AJC > Sports > Braves > Blog > Archives > 2007 > August > 16 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USBraves go for sweep to honor Elvis
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Nothing too profound today on the ‘ol blog, folks. Let’s just see what we can crank out in 20 minutes before jumping in the shower and heading to the ballpark. In other words, running waaay behind schedule today.
Spent too much time genuflecting at the gold bust of Elvis in my CD room this morning, lost track of time. OK, kidding. But only slightly.
I do have a gold bust of Elvis in the CD room. And a great “Elvis at the International Hotel” lamp right here a few inches from my laptop as I type away in my office at home. And an neon clock in the basement pool room, with Elvis singing to the hound dog. Yes, I’m divorced.
Bought the bust at a tacky gift shop on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls on a trip covering the Dolphins vs. the Bills back in 1990 or so. But that’s long story of debauchery from another era, one we’ll not get into here or anywhere else on the record….
Anyway, the Braves. They’ve won 10 of 15 and will go for a sweep tonight, but it won’t be easy with Chuck James facing Giants stud rookie Tim Lincecum. If you missed my “ondeck” scouting report thing in the paper today, here’s part of it:
“Lincecum is 4-1 with a 2.12 ERA and .197 opponents’ average in his past nine starts, with 67 strikeouts and 26 walks in 59-1/3 innings. He had eight consecutive quality starts, including six with one or no runs allowed, before giving up six runs in six innings of loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday. He’s 1-0 with an 0.89 ERA and 21 strikeouts in his past three road starts.”
Like I said, it won’t be easy. And the Braves really do need to win this game tonight, considering what awaits in Friday’s series opener vs. Arizona: Lance Cormier vs. (gulp) Brandon Webb. Uh-oh, if you’re the Braves.
Webb, of course, has a 33-inning scoreless streak going. Cormier does not. He has a 13.50 ERA in his four games (three starts) this season.
By the way, Arizona has won won 18 of 23 games before tonight’s series finale at Florida, despite hitting a modest .258 with a 4.24 ERA in that span. They’re 8-2 in their past 10 road games.
Oh, and they’ve won eight of 10 games against the Braves since the beginning of the 2006 season, including two of three in the July 27-29 series at Arizona. The D’backs swept a four-game series in their last visit to Turner Field in June 2006. Oy!
Anyway, tonight. Braves will try to finish off what’s been a very entertaining series with the Giants, and perhaps take over the wild-card lead today. They’re a half-game behind the Padres right now, and 3-1/2 behind the NL East-leading Mets, after moving back ahead of the Phillies with last night’s 6-3 win.
And did Bob Wickman give you guys enough of a scare by putting two runners on in the ninth, then giving up a to-the-wall drive by Bengie Molina that Andruw caught against the center-field fence? I was staring at one massive 5-minute rewrite of my game story if that ball clears the fence, I’ll tell you that.
It would’ve been the eighth blown save since the All-Star break for the Braves, who blew only seven before the break. Yikes. But you know what? It wasn’t a blown save. Wickman has been compared to Todd Jones for the propensity to put runners on base before converting his heart-in-throat saves.
But if you recall, Todd Jones did alright with the Tigers last season. They didn’t win it all, but got to the World Series and might have won it all if their pitchers hadn’t made an error a game. But we digress.
Wickman. Yes, he has cost Hudson three games this season and perhaps will end up costing him the Cy Young. (Can you imagine if he’d cost Hudson another win last night? Oh, that would not have been good at all, given the already-thick tension surrounding that two-balk and three-ejection-riddled game.)
But hey, Wickman has done a solid job overall since the Braves got him in July 2006, and the Braves don’t appear to have a better option, since they like Moylan in the seventh and eighth inning. If Soriano pitches the way he has the last few times out - notwithstanding the homer he gave up in Philly - then he could move into the closer role or share it down the stretch, should Wickman falter.
Octavio Dotel? Really? Look at his numbers with Kansas City and in his initial appearances with the Braves and tell me why you’re more confident with him than Wickman in the closer role. I can’t see that.
Hey, in his last 13 appearances Wickman has only given up an earned run in two. He’s got a 1.46 ERA and .197 opponents’ average in that span, though only nine strikeouts with six walks in 12-1/3 innings, and only four saves in six chances.
Still, it’ll work if he keeps that up. Long as it doesn’t get any worse, the Braves will take their chances, I’d imagine. Besides, as much as some here don’t seem to want to acknowledge it, the Braves’ lineup is the best in the league, and they’re going to score 5-8 runs most nights, with more plenty of nights.
And when they get Edgar Renteria back by next week, maybe even this weekend, that lineup will be even better.
OK, that’s it. Gonna keep it short and get to the ballpark.
In honor of The King: Too many Elvis Presley favorites to choose from, and already used Kentucky Rain here before, so let’s go with an obvious, but terrific, choice on the 30th anniversary of his death.
”SUSPICIOUS MINDS” by Mark James
We’re caught in a trap
I can’t walk out
Because I love you too much baby
Why can’t you see
What you’re doing to me
When you don’t believe a word I say?
We can’t go on together
With suspicious minds
And we can’t build our dreams
On suspicious minds
So, if an old friend I know
Drops by to say hello
Would I still see suspicion in your eyes?
Here we go again
Asking where I’ve been
You can’t see these tears are real I’m crying
We can’t go on together
With suspicious minds
And be can’t build our dreams
On suspicious minds
Oh let our love survive
Or dry the tears from your eyes
Let’s don’t let a good thing die
When honey, you know
I’ve never lied to you
Mmm-mmm, yeah, yeah
Services »
Comments
By Ookie
August 16, 2007 3:13 PM | Link to this
First
By Dap
August 16, 2007 3:13 PM | Link to this
When is Dotel expect back? How serious is his injury?
By bravesfan
August 16, 2007 3:14 PM | Link to this
DOB I thought it was Carlyle vs. Webb?
By Stephen
August 16, 2007 3:14 PM | Link to this
Anyone notice that “Barry Cheats” sign that the guy shows in Barry’s first at bats? Love it.
By Braveheart
August 16, 2007 3:21 PM | Link to this
SWEEP ‘EM BRAVOS!!!
By Thrillhouse44
August 16, 2007 3:21 PM | Link to this
We’ll see what Lincecum can do against our lineup. The Braves have seen him before, so hopefully that’ll help.
DOB, if you have all of those Elvis collectibles, I’d like to see what your shrine to Cash is like!
By KC
August 16, 2007 3:22 PM | Link to this
Dotel didn’t pitch well in his few appearances as a Brave before getting hurt. We should have gone after Gagne instead. Oh, wait…
Anyway, hopefully Dotel will be healthy and able to help in the late innings as planned when we got him.
I have to say (and this has nothing to do with Wickman or a lack of confidence in him) that I would like to see Peter Moylan get some save opportunities.
Reason being that Wickman is unlikely to be the Braves closer on opening day of next year. So it would be nice to know what we’ve already got in the pen. Can Moylan be a good closer? Only one way to find out.
We know he’s been our most dominant reliever overall this season. Doesn’t your most dominant reliever usually pitch the 9th?
I’m not saying we should take Wickman out of the closer role… just that we should get a few looks at Moylan there over the next 6 weeks.
By eric the elder
August 16, 2007 3:22 PM | Link to this
Relevant to almost nothing, I was taken by the repeated coverage of the guys in the stands who were checking off beers and hot dogs on their shirts. Joe and Boog thought it was great stuff, especially when those fans reached 9 beers in 6 innings. Lots of laughing, praises, and encouragement.
Now if any of those guys had pulled out a cigarette, a SWAT team would have carted them away in 3 microseconds. Such is the selectivitiy of our vice gestapo. Those drunken crazies would soon be in their cars on the highways, but hey, it’s all just great fun, right?
By DAP
August 16, 2007 3:25 PM | Link to this
iw rok at a radio station in N. Augusta, SC (and live in Augusta GA) and the wierdest thing just happend. my station manager had an appoinment with an artist, and i greeted the artist and his manager when they got to the station. i asked the artists manager “hey, you kinda look like peter moylan…are you a braves fan?” and there was stunned silence. it wasnt peter moylan, but the artist he was managing WAS a guy named Jonny Diaz! Matt Diaz’s brother! they both played baseball at FSU and now Jonny is pursuing music, and doing fairly well! so thats was pretty cool. im listening to his CD right now. check out www.jonnydiaz.com if your interested. small world hunh?
By Eric from MO
August 16, 2007 3:27 PM | Link to this
If we win tonight and 2 out of 3 DiamondBack that would be great! Sure sweeping Arizona would be even greater but we have to be realistic. Who know maybe we will 10 run Webb. I mean the guy is due to give up some runs.
By Thrillhouse44
August 16, 2007 3:30 PM | Link to this
Dap, DOB said this in the last blog “Dotel went on the DL Friday, retroactive to Aug. 8. He’s eligible to come off Thursday, which is probably when he’ll be activated. But it’s still too early to tell if he’ll be ready. Hasn’t turned it up yet in bullpen.”
By Lee in S. GA
August 16, 2007 3:31 PM | Link to this
Wickman is the only choice we have. Anyone out of this bullpen will cause one to drink heavily.
By DAP
August 16, 2007 3:31 PM | Link to this
Dap and I are two different people. just so we dont get mixed up. im DAP not Dap.
By Chad
August 16, 2007 3:33 PM | Link to this
DOB Hey, in his last 13 appearances Wickman has only given up an earned run in two. He’s got a 1.46 ERA and .197 opponents’ average in that span, though only nine strikeouts with six walks in 12-1/3 innings, and only four saves in six chances.
Yeah, but we all know earned runs (and by extension ERA) is a terrible way to measure relief pitchers. His WHIP in those same 13 appearances is 1.22. Certainly not terrible, but is it what you really want from your closer, who is ostensibly your best pitcher?
NB, his season WHIP is over 1.5, so I guess he has been performing well of late in comparison, but 1.5 from your closer?! Not good. For the season, his 1.51 WHIP(#88 in NL!) is worse than Soriano(#8 in NL), Moylan(#18 in NL), Villareal(#36 in NL) and Yates(#69 in NL). And in August, his XXX WHIP(# in NL) is worse than Acosta(#1 in NL albeit few IP), Moylan(#18 in NL), Villareal(#27 in NL), Yates(#34 in NL), Mahay(#52 in NL), Dotel(#62 in NL), Soriano(#74 in NL), as well as Hudson, James and Carlyle!
You could make the argument he’s the WORST pitcher on our staff…
By Eric from MO
August 16, 2007 3:34 PM | Link to this
KC-I like most Braves fans agree with you that Moylan should get some chances to close. However, your reason is kinda dumb. While I think Moylan should close because Wickman is struggling so much. You said you want to Moylan to close to see because you want to see about next year. That makes no sense to make a guy a new closer in middle of a pennant race just to see what we will have next year. Besides Gonzo, who is a proven closer, will be back next year.
By RedEyedAndBlue
August 16, 2007 3:40 PM | Link to this
DAP - Thought for a second there that you were gonna say you discovered Elvis Presley in the flesh and alive trying to make his comeback in North Augusta, SC. Anyway, grew up and went to high school in North Augusta. Small world, this here blog.
Now on to baseball — It has been over 1 year (last 11 Aug.) since the Braves last CG. “Would be nice to see Chuck go more than 5 tonight,” is putting it mildly. This is his 43 GS in the ML and he has gone beyond the 6th inning in only 11 of ‘em and only past the 5th in about half of ‘em. I mean we come down hard on Wick and the bullpen, and somewhat deservedly, but it would be nice to give the bullpen a night off once in a while… or in a year.
By Versiroth
August 16, 2007 3:40 PM | Link to this
GO JAMES! I know he has a 6 inning 1 ER outing in him and the Braves could certainly use it tonight.
By Braveheart
August 16, 2007 3:43 PM | Link to this
Efrim, as to Wickman closing in Yankee Stadium, I know that sounds scary but I think Wickman would be psyched up to prove the Yankees wrong for what they did to him in the 1996 season and, basically, his whole Yankees tenure.
He was a pretty serviceable starting pitcher when he first came up - he won alot of games. I actually saw him pitch a few times when he was a Yankees farmhand. Then they made him a reliever and he was pretty filthy in his early years with his sinker. He was a big reason for their rebirth - kind of a forgotten piece in their rise created by the homegrowns. Then they traded Wickman and Gerald Williams (another important homegrown in their rise) in the middle of that 1996 season for Graeme Lloyd and Ricky Bones. There were a whole lot of angry Yankees fan about that one. They really did overpay in that trade. Lloyd was terrible in the regular season but magnificent in the 1996 playoffs so Wickman and Gerald Williams became forgotten. I also think some with the Yankees thought Wickman was kind of a surly malcontent at the time because he really wanted to be a starter and he had good results as a starter (won alot) and he felt like he was being jerked around or underestimated and underappreciated by the Yankees when they would not let him start. At least, that’s how I remember it.
So, while his skills may not make him more than serviceable, I think Wickman may have a vendetta against the Yankees should they meet in the postseason. His lifetime stats against the Yanks don’t really bear that out. But an eternal optimist can invent reasons to believe right?
By KC
August 16, 2007 3:45 PM | Link to this
Eric from MO: “KC-I like most Braves fans agree with you that Moylan should get some chances to close. However, your reason is kinda dumb.”
What can I say? I’m just a dumb guy. But after having someone read your post to me…
If Wickman were light’s as he was last year, I would never recommend taking the ball out of his hands. But, as you’ve pointed out, he isn’t dominant right now by any stretch. And there are nights when it would be safe to say the big guy could use a rest.
Yes, trying Moylan out there a bit would have the added benefit seeing how he does there, in case Wickman falters or gets hurt. I’m just saying that as long Wickman does a serviceable job… giving Moylan a few opportunities to spell Wickman and show what he can do, is as far as it should go. You don’t want shake up your bullpen to that extent (exchanging your closer) this late in a pennant race.
By TampaBrave
August 16, 2007 3:46 PM | Link to this
Moylan has a back problem, right? If you know anything about backs, they rarely go away.
By Luther
August 16, 2007 3:47 PM | Link to this
How a typical, friendly disagreement ends on the Braves blog-
-Discovered by the Germans in 1904, they named it San Diego, which of course in German means a whale’s vagina.
-No, there’s no way that’s correct.
-I’m sorry, I was trying to impress you. I don’t know what it means. I’ll be honest, I don’t think anyone knows what it means anymore. Scholars maintain that the translation was lost hundreds of years ago.
-Doesn’t it mean Saint Diego?
-No, that’s - that’s what it means. Really.
-Agree to disagree
By Shaun
August 16, 2007 3:47 PM | Link to this
All the Braves are asking Wickman to do is get three out before the other team gets two or three and sometimes four or five runs. The harder work comes in the 6th, 7th and 8th innings of close games—and that’s when you save a guy like Moylan, who’s been lights out often this season, or Soriano when he’s on.
Most of the time the closers role isn’t the most important.
By ncscoots
August 16, 2007 3:48 PM | Link to this
You could make the argument he’s the WORST pitcher on our staff
uh, actually, you could make the argument that he has the worst WHIP on the staff. But that’s the only argument to make with those stats.
But we had the Wickman thread on the last blog, LOL. Guess DOB thought it needed some more legs!
By Braveheart
August 16, 2007 3:50 PM | Link to this
ERIC THE ELDER You’re back!!!! Bravo!!! I’ve missed ya! I think I turned you off with some of my antics. If so, I’m sorry. Next time, just make a threat to me that you are gonna leave again if I keep it up, and I will stop immediately. I’ve mellowed out a bit anyway. We need you around. Welcome back home elderman!!!
By Bob, Journalist
August 16, 2007 3:53 PM | Link to this
Shaun,
while i don’t totally understand “The basic principals of economic and how it affects baseball is fairly simple” … and I suspect that I would disagree with the simplistic notion were I to understand … I certainly agree with the notion that a lot of people who complain about athletes being overpaid don’t seem to understand capitalism … but I think your so saying may be a case of the pot calling the kettle blue.
KC, I wasn’t intending to seriously suggest disagreement with the import of your post … and, as an aside, I certainly wouldn’t want to see Willie become inhibited because this run of failed attempts.
By Coach (Hank Aaron Is The Real HR Champion)
August 16, 2007 3:53 PM | Link to this
The king’s last performance. Enjoy !http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut_K4oeM4SM
By Elvis
August 16, 2007 3:54 PM | Link to this
First of all, I ain’t dead. I’m holed up with Howard Hughes in this 2-floor suite on top of XXXXXX Hotel. (I ain’t telling just where ‘cause that little singing scribe will be up here trying to get me to sing one of his songs. It’s too hard to sing in lower-case and minor key.)
Anyway, I use to have some chicks in, but Howard insisted that they wear plastic suits. And you guys know how it is to “take a shower with a raincoat on”. Right?! Now, I just watch Braves baseball and talk on the phone with this Dave O’Brien guy. He’s alright, but I get more real info reading Howard’s copies of USA Today and watching ESPN on Howard’s wall-to-wall plasma TV. Wish I could watch dirty movies on it but Howard won’t let anyone else touch the remote and he watches the Discovery channel, all day and night. Boring!
I’m glad to have been with you on the 30th anniversary of our “hoax”. Ok, here they come with my lunch of two fried peanut butter and banana sammiches.
Thank ya, thank you vera much.
By KC
August 16, 2007 3:58 PM | Link to this
Is anyone else surprised that Marcus Giles is having such a miserable season in SD? I thought he’s really click there. It’s a great doubles-hitter park, which is what he aways was when he was with the Braves.
He’s looking even more washed up than his brother. Yikes.
By BravesDave
August 16, 2007 3:58 PM | Link to this
Great song choice, DOB. Simple, but still one of the great songs in the history of man.
On Wickman…the guy may not be healthy right now, since we know his forearm has been giving him trouble. He has not been as solid as he was last season for the Braves. I do not feel great when I see him ambling into the game. We know that he is not a strikeout guy, he pitches to contact. He does not have one, great out pitch (like Trevor Hoffmann’s change). He was horrible on the road, but is now showing signs of cracking at home.
But…we are stuck with him. There are no other good options right now, if we are to believe that Moylan is needed in earlier innings. I would not have more faith in anyone else in the bullpen right now. I would love to say Acosta (because he can throw 97 mph), but that is not realistic.
By Lew
August 16, 2007 3:59 PM | Link to this
Eric-I’m not so sure you can count on Gonzo much (if at all) before mid season. We’ve been through the TJ surgery recovery routine enough here to realize one year at the least will be required. Not that I think KC’s idea is a great one, but I see his point-we will, in all likelihood, need another closer-at least to start things off. Whether or not Soriano will be the one-who knows? I imagine it might have something to do with his performance from here on out.
By Velvet Elvis
August 16, 2007 4:01 PM | Link to this
DOB- Thanks for the Elvis. I am a fan despite being only 2 months old at the time of his death and have been to Graceland twice, which is awesome!
Proposed Lineup: 1. Willie, 2. KJ, 3. Chipper, 4. Teixeira, 5. McCann, 6. Francoeur, 7. Escobar, 8. Druw, 9. James
I’d like to see Matt Diaz (.344 & .375 over last 10 games) in the lineup in place of Andruw (.213 & a measly .143 over the last 10), but Bobby wouldn’t do that.
Any news on the roster move when Edgar comes back? Please be the end of Chris Woodward!
By Ron Roberts
August 16, 2007 4:02 PM | Link to this
Hey, DAP, I used to do the whole “work radio in N.Augusta, live in Augusta” thing awhile back myself. :) Tell the CSRA I said hello for me! Actually, what stations are left in NAUG anymore? Clear Channel moved across the river, as did the Beasley stations, last I checked.
Anyhow, baseball. I’m sure Shaun had a chance to look at SI’s article on their site about the D-backs run-differential. Interesting read. In essence, Arizona’s lost so many blow-out games that their run differential is a little misleading. Says that when Livan’s bad, he’s really bad, and that their mop-up guys (their “Oscar Villareals”) are awful, too.
The article’s HERE for anybody who wants to delve into it.
By AthensBrave
August 16, 2007 4:03 PM | Link to this
Eric….
I knew one of those guys last night, the one in the white shirt….but hadn’t seen him in years. He was in one of my classes, pretty funny.
I’m going to the “all you can” on the 31st against the mets…can’t wait. I probably won’t need a t-shirt to draw attention to myself. I plan on going in there for batting pratice and getting my $$$$$ worth by the 2nd inning
By Shaun
August 16, 2007 4:05 PM | Link to this
Bob, Journalist,
Here’s what I understand: I understand that the reason athletes and entertainers are paid so much more relative to most other occupations is because a lot of people are willing to pay a fairly significant sum of money to see games, movies, etc. You figure out a way to get 30,000 people to pay $20-$80 to watch teachers at work, that’s when they’ll get multi-million dollar contracts. For better or worse, that’s the way our system works.
Often times people that love to complain about this have no qualms about feeding into this system by either going to watch games or movies or TV, etc.
By Coach (Hank Aaron Is The Real HR Champion)
August 16, 2007 4:07 PM | Link to this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut_K4oeM4SM
By KC
August 16, 2007 4:07 PM | Link to this
Coach (Hank Aaron Is The Real HR Champion)
Gosh man… Elvis in those final days is a sad sight. Such a huge difference from how he looked just 5 years earlier.
Elvis’ glory days are a little before my time, but I enjoy all the music/videos from that era (50’s, 60’s, and early 70’s Elvis).
BTW, you’re absolutely right about the identity of the REAL homerun champ.
By Braves Fan 79
August 16, 2007 4:07 PM | Link to this
Were finially winning games were SUPPOSED to win. GO BRAVES!
By KC
August 16, 2007 4:11 PM | Link to this
Velvet Elvis: I’d like to think Woodward will be gone when Renteria returns… but that’s wishful thinking.
Prado will likely be sent down to make room. No biggie though… he’ll be back up on September 1.
By ernesto
August 16, 2007 4:13 PM | Link to this
FIRST?
Look I committed 3 blog sins with only one word. That has to be a record.
By Tad
August 16, 2007 4:13 PM | Link to this
Anyone going to the park tonight? I am sitting in section 312, a couple of sections over from DOB. Get the brooms out!
By Braveheart
August 16, 2007 4:14 PM | Link to this
Did anyone else notice last night that the Giants seem like a lifeless bunch?
There was a play down the right field line where Winn should have dove headfirst and fully extended his body to try to make a catch. Instead, he slid feet first with his glove into his body and had no chance to catch the ball.
Then there was a play over by the tarp where Ray Durham kind of pulled up short instead of going like a maniac for the ball like Derek Jeter would. Kind of understandable around the tarp.
But then there was a play where Bonds seemed like a statue out in left and maybe could have saved an extra base hit from being a hit at all.
They just seem like a very old team and/or a team that is too veteran and does not have that burning desire to prove themselves everyday like they already have it made. They just don’t seem to want it enough. Part of that is age and too many vets.
But part of that is the manager. While Bobby was going bonkers last night, Bochy got thrown out and you could not really tell why. It seemed like he was out there not because he was angry or trying to stick up for his troops or fire his team up but because he felt obliged after Cox showed him up and after Klesko went berserk.
It just seemed like Bochy was like great Cox got thrown out so now I need to do something. Klesko is going bonkers and he’s going to make me do my job and pretend I care. It seems like the manager has no fire and, as a result, neither do his players. There is talent on that team. They’re just seem to be too many vets taking the game for granted.
By Julia
August 16, 2007 4:15 PM | Link to this
I’ve NEVER felt BETTER in my life! I’m working with a new t-r-a-i-n-e- r who’s helping me reach some loftier physical goals. I’d hit a p-l-a-t-e-a-u, and wanted to get just a “little” better in some key areas, actually.
He said I needed to t-w-e-a-k my food intake just a bit - so today, I laid off the you know whats and now I feel like A NEW WOMAN. That annoying POOCH is still there, though. They say it is the last to go. I admire Wickman very much because he has a POOCH and he can still field his position.
By Shaun
August 16, 2007 4:16 PM | Link to this
Ron Roberts,
Does it also mention they’ve won 26 one-run games?
They are 26-16 in one run games and 12-22 in games decided by 5+ runs. So things have pretty much evened out. So, therefore, their run differential is probably more reliable than their actual record for the purposes of trying to guess what they may do for the remainder of the season.
They are losing games big and winning them close. Anything can happen but that doesn’t bode well for D-Backs fans hoping their team will stay where it’s at.
If I were a betting man, I would not put money on the D-Backs as most likely to finish with the best record in the league.
By Chuck Berry (is the Real Rock & Roll King)
August 16, 2007 4:17 PM | Link to this
I can’t stand Elvis
By David O'Brien
August 16, 2007 4:19 PM | Link to this
Bravesfan, why did you think it was Carlyle going ahead of Cormier? I haven’t heard anything about them changing the rotation around. I’ll let you know if I do, however. Going to clubhouse now.
By DAP
August 16, 2007 4:19 PM | Link to this
tampa brave youre right. i dont know much about backs, but mine has never gone away.
By KC
August 16, 2007 4:22 PM | Link to this
Braveheart: “Did anyone else notice last night that the Giants seem like a lifeless bunch?”
That’s because the average age of their players is 176.
By Daybed Wagmoe
August 16, 2007 4:24 PM | Link to this
DOB - atlantabraves.com says that brandon webb will face buddy carlyle, not lance cormier. cormier is scheduled to pitch saturday against owings.
By Elvis
August 16, 2007 4:25 PM | Link to this
KC What do you mean my “final days”? I told you, I am still here. They rolled back the stone and found nothing but a sequined-jumpsuit. Believe!!
As for how I looked in that video(that I still collect millions off of)and how I look now: I’m told I look like Bob Wickman’s grandfather if Wicky continues on the EEIS(Eat everything in sight) diet.
I must waddle into my all-gold bathroom now, and try to take a Mut.
By eric the elder
August 16, 2007 4:26 PM | Link to this
No, Braveheart, nothing about you at all. Just a mild case of blog fatigue. Unlike Andruw, I know when to shut it down for a while. I appreciate the welcome back, but I’ll try not to post anything unless I think it might be useful or it might relieve that tingling senstation in the tips of my fingers.
By KC
August 16, 2007 4:27 PM | Link to this
I predict Cormier will out-duel Webb!
puff… Boy, this stuff is good!
By PostseasonBlues
August 16, 2007 4:28 PM | Link to this
Again, does it really matter? We all know how the Braves season will finish and that is with disappointment. how many years of this do you have to sit thru until you get it?
By Jay Dub
August 16, 2007 4:28 PM | Link to this
All this talk about the real home run champion and nobody has given a shout out to Sadaharu Oh!
Lifetime totals: 2,786 hits; 2,170 RBIs; .301 average and … 868 Home Runs! And he did it all on Saki and Sushi.
Barry’s legs will fall off at the knees before he gets another 100+ homers. Sweet!
JayDub Out
P.S. Don’t touch that bacon Priscilla! that’s the King’s bacon!
P.S.
By Ron Roberts
August 16, 2007 4:31 PM | Link to this
Shaun, I gave ya the link, buddy. Just read for yourself, bro. Nobody said anything about ‘em finishing w/the best record in the league, though.
However, with LA and SD’s inability to score runs, especially LA’s tail-spin of late, and Colorado’s rotation in tatters, I think they’re a good bet to win that division.
By Braveheart
August 16, 2007 4:32 PM | Link to this
Braveheart: “Did anyone else notice last night that the Giants seem like a lifeless bunch?”
That’s because the average age of their players is 176.
KC Yeah, the Giants look deader than a Chop Chick blog.
By Little Richard(Who lives in Lynchburg, TN)
August 16, 2007 4:33 PM | Link to this
I hate Julia and I would like to stuff one of those sammiches in her piehole!
By Diamondback.Mac
August 16, 2007 4:33 PM | Link to this
By Chuck Berry (is the Real Rock & Roll King)
I couldn’t agree more, and Little Richard was the queen. I still like Elvis though.
By dadgum
August 16, 2007 4:34 PM | Link to this
Is it just me or are all these close games against the Giants making you nervous too. We’ll take the wins sure but I think those blown save numbers will increase once we run into the many games left with the Mets and Phils. Again no offense can bail you out if the closers don’t keep their end of the bargain.
ALL HAIL THE KING!!!!
Rock on ….remembering Elvis Aaron Presley.
By KC
August 16, 2007 4:35 PM | Link to this
Aw come on Lew… all my ideas are great. You know that. That’s why I’m always right about everything.
By ncscoots
August 16, 2007 4:35 PM | Link to this
Braveheart, the umpiring was so ridiculously inept last night that Bochy may have felt it was just a matter of time before he got himself tossed. Why not just go ahead and have done with it, LOL?
You’re right, though, an old team going through the motions. What does that say to the few young players on their squad? Nothing good.
By Gil in Mechanicsville
August 16, 2007 4:35 PM | Link to this
Braveheart Yes, they look much like some of the high salaried Oriole teams of the past. The Giants as a team know they were only the supporting cast for Barry so now it is just time to play out the string.
It is why I liked the Braves for so long, JS has not let the team get too old. Well, except for Julio but even with him there was a limit.
By DAP
August 16, 2007 4:39 PM | Link to this
Ron Roberts yeah, beasly took austin, hansom harley, and mary liz and moved up to bel-air road in augusta.
clearchannel moved thier stations to an office building off of wheeler, but they left WBBQ and WIBL up here in N. Augusta. I work at WAFJ, which started in ‘94, but just moved from downtown to N. Augusta about 8 years ago.
what station did you work at?
By Tonight on TBS
August 16, 2007 4:40 PM | Link to this
After the game…
Jailhouse Rock (1957)
Michael V. (Elvis Presley) is serving a one-year jail sentence after pleading guilty to dogfighting. While in the big house, his cellmate, a former rock star (Lenny Kravitz), introduces him to the record business. Michael takes to it so well that he decides to become a singer when he gets out and then becomes an overnight sensation. But when he sees a cute puppy in a storefront window, will his troubles begin again? (Musical. Includes the showstopping tune: Who let the dogs out?).
By Braveheart
August 16, 2007 4:41 PM | Link to this
Just a mild case of blog fatigue. Unlike Andruw, I know when to shut it down for a while.
Elderman, you’re gonna have to teach me how to do that. I’m too much like Andruw!
By Elvis
August 16, 2007 4:44 PM | Link to this
dadgum Don’t remind people that my middle name was Aaron. I changed it to “The King”. Now, Hank Aaron sounds manly. Elvis Aaron sounds like some of these pencil-necked-bean-counters on this blog.
By Dave
August 16, 2007 4:44 PM | Link to this
Only 16 more days till FOOTBALL SEASON! Finally, relief from the summer boredom…..
By geauxbraves2000
August 16, 2007 4:45 PM | Link to this
As I see it, the Braves are going to have to overcome three big obstacles if they want to win tonight:
1) Lincecum
2) Chuck HR James keeping the ball in the yard.
3) Angel Hernandez.
This could be one of those games that shows what this team is really made of. Or maybe no, what do I know?
Geaux Braves!!
By Gil in Mechanicsville
August 16, 2007 4:45 PM | Link to this
Yo, Lew, I was showing off my Wurlitzer today to my youngest son who is back home from Utah. He was impressed. The wife has said she wants to go to spring training next year to try to get John to sign it. I cannot see a downside to it at all. Life is good.
By Efrim
August 16, 2007 4:49 PM | Link to this
I actually think we have a decent shot to win that game. I really do. Webb has to give up some runs at some point. He ain’t no Orel Hershiser. I say his line is something like:
7 IP 7 Hits 3 ER 3 BB 7 K’s
If Cormier can go 5.1 IP 7 hits 3 ER 3 BB 4 K’s, we got a shot.
In those types of games, the bullpen has to come up big.
By the way, I think Tex is going to go yard on Lincecum tonight.
By ncscoots
August 16, 2007 4:51 PM | Link to this
Gil, long as you’re here…having seen Gregor Blanco a few times over the past three years (including this one early), I came away with the impression that ML pitchers would just pound him with fastballs and knock the bat out of his hands. Yet his slugging at Richmond this year seems to be at least OK. Has he actually gotten stronger, or is it just an extra-year-at-AAA bump?
By Ron Roberts
August 16, 2007 4:53 PM | Link to this
DAP… WIBL, when it was CHR/Pop (WZNY).
By Six Four Three
August 16, 2007 4:53 PM | Link to this
DOB, I’ve got to know your stogie selection. I’m puffing on a nice Punch Gran Puro right now and it’s outstanding. The Braves are a lock to win the East. This lineup can’t be contained—too much fire power. Hudson has been absolutely amazing, and Smoltz just keeps working it. I haven’t been this excited about Braves baseball since 1994 (just before the strike).
By Roy
August 16, 2007 4:56 PM | Link to this
Did Elvis do Who let the dogs out? I didn’t know that. Good tune - one of his best.
By doug
August 16, 2007 4:56 PM | Link to this
Angel is not working the plate tonight, is he??? The crowd will be chanting Bobby’s name before the third inning if that’s the case.
By ncscoots
August 16, 2007 4:58 PM | Link to this
geaux, I don’t know, man…after the strike “zone” Tuesday, and the delusions of grandeur last night, I fear this umpiring crew might go total-whack-job tonight. In which case, it won’t much matter what either team does; coin-flip determines the winner.
By Weston
August 16, 2007 5:03 PM | Link to this
DOB
Did you hear anything about what was up with Myers giving Willie the eye after he struck him out on Sunday? Braves players looked unhappy about it. IMO Myers is a punk!!
By Eric from MO
August 16, 2007 5:03 PM | Link to this
DOB Braves had an off day Monday. Thats why Caryle is pitching and not Cormier.
By Kieran, Long Island Brave Fan
August 16, 2007 5:06 PM | Link to this
Thoughts of Soriano as Closer bring back gruesome flashbacks of one Berkman Grandslam and a Brad Ausmus Banker off the Wall in Houston… Farnsworth, Wohlers…
Wondering if there is any sort of Back Up plan for Cormier as a 5th Starter if he should get injured again or if his meaty ERA should grow even meatier? Is JoJo Reyes the only other option or are they cooking up soemthing we don’t know about in the farm system or on the waiver wire?
By Lew
August 16, 2007 5:11 PM | Link to this
Gil-Smoltz has been kind enough to sign several drawings for me in the past, so there is definitely precedent. He’s a good guy and does sign frequently-at least in my experience. I’ve never seen him turn down a request.
By jbutler
August 16, 2007 5:15 PM | Link to this
In honor of Mr. Blue Suede Shoes…I brought out our Elvis clock w/Mr. Pelvis’ hips keep the clock tocking..We even used “Can’t Help Falling in Love w/You” as our wedding song. It seemed more appropriate than Jailhouse rock.
Not sure why I have such a soft spot for him…a few hours on the couch might give me an idea!!
Lets bring it home tonight!!
By Lew
August 16, 2007 5:15 PM | Link to this
KC-I hear you, Dude. I’ve been telling my wife for 32 years that I’m always right, most of the time. She hasn’t bought into it yet. I’ll keep trying, though.
By Elvis
August 16, 2007 5:18 PM | Link to this
No, I didn’t do Who let the dogs out. That came out after I went into “seclusion”. I believe the Boston Pops released the original tune.
By mLn
August 16, 2007 5:19 PM | Link to this
Go to talkingchop.com to hear this song some kids have written about Mark Teixeira. It is really good.
By Elvis
August 16, 2007 5:26 PM | Link to this
All of you with velvet Elvises bring ‘em over to O’Brien’s place and I’ll sign them for you. And, I’m going to bring him a “real” Elvis bust. I hate to hear him bragging about his Canadian knockoff.
By sportsmandh
August 16, 2007 5:26 PM | Link to this
DOB, Wickman isn’t that bad. Since he’s had a couple bad games in a row now, that means he probably has a couple of good outings coming now at the inconsistent rate he’s been going. For the 1st couple of weeks after the All Star break he pitched pretty well. Yes, he cost Hudson several games. But in 2 of those games they were very strange situations where Cox left Hudson in to start the 9th. So I put those couple of games on Cox. He’s an entire 9th inning guy or nothing at all. Once Wicky was brought in with the bases loaded and no outs. There’s a good chance had he started the 9th, 1 or two of those games wouldn’t have been lost. (But hey, strange things happen in the great game). Another one of his blow ups was in Colorado, where lots of pitchers have been blown up. No doubt that Wickman pitched better last season, but he’s still far from the worst closer out there. What closer have the Braves had that’s better than Wickman other than Smoltz during the last 15 years? Maybe Wohlers or Rocker for a 1 year span. Maybe…
Is it just me, or does Matt Diaz remind anyone else of a right handed version of John Kruk?
By Paladin
August 16, 2007 5:29 PM | Link to this
I so throughly enjoyed my first nap, that I went back for another. Now, where were we?
By JD
August 16, 2007 5:32 PM | Link to this
DOB, you suggested Havana Sandwich Shop a few days ago on the blog. Awesome. Keep the recommendations coming. I’m a believer.
By bravesfan
August 16, 2007 5:35 PM | Link to this
DOB I was just going by what it had on braves.com, but it could easily be wrong.
By Angel Hernandez
August 16, 2007 5:36 PM | Link to this
Bobby Cox - incluso no me mira o bien lanzaré tu grasa detrás del juego.
¡Vivo para esto!
By Andruw Jones
August 16, 2007 5:36 PM | Link to this
Bench me!!! (Please…)
By Wolfpack Man
August 16, 2007 5:37 PM | Link to this
DOB (Concerning Cormier/Carylye)
Not that it means all THAT much, but MLB.com lists Carylye as the probible for Friday and Cormier for Saturday.
I thought they might push Carlyle up for game so that he pitched on regular rest, but seeing as how there are no off days for the next 2 weeks, it doesn’t really matter all that much who pitches.
The 5th spot will be due up 3 more times before the next off day regardless of whether or not they are flip flopped.
AND BASED ON a 3-13 record in games pitched by the 5th starter, that is not good news.
If you take the Braves record in games started by Cormier, Redman, Reyes, and Lerew the Braves are 3-13.
Record when any other starter starts (including Davies) 61-43.
If the Braves had just been able to go 8-8 in those 16 starts they would be 1.5 games ahead of the Mets and 4.5 games ahead of anyone in the wildcard race.
Do you think the Braves could use 1 more starter? Even if he was a mediocre .500 pitcher. I know it was impossible to get one before the trade deadline and we will likely have to wait for 2008 to see a change, but those are eye-poping numbers.
By Wickman's Personal trainer
August 16, 2007 5:38 PM | Link to this
Burp! Will you people get off of Wick’s @$$. I’m having enough trouble as it is, gettin’ him(and it) into my Yugo to go down to BK for our daily routine. I park at least 3 spaces from the door and we race to the counter. The counter-people now us by now and they just give me everything on the left side and Wick everything on the right. We switch it up every now and then, for variety. Afterwards, we do the duck-waddle back to the car. Burp!
By Chop Chop
August 16, 2007 5:39 PM | Link to this
Hmm…if Matt Diaz were 2 bills heavier and 1 ball lighter, yeah, he’d be John Kruk.
By Kentavo
August 16, 2007 5:40 PM | Link to this
Hey denizens, I work in the media in Myrtle Beach (www.weeklysurge.com if you wanna check us out), and the Pelicans just sent out this humorous press release (You can get away with this in A ball)
Pelicans Place GM Johnson on DL
Mononucleosis Shelves Three-Time Carolina League Executive of the Year
MYRTLE BEACH, SC – As if the transaction list (at 85 and counting for the season) wasn’t long enough for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (A/Atlanta Braves) already, the club announced today that its catalyst would miss the remainder of the regular season as the Birds try to snap the longest playoff drought in the Carolina League.
No, not Isaiah Ka’aihue, the MVP candidate who still leads the Carolina League in home runs despite spending the past three weeks in Class AA Mississippi. It’s not Matt Young either, the 100 mile-per-hour outfielder who hit .323 after the All-Star break to earn his promotion to Mississippi. Heck, it’s not even the beloved Dinger the Home Run Dog, who at the ripe age of 10 — that’s 70 in human years, which converts to roughly 137 in [Pelicans’ G.E.R.T.] Todd “Parney” Parnell years — can still be counted on even in the “Dog Days” (literally) of August.
Rather, the void can be found in the front office, where the monument of masculinity that is General Manager North (“I’m as thin as the straw that stirs the drink”) Johnson has been knocked out of commission by mononucleosis, that most frustrating of afflictions also known as the kissing disease. Oh, the humanity.
“This is as unusual an injury as I’ve ever had to deal with in my 31 years of professional baseball,” a bemused Pelicans field manager Rocket Wheeler said. “I’ve lost lots of pitchers, shortstops, even bullpen catchers to injuries over the years, but never a GM.”
Assistant General Manager Carper Cole will take over as interim GM in Johnson’s absence, pending the reappearance of a healthy and refreshed North Johnson (to be known as North version 2.0) on Tuesday, September 4, 2007.
“I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of General Manager of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the enjoyment of our fans,” Cole said in an unregulated ceremony on the pitcher’s mound officiated by Pelicans head groundskeeper Chris “Butter” Ball, who is not licensed by the State of South Carolina for anything other than driving a car.
While Johnson expressed his utmost confidence in Cole’s ability to run the franchise in his stead, Pelicans principal owner and managing partner Chuck Greenberg eagerly awaits Johnson’s return.
“We certainly wish North a speedy recovery and look forward to him resuming his duties as general manager immediately after Labor Day. In the meantime, I am sure Carper will do as fine a job subbing for North as Lou Gehrig did for the Yankees during his brief stint filling in for Wally Pipp.”
The Pelicans will try regroup from this latest blow as they close out a seven-game road trip in Lynchburg, Virginia tonight. Following tonight’s series finale against the Hillcats the Pelicans will return to Myrtle Beach for an exciting three-game series starting Friday night at 7:05 p.m. against the Potomac Nationals. The weekend will be highlighted by the “Name Changing of the Ballpark” on Saturday night when the Pelicans host the Nationals at 7:05 p.m. On Sunday, the Pelicans and the American Red Cross will team to present “Emergency Preparedness Night.” The Pelicans will wear special-edition jerseys featuring the signature Red Cross logo emblazoned on them as they take on the Potomac Nationals at 6:05 p.m. These special jerseys will be auctioned off throughout the night, with proceeds benefiting the Red Cross. For tickets to Pelicans baseball call 843-918-6000 or reserve seats online at www.myrtlebeachpelicans.com.
—- PELICANS —-
By DJ
August 16, 2007 5:41 PM | Link to this
DOB, the stock market is crashing - where should I invest my money?
Are Scott Thorman rookie cards a sell?
By bravesfan
August 16, 2007 5:44 PM | Link to this
No Bonds, Vizquel, or Klesko in Giants lineup. LINEUP’S R Davis, CF D Roberts, LF
R Winn, RF B Molina, C
R Durham, 2B P Feliz, 3B D Ortmeier, 1B K Frandsen, SS
T Lincecum, P
W Harris, LF K Johnson, 2B C Jones, 3B M Teixeira, 1B
B McCann, C J Francoeur, RF
A Jones, CF Y Escobar, SS C James, P
By Robert (Justice Is The Best)
August 16, 2007 5:45 PM | Link to this
Chop Chop, that wasn’t very nice.
By Savannah Guy
August 16, 2007 5:45 PM | Link to this
Funny juxtaposition In today’s Savannah fishwrapper, front page of the sports section was an article about the disgraced Tim Donaghy. Right beside that story was the story of last night’s game with a big picture of Cox pointing at none other than, you guessed it…Angel Hernandez, who was looking, uh…guilty. Hmmm. Could it…nah. Nevermind.
Elvis I loved your film Bubba Ho-Tep. You and JFK did a fine job of hiding all these years. Could it be…nah.
By KLB
August 16, 2007 5:48 PM | Link to this
Heyward hit a HR today in his first game with the GCL Braves. Finished 1-3. Also had an OF assist.
By Wolfpack Man
August 16, 2007 5:48 PM | Link to this
Another stat continued from my previous post.
The Braves are 54-32 in all games started by Hudson, Smoltz, James, and Carylye. That equates to a .627 winning percentage and a pace for 102 wins. So, basically in games started by those four the Braves would have the best record in all of baseball.
Having said that, is there any question that if the Braves get into the playoffs and have those four guys healthy, that they will be the best equipped team in the National League for a long playoff run?
I think if the Braves can get “there”. It could be a great postseason, but I think in order to qualify that they are going to have to get 3-4 wins (in 7-8 likely starts) in games pitched by Cormier or whoever is in that spot.
By Paladin
August 16, 2007 5:49 PM | Link to this
Shaun Relative to Chop Chop’s 5:39 post, If Matt Diaz had 2 bills and 1 ball, how long would it take him to go from a to b? This is open book. Take your time.
By Coach (Hank Aaron Is The Real HR Champion)
August 16, 2007 5:52 PM | Link to this
Tonight’s game is a key contest. The Braves are 8-5 so far this month , another win and they are 9-5 , another loss and they are 8-6 and facing Brandon Webb tomorrow. Cormier is pitching on Saturday and Smoltz on Sunday. 9-8 in August by Monday or 10-7 ? we shall see !
By Savannah Guy
August 16, 2007 5:54 PM | Link to this
Paladin Two naps? Kinda like a diet I was on…wasn’t getting enough to eat with one, so I added another. Worked out great: one diet all protien, one diet all carbs. Perfect.
By Chop Chop
August 16, 2007 5:55 PM | Link to this
Paladin, I ain’t no brain genius, but my guess is that kinetic energy, the Earth’s gravitational pull and drag co-efficients are involved.
John Kruk in drag?
Holy Cornelia…
By bill
August 16, 2007 5:56 PM | Link to this
I was just a dumb teenager in the 50’s and still dumb but that was the best years of my life. Elvis is the King but I like Chuck Berry & Fats Dominio. Go Braves.
By Calicriz
August 16, 2007 5:57 PM | Link to this
DOB! Funny that you bring up Elvis. I’m currently reading LAST TRAIN TO MEMPHIS. We’re probably going to adapt it and make a movie out of it. Curious as to who you would cast though. The majority of the book is Elvis at 19 so the choices are narrowed dramatically. The studio has some ideas but nothing the excites me. Help me out. If you come up with something great i’ll bring it up and pass it off as my own. Just being honest. Stay cool out there today. It’s 75 in LA right now…FYI.
By Dad
August 16, 2007 5:57 PM | Link to this
Have you Braves fan noticed how the Mets are blowing the Pirates away? I warned you Braves fans about the Mets getting hot after the last series with the Braves. Am I a prophet are not? Well let me give you another prediction. The Braves will soon start their slide toward third place in the NL East. The 3,4 and 5 pitchers in the Braves starting rotation are losers. Look at their record compared to Smoltz and Hudson. Then, you’ll agree that the Braves have no chance to catch the Mets in 2007.
By Robert (Justice Is The Best)
August 16, 2007 5:59 PM | Link to this
Wolfpack Man, I do think the Braves are built for the postseason. They just have to get there. I think the Mets and Padres along with the Red Sox and Indians are teams built for the postseason. A team doesn’t need five starters in the postseason or even four for that matter. They really just need three and the Braves have that.
By Paladin
August 16, 2007 6:02 PM | Link to this
Look out, SG, they will accuse you of being an “addict”. :-) BTW, I’m working on my autobiography and plan to call it The Attic of an Ignoramus. Catchy, don’t you think?
By David O'Brien
August 16, 2007 6:05 PM | Link to this
All who’ve informed me that MLB.com lists Carlyle as the starter tomorrow instead of Cormier, and those who’ve informed me why — because of the off day — thanks much.
But the Braves haven’t made a switch, at least not one that they’ve informed the media or Cormier about. Far as I know, Cormier’s pitching tomorrow.
By Mackey Sasser
August 16, 2007 6:05 PM | Link to this
Hey Dad, your mom just called. It’s time for dinner so you need to turn off the computer and go upstairs for dinner. Oh, and no Mets tank top at the dinner table you crazy prophet!
By Mackey Sasser
August 16, 2007 6:05 PM | Link to this
Hey Dad, your mom just called. It’s time for dinner so you need to turn off the computer and go upstairs. Oh, and no Mets tank top at the dinner table you crazy prophet!
By DonCoburleone
August 16, 2007 6:08 PM | Link to this
Haha Dad, I believe Chipper is your Daddy… Need I remind you of the 470’ bomb he hit at Shea not too long ago???
By David O'Brien
August 16, 2007 6:08 PM | Link to this
And in actual news:
Angel Hernandez isn’t in the crew tonight, but Cox said he thought it had nothing to do with last night, that he had been scheduled to leave tonight anyway. It happens. The crew doesn’t stay the same always for entire series.
The Braves’ new No. 1 signee, Jason Heyward, hit a 400-foot opposite-field homer today in his second professional at-bat, in the Gulf Coast League.
By Paladin
August 16, 2007 6:08 PM | Link to this
Chop Chop That ain’t what it says in my book, but I like your’s better. I will give Shaun an A if he comes up with that, but I will probably have to take away points for longevity of letters. :-)
By BravesFanChris22
August 16, 2007 6:10 PM | Link to this
I hope Angel doesn’t screw up some calls tonight. I will be rooting hard for Braves/Pirates/Nationals/Rockies tonight for wins. If Chuck James can be like he was against Phillies last week (bar the 1st inning) and retire a big amount of batters, the chances could be better for a win tonight.
Hopefully, Braves have picked up a thing or two about Lincecum and just hit him as hard and often as they can. For points to be more specific.
By Paladin
August 16, 2007 6:17 PM | Link to this
My Daddy said never trust a guy named “Angel” unless he’s playing a harp.
By Señor Mosca
August 16, 2007 6:18 PM | Link to this
Angel Hernandez No necesitamos a un ángel en nuestra parte más lejana del campo o predio. Usted tiene que ver a un oftalmólogo, pero no unos deportes que juegan al coordinador.
By Eric from MO
August 16, 2007 6:19 PM | Link to this
Dad the Mets are playing the Pirates. Not exactly a World Series contender.
By Greg in TN
August 16, 2007 6:27 PM | Link to this
Evening denizens…
DOB, I saw on USA Today’s lineups page for the game where Darryl Cousins is tonight’s home plate umpire instead of our favorite balk crusader. I thought it was interesting, however umpires have vacation in the bigs, so it’s very likely that instead of any repercussions from last night. Not getting too much better, Cousins is only as better to Hernandez as Hernandez is to Mr. Magoo.
Wayne, not sure if you’ll see this or not, but I hope your wife’s surgery went well today and your son’s ankle is on the mend.
We have a battle on our hands the next two nights, folks. Lincecum is pitching his tail off. We do have the fact that Mr. Asterisk is not in the lineup in our favor. Just looking at Lincecum’s photo on the Braves website alongside Chuck James and the only thing I can say is, does Lincecum’s mom and dad know he’s not going to make curfew tonight?
By Ron
August 16, 2007 6:27 PM | Link to this
DOB Finally you put up some GOOD music on the blog!!! Congrats man on putting some good music on here!!! Elvis is the Best!!! Even though I was not alive when he was alive, he is still the best!!!
By BravesFanChris22
August 16, 2007 6:28 PM | Link to this
Well, Angel not being in the game is a plus. So, Bobby may night get ejected again (lol). Anyways, I can’t wait for the game to start. A little more/less than 30 minutes to go.
By Colin
August 16, 2007 6:29 PM | Link to this
I have a feeling the Muts are going to lose tonight…Hopefully…Also can we hit Lincecum?
By BravesFanChris22
August 16, 2007 6:36 PM | Link to this
May not get ejected. (dang typos)
Anyways, I want to see what Teixeira can do against Lincecum.
By AZBravoFan
August 16, 2007 6:37 PM | Link to this
Braves don’t have to tatoo Lincecum. Just be patient, run up his pitch count, maybe scratch out a run or two, then get into that bullpen. Also, nice to see some of the vets not in the Giants lineup. The younger players should have a tougher time with Chucky’s change if he can locate it well.
By DonCoburleone
August 16, 2007 6:46 PM | Link to this
Lincecum is VERY tough. Especially for the Braves (we all know how we have trouble hitting a pitcher that we are seeing for the first time). I suspect that if we do win this game it will be of the 3-2 variety, with most (if not all) of our runs coming in the 8th or 9th inning… The Braves need to try and work pitch counts in this one, get him to 100 pitches by the 6th inning and then we’re set (as long as Chucky’s got us in the game)…
By BravesFanChris22
August 16, 2007 6:47 PM | Link to this
AZBravoFan, I actually agree with you on the just be patient part. I would like to see the ball pounded though, to be honest.
By Citizen's Band
August 16, 2007 6:49 PM | Link to this
10-4!..10-4!..Breaker!..Breaker!..One-Nine..Any of you silver-tongued radio jockeys got yer ears on out there in blog land?..Come On!..
Breaker!..Breaker!!..How bout that Big Queasy from the Big Easy..Got yer ears on?..
Breaker!..Breaker!..One-Nine..How bout that Joisey Boiy?..You out there Joisey Boy?..
Negative contact on the ol’ One-Nine..This will be the “Shrimp Sammich Bandit”..Over and out, and on the side!..Come On!!…
By David O'Brien
August 16, 2007 6:49 PM | Link to this
By the way, Cox said Wickman is unavailable tonight, getting a rest. But he heaped praise on the big man Thursday and said he’s done a great job. So don’t be expecting any changes in the role.
By Bob, Journalist
August 16, 2007 6:50 PM | Link to this
I just finished watching a replay of last night’s game … it was good to see the announcers applaud the immaturity of the hotdog exhibitionists who ate and drank themselves into immortality … i can understand the immaturity but not the positive reinforcement.
Methinks we should probably check to see if those who thought that either Andruw’s or Wickman’s performance was good were smoking alcohol … well, at least Matt got some needed rest.
I did enjoy watching Constance Bennett’s baby sister and Lionel Barrymore’s baby brother in somebody’s adaptation of Melville’s Moby Dick during the wee hours … whatever it was, it wasn’t that which was intended by the author. Romance, comedy, Ahab … methinks not, but Joan was beautiful and John was John … hopefully, the Braves will have less of an identity crisis and won’t lose focus … it’s there for the taking.
By Paladin
August 16, 2007 6:51 PM | Link to this
Just a little bit of minutiae: My Mother’s maiden name was L-i-n-t-h-i-c-u-m. This kids name is as close to it as I have ever seen. No, I no longer use it as one of my 20 questions for my credit card so, furgedaboutit.
By DonCoburleone
August 16, 2007 6:54 PM | Link to this
I really hate bringing this up cuz I know it is a sore subject with most (if not all) of us. But has anyone noticed that Adam Wainwright has been borderline DOMINANT since the beginning of June? I mean f*k, how much better would this team look with him slotted in right behind Hudson or James? Anyway, no sense worrying about what *could have been I guess…
By DJ
August 16, 2007 6:55 PM | Link to this
Wickman’s roll is expanding.
By DonCoburleone
August 16, 2007 7:00 PM | Link to this
I wonder who he will go to in a save situation tonight? I still put my money on Soriano, that is total Bobby Cox ball right there…
By DonCoburleone
August 16, 2007 7:05 PM | Link to this
Freakin’ 7 shoutout innings with 8 strikeouts and only 2 hits allowed for Wainwright today… First he leads them to a World Series title as their closer and now he’s leading them back into contention as their Ace; Without question the worst trade of Scheurholz’ career…
By DonCoburleone
August 16, 2007 7:18 PM | Link to this
2-0 Mets, looks like they’re gonna sweep, god Pittsburgh is terrible…
By Paladin
August 16, 2007 7:27 PM | Link to this
DonCoburleone Calm down and take some of your Zocor.
By DonCoburleone
August 16, 2007 7:29 PM | Link to this
2-0 Phillies now; lets get the sweep boys cuz philly and NY ain’t losin tonight!!!
By Gil in Mechanicsville
August 16, 2007 7:36 PM | Link to this
ncscoots Sorry I did not reply earlier but I started “surfing” and just now returned to the blog.
Blanco is a good looking young prospect but I don’t see him getting ahead of Brandon Jones or even Will Clark on the call up list any time soon.
By Stephen
August 16, 2007 7:43 PM | Link to this
WAY TO GO JAMES
By heath
August 16, 2007 7:47 PM | Link to this
omg…chuck does it again… here’s to hoping the braves offense can score some runs tonight…
By macdwolfpack
August 16, 2007 7:48 PM | Link to this
Dave, I read you opening statement and couldn’t help but wonder who are you trying to convince us your readers or yourself that the Braves can win this thing? I think they can win it,but they have got to start stringing something together soon instead of just marking time. Marking time is a dangerous game to play with all the teams alive in the wild card race because someone is going to get hot and it it isn’t the Braves then they may wake up too late. They have the tools and I’ll give you that but it’s getting awful close to midnight and they need to start stringing something together soon.
By Firefox
August 16, 2007 7:48 PM | Link to this
Hey gorilla, how be yore mozilla? My mo-zilla be fine!!
By David O'Brien
August 16, 2007 7:51 PM | Link to this
My God, someone take DonC’s keyboard away from him before he hurts someone with flying appendages.
By DonCoburleone
August 16, 2007 7:52 PM | Link to this
I really hate Bengi Molina… I can’t believe that guy had such a hard time getting signed a couple years ago when he was a free agent. The guy is a way above average hitting catcher (his stats are identical, if not better, than McCann’s this year) and he is as clutch as they come…
By Apaul404
August 16, 2007 7:52 PM | Link to this
Boy oh boy do I miss the days of Glavine, Maddux and Smoltz. Looks like another jacked up strike zone evening.
By DonCoburleone
August 16, 2007 7:54 PM | Link to this
Nice, way to go Timmy!
By Paladin
August 16, 2007 7:57 PM | Link to this
The silence in here is deafening. Who ever is here, pull ‘em through. I’m going to bed.
By David O'Brien
August 16, 2007 8:01 PM | Link to this
Macdwolfpack, you should write a blog to counter my thoughts. I really am not trying to convince you of anything; I’m telling you what I think. Whether you concur or not is up to you. Bully for you if you don’t.
By the way, since when is a half-game out of the wild-card lead and 3-1/2 out of the division lead with 42 games to play “getting awful close to midnight”?
Sorry, dude, but I think most savvy fans have seen way, way too many teams overcome twice as big a deficits in half as much time to believe it’s getting close to midnight. Save that for mid-September.
By Bob, Journalist
August 16, 2007 8:03 PM | Link to this
Good to see Matt getting another day of needed rest … what a joke … I suppose Bobby’s resting him for the post season … makes sense to me!
Charlie Sammons was a delightful man … self made, be became quite wealthy and would have probably made even more except that when you disagreed with him, he was prone to respond with “I’m worth over $250 million … how much have you made?” Of course that was long ago … Charlie was old and could be stubborn but he did know his BBQ.
With that, I’ll take a break and go to Kroger’s.
By TennBrent
August 16, 2007 8:06 PM | Link to this
Nice play, Frenchy. Stay on your toes boys! Chucky is letting ‘em hack away this evening!
By David O'Brien
August 16, 2007 8:07 PM | Link to this
Paladin, going to BED? What time zone are you in, man?
By Calicriz
August 16, 2007 8:10 PM | Link to this
Thanks for bringing back “Bully” Teddy Roosevelt and my great great great grandfather would feel right at home on this blog.
By Skydawg
August 16, 2007 8:10 PM | Link to this
Chuck James absolutely has some of the worst pitching mechanics I’ve ever seen. No wonder he continues to get pounded. Absolutely no leg drive, all arm and doesnt follow through on his pitches. That’s why they are all belt high. How in the world is this kid still in the bigs?
By StingerSplash
August 16, 2007 8:11 PM | Link to this
The weather — hot. Chuck James — not. Is this the San Francisco Giants or their Fresno team?
By Chase
August 16, 2007 8:14 PM | Link to this
No KLESKO, No BONDS and CHUCK gives up 4 runs and 2 homers in 2INNINGS!
He’s been really off at the beginning of his last two starts!
By Chase
August 16, 2007 8:17 PM | Link to this
I am a Chuck James fan but he is still really young! It may be time to consider BUDDY in the 3rd Spot!
By Ron
August 16, 2007 8:18 PM | Link to this
Where the Hell is everybody? Damn!!! This aint Friday or Saturday night now people!!! Hell if nobody comes here and starts commenting other than Don C then Im gonna leave to!!! Nobody is here, stunning on a Thursday night!!! DOB, Dude you done scared everybody off!!! Whats wrong with you man? LOL!!!
By David O'Brien
August 16, 2007 8:19 PM | Link to this
Skydawg, have you looked around the majors? I’d venture to say that every team has at least one pitcher in its rotation worse than Chuck, and most have a couple.
Callcriz, if your great-whatever granddad’s still with us, have him join the blog. His posts would probably have more substance than yours….
Ron, what are you talking about — Callcriz is here, man. All we need.
By journalist jimmy smith
August 16, 2007 8:19 PM | Link to this
skip said that saturday night is elvis night at the ballpark. dob must remember this. there will be a “shake your pelvis like elvis” contest. journalist would like to place a bet on chino cadahia as winner of this contest. chino may make butter while doing so, however. and if chino falls from the porcelain there can be an instant memorial. and now, baseball … bpbby can be heard tonight calling, “c’mon willie”. this is reinforcing considering the poor efforts of chino cadahia to cheerlead from the bench last night. “carumba, cha cha cha, lucy, i’m home.”
By bill
August 16, 2007 8:20 PM | Link to this
I hate be negative but how much longer can the Braves go with C. James. Start after start he puts the team in the hole. This guy has got to be gone after this season. He’s no better than a AAA pitcher. He doesn’t improve at all. This pitching staff has to have a mskeover for next season.
By Chase
August 16, 2007 8:22 PM | Link to this
I have more of a problem tonight with the HR Chucky gave up in the 2nd inning than the 3 RUNS in the first!
Why?
Because it is a momentum killer!
We had answered their 3 runs, got it back to a one run game, and as soon as the Giants send their next batter to the plate… BAM.. Give them one right back!
By TennBrent
August 16, 2007 8:23 PM | Link to this
Why is Chuck James throwing batting practice tonight?
By Colin
August 16, 2007 8:23 PM | Link to this
Over or under 10 home runs tonight for the Giants
By Chase
August 16, 2007 8:24 PM | Link to this
THREE HRs and 8 outs to a HORRIBLE HITTING TEAM (and nearly a 4th)
THIS IS ALARMING AND DISCOURAGING!
By David O'Brien
August 16, 2007 8:24 PM | Link to this
Looks as if ‘pen is going to get some work tonight, boys.
Chuck has given up three homers in the first 2-1/3 innings tonight. Hudson has given up five in 172-2/3 innings this season.
By bravesfan
August 16, 2007 8:25 PM | Link to this
5 to 2 Mets LaRoche 2 run hr
By The Fury
August 16, 2007 8:25 PM | Link to this
Sam Phillips is the real king of rock.
Argue with me…I dare you.
By Ron
August 16, 2007 8:26 PM | Link to this
Yep I trust James in the LCS or World Series to pitch 2 games in each series!!! Yep I sure do!!! This guy needs to work on ANOTHER pitch in the offseason INSTEAD of Working for Lowes installing windows!!! This guy is so pathedic!!! Apparently he liked working for Lowes MORE than getting better in the Majors!!! Dont worry Chuck you keep this up for a few years and you will find yourself working for Lowes EVERYDAY damn day!!! Memo to Chucky: Get another damn pitch dude!!!
By Chase
August 16, 2007 8:27 PM | Link to this
He ain’t got it tonight! Gotta get him out of there while its still only a 3 run game!
sure will be nice when the MUTS and Fitlthies have to play somebody besides the NATS and BUCS!
By Skydawg
August 16, 2007 8:27 PM | Link to this
DOB, its not a matter of talent. I think he has the talent. Its totally mechanics at this point. I think he’s mentally tough enough, I just really think McDowell has dropped the ball in this regard. You cannot go through a 162 game season throwing all arm. I’m really surprised he hasn’t already spent significant time on the DL. I know he’s young, but time will catch up to his arm very soon..if it hasn’t already.
By DAP
August 16, 2007 8:27 PM | Link to this
we need to get a few runs back right away, and then bust out with a huge innings again tonight.
By Six Four Three
August 16, 2007 8:28 PM | Link to this
Chuck is really getting lit up… I can’t recall balls getting blistered in the first three innings any more than what I’ve seen tonight. What’s scary is Bonds, Klesko, etc. are sitting. James and some of the other pitchers really need to work on their bunting. Heck, that’s baseball 101.
By StingerSplash
August 16, 2007 8:29 PM | Link to this
DOB,
Yes, just about everybody has at least one pitcher worse than Chucky in their rotation. But how many are supposed to be their No. 3 starter?
This team is getting by with 2 1/2 starters - Smoltz, Hudson, Carlyle (whose starts lately haven’t been as good as his stretch from June 26-July 15 - he’s gone 20 innings in his last four starts).
By Skydawg
August 16, 2007 8:30 PM | Link to this
DOB, I rest my case LOL. That’s a very telling stat you just put up there. Can’t throw all arm, waste high fastballs in the bigs.
By Ron
August 16, 2007 8:32 PM | Link to this
The Braves NEED to tell this dude to work on ANOTHER pitch in the offseason, and tell him to forget Lowes!!! This is more important than him working for Lowes!!! Unbelievable!!!
By Chase
August 16, 2007 8:33 PM | Link to this
Can somebody answer me why KJ is hacking on an 2-0 count and Chipper on a 2-1 count when we are down by three and LINCECUM is all over the place and we have a chance to get him out of the game on pitch count?
By Colin
August 16, 2007 8:33 PM | Link to this
Chase
Were playing the Giants there all in the same discussion of the worst teams in baseball but yet JAMES has to pitch like crap
By And That Is Why
August 16, 2007 8:34 PM | Link to this
And that is why the Braves will not win the East. James is too inconsistent. He really is a number 5 starter at best. The league has him figured out. The Braves are trailing the Giant “B” team 5-3. Lincecome is setting down. Next inning, the Giants will score a couple more if James stays in.
The Mets are well on their way to sweeping a vastly inferior Pirate team, just like the Braves should be doing to the Giants. Beltran is back. He’s hot. Alou is back. He’s hot. Their pitching is not terrible although not overpowering. The Braves have Hudson, Smoltz who isn’t 100% and then pray. The bullpen is shaky. The Braves offense is hot and cold. Explosive when clicking, very ordinary much of the time.
Can’t catch the Mets if you gain two games then give two games back. They’ve played that way all year.
By StingerSplash
August 16, 2007 8:34 PM | Link to this
But you know what’s odd? The Braves have used 26 - 26! - pitchers, and they’re still breathing down the Mets’ necks.
By Stephen
August 16, 2007 8:35 PM | Link to this
4 HR’S AT’ A BOY
By And That Is Why
August 16, 2007 8:36 PM | Link to this
And Chucky gives up another one.
By David O'Brien
August 16, 2007 8:36 PM | Link to this
Good night everybody.
That’s four homers off Chuck tonight, five off Hudson this season.
By Colin
August 16, 2007 8:36 PM | Link to this
HAHAHA….welcome to the exclusive club..Hit a hr off of Chuck James club…o wait isent everyone in that club…
By Ron
August 16, 2007 8:36 PM | Link to this
Colin Under!!! 9 Homers tonight!!! They have 4 tonight!!! He sucks!!!
By Chase
August 16, 2007 8:37 PM | Link to this
4 FN HRS! In less than 4 Innings!
PATHETIC EFFORT to a horrible hitting team!
Chip just said the Giants only had 6 HRS in over 550 ABs coming into tonight!
He’s not even giving th offense a chance!
5-3 Mets by the way
By brian
August 16, 2007 8:38 PM | Link to this
I still think Chuck James will be a solid major league pitcher for years to come. He will be an integral part of the Braves future.
That being said, this is pathetic. 4 home runs in less than 4 innings. 4 home runs to the Giants WITHOUT Barry Bonds in the lineup
Not exactly coming up big when it counts
Any word on whether the Braves have tried to slip Renteria through waivers to try and deal him for a SP prior to August 31
By TennBrent
August 16, 2007 8:38 PM | Link to this
Okay, since it is a light evening and the Giants are playing derby on us, here are some random thoughts: a) How badly do you think Bonds wants to be in the line-up after seeing James performance? b) Who thinks Skip and Chip read this blog? I’d bet good money they do. c) With Escobar proving he is the man, is Renteria feeling any pressure to get himself back quicker than normal? Or, perhaps, the pennant race is already making him do that?? Sorry to post so much, I’m at work later than usual tonight…
By Tomahawkin' Again
August 16, 2007 8:39 PM | Link to this
Chuck’s pitching line tonight has left me all shook up
By Six Four Three
August 16, 2007 8:39 PM | Link to this
James looked absolutely horrible tonight is a huge understatement. Question, are there ANY starters out there available? What about in Richmond?
By Six Four Three
August 16, 2007 8:42 PM | Link to this
DOB, Care for a Cohiba right about now? You’ve still not told me your choice of stogies…
Any chance they’ll bring back Reyes? He’s apparently been lights out since he went back to Richmond.
By boca brave
August 16, 2007 8:43 PM | Link to this
sorta gloomy start tonight but 6 innings left-things can change. big issue for braves is getting some quality starts out of 3,4,5 spots-don’t need miracles, but better than james has been in last few (4??) starts. but this is going to be a bumpy ride for the rest of the year-hopefully the ups will outweigh the downs. two great posts i want to acknowledge (don’t remember authors-sorry): 1. the calling balls and strikes quote that included stan musial’s “keep the strike zone loose but don’t call a guy out on a ball”-great for umpires from the majors to little league to remember and 2. the press release from myrtle beach about their GM-terrific. then, of course, i always enjoy jjs-very funny and never falls into the “i’ll meet you in the alley anytime” stuff. chuck just made it 6-2. time for some cabernet. and, DOB, thanks for the blog-it’s always a great 15 minutes of my day catching up. go braves!!!
By David O'Brien
August 16, 2007 8:44 PM | Link to this
In case you guys missed it: “until there is no bobby, there is no win.”
Now that’s analysis. Thanks Bill Melater.
Can’t believe Cox couldn’t “coach ‘em up” any better than he did with Chuck tonight, huh?
By chipdip
August 16, 2007 8:44 PM | Link to this
CHUCK JAMES needs to go back and work at LOWES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By Fat Elvis
August 16, 2007 8:45 PM | Link to this
The King is disappointed in these boys tonight, Priscilla. They’re not Taking Care of Business. And they certainly ain’t Taking Care of Business in a Flash. TCB, baby. TCB from here on out.
Elvis hates blogging, Priscilla. Elvis can’t type a lightning symbol when he says TCB. What good is TCB without the lightning?
Elvis don’t want the Bravos to only take care of business. The boys need to take care of business lightning quick.
Where’s my boy Chipper and Tex tonight? They can take care of business in a flash.
Andruw is all thunder and rain clouds, no lightning anymore for Andruw. No longer TCB with or without the lightning.
Willie Harris got lightning ability but catchers have been acting like Benjamin Franklin and stealing lightning from Willie’s sky. But Willie is TCB to the King anyway.
By A--ville Ranger
August 16, 2007 8:45 PM | Link to this
Here’s something we all know,James’ up-side is limited by his bp type mechanics.His down-side unfortunately seems unlimited.I really don’t know if I’d consider him when planing years down the road.I hate thinking like this but watching him tonight it’s just hard to believe he’ll ever be consistent.That is unless he changes his mechanics.
By Colin
August 16, 2007 8:46 PM | Link to this
Chuck’s nothing but a hounddog letting um fly all the time….
By bill
August 16, 2007 8:48 PM | Link to this
I think they should bring Jo Jo Reyes back. He’s been lights out since they sent him down. Put James or Cormier in pen. If they are thinking playoff’s something has to done and quick.
By Stephen
August 16, 2007 8:49 PM | Link to this
Another quality Thorman at bat.
By Chase
August 16, 2007 8:50 PM | Link to this
Good OLE 3-PITCH THORMAN!
He doesn’t know what a 4 pitch AB looks like!
Its always 1-2-3 go sit!
Still 5 innings to go and only down by 3!
By Six Four Three
August 16, 2007 8:50 PM | Link to this
Thorman looks lost at the plate right now. I know it’s got to be tough coming off the bench against a high quality pitcher, but he really looked clueless during that at bat.
By David O'Brien
August 16, 2007 8:51 PM | Link to this
Six Four Three: Cohiba, Padron (the 3000 is great, and only about $5), Partagas, Arturo Fuente, La Gloria Cubana… I’ll smoke any good stogie, preferably gauges of 50 and higher.
By Ron
August 16, 2007 8:52 PM | Link to this
When Cormier sucks tomorrow OR Saturday whenever he stars again, I guess they will try to get Wells!!! Oh man that would suck!!! Why not Buddy Hernandez? The guy can start, and I think he can be a good #5 Starter!!! But they are NOT going to do that though!!! It makes TOOOOO much sense!!!
There you go Escobar!!! Good job!!! Thorman you suck!!!!!!!!!!
By mr baseball
August 16, 2007 8:52 PM | Link to this
Another example of how our esteemed manager thinks from his rear end rather than his brain. Sure Jamees stinks tonight. But there’s 2 outs, none on and the pitcher is up. And his spot in the batting order might come up in the bottom of the inning. If the Braves get 2 men on base, Yates has been wasted, coming in to the pitch to 1 batter — the pitcher.
The “baseball experts” from outside Atlanta who think Cox is such a sharp strategist don’t watch him manage on a nightly basis. For those of us who do, the idea that Cox excels at managerial strategy is a joke. As I’ve said before, Cox has many admirable traits as a manager, but I can think of a whole lot of other guys I would rather have making decisions once it’s time to pencil in the starting lineups.
Lots of folks here blame the starting pitchers for forcing the bullpen to work too many innings. The manager has a lot to do with that, not that he seems to pay much attention to that fact.
Barring a double play by Escobar, Yates has been wasted. If the Braves get back in the game, Cox might regret yanking James when he did, but then, he rarely (if ever) makes moves based on what might happen a few innings down the road. One of the reasons the Braves have lost lots of big games and consistently have lousy records in close games.
Now he’s using up his best lefty pinch hitter in the 4th inning. Oh well, there’s always Woodward or Prado to pinch hit with the game on the line.
Here’s a lyrical suggestion for tomorrow’s blog. How about “If I Only Had a Brain” from the Wizard of Oz.
By Fat Elvis
August 16, 2007 8:52 PM | Link to this
Priscilla, Chuck has left the building!
By TNRON
August 16, 2007 8:56 PM | Link to this
Will someone tell Dumbdrew if the umpire doesnt call a strike DONT POINT and ask for a second opinion!!!
By Ron
August 16, 2007 8:56 PM | Link to this
McCann you suck defensively dude!!! Damn his defense sucks!!! He has GOT to be ONE of the Worst Defensive Catcher in the Game!!! My gosh another passed ball!!! Unbeliveable!!!
By ijonathan
August 16, 2007 8:56 PM | Link to this
okay, somebody please explain this to me. James gives up his last HR, and with two outs and the PITCHER up, BC brings in Yates to face him…knowing that the pitcher’s spot is due up 5th in the bottom of the inning. BC pinch-hits for Yates, who ends up coming in to retire the pitcher, and was pinch-hit for, and is now lost for the game. So we lose one of our “late game” relievers to simply retire the opposing pitcher. I just don’t get it. Was he trying to make a point to Chuck, or was he simply so disgusted that he forgot the situation?
By Six Four Three
August 16, 2007 8:57 PM | Link to this
I would guess that Skip and Chip may take a peak at DOB’s blog. Perhaps a way to get the pulse of the fans.
By Colin
August 16, 2007 8:58 PM | Link to this
Hopefully or Offense scores 10 runs because well our pitchers arent helping
By Chase
August 16, 2007 8:59 PM | Link to this
UH… This GET a RUN GIVE a RUN CRAP Won’t GET IT DONE!
By gotigers72
August 16, 2007 8:59 PM | Link to this
I have not bashed or blamed Roger McDowell for any of the Braves pitching problems, because he has not thrown any pitches.
However, that’s getting ready to change. Smoltz and Hudson are experienced pitchers and know what to do to keep the ball down in the zone. But why can’t McDowell teach the younger pitchers how to pitch down in the zone? Chuck, Davies, Jo Jo, Cormier, Soriano, etc. None of those guys has the stuff to pitch up in the zone, yet they continually leave the ball up there. I’m tired of hearing that Chuck is a “fly ball” pitcher. He sure was tonight. Flying right out of the park.
The pitching coach is there to teach fundamentals such as keeping the ball down. If he can’t teach those basic things, then maybe he should be replaced. Pitching up in the zone is the worst mistake those young pitchers are making. Look at all of the homers they’ve given up. Pathetic. Get the friggin’ ball down.
By ijonathan
August 16, 2007 9:00 PM | Link to this
mr. baseball Totally agree with your post, as my previous post suggests. Indefensible move by Cox to bring Yates in to face the pitcher. DOB Given that you said Wickman is unavailable, why would Cox use Yates so early in the game to face the pitcher?
By StingerSplash
August 16, 2007 9:01 PM | Link to this
Yunel Escobar is the shizzle.
Chuck James is pitching like shizzle.
By Fat Elvis
August 16, 2007 9:02 PM | Link to this
Priscilla, the King is disappointed in Thor.
Thor may be the Norse bearded god of war but Thor ain’t the Atlanta bearded icon of war.
Priscilla, Elvis never liked Thor anyway. Thor was too much of a Norse god of Thunder, which is fine to Elvis because Thunder means he takes care of business. But thunder without lightning ain’t what The King likes.
Take Care of Business lightning quick. That’s what the King wants. Too much thunder for Thor. Not enough lightning.
Priscilla, the King likes Wikipedia. Makes the King pretend he’s smarter than he is. Wikipedia takes care of business for the ignorant lightning quick.
By eric the elder
August 16, 2007 9:03 PM | Link to this
DOB, your excellent piece on Yunel prompts me to ask whether you have ever gotten close enough to Thorman to get a sense of his psyche. It shouldn’t be too hard to do a story on a guy who is doing well, but how about when a guy is overmatched? I know perceptions from a far - - on the outside looking in, as BobJ would say - - can be misleading, but Thorman looks like a guy who has given up and doesn’t care anymore.
He takes strikes, swings at wild balls, and doesn’t even seem to be hustling like he did. He looks like he is pouting and can’t wait to be somewhere else.
He can’t be sent down without clearing waivers, and I don’t see how a trade can be made. Looks like an off-season move, at best.
I wouldn’t ask, but there’s nothing else to do this evening.
By Six Four Three
August 16, 2007 9:04 PM | Link to this
DOB, good taste in stogies. Funny, I’ve had every brand that you mentioned but usually stick to Romeo Y Julieta and Punch. Any suggestions on great cigar bars and/or humidors to visit in Hotlanta? I’m fairly new to the area. Anyway, back to the game, Diaz might be the best pinch hitter I’ve ever seen. The guy is CLUTCH.
By Random
August 16, 2007 9:06 PM | Link to this
Top of the fourth, two outs, nobody on, and Bobby Cox replaces Chuck James with Tyler Yates, to pitch to the *pitcher?!?!?!*
What gives — was James injured or something?
And then Scott Thorman strikes out for Yates in the bottom of the fourth. We burn one of our bullpen guys solely to get the opposing pitcher out?!?!?
Now, THAT is ridiculous.
PS: I see now that ijonathan and mr baseball have made the same point. Still, I think it bears repeating.
By songwriter jimmy smith
August 16, 2007 9:06 PM | Link to this
as sung by chuck james …
Well, it’s one for the money,
Two for the show,
Three to get ready,
Now go, cat, go.
But don’t you hit on my waist high pitch.
You can do anything but lay off of my waist high pitch.
Well, you can knock me down,
Step in my face,
Slander my name
All over the place.
Do anything that you want to do, but uh-uh,
Honey, lay off of that pitch
Don’t you swing on my waist high pitch.
You can do anything but lay off of my waist high pitch.
You can burn my house,
Steal my car,
Drink my liquor
From an old fruitjar.
Do anything that you want to do, but uh-uh,
Honey, lay off of my pitch
Don’t you swing on my waist high pitch.
You can do anything but lay off of my waist high pitch
By Colin
August 16, 2007 9:07 PM | Link to this
Good night Atl…lets get a win tomorrow…well actually jus a run would be nice..to end the streak
By Six Four Three
August 16, 2007 9:09 PM | Link to this
IMO the wild pitch was the correct call. McCann was setup inside and the ball was thrown low and outside. It actually hit the ground and would have been an unbelievable if not virtually impossible back handed play.
By ernesto
August 16, 2007 9:11 PM | Link to this
Wow. There’s a lot to love about this team. The 3-5 spots are none of them. How does Chuckie give up 4 souveniers against the Giants w/o Bonds in the line up?
By Fat Elvis
August 16, 2007 9:13 PM | Link to this
Priscilla, The King is disappointed in Chuck James. He don’t pitch like a new faded shoe. Still pitching too green.
Priscilla, the King likes Yunel Escobar. Yuni plays like a new faded shoe. Might be green but plays like a vet.
By A--ville Ranger
August 16, 2007 9:17 PM | Link to this
Here’s my brief contribution to the Elvis celebration.DOB has said his favorites are from a 1968 lp.For me the young un-jaded, passionate youth of the 50s defines him best.Without a doubt his 1958 cover of Smiley Lewes’ :One night: has all the raw, unbridled yen-yang energy and passion that seperated him from all the rest.Second is probably Otis Blackwell’s :All shook up: from 1956.Some of his ballads like :Are you lonesome tonight: from 1960 (first made famous by Al Jolson of all people) and Love me tender from 1956 can’t be over looked either.
By Ron
August 16, 2007 9:17 PM | Link to this
ijonathan I imagine that he probably brought Yates in to prove a point to James like you said AND he probably was so P!ssed that he probably forgot the situation like you said!!! It still dont make no sense to me either!!! But whatever, I aint the manager, Bobby Cox is so we just gotta deal with it!!!
gotigers72 Earlier in the Year I was blaming McDowell!!! He sucks!!! He is NOT a good Pitching Coach!!! I hope they get rid of him!!! Who has he helped pitch good since he came to Atlanta? I would not even say he helped Carlyle, mainly because he was pitching really good in the minors!!! Dont give me Hudson either, because Hudson fixed his OWN problems!!! Our Pitching coach SUCKS!!! I hope we get rid of him in the Offseason OR after Next season!!!
By Yars
August 16, 2007 9:20 PM | Link to this
Hell man, I would have pulled Chuck out after the 3rd inning. He just didn’t have it tonight. Thorman’s pinch hit at bat was by far, the most pathetic at bat this season by a Brave. Maybe he will play winter ball, or something. KJ seems to be in a mild slump.
By Chase
August 16, 2007 9:20 PM | Link to this
Our good hits are going to the warning track and theirs are going OUT!
By Double Deuce
August 16, 2007 9:20 PM | Link to this
Can’t figure out the use of Yates. Either Bobby was pied at Chuck, or he’s pied at Yates, and was trying to send some sort of message. Hope it doesn’t come back to burn us if we get back in this.
By Six Four Three
August 16, 2007 9:20 PM | Link to this
We’ve had warning track power all night while the Giants have been jacking them. It’s all about the pitching I guess.
By Ron
August 16, 2007 9:23 PM | Link to this
Six Four Three Dude the ball hit McCanns glove THEN hit the ground!!! He should have kept that ball in front of him!!! If he had to get on his knees then fine!!! He needed to keep that ball in front of him and he did not!!! Bad play!!! That was a passed ball!!! I dont care what anybody else says!!!
By David O'Brien
August 16, 2007 9:25 PM | Link to this
Little time to kill here while waiting to see if the Giants will score in every single inning….
Wanted to see what Salty has been doing lately, so I checked his day-by-days.
Since June 27, he had hit .198 (22-for-111) with 5 doubles, no homers, 5 RBIs, 9 walks, 26 strikeouts and a .246 OBP and .253 slugging percentage.
By Fat Elvis
August 16, 2007 9:25 PM | Link to this
Priscilla, The King is all shook up. Can’t watch anymore. Gotta go to bed like Paladin. Two daytime naps and an eight o’clock bedtime every day for Paladin.
The King had a friend named Ole Blue Eyes. Ole Blue Eyes used to say Never Let a Dame See You Yawn. Paladin needs to listen to Ole Blue Eyes. Carolina Lady’s watching Paladin and Paladin yawns all day and snores all night.
But Elvis thinks Paladin should not listen to Ole Blue Eyes too much. Ole Blue Eyes used to say treat a dame like a lady and a lady like a dame. Sometimes, The King thinks Carolina Lady would not like Have Gun, Will Travel taking the advice of Ole Blue Eyes.
By Stark
August 16, 2007 9:29 PM | Link to this
Barry Cheats strikes again
By Six Four Three
August 16, 2007 9:29 PM | Link to this
Ron, I’ll agree to disagree. Either way, the Giants own us tonight. You have to love the “Barry Cheats” sign. That has been outstanding (at least until the ushers have their say).
By Train Wreck Bystander
August 16, 2007 9:30 PM | Link to this
Seeing as tonight’s game has turned into Stink-o-rama…
Since Chuck James only has 2 pitches and is unlikely to develop another before the postseason, wouldn’t it make sense for James and Villareal swap places? Let Oscar take some turns in the starting rotation and use James in occasional relief.
By Tomahawkin' Again
August 16, 2007 9:33 PM | Link to this
Can we take tonight’s performance by the Braves and return to sender?
By A--ville Ranger
August 16, 2007 9:38 PM | Link to this
I stepped out to talk to a neighbor,when I came back in I mistook Acosta for Soriano.I was very impressed at how he was keeping the ball down….oh well at least Acosta is looking ok.
By Six Four Three
August 16, 2007 9:39 PM | Link to this
Excuse me while I step outside to light one up (a Punch that is). BTW gang, taking Skip’s que, what’s your favorite movie? FWIW, my favorite baseball movie is “Field of Dreams”.
By Stark
August 16, 2007 9:41 PM | Link to this
pirates bases loaded no outs down by 1
By Stark
August 16, 2007 9:42 PM | Link to this
pirates mets tied bottom 7. 0 outs bases loaded for the bucs
By mr baseball
August 16, 2007 9:43 PM | Link to this
Everybody who has thrown Chucky under the bus tonight better hope they don’t require a baseball IQ test to earn the right to post on this blog. The idea that James has been an inconsistent pitcher is demonstrably false and anyone who watches the team on a regular basis knows that, unless their attention span rivals that of an overactive 3rd grader.
James pitches 5 innings on his bad nights, 6 innings on his good ones. He’s gone past the 6th a handful of times this year in maybe 25 starts, and has not made it through 5 about the same number of times. When he pitches well, he gives up a run or 2. When he doesn’t he typically allows 4 runs.
I will guarantee that there are not more than a half dozen starting pitchers in the NL that are more consistent than James, and those guys are the leading contenders for the Cy Young award. James is what is he is. A 5-6 inning pitcher who’s going to give up lotsa long balls on the nights when he doesn’t have it, like tonight. But at the same time, this only about the 3rd time this year he’s pitched the Braves out of a game. How many other pitchers of comparable ability can say the same thing?
Coming in to tonight’s game, he was 9-8 with a 3.93 ERA. He easily could have won 7 of the games in which he got a no-decision. In at least 3 of losses, he pitched well enough to deserve a better fate. If that’s not enough for a lot of you whiners and moaners who have a lot more opinions than knowledge, go root for the Yankees, or some other team that can afford a rotation of 5 No. 1 starters.
James sucked tonight. Guess what, folks? That happens. If he repeats tonight’s game his next few starts, let him have it. Otherwise, give it a rest.
By boca brave
August 16, 2007 9:45 PM | Link to this
question for the blog (and a sincere one): if you’re bobby, what if anything do you say to James after tonight’s outing? i mean, you’ve got to pass him in the clubhouse. do you say “chin up, kid (or jamesie)” or “i already have a batting practice pitcher” or “you suck as a pitcher-ever thought of learning to play the outfield” or nothing-just ignore him. this is a real question-what would you do in this situation? with guys like redman, i’m sure he called JS and said “get this guy outta here”, but James has potential, what would you do? DOB, what would bobby do?
By Fat Elvis
August 16, 2007 9:47 PM | Link to this
Since the King is bored and knows the Grinch is at the game, the King wants to know whether The Grinch has consumed 10 dogs and 10 beers yet?
The King thinks the blog needs to represent. The blog can’t be outdone by non-denizens. Grinch is the only hope. Paladin drinks 6 or 7 whatevers every night but passes out at 8. He ain’t gonna be the one. Not enough stamina. But he poops enough everyday from what he always tells us to make The King think he might eat 10 dogs throughout the day.
By Yars
August 16, 2007 9:48 PM | Link to this
What is even worse than losing tonight is that both the Mets & Phillies are winning, Hopefully, the Rockies will beat the Padres later. Are the Cardinals for real? I was just looking at the NL Central standings. Only 2.5 games out of 1st? Winning 2 out of 3 from the D’backs would be nice. Let’s not take next weeks schedule for granted. The Reds swept us not too long ago, & the Cardinals have a great chance of sneaking away with the NL Central!
By David O'Brien
August 16, 2007 9:49 PM | Link to this
That’s 15 times in 25 starts this season that Chuck’s lasted 5-1/3 innings or fewers.
He’s given up 16 homers in 65 innings over his past 12 starts…
I see the Mets juggernaut just blew a lead against the Pirates.
By ijonathan
August 16, 2007 9:54 PM | Link to this
DOB I know it is a minor point and didn’t affect the outcome tonight, but it was so odd for BC to use Yates at the point in the game he did, can you find out why?
By ernesto
August 16, 2007 9:55 PM | Link to this
When an army gives up you see a white flag.
When the Braves give up you see Chris Woodward.
By A--ville Ranger
August 16, 2007 9:56 PM | Link to this
Fat E’ Elvis and Frankey baby weren’t at all friendly.It’s rumored Elvis once mistook skinny little Frank for a bread stick and damn near bit his head off.Frank then decided(alledgedly)to do things his way.From that day on he made sure E had plenty of Fried banana and peanut butter sandwichs along with all the dr feel-goodies E could swallow (again alledgedly).Well we all know the sad end to this story…..Oh I’m pretty sure there was a Chicago mob boss and at least one Kennedy (Alledgedly) involved.
By Señor Mosca
August 16, 2007 10:00 PM | Link to this
¿Dónde está cada uno esta noche? ¿Las historias blog de los tardíos hacen toda la gente dejada beber y fumar cigarrillos graciosos thier? ¿Es esto por qué cada uno es tan tranquilo? ¡Ah, la moderación!
By The Old Coach, not that one
August 16, 2007 10:01 PM | Link to this
I am a former coach, too. I clearly saw Bobby pick his nose and he seemed to be having a hard time shaking the booger off his finger. He shook his right hand up and down apparently trying to dislodge the offending booger and the movement was misinterpreted by others to be a pitching change - bring in the right hander. This happens sometimes in baseball when the manager is a nose picker. I hope this explanation has been helpful.
By ssiscribe
August 16, 2007 10:02 PM | Link to this
Our ol buddy Rochy just drove in the go-ahead run (listening on Gameday Audio). DiFelice dropped the ball at the plate; they just said Sanchez would’ve been out by a mile.
8-7 Buccos.
—30—
By Stark
August 16, 2007 10:03 PM | Link to this
bucs up 8-7 bottom 8 vs. mutts
By ijonathan
August 16, 2007 10:04 PM | Link to this
Is there any way we can sneak Wickman into a Giants uniform and start warming him up in their ‘pen? Maybe try to convince them that it’s Rick Reuschel…
By Stark
August 16, 2007 10:04 PM | Link to this
make that 9-7 bucs w/ laroache scoring from 2nd. looks like he lost the fridge on his back.
By ssiscribe
August 16, 2007 10:04 PM | Link to this
Bay single to left, Rochy lumbers home ahead of the Alou throw. 9-7 Pirates in the eighth.
—30—
By Savannah Guy
August 16, 2007 10:05 PM | Link to this
Maybe we rally here? Has Elvis left the building? Is Bobby going to give the number four spot to Chuck? Is the blog sober tonight? Is Paladin having a sleepover? So many questions.
By Stark
August 16, 2007 10:07 PM | Link to this
10-7 bucs
By Interested Observer
August 16, 2007 10:09 PM | Link to this
Ok, Ok, I’m ready to give Boomer Wells a shot now.
By Double Deuce
August 16, 2007 10:10 PM | Link to this
Mr. Baseball
I’m with ya on Chuck. He’s a consistent #4or#5 thrown into a #3 slot. But to say that he’s more consistent than all but six starting pitchers in the NL, and they are the leading candidates for the Cy Young is a bit of a stretch isn’t it? If you take Smoltz and Hudson first, you only have to find four more in the league that are more consistent. Don’t get me wrong, I believe in Chuck James and know the Braves would be in a world of hurt without him, but that’s a pretty bold statement.
By Tomahawkin' Again
August 16, 2007 10:10 PM | Link to this
The FG is up and good in Pittsburgh, Steelers 10, Jets 7
By Herschel Talker
August 16, 2007 10:11 PM | Link to this
DOB: what do you think should be done with Chuck at this point? He is approaching Kyle Davies status.
By Chase
August 16, 2007 10:11 PM | Link to this
On a positive note:
ANDRUW really swung WELL tonight!
The MUTS are currently losing 10-7 going to the 9th!
And we still won the series!
I see a 4-2 homestand… NOT BAD! 5-1 if we can get by tommorrow night!
By Fat Elvis
August 16, 2007 10:11 PM | Link to this
Priscilla, The King thinks A-Ville Ranger has a “Suspicious Mind”. Watch out A-Ville Ranger, the King was a CIA & DEA agent.
By gotigers72
August 16, 2007 10:16 PM | Link to this
DOB - Agree with you about Dotel. Said it was a bad trade when the Braves sent Davies to KC for Dotel. His ERA at the time was almost 4. Mighty high for a late inning reliever. He’s been even worse since he’s been a Brave. Just goes out there throwing gas, doesn’t think about location. Either strikes somebody out or gives up a rocket.
I didn’t disagree with Davies being traded, just disagreed with him being traded for Dotel. Davies is 23, Dotel is 33. Davies will eventually be a servicable ML pitcher. He will be pitching in the majors when Dotel is being fitted for dentures.
By bigboi
August 16, 2007 10:18 PM | Link to this
well at least Andruw is starting to heat up.
By ssiscribe
August 16, 2007 10:20 PM | Link to this
Rockies lead the Padres 1-0 in the first, early on the coast.
Pirates trying to slam shut the door with Douglasville’s Matt Capps toeing the slab for the Bucs in the ninth, up 10-7. Two outs now in Pittsburgh.
—30—
By Nick
August 16, 2007 10:22 PM | Link to this
I keep hearing that Bobby Cox used to beat his wife, did he? And if he did when did he?
By ssiscribe
August 16, 2007 10:22 PM | Link to this
Mets LOSE after blowing 5-0 lead. Phils into second, 3 games back in the East. Braves stay 3.5 games back.
—30—
By Train Wreck Bystander
August 16, 2007 10:23 PM | Link to this
mr baseball:
Chuck James is consistent, I will concede that.
For the month of August (that’s 3 starts, mind you):
14.2 IP, 14 ER, 7 HR, 9K, 0W.
I, however, am not so sure we can afford that kind of consistency during the stretch run.
So what is your baseball IQ, just for the record?
By Who ya gonna call? Slumpbusters!!!
August 16, 2007 10:24 PM | Link to this
Is Paladin having a sleepover?
From what Paladin says, it’s with a fat sweaty chick. That’s cool. Everyone needs a slumpbuster every once in a while as Mark Grace loved to say.
Paladin is a small ball player going after the heffers. Too many try for the three run homer with the skinny beauties. Paladin plays the percentages. Paladin likes to go Wee Willie Keeler in his pursuit of the BBWs, hitting ‘em where they ain’t because there ain’t many others hanging with the slumpbusters. Plus, the slumpbusters are usually very eager and easy to please.
Not that one should advocate infidelity or anything but Andruw is in desperate need of slumpbuster. Heck, one might not be enough.
By A--ville Ranger
August 16, 2007 10:25 PM | Link to this
Fat E I’m shaken like a leaf on a tree.Well A-ville is leaving the building..night all..GO BRAVES !!!
By Ron
August 16, 2007 10:26 PM | Link to this
DOB Well the Braves did not do a good job of honoring Elvis today now did they!!! Oh yeah Chipper said that he is EYEING the Wildcard right now!!! He said he is not worried about the Mets right now!!! He is concentrating on the Wildcard!!! Thats what I have been saying for the PAST 2 months!!! Screw the East, lets win it if we can, but I would take the Wildcard in a heartbeat!!!
By Braveheart
August 16, 2007 10:28 PM | Link to this
METS LOSE! MAGIC NUMBER IS 46!
Agree with you Mr. Baseball.
DOB: what do you think should be done with Chuck at this point? He is approaching Kyle Davies status.
Take Chuck James’ ERA and multiply it by 2. Only then can you say Chuck is approaching Kyle Davies status.
By BG
August 16, 2007 10:31 PM | Link to this
Hey DOB:
Just to add to the Salty stats: he has made 4 errors in 89 innings of playing first base for the Rangers. Ouch! For those who thought on-the-job training at first base would have worked, it ain’t a pretty sight.
By Bob, Journalist
August 16, 2007 10:31 PM | Link to this
Esteemed Elder Cato, the best thing that can be said about tonight is that I see your name … my guess is that you are correct in your evaluation of our Mr. Thorman … coincidentally, since Tex’s arrival, there seems to be a difference in the way we approach the game offensively … can’t put my finger on it just yet … and perhaps I’m wrong.
There’s nothing like a good balanced meal … losing, within itself, never bothers me … what was tonight’s plan?
We hit a lot of fly balls tonight … and Andruw did look better … and David O’B was right; it’s a good thing my lack of knowledge regarding catching isn’t pertinent.
Goodnight Miss Allen
By journalist jimmy smith
August 16, 2007 10:32 PM | Link to this
By MARK DAVIS The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 08/16/07
If you scrunch your eyes against the light, you can almost imagine they’ve shrugged off the millennia and have come back alive.
Plodding across the muddy plain, its feet the circumference of manhole covers, the Argentinosaurus moves its neck in a long, low arc. Its head looks improbably tiny on something so large.
Behind it and moving fast, claws kicking mud, is the largest meat-eater of all time, looking for something large to eat. Wickynotosaurus is a hungry killer, not intimidated by the larger, leaf-eating creature.
oh, the humanity! confirmed!
By mr baseball
August 16, 2007 10:36 PM | Link to this
ijonathan:
I suspect DOB is kinda busy right about now, so I’ll take a crack at your question, which DOB would have to approach very diplomatically.
Bobby Cox does not approach the use of managerial strategy from a cerebral standpoint. To be polite, he manages more from the gut than the head. We saw that approach when he got fed up one night with McBride for not throwing strikes, and a few days later, Macay was an ex-Brave.
From years of watching Cox go about his job, there are definite patterns to what he does and his body language is pretty easy to read. He simply got fed up with James tonight for throwing fat pitches, and was on his way out of the dugout to yank him before Frandsen had rounded third base.
While attending a game a few years back, a between innings bit of filler for the fans illustrated very accurately how Bobby Cox manages a game. A question was put to some of the players as well as Cox: Are you a checkers or chess person? It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what Cox’s answer was.
Managing a baseball game has some similarities to playing chess, particularly in setting up moves you’re going to make later and anticipating what your opponent is going to do. Those aspects of managing are of minimal concern to Cox.
When he popped up out of the dugout to lift James, I doubt that he gave 2 seconds thought to what the situation was, and what impact his decision to pull James might have later in the game. The fact that the pitcher’s spot might come up in the bottom of the inning either didn’t occur to him, or he didn’t case one iota. All he cared about was getting James off the mound ASAP.
Last night, in questioning something Cox did, I made a reference to Earl Weaver, who took a chess-like approach to managing and devised his strategy from the 9th inning backward. I think he was as sharp a manager as baseball has ever had, and was much more entertaining when he chewed out umps than Cox, who doesn’t do much other than spout bs over and over.
Bobby Cox manages like you play checkers. He responds instinctively and immediately, rarely giving a whole lot of thought to other avialble options or the implications of a particular piece of strategy.
Cox’s defenders (including the entire staff at the AJC) see the Braves’ record since 1991 and come to the conclusion that no criticism of him is warranted. Their logic: How could someone with a record like that be anything less than a Hall of Fame manager?
I pay attention to what Cox actually does, not the win-loss record at the end of the season, or how he stands on the all-time managerial wins list. Cox has a lot of laudable attributes as a manager. But I stand firm in the belief that he is far from being the brightest bulb in the lamp, and his decidedly non-cerebral approach to strategy has proven very costly to his team in close games, especially in the post-season.
This is probably a lot longer answer than you were looking for, but one of the nice things about blogs is that verbosity and pomposity are not jailable offenses.
By Savannah Guy
August 16, 2007 10:37 PM | Link to this
Braveheart Can you pitch?
By brian
August 16, 2007 10:38 PM | Link to this
How does Bobby Cox suck tonight?
This one is on Chuck James and the pitching. He just did not have it.
Before the band wagon leaves on Chuck James remember he is young and probably 4 years or so away from his peak. Everyone liked comparing davies and glavine’s stats at this point in their career after X number of starts. How about Chuck and Tommy’s
By Herschel Talker
August 16, 2007 10:39 PM | Link to this
Braveheart: the guy can’t get through the 5th inning in any start. He gets lit up early and often. The point is that he takes us out of games early. Just like giving up the early 4-run lead in Philly. The Braves can’t get in a groove when he’s pitching. They’re seemingly always playing from behind.
By brewdawg
August 16, 2007 10:41 PM | Link to this
NACO- nice classless post. I hope DOB takes it off, as it has no place here.
By Savannah Guy
August 16, 2007 10:41 PM | Link to this
“Wickynotosaurus is a hungry killer…”
While I’m still laughing at that, I’ll take my leave.
By Coach (Hank Aaron Is The Real HR Champion)
August 16, 2007 10:44 PM | Link to this
Chuck James got by with his fastball and change up last season. Not this year he ain’t. He obviously has little confidence in his curveball and slider. Major league hitters are laying off his change up and sitting on his 90-91 mph fastball. He is a .500 pitcher until he develops a solid third pitch. There went that two game winning streak , the Braves had Lincecum on the ropes and let him get away. The Mets lost and we drop back into third place because the Phillies won. Can anybody explain how in the hell the Cardinals are winning ? they have Wainwright and a bunch of bums for a rotation , half the offense the Braves have and a great closer in Jason Isringhausen. I can , Tony La Russa , the man is both a hall of fame manager and a genius. For frigging God sake , the Nationals are playing as well as the Braves right now. What does that tell you about Bobby Cox ?
By TampaBrave
August 16, 2007 10:48 PM | Link to this
Chuck James
You ain’t nothin but a hound dog
Has anybody ever really looked at his delivery. He doesn’t fully extend. Winn hit that ball like it was on a tee.
So much for 6-0
AJ had good swings but I won’t get my hopes up just yet.
By ssiscribe
August 16, 2007 10:49 PM | Link to this
Rockies 2, Padres 0, top of the third.
—30—
By KC
August 16, 2007 10:49 PM | Link to this
Well… at least the Mets lost tonight.
By SR
August 16, 2007 11:01 PM | Link to this
Let’s face it, you gotta try real hard to give up four dingers in 5 innings. Real hard.
The Giants must have summoned Jobu. Giants hit straight ball very much.
By TampaBrave
August 16, 2007 11:06 PM | Link to this
nerds should lay off Bobby Cox. He’ll be in the Hall of Fame someday. He is a player’s manager but all you geeks think he should be a manipulative weasel. I know this, players love to play for him, want to perform for him.
I’ll take him every day of the week over anybody.
STOP YOUR CRYIN
By ijonathan
August 16, 2007 11:08 PM | Link to this
mr baseball Thanks for the great post. I grew up in Toronto, and you may recall Bobby Cox managed the Blue Jays for a few years in the early to mid-80s…including the infamous 1985 season when the Jays (with superior offensive talent) blew a 3-1 ALCS lead to the Royals. The big criticism about Cox from Toronto fans and media? He couldn’t manage a pitching staff. Yes, I said the media. He got a LOT more criticism from the Toronto press, who were far more comfortable talking hockey, than he gets from anybody at the AJC.
By chrisklob
August 16, 2007 11:08 PM | Link to this
Herschel Talker, can’t agree with your assessment of James.
the guy can’t get through the fifth inning in any start
Actually, in 25 games this year he’s pitched 6 or more innings 10 times. Not great but doesn’t exactly jibe with your statement.
The point is that he takes us out of games early.
I’ll agree that tonight’s game and his last start in Philly were pretty tough to watch in the early innings. But, James has actually been fairly decent in the beginning of the games. Cumulative opponents BA the first time they see him in a game is .250, second time is .235. It’s the third time through the order that he gets lit up at a .336 rate.
The Braves can’t get in a groove when he’s pitching.
The Braves are 13-12 in games that he’s pitched. that’s pretty close to their record overall. He does keep them in games, at least until the sixth inning or 95th pitch, whichever comes first.
What the above numbers tell me is that Chuckie isn’t a bad pitcher, merely a tremendously average one. Hopefully, he’ll spend the off-season working out with Hudson instead of banging nails or whatever it is that he does.
By Coach (Hank Aaron Is The Real HR Champion)
August 16, 2007 11:10 PM | Link to this
Both the Cardinals and Nationals have less talent on their roster and yet they are outplaying the Braves. If Cox had not pulled James when he did and he had walked the pitcher , then what ? Cox could have cared less that the opposing pitcher was up , James was meat , he gave up four bombs. Chucky was done , period.
By TexasBrave
August 16, 2007 11:17 PM | Link to this
TampaBrave great point about Chuck. He throws just like batting practice pitchers throw. He is “trying” to hit his spots and not succeeding very well. His shortened stride is costing him pitches (because for the most part he doesn’t locate well), speed (he would gain at least 2 to 3 mph on his fastball if he would lengthen his stride), and causing him to leave his pitches up in the zone which has cost him the most. A short stride means you have a higher release point, longer stride usually a lower release point.
All this and he has to develop confidence in at least one more pitch, two would be nice. DOB might disagree with me but I can’t see him being too much more successful until he learns to get the ball down and develop another pitch.
By Braves Sure Do Stink
August 16, 2007 11:17 PM | Link to this
Boy don’t those Braves stink! Bobby sure blew that game. The nerve of that guy, pitching Chuck James. And he will probably follow with Carlyle and Cormier the next two games. What a dumb manager!
A smart manager would march up to JS’s office and demand he trade to get a couple of decent starters, like Roy Oswalt and Erik Bedard.
( the Braves just took 2 of 3 from a .400 team, who’s future ace was on the mound, and some of the denizens on here are again showing their utter stupidity!)
A vet on here would say, Oh, the humanity!
By mr baseball
August 16, 2007 11:20 PM | Link to this
Train Wreck Bystander:
Tonight’s game was an anomaly for James. (If you’re going to question the IQ of others, using big words is mandatory.) This was his 25th start this season. It was the 3rd time he has pitched fewer than 4 2/3 innings. It was the 3rd time he has given up more than 4 runs. It was the 3rd time he has essentially pitched the Braves out of a chance to win the game.
Chuck James stinks approximately 1 time out of every 8 starts and is pretty decent the rest of the time. Compare what he’s done to Bronson Arroyo, Dontrelle Willis, Jason Jennings, Chris Capuano, Jeff Suppan, Adam Eaton, Matt Morris & Barry Zito, who probably all make at least 10 times more than James (some a lot more than 10 times) and are mostly top of the rotation starters.
He may not be a lot of things, but he is most definitely consistent. Consistent doesn’t equate to being great, or even good. Mike Maroth was amazingly consistent in his 6 or 7 starts for the Cards this season. He was awful pretty much every time he took the mound.
James has typically bounced back from his lousy starts with solid efforts his next time out. I’m guessing he does so next week. If he doesn’t, feel free to question my baseball IQ.
By ijonathan
August 16, 2007 11:23 PM | Link to this
Coach (Hank Aaron…) Exactly, thanks for making my point.
Cox could have cared less that the opposing pitcher was up
In other words, our dolt of a manager didn’t assess his tactical options at a point early in the game when it was still quite winable.
By TampaBrave
August 16, 2007 11:23 PM | Link to this
Let Tyler Yates start. What do we have to lose? In fact, lets audition others in the BP as well. Chucky has been a drain on the staff, rarely making it to the 6th inning. HoRam is looking pretty good right now.
By Charlie Shine
August 16, 2007 11:26 PM | Link to this
How are we supposed to win when our number one cheerleader Joe Simpson isn’t doing the TV broadcast?
By Halloweenhead (eware)
August 16, 2007 11:26 PM | Link to this
We need to bring back Kenny Ray!!!
By Perry Tendleton
August 16, 2007 11:27 PM | Link to this
Andruw must be listening to his hitting coach lately!
By ijonathan
August 16, 2007 11:29 PM | Link to this
Braves Sure Do Stink…you are confusing two different issues. No one (I don’t think) is denying that the Braves have a few gaping holes in their starting rotation. However, that fact does not excuse BC’s penchant for non-managing or mis-managing during games. There are always oddities with Cox…off the top of my head, in addition to using Yates tonight to get out the freaking pitcher, last night he used home-run Soriano to try to protect a 3-run lead, and tonight trailing by 6(?) runs at the time he decides to use his best reliever of late (Moylan). Explain that one to me.
By Kentavo
August 16, 2007 11:30 PM | Link to this
I don’t like LaRussa and think he’s a jerk, but I admire what he’s doing with the Cardinals, batting the pitcher 8th and sitting his non-productive vets. Imagine if Cox had some cajones and did the same. Some of the Cards vets are moaning, but hey, now they’re only 2 back in the race, after looking dead in the water, and LaRussa is trying to win games not massage egos. Imagine benching Andruw and using Woodward like he’s supposed to be used, as a defensive replacement, pinch runner and to give chip a rest in blowouts, not as a pinch hitter in crucial situations, how much better off the Braves would be. Oh yeah, and going with the hot hands in the bullpen as opposed to whatever it is Cox is doing. I don’t blame Villareal, the guy probably doesn’t know which end is up because of the way he’s been used - as middle relief, as mop up guy, then he was a late inning guy and even got a save, then he’s back to the first one thrown in when a starter gets pulled early.
By TampaBrave
August 16, 2007 11:30 PM | Link to this
Would someone in Texas please buy the Devil Rays? They suck and always will, period! Teams like them hurt baseball. I think it would be a great idea to retract a couple of teams and spread the talent back over the rest of the league. God knows its spread thin as it is. Take Toronto too.
By TampaBrave
August 16, 2007 11:37 PM | Link to this
JJonathan
Here’s your explanation. He’s the manager, not you. You want to manage? How many times would we 2nd guess you? more than you can count!! Stop back seat driving. You are not the tactical genius you think you are. This is not playstation.
By mr baseball
August 16, 2007 11:37 PM | Link to this
ijonathan:
Wasn’t that impressed with Cox when he managed the Braves the first time. Torre did a whole lot better with the same players. But what he did with Toronto’s talent exemplified his strategic weakness in a playoff situation.
I believe it was game 7 of the Blue Jays-Royals series when Cox yanked Al Oliver and another of his LH hitters early in the game WITH THE LEAD when the Royals went to a lefty pitcher. Lo and behold, the Royals rallied and took the lead, and here comes Dan Quisenberry to close out the game. The ninth inning comes around and where the Jays once had LH hitters in the lineup, they had a couple of righty hitters who flailed at the Quiz. I still remember the shot of Oliver sitting in the dugout looking like he wanted to take a baseball bat and tenderize Cox’s head. (Apologies to Elvin Bishop).
Cox didn’t manage for the 9th inning then and he doesn’t now. One reason why his post-season record is not exactly Hall of Fame caliber.
That said, tonight was definitely not his fault. But the next loss might be.
By TampaBrave
August 16, 2007 11:42 PM | Link to this
Theres a reason Villareal is in long relief. You give him too much credit.
By chrisklob
August 16, 2007 11:42 PM | Link to this
Kentavo, did I read earlier that you’re in Myrtle Beach? I live down in Charleston but will be up your way next week for a couple of nights. Unfortunately, the Pelicans will be out of town.
TampaBrave, I agree with you. Someone like Mark Cuban needs to buy that sorry excuse of a franchise to turn it around. The D’Rays had their Low A affiliate in my home town for several years and it’s been fun to see the kids develop and move up to the bigs. But I have to wonder, with all the offensive talent they’ve developed, why they can’t develop pitching and why they can’t win more games. Of course, they play in a tough division, but still, they’ve got some kids that can hit the ball.
By ijonathan
August 16, 2007 11:43 PM | Link to this
TampaBrave Explain to me, exactly, how the Devil Rays and Blue Jays are at all alike.
By The Grinch
August 16, 2007 11:47 PM | Link to this
Well, I was there, folks. My appraisal of the game is: Chuck didn’t have squat, and there were a bunch of fine * honeys wearing next to nothing to ward off the heat. Really, though; 4 homers to the Bonds-less Giants in three innings? Wow. He got booed, but he simply deserved it. He might as well have pitched underhanded. As for the argument about how well he pitches in general, this is the third time I’ve seen him in person this season and he’s looked pretty good the first two. If he’s pitched more than 5 10 times though, I’ve only seen it maybe twice. I had no idea. Anyhoo. Hoo-ray, beer!
By ijonathan
August 16, 2007 11:53 PM | Link to this
TampaBrave
Ah yes, “he’s the manager, not you.” A retort right up there with “I’m rubber and you’re glue, anything you say bounces off me and sticks to glue.” Brilliant. We should all just follow our fearless leader, and sit back, fold our arms, pick our nose and let him direct the team to glory. Everybody makes mistakes, Bobby just a hell of a lot more than others. 15 years in the playoffs and 1 title. Of course, Bobby always finds a way to blame hot opposing pitchers, bad bounces, etc. Sounds like arguments you are more than ready to lap up, TampaBrave.
By Kentavo
August 16, 2007 11:56 PM | Link to this
ChrisKolb, Yeah, I’m in Myrtle Vegas. If you wanna know what’s going on and find things to do while you’re here, pick up the Weekly Surge. It’s free, like the City Paper (but not as thick yet) and we started almost exactly a year ago.
By BravesDave
August 16, 2007 11:57 PM | Link to this
I don’t know what to say tonight. Once again, it is difficult to be positive (even though it is a prerequisite to posting on this blog).
As someone mentioned earlier, it is actually difficult to give up 4 HR in less than 4 innings. If it was not difficult, there are plently of pitchers in the majors worse than Chuck that would do it more regularly. Fact is, Chuck gave up 4 HR to 4 guys that had a combined 23 before tonight…and 12 of them were by Molina. He was not giving them up to Pujols or Dunn or ARod…not even to Bonds or Klesko.
I know Chuck has ability, although he needs to hone it instead of installing windows. I know I will get ripped for this because he has 9 wins and could have more, but is he hurting this team more than he is helping - constantly taxing the bullpen, one game worse than the next, even when he wins???
By Bob, Journalist
August 17, 2007 12:00 AM | Link to this
Coach, granted Tony’s a decent manager and his team is almost playing .500 ball for the season, in what appears to be a rather weak division … is he just a part time genius?
If you’re using the teams’ recent performance against different competition as the measure of the manager’s proficiency … that’s okay by me … it doesn’t tell me as much about the managers as it tells me about those who so do … however, if as you’ve indicated, the won-loss record defines the team, and we, as a result, are but mediocre … what does it say about those with poorer records?
By Todd A
August 17, 2007 12:00 AM | Link to this
“The Giants must have summoned Jobu. Giants hit straight ball very much.”
LOL SR
Hate to suggest winter ball for a pitcher, especially after such a long season, but, Chuck James is at a cross roads. He needs to reinvent himself. Either he attempts to discover a curve ball, or he needs to totally change his approach(maybe attack the outside corner like Glavine).The league has caught up to his belt high 91 mph fastball. If not, he may be pitching elsewhere in ‘08 ala Horacio Ramirez.
It is beyond agonizing, to have such a vulnerable team as the Mets right there within our grasp all season, yet we’re unable to capitalize because of a sub-standard rotation, and inconsistent bullpen.Arrrggghhh.
By Bob, Journalist
August 17, 2007 12:07 AM | Link to this
ijonathan, what is the most likely number of titles for a team in the playoffs the number of times the Braves have been in the playoffs since 1990, assuming for simplicity that playoff teams are of equal strength?
By BravesDave
August 17, 2007 12:08 AM | Link to this
Have to agree with the post earlier regarding bringing Moylan into this game, down six on the scoreboard.
Was he unavailable due to his back for the past few games? He hasn’t pitched, but yet Cox uses him tonight. Ponderous.
Tonight is another night where the optimist says “but the Mets lost, so we did not lose any ground”.
The pessimist says “we blew an opportunity to gain ground…AGAIN”.
I am a pessimist in this case. We cannot continue to blow these opportunities. It seems that every time we get to within 0.5 games of the wild card lead, we lose. Lincecum is good, but he did not have it tonight either. It seemed that after the 4th HR, the Braves gave up. Went down 14 in a row on offense, McCann with another lazy night behind the plate, pulling Kelly and McCann. The Braves called it a night early and you cannot do that in a pennant race. Not to mention, Cox rested Renteria and Chipper the last time they faced Lincecum. Are we getting paid for each of his wins or something??
By chrisklob
August 17, 2007 12:18 AM | Link to this
Kentavo, I’ll be sure to pick up a copy of the Weekly Surge while I’m there. Unfortunately, I’ll be working the entire time that I’m there so I won’t have any time to roam around on my own. I work for the company that represents Absolut Vodka, Cruzan Rum, Jim Beam and a bunch of others in SC and we’ve got a very large group coming in for a private concert with Kenny Chesney at the HOB on Thursday so I’ll be there making sure that the market looks good for all the “dignitaries” coming in for the show.
BravesDave, you said “Once again, it is difficult to be positive (even though it is a prerequisite to posting on this blog). After tonight’s loss, it IS hard to be positive. But that’s baseball. And the realists don’t freak out about one bad game here or there. EVERY great team has tough games and EVERY weak team has great ones. I think that you would agree that this team falls somewhere in the middle.
Being positive is NOT a prerequisite to posting here. Being REALISTIC is definitely preferred. You can find the most optimistic fan here complaining about something and that individual will NOT catch any grief about negativity. What irks the regulars here are the folks that come on and nitpick every single play or BC decision. Bobby can make a decision that is completely “by the book” that doesn’t work and get crucified for it. Or he can make a decision that goes AGAINST the book. If that decision doesn’t work he gets crucified for that too. The poor man can’t win for losing.
The so-called optimists on this blog are not blind to the problems with this team. The constant second-guessing does tend to get a little tiresome though, and that is what the “optimists” complain about.
I consider myself to be a realist — not a pessimist, nor an optimist. This club has issues. I am not blind to them but I try not to harp on every single thing.
Blog on, BravesDave, blog on.
By N8
August 17, 2007 12:23 AM | Link to this
Looks like the blog can be PLENTY negative without.
I’ll just sit back, read and enjoy watching the negativity spread like wild fire.
Keep going guys. Your doing just fine. I’ll let somebody else get yelled at tonight.
Kinda fun just reading and NOT giving my opinion. Especially when many others have made the points I would’ve made.
BTW, thanx for having my back the other night Ron & Alex.
Can’t you just smell the world series?
By BravesDave
August 17, 2007 12:26 AM | Link to this
Todd A, the problem with your suggestion about Chuck atacking the outside corner like Glavine, is that Chuck does not have 25% of the control that Glavine does. Chuck’s biggest problem, outside of his two-pitch arsenal, is his lack of command. He is not giving up HR regularly because he throws an 88-90 mph fastball, he is giving them up because they are waist high and down the heart of the plate.
But I agree with your post on the whole.
By BravesDave
August 17, 2007 12:33 AM | Link to this
Sadly, Buddy Carlyle, a career minor league journeyman, Japanese League veteran, is better than Chuck James. There are no two ways about it. He throws strikes. He throws harder. He has a decent curveball to go with his change up. And he seems to have a better head on his shoulders…maybe struggling to get to the majors will do that for you.
Chuck is just not a smart guy. Installing windows in the offseason when your primary profession can make you a millionaire 60 times over if you work at it diligently enough??? Jumping off of a roof before the MLB draft???
By Random
August 17, 2007 12:33 AM | Link to this
mr baseball—
Your 10:36 and 11:20 posts were quite definitely very much value-added analyses. Thanks for your (and ijonathan’s) participation — I know I benefitted.
By AZBravoFan
August 17, 2007 12:40 AM | Link to this
Pretty simple at this point as far as I can tell. Sounds like Chuckie’s in one of those “dead arm” phases right now. Who knows what we’ll get from him the rest of the way. So what does that mean? The Braves can’t win the division OR the wild card on the arms of Smoltz and Hudson alone. They just aren’t going to win every start from now to the end of the season. Someone else HAS to step up. Whether that’s Cormier or Carlyle or Reyes doesn’t really matter. If someone does, then the Braves will go to the post-season. THEN they can get by with Hudson and Smoltz and a ton of offense. If not, then this is over right now.
By cooper
August 17, 2007 12:45 AM | Link to this
This team needs two starters if they expect to make the playoffs. James is a 5 hole pitcher at best.
Any chance Blaine Boyer gets a look? I heard he is starting in the minors. Heck Jo Jo would be worth another spin.
James looks spent and clueless and Cormier is an accident waiting to happen.
By Random
August 17, 2007 1:05 AM | Link to this
By Bob, Journalist ijonathan, what is the most likely number of titles for a team in the playoffs the number of times the Braves have been in the playoffs since 1990, assuming for simplicity that playoff teams are of equal strength?
What an fn jack axe! On top of an utterly moronic assumption, add some syntax tortured past the point of waterboarding, and what do you get?
FN Boob, Diurnalist. Don’t quit your day job.
By ijonathan
August 17, 2007 1:06 AM | Link to this
Bob, Journalist
As a relative newcomer to these blogs (2 months or so) I’m not sure of your background, but your 12:07 post is actually right up my alley as an applied statistician.
“what is the most likely number of titles for a team in the playoffs the number of times the Braves have been in the playoffs since 1990, assuming for simplicity that playoff teams are of equal strength?”
I’m actually going to go back to 1985 when Cox managed the Blue Jays, as I’m more interested in assessing Cox’s performance than the Braves…although of course they are closely intertwined.
The crux of your question is the assumption that all playoff teams are of “equal strength”. This means that each playoff team has an equal probability of winning the World Series, once they reach the playoffs. In 1985 and 1991-1995, each of the four playoff teams had a 25% chance, under your equal strength assumption. When MLB expanded to 6 divisions and 2 wildcard slots, the years 1995-2005 gave each playoff team a 12.5% chance of winning. Across those 15 years, then, the average (for simplicity) probability for any one team winning in any given year, assuming equal strength, is about 15.8%.
In statistics, an appropriate method for estimating probabilities of “success” (such as winning the World Series) given a number of trials, is the binomial distribution. In this case we have 15 trials, each with a 15.8% chance of succeeding.
To answer your question directly, the most likely single outcome is 2 wins in those 15 years, with a 28% probability. However, a more appropriate and typical use of the binomial distribution yields these probabilities: Cox would have won AT LEAST 2 championships with a 71% probability, and AT LEAST 3 championships with a 43% probability. Conversely, the probability of winning no more than 1 championship is only 29%. As you can see, in a purely random world, Cox was far more likely to have won at least 3 championships than he was to have won 1 or fewer championships. In a purely random scenario (team strength-wise) Cox has definitely underperformend.
And, of course, you could very well argue that in many of those playoff years Cox’s team had more talent than many of its playoff bretheren.
Cheers
By NEED A RACK
August 17, 2007 1:17 AM | Link to this
go bravos
By Coach (Hank Aaron is the Real HR Champion)
August 17, 2007 1:49 AM | Link to this
If Mr.Baseball has an IQ , I’m Babe Freaking Ruth. Now , he is a blogger who understands little concerning pitching. It didn’t matter if Mickey Mouse was standing in the on deck circle , Cox was totally justified in pulling Chuck James when he did. What part of Four HR’s didn’t you understand ? James was meat , cannon fodder , batting practice for the Giants. His head was so screwed up after that last HR , he couldn’t have pitched to the bat boy. E-V-E-R-Y S-I-N-G-L-E Giant that reached base against James scored (ALL OF THEM). Bobby Cox Said it : James had nothing (could not pitch). James said it : there was no life on my fastball and I wasn’t hitting my spots(up in the zone), that’s a bad mix (four bombs). Mr.Baseball would have left James in the game. Dude , sent your resume to Turner Field and see how far you get(popcorn stand)…………. On another note , watching the bottom of the ninth , Brian Wilson pitching to Francoeur. First pitch a fastball , strike one on the inside corner , second pitch , fastball in the same spot , ball one. I could read Wilson’s lips : What the F* ! I almost fell out of my chair yelling at the home plate umpire Derryl Cousins , with the same thing coming out of my mouth. Fortunately , Francoeur popped up on the next pitch or I think Bruce Bochy might have been thrown out of the contest for the second game in a row. For the record , that umpiring crew S-T-U-N-K during the whole three game series with the Giants.
By Dad
August 17, 2007 1:54 AM | Link to this
Braves fans. I rest my case in my previous blog. Your # 3 starter throws BP to the Giants, and gets bopped for four HRs.The Diamondbacks will bop Comier on Friday and Caryle on Saturday. With such awful starting pitching after Smoltz and Hudson, do you Braves fans really believe that you have any chance at all in catching the Mets?
By ijonathan
August 17, 2007 2:00 AM | Link to this
Hey Coach
If James was meat, didn’t have anything, etc…why the hell did BC wait until F-O-U-R H-O-M-E-R-S were hit before taking him out? Must be something magical about that 4th home run. And AGAIN, the freaking left-handed 5-7” 165 pound pitcher was up next, he probably was an easier out than the bat boy. You completely wasted Tyler Yates for the night. You are thinking (or not thinking) just like Booby…living only in the moment (James sucks, let’s yank him) without giving any thought to the bottom of the inning, later in the game, etc. Pathetic.
By uga-brave
August 17, 2007 2:09 AM | Link to this
brave-dave
tell me you are out there. just got back from the DOBBIE BROS WITH FRAMPTON AT CHASTAIN. promised my girlfriend i would not cracberry the braves.held my word. CHUCK JAMES SHOULD BE FLOGGED. WHAT A TWO PITCH LOSER with no guts. twice in row this guy cant answer the call. we have no chance with A GUY THAT HAS ZERO SAND PITCHING AS A SO CALLED 3.
By uga-brave
August 17, 2007 2:19 AM | Link to this
WITH ALL APOLIGIES TO DOB
a couple of guys you know CHRIS DIMINO AND CHRIS KOTTER (who now works for the SKY NETWORK) once told me the two dumbest braves he ever talked to were WES HELMS AND CHUCK JAMES. what a loser no guts, twice in a row this guy had a chance to seize some kind of MO and he landed on his face. GO BACK TO CARROLTON PLEASE.
By mr baseball
August 17, 2007 2:23 AM | Link to this
Coach: it’s difficult to respond to someone who is utterly as clueless as you. It was obvious that Chuck James had nothing tonight. If an actual hitter was at the plate, it would have been perfectly reasonable for Cox to pull him right there, even with the pitcher’s spot up 5th the next inning.
But the pitcher was up, Coach (I don’t know what sport you coached, but it wasn’t baseball fer dam sure.) The freaking pitcher. No manager with an ounce of foresight would yank his starting pitcher with 2 outs, no one on base, the pitcher at the plate and his own pitcher’s spot possibly due up in the bottom of the inning.
Bobby Cox can’t process that much information at the same time, and obviously you can’t either. If by some chance the pitcher got on base, which was a distinct possibility considering how poorly James was pitching, THEN you take him out.
As it turned out, the move had zero effect on the game. But it was impulsive and ill-considered, albeit irrelevant. Cox makes moves like that too often, which is one reason why the team consistently has a below average record in one-run games.
You brilliantly recognized that Chuck James had nothing tonight. Congratulations, you win the award as the most perceptive blogger of the evening.
One final time for all the ADD Chuck James bashers tonight. This was his 3rd bad game in 25 starts and a bunch of you honestly think he’s killing the team. You guys rank right up there with Coach (I wouldn’t know baseball if it bit me on the rear) as truly insightful baseball analysts.
I’ll run this list by all you geniuses again:
Bronson Arroyo. Dontrelle Willis. Jason Jennings. Chris Capuano. Jeff Suppan. Adam Eaton. Matt Morris. Barry Zito. Compare their records and their salaries to that of James and enlighten us again about how lousy a pitcher he is.
By BravesDave
August 17, 2007 2:26 AM | Link to this
uga, I don’t know what to say after watching that display tonight. Another wasted opportunity to gain ground on the Mets. Back in third place. Losing to a team that had lost 11 out of their last 14. It was pretty obvious that Lincecum was not completely on his game tonight, too. He was all over the place, couldn’t find the strike zone, and was out after 5 innings. By that time it was 7-3 and some guy named Misch came in and buzzed through the Braves like they had completely thrown in the towel. He threw 3 innings of no-hit relief with a total - TOTAL - of 24 pitches in three innings. He got through 9 hitters in 24 pitches.
The Braves called it quits in this game after James gave up the 4th HR. Bobby pulled Kelly Johnson and McCann and gave it up.
By Coach (Hank Aaron is the Real HR Champion)
August 17, 2007 2:27 AM | Link to this
For the record , Tony LaRussa has eleven division winners with three different teams : White Sox , A’s and Cardinals. Three American league Championships , Two National League Championship , two wild card teams and two World Championships (1989 A’s and 2006 Cardinals). He has won manager of the year four times , the first to do so. He is one of only two managers to receive the award in both the American and National League. He is one of only six managers in history to win a pennant in both leagues. He was inducted into the Missouri sports Hall of Fame in 2004. He has a Masters Degree in law from Florida State , took the bar exam and passed but went into his professional baseball career and never actually practiced law. He is regarded among his peers as a master of baseball strategy and like Bobby Cox is a lock for the Baseball Hall of Fame. I choose to believe that the guy is a genius , I don’t give a hoot what anybody else thinks.
By uga-brave
August 17, 2007 2:27 AM | Link to this
for all you kool-aid drinkers out there this is exactly why the braves are going nowhere, i will give carlyle the beneit of the doubt, because i think he has guts.
BUT CHUCK IS A FLAT OUT LOSER PERIOD. he had his chance tonight to be a real pitcher and proved his real future is framig windows.
By BravesDave
August 17, 2007 2:32 AM | Link to this
uga, don’t know about whether James is the dumbest Brave or not, but like I mentioned in an earlier post, it is pretty stupid for a guy with the potential to make millions, if he can refine his craft, to be installing windows in the offseason. I remember how everyone thought that was so cute, look at Chuck, how down to earth. How about watching some film, spending some time working on a third pitch, working out a little??? Plus, the other great Chuck story, jumping off of a roof and breaking both arms right before the MLB draft??? Sounds like a potential neurosurgeon if this baseball thing doesn’t work out.
By uga-brave
August 17, 2007 2:34 AM | Link to this
so tonight we get BRANDON WEBB VS. WHO this team will hit. but when your frekin starting pitcher is so indifferent does it really matter?
HEY CHUCK I HERE THE WEATHER IS REALLY NICE IN SEATTLE. JUST ASK HORACIIO.
By Coach (Hank Aaron is the Real HR Champion)
August 17, 2007 2:35 AM | Link to this
Okay Mr.M-O-R-O-N , if you don’t see the difference in Chuck James from 2006 to 2007 why don’t you go run and play chicken with cars on the free way because you are a T-O-T-A-L F-R-E-A-K-I-N-G F-R-A-U-D. Bobby Cox is a Hall of Fame Manager with a World Championship Ring, who the F* are you ?
By mr baseball
August 17, 2007 2:37 AM | Link to this
uga-brave:
Congratulations, you just earned the right to share the most perceptive blogger of the evening award with Coach. The last time James pitched, he retired the last 16 batters in a row before he was taken out of the game and matched the best young lefthander in the NL pitch for pitch. But as you so artfully articulated, James is “a loser with no guts.”
That sounds pretty bad to me, but for “a blogger with no brain,” I guess it’s apppropriate.
As a UGa alum, I sincerely hope that you’re a wannabe Bulldog and not an actual graduate. I didn’t realize that 10th grade dropouts could enroll in Athens.
By Coach (Hank Aaron is the Real HR Champion)
August 17, 2007 2:41 AM | Link to this
Jonathan , you and the baseball nut need to get a room and admit your perfect for each other.
By Coach (Hank Aaron is the Real HR Champion)
August 17, 2007 2:46 AM | Link to this
Admit it baseball fraud , you were not even watching the game. Your just in here foaming at the mouth because you can’t measure up in the real world.
By uga-brave
August 17, 2007 2:50 AM | Link to this
BRAVE-DAVE
hope you got out of the market. this credit crunch aint over, dont let this end of the day rally fool you. the hedges were covering their shorts on the financials to raise cash for the oncoming redemptions. the reason i am up so late is i trade currencies in europe.
but now on to the braves, you said it WOULD be nice to drop the hammer down on these nice two starters. i 100% agree except we have a pitcher that has zero guts. WE SCORE 4 ON HAMMELS FRIDAY AND THIS BUSHER gives up four dingers before he can pick his a*.
sorry for being so angry but this is pure fustation
By BravesDave
August 17, 2007 2:51 AM | Link to this
mr. baseball, I have a serious question for you, no disrespect intended. Do you really think that Chuck James will be able to exist in the majors without changing his pitching style??? Do you not think that he needs a third pitch?? Better location??? I personally believe that now that there is plenty of film on him for every major leaguer to review, there is no way he can continue to pitch on his current path. Yes he retired 16 in a row, but he was also facing a group of hitters that were overly aggressive due to a first inning where they hit everything James threw up there. The same thing happened to the Braves hitters against Hamels. Chuck James lacks stamina, control, and an out pitch. He needs a lot a work to develop as a major leaguer…if not, we are looking at the next Damian Moss or Horacio Ramirez.
By mr baseball
August 17, 2007 2:58 AM | Link to this
Coach:
I hate to say this but I agree with your assessment of LaRussa, although I stop short of considering him a genius. Very sharp but equally arrogant, not that there’s anything wrong with that.
I believe I called you utterly clueless in a previous post. That may have been a bit strong. You do have a clue. A tiny one perhaps, but a clue nonetheless. Considering your most recent response, however, that tiny clue dwarfs your class.
Have a nice evening.
By uga-brave
August 17, 2007 3:02 AM | Link to this
hey-MR BASEBALL
to your dismay I ACTUALLY HAVE A MASTERS IN ECONOMICS. GUESS WHAT ACTUALLY SPENT TIME WITH ROBERT MCTEER FORMER FED GOVERNOR, A UGA ALUM. but in your simple mind you probably are thinking about how our defense can stop O.S.U. by the way I WORKED FOR ONE OF THE LARGEST INVESMENT BANNKERS FOR 12 YEARS. HAD A GREAT TIME DOING IT UNTIL THE NASDAQ TOOK AWAY THE SPREADS.
By Coach (Hank Aaron is the Real HR Champion)
August 17, 2007 3:03 AM | Link to this
The baseball nut is right ! Chuck James is the same fastball/change up pitcher we saw last year. So , the question is. Why did he go 11 Wins -3 Losses / 3.93 ERA in 2006 and 9 Wins -9 Losses / 4.22 ERA so far in 2007 ? C’mon Mr. M-O-R-O-N , explain it to me.
By uga-brave
August 17, 2007 3:10 AM | Link to this
first of all anyone that calls LARUSSA A GENIUS SHOULD HAVE THEIR HEAD EXAMINED. read LEOS BOOK. how can you justify hitting your pitcher 8th.
MR. BASEBALL WITH ALL DUE RESPECT I AM ACTUALLY worried about oklahoma states offense.
By uga-brave
August 17, 2007 3:16 AM | Link to this
HEY COACH,
its called scouts. give them time and they will figure out wether you pull you underwear out with your right or left.
By Coach (Hank Aaron is the Real HR Champion)
August 17, 2007 3:17 AM | Link to this
Yep , Chucky James needs a third pitch that he can throw with authority and command ( he has a curveball and a slider but won’t throw them ? ). I really believe that James will eventually come around to being a solid major league pitcher , he just needs to adjust his repertoire of pitches to include a slider and curve (Breaking balls both are) to go along with his straight stuff (fastball/change up).
By Coach (Hank Aaron is the Real HR Champion)
August 17, 2007 3:21 AM | Link to this
uga -brave , read my 2:27 post again. Why don’t you call up LaRussa and ask him ? By the way , his strategy is working and the Cardinals are winning.
By BravesDave
August 17, 2007 3:22 AM | Link to this
uga, I don’t worry about the market much any more, in a personal sense. I certainly worry about it from a macroeconomic perspective. I used to worry about it when I was in that field (worked for Merrill Lynch for while) and was younger and heavy into investing my own capital. I pulled out in 1999 to buy my first house and after watching the tech bubble burst shortly after, decided to stay away from investing in individual stocks for while. My only exposure now is in IRAs, and I am not worried about that for another 30 years.
By uga-brave
August 17, 2007 3:24 AM | Link to this
FOR ALL YOU CHUCK DEFENDERS OUT THERE?
HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD BE COMFORTABLE WITH HIM PITCHING GAME 3?
By mr baseball
August 17, 2007 3:25 AM | Link to this
BravesDave:
I was going to sleep, but I appreciate your civility and apparent interest in my opinion. Without question, James needs to refine a third pitch and learn not to lay nothing fastballs and hit-me changeups in spots second rate major league hitters can tee off on.
He was absolutely awful tonight. He was equally awful in the first inning of his last start against the Phillies. But he recovered to retire the next 16 batters in a row. Don’t much care how he did it.
Frankly, I’m perplexed how James gets hitters out as well as he does. His fastball only occasionally hits 90 and his changeup is not exactly in the same league as Glavine’s or Moyer’s, although they do have about 15 to 20 years on him.
I’m not so much worried about how he looks. If that was the main issue, he wouldn’t be in the majors, because he doesn’t look like a major league pitcher in any respect. But his results tell a different story. He was successful at every level in the minors, pirched very well last season and has been decent this season, with the exception of a handful of starts.
If he pitched more frequently like he did tonight, I would be all for throwing him under the bus. But coming into the game, he was 9-8 with an ERA under 4.00. I’m sorry if I can’t get all worked about a middle of the rotation starter who has kept the Braves in 22 of the 25 games he’s started, and could have 12 or 13 wins by now with a little more help from the bullpen.
The fact that he almost never gets past the 6th inning is something of a concern. But the bullpen is deep enough that the Braves should be able to deal with his lack of stamina, which is something he definitely needs to work on. However, it may be that he just doesn’t have the stuff to get through most orders more than three times.
He has to get better to have a decent major league career, but given what he has done so far this season, I think he deserves a lot better from this blog than he’s gotten tonight. I’m a numbers kind of guy, and considering his experience and salary, the numbers he’s put so far are more than acceptable.
I might have a different opinion in 2 weeks if he gets lit up in his next few starts, but if he has a few games of 6 innings and 2 runs, I think some people who are bloviating tonight may have to consider an admission that their virulent opinions were as off-target as some of his pitches.
I’m not holding my breath for that to happen.
Will resume tomorrow. Hell, it’s already tomorrow.
By Coach (Hank Aaron is the Real HR Champion)
August 17, 2007 3:25 AM | Link to this
Uga -brave , advance scouts , video , scouting reports , etc. etc. etc. They have adjusted to James , he has not adjusted his pitching.
By uga-brave
August 17, 2007 3:33 AM | Link to this
coach sure hope you are right about chuck, just dont see it. he just does not have enough command of his fastball, comes right over the plate too often. when GLAVINE came up his pitches were always set up with fastball inside then that devasting cangeup AWAY.
By uga-brave
August 17, 2007 3:50 AM | Link to this
brave-dave
great way to look at it. I AM ALL ABOUT MACROECONICS the economy is great. GDP NUMBERS prove that. the problem is there is a lot of bad lenders out there. these lenders gave money out to people who could not afford the reset. these lenders promised the borrowers they could requalify once rates went up. there lies the problem. think about it. lenders have cut out these people chance to refinance. NOT TO DIFFERENT TO THE TECH BUBBLE. just a different kind of animal. just like buying stocks on margin.
By uga-brave
August 17, 2007 4:00 AM | Link to this
mr.baseball
i kinda like chuck, but his numbers the third time through the lineup proves he is either a idiot, or he has nothing else left. the guy cant be a two pitch pitcher without a devating fastball or a chageup, which he has neither. the guys a 5 period unless he reinvents himself.
By Serbok
August 17, 2007 4:20 AM | Link to this
Just curious guys~ Why is it so difficult for a pitcher to “learn” how to throw a 3rd pitch? I played up intil HS ball~ I was a catcher~ and Was a Pitcher when needed, I devoloped a knuckleball Instantaneously Granted~ thats a freak pitch. If some of you guys who pitched more than I would explain to me, Why It is So difficult to develop lets say~ A curve ball? I realize a slider is one of the more difficult pitches there is~ A changeup isnt exactly easy either. )realize james does throw one) I’m just curious, if someone can help me out here~ My BB days are Loong gone:o( Obviously there has to be a reason a MLB pitcher is throwing only 2 pitches. I Honestly do not understand this! Any Help would be Most appreciated!
By BravesDave
August 17, 2007 4:24 AM | Link to this
uga, I have seen this stuff coming for a while now. In my current line of work, I have been avoiding mortgage lenders altogether, whether subprime or standard. Too many gimmicks over the past few years…interest only, no doc, etc etc. The mortgage industry was chasing the real estate bubble with some poor lending practices. This was bound to happen.
I am off to bed…dreading tonight’s pitching matchup. Cormier vs. Webb. Has there been a bigger mismatch this season anywhere? I am hoping for a huge shocker where the Braves offense comes out and bashes Webb. They need it after last night’s debacle.
By Serbok
August 17, 2007 4:29 AM | Link to this
Did James “come up” AS a positional player? Or a Pitcher? H e totally confuses me~ I realize its too late this year, Really guys~ I hope someone gives me an explanation on how a pitcher, who Only throw’s 2 pitches can be a #3 starter for a contending Team? Of course, If he had a heater and a change up~ well I could understand, But he doesnt! I’m totally confused~ Paladin We are in the same boat now? I’m just as confused about this as you were on my Ip address post? :o) I dont have a Clue!
By Double Deuce
August 17, 2007 4:37 AM | Link to this
Amazing A kid goes out and pitches as best he can, doesn’t have very good stuff and gets lit, and people on this blog are calling him a moron and an idiot. Do you guys think he actually went out there in front of 30,000 people in Turner Field and a TV audience to stink it up. Yep, he was bad and when you’re a major league pitcher your bad days play out in front of huge crowds. Any of you wonder how that feels? Have another drink and call the kid a moron and an idiot, but next time you screw up at work I hope someone is watching you and puts you on you tube and calls you an idiot then maybe you’ll get a taste of what its like. You are the morons, not a young kid trying to make a living for his family.
By Mark
August 17, 2007 4:50 AM | Link to this
We need to ship Andruw out of here and get a top line starter so we can push James to the 5th starter. At this point, I would choose Carlyle in a possible game 3 than James.
By Bob, Journalist
August 17, 2007 4:51 AM | Link to this
uga-brave, my knowledge of economics is limited and I sincerely mean no disrespect but while you may well be highly qualified, in reading what you write, I find that you don’t express yourself so as to achieve a very high believability quotient.
By bill
August 17, 2007 5:47 AM | Link to this
Get Real!!!!!! C. James is louzy. He only has two pitches and it seems he doesn’t want to improve. He doesn’t pitch, he slings the ball. Sign D. Wells and bring up Jo Jo and send James and Cormier to Richmond. Just try something, time is running out. The Braves have 1 1/2 pitchers. The Braves must redo the pitching staff next season and let A.J. walk.
By Yars
August 17, 2007 6:46 AM | Link to this
Mark…..you & me both, man. If the playoffs started today, & the Braves somehow won the wildcard, I would go with Hudson, Smoltz, Carlyle as my playoff starting pitchers.
By Lee in S. GA
August 17, 2007 8:08 AM | Link to this
Not jumping off of the Braves bandwagon because of losing last night. Just jumping off of Chucky James’s bandwagon, if he ever had one to start with. No disrespect to Carlyle, but it is sad when a journeyman pitcher is the # 3 starter. James is starting to remind me of a one hit season wonder. He obliviously is not going to get it turned around this season, maybe next season he will. Starting pitching is the reason the Braves do not sweep series. With the 3 through 5 starters the Braves have, it is going to be very hard to maintain a long winning streak. That is why winning series is what will get the Braves into the playoffs. I will be happy with a 2 game series victory over the D’backs; a sweep may be asking a little too much of this team not to mention underestimating the D’backs and giving them no respect. That appears to be what is happening because of this run differential factor thrown into the mix. Last time I checked they have the best record in the N.L.
By Niekro35
August 17, 2007 8:09 AM | Link to this
I suggest he works on the knuckleball.
By Braveheart
August 17, 2007 8:13 AM | Link to this
I’m guessing certain people on here are bears and not bulls with the way they evaluate the stock value of this team and Chuck James.
Chuck has alot of work to do as a young pitcher. But I was also a college pitcher. The kind of young pitcher who understands what Chuck is going through. I understand how hard it is for a young pitcher to develop new pitches because you wanna dance and go home with the girl who brought you to the dance.
It’s hard when those 2 pitches have brought you to that level to be willing to make mistakes with throwing a slider instead of a fastball to Leyritz like Wohlers did. Darn Glavine was reluctant to throw inside until he realized he was kind of washed up a few years ago and needed to reinvent himself to get a few more years and wins for 300.
And I also understand that certain mechanics don’t lend themselves to increasing your available pitch selection. Chuck might be able to throw other pitches but not be able to do it without altering mechanics to the point that he is tipping off his pitches. Or the alteration in his mechanics might cause him to lose the ability to throw the two good pitches he has effectively.
It’s not fun when you watch your fastball drop a few miles or you start losing your ability to locate or your fastball loses alot of wiggle and heaviness and starts rising instead of sinking or sinking instead of rising or even worse becomes straight as an arrow, all because some darn coach tried to reinvent your mechanics for the sake of increasing pitch selection. YOu start to panic and get angry with the coaches. YOu start to say the reason why I am on this team is because i throw heavy, hard, and with lots of movement. Now I’m losing that for the sake of throwing a curveball just to say I throw one? You start seeing your 3.50 ERA rise up to Kyle Davies territory and you say screw the coaches man. I’m gonna go back to the way my father taught me how to throw the ball from the time I was 4 years old. But by then they have altered your mechanics and pitch selection so much, you have to struggle for a while to remember who you used to be as a pitcher (kind of like Hampton when he came here from Coors Field).
I never played anywhere near the level of Chuck (didn’t have his talent and wish I did). He has different mechanics and a different kind of fastball than I did but ….
All I am saying is it is not as simplistic as calling the kid dumb as rocks. There’s a whole lot more involved.
By Dap
August 17, 2007 8:42 AM | Link to this
Chuck is struggling like anyone would (like Glavine did) when he has 1+ years experience in the ML. It is not his fault that he is on a flawed pitching staff in which he is the 3rd pitcher instead of a #5.
The Brave’s staff has issues. Let’s not dump everything on James.
By Paladin
August 17, 2007 8:45 AM | Link to this
Time for this morning’s Paladin’s Pererrations
I note where “many” including DOB hisself, noted my lack of staying power for night games. As I have admitted before, I am about as nocturnal as a day lilly. It may be my meds. It may be the booze. Or, it may be my age. But, more likely, it is a confluence of all, creating the “Perfect Storm”
I do tape the games(when we are lucky enough to have them in this area)and watch them after a Bravo’s win. After a night like last night, however, I delete. Then, all I know is what you “experts” tell me. I try to focus on the positive ones. Or, I can just beech and complain and—until y’all “outed” me—no one knew the difference. You huckleberries, you.
As for “sleepovers” by fat chicks: Before, you do this in hot weather you should study coefficients of friction, hydroplaning, etc. And remember, the narrower your “equipment” the more likely you are to have a head-on collision with the night stand. Be warned!
Finally, Serbok, you have a sense of humor. I like that.
By chipdip
August 17, 2007 8:49 AM | Link to this
We are one starting pitcher away from being a division winner or a playoff contender….until then you can forget about….the CHUCK JAMES experence needs to be over!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Trade him for a STARTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By STRETCH
August 17, 2007 8:50 AM | Link to this
DOES ANYBODY BUT ME SEE THAT THIS GUY, (CHUCK JAMES) HAS NO BUSINESS BEING A STARTER????!!! LOOK AT HIS DELIVERY. ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS STAND THERE AND WATCH HIM RELEASE THE BALL! DUH!!!!! HAS ANYBODY TOLD HIM HE NEEDS TO HIDE THE BALL A LITTLE LONGER? I CANNT BELIEVE HE HAS MADE IT THIS FAR WITHOUT ATLEAST ONE PERSON TELLING HIM THIS.
IF THEY DO MAKE IT TO THE POST SEASON, THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO RELY ON SMOLTZ AND HUDSON WITH A IFFY BUDDY C. CHUCK JAMES IS REALLY BAD RIGHT NOW.
AND TRADE THORMAN FOR A PITCHER AND BRING FRANCO BACK…ATLEAST HE KNOWS HOW TO MAKE CONTACT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By Stuart
August 17, 2007 8:51 AM | Link to this
I am a Chuck James fan but he is still really young! It may be time to consider BUDDY in the 3rd Spot!
As if I need to tell this to anybody, but the issue with this team is the SP, and its trickle down affect on the bullpen.
If a team does not have at least 3 pitchers better than Buddy or Chuck, they simply dont have enough Starting pitching. That, my fellow posters, is the boat the braves are in. (Honestly, Chuck is a strong 5, average 4 if I was filling a rotation, but I am not. He IS NOT a 3.)The bully has been an issue lately and the new lineup in some ways has been a bit of a disappointment, (Edgar, get well soon, love, the posters), but it is the SP that is not allowing this team to get on a roll and maintain any momentum this year.
By RedEyedAndBlue
August 17, 2007 9:01 AM | Link to this
As discouraging as the Braves loss and Chuck James’ outing was last night, the Mets have really gotta be kicking themselves after blowing a 5-run lead to the Pirates.
Game ball for last night goes to Adam LaRoche. Since 1 July, he has hit .321 with 6 2Bs, 8 HRs and 24 RBIs. Sounds like 2006, huh?
By Thrillhouse44
August 17, 2007 9:12 AM | Link to this
Good…NESS! Everyone’s a critic this morning. Seems everybody’s disdain for Mark Redmon, Chris Reitsma, and Danny Kolb has been shifted to Chuck James. Some people want to trade Chuck for a starter. (Like he would clear waivers…and isn’t he a starter himself?) And if he’s as bad as everyone says he is, we couldn’t get pine tar for him.
The thing is, he’s not that bad. The kid has good stuff, but gets himself into trouble with the long ball. Remember how well he pitched last week after the first couple of rough innings? He’s young and he will be a fine pitcher. He’s just going to take his lumps along the way.
It seems many people here get super worked up over losses and are very ho-hum about the wins (as if they’re expected). If your opinion on the Braves changes from game to game, you’re going to need some Prozac. I need some happy pills myself after reading these posts.
By Shaun
August 17, 2007 9:19 AM | Link to this
Ron Roberts,
Not necessarily directing this at you, but here are my thoughts on Arizona winning the West: I still like the Padres to take it. It’s not about their ability or inability to score runs, it’s that their pitching allows them to outscore their opponents.
Also, that article Jacob Luft says the following:
Run differential is a useful tool, but it starts to lose its predictive value the further you progress into the season. At this point, more than 110 games in, it’s safe to say the D’backs are for real.
Actually the opposite is true. The more games played, the more predictive value run differential has. It’s when looking at a few games where run differential can be skewed. As many have pointed out, the Mets outscored the Braves in a series earlier this season but the Braves won the series.
Also, I’m not denying the D-Backs have the right mix of players to win close games, but they are outperforming their run differential by such a huge margin, odds are they won’t keep it up. I would expect them to fall back at least a little bit and they only need to fall back a little bit for San Diego to overtake them.
Here are some things to consider, that are probably relevant:
1) They are 18-5 in one-run games at home but are 8-11 in one-run games on the road. They have 19 road games and 15 home games left.
2) They are a .500 team against teams with winning records, which is not bad but if they keep it up they’ll likely not stay atop the division. If you’ve looked at their schedule, you’ll see they play a lot of good teams from here on out.
These two factors combined with the fact they are over-performing their Pythagorean record by such a huge margin I think are reasons to belief the D-Backs will fall back.
Of course they very well could keep doing what they’re doing, but if I were in Vegas, I’d bet against it. Or maybe they become the 1927 Yankees and post a good run differential and win games from here on out, and all this stuff about one-run games and run differential goes out the window.
This kind of stuff is what makes baseball the best game. We’ll have some closure on the subject in about a month and a half.
By Arkansas Hillbilly
August 17, 2007 9:22 AM | Link to this
Oh lord what a relief…Thank god it’s over. No, I’m not talking about the poor pitching performance. No, I’m not talking about the homerun balls flying from the Giants’ bats like quail fleeing from an English Setter. No, I’m not talking about a series full of Barry Bonds talk. I’m talking about a day full of bad, bad, one-line Elvis jokes referring to the aforementioned events. With all due respect, he is the King and all, but I don’t think I can take anymore. Thank goodness the weekend’s near because I need a little less converstation, a little more ac…AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH NNNNNNOOOOOOOO!!!
By TampaBrave
August 17, 2007 9:23 AM | Link to this
Braveheart
I liked your Chuck James take. However, taken as a whole, the kid’s mechanics are unstable, his pitch selection is slim, and control of those pitches is suspect. I think all of these factors explain why the kid cannot get past the 5th inning. You can only fool em for so long with two pitches. If you noticed, randy winn was lying in wait for that changeup. You have to have excellent command of your pitches if you expect to get by with only 2. I hope the kid works out, but his form may be his undoing. I think the smoke and mirrors may have been neutralized. This is not a knee jerk reaction to 2 bad games. The kid has struggled to get to the 5th inning all year, contributing to the BP workload.
I have been against acquiring any wash ups until now but I think James will continue to struggle the rest of the year. Against my wishes, maybe we should look at D Wells.
By STRETCH
August 17, 2007 9:24 AM | Link to this
And we turn around and go with Cormier who is 0-2 with an ERA of 13.00. You must be kidding me! But thats what we are looking at. Since we all know that pitching is the weakest link, we also need to remember that the offense is suspect as well. Its time now for these guys to step up to the plate and get on base. Took much hoping for a walk and hoping to send the ball over the wall with these guys. This lineup does not know how to seize the moment,while other teams tee off on us when the moment arrives.
Also, i would give David Wells a call…WHAT DO YA HAVE TO LOOSE???!
By Andy
August 17, 2007 9:29 AM | Link to this
James should be well rested at the end of the season and ready to go for the playoffs. lol
By RedEyedAndBlue
August 17, 2007 9:39 AM | Link to this
Thrillhouse44 - A voice of reason, thank god!
Has Chuck been disappointing his last four starts? Sure. Probably a mechanical thing. Let’s just hope it doesn’t become a confidence issue. Does he need to go beyond the 6th inning in ballgames? Yes, and give the bullpen a break as I pointed out in my post yesterday. But no Braves pitchers have thrown a CG in over a year! And he’s given up more hits than IP (so has Smoltz) and 25 homers (so has Cole Hamels). But some would have him sent to the minors or designated for assignment. Chuck is not 26 years-old until November. And face it - Chuckie is in the rotation the rest of the year. We are going to crash-and-burn or succeed with him.
As for Prozac, Thrillhouse, well, I don’t call myself RedEyedAndBlue for nothing. (Actually it’s a take on a Wilco song, but who cares, right?).
By David O'Brien
August 17, 2007 9:40 AM | Link to this
Hillbilly, that 9:22 cracked me up. Especially the end of it.
By Paladin
August 17, 2007 9:40 AM | Link to this
One great thing that has come out of my experience on this blog is my learning of how the term “Pythagorean” is applied to “lowly” baseball. The word is not used to impress, mind you.
Speaking of which: I tried to slip it into the conversation up here in “Tenussee” and they thought I was callin’ Phat Phil names, and wanted to whup me. Oh, the humanoids.
By geauxbraves2000
August 17, 2007 9:42 AM | Link to this
Thanks for the laugh Arkansas Hillbilly :)
I take last night’s game as “one of those games”. Sometimes, SP looks bad, and the Braves hit some hard shots, but had little luck. The Braves won the series, so that’s good.
I’m not so optimistic about tonight’s game, but we all know the game isn’t played on paper. You never know.
Geaux Braves!!
By Lee in S. GA
August 17, 2007 9:43 AM | Link to this
If Cormier has another bad pitching performance and if Chuck throws another 4 or 5 inning home run derby contest look for the Braves to pick up another pitcher by the 1st of September. Management will not come this close w/o taking a gamble with another starter. No doubt the Braves need to go after at least one effective starter during the off-season.
By TampaBrave
August 17, 2007 9:43 AM | Link to this
Shaun
All due respect, that’s just garbage. The fact that they are there now is proof. You can run numbers til 2008, they don’t always tell the story. Stats are more useful after the fact so that you can attempt to explain why things did what they did, and that is not always so clear. The DBacks may kick into another gear now that they have had a taste of success. Past performance does not always guarantee future performance. The 1991 braves were a model for a team that had no business being there gaining the confidence to elevate themselves to top tier. No one believed they could take down the Dodgers, but they did.
By Shaun
August 17, 2007 9:44 AM | Link to this
TampaBrave and Braveheart,
Chuck James has always been an extreme fly-ball pitcher. It’s not surprising that he’s going to have games where he gives up several homers.
By Paladin
August 17, 2007 9:45 AM | Link to this
Will someone please say somin’ in huntin’ talk for Hillbilly. I think he feels neglected. :-)
By Renegator
August 17, 2007 9:53 AM | Link to this
JS:
Call David Wells - PLEASE
By Shaun
August 17, 2007 9:54 AM | Link to this
Chuck James is what he is—a decent pitcher with extreme fly ball tendencies.
James ranks 84th out of 85 pitchers in groundball/flyball ratio. And he’s not overpowering guy (6.4 K/9). Guys are going to make contact and it’s going to go out of the park often times when they do.
He’s a decent back-end-of-the-rotation guy because he has decent stuff but unless he develops a hard sinker, I think it’s too much to expect him to be a top-end guy on a good pitching staff.
By David O'Brien
August 17, 2007 9:55 AM | Link to this
Thrillhouse, RedEyedAndBlue: It’s amazing, isn’t it? And it’s become numbingly predictable, the illogical, purely emotional responses when the Braves have a terrible inning (last night’s first) in the midst of a 162-game season, or a bad game after winning 10 of the previous 15, no matter whether that bad game is against a bad starter or against a team’s budding ace (Lincecum) on an impressive run right now.
The handful of happy-when-it-rains Braves “fans” here jump it when it’s 3-0 after the top of the first and say how they told you so, this team stinks, BC stinks, they’ll never win the division because they can’t put together a good run (nevermind that no other NL team can, and that the Braves have a better or similar record than EVERY other contender over the past six weeks; please they’d like you just to look over that and listen to their logic about BC and such).
Then Chuck continues to have a terrible outing and the chorus jumps in, one after another, about how the Braves need to get a starter and then someone mentions Wells and a dozen folks agree and blah blah blah.
So you get Wells to replace who, Chuck? If you get Wells, he doesn’t replace Chuck, he replaces the guy who’s 0-2 with a 13.50 ERA, I would assume. So what does that have to do with Chuck James, who’s 9-9 and had a 3.93 ERA until last night’s game.
Check out the list of pitchers many of the same folks were clamoring for the Braves to get at the trade deadline. How many of them had .500 or worse records with ERAs over 4.00? Almost all of them. The grass, indeed, is always greener in the eyes of many.
And Wells? Please. These folks would be all over him if he had one of his very typical bad and brief starts. Or haven’t you noticed? Wells is 5-8 with a 5.54 ERA and 17 homers allowed in 118-2/3 innings, with a total of 63 strikeouts and 33 walks. Whew. He’s the answer.
He’s got a .322 opponents’ average and .367 OBP, including a .394 opponents’ average after the break, and a .435 opponents’ average in August before getting dumped.
Opponents hit .328 against him this season with runners in scoring position.
Yeah, dump Chuck and go after Boomer. That’s sound reasoning. Or bloglogic.
By David O'Brien
August 17, 2007 10:00 AM | Link to this
Lee in S. Ga., I agree with you. But they want it to be better than David Wells. If they go after him, it’ll be as an absolute resort. I mentioned his name to someone with the Braves who’s knowledgeable a couple days ago, and the reaction was, he’s not big on their radar. Now, that was before Chuck’s performance last night. But the Braves aren’t ready to abandon James and go for an old, outspoken, volatile lefty whose numbers are worse than Chuck’s.
If they replace anyone, it’d be Cormier. And they want to see another start or two from him before making any decision on that front.
By Paladin
August 17, 2007 10:02 AM | Link to this
Any person seasoned with a just sense of the imperfections of natural reason, will fly to revealed truth with the greatest avidity.
Yes, you can “google” that, or spend a lot of money learning it in class. Anyone but Bobj know who said that?
By David O'Brien
August 17, 2007 10:06 AM | Link to this
Bob J, good point at 4:51 a.m. (and I’m impressed by anyone that articulate at 4:51 a.m.)
By Shaun
August 17, 2007 10:06 AM | Link to this
TampaBrave,
Questions not whether anyone believed the 1991 Braves could take down the Dodgers, but should they have believed they could? And they probably should have considering the improvements they made.
True, past doesn’t guarantee anything but it’s the best tool available to try to guess what may happen in the future.
Did I ever guarantee the D-Backs would fall out of first? I don’t think I did. I simply said I wouldn’t bet on it.
The past and looking at past stats, etc. is not about gazing into a crystal ball and predicting the future, it’s about what is probability and likelihood.
Just like you think Chuck James will continue to struggle based on the past, I think the D-Backs will fall off. There’s not much difference there.
By Paladin
August 17, 2007 10:15 AM | Link to this
In my “surfing”, I “stumbled” on to a not-so-nice site where a female who called herself CarolinaLayla was posting. Now, I know that isn’t our esteemed lady “moon-lighting” on us. Don’t you? :-)
By TampaBrave
August 17, 2007 10:15 AM | Link to this
REDEYEDANDBLUE and Thrillhouse
Mechanical thing? Are you serious? He’s had a horseshoe crammed up his a* all year. Has rarely made it past the 5th inning. Mechanical flaw has been there from the beginning. 2 pitches, bad command, bad mechanics. Get a clue!
Smoke and Mirrors are no more.
By Shaun
August 17, 2007 10:21 AM | Link to this
DOB,
Well said. It’s true Chuck James isn’t an ace but he’s far from the worst pitcher in the league and his performances doesn’t necessitate going after mediocre pitchers to take his place or to fill any kind of a void in the rotation.
Like I said, I’d love to see James develop a hard sinker or a ground-ball pitch to become really good instead of decent but he’s fine. He’s going to give the Braves offense a chance to win more times than not.
By Paladin
August 17, 2007 10:24 AM | Link to this
Ah, com’on TampaBrave, say what you mean. Don’t pussyfoot around. :-)
By TampaBrave
August 17, 2007 10:25 AM | Link to this
SHAUN
Have been expecting James to get to this point not because of stats, but because he has little command of his two pitches and bad mechanics. Rarely gets past 5 innings because of these things. Being relatively new helped him out, but now he has been figured out. He’s now left with his physical tools and mental capabilities.
By Shaun
August 17, 2007 10:25 AM | Link to this
TampaBrave,
Wow. That last post to you was full of typos. Sorry about that.
Anyway, all I’m saying is I wouldn’t run to Vegas and put money on the D-Backs winning the NL West.
By TampaBrave
August 17, 2007 10:33 AM | Link to this
Paladin
I just took my meds. Everything will be rosy very soon
By Thrillhouse44
August 17, 2007 10:33 AM | Link to this
TampaBrave, good morning! I don’t know what Chuck has had crammed where, but I’ll take your word for it.
I’m just saying he’s in the Braves’ rotation and will be the rest of the year. He’s better than what some teams have and can pitch well at times. Or did he just get lucky those 9 wins? A 3.9 ERA on this team will be able to win games more often than not.
Actually, my original point was how critical some of the people on here can be. If Chuck wins his next game, will you come on here and praise him with half the effort you’ve given to knock him?
By E-Harmony
August 17, 2007 10:39 AM | Link to this
Shaun
meet
jjonathon
By Paladin
August 17, 2007 10:39 AM | Link to this
Shaun Better typos than hippos. The former are easier to clean up after.
OK, enough of my screwing around. I’m going and do some work, and that news, I’m sure, will bring a hearty Bronx cheer. The same to you, buddy.
By DAP
August 17, 2007 10:40 AM | Link to this
i cant beleive the bashing of james that is going on here. he got shelled last night, and people act like he mark redman or something.
ive been saying for a long time that he needs to work on a third pitch and stretch himself out to get more innings, so i agree with all that. but chuck james is not a bad major league pitcher.
he is 25 years old and this is only his second full year as a starter in the majors. did you know he has 20 wins in his career already? thats pretty good for a young guy in the majors with only two pitches. i think he will get at LEAST 2 more wins this season, maybe more, and if he can keep his ERA under 4, he will have turned in a very nice 2nd season performance.
smoltz got shelled his last outing against the d-backs, and nobody thought we should replace HIM.
lay off the kid.
By RedEyedAndBlue
August 17, 2007 10:40 AM | Link to this
TampaBrave - Horseshoes are good luck where I come from, not bad. But then I’m not looking at the ballplayer’s arses during the game. I will gladly leave that to your assessment.
And to be more specific to your comment that he has “rarely made it past the 5th inning,” Chuckie has made it past the 5th inning in 12 of his 25 starts. And he has only given up 3 ER or more in 7 of those 25 starts. And his walk numbers do not suggest “bad command.” Quite the contrary. In fact he has given up so many hits that he is probably throwing too many strikes in the hitter’s zone. Like I said, a mechanical issue.
Oh, and for the rest of you and your “only has two pitches” argument. Ask Tom Glavine how many pitches he relied on when he was 25. Fastball, changeup. A very, very rare curveball. But he’s really only started throwing that in recent years.
By Karl Childers
August 17, 2007 10:42 AM | Link to this
I’s reckon the Braves will make the playoffs. I don’t rightly know. Seems like pretty good ole boys.…Mmm. That big-in that pitches at the end of the games… I reckon he likes biscuits and them French Fried Potatoes….Mmm. The other 2 teams ought to give up. They go a-calling themselves Mets and Phillies. They don’t have a chance in he!!…. I call it Hades. I reckon for-em (Braves) to do well in the playoffs and keep me out of the nervous hospital the pitching needs to be better and whatnot….Mmm…..
Gotta go call a hearst..…I hit some boy wearing a Mets cap with a tomahawk blade…plum near finshed him off….Mmm……
By E-Harmony
August 17, 2007 10:48 AM | Link to this
Thrillhouse44
No disrespect but I think his total footprint on the Braves has been taxing. We are into the BP at 5 innings on most of his starts. Personally, I do think he has gotten very lucky and I have been glad he’s been lucky, but I can start to see that teams are getting to him early and often. My hope every game is that he make it to 5 innings and keep us close. Thats a low expectation, don’t you think?
BTW, if it took me cramming another horseshoe up his a* for the Braves to win, then look out Chuckie, here comes my screwball.
paladin
these meds take too long
By Rosalynn
August 17, 2007 10:48 AM | Link to this
Happa Buthdah to me,
Happa Buthdah to me,
Happa Buthdaaah, deah Rosalynn,
Happa Buthday, to me!
And no one remembered :(
By TampaBrave
August 17, 2007 10:49 AM | Link to this
OOPS! Busted
By Shaun
August 17, 2007 10:50 AM | Link to this
TampaBrave,
Well if his mechanics are flawed and he has no command, etc. why does he look great in some starts and bad in others? Why is his walk total halfway decent in most of his starts?
I would suggest paying attention to his fly ball rate and his K rate. That would have suggested to you that every now and then he is going to have games where he gives up three or four homers and he’s rarely going to have games where he doesn’t give up a homer.
Stats can tell you a little more than maybe you give them credit for.
By Lew
August 17, 2007 10:51 AM | Link to this
Now I doubt you will find anyone on the blog (even we eternal optimists) that will try to feed you the line that Chuckie is just fine the way he is. No doubt, he needs to learn a new pitch, shore up his mechanical approach and work on his stamina. No one has tried to tell y’all doom and gloomers and pick up Boomers anything differently. HOWEVER…..Perhaps a closer look at his season is called for. First of all, you have a kid who is completing his first FULL year in the bigs (last year he was in the pen, they sent him down and started when he returned-and was quite successful). Chuck has started 25 games this season. He has a 9-9 record with a 4.22 ERA after the four HR blitz last evening. Just how bad is this record? That is the question.
First, he is pitching in the third slot of the rotation. He should be 4 or 5. This exposes his flaws to the maximum. Second, the league ERA is 4.28, so he is, at worst, middle of the pack. Now the telling sign on his record. In his 25 starts, the Braves have scored 2 runs or less 10 times. Ten times, y’all. You talk about lack of run support for Smoltz? For Chuck it has been non-existent. The Braves have been shut out 3 times in his starts (ain’t gonna win them, are you?). The Braves scored one run in 4 of his starts (not gonna win many of those, either). They scored 2 runs in three others (he won ONE of them).
Chuckie’s record could just as easily be 14-4 with any kind of luck. Now, yes, improvements need to be made, but replacing Chuck with numbers like Wells has put up? Reality check time.
By DAP
August 17, 2007 10:54 AM | Link to this
anybody suggesting david wells
chuck james gets shelled and his record drops to 9-9 with a 4.29 ERA, and some of you want to replace him with DAVID WELLS??? hes 5-8 with a 5.50 ERA! and hes given up alot of long balls to! plus, hes about 20 years older. wow…
By Interested Observer
August 17, 2007 10:56 AM | Link to this
If you haven’t seen it yet, Carroll Rogers posted an interesting story on Kyle Davies. It just goes to show there’s always a lot more going on in the clubhouse than we realize.
By DAP
August 17, 2007 11:04 AM | Link to this
happy buthday rosalynn!!
By Shaun
August 17, 2007 11:05 AM | Link to this
TampaBay and all who are criticizing Chuck James,
Here’s the problem I see: James’s ERA is around 4.00 for his career. Is this good or bad? Well, it depends on what you want/expect out of him. If you expect him to be a solid #3-#4 starter on a decent team, I think it’s fine.
But criticizing James for what he is would kind of be like criticizing Chipper Jones for not hitting like Barry Bonds or Babe Ruth or Mickey Mantle in his prime. Or, maybe a better comparison is it’s like criticizing someone like Mark Loretta for not being as good as Chase Utley or Jeff Kent in his prime. It’s just silly to look at things that way.
I think it’s unfair and silly to judge players based on how good they are relative to great players. I think it’s more appropriate to look at how much particular players are contributing.
By Thrillhouse44
August 17, 2007 11:06 AM | Link to this
“y’all doom and gloomers and pick up Boomers” - Lew, that is great!
By Rosalynn
August 17, 2007 11:11 AM | Link to this
Ah wuhk out daila and eat raght. Ah ski and go flah-fishing. Ah lahk to travel, currentla Ah am on a famila vacation in Spain to celebrate mah buthdah.
Ah just checked the blog to see if anah of the bloggahs would extend buthdah wishes. Alas, not a single happa buthdah wish. Puhaps it is because of Jimma, Ah just do not know.
Ah still love all the bloggahs though. Ah read this blog dailah.
Ah would like to offah some advice to those unfortunate bloggahs with what has been called a “pooch” by one bloggah: ski moah and go flah-fishing and don’t eat greasa sammwiches. this should give everaone a guhlish figuah.
Ah do hope all bloggahs have a nice dah todah. Ah must go celebrate with Jimma. Todah, Jimma is weahing his Commanduh pajamas.
By Lew
August 17, 2007 11:15 AM | Link to this
Thrillhouse44-Thank ya. Thank ya very much.
By Robert (Justice Is The Best)
August 17, 2007 11:21 AM | Link to this
Before I enter this post I will say that at times I have been as guilty as anybody of emotional and irrational responses after a tough loss or poor performance (Andruw not counted). With that being said, the ripping of Chuck James is silly and unfounded. The only problem James has had all year was hitting a wall once he hit 75 to 80 pitches. Other than that he has been a solid starter. Yes, he gives up his share of homers but most of them have been solo shots. Last night was an anomaly. Two of those homers you just have to tip your cap to the hitter and move on. That homer Molina hit was down and in on him. He just got ahold of it. It happens. In the vast majority of his starts James has left the game with the Braves either leading or the game close enough where the Braves had a chance to win. You can’t ask more than that of a starter.
Besides some nights it is not just your night. I threw my share of things at the wall but it was out of frustration because the “baseball gods” weren’t on the Braves side last night. Think about how many balls were hammered and caught. Kelly Johnson hit a ball that would have carried out in a lot of parks and a lot centerfields wouldn’t have caught. Chipper crushed three balls last night that went for outs. Escobar had a big fly. Andruw’s blast would have been gone in most parks and most centerfielders would have never caught that ball. McCann hit a rocket that was caught.
It just goes to show you how much better the Giants defense is when Bonds isn’t in the lineup. That’s not a knock on Bonds because this team would be 30 games under .500 if not for Bonds’ bat, but his defense is horrible.
Some will call what I’m saying excuses but they are just facts. The Braves were hitting rockets off of Lincecum last night. The Giants outfielders were just getting to some and the ballpark was holding up others.
By DAP
August 17, 2007 11:24 AM | Link to this
the kyle davies article is interesting, but i didnt really like kyles tone in it. to me, he makes it sound like it was atlanta’s clubhouse that caused him problems, and he really needed to get out.
the truth is, he wasnt ready to pitch for a winning team. the reason he needed to get out of atlanta is because he needed to pitch with a team that is expected to lose, just like he is. they are building and he is trying to grow, so its a perfect fit.
i hope he becomes a good pitcher, but he so weak mentally and it shows in the article. its almost like he is saying “the braves are so good and expect to win, so when i sick its hard for me. here in KC, no one expects me to win and the pressure is off…”
hes right, he really did need to get out of here.
By TampaBrave
August 17, 2007 11:27 AM | Link to this
REDEYEDANDBLUE
We are not talking about Glavine, who has pinpoint control and good mechanics.
Watch Chuck the next time. see how see pulls up on his pitches.
His average innings per start is 5.44. ERA is 4.22 60% of starts are less than 6 innings. Longest stints was 7 innings three times. He consistently reaches around 90 pitches around the 5th inning. With only 2 pitches, he has to work much harder to get his outs.
By bill
August 17, 2007 11:28 AM | Link to this
Lew- Chuckie’s record could just easily be 14-4. You are kidding, I hope. You can’t blame it on the hitters when he put them in a hole in early inning’s. That put’s so much pressure on the hitter’s that they can’t recover. Chuckie has made the statement that he doesn’t study the hitters, I just go up there and pitch. It’s about time he starts studying the hitters. He can still be a good 4 0r 5 but he’s got alot to learn.
By Paladin
August 17, 2007 11:32 AM | Link to this
I’m back, but just briefly, I promise. I wanted to apprise y’all of some of the famous birthdays today.
Davy Crockett He shot a bar. He shot a few bears, too.(Got that hunting reference in for Hillbilly). Then, he went to Congress; but in those days, by horseback, you couldn’t carry enough back to make it worthwhile. And then, he made his fatal mistake at the Alamo. Don’t ever get holed up with a bunch of Texassuns unless you bring, and have control of, the whiskey.
Mae West With “tanks” like that, she could have swum the English Channel under water.
“Boog” Powell Some would say that Bobby modeled part of his “game” on the old Boog. Grinch get out the ole guitar, and “pick” one in his honor, will you? :-)
OK, ok, I’m going back to work.
By \\\\\\\\\\BERIGAN//////////
August 17, 2007 11:33 AM | Link to this
mr baseball said this to Train Wreck Bystander last night…
August 16, 2007 11:20 PM | Link to this Train Wreck Bystander: Tonight’s game was an anomaly for James. (If you’re going to question the IQ of others, using big words is mandatory.) This was his 25th start this season. It was the 3rd time he has pitched fewer than 4 2/3 innings. It was the 3rd time he has given up more than 4 runs. It was the 3rd time he has essentially pitched the Braves out of a chance to win the game. Chuck James stinks approximately 1 time out of every 8 starts and is pretty decent the rest of the time…
Sorry Mr. Baseball,* but checking Yahoo’s baseball section, it shows this was the 4th start in a row that Chucky has given up 4 or more runs in a game!!! And the 5th time in his last 10 starts. Fine for your number 5 starter, not so good for your number 3.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7629
Oh, and why is he still our number 3 guy??? That means he has to face better starters than if he was #4, which is what he is vs. Caryle….
By TampaBrave
August 17, 2007 11:38 AM | Link to this
LEW
It might be a stretch, but it might be possible that our offensive output in his starts might, and I emphasize might, have something to do with the long innings. James is consistently around 90 pitches by the 5th inning. Its hard to get going when you spend the majority of your time in the field.
Shaun,
Are there any stats to support this?
By Rosalynn
August 17, 2007 11:39 AM | Link to this
DAP, thank ya, dahlin. And Ah also wish to thank Anne and DOB for the nice canned ham.
By Rosalynn
August 17, 2007 11:55 AM | Link to this
Ah was suhprised to read that Sonna Puhdoo was a Litta League stah. Sonna was a catcha. Jimma did not plah Litta League. Miz Lillian was alwahs afraid a ball would hit Jimma in the teeth. Miz Lillian knew Jimma would need those teeth latuh on when kissin babahs and smilin for the cameruh. Besides, Jimma thows like a guhl.
By \\\\\\\\\\BERIGAN//////////
August 17, 2007 11:57 AM | Link to this
Geez…now I have to say sorry Mr. Baseball again!! I see you said only 3rd time he had given up more than 4 runs a game, my tired eyes saw 3rd time he had given up 4 runs in a game…Still, he has been quite inconsistent, IMO. look at his month to month ERA. In April, 4.72. May, 3.13. June, 4.46. July, 2.48. So far in August, 8.59!!!
By Shaun
August 17, 2007 12:01 PM | Link to this
TampaBrave,
I don’t know. Is there anything to support your claim that James doesn’t have command of his pitches or there is something mechanically wrong with him? If there is, I sure haven’t seen it. And you sure haven’t brought it up.
By Lew
August 17, 2007 12:01 PM | Link to this
Bill-Let’s look at it in a slightly different manner, then. I was wrong-he only made 24 starts. The Braves are 12-12 in those starts, which mirrors Chuck’s record. In those twelve losses, Six were by two runs or less-games well within reach of victory for the Braves. Had the Braves converted half of those, their record in his starts would have been 15-9 and no one would be p!$$!ng and moaning right now. Add to that the fact that at least one of the three shutouts thrown against the Braves while he pitched was 3-0 and you begin to see that it ain’t all Chuckie’s fault. If y’all can gripe Smoltz gets no run support, you have to extend it to Chuck, as well. That’s just the way it goes. The guy’s record is 21-13 since coming in as a starter. Ace material? Hardly-but it ain’t chopped liver, either. He’s a number 4 or 5 starter being asked to nail down the #3 slot with very little ML experience. Wish we had another of him for #5.
By journalist jimmy smith
August 17, 2007 12:07 PM | Link to this
“Face it, honey. When the weather is as warm as a flat beer, the only way to get some culture is to drink it in. And we mean that literally.”
mark davis discusses drinking:
http://www.ajc.com/search/content/living/stories/2007/08/16/drinks0817.html?COXnetJSessionIDbuild46prod=mTLhGFGJ2Lxn3j0ywXHJwQRC4LQpngLBkSZc6ZgnvvqLBxTcL28r!566438055&UrAuth=`NYNUObN[UbTTUWUXUVUZTZU^UWU^U^UZU\U\UcTYWYWZV&urcm=y
powerful stuff.
dob, can dob get some mark davis signed memorabilia to present along with the next wurlitzer portrait?
By ncscoots
August 17, 2007 12:12 PM | Link to this
Oh, I dunno, Chuck’s about where he ought to be, for a guy with fewer 50 career starts and still learning his craft. The team is around .500 for his starts, and that’s about all you can ask of a back-of-the-rotation guy.
If bloggers have an expectation that the kid should be more than that at this point, well, that might be a touch unrealistic. Just because injuries and the failure of other pitchers have him slotted behind Smoltz and Hudson in the rotation doesn’t mean he’s going to pitch like a 5-year vet. No matter how much some might wish it so.
By kdbanks
August 17, 2007 12:17 PM | Link to this
DOB -
Let Carroll know that the Davies follow up article was appreciated and enjoyed. I really hope he gets it together with KC.
KDB
By Arkansas Hillbilly
August 17, 2007 12:19 PM | Link to this
By Lew
August 17, 2007 11:15 AM | Link to this
Thrillhouse44-Thank ya. Thank ya very much.
Damn it, Lew : - ) (see 9:22 a.m.)
By Arkansas Hillbilly
August 17, 2007 12:22 PM | Link to this
Paladin,
Thanks for the fix ;-)
By Gil in Mechanicsville
August 17, 2007 12:22 PM | Link to this
Good afternoon bloggerphiles, Whew, rough storm here last night so it was hit or miss for me to see the game. A lot like the Braves. As for Chuck, he is still a kid learning how to pitch at the highest level. Yes, it is a lot of pressure to win in Atlanta and a young pitcher is not always given the flexibility to learn their craft the same way they could on a losing team. Very good observation by Bravehart on pitchers learning a new pitch. It is really hard to get your body and brain to function as a unit sometimes, ask any golfer.
Yep, young Kyle Davies should do well in Kansas City, no pressure there. JoJo by the way pitched beautifully for Richmond in his last start.
I am preparing for my annual end of summer vacation to begin tomorrow. Most of the kids and grandchildren vacation at Holden Beach NC. for the week. Any of you folks looking for a real family oriented vacation spot should check it out. Very little commercialization there.
Don’t know if I had shared with you folks but I have seven children and eighteen grandchildren so it is quite an adventure.
So I will catch up with all of the goings on with the blog when I return. Try to keep the faith while I am absent. Realize you could be a Pirate fan. Oh the humanity…. :-)
By TampaBrave
August 17, 2007 12:25 PM | Link to this
SHAUN
The only thing I can point to is this:
WHIP CJ=1.43, JS=1.26, TH= 1.15, BC=1.26
Pitches per Inning CJ=16.69, JS= 15.01 TH=14.02, BC=15.19
BB PER 9 INNINGS CJ=3.63, JS=2.10 TH=2.03, BC=2.25
You can watch for yourself. He does not extend on his pitches. He pulls back as if to get ready to repel a line drive at his head. Maybe he knows something we don’t.
By Shaun
August 17, 2007 12:25 PM | Link to this
Can we move the “conversation” to something besides Chuck James, please?! James is not Tom Glavine or John Smoltz or Tim Hudson…he’s probably never going to be. But unless you can suggest a better option for the Braves, can we move on?
According to Baseball Prospectus, Chuck James is about 23 runs better than a fringe/replacement level player this season. That’s 60th in baseball.
By SeattleBrave'sFan
August 17, 2007 12:28 PM | Link to this
DOB what is your take on carroll’s kyle davies piece? it seems like a guy not suited for a pressure filled championship type clubhouse. or is there something to be said for the clubhouse being a bit stuffy. we have all heard about the professional clubhouse bobby runs, but is there something to it being too stuffy? thanks…
By Robert
August 17, 2007 12:29 PM | Link to this
http://images.sportsline.com/u/photos/baseball/mlb/img10298539.jpg
Ah, the Donk Days of August
By TampaBrave
August 17, 2007 12:33 PM | Link to this
Theres a reason slumps happen. Others figure you out. If you don’t adjust, you’re pitching in the minors, or worse,the Devil Rays. If you do adjust, you hang around for a while. I contend that Chucky has been figured out. Watching Winn’s at bat convinced me that they know exactly what to look for. He can either adjust or come hang with me. I hope he makes the adjustments, because as Lew can tell you, I’ a pain in the a*.
By Wayne in Utah
August 17, 2007 12:36 PM | Link to this
DOB Dead on with your 9:55am post. For all you crybabies out there, take that!
Everybody on this blog who knows even a little bit about baseball knows Chuck James is a decent young pitcher, who needs to mature and develop. Everyone also knows that a championship caliber team with a championship caliber rotation, would have him in the 4 or 5 slot.
How many of those championship caliber rotations are out there on teams that have a strong enough offense to mix in? Many teams have a good 1-2 and maybe a 3 on a couple of teams, but NOBODY has a 1 thru 5 with the kind of strength we would like to have. NOBODY!
In the NL, the only team close is the Cubbies, and while they have some consistency, they do not have dominating pitchers in the 2-5 spots. AND, their offense doesn’t have near the damage potential that the Braves lineup has.
So, while a better arm is a nice thing to wish/hope for, we are as well off as most other teams in the league. Even San Diego, with their dominant 1-2 pitchers, have Maddux as the #3, and he is only marginally better than Chuckie this season. Germano is their #4, and he is pitching well, but not much better than Carlyle. Who do they have for a #5? They just dropped the guy that our blog idiots want us to pick up?????
Gotta run……
By RedEyedAndBlue
August 17, 2007 12:37 PM | Link to this
Gil -
Odd connections I’m making here on the blog. First a couple a somebodies from North Augusta and now a Richmonder (like me) who vacations at Holden Beach (been going with my fam. since 1980). Hated that they put in a Food Lion and Wings, but as you say, the citizens have done a fairly good job thwarting commercialization to this point. Great times this year as my sis. brought her toddler for the first time. Fun stuff.
Oh, and lest the Chuck James argument not die. Now granted that Chuck James is no Tom Glavine. I was at game six (and game one for that matter) in ‘95. Even sitting in the Upper Deck in leftfield, it was the best pitched game in person or on TV that I’ve ever seen. And, yes, I know that to compare the ‘87 and ‘88 Braves and the ‘06 and ‘07 Braves is apples and oranges (particularly their defense). But after 43 starts in the Majors, Tom Glavine was 9-21 with an ERA in the high 4s. To have given up on him then? Well, hindsight tells ya that’s craziness. As it turned out they kept him and Tommy Terrific turned in one of his best, and most underrated seasons in ‘89. 14-8 with a mid 3s ERA and 6 CG with 4 shutouts. On the ‘89 Braves! Hang in there with Chuck, folks.
By Jersey Gil
August 17, 2007 12:38 PM | Link to this
Gil In Mechanicsville Gil Next year tried ‘Wildwood’ New Jersey…i think is closer for you.. Have a nice one
By Lee in S. GA
August 17, 2007 12:39 PM | Link to this
The main thing is the Braves won the series with the Giants and that is all you can ask for. I will be happy with winning 2 out of 3 from the D’backs and consider this a successful home stand. A sweep would be a sweet bonus. We will either win or lose a playoff birth with this pitching staff and we have to go from there. We are not going to go 41 - 0 from here on out either.
Assuming everyone and this includes Mets fans are taking the Phillies a little more seriously these days. Maybe Vick can give us some advice because this division race is going to be a dogfight until the end.
By Carolina Lady
August 17, 2007 12:40 PM | Link to this
Shaun is asking for a change of topic??? :-))) {faint}
By Brooklyn Brawler
August 17, 2007 12:40 PM | Link to this
Personally I don’t see why we are not in the Contreras, Wells or Trachsel talks. Last night was proof that we are far from where we need to be pitching wise. I like Chuck alot but without any movement on his pitches, he is just throwing out there, not pitching.
I like Buddy and i think Lance is solid when healthy but the Braves are in the mix of a playoff race and can’t afford to wait around for guys to get right in the starting rotation.
My 2 cents
By Robert
August 17, 2007 12:41 PM | Link to this
The collective burying of heads (and other body parts) in the sand continues
Folks - I started following this blog regularly sometime last summer. Since then, I have an almost comical succesion of theories as to “what is wrong with the Braves”
One week it’s this reliever. Then we release him or demote him, so next week it’s that starter. Then he begins pitching well, so next week it’s the offense collectively. Then they start pounding out hits and generating lots of runs, so it’s a different subset of relievers. Then it’s the bench. Then it’s the pitching coach. Then it’s the peanut vendors and the fans in section 313.
People. Awaken yourselves to reality
There is a NOT a different thing wrong with the Braves every other day.
The same thing, the same lethal flaw, has been wrong with the Braves for 17+ years.
Bobby “Donk” Cox
If you can explain a phenomenon by either invoking four thousand three hundred and eighty five seperate unlikely and unlinked coincident events, or by looking at one common and consistant thread that binds it all together, then which explanation is the more likely to be thuth?
When opportunity knocks, but you are content just to get to the playoffs, Cox is your man
By TampaBrave
August 17, 2007 12:42 PM | Link to this
Shaun
Last word unless someone else wants to go further. I suggested that we do what the Giants are doing. Throw the BP in the mix. Tyler Yates is intriguing. Where is Joey Devine? How about Boyer? Who wants to be the Atlanta Braves Idol?
By Arkansas Hillbilly
August 17, 2007 12:45 PM | Link to this
Shaun is asking folks to “move on” to a new topic? How ironic. That’s when you know a topic has been debated too much.
By \\\\\\\\\\BERIGAN//////////
August 17, 2007 12:47 PM | Link to this
*By Shaun August 17, 2007 12:25 PM | Link to this Can we move the “conversation” to something besides Chuck James, please?! *
Sorry Shaun, no can do! ;) And like TampaBrave said, it does seem like he has been figured out. He can try to adjust, or take the Andruw Jones approch, and learn two throw a 3rd pitch during the off-season. Freddie Garcia last year developed a splitter, and had a 2.48 ERA in September, after a 5.52 in July, and 5.72 in August. Of course, he blew his arm out this year, so Chucky need s to learn a good slider, or curve.
I said it a week or so ago. IF we got into the playoffs, and had to open in the first round with Chucky in the first game, well we would be toast having to win the next 3 out of 4 games. How many lefties not named Tom Glavine, or Jamie Moyer, can win games consistently with a 87-89 MPH fastball
By Rip Hawk
August 17, 2007 12:53 PM | Link to this
I’d like to put Shaun in the pile driver just to watch the numbers pop out of his head.
By BravesFanInRockies
August 17, 2007 12:53 PM | Link to this
To me, Carroll’s article on Davies revealed a guy who was under a lot of pressure and either was unable to live up to or didn’t feel comfortable living up to his expectations.
He was a hometown kid expected to make a big splash on a perennial winner. Some people embrace the possibility — Frenchy and McCann of course come to mind — and some don’t.
If the Braves had been awful, and he had not been thrown into a pennant race from day one, or if he were not a Georgia kid, he might have done just fine. And he still may be an effective pitcher someplace else. It just didn’t work out in Atlanta.
By Shaun
August 17, 2007 12:54 PM | Link to this
TampaBrave,
Again, I think it’s strange to evaluate players by comparing them to the best instead of looking at what they are contributing compared to possible replacements or just what they are contributing…period.
Of course James isn’t as good a pitcher as Hudson or Smoltz…but not many pitchers are.
Again, it’s like saying Mark Loretta is a flawed player because he’s not as good as Chase Utley or Jeff Kent in Kent’s prime or Sandberg in Sandberg’s prime. What’s the point of looking at a player in that way?
If you expect Chuck James to be a Cy Young contender, I don’t know what to tell you.
Here are some pre-season projections I saw for Chuck James:
9-8, 4.20 ERA, 152 IP, 26 GS, 22 HR
He’s been a little bit worse than this but not much worse. Don’t know what you expected, but I don’t know of anyone really expected Chuck James to be a great pitcher this season.
By Johnny Weaver
August 17, 2007 12:56 PM | Link to this
Paladin
How about a nap?
By Paladin
August 17, 2007 12:57 PM | Link to this
Ah, the Donk Days of August
Robert Thanks you for sharing that photo with us before placing it on your wall-of-shame.
But, have y’all noticed that Bobby almost never picks his snoot with his hat off? It seems it should be the other way around, out of deference to the ladies and all. Shows what this tarnished knight knows about chivalry, huh?
By Shaun
August 17, 2007 1:01 PM | Link to this
TampaBrave,
The Giants did that one game because they played a double-header the day before. You aren’t going to start a game with guys like Yates and Devine—guys who’ve thrown one inning a game throughout most of the year. It’s not going to happen.
BERIGAN,
Again, I ask, what did you expect from James? He’s doing about what most of the people who do projections thought he would do, i.e., what we may reasonably have expected him to do based on his past performance.
By Will
August 17, 2007 1:01 PM | Link to this
Man Chuck James in struggling lately. I hope he gets it together though, i think it will be very hard for the Braves to make the playoffs without him getting some wins.
By Ron Roberts
August 17, 2007 1:02 PM | Link to this
Robert… how many dingers did Cox give up last night?
Was he a “problem” when Chuck pitched well in May and July?
People here are just flat-out sick of your stupidity. Many of us have had our issues with Cox, and stated them intelligently; but you just come in with yoru juvenile name-calling and non-stop regurgitating of baseless, useless info to try and back up your claim.
We get it. You don’t like Bobby Cox. You think the team’s doomed to failure with him; trust me, we got the message, loud and clear. So, since he’s not retiring until after 2008, can you just go with the knowledge that you’ve covered your argument and we still don’t care, and nothing about Cox managing this team will change until he retires?
Go off and quietly hate him without our having to suffer for it.
Everybody else… Chuck will be fine. He’s a middle-rotation starter who needs a third pitch. My guess is he’ll be working on it in the offseason, and if he gets it down, he’ll be a damn effective starter for us. As it is, he’s usually good-to-decent 60% of the time.
As for the last spot in the rotation, the Carey’s said on TBS last night that Jo Jo Reyes went to Richmond, didn’t sulk, and just went back to work. Four games, 4-0, 1.00 ERA. Uh, have that plane ticket on stand-by, please.
But heck, let’s see one more time what Lance can do. He’s finally healthy and has to work through the cobwebs in his mind, but I kinda think he’ll do alright. He had one bad inning in Philly (and most pitchers do anyhow, there), so let’s see how he does in a fair ballpark (Turner Field).
By flange1
August 17, 2007 1:04 PM | Link to this
Another day in blog paradise!
We did win the SF series and now have to do the same with D’back series.
Remember series wins keeps the team moving UP in the standings. It would be nice to win every game but that just doesn’t happen.
Chuck James will be fine. I bet he is getting a bit tired, this is more innings than he has pitched in the ML, and he will come around. Remember, he is only 25.
More barnyard remarks. Getting a bit tired of the same circular argument. Did everyone realize that the donkey caused the mine to collapse in Utah? Did you realize that the donkey was on the grassy knoll in Dallas a few years back? Did you realize that the donkey was the one that shot JR?
Come on, let move on, PLEASE????
By Paladin
August 17, 2007 1:06 PM | Link to this
*By Johnny Weaver
August 17, 2007 12:56 PM | Link to this
Paladin
How about a nap?*
No thanks, dude, I’m not that kind and your name doesn’t sound like a fat chick’s to me. Maybe a fat hick.
By Braveheart
August 17, 2007 1:07 PM | Link to this
Tampa Brave & Shaun I was not bashing Chucky at all. I was coming up with a more well reasoned explanation for his issues than he is just as dumb as rocks. Not saying that he is mechanically unsound or anything. Just saying he is what he is mechanically and the coaches need to work with who he is in developing another pitch.
Shaun, I am not shocked at all that he gives up lots of homers and flyballs. Not at all. The stats might tell you he gives up flyballs but they don’t tell you why. His mechanics cause a certain pitch selection and pitch location to be available to him which in turn causes more flyballs than groundballs which leads to more homers. And there’s nothing really too wrong with that - especially as a young pitcher who will develop more pitches as he goes along.
It may be that he has to develop a cutter. This may help him throw more strikes by forcing him to follow through more in his delivery. It also may enable him to be more efficient and confident and more daring as a pitcher - challenge hitters more instead of nibbling your way into high pitch counts and unfavorable counts.
When Mariano Rivera was a starter, he gave up a homer every 6 innings like Chuck does because Mariano threw the ball up in the zone alot which led to homers. He developed the cutter to combat that.
TampaBRave, a guy like Chuck might pull up short, especially on the curve, because that is a little trick they teach you sometimes on how to throw it. They teach you to shorten your stride, so that you can yak the curve with more bite to it. If you overextend your stride, the curve turns into more of a slurve and loses bite and hangs there and is easier to hit.
Also, pulling up short on his fastball may just be the natural way he slings the ball. It may actually be what makes his fastball so effective and deceptive despite not being a very fast one. Coming up short in the delivery of his fastball and changeup may actually be what makes his fastball and changeup move.
And coming up short on his fastball delivery may be his way of accommodating his delivery mechanics to conform to his delivery mechanics on his curve and changeup - creates more of a disguise so he does not tip off pitches.
That’s enough of my amateur hour pitching coach crap. I have no idea what Roger McDowell should do to help him learn a new pitch and become more efficient. They pay him the big bucks to figure that out.
Chucky is not a problem at all on this team - except for the lack of innings. With Chuck, the quality is there. The quantity is not. That is the only problem. The guy has a lifetime ERA under 4.00. How the heck could someone do that if they were not very damn talented and did not have a clue about what is going on as some like to suggest? Too many of ya are not giving Chuck and the rest of the NL enough credit for how hard it is to have a lifetime ERA under 4.00 in this steroid age. Plus the Braves are 24-18 in his lifetime starts. Not too damn bad.
Huckleberries are asking for JoJo to come up and Chuck to be sent down. Huh???? Send down the guy who has helped your team to a 24-18 record for a guy whose team was 0-5 when he started, had an ERA more than twice that of Chuck, who caused the Braves to give up 6 or more runs in all five of his starts, and who could not win a game despite his team scoring an average of 6 runs a game for him in his starts? HUH?!?!?!?
By TampaBrave
August 17, 2007 1:08 PM | Link to this
I thought you wanted to drop it, but there you go again. I also put buddy carlyle (Not an ace)in there too.
Again, his footprint on the Brave’s has been taxing. Now that the league has apparently figured him out, it may be a long September.
By RedEyedAndBlue
August 17, 2007 1:09 PM | Link to this
Did you realize that the Donkey was engaged to Jenna?
Good piece by Carroll on Davies. Glad that he’s adjusting well in KC. Davies’ comments kinda justify the Braves management’s actions, too. From his own comments we can see that Davies really was a head case.
Gotta skip out for a while, so the Chuck James argument dies now for me.
By Shaun
August 17, 2007 1:14 PM | Link to this
BERIGAN,
There’s a difference between Andruw and Chuck James. James is doing pretty much what was expected and Andruw is not. Whether that’s due to injury, stubbornness or whatever, we can debate/speculate all day. But that’s the truth of the matter.
Maybe it goes back to some thinking the Braves should have a pitching staff like they did in the mid ’90s. Or thinking the Braves should develop more and better pitching prospects, even though they’ve probably developed about as many as at least half the other teams in the major leagues.
Every pitcher is not going to be a Maddux, Glavine or Smoltz. That was a once in 100 years type pitching staff. Chuck James is what he is. And he’s certainly not the worst pitcher in baseball. And I don’t know of any better options.
I guess some want to flip James and Carlyle. Not sure what that’s going to do. James still has to take his turn in the rotation.
By Karl Childers
August 17, 2007 1:15 PM | Link to this
I’s reckon it be safe to say Willie Harris couldn’t steal a biscuit if he was a-starvin to deaf……Mmm
By Wahoo McDaniel
August 17, 2007 1:18 PM | Link to this
Give me five minutes with that No Chop Zone feller. I’ll show that b******* there ain’t no damn zone that I won’t chop.
By Anders
August 17, 2007 1:22 PM | Link to this
Paladin I’m back in town and I see not much has changed. Philly’s a little closer though. I will tell you the Mets bats are starting to heat up and I warned you that would be all they need to pull away. I’d like to see it for another week however. The big guys in the middle of the order look like they’re coming out of hibernation. Unfortunately their bullpen decided to go south for the week. 9.00 ERA in the Pirates series. Ouch. I’ll take 2 out of 3 with that. Last nights game was tough to stomach but what are you gonna do? The Mets haven’t lost with a 5 run lead in 133 games. The longest streak in the majors. The starter last time it happened? - Mr Tyler Yates.
By uga-brave
August 17, 2007 1:23 PM | Link to this
i think all of this chuck james criticism is pretty much a sign of the fustration we all have toward this team.
this is two starts in a row this kid has not only failed but failed miserably. we come out and get four in the first against COLE HAMMELS,and chuck gives it right back. last night he looked very indiffernt. i think he could not wait to get out of the game. my point is this, two starts in a row where his team needed him to sieze the momentum and he spit the bit. now some of this is not his fault. he is not a #3 pitcher at this point in his career, and we never know how certain pitchers perform when the pressure is on. bottom line the JURY IS still out. as for the braves as a whole, just same old stuff just a different day.
see the life
By Shaun
August 17, 2007 1:23 PM | Link to this
TampaBrave,
Funny how it took the league 48 games to “figure him out.” Before then he’d given up three runs or less in 17 of 21 starts. Guess it just took that long to figure him out. I also guess that we can be certain that the league has “figured him out” based on four starts. No possibility that he could just be going through a slump or anything. Nope, it’s definitely the league has figured him out. No doubt about it.
By TampaBrave
August 17, 2007 1:24 PM | Link to this
Shaun
aka PIT BULL(won’t let go)
This is a perfect example of your stats meaning nothing. Would any reasonable person expect James to win another game pitching the way he has the last few games. His stats say hes right where he should be. But my eyes tell me he’s going to tank every fifth time out in a tight pennant race. Like I said, the horseshoe has run its course.
By \\\\\\\\\\BERIGAN//////////
August 17, 2007 1:29 PM | Link to this
By Shaun August 17, 2007 1:01 PM | Link to this BERIGAN, Again, I ask, what did you expect from James? He’s doing about what most of the people who do projections thought he would do, i.e., what we may reasonably have expected him to do based on his past performance.
Shaun,
I will grant you we cannot expect the world of a 25 year old Chuck James, but is it too much to expect him to get better with experience??? In his 18 starts before the all star break, he was 8-7 with a 3.96 ERA. 97 innings, 15 HR’s allowed. Sort of a tough luck guy like Smoltz as Lew mentioned before. In the 7 starts since the break, 1-2 with a 4.89 ERA. In 38 2/3 innings, 10 HR’s!!!
It’s not his fault he is in the #3 slot, but it is his fault not figuring out how to keep his fastball down, or to have a decent offspeed pitch! Heck, I’m a lefty, maybe I need to show him my old curve, it was the easiest pitch for me to throw for a strike! ;)
Oh, by the way Shaun, what were the projections for Cole Hamels this year??? (Just wanted to get you away from talking about only about Chucky! ;)
By Bob Cox
August 17, 2007 1:31 PM | Link to this
Robert-You smug summitch! You bring your stringy a* down into the Braves dugout one day, and the old Skipper will clear a coupla things up for you there Bobsy. You don’t like the way I manage the Braves, well I got news for you, I don’t like the way you manage Burger King! My burger had no cheese, my fries were cold, and so was my coffee, and it all tasted like s**. There’s a good reason why you aren’t managing the Braves and I am. You’re a damned idiotic humping stupid summitch! Go back to Metsville.
By uga-brave
August 17, 2007 1:37 PM | Link to this
nice post ron roberts
By Kettle Black
August 17, 2007 1:42 PM | Link to this
Ron Roberts, “juvenile name-calling” That coming from you had to have taken some real gall? Or plain, brash stupidity! Go back a few blogs if you want to see the “king” of all that is juvenile at work, when it comes to juvenile name-calling>>Ron Roberts!
By Braveheart
August 17, 2007 1:43 PM | Link to this
This is a perfect example of your stats meaning nothing. Would any reasonable person expect James to win another game pitching the way he has the last few games. His stats say hes right where he should be. But my eyes tell me he’s going to tank every fifth time out in a tight pennant race. Like I said, the horseshoe has run its course.
Tampabrave, Would any reasonable person expect James to continue to pitch that way when you consider his overall stats and when you have watch him now for 14 months as a pitcher? The Braves are 54-34 when Smoltz, James, Buddy, and Huddie start. They are not the problem. The horseshoe has run its course? Who are you gonna put out there that is better than him? Who exactly? This team has tried other pitchers and we are 10-23 when they start. They are 2-13 when those other pitchers try when you don’t include Kyle Davies.
By \\\\\\\\\\BERIGAN//////////
August 17, 2007 1:43 PM | Link to this
Shaun,
The Linking of Andruw and Chuck was the just wait till next year( this off-season) to figure out what’s not right. Doesn’t make sense. A cutter, a 2 Vs. a 4 seem fastball, curveball, slider…anything to have hitters thinking of more than a BP fastball up, or a change that moves away…
Another stat, since I knows ya love ‘em. in ‘06, the league only hit .232 against Chucky, this year, .267….why the jump????
By cmc
August 17, 2007 1:46 PM | Link to this
DOB,
Your 9:55 post was dead on. I am amazed at the emotional roller-coaster that evolves from this blog. C’mon people, a baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint.
I have a theory. I would bet a good pile of money that the roller coaster bloggers became Braves fans during or after 1991. The true blue Braves fans out there are the ones that lived through the years of 1976-1990 when 100-loss seasons were common and everyone could attend a game at the old Stadium and go home with a foul ball. I fall into this category. Been watching this team since Rowland Office patrolled the outfield and the pitching rotation consisted of the likes of Preston Hannah, Tommy Boggs, and Adrian Devine. Yikes!!!!
The bandwagon crowd will give you the garbage like we see after last night’s loss. The long-time fans will simply love and accept this team win or lose.
By \\\\\\\\\\BERIGAN//////////
August 17, 2007 1:48 PM | Link to this
Ron Roberts
Well, sounds like Jo-Jo is doing better than we could have expected at AAA! Hey, I wish he threw harder, but he seems to have a knack for getting folks out in the minors at a young age, and getting a taste of the big show, seeing what major leaguers pick up on….perhaps if Lance doesn’t work out, he may will still be the best bet!
By Shaun
August 17, 2007 1:51 PM | Link to this
TampaBrave and BERIGAN,
Players go through ups and downs. I think it’s reasonable to expect a young pitcher with a career ERA around 4.00 to at least have a chance to struggle in four consecutive starts at some point. A player is never as good as his hottest streak nor his coldest streak.
A pitcher that we would reasonable expect would post and ERA around 4.20 is sometimes going to give up one or two runs in a start and is sometimes going to give up 5 or 6 runs in a start and is sometimes going to give up exactly 4 runs in a start. It’s called random variation. But he’s going to most likely post an ERA around 4.20 over the course of an entire season. If you expect anything else, you expectations are unfair, in my opinion.
By the way, the same projection system (BaseballThinkFactory’s ZiPS) projected Hamels to post a 3.78 ERA and go 12-7 in 28 starts with 54 BB and 169 K. Not all that far off from what he’s actually done.
I know this may be hard for you to believe but performance in a lot of cases is fairly predictable to a certain degree.
By Pot Calling...
August 17, 2007 1:53 PM | Link to this
Hey Kettle, cut the guy some slack. He was fighting off one of this blog’s most nefarious villains days ago. Last I checked, he was just dishing what was coming his way. Besides, this blog ain’t Mayberry. Sometimes ya need bullets in your gun to fight off the criminals. EVERYBDOY’S tired of Robert and his donk crap dude.
By \\\\\\\\\\BERIGAN//////////
August 17, 2007 1:54 PM | Link to this
Ok, this will get us off the Chuck James talk….Wily Mo Pena Traded To Nationals!!!!! Ok, perhaps not!!! Tell you what though, a chance to play full time, and back in the NL, he may finally blossom….
By TheSouthernJackAss
August 17, 2007 1:57 PM | Link to this
The only “bubbles” most of you are familiar with—would be those atop a p!$$pot!…
By Jo
August 17, 2007 1:58 PM | Link to this
Okay, so here’s the thing. I was at the game last night: kept score, like always, so I’m sitting there drawing all those little squares around the basepath for all those old f@rt Giant home runs. It’s hotter than Dante’s hell, and James is slowly being sent to the bottom rung of same. But it still beats any other sport in the whole world, and if the Braves go home at the end of September, at least we will have had another full season of fun and mayhem.
And you can call me Pollyanna if you want.
By Novice Ned
August 17, 2007 1:59 PM | Link to this
Why hasn’t Oscar gotten a starting shot this season? Isn’t it easier to find a 3 inning pitcher than a 6 inning pitcher?
The more these young pitchers struggle, the more likely players like Andruw and Renteria are gone next season. I can’t see how the team goes with a rotation of Smoltz, Hudson, Hampton, Carlyle and James next season. Smoltz may be close to an immortal but is he really? Hampton? Believe when I see it. Carlyle? This year’s Sosa. James? Even on his good days, he’s a 75 pitch pitcher. So they MUST spend around $10-12M on a solid starter. And while I like the story line of Glavine returning for Cox’s last hurrah, I’d much rather spend the money on someone about 10 years younger.
By bill
August 17, 2007 2:00 PM | Link to this
Lets face it, this pitching staff as a whole is not very good. It’s just not the Braves, alot of other teams has pitching problems. We can’t play the game what if. If the pen hadn’t blown so many saves and the offense had scored some runs in the clutch, Smoltz and Hudson would be close to twenty wins.
By Shaun
August 17, 2007 2:01 PM | Link to this
BERIGAN,
Why the jump in AVG? Well, in 2006 James allowed a .245 AVG on balls in play (any batted ball that a fielder could possibly catch). That’s extremely low. This season it’s at a more normalized .283 (the typical BABiP is around .300).
The short answer is defense and luck/fortune (or whatever you want to call anything other than skill).
The idea, in case you missed this discussion earlier in the year, is that not much as far as a pitcher’s skill is concerned seperates a grounder just past an infielder from a grounder the infielder fields.
James was more fortunate/lucky or his defense was better last season or a little of both.
By Robert (Justice Is The Best)
August 17, 2007 2:05 PM | Link to this
I’m going to assume that Cox and McDowell saw something in Reyes that concerned them. He only had two bad starts. Unfortunately, it was his last two and we all know it is a “what have you done for me lately” world. I think if Reyes has another great start and Cormier is just “okay” that Reyes may get another shot. I have to think the Reyes that pitched against the Reds, Cardinals, and Padres is the real JoJo Reyes and not the one we saw against the D-Backs and Astros.
By Kettle Black
August 17, 2007 2:10 PM | Link to this
nefarious what does dat mean? never run into dat word while I was gittin’ my education up there in da New Joisey public school system.
By TampaBrave
August 17, 2007 2:18 PM | Link to this
Shaun,
That’s the biggest pile of hooey i’ve ever heard. Stats can make your case and they can make mine at the same time. End result, they don’t mean that much.
Watching James pitch is like watching Paladin walk form the cabin to the outhouse. Painful, awkward and in the end there’s a foul stench.
By ChampDawg
August 17, 2007 2:18 PM | Link to this
Chuckie James— any pitcher that consistently can’t go past 75-80 pitches simply doesn’t belong in the bigs. Poor mechanics, no velocity, and only 2 pitches. Surely the Braves can do better next year. He’s a #5 guy at best!
By Ron Roberts
August 17, 2007 2:24 PM | Link to this
Kettle Black… what have you logged on with, name-wise, before?
Anyhow, I kinda get where you’re comin’ from, but I only defend in those situations.
Fact is, we’re all tired of (and frankly, I don’t even get) the “donk” references from the esteemed Robert.
By \\\\\\\\\\BERIGAN//////////
August 17, 2007 2:24 PM | Link to this
Shawn…. I know this may be hard for you to believe but performance in a lot of cases is fairly predictable to a certain degree.
Well,no… not so hard to believe that in a lot of cases is fairly predictable to a certain degree.
I can just guess as well! Look at previous years, assume at a certain age what should happen….
But, Chuck’s ERA is almost a half run higher than last year, Hamel’s is a half run less than last year. Hamels is younger as well. Of course, he is much taller than Chucky, throws harder, and has a better change, so he should pitch better than Chucky.
By Double Deuce
August 17, 2007 2:25 PM | Link to this
Anders
Don’t know why you have a hair up your a++ for Yates. If you go back and look at his story with the Mets, he was a closer for Richmond and was on his way to New York when he threw a 100mph fastball and tore the ligament in his elbow. Part of his rehab after TJ surgery was to have him start games in the minors. He was so successful as a starter the Mets gave him a chance, he started a few games but couldn’t get deep in the game and went back to the bullpen where he finished the year. After the season was over it was discovered he had pitched the last half of the sesason with a 75% tear of his rotator cuff. After two career threatening injuries he’s come back to lead the Braves in appearances.
By Double Deuce
August 17, 2007 2:25 PM | Link to this
Anders
Don’t know why you have a hair up your a++ for Yates. If you go back and look at his story with the Mets, he was a closer for Richmond and was on his way to New York when he threw a 100mph fastball and tore the ligament in his elbow. Part of his rehab after TJ surgery was to have him start games in the minors. He was so successful as a starter the Mets gave him a chance, he started a few games but couldn’t get deep in the game and went back to the bullpen where he finished the year. After the season was over it was discovered he had pitched the last half of the sesason with a 75% tear of his rotator cuff. After two career threatening injuries he’s come back to lead the Braves in appearances.
By Double Deuce
August 17, 2007 2:26 PM | Link to this
Anders
Don’t know why you have a hair up your a++ for Yates. If you go back and look at his story with the Mets, he was a closer for Richmond and was on his way to New York when he threw a 100mph fastball and tore the ligament in his elbow. Part of his rehab after TJ surgery was to have him start games in the minors. He was so successful as a starter the Mets gave him a chance, he started a few games but couldn’t get deep in the game and went back to the bullpen where he finished the year. After the season was over it was discovered he had pitched the last half of the sesason with a 75% tear of his rotator cuff. After two career threatening injuries he’s come back to lead the Braves in appearances. Can’t see much wrong with that story.
By TampaBrave
August 17, 2007 2:26 PM | Link to this
Shaun,
Nice interpretation. Luck??? Whatever. He’s been lucky this year. Have you been watching all the times the defense saved his a* this year? Hence , the horseshoe.
By TheSouthernJackAss
August 17, 2007 2:28 PM | Link to this
I heard that Chuckie James got ‘shelled’ so hard last night—that he is having his first session with a PTSD counselor this morning…
By ncscoots
August 17, 2007 2:29 PM | Link to this
Ned, Oscar hasn’t gotten a start because (a) he isn’t stretched out enough to start; and (b) his ERA-by-inning trends up-up-up: the more innings he pitches, the more runs he gives up.
None of that is encouraging re making Oscar a starter.
By Shaun
August 17, 2007 2:29 PM | Link to this
Robert (Justice Is The Best),
Could simply be that Reyes isn’t ready for the big leagues. 15 walks and only 7 strikeouts in 21 innings isn’t good. I know it’s only 21 innings but 15 walks are 15 walks.
I would think Reyes is down for good this season, unless there is an injury. But who knows.
By Robert (Justice Is The Best)
August 17, 2007 2:30 PM | Link to this
I think the slamming of Chuck James is out of line. Without this guy the Braves wouldn’t have had any chances of staying in the wild card race last year. He is a young pitcher who will have to learn how to locate better. One of his issues is that he seems to get into more trouble when he keeps the ball down. Joe Simpson and Don Sutton have mentioned that several times. He is the exception to the rule in that he is better when he gets the ball up. I think one reason for that may be it is harder for hitters to get on top of that changeup and curveball when it is up than when it is down. It sounds crazy but McDowell should have him keep the ball up in the zone. It is where he has the most success and seems to be the most comfortable.
By ChampDawg
August 17, 2007 2:31 PM | Link to this
ELVIS— Last night was Elvis night. LMAO. On TV during one of the end-of-inning, top-of-inning things the station played an Elvis song but it was being SUNG BY TOM JONES. What a bunch of morons. What idiot at the station or network earned that paycheck? LMAO.
By Ric Flair
August 17, 2007 2:32 PM | Link to this
Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!
Chucky James. Want to drive my limo?
By BravesDave
August 17, 2007 2:33 PM | Link to this
Here are some stats that I think might apply to this Chuck James issue:
Pitcher #1: 25 years old, 12-6, 179 innings, 111 Ks, 89 BBs, 3.42 ERA
Pitcher #2: 23 years old, 12-4, 182 innings, 100 Ks, 79 BBs, 4.00 ERA
Pitcher #3: 24 years old, 11-4, 119 innings, 91 Ks, 47 BBs, 3.78 ERA
All fairly similar. All first season in the majors. All showing great potential given their age. All lefties. All regressed during their next full season in the majors.
Pitcher #1 was Damian Moss. Pitcher #2 was Horacio Ramirez. Pitcher #3 was Chuck James.
Chuck James is not going to stick around in Atlanta pitching the way he is currently pitching. He does not have the pinpoint command needed to exist with a 88-90 mph fastball and a change up. He needs a breaking ball. Right now, after a little more than a full year in the majors, hitters have figured him out. They can sit on the fastball or change since there is not enough speed differential. Wait for one up in the zone….and LIFTOFF.
By Kettle Black
August 17, 2007 2:37 PM | Link to this
Well let’s see, I think I might have “logged on” as the The Big Sleazy from the Big Easy a time or two, or whatnot. How many of those cute little names were “logging in” under there Ronnie Roberts? You nosy, sawed-off, little, fat boy. Why don’t you stick to talking baseball?
By TampaBrave
August 17, 2007 2:41 PM | Link to this
BravesDave
You nailed it!! Shaun is down for the count
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9……….
By \\\\\\\\\\BERIGAN//////////
August 17, 2007 2:44 PM | Link to this
Hey, guess what is 25 years old today??? the cd!!!!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070817/tsaltafp/entertainmentnetherlandsmusiccompanyphilips_070817142827
By TrueBlueBravesFan
August 17, 2007 2:44 PM | Link to this
Hey DOB
I have a radical idea for Bobby C and John S. Since JoJo couldn’t get past the 3rd inning effectively of his starts and it seems that Cormier might have the same problem is his starts based on his performance in Philly, why don’t the Braves just carry 6 starters and make a JoJo 3 inning start followed by 2-3 innings of Cormier and vice-a-versa when a more Right-Handed team is on the rotation. It certainly can’t work out any workse than the way were going now.. and hey you could make sure there is a gap of Carlyle between James and Reyes/Cormier and use the one that won’t be starting to clean up James’s mess if he gets in trouble.
Just an idea to stew over.
By TrueBlueBravesFan
August 17, 2007 2:45 PM | Link to this
Hey DOB
I have a radical idea for Bobby C and John S. Since JoJo couldn’t get past the 3rd inning effectively of his starts and it seems that Cormier might have the same problem is his starts based on his performance in Philly, why don’t the Braves just carry 6 starters and make a JoJo 3 inning start followed by 2-3 innings of Cormier and vice-a-versa when a more Right-Handed team is on the rotation. It certainly can’t work out any worse than the way were going now.. and hey you could make sure there is a gap of Carlyle between James and Reyes/Cormier and use the one that won’t be starting to clean up James’s mess if he gets in trouble.
Just an idea to stew over.
By TheSouthernJackAss
August 17, 2007 2:46 PM | Link to this
I see Roberts is at it again…Tick..Tick..Tick…”Mardi Gras!“…Can hardly wait…
By TampaBrave
August 17, 2007 2:46 PM | Link to this
Last night was retro stadium night. The Ted posed as the launching pad!!!
By Anders
August 17, 2007 2:50 PM | Link to this
DoubleDeuce Chill brother.I’ve never even mentioned Yates before. I was just mentioning him this time as an ironic fact - At least to me.
You can apply this answer to all 3 of your blogs.
By ncscoots
August 17, 2007 2:51 PM | Link to this
Who was the Muts’ fan who constantly exclaimed Zambrano was only a signature away from joining them in the offseason?
Oops. Five-year Cubbies’ deal, full no-trade.
By Robert
August 17, 2007 2:57 PM | Link to this
Ron Roberts - Your saying that I hate Cox, which implies that I have something personal against him, PROVES that you do NOT get it.
Look. You want the name of a guy I dont like personally?
Chipper Jones.
Arrogant. Lazy. And with a sense of entitlement that makes me nauseous.
But time and again I have said (often in the face of his detractors) that Chipper Jones is a great hitter who belongs in the Hall of Fame
It’s not personal with Bobby. Heck, I betcha he’s fun to be around and could tell some whopper baseball stories.
The personal bias y’all accuse me of having against Cox doesnt exist.
Thing is, the personal bias you and your deck of clowns have FOR Cox is what blinds y’all to his complete imcompetence as a baseball strategist.
The reason you keep yelling for me to stop voicing my message is that every time I do, you are forced to concede, somewhere deep down, that you have to continue to deny reality and bury your copious backside in the sand if you intend to keep the myth of Cox’s “genius” alive and kicking.
By Mackey Sasser
August 17, 2007 2:58 PM | Link to this
True Blue, I think that will happen at some point for some team. Probably not the Braves but someone will do that. Matter of fact, I’m pretty sure Tony LaRussa did it with one of the terrible A’s teams he had just before leaving for St. Louis. Ideas like that seem absurd when first tried, but if they work you can bet other teams will do it too.
By Shaun
August 17, 2007 3:01 PM | Link to this
TampaBrave,
Stats can make your case and mine, I suppose. But stats can also help answer questions in a big way. They obviously can’t tell us if there is anything wrong with Chuck James’s mechanics, if he’s injured or anything like that. But they can answer whether he’s doing what we would reasonably expect him to do. And the answer to that question is yes.
BERIGAN,
I see. Yes, you are correct. Projection systems basically do just that—they take into account previous stats, age, ballpark, team and make a guess as to what a player will do or is likely to do.
Problem is you are looking at just the tip of the iceberg. You have to go a little deeper than last year’s ERA.
Goes back to defense and luck (or whatever you want to call it).
Again, James had an extremely low BABiP last season. You’d expect that to normalize this season and lo and behold it has. That means his ERA is going to go up.
You see, defense affect both earned and unearned runs. A batted ball may be caught if Andruw is playing center but may fall if that same ball is hit around another centerfielder. This may lead to an earned run but did the pitcher do anything different? No.
If batted balls find holes instead of gloves, ERA is going to go up. You could have reasonably predicted that James’s batted balls allowed would find more holes this season given that they did not find as many as a typical pitcher’s last season. So therefore it isn’t hard to see that chances were James’s ERA would go up.
As far as Hamels, it was also fairly reasonable to expect his ERA to lower like it did. Hamels pitched 13 of his 23 games last season in Philly and a few more in other pitcher’s parks. Also, he had another year under his belt. So you may have reasonable guessed his ERA would drop, given a chance to throw in more pitcher’s or neutral parks.
You see context matters. When you’re trying to guess what a player context is as important as just looking at his batting average or his ERA. What kind of team did he play on? What kind of ballpark did he play in? Is there anything that would lead me to believe he may have benefited from luck or defense more than is typical?
By Paladin
August 17, 2007 3:03 PM | Link to this
Idid go for a nap and I come back and Shaun and others, are still at it. My God, Shaun, GIVE IT A REST! James has his problems; now what else is there for us to “understand”?
By DonCoburleone
August 17, 2007 3:08 PM | Link to this
Yeah quit bashing ol’ Chuck James b!tch!!! He had a bad outing, get over it people. Everybody has ‘em, even the best pitchers. He will be fine the rest of the way. One thing is for sure with him, he ain’t no head case like Kyle Davies is. I bet he’s already completely forgotten about last nights game and is looking forward to his next start…
By Robert
August 17, 2007 3:10 PM | Link to this
JIB said “I’m going to assume that Cox and McDowell saw something in Reyes that concerned them”
Explain something to me.
After the Reitsma, Kolb, and Soriano fiascos of the past couple of seasons, and after this spring when Mike Hampton told everyone things werent right only to have Donk say loud and clear that he wasnt at all concerned, now, all of a sudden, you are taking it as a given that Cox “saw” something about Reyes that concerned him?
Unless today is the day of the first ever snowball fight in Hades, I would question the logic of your assumption
By Paladin
August 17, 2007 3:13 PM | Link to this
Now *Robert * is denying a “personal bias” towards BC! The last time I heard a whopper like that was when someone claimed the TV series Roots was a factually correct account of the black man’s and woman’s plight in early America. Please!
By Shaun
August 17, 2007 3:14 PM | Link to this
BravesDave,
See my last post. You need to look at more besides basic stats. Dig a little deeper into CONTEXT. Stats without context are just meaningless numbers.
And when did I ever say James could or couldn’t keep pitching with the Braves like he is?
Problem is you and some others think James was as good as his surface stats but he never was. You don’t recognize that pitching stats are flawed, even the most oft used ones. Even ERA. Defense, ballpark and luck all greatly affect pitching stats, even ERA.
Also, Ramirez and Moss had injury problems. Only time will tell if James has those same problems. He very well could. He is a pitcher, after all.
By Luke skywalker
August 17, 2007 3:22 PM | Link to this
Isn’t Shaun actually R2D2 in drag(on and on and on)? I’ve been looking for that little bag of bolts, and statistics.
By geauxbraves2000
August 17, 2007 3:23 PM | Link to this
Zambrano signs with the Cubs, 5/$91.5, that’s roughy $550K per start if he makes 35 starts. I heard someone say it’s not steriods that runied the game of baseball, money has. I have to agree. How many times have I read about the tight purse strings from TW, lowering payroll to 80M. Lowering!! There is no reason any team should have to have a payroll that high.
$10M doesn’t even harldy buy a mediocre player anymore. That’s a shame.
But, as I digress, I will still watch this game, I will still be entertained, and I will still shake my head in disbelief of the money these baseball players make.
Geaux Braves!!
By DAP
August 17, 2007 3:24 PM | Link to this
hey! ive got a question for everyone… how many games do you think it will take to win the wildcard?
i would love to beat the dastardly mets and win the division, but i really just want to get in the postseason. my goal for the braves right now is to win 90 games. to do this, they have to go 26-15 over the next 41 games. basically, they need to win every series.
my thought was, if they win 90, theyve got to get at LEAST the wildcard, right? what do ya’ll think?
By Robert
August 17, 2007 3:27 PM | Link to this
Paladin - I have never met the man (Cox). I find what he does to qualify as incompetence and what he says to qualify as utter stupidity.
I dislike what he does to my favorite baseball team, but I dont like or dislike him as a person
Please try and understand being able to have an opinion about a person’s qualifications or actions without any particular emotion (positive or negative) about the person themselves.
In other words, from the day Cox stops managing the Braves, I wont have any problem with anything he does or says. I wont “like” him then any more than I “dislike” him now - because neither state exists.
It’s business, not personal
By Robert
August 17, 2007 3:32 PM | Link to this
Shaun said “See my last post. You need to look at more besides basic stats. Dig a little deeper into CONTEXT. Stats without context are just meaningless numbers.”
And this just in. Beezelbub plunks Lucifer with an icicle as minor demons scurry around making snowmen and Judas Iscariot makes snow angels
By Larry Merchant
August 17, 2007 3:32 PM | Link to this
Back to the fight
Shaun pulls himself up on the ropes, stammers around. The referee comes to check to see if he’s fit to fight. Shaun is definitely out of it, but reverts to his default mode and starts reciting the won-loss statistics of fighters getting floored and recovering to win a fight. The ref assumes he’s ok and continues the fight. Shaun comes out wildly wailing, praying to land just one statistical punch. But they only find air. BravesDave dances around, assured of victory. Outside the ring Berrigan and TampaBrave waits to finish Shaun off.
DING! DING! DING!
The crowd moans as they know their sure bet has faltered. Suddenly the jeers and boos, Paladin, Lew and Braveheart included, ring out. Shaun is alone, so alone. Berrigan and TampaBrave await outside the ring along with the angry mob. How could it have come to this?
Chuck James enters the arena. He grabs the mic to defend his buddy Shaun. He makes a bet with the crowd. If I can throw this baseball and hit that spit bucket 60 feet from here, everybody let’s Shaun go free. If not, then off with his head. The crowd, intrigued, accepts the bet.
James from the windup, here’s the pitch……..
(Don’t Stop!)
By RedEyedAndBlue
August 17, 2007 3:33 PM | Link to this
Carroll’s got a new blog up…
the seven blog dwarfs
Doc - DOB Sleepy - Paladin Grumpy - SJA and Robert Dopey - The Tex is a disappointment guy Bashful - No Chop after a pathetic loss like last night. Where are ya, No Chop? Happy - Anybody who chose Mary Jane over alcohol in the discussion yesterday.
Sneezy - Senor Mosca - What? For all the Spanish I know, he could be sneezing.
By Shaun
August 17, 2007 3:33 PM | Link to this
TampaBrave and BravesDave,
I think I see the problem. You think James is a drastically different pitcher, the league has figured him out.
What you don’t realize is he’s virtually the same pitcher, it’s just last year defense and luck made his stats look better and this year they look like they should.
Reliable stats for evaluating pitchers: Walks, Strikeouts, Home Runs (essentially), Hit Batsmen, Intentional Walks
Not so reliable: Wins, Losses, Innings, Runs, Earned Runs, Hits Allowed, Sacrifice Hits, Sacrifice Flies.
The reliable ones are defense independent. The not so reliable ones are defense independent.
By Shaun
August 17, 2007 3:34 PM | Link to this
TampaBrave and BravesDave,
I think I see the problem. You think James is a drastically different pitcher, the league has figured him out.
What you don’t realize is he’s virtually the same pitcher, it’s just last year defense and luck made his stats look better and this year they look like they should.
Reliable stats for evaluating pitchers: Walks, Strikeouts, Home Runs (essentially), Hit Batsmen, Intentional Walks
Not so reliable: Wins, Losses, Innings, Runs, Earned Runs, Hits Allowed, Sacrifice Hits, Sacrifice Flies.
The reliable ones are defense independent. The not so reliable ones are defense dependent.
By Shaun
August 17, 2007 3:35 PM | Link to this
Sorry. Last post should have said the not so reliable ones are defense dependent.
By Paladin
August 17, 2007 3:39 PM | Link to this
Robert Why do you choose to address me about your Cox “mania”? Many others, including DOB, have expressed similar “reservations”. Is it pick on the old man? Don’t make me get the NARP(senior division)after you.
By Shaun
August 17, 2007 3:41 PM | Link to this
geauxbraves2000,
Gee, seems like the game is doing pretty well.
Like I said the other day, teams pay it because they’ve got it. And teams have it because of you and me and people like us. God bless capitalism!
You want payrolls lowered? Stop watching games and get your friends to do the same.
How many times over the history of professional baseball have we heard the cry “money is ruining the game.” Let’s see, how about all the time since baseball became a profession. And it’s survived this long.
By Knuckle Sammich
August 17, 2007 3:45 PM | Link to this
REDEYEDANDBLUE—Want a coupla “Shiners” too?…..Mister old blogger with the new name…..
By Knuckle Sammich
August 17, 2007 3:59 PM | Link to this
Shaun..No one gives a s**! Give it a damn rest why don’t you? Better yet, Get lost!!
By BravesDave
August 17, 2007 3:59 PM | Link to this
Shaun, for someone so into statistics, how do you quantify LUCK? I didn’t intend to get into a battle with you, but that angle is very silly. Does Bill James have a new statistic that we don’t know about…the Luck Quotient?? I haven’t seen it on baseball-reference.com.
By Knuckle Sammich
August 17, 2007 4:02 PM | Link to this
Screw! “the game”
By Karl Marx
August 17, 2007 4:04 PM | Link to this
Shaun, you capitalist pig. Don’t you see that the excessive wealth of one of your primadonna athletes is countered with the abject poverty of hundreds. Resources needed by the many are swallowed up by the few. You selfish b*******.
By FanWithNoName
August 17, 2007 4:05 PM | Link to this
Robert: You call Cox a donkey. I believe you’ve referred to him as the nose picker. You expect anyone to believe, then, that “it’s business, not personal.” When it’s not personal you don’t stoop to name calling and slurs. If you hate his managerial style, fine, leave the personal attacks out of it then. Just my observation.
By TampaBrave
August 17, 2007 4:25 PM | Link to this
Need to push the pitch count on Webb tonight. Hope we don’t get too many 1st ball hitters.
Wade Boggs was a smart man. Rarely if ever swung at a 1st pitch. He preferred to calibrate the pitches, fully aware that getting his timing was much more important than sneaking up on a first pitch fastball. He knew he had the ability to put a good swing on a ball if he could get the timing down. Wish he was a braves coach.
By Savannah Guy
August 17, 2007 6:33 PM | Link to this
You just can’t make this stuff up (If you just checked in and are pressed for time, here’s a few little side-recaps to get you started tonight.)
ijonathan: ”…15 years, with a 28% probability. However, a more appropriate and typical use of the binomial distribution yields these probabilities: Cox would have won AT LEAST 2 championships with a 71% probability, and AT LEAST 3 championships with a 43% probability. Cox has definitely underperformend.”
Robert: ”the same lethal flaw, has been wrong with the Braves for 17+ years. Bobby “Donk” Cox.”
(Conclusion: Uh…pretty much the same, just a measly two years difference in the test. Different articulation, but, well…same idea. Both great posts.)
Then, on a different matter, across town
Shaun: ”Can we move the “conversation” to something besides Chuck James, please?” (translated: time out, let me gather my stats).
(%o bloggers faint. Then, 157 follow up posts by Shaun on the topic of Chuck James later…interrupted by multiple blogger giggles about his unusual request…then the window opens into Shaun’s soul:)
Shaun: Sorry. Last post should have said the not so reliable ones are defense dependent. (WOW…could that be? Then, Shaun caps it off): ” Only time will tell if James has those same problems. He very well could. He is a pitcher, after all.”
(Conclusion: Chuck James is a pitcher.)
Another Unrelated Posting: I WORKED FOR ONE OF THE LARGEST INVESMENT BANNKERS FOR 12 YEARS. HAD A GREAT TIME DOING IT UNTIL THE NASDAQ TOOK AWAY THE SPREADS.
(Conclusion: NNasdaq didnn’t wannt innvestment bannkers nnoodlin’ with the spreads damnnit)
Paths cross: An Unholy Convergence?
Robert: ”Shaun said, “You need to look at more besides basic stats. Dig a little deeper into CONTEXT. Stats without context are just meaningless numbers.”” ”And this just in. Beezelbub plunks Lucifer with an icicle as minor demons scurry around making snowmen and Judas Iscariot makes snow angels.”
(My ribs are hurting…I spit up my Diet Coke…stop, STOP, please, PLEASE, No more….and then…)
I can’t take much more Just when I’m about to calm down, Larry Merchant walks in at 3:32 and calls a great match…Now I’m on the floor laughing my azz off. STOP…STOP…My eyes are watering…my ribs hurt again…I can’t take any more.
Conclusion Priceless. Folks, that’s why I love this blog. Where else can you find this stuff? You can’t make this stuff up. Who would believe it if you did? Sidesplitting roll-on-floor hilarious. That’s what it is…I live for this! Don’t stop…my side is ok now…It’s ALL GOOD. Go BLOG…GO BRAVES!!!
By Ron Roberts
August 17, 2007 6:44 PM | Link to this
Hey Kettle Black… since you SOUND so much like SJA, why don’t ya book a flight w/him to N.O. anytime ya feel like it, big-talker?
Oh yeah, that’s right… I gotta f-ing wait til MARDI GRAS.
Right… ‘cause I’m sure you’ll both show up - ya know like when you said “time and place” and I gave ya a time and place and ya weaseled out then too.
You bore me. You’re junior high school locker room talk does, too.
When your balzak drops and you get a pair, you’ll know where I am.
By Kettle Black
August 17, 2007 8:23 PM | Link to this
Such a filthy mouth on some of these bloggers, especially this child ron roberts, what a nasty individual. Is that you in drag Mayor Nagin? Shame on you. I’m not sure who this SJA character is, but he sure seems to have ron’s number, why the boy is scared to death of that SJA. Yes, I will book a flight with him just to watch him bend you over his knee and give you what your mama should have. Such a nasty, angry blogger, this ron roberts, and here I thought this blog was for talking baseball and other nice topics, not for some lower-class maniac to spew empty threats to the fine grownups. If you have a problem with this SJA fellow ron roberts then you should take it up with him in private, not for all the blog to see, seems more like a case of cowardice and false bravado on your part mr. roberts. You should be banned from this site, making those kinds of threats to these good people. Mardi Gras you say? Isn’t that where Nola’s finest citizens all turn out in the street drunk off their @$$e$, and all those fat, ugly women force people to look at their saggy teats? All for Dollar Store beads! Not something I want to see, but you climbing up that stepladder trying to reach SJA’s @$$ so you can kick it might be worth the trip. Word has it that this SJA is one monster of a man, King Kong! and I heard that he killed 17 gooks barehanded in the Nam as a tunnel rat after crawling down a rat hole near the DMZ. Damned if I want to be in your shoes ron roberts. Run! roberts Run!! Just run like hell!
And learn how to curse like a man. That comical s#it in your post reminds the Kettle of some pimply-faced punk thats just discovered a coupla pubic hairs and now he wants to see what it’s like to say cuss words, without having daddy or mommy hear it. Pathetic! Oh ron, if youse keep talking nasty, like in your other posts here, then the good denizens are going to see you for what you really are…a uneducated, envious, moronic, spoiled brat…with a fat @$$!…Big man…