every business man, and at the end of the day he runs an entertainment business.
bvillebaron
December 22nd, 2010
1:19 pm
JSS:
Did you like actually watch any of the Braves’ games last year? Sure, some players like McLouth had terrible years, but as Mark chronicles in his article, the team overcame serious injuries to key players and managed to win 91 games and make the playoffs. Two years ago it had the 7th worst record in MLB. If anything last year’s team OVERACHIEVED. I also echo Mark’s comments about Wren; despite his many detractors, he has done an excellent job particularly given the budget contraints he works under.
Your Breath Smells like Fish Fry Tacos
December 22nd, 2010
1:33 pm
Hey Mark – I guess Frank’s solid year is why he is the GM and you sit behind your computer as a fish wrapper hack second guessing everything. Stick to your stories defending Cam. You are WRONG there too.
Steve
December 22nd, 2010
1:36 pm
I’m not a big Frank Wren fan but he does a decent job with the crappy ownership this team has been plagued with the last 12 or so years. I think if this team was owned by someone that didn’t view them as a “non-core asset” then they could really compete. Until they have ownership willing to spend $120-$140 million a year we will never go back to the world series.
Ted M
December 22nd, 2010
1:37 pm
Just a hunch but I think Javier Vazquez is going to have a great year w/the Marlins.
Ted M
December 22nd, 2010
1:38 pm
Steve did you DOB interview w/Wren about the owners? It was good.
Joe Tess Fish House
December 22nd, 2010
1:39 pm
Wren is a idot for sighing a loosing manager to repalce Bobby Cox.
Ted M
December 22nd, 2010
1:39 pm
The Spirit now there is some crappy ownership.
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December 22nd, 2010
1:39 pm
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Ted M
December 22nd, 2010
1:40 pm
Joe you’re in the small minority on that one.
Lets Go Bravos
December 22nd, 2010
1:42 pm
MB, don’t you think it makes a GM a lot smarter to offer a $100MM contract like the Yankees, Phillies and Red Sox do? I was right on the train with you last year and thought the JV trade was one of the worst ever in Braves history. Frank Wrenn did prove that he could assemble a team with good depth on a hamstring budget and adapt at many times during the year. He also gets credit for choosing to keep Huddy and look at the year he had. D Lowe also produced big time the last month or two of the season pitching like a #1 starter when the playoffs were on the line. I still think the Braves are handicapped by the McLouth trade and centerfield could produce a 200 average again this year. At least the Braves have some good mix of young pitchers and veterans like D Lowe and Huddy and should be in good shape for a few years.
No Crying in Basketball
December 22nd, 2010
1:42 pm
You don’t mention that the biggest of the Vasquez trade was that it freed up something like $12 million in salary. Also not getting rid of D-Lowe was huge. It was a good year, and now we are headed in the right direction.
Ted M
December 22nd, 2010
1:43 pm
Mark,
What do you want for Christmas? I mean besides Paul Hewitt’s head as we all want that.
lawzoo
December 22nd, 2010
1:46 pm
I met Frank Wren in Myrtle Beach in 2000 or 2001. Smart guy. Bravos are lucky to have him in today’s market(s).
stew
December 22nd, 2010
1:48 pm
At the time of the trade, Javy was probably the 4th best pitcher in the NL. That said any trade can be looked back on a year later. It was not the right move at the time. Melky stunk. Dunn’s whip was way too high. Vizcaino got hurt. Maybe, Vizcaino has an upside, But he’s still behind Teheran and Delgado. I don’t really think Gonzo, Farns, Ankiel, and Lee really made any great contributions. We rode Glaus’ month and a half into a wild card spot and actually blew a seven game lead over the Phils. Truth is we needed the last game of the year which the Phils played like an exhibition game to secure the spot. We almost blew that game as well. We were dead at the end of the year. We had many multiple error games. We couldn’t catch the ball.
Ted M
December 22nd, 2010
1:48 pm
Lets Go Bravos “centerfield could produce a 200 average again this year” you could be right about that but it won’t all be McLouth. I think McLouth will only get a 4 to 5 week window to prove himself.
What does everyone else think? How long is McLouth’s leash?
Theron Sapp
December 22nd, 2010
1:55 pm
Mr. Bradley, props to you (or your headine writer) for the Tom Waits reference.
Keith
December 22nd, 2010
1:56 pm
Re: Stew
Actually, it was the right move at the time. And if you can’t judge a trade by looking back, how can you judge it then?
And the other half of your post has to do with a rash of injuries to all-stars and poor performances by players. No matter how good or bad you think wren was, no one could have influenced Conrad’s 3 errors or our bullpen letting Philly back in the last game.
GO BRAVES!
Keith
December 22nd, 2010
1:57 pm
Re: Ted M
Not sure about McLouth’s leash. I’d like to think he has a month to prove or we roll with another plug-in CF. However, that probably depends on how Fredi G will manage. Good question, though.
Starring Kam Fong as Chin Ho
December 22nd, 2010
1:59 pm
Herschel Talker is a pathetic blogger
Keith
December 22nd, 2010
1:59 pm
Mark,
NO problem!
I also planted a seed regarding a blog you wrote regarding how poor Sept play (and strong sept play, for that matter) doesn’t always result in a poor playoff showing…
I will take it from your silence on the issue that with the economy, AJC is not looking to hire a blog assistant.
Ted M
December 22nd, 2010
2:01 pm
“no one could have influenced Conrad’s 3 errors or our bullpen letting Philly back in the last game.”
It was the Giants and Bobby Cox should have known his infield defense stunk. Cox should have stayed with Kimbrel he was and is a strikeout machine. You don’t have to worry about bad defense when pitcher strikeout everyone.
What??
December 22nd, 2010
2:03 pm
The Vazquez deal was made to free up salary to resign Huddy, not Glaus and Hinski. Vazquez for Huddy was a great trade.
Ted M
December 22nd, 2010
2:03 pm
Kieth – My guess is McLouth’s leash will be shorter w/Fredi then w/Cox.
GW Bridge
December 22nd, 2010
2:04 pm
I am a recent transplant to Atlanta and a baseball fan – baseball, not the Yankees or Mets. In the time I have been here, it never ceases to amaze me how Braves fans are happy just being in the playoffs. In other cities, you have not had a successful season unless you win the Championship.
Are Braves fans so undemanding? Satisfied by mediocraty? Perhaps this explains why the Braves have been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs the last five times they made it?
Perhaps the new manager might bring a stronger desire to win and dissolve the status quo?
ET
December 22nd, 2010
2:05 pm
I see where some idiot called Wren an idiot. That has to be some kind of ironic literary conflabulation, don’t you think?
Keith
December 22nd, 2010
2:06 pm
Ted M
stew’s post: ” Truth is we needed the last game of the year which the Phils played like an exhibition game to secure the spot. We almost blew that game as well. ”
Keep up, Ted. That’s referring to the Phillies last game of the regular season.
Did you even read the post I was responding to? hehe
Keith
December 22nd, 2010
2:07 pm
Re: Ted M
I agree with Mclouth leash.
Ted M
December 22nd, 2010
2:07 pm
GW Bridge – your thoughts apply even more to Hawks then the Braves.
Ted M
December 22nd, 2010
2:10 pm
oh sorry, but I think Conrad’s only 3 error game was against the Giants. I think he had 7 errors in the week of the reg season though.
Keith
December 22nd, 2010
2:10 pm
Re: Ted M
But I’ll give you that I should have constructed 2 sentences and not lumped in the playoff reference and the last regular season reference….hehe
Keith
December 22nd, 2010
2:11 pm
Ted,
Yes, and yes!!! haha
dap01
December 22nd, 2010
2:11 pm
Great article MB. I am very impressed with Frank Wren who keeps plugging holes without jeapordizing our farm system and future.
Keith
December 22nd, 2010
2:11 pm
3 error game
Our bullpen letting Philly come back after a huge lead in the last regular season game
2 separate games and issues.
Ted M
December 22nd, 2010
2:12 pm
in the “last” week
Keith
December 22nd, 2010
2:13 pm
“last game” (of the regular season)
Keith
December 22nd, 2010
2:13 pm
Ok, I need to get back to WORK
lawzoo
December 22nd, 2010
2:22 pm
So G W Bridge how are your Pirates going to do in 2011?
What??
December 22nd, 2010
2:33 pm
G W Bridge – It’s pretty stupid to come on here and suggest that Braves fans are happy just making the playoffs without considering the circumstances. Yes, we are happy making the playoffs in 2010 when we are working to rebuild our team within the budget constraints presented by absentee corporate ownership (Liberty Media). Are we satisfied with the payroll the ownership is providing? Absolutely not, but that is something that Frank Wren can’t control and therefore can’t be blamed for. He has done well with what he has been given and has the Braves poised to be very good over the next 5-8 years once the are sold (hopefully after this season). Take your sports elitism and show it up your a$$.
Jdiddy
December 22nd, 2010
2:33 pm
It’s amazing how you flip-flop all the time and still have a job. Just a few days ago you were bashing Wren for the reported Uggla extension even though economically it is a great deal for the Braves. So I just have to assume 5 years from now you will be writing another pointless blog about how you were wrong again. Hopefully by then your blog will be on MySpace rather than AJC.
Skeezix
December 22nd, 2010
2:38 pm
Mark: I’m not ready to give FW that much credit. We are still living with and paying for some of his worse decisions (example-K.K. and McOut). But he has been making better decisions over the last 12 months. If the Braves win the NL East this year–he will certainly deserve a bunch of the credit.
stew
December 22nd, 2010
2:42 pm
Why is everyone so high on Lowe? We traded Javy only because we couldn’t dump Lowe. We should dump him now that someone (Yanks) might take him off our hands and pay all or almost all of his salary.
C from Marietta
December 22nd, 2010
2:59 pm
GW Bridge – Please go back to Yankee land. We are stick and tried of YOU Yankess screwing up your home. Then, moving here and saying how great it was up north. If it is so great, why come down south? I love how stupid Yankees think they know everything.
Mark Bradley`s Booster
December 22nd, 2010
3:01 pm
Mark: This the second straight blog that I am responding as your “Booster”. You are right on about Wren. He has worked very hard and did a great job to get enough players to get 91 wins in 2010. Given all the injuries,fielding problems and other issues that occured on the field, it was an amazing accomplishment for the Braves to get to the playoffs. I believe we will be competitive enough with what we have now to have a good 2011 season. If the present roster turns out not to be
what we need, Wren will get busy again and plug up the holes.
cantondawg
December 22nd, 2010
3:09 pm
I think it’s amazing the job that Frank Wren has done. With limited financial resources, he has built a very competitive team. I can’t wait until Liberty Media sells the Braves (hopefully to Arthur Blank). They need an owner that really cares about the team and the city. To me, Arthur Blank is the best owner any atlanta team has ever had.
Oh yeah, Herschel Talker, you’re an annoying a-hole. We’re all disappointed with the season but it’s no reason to whine and bitch like a little girl every single day. CMR tenure has been good except for the last two years. Perhaps you should go change your diaper you little baby.
VT Fan
December 22nd, 2010
3:15 pm
GW Bridge suffers from that illness that all yankees believe it is their birthright to be the champs no matter what. You yankee morons don’t realize that everyone wants to win and we aren’t going to rollover just because your owners spend like drunk sailors.
Delta is ready when you are – and it sounds like you are more than ready.
fieldofdreams
December 22nd, 2010
3:16 pm
I think Wren did an admirable job. John 10:10.
DawginLex
December 22nd, 2010
3:18 pm
Great article MB. It takes guts to reproduce your own writings from earlier and admit you were wrong about Wren.
HT, will you admit you are wrong when UGA rebounds and Richt proves he can coach and you will be saying “Thank God we didn’t hire Muschamp?”
jeffrey d
December 22nd, 2010
4:05 pm
I still don’t get how people could be against the trade. We had 7 starters (Vazquez, Lowe, Hudson, Hanson, Jurrjens, Kawakami, Medlen) and Mike Minor pretty close to being ready. Vazquez has had a so-so career, so why not trade him when his value is sky high and he’s only got 1 year left on his contract. For some reason, nobody seems to notice that the Yankees gave up their top pitching prospect in the deal.
Matt
December 22nd, 2010
4:13 pm
“Eric Hinske, an offseason Wren find,”
This makes it seem like Wren alone thought Hinske would work when no one else wanted him. The guy has contributed throughout his career. I know this is a feel good fluff piece about your boy, but come on.
Einsteindawg
December 22nd, 2010
4:25 pm
You didn’t have to be me to know that Javy would flame out. Just look at his history…one great season followed by two poor ones. What a waste of potential. Good job by Wren doing his homework.
Einsteindawg
December 22nd, 2010
4:27 pm
Dawginlex, where did you get that peyote’ you’re smoking? Richt quit coaching three years ago…he’s just stealing the money now.
DawginLex
December 22nd, 2010
4:36 pm
Shoot me. I still believe the guy has one more SEC title run in him.
I don’t fear Muschamp being at Florida.
Beat Spurrier, which Richt has done a lot, and the East is ours.
If he blows it, I’ll support the next guy.
JSS
December 22nd, 2010
4:38 pm
“Did you like actually watch any of the Braves’ games last year?”
Yes…
Sure, some players like McLouth had terrible years, but as Mark chronicles in his article, the team overcame serious injuries to key players and managed to win 91 games and make the playoffs.”
Who? Chipper? Prado? Heyward? Diaz? Jurrigens? With exception of Prado and Heyward, the Braves got more than clutch performance from their fill-ins. Any fan still counting on Chipper for more 100 games a season is daff! Who are you talking about, Matt Diaz? He should always be a 4th outfielderAnd how exactly long was Utley out last year? Werth and Rollins were in terrible slumps for players with the track records. They caught the Braves with a man almost old enough to hold a AARP card pitching significant innings.
“Two years ago it had the 7th worst record in MLB. If anything last year’s team OVERACHIEVED.”
Yeah, with Tim Hudson on the DL, the ever injured Chipper Jones, and mentally soft Jeff Francouer and a team that used 28 different pitched, the 08 Braves ended up just where they should have 72 wins.
The ‘10 Braves were winning before Jones finally caught up at the plate… Then he did what he always does, imploded!. And during the month of September, the Braves did the same thing too! If the Padres and Giants had not faced off the weekend, they both will have passed them too…
Mike McDonald
December 22nd, 2010
4:39 pm
At this time, aside from pitching, the Braves’ have three bona fide starting position players: a first rate catcher, Brian McCann; an infielder – Martin Prado playing the outfield; and an unsigned second baseman, Uggla. Hayward has not shown more than early foot. Freeman is a big question mark. We have no good-to-go center fielder nor third baseman.And Gonzo is a poor substitute for Yunel.
And Mark Bradley thinks that Wren is the man of the year.
JSS
December 22nd, 2010
4:40 pm
“28 different pitchers”
Einsteindawg
December 22nd, 2010
4:42 pm
DawginLex…I applaud your loyalty and this is just my opinion; however, I haven’t seen anything out of Richt that gives me hope. Compare his lack of passion from film of his first six years vs now, and this translates all the way through his team. BTW, are you in Lex, NC, home of the third best BBQ in the South?
Herschel Talker
December 22nd, 2010
5:11 pm
DawginLex:
Seriously dude? Anyone who still thinks that Richt has a “run” in him clearly doesn’t get the big picture. Let’s not be silly now.
HT
Mitchell
December 22nd, 2010
5:14 pm
One year ago today, Frank Wren consummated the trade that prompted this correspondent to write the geeky words “epic fail” and to describe it as “the worst thing I’ve seen all year.” (Not that you can actually see a trade happen, but I was so stunned I was thinking even less clearly than usual.)
It was, as I’m sure you remember, the Javier-Vazquez-to-the-Yankees swap, and two of the three acquired players (Melky Cabrera and Mike Dunn) have already been rendered ex-Braves.
I remember I was in Hawaii, filming an SMU Mustangs practice session at Aloha Stadium, the sweltering Hawaiian sun beating down. I got a text from a friend and I told this photographer guy from the Dallas Morning News who was a Braves fan and we were like, “Are you freaking kidding me?”
I was pissed. But I guess it all worked out.
That’s right. I worked Pony Excess before it was even called Pony Excess and before we even knew it would be on ESPN. I was there at the beginning when my friend, the director, was a nobody. Then ESPN took over and ultimately I got almost no credit for my work. So that sucked.
Lesson learned though. Never get involved with something like that at the very beginning. Somewhere in the middle or towards the end. Otherwise you will be forgotten.
That’s why them call them the “little people.” I am a little person. But it’s all good. No bitterness.
Well, still somewhat bitter about the past 20 year and only one World Series.
But whatever.
Go Braves.
Your Breath Smells like Fish Fry Tacos
December 22nd, 2010
5:22 pm
Mitchell: Hire a good contract attorney. Let the hippies and hipsters work for free and save the planet.
Mitchell
December 22nd, 2010
5:24 pm
Also bitter about the Giants winning the World Series because we should have beaten them and the Rangers just plain got their @$$es kicked.
And that nobody picked the Braves to win the division and that they ultimately did not win the division and that the media thought they had no right to be in the playoffs and called them the worst of the eight teams in the post-season and that they were correct in predicting that they would not beat the Giants even though they were the only team to give them a series.
And at Bobby Cox for leaving Brooks Conrad at second base in the 9th inning of Game 3 and for taking Kimbrel out for Mike Dunn.
I guess that’s about it. But I mean, come on. We’re Braves fans.
Somebody’s gotta carry this angst through the winter.
Braves need to take it to next level in 2011.
That is all.
Mitchell
December 22nd, 2010
5:31 pm
I didn’t say I didn’t get paid. And I do have some shots in the film but not as many as I had hoped.
My contention is that I didn’t get a credit for my camera work. My friend is the director, or the director is a friend. I’ve bitched to him enough about it. I just geniunely like complaining.
Anyway, we were in Hawaii. That didn’t suck. The best part is you don’t have to deal with family or buy presents. It was awesome.
I almost would have done it for free.
Brad
December 22nd, 2010
5:42 pm
I agree. At the time I thought the JV trade was crazy and wished we had the money to keep him but oh well. The Braves were by far the best team in NL at the All Star Break. Then, we lost Chipper, Medlen, and towards the end Prado. There was no way we could hold off the Phillies without those players. And I was shocked that we even made the playoffs. We were the best team at the All Star Break but only 2 games over .500 after the break. You can’t expect to make it far in the playoffs when you are playing .500 ball and are using a 3rd string 2nd baseman.
Mitchell
December 22nd, 2010
5:50 pm
Well now that I’ve finally read the article, I concur.
Frank Wren in 2010 was better at his job than Bobby Cox was at his.
The Braves made the playoffs in spite of their manager. They did it for him but he undermined their efforts by blowing it once again in the playoffs.
That said, the division series against the team I will not name was pretty amazing. The Braves showed more spirit and guttiness than any previous Braves team in maybe a decade. They really played with a lot of heart and considering the lesser degree of talent relative to the handful of 100 win teams in the ‘90 and early 2000s, you just have to wonder why we never saw anything nearly as clutch and dramatic as Eric Hinske’s homerun with two outs in the 8th inning of Game 3.
Still hard to believe we lost that game but it was a real throwback to all the punches to the gut of playoffs past.
But Game 2 was still incredible. We at least have one good memory from the whole deal.
todd grantham
December 22nd, 2010
5:51 pm
Sounds like I wasn’t even in the running..
GOP Cannon
December 22nd, 2010
5:53 pm
Nice article MB! It is amazing how much the playoff team changed from the opening day team.
Bob Pettit
December 22nd, 2010
5:56 pm
Typical Atlanta media – Braves get blown out again in the playoffs & everything’s OK – how about a challenge once in a while???? I guess we’re supposed to feel grateful for them doing what they’re supposed to do – the injuries bought another year of acceptance………….
Mark Bradley
December 22nd, 2010
5:56 pm
You were close, Coach Todd.
And thanks, GOP Cannon.
Darryl Blackberry
December 22nd, 2010
5:56 pm
Does Ted Turner have a rich heir who’s a Braves fan, by any chance?
Lord, I miss our payroll.
Joey
December 22nd, 2010
6:00 pm
If Wren had the Yankees’ checkbook, one could only wonder . . .
I just wish Yunell could have had Fredi this year, mentoring him . . .
German Shepherd Dawg
December 22nd, 2010
6:02 pm
Conrad had a three error game.
Big deal.
Joe had a four error sentence.
“Wren is a idot for sighing a loosing manager to repalce Bobby Cox.”
And he only used thirteen words. Amazing that he would call someone else an idiot….oops, excuse me. Idot.
Joey
December 22nd, 2010
6:10 pm
“Beat Spurrier, which Richt has done a lot, and the East is ours.”
****************************
DawginLex,
You never have silly posts, but what you are saying is that, next season, we will have to win all of our other SEC East games, because you know, and we know . . . . Richt can’t beat UF, no matter who their head coach is. Remember Zook?
Dang, I want to beat UF, but I know, deep down, Richt will be the first coach in UGA history to lose to 4 (FOUR) different UF coaches.
Hell, he may be the only coach of ANY team to lose to lose to 4 (FOUR) UF coaches.
Chief Hittabatta
December 22nd, 2010
6:31 pm
That playoff appearance WAS an epic fail, thanks to Brooks “Bucker” Conrad.
Dean
December 22nd, 2010
6:39 pm
I’ve said all along that Wren has done a masterfull job. Glad to see him finally get some credit for it. Of course, the naysayers will continue to say how much he’s hurt the team. He is one of the best GM’s in the game!
J-Man
December 22nd, 2010
6:42 pm
Just please dont write any “8 Reason” articles anymore…….. Especially about the Falcons. Other than that I still love ya
stachemoney22
December 22nd, 2010
6:48 pm
Bradley: you and the rest of the media are the reason that we have to accept mediocrity in Atlanta Sports. You never question the management’s face when a poor move is made. You call Frank Wren man of the year and gm of year when he traded Yunel Escobar away for a guy that barely has a .300 opb and makes four times as much as Escobar. You applaud someone that trades for Farnsworthless and Rick .300 obp Ankiel. We didn’t go from a .571 first half team to a .500 team for no reason. Omar Infante filled with an opb of approx .370 when chipper went down. Conrad went 7-20 when prado went down.
We went from likely world series bound to making the playoffs by one game as a wild card. Instead of adding a high obp OF wren acquired RicK AnKiel and Alex Gonzalez which caused us to have at least 4 automatic outs in our lineup almost every single night. Subtract Blanco, Escobar, and other high obp players for outmakers and that’s how you go from .570 to barely .500. Terrible GM work. Get a clue, please.
sidslid
December 22nd, 2010
6:54 pm
Love year end awards. Local athlete of the year: Roddy White
Coach: Craig Ramsey
Exec: Wren
Play of the year: Roddy’s strip
Trade of the Year: The Blackhawk Blockbuster
Chief Hittabatta
December 22nd, 2010
6:57 pm
Agree with sidslid 100%, except Craig Ramsey and Mike Smith are in a photo finish.
stachemoney22
December 22nd, 2010
7:00 pm
Bradley, you and the rest of atl media are the reason why we have to accept mediocre mgmt in atlanta sports. you never question the mgmt face to face when poor moves are made. We went from a .571 first half team to a barely .500 team for a reason. When Chipper went down infante filled in admirably with an obp of approx .370. When prado suffered his season ending injury conrad went 7-20 with game winning homers. So how did we go from a ws bound to a mediocre team that made the playoffs by one game as wild card? Easy answer. POOR GM WORK. It’s sad that you applaud a gm who traded away a career .370 second half obp guy for a player that has a career obp of .300 and is a worse fielder in comparison to escobar and makes 4 times as much. Wren traded for RicK .300 obp AnKiel. So, when you add these losers and take away high obp guys you struggle to produce runs. With Gonzo, Ankiel, Melky, Nate on the roster we regularly played with 4 outmakers in the lineup at the same time.
Because of dumb articles like these you allow braves mgmt to make it acceptable to “just making the playoffs” good enough. sad.
"Chef" Tim Dix
December 22nd, 2010
7:30 pm
Mark, I know you didn’t mean to, but your column paints Conrad as a goat.
Without him, Wren doesn’t get your props.
bob
December 22nd, 2010
7:35 pm
Ready for Spring Training. Where is Mark’s List of the Top 50 Rap albums of the year?
Trey
December 22nd, 2010
7:48 pm
Thank you for the article Mark! Nice photo, too.
james
December 22nd, 2010
8:06 pm
thank you for putting the season in perspective.
Wren pulled a rabbit out of the hat.
The season was fun for the fans.
We have a tremendous general manager and we can look forward to success.
LivinInAL
December 22nd, 2010
8:09 pm
Wow! If stachemoney22 were the GM………
MitchC
December 22nd, 2010
8:34 pm
Mark, I’m sorry to say this. While you are completely correct about your analysis of Wren, your article actually contradicts your article from earlier this week about Uggla and his contract.
You praise Wren for shopping wisely with a bargain basement payroll, and for building a team that won 91 games, and made the playoffs, yet.. when Wren makes another important acquisition, for the power hitter this club so dearly needs, you wrote that you wouldn’t offer him a contract that is actually BELOW market value of what other players of his talent would receive.
I’ll admit I have made “Fire Frank Wren posts”, during my time as a poster on this blog. However, after seeing what the Braves accomplished in 2010, injuries and all, and after seeing FW get the power bat we need, I think the guy is doing well, with the budget choke that Liberty has around him, especially if we can lock Uggla up long term.
Maybe I’m missing the point.. but.. it seems to me it has to be one way or the other, Mark. Either praise Wren, or criticize him. We can’t really have it both ways.
Road Dog
December 22nd, 2010
9:26 pm
Well, obviously no one here read the DOB interview with Mr. Wren. He stated emphatically that Liberty Media has no monetary “choke hold” on the operation of the Atlanta Braves. He, in fact, praised them for their “hands off” position regarding the operation of the team. That said, I hope and pray he can round us up a couple of legitimate MLB outfielders before Spring Training. Be creative and get it done! Hell, trade Chipper. The Braves traded both Hank Aaron and Dale Murphy in the twilight of their careers. The two additional outfielders I’d like to see in town are Gardner from the Yankees (left fielder with speed to burn!!) and the very young, exciting, young center fielder from South Georgia with that .305 rookie batting average. Welcome back home Lorenzo Cain!! (Also has a smile worth a million bucks…)
jarvis
December 22nd, 2010
9:36 pm
Maybe we could convince KK to fake an injury this spring. Insurance picks up the rest of his salary, and he gets to go back to the land of the rising sun.
stachemoney22
December 22nd, 2010
10:23 pm
LivinInAL, come up with an intelligent rebuttal. wren screwed up from the get-go by signing KK for too much $ and doing the same with Lowe. He made these moves knowing good well that we would have a restricted payroll for the foreseeable future. Those two guys have impacted all of our moves for the past two years and will impact us for at least two more years. Wren single handedly messed over the team midseason last year. He didn’t make a single solid addition. Instead, he brought in three garbage players-anKiel, Farnsworthlessness, and Alex Gonzalez.
SawThat1nce
December 22nd, 2010
10:37 pm
The worst part of the Vazquez trade, was the acquistion of Melky Cabrera.
He stunk, but Cox loved him for some reason. How many rallies did Cabrera kill last season? We started calling his ‘weak grounder to 2nd Cabrera’ around here.
It seemed like every time one of the other LFers or CFers would get hot with the bat, Cox would have to replace him with the lazy, dead bat Melky.
I truly believe that the Braves would of had a chance to win 8 to 10 more games last year, if Cabrera would not have been on the team for Cox to blow the games with.
SawThat1nce
December 22nd, 2010
10:40 pm
Oh yeah, Cox blew that playoff series with the Giants.
Road Dog
December 22nd, 2010
11:23 pm
Melky signed with the KC Royals to be their starting center fielder. They have an established left fielder and our old friend Jeff Francouer in right field. They also have ex-Brave Gregor Blanco to back up Melky in center field. I submit the Royals with Dayton Moore’s connections with the Braves specifically acquired Lorenzo Cain in the Greinke trade to be traded to the Braves to be their starting center fielder and send McClouth packing his bags to anywhere but here. He’s 25, great baserunner, great defense, a native of Valdosta, Georgia — and in my humble opinion — a likely candidate for rookie of the year!! Welcome him home, Atlanta.
Road Dog
December 22nd, 2010
11:29 pm
To be clear, Lorenzo actually batted .306 in only 47 plate appearances — which I believe would still make him a “rookie” next year. Hence, the award.
Road Dog
December 23rd, 2010
12:02 am
Oh yeah. Brett Gardner is a native of Holly Hill, South Carolina. See earlier post. The Yankees are desperate for starting pitching. Cashman (their GM) said they may have to go with two rookies in their starting rotation! The Braves have pitching, both present and future, coming out of their “ying yang”. Trade one for Gardner. He’s young, he stole 46 bases last year, and plays great defense! Bats around .270 or so. That’s good enough with what he brings to the table. With Cox finally gone, the future is speed and defense! Uggla will hit enough home runs and base hits. Let’s get some players who can get on and get in scoring position in front of him. Let’s get these guys, close the book on Cox, play a different kind of baseball, and win the World Series next year. Both guys can be Braves if we move quickly. Beachy could probably get Gardner. (Yanks are desperate.) A pitching prospect could probably get Cain. How many pitching prospects can you continue to warehouse?? There’s always ten more on the list……
MitchC
December 23rd, 2010
12:14 am
Road Dog, I’ll admit I didnt read the interview with Frank, but.. I’ve been a Braves fan for almost 30 years. I know full well how this team operates with payroll the last eight years since Glavine went to the Mets.
One of the posters mentioned about “Trading Chipper”. I don’t know what value he would have. When Dale Murphy was traded in the twilight of his career, he had two things going for him that Chipper doesn’t. One.. he was only 34 at the time of the trade, and Chipper is going to be 39 in April. Two., even on the downside of his career, Murph played 150 games a year. When was the last time Chipper did that? Murph had a lower batting average at this point in his career, but. I believe he hit 18 or 20 homers the year he was traded from the Braves to Philly. Chipper only hit 10 last year.
Unless the Braves could get Chipper to agree to it, as he’s a 10 and 5 guy, and unless you had a team desperate enough to take on his 10 mil plus salary, I dont think any team would take Chipper now with his injury problems the last several years.
Chipper will likely stay a Brave until he retires, making him one of the few Braves HOF;s to actually retire as a Brave. Hank didnt, neither did Spahn. Knucksie “Technically” retired as a Brave, but not before a four year stint in the AL, and a farewell game, back home, as we know.
I’ll be shocked if Chipper goes anywhere but to retirement.
Trey
December 23rd, 2010
1:55 am
Mitch, Chipper retiring as a Brave is a very, very big possibility. The only way I could see him possibly going to another team is if he gets cut the way Tom Glavine did, and he didn’t feel like giving up; goes to another team and tries for them. I know Glavine didn’t, but that is the only way I could see Jones to another team, however; I think Chipper would just go ahead and retire. However, that is seeing if he makes it past spring training.
Road Dog
December 23rd, 2010
2:25 am
Hi MitchC! Great to hear from you. You are probably correct that Chipper may well be untradeable. And I have nothing against him. I like him a lot. Always have. My point was meant to be that if a franchise can trade Hank Aaron and Dale Murphy — two of our best ever — Hank maybe the best player of all time — what makes Chipper any different?? He’ll probably retire an Atlanta Brave and that would be fine. I just thought he might be “trade bait” as a DH in the American League or for a team in Texas (closer to his ranch!). May just be his nature, but he seems to me to be the polar opposite of Dale Murphy. He has no real ties to the community even after 15 years in Atlanta. Murph still comes back to Atlanta a lot — ’cause I think, he thinks, he’s still an Atlanta Brave. I met Murph at a Braves 400 Club banquet two years ago. He is the nicest human being on the planet — but he could barely walk. His knees are shot. Probably even at 35 or so. What is the 38 year old Chipper’s latest malady? Oh yeah, a torn up knee. Hmmm… But I got you beat on being a Braves fan the longest. I attended the first Braves’ game ever at old Fulton County Stadium. It was an exhibition game against the Detroit Tigers in 1966 best I remember. (Al Kaline, Rocky Colavito, all those guys…) If I’m right (no patience to look this stuff up!) — I was 11 years old at the time — so I would now have been a Braves’ fan for 44 years. Take care and Merry Christmas!!
MitchC
December 23rd, 2010
8:29 am
Trey, I see your point, but Chipper is in a different position then Glavine. Glavine’s contract had totally expired. Unless its options that I dont know about, I believe Chipper is signed through 2012 or 2013.
Road Dog, I see what you’re saying about the franchise having no problem trading Chipper, if they can let Hank Aaron and Dale Murphy go.
I’ve met Murph too. He’s awesome. I used to live in NY. I believe it was 1984. My father knew a guy who was a lawyer for the Yankees, and he was able to get me into the Braves clubhouse, before a game with the Metropolitans at Shea. I went around, getting autograhs. Murph was in the training room getting a massage, and heard that he was my idol, and I wanted to meet him, so. he came out, and signed an autogrpah, and I got to shake his hand. I was 14 at the time, and it was one of the greatest thrills of my life. Murph was about the only good player the Braves had in those days. I still wish the Veterans Committee would vote him into the Hall. I know he never won a World Series, and that the Braves teams he played on weren’t usually very good, but.. he was one of the best players in baseball, for most of the period from 1980 to 1987. Maybe that wasn’t long enough, to give him serious consideration.
Mark’s going to love this. We take his article off topic. Sorry, Mark.
Road Dog
December 23rd, 2010
9:52 am
He’ll get over it. I used to be in that “business” a long time ago. And I haven’t heard anyone call the Mets, the Metropolitans, in maybe forever — although that is their name! And I would of course vote for Murph to the HOF if I had any say in the matter. Seems I met Dale 22 years after you did. He looked in great shape. Same boyish grin. Full head of lightly graying brown hair. Except for the knees, he looks like he could bring home another MVP!! I’ll let you go. I pop on here occasionally to talk Braves. Take away the idiots, the drunks, and the abused as a child types — I find many times the fans have a clearer idea of what’s up with their sports’ teams sometimes moreso than the media types. Maybe not having to worry about that paycheck coming in frees one up a bit. Thanks Mark for starting the discussion…
TreyT
December 23rd, 2010
11:31 am
MitchC, I believe Jones’ Contract ends after next season. I know he said he wanted to play until he was 40. You’re right thought; I didn’t think about Glavine’s contract being expired.
TreyT
December 23rd, 2010
11:56 am
Road Dog, it is possible that the Braves traded Jones, but I really don’t think they will. He has this year left on his contract, and I think next. I know Wren set his contract up so he would have the opportunity to retire as a Brave. Like you said, it is possible for him to get traded, but I don’t think he will. Heck, he may not even go past Spring Traning next season; but just see if he is able to play.
Trey
December 23rd, 2010
12:00 pm
Gah, I don’t mean to keep the T in TreyT. That was something I forgot to take out.
Fourbee
December 23rd, 2010
12:48 pm
C from Marietta wrote:
I love how stupid Yankees think they know everything.
I remember my first job at age 14 (back when it was legal for kids that young to work), at a restaurant. The manager of the restaurant was a damn yankee. He had me mopping the floor. I had to go to the bathroom to pee. When I returned, he asked if I had washed my hands. I told him I was only mopping the floor not handling food or equipment. He said: “Up north our Mothers teach us to wash our hands after we pee.” I said;” Well, down South, our Daddies teach us not to pee on our hands!”
Trey
December 23rd, 2010
12:53 pm
Fourbee, that is pretty funny. I think I heard that somewhere before.
Trey
December 23rd, 2010
12:56 pm
Mark, Mr. Roddy White wants AJC to stop posting his tweets.
FW
December 23rd, 2010
1:53 pm
That Frank Wren guy is brilliant.
Paul Hewitt
December 23rd, 2010
1:54 pm
Ga. Tech lost last night because of lack of support from the sportswriters at the ajc.
Trey
December 23rd, 2010
2:13 pm
FW, he’s alright. I mean, sometimes he has me scratching my head, and other times; he has me thankful he did what he did. I am kind of disappointed that we didn’t go out for any more pitchers, and I am kinda disappointed we have to stick with McLouth. Maybe he knows something we don’t.
Trey
December 23rd, 2010
4:18 pm
Mark, so do you expect any more major moves this off-season?
Trey
December 23rd, 2010
5:10 pm
Man, I wish more people would comment on this blog. Mark is a talented writer; yet he does not have as many posters as he deserves.
Trey
December 23rd, 2010
6:49 pm
Well, I hope your blog picks up Mark. I also hope Clusters starts posting again.
Marty in Rochester
December 24th, 2010
3:40 am
righteous column Mr. Bradley. couldn’t agree with you more on this one.
Antonio Gates is not a lock for the playoffs – CBS Sports | Bet Baseball Club
December 24th, 2010
9:07 am
[...] From ‘epic fail’ to the playoffs: Saluting Frank Wren’s wild year – Atlanta Journal Cons…Somehow this incredible shrinking club made the playoffs, whereupon Billy Wagner was lost. And still the Braves were one strike from taking a 2-1 series lead on the team that would win the World Series — Eric Hinske, an offseason Wren find, had hit a … [...]
Kenny J
December 24th, 2010
9:47 am
Just for fun — Below is a lengthy blog I posted here after 30 games last year. The Wren debate was raging, and Bradley was at the top of the pile with his lob shots. Then and now, I believe we have one of the to 5 GMs in today’s game. And I agree, wouldn’t it be awesome if Arthur owned this team!
“I share the disappointment in this team but I differ in my view of Wren. Here’s why. His payroll is not bad, but not near the top, and with it he put together a team this winter that was definitely solid, sound and well-balanced: pitching, hitting, defense, bullpen and bench. All facets of the game aligned to win 85, and from that base it’s about performance to stretch that out to win 93-95. The winter is long gone, and we have seen what’s happened on the field after 30 games to show otherwise, but we disagree on the source of the problem.
Here’s Wren’s winter work: hall of fame third baseman, rising SS-2B combo, all star catcher and center fielder, and a phenom worth betting on in right field. A left field platoon that should predictably produce .280, 18 and 85, good enough for any contender whose other cylinders are firing. One of the top five rotations on paper in baseball and the best bullpen we’ve seen here in awhile. An excellent backup catcher and a reserve infielder that can step in at 4-5 positions and fully handle major league pitching. Missing: SB speed and a load of power, although with Jones, McCann, Glaus, McLouth and Hayward all fully capable of 25 plus HRs, certainly decent enough power to win if the pitching and defense are right. All this without giving away any of the organization’s top minor league talent, and picking up one of Baseball America’s top 50 prospects in the Vazquez trade to boot. Lastly, a gamble at first, where we needed a RH power hitter for the short term. Players with Glaus’s major league track record have come back from a shoulder injury and been themselves again, and clearly others haven’t. But the 1B RH Power-Hitting market wasn’t exactly easy pickings, and Adam wanted 2-3 years, big money, and signing him would block Freeman’s arrival which makes no big-picture sense. Glaus was not a bad winter gamble – and we can all agree it’s not paying off so looks horrible.
The fact that the team is so painfully underperforming on the field does not strike me as a reflection of the front office. McLouth, Escobar, Jurrjens, McCann — these guys are proven talents and are supposed to perform. They’re not. I can’t put that on Wren. True, Lowe is overpaid and past his prime (that was a Wren mistake), and Chipper is the same problem. If the public outcry hadn’t been so bad when Wren made his Glavine and Smoltz decisions – both of which proved to be right from a baseball standpoint, he could have probably made a good baseball decision with Chipper too. We the righteous fans didn’t allow that, and so now we are looking at a legend whose value TODAY is low, but whose salary is in the way of bringing in someone who can do the job in the number 3 hole and at the hot corner.
I am down on this team too, but not because of the GM. The clubhouse, the dugout, on the field, the manager-coaching staff – that’s where I’d look. Of course we’ll never get inside, so we’re simply left disappointed, wondering and entitled to our opinion. That’s mine.”
Ozzie
December 24th, 2010
11:26 am
GW – fair point. Expectations have been reduced to reflect the reality of corporate ownership and a FO which won’t fight them on it.
No Braves FO staffer is going to protest (at least publicly) how this club is run. Until Liberty unloads this club Wren and his successors (btw – Wren has no contract beyond Oct 2011 so this may be his epitaph should they miss the post season in 2011) will have to band aid and finger cross their way into the playoffs.
There is nothing for it.
The Braves payroll is lower than it was 10 years ago while MLB revenues are higher. And as pointed out by Schultz the CEO of Liberty Media made 87mm in 2009. That is more than the Braves payroll.
Sure some of it was in stock but its still 87mm for one guy in a suit 2000 miles away who has probably not attended one Braves game in the past 12 mos.
squintyeyed
December 25th, 2010
7:10 am
t
squintyeyed
December 25th, 2010
7:35 am
somebody said that FW screwed up from the get-go by overpaying KK and Lowe. I agree those contracts were a bit much but the first thing I remember him doingwastradeing for JJ. Last year he was hurt but he was our best pitcher 2 years in a row at a bargain. I dont think it is fair to hammer on the KK contract and ignore the JJ one.
squintyeyed
December 25th, 2010
7:36 am
oh, I am far from first but I am the first of the day….Merry Christmas to braves nation from Portland OR
squintyeyed
December 25th, 2010
7:53 am
I hate to sound negative but I think we will be better next year without Cox. He really took the supporting players too far. One could go on and on with examples. Last season come playoff time he had to patch together an infield with only a few players to choose from. He chose the rookie who was falling apart down the stretch amid the pressure of a pennant race over 2 veterans with playoff experience, one of them had a Gold Glove. I know both Hinske and Glauss were far from ideal at third but, we are not talking about oppening day. We are talking about fielding a team that lost 2 infielders in the playoffs. Cox didnt sit conrad until it was too late and only did it then so the kid wouldnt have to go through it again. At least that is what Bobby said. He didnt do it for the good of the team he was too focused on being a nice guy. Same goes with hitting Chipper 3rd all year.
World News As It Happens » Blog Archive » nfl playoff bracket
December 28th, 2010
10:49 am
[...] From âepic failâ to the playoffs: Saluting Frank Wrenâs wild year – Atlanta Jou… But you know what Iâm calling Frank Wren 365 days later? My man of the year in Atlanta sports. The Braves broke a four-year playoff drought for many reasons â Jason Heywardâs flying start, Tim Hudsonâs recovery, Troy Glausâ month of May â but … Dec 14, 2010 4:25am [...]