AJC > Sports > Braves > Blog > Archives > 2006 > July > 25 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USSurging Braves bring act home
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In the midst of the Braves’ 3-20 skid about a month ago, I spewed forth a cavalcade of negative statistics to underscore just how far they had fallen and how dire their situation appeared at the time.
Well, they’re 17-8 since the 10-game losing streak that ended that 3-20 run, and have ridden an offensive eruption to an NL-best 13-5 record in July, while passing more than half the teams that were ahead of them in the wild-card standings.
They still have several concerns with the pitching staff, including the perplexing mediocrity of Tim Hudson, who’s pitching like a No. 4 or No. 5 starter and not a No. 1 or No. 2, and the continued inconsistency of the bullpen.
The ‘pen still could use a veteran lefty _ Ray King? _ to complement Macay McBride and possibly another setup man _ Scott Linebrink’s possible, but I wouldn’t give up Betemit for the Padres veteran, who has blown leads in the past two games _ to assure a strong bridge to new closer Bob Wickman.
The Braves have been winning despite the pitching staff, for the most part, rather than because of it. Their 5.02 ERA in July is 11th in the NL.
That said, they are winning. And no one is hitting like the Braves. No one.
They just finished a 7-2 trip that included series wins at San Diego, St. Louis and Philly, following a 7-3 homestand leading up to the break. Now the Braves are home for six games against a Florida team that’s 10-11 in its past 21 games, but is coming in with a couple of awfully good young starting pitchers _ Anibal Sanchez and Josh Johnson _ in the first two games, and the Mets. Oh, the Mets.
Every time the Mets show any sign of cracking and slipping a bit, they gather themselves and produce a couple of overwhelming wins that remind everyone how small the chances are of them folding and the Braves winning a 15th consecutive division title. To me, there’s still almost no chance of that happening.
But as I’ve said, the wild card might be the best option for the Braves anyway, because for once they will be pushed all the way to the wire and go into the postseason _ if they make it _ playing their best ball, not on cruise control for most of September as they’ve been in recent years.
They were never out of the wild-card race, as much as many local and national pundits might have insisted they were. So much for all that talk from some about how many wins it would take to get to 90 (as if there were some minimum-wins requirement for the wild card) and how the Braves simply couldn’t play to the level required to pass all those teams ahead of them.
It was paralysis-by-analysis, or would’ve been, if the Braves had listened and believed it. But they didn’t. They just went about trying to win each series.
A month later, they’ve won seven of eight series since losing seven series in a row. And they are 4-1/2 games behind wild-card leader Cincinnati, with San Francisco and Arizona between them and the Reds.
Even if there were only a month to play, the Braves would stand a decent chance of catching and passing those teams. But there are more than two months left. Ample time if they keep playing good ball _ and I don’t mean the absurdly high level the offense is performing at since the break.
Just good baseball. They need better pitching, and hitting somewhere between what they were getting before and what they’ve gotten lately, though probably more toward the latter.
Anyway, in the interest of equal time, we offer some of the more impressive stats this Braves team and its individuals have put up recently:
_ The Braves have hit three or more homers in nine of their past 17 games, after hitting one homer or fewer in each of the previous 15 games.
_ They’ve hit .326 with an absurd 45 homers during their past 17 games (13-4), have scored 100 runs during their current 9-2 run, and amassed 33 homers in their past 10 games.
_ In the NL, only the Reds (141) have hit more homers in the NL this season than the Braves (138), and the Reds play in a bandbox derisively referred to as Great American Small Park.
_ The Braves lead the majors with 46 homers in July, 15 more than next-most in the NL (Cardinals) and 10 ahead of AL leader Chicago.
_ The Braves lead the majors in average (.328), OBP (.388) and slugging (.607) in July. Arizona (.300) is next among NL teams in average, and Cleveland (.508) is the only other team in the majors slugging higher than .490.
_ The Braves have three of the NL’s top six RBI men in July, including Andruw Jones (league-best 23) and Chipper Jones and Brian McCann (20 apiece).
_ They have four of the NL’s top 12 home run hitters in July _ Chipper Jones (7, despite missing past two games with strained oblique), and Andruw Jones, Adam LaRoche and Brian McCann (6 apiece).
_ Chipper Jones leads the majors with a .526 July average and has hit .512 (42-for-82) with eight homers, 24 RBIs and a gaudy 1.509 OPS during his current 20-game hitting streak.
_ Adam LaRoche has shrugged off early criticism and hit .352 (31-for-88) with eight homers and 19 RBIs in 22 games since June 24. The first baseman ranks third in the NL in road RBIs (44) behind the Mets’ Carlos Beltran (55) and Andruw Jones (54), and LaRoche is tied for sixth in road homers with 15, behind only Carlos Lee (18), Beltran (17), Albert Pujols (16), Andruw Jones (16) and Aramis Ramirez (16).
_ Versatile Wilson Betemit has hit .358 with four homers and 13 RBIs in 53 at-bats over his past 16 games, including 13-for-37 (.351) with three homers and 11 RBIs while starting the last eight games of the just-completed trip. Trade interest has risen sharply in Betemit, but he might be too valuable for the Braves to deal, given recent health issues of Chipper Jones and Marcus Giles.
(On the other hand, if the Braves could make a deal for Giles, Betemit has proven he can handle the leadoff role and second base the rest of the season, or Martin Prado could be brought up to play second and Betemit could continue moving between spots, long as he keeps getting regular playing time).
Giles, by the way, is 2-for-12 with eight strikeouts in three games since injuring his thumb, including the extra-innings game in which he injured it in the first inning at San Diego and kept playing, and his first games back Sunday-Monday at Philly (1-for-7, five Ks).
_ Jeff Francoeur has quietly (if that’s possible for Delta commercial star) hit a solid .315 with five homers and 22 RBIs in his past 29 games.
_ Edgar Renteria has hit .395 with a .465 OBP in July, three homers, 24 runs and 12 RBIs in 18 games.
_ All-Star Brian McCann keeps doing what he does, batting .368 with a .420 OBP in 58 games since April 21, and for tons more power since his knee improved over the All-Star break. He has six homers and 20 RBIs in July, including a stunning five-homer, 13-RBI five-game stretch during the trip.
_ Rookie Scott Thorman has hit .358 (13-for-83) with four doubles, four homers and nine RBIs in July, after batting .111 (3-for-27) with one double and one RBIs in June, his first month in the majors.
There are others, too. But I’m running out of time and this blog has gotten way too long for some of your tastes, I’d imagine.
Keep in mind, the pitching staff still is a concern, and we realize the hitting can’t continue like this (it’s already cooled a bit in the past week, though the power still was in abundance at Philly’s small park).
All that said, it’s been a rather remarkable one-month turnaround.
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Comments
By Matt
July 25, 2006 02:53 PM | Link to this
DOB…. so many gramatical errors, but its the content that counts. As always, I agree with you 100%.
By Adam
July 25, 2006 02:58 PM | Link to this
I have got to believe there is no way we trade Betemit unless we get an overwhelming offer we can’t refuse. He has been as valuable as almost anyone the entire year. From what I have read, there is no one on the market right now as far as pitching that would be worth trading Betemit. Mota from the Indians could be a help in the bullpen but I’m not sure what we would have to give up to get him.
By Todd Pratt
July 25, 2006 02:59 PM | Link to this
Anyone else think that Todd Pratt’s pitch/location selection is formulaic? At least for the relievers, he seems to call the same sequence everytime. (low fastball to get ahead and then a high fast ball usually a little outside) I mean, even I can predict him…let alone those philly hitters who once again tee’d off on the pen.
By Josh
July 25, 2006 03:06 PM | Link to this
I agree with “todd pratt”, Pratt needs to call pitches that focuses on each reliever’s strenghth rather than relying on his old man/ “veteran” habits.
By David O'Brien
July 25, 2006 03:07 PM | Link to this
Matt, thanks. But where are “so many” grammatical errors, professor?
By Not Todd Pratt
July 25, 2006 03:11 PM | Link to this
You can’t really blame the ‘pen’s fualts on Pratt. I mean come on, even when BM’s catching they are still letting balls fly.
By mariner
July 25, 2006 03:12 PM | Link to this
DOB, please check your numbers on Thorman, 13 for 83 is not .358. Thanks
By BB
July 25, 2006 03:12 PM | Link to this
tough to criticize someone’s “gramatical” errors when you can’t even spell.
By Mets Stink
July 25, 2006 03:12 PM | Link to this
Don’t trade Betemit, it’s not worth it. Package a couple prospects for a veteran releif pitcher.
By Dave nockahomer
July 25, 2006 03:13 PM | Link to this
this IS BASEBALL….who gives a rip about grammatical errors! It’s content, content, content. Good grief, Matt…..what are ya? some frustrated English teacher? oh well, I don’t care if DOB has grammatical errors coming out of his kazooze….he is the best at doing what he does.
by the by, where the heck are all those grammatical errors anyway? should we care? NADA!!!!
shhhhhheeeeeesshhhhhhh, get a life! It’s a blog!
bet you like my errors! :)
By The Grinch
July 25, 2006 03:18 PM | Link to this
The Padres said they weren’t interested in trading Linebrink for Betemit. What are they smoking?
By Beeg Boy
July 25, 2006 03:19 PM | Link to this
DOB, I am sure all of us agree that our concerns are with the consistency of our starters beyond Smoltz and the vulnerability of our set up guys. Could we have nabbed McDougal from the Royals? I know the Sox gave up one very good prospect to go along with another minor leaguer. We must have a set up guy somehow. Also, what would it take to get a decent starter like Paul Byrd? Give us some thoughts.
By rian
July 25, 2006 03:19 PM | Link to this
Hey DOB, did Scheurholz express any interest in McDougal from KC who the White Sox stole for next to nothing. He throws gas and is not eligible for arbitration till after next year (I read). Seems like a deal JS would salivate over, but I have heard no mention of this. Maybe JS was worried a/b the injury? Fill us in.
By Pointman
July 25, 2006 03:19 PM | Link to this
They’re not really grammatical errors, DOB, just strange underscore marks throughout… Not sure why the column would post that way… Not your fault…
Anyway, from your vantage point, is it true that Hudson is really having back troubles? That might explain recent mediocrity, but what’s with this guy? I fear we’re staring at another Mike Hampton albatross.
By Choppin Bob
July 25, 2006 03:21 PM | Link to this
cut dob some slack, he is probly taigaiting at the ted for tonights game, like a good reporter should do!
By Mac
July 25, 2006 03:21 PM | Link to this
Dave, from one eastern NC boy(Kinston) to another great job and as always great info. The turnaround has been amazing and fueled by the offense and if we want to keep it up during this borrowed time JS will find us one more BP pitcher to segway into Wickman. I was a little perplexed that last night with Philly being such a band box that Bobby didn’t call on Paronto in the 8th with his sinker ball to keep the power hitters down? Any thoughts as to why?
By ncscoots
July 25, 2006 03:22 PM | Link to this
Grinch, I believe the SD GM said they were looking for a “significant upgrade” at 3B, and obviously do not consider WB to be that.
By mariner
July 25, 2006 03:23 PM | Link to this
and along the lines of the macdougal deal, i was hoping that JS would be able to exploit the Dayton Moore connection, but doesn’t seem to matter. It did seem like Macdougal was a perfect fit for Atlanta and that he was traded on the cheap.
By Mets Stink
July 25, 2006 03:25 PM | Link to this
If Betemit isn’t a significant upgrade from Vinny Castilla, then he’s smoking crack. One more bullpen arm and a 5th starter would do us just fine. Wait, Hudson is our 5th starter…
By ncscoots
July 25, 2006 03:28 PM | Link to this
sorry, my friend, Vinny Castilla doesn’t live there anymore. I guess it’s probably Geoff Blum, maybe? or somebody else. I guess the operative word there is “significant”, at least in SD’s eyes.
By Rob
July 25, 2006 03:28 PM | Link to this
I haven’t noticed the predictability in Pratt’s pitch calling, but IMO he earned his paycheck this year by the way he handled Chuck James in his first start. After a 19-minute power outage he told James the runner on first was going to steal on the first pitch. They nailed him trying to take second, James calmed down, and he (James) has been a huge part of the rotation ever since. As much as some people hate to credit “veteran experience”, I wonder if James’s development would have gone as smooth without Pratt to walk him through a few starts.
By ncscoots
July 25, 2006 03:28 PM | Link to this
sorry, my friend, Vinny Castilla doesn’t live there anymore. I guess it’s probably Geoff Blum, maybe? or somebody else. I guess the operative word there is “significant”, at least in SD’s eyes.
By el bravo x
July 25, 2006 03:28 PM | Link to this
Fishing, with me, has always been an excuse to drink in the daytime. Hook The Marlins. Behead the fish and eat their eyes. Fishing with explosives is a can’t miss activity. I am so freaking hot, that I will hook the fish, fry it and throw it away. Fishes are always bait for bigger fishes. Let’s sweep the Marlins!! DOB, you da man!
By Sam
July 25, 2006 03:29 PM | Link to this
Thanks DOB. Your blog is a real highlight of the day when the Braves are playing well. I admit I can’t bring myself to read when they are slumping. Keep it (and your much publicized grammatical errors) up.
By Matt
July 25, 2006 03:29 PM | Link to this
DOB—- No errors, I misread (like a moron) and picked out errors that were not there. I guess I’m accustomed to reading my own college papers. Sorry.
By Aleem
July 25, 2006 03:32 PM | Link to this
MacDougal didn’t come cheap. Lumsden is a very solid pitching prospect. Ken Williams even said that three years from now, people will be questioning the move to give him up (probably just some idle talk, but still illuminating). I’m also pretty sure (just a guess) that Towers saying the Linebrink-Betemit deal is not happening is a result of us shooting that idea down…
By el bravo x
July 25, 2006 03:32 PM | Link to this
BBTN fired Harold Reynols on the fly, talking about job security!
By Vol
July 25, 2006 03:34 PM | Link to this
Should we overpay for someone like a Linebrink since EVERYONE needs bullpen help so desperately? What if the alternative is picking up a huge stick for LF like Carlos Lee? Just thinking that if you can get someone like that for the same price as a good setup guy, isn’t there more value?
I know that LF is not our biggest hole, but is it probably our weakest spot in the lineup and I can’t imagine unloading Betemit for Linebrink right now. He’s just playing way too well. Maybe Carlos costs more than I think, but he would be an intriguing add if we can’t get the solid help in the pen we need.
By Billy
July 25, 2006 03:34 PM | Link to this
Kyle Davis will make a great pickup as a 5th starter in August…..what do you think we have to give up for’em?
By Glass Half Full
July 25, 2006 03:34 PM | Link to this
Don’t everyone gasp and/or curse at once…but how about LaTroy Hawkins? He’s had a decent year in Baltimore, and was fairly effective in a set-up role a few years ago.
By Billy
July 25, 2006 03:37 PM | Link to this
Please elaborate on the Harold Renolyds dismissal…Link? Dont know why im so interested but…..im curious.
By A.J.
July 25, 2006 03:39 PM | Link to this
DOB Do you know anything you’d be willing to share about the Harold Reynolds situation? The only explanation I’ve heard is a pretty hurtful rumor which I have trouble believing (the kind of rumor that pops up whenever a man is no longer working somewhere). HR always seemed like a standup guy, but I guess he wouldn’t be the first good guy to do something stupid. I still hope that’s not true.
By Vol
July 25, 2006 03:40 PM | Link to this
I liked the idea of LaTroy until looking him up and seeing that he has only 18 K’s in 42 innings. Maybe he’s changed his style under Mazzone, but he used to have strikeout stuff.
Might be worth a shot if he’s cheap.
By Glass Half Full
July 25, 2006 03:41 PM | Link to this
I hope HR wasn’t caught masturbating in the breakroom at ESPN headquarters.
By Vol
July 25, 2006 03:42 PM | Link to this
Had to be something other than on screen performance with Harold Reynolds. He was too entertaining to let go.
TBS will take him!
By Glass Half Full
July 25, 2006 03:43 PM | Link to this
HR is probably Fox bound. Look for him to cover some of the regional games on Saturdays.
By paluka
July 25, 2006 03:44 PM | Link to this
DOB: any chance of getting Chad Qualls from Houston for either brayan Pena or Tony Pena? Or how about Marcus Giles and Anthony Lerew to Colorado for Ray King and Jamey Carrol? I think Carrol would be a great pickup for the leadoff spot.
By DonCoburleone
July 25, 2006 03:47 PM | Link to this
I sure hope something is wrong with Hudson, cuz his performances lately have just been terrible! It pains me to watch this guy pitch in any inning after the 4th, it’s like I’m just waiting for the dam to burst. Here’s a thought: I think his biggest problem this year has been fatigue, he seems completely worn out after 70-80 pitches. Maybe this year’s enactment of amphetamines to the banned substance list has something to do with this? I mean, I wouldn’t hold it against the guy cuz everybody was (is) doing them, but maybe he has relied on them for years to get to the 7th or 8th inning of games and now he’s lost his crutch? If he’s not hurt, that’s the only explanation I can come up with for his bad performance.
By Glass Half Full
July 25, 2006 03:47 PM | Link to this
LaTroy sure isn’t striking out a ton of guys, but he’s only allowed 2 homeruns in 40+ innings. 18 earned runs isn’t great, but it’s better than Jorge Sosa.
By ncscoots
July 25, 2006 03:48 PM | Link to this
paluka, not to usurp DOB’s response to you (since you asked him by name), but…no, and no.
By Ted Baxter
July 25, 2006 03:50 PM | Link to this
How can ESPN fire HR and keep Chris Vermin and Stoopid Scott?
By el bravo x
July 25, 2006 03:50 PM | Link to this
Odalis Perez to K.C for prospects. That just makes no sense. Let’s give them Sosa for anything!
By Voice Of Reason
July 25, 2006 03:51 PM | Link to this
Click here for info, or lack thereof, on Harold Reynolds.
By Glass Half Full
July 25, 2006 03:51 PM | Link to this
No way to Ray King; he’s gots more BB than Ks. I’d rather take a chance on the currently unemployed Alfonseca.
By geauxbraves2000
July 25, 2006 03:51 PM | Link to this
I just wish for a reliever who knows how to throw strikes, won’t care what his name is. Strike one for the most part, leads to out #1, etc. Ball one leads to blown saves and losses.
By ncscoots
July 25, 2006 03:55 PM | Link to this
good grief, just listen to us, as we reach blindly in our quest for relief help, ANY relief help, it seems. shoot, it even infected me the other day, causing a moment of light-headedness and resulting in an absurd trade scenario FROM MY OWN LIPS! Oh, the humanity…folks, the attraction of guys like McDougal and those of similar ilk is that they can be HAD. Not quite overwhelming credentials, yes? Personally, I’m not quite ready to see the Braves leave the bar with a 2AM beauty, if you get my drift.
By MGL
July 25, 2006 03:56 PM | Link to this
I’m not one to bash players, and I like Wilson, but maybe San Diego sees some of the same issues I have. AVE by month April .250, May .385, June .226, July .352. Strikeout percentage of AB’s YTD 28%, MTD July 37%.
His fielding is also streaky, and I certainly would not like him to replace Giles. He does not have the range, quickness with the glove, or grit.
I like Wilson in his current role, or try him in Left
By Boomer
July 25, 2006 03:56 PM | Link to this
I realize it is still early to judge Wickman but from what I’ve seen and read I don’t see him getting the “deer in the headlights” look that Reitsma and Kolb had when things got tough. His mental makeup appears to be much better than theirs.
By Glass Half Full
July 25, 2006 03:59 PM | Link to this
LA has wanted to get rid of Odalis for awhile.
By Pointman
July 25, 2006 04:03 PM | Link to this
Harold Reynolds strikes me as someone who is the Master of His Domain.
By grammar poo-lice
July 25, 2006 04:04 PM | Link to this
Hey DOB,
Yous make them gammar errors too many.! I caint hardly stan ta read em.
Yous need ta go ta scool like usns…
By Aleem
July 25, 2006 04:04 PM | Link to this
I like the move for KC even though Odalis has been pretty awful. He’s probably their #1 starter next year, and they got a couple of prospects back. Dayton’s off to a good start after this deal and getting Lumsden for MacDougal (stockpiling young arms and a manageable contract in Odalis). Still think getting Gathright was a mistake for them (although it was worth a shot). No matter how fast he is, that dude simply can’t hit the ball…
By Cornholio
July 25, 2006 04:05 PM | Link to this
Carlos Lee makes $10 million. It ain’t happening.
Tim Hudson really fooled them last night. He gets unearned wins while poor Smoltzie has wins snatched away by the bullpen or idiot manager.
By John M
July 25, 2006 04:05 PM | Link to this
I BELIEVE!!! I said it in June on Chop Chick blog I remember the (good) Old days. Where the two teams nearly outnumbered the the fans. Enjoy every minute of our sucess. The good thing is the number of great new players and their potential.
I still miss Pete, Skip and Don
By Stanford
July 25, 2006 04:09 PM | Link to this
DOB, great stuff as always.
But in fairness, you list everybody’s stats since they got hot, except Giles. Betemit is also 2-12 in the last 3 games; granted, with a HR last night. (but Giles had a big double to fuel a rally, and has scored 3 runs in those games… like a leadoff hitter should.)
In Giles last 16 (by my unofficial count) Giles is 16-58 (.275) with 3 HR, 9RBI, and 18 runs scored, and an OBP over .450. Not better than Betemit in most areas - that’s not my point - but I thought that was a little rough on him, to just list 3 days stats. If trading Giles was an action requiring blog approval, you sealed the vote!
I’m not opposed to trading Giles for pitching. But don’t think a 3 day sampling is quite fair.
By Dr. Jay
July 25, 2006 04:10 PM | Link to this
Wickman looks like he ATE the deer in the headlights. Whatever, though, as long as he throws strikes and closes games.
By Sam
July 25, 2006 04:14 PM | Link to this
Mac - you’re from K-town? Me too. DOB, you are eastern NC too? Hooray for Down East. !Viva Los Bravos!
By Jason
July 25, 2006 04:21 PM | Link to this
Wick is a great pickup I was a huge fan of his during the offseason free agency!!! The guy has saved 200 + games. Not many teams in contention have a guy to do that! One more reliever, a left fielder and a healthy Kyle Davies and we are playoff bound. Maybe all 3 are too much to ask for, but this is what it will take!
By gpburdell
July 25, 2006 04:23 PM | Link to this
macdougal has only pitched 4 inning this year and is injury prone. let the white sox have him.
By Bob, journalist
July 25, 2006 04:25 PM | Link to this
Afternoon all … welcome back Mr. O’B, the impact of your absence on the Blog is kinda like what having McCann and the Jones Boys out of the lineup would have been on the offense a while back … stagnating.
Now, it seems that their absence only serves as a catalyst for others … and, in addition to serving notice to the rest of the league, their response may be a gentle reminder that it’s not safe to stay away too long … take heed!
Last night said volumes about this team … imagine being without three of your best offensive and defensive weapons facing a monster that’s struckout 11 in four innings … professionals or no, most teams would have closed their tents and gone sliently into the night.
Apologies to all for my recent posts devoted to the subject of baseball … I was just trying to show those folks who were complaining about my off topic comments exactly why I chose to so do. I had hoped for some critical responses so that I could explain but silence has forced my hand.
It will take playing good baseball and a little time for the Braves to take the lead in the Wild Card race … but, three teams ahead of us is somewhat ahead off schedule and sure beats eleven!
By berigan
July 25, 2006 04:27 PM | Link to this
More(rumors) as to why Harold Reynolds was fired…I always liked his positive attitude, sorry to see him go. http://www.deadspin.com/sports/top/was-this-why-harold-got-the-axe-189733.php
By Choppin Bob
July 25, 2006 04:32 PM | Link to this
Bob, journalist: good point about dob! maybe he should be on the AJC injury headlines when he is “out of the lineup”
By krath
July 25, 2006 04:33 PM | Link to this
Sometimes, we get statistics till they are running out our ying yangs! It’s baseball and baseball is all about statistics.
I love statistics. But they alone, like “a little knowledge” can be a dangerous thing.
I am not taking on DOB and the subject of this blog. My comments aren’t directed at him. He has to give us something and statistics are one way for him to do that. He’s presenting factual numbers and isn’t really attempting to make an argument based on the numbers.
However, I’ve seen loads of people on the blog do just that….. quote stats and make arguments based on stats.
Folks, I’ve seen perrenial .300 hitters whose blood turns to s**t when they have to hit in the clutch. It’s a fact. I’ve seen big HR and RBI guys who get many of their homers and ribbies when the game is out of reach one way or another. Andruw used to be that player. The last couple of years he’s been clutch, but earlier in his career, I didn’t want the guy up with a bat in his hand and the game on the line. He just didn’t produce in the clutch. I have to give him props now, he’s turned into a clutch guy.
Give me a guy who hits .280 with 20 HR’s and 85 RBIs and if he is a clutch player, I’ll take him over some guy with numbers much higher.
I pay no attention to Betemits numbers. I see him playing at second and I see a guy who could play that position if he played it every day. He’s not as slick as Giles but Giles has been running out there in that spot for a number of years already. I see a guy who produced pretty well in the leadoff spot and I see a guy who hasn’t struck out any more than the other Dave Kingmans’ on the team. I see Giles past numbers quoted and it noted that he’s having an off year. I see Betemits negative numbers quoted and no credit given for producing much better than Giles. If the numbers suit you… use them. If they don’t suit you….twist them.
All I know is that I look at Betemits contributions after the game and I generally am seeing someone who has helped the Braves win.
If Giles can’t hit .250 and strikes out way too often, don’t expect Betemit to produce at a 50% higher level just to call it even.
I would not be a good manager ‘cause if I was where the Braves are now, I would put my best team on the field every night no matter who has played where and for how long.
In closing I just want to say one last thing. Remember playing the Giants in the playoffs a few years back? That series was lost on the back of a couple of sub-par outings by Glavine. Glavine started game 1 and game 4. The way he pitched the last couple of months of the season he should have started game 3 if even that. He stunk it up the last part of the season and couldn’t get anyone out! I guess Bobby thought that the playoffs would be a magic wand and Glavine would wake up and be a prince again. He couldn’t get anyone out in the playoffs either. Millwood and Maddux were both better than Glavine but Glavine was the ace based on earlier performances in the season or past loyalties or whatever… (I suppose) Anyway…. patience is a virtue, but going with less than your best because of loyalty isn’t being loyal to the guys who are going well and trying to win it all.
Off rant.
By AJK
July 25, 2006 04:33 PM | Link to this
DOB: I was surprised that Atlanta wasn’t in the mix for Mike MacDougal, especially given the relationship between Schuerholz and Moore. Any idea why the Braves weren’t interested? Seems like a steal for the ChiSox. Also, any thoughts on a potential destination for Giles if he is traded? Who’s interested?
By Chop Chop
July 25, 2006 04:34 PM | Link to this
It’s really too bad that Harold Reynolds was the guy to be fired from “Baseball Tonight”. I’ve never cared that much for his “analysis”, but he would certainly be behind Jeff Brantley and Karl Ravech on my “This Chump Needs To Be **canned” list.
I believe I typed that Hudson is pitching like a 4th or 5th starter yesterday, so I saw a little bit of me in DOB’s blog today. That’s probably the main reason I read this blog. You know, there’s some level of agreement there. If I disagree with DOB, he generally makes valid points to bolster his point. It would be a damn shame if DOB were to jump on the “Ron Roberts’ Official F The Rest Of Ya ‘Cuz You Jumped Off” bandwagon like some people (I won’t mention names…ha). In that case, it would be awfully hard to take his commentary seriously.
There are many positive things about the Braves at the moment, but the negatives rear their ugly heads almost every night. The question is whether Schuerholz can shore up the bullpen enough to prevent more of that ugliness. Bob Wickman is a big start, but a consistent set-up guy is also needed via trade. I can live without a consistent lefty specialist. Ray King certainly doesn’t qualify as consistently good, folks.
So there it is…a consistent set-up guy…and maybe a bat for the bench. Hudson also has to get his act together in the next start or two. It’s good that he’s won two straight, but he has to find a way to regain his control on the mound. He is so erratic, and that has never been a hallmark of Tim Hudson in the past.
By ncscoots
July 25, 2006 04:42 PM | Link to this
krath, surely you’re not implying that Bobby Cox doesn’t want to put his “best team on the field” each night? That would be ludicrous, and you’re not a ludicrous guy. I think he just has a little different context for what evaluating what “best” means, in that he takes a somewhat longer vision of players’ abilities and potentials.
By Vol
July 25, 2006 04:46 PM | Link to this
Carlos Lee makes $8.5MM, at least according to ESPN. Our prorated portion should fit in this year’s budget even with Wickman included.
The guy’s numbers are more impressive than I realized. He would lead our team in stolen bases and has only whiffed 39 times in 380 AB’s.
I don’t know his future contract terms, but he is a difference maker along Fred McGriff lines. A lot more so than KC’s closer in my opinion.
By j-man
July 25, 2006 04:50 PM | Link to this
i dont know if any of you realize this but Carlos Lee is actually Fred McGriff’s brother that was seperated at birth and moved away. coincidence? no way! god is looking out for the braves nation and trying to tip Carlos our way. im glad we are thanking The Big Guy by having our God Day at Turner Field pretty soon. i cant f******* wait! GO BRAVES
By Stanford
July 25, 2006 04:50 PM | Link to this
He’s a free agent after this year, Vol.
By TDub
July 25, 2006 04:52 PM | Link to this
Ok, how’s this for a trade: Betemit and M. Giles with a pitching prospect to San Diego for Josh Barfield and Linebrink. Betemit for Linebrink straight up would be crazy, but this might make sense…
Seriously though, the Betemit trade rumors kinda freak me out, unless we’re getting a solid position player in return.
By j-man
July 25, 2006 04:53 PM | Link to this
why doesnt terrance moore ever TRY to talk about the braves on nationaly tv if hes got the chance? and why is he on tv with 2 white dudes! i didnt think he liked crackers in his soup.
By Jman
July 25, 2006 04:57 PM | Link to this
To get Carlos Lee for half the season you can rest assured the Braves will NOT mortgage the future. If they’ll take Giles and a 20th best prospect then we’ll take him, but if the price is Salty, or Andrus, or Escobar - FORGET IT!!!
By Vol
July 25, 2006 04:57 PM | Link to this
The free agent part is obviously a deterrent to signing Carlos Lee, so I’ll have to admit that. It would be hard to fit him into next year’s payroll even at a discount. Still, if there is any reasonable way to get him in this lineup I’d spend my money and prospects there.
By DCBravesFan
July 25, 2006 04:57 PM | Link to this
I think the ups and downs in Betemit’s numbers pointed out earlier are likely due to inconsistent playing time. While most major league hitters are bound to have streaky stats, playing twice a week then playing 7 games in a row has got to derail a player.
I’d like to hold judgement on him as a full time player until the end of this season. He has always had potential, let’s see what happens now that he gets the chance to live up to the hype.
Also, Betemit’s a third baseman. I hope I’m wrong but he doesn’t seem like the answer as a full time starter at 2nd. But I’d sure as heck like to see him prove me wrong.
By KC
July 25, 2006 05:02 PM | Link to this
We have all wondered (or at least most of us have) how in the world JS was able to pull off a trade like the one the brought Bob Wickman to Atlanta. We sent a single-A level minor league catcher to Cleveland to get this guy. Unbelievable! But as much as I believe in the greatness of John Shuerholz as a GM, I think Wickman gave us the real reason this deal was possible in his first interview as a Brave. As it turns out, the Braves were very close to signing Wickman over the winter. So close that the Braves were expecting Wickman in Atlanta for a physical. But before he could catch that flight, he was offered a fair one-year offer from his home-team (the Indians), and decided to take it. Anyway, Wickman is a 10-5 guy (10 years in the league - five of them with his (then) current team), so he had veto power over any trade Cleveland tried to include him in. According to Wickman, he vetoed a couple of trades this year… but he didn’t veto the deal that sent him to Atlanta. If Bob Wickman didn’t verbally tell the Indians he wanted to go to the Braves, they figured out that it was probably Atlanta or nowhere for Wickman. In other words, this trade wasn’t made possible by JS’s negotiating skills at the trading table, but rather by Wickman’s respect for Bobby Cox and the chance to get back to the post-season with the Braves. But whatever the reason… glad he’s here.
By KC
July 25, 2006 05:03 PM | Link to this
cleaned up version of previous post… didn’t mean for it to all run together like that
We have all wondered (or at least most of us have) how in the world JS was able to pull off a trade like the one the brought Bob Wickman to Atlanta.
We sent a single-A level minor league catcher to Cleveland to get this guy. Unbelievable!
But as much as I believe in the greatness of John Shuerholz as a GM, I think Wickman gave us the real reason this deal was possible in his first interview as a Brave.
As it turns out, the Braves were very close to signing Wickman over the winter. So close that the Braves were expecting Wickman in Atlanta for a physical. But before he could catch that flight, he was offered a fair one-year offer from his home-team (the Indians), and decided to take it.
Anyway, Wickman is a 10-5 guy (10 years in the league - five of them with his then current team), so he had veto power over any trade Cleveland tried to include him in.
According to Wickman, he vetoed a couple of trades this year… but he didn’t veto the deal that sent him to Atlanta. If Bob Wickman didn’t verbally tell the Indians he wanted to go to the Braves, they figured out that it was probably Atlanta or nowhere for Wickman.
In other words, this trade wasn’t made possible by JS’s negotiating skills at the trading table, but rather by Wickman’s respect for Bobby Cox and the chance to get back to the post-season with the Braves.
But whatever the reason… glad he’s here.
By KC
July 25, 2006 05:05 PM | Link to this
For all of you who have said:
“The Braves shouldn’t give away any of our best young talent for another player that’s only going to help us *this year, and then be gone!”
It appears John Shuerholz agrees with you. If Wickman vetoed 2 trades this year before accepting the one that sent him to Atlanta, we obviously know that the Braves offer for Wickman was far from the best one on the table. Ultimately, we sent nothing more than a low-level minor leaguer that probably have the big-league Braves had never even heard of, to get Wickman.
That would indicate to me that Shuerholz was steadfastly opposed to giving away any of the Braves best young talent. So if you hear any rumors about the Braves trading away young Betemit or a top prospect for a reliever… don’t believe it! If he wasn’t willing to do that to get a closer, he’s not going to do it to get a setup man.
By j-man
July 25, 2006 05:06 PM | Link to this
how is giving up salty and another prospect mortaging the future? salty is sucking it hard this year in AA Mississippi and remember mccann is only 22. this is the braves farm team we are talking about anyway not s****y houston astros farm. ok actually im not sure how s****y their minor league teams are but i hate the astros so f*** em right? thats what harold raymonds would do apparently. we are stocked at SS. i wouldnt mind giving up as much but no more that 1) salty, 2) andrus and 3) an A ball pitching prospect to get carlos lee. DID YOU SEE THOSE NUMBERS!! 39 STRIKEOUTS WITH ALMOST 400 AT BATS he would be perfect for the braves. theres nobody on our team that can get close to those numbers. at least he puts the ball in play. and think about how many more pitches chipper and andruw ESPECIALLY ANDRUW would see with carlos lee hitting 5th.
any kind of output from the 8 hole is a plus. he would kill in the 8th spot. no pressure at all!!
do it. do it. do it.
By Choppin Bob
July 25, 2006 05:07 PM | Link to this
kc: i want some updated stats before tonights game. also, 10 bucks ray comes in the 7th, paronto 8th, and wicky
By The Grinch
July 25, 2006 05:08 PM | Link to this
Krath, I’m in agreement with you for the most part. Bobby does tend to stick way too much to conventional wisdom, as opposed to the aquired kind. It’s like how we were able to beat the Giants back in ‘93. Their manager insisted on starting John Burkett in game one of the NLCS against us because he was a 20-game winner, even though we’d consistantly shelled him every time we saw him. We shelled him again in game 1, then he inexplicably started Burkett again for game 4, even though he had someone else sitting cold on the bench who had much better numbers vs. the Braves. Surprise! We shelled him again. When asked what, if any, was his reasoning behind this, the manager (I can’t remember his name) said “If you can’t start your 20 game winner, who can you start?” Umm…maybe the guy who’s a better option to give your team a chance to win given the circumstances? Bobby seems to have caught this disease. Of course, that’s only my opinion, and I’ve been wrong before. Twice, I think. :-)
By TDub
July 25, 2006 05:11 PM | Link to this
j-man,
try the decaf.
By KC
July 25, 2006 05:11 PM | Link to this
Choppin Bob:
I have to run. The stats might have to wait unitl the morning. Sorry.
I’m thinking Bobby might want to give Ray a day or two off to clear his head.
But I could be wrong… it’s happened once before. LOL
By TennesseePaul
July 25, 2006 05:13 PM | Link to this
DOB: Great article. I certainly hope we can get better pitching. Hudson is the key, and possibly a trade for the pen.
I checked out Tower the other day, they have a small amount of CDs for the 88. They hide them under the number 88 in the long, long lines of CDs. Let me know if you can’t find them… I’ll burn a copy and mail it to you. I picked up Matt Costa’s latest as well as Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah the other day with a gift card I’d received.
As to that Todd Pratt Remark… it isn’t his fault. He may call the same thing over and over. But I would imagine that’s because he is trying to keep it as simple as possible, and the pen pitcher still screws it up. It isn’t his fault the pen can’t locate a pitch. He calls ‘em, sets up the target, and the pitcher tosses it over the heart of the plate.
By Vol
July 25, 2006 05:13 PM | Link to this
I think we win the pennant with Carlos Lee in the lineup. It looks unstoppable (below). And no, I wouldn’t give up Salty or anyone like that, but if he is available, the White Sox/Tigers probably will give up their Salty equivalent.
Betemit/Giles (2B) Renteria (SS) CJ (3B) AJ (CF) C.Lee (LF) McCann (C) Frenchy (RF) LaRoche (1B) Who Cares (P)
By David
July 25, 2006 05:16 PM | Link to this
Don’t worry about the Braves winning the East. Don’t forget that the Mets will fold like a cheap suit—they always have and they always will; that being said—if the Braves can play at least .700 ball from now on, the Braves will be crowned eastern division champions for an unprecedented 15th consecutive time! If the Braves go out and take care of their business like they so beautifully did in the month of July, then the Braves will win the whole enchalada come October and throughout the playoffs now that they have a Hall-Of-Fame closer to hand the ball of to in the 7th, 8th and 9th innings to turn the lights out for them and shut it down. I think the Braves are fine and will continue to be as long as their great Manager Bobby Cox is leading them. The Braves are feeling the aftershocks of losing Leo Mazzone, but they will have to go on without Leo and make the transition smoothly until they get used to life without Leo. The Atlanta Braves will be world champions once again in October for the first time since ‘95. Go Braves!
By Kin
July 25, 2006 05:19 PM | Link to this
I’m not sure how credible this is, but here’s a rumor about Harold Reynolds’ firing
By The Grinch
July 25, 2006 05:21 PM | Link to this
Hey, Journalist Jimmy! Check this out… http://www.filecabi.net/video/alienwormback.html It’s not blue, but it is backyard!
By shawn
July 25, 2006 05:22 PM | Link to this
Has Bobby considered going to a four man rotation the rest of the way. Hudson might actually pitch better tired. I have seen pitchers keep the ball down, Tommy John, with the increase in workload. Time to unload Sosa, Thompson, and Giles and get what you can even if it is payroll relief. A couple of middle innings pitchers and a bench player with power or speed. Whatever you do keep Betemit unless A-Rod is included in the deal…..
By TDub
July 25, 2006 05:22 PM | Link to this
Carlos Lee is great, but he’s a rent-a-player at this point. He’s a free agent in a few months. Trading for him is the kind of thing the Yanks would do - that’s why they have absolutely no farm system. They’ve traded away every good minor leaguer they’ve had (with the exception of Hughes) to get overpriced superstars, and now they’re paying for it. Plus, we don’t need another hitter right now - that much is obvious.
By Greg
July 25, 2006 05:26 PM | Link to this
The Carlos Lee idea is great. I bet we could sign him long term. It’d be wonderful to watch someone with a Braves logo on his shirt who doesn’t strike out two out of every four at bats. 12 Ks to Cole Hamels. That’s absurd.
By Pointman
July 25, 2006 05:28 PM | Link to this
You can add Carlos Lee, Mike Schmidt and the ghost of Ted Williams to our offense and it still won’t get us past the NLCS. We need pitching, folks, and unfortunately, it’s hard to come by.
By TennesseePaul
July 25, 2006 05:28 PM | Link to this
I’m wondering if Hughes is as good as the hype. I have a feeling his name is mentioned because he is the top guy on a pile of mediocrity. Is Hughes ranked that high in Baseball America? Maybe #1 in the Yanks system, but where does he fit in the grand scheme?
By Vol
July 25, 2006 05:29 PM | Link to this
DOB
What has to happen to get Carlos Lee in the lineup if we can’t find any more pitching? Any chance at all?
By J-MAN
July 25, 2006 05:33 PM | Link to this
TELL US DOB. WE NEED CARLOS LEE TO HIT IN THAT 5 SPOT. AND THEN MAYBE PITCH THE 8TH EVERY OTHER START. THEN WED BE SET
By supergrass
July 25, 2006 05:33 PM | Link to this
Wtf? hr sexual harrassment, might be naive but its the last thing i thought-wow—thanks for the link KIN
By Harold Reynolds
July 25, 2006 05:35 PM | Link to this
Don’t worry about me peeps… Fox will hire me, and I’ll soon be schmoovin’ on Jeanne Zelasko. Ohyeahhhhhhhhhh…
By Boomer
July 25, 2006 05:37 PM | Link to this
We should not be trading any of our front line prospects for offensive players at this point of the season (unless that offensive player is A-Rod).
Lets not give up on Salty. I know he struggled this season but that may turn out to be a good thing in the long run. He has a tremendous upside and I for one am not willing to give him away for a (two month)rent-a-player.
By Blake
July 25, 2006 05:51 PM | Link to this
everyone is asking max prices for thier players at this point. Wait until the end of this weekend and those teams will be alot more desperate.
By Tomas
July 25, 2006 06:04 PM | Link to this
Jonathan Sanchez, great young relieve lefthander of the Giants, a 0.67 ERA in 20 games, Angels lokking for an outfielder thats left handed, looking to deal Ervin Santana or Scott Schields.
By KC
July 25, 2006 06:06 PM | Link to this
I don’t know why ESPN fired Harold Reynolds, but we can eliminate a couple of possibilities:
We know he didn’t make a television appearance while intoxicated. That couldn’t be it because Rick Sutcliff did that recently, and he’s still employed by ESPN.
We also know that he didn’t get drunk and urinate on an off-duty police officer from a 2nd story window. That can’t be it because Chris Miller did that and he’s still employed.
Hmmmm… I’m all out of ideas.
By Tomas
July 25, 2006 06:07 PM | Link to this
“Salty” is not needed by the braves, when you 22 yearold brian mccan why keep Salty.
By DanK
July 25, 2006 06:10 PM | Link to this
DOB, How about a deal with the Cubs for Scott Eyre and/or Maddux. That would help!
I agree with the post on JS and Betemit. The Braves would be crazy to move him. He can flat out pick it at 3rd. He reminds me a little of Soriano at the top of the order. Not as much power (yet), but a much better fielder.
You must give some props to LaRochee here. He has picked it up big time. He seems much better not having to worry about the platoon and the 7th hole is the right place for him. Hitting lefties and on pace for 30-35 HRs and 80-90 rbis. Not bad!!
By DonCoburleone
July 25, 2006 06:12 PM | Link to this
I’ve been meaning to ask this question for a while now, I want everyone to answer; Who is the MVP of the Braves at this point in the season? John Smoltz, Andruw Jones, Chipper Jones, Edgar Renteria, Brian McCann? Write-in votes are also allowed…
By geauxbraves2000
July 25, 2006 06:12 PM | Link to this
If the Braves can’t find any decent pitching out there, then they’d better go get a bopper, cause the Braves are going to have to outscore their opponents for they certainly won’t be outpitching them.
By btoy
July 25, 2006 06:13 PM | Link to this
I hear the Phillies may trade Gordon. Any chance the braves may make a run at him?
By eli
July 25, 2006 06:19 PM | Link to this
can dob or anyone tell me why the braves havent made a move with sosa, he is obvioulsy going to be moved, why havent we done anything on that front yet
By geauxbraves2000
July 25, 2006 06:26 PM | Link to this
Wow, I just noticed this. The next 4 pitchers the Braves have to face are a combined 26-13 w/an era of 3.34. Gonna be tough, but the way this lineup has hit lately who knows.
Geaux Braves!!
By Vol
July 25, 2006 06:27 PM | Link to this
Braves MVP: Chipper Jones, but really tough call 2nd - Renteria 3rd - A. Jones 4th - McCann
Not much space between 1st and 4th on this list.
By rustam
July 25, 2006 06:29 PM | Link to this
nobody wants sosa
By TennesseePaul
July 25, 2006 06:30 PM | Link to this
DonC: If it is based on Consistancy, it would be McCann or Renteria. I’d lean more toward Renteria since he isn’t platooned, though that isn’t really McCann’s fault. But, if you look at how the team performs when a player heats up, Chipper Jones would be the answer. He hasn’t been up to speed the whole season, but obviously, he is a valuable player and key part of this team. When he fires up, the whole damn league takes a look. Right when he started hitting, the Braves started destroying everyone. That’s pretty valuable. He has had the biggest impact so fart his season. He just hasn’t been as consistant as Renteria or McCann.
By Head Coach
July 25, 2006 06:31 PM | Link to this
DOB , you made a very astute point about the Brves being pushed to the wire in order to win the wild card. They would have to maintain thier current winning pace for the remaining two months of the season and go into the postseason with a full head of steam and a lot of momemtum. As far as your potshot at my estimate of 90 or more wins for the wild card , you might want to go back and check the last ten years of wild card winners in the N.L. and see for yourself how conservative my estimate really is. O just screw it , the five and ten year avg. for the wild card winner over the past ten years has been 92 wins. apology accepted , David.
By TennesseePaul
July 25, 2006 06:32 PM | Link to this
lol….that should read: biggest impact so far this season.
By eli
July 25, 2006 06:33 PM | Link to this
but he is obviously not goin to stay in atl, why not DFA him…maybe we are waiting on thomson or stockman before we do this
By j-man
July 25, 2006 06:35 PM | Link to this
espn reports that THE CLOCK IS TICKING for a Carlos Lee trade. who wants him other than the braves?
By DonCoburleone
July 25, 2006 06:36 PM | Link to this
I say Edgar Renteria, he’s been the only consistent bat (McCann too, but he was out for 2 weeks) in the lineup and comes to play every day. What a pickup by Scheurholz, he’s amazing…
By TennesseePaul
July 25, 2006 06:37 PM | Link to this
DonC: Renteria was also out of the line up for 2 weeks (DL at the start of the season, right after that hit streak). Both he and McCann have been the most consistant though, that’s for sure.
By Lew
July 25, 2006 06:40 PM | Link to this
DOB-What about Seth McClung of the DRays. I know he didn’t perform well as a starter, but they sent him down to Durham to become a reliever. In 11 games, 13 2/3 innings, he has a 1.98 ERA, 24K and 2BB, a WHIP of less than 1 and 3 saves. He throws regularly in the 96-97 range. His problem as a starter was not going but 4 or 5 innings before losing his control. I thik he has adjusted to the relief role. I’m interested in your thoughts. I’m back everyone, the eye procedure was a success and I can see again. Let’s hear it for modern medicine. Love them steroids (in my eye, that is).
By TennesseePaul
July 25, 2006 06:40 PM | Link to this
And yes. That was by far the most amazing trade of the offseason. We got an All-Star shortstop AND CASH for 1 minor leaguer!
By Bob, journalist
July 25, 2006 06:43 PM | Link to this
Choppin Bob, Thanks! Having just acknowledged that my baseball insights are woefully inept, it’s good to get positive reinforcement that at least some of my instincts may still be intact.
David who wrote, “Don’t worry about the Braves winning the East … for the first time since ‘95” … I’ve been wearing bifocals for about 30 years and have been considering a stronger prescription. Any chance of getting a copy of the one you have?
Yours is a mighty strong endorsement and methinks you’ve moved to the top of the list of optimists in the neighboorhood … I’m on that list too, but probably a lot older and a bit more cautious … you keep telling ‘em while I sit back and enjoy the ride … it should be exciting, regardless of the outcome!
By TennesseePaul
July 25, 2006 06:43 PM | Link to this
Lew: Good to hear the eye is healthy. I’d like to hear more about this McClung kid. I love the last name. We could have a pen with McBride and McClung.
By Lew
July 25, 2006 06:51 PM | Link to this
Tennessee Paul -Thanks for the good wishes. I used to live in St.Pete, for many years. My Doctor, who is still a good baseball buddy, is McClung’s next door neighbor. Seth had me painthis portrait this spring and he comped me tickets at Fenway for what turned out to be Schilling’s 200th (Seth lost the game). This is a high class kid-a real nice guy. He has been clocked at 102 and has the nastiest curve I’ve seen in years. He has great movement on his 2 and 4 seam also, whcih is why he had control problems. I always thought it was a matter of arm slot and release point. Apparently it was. He has burned up AAA since he’s been there. Like I said, a WHIP of less than one and a 12-1 K to BB ratio. I think we could get him for next to nothing and he is still making barely over the minimum.
By Lew
July 25, 2006 06:53 PM | Link to this
And he wears big pants Jimmy. He’s 6’5” and goes about 240.
By The Grinch
July 25, 2006 06:56 PM | Link to this
Welcome back, Lew. That must be a hell of a doctor; I wouldn’t have been back that quick from a check-up.
By DonCoburleone
July 25, 2006 06:57 PM | Link to this
And will everybody pleeeeeaaase stop with the Carlos Lee trade talk… He’s not coming to Atlanta! The Braves DO NOT need any more hitting and not to mention if the Brewers do trade him, they’ll want young pitchers/quality relievers in return. And the Braves have neither.
By Bob, journalist
July 25, 2006 06:59 PM | Link to this
Lew, it’s fantastic to “see” things went so well!! Steroids can be wonderful when properly prescribed and not used to cheat.
Any idea where Seth McClung is from? I knew some McClungs who lived in Carroll County near Temple, Ga … nice folks! For some reason, the thing I remember most is that they grew lots of cabbages, goards and pumpkins!
Again, welcome back … we missed you and you weren’t even gone!
By Lew
July 25, 2006 07:00 PM | Link to this
Thanks Grinch-My surgeon is the Head of Opthalmic and Retinal Surgery at Darmouth. They don’t get any better than him. You have to trust if you’re going to let him put a needle in your eye. Which he has done three times. I agree Don, we need pitching. Check out McClung.
By eli
July 25, 2006 07:01 PM | Link to this
why are people talkin about seth mcclung….he’s not even on the big league club for tampa bay!!!…in the majors this season, he has a 6.81 ERA in 80 innings with only 38 k’s and 47 walks!!!…much better options out there surely…sorry i just dont see what some people must see in this kid
By Bob, journalist
July 25, 2006 07:05 PM | Link to this
Lew, I meant to ask if McClung’s family might have come from Carroll County … your post to 10 Paul made the St. Pete connection clear.
By Michael
July 25, 2006 07:08 PM | Link to this
Harold Reynolds did ger into it with Kruk on Sunday night regarding the A-Rod issue. Makes sense he would stand up to ESPN management regarding how he was to portray the angle, and the fact he didn’t want to continue the angle ESPN wanted to go with. You decide.
http://www.deadspin.com/sports/top/was-this-why-harold-got-the-axe-189733.php
By DonCoburleone
July 25, 2006 07:09 PM | Link to this
Jeeeez, looking at the lineup for tonight… Better than last night, but still seems very flawed without Chipper/Andruw in there. Then again, it looked reeeeaaaally bad last night and they scored 10, so who knows. I like McCann hitting in the 4 hole, but I just don’t understand Giles at the top of the order. Why not try Betemit lead-off, Giles 2nd, Renteria 3rd??? Or even Giles 3 and Betemit 1, something!
By The Grinch
July 25, 2006 07:12 PM | Link to this
Journalist Bob: good to see you. Seems like everyone’s been on your case lately, so I’ll pile on the bandwagon! It’s “gourd.” Not that I don’t misspell about every “forth” word! :-)
By DonCoburleone
July 25, 2006 07:21 PM | Link to this
I hope Chuck James can come up with another solid outing tonight. The Braves need one after Hudson once again drags the team down and tries his best to kill any momentum this team has gained. I worry about James tonight though. He has been getting consistently worse with each start since joining the rotation. Not to mention this AAAA squad he’s facing tonight has surely faced him a bunch of times in the minors, so he won’t be an unknown to them. I’ll be crossing my fingers for this one…
By Stanford
July 25, 2006 07:21 PM | Link to this
Bobby just said in pregame that Chipper wanted to play tonight but they’re gonna hold him one more day. Sounds like AJ is still a couple of days away. Thought it would be the other way around.
By DonCoburleone
July 25, 2006 07:23 PM | Link to this
HA! 2-0 Cubs in the Bottom of the 1st! Back-to-back homers off Glavine by Ramirez and Nevin, and Zambrano is on the mound. GO CUBS!!!
By Plate O' Meat
July 25, 2006 07:23 PM | Link to this
It was Gary Miller, KC. Chris Miller was the one taking a pizz on the sidelines while recuperating from one his 400 injuries for the Falcons.
By Lew
July 25, 2006 07:24 PM | Link to this
Journalist Bob-The young man is from West Virginia. The St.Pete thing comes from him pitching for the DRays. Now you know I’ve never given you intentional grief, don’t you? Don-BC probably wants things to remain as same as possible, hence the lack of reshuffling.Keep in mind they still scored 15 in two nights with Marcus leading off. He’ll come around, have no fear. He’s closing up a bit when he swings now.
By DonCoburleone
July 25, 2006 07:25 PM | Link to this
SH!T, HR by the juiced Beltran… 2-1
By Boomer
July 25, 2006 07:27 PM | Link to this
Why keep Salty?
I said I would not trade Salty for a (2 month) rent a player. If we could get a player that we could keep for a while (especially a pitcher like Dontrelle Willis) I would not have a problem trading him.
Say we were to trade Salty to the Brewers for Lee. We would wind up regretting it. In two months Lee would be gone (we would have nothing) and the Brewers would have a big, powerful, strong-armed, switch hitting catcher for the next 10-15 years.
You keep Salty because he has enormous potential. His potential to the Braves is not only as a catcher but as a possible first baseman if Laroche becomes too expensive or as a trade piece to acquire a player we could keep around a while. That is how we got Renteria.
Also you never know what could happen in the future to McCann. And what is the worst that could happen if we keep him? We wind up with two “stud” catchers! A lot of teams would like to be in that position.
Lets just not trade him for a (2 month) rent a player.
By Bob, journalist
July 25, 2006 07:29 PM | Link to this
Grinch … it’s good to finally be gored by someone nice … like you, gourd it is!!
By ncscoots
July 25, 2006 07:30 PM | Link to this
don’t you just LOVE selective observation? Renteria, Francoeur, and your boy Wilson ALL strike out twice against Hamels first two times up, and who gets slammed for “striking out too much”? Giles. Scores twice (suspiciously like a leadoff hitter should), and gets ripped here on the blog. Jeez, if he were to read this crap, he’d probably DEMAND a freakin’ trade.
By DonCoburleone
July 25, 2006 07:37 PM | Link to this
I’m Chuck James B!TCH!!!
By Stanford
July 25, 2006 07:38 PM | Link to this
Not only that, ncscoots (I think I finally got your name right), but WB strikes out once every 3.5 AB’s. That’s WAY more than Giles, more than AJ, more than Frenchy, more than LaRoche. Also, Betemit’s OBP is only barely better than Giles (348-343) while Giles has been having his worst year, by far. Personally, I like both of em’, but man, you’re right, you’d think Giles was the Dan Kolb of infielders.
By eli
July 25, 2006 07:38 PM | Link to this
i wish he would demand a trade…giles for gonzalez and marte
By ncscoots
July 25, 2006 07:41 PM | Link to this
ahh, hump this junk. I’m gonna go watch the game. At least with Torborg, the level of the absurd is at least tolerable.
By nathan
July 25, 2006 07:43 PM | Link to this
I understand that with Chipper out, Bobby needs to use Giles in the lineup. But is it really neccessary to put him in the leadoff spot. For cryin’ out loud Bobby……BAT HIM EIGHTH……or 9th!
Why must we start every game with him in the lineup off with an out?
Everybody sing along…….
“Giles, Giles, go away….come visit us another day!” (preferably in another teams uniform)
By DonCoburleone
July 25, 2006 07:44 PM | Link to this
I wonder if Chipper is able to pinch hit tonight?
By Stanford
July 25, 2006 07:48 PM | Link to this
Don, I wonder if Wicky is good on a third straight day. Anybody know if he’s got a rubber arm?
By Bob, journalist
July 25, 2006 07:48 PM | Link to this
Thanks Lew! You, my friend, have never given me any grief, intentional or otherwise … I’m just glad that things went so well!!
Actually, when folks get on my case, it just means that my arch nemesis “apathy” is losing the battle … folks have different opinions with regard to what’s good and bad, right and wrong … nothing much wrong with that!
By DonCoburleone
July 25, 2006 07:49 PM | Link to this
Freakin’ Cody Ross, the guy has killed us this year!!!
By krath
July 25, 2006 07:50 PM | Link to this
Lets put it this way, Scoots. I think Bobby puts what he thinks is the best lineup out there on any given night. I don’t always agree with his judgement but he’s a hall of famer so who am I to know that? His patience has paid off at times, but at times I believe it has hurt the teams chances. But like I said, I’m a hack not a manager.
Scoots… you’re from NC. Know the only man who could hold Michael Jordan to under 20 points a night?
Dean Smith.
Similar situation maybe.
By DonCoburleone
July 25, 2006 07:52 PM | Link to this
Stanford Wickman is the definition of a “junk ball” pitcher. So my guess is that yeah he can probably pitch 3 or even 4 days in a row (as long as it’s 1 inning). I think of the 2 outings so far for the Braves I’ve seen 1 or 2 fastballs…
By nathan
July 25, 2006 07:53 PM | Link to this
I don’t have a problem with players that strike out, don’t have the ability of others. I get board hearing how “tough” somebody is because the play through injuries. I think it hurts a team more than it helps. I also grow tired of guys who can’t stay in the lineup. Reliability has to count for somthing, doesn’t it? I’m still waiting for Nick Esasky to get healthy! LOL.
To me there is nothing more annoying than hearing one of the Braves announcers say somthing to the effect of: “Boy, you gotta hand it to Giles and Chipper, they’ve been playing hurt. What a couple of gamers!” or “Man if Giles could ever stay healthy for a full season, his numbers would be right there with some of the best 2nd baseman ever.”
Yeah, yeah, yeah! And if my aunt Shirley had a mustache, she’d be my uncle Frank!
APPARENTLY THE CHUCK JAMES HONEYMOON IS OVER? HUH?
Anyhow, back to Giles. My point is this: He hasn’t put together back to back healthy seasons really ever. So why are we still “waiting” for it to ever happen. MOVE ON. Give him extra credit for time already served, bla, bla, bla etc…etc… You get my point.
It’s not that he can’t play, it’s that he physically can’t play.
By Stanford
July 25, 2006 07:54 PM | Link to this
Yeah, hasn’t looked like he’s had to work too hard, has it? Still, I hear it’s the warming up every day that gets you. Hope we have a chance to find out.
By Mike from the coast
July 25, 2006 07:55 PM | Link to this
Great job getting out of the jam by James after the HR and two hits
By DonCoburleone
July 25, 2006 07:55 PM | Link to this
Nice job Chucky, only 1 run, coulda been worse… Now Francoeur ties it with a ‘tater…
By nathan
July 25, 2006 07:57 PM | Link to this
I agree mike. Looked like it was going to be a rough inning. Nice damage control.
By Tomahawkin
July 25, 2006 08:00 PM | Link to this
Damn, D.O.B. I thought you went M.I.A for a minute, lol
Boomer we ain’t gettin Dontrelle, especially since Hampton will be back next season, so U need to hang that up, Cheesewhiz…
After watching last nites near diaster wit the Blow-Pen I’m now convinced that we need another veteran reliever
BTW Anyone know how is Mike Hampton coming along
By nathan
July 25, 2006 08:01 PM | Link to this
I know these guys have been hot. And for the most part, it’s worked out lately. So I’m not complaining (well, maybe just a little)
But would it be too much to ask after Chuck James had a long inning for these guys to take a few pitches. Preferably more than one.
By Mike from the coast
July 25, 2006 08:06 PM | Link to this
On the subject of relief pitching, I am curious about how Yates does in his next apppearance. He has been pitching well and it’s no sin to give up a HR to Howard, especially on a pitch that was at least on the outside corner. Ray on the other hand has had two back to back horrrible performances. This bullpen has potential but can they do it this year?
By Tomahawkin
July 25, 2006 08:08 PM | Link to this
Ok yooz guys, Word of Mouf from the philly paper is that Harold Reynolds Got fired from ESPN 4 Sexual Harassment, Dizam, I thought he was better than that…
Maybe Dave Chappelle will make a skit about that, who knows…
By Stanford
July 25, 2006 08:10 PM | Link to this
Nathan, all due respect, cause I usually get a lot out of your posts, but:
No, you don’t take strikes so the pitcher can catch his breath. Maybe you take your time to the plate, but beyond that, NO WAY unless you’re up by 10 runs and don’t need to score. It’s hard enough to hit without taking pitches to rest your pitcher.
And you’re down on Giles now for being a hustle guy? Geez: he got run over by Prior in ‘04 (and missed the allstar game) but other than that has had 500+ abs each year he’s been a starter (which is only 3). I can see giving up on Prior and Wood because they’re always hurt, but Giles?
By Mike from the coast
July 25, 2006 08:13 PM | Link to this
In a blog last week, I was ready to trade LaRoche, Giles, and Langerhans.
Now I must confess, keep LaRoche. I don’t know how many scoops he’s had in the last week, but he made all the plays and has played phenomonal defense. And has anybody else notice he’s killing left handed pitching.
Langerhans has proved his worth as a defensive replacement. Who else would we put in center to replace Andruw? Can Fancouer play center?
By far and away the most marketable player at the moment is Giles.
By nathan
July 25, 2006 08:13 PM | Link to this
Tomahawkin…..
It kinda makes all of HR’s “preaching” about professionalism and “playing the game it was meant to be played” seem a little silly now, doesn’t it? Not that those are bad points. But apparently he didn’t feel that those same rules applied to being on TV!
By Lew
July 25, 2006 08:13 PM | Link to this
Nathan-Your Aunt Sirley may have a moustache-never met her, so I don’t know. However, I have watched Marcus play for the Braves ever since he came up and I never saw a player give it all he had EVERY GAME HE HAS PLAYED. Like Journalist Bob says, Not 110%, but 100%. You’ve never seen him dog it on a ground ball and he stretches full out in the dirt for every ball hit vaguely near him. I dare you to find a better defensive second baseman in the NL. There is none. This is the first year he has been sub par offensively. I’m sorry this pisses you off, but it doesn’t negate what he has done. I got news for you, dude, EVERY good player plays hurt-happens all of the time. Now maybe if your injury is as serious as Reitsma’s, maybe it is stupi. However, with nagging injuries, you play through it. Giles has left blood on the field many times in the past. REAL BLOOD. He doesn’t need this crap thrown in his direction. F###kin’ cool it. I”M tired of hearing it. Harp on something else.
By Boomer
July 25, 2006 08:13 PM | Link to this
Cheesewhiz,
Langerhans got a hit.
Maybe we can trade him for Dontrelle!
By Calvin
July 25, 2006 08:16 PM | Link to this
I’m gonna go out on a limb and say that Marcus’ thumb is bothering him at the plate.
By krath
July 25, 2006 08:17 PM | Link to this
I think Ross loves Chucky
By Stanford
July 25, 2006 08:21 PM | Link to this
T’hawkin, all I’ve heard about Hampton is that the rehab has bone very very well; he’s in the dugout a lot, and working hard. In great shape, as he always was. I don’t think he’s done any throwing, so no way to determine much more than his general health. Definitely will not be back this year, but should be strong by next.
By Tomahawkin
July 25, 2006 08:21 PM | Link to this
Odalis Perez got traded today, Gawd, I can’t believe he’s making around 8 million this season, talk about overpaid…
By krath
July 25, 2006 08:25 PM | Link to this
Damn….. looks like Horation dodging all these bullets.
By Mike from the coast
July 25, 2006 08:25 PM | Link to this
Another Houdini act by Chucky. Whew!!!
By krath
July 25, 2006 08:27 PM | Link to this
Horatio even
By Tomahawkin
July 25, 2006 08:27 PM | Link to this
Gracias, Stanford….
I said it before about LaRoche, ever since that blunder he made at first against the Expos/Nats (I Still can’t call them the Nationals, I grew up watching the AAA Expos produce talent for everyone else) LaRoche has been on fire
When the fans started gettin in Roachy’s a-s-s, he has quickly turned it around…
By Vol
July 25, 2006 08:27 PM | Link to this
Wow. James is living the charmed life giving up just 2 so far.
By nathan
July 25, 2006 08:28 PM | Link to this
Stanford….I’m not talking about watching 3 pitches go right down the middle, if they are hitable, by all means hit them!
But after he threw about 30 pitches that inning, the least thing LaRoche coulda done was NOT swing at the first pitch.
Here’s how that inning went:
McCann saw two pitches (took a pitch then singled)
Francoeur saw two pitches (fouled one off and flied out on the next)
LaRoche saw 1 pitch.
Then Thorman (the least ammount of experience of them all) comes up and sees 5 pitches.
When you take pitches it does three things.
1: You see more pitches, so not only for the current at bat you may get a better pitch to hit. But it allows you to have seen more pitches for later at bats.
2: The person on deck (if they are actually paying attention) not to mention the other players in the dugout, can see more pitches or at least see what the approach or “gameplan” is going to be for the eveing. Maybe the guys is known for having a good curveball, but he doesn’t have “it” tonight. How would anybody ever know this, if everybody swung at the first pitch every at bat.
3: Ever wonder why Hudson and Smoltz can’t go more than 6 or 7 innings? It’s because other teams take pitches. Because at worst case scenario the don’t score off of the starters, but you can maybe get to the pen.
I’m tired of looking at pitchcounts like last night when hudson had thrown 70 some pitches early in the 5th inning. That aint helping nobody. Seems to me he allowed 5 walks, didn’t he? Hmmmmmm, I wonder if the Phillies were trying to get to the braves bullpen? It worked, didn’t it?
Let’s look at tonight for example:
James: 4 IP & already 67 pitches. He aint gonna see the 7th inning tonight people.
Sanchez: 3 IP & 28 pitches. Once again the Braves make a no-name pitcher look like Cy Young.
Sorry to GO OFF, but I wasn’t just making the “take some pitches” comment to be an A$$
By Tomahawkin
July 25, 2006 08:31 PM | Link to this
Dat Phyucking Cody Ross, that dude has been in the league for like 2 years and he kills us everytime, I guess he takes over for Jeff Bagwell in terms of the playas that we hate to face…
I Said it earlier, Its hard to hit 4 homeruns per game when you play in a pitchers ballpark
We need to play A-B-C Baseball, and manufacture some runs, Shyt!
By elbravox
July 25, 2006 08:35 PM | Link to this
A-B-C, if not 1,2,3…
By nathan
July 25, 2006 08:41 PM | Link to this
Lew…..Simma Don Na!
Yes, WHEN HEALTHY Giles plays great defense at 2B.
WHEN HEALTHY, he is a good to above average offensive player for a second baseman.
WHEN HEALTHY, he probably would STILL not make a good leadoff man.
You see where I’m going with this. I don’t PERSONALLY have a problem with Marcus Giles. I have never met him. He seems like he’d be a wonderful human being. And yes, he plays very hard. And if you’ve paid any attention whatsoever to any of my posts the last three months, you’d realize that I very much appreciate people that play hard.
That being said, how many more seasons are we going to go into with the thought process that we can count on Giles to play everyday. Hell, every other day would be OK with me. He obviously is hurt. Somthing aint right, don’t make me go down the path of how he and his brother “look” smaller and seem to have all of the sudden have nothing more than warning track power. All other speculation as to the “why”, aside. IF HE IS NOT HEALTH, WE HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF MIDDLE INFIELDERS THAT APPEAR TO BE HEALTHY IN THE MINOR LEAGUES. PUT HIM ON THE DL, UNTIL HE IS HEALTHY.
Yes, I get that players play through “naggin injuries”. I’m sure after opening day, nobody is 100 percent healthy until the next off season. I’m sure Cal Ripken had nagging injuries that he had to deal with to keep his streak alive. But there is two types of players. Those who “tough it out” and still play at a high level or at least at a level that still helps there team. Then there are those who “tough it out” and can’t come cloes to doing what they normally do, thus they are actually hurting their team IMO. Giles RIGHT NOW (maybe not in the past), is HURTING THE BRAVES with his poor play. If he had a manager that could actually see this, and would at least lower him in the batting order, it might be able to be covered up a bit. But since the leadoff hitter usually gets the most AB’s in the lineup, it’s right there in front of our face on a nightly basis. Well……not quite nightly, he would actually have to play everyday for that to be the case.
By JJMB
July 25, 2006 08:46 PM | Link to this
Oh my gosh. I was going to make a negative comment about Giles, but “LEW” has scared me. When do you usually go in for dialysis LEW? That’s when I will post, because you have really frightened me with your tough typing.
By nathan
July 25, 2006 08:46 PM | Link to this
Oh, BTW…..updated pitch count:
James: 5 IP & 81 Pitches
Sanchez: 4.2 IP & 52 Pitches.
Keep on Hacking, guys!
By krath
July 25, 2006 08:47 PM | Link to this
Hate LaRoache was tossed….but he had a beef big time!
By eli
July 25, 2006 08:47 PM | Link to this
laroche was right, horrible call…and it looked like thorman was safe at 2nd
By supergrass
July 25, 2006 08:49 PM | Link to this
that umpire was ridiculus… laroche barely got a word out before he was tossed and he wasnt demonstrative- he didnt get right in the umpires face- damn blind a*****e umpire
By eli
July 25, 2006 08:51 PM | Link to this
james has thrown the ball well tonight, we got to get him some run support
By nathan
July 25, 2006 08:53 PM | Link to this
BTW, lew. I remember being absolutely PUMPED, when Veras was released to make room for Giles to get called up and put in the lineup. As I recall Veras was not that old at the time of that transaction. And ge was a former allstar and stellar leadoff hitter. So, save the loyalty stuff for another day. Baseball unfortunately due to the huge salaries happens to be a “what have you done for me lately sport”. So if it’s time to move on, then it’s time to move on. Nothing personal.
Maddux did more in 1 season than Giles could do in his whole career for the Braves. Maddux was hear for 10 years and we let him walk. What makes Giles so special?
I’m not trying to fight with you, I just think you are taking it personally, and you shouldn’t. If somebody can outplay him (and probably at a cheaper price), then by all means, he has to go. Case closed.
By Stanford
July 25, 2006 08:54 PM | Link to this
Nathan, so Giles should’ve sat his butt down tonight … “can’t play coach, the finger is sore” … and let Orr play 2B, maybe force CJ into the lineup.
You’re making way too much of his injuries. You’ve reached that point where you’ll find any reason to trash him.
By Tomahawkin
July 25, 2006 08:54 PM | Link to this
Is It me or are the games at the TED Boring as he!! to watch on TV, I love the road games better
I knew our offense was going to go into a power outage when we got home and started plaiying in a pitchers ballpark again…
By krath
July 25, 2006 08:55 PM | Link to this
Let’s see…. throw the ball 88 mph. Have an average breaking ball. Learn to throw with a funky motion and hide the ball and instant success!
I don’t get it.
By Tomahawkin
July 25, 2006 09:00 PM | Link to this
Well Nathan While were reminiscing on Giles, He hit his first Grand Slam against Mike Hampton in 2001, Hampton was pis-s-ed, Can’t believe so many of you guys turn your backs on him after a sub-par first half, I bet If Reeksma had not have blown all those games earlier in the year Giles’s production wouldn’t even be an issue right now….
By Vol
July 25, 2006 09:01 PM | Link to this
Somebody with TV - could Giles have scored on the Renteria hit?
By Lew
July 25, 2006 09:02 PM | Link to this
First of all GO ROACHY-the boy has cojones after all. Nathan, I’m just tired of everyone raggin on the boy. That’s all I’ve heard for weeks. Hell, months. First it was Cumper s##ks. LaRoche s##ks. Now they’re hot so people shut up finally. Some people even go back and forth like a pack of manic depressive jacka##ses during the course of a game. He s##ks, he struck out-No, he’s great, he just hit a 3 run HR. It’s gotten to the poin t of total absurdity. You talk about his injuries-how he’s just not reliable. Let’s see-he had a severely sprained ankle trying to avoid a collision with an out of position first baseman. He was out with a concussion when a pitcher who didn’t know diddly about running bases, ran him over and kicked him in the head. He broke his collarbone and got another concussion by going balls to the wall for a ball and got run over by Andruw, who is damn near a foot taller and outweighs him by at least 50 lbs. Man, I’ll tell you- I never in my life saw such an unreliable player in my 49 years of watching baseball. Maybe we do need to trade him. I, personally think we do. Not because he is injury prone (I think we should just give him body armor and let him play), but because I think he will cost too much in the near future (but I’ll bet you HE would give the Braves a home town discount) and he would bring us more in trade value right now than anyone except Hudson. All that ticks me off is people constantly harping on the fact he has has his FIRST sub-par season. If you stop and think about it, he is in an unusual spot in the order. Until last week he never commented on the move except to say he would do what was asked of him. He has never complained, just commented he wasn’t comfortable batting first. He is batting close to .250 or 1-4. This means he is only making one more out than someone batting .333. Maybe he isn’t getting the pitches he got when batting with Furcal on base. Maybe his mechanics are off. So what. He contributes with his glove and always hustles. Give him some slack (and us too) and quit sounding like a broken record.
By elbravox
July 25, 2006 09:02 PM | Link to this
giles scored before the dp…
By nathan
July 25, 2006 09:03 PM | Link to this
Stanford: YES & NO
YES Giles should sit down if his finger is too sore to help. Obviously he’s doin somthing tonight - so I’ll back off a little. But you guys are acting like I’m suggesting we take Giles out behind the shed and shoot him. I’m just saying let the young guys play. Trade him for pitching help. Let his injuries be someone else’s problem.
NO Orr should not be in the lineup. Orr Should not be on the roster. Prado, or Pena Jr. deserve to be up here over Orr. But that’s just another case of “blind faith” Bobby keeping him on the roster because last year for a week or two he was “hot”. Hell maybe we should try and aquire Keith Lockhart for the stretch run, speaking of 2B that were on the roster way too long.
Hope that clears it up for you.
By Stanford
July 25, 2006 09:04 PM | Link to this
Vol, yeah, as it turned out, cause the throw was high and the catcher had to leap just to catch it. But you couldn’t really call it a bad call by the 3B coach except in hindsight, in my opinion. With 1 out and our best hitters coming up, it was probably the right call.
By elbravox
July 25, 2006 09:04 PM | Link to this
giles scored before the dp…
By Choppin Bob
July 25, 2006 09:05 PM | Link to this
yes. better than the dp i saw coming
By Tomahawkin
July 25, 2006 09:07 PM | Link to this
Orr should have been sent back to AAA Richmond 2 months ago, its not like he was a top prospect, either, so that is Blinb Faith on Bobbys part
Right Now I got the Bobby con Approval Rating at about 60 percent
I bet it usually ends up where Dubyas is during October…
By Mike from the coast
July 25, 2006 09:07 PM | Link to this
Giles troubles at the bat started when he tried to pull everything. His first year up or 2nd when he hit like 50 doubles over 2/3 of them were in the right center field power alley. His hit last night came when he was trying to get the runner to third (at least he knows the game) and ended up with a hit in right field. If he ever goes back and tries to hit it to right he’ll be a .300+ hitter again!!!
By Tomahawkin
July 25, 2006 09:08 PM | Link to this
Orr should have been sent back to AAA Richmond 2 months ago, its not like he was a top prospect, either, so that is Blinb Faith on Bobbys part
Right Now I got the Bobby cox Approval Rating at about 60 percent
I bet it usually ends up where Dubya’s is during the playoffs over the last 10 years…
By Vol
July 25, 2006 09:09 PM | Link to this
Thanks, Stanford. If it was going to be close you are right - don’t send with 3-4-5 hitters coming up.
By elbravox
July 25, 2006 09:11 PM | Link to this
giles scored before the dp…
By Mike from the coast
July 25, 2006 09:12 PM | Link to this
elbravox, doesn’t matter if he crossed the plate before the DP, or for that matter on a force at first, the run doesn’t count on a force play.
By Tomahawkin
July 25, 2006 09:12 PM | Link to this
I think Furcal Rubbed off on Giles in the Philosophy that “Chicks Dig The Longball” Whenever Giles tries to hit the ball 400 feet he usually opens his hips and tries to pull the ball, Thats probably what started his long swing and higher strikeout totals…
By nathan
July 25, 2006 09:12 PM | Link to this
Just to change the subject and get Lew and Stanford off my A$$. LOL!
BTW - even though I was typing, don’t think I didn’t notice that Francoeur made an out by swinging at the first pitch! :)
Anybody else find it ironic that on the night we actually get a strong pitching performance. We aren’t gonna score 2 runs!
Feel free to rip me for that observation as well, unless y’all are too mad at me to re-re-re-re-re-respond. (that btw was a REALLY bad impersonation of a broken record or Max Headroom just for Lew)
By geauxbraves2000
July 25, 2006 09:12 PM | Link to this
WTG offense, way to make that pitcher work!!
By Lew
July 25, 2006 09:15 PM | Link to this
Mike, That’s what I’ve been saying all year. He has hit with as open a stance as I’ve seen since the Charley Lau days. This is an impossible stance for hitting to the alley in right center. If you notice lately, he is closing up a bit before he swings and has been hitting better. I wonder why Pendleton hasn’t seen this.
By Lew
July 25, 2006 09:17 PM | Link to this
And that play in center is why Langerhans is on the team.
By Stanford
July 25, 2006 09:21 PM | Link to this
Nathan, I sure as H!LL don’t mean to rip you; you put better stuff out there than many folks do. You don’t mind if I argue a little, do you?
I looked at Frenchy’s “splits” and he’s an awesome hitter on an 0-0 count; something like 333 and a 390 obp (well, good for him) with 8 homers in 87 ab’s…
I agree that in general we don’t have many patient hitters. Chipper, Edgar, McCann. Other than that, it’s bombs away. Braves have never been much for small ball, it seems.
What gets me more is how our pitchers can’t put anyone away. That’s why we run our pitch counts up so high. Huddy threw 100 pitches in 5+ last night; I bet 40 of them were with 2 strikes. Aargh!
btw, Giles has hit the ball to right or up the middle three times tonight. Maybe he’s listening to his critics.
By journalist jimmy smith
July 25, 2006 09:21 PM | Link to this
journalist is back! with worm activity in the backyard journalist has been installing internet security tonight. just now able to visit the blog. good and bad news with the worms - the listerine seeemed to discourage them but they get mean when they drink beer. they also got jimmy smith’s cap again - after a struggle. journalist intends to recover cap tonight after the game. lew, good news on the eye. glad it went well. more big pants pitchers bode well for this team. sign up mcclung. sign up wes durham.
By Mike from the coast
July 25, 2006 09:21 PM | Link to this
In a post earlier, I stated it would be interesting to see how Yates comes back. Question answered. As I said no sin to give up a homer to Howard, we just cringe when the bullpen gives up anything (and justifiably so). Great job Tyler!!
By krath
July 25, 2006 09:23 PM | Link to this
Let’s say we don’t trade Betemit or Giles. Suppose Giles gets healthy and plays second and Betemit goes back to coming off the bench.
What do you do next year? If you’re the GM, what do you do? Giles is making $3,850,000 this year. Unless he drops dead before next season, he’s gonna be given a raise in arbitration if you go that route. The guy is gonna be at 4.5 mil a year perhaps. Are you gonna pay that for him? You still need arms in the pen because Devine and Boyer are neither sure things for next season. We have already tried to field a bullpen for chump change. Also, you’re gonna have to pay Wickman or someone to be the closer. I don’t think they will make the same mistake of going into the season with no closer again.
So whats the story?
By Kevin
July 25, 2006 09:23 PM | Link to this
Betemit has hit into two double plays. The second one really hurted us. Why do you still think he is so good? Giles brought in one run, but you are still talking about trading him. Which game are you watching?
By Lew
July 25, 2006 09:27 PM | Link to this
Krath-You’ve got to trade him-no doubt. I just get tired of people ragging on him. Nathan don’t worry, you’re basically a rational person, just not about Marcus. Max Headroom? You must be older than I thought.Sorry, I do tend to rant when there is an available soapbox.
By elbravox
July 25, 2006 09:29 PM | Link to this
giles scored before the dp…
By supergrass
July 25, 2006 09:29 PM | Link to this
we need tankersley on this team, striking out the side in convincing fashion in the bottom of the 8th
By krath
July 25, 2006 09:32 PM | Link to this
Wow….. what games have I been watching since April? It ain’t about one game. It’s about performance all season. The season is well into the second half now. By this time consistent performance either good or bad is a trend.
By nathan
July 25, 2006 09:33 PM | Link to this
Lew great point on Langerhans. Obviously, he’s not ANY where close to the hitter that Andruw is, but I honestly think he could be one of those “all defense - no hit” CF for us if we needed a “stop gap” if andruw left. Who knows, if Thorman turns into a Monster hitter, then maybe we could get away with Langerhans’ bat in CF.
I was just about to ask the question to everybody, if they still thought we couldn’t survive defensively without Andruw in CF. But you beat me to it in a round about way! LOL Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t want to give everybody the impression that I think Andruw is overrated. Just not sure if we can afford him after next year.
Stanfor I wouldn’t settle for anything less than you and everybody else “arguing” with me. I look forward to it on a nightly basis. LOL Keep up the good work.
BTW, I’m not sure who made the comment about Giles giving us a “hometown discount”. To me that’s not the point. Bare with me now……..Here we go (sorry to go down this path again). My point is, if he can’t stay healthy - for whatever reason (naggin injuries, collision in the field, slipping in the shower etc….) - then it doesn’t matter what we are paying him. It would be too much. Yeah, great guy to have on the team. But I think it would be more insulting to him, to keep him around and put him on the bench. He deserves to play somewhere. I’m sure many team would love to have him. But I’m guessing that those teams don’t have 3 or 4 highly rated prospects (not to mention Betemit) at the middle infield positions that can replace him.
That’s all I’m getting at. I’ll let it go now. You all seem to have:)
By supergrass
July 25, 2006 09:34 PM | Link to this
wow!langerhans defense has been fantastic tonight
By Stanford
July 25, 2006 09:35 PM | Link to this
I’m not saying keep Giles or don’t, but in the greater scheme of things, 3.8 mil vs. 4.5 (or even 5 mil) is a drop in the bucket. To me (and God, I don’t mean to start this up again), Giles is well worth that unless you just decide you’ve got a better option. He may not even win in arbitration after a bad year, but yeah, I’m sure it’ll be $5 mil for ‘07.
Holy Cow! Langerhans!
By Bob, journalist
July 25, 2006 09:36 PM | Link to this
Nathan, passion is good no player should play when seriously injured but, if players didn’t play hurt, I doubt that very many organizations could field a team after two weeks into the season.
For those who think I’m a Marcus Giles basher … that uppercut swing of his is highly exploitable … to loosly conjugate, I know it, you know it, he knows it, we all know it … but he’s trying to do something about it! When one has his type of swing, the importance of timing is so great that it’s impossible to put into words … so his tendency to be a “streaky” rather than a consistent hitter is totally understandable … as are his struggles when playing with nagging “injuries”.
He’s great defensively but I think that his skills can be adequately replaced … and think that trading him is among the most logical of our choices … however, the thing that he brings to the table that is difficult to measure and will be almost impossible to replace is his “spirit” … ain’t many in his class! I frimly believe that intangibles are usually the difference between winners and losers.
I may abhor the way he’s performing offensively and both he and I would prefer that he wasn’t our leadoff hitter … but, by gum, he’s giving that his best shot too! His trade still makes sense to me … but, way down deep, he’s my kind of player and a big part of the “heart” of this team … and I don’t want to see it happen!
Ninth inning rally, come on Braves!
By krath
July 25, 2006 09:37 PM | Link to this
Lew, I agree. If the GM knows he isn’t going to offer arbitration (he should know by now…he ain’t no dummy)he should try and move him to kill two birds with one stone. 1. Get the pitching that we still need and 2. Don’t let him walk and get nothing but a draft pick for him.
By MEB
July 25, 2006 09:39 PM | Link to this
Giles only hit a single… trade him!
By krath
July 25, 2006 09:40 PM | Link to this
WTG Giles! If he’s still wearing the Uni… I’m rooting for him. That goes for anyone who wears the uni.
By Stanford
July 25, 2006 09:41 PM | Link to this
I just don’t get it. This is EXACTLY the same situation as Sunday night. Why didn’t we bunt Giles over?
By nathan
July 25, 2006 09:42 PM | Link to this
I have to hand it to Giles tonight. This is more like what he is capable of doing.
But here’s the thing. One month ago, many people, myself right in the forefront, were bashing on Chipper for being hurt too much. Many people took those comments to seriously and assumed we were bashing his ability. Not the case. Then last week somebody asked “where is all of the Chipper bashers now?”
I have a question for people asking where the Chipper bashers are.
Where is Chipper now?
By geauxbraves2000
July 25, 2006 09:44 PM | Link to this
methinks me gonna scream!!
By nathan
July 25, 2006 09:44 PM | Link to this
Oh, ho-hum. Another 1-run loss. Man is this game a crapshoot or what?
By Vol
July 25, 2006 09:45 PM | Link to this
Two shots at a bunt and then a double by Renteria like a few days ago???
By Vol
July 25, 2006 09:46 PM | Link to this
Maybe not.
By Lew
July 25, 2006 09:47 PM | Link to this
I made the comment about the home town discount, but it was just meant as a point about the type of person he is. I agree totally with Bob. He is the heart and soul of the team and I will hate to lose the personality and the hustle he brings to the Braves. However, this is the way you have to form a team in this day and age. I think he can bring a couple or three decent prospects and it will free up about $5 mil next year. I just wish everybody had his heart and dedication and most of all his exhuberance. I’ve had my say. I hope Nathan doesn’t think I hate him. Ain’t so. Jimmy, glad to hear the blue worms are temporarily at bay. I sure wouldn’t want your bar tab, though. Those wormy so and so’s sound like they can truly inbibe.
By Stanford
July 25, 2006 09:48 PM | Link to this
The double came with two strikes on Sunday. I thought we should’ve bunted again, then if 2 strikes you swing away. Not in the business of second-guessing Bobby; I’m sure it made sense, just not to me.
By Vol
July 25, 2006 09:49 PM | Link to this
Wasn’t the same situation as the other night - we are at home for this one so you are really supposed to bunt. I guess he looked bad doing it last time, but shouldn’t you know that already as manager?
Oh well, I guess I would have let him swing too.
By Bravo
July 25, 2006 09:49 PM | Link to this
WHY DIDN’T THEY BUNT???? THEY TRIED THE OTHER NIGHT!!! ARGGHHHH!!! That’s why we always lose in the playoffs.
By Lew
July 25, 2006 09:52 PM | Link to this
Journalist Bob-Is that imbibe or inbibe? This enquiring mind is over fifty and can’t remember.
By Kevin
July 25, 2006 09:54 PM | Link to this
Betemit did not get the chance to hit into three double plays! Giles set it up well, but Renteria did it for Betemit …
By Glass Half Full
July 25, 2006 09:55 PM | Link to this
For all those with irrational suggestions and “bandwagoneering:” Hey, let’s trade Renteria for hitting into a double play. Nevermind that he’s hitting over .300 and was 2 for 4 on the night. Trade him for “prospects,” which always seem to be plentiful. While we’re at it, trade LaRoche for getting tossed. Bring up Salty and trade McCann. Oh, and Andruw…he struck out off the bench. Trade him, too. Does that cover it? Are the fair weather fans happy?
By e-lo
July 25, 2006 09:55 PM | Link to this
Vintage Cox. “Trusting his guys” instead of bunting Giles to second, which is the only smart play.
By krath
July 25, 2006 09:57 PM | Link to this
Lew and Bob, your feelings are understandable. Giles is a raw nerve. He’s the epitome of hustle. He gets fired up. He has been the lone torch of emotion in the past when many said the Braves were a team without emotion.
It’s as many here have said. It’s the economy of baseball today. To keep competing in the future under payroll constraints, tough choices have to be made. Some fans are going to be unhappy.
By Glass Half Full
July 25, 2006 09:57 PM | Link to this
Cubs win their 2nd straight over the Mets. How humiliating!
By TrueBlueBravesFan
July 25, 2006 09:58 PM | Link to this
How is it with the Marlins as the opponent with get the home plate umps that don’t have a clue as to what a strike is. First he tosses Laroche out for being right. Then he miscalls as strikes that were at least a foot off the plate during the 9th inning. Including the strikeout on Betemit to end the game.
By Lew
July 25, 2006 09:58 PM | Link to this
You know, on this whole injury thing. I can’t get upset at a player who gets hurt playing the game. Like Marcus. Like Chipper. Like Bob Horner when he was here. It is players like Ron Gant or Garrison Hearst who get hurt doing stupid stuff they know better than to do like wrecking their motorcycles or playing beach football. Even more I get ticked at players like Kevin Brown who get hurt punching walls and water coolers. But you can’t get ticked at a player who gets hurt doing his job. Especially people who get run over through no fault of their own or slide on terribly loose and wet turf in San Francisco. There is a difference.
By Todd A
July 25, 2006 10:00 PM | Link to this
Ray King?Pu-leeze!!!!
By journalist jimmy smith
July 25, 2006 10:01 PM | Link to this
bobby ball is a three run homerun. not knockin’ bobby, just reminding everyone that his teams do not manufacture.
By Lew
July 25, 2006 10:02 PM | Link to this
$%%##$$*&&%^)(!!!! Economics.
By krath
July 25, 2006 10:03 PM | Link to this
GHF, you forgot James. He gave up 2 solo shots. Shoulda pitched a shutout :)
By Glass Half Full
July 25, 2006 10:06 PM | Link to this
Thanks, Krath. Send James to single A and recall Peter Moylan. Oh, yeah…Chipper’s faking. Trade him for A-Rod and Pete Orr for Alfonso Soriano. Sosa for Papelbon.
By MEB
July 25, 2006 10:10 PM | Link to this
I say we lace them up again tomorrow night and get after them fish. Tough loss tonight but we gotta keep the faith and win this series. Lots of positives to take from this game so lets stop ranting about the negatives. But DANG, we hit into four stinking double plays!!!
By Lew
July 25, 2006 10:10 PM | Link to this
Glass-Where did you hear about Sosa for Paplebon? Did JS get some money, too, to cover Sosa’s salary that we no longer have to pay? Are they going to give us Manny, too, or do we have to throw in Reitsma?
By Bob, journalist
July 25, 2006 10:13 PM | Link to this
I think I would have bunted too … “tie at home” ain’t a bad adage … takes away the DP and gives you multiple chances … whatever works is always fine with me but since Bobby’s choice didn’t do so well, it was wrong and I can’t support anything that is wrong.
Lew, I think imbibe is the one you want though you’re probably safe either way. I believe that inbibe is sort of like osmosis … and my third eye is suggesting that to me that that may be exactly how the Big Blues drink beer, they absorb it!
By Glass Half Full
July 25, 2006 10:14 PM | Link to this
Lew,
I was just continuing an earlier post where I rattled off several irrational suggestions often seen here.
By Eric C.
July 25, 2006 10:15 PM | Link to this
The start of the 3-20 run began at home after a great road trip…let’s hope this home stand is a little different.
By Carolina Lady
July 25, 2006 10:16 PM | Link to this
Jimmy, the alcohol in the Listerine + the alcohol in the beer = alcohol poisoning = dead worms! By morning, they’ll be deader than a doornail! :-))
By Lew
July 25, 2006 10:17 PM | Link to this
Glass, I know. Don’t you think we could get Pujols, though, he was injured.
By journalist jimmy smith
July 25, 2006 10:18 PM | Link to this
we lost a good giraffe after a trim on the medial claws of his two front hoofs. how did these toe nails become gnarly? was aaron wearing toe plates at the zoo? journalist suspects not. now that we know toe plates are provided for in the official rules of major league baseball it would be good to know which players wear the toe plate. dob may wish to ask guy curtright to explore this one since dob did the most recent (and excellent) toe journalism in the ajc. of course, we could ask scribe but jimmy smith hates to bother scribe while moving. tell us more about the toe plate and mlb.
By Glass Half Full
July 25, 2006 10:18 PM | Link to this
Pujols and Carpenter for Moylan and “prospects.”
By Bob, journalist
July 25, 2006 10:21 PM | Link to this
We don’t get TS up here … was TrueBlueBravesFan being TrueBlue, True, or just Blue?
Sounded to me like “wee willie” might have produced 2 more runs, maybe three … at least enough to win.
By krath
July 25, 2006 10:21 PM | Link to this
Eric, you could have posted all night and not said that!! lol Makes me squirm a little.
By flbravesgirl
July 25, 2006 10:22 PM | Link to this
ARRRGGGHH! Stinkin’ double plays! What a waste of good pitching and defense.
OK, enough griping. How about Langerhans in CF tonight? WOW! Not only has he been studying Andruw but apparently Otis as well.
By krath
July 25, 2006 10:24 PM | Link to this
Actually one of the DP’s was a line shot to first that doubled the runner off. That’s not exactly a four hopper, tailor made variety DP.
By Glass Half Full
July 25, 2006 10:24 PM | Link to this
One final suggestion: trade the Mets to the American League for the D-Rays or Orioles and of course…some prospects. That ought to about fix things.
By Todd A
July 25, 2006 10:27 PM | Link to this
Maybe I’m wrong,but I bet Cox is the only manager in baseball that doesn’t bunt in that situation.
By krath
July 25, 2006 10:27 PM | Link to this
flbravesgirl…my last post wasn’t directed at you. Just answering a Q I thought was asked. Your post was already there when my post came up. Not minimizing your observation.
By Carolina Lady
July 25, 2006 10:27 PM | Link to this
Glass, your 10:24: LOL LOL
By Glass Half Full
July 25, 2006 10:29 PM | Link to this
I’m here all week, Carolina Lady…”Two Jews walk into a bar…”
By JV
July 25, 2006 10:31 PM | Link to this
We need Ray King - he’s just about the only one in MLB that amounts to enough ballast to hold one end of the bench down when Wickman is sitting on the other.
By JV
July 25, 2006 10:31 PM | Link to this
We need Ray King - he’s just about the only one in MLB that amounts to enough ballast to hold one end of the bench down when Wickman is sitting on the other.
By journalist jimmy smith
July 25, 2006 10:31 PM | Link to this
carolina lady, lew, bob … there is much confusion on tonight’s blog. first, blue worms chug beer (and they have a mouth full of teeth). second, if these worms are dying it is only because journalist turned on chip caray and played him at full blast in the hosta beds. still, they don’t look like they are dying, just suffering. now, jounalist knows that the toe is a weak spot on worms, giraffes, third basemen, and pedro. in a few hours jounalist will try stepping on worm toes. sounds like a song dob would buy, huh? goes something like, “i’m stepp-in’ on the toes of a wooorrrrmmmm …”
By flbravesgirl
July 25, 2006 10:32 PM | Link to this
krath, I know. Just had to vent a little.
Carolina Lady, I liked that one too. Sounds like a fabulous idea, GHF.
By Carolina Lady
July 25, 2006 10:33 PM | Link to this
Worms have toes???
By Stanford
July 25, 2006 10:34 PM | Link to this
Todd A. That’s my feeling too. I JUST DON’T GET IT. But, I don’t want to push it too hard, because I suspect Bobby knows baseball and his personnel better than I do.
All the same, just tough to figure why you wouldn’t want to go for a runner on 2nd with Betemit and McCann coming up. Maybe they have little faith in Edgar’s bunting, or maybe a lot of faith in his hitting.
If anyone has a real explanation, would love to hear it.
By flbravesgirl
July 25, 2006 10:36 PM | Link to this
JV, you’re forgetting Paronto. I saw him from a fairly short distance in St. Pete. Trust me, he’s a biiig boy.
By Glass Half Full
July 25, 2006 10:36 PM | Link to this
Well, gotta run all. My wife has discovered the online game “Zuma,” and is giving me the stink-eye until I relinquish the lap-top. Keep the trade scenarios coming.
By journalist jimmy smith
July 25, 2006 10:38 PM | Link to this
toes and a farhead.
By Carolina Lady
July 25, 2006 10:38 PM | Link to this
Hey, flbravesgirl! I once traveled through your grandmother’s hometown and thought it was a really charming place! I love old trees and homesteads.
By Carolina Lady
July 25, 2006 10:40 PM | Link to this
It’s that farhead that causes all the trouble!
By journalist jimmy smith
July 25, 2006 10:44 PM | Link to this
flbravesgirl, beer makes ‘em mean … but thanks for the suggestion. they are rowdy tonight - singing loud and disturbing the neighbors. jimmy smith will be going in shortly after baby seal goes to sleep (worries baby seal when jounalist confronts blue worms). journalist has considered clubbing the blue worms but cannot do this if baby seal is anywhere around. seal sensibilities, you know.
By flbravesgirl
July 25, 2006 10:46 PM | Link to this
Carolina Lady, you should have stopped at the old corner drugstore downtown. They still have a soda fountain in there where you can get a real cherry Coke.
Jimmy, we have some wild and crazy non-native species invading Florida but worms with toes haven’t shown up in my garden yet. Get ‘em before they spread please!
By journalist jimmy smith
July 25, 2006 10:51 PM | Link to this
jimmy smith is on a mission to eliminate the blue worms but they are resilient. much like bob, they take a lickin’ but keep on tickin’. and bob, who is this detractor today? have the elephants returned?
lew, any of your work posted on the internet? journalist likes art. jimmy smith has a hank aaron print in journalist’s collection that was released then withdrawn by general motors many years back.
By Carolina Lady
July 25, 2006 10:59 PM | Link to this
Jimmy, hope the hosta-laties with the blue worms are successfully concluded before you go on vacation! Just imagine how they’ll multiply and fortify in your absence! It will be a lost cause at that point….. Do you need the hartebeest to return??
By journalist jimmy smith
July 25, 2006 11:10 PM | Link to this
hartebeest? what is this hartebeest? jimmy smith is from cordele, georgia, watermelon capital, and knows of no hartebeest (please, carolina lady, journalist remains wary of the authortiies). should the blue worms continue to spread as carolina lady suggests, journalist will pour some chattahoochee river water on them. that may do the trick.
By Carolina Lady
July 25, 2006 11:18 PM | Link to this
I’m really slipping lately, aren’t I??? I’ll be so glad to get back to normal! Or what passes for normal! :-))
I had promised myself an early bedtime tonight - and here I am…..
I’d best sign off until tomorrow. ‘Night, all! :-)
By journalist jimmy smith
July 25, 2006 11:24 PM | Link to this
good night, carolina lady, good night, mary-ellen, good night, jim-bob, good night, elizabeth, good night, ben … good night, john-boy. journalist out.
By nathan
July 25, 2006 11:58 PM | Link to this
You know what bothers me about everybody’s thinking?
If I come on here and suggest trading Marcus Giles, somebody who is struggling, and a position of strength in our system, I get ripped a new one. To me that’s a very reasonable suggestion. No matter what my “personal” opinion on the player.
But that’s not the biggest issue I have. Oh NO! It’s the people who come on here and say crap like “Oh he’s having a bad year, now you want to trade him, when he turns it around you be right back on the bandwagon.”
NO I WONT!!!!!! Here is two reasons why.
1: The Braves payroll is not likely to go up, unless Mr. Blank jumps in to save the day. That is not going to happen. So let’s just speculate here. Say for instance, Giles TEARS it up in the second half. Somthing like…..15 more HR’s and 30-40 RBI (not likely in the leadoff spot, but you get the point), and he has an OBP of around .400.
Yippy, all is solved. NOPE! That would positively write his ticket out of town in the offseason. If you think he’s going to get a raise with arbitration with the sorry a$$ stats he’s had this year, imagine what it’s gonna do if he plays “lights out” the rest of the way. Everybody will be freaking out how we need to keep him. But at what cost? Or should I say instead of who? Because if his salary goes up as much as everybody says it’s going to. Not a chance in hell he’s in a Braves uniform next season. Or would you rather trade Andruw, Chipper, Smoltz or Renteria to make room for him? Yeah that’s what I’d thought you’d say!
2: If you people really think we can make a run at the wild card with this bullpen. Dream On. We need another arm. Not only for the pen, I think we need another arm in the rotation. We can’t count on Davies. Not sure what HoRam is going to give us on a nightly basis. James seems to be stable. Smoltz is awesome. But face it, Hudson looks HORRIBLE. That was the “nicest” adjective I could think of.
So in order to get arms for the pitching statff, somebody needs to be moved. Well, if Giles is as good as everybody says he is we should be able to trade for Beckett & Schilling even up for Giles. (see I can be a smart A$$ too!) He’s our most tradable commodity (which is very rare, to quote Chipper LOL!) Sure Betemit could be traded too, as far as I’m concerned he is probably a “hotter” commodity than Giles. But he is cheap, so we need to hang on to him. That’s Braves Economics 101. We are on a tight budget. Plain and simple. I’ve said it over and over and over and over. As long as Chipper, Andruw, Smoltz, Hudson, and Hampton are on this team. We will either have a low budget bullpen (which would be fine if we filled it with prospect with possibility, instead of cast off’s and has beens), but we didn’t have the money to (a) keep the closer we had at the end of last season, and (b) sign a new one in the off season. And that was with Chipper restructuring his contract! So why would we all of the sudden have the money this year, with Giles being arbitration eligible?
The other option is to spend money on the bullpen. Then go with young “inexpensive” players (Betemit, Thorman, Prado, Pena Jr., etc……) for the everyday positions. Not sure which is worse. A potent lineup that scores runs and a bullpen that can’t hold the lead or a keep a tie game tied. Or a team that can’t score runs cuz they had to “skimp” out on the lineup, but they would have a strong bullpen to keep those 1 run losses at just that……1 run losses. LOL
I still think the best bet is to draft, develop, draft, develop. Farm system is the way to go. The Braves spend more on their scouting and their developmental programs than most teams do. So continue feeding the pipeline the way they have.
I love the fact that other than Renteria, (or Diaz & Pratt when in there) our entire lineup is made up of “home grown” talent. Our system works people. Don’t forget that. Yeah, maybe Giles is your favorite player today. But how do you know that tomorrow your favorite player might not be Tony Pena Jr.?
It’s kind of like Charles Thomas. Everybody gasped when he was included in the Hudson trade. NO WAY, JS traded away fan favorite Charles Thomas! Hmmmmm, wouldn’t it be somthing if Charles Thomas was blocking the path of Jeff Francoeur making it to the Show? That’s all I’m trying to get at people. Have faith in the Braves System.
Now if you want to show a lack of faith in the bullpen……….
By Lew
July 26, 2006 12:10 AM | Link to this
Jimmy-My web site died along with my webmaster. I’m having some of my art digitally photographed, so I will be able to email it in the near future. When this happens, maybe as soon as this weekend, I’ll post and people can just give me addresses to send it to. Maybe I’ll photograph some of the Braves’ portraits. Any requests?
By David O'Brien
July 26, 2006 12:12 AM | Link to this
Nathan, my god, man, I think I’ll go make late-night snack so I can have the energy to read your epic post. Too late for me to wade through that after just walking in my door at home.
Where’s the Carlos Lee stuff coming from? Too much money, folks. And maybe you’ve noticed, Braves’ biggest concerns don’t involved offense (not trying to be a smarta@$ there, Or maybe I am, but just tired.
Harold Reynolds, apparently, said something that an 18-year-old intern found objectionable. Highly objectionable. That’s all I can say. I think some folks have posted links to the story elsewhere, so I’ll leave it to you guys to pursue that.
Chipper didn’t sound too good when I talked to him one-on-one after he took batting practice before game tonight. He’d hoped to play tomorrow, but if I had to bet after how he felt in B.P. today, I’d bet against it.
Chuck James _ seven homers in 24 innings over last four starts. Yikes. Otherwise, pitched pretty well tonight.
Marlins have a few total stud pitchers, amazing how fast they’ve rebuilt that staff with talented kids.
MAC, Kinston, huh? I saw my first car race at Kinston, an old dirt track my dad took me and my brother to in about 1970. And took my first airplane trip out of Kinston, on a Piedmont prop jet in 1974. Oh, those were the days. Bustling Kinston airport.
By nathan
July 26, 2006 12:16 AM | Link to this
Lew
I forgot to add this to the last post. (just when you thought I couldn’t type anymore!)
I couldn’t agree more with you about difference between on field and off field injuries (see Ron Gant). Totally unexcusable. But injuries are injuries. I suspect that the Cubs are about ready to give up on Wood and Prior.
A perfect example of “moving on” is the Red Sox. Nomar WAS the Red Sox. They got tired of waiting for him to be healthy. Didn’t he play hard? Didn’t he bust his butt to rehab the injuries? Didn’t he have the “it” factor to lead that team, both on the field and in the club house? ABSOLUTELY! He was way more the face of that organization, then Giles is here. Oh and BTW he hit about .350 non stop when he was in the lineup. But after a while they had to move on. Was that wrong? I’m sure people called in on all of the shows and wrote nasty letters to the Red Sox front office saying “how dare you shove Nomar out the door like that!”. But they seemed to recover as a TEAM without him very well, don’t you think. If the Red Sox can move on, so can we. And they didn’t even have prospects in the organization ready to take over they had to make a trade to replace him and then they spent BIG BUCKS on Renteria. Now nomar looks healthy like his old self. Good for him. But if I were a Red Sox fan, and the Sox would have kept him around on the “chance” he may be able to play a full season, I would’ve grown tired of waiting. No matter how good he was, or how much I liked him. Didn’t we have the same issues with Justice? How about the Reds and Griffey Jr.?
Anyhow, just thought I’d let you know that I understand where you are coming from about the “on field” injuries. Face it, some people, no matter how great the player, just get hurt more often. Even if some of the time the injuries are freak accidents. Eric Davis ring a bell? Didn’t he miss significant ammount of time with a messed up toe nail? Talk about “injury prone”. Unfortunately for Giles, it looks like he is one of those players. Has nothing to do with his talent man. It’s just time to move on.
By Tomahawkin
July 26, 2006 12:18 AM | Link to this
D.O.B, I think Homers given up by a pitcher are oveerated, If 75 percent of them are of the solo variety, I don’t think there is no reason to trip
Giving up homeruns only hurt you I you walk just as mant batters as you strikeout…Or if you give up more hits than innings pitched
As Don Sutton says late in games where we have a 3 run lead and the pitcher is nibbling, Solo homeruns don’t tie the game up, walking batters and giving homeruns up will…
By nathan
July 26, 2006 12:20 AM | Link to this
DOB…..it’s just me and you man! What’s on your mind? LOL
Sorry to “lock up” the blogs with these epics. I just made some comments earlier and nobody seems to see the light that Giles is the best “trade bait” we’ve got.
I’m just a bandwagon jumper, I guess.
BTW…..what are you makin for a snack? I’m kinda hungry and my finger tips hurt for some reason!
By Lew
July 26, 2006 12:21 AM | Link to this
Nathan-Calm down dude, we agree Giles should be traded. I’ve said it all along. We were upset that you were yelling for the wrong reasons. He should be traded because he has value and his about to be larger salary won’t fit into the budget. These are valid reasons for trading him. We were upset that you were dissing him because he was injured and was a trash player. A lot of us come from a time (oh, so long ago. Can we get a Stephen Foster song here) when players stayed with a team for most if not all of their careers. Even when a player had a bad year (and yes, Giles has had an off year, no doubt) you knew that if you just waited a while he would turn it around. We all realize that these days, like the days of Bob Gibson completeing 25 games in a season, is long gone. However, we get upset when an old school player like Giles is un appreciated for his efforts and is seemingly trivialized. Now, as far as the new anal cavity goes, what you gonna do with two, dude? Don’t worry, man, we wouldn’t trade you even if they did give us Sosa’s twin brother.
By Tomahawkin
July 26, 2006 12:21 AM | Link to this
Forgot to mention that I knew we would hit a power outage once we got back to the Pitchers paradise known as Turner field
“I Said it earlier, and yesterday 4 dat matter, Its hard to hit 4 homeruns per game when you play in a pitchers ballpark
We need to play A-B-C Baseball, and manufacture some runs, Shyt!”
By nathan
July 26, 2006 12:37 AM | Link to this
Lew. I didn’t think that at any point I “trashed” Giles as a player. I like the way he plays. But like Griffey with all of those injuries from crashing into walls. Sometimes it’s those all out, balls to the walls players that get hurt more often. It’s AMAZING that Andruw is hurt more often than he is.
I guess my frustration with Giles might not neccessarily be with him. It’s with the fact that for whatever reason (injury, personal reason’s, declining talent etc…) he’s not hitting like the old Giles. Yet Bobby keeps on putting him out there in the leadoff spot. Even after a couple of pretty good weeks out of Betemit in the leadoff spot. Hey, they were both gonna be in the lineup tonight. Why not put Giles down in the order just to see if it works?
So maybe I should be more frurstrated with Bobby’s thinking than Giles nicks and bruises. Like I said earlier tonight. I like him. If we had 8 of him in the lineup, this team would play with the passion that I desire to watch. But on the flip side, if we had 8 clones of Giles, they would have to make a lot more space on the DL. Nobody wants to hear me say this, but Darin Erstad plays the same way. And he is alway hurt too. Sorry to bring his name up! LOL
Anyhow, it’s all good dude. It wasn’t you. It was somebody else that said the whole “bandwagon” stuff. I’m not a bandwagon fan. I b*tch a lot. But I wouldn’t get off this train for nothin! Consider me like the guy who complains about getting motion sickness from riding the big rollercoaster. But as soon as I get off the ride, I run right back in line to go on another ride! Glutton for punishment I guess!
goodnight all
By nathan
July 26, 2006 12:39 AM | Link to this
It’s AMAZING that Andruw is hurt more often than he is.
Obviously, I meant to type that it’s amazing that he isn’t hurts more often than he is.
sorry.
By flbravesgirl
July 26, 2006 01:08 AM | Link to this
Wow, Nathan. It’s a good thing we don’t have to pay by the word to post here. :-)
I think we all realize that there’s a very good chance Marcus will be traded. I hate it but I understand the circumstances. He’s been a favorite of mine since I got to see him in spring training before he made the team. Had to root for the little guy that was shorter than me (he’s absolutely not 5’8”, I’m 5’6”). It’ll be a sad day for me when he’s no longer a Brave.
By Head Coach
July 26, 2006 02:46 AM | Link to this
Another one run loss . About that leadoff hitter issue , Giles will tell you he isn’t a leadoff hitter and so will Cox. It’s just that Giles is the best option we have and a one run loss just magnifies the fact that we can’t manufacture runs when we need them. We cannot keep losing games like this.
By Chop Chop
July 26, 2006 03:08 AM | Link to this
I firmly believe Cox thought this tonight:
“Hey. Renty couldn’t get a bunt down the other night, but he drove Gilly in with a double, so why not just let him swing away?”
The problem with that is that the Braves were tied in that game against the Phils in Philly. Tonight, they were down by a run at the Ted. You can’t afford to fail to move a runner into scoring position when you have nobody out and you’re at home. If Renteria had failed to get a bunt down, that’s the way it goes. If he successfully lays it down, you’ve got a runner in scoring position with one out. Betemit ostensibly would have seen better pitches because the Marlins would not have wanted to put the winning run on base. You can go on and on about the benefits of bunting in that situation.
By Bob, journalist
July 26, 2006 04:23 AM | Link to this
Jimmy, it seems that you, Grinch and perhaps others have suggested that yet another of my detractors has been spotted in the neighboorhood.
The stomach virus and a large, ruptured cyst on my back have kept me preoccupied for the last several days … so I may have missed something, but I haven’t noticed anyone defaming me or spewing bile in my direction.
I do remember seeing a recent post strongly denouncing me, though I didn’t consider it to be boorish. It’s redundant for sure, but I have less of a quarrel with those who openly find my attitudes and behaviour disturbing and unacceptable than I do with the apathetic ones who strongly agree with me … but do and say nothing when their values are being threatened or violated.
On previous Blogs, I’ve taken occassional license and had some fun with Polonius’ advice to Laertes on borrowing and lending money … but, in that same discourse you’ll find “to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man” … with such words of wisdom, one should not trifle.
The Bard had a way with words and said many neat things … but to me, those are his most powerful! If folks would but heed those words and take them to heart … I think our biggest worries would be with how to cope with blue worms and black crows, which players to trade, and where to find good seafood and BBQ.
I’d like to see some of Lew’s work too! I don’t know much about art but never cared much for the pictures i saw of the Mona Lisa … but once I got to see the original up close and personal … awesome!! It totally blew me away!
I have artist’s proofs of the late Ben Hampton’s last few pieces … the man was right handed but following a stroke that affected his right side, he did at least one very fine piece lefthanded … his body of work includes many pieces depicting scenes in and around the Chattanooga area.
By ncscoots
July 26, 2006 06:43 AM | Link to this
the smell of Kona throughout the house, and thoughts on the overnights…nathan may be the most misunderstood and misquoted poster on the blog. I, too, think Giles is the most tradeable commodity on the team, I just don’t like seeing him bashed by superficial observers with no logic behind the hammer. nathan doesn’t do that…bunt or not to bunt? I would have, but sometimes you go with your gut, and swing away. Nobody would be moaning if ER hits safely…there’s “hurt” and then there’s “injured”. Injured players sit, hurt players play through it. Nobody on any roster is ever truly 100% right physically, you just have to adjust and lace ‘em up…Langerhans’ defense last night? If he could hit .260, I’d probably play him every day…
By JasonInMaine
July 26, 2006 08:37 AM | Link to this
Hey, despite the fact that some of you don’t appreciate “my kind” around here, I figured I would still post (:
It appears the Yankees may be interested in Betemit?
Place Your Betemit
Regards,
Jason
By 2 homo boys
July 26, 2006 08:50 AM | Link to this
My boyfriend and I saw an article last week that said the Colorado Rockies were interested in trading Ray(Burger) King and was interested in Jorge Sosa,John S needs to jump on this deal right now,get rid of Sosa now before it is too late,the only problem is that John s likes to fart around and wait til the last minute to do something,look how long it took him to land Wickman.An old proverb says he who hesitates is lost and that is exactly what is gonna happen,John s will fart around and someone else will grab Burger King and then no one will want Sosa,We agree that burger King is not the best in the world but he is a better experiment than Sosa,also evidently John S and Bobby C has gotten the idea that they need to get rid of John Thomson,they don’t seem to realize that they need to get rid of Thomson,we agree that no one wants him so release him and do it now,get a different starter like Livan Hernandez or Tony Armas Jr or Paul Byrd,any of these guys are better upgrades than Thomson.Quit hesitating John S.do it now.
By 2 homo boys
July 26, 2006 08:55 AM | Link to this
we made a mistake in our previous post meant to say that John S and Booby c seems to want to keep Thomson instead of getting rid of him.
By 2 homo boys
July 26, 2006 09:06 AM | Link to this
Hey are there any more homos out here on this blog that would like to chat with my boyfriend and me.
By 2 homo boys
July 26, 2006 09:12 AM | Link to this
When we say chat we mean chat about the Braves,we love the Braves and want to see how other homos feel about the Braves,we are goona go to every home game we can to show the Braves that the homo community is standing with them and rooting for them to go all the way to the world series.Homos for the braves winning the world serirs.lets hear it for the homo support.go Braves the Homos love you,you are a great team and to hell with the Muts.
By supergrass
July 26, 2006 09:14 AM | Link to this
whos your daddy homo boys?
By Lew
July 26, 2006 09:14 AM | Link to this
Jason-What kind is that? We have nothing against people from Maine.
By 2 homo boys
July 26, 2006 09:21 AM | Link to this
In response to the article in the NY Post about the Yankees being interested in betemit,go for it John S trade Wilson for this proctor kid,he has been lights out,he could help us,the homo community says yes to this proposed trade,do it JS before it is too late,stop farting around.also we want to say the homos support Frank Wren to be the new GM and get rid of JS and BC,thwir time has come,replace BC with TP. FW and TP should be running the Braves.lets hear it for the homos,hooray,us homos love baseball and the Braves.
By JasonInMaine
July 26, 2006 09:25 AM | Link to this
Lew,
I was jokingly referring to a post made by Scoots yesterday that said my kind was appreciated around here. But, I can’t leave…I have to be around fellow Braves fanatics and they are somewhat hard to find around here!
Regards,
Jason
By 2 homo boys
July 26, 2006 09:30 AM | Link to this
my boyfriend and I will be at the Braves and Muts game this Sat,we made our sign,look for us,mine sign reads like this, This homo love the Braves,my boyfriend’s sign reads like this,this homo hates the Muts.Go Braves.Braves 2006 World Series champs.
By journalist jimmy smith
July 26, 2006 09:52 AM | Link to this
polonius and laertes - american league, right? journalist is eager to see lew’s work. missed lew at spring training this year. now, carolina lady is working too hard. she must be slowed down somehow. baby seal is enroute to her home now to assist as needed. carolina lady, baby seal likes fish. last night, when journalist jimmy smith ventured into the hosta bed to retrieve his braves cap (will not wear cap there again) journalist may have injured an oblique - not sure what an oblique is but pretty sure that is what was injured. still, journalist has reported to work today and is ready to go. this is not intended as criticism of anyone else who may have a strained oblique and is unable to leave the dugout on a night the team can score only one run. and to nathan, whose late-night post has been deemed “epic” by dob, “life is as tedious as twice-told tale, vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man.” polonius? laertes? luis polonia, right? not sure about laertes …
By tigger101023
July 26, 2006 10:03 AM | Link to this
I can see why people wanted Renteria to bunt, but he failed at it the day before and hit a RBI double instead (I think)
Nothing annoys me more than taking the bat out of your best hitters’ hands and asking them to bunt - and Renteria has been one of our best hitters this year. Yesh, it stinks that he hit into a DP this time, but I hope he gets the chance to hit again. He didn’t need to hit a freikin homer, people. Just any kind of hit at all, just to keep the inning alive.
Often times, small ball doesn’t work, and then we’d be whining about why Bobby made such a good hitter bunt. He’s toast either way.
By dadgum
July 26, 2006 10:12 AM | Link to this
Been off the blog for a bit, something about work and all, hope I am not redundant here but don’t have time to read what I missed but maybe I can add something. I feel the Braves will move Giles given what Betemit has shown this year. Not so much for his offense but for his work at 3rd given Chipper’s health and perhaps future health. Giles is just expendable pure and simple. I like him but he is the easiest to replace. Now that we have Big Wick to close and some in the pen moving to more accustomed roles in middle relief it seems to me that our most glaring need is to get a proven starter.
I would normally say true leadoff guy but not sure we could get what we need in that department for Giles et al. We’ll see soon.
DOB- yes I have eaten at Arthur B’s in KC but help me here—there is another BBQ joint basically on the stateline that is pretty famous but can’t come up with the name, anyway liked that the best when I went to KC.
Oh yeah—-if you ever just happen to be trudging along I64 east of Richmond take the Lightfoot exit which is almost in Williamsburg and pull up a seat at Pierce’s Pit BBQ—-they don’t just put that in Southern Living’s Top Ten for no reason. People drive the 50 miles from Richmond just to eat there at least I do. Worth it just trust me here…….
Just trying to help department…..if traveling through Emporia, VA on I 95 near the NC line the speed limit is 55 ( I know hard to do on 95) if you go over 60 you stand a great chance of receiving an autographed piece of paper indicating your exact speed. You see Emporia doesn’t believe in deficit spending and don’t care for the excuses given by girls in red Jeep Grand Cherokees returning from college. You see I …never mind.
THE OLDER I GET THE BETTER I USED TO BE.
By Mullet
July 26, 2006 10:23 AM | Link to this
Looks like they had UGA night at the Ted last night with all the mullets and cut-off jean shorts.
By Patrick
July 26, 2006 10:29 AM | Link to this
you beat me to it Jason. I saw that article too about Betemit to the Yanks. On ESPNradio this morning Jason Stark said that he fully expects the Brave to trade Betemit by the end of the week. I just don’t agree with that and I believe he’s worth much more than just a relief pitcher. He’s proven himself so valuable over the past road trip and really the last two seasons. I don’t think they can trade him.
DOB what do you think, have you heard anything???
By paluka
July 26, 2006 11:00 AM | Link to this
What are the Yankees going to do with Betemit? Unless they have another deal in place invlving Robinson Cano or ARod. If they were going to trade Cano I would think they would be more interested in Giles. Giles for Proctor would be great for Atlanta. Also, if Betemit is not traded I hope Bobby realizes that he is a better leadoff hitter the Giles and puts him back there even if Chipper is out of the lineup.
By ryan bauer
July 26, 2006 11:02 AM | Link to this
DADGUM, the BBQ place on Stateline in KC is Gates and its AMAZING, sorry for all the caps, but that place is top tier. trade for proctor
By paluka
July 26, 2006 11:12 AM | Link to this
Any chance of getting Bobby Howry from the Cubs? Would they be interested in Giles?
By brewerfaninATL
July 26, 2006 11:18 AM | Link to this
Hey guys,
I notice all the Carlos Lee threads on here and what it would take to get him. If you want him, Doug Melvin says he wants Major League ready players in return. Someone else also posted that for a power hitter like him he strikes out so little, so he is extremely valuable. I would say Chuck James or a healthy Kyle Davies and Betemit. But in case anyone’s been sleepwalking, which I know you Braves fans aren’t, we are essentially tied in the WC race with you so Carlos may not be available. We’ll have to see!
By Kevin C
July 26, 2006 11:20 AM | Link to this
DOB or anybody else
Seems the Braves are interested in Scott Procter from the Yanks for WB—thoughts??
By Kevin C
July 26, 2006 11:32 AM | Link to this
Sorry for the redundant post—seems the Yanks like WB as a utility player this year and TRADE Cano in the offseason for other needs—Procter has a live arm, hitting 100 at times, if we trtdae him, then Chipper has to be healthy, Orr is not the answer
By journalist jimmy smith
July 26, 2006 11:47 AM | Link to this
“I’m a cramper. I’ve always been a cramper.” - Tim Hudson
the crampers are from north carolina, right?
By journalist jimmy smith
July 26, 2006 11:50 AM | Link to this
cramps, strains, pulls, soreness, numbness,
By geauxbraves2000
July 26, 2006 11:52 AM | Link to this
Proctor, 3-2, 3.94, 0-5 in save opps, 54H, 28R all earned in 64 innings, 9HR allowed, 23BB, 60K.
To me, (except for the Ks) not that impressive. Especially not for Wilson.
By journalist jimmy smith
July 26, 2006 11:58 AM | Link to this
cramps, strains, pulls, soreness, numbness,
fingers, toes, heels, arms, shoulders, groins, farheads,
backs, obliques, ankles,
headache, flu, inattention, gas,
inability to bunt, move the runner over, hit the cutoff man, throw to the right base,
not able to play situational baseball … no pither can run to first without a hamstring pull …
these are reasons for a different spring training in 2007. go braves!
By Kevin C
July 26, 2006 12:09 PM | Link to this
geauxbraves2000
True but he also has pitched better since the break, much more than Linebrink, and let’s face it, pitching in the AL is a lot more difficult—good post with the numbers—maybe we should expand it to include Giles and Cano now
By David O'Brien
July 26, 2006 12:12 PM | Link to this
While I could possibly see trading Betemit for a veteran reliever like Proctor or Linebrink if Chipper was healthy and Giles was having a typical Giles year, I don’t see much logic in trading him right now with Chipper hurt again.
Who’s going to play third base if and when Chipper is out of lineup? Unless John also has a trade in place to get another third basemen, I don’t see it. Yunel Escobar hasn’t even worn a major league uniform, so don’t say he’s going to take over at 3B if Chipper’s hurt.
I think this might have been a trade being discussed a while back, before Chipper’s injury and before Betemit’s outstanding road trip. But I’m going to make a call or two and see if I can find out for sure. Just doesn’t make much sense, to me.
By geauxbraves2000
July 26, 2006 12:23 PM | Link to this
I really don’t see the use the Yankees would have for Betemit. Unless of course the ARod thing is not a rumor. Hmm.
There may be one reliever I would trade Betemit for, but the Angels aren’t letting him go. Other than that, no way, “B” as I like to call Betemit, there’s no way I would trade “B” for any reliever, he’s just too valuable to this team right now.
By Mets Stink
July 26, 2006 12:27 PM | Link to this
Chipper has missed 20% of the games so far this year. If he continues to miss at that rate for the rest of the year, that will be 2 more weeks. I wouldn’t trade Betemit.
By Kevin C
July 26, 2006 12:32 PM | Link to this
From the news papers in NY, the idea would be to use WB at 2nd—next year and trade Cano in the offseason and this year use him in the utility role. ARod is going nowhere—Boras would have so many lawsuits plus he has a no trade clause—endorsements galore. The problem is that WB is so hot and Chipper is hurt—WB for anyone would have to be 2 for one deal at least. How about Cano/Procter for Giles/Pena—they need a young catcher for Posada?
By Glass Half Full
July 26, 2006 12:38 PM | Link to this
If the Yankees need a 2nd baseman, we’ve got one struggling in the leadoff position.
By Lew
July 26, 2006 12:55 PM | Link to this
Brewer Fan-Why in the world would the Braves give up a good young pitcher like James or Davies for a bat we don’t need that we won’t re-sign in two months anyway? People have indeed been talking about this possibility, but the level of mis-information is staggering. Let the Brewers deal with him for next year, we’ve had enough rent a players.
By Steve
July 26, 2006 01:17 PM | Link to this
The blog is too long for me to take to read, but one comment is if Betemit is not going to be traded because he is too “valuable,” you’d better use him. No good to be sitting on a bench. Goes for Giles as well. Use regularly or trade.
By Lew
July 26, 2006 01:28 PM | Link to this
They are both being used. Exactly what is the purpose of having a bench-to fill in as you have need. That’s what has happened all year. Even if Giles were to be traded and he’s the logical trade bait at this time, they will still have to call someone up for the bench.
By brewerfaninATL
July 26, 2006 01:31 PM | Link to this
Lew,
I’m not the one that came up with the Carlos Lee to Atlanta blog. I just noticed other bloggers bringing it up and all I’m saying is that IF we were to give him up, we would surely get plenty in return, and I mean major league ready players, so you can forget Salty or some other A-ball prospects.
By MGL
July 26, 2006 01:37 PM | Link to this
Last five games Wilson Betemit OBP .142, strikeout percent 38. And some of you want him leading off.
By Glass Half Full
July 26, 2006 01:40 PM | Link to this
Regardless of recent stats, Wilson inspires confidence that he’ll get on base. This season, many of us mutter when Giles strolls to the plate fully expecting a strikeout. I know Giles has been great in the past, but he picked the worst time to stink it up.
By Glass Half Full
July 26, 2006 01:43 PM | Link to this
And if Giles isn’t going to be around next year, why not trade him even for another player (preferably a reliever) who won’t be around either? At this point, Giles is a rent-a-player, too.
By Glass Half Full
July 26, 2006 01:47 PM | Link to this
I think planning for next season starts now. We need to take a closer look at Prado at the big league level to see if he’s the answer at 2nd base in 2007. Or should it be Wilson at 2nd next year? If neither works out, then we’ll know during the winter we need a 2nd baseman, not during Spring Training.
By Lew
July 26, 2006 01:57 PM | Link to this
Glass-I really don’t think trading Giles for a rent a player is a good idea. We need to try to get as many prospects for his as we can. He should bring at least 2. If all we are going to get is a fill in, we might as well wait until the off season to trade him. He is not a free agent this year, just due a raise in arbitration. Who knows, he may even sign a more reasonable contract than he would get in arbitration and I doubt he is washed up, despite what many think (Nathan, I know you’re not one of them). Anyway, we need to get the most value we can for any trade we make. After seeing the Renteria and Wickman deals, JS will get something decent for him for sure. We need to stock up on young pitching where we can. I worry more about the Marlins the next few years than I do the Mets. Look at that kid last night.
By Glass Half Full
July 26, 2006 02:01 PM | Link to this
The Marlins are certainly on the rise over the next several seasons. The Mets, however, aren’t getting any younger.
By Glass Half Full
July 26, 2006 02:03 PM | Link to this
Moving down in the lineup helped LaRoche. If he stays, why not try it with Giles?
By MGL
July 26, 2006 02:06 PM | Link to this
Glass Half Full - I’m not down on Wilson, I think that he is an excellent fill-in guy. However, he does not inspire confidence in me at the plate due to his team leading strikeout percentages, last five days, Jult MTD and YTD. His OBP is not statistically significant from Marcus, and I feel that his fielding at 2nd is not even close to the value that Marcus brings. I like him at 3rd, but Chipper is not moving.
That said, I agree with your comment on Prado, perhaps they will bring him up in Sept. Also, if they are going to trade Marcus in the off-season due to $$, they could do it now, but we need a backup plan other than Orr. If Chipper or Edgar is down, we have no major league experienced backup plan so if Wilson was at second, he would have to move over.
By Lew
July 26, 2006 02:10 PM | Link to this
Glass-I like your idea of giving Prado a chance. I know it won’t be popular with the Betemit backers (and I can see their point, too), but I would like to keep Wilson in the same role he fills now. Several points. He has not proven that he can play full time. Not his fault and he has performed better than could have been asked for, but he hasn’t played for more than a couple weeks at a stretch. He has been, so far, a super sub, but that’s all. When playing second he looks completely out of place. He has literally tripped over his own feet several times. This is not so when he plays third, which he has done quite well. I think that it has become apparent that Chipper, although still extremely productive with his bat, is not an everyday player anymore. The injuries have too recurrent over a long enough period of time that we can pretty well agree on this. I think Wilson is best suited as a fill in where needed and as a pinch hitter. He has excelled in this role. I would like to see if Prado is as good as he looked when we got a glimpse earlier in the year. He has also been hitting quite well at AAA. What do you think?
By journalist jimmy smith
July 26, 2006 02:13 PM | Link to this
no one else can bat leadoff? then no one else can play second base. seems simple to jimmy smith. why is this team without a leadoff hitter in the last week of july? why did we have no closer until last week?
if your primary backup at second base is not talented enough to be the second baseman at all times the starter is out - why is he on the team?
js could make a couple moves within the organization and strengthen this team. seems like he would have done so by now unless he intends to make a trade between now and monday.
By Glass Half Full
July 26, 2006 02:14 PM | Link to this
Haven’t checked Prado’s AAA stats. I’ll have to do that. I also agree on Wilson. I don’t think he’s an everyday guy, but he’s great off the bench and as a fill in at 3 infield positions. Will he be a career utility guy? Perhaps. He wouldn’t be the 1st big leaguer to do that.
By Glass Half Full
July 26, 2006 02:16 PM | Link to this
I’m impressed, Journalist. An entire post without a reference to toes.
By Lew
July 26, 2006 02:21 PM | Link to this
Prado is batting .296 with an OBP of about .325. His power stats are non existent. He sure looked good in the field, though. His average at Richmond is about what Wilson’s is now. Not a great comparison, but….I think that there are definitely deals in the immediate future, Jimmy. I’m certain JS is not sitting idle and signing books as has been speculated.
By journalist jimmy smith
July 26, 2006 02:22 PM | Link to this
ghf, thank you for covering toes in your post.
By Lew
July 26, 2006 02:24 PM | Link to this
It’s just been reported that the Phillies trade catcher Sal Fasano to the Yankees for a minor league 2nd baseman. Has the firesale begun?To everyone upset that the Braves couldn’t score last night. The Marlins pitcher threw a great game. It happens. They’ve got some impressive kids on that team.
By Glass Half Full
July 26, 2006 02:27 PM | Link to this
Fasano (aka Ron Jeremy) was designated by the Phillies earlier this week. Firesale could be forthcoming, but this isn’t the start.
By Glass Half Full
July 26, 2006 02:36 PM | Link to this
Back to the Marlins: I don’t think any analyst would pick them to win the division anytime soon, but they’ll be in wild card contention in 07 and 08. And as we all know, the wild card has been pretty good to them in the past.
By TennesseePaul
July 26, 2006 02:54 PM | Link to this
GHF: I wouldn’t say it’s 100% that the Marlins couldn’t win the division in the next year or two. They have a lot of talent down there. A lot of talent that is out performing every analyst so far this season. I remember reading predictions of that team in the 100+ loss area. I don’t think that will happen to them this year. They’re a half game behind the Braves right now. So technically, they have just as much of a chance to make a run at the post season this year as the Braves do. And as to the division title, that will be up in the air. If the Mets pull of some trades for pitchers this year or in the offseason, then they’ll be the team to beat again next year. But if not, with a weak NL, and an aging Mets team, it’s pretty open.
We’ll see though. I think the Braves will make a much better charge next year than this year. I’m looking for a series win. We must win tonight. Of course if we field our bench again tonight, it will be a tough one. Hopefully not another 1 run loss. We must start winning those games.
By ncscoots
July 26, 2006 03:05 PM | Link to this
I hate to think of tonight being a swing game for a series win. Johnson has beaten the Braves already this year (twice? don’t remember), and stifled the lumber doing it. Not looking forward to the game, frankly, except to see stud pitching on both sides.
By Glass Half Full
July 26, 2006 03:12 PM | Link to this
Foxsports is reporting that it was indeed sexual harrassment in the HR dismissal. There’s even a quote from him in the story about hugging a female co-worker who took it the wrong way.
By Glass Half Full
July 26, 2006 03:14 PM | Link to this
A simple misunderstanding? As long as HR wasn’t sporting an erection at the time.
By The Grinch
July 26, 2006 04:06 PM | Link to this
Morning, All! Journalist Jimmy, did you check out the link I posted for you yesterday? Had a ladyfriend drive up from Swainsboro yesterday to visit so I missed last night’s game; heard we lost a squeaker. Man, if we could just have half those one-run losses back…