The Monday Heat Check: Braves are warm, Hawks not so hot
Eric Hinske scores the Braves' lone run against San Diego on Sunday. (AP photo)
What you see here is new weekly feature. We call it the Monday Morning Heat Check, and its intent is to measure the warmth, or the absence thereof, of Atlanta’s sports entries. And what qualifies me to determine such things? Well, I buy my eyeglasses at the same posh establishment frequented by Jim Cantore of The Weather Channel. Need I say more?
The Braves: Went 4-2 on the week, sweeping a pretty good opponent in Toronto before losing a series to the last-place Padres. On Saturday the Braves scored 10 runs and you thought, not for the first time, that maybe they’d gotten it going. On Sunday they managed two hits, and you thought, not for the first time, “Nah.” They’re still five games back of Philadelphia in the East, and Jonny Venters just proved he’s human after all. Heat index: Warm, but not nearly sizzling.
The Hawks: For a couple of hours Thursday, the Hawks were the center of the NBA universe. SI.com reported they were about to be sold, and Yahoo! Sports reported they were trying to trade Josh Smith to Minnesota for the No. 2 pick in the draft. But Bruce Levenson, one of the many owners, claimed no sale was imminent, and the trade never happened. The Hawks were left with the 48th pick in the draft and took Keith Benson, a skinny center of some promise from Oakland. This prompted Chad Ford of ESPN Insiders to give their draft class of one a league-low C-minus. Heat index: Tepid.
Georgia Tech basketball: The good news was that Iman Shumpert was selected with the 17th pick of Round 1 — by the Knicks, whose fans booed the selection. This made four first-round draftees for Tech over the past five seasons. The bad news is that those gifted Jackets never did much while they were Jackets, which is why Tech has a new coach. Heat index: Hot in terms of pro potential, chilly in terms of college production.
Georgia basketball: Had Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie returned for their senior seasons, Georgia would have been ranked in the preseason Top 25. But they left and didn’t even get taken in Round 1 for their trouble. Worse still, both were taken by the Clippers. Heat index: Cold, cold, cold.
The Falcons: They’re locked out. They’re practicing on their own. If they ever get unlocked-out, they’ll be one of the best teams in the NFL. Until then, they’re just a bunch of guys tossing around a football on a high school field. Heat index: In cold storage.
The Dream: Last season they played for the WNBA title. They’ve started this season 2-7. Yep, they’re an Atlanta team. Heat index: Not even room temperature.
The Thrashers: They’re officially gone, and they’re no longer the Thrashers and Craig Ramsay is no longer the coach and … well, it’s as if they never existed. Which prompts the question: Did they? Heat index: As cold as the grave.
I ask you: Were the guys in blue ever really here? (AJC photo by Hyosub Shin)
By Mark Bradley
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145 comments Add your comment
Bettman the Moron
June 27th, 2011
11:16 am
Oh, and I almost forgot…..Winnipeg? Is that some form of artificial hairpiece?
George P. Burdell
June 27th, 2011
11:23 am
At least Gregory won’t have to put up with all the nonsense that he could only win with Hewitt’s recruits.
Larry
June 27th, 2011
11:25 am
My lineup against the LHP tonight:
1. Schafer (LH)
2. Jones (RH)
3. McCann (LH and hits lefties)
4. Uggla (RH)
5. Freeman (LH and hits lefties)
6. Gonzo (RH and hits lefties)
7. Heyward or Hinske (LH)
8. McLouth (LH)
9. Pitcher (RH)
That’s 4 RH batters, 5 LH batters with three that hit lefties well and LH/RH balance in the lineup versus 4 of the top 5 batters being LH against a LH pitcher.
Now, hard is that, Fredi?
We all know this is too hard for ken!
Mitchell
June 27th, 2011
11:31 am
The Braves: Went 4-2 on the week, sweeping a pretty good opponent in Toronto before losing a series to the last-place Padres. On Saturday the Braves scored 10 runs and you thought, not for the first time, that maybe they’d gotten it going.
No, I knew it was bulls***.
All they needed essentially was two runs to win the game. If they had only gotten half the final total in the first five innings or so Jurrjens would have had the luxury to go out there and not feel like one pitch could cost him the game.
Scoring six or seven runs late in a game that you already have in hand proves nothing about your offense other than when the pressure’s off they have an easier time of it.
Bettman the Moron
June 27th, 2011
11:33 am
Love the people who keep saying the solution to the Braves is “spend more money”….HELLO…we just spent 62 mil on Ugly and look where it’s gotten us…..lowest batting average in the National League. Money is not the issue, and not once under Liberty’s watch have the Braves been denied the ability to go after a high priced free agent.
Tony
June 27th, 2011
11:44 am
Yep 404 i’ve said for months that carver columbus has shady things going on. now the truth is being uncovered. it’s gonna get ugly when more illegal activities come out
Phil Hamby
June 27th, 2011
11:51 am
The most maddening part of being a Braves fan for me is the way that we “pretend” . We “pretend that Freddie G. is doing a good job . We “pretend ” that Dan uggla is deserving of being in the lineup . We ” pretend ” that losing to poor teams will still get us where we need to be . Lets stop pretending and start contending .
SSIgator
June 27th, 2011
11:55 am
Mark -
You left off UGA football. The way the offensive line is wilting away the defensive line will have to play both ways this year. UGA Football = room temperature.
Joey
June 27th, 2011
11:56 am
“Scoring six or seven runs late in a game that you already have in hand proves nothing about your offense other than when the pressure’s off they have an easier time of it.”
**********************************************
That’s true, Mitchell. I’ve posted before that some of our hitters are front-runners. I’m sure all teams have guys like this – I just notice ours.
I’m not gonna name names, cause I’m pulling for the whole team, but Mac, Chipper, and Prado all seem to hit the same, no matter the situation. Mac has left a lot of RISP this season, but he has also knocked a bunch in too.
I’m still optimistic, only 4 or 5 games back, with little hitting – hell, we can still win the division. I think if Chipper or Mac go on a rediculous tear, Uggla will feel less pressure and get going at the plate.
I think one thing Fredi is not getting credit for is the much improved defense. Just saying.
DetroitBraves
June 27th, 2011
12:02 pm
The Falcons orchestrated the lockout as a final, desperate attempt to stop another Aaron Rodgers scoring drive. Alas, it didn’t work. Rodgers: 7-for-8, 72 yards, culminating in a TD pass to Donald Driver on 3-and-17. The Falcons rushed 3.
Cherokee Brave
June 27th, 2011
12:07 pm
What about the Beat?!
DetroitBraves
June 27th, 2011
12:20 pm
Mark Bradley, your article grading Fredi Gonzalez created a lively discussion. How about grading Frank Wren’s tenure? There are some things that he has done well, but what GM doesn’t have a few things they have done well? (The answer is Hawk Harrelson, but I digress.) There are others, not so much. Then there are others than could have been disastrous but were more or less avoided by luck, rather than Wren’s sudden enlightenment (Furcal, Peavy, Burnett…). Of course, all of these moves are easy enough to applaud or berate with benefit of hindsight but wondering what you and others think of the Wren era.
Sonny Clusters
June 27th, 2011
12:21 pm
Taking a team’s temperature is not something we’d want to do . . . especially if they didn’t use an oral thermometer. We think Uggla may be dropping the temperature down for the whole team.
Kyle
June 27th, 2011
12:24 pm
Go ahead and admit that Gonzalez was a mistake and lets get Jim Riggleman and a new coaching staff lined up for 2012.
Mike
June 27th, 2011
12:32 pm
I am think that Hawks is going to be sold soon, no matter what Bruce Levenson says(like most of the people doesnt believe him). i know on the Hawks blog, it was on NBA Draft review that David A not only did confirmed that rumor by CNNSI(and that article is still there and he sticking to his story) but the ASG was going to keep the lid on who they sold to. i was going to link here but it is easy to find out it. So they temp is Terpid to Lukewarm.
gcs
June 27th, 2011
12:45 pm
The Braves: WHY CAN’T THEY BEAT LAST PLACE TEAMS???
The Hawks: Trading up in this lousy draft is a BAD idea. For where they were picking, I think they did okay. Bruce Levenson can still go to H-E-double hockey sticks.
Ga Tech basketball: pretty sad when a “basketball school” is worse in hoops than the lousy football team.
Georgia basketball: Bad move by Thompkins and Leslie but they will both have 10-year careers.
The Dream: WHO CARES?
The Thrashers: Gary Bettman better not ever find himself on a layover in ATL.
.
DIT
June 27th, 2011
12:53 pm
Mark, Have you heard who the Braves might be looking at as the trade deadline will soon be coming up?
really???
June 27th, 2011
1:10 pm
I’m really not going to be surprised if the Heyward/Freeman combo plays out the same as Francoeur/McCann. Frenchy came up to all the hype, while McCann came up relatively quietly, and McCann has turned out to be the better player. I wouldn’t be surprised if Freeman surpasses Heyward as the better ‘young’ player on this Braves team.
wxwax
June 27th, 2011
1:14 pm
Mark, you ignored one of Atlanta’s professional teams.
You should at least do them the courtesy of acknowledging their existence, no?
J-Man
June 27th, 2011
1:30 pm
Bradley, I would like for you to put a poll up. Should Larry Parrish be FIRED? YES or NO. And I’m willing to bet that 90% of people will vote for him to get fired. I hope you put it up because it should make an interesting social experiment.
tela/
June 27th, 2011
1:40 pm
mark
have u asked why uggla is not batting 4th in between chipper and mcann?.359 in 39 ab ,stats dont lie
Michael "Crocodile Tears" Gearon
June 27th, 2011
1:41 pm
May as well rate the city’s Women’s Professional Soccer team as well. The Atlanta Beat have yet to win a game, and have earned two ties.
Heat index: Frigid (yep, they’re an Atlanta team too!), and a shame since they play in a great new stadium.
tela/
June 27th, 2011
1:41 pm
DIT
trade deadline is 35 days away,u call that soon?lol
tela/
June 27th, 2011
1:42 pm
jman poll was up wake up from the rock,and go look at the other articles lol
tela/
June 27th, 2011
1:44 pm
this is how the lineup should be
schafer
nate
chipper
uggla
mccann
heyward
freeman
pitcher
gonzo
tela/
June 27th, 2011
1:45 pm
dont laugh nats were 5-0 when pitcher batted 8th
bias
June 27th, 2011
1:48 pm
breaking news…….braves just traded for matt kemp
bias
June 27th, 2011
1:48 pm
source……
Najeh Davenpoop
June 27th, 2011
2:06 pm
“Heat Check”? Did Dominique Wilkins write this article?
StingerSplash
June 27th, 2011
2:09 pm
Careful, MB. Any shot at the now (thank God) ex Georgia Tech coach may get Hewitt Fan out of hibernation for more illogical defenses of the Fool at the Flats and his continued trumpeting of the greatness of the Atlanta Celtics AAU program.
Dominique Wilkins
June 27th, 2011
2:11 pm
See you in court, Bradley. Don’t forget what I did to the last guy that made me mad.
StingerSplash
June 27th, 2011
2:14 pm
The Phillies just went without Chase Utley for an extended stretch, don’t have their closer and could lose Oswalt for a while. And the Braves are only (good and bad) 5 games back.
But the only piece missing from the Braves is Prado. Hanson will be back in short order. That’s not enough to to make up ground on the Phils or to make up for the outs in the lineup that are now Struggla and Gonzalez (anyone else noticed how far his batting average has tumbled of late?) and to an extent Heyward and even … gulp … Larry Wayne Jones Jr. He’s hitting .265 with not nearly the power numbers of old. Right now, McCann and Freeman are carrying this offense. How long can a catcher and a rookie first baseman continue to do that?
J-Man
June 27th, 2011
2:15 pm
Dammn u Bias dont play with emotions lol
Bobby Coccyx
June 27th, 2011
2:40 pm
How about that World Cup Soccer!?!? I’m sittin’ around with nothing to do, so I might as well watch the wimminizez run up and down the field…
Delbert D.
June 27th, 2011
2:54 pm
Here’s the solution for the unsold Hawks: Levenson and the ASG call Ralph Wilson. Get in on a package deal to move the Buffalo Bills to L.A. as is being rumored, and swap the Hawks for the Clippers at a sweet price! A win-win-win! Plus, Jay Leno has to get new material.
really???
June 27th, 2011
3:11 pm
Delbert, sadly that will never happen. The Bills won’t move until bought, and they won’t be bought until Ralph Wilson dies. According to news reports, Wilson was bitten on the neck by Al Davis two years ago.
Matt from MN
June 27th, 2011
3:15 pm
Yet another cheap shot from you Mark about the Thrashers. Were was all of this “interest” from you and the AJC when the team WAS here? I’ve seen more coverage in the last month and a half than I’ve seen in the last 5 years combined.(*exaggeration for emphasis*). That’s sad and pitiful.
Delbert D.
June 27th, 2011
3:28 pm
But I heard it on Chuck and Chernoff, it’s got to be true. They said Wilson is planning to move the franchise in anticipation of his death. I think I got that right. I don’t think they meant he is planning to die in anticipation of his moving the franchise.
Fish Bisch
June 27th, 2011
3:43 pm
The Hawks should have drafted Chris Paul and kept Pau Gasol
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2011
3:44 pm
Wouldn’t too many Pau(l)s have spoiled the broth, so to speak?
KEN (GT BB)
June 27th, 2011
4:03 pm
Who cares about Tech BB it is pitiful and now a low paid coach who can’t recruit!! Ga State takes over as number 2 in the state, guess who’s number 1? DAWGS RULE Football now basketball!!
longtime braves fan
June 27th, 2011
5:03 pm
404 how do you figure any of that has to do with uga. at worst they find these two players ineligible. no implications as far as uga is concerned.
The Lemmer
June 27th, 2011
5:21 pm
You lineup makers forgot about the DH??? Mr. Blank, please buy the Braves so we can compete & not have to get the economy players!
Delbert D.
June 27th, 2011
5:36 pm
The ice at Philips Arena is plenty large enough for curling. The stone is a heckuva lot easier to follow than a hockey puck.
Proud-Dawg
June 27th, 2011
7:30 pm
@404, get a job