AJC > Sports > Braves > Blog > Archives > 2006 > October > 26 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USRain, ratings make for gloomy Series
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Record-low temperatures, record-low TV ratings, two teams hitting below the Mendoza Line … Welcome to the World Series from Hell.
Skip the pie and pass the smokes.
At least if you’re Tigers manager Jim Leyland, who said he burned through a carton of cigarettes during the nearly 2-hour rain delay before Wednesday night’s game was finally banged.
Now, we’re going to assume that Jim was exaggerating (slightly), since he’d have to smoke a fistful at a time to get through a carton in two hours.
But we can say from first-hand observation, he’s the first and only man I’ve seen do the two-fisted version of smoking. This was in 1997-98 when Jim managed the Marlins and I was covering the team for the Sun-Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale. More than once, I remember sitting in his office while he worked on a cigarette and cigar at the same time. Impressive. Frightening.
OK, I’ll take a moment for everyone to take a deep breath, let that thought rattle around a moment … now let’s move on.
In the news: Cleveland, so far, is the one team that’s known to have strong interest in trading for Marcus Giles. It’s not known what they’d be willing to give up for him, but look for this thing to start humming soon after the World Series, though it’s not likely to happen until we get closer to the Winter Meetings in December. Most trades won’t happen before then….
Yes, the Braves are among teams interested in Japanese lefty Kei Igawa, 27, an ace for the past five seasons with the Hanshin Tigers. But the price tag for Japanese players can get prohibitive in a hurry because of the bidding fee that major league teams pay just to win negotiating rights.
If the Yankees, Mariners or another team that’s had success with Japanese players decided to get into a bidding war, the costs can reach into the million of dollars just to have the rights to then negotiate a multi-year, multi-millions contract with the player. Unless it’s a sure-thing proposition, only the biggest spenders can afford to make a mistake on such a player….
Might the Braves be better off signing a familiar lefty for a short-term deal? I don’t know, maybe, say, the 40-year-old Mets lefty, Tom Glavine?
OK, I’ll leave it at this: Given than Glavine will get a $3 million buyout if he turns down the Mets’ offer to pick up or renegotiate his option, the Braves might possibly be able to sign him to a one-year deal for, say, $7-8 mill. Because if you combine that $7-8 mill with the $3 mill buyout, he’d in effect be getting $10-11 million for one season to live at home and get his 300th win in a Braves uniform _ provided he stays healthy and wins 10 games in 2007. If he turns that down, we’d probably deduce that pitching at home isn’t THAT important to him….
Here’s a shocking development. Gary Sheffield is upset to learn the Yankees plan to exercise the $13 million option on his contract for 2008.
“This will not work, this will not work at all,” Sheffield told the New York Post. “I don’t want to play first base a year for them. I will not do that.”
Sheff was out from May 29 to Sept. 22 with a balky wrist that required surgery, and for the season he hit .298 with six homers and 25 RBIs in just 39 games. He played first base for the first time in his major league career after he returned in September, because the Yankees have stockpiled so many millionaire outfielders they don’t know what to do with them.
“I don’t know what they’re [Yankees] going to do,” Sheffield said, speaking not about the other millionaire outfielders but about himself, his favorite topic of discussion most of the time. “Maybe they picked it up just to trade me. If they do that, if I just [go] to a team for one year, there’s going to be a problem.”
Nice. Every time I defend Sheff or say what a good dude he’s been with most reporters and teammates through the years, he reminds everyone why he has such a me-first reputation. Because every 2-3 years, he sullies his rep by saying something that reminds everyone what is first and foremost on his mind — ego and money, in a dead heat.
When he was with the Dodgers, he complained about not making as much as teammates Darren Dreifort and Shawn Green. When he was a Brave, he talked about how much he loved playing for Bobby Cox and everything, then jumped when Boss George made him an offer.
When I covered him with the Marlins, he told a few of us only two hours before a game that then-Florida GM Dave Dombrowksi was a liar and that it was the hardest thing in the world for Sheff to do to go out on the field and play hard for the guy.
Early on in the 1998 season with the stripped-down Marlins, after several of his ’97 championship teammates had been traded away to strip payroll, Sheff said playing with the rookie-laden Marlins was like playing for the Bad News Bears. That didn’t exactly sit well with a couple of Marlins just starting out their major league careers, like Kevin Millar.
Anyway … it’s maddening watching the good Sheff/bad Sheff thing. Can be the best teammate in the world at times, and other times one of the worst. Or at least one of the most distracting and bitter.
He’s angry now mostly because the Yankees picking up his option won’t allow him to test the free agent market and sign a more lucrative three-year deal at a time when salaries are likely to rise. This from a guy who’s been saying since 1998 that he might retire the next year.
Like I said, I loved covering the guy and he was a pleasure to deal with — most of the time….
Speaking of Sheffield, I was looking at Jim Edmonds’ career postseason numbers and decided to compare them with a couple of present Braves and a former one — Sheffield.
Edmonds has played in 59 postseason games (212 at-bats) and hit .288 with 28 extra-base hits (13 homers), 41 RBIs, a .380 OBP and .542 slugging percentage (.922 OPS).
Chipper Jones has played 92 postseason games (333 at-bats) and hit .288 with 31 extra-base hits (13 homers), 47 RBIs, a .411 OBP and .459 slugging (.870 OPS).
Andruw Jones has played 75 postseason games (238 at-bats) and hit .273 with 18 extra-base hits (10 homers), 33 RBIs, a .365 OBP and .433 slugging (.798 OPS).
Sheffield has played 44 postseason games (161 at-bats) and hit .248 with 12 extra-base hits (six homers), 19 RBIs, a .401 OBP and .398 slugging (.799 OPS).
Conclusion: Edmonds has clearly been the best postseason performer of the bunch, and Sheffield the worst. Anyone have a disagreement with that?…
Two notable anniversaries on this date (Oct. 26) in World Series history:
1996 After two one-sided losses at home, the Yankees storm back to win the next four games and, on this date, take their first World Series since 1978 with a 3-2 victory over the defending champion Braves in Game 6. Ouch.
1997: Florida’s Edgar Renteria hits a two-out single in the bottom of the 11th inning of Game 7 to drive in Craig Counsell for a 3-2 win against Cleveland that gave the five-year old Marlins the World Series championship sooner than any other expansion team.
Comments
By Stinky
October 26, 2006 04:29 PM | Link to this
You really didn’t have to bring up this date in 1996.
By Head Coach
October 26, 2006 04:29 PM | Link to this
The world series from hell , David thats freaking funny. Honestly , I will be shocked if Glavine takes the buyout. The Yankees problems are obvious , to many chiefs and not enough indians on that team. Giles to Cleveland ? maybe we can get Andy Marte back , I’m just kidding.
By geauxbraves2000
October 26, 2006 04:48 PM | Link to this
I’m not at all giddy about the prospect of trading Giles. He’s a great defensive 2nd baseman with some pop, and relatively cheap in today’s standards. Plus he brings an energy to this team that others do not, ie, Chipper. (Chipper a great player and all that, but he seems to be so apathetic at times.) I think the Braves need Giles on that team.
Geaux Braves!!
By Kentavo
October 26, 2006 04:56 PM | Link to this
Glavine is not coming back. Nobody does that kind of sentimental thing anymore when you can grab more $$ elsewhere.
By tyyosh
October 26, 2006 05:08 PM | Link to this
Prediction: Glavine will be back.
About that ‘96 series. Everyone remembers the Game 4 slider to Leyritz, but no one ever mentions the outfield umpire falling asleep in the 6th inning, blocking Jermaine Dye’s path to an easy foul fly ball that then dropped. That hitter (Cecil Fielder?) got a hit, and the Yankees went on to score 3 runs, paving the way for the 8th inning blow.
By Head Coach
October 26, 2006 05:11 PM | Link to this
DOB , would you do me a favor ? A certain blogger seem to be questioning my knowledge of past events in the Braves history. If you have the opportunity to talk to Jimmy Leyland sometime during this world series and if the slightest chance comes up , ask him about the Barry Bonds/Andres Thomas trade proposal way back in 1987-88 that was initiated by the Pirates. nobody seems to believe my intimate knowledge and if you can’t or the opportunity doesnt present itself I won’t hold it against you , thanks.
By StartANewStreak
October 26, 2006 05:12 PM | Link to this
I agree that I’m not excited about losing Giles, but I think it’s unfair to downplay the contribution Chipper has on the team’s attitude. It seems every year we hear about Chipper taking one of the younger players under his wing to help them along, LaRoche being one of the more recent examples. Obviously I’m not attributing LaRoche’s breakout season to Chipper Jones, but I do think it’s fair to say he probably learned a good bit from one of the best hitters in the game.
By Vikingsouth
October 26, 2006 05:23 PM | Link to this
With all due respect, the Braves need to trade Chipper while he still has value as a hitter. He’s injured playing the field half the time, but some American League team could sure use his bat as a DH. I would say play him at first, but LaRoche really came on last year. As for Andruw, let him go. His loyalty to the Braves onlys extends to the point that they pay him double what he’s worth. Why pay a guy Alex Rodriguez money just to make Alex Rodriguez outs when it matters? The Braves have some good young position players. They need to make the tough trades and get some good young arms to go with them.
By tvsportscaster
October 26, 2006 05:37 PM | Link to this
It won’t even take 7 to 8 million dollars for Glavine to come back. If the Braves offer him 5 million bucks he’ll probably do it. Afterall, the guy has only made over 100 million bucks in his career. I don’t think money will be the underlying factor in him coming back, his family will. I’d be shocked if he doesn’t return.
By Damn The Yankees
October 26, 2006 06:13 PM | Link to this
I agree with Stinky, please don’t mention this date in 1996.
By The Stranger
October 26, 2006 06:39 PM | Link to this
…formerly know as Ptown Bravo. I need a new identity here on the Braves & Man In Black Blog like Homeboy needs a new leadoff guy.
Have been in sequestration since dynasty’s official end - cold turkey on wry, booze & pills, American V just loud enough to draw tears, and a John Thomson-like aversion to anything baseball related. Thought I’d turned the corner. Thought I was past the pain. Thought I’d stop by for a cup of baseball nirvana from the greatest baseball scribe the AJC has ever known. Then the flashback to ‘96, like someone peeing on my favorite rug. Now, firsthand and finally, I know the terrible hurt that Sheff so often feels.
And yet, like the DOB, I must abide.
That Jim Edmonds has been more clutch than both of the Jones Boys is hard to stomach, even if it’s a statistical certainty. Maybe he’ll drop some eggs on the scorecard in his last 15-20 AB’s in this interminable series. But even if he doesn’t, even if he clutches up and puts on an MVP show against the Tigers, I will still go on the record as saying he never met Will Rogers. Yeah, I think it’s safe to say. Never did and never will - don’t care how many times he breaks wrong on a routine fly only to lay flat out for the pleasure of Joe Buck.
Nice to pop in today and see that the David O’Brien Braves & The Man In Black Blog is still humming. In the immortal words of The Stranger: The DOB abides. I don’t know about you but I take comfort in that. It’s good knowin’ he’s out there. The DOB. Takin’ ‘er easy for all us sinners.
By fjensen
October 26, 2006 06:42 PM | Link to this
My memory was that the pirates wanted Andre Thomas. The Braves demanded Bonds and that was the end of it. Earlier the Padres had offered Roberto Alomar, John Kruk and a decent pitcher for an aging Dale Murphy. Cox demanded Sandy Alomar and that ended those discussions. Trying to get too sweet of a deal.
By journalist jimmy smith
October 26, 2006 06:50 PM | Link to this
stinky coming at us from all sides - all kinds of names. the name stinky is too good for him. he should revert back to his other blog names. since this journalist named him stinky this journalist now takes the name back and will henceforth and forever call him “fruit cup”. maybe dob will tell us how fruit cup signed his letter to the ajc. bet his real name is percy. now, dob … pie should never be skipped. on a cold and rainy night go for hot pie and coffee. advice from the journalist - no charge. and what of the cheese sampler before the game? and is the old journalist on this trip?
By Andy
October 26, 2006 06:53 PM | Link to this
Andruw and Chipper will not allow a trade anywhere…okay. There is no trade… Andruw will play out his last year of the contract in the comforts of home. Sign a big, big, big contract with the angels or Boston or whoever. It sucks and pains me to accept—but people keep saying trade chipper or dump Andruw and get something for him. I don’t think anyone will trade for Chipper with the injury history and Andruw does not need to leave until the season is over with. Gary Schef. will never be happy until he get ‘Bonds’ type status—if he is talked about as the most feared hitter in baseball AND he gets paid more than A-rod. Then he would be like…. FINALLY you people see the light…not wow thank you so much….With the way people keep talking..I think we’ll know what glavine and the mets are doing in the next two weeks right? So at least we’ll know soon.
By The Grinch
October 26, 2006 06:54 PM | Link to this
Welocme back, P’town Stranger. Tvsportscaster, if his family was the underlying factor, he never would have left. If you’ll recall, he wasn’t exactly broke then and we offered him about what he was worth at that time.
By Carolina Lady
October 26, 2006 06:58 PM | Link to this
Howdy, Stranger! Enjoyed reading your post! And you’re right: it is good knowing that DOB is out there! :-)
By David O'Brien
October 26, 2006 07:11 PM | Link to this
Andy, you’re right _ I think we’ll know quickly on Glav this time around, not draw this thing out until December like those painful and ugly negotiations after the 2002 season.
You all will be happy to know (at least I think you will) that it’s not raining right now. Just a little mist and overcast, but it looks like _ knock on wood _ we’re going to play a game tonight.
My god, if this thing goes into next week i’ll have be3en on the road three weeks to cover two series, half as long as spring training lasts. And I’ll have changed at least four flights and four hotel reservations due to rainouts.
I know, you don’t care. I don’t blame you.
Man, do I wish this was 10 years ago and I could fire up a cigar sitting here in this open-air pressbox on a chilly October night … alas, political correctness prevails.
Enjoy the game.
By The Grinch
October 26, 2006 07:12 PM | Link to this
Jimmy Smith, the old journalist wouldn’t happen to be Furman Bisher, would it?
By David O'Brien
October 26, 2006 07:13 PM | Link to this
Grinch, good point about Tom G. regarding assertion that money won’t matter. it will. still. just maybe not as much as it did before. not quite as much. maybe.
By Daybed Wagmoe
October 26, 2006 07:15 PM | Link to this
who on the indians would we pick up in exchange for giles? ol’ CC sabathia? man, i’d love to see us trade giles/langerhans for either peavy or carl crawford. i know crawford’s name always comes up, but the guy would be amazing to leadoff and play left everyday.
i’m not surprised that you said that an american league team is interested in giles. i think his hitting game would work very well in the american league, but who knows.
DOB - you ever listen to richard buckner?
By David O'Brien
October 26, 2006 07:17 PM | Link to this
What do these folks have in common: T.S. Eliot, Tennessee Williams, Redd Foxx, Josephine Baker and Chuck Berry.
Give up?
They’re all from St. Louis. Who knew….
Oh, and Nelly, for you contemporary types.
By The Grinch
October 26, 2006 07:21 PM | Link to this
DOB, I honestly wouldn’t really care if he came back, as long as he doesn’t handcuff payroll. We could certainly use a solid lefty starter. Overpaying due to sentementality when he never showed any to us is out of the question, though. I’ll smoke a cigar for ya; political correctness doesn’t go far in this house. :-)
By David O'Brien
October 26, 2006 07:40 PM | Link to this
Daybed, I’ve got one Richard Buckner CD from late 90s. Very interesting sound. Sort of dark, brooding stuff, right?
I saw that he just released another CD recently. Do you have it?
Can’t see D-Rays interested in Giles because of his salary, which is reasonable for most teams, but not for them, especially not since it’ll go up again sharply from more than $5 mill in 2007 to something a lot higher if he has a good season before free agency.
Sabathia? Can’t see them trading C.C.
By Carolina Lady
October 26, 2006 07:43 PM | Link to this
Nelly? Fox, right?!
By journalist jimmy smith
October 26, 2006 07:45 PM | Link to this
the old journalist is the old journalist. hint: the old journalist has many awards but no wurlitzer. now, would dob have us believe the press box is all comfy and proper? no scratching, no gas, no cigars, no cheese?
what do these people have in common? jimmy carter, billy carter. miz lillian carter, and rosalynn smith carter (no relation to this journalist). plains. all from plains. go figure.
dob, it goes into next week we will have letwan’s mama send you a pie.
By journalist jimmy smith
October 26, 2006 07:51 PM | Link to this
carolina lady, either hip hop or american league. dob must dabble in hip hop during the off season to justify existence at ajc. consideration is being given to the atlanta braves man in black hip hop blog for the winter. not yet decided.
By Carolina Lady
October 26, 2006 07:58 PM | Link to this
The only hip hop with which I’m familiar is the rabbits out back! American League knowledge isn’t much better, I’m afraid! :-)))
By Stinky
October 26, 2006 08:00 PM | Link to this
DOB, First you say that Glavine’s return is unlikely. Now, you say: Given that Glavine will get a $3 million buyout if he turns down the Mets’ offer to pick up or renegotiate his option, the Braves might possibly be able to sign him to a one-year deal for, say, $7-8 mill. Because if you combine that $7-8 mill with the $3 mill buyout, he’d in effect be getting $10-11 million for one season to live at home and get his 300th win in a Braves uniform.
Did you forget that he renegotiated his contract with the Mets for the 2006 season. Off the top of my head, he made something like 6 mill this past season. That 3 mill buyout is essentially deferred compensation.
That turncoat essentially cut the mets a lot of slack that he wouldn’t cut the Braves. Is that what you want in the Braves Clubhouse? A collaborator with the New York syndicate?
And which story do you stand by?
And, do you have a tatoo of a waffle iron somewhere on your person. Not that I care about your physical person, but you seem to be blowin’ in the wind here.
By Carolina Lady
October 26, 2006 08:04 PM | Link to this
I wish Miss Rosalynn would post again. Loved those!! Wonder why Jimma doesn’t post? He’s a Braves fan.
By The Stranger
October 26, 2006 08:05 PM | Link to this
CL, Grinchy - it’s good to be home. Ain’t no southern comfort better than droppin’ by on short notice to find the best citizens of Braves’ Nation all under one roof.
By David O'Brien
October 26, 2006 08:06 PM | Link to this
No, that old journalist is not here. no one from AJC but me. plenty of old journalists here, but not that one.
pressbox in st. louis not comfortable by any means. no heat, and we’re so high i might as well be covering the game from a plane circling overhead.
believe it or not, i can see the scoreboard from my hotel room …but not from my second-row seat in his ill-conceived pressbox. seriously. second row view goes only as high as about the fourth row of outfield seats. to see anything higher, including scoreboard, you must lower your head level with the table. not good.
no cheese or pie in pressbox. but plenty of coffee.
By David O'Brien
October 26, 2006 08:13 PM | Link to this
Yes, I’d like a collaborator with the New York syndicate in the Braves clubhouse. Prefarably Tony Soprano, however. Although he’s a Jersey boss, he does collaborate occasionally with the families in New York.
By David O'Brien
October 26, 2006 08:15 PM | Link to this
Two tatts, but neither is a waffle iron. Although that’s something to consider.
OK, nearly gametime ladies and gents. Please pray for no rain. I’d like to come home before Thanksgiving.
By Stinky
October 26, 2006 08:17 PM | Link to this
Jimmy Smith, how’s Letwan these days. Funny that you say Stinky is coming at you from all sides and with all kinds of names. Stinky has been only Stinky for quite a while now. Innuendo doesn’t look good on anybody. And stop being coy about the old journalist. There are two, maybe, three possibilities that come to mind. Drop some solid clues.
By 10-7-4
October 26, 2006 08:19 PM | Link to this
Evenin’ all—C. Lady, how is mom?
By The Stranger
October 26, 2006 08:22 PM | Link to this
Not sure who to attribute the misinformation campaign to, but after re-reading DOB’s reference to Glavine above, no where can I find a statement made that Glavine’s return is likely. Also, maybe I’m just a little old fashioned, but I was a little uncomfortable with the line of questioning about DOB’s body - weird and creepy.
By Stinky
October 26, 2006 08:26 PM | Link to this
DOB, Johnny Sack has the New York territory, even though he’s in prison. But, seriously, do you think Tom Glavine is gonna be sincere in negotiations to come back to Atlanta, or is he playing cute games because he’s so concerned about sucking that last nickel out of whoever he signs with.
The only thing I take comfort in is that if I ever meet him, I won’t have to fight the urge to knock his two front teeth out. A NY taxi took care of that for all Braves fans - Poetic Justice for a man who sucker-punched Braves fans 4 years ago.
By David O'Brien
October 26, 2006 08:31 PM | Link to this
Stranger, uh, that line of questioning has become all too familiar from our friend. But I’m going to ignore it. Please do the same.
I was thinking the same thing, too, about what I wrote about Glavine. I don’t think I mentioned anywhere above that the Braves were likely to sign him. Thanks for confirming as much.
By Stinky
October 26, 2006 08:31 PM | Link to this
Stranger, good handle. Wish I’d thought of that. You were velvet in your earlier post until you started sounding you and DOB needed a room. The crux of the tattoo/physical person comment was that I felt DOB was going back and forth about Glavine. You know, waffling. Sorry you didn’t get that.
By The Grinch
October 26, 2006 08:34 PM | Link to this
Is that really true, Stinky? If so, he’s even worse than I thought.
Stranger, a little 80-proof SoCo would still accentuate it, though. :-)
DOB, the won’t let you smoke cigars but they still let you get high?
Y’all, there’s so much good music in the world and they spend so much time and money picking it out for the WS; why does it have to blow? Ziggy Marley. Yeah, nothing says baseball like watered-down Reggae. That stuff they played during that Cardinals montage sounded like Captain & Tenille. That Nina girl looked smokin’ hot, but even more so with the mute button on. And why do R&B singers have to see how many new notes they can add onto the national anthem? I liked it just fine the way it was.
Jimmy Smith, did you know a “Sweeping curve” goes from one side of the plate to the other while breaking? Me neither, ‘till Scooter the talking baseball told me. There’s no more imagination now than there ever used to be, age of information or no.
By David O'Brien
October 26, 2006 08:36 PM | Link to this
Stinky, since you did ask a serious question above (that post just came up when I refreshed), yes, I think he sincerely wants to come back. And the Braves would like to have him. It’s just going to come down to whether he’ll do it for the price they’re willing to pay. And that, I don’t have a feel for yet, but I still think it’s unlikely. Now, that might possibly change if, say, the Braves decide to raise their payroll just by a few million. Could make the difference. Again, I don’t know yet. Too early. But when I wrote that last week about Glavine, it was how I viewed the situations _ unlikely. I still wouldn’t call it likely. Just being honest and saying I don’t know right now.
By David O'Brien
October 26, 2006 08:39 PM | Link to this
Oh, and I don’t know that you’d want to try to punch Glavine. He was a damn good hockey player in his day, and still only 40, so he can probably still scrap a bit.
Grinch, I agree on the anthem singing. Why do some feel the need to do the Mariah Carey vocal gymnastics routine?
By MEB
October 26, 2006 08:39 PM | Link to this
DOB… someday you must give us a report as to the best and worst pressbox accomodations. So if you want a bite to eat you have to pay ballpark prices? Will the per diem provided by AJC cover the cost of a hot dog and cold drink?
By journalist jimmy smith
October 26, 2006 08:40 PM | Link to this
okay, fruit cup, if you say so. you’ve been only stinky for some time now. how did you sign your whiney little letter? will you send a letter to dob’s mama, too? maybe his ex? stalk away, fruit cup. lew has you figured out - whiney and insignificant. now, you’ve been around a long time and some of us know your original moniker so don’t be coy. if we’re going to match wits you are at a disadavantage. of course, you’re probably used to that, right? now, fruit cup, this journalist has had this journalist’s say and will ignore you for a time while hoping you will not stalk jimmy smith like you do dob and approach journalist in a men’s room. probably fruit cup’s problem is that he is once again sitting alone at a table for two. understandable.
By The Grinch
October 26, 2006 08:42 PM | Link to this
Man, Bonderman just made Pujols look like a fool on three pitches.
By Lew
October 26, 2006 08:43 PM | Link to this
Whiny Little Jerk.
By 10-7-4
October 26, 2006 08:44 PM | Link to this
Grinch-my favorite national anthem was simple but powerful. It was a guy named Tommy Loy, and he used to play the trumpet before the Dallas Cowboys games. Sometimes, change is not for the best.
By The Grinch
October 26, 2006 08:45 PM | Link to this
Mariah Carey; oh, lord. Many a calf was aborted in nearby fields when that woman took a stab at the anthem.
By journalist jimmy smith
October 26, 2006 08:48 PM | Link to this
mike lum also sang a good national anthem.
By Lew
October 26, 2006 08:48 PM | Link to this
I still contend that the best National Anthem rendition was Ella Fitzgerald at one of the early Bronco Super Bowls. The echoe was terrible but she played it like it was an instrument in counterpoint. Totally amazing.
By Stinky
October 26, 2006 09:01 PM | Link to this
Glavine has the look of a hockey player now. No need for me to get involved in his makeover to money-grubbing thug. He’s there.
By MEB
October 26, 2006 09:02 PM | Link to this
35… I must agree with Tommy Loy as he was fantastic and was part of a class organization. Oh my, how things have changed.
By Stinky
October 26, 2006 09:09 PM | Link to this
Grinch’s political leaning. “What is Libertarian?”
By KJ
October 26, 2006 09:11 PM | Link to this
Dave, any thoughts about the Boras comments in the AJC (re: Andruw) earlier this week?
Would seem to indicate that the Braves might look to trade him this off-season, imo.
By Carolina Lady
October 26, 2006 09:14 PM | Link to this
Hey, 35!!!! Thanks for asking! We’re doing appointments, appointments, and more appointments. Still.
Due to a serious gum infection many years ago, she had to have all her teeth removed. Her upper dentures are fine, but the bottom ones hurt so she quit wearing them sometime last April while in the nursing home. At times it can be very difficult to understand her speech which is also impaired somewhat by the previous strokes she’s had.
She has so much bone loss that there isn’t enough of the lower ridge left for dentures to adhere to so we’ll be having 2 implants implanted (that’s not redundant, is it??) to which a denture will be attached. (Lots of fun to come!)
Before we went to the dentist’s office yesterday I made a big pot of vegetable beef soup for supper. While in the waiting room, we were talking about going home to get some good hot soup. And she said, “With grits!”
After a moment of puzzled silence, I asked, “With grits?” She said, “Yeah.”
Nobody said anything for several more minutes, and I asked,”You want GRITS with your SOUP?”
Again, she said “yes, grits!” But this time she held her thumb and forefinger in a circle and said, “The crackers!”
RITZ crackers!! We all just howled!!
:-))))
By Stinky
October 26, 2006 09:19 PM | Link to this
Jimmy Smith, your last post regarding fruit cup sounded a little passive-aggressive. First you vent at fruit cup, then you say you will ignore fruit cup. If your your words had iron, and you were really into rising above someone you actually had the moral high ground on, maybe you would have just ignored fruit cup from the start. Instead, you showed a nasty side of yourself that you would probably like to hide from the world. Have a nice night and enjoy the game.
By The Grinch
October 26, 2006 09:19 PM | Link to this
Wasn’t Tommy Loy the drummer for Motley Crue? Just kidding. I’ll see if I can find it. One of the people who surprised me recently was when Trisha Yearwood sang it about 6-8 years ago. I despise “New Country,” but she did it in a pure, sweet, powerful voice with no embellishments. Right on. The only departure I usually accept is Hendrix, and he’s not appropriate for a sporting event. I admit to breaking him out every forth, though, by wheeling every speaker I have in the house (which is a considerable number) out onto the front porch and driving my next door neighbor nuts while swilling some cold brew. I have an extended live version I often play in a loop.
By 10-7-4
October 26, 2006 09:33 PM | Link to this
C. Lady - I love my Ritz crackers too! I have some with peanut butter almost every day. Tell ‘mom’ I don’t eat my grits with soup either.
By The Grinch
October 26, 2006 09:35 PM | Link to this
Actually, Stinky, I avoid politics like the plague (especially since I’m not allowed to vote). They’re all corrupt in my opinion. However, that’s a close a guess as any. Like Aleister Crowley once said: “Do what thou wilt shalt be the whole of the law.” Of course, that only applies to people with a modicum of sense. I’m not an advocate of anarchy.
By 10-7-4
October 26, 2006 09:36 PM | Link to this
Good ole Grinch—‘the neighbor from hell’.
By 10-7-4
October 26, 2006 09:40 PM | Link to this
MEB- I used to really like the Cowboys back in the days of Landry, Staubach, rapid Robert Hayes etc. etc. There isn’t quite the class there now. It’s a shame.
By Stinky
October 26, 2006 09:45 PM | Link to this
Grinch, corrupt or stupid.
By The Grinch
October 26, 2006 09:50 PM | Link to this
I do my part, 35; that’s what he gets for cranking up his 2-cycle weedeater every Saturday morning at about 8 when I’ve got a hangover. An eye for an eye. :-)
By journalist jimmy smith
October 26, 2006 09:51 PM | Link to this
35, try peanut butter cheez-its, too. most excellent though hard to peanut butter a cheez-it. now, carolina lady’s mama might enjoy some cornbread with the soup. crumble, crumble. and should cornbread contain sugar? this is a question for all bloggers. journalist thinks not. journalist also favors yellow corn meal. this journalist might pull for glavine in certain match-ups (wink, wink). think glavine would hit a girl? now, national anthem … maybe they do it differently in st. louis. who remembers mccarver as a cracker? buchek, gagliano, shannon, journalist bob …
By Stinky
October 26, 2006 09:56 PM | Link to this
Actually, I should have said all politicians are corrupt and/or stupid. Neither condition is exclusive of the other. But one of the two is required.
By journalist jimmy smith
October 26, 2006 10:10 PM | Link to this
one can learn much from watching the game on television. did you see that shot of the cardinals’ dugout? journalist has noted the difference in managers tony larussa and famous bobby cox - while in the dugout larussa puts his fingers in gloves.
By The Grinch
October 26, 2006 10:12 PM | Link to this
Stinky, I’d love to take that question and run with it; believe me. However, I promised long ago not to bring up politics in this blog, and I’m nothing if not a man of my word. Like Scarface said: “De only two tings I got in dis world are my word and my b%$#s, an’ I don’t break neither of dem for nobody.”
Journalist Jimmy, cornbread should ABSOLUTELY NOT have sugar in it. Onions, yes. Hot peppers, depends on the company. No sugar. That’s a yankee thing, like ketchup on eggs.
35, you trying to say T.O., Parcells and Jerry Jones aren’t classy? Shame on you. :-)
By Carolina Lady
October 26, 2006 10:24 PM | Link to this
Sugar in the cornbread??? Not in my kitchen!
By Scalp 'em Braves
October 26, 2006 10:31 PM | Link to this
Dave - great, thought provoking post, as usual. I went straight to the box, without reading the other posts. I’ll look at them in a minute.
I know you are in the eye of misery (weather wise). I know it is miserable for the players to stand/hit/pitch/run in the rain. But, I think this has been a great, competitive WS. Guess the snooty types in NY and on the left coast don’t feel it’s worthy of watching. Me, I’m a baseball guy, even if my Bravos aren’t in it, and I’m watching. We’ve seem some great pitching and some decent hitting at times. Always a formula for a great series.
On Sheffield. I didn’t want the Braves to sign him because of all of the negative stuff I had heard/seen/read about him over the years. Have to hand it to him, though, he was great during the season. During the post-season, he stunk, and I knew when he came up to bat in critical situations, I knew we were screwed, and he didn’t do anything to change my mind on that. He is griping now about “only” making $13 million next year with the Stankees? He should be charged with robbery. If it weren’t Stein-Stupid shelling this money out, I would have a problem with his being paid this ridiculous sum. I would otherwise love to see him test the free agent market and find out no one is willing to pay him more than $3- $5 million. As my grandaddy said of those who “just don’t get it”, “f**k em and feed ‘em to the fish” (and yes, he did say that - he was never one to mince words or be politically correct, even in front of a 10 year old kid).
Will comment on Braves moves later. Right now, the Tigers are up by one in the top of the 6th. Hoping it stays that way so my man Todd Jones (fellow Alabamian) can take the hill and get the save.
By The Grinch
October 26, 2006 10:42 PM | Link to this
Watch this Rodney kid; he can pitch. Would we had him in our bullpen.
By 10-7-4
October 26, 2006 10:46 PM | Link to this
Sir journalist jimmy,— I remember those ‘crackers’. I also remember Johnny Lewis, Bob Burda, Bob Duliba etc. etc. Do you remember Ed Thilenius[sp]?? He did the games when they were on tv. Brought to you by ‘Khan’s’, the weiner the world awaited!!
By The Grinch
October 26, 2006 10:56 PM | Link to this
Told Y’all. He came in with one out and atruck the first batter out with nothing but change-ups, and the second guy with four straight change-ups and ploished him off with a 97-mph fastball. Filthy.
35, did you know Kahn’s makes Krystal’s pups? Kahn’s, Sabrett, Nathan and Hebrew National make the best dogs in my opinion (not necc. in that order).
By David O'Brien
October 26, 2006 10:56 PM | Link to this
Just saw something I can’t remember seeing in a press box. A fan threw his towel into the pressbox and asked a writer in the row just below me to sign it.
But then, I think Mitch Albom has more fans than your trusty correspondent.
By Scalp 'em Braves
October 26, 2006 10:56 PM | Link to this
Carolina Lady - could not agree with you more - no sugar, honey or anything else sweet in my cornbread - just eggs, milk, oil, cornmeal, salt, pepper and (my secret ingredients) sour cream and canned creamed corn in mine - best damned corn bread you ever ate.
On Marcus Giles - I have resigned myself to the notion that he is being shopped - I hate that, because I think he is a “throwback” (i.e, good, solid second baseman, in the Hubbard/Lemke (aka “Dirt”) mold, but I think he has more talent (offensively) than either of them. He’s not the best in the league defensively, but he’s pretty damned good. I don’t think anybody we have waiting in the wings in the minors can produce like him in the next year or two. I say pay him the several million he will command. But, who the hell cares what I think?
On Tommy G. I loved him while he was here - always a tough competitor, and outside of post season, was damned good for us. I wasn’t nearly as upset management let him go as I was over letting Mad Dog leave. We could not afford to give him the 4 year contract he wanted. As it turned out, the Muts only got one good year (2006) out of him - the other two were sub par. My thought is that if we could bring him back on a one year contract (who, in their right mind would sign a guy his age to a multi-year contract, other than perhaps Stein-Stupid) for a reasonable price, bring him back. I would love to see him pitch 300 in a Braves cap, and would really like to see all three of our aces go into the HOF with the A on their hat.
By Scalp 'em Braves
October 26, 2006 11:01 PM | Link to this
By the way - gotta say, the stench of Stinky’s comments turns me off - since last night, I have skipped over any post from him, and any responsive post (including Dave’s) that mentions his name. Giving credence/recognition/response to an idiot like him only feeds his fire. Ignore his comments and he will go away, or sit in his own little corner of waste.
Damn - Guillen just stole 2nd on Molina - after a perfect throw. Tigers may be pull this one out.
By 10-7-4
October 26, 2006 11:03 PM | Link to this
Those were the days my friend, we thought they’d never end—oh well, nite all.
By Scalp 'em Braves
October 26, 2006 11:06 PM | Link to this
Red’s daughter can sing, and did “God Bless America” proud - no hip hop or Mariah Carey type changes
By Carolina Lady
October 26, 2006 11:08 PM | Link to this
Scalp, how much sour cream? Haven’t tried that. Sounds good!
By Stinky
October 26, 2006 11:12 PM | Link to this
Wasn’t Mitch Albom in the Spiderman movie?
By Scalp 'em Braves
October 26, 2006 11:17 PM | Link to this
Carolina Lady - here is the recipe for “Charlie’s Cornbread” (passed down to me from my grandmother - God rest her soul - died in 2004 at age 92 - one hell of a great southern cook)
1 cup self rising cornmeal 1 small can cream corn 2 eggs 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 cup sour cream 1/2 cup veg oil mix all ingredients together, pour into a heated greased iron skillet and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
Sorry to clog the blog with a recipe, but us cornbread lovers gotta stick together.
I cannot frickin believe another Tiger’s pitcher has made another error!!
By Carolina Lady
October 26, 2006 11:29 PM | Link to this
Much appreciated, Scalp! A shared treasure! :-))
By The Grinch
October 26, 2006 11:32 PM | Link to this
Yeah, the Cards are up 4-3 and Rodney made an error, but what about four k’s for 5 batters faced? Filthy.
Scalp ‘em, nothing wrong with recipes here; this is not your average blog. I forgot to mention earlier corn is quite acceptable, as well.
By TommyB
October 26, 2006 11:33 PM | Link to this
Fans of ‘Old Boy’ Alert
Davey O, Grinch, et.al… I just discovered that Old Boy was eithe the first or second installment in a trilogy. Third was one called “Lady of Vengeance,” which I just ordered.
Back to the game…
PS - I LOVE this series. I don’t care who wins. I just hope it goes seven.
By journalist jimmy smith
October 26, 2006 11:37 PM | Link to this
scalp ‘em is wise. jimmy smith will heed the advice. now, ed thilenius was old when jimmy smith was young. does 35 remember joe nossek when he played for the braves? seemed to be a can’t miss but missed. occassionally this journalist frequents a bbq establishment that puts cracklins’ in the cornbread. journalist eats them but doesn’t think about it. sorta the way of the souse mean and journalist bob. and where is journalist bob? carolina lady, please send this journalist’s greeting to bob. and now, baseball … the cardinals are giving the tigers all they want. too bad the braves could not be there for this one. adam wainwright has entered the game!
By flbravesgirl
October 26, 2006 11:44 PM | Link to this
35, I assure you that loud music does not make Grinch “the neighbor from hell”. I know this because the true neighbors from hell lived next door to me a few years ago. Loud music would have been the least of my worries. It was really, really bad.
That experience is one of the reasons I’m moving to rural NE Georgia in 1-2 years. Closing on a house with almost 3 acres tomorrow morning. Will I have to change my name to gabravesgirl when I move?
By Scalp 'em Braves
October 26, 2006 11:45 PM | Link to this
<~~~ admits gets totally lost by JJS’ posts! Though does understand, and accept, a southerner’s affinity for cracklin cornbread - I just cannot let on to my wife, a dietician, that I have fallen off the wagon and consumed fried pork skin! But, damn that crunch and taste is good!!!
By journalist jimmy smith
October 26, 2006 11:47 PM | Link to this
journalist is off to make some cornbread (after the game - great game by the way). not sure journalist has ever had any cornbread with sour cream. now, biscuits … buttermilk? white lilly? this journalist cannot, repeat cannot, make good biscuits. jimmy smith’s mama could make great biscuits but it was a little of this and a little of that and this journalist didn’t care to learn to make them - only eat them. now, jimmy smith wishes jimmy smith had learned some secrets. old boy. same as old journalist? hip hop? american league? tabby cat? oh, movie dob recommended, right?
By journalist jimmy smith
October 26, 2006 11:56 PM | Link to this
scalp ‘em, a journalist jimmy smith post that is hard to follow? oh, the humanity! this journalist will never win a wurlitzer like this.
the cardinals have taken the lead! the cardinals have taken the lead!
By Carolina Lady
October 26, 2006 11:57 PM | Link to this
Good night, all! The clock goes off early! :-)
jjs - will do!
By nathan
October 26, 2006 11:58 PM | Link to this
DOB
This is a rule I’ve never quite understood. What the hell does it matter that there is a runner at first base and LESS THAN 2 OUTS that doesn’t allow a batter to take 1st base on a wild pitch 3rd strike?
I understand the Infield fly rule with less than 2 outs. But IMO, if you’re gonna throw a slider (or any breaking ball) in the dirt with 2 strikes, and the catcher can’t hang on to it. I’m not sure it should matter if there is a runner at 1st base and less than 2 outs.
Waddya know?! A little guy like Eckstein with a big hit. (questionable defense - but he made CONTACT none the less).
By nathan
October 26, 2006 11:59 PM | Link to this
So judging by your last post DOB, you’ve never lived the Rockstar Life and signed some cleavage?
By journalist jimmy smith
October 27, 2006 12:02 AM | Link to this
not the braves, 35, the crackers! oh, the humanity! the wurlitzer is slipping away from jimmy smith. journalist must get more sleep. diane lane calls at all hours. now, will the cardinals win this game? wainwright looks good, huh? curveball like who?
By nathan
October 27, 2006 12:03 AM | Link to this
OK, sorry to be absent all night and then post 3 times in a row! (I know, typical for me).
But, DAMN wouldn’t Wainwright look a MILLION times better throwing that curveball in a Braves uniform? :-)
By Scalp 'em Braves
October 27, 2006 12:03 AM | Link to this
since I am in a cooking mood, here is the recipe for the best biscuits ever (honed by trial and error by yours truly over the years)
1 3/4 cups self rising flour (White Lily, of course- no self respectig southern cook would use anything else); 1/2 cup Amish Butter (can use regular salted butter, but it doesn’t have the butter fat or flavor that the Amish butter does); 3/4 cup of milk (if you use buttermilk, add about 1/2 tesspon baking soda to take the bitterness out); cut the butter into the flour until “pebbly” - GENTLY stir in the milk - GENTLY press out onto lightly floured surface and cut biscuits - place into pan with sides of biscuits touching - bake for about 15 minutes at 475 degrees (a few ninutes less in convection oven) - melt about 1/4 cup of butter and paint tops of biscuits, place back in oven for 3-4 minutes until tops are brown.
OK - no more recipes - seems the Tigers have found the recipe for disaster tonight!
By The Grinch
October 27, 2006 12:04 AM | Link to this
That wasn’t Zumaya’s fault..he got robbed on the previous call that should’ve been strike 3 and his left fielder misplayed the next one. Oh, the humanity! Did y’all see him hit 102 on the next pitch?
Flb-soon to be ga-girl, what part of the state are you moving to? And do tell what was worse about you neighbors than loud music…tease us not.
By Stinky
October 27, 2006 12:09 AM | Link to this
Scalp’em Braves, Stop using my name to get places.
By The Grinch
October 27, 2006 12:18 AM | Link to this
TommyB, thanks for the heads up; I’ll investigate.
By journalist jimmy smith
October 27, 2006 12:21 AM | Link to this
in some gated neighborhoods goats are roasted in a pit in the front yard. this may be objectionable behavior to some in the neighborhood. once, john smoltz did not like his neighbor whose garage cast a shadow over john smoltz’ pool. now there are carp swimming in the pool and a small seal is an occassional house guest. this journalist had blue worms in his yard earlier this year and found them to be objectionable. now, flbravesgirl, deliverance was filmed in ne ga. there may be surprises awaiting. whoa!
By The Grinch
October 27, 2006 12:29 AM | Link to this
I must admit, I’m a little dissapointed (though not surprised) that someone who shall not be named didn’t respond to my last comment about their personal worth…I thought they were the king of that sort of thing. No real surprise there.
By Daybed Wagmoe
October 27, 2006 12:32 AM | Link to this
DOB - the richard buckner that i have is his self-titled cd, which is mostly (if not entirely) him and acoustic guitar, and “dents and shells,” which is excellent — it has a band, much more “sound” to it, and sounds like some older REM stuff. yeah, kinda dark and brooding, but some really good stuff.
can’t say i have the new one - i’ve heard the clips on itunes, and what i’ve heard is good. he’s coming to athens in a couple of weeks, so i’m looking forward to that. i kinda think of him as making music similar to that of ryan adams and jeff tweedy, but he seems more down-to-earth and less douche baggy than those two.
By journalist jimmy smith
October 27, 2006 12:33 AM | Link to this
let’s hope that was not leyland throwing in the towel earlier. dob, this is not all that unusual. famous race car driver richard petty used to drive with a towel in his mouth. he would often autograph the towel for adoring fans. journalist thinks grinch may have one, not sure. at the end, ol’ richard would throw up in the car so it became less a treasure (wink, wink). now, biscuits and gravy … is there a good gravy recipe out there?
By flbravesgirl
October 27, 2006 12:33 AM | Link to this
Rabun County, Grinch, the NE corner of the state. Home of the Foxfire museum, the Dillard House (very overrated) and Tallulah Gorge.
Now, neighbors-from-hell: Keep in mind this is a nice, quiet, middle-class family neighborhood. They turned the house, pool and yard into a garbage dump. At one point, 11 people were living in a 2 bedroom, 1 bath house. The husband was arrested multiple times for domestic violence. The cops showed up on a weekly basis. Various members of the household would have screaming fights at the top of their lungs using the foulest language imaginable daily, usually in the front yard. They were scamming insurance and workmans comp. We suspect they were dealing in stolen property and possibly drugs. The wife made it clear she did not like me or my family and tiptoed around the edges of being threatening towards us. People would come and go, yelling and slamming doors all night long. After one all-night party, we were awakened at 5 am by the husband, his little boy and another guy beating a man with aluminum bats in the middle of the street. He almost died and is permanently disabled. They skipped town shortly after.
Trust me, loud music is no big deal.
By The Grinch
October 27, 2006 12:38 AM | Link to this
Jimmy Smith, Cabrito is quite the tasy dish…can’t help it; I’m a baa-aaad boy. Ned Beatty is not likely to inhabit her neighborhood. No worries, Flb.
By nathan
October 27, 2006 12:48 AM | Link to this
flbravesgirl
Did the husband walk around with no shirt on, a cigarette in one hand and a beer in the other?
I think I saw him on C.O.P.S.! LOL!….sorry, I couldn’t resist.
Sounds like a pleasent time for you.
By flbravesgirl
October 27, 2006 12:58 AM | Link to this
nathan, you probably did see him on COPS. He’s wanted in more than one state.
jimmy, I believe some of Deliverance was indeed filmed there. However, everyone I’ve met there has been very nice (unlike Florida these days).
By journalist jimmy smith
October 27, 2006 01:00 AM | Link to this
“Cooking your own cabrito can be real simple—if you want to dig a hole in your yard, as purists insist. All you need is a three-foot-deep pit with a mesquite or oak fire raging in it. Wrap a skinned cabrito in a gunnysack bound with wire and set the meat in the pit. Cover it with dirt to seal in the heat and let it cook all day. The cabrito will be smoke-seasoned and tender by nightfall.”
there, another recipe. that’s three today - a new baseball-blog record. of course, the secret to good goat is in the sauce. that recipe is proprietary.
now, has grinch gotten someone’s goat? appears so.
By The Grinch
October 27, 2006 01:15 AM | Link to this
Flbgirl, good choice. Your county borders the two counties of my nativity (I was born at Habersham county hospital, though our home was in Cleveland (White Co.). Welcome to my homeland. If I ever make enough, I plan on buying/building a cabin up in that area. You must check out Unicoi state park; their cabins are wonderful and not overpriced (though you have to reserve them well in advance).
By