More ESPN: Somebody believes the Braves will win it all!
At least one among ESPN's experts thinks Chipper will go out on top. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
Speaking of the Worldwide Leader and its many voices: ESPN has polled its baseball writers, and one of them believes these Braves are bound for glory. Good news: Enrique Rojas of ESPN deportes picks the local nine to beat the Yankees in six games in the Fall Classic.
Bad news: Twenty-eight other ESPNers feel otherwise.
The breakdown: Twenty-five of the 29 see the Braves prevailing in the play-in game against St. Louis today; 11 of those 25 have the Braves beating the Washington Nationals in the Division Series; four of those 11 have the Braves handling either the Reds or the Giants in the NLCS, and good ol’ Enrique Rojas has Atlanta going the distance.
For the record, here’s the breakdown on the predicted-by-ESPN champ: Tigers seven votes, Yankees and Giants and Nationals five each, Reds four, Texas and Oakland and Atlanta one apiece. That means nobody is picking St. Louis or Baltimore, the No. 2 wild cards.
As noted early, this is fun stuff. (Particularly fun is noting how many baseball experts ESPN has.) But it also indicates what we’ve known — or should have known — all along: That the baseball postseason is a crap shoot, and in this particular year there’s nothing close to a consensus. There is, however, a rather odd groundswell for the Tigers, who tied St. Louis for the 12th-best record in baseball.
For further reading: ESPN’s Jayson Stark (who’s here at Turner Field, FYI) polled the 16 big-league execs, general mangers and scouts, and five of them have the Braves advancing to the Fall Classic. Three have them winning it all. (Mr. Stark likes the Giants over the Tigers, but he admits he was tempted to pick the Braves. Why didn’t he? “I wasn’t going to pick a team that could be out by tonight,” he said.)
By Mark Bradley
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104 comments Add your comment
Hillbilly D
October 5th, 2012
1:13 pm
Who pays any attention to what ESPN says about baseball?
oldschool15
October 5th, 2012
1:21 pm
After last years’s collapse, the Braves turned it around and made the playoffs. Stay positive people!
Hillbilly D
October 5th, 2012
1:26 pm
the baseball post-season is a crap shoot
Yes it is. It’s about whichever team’s 1-3 starting pitchers get hot, always is.
Braves place six relievers on Wild Card roster – MLB.com | Top News Now
October 5th, 2012
1:26 pm
[...] preview: Atlanta Braves vs. St. Louis CardinalsCNNCardinals preview: Lohse vs. BravesSTLtoday.comAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog) -SI.com -CBC.caall 627 news [...]
Blazing Gooch
October 5th, 2012
1:29 pm
Braves win, Dawgs Win, Falcons Win, Tech looses.
BravesFan79
October 5th, 2012
1:30 pm
Ive thought for years the Tigers had the team to win it all, and it would be good for the city of Detroit. Lord knows they have one of the best managers of all time. I dont see the Nationals getting to the world series, i just dont think there that good. Go Braves! Step 1 starts today!
Wilbo
October 5th, 2012
1:32 pm
There wouldn’t be anymore of a consensus about who would win the Superbowl or March Madness or the NBA Finals. The term “crapshoot” has one application and one application only. That being as a smear everywhere excuse for Bobby Cox’s incredible October incompetence. They oughtta take down all those little year banners at the Ted and replace them with one big banner about 350 feet long and 25 feet tall. CRAPSHOOT! If that blocks the view of any seats, sell them at 1/2 price. Mark this down as a 100% stone cold lock. The Atlanta Braves WILL NOT win 4 games in October 2012
rpollardrealtor
October 5th, 2012
1:32 pm
Man I can’t take this wait anymore!!!!! I feel Godly things happening tonight and the rest of the postseason!!!! Lets go Braves! We are in the playoffs and going to win it all! Hopefully against the Yankees so we can pay back for the 90s years!!!! Damnit I can’t wait til 5:07!
BravesFan79
October 5th, 2012
1:33 pm
I think the Braves 1,2,3 starting pitchers (Medlen, Hudson, Minor) match up well with anyone in baseball. Lets hope Uggla catches fire, and MBac feels better.
Ms. Primm the spelling teacher
October 5th, 2012
1:37 pm
it’s “loses”, not “looses”
it’s “they’re”, not “there” or “their”.
tricky, I know…
Commerce Elementary School was a great place
Somebody get J-Hey some sunglasses!
October 5th, 2012
1:40 pm
Very nervous about todays game. Go Bravos!
Weyman C. Wannamaker Jr. (A Great American)
October 5th, 2012
1:46 pm
One game.. at home… with Medlin on the mound?
What could possibly go wrong?
Weyman C. Wannamaker Jr. (A Great American)
October 5th, 2012
1:48 pm
unless Mark says the Braves will win.
Heisenberg
October 5th, 2012
1:52 pm
“That means nobody is picking St. Louis or Baltimore”
I give you the 2012 MLB World Series participants.
Hoosier Aaron
October 5th, 2012
1:54 pm
Mark, you left off the votes for LeBron and Tony Romo.
Every segment on ESPN involves those two doesn’t it?
Abernish
October 5th, 2012
1:57 pm
Long live Enrique Rojas!!
Mark Bradley
October 5th, 2012
2:01 pm
I have avoided making a pick on this tilt, I’ll have you know.
Surely, he meant for Tech would "lose."
October 5th, 2012
2:02 pm
Wonder how Tech is going to “loose” on Saturday? And don’t call me Surely.
Weyman C. Wannamaker Jr. (A Great American)
October 5th, 2012
2:07 pm
Mark Bradley: “have avoided making a pick on this tilt, I’ll have you know.”
Then we’ve got a shot!
Brock
October 5th, 2012
2:12 pm
If the blogs have shown us one consistent thing it’s that the majority of the people that post on them have a hard time with the use of “loose” and “lose”.
So ready for this game to get started. Let’s go Braves!
Win one for the Chipper!
October 5th, 2012
2:19 pm
I’m glad the Braves have at least a chance to send Chipper out as a champion!
It all starts in a few hours. GO BRAVES!
DAWG POUND
October 5th, 2012
2:22 pm
HOW BOUT DEM DAWGS!!!!
DAWG POUND
October 5th, 2012
2:24 pm
Oops, wrong article!
Ahh, Bravos…. Even they can win a 1 game playoff! Series??? I’m not so sure about!!! Not enough bats this year, but GO BRAVES anyway!!!
Skokie Dog
October 5th, 2012
2:52 pm
There seems to be a consensus in today’s blog comments: Braves need to stay loose so that they don’t lose. The key to October will be how effective the Braves’ players are at discouraging Fredi from reaching for his cap.
Skokie Dog
October 5th, 2012
2:54 pm
I have one more comment to offer today, and it’s about the play-in playoff format. With Bud Selig and his friends in the MLB brain trust devising this scheme, I’m astonished that they didn’t make the play-in a best-of-two series.
Home of the Braves
October 5th, 2012
2:57 pm
Didn’t ESPN consider Bobby Valentine a “baseball expert?” And didn’t Bobby Valentine lead the Red Sox to their worst season in almost 50 years? So enough about the baseball experts.
Josh
October 5th, 2012
2:57 pm
ESPN has got to be the reason the unemployment rate continues to fall. How does one apply to get on these many “ESPN Expert” jobs?
Weyman C. Wannamaker Jr. (A Great American)
October 5th, 2012
3:00 pm
Is this really a “playoff” game? It’s kinda like the “Play-in” game to decide which teams make it into the NCAA tourney.
Technically, it may be post-season play (since the regular season is over) but I don’t know if it’s the playoffs.
HERE COMES THE JUDGE
October 5th, 2012
3:02 pm
Now wait just a moment…Tech has a real chance of winning if they change their schedule to play….uumm, say…ahhh, say Grady High School!! Alright, lets do it…I’ll take Tech & 1 1/2 points!!
I'M IN!!
October 5th, 2012
3:06 pm
Now look…a one game, winner take-all “playoff”….I’m 100% sure that I am not the only one who thinks this stinks…first of all, its baseball…one game…PHOOOEY!!!
GT Letterwinner
October 5th, 2012
3:11 pm
Go Braves…prove EPSN’s experts wrong, and bring it back to Atlanta, again! I was there in ‘95 and will be there this year, for sure.
Keith
October 5th, 2012
3:12 pm
Anything can happen in one game. Go BRAVES!
Stinger 2
October 5th, 2012
3:13 pm
The Braves deserve congratulations and respect for what they have accomplished this year regardless if they win or lose today. They have overcome some key injuries (Beachy, McCann, Simmons and Chipper and lever looked back. Fredi has done a great job despite all the negative and sometimes personal insults. GO Braves!
Keith
October 5th, 2012
3:14 pm
Stinger2, agreed!
Fredi didn’t stand pat with the “status quo” this year and made some really good managerial moves. And was able to lift then up from last year’s epic collapse. COuld be the year for Chipper and the Braves!
Matt
October 5th, 2012
3:15 pm
“I wasn’t going to pick a team that could be out by tonight,” he said.)
So he wanted to have a better chance of being right? What he should’ve said is that “I crunch too many numbers and statistics and this is why me and my other statistical cohorts are wrong most of the time and the ex players who work for ESPN are right most of the time.” Baseball is not won on paper.
Jake Taylor- “this is baseball, anything can happen”
Dawg back from Malta
October 5th, 2012
3:15 pm
The only thing ESPN “baseball experts” should be doing is taking Chris Bermen off the homerun derby broadcast….backbackbackbackbackbackback
Vol-in-Tears
October 5th, 2012
3:23 pm
perfect fall would be:
Braves Win it all
Titans Win it all
SEC repeats again
Obama is re-elected
hockey stays on strike the whole year.
braveslover
October 5th, 2012
3:27 pm
The glass is half-full here folks. “Anything can happen” can be positive for the Braves as well as going against them. My prediction: 5-2 Braves.
Matt
October 5th, 2012
3:29 pm
Dawg back from Malta- totally agree. Could do without him in any capacity.
Let's Be Real
October 5th, 2012
3:32 pm
Y’all are believing in Fredi. Placing a bet on St. Louis at the moment.
Duluth Dawg
October 5th, 2012
3:38 pm
@ Vol
A PERFECT fall would be:
Dawgs win it all
Braves win it all
Falcons win it all
Obama doesn’t get re-elected
Romney doesn’t get elected
McDonald’s brings back the McRib permanently
NBA goes on strike
NHL stays on strike
I win the lottery
I would be happy if only 1 of those were to come true!! Ha
southern hope
October 5th, 2012
3:42 pm
hey guys, what blog are you all using as the official game blog? the AJC sports page seems a bit messed up…only the old DOB column is showing up on the Braves home page….and can’t find one that looks like the real thing….
PMC
October 5th, 2012
3:47 pm
I have a lot of good feelings about this club. GO Braves!
JoeBravesFan
October 5th, 2012
3:53 pm
It’s ridiculous how many “experts” ESPN has…but none of them are psychic. ANYTHING can happen in the postseason.
Another ridiculous thing is that the Rays AND Angels finished with better regular season records than the Tigers, but because the Tigers were in a crappy division, THEY made the playoffs and the Rays and Angels went home early. This is proof that divisions need to go away. Here’s how the playoffs SHOULD be decided:
1)The 5 best teams in each league make the playoffs.
2) The 4th seed will play at home against the 5th seed in a one game playoff. The winner of that game will face the #1 seeded team in a best of 5 series. Homefield advantage to the #1 team.
3) The 2nd and 3rd place teams would face each other in a best of 5 series with homefield advantage for the 2nd seeded team.
4) Winners of those series go on to the best of 7 LCS and the winners of those go to the best of 7 World Series.
bfred
October 5th, 2012
3:57 pm
Even for MLB the one game thing is impressively stupid. It’s my ace against your ace, and may the best ace win. At least stretch it to three. Yeesh.
Let's Be Real
October 5th, 2012
4:06 pm
“Vol-in-tears” is a good username
TCumpton
October 5th, 2012
4:07 pm
ESPN, you mean the homer station from New York
redwave73
October 5th, 2012
4:17 pm
ESPN = Red Sox vs Yankess (all year long!!!)
Hammer the Homer
October 5th, 2012
4:17 pm
I am taking the Braves in this one today……….YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Jake
October 5th, 2012
4:21 pm
There’s always next year…
Ekim56
October 5th, 2012
4:35 pm
Amazing, the number of people on this blog who believe a team that won 94 games this season can’t win one more.
G-dub
October 5th, 2012
4:39 pm
The Braves are as good as any of the other playoff teams. The scary thing is this one game playoff. It’s ridiculous, the Braves finished 7 or 8 games better than St. Louis, anything can happen in a one game playoff. If the Braves win today no other team in the NL can beat them.
Didn't See.........
October 5th, 2012
4:40 pm
Did not see the Red Headed Bust – Tommy Hanson – mentioned on the post season roster……hope the Braves Deep Six him along with JJ – maybe they can both join Kawasucki in the nether world of baseball – they both were absolute complete wastes of starting pitching roster spots. GOOD RIDDANCE!!!!!!
Home of the Braves
October 5th, 2012
4:46 pm
“Baseball experts” are no different than “management consultants.” They both talk about how the work should be done, but none of them have actually ever done the work.
Ted M
October 5th, 2012
5:21 pm
They get to reset the PS roster after this game so Hanson could still make…but I don’t think he will.
Ted M
October 5th, 2012
5:23 pm
Maholm is not on the PS Roster either but he’ll be added after today…prob Juan Fransisco too.
Freedom from insanity
October 5th, 2012
5:34 pm
Am I the only one getting the Spanish broadcast?
Dave
October 5th, 2012
6:18 pm
after that stupid error….I’m returning to Chumper not Chipper
realist
October 5th, 2012
6:19 pm
Braves will choke it away today (as usual)
Cletus Van Damme
October 5th, 2012
6:24 pm
Chipper’s error led to 3 runs (it should have been an easy double play). Then Simmons lays a stupid bunt down with the pitcher coming up.
What is going on here?
Football game » More ESPN: Somebody believes the Braves will win it all!
October 5th, 2012
6:43 pm
[...] More ESPN: Somebody believes the Braves will win it all! Posted in Espn | October 5th, 2012 More ESPN: Somebody believes the Braves will win it all! Speaking of the Worldwide Leader and its many voices: ESPN has polled its baseball writers, and one of them believes these Braves are bound for glory. Good news: Enrique Rojas of ESPN deportes picks the local nine to beat the Yankees in six games in … Read more on Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
Matt
October 5th, 2012
6:50 pm
I can’t believe Chipper is going out like this. Baseball may have finally lost me for good.
Chokedog
October 5th, 2012
6:59 pm
Different team. Different coach. Different year. Same result. Same choke. Same quitting. Felt like Braves were more interested in Chipper than team or winning playoff game. Looks like I was right. Good riddance chipper aka choker. This team/organization is so easy to hate.
Answer this
October 5th, 2012
7:11 pm
Wow Chipper when we needed you the most to make the routine play you give us that!? Thats the way you wanted to go out?
Answer this
October 5th, 2012
7:12 pm
And I cant stand up to the trolls…..what can I say?
SOS Braves
October 5th, 2012
7:13 pm
What a big choke for the Biggest chokers in the game.
ATLien
October 5th, 2012
7:14 pm
THIS IS HORRIBLE. Every year the same thing CANT SCORE RUNS or some type of meltdown. AAAAAAAARGH!!!
Chipper Good Riddance
Bradley Curse
October 5th, 2012
7:15 pm
a team that falls apart as bad as this one has .. in 1 game … will NEVER win a World Series
Cletus Van Damme
October 5th, 2012
7:17 pm
This team DOES NOT look like it’s ever been coached. Bad defense, bad clutch hitting, bad managing.
I’m sick and tired of hearing fans complain about the Wild Card format. There should be consequences to not winning the division. I dont care how much better one Wild Card team is better than the other. Winning the division should mean something (that is, you dont have to play a “one and done” playoff game).
The Braves had their chances to win the division. They gave away too many games early in the season by giving Randal Delgado 17 starts (the Braves record in those games was 5-12)…instead waiting until July 31st to give Kris Medlen a chance to start.
Cletus Van Damme
October 5th, 2012
7:19 pm
The Braves need to package Dan Uggla and Tommy Hanson together in a trade to a team like the Dodgers during the off season.
OldSchool
October 5th, 2012
7:19 pm
Seems like most every time the Atlanta media jumps on the bandwagon and builds up an Atlanta team they spit the bit. I watched my Yellow Jackets stink up the place a couple miles away last Saturday and now this crap. If Freeman throws one away in the next two innings then the ATL infield will be “unanimous.” What a shame Braves fans pack the place, the team gets them roaring with a 2-0 lead, and then turns to crap. Too bad Chipper had to end his career this way, but hell, he started this mess. Un-freakin-believable.
Fair well Chipper
October 5th, 2012
7:20 pm
I know we all have to praise Chipper Jones, but I have never been a fan. While he was a starter, and the team’s leader, they have a long history of choking. His error tonight only continues the tradition… CHOKE, CHIPPER, CHOKE. Is that a stat that is measures?
Old Fart
October 5th, 2012
7:23 pm
I’m afraid too little too late….
CGD..
October 5th, 2012
7:25 pm
Cletus Van Damme
October 5th, 2012
6:26 pm
“Chipper’s error led to 3 runs (it should have been an easy double play). Then Simmons lays a stupid bunt down with the pitcher coming up.
What is going on here?”
CHOKE JONES at work today…
MLS
October 5th, 2012
7:30 pm
All teams from the state of Georgia fizzle and die on the vine. This years Braves are no different.
BigBob
October 5th, 2012
7:33 pm
Chipper the choker!
TURTSNAP
October 5th, 2012
7:39 pm
Braves won’t win ONE. And I’m embarrassed to say I’m a Braves fan
OldTimer
October 5th, 2012
7:40 pm
Hall of Fame my arse.
OldTimer
October 5th, 2012
7:46 pm
Chippers 0 for 2 in marraige as well.
OldTimer
October 5th, 2012
7:47 pm
Thanks for playing. Enjoy the ice cream and cake after the game.
Big Dog 89
October 5th, 2012
7:58 pm
How is that an in field fly?????????????????????????????????
Cutty
October 5th, 2012
7:59 pm
Leave it to you yahoo Jawjans to show your a$$ and ruin Chipper’s last night. Way to go!
Yankee
October 5th, 2012
8:01 pm
Larry the rednecker throwed the game away as he heads for the retirement division of Hooters. The real story is how stupid drunk Atlanta “fans” showed they red-azzes by thoin’ debriss onto the feel.
James
October 5th, 2012
8:03 pm
I hope that clown does not call any more playoff games.
Carl
October 5th, 2012
8:05 pm
Who is dumber….the dummy that called that an in field fly orthe red neck fans?
Biff Pocoroba
October 5th, 2012
8:20 pm
No worries. Not Ready Fredi said that he is going to bring in a third hitting coach next year and that would make this team better. The third guy will get Bourn and Uggla going.
Cardinals fan
October 5th, 2012
8:22 pm
Turn out the lights.
Your drunken party is over.
Big Will
October 5th, 2012
8:22 pm
I hope Joe Simpson NEVER calls another Braves game. Do you think Skip, Pete, or Ernie would have downed the Atlanta fans like that!!!!
Big Will
October 5th, 2012
8:23 pm
Fire Joe Simpson!!!!
Big Will
October 5th, 2012
8:25 pm
I hope Joe Simpson NEVER calls another Braves game after downing our fans like that. He’s supposed to be on our side.
Biff Pocoroba
October 5th, 2012
8:41 pm
I’m sure glad that the Braves got Uggla instead of Holliday. Uggla is a real winner. AT least Wren and Fredi are going to lose their job now for their insistance on playing that loser all year long. He should have been in Gwinnett in May but Fredi is an idiot.
Go Jackets
October 5th, 2012
8:48 pm
Im glad our fans did what they did……I for one am sick and tired of being the doormat of sports
Big Will
October 5th, 2012
9:01 pm
I agree Go Jackets. We are constantly insulted for not supporting our teams. If that would have been Red Sox or Cubs fans the announcers would have been talking about the PASSION Of the fans. But our “home town” idiot Joe Simpson insults us!!!!!!!! FIRE JOE SIMPSON!!!!!
since day one
October 5th, 2012
9:01 pm
“P” stands for PERFUNCTORY.
Only an *asterisk*, at best.
(Got my tickets for the ‘82 playoffs in the MAIL ! I knew this was a bad scenario 30 years later.)
Roterhals
October 5th, 2012
9:03 pm
Here I am a Dawg fan, but I’m with you go jackets. Atl fans always ripped for complacency, finally some outrage boils over and they get ripped for that too. I don’t want see anyone get hurt, ain’t saying what happened was right, but somehow it was refreshing to me.
since day one
October 5th, 2012
9:04 pm
I, too, am glad the fans threw stuff. Wish they had rioted. This crud is not addressed without civil disobedience. Bring OWS and the Muslim Spring to MLB !
since day one
October 5th, 2012
9:06 pm
FIRE JOE SIMPSON (and joe biden, too.)
HUH?????
October 5th, 2012
9:33 pm
Mark Bradley is what’s wrong with Atlanta sports and GA sports in general.
HUH?????
October 5th, 2012
9:34 pm
C
H
O
K
E
Chipper is now my least fav Brave of all time. Your stupid error cost us the game.
I hope your retirement sucks.
Stop the madness!
October 5th, 2012
9:42 pm
Rojas should not partake of the happy weed before making comments to ESPN. Everyone KNOWS the Braves are over, it’ s the playoffs isn’t it?
Atlantaradiosucks
October 5th, 2012
9:45 pm
“I hope the NHL stays on strike.” first off goofs, it’s not a strike. Second why would you CARE? Is hockey too northern and Yankee for you? Newsflash: it’s 2012 not 1865. If you don’t like hockey you don’t have to watch it. It doesn’t preempt your sec football, braves baseball or NASCAR. I get it: you hate hockey. You won, the thrashers are gone. Good for you.
Sav FAN
October 5th, 2012
9:54 pm
A terrible ending to a so so season-Changes need to be made -mgr-2nd base-center and announcer -what a suck up he is-third base is a given
GregD
October 5th, 2012
9:58 pm
Can we just take this article down now, just adds to the pain
Roterhals
October 6th, 2012
10:31 pm
A new low………..our bible thumper coach really had us ready, Grantham is stealing money…it’s a joke , half these players will be in NFL someday