Lousy call, lousy game, lousy system: A lousy Braves’ exit

Looking less and less likely the Braves will win another world series in my lifetime. And at this point I might just take winning just 1 playoff series, just winning the Division Series would be enough for me.

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Can’t blame Holbrook,but he ought to be fired immediately. That kind of call makes one wonder if an ump is betting on games.

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Mr Bradley you think fredi job is safe.

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Awful call too. hope Holbrook remembers his role in Chipper’s last game.

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bring on the dogs

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I realize that with all the farewell tour hoopla, it would be extremely awkward, but If I’m Chipper, I can’t let that be my last game. A total POS night by the Braves and the umps.

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Chipper’s got to be one of the classiest guys ever to play baseball. It would have been so easy to rip Holbrook.

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If Simmons wouldn’t have bunted with the pitcher on deck earlier, it would have never come down to that play.He did the same thing earlier this year and cost the Braves the game then too. Not Ready Fredi obviously doesn’t learn from his mistakes and needs to go. I’m glad that his BFF Uggla made the final out since Frediot insisted on sticking with that loser all year.. He benched him for two games and then felt so guilty that he had to stick back out there to cost the Braves the game. Fredi needs to head back to Miami permanently. At least I get to return my ticket for Sundays game and get my money back now instead of having it go for Uggla’s salary.

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The NHL being led by Bettman is the only thing keeping MLB from becoming fourth on the sports ladder behind NFL, NBA, and hockey.

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Who’s bright idea was it for this one game plan. No, you either make it to the post season or you don’t. Your record should stand pat. The Braves made it and they should have been playing one of the other 3 teams, not a one game lets see . If that’s the case then the Nationals should play one game and so should all the others then the season is over for all. This is a joke and should not stand. I’m done with baseball. They have managed to put the final out in the ruin of baseball. Its not any longer a fair sport.

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Mark, did the shortstop back off because he lost the ball or because he saw Holbrook signalling infield fly rule?

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If this had happened to the Yankees you bet the system would be changed!

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“legged out an infield hit” lmao. He wasn’t exactly hustling down the line.

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It’s OK, it’s a best of 7 series. That’s what baseball is all about. We still have the rest of the series to show them who is the better team. One call in one game doesn’t matter….. UNTIL NOW… F the one wildcard game that was somehow passed and everyone has been a fan of. F MLB and the owners for allowing a 1 game setup to happen in the first place. It makes more sense in ANY OTHER SPORT EXCEPT baseball. It’s why they play a best of 3 series even during the season. MLB better change this CRAP… BTW, I am a huge promoter of manners and discipline, but the fans should have thrown a whole lot more crap all over the field…

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at least when the Falcons lay a turd in the post season you don’t have to spend 6 months watching them beforehand

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Frank Wren needs to go. This organization is dated and he failed to get them in position to win these games.

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Eff you Bud Selig and the umps!

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Does anyone remember the Lum’s frisbee night back in the early 70’s.
All of the frisbees ended up on the field on a Pete Rose call.

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And let’s not forget on top of all of the above, three managerial decisions that Fruiti Gonzalez made that no one else in the Major Leagues would have even considered. No hope for us. Another major league CHOKE by almost every one involved including the great Chipper…

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Personally, I am very disappointed because we wont have playoff baseball in the foreseeable future and that’s because we have frank wren. Tonight’s loss is sad more than anything.

I can’t wait until Frank Wren is fired. Until then, no more play-in games or playoffs. No hope.

KK failure. Drunk Lowe Failure. Dan Uggla Failure. Nate McOut failure. Bourn short term, mediocre player. $155M total spending wasted.

I wish atlanta fans would wake up and smell the coffee and call for wren’s head.

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Hate the system. Why play 162 games? How about baseball go to one game per week like football, and have the playoffs settled that way too. You play a whole season just to have to play one more, when you’re not tied, you were up 6 games in the win column. I wouldn’t like having to play the Astros for one game. Even the worst team in the league can beat the best on one give day, over a series it’s usually a little different. At least make it best 2 out of 3 like every other season series.;

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Professional baseball. Professional wrestling. What’s the difference?

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When you fire Selig, take Torre with him. If he’d still been with the Yankees and this happened all Hell would’ve broken loose. For him to defer to the “umpire” who clearly blew the call shows that Torre is a company man now and doesn’t have the “stones” for the tough call. As a Braves fan, of course it’s a tough loss…..but a one game play off….Please..

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Glad the ridiculous Braves fans will have something to blame their loss on!! Lord knows they can’t blame the bats for leaving 12 runners on base or their pathetic defense that gave the Cards 4 runs. That being said, was glad to see Ross & Freeman actually show up, play & contribute!

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I can accept the errors as part of the game which may lead to a loss. What I can’t accept is a bad call with 2 on and 1 out which SHOULD have been 3 on and 1 out and WHO KNOWS WHAT may have happened from that point. We”ll never know because of some chump ump that should be delegated to AA…and P*** on Torre’s call for the good of the game. IMO as of this minute, I would not be a part of the trash toss but I can accept the frustration from the fans. Hope those very same fans vote accordingly come NOV.

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Personally, I am disappointed because I know this was our last chance to make a playoff run for the foreseeable future. As long as we have Frank Wren there is no hope.

KK failure, Dan Uggla failure, Nate McOut failure, Drunk Lowe failure. Michael Bourn mediocre player. $155M funds wasted. Unacceptable for a middle market franchise.

Frank wren should be fired tomorrow.

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It hurts … it always hurts … to see a team you live, breathe and bleed with daily go out with a whimper after having a great season.

Regardless of the call by the umpire the Atlanta Braves will always be in my heart forever and I look forward to bleeding with the team in the coming years as they try to win another World Series.

Well done Chipper!

I will miss you … and God bless you and yours (weeping)

How Bout Them DAWGS!

How Bout Them Falcons!

How Bout Them Braves!

Hawks ? Just go back to sleep

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Paul White for the USA Today is about the only person who is saying it is a correct call. Everyone else recognizes you don’t call IFR that late… it defeats the spirit of the rule which is to communicate a situation where an infielder can easily make a catch and let everyone else know that baserunners can only advance at their own peril. It’s a horrible execution of a call in an iffy situation since the infielder was clearly not making a simple catch (otherwise the outfielder wouldn’t be potentially calling him off).

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From Sports Illustrated article:
To put Friday’s controversial play into context, in the past three seasons, there were six infield flies that were not caught, according to Baseball Info Solutions, the longest of which was measured at 178 feet.
Friday’s infield fly was measured at at 225 feet from home plate, according to Baseball Info Solutions.

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Enter your comments here

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Tom — When the IF’er pulled off the ball, the late call from Ray Charles the Ump was a gift to ST Louis. He’s due a 12 pack of Bud. That being said, Thanks Chipper.

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Had the infield fly call not been made on the play, neither the Cards nor the Braves would have ever protested that it should have been made. And that’s why it was the worst call I’ve ever seen in a baseball game.

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And the two MLB Joe’s (both with Cardinal ties) were left to handle the Braves protest. Denied! Wow, I’m so surprised!!

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Another fine article, Mr. Bradley, couldn’t agree more.

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Interleague play, unbalanced schedule, all-star game that counts, one game play in. What will
they come up with next? MLB, what a joke.

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Chipper was a stand up person. And had great parents guided him.

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Day Old Fries – absolutely agree.

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Highly Respected Southern Troll …are you ready to cum out of the closet yet?

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If this protest isn’t upheld, why have a protest system at all? By the way, has a protest ever been upheld?

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I ask, was that the shallow outfield or the deep infield umpire that made that call? Or, as it shall ever be referred to in the Braves annals, The Call.

A whole season done in by The Throwaways and The Call in The Play-In Game.

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MLB should be held accountable for this pathetic excuse for officiating.

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John Remelius- the call was not correct, he was not supposed to wait till the ball was a foot off the ground to make the call. asshat!

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Only protest ever successful is Ryan Braun’s. LMAO.

Something special about that guy.

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So right Choppinmama….forgot THAT connection. Torre’s a punk

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C H O K E !!

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Yankee, it takes a slut like you to so easily identify a pimp

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Bad call, bad showing by the Braves, terrible format for the playoffs. Just bad

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I’m sick and tired of hearing Braves fans complain about the playoff format. Under the old system, the Wild Card winner in each league qualified the same as the division winner with the 3rd best record (opening on the road in a 5 game series).

Now, the two Wild Card qualifiers in each League have to survive a “one and done” playoff game…in order to qualify for a 5 game series.

I dont care how much better the Wild Card team with the best record played over the other Wild Card team. I feel that the fair thing to do…is to reward the division winners with automatic bids into the Division Series…while the 2 Wild Cards in each League fight it out in a “winner advances” play in game.

Yeah, we had some bad calls today. However, we have ourselves to blame for putting ourselves in a “sudden death, susceptible to bad calls” plan in game! It took Braves management 17 Randal Delgado starts to realize that he sucked (Braves went 5-12 in his starts)…..even though Kris Medlen had excelled as a starter in 2010 (before his elbow went out).

Our clutch hitting was a joke! If it wasnt for outstanding pitching….we may not have made the playoffs (our offense took the month of September off).

With a dominant bullpen (and a resurgent starting rotation led by the dominant Kris Medlen) we should have won the division. Instead, we found ourselves in a truly “Wild Card”, wild card type play in game.

When you dont take care of business….you end up putting yourself in a position of getting unlucky. That…plus the three errors and lack of clutch hitting throughout the game……let to us losing.

Fredi Gonzalez made a heroic decision to start David Ross over Brian McCann. I guess he decided that his job managing was done…because he took the rest of the night off. Our guys on the field were mentally not prepared to play ball tonight.

Yadier Molina was right after the game. He said that they (the Cardinals) play the game to win…while we (the Braves) play to not lose.

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Worst call of all time. Holbrook’s facebook page probably has him wearing a cards jersey. Of course the Braves sucked tonight because they always choked tonight, but to add that on top makes it even worse. And to think that a league that has 162 games has a 1 game playoff, that’s retarded.

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Simply a seeing eye bloop single, simply a blown call.

No wonder Mlb is losing viewers, the refuse replay to get calls correct.

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Reading these comments warms the heart of this Pirates fan.

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Enter your comments here

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I don’t understand why they have a protest when you know they are NEVER going to overturn a bad call. I knew that if they weren’t going to overturn Jim Joyce’s bad call, they sure weren’t going to overturn this one. Not that it matters. The Brave’s beat themselves tonight. This one game playoff is incredibly STUPID!

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What’s so frustrating is MLB had 18 minutes to fix what was a very obvious and correctable error and chose not to. Why allow your product to be damaged like that?

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I will look forward to the examples MLB can dig up showing a similar call in a similar situration. In my many years of watching baseball, I’ve not seen one.

I haven’t seen that play either but I’ve only been watching about 50 years. I have seen that same play, minus the infield fly rule call, countless times in Wrigley Field and Candlestick Park, as well as fewer times in just about every ball park.

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If MLB won’t correct a perfect game blunder..we NEVER should’ve expected a bright outcome to this.

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I’m glad the Braves threw this one away so they could get started on their off-season plans .. Can’t stand that stupid chop and woo wooing .. Seminoles .. Chiefs .. it stupid no matter who does it.

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MLB rep’s in the park tonight: Joe Garagiola, who was signed by the Cards organiziation, played 9 yrs for them and now has a star on the St. Lous Walk of Fame…….and, Joe Torres, played with St Louis for 5 years and managed them for 6. Helping to decided on the protest? Even Torres’ ties to the Braves organization didn’t sway him from upholding tonight’s laughable judgement call.

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For the record, before the game, Chipper said the one game playoff “sucked”. He was right. MLB could have decided the wild card team with 162 games, but instead it chose one game.

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This is why MLB will never be as popular as football – at least in football the Refs will talk about a call and attempt to get it right or use replay – baseball hides behind “well, it was an ump’s judgment call and we don’t question that”…..What is worse is the UMPIRE was interviewed post-game and had the nerve to say that the SS was “camped under the ball waiting on it to come down and he got there with a normal effort a few feet from the infield” He literally just said all of that with a straight face on MLB network!!!!! Unreal- at least man up and say “I blew the call”

John Remelius

You cannot be serious?!?!?! And if you are, you are getting your info from USA Today and ESPN Talking heads who are notoriously biased against all Teams in this state and most in the old south

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Oh and that ESPN and everyone else who is criticizing the Braves’ Fans for throwing things on the field….they are the same ones who constantly over the years chastised the Braves’ fans for not caring and having no passion…the minute they do, we are “embarrassing”

Even Chipper said “hey , nobody can ever say that Atlanta fans don’t care anymore”

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Tina—BM pinch hit and drew a walk. Hanson didn’t take the hill. They both played a part of getting to 05OCT. Got anymore nuggets besides fire FG???

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The two MLB reps in the stands tonight helping to make the protest decision: Joe Garagiola, who was drafted by the Cards organization, played 9 seasons and has a star on the St Louis Walk of Fame; and Joe Torres, played 5 years for and managed 6 years for the Cards. Not even his Braves ties were enough to uphold our protest on this laughable judgemental call.

Of course, had it been upheld, we would have had to bring both teams back out on the field tonight, and played it again from the 8th. Inconceivable……..kinda like playing to a tie in an All Star Game. Inconceivable.

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I am proud of the Braves’ fans for throwing things!!!!!!!!

We constantly get slammed by ESPN etc for having fans that don’t care…the minute we show up and show fire and passion we are all of a sudden “embarrassing”

Even CHIPPER said “hey, the media will never be able to say Atlanta fans don’t care anymore”

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BCC0224—Jus’ dam, son. Mend well.

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Exhausting game. The Braves gave up 3 errors and left 12 men on base. This was not their game. The call may have been blown but it was a judgement call. You live with judgement calls everyday.

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MLB reps at the field tonight: Joe Garagiola, drafted by the Cards, played 9 seasons for them and has a star on their Walk of Fame and; Joe Torres, played 5 years with and managed 6 years for St. Louis. And they were in on the decision to uphold our protest?

Not even Torres’ ties to the Braves were enough to sway him towards upholding our est over a laughable “judgmement” call and/or misapplication of the infield fly rule. Would have to bring both teams back out on the field and resume game from the 8th inning. Inconceivable. Almost as inconceivable as the All Star game ending in a tie.

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Screw Bud Selig, Screw the Umps and Screw the Cards for chanting “Infield Fly” as they celebrated. I wish nothing but the worst for those mentioned. Fans revolted against the crap, good for us. Also, Joe Simpson, you sir, are the worst Braves announcer ever. Go quit. GO BRAVES!

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The bumb a$$ Commissioner came up with a one game playoff. It stinks on ice. Should be two out of three with the better record hosting two games. But, ole bumb a$$ Bud has not a clue.

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flintrock70– Simpson had to try and defend the integrity of his Home Field. It may have been embarasssing for him but for me, I was proud to see the angst. Fans didn’t throw at the Cards. They threw trash at the standing ignorance of the system in place. Vote accordingly in NOV. Good’nite Braves Fans.

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Did anyone really expect the Braves to win? 17 years of the BS..Braves have not won a play-off game since 2001. The ump made a bad call but that didn’t lose the game. Braves played sorry except Ross, Freeman,Kris. Wren needs to go! The fans were mad not just because of ump call but 17 years of frustration with this organization and team.
Wait till next..lol

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@Billy

I was at the double header with my dad and brother in ‘73 (I think it was ‘73…maybe ‘72), when they passed out the LUM’S frisbees at the gate. The first time, there was a bad call at first base and one guy threw his frisbee out, then everybody seemed to think it was a good idea. It was hilarious. I held on to mine while they cleaned the field up. Then it happened again…another bad call and frisbee were thrown, though not as many this time. I gave mine to my dad the second time and he flung it out to left field. While they cleaned up the field the second time, an anouncement was made that the game would be forfieted if it happened again. Everyone just started laughing cause all the ammunition that was provided at the gate had been spent. Don’t know what ever happened to all those frisbees but I heard later that they incorporated a ban on handing out stuff like that at the gate after that day. It was the first and last Braves game I ever attended in person. I still have the team picture in a frame that I bought that day.

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Big Mike that is right I worked that game as Police SGT.

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MLB should be embarrassed. The umpiring was some of the worst I have ever seen. I am left wondering if there was wagering involved, and the fact that the call stood is a joke. Should the fans have littered the field? No. However, that call was beyond horrible. There should be an immediate investigation in to Holbrook and he should be terminated. I am left with a horrible taste in my mouth for baseball. I seriously cannot stomach the Braves or MLB for a few years. Tonight was a joke, and our manager should say so. Screw acting like a gentleman. When the umps were crooked, you say so.

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FG bears some responsibility for this loss. Earlier in the game, except for his boneheaded call for a safety squeeze, the Braves may have scored 2-3 runs which could have made a difference later in the game. I have never seen a manager call for a safety squeeze in that situation in my long lifetime. For those “Fredi Lovers” and backers, good luck in the future with him. After many, many years being a Braves fan I am now dumping them for a really good AL team who may go all the way this year. So long Braves, consider yourselves replaced!

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jj

What did they do with all those frisbees?

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It is awful for any sport that a game of such importance can be decided by not only a game changer bad call, but one lacking any logic, reason, or just plain old fashioned common sense whatsoever. This was not a good night forthe Braves or for baseball. The protest was denied because 1) It would have really screwed up the post season schedule if allowed to stand (you can’t help but wonder who was calling whom from the comissioner’s office, when all that was going on) — and 2) The call was wrongly deemed a judgment call, and it was not. It was a clear violation of the rules.

The infielder had to make an effort to get it, and he had clearly not settled under it, and more importantly the call was not made immediately when the ball was hit, as the rules require – the ball was two feet off the ground before the ump called it. The Braves runners saw it for what it was (as did everyone in the stadium except the one guy paid to know what it was) and were waiting to tag up. The ball was hit halfway into left field.

This would be a no brainer if a reversal would not have caused so play off brain damage. The LF ump, no doubt wanting to show his own self-importance to the proceedings despite his diminished (and unnecessary role) on the left field line, was looking for his chance to “make a call” and boy did he ever. It will go down as one of the worst and dumbest calls in play off history. Just blatant stupidity.

Having said all of that, was it a game changer? I love the Braves, but no, it was not. They left enough men on base to win 23 to 6, which is very normal for them, and which has been their Achiles heel all year. Even if that nincompoop ump had called the play right, we all know that the chances of runs scoring, even with bases loaded and one out, were less than the chances of the next Brave batter hitting into a double play. They were fun to watch, and they did well, and Chipper had a great year, but St. Louis totally out played them. But hey could have over come that if they could hit with runners in scoring position. Why the can’t is an inexplicable myster. We won’t even talk about the errors because that gets into “choke” territory. Too bad.

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How come nobody mentions the bizarre “time out” called in the second inning that resulted in a second chance…..and home run??

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1) Not the right call in any setting. To quote Charles Barkley: “Turble”

2) The semantic back and forth about “ordinary” is pointless because that word will mean different things to different people, including umpires (easy out doesnt mean ordinary effort). It comes down to why that rule is in place — to protect the offense from the defense converting a no-brainer into two or three outs. Look where Uggla is when the ball drops. He’s about 40% down the line because he clearly thinks there is a higher probability of him getting thrown out at third if it drops than doubled off second if the SS or LF catches it. If it were a real IFF–a play requiring “ordinary effort”–Uggla would be standing on second base. Just one of many — Would Matheny have argued if the call had NOT been made, for example–compelling arguments against the call.

2) The umps / Torre press conference was apparently conducted from the Turner Field “Spin Room.” I get more sincere self-reflection out of the campaign spokes-people than I did out of Joe “Company Man” Torre and Charlie Relliford. Though Torre’s initial refusal to answer whether it was a good or bad call was telling. To quote Charles Barkley again: “Turble”

4) I actually dont know if the call is or isnt the reason we lost the game. None of us do, but would have nice to see McCann hit with the bases loaded, a situation in which he typically thrives. Nonetheless, clearly the Bravos didnt play their best game on defense and the bizarre two decade’s long slump with runners in scoring position in the post-season–going back to Ron Gant and Sid Bream unable to drive in anyone with the bases loaded and no one out in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series. Blame Lonnie all you want, but he was on third with no one out and the four and five hole hitters coming up–seems to have only grown more intense. Hard to win when you give a decent team an additional half-inning’s worth of outs. You would probably need the other team to give you an out or two and then you hit a grand-slam or something . . .

3) I am not pro-mob rule on most days, but something about seeing a Braves crowd show some real passion was actually heart-warming. Glad no one got hurt and we probably shouldnt go down that road again, but all in all, nice to some fire in the belly of Turner Field again. Maybe it will inspire the team to do the same. If it happens in Philly or NY or Boston, folks would just say that it shows how much those fans love their teams . . .

4) Tough day for Hoss, but a tougher one for Braves fans and the franchise. Sure, its probably time for Hoss to ride off into the sunset, but you dont get to watch a HoF-er play for 19 years in one city much anymore. Thanks, Chipper. Happy huntin’.

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Hey, not so Shur-holtz, dont apologize for a “few” atlanta fans as you put it. It was far more than a few. MORE IMPORTANTLY, your lack of backbone statement is the very reason the braves lack a sense of urgency in the post season. Stupid statements like yours show the lack of emotion that is prevailing in that clubhouse. Instead of being outraged at this ridiculous call, you bash the fans. Perhaps your time here is done, since you haven’t been able to get it done for a long time. Way to go Atlanta for showing some emotion!!!! And don’t apologize for me you moron. I don’t need for you to speak for me. That call, and the way it was handled shows why the NFL is light years ahead of baseball. Because the NFL actually cares about getting it right, which is something that you apparently aren’t concerned about as you bash your customers. Again, M-O-R-O-N

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A Braves playoff game influenced by the inappropriate application of the infield fly rule ? That sound we all hear is the late Skip Caray doing 3500RPM in his grave …

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A lot of people in baseball are apologizing for the actions of the fans at the game. I APPLAUD the actions of the fans at the game. The Ted was finally filled with REAL Braves fans that actually CARE about the home team. I was not able to make it down to the game, but I LOVED seeing the reaction of the fans.

Thanks for the memories Chipper, but you picked a heckuva time to play catch with J-Hey!

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3 runs ,3 errors ,12 hits ,but none when they counted. Been going on since the all star break. was a bad call and the ump new it , during the delay you could see his face , like i didn’t expect these Atlanta fans to know the difference. Here’s to Joe Torre, baseball games aren’t cheap to attend. the last thing we need is to be cheated and for you to say we weren’t. Joe you were a loser when you were the Braves manager.

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I saw the play, and called infield fly before the umps did. Being an ump myself, I know he made the correct call. The rule clearly states that even if the outfielder makes the catch, if an infielder can make it in a routine manner, it is an infield fly. In this case, the shortstop was clearly under the ball, had waved his hand to make the catch. That is when the ump made the call, and it was the correct one. Perhaps before you go spouting off about a lousy call, you should familiarize yourself with the rule book. Cards win, fair and square. Get over it.

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mj- next time, according to the way you see things, a fly ball to the warning track would also be called an infield fly. Even most of the ESPN guys are saying the call was bad. Have fun getting beaten by the Nats.

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People whining about the infield fly call (and quite understandably so) have to remember Chipper lighting the fire in the fourth inning. The Braves had a chance to score after the umps’ call in the eighth and didn’t. The Cards scored three runs after Chipper’s error. Which team took advantage of its opportunities? Which team threw the ball around the park and made more mental errors?

The one in the first base dugout.

The Braves weren’t good enough today. That they lost is no surprise. Welcome to Choketober.

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THis is exactly why Atlanta fans don’t throw all in on our teams. We see this ending each year. The script and actors may change, but the ending is the same every year. We play tight and play not to lose instead play to win.You can see it in organizations like the Cardinals. They expect to win everytime they take the field. WIth the Braves, one bad play and you can see it in the way theie eyes, here we go again.

As far as those rotten announcers saying the fans should be ahamed. I;m proud we finally showed some emmotion and made a statement that we are not going to except this BS anymore.THe players and umpires are the ones that really should be ashamed for stealing peoples money with such a pathetic performance.tonight. Way to show up Atalanta.

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Quicherbichin, perhaps you should take the advice in your username. I refer you to the mlb rule book. Rule 2.0 If an infielder can get under a ball to make a routine catch, even wt the warning track, yes, it is an infield fly. Its an infield fly anywhere an INFIELDER can make a routine play on it. And, btw, I will enjoy seeing the Cards play the Nats. We will see who wins. Too bad for you that it wont be the Braves. Thats baseball.

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@MJ
I’m an umpire too. And have been for 40 years. For lack of a better term….you sir are full of $HIT. You are either not an umpire or you didn’t see the play in it’s entirity. If it was clearly an infield fly it should have been called when it was immediately apparent that it was an infield fly, not when it was immediately apparent that the ball was going to fall between the infielder and outfielder. The infielder gave way to the outfielder whom he thought called him off. If an outfielder reaches the ball at just about the same time as the infielder, it’s ludicrous to call that an infield fly. The ball was in the shallow outfield and that is not how the rule was meant to be applied. Even if it was, the call was made only after the umpire thought there might be a chance the infielder was going to muff it. He was protecting somebody. Watch the play and provide a precident where that rule was used in the shallow outfield in a similar situation. I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen an infielder muff that fly ball or as in this case give way to the outfielder only to see it fall between them. That happens all the time, but NEVER has the infield fly rule been used in that position of the field.

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Fredi Gonzales calls for a Safety Squeeze with two on, one out and the Pitcher on Deck? He she be fired for that move alone.

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Rule 2.00 (Infield Fly) Comment: On the infield fly rule the umpire is to rule whether the ball could ordinarily have been handled by an infielder — not by some arbitrary limitation such as the grass, or the base lines. The umpire must rule also that a ball is an infield fly, even if handled by an outfielder, if, in the umpire’s judgment, the ball could have been as easily handled by an infielder.

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Terrible Call!! This is the most disappointed I;ve ever been after a game……BUT, we had 162 games to avoid this one game scenerio…..We were good enough to WIN the DAMN DIVISION !!!!

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big mike, the short stop was under the ball, and when he waved his hand to call for it, the outfield ump made the call, followed by the infield ump. You, sir, are the one full of sh@t, if indeed you are an ump and dont make that call.

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I think this wild card one game elimination format is a reward for mediocrity. We finished 94-68 a record that should made us win a division. My point is that MLB not only should eliminate this wild card elimination format but the should go back to the general standings. We are a team that should be in the playoffs and we are out because of a format and threw away all what we did on the regular season.

We didn´t play a good game today and that umpire decision was determinant on the score.

Now to think on 2013.

Chipper my favorite braves player all time! Great memories in 19 years carreer.

Be Proud… Be Brave!

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The rule states the ump MUST make the call as an infield fly even if the outfielder actually makes the catch, IF the infielder CAN make it routinely. But, being an ump for 40 yrs, you know that, right?

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need to fire john schuerholz. He has the gall to apologize to baseball for the fans. He been terrible since the money left. You suck john schuerholz, leave….

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We know what the RULE BOOK states. That’s not the issue. In our society and sports if you will, there are laws and rules, respectively. We have people in place who are trained to enforce these laws and rules tempered with judgement and common sense so that they are applied equally to all with as much consistancy as practicable. That rule has NEVER been applied in that manner in any game especially a playoff game prior to tonite. Somebody had big money riding on this game. That umpire blatantly tried to save some runs. That’s not completely why Atlanta lost, but it was a contributing factor. That’s all a bookie can ask from a referee in game this big. Frankly, if I didn’t know better, I would have questioned Chipper Jones as well after that lackadaisical throw to second that eventually allowed three runs to score. Maybe he was trying to make one last big payday.

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mj

admit that you are just a Cardinals fan

even ESPN said he blew the call in 5 ways

By the letter of the rule book – that umpire blew the call in 4 ways! 1: It was not a “routine effort”, 2: The infielder was not “camped under it” , 3: The ball was NOT in the infield or the “vicinity” with the fielder under it, 4: The call is supposed to be made ONLY by an infield umpire !!!!!! excuse me – they mentioned a 5th way – The call must be made “quickly for the benefit of the base runners” – he didn’t make the call until it was 10 feet from the ground…and a team that wins 86 or 88 games does not deserve a 1-Game chance against a team that won 94 games and beat them 5 out of 6 times in the regular season!

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@mj

I was second row left field. Very close to the call as it happened 225 ft from home plate. If this is not a factor, why is it called an infield fly rule instead of simply a fly rule. But the important point, the defender has yet to get under the ball. It was clear as day and night from Sec 136 R14 (front row is 13)Seat 101. He was near where the ball was to hit the ground. But he never stood on that spot. This was very obvious even to the Cardinal fans sitting near by. As with many over the shoulder type plays, the defender had arced toward the spot. He might well have arrived at the spot the ball impacted the field had he continued. But he chose to defer the play to the outfielder because anyone who knows how to play baseball knows it was the outfielder’s ball to be played in the outfield from the outfield position. Lastly, the Braves fans threw the trash. But after the initial barrage was deminished, the ump walks into left field, tips and waves his cap at the stadium crowd inciting the second and sustained escalation of the fans expressing there understanding of the game. I do not condone the throwing of anything. But the ump caused and perpetuated a fiasco much more significant than the Green Bay call. This was season ending. With respect to your Umpiring experience and judgement, should the common sense component not be reinstated. Does the Cardinals manager protest a no call? Never, because it would have made him appear to be grasping at straws. MLB could have fixed the call. The ump was on the horn in the dugout during the clean up. The tv guys said the call would be reversed. But no. Braves had an off night and got jobbed. Thanks Chipper. Awesome career. A lot of fun for a lot of people. Excellent post game comments. Go Braves.

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Walt…if the Braves had taken care of business in the regular season (we should have won the Division)…then we would not have been in the position of having “the bear eat us”!

Next year, you better believe that teams will take it more serious the importance of winning the division. I wouldnt change the format ONE BIT!

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you are grasping at straws, big mike. i have seen the infield fly rule called 25 feet into the outfield on several occasions. The reason it is hardly seen routinely made is because the rule is only in effect with less than two outs and with runners on first and second, or with bases loaded. But in that situation, when a fly ball can be caught by an infielder, its an infield fly and the rule says the ump MUST call it. The rules are the rules and the umps must enforce them.

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@ BIG MIKE…. ypu’re probably a Georgia Bulldog fan too….. Fat, lazy, and stupid to boot…. Go back to your job at Papa Johns.

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chase, just admit you are a Braves fan. There is no conspiracy here. It wasnt the umps that made three errors, it was the Braves.

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tasman, state the rule you think was violated.

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This game was the “perfect storm” that was MLB’s worst-case scenario, one which they probably deluded themselves into thinking wouldn’t ever really happen with their profit-motivated one-game play-in. A game historically defined by series-formatted playoffs, where a #1 pitcher can give up 10 runs, an unknown utility man can become an overnight hero, but nevertheless where one team has to out-play the other across multiple games and situations, was reduced to a single game-elimination for both wild card teams when a second was added “to give more fanbases hope for the postseason”.

And what happened in the inaugural game? A team that finished 6 games ahead of the Cardinals and had beaten them 5 out of 6 times during the regular season was undone by a single bad game and an umpiring call that will live in infamy among Braves fans. Give the Braves a best of 3 or best of 5 and I could live with such a loss given baseball’s unpredictable nature; if the Cardinals still won I’d think at that point they’d earned it. But everyone in St. Louis, despite their celebrating and happiness at getting to the NLDS, knows deep down that the Cardinals just got GIFTED all of that on a silver platter. One lousy game, one awful call that goes your way, and you leapfrog a better team and move on while they go home. And the Braves (not to mention the possibility of seeing Chipper Jones bookend a HOF with World Series championships) and their fans? We all got hosed and we know it. Yeah, there were errors and sloppy play, and you can even add in the terrible call, but a single game has never decided who moves on in baseball’s playoffs and it never SHOULD have to begin with.

One could argue that MLB’s playoff system became an unforgiving crapshoot when wildcard teams and an extra round of playoffs were introduced in 1995 (and the Braves could certainly testify to that). The one-game play-in officially made it a cruel joke for any fanbase that sees a 162-game schedule rendered meaningless by one game. And MLB’s worst fears…not to mention BRAVES FANS’ worst fears…were realized in what I hope will be the LAST wild card play-in game ever played.

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Face it….. when all else fails…. blame George Bush

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@WALT
Who the hell are you to chastise anybody for trashing a trash game. That call and the game of MLB got what it deserved tonight and I fully support it. No one was trying to hit any of the people on the field or I guarantee you, somebody would have been hit. The fans in Atlanta were trying to make a statement….and they did that. They supported this team through 162 games and watched them tie 3 other division winners and flat out beat 2 other division winners being outplayed only by Washington. They were the second best team in MLB and had to play a second-third tier team in one game without mistakes or bad calls in order to get in the playoffs (this is assinine). After watching these idiots throw the ball around the field like little leaguers and swing their bats like they have lead in ‘em when somebody’s in scoring position….basically choke….then an umpire pulls the crap that guy pulled. As far as I’m concerned…load up and fire away Atlanta, you’ve earned it.

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Fredi. Safe

Gone McCann Too expensive too injured

Sign Bourne 270 ave should make him cheaper

Trade for Juston Upton. He will be on the block. Talent outshines his attitude Plenty of prospects to part with

Line up
Bourne
Prado
Heyward
Upton
Freeman
Uggla
Ross an bethancourt when ready
Simmons

This line up 1 thru five great. Young athletic.
Also best defense in league. Great for our young pitcher s. Also Bourne Heyward upton outfield
Best in league
Only uggla could not win gold glove

Pitchers
Hudson stay for 1 yr

New young guns
Medlin
Beachy. Mid season
Minor
#5 pitcher. Mulholm
Keep Tehran

Hanson and other starter s expendable

This will be a very young athletic team that is better than nats an phillies

With all the money coming off books this is very do able within braves budget

Very exciting team. With tons of potential

One game playoff Is BS. Ump cost us game but future is brite. Please let me know what u think

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Sam Holbrook should not be allowed in any major league ballpark ever again unless he buys a ticket.
This was not a borderline call – fair or foul down the line, safe or out on a close play at first, strike or no strike on a checked swing, etc. This was a gross misapplication of a rule, in a case in which it had no plausible application, by an umpire who had no business applying it.

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Yeah, give MJ any rule, any rule at all. Yankee boy will straighten you out. But you better hurry it’s way past his bed time.

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Wren withdrew the protest? I feel worse about baseball tonight than I did in the 94 strike.

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Fredi’s decision to play Ross proved a good one, and I liked the move from it was announced. He seems to make the decisions based on what he thinks will give the club the best chance to win, and not sticking with the status quo like Bobby use to do. However I still cannot get over that bunt he called with Simmonds, who had gotten a base hit in his first at bat, and with a ground ball or fly ball could have gotten the run in from third.

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I was at the game. The two highest paid position players on the team, Chipper and Uggla, led the playoff retreat with devastating errors. Chipper Jones will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He played one game too many. Dan Uggla will NOT be a Hall of Famer. Can only hope he’s played his last game in Atlanta.

The top of the order contributed nothing until it was too late. The rookie shortstop made rookie mistakes. The one major flaw in the team that wasn’t really exposed was the imbalanced lineup, pimarily because St. Louis only carried two left-handed pitchers.

The call – Well, that was the WORST call I’ve seen in 50 years of following MLB, including the Denkinger call (but not inclusive of Eric Gregg, who I absolutely believe was on the take). (1) that was NOT an infield fly according to the rule, and (2) the left field baseline umpire has NO business making that call. That’s not why he’s on the field; he’s there to call the baselines, home runs, and back up for infield umpires drawn out of position. The crew chief is a coward for not overruling him. Joe Torre is also a coward, running for cover under the lame “judgment call” excuse instead of properly correcting the call.

The Atlanta fans deserve major kudos for their reaction to this incident. The players were not targets of the bottle throwing except for a couple of very isolated instances. It was a very spontaneous and most appropriate non-violent demonstration in protest of the blatant corruption of the integrity of the game by the umpires and MLB. After the protest, the fans quickly self-disciplined the rabid few who would not subside and allow the game to continue. After the game fans were very calmly walking back to their cars; no riots, no rampaging whatsoever. If you hear anyone trashing the Atlanta fans they are being extremely disingenuous; it would necessarily be a reflection of their bias or just pure demagoguery.

In the end the oucome was utterly predictable. Key players were either too old, too young, or too fragile (mentally or physically). The big dollar players played poorly, while the kids and reserves (Ross) made the big plays. It is far beyond time for Wren to clean out the slow-pitch softball players and supplement the Heyward-Freeman-Simmons core with more young athletic players.

Wait ’till next year – again.

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MJ
How can n ump say that play was ordinary when the ss would have to make an over the shoulder catch that is in no way routine

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Braves lost this one on their own. They lost because they scored 3 runs on 12 hits. They had the tying run up in each of the last three innings and couldn’t get 1 hit! They GAVE the cards 3-4 runs with slapstick errors. They lost because they choked-they always choke.

The infield-fly call was an absolute joke. If it had not been called, would anyone have said, hey, the infield fly rule should have been in effect? Of course not. Under this interpretation, any fly ball hit anywhere in the park with runners on 1st and 2nd is subject to the infield fly rule.

Also ridiculous; all the fake outrage over trashing the field. BFD, plastic bottles and paper cups- WOW, real danger there. Joe Simpson seemed eager to blame all of the fans. What a sanctimonious gasbag. I hope he is done in Atlanta. I never want to hear him again.

If you want 10 playoff teams, shorten the damn season and have real series. You don’t need to play 6 months to decide home field advantage for a 1 game playoff. Hell, why play at all, why not just have coin flip in Selig’s office.

After 94 wins over a 6 month marathon, your reward is a home game against a team that finished 7 games behind you. What’s new though. The Braves were the first tdivision champ to fall to a WC team. The Marlins finished 10 games behind them that year. Total BS

Ironic that after 6 months of 4 hour games, baseball is suddenly in a big hurry to eliminate a playoff team? WTF. This wasn’t a playoff game. This was a play-in game.

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To hell with MLB. To hell with the Braves

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I hate Joe Simpson!!!! He crapped on Atlanta fans when he should be on our side. He was sure to speak up and down the team’s fans he calls the games for through the season. Why don’t you go work with Boog Schiambi at ESPN!!! CAUSE WE DINT WANT YOU ANYMORE!!!!!!

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Sorry, but I love my Bravos…

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BTW, I love the Atlanta fans. Every damn one of you who threw stuff on the field, I salute you…

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Why don’t my other posts appear??????

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To the fans that threw stuff on the field, I salute you…

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Joe threw our fans under the bus

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Atlanta sports teams – one and done!

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Brewerfan
hope the same refs call your game,lol…

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Chipper Jones type of player are few and far ………………..n

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Ditto all around.I’m officially boycotting ESPN.They had the gall to post on FB that the reign of Chipper Jones had come to an end.Did he deserve a standing O.Can u believe it? I’ve unfollowed themand am a HUGE sports fan.Never will I watch ANYTHING on there again.

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But the real reason for the loss is what has dogged this team all year,another 0-fer day with runners in scoring position.It is hard to win against playoff caliber teams when you have to depend on home runs to score all of your runs.

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It wasn’t the ninth inning where Chip made his error. It was the top of the fourth. The team still had 24 outs to score runs. 3-2 in the fourth is winnable…IF the team drives in baserunners. Bravos struggled
scoring all year. Bourn had a nice year, not a great one. He doesn’t put the ball in play enough.
Uggla….what an enigma. Do you send him home with instructions to NOT see how big he can get his biceps, slowing down his swing in the process? Or do you just send him home, with instructions to get another job?
But, we’ll be solid in RF, 1B, 3B, SS and rotation. Interesting offseason awaits….but first, FOOTBALL

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The error was in fourth inning. Plenty of time to recover. Braves can’t score runs all year. At some point, pitching and defense aren’t enough. When the defense has a bad day, pitching alone surely isn’t enough. We need offensive addition in the offseason. Uggla isn’t it.

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Hey, Braves. Now you know how WE feel.

- Sincerely, the Green Bay Packers.

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Terrible, terrible defense by the Braves. It was almost embarrasing! Especially by Chipper and Uggla! I feel bad for Medlen. He pitched very well all things considered and the defense ripped his heart out as well as Braves’ fans everywhere.

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To the abundantly uneducated fans, writers and players in Atlanta that abound everywhere. Let us classy St Louis Cardinal fans who don’t throw beer on opposing fans when they visit our stadium or run them out of the stadium so they can’t finish to watch the game they paid to attend or throw trash at players, umpires, opposing fans and the field when calls don’t go there way. That’s exactly how white trash six year olds behave.

First 100% of every umpire, umpire analyst, supervisor of officials and executive VP of MLB not only agree that the call was made 100% correctly but that how the call was made was done 100% correctly.

To educate the uneducated city further. The umpires in every baseball game for decades have made this call the exact same way this entire time (If anyone in Atlanta can afford the MLB baseball channel, I suggest you watch it as they have been happy to educate the city of Atlanta on their show tonight) They even showed examples of other games showing players traveling just as far as Kozma and umpires calling the play with the exact same timing as Mr. Holbrook.

As every umpire and analyst will explain, they wait until the ball reaches the apex (big word for you Atlanta) of it’s flight then look to see if the infielder (or even outfielder if it could ordinarily have been handled by an infielder) is underneath the ball to make an “ordinary” catch. MLB network showed that the ball landed exactly one step to the side of where Kozma the shortstop was standing.

Every umpire analyst (nearly all former mlb umpires) stated that this is always how they are instructed to call the infield fly rule and that is the exact order in how they are instructed to signal the call. The third base umpire confirmed Mr. Holbrooks call on the field as well. It is the left field umpires call as stated by the analysts, and made 100% correctly.

In the future, I suggest doing what the Cardinals always do. Like hitting when runners are in scoring position. And preventing the opposing team from scoring when they have runners in scoring position. It’s an amazing strategy that has worked really well for their 11 World Series titles in the past. This way you are not looking for the umpires to hand you the victory just because you are mentally petulant, white-trash 6 year olds.

I like other Cardinal fans have stated for years that the rule is stupid and should never be called that far away from the infield, even though it has ALWAYS been called that way. So should any of the Braves fans, writers or players taken the intelligent argument that it is a stupid rule despite the umpire accurately making the call, then that would have been highly understandable.

Instead the fans, writers, and players of Atlanta want to make the whiny, stupid argument that the whole world is out to get them and please hand them the victory Mr. umpire because they can never earn it themselves. Brilliant!

Then they throw beer and trash at the umpires, players, Cardinal fans and the field because that’s exactly what 6 year white trash Atlanta losers do. Cardinal fans drenched in beer (yes I have Cardinal friends this happened to whom were attending the game and witnessed others in similar despair) are forced to leave the game in the 8th inning and the game is delayed for 20 minutes. Brilliant!

You have the undisputed title as the worst fans in baseball! Congratulations Atlanta you finally earned something!

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Done with MLB.

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Let’s all be honest – Chipper’s final “hit” was an error on the Cardinal’s second baseman…had Chipper been hustling down the line I could see giving him a hit, but true to his nature, even in his final at bat, Chipper was loafing down the line. HOF’er my patootie !

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Any chance at all that Josh Hamilton would end up with the Braves ?

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From Wohler’s giving up the bomb that turned the Series around to Lonnie Smith not knowing where he was on the basepaths to the era with the big bangers (Shef and company) who couldn’t deliver in the playoffs to Brooks Conrad to last year’s collapse to this, the Braves continue to demonstrate a lack of mental toughness in the playoffs. They’ve been built for years to provide us with solid, regular season competitiveness but time and again, they demonstrate they don’t have what it takes at the next level. I will always be a Braves fan but it is agonizing to experience. I’ll miss Chipper as well and hate that he faltered in his last night.

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That’s baseball.

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Blame the home plate ump…he should have clearly overruled the call. The clown ump in the outfield still stands by his call. He should be unemployed after that call. What a joke!

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LAST TWO (2) POSTS HAVE BEEN SQUELCHED. SO BE IT AJC KMA!

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Has anyone looked into the pattern developing between the St. Louis Cardinals and debris being thrown onto the playing field? Just a couple of examples: Joe Medwick in the 1934 WS game with the Detroit Tigers; 1999 Phillies/Cards game where batteries were thrown at JD Drew; and now last night’s debacle. I’m starting to think maybe it’s really all the Cardinals’ fault?!

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Atlanta professional sports as always…so disappointing.

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The three errors killed them. The bad call snuffed out a potential comeback. After that crappy call maybe next year MLB will allow infield fly rules to be reviewed.

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BASEBALL IS RIGGED EVERYONE

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Chipper Jones brought winning to Losersville. Before Chipper and his crowd you could sit behind home plate and watch baseball like it was on your television, with a few thousand fans that could hear each other several sections over. Chipper Jones maybe even more than Hank Aaron, who did most of his best work in Milwaukee, made Atlanta a real major league town. You could be on business in NY or LA and the two things people wanted to know about was Augusta and the Braves. To this day the only professional championship we have ever had. He started here and he finished here, he is one of us.

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The Braves played great defense all year, just not tonight. Medlen also was subpar compared to his usual lofty standards. The call was questionable at best. It all just underscores the need to go to a 3 game series, a home, away, home format. Baseball is not like any other sport: anybody can beat anybody in a single game. If the Yankees or Reds or whoever plays last night, they are just as likely to lose, and that is just wrong.

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There was No one on first base , No force out in play , the men on second and third did not have to move or run. Thus No infield fly rule in play . The WRONG Call was NOT CORRECTED.
Major League Baseball should be Ashamed, Not the Braves Fans at the Game. I Was there and no
baserunners were being protected, OK? The Braves were just getting SHAFTED!
Thanks for the 19, #10.

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I was very proud of the Braves fans at the game that littered the field in protest. What a BS call.

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Its encouraging to read the comments already posted. Outside of a few unreasonable people, I find it refreshing to see that the readers are far more rational, objective and understanding of the facts surrounding the game than the editorial writer. The Braves blew the game, not the refs. Plain and simple.

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I have learned to take the bad with the good. As a lifetime 47 year Atlanta fan, I have had to endure 175 professional seasons (Braves, Flames/Thrashers, Hawks, and Falcons) of not winning it all. I have learned that there can only be one team that wins it all and a bunch who don’t. We have to take the good times and enjoy them and forget the bad times. That’s the only way to sanely enjoy sports.

Last night was a big disappointment but I enjoyed all of the good times we had this year with this team. Thanks for more good memories than bad Bravos…

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You have to have replay! Even if they get the call right there is no way of knowing if the braves would have gotten a big hit but now we / they will never know! Baseball is bullsh***! How in the world can baseball in playoff games not have replay for these types of situations is enough to make me not want to spend / waste my money on this sport.

Oh, the errors were terrible and this game prior to and after the bad calls proves that something is wrong with the team because they just can’t seem to perform under pressure. Not sure what that is but something isn’t wright.

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Right

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To All Atlanta Braves Players and Fredi G.
Great season guys. Winning 94 games in spite of injuries and some people who call themselves fans, was a great accomplishment. Fredi you did a commendable job. A lesser man could not have survived the ongoing insults (some very personal) that you endured. To all the naysayers who ranted and raved some trying to be cute and funny and some who were just mean and ugly: Great job! You used your rights to your opinions to the upmost.

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They broke our hearts again. So what’s new? And that umpire needs to get flogged.

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Braves left 12 men on base but I never let the facts get in the way of me running my big mouth on this blog.

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Well at least the stands are free of trash. BTW throwing bottles which could hit someone who had nothing to do with the call, is dum and it won’t change the outcome. Stay Classy fans.

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Kudos to Fredi Gonzalez for taking this team to the brink of the playoffs. Were it not for perhaps the major league’s largest collection of number three starters (and Kris Medlen), their weak-hitting, choking, stand-pat lineup would have gone nowhere near the post-season.

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In her game story, Carroll called Fredi’s argument a “Bobby Cox like tirade.” Bobby would have gotten tossed from the game. The umpire’s refusal to toss Fredi was their signal that they knew the call was shaky.

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Why can’t these major sports leagues admit when a mistake is made? Ok you won’t overturn the ruling but at least be honest.

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Only in Atlanta,,, Yep, loosersville USA. All our teams get you excited and somehow manage to loose. Falcons,,, you are next,, JUST YOU WAIT AND SEE. The horrible call did not beat the Braves but,,, MLB and their rules suck. They don’t care to even get it right!!! They have instant replay but, No they dan’t care.

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Uggla came up 4 times with men on base and went 0-4, including the 9th when a 3 run homer would have tied the game, (was he not hired to hit home runs) plus throwing the ball away (a distance of probably less than 50 feet.) But he did not strike out the entire game. Miracle.

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Another bad call that nobody is talking about…the guy who hit the ball to Uggla where he made the bad throw and opened the door to 3 unearned runs…that guy was CLEARLY struck out on the pitch before he hit that grounder. Balls and strikes were shaky all day. Still no excuse for the way the Braves played. What happens to them in October that they lose their freaking minds and forget how to play? It happens every stinkin time.

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The infield fly rule does not have “infield” in the rule because it is in the title you moronic ump.

The dumb arse ump obviously thought he was the third base ump. Fine- reverse the call you pompous jerk.

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What’s the definition and defining factor of infield vs outfield? If there is a defining point, is there such a thing as an “outfield fly rule”?

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Worst call I ever saw. Been watching since 56. If that cant, wont be over ruled, over turned then I quit. I suggest to you to do the same. To heck with that crap. The freaking ss did not even have a chance to catch the ball. How did the freaking umpire look at the play and figure that the defence was dropping the ball on purpose to get a double play. Been watching 50 something years, worst call ever. If that crap aint rigged then nothing is. Im betting everything on the cards to win it all. To heck with you mlb.

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That umpire should be demoted to the minors. What a horrible fn’g call.

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do not follow…

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The call was awful, but we shouldn’t have been behind when it happened. Kris Medlen was cruising until Chipper failed to make an easy throw, in what would have been a double play. Instead, in his final game of his career, he choked. I love the guy, and the Braves, but let’s be honest. Some players, such as Reggie Jackson, excelled when the stakes were highest. Chipper didn’t. I’ll miss his big bat in the lineup, but he will not go down in history as Mr. Clutch. His era finally comes to a close and I, for one, am ready for a change. I’ll cheer for him as he enters the Hall of Fame, but will cheer more when the Braves become competitive in October, something they couldn’t do as long as Chipper was their leader.

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“And it’s ridiculous to suggest the Cardinals wanted this game more.”

The Braves errors gave the game away. Medlen pitched fine as did the bullpen. If Chipper, Uggla and Simmons don’t make stupid throwing errors then the Braves win.

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Chipper, Uggla and Simmons cost the Braves the game. Simple as that. Not coaching, not pitching. Errors.

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Well, here it is, folks. Another long offseason of burying your heads in the sand, along with your limp special-order red tomahawks.
It is far past time to realize that the team had tremendous flaws. They were LAST in the league in hitting with RISP. A .232 average or something, last I looked. THe blame goes to: EVERYBODY! How many times I recall you whining about Uggla, then Bourn, then Freeman, then “J-Hey”, then Chipster, then McCann, then…… you get it – all of them collectively, sucked when it mattered most.
Add to that the FACTS that they ranged from 9th to last in the League, in several important hitting categories – BA, HR, 2B, Slugging %, OPS, RISP… Your top hitter hit .301 in a power position (LF) and had TEN HRs. Leadoff hitter hit .228 since the AS break and strikes out more than anyone else, except $12M Uggla. Heyward had a hot streak for over a month, but settled back to being a liability against LH pitching, and Freeman hit in the .265 range. (Did you actually hear the moron on the telecast last night suggest that Freeman would one day win a batting title?!? Seriously?)..
The pitching is decent and the pen is excellent, but weak links abound. Hudson is showing his very advanced age more and more often. Maholm-the-savior (with the super valuable ReedJohnson!)?? Good luck with that. Medlen cannot pitch any better, and therefore will come back down to earth. Can Kimbrel do that again? Not likely
Get ready to watch a real dynasty in the making…. In Washington, that is.

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Thank God that it is the end of the Chipper Jones era in Atlanta Braves Baseball…..I am so happy that I do not have to hear his name mentioned in every other breath as being a great future Hall of Fame’er……..he sure did not play that way tonight……maybe now we can dump some of his excess baggage along with Hanson, JJ, Fredi G, Roger M and trade Brian McCann for somebody……he sure was worthless the last half of the season. I am glad the Braves lost the way they did – shows that they have not been managed or coached to be a post season winning team – September 2011’s Epic Collapse did carry over into October 2012. Please get rid of Fredi G and Roger M.

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And so the Epic Collapse of 2011 continues into October 2012 – it is all laid on the shoulders of Fredi G, Roger M, and Gimper Jones.

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We couldn’t get a box of balls for Uggla.

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The Cardinals, for this game, were the better team. Winning teams do not commit three errors. The Braves were unable to capitalize on many opportunities. Base runners all over the place but no timely hits.

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That was a great call. Obama creates jobs. Brittany don’t lip sync.

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been reading posts from both cities, strangely enough they are pretty similar. some managerial decisions left us scratching our heads but don’t seem to come as a big shock here on this board.
that is scary.
cant remember what year but i flew down to atlanta to watch playoff clincher to cards with my father. we walked up to ticket booth 90 minutes prior to game and got in. it is a shame what happened tonight but there are a lot of outsiders that are commenting more about passion of fans than how things got out of hand.
enjoy football season. falcons look good and i was able to attend first SEC game for Mizzou. not sure how bulldogs stack up against florida or eventually alabama, but they are a hell of a lot bigger and faster than we were.
hang in there.

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“You’ve got to judge a team over the 162-game season,” said Braves’ manager Fredi Gonzalez, classy in bizarre defeat. “Anyone can have one bad call [go against them] or one bad game.”

Next time win the division and it won’t matter.

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You want to know what is an embarrassment? That we, the team that got SCREWED on that call, feel a need to apologize to MLB and the Cardinals for our actions as fans!! That is a F’N joke.

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Medlin deserved better. Glad he got the MLB record before the defense let him down. There is no good way to be eliminated from post-season, but I guess beating yourself hurts more than just getting beat by the better team.
Late bad call was just the icing on the cake.

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The fact is the umpire made the infield fly rule too soon.
Joe Torre deleted the outcome for the Braves.
If this would have happen to the Yankee, they would be playing again today.
Fredi, did his part a very good job.
Between the umpires and Old Chipper, Uggla, plus mister strike out, Bourne gave the game to St. Louis.
However, most of all, SHAME on the front office of MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL AND JOE TORRE………….

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I agree with everything but the lousy call. I was upset at first until I heard the actual infield fly rule. Hard to argue against the call because the rule makes no mention of where the ball lands… it can be called anytime an infielder can make a reasonable play on it. Clearly the infielder in this case could make a reasonable play on it. Also if you look at the replay the ump signals out before the ball fell to the ground. That is the kind of call that can go either way. Bottom line.. take away the errors and the call doesn’t matter.

I definitely hate the one game play in. I was surprised there wasn’t more discussion about it before the game… I knew there would likely be an uproar from disgruntled fans from the losing side. I think that first seires should be a best of 3. The team with the better record hosts all 3 games.

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Embarrassed by braves Performance…again 7 errors in lasts 3 playoff games. Dismayed by infield fly call. Pissed at Joe Simpson’s chiding of real fans…he’s a paid performer, wouldn’t understand what it’s like to be a fan. Frustrated with another collapse. Pretty sure god hates the braves. Must be nice to be a cards fan. Wish I knew how that feels.

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Chipper has always been a stand up guy, BUT I took issue with his dogging it, on his final run to first. He didn’t go hard. He dogged it. He didn’t deserve an infield hit call. My last memory of HOF Chipper was dogging it to first. Hey. It’s your last AB…two are out…pretty sad, but appropriate ending, given how the game was played.

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Terrible game all around but braves fans can not blame fredi. He played Ross and that turned out to be a good decision. Went to Jose C. Off the bench who tripled, and pinch hit McCann in the 8th who should have walked in a run. Bad defense and a worse call and all the hard work through a 162 game season is for nothing because of a stupid one game play in. I wish the XFL would start back up so that he hate me could have something else to do instead of talking about trading one of your best all around players in heyward. I guess being a great defender and a 20/20 player isn’t very good for someone who probably can’t tell the difference between a really good year and the inflated PED era stats. Heyward had a great year and is only going to get better

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A lot of kvetching about the call from people who don’t know the rules. It’s simple. Don’t throw the ball away , don’t lose. And Don’t EVER EVER Tomahawk chop again. That HAS to go!

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If Baseball is a kids game, and should be play by kids only.
Then Football is a moron’s game, and should
be play by moron’s only.

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We’ll throw stuff at you.

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Instant replay wasn’t needed to over turn that bad call. Six umps could not have all seen that as an infield fly rule play.

Technically speaking could the umps have over turned that call? Jeff anyone

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There is no accountability for umpires. Until they are held to reasonable standards you will get the same weenie mediocrity we saw last night. Don’t talk about replacement umps or referees. The officiating is the most protected group in sports. They should have to be held accountable.

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First chipper Jones mouth cost remember his said……We have the greatest fans and we goin win it this year cause we better team and Frank Wren said we have the players n talent win all…So he should be fired for that comment…Remember Folks Baltimore finally won a wild card play in Game vs Texas rangers who were supose be better they had the dumpster um dempster for all….what happen Josh Hamilton cry baby stop playin…..so lets hopeNats will sweep cards if do..You see why man in dugout has Bobby cox fever….Joe simpson upset me on TBS crew he kept bad mouthin Fans for tossin bottles and cups and there season tickets away for good!……washington vs Oakland in world series!

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I have said ALL season that the braves SUCK!!! and now it has been proven…the only good players on the roster are bourne hudson and chipper, everybody else needs to go!!!
however, they still should have won this game…yes the calls by the umps where HORRIBLE but the braves NEVER should have let that happen…they had opportunity after opportunity to score runs and didnt..and the thing that really irritates me and gets under my skin is the fact that this was chipper’s last season, he didnt deserve to go out like this….god I can only hope and pray that fredi and wren get canned…dumb ass f*** morons

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SalukiJim, We know the rules. It is there to protect the offense. If you are defending the umpires you are the dumbest guy on this blog.

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Yes, the Braves are gonna lose Michael Bourn but who ever gets him is gonna pay way way way more then he is worth. He’s a strikeout machine.

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The fact that Holbrook after the game said he was “absolutely” sure he made the right call is evidence enough that he should be removed from baseball.

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biff k: You’d move back to JERSEY because of sports teams? Really?

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Saluki Jim must have never played past his right field position in tball if he thinks it is ordinary effort going back on a ball in the outfield with 50k fans and can’t hear your left fielder

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What part of INFIELD fly doesn’t this ump understand? A welcome sight to see the field littered with harmless cans and plastic bottles. They deserved it. When I heard about the one game playoff I thought this is a 50/50 shot of winning. Cut off that last week of the season and have a 5 game wildcard playoff. That’s how playoffs are supposed to be played dumba$$ $elig!

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F John Scheurholtz! As fans, we watched the team implode and the umps rob us……I loved that passion! The cans were aluminum, the bottles were plastic…….glad to see we care and that we arent gonna bend over and take it. Everyone gripes that Atlanta fans arent emotional…..well stick that in your pipe and smoke it!

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Grats to the Fans…..loved the support….if we’re goin down, we are goin down swingin….whats MLB gonna do….fine the fans?

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@Ted M….agreed…..we got us a Costanza.

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Hey Braves fans, we got 11 World Series titles. You have….3. We’re still playing,…you’re still shooting your TV over a bad call. We played to win….you played to lose. We are baseball nation…you are crying in your beer. I salute Chipper Jones on an amazing career. See you Braves in 2013.

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Seems to me Joe Torre could have corrected the infield fly mis-call, but chose not to thereby avoiding and upsetting TV network scheduling. Say it ain’t so, Joe.

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Wren is a wet rag wimp. Torre was out of his depth, The ump is a pompous ass. I am proud of the fans the most. John “The Rightous” Schurholtz does not and can not apologize for us he has no right. Go back to the suite John. Braves fans have been labeled passionless long enough, last night we did “RISE UP”. And thank god we are now past all this retirement phase of the great players and managers. Now, let this team of youth go forward and know your fans will “RISE UP” to support you.
We are passionate, JOHN and FRANKIE, and not just about old players and managers. Better get used to it!

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I am a happy Cardinal fan this morning. I enjoy reading comments of the losing team’s fans. I feel their pain but at the same time I love reading the sarcasm after such a painful loss. There was no worse call in sports history as when the Colorado Buffaloes were given a fifth down at the end of the game to beat my Tigers and go on to win a national championship and the second worse call was the Denkinger call. Both those calls actually cost my teams the win. I do feel your pain and glad its on you and not me this time.

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I LIKE the tomahawk chop….spending part of my life living on the state line with Fla, I went to many FSU games. Deion Sanders brought it with him and his fan base when he came here to the Atl, and I want to keep it. Pittsburgh has their terrible towel, nothing wrong with The Chop! Now we just need a team that wins to go with it….;-)

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You know why the Cardinals keep winning in these do or die situations and the so called better teams like the 2011 Phillies, Brewers, Rangers and now the 2012 Braves keep losing??? Because they take advantage of game changing situations on the field instead of making excuses off. You are really going to blame a loss on one call but would expect to win a playoff game after making 3 errors??? Come on!! Keep crying Atlanta, you sound like every other city the Cards sent home early.

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Braves got screwed… just like 1991. MLB hates the Braves and it shows. No more needs to be said.

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This new wild-card system is a JOKE. St. Louis ultimately did NOT deserve to go to the playoffs anyway. The Braves would win a 5 or 7 game series against them, but one bad night and you’re doomed. How is that fair? Stick with the one best alternate as the wild card. It’s not like a one game money-grab is going to be that much more effective…..On the contrary, I think people will ultimately spend more money on QUALITY.

As for quality, the Braves did deserve to lose that game with as many errors as they made. I also question starting a young kid like Medlen in that situation. Great season, but they should’ve gone with Hudson instead, given his experience. The call and the subsequent refusal to hear the protest were absolutely inexcusable. I don’t want to hear about the correct ‘interpretation’ of the rule. He was 100 feet out of the infield. At minimum, Holbrooks shouldn’t be allowed to work another playoff game. Also, I would can the announcers who called the garbage coming out of the stands ‘embarrassing or shameful’ for the Braves. On the contrary, I thought it was a rare show of passion and fan unity from a town that doesn’t care that much most of the time. The real embarrassment was on Holbrooks. The garbage shower is something called ‘consequences’.

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It takes a special kind of fan to disgrace the game and throw trash on their own field. Nice representation of your city on a national platform Atlanta. I think everyone in baseball is glad this fan base took an early exit

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The worst call in the history of baseball! Bud Selig, Joe Torre, and that stupid umpire should be fired immediately and held financially responsible for loss of revenue in possible future playoff games by the Braves and the city of Atlanta! I have been a baseball fan for nearly 50 years, but I won’t be watching any more games because it is obvious that the umpires are paid off. Also, the home plate umpire was suspiciously inconsistent in calling balls and strikes ver early in the game (to benefit the Cardinals, of course)!

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As bad as that call was,the umps should be glad thats all the fans did.

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I didn’t want to see anyone get hurt, but it did make me happy to see the fans litter the field after a call that a Little League umpire could have made. The Braves and their fans are always know as being NICE…as a matter of fact the Hawks and Falcons are too. It’s about time this city showed it had a pair and showed it. Let that moron ump make that call in Philly and see what happens. If it had happened against MLB’s DARLINGS, the Yankees, I doubt that call would have stood. There would have been an immediate call between Selig and Torre and the call would have been reversed. That’s the way the world works…THE STRONG SURVIVE. Good for you fans for finally standing up and saying were not taking this crap anymore. I know it won’t happen, but they should fire the UMP,Selig and Torre.

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I guess suggesting that MLB be held financially responsible for ruining its own game is keeping my coment in the filter

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DawgFan#1 -

Spoken like a true Dwag fan, but then again you guys are used to trashing your own campus win or lose.

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Who’s shocked or surprised or “sick” to their stomach? After so much practice over the last 15 years you should, like me, have been expecting it and have gotten calloused over the Braves. There’s really nothing else to say. Why bother saying I’m bothered when I’m not. The only good thing was the fans tossing cans of the field. It’s about time we got a little street cred instead of sitting around on our hands waiting for the pool boy to refill our mint julips and make whispered comeents of disapppointment with a team. I’m done. “nuf sed.

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Sorry to say, but same old Braves, when you come right down to it. Choked once again. Umpire call was bad, but that was not why they lost the game. Plenty of hits, but could not score the runs needed. Very disappointing, but not unfamiiar!

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comment appears to have been caught in some filter. One more try:

1) The IFF rule is designed to protect the offense from the difficult tactical dilemma of what to do on a pop-up on the infield or (very) shallow outfield–stand on the bag and get forced out when the IF lets the ball drop or go down the line and get doubled off when the IF catches the ball. It is not designed to assist the defense in making outs. Indeed, one could argue it is designed to prevent the defense from collecting outs it has not earned.

2) The rule should never be invoked at the expense of the offense. Even when a real IFF is dropped the offense has not lost anything. The batter is out–as he should be–but the team is saved from further sanction or loss of outs by the rule.

3) There is absolutely no reasonable argument to be made that the play in question created the same tactical dilemma that the rule is designed to protect against. None. Even if the SS catches the ball, he does so in short to mid left and is not in a position to double up either Uggla or Ross. People fly out to short left with runners on all the time (especially Braves) and until now no one has suggested that the play should be dead to benefit the offense.

4) The rule was invoked wrongly (and late) and as a result, the defense was very much aided even when there WAS NO RISK TO THE OFFENSE OF THE DEFENSE GAINING MORE OUTS THAN THEY DESERVED.

5) By standing by the ruling, MLB is (hopefully unwittingly) suggesting that any fly ball to the outfield that does not clear the fence, whether it is fielded or not, is the equivalent to a popup to second base and therefore covered by the IFF and an automatic out.

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Why doesn’t the umpire just admit he was duped. Not that being 230 feet from home plate, running sideways and backwards should be called an infield fly, but the fact they won’t admit he was wrong is not right. People, and everyone knows he was duped when his arms went up. Then pulled away, about the same time the SS ran away from the fly. Not to say the Braves would have scored, but who is to say.

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Dave,
Watched MLB last night, too. Omar Vizquel and two other guys disagreed with Harold Reynolds and indeed the footage showed the the SS wasnt even on the same cut of grass as where the ball landed. He was 4 feet away from where the ball landed when he bolted. And, by the way, if we are looking at an IFF rule call after the fact frame by frame to determine whether it was the correct call, I think its not the correct call and we have all missed the point.

But beyond the dissection of timing et al, the RULE IS NOT DESIGNED TO HELP THE DEFENSE MAKE OUTS. Its just that simple. The situation did not call for the rule to be invoked because there was no risk that the defense would gain anything by intentionally dropping the ball and potentially making an extra out. None.

Ultimately, the Braves had tons of chances to change the outcome of the game. The bottom of the 8th was one of them and I think that opportunity was undermined by rank poor officiating.

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@Dave in St. Louis

MLB Network is owned by MLB and they work for Selig……………what do you think they’re going to say? Did they roast Selig for the insane one game “Wild Card Playoff” ?

Yes the MLB Network “has a dog in this hunt” so frankly I don’t give a crap what their shill say. I was there, I saw it first hand and I can assure you the Cardinal players in no way thought that was coming.

Someone said that Kozma must have backed off because he “heard” the umpire calling IFF….are you kidding me? He didn’t hear Holliday who was a lot closer than the sorry ump………

It was a bad call……………Torre even insinuated it in his explanation that whild saying it was not overturned because it was a judgment call and that mistakes are a part of the game……….

No way was it the correct call……….

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As a diehard Brave fan, I thought the call was awful! I have never in my over 40 years of watching Baseball, seen an infield fly rule called on a ball hit so far into the outfield.I knew with a shill like Joe Torre working in the commmissioner’s office, that he was never going to overturn the call. What is the purpose of the infield fly rule, it is a dumb rule. How their be an automatic out, you have earn it by making the play.Too bad the three Braves errors in the infiled wern’t popups, or the Braves would have had three more outs instead of theee errors.But let’s face it, the Braves didn’t lose becuase of that play, they lost because of 4 unearned runs caused by errors. Also their usual untimely hitting. I was also disapointed by the Atlanta fans, you would think with that many cans thrown into the field, that they would have hit that umpire who made the bad call at least once!

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Aside from the Ump’s “judgment” in making the call based on the SS position under the ball is the simple poor judgment in making the call at all given the circumstances.

The ball was so deep that even if he had intentionally dropped it there’s no way on earth he could have picked it up in time, made an accurate throw to 3rd, and gotten more than one out…essentially a wash. Thus, there’s no way on earth the SS would have dared to drop an easy out in the outfield and risk a bad throw to 3rd leaving the bases loaded and zero outs up by 4 runs. He or the outfielder would have caught that ball under the circumstances and the ump has to realize this!

The purpose of the rule to to prevent double plays on an infield pop-up; the purpose was ignored by this ump.

This is the kind of tradegies that can happen during playoff games when an unp makes an unnecessary call under the circumstance that influences the outcome of a game.

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Granted we got jobbed on the call in left field but it wouldn’t have made any difference had we not tossed the ball around like a bunch of T-ballers earlier in the game.

The thing that will stick in my mind will be Torre, Holbrook and Bud’s other minions blithely denying the call was blown during the press conference. You have to wonder how those men can look themselves in the mirror this morning.

P.S. – Good point above Heisenberg.

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you are absolute right Heisenberg… it was an unbelievable insult of epic proportions to claim that was the right call.

Joe Torre and MLB said we think the fans are stupid and gullible so we are gonna claim it was the right call.

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Holbrook was part of another crew that changed another game for the Braves back in the ‘04 playoffs – the 18 inning fiasco against Houston. Both he and Cedarstrom (also part of last night’s crew) blew key calls that would have changed the outcome of that game along with a third miscue by “Fat Eric” Cooper who fortunately was not part of last night’s crew.

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Sooo… this winter consider doing the following.

Trade Mac, Uggla and Hanson for a combination of prospects and or ML ready talent. Put Prado back at 2B where he should have stayed.

Release the entire bench apart from Juan & Ross. Pastornicky is a toss in as part of trade IMHO not some super utility player find for ATL.

Trade an arm pkge to Texas for Elvis and then trade one of Elvis or Simmons to AZ for Justin Upton.

Sign BJ Upton for CF

Make a run at Greinke and or Peavy.

I would rather have Peavy’s power arm in the rotation over Hanson’s and possibly Hudson. Greinke is the Ace you don’t have today. He may not come here but a player of his caliber is needed to anchor this rotation.

Give Juan a shot a 3B with the requirement he gets in better shape over the winter & works on his approach at the plate and at 3B.

Use one of the trade scenarios above to get a 3B prospect into the system. BTW If Terds name comes up again as the replacement for Chipper we are screwed. He is not very good. A better version of Pastornicky at 3B.

Some other cocktail of players may work but in 2013 we need new faces in CF, LF and 3B at a min with 25% of the rotation and 75% of the bench replaced.

I don’t think Wren does this and that is why he should be flushed along with JS & McGuirk. They have this desire to white wash the previous season and convince fans their tweaks or ill advised all ins moves (Uggla, Lowe, KK) could have worked.

If you want to put away other teams you need a FO with a killer instinct. The Braves lack that and quite frankly so does Fredi. I would broom the lot. Get Francona who has actually won two WS rings versus a manager who has won nothing and is channeling BC (the later years).

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Opps meant to say judgment calls are not subject to protest.

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As a Braves fans since I was a kid in the 60s and 70s, I have to agree with the bloggers that are pointing out that the Braves had a couple bad calls go their way along with the one that didn’t and the team that plays error-free ball is generally the one that wins. Four unearned runs usually kills any team. Time to accept it and move on. This team is young and its future stars are more seasoned by this playoff game. Forget the infield fly ruling, leave poor old Skip alone and let’s get ready for ‘13!

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glad to hear your thoughts, weell said. however, as someone who works in pro baseball, I know thay the mlb networkand announcers are in full spin mode as ordered from the top. first defense was -it’s a judgment call. but as that defense crumbled, the mlb has had time and edited, replayed, spliced and diced and spun it evry which way. the truth: bad call, wrong in letter and spirit.

cards played a better game. good luck against the nats.

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The Braves are who we thought they are…….

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To properly enjoy baseball you only need to watch the last game of the World Series — no season-long anxiety.

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We laughed at green bay’s misfortune…..karma bit us.

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Fire Freddie? He ain’t got any players worth anything!!

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Steve. The rest of the adult world understands that infield in the title of the rule means you don’t need further definition. Atlantans are fine. You my friend are a joke.

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Let me start by saying that I do not pull for either team in last nights game…you will never feel my pain, as I am a Rockies fan.

However, I am an umpire, and I have to defend the umpire that called the “infield fly rule” in last nights game. That ball could have been caught, with ordinary effort, by an infielder. Being called a little late is also understandable as you must first note the arc of the ball, it’s projected path, and then must locate the infielder drifting back to determine if ordinary effort makes the play. When this play happens in the infield it is quite obvious and therefore called much quicker. The outfielder and shortstop completely botching the play does not mean the rules of the game should be ignored. It would have worked out good for the Braves in this case, and that makes everybody mad. What if the shortstop misses that ball and the left fielder picks it up and fires to third, and then to second for two outs? Then everybody’s is screaming for the rule to be enforced.

I can assure that before every batter, in every game, those umpires are giving hand signals as to what rotations they need to run, as well as what game situations are in effect at that time. I am sure if you we’re to go back to Simmons walking to the plate you would see all of the umpires touch the bill of their cap, or whatever their signal was, to signify “infield fly rule” in effect.

The umpire made the correct call, it just didn’t work out for Atlanta.

If Atlanta would have won last night there wouldn’t be any of this whining about a one game play-in today. I am sure MLB will look at it after the season is over.

If you want to be pissed off today, vent it to Chipper, Simmons and Uggla in the field, as well as some very questionable plate decisions.

Better luck next season….Go Rox

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ha, he even capitalized easily because he knows its not true. pretty funny

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I’m as sad and depressed as I’ve ever been over an event outside of my family, If anything, I feel worse this afternoon than I did last night. I’m sick of baseball…sick of the Braves….sick *for* the Braves that this has to be their curtain call, furious at the azzhole MLB organization for wanting to squeeze out more money on this ridiculous game…sick of it all…..i feel frustrated, humiliated, angry, and overall ugh.

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Also, if the Braves would have won last night there wouldn’t be any discussion about it being a one game play-in…

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Attn Skeezix (if you can read) – with your comment about Sam Holbrook, you reconfirm my belief the the the MOST baseball fans are the biggest idiots around. And, yes, Skeezix you are in the group.

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Well, this is just wild. I am from St. Louis, redbird fan to the core. I was shocked by the call last night, no doubt the timing couldnt have been worse. Bases loaded with one out in no way means one, two or any runs will be scored, but obviously the odds are rediculously better. Unfortunately this kind of stuff happens. 85 world series the Cardinals had one of the worst calls ever made by Don Denkinger, three outs away from a ring. The birds ended up shooting themselves in the foot a couple plays later, then got murdered 11-0 in game seven. Point being, i feel your pain, but you have to look at three horrible errors, questionable managing (bunting before the pitcher?) and the fact the Cardinals are yes an 88 win team but have more moxi than any other squad in the majors and battling for a hard 9 is the motto. Three questions— 1) why do Braves fans boo every two minutes. 2) In the Ross at bat in the second, he calls time once before the pitch and gets it, then calls time again even later, and gets it, should have struck out, then hits a two run shot. I think the fans booed that too. and finally 3) Who the HELL gave Uggla 65 million!!!! Lets go Redbirds!!!!

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The raves came back this yuear and fought their ass off so that what happened last year would not be duplicated, for that I congradulate each and everyone of them. The Braves were responsible for loseing last night due to poor fielding (nerves) that you can’t see and the inability to push runs across when in scoring position, but the fans were there in full support and could have lived with what happened until MLB screwed up and in a major way.

I’m 71 years old and can’t even began to say how many ball games I’ve watched. I’ve always been familiar with the infield fly rule, never seen it prosecuted the way it was last night, someone is in the woodshed and MLB has covered it up. Its true the Braves probably would not have won the game but the MLB umpires assoc. stole the opportunity they might have had and it was coarborated by the other umps involved in the game and backed up noless by Joe Torre and the commissioners office.
I may be the only one that thinks this way and for sure the only one that will compair it to the BlackSox scandle, MLB needs to review the rule and correct the fact that it can’t be reviewed, had that been the case it would have been overturned and just maybe the Braves may have come back, this way we will never know.

I’m proud to the Braves and of each and every fan at the game for thier reaction, to hell with those that expressed the fact that they were ashame !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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this team always make excuses,make excuses for everything blame yourselves you people here sound like u was the ones throwing shyt on the field hope u all get arrested

ATLANTA FANS AND TEAM POS

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Mark – I think you need to look at the replay again. Cards SS Kozma did not “stop running” to allow Holliday to make the play. He was camped out under the ball and at the last second moved back toward the infield thinking Holiday was coming in to make the catch. It is apparent from the replay that Holiday had no intention of making the catch. Right after the ump signaled the infield fly call Kozma abruptly moved toward the infield which allowed the ball to drop where he had been standing. He was not running to get into position to make the catch.

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Hurst if you are going to quote rules -at least quote them correctly. Many people, you included, are seizing on the word “immediately”. However, the rule says the umpire shall declare the infield fly rule in effect immediately after determining that the fly ball can be caught with reasonable effort by an infielder. The word “immediately” in the context of this rule is not tied to when the ball comes off the bat – it is tied to when the umpire determines that an infielder is capable of catching the ball with ordinary effort. Kozma could have (should have) caught the ball with ordinary effort. He was camped out under the ball waiving the LF off. The ball fell exactly where he had been standing before he quickly moved toward the infield and let it drop. He would have caught the ball nearly standing still and facing the infield – it would not have been an over the shoulder catch while on the run. The whole argument about how late the call was made makes no difference. It is either an inf, fly or it isn’t. The only way the Braves are hurt by a late inf. fly rule call is that if it is made really late it would hinder the runners chance to advance – both runners advanced – so the fact that the call the made late in the opinion of some doesn’t matter. The Braves simply choked under pressure and the Cardinals took advantage of all their mistakes.

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Blame it on the infield fly rule all you want – but the truth is that the Braves crapped down their legs and choked under pressure again. Over the course of the season they were the best defensive team in baseball. What happened last night is beyond having a bad night. Some teams/players get better when you squeeze them – some don’t.

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Back during the McGuire-Sosa home run race, McGuire was ejected in the first inning for questioning a called third strike by the now infamous Mr. Holbrook. Apparently he’s been making bad decisions for awhile.

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To those thumping the rule book to defend the call, consider this.

As I understand it, the intent of the IFR is to protect the runners from a cheap double play when defensive player intentionally lets a ball drop. Was that a risk last night? No, because the ball was 50 yards out in the outfield! ! In fact, the ball did drop unexpectedly and both runners advanced without a play made on either one. Now consider this. If the umpire had NOT made this call, do you think anyone, I mean ANYONE, would have said “man he just blew that call”? Do you think it would have been all over ESPN this morning? No, because the ball was 50 yards out in the outfield!

This is like a cop stopping you for speeding for doing 56 in a 55 and everyone is passing you. The INTENT of speeding laws is to improve safety. And in this case you were driving closer to safe than everyone else. But, technically you were speeding. So I’m assuming all the rule thumpers would happily pay this ticket.

It’s about judgement, folks. And in this case the umpire used extremely bad judgement and disadvantaged the very team the rule was meant to protect. And even worse, none of the other umpires, including the crew chief, had the stones to step in and correct this obvious flaw.

That’s why this really is the Worst Call Ever. Keep in mind this was not a case where a call had to be made. This was not a “safe or out”, “fair or foul”, “homerun or not”, “ball or strike” situation where the umpire had to make a call. The right call here was no call, and no one would have even noticed.

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The fans who threw things on the field were still totally lacking class. It was and always be a low rent and childish thing to do. The Braves fans of old were far above that. Those of you who participated in it brought shame to the city, the team, and yourselves. (as if you really care about the last one)

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and a lousey, lousey orginization and really lousey fans. Stay classey ATL.

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The ump might have made the right call from a technical standpoint, but good referees/ umpires never decide big names on questionable calls. Also in a big game, routine plays should always be made on the field of play, and the Braves booted too many plays. That call by the umpire wasn’t the reason why the Braves lost, but it was an example of an Umpire interjecting themselves in a game. It should have been a good “no” call, and play ball because you should have caught it.

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This new (wild card) playoff format is just pathetic! thanks Bud!

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Bad calls ….uh…Sid Bream was safe? .? If we say it enough we can make it so.

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Hey Bumbling Bud Senile Selig………you know what your great brain child “Wild Card Playoff” has done for you……….?

Put how many more millions in the pockets of the fat cats like you and the networks and alienated 5 million people in Atlanta.

Add the idiots Holbrook and hypocrite Torre to the bunch and the the farce is complete.

I have loved baseball for 60 + years and watch every Braves game for years and years………..followed up by every playoff and World Series game no matter who is playing year in and year out………..

So here it is Bud…………Sunday almost 24 hours after I witnessed in person what miliions upon millions of fans across America are saying is the worst call ever and I am so angry at you and your gutless subordinates Torre and Holbrook that I am not watching ANY of the post season games………

I am disgusted………….Sam Holbrook is an idiot, an incompetant, a liar and does not deserve to work another baseball game in his life. There are dozens of entries on this blog alone laying out the rule in depth and showing why the call was botched…………

But the classless Holbrook is not man enough to step up and take ownership of the blown call………. unlike the ump Joyce who blew the perfect game two years ago….

Even then Bud your complete lack of reason and class kept you sitting on your hands and not over ruling the call and pronounce it the perfect game that it was…..

Bud Selig………..it is time for you to go….and when you’re going, take the incompetants Torre and Holbrook with you………

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Weyman C. Wannamaker Jr. (A Great American)

October 5th, 2012
1:46 pm

What could possibly go wrong?

At least they spared us an epic collapse!

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A little misleading to say Chipper “legged out a hit” in his last at bat. The truth is it was a typical chipper jones moment. He hit the all to an infielder, assumed he would be thrown out, and started loafing done the baseline. When the fielder booted the ball momentarily chipper started running and would have been out had the fielder not hurried the throw and pulled the first baseman off the bag. Inexplicably jones was given a hit on the play. He was one of the greatest hitters the game has ever seen, but hustle was never his middle name.

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Braves should appease the Amerinds and change their name to the Atlanta Almosts.

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