A winless series concludes with a truly galling Braves loss
The Braves were ahead. Then the Grandy Man went deep. (AJC photo by Hyosub Shin)
The Wednesday loss bothered me more than the one that preceded it. On Tuesday the Yankees had to do something outrageous — six eighth-inning runs in the span of six batters, with an historic grand slam included — to prevail. On Wednesday they had only to stand back and watch as the home side did everything except win.
The Braves mustered 16 baserunners Wednesday night. They managed two runs. The Braves left 13 men on base, at least one in every inning. They managed 12 hits, at least one in every inning except the seventh. They were 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position, and one of the two was the rookie Andrelton Simmons’ bunt-for-a-hit single with Jason Heyward on third and one out, which Fredi Gonzalez conceded was “an aggressive mistake.”
This was a game that was harder to lose than to win, but lose the Braves did. They were swept in a series in which they made one error and outhit the Yankees 27-24. “We played good,” Brian McCann said, and that was the scary part.
This was a series that came down to little things. A night after Alex Rodriguez barely fouled off one 3-2 pitch from Jonny Venters and drove the next over the left-field fence, Martin Prado sought to squeeze home the tying run in the bottom of the eight. (This bunt had been called from the bench.) Instead Prado fouled Cody Eppley’s pitch to the screen. Two pitches later the Braves’ leading hitter grounded into a double play. One foul-off led to four runs, the other to two killing outs.
Said Gonzalez: “We lost three games, and we played two really good games and 7 1/3 of another.”
A professional athlete expects to lose on a bad night and to win on a good one. It’s losing on the good nights that leads to doubt, and doubt in a team is never a good thing. The Braves have lost four in a row after winning six straight. Even with an eight-wins-in-nine-games run mixed in, this team has lost 13 of 21. From 1 1/2 games ahead in the National League East on May 20, the Braves have fallen five games behind Washington — their largest deficit of the season.
Until the six-game winning streak, the Braves had hit better than they pitched. In this series they pitched better than they hit. They scored six runs, half of those coming off Matt Diaz’s RBI double against CC Sabathia on Tuesday, in 27 innings. For the series they were 3-for-24 with runners in scoring position, and only one of the three hits actually generated a run.
Said McCann, whose fifth-inning home run was the Braves’ only hit of consequence: “We couldn’t get the big hit.”
Tim Hudson pitched well, but not well enough. Derek Jeter led off the game with a double in the gap and scored on A-Rod’s single up the middle. The Yankees made that lead stand until McCann hit his homer. But Hudson couldn’t hold his advantage long enough to get an out. Jeter — yep, him again — led off the sixth with a single to right, and Curtis Granderson hoisted a Hudson cutter inside the foul pole in right. “It cut the middle of the plate in half,” Hudson said, sarcasm dripping.
Said Gonzalez: “We had a lot of good things [in the series] — other than a win.”
It’s not as if the Braves haven’t beaten good teams this season. They took two of three in Dodger Stadium and two of three in Tropicana Field, and they swept the Marlins in Miami at a time when the Fish were flying. But the determinant in this series was a subtle difference in class: The Yankees didn’t do a lot but they aced the essential stuff, while the Braves saved their worst for the worst possible moments.
Gonzalez again: “It seemed like we were one pitch away the whole series.”
That has to nag at any club, to be so close and to walk away on the dustbin end of a sweep. It sounds weird, given that June has seen the Braves’ longest winning streak of the season, but this is a team headed the wrong direction. Even good teams know they’re going to lose 60 or so games in a season — that’s just the nature of baseball. Far more galling are the losses that come for no reason. Like Wednesday’s.
Is there time enough for the Braves to right themselves? Sure. Ninety-nine games remain. But these wild mood swings — the Braves have already had three losing streaks of four or more games — have to subside. The hitting has to pick back up, and the surge in starting pitching has to continue.
“I think this club is ready to make another run,” Gonzalez said, and maybe it is. But those words would have carried more oomph had his Braves managed to beat the Yankees just once.
By Mark Bradley
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209 comments Add your comment
Stat Bully
June 14th, 2012
12:14 am
Second…and 3 for 24 overstates the Braves’ futility with RISP when two of those three hits never left the infield and failed to score a run (the bunt single you mention and Chipper’s 70 foot grounder to Jeter before Prado’s double play). My kingdom for a timely hit.
K Money
June 14th, 2012
12:15 am
First!
John Leonard
June 14th, 2012
12:15 am
We lead the world in excuses.
Stat Bully
June 14th, 2012
12:19 am
Sorry, I meant Bourn hit the 70 foot infield hit right before Prado’s killer DP. But hey, it’s a hit with runners in scoring position.
K Money
June 14th, 2012
12:23 am
This Braves team is downright appalling in their lack of commitment to owning up to choking. I just can’t believe that the manager thinks this team played “2 good games and 7 1/3 innings of another” in this series… Lets see you score ZERO runs in one game, score 2 runs (on one Brian McCann swing) in the other, and give up 6 runs in 1/3 of an inning in the other, and that is playing “really good ball” according to you. Your team was shutout by a mediocre AL pitcher in game 1- and goes 0-9 or whatever with RISP in game 1, gets blown out in the 8th inning for 6 runs and a devestating Grand Slam to blow a 4 run lead in game 2, and then procedes to go what 2-13 with RISP again in Game 3, with one of those hits being a bunt single with a runner on third and the pitcher on deck. So that is ‘”good baseball” Fredi? What did we go like 2-35 with RISP this series? We out hit them 27-24 yet get outscored 12-6…how does a team get 27 hits and only score 6 runs in a series….because it is our lovely chokers the Atlanta Braves. Fredi, Wren, and a few of the cancers and chokers in the clubhouse need to be indentified and fired!! Only then can we get to the core of this organization and start to heal from this mess. Atlanta, do not expect even a postseason appearance with Fredi and Wren running with the current makeup of this roster, just not possible….
BooBoo
June 14th, 2012
12:25 am
I remember Bobby Cox babying young Tommy Glavine along in 1988-1990. To keep him and Avery, Smoltz, and others from losing 20 games a year, he would let them almost give up a lead. With a bad team bound to find ways to lose, Cox took good, young pitchers out with no more than the tying run on base. Usually that was into the 6th or 7th inning. If the team lost, at least the youngsters had some sense of accomplishment.
This idiot the Braves have now has no clue when to take a pitcher out of a game. Sometimes I wonder if he sleeps during games. Minor might have gotten out of the 8th last night. At least let him load the bases before taking him out. He earned that by pitching into the 8th. Tonight, runners on 1st and 2nd with a hitting pitcher at bat, with 1 out. He gives up an out moving the runners up to 2nd & 3rd. Why not let Hudson hit. He hit at Auburn. He can hit in the major league. Instead, he proved how well he can hit by placing a good bunt down – something no other pitcher on staff can do. But that forces a 2-out hit. That is what the Yankees do. Not the Braves. Then, he pinch hits for Hudson with a throw-away from the Reds organization, who only uses his bat to occasionally foul a ball off, but usually he just swings and misses. The same with Hinske. He is not the same as 2 years ago. A swing and a miss waiting to happen. I think it is time to have the manager fill out a surrender letter, rather than a lineup card. He needs to forfeit three to Baltimore, rather than play that group of under-achievers.
First?
nota ptiching coach
June 14th, 2012
12:25 am
Does anyone know what happened to Leo Mazzone? He used to be on the pre-game show on AM 680 The Fan with Mark Lemke, Ben Ingram (sp?) and “the brain-dead heaver”?
K Money
June 14th, 2012
12:29 am
Mark….
Why don’t you write an article asking for donations for Fredi Gonzalez to quietly resign from “managing” the Atlanta Braves. I garauntee that you would get $52 million dollars before midnight from Braves fans all over the country. We all know Frank Wren wont do it. How could he though…Fredi and him are supposed to ride their Harleys through Helen this fall…
CC
June 14th, 2012
12:35 am
I keep looking for the Bowling programs but can’t find them on anywhere. At least I can see a Lacrosse game or two on watchESPN most anytime I like.
Matt
June 14th, 2012
12:38 am
On a happier note, the Roger Waters concert tonight was EPIC!!!
Maria
June 14th, 2012
12:42 am
Leo probably had to be taken off the radio because of watching this disgusting display of a team these days. If he’s still the hothead he use to be, he’d go into a cussing fit like I often do watching them. Thanks Braves for continuing the tradition of looking like jackasses against the Yankees. Oh and we know how you play against the Phillies and Nationals too so I look for the losing to continue against them too since you are so good at it. If I start to cheer for you losing all the time, will you start winning just because I want you to lose? I never can have a sustained amount of time of enjoying Braves baseball for BS like these past three games happening. It makes me sick and I am so tired of it. Mind you, I have been watching you since 1982.
When you get rid of that sorry manager you have and that sorry pitching coach you have then maybe things might change. Fredi Gonzalez is afraid of his shadow. That play on Simmons tonight when he was accused of swinging, Bobby would have been out there and still raising hell about it. Gonzalez does not do that so you can only imagine how he interacts with his players. They can’t possibly have respect for him because he will not defend them no matter what.
chasjons
June 14th, 2012
12:43 am
This loss didn’t bother me as much as Tuesday’s loss. Some nights you simply aren’t going to get the big hit for whatever reason. Tuesday was awful because our manager failed to put in our closer when we needed him the most. I can live with leaving runners in scoring position, but I can’t stand mental mistakes from the manager. Oh, why was Chipper not pinch run for in the 9th????? Because our manager is a clown I guess.
Howdy Doody
June 14th, 2012
12:53 am
This Braves team needs leadership. Not named Fredi Gonzalez. More devastating losing streaks and questionable calls in 1 1/2 (almost) seasons than can stand.
Fredi Will Screw It Up Somehow
June 14th, 2012
12:53 am
“The Yankees didn’t do a lot but they aced the essential stuff, while the Braves saved their worst for the worst possible moments.”
Sums up the past 20 years for both franchises. And their managers.
Chris
June 14th, 2012
12:53 am
Easiest bet in Vegas- Yankees vs. Braves, every time….we may get swept again this next series.
not a pitching coach
June 14th, 2012
1:02 am
I admit it, I am a deep-eyed Braves fan and have been since 1968. On some occasions I’ve been the only fan in the center field bleachers at the old Fulton COunty Stadium. Especially if the game was an an afternoon game.
I lost a lot of respect for Don Sutton this afternoon, with his diatribe against fans who were mad because the Braves lost–no, blew–a 4-0 lead against the Yankees yesterday. He said we didn’t know much about inside baseball, and that’s probably true, most of us probably haven’t played pro baseball in our lives.
Johnny Venters wasn’t on his game, he said. And he wasn’t. But he wasn’t on his game the game before that either, and the games before that he wasn’t exactly a “lights-out” pitcher. This isn’t the Johnny Venters we knew last year. Something has happened to him. I wish I knew what it is so I could fix it.
But Sutton seemed to go out of his way to insult the fan base by implying that they were a bunch of nincompoops.
Maybe next year he can spend his summer on a tour of the vineyards of North America and meld that into a show about the wines of North America. I’m sure he’d do really well with that.
At least it would be a realistic show, instead of the phony shows like “House Hunters” that permeate reality TV these days.
Mountain Dawg
June 14th, 2012
1:03 am
WGAS?
Dr. Heavy Duty
June 14th, 2012
1:11 am
Freddi has no BB instincts for managing. He either pulls the trigger to soon or too late. If he had Bobby guts the hotshot ss would have been on the bench in 10 seconds after putting the game on Huddy’s shoulders. Where is the passion? Most of the folk on this site would get blown out of more games than Freddi does, but we would go down with everyone knowing how we thought.
I pay over $200 a year just to see the game from strike one to last out. I have been a fan for 46 years of my life…I am used to seeing failure…but doggone..at lest get pissed..throw a chair…admit it is a common feat for the Braves to score in one inning and laugh til the opponent blows them down.
This season is young..but Championships are won in the Spring, as well as the Fall. WS…can’t win it if you ain’t in it!
ACE
June 14th, 2012
1:15 am
DOB will be on that Harley ride also. That’s why they can’t be critical of Fredi.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 14th, 2012
1:15 am
Why didn’t Diaz pinch hit for Hinske against the lefty in the 7th inning with the runner in scoring position?
TuffShhhtuff
June 14th, 2012
1:27 am
FG “the robot” said, ” we lost 3 games, and we played two really good games, and 7 and 1/3 of another”. When was that, genius manager? I apparently fell asleep and missed all that. Oh, now I get it, he had a small TV tucked away in the dugout and was watching the Nats series against Toronto.
Craig
June 14th, 2012
1:29 am
Good things other than the win. Well as Steve Martin used to say, “Excussssssssseeeeee me.” This team lacks pitching no matter what radio and TV people say and winning coaches.
Harpie
June 14th, 2012
1:34 am
This team is terrible. and not a bit fun to watch…
Mark Bradley
June 14th, 2012
1:36 am
Because Hinske had to stay in and play first base. Freeman had a sore finger.
PutMeInCoach
June 14th, 2012
1:38 am
Which AJC writer will be first to suggest Fredi be fired? We know DOB can’t author that article so Bradley or Schultzie are your choices. My guess will be Bradley, the next question is when?
bulldogbubba
June 14th, 2012
1:39 am
PITIFUL!!! Pitching helps but what about scoring some runs.Why can’t our players manufacture some runs like the better teams.Lack of run support makes the pitching look bad.come oN HOF star Chipper Jones.Where is the clutch hitting “bench warmers”? PITIFUL!!! No body fears the lowly Braves.Get those kids from Parkview and let them show the Braves what winners are like.You want fan support start winning consistently. GOOD NIGHT!!!
Fed Up
June 14th, 2012
1:47 am
So on a night when Hinske (who is horrible against LHP), was the ONLY option at 1B – couldn’t even been PH for because of Freeman’s finger. Our genius leader in the dugout chose to NOT split up Heyward and Hinske in the lineup, by putting Simmons in between them? Which would have at least made Girardi remotely think about making a pitching change?
Yup. Fredi is our guy. Wow.
jc_dawgs
June 14th, 2012
1:49 am
Braves actually got a few more hits during the entire series. The difference was the Yankees clutch power hitting and there clutch pitching. The Braves simply do no have that. Thats exactly what you can obtain with a 200 million dollar payroll. Meanwhile…the Braves is 83 million.
extremus
June 14th, 2012
2:04 am
Things are what they are. The good news is that the Braves are still tied for 2nd place in the NL East; the bad news is that they’re now 5 games behind Washington, which is one of the biggest leads for any division leader. This loss also dumped them to 14-15 on the year at Turner Field; home field advantage has been so far non-existent.
So I’ll put it this way: depending on how things go, perhaps even over the next several days, the Braves could either begin the difficult task of clawing their way back to within striking distance of the Nationals, or be looking at a Wild Card-at-best scenario the rest of the season. And given their upcoming opponents (the Orioles and these same Yankees at New York over the next week), the prognosis unfortunately favors the latter. Who cares if you string together a few wins in a row if you give them right back; streakiness and inconsistency don’t win championships.
Fredie stinks
June 14th, 2012
2:29 am
Its 2:25AM. I bet FG is home in his big comfy bed sleeping like a baby. Does anything ever rile him? Get his blood to boil? We have watched him yawn his way through games for a year and a half now. Doesn’t matter if there are bad calls like Freeman getting called out when he got hit in the finger sliding into second; or Simmons tonight when he got plunked in the elbow. Bobby Cox would still be arguing those calls. Bet someone had to nudge FG to even go out to check on Simmons. Wonder who winds him up? He is as mechanical as they come.
Greg
June 14th, 2012
2:34 am
Hi Mark,
Couldn’t Diaz or Prado have played first base? Sure seems like it would’ve been worth it to have Diaz bat against Logan rather than Hinske.
Also, while I realize that Simmons’ bunt was not what you want him doing in that situation the fact is that his bunt was a fantastic one that Heyward should’ve easily scored on even if he didn’t know it was coming.
That said, nothing that happened before it even comes close to the ridiculousness of Bourn not stealing second base during Prado’s at-bat in the 8th inning. It was a no-lose situation since the Yankees almost certainly wouldn’t have thrown to second and risked Simmons scoring the tying run from third.
Even the extremely unlikely worst-case scenario of Bourn being caught stealing and Simmons not scoring still would’ve left them with the tying run on third with two outs and a good hitter batting.
As appalling as Tuesday night’s game was to watch go up in flames this loss tonight was nothing short of embarrassing.
I watched it in New York with my Dad, who’s been a huge Yankees fan since the 1930s, and after the final out was recorded he told me he couldn’t even believe how the Braves managed to screw that game up so badly.
BravesFan79
June 14th, 2012
2:46 am
Nice to see Gonzalez think “outside the box” and use his closer in a non-save situation tonight, 2 bad it was 1 game to late! He should of been brought in with bases loaded and 4-0 in the 8th, no doubt about it! Hes young and hasent pitched since Saturday, your telling me pitching 30 pitches instead of 15 pitches is that big a deal?? Im not buying it!
clay
June 14th, 2012
4:19 am
I don’t know why you people still watch the braves. They are to streaky of a team. You can’t go from losing eight in a row to winning eight of nine and now a four game losing streak(and who knows how long it’s going to go this time) and expect to even make the playoffs. Great teams like the Dodgers, Nats, Rangers, and Yankees find a way to not be so streaky like that. Also, great teams don’t suck at home during a current 9 game home stand (2-4 currently) and expect to do anything. I refuse to watch this team until Frank Wren decides that it’s time to start making some trades and shaking things up. I mean did he really think that the same team that blew it in September was going to come back and be bashers this year. COME ON WREN, it’s time to start doing something.
Stinger 2
June 14th, 2012
5:25 am
The Fredi bashers are having their chance to go full steam ahead during this tough losing streak. Likewise, Sonny Clusters has been unusually active with his anti-Chipper hogwash these days. Meanwhile, the sun continues to rise in the east each day. I can`t wait to see Clusters post today because it will be a repeat of the same old corny suff about how bad Chipper and Fredi are.
TechRon
June 14th, 2012
5:55 am
Funny. Sutton said yesterday that he hated all the “crap” going around town about Fredi. He is like Leo, a house shill just trying to “keep it positive.” What a bunch of BS. Fredi is lost and the Braves are losers. Why can’t they just say “you know what, we really stink and we are sorry that we just choke and choke and choke. We are working on it but we have to own up to our stupidity and incompetence.” That would make me feel a little better about them. When people are in denial like that it offends me. BTW, I don’t watch them any more. They stink. FG must go. What imbecile hired him? What imbecile kept him after last seasons epic collapse? What imbecile keeps him on now?
NickGranite
June 14th, 2012
6:17 am
It would appear over the haul of the last 20+ games, Freeman’s eye problems and injury is really killing us. You can point to this and that in individual games but Freeman was our (and the leagues’s) big RBI guy the first 6 weeks of the season. Now he’s either out or not effective. Last night we couldn’t pinch hit Diaz in an obvious righty vs lefty spot because Freeman wasn’t available to take first base with predictable lefty vs lefty results. It was a formidable line-up with Freeman healthy in the 3 hole…now the production whether he’s in or out has went south.
NickGranite
June 14th, 2012
6:23 am
We are really missing the Freddie Freeman of the first six weeks of the season. We can point to this and that over individual games but we have to get him healthy and hitting from the 3 hole like he was pre injury(s). It’s no accident that his issues are one of the reasons we have faltered over the last 20+ games. One more big bat would have put us over the hump in a lot of these close games.
slydog
June 14th, 2012
6:28 am
the sports media tries to dismiss freddy g’s “folksiness” and bobbling tongue press conferences are examples of a lil “bobby cox” in him, especially the way he refuses to diss individual players at said press conferences. i’m not fooled; this guy manages a baseball team the same way it sounds coming out of his mouth: stuttering and bobbling. this man has absolutely no track record of success and the practice of extended nepotism continues to bite this average organization. i caution people to not hang their heads over each and every right or wrong decision made by freddy g. by the end of the season, you too will have enough evidence that this guy is nothing more than average and the braves picked a consistent loser to manage this ball club. if one can rebutt my argument, then lord help you. look around this town; none of these teams, college or pro, have no clue what “championship” quality smells like. it just “swepted” it’s way through town.
Buzz2011
June 14th, 2012
6:30 am
The Braves will not even be a 500 team much longer. Looks like 4th place in their division is coming.
slydog
June 14th, 2012
6:33 am
everything cannot be blamed on the manager, but guess what: everybody has injuries, the braves are mostly a “homegrown” team, they held on to all of that pitching and now it’s blown up in their faces. for all his antics and arrogance, wouldn’t you rather have bobby valentine? at least you know he can manage. last time i will say this: the day terry francona was free, should have been the day freddy g. should have been “released.”
MikeYmikey234@aol.com
June 14th, 2012
6:43 am
MB, note Diaz has played 1B (2 games in 2007 for the Braves). I think the Braves should have Diaz work on his 1B skills, having a RH hitter who can play 1B would help out.
Another option would have been to put Diaz in LF, and have Prado play 1B. Prado has played 52 games at 1B in his career.
Herschel Talker
June 14th, 2012
6:44 am
MB:
Fredi is literally delusional.
FIRE FREDI GONZALEZ!!!!
HT
Scott Brantley
June 14th, 2012
6:45 am
K Money–You are on the money!
Bill
June 14th, 2012
6:54 am
The Braves are an average team. Nothing special. Ownership and upper management have decided to spend just enough for the Braves to have a wild card chance. Then maybe catch lightning in a bottle in the postseason.
Everyone needs to understand that the Braves of the 90’s are gone. The only way this changes is with a single billionaire owner that wants to win.
WTF
June 14th, 2012
6:55 am
Just face up to the fact that this team is not all that good. By NL East (or AL East) standards, not even middlin’. The ‘fault’ isn’t just the manager, although he hasn’t shown much ability to get whatever is the best out of thees guys, nor is it the players – they are mostly young, mostly pretty good (and as said above, that isn’t that great). Liberty Media can take most responsibility and Frank Wren would have to be a mixture of Houdini, Einstein and Walter O’Malley to get more….and he isn’t.
It starts at the top. But you can’t ‘fire’ an owner. We may have to just sit back and wait till Liberty has seen enough red ink and then we’ll see. The best we can do is make sure the ink is truly red. No more games for me. And I’d encourage all to simply ‘vote’ with their pocketbooks…and feet.
Don’t go. Try not to watch. Wait them out.
Then perhaps Bernie will come on in and spend.
Longtimefan
June 14th, 2012
6:58 am
I have been an ardent Braves supporter since their arrival in Atlanta in 1966. I like to give the managers and players the benefit of the doubt considering they are the Professionals playing in the Big Show. That said I have problems with FGs management and style on 3 accords: 1)He changes pitchers within a game too frequently, starters or relievers. If a pitcher has his “stuff” that night, why pull him for an unknown who may have an off night? Case in point-Minor Tuesday night. Obviously sometimes a SP has to come out but his hook is too quick,IMHO. 2)He sits the starting position players too frequently. The starters are starters because they are better players, let them play. Especially Heyward, I believe an All-Star in the making. 3) No fire. Get out and argue some bad calls. Stand up for your players. Actually get tossed from a game; sometimes it fires up the team.
MikeY
June 14th, 2012
7:28 am
Livan Hernandez needs to be released.
Put Medlin in the rotation and have Minor pitch in long relief. He has been pretty good the first time through a lineup, he really falters the second and third times through.
We will still really lack a #1 starter…but with Hudson, Hanson, Beachy, and Medlin we might have 4 #2 starters and a decent #5 in Delgado.
Need to see if we can work a trade w/ Padres or Cubs or Twins, teams that all seem out of it completely.
Wilson, Hernandez, Francisco just are not adding much. At least Diaz rakes vs LHP, and Hinske is not too bad vs RHP.
And we need Ross to get a few more starts against LHP, he is hitting .350 w/ an OPS of 1200 vs LHP. Maybe not a pure platoon, but against tough lefties, Ross needs to start. And he does a great job w/ the pitchers, and is an excellent defensive catcher.
Charlie
June 14th, 2012
7:33 am
When you maintain a collection of PROVEN losers and chokers together (from last September), what do you expect? The Braves are LOSERS. THEY CHOKE AT ALL THE BIG MOMENTS of a game. They always do. Its who they are. It’s their makeup. Winners find a way to win. Losers choke, when given opportunities.
Don’t ever fire Fredi. He’s the perfect manager for this team of chokers. He proven it last September. He’s continuing even today.
Why are the Braves “…one pitch away…one hit away…?” Simple. They are losers, to a man. They can’t get the job done. They choke. They are who they are.
jerry
June 14th, 2012
7:36 am
Sherman’s quote after the Battle of Atlanta:
“Behind us lay Atlanta smoldering and in ruins, the black smoke rising high in the air and hanging like a ball over the ruined city.”
Still apropos.
Shug
June 14th, 2012
7:38 am
Would some local guy with deep pockets please hurry up and buy this franchise?
Packer Ed
June 14th, 2012
7:39 am
Bottom line, the Braves are nothing more to Liberty Media than a business deduction on a balance sheet.
Very few company people have emotional attachments to the Braves.
All business
Lame
June 14th, 2012
7:44 am
Quit the pity party. So what they lost three in a row in a 162 game season. You Braves fans exaggerate how good they are on a win streak and how bad they are on a losing streak. I hope your players aren’t as defeatist as y’all are. Lame stuff here.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
June 14th, 2012
7:47 am
The Braves aren’t man enough to beat the good teams.
reebok
June 14th, 2012
7:50 am
Totally gutless team. How to the Braves manage to play with so little passion and fire year after year?
reebok
June 14th, 2012
7:51 am
‘Do,’ not ‘to.’ The Braves can’t hit, and I can’t type.
Kyle
June 14th, 2012
7:58 am
This team and needless to say this manager show once again they can’t play with the big boys. Little league all the way but it will be no different than the Hawks in the end. They won’t go anywhere, they will keep the same people from the top – down and the same morons will spend their money again next year supporting mediocrity.
Cecil34
June 14th, 2012
8:01 am
Boy, what an absolute test-case example of a team with deep pockets, leadership and management skills and front office competency and savvy does to a team that has none of the above.
Fact is, this is what awaits the Braves every time they “qualify” for the “playoffs” with the wild-card, if they can even get that far.
Which is to say they really don’t “qualify” for anything.
This watered-down playoff system is nothing but socialist baseball.
And a money-grab by the MLB.
GT
June 14th, 2012
8:02 am
This has been the story the last few years even with Bobby, but last year’s dive at the end of the season was gut wrenching.
The Yankees are so much better managed than we are right now. Their pitch recognition and their getting ahead in the count when pitching have always been trademarks. Jetter may be the greatest shortstop of all time and he has not lost much, and we pitched to A Rod the number one grand slam hitter of all time, why? We missed signs, and fell in love with the bunt which most of the time we couldn’t execute. I think the Yankee fans messed with our heads too. Sad day for baseball in Atlanta.
Sons of Rick Matula
June 14th, 2012
8:10 am
Said Gonzalez: “We lost three games, and we played two really good games and 7 1/3 of another.”
Said Gonzalez: “We had a lot of good things [in the series] — other than a win.”
Gonzalez again: “It seemed like we were one pitch away the whole series.”
If you’re trying to make a point here, Mark, make it.
If you want to imply that Fredi is delusional and/or lost and unable to speak in anything other than baseball cliches, go ahead.
But let’s stop “hinting” and start hitting out at the malaise and complacence of this manager, this team and this organization!
William Smith
June 14th, 2012
8:20 am
When all decisions are made to get the cheapest deal what do you expect. The Braves are going to finish less than .500 so forget about it. That’s all folks!
Da truth
June 14th, 2012
8:20 am
The last straw for me was Sunday against toronto when Freddie didn’t let Julio Tehran Stay in the 6th inning and he brings in Livan. Ok, I didn’t like the move but when he left Livan in after giving up 5 straight hits….it was as if this game wasn’t as important as the upcoming Yankee series, which we all saw the debacle with Venters. The importance of keeping the win streak alive was really important for momentum, and now we arer on another 4 game losing streak. This is starting to smell lime September 2011….
Remember
June 14th, 2012
8:21 am
Having Bourne (fastest player) stand at 1st base during Martin’s 8th inning AB against a sidewinding, slow to the plate righty was confusing. McCann was on deck, so if they walked Martin, we were ok with bases loaded (even if NY had a lefty in the pen). If they happened to throw out Bourne, we still have McCann coming up. Worth the risk I would think. Instead, 6-4-3 and the game is over.
Mixer
June 14th, 2012
8:26 am
I wouldn’t be so fast in cracking on Andrelton’s bunt hit last night. What about JHey being a little more alert with his base running? Meantime, Fredi as a manager continues to look like he’s in over his head.
Jack Dennis TN
June 14th, 2012
8:26 am
No leadership from dugout. Fredi sits on his butt, never protects his players, looks sleepy, and waits for something good to happen. And they STILL need a RH hitter.
dean
June 14th, 2012
8:32 am
Lame @ 0744.
You must not be from ’round here.
I’m as big an optimist there is, but some trends cannot be ignored. I hope I’m wrong but I’m not very optimistic about ATL going very far this season. And that would be a shame. I was really hoping for Chipper’s last season to be a very good season. Not necessarily winning the WS, which would be nice, but playing like a good team that will only get better.
We will see if the end of June indicates a swoon or encouragement.
mike
June 14th, 2012
8:38 am
To Fredie Stinks: Why should Fredi Gonzalez get stressed out? Stress leads to heart attacks and other health problems. No need getting stressed over a game.
Ryan
June 14th, 2012
8:40 am
This series showed how inferior the braves are against top teams. Gee just like all Atlanta/Georgia sports teams!
Dawg Fud
June 14th, 2012
8:40 am
Shug,
I told my wife if we won the lottery I would love to buy the Braves!
Of course, I would either steal Tom Cousin’s idea and do an East Lake community renovation for the surrounding area or relocate the stadium…..
Tip Your Cap
June 14th, 2012
8:42 am
I watched the game on the Yankee network, and their announcers were completely mystified as to why Diaz sat on the bench, holding a bat and wearing a helmet, while Heyward and Hinske came up in the seventh. Heyward and Hinske’s numbers against left-handers are terrible. They had a shot of Fredi, and one announcer said, “I don’t know what’s going on in his head.” That sums it up pretty well.
Dawg Fud
June 14th, 2012
8:42 am
GT said it perfectly. I agree.
Dawg Fud
June 14th, 2012
8:43 am
Fredi is a mental midget in a tactician’s game. Now we know why Florida booted him mid-season.
richard whiskey
June 14th, 2012
8:47 am
braves payroll 93million yankees payroll 200million,who do you think is gonna win more games? is the reason i no longer watch baseball
Gonzalez is an IDIOT
June 14th, 2012
8:50 am
FG is an idiot…and Bradley, DOB, and Schultz don’t have the intestinal fortitude to really ask the hard questions – they are too worried that Fredi and rest of the players won’t like them anymore……Please somebody in upper management “grow some” and FIRE THE INEPT FREDI.
GwinnettDad
June 14th, 2012
8:52 am
The Braves roll over and die when they play the Yankees. They seem to look at that uniform, see Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Whitey Ford, and simply clutch.
Since Chipper joined the Braves and there’s been interleague play, what is the record of the Braves during the regular season and the World Series.
Have the Braves ever won a game?
jerry
June 14th, 2012
8:56 am
@richard whiskey
You hit the nail on the head. It is rather simple minded to think that changing managers will somehow overcome the talent level. Changing managers is usually just a ploy be management to pull the wool over the fans eyes without spending the money to upgrade the roster.
Playoffs!!!
June 14th, 2012
8:57 am
Bradley @ 1:36 a.m.—-Prado could have played 1st base, (done it before). The sportswriters in this town are just as bad as the managers. No excuse for not getting Diaz in there for a pinch-hit at-bat against a lefty.
jerry
June 14th, 2012
8:58 am
@GwinnettDad
Bobby and the Braves were 10-12 vs the Yankees during the regular season and 2-8 in the Series.
shorty
June 14th, 2012
8:58 am
Fire Fredi and plese get some new announcers I thought I was watching aYankees broadcast this whole series.. I’ve been a big of Murph since his playing days but he made me sick singing the praises of cheater jeter and aroid! And by the way Sutton the fans pay your salary so back off or get out and take Fredi with you!
Sad Sack
June 14th, 2012
9:01 am
Quite simply, you have two different teams. One with ownership that does what it thinks is needed to win a championship (they don’t always succeed, but they are actively trying) and the other with ownership that just sees it as line items on a P&L and Balance Sheet and have no expectations beyond trying to run it as a subsidiary business.
Yes, Spin Me Another Yarn!
June 14th, 2012
9:07 am
“You hit the nail on the head. It is rather simple minded to think that changing managers will somehow overcome the talent level. Changing managers is usually just a ploy be management to pull the wool over the fans eyes without spending the money to upgrade the roster.”
That is true…….sometimes. Bradley did make a statement that describes what I have been saying forever. This team has wild mood swings! It’s mass success or mass hysteria! The successes and failures associated with the performance of a team that is playing like the Braves are due to mental issues. The way you deal with a team’s psyche is with managers and coaches. They are the equivalent of shrinks that say the right things in private to the team and push the right
buttons to get teams to remain on an even keel.
Who on here or on DOB’s blog can say this team is on an even keel? No one. At least no one with a shred of credibility.
If ever there was an example of a manager having an effect on team performance (or lack of performance depending on what day it is) Fredi is the poster child.
P.T. Barnum
June 14th, 2012
9:08 am
The braves should have won 2 of 3 against the yankees, A team I have dispised my entire life. I’m 69 yo. It was plain stupid to take Minor out in the 8th, just to put Venters, who appears to have forgotten how to pitch into the game and then Gearirin. It’s almost as if FG is betting against the team. Last night not losing is temper at least to get out there to defend Simmons claim that he was hit by the pitch was outrageous. Show some damn spirit, even if you have to fake it. How much longer will mcdowell continue to be piyching coach, What’s his record? He takes a decent pitching staff and ruins them, injuries, forgetting how to pitch. What’s his training program? At least he hasn’t yelled at any fans yet this season. I can’t tell whether FW or RM is the rump end of a jackass.
bill
June 14th, 2012
9:08 am
The Braves do not care about the fans. They have Don Sutton and the idiot broadcasting the games. Just because they are explayers does not mean they are unbiased observers of the game. The Braves have kept Sutton, the idiot and Tom Glavine on the airwaves and in the family even though they are repeatedly disrespectful to the BRAVES FANS. We were here before you aholes got here. Sutton take your Dodger ass back to LA. powell and Glavine you might have played ball and think your superior to us bleacher bums but you can kiss Suttons A$$ on your way out of town. At least we come on time don’t kill each other in theparking lot and support the team through thick and thin. We can say anything we want too about the Braves because we are family. We do not need you outsiders telling us how to act.
N'Qan
June 14th, 2012
9:09 am
Same old problems. When are they going to quit leading the league in men left on base?
Doug
June 14th, 2012
9:12 am
I am surprised to read that they thought they played good. I mean there were spurts where the defense made outstanding plays. I guess the biggest let downs were the offense. The double play last night in the 8th by Prado was a killer. I don’t understand why we didn’t have Bourn running? I mean, lets put some pressure on the defense and try to create a run. The other let downs was the choice of relievers in late innings. How can you put a rookie just up from triple A ball in the 8th inning of the 2nd game against the mighty Yankees. THey chewed him up. I don’t know. I am starting to think that a Tony LaRussa or Bobby Cox would have won at least one of those games managing.
But, I am still holding out hope. Maybe our trip to NY next week, we can turn the tables on them.
VolGuy
June 14th, 2012
9:16 am
I watched Tuesday’s game and just about blew a gasket as Fredi sat in the dugout while venters self destructed. Afterward, I decided that there is no good reason to get so upset. As someone else said, this team is just not that good. Not bad, just mediocre.I doubt that anything will change very much until the Braves have an owner that is not some faceless corporation located in another part of the country. All the statistics of the last three games cited by MB are deceiving. The Yankees are not a diminant team by any means, but they do the small things well and the Braves don’t.
BulldogBen
June 14th, 2012
9:19 am
I turn 38 this year and have been an Atlanta sports teams homer my whole life. I’ve either grown out of a demographic or I’ve simply seen enough from our teams to be bitter to the point that I don’t think any of these teams will ever win a Championship, much less become some multi-championship city.
At this point it seems like the Braves never won the World Series. Don’t even remember what it felt like.
Sonny Clusters
June 14th, 2012
9:20 am
All this bad baseball from the Braves and all one tender little blogger on here can do is talk about us. We don’t know why he is so tender about Chipper Jones but maybe they have matching tattoos. Anyway, we noticed that Jeter and Gonzales are the stars of the Yankees and they both came up big in this series. Our “sure HOFer” played third base like a grandma and LEFT SO MANY MEN ON BASE that we was wondering if he was adding to his collection. When “true fans” don’t want anybody pointing out the problems they are putting their tender little heads in the sand. This team underperforms. They have told us they are champions but they only have little signs in the outfield to back that up. Those signs mean nothing. There is no “Championship” without a pennant. Those little signs are not much more than participation awards.
Don
June 14th, 2012
9:21 am
12 Hits and 16 Base Runners = 2 Runs (A BOBBY COX SPECIAL).
When you hire a Bobby Cox Clone – Surprise, Surprise – Thats what you get – a Bobby Cox Clone.
To make these stats (12 hits, 16 base runners = 2 runs) look even worse is the fact that the two runs scored on a home run.
No Flag Since Lemke
June 14th, 2012
9:23 am
Another night, another two hits for Bourn – except neither when it counted. When it counted there was a two-hopper to the second baseman and a K. This guy is the later day Mark Teixeira – pretty but meaningless stats.
reckingball
June 14th, 2012
9:25 am
It’s not the end of the world as we know it, the Braves will bounce back.
GO BRAVES!
Sonny Clusters
June 14th, 2012
9:25 am
We was wondering if a team that needed to get a run in could use a guy like Constanza last night? Leaving men on base is nothing new for the Braves but the Yankees showed us how baseball stars are supposed to perform for their team. Jeter was a base hit machine. A-Rod did what he was supposed to do in that big 8th inning. What about our star player? Inept defense – can’t run hard – leaves runners stranded. Nice deer tattoos, though.
Sonny Clusters
June 14th, 2012
9:27 am
A-Rod. We are not an American League fan so sometimes we mess up when we talk about that other league. One thing we do know and that is the Yankees could play three more before leaving town and they would win all three.
Don
June 14th, 2012
9:27 am
With a manager who is a BOBBY COX CLONE;
And even more significantly – with a PITCHING COACH who in his 6 or 7 years with the Braves with the large number of different Starting Pitchers they have had – has had almost EVERY STARTING PITCHER to end up being INJURED. Thas has DESTROYED and is destroying the Braves’ championship chances for years to come.
How can you WRITERS not ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM – when it is probably the most SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM the Braves (or any other Major League Team) has ever had.
How can you POSSIBLY IGNORE THIS?????
BaseballBuff
June 14th, 2012
9:28 am
Just one clutch hit could have changed everything. Sound familiar, Braves fans? Man, do I hate losing to the Yankees. The Braves look intimidated when playing them. Same old same old. A team without testes.
Pmc
June 14th, 2012
9:32 am
It’s nothing to get too upset about. This team was always going to be streaky. They will score 11 some nights and be totally inept others. These are the players we have.
Sid
June 14th, 2012
9:34 am
well said Charlie….most of these delusional fans and the sad Atl sports media will never admit the truth.
J.D. Phillips
June 14th, 2012
9:35 am
The team is inconsistent. Figure they will miss the playoffs by 2 to 3 games and come up short again. I expect around 85 / 87 wins.
Why?
June 14th, 2012
9:36 am
@Mixer
I think Heyward did the right thing by not going. Obviously it wasn’t a squeeze and A-Rod was yelling not to throw to first. It was just a another great call decision by Fredi LOL
Braves!
June 14th, 2012
9:36 am
no big deal–the braves can still win the weak east division and go to the playoffs.
P Rose
June 14th, 2012
9:37 am
Chipper is our big star; the Yankee’s is Jeter. Every time Jeter came to bat in this series, you thought, “Uh-oh,” because knew he was about to do something big; and sure enough, he did, nearly every time. Meanwhile, our hero did — well, basically nothing. And you felt it, too, every time he came up — you just knew he wouldn’t get a hit. Maybe he’s still hurting — if so, then why did he even play? Because he knew zillions of people would be watching, since it was the Yankees? If so, it was a bad decision.
Compared side to side, in every way, the Yankees’ big star far outshines ours. Maybe that’s why, during the Jeter-Chipper era, they’ve won five titles to our one. I love the Braves, and Chipper, but he ain’t no Jeter.
timthebrave
June 14th, 2012
9:38 am
The Braves need to learn to do the little things better. Getting bunts down…Moving runners over…etc..Until they do that they will wait for the 3 run homer and just be an ok team instead of a good team…Go Braves
The ATL
June 14th, 2012
9:38 am
atlanta–still the place to be–it’s black mecca! Rise up!!! The ATL!!!!
Why?
June 14th, 2012
9:40 am
Has anyone thought of making a banner saying “Fire Fredi” and taking it to a game?
It's over now...
June 14th, 2012
9:42 am
If I were king:
1) When Medlen comes up, send Venters down.
2) Tell Freddie Freeman to start wearing his Oakley’s and tell Under Armour to go pound sand if they don’t like it. UA is the reason why Freddie isn’t playing – he’s tougher than that finger injury.
3) Tell Dan Uggla to quit taking some plays off in the field. At times, he is brilliant, and at other times he just doesn’t put any effort into it.
4) Kill this Chipper Jones to the All-Star game talk. I’d rather have home field advantage in the World Series than Chipper as an All-Star. Besides, Chipper is not the best 3rd baseman in the NL and any talk about making him the starter is not in the best interest of the game.
5) Find out what Jason Heyward has done to bring up his game and make the rest of the team do it.
But I’m not King, I’m just a fan who HATES losing!!!
Pete
June 14th, 2012
9:48 am
Watching the Braves play against the mighty Yankees is like watching little kids trying to compete with their older brothers.
Hopeless.
richard whiskey
June 14th, 2012
9:50 am
don sutton has’nt announced a game for the braves in years
P Rose
June 14th, 2012
9:51 am
He’s still on the radio.
Kashi
June 14th, 2012
9:59 am
Everything is not clicking right. Beachy sore arm, Tim Hudson sore ankle, Chipper coming to play too early. Freeman sore finger. Speedy lighting fast left fielder Constanza send down to minor, Krish Melden not available out of bullpen. Jonny V losing his command. Lots of things are not cliking right !!!
ShadeTree14
June 14th, 2012
10:02 am
Richard Whiskey, it really is apparent you don’t watch or listen to baseball…Sutton is still doing Braves Games on radio and if this all comes down to “who’s payroll is better”…is was Cody Eppley, (a pitcher the Yankees picked up after the Rangers waived him, ERA of 8.00) who got Prado to hit into that double-play…I’d like to think our stars can come through in situations like that.
John
June 14th, 2012
10:05 am
I have nothing against Diaz or Hinske but how is Costanza good enough to start nearly every game he is up over Hinske and Diaz but then is sent back down? Also, not calling for Bourn to steal 8th in the second with a fast runner on third made no sense to me. Instead, we get a double play. I will never get mad with Bourn getting caught stealing. I do get frustrated with not allowing him to try.
Bill
June 14th, 2012
10:08 am
Sutton the other night also wondered out loud why Fredi didn’t have Kembrel warming up…..Last night I didn’t hear what ya’ll say he said but in general he is the best voice we have. Remember the announcers get paid to support the team…some ajc reports may? It looks like it anyway.
Yesterday Carroll Rogers also cut the fans down for not going to game and keeping NNY fans out..LOL. Everywhere Braves play we have alot of Braves fans..she needs to get a life.
I’ve been a fan since 66, had season tickets holder, used to set with Pearl and four row behind Walters section. Victor took pictures for me of all the players from both teams. etc. That said I’ve had it with Braves fredi and Wren. Both seem over matched at their jobs….when they’re gone I’ll come back. The reckingballs and Lesolbo on blog whatever that keep saying all is well must be crazy. I’ve also lost a lot of respect for our reporters. One called for Hawks Coach and GM to be fired but they go to play-off…Braves GM and so called manager don’t do crap and its ok..My $.o2 worth.
CommonMan
June 14th, 2012
10:08 am
I didn’t mind the 3rd loss as much as the 2nd one. The 2nd loss happened due to truly bad managing of the pitchers by FG – he literally threw away the game.
Ted M
June 14th, 2012
10:10 am
The Braves are in dire need of a bullpen trade or two.
Bill
June 14th, 2012
10:19 am
Braves started winning last year when Constanza came up and played..
Lost in Sept when he was removed from line up. This year Braves go out an win 6 when he is called up.. lose 5 when he is sent back to AAA..He may not be great at bat but Braves win when he plays.
He’s our Lucky Charm….Fredi’s our dumb A38….
Burger king whoppers
June 14th, 2012
10:23 am
This just in folks accourdin to MLB cable channel on 213 on Directv said Braves are much inproved and has done stuff make club better ….yea right same team from last year chipper who thinks Leyritz is battin again….remember Game4 how we blew it and made yankees team of the 90’s thanks to Bobby cox and freddi was there so learn from the worst um best.Now The Orioles come to town how will it Go will Obrien say we just struggle after they sweep us here sunday….Now remember Frank Wren Use to be with Baltimore as GM and ruin the team before he got Fired..And then he came here Pick his ass and nose with owners and GM who is clueless now….If they lose to Orioles its time To Fire Wren…But no he get approval rated by mark bradley n kiss rear O’Brien…No guts writers ask freddi where u coachin today are did u beat your wife again!
Bill
June 14th, 2012
10:24 am
Ever time I post something negative about AJC reporters it gets deleted..Is Ric Holder running the ajc blogs?
Bill
June 14th, 2012
10:25 am
Eric Holder..
Jobo
June 14th, 2012
10:25 am
While were getting rid of Fredi and the batting coach, please just get rid of Terry Pendelton. That guy has been a drain on the Braves for too many years and does nothing to contribute . He should back up to get his paycheck every two weeks!
Walter
June 14th, 2012
10:26 am
I don’t know if anybody’s said this yet, but Fredi Gonzalez is not very good.
Bill
June 14th, 2012
10:28 am
10:23 you will be deleted..be careful The govt is watching…
hiway61
June 14th, 2012
10:30 am
The hitting coach is probably the smartest in dugout.Its the Pitching Coach and Fredi that needs to go.
Scoff
June 14th, 2012
10:33 am
The Braves embarrass me…
OZ
June 14th, 2012
10:34 am
Us in the blogosphere sensed this flat since FG waved the white flag
in the 5th inning on Sunday by bringing in Fatnandez. This is a collection of retreads from last season and no noted improvements have been made. They’re lucky if the starting pitching can make it through six innings & this year the bullpen has multiple leaks. I guess FW was hoping everyone was going to have a career year the same season. This team reminds me of the 2008 nightmare but at least they’re not waiting until September to have their blowout.
Blah
June 14th, 2012
10:36 am
@Burger King Whoppers…
Dude, you need to go back to 2nd grade and learn proper grammar, spelling and punctuation. Scary…
isitFREDDIEcrugar
June 14th, 2012
10:38 am
The braves MANAGER is a big part of the problem
GTRob
June 14th, 2012
10:39 am
There was a fundamental lack of baseball execution in this series. There were obvious things like not getting a first pitch strike or getting a bunt down. Good teams do this stuff and the bad ones don’t. The Braves did not. The Yanks did and they deserved the sweep in every way. This was totally disturbing to watch. Thanks Braves for ruining the last 3 nights for me.
diddykong
June 14th, 2012
10:40 am
I can tell you one thing. Ted Turner would have fired Freddi a while ago. Tell you what….Turner Field should offer specials on food and drinks when they pull the crap that the players pulled these past 3 games. Give up 6 runs in the 8th inning??? Free Nachos. Leave RISP in 3 innings…50% off beer. Throw a fastball over the plate to STEROIDS with the basesloaded….FREE Braves merch. Done with you clowns.
Jfreak13713
June 14th, 2012
10:40 am
The Braves have no true ACE on their pitching staff and that is the reason for long losing streaks and the reason they don’t win in the playoffs. I know their offense is having trouble hitting the ball with runners in scoring position and that is a problem for sure but the when you run Hudson (Good), Hanson (average), Beachy (average / good), Delgado (below average), and Minor (below average) out weekly there will be losing streaks. If the Braves don’t get a true frontline pitcher they will win 85 games possibly make the playoffs but get beat by a better team.
Fansince66
June 14th, 2012
10:45 am
I’m sorry to hear of my Braves troubles. I can’t watch them on tv any longer, they keep getting blacked out here in Birmingham. I have been a fan since they came to ATL and have gone to many games from the days of Hank Aaron and Orlando Cepeda thru the Bob Horner Dale Murphy era to the recent teams. I am now on disability and on a fixed income and can’t afford the trek over to Atl and the high prices for admission. Now I can’t watch many games on tv either due to the numerous blackouts. I have missed 5 of the last 6 games and will be blacked out this Friday and Saturday. What is becoming of this country when the average fan is turned off and turns to another form of entertainment. What about the fan in Texas or Arkansas just for an example that can’t pick up the family and drive over to catch a ballgame. Ted Turner made Braves fans all over the country with TBS. It appears MLB is trying to get rid of them.
jacket
June 14th, 2012
10:47 am
We showed we can’t beat the big boys. Extremely disappointing.
SSIgator
June 14th, 2012
10:48 am
Just checking in to see how the Gimper Jones Farewell Tour is coming along . . .
Oh, I see.
Veritas
June 14th, 2012
10:52 am
This team needs an enema. From the top, down.
Peter
June 14th, 2012
10:52 am
Same old story…. month after month.year after year…….. Glad I am not really paying that much attention to the Braves, as in watching at home, or wasting my money at the games.
Bob Batchelder
June 14th, 2012
10:53 am
Howcum’ I had to go to the Braves website to get the score? I would think that would be in the basics of sports journalism school!
GwinnettDad
June 14th, 2012
10:54 am
@P Rose seemed to make valid observations about Chipper. Before his most recent injury, Chipper was hitting the cover off of the ball. Recently he looks arthritic and old, as if hitting the ball all the way to the pitcher is all that can be expected. Flying out to the outfield looks to be a HUGE victory for Chipper, at the moment. What’s the deal?
Otherwise, as soon as Granderson hit that HR, I knew the Braves were dead. The Yankees may be good, and at the moment hot, but in the AL they’re not as good as the Braves make them look.
But anybody that expects the Braves to match the Yankees payroll is too stupid, too blatantly ignorant of baseball economics, to mention. Local TV contracts are EVERYTHING in baseball. The Braves may have the largest radio market in baseball in terms of square miles, but when it comes to revenue from TV and radio, the Braves are probably average, at best.
The facts are that there are only around 15 real Major league teams and the rest are disguised minor league teams. Unfortunately, the Yankees made the Braves look like one of those minor league teams.
Bill M.
June 14th, 2012
10:57 am
The Braves are in trouble but I have seen firing the manager jump start a team. New ideas and direction. Fredi G. just seems to be lost. On Sutton, he was run out of Atlanta and brought back. I’m not a fan of Sutton and never will be. During the strike, they had a call in show. A 72 year old man called in about autograph’s and he and Sutton had words. Sutton called the old gentleman a bald face liar. He didn’t understand that he had to pay for autograph. Ever since I have lost all respect for him. I was taught to respect my elders.
Peter
June 14th, 2012
10:57 am
The Braves have sucked since Wren traded Blanco for Ankiel….. Ankiel still sucks and Blanco is doing great in SF.
He totally shook up the club house and the Braves have never been the same since then.
Really is Wren any good ?
Braves 73
June 14th, 2012
10:59 am
There is definitely something wrong with the chemistry in the locker room and I believe it starts with the leadership (or lack thereof). I was pretty convinced that Fredi was the right selection when the Bobby Cox retired, but the sign of a good manager is consistency and no prolonged losing streaks (which unfortunately has been the only consistent with this team).
I know the Braves had a ton of injuries last year and this year, but every team goes through this and must sustain themselves. The first sign was the epic collapse last September and this trend has remained into this season (with 3 losing streaks beyond 4 games – including an 8 game). This is only a harbinger of things to come and I believe that a change is needed.
jake
June 14th, 2012
11:00 am
Anybody else noticed that the losing streak began when #10 returned to third base?
That hit in the 9th notwithstanding, Chipper’s been no help at all. Bravos are better off with Prado at third, Constanza in left.
And, boy, am I sick of hearing how Hudson’s pitches …or Minor’s or whoever is pitching … didn’t go where they wanted them to. That’s TV-speak for not getting the job done. Seems like the Braves settle for moral victories — McCann: now we know we can play with them — rather than the winning attitude you saw across the field in the other dugout.
cdog
June 14th, 2012
11:01 am
the braves are in bad shape. the announcers are terrible. they rubbed in the yankees who when i last checked was not in first place until the braves came along. eric henski, martin prado, johnny venters, martinez, matt diaz are all losers and a waste of time. i use to wonder why the marlins fired freedie gonzalez, now i know. he’s a terrible managers. the fans don’t support the braves like other teams.thats why they lose at home. the players as a whole don’t care so let’s get ready for a summer of losing
TJ
June 14th, 2012
11:04 am
May be a reach, but don’t all the Atlanta/Georgia major sports teams seem to fail at executing the basics/details and save their worst for the worst possible moments? Blowout losses in key games, failure to execute in critical situations…it’s the hallmark of ALL the major teams.
Peter
June 14th, 2012
11:06 am
cdog ……….. I beleive Venters has been over used, and it is now showing up.. Cox and Freddi have burnt the bull pen early in each season, and not the wear is showing.
Prado is a wonderful player, no idea why you do not like him….. He plays any where you want him to play, and is very productive. Diaz and Henski are good off the bench guys, so I question your attitude about those two.
RAL
June 14th, 2012
11:11 am
Noticed that the Braves have not won since Chipper Jones
was put back at third. They had a six game winning streak
with young guys who just love to play ball. Why change the
chemistry when things are cooking?
P Rose
June 14th, 2012
11:16 am
IT’S A BUSINESS. That’s the patent answer to everything in baseball, as in life.
Why is there no salary cap? Why do the Yankees get to have the highest payroll, and therefore the best players? Because there are more people in New York than anywhere else, and they have most of the money there, so MLB wants them to win. IT’S A BUSINESS.
Why do Fredi, DOB, and the Braves’ announcers put a positive spin on the most gut-wrenching losses, instead of honestly addressing the tough questions? Because that’s what they’re paid to do. IT’S A BUSINESS.
Why do players forsake their loyalty to their home town, to join the team’s rivals, breaking the hearts of their fans? Why, for a little more money, of course. Because IT’S A BUSINESS.
Why doesn’t Liberty Media seem to care whether the Braves win or lose? Because they don’t. IT’S A BUSINESS.
In Little League, we were told, “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.” But that was a lie. The truth is, it’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how much money you can make for the corporate bottom line. It’s all about business.
SM
June 14th, 2012
11:16 am
How long until football starts?
nashvillewill
June 14th, 2012
11:19 am
1: The Braves have no clutch hitters, surely this is obvious before last night. Bourn and Prado do not hit with men on base; McCann has pretty much lost his ability to hit in clutch situations; Uggla never has shown such ability; Freeman’s uppercut swing kills most rallies; Chipper is a shell of his former self; Heyward, see Uggla above; Simmons is our best hope, simply because he has no previous track record and shows energy and enthusiasm.
2: Speaking of energy and enthusiasm–team lacks it, especially in the management team. Also, no imagination-waiting for something to happen rather than trying to force the issue, by, for example, running Bourn or hit-and-run. Get rid of the management team. Even the vaunted hitting coaches apparently have been unable to instruct in bat skills when men are in scoring positon.
3: Release the dead wood on this team and bring up young talent – Simmons at least is a bright spot. Say goodbye to Wilson and Hinske, and Diaz and Francisco.
A shake up is required. Give Uggla a few days off and start Prado at 2B; try Constanza, Gartell, or another AAA player in LF; trade for a new 3B and give Chipper more time off; try Mejia at 1B, especially against lefties; platoon Ross and McCann. Release Livan; bring up Medlen and Flande.
Try something before this team finds itself 10 games out.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 14th, 2012
11:24 am
“Because Hinske had to stay in and play first base. Freeman had a sore finger.”
Could have played Prado at 1B and Diaz in left.
JeanE
June 14th, 2012
11:26 am
I think they should cross-train MattyD at 1st and next year, they can keep him on the bench instead of retaining Hinske so is having a kind of off-year. I agree, MB, it was just disgusting losing all 3 to those Skankees. Way way too many men left on base. Not taking advantage of situations, just bad baseball. I feel for Freddie and get he needed the night off, he hasn’t been the same lately anyway. Very deflating.
VinceVanGo
June 14th, 2012
11:33 am
The Braves biggest problem is club house leadership(or lack of). Fredi evidently doesn’t display it. Chipper can’t because he is oft injured and the other players don’t respect him as a leader because of it. McCann may have been a leader at one time but he hasn’t hit in almost a year, his defense is terrible, and he seems to be bit with the Chipper Something Hurts bug, and the players are aware of it. But I think that the Braves possess two players capable of being team leaders. Dan Uggla and Martin Prado. Both play everyday, play hard every play, and don’t whine. They would both be excellent team leaders and I hope they get the chance next year. But they’ve got to get rid of Chipper(I can’t believe I’m batting 6th behind Matt Diaz), and Brian McCann(too many lame comments and excuses) first before that can happen. And hopefully by next year the Braves will have a manager that knows how to lead with a little fire in his managerial approach.
GMR
June 14th, 2012
11:34 am
I have to agree with you Mark – the game last night confirmed my growing view that this team does all of the little things badly. I suspect this has a lot to do with the apparent nonchalance of FG and his view that the breaks even themselves out over a season. I don’t want a coach who just seems to consider stranding runners on third multiple times in a game as hard luck. I want a coach who is completely p***** off by it, and lets everyone know. There are players on this team who play hard to win but there are others who needed a fire lit under them and FG is not the man to do it.
Another observation last night was that the fans still give Chipper a rousing welcome every time he comes to the plate. It’s great to recognize him for his past achievements but don’t make him feel his current contribution is acceptable. $15M a year for 5 HRs so far – that’s less HRs than any Yankees position player – give me a break. Just use him as a pinch hitter when there are late innings chances and give the kids an opportunity to see him once more before he retires but stop jerking the everyday guys around to accomodate his latest injury. I have to wonder if Chipper’s special treatmennt is another reason for a luckluster clubhouse.
Finally let’s all realize the Braves have nobody approaching an ace starter. Hudson is still crafty but his velocity is shot – he has almost no control when he pitches in the high 80s, same as Lowe last year. Hanson is a good 3rd starter and Beachy may become an ace but is not there yet. Unless a splash is made to bring in a legitimate top of the rotation guy this team is going nowhere until a new young arm emerges.
Olde Fan
June 14th, 2012
11:36 am
“Make another run’???? To what? the bottom of the division?? I see where Fredi got an Emmy award. He should get another one for Impersonating a Manger. And Venters needs to go to Gwinnett. Bring Kris Medlen back. He’s the better pitcher by far. Thank God Gearin is gone. He should have taken Venters with him. I don’t know about y’all, but it gets really tiresome to keep watching and pulling for a team with such a poor decision-making manager.
bulldogbubba
June 14th, 2012
11:41 am
Do you think Frank Wren is meeting with Bobby Cox in a remote place trying to get him to manage again?
Why?
June 14th, 2012
11:43 am
Na….rumor is their new head scout would be the one to take over. Though I would want someone outside of the team.
GaEgghead
June 14th, 2012
11:44 am
I agree with BooBoo. Why pull Minor on Tuesday because of a hit from a great hitter (Jeter)? He was doing fine. Gonzalez not impressing me much.
Why?
June 14th, 2012
11:44 am
@RAL
Because he’s Chipper. I’m a Chipper fan but truley think he’s hurting the team.
georgiavol
June 14th, 2012
11:45 am
Fredi coaches scared. The fans know it, his players know it, and the other teams know it. He will be gone at the end of the year.
hebrews11
June 14th, 2012
11:47 am
I am pulling for these guys. Never give up and never give in!!!!
Gen. 'Anyone Gotta Match' Sherman
June 14th, 2012
11:48 am
Y’All really gotta get rid of that ‘Chop’, it’s worse than the Red Sox singing ‘Sweet Caroline’…
Just sayin…
TB
June 14th, 2012
11:48 am
It’s all in the line-up if you ask me. For one thing, Freeman is the heir apparent to the #3 slot & shouldn’t be moved. Every time he is, he does poorly & this dates back to last year. McCann should bat 5th, and I’m still not sure whether Prado should stay in the 2-hole or whether Chipper might not be better off there. Also, Prado can play first if Freeman is out & I’d rather habe him there & Diaz in LF than Hinke on first or in the OF. In my view, Hinske has become a strickly pinch-hit guy. Oh, & Bobby sometimes used a 5th & 6th starter in ‘91 & ‘92′, so I don’t see why Medlin can’t stay in the bullpen & make a spot start now & then just to give the other starters an extra day off.
anonymous
June 14th, 2012
11:57 am
I feel much better about the Braves when they play on the road. Yes, but the sweeps at Cincy and at Washington do concern me. However, aside from that Atlanta has been the best road team in baseball. So my point is: This team can be a real good and strong team. Let’s not bury them just yet. I am mad like everybody else, but Give ‘em time.
trottsky
June 14th, 2012
11:57 am
Gonzales is a disaster…….buddy system doesn’t work in baseball……..
The rut
June 14th, 2012
11:58 am
How did Fredi get to the major leagues? In the fourth inning trailing 1-0, rain pouring down why in the world did he not have Hinske bunt Heyward over to third. Even with Simmons coming up you want to get the game tied because in just one more inning the game would be official and we needed ONE run immediately. The radar was showing a moonsoon in south Cobb county. I promise you this never crossed Fredi’ mind. OMG
Skokie Dog
June 14th, 2012
11:59 am
Did Fredi tip his cap to the Yankees last night?
George Stein
June 14th, 2012
12:00 pm
Freeman has a .296 OBP. At first base, he’s been startlingly horrible.
JASon
June 14th, 2012
12:01 pm
Rafael Soriano and Andruw Jones.
Derek Lowe, Melky Cabrera, Jeff Francoeur, Rafael Furcal.
I won’t say the braves organization wastes talent, they just kill the motivation of the talent they have.
We are told year after year that “the braves future is bright”. Will someone please tell me when that future is going to get here.
George Stein
June 14th, 2012
12:01 pm
Pretty sure idiotic bunting strategies are always on Fredi’s mind, The rut.
Mikey
June 14th, 2012
12:04 pm
On a night when hits are plenty and runs are scarse (12 vs 7), is there any plausible reason in the 8th inning with Simmons on third, Bourn on first, one out, Martin Prado at the plate a very wet ball, that FG did not have Bourn steal second base. The worst that can happen is the catcher attempts the throw and Bourn is thrown out (not likely) and Simmons scores the tying run. Oh, and it keeps you out of the potential double play. Freedie, did that ever cross your mind???? Nope, “Yanks just had all the answers”.
Tom G (Independent - Viet Vet)
June 14th, 2012
12:08 pm
I am not a Chipper hater, honestly!! But does anyone find it ironic that in the 4 games since Chipper has returned, we have 4 straight losses! Constanza seemed to be a good-luck charm and played well at times. Chipper at the 3B(power-hitter position) must do more than slap a few singles around. I disagree(I must be old-school) with Freddie about Tues nite game. With us ahead 4-0 in 8th inning, 1 out, Kimbrel(best pitcher on team) should have been brought in to put out the fire! If a 23 yr old kid can not get 5 outs instead of his usual 3 outs, I would be surprised?
2011champs
June 14th, 2012
12:12 pm
To Kashi at 9:59… What is your problem. The Braves are a weak team that plays with no heart. They have the Chipper Jones outlook; that is if you get a hangnail you have to sit out a game or two. The Nationals are playing lights out, and several KEY players are on the DL. The Cardinals are struggling, but hanging in there with 6 members of their 25 man roster (including 2 starting pitchers and starting CF and first baseman on the DL. They still show up and play every game. As far as the Braves go, I have said many times already this season, they are not a playoff quality team. They have some talent, just not enough; they play with no heart, and have no leadership on or off the field. Frankly it is a surprise to me that they have played as well as they have. 3rd place, and another “Wait till next year” awaits.
gene
June 14th, 2012
12:18 pm
The Braves have a good team, but they don’t have a post season team and won’t until they dump Wren and Fredi and spend some money.
dick whiskey
June 14th, 2012
12:22 pm
don sutton is still on radio? i’ll be damned,shows how much i listen to braves on radio
Chief Nocahoma
June 14th, 2012
12:23 pm
I was at the game last night; we simply could not get our runners in. Not sure I can blame this on Fredi, but the game that Minor pitched, Fredi made all the wrong moves. No way should we have lost that game. He pulled Minor too quick, ( 1 hit in 8th ), stayed with Venters too long ( pretty obvious to everyone in the stadium, including announcers that Venters had no control, except for his fastball ), and never even warmed up C. Kimbrel in an obvious situation where we needed him. And then, in a tie ball game, we bring in Gearrin??? Sad!
Heath
June 14th, 2012
12:26 pm
Is the next series against someone the Braves aren’t afraid of? Because that would be good.
4dabirds
June 14th, 2012
12:28 pm
I love going to a bad part of town and paying to see a mediocre Braves team lose to an overrated club , paying to eat horrible food and drink way overpriced beer, and then sitting in bad traffic while mentally challenged Atl cops figure out how to direct traffic. Good times. Can’t wait to go back.
Felix
June 14th, 2012
12:30 pm
I agree–last night’s loss was maddening. How many times did we not get a hit with RISP??? Fifty? Seemed like fifty anyway. The old puny Braves offense strikes again and wastes another good job by the pitchers. The plate umpire was a jerk–giving outside pitches to the Yankees pitchers that he wasn’t giving to the Braves.
b
June 14th, 2012
12:31 pm
Constanza should be on this roster. .304 lifetime minor avg. and .291 lifetime major league avg.
He’s been given the shaft last two seasons by management.
Mentally Challenged Atlanta Cop
June 14th, 2012
12:34 pm
Before they let me direct traffic they removed 1/2 of my brain.
Tom G (Independent - Viet Vet)
June 14th, 2012
12:37 pm
b@12:31 – I agree 100% with you. Why no other team hasn’t seen that befuddles me?
Dan Schlossberg
June 14th, 2012
12:37 pm
It’s painfully apparent by now that the stand-pat approach after last September’s implosion has been a dismal failure. The Braves didn’t hit then and aren’t hitting now. Rivals parade an endless string of lefties against them because people like Jason Heyward can’t hit lefthanded pitching at all. Freddie Freeman may have an injured finger but his post-Denver eye problems have plunged his average to .250 and neutralized his power. Chipper has become a singles hitter. Shall I go on? The Braves need RIGHTHANDED POWER and need to sacrifice something to get it. Any detail would be fatal.
Tom G (Independent - Viet Vet)
June 14th, 2012
12:43 pm
A question baseball fans, I’m being serious? Is it in Kimbrel’s( the closer phenom) contract that he only pitch in the 9th inning only??
hiway61
June 14th, 2012
12:45 pm
TomG..no its in that idiot managers head that he only pitches in 9..
hiway61
June 14th, 2012
12:47 pm
Thanks Tom G for your service to USA..as Vet I know the price you paid. God Bless.
gsu
June 14th, 2012
12:49 pm
History says the Yankees win the games in the spotlight on the grand stage in front of the biggest crowds. The Braves do not. Same song different verse. One championship flag vs many. The Braves find a way to lose.
no mo
June 14th, 2012
12:55 pm
I gave up 2 season tickets 2 years ago for this loser franchise. ATL – loserville, in every sport. Embarrassing.
George Stein
June 14th, 2012
1:01 pm
Costanza has a .250 OBP this year. A big league roster is exactly where he doesn’t belong.
Tom G (Independent - Viet Vet)
June 14th, 2012
1:04 pm
Another thing guys, who judges the baseball talent we decide to keep and let go? He should be fired today or yesterday? Just watched Blanco(former popular Brave) make a tremendous catch in CF to save M Cain perfect game in SF! In SF Blanco is hitting .280 at CF position and believe this or not, Melky Cabrera is hitting .367 in LF and playing great D. Both are regular players, and my fav, Jeff Franceour is hitting around.280 in RF, still throwing baserunners out at 2nd! What happens when they leave ATL, wish I knew?
Tom G (Independent - Viet Vet)
June 14th, 2012
1:08 pm
George@1:01 – You may be right, but he deserves an opportunity to stay longer than a few weeks to see what he can do or not do. Remember speed never slumps, I personally would like to see him play at least 3 months at the MLB level, then make a fair decision?
b
June 14th, 2012
1:08 pm
Stein, yea in 16 AB’s. That’s not enough AB’s. He deserves a spot and is a spark plug. Jose helps the team win and Francisco does not. If you can’t see this point, you are a buffoon.I swear some of you people have no clue when watching the games and how players impact it.
Realtycheck
June 14th, 2012
1:09 pm
Trouble is all the brains in the front office followed Kasten to Washington.
George Stein
June 14th, 2012
1:25 pm
Okay, so where would you like Costanza to play? LF, and take Prado’s spot? CF, and take Bourn’s? Or RF, and take out Heyward?
Milburn Drysdale
June 14th, 2012
1:25 pm
Hey 2011 champs….how many games have the Cardinals won against the Braves this year? With Pujols outta there, the days of winning the division by default are GONE. They are now the Houston Astros.
checkitout
June 14th, 2012
1:28 pm
Constanza has a lifetime ba 300 plus in minors and 300 for his short spots in two years with Braves. But his bat is not the main point..The main Point is Braves Win when he plays regular. He’s the lucky charm are whatever.
checkitout
June 14th, 2012
1:30 pm
the same line-up we won 6 in a row with..Mr Stien
let chipper sub
drew
June 14th, 2012
1:31 pm
It amuses me greatly to read the ongoing fodder of what’s wrong with the Braves. Come Sept. this group will be gripping about “what if”.
The answer is right in front of everyone, but no one in Atlanta wants to look. The Braves simply do not have consistent, and decent, pitching.
The Washington Nationals have a tremendous pitching staff. So do other ball clubs. The Braves will continue their ups and downs until they buckle down and actually get a few more really good pitchers.
The isn’t the fault of the players or even the manager….it’s management for not stepping up and drafting good players.
So, complain away Bravo’s! It’s make for some fun reading this summer.
Sonny Clusters
June 14th, 2012
1:38 pm
We would be willing to go in and manage a few games for the Braves and help them get out of this slump they are in. We think we would be able to get things right in the dugout and right on the field and could make a difference in the results. Doing nothing and expecting different results is where they are right now and the biggest change of late was to insert Chipper into a winning lineup and they haven’t won since. If we was manager we’d buy him a team colored boot for his hurt foot/leg and put him in a prominent place in the dugout and let him eat and spit seeds and enjoy himself. We’d help him on his way to the HOF. Now, right away. Don’t pass Go, don’t collect $200.
myside
June 14th, 2012
1:45 pm
For several years now the Atlanta Braves have shown that they simply
are not a major league organization.
Fredi is definitely not a capable manager for any level, minor or major. He has the same public reaction to a loss that he does to a win and gives his players not one bit of support.
Wren, for whatever reason, does not have the guts to make a change.
The players can get hits with nothing on the line, but with mates in scoring position, they seem limited to strike out or hit double play type grounders straight to the infielders.
It all adds up to not being a major league organization.
Ralph
June 14th, 2012
1:46 pm
One thing for sure they have to do, and I don’t think Fruti has the balls to do it, is get Prado out of the 2 hole. I know he is probably our best hitter and following Bourn who is on base a lot you would think that was good (as Fruti does) but it seems to me and I can’t get the stats to back it up, he get almost all his hits when 1st base is empty. Someone (Fruti, Wren) should research these stats and act accordingly. Prado drives in runs when they are on 2nd or 3rd base but if Bourn is on 1st he is concentrating too much on what Bourn is doing and not on the pitcher.
adam
June 14th, 2012
1:50 pm
Turner Field was built for Glavine, Schmolt and Maddux. It’s a pitchers park. Bring in the outfield walls and do away with the 1960s cookie cutter dimensions and maybe all Braves’ games won’t end 3-2 or 2-1 (yawn).
bustersonly
June 14th, 2012
1:54 pm
Ralph, I agree with you, Prado is to good a hitter to bunt Bourn over, maybe they need someone like Simmons who is a good buntter to follow Bourn, he also hits the ball to the right side a lot and has the speed to stay out of a lot of double plays which Prado does not have. Prado would be good in the 3 hole to drive in Bourn once he is on 2B. I know that would only be 1 run vs the 2-3 run homer that Fredi likes but in many cases one urn will win the game.
George Stein
June 14th, 2012
1:57 pm
So Costanza was the reason the Braves won. Okay, go it.
Joe Tess Fish House
June 14th, 2012
2:00 pm
Just remeber who told U fist the Baves made a misteak hiring a managar with a loosing record. I said it win it hapened and Im sayin it now. It got me band by that chump DOB on his blog. I dont care cuz I was rite all a long.
Stinger 2
June 14th, 2012
2:07 pm
Clusters: You can`t even manage yourself. All you can do is rant about how bad Chipper and Fredi are. The only thing you are good at is being negative about our home team. You are the champion of anti-Brave fans.
I will congratulate you on that accomplishment.
Tom G (Independent - Viet Vet)
June 14th, 2012
2:07 pm
George@1:25 – Just a thought here. Constanza as 4th OF. Prado(the athlete plays anywhere except catcher) plays 3B, 1B and some OF, of course he needs to play everyday. Diaz in OF when LH pitching, either Heyward or Constanza on bench against LH. Bourn plays all time. Henski DH only not play as back-up, Wilson and Francisco released ASAP. Either Chipper picks it up or plays sparingly in final yr, too old and slow on base paths. Constanza plays OF and pinch-runs alot. Remember Bourn and McCann both free agents at end of this year, we will probably get to keep either one or neither of them. What do you think?Simmons,SS. makes our pitchers so much better with his D, does not really matter if he hits or not!
harry taylor
June 14th, 2012
2:11 pm
Fire the manager. Get someone that isn’t a friend of Bobby Cox or the Braves organization. Bobby Cox never knew how to handle pitchers and always under performed in post season,also. Hell, now they can’t even get to post season. The mentality for the Braves is in the minus section. Get some new blood in the Braves organization from the bottom to the top. The good ole boys are pathetic. Send them back where they came from.
jj
June 14th, 2012
2:13 pm
who is Costanza–George
extremus
June 14th, 2012
2:13 pm
What was evident in watching this series was that the Yankees still have the team-wide sense of pride and the swagger that we saw from them since the late 1990s, while the Braves always seemed overmatched. It wasn’t that the Braves played horrible baseball; both teams played with good fundamentals for the most part and both had some great defensive plays.
But it was less tangible things I kept noticing that have definitely changed for the Braves since the 1990s. Not once when the camera was on the Yankee dugout did I sense either panic or apathy from Joe Girardi; he went about his business even when the Yankees were behind, making pitching and defensive changes that never seemed to backfire. The Yankee defense was stellar, and at times seemed more comfortable than the Braves were in their own ballpark. But most of all, it was abundantly clear that these Yankees EXPECTED to win, every time out. They were loose and out there having fun. Things were never “out of control” and you never saw any Yankees approaching the plate like they were going to the guillotine.
Those things used to be the case here in Atlanta, particularly that team-wide belief that every game was winnable and should be won. What was on display for all to see this past series was that the Braves are a team searching to prove they’re still relevant (even if making the playoffs via Wild Card has become the new standard of “excellence”); the Yankees proved that they’ve never lost that nor the expectation to win each and every game. I’ll be the first to say I can’t stand the Yankees or their ownership because of their ridiculous payroll and such, but I know on-field professionalism and quietly controlling a ballgame when I see it. The Braves had all of that as well during their 1990s-early 2000s heyday; they don’t anymore, hence the outcome of the series.
jj
June 14th, 2012
2:14 pm
McDowell give fredi info on all pitching moves–he needs to go too.
Mike
June 14th, 2012
4:37 pm
Forget all the talk about demoting Minor… Fredi could use some time in the minors to work on his managing!
Sonny Jackson
June 15th, 2012
11:17 am
I’m still a believer in this team, although I’m also realistic enough to know that we don’t have a chance even if we do manage to pull out a wildcard finish. Listen, Fredi made some mistakes this week… don’t we all? Back off and let’s see what he has learned.
I do, however, agree with everyone else about Sutton’s comments… we’re paying for this mess and have a right to our opinion. He should shut the hell up and just call the game.