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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
67 comments Add your comment
Hankie Aron
April 13th, 2012
9:43 am
This your first video Mark? and it is a first for me as well.
Hankie Aron
April 13th, 2012
9:44 am
Not my first first mind you on ye olde blog but my first in quite awhile
Don
April 13th, 2012
9:48 am
Don’t understand why anyone thinks that they will fire Fredi.
Remember how long they kept Bobby Cox – when he couldn’t think his way out of a paper bag.
Mark Bradley
April 13th, 2012
9:49 am
Kudos, Hankie.
It’s the first video of this sort. We did a live chat before the NCAA tournament.
Rickster
April 13th, 2012
9:50 am
Is it just me or does Fredi look a little a younger (and less ugly) Davy Johnson?
Hankie Aron
April 13th, 2012
9:55 am
Oh ok I didn’t catch that. Just a little weird I suppose, this video.
phil
April 13th, 2012
10:00 am
We’re on a roll!!
Mark Bradley
April 13th, 2012
10:04 am
I’d say any video involving me is apt to have a high weirdness quotient.
reckingball
April 13th, 2012
10:05 am
Braves juggernaut will keep on rollin’ tonight.
reckingball
April 13th, 2012
10:05 am
y
JDK
April 13th, 2012
10:10 am
Mark – you referenced ‘Plan B’. What, in in your mind, might that be?
Judge Smails
April 13th, 2012
10:11 am
…Looks kinda like Chris Dimino…
reckingball
April 13th, 2012
10:16 am
I think that Fredi will unveil his true genius, this season.
Mark Bradley
April 13th, 2012
10:19 am
Plan B for the pitching? More Livan!
reckingball
April 13th, 2012
10:25 am
wowowowo, more Livan, with a liberal(i know that is a dirty word in Ga.) sprinkling of some Durbin?
priceless.
go braves
Hankie Aron
April 13th, 2012
10:27 am
God I hope not more Livan. Has his “fastball” gotten any slower since coming to the Braves?
Hankie Aron
April 13th, 2012
10:29 am
The announcers should just call all his pitches a “Livan hand toss” It’s hard to call any of his pitches fast, breaking, sinking. And don’t even try to call any of his pitches a change-up. A change-up from what?
Hankie Aron
April 13th, 2012
10:30 am
This blog needs some Clusters. Where you at Sonny?
Hankie Aron
April 13th, 2012
10:30 am
He only loves baseball
snoopy
April 13th, 2012
10:32 am
Fire FG!! Lets get Terry Francona in here asap!!!!
reckingball
April 13th, 2012
10:33 am
at the dq
reckingball
April 13th, 2012
10:33 am
overhand slow pitch league
Hankie Aron
April 13th, 2012
10:34 am
snoopy please-you know it’s not gonna happen. They have only played 6 games for Pete’s sake.
snoopy
April 13th, 2012
10:36 am
When will the braves organization realize that just getting to the playoffs is not acceptable? we’ve been there done that plenty of times..times to hold FG and wren accountable.
Mark Bradley
April 13th, 2012
10:49 am
Here’s the thing about Livan Hernandez: As bad as he has looked, you know he’d still be able to throw a shutout against the Braves.
Larry
April 13th, 2012
10:50 am
Mark,
Good job and great poise on the camera! Personally, I liked your answers too–very fair and balanced!
As a former baseball player of 9 years, I have a few questions that the Braves beat writer chooses not to pursue that perhaps as a columnist will. Among these”
1: Like Lincecum of the Giants, it is an absolute fact (but some downplays or disagree with altogether) that both Hanson and Jurrjens have lost 4-5 mph of their fastballs in just a couple of years yet both are still relative young pitchers in their mid 20’s. I was sitting behind home plate for Hanson’s first Braves start when he was hitting regularly 94-96 mph (and with a couple at 97) and continued on all radar guns (they do vary 2-3 mph) hitting, a least, in the 93-95 range all his first season. All of last year and through this year, and before and after his injury and delivery alteration, he is routinely now in the 87-89 range with an infrequent high of 90-91. This, by any measurement, is a 5-6 mph loss in velocity forcing Hanson to try much more breaking pitches and into a “finesse” pitcher. Why? What has happened so suddenly?
2: Jurrjens: Ditto–but perhaps an even greater loss in velocity (from the 93-94 range down to almost never breaking 90. Both he and Hanson’s fastball were never “electric” to begin with, but at such a sudden, reduced velocity, their fastballs are quite hittable by MLB hitters.
That’s two front end starters on the same team with the same issues in the same time frame–coincidence or not?
3: Leadership. You touched on Gonzalez. Unlike Cox or most managers, there have been numerous examples of a lack of warranted arguments over questionable umpiring; not coming out of the dugout to calm or discuss strategy before game changing innings (in the first game against the Astros, in the first start for Fernandez, their new 3rd baseman, he had just committed a double error, after a single error the previous inning, forcing their young pitcher, Beachy, to get a “fourth out”); general lack of in-game encouragement and/or odd, baffling decisions or non-decisions.
I know this is a lot, but should you have the time and desire to address and expound on any of these I know there are a lot of Braves fans and blog participants that constantly debate the above topics.
Thanks,
Larry
Mark Bradley
April 13th, 2012
10:54 am
Those are pretty good questions, Larry.
One thing I would say: Both pitchers are coming off injuries, in Hanson’s case a sore shoulder. That can tamp down your mph.
And I will always believe that McDowell and/or Fredi are too slow to go to the mound to talk with a pitcher. There are only so many things a manager can do to influence a game, but visiting the mound is one.
Mark Bradley
April 13th, 2012
10:56 am
As for my “poise” … I don’t know about that. Looked to me like I was poised to fall out of my chair.
Larry
April 13th, 2012
11:03 am
Mark Bradley
April 13th, 2012
10:54 am
“And I will always believe that McDowell and/or Fredi are too slow to go to the mound to talk with a pitcher. There are only so many things a manager can do to influence a game, but visiting the mound is one.”
Agreed.
In the game I referenced (after the double error by Fernandez and forcing Beachy to get a fourth out) neither the Manager or Pitching coach ran out to the mound and simply said: “guys, wipe this right out of your mind, get this this 3rd out, and nothing lost.” The Braves were up 3-1 at the time and the next Astros hitter got a hit against an obviously rattled Beachy.
I can’t imagine a better possible opportunity for a visit, and Gonzalez should have been the one so he could speak candid Spanish to Fernandez!
Gonzalez, to me, lacks that intuition most great leaders of men in sports or business of knowing when encourage or be direct–and certainly in the above referenced case the lack thereof is just baffling!
Hillbilly D
April 13th, 2012
11:09 am
Mark
Don’t be so hard on yourself. Your camera presence was better than Schultz’s on his video.
Rickster
April 13th, 2012
11:10 am
“Here’s the thing about Livan Hernandez: As bad as he has looked, you know he’d still be able to throw a shutout against the Braves.”
Only if Eric Gregg were behind the plate!
Larry
April 13th, 2012
11:11 am
Mark Bradley
April 13th, 2012
10:56 am
As for my “poise” … I don’t know about that. Looked to me like I was poised to fall out of my chair.
Nah, I pitched for 9 seasons, and though I perfer to remain anynomous to protect my business interests, I have actually met you one more than one occasion (along with other writers and broadcasters) and you are the rare “writer” comfortable in front of a microphone or camera.
Don’t believe it–watch D-Led on camera! LOL! He’s a good guy but he looks likes he’s on a witness standand twitching when questioned! LOL! Remember Ron Hudspeth? I know Ron pretty well and told him to avoid cameras at all costs! LOL!
Tom
April 13th, 2012
11:31 am
Really don’t think Fans loved Fredi until last September. Maybe the casual fans that didn’t follow the team closely day to day but I know a lot of people who watch them day to day that were questioning the same terrible in game management even with the Braves were winning. I guess it gets far more scrutiny when they start to lose, but the signs of Fredi being a terrible manager were real in April and May of last year.
SSIgator
April 13th, 2012
11:40 am
Watched the video and not one mention of “Cap Tippin’” so I was a little bummed about that. You know Mark, that is the ultimate justification for the Braves won/lost record.
ClemsonBrad
April 13th, 2012
11:47 am
Mark…Hope you have more Videos to come. Maybe even a regular talk show/video show with special guest….The “Mark Bradley Show”
Can former Atlanta Falcons coach, Bobby Petrino, be your first guest?
ClemsonBrad
April 13th, 2012
11:48 am
I still LOVE THE Livan pick up…he hasn’t looked sharp so far…but I still believe he is good one time around the order…
even more important…when there are game when we are down 5 runs in the 3rd inning…he is great to bring in instead of using our young arms.
ClemsonBrad
April 13th, 2012
11:50 am
Mark, also my work has flagged your video and won’t let me watch it…..
Anything inappropriate going on in this video? Is this one of those “secret” tapes that just got revealed?
Mark Bradley
April 13th, 2012
11:51 am
The only inappropriate action was me pretending to know what I was doing.
J-Man
April 13th, 2012
11:55 am
Fredi Gonzalez just seems to just roll with the punches and doesnt do anything to rock the boat…..He started Derek Lowe in the season finale after all….And you know Lowe had no businsees even being in the state of Georgia for that game. Then he always says “Tip your Cap” when his teams loses instead of taking accountability and benching players that underperform. He lacks fire and his teams have tuned him out in fact if Chipper doesnt return they very well could be 0-6 against the 2 worst teams in baseball, which by the law of transferance would have make us the worst team in baseball. So this goes to show you that Chipper is the TRUE manager and Fredi Gonzalez is just a figure head.
Sonny Clusters
April 13th, 2012
12:06 pm
That was a lot like Tom Brokaw only without the smell of band-aids. When we was on camera for the first time we was a lot like that but you could see we was nervous. We didn’t see that from ol’ Mark at all. Seems like everybody wanted to talk to us while we was watching so we may have to watch it again but we can say this . . . Fredi has managed to appear less intelligent than a man who constantly had his finger in his nose. That’s saying something.
reckingball
April 13th, 2012
12:08 pm
If they could ressurrect Eric Gregg, pay him the money that the Marlins paid in ‘97, and somehow get Gregg to call all of Livan’s games for the Braves, they could then make Livan a starter, and Atlanta would have a guarranteed Win every fifth game.
Heck with Livan could porbably start every 3rd game, with the way he throws, and then it would be 54, for sho’ WINS. haha
MyPatootie
April 13th, 2012
12:08 pm
Whatever happened with Christian Martinez and his drunk driving caper? They sweep this one under the rug too and just keep quiet about it? I did notice he was a little “shaky” on the mound last time out.
reckingball
April 13th, 2012
12:10 pm
Two of three good stiff shots before you go on camera, will help relax anyone.
Dr. Phil
April 13th, 2012
12:10 pm
The Braves organization is in no way similar to that of the 1990’s, and Wren is a loose cannon. It is a shame that fans can’t fire the front office. Fredi may turn out to be ok, but he is not a HOF caliber manager. What is scary about this team is, they are very capable of losing games in the late innings that should be in the bag. Perhaps some of the money put into Turner Field cosmetics should have gone toward player acquisitions. If this team continues to choke, there will be a lot of empty class “A” seats and uneaten $8 slices of pizza.
reckingball
April 13th, 2012
12:11 pm
dt’s
J-Man
April 13th, 2012
12:11 pm
I gotta admit that you are the 1st writer to start to call out Fredi Gonzalez and admit that the fans have grown tired of his Cap Tippin ways
Gary
April 13th, 2012
12:12 pm
I thought you looked a lot older than your picture but you did look comfortable. I tend to think fans put a little too much blame on Freddie and not enough on players who are not performing. There is just so much a manager can do during the game, the rest is up to the players.
J-Man
April 13th, 2012
12:13 pm
I’ll take good players over stadium upgrades……….just saying
J-Man
April 13th, 2012
12:13 pm
He had that picture put up when Clinton was in office Gary
Ted Turner
April 13th, 2012
12:15 pm
Mark Bradley hit the nail on the head. If Gonzolaz doesn’t win this month he’s going to get fired, The Braves have a long tradition of winning and won’t tolerate losing with this talented roster. The Braves encountered more injuries last year to their pitching than Bobby did in 5 years. That’s not a good sign of conditioning.
Larry
April 13th, 2012
12:34 pm
ClemsonBrad
April 13th, 2012
11:48 am
“I still LOVE THE Livan pick up…he hasn’t looked sharp so far…but I still believe he is good one time around the order…
even more important…when there are game when we are down 5 runs in the 3rd inning…he is great to bring in instead of using our young arms.”
I DON’T!
He’s the most hittable pitcher in baseball and this is why no other serious contender would want or need this in their bullpen. Just an utterly stupid decision by Wren and Gonzalez…he’s old, fat and done, and too lazy and stupid to take care of his body.
That the Braves signed this glob just before the season is a grossly unwarranted move of desperation, especially with our bevy of pitching and much more deserving candidates sent back down to the minors.
I’d take Gearrin or Junde over this obese, soft-toss supposed “inning eater” in a New York second, and we have Bullpen coach in Perez, McCann, Ross, Hudson, among others as our veteran presence.”
Sonny Clusters
April 13th, 2012
12:51 pm
When Terry Forster pitched here they called him a “Tub of Goo” and then we had Bob Wickman who wore the same size uniform pants as Chino Cadahia. Those were some sloppy looking ballplayers. The current players don’t look like heart attacks waiting to happen but neither do they look like Julio Franco in a muscle shirt. Sure, Uggla has those “Pop-Pie” arms that Brian Jordan is so fond of describing but who on this team looks like Adonis? McCann? There needs to be some aerobics and some fitness drills and some running and strengthening done right away because it is almost mid-April and we all know that’s when the tweaking and tearing and pulling and straining and aggravating and the obliques start giving out.
DetroitBraves
April 13th, 2012
12:51 pm
There are plenty of people that didn’t care much for Fredi before September 1st. It is possible to divorce the results from the process. In fact, the front office absolutely has to even if the fans do not. Even when they were winning there were clearly issues with the process.
reckingball
April 13th, 2012
12:52 pm
Mark B., JUST FOR MEN, I kid, I kid.
bobbyc82
April 13th, 2012
12:53 pm
I saw if the Braves season goes off the deep end and no make the Playoffs i say not fire Freddi but get rid of all of the guys from Cox’s days as in TP Snitker everyone and bring in new blood. Guys like Willie Randolph for a bench coach Chipper for hitting coach first base coach Eddie Perez and third base coach Raphie Belliard and for a pitching coach bring in Randy St Claire Larry Rothchild.
Ted M
April 13th, 2012
1:33 pm
That’s the first time I’ve ever heard your voice. It didn’t seem to match my expectations.
nashvillewill
April 13th, 2012
1:34 pm
FG is a terrible manager and was so before Sep 1, hence, the collapse. Overuses bullpen and offers no on-field encouragement, eg. visits to mound as referenced above. That said, Braves are improved if Heyward continues his approach–much more still and ready for the pitch and willing to go to LF with the pitch are big improvements. Still tbd, is Uggla’s willingness to hit to all fields, Chipper remaining healthy, Freeman’s sophomore struggles-or-not, and return of injured pitchers. Hope springs eternal, but this looks like a recipe for a mediocre meal.
Donna DUH
April 13th, 2012
2:00 pm
If that HOT SEAT were to be in the stands at Fenway Park, I doubt Fredi would be able to get his “husky” behind into it.
steve whitmire
April 13th, 2012
2:32 pm
ALTHOUGH no one will mistake you for Brad Pitt, you looked pretty good on camera, congrats Bradley hope to see you on the tube again. I’ve been very disappointed in Bourn’s poor play since he became a Brave, our starting pitching has been way less than stellar this year and our offense, other than Chipper and Freeman, has been poor for a couple of years. But I’m still a Braves fan and can only hope they can get it together, I was also dismayed they didn’t pick up Johnny Damon, he would have looked great in left field and when Chipper took a day or three off we could have put Prado at third instead, oh well
bart
April 13th, 2012
2:46 pm
Mark, thanks for the video. Just a suggestion on you next video – lean forward a bit and you will look ten years younger.
cowdogit
April 13th, 2012
2:48 pm
Why is the pitching coach never held accountable? With all the breakdowns the pitching staff has went through, why bypass Roger and always blame Fredi?
Fab-Five Fredi G
April 13th, 2012
2:50 pm
FG fits the criteria that mnay football coaches are relegated to. He appears to be a “Good Assistant” but overmatched as a Manager. As a manager for my company, I am able to asses those individuals that have that innate leadership skill set. Fredi, as others along with yourself have noted, inexplicably fails to grasp the gravity of the in-game nuances that a manager must be able to discern. Whether it is the proper time for a visit, to players being out of postion to poor situational pitching and hitting choices. I see a team that lacks confidence in their manager. It is reflected in their demeanor on and off the field and with their un-inspried play. They appear to be going through the motions. I do not believe the demons of last season have been exorcised and still haunt the 2012 edition. A permation of imperfection is consuming the clubhouse..Time to call Ghostbusters and Dr. Phil along with Dr. Llewllyn-Smoltz’s old sports pyschologist/consultant..
YoFred!
April 13th, 2012
2:53 pm
FG seems to be afraid to be seen on the field . . . heck Bobby loved to trot out to get thrown out of a game just to FIRE UP his players and it seemed to work almost every time. Like setting off an alarm and waking the sleep walkers who in turn would start playing hard. NOT ol. Fred, he prefers NOT to be seen, stays hidden behind something most of the time.
Stinger 2
April 13th, 2012
3:38 pm
I feel very sorry for Fredi. There seems to be more and more fans saying ugly and negative things about this Manager. It is o.k. not to approve of someone but taking it to the personal level is not right. None of these people have ever been a major league manager but they post like they know everything about baseball and Fredi does not. Shame!! Shame!!
PT
April 13th, 2012
5:33 pm
In all honesty, I wouldn’t drive to Atlanta to watch the
Braves play if someone gave me tickets in section 108.
63 year Braves Fan
April 13th, 2012
6:58 pm
We was glad to see Sonny Clusters back.
bruce
April 15th, 2012
6:45 am
@PT:
Then don’t read the columns or write on the blog, save us both the time.