Braves

By Efrim Dragovic

April 11, 2007 6:42 PM | Link to this

Is this game going to happen?

By Carroll Rogers

April 11, 2007 6:46 PM | Link to this

tarp is off and it’s misty and gray but so far it looks pretty good for tonight. apparently the big storms are missing us unless we get a little pocket at 9….the official word from cox was “on and off.” right now it’s off.

and a little tidbit on andruw for you, from terry pendleton who’s been doing extra work with andruw for three days. “He wants to hit the ball a country mile. He only needs to hit it a mile.” enough said?

By Robert

April 11, 2007 6:49 PM | Link to this

There’s an old wives tale that says that if Bobby Cox is standing with his back to a hedge, it will rain

By Don!

April 11, 2007 6:56 PM | Link to this

Carroll,

Isn’t there a blog rule about ending your post with some song lyrics?

DOB would toss out some Man in Black, or lately Jackson Browne — where’s your contribution to social education in this blog?

On a semi-serious note, I don’t think this game will happen tonight — unless the breaks in the clouds hit just right, we can jump out to an early lead and end this puppy in 4 1/2 innings.

Have fun in the press box, try to stay dry.

Later,

Don!

By BIG DADDY

April 11, 2007 6:58 PM | Link to this

Carroll, Francoeur is leading by only one RBI not a ton. Check McCann’s stats. I’m smiling because it’s no big deal. I did enjoy that huge smile on Francoeur’s face last night after he hit that 3 run homer.

By Bob, journalist

April 11, 2007 7:00 PM | Link to this

Carroll, it sounds like Terry was belaboring what has been obvious for a long time.

Apologies to all … my last post on the previous blog referred to SJA’s 4:46 post … I think it was 2:46.

By doc

April 11, 2007 7:18 PM | Link to this

so the grinch knows of shakespeare and a midsummer’s night dream?

may the thrashers hammer the fairy tommorow.

By SuziQ

April 11, 2007 7:36 PM | Link to this

Well, I won’t know if the Braves play or not, because I live in Tennessee and some bonehead has decided to show the Predators’ hockey game instead. Drives me nuts…..nobody cares about hockey. Not in Tennessee anyway. I have to curse the TV even in basketball season b/c FSN does the same thing when I want to watch UNC play ball. Never fails, if there is a big game I want to see on FSN, they are going to show the Preds instead of UNC basketball or the Braves.

I love the Braves and think if they continue to pitch like they have, many good things will happen.

CYa

By DonCoburleone

April 11, 2007 7:44 PM | Link to this

Hey hey hey, SuziQ, take it easy… You’re bashing a sport I love. In fact, I’m going to the Anaheim/Minnesota game tonight. GO DUCKS!!!

HE’S CHUCK JAMES B!TCH!!!

By DonCoburleone

April 11, 2007 7:49 PM | Link to this

CHIPPER!!!

By Braves fan 202

April 11, 2007 8:04 PM | Link to this

Me gusta los bravos

By MBATL

April 11, 2007 8:08 PM | Link to this

oooh, Ollie P. couldn’t find the strike zone tonight - 7 walks in 2.2 innings. Phils up 3-0.

Man, James is pretty much putting it out there to be hit… so far, so good, I guess.

By Josh

April 11, 2007 8:13 PM | Link to this

MB that’s exactly what a pitcher with a lead is supposed to do. Don’t walk anybody, make ‘em put it in play. Especially when the other team couldn’t hit his grandma…

By MBATL

April 11, 2007 8:18 PM | Link to this

Josh, of course you’re right about that…

By Ron

April 11, 2007 8:24 PM | Link to this

Why the HELL would Kelly swing 3-1 it was ball 4. We had them down and out and we let them survive, we may regret that inning, Williams was all over the place in that inning!!!! Golden opportunity wasted!!!!!!!!!

By JasonInMaine

April 11, 2007 8:25 PM | Link to this

Bases loaded, no outs, and we don’t score…those are the types of things that separate great teams from good teams. Productive outs!!!!

By Bubba

April 11, 2007 8:33 PM | Link to this

Suzie Q. if you have charter then try channel 44. My tv shows the game should be on 37 but there showing the braves there but it is on 44.

By JasonInMaine

April 11, 2007 8:35 PM | Link to this

Ron, I agree! I hope that inning doesn’t come back to haunt…a little breathing room is always nice.

By SuziQ

April 11, 2007 8:44 PM | Link to this

We have comcast and they are showing the Preds. It is just no good for me! I’ve watched the Braves for most of my life and I hate it when I can’t watch them on TV b/c some exec thinks people want to watch Hockey. IT’s just crap. Plus, on top of that, Comcast took off ESPNU when they changed over our schedule from Adelphia to Comcast—which was just in time for us Tennesseeans to miss the net cutting for the Lady Vols.

Nuf fussin for now. GO BRAVES!!!

By Brian

April 11, 2007 8:52 PM | Link to this

Have you checked Sportsouth? That’s where Comcast has the game on over here in Knoxville.

By JasonInMaine

April 11, 2007 8:54 PM | Link to this

Great at bat by Langerhans…I have to say, I like the guy, and he can play great defense…

But, I think the Braves have had enough of a sampling since he was first called up to know he isn’t ever going to hit. I agree with what others have been saying…quit platooning him and bring him in during the late innings as a defensive replacement…

By sri

April 11, 2007 8:54 PM | Link to this

WOW!! Frenchy just took a 7 pitch walk.. why is Chucky having so much trouble with the bottom of the Nationals order.. The pitcher saved us both times.. remember reading somewhere that James has only two pitches and he depends more on location.. does he have trouble putting away hitters even though he seems to get ahead on most of them?? am not watching the games on tv so will be helpful for any info as to how James is looking today.. And finally can sleep a lot better today now that O.Perez issued 7 walks today.. GO BRAVES!!!

By cardvol

April 11, 2007 8:59 PM | Link to this

How much longer can the Braves afford to keep KJ, Thorman and Langerhans in the line-up? Prado, Wilson and Diaz would have to hit much better.

By journalist jimmy smith

April 11, 2007 9:06 PM | Link to this

that ball hopped right over the bunny glove! oh, the humanity! the braves should have more runs. still, it seems the nats are incapable of scoring runs so maybe 2 will be enough. and what leads one to believe that puck was black? nothing would indicate this. must go look it up. and now, mccann is such a pleasure to watch. and carroll rogers, this journalist did see the old stadium on fire and it was not a happy night - at the start - before the night was over it was a very good night. crime dog had come to town.

By JasonInMaine

April 11, 2007 9:12 PM | Link to this

Again, I ask, are we capable of a productive out??

By Tony Almeida

April 11, 2007 9:17 PM | Link to this

One good thing about Andruw, he keeps hitting this way, we can afford to resign him next year…..but would we want to?

By James

April 11, 2007 9:17 PM | Link to this

cardvol, are you an idiot? wilson has not even had an extra-base hit yet and please remind me again who hit the game-winning home run against the phillies? Oh yeah, it was Scott Thorman

By ncscoots

April 11, 2007 9:18 PM | Link to this

Yeah, Prado’s a whopping 2-for-7 at Richmond, Wilson’s hitting under .100, and Diaz has had a good…week. You bet, all three of those guys should be playing every day, good thinking.

By Big Bad John

April 11, 2007 9:20 PM | Link to this

To FSN South…a big thank you on two counts.

First, for getting rid of the 1950’s throwback announcer Bob Rathbun.

Also,it appears you are not cranking up the Braves dugout level microphone to capture Bobby Cox’s non stop babbling.

Question to TBS producer Glenn Diamond: HOW MANY TIMES DO WE HAVE TO HEAR BOBBY’S “C’MON CHIPPER, ATTA BABY” etc.. routine?

I can’t imagine even the most simple-minded Braves fan being interested in or entertained by it, yet you have force fed that steady stream of Bobby babble for three years now.

You aren’t doing him any favors. It makes him sound like a hyperactive Little League grandpa.

* Enough already!*

By The Grinch

April 11, 2007 9:25 PM | Link to this

Yes, Doc, this Grinch appreciates the Bard. I’ll be going to “Taming of the Shrew” at the Shakespeare Tavern next week. The girl playing Kate is my future girlfriend but doesn’t know it yet (nor does my current one). :-)

By sri

April 11, 2007 9:28 PM | Link to this

Druw is killing us.. Gonzalez again today.. is it too soon to be complaining abt overuse of the big three…

By N8.....the bible length posts are BACK!

April 11, 2007 9:32 PM | Link to this

I realize that Gonzalez has looked MUCH better the last two days. But is anybody else worried about his fastball topping out at 91 MPH?? Last I recall, this guy threw in the UPPER 90’s last year.

An out is an out, so I’m not complaining, but if 91 MPH is all the higher he’s gonna hit all year on the gun, we’ve basically just added Mike Stanton to our bullpen. LOL!

By MBATL

April 11, 2007 9:38 PM | Link to this

sri, Gonzo has appeared in 6 of 8 games. I think it’s fair to say that he can’t maintain that pace.

By ncscoots

April 11, 2007 9:45 PM | Link to this

I don’t remember MG throwing upper 90s last year, more like mid-90s, but you’re right, his velocity does seem down a touch. Put it down to April, I guess.

I’m more concerned about Chuckie’s WHIP, frankly. You can’t argue with his results so far, but that many baserunners is living on the edge, IMO, even though his K rate alleviates the problem somewhat. I hope…

By JasonInMaine

April 11, 2007 9:47 PM | Link to this

N8, I have posted similar concerns for the last couple of days. I too seem to remember him consistently hitting 96 last year.

By MBATL

April 11, 2007 9:53 PM | Link to this

I’ve posted about Gonzo’s lack of “dominance” too, but have been told to wait and see. He’s just not overpowering, so far, like he was in Pittsburgh. The hits are up, the K’s are down. Maybe it’s the cold weather or something.

Anyway, hard to complain about the results so far, but nothing wrong with a little critical analysis either.

By Chuck

April 11, 2007 9:54 PM | Link to this

sri Yes, I think we should be a little concerned about overusing the big three. The good news is that it means we have been winning/ahead a lot so far this year.

By N8.....the bible length posts are BACK!

April 11, 2007 9:55 PM | Link to this

Classic Bobby!

5-0 lead, and what’s he do? Bring in one of the horses from the pen.

Whoever said it earlier tonight is DEAD ON. Gonzalez and Soriano are gonna be toast by July at this pace.

In a 5-0 game, why not go with Paranto or Yates? Hell, in a 5-0 game bring in McBride to get some “work” in against some righties.

Unreal.

By MBATL

April 11, 2007 9:57 PM | Link to this

On the plus side, KJ is flat picking it at 2nd…

By The Grinch

April 11, 2007 10:02 PM | Link to this

I really don’t see the logic of using Soriano and Gonzalez every night against the Nats instead of Yates and Villareal myself; I beleive it will come back to haunt us later in the year.

By N8.....the bible length posts are BACK!

April 11, 2007 10:03 PM | Link to this

ncscoots

I guess I recall seeing him hit 97 on the gun, which I would consider upper 90’s. I can see where somebody might call that mid-90’s. LOL!

Either way, topping out at 91 concerns me.

Where Soriano’s velocity is just fine, thank you very much. He just pulled a “mini-Wohlers” in the 8th. Late, late, late, late, and LATER on the fastball. Then he leaves the old “spinner” out over the the heart of the plate to get hammered…..twice. YIKES.

Somewhere, Jim Leyritz is smiling. LOL!

But as I just stated, Soriano should have NEVER been in this game, IMO.

By mr baseball

April 11, 2007 10:03 PM | Link to this

The Braves’ win at all costs manager is not going to rest until he puts both Gonzalez and Soriano on the DL. (As I write this, Soriano is getting whacked big time, which means Wickman in the 9th.) Exactly how far ahead does the team have to be before he considers using Yates, McBride or Villareal in the late innings. He’s apparently set Paronto’s standard at 8 runs, maybe it’s 10 or more for the other 3.

Where are all the “what’s wrong with Chipper?” folks tonight. He hasn’t driven in any runs because the few times he’s come up with men on base, he’s walked. This is Earl Weaver baseball at its best: good starting pitching and 3-run (or 2-run) homers.

One final thing: Please, no more treatises on how many outs a player (Francouer) is responsible for. OBP is of value to players hitting at the top of the lineup. Players who hit 5th - 6th - 7th like Francouer have one primary responsibility — to drive in runs. If he’s hitting .300+ w/RISP and driving in 100+ runs, he’s doing his job. Drawing the occasional walk with 1 or 2 outs is irrelevant, even if it raises his OBP to semi-respectable levels.

By N8.....the bible length posts are BACK!

April 11, 2007 10:05 PM | Link to this

Good to see “my boy” Langerhans (I was as vocal in my predictions of him having a breakout year as Coach was in Hudson having a bounceback season), is “on pace” for 0 HR and 0 RBI.

Uh….that’s not gonna get it done. LOL!

By MBATL

April 11, 2007 10:07 PM | Link to this

N8, I agree. I think Bobby is obsessed with not letting good starting pitching efforts go to waste, after last year’s disasters. But the last 2 nights, relief should’ve been handled by Oscar, McBride, Yates, Paronto etc.

We’re in a save situation now, so I’m fine with using Wickman, but real soon we’re gonna have to find out if the middle guys can get the job done.

By JasonInMaine

April 11, 2007 10:08 PM | Link to this

I also think Thorman needs some ABs. He should be given the opportunity to play on an every day basis. We all know what happened to Unibrow when he was allowed to play against lefties.

By JasonInMaine

April 11, 2007 10:08 PM | Link to this

All Diaz does is freakin hit!!

By Sir Stealth

April 11, 2007 10:08 PM | Link to this

Big Bad John, I completely disagree with you about the mike on Bobby. I think it is a little ridiculous (like the press secretary level positive spin comments) but I love Bobby so its entertaining for me. Now if we could only listen to his pre-ejection tirades.

By Tony Almeida

April 11, 2007 10:09 PM | Link to this

Langerhans batting .133 and Diaz hitting .400. Good Idea Booger Cox.

By Alan

April 11, 2007 10:13 PM | Link to this

Edgar Renteria is the best acquisition since Fred McGriff. And I was worried about losing Furcal! Edgar is a more than adequate replacement - the guy has done nothing but rake since he’s been here. Here’s hoping we can get him an extension to whatever contract he signed…

By The Grinch

April 11, 2007 10:14 PM | Link to this

Now Wicky’s pitching with a 5 run lead against the Nats. Robert, you may have a convert on your hand one of these days if this keeps up.

By Tony Almeida

April 11, 2007 10:15 PM | Link to this

WHAT THE HELL IS WICKMAN DOING IN THERE IN A 5 RUN GAME?????? COX IS KILLING US!!!

By Chuck

April 11, 2007 10:16 PM | Link to this

You know, I just got here tonight, but I gotta say I’m impressed that it only took Frenchy nine games to draw his first walk. That puts him on pace for almost twenty total this year….

By JasonInMaine

April 11, 2007 10:16 PM | Link to this

Okay, I think Bobby is one of the best managers of not just our generation, but of all time. That being said, I have NO idea why Wickman is in the game let alone Gonzo and Soriano…DOB, Carrol…any thoughts?

By Steve in Richmond

April 11, 2007 10:17 PM | Link to this

I agree……..I’d like to hear what Bobby is saying in the dugout when it really matters too. I’d like to hear some of the other conversations in the dugout too. It would provide great insight ……although I’m sure there would be some “not quite ready for prime time” quotes.

By Steve in Richmond

April 11, 2007 10:20 PM | Link to this

Jason, I agree with you…..Diaz is something…….but you need to get some contributions out of all your players. Langerhans, hopefully, is going to contribute too. It is fun watching Diaz though………

By Robert (Justice Is The Best)

April 11, 2007 10:21 PM | Link to this

I’m really beginning to like the look of this team. It has the same look of the ‘91, ‘92, ‘95, ‘96, and ‘97 teams. They don’t have a killer offense but it is an offense that scores runs and finds ways to get on base. The pitching (both starting and relieving) is for the most part solid at worst and outstanding at best. They have a swagger that is confident but not over cocky. This team looks like a winner. For whatever reason last year’s team never looked comfortable or relaxed but this team does.

Kelly Johnson will be a good player. Is he Jose Reyes? No. Not at all. But he gets on base and scores runs and also has some pop in his bat and that is what you want out of a leadoff hitter. Not to mention any concerns about his defense are becomming more and more alleviated.

I believe in the end Thorman will be okay. However, Langerhans does concern me. I have to wonder that if he is still struggling by mid-May if the Braves won’t consider calling up Bohn, Blanco, or even Harris. Langerhans just seems lost at the plate. Really lost! Whatever was working in spring training was either a fluke or not working now.

By Steve in Richmond

April 11, 2007 10:23 PM | Link to this

Tony Almeida??? Didn’t you get killed off on “24” last year? :-) Me thinks Mr. Cox knows exactly what he’s doing.

By Chad

April 11, 2007 10:26 PM | Link to this

Part of me agrees with you guys that the middle guys should be getting work, but at the same time, there are some relievers who feel like they improve the more they pitch. If you let them sit for days at a time you never know what’s going to happen so you get them in the game with consistency. Granted that may not be the case with any or all of them, I’m just pointing out it could be.

And we’re only 8 games into the season, it’s not time for doomsaying yet.

By mr baseball

April 11, 2007 10:30 PM | Link to this

As the only person on this blog who has specific, serious problems with the manager (Robert’s redundant braying doesn’t count), I hate to say I told you so, but…. In Spring Training, I offered the opinion that Cox would be tempted to overuse his main 3 relievers, especially if the Braves held frequent late inning leads, which has been the case so far.

Cox too often makes moves during the 6th/7th inning that will leave the team strapped later in the game, and his use of the bullpen thus far indicates that he has very little concern about what impact his decisions today have on tomorrow or the day after.

One of Cox’s best attributes as a manager has been his ability to keep the team on an even keel throughout the season and not get too concerned about the occasional struggles. Unfortunately this season, he seems to be having a problem dealing with success. He can’t automatically trot the Big 3 out every time the Braves take a lead into the 7th inning, but that’s been the case thus far, even with 5-run leads.

The Braves have been so successful over the past 15 years despite having a manager who is not anywhere close to being the sharpest pencil in the box. He is a decent leader and supports his players as fervently as any manager anywhere, but the fact remains, he is not especially good at his job once the game starts.

Talent, mainly great starting pitching, has been the reason this team has been so succcesful since 1991. But that talent is not going to be of much use on the DL with an overused pitching arm.

By ernesto

April 11, 2007 10:31 PM | Link to this

Watching the game tonight, I couldn’t help but remember all the times last year we had a lead only to let the bp cough it up. I remember Rietsma coughed up 6 in the 9th once, or something like that. Those kind of losses I think took their toll on this team. But you can see, with a little momentum and a pen, this is definitely not hte same team, even if it is mostly the same guys.

By MEB

April 11, 2007 10:31 PM | Link to this

BRAVES WIN!!!

Not a bad job at the plate tonight for the Jones Boys and the Bravos. I am amazed that the Gnats were able to hit Soriano as well as they did. I don’t agree that they are being over used but I would like to see McBride get some work while we’ve got a big lead. With Smoltz pitching tomorrow I hope the entire pen can take a night off!

By Tony Almeida

April 11, 2007 10:37 PM | Link to this

I was killed, but my legend lives on… Do you accept Tony Almeida as your personal savior?

By snowball's chance

April 11, 2007 10:48 PM | Link to this

Carroll, congratulations on earning the blue highlight. You seem to be drawing some new bloggers-or previous bloggers with new names. Whatever,you are a nice addition to the blog.

Andruw looked ok tonight,right. We all need to calm down. As I am on the left coast I was watching Boston Seattle. I prefer the NL but Dice K is a good story.He did a good job but was upstaged by Felix Rodriguez-complete game shutout- 0 ERA for 2 games. JS stole Soriano from Seattle. Once he burns someone can he go back to the well.

By Lew

April 11, 2007 10:49 PM | Link to this

I score all of the Braves’ games and just went back and checked something. I think this may come as somewhat of a surprise to all of you micro analysts, but NO relief pitchers have pitched more than two games in a row this year. NO ONE!!! We have had several off days and combined with BC’s juggling of the relief corps, that is the result. Sorry y’all-you’re wrong. They are not being overused, it just appears that way. As far as the velocity being off on Gonzalez, keep in mind that there is absolutely NO uniformityto the radar guns used at various parks. There could be a 5-6 MPH difference in any park on any given night. It’s early in the season and the weather has sucked. Some of these guys take a while to gear it all up. You can’t come out this early in the season, in this cold,and crankit at 96-97 every pitch. Quit with the micro analyzing. It won’t get you anywhere.

By Ron

April 11, 2007 10:53 PM | Link to this

JasoninMaine, your right about Diaz, man can he hit, I think he should start LF and when we have the lead in the later innings put in Langy. Im not worried about Cox managing, but damn you guys are right our bullpen will be toast by August, or if not then the bullpen will be nothin if we get to the playoffs. Maybe Cox wants to make damn sure we get as many wins in the beginning as we can, especially against the NL East teams. Maybe that is what he is doin, I hope so!!!!

By The Grinch

April 11, 2007 10:55 PM | Link to this

“….the dog his homework, the sun was in his eyes, flu symptoms, etc.” Go get ‘em, Lew.

By snowball's chance

April 11, 2007 10:55 PM | Link to this

Lew, I visited your website. My favorite is The Maddox. You nailed the graceful tension in his windup.

By fastasballs

April 11, 2007 10:58 PM | Link to this

Is it just me or does it feel as though the Braves should have scored 12 plus runs tonight & last. I’m not complaining, but scoring 8 runs against the Nats is probably equivalent to 3-4 against any other team.

I would like to have seen Yates, Paronto & the Vulcher finish the game out. You know at least one, probably more, will have to pitch when Redman starts against the Marlins. May as well let them get some work in now.

By Lew

April 11, 2007 11:00 PM | Link to this

Excuse me-that should be no one has pitched more than two DAYS in a row, not games.

By DAP

April 11, 2007 11:00 PM | Link to this

im glad that im not the only one seeing a problem with how bobby is using his relievers this year.

villareal, mcbride, and yates have hardly gotten any work this season. most of our games have been pretty close, but in a few cases, cox brought in the big guns when it wasnt even necessary.

i think the only game we lost this year had a little to do with mishandling the bullpen.

on friday, the score was 2-1 mets with runners on 1st and 2nd and two outs. reyes was coming up to bat, and cox brought in villereal. WRONG!! if there was ever a strikeout situation, that was it. im not saying we would have won that game, but after that mistake, the braves got blown out.

anyways, i hope were all wrong and bobby is managing the relievers perfectly, but i would like to see the other guys every now and then, especially with big leads.

By Lew

April 11, 2007 11:01 PM | Link to this

Thanks, Snowball-I thought i got his double chin pretty well, too.

By Ron

April 11, 2007 11:04 PM | Link to this

Im not worried about our offense but damn, can we get some runs besides homeruns, and McCann gettin base hits, and clutch Frenchy gettin hits. Besides those two guys gettin base hits to drive in runs, the rest is by homeruns. I know it is early and we are winning, but it is still a concern!!!!

By Tony Almeida

April 11, 2007 11:07 PM | Link to this

Lew, you’re an idiot. Gonzalez has pitched in the last 4 games. Check your stats before you speak my brutha.

By MBATL

April 11, 2007 11:11 PM | Link to this

Lew, Gonzo pitched on 4/7, 4/8, 4/10, and 4/11. Soriano on 4/4, 4/5, 4/7/ and 4/8 (and 4/11). If you don’t think 4 days out of 5 is too much, then your setup guys - both of whom have had arm problems in the past, and neither of whom has ever pitched more than 60 innings in a season - are gonna pitch 100+ innings.

Where is McBride? Yates? Villarreal? If we’re not gonna use them up by several runs against the Nats, when are we gonna use ‘em?

As to Gonzalez, I didn’t watch him enough in the past to visually compare his stuff now to then; but I do know he averaged well under 1 hit per inning, and well over 1 K per inning, every year from ‘04 to ‘06. And he’s NOT been that dominant so far this year.

If you’d rather me just post that “things are great,” I’ll do that for you. I’m thrilled that we’re 7-1 and I’m not suggesting there’s any crisis with our ‘pen. But I DO find it worthy of discussion that Bobby is using the big 3 so much - and apparently others do too.

I’d rather discuss what I see as legitimate issues with the team than to rave about how great we are.

By JasonInMaine

April 11, 2007 11:11 PM | Link to this

Man, Marcus doesn’t seem to have the same level of discomfort in the lead-off spot for the Padres…

By TennesseePaul

April 11, 2007 11:13 PM | Link to this

So Carroll is Chop Chick. That’s like, understood now.

GO BRAVES!!

I love coming home from a long day of research to find another W has been posted. It’s even better to see another 8 runs plated. I see Soriano allowed 3 runs. I gotta say, I’m worried about him. Maybe we should send him down to work out the kinks or something.

Mets lost! Let’s build this lead so big they never catch up. Then let’s make it bigger.

By Jimmy C

April 11, 2007 11:16 PM | Link to this

Last year Rosalyn and I were attending a Braves-Marlins game. Rosalyn asked me who was batting. I said “It’s Uggla.” Rosalyn said “Now Jimma, he’s not uggla, he’s kind of cute.”

By Lew

April 11, 2007 11:16 PM | Link to this

Tony-No you’re wrong-See my post about two DAYS in a row-and don’t cal me an idiot, you a$$. To further break it down-Gonzo 5.2 IP, Wicky 5IP, Soriano 4.2IP, Paronto 3.1 IP, Villarreal 3.1IP-These guys have all pitched roughly the same amount. No one of them comes up to an average of 1 IP per game. Mc Bride is a situational pitcher-used for lefthanded hitters, has an ERA of 9.oo and walked 6 batters in 2IP. Yates has an ERA of 10.80 in 1.2IP. You think maybe the reason they aren’t pitching so much is because they haven’t pitched well?

By The Grinch

April 11, 2007 11:23 PM | Link to this

Lets go Thrashers! This Seussian-American is going to sleep. Later.

By Lew

April 11, 2007 11:25 PM | Link to this

Look people-Think what the hell you want to think, but these guys are professionals and pitching two innings in two days with a day off in between is not that big a deal, especially this early in the season. I swear you all look for anything whatsoever to gripe about and then take it as a personal attack when someone disagrees with your assessment. The most anyone from the relief corps has pitched this season is 5.2 innings in two flippin weeks. That’s 5.2 innings in ten days. I hardly think their arms are going to fall off. As far as Villarreal, he is more likely to pitch more innings per appearance-he’s the long relief guy-and will probably pitch in fewer games to get his innings-especially if he has to bail Redman out every five days. McBride is a left handed specialist and it is now appearing likely that he will only pitch to one or two batters in any game, hence will pitch fewer total innings. As far as Yates, who knows what’s going on with him?

By N8.....the bible length posts are BACK!

April 11, 2007 11:27 PM | Link to this

Lew

“You can’t come out this early in the season, in this cold,and crankit at 96-97 every pitch.”

I’m not asking for EVERY pitch, but one would be nice, wouldn’t it? LOL! Besides, Soriano and Yates haven’t seemed to have too much trouble doing it, have they?

Dude, you know I respect your opinion, so I’m not nitpicking, but whether it’s nerves, cold weather or WHATEVER, Gonzalez doesn’t look the same as he did last year.

As far as Wickman in the 9th? He was already “up” when it was a save situation, due to Soriano’s inning. So there is no sense in NOT using him, when he was already warmed up, IMO. I’m less worried about him than the power guys, when it comes to being overused, anyhow.

By Lew

April 11, 2007 11:27 PM | Link to this

Oh and MBATL- I really don’t care what you post-suit yourself.

By parks

April 11, 2007 11:31 PM | Link to this

we could be 56-1 and this blog would still cry about something

By Tony Almeida

April 11, 2007 11:32 PM | Link to this

Yeah Lew, that makes sense, send out your best pitchers everynight even in blowouts because the pitchers who aren’t pitching well should NOT be in the game. So when the Mets come in to town and Soriano, Wickman, and Gonzo’s arms are hanging by their skin, then we should put in McBride and Yates….yeah, makes sense, my brutha.

By fastasballs

April 11, 2007 11:33 PM | Link to this

That’s a two way street with Yates. He has pitched poorly in his 1.2 innings of work, but how can he work though it without getting the ball?

Two straight games with 5 run leads would have been great opportunities to get him the ball. If he stunk it up with the first two batters then pull him. It’s not like they were playing the Mets tonight.

The Nats are the most perfect confidence builders in the league.

BTW, Is Yates out of options?

By AdirondackDave

April 11, 2007 11:34 PM | Link to this

Lew - Thanks for your posts. I generally feel better about the club after I read you.

By Tony Almeida

April 11, 2007 11:34 PM | Link to this

Yeah Lew, you dont take it as a personal attack when someone disagrees with you……nice try though….

By MBATL

April 11, 2007 11:39 PM | Link to this

Lew, thanks for the thoughtful response. However, if you know anything about baseball, you know that it’s not the number of innings pitched that counts; it’s the number of times a pitcher has to warm up. Getting Soriano, Gonzalez or Wickman warmed up and ready to pitch “counts” whether they pitch 1/3 of an inning or 3 innings. Good night, sir.

By parks

April 11, 2007 11:41 PM | Link to this

not alarmed at all about the bullpen use

By Lew

April 11, 2007 11:42 PM | Link to this

No Nathan-Yates has an ERA of 10.80-he has had no trouble cranking it up to 96. As far as Gonzalez, I really have no idea how hard he threw last year and apparently no one else does, either. I really don’t care how hard he throws when, like the last two nights, he dominates hitters. Soriano’s fastball didn’t do him a damn bit of good tonight because he couldn’t get his slider down. Where di that speed get him? Y’all-We’re 7-1, leading the division, with a two game lead over the Mets, 2.5 over the Marlins, 5 over the Phillies, and are likely to be 8-1 after tomorrow. You’ve got this forest full of redwoods standing in front of you and you’re looking for diseased saplings somewhere. I’m not saying life is perfect, but why do you insist on stressing minor negatives that will probably amount to nothing in the long run. I’m sure the management is aware of how often everyone is being used and how they are performing.

By mr baseball

April 11, 2007 11:43 PM | Link to this

Lew: If Yates, McBride, Villareal aren’t going to pitch with the Braves ahead by 5 runs, exactly when are they going to pitch? I can understand the use of the Big 3 in close games, but that has not been the case the last 2 nights. If Cox does not trust his secondary relievers with 5-run leads, he better bring in some replacements. The Braves are going to have to protect a lot of late inning leads this season, and the Big 3 can’t pitch every time that happens, especially when the Braves are 5 ahead.

Say you’re McBride, Yates or Villareal. The manager won’t use you with a comfortable lead. Big confidence boost there.

Cox may not have pitched anyone more than 2 days in a row, but 4 days out of 5 is no picnic, and Soriano certainly did not look like himself tonight. He may have been trying to put Wickman in a save situation, but the Nats’ bullpen is so awful, the lead was right back at 5 when Wickman took the mound.

This is going to develop into a problem unless the Braves start scoring 8 runs or so by the 6th inning, or they begin losing a lot by sizeable margins, neither of which are very likely.

By AdirondackDave

April 11, 2007 11:44 PM | Link to this

Lew - Thanks for your posts. I generally feel better about the club after I read you.

By Lew

April 11, 2007 11:44 PM | Link to this

Tony-Only when someone calls me an idiot do I feel attacked personally and I respomd in kind. Get over yourself. Your insight ain’t all that, anyway. You’re way to reactionary and can’t deal with it when someone reminds you of that fact.

By AdirondackDave

April 11, 2007 11:45 PM | Link to this

Lew - Thanks for your posts. I generally feel better about the club after I read you.

By Sir Stealth

April 11, 2007 11:45 PM | Link to this

I’m in the camp that’s not worried too much about the overuse of the bullpen. First, its the beginning of the season and Bobby likely wants to make sure to get off to as good a start as possible, set the tone for not blowing games like last year, and see what he’s got with the new pen. Second, as Lew has correctly pointed out, there have been off days in there, so they haven’t really pitched all that many innings. Plus, Soriano, for one has had at least a couple of outings where he’s only thrown one or two pitches. Its not like Bobby is oblivious to the issue. He has been front and center in the game a long time, talks to the pitchers and consults with the pitching coach about who to play day to day. I’ll defer to him on this one. 7-1 is the only important stat at this point.

By Tony Almeida

April 11, 2007 11:49 PM | Link to this

Lew - No my friend, that would be you.

By parks

April 11, 2007 11:49 PM | Link to this

WWWWWAAAAAAAAHHHHHH BULLPEN WWWWWAAAAAAAAHHHHHH

By DAP

April 11, 2007 11:49 PM | Link to this

LEW, you are making sense, but 5.2 innings pitched to this point in the season averages out to over 100 innings of pitching. it still early in the season, but i think bobby needs to slow down a bit with the big three.

using our big guys against the mets and the phils makes sense, but they should only be in close games against tuff opponents, not in blowouts against the nationals.

By Lew

April 11, 2007 11:52 PM | Link to this

Mr.Baseball-I have no idea why they didn’t pitch when we had large leads. I thought they should have as well. Maybe BC has some obscure and highly esoteric reason we couldn’t possibly understand. I was merely trying to point out to all the doom and gloomers that the big three really hadn’t pitched as much as some thought they had. I still think 5.2 IP over a ten day period this early in the season is not that big a deal, but apparently no one agrees with me. That’s their perogative. Good night.

By Braves fan 202

April 11, 2007 11:53 PM | Link to this

Wickman almost blows his saves. he never goes 1-2-3. w/e as long as he gets it done. he’ll blow one soon i guarentee it. Man soriano showed weekness, its ok hes still the man. I love this team though

By KC

April 11, 2007 11:59 PM | Link to this

Headline from Foxsports.com…

“GOOD FOR STARTERS: The Mets boast one of the most lethal lineups and best bullpens in baseball. Their biggest question mark going into the season was their rotation. But judging from early results, Dayn Perry says New York’s starters may turn out to be a team strength. Full Story…”

What can you do at this point but laugh?

The compulsion national media types seem to feel to endlessly fawn over the Mets, and their absolute refusal to recognize how good the Braves look this year is almost amusing.

And this headline on a night when the Mets’ 4th starter went 2-2/3 of an inning, allowing a hit, 7 walks and 3 earned runs before being pulled in the 3rd inning of a Mets loss.

Wow.

By Lew

April 12, 2007 12:01 AM | Link to this

One finalpoint for consideration. The weather has been horrendous. What if BC lets Smoltz, Hudson or any other starter go too long in this cold this early? Could they conceivably injure themselves? Maybe the relievers are going a bit more early so the starters can stretch themselves out gradually to 7 or 8 innings per start when it warms up a bit. Just something to think about. By giving the bullpen a bit of extra work early, he’s saving his starters. Perhaps the trend will reverse when it warms up.

By Lew

April 12, 2007 12:03 AM | Link to this

KC-Was this before or after Oliver Perez gave up three runs while walking 7 in his 2.2 IP tonight?

By KC

April 12, 2007 12:06 AM | Link to this

The Mets have one of the best bullpens in baseball??

Until Mota comes back… it’s not even close to being one of the best in baseball.

Well… just thought I would share that amusing headline from Mr. Met himself, Dayn Perry. Hope it was good for a chuckle or two.

G’night ya’ll.

By KC

April 12, 2007 12:07 AM | Link to this

Lew: It says the article was posted 2 hours ago. Apparently Dayn Perry doesn’t have cable. lol

By Ron

April 12, 2007 12:14 AM | Link to this

KC, to be fair Dayn Perry in the Power Rankings did say the Braves are Back. Yes they were behind the Mets, but at least he did give the Braves credit!!! Thats more than alot of people are givin the Braves.

By Ron

April 12, 2007 12:19 AM | Link to this

Guys lets all just chill for a little while, I am a little concerned about the overuse of the bullpen, but Cox maybe just doin that while we face the NL East teams, especially the Nats, cant have the Bullpen blow a game against the Nats, even if it is 5 runs. Lets wait until the month is over and then decide if Cox is overusing the pen!!!!!

By Ron

April 12, 2007 12:22 AM | Link to this

Back in 2002 with that UNBELIEVABLE bullpen with Hammond and Holmes and SMOLTZ we were awesome, Cox did not overuse them!!!

By Robert

April 12, 2007 12:23 AM | Link to this

“we could be 56-1 and this blog would still cry about something”

Dude, we could be 161-1, and with Donk managing, we’d still exit early in the postseason

By Robert

April 12, 2007 12:26 AM | Link to this

“First, its the beginning of the season and Bobby likely wants to make sure to get off to as good a start as possible, set the tone for not blowing games like last year, and see what he’s got with the new pen”

Bobby Cox is not even CAPABLE of such intrictate thought processes, much less inclined to use them

7-1. What a manager we have

By A.J.

April 12, 2007 12:28 AM | Link to this

LOL, I really don’t care about any of the “biases.” The only reason it ever annoys me is when I’m just sick of hearing how good the Mets or Yankees are. But it really just makes it sweeter in the end when they lose.

The only real problem is when I am tired of seeing the Mets, Yankees, Red Sox and Barry Bonds on TV, but as long as I live in Atlanta I’ll be fine.

This, however, is HILARIOUS. When “objective” people are so in love with a team as this guy appears to be with the Mets it is pretty funny to me. At least when they jump the gun like this.

By Coach

April 12, 2007 12:32 AM | Link to this

The Baseball pundits can write whatever they want. We know who is in first place with the best record in baseball. Smoltz , Hudson , James…….MONEY , BABY ! ABSOLUTE MONEY IN THE BANK !

By Ron

April 12, 2007 12:32 AM | Link to this

Robert, Dude that was freakin Hillarious, that was wrong though, if we did that we could win without a manager, and I think Cox is the best manager ever!!! That was funny though, Robert!!!

By Alex

April 12, 2007 12:35 AM | Link to this

KC,

The NY biased media, of course they would keep writting about their darlings…NY Mets and NY Yankees.

ESPN is even worst. ESPN baseball tonight…that whole team is anti-braves, esp. Steve Phillips and red sox lover Peter Gammonds.

The only ESPN baseball analyst worth anything is Tim K. who actually knows his stuff and isn’t biased one way or another.

But yeah, I wouldn’t look for any love coming the Braves way from ESPN or FOXSPORTS. They each want to keep writting about how great the NY Muts are. Yeah, the Muts are slowly following the Yankees overspending formula…and you can see where it’s gotten the Yankees the last 6 years! No WS rings, even with a 200+ mil payroll!

Meanwhile, I hope the Braves can stay under the “radar” for as long as possible, let the national media overlook them, as long as they keep going strong it doesn’t matter.

By Ron

April 12, 2007 12:40 AM | Link to this

Robert, let me ask you one question, why do you hate Bobby Cox so much? I dont have a problem that you hate him, just wondering why, if it is because of the Postseason failure, well we did have alot of players that did good in the season and was DUDS in the Postseason, we had alot of them!!!(Drew, Sheffield, just to name two, could go on and on and fill up the whole Blog)!!!

By TennesseePaul

April 12, 2007 12:43 AM | Link to this

OK. To end the speculation I pulled up the scouting report on Gonzo…
Gonzalez is often overpowering with his fastball-slider combination. He runs his fastball up to 98 MPH and regularly throws it at 93-95 MPH. Gonzalez’ slider has a late break and is particularly tough on righthanded hitters. He struggles throwing his changeup for strikes at times, but it hardly matters working short stints in relief. Gonzalez began his professional career as a starting pitcher and has the ability to work multiple innings if needed. He often forgets about baserunners, making him easy to steal on, and is a subpar fielder. Gonzalez batted only once last season but belted a two-run double for his first hit since high school.

From this report I would say, yes he isn’t throwing as hard as in the past. I have no idea why either. If he was out there trying to over power to impress and only got it up to 90/91 then I’m not too impressed. Especially since he reached back to bring the heat and threw the ball everywhere but in the zone for the first few outings. I’m sure he’ll figure out what ever it is that might be prohibiting him from tossing as hard. Or maybe that old Braves pitching rule is in play… it isn’t a matter of velocity, it’s location location location. In which case, I’m still concerned. I’d like some first hand insite into this though. Going from a 93-95mph tops 98 to 90-91 is pretty troublesome.
And I am going to have to agree with those who fret about the “over use” of the big 3…
Player Games Innings Projected Inn
Soriano 5 3.2 74.1
Gonzo 5 4.2 94.2

For perspective, I believe Reitsma has the Braves record for games by a reliever at 84. That season he threw 79.2 innings. Not sure on the innings record. But Gonzo is on pace to surpass the Reitsma threshold in innings. Both of these guys are on pace to appear in about 101 games which would shatter the old mark. So I don’t think it’s a stretch to say they are on pace to be over used. And with Gonzo’s arm issues last season, I don’t think it’s a wise pattern to maintain.
On that note I’d have to agree with the other posts… why would they be in an 8-0 game? This seems like the best time to bring in McBride and let him figure out how to pitch to a right hander. Or Villarreal so he can get used to throwing multiple innings and work out whatever kinks he needs to work out.

I can understand the desire to keep the big three “fresh.” You don’t want them to sit in the pen un-used for extended periods of time. It could be we get on a role and pound the Nats and Fish into the ground limiting the need to use them. So you bring them out to keep their arms alive and let them stay in game form. But, the same should still apply for the rest of the pen. Yates, McBride, Villarreal…
(I’m looking at the roster right now to see all these guys and I gotta say… I frickin love this pen. So solid. And the rotation looks good if you subtract Redman. Hard to believe Smoltz has the second highest ERA in the rotation…)

By Braves fan 202

April 12, 2007 12:51 AM | Link to this

robert i know your joking, nothing, i mean NOTHING p** me off more than reading your blogs. Please everyone read his 12:26 post. And ron thanks for the two examples you sure showed him. Anyways robert, what the hell is wrong with 7-1. R u even a braves fan? You need to stop blaming cox and realize what a terrific manager he is. You are a disgrace to braves fan for not appreciating the most important figure of our franchise

By mr baseball

April 12, 2007 12:55 AM | Link to this

Ron: That ‘02 bullpen also included Remlinger, Ligtenberg, Gryboski and Spooneybarger, and Gryboski’s 3.48 ERA was the HIGHEST of the 7 relievers. Cox didn’t have to overuse anyone because they all pitched effectively. At some point, he’s going to have to use his second tier relievers to protect leads, and what better chance than against the worst team in baseball with a 5-run lead.

This might turn out to be a relatively minor concern, but if Gonzalez or Soriano winds up with a tired/injured arm, it’s not going to be so minor. Cox is evidently so scared that McBride or Yates can’t protect a 5-run lead that’s he running the Big 3 out almost every game.

Those of us with questions about Cox’s use of the bullpen are quite happy with the start of the season. The team looks great. We’re just concerned that the cheerleader in the dugout might screw it up.

By Carroll Rogers

April 12, 2007 1:00 AM | Link to this

My bad on the RBI total, Big Daddy. And yes maybe the fun of responding to your comment was getting to say, Big Daddy. My eyes were playing tricks on me on the stat sheet and I dissed poor McCann who has 8 RBI to Frenchy’s 9. Bet the two of them will rack up them numbers if they stay this close. You know they push each other for some bragging rights.

Gotta agree with the comment on Edgar Renteria being a great pickup. How steady is he? Great defense every night. Three hits tonight. Been on base seven times in 10 trips to the plate this series. And quietly. Interesting.

And hm, song lyrics. Dave’s been gone two days and you guys are missing his lyrics, eh? Well, sometimes on long, busy, rainy days, Janis comes to mind….

(And i’m going off the top of my head, no googling to check myself, so fine make fun of me if i mess it up)…

Oh lord, won’t you buy me a mercedes benz. My friends all drive porsches I must make amends. I’ve worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends, oh lord won’t you buy me a murrrcaayyydeees beyhnnzzzz…..

thankyouverymuch. are you good people even up still? I hope you aren’t keeping baseball writer hours!

By F.A. Skippy

April 12, 2007 1:06 AM | Link to this

Braves fan 202 Robert has said it’s really a group of Berry college kids who have nothing better to do than post things to pi$$ people off.I lived in Rome when I was their age and found plenty to do,but I was handsome, so I’ll cut them a little slack.

By Sir Stealth

April 12, 2007 1:11 AM | Link to this

To: Robert

Find another team. You are not a Braves fan. You no longer need feel inclined to care whether the Braves lose in the postseason, regular season, or any season. Our 7-1 record and hall of fame manager also need no longer concern you.

Sincerely, All true Braves fans.

By Coach

April 12, 2007 1:12 AM | Link to this

Just for reference , through eight games the Braves have hit 13 home runs. Thats a 260 home run pace. They only hit a measly 222 in 2006 , leading the N.L. They averaged 5.24 runs per game in 2006 , so far in 2007: 5.12 runs per game. Offense , a problem ? I THINK NOT !

By Sir Stealth

April 12, 2007 1:15 AM | Link to this

Alex, your description of the ESPN commentators is interesting, because I would have said that Steve Phillips and Peter Gammons are the only ones out of all of them that actually respect the Braves. Phillips is the only one listed on ESPN.com who picked Atlanta to win the East this year. Gammons consistently respects them.

Now, every single other commentator employed by that organization I would say does ignore and sometimes actively hate on the Braves. I think that the Braves may have beaten up Rob Neyer when he was a little kid. Karl Ravech is particularly annoying to me also and he’s just the studio moderator.

By TennesseePaul

April 12, 2007 1:19 AM | Link to this

Carroll this blog runs 24/7

By F.A. Skippy

April 12, 2007 1:23 AM | Link to this

Coach I’ll take the homers and a 7-1 record anytime,but I’m still a ops guy so hopefully they’ll hit for average before it’s over.

By Alex

April 12, 2007 1:32 AM | Link to this

Sir Stealth, You and I must be watching a different ESPN then, but overall from many years of watching them, and the baseball tonight cast, I know their anti-braves bias is there.

Steve Phillips loves to brag about the Muts, Gammonds too, although Gammonds was more respectful of the Braves in the 90’s.

John Kruk of course hates them, being from Phillie, he’s used to the Braves beating the snot out of the Phils and I’m sure still isn’t over losing to them.

Orel H. is a dodger, so there is no love lost between dodgers/braves back from the NL West years. Yeah, way back then.

Jason Stark…he’s heavily towards anything NY.

I feel that Tim K. is the only one, and Harold R. was OK too, before he got fired, but Tim esp. has always been respectful of the Braves and given them their due.

Carl Ravech is annoying as hell.

I guarantee you, if the NY Muts have the best record right now, they’d be talking about it day and night on ESPN. Damn propaganda for NY based teams, oh and let’s include the Red Sox as well. Muts, Yanks, Sox. That’s all ESPN wants to talk about. No wait, and how great Joe Mauer is…apparently nobody’s heard of Brian McCann, the best all around catcher in the MLB right now.

By F.A. Skippy

April 12, 2007 1:41 AM | Link to this

people why do you care what is said on sports center ? have you lost weight? that suit makes you look tall! is that a new tie ? feel better now ?

By snowball's chance

April 12, 2007 2:14 AM | Link to this

Carroll, Thanks for the Janis lyrics. I can tell you are getting into this blog. Guy Curtright gave up the minimum effort.I don’t know if DOB ever gave Guy the Blue Highlight maybe because Guy never responded. 7 and 1. Couldn’t Bobby Cox do better?

By jed

April 12, 2007 2:21 AM | Link to this

Anybody heard anything about if or when the baseball package on Dish Network is going to be reinstated? And if anybody else out there had it, how are you going about watching the games now? Is there another package I can sign up for?

By snowball's chance

April 12, 2007 2:22 AM | Link to this

F.A. Skippy, I’m hearing a new voice on the blog. The blog reads like a creative writing class where the assignment is to take on some shtick and run it in to the ground. Then again maybe Stinky has put out another personality. I hope not.Does this post make me look fat?

By Chris

April 12, 2007 2:32 AM | Link to this

The nightly 2006 vs 2007 stats update:

2007: 7-1 record, staff ERA 2.88, starters 4-1 2.55 ERA, bullpen 3-0 with 6 saves 3.51 ERA.

2006: 4-4 record, staff ERA 6.85, starters 0-3 8.66 ERA, bullpen 4-1 with 3 saves and 1 blown save 4.91 ERA.

Quite a difference. The starting pitchers have been just outstanding so far this year. Seven out of eight games with quality starts (all except Redman in the home opener). With our bullpen, if the starters keep going anything like this, we will win a lot of games. We also should have Cormier in reserve so we can survive an injury.

By Braves fan 202

April 12, 2007 2:36 AM | Link to this

Good info chris but redman only allowed three, he did ok considering they played the mets

By Sir Stealth

April 12, 2007 2:40 AM | Link to this

Alex, I’d say for the most part we’re pretty much completely in agreement on the issue.

By Chris

April 12, 2007 2:49 AM | Link to this

Another interesting note, the Braves never made it to 6 games over .500 at any time during the 2006 season. The best record I could find was 27-23, on May 28 after a sweep of the Cubs. The infamous 3-20 stretch followed immediately afterwards.

By Chris

April 12, 2007 2:56 AM | Link to this

Braves fan 202, I double checked the boxscore and Redman actually gave up 5 earned in 5 2/3 IP. Still not terrible, but not the quality of the others:

Smoltz: 2 starts, 1-0, 12 IP, 5 ER

Hudson: 2 starts, 1-0, 14 IP, 1 ER

James: 2 starts, 2-0, 11 IP, 1 ER

Davies: 1 start, 0-0, 6.2 IP, 2 ER

By Blogger Formerly Known as Wayne in Utah

April 12, 2007 4:41 AM | Link to this

The great thing about Rent-A-SS is that the Bosox are paying a large chunk of his salary. I think the Braves are on the hook for only 5 mil a year.

Dayn Perry, the Met’s lover, has a new post on Foxsports.com tonight telling us how great the Mets staff is so far, and how it’s the best staff in baseball so far. I guess he didn’t notice who beat them two out of three last weekend. Some of these national writers are in denial. I heard one on late night XM tonight talking about how he expected the Braves to be 4-4 or 5-3 at this point.

That’s OK. Let them talk up the Mets.

Good night/morning……

By Bravo Nam

April 12, 2007 4:54 AM | Link to this

Use of Big 3

I am a big supporter of BC and totally disagree with Robert’s rants about him…but, he does occasionally drop the ball badly, and in relation to the amount he is pitching the Big 3, he has gotten it wrong badly…no good if you win 161 if during the postseason the big dudes no longer have any arm strength left…number of appearances (due to the whole warm up routine) is a more important figure than innings pitched. This year is very different to anything that has happened since BC took up the reins…a season following the end of the run which ended primarily due to a terrible BP…I can’t help but feel that BC’s current use of his BP is a reach to overcompensate for all the dramatic meltdowns last year…and his current managing is uncharacteristic, as he is managing the team like he normally would in the last month of the season rather than the first month.

By Oldtimer

April 12, 2007 8:01 AM | Link to this

I must be confused. I could have sworn that the “Incredible Hulk” that finished Tuesdays game was named Paronto; not the “Incredible Hulk” named Wickman.

By KC

April 12, 2007 8:29 AM | Link to this

RON: “KC, to be fair Dayn Perry in the Power Rankings did say the Braves are Back. Yes they were behind the Mets, but at least he did give the Braves credit!!! Thats more than alot of people are givin the Braves.”

Yes Ron, he did acknowledge that the Braves are back. But in Dayn Perry’s eyes, they’re not exactly “back” with a vengeance. A week ago, he thought the Braves were the 16th best team in baseball. Now he thinks they’re the 10th best team. When you keep in mind that only 8 teams make the playoffs… it still sounds like he doesn’t think very much of the Braves. And 6 places behind the Diamondbacks??????? I know the Dbacks are an improved team, but what the hell is he smoking?

The Braves have looked better than any team in baseball early on, and their success really hasn’t been due to much of anything that’s unsustainable. I mean you can’t look at the Braves and say “yeah, well… their bullpen won’t be able to keep this up” or “aaah, Hudson, Smoltz, and James will falter”. And they beat the Mets and Phillies without any help from the Joneses offensively.

The Mets success on the other hand has been due in large part to guys like El Duque, John Maine, and Oliver Perez pitching (until the last couple of games) lights out baseball. Was anyone betting money that would continue? Maine and Perez both struggled mightily their last time out. Now, maybe they’ll have fine seasons… but I wouldn’t wager on the Mets rotation being a “strength” as Mr. Perry puts it.

Dayn Perry’s assessment of the Braves as the 10th best team in baseball right now defies all logic, as does his D-backs at #4 placement. Oh well… Dayn Perry doesn’t know his a*$ from a hole in the wall. The more aware I become of that fact, the less it bothers me what he says (not that it ever should have bothered me at all).

When the Braves are still in first place at the end of the month, some of these national media guys will to start giving them a little more credit.

By Scalp 'Em Braves

April 12, 2007 8:49 AM | Link to this

Lew:

I agree with you on the Big 3. I don’t think they are being overused. With Soriano & Gonzalez, I think Bobby is trying to (a) win the game, and (b) test them in game situations, and see what they are made of. We saw last night that Soriano isn’t bullet proof, he gave up 3 runs, but did get out of the inning. Like it or not folks, those are necessary character building experiences, and I’d much rather test one’s mettle with a five run lead than with a one run lead against the Muts.

Holy Crap!! We’re 7-1, up by two games on the Muts, and people are already howling about what a bad job Bobby is doing, Kelly stinks as a lead off, Dru is trying too hard so he can get lots of money in the FA market, etc. I swear, for some people, their only purpose on this earth is to complain about anything and everything, even if they don’t know what they are talking about. If we were in the Phillies spot, I could understand the complaints. But, our pitching has been very good, if not excellent, our hitting has been timely (even though a little spotty), the defense has been very good and our hitting hosses are coming around. Let’s be thankful, at least currently, that we’re not looking at a repeat of last year’s frustration.

By mark

April 12, 2007 8:52 AM | Link to this

Everyone is BLOGING….Are you going to be the new braves writer for AJC…. I hop so

By 22oz

April 12, 2007 8:54 AM | Link to this

In relation to the Power Rankings, SI.com’s John Donovan has the Braves at #2 behind the Angels. So we get love from somebody.

Also count me in as a member of the concerned about overusing the Big Three. Although Bobby did try to bring in Villareal last Friday against the Mets to get out of a jam, and we all know how that went. That was a boneheaded move by Cox, anyone who has watched Villareal pitch knows that he is NOT a get-you-out-of-a-jam pitcher. You bring him in to start an inning, he gives up a couple of hits, maybe a run, and gets the 3 outs eventually. Something the Braves have always been reluctant to do over the years is admit mistakes. Anyone recall Albie Lopez rotting in the bullpen a few years back? Most of these guys are out of options, and the Braves don’t want to just let them go. There may be hope though. Aren’t we getting close to Tanyon Sturtze becoming available? I remember hearing something about him coming back around May. There’s also Phil Stockman and Peter Moylan, but the trigger just has to be pulled.

By The Grinch

April 12, 2007 9:00 AM | Link to this

Chris, Redman technically gave up 5, but that doesn’t really reflect his effort. When he left, there were runners on 1st and 2nd with 2 out; Villareal came in and gave up both inherited runners in about 2 pitches.

Andruw rolls his ankle last night and falls down as he should do every night with that swing, then comes back in the same at bat and cranks one out. What a trip.

So, Scalp ‘em, how do you feel about the collective psyche of this blog?

By Metropolitan Man

April 12, 2007 9:03 AM | Link to this

Slow down bravos, dont get too big a lead, you still have to visit Shea later this month. You guys got that vengence thing down early I see. I hope you guys dont read too much into this becasue its early but this is not the way I saw this starting out. Congrats so far but I I’m starting to think you guys have put 2006 behind you. Grinch, Scribes, Lew, KC, you guys havent beat METS fans up becasue you are realistic that its a long season, but METS fans arent feeling the METS play of late. So with that said, Come on nats, pull 1 out.

By KC

April 12, 2007 9:06 AM | Link to this

22oz: Good to hear Donovan has eyes. He’s one of the few.

I’m not at all concerned about overuse of the big 3 just yet. However, I am puzzled as to why Bobby hasn’t taken a couple of opportunities in this Nats series to get Villarreal and especially Tyler Yates some innings.

The Braved like both of those guys, and for good reason. Villarreal’s ERA over the second half of last season was well under 3.00.

Yates was with the Braves for almost exactly 4 full months last year (he came up on May 30th). He had a lousy August, but posted a 2.17 ERA over the other 3 months, including a 2.70 as the Braves fill-in setup man in September after Baez went down.

Anyway, as you pointed out 22, Yates is out of options and they don’t want to lose him. SO WHY NOT PITCH HIM IN AN 8-0 GAME??? I don’t get it. And last night with a 5 run lead, they could have brought him in to pitch the 9th, with Wickman on the ready just in case.

Villarreal I understand. He has a clearly defined role as the long reliever. I know why he hasn’t pitched much. But I really don’t understand why they haven’t taken these opportunities to get more looks at Tyler Yates.

Let’s see how he looks this year. If they like what they see… great! If not, cut him loose and promote Stockman, Moylan or (as soon as they’re healthy) Boyer or Sturtze.

By KC

April 12, 2007 9:15 AM | Link to this

MetroMan:

Yeah, 2006 is long gone. As I’ve said before, I expect a legitimate Braves/Mets pennant race (please note the exclusion of the Phillies, who I excluded long before their 2-6 start).

It would be a very good thing for the Braves to open up a good lead by the all-star break, since the Mets will be getting a lift when Pedro returns (assuming the shoulder surgery doesn’t further affect his stuff… but the Mets brass don’t seem too concerned).

Anyway… should be fun race. But in the end, I think both teams will reach the post-season unless both the Padres and Dodgers play completely out of their minds this year.

By Robert

April 12, 2007 9:26 AM | Link to this

“people are already howling about what a bad job Bobby is doing”

Cox is mismanaging the bullpen and the pinch hitting - it’s just that when you are hot and winning games by four and five runs, you can temporarily get away with things like this

Never fear, in games that count against contenders, Bobby’s -1 run per game contribution will take it’s toll

I saw the little poll on the front of the sports page and was flabbergasted that “best manager OF ALL TIME” was not listed as the primary cause of the 7-1 start

“The Braves have looked better than any team in baseball early on”

No - The Braves happen to have won more games than anyone else to this point. That’s all.

“Robert, let me ask you one question, why do you hate Bobby Cox so much?”

I dont hate him. Hate is a personal emotion, and I dont know Cox personally. What I do is I have contempt for his supposed abilities as a manager. NEVER has a man been given so much and accomplished so little. Winning 14 straight division titles (and 1 World Series) with the teams we had was akin to a guy driving a Porschedrag-racing a guy driving a Yugo and winning in a photo finish. Have you ever considered that there is some common theme underlying all the postseason duds - why there are so many names and situations that have been Braves postseason flops - There IS an underlying such reason, and it is BOBBY COX and his assinine philosophy of the playoffs beaing a crapshoot and his complete lack of understanding of the STRATEGY of a baseball game

When a team beats up on AA pitching for 8 runs a game, they can have Bobby Cox chewing his cud, drooling on his uniform and thinking “Duh” in the dugout and still win

Come September, there will be a lot of long faces on this blog wondering “What happened? We were SOooooo good in April. Bobby was so high on this team. Everyone loves Bobby so much and he is so great”

“We’re just concerned that the cheerleader in the dugout might screw it up.”

There’s no concern. It is lock certainty. You can go to Vegas and bet the house that the donkey in the Braves dugout WILL, in fact, screw it up. Somehow, someway, sometime. At some point, he will shove a hoof up a nostril and root around for a turd while “thinking”. During this process, his feeble brain will come up with a plan that is so ridiculously flawed that it allows the other team back in the hunt in a situation where they shouldve been eliminated. Making the most of said second (or third, or fourth) chance, said other team will end the misery of the Braves season. Typically this string of events occurs sometime between October 3rd and 7th, tho the loaded teams of the mid 90’s sometimes managed to prolong things to mid or even late October. When it’s finished, Bobby Cox will have no clue whatsoever what happened. He will still be sitting there, hoof implanted in a sinus cavity, ears dangling, tail drooping, and will look the camera and plaintively Hee-Haw something about “one bad pitch” or about how well __ey had been playing up to that point.

This is a consistantly redproduced and reproducible result. The prelimiaries are unimportant. Whether we are 96-66, 85-77, or 157-4, is irrelevent

By Metropolitan Man

April 12, 2007 9:28 AM | Link to this

Its getting crazy KC becasue if Perez doesnt cut it (I think he will) Shea hello to C.H. Park. I dont know if thats considered an upgrade or not but another performance like the one Perez put on last night and I’m popping rolaids like 5 cent beer. I’m glad its early and Pedro possibly coming back but all that cash you keep asking about will problably be put to use for to keep us in the race or GOD forbid to get us BACK in the race. Either way not being in 1st is the first step to the cellar. Also J. Rollins trashed talked the Shea fans asking them “where’s you rings” yesterday. This guy is asking for a total team beatdown 2day. Keep poking the bear Rollins while he is in the cage, then watch out.

By KC

April 12, 2007 9:29 AM | Link to this

A couple of people here have mentioned that Gonzalez’s velocity seems to be down. I don’t know exactly what the radar guns looked like last year, so I cant say but… I’ll be honest; I am a little concerned about him. The only time he’s really looked dominant to me was 3 batters into his Braves debut, when he worked his way out of runners-on-2nd/3rd-nobody-out jam in Phili.

Yes, his last 2 outings have gone well, but he didn’t look at all dominant to me.

DOB, any thoughts??

By Gil in Mechanicsville

April 12, 2007 9:33 AM | Link to this

Let’s see…. We have a very long stretch ahead with no days off. Smotlz will pitch tonight but look for the need of long relief on Friday when Redman faces the Fish.

I have given up trying to manage the club from my living room…. They just refuse to call me on important roster moves dispite my vast expeience and many hours of blogging… Oh the humanity….

By 22oz

April 12, 2007 9:35 AM | Link to this

I missed the game last night, a buddy of mine is home from Iraq for mid-tour leave, so i went and saw him. I’ve been trying to catch up all morning. Luckily i have a government job so i can do so. Wickman had not worked since Sunday, so i can see why he was used last night. So i guess i should revise my statement to being concerned about overusing 2 out of the Big 3. But i still have no clue why Yates wasn’t used with a 5-0 lead. And this has nothing to do with the Big 3, but why has Pete Orr gotten almost no at-bats? Is Bobby that in love with Woodward?

By Robert

April 12, 2007 9:35 AM | Link to this

” couple of people here have mentioned that Gonzalez’s velocity seems to be down”

Oh come on now. Gonzalezey has looked great and hasnt made even one bad pitch

By MEB

April 12, 2007 9:39 AM | Link to this

Great opening week of baseball. Hey… how about the Reds Jerry Narron yanking Edwin Encarnacion for dogging it on a pop fly? Remind anyone else of similar event in the Braves past. Two thumbs way up, Jerry!!!

By Braveheart

April 12, 2007 9:45 AM | Link to this

Robert, are you mocking Bobby Cox with that last statement about Gonzalez?

By The Grinch

April 12, 2007 9:47 AM | Link to this

MetroMan, Jimmy Rollins should be a cornerback with all that @#%& he talks. I beleive I’d at least wait until I was up to 3rd place in the division before I said something like that. OK, time to get some work done.

By Braveheart

April 12, 2007 9:50 AM | Link to this

Aren’t Gnats at least supposed to be pests?

By A-town As$clown .....formerly caveman22

April 12, 2007 9:51 AM | Link to this

metrodude How far have your expectations fallen for the MEAKS when you have to start rooting for the NOTS to try and beat the BRAVOS. I would have to say that your outlook is dim on the one.

We do not care about the NY MUTTS, why do you try to turn this blog into a discussion of your team?

You came, you lost, you suck!!

By MBATL

April 12, 2007 9:54 AM | Link to this

Regarding the use of the ‘pen, I’m on record as “concerned” about how much we’re using Gonzo and Soriano. However, I don’t think it’s a crisis, and we are 7-1. Above all, I don’t think Cox is stupid … so he’s probably got a reason.

Is it possible that McBride and Yates are very much “in the dog house” for failing to throw strikes? Bobby might be making a point - put the ball over the plate or ride the pine.

By KC

April 12, 2007 9:58 AM | Link to this

MetroMan: I’ll admit, Perez made me a little nervous with the spring he had and that way he looked in his first start. He may still have a decent year, but he’s a guy that just can’t be counted on. However, I think John Maine and El Duque will at least be solid this season. So when Pedro gets back (assuming he’s himself), the Mets rotation will be fine. Mota really screwed the bullpen by getting suspending… but getting Mota and Pedro back should really help the Mets mid-way through the year.

Again though, I think both the Mets and Braves will play in October. Many have speculated that the Wild Card would come out of the west because the East teams have play in such a tough division, but… the NL West ain’t exactly a cakewalk. They’ve got 3 good teams in that division (LA, SD, AZ) and the Giants and Rockies don’t suck. At least in the East we’ve got the Nats to beat up on.

OMG, is Rollins seriously still running his mouth? Wow! lol

You mentioned cash a moment ago. The Mets certainly have to spend if the right opportunity comes along… but the Braves will also have some change in their pockets. That’s actually the silver lining in the Hampton thing. No one knows exactly how much insurance money the Braves will get, cuz they’re not telling. But the speculation last year was that they recouped 60% of Hampton’s salary. Anyway, point being… the Braves had at least a few million dollars of payroll flexibility heading into the season, but could have and additional 8 million or so coming back in insurance money. So if there’s a move to be made, cash shouldn’t get in the way. It’ll also be interesting to see what Liberty Media does with the payroll when the sale is finalized, which should happen before the all-star break.

While we’re on the topic… DOB or Carroll, when is MLB expected to rule on the sale? I’ve lost track of where that stands.

By Rodger

April 12, 2007 9:59 AM | Link to this

Robert ease up. I had a feeling for a while you may have been gaining converts, but incessant bashing and belittling won’t do it.

How many days?

By Braveheart

April 12, 2007 10:10 AM | Link to this

I think Bobby is running the trouble of burning out Soriano and Gonzalez. Only eight games in but neither should have been used last night (unless needed) and neither should have been used in that game that was 8-0 when James could only give us 5 innings with such a big lead and the rest of the pen pitched like a bunch of cold weather basketcases thereby causing Bobby to use Soriano. I do understand a little about Bobby’s reluctance to entrust that 5-0 lead last night to the rest of the pen based upon how they performed with the 8-0 lead given to them by James the last time out.

By Braveheart

April 12, 2007 10:16 AM | Link to this

The Magic Number is 153.

By A-town As$clown .....formerly caveman22

April 12, 2007 10:19 AM | Link to this

Robert You are a complete and total buffoon!

I can only imagine that your were breast-fed till the age of 5 and still experiencing withdrawals from the affection. It would explain the strange works of fiction that you “publish” on this blog as in anti-cox rant.

Let me send you the proper southern greeting of

BITE ME!!!

By 1st and 6

April 12, 2007 10:22 AM | Link to this

Braves your are doing good this year. Good coach good player good owners = Productive team. I will be happy if they win the division, that are the same old Braves. A world series will be a treat:) GO BRAVES

By Novice Ned

April 12, 2007 10:24 AM | Link to this

Well, Cox can’t pitch Gonzo tonight, so maybe we can see if McBride has his act together. Hopefully, we’re in a position to allow both Yates AND McBride to pitch an inning. I know that Villareal is the long-inning specialist, but doesn’t he need some work (other than sideline sessions and BP)?

One other thing about the ‘07 vs. ‘06 comparisons. Weather. Last year, we started the season in horrendous weather, that really affected our pitching.

Any chance Andruw will learn from Jeff’s success driving the ball to right field? And why don’t teams use a righty shift and put the 2B on the 2nd base bag for Andruw (the inverse of the Bonds shift)? Dude only uses one part of the field.

By KC

April 12, 2007 10:24 AM | Link to this

Braveheart: Gonzalez was used the other night in that 8-0 win simply because he needed that outing. Gonzalez struggled against the Mets and Phils a bit, and the thought was that he was just a little too geeked up. They wanted to get him into a low-adrenaline situation so he could settle down and get his mechanics in sync.

As for last night… It wasn’t a non-hold or non-save situation until the Braves scored again in the bottom of the 8th. It was perfectly understandable that he used Gonzalez and Soriano. He could have given Wickman the night off, but Wick hadn’t pitched in a few days and probably wanted the work.

By Metropolitan Man

April 12, 2007 10:32 AM | Link to this

Caveclown69, wake up. I metnioned the Nats, brave, philthies and METs and YOU were the one to only point out the METS becasue I root for them which anyone whoever blogged here knows. Grow up a lil man, we know the score, we know how the weekend ended. Now how bout you JUST blogg about what you want and let the chips fall where they may you phony blogg bouncer. If they wanted the blog cleaned up, they would use your face to mop up the vomit you spew. If its baseball talk, what do you care???

I hear ya Grinch, time to get some work done. Caveclown should be posting any minute, 24/7, how does he does it, I dont know?

By tyson

April 12, 2007 10:33 AM | Link to this

haven’t seen a crowd that sparce since the bad ol days before Cox..was it turn back the clock night to 1988?

By Matthew, Walter's Dad

April 12, 2007 10:34 AM | Link to this

I’ll chime in on the bullpen overuse. Do you think that it’s possible Bobby is still having Reitsman and Kolbian flashbacks? With that history, and with every game important, maybe Bobby is still adjusting to having three reliable bullpen arms.

Now, if they all three have 100 innings plus at the end of the year, I’ll be ticked. But for now, there’s no reason to freak out.

Oh, and by the way folks, we are 7 and freaking 1!!!!!

By ernesto

April 12, 2007 10:40 AM | Link to this

Smoltzie is bringing the broom.

By A-town As$clown .....formerly caveman22

April 12, 2007 10:47 AM | Link to this

ooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

tell me how you really feel M & M!!

By N8.....the bible length posts are BACK!

April 12, 2007 10:47 AM | Link to this

Coach

While talking about all the HR the Braves have hit so far, you made this comment at the end:

“Offense , a problem ? I THINK NOT !”

I think in half of the games, you are correct. But since a HUGE majority of the runs they’ve been scoring have been coming via the HR, what happens when they face a Tom Glavine or a Brandon Webb that doesn’t give up many HR?

I have a feeling it will feel an awful lot like the post season failures of years past.

We may have success “living and dying” with the HR during the 162 game grind, facing many 4th and 5th (not to mention “spot” and “fill in” starters along the way), but when it comes to the playoffs and games against teams with good pitching, we could be in trouble.

That being said, I think this team is more suited to making contact, by having good AB’s than they’ve shown so far. Guys like Renteria, Chipper and McCann ALL have good AB’s with RISP and know how to approach an AB. Not to mention KJ looks pretty good at the plate, though the stats don’t show it so far.

So I will agree with you. I think the offense will be FINE. But my reasoning has to do with having 4 of the 8 guys in the line up NOT needing to hit HR to knock in runs. This current pace of relying on the HR isn’t what we need to succeed. But it’s working right now, so I’m not complaining.

By Carroll

April 12, 2007 10:51 AM | Link to this

Hopefully Sturtze will help relieve some of the pressure from the big 3 when he gets back. Until then, I really wish Bobby would be a little more conservative with those guys. For example, there’s NO need to even get them warming up if we have a 4 run or greater lead, in my opinion. Not only will this rest them, but hopefully will get the other guys into shape as well. Also agree about not bringing in Villy to get out of a jam.

By Braveheart

April 12, 2007 10:51 AM | Link to this

KC, good points.

All we need to concern ourselves with really is to win every game we can while we are winning. If the game is within 5 runs or less from the seventh on, bring in the 3 Amigos and shut that sucker down. I am concerned about burning out the pen but if we win every game we can now we might be able to give them time off later when we get ourselves a ten game lead over the rest of the chumps in our division. Bobby also really seems to like and trust Paronto so it may be that we are not entirely reliant upon the 3 Amigos the whole season.

By Jaq

April 12, 2007 10:52 AM | Link to this

I just started a Braves blog at http://atlbraves.mlblogs.com Braves fan come chime in and comment away. What did y’all think of Chuck James? Is he gonna be our go-to lefty?

By Luther

April 12, 2007 10:55 AM | Link to this

To all who insist that Bobby is the worst manager and the reason for all of the Braves postseason misery, who do you consider a great manager? Is it Tony LaRussa? He surely never wasted any talented teams. Before winning last year, he consistently had loaded teams that dissapointed in the playoffs, many times to the Braves. Last year might have been one of his less talented Cardinal teams. Also, only won once with absolutely loaded A’s teams. Ozzie Guillen? Jim Leyland, we’ve seen how he’s done against the Braves. Was it his fault that Bonds didn’t hit the cut off? Obviously the one modern manager you can bringup is Joe Torre. So is Joe Torre the only good manager and Bobby’s just one of the rest. Or is even Joe lousy as his teams have doubled and tripled what other teams have spent and still have floundered in the playoffs the last 5 or 6 years?

By George

April 12, 2007 11:05 AM | Link to this

I agree, there was no reason to bring in the guns with a 5-0 lead. save them for the phillies or Mets or even a REAL save situation. I also agree with the guy that said if Paronto, Yates McBride or any of the big 3 have it on. keep them in a second inning and save the other guys arms for later in the year.Did someone make up a one inning rule. useing a reliever 60 times is better than 80. lets save these arms. its a long season

By Coach

April 12, 2007 11:09 AM | Link to this

N8 , it was a stat comparison , nothing more. The Brave don’t live and die with the long ball all the time but it is an integral part of the offense. 20 of the 41 runs scored so far have come via the home run.

By TennesseePaul

April 12, 2007 11:11 AM | Link to this

KC: If you scroll up to a late night post I did you’ll see the scouting report from last season on Gonzo. He hit 93-95mph and has hit as high as 98. So far this season it’s been all 90-91.
I also broke down the usage of 2 of the big 3. I didn’t include the one obvious point, it’s early. Projecting 5 games worth of stats over a season really does no good. But at the current pace it isn’t a pretty sight. We certainly can’t keep this up. So I don’t really see a reason why Yates, Villarreal or McBride wouldn’t be in an 8-0 game.

By A-town As$clown .....formerly caveman22

April 12, 2007 11:13 AM | Link to this

Luther good post but don’t waste your breath (or fingers) on the manager issue. Most of these guys never played ball so they have no clue about the intricacies of play involved. Like your excellent point about Bonds and the cutoff - small & almost never discussed key to Sid’s scoring. I still continue to play baseball in the MSBL here in Atlanta and still continue to marvel at the fact the the statement of “that’s just baseball” remains true in all generations of the game.

You can pitch a “no-gitter” and still lose a game 1-0 and you can give up 10 hits in a game and still win 1-0.

These morons and idiots who blog here are just looking for a forum to gain attention to their views, which is what blogging is all about. Guys like us are just here to remind them that they don’t have an ounce of smart in their comments.

and Moronic Man — if I was the blog bouncer I’d toss your butt over to Terence Moore’s blog. He could use the hits on his column.

By fastasballs

April 12, 2007 11:14 AM | Link to this

MetroMan, Is Rollins opening his fat mouth again? Maybe they should get out of stiking range from the Nats before offering anymore jestures.

Ever hear the Phills announcers call him JRow? Hurling is my first reaction, the second is a vision of him wearing large hoop earrings with hair extensions flapping in the breeze as he shimmies to the plate.

By Daybed Wagmoe

April 12, 2007 11:17 AM | Link to this

to go along with the home run discussion (sorry if this has already been posted), we’ve homered in every game so far. i wonder what the records (braves, NL, MLB) are for games-with-a-HR. any ideas, either on what they are or where to find that out?

this year’s looking great so far. here’s my vote for Cy Hudson.

By Rosalynn

April 12, 2007 11:17 AM | Link to this

Bobba Cox has alwahs been kind to me and to mah Jimma. He is vera cohdial at the ballpahk and nevah fails to stop bah and sah, “hello” to Jimma and me at Turnah Field. Bobba also is a vera generous man and he alwahs offahs to shah his peanuts with Jimma. As some of you alreadah know, Bobba picks his nose. Jimma has alwahs been reluctant to shah peanuts with Bobba but Bobba is so nice that Jimma sometimes will reach his hand in Bobba’s peanut bag and pull out a big ol’ goobah and pretend to eat it. Jimma realla just slips that goobah in his pocket and lets the Secret Suhvice boahs deal with it when we get home. Bobba Cox is a vera nice man and we ah vera fortunate to have him as managuh of ouah team. Let’s hope Bobba will stick aroun’ for a long time.

By Darna Watts

April 12, 2007 11:21 AM | Link to this

I like the Nappy headed Ho’s myself!!!!!!!!!!! If that hurts your feelings it must be true…

By Edd

April 12, 2007 11:25 AM | Link to this

If you don’t like Bobby Cox then that shows how much you know or DON’T know about baseball , peroid. Go jump on some other bandwagon.

By Darrin "The Vent King"

April 12, 2007 11:29 AM | Link to this

Could this finally be the year when the Braves get it right? Hitting good, starting pitching good, bullpen VERY much improved? All signs say yes, but call me come postseason and we’ll see. I am for the first time in years, hopeful that they might be able to NOT choke this time in the playoffs. 14 division titles are good, but this team needs to strive for the greatness that should have BEEN theirs and win the big one in a year that the fans actually care outside of ATL unlike ‘95(post-strike year ‘94 remember?). Don’t call me fairweather either, ten years of consectutive 1st round exits could kill any fan. Just ask, oops wait no one outside of Atlanta knows what that is like while they sit on the outside and criticize the fans here for being “spoiled” or “apathetic”. Let’s see how enthusiastic you are when your team under achieves TEN years in a row. Yet, I’m still watching and praying and agonizing every October, but I have a different feeling about this year. You better watch out N.Y. Muts, we’re coming and we want our division back you bums!

GO BRAVES!!!

By A-town As$clown .....formerly caveman22

April 12, 2007 11:30 AM | Link to this

daybed the record for most consecutive games with a HR is currently owned by the Atlanta Braves and stands at 27. The last game in which they homered was against St.Louis and my friend Mike Cather pitched the last 2 innings, stiking out both McGuire and Mabry with his change-up going about 77 mph. That game gets replayed on ESPN Classics about once a year. I believe that Andruw Jones homered in that game to set the record.

By The Failed Comedian Starring Cavegirl

April 12, 2007 11:33 AM | Link to this

Caveman, don’t you have a quota to fulfill or something or is your job so pathetic that you fulfilled your entire quota for the year last month? Get a job, a life, and woman already, you loser. Your life is about as miserable as your comedy career was. Do us all a favor and go out like another failed comedian called Jeni already. I’ll even furnish you the gun.

By N8

April 12, 2007 11:38 AM | Link to this

Coach

I got it. If my post seemed like it had my normal sarcasm and was an attack on your point, it wasn’t.

We all know that Bobby LOVES the “pitching, defense and the 3-run HR”, just the same way that his idol Earl Weaver did. I don’t have a problem with it. It surely has given us (before last year when we didn’t have the “pitching” aspect on our side), 14 years of success, actually it’s more like 13, because in 1991 it was ALL about timely hitting and very well thought out AB’s. The only sources of power that year were Gant and Justice.

I’m just saying, I’m semi-concerned about it. Yes, we are 7-1. Yes, the pitching in general has looked fantastic. Yes, we ARE getting timely hits. So as much as it seems like I’m complaining, I’m not.

I’m not so sure, that I wouldn’t put McCann in the Clean up spot and let Andruw hit in the 5 Hole. That may seem insane to many people, but with Renteria and Chipper constantly on base they way they will be, we may get more consistant production (runs) having McCann get a few more AB’s over the course of the year.

Face it, Andruw, Francoeur and Thorman look like guys that are total HACK n JACK. It’s usually all or nothing with those 3 (even though we haven’t seen enough of Thorman to make that assessment and Wilson falls into the same category, IMO).

Like I said, I think there is a NICE mix of power and good old fasioned HITTERS in this lineup. There will always be a few night during the year (and for sure in the post season) where the opposing pitchers AREN’T gonna give up the HR ball, like the scrubs do. If we don’t have guys with better approaches at the plate, we will lose as many of those games that we win, if we rely on the HR.

That’s all I’m getting at. Francoeur has room to grow, but if Andruw hasn’t “gotten it” after 11 years in the majors, he’s not gonna get it anytime soon. That’s not to say that he hasn’t (and won’t continue) to have “success”.

Thank you, btw, for the numbers on the runs scored via the HR. I was actually assuming that the ratio was higher than that, so maybe I’m concerned for nothing. LOL!

As for the “overuse” of the Big 3. Wickman is the LEAST of my concern. Whoever pointed out that he hadn’t pitched since Sunday, had a good point. I’m more worried about Gonzalez than Soriano. Gonzalez had the elbow trouble last year, so if I’m Bobby, I’m takin it easy on him early on. Soriano has shown NO SIGNS of letting down, due to the shot he took of his head last year. Until last night, his command and dominance has been outstanding. Last night he just didn’t have the slider working, and should’ve realized that, and stuck with the fastball, since everybody was very late on it. He just outthunk (word?) himself. LOL!

As long as the starters keep this up, we’ll be fine, IMO. Everybody talks about the pen woes last year, and that is justified….they stunk it up, BIG TIME. But they were all overused, not to mention used in rolls they weren’t capable of handling, due to injuries and the starters ineffectiveness. We have a nice mix of talent on the pitching staff, that wasn’t available to us last year. That alone will be huge.

If Chipper and Andruw heat up, like it looks like they are, this good be real fun to watch over the next couple of weeks. For instance, what if we were to pull a Detroit Tigers (the opposite of our June swoon last season), and reel off a record along the lines of 22-3 in the first 25 games? That’s a nice foundation, wouldn’t you say? That would allow us to play .500 ball the rest of the way and STILL end up with 90 wins.

Keep it going while the gettin’s good, I say. Maybe, just maybe that’s what Bobby is thinking, using the horses in the pen this early. Everybody says you can’t win a division in April, but you can lose one. BS! If you start off as hot as we have (in the W column), who says that can’t be the difference in the long grind of the 162 game schedule?

I’ve typed enough for the morning….off to work I go.

By A-town As$clown .....formerly caveman22

April 12, 2007 11:40 AM | Link to this

c’mon metrodude, your not fooling anybody with your name change.

By The Failed Comedian Starring Cavegirl

April 12, 2007 11:44 AM | Link to this

It wasn’t MetroMan - he is too classy for a name change.

Think of someone who is more of a lowlife like yourself, you waste of human life.

By A-town As$clown .....formerly caveman22

April 12, 2007 11:46 AM | Link to this

ok, good morning SJA

By Paul Levy

April 12, 2007 11:49 AM | Link to this

Somebody must have struck a nerve Comedian. Get a life or do us all a favor and use the gun on yourself.

By The Failed Comedian Starring Cavegirl

April 12, 2007 11:55 AM | Link to this

No. No. SJA is too classy for something like that. Well, at least, since he has gotten smacked down for it. Guess again, you slappy headed schmo. Paul Levy making me feel skeevy. A new blogger joins the fray, never heard from before, never to be heard from again. How convenient. Kind of like caveman’s alias JoeBrave, isn’t it?

By A-town As$clown .....formerly caveman22

April 12, 2007 11:59 AM | Link to this

oh please, struck a nerve??

With all the crap I say, if I couldn’t take a few shots back, that would be pretty pathetic now wouldn’t it.

By knowitall

April 12, 2007 12:01 PM | Link to this

Was I the only person watching the game last night who heard Joe Simpson say that “GONZALEZ WANTS TO PITCH A LOT TO WORK OUT SOME MECHANICAL FLAWS”? You guys are jumping all over Bobby for playing a guy who is asking to pitch. Soriano had not pitched since at least Saturday and Wickman has a reputation for being a durable guy who can pitch every night. Plus Wickman didn’t pitch a lot during spring training so its not so unreasonable to have him to pitch quite a bit right now.

Also unlike in the past it’s not like the guys are being asked to go multiple innings. If you think back, there were several times when Bobby had to bring Reitsma in to pitch the 8th & 9th innings. It’s not that way anymore, it’s one and done. And I can almost guarantee that Soriano will pitch again tonight because Bobby likes to get players right back out there after a bad outing so they can put it behind them.

By The Failed Comedian Starring Cavegirl

April 12, 2007 12:04 PM | Link to this

Caveman arguing with himself again, I see. No nerve struck by the apeman. Just tired of his eyesore posts being a blight on the blog.

By David O'Brien

April 12, 2007 12:06 PM | Link to this

Is a sweep of the Nats still a sweep? It sure counts as one. Give the Braves credit for not looking past these downtrodden Nats. Braves need to win tonight to avoid a repeat of the as-yet-unmentioned next part of the 1995 story: After starting out 7-1 in 1995, Braves went 1-7 in their next eight.

Of course, that whole thing ended up pretty well for the Braves, if I’m not mistaken….

Did you folks see the game or highlights of the Red Sox-Mariners game last night? I took some pleasure out of the fact that the best pitcher in game last night was not the one that ESPN has devoted so many hours to dissecting in the past few months.

Felix Hernandez is freakin’ nasty. Love that guy’s stuff. Love it.

And the “gyro ball,” whatever the hell it is, pales next to Hernandez’s stuff….

I’ll get a new blog up shortly.

By Renegator

April 12, 2007 12:07 PM | Link to this

A-town A-Clown I think it is Robert - not SJA.

Baseball: My thoughts on relying on the HR. I think right now we have to rely on the HR because 4 of our starters are still hitting under .200. If (I’m not convinced) these guys can start getting hits consistently, then we will be manufacturing more runs and won’t need the HR so much.

Big 3 (2 really - Wickman is fine) With both these guys having a history of arm problems - Bobby really needs to take it easy. I think he has absolutely no confidence in Yates (why he didn’t use him last night) but he has to keep him in the bullpen because he is out of options.

By A-town As$clown .....formerly caveman22

April 12, 2007 12:08 PM | Link to this

So your one guy who has “created” a support group of aliases just so you could engage me in some witty repartee.

Wow, I’m thinking the patheticness of that would call for a gun to head for yourself.

By Coloradobravesfan

April 12, 2007 12:13 PM | Link to this

Carroll, Can you get us an update on Phil Stockman in the minors. Is he still injured? I don’t think he’s pitched in the games for Richmond. If mcBride or yates doesn’t get going i sure would like to see what Stockman can do. What’s the status of Boyer’s oblique injury? Thanks…

By The Failed Comeian

April 12, 2007 12:16 PM | Link to this

I did not create them. They are real.

By A-town As$clown .....formerly caveman22

April 12, 2007 12:16 PM | Link to this

Yes rentagator, I think you are correct. Now I see why he is despised by the likes of SJA and others. I think he might even be JoeBrave. It is usually a Freudian Slip to mention oneself when accusing others.

Good pickup on that one.

UGA has more Nappy Headed Ho’s!!

By Miss Manners

April 12, 2007 12:18 PM | Link to this

Your nobody til somebody loves your Your nobody till somebody cares Your might be king, your might possess, the world and its gold But gold won’t bring your happiness, when your growing old

The world still is the same Your’ll never change it As sure as the stars shine above Your nobody till somebody loves your So find youreself somebody to love

By Rick Roberts

April 12, 2007 12:18 PM | Link to this

Braves’ start is remarkable and hope we get this game in today. All loose ends will fall into place except—LF! Langerhans just not the answer and Diaz is a fourth OF. Wilson cannot play LF due to shoulder. Elijah Dukes may take over CF for TBay so, Baldelli is available. He is not hitting right now either. Now is the time to seriously push the trade here. Langerhans, Leruw, and Devine? Hold on to Salty and Escobar no matter what—Baldelli is not worth either of those two prospects. Maybe Yuniel should move to LF? Anyway, solve LF and the Braves are solid—only other ? could be SP depth, but we seem to be okay.

By bergian

April 12, 2007 12:20 PM | Link to this

Some music news….sales of music continue to plummet, download sales are not picking up all the slack . The good news is that Rap and Country sales are really tanking! ;) http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN0926233420070409

By meansonny

April 12, 2007 12:20 PM | Link to this

Coach Good post regarding the concern with run production. That is a valid issue for discussion. You proposed switching McCann and Andruw in the order. If that’s the only proposal to fix the problem, then I don’t think we have a problem. The personnel is in place, and Andruw will get his RBI’s.

Besides, I prefer a batter like McCann behind Andruw to maximize the chances that he gets pitches to hit. When Francouer is in the 5 spot, I get a little bit nervous Andruw won’t get the fastball thrown in the zone to him. Statistically speaking, we only have 1 loss. So Francouer in the 5 hasn’t been too rough either. I guess the point is that we should be allright not trying to outthink ourselves in the lineup and keep Andruw in the 4.

By A-town As$clown .....formerly caveman22

April 12, 2007 12:22 PM | Link to this

I think Miss Manners is HIGH!!!!

By The Failed Comedian

April 12, 2007 12:27 PM | Link to this

Speaking of slappy headed schmos, welcome back Miss Manners.

I always prefer the Biggie Smalls lyric that you are nobody until somebody kills you.

By Arkansas Hillbilly

April 12, 2007 12:27 PM | Link to this

Carroll Rogers is to Brayan Pena as Guy Curtright is to Todd Pratt.

A Backup with upside as opposed to a backup who gives you nothing to work with.

By Daybed Wagmoe

April 12, 2007 12:27 PM | Link to this

for anyone who saw my earlier post (asking about the streak of consecutive games with a HR by a team), here are the results from baseball-reference.com:

[http://www.baseball-reference.com/pi/shareit/XyNp]

in case that link doesn’t work…

MLB record: Texas, 27 games in 2002 NL record: Atlanta, 25 games in 1998 ATL record: see above

By Lew

April 12, 2007 12:31 PM | Link to this

ScalpEm-Thanks Dude, at least someone gets it. Bravo-Glad you’re back , but lets not worry about the relievers being tired for the playoffs quite yet-we only have six months before that’s a concern. They are hardly tired this early. Metro Dude-We’re not trying to drive all Mets’ fans away, just Chop Zone who is an obnoxious little pain in the gluteus maximus. I also notice he hasn’t been here lately. I wonder why? As far as Perez-I don’t think he’s what you’re looking for.Last night should make you nervous, at the very least. My real concern for y’all is that I don’t think I would bank on Pedro if I were you. After seeing Hampton’s difficulties, it should be obvious by now that returning from surgery is not that easy. Pedro had multiple problems, too. He not only had shoulder surgery, which is harder to return from than the TJ procedure, but had calf and chronic toe issues as well. You also need to hope that much of Mota’s success was not juice related, either. I definitely see Chan Ho Park in your future. Can we have Reyes?

By ssiscribe

April 12, 2007 12:32 PM | Link to this

Lemme poke my head above water for just a second, as I race against deadline and try to get home by 7 p.m. for the Thrashers’ playoff debut.

Absolutely been impressed with the Braves’ focus this week. This team comes off two great series against its two chief rivals in the division, yet the Braves continue to execute against the poor, lowly Nats.

You can’t sweep every series, certainly, but with Smoltz on the mound tonight, you’ve gotta feel good about the ballclub’s chances. All in all, I can’t imagine the first 10 days of the season being any better, the cold weather and loss of Mike Hampton notwithstanding.

Grinch, gotta be pullin for the Thrash tonight. Metro, I’d love to see the Braves pull away from you guys, but your ballclub’s too good. Gonna be a great race all year, I believe.

The Scribe abides. Peace (and Go Thrashers).

—30—

By A-town As$clown .....formerly caveman22

April 12, 2007 12:34 PM | Link to this

daybed I stand corrected by 2 games. thanks.

By Lew

April 12, 2007 12:36 PM | Link to this

Caveman-If you were Miss Manners, wouldn’t you want to be high?

By Renegator

April 12, 2007 12:38 PM | Link to this

Rick Roberts: I agree with you. The Braves really need a good option at LF. Why not give Diaz a chance to play everyday until he proves he can or proves he can’t. I don’t understand why Bobby continues to trot Langercanthit out there against every righty even though he can’t hit his weight. I know he is obsessed with Righy-lefty matchups but come on - .133 vs .400 - it’s a no brainer.

A-town A-clown: UF has more teeth than UGA - oh wait, that’s a good thing. Ummm - UF has more non-african american players wearing the 42 jersey on Sunday than UGA does.

By snowball's chance

April 12, 2007 12:39 PM | Link to this

DOB, despite ESPN hype Dice K did pitch a good game. Hernandez was just better. For all those down on the Jones’s slow start, Big Papi is hitting a little above the Mendoza line. All you fantasy managers can probably pick him him up cheap,right.

Carroll is embracing her blog duties. Even posting lyrics. It is time to lend the lady some cd’s DOB. Maybe you could start with West by Lucinda. Work your way up slowly to Waits.

By beachcomber

April 12, 2007 12:45 PM | Link to this

Other than the obvious lack of stability in the bullpen until Wicky came along, the other issue last year was the Braves inability to put lesser teams away. Have to admit, I was a bit nervous about letdown in this series, but so far so good and with Smoltz on the mound tonight, you like your chances for a sweep.

By Lew

April 12, 2007 1:00 PM | Link to this

Rene-The only thing you need to remember is that Florida sucks and UGA doesn’t. End of story.

By Metropolitan Man

April 12, 2007 1:08 PM | Link to this

I’m with you Lew, Perez does make me nervous from start to finish becasue you dont know if you are getting O. Perez or V. Zambrano. To tell you the truth with Maine and Perez not duplicating or coming close to week 1 stats, the Pedro thing has still been suprisingly quiet. No report yet good or bad. To me this is good becasue in NY bad news travels faster than good news.

Hey Scribes I dont follow hockey but arent the Thrashers playing the Rangers or something. Its a prelude to NY, and GA teams for the playoffs. It starts with them now and ends with METS v braves in the end.

By Gil in Mechanicsville

April 12, 2007 1:24 PM | Link to this

Taking a realist view of last night’s game…. I did not think Chuck James was fooling a lot of batters last night. Just seems like a lot of balls were hit hard right at people. I don’t think you want to try to make a living doing that every fifth night.

As for using Wickman, When he starting warming up it was a save situation. By the time he was ready the braves had scored more runs but he had already warmed up.

Yes, I think Bobby is gun shy with Yates.

Thought Chipper made a great quote after the game when he said he wasn’t declaring (the Braves) to be the team to beat or anything yet.

Looks like the farm hands are playing tough too. Richmond won again 10-3

By Lee

April 12, 2007 1:26 PM | Link to this

What would be the chances of unloading Langerhans if not for a leftfielder, than maybe a 2nd baseman and you could always move Johnson back to LF and have Diaz as a 4th backup? Either way I agree with serveral options suggested, play Diaz,trade for a speedy leftfielder or maybe move Johnson back and promote a minor leager or trade for a 2nd baseman.

By I loathe New York

April 12, 2007 1:27 PM | Link to this

I can’t believe what I read here. Bravos are 7-1 and all I read on this blog is complaining. I think the only person with a brain here is the blogger formerly known as Caveman22.

By Adam

April 12, 2007 1:36 PM | Link to this

DOB,

What impressed me so much about Hernandez last night was not just his stuff, but his ability to keep the ball down with his all his pitches. If the hitters made contact, they were going to beat it into the ground. He’s only 21…scary!!!

By KC

April 12, 2007 1:39 PM | Link to this

Gil in Mechanicsville:

I think everyone pretty much agreed that Chuck James didn’t have his best stuff last night… and there were some hard hit balls that didn’t fall in. But he did a good job making his pitches to get out of jams, and gutted his way through a night in which he really didn’t have it.

Part of being a good pitcher is being able to win on nights when you’re not at your best. So cudos to James.

Yeah… Chipper’s quote was great, wasn’t it. I laughed outloud.

I wish Bobby weren’t being so gun shy on Yates. Get him some innings in these games with a 5-plus run lead so he can get sharp and be ready in a meaningful situation if needed. If he never gets sharp… cut him loose. There are 4 other qualified candidates waiting for a job in the Atlanta pen.

By David O'Brien

April 12, 2007 1:44 PM | Link to this

NEW BLOG SHOULD BE UP.

close before striking

By Joe Smoe

April 12, 2007 1:44 PM | Link to this

Yeah its amazing how fast the Mets left this blog alone for a change. I agree with many others how great it is, that the Braves stay under the radar.

Did they honestly think the Braves would just roll over and die this year?

By KC

April 12, 2007 1:53 PM | Link to this

Why hasn’t Horacio Ramirez made a start for the M’s yet?

By snowball's chance

April 12, 2007 1:59 PM | Link to this

Adam, I was thinking he sure looks young when the announcers said Hernandez is only 21. Made me think of Avery. I wish him luck and a longer career than Steve.

By Robert

April 12, 2007 3:23 PM | Link to this

“Above all, I don’t think Cox is stupid … so he’s probably got a reason.”

Wrong. Cox IS stupid. Any dymber and he would be declared legally retarded

“Robert, are you mocking Bobby Cox with that last statement about Gonzalez?”

Yes

“If you don’t like Bobby Cox then that shows how much you know or DON’T know about baseball”

You are just plain wrong. Even his supporters know and admit that “sometimes” Bobby “drops the balls” (translated - that he has no clue when it comes to strategy). The debate is basically whether a manager’s job is to be a babysitter (Cox excels) or whether it is to be a strategist and teacher (Cox is as useless in these areas as t** on a bull)