AJC > Sports > Braves > Blog > Archives > 2007 > June > 08 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USMcCann gets needle; NL East tightens
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
First up, a bit of news: Brian McCann had a cortisone shot in his left ankle two days ago and is out of the lineup tonight, with Salty catching. But McCann’s expected back in there tomorrow, according to Bobby Cox.
This is first I’ve heard of the cortisone shot for McCann, who hates talking about his injuries for fear people will think he’s making excuses. He’s such a good dude, he feels guilty about not being in the lineup, about being hurt.
It’s the left ankle, same one he sprained badly last season. This time he reinjured it when he rolled it on a swing Tuesday, which we knew about. It’s just we didn’t know it was bad enough to require a cortisone shot, which he got Wednesday.
The ankle injury comes just when McCann’s left ring finger is finally healed completely. That’s no longer a factor, he said.
McCann and hitting coach Terry Pendleton have been working in the past few days to fix an unspecified flaw in McCann’s swing that T.P. told me about today (he wouldn’t give specifics, saying they wanted to fix it first).
Terry noticed it while watching videotape of McCann last year compared to his swing this season, and McCann immediately recognized what he was talking about when T.P. showed him.
McCann’s hitting .275 with three homers, 27 RBIs, a .328 OBP and .416 slugging percentage this season, after hitting .333 with 24 homers, 93 RBIs, a .388 OBP and .572 slugging percentage in 130 games last season as a 22-year-old All-Star.
“I got into a funk, and I’m trying to work out of it now,” McCann said. “I’m a streaky hitter. I had a couple of knick-knack injuries that affected me.
“You’re not going to hit .330 every year. Last year I was in a groove all year. This year I got hit in the finger, got into some bad habits trying to overcompensate, and now I’m trying to get back where I was before I got hit.”
More on McCann in a moment. But for now, we join our original blog already in progress, the one I wrote before I ran downstairs to the clubhouse to check on things and found out about McCann’s situation….
A four-team race, after all? If you’d have told me in March that the Braves would play a game under .500 during a 53-game stretch through June 7, I’d have told you they’d be looking a very long summer with little hope of winning the division title.
But they are 26-27 in their past 53 games, and 1-7 in their past eight home games, and guess what? The Braves are still only 3-1/2 games out of first place.
They can be thankful that the Mets’ recent slide has coincided with their own, but the Braves cannot expect things to continue as they have. In other words, they can’t keep getting beat and expect to stay less than a handful of games out of first place at the All-Star break.
For one thing, the Mets aren’t as bad as they’ve played lately. They’re banged up and they’ll get healthy. New York is a flawed team, we’ve said that all along. Their pitching isn’t nearly as good as it looked in April, and that’s starting to show.
But they still have the best lineup in the NL, and they’ll win 90 to 95 games, at least.
Secondly, there’s the not-so-small matter of the Phillies. In case anyone’s failed to notice, Philadelphia just swept the Mets after sweeping the Braves, and they’re only 1-1/2 games behind the Braves and five out of first.
And don’t completely discount the Marlins. We said in spring training that the only team that would be a non-factor in the East was Washington.
The Braves and Mets got off to fast starts, while the Phillies and Marlins struggled, and some of us made the mistake of altering our preseason predictions and starting to believe it’d be a two-team race with the Mets and Braves breaking away from the pack before mid-summer.
That’s not going to happen. It’s going to be as we thought in spring, with four teams in the division beating each other up all summer.
It’s there for the taking, the NL East title, even for a team playing as uninspired a brand of ball as the Braves are playing right now.
Chipper will be back before too long (just talked to him and he’s feeling better, hoping to be back by end of next week). McCann will get healthy and starting hit like he’s capable of hitting. Andruw will go on one of his three-week binges soon and start to push his average back to .250.
And Tim Hudson will get over this recent slippage and settle in as a solid co-ace, not the Cy Young favorite he looked like in April, but a guy who’ll win 16-18 games this season with an ERA around 3.00.
Smoltz will be Smoltz. This shoulder thing might keep him out of a start, might even land him on the DL. But he’ll make at least 32 starts this season and win at least 16 games.
And Chuck James has pitched lately like the Braves expected, not the five-inning exits he was making for the first six weeks.
The Braves still need to shore up the back two spots in the rotation, still need to figure out what they’re going to do at first base (I think Salty will start to play more vs. lefties and they’ll call up Brayan Pena as a third catcher), and still need to get more help in the ‘pen.
But believe it or not, I’ll stick by my preseason prediction. Call me crazy, but I’ll take the Braves to find a way and win the division.
Reason to believe in McCann: A bit more, as promised, on the young catcher form Duluth.
Those wondering if the Braves can expect Brian McCann to get past his ankle injury and start being the sweet-swinging power hitter he was last season, here’s one big more reason they can:
Because he did pretty much the same thing last season.
No, he never went through a low-average slump like this one, but he did have a long power outage last season after spraining the ankle and eventually going on the DL.
Check this out: McCann has hit just .242 (29-for-120) with one homer, 16 RBIs and a .290 OBP and .342 slugging percentage in 35 games since April 22.
Last season he had no homers and only four RBIs in a 24-game stretch (70 at-bats) from May 16 to July 1. Yes, he hit .357 in that span, but 22 of his 25 hits were singles.
He got his strength back in the ankle and totaled 15 doubles and 15 homers with 53 RBIs over his next 56 games starting July 2. He racked up 19 homers and 70 RBIs in his last 72 games.
This season he’s hit just one homer in 169 at-bats after homering in each of the first two games. But McCann does have 16 doubles and 27 RBIs in 50 games, while playing most of the season injured.
He’s hit a respectable .300 with three homers, 19 RBIs and a .351 and .500 slugging percentage in 28 road games.
It’s the home woes — .244 with no homers, eight RBis and a .606 OPS in 22 games - that have made his struggles seem even more pronounced to Braves fans.
That, plus the fact he isn’t hitting with runners in scoring position at like he did last season, when he led the majors in those situations with two outs.
He’s hitting .288 in 52 at-bats with RISP, including .308 (8-for-26) with two outs. Last season he hit .346 with RISP, including a majors-leading and jaw-dropping .471 (24-for-51) with two outs.
I can tell you he might never hit .471 with RISP and two outs again; that was absurdly good, and there’s a reason it led the majors by a wide margin.
One more thing about this season that’s not been mentioned regarding McCann: The proliferation of lefties the Braves have faced.
Last season the left-handed hitting McCann spent the early season in a platoon with Todd Pratt (OK, it wasn’t the greatest platoon, but McCann avoided facing lefties early on).
McCann has hit .292 with a .361 OBP and .472 slugging percentage in 106 at-bats this season vs. right-handers, and only .250 (18-for-72) with a .276 OBP and .333 slugging percentage vs. righties.
Last season McCann had only 94 at-bats vs. lefties all season, and hit .266 with a .457 slugging percentage against them, compared to his stunning .352 average and .603 slugging percentage last season against righties.
OK, is your head spinning from stat overload? Sorry, I got carried away.
Wait, more stats: But no more McCann stats. Alfonso Soriano had a triple and two RBIs last night. I know, big shocker, right? Dude absolutely rakes against Braves. In his past 25 games against them, he’s 40-for-108 (.370) with nine doubles, two triples, 11 homers, 27 RBIs and a 1.205 OPS….
— The young studs don’t want to get down two strikes. Sure, no one does. But it’s an especially precarious spot for hitters just up from the minors for the first time. Witness: Salty is 1-for-16 with two strikes, and Yunel Escobar is 1-for-10….
— Sick of Rich Hill, the lefty who stuck it to the Braves again Thursday? So are these guys: Francoeeur is 1-for-12 with seven strikeouts against him, while McCann, Salty and Scott Thorman are a combined 0-for-14 with four strikeouts. That’s 1-for-26 with 11 Ks from those young guys against the Cubs lefty.
— Saturday would be a good day for Andruw to get hot or stay hot (depending what he does tonight, after homering last night). Anyway, Braves face ex-Bravos pitcher Jason Marquis on Saturday. They’ve killed him all three times they’ve faced him since he left Atlanta, and Andruw is 7-for-10 with four home runs against Marquis. Too bad Chipper’s hurt; he’s 4-for-6 with three homers off Marquis.
— Thorman had a four-hit game April 29 at Colorado. Since then the rookie first baseman has hit .200 (24-for-100) with three homers, 14 RBIs and 29 strikeouts. Ouch. And in his last 11 games, he’s 6-for-38 (.158) with one extra-base hit (double), one RBI, 11 strikeouts and a .379 OPS (.195 OBP).
— Braves 1Bs rank last in the majors with a collective .205 average, last with a .262 OBP, last with a .347 slugging percentage, and last with 23 RBIs. No other major league team’s first basemen have an OBP below .300.
OK, that’s too much stuff. No time or room for lyrics….
No, wait. There’s always time for the main man, The Man in Black:
“FOLSOM PRISON BLUES” by Johnny Cash
I hear the train a comin’
It’s rolling round the bend
And I ain’t seen the sunshine since I don’t know when,
I’m stuck in Folsom prison, and time keeps draggin’ on
But that train keeps a rollin’ on down to San Antone.
When I was just a baby my mama told me, “Son,
Always be a good boy, don’t ever play with guns.”
But I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die
When I hear that whistle blowing, I hang my head and cry.
I bet there’s rich folks eating in a fancy dining car
They’re probably drinkin’ coffee and smoking big cigars
Well I know I had it coming, I know I can’t be free
But those people keep a movin’
And that’s what tortures me.
Well if they freed me from this prison
If that railroad train was mine
I bet I’d move it on a little farther down the line
Far from Folsom prison, that’s where I want to stay
And I’d let that lonesome whistle blow my blues away.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Wilson
June 8, 2007 6:16 PM | Link to this
go braves!
By A-ville Ranger
June 8, 2007 6:19 PM | Link to this
I think it’s fair to ask if the Braves have enough scouting resources.I’m all for finding good local talent.Who can argue with the team’s signing McCann.Frenchy,James,etc.I can’t help but wonder looking at all the Tech kids picked however if they really were the best available players at the positions they were taken.If they truly were the best on the board,how lucky can you get ?
By CC Rider
June 8, 2007 6:19 PM | Link to this
Dob, DO you think the Braves could pickup Dmitri Young from the Nationals at a reasonable price? He seems like the kind of veteran pure hitter that would benefit them in the race.
By Ron Roberts
June 8, 2007 6:20 PM | Link to this
Hey DOB… you and I (per last blog) are on the same page about Saltalammachia when it comes to slinging an inexperience guy out at 1B without first getting some minor league time, but ya also think it’s only a matter of time til Bobby puts him out there.
So how’re they gonna do that, ya think? Just isn’t very sound thinking to think they’ll put him out there at this level starting games until he’s gone done to AA or AAA to get on some work at 1B down there. Has anybody discussed this w/Bobby or Schuerholz, or do you have a gut feeling on it?
By journalist jimmy smith
June 8, 2007 6:21 PM | Link to this
journalist jimmy smith, earlier, sustained a minor thumb injury while doing undercover investigative reporting at the ballpark. fortunately for this journalist, a small jar of gelatinous thumb remedy was given to jimmy smith by a sympathetic fellow countryman who was hanging around the hank aaron statue. today, jimmy smith’s thumbs are feeling fine. this, by way of explanation.
investigative reporting follows - what was in that ham can? yes, that’s right, what was in that ham can? while at the stadium last night, wearing thumb casts, journalist jimmy smith noticed from the corner of journalist’s eye, a man who looked very much like dob passing a ham can to the esteemed bobby dews. what was in that ham can? some might say, ham. not jimmy smith, though, because the keen eye of jimmy smith noted that the ham can key was missing from the ham can. that means the can had already been opened! so what was in the can? again, some might say, ham - but not jimmy smith! journalist suspects that something else altogether was in that ham can. it can now be revealed that only the canned ham gel remained in the can! to wit: the mysterious thumb remedy is nothing more than canned ham gel. look it up - canned ham gel is curative. it is reported that a certain ballplayer was seen in the clubhouse with thumbs in a ham can. journalist has deduced that (1) dob drew on dob’s blog experience with canned ham gel and, (2) dob got in touch with bobby dews and, (3) bobby dews has applied the cure! soon, as reported above by dob, chipper will return to the uh, lineup. dob keeps a low profile as dob does the good works of this blog.
now, should all journalists’ names appear in bold blue type? jimmy smith is inclined to answer, yes.
By BravesFanInRockies
June 8, 2007 6:21 PM | Link to this
DOB,
You noticed the lefties, too! You’d think the Bravos would kill ‘em (Franceouer, Andruw, Edgar, Diaz), but if I recall correctly they’ve had trouble vs. LH starters for several seasons.
If Pena comes up let’s hope Salty can get more ABs and improve the odds against southpaws!
By JasonInMaine
June 8, 2007 6:24 PM | Link to this
Lew,
Just in case you missed it from the other blog:
Lew,
Of course, you are right and I am wrong. Sorry. Billy Beane is wrong as well. For the record, he also contributes Oakland’s success to drafting college players and players that will have shorter development life cycles. As a matter of fact their first 14 picks this year were college players as were 18 out of their first 19.
Again, I am not saying that it works in every situation. But, you can’t possibly tell me that on average a 17 yr old high school player is going to be ready to contribute as soon as a 22 yr old mature college player. Sorry, but you are wrong if you think so.
I think the team’s situation dictates how they draft. Oakland is a prime example. We aren’t going to agree, so no biggie.
I enjoy sharing opinions and having intelligent conversations about them. I appreciate your retort and reply as there were no “idiot”, etc. And, like I said, I could be way off…I just happen not to think so (:
Let’s get the bats rolling and get a freaking W tonight!!
Regards,
Jason
By Efrim
June 8, 2007 6:26 PM | Link to this
We don’t get enough from two prime power positions….
Left Field and 1st base.
Those are things to address in the offseason.
For now:
3 starter- Whoever. Buerhle would cost too much. We’ll see what opens up.Set up man- Soriano is amazing, but we need another. Yates is good too, but we need another arm. How about Akinori Otsuka???
Play Salty at First base half of the time. Not just against lefties.
Get another bat for the bench, preferrably one that can play 3rd base and outfield. Chipper is getting old. Doesn’t recover fast enough.
By ElbravoX
June 8, 2007 6:27 PM | Link to this
Too many ifs, get ready to get our butts kicked, again!
By Patrick
June 8, 2007 6:28 PM | Link to this
DOB,
What are the chances that we’ll see a Mark Buerhle or Ken Griffey Jr. on the Braves come the trade deadline???
By TennesseePaul
June 8, 2007 6:35 PM | Link to this
Thanks for the Stats DOB. So, how does Soriano fit in with the fact that no man feasts on any one team? =)
By Ron Roberts
June 8, 2007 6:35 PM | Link to this
I don’t understand the Griffey talk, frankly. He’s expensive, old, and our chief weakness isn’t in the outfield. If the Braves do add payroll, I’d think it’d be more pitching or at 1B. Just ‘cause Griffey seems to indicate he’d go to Atlanta doesn’t mean the Braves are as interested.
By TennesseePaul
June 8, 2007 6:37 PM | Link to this
Efrim: Done. I was going to the store anyway so I’ll pick those up while I’m out.
By David O'Brien
June 8, 2007 6:41 PM | Link to this
Uh, a certain someone on the blog would tell us, TennPaul, that Soriano is just comfortable hitting at Turner Field. Nevermind that he’s also killed the Braves at RFK, at Wrigley, and when he was with Texas he killed them in the games down there.
By ncscoots
June 8, 2007 6:47 PM | Link to this
DOB, a solicitation for witty banter, indeed! Seems to me that YOU are the guy who has been firing off a few squibs lately his own self, bubba, LOL.
Well, OK, that and nathan’s soon-to-be-legendary “Cell Phone Conversation” post (it was so good I had to give it proper case).
now, baseball…need bullpen help, you say? What’s your thinking? I can see a second lefty in the pen, but it seems to me that Boyer, Yates, Soriano, and Wickman line up pretty stiff.
By MS
June 8, 2007 6:47 PM | Link to this
YES! Finally lyrics I know on the Braves/MAN IN BLACK blog. Man that is a great song.
By TennesseePaul
June 8, 2007 6:48 PM | Link to this
Jason: Part of the reason Oakland drafts college players is because of age. Small market teams play the numbers more. In this case they play peak years. It benefits the team to have older minor leaguers, or keep guys in the minors until the age of about 24. This way they have control of the player through age 30. Pretty much through the prime of his career. It’s cheaper this way. When the player walks he is more than likely walking into the down side of his career than right into the prime. So they get better production for the money.
Drafting young isn’t something teams should only and always do. But if your team has higher payroll limits you can afford to keep talent around longer than small market teams and therefore can afford to take the higher risk on HS players. It’s high risk high reward, but if you can afford it then you do it when you think you’ve found the right player.
By eric the elder
June 8, 2007 6:50 PM | Link to this
In NASCAR parlance, we are drafting the Mets, and the Phillies are drafting us. The problem is that, when the guy in front slows down, we are supposed to grab the opportunity to pass him. Didn’t happen.
What I fear is that the guy in front will speed up again, and we will keep slowing down. The result of that is a permanent pit stop.
By TennesseePaul
June 8, 2007 6:57 PM | Link to this
Lies. DOB. They’re all lies.
It’s not living a lie if you’re not living at all.
By DonCoburleone
June 8, 2007 6:57 PM | Link to this
DOB, please, give me just 1 reason why the Braves won’t struggle tonight against Marshall like they did against Hill last night (and Marshall the last time they faced him)…
By ncscoots
June 8, 2007 6:59 PM | Link to this
eric, all true. But is it that the Mets missed an opportunity to pull away, or that the Braves missed an opportunity to close the gap?
I’m guessing Muts fans are b!tchin’ about the former, while we gripe about the latter. Ya think?
By AthensBrave
June 8, 2007 7:08 PM | Link to this
Fellow bloggers, losing causes bickering and frustration among us. The only cure is wins. CMON BRAVES, GET YOUR FREAKIN S@IT TOGETHER AND GET A FREAKIN VICTORY
By Sandmann
June 8, 2007 7:09 PM | Link to this
I can’t tell if I’d rather the Braves trade Salty or switch his position. Selfishly, I’d like to see him catch somewhere, so I could keep him in that spot on my keeper fantasy team, (really selfishly, McCann would move to 1B and Salty would stay there, but I don’t think that’s the move the Braves should make). I think Harden is the greatest talent we could get for Salty if we traded him this year, but that guy is a walking D/L. Going to be hard to get good value…the pitchers that will be on the market for trades won’t be that great. Maybe Dontrelle (if he even starts pitching well), but the Marlins wouldn’t trade him within the division, and I’d hate to have Salty kill us so frequently.
By DonCoburleone
June 8, 2007 7:15 PM | Link to this
Guys, it don’t matter if we can’t beat a LEFT HANDED PITCHER!!! I swear, I try to be as positive as I can on here (mainly because the majority of people on here are negative) but it is honestly to the point where I don’t even watch a Braves games anymore if they are facing a lefty… So of course, as you can guess, I won’t be watching tonight (unless DOB can give me one stat or positive thought as to why we might actually score more than 2 runs tonight…)
By eric the elder
June 8, 2007 7:16 PM | Link to this
nscoots, in the words of Joe Biden, “Yes.”
By DonCoburleone
June 8, 2007 7:19 PM | Link to this
Sandmann if we could get Buehrle to agree to an extension (ala Hudson) before we traded for him I’d do that deal… Salty for Buehrle. I think he’d thrive in the National League (and he’s only 30 so hes got at least 5 more seasons in him)…
By eric the elder
June 8, 2007 7:25 PM | Link to this
DonC
Salty for Buehrle. I think he’d thrive in the National League (and he’s only 30 so hes got at least 5 more seasons in him)…
And Salty could have 15. And they might be Chipper-like years. Or not. I’m disinclined to take the risk.
By Bob, Journalist
June 8, 2007 7:26 PM | Link to this
Jason, from the last Blog, while I basically agree with your point, neither are expected to be mature … few major leaguers are that … but I don’t think that average high school players are the focus of the Draft … college either, for that matter.
My Draft Bonus rant will find obscurity at the end of the last Blog but while some will find it inane, I kinda liked it!
Those bonuses still have me going … like home cooking … the proof of the pudding is still in the eating, even in 2007 … paying $10 for a storebought pie at Kroger’s makes no sense, no matter how good it looks … not until you’ve tasted it … better to pay after you eat, whether it’s compliments to Mama or dollars to Korger.
See you at the Coliseum!
By brent a.
June 8, 2007 7:30 PM | Link to this
Prediction: A Brave will hit a 3-run homer tonight
By eric the elder
June 8, 2007 7:37 PM | Link to this
BobJ, talking about pies is a Batman searchlight signal for journalist jimmy smith. Still, I must say that my Mama left the distinct impression with my brother and me that pre-tasting compliments were in order.
By Steve McP
June 8, 2007 7:39 PM | Link to this
You did warn us about Soriano!!!!!
By brent a.
June 8, 2007 7:39 PM | Link to this
Soriano is my favorite non-Brave ever.
Enjoy the game!
By David O'Brien
June 8, 2007 7:39 PM | Link to this
TennPaul, first pitch homer by SORIANO. Guess he’s just comfortable hitting at Turner Field, huh?
Amazing. This guy vs. the Braves is just amazing.
By Bob
June 8, 2007 7:40 PM | Link to this
Here we go on the first pitch
By DonCoburleone
June 8, 2007 7:40 PM | Link to this
Can we please just walk Soriano from now on?
By MEB
June 8, 2007 7:42 PM | Link to this
Prediction: A Cub will hit a lead-off homer tonight.
By Bob, Journalist
June 8, 2007 7:42 PM | Link to this
One final word on up front bonuses … they destroy incentive … paying a few million for my autograph will certainly make make me work hard … backend bonuses usually have the desired effect.
Oh well, it’s our money … the owners can do with it as they choose.
By DonCoburleone
June 8, 2007 7:43 PM | Link to this
Cormier’s ERA is now 20.25!
By Jeff321
June 8, 2007 7:45 PM | Link to this
This is a blockbuster trade the Braves need to make….
Lance Cormier, Macay McBride, Peter Moylan, Chad Paronto, Tyler Yates, Pete Orr, Chris Woodward for…Dontrelle Willis! Note: I would of added Willie Aybar to this trade too but didn’t see his name on the roster. However, sadly, the Marlins aren’t dumb enough to take these underachievers.
By long time braves fan
June 8, 2007 7:45 PM | Link to this
lance looks fantastic :( ……. cant imagine why i rushed home to watch this game on a friday night
By Bob
June 8, 2007 7:46 PM | Link to this
Braves need to rest anyone they need to rest on the day that our 5th starter pitches. Might as well play Orr and Woodward and anyone else they can find and get it over with in one game.
By Todd A
June 8, 2007 7:46 PM | Link to this
Cormier is a right-handed version of Mark Redmond…ughhh.
By Bob, Journalist
June 8, 2007 7:47 PM | Link to this
I’ll probably watch this unfold but it’s not looking good … painful reminder of Lance’s last start.
By DonCoburleone
June 8, 2007 7:48 PM | Link to this
Wow, can anyone say game over? I will talk to you all on Monday, for now I’m going to hit the bottle of Beam… Have a good weekend everybody!!!
By SourPatchKid
June 8, 2007 7:52 PM | Link to this
hey so lance can give up a bunch of hits and runs or walk guys and give up a bunch of runs. why exactly did we want him back here so badly?
By Summerteeth
June 8, 2007 7:53 PM | Link to this
Lance Cormiain’t
By A-ville Ranger
June 8, 2007 8:02 PM | Link to this
In the name of Glavine,Maddux and all that’s holy,why not give Acosta,Hernandez and Carlyle a real shot at helping this team ? How in the name of Cy Young can they be worse than Redman and this guy ?
By Todd A
June 8, 2007 8:02 PM | Link to this
Hey John Schuerholz,nice team you put together with a paltry 80 mil $ payroll(roll eyes).
By lercock
June 8, 2007 8:03 PM | Link to this
Who here is pretty confident this game is over? I hate looking forward to the game each night and it being over after the top of the first.
By eric the elder
June 8, 2007 8:03 PM | Link to this
Summerteeth, good one!
By Fastfoodfreak
June 8, 2007 8:07 PM | Link to this
Prayin’ for rain!
By I hate Frenchy
June 8, 2007 8:07 PM | Link to this
Who here knows this game is over already. It is so frustrating when the other team scores 2 and the Bravno’s are cooked.
And when was the last time Andruw and Frenchy did anything when it mattered?
By joebrave
June 8, 2007 8:11 PM | Link to this
Well here’s another JUNe SWOON and Cormier Sucks@ss,what a F******* joke g******* worthless bunch of Ba$tards,what freakin ball team and that worthless g******* Andruw Jones sonsabitch can’t get one lousy hit…….
By TennesseePaul
June 8, 2007 8:12 PM | Link to this
Cormier sure is making it hard for this Cubbies.
DOB: First pitch homer!? Fluke. Given a large enough sample size you’ll find it all averages out to career numbers for everyone. So until Soriano has the same number of plate appearances against the Braves that he has in his entire career, we’ll never truly be able to say with any conclusion that he has the Braves number.
By StingerSplash
June 8, 2007 8:12 PM | Link to this
If I’m Salty, I tell Soriano not to dig in the next time she steps in the box.
By Bob, Journalist
June 8, 2007 8:12 PM | Link to this
I’ll stick around … nothing much wrong walking with Dero after last time … rather good damage control at that.
Marshall’s a big dude!
Maybe he should’ve walked somebody else … like twice.
By AMG
June 8, 2007 8:13 PM | Link to this
Please roll the ball to that Soriano kid… NEWS FLASH …HE LIKES THE FIRST PITCH!!!
By TennesseePaul
June 8, 2007 8:15 PM | Link to this
2 pitches. 2 Homers.
Alright. I’m off the Cormier band wagon. This guy is not the answer. I know, it’s only a few innings of pitching. But they are worse than Redman. Maybe it’s the curse of Redman that is getting to our 5th starters. We need a better answer than this though. Davies is a better 5 guy than this. A 3 starter would be ideal. Wish one was around. Hopefully JS can catch a GM napping and take a good starter for a bucket of balls.
By brent a.
June 8, 2007 8:15 PM | Link to this
LOLOL! @ Bobby Cox unbuttoning his pants in the dugout!
By AMG
June 8, 2007 8:17 PM | Link to this
The best news…
It looks like it might rain… maybe this will force a change in pitching.
By eric the elder
June 8, 2007 8:18 PM | Link to this
Did I just see a dugout shot of Bobby undoing his pants? I have a vision of Bobby mooning the team and retiring.
By Witty Banter
June 8, 2007 8:19 PM | Link to this
DOB, I heard you asked for me, but what do you want from me?????????
By TennesseePaul
June 8, 2007 8:20 PM | Link to this
Bravos should just aim at Soriano’s knee caps. With any luck, they’ll hit him and then he only has 1 base instead of all 4.
By A-ville Ranger
June 8, 2007 8:20 PM | Link to this
I can look at Yates and Moylin even when they’re getting hit their stuff is obvious.I don’t get this dude and Redman before,what does management see ? little movement,no location,what are they waiting to happen,him to grow a new arm ? I think this team misses Leo’s input as much as his coaching.
By JasonInMaine
June 8, 2007 8:22 PM | Link to this
Okay, I am done trying to be positive…this just in:
THIS TEAM SUCKS
By brent a.
June 8, 2007 8:22 PM | Link to this
Is anyone else tired of all the excuses Joe Simpson’s makes for our spare-to-middlin’ players?
By I hate Frenchy
June 8, 2007 8:23 PM | Link to this
Thorman is absolutely worthless. Of course you could say that about half of the lineup. This team is a f** joke!
By brent a.
June 8, 2007 8:23 PM | Link to this
Is anyone else tired of all the excuses Joe Simpson makes for our spare-to-middlin’ players?
By Bob, Journalist
June 8, 2007 8:25 PM | Link to this
Yes, Cato … my sister and I can well relate … but, we knew what we were going to get … especially if we weren’t properly appreciative.
Matt got robbed!
By eric the elder
June 8, 2007 8:25 PM | Link to this
I think it was Pete van Weiran who first started using the phrase “little bit.” Then it spread to Skip and now Joe. As in,”Cormier is struggling a little bit” or “Thorman is scuffling a little bit.”
Imagine what those and other players would be like if the scuffled “quite a bit.”
By D
June 8, 2007 8:26 PM | Link to this
Sigh.
The June Swoon. :(
By A-ville Ranger
June 8, 2007 8:27 PM | Link to this
joebrave remember the word…therapy !medication ! ok that’s two… my bad.
By Stuart
June 8, 2007 8:30 PM | Link to this
This team just finds ways to lose.
By TennesseePaul
June 8, 2007 8:33 PM | Link to this
Nice little 1,2,3,4,5 inning Lance put up there.
By JasonInMaine
June 8, 2007 8:33 PM | Link to this
What were the announcers just saying abouyt drafting college players? I couldn’t quite hear them.
By Droll Observation
June 8, 2007 8:33 PM | Link to this
Witty Banter — you’re crowding me man !!
By N8
June 8, 2007 8:34 PM | Link to this
What’s with the Salty warning track power?
If he’d find a way to add 10 feet to all of his hits, he’d have about 12 HR already.
I’d blame Cormier for looking iffy again today, but apparently one run is all it takes to beat the Braves these days, so it really doesn’t matter if Cormier gives up nothing else or 10 more runs now, does it?
TP
“Alright. I’m off the Cormier band wagon. This guy is not the answer. I know, it’s only a few innings of pitching. But they are worse than Redman. Maybe it’s the curse of Redman that is getting to our 5th starters.”
Cormier is NOT worse than Redman. Though he does look a littl like Nicholas Cage. He’s walking people, he’s just missing, their laying off his stuff. He’s not getting hammered. Well, OK. Alfonso’s hammered him a couple of times, but which Braves pitcher’s haven’t been?
I’m not saying he’s the answer, because he sure hasn’t looked like it. But this is essentially his spring training. IMO, he has considerably more pressure on him NOW, with the team being desperate for pitching, than he would’ve coming out of spring training, when he was “on a roll”. Be it against spring training mode hitters.
Face it. We don’t (haven’t been) play good ball at home, so why should tonight with our 5th starter, fresh of the DL, been any different?
By AMG
June 8, 2007 8:34 PM | Link to this
JasoninMaine -
This team does not SUCK …
They are just young and by that nature very inconsistant. It would help if the veterans started to produce more.
Smoltz (hurt), Hudson, Andruw, Edgar has go cold lately too.
By rushin to judge
June 8, 2007 8:35 PM | Link to this
braves almost look like they dont deserve to be on the field with the stinkin’ cubs
By TennesseePaul
June 8, 2007 8:39 PM | Link to this
NICE KJ!
By Ron
June 8, 2007 8:39 PM | Link to this
Im glad alot of you bloggers rushed to judgement and thought once Cormier comes back he would fortify the back end of the rotation!!! LOL!!!!!!!!! I have been saying it for a while, Buddy Hernandez is better than this guy. Why did so many of you think that that Cormier was going to be the answer? Makes no sense to me, I said it earlier in the year he has never done anything in MLB, nothing, and dont give me this crap about last year, because when he was Starting for us, the season was already over!!! Yeah and a certain blogger on here did not want us to trade Cormier and Larew for Odalis Perez. Yes Perez is not great, but I think he could thrive here for us, and the Royals could take on most of his salary, why not make that trade, especially when their GM is Moore!!! And Perez is pitching in the AL not the NL, so he should pitch better!!! What yall think about that trade?
By David O'Brien
June 8, 2007 8:40 PM | Link to this
I like the Witty Banter and Droll Observation. Good stuff.
AMG, you’re right.
N8, that is at least five or six that Salty’s hit to the track.
… also a couple of throwing errors on steals.
By TennesseePaul
June 8, 2007 8:41 PM | Link to this
Nice YUNEL!
By A-Ville Ranger
June 8, 2007 8:41 PM | Link to this
Johnson knows how to run the bases.You’ve got’a hit it first though.His running got that one over.
By N8
June 8, 2007 8:42 PM | Link to this
A-ville Ranger
“…little movement,no location,what are they waiting to happen,him to grow a new arm…”
I’ll give you the “no location” portion of your comment. But have you actually been watching the pitches???
Salty has had to sprawl out about 20 times tonight, because his breaking ball has actually been diving too much.
He’s made a few of them look silly within their AB’s tonight when they swing and miss, unfortunately they’ve been laying off more of them, than they’ve been swinging at.
I will conceed that it appears as though he might have been better off with a couple of more rehab starts.
By Robert
June 8, 2007 8:43 PM | Link to this
A very good team manaaged by a very stupid man
By TennesseePaul
June 8, 2007 8:43 PM | Link to this
Look, Perez stunk his first time through here. He stunk in LA. He’s bad in Kansas City. We don’t need more bad. We need more good.
By TennesseePaul
June 8, 2007 8:46 PM | Link to this
Can’t hit bendy ball.
1 more pitch from Cormier and we are down 4-1.
By brent a.
June 8, 2007 8:50 PM | Link to this
Hey, last time a player hit 4 homers in a game in Atlanta, his team lost.
:)
:-(
By Todd A
June 8, 2007 8:50 PM | Link to this
Why are we still pitching to Soriano?
By A-Ville Ranger
June 8, 2007 8:51 PM | Link to this
Ron I’ve never seen Hernandez orAcosta pitch.I can read a stat sheet though.Read my earlier post.The question remains, why not give these guys a shot ? They’ve been great in 3A,that doesn’t always translate but it’s not like there’s much to lose.Soriano again!! this guy never learns does he.
By TennesseePaul
June 8, 2007 8:51 PM | Link to this
I was off a couple of pitches.
By AMG
June 8, 2007 8:51 PM | Link to this
CRAP!!!!
Learn from your mistakes please. Get that kid’s feet moving in the box please … he looks very comfortable.
By N8
June 8, 2007 8:52 PM | Link to this
Keep trying to pull that curveball Andruw. Sooner or later, you’ll find some rookie making his first big league start, who also is a club-house cancer that doesn’t wanna see the scouting report, that will leave a mistake in the middle of the plate for you to pull 30 rows deep into LF seats.
Hey SHAUN good thing that Escobar “made contact”, huh? Because the two K’s by Renteria and Andruw didn’t really do anything for me.
Whew. At least all outs are equal, right? :-)
I like how the rookie with “no power” manages to knock in the run by MAKING FRICKING CONTACT, while two guys combining to make 24 million dollars this year didn’t even make contact in either of their AB’s.
STOP F’N GIVING HIM DAMN STRIKES TO HIT!!!!!!
IS BOBBY AND IDIOT???
Put one in his FRICKIN ear. This is unbelievable. What do you think a REAL pitcher like Clemens would do if he stared at a HR like that. Well first of all, Clemens would NEVER give up 3 HR’s to the same guy in the same game, without knocking him on his A$$.
Lew and everybody else…..NOW I’m angry.
If he doesn’t get AT LEAST brushed off the plate in his next AB, I’m done watching this team for a while.
For cryin out loud, have they NO PRIDE?
By David O'Brien
June 8, 2007 8:52 PM | Link to this
TennPaul, please find Shaun and let’s make sure about how one player can’t actually hit or pitch far better against one team than against others.
He’s now had two three-homer games in his career, both against the Braves, one last April at Washington (two of those three were off Smoltz) and this one.
Just coincidence, I guess.
By AZBravoFan
June 8, 2007 8:54 PM | Link to this
Does anybody throw a brushback pitch anymore? Good Lord!
By TennesseePaul
June 8, 2007 8:54 PM | Link to this
Nathan: Still off the Cormier band wagon. I see 4 innings. 4 runs. But he has lowered his ERA from 18 to 14. HA! He’s got a lot of work to do before I’m going to trust him. 15 innings in spring training isn’t enough.
By Ron
June 8, 2007 8:55 PM | Link to this
I am not lying when I say this, When we had Soriano 0-2 I said throw him 4 straight balls!!! No F*** Joke!!! I knew something like this was gonna happen!!! And how about our announcers not knowing about the new rule this year meaning the game has to be completed, no more 5 inning games are over because of weather, they would resume the game at a later day!!! Skip Carey said the Cubs are lookin at the sky, and knowing it will be an official game after 5 innings. NOT THE TRUTH!!! They gotta know the new rules!!!!
By A-Ville Ranger
June 8, 2007 8:56 PM | Link to this
Robert go dig a big hole and climb in.They can’t keep pitching these guys 4 hrs,this guy doesn’t have a clue.
By brent a.
June 8, 2007 8:56 PM | Link to this
Meanwhile:
Jorge Sosa is slicing up the Detroit Tigers.
This blows.
By Todd A
June 8, 2007 8:56 PM | Link to this
Bobby Cox is an absolute wuss.Soriano should have been brushed back or knocked down.If the Cubs or Soriano get fired up,so what?That’s baseball.The Braves need to have a fire lit under them.If Alphonso was playing for the Braves,I can almost guarantee you he would have taken one under the chin in his 3rd at bat after back to back homers.Cox doesn’t defend his hitters either.Remember Pendleton leaving the field in ‘91 in protest of Marvin Freeman not retaliating?This is just ridiculous.
By TennesseePaul
June 8, 2007 8:56 PM | Link to this
Check that. less than 4 innings, 5 runs. You’re right though N8, they aren’t hitting him hard. Just out of the park by about 400 feet at a time when he manages to get the ball near the strike zone.
By N8
June 8, 2007 8:56 PM | Link to this
Uh…..I think you can go get him now.
Like I said before. With the Cubs having a lefty on the mound, it’s “pick a number” for the Cubs.
2-1, 4-1, 5-1, 16-1, 78-1. It DOESN’T matter.
Once Soriano made it 3-0, this game was over. Might as well have left Cormier out their to “take one for the team”. We’re gonna need Oscar on Sunday, too.
By what
June 8, 2007 8:58 PM | Link to this
Does Andruw Jones know that he has the Chinese character for “cow” tattooed on the back of his neck?
By Stuart
June 8, 2007 8:59 PM | Link to this
SOMEONE CALL THE COPS!!!!! Soriano just murdered Cormier.
By TennesseePaul
June 8, 2007 9:00 PM | Link to this
DOB: It all averages out. Sample size. Sample size DOB. =).
Villarreal gives up 2 hits. First batter faced gets on. What’s the numbers on that for our pen? I’d venture that it’s one of the worst in the league.
By True Braves Fan
June 8, 2007 9:00 PM | Link to this
Lance Cormier???Where is Mark Redman when you need him???
By Shane
June 8, 2007 9:00 PM | Link to this
Mark Redman….Where are you??
By Oh My
June 8, 2007 9:01 PM | Link to this
Has any noticed that Oscar has given up a hit to almost every first batter he has faced? Is it June 2006 again?
By JasonInMaine
June 8, 2007 9:02 PM | Link to this
Keep telling yourselves that folks…keep telling yourselves that.
This team, as assembled, won’t sniff the playoffs. Playoffs? Playoffs? (Using best Jim Mora voice)
Cormier obviously isn’t the damn answer.
By Nate Raymond In Maine
June 8, 2007 9:05 PM | Link to this
I am sorry but qatching this team struggle and fall further and further out of first place. I am having flash backs to last year. Screw Andruw Jones he sucks. He can’t hit the friggin ball at all. If this was the end of the season I would not even offer a contract to that bum. We need a deal soon or we are going golfing in again in october in stead of in the playoffs. But we need to start winning or for get it. I can’t wait to drive two hours up maine tonight so i dont have to hear the end of the score of this game. By the way JASON IN MAINE WERE ARE YOU FROM. DO YOU LIVE IN YORK COUNTY OF NORTHERN MAINE????? Lets just hope someone bails us out of this funk.
By MBATL
June 8, 2007 9:06 PM | Link to this
Put one in his FRICKIN ear.
N8, I agree. It’ll probably lead to a fight, or at least a bench clearing “stare down.” I’m the eternal optimist, but something needs to shake this team up. And you’re also right about Salty’s warning track power. I don’t know if that’s really a bad thing - he’s hitting the ball hard - but it’s true. Whatever.
Worse than being down 5-1 in the fifth, Jorge freakin’ Sosa held the best offense in the AL scoreless through 8. Holy Crap.
And DonC: are Braves’ baseball and Jim Beam mutually exclusive? To me, they’re synonymous.
By N8
June 8, 2007 9:07 PM | Link to this
Well, leave it to Braves pitching to get BOTH Delgado and Soriano going this year.
Who’s bat we gonna wake up in Minnesota?
It really is too bad that the Braves will miss Santana next week against the Twins. That very well could’ve been a game that Santana pitched a perfect game on 81 pitches. ALL swinging strikes. With 27 K’s.
No, really. I’m serious.
By True Braves Fan
June 8, 2007 9:07 PM | Link to this
Things were bad. I was told to cheer up, they could be worse…I cheered up and sure enough, they got worse!!!! At the rate we are going, 2006 will go down as a good year!!!!
By David O'Brien
June 8, 2007 9:09 PM | Link to this
How in the world does a guy give up six walks and four homers in 3-2/3 innings … and only FIVE RUNS?
By JasonInMaine
June 8, 2007 9:09 PM | Link to this
Renegator,
I tried thinking positive, you were obviously correct…we will need 14 runs to win.
By A-Ville Ranger
June 8, 2007 9:09 PM | Link to this
Simpson says we’re still looking for the #3 starter.I think you can make a case that not only is James the #3 right now, He could be 1 or 2 more bad starts by Hudson from the #2, if not in the order he pitches, then in the order of effectiveness.Hudson can’t keep pretending (with a bunch of enablers) that he’s throwing ok. He went all last season talking positive. At what point does happy talk become self deception ?
By Ron
June 8, 2007 9:11 PM | Link to this
A-Ville Ranger, I have been saying bring up Hernandez all stinkin year, and it has not happened and probably will never happen!!! I dont know why we dont give him a chance!!! It aint like this year he has been awesome and other years he has stunk it up, he has pitched great every year, and he never gets his fair chance!!! Gotta love that if your a ball player!!! LOL!!!!! We sent Carlyle or whatever his name is down to the minors for this scrub!!!
By Todd A
June 8, 2007 9:12 PM | Link to this
I sure hope Pamela is out of town this weekend.
By JasonInMaine
June 8, 2007 9:12 PM | Link to this
Man, Jorge sure looks good for the Mets
By N8
June 8, 2007 9:14 PM | Link to this
The Nats are “licking their chops” at the fact that there is a legitimate chance that THEY might catch the Braves and not finish in last place.
I’m DEAD serious. If they don’t knock him off the plate in this AB, I’m done for a while.
By Greg
June 8, 2007 9:14 PM | Link to this
Wow! This team really sucks. How long before we are in last place?
By Ron
June 8, 2007 9:14 PM | Link to this
Well I dont guess we will see N8 for awhile!!!
By Nate Raymond In Maine
June 8, 2007 9:14 PM | Link to this
hEY DOB DO YUO THINK THE BRAVES COULD MAKE A TRADE FOR SOMEONE OR DO YOU THINK THAT JS WILL LET THE CHIPS FALL WITH THIS TEAM?????
By bruce
June 8, 2007 9:14 PM | Link to this
looking at weather. com radar in motion send roger out to chat… the thunderstorms are getting closer
By bocabrave
June 8, 2007 9:15 PM | Link to this
stick a fork in ‘um. we’ll be back in ‘08.
By Shane
June 8, 2007 9:16 PM | Link to this
I know it is still early in the season..but after watching them play like this for the past 3 weeks..I say we DON’T trade or good young players(Salty,Escobar,etc)and start rebuilding.We have the making of a good young team.Frenchy,Mccann,Kelly johnson,Salty,Escobar,etc.)Hey,at least something to look positive about.
By Shane
June 8, 2007 9:16 PM | Link to this
I know it is still early in the season..but after watching them play like this for the past 3 weeks..I say we DON’T trade our good young players(Salty,Escobar,etc)and start rebuilding.We have the making of a good young team.Frenchy,Mccann,Kelly johnson,Salty,Escobar,etc.)Hey,at least something to look positive about.
By N8
June 8, 2007 9:17 PM | Link to this
Cormier’s a pssy. Oscar’s a pssy. Bobby’s gutless. And this team officially SUCKS and has no pride or balls.
I’m out.
Smart choice by Diaz to “try” and get the guy at home, as Soriano takes the extra base. Just add it to the list of things that LOSING teams do, and do often.
Enjoy the rest of the homestand.
By TennesseePaul
June 8, 2007 9:17 PM | Link to this
So. Rookie at Catcher, 1B, 3B, Bench player in LF. 2nd year player in RF and 2B. Bullpen on the mound. I think we need to get Chipper in. I like the youth, but I’d rather it be less obvious.
By ElbravoX
June 8, 2007 9:17 PM | Link to this
The buts are kicking our ifs, now doubt.
By Salty
June 8, 2007 9:17 PM | Link to this
How in the world does a guy give up six walks and four homers in 3-2/3 innings … and only FIVE RUNS? Cause Soriano’s hitting lead-off…otherwise it’d be…ugl(ier)!
It is the Cubbies. Remember last weekend; four straight hits and no runs (Ramirez hit). I did’t even know that was possible!
By Scott1223
June 8, 2007 9:20 PM | Link to this
Tell me something, please. Do you think for one minute that if Alfonso Soriano had hit one homerun, let alone 4, off of Nolan Ryan or Bob Gibson, and stood to admire it, that the next time he stood in to take a pitch, that Mr. Soriano would still be standing? You can talk about being comfortable as much as you want but our pitchers do nothing to take possession of what is rightfully theirs especially when opposing batters hang over the plate. Does anyone remember when White Sox ss Craig Grbek, I think his name was, hit one off of Nolan Ryan? Anyone remember what happened the next time the two faced each other? Started a brawl at the mound, but the message was delivered and received.
By A-Ville Ranger
June 8, 2007 9:20 PM | Link to this
N8 Fair comment on the movement.I should have worded it,movement near or over the plate.With the exception of one or two effective curves he had a bunch of fatty-flatty’s hammered.
By AMG
June 8, 2007 9:21 PM | Link to this
FACT: Braves batters do not like left handed pitching.
FACT: regardless if you like him or not; Andruw must be successful for the Braves to do anything in the division
FACT: you don’t make a trade just to make a trade; better trades will be made in July; more people available … if they can last that long.
By Bob
June 8, 2007 9:22 PM | Link to this
There are several things certain in life. Thorman, Woodward and Orr are automatically outs.
By brent a.
June 8, 2007 9:23 PM | Link to this
Quote from Chip Caray:
“If they (Cardinals) are 3,4,5 games out of the lead with a month to go, don’t count them out all of a sudden.”
By Ron
June 8, 2007 9:26 PM | Link to this
N8, you know when you said you aint gonna come back for awhile, so how long is awhile? Actually I have no problem with you at all, you do make alot of sense sometimes, and other times not so much!!! And you are right about why did Cox not tell Oscar to brush him back, that is a bunch of bullcrap, Soriano should have fell down in that at bat, who cares if it would be a bench clearing, maybe it would fire this DAMN team up!!!
By TennesseePaul
June 8, 2007 9:28 PM | Link to this
MBATL: Spot on. Start the fight. Give Cox a reason to lecture them. Something. They all look like they are waiting for a paycheck. Of course, watching someone suck as bad as Cormier the desire is probably low. But with all this youth on the team they need some sort of bonding moment to get them to work together and fight every time out. Not just talk about how they all know they need to do it.
By Shane
June 8, 2007 9:29 PM | Link to this
That was Robin Ventura that got into it with Nolan Ryan.
By Shane
June 8, 2007 9:29 PM | Link to this
That was Robin Ventura that got into it with Nolan Ryan.
By eric the elder
June 8, 2007 9:30 PM | Link to this
I try to stay pleasant and positive, but I have to agree with N8 on this.
Being an old guy, I remember Don Drysdale, Early Wynn, Gibson, and many others, who would have put one in Soriano’s earflap so hard that he would end up at the backstop - - not after the 3rd HR, not after the 2nd, but after the 1st - - just for that admiring smile, the walk toward first base, and the rest of the theatrics.
I don’t know whether this team has no fire or BC and company extinguish it. It is the button downs and briefcase mentality that makes our guys boring. A good brawl may be the only thing that will bring this team out of the sleep walking.
By A-Ville Ranger
June 8, 2007 9:31 PM | Link to this
There’s no missing Moylan’s stuff.If he can get consistent control he’ll be good for the long term.I put Yates on that list too.
By brent a.
June 8, 2007 9:32 PM | Link to this
LOL @ “Brett Butts”
By Greg
June 8, 2007 9:33 PM | Link to this
There may be better people available at the trading deadline. But if we don’t add a bat and an arm soon, we’ll be sellers in July, not buyers.
By StingerSplash
June 8, 2007 9:33 PM | Link to this
Maybe the Braves woke the Cubs out of hibernation last weekend. But the Braves desperately Chipper back in the lineup. Even if he just stands there and draws a walk, he’s doing more than a third of the guys in the order.
By The Grinch
June 8, 2007 9:34 PM | Link to this
Lew, check your e-mail. Something weird’s going on. Now, baseball…wow, for a playoff team we sure suck. Still, though, it will happen.
By ernesto
June 8, 2007 9:34 PM | Link to this
Ouch……again. I guess it’s got to turn around some time. but this SUCKS! The whole line up has joined Druw on the schnide.
TBS showed the Braves draft picks this year, if anyone from TBS is reading…showing their positions, r,l, etc would be good info to share. These aren’t household names like the NFL draft or the NBA Lottery. Just an idea.
Let’s get some freakin’ runs. Here comes teh big bust out of the funk inning.
By N8
June 8, 2007 9:37 PM | Link to this
Ron
I’m not sure I’ll actually leave the blog. I enjoy “yapping” with you all.
But my TV got turned off after Diaz failed to hit the cutoff man, while using his Sally Arm trying to get the guy at the plate.
Baseball 101. Don’t throw the ball home, unless you think you actually MIGHT get the guy. And IF you are gonna attempt it, throw it low enough so somebody can cut it off and keep other runners from advancing.
Or did Bobby stop teaching that to his players? Do they spend too much time on trying to pull outside pitches?
And yes, it WAS Robin Ventura that got b*tch slapped by Nolan Ryan on the mound.
This team has no fire, no desire, and NO PERSONALITY. I won’t watch again until the Minnesota games. Especially if Smoltz aint goin on Sunday.
I’ll just leave it up to DOB, and the rest of the blog to keep me up on how the rest of the night (and weekend) go.
Like I don’t have an idea, already.
By Bob
June 8, 2007 9:38 PM | Link to this
Hell, Andruw doesn’t even know what the count is. Glad to see these guys are really “into” the game.
By eric the elder
June 8, 2007 9:39 PM | Link to this
My gawd! Andruw didn’t even know it was ball four!! Must be thinking about all his fancy cars.
By ernesto
June 8, 2007 9:40 PM | Link to this
I actually like Chip, but good god man we get it, you like the Cubs.
By Joe
June 8, 2007 9:41 PM | Link to this
Dave,
Mets fan here and I thoroughly enjoy reading your blogs to get some insight as to what’s transpiring down south. Don’t worry, I come in peace, not to stir the pot. Just wanted to point out that the Mets have been in a serious funk but it’s not due to the pitching. They’ve actually had 15 consecutive starts where the starting pitchers have given up only 3 runs or less. This funk is a function of a lackluster offense (injury riddled, but no excuses b/c every team suffers through them), and a bullpen starting to show a few weaknesses that probably need to be addressed. BTW, when am I going to be able to pick up Salty for my fantasy team as an everyday player?
By A-Ville Ranger
June 8, 2007 9:43 PM | Link to this
It’s interesting listening to pitchers and others comments about their only making a few mistakes.Tom Glavine will win his 300th this year in a career defined by just NOT making those critical mistakes.Has he still never given up a slam ? Cormier pitched to Soriano every at bat like he’d never seen him before. He has the results to show for it.
By Daxxed
June 8, 2007 9:46 PM | Link to this
So the true Braves have arrived…Amazing how they went from contenders to pretenders…
By Savannah Guy
June 8, 2007 9:46 PM | Link to this
Braves take division?
“But believe it or not, I’ll stick by my preseason prediction. Call me crazy, but I’ll take the Braves to find a way and win the division.”
DOB, you obviously have more inside stuff on the Braves than anyone here, you are in the clubhouse and all that. That said, I know it was really hot in Atlanta today. Were you by any chance given kool-ade in said clubhouse today? Win the division?
Well, that gives me some hope. I thought the Braves were headed for 4th place and stay there until they get starters and collectively remember how to hit the ball. Oh, and find a nice, cozy spot somewhere other than Atlanta for Thorman and Woodward.
What do you know that we don’t know to be so optimistic? I don’t believe it because we are not managing for winning right now. We’re managing around injuries, rookies and “the Bobby book”.
But I hope you’re right.
By ernesto
June 8, 2007 9:50 PM | Link to this
Okay, Chip’s an idiot “listen to the cheer for him (Soriano) he deserves it.” I think we’re cheerign that we finally got that HR-admiring, slow saunter down the line, jackass out.
By Bob, Journalist
June 8, 2007 9:51 PM | Link to this
N8, our modes of expression are different and my thoughts with regard to the language in/on a public forum are well known but, there’s a lot to be said for gettin’ it on … and it don’t hurt to get angry, especially at yourself … pride wins a lot of ball games and those who accept defeat usually get beat.
I don’t believe in retaliation pitches, just because you’ve been bested … but there ain’t nothing wrong with prevention pitches … one or two under the ear to get their attention and remind ‘em who’s gonna do the besting is part of the game … or at least it used to be.
I hate to … but must … admit that I’ve sometimes thought a strikeout was best when Andruw’s was up with runners on first and second with less than two outs … the same went with ole Vinny and occassionally now with Frenchy too.
By ernesto
June 8, 2007 9:51 PM | Link to this
Awful. Just awful.
By AMG
June 8, 2007 9:52 PM | Link to this
7-1 … Good Night.
By A-Ville Ranger
June 8, 2007 9:55 PM | Link to this
OH!! MAKE IT DON’T!!This is what gives ugly a bad name.
By JasonInMaine
June 8, 2007 9:56 PM | Link to this
This is actually getting pretty funny…for those of you who don’t think we should worry now are CRAZY
By Train Wreck Bystander
June 8, 2007 9:56 PM | Link to this
This is getting fugly. I keep looking for someone to stand up…
By ernesto
June 8, 2007 9:59 PM | Link to this
We’ve lost by more, but I can’t remember ever seeing a worse game…maybe the no-hitter by the Unit, but that just had the plate flailing, not the Stooge-like fielding.
And nice Andruw, not knowing what the count is…when you’re hitting just above your body weight you wnat to try and present as lackluster an attitude out there as possible. Good on ya!
By Savannah Guy
June 8, 2007 10:00 PM | Link to this
Hate to be negative, but I am so sick of watching Thorman play. Can Kelly play first and put Willy at second? Then when Chipper comes back, put Escobar at second? Who am I asking? Myself I guess…
Can someone in the stadium play first? How’bout that good looking babe in row 7?
By brent a.
June 8, 2007 10:00 PM | Link to this
At one point during the 1990 season, I turned to my father and asked:
“Is the worst team you’ve ever seen?”
Right now, I feel much like I did back then.
After watching this team turn a 4-2 road trip into a 1-5 (and still counting) homestand, I find myself anxiously looking forward to my trip to the Northeast and getting away from hot, humid Georgia, and bad baseball.
Heck, if they don’t turn this thing around by the time I return at month’s end, I may just go ahead and cancel the cable.
I have tickets on my fridge for the D-backs and Brewers, but am right now sitting here questioning why I ever bought tickets that far in advance (completely unnecessary here in Atlanta).
I’ll be @ Fenway on Thursday, and plan to visit Skydome in about 2 weeks.
N8, I hope this team turns it around before you get the privilege of watching them in Minnesota (even if that’s simply on TV).
Regards,
brent a.
By ElbravoX
June 8, 2007 10:01 PM | Link to this
Terry Pendelton must go!
By ElbravoX
June 8, 2007 10:02 PM | Link to this
Terry Pendelton must go!
By ElbravoX
June 8, 2007 10:02 PM | Link to this
Terry Pendelton must go!
By JasonInMaine
June 8, 2007 10:02 PM | Link to this
Wait until next year!!
By ElbravoX
June 8, 2007 10:02 PM | Link to this
Terry Pendelton must go!
By A-Ville Ranger
June 8, 2007 10:03 PM | Link to this
Savannah Guy.. Crazy ?….well maybe a good crazy.Nothing wrong with a little sunny talk on a rainy evening.
By ernesto
June 8, 2007 10:03 PM | Link to this
I think you could trick Thorman with the where’s the coin…there it is behind your ear trick.
Of course then he’d swing and try to hit you 750 feet.
But of course, he’d miss.
By N8
June 8, 2007 10:06 PM | Link to this
Bob, Journalist
I agree with you. I’m not looking for retaliation.
Cormier left the pitches out over the plate to get hammered. NOBODY to blame but himself.
What I do have a problem with is Soriano holding the bat up high as he’s walking and staring at it as he slowly get’s out of the box going to 1B. ACT LIKE YOU’VE DONE IT BEFORE.
Have you ever watched Francoeur when he hits one? He’s sprinting down to 1B every time. That’s rare.
Even Andruw get’s a little “gawky” after he hits one. Not that we’ve gotten a chance to see it this year.
Like I said. I’m not looking to hurt the guy. Throw one about 3 feet behind his head to the backstop. Just to remind him whose plate it is.
I don’t think in general, that there is enough “brush back” pitches in baseball anymore. WAY too much diving out over the plate, IMO. Between all the armor, the umpires having short fuses with warnings, and pitchers unwillingness to knock anybody off the plate, the batter NOW (and has for a while) owns the plate.
Time for the pitchers to take it back.
By Bob
June 8, 2007 10:07 PM | Link to this
Ernesto, is he actually hitting above his body weight?
By Mets rule. You drool
June 8, 2007 10:07 PM | Link to this
It’s not even fun to rag on you anymore. YOU SUCK.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHHAHAHAHA! Anyone know how get to the Phillies blog? ROTFL. How’s it taste?
By MEB
June 8, 2007 10:09 PM | Link to this
I think a couple of Yogi’isms are appropriate at a time like this. YIKES!!!
Slump? The Braves ain’t in no slump… The Braves just ain’t hitting.
The Braves made too many wrong mistakes.
The other teams could make trouble for us if they win.
By N8
June 8, 2007 10:11 PM | Link to this
ernesto
That last post was frickin funny.
DOB any chance you could just give my BOBBY’s cell number? :-)
By ernesto
June 8, 2007 10:12 PM | Link to this
Bob, not anymore, I think he was before tonight’s “effort”
By eric the elder
June 8, 2007 10:14 PM | Link to this
ernesto, thanks for the good laugh just before I shut off the TV and the computer.
The good news is that tomorrow is another day. The bad news is that tomorrow is another game.
‘Nite, all.
By ernesto
June 8, 2007 10:16 PM | Link to this
Yeah, okay, now things are going to turn around Pete Orr is in. ALRIGHT!
By A-Ville Ranger
June 8, 2007 10:18 PM | Link to this
If it wasn’t for some good base running by Kelly. This one could have gotten out of hand.I got sunshine on a cloudy day!!OH !!MAKE IT STOP !!
By JasonInMaine
June 8, 2007 10:22 PM | Link to this
ernesto,
I too thank you for good laugh!
By Ron
June 8, 2007 10:23 PM | Link to this
Where was Thors glove at in the top of the ninth, when izturis was at the plate and running to 1st, and Salty is worst than that!!!
By Savannah Guy
June 8, 2007 10:23 PM | Link to this
Another play for ‘big ‘ol E-3 Thorman’.
A-Ville Ranger, that was DOB’s prediction, not mine.
By Paris Hilton
June 8, 2007 10:23 PM | Link to this
I was able to sneak on to this computer, and heard journalist jimmy smith is the only one who can help me. Please jimmy, help me get out of here. I have already broken a nail. Please contact my mother and tell her to pay off another sheriff.
journalist jimmy smith, you’re my only hope. Oh the humanity!
By Bob
June 8, 2007 10:26 PM | Link to this
Gosh this is bad. I am also sick of Chip anxiously waiting for Soriano to come up and hit another one. What a crock. Braves should drop him along with Woodward and Orr.
Somebody should be slammin something in that Brave clubhouse after this “performance”.
Oh well, I guess Chip is crushed that Soriano only singled. Sheeesh.
By JasonInMaine
June 8, 2007 10:27 PM | Link to this
Seriously, I want to punch Chip in the chops…I think he is the problem. If we get rid of Chip, we will start winning!
By ernesto
June 8, 2007 10:27 PM | Link to this
Chip “Tomorrow night doesn’t get any easier the way things have been going, Jason Marquis might just out hit the entire braves line up”
Keep building the hometown love Chip. there’s not being a homer then there’s jsut being barely able to contain your enthusiasm for the other team.
By Savannah Guy
June 8, 2007 10:27 PM | Link to this
While we’re at it, can we send Chip Carey back to Chicago? He gets so abnoxiously excited when his Cubbies do something. All Cubs with him. Who’s paying him anyway?
By A-Ville Ranger
June 8, 2007 10:28 PM | Link to this
Thorman is a stiff,he has absolutely no range.
By ElbravoX
June 8, 2007 10:29 PM | Link to this
T.P Must go. WHERE IS CORRALES?
By ElbravoX
June 8, 2007 10:30 PM | Link to this
T.P Must go. WHERE IS CORRALES?
By N8
June 8, 2007 10:30 PM | Link to this
Anybody else think that Pinella’s little hissy fit last week wasn’t “worth it”.
Seems to me that the Cubs got their sorry a*******es woken up.
I was actually SHOCKED earlier in the game when Cormier botched the throw to home on the possible double play with the bases loaded, when Bobby threw his cap on the ground.
That’s about as close to “showing up” a player as he’ll ever get.
He needs to do more of it.
You think we could borrow Pinella for a game? Maybe Bobby could “take a break” and Phillip Wellman could come up for a weekend.
By mr baseball
June 8, 2007 10:31 PM | Link to this
As bad as things may appear right now, cheer up Braves fans, it’s probably going to get worse. I hope none of you really expect Liberty to do anything about fixing whatever is wrong with the team by actually spending money. Ya’ll can live in a fantasy world all you want, but the reality is that Liberty is going to spend absolutely as little as it can while it counts the days until the Braves can be sold.
Liberty has absolutely no incentive to add to the payroll. The Braves were simply a huge tax dodge, and the company’s actions since the acquisition say in no uncertain terms: we don’t give a sh!! how the team does, we’re selling as soon as we are allowed to do so.
There will be no mid-season trade for a player with a sizeable contract, even it’s a 2-month rental (by which time the Braves will likely be out of contention). The Braves are going to have to live or die with what they have, and right now they’re dying.
Thorman ain’t cutting it at 1B, but Schuerholz isn’t going to admit he made a mistake trading LaRoche or signing Wilson, so the Braves are stuck with a .220 hitter at the position for the duration. I’ve said it before but it bears repeating. The absence of a backup 1B on this team is just plain stupid.
The 5th starter slot has been an absolute disaster with one exception, and the one exception got shipped back to the minors after a 7-inning 1-hitter. Brilliant. A majority of the regulars on this blog were counting the days until Cormier was ready. After his 2 superb outings, he should be counting the days before he gets a ticket to ride back to Richmond. Who’s next? Not Buddy. He can’t be recalled for at least another week.
Without Chipper, this team is pretty lame offensively. We keep waiting for Andruw to go on his annual stretches of extreme raking, but you watch him swing and rarely make solid contact, and you realize it ain’t happening this year. The McCann of ‘07 is not the McCann of ‘06, and judging by the last few nights, our previously productive SS looks like he’s never seen a curveball from a lefty.
That pretty much leaves KJ & Frenchy, and they can’t do it by themselves. With Smoltz sore, Hudson up-and-down, Davies wildly inconsistent and no #5 starter to speak of, the starting pitcher is OK at best, and the bullpen isn’t that great either after the 2 guys at the back.
We can all be positive and hope things will turn around, but beyond wishful thinking, there is no reason for optimism. We wait for the return of Chipper, but given the nature of his injury, there is no guarantee he is going to be resemble the guy who has been the offensive backbone of this team for more than a decade.
Sorry for the negativity, but reality is reality. There is nothing I can see that makes me think the Braves are capable of winning the 90 or so games it will take to make the playoffs. It is very likely that this team will finish 4th in the division if the Marlins get enough pitching to support their offense.
I hope I’m wrong.
By N8
June 8, 2007 10:34 PM | Link to this
ernesto
I just read your 10:03 post again.
This just in…..It’s STILL frickin funny.
LOVE IT.
By Savannah Guy
June 8, 2007 10:34 PM | Link to this
another thing: as I’ve said before, some of our guys need to lose some weight. They are much more prone to tireing and…injury. For examples, see: Chipper; Wiclman; McCann; Paronto; Andruw.
Yes Andruw. He’s overweight and he is injured… just hasn’t realized it yet.
Man…what made me so negative tonight? Why did I even ask that? Who is going to reply to that? Why do I keep asking questions? Dammit, There I go again, right? Oh, nevermind.
By Bob
June 8, 2007 10:36 PM | Link to this
ENOUGH CHIP, ENOUGH with the CUBS. Bad enough that the Braves suck right now but you are harder on the ears than Thorman, Woodward and Orr are on the eyes. Shut UP
By Savannah Guy
June 8, 2007 10:36 PM | Link to this
I’m gonna have to turn the sound off…Chip should be a Cub PR guy. Oh well, the Braves solved that…game over. Braves lose…what a shocker.
By A-Ville Ranger
June 8, 2007 10:38 PM | Link to this
Chip clearly is the un-homer when we play these guys.You’d think he would have the good sense to try’n hide it.
By Coach
June 8, 2007 10:40 PM | Link to this
Can’t pitch , can’t score , can’t win. Did I leave anything out ?
By N8
June 8, 2007 10:40 PM | Link to this
Mr. Baseball
FANTASTIC POST.
Very well said. Right to the point. Nothing insulting, or any name calling on your part. Just calling it like you see it.
Which I appreciate. No sugar coating.
I truely enjoy your blog DOB, I enjoy your knowledge of the game and the time you put in before, during and after the games.
But my friend, I gotta tell you, I think you are absolutely NUTZ to think this team is gonna win this division.
I hope you’re right, but really…..
By Train Wreck Bystander
June 8, 2007 10:41 PM | Link to this
Money is not going to fix what is wrong right now. You can’t lay this at Liberty’s feet.
By MEB
June 8, 2007 10:41 PM | Link to this
It’s bad enough taking a whipping by the Cubs but listening to Chip Caray makes the whole experience excruciating. When the Cubs leave town they can take him with them.
Good night Braves fans and lets go gettum tomorrow night.
GO BRAVES!!!
By StingerSplash
June 8, 2007 10:42 PM | Link to this
This is getting ugly and ain’t no beer goggles gonna help it, neither.
By txbravesfan
June 8, 2007 10:46 PM | Link to this
this is starting to look more and more like last june! cormier needs to go back to richmond, at least for a while. he has to get help on his control. he is leaving most balls over the plate. hopefully, this will happen and carlyle will be decent while cormier is away. the entire team needs to watch more tape and take more BP. again, they can’t hit orlay off a breaking ball. are they all stubborn or what? hitters have to make adjustments. seems as if all the pitchers have done their homework and have made the adjustments to get the whole team out. how many back to back hits do the braves have this week? salty doesn’t look too sharp behind the plate. i would bet he can’t be worse at first. i know lots of you complain about moving him from catcher but at this point it can’t hurt the team to move him to first. too many more games like we’ve had this week and this june will be exactly like last years. the bullpen won’t be able to stand all of the innings they’ll be asked to pitch. 1-6 in the last 7 games. the richmond team could’ve done that. oh yeah, chip must go! i don’t like when announcers pull for one team over the next but this guy works for atl. and he’s biting the hand that feeds him every chance he gets…geeze! everyone needs to start emailing tbs and complaining about this guy.
By Ron
June 8, 2007 10:47 PM | Link to this
I am soooo glad that I am goin camping tomorrow, why I dont get any idea about watching the Braves!!! I will be back Sunday and I will probably watch them when they come on ESPN!!! Why do I even bother watching the Braves, I have no idea, maybe because they are my team, but damn this is gettin old. TP’s not gettin it done, McDowell aint done nothin sense being here, actually the pitchers have gotten worst under his tudileage!!! When is the last time BC has ever told a player to Brushed back a hitter on purpose? Can someone tell me, dont think it has ever happened!!! BC never tells them to do it, if they do it they do it because they want to, BC put some fire into this team!!! That is the bad thing about this team, because we do have fire with a young team, but when things go bad, the fire leaves us, dont know why!!!
By Todd A
June 8, 2007 10:48 PM | Link to this
Chip is just another “gravy-trainer” in the Carey family.How long before we have a tandem of Chip and Josh?Don’t laugh.It’s very possible.
By mr baseball
June 8, 2007 10:49 PM | Link to this
A few random questions: What exactly was it that made some of you so hot to get Cormier back? He’s never done anything of note in the regular season. Was it Spring Training? Sheesh.
With Willie Harris on the roster, exactly what function does Pete Orr serve? Woodward is an adequate utility guy, just don’t send him up against hard throwing righties. Don’t need 2 of ‘em.
Why is Paronto one of 13 pitchers on the current roster? I’m guessing that question gets answered in the next day or 2.
Does Bobby have the stones to walk up to Andruw and tell him his butt is going to be stuck to the bench the next few games? The HR last night was a fluke. He needs a swift kick in the rear or something comparable.
Does any hitter in the majors get more bloop hits with 2 outs and nobody on than Diaz? He has that down to an art form.
If Jason Marquis does to ths Braves what Hill & Marshall have the last 2 days, will someone in a position of responsibility realize something has to be done about the offense? And will be actually do it?
By Chip Caray hater
June 8, 2007 10:49 PM | Link to this
Please do not criticize Chip. Dave O’Brien thinks he’s a good guy.
By Todd A
June 8, 2007 10:50 PM | Link to this
Make that…Caray family.
By Carolina Lady
June 8, 2007 10:50 PM | Link to this
Last year, when Frenchy was swinging at anything that left the pitcher’s hand, he got hit in the helmet and that info was posted on the blog. Somebody wrote back, “Did he swing at it?” :-))
By IlliniBrave
June 8, 2007 10:55 PM | Link to this
A little reality check on two major counts:
The team we fielded today, and the one we’ve been fielding on this 9-17 skid, is A VERY YOUNG TEAM. Except for Andruw, Edgar, and deadWoodward, all of our position players are less than two years removed from AAA or even AA ball. ALL OF THEM except the three. We forget how young Frenchie, B-Mac, KJ, Thor, and even Diaz and Willie are in terms of major league experience. [Notice I didn’t mention Orr - I still can’t come up with an explanation for why he’s here instead of Macon].
Ever since T-W bought the Braves, the broadcast focus has been more national than local. For the past three years they’ve been breaking away to show highlights and updates from other games (remember Erin Andrews - damn she was hot!). And now they almost always interview one of the coaches or players on the opposing team. Chip, Joe, and even Skip are just doing what they’re being told to do - play to the national audience. And let’s face it - you have to be a total homer retard to not appreciate what Soriano did today and always does to the Braves. It sucks, but the reality is that TBS is no longer owned by the Braves.
By A-Ville Ranger
June 8, 2007 10:57 PM | Link to this
Savannah Guy It’s odd tha tmost everybody but Wickman came to camp looking in shape.Shouldn’t they be in better condition 61 games into the season ? Well I told a neighbor I’d drop by,catch you latter.
By Todd A
June 8, 2007 10:59 PM | Link to this
mr. baseball,you’re not wrong.This team will be in 4th place(probably to stay) by the All Star break.
By heated hawaiian
June 8, 2007 10:59 PM | Link to this
Long time reader, first time poster. I prefer to sit back and enjoy the witty repartee here (and do appreciate the job you do, DOB — great stuff day-in, day-out)…but I’m about to melt down after watching these past few games. Need to vent, right now.
Whenever I see Scott Thorman on-screen, I’m getting the same deep pains once reserved for Dan Kolb appearances.
He is an unmitigated disaster, at the plate, on the field (outside of a nifty pick on a DP two months ago, can you remember one non-routine play he’s made? Easier question: how many routine plays can you remember that he’s botched?), and most horrifically with his approach (or total lack thereof) mentally. He’s shown ZERO desire to try to get his whack hack under control. Inexcusable, given the results. His upper and lower halves are so out of sync that if he does go deep it’s pure luck. Of course, we that’s not much of a concern…
Speaking of poor approaches, Lance Cormier, how many 0-2 meatballs did you serve up tonight? 12-year-olds try to bounce 0-2 pitches to get people to chase…you decide it’s a great time to throw sliders that back-up over the plate and flat cutters.
Last rant, then I’ll go back to reading again for the next 15 years: huge Bobby fan, think he’s one of the great managers of all-time, and I’ve patterned the managerial style of my two companies after many of his traits, so I feel almost sacrilegious saying this…but when a guy hits his third homer off your ballclub in three innings, and just straight-up cadillacs his way down the line, admiring his work, and your team is having minimal success scoring runs and exhibiting no fight in the last week — how do you not AT LEAST GO HIGH AND TIGHT ON HIM THE NEXT TIME UP?!?!?!!?
Seriously?
I love our team, and believe in the potential — but we need to show some fire. There’s too many young kids on this bench to show in-game leadership, it’s never been Andruw’s strong suit, and that was a perfect opportunity for Bobby to make a statement. No one should ever show your team up inn your home stadium like that.
I could’ve wrote this entire post in the time it took Soriano to get to finish his trot after that last one.
Speaking of a lack of
By Ron
June 8, 2007 10:59 PM | Link to this
Coach, Cant play DEFENSE either!!!
By Bob
June 8, 2007 11:00 PM | Link to this
Give us Pete and yeah, even Skip again. Chip is so damn annoying especially when we play his Cubs. I never thought I would prefer FOX South or Sports South to TBS, but I sure do now. Chip is horrible and it seems like he has influenced Joe Simpson too. If there wasn’t a damn delay I would turn off the sound and listen to the radio. I can see trying not to be a homer, but when your enthusiasm for the other team is unbridled it is time to move your butt back to the north side.
By Renfield
June 8, 2007 11:00 PM | Link to this
The past couple of weeks I keep having the same image of Elvis firing a gun into his television set when he was upset, only problem is that I cannot afford a replacement.
Shame on the Mets for not burying us in a 10 game hole when they had the chance, so there is still hope left.
By Todd A
June 8, 2007 11:02 PM | Link to this
That would be Carolina Lady.:)
By geauxbraves2000
June 8, 2007 11:07 PM | Link to this
This team appears to be in a state of disarray.
Not one player appears to be getting mad. It appears everone is so nonchalant about everything. I know BC is laid back, but what if he threw a water cooler or two? Now that would say something.
Anyhow, another pathetic attempt tonight is over. The Braves may be able to score some runs off Marquis, but with Huddy going, they are probably going to have to score alot.
Movie time. Nite all.
Geaux Braves!!
By Todd A
June 8, 2007 11:08 PM | Link to this
That would be me Carolina Lady.:)
By Coach
June 8, 2007 11:09 PM | Link to this
Anybody want to start a bet that Cox will get thrown out tomorrow night or Sunday at the latest ? 12-17 when facing a lefty. 3.11 runs per game average and falling like a rock. 5.33 team ERA so far in June and rising like a rocket.
By Harvey
June 8, 2007 11:09 PM | Link to this
we dont hit get rid of pendleton we dont pitch get rid of mcdowell we dont come to play get rid of cox dob you couldnt wait for comier to get up here he sucks hope he doesnt get another start
By N8
June 8, 2007 11:11 PM | Link to this
Mr Baseball
I will attempt to answer your questions. Because, well, because that’s what I do.
1) Last year in 9 starts, Cormier went 2-4 (not a great record), he averaged 5.1 IP per start (again, not real great), resulting in a 4.31 ERA. AGAIN, not great. But add that to his impressive spring, and YES, I was expecting decent/good things out of him. Certainly those results would be better than Davies or Redman….Not?
2) Pete Orr (similar to the last 2 seasons) serves ABSOLUTELY no purpose to this team. NONE.
3) As for Paranto, (see above answer for Orr).
4) No. Bobby has shown REPEATEDLY that he has no stones for such action. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. Certain players (Orr, Lockhart, Remlinger) might actually have to lose a limb or die to lose their job. Face it. Orr is here to stay. The WHOLE year. He aint goin NOWHERE. Nor will Andruw see the what the view looks like from the bench anytime soon.
5) Diaz and bloop hits. Well, I’m not so sure that this scenario doesn’t apply to the WHOLE TEAM. How many games this year have we had 12-15 hits, yet scored 2-3 (or less) runs? Yet the opponant will have 5-7 runs off of 8 hits. It’s not the TOTAL of hits, it’s when the hits happen.
That’s why at the beginning of the year, when we were on our 2 Out hits binge, which was the ONLY time we were knocking in runs, I figured it would come crashing down sometime. There was no way that was gonna last.
6) No. Marquis WILL shut us down tomorrow and the same exact cast of characters will be in the lineup, in the same order on Sunday night for the WHOLE COUNTRY to see for the ESPN game.
The only saving grace, is that most people will probably tune into LeBron and the Cav’s trying to win game 2 of the NBA finals.
You think Dayn “douchebag” Perry thinks we suck now, wait tell everybody has watched us play on ESPN. Down, down, down the “power rankings” we will go.
By Dudeman
June 8, 2007 11:12 PM | Link to this
Dave, What planet are you on? “…Smoltz will be Smoltz”? “…Andruw will go on one of his three-week binges soon and start to push his average back to .250” “…And Tim Hudson will get over this recent slippage and settle in as a solid co-ace…a guy who’ll win 16-18 games this season with an ERA around 3.00”? “…But believe it or not, I’ll stick by my preseason prediction. Call me crazy, but I’ll take the Braves to find a way and win the division”.
Dave, the Braves have an anemic offense that sits and waits for three-run homers. They can’t run, they don’t hit and run and Andruw should be hitting .300 not .250! Chipper can’t even go 120 games anymore, four consecutive years with significant time on the DL. I bet he ends up on it again before this year is done. They have weak pitching. Even if Smoltz is 100% (and I’ll give him the benefit of doubt even if he’s not that he wins 16 as he’s proven himself time & again), Hudson is a shell of his Oakland days. Let’s go back to my pre-season prediction…Atlanta finishes 3rd way behind the Mets.
By Savannah Guy
June 8, 2007 11:13 PM | Link to this
just figgered it out. Android Jones is not hitting because he is nervous about this being his big “show-out-for contract” year. So, let’s send Boras to Argentina on a posh dove hunt and while he’s gone, we just make a deal with Andruw so he’ll relax. Give him a $200 Toys-R-Us gift coupon, five dinners at Chucky Cheese, 3 day-passes to Six Flags and a shiny new xbox…with a trade clause in place. Then, two days later trade him for $25 million.
It’s the old, buy’em for what they are worth and sell’em for what they think they are worth.
By Plate Appearance
June 8, 2007 11:16 PM | Link to this
Need I remind anyone that JS let Marcus Giles walk during the offseason without getting anything in return but a compensatory draft choice. I can’t imagine why JS didn’t get a pitcher for a quality player like Giles.
I know the Linebrink trade with San Diego didn’t come through, but surely he could have gotten someone — especially in light of the current state of Braves starting pitching.
Far too much weight was placed on Hampton’s return.
JS said his stated goal during the off season was to fix the Braves pitching woes. Apart from the Soriano trade and resigning Wickman, his cure isn’t looking too good right now!
By gotigers72
June 8, 2007 11:17 PM | Link to this
I am usually not one to criticize a pitching coach, ‘cause they ain’t thrown nary a pitch. But doesn’t McDowell have a tip he can give some pitchers that will help them get the ball down? [Davies, Cormier, James, etc.] Nobody this side of Nolan Ryan has the stuff to pitch up in the zone, yet the Braves pitchers continue to do so. And by up, I mean anything above mid thigh. Go up out of the zone for effect at times, or on a dead lowball hitter, but Geez, keep the freakin’ ball down otherwise. Roger should be able to teach [and emphasize] that.
Why does BC continue to bat a guy in the 4 hole that is hitting in the 220s?
3-4 against the Cubs, 3-6 against Florida, and 4-5 against the woeful Nats. 23-14 against everybody else, all of whom except Colorado have winning overall records. Somebody explain that please.
JS better get another starting pitcher, [it could be Lerew or Carlyle], and somebody to play first base [Salty?] that can hit a little. He needs to do that SOON!
By Todd A
June 8, 2007 11:20 PM | Link to this
Getting thrown out is the only thing Bobby knows to do to try and inspire his team.He sure didn’t want to incite a brawl by putting one in Soriano’s ear-hole tonight.Love getting sand kicked in our face at home by the losing-est organization in professional baseball.
By Coach
June 8, 2007 11:26 PM | Link to this
Lance Cormier 0-2 15.26 ERA and he will stay in the rotation. Smoltz has a bum shoulder , YIKES !
By Chip Caray hater
June 8, 2007 11:27 PM | Link to this
Please do not criticize anything Dave O’brien has written! He will call you up, and threaten you with violence!
By Savannah Guy
June 8, 2007 11:29 PM | Link to this
heated hawaiian good post. True….yet restrained. You really wanted to say Cox is done, right? I have the same admiration for Cox, but I have been seeing his “Clubhouse” mentality and management style not work for quite a while. When you have Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz, you get the luxury of sitting in the dugout and being a brilliant manager. Sparky Anderson said it: he had great players so he just let them play and they won. That made him look brilliant. Difference: He was humble and self depricating. He recognized it and he said it.
Thorman is a different story. He’s beyond critique. But Bobby keeps throwing him out there.
By Coach
June 8, 2007 11:33 PM | Link to this
One last potshot and I’ll leave it to the music people. Our first four game losing streak and of course we have lost six out of our last seven. O yea , the Mets won.
By journalist jimmy smith
June 8, 2007 11:33 PM | Link to this
Canadian Patient Oozes Green Blood
Last Updated: Friday, June 8, 2007 | 7:17 AM PT The Canadian Press
Doctors at Vancouver’s St. Paul’s Hospital came across something highly illogical when they tried to put an arterial line into a patient about to undergo surgery: his blood was dark green.
The green blood — reminiscent of the Vulcan blood found in Mr. Spock of Star Trek fame — came as a bit of a shock to Dr. Alana Flexman and her colleagues, who report on the unusual case in this week’s issue of the journal The Lancet.
Green blood can be found in some forms of life such as some marine worms. But it is a condition normally associated with science fiction and not medical texts.
now, green blood has been found in canadians.
and did everyone see how thorman had thorman’s glove pointed tonight? and orr, something strange about orr … hmmm….
By Savannah Guy
June 8, 2007 11:39 PM | Link to this
Savannah Snip: Even a blind Thorman stumbles over an acorn now and then.
Where’s that deleted expletive $@&^$# joebrave tonight?
Savannah snip #2: If a bat, the size of a tree, falls in the Woodward, does it make a sound?
Sav Snip #3: To be a Brave, Orr not?
Sav snip #4: (overheard by media-owner board member): Give me Liberty…or give me the death and some baseball team in the East.
Sav snip #5: (overheard by Braves announcer): You gotta love those Cubbies. They have everything. I want to go back there. I could get some of those big Charles Nelson Riley glasses and sing “Take me out to the balllllparrrrk….”
By Sean J. A.
June 8, 2007 11:40 PM | Link to this
You might as well send everyone one in the pitching staff to the minors except for Smotlz, Hudson, James, Soriano, and Wickman. Let’s face it. The rest of the staff is very questionable.
Boyer’s not the same as he use to be. Cormier can’t put up numbers he did in spring training. Davies is inconsistent. McBride is just plain awful. Moylan can be better, but hasn’t shown it. Paronto’s sinker has gone along with him. And you know this is true, Villareal can’t be a long reliever. And Yates seems to be the new Chris Reitsma.
The Braves need to bring Buddy Carlyle back up. What happened to Phil Stockman and Trey Hodges? Along brining them up, they need to bring Joey Devine back up. He can certainly do better than McBride or Paronto. They also need to bring up Manny Acosta, who is 5-1 with a 1.07 era and 31 strikeouts in 33 2/3 innings. And they also need to bring up their best pitching prospect (not Anthony Lerew) Matt Hairrison, who is 4-1 with a 3.43 era and only allowing 2 homeruns in over 60 innings.
A side note: They failed to get Troy Percival, who’ll probably do better than nearly any other pitcher the Braves have right now.
Serious questions for Bobby and Schureholtz in the next two months on dealing with trade offers.
Let’s just hope the Braves won’t be a disaster like last June.
By Sean J. A.
June 8, 2007 11:41 PM | Link to this
You might as well send everyone one in the pitching staff to the minors except for Smotlz, Hudson, James, Soriano, and Wickman. Let’s face it. The rest of the staff is very questionable.
Boyer’s not the same as he use to be. Cormier can’t put up numbers he did in spring training. Davies is inconsistent. McBride is just plain awful. Moylan can be better, but hasn’t shown it. Paronto’s sinker has gone along with him. And you know this is true, Villareal can’t be a long reliever. And Yates seems to be the new Chris Reitsma.
The Braves need to bring Buddy Carlyle back up. What happened to Phil Stockman and Trey Hodges? Along brining them up, they need to bring Joey Devine back up. He can certainly do better than McBride or Paronto. They also need to bring up Manny Acosta, who is 5-1 with a 1.07 era and 31 strikeouts in 33 2/3 innings. And they also need to bring up their best pitching prospect (not Anthony Lerew) Matt Hairrison, who is 4-1 with a 3.43 era and only allowing 2 homeruns in over 60 innings.
A side note: They failed to get Troy Percival, who’ll probably do better than nearly any other pitcher the Braves have right now.
Serious questions for Bobby and Schureholtz in the next two months on dealing with trade offers.
Let’s just hope the Braves won’t be a disaster like last June.
By Sean J. A.
June 8, 2007 11:43 PM | Link to this
You might as well send everyone one in the pitching staff to the minors except for Smotlz, Hudson, James, Soriano, and Wickman. Let’s face it. The rest of the staff is very questionable.
Boyer’s not the same as he use to be. Cormier can’t put up numbers he did in spring training. Davies is inconsistent. McBride is just plain awful. Moylan can be better, but hasn’t shown it. Paronto’s sinker has gone along with him. And you know this is true, Villareal can’t be a long reliever. And Yates seems to be the new Chris Reitsma.
The Braves need to bring Buddy Carlyle back up. What happened to Phil Stockman and Trey Hodges? Along brining them up, they need to bring Joey Devine back up. He can certainly do better than McBride or Paronto. They also need to bring up Manny Acosta, who is 5-1 with a 1.07 era and 31 strikeouts in 33 2/3 innings. And they also need to bring up their best pitching prospect (not Anthony Lerew) Matt Hairrison, who is 4-1 with a 3.43 era and only allowing 2 homeruns in over 60 innings.
A side note: They failed to get Troy Percival, who’ll probably do better than nearly any other pitcher the Braves have right now.
Serious questions for Bobby and Schureholtz in the next two months on dealing with trade offers.
Let’s just hope the Braves won’t be a disaster like last June.
By Savannah Guy
June 8, 2007 11:48 PM | Link to this
Bobby is asleep at the wheel. Bobby has surrounded himself with coach buddies that go along and get along. The Braves are a “business as usual” “Comfy-Club”. JS is out of ideas and incentive because he already has his check and his laurels. Liberty is a faceless, emotionless, disinterested owner. We better get used to it. Braves are a 4th place team this year, and next and the one after that. Hate it, but looks true.
Ok, I’ll shut up now (applause).
Go BoSox.
By Skeezix
June 8, 2007 11:48 PM | Link to this
The quality of this team reminds me of the 1980’s except this team can’t even hit…. we have too many players, that were good minor leaguers, but who are just not major league caliber(like Thorman). Then you have an offense centered around one guy who really is major league/hall of fame stuff but can’t stay healthy, and Andruw whose offensive skills are deterioating (at too early an age) before our very eyes. I hate to say it, but this year will be no better, and maybe worse, than last.
By Savannah Guy
June 8, 2007 11:52 PM | Link to this
journalist jimmy smith: Green blood? Was the patient in Savannah prior to his hospitalization? Perhaps he attended St. Patricks Day celebration? That could explain everything.
By David O'Brien
June 8, 2007 11:56 PM | Link to this
That had to be the worst performance of the season for the Braves. They’ve hit .220 and scored 29 runs in their past 11 home games, by the way.
And lost eight of their last nine home games.
And been outscored 21-3 in the past three games vs. Chicago.
Scary as it sounds, Bobby said Cormier would start again when I asked him whether Cormier would continue to work on regaining his form up here with the big club. I really thought he’d say he needed to go down.
Cox said Cormier’s “stuff is there, he’s just rusty.”
But even Cormier admitted his arm strength isn’t what it was before the injury, and said “it’s just a battle” for him out there right now.
Says something about the Braves’ lack of confidence in their other options if they actually run Cormier out there again next week. I think he needs to go down and get about 5-6 real starts at Richmond, since he only had about one of any significant length in his rehab stints.
Here’s an alarming note: Cormier is 3-10 with a 7.25 ERA in 16 career starts for Arizona and Atlanta.
By lilman916
June 8, 2007 11:56 PM | Link to this
What is the status for Tanyon Sturtze? Is he still out, or has he started his rehab? The season willbe half over soon, so what was the purpose of the Braves signing him?
By David O'Brien
June 8, 2007 11:59 PM | Link to this
Chip Caray Hater, I won’t threaten you with violence; I send Chip over to take care of my lightweights. And if you’re not a lightweight, I’ll send Skip over.
Now go to bed or sober up.
By Savannah Guy
June 9, 2007 12:03 AM | Link to this
ok, just one more thought:
DOB: Headline suggestion for tomorrow:
Thorman gets needled and thumbs down. NL East tightens around Braves neck.
By Bravno's Suck
June 9, 2007 12:07 AM | Link to this
I just read a quote from Bobby about Lance that said, “The stuff’s there. It’s there. It’s just, he’s rusty.”
I am Bobby fan, but come on! I know he never throws a player under the bus, but saying nothing is better than saying he’s rusty.
We aren’t stupid enough to think that 13 runs in 7 innings is rust.
By humbug
June 9, 2007 12:10 AM | Link to this
The Braves had some really good looking young players till they all started trying to play like the “experienced” players on the team. Now everybody is on the same page. The players are not effective, Pendleton is not effective, McDowell is not effective, Bobby is not effective, and nobody seems to want to change. Have they no pride? Come on Bobby….make some adjustments in your batting order, kick some butts, bench some players, ship out some of your sorry pitchers It’s not going to get any better till somebody changes what they are doing now. All of them should try to earn their money. They get the same pay every game, but I guess being in a “slump” is easier than hustling. It’s getting late, guys.
By Savannah Guy
June 9, 2007 12:12 AM | Link to this
DOB, you just popped in. I thought you must have gone to hit the hay.
So, you still thinkin’ the Braves are a division winner? By the way, I’ve been giving you many barbs and prods in the last couple of hours (all civil and good natured of course). But, hey…if the arrow fits the wound….. You need it once in a while. Just want to make sure you’ve sobered up from the kool-ade you had in the clubhouse today. But you don’t even notice, right? So many opinions, so little time. Don’t be mad. Don’t send your goons to hurt me.
By Braves Fan 79
June 9, 2007 12:14 AM | Link to this
I still believe in this team but man we gotta cut some pple (woodward) and make some trades if we wanna win at least the 92 or so games it will take to win a wildcard spot. GO BRAVES!!
By Mike R
June 9, 2007 12:17 AM | Link to this
Face it guys we are about to live the 1970s and 1985 - 1989 again. All of you younger fans have been spoiled. Look at the lineup realistically. The Braves have a AAA first baseman. At best a utility player at 2nd. A good shortstop on the down side of his career. A broken down 3rd baseman who can only be counted on to play half the time. A 4th outfielder/pinch hitter playing LF. A very good CF who can’t handle the pressure of his free agent year. A RF with lots of potential but isn’t ready to be the club leader. A catcher who also has lots of potential but is also not ready to lead the club during the 80 games CJ can’t play. The pitching is not much better. The ace is still very good but a bit fragile and on the down side of his career. The 2nd and 3rd staters are, at best 4 and 5 starters on a good team. Hudson would be the 5th starter on the 1995-96 Braves. James would be in Richmond. The Braves have only 2 major league caliber relief pitchers and no bench players that belong in the big leagues.
Sorry to be so down but I was a fan during those lean years and we are starting it all over again.
By Savannah Guy
June 9, 2007 12:17 AM | Link to this
DOB: while I’m at it, how does it feel to be the only one on this blog with your name in color? Pretty cool. Big blue.
I’d like one of those color name tags too. Maybe in a nice terra cotta. What say you?
Maybe one for Mets Drooling fella too: Pink. Oops…don’t want to wake him.
By Todd A
June 9, 2007 12:21 AM | Link to this
Last night,I had to suffer the indignity of having a Cubs fan sitting behind me saying we suck.Folks,welcome back to the 70’s and 80’s.
By The Grinch
June 9, 2007 12:22 AM | Link to this
Hey, everyone, have no fear. Cormier’s stuff is ok, he’s just rusty. Those 87-mph fastballs with no movement and poor location are just because he hasn’t pitched in a while. Move along everyone; nothing to see here. Cox might as well break out the jazz clarinet for post game conferences; it couldn’t be any more ridiculous. G’night, all.
By N8
June 9, 2007 12:23 AM | Link to this
DOB
What’s your thought(s) on a good old fashioned “this is MY plate” brush back pitch?
Just curious.
Like I said earlier, I’m not talking puttin’ somebody on the DL, just reminding them that IF the ball hit them in the neck, it would frickin’ hurt, and as a ML pitcher they have the power and opportunity to do JUST THAT, anytime they please.
By Ralph
June 9, 2007 12:26 AM | Link to this
From the way the Braves are playing one can tell that bobby’s heart isn’t in the game, let along manage, for that matter neither is the rest of the team. Thorman, Woodward, Orr, Paronto, McBride, on and on — STINK. Their motivation— STINKS. Their desire to win —STINKS . They play like a bunch of losers. The pitching is a laugh and the hitting is joke. The team is about as organize as a free for all. How can they play 1,2,3, play ball when they don’t know how to count that high. There is NO leadership on the Braves team —ABSOLUTELY NONE. Put a pitcher in there that will give up from 6 to 8 runs a game and they have a gold mined, sign he up to a long term contact. Home plate is the coolest play in the stadium from all the swing and misses from the brave bats. They have become a bunching bag for other teams. They are certainly no inspiration to any body, and a let down to many. Atlanta stadium should play the song from Casa Blanca “PLAY AGAIN SAM” seeing that they on the same path as last year.
By N8
June 9, 2007 12:30 AM | Link to this
Mike R
Most of your post is close. But this next line I have to TOTALLY disagree with:
“At best a utility player at 2nd.”
Are you frickin kidding me? KJ is NOT the problem with this team.
One could argue that with Chipper our, he should hit 3rd with Harris and Renteria ahead of him. But to call KJ a utility player is very insulting to him I believe.
He’s a GOOD hitter, with a good approach, who happens to be playing as good, if not better defense at 2B than Giles did, after NEVER playing the position in pro-ball before.
Cut him some slack. Better yet, give him some props.
Like I said though, I do agree with the majority of your post.
By Michael Procton
June 9, 2007 12:32 AM | Link to this
Lilman…braves.com says Sturtze won’t even be ready for a minor league stint until July: “So far, the 37-year-old is throwing just five minutes of batting practice at a time, alternating that with five-minute sessions from a bullpen mound.
Sturtze is guaranteed $750,000 this season, plus $350,000 more if he is activated by the Braves. There also was a chance at $450,000 in incentives.” If he does nothing, 750K really isn’t that big a deal…basically, a line item. If he can come on and be a sub-4 ERA guy for 1.1, I’m ok with that too.
By Paris Hilton
June 9, 2007 12:33 AM | Link to this
I was able to sneak on to this computer, and heard journalist jimmy smith is the only one who can help me. Please jimmy, help me get out of here. I have already broken a nail. Please contact my mother and tell her to pay off another sheriff.
journalist jimmy smith, you’re my only hope. Oh the humanity!
By N8
June 9, 2007 12:36 AM | Link to this
Grinch
” Cox might as well break out the jazz clarinet for post game conferences; it couldn’t be any more ridiculous.”
You just about got some Diet Coke to shoot out my nose, with that one.
I have to say, on a day of pitiful baseball, the blog has had some of it’s “finest” moments today/tonight.
Has the banter been “witty” enought today for you DOB?
Goodnight all. Actually gonna go downstairs and watch a movie. Might be back later.
By Lew
June 9, 2007 12:40 AM | Link to this
“The papers called it suicide-a bullet from a .45. No one laughed and no one cried. Don’t it make you feel sad?”
By Mike R
June 9, 2007 12:57 AM | Link to this
N8
Thanks for responding to my post. I’m not trying to be hard on KJ. I’m just afraid we have lowered our standards. I just don’t feel he provides the defense needed on a pennant contending team. A weak pitching staff like the Braves must have a very good defense, especially up the middle. He would be a very good utility player. I can’t see him starting on the 1995-96 Braves.
By Zac
June 9, 2007 1:30 AM | Link to this
*By David O’Brien
June 8, 2007 11:59 PM | Link to this
Chip Caray Hater, I won’t threaten you with violence; I send Chip over to take care of my lightweights. And if you’re not a lightweight, I’ll send Skip over.
Now go to bed or sober up.* pwnt.
Man, I really think we need to make a trade, to shake things up if anything. Not for any skill set in particular (starting pitching would be nice, but its not exactly available unless we could steal Harden, but from all accounts the A’s are asking big for his upside potential) but someone who will fire up the clubhouse. I miss Giles in that sense, my favorite player ever. The little guy who noone figured would make it, yet gave 110% and was the #1 guy in the clubhouse. I still have Giles puting the pie to Francouer’s face on save till I delete on tivo from the game he hit his first homer I think. I know we don’t have an outfield spot, but someone like Byrnes would be great, a hellcat who will fire up the team. Stagnant seems to sum up the Braves of late.
By H,D. Mepham IV
June 9, 2007 1:33 AM | Link to this
If you would be so kind to express to Bobby Cox, who carries the very much overrated General Manager of the Braves, that Lenny Harris is an every day player and that Chipper Jones is soft I would be greatly appreciative. Before you castigate me for calling Jones soft please explain the reason this player has been regularly hurt since he signed with the club and is constantly turning an unfortunate fall a 5th grader or junior high softball player would face into a trip to the disabled list I would feel more at ease as a Braves fan. While your at it, see if you can get Mr. Pendleton to touch his toes - I guess teaching the art of hitting has truely gone to the video.
By Robert
June 9, 2007 1:39 AM | Link to this
Braves outplayed outhustled and shownn up and genius Cox busies himself trying to fish his yingyang out of his trowserss . Vintage Donk
By Robert
June 9, 2007 1:39 AM | Link to this
Braves outplayed outhustled and shownn up and genius Cox busies himself trying to fish his yingyang out of his trowserss . Vintage Donk
By David O'Brien
June 9, 2007 1:43 AM | Link to this
Mike R, so you’re confident they’re going to move a 2B who’s hitting .286 with 25 extra-base hits (tied for the team lead), seven homers, 33 RBIs, a team-high 43 runs, team-high 36 walks, a .385 OBP and a robust .867 OPS … you’re confident they’re going to move that player to a utility role? Hmm … interesting.
He’s on pace for 18 homers, 65 extra-base hits and 86 RBIs, and you think he’ll move to a utility role? After as much as Cox has raved about his defense to anyone who’ll listen, you think he’ll move to a utility role?
By David O'Brien
June 9, 2007 1:45 AM | Link to this
N8, yes, the banter was sufficiently witty. Quite strong, actually. Well, with the exception of this “Savannah Guy” character. Wow, what it must be like to go through life so tragically unfunny….
N8, what movie you watching? I’m viewing The Prestige on DVD right now, myself. Paused to come down and logoff.
By Berigan
June 9, 2007 1:58 AM | Link to this
Well, I should think of something positive to say about tonight’s game ummm….geez…so…..let me think….. there was that guy, skinny guy no one wanted us to sign, nor could we afford… Soriano! Man, he can hit! 3 homers in 4 innings! I was wondering if he was going to hit 5 in the game! .326 average.
But, we saved some money not signing him, and it allowed us to get some out and out studs like Craig Wilson, Mark Redman, Sturtz, Chris Woodward, and re-sign Orr as well.
By David O'Brien
June 9, 2007 2:00 AM | Link to this
Mepham, no one will castigate you for your Chipper comment. But come on, Lenny Harris? He was a helluva pinch-hitter years ago. But the Braves have WIllie Harris.
By Berigan
June 9, 2007 2:05 AM | Link to this
It’s been illegal to castigate anyone in Georgia for over 50 years……
By opieandy
June 9, 2007 2:09 AM | Link to this
What is Carroll Rogers smoking? In his draft article (which you can’t comment on, so I’m posting here), he focuses on the Braves drafting three GT guys, but fails to mention that they were ALL taken after the 2nd round pick from UGA, Josh Fields.
Then, he lists the high school players taken from Georgia, but fails to include the overall #1 pick from Henry County. In fact, he wasn’t mentioned in the entire article. The #1 pick!
Unbelievable.
Pitiful.
By Tom
June 9, 2007 2:33 AM | Link to this
late night observations of a sick fan:
By TennesseePaul
June 9, 2007 2:38 AM | Link to this
Tonights game, this team, this result, the future implecations: Pathetic.
I’m not usually a downer, but this is getting disgusting fast. I can handle one year, but if we spend this year with this crap and do nothing about it, I’ll watch, but I won’t be happy. I am a Braves fan after all. But this is just pathetic. I don’t want to hear the quotes about how they all know they need to do better. It’s worthless. I want to see them do better. Knowing, as they say, is half the battle. Not the whole battle.
By Tom
June 9, 2007 2:42 AM | Link to this
observation #2 (if anyone cares) JS needs to either make a trade or let the fans know that no trade are forth coming. I am tired of spending my hard earned cash (170 tonight) on this crap. We need 5 major league pitchers on this team, we have 3 right now and Smoltz is hurt, probably worse than we know. Call up the Marlins, A’s or White Sox - whoever, and get an arm. We are getting beat by other team’s #4 or #5 pitcher. We cannot compete with the likes of the junk put on the mound recently.
By Tom
June 9, 2007 2:52 AM | Link to this
Third observation (if you are counting): Do something different at 1B! Bobby drives me crazy going with guys so long. Thorman is not going to figure this out, he has that terrible swing, he does not have a good eye at the plate and is worse in the clutch situation. We have the worst production in the majors at 1st. Give the guy a break, he stinks right now. If you have no one at AAA that can do the job then let Salty play and hope he doesn’t boot every ball hit his way. We need some management here. I think I would be thinking outside the box if a key RBI position was failing so poorly. Come on, it is easy to see!
By Wayne in Utah
June 9, 2007 2:56 AM | Link to this
Nobody is probably still on tonight, but as usual, we have all the “sky is falling” blogs tonight. You know, maybe the Braves will totally fall out of contention, but until that happens, I will continue to have hope and not die every single night that we suck, which we certainly did tonight.
A few thoughts:
Chip makes me want to vomit sometimes.
Plate Appearance Maybe you missed the explanations last winter, but nobody was offering anything for Giles, as they ALL knew the Braves were not going to tender him for fear of having him awarded 5-6 million per year. He is/was not worth that kind of money. He actually signed with San Diego for 3.25 million per. So, it is hard to blame JS for not getting anything for him, as nothing was being offered after everyone realized he could be had for much less later on. Hope that explains it so you can understand.
Chin Music was in order for Mr. Soriano after that “trot.”
Savannah Guy I have been a Thorman supporter for the entire year, but I would be the first to admit he is struggling mightily, and if there were someone besides Woodward to play first, I think we would have seen it already. Really, we don’t have much in AAA to bring up to help there. I think if Salty is capable, we will see it beginning this weekend. You really don’t want a punch and judy hitter at first, and before his latest drop off, he actually was showing signs of being productive. He actually has quite a few RBI’s for his limited plate appearances, although I am fully aware for the past few weeks he has fallen off badly. Only AJ and Francoeur have a better RBI per plate appearance percentage than Thorman of the regulars.
DOB Any chance of getting Devine back and giving Oscar a shot at starting???
Let’s keep the faith folks….
By Tom
June 9, 2007 3:01 AM | Link to this
OK last observation before I call it a night. My wife and I calculated the money we have spent so far on going to braves games this year. It made sick to my stomach. We went through the same thing last year, hopeful beginning, few key injuries, June swoon and we are done. I’ll accept that we have some key injuries right now but we have to address weakness right away or this year will be in the can just as fast. As a fan, I want my team to win, or at least have hope that they will be able to compete. I have decided that my family and I will not make another game until the decision makers of this team start making some decisions. Status Quo will not satisfy me. I only speak for myself but I imagine there are others who share my feelings.
By Wayne in Utah
June 9, 2007 3:04 AM | Link to this
Tom and others: I think we will see a few changes in the next couple of days. I suspect we will see something for 1B and maybe a different direction with the #5.
Being an unsufferable fan, I still like Davies in the #4 role, and I think with a little pressure off him, Thorman might pick it up a bit.
For my money, I think Andruw hurts us worse than Thorman can even dream of right now. With Thorman, we do not expect much. With AJ, we are all expecting him to carry the team while Chipper is out. Instead of carrying the team, he has been more like an anchor around the team’s neck.
Sit him for a few days Bobby.
Why didn’t someone put one directly under Soriano’s chin???
By Tom
June 9, 2007 3:08 AM | Link to this
Wayne, thanks for the encouragement to all of us who are ticked off right now.
By serbok
June 9, 2007 3:12 AM | Link to this
Carolina Lady I have never introduced myself to you~ However it appears to me you are “our” First lady:o) so for you~~~~~~
Please allow me to introduce myself Im a man of wealth and taste Ive been around for a long, long year Stole many a mans soul and faith And I was round when Ted Turner Had his moment of doubt and pain Made damn sure that Time Warner Washed It’s hands and sealed our fate Pleased to meet you Hope you guess my name But whats puzzling you Is the nature of how manage my game I stuck around in the front office When I saw it was a time for a change Had the best of the Talent That any man could ever dream!!!
I rode a bench Held a generals rank When the when the CY Youngs left And the bodies stank Pleased to meet you Hope you guess my name, oh yeah Ah, whats puzzling you Is the nature of my game, oh yeah I watched with glee While your Glavines and Smoltz Fought for ten decades For the gods they made I shouted out, Who killed the Bravo’s When after all It was only me! Let me please introduce myself Im a man of wealth and taste And I laid traps for baserunners Who get killed before they reached Home Plate Pleased to meet you Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah But whats puzzling you Is the nature of my game, oh yeah, get down, baby Pleased to meet you Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah But whats confusing you Is just the nature of my game Just as every cop is a criminal And all the sinners saints As heads is tails Just call me lucifer cause Im in need of a lack of restraint So if you meet me Have some courtesy Have some sympathy, and some taste Use all your well-learned politesse Or Ill lay your soul to waste, um yeah Pleased to meet you Hope you guessed my name, um yeah But whats puzzling you Is the nature of my game, um mean it, get down Woo, who
By Wayne in Utah
June 9, 2007 3:20 AM | Link to this
Serbok, you little devil!!
By Tom
June 9, 2007 3:21 AM | Link to this
Andruw is an anchor around this team’s neck. I have watched him for tens years and have enjoyed his defense and long home runs but thinking about him tonight I realized that he is at best a complementary piece to the team not a foundational piece. He has provided the drama for years while enjoying the protection of Chipper, Sheffield, Drew, etc…. But when the burden falls to him he has trouble.
I hope we can resign Andruw, maybe he will fire Boras and do his own deal again. I’ll hate the day he leaves and he will crap his pants when he goes to Boston, NY or Chicago and gets booed after every whiff. I heard some boos the other night but that was nothing compared to what some players get (ex. Arod).
By Berigan
June 9, 2007 3:23 AM | Link to this
Nice of ESPN to mention that the braves have give up 3 home runs in a game 4 times since the beginning of 2006! Soriano (twice) Damian Easley(When he was with the Diamondbacks) and Ryan Howard(remember that Tim Hudson gave up all 3?) Ah, memories….
By Bob, Journalist
June 9, 2007 3:42 AM | Link to this
Who said life was supposed to be fair?
You folks who are on Chip Carey’s case, regarding his Cub fetish … lay off the kid … he’s actually much worse when talking about the awesome Mets … there’ll be no reason to play the games when they get healthy.
To be fair, it’s quite possible that they’re playing to an uninformed audience and have been instructed not to biased in favor of the Braves.
Sad, disappointing … what can you say? The kid seems impressed with himself too … but he tries hard, I’ll give him that!
Well, the Braves too are a disappointment … at least their current level of performance is disappointing to most of us … but, what about the Braves themselves, how do you think they feel?
You know they want to win … each and every one!
When Bobby says he doesn’t know what’s wrong, one thing’s for sure … something’s wrong!
We know too that he’s either lying or telling the truth … I hate liars and lying but, just this once, I hope he is!
By serbok
June 9, 2007 4:13 AM | Link to this
c’mon people most of the “informed” bloggers here, Have a very good IDEA as to what is wrong with the braves. They lack leadership! I love reading this blog! There are some VERY valid points made! The blog really gives me high value for what I am paying for??????????? lol Some of you guys make it soooo obvious as to the reason the braves are in the plight they are in. give ROBERT kudo’s for not rubbing it in your faces! wait, I take that back~ he does, but No/one seems to listen. In my very humble opinion Bobby cannot just watch the game anymore? As has been stated by others, there needs to be a “fire” lit under this team! I played BB as I’m sure most have here. We All know what I mean when I say a fire? This team is playing emotionless BB! These kids Do not have someone to look up to? To show them the way~so to speak? It was highly evident in last nights game. Some of you guys have hinted at it? Why not just come out and say it? BOBBY just does not have a clue!
By serbok
June 9, 2007 4:23 AM | Link to this
Ya know~ I Agree with the posts about throwing one to Soriano that might make him think? The guy would not have hit 3 HR’s if someone on the braves had enuff gumption to show the man that~~~~~~~~~ ah screw it~ you guys know, but not this manager! I Love Bobby~ but it appears His time has come and gone~HOW! can he forget the days of Bob Gibson, Nolan Ryan? For god’s sakes Terry Pendleton! thats comming from an earlier post as to where he walked off the field~(i personally dont member that) * IT has to be comming to a point* AS to where we all can see that Bobby is becomming a loser :o(
By serbok
June 9, 2007 4:36 AM | Link to this
LOL Wayne:o)
By Ralph
June 9, 2007 6:02 AM | Link to this
We need to replace Bobby Cox with the Minor league Braves manager who when bonkers. That will properly be the most life we’ll see out of the Braves organization for the rest of the year. Bobby wake-up before it’s to late!!!!!
By Ralph
June 9, 2007 6:22 AM | Link to this
Bobby, can’t hit, run, and field for some of the comatose guys who are in Braves uniforms. But Bobby can keep from putting in the same comatose guys who can’t hits, run and field. So how much of the fault goes to the manager for having a bunch of losers playing for his team? I’ll say about 70%. It’s great to see how much Chipper Jones is helping the Braves, they sure could use that money to get a top notch third base, who can play more than 60 games a year. This managers loyalty towards his players and not his fans is ridicules. One can tell after 3 innings if the Braves are going to blow the game.
By Chris
June 9, 2007 6:30 AM | Link to this
Chip Carey is AWFUL … just my opinion of course.
By NO CHOP ZONE
June 9, 2007 6:47 AM | Link to this
braves 4 games over .500 and fall fast.
By ncscoots
June 9, 2007 7:08 AM | Link to this
Well. As a performance by the Braves, I’d have to call that one in the realm of a mime show.
Bobby shouldn’t have to tell his pitcher that Soriano was a little too comfortable at the plate and needed some dirt on the seat of his pants, but too much inexperience in the battery (or too much union brotherhood, LOL) to figure it out.
Someone had a great line the other day about the team looked like “a bunch of little kids who have lost their dog.” And the young players do appear to have some puzzlement in their demeanor. Kinda like being blindfolded when swinging for the pinata…they know the approximate location (of a way to snap out of it) but can’t quite put a healthy swing on the prize.
Many posters seem to have the answers, from calling up six new pitchers (!), to benching half the starting lineup, to making a dozen blockbuster trades. And I guess all those things might work. Or not. I admit to being befuddled at this point, with no confidence that I could judge the efficacy of any of those suggestions.
Creeping self-doubt, a more insidious destructor than any talent shortcoming, can become the elephant in the room. Braves need to keep THAT out of the locker room much more than they need any new personnel in it.
By bevsouth
June 9, 2007 7:11 AM | Link to this
I agree with those that say after the first “show boat” home run by Soriano Cormier should have put the next pitch in his ear. It’s time to revaluate 1b we have played 38% of the season and our production at that position is the worst in the majors.Put Salty at first!! If your # 3 hitter is out and your # 4 is batting 220 we need all the pop we can get.I also think Harris can help more then Diaz in terms of manufacturing runs, regardless of whther a left or right handed pitcher is on the mound.
By Bill
June 9, 2007 7:37 AM | Link to this
As I said before, get use for the worse. This team needs to be blown up, starting with the GM & Coaching Staff. They have no life left in them and that comes from the manager. This bunch has been there long enough and need some new blood. AJ can’t remember that he’s suppose to walk on four balls. I would approach AJ about a trade and if he says no, bench him until he agrees to be traded. I don’t understand some people wanting to resign him. He’s going down hill every year. It’s over with C.Jones. When you get off the juice, injuries are hard to over come. I have been supporting these clowns since they moved to Atlanta and there has been bad & good times. They are going to be bad until we get new management. Need someone to light a fire under their a$$.
By Spinelli
June 9, 2007 8:33 AM | Link to this
What are the chances of either/or Cormier/Davies getting sent down and bringing one of the young staters like Harrison Smith or Reyes up. They cannot do any worse than what is up here now plus it could give them some kind of expierience like when Glavine and Smolts were brought up. I realize the team was much worse when Glavine and Smoltz were brought up, but one or two of these young guys cannot do any worse especially Cormier right now. Maybe athorman needs to be sent down as well and bring up Koonce. Thorman looks like he has no confidence and the team has no time for him to get it back at the big league level. As far as Orr and Woodward, one of them also must be released or sent down (Orr) and give someone else a chance.
By ATLFAN
June 9, 2007 8:38 AM | Link to this
Chipper, Hudson and Andrew must go!! Free up some $$ We already know what it’s like without them!! Why would anybody be upset with this?? How would this hurt this team? I challenge anyone to explain to me how this could make this team any worse. They are pittiful!! Trade them NOW!! Then release Thorman and Woodward!! What a waste of $$. Braves, 4th place by months end!!
By Robert
June 9, 2007 8:50 AM | Link to this
How can a genius not have a clue what’s wrong?
Oh the stupidity
By Tim
June 9, 2007 9:00 AM | Link to this
There is now way that the Braves will win the Division. They just have too many holes to fill. This team has been without its’ best hitter, and its’ best reliever. We will not get the reliever back, this year. We only have two quality starting pitchers. James is only so-so. And, frankly, the other two slots have provided fans with little more than batting practice. The hitting with Chipper in the lineup is just okay. Without him, it’s horrid. We are getting no production at 1st Base. Andrew Jones looks embarrassing sometimes at the plate. Injuries have made McCann a shell of himself. Our bench is nonexistent. And, there are a couple of folks, like Paronto for instance, who don’t even belong on a Major League roster. It’s time to accept reality. New York, Philadelphia, and Florida all simply have more talent than Atlanta. I wish that were not true. But, right now, it is. And, I pray that I am very wrong about that. But, I fear that I am not. Maybe it’s time to think of moving on without the Jones Boys. Time to rebuild.
By The Grinch
June 9, 2007 9:03 AM | Link to this
ATLFAN, I can’t explain how that would make things worse, but I can explain why it’s not gonna happen. Chipper and Andruw have veto power, and nobody’s gonna give us anyone better than Hudson for what he’s being paid. Thorman’s trying and has potential; I wouldn’t release him either since he’s not making any money (who are we gonna replace him with making the league minimum?). Move him back to the minors for a while? Can’t argue that, and I damn sure can’t argue with releasing Woodward. It wouldn’t be so bad if our bench was otherwise strong and he came in to play defense in a pure emergency only, but starting him against lefties with Orr is an insult to the people they charge 7 bucks a beer to to watch. However, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; I think a trade is in the works and that in conjunction with a smart move or two by Bobby (benching McCann ‘till his ankle gets better so he can be productive when he returns, batting Andruw 8th and kicking him in the jewels every time he tries to pull the ball, calling up another pitcher…taking Orr and Woodward hunting and coming back alone, etc.) plus the eventual return of Chipper and this team will be fine. This is an ugly, ugly stretch but those who don’t support the team now don’t deserve the happiness when they win. Word.
By by Miss American Pie
June 9, 2007 9:04 AM | Link to this
I know with my 30 MPH fastball, that my ERA will be less than Cormier’s. He needs to start throwing balls instead of trying to throw strikes. Cannot believe he is still in baseball
By jaka
June 9, 2007 9:20 AM | Link to this
Since everything else is going wrong and the games are not even close enough for it to matter, it seems, but what happened to the defense around the plate? Is it all the fault of the pitchers? Eight straight stolen bases against Salty since a great coaches call of a pitch out made it an easy throw out, at least 2 recent strike outs were allowed to get on first, bunts and topped balls seem to be an adventure. If the games ever get close again, we’ll notice because these gaffs will be seen as game losers. They aren’t helping now.
By tvsportscaster
June 9, 2007 9:36 AM | Link to this
opieandy, in regards to your 2:09 am post concerning Carroll Rogers article about the draft. First of all Carroll is a she and secondly, she didn’t mention Josh Fields and Jason Heyward because the article was strictly about the Braves second day of the draft, and Fields and Heyward were taken during the first day of the draft.
By Bill
June 9, 2007 9:44 AM | Link to this
I agree with Tim that Phila.,N.Y. and Marlins have more talent than the Braves. I thought they would give a better perfomance than this. Bad management period. I get tired of people say AJ & CJ has veto power. We all know that. I would tell them if they will not accept a trade that you will riding bench rest of season and be used only as a PH. If they accept get anything you can but get them out of town. Bring up the young players and let them learn. They would not be the first to struggle.
By Ryan
June 9, 2007 9:50 AM | Link to this
MIKEr, Kelly Johnson is about as good of second baseman as anyone else in the league. hes a very good leadoff hitter with great obs. I do not know what u are looking at but he is outstanding, would start on that team in 1995 and i believe is our 2nd basemen of the future. KJ has done nothing but over achieve expectations
By Felix Millan
June 9, 2007 10:03 AM | Link to this
Does anybody have a scouting report on Diory Hernandez? A shortstop from San Pedro de Macoris. He’s having a breakout season. He’s currently hitting .349 in Mississippi. He’s only 23 years old.
By Felix Millan
June 9, 2007 10:06 AM | Link to this
Does anybody have a scouting report on Diory Hernandez? A shortstop from San Pedro de Macoris. He’s having a breakout season. He’s currently hitting .349 in Mississippi. He’s only 23 years old.
By Longtime
June 9, 2007 10:07 AM | Link to this
The Braves - with their current roster - will not finish .500, let alone win the division. Aside from the weakness of the rotation (I feel great for Buddy Carlyle, but really is he the answer?), the daily lineup is killing them.
1) Thorman is a bust. He’s killing them. 2)Francoeur - dare I say it - is a great outfielder but way over-rated hitter. Everybody loves Frenchy but how many times have we seen that first-pitch groundout with the bases-loaded scenario?
3)Andruw is Manny without being Manny - he’s losing millions with this .225 start in a free agent year. 4)Chipper is a great player but his annual DL stint gets old —- to see him smiling in the dugout while his team is getting shut down by no-names night after night says it all to me about Larry Wayne Jones - he’s a diva! He needs to start taking grounders at first base and get back in the lineup and leave 3B to Escobar. 5)I worry about McCann’s durability longterm - he’s already slow. His production is way down but injuries are a factor there. Saltalamacchia looks to me like a solid but not great offensive player. 6) The high spots are few —- Renteria is a player, Kelly Johnson has been a pleasant surprise but no more. Willie Harris is fun to watch but there is usually a reason a guy has spent that many years in AAA. As for the pitching? Hudson will fade, I see him winning no more than 12-15 games. Smoltz and Soriano and Wickman are going to have to do most of the heavy lifting. Schuerholtz needs to act. I was impressed with the decision to cut their losses with Wilson and (finally!!!) with Redmond. This team has the look of a team to finish with not many more than 75 wins and be out of the wild card race by Labor Day.
By felix millan
June 9, 2007 10:09 AM | Link to this
Does anybody have a scouting report on Diory Hernandez? A shortstop from San Pedro de Macoris. He’s having a breakout season. He’s currently hitting .349 in Mississippi. He’s only 23 years old.
By songwriter jimmy smith
June 9, 2007 10:23 AM | Link to this
seeds, tobacco, and gum
seeds, tobacco, and gum
chew ‘em up and
spit ‘em out
seeds, tobacco, and uh, gum.
By Bravo Nam
June 9, 2007 10:28 AM | Link to this
Ron Roberts
Before you start criticizing other people, you need to get your facts straight. Particularly when the question was not even directed to you! My comment in relation to Griffey was not made about this season, but rather the offseason!
DOB
Before I was rudely interrupted by Mr. Roberts- I in fact did read your comment on the previous blog about the Braves having no intention of trading for Griffey given all their other needs. Point certainly taken, particularly in relation to starting pitching. If you recall, on this point I’ve been very consistent since the end of last season- I said back then the Braves needed two new SPs which they never got and now the chickens are coming home to roost.
My question on Griffey relates to the offseason. IF the Braves don’t resign AJ in the offseason, given Griffey’s keen interest in becoming a Brave, do you have any sense that he’s a guy they’d consider trading for?
If you decide not to answer this question, up to you…just didn’t want RR misrepresenting my question on the previous blog (and as you know…there’s a ton of bloggers who do a good job at misrepresenting others…in fact, they do a particularly sterling job at misrepresenting you).
A Bit of Fire and Brimstone needed
DOB, from time to time, has mentioned Leyland as one of the greatest managers he has ever witnessed, particularly in relation to his ability to motivate his players through rallying passionate speeches. I’m a BC apologist…yeah, spew your venom at me you losers…kiss my donk Robert…but I’ve gotta say one of his biggest downfalls is his one-dimensionality when it comes to sticking by players (which I admire him for) and not putting a fire under them. There are times (like now) when BC should call a closed doors meeting and shed a few home truths with the players…given that he almost never does this, it would have even greater impact…there is a time for being professional, patient and dispassionate over the course of a 162 game season…and there are also those occasions when players need to be shaken up a bit, have the pot stirred, and be reminded of why they’re playing, and up til now, sad to say, on this point BC has been found wanting.
By eric the elder
June 9, 2007 10:29 AM | Link to this
In his post-game interview, Bobby, speaking about Cormier, said, “The stuff is there, he’s just rusty.”
Then Cormier is quoted as saying that his arm strength has not returned. Huh? Which is it, boys? Rusty or arm strength?
In either case, why in heaven’s name are we trotting the guy out there, knowing that he is (a) rusty or (b) doesn’t have the arm strength?
DOB, I know it’s your job to cover Bobby and Schuerholz, along with all the others, and a great job you do, too. I wonder, though, if it isn’t just pounding sand. Bobby makes Bush’s spin machine seem amateurish, and to protect his players, he won’t usually be candid or tell the truth. JS won’t tell you anything at all other than a bunch of vapid talking points.
You dutifully report what they say, and you studiously avoid asking the wrong, professionally suicidal questions. Most of us understand that perfectly. However, there are a lot of hard-nosed fans and bloggers out here who don’t find much of what BC and JC have to say as very fulfilling.
Not an iota of criticism of you here. It’s just the nature of the business.
By ATLFAN
June 9, 2007 10:30 AM | Link to this
As Yogi would say “It’s getting late, early”
Bench AJ, let him get some splinters use him as a defesive replacement not a pinch hitter!!
Use CJ as a pinch hitter, if he ever get healthy!! Every year it’s the “same old, same old” with him. What is the guy 50 years old? Look at Julio Franco, he’s never on the DL and what is he, 60?
Trade Hudson for what ever you can get and save $$, then bring up a youngster! Why waste anymore time with this fraud! he is worth 5th starter pay, at best!!
Thorman- minors
Woodward- gone
We have to have a 1b in the minors somewhere, that can field and hit around .250??
Doing something is better that watching this team lose like this!! Take a page out of the Marlins book, and win with kids and a 39 mil payroll!! Everybody braggs about the great Braves minor leagues personel, prove it!
I would think that everyone would agree that the $$ that they Braves are paying CJ, AJ, & TH is being wasted, PERIOD!!
By ATLFAN
June 9, 2007 10:31 AM | Link to this
As Yogi would say “It’s getting late, early”
Bench AJ, let him get some splinters use him as a defesive replacement not a pinch hitter!!
Use CJ as a pinch hitter, if he ever get healthy!! Every year it’s the “same old, same old” with him. What is the guy 50 years old? Look at Julio Franco, he’s never on the DL and what is he, 60?
Trade Hudson for what ever you can get and save $$, then bring up a youngster! Why waste anymore time with this fraud! he is worth 5th starter pay, at best!!
Thorman- minors
Woodward- gone
We have to have a 1b in the minors somewhere, that can field and hit around .250??
Doing something is better that watching this team lose like this!! Take a page out of the Marlins book, and win with kids and a 39 mil payroll!! Everybody braggs about the great Braves minor leagues personel, prove it!
I would think that everyone would agree that the $$ that the Braves are paying CJ, AJ, & TH is being wasted, PERIOD!!
By Lew
June 9, 2007 10:31 AM | Link to this
What does it say about the intelligence of most of the fans, when they feel everyone should be traded, released or sent to the minors, except for Willie Harris and Matt Diaz. Jeepers. Yikes. WTF?
By journalist jimmy smith
June 9, 2007 10:37 AM | Link to this
well, something must be done to improve this team. let’s hope the braves are not sitting on their thumbs waiting for things to get better.
By The Grinch
June 9, 2007 10:39 AM | Link to this
Wow. Some of you guys are really special. “I don’t care that they’re hall-of-fame players who can’t be traded and without which we’d have looked like the Nats for the last 10 years; trade tham anyway and get someone else in here who can do the job! Surely our guys who are struggling in the minors are better that a career .305 hitter and the greatest center fielder of the last 25 years…no? Well, someone else has got to have better players that they’d like to trade us straight up for to help us win the division! And get that Putin guy out of Russia! He’s no good; bring up someone who can make decisions we agree with instead! And I’m tired of hearing about this hole in the ozone layer! Hasn’t anyone heard of duct tape? Just fix it! I’m sick of hearing about this evolution thing; if we’re decended from monkeys than why are there still monkeys? Huh? Explain that one, tough guy!” DOB, you must indeed be a drinking man to read this crap all day. I’m gonna go do something more productive, like pee into the wind.
By N8
June 9, 2007 10:40 AM | Link to this
DOB
I popped in the Wedding Crashers before goin to bed. After that, I watched the last hour of Beverley Hills Cop on HBO.
“You’re NOT gonna fall for the banana in the tail pipe?”
Classic line, from a classic movie, back when Eddie Murphy was actually funny. Well, I guess he’s not bad in all the Shrek’s! :-)
LOVE that show. Hard not to like Vince Vaughn, though. Guy is just plain old funny, IMO.
Him and Owen work good together.
I haven’t actually went to, or watched a new movie in a while. My wife’s younger sister manages a video rental place, so get a ton of movies all the time. But my wife usually gets most of them when I’m outa town giggin’.
Most of the time, I’d rather pop in a movie that I’ve seen 20 times, than take a chance on a new movie, if I don’t think it looks good.
By Austin
June 9, 2007 10:41 AM | Link to this
ATLFAN….Shut the hell up
By Wayne in Utah
June 9, 2007 10:44 AM | Link to this
DOB Many on the blog believe that what this team needs is a good old fashion a$$ chewing from the skipper. Question: When was the last time Bobby had a major chewing out session with his players? Just curious.
We all know that Bobby’s strength over the years is his seemingly endless patience and support of his players. Does he have it in him to really lay it on the line with his players? There are probably a few that really need to hear it right now, and one in particular is Andruw.
Thanks in advance. I will have to catch your answer later today, as I have a honey-do list longer than Bobby’s patience…………
By Jack
June 9, 2007 10:49 AM | Link to this
eric the Elder Tell it like it is. THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE
By Carolina Lady
June 9, 2007 10:49 AM | Link to this
serbok, huh? Uh, um, I mean, pleased to meet you.
By Bigboi
June 9, 2007 10:51 AM | Link to this
I say trade everybody but Willie Harris and Smoltz and let the chips fall where they may. Also, is there a chance we can get jorge sosa back?
By journalist jimmy smith
June 9, 2007 10:52 AM | Link to this
grinch, as a rule of thumb, grinch may be right, but, sometimes bringing someone off the farm may lead to greater productivity. tom thumb comes to mind. tom thumb was brought to the big top and taught to sing, dance, mime, impersonate famous people and perform. at the tender age of five years old, tom thumb made his first tour of america, with routines that included impersonating as well as singing, dancing and comical banter with another performer who acted as a straight man. it was a huge success and the tour expanded. the moral of this story is that a team must not sit on its thumbs - but always put your best thumb forward - don’t thumb your nose - and maintain a thumbs up attitude. hope grinch is not opposed to such thinking.
By Wayne in Utah
June 9, 2007 10:57 AM | Link to this
Lew As some would suggest, we must have 250 hitting, good fielding first basemen somewhere in the minors.
Grinch DOB must have the patience of Job.
I love the fickle nature of some who would call themselves Braves fans. First Kelly Johnson is great, next he stinks, then he is great again, and then he eventually stinks. JEEZ, what is it? And Woodward is not a great hitter, well, duh. The man is a utility infielder, not a freakin All Star in waiting. What did we expect?? Three hits in a row and his batting average is back to respectability, and then they will have him starting over Edgar, if Edgar takes the collar two days in a row.
Come on folks, give it some time.
JJS I believe something is in the works.
By eric the elder
June 9, 2007 11:05 AM | Link to this
I don’t know what it takes to make a team angry and more determined, but if the opposing pitcher standing on the mound and yawning doesn’t do it, what will? Increasingly, other teams and players are showing us up, and we do not respond.
Our many youthful players don’t have the experience for getting through horrible periods like this. They look lost and need leadership.
But who can give it? They can’t get it from veterans on the DL or from guys who are stinking up the place or from basically shy guys who can play but not lead.
And I know what a stretch this is, but I don’t think they can get it from fat guys. Bobby, Chico, and Terry are morbidly obese, and I have to think that conveys something negative to professional athletes.
The only true and effective leadship comes from example, and examples are in short supply.
By MBATL
June 9, 2007 11:06 AM | Link to this
Well, here it is June, and the offensive swoon is upon is, just like last year. Braves have scored 28 runs in 9 games this month (and 13 of those in the first two games of the month - so, 16 in the last 7.)
I agree that some kind of “shakeup” is in order, to try to kickstart the team. But folks, you can’t dump Thorman, Orr, Woodward, AJ, Cormier, Paronto, and, as some would suggest, Francoeur and McCann too! Even if you wanted to, it’s just not possible; you’ve got to have players to replace them.
Some things that might be worth a try, in my opinion:
KJ’s done a great job at leadoff, but sometimes change for the sake of change is a good thing… and his tools are wellsuited for the 2 hole. Not a permanent change, just a shakeup.
Blanco would basically duplicate Willie Harris; so give him some starts against righties, and let Willie serve Orr’s role as backup infielder. Against a lefty, maybe start Willie at 2B for a game, and Blanco in right. Again, this is a move for the sake of a move - hope to catch lightening in a bottle for a few games. You could even consider sitting AJ for a couple of days and starting Willie and Blanco in the OF together.
Can Salty play 1B? I’m guessing not, or the Braves would have tried it. If the Braves don’t think he’s ready, you’ve got to acknowledge that and move on with Thorman - we don’t have any other 1B except Woodward. But if it’s marginal - if the Braves are on the fence about it - a good time to give it a shot with Salty.
Move Oscar into the 5th starters spot, and let Cormier serve as a long reliever. Oscar’s probably not gonna be great, but can’t get much worse. This would give Cormier a chance to get his stuff together in a lesser role, and we really do need another lefty out of the pen.
We can’t bring Carlyle back for a few more days - but if Oscar doesn’t work out, it makes sense to bring him back as soon as possible and see what he can do.
NONE of this is a major overhaul. It’s June, and trades are just not available. Sure, you could get desperate and make someone an offer they can’t refuse now, and probably get taken in the process.
And we simply don’t have any major-league ready talent in the minors. To expect Harrison, Reyes, etc to ride to the rescue is just absurd. All you do is destroy their confidence and hinder their development. Short of some small moves like those above (and I’m sure there are other possibilities that are actually doable, we’ve got to ride this team as is for at least another month.
I’m not saying that’s a good thing, but is probably reality. Beyond that, just hope the Braves play better baseball!
By MBATL
June 9, 2007 11:12 AM | Link to this
(don’t know what’s up the with numbering… guess the wizzes in here will figure it out…)
By eric the elder
June 9, 2007 11:19 AM | Link to this
Grinch, thanks for the morning giggles. I forwarded your post to my wife on her own computer, and I could hear her laughing downstairs!
By Lew
June 9, 2007 11:23 AM | Link to this
ATLFAN-Ditto-Shut the hell up.
By songwriter jimmy smith
June 9, 2007 11:34 AM | Link to this
Toe dream the impossible dream
Toe fight the unbeatable foe
Toe bear with unbearable sorrow
Toe run where the brave dare not go
Toe right the unrightable wrong
Toe love pure and chaste from afar
Toe try when your thumbs are too weary
Toe reach the unreachable star
This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how far
Toe fight for the right
Without question or pause
Toe be willing to march into Hell
For a heavenly cause
And I know if I’ll only be true
Toe this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I come off the list
And the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
Toe reach the unreachable uh, star
By bravefansince54
June 9, 2007 11:35 AM | Link to this
Geesh - I try so dam@ hard to stay hopeful, but this club is not appreciably better than its overall record. On this blog, we have just passed through the “if and then” stage-“if” we get rid of Wilson, Langerhans,Redman and “then” when Cormier comes up, AJ starts hitting, CJ gets off the DL (earlier problems,Davies settles down.
The list goes on. I agree that both leadership and enthusiasm are lacking. This is a listless/unenthusiastic club that no longer believes (or even expresses) the belief that it is better than its (last seven, last homestand, last blowout - take your pick).
In short, this team is in serious trouble. A 26 and 27 W/L is a good look see at the season. Teams can turn it around, but the Bravos have an uncomfortable mix of young, injured, over the hill, and essentially untalented players. I look in vain for that combination that turns it around: Chip gets healthy, AJ picks it up, Thorman’s BA starts a steady climb, a triple play, a Cormier 2 hitter (Hey, I liked the Carlyle, but they sent him down faster than stink on sh$%!).
The bright spots are clearly there, but let’s face it - KJ, Diaz, Escobar,Harris, and anybody else not currently mired in a slump, aint gettin’ us any runs, and when our 4 & 5 guys are putting us 3,4,5 runs behind every game, we are playing demoralized.
Yes, that’s it in a nutshell. This is a demoralized club, a club that does not believe in itself. We dumped three -count ‘em - players unceremoniously and yet we still have guys on the team playing at the level of these rejects. Come on, compare Langerhans (now) with Thornier, or Cormier with Deadman, or Wilson with Orr.
Enough. Gimme hope, not shelter.
By Bill
June 9, 2007 11:36 AM | Link to this
I disagree about bringing up Harrison, Reyes or Smith. If they are strong enough, it won’t hurt their confidence. Look at Smoltz and Glavine, the beating they took for couple of years. It can’t be any worse than what’s going on now. If they keep falling and not close at the deadline, I would consider trading Renteria and Hudson. Renteria is one of my favorites. He the most consistant hitter they have. They need a big shake up and I think it’s coming by the trading dead line if things don’t improve.
By Lew
June 9, 2007 11:38 AM | Link to this
MBATL-I don’t disagree with most of your suggestions,
but I fail to see what good switching KJ and Willie Harris will accomplish. They both bat LH, they are both fast (KJ 5 of 8SB, Willie 6 0f 8) and KJ has been an excellent leadoff hitter-why punish him for success? It isn’t leadoff that’s been killing our offense, it’s Andruw’s prolonged slump and Thorman’s lack of hits-that and we really need some RH power coming off the bench. As far as the pitching, didn’t Dan Smith just get promoted to Richmond a couple of weeks ago? Some one has to just step up and be the guy.
By June Swoon
June 9, 2007 11:43 AM | Link to this
Why does everyone think that Bobby has to deliver some fire and brimstone speech or something? Is that gonna make Thorman a MLB caliber player? Is that gonna make James go more than five innings? Is that gonna make Davies consistent? Is that gonna make us find a fifth starter? Is that gonna make up for the fact that by trading Betemit and having Aybar go AWOL, this team is in a lot of pain on days when Chipper goes down or KJ needs a rest? Is that gonna make Chipper be 25 again, playing 157 games every year, free from injury? Is that gonna all of a sudden make a great third baseman pop up out of nowhere when Chipper goes down? Is that gonna make McCann not struggle with injuries and pain whether he wants to admit it or not? Is that gonna make a Salty an MLB ready first baseman ready to step in at first with a good glove and good bat? Is that gonna make KJ less prone to slumps and hot streaks? Is that gonna make Diaz and Harris develop more power? Is that gonna make Andruw stop being the same Andruw that Andruw has been for 12 years now? Is that gonna make Frenchy and Renteria…… well, there’s not much too wrong to point out there. Those are the real problems with this team that no juvenile win one for the chipper speech from Bobby will ever fix.
By Lew
June 9, 2007 11:48 AM | Link to this
“An uncomfortable mix of young, injured and over the hill and essentially untalented player.” Dude, you don’t need hope, your talking euthanasia. Have you contacted Kavorkian yet? I hear he’s out of jail.
By The Grinch
June 9, 2007 11:51 AM | Link to this
I have returned, dripping, from the outdoors.
Jimmy Smith, you’re not right in the head. I am in general, however, not opposed to that kind of thinking (Oppose? Thumbs? Oh, the phalangity!).
Eric, I’m glad my pain and anguish can at least serve as amusement for others. :-)
By Wayne in Utah
June 9, 2007 11:58 AM | Link to this
MBATL Some good points and ideas. I think something is in the works. DOB told us earlier this week that after last nights game, the roster was going to get changed to add another positional player. Probably Pena. Might see a pitcher go down. I would like to see Paronto go to Richmond to get himself back into form again. Saltalamacchia is the big question mark. Can he or can’t he play first. We might have to wait until McCann is healed to find out. Also, I suspect when Chipper comes back we will see Orr go down, or Woodward be released. No real reason to have both on the roster. We need one more bench player with some pop. I don’t know if Pena is that guy, but maybe your idea of Blanco is a good one. I would second the notion of putting AJ’s butt on the bench for a series to let him know that his performance is not cutting it.
Some good ideas on the starting rotation too. I would send Cormier back to Richmond to work things out, and either use Oscar, or Carlyle whenever it is he can return.
I think Smoltz’ shoulder is a concern for the staff also. They don’t want to be caught without someone to go on Sunday if he can’t. Also, if Smoltz can’t go Sunday, and does try on Tuesday, that throws the rotation off.
I think Oscar is the replacement for Smoltz for tomorrow if he can’t go. Who else? McBride??
By phiz50
June 9, 2007 11:59 AM | Link to this
I was surprised by BC’s comment that Cormier would get another start. He is a talented pitcher but something is not right and he needs to return to Richmond to get things straightened out. Bring back Carlyle, he deserves another start. I reluctantly agree that Salty should get more time at first. Thorman is a good kid and busts his butt out there but he seems lost at the plate and we desperately need production from 1B. I don’t agree with the hysterical condemnation of Braves management or the need for wholesale changes. The team is playing poorly but the Braves have lost Gonzalez and Hampton for the year and Chipper is on the disabled list. For years the Jones boys were the heart of this team and now one is injured and the other looks befuddled at the plate. Could mgmt. really have forseen Andruw’s batting woes this season? Last night was horrible but we are only 4 1/2 games behind. Keep the faith. Go Braves!
By brent a.
June 9, 2007 11:59 AM | Link to this
TBS is still the Braves’ “home network”; however, this is the last season of national Braves telecasts on TBS.
The earlier poster was mostly right, when he mentioned TW’s effect on the broadcasts; but more specifically, around 2002, TBS formally shifted to a “MLB on TBS” format, away from Braves baseball. The announcers were told specifically that they were not “Braves” announcers, but that they were MLB announcers. The TBS web-site even said, “Catch your favorite team this year …”
Well, about halfway through that season, that plan was aborted. Not just modified, but aborted.
But, I believe it was the next year, they added the “let’s flirt with Erin Andrews” feature, which one year later became the Marc Fein studio moment.
Simultaneously, MLB was putting more and more of a squeeze on the superstations (namely TBS and WGN), making it more expensive for them to televise games.
So, while games were gradually being shifted off of TBS to the two regionals (Fox and Turner South, the latter owned by TW), the games on TBS were still “Braves” telecasts.
Just 2 years ago, TBS signed an extension (through 2008, I believe), to continue to televise Braves games nationally. That contract was signed around the same time that TW sold Turner South to Fox, and Fox renamed the station SportSouth. So essentially, FSNSouth and SportSouth could be the same network (like FSN and FSN2 in SoCal), if so desired. However, in an attempt to keep SportSouth looking “southern” Fox has tried to keep it appearing “local”, with stories and interviews of/with local athletes, as well as poor camera work during games.
Meanwhile, the announcers have been shifted around, putting people on the Fox’s, with less of a Braves’ tie. Pete & Skip are basically radio voices, with Skip doing an occasional TBS appearance.
Now, to Chip. Yes, Chip is an annoying, gleeful, Cubs homer. And, it makes me want to vomit. It’s not just when he does Braves-Cubs games, it’s also that he takes every opportunity to mention the Cubs whenever possible.
Anyway, late last season, TBS signed a deal to become part of the national package, beginning next season. So, no more Braves nation-wide on TBS next year. (However, there are supposed to be games televised in metro Atlanta on TBS, at least for the foreseeable future.) But, during the season, the national broadcasts will be whomever TBS and MLB decide to telecast (and my understanding is that these will be Sunday games).
So, that is part of the reason why the Braves telecasts on TBS have appeared more “national” in scope, this season; however, make no mistake, they are “Braves’” broadcasts. That is why it is so freaking annoying to hear Chip salivate over the Cubs all the time. Next year, when I don’t have to watch/listen to you anymore, kiss up to the Cubs all you want. But not now. Please not now. And, just you wait until the Cubs make the play-offs and the Chipster is calling the NLCS with his beloved Cubbies playing. I think he is likely to become the all-time worst at hiding his love for his favorite team while doing a national broadcast.
By Lew
June 9, 2007 12:00 PM | Link to this
Grinch-You haven’t been swimming in the bird bath again, have you?
By N8
June 9, 2007 12:15 PM | Link to this
Lew
“…but I fail to see what good switching KJ and Willie Harris will accomplish.”
I disagree Lew. I’ve suggested for a few days, that in Chipper’s absence KJ should be moved down. I’ll explain why. (You wouldn’t expect anything less, would you?)
Harris get’s on base plenty, correct? KJ has 30some RBI from the leadoff spot, correct? That tells me that KJ is capable of driving in runs, when the opportunity arrises.
If Harris is moved into the leadoff roll, it’s not like we’re replacing KJ with Woodward. Harris is fully capable of getting on base and disrupting things.
You asked:
“KJ has been an excellent leadoff hitter-why punish him for success?”
I wouldn’t consider it “punishing hime” as much as rewarding him for his good work, by giving him more RBI opportunities, thus more chances to help the team win.
Just my opinion.
So my question is simple. Why wait until the 3rd or 4th inning (KJ’s 2nd AB) to give him an opportunity to drive in anybody but himself, via the leadoff HR? KJ is one of our best RBI guys, yet it’s the middle of the game before he has a chance to do anything about it.
Why have Harris so low in the order, essentially guaranteeing that he’ll have 1 less AB than stiffs like Andruw and Thorman? Hell, I’m still for getting Harris and Diaz in the game at the same time. Then the batting order could be:
1)Harris
2)Renteria
3)KJ
4)Francoeur
5)McCann/Salty
6)Diaz
7)Andruw
8)Thorman
To me, it makes WAY TOO MUCH SENSE to have Harris up higher in the order for more AB’s per game, and KJ down further in the order to utilize his bat for the doubles/RBI machine it would be in the 3 or 5 spot until Chipper gets back.
By Lew
June 9, 2007 12:16 PM | Link to this
Maybe if we were to take Chip Caray and sacrifice him to the Goddess during the full moon, in the middle of Stonehenge at Midsummer Night, the Braves would start winning again. For God’s (or Goddesse’s) sake y’all, be glad the games are televised. Having MLB Extra Innings, you don’t always get the Braves’ feed. Believe me, Chip is preferable to some of the yahoos that work for the competition.
By Savannah Guy
June 9, 2007 12:18 PM | Link to this
Something “tragically unfunny” happened on the way to the forum last night.
By David O’Brien, June 9, 2007 1:45 AM “…this “Savannah Guy” character. Wow, what it must be like to go through life so tragically unfunny….”
Ouch! “…to go through life tragically unfunny…” Did I really deserve that?
DOB, figured I’d do a quick check on the (your) blog this morning to see what transpired after I retired last night and I got to your 1:45 post. No big deal in the grand scheme of things mind you, but perplexing. I’ve been accused of many things, even told more than a few unfunny jokes, but to be dismissed like that? Wow. Just when I was enjoying becoming a regular blogger here, getting to know of few of the guys and popping off a few opinions and vents on the miserable way the Braves have been playing. Are you sure you were responding to something I said? Did I cross a line? Are there some blog rules I missed somewhere?
Maybe I crossed your line when I called you out on your “Braves win the division” comment. Or maybe it was my kool-ade comment. Did that get under your skin or hit some hot button? Was it my criticism of some players, manager and announcer that earned my label? Or is this a -never poke fun at the writer of this blog- zone? Is there a subject or a person in the Braves franchise that is officially off-limits for criticism? Hey, my posts were all written with good-natured respect and not all was meant to be all that funny. But “go through life tragically unfunny”? Actually, after reading my posts last night, I thought that some were quite funny…and true.
Maybe you confused me with someone else. Oh, the humanity (apologies to jjs). But I have tried to be respectful, upfront, not overly diplomatic, and irreverent at times and occasionally funny (and unintentionally unfunny) in this forum. It is also against my grain (and ability) to suck up to gain some measure of attention. So, for the sake of clearing up where I offended, I’ve attached my posts from last night.
Tell me where I went wrong. Just sincerely curious…that’s all.
By Savannah Guy June 8, 2007 9:46 PM Braves take division? DOB wrote, “But believe it or not, I’ll stick by my preseason prediction. Call me crazy, but I’ll take the Braves to find a way and win the division.” DOB, you obviously have more inside stuff on the Braves than anyone here, you are in the clubhouse and all that. That said, I know it was really hot in Atlanta today. Were you by any chance given kool-ade in said clubhouse today? Win the division? Well, that gives me some hope. I thought the Braves were headed for 4th place and stay there until they get starters and collectively remember how to hit the ball. Oh, and find a nice, cozy spot somewhere other than Atlanta for Thorman and Woodward. What do you know that we don’t know to be so optimistic? I don’t believe it because we are not managing for winning right now. We’re managing around injuries, rookies and “the Bobby book”. But I hope you’re right.
By Savannah Guy June 8, 2007 10:00 PM Hate to be negative, but I am so sick of watching Thorman play. Can Kelly play first and put Willy at second? Then when Chipper comes back, put Escobar at second? Who am I asking? Myself I guess…Can someone in the stadium play first? How’bout that good looking babe in row 7? By Savannah Guy June 8, 2007 10:23 PM Another play for ‘big ‘ol E-3 Thorman’.
By Savannah Guy June 8, 2007 10:27 PM While we’re at it, can we send Chip Carey back to Chicago? He gets so obnoxiously excited when his Cubbies do something. All Cubs with him. Who’s paying him anyway?
By Savannah Guy June 8, 2007 10:34 PM another thing: as I’ve said before, some of our guys need to lose some weight. They are much more prone to tiring and…injury. For examples, see: Chipper; Wiclman; McCann; Paronto; Andruw. Yes Andruw. He’s overweight and he is injured… just hasn’t realized it yet. Man…what made me so negative tonight? Why did I even ask that? Who is going to reply to that? Why do I keep asking questions? Dammit, There I go again, right? Oh, nevermind.
By Savannah Guy June 8, 2007 10:36 PM I’m gonna have to turn the sound off…Chip should be a Cub PR guy. Oh well, the Braves solved that…game over. Braves lose…what a shocker.
By Savannah Guy June 8, 2007 11:13 PM just figgered it out. Android Jones is not hitting because he is nervous about this being his big “show-out-for contract” year. So, let’s send Boras to Argentina on a posh dove hunt and while he’s gone, we just make a deal with Andruw so he’ll relax. Give him a $200 Toys-R-Us gift coupon, five dinners at Chucky Cheese, 3 day-passes to Six Flags and a shiny new xbox…with a trade clause in place. Then, two days later trade him for $25 million. It’s the old, buy’em for what they are worth and sell’em for what they think they are worth.
By Savannah Guy June 8, 2007 11:29 PM heated Hawaiian: good post. True….yet restrained. You really wanted to say Cox is done, right? I have the same admiration for Cox, but I have been seeing his “Clubhouse” mentality and management style not work for quite a while. When you have Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz, you get the luxury of sitting in the dugout and being a brilliant manager. Sparky Anderson said it: he had great players so he just let them play and they won. That made him look brilliant. Difference: He was humble and self depricating. He recognized it and he said it. Thorman is a different story. He’s beyond critique. But Bobby keeps throwing him out there.
By Savannah Guy June 8, 2007 11:39 PM Savannah Snip: Even a blind Thorman stumbles over an acorn now and then.n Where’s that deleted expletive $@&^$# joebrave tonight? Savannah snip #2: If a bat, the size of a tree, falls in the Woodward, does it make a sound? Sav Snip #3: To be a Brave, Orr not? Sav snip #4: (overheard by media-owner board member): Give me Liberty…or give me the death and some baseball team in the East. Sav snip #5: (overheard by Braves announcer): You gotta love those Cubbies. They have everything. I want to go back there. I could get some of those big Charles Nelson Riley glasses and sing “Take me out to the balllllparrrrk….”
By Savannah Guy June 8, 2007 11:48 PM Bobby is asleep at the wheel. Bobby has surrounded himself with coach buddies that go along and get along. The Braves are a “business as usual” “Comfy-Club”. JS is out of ideas and incentive because he already has his check and his laurels. Liberty is a faceless, emotionless, disinterested owner. We better get used to it. Braves are a 4th place team this year, and next and the one after that. Hate it, but looks true. Ok, I’ll shut up now (applause). Go BoSox. By Savannah Guy June 9, 2007 12:03 AM ok, just one more thought: DOB: Headline suggestion for tomorrow: Thorman gets needled and thumbs down. NL East tightens around Braves neck. By Savannah Guy June 9, 2007 12:12 AM DOB, you just popped in. I thought you must have gone to hit the hay. So, you still thinkin’ the Braves are a division winner? By the way, I’ve been giving you many barbs and prods in the last couple of hours (all civil and good natured of course). But, hey…if the arrow fits the wound….. You need it once in a while. Just want to make sure you’ve sobered up from the kool-ade you had in the clubhouse today. But you don’t even notice, right? So many opinions, so little time. Don’t be mad. Don’t send your goons to hurt me.
By Savannah Guy June 9, 2007 12:17 AM DOB: while I’m at it, how does it feel to be the only one on this blog with your name in color? Pretty cool. Big blue. I’d like one of those color name tags too. Maybe in a nice terra cotta. What say you? Maybe one for Mets Drooling fella too: Pink. Oops…don’t want to wake him. By N8 June 9, 2007 12:36 AM Grinch ” Cox might as well break out the jazz clarinet for post game conferences; it couldn’t be any more ridiculous.” You just about got some Diet Coke to shoot out my nose, with that one. I have to say, on a day of pitiful baseball, the blog has had some of it’s “finest” moments today/tonight. Has the banter been “witty” enought today for you DOB? By David O’Brien June 9, 2007 1:45 AM N8, yes, the banter was sufficiently witty. Quite strong, actually. Well, with the exception of this “Savannah Guy” character. Wow, what it must be like to go through life so tragically unfunny….
In closing
Apologies to fellow bloggers for taking up about 8 inches of this blog with something that is not critical to Braves baseball or, for that matter, is not particularly important to anyone. But, sometimes we learn when we review and when we ask for clarifications. Call it baseball-world social studies. I’ll check back in after a bit of trout fishing…the tide is just about right. There have been lots of ‘gator’ trout being taken around here lately.
If this post is ignored, that will be an answer of sorts. Just consider it about 3 minutes of your life that you’ll never get back.
By Mitchie-san
June 9, 2007 12:22 PM | Link to this
I wasnt this worried about the Braves last year at this time. HEck, even after June 2006. It is REALLY looking pretty bad for us….
By Wayne in Utah
June 9, 2007 12:25 PM | Link to this
Now wait a minute Lew, what’s wrong with a little swim in the bird bath?
good post phiz50
By MBATL
June 9, 2007 12:28 PM | Link to this
brent a., great stuff. You know, with Chip Carey, it’s not so much what he says about the Cubs, it’s the uncontrolled (and, I assume, uncontrollable) excitement that wells up in his voice whenever a Cub does something good.
Lew, and Bill … good points all. I’m not suggesting I know how to fix the Braves, just trying to speculate within a realistic framework. Seems like some kind of changes are needed, like I said, just for the sake of change. We’re in a funk right now.
N8 did a great job with the logic of trying Willie at leadofff, so I won’t mess with it.
On some of these things - can Salty play 1B? Are Dan Smith, or Harrison, or Reyes, etc, ready for the majors - you just have to trust the coaching staff. I’m sure not opposed, if the Braves feel they’re ready. I just wouldn’t count on them saving the day.
Course, it boils down to this; If AJ, Frenchy, McCann, Thorman don’t hit at least close to their career numbers (including power numbers), and CJ misses a whole lot of time, the Braves are sunk and there’s not enough “tweaking” to change that.
Bill, if the Braves decide to ditch the season, trading Renteria and Hudson would certainly garner some young talent. If we wanna ‘wait til next year’, might make sense. I don’t think we’re at that point yet, though.
By Lew
June 9, 2007 12:30 PM | Link to this
Nathan-Maybe so, but it doesn’t matter if you don’t look at it like punishment, it’s what KJ feels. Why tamper with the one facet of the game that’s working? It would be much more productive to put a lit firecracker up Andruw’s anal cavity and shock his a$$ into a semi-decent performance. Working on the other end has produced no results to this point. Switching your successful leadoff hitter ain’t gonna get it done. I’ve got to tell you-I’m as pleasantly surprised as anyone with Willie’s performance to this point, but realistically, how much longer can it continue. The guy entered the season with a career .238 BA after 900AB. He’s playing WAY over his head and every aspect of the Law of Averages, says he’s due for a slide back to reality. If he were to end the season at .300 (way higher than anyone ever thought possible-except maybe KC), it will take a huge slump to bring him down to that level. If his performance to this point has not been a catalyst, I doubt moving him up one slot in the order will turn the trick.
By Carolina Lady
June 9, 2007 12:32 PM | Link to this
Do you sense a monumental tirade by Bobby building up?? :-))
If this team is waiting for Chipper to return to the lineup and can’t function without him, what will they do when he retires??
By eric the elder
June 9, 2007 12:32 PM | Link to this
Savannah Guy, I for one read and enjoy your posts, but your last is over the top. Each of gets hammered from time to time by someone, even DOB. Try not to take it personally.
If we all got in such a snit that we reposted all of our posts, it would take 2 days for the rest of us to refresh the blog. My index finger is weary from rolling the scroll wheel.
By journalist jimmy smith
June 9, 2007 12:36 PM | Link to this
whoa, savannah guy, it is not necessary to question dob when dob is cranky. this journalist has some experience with making dob a little cranky with some cheese posts and others too numerous to mention. sorta stepped on dob’s toes if savannah guy knows what this journalist means. canned hams, sick horses, all have come under scrutiny here. but dob gave jimmy smith jimmy smith’s break in journalism - and jimmy smith will never forget. and as bad as jimmy smith and savannah guy may be it is not as bad as stinky and a cranky sja. journalist’s advice to savannah guy: stay on your toes and keep your thumbs up and never be controversial here. now, golly, gee, jeepers … oh, no! grinch?
By Jason's crunk
June 9, 2007 12:36 PM | Link to this
Dang, Savannah Guy. Emotional, huh? Im sure he meant nothing more than you meant toward him.
By Lew
June 9, 2007 12:41 PM | Link to this
Savannah Guy-Dude, don’t sweat it. Every regular on this blog has had his/her commentary taken to the cleaners by DOB-Grinch, myself, Nathan and others as well. I think Carolina Lady is the only one to get a pass (maybe FLBravesGirl, too). You can’t be a regular if you don’t get an occaisional reaming. Unless you’re a complete d!ckhead (which, I assure you, you’re NOT), I wouldn’t worry about it. Just as long as you don’t mention Whitesnake or Night Ranger (oops, I did it again), DOB will completely forget he ever jumped on your butt.
By N8
June 9, 2007 12:42 PM | Link to this
Lew I hear you.
But a) we know that Bobby will not be the one lighting the proverbial (sp?) firecracker under Andruw’s rear.
And
b) I agree that Harris is “over his head”. Of course he is. Just as Andruw is under his production. Do you go with the hot hands and stay in the race? Or do we just keep Harris on the bench and Andruw in the lineup and then when July hits and we wonder why we’re 10 games back, we’ll go: Hmmmm, should sat Andruw for a while, and got Harris more AB’s.
Definition of insanity, my friend.
I suspect we’ve got about 2-3 weeks of this same cast of characters in the same order, to be trotted out there.
We won’t get our change, until Chipper returns. Just a gut feeling.
By Memphis
June 9, 2007 12:42 PM | Link to this
Brent a.- and whoever else may know.
You mentioned that TBS may carry some games on TBS in metro Atlanta next year. I have not heard this, but if this is true, then what will happen with those games and basically all of the 70 games that TBS has been carrying on a Statewide or regional level? Will they switch all 70 to FoxSS and SportSouth or will there be another station or set of networks get involved?
As a Georgia resident it has been nice to have access to all 162 games during the year- and I hope and would think the Braves would want for that to continue even without TBS.
By Sandmann
June 9, 2007 12:43 PM | Link to this
Looks like last week’s drama for the Cubs has lit a fire under their arses. Maybe Smoltz should deck Andruw for playing like a schmoe all year and wake this team up…
By journalist jimmy smith
June 9, 2007 12:48 PM | Link to this
not that journalist is ever controversial, of course. all chipper jokes are taken well, right? a huntin’ we will go … joke, right? potato goes in the front, joke, right? whither journalist bob to get jimmy smith out of this? oh, the humanity!
By Carolina Lady
June 9, 2007 12:49 PM | Link to this
Savannah Guy, I’ll have to say I was puzzled by that, as well. I’ve enjoyed your posts. Maybe it wasn’t intended the way we read it; that happens with the plain written word.
By MBATL
June 9, 2007 12:51 PM | Link to this
It would be much more productive to put a lit firecracker up Andruw’s anal cavity and shock his a$$ into a semi-decent performance.
Lew, how do you ‘shock’ a guy who’s making $13.5 mil a year on a guaranteed contract, and is sure to get a hefty raise at season’s end, no matter what he does “today.”
Bobby could yell and scream and threaten, and AJ could just flash that silly grin and move on (I don’t really think AJ has a bad attitude, btw. And I think he’s noticeably cut down his swing in the last couple of weeks, to his credit. He’s trying to do better, just as I’m sure all the Braves are.)
Saw a report on ESPN where some guy had studied “closed door meetings” in the last 20 years (or some such time frame). What he found was that (a) bad teams have a lot more closed door meetings than good teams; and (b) closed door meetings almost never resulted in any significant increase in performance.
I think that in football, you can “scream” a guy into better play, because so much is based on emotion and intensity. But in baseball, not so much.
By Carolina Lady
June 9, 2007 12:55 PM | Link to this
jimmy, are you in trouble again??
GRINCH! Get out of the birdbath! We’ve talked about that!
By Lew
June 9, 2007 12:56 PM | Link to this
Nathan-I’m not that sure what changes can be made right now. Replace Andruw with Willie Harris? Dude, THAT’S insane. Willie’s due to come down to earth and Andruw can hit three out at a moment’s notice (I officially announce that this is that moment and notice has been given). Maybe Willie doesn’t play everyday because he hits .120 points lower against LHP, even this year. Let’s face it-barring some unknown trade or Andruw deciding to strap on the leotard, nothing much will improve until Chipper’s back.
By Lew
June 9, 2007 1:00 PM | Link to this
MBATL-Actually, I don’t feel any outside motivation should be necessary and I have no idea what would work with Andruw (although I have a feeling that a future committment from the Braves would do the trick). However, something needs to get his attention. It is time.
By IlliniBrave
June 9, 2007 1:04 PM | Link to this
brent a thanks for someone finally recognizing and responding to my post at 12:53am re. TBS and the “Braves” broadcasts. I’m not a huge fan of Chip or Joe (nor Don S. last year), but the bloggers who are calling for his head don’t seem to recognize that the announcers haven’t been “homers” for the past four to five years. If you want to listen to homers, tune in to radio. I actually find it refreshing to have announcers state the obvious - the Cubs are playing better baseball than the Braves right now!
I just wish they didn’t let Erin Andrews go to ESPN. Damn she was easy on the eyes and made me keep watching even when the Bravos were having a bad day!!!
By journalist jimmy smith
June 9, 2007 1:05 PM | Link to this
yes, carolina lady, always be mindful of that with jimmy smith posts … kitty hawk.
now, many songbirds are appearing here now that jimmy smith has learned bird calling. and the blue worms now appear to be under control.
these canadians on the braves team … green blood? something is very wrong here and no one seems to care. and why would a canadian attempt to catch a ball with the back of the canadian’s glove turned to the ball? hmmm….
now, baseball … lew is right, it is not the announcers. it is the canadians!
By Bob, Journalist
June 9, 2007 1:16 PM | Link to this
I agree that David’OB can occasionally overreact. Why it was only last August that he ….
Savannah, you don’t need to repost everything … just go back and reread. David might overreact on occasion but chances are great that there’s at least some directional justification.
However, there are some things which are indeed worthy of repeating!
“Creeping self-doubt, a more insidious destructor than any talent shortcoming, can become the elephant in the room. Braves need to keep THAT out of the locker room much more than they need any new personnel in it”
I never could compete with Scoots, he’s one of a kind!
By Carolina Lady
June 9, 2007 1:22 PM | Link to this
Ah, yes. Kitty Hawk. How well I remember!!
What’s going to happen with our Braves?? Something’s gotta give!
By Mitchie-san
June 9, 2007 1:26 PM | Link to this
I also miss Erin Andrews…..
By Lew
June 9, 2007 1:38 PM | Link to this
Is this the new rallying cry? “We’ll always have Kitty HawK”? Oh The Humanity.
By Carolina Lady
June 9, 2007 1:38 PM | Link to this
Ahoy, Mitchie-san! Erin may be pretty but that high-pitched nasally whine was akin to fingernails on a chalkboard. Ugh! :-)
By Carolina Lady
June 9, 2007 1:45 PM | Link to this
Lew, jjs will.
By IlliniBrave
June 9, 2007 1:47 PM | Link to this
Carolina Lady re. Erin Andrews - her, uh-hum, how-shall-we-say, “other attributes” more than compensated for the nasal voice.
By David O'Brien
June 9, 2007 1:47 PM | Link to this
Some of you could use a good dose of the “Phases and Stages” Willie Nelson CD I’m listening to right now. Cormier and the Braves have harshed your mellow, as our good friend on the blog here once put it so eloquently….
By the way, for any who haven’t see The Prestige (came out last year), it’s a great movie. On DVD now. Watched it last night. Laaaate last night.
It was a lot better than that game I witnessed.
By David O'Brien
June 9, 2007 1:50 PM | Link to this
Carolina Lady, morning. Regarding Chipper, by the time he’s retired, the Braves would expect guys like McCann and Francoeur to be established veterans no longer requiring as much guidance or stabilizing force in the lineup, as they and others should by then be able to provide it themselves to younger players coming along. That’s the way it works, theoretically at least.
By Carolina Lady
June 9, 2007 1:54 PM | Link to this
IlliniBrave, I’ll have to take your word for that! :-)))
By TennesseePaul
June 9, 2007 1:55 PM | Link to this
I hate to say it but, this team, without some quick action, is finished. 9-17 since May 13th. Nothing about the on field play says that they can turn this around. Nothing about the interview snips hints that the know how to turn it around. “We know we need to do better.” Obviously they don’t know how to do better, which is the problem.
We are playing pretty much the top 4 teams in the AL over the next two weeks. Tredding water will not get us through that. If no move is made soon, it will be a June Swoon reduex and we’ll be out of the race by the end of the month.
The team needs a bench clearing brawl or something. Thor and AJ have to wake up. Hopefully McCann figures out the hitch in his swing.
By eric the elder
June 9, 2007 1:58 PM | Link to this
joebrave, it’s not healthy to keep things bottled up like that. If you are feeling agitated about something, just go ahead and let it all out. I promise you’ll feel better. :)
By David O'Brien
June 9, 2007 1:58 PM | Link to this
Some of you could use a good dose of the “Phases and Stages” Willie Nelson CD I’m listening to right now. Cormier and the Braves have harshed your mellow, as our good friend on the blog here once put it so eloquently….
By the way, for any who haven’t see The Prestige (came out last year), it’s a great movie. On DVD now. Watched it last night. Laaaate last night.
It was a lot better than that game I witnessed.
Oh, and Bob, J _ who cares if you think I overreact? Methinks you can be awful pretentious, too, but I don’t say it here. Usually.
By flange1
June 9, 2007 2:03 PM | Link to this
ZINGER! Good one DOB!
By eric the elder
June 9, 2007 2:03 PM | Link to this
Oops, looks like joebrave got deleted. Never mind …
By David O'Brien
June 9, 2007 2:07 PM | Link to this
Savannah Guy, just got up to your post (I scroll from the bottom in the morning/early afternoon).
Man, don’t get all worked up over some toss-off line I typed as I headed out of the pressbox. I had only seen your last couple of posts when I typed it, the ones about how you had aimed barbs at me all night and did I drink the kool-ade and blah blah blah. Sorry, but they weren’t funny. I didn’t mind the personal nature, just didn’t think they were funny, whether directed at me or anyone else.
Now, your earlier posts actually contained some humor. I liked a lot/most of them.
But when you go back and compile them all, you come across as a bit obsessive, and I know you’re not like the Worst Blogger We’ve Ever Had here, who shall remain nameless and was banned a couple months ago, just before the blog — not coincidentally — became a much friendlier and more interesting places not devoted to that person’s sexual obsessions projected onto others, etc.
Again, I know you’re not at all like that guy; you’re cool and welcome here. Very welcome. I’m just saying, he’s the only previous person to be so obsessed with his own posts as to go back and compile them and ask the crowd to judge them and my response to them.
So let’s just put it behind us, agree with Bob that I sometimes overreact, and say methinks you’re a good dude and I’m sorry. OK? Peace.
By David-ATL14
June 9, 2007 2:09 PM | Link to this
Now IF we could only get Joebrave and his (johnny lunchpail,Joe timeclock) ill conceived rants to desert the blog just as he has the Braves.
One can only hope.
By Coach
June 9, 2007 2:11 PM | Link to this
O’Brien’s preseason prediction that this team could win the division was correct. However , that team included a healthy Mike Hampton , a back up third sacker in Willy Aybar , a productive Ryan Langerhans in left field , a solid platoon of Thorman/Wilson at first base , Mike Gonzalez pitching all season , Chipper being healthy , ditto for McCann and of course not to mention the offensive woes of Andruw Jones. That WAS A TEAM capable of winning the division , as in PAST TENSE. The injury bug has blown all that prediction stuff right out of the freaking water including my wild card prediction which of course was predicated on the team staying healthy. It is what it is , a broken down wreck of a baseball team and it probably can’t be fixed.
By eric the elder
June 9, 2007 2:13 PM | Link to this
BobJ:
Methinks you can be awful pretentious, too, but I don’t say it here.
Har har. Ranks right up there with, “I won’t comment on that idiotic statement.”
By fastasballs
June 9, 2007 2:14 PM | Link to this
This team is reminding me of the movie Groundhog Day.
A closed door meeting couldn’t hurt right now. Things can’t get too much worse than the past few weeks, if you recall the Cubs had one not too long ago & an explosion by their manager.
I said a few days ago a good brawl may bring this team together, but there wasn’t even a knock down pitch to Soriano after his excessive admiration of his 3rd homerun.
Having them fired up is not going to magically fix the rotation, 1B, Chipper, the bench & middle relief , but unless they believe they can win or are contenders the season will be completely lost before there is time to address the team needs.
Thorman is hung out to dry at first unless a trade is made. There is no immediate help in the minors & nobody on the team besides Woodward seems capable of playing first. No Salty is not the answer, at least not this year.
If they do tank the rest of the month I think a lot of trades are made. The Braves do have a lot of desirable players that are tradable like Wickman, Edgar, Diaz, Salty, etc. It’s definitely a seller’s market right now so JS could gain some valuable pieces for the future with these guys if team continues to sink.
By Braveheart
June 9, 2007 2:20 PM | Link to this
Erin Andrews has a voice? I’m sorry. I’m much too mesmerized by her girl next door beauty to notice that she speaks.
By Chop Chop
June 9, 2007 2:22 PM | Link to this
fastasballs…
Huddy can just knock Soriano down in his second AB. You know, after Alfonso takes Huddy deep in the first.
By Coach
June 9, 2007 2:24 PM | Link to this
For the last freaking time !!! Salty is not on the trading block. John Schuerholz has balked at every single team that has called concerning Salty. The answer from the front office is: Salty is unavailable , that you very much , have a nice day.
By Braveheart
June 9, 2007 2:25 PM | Link to this
Oh, Savannah Guy, it’s a badge of honor when DOB acts like Clemens, Pedro, Drysdale, or Gibson and makes you hit the deck. Dust yourself off, get back in there, and try to knock another one out of the park.
From time to time, DOB slaps me around just like he slaps around all of the other regulars from time to time including JJS, SJA, Caveman22, 10Paul, 10Greg, Lew, N8, KC, Wayne, Efrim, Joebrave, Ron Roberts, Shaun, Bob the Journalist, MBATL, Grinch, eric the elder, Matthew, Dad to Walter, arkansas hillbilly, serbok, robert, oddjob, stinky, and, well, how many darn regulars has this blog compiled at this point already? It’s getting to be so many I can’t mention any without insulting others. On more than one occasion, DOB has told me to go seek some much needed mental health treatment. Lew usually agrees wholeheartedly with that assessment of DOB.
Hell, he gets on everyone - especially when they get carried away with themselves. I’ve seen him do it many times to all the people I named above. He’s a crusty vet who thinks he needs to keep hotshot loudmouth rooks in their place.
From what I recall, DOB has given you kudos on your good posts. Last night’s posts were just really not up to your standards. Most of your prior posts were funny and insightful. Last night was just not up to your comedic or insightful standards. It seemed forced. Hence, why DOB might have felt the need to buzz your tower in order to humble you. It would be like some hotshot rookie coming up to the majors who has a great first month, he starts feeling a little too confident about himself, and Smoltz and Chipper feel the need to humble the guy by completely disregarding any accomplishment the rookie has ever had so that the rookie remembers his place on the pecking order on the team.
It is sort of similar to Chipper saying when Aybar first went AWOL, “I didn’t even realize he was still on the team.” Or Parcells calling Terry Glenn She. Or Parcells this year telling everyone to calm the hell down about Tony Romo already and not to go reserving a spot in Canton for Romo just yet.
By David-ATL14
June 9, 2007 2:27 PM | Link to this
What about that? the SIMPLETON rant of joebrave has disappeared.
By Carolina Lady
June 9, 2007 2:28 PM | Link to this
‘Mornin’, David! (You really were up late, weren’t you? Enjoy that; I’m jealous!)
I didn’t put it very well above, but my thought behind that was - isn’t there a coach, a manager, another player who has any influence/leadership qualities in the interim? It gives the appearance of all of them standing around looking at each other, nobody taking any steps to right the ship. Surely Chipper isn’t the only person to lead.
Yes, I do realize there’s probably a lot going on behind the scenes of which we are unaware, but from the perspective of those of us who only see what’s on TV, it looks as if there is a massive leadership void in the organization. They can’t lean on Hoss forever. (Don’t beat me up, David. I’m your biggest fan here! lol) Thanks for all your hard work! :-)
By eric the elder
June 9, 2007 2:31 PM | Link to this
Braveheart! You are back from your self-imposed exile! Just in the nick of time, too. Things are getting a little apoplectic around here.
By L. M. Hull
June 9, 2007 2:41 PM | Link to this
While you “homers” continue to tell us that the Braves are a good team and will get all of this sorted out; why don’t you tell us that Porky Pig is an air ace?
By Mitchie-san
June 9, 2007 2:42 PM | Link to this
HI Carolina Lady! Yeah, I could put up with Erin Andrews voice and her stuttering. She was easy on the eyes…. I just passed the Equator again a few days ago on my way to Moylan’s homeland. AH, I cant wait….
By fastasballs
June 9, 2007 2:43 PM | Link to this
Coach, The Braves front office has also said Salty would remain a catcher, did they not? Is he going to be McCann’s back up for the next five years?
At some point either Salty or McCann is traded unless one is moved to another position. Judging from the contract they signed McCann to & the praise he is given by the front office I doubt it’s him who moves positions or is traded.
If the Braves fall out of race & Salty is not sent down to the minors to play first base or gets a lot of playing time there in Atlanta, he’s going to be traded.
By Coach
June 9, 2007 2:47 PM | Link to this
I’m taking two to one odds that Cox gets ejected tonight or tomorrow. Anybody want in on the action ?
By Bob, Journalist
June 9, 2007 2:50 PM | Link to this
Now Cato, You’re going to have to stop using those big words if you expect me to respond … and what does “har” mean anyway?
I is what I is … not what folks think I am … what a joke we are … why is it that it so hard to fool others when it’s so easy to fool ourselves?
You’re getting as bad as Robert with the redundancies … might I suggest you try using a decent spellchecker? At least it would catch the repeated words!
By IlliniBrave
June 9, 2007 2:51 PM | Link to this
Hey Braveheart Hey DOB
“…JJS, SJA, Caveman22, 10Paul, 10Greg, Lew, N8, KC, Wayne, Efrim, Joebrave, Ron Roberts, Shaun, Bob the Journalist, MBATL, Grinch, eric the elder, Matthew, Dad to Walter, arkansas hillbilly, serbok, robert, oddjob, stinky, and, well, how many darn regulars…”
How do I get on this list? I feel so left out! ;)
By Carolina Lady
June 9, 2007 2:54 PM | Link to this
Enjoy Moylan-land, Mitchie-san! That’s one place I’ve never been. Is the Equator Ceremony still observed in today’s Navy? I forgot what it’s called….Neptune party or something?
By Carolina Lady
June 9, 2007 2:58 PM | Link to this
Coach, yep! You can feel it coming! The cap hit the dugout floor last night - this one’s gonna be a doozie, I think! :-)
By Bob, Journalist
June 9, 2007 3:01 PM | Link to this
IlliniBrave, careful what you ask for … there’s a fine line between fame and infamy and you don’t want to get on the wrong list!
By eric the elder
June 9, 2007 3:01 PM | Link to this
Coach, no bet, but it won’t do any good. It’s old hat for the veterans, and for the youngsters, it’s like watching with big eyes as Mom and Dad fight again.
BC’s tangles with umps are mostly to “protect” his players, but the players don’t need any more protecting. They need to be called out for not making the adjustments needed to be successful.
By Mitchie-san
June 9, 2007 3:01 PM | Link to this
Oh yeah we still do the “crossing the line”. I have been a Trusty Shellback for years. It is definitly more fun now than when I had to go throught it!
By L. M. Hull
June 9, 2007 3:03 PM | Link to this
It’s King Neptune’s Party, Ma’am, and it sure ain’t no fun for the “invitees”.
By AZBravoFan
June 9, 2007 3:11 PM | Link to this
Anybody read the article in SI on Jake Peavy? At the end he said when his free agent year comes up (2008, although SD has a club option for 2009), he wouldn’t mind playing closer to home (Alabama). Don’t know how the Braves could swing that, but maybe it would be worth holding on to Salty, Escobar, et al. to try to pry him loose if the Pads were to falter by July of next year or the year after. Say Smoltz can keep it up for another couple years, imagine a rotation of Peavy, Smolz, Hudson in a post-season series. OK, I’ll wake up now, but it’s fun to dream about to take my mind off this garbage we’ve been watching lately.
By The Grinch
June 9, 2007 3:16 PM | Link to this
Man, afternoon naps are quite the thing, are they not? JJS, I just read your transgression; have no fear. Your follow-up posts suggest it was merely a slip-up, not a harbinger of things to come from which you should be rescued in the most desperate of ways. And I was not in the birdbath; my referrence to coming back dripping was related to my previous post (I won’t elaborate).
Savannah Guy, don’t get all worked up. David and I have disagreed in the past, and even though he was, of course, wrong he steadfastly refused to admit it. Being the unusually big-hearted Grinch that I am, though, I have forgiven him and things worked out in the end. Besides, if you read this crap all day wouldn’t you be a bit snitty sometimes?
BTW, I was in Kroger yesterday afternoon and as I was rounding the corner from the beer section into the tofu/helthy/blech isle there was this uber-hot thirty-something semi-trashy chick in a short skirt and heels bent over retrieving something she had just dropped. When she tossed her hair to bend over, time seemed to freeze for an instant and with Whitesnake’s “Is it Love” blaring over the Kroger speakers I felt like I was in what was perhaps the perfect moment. After I passed by slowly and checked out her caboose, those heart felt lyrics and melodious guitar harmonies dancing in my ears, I realized why David doesn’t like 80’s pop metal. It’s too perfectly painful. He knows (as I did) that the image of her on her on all fours on the hood of a ‘77 camaro out in front of a nice new double-wide with her bleached hair blowing in slow-mo from the off camera wind machines will simply never be for him and it hurts too much to have the images evoked through such a powerful medium as music. I feel your pain, brother. :-) Speaking of pain, what time is the game today?
By Shaun
June 9, 2007 3:16 PM | Link to this
DOB,
Regarding Soriano owning the Braves, I do think it’s coincidence, honestly. Could be wrong but great players are going to have big games fairly regularly.
Players may “own” ballparks or pitchers/certain types of pitchers/certain pitches, but I don’t think players own teams.
Just makes absolutey no sense to me that a player would play well against a uniform. I can understand certain players, certain types of pitches, certain stadiums but anything else just makes no sense. And this is what the evidence I’ve seen and read indicates.
By jch
June 9, 2007 3:16 PM | Link to this
Well, last night was fun… More of the same - getting hammered by mediocre teams.
Without at least one blockbuster trade these guys don’t have a chance at the playoffs.
The problem is, in blockbuster trades equivalent talent usually goes both ways and we don’t have much to offer we’d be willing to part with or that’s worthy of the type of a blockbuster deal we need.
And, please stop suggesting trading our pitchers for someone elses - we don’t want them, why do you think anyone else would?
So that leaves us with position players.
Chipper’s out.
So are McCann and Frenchy.
Renteria’s our only source of consistency.
Then there’s our less-experienced/rookie players
Diaz, hard to trade one of the few guys actually playing consistently well.
Harris - ditto
Johnson - who’d want him?
Thorman - ditto
then there’s our prime prospects
Escobar’s showing way too much potential to trade at a position he will gradually inherit as Chipper works through the twilight of his career so he’s out.
Salty - I’d love to see him in a Braves uniform for the rest of his career but we’ve got to find a spot for him. We’re committed to McCann behind the plate and Salty’s way too talented for a back-up.
So, the question is really whether they want him at 1B or not.
If the answer is yes, put him on the next plane to Richmond and get him some experience at the position. With his talent he may be back up by August.
If not, float him on the market and see what offers you get. I would hate to see him go but what else is there to do with him? I’d love to hear some alternatives because I’d really hate to see him go.
And that leaves us with Andruw. He’s gone after this year anyway and he certainly isn’t helping us win so float his name out there and see what’s offered. If it’s attractive enough, pull the trigger.
Whatever is done needs to happen NOW! and needs to bring long-term benefits, not someone for the penant chase… If the move fits both roles, great, but the priority needs to be on the long term.
By eric the elder
June 9, 2007 3:23 PM | Link to this
A word about adjustments. In the Hill game, he was throwing only two pitches, swifty and curve. From the first inning on, it was obvious that he had much better command of the curve, so the “adjustment” is to sit on the curve. With just two pitches being thrown, the odds of being wrong three times in a row are only 1 in 8.
Second, a curve, especially thrown over the top as Hill’s is, drops. A level swing has its place in the right circumstances, but not for big looping curves. I can provide a trigonometric proof that dropping the head of the bat has a greater chance of success because the flight of the bat is more aligned with the path of the ball. Yet what we saw all evening were level swings that went across the top of the ball. Whiffs and groundouts.
I wonder whether hitting adjustments are ever actually practiced.
By Carolina Lady
June 9, 2007 3:24 PM | Link to this
Mitchie-san, LM Hull - your comments say it all! :-)) My father was in the USN through WW2 and the Korean War, and was the source of my (extremely limited) knowledge of the ceremony. Maybe we need to cook up something like that for the Braves!
By Braveheart
June 9, 2007 3:29 PM | Link to this
IlliniBrave, careful what you ask for … there’s a fine line between fame and infamy and you don’t want to get on the wrong list!
Well put, Bob the Journalist.
Seeing that list, most of those mentioned probably think of the Woody Allen line from Annie Hall: “I would never want to belong to any club that would have someone like me for a member.”
Not sure if you wanna join it or not. Most of the people I mentioned on that list tend to be the types who treat me and have me treat them like it’s Dega or Daytona, beating and bump drafting each other to death trying to win the race because second place is just the first place loser.
By jb
June 9, 2007 3:32 PM | Link to this
All this talk about sitting Andrew in favor of Harris. Andrew is still doing it with the glove and is no worse offensively than most his current teammates at this time. I would rather see Harris in left and Diaz at 1B against a left hander. Thorman isn’t exactly hitting right handers, and sure looks awful against lefties. Harris definitely looks better at the plate against a lefty. Just look at his pinch hit last night. Renteria should return to the 2 spot unless Harris in the line up. Escobar is not patient enough at this time. If Renteria is hitting second, Diaz may be a good option for the 3rd spot and Escobar hitting 7th.
By L. M. Hull
June 9, 2007 3:38 PM | Link to this
Your suggestion is well-taken, ma’am, but a good old fashioned keel hauling of the whole bunch would be more appropriate. Anyone have a vessel with a lot of barnacles?
By David O'Brien
June 9, 2007 3:40 PM | Link to this
Shaun, sorry it makes absolutely no sense to you, that you can’t comprehend something that doesn’t have a tangible basis in your statistical mindset.But what is, is. And Soriano owns the Braves. Sorry, he just does.
For now, at least, and for the duration of his career so far, he’s owned the Braves. If he hit against five other teams the way he does the Braves, he’d be the biggest start in baseball. But he doesn. What is, is.
By Braveheart
June 9, 2007 3:42 PM | Link to this
Yes, eric the elder. It seems I am not going to keep my word. I hope that bravesseasontix guy from the other day realizes how deeply sorry I am about the very unfortunate things I said when I myself got far too carried away with myself.
But maybe I am back in the community in Paris Hilton like fashion. Or maybe the judge is very angry that my self imposed 25 day banishment was only good for 3 days like Paris Hilton and he will have a hearing and throw me back in the slammer. Hopefully, when he throws me back in the slammer, I will not go crying and screaming like that spoiled brat did.
BTW, if Paris Hilton had any cool points, doesn’t everyone else agree that she lost all of them yesterday? How could anyone ever consider her even somewhat cool after that pathetic display yesterday? As far as I am concerned whatever the hell it was that made her the IT cool girl on the party scene had to have been completely lost yesterday. That was about the uncoolest thing I have ever seen. I have never witnessed a display quite that pathetic. MOM! MOM! MOM! Over the age of 21, don’t you lose any right to scream for mommy when you are in trouble? I think it is more like the age of 17 but I am being generous.
By jb
June 9, 2007 3:43 PM | Link to this
jch,
Andrew has a no- trade clause. Due to the fact he has to o.k. a trade, most teams tend to lesson the value. The other team has all the leverage if Andrew will o.k. a deal to go there.
By Mitchie-san
June 9, 2007 3:43 PM | Link to this
I know a few that could use a good shelaylie….
By Savannah Guy
June 9, 2007 3:53 PM | Link to this
To DOB and other blog denizens:
Please allow me pass along a “my bad” and apologies to all for sending my previous post (epic novel) that compiled last nights blog rambling (of mine). As I said there, it was no big deal…just curiosity and attempt at being specific. But the sheer length of my post certainly made it look like a bigger deal than intended. It also took a lot more than 8 inches. Which should be an unwritten rule of blog etiquette. I’ll have a bit of a cringe until DOB posts a new blog and then my faux pas will only live in the cyber wastebasket. Where it belongs.
What was seemed so incidental this morning did come off looking “obsessive” and, well…admittedly “over the top”. Guess what guys…I agree. Jeez, I just looked at that post (I couldn’t even get through it either) and all I can say is, sorry ’bout that. We all get carried away and blather on at times…and usually that’s ok. But there are times when its better to just not hit that send button until you wake up from a too late, too many cocktails kinda’ night. I really didn’t take it as seriously as it came off. So, even if I’m really not thin-skinned as that came off. Nuff’ said I suppose.
In the meantime, thanks to all that gave your feedback. You ALL were very kind (even though I deserved some major ribbing). You were positive and even supportive in your comments. And thanks DOB for your apology…even though it was not expected and certainly not needed…but thanks anyway. You showed that you are really a good guy for even bothering to do that. For that, I am flattered…and humbled.
So, chalkboard erased…movin’ on…already forgotten. I’ll get by with a little help from my friends…See you this eve’nin. If I think of something pertinent, irreverent or funny to add, then you’ll see me too.
By The Grinch
June 9, 2007 3:53 PM | Link to this
Braveheart, you’re right. Paris needs a good spanking. She has been a very, very, NAUGHTY girl. I think it’s time for a police uniform and a funky bass-line to accompany the Grinch to the whatever county jail that is; a new film needs to me made.
By TennesseePaul
June 9, 2007 3:57 PM | Link to this
LMAO! HA! On que Payne comes in with it. Oh man, that almost makes yesterday’s butchering worth it.
By IlliniBrave
June 9, 2007 4:00 PM | Link to this
Bob the Journalist and Braveheart:
Thanks for the advice. If you notice though, I was winking at the suggestion. But honestly, being included with the likes of you and some others like N8 and SJA and Wayne and others who post witty and reasonably well-informed and even-handed comments wouldn’t be so bad. But on the other hand, having my comments lumped in with Joe”sumbitch”Brave’s rants, Shaun’s endless, arcane, stat-laden arguments, and Robert’s donkey-fetish hatred with BC… now there you got a point.
By Carolina Lady
June 9, 2007 4:01 PM | Link to this
CL out for a while - duty calls.
By L. M. Hull
June 9, 2007 4:05 PM | Link to this
With all due respect, Mr. Savannah Guy, was your faux pas longer than your apology?
By h_charles
June 9, 2007 4:05 PM | Link to this
DOB How about limiting word limit here? Man, some of these posts are just WAYY too long. This is a conversation, not a speach.
As to the Braves, what do we get with Cormier? It is one thing to be rusty, but he doesn’t seem to me to have major league stuff. Not a great fastball, not a great breaking ball, not a great change. What exactly does he bring to the table when he is “on?” Gotta plug that hole. 5th starter NEVER gives us any chance to win. Not going to compete until 2 out of 3 starts there are at least ML average.
By eric the elder
June 9, 2007 4:13 PM | Link to this
BobJ, okay you made me look it up. The etymology of “har” is “arrrrr,” as used by 18th century pirates. Unfortunately, that word didn’t mean anything either.
Now I’m off to install a spell checker - - as soon as I figure out what it is.
By TennesseePaul
June 9, 2007 4:22 PM | Link to this
The real Oliver Perez is showing up today. I appreciated the few Mets fans who posted last night and this morning. The Mets 4 game skid was paused by a single win and they show up to puff up their chest. Where are they when the Mets lose?
By joebrave
June 9, 2007 4:22 PM | Link to this
Yes but of course i got deleted,The Truth,usually does… still last night uncovered what this team is all about…. NOTHING!!!!
By ElbravoX
June 9, 2007 4:26 PM | Link to this
Fire Terry Pendleton.
By Sandmann
June 9, 2007 4:27 PM | Link to this
I’ve never gotten the Erin Andrews thing. Obviously she’s an attractive young lady, but I could never get past her lazy eye…and I know that I’m just setting up someone for a joke here.
AZBravoFan, there is 0 chance that the Pads would ever trade us Peavy. For one thing, we’re much more likely to be sellers at the deadline than they are.
By Braveheart
June 9, 2007 4:27 PM | Link to this
eric the elder, maybe the spell checker would be able to check out if some evildoer has cast a spell on the Braves for the last month.
By Chop Chop
June 9, 2007 4:27 PM | Link to this
Thanks to joebrave, the “words” sockcucker and futhermucker are gaining steam for addition to the 2008 edition of Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. I’ve recently incorporated these “words” into my daily speech and my friends and cohorts are duly impressed.
By joebrave
June 9, 2007 4:28 PM | Link to this
And David-Atl,there is a hairy place on my derrier that you can press you simpleton lips my boy and smooch!!! If the truth about this orgaiztion Ripping Off the Fans and lifers at that,with a second rate product then oh well boo hoo for you buddy,but as for me,the next time a ticket agent sends my Re-up notice via the ol email,Can you say BULK!!!!!!
By Braveheart
June 9, 2007 4:30 PM | Link to this
For no good reason, I’ve been sitting here pondering whether I find Erin Andrews’ voice annoying at all. I never remember her being annoying.
But I do find Suzy Kolber annoying at all times. She just never shuts up and wants to show she knows as much as the fellas too much. If I was Joe Namath, I would have said, “I wanna kiss yooooouuuuu…. just so long as you shut your mouth for more than two seconds.” I find Suzy’s voice so annoying, that alot of times I don’t find her attractive, which is kind of a sin because she is a good looking woman. So, maybe Erin’s voice is not annoying because I have never once found her unattractive. When I see and hear Erin, all I can think is I wanna take that girl home to momma. When I see and hear Suzy, all I can think of is the female version of Shaun.
On the other hand, when I see and hear Lisa Guerrero, all i can think of is very nasty and very naughty things. Certainly, not a woman I want to take home to momma. Did not realize until now that she is 43 years old. Ms. Lisa will be joining my fortysomething MILF all star team right now without a tryout. http://www.lisaguerrero.net/ We’ve been looking for someone to replace Meg Ryan with, who seems to have hit a rather unfortunate and heartbreaking wall in the looks department. Performance enhancers have definitely proven to be a detriment to a natural beauty like Meg. She should have aged like fine wine or at least like Diane Lane. Unfortunately, breaking up with Russell Crowe may have played games with her head. Damn Russell Crowe. He destroyed a fine woulda, coulda, shoulda, ida prospect on the MILF squad.
Alright, enough with my sexist post of the day. Go ahead, complain about how long this post is because the only thing more annoying than a long poster are the ones who complain about long posters.
By TennesseePaul
June 9, 2007 4:31 PM | Link to this
Grinch: Becareful hunting down Paris. The closer you get to LA the more likely the LAPD will do something completely foolish, try to cover it up, make another mistake, and you’ll be six feet under. These guys, sometimes I wonder if they have a clue about the impact of PR. It’s one dumb thing after another. I don’t think they are doing anything out of malice, it’s just that they don’t ever think to begin with.
By Braveheart
June 9, 2007 4:37 PM | Link to this
Sandmann, I am not witty enough to have a joke to follow that one up with except to say leave my Erin alone.
By joebrave
June 9, 2007 4:39 PM | Link to this
I do believe I got drilled in the winter by some of the good blog denizens,for stating that Boras was a clubhouse cancer,It was insinuated that I meant A.J. was the cancer,well looks like I was right to be accused, His bat has Cancer and it’s infecting the other Players……
By L. M. Hull
June 9, 2007 4:43 PM | Link to this
Well, in consecutive posts, Chop Chop and JoeBrave have lowered the civility level well below the mendoza line; so I’m heading for the exit from this forum of fools. Bye bye, y’all.
By Chop Chop
June 9, 2007 4:45 PM | Link to this
Paris Hilton is Warren Zevon’s “French Inhaler” come to life.
By Ed Glennon
June 9, 2007 4:50 PM | Link to this
You can forget making trades. Look what we got for Johnny Estrada. There is one thing we can do. Send Pete Orr down and bring up anybody else. I would say release Chris Woodless but we own him $850,000. The bench hitters are pathetic.
By joebrave
June 9, 2007 4:51 PM | Link to this
Or maybe he should just listen to the Coaches that get paid to tell him what to do,and then do it… I fear the team I love most is going to be the NL version of the Royals…..
By joebrave
June 9, 2007 4:56 PM | Link to this
Bye Bye L.M. see ya!!!
By Chop Chop
June 9, 2007 5:01 PM | Link to this
L.M. Hull,
I happen to believe that I’m quite civil. Poking fun at another blogger’s euphemisms is certainly not uncivil or barbarous, is it? If I am in the wrong, I pray that you will forgive me my befuddlement.
By Braveheart
June 9, 2007 5:07 PM | Link to this
Well, in consecutive posts, Chop Chop and JoeBrave have lowered the civility level well below the mendoza line; so I’m heading for the exit from this forum of fools. Bye bye, y’all. Yes, very civil of you indeed.
forum of fools Yes, very civil of you indeed.
Your 4:05 post said to a guy who was apologizing, With all due respect, Mr. Savannah Guy, was your faux pas longer than your apology? Yes, very civil of you indeed.
a good old fashioned keel hauling of the whole bunch would be more appropriate. Anyone have a vessel with a lot of barnacles? Yes, sir, very civil of you indeed.
It’s King Neptune’s Party, Ma’am, and it sure ain’t no fun for the “invitees”. Yes, very civil indeed.
While you “homers” continue to tell us that the Braves are a good team and will get all of this sorted out; why don’t you tell us that Porky Pig is an air ace? Yes, sir, very civil indeed.
Your 120 words over the span of 5 posts were not very civil, were very condescending and holier than thou, and did not contribute much at all to any conversation about the Braves, movies, music, woman, or BBQ. Well, the forum of fools bids adieu to the one fella too foolish to join in on the conversation or to contribute a conversation piece that would have aided in stopping attacks of each other.
What shall we do without Dennis Miller like obscure references for the rest of the day? But thanks for teaching a civility lesson. For those who did not get the memo: It is okay to attack others so long as you use obscure references when you do so.
By Joe Namath
June 9, 2007 5:08 PM | Link to this
Braves will win tonight. I’ll guarantee it.
By brent a.
June 9, 2007 5:11 PM | Link to this
Memphis:
If you’re still around …
This is from Wikipedia. I know, it’s not the best source, but it’s what I can find. And hey, if it’s good of for the Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin Scranton …
“During the 2007 transitional year, TBS will air 70 regular-season Braves games. In 2008 and thereafter, only 45 games will be shown, and no more than 13 of them (the maximum number of times TBS may show any team) will air outside of the Braves’ six-state primary market area (Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee). Games will still be available in the Atlanta market on the separate WTBS channel, which may also carry the games in Canada (MLB has not usually ordered blackouts of U.S. Superstation broadcasts in Canada). [2] It is still unclear as to whether TBS will air the games outside Atlanta, or if the games will be sold to local over-the-air broadcast stations.”
By fastasballs
June 9, 2007 5:14 PM | Link to this
If those two posts are uncivil then I would hate to see what LM would say on days when the Muts fans invade the blog.
By Berigan
June 9, 2007 5:16 PM | Link to this
Braveheart, I’m confused by your 4:30 post, are you saying you want to kiss Shawn to shut him up??? ;)
By bravesfan
June 9, 2007 5:20 PM | Link to this
Hey DOB what is the latest on Smoltz?
By Berigan
June 9, 2007 5:25 PM | Link to this
Well, the Yankees, behind Roger Clemens, won today. They have won 5 in a row, and are 5 back in the AL wildcard hunt. They never are out of the race, which even with all the money they spend, is amazing. They have had so many pitching injuries,(Lost 2 first basemans) it’s almost enough to make one root for them!!!
By Braveheart
June 9, 2007 5:26 PM | Link to this
Berigan, you b*******.
By David O'Brien
June 9, 2007 5:26 PM | Link to this
SMOLTZ is scratched for tomorrow, won’t start again until FRIDAY, which would have been his next turn. Says his shoulder’s lot better today, but he’s glad Bobby made the decision for him and told him he’s out. Smoltz, by the way, got a cortison shot in the shoulder after his last start (Braves might have to get another shipment of cortisone soon).
BUDDY CARLYLE will start tomorrow. Was driving to Richmond today, made it to Durham, when Braves called to tell him to turn around. He’d been here in Atlanta, throwing bullpens, etc, before reporting to Richmond.
AND THE NEWS THAT PROBABLY WON’T SHOCK YOU, OR SHOULDN’T: Lance Cormier is on the DL with a “dead arm” or tired arm. Said it’s just not strong enough yet for him to be comfortable pitching. He told the trainer after last night’s start, and he told Roger, and they told Bobby, and decision was made to DL him.
By Lew
June 9, 2007 5:28 PM | Link to this
IlliniBrave-Now, now. There’s nothing wrong with JoeBrave. He just provides our local color. We dress him nice and let him go fishing occaisonally and he does just fine. Be nice and inquire into his health every now and then and he won’t bite. I promise.
By serbok
June 9, 2007 5:31 PM | Link to this
DOB, odds are two to one, Shaun still disagrees with you on Soriano owning the braves? As you said “what is,is!”
By Lew
June 9, 2007 5:31 PM | Link to this
Braveheart-Dude, you’re starting to sound like you’ve been too long without a date. Maybe we could sneak you into the jail with Paris. Talk to Grinch-maybe he can help set you up.
By Berigan
June 9, 2007 5:32 PM | Link to this
Shawn, another thing about Soriano is that you know he has to be excited to face the braves because of his previous success(es)Happy to play against them. Had 2 homers off of Smoltz in his first 3 homer game against the braves, so he doesn’t need to fear ANY braves pitcher. Success breeds success…..
By JasonInMaine
June 9, 2007 5:42 PM | Link to this
And the hits just keep on coming…should we worry yet?
By TennesseePaul
June 9, 2007 5:50 PM | Link to this
Dead Arm? How was this not known when he was tossing in Richmond? Did it just die when he got to Atlanta? I hope my arm doesn’t all the sudden die.
What is going on with Smoltz’s shoulder? What kind of pain is it? Have they had a scan of any sort on it? You’d think they would after just giving him a big contract.
By Berigan
June 9, 2007 5:58 PM | Link to this
DOB,
Thanks for the info on Smoltz. Kinda wish they’d DL him but, this does give him quite a few days off…
Glad to see Buddy Carlyle is getting the start! If he fails, then 2 of 3 starts were bad, and at least we can scratch his name off the list of possible saviors. But, if he is decent, we may just have our 5th starter!
We will need one more starter though, won’t we with Cormier on the DL? So, any guesses who that will be David????
By chrisklob
June 9, 2007 6:00 PM | Link to this
Well, the good news is that the Tigers are beating the Mets 6-3 in the bottom of the 6th.
By TennesseePaul
June 9, 2007 6:02 PM | Link to this
Mota ain’t no good without his roids
By Lew
June 9, 2007 6:05 PM | Link to this
Love It-The Mets are getting beat 8-2. Oliver Perez gave up 5 runs on 7 hits and 5BB in 5IP. Juice Head Mota came in and promtly gave up 3 more. The Mets staff is starting to show there true colors. Now if The Braves staff can just hold up and if Andruw decides he can hit again, all might not be lost. Where is Chop Zone now?
By fastasballs
June 9, 2007 6:05 PM | Link to this
DOB, So is Carlyle now the 5th starter by default? He looked great his last start.
The Muts are getting spanked by the Tigers. The post juiced Mota is getting lit up, once again.
By Berigan
June 9, 2007 6:06 PM | Link to this
For anyone wondering, the game is 7:05 and on WGN and Sport South….
By Bryan
June 9, 2007 6:06 PM | Link to this
My thoughts on Soriano …
i remember last year when he was with the Nats he jacked a home run and danced out of the box like a f’ing show off … i thought to my self “self, the next time he gets up, he is going to get brushed back or beamed in the rib” Instead he jacked another homer and showed up the pitcher again.
Ok, so, i am not a violent person… however … this one guy has been jacking our pitchers up, dancing out of the box like a punk, and someone on our staff needs to lay his butt in the dirt. GET HIM OFF THE PLATE.
My late grandfather taught me the game of baseball, and i remember watching Braves games with him and he would get so mad when baseball wasn’t being played like baseball should… . unfortunately he died before 1991… Bobby, i know you have mellowed in your years, however there is a player who has consistently shown up your team with his post homer actions, and thats inexcusable … get someone in there to put some chin music on his iPod
By chrisklob
June 9, 2007 6:07 PM | Link to this
That’s funny TennesseePaul because I was thinking EXACTLY the same thing!
8-3 now. GO TIGERS!
By chrisklob
June 9, 2007 6:07 PM | Link to this
That’s funny TennesseePaul because I was thinking EXACTLY the same thing!
8-3 now. GO TIGERS!
By Bryan
June 9, 2007 6:07 PM | Link to this
My thoughts on Soriano …
i remember last year when he was with the Nats he jacked a home run and danced out of the box like a f’ing show off … i thought to my self “self, the next time he gets up, he is going to get brushed back or beamed in the rib” Instead he jacked another homer and showed up the pitcher again.
Ok, so, i am not a violent person… however … this one guy has been jacking our pitchers up, dancing out of the box like a punk, and someone on our staff needs to lay his butt in the dirt. GET HIM OFF THE PLATE.
My late grandfather taught me the game of baseball, and i remember watching Braves games with him and he would get so mad when baseball wasn’t being played like baseball should… . unfortunately he died before 1991… Bobby, i know you have mellowed in your years, however there is a player who has consistently shown up your team with his post homer actions, and thats inexcusable … get someone in there to put some chin music on his iPod
By Bryan
June 9, 2007 6:07 PM | Link to this
My thoughts on Soriano …
i remember last year when he was with the Nats he jacked a home run and danced out of the box like a f’ing show off … i thought to my self “self, the next time he gets up, he is going to get brushed back or beamed in the rib” Instead he jacked another homer and showed up the pitcher again.
Ok, so, i am not a violent person… however … this one guy has been jacking our pitchers up, dancing out of the box like a punk, and someone on our staff needs to lay his butt in the dirt. GET HIM OFF THE PLATE.
My late grandfather taught me the game of baseball, and i remember watching Braves games with him and he would get so mad when baseball wasn’t being played like baseball should… . unfortunately he died before 1991… Bobby, i know you have mellowed in your years, however there is a player who has consistently shown up your team with his post homer actions, and thats inexcusable … get someone in there to put some chin music on his iPod
By Berigan
June 9, 2007 6:13 PM | Link to this
TennesseePaul, Well, remember all the trouble George Brett had with his ‘roids back in the late 70’s??? Oh wait, you mean…..
By Bryan
June 9, 2007 6:23 PM | Link to this
sorry about the triple post …internet is acting up
By MBATL
June 9, 2007 6:27 PM | Link to this
Anybody got Braves pregame radio on? In the pregame, Chip C. said, “Well, this is gonna upset the bloggers on the AJC, ‘cause we’re gonna talk about how well the Cubs played last night.”
Then, they played some audio clips of last nights Soriano highlights, and Chip followed those with: “Boy, sounds like Skip and Pete were pretty impressed with what Soriano did last night too.”
Chip C is amongst us, guys, and replying on air!
By N8
June 9, 2007 6:28 PM | Link to this
Lew
I had to leave earlier (wedding photos to take - oh happy joy joy!)
So I’ll get back to our conversation.
First of all, when I mentioned playing Harris more and “sitting” Andruw, I wasn’t talking about REPLACING Andruw with Harris (though NOT a bad idea - at present time). I was talking more along the lines of DROPPING Andruw in the order to 7th (or even 8th at this point), playing Harris in LF, and Diaz at 1B, since Diaz is hitting over .300 against BOTH righties and lefties. I thought DOB had mentioned (or somebody) that Diaz can play some 1B. But I could be wrong about that.
Second of all, you saying “since Harris hits .120 points lower against lefties”, doesn’t tell the whole story, now, does it?
He’s hittin .390 against righties and .273 against lefties, which is 52 points higher than Andruw is hitting OVERALL. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get that “Andruw could hit 3 out at any moment”. As Mike Myers once said “and monkeys might fly out of my butt, too!”
It was just a suggestion, if Bobby was looking to shake it up a bit, which apparently, he’s NOT. It wasn’t a demand.
By Lew
June 9, 2007 6:30 PM | Link to this
The Phillies just put Freddie garcia on the DL and signed Jose Mesa. It looks like everyones pitcing is falling apart. What does it say about the market when Mesa (and his ERA of over 12.00) is the best option available. We need hitting. Pitching isn’t there.
By mr baseball
June 9, 2007 6:32 PM | Link to this
Have the Braves switched sports leagues? Used to be the only league that endorsed bogus injuries to keep players on rosters was the NBA. “Tired arm,” huh. I believe that’s a euphemism for “I’ve given up 7 HRs in 7+ innings and my ERA is 15.26.”
Cormier has never, repeat NEVER, displayed any signs that he is more than a AAAA pitcher. He should not have been expected to be a serious contributor to the Braves and will not be of any help once he’s “healthy.”
It’s time for Hudson to earn his salary tonight. Without a lefty on the mound, it’s also time for the Braves’ alleged offense to actually put some runs on the board. Early June is considerably too early on the calendar to be considered a “must win,” but tonight’s game is pretty darn important.
After some of the recent posts, trying to keep the language on here PG.
By Lew
June 9, 2007 6:37 PM | Link to this
Nathan-I imagine there is much more chance of Andruw having a 3 HR game than there is with the monkey thing happening (though I’m not sure what your dietary habits might be-really don’t care, either, that’s between you and your physician). However, I will admit to being ready for Andruw to break out. He’s still killing my fantasy team. If you can find Willie’s career BA against left handers, though, I’m sure it will be appreciably lower, too. The Dude is much more in line for a downturn than Andruw is to continue his (to this point) perpetually pitiful performance (please note my alliterative skills).
By serbok
June 9, 2007 6:40 PM | Link to this
Dams internet is always acting up!!!!!
By Jack
June 9, 2007 6:43 PM | Link to this
THERE IS JUST ONE TROUBLE WITH ALL THESE BLOGS. THE PEOPLE TO WHOM THEY ARE DIRECTED WILL NEVER READ THEM.
By BravesFanInRockies
June 9, 2007 6:43 PM | Link to this
N8,
Late to the show today, but agree fully with your 12:15. All the baseball pros have always said Kelly’s more a 3-hole hitter than a leadoff guy. So until Chipper returns (triumph of hope over experience??), I like the idea of putting Harris in the leadoff spot and hitting KJ third. Use that extra-base power to drive in runs. Make Willie the everday left fielder and play Diaz or Pena at first if they’re still not confident that Salty could get the job done there.
By ElbravoX
June 9, 2007 6:45 PM | Link to this
AJ batting fourth, i give up. Fire T.P!
By Bob, Journalist
June 9, 2007 6:48 PM | Link to this
MBATL, just as long as they pay appropriate royalities and spell my name right, whatever Chip wants to say about me is fine … like I said earlier, he tries hard … perhaps a little too hard, maybe huh … and just maybe, we might have a positive influence on him.
har har!
By eric the elder
June 9, 2007 6:49 PM | Link to this
Man, that Tigers lineup is loaded, and they have pitching. Could be a long series.
By Braveheart
June 9, 2007 6:55 PM | Link to this
Oh, Lew, screw you :-) Getting more than plenty. The problem is that it is with some dame I broke up with 4 damn years ago. Friends with benefits with side effects. Gotta get rid of the woman. But, it’s a Limp Bizkit “No Sex” kind of thing. She thinks it is more of a Supremes “You Keep Me Hanging On” kind of thing. Who knows? Enjoy it while it lasts is the motto I use to delude myself. Speaking of the devil, here she is calling. Maybe she’ll let me watch the game tonight. See you fellas later.
By serbok
June 9, 2007 6:56 PM | Link to this
Boy, sounds like Skip and Pete were pretty impressed with what Soriano did last night too. I know I wasnt impressed, and I dont get paid to broadcast Braves Baseball! Was certainly not impressed with the lack of a brushback pitch either.
By David O'Brien
June 9, 2007 6:57 PM | Link to this
MBATL, I told Chip an hour ago about the whole scenario, about Chip Caray Hater and how I’d told whoever it was that I’d send Chip over to take care of my lightweight, and Skip if he weren’t a lightweight.
He loved it. Chip reads the blog a lot, but I don’t think he had seen screen name Chip Caray Hater.
By David O'Brien
June 9, 2007 7:02 PM | Link to this
I’m sure if Caryle pitches well again he’ll stay in the rotation for at least a few turns, until Cormier proves he’s ready. That might be a while, you never know.
Berigan, why would you want Smoltz DL’d if skipping a turn will take care of it. You saw him throw six innings of three-hit ball a few days ago, and he wasn’t wincing or throwing sidearm or 80 mph. There’s really not reason to believe this is anything more than inflammation, and he got a shot to help alleviate that.
I mean, if it’s still sore later in the week, then you could DL him. But to do so now, when it might not be necessary (and probably won’t be necessary), with the team in the midst of a skid … makes no sense.
By Lemon tree
June 9, 2007 7:03 PM | Link to this
I heard a TV interview where Bobby Cox said Smoltz felt “just fine” after his last start.
Why does anyone even bother to interview this bold-faced liar? He rarely tells the truth about anything.
By Chop Chop
June 9, 2007 7:07 PM | Link to this
DAMN RIGHT, HUDDY!
By fastasballs
June 9, 2007 7:07 PM | Link to this
Here we go, Hudson has nuts!
By serbok
June 9, 2007 7:08 PM | Link to this
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
By sri
June 9, 2007 7:09 PM | Link to this
Wow!!! gotta love Huddy for that!!
By Bob, Journalist
June 9, 2007 7:10 PM | Link to this
Well, if I heard himright, Pete said that the Braves were in a bit of a down spin … so things must be bad.
Who’s still on first after showing Why he’s who he is … I’ve read the rule book and find nothing prohibiting Willy and Matt starting the same game.
Goodness, if it isn’t one thing, it another!
What’s with the middle of the back?!
By ElbravoX
June 9, 2007 7:11 PM | Link to this
I want some pasta with those meatballs, finally!
By serbok
June 9, 2007 7:11 PM | Link to this
Way to GO Hudson!!!!!!
By eric the elder
June 9, 2007 7:14 PM | Link to this
As usual, the blog is ahead of everyone. After Hudson plunked Soriano, Joe Simpson asked why that didn’t happen last night.
By JasonInMaine
June 9, 2007 7:18 PM | Link to this
I can’t watch the game…what’s going on??
By brent a.
June 9, 2007 7:19 PM | Link to this
The last 2 times one of our pitchers hit a guy intentionally (tonight, and against San Diego), it led to a run/runs.
Glad that Hudson hit him; but, it would’ve been much less damaging last night.
Oh, well.
We trail again.
By TennesseePaul
June 9, 2007 7:22 PM | Link to this
Was the HBP of Soriano somewhat intentional? I don’t have the game on TV. All I get is the College WS. Titans and Bruins. Nice, but not as good.
By Bob
June 9, 2007 7:23 PM | Link to this
Game, set, match!
By TennesseePaul
June 9, 2007 7:25 PM | Link to this
OK, so I guess Hudson answered the question. He sucks today. He apparently isn’t going to be as reliable as April made him look. Real drag. 100 more games of this crap to go.
By Chuck Tanner
June 9, 2007 7:26 PM | Link to this
Lol…Don’t you worry Braves Fans!! McCann and Chipper will get healed up, Andruw Jones will start producing the way he should, and Hudson and Davies will get it turned around. I see the Braves winning the division with no problem. Yahooooo! =)
By eric the elder
June 9, 2007 7:27 PM | Link to this
Jason, I’ll tell you what’s going on if you promise to take some blood pressure meds first.
By ElbravoX
June 9, 2007 7:28 PM | Link to this
Is it 1987? Back to the future.
By brent a.
June 9, 2007 7:29 PM | Link to this
Everyone who’s asking:
Hudson hit Soriano right in the armpit, with a fastball.
100% intentional, and both teams were warned.
So, if Marquis hits a Brave and it is deemed “intentional”, then he is gone.
Meanwhile, we still suck.
And, I half expect to hear Joe Simpson say at some point that you can’t really blame Hudson for that 4-run 1st inning because he was hitting Soriano to send a message, “and you can’t blame him for that.”
By Bob
June 9, 2007 7:29 PM | Link to this
TennesseePaul, Believe me what you’re watching is much better. Reruns of I Love Lucy have more suspense than watching the “baseball” team.
By Dennis Green
June 9, 2007 7:30 PM | Link to this
Tim Hudson is who we THOUGHT he was! It was WAY too early to crown his a$$! HUDSON IS WHO WE THOUGHT HE WAS!!!!
(slams podium)
By TennesseePaul
June 9, 2007 7:30 PM | Link to this
If there isn’t some sort of bench clearing brawl today then what’s the point? We show up in June so everyone else can win? Looking forward to hearing the excuse…
“Cubs are really hot right now.” “We just couldn’t execute.” “Marquis is a really good pitcher.” “My toe hurts.”
OK that last one I might accept.
By MBATL
June 9, 2007 7:31 PM | Link to this
10Paul, Bob: I think it’s safe to assume it was intentional - first pitch. It wasn’t behind him or anything; just really high and tight and Soriano turned and caught it around the shoulder blades. Sure had the look of a “purpose pitch.”
By eric the elder
June 9, 2007 7:32 PM | Link to this
10Paul, home ump Tchida must have thought it was intentional. He issued a warning to both benches.
By BravesDave
June 9, 2007 7:33 PM | Link to this
Looks to me like we no longer have a ‘co-ace’. Hudson has officially hit the skids. Not good to see the guy that is supposed to be able to end slides like the one the Braves have been on give up 4 runs in inning one.
By joebrave
June 9, 2007 7:34 PM | Link to this
Oh sonsabitch you’ve got to be kidding me!!!! Down 4-0 Already!!! Man this is getting past Ugly now it’s getting MUFUGLY!!!!
By Robert
June 9, 2007 7:37 PM | Link to this
So here it is about 22 hours late, when the thought finally flashes thru Bobby Cox’s feeble malfunctioning brain that his team needs to show some nads. - So he has Hudson hit Soriano which does nothing more than motivate the Cubs
Last nite, Soriano should have been brushed back. Hitting him, and waiting until today to do it, was not only a cheap shot, it was assinine.
Never has a stupider human being than Bobby Cox managed any sport at any level
This team needs an enema - to remove the piece of crap that has plugging their chances of success for going on twelve years.
By TennesseePaul
June 9, 2007 7:38 PM | Link to this
Thanks Bob and Brent.
NICE AJ! Two more of those and I’ll be happy.
By Bob
June 9, 2007 7:39 PM | Link to this
Braves score, Braves score, Braves score. Cut the Cubs lead in half, at least till the top of the second.
By Train Wreck Bystander
June 9, 2007 7:39 PM | Link to this
FINALLY - a pulse. We may yet be able to save the patient.
By BravesDave
June 9, 2007 7:42 PM | Link to this
Can the Braves somehow hire Marquis to be Andruw’s personal pitcher?
By fastasballs
June 9, 2007 7:43 PM | Link to this
Does Frenchy ever get a take sign? 2-0 and he swings at one near his shoulders. At least they got two of them back.
Jason Marquis may be responsible for jump starting the offense. Hudson has to shut them down now.
By serbok
June 9, 2007 7:43 PM | Link to this
Who’s Idea do ya guys think it was to hit Soriano?
By Bob
June 9, 2007 7:43 PM | Link to this
Robert you are a frigging idiot. Why don’t you go watch re runs of Mr. Ed?
By lare
June 9, 2007 7:45 PM | Link to this
In April, down 4 runs i9n the 1st would not have been a big thing. Now, it’s probably too deep a hole to climb out of.
By Lew
June 9, 2007 7:46 PM | Link to this
Braveheart-Whatever. Grinch is available for that Paris breakout whenever you’re ready. Nathan-One down, two to go.
By fastasballs
June 9, 2007 7:48 PM | Link to this
Soriano better shut his trap or he’s going to get one in the ear next time. I’m watching it on WGN and their camera picked up Soriano running his mount to Huddy as he crossed the field after the fly out.
By MBATL
June 9, 2007 7:49 PM | Link to this
serbok, good question. I really doubt Bobby put a hit out on Soriano. I’m guessing Hudson felt that given the circumstances, it was something that needed to be done, and he took it upon himself. Don’t know, though.
That AJ at bat was interesting. Marquis just kept pounding high fastballs on AJ, and AJ kept foul tipping them at the plate… looked overmatched. So Marquis stayed with it, and AJ made him pay, finally.
By Robert
June 9, 2007 7:50 PM | Link to this
Retaliating a day late and a dollar short.
Pure Bush league.
I dont know when we play the Cubbies again, but let’s hope it’s not September. They now legitimately owe us one - let’s hope it’s not Chipper taking one off the face during a playoff push.
Whoever called that HBP is pure Bush league
By TennesseePaul
June 9, 2007 7:50 PM | Link to this
serbok: It was our idea. Someone’s reading the blog. HA!
Thorman reaches on error. Direct result of his hustle. I can’t see the game but I know that’s from his hustle. Even in a slump, hustle.
By TennesseePaul
June 9, 2007 7:55 PM | Link to this
fastballs: Thank you! Totally forgot about WGN. There they are.
By Bob
June 9, 2007 7:58 PM | Link to this
TennesseePaul,
You’re right. I have lots of problems with Orr and Thorman, but they do bust their tails all the time. Some of our more talented guys should try to do same.
By Robert
June 9, 2007 7:59 PM | Link to this
“I really doubt Bobby put a hit out on Soriano”
BULL - sheet. That was a Cox call, plain and simple. It fits the mold. You know, it did handcuff the Cubs for this game. Cox counted on that and thinks he pulled one over on Piniella. The stupid SOB didnt consider that it would motivate the Cubs or that payback is a mofo.
That call was pure Donk. Late to act, ill-conceived, and counterproductive,. Pure Donk
We’re winning this game 4-0 right now if not for Donk
As it is, it’s tied
I’m thru being nice my criticisms of Cox. I’m thru giving him the benefit of the doubt. This bush-league idiot needs to be enemized off the team
By fastasballs
June 9, 2007 7:59 PM | Link to this
Looking good
By TennesseePaul
June 9, 2007 8:00 PM | Link to this
Braves are awsome! We’re going to win it all! YEAH!!!!!
lol. Oh I can’t resist. But they do look to be playing with more fire today.
By serbok
June 9, 2007 8:00 PM | Link to this
Robert seems the HIT fired up one of the teams huh? MBATL, I agree you, cant see Bobby doin that, unfortunately!
By Bob
June 9, 2007 8:04 PM | Link to this
Robert you are not only a moron, but you disgrace the name jerk. Looks like Soriano might have fired up the Bravos.
By joebrave
June 9, 2007 8:05 PM | Link to this
Now that was profitable,let’s see if Huddy knows what a dang 123 inning is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By P-Town Brave
June 9, 2007 8:06 PM | Link to this
Robert—-
You have proven time and again that you know nothing…that HBP may or may have not been intentional, but you know what…thats baseball! Pure and simple, thats how the game is supposed to be played, or at least that is how it used to be played!
So do us all a favor…shut your piehole and watch the game!
By brent a.
June 9, 2007 8:07 PM | Link to this
FYI . …
This one is on WGN, for those who may not have SportSouth, but do have WGN.
By fastasballs
June 9, 2007 8:07 PM | Link to this
Tomorrow night is the final meeting this year between the Cubs & Braves. If this game doesn’t get out of hand expect retaliation tomorrow night.
By TennesseePaul
June 9, 2007 8:14 PM | Link to this
Crap. How bad could that be? He ran, pivoted, threw, walked around and now he’s out. Blowpen is in now. First batter faced, hit.
By fastasballs
June 9, 2007 8:16 PM | Link to this
Unfreakin real, the only bright spot in a week gets flushed down the toliet as Hudson leaves with an injury.
By P-Town Brave
June 9, 2007 8:17 PM | Link to this
Talk about an inning that has already gotten out of hand…Escobar makes a rookie mistake when he could’ve gotten the slow catcher running at first and Hudson takes one off the calf, but still has D Lee dead to rights at the plate if he throws one 50 feet to McCann’s chest, but he doesn’t…and now he’s out..
Also, I don’t know who WGN’s head announcer is, but he is totally classless and obviously someone who has never played the game of baseball…guy doesn’t think its ok to hit Soriano in a spot that 99% of the time will not hurt him and was not meant to do so, but its ok to direct a line shot at Huddy’s calf to injure him and get him out of the game…total lack of class there…glad the Cubs replaced Chip w/ this clown!
By MBATL
June 9, 2007 8:17 PM | Link to this
serbok, I get from your tone where you’re coming from, so I won’t argue too hard. I think a veteran manager trusts his veteran players to take care of business.
If Bobby was ordering bean balls, he’d have ordered one last night. It took a veteran like Hudson to do the job without being told.
By mr baseball
June 9, 2007 8:22 PM | Link to this
Let’s all give thanks to Lou Piniella. Given his stellar history against the Braves, I think I would have come up with some excuse for skipping Marquis’ turn in the rotation. He could have pitched the Gallagher kid, or better yet, signed any lefty he could find off the street. Mark Redman would have been a better choice for the Cubs.
Thanks, Lou. We appreciate the help.
Good things there’s no clock in baseball. We’re gonna be here for a while. Runs scored over/under on this game has been readjusted to 24. Over/under on Braves pitchers who will be used tonight is 8.
By eric the elder
June 9, 2007 8:23 PM | Link to this
10Paul, I sort of agree, but those things have a way of starting to hurt real bad a minute or two later. Like slicing a finger - - you don’t even feel it and then it starts to throb.
I wish he could have made that little 40 foot throw to home, though.
By fastasballs
June 9, 2007 8:24 PM | Link to this
These WGN homer’s are pathedic. If anyone hears anything on Huddy post it because these clowns aren’t going to mention it.
By Coach
June 9, 2007 8:27 PM | Link to this
Cormier is back on the DL , Smoltz has a sore shoulder and Hudson just got nailed with a line drive. It’s official , the wheels just came off.
By eric the elder
June 9, 2007 8:31 PM | Link to this
Do the rest of you like Sciambi? I think he’s terrific, and Joe elevates his work with him. None of that inane and giggly stuff that goes on with Caray.
By ElbravoX
June 9, 2007 8:32 PM | Link to this
This game is projecting to be a 5 hour affair. A touch of gray< who will survive?
By serbok
June 9, 2007 8:33 PM | Link to this
MBATL once again we agree:o)
By Robert
June 9, 2007 8:40 PM | Link to this
“You have proven time and again that you know nothing…that HBP may or may have not been intentional, but you know what…thats baseball! Pure and simple, thats how the game is supposed to be played, or at least that is how it used to be played”
Uh-huh. That’s how the game is played. Putting the leadoff hitter on against a team that has already scored on you in the first inning in the previous 2 games.
Yeah - that’s smart baseball
The time to send a message to Soriano was last night - when it’s not a cheap shot and when that game was gone anyway.
I totally agree that pitchers own the plate, including the inside half, as much as hitters. I totally agree that Soriano was owed a little chin music - LAST NIGHT
If Hudson did that on his own, it was stupid and bush
If Cox called it, it was stupid and bush
It was stupid and bush.
A 6-0 ballgame is 6-5 because of that bush maneuver.
If the Cubbies win this one, they can thank Donk
Lemmee guess, y’all will believe whatever Donk says after the game as to whose idea the delayed retaliation was
DOB - why dont you have some nads - for once -
Call it like it is man. Even the Braves radio guys did, asking where that was last night
Doing it tonight was stupid and it bush league
I dont give a rat’s behind what you Cox apologists think of me or think I know. (in case you were wondering)
That POS is the poorest excuse for a manager ever to set foot on a baseball diamond
By Bob
June 9, 2007 8:41 PM | Link to this
Eric, I like him. Big improvement over Chip. Never thought I would say that I preferred the FOX guys to TBS, but Sciambi is huge improvement over previous FOX announcers and Chip. I think I still prefer Pete, but Sciambi is good.
By David O'Brien
June 9, 2007 8:43 PM | Link to this
Robert, how old are you, 10? Do you know anything whatsoever about baseball the way it’s been played for more than 100 years? Only thing I’m surprised by is that they didn’t have a pitcher throw at Soriano after the first couple of bombs last night, but then again, you going to have Cormier throw at him?
I swear, judging from your breathless post full of absurdities about payback and your usual childish donk crap, you’d think you hadn’t watched a game before the past year or two.
By TennesseePaul
June 9, 2007 8:44 PM | Link to this
So glad it was Moylan. Had it been Tonto we’d be down by 2 right now.
By David O'Brien
June 9, 2007 8:46 PM | Link to this
By the way, they’re X-raying Huddy now, I’m told. We haven’t heard anything yet, but it looked like a huge welt rose immediately on his shin. You could see it beneath the uni as he walked off the field.
He’s gotten nailed by liners three times this year.
By serbok
June 9, 2007 8:47 PM | Link to this
eric the elder I was thinking earlier how much better Sciambi is, didnt think of the elevating simpson part, good point! Renty goes yard:o)
By MBATL
June 9, 2007 8:48 PM | Link to this
KC, are you out there? Just some props, as you were the first one I remember calling for Willie Harris. I didn’t think he’d do squat for us.
How impressive has this guy been? I know he’s due to fall back to earth, but man, this is quite a run.
I still would like to see Willie at leadoff, and KJ hitting 2nd. But maybe we’re breaking out of it a little, so no point in shaking things up.
By Bob
June 9, 2007 8:49 PM | Link to this
Hoooooooah DOB, hooooooah. Getting ready for Army night tomorrow at the Ted.
By S Turn
June 9, 2007 8:53 PM | Link to this
Having to watch the game on WGN. I live in VA. This sucks they need to be fired. I wish they would get over the fact that Seranio got hit.
By TennesseePaul
June 9, 2007 8:54 PM | Link to this
Eric the Elder: yeah. I’d rather him be out than make it worse, but it didn’t look like it was that bad to begin with. I had to take care of something, have they said what’s up with him? Not sure if these Cub announcers will deliver the info anyway.
Mets lost. I don’t see any Mets fans on here.
Hitting Soriano was the right thing to do. It should have been done last night, but I think it’s even better today. Get the benefit of the whole game to fire up the team. Hopefully they keep going. If the Cubs come back tomorrow with some sort of crap we’ll pumble ‘em. Pie and Soriano are not brawlers. And, it would be the one time Tonto would really serve a purpose. He could handle that whole Cubbie outfield all by himself.
By The Grinch
June 9, 2007 8:54 PM | Link to this
Y’all, Chip needs to lay off the caffiene but he’s not that bad. There are much worse floating around. Well, this game is a bit more like it.
By Brad in MT
June 9, 2007 8:57 PM | Link to this
Thanks for the update DOB, hopefully its nothing serious with Hudson. Also thanks for shutting up our village idiot Robert!
By TennesseePaul
June 9, 2007 9:00 PM | Link to this
MBATL: I’ve asked the same. Ever since he went to a game with The Grinch his presence here has been a little less prominent. I miss his eternal optimism.
Cubs announces just gave props to the Carey’s. More so to one than the other.
By Robert
June 9, 2007 9:03 PM | Link to this
“guy doesn’t think its ok to hit Soriano in a spot that 99% of the time will not hurt him and was not meant to do so, but its ok to direct a line shot at Huddy’s calf to injure him and get him out of the game”
If you tried to tell me that Ted Williams could aim for and actually hit a player in acertain location on purpose, I might, for half a second, come close to considering believing you
It’s not so much about whether it would hurt Soriano. To aych-eee-you-know-what with a player’s earning potential or dissing folks or the rest of the macho bs - Hitting Soriano was just plain dumb
You tell me, you give one good arguement how giving the opposition a free baserunner to lead off a game is smart. You cant, because it isnt
The Cubs can just take the free base and run with it, which they did to the tune of 4 runs - and if they ever feel like it, they can legitimately give payback for a cheap shot
I’ll say it again - Soriano was owed one under his nose last night. Maybe owed two. But not to be hit, and not the day after.
If Hudson was told to do it, it was wrong. If Hudson was trusted to, as a vet, take care of business, that was wrong, because he should’ve been told specifically not to retaliate a day late and a dollar short.
Whether Cox ordered it or didnt prevent it, it’s his fault, and it’s his bush league tactic
It goes to figure that a team that plays with no fire doesnt know how to deal with this kind of situation and has knows no major league response
And where does that attitude and that modus operandi start and end. With the donkey in the dugout who mismanages the team
By David O'Brien
June 9, 2007 9:05 PM | Link to this
Brad, you’re welcome, but I’m quite sure he’s not done hyperventilating and squealing about his bogeyman.
By TennesseePaul
June 9, 2007 9:06 PM | Link to this
You guys want to hear the worst ball announcer in America you should check out Rex Hudler of the Angels. This guy is a moron. Ever phrase he utters is so impossibly wrong it makes me sick. He has no idea about anything. He makes the wrong call every single time. Some how he came to the conclusion that, with a healthy Garret Anderson, the Angels have the best 3,4 hitters in the majors. Then went on to say why Ortiz and Ramirez are worse. It’s painful to listen to.
By David O'Brien
June 9, 2007 9:07 PM | Link to this
Hudson: Contusion to the left leg, X-rays negative, he’s day to day (like all of us, right?)
By Bob
June 9, 2007 9:08 PM | Link to this
Hudson contusion. X Rays negative
By Memphis
June 9, 2007 9:09 PM | Link to this
I love Willie Harris, but everyone wanting him to leadoff is wrong. There are intangibles in REAL baseball that you do not mess with. If it were a video game then that may make sense, but Kelly Johnson is our leadoff hitter and unless he is injured, you do not mess with that. As a hitter your entire approach is different in the #3 hole versus leadoff.
I think a lot of people confuse managing a Playstation game with what Bobby Cox has to do.
By fastasballs
June 9, 2007 9:09 PM | Link to this
Robert, I really don’t care if Cox told Huddy to plunk Soriano or if Huddy did it on his own. This team needed something to get them going regardless if it is bush league or not, tonight or last night, didn’t matter.
You can debate if their play tonight is because of the plunking or because Marquis was pitching.
By TennesseePaul
June 9, 2007 9:09 PM | Link to this
Contusion for Hudson. Day-to-Day
By David O'Brien
June 9, 2007 9:09 PM | Link to this
Great, thanks for straightening us all out on the subject, Robert. Anything else? Good. Back to the game. You’re missing a pretty exciting one.
By TennesseePaul
June 9, 2007 9:16 PM | Link to this
Scott Eyre: 19.1 innings. 32 hits. Yikes.
By David O'Brien
June 9, 2007 9:18 PM | Link to this
Andruw vs. Marquis lifetime: 9-for-12 with five homers, 14 RBIs. Now that’s ownership.
By bravesfaninfla
June 9, 2007 9:19 PM | Link to this
thank god the braves scored some runs today
also it was awesome to see gallagher pitch today. i played baseball with him in high school and too see a former teammate out there is special.
mr. o’brien did u ever go out to see gallagher pitch when you were covering the marlins?
By A-Ville Ranger
June 9, 2007 9:21 PM | Link to this
I just stepped in from kayaking and haven’t had time to go over the post.Did Hudson suck as bad as the box score would indicate ? When do we move James up to #2 ? This makes 4 of 5 really bad starts.I don’t care if he feels good about his pitches.At this point that’s a bad thing as far as I’m concerned.You know first admit the problem and all that.
By Carolina Lady
June 9, 2007 9:22 PM | Link to this
Another bruised bone? sigh……
Didn’t get to see it, but I hope that “errant” pitch hurt real bad. I can’t stand seeing some hotdog stand and admire his homerun going over the fence. Baroid is the world’s worst. Zero tolerance for it!
By MBATL
June 9, 2007 9:22 PM | Link to this
Memphis, I appreciate your view on who should be our leadoff hitter. Just for the record, I don’t play fantasy baseball. Just because KJ has been good in the leadoff spot doesn’t mean that a guy with a .450 OBP (before tonight - even higher now) and with the speed to steal bases, might not be better. KJ, with good bat control and some pop, might be great in the 2 hole.
I’m not calling the manager a farm animal for not doing it… it’s just a suggestion; but before tonight we’ve scored 28 runs in the month of June. So maybe some changes were in order. Maybe not, but whatever, my opinions are not based on PlayStation stuff, just on personnel and performance… thanks!
By TennesseePaul
June 9, 2007 9:23 PM | Link to this
Beautiful hit by Edgar. Flawless.
By ElbravoX
June 9, 2007 9:27 PM | Link to this
DOB- how are you reporting on Hudson, smacking Robert around and blogging? Well done!
By The Grinch
June 9, 2007 9:28 PM | Link to this
DOB, you just assured youself of at least four Shaun posts along the lines of “Actually, O’brien, I don’t really see where Andruw owns Marquis; according to the blah, blah, blah…”
By eric the elder
June 9, 2007 9:29 PM | Link to this
We’ve done a lot of griping about our boys the past 2-3 weeks, especially about an apparent lack of fire. This game is far from over, but just the fact that they gave up 4 in the 1st inning and have overcome it big time deserves some respect.
If they look bad tomorrow, we can resume griping.
By mr baseball
June 9, 2007 9:29 PM | Link to this
Robert, it would take a calculator to add up how many aspects of hitting Soriano you have wrong. Let’s try a few:
Throwing at him last night would have been cheap and juvenile. He had already hit 3 bombs and had some swings at a 4th. So let’s hit him in a blowout. Makes the Braves look pretty pathetic.
You object to the Braves hitting him today because it resulted in the unforgivable sin of leading to a Cubs’ run. Given how Soriano hits the Braves, exactly what makes you think Hudson was going to get him out? It was more likely he was going to get an extra base hit, in which case, hitting him was a smart ploy.
Hitting Soriano with the first pitch sent an immediate and clear-cut message to the Cubs at the outset of a key game, while also giving the Braves something to rally around. Judging by the results so far, it seems to have worked.
As the harshest critic of the manager on this blog with at least a semblance of rational thought behind the criticism, I have no problem with anyone questioning BC’s job performance. But other than your redundant references to his intellect and your fixation with a certain animal, you bring nothing to the table other than your need to get noticed.
By Brad in MT
June 9, 2007 9:30 PM | Link to this
Good news about Hudson, the last thing we need during this stretch is an injury to one of our only consistent starters, especially tonight when the team is starting to show signs of life.
By Savannah Guy
June 9, 2007 9:31 PM | Link to this
What is going on with Huddy? He looks to be cookin’ with gas, (usually, not tonight) then he misses his spots and puts in right in the their wheelhouse. Arm strength or mechanics? Nagging injury or concentration? Looking for clues…
Willy Harris is not only a gamer, but has a good attitude in the clubhouse. I can only base this on what I see on the tube, most recently his calm, positive comments about what the Braves are going through right now. He said he’s been through the same thing in ’05, but rallied to get to the WS. Confidence and experience…I like this guy.
Renteria IS cookin’.
Moylan was throwin’ half-rubbers. He looked great.
By A-Ville Ranger
June 9, 2007 9:35 PM | Link to this
An hour ago I was on lake Lure in a kayak.I flipped over and The last of the Mohicans is on AMC.Much of it was filmed in the Chimney Rock,Lake Lure area. Including the battle scene on the cliffs at the end.
By A-Ville Ranger
June 9, 2007 9:41 PM | Link to this
I didn’t flip my boat, I turned the tv.That was poor some poor wordage.Gosh’a mighty what a catch by Andruw.
By TennesseePaul
June 9, 2007 9:42 PM | Link to this
What a play by Andruw!
By The Grinch
June 9, 2007 9:43 PM | Link to this
Wow. I don’t think Andruw’s lost a step. If he has, it doesn’t seem to matter. What a freakin’ catch.