It’s a long season, but time might not be on the Braves’ side

Dang. Third.

I think Tiger Woods is petulant and vulgar and will never be the champion Jack, Arnie or eve Phil are.

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in other depressing news D.Lowe gave up none earned in 7 IP and got the win, did not see how KK was doing

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The Braves are the most thankless team to pull for in sports… even when they win they make me miserable…

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It’s only been three games. Yea they looked awful while getting swept by the lowly Mets but I’m not sure if it is something that needs to cause panic. I remember when the Braves lost 9 in a row in 2010, they swept the Astros at home, played avg for the new few games then went up to Milwaukee and Prado hit that grand slam to kick start them to an unbelievable May and early June. Perhaps the ‘Stros can do the same here…..sort of….

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If the Brave’s don’t start Hitting………then the only one who will be Hitting is Wren………….Hitting The Road out of Atl!

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Clarification, the fans belief in the team affects not the wins, but the ticket sales, which is the most important aspect of any team.

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An epic collapse is something that will linger for years.

Fredi G looks lost managing games.

Half the team looks disinterested.

The Braves won’t win again with Liberty Media in control. They refuse to commit to winning, it’s all about profit.

Going to be a long summer folks and it could get ugly.

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Correction: Sept. 2011 crash…

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“As Fredi “Tip Your Cap” Gonzalez always says, you gotta tip your cap to a World Series contender like the NY Mets, who should also be called the “NL Allstars” because their team is all All-Star caliber players.”

“As for our team, we will continue to hang on to our prospects even while we get no-hit every game because we are complacent and happy with losing.”

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The low OBP is merely the result of the organization in general devaluing the statistic. It’s why they got on Heyward for being too patient and it’s why they push players to be aggressive.

Fredi wasn’t solely responsible for the collapse last year, but he bears some culpability because he would have claimed credit if they were successful. Further, there have been enough legitimate criticisms offered (and they don’t need to be rehashed here) that his position should be in peril.

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“Well said Frank “I Love Prospects” Wren, you gotta tip your cap! It’s never our fault when we lose, that’s why we gotta tip our caps to the other team!”

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Wren deserves this for not making moves in the winter like he should have. Hopefully Houston lights them up too in order to keep making the point.

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As teams go, this one really stinks bad!

The MLB 2012 Braves = NBA 2012 Charlotte Bobcats

Bye bye Fredi, bye bye Frank.

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Let’s start with your premise, exactly what makes you believe this is a good team? They have one of the least productive outfields in baseball. They have an unproven raw rook at shortstop. They have a hall of famer at third base who cannot stay healthy. They have a starter in Jurjjens who is a shell of his former self. They have an all star pitcher coming off back surgery. They have a starter in Hanson who seems to always be one start away from the DL. They have slop as middle relievers. Other than Bourn, who suddenly forget how to hit, they are slow as molasses. They have an extraordinarily weak bench. They cannot hit with RISP nor with two outs. They are not fundamentally sound. They have a manager who is overmatched and a nitwit for a GM who sat on his ass all offseason doing absolutely zilch to correct admitted deficiences in the face of abject failure. Does this sound like a “good team” to you?? It surely does not to me.

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MB:

What a bunch of apathetic jokers. These guys are toast, nothing has changed since September for these losers. I have been saying for over a year now.

FIRE FREDI GONZALEZ!!!

HT

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As a Season Ticket Holder I was pleased to hear about the 33%off on concessions but I am beginning to wonder if that’s enough as it probably will take 100% discount on Beer to be able to stand watching this group of BallPlayers at the Stadium…..At least at home I can flip the channel!

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Hey Liberty Media/JS/Frank Wren: We don’t want no cheap concessions! We want a winning baseball team!

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Yup. Second this Mark.

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I know that the manager didn’t get fired, but it is always him, when the team ends up tanking.

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Thank God this weekend I: 1) Yard work 2) And some more yard work 3) Rode my motorcycle 4) Watched round 3 of the Masters 5) Got up at 0430 for a sunrise service 6) Ate at The Breakfast Club 6) Rode some more 7) Watched round 4 of the Masters

I did hear the Braves had some struggles this weekend. Has anyone been fired yet?

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Talk about a team with no fire and no desire. Now tell me again how last year’s meltdown was an aberration and these same players are going to tear it up on offense this year. What a fairy tale.

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Uggla is a problem. 2011 hit .201 vs lefthanders, which is his job. Now hitting .111, no homers, no doubles, no rbi’s.

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again, first is dumb. please stop.

just saw where FF made the list of the 40 most overrated players in MLB. i wholeheartedly disagree.

gonna be a long season, boys.

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Mark Bradley -

From your previous article:

“Is it a flight of fancy to posit that the Braves are closer now to finishing atop the NL East?”

In a word: Yes

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What is Braves rank in cap tipping?

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This is a small thing and probably – almost certainly really – doesn’t matter. But I miss listening to Cox shouting out encouragement to the hitters from the dugout. Seems like – with Cox – there was more enthusiasm, more of the feeling of enjoying playing a game. Like most folks here, I have no idea how this year will turn out. But something doesn’t feel right – not just the won/loss record either.

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Hey Liberty and Frank….Wanna makes lots of money? Put a great team on the field and you’ll fill the stadium and then some every game! Sell tons of jerseys and truck loads of beer! Gotta spend it to make it!

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As you said earlier, MB, going back to when UGA first kicked off last season, our Braves have been pitiful. Under Bobby the strove to keep it “business” and tried to play without emotion. It appears that they have become comfortable playing without emotion. Someone has got to step up and light a fire under their rear ends or we are in for anohter disaster. I’ve been watching the Braves since they arrived in Atlanta, when I was kid, so I’m not one of those bandwagon fans. However, I think I can find a much better way to spend my time watching Braves baseball if this trend continues. It all starts at the top and runs downhill. Let’s hope someone steps it up soon.

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@Billh – That is what I said in my post.No rah-rah guy hollering encouragrement to the batter or baserunner.Enthusiasm can make a difference on this club I f you watch the teams that win thay stand at the steps calling out and go crazy when a run scores not sit on the bench with no reaction.

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Mark:

I’m not usually as direct as Herschel Talker and I tend to be more optimistic about the Braves, but I have been on the same page with him about Fredi G since last year. There were so many poor decisions made last year that you can attribute, at the very least, seven to eight wins.

We are three games in and I still have to wonder why he pitched-hit with Constanza in Game 1. It was a 1 – 0 game with Pastornicky on third. All we needed was a sac fly. With Hinske and Ross on the bench, why bring a ground-ball speedster in when you need a sac fly? I don’t care if Ross is our back-up catcher, we needed that run. Argue Ross, but nothing on Hinske.

Game 3, we bring in a slouch of a pitcher because we are down by four runs. Why not bring in one of our stud bullpen arms in to keep the game in hand in the strange event that we come back and score five runs?

There are no guarantees in baseball, but Fredi G makes it that much harder on our team. There is no excitement on this team. All you have to do is looks at the Mets’ Murphy to see a guy who gives quality at-bats and shows passion for the game. The guy was clapping and cheering for moving a guy over to third that eventually scored. Our guys? Going through the motions. I don’t know how to fix the Braves, but I do know that Fredi G is not the answer but rather a symptom of the disease that has infected this team the past year.

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New year, same team…what were we expecting? Even when were winning 80+ games we were never knocking the cover off the ball. We are a very average offense at best. When we don’t shut people out or give up 1 or 2 we are going to struggle to win, plain and simple.

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Chipper’s batting average of .000 is close to leading the team. Maybe all the money they are paying him is worth it after all.

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Calvin

April 9th, 2012
1:05 pm

This is the exact reason people make fun of fans. They overreact to the slightest of things. I’m ashamed to even be mentioned in some of the same crowds as some of you clowns. People yelling stupid ish like “Fire Fredi” and “Fire Wren” have absolutely no idea what they are talking about. Just a room full of idiots and dumbasses….ugh..
*****
Calvin, it certainly takes one to know one.

That said, your level of stupidity seems to exceed that of most. Take your ball and go on back to the house….

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Let’s say we was all trying our best to get a hit with a man on base and none of us could do it. What could we do differently to get a better result? Could we stop swinging from our heels and just choke up a little on the bat and Nellie Fox it into the outfield? Could we maybe stop trying to hit the 3-run home run and try to drop the ball in short right field and advance the runner? If we was Fredi Gonzalez and we was asked a question about the game we’d just managed we’d wonder if somebody was just trying to trap us and see if we was paying attention. Finally, if we was wanting to tip our cap all the time we’d like to tip it to the Braves for playing winning baseball. Tipping a cap can get old when your tipping it to the other team all the time. When is the last time somebody tipped a cap to the Braves?

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I am not going to do this often because it does no good, but for whatever reason. Heyworth is worthless, Chipper is worthless, and its looking as if Freeman is going to be worthless do and the catcher is right where he left off. Short could be ok, second too, but not if he is going thru last year again. All they got is pitching and not much else. Resting short on the 3rd day. Here we go again. MGM

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We all know the definition of insanity is doing the same thing expecting different results. Braves did just this by sticking with the same crew that fell apart last September. Myself and friends have been losing interest in the Braves over the last few years and this year will be no different. Front office will pay the ultimate price for standing pat when attendance goes back to levels not seen since the 1980’s.

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a difficult thing as well is to see this team after this season.

The 2013 Braves will not have Chipper Jones. And most likely not have Michael Bourn.

I would think the Braves would add a player or two… but will they upgrade from Chipper & Bourn? Not to be doom and gloom, but if this team is not very good this year, what does that say to the fan base moving forward?

i don’t think this Braves team is that great to begin with. The best part of our team is most likely the bullpen… but if we can’t get there how important is the best part of our team?

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From last year, not the first 3 games: Slow, no high average hitters, limited power, average defense. Sounds like a .500 team at best to me.

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Posting on this blog might be good for the Braves hitters and help them with their eye and hand coordination because this page jumps around like a jumping bean. We was ready to type something and suddenly we was at the top of the page. Next, we was in the middle of the page, then we was back at the top. This is keeping us on our toes and making us a better blogger. We won’t say it’s irritating but we wouldn’t pay a quarter for it. Since, it’s on the Internet and not on newsprint we guess there may not be anything Mark can do about it but we wish he could fix it. If he did, we’d tip our cap.

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Like Jesus on Easter Sunday Mark Bradley has awaken from the dead.Now you see what everyone else has known for a long time.Horrible offense,starting pitchers that can barley go five innings,more than enough slow fat unathletic guys to field a beer league team.Not to mention the leagues worst manager and GM.How does this add up to 90 plus wins.Braves are a talentless irrelavant organization.The only ones who don’t know it are the three guys who get paid by the AJC fish wrap to cover it.

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Calvin:

All I know is that I have been going to games since 1988. In the last five years, I doubt I have made it to less than 20 games and easily surpassed 30 games a couple of times. Outside of the home opener, I will not make it to another games this year unless I see something truly groundbreaking for this team. Call me negative, call me a troll (though I am certainly not one of those on these blogs), call me what you will. All I know is that if the Braves have lost me as a patron, then there are many more just like me out there who go to far less games and will end up not going to a single game this year.

The product is broken. I don’t have the answer on how to fix it. I doubt point fingers at the payroll. I don’t point fingers at Liberty Media. I don’t even have my mind made up about Frank Wren. The only thing I know for sure is that Fredi Gonzalez is contributing to the problem, not helping it out. P B Orr did a much better job articulating the issues with Fredit G than I have.

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Losing isn’t good but no record is as bleak as the prospect of Fredi managing this teams for another 15 years. It’s hard to take another 15 minutes.

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Trolls…it’s easy to hide behind the anonymity of the Internet by being a douche and not having to fear actually being a man about what you say. To be honest, I’m not sure how the writers here can actually deal with the insane amount of sewer garbage that has polluted this and just about all sports forums. (….all forums actually) It wreaks of the “attention wh0re” syndrome.

I find the blogs that the writers such as Mr. Bradley and Mr. O’Brien put up very informative and sometimes hilarious. I hardly ever read the comments after that simply because it is filled with mindless drivel from people that overreact to everything bad.

But carry on trolls. Someone will pay attention to you even if you are acting like a petulant child. Moving on.

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Calvin, do you even know what a troll is? Anonymity on the computer? Puh-leeze, do you know how easy it is to find someone’s IP and other information online, even if it is “anonymous”? By the way, I wouldn’t say something online that I wouldn’t say to your face.

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However, I do agree with your assessment about fans overreacting, Calvin.

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@George Stein, I am in 100% complete agreement with you on the Braves organizational approach to offense. That’s why simply firing the hitting coach, or perhaps even the manager (one that is, as you’ve noted, more than a little flawed) is unlikely to address the problem. Heyward needs more time, of course, before reaching a verdict but it would not surprise me in the least to see him finally wear out his welcome here only to succeed somewhere else. I know Kelly Johnson was not as highly regarded as Heyward coming up but I felt that he was another good, patient hitter that was ruined in Atlanta by their hacktastic philosophy.

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Never forget folks-chicks dig the LONG BALL!

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Calvin = mindless drivel, as proved by using the word troll…

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Im with Dewaun. Heyward needs to be in a position in the order where he will be protected and see better pitches. Like the three spot at least until Chipper gets back. I might even leave him there with Chipper hitting cleanup when he returns. Make em pitch strikes to Heyward, and he will produce. Mccann is to slow afoot to hit third. And the shift the Mets used, with the 2b playing shortfield on Bryan, worked. He better start going the other way some. All you naysayers need to get a grip. Its only been 3 games. We got our best hitter, and our best pitcher on the way back soon. Way too early for that kind of gloom and doom. Gotta believe they arent doin this in Philly and Yankee land.

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Ballplayers are some of the smartest people on earth and when we was playing ball we was a shining example of that. We was on the Honor Roll and when it was time to graduate we was asked to make a speech at the commencement ceremony. They wanted us to tip our cap to the teachers for helping us be so smart but we tricked everybody and talked about baserunning instead. Everyone seemed to enjoy it and who couldn’t use a few baserunning pointers? Diaz? Diaz? Well, we don’t hold a grudge but we still remember what happened. We was thinking if we was Fredi we’d not only teach baserunning we’d also work on hitting and bunting and throwing to the cutoff man and trying to win some ballgames again. Yes, it’s still early but you never can tell if they’re going to need one more win in September and not be able to get it. Heck, we’re not sure they’re going to win one in April.

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I hate to say it but I would get rid of Freddi Gonzalez…when the Braves refused to even *interview* anyone other than him, it really struck me the wrong way. But I was patient. But last year….after the collapse…and the *first* thing out of his mouth was that no staff would be affected or fired? I’m sure he’s a nice person but he’s not the manager for us.

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Case in point.

@Trey – Unless you do something illegal or have the software or hardware tools to figure it out, you are pretty anonymous. I could give you my external IP right now but you would have no clue who or where I am other than my ISP is Verizon. Doesn’t matter that I’m an IT guy and am behind a firewall and am pretty well protected. The point is that people are able to say whatever they want knowing they wouldn’t say the things they say here to the faces of Chipper Jones, Frank Wren, Jason Heyward, etc.

I very well know what a troll is. I am also a gamer as well as a sports fan and IT person. Perhaps troll is not correctly used in this particular context but nonetheless, some people here seem to fit the bill…perfectly. I’ve seen some of the most childish things said here that it is just absolutely ridiculous. Even my 6 and 5 year old daughters don’t act like some of the people here.

Don’t get me wrong. I am definitely upset about how the Braves have started this season. I’m just not ready to throw in the towel and blow everything up like some people here. Saying stuff like “ballgame” after Minor gives up a lead off hit or Freeman grounds into a DP…how is that not being a troll looking to garner attention? Anyway, I’m through here. Enjoy your day!

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@ moboman, they have PROVEN talent, we have??….(ok, McCann and a “healthy chipper”)

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You need to score runs to need a closer.

7 runs in 3 days? Really? That the best major league hitters can do?

Yeah, yeah, Red Sox and Yankees lost too, but to much, much better teams than the stupid Mets.

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Agree southern, nice man, lousy manager.

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frank wren is as big a fool as jon schuerholtz was when he was g.m.,look at some of his moves and the money he spent examples kawakami,mcclouth,gonzales

Jurrjens, Uggla, Vazquez….

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SR,

Spot dam.n on!

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Ball playing is not all that hard. What’s hard is posting on a blog and the page goes flying away while you’re typing. If we was Frank Wren we would call Fredi over and say, “Fredi, we know we have been telling you what to do and we know we waited until you said something stupid (like all your coaches would be back after the EPIC collapse)before we corrected you but now’s the time to let you sink or swim.” We’re betting it’s sink. They say Roger McDowell was a big cut-up when he was playing ball and sometimes he’d give a teammate a hot foot. We was thinking to loosen things up a bit Roger might try some super glue on Fredi’s cap and see if he can tip it after the game. If the baseball’s not entertaining at least that would be funny.

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I can understand why people are unhappy with Fredi, but I don’t get the grief against Wren. He’s built a team with a solid foundation all while on a limited budget.

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@alex , loved the Romanian saying.

I have my doubts about the “sharpness” of Freddi as well. But Im not gonna condemn the season based on three games. We made a couple of fundamental mistakes and had a few bad calls by the umps that cost us. Those calls will even out. And Freddi will realize that its better to pull a pitcher too soon than too late. Bourn shouldnt have stole home when he didnt have the jump, with one out and the 3 and 4 hitters batting. Cost us a run there.

I believe in the potential of some of our yournger players as well as the ability of most of the veterans. To those touting Lowes performance yesterday, its the same issue. Give it a coupla months and lets see where we are. One series doesnt tell you anything, nor does one pitching appearance by Lowe.

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PS I still believe Lowe is a decent pitcher, and he probably did more off season prep for his new team. But he wasnt worth a spot in our roatation. We didnt lose the Mets series on pitching. We lost it at the plate.

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And the problem is…..?

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Since everybody has written off this year…..what does 2013 look like?

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Calvin: “I’ve seen some of the most childish things said here that it is just absolutely ridiculous.”

Calvin, we’re not trying to split the atom here, nor are we trying to be part of the solution. Newspaper message boards are chocked full of idiotic and nonsensical dialogue….some of it might make sense, but it’s a crap shoot. Just hang with us, buddy.

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“Otherwise the doubters will be in full cry, and some of that doubt will spread to the clubhouse. ”

Mark, the doubt is EMANATING from the clubhouse. Words are cheap, all you have to do is watch the Braves play. This team needs runs and hits, and longer outings by the starters, and intelligent play on the basepaths. Problem is, it does NOT have the talent. The Mets played better because they ARE better, at least they have been for the past 30 games or so. Where was the Braves answer to Wright, Tejada, Murphy, Duda? Niese? Nowhere to be found. What’s that $33 million or so going out to Lowe, Chipper, and Huddy buying right now? Are they REALLY counting on Chipper to turn this offense around? Uggla? Come on now.

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I hear Derek Lowe won this weekend.

(At the very least, he didn’t LOSE, unlike his former team.)

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This team is an EPIC FAIL. Many yelled Sports Illustrated was crazy predicting Braves as 4th place in NL East. I said a month a ago yes that is true…SI highly over rated the Falcons and now they have overrated the Braves. This team needs an enema from top to bottom. Freddi should be gone today; actually should have been last October. This is a team that is a collective head case and it starts with this Cox era management. IT served its purpose for 15 years. Now it needs to be completely dismantled.

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Mark,

Anger over one’s favorite sporting team and their performance or lack thereof is a direct correlation to expectations. It’s why nobody in Kansas City would panic over an opening weekend sweep. And expectations, in turn, are a direct correlation with two things: coverage consumed and first hand knowledge. And since few of us get a glimpse behind the curtain at the latter, we are left with what we are told from the franchise an what is covered by it’s media.

So, with that in mind, can you ask John Schuerholz himself about the following statement that he made, released to fans in an open letter shortly after the Sept. collapse, and if he feels that his orgainization has “repaired its weaknesses?” This way, I can have proper expectations and keep proper perspective. Thanks.

From John Schuerholz, Oct. 6:

“However, our performance in the month of September was unacceptable to all in the organization, and we will evaluate and analyze our missteps to do all we can to prevent this from happening again. Our General Manager, Frank Wren, and his staff have already begun to evaluate our team and will be focusing throughout the off-season on building upon the strengths of this team and repairing our weaknesses to achieve our goal.”

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“I can understand why people are unhappy with Fredi, but I don’t get the grief against Wren. He’s built a team with a solid foundation all while on a limited budget.”

Jeffrey, but why should Fredi get more of the blame? He can only use what he was given from the front office. Frank could have acquired another hitter, somewhere, not just a prospect such as Francisco.

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Who SHOULD be the strongest player on the team — the leader? McCann. But he’s still… STILL…. swinging at armpit high pitches to strikeout instead of walk.

I give up on him. New season and he still hasn’t changed that one very bad habit.

You folks who say it’s early — HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Back last September do you think it might have made a difference if one — just one — extra game was won in both April and May? Well it also matters now too.

I haven’t yet watched a full Braves game this year. And I haven’t missed a thing worth watching.

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we look fat this year. this ain’t good.

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@Todd L’ville. I nominate you for President of the Kool-aide drinkers club.
@Stinger 2 I nominate you Kool-aide boy First Class and aid to Todd L’ville. you guys are a little slow on the up take but due to the effects of the Kool-Aide we all give you a break….take a few days to sober up.

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I don’t really comment on the Braves blogs, because usually I am content with the team/organization as a whole. Yet, I am frustrated with the fact that the Braves have SO MUCH TALENT, but can’t hit the broad side of the barn. Why is that? I’m starting to think coaching is the issue.

Same thing with the Falcons last year, and what happened? BVG ‘got hired’ at Auburn and Mularkey ‘got promoted’ in Jacksonville. A. Blank went and got Mike Nolan the beast DC and a decent OC from Jacksonville that did well with a REAL QB. That’s what owners do. They fix problems for the fans.

Yet, I still see Gonzalez coaching… why? He isn’t good at all. Changes need to be made.

Also, for people or ‘fans’ saying that other individuals are not REAL FANS because we criticize… are the reasons why the city is called Looserville. I still pay to go to the games with my hard earned money. I have a right to complain when I don’t see results.

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Think I will post over here, DOB has a short fuse(among other things). Speaking of short, those with a short memory will not remember that the Braves are now 0-8 going back to last season. Also, Furcal is hitting .524 in his first 3 games with St. Louis. Didn’t he play for the Braves at one time? If the Braves had all the players they had let go in the last 5 yrs. there’ s no doulbt a WS would be in the picture. Stupidity abounds in the upper echelons!

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Big Lou: You have a right to criticize all you want. But remember if you don`t have a solution you are part of the problem. I have not seen a single fan who criticizes come up with a solution or anything close to it.

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“Big Lou: You have a right to criticize all you want. But remember if you don`t have a solution you are part of the problem. I have not seen a single fan who criticizes come up with a solution or anything close to it.”

I did come up with a solution… Fire Gonzalez. I bet the Braves could hire a bunch of good candidates that can run circles around that guy.

It’s the same problem with the Hawks. Cheap as heck coaching with tons of talent. Who is Larry Drew again? Oh yeah, the lowest paid coach in the league who was assistant coach to the guy who got canned. SMART MOVE.

They need fresh leadership–a new start. I was skeptical about Gonzalez when they hired him and last year confirmed it. He needs to go. It’s not the talent.

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How can millions of Americans be unemployed, yet Frank Wren hangs on to a job with a six-figure salary? Again, never, EVER let someone in sports name his (or her) successor. It never works.

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I know one weekend don’t determines the season. What I would prefer is that my manager shut his mouth about the Magic and perhaps brings some magic to this team and win. I am tied of paying for tickets to see Atlanta’s team look like a recreation team. oops did I say that!

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The Braves are about to go on a tear and start winning.
go braves!

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Why would you think that this is a good baseball team when it isn’t?

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My thoughts to the Braves ….. ” If loving you is wrong, please make it feel right “

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Big Lou: Have you checked the Hawks record this year unter Larry Drew?

As for your and others solution to fire FG, who should the Braves hire that would be better after three games into the season? The answer of ” anyone would not be the solution. It would have to be someone who has a proven record of stepping in and turning it around immediately.

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Is it that the Braves are not training the kids well enough in the minors to hit?? Or, are we drafting lousy hitters to begin with? Or, are we ruining their swing when they get to the big league team? I just keep seeing our players hit better when they go to other teams. Let’s change the team name from the Braves to something else ( I don’t care – call them the RoadHogs in our overblown traffic city). Maybe if they think they’re playing for a new team they’ll hit better!!

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Ever notice how Joe Simpson sugar coats EVERYTHING? Consecutive walks from the pitcher? “Those were good pitches”. 0 for 4 at the plate with 2 strike outs? “He’s had some good swings today”. Sure glad Joe’s not in the front office.

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I predicted last week that the end of the Fredi Gonzalez era was going to start in New York. Hope
I was right. Sonny Clusters for manager.

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They are chokers. Always have been and until you cleanse the virus and get rid of 90% of everyone, it will stay that way. Fredi is a joke and needs to be fired now. But they will keep him while winning 1-3 games this month. Yes they will only win 1-3 games this month. Tonight it will be an ugly 0-4 start and how many teams make the playoffs starting with 4 losses? About 1%

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Honey, I was just trying to teach her how to be a student athlete development coordinator. She is like a daughter to me. Honest. You know you can trust me.
…..Just ask the people of Atlanta. They know how honest I am.

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Fidel is my favorite communist dictator.

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I’m not a Braves’ fan but goodness gracious, this is baseball; you don’t panic after 3 games.

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Omar Infante has 2 homers this year; More than any braves player

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This Braves team is not going on a tear…the best player is a gimpy 40 yr old..what does that tell you? it doesn’t bode well for this team

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Calvin: We aren’t all that bad. A little demented maybe, prone to overreaction maybe, and some have probably even been convicted of various crimes and misdemeanors. But come on guy. What do you expect? After all we are sports fans. And we can’t help it, most of us got dropped from our freshmen teams in HS. Hang out with us awhile. We might even grow on you.

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” Come back, Larry Parrish! All is forgiven!”

This should say Come Back Terry Pendleton.

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Why is Fredi already platooning Heyward? Terrible manager

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I want to read
8 reasons why the Braves won’t turn this season around!!!

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Wonder if the Braves front office would consider hiring Bobby Petrino to replace FG? Thank BP may be job hunting soon, and he couldn’t possibly do any worse than FG is doing. Besides that BP knows his way around Atlanta, and heck, may even still have lots of friends here. Something else just occurred to me. If Fredi Gonzalez and President BO switched jobs would we even notice, as far as the team and the country is concerned? Seems those two have a lot in common.

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@ K: Ha ha! That is correct and you could even say they are run like a corporation, since in reality they are owned and operated by a corporation. All about the bottom dollar and not about putting a winning team on the field. We need a new owner that is a family or an individual.

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Awesome start! 1-12 mccann. pathetic

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Over/under on number of games before FG is gone? I say 75.

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MB you are so wrong on Braves. Poor Ownership, bad decisions by GM ( DLowe at 4-15mil- vs 3-10 by next bidder for 1) change in draft philosophy ( college kids get less of a bonus cost less to get ready) Diaz a regular starter? A -AAA SS( plan B a AA player) JJ far from the same. Livan at 37 only starter that could go 200IP ( when and if he starts) This Larry Wayne Jr world tour will not help. That does not even touch the field mgr FG. He has little input with who is on his staff and who plays ( see his every coach will be back statement) day before FW fired LP. I could go on

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We was just filtered. Facing this lineup may turn Happ into Happy.

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I have to give kudos to Mark Bradley for being the eternal optimist for the Braves despite the way they ended last season and the ugly start for the first three games this year. I’ll give you credit in that whatever your predictions are whether right or wrong – you always stand behind them and remind us that you were right or wrong and can take the heat as well as the credit. I hope you are right that they will still win 90 plus games. I couldn’t even come within 10 of that number.

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The braves pitchers continue to throw a ton of pitches..

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Now i see why

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,,,While it may look nice to see the Braves up 3-0 in the early going tonight against the Astros….I wouldn’t put too much stock in assuming that we’ve turned the corner if the Braves win today. Barry Zito threw a complete game, 4 hit, no walk shutout at Coors Field today against the Rockies. Does that mean that Zito’s “turned it around” after stinking up the place dung during the first 4 years of that albatross of a contract the Giants signed him to? I think not.

It’s going to take a heck of a lot more than one shutout for Zito to get the benefit of the doubt….just like it’s going to take the Braves more than one potential blowout win tonight….to get that same benefit of the doubt. A lot more….given what happened in September, in Spring Training…as well as the first 3 games of the season. A lot more…..

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They can’t play with a lead. The left side of the infield is going to be a mess this year. McCann has dropsy. The game is now tied. We was wondering if Fredi is paying attention?

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Same team. Same Result. Or worse. This team looks pretty bad.

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the braves will be below 500 ball , they hire a manager that got run out of miami , did not pick up
any players in off season, you watch what i am saying , they will be 14 games back by all star game and no one will attend games….last year showed freddi cannot handle pitching staff and mc dowell
needed to be fired…..the team is going south and will end up in last place with same record as astros…

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It’s getting really hard to tell whether Chipper has retired or not.

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It’s 1990 all over again! Tune in tonight to see how the Braves blow it! Will it be crummy defense, scoring zero runs, running themselves out of an inning or three, or their overrated pitching getting slapped around?

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The Braves “big arms” are dominating again tonight…holding AAA Houston to five runs with one out in the sixth.

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Oh, the humanity…

It’s not often you see 4 errors from a major league team in 6 innings. Next thing you know Chuck Tanner is going to come down and promise a ticker tape parade down Peachtree.

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Clusters, we was told Buck Belue has a “$8 Buck Nights” ticket promotions goin’. What are your thoughts?

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meebo hater… me too.. you can hide it .. right click on the right bottom corner and complain to the AJC as I did… it’s annoying to say the least

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now this game is just flat out pathetic….good night braves!! you had a chance but ya’blew it!!

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The Braves are looking GREAT! I can’t wait for spring training to be over and we start playing some real games….
oh, wait. we’re 0-4 against the Mets and the Astros? what the…

i see no life in this team, at all.

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maybe we need to let all the starters rest. bring up gwinnett and let them play.

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Are the players issued their own forks?

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One more post before I go….I have observed that McCann is afraid of being hit by a runner coming home and thus will drop the ball or not catch the ball 8 times out of 10!

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The sad thing is that no one from the Atlanta Press has the stones to seriously question Braves management about why they choose to stand pat during the off season.

September collapse….looking terrible during Spring Training….starting the year 0-4 against two last place clubs from 2011….what more proof is needed that what happened in September isnt a fluke?

Sure, we looked good during the first 5 months of 2011. However, baseball is a mirror of life: You have to adjust and evolve…or you perish. For whatever reason, this group simply does not have it in them (whether it is the fault of the players themselves, Braves management or coaching) to evolve and make those adjustments.

Regardless of whether it is true or not…the perception is that Liberty Media could care less about whether the Braves win or not…what matters to Liberty more is that the Braves dont lose money. Perception matters in this world. Braves management and players all know this. If you dont have to worry about an owner breathing down your neck expecting resulting…..your play on the field doesnt have to reflect that sense of urgency.

Same thing with parenting. If one’s parents takes little interest in one’s progress academically….where’s the pressure to study hard and succeed in school? Most children, if left to their own devices…will take the easy way out and chill…if their parents arent going to hover over them. Ball players are no different. Our players dont have to worry about playing with a sense of urgency…because they dont have to worry about management holding them accountable. Instead, they can take comfort in the likes of Fredi Gonzalez using the proverbial blog favored “tipping the hat to the other team” or “they hit it right where they werent” or “they hit really good pitches” or “injuries” or “bad umpiring”, etc when explaining why the Braves lost.

True Braves fans need to fill the blogs and talk radio with their constant displeasure with the way things are going….as well as stay away from Turner Field. The ONLY way to really get Liberty’s attention…is to affect what matters to them most: their bottom line. By taking away home attendance revenue that is essential to the Braves making a profit……maybe Liberty will decide to institute changes that will hopefully get the Braves back on track to where we used to be.

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Gonzalez gives them no chance to win. Close game and he brings in the third strong bullpen. Absolutely confidence destroying decisions on top of his already dubious decisions to play a bench player at third base during a 0-3 start.

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Mark…come on please help us figure it out. This many Braves fans can’t be this wrong about their team. Please do ask Chipper about laughing on the sideline and not motivating his team after four errors. Oh I forgot he got a COWBOY HAT to celebrate. LOL…..what a hoot!

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Did the Braves fail to make a trade because no other team wanted anything they had to offer. Bourn is this year and gone. Uggla is inconsistent. Hayward just can not hit. Prado is a none factor and a hotdog. Diaz-even the Pirates gave him back. Lowe, they had to pay Cleveland to take him. The so called great arms have gotten their tails handed to them lately and the current starting staff would not even make the half the rosters in either league. What happen to the great scouts and the teams ability to draft quality players. You can’t make a trade if you have nothing to offer. Wren sat on his butt and did nothing to improve this team. Now the fans will suffer through another year of failure. I swear it could be the falcons or the hawks playing at Turner Field.

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DOB this coddling of Fredi Gonzalez by the Beat writers in Atlanta has gone too far. After 4 games of sub-standard baseball isnt the thing. Its the final Month and a half of last year……you know the complete choke of a 10 1/2 game lead, that allowed a team to come in and WIN the World Series. But the writes dont blame Fredi Gonzalez for his awful moves, his lack of intensity, and overall willingness to place blame on his team losing. Its always “Tip your hat” with this clown, but you writers cant point this out because your too “Buddy Buddy” with Gonzalez. Nobody has pointed the Collapse on him and it appears that you Atlanta writers go out of your way to keep the heat off of him.

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I have a feeling it is going to be a long year.

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This team isn’t playing “mad” or seeking to prove last September was a fluke; they’re looking exactly the way they did then: beaten and already waiting for the axe(s) to fall. There’s no sense that they are having any fun being there or that they believe they’re going to win any given game. Massive changes could be forthcoming organization-wide, and in the not-too-distant future. All we can hope is that when the dust settles the Braves will at least be moving in the right direction (even if it’s from fourth or fifth place in the NL East), because right now this bunch just doesn’t project as a championship-caliber team, and likely won’t until those changes DO happen.

The way things are going we’re going to see Chief Noc-A-Homa’s tepee in the outfield stands again and perhaps even an ostrich race or two to help hold the 4 or 5,000 fans’ attention in the stands by the end of August. That’s right, come to Turner Field and party like it’s 1989! All we’d need is for Dale Murphy to come out of retirement; hey, he couldn’t be much worse than our current outfielders.

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2012 braves home games.—————————— emply seats here we come.five position needs to be replace with major league ball players.

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This Braves team is not making it easy to forget last September and put it in the rear view mirror.

Face it, the fans for the most part are not forgetting it. And until they play better that is fair.

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Braves problem is related to fan apathy. The majority of the fans are doing nothing but complaining.
The players and Fredi may not read thes blogs but they know through the media how the fans are already quiting on them. Maybe they will play better when the fans give better support.

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The game Sunday was only interesting when we thought a no hitter would be pitched. The Braves were able to foul that up and still lose. This bunch reminds me of the old Braves of Rico Carty, Bob Ueker, and Perez (who missed a start after snorting blow and circling 285 trying to find the stadium) They lost over a hundred games. History is about to repeat.

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fire the bums ! this has no heart no fire they didn’t have it last year they don’t have it know. it is time to give up on folks such as heyward start trading some of these people and lets get into a real rebuilding process with young talent not named heyward among others. unload the diaz,constanza,bourn,mac’s and fat overweight pitchers and thirdbaseman of the world.

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Fredi G’s team continues its’ epic collapse! How much longer does it take for Management to see he has no credibility as a major league manager…..he needs to be fired NOW and see if we can find a manager with some FIRE to kick the butts of these lousy ballplayer pretenders who call themselves the Braves.

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My previous post should read (at least on paper) on line 4..

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Haven’t been to a game since 1994. They still appreciate the fans now, as much as they did then.

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Boycott this lousy team – do not show up at the games….hurt the management in their pocketbooks and maybe they will sit up and take notice of how fed up the fans are with the DO NOTHING BAD TIME BRAVES!

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The Braves hired a lossing managar with a loosing record. What did they excpet?

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MB – long season awaits. Looks like the Bravo’s mindset is still at Disneyworld. Time for Freddie to throw Wiffle ball at batting practice for a week or so.

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Lets face it, the Braves do not have an overall good team. There is absolutely no power offense and the defense is questionable. It is going to be a long season

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Looks like Joe Tess is back.

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Often times, teams are a direct reflection of their leader. I would say that in the case of the Braves, that is what we are seeing. I know a manager doesn’t play but he sure can be an influence. Just sayin’.

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Stinger 2, “maybe they will play better when the fans give better support”. Are you kidding me??? It’s the fans fault now? The Braves have enjoyed Top 10-15 attendance status for 20 years now. The problem is that we show TOO MUCH support for mediocre product.

Also, if you need to be coddled by warm and fuzzy fans then they’re in the wrong business.

Every last one of our Pro Teams are in no man’s lands of good but not great. AKA….Also Ran’s.

When we’re hanging our hats Bubba Watson for our sports pride, then the teams have gone to crap.

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TWO HUNDRED NINETY THIRD

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HOw about the Mets?

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They will start off about 9-22 and Freddy the hat tipper will be playing golf with Freddi Falcon.

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This “team” loses 100 games, easy. Freddi has NO idea what he’s doing. The players are hapless. Frank Wren and Liberty Media made it a point to this offseason to openly brag that they don’t really care by pretending 2011’s catastrophe didn’t happen. Time for us to make the Ted look like the Marlins’ crowds of years past. WE, the fans, need to tangibly show that giving up and not even trying to improve the team isn’t acceptable by keeping our money in our wallet and staying far, far away from Turner Field. Mid–80’s, here we go again.

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hey if atlanta braves stink bad folks can go see doubleAA braves and Gwinnett braves instead….and Tampa Rays in atlanta.Rays will be winnin East in 2012 again so freddi is still here screwin Wren in his Office… enjoy it

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“Fredi Gonzalez was seen as such an obvious successor to Bobby Cox that the GM didn’t bother to interview anyone else” That statement sums up the problem with this team. Gonzalez by no measure should have been seen as Cox’s successor. Terry Pendleton and still remains the best candidate to be head coach.

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What was your headline quote of a few days ago – something like – “IT MAY NOT BE LONG BEFORE THE BRAVES STAN PAT STRATEGEY HAS THEM LEADING THE DIVISION”
Exactly HOW LONG did you have in mind by saying NOT LONG —- Perhaps 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 years – or is that too soon???

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As proud Manager of Your Atlanta Braves on behalf of the Great State of Georgia, I would like to take this opportunity to TIP MY CAP to the following people I greatly most respect and admire:

- John Rocker

- Bobby Petrino

- The Atlanta Spirit Group

- Michael Vick

- The Runaway Bride

- General William T. Sherman

- Kent Hrbek

- Jim Leyritz

- Jerry Glanville

- The Rankin Smith Family

- Steve Spurrier

- Coach Nick Saban

- Professor Jan Kemp

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[...] nine &#959f &#1110t&#1109 last 31 regular season games. N&#959 wonder th&#1077 first hints &#959f a Fredi Gonzalez watch h&#1072&#957&#1077 [...]

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The Braves need to FIRE Freddi Gonzales. He is terrible.. HELL, fire Frank Wren too. Neither one has a clue. It shows on the field. No hustle, no enthusiasm and no sense of urgency….. I have already given up on the Braves for this year. And I’m a devout Braves fan for the last 30 yrs. No games for me this year

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Hi Mark —- in your opinion “How many more loses will take to see Ferdi get the pink slip”?

If management watches this guy thru 6-7 more sweeps or we have a losing record in the following months till all star break and we are 11 games out at that point. Ferdi will get the walking papers soon after the break. Also in my opinion good riddens too! Maybe the most horrible manager the Braves ever had!

Go Falcons!

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Mr. Bradley, as far as I have noticed, you have not addressed the huge problem relating to the Braves PITCHER INJURY MILL – the fact that almost all of the large number of Braves Starting Pitchers that they have had in the 6 or 7 years since Leo left – have ended up being injured.
Does this mean:
(1) That you have not noticed this – or
(2) That you no longer think that Pitching is the “name of the game” – the most important element in having a winning team – or
(3) That you have not noticed that when Pitchers have serious injury – the many (perhaps most) times do not return to their former effectiveness — or
(4) That you are under orders not to talk – write about this
????????.
(

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