Braves

By Coach

April 17, 2007 12:50 PM | Link to this

Combined with the crappy weather and an offense based on the long ball and extra base hits it’s no surprise that the offense has struggled the past few games. Run production is down seventeen percent across the board for all thirty teams so far. Blame it on the weather and be thankful for the outstanding starting pitching so far(excluding Redman).

By Efrim

April 17, 2007 12:51 PM | Link to this

Need a big game from Smoltz because this team is not hitting right now.

By TennesseePaul

April 17, 2007 12:51 PM | Link to this

ON the spot Carroll. Hope this team turns it around. They have some issues which will be very glaring if they don’t fix them soon.

By Navigator

April 17, 2007 12:55 PM | Link to this

Cox is a guider, not a leader. Chipper is always Mr. Cool, I wouldn’t follow that either. If Smoltz was an everyday player, maybe he could be the leader. No, it’s the Braves, they are where they’ve been since 1996. The king is dead, all hail the king.

By Dazed and Confused

April 17, 2007 12:57 PM | Link to this

What the hell is a “dojo”?

One of us needs an ebonics course. Thought perhaps Don Imus would cause white journalists to shy away from such lingo. You got balls, Carroll!

By Justin

April 17, 2007 12:58 PM | Link to this

The Braves haven’t “lost their mojo.” The law of averages has just done it’s thing. If they can play this level of baseball throughout the rest of the season, they will finish at 108-54. That is not too shabby. We all need to have faith that the hitting will get better, the pitching will remain solid, and the end product will be the beginning of another string of division championships, and hopefully another RED banner out in the outfield with all the others.

By Lee

April 17, 2007 1:00 PM | Link to this

Hope the wind is not blowing out in Wrigley Field with Redman pitching. The Braves will have to score 20 runs to win the game.

By BB FAN

April 17, 2007 1:05 PM | Link to this

I think Gonzalez needs to be used at the beginning of an inning only. He is the type to start off wild and then settling down. However, if he comes in with 2 men on, there is no room for him to get things together.

I read numerous articles on him the last few years. They all said he is a guy that lets a guy or two get on base but then he is unhittable. “Wild Thing” like pitcher.

One of Cox’s few downfalls over the years has been mishandling his bullpen. He either overuses a certain guy or doesn’t use somebody enough. He seems to question himself which has caused him to make a few mistakes over the years. I guess nobody is perfect.

But overall, I think this Braves team is one of the best overall since the 1998 season. Johnson will be fine as he has hit a lot of balls hard. And with 9 walks in 12 games, he gets on base. Wilson and Thorman will likely hit. The Jones boys are starting to hit. As much as I hate to say it, I think Diaz should get a chance to play everyday. He hasn’t stopped hitting yet, so why not let him start. Langerhans can be the late inning defensive replacement and he can give each outfielder a day off once in a while.

What is exciting is the Braves have a lot of young talent in the minors. Lillibridge, Blanco, Escobar, and B Jones all are destined to be in Atlanta by the end of next year if not sooner. One or two of them could be in Atlanta this year.

The starting pitching looks very good. And there seems to be enough depth even with the loss of Hampton and the struggles of Redman. The key will be Davies. He needs to be effective this year. The other young guys in minor leagues look solid for the future. Again, the bullpen looks good despite the numbers so far. And there is depth in the bullpen as well.

By rammerjammer

April 17, 2007 1:09 PM | Link to this

Carroll,

I’d call it a creeping crisis.

We’re getting next-to-nothing offense from four positions, and a bullpen that flirts with disaster - and sometimes allows it.

I don’t think we feel like the top team around, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Mets sweep us.

We probably outran our headlights with the fast start.

By Mad Mike

April 17, 2007 1:10 PM | Link to this

Dazed and Confused: is that last post supposed to be tongue-in-cheek, or do I have to suggest that you go out and rent “The Karate Kid”?

By Drew

April 17, 2007 1:16 PM | Link to this

Lee, the Braves play the Cubs at home in the upcoming series.

By David

April 17, 2007 1:19 PM | Link to this

Caroll/DOB, I wanted to post this wire story with a portion in bold.

BLACKSBURG, VA. — Monday’s session of the class in introductory German was nearly an hour old when the shooter entered the classroom in Norris Hall and fired dozens of rounds.

One of the first was aimed at the head of the teacher, Christopher James Bishop, who wore his hair long, rode his bike to campus and worked with his wife in the foreign languages department at Virginia Tech.

Authorities had not publicly identified any victims as of late Monday, but colleagues confirmed that Bishop, 35, was among the dead.

Bishop’s friends said they were struggling to comprehend the violent death of an instructor who was known for his gentle manner and generosity toward students.

“I don’t think he was the type of person who had an enemy,” said Troy Paddock, a close friend whose wife also teaches in the German program. “He was a very friendly person. He did weekly gatherings for students out of class to practice German where they could talk about anything. He was a nice and helpful person.”

On the websites where he posted samples of the art he created with his digital camera, Bishop, who was known as Jamie, described himself as “mild-mannered” and “bespectacled.” He was an avid hiker and movie fan, a Georgia native who paid close attention to the wins and losses of the Atlanta Braves baseball team.

Bishop wrote online that after earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in German at the University of Georgia, he spent four years in Germany, “where he spent most of his time learning the language, teaching English, drinking large quantities of wheat beer, and wooing a certain fräulein.”

Colleagues said the fräulein was Stefanie Hofer, the woman who became his wife.

The two were the only tenure-track professors in the German program, said Richard Shryock, chairman of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures.

Shryock said he had received an e-mail from Hofer early Monday afternoon, asking whether anyone had seen her husband and “letting me know he had been teaching in that building at that time” — a reference to Norris Hall, where most of the fatalities occurred.

Shryock said he was with Hofer later that afternoon at an inn on campus when authorities told her that her husband was dead.

“She was as composed as I think a person could possibly be,” said Shryock, who described his reaction as “just shock. Utter shock. Disbelief. Incomprehension.”

Bishop joined the faculty two years ago, Shryock said, and was very popular among students.

“He was very outgoing, a very personable individual,” he said. “He was someone who took teaching very seriously and was a good colleague to be with.”

Students who were in Bishop’s classroom described a horrific scene.

Trey Perkins, 20, told the Washington Post that a gunman barged into the room about 9:50 a.m. and opened fire for about a minute and a half, getting off about 30 shots.

The gunman first shot Bishop in the head, then fired on the students with a “very serious but very calm look on his face,” Perkins said.

By late Monday, a cluster of cars were outside Bishop’s tidy, one-story brick house on Cranwell Circle, a short distance from campus. Grieving guests milled about in a lighted front room as wind whipped through trees outside.

By David

April 17, 2007 1:22 PM | Link to this

Is someone in the Braves organization aware of the fact that Professor Bishop was a Braves fan? If not, could someone at AJC notify the team so that they could do something for him? I was thinking the team could sign a ball to be buried with him or dedicate tonight’s game or something. It would be nice to try to bring some positive karma out of this.

By icemansucks

April 17, 2007 1:22 PM | Link to this

Well, hmm… if my calculations are correct (and there is a good chance they are not) 8-4 translates to 108 wins season long.

I think we all know that this team has the capability to win 100 games, but most likely will not be able to do so with so many inter-divisional games.

So, what does the current 3-3 slide mean? Not much. Sure, Atlanta is not hitting right now and the bullpen has been touched up a bit, but I would look at the scores of the games. Save the beatdown on Redman from Florida, the Braves have been in each game.

“This is baseball” is correct. It all goes in cycles and the key is to lengthen the good hitting and pitching cycles and shorten the tough stretches.

The offense breaks out tonight…at least seven runs.

By Mitchell

April 17, 2007 1:23 PM | Link to this

No need to panic yet folks…this is baseball. It’s a rollercoaster-there are highs and lows, we just have to hope that our highs outnumber our lows. I’ve been okay with the team so far.
I’m still trying to figure out why when Chipper finally got going, everyone else cooled off. A bit of a cruel twist to the saga that is the first 12 games of the season. Hakuna Matata, my friends—-there are still 150 games to be played.

By Lee

April 17, 2007 1:24 PM | Link to this

Drew - My bad - thanks.

By Glynn

April 17, 2007 1:25 PM | Link to this

Ill tell you whats wrong with the Braves, its the lack of LaRoche. I know he heasnt hit well thus far this season, but our offense is going to miss the production he gave us last year. Thorman may be good, but we could use LaRoche’s bat and glove now!

By Ed Glennon

April 17, 2007 1:25 PM | Link to this

I would pitch to Johnson, be careful with Edgar, and walk Chipper every at bat so I could get to the Whiff Brothers - Andruw and Jeff, but before we get to the guys hitting over.270 like McCann and Diaz. Could Elias Sports tell us how many time Andruw and Jeff have struck out in the same inning? Do you think it is 57?

By Scout

April 17, 2007 1:27 PM | Link to this

Who hits for average on this team? The recent skid is no surprise when the leadoff hitter is batting .150 and the catcher has the highest average. Top that with your #4 hitter swinging for the fences every at-bat and you have problems. Even Pendleton said that Andruw is trying to hit every pitch a country mile when he only needs to hit it a mile. The fact that Andruw doesn’t listen to anyone should be another reason not to resign him.

By tokyobrave

April 17, 2007 1:28 PM | Link to this

“Dojo” means “a place of way” and is where martial arts are practiced. You guys quite worrying. The problems we had last year were pitching centric. That is not the case this year. This team will hit and they will be in the thick of things all year. The Fish are not a bad baseball team - not to be brushed off as someone we should automatically beat. The Nat’s - well maybe because of the way they started, they are considered door mats, but they were so cold (no pun intened) that they had to get hotter bats and it has happened…I love the make up of this team. I just wish that now we would run some more to try something different - generate some movement and not hit in to so many DP’s.

By John Hoar

April 17, 2007 1:41 PM | Link to this

I hate to follow the post about the VaTech tragedy-this doesn’t seem so important.

 In thinking about our few past games, won or lost, it just seems like we caught a bit of bad luck in having to play in the weather conditions. The games  that the Mets and Phillies did not play will be played under baseball conditions, not Green Bay Packer conditions. Under those circumstances, the best team will probably win the higher percentage of games. Whereas, we broke about even, but what would the result have been if the conditions were  even semi-normal? I think that we would have had a couple more W's in our column. So lets just get through this. It reminds me so much of the cold, wet, and mud on the west coast last year. At least we have not piled up the serious injuries that occurred under those conditions.....yet.

By Gustopher

April 17, 2007 1:41 PM | Link to this

Spot on CR. I am sure they will get there heads back in the game so to speak. Maybe it was playing in the cold is what is hurting them

By Jack In Macon

April 17, 2007 1:44 PM | Link to this

Cold Weather! Wait until it get warm (hot) before you get too concerned about the Braves. They never play well in cool (cold) weather. I am, however, becoming concerned about left field & 1st. Before Hampton’s latest injury, I was hoping the excess pitching would help them land a good left fielder (like Baldelli), but now I’m not sure they have the trade value to land that type player.

By Gustopher

April 17, 2007 1:44 PM | Link to this

I heard LaRoche isn’t hitting that well either.

By BRAVESFAN

April 17, 2007 1:46 PM | Link to this

I still think the lineup is week. They need a 1st baseman and a left fielder that can hit and defend. Without those two well there just is not enough hitting power. Andruw is streaky and Chipper is streaky and hurt (a lot). Adam is the one last year that picked us up. Hes not there now and the two that are are hitting a buck eighteen between them. I dont care if its week 2 or 52, these players are payed to hit and defend. Getting off to a slow start is one thing, but Langerhans has never hit and he wont because he cant. Shore up the lineup and we have a chance to go all the way. Keep Langerhans and Thorman and well say goodnight folks.

By doug

April 17, 2007 1:54 PM | Link to this

There’s an idea, let’s go for Baldelli, and while we’re at it we could try for Crawford. What do y’all think???????? If the weather is going to act like last winter, then we can blog like last winter too, right?

By Lee

April 17, 2007 2:00 PM | Link to this

Jack in Macon - I am afraid in order to trade for a player such as Baldelli most teams (especially Tampa Bay) are going to want young pitching. Kyle Davies would be probably be the name most mention and I do not see the Braves wanting or willing to trade him. However I do agree an good all around leftfielder could solve many of our problems such as leadoff (move Kelly down in the order) and provided some much needed speed and spark for the team.

By Sir Stealth

April 17, 2007 2:00 PM | Link to this

Not to mention LaRoche didn’t hit very well early last year when we were trying to keep pace either. He was a K machine then too, and if someone happened to get on base in front of him, he’d be more than happy to hit into a double play. His second half of the season was remarkable, but the Braves were in pretty bad shape most of that time. I’m perfectly willing to accept that our first base platoon’s crappy numbers are better than his really crappy numbers, and am not as certain as most that he’s guaranteed to turn it around any more than Wilson/Thorman are.

By JasonInMaine

April 17, 2007 2:04 PM | Link to this

Rochey just hit his 2nd home run, and he raised his average quite a bit…to .125. I agree that he will be missed. I said all along that I liked the Gonzalez trade if we filled another hole. Having no O in LF, 2B,and 1B is killing us.

By Efrim

April 17, 2007 2:05 PM | Link to this

Wait till next year when Andruw is gone. Projected Lineup:

2B Johnson SS Renteria 3B C. Jones C McCann RF Francouer 1B Thorman LF Diaz CF Langerhans

Just joking. Mike Cameron will probably be in Center for us next year.

By BB FAN

April 17, 2007 2:12 PM | Link to this

The one thing I’ve noticed is the offense is taking more walks this year. They have 56 walks in 12 games (A Jones with 8, C Jones with 10, Johnson with 9 and even Francoeur has 5 already). That is on pace for more than 750. In 2006, they walked only 526 times in 162 games.

However, they still seem to get into the habit of swinging at bad pitches at the worst of times though. Which is why they are only hitting .230 as a team. Francoeur has looked a lot better this year. After seeing him go to right field a few times already (one to win a game), I think he is going to have a very good year at the plate. I wish Andruw could go to right field more often. He would likely increase his average by 30 points over the last few years. But I can’t complain too much about his 92 HRs and 257 RBIs the last two years. I’m sure he’ll put up similar numbers this year.

By BamaBrave

April 17, 2007 2:31 PM | Link to this

Still too early to panic…and still too cold. Just be glad we’re 8-4.

Mike Cameron replacing Andruw…? The mere suggestion of it makes me ill. Yikes.

By LyonsJimmy

April 17, 2007 2:34 PM | Link to this

Relax, I understand you people have to write something to keep a job, but this is a marathon not a sprint. It’ll be ok Just sit back and pace yourself for the long haul.

By The Murf

April 17, 2007 2:40 PM | Link to this

They lost one game 5 to 1. When we lose 22 of 25 again, or whatever it was, then I’ll panic.

By JG

April 17, 2007 2:41 PM | Link to this

Oh no!!! the sky is falling!! Wait, we’re on pace for 108 wins… never mind. Carroll Rogers after a 1-2-3 1st inning: “Our guys are terrible. They’ll never get another hit. We’re doomed”. Carroll Rogers following a 3-run 2nd inning: “Holy s*, if we keep playing like that we’ll score 27 runs a game and be the greatest team ever”.

Never too high or too low, Carroll. Great job.

By Jim

April 17, 2007 2:43 PM | Link to this

2nd week of the season and you are already predicting a collapse? Give us all a stinking break, and stop trying to “manufacture” news.

By Carroll Rogers

April 17, 2007 2:44 PM | Link to this

David,

I have passed along your suggestion to Braves PR. Will let you know if something comes out of it….nice thinking….

By joebrave

April 17, 2007 2:54 PM | Link to this

Sorry to hear about Jake Rocker,from what I understand he was a class act.

By Spike

April 17, 2007 2:59 PM | Link to this

Nice to see that the majority of fans have common sense. It’s early, we are 8-4 and have played in brutal conditions. Let’s evaluate this team in a month and see where the holes are.

By Oldtimer

April 17, 2007 3:20 PM | Link to this

The Braves have never played consistently well against the “Expos”…Oh, I’m sorry,that’s right, they’re the “Nat’s now…well, perhaps it’s a carry over.

By David

April 17, 2007 3:22 PM | Link to this

Thank you, I sincerely appreciate that.

John Hoar, I apologize for making the Braves’ hitting seem unimportant. I am just as aggravated with Langerhans’ inability to hit a baseball as anyone. :)

By matt

April 17, 2007 3:25 PM | Link to this

Spike- I have to agree. ALbeit the weather has sucked but the other team is playing in the same conditions. Key points to look at though. Chipper (if healthy) will put up solid numbers as will AJ and renteria. McCann will have to continue his production from last year. Francouer needs to improve in every offensive category that is not labeled HR and RBI. LF, 2b, and 1b will have to produce on some level for this team to get back on top! Hudson has to get back to his Oakland days and Chuck James will have to come up big for us as will Davies. Smotlz will be Smoltz. Bullpen is vastly improved from last year. All of this is possible, we just have to get it done.

By CheckingAJC@theSLC

April 17, 2007 3:29 PM | Link to this

Guarantee there’s a big assed hole where Mark Redman sits in the rotation, but hey it could be worse(see: Yankees)

By Scott

April 17, 2007 3:34 PM | Link to this

It’s because it’s so damn cold. The team does not play well at all in the cold weather,especially guys like Andruw Jones. He’s even said that he won’t sign with a Boston or New York because of the crappy weather.

Once it warms up, the bats will warm up. Plus they were tearing it up Sunday at the Ted. It’s just miserable and cold in DC right now.

By MD Braves fan

April 17, 2007 3:34 PM | Link to this

I believe that Andruw is affected more by the cold than anyone on the team. When he heats up - he can carry the team farther on his shoulders than any other Brave. Just wait - Andruw will pick up the offense pretty soon and he will warm up all of Atlanta.

By 22oz

April 17, 2007 3:35 PM | Link to this

So i know i’ve asked the question, and i’ve seen other people ask it too, but have we ever gotten the answer about when we can expect Tanyon Sturtze to be back?

By gajawjacker

April 17, 2007 3:36 PM | Link to this

Ryan Langerhitless needs to be sent back to the minors to see if he can get his average over the Mendoza line -once he does please keep him there so he and McBride can talk about their major league stats.

By CheckingAJC@theSLC

April 17, 2007 3:37 PM | Link to this

Yeah for the past 12 years Andruw heats up with the weather. Too bad they’re not in Atlanta tonight, some people in left field would be going home with souveniers

By CheckingAJC@theSLC

April 17, 2007 3:41 PM | Link to this

Yeah for the past 12 years Andruw heats up with the weather. Too bad they’re not in Atlanta tonight, some people in left field would be going home with souveniers

By meansonny

April 17, 2007 3:42 PM | Link to this

Carroll, Great piece on Jake Rogers. That was a very well written tribute. If you do speak to John, send him a Braves fan’s condolences.

By Mad Mike

April 17, 2007 3:42 PM | Link to this

Andruw absolutely can and will carry the team at some point this season. Was it last year (or ‘05?) when Chipper went down and Andruw put up MVP numbers? Just imagine what it’s going to be like once he locks in in his walk year….

By ChampDawg

April 17, 2007 3:43 PM | Link to this

The team is neither as good as their start or as bad as they have played recently. That said, this team doesn’t have a solid enough 4-5 in the pitching rotation to be a serious contender. Combine that with the fact that Chipper will certainly spend some time on the DL as he always does and Andruw will hit his usual .260. Nope, I just don’t see quite enough there last year or this year.

By Glass Half Full

April 17, 2007 3:46 PM | Link to this

Calm down people. The Braves have played what, 12 games? Compared to seasons past, the Braves are doing great. During April and most of May they generally hover around .500 before breaking out in the summer (not counting last June of course, ay caramba!). Should the Braves have beaten the Nats? Sure, but Washington isn’t as crappy as everyone thinks. They’ll finish last, but they’re hardly the worst team of all time as christened by the Washington press.

By Van

April 17, 2007 3:47 PM | Link to this

It’s the same thing we’ve been subjected to for years. Absolutely no hitting in critical situations. It just doesn’t happen for the Braves! We’ll break out and everyone will hit in an upcoming game and win 11-0 and the rest of the time we struggle to get balls out of the infield. We’re just not a good hitting team and haven’t been for years. Lookk at what we did when we actually made it to the play offs. No hitting will lose 9 out of 10 times regardless of your pitching.

By Glass Half Full

April 17, 2007 3:47 PM | Link to this

Langerhans is out of options.

By meansonny

April 17, 2007 3:48 PM | Link to this

Sorry about the typo on my 3:42 post. Obviously meant Jake Rocker. That’s what I get for trying to do too many things at once (darn that Fox News Channel)

By Glass Half Full

April 17, 2007 3:49 PM | Link to this

I was wondering the same thing, 22oz

By Glass Half Full

April 17, 2007 3:52 PM | Link to this

I am hoping that Gonzalez can find his form and not end up like our old pal, Dan Kolb, who was good in a small market with no real expectations of winning. Kinda like Pittsburgh…uh,oh.

By Glass Half Full

April 17, 2007 3:53 PM | Link to this

You should never watch Fox News in the first place. Unfair and unbalanced. You’d think Bush was the greatest thing since sliced bread watching that trash.

By Alan

April 17, 2007 3:54 PM | Link to this

Carroll, yes it’s early, but there certainly is reason to be concerned. Overall, the Braves aren’t hitting - isn’t their team BA second lowest in the league? And their BA with runners in scoring position is particularly lousy. So far, 1B, 2B and LF (Langy, not Diaz) are wastelands offensively. I believe it’s time to let Diaz play every day, and I’d also like to see the Braves get a “real” leadoff hitter. KJ is going to be a good player, but I think it’s asking way too much of him to put him in the leadoff spot. With the current personnel, I’d have Edgar leading off and Diaz second. I’d drop KJ to #8. For what it’s worth (not much, probably), I’m pretty sure Willie Harris is leading off at Richmond and doing a good job so far.

By Matt

April 17, 2007 3:55 PM | Link to this

Jeeze…Carroll “Jump to Conclusions” Rodgers. Where is DOB anyway? If anyone is “losing his mojo”, I think it might be him. He rarely missed a game last year!

By MD Braves fan

April 17, 2007 3:56 PM | Link to this

I think if all the Braves end up having “Average years” they will be lucky to make the wild card. We can handle mediocrity at first, second and left field if we get other production. I’ve seen enough to believe that the possibility for break our years exist. Kyle Davies, Chuck James and Lance Cormier all have “potential”. If two of those three bust out things look good. With Francouer walking some and going to right field more - he could be in for a breakout. We can handle Andruw having a normal Andruw year, but the key - is the rest of our stars being stars. Chipper has to play 140 games - and Hudson and Smoltz need to keep pitching like they are now. If the stars stay aligned, I can see the Braves winning the toughest division in baseball.

By MS

April 17, 2007 3:58 PM | Link to this

JJS, looks like the Cubbies will be bringing some Pie to ATL tomorrow…

By CK

April 17, 2007 4:02 PM | Link to this

What is wrong with the Braves ???? Lets see… Redman as the 4th starter is a good place to start. The Braves are flirting with disaster having Redman pitch at all.

Then there is the issue of 1st and 2nd base. The offense and defense from these two positions is very weak at best.

JS needs to work his magic if the Braves are going to be able to maintain a winning season.

This hot start is just that… a hot start… It is a long season and these weaknesses will bear themselves out and prove to be the undoing just as the bullpen was last year.

I ,ove the Braves and want to see them win it all but I gasp every time Redman pitches and Woodward and Wilson come to bat.

By Yars

April 17, 2007 4:08 PM | Link to this

Some of you already in panic mode is nothing but comedy. We are not even 15 games into the season, & some of you act as if we already lost the division. If the Braves front office were already concerned, they would have made some changes already. My only concern is Mark Redman. I have no faith in him, & so far, whenever he pitches, the Braves lose. If Davies gets a couple more starts, I say leave him in the rotation when Cormier returns only if he pitches well. I am not worried about the lineup. Way too early to worry. Kelly Johnson is playing good defense, drawing walks, scoring runs, & in my opinion has the best eye on the team. His average will increase very soon. That ball he hit last night as a pinch hitter would have probably been a double in any other park. Heck, if he had hit it to RF instead of LF, it would have been a HR.

By meansonny

April 17, 2007 4:20 PM | Link to this

Good post Yars. I don’t know if the front office would have made the changes already if the concerns were worse (remember how long it took to fix the pen last season?). But I think the only serious concerns should be Redman. I think both his position in the rotation and the platoon of Langerhans will work themselves out of the order. Baseball is not the sport to give up so quickly on someone (for better or worse. remember LaRoche was roasted on boards for worse. Now people are wishing we still had him). It will end up with Cormier in the rotation and Diaz starting in left.

My concern is the “offense in cold weather” complaint. Both teams have to play in this weather. And that is especially true in October when the other lineup is supposed to be one of the best. We need to find some way of supplying runs to get past the first round of the playoffs. If the longball doesn’t work in the cold, neither will we in October.

By Lew

April 17, 2007 4:29 PM | Link to this

I beg to differ about the defense at first and second. It’s been good. The hitting is not there, but there has been nothing wrong with the defense.

By Mad Mike

April 17, 2007 4:37 PM | Link to this

Yeah Lew defense has been pretty good on the infield as a whole. Even Chipper is pickin’ it really well at the hot corner. Been very impressed with KJ at 2B. Can only think of an E on Wilson when he threw behind Huddy the other day.

By caveman22

April 17, 2007 4:39 PM | Link to this

meansonny as a ballplayer myself I can tell you that cold weather is a detriment to baseball unlike it is with any other sport. Because the game is played with the smallest ball among ‘hand’ ball sports and the manner in which it is played requires a certain amount of dexterity, flexibility, grip that is affected by the temperature.

October ball would come at the end of a season when you’ve been in constant play for 6 months and much more in tune with your abilities and the capacity to make adjustments.

The length a ball travels is affected as well but the problem with the weather right now is more of a “getting started with the season” thing than how far a ball went when hit. Instead of adjusting swings or stances or even warming up before the game to make inprovements the players are trying to just be able to play at a sufficient level to win and cope with the weather without injuring themselves.

Yeah, that was a well thought and lucid answer, but I’m still a smartass so don’t go getting your hopes up for me.

By TennesseePaul

April 17, 2007 4:49 PM | Link to this

Carroll must be have a good time posting blogs. She’s put this one out twice now. There is a blank slate not more than two clicks from here. I’m sure they’ll get it fixed soon. Rookie mistake. Happens sometimes when you are pinch blogging.

By meansonny

April 17, 2007 5:12 PM | Link to this

Caveman No worries. I respect your comments.

Quick counter question if you don’t mind. If it was as simple as that, then mandate January and February warmups in those fat contracts for the players (not just pitchers).

If it lead to more production in April and May, then I’m sure the players would be for it as it would fatten their wallets come contract time.

I’m not trying to be condescending. I just think your answer was a little to thin to support itself. I think the Braves struggle with pitchers they hadn’t seen (or studied?). There’s a lot of that in April and May. I do think that there’s some validity to what you post. But not enough to keep me quiet :)

By caveman22

April 17, 2007 5:55 PM | Link to this

meanie I point is valid with respect to unseen pitchers having good success, but that goes for every team. Good example: James and Davies success when they first arrived.

The problem with starting earlier isn’t about time. It’s about getting AB’s against major-league level pitching. I can look at a pitching machine for a month and take BP with the coach or whoever’s turn it is to throw, but that’s what it is BP…not game conditions. That’s were the term 5 o’clock hitter comes from. I’ve seen guys put some MONSTER shots up into the stands during BP that couldn’t put the ball in play during a game.

It’s all about repetition and you just can’t do it like that. The human arm can only take so much and rest and rehab in the winter is neccessary at some point. Even if you have the lastest technology in pitching machines, seeing the ball from a the hand of the pitcher is totally different. Some pitchers are “sneaky” fast due to their delivery or the gap in speeds between their fastball and offspeed pitches.

The last thing I can say is this, with a major league fastball you have .8 secs to decide what the pitch is, where it’s going, how fast it’s going, and what you can do with it. Now add to that your freezing you nuts off and the winds blowing like a nor’easter, you can barely grip the bat, and you’ve been standing in the field for 10 mins before you got to the plate.

You know — “EASY” stuff like that.

By meansonny

April 17, 2007 6:17 PM | Link to this

LOL. good post. Outside of the BoSox game, I don’t think Davies left much of a first impression on the rest of MLB in 2005.

By Eric from MO

April 17, 2007 7:09 PM | Link to this

Glynn why do the Braves need LaRoche? He has played good for 3 months total in his career. Not only has he not hit he also made an error last night against the Cardinals that almost cost them the game. Trust me I was there.

By JACK

April 17, 2007 7:44 PM | Link to this

CARROLL as i kept telling DAVE if you think the braves have cooled off right now,JUST wait until it’s about 115 in hotlanta and those old tired arm’s start to give out real early,and doggone-it the braves just really need a HITTING-COACH WHO KNOWS WHAT HE’S DOING.NOT JUST SOME EX BRAVES PLAYER,WHO NEED’S A JOB.and maybbe for good mesure a PROFESSIONAL PITCHING COACH WHO JUST MIGHT KNOW THAT THE BASEBALL IS ROUND.

By Robert

April 17, 2007 8:11 PM | Link to this

Caption the photo that links to this blog

“Hee-Haw”

Cox braying at the umpire, all the while keeping his hooves in his silks

By Dane

April 17, 2007 9:26 PM | Link to this

At some point it’s going to need to be mentioned that Jeff already has 6 walks this season. He only had 23 in all of last year! Although it’s early, that’s a serious difference, and it’s going to lead to more production by way of hits, RBI, and the like.

By Eric from MO

April 17, 2007 9:38 PM | Link to this

People Redman is our 5th starter. Name one team who has a great 5th starter and when Cormier gets back he will be our 6th starter.

By Scalp 'Em Braves

April 17, 2007 9:57 PM | Link to this

That catch of Young’s blast to deep left by Langerhans is exactly why we need him on this team. No way Diaz makes that catch - he doesn’t have the range, the perception and it would have been over his left shoulder. Yes, Langerhans promptly got up to bat and struck out with the bat on his shoulder - he didn’t create anything offensively. But, he saved us two runs with his defense. And on a night when our defense has been less than stellar, we sure needed that.

By David O'Brien

April 17, 2007 9:59 PM | Link to this

Once again it’s obvious that if Langerhans would hit merely .260-.270 with, say, 12-15 homers, it’d be enough given his defense. Great defensive player. Only average/good arm, but great in every other aspect defensively….

Soriano got totally screwed on two calls _ great pitches that should have been strikes, including that perfect pitch inside that should have been a strike three. What great stuff that dude has….

I’m surprised Edgar didn’t have a game like tonight before now, given that he’s played every day and hates cold weather at least as much as Andruw hates it….

Matt, ain’t losing my mojo, brother. Just taking a two-day road series off before I cover the games Wednesday-Thursday vs. Cubs and then the entire nine-game, 10-day, three-city trip that starts Friday.

I do about 130-135 regular-season games a year, and have for as long as I can remember. Any more and you start to get burned out and prone to mistakes. Especially since the job also requires 6-1/2 weeks in Florida working all but a couple of days, and the postseason, and all offseason moves and rumors, etc.

I’m back on the case tomorrow. Gotta have some semblance of a life, you know?