AJC > Sports > Braves > Blog > Archives > 2008 > June > 10 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USBraves begin make-or-break trip
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Chicago _ Greetings from Chicago, where it’s a welcome 72 degrees (headed for a high near 80), and the locals are talking much baseball, while also wondering what the hell Da Bulls were thinking yesterday when they hired Vinny Del Negro as coach despite absolutely zero coaching experience.
But when it comes to ‘ball, they’re setting up for a helluva summer here in the Windy City, where the Bravos are here to take on the Cubs, who not only lead the NL Central but have the best home record (26-8) in the National League, but also have the best overall record in the majors.
Yes, I had to look at the standings here in my copy of the Chicago Tribune twice to make sure I was reading correctly. The freakin’ Cubs are 40-24, a better mark than Boston Red Sox (40-26).
So you’ve got the North Side Cubs, winners of eight consecutive home games, and the South Side White Sox, who’ve reeled off seven straight wins since the slightly (and delightfully) unhinged Ozzie Guillen called out, well, everyone from his GM to his players.
Team Ozzfest leads the AL Central by 6-1/2 games over Minnesota, while preseason favorite Detroit wallows in fourth place at 26-37.
Oh, did I mention how the baseball gods have apparently decided to turn the sport upside down this season and shake it until all the change falls out of its pockets?
Seattle, another popular preseason favorite out in the AL West, is a pathetic 23-41 and just fired hitting coach Jeff Pentland and replaced him with Lee Elia, who’s about to turn 71.
Are you serious? But hey, if it means we get to hear Elia’s famous tirade a few more times, the all-time rant from years ago when he was Cubs manager, then good hire, M’s decision-makers. Thank you.
Perennial doormat Tampa Bay is 37-26, the same number of losses as the NL East-leading Phillies. Meanwhile the reigning NL pennant winners, the Colorado Rockies, are in last place in the mediocre NL West, at 24-39, including 10-24 on the road.
The Yankees? Have we finally gotten a reprieve from the tiresome, dated references to “The Yankees would do this” or “the Yankees would hold him accountable.” When the Yankees win another World Series, those proclamations might carry a little weight again.
For now, they are a .500 team, in the same boat as … yes, the Bravos.
Oh, you didn’t think I’d grown tired of discussing the Braves, did you? Hey, this is the Braves/MIB blog, after all. And we are embarking on another road trip in which the newspaper spends plenty of money to cover the exploits of the team once known as America’s Team (hey, TBS would rather play the Bill Engvall Show. Folks, am I missing something there? I mean, really. If I had kids, would I “get it?” Because I sure don’t _ get it, that is.)
Anyway … the Braves.
Oh, it’s ugly. It’s amazing how one three-game weekend series can cast such a pall over a team, isn’t it? I know, I know, many of you already believed the Braves were done before the Phillies came to town.
I did not. At all. In fact, I still don’t think they’re done. But that weekend sweep at the hands of the Phils, that put the first shovel of dirt on the Braves, in my estimation.
Because if the Braves had just won two of three — not an unreasonable proposal entering the series, considering the pitching matchups and the Braves’ home success, etc. — they’d be 2-1/2 games out of first place today, 98 games to go.
I dare say there’d be an entirely different tone amongst the bulk of bloggers here today if the Braves were coming off a series win against the division winners, and had a mere 3-1/2-game deficit to make up with nearly 100 games to go.
But they didn’t.
They blew it. They dropped a popup (oh, that hurt, Kelly Johnson). They failed time and time again with bases juiced or with two on, frequently with less than two outs (oh, Jeff Francoeur, how you have frustrated the masses).
They came apart at the seams late in games (oh, Manny Acosta and Blaine Boyer and Royce Ring, you young fellas are showing the effects of that heavy early season workload, aren’t you?).
People, many of us marveled at how the Braves were able to stay in the race during April and May despite putting a key player on the DL about once every two or three days. It was remarkable to see them lost their best two relievers, Rafael Soriano and Peter Moylan, for most of April and May (and Moylan for the rest of the season), and still keep putting up such solid bullpen work.
But the injuries have caught up with them. Those overused relievers are starting to crack, and the Braves can only hope most or all of them get through a period of struggling and come out the other side healthy and performing well again.
Because if they don’t … well, you’ve seen what happens. Philly exploited that. Tight strike zones and tired young relievers are not a good combo for the Bravos.
Bigger problem: Soriano’s elbow. You can’t have your closer needing to warm up each day to determine if he feels ready to enter the game, especially when said reliever isn’t the greatest communicator on the planet. His scowl and man-of-few-words demeanor is perfect when he’s healthy and dealin’.
But not when he’s trying to pitch with elbow problems.
If this keeps up, the Braves might eventually have to consider moving Jorge Campillo back to the bullpen, as good as he’s been as a starter. I say that because the move would make sense if the Braves believe Charlie Morton is ready to pitch in the majors, which I am told they do believe.
He’s dominated hitters in most of his starts at Richmond. So much so that, hey, perhaps the Braves would even consider bringing him up to pitch out of the bullpen. Since they’re obviously not going to add John Smoltz to the bullpen (season-ending surgery this afternoon in Birmingham) and since Soriano’s return has been problematic, the Braves might want to consider putting Morton’s nasty stuff out in the bullpen.
The list is long, very long, of starting pitchers who’ve done bullpen work early in their major league careers. If it helps your major league team, if it might make a difference in a season that’s threatening to spiral downward, then you have to at least strongly consider the move.
Chipper’s absence: The Braves hope they won’t have to go much of this 10-game trip without the services of the major league batting leader, that’s for sure.
We’ll know more late this afternoon about how Chipper is feeling, whether it looks like he might get in there during this series. But the Braves should be cautious, and will be, given that they have absolutely no chance of staying in the postseason race if Chipper Jones is out for an extended period.
If it takes a few days to heal that quadriceps, then it takes a few days. Or more. But to have him play before it’s ready, then possibly tear it severely _ that’s not worth the risk.
A few numbers from a story I wrote about the NL’s Player of the Week: Since April 12, Jones has hit .432 with 14 homers, 32 RBIs, 36 walks and a .541 OBP in 48 games. The Braves were 28-20 in that stretch when he was in the lineup, and 0-6 when he was not.
Last year in early June he was on the DL for bone bruises in his hands, and Jones hasn’t been disabled since (did I curse him when I mentioned that Saturday?) He returned from that DL stint on June 13, 2007, and since then he’s hit .379 in 150 games with 75 extra-base hits (32 homers), 116 RBIs, 119 runs and a .464 on-base percentage.
Repeat, .379 in 150 games. Dude is on another level than anyone else in that span.
The Braves are 80-70 in games he’s played in that stretch, and 1-10 in games he has not.
Jones was told by the Braves doctor that he might be able to play by Thursday or Friday. The interleague games at Anaheim and Texas will present a DH option, if the Braves think that might reduce the likelihood of further injury.
As a designated hitter, Jones has a .324 career average (23-for-71) with six homers and 11 RBIs.
If he’s got to miss any games, Wrigley’s a good place to sit. Jones has hit .201 with 11 extra-base hits in 45 games at The Friendly Confines, where he’s posted a lower average and slugging percentage (.373) than at any of the other 27 ballparks where he’s played 10 or more games.
Ohman to hear it? It’ll be interesting to hear the reception for lefty Will Ohman, who’s been the Braves’ best relief pitcher this season. By some accounts, he wore out his welcome with the Cubs, who traded him to Atlanta along with Omar Infante for reliever Jose Ascanio at the December Winter Meetings in Nashvegas (my legs hurt just thinking about walking around that Opryland Hotel).
Ohman’s been a rubber-armed godsend for the Braves, with a 2.28 ERA in a whopping 35 appearances, including 24 appearances in the last 44 team games since April 23.
How’s this for a mind-blowing stat: Ohman has a 6.63 ERA in 101 career appearances at Wrigley Field, but a 2.31 ERA in 154 appearances everywhere else.
Best matchup in this series: Is Jair Jurrjens against Cubs right-hander Ryan Dempster (7-2, 2.90 ERA) on Wednesday. I’ve known Dempster since he was a rookie called up a little too soon after the first Marlins payroll purge.
Great dude. Been through arm surgery, spent time with Cincinnati, went from starter to closer and back to starter, etc. Great guy, very funny.
But none of that probably matters to any of you. I was just thinking aloud.
No, the reason the matchup is so good, besides just those two pitchers’ records, is this fact: Dempster is 1-10 with a 5.65 ERA in 24 games (13 starts) against the Braves. Yes, 1-10.
How does that happen? It’s like Livan Hernandez’s terrible record against the Braves (when he’s not facing them in the postseason, that is). There’s no real explanation.
And if I know Dempster, he’s probably looking at it like, “I’m due to reel off about seven straight wins against the Braves.”
Alfonso Soriano, your arch nemesis: Nevermind Shawn Green, Carlos Delgado or even Tony Clark. They all have been hell on the Braves, but not quite like Alfonso Soriano has been for the past three seasons.
The Cubs (and former Rangers and Nationals) slugger has a .367 average with a ridiclous 14 homers in 28 games against the Braves since 2005.
Just read these numbers slowly: Nine doubles, two triples, 14 homers, 31 RBIs and an .825 slugging percentage in those 28 games against the Braves.
That includes two three-homer games and a two-homer game.
Think the Braves might want to pitch around him? I think I would even to start the game.
Oh, by the way, in his last 14 games at Wrigley Field, Soriano has hit .426 with nine homers and 23 RBIs.
Yes, I know I’d pitch him very, very carefully _ even in the first inning.
Frenchy, yikes: Jeff Francoeur has hit .243 with four homers, 25 RBIs and a .301 OBP in 52 game after his two-homer, seven RBI game at D.C. on April 12. And on the road in that stretch, it’s .250 with one homer and seven RBI in 22 games. Yes, he had twice as many homers and the same number of RBI in one game April 12 as he’s had in 22 road games since.
OK, diversions: Got the new My Morning Jacket album Evil Urges, and it’s brilliant. A mesh of styles, even a couple of songs that sound like Prince, right down to the falsetto. But it’s another masterful album from the boys from Kentucky. Also, if you’re a John Hiatt fan, I’d highly recommend (again) his new one, which is finally out. It’s called Same Old Man. Oh, and the just-released third of Joseph Arthur’s four planned 2008 releases is strong, just like the first two. Talk about a prolific artist.
Here’s a great song by The National, off their Boxer album.
“MISTAKEN FOR STRANGERS” by The National
You have to do it running but you do everything that they ask you to
cause you don’t mind seeing yourself in a picture
as long as you look faraway, as long as you look removed
showered and blue-blazered, fill yourself with quarters
showered and blue-blazered, fill yourself with quarters
You get mistaken for strangers by your own friends
when you pass them at night under the silvery, silvery citibank lights
arm in arm in arm and eyes and eyes glazing under
oh you wouldn’t want an angel watching over
surprise, surprise they wouldn’t wannna watch
another uninnocent, elegant fall into the unmagnificent lives of adults
Make up something to believe in your heart of hearts
so you have something to wear on your sleeve of sleeves
so you swear you just saw a feathery woman
carry a blindfolded man through the trees
showered and blue-blazered, fill yourself with quarters
showered and blue-blazered, fill yourself with quarters
You get mistaken for strangers by your own friends
when you pass them at night under the silvery, silvery citibank lights
arm in arm in arm and eyes and eyes glazing under
oh you wouldn’t want an angel watching over
surprise, surprise they wouldn’t wannna watch
another uninnocent, elegant fall into the unmagnificent lives of adults
You get mistaken for strangers by your own friends
when you pass them at night under the silvery, silvery citibank lights
arm in arm in arm and eyes and eyes glazing under
oh you wouldn’t want an angel watching over
surprise, surprise they wouldn’t wannna watch
another uninnocent, elegant fall into the unmagnificent lives of adults
Comments
By NCBravesFan
June 10, 2008 1:55 PM | Link to this
Good post DOB. I’ll be curious to see how the Braves respond on the road. I’m not very optimistic, though - at least in the short term.
They definitely need to find a good seven inning pitcher and an OF or two.
I doubt Wren will be able to work much magic at this point on the trade front.
Morton I think should not be asked to be “that guy” on the staff who becomes a workhorse. Why put that much pressure on a rook?
(Then again with all that’s happening with the staff, they may not have a choice but to promote him and see what he can do.)
By rupert
June 10, 2008 1:56 PM | Link to this
DOB, what if any moves do you see the team making within the next 1-2 weeks?
By SRF
June 10, 2008 1:58 PM | Link to this
It is more than one shovel of dirt on the Braves - it is more like a truckload. After this road trip they will be close to mathematical elimination from the division.
I mean really - show me a matchup on this trip where they are favored ? They EASILY could go 0-10 on this trip.
Losing is contagious and once it grips you - it is like a python that squeezes the life from you.
By TennesseePaul
June 10, 2008 1:58 PM | Link to this
Thanks for the blog DOB. Enjoy the Windy City.
Let’s Go Braves!
By jmart1951
June 10, 2008 2:00 PM | Link to this
Have faith. You probably think that it is always darkest just before you step into the abyss. I believe that our luck changes in Chicago. Most of our players have already had their poor games and hurtful at bats. It begins tonight !!! The high flying Cubs and the stumbling Braves. We got em right where we want em.
By jonny
June 10, 2008 2:01 PM | Link to this
Good to see a new blog, DOB. And as usual, it is very insightful. I missed much of the weekend on the road and had to follow the Braves through the internet when I could. I suffered through delays in reports, and the glee of the lead in the 9th vs. the Phillies turned to real disappointment when I finally got the score. But I do believe that the team will rebound. A couple of good starts will rest the ‘pen and the Braves will right the ship. At least, I am in hopes that is the scenario that we will see on this road trip. A focused team will come out and start the team toward a .500 season on the road a little at a time. Now is the time. Saw a great show in Savannah this last weekend - “The Beat Goes On” - a musical tribute to the 60’s, 70’s, & 80’s - if any of you get down there check it out. A lot of energy and a shrimp-boat-full of memories.
By TURTSNAP
June 10, 2008 2:03 PM | Link to this
Hey, I see where the AJC published a story concerning the Cubs at this point last year, when the Braves made them look silly and Lou blew a fuse. I was just thinking about that the other day, how the Cubs seemed to turn it around after the Braves left town.
The Braves can only hope for the same thing after the debacle that was the Phillies series!!!!
By Chop Chop
June 10, 2008 2:04 PM | Link to this
DOB,
You’d probably “get” The Bill Engvall Show if you have had a lobotomy. Kids are merely optional.
By David
June 10, 2008 2:05 PM | Link to this
A new blog (excellent read) and a new series make for a promising Tuesday. I like the quotes from Chipper and Tex (surprising to me, I never thought him to be a vocal “leader”) about guys needing to step up. I hope the pall cast over the fans hasn’t infected the players as well - too much talen for them to be a .500 ballclub!
By Warren Haynes For President
June 10, 2008 2:05 PM | Link to this
DOB,
What is the name of the guy from Texas who recently released his debut album that features a slide guitar? They played a litle of it two weeks ago when you were on the morning show on 680 the fan. Sounded great but I can’t remember who the artist was.
I have a strange feeling the braves will have a strong road trip. Primarily because it doesn’t make any sense and this entire season has not made any sense to me.
Please give me good news on Chipper. If it is bad I don’t want to hear it. I would rather stick my head in the sand and pretend that everything is going to be OK. Speaking of, is there any update on Hampton?
By Jason
June 10, 2008 2:06 PM | Link to this
Man, Boxer is awesome. One of the great albums of last year…maybe the last few years.
Think it’s a bit early to call the Braves done, but if they don’t go at least .500 on this road trip, it may be time to look towards seasons ahead.
By MBPelican
June 10, 2008 2:08 PM | Link to this
when can we expect Mike gonzalez? and do you think he’s gonna take right off like Smoltz did coming off of tommy John?
By Bobby's Cox
June 10, 2008 2:11 PM | Link to this
Regarding our argument from last post yesterday about the Mota Article.
Shaun
I agree with you about the postseason and the formula (power pitchers) it takes to win championships in the postseason. However, I disagree with you when you say:
Contrary to the Mota article, the right way to play the game (in terms of scoring runs) is with baserunners and extra-bases and it’s always been that way
Really? Not when i first started watching baseball in the late 80’s. In fact, why then is it usually postseason strategy to move runners up bases?
Before the steroid era, I remember the NL, or “senior circuit” being the superior league becuase they didn’t “sit around with arms crossed waiting on home runs to win ball games. That was AL style ball, or “Junior” circuit style ball.
Shaun
Since you love stats so much, here’s some stats for you.
Entering Monday, there have been 17,025 hits in baseball this year in 65,424 AB. Here’s the breakdown.
66.7% of all hits have been singles
20.6% of all hits have been doubles
1.9% of all hits have been triples
2.6% of all hits have been HR
23.9% of PA result in a hit
16% of PA result in singles
4.9% of PA result in doubles
.4% of PA result in triples
2.4% of PA result in HR
Why get a leadoff single and wait for an extra base hit? I know players stats are different than league averages. But these numbers are a good indication as to how often an extra base hit is due to occur, all things being equal, in this declining offensive era.
Why wait for extra base hit or lower your odds of scoring with an extra base hit or 2 singles when you can move a runner over to 2B and have 1, 2, or 3 24% shots at plating him? My point throughout this season, and Mota’s is, there are strategies that can maximize your scoring opportunities.
Your whole argument regarding the Angels is gone for naught. The Angels have a worse ERA by than the braves by .33, and have allowed more 20 more runs and 26 more ER than the braves have.
Obviously the difference between the 2 teams is an agressive style of playing. The Angels have gone from 1st to 3rd more than any team in recent years. They get hits when the braves don’t…end of story. The braves also have 26 more extra base hits than the Angels, more 2B by 10, more 3B by 6, more HR by 10, 93 more TB, 63 more BB’s, a higher avg by .19 points, slugging pct, OPS, and OBP, more sacrifice hits by 13, yet the Angels are a much better team. The numbers aren’t close.
Why is that Shaun?
It’s their style of play. That’s why. The Angels have more than double the SB the braves have, 25 to 53. Even though they have more CS, 18 to 10, they keep the opposing defenses on their heals and wear teams down. That’s Mota’s arguemtnt.
There’s one thing that sticks out in the article that relates to the Braves:
against a team that goes station-to-station is much easier.
That’s what the Braves do.
Look, 2 homestands ago the braves were much more agressive offensively. They did the little things to get ahead, then the power came later in games to blow teams away. That is what this team needs, especially on the road and especially playing in so many 1 run ballgames. They have no problem scoring, but they do in the clutch. They need to find more ways to give themselves an advantage in close games, and that includes….
*constantly having players, no matter their speed, looking to take the extra base, figuring out a pitcher’s delivery to steal a base, charging from first to third on singles, and bunting for base hits to pull infielders out of their comfort zone. It’s the type of baseball that creates major distractions for opponents.
So many things can happen even without the swing of the bat
Tell that to Frenchy when he’s batting.
Look Shaun. Stats are nice, but they don’t tell the whole story. There’s many intanglibles in the game of baseball, and the Braves better learn them soon. This is going to be the toughest road trip of the year with the quality of opponents, the longevity, and the injuries the team has sustained.
I know you dig the long ball. Maybe you’re a chick, i don’t know. But I do know is there’s more to the game than getting a guy on and waiting for a pitcher to make a mistake so guys can drive a ball deep somewhere. The braves need to get the opposing teams on their heals. They need to play Scoscia ball soon.
By Kevin C
June 10, 2008 2:12 PM | Link to this
DOB
Any rumors on who or what the Brvaes are looking for on the trade market? Starting pitching or offense? Thanks
By Tony Dobson
June 10, 2008 2:12 PM | Link to this
DOB, just a point I was curious about. We hear a lot about hitters in close and late situations, what is our pitching like in those situations? Lately it seems like we’re always giving up big hits in those circumstances.
By McFann
June 10, 2008 2:12 PM | Link to this
Latest All-Star vote count shows McCann trailing Soto by 391,577 votes.
Yeesh……
By Joseph
June 10, 2008 2:15 PM | Link to this
First?
By ugaman
June 10, 2008 2:17 PM | Link to this
Hey DOB,
Good post. Do you expect Bobby to stay with the changes in the lineup even when chipper comes back? It was obvious Sunday that Escobar, like Kelly hits better anywhere other than the leadoff spot. Do you think Bobby will stick with Anerson or Blanco in the leadoff? If they utilize their speed, they could cause many problems.
Also, what can you tell us about the new pitcher they just signed from San Diego?
And lastly, what is the prospect of bringing the “hot shot” from the minors up to take over center? He seems to be tearing it up down their. Couldn’t hurt to see ifhe could infuse some energy into the lineup.
Thanks and keep up the great work Dave.
By FloridaBrave
June 10, 2008 2:18 PM | Link to this
No, No, No to Morton in the bullpen. He’s a starter and I don’t want a move to the pen affecting his development. I want him to keep his endurance, I want him to continue using his entire repertoire, and I want him to continue to work his control. Morton as a starter and Campillo to the pen is the way to go.
But I do agree Soriano is a problem. There’s no point in keeping a guy on the active roster who may or may not be able to pitch on a given day. Put him back on the 15 day DL.
By Coach Smith
June 10, 2008 2:23 PM | Link to this
Say the Braves go 6-4 in their next 10 and the Phillies go 4-6…will everyone still be freaking out?
I still am not a believer that the Phillies starting pitching will hold them up over the next 100 games…
They are on a long road trip of their own finally and we’ll see how well they can keep doing when they are not in their RIDUCLOUSLY SMALL ballpark…
That long homestand is what has elvated them in their minds and the standings..let’s see if holds..
By David O'Brien
June 10, 2008 2:35 PM | Link to this
I mean really - show me a matchup on this trip where they are favored ? They EASILY could go 0-10 on this trip.SRF
What, you projected the matchups for the entire trip? Cool. What’s the matchup for the Colorado game? How ‘bout the third game in Texas? I’m curious, because I hadn’t really even looked at it. But apparently you have….
Warren Haynes: That was Ryan Bingham, from his great debut “Mescalito.”
By Jesse
June 10, 2008 2:39 PM | Link to this
thanks for the info about the new album from My Morning Jacket, one of my favorite bands. Saw them play a song from the new LP recently on Saturday Night Live. Differnt sound than i’m accustomed to from MJ. I’ll take your vote of confidence and check out the new songs on itunes.
Thanks for the interesting stats on Chipper, Dempster, Ohman, and Soriano. Now let’s go take two of three from the cubbies.
By 22oz
June 10, 2008 2:40 PM | Link to this
There is a partial solution to the Boyer/Acosta fatigue situation. USE PHIL STOCKMAN!
By DAP
June 10, 2008 2:41 PM | Link to this
DOB i assume you meant that chipper is a DH option, not a DL option…that really scared me when i first read it.
SRF were you being serious? the braves could have lost every game so far this season and not be mathematically eliminated yet. by theway, id say the braves are favored in thursday’s game. Tim Hudson, 7-4, 2.86 at Cubs Sean Gallagher, 3-2, 4.42
By ugaman
June 10, 2008 2:41 PM | Link to this
Coach Smith, Was it me or was that the Phillies who just swept the bravos on the road against good starting pitching and hitting homers all over the place in a supposedly pitcher’s park. The Phillies offense is really strong and they are versatile with speed, plate discipline and clutch hitters. I don’t see them dropping off too much. They have enough pitching with that offense. As much as I would love to agree with you, I don’t see them swooning. They have too much leadership with Rollins and Utley and a dominant closer to finish things off in tight games. That is a recipe for success.
By David O'Brien
June 10, 2008 2:42 PM | Link to this
Just doing scout box for tomorrow: Dempster is 7-0 with a 3.10 ERA in eight home starts.
Something’s gotta give, right? Either his 1-10 vs. Braves or his 7-0 at home.
Of course, he hasn’t started against them since ‘03. All relief since then.
He’s a far better pitcher now than he was in his first tenure as a starter.
By DonCoburleone
June 10, 2008 2:46 PM | Link to this
That sweep by the Phillies was definately the first shovel-full of dirt on the Braves’ grave, and this road trip could provide about 4 or 5 more if they keep playing like they have been…
The Phillies series set up so perfectly for us too, I thought worst case we’d take the series 2-1; unbelievable…
Here are my observations (and/or stats) that supports WHY this team is only at .500 -
1)Pressing (Choking) - ATL’s stats in close-and-late situations: .242/.324/.338, more than a hundred points below our overall OPS. This helps explain why we are 3-985 in 1-run games this year, and also why we have 1 freaking win on the whole season when trailing after 8 innings…
2)Bunting - So far, when they tried to bunt, the Braves “got the job done” 7 times, struck out 9 times, and grounded, popped or flew out 14 times. That is 7 OUT OF 30! So only 23.3% of the time has a bunt been laid down correctly, that is just unacceptable…
3)Bullpen Burnout - The braves are leading the major leagues in appearances by relievers; we’ve averaged nearly 4.5 pitchers PER GAME this season. Boyer and Acosta look physically finished, and Ohman is not far behind. I actually feel bad for Mike Gonzalez, cuz he will be the next one to be abused by Cox.
4)JEFF FRANCOEUR - He’s batting .253/.303/.415 on the season, which just isn’t acceptable for a starting outfielder. By basically any reasonable measure, he’s the worst-hitting starting right fielder in baseball, and we’ve got no-one else cuz he was supposed to make that leap this year. And I’m sure DOB you will criticize me for this and make me remember that he is “still just 24 years old” but I prefer to look at it like this: It’s been almost exactly 3 years since he was called up to play everday and he is WORSE NOW THAN HE WAS BACK THEN!
This team is going on 2 1/2 seasons worth of .500 baseball; at some point we have to say to he!! with our Pythag record or our good overall team stats and realize WE ARE WHAT OUR RECORD IS!
By Warren Haynes For President
June 10, 2008 2:47 PM | Link to this
Thank you. Will buy it today.
By N8
June 10, 2008 2:48 PM | Link to this
Coach Smith
It’s a horse a piece, either way with the Phillies/Braves.
The Phillies pitching probably won’t hold up (but Jersey Gil made note of them being interested in Bedard - you better believe they’ll go get a pitcher if one’s available), but that offense is frickin scary.
Just like ours was last year.
This year our pitching appears to be fine (so far - but a breakdown appears imminent), and our offense is scary (and not the good kind of scary like last year, or the Phillies this year).
Now you take Chipper out for the beginning of a CRUCIAL road-trip, and once every 5 days Corky replaces McCann? Not good. Not good at all.
If the Phillies pitching doesn’t hold up like you predict, it very well might be the Marlins that benefit….not the Braves, unless some serious hitters are added to this lineup…and FAST.
By Anonymous
June 10, 2008 2:49 PM | Link to this
DOB —
I can’t believe it — I’m at a Gulfstream/GD Jet Owner’s & Operaator’s conference in Savannah — “big deal”, I know.
But tonight, Three Dog Night is playing for the conference. The 3 Dog Night.
Kinda blew my mind.
By Anonymous
June 10, 2008 2:52 PM | Link to this
Three Dog Night playing tonight at the Gulfstream Operator’s Conference in Savannah.
By ncscoots
June 10, 2008 2:52 PM | Link to this
They need to play Scoscia ball soon.
Do you mean Mauch ball? Because the Weaver versus Mauch philosophical debate has been going on since before you were born (I think). It’s been done to death, and there is plenty of literature on it. I highly recommend reading some of it.
You’d notice that Weaver’s teams were never at the bottom of the league in SB; were never at the top of the league in K; and could move runners, bunt, and do all things small-ball when FORCED to. Weaver simply didn’t want to put a victory in doubt by being FORCED to do such things, with the inherent risk of failure and expensive investment in outs, and was correct in doing so.
Big innings, deep starts, and a fearless closer. Give me those three things, and you can run (it’s exciting!), bunt (it’s thrilling!), and move runners over (it’s fundamental!) all you want, to scratch out a run. All you’ll manufacture is a loss.
Braves hardly need to become the 60s Dodgers, or this year’s Angels, for that matter. What they need to become is the team they were built to be: an on-base machine with power 1 through 7. If they perform to capabilities, they’ll win big. If not, they won’t. No amount of reading Gene Mauch’s book is going to change that.
By David O'Brien
June 10, 2008 2:53 PM | Link to this
Jesse, that wasn’t a good or representative performance by MMJ on SNL (more acronyms, please). It’s a great album.
By The Murph
June 10, 2008 2:53 PM | Link to this
Hey DOB, Thanks for keeping us up to date on the status of things. It is tough times for our braves, and a steep hill to climb, but no reason to toss in the towel yet. We’ve got a strong team, albeit a few holes, but if and when everyone starts clicking, we can right the ship.
DOB, I’ve also been enjoying you music commentary. I’m a big Ryan Bingham fan too. I work with an incredible flatpicker out of Natural Bridge, VA named Larry Keel (larrykeel.com). I think you’ll really dig his stuff. Drop me a line and I’ll send you some music to try out.
By Dap
June 10, 2008 2:53 PM | Link to this
This team has a “Complexion problem”, (Wink Wink).
By DonCoburleone
June 10, 2008 2:56 PM | Link to this
I just hope Braves management doesn’t say on July 15th (or whatever date in July); “Hey, we’re only 3.5 back of the wild card leading Cardinals/Brewers/Marlins/whoever, lets trade away Prospect A, D & F so we can bring in veteran outfielder X and bring back Greg Maddux… I’m tired of putting band-aids on this teams problems so they can struggle to stay above .500 year after year! It was okay doing that when we would make the playoffs every year, but 2 1/2 years of .500 baseball is not a fluke!!
By N8
June 10, 2008 2:57 PM | Link to this
Coach Smith
“They are on a long road trip of their own finally and we’ll see how well they can keep doing when they are not in their RIDUCLOUSLY SMALL ballpark…”
For starters, their offense is damn near as potent on the road as it is at home.
In 44 Games at HOME, the Phills have scored 185 runs (4.20 per game), 301 hits (.264 average), 61 doubles, 2 triples, 53 HR.
In 41 Road Games, the Phills have scored 159 runs (3.87 per game), 288 hits (.263 average), 69 doubles, 7 triples, and 50 HR.
So essentially, other than HR, their offense is JUST AS POTENT on the road.
Besides, didn’t they just sweep us (best NL home record going into last week), on the road?
Add to that, last time I checked, their pitchers have to play at home too, right?
Their offense is good. Ours (other than Chipper & McCann and Tex in May) has not been.
Go ahead…admit it. It’s not that tough.
By BravesFanInRockies
June 10, 2008 2:58 PM | Link to this
Actually, Bobby’s Cox, what you want your players to do is hit a double or a triple or a homer leading off the inning. Your chances of scoring are a lot better (esp. if the the third one happens) than when you lead off with a single, bunt the runner to second and then try to drive him in with another single.
To be sure, you can build a big inning in many ways, including a bunch of singles strung together. But the teams with extra-base power score more than punch-and-judy outfits that run.
You can look it up.
By David O'Brien
June 10, 2008 2:58 PM | Link to this
DonC, I’m not going to criticize you or defend Francoeur. He’s having a bad season, period. And he’s taken a step back after what I considered to be a lot of progress he showed in most areas in 2007.
By rc1019
June 10, 2008 3:01 PM | Link to this
I hate PeachTree TV. Can’t get it in my area.
By The Murph
June 10, 2008 3:01 PM | Link to this
Just in, The Mets acquire Adam Dunn and pitcher Cuerto from the Reds for Delgado and Perez, yipes.
By ncscoots
June 10, 2008 3:04 PM | Link to this
Do you think Bobby will stick with Anerson or Blanco in the leadoff? If they utilize their speed, they could cause many problems.
It…just…won’t…die.
Please, Bobby, put Anderson up there, and just leave him there until he gets crucified on this blog. Please.
That line of reasoning is beginning get Ryan-Freel-ish for me, LOL.
By Steve from OH
June 10, 2008 3:04 PM | Link to this
Bobby’s Cox (and everyone else):
Firejoemorgan.com has posted an article about your “Aggressive baseball” article that you posted on the last blog. Check it out here, its a pretty good read.
By Roman Gal
June 10, 2008 3:04 PM | Link to this
SRF
Wow. That’s all I have to say about that.
By SRF
June 10, 2008 3:10 PM | Link to this
Glad to see the blog is full of venom today.
DOB - maybe I chose the wrong word “matchup” - I did not mean each pitcher and hitter. Let me rephrase - Since many of the teams they are going up against are playing better than them right now, and are at home, they could go 0-10.
DAP - yes I am being serious - I do not mean realm of possibility but more like probability. When a team gets far enough behind multiple teams - it means that they have to play way better than all of the teams in order to leapfrog them. Based on what I have seen so far - the chances are pretty slim of them sustaining the type of winning needed while everyone else folds - sorry - I am a tough sell when this team has only won 7 road games - if they blow this trip them they are in a DEEP hole.
By Gregor Fan-co
June 10, 2008 3:11 PM | Link to this
What’s the latest on SMOLTZ????
By DAP
June 10, 2008 3:13 PM | Link to this
The Mets acquire Adam Dunn and pitcher Cuerto from the Reds for Delgado and Perez, yipes.
liars.
By BlackberryCobbler
June 10, 2008 3:15 PM | Link to this
BC Sez:
Injuries have been an issue. There’s no denying it. But eqally troubling is the lack of hitting by Francoeur and by Tex for most of the season to-date.
The Braves are done. They had a chance to make some ground during the homestand and pi$$ed it away.
The team lacks consistent offense and makes too many fundamental mistakes.
By STRETCH
June 10, 2008 3:16 PM | Link to this
Coach Smith, i see what you are saying, but the Philthies beat the crap out of the Braves in their RIDUCLOUSLY BIG park.
I for one and many others have come to grips and expect this underachieving group to continue on this annual downward spiral.
By N8
June 10, 2008 3:16 PM | Link to this
Just heard on a commercial on 680 the fan that VIAGRA is the new “drug of choice” not on the banned list for MLB players.
The anti-doping committee is gonna do tests to see if it can “enhance” players (other than Travis Henry’s)….ahem…performance.
Allegedly Clemens was using this during his past few years and hiding them in a vitamin bottle to not get the wise-cracks from teammates.
I’m gonna go out on a limb, that Palmeiro was using too, huh?
What a couple of boners.
By McFann
June 10, 2008 3:16 PM | Link to this
and make me remember that he is “still just 24 years old” DonC
That’s no excuse. McCann is a whole month and 12 days younger than him…JJJ is two years younger…
By SR
June 10, 2008 3:17 PM | Link to this
DonCoburleone
You have summed it up better than anyone else has to date. It is what it is and they are who they are.
By Goodoleboy58
June 10, 2008 3:17 PM | Link to this
Don’t forget to mention Carlos Beltran to that Braves Killer list… man he’s always raked against us
By Cecil34
June 10, 2008 3:19 PM | Link to this
Well here is what the Braves need to do:
Play .591 baseball for the last 98 games and that will give them the 58 more wins they need to get 90 and win the division.
Although it looks like the Phillies are on the pace for 90+….
The Braves have played .500 baseball to this point.
DOB
Do the planets basically have to align for the Braves to play at a .591 clip from this point on?
By Carolina Matt
June 10, 2008 3:19 PM | Link to this
6.5 out with 3.5 months to play? Is the pessimism, panic and paranoia really neccessary already?
Clearly the Braves will have to rattle off a few win streaks to take the division, but so will any team that is going to win it. It’s hard to say if or when it will happen, but there is no sense in making up intangible reasons to write the season off already!
By BlackberryCobbler
June 10, 2008 3:20 PM | Link to this
BC Sez:
So the Mets make a move……. meanwhile the Braves do NOTHING!
By aefwb
June 10, 2008 3:21 PM | Link to this
I get the sense that if the Braves don’t have a good stretch with these next ten games, you might see Tex dangled out there to see what they can get. There would be no use in keeping him for the remainder of the season if they are not going to the playoffs. They could trade several pieces (Tex, Glavine, Huddy, Soriano if he’s healthy, Johnson, Norton).
By BravesFanInRockies
June 10, 2008 3:21 PM | Link to this
scoots,
Nice one. Love, Ryan Freel
By Cubs Fan
June 10, 2008 3:22 PM | Link to this
“Go Cubs Go. Go Cubs Go. Hey, Chicago waddausay, the Cubs are gonna win today!” They’ll be singing 3 times in a row starting today at Wrigley.
GO CUBS!
By Brave Defender
June 10, 2008 3:24 PM | Link to this
Wow.. did anyone see that horse race this weekend? I mean MAN I can’t believe that Brown Bag horse lost. And now they say it’s the jockey’s fault that the horse lost. I thought that the horse ran the race, not the jockey.
Just kidding… Since when is horse racing a sport or even entertainment? I’d rather watch & gamble on female ice figure skating.
Back to Braves… Frenchy is pulling his head out on every pitch. TP should be picking up on that. He looks like Andruw on a good day. My Grandma called me and told me she could swing a better bat than Jeff right now.
You can’t win games 3 - 2 but you definitely can lose them 5 - 3. The entire Braves offense needs to watch video of what Mr. Larry Wayne “Chipper” Jones does at the plate and copy it. Chipper just tries to make good contact and not rip the ball all the way to Five Points.
My cup is half empty today and for that I apologize. Usually I’m here to blast people that make ridiculous comments about the Braves but today I joined them.
Anyways… GO BRAVES!!! I STILL BELIEVE!
By Original Jon
June 10, 2008 3:27 PM | Link to this
McFann I cannot think of the answer for the life of me, go ahead and tell me, I am sure I will be kicking myself when you tell me.
By Stay Classy
June 10, 2008 3:30 PM | Link to this
I’m Ron Burgundy ?
By Original Jon
June 10, 2008 3:32 PM | Link to this
Just kidding… Since when is horse racing a sport or even entertainment?
Since when is figure skating a sport or entertainment? You get more thrill out of watching a bunch of lumbering beasts run a quarter mile than to watch a dainty girl and an even daintier guy twirling around in tu-tu’s.
Pick your poison.
By Supes
June 10, 2008 3:33 PM | Link to this
The news about the Mets true? I hope not.
FloridaBrave, you are absolutely correct…Charlie Morton should not be pitching out of the bullpen. If anything, Campillo should go back to the pen, and let Charlie be the 5th starter.
DonC, right on about FRANCINE. He’s regressed and killed the Braves coming up empty with RISP over the last month or so, esp. on this homestand. I too am so fed up with this he’s only 24 years old crap…it’s the dude’s 3rd year in the majors. He’s been playing ball since he was in HS. He’s been around long enough and been given every opportunity to contribute.
He’s also been called out by you know who, let’s see if he delivers or continues to choke and be FRANCINE.
Just listening to Buck & Kincade and John threw a stat out here for all the COOL-AID drinkers who want to tell us that “it’s early, it’s June, they can catch the Phillies”. The Braves are 32-32 right now. ONLY 4% of the time has a division winner had a sub .500 record come mid June. That’s right folks, 96% of the time that means the Braves, if they play anything less than .500 ball on this trip (which let’s face it, they can easily go 2-8 or 3-7), they are not winning the NL East.
Yes, the Wild Card would still be in play, providing a tiny ray of hope.
So there you have it. Win now or kiss the NL East goodbye. Those aren’t my stats that I made up, sports bureau stats folks. It’s alarmingly close to being over for the NL East…in June!
By etownbrave
June 10, 2008 3:40 PM | Link to this
rc1019 Haven’t been able to see a game on PeachTreeTV in almost a week, save for the SS game Sunday, as I have DISH and it is not available. Thankfully, WGN has not abandoned their local team like TBS has. Games tonight and Thursday on WGN, Wed on FSN. Hope that helps.
By Reid in EAV
June 10, 2008 3:40 PM | Link to this
That Lee Elia tirade? But of course, here it is:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=uv23pqH9iG0
By Coach Smith
June 10, 2008 3:41 PM | Link to this
The Braves gave that series to the Phillies when KJ dropped that pop up.
The Phillies were hot from their homestand and that KJ drop gave them all the momentum in the world for that series.
Don’t forget that “Vaunted” Phillies offense waas shut down in every game with the exception of one inning at the end of every game…..
They’ll come back to earth….it is more of a matter of whether the Braves can take off
By Cooper
June 10, 2008 3:41 PM | Link to this
Two things.
Music:
Saw Clapton last week in CT at the Mohegan Sun. Fantastic concert - blues heavy set list with a few pop add ins.
The guy is flat out smooth. His opening act was Robert Randolph & family band. Robert is a great slide guitar player - amazing kid.
Doyle Bramhall II also was on board for some dueling solo time with Clapton. Doyle is lefty guitarist playing righty strung guitars.
Trade idea (not uber realistic but it is 101 here)
What do you think of Milton Bradley as a LF replacement. He is a FA after 08 and if available could provide some OF pop and veteran experience. He seems to have turned the corner physically and I have not heard about him be a pill in the clubhouse.
I know Millwood has been the topic of Texas trade ideas but I think Bradley could help. With Kotsay looking gimpy (which may mean no extension in 09) and Schafer in CF the Braves could use Milton’s bat.
Perhaps Wren can work a deal similar to Hudson where we trade for Bradley and require an extension or no deal.
A comparison that might surprise you: Milton Bradley (.340-.456-.640) vs. Josh Hamilton (.315-.362-.596); Bradley leads the A.L. in OPS and Hamilton is second, but Hamilton is receiving far more attention. Here’s another: Aaron Rowand (.330-.396-.526) vs. Torii Hunter (.268-.335-.442). Rowand went for $30 million less than Hunter as a free agent last off-season …
The above is from Rosenthal at Foxsports.
By Billy Goat Cub
June 10, 2008 3:43 PM | Link to this
There will be no curse in this series. The Cubs are going to pound the Braves like they own them. I predict a sweep for the Cubbies.
By Braveheart
June 10, 2008 3:44 PM | Link to this
Who would have guessed that the Braves would be 16-10 when the three amigos Jair, JoJo, and Jorge start but only 12-18 when Glavine, Hudson and Chuck start?
By bravesfan
June 10, 2008 3:44 PM | Link to this
The Mets and Reds didn’t make a trade. The Reds would have to be retarded to do that trade.
By Gregor Fan-co
June 10, 2008 3:47 PM | Link to this
SMOLTZ news??? Anyone???
By Bobby's Cox
June 10, 2008 3:47 PM | Link to this
Scoots
Great arugment. I’ll research what you suggested.
I know that this team was designed to score runs. However, it’s not working in terms of wins. Weaver’s strategy might be great, but this group of ballplayers aren’t making it work.
The reliance on the extra base hits/long ball, IMO, is the reason for the poor record when traling after the 6th, the poor record in 1 run games, the poor clutch hitting stats, and the poor late and close game stats.
Scioscia ball is a simple fix, assuming guys work on fundamentals during BP. You said Weaver’s teams weren’t even in the bottom of the bunting category. At least then they were prepared to do so, or knew how to in case a situation called for it.
Bottom line is when the opposing team takes the field, this team has been too easy to defend, or gives away outs with mental blunders. The whole Mota argument is that it gets players looking at situations differently, or more coherently, to try to gain an advantage strategically. If nothing, it will get everyone’s head in the game and get them more focused. Maybe that’s why the Angels have a better fielding pct, or we drop balls with 2 outs in the 9th to lose games. Who knows.
I’d like to see this team hit and run more often, especially in DP situations with guys that hit into a lot of DP’s. There’s things that can disrupt a defense, gets guys swinging with a sense of purpose, and contribute more to rally’s than just sitting back and waiting for something to happen and blaming everything on luck or road woes. Hitting & running is a start especially when we start Blanco and Anderson together. It worked 2 homestands ago. What’s changed besides turning our winning stretch into a losing stretch before a long road trip?
By Graham
June 10, 2008 3:48 PM | Link to this
I would say that Francouer’s problem is more psychological than anything. He came up before McCann, hit the cover of SI, had a very good rookie season, etc.
However, McCann has since made the All-Star team twice (and probably a third time this year) and secured a multi-million dollar, multi-year contract.
Francouer is trying desperately to excel and is over-doing it. I am sure that the lack of a muilt-million dollar contract weighs on his mind heavily. He has reverted back to his overly aggressive ways and, as he has shown in the past, has a flair for the dramatic. He is trying too much instead of thinking about what he is doing or needs to do. Lack of concentration.
By ugaman
June 10, 2008 3:54 PM | Link to this
I think when Chipper says that he’s worried heading into this road trip and Tex starts saying players need to pick it up, then that is the writing on the wall that unless the braves start playing better and win some of these road series, then you can hang it up.
I think if the braves come out of this road trip with a losing record, then we need to play a Florida and start retooling for the upcoming years and trade most of the veterans (except Chipper, we need him to teach the other youngins how to play the game) and get promising young players that have a heart and passion to play. Power arms and speed are what we should build around. Then, get Smotlz to stay as the manager and send Bobby into retirement.
By Efrim
June 10, 2008 3:58 PM | Link to this
Ken Rosenthal notes:
In my most recent “Full Count” video, I said, “Don’t be surprised if the Royals entertain offers for right-hander Zack Grienke.” The Royals, however, told one interested club that they would need to be overwhelmed to even consider moving Grienke, who is starting to look like a legitimate ace. The quandary for the Royals is that Grienke represents their best chance of landing multiple position players in a trade. …
Definetly the guy that makes the most sense for the Braves. Wren has ties with Dayton Moore and the Royals need position players, like now.
How about Greinke for Gorkys Hernandez, Brandon Jones and Tyler Flowers? That may be too much, but if Grienke is on the market. It will cost that.
By BravesRule
June 10, 2008 4:02 PM | Link to this
As for those prospects I mentioned. I happen to believe these guys (Hanson, Teheran and Morton) will anchor our rotation along with Reyes and Jurrjens for the better part(or longer) of the next decade.Lew
Hasn’t Hansen been knocked around pretty good at AA this season? Not a good sign for a future MLB impact player is it?
By MGL
June 10, 2008 4:02 PM | Link to this
One thing I think some of you are missing is that we play the Phillies 12 more times this season. 6 in July and 6 in September. If we get a couple of things fixed, and do to the Phillies in July what they have done to us so far this season, the East race looks entirely different. The Mets continue to struggle and the Marlins are falling back.
With the exception of the 0-5 loss in Philly, we were in all the games til the end. The Phillies are not that much better than the Braves.
By Brave Defender
June 10, 2008 4:03 PM | Link to this
Un-Original John - figure skating was part of the joke. Knock Knock… Who’s There?
Sorry if I offended you Mr. ED but horse racing IS lame.
Also, I said I prefer FEMALE figure skating NOT PAIRS. Read closer before insulting…
I admit however that I DO PREFER to see “dainty” girls rather than horses run in circles. Atleast the girls are doing spins with legs in the air. When have you ever seen a horse even try that?
Back to the other boring sport which is my favorite… BRAVEHEART - thanks for the good starting pitcher wins comparison stats.
Will somebody start giving McCann some ALLSTAR VOTES? The guy should be starting that game. Who’s the catcher leading the votes anyway?
By DAP
June 10, 2008 4:06 PM | Link to this
cooper i wouldnt mind bradley. he would be a different personality, but i dont think he would really be a problem for the braves. i dont know if he is available for trade…id think not, as well as he is playing…i dont think texas is ready to quit. but like you said, he will be a free agent, and might be worth giving a contract to anyways.
bradley isnt THE answer to this offense, because he kinda has a jeff francouer style offense. he strikes out alot, doesnt walk much, his OBP isnt GREAT, but he get his RBIs and hits a decent number of HRs.
bradley would be ok in leftfield, but he isnt a cleanup hitter on a great team, i dont think. which is eventually what we are gonna need.
this coming offseason, depending on what happens this year and who is ready, id like to see the braves sign (or trade) a leftfielder with power i.e. bradley, get on of washinton’s extra 1st baseman (perferably johnson) and get one of the pitchers thats out there (garland, dempster, perez, sheets) and maybe a reliever (juan cruz, dan wheeler)
if they can do that, and shafer is ready to play, they will have a pretty good young team.
the braves will have some money to spend this offseason.
By Dr. Andrews
June 10, 2008 4:07 PM | Link to this
I’d like to report that the surgery on John Smoltz’s left shoulder went better than expected and I didn’t see half the damage I expected. He should begin rehab - excuse me - what? His right? -Oh crap - be right back.
By BravesFanInRockies
June 10, 2008 4:08 PM | Link to this
Steve Trachsel DFA’d by Orioles. So long as we’re stockpiling castoff arms … ?
By The Mysterious Rhinestone Cowboy
June 10, 2008 4:09 PM | Link to this
Cooper
I saw Doyle Bramhall II play with Roger Waters in Dallas on the “In the Flesh” tour about 8 or 9 years ago. He played and sang David Gilmour’s parts in several of the songs: Comfortably Numb, Dogs, Breathe. The man can play the hell out of that guitar, but he’s not Gilmour….different styles.
By Gregor Fan-co
June 10, 2008 4:10 PM | Link to this
“How about Greinke for Gorkys Hernandez, Brandon Jones and Tyler Flowers? “
They’ll want a lot more than that.
By ncscoots
June 10, 2008 4:10 PM | Link to this
start retooling for the upcoming years and trade most of the veterans
WHAT veterans?!? Braves have Kotsay, Tex, and Chipper with more than three years of experience, that’s it, among the position players. Holy Cornelia, you can’t get much younger than that, short of AA, LOL.
Efrim, wouldn’t the Royals want players a little closer to ready than Hernandez and Flowers? Seems to me that if you were willing to wait on developing players, you might as well keep Greinke while you were waiting.
By Train Wreck Bystander
June 10, 2008 4:11 PM | Link to this
It’s good to see WGN picking up the Peachtree slack. I hope WGN’s coverage is not blacked out for those of us in the Southeast.
By McFann
June 10, 2008 4:11 PM | Link to this
Graham—
I totally agree (except McCann came up first—on what day, people? ; ) ).
Original Jon—
The answer is Casey Stengel, who was hired to manage the New York Mets in 1961. He said he was glad to be managing the “Knickerbockers”, which was actually the name of New York’s NBA team. LOL, Mets!!
Maybe that one was a bit too hard, but this next one is fairly easy, and since it is, I’ll give you two:
A): Who holds the worst managerial record by a team owner? (Name the owner and his record; year, too if you like.)
and
B): Which manager has been ejected the most times in the World Series? (Name the manager and the number of ejections.)
By DAP
June 10, 2008 4:13 PM | Link to this
ugaman what veterans would you trade? there really arent that many.
kotsay, glavine, hudson, tex. only hudson and tex are really tradeable.
the majority of this team is extremly young.
By McFann
June 10, 2008 4:16 PM | Link to this
Brave Defender—
Geovany Soto is leading all NL catchers in votes. Last count showed he was beating 3BMac by 391,577 votes! (I’ve given McCann 50 votes, but there’s still time to give more!)
This guy is the Cubs catcher, so we’ll get to see him these next three days. Our pitchers better not even think about giving the man any doubles!
By BravesFanInRockies
June 10, 2008 4:17 PM | Link to this
Only kidding about Trachsel. Add the velocity on his fastball to Resop’s and you might break 100.
By Original Jon
June 10, 2008 4:17 PM | Link to this
Brave Pretender I realized it was part of the joke, hence the ‘pick your poison’ part of my retort, it was all a joke. Although it may have been lost in translation. So who is the rude insulter now?
By Gregor Fan-co
June 10, 2008 4:17 PM | Link to this
“I saw Doyle Bramhall II play with Roger Waters in Dallas on the “In the Flesh” tour”
Was he the older guy or the young guy with the giant medallion and the skintight outfit?
By Knowitall
June 10, 2008 4:19 PM | Link to this
Dr. Andrews
How dare you joke about a Braves Icon! It was funny though.
By David O'Brien
June 10, 2008 4:20 PM | Link to this
Well, Glavine better keep the ball down tonight folks: The wind is blowing straight out to right-center field, and it’s a strong wind at that.
No lineup posted yet.
By Saltywoody
June 10, 2008 4:20 PM | Link to this
If anyone’s interested in a little shameless self-promotion and a late-night, coffee-driven rant on Mike Hampton and his brittle body, check this out:
http://thesportsbizzo.com/2008/06/know-when-to-say-when/
A lot of the other stuff is good on here, too, because…well, because I wrote some of it and the other guys that write on it are hilarious.
But, it might be a nice departure from worrying about these Braves for many. Because I know I, for one, have to limit myself to about an hour or so with the Braves a day and no more. They’re just making it too difficult to handle them right now.
On the flipside, yet another good DOB blog…and I’ll apologize to him in advance if I misquoted or misrepresented any of his previous work in my little Hampton tirade. I also used a few naughty words, so apologies for that, too.
Oh, and now that we’ve got Josh Anderson leading off, the next step is Morton is the pen (a great suggestion). And the step after that is to give Soriano a little shot of “Step It Up.”
By David O'Brien
June 10, 2008 4:23 PM | Link to this
Gregor Fan-co: Smoltz news? He’s on a surgical bed right now, probably either preparing to get cut upon or being cut upon….
DR. ANDREW, that post made me laugh. Clever.
By ugaman
June 10, 2008 4:23 PM | Link to this
One, Tex should be traded first and he would command many younguns for a contender this year. Many contenders would love to get Huddy (I don’t think he is an ace)and would give up a couple of high prospects for him. glavine would command some, as would ohman. The others I would trade would be Soriano (Gonzalez should be our future closer), trade Corky (maybe someone is stupid). I believe you could get a lot of good prospects for these players, and with McCann and Chipper leading them over the next few years, I believe we would contend, much like Florida has done twice andwon the WS over the past 10 years.
There friends, that is plenty of vets to trade in order to retool.
By Graham
June 10, 2008 4:24 PM | Link to this
McFann
Sorry about that; forgot that it was the other way around. Thank you for pointing that out. However, that precisely proves my point. Francouer came up, quickly became well-known and made his presence known. McCann quietly went about his buisness and just played the game, learning and adjusting, not worrying about the “drama”. Frenchy, on the other hand, stayed in the spot-light and has not been nearly as successful. It is on his mind!
By Efrim
June 10, 2008 4:24 PM | Link to this
Efrim, wouldn’t the Royals want players a little closer to ready than Hernandez and Flowers? Seems to me that if you were willing to wait on developing players, you might as well keep Greinke while you were waiting.
Well, they aren’t contending in 2009 either. So they should look to get the best prospects possible. I mean, Heyward isn’t majpr league ready, but he is certainly one of the best prospects in the minors. He just won’t be ready till the second half of 2010. So, I think if your Dayton Moore, you need to get the best deal possible. Jordan Schafer is probably the guy they should target. And maybe Morton Schafer and Jones is what it will take. If it is, then I;ll have to pass. Grienke is good, but he isn’t worth those prospects yet. Not with a career 4.50 ERA.
By Tomahawkin
June 10, 2008 4:24 PM | Link to this
I heard a couple of rants about some of the cats on here can’t get the game because its on PTV…
Well the game will be Aired on WGN as well, If you don’t mind listening to Len Casper and Bob Brenly (Who I can tolerate because they are not overly biased as with, say the Cardinals or Marlins commentators
Good insight on the reocrds of the teams that were penciled in to be in the thick of things this year D.O.B.
Anyone know on the wind conditions at Wrigley? I wouldn’t mind seeing a good slugfest, with hopefully us being the benificiaries of it…
By DAP
June 10, 2008 4:25 PM | Link to this
carolina matt youre weird, man.
By N8
June 10, 2008 4:27 PM | Link to this
Carolina Matt
I’m not sure whether to throw up, or laugh my azz off.
Uh…well done…I think?
By Ray
June 10, 2008 4:27 PM | Link to this
Folks… I think, deep down inside, where the uncomfortable truths reside, we all know the likely fate of our team. We know that the Braves aren’t likely to suddenly morph back into the titans they were in the mid 90’s.
Having said that, at least they stay competitive and give us hope for 80% of the interminably long season, unlike, a swath of other perennial basement dwelling teams. Do you guys realize that the Pirates haven’t played ONE playoff game since Sid Bream slid across the plate in 92? Can you imagine the misery of knowing with certainty your team has zero chance of making the playoffs by mid may? Despite the heartbreaking games we have endured the last couple seasons, at least we are supplied hope by the players the Braves’ organization puts on the field.
And what did Andy Duphrane say after escaping Shawshank Prison?
“Hope is a great thing. Maybe the best of things…”
And I hope we pummel the Cubs today.
By David
June 10, 2008 4:28 PM | Link to this
THANK YOU Reid in EAV (3:40 post) for the Lee Elia tirade link! I was barely a teenager & living in Montana when that happened, so I had never heard it! Classic! “85% of the world is out there working, and the rest of them are our fans!”. Nice!
By Tomahawkin
June 10, 2008 4:28 PM | Link to this
Cubs Fan Please don’t bring those cheesy Cubs Nursery rhyme song up in here. That song is so bad I’d think I’d take crap like Fergie over it, and thats saying something…Its bad enough hearing That cheesy song live on WGN, And people want to say the tomahawk chop is cheesy…
By ncscoots
June 10, 2008 4:29 PM | Link to this
BravesRule, Hanson had an 8-run, two-and-two-thirds nightmare in one of his AA starts; otherwise, 6 innings, no more than 3 ER, in the others.
He had a little difficulty moving up a level in-season last year, too, but shook it off. Guess we’ll have to see if that continues at the higher level.
By Chop Chop
June 10, 2008 4:30 PM | Link to this
cooper,
Milton Bradley has only played 11 games in the field this year for the Rangers. He’s basically been a DH this season. He’s hitting about 90 points higher at home (.388 vs. .295), slugging an insane 380 points higher at home (.837(!) vs. .457), his OPS is nearly 500 points higher at home (1341 vs. .868). He has hit 12 of his 14 HRs at home.
In addition, Milton Bradley has played 100 games in a major league season only twice in his career. He can’t be trusted to play everyday in left field because of that, so what would be the point in trading for him? You’ll just be giving up pitching prospects (the Rangers will want pitchers and nothing else for him…I guess they didn’t get enough of our guys last year) for a potential Mark Kotsay situation. The Braves need players they can count on to be there, not players who are a coin flip from game to game.
Oh, and DAP? Milton Bradley is nothing like Jeff Francoeur in the field (he’s often injured), but he’s also nothing like Francoeur at the plate. Bradley gets on base very nicely (.366 career OBP) and doesn’t strike out a whole lot.
By Goodoleboy58
June 10, 2008 4:31 PM | Link to this
ugaman-
who are you going to get in return for Corky? I wouldn’t want anyone that a team would offer for a .010 lifetime hitter
By STRETCH
June 10, 2008 4:31 PM | Link to this
Padres consider wholesale changes Posted: Wednesday May 21, 2008 07:41AM ET The Padres have the worst record in the major leagues. They’re 13 games out of first place in the National League West. Jake Peavy, the ace, just went on the disabled list. You can almost smell the fire sale coming. Kevin Towers, the general manager, fired a warning shot after Monday’s 8-2 loss to the Cardinals. “I’m certainly not going to watch this for another four months,” he told reporters. The Padres already cut Jim Edmonds. They could dangle Randy Wolf to the Brewers, Astros, Marlins, maybe even to his original team, the Phillies. They could trade Greg Maddux too, and it would be sweet if they would send him back to the Braves.
Los Angeles Times
By ncscoots
June 10, 2008 4:32 PM | Link to this
Efrim, good points at 4:24, I get what you’re saying.
By David
June 10, 2008 4:32 PM | Link to this
Tomahawkin - DOB mentioned in his 4:20 post that the wind was blowing out to straight center field….hope Glavine’s “big inning” isn’t TOO big tonight….
By Austin
June 10, 2008 4:36 PM | Link to this
The Braves play with a 23 man roster. Corky F*** Miller sucks and Phil Stockman doesn’t get used. Sammons needs to be brought up to replace Miller.
Corky Miller sucks.
By Brave Defender
June 10, 2008 4:38 PM | Link to this
Sorry Orig Jon… all fun & games. Anything for a laugh at work even at Mr Ed’s expense.
Maybe the Braves needed to be swept at home to turn up some energy on the road. They had only lost what 7 or 8 games at home going into the series with the Phillies since April 2.
90+ games is a LONG way to go.
GO TOMMY! GO BRAVES!!!
By monty
June 10, 2008 4:38 PM | Link to this
Attention Bobby Cox: Do NOT pitch to Soriano in key situations! WAlk that sucker!Let some other Cubbie try to beat us. Braves hitters need to come out whacking and put the Cubs on the defensive! But please get good pitches to swing at!
By Tomahawkin
June 10, 2008 4:39 PM | Link to this
Thanks about the wind report D.O.B.
Gotta say it will be a good upset if we take 2 of 3 from any of the three teams excluding Colorado (Hopefully it should be hot out there in Denver because we do not want to see another game played below 60 degrees)
Texas will not be a pushover, they’re offense is sick, but they have to possess one of the worse bullpens in the league after Cleveland and Oakland clobbered them 2 weekends ago…
Gonna be interesting if anyone has checked the Phillies Play Florida, Boston and Anaheim as well so these next 10 days will say a lot about where everyone stands in the East…
By David O'Brien
June 10, 2008 4:39 PM | Link to this
Flags are popping, you can hear the chains slapping against the flagpoles.
OK, time to go down and see if Soriano feels up to pitching today (and check on Chipper).
By rlpmetro
June 10, 2008 4:39 PM | Link to this
Gregor Fan-co
Do you read this blog at all??? DOB says in his update that Smoltz had his surgery scheduled for this afternoon. What the heck kind of news do you want to get? He is out for the year! Move on!
By The Mysterious Rhinestone Cowboy
June 10, 2008 4:40 PM | Link to this
Gregor Fan-co,
Bramhall was the younger guy with the medallion. The older guy that you’re thinking of is probably Andy Fairweather-Low or maybe Snowy White.
By Bobby's Cox
June 10, 2008 4:41 PM | Link to this
BravesFanInRockies
Sure they score more BravesFanInRockies. I acknowleged that. But do they win? That’s my point. Look at my long post, and look at the Angels stats vs. the braves. They braves are WAY better in BOTH pitching AND offense, yet their records are way different.
The braves are 4th in the majors in hitting and 4th in the majors in pitching, but are at .500.
Why is that BravesFanInRockies? Again, stats aren’t everything. The way the players play is. But if you want to rely on stats, then look who leads the league in going from 1st, to 3rd on basehits. The Dbacks made the playoffs last year giving up more runs than they scored. Again, stats don’t tell the whole story.
If you want players to stop at 1st and 2nd on singles to the gap in the OF or RF to reserve outs in hopes for the big hit, then don’t expect any more of the same from this ball club.
What you’re doing as a consequence is putting more pressure on hitters to produce who aren’t good in pressure situations. Put the pressure instead on the defenses.
By TennesseePaul
June 10, 2008 4:42 PM | Link to this
Q: wouldn’t the Royals want players a little closer to ready
A: Well, they aren’t contending in 2009 either.
HA! Now that was a good exchange. That team might compete sooner than later if they stop picking up all the Braves players that “could be a starter on another team”. Those guys are all over the Royals system and it ain’t helping ‘em one bit.
By Tomahawkin
June 10, 2008 4:45 PM | Link to this
Yea, David I caught it, just hope that the offense can sopt Glavine a 2-0 lead early where Glavine can avoid early inning trouble, its gonna be imperative that Glavine doesn’t have long pitch innings to where he’s out after 5
The Cubs offense has been known to be one of the more experienced/ more patient offenses in the league, after coming off a year in which they were one of the worst
watch how that cubs lineups make Glavine work tonight…
By McFann
June 10, 2008 4:46 PM | Link to this
Graham—
Your 4:24 post is 100% correct! I have felt that way for a long time! That’s the reason I like McCann so much better. He’s only worried about playing better and helping the team out any way he cann.
Brian admits to mistakes and tries to improve them. Francoeur meanwhile is still claiming, “It’s not I’m swinging at stupid pitches.”
By David
June 10, 2008 4:48 PM | Link to this
Too funny - yes, Corky Miller sucks. But he hasn’t lost a single game for the Braves. Francoeur and Tex (in April) on the other hand….That stiff wind could help some of Frenchy’s popups turn into homeruns - hope is a great thing!
By TennesseePaul
June 10, 2008 4:48 PM | Link to this
The wind is blowing out… perhaps this will assist Francoeur on his way to redeeming his season. Or, maybe we should out right release him. I’ve heard he has no major league talent what so ever… it’ll be hard for the newly wed to manage and he might actually regret not going to college to get a degree, but there are plenty of jobs in this Country… over 94% of the population is employed so he should be fine.
The earlier point about the games remaining between the Phillies and Braves is very valid. One 3 game sweep by the Braves and this weekend is all a wash. In the mean time, this team is at least 4 games over against everyone else. Add to that the fact that the team has no games left against the Pirates and you find it is 8 games over .500. Plenty of sunshine… and wind.
By Original Jon
June 10, 2008 4:51 PM | Link to this
Brave Defender It’s no problem at all, like you said, its all fun and games, cant wait to get off work.
By prattvillenolzfan
June 10, 2008 4:52 PM | Link to this
HEY EFRIM
I mentioned 2 weeks ago about the Braves acquiring Grienke…It would take more than just prospects however, maybe 2/3 prospects and 2 of our bench/starters.
HEY DOB
Regarding your stat about our record the last 161 games…81-80.
It proves what we always knew, WE NEED CHIPPER IN THE LINE-UP..
However, I’ve got a bad feeling about the seriousness of his pecs..
ALSO DOB(or anyone else who knows
What’s the reasoning with Fultz getting canned….Are the Braves blaming him for the rash of injuries
I spent the last 5 days camping/hiking in the smokies….I could NOT believe what I saw Sunday night when I got home……Unbelievable
If we are going to compete, we need to go at least 7-3 on this trip….
By Tomahawkin
June 10, 2008 4:53 PM | Link to this
Oh yea if anyone doesn’t know The cubs play this really cheesey As.. song when they win home games, I’m pretty sure everyone will know what I’m talking about if we lose any games at Wrigley…
That CubsFan blogger sang a lil bit of it in an earlier post, but the song makes me wanna puke…because its that cheesy…
By Efrim
June 10, 2008 4:53 PM | Link to this
NcScoots
He makes the most sense for the Braves. I mean, we have the connection with Moore, we want a young starter that we can control, and he is a legit #2. At least he sure has the stuff to be. It’s just that if you are the GM of the Royals, you need to get at least one very good to great regular back in that trade. And like you said, out of all of our prospects, Schafer and Heyward might be the only ones that you can say that about. But the team needs anything and everything at the minor league level, so I think offering Hernandez, Jones and Flowers might be enough. Probably not, but Jones can;t be as bad as he has been this year at Triple A. He just can’t be. Flowers has Moneyball written all over him, and Hernandez, at very least, is Carlos Gomez(okay, that may be a bit much- but Gorkys has a 880 OPS at Myrtle Beach)
By ncscoots
June 10, 2008 4:56 PM | Link to this
Wind blowing out at Wrigley doesn’t exactly get hitters in the “patient” frame of mind, LOL. Regardless of the name on the front of the uni…
By Efrim
June 10, 2008 4:56 PM | Link to this
TennPaul
Well, the Royals system is one of the worst in the majors and the major league squad is lacking a ton of talent as well. They aren’t signing Grienke long term and he is a free agent at the end of 2010. It would make sense to deal him to a pitching starved team. Although, it makes more sense to ask for Schafer and then some.
By Anders
June 10, 2008 4:57 PM | Link to this
DOB
Thanks for the note on my Dr. Andrews quote - I knew ya missed me. But only when I imitate someone else . Hmmm.
What’s up Braves Nation?? Well I guess our season’s are over huh? The Phillies have a 6.5 and 7.5 lead on our clubs. I mean - what team would cough that kind of lead up?
By Joe
June 10, 2008 4:58 PM | Link to this
Hey, it’s 4:56 PM on Tuesday and Corky Miller is still on the roster…Why????????????????????
By CMC
June 10, 2008 5:04 PM | Link to this
DOB,
Are you going to crack open an ice cold Old Style during your stay in the Windy City? Whether you like the taste or not, you gotta have an Old Style when in Chicago. And have you ever ventured into the Cabaret Metro not far from the ballpark? Grungy underground place. I understand the Smashing Pumpkins played there at one time before they hit it big.
By Gregor Fan-co
June 10, 2008 5:05 PM | Link to this
“Do you read this blog at all??? DOB says in his update that Smoltz had his surgery scheduled for this afternoon. What the heck kind of news do you want to get?”
Jeez, I dunno. Maybe how it went? If he’ll ever pitch again?
By TennesseePaul
June 10, 2008 5:06 PM | Link to this
Chiming in on the small ball big ball talk. This team was built to, as one esteemed blogger likes to say, hang ‘em and bang ‘em. The issue is with inconsistency and health. I think initially the line up was flawed for this type of production with KJ at the top. Finally that was addressed and Kotzay was moved up, but then he went on the DL. It’s hard to get in a rhythm when the line up changes, but it’s hard to keep a standard line up when the health issue butts in.
I think, as for the merits of the small ball game, it would probably fire up the team a bit more. The team is obviously in a rut right now. Sending them out there to have fun and play the game like they were kids again might help lighten the load. There are a lot of young guys learning what it is like to play the game with the nation watching instead of only the parents. I’d imagine it’s a little more grueling and less fun at times. Hell, Davies had as much to say when he was shanked. Apparently he didn’t really enjoy losing in Atlanta as much as losing in Kansas City.
DOB, Jason: I did it. Finally went out and picked that album up. Popped it in and was pleasantly surprised. Boxer is a good album. Also picked up some other tunes including, but not limited to, Evil Urges. Haven’t listen to that one yet.
By Jeff321
June 10, 2008 5:10 PM | Link to this
Word has it Corky Miller is heating up. And don’t be surprised if Cox puts him in the four hole, eh?
By BravesFanInRockies
June 10, 2008 5:11 PM | Link to this
Bobby’s Cox,
Do they win? The Angels have been successful during Scoscia’s tenure.
The Angels also have a different kind of roster than the Braves. Scoscia puts a premium on putting the ball in play and running — don’t walk much and don’t strike out much. (And until 2007, they had Bud Black as the pitching coach, no small deal.)
I don’t like teams that can only play that way because I prefer a balanced offense that can score in a variety of ways (the Red Sox in recent years, the Phillies and Cubs now).
If you’re arguing that the Braves need to play better fundamental baseball (stealing bases and sacrificing at a higher percentage than they have been when they choose to do so), I can’t argue with you.
If you think they should revamp the roster with speed and gap power rather than home run hitters and patient on-base guys, fine.
But if you try to play small ball with this group of players, they’ll be passing the Nationals in the wrong way pronto. The team’s not built to play that way and it hasn’t been since before Sheffield and Drew were around, if not earlier.
By TennesseePaul
June 10, 2008 5:13 PM | Link to this
Efrim : Yes. Zack is an interesting option. He’d probably cost an arm and a leg as well. I’d have to see what that team would want before I’d get too excited though. If the price is right he wouldn’t be a bad fit. He does have some pressure issues though so he could revert to stinking up the joint if he goes to a large market. On the other hand he would probably receive more run support here and by extension enjoy pitching with a lead and do well… The cost is what concerns me most.
By Red
June 10, 2008 5:18 PM | Link to this
Hell, Davies had as much to say when he was shanked.
I wish I could tell you that Davies fought the good fight, and the Sisters let him be. I wish I could tell you that - but the clubhouse is no fairy-tale world. He never said who did it, but we all knew. Things went on like that for awhile - clubhouse life consists of routine, and then more routine. Every so often, Davies would show up with fresh bruises. The Sisters kept at him - sometimes he was able to fight ‘em off, sometimes not. And that’s how it went for Davies - that was his routine. I do believe those first two years were the worst for him, and I also believe that if things had gone on that way, this place would have got the best of him.
By TennesseePaul
June 10, 2008 5:20 PM | Link to this
I see Davies has had two fine starts. Perhaps he’s available.
By Earl
June 10, 2008 5:22 PM | Link to this
DOB,
With the Braves signing Brian Lawrence for Richmond, is that a sign Morton’s on his way up?
By bravesfan
June 10, 2008 5:24 PM | Link to this
C Zambrano will pitch for the Cubs Thursday.
By rammerjammer
June 10, 2008 5:26 PM | Link to this
Due to injuries, we’re asking - no, expecting - guys to do things they’ve never done before.
It’s frustrating watching Boyer, Acosta, Ring, etc. in their growing pains but that’s what happens when you lose Gonzalez, lose Soriano and lose Moylan. It’s just tough to replace veterans with kids.
Same for the rotation…no Smoltz, no Chuck James, no Hampton (there WAS hope).
Someone said the Phillies have used only 12 pitchers ALL SEASON. None have gone on the DL…no starters have missed a turn. That’s unbelievable.
Imagine the Braves with Smoltz and Hampton part of a healthy rotation…and Moylan, Gonzalez and Soriano taking care of business night after night.
Damn. We’d be kicking tail. I don’t care if your granny was playing right field.
By brian
June 10, 2008 5:33 PM | Link to this
I remember last year around this time when a lot of people were calling on the BRaves to trade for Dontrelle Willis. It would have cost us the farm. Who here is happy that JS and Wrenn avoided Willis?
DOB- quick question for your opinion. If Charlie Morton is called up, where do you think he would be most effective and where would best develop him as a pitcher - bullpen or starter? He could easily follow the path of Joba, Wainwright, etc and go from bullpen to starter. He may be more helpful as a starter if he could keep going 7 innings or more like he has been doing at Richmond since Campillo often does not make it past 5 innings.
By Roman Gal
June 10, 2008 5:34 PM | Link to this
Didn’t know if anyone posted this article about Chipper and Berkman
It’s funny how different they are.
By TennesseePaul
June 10, 2008 5:43 PM | Link to this
maybe Morton Schafer and Jones is what it will take. If it is, then I;ll have to pass. Grienke is good, but he isn’t worth those prospects yet. Not with a career 4.50 ERA.
If Lillibridge hasn’t ruined his stock he’d be a good one to add in to the mix. Maybe replace Schafer with Lillibridge. That team could use an upgrade over Pena Jr. But I don’t think you’d get a pitcher without giving a pitcher which means Morton probably. Or some pitcher Moore worked hard to develop.. Perhaps Chuck James DL or not…
By Dylan Kight
June 10, 2008 5:44 PM | Link to this
DOB,
Wondering if you got the cd I sent you? Loving the blog as usual! I agree on the Frenchy, he’s got to turn it around for us to be in it. He hasn’t taken a step back from last year he has taken a large jump from a building… Geezers! New MMJ album is smokin’ … great stuff!
-D
By TennesseePaul
June 10, 2008 5:45 PM | Link to this
Now that I just typed that I see the entire Royals starting rotation is Right handed. Chuck, a lefty, might actually interest them more…
By Kentavo
June 10, 2008 5:59 PM | Link to this
Gotta share this with the denizens. I heard Cox’s pregame comments on XM before Sunday’s game and he said he was “resting” Chipper and McCann and hopefully the result would be more offense, and more runs scored. Are you kidding me? You take out MLB’s leading hitter and a .300 hitter and power threat (McCann) and you’re hoping to score more runs? It’s that kind of bs that I just can’t stand to hear anymore.
And I hate to be negative, but I feel Bravos are about to go into the annual June Swoon, starting with an embarassing butt kicking at Wrigley.
Wren needs to get on the horn soon, before it’s too late and get us some reinforcement.
Brian Lawrence is not the answer.
By Kentavo
June 10, 2008 5:59 PM | Link to this
Gotta share this with the denizens. I heard Cox’s pregame comments on XM before Sunday’s game and he said he was “resting” Chipper and McCann and hopefully the result would be more offense, and more runs scored. Are you kidding me? You take out MLB’s leading hitter and a .300 hitter and power threat (McCann) and you’re hoping to score more runs? It’s that kind of bs that I just can’t stand to hear anymore.
And I hate to be negative, but I feel Bravos are about to go into the annual June Swoon, starting with an embarassing butt kicking at Wrigley.
Wren needs to get on the horn soon, before it’s too late and get us some reinforcement.
Brian Lawrence is not the answer.
By nate
June 10, 2008 6:01 PM | Link to this
Has anybody on here actually seen Morton pitch? Has anybody heard where he projects? I mean, everybody is really excited here about a minor league player without much of a track record. Its not like he was a number one draft pick that everyone has watched develop. What do we really expect from this guys this year?
By Lew
June 10, 2008 6:13 PM | Link to this
BravesRule-You asked about Thomas Hanson and implied he was getting his @$$ kicked in AA. Not quite so.
He was terrible in his first two starts at Mississippi-gave up 9ER in 9IP with 7BB and 12K.
However-In the four succeeding starts at AA, he has calmed considerably and has given up 9 ER in 23IP (I believe a 3 something ERA?), with 5BB and 16K-much closer to his minor league numbers of 2.75 ERA with 48 hits, 23BB and 77K in 72 IP.
This kid has what it takes and can be forgiven for having a couple of rocky starts facing an entirely different level of hitters. He is a bona fide top of the rotation prospect with the potential for a 3-1 K to BB rate. He needs to remain a Brave and not be traded for a (likely non existent, given the number of holes needing filling) quick fix.
For crying out loud-give the kid a chance. Hell, Dontrelle just got sent back to A ball-let Hanson adjust to AA. No one considered calling him up yet.
By David O'Brien
June 10, 2008 6:18 PM | Link to this
Chipper’s better, but not good enough to play. Hopes to be in there tomorrow. Available to pinch-hit…
Expecting word any moment on Smoltz.
By Austin
June 10, 2008 6:19 PM | Link to this
I wish Bobby would go on a tirade.
I mean Ozzie has the Sox winning 7 straight. Lou Piniella turned the whole season around for the Cubies last year. Leyland did it a couple years ago.
Oh wait, I forgot Cox was a gutless old man.
Corky Miller Sucks.
By TennesseePaul
June 10, 2008 6:19 PM | Link to this
I was curious… so I looked.
Since August 31, 2007, over a span of 83 games played, Chipper Jones has hit the following:
That’s just sick… Over half a season! Over the past 162 games…
Simply unbelievable. 83 XBH hits over his last 162 games and only 80 strike outs! And only 1 HBP in that whole time. What a force.
By Kentavo
June 10, 2008 6:20 PM | Link to this
I saw Tommy Hanson at Myrtle Beach, and sat behind the plate - the kid was dealing, and it was cold night, and drizzling.
By David O'Brien
June 10, 2008 6:22 PM | Link to this
No word on whether Soriano is available tonight. Bobby hadn’t talked to him yet when asked about it….
Doubtful Kotsay will play on trip, but he’s doing a little better each day….
Dylan: Would you believe I just got to the office couple days ago and yes, I got it. Haven’t listened yet. Sorry about that. Will immediately upon return home. It got lost in the stack of unopened CDs and DVDs I’ve purchased lately.
Thanks much for sending. I’ll definitely give it a listen soon….
By David O'Brien
June 10, 2008 6:24 PM | Link to this
Early, I certainly wouldn’t read into the Lawrence signing as a sign that Morton’s on way up. I think Morton will be here if they have an injury or whatever, but they got Lawrence as depth, a guy who’s pitched in majors before, former 15-game winner, no-risk proposition signing him to a minor league deal.
By Lew
June 10, 2008 6:25 PM | Link to this
Kentavo-Dude, can you think beyond the obvious? What Bobby Cox meant was that with McCann and Chipper dead tired or hurt, we would be losing their effectiveness. By resting McCann for two days and Chipper until he was in less pain, they were likely to be more productive in the days to come due to being A.Rested and Less tired and B. Recovered from injury.
Doesn’t take a brain surgeon Dude. You’re just looking for a reason to criticize, aren’t you? I’m sure if you look just a bit harder, you could find something much more b!tch worthy than that non starter..
By TennesseePaul
June 10, 2008 6:25 PM | Link to this
Lew: That’d make for a 3.52 ERA…
By JEB
June 10, 2008 6:25 PM | Link to this
Floridabrave Totally agree!!
Morton needs to be a starting pitcher - not sitting in a bullpen!
Campillo would be great in the bullpen - his stuff could be a great distraction and throw hitters timing off big time!! Especially if he pitches and then you bring in heat with Acosta, Ohman, or Boyer. He would wodk great in long relief and save alot of innings on the bullpen!
By bravesfan
June 10, 2008 6:26 PM | Link to this
DOB, what is the lineup?
By David O'Brien
June 10, 2008 6:31 PM | Link to this
Just talking to D. Lee at the batting cage, and he asked me if I’d bring him one of Chipper’s bats. I thought he meant to see if he’d sign it, like players always ask each other to do for their collections, etc.
But he meant because Chipper’s raking. “I need one of those bats, with all the hits in it. He’s just locked in.”
By N8
June 10, 2008 6:33 PM | Link to this
Kentavo
“And I hate to be negative….”
I guess that’s where you and I differ.
Just kidding, of course. But I saw a window…
By AdirondackDave
June 10, 2008 6:33 PM | Link to this
DOB — Did you mean Chipper might pinch hit tonight or tomorrow? Wasn’t quite clear. Thanks.
By i dont watch road games
June 10, 2008 6:34 PM | Link to this
DOB ,i heard on Mike and the Mad Dog show(wfan new york)the yanks and mets are talking with the Braves about Tex ,is that true ?
By FloridaBrave
June 10, 2008 6:35 PM | Link to this
Efrim,
I can’t see Hernandez, Flowers, and Jones being “too much” for Greinke. Greinke’s young, starting to reach his potential, and is under control until 2010. IMO, Hernandez, Rohrbough, and Hicks might be closer to what they want.
If we can get Greinke for what you propose I would pull the trigger on that immediately.
By 3Pitch
June 10, 2008 6:36 PM | Link to this
The Braves are too old and too injury prone to win this year. They need to use the Florida Marlins example and trade for the best young talent they can find by trading away Tex and perhaps a starting picher or two.
I am impressed by the Marlins ability to continually rebuild with quality young talent from other teams. It is an example the Braves should try to follow as well. Personally, I am very tired of rental players, and the cost of acquiring them. I would like to see this process reversed. I would rather see a younger Braves team trying to win than an older Braves team that struggles.
By Braveheart
June 10, 2008 6:37 PM | Link to this
A gutless old man? You must not watch alot of games. Cox has a big ole gut.
By FloridaBrave
June 10, 2008 6:39 PM | Link to this
Exactly, DOB, of course Lawrence “isn’t the answer.” Who said he was? He shores up the Richmond rotation with some ML experience. It’d be great if he can return to his 15 win form. If not, so what? The potential reward definitely outweighs the risk.
By McFann
June 10, 2008 6:39 PM | Link to this
Austin—
OK! We get it! You don’t like Corky Miller! Give it a rest, man! You don’t have to end every post with “Corky Miller [stinks]”! Give the guy a break! He hardly ever plays! How’s a guy s’posed to make adjustments when he only plays about once a week? (Not that I want him to play more. Once a week without 3BMac is enough.)
If Corky played every single day (or close to that), you’d almost have a point…But sheesh! Take a chill pill.
By RoswellBraves
June 10, 2008 6:42 PM | Link to this
Is McCann playing tonight????
By Efrim
June 10, 2008 6:48 PM | Link to this
i dont watch road games
I was listening to Mike and the Mad Dog as well and I didn’t hear that……
By David O'Brien
June 10, 2008 6:49 PM | Link to this
Smoltz only had arthroscopic surgery, didn’t have to do full-on cut-him-open. Not that that necessarily means he can or can’t come back. Waiting for the e-mail release, but I’m told labrum was the most significant injury and that it’ll be a few months before they know if he has realistic shot of coming back.
By Del
June 10, 2008 6:51 PM | Link to this
Lots of talk about small ball vs long ball. One thing is for sure. Bobby Cox believes in the 3 run homer. I assume that the Braves farm system grooms their players to conform to the style of their major league mgr. So is it any wonder that the majority of position players we call up from our farm system find it difficult to bunt, hit behind the runner or read the pitcher for an edge in a steal situation situation. They haven’t been taught, or it hasn’t been emphasized. I don’t say we should convert fully to a small ball team, but I do feel that when the situation demands a small ball approach that we be prepared to execute same.
By David O'Brien
June 10, 2008 6:57 PM | Link to this
For now, here’s the press release. Tom Stinson is doing a story, gonna talk to Braves doc, etc.:
ATLANTA – Atlanta Braves right-handed pitcher John Smoltz underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder today. The procedure was performed by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Alabama.
The most significant of the repairs was to the labrum in Smoltz’s shoulder and it is unclear at this time when Smoltz might be able to return to major league competition. Smoltz is resting comfortably and will start a rehabilitation regimen within the next few days.
“The prognosis on John’s shoulder is unclear based on the findings of today’s surgery,” Braves Executive Vice President and General Manager Frank Wren said. “We will know more as John starts to progress through his rehab.”
Smoltz opened the 2008 season on the disabled list, then was disabled again from April 28 to June 2 with right biceps tendinitis. He went 3-2 with a 2.57 ERA in six games (five starts). One of the best pitchers in Braves’ history, Smoltz owns a career record of 210-147 (.588) with 154 saves and a 3.26 ERA. He has played each of his 20 Major League seasons with the Braves.
The 1996 National League Cy Young Award winner, Smoltz registered 157 wins as a starting pitcher before missing the entire 2000 season due to “Tommy John” surgery on his right elbow. He moved primarily to the bullpen in 2001 and became the Braves’ all-time saves leader by recording 154 rescues in just three and a half seasons (2001-04).
Smoltz returned to the starting rotation in 2005 and went 47-26 with a 3.18 ERA in 105 starts before being placed on the disabled list on April 28. Last season he passed Phil Niekro as the franchise’s all-time strikeout leader, and on April 22 he became the 16th member of the 3,000-strikeout club, fanning Washington’s Felipe Lopez in the third inning.
Smoltz the only pitcher in baseball history to post at least 200 wins and 150 saves in his career. His 15 victories and 194 strikeouts in postseason play are both Major League records.
By McFann
June 10, 2008 7:02 PM | Link to this
Reid in EAV—
I just saw your last post on the last blog. You’re correct!! (But the year is 1961.) Great job!
By Chop Chop
June 10, 2008 7:04 PM | Link to this
The Braves need a manager with more guts.
Promote Chino Cadahia.
By bravesfan
June 10, 2008 7:16 PM | Link to this
Here’s tonight’s lineup:Escobar SS, Johnson 2B, Francoeur RF, Teixeira 1B, Norton LF, McCann C, Infante 3B, Blanco CF, Glavine P
By 22oz
June 10, 2008 7:17 PM | Link to this
I recall an interview with Frank Wren back in the spring, where he said he was big on speed. i think once Cox is gone, we will see Wren assemble teams, and pick a manager, that plays a different style of ball than is currently being played.
By David O'Brien
June 10, 2008 7:18 PM | Link to this
Adirondack: Tonight. I asked him and Chipper said he could pinch-hit tonight.
By Coach (Lets Go Braves In 2008)
June 10, 2008 7:25 PM | Link to this
3-0, Marlins over the Phillies in the first. We are getting some help. Lets see if the Braves can take advantage of it.
By David O'Brien
June 10, 2008 7:28 PM | Link to this
Chipper took BP and infield, said he’s still sore but still aiming to play tomorrow.
By Bill
June 10, 2008 7:29 PM | Link to this
If the Braves are 10 games out at end of month, it’s time to tear this team down. Starting with Tex. He’s hitting better and I think he would bring a big return. Shop Hudson for young starting pitcher. Trade Frenchy,James and Lillibridge to KC for Greinke and Tehean and any others that would have any trade value. I’m tired of spending and being teased with a 500 ball club. I had rather suffer with young players. They would be more exciting.
By Saltywoody
June 10, 2008 7:30 PM | Link to this
I think just once in my life, I’d like to be able to write something to the effect of “I was down talking to Derrek Lee by the batting cages when…”
The most I’ve got to this point is “I was once in Dark Star getting my hat signed by the now all-but-forgotten Francisco Cabrera when…” The unfortunate part is that phrase ends “…when Tom Glavine walked by and didn’t sign autographs.” Damn Francisco Cabrera for ruining that hat.
By 22oz
June 10, 2008 7:30 PM | Link to this
If thats the lineup, i give up.
Ok, i don’t give up, but good lord Bobby! Do you ever wanna win again?
By ncscoots
June 10, 2008 7:30 PM | Link to this
And, Del, speaking as a huge proponent of big-inning baseball, I couldn’t agree more. When faced with a late-game tactical situation that calls for a single run to win (or even tie, in some cases), the Braves SHOULD be able to execute a bunt or steal, move the runner, have a smart AB, whatever. Agree, agree, agree. And I would also agree that this edition of the Braves has been less than sterling in that regard.
It’s the notion that using such tactics as an offensive STRATEGY that I find incomprehensible. While some think of all the small-ball stuff as aggressive baseball, it is, in fact, a passive strategy. Playing for one shot, as it were, running out the clock on each possession. Focus on the percentage of innings in which teams actually score, and you can see pretty quickly that maximizing the opportunity, when it occurs, is the much more aggressive philosophy.
Anyway, I’m pretty sure some bloggers think I’m just all about hackin’ and jackin’, LOL, but that just ain’t the case. And no matter how many times I say I’m NEVER going to get into this conversation again here, I always do. Go figure. :-)
By Chop Chop
June 10, 2008 7:32 PM | Link to this
Lew,
I don’t buy the idea of waiting on a bunch of prospects to make it to the majors and then hoping they will provide the “magic elixir” that makes the Braves win big. The Braves are a pretty young team. If you look at the position players, Chipper is the only old guy who’s in there most days. The rotation could be pretty old, but without Smoltz in there, you’ve only got Glavine as a guy who is long in the tooth. (Hampton doesn’t really count, does he?) Next year’s team will be even younger, especially if the Braves don’t spend money on older vets to mix in with the young guys.
I guess I just don’t see players like Hanson, Rohrbaugh, Morton, Gorkys Hernandez, Jordan Schafer, Freddie Freeman, and Jason Heyward being the building blocks of another Atlanta Braves dynasty. That’s too many players to count on becoming good major leaguers. The easiest path to winning for Atlanta will be to trade the right prospects in order to make the team stronger. That’s what John Schuerholz generally did. That will be Frank Wren’s job. Good luck to him.
By David O'Brien
June 10, 2008 7:32 PM | Link to this
If you’ve still not seen it, lineup is as follows:
By brian
June 10, 2008 7:37 PM | Link to this
we have a weak hitting lineup today. I would much rather see Anderson and Blanco at the top of the lineup with Escobar hitting 3rd than see Frenchy hitting 3rd and Norton 5th
By Anders
June 10, 2008 7:38 PM | Link to this
Efrim What’s up? Long time no talk. Maddog and the Pope did mention both the Mets and Yanks going after Tex today which plays right into Boras’ hands. A caller was asking about the Yanks re-signing Giambi and the Pope said no way because of Tex. Sorry guys - it’s gonna happen. Tex ain’t staying for the home town discount. Tough decision coming up for Wren. Does he trade him by July? I still don’t think the Red Sox are out of the Tex mix as a free agent either.Big Papi is starting to show some wear already. I’d rather give big money to Tex rather than Papi when he comes due.
By ALAGT
June 10, 2008 7:39 PM | Link to this
so much for speed at the top of the lineup … Frency batting 3rd … WOW!
By David O'Brien
June 10, 2008 7:42 PM | Link to this
Get this: Bobby Cox, Brian Snitker, Glenn Hubbard and Matt Diaz were all ejected for arguing that game-ending play at the plate the other night when Blanco was thrown out trying to score on Escobar’s single to center.
None of us had any idea. The people involved didn’t even know they were ejected until Braves got an e-mail notifying them. So add one more ejection (and fine) to Cox’s record.
By BravesFanInRockies
June 10, 2008 7:42 PM | Link to this
Chop Chop (7:32,
Amen. Use your prospects to improve the club. Sometimes you promote them but just as often you’ll trade them to get better, ML-ready players from other teams.
I do like everything I’ve seen about Heyward, however.
By FranciscoCabreraRules
June 10, 2008 7:45 PM | Link to this
That lineup make anyone else sick to your stomach?
By Austin
June 10, 2008 7:46 PM | Link to this
McFann
I really dont like Corky Miller but you do have a point. So…….
Francine sucks.
Braveheart
You also have a great point. He is more of a spineless man than a gutless one.
By David O'Brien
June 10, 2008 7:48 PM | Link to this
Here’s a link to the Sports Illustrated Chipper Jones story
By BravesFanInRockies
June 10, 2008 7:50 PM | Link to this
Hey Anders,
Welcome back.
I’ve changed my thinking on this, based on how Tex has “manned up” as it were during this rough patch. He has some leadership skills that weren’t obvious earlier. I now believe he may stay for a modest discount if the Braves are in the postseason.
If they’re double digits behind in late July, however, Wren will have to decide if he can get a bigger bounty for Tex in a trade or if it makes more sense to let him walk, take the draft picks and use the savings for free agents, paying young vets more internally, etc.
My tea leaves aren’t easy to read in that scenario.
By ncscoots
June 10, 2008 7:51 PM | Link to this
we have a weak hitting lineup today. I would much rather see Anderson and Blanco at the top of the lineup
Somehow, I don’t think brian quite spotted the incongruity there, LOL.
By Mike
June 10, 2008 7:53 PM | Link to this
Tonights line up is a joke…just like I knew it would be. Norton is terrible and should never hit in front of BMac,,,come on Bobby
By rlpmetro
June 10, 2008 7:56 PM | Link to this
Gregor Fan-co said, “Jeez, I dunno. Maybe how it went? If he will ever pitch again?”
Did you seriously expect any one to know that after his surgery today? You gotta be kidding me! Of course it’s going to take time to figure that out. Dr. Andrews did the surgery, so I think it’s pretty reasonable to expect it went well.
By Jerald Holcombe
June 10, 2008 8:03 PM | Link to this
Oh, I’m leaning towards the Braves being done for the season along with so many others. The only thing that gives me hope of any kind of race in the NL East is the Phillies. I just don’t think that the Phillies are that good a team. They’ve been more fortunate than they’ve been good. Their starting rotation reeks, and with the possible exception of Madsen and Lidge, I’m not too fond of their relievers either. The Phillies won the East last year, but that was due more to the Mets ineptitude than to the Phillies greatness. At any rate, I do being the Phillies will come back down to Earth soon. Let’s see if the Braves can find something deep within themselves that will cause them to get up off the deck and stop being the b*** that they are acting like.
By kirknga
June 10, 2008 8:04 PM | Link to this
I agree with Bobby’s Cox, aggressive baseball is the right way to play baseball because it puts pressure on the opposition because you can’t just prepare to defend one thing.
I think those who are reducing aggressiveness to just bunts and steals are ignoring 80% of what the Mota article categorized as “aggressive”.
For example, a passive approach is a walk, stay at first, then a single, runner at 2nd.
An aggressive approach could be a walk, a steal, and a single to score. (The Phillies did this more than once in crucial situations.)
An aggressive approach could also be a walk, and runner to third on a single.
The difference is you put pressure on the defense by stealing 2nd or going from first to third on a single vs. runner to 2nd on a single after a walk.
You don’t have to give up outs to take an aggressive approach. That is just plain false and Mota never said such a thing.
Aggressiveness is also about awareness.Awareness of pitch counts and strike zones, awareness of the pitcher’s moves, awareness of how outfielders are positioned.
I think the proof is in the pudding. The Phillies did hit home runs, but it was the walks and sinles along with the use of their speed that setup most of those home runs as the runners on base forced our pitchers to have to concentrate on something more than the guy at the plate.
By Lew
June 10, 2008 8:04 PM | Link to this
ChopChop-Sorry, Dude, we’ll just have to disagree on this one.
I would have you look to Reyes and Jurrjens, though. At the beginning of the season many here thought there was little or no value to either of them. Even after a couple of starts in Reyes’ case, there was still a hue and cry to dump him, crucify him or just put him up in front of the right field wall and shoot him-he would NEVER develop into a decent bottom of the rotation guy-he just didn’t “get it”. Now look at where things stand. Both of them are now looking like potential front rotation guys in a year or two.
I think Morton and Hanson, in particular and a few others as well, have the potential to round out the rotation for quite a few years to come. I don’t know if you’ve heard of the kid Julio Teheran, but he looks to have the makings of another Johan Santana or someone of his ability. He’s only 17 and has command of three or four pitches and throws damn near 100. His head is tied on straight, too. He’s focused.
Now, I’m not saying we need a youth movement-we DO have a young team. However, Smoltz is likely through. There is absolutely nothing to be gained from believing he will come back and be productive. Glavine is gone after this season, as well. There will have to be others stepping into those roles, sooner, rather than later. If we can find a decent pitcher or two (Grienke would be one I would consider), then go for it if we can get him without giving up too much.
However, the Braves apparently will not have inordinate amounts of $$$$$ to throw at free agents, so developing our own talent is the way to go. To this point, the Braves have done an exemplary job of doing just this. Some don’t think the same can be said of pitching. We seem to have some good ones coming along (some would say finally). The time has come to let them stay in OUR system and give them their shot. I think we’ll be quite happy we did.
By bobby
June 10, 2008 8:05 PM | Link to this
Forget about trading prospects, if they are as good as advertised, bring them up and let them play. This season is already down the tube. Give them some experience.
By keylargo
June 10, 2008 8:13 PM | Link to this
Bob Brenley (Cubs announcers) just said JF has left 20 runners on in the last four games. Just a sac. fly would be great but no contact. I almost hope he DOES have a vision problem.
By Jeff321
June 10, 2008 8:14 PM | Link to this
Cubs announcer: “You’d like to think we have Jeff F. right where we want him.. he’s left 20 runners on base in the last 4 games.”
And guess what? He strikes out. Sheesh.
By Steve from OH
June 10, 2008 8:15 PM | Link to this
Way to go Norton!
By jbutler
June 10, 2008 8:15 PM | Link to this
DOB Quick question about the logistics of the DL (sorry if this is basic..guess I’m still ground-level on some of this stuff) -
Why was Smoltz placed on the 15 day DL as opposed to the 60 day DL? Is there an advantage to roster moves, that kind of thing - or will he be moved there now? Just curious..I thought they were holding out some hope he may pitch again this year…but I didn’t think that was going to happen.
Enjoy the Windy City…Great music scene..
By Braveheart
June 10, 2008 8:15 PM | Link to this
WHIPPING OUT THE UGLY STICK TO DO SOME WHUPPING!!!
By SUPERGRASS
June 10, 2008 8:15 PM | Link to this
NORTON!!!!!!!!!
:)
By sane jane
June 10, 2008 8:15 PM | Link to this
someone was hating on Norton a few minutes ago?
By vic
June 10, 2008 8:16 PM | Link to this
way to go frenchie—big k with 2 on no outs. damn if norton didn’t get lucky. his first trip up n8. go u crazy braves.
By jukeandjive
June 10, 2008 8:17 PM | Link to this
Thank God Norton! I knew we needed to change our karma. So i put my braves hat on after taking it off before the game started. Got it on as Lilly was winding up. Just in time……
By sane jane
June 10, 2008 8:18 PM | Link to this
thank god for WGN.
Greetings from W-S, NC.
By McFann
June 10, 2008 8:19 PM | Link to this
Austin—
I really don’t like that word, but…
Note to Ted Lilly: I’m sure you want your teammate to start the All-Star Game as a Rookie, but WATCH IT!!!
By ijonathan
June 10, 2008 8:19 PM | Link to this
So, as of right now, is Frenchy the worst RF, and the worst #3 hitter, in baseball?
By i cant take it anymore
June 10, 2008 8:24 PM | Link to this
I sure would like to see lilly take a heater off his chin for throwing at mac’s head like that
By Bo
June 10, 2008 8:25 PM | Link to this
Dish network has game on 239 or WGN. Thank goodness.
By keylargo
June 10, 2008 8:27 PM | Link to this
McFann
You just continue to be an example of what Austin could be if he tried. Maybe his Mom, who almost spanked him online last night, could home school him, too.
I just want to clarify that when I said I almost wish Jeff F. had a vision problem, I meant a correctible one.
By Randy S
June 10, 2008 8:32 PM | Link to this
I can’t imagine a more relaxing beanball fest for the batters than Lilly v Glavine. Not exactly instill fear with change-ups high and tight.
By rlpmetro
June 10, 2008 8:32 PM | Link to this
They just said on the broadcast that the game is being broadcast in HD. I have Directv, and I am not in the ATL area, but it isn’t being shown in HD in the MLB Package. Is any one outside of Atlanta having luck picking up the game in HD tonight via the MLB Package?
Thanks for helping
By David O'Brien
June 10, 2008 8:32 PM | Link to this
Can’t believe both benches got warned after Lilly clearly just had no command of that pitch.
By the way, this ump, Doug Eddings, has quite a history with the Braves. He’s the one who ejected Johnny Estrada a few years back and was — according to Estrada and others who say they heard it — mf’ing the catcher before Estrada turned around and blew up.
By flange1
June 10, 2008 8:37 PM | Link to this
Efrim,
I hear you on the Greinke thing.
I said it a couple days back,
How about Frenchy and Chuckie for Zack and Teahan?
By Jeff321
June 10, 2008 8:38 PM | Link to this
Ya know, getting a lead off triple and not scoring is atrocious!
By J.D.
June 10, 2008 8:41 PM | Link to this
DOB i remember that Florida game clearly…you could tell Estrada and Eddings were talking while Estrada was crouched, then Estrada turned around threw his glove down and yelled f-you, picked up by those TBS mikes during the game
By geauxbraves2000
June 10, 2008 8:41 PM | Link to this
Maybe JF will get ejected.
I cannot believe he is batting 3rd. He’s left, what, 20 or so on base, so let’s move him up to 3rd! Ridiculous. Until he can figure some things out, he needs to be batting no higher than 10th.
Geaux Braves!!
By keylargo
June 10, 2008 8:43 PM | Link to this
Ripmetro
WGN (307)claims to have it in HD but it isn’t.
By jbutler
June 10, 2008 8:44 PM | Link to this
Gregor Fan-co Delightful word choice. 7th grade?
By Randy S
June 10, 2008 8:46 PM | Link to this
Y’all think Lilly is retaliating for us hitting Soriano last year?
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 8:53 PM | Link to this
Hope ton can hang on so we can beat the cubs, it would be triple sweet.
Beating the cubs (and their great home record)
Finishing the losing streak
winning on the road
I just dislike the cubs as much as i dislike the muts.
By ijonathan
June 10, 2008 8:53 PM | Link to this
DOB
I think it was really Darrin Erstad’s fault that Estrada got ejected that game.
By Randy S
June 10, 2008 8:53 PM | Link to this
Oh, well they just mentioned that Lilly got ejected last year in the first inning for throwing at one of the Braves. I think that was in response to the Soriano thing.
And yes, Doug Eddings is terrible. He was also the guy who made the ambiguous strike out call on the equally terrible AJ Pierzynski in the ALCS a few years back.
http://www.firedoug.com/photos.htm
By McFann
June 10, 2008 8:53 PM | Link to this
Keylargo—
I’d advise Austin’s Mom to do so (spank him and home school him).
By shields27
June 10, 2008 8:54 PM | Link to this
yay for JF and his two strikeouts tonight
By ijonathan
June 10, 2008 8:55 PM | Link to this
Sheesh…Frenchy is making an art form of getting blown away by sub-85 mph “fastballs”.
Is this going to be another one of those (road) games where the Braves offense scores 2 or 3 runs in the first inning then mails it in after that?
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 8:56 PM | Link to this
Never thought Francoeur would look sooooo bad at the plate. Bad is one thing, but he looks as a little league player, as bad as it gets.
By bravenate
June 10, 2008 8:56 PM | Link to this
It’s official Jeff change his last name to Strikeoeur
By Gamecock Brave
June 10, 2008 8:56 PM | Link to this
How was Matt Diaz tossed from that game?! I know he is on the DL, and prbly in the dugout, but he got tossed?!
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 8:58 PM | Link to this
Dont think Glavine will make it out of the 5th, this Cubs lineup is more dangerous than the phillies, great lineup.
By geauxbraves2000
June 10, 2008 8:59 PM | Link to this
Why is he batting 3rd!!!!! WHY!!!!
I used to be a fan of his, but his time is up. He needs to go away. Hopefully to an AL team where I don’t even have to hear his name anymore.
I’m sick of him going up there and flailing at every pitch, doing nothing to adjust. Don’t let the door hit you in the butt on the way out.
By bravenate
June 10, 2008 9:04 PM | Link to this
Atlanta needs a new pitcher, and not for Jo-jo or Campillo, but Glavine, just blew a 3-0 lead, we can’t wait 5 or 6 innings from him, not anymore
By Austin
June 10, 2008 9:05 PM | Link to this
Now 22 men left on base for Francine. He couldnt hit a beer league softball pitcher much less a major leaguer.
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 9:07 PM | Link to this
We are behind……and we will stay there….. next inning will be toms last. Looks like cubs are gonna score 10 and we know braves wont.
By David O'Brien
June 10, 2008 9:08 PM | Link to this
Not exactly a good jump on that hit that landed in front of Frenchy….
I can’t believe they’re wearing these blue uni’s again. Braves have a 2-8 record in these godforsaken things.
By FloridaBrave
June 10, 2008 9:08 PM | Link to this
3 outs and the P up next? I don’t know why Francoeur didn’t leave his feet for that ball.
And I love how we spot Glavine three runs in the first and now we’re losing.
Would be tied if we didn’t strand a runner on third with no outs.
By andy
June 10, 2008 9:08 PM | Link to this
I hate to say it, but it was a mistake bringing Glavine back. He needs to retire.
By Austin
June 10, 2008 9:09 PM | Link to this
I never understood why you would pitch to the 8th hitter with runners on and the pitcher on deck with 2 outs in a tie ballgame. I really dont. Maybe I’m stupid or something.
By albanian braves fan
June 10, 2008 9:11 PM | Link to this
is seeing o’brien mentioning lee elia in blog of today.
lee elia is albanian! yes. one can looking up this fact.
is happy day for albanians. totally.
By Anders
June 10, 2008 9:11 PM | Link to this
Wow! When I last visited you folks on opening day Frenchy was being touted as the next Roberto Clemente (with a better arm of course) and now folks talk about him like he’s the next Dave Kingman (without Kong’s awesome batting eye of course).
By Coach Smith
June 10, 2008 9:11 PM | Link to this
This is like watching a BAD RE-RUN..
Blow a 3-0 first inning lead and now behind…
Good Grief
By bravenate
June 10, 2008 9:13 PM | Link to this
Where is the Glavie inning eater that FW brougth to help the bullpen?, this could be the worst contract made by FW, he should spend all that money on a younger pitcher or trade for one during spring training.
Glavine was one of the best pitcher of the last decade but not now, same for Madux that a lot of people is asking for.
This team needs new blood to start living again, bring in the rookies that as mouch people said are MLB ready and start giving some experience to them, so we can dream with a winning team for the next season
By JJMB
June 10, 2008 9:14 PM | Link to this
Careful, no negative talk here, please. That means you’re not a true “FAN.” Just happy faces :-) Nothing to worry about. The skipper has it under control.
Maybe he’ll drop the F-Bomb, and the G-D Bomb, and the M-F bomb, for the bazillionth time.
By Coach Smith
June 10, 2008 9:15 PM | Link to this
Here we go….we’ve blown the lead, leaving runners on base w/o a key hit, and now they are getting themselves out on a couple of pitches and letting LILY get in a grove…..
STOP THE INSANITY PLEASE…
Attention BRAVES The definition of INSANITY is: doing the same thing again and again and expecting a different result
By TURTSNAP
June 10, 2008 9:15 PM | Link to this
Why did we bring Glav back?
By FloridaBrave
June 10, 2008 9:16 PM | Link to this
Great, 3 innings from Glavine and 4 ER. Fantastic stuff.
By geauxbraves2000
June 10, 2008 9:18 PM | Link to this
This Cubs team is for real, especially at home. IMO they have a very legitimate shot to represent the NL in the WS.
By Jeff321
June 10, 2008 9:19 PM | Link to this
Oh, so Frenchy can’t hit or field now?
Anyway, I was against bringing Glavine back to Atlanta. I appreciate what he did for us in the past. With that said, he’s “washed up” but apparently loyalty is more important to this club than winning.
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 9:19 PM | Link to this
Austin, cant you understand that no matter what, bobby cox is the best manager ever to live on this planet? You must be stup…. That was the move to make, just as it is hitting Jeff 3rd, got that? (sarcasm).
Tom lasting 3 innings….yikes. Let McDowell pitch, maybe he does better.
By Efrim
June 10, 2008 9:20 PM | Link to this
Anders
What’s up? Long time no talk. Maddog and the Pope did mention both the Mets and Yanks going after Tex today which plays right into Boras’ hands. A caller was asking about the Yanks re-signing Giambi and the Pope said no way because of Tex. Sorry guys - it’s gonna happen. Tex ain’t staying for the home town discount. Tough decision coming up for Wren. Does he trade him by July? I still don’t think the Red Sox are out of the Tex mix as a free agent either.Big Papi is starting to show some wear already. I’d rather give big money to Tex rather than Papi when he comes due.
Hey man, where ya been? I didn’t catch that bit today, I heard them discuss Kobe and Jordan, didn’t get out of work till like 6:00. As far as Tex goes, he isn;t staying, and if you’re the Braves, take the draft picks. I wouldn’t trade the guy unless you got floored with an offer- which isn’t going to happen. I think he will be in pinstripes next year for the Yanks. They need the guy, badly. I think C.C. Sabathia will play into where Tex goes. I thought that Sabathia AND Tex would sign with the Yanks, but after seeing C.C. this year, I know that the Yanks wouldn’t go after him over Teixiera. Now, the team who will go after C.C., you guessed it, your NY Mets. I think they will be all over the guy and Pat Burrell. They have about 50 million coming off the books and desparetly need a guy to pair with Maine and Santana. Burrell would help hitting 5th in that order. Not sure if it will happen, but we have a lot of time to find out. What do you think about the Mets anyway? Long season, and although the Phils are great, the Wild Card is WIDE OPEN.
By Anders
June 10, 2008 9:21 PM | Link to this
DOB
While I was Dr Andrews earlier today I swear I’m not Andy in the 9:08 post.
However, I’m not so sure that isn’t Wren posting as Andy.
By Carolina Matt
June 10, 2008 9:21 PM | Link to this
What is wrong with Glavine?
By albanian braves fan
June 10, 2008 9:21 PM | Link to this
is reading release of press: “atlanta braves right-handed pitcher john smoltz underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder today.”
who is saying is successful? is surgeon of course! wants to be paid. ever hearing surgeon say “not success”?
o’brien must perform investigative journalism for establishing of truth: confronting surgeon and demanding of hospital charts.
By dmstr25
June 10, 2008 9:21 PM | Link to this
Clockwork. Clockwork. Clockwork.
Take early lead. Watch it slowly get eaten away. Choke at every available opportunity to increase lead. Announcers mention terrible road and one-run record every three minutes. Blow lead. Watch bullpen implode. Lose. Cox says, “We’ll get ‘em tomorrow. (so-and-so) didn’t have it today.
Rinse, and repeat.
I have been a Braves fan a long time, but I might have to take a month off from watching them because I’m driving myself crazy watching this pathetic bunch every night. What a bunch of choke-artist LOSERS.
Who knows? Maybe we’ll still win.
By bravenate
June 10, 2008 9:21 PM | Link to this
Chipper was short, really short, when he said “lost an Andrew gain an andrew”, at least Andrew played solid defense and all the time he left all he has in the field, Jeff is don’t even trying to play the game
By M. R. Biggins
June 10, 2008 9:23 PM | Link to this
Not only can’t the Braves win the big games, now they can’t win the little ones either. Oh well, when you lose 20 straight one-run games on the road, what do you expect?
By geauxbraves2000
June 10, 2008 9:23 PM | Link to this
Right now I would rather see the Braves lose than see JF win the game with a walkoff.
Maybe the Padres would trade Prior for JF. They are both contributing about the same right now for their respective teams.
By Coach Smith
June 10, 2008 9:24 PM | Link to this
This is PATHETIC…keep walking people…
I can’t hardly stand to watch this anymore
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 9:24 PM | Link to this
If braves win this games, Id say they will win the division and bet my house on it. There is too much luck needed to pull this one out. Its amazing, but we all know this game is over. You can feel it, braves player have a big “game over” written on their faces and its only the 4th inning.
By albanian braves fan
June 10, 2008 9:26 PM | Link to this
in albania cost of “arthroscopic surgery” is one goat and two melons.
smoltz have goats? or does team need of paying?
By Greg O.
June 10, 2008 9:27 PM | Link to this
Think we could get Bobby to kick some dirt on Doug Eddings, a la Lou Piniella? Worked last year for the Cubs, maybe it could stop the Braves’ flatlining.
By Efrim
June 10, 2008 9:27 PM | Link to this
Tommy G with a ERA of 4.85. Geez. Well, not sure what to say, maybe Buddy can keep it close.
Why is Jeff Francoeur batting 3rd? Has BC not been watching the games. I’m sorry, but that is a little much.
By David
June 10, 2008 9:27 PM | Link to this
Just returned from daughter’s swim meet and see Glavine’s gone - what happened?
By StingerSplash
June 10, 2008 9:28 PM | Link to this
Infante stranded at third with none out. Glavine done after 3. This. Isn’t. Going. Well.
By Coach Smith
June 10, 2008 9:28 PM | Link to this
Bats need to come back to life…
Work the count..LILY is no great shakes…stop bailing him out by swinging early.
Make him work and put the pressure on them
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 9:29 PM | Link to this
Ill need to make some pirates and royals friends to ask them what they do in the summer once their season is over in june….
By Robert
June 10, 2008 9:31 PM | Link to this
Sad day for the franchise. See ya in Cooperstown in fuve years Smoltzie
By Coach Smith
June 10, 2008 9:33 PM | Link to this
I am sick of CHIP CAREY too…you can tell he is doing a poor job of masking his LOVE for the CUBS
By Philliesuk
June 10, 2008 9:33 PM | Link to this
We’re cursed. Smoltz is gone. Glavine can’t give us more than three innings in a ‘must-win’ game.
So hard to remain optimistic with this team right now.
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 9:33 PM | Link to this
what about trading francoeur for willis?
By Del
June 10, 2008 9:34 PM | Link to this
Darn it, I used to really enjoy watching the Braves games. But since about the third week of this season thay have become so predicable and frustrating that it really is no fun to watch a game anymore. After the first inning you can surely predict the winner and almost predict the score. FW or JS neesds to ask BC why in blazes he is batting Frenchy in the 3 hole tonight. Some of these decisions defy all logic. It has been mentioned before, but it is time to really consider using one of Frenchy’s remaining options and send him back to Richmond until he gets his stuff together snd his confidence back. Time to eat a little humble pie in my opinion. Wonder what the other Braves are thinking when they see Frenchy penciled in at the 3 hole?
By Interested Observer
June 10, 2008 9:35 PM | Link to this
So, when exactly does the Bill Engvall show come on?
By Braveheart
June 10, 2008 9:35 PM | Link to this
19-2 when giving up 2 runs or less
13-30 when giving up 3 or more runs
27-12 when giving up 4 runs or less
5-20 when giving up 5 or more runs
2-14 when giving up more than 5 runs
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 9:36 PM | Link to this
geauxbraves2000 Prior is on DL. Maybe thats what braves should do with JF, DL him.
By Capt Caveman (the original Dawg)
June 10, 2008 9:36 PM | Link to this
YO geauxbraves2000
Right now I would rather see the Braves lose than see JF win the game with a walkoff.
Well you have finally shown were your real “loyalty” lies.
“I would rather see him do bad so I can be right than to see him help us win.”
What a jerk!!!
By Coach Smith
June 10, 2008 9:38 PM | Link to this
Boy its a shocker…YUNEL works the count and gets a hit..KJ swings at the 1st pitch and gets an out….
HMMMMMM….
Maybe they should take a que from other team’s batters and make a pitcher work…
The Braves’ are good at beating guys like WEBB, SANTANA, and Randy Johnson…BECAUSE THEY WORK THE COUNT and make those guys get tired and make mistakes….
If they would only take that approach into every game they would be 10 over .500
By mitchie-san
June 10, 2008 9:39 PM | Link to this
I have seen it in football, when some QB’s get married, their game really goes down. I wonder if this is what happened to Francoeur…
That would be a good stat for someone to look up.
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 9:39 PM | Link to this
Bats need to come back to life… Coach Smith
Didnt know Houdini was alive and at Wrigley Field. If he is, he might try disappearing Cox and KJ as well. Ill pay him well if he does.
By bravenate
June 10, 2008 9:40 PM | Link to this
One week or two weeks ago all we were complaining about was the poor offense and to save that situation Boby Cox brougth a reliever on Matt diaz spot, not a hitter a pitcher, that was when the pitching was doing a great job, now that the bullpen is taking his real level, maybe boby could send Josh, Gotay and Infante to the minors in order to bring some pitching depth, that pitching depth that he is not using
I can’t understand why Atlanta is carring 13 pitchers and using only 5 starters and 3 relievers, that’s 5 empty slots up there, why not bring Schafer, Flowers and Canizares and still have two more spots for relievers? that way you have plenty options from the bench or for a platoon everywhere
By Bob985
June 10, 2008 9:40 PM | Link to this
What the Braves lack most is discplined contact hitters. You watch the Cubs at bat and then the “swing from the heels” (and miss) Braves… and you see why we leave men on base continuously. I really would like to see the Braves coaches work with this team to become more of a contact hitting team…then hit and run, steal a few bases and score more runs.
By David O'Brien
June 10, 2008 9:40 PM | Link to this
Gamecock, yes, Diaz tossed Friday for shouting something or other from the dugout, apparently.
By McFann
June 10, 2008 9:43 PM | Link to this
geauxbraves2000—
Glad to know I’m not the only person who thinks that way.
By ugaman
June 10, 2008 9:43 PM | Link to this
OK, Im getting officially tired of the lack of basic execution by this team. glavine isn’t even a #5 starter anymore. You can tell he knows his stuff isn’t good enough to challenge hitters. I say release glavine and bring up Morton. Let start rebuilding with Jurjjens, Morton and Reyes and hope we can establish another great pitching staff. We might as well start the process now. Franceur is absolutely lost right now. He needs more days off.
By mitchie-san
June 10, 2008 9:43 PM | Link to this
one pitch…one out…..sigh.
By David
June 10, 2008 9:44 PM | Link to this
OK - I’m still frustrated with Frenchy - but I turned on the game late and still can’t figure out what happened to Glavine…anyone?
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 9:44 PM | Link to this
Wonder what the other Braves are thinking when they see Frenchy penciled in at the 3 hole? Del
They just think: “why is bobby cox still the manager?” or maybe “may the force be with us”
By ijonathan
June 10, 2008 9:44 PM | Link to this
I know Norton has hit the ball well tonight, but do you think when Tex saw the lineup tonight with Frenchy “setting the table” in front of him and Norton “protecting him”, he put in a quick panic call to Scott Boras?
By Anders
June 10, 2008 9:45 PM | Link to this
Efrim We’ll see what happens with Tex. As for CC to the Mets. Not sure I like that. Something about him makes me wary. I feel a Mo Vaughn scenario all over again. As for this years Mets, while I think the pitching could be better it’s been good enough. Plus Santana is still adjusting and hopefully Pedro can hang around. Bottom line is Reyes and Beltran have to produce. Reyes is coming around. Beltran has been comatose. The guys an enigma. I’m waiting for his 10 to 15 game torrid streak. It’ll come. Hopefully while others are playing well and they get a hot streak. I don’t mind chasing a team with suspect pitching into the long hot summer. Honestly if the Mets were 6 games up I think they’d actually feel more pressure after last year. Not saying I wouldn’t want that though. It’s early enough but like the Braves we just can’t afford a 2-8 record over a 10 game span. Our mulligans have been used.
By Efrim
June 10, 2008 9:45 PM | Link to this
Marmol in the 8th, Wood in the 9th. Got to get to Lilly in the 7th.
By Coach Smith
June 10, 2008 9:46 PM | Link to this
What have been saying the whole dam game…Perfect example…it only took LILY NINE PITCHES to go through the heart of our order……
By Tomas
June 10, 2008 9:47 PM | Link to this
Why is Frenchy in the three hole? he has left 20 runners on base in his last three games, his hitting 250, and with an absence of power only 7hr. Why not Mccann, he is raking lefty’s and righties, and he hits for some power.
Another typical game in the road, they get the lead in the first innings and then the offense dissapears, while the opposition fights back. Without Chipper this team looks horrible.
By David
June 10, 2008 9:47 PM | Link to this
can anybody tell me what happened to glavine?
By albanian braves fan
June 10, 2008 9:49 PM | Link to this
francoeur number is 7.
average batting now .250. 2+5+0 = 7
strikeouts total 43. 4+3 = 7
best friend is brian mccann. number is 16. 1+6 = 7
is conspiracy!!!. predict cubs will score 7 runs!!!
By David O'Brien
June 10, 2008 9:49 PM | Link to this
GLAVINE LEFT ELBOW STRAIN, will miss next start.
Hello, Charlie Morton… (they haven’t announced that; I’m just guessing).
By David
June 10, 2008 9:49 PM | Link to this
Well, the Marlins beat the Phillies, so the night is looking up - c’mon Braves, let’s rally (what happened to Glavine?)!
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 9:49 PM | Link to this
Fish just beat the Phillies….. we just lost a good chance to make up for some of the lost ground.
By rotomeister
June 10, 2008 9:50 PM | Link to this
I have a couple of observations. First, it’s sad to watch Glavine now compared to his great years. Tonight he faced 18 batters in just 3 IP. He is not exactly serving his role as an innings eater as it was thought he would. He should retire just like Smoltz should retire, though for different reasons.
Second, I can’t think of a worse number 3 hitter than Jeff F. and yet there he is fresh off stranding 20 runners in his last 4 games.
I’m amazed at how he is the darling of the fans and the media in Atlanta simply because he is a home town boy. If you look at his stats, he’s Ryan Garko. Yet Garko is hardly the face of the Cleveland Indians. That goes to Sizemore. Yet, I’ve noticed that in the ads for the Braves networks that the majority of the highlight clips go to Frenchy, now 0-3 with 2K tonight in Chicago. His OBP and lack of power are significant issues for the Braves. Wren should reconsider any plans they might have of a long term contract for this very average player.
Can we also admit that signing Kotsay over a free agent like Milton Bradley or Jose Guillen was a mistake. Just look at their stats. What a difference they would make out there in left or center everyday.
D.B. any idea when will we see Jordan Schafer?
By Yars
June 10, 2008 9:50 PM | Link to this
All we can hope for now is that the Phils lose to the Fish.
By McFann
June 10, 2008 9:51 PM | Link to this
Capt. Caveman—
I think what * geauxbraves2000* means is that then all the hype would be “Oh! He’s back!! He’s the greatest!!”
But I wouldn’t rather see them lose…
By Braveheart
June 10, 2008 9:52 PM | Link to this
Glad to know I’m not the only person who thinks that way.
McFann, if you agree with that comment that you would rather see the Braves lose than see Francoeur win the game, then just go ahead and admit you are a fan of McCann and McCann only and not a Braves fan.
By cabravesfan
June 10, 2008 9:52 PM | Link to this
great- Glavine hurt his elbow
By Supes
June 10, 2008 9:52 PM | Link to this
Yes, the genious of Bobby Cox has FRANCINE batting 3rd! Someone stop the madness.
DOB, you really should give Bobby Cox all the stats on FRANCINE you had a day or so ago, maybe he doesn’t realize just how terrible FRANCINE has been since Mid April.
Get ready for a long and losing road trip.
Anders Mets and Braves in the same boat this year. Looks like it’s the Phillies and Marlins who are the best teams in the division. Glad to see that some Mets fans can still show their faces here after getting swept by last place Padres in 4 games.
The Key stat is that there is a 4% chance a team with a losing record from JUNE 20 has went on to win the Division.
Meaning if the Braves are 8-10 games out in July…It’s time to trade for some young talent. Pitching and Outfield help comes to mind. Almost everyone is expedable. TEX, FRANCINE (you’ll be able to get a dozen bats and balls for him, I think…and a bus ticket to get him out of town).
By ugaman
June 10, 2008 9:52 PM | Link to this
Well, Glavine is now injured and expected to miss the next start. Great, I guess he didn’t want Smoltz and Hampton to feel lonely. Well I guess we get to see what Morton has now. This may be a blessing in disguise though.
By J.D.
June 10, 2008 9:53 PM | Link to this
welcome to the bigs, mr. morton
By jukeandjive
June 10, 2008 9:53 PM | Link to this
Just announced: Glavine left with left elbow strain. Will definitely miss next start. Possibly more. Say hello MORTON!!!
By mitchie-san
June 10, 2008 9:53 PM | Link to this
Left elbow strain for Glavine??? great googly moogly.
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 9:54 PM | Link to this
*ijonathan *, he should pick up his bat and the team before picking up any telephone.
By Greg O.
June 10, 2008 9:55 PM | Link to this
ugaman, i agree. At least Morton should get a look in Glavine’s next spot in the rotation. With any luck, he’ll throw a gem and stick with the club.
By David
June 10, 2008 9:56 PM | Link to this
Thanks for the Glavine update, DOB. Chipper just put on a batting helmet & I think he has on a cape - coming to save the day…
By Efrim
June 10, 2008 9:57 PM | Link to this
Left Elbow Strain?
DOB
I assume he is going to go for an MRI?
Anders
Yes, Mulligans are gone for both the Braves and Mets. Gotta rip off a 15 of 20 stretch at some point this year.
By Braveheart
June 10, 2008 9:58 PM | Link to this
Why are Chip and Joe so shocked that hitters get more patient with relievers and tiring starters? Tiring starters and relievers don’t throw as many strikes as fresh starters.
By uga-brave
June 10, 2008 9:58 PM | Link to this
fact is this team just does not have the talent to overcome the current infuries.
we can debate it till the cows come home and we usually do, but them the facts.
By Jeff321
June 10, 2008 10:00 PM | Link to this
I bet Cox is playing Frenchy day and day out to help him prove he’s healthy enough for a new contract. In other words, at the detriment of the team, Cox is more interested in his golden boys’ finical future. Unless of course someone has a better explanation.
By geauxbraves2000
June 10, 2008 10:01 PM | Link to this
My loyalty lies with the Braves. I love this team. I have loved this team since 1982. I want to see them win. With JF in the lineup right now, I just don’t see how that is possible, since BC continues to baffle me with his lineup placement. I don’t want to be right about JF, I’d rather be wrong and he have a HOF career, but I think it’s time for a change of scenery for him and maybe a new hitting coach who can teach him something.
Geaux Braves!!
By Anders
June 10, 2008 10:03 PM | Link to this
Efrim
I tried to warn you guys that the Glavine you remember was long gone. Now he doesn’t even eat innings anymore. He’s on pace for less than 140. At least he got out of the game early enough to catch the last shuttle back to Atlanta to put the kids on the bus tomorrow. That is why he went home again - no?
By Capt Caveman (the original Dawg)
June 10, 2008 10:03 PM | Link to this
OK McFann
I think you need to just take his post for exactly what he said and not try to make it sound “sweet and innocent”. Wishing a player to do bad rather than wanting your team to win is the exact kind of crap I and others have been talking about these past few days.
Don’t be naive. why would you not want Frenchy to make a comeback and be great this year.
Are you so obsessed with McCann that your jealous of his friendship??
Sorry - I don’t generally argue with younger folk but if your going to put it out there, you gonna have to be taken to task.
By Coach Smith
June 10, 2008 10:03 PM | Link to this
TYPICAL!!!!!!
By Supes
June 10, 2008 10:03 PM | Link to this
Nothing against Tommy G, who’s pitching his heart out, but I’m glad to see Charlie Morton (get the callup). It’s a shame it took that for it happen. At the very least, Charlie is more capable of giving the Braves 6+ innings in a start. Hope he comes through.
By Tomas
June 10, 2008 10:04 PM | Link to this
I don’t mean to sound negative, but it’s hard to find the positive’s apart from chipper and mccann in this team:
Just heard Tom Glavine is injured, and will miss his next start, John Smoltz had succesful surgery but during the procedure they found another injury, so I think his carrer is done.
Rafael Soriano can’t stay healthy, so he cannot go back to back day’s in a row.
Manny Acosta has lost it, he is last years replica of Tyler Yates.
Frenchy just looks so horrible right now, that I forgot about the guy who hit 28hr 2 years ago.
Kelly dropping popouts in the bottom of the ninth.
Again sorry to be so negative, but it’s the truth.
By McFann
June 10, 2008 10:04 PM | Link to this
Braveheart—
It’s not that I’d rather see them lose. I read his post completely wrong, and I feel like and idiot for it (Sorry, GB 2000).
I’m really sorry fro what I said. I mean it. I hope we cann put this behind us. (And maybe Francoeur will hit a walk off on June 25, when we’re at the game.)
Just got orders to shut down. Night all!!
C’mon, BRAVES!!
By mitchie-san
June 10, 2008 10:05 PM | Link to this
Making fun of players names is pretty “High School”. You can be mad at them or hate them, but seriously, mocking their name is pretty childish.
By Glass Half Full
June 10, 2008 10:05 PM | Link to this
If Charlie Morton is indeed on the way, i think he should borrow a page from another Morton also famous in the South…Ricky Morton of the Rock n Roll Express. What do ya he enters the field with bandanas wrapped around his legs, a spiked mullet, and “Rock n Roll is King” by ELO playing through the loud speakers.
By Mike
June 10, 2008 10:05 PM | Link to this
Anyone who thinks this team is going anywhere is insane.
By geauxbraves2000
June 10, 2008 10:06 PM | Link to this
Okay, I shouldn’t have said I’d rather see them lose, for that really isn’t true. JF has really aggravated me lately as I’m sure he has a lot of fans.
Geaux Braves!!
By ijonathan
June 10, 2008 10:06 PM | Link to this
Unrelated observation — NBA officiating is a joke.
By Saltywoody
June 10, 2008 10:06 PM | Link to this
Time to send Frenchy to the benchy. This is absurd.
On a lighter note, at least Glavine, Smoltz, Diaz, Hampton, Moylan, Gonzalez, Kotsay, Chipper, and Prado are really getting to spend some quality time together.
Wow. That list seems even longer when you try to rattle all those names off at once.
My take? Frenchy to AAA. Seriously. Couldn’t hurt, right? Except maybe bruise his ego a little bit…and I think maybe it needs bruising.
By braves70
June 10, 2008 10:06 PM | Link to this
Anyone else think Glavine might call it a career at the all-star break as a show of solidarity and sympathy with Smoltz?
By 22oz
June 10, 2008 10:07 PM | Link to this
Glavine: 2 starts in blue uni, 2 injuries.
By FloridaBrave
June 10, 2008 10:07 PM | Link to this
Morton finally gets his opening. Might be for the best in the grand scheme of things with the way this season is going…
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 10:07 PM | Link to this
Hey McFann not even I would say that Id rather see the braves lose than to watch KJ hit a game winning HR. You looked bad right there. You are still on time to say you are depressed or forgot to take your pill…. Save your soul my dear friend. Confess your sins pal, punishment will be a lot lighter if you do.
By Braveheart
June 10, 2008 10:11 PM | Link to this
Labrum, It Nearly Killed Him
Why the torn labrum is baseball’s most fearsome injury.
By Will Carroll
Posted Thursday, May 20, 2004, at 5:02 PM ET
The San Francisco Giants’ Robb Nen, one of the best relief pitchers in baseball, had off-season surgery in 2002 to “clean up loose particles” in his shoulder. What Nen didn’t know is that he had a torn labrum, the fearsome modern baseball injury that strikes down pitchers quickly, stealthily, and painfully. Eighteen months and three surgeries later, Nen is still waiting to throw his next major-league pitch. The leading minds in baseball medicine are flummoxed by the labrum. Doctors can’t agree on how to detect a tear, don’t know the best way to fix one, and aren’t sure why, almost without fail, a torn labrum will destroy a pitcher’s career.
Leading baseball surgeon Dr. James Andrews estimates that 85 percent of pitchers make a full recovery after an ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, aka the once risky Tommy John surgery. (USA Today has even called the surgery the “pitcher’s best friend.” ;) But if pitchers with torn labrums were horses, they’d be destroyed. Of the 36 major-league hurlers diagnosed with labrum tears in the last five years, only midlevel reliever Rocky Biddle has returned to his previous level. Think about that when your favorite pitcher comes down with labrum trouble: He has a 3 percent chance of becoming Rocky Biddle. More likely, he’ll turn into Mike Harkey, Robert Person, or Jim Parque, pitchers who lost stamina and velocity—and a major-league career—when their labrums began to fray.
The labrum is a thin matrix of collagen seated between the head of the humerus (bone of the upper arm) and the glenoid fossa (the shallow depression where the humerus fits). It functions both as a shock absorber, cushioning the blow when the bones in the shoulder collide, and as part of the joint’s connective structure. The kinetic forces required to throw a baseball—a major-league pitcher’s arm moves at 23 rotations per second—routinely rip apart the structures designed to keep the shoulder together. The most common variety of labrum tear is a SLAP—superior lesion, anterior to posterior. The SLAP tear feels like a “catch”, a slight click or pop in the normal overhand motion.
Shoulder injuries tend to present themselves as pain and tenderness with a concurrent loss of speed on the fastball. A torn labrum is no different. But because it’s positioned between two bones, a damaged labrum is far more difficult to detect than other shoulder problems, like a torn rotator cuff. Doctors are only now getting the diagnostic tools to detect labrum tears, so it’s impossible to say how many great hurlers of the past suffered the injury. Even today it’s tough to tell which pitchers have labrum trouble. Baseball teams often consult with multiple orthopedists and radiologists in an attempt to reach a consensus. One team’s policy is to show an MRI to five doctors—majority diagnosis rules. The only way to know for sure that your pitcher has a torn labrum is to conduct exploratory surgery.
If an operation is necessary, the surgeon either enters the shoulder with a scalpel or pops in one to three arthroscopes outfitted with cameras and cutting instruments. The doctor then cleans up the tear and reattaches the labrum using sutures, much as they would with a deep cut to the skin. While newer techniques involve specialized devices that standardize the anchors and sutures, shoulder surgery is still far more complex and risky than, say, an elbow reconstruction.
Coming off a 15-10 season in 2000, Mike Sirotka was a key player in an off-season trade between the Blue Jays and White Sox. Before he ever put on a Blue Jays uniform, Sirotka’s left shoulder started barking. The culprit: a torn labrum. While he had been a coveted commodity just a few months before, the Sox and Jays now treated Sirotka like the plague — Commissioner Bud Selig ultimately had to force the Blue Jays to accept the trade. Sirotka, now 33, did have surgery to repair the labrum. After missing three full seasons, he tried a comeback this year. The Cubs released him in spring training.
The Seattle Mariners, perhaps more than any other team, have suffered on account of the labrum. When Seattle drafted 6-foot-10 Ryan Anderson in 1997, it seemed preordained that the titanic lefty would be the next Randy Johnson. Then Anderson had labrum surgery. He missed the entire 2002 season—and every season since. The Mariners’ 25-year-old right-hander Gil Meche has already missed two full years on account of labrum-related ailments. Meche returned to the majors in 2003, but faded badly in the second half.
Position players have labrums too. Angels third baseman Troy Glaus may miss the rest of the year with his “frayed” labrum (there’s no difference between a fray and a tear). Last year, Dodgers slugger Shawn Green lost a significant amount of power because of a severe labrum tear. Labrum tears also show up irregularly on the football field—the Raiders’ Rich Gannon (throwing shoulder) and the Seahawks’ Matt Hasselbeck (non-throwing shoulder) are part of the labrum brigade—usually when a quarterback’s arm gets planted into the ground at an unnatural angle.
Still, nothing taxes a shoulder like throwing a baseball. Even if a pitcher has an ideal throwing motion, the labrum suffers. Unlike the rotator cuff, a series of four small muscles that holds the shoulder in place and decelerates the arm, the collagen-based labrum can’t be strengthened. As of yet, there aren’t any reliable techniques to prevent labrum injuries. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the best way to avoid injury is to keep your pitcher from throwing while fatigued. But fatigue is exceptionally difficult for a pitching coach or manager to measure—and one wrong guess can lead to the operating table.
Roger Clemens returned from a torn rotator cuff to win six Cy Young Awards and an MVP. Kerry Wood struck out 20 in a single game during his rookie year, had his elbow rebuilt, and came back throwing just as hard. But pitchers with torn labrums will have to wait a while longer for their Tommy John surgery. So far, the message from the nation’s orthopedic surgeons is: We can’t rebuild them. Dr. Anthony Tropiano, a top baseball arm doc, says the best available treatment option today is to do nothing. “We call it conservative treatment,” he says, “but that’s just a euphemism for a little rehab and a lot of prayer.”
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 10:11 PM | Link to this
Note to KJ: Try diving for the ball sometimes, its not that hard, even I can do that.
By Efrim
June 10, 2008 10:12 PM | Link to this
Anders
I never expected third starter production. I expected some more innings than this though. He has been what I expected for the most part. So you really think the Red Sox have a s** at Tex? Youkilis is a god there and they need Manny. Ramirez hits good pitching and is a hall of famer. The guy is money.
By Coach Smith
June 10, 2008 10:12 PM | Link to this
GAME OVER…ACOSTA STRIKES AGAIN
By Efrim
June 10, 2008 10:13 PM | Link to this
Walk Reed Johnson and try to get Marmol out of the game. Please try it.
Acosta should not be in this game by the way. Why can’t Stockman be used? Or someone else.
By princeton brave
June 10, 2008 10:16 PM | Link to this
It’s Manny time!!!
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 10:16 PM | Link to this
See McFann, that was easy, and the right think to do. Nothing is easier than faking dementia. Well done.
By Braveheart
June 10, 2008 10:16 PM | Link to this
Unrelated observation — NBA officiating is a joke.
Not a joke. Just very crooked. We all watched that great Kings/Lakers series 6 years ago and the fix was in the whole time
By Martin
June 10, 2008 10:17 PM | Link to this
DOB Do you see the Braves making a trade tonight or at least at the end of the week? Now we lose Glavine..This is just awful, what’s happening to the Braves
By Anders
June 10, 2008 10:17 PM | Link to this
I think many of you have your punctuation wrong. Instead of “great, Glavine will miss his next start” you meant “Great! Glavine will miss his next start.”
Sorry - couldn’t resist.
So now if he only throws 100 innings his salary is like $16 million in Brave’s money. Sure hope Wren wasn’t ignoring my posts about Glavine on DOB’s say so over the winter.
By Mr. Optimistic
June 10, 2008 10:17 PM | Link to this
this season is like a bad paulie shore movie. nothing can go right. now grandpa has a strained elbow. unbelievable. what in the hell was the strength coach doind in the spring. was he in the foursome with tiger and the gang. or was he at disney because i tell you this he definitly wasnt working!!!!! well i guess its Morton time lets see if we cant get him hurt too. and im not one to question Bobby but he def shouldnt have “Frency” batting 3. nooo way he is awful. and there is no good answer to having chipper up there with 1st open. we saw the unoffical offical intentional walk. i say we ride this trash out the next year CUT the fat. no hampton no glavine and possibly no smoltz. i know gas is over 4 dollars but Liberty needs to open the wallets and sign so ppl . a rotation of Hudson ,JJ ,Morton ,Reyes and someone else. but spend the money already. its a forgone conclusion Tex is out so what are they gunna do with that money. im guessin they are gunna do what they do best in atlanta . put it in their pockets.
By Chip Caray Hater
June 10, 2008 10:18 PM | Link to this
It was so nice to hear Billy Williams talk about old times on WGN.
By McFann
June 10, 2008 10:18 PM | Link to this
Overlord-D-Day—
I confessed. I really didn’t mean it. It was a very stupid thing to say.
Night, all! (Again. Our computer won’t turn off…)
By uga-brave
June 10, 2008 10:19 PM | Link to this
maybe TBS knew something.
at least they put an hour of EARL on mondays and an hour of the office on tuesday’s
By Saltywoody
June 10, 2008 10:19 PM | Link to this
Hudson, JJJ, Reyes, Morton, Campillo/Bennett
Anderson, Esco, Chipper, Tex, Mac, Kelly, Norton, Frenchy
Boyer, Acosta, Carlyle, Bennett/Campillo, Ohman, Gonzalez, Soriano
I totally believe that if you played this lineup with slight variances day in and day out, you could be a successful club well enough above .500 to actually compete for the division or the wild card. The talent is there. Stop jostling the lineup. Stop giving days off. Stop putting Frenchy in the 3 hole and playing Blanco a lot.
Just start the young kids and give them consistent playing time. Slot Glavine, Gonzo, and Soriano in as they come back. This team can do it. They’ve just got to realize that.
By brian
June 10, 2008 10:21 PM | Link to this
nothing wrong with the blue uniforms. It is the people wearing them and the head inside the blue hats.
typical for the season. Up 3-0. Glavine shuts down the Cubs in the first. Leadoff triple. Runner stranded at 3rd.
Terrible
Come July if the Braves are well out of it and the injuries have mounted I would send Tex to the highest bidder. Let the Angels, Orioles, Yankees, and Red Sox bid for his services
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 10:24 PM | Link to this
geauxbraves2000 welcome back son. Your soul has also been saved along with McFanns. Youll have to pay some penitence though. Your punishment will be……. let me think….you will have watch every braves game for the reminder of the season, no matter what.
By kirknga
June 10, 2008 10:24 PM | Link to this
Too bad for Manny, he was soo close to getting out of the inning without a run.
I still believe the guy is a talent worth keeping. He’s clearly tired and has lost some confidence. Same with Boyer.
We need to try to uplift these guys.
By Capt Caveman (the original Dawg)
June 10, 2008 10:24 PM | Link to this
I still say “Coach Smith” is the same person as “Coach”.
By Ralph Kramden
June 10, 2008 10:25 PM | Link to this
Norton…I’ve been watching you and I know you’ve been watching me.
By Braveheart
June 10, 2008 10:27 PM | Link to this
Infante is a ballplayer
By Efrim
June 10, 2008 10:28 PM | Link to this
Nice little rally off Howry. Of course, the Cubs have us where they want us. One run lead.
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 10:30 PM | Link to this
This Braves team is sooooooo freakin good.————— they just came back!!!!!!!! 6-5.
They refuse to lose a road game if its not by 1 RUN!!!!!
Sorry…..I just had to say that.
By N8
June 10, 2008 10:30 PM | Link to this
Another 1-run loss…..on the road, anybody?
Unreal.
By Anders
June 10, 2008 10:31 PM | Link to this
Efrim
I just don’t see the Red Sox keeping both Manny and Ortiz together for much longer. Both are DH material. Youkilis can move to left. Tex plays first and they choose between Manny and Ortiz. Not saying it’s definite but they can’t ride that tandem forever and they proved to be bold before i.e. The beckett trade.
By Coach Smith
June 10, 2008 10:33 PM | Link to this
SURPRISE SURPRISE….the “Comeback” falls one run short and now we can lose ANOTHER ONE-RUN GAME
By Braveheart
June 10, 2008 10:33 PM | Link to this
Just enough of a rally to make it another one run loss
By brian
June 10, 2008 10:33 PM | Link to this
if the Braves are way back in July and could pull off getting Ervin Santana, Phillip Hughes or another good young pitcher plus a position player Tex has to be moved. The team on the field now is not a contender.
The injuries are something I cannot remember for a Braves team. Unless there is miralculous healing, Frenchy finds himself, the bullpen reappears, starters start pitching 6+ innings everynight, Kotsay’s back heals up, Diaz returns from injury and finds his swing, and the Braves realize they can actually win on the road, this will be a long season.
Good thing is that this is a long season and there is plenty of time for things to happen.
Great blog - this really is a make or break road trip
By wiki
June 10, 2008 10:33 PM | Link to this
6-5……a one run game….say it aint so!
By ugaman
June 10, 2008 10:34 PM | Link to this
Great, another one run lead going to the ninth with Wood coming in. Oh well, so much for turning things around on the road.
By Tomas
June 10, 2008 10:35 PM | Link to this
I think the Braves need to get someone like Brandon Inge, no offense to Omar Infante, but his absence of power is a big factor, and brandon inge is a guy that can be used in any position, he is primaraly a catcher, and has an awesome arm. In 2006 he hit 20 homers, he can play center, left, third, and catcher, and play around 120 games. That would solve the backup catcher situation, and the big concern for third base when chipper gets injured.
Gregor Blanco has lost his hot streak, sort of like Willie Haris did last year. What’s the lastest on Kotsay DOB.
By Saltywoody
June 10, 2008 10:35 PM | Link to this
If Manny Acosta were a food, he’d be a frozen burrito.
At first, he looks like a cheap, effective option to satiate your need. You warm him up, aim him at the plate. As he throws that first pitch and you take the first bite, the steam rises off that fastball and you think you’ve made a wise decision.
And then, with each successive bite, you realize more and more that what you’re eating actually doesn’t taste that good, you were just desperate. The steam starts to fade, the added pizzazz just isn’t there, he’s only lukewarm the deeper in you get.
Finally, after you’re done, you look back at what just happened. You realize that even though you spent relatively nothing in the grand scheme of things, you would have been much better off with the Carlyle salad. At least that wouldn’t have made your stomach hurt, given you heartburn, and ultimately left you red-faced, squinting on the toilet, cussing yourself out.
Welcome to the watercloset, Frank Wren and Bobby Cox. If you need something for your ‘roids (hemorrhoids, that is), just ask Hampton. He’s dealt with roids and pain enough to know what’s good.
By Efrim
June 10, 2008 10:36 PM | Link to this
Yea, lets use Acosta again. Wow. I am in shock right now. BC wants Manny’s arm on a surgeon’s table.
By bravenate
June 10, 2008 10:37 PM | Link to this
Brigth move by Boby Cox, bringing Chipper in the 7th when no rally was present on the game to be walked and then replacing him with Josh Anderson, what a way to burn your entire bench, because Corky and Gotay means no bench for me, and now in the 8th when a rally was in process you can’t send a pinch hitter for blanco cause you have non and you already used the extra outfilder on pinch running.
Brilliant move by the best manager ever.
By Coach Smith
June 10, 2008 10:38 PM | Link to this
Capt Caveman
No I am not the same person as “Coach”
sorry
By N8
June 10, 2008 10:38 PM | Link to this
Capt Caveman (the original Dawg)
“I still say “Coach Smith” is the same person as “Coach”.”
See. That’s your first mistake.
One shouldn’t assume that Coach is human.
On a side note. I have a question.
Would y’all consider this team “just good enough” to NOT SUCK.
or
Just bad enough to not be great?
Mediocrity is kinda like limbo, from where I’m sitting.
I’m glad we’ve got Stockman on the roster to NOT be used, so we can get the matchup we need in a tight spot….like Blanco against a tough lefty.
Anybody who doesn’t see Bobby is at fault for having 13 pitchers (including one that NEVER gets used) as opposed to having an extra stick of the bench for when we might need it, is fooling themselves with BLIND loyalty.
With Buddy and Bennett on this team, there is ZERO, let me repeat that ZERO reason for 13 pitchers.
Especially if the backup catcher (one of only 4 position players on the bench) is a guy that can’t hit the pavement if he leaped off of his garage.
Oh yeah. I forgot. Bobby’s going to the HOF, so that makes it alright.
By chrisklob
June 10, 2008 10:39 PM | Link to this
Good thing McFann already went to bed. She’d probably have nightmares of that last throw.
By Coach Smith
June 10, 2008 10:40 PM | Link to this
ACOASTA strikes again…just like that game he cost us against the NATS when the ball went between his legs on a bunt
By Capt Caveman (the original Dawg)
June 10, 2008 10:40 PM | Link to this
OK I have an off topic question for the locals
I in no way support M.Vick for his crimes, but just on a fairness level, how do you feel about a guy serving a federal sentence for a crime and then as soon as he gets out having to face the same charges again from the state.
I’m not talking about the dog fighting, I’m talking about if this happened to you for any crime would you feel like it was a little wrong - like a clever way to impose double jeopardy.
Just curious what the local brain trust thinks.
By ugaman
June 10, 2008 10:42 PM | Link to this
And again, McCaann makes a terrible throw to second and Acosta allows another run. It never ends.
By Austin
June 10, 2008 10:42 PM | Link to this
I guess with Stockman being used the other day Bobby wants to rest him. Acosta has had plenty of rest though so why not pitch him two innings tonight.
Bobby Cox is a dumbass.
By Coach Smith
June 10, 2008 10:42 PM | Link to this
Just keep leaving ACOASTA in…he has given up 2 runs in 2 innings…guess how many we are down by
By jukeandjive
June 10, 2008 10:42 PM | Link to this
2 innings 2 runs from Manny. At least it won’t be a 1-run loss!
By Norton
June 10, 2008 10:43 PM | Link to this
Norton…I’ve been watching you and I know you’ve been watching me.
Homina homina homina homina
By StingerSplash
June 10, 2008 10:44 PM | Link to this
I try to stay away from these direct attacks as much as possible, but I’ve seen about as much of Manny Acosta as I want to ever see again. That’s two stolen bases he’s given up this inning because he paid zero, nada, zilch attention to the runner at first, not to mention the botched grounder, which is par for the course for him. Somebody — McDowell, Cox, Jimmy Carter, somebody — has to go read this guy the riot act on the mound in front of God and everybody. The bus to Richmond can’t come soon enough for Acosta.
By mitchie-san
June 10, 2008 10:44 PM | Link to this
You know things ar bad when Pete Van Weiren says”MY GOD, WOULD SOMEBODY TELL ACOSTA TO WATCH THE GUY ON FIRST!”
Even he is frustrated.
By Efrim
June 10, 2008 10:44 PM | Link to this
Brian
if the Braves are way back in July and could pull off getting Ervin Santana, Phillip Hughes or another good young pitcher plus a position player Tex has to be moved. The team on the field now is not a contender.
You’re joking right? Tex for Ervin Santana? Tex for Phil Hughes? Please man. 2 months of a Boras client for potential aces?
Anders
Anything can happen, but I’ll bet good money the Yanks get him. The need is there and they have 80 million coming off there books.
And BC keeps Acosta in and he gives up a run. I’d rather lose by one run than two. Although some here may feel differently.
By N8
June 10, 2008 10:45 PM | Link to this
Can we meld McCann and Porky into one player???
One can hit and can’t catch (or throw).
The other allegedly is a good defensive catcher, that can’t hit.
By MVH
June 10, 2008 10:45 PM | Link to this
the move to pinch-run for Chipper with Anderson could have ended up being a terrific move had Yunel’s liner been hit just about anywhere else. Anderson scores on that and just about no one else does. As for leaving Acosta in…I’m not crazy about that - I suppose that’s easy to say now though.
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 10:46 PM | Link to this
N8, Im glad you finally remembered BC is HOF material, not to be touched nor criticized. But Im also glad you keep trying to open some eyes on this blog.
By bravenate
June 10, 2008 10:46 PM | Link to this
Don’t worry this is not a 1 run lose manyy takes caro to make it 2 or more run lose, thanks many
By jukeandjive
June 10, 2008 10:46 PM | Link to this
Excuse me 5 runs. Manny equals LOSS!!!!!
By ncbrave
June 10, 2008 10:46 PM | Link to this
Whey keep acosta in there. Cox gets burned once again. What a freaking bum. We are done.
By mitchie-san
June 10, 2008 10:47 PM | Link to this
I am about to give up.
By StingerSplash
June 10, 2008 10:47 PM | Link to this
Thanks to Mr. Acosta, we can forget about a one-run loss. Thanks for the small favor, Bub.
By Tomas
June 10, 2008 10:47 PM | Link to this
I just cannot see it anymore…..It’s bad for my health.
By kirknga
June 10, 2008 10:47 PM | Link to this
Well at least it will not be 1-run loss.
How about the stolen base and the speed putting pressure on our defense? Cubs announcers talking about how great it is to see aggressiveness on the base paths.
OMG! Now the 3-run homer.
Speed leads to errors, errors lead to runs.
By Anders
June 10, 2008 10:48 PM | Link to this
Could someone send the cab driver to ring DOB’s doorbell again. Apparently he’s oversleepig again.
By Coach Smith
June 10, 2008 10:48 PM | Link to this
THANK YOU ACOASTA….THANK YOU COX…
STUPID STUPID STUPID MOVE BY COX
So much for that comeback
I have been a firm COX supporter but he isn’t making sense with his moves..
This is like a gut punch after getting it to one-run
They may be done for this season..
They have to make a TRADE to breath new life into this team
By Mike
June 10, 2008 10:49 PM | Link to this
Can someone please explain to me why Acosta is on this team??? He is so bad its unreal. How many homers do you have to give up before you’re demoted????? Un friggin real
By Scott from Fairburn
June 10, 2008 10:49 PM | Link to this
Bobby’s is ruining Acosta … he’s been hit hard in his last six outings … overused and his confidence is now shot …
By ijonathan
June 10, 2008 10:49 PM | Link to this
McFann I hope you’re in bed by now. Your boy has a rough defensive inning and Soto hits the decisive home run.
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 10:49 PM | Link to this
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 9:07 PM | Link to this
We are behind……and we will stay there….. next inning will be toms last. Looks like cubs are gonna score 10 and we know braves wont.
By Crack Fiend
June 10, 2008 10:49 PM | Link to this
SOTO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By DerekZ
June 10, 2008 10:49 PM | Link to this
Send Acosta Down Now!
Why would Bobby leave him in for another inning anyway?
By Mike in LA
June 10, 2008 10:49 PM | Link to this
I knew Acosta was going to give up that homerun before it happened. This is like the same game being played over and over and over. And this just in, Francouer has absolutely no range in right field
By Efrim
June 10, 2008 10:50 PM | Link to this
No folks. We like losing by 5 runs now.
Why would you have Manny Acosta throw over 40 pitches tonight and have him rendered useless for tomorrow? Why? Not to mention he gave up 5 freaking runs during that outing. Is everyone else really that bad?
That run differential may start to come back down to Earth. Really soon.
I’m still trying to stay positive, maybe Morton energizes this team?
Although let’s be real. The current roster has to get it going, end of story.
By N8
June 10, 2008 10:50 PM | Link to this
I take back what I asked before.
It no longer applies. This team ISN’T good enough to NOT SUCK.
It’s official……they suck.
WHY THE F* is Bobby making a change NOW????? The frickin game is OVER.
Gotta love Bobby bringing in another guy to burn up in a game that’s already been decided.
Oh……NOW with a 5 run deficit, Stockman is good enough to pitch. I get it.
Bobby has officially LOST IT. I hope for Morton’s sake, they leave him at AAA, because nobody deserves to come into the mess that he’ll be dealing with.
Bring up Joey Lawrence.
By Greg O.
June 10, 2008 10:50 PM | Link to this
Right before the 3-2 pitch to Soto, I thought, “This screams of two-run double.” I guess the Braves are now worse than even my worst pessimism.
By ugaman
June 10, 2008 10:50 PM | Link to this
I used to be a glass half-full observer when looking at the braves and the way Cox managed them. However, I can’t stand it anymore. Why wait until after Soto hits the homerun to take Acosta out. I saw that coming and knew that Acosta didn’t have it in him to get out of the inning. Why can’t Bobby see that? Now he brings Stockman in when it doens’t matter anymore. This is absolutely the worst managing job I have ever seen from Bobby. And of course Stockman strikes out the first guy he faces. Whatever, I’m sick of this. I think I’m going to quit watching for a few weeks. This is causing too much stress and life just isn’t worth it.
By mr baseball
June 10, 2008 10:51 PM | Link to this
Not that every loss is Cox’s fault, but when a manager of a team missing several of its key pieces continually makes dumb moves, that makes winning that much harder.
In one fell swoop, he wasted Chipper & Anderson, which amounts to exactly half the Braves’ bench. You don’t use Chipper in a pinch-hit situation with a base open, and you don’t waste Anderson that early in the game with Jurrjens or Hudson available to run.
But judging by the level of commentary on this blog, many of the team’s “fans” here are getting just what they deserve. Francouer clearly is struggling big time, but the shots he’s taking from some of the geniuses who blog here is more a commentary on their baseball ignorance than his play.
Look around baseball and see how many players with much more impressive credentials than Francouer are having seasons as bad or worse than he is. Wonder if the Angels/Phillies/White Sox fans are on Guererro/Howard/Konerko like folks here are on Francouer?
Who should hit third? Infante? McCann? You want Anderson to start tonight for Francouer, giving the team a second left handed slap hitter with no chance of hitting Lilly?
Acosta just pitched the Braves out a game. Again. Another brilliant move by Cox.
Cox and knee-jerk, know-nothing critics on the MIB blog. Dumb and Dumber.
By StingerSplash
June 10, 2008 10:51 PM | Link to this
Cue Marcus Brutus please … “Friends, Braves fans, countrymen, lend me your ears. I come not to praise the Braves, but to bury them ….” As the Cubs have.
By ijonathan
June 10, 2008 10:51 PM | Link to this
Don’t know about anybody else, but I’d rather have my manager waddle out to the mound and remove my struggling relief pitcher BEFORE the batter hits the home run, not after. It’s like freakin’ clockwork…Acosta gives up hit(s), Acosta gives up home run, Bobby waddle’s to the mound.
By Dan in NJ
June 10, 2008 10:52 PM | Link to this
OK. THIS is EXACTLY what i’m talking about. The Cubs just blew this game wide open, with a Soto 3 run shot. AND NOW COX goes to the pen to WASTE ANOTHER arm. WHY.?????? just let him(Acosta) finish this already.
LOL. NOW Stockman gets used. NOW i get it. he’s the mop. lol.
By Edward
June 10, 2008 10:52 PM | Link to this
Im sorry guys but this season is over…this team has nothing left…management,healthy players,fire,passion,NOTHING…Any takers for Teixeira may start to lineu up,right now…so this franchise can salvage their future by getting some dood young playesrs…**R.I.P Atlanta Braves 2008 Season…
By woogidy
June 10, 2008 10:52 PM | Link to this
‘Bout time to start spelling Acosta with the A’s (AAAcosta)
By chipdip
June 10, 2008 10:53 PM | Link to this
Why the f**k is Acosta even pitching in the eighth inning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Why is this guy even on the team?????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!5 RUNS DOWN!!!!!!!!!WTF is Cox thinking!!!!!!!!!!!He’s lost his bloody mind!!!!!!!!!?????????????????
By Austin
June 10, 2008 10:53 PM | Link to this
Phil Stockman is a horrible excuse for a pitcher. 5 1/3 IP 1 H 7 K on the season.
By Anders
June 10, 2008 10:54 PM | Link to this
Efrim
I agree it’s 2:1 money the Yanks bag him but I take great joy in watching the Red Sox out flank the Yanks these days. As you know from being in these parts, watching the dynasty plummet is almost as much fun as winning yourselves.
By Bravesfan79
June 10, 2008 10:54 PM | Link to this
I like how Bobby took out Acosta AFTER THE GAME WAS BLOWN OPEN!
I mean ….why not just let him finish this mess of a game instead of wasting another arm??
How many times have i seen this…Bobbys use of the bullpen is truly TERRIBLE sometimes. Its gotta be his weakest area.
By Kev
June 10, 2008 10:55 PM | Link to this
The Fat Lady ALREADY started singing her best…..
By beau vighn
June 10, 2008 10:55 PM | Link to this
Somebody wake Bobby up and tell him Manny is getting shelled again and please for crying out loud take him out.
Oh yeah, Great job hitting Francouer third tomight. That is real managerial brillance right there. The guy ought to be hitting 9th in front of the pitcher.
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 10:55 PM | Link to this
Finally got it…..Acosta got to Atlanta earlier so the job is his, Stockman will only pitch is the game is out of reach (but then again, arent 1 RUn games, “out of reach games”?). Its the same story as KJs and JF. They got here before, so their contribution for the team is not what determines if they play or not, but the order in which they get reach a spot in the 25 man roster. Funny.
This being said, once TEX is gone, Thorman gets his job back.
By Mike in LA
June 10, 2008 10:58 PM | Link to this
great pitch selection 2-0 by Frenchy as always
By StingerSplash
June 10, 2008 10:59 PM | Link to this
It used to be Francoeur would find a way to drive those guys in. Nope. It’s now find a way to hit into a DP that kills all hope. I think he’ll still snap out of it and come around, but this national malaise he’s in is disheartening.
By LT-AA Blogger
June 10, 2008 11:00 PM | Link to this
Ughhhhh!
By Braveheart
June 10, 2008 11:00 PM | Link to this
Bring up Joey Lawrence.
Whoa!
By Anders
June 10, 2008 11:00 PM | Link to this
Mets down 6 to 5 bottom of the 8th. Just thought I’d share.
By bravenate
June 10, 2008 11:01 PM | Link to this
And guess what the great finish that everyone was waitting, 1 out men on 1st and 2nd for Frenchy and then yeah!!!!!! a double play, ground out to third and game over
No more words.
By Ridiculous
June 10, 2008 11:01 PM | Link to this
Francoeur stinks. Seriously. He’s a mental midget at the plate with his approach and discipline, and he’s killing us multiple times a game.
Anybody still wonder why he never got a long term deal?
By Jeff Fran-suck
June 10, 2008 11:01 PM | Link to this
He was handed a walk, but tried to hit a 5-run homer.
Another great job Jeff!!!
PS: Why is he hitting third? Instead of at AAA?
By N8
June 10, 2008 11:01 PM | Link to this
If the Braves were a vacuum, they’d be the top seller. Their sucking power is THAT strong.
That song their playing at Wrigley has to be about the gayest thing I’ve ever heard in my life. Good god.
Sounds like a song written by John Denver for Sesame Street.
By DerekZ
June 10, 2008 11:03 PM | Link to this
Here’s a recipe for a loss.
Frenchy and Tex = 1 for 9.
Acosta pitched.
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 11:04 PM | Link to this
We fall to 0-7 when chipper is sitting. LOL, once chipper is gone for good, Braves might not win a game again, EVER!!!!!
That would be bigger than the bambinos curse on Boston.
By Manny Acosta
June 10, 2008 11:04 PM | Link to this
Bet you guys wish you kept Jose Ascanio now, huh?
How do you let dem apples?
By BravesFanInRockies
June 10, 2008 11:05 PM | Link to this
“make or break road trip”?
Right now my money’s on break.
By Marc
June 10, 2008 11:06 PM | Link to this
Look on the bright side: at least it wasn’t a one-run game.
By Supes
June 10, 2008 11:06 PM | Link to this
Bobby Cox in the post game comments:
Reporter: “Bobby, what about the decision to leave Manny Acosta in the game after putting runners on” Bobby Cox: “Well you know…that was just Manny being Manny. I thought he was awesome, except for the walk, some hanging pitches and absolute lack of condifence in his fastball”
It was rather appropriate that FRANCINE ended the game with runners on base…to hit into a game ending DP.
FRANCINE needs to be sent down to AAA ball. It’s not going to get better. He looks lost at the plate, seems to not be picking up the spin on the ball (pitch recognition), and seems to be lost as far as what the count is, situational hitting. As awesome as Chipper is at the plate right now with his hitting approach, FRANCINE is the exact opposite. He has no idea, no plan (that we can tell) except to hack at pitches, get himself out, and try and jack HR’s by pulling the low and away stuff.
If this team has a sub .500 road trip (looks likely), they are done for the season. Finished.
Injuries to key players, and under performance by other key players have undone the Braves for good in 2008.
The only bright spot will be the chase for .400. It’s a shame that Chipper is having his best season on a losing team.
By PJ
June 10, 2008 11:07 PM | Link to this
Friends,
Acosta was getting the job done. What has changed? Bobby Cox has worn his arm out and it ain’t even the dog days of August yet.
Yes, the injuries have contributed to Acosta’s overuse. But the Braves asked for this when they broke camp relying on Smoltz, Glavine, and Hampton as 3 of their five starters.
It is time for a youth movement and rebuilding.
BTW, bat Francouer 9th from now on.
By Dan in NJ
June 10, 2008 11:07 PM | Link to this
N8,
TOTALLY agree. I hope they leave Morton in AAA. Cox will blow his arm out as well.
By Kev
June 10, 2008 11:07 PM | Link to this
Desperate times call for DRASTIC measures
Bobby is your FUN over…PLEASE be it…so you can leave this team in PEACE and FOR THE GOOD…we need someone and SOMETHING new in this team…im getting tired of this..same old moves,same old losing,same old strategy….Yet Wren and JS dont realize this…what shame…
By jason
June 10, 2008 11:08 PM | Link to this
Stinger, to be fair, Francoeur did hit the ball very hard in the end, the 3rd baseman just made a great play.
By monty
June 10, 2008 11:08 PM | Link to this
Francuor must mot have any haseball smarts at all. THe batter before him has just walked, Frenchie has a 2-0 count, his run means nothing, what they need is baserunners and what does Jeff do? He swings at a ball low and away! Priceless!! Why not take a pitch instead of being selfish? IT makes no sense at all. Take the 2-0 pitch now it’s 3-0, and theres very little chance he throws 3 strikes in a row because that pitcher knows Jeff is going to swing at something out of the strike zone no matter what. Just pure dumb impatience!
By BravesFanInRockies
June 10, 2008 11:08 PM | Link to this
BTW, on a lighter note — This date in history: June 10, 1921, Babe Ruth became Major League Baseball’s career home run leader when he hit No. 120, a record he’ll hold until Henry Aaron hits No. 715 in 1974.
Boggles the mind.
By Dadgum
June 10, 2008 11:09 PM | Link to this
My guess is that Glavine will go on the DL. Just the way things are going. Morton will definitely be called up and in addition the Braves will make a trade. The injury situation is just ridiculous.
By N8
June 10, 2008 11:09 PM | Link to this
Mr Baseball
“Who should hit third? Infante? McCann? You want Anderson to start tonight for Francouer, giving the team a second left handed slap hitter with no chance of hitting Lilly?”
In all fairness, why not just move the hitters UP one spot?
Tex 3rd, McCann 4th (or hell, leave Tex in the clean-up spot, and hit McCann 3rd). We don’t have ANY team speed anyhow. So don’t give me the “clog-up” the base-paths excuse.
McCann A) isn’t that much (if at all) slower than Chipper when he’s not healthy. And B) hits lefties better than Jeff does.
One COULD argue that KJ could hit 5th with Infante hitting 2nd (KJ has more power and probably more of an RBI guy).
But the only thing more stupid than Hitting Francoeur 5th, is hitting him 3rd. Isn’t the 3rd spot in your lineup supposed to be reserved for the “best hitter” on the team?
If Tex, Chipper and McCann dropped dead, having been struck by lightning, Jeff STILL wouldn’t be the best hitter on the team.
Bobby’s lost it.
By Gus
June 10, 2008 11:09 PM | Link to this
Does anyone know Acosta’s ERA for his his second consecutive inning of work? Why does Bobby insist in pitching him two straight innings?
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 11:10 PM | Link to this
As bad as the braves are…….muts are doing even worse….. but im sure we will soon start getting some amazins and Co. blogs around.
JF, the count was 3-1, you are not even the tying run kid, be patient, dont listen to BC.
By uga-brave
June 10, 2008 11:10 PM | Link to this
you guys want to play the BLAME GAME.
cox did not assemble this group, your bright shiny new g.m. did.
so smoltz, hampton, kotsay, and now glavine are out. two 40 plus guys and one guy that has not pitched in two and a half years, shocker. i will be suprised if kotsay makes it till the end of the season w/o another trip to the d.l.
WREN in his infinite wisdom decided to give soriano a contract before the season, when he did not have too.
he thought they were getting a discount. buyer beware.
the bullpen is built around players all making the minimum, with the exception of ohman.
this team was built on the cheap. young uproven players surrounded by a few past their prime players. besides tex and hudson, players in their prime, LIBERTY MEDIA has sold us a car with a lot of bondo work and sawdust in the tank.
By Greg in TN
June 10, 2008 11:11 PM | Link to this
Evening Denizens…
And the evening ends as most evenings on the road have ended thus far in the 2008 campaign, probably fitting that it’s Frenchy that hits into the 5-4-3.
Not good news at all on the injury front whether it be Birmingham or Wrigleyville. Luckily for Aflac, they are only paying for commercial ad time on telecasts and didn’t agree to a swap of supplemental insurance with the club for the ‘ol promotional considerations plug in the credits at the end.
The bearded autumnal icon is in limbo over his labrum and everyone is stuck not sure whether he’ll be able to make it back from this or not for a little while longer. Of course I hope for the best, but I’m also realistic and mindful that this is going to be the comeback of comebacks for #29, who has a reputation of being the comeback kid already.
Glavine’s night also ended in disappointment after an elbow strain. Sounds like Mr. Morton will be summoned from Richmond to take his place and I like the idea of bringing him up as a litmus test to see how he stacks up against the bats in the bigs.
Congrats to the Offensive Assassin for garnering Player of the Week honors. It’s not the same without U Kno Who manning the hot corner.
The Camden Riversharks loss is the Richmond Braves’ gain as Brian Lawrence changes addresses and calls The Diamond his home for the foreseeable near future. A minor league deal to see if he could be an option at this point is fine with me. Anyone else at this point would be too expensive in terms of prospects and besides, those prospects may need to play with the big club if the injury bug doesn’t fly off somewhere else.
Happy Birthday, Jeff Bennett.
By ATTN: Jeff Francoeur
June 10, 2008 11:12 PM | Link to this
Can you possibly lose any more games for the Braves? Maybe erase any trade value too?
Great job so far.
By Bob Wickman
June 10, 2008 11:12 PM | Link to this
I’m still available. But you’ll have to get rid of Bobby Cox because I’m gonna need his game pants.
By N8
June 10, 2008 11:13 PM | Link to this
Braveheart
“Whoa!”
Thank you for not only getting it, but appreciating it enough to respond.
Brian Lawrence? That just kills me. What? Fernando Valenzuela wasn’t available? Or could the Braves brass just not FIND him?
By kirknga
June 10, 2008 11:15 PM | Link to this
Come on guys, up until a week and half ago nobody had a problem with Acosta. This includes the great work he did at the end of last season. Everybody loved him over the offseason and demanded he stayed on the team and not be traded.
Now after overuse,and in is first full year in the majors he has a bad 10-day stretch and you folks want to get rid of him? That’s crap!
And what about Morton, the latest flavor from the minors, how long does he get before he’s old news? What if he struggles for awhile like rookies almost all do, will it be on to the next minor leaguer and the next?
Let’s give our first year players some time guys. A bad 10-day stretch or even month shouldn’t negate the 3 good ones that Acosta has given the team.
By Efrim
June 10, 2008 11:16 PM | Link to this
Anders
Looks like another night of Matt Cerrone b*** again. Pretty crazy how bad the Mets and Braves look.
By Anders
June 10, 2008 11:16 PM | Link to this
8-5 Arizona top of the 9th. Time to shop Delgado for prospects. That’s what teams do with their 1st basemen when they’re out of it right?
By fastasballs
June 10, 2008 11:17 PM | Link to this
Damn it we needed that one run loss……….
Ask yourself this, would any other manager in baseball pinch hit Chipper with first base open? Cox does it because he really thinks Lou is going to pitch to Chipper because that is what he would do in that situation. You may love the man, but face reality, his better days are LONG gone.
Acosta is a head case at this point. If he’s in their future plans he should be sent back down to get it together.
Cox must still think Devine is on the team, but just changed his name to Stockman. He’s being used like Devine, rarely at all.
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 11:17 PM | Link to this
Diaz .250
Blanco .252
Francoeur .252
Norton .254
WTF???, Is there an official marathon for the Mendoza Line going on in the OF that im not aware of???
Go Matt go Matt……. you are the leader of the pack!!!
This team misses Kotsay badly.
By George N "Boston Brave" Spitz
June 10, 2008 11:18 PM | Link to this
Once again Bobby Cox stubbornly refuses to use Phil Stockman until the situation is virtually hopeless. How many times in recent weeks has Manny Acosta, Blaine Boyer and Buddy Carlyle blown Braves’ leads or extended narrow margins of opponents? In over five innings, Stockman has allowed one hit an inning opening triple where he stranded the runner and no runs. His earned run average at Richmond was 0.77. Why not give Stockman a chance in a critical situation?
By geauxbraves2000
June 10, 2008 11:18 PM | Link to this
I had a bad night, I apologize to all.
Geaux Braves!!
Overlord-D-Day youll have to pay some penitence though. Your punishment will be……. let me think….you will have watch every braves game for the reminder of the season, no matter what.
I will sit in front of my computer, or TV, I will watch every game I can, I will fuss and I will cheer, and if JF hits a game winning HR I will give him a standing ovation and blog a “WTG JF!”
Geaux Braves!!
By Paddy McGillicutty
June 10, 2008 11:20 PM | Link to this
I’m convinced Acosta should not pitch after the 7th inning and it’s a 2 run game either way. He just seems so flustered in late & close games. I almost feel bad for the guy; he’s got great talent, just not there mentally yet it seems. Also, why not bring in Stockman w/ runners on the corners, less than 2 outs w/ Derrek Lee up, maybe get a DP—hell even the WGN announcers said he’s been double play prone lately!!!
By JEB
June 10, 2008 11:21 PM | Link to this
Kotsay going down has been the BIGGEST blow to our offence! Check out our record since he has been gone. They have only won 5 of their last 16 games!!
They had their lineup set and clicking until his injury.
Right now this line up is NOT that good. With Chipper out of the line up, we have TEX ,McCann, and Escobar who are now consistent. After that it’s rolling the dice.
Frenchy is really struggling and his output is REALLY needed! He is up there when the game is on the line SO MUCH!! He is the one who NEEDS to step it up big time. So many of our games are in his hands.
It is June!!!
By N8
June 10, 2008 11:22 PM | Link to this
Gus
Acosta’s numbers in the games that he has gone more than 1 inning, are 9.2 IP, with 4 ER allowed (3.72 ERA).
That includes tonight, he’s gone more than 1 inning only 7 times, and only allowed runs in 3 of those outings.
Let’s not forget that 3 of his 5 runs tonight were UNEARNED.
While he isn’t exactly lighting it up these days, his manager, nor his catcher did him any favors tonight.
By Mike Hampton's Offshore Bank Account
June 10, 2008 11:22 PM | Link to this
Bobby Cox and Francouer should be uncermoniously dumped in Lake Michigan
By David O'Brien
June 10, 2008 11:23 PM | Link to this
GLAVINE LEFT ELBOW STRAIN, will miss next start.
Hello, Charlie Morton… (they haven’t announced that; I’m just guessing).
By BravesFanInRockies
June 10, 2008 11:24 PM | Link to this
How to beat the Braves:
1) Hit it to Mannny
2) Start a lefty so Frenchy hits third
And who’s the baserunning instructor? Yunel is awful.
I’m tired of these players. I’d like some different ones, please.
By Jeff321
June 10, 2008 11:24 PM | Link to this
DONG This is a Braves news alert!
Bobby Cox is a such a genius, they need to change the rules and induct him into the HOF while he’s still managing! I mean, this donkey is out of control.
By bravesfan
June 10, 2008 11:27 PM | Link to this
Before I say this I want to thank John Smoltz and Tom Glavine for all the games they won for the Atlanta Braves, but it is time to move on! This is 2008, not 1998. DL Glavine, call up Morton, put Campillo back in the bullpen, and put Bennett in the rotation. Use Stockman more often, better not put Morton in the bullpen, because Bobby will blow his arm out, also. Change the lineup! Bat Francoeur 7th vs LHP, and 8th vs RHP. Something better happen NOW or you can put a fork in us.
By uga-brave
June 10, 2008 11:27 PM | Link to this
that final at bat tonight by francoeur just about sums up his selfish, stats driven, wanna be hero approach.
2-0 count swings at one outside in the dirt, 3-1 swings at ball four and grounds into a double play. the dude had his mind nade up he was going to drive in a run no matter what. note to jeff we needed baserunners.
i know it is kind of like pulling wings off a fly at this point, but it keeps getting worse.
By JEB
June 10, 2008 11:28 PM | Link to this
Frenchy’s demise this season has been HUGE!!
He is responsible for SO MANY runners being left on base. How many games were in his hands to win for us this year - runs that could have given us the win several times.
How many games would we have won against Phil. over the weekend with Frenchy coming through just half the time??!! We would have won that series!!
By BravesFanInRockies
June 10, 2008 11:28 PM | Link to this
Seriously, I haven’t given up on Acosta. Still has a good arm and wants the ball. He just looks totally shellshocked, from overuse maybe?
Looks like he’ll get to work out his problems in middle relief.
By Jocelyn Elders
June 10, 2008 11:28 PM | Link to this
Besides Eric Clapner, Joey Lawrence is my favorite pitcher!
By Edward
June 10, 2008 11:29 PM | Link to this
R.I.P Atlanta Braves Season…oh and by the way…STOCKMAN>>>>>>>>Acosta….send that guy to A-ball so he can learn how to pitch again…let Francoeur ride the bus with him too…the guy looks lost…never seen a guy so LOST at the plate than him…What a waste of Talent this kid was…
By BravesFanChris23
June 10, 2008 11:30 PM | Link to this
At least it wasn’t a one run loss -_-
Seriously though, very disappointing loss, the two biggest problems were the lack of offense in key situations and the errors. Bobby does get blame here for leaving Acosta in when someone else could have came in and kept it a close game. Bobby did the right thing in having Chipper pinch hit, just used the wrong pinch runner.
They have 9 games left before anyone can say its officially a break trip. At the rate they are going it is very possible, but stranger things have happened in baseball, so while the present and near future looks bleak, they have what it takes to turn it around, they need to get over this hump. I believe its definitely psychological at this point. They need to have someone do something to get everyone riled up.
Also, for goodness sake, QUIT WEARING THE BLUE JERSEYS, PERIOD
By David O'Brien
June 10, 2008 11:31 PM | Link to this
Don’t know what happened to my last post, so I’ll have to keep this quick so I can write gamer: GLAVINE TO DL, flying to Atlanta tomorrow for MRI on Thursday.
Said it’s bothered him for a month, gotten progressive worse, and last two starts it’s hurt every pitch, particularly tonight. He wanted to try to pitch through this injury because of all the other stuff the Braves have had going on and especially with Smoltz out, but it ain’t happening.
Braves haven’t decided who’ll start, Bobby said. No roster move tomorrow to fill Glavine’s spot, and they’ll talk tomorrow with Frank Wren about who replaces Glavine.
By Supes
June 10, 2008 11:32 PM | Link to this
I have to admit, I’m done watching this team on for now. I can’t watch anymore, as the Braves AAA lineup takes on the mighty Cubs.
I’ll be checking out the ESPN baseball tonight version of the 2 min highlight and find out how badly the Braves did that way, rather than go through watching 9 innings of Braves misques, bad luck, FRANCINE, Blowpen, and more starters and pitchers going to the DL.
Bring on the wrecking ball in July and rebuild. I guess the “reloading” isn’t working. Take the Marlins approach, get as much as you can for TEX and FRANCINE and move on. Build for 1-3 years from now.
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 11:32 PM | Link to this
fastasballs I understand your frustration, but think again about the move. If braves didnt catch the cubs in that inning, they never would. He knew chipper was gonna be pitched around and then Yunel and KJ would do the damage. Things just didnt go right. I dont like Cox, but maybe that call was not bad at all. Braves needed baserunners and chipper was an automatic baserunner. Hitter after him failed and made Cox look bad in the process.
By monty
June 10, 2008 11:32 PM | Link to this
Doesn’t look like this old timers convention reclamation/ “good deal on a good fixer upper” project is going so well this year. Smoltz gone, now Glavine(he had nothing tonight) Hoss out, we took a chance on Kotsay and for a while it looked like pure genius, but back problems never really go away do they? Rolled the dice with Gonzales he’s seen limited action since we aquired him. Boyer has been overused and looks like he could go at anytime now. Frank Wren/J.S. rolled the dice and lost. So long Over-the-Hill Gang!
By LT-AA Blogger
June 10, 2008 11:33 PM | Link to this
I didn’t even watch or follow the game.
I just typed “Ughhhh” and it fit perfectly in the conversation.
That’s how bad this team is right now.
By ryan
June 10, 2008 11:34 PM | Link to this
fire cox how the hell do we bat frenchy 3rd when he cant hit a lick we cant even hit a sf we had 4 chances and failed cubs had 2 hit fly balls both times. cubs announcers said what agood job mcdowells doing i say fires his a* along with cox for bringing in acosta again.
By Jeff
June 10, 2008 11:36 PM | Link to this
The Cub’s 8th pretty much sums up the Brave’s season. They close to one run with good two out hitting. Then the train wreck that is Manny Acosta promptly gives up four to seal the deal. You had a stolen base, an error on McCann,an error on Acosta, a passed ball or wild pitch, and a three run homer. Once again, the Braves face a pitcher with a 5+ ERA and they get a three run bomb and nothing else. Ted freakin Lilly? C’mon. If you cannot beat the Lillys, the Moyers, and the Eaton’s then you have no hope. And how many double plays can Frenchy hit into? How many first pitch outs can the team record? How many times can we fail to move runners over? I cannot remember even a sacrifice bunt. We have little to no speed so the stolen base is out of the question. Finally it seems as though the only relievers we have are Acosta, Boyer, or Ohman. Of course some of that is due to starters barely being able to go five innings. Tommy was sad tonight. Was it me or did he ever hit the mid eighties? I recall on at bat to Ramirez. You could tell Glavine wanted no part of him. Of course, maybe it was the elbow. Any how, play Infante more and see what Anderson can do for a couple of weeks. Blanco is a player as well. Something has to change.
By TNjeff
June 10, 2008 11:37 PM | Link to this
Since idiot Cox insists on Pitching “I’llCostya” Acosta he needs to at least realize once things start going south ie dropping the comebacker to the mound and failing to get an out then it ain’t gonna get any better - unless Cox’s plan was to simply avoid another 1 run loss!
By Maria
June 10, 2008 11:38 PM | Link to this
The Braves have to improve on the MENTAL aspect of their game. It seems to me that they find themselves too comfortable at home and, once they hit the road, different ballparks tend to throw their momentum. Management’s involvement in their performance goes so far. Only a player’s determination can help him break this streak. Thus, we can’t blame the entire coaching staff for the poor job of the team on the road.
House-cleaning may not do the Braves much good. If, in the upcoming offseason, Frank Wren decides to trade anybody, the transaction will likely NOT include Escobar, Francoeur, McCann, Anderson or Jones. Jones is pretty self-explanatory. McCann signed a six-year deal early this spring. Escobar has too promising an arm and bat to get rid of. Francoeur has yet to be offered an extension, but his determination to stay in Atlanta will help him improve his chances. He already has one of the best outfield arms in the game and he still possesses the ability to hit 30+ homers and drive in 100+ RBI each season. Anderson, who would’ve played in center had Kotsay not been acquired, is also a promising guy. Though we can’t expect numbers like Frenchy’s or Chipper’s, we can definitely expect an average that reflects plentiful singles and clutch-hitting. Look at the job he’s done so far.
Point is, it couldn’t do the Braves more good than harm if they pull a Marlins-type clean-out. Sure, they’ve managed to win two World Series by rebuilding and, sure, we have the resources to begin again. But our current lineup has potential. If you’re solely referring to arms, than, yeah, a little restart in the ‘pen could probably increase efficiency. However, pitchers are doing well, too. Sans injuries, they’re going late into the game and often, in the case of Hudson, saving the bullpen an appearance at all. The only reason our record is what it is can be chalked up to the approach to hitting.
There are two amazing teams competing for first. If we can revamp our hitting and get the players off the DL, there may be a chance to find ourselves right back in the mix.
So why hang our gloves now? There’s still room for improvement, even if we’re almost halfway through the season. Frenchy will get it together soon enough; Escobar will find his spot in the lineup; pitchers will (hopefully) start taking better care of themselves. And, most importantly, Bobby will learn not to change pitchers solely based on righty-righty, lefty-lefty matchups.
By Mike
June 10, 2008 11:38 PM | Link to this
Kirknga are u for real?? Get a clue my man….this team stinks right now and Acosta is one of the problems.
By Maria
June 10, 2008 11:40 PM | Link to this
The Braves have to improve on the MENTAL aspect of their game. It seems to me that they find themselves too comfortable at home and, once they hit the road, different ballparks tend to throw their momentum. Management’s involvement in their performance goes so far. Only a player’s determination can help him break this streak. Thus, we can’t blame the entire coaching staff for the poor job of the team on the road.
House-cleaning may not do the Braves much good. If, in the upcoming offseason, Frank Wren decides to trade anybody, the transaction will likely NOT include Escobar, Francoeur, McCann, Anderson or Jones. Jones is pretty self-explanatory. McCann signed a six-year deal early this spring. Escobar has too promising an arm and bat to get rid of. Francoeur has yet to be offered an extension, but his determination to stay in Atlanta will help him improve his chances. He already has one of the best outfield arms in the game and he still possesses the ability to hit 30+ homers and drive in 100+ RBI each season. Anderson, who would’ve played in center had Kotsay not been acquired, is also a promising guy. Though we can’t expect numbers like Frenchy’s or Chipper’s, we can definitely expect an average that reflects plentiful singles and clutch-hitting. Look at the job he’s done so far.
Point is, it couldn’t do the Braves more good than harm if they pull a Marlins-type clean-out. Sure, they’ve managed to win two World Series by rebuilding and, sure, we have the resources to begin again. But our current lineup has potential. If you’re solely referring to arms, than, yeah, a little restart in the ‘pen could probably increase efficiency. However, pitchers are doing well, too. Sans injuries, they’re going late into the game and often, in the case of Hudson, saving the bullpen an appearance at all. The only reason our record is what it is can be chalked up to the approach to hitting.
There are two amazing teams competing for first. If we can revamp our hitting and get the players off the DL, there may be a chance to find ourselves right back in the mix.
So why hang our gloves now? There’s still room for improvement, even if we’re almost halfway through the season. Frenchy will get it together soon enough; Escobar will find his spot in the lineup; pitchers will (hopefully) start taking better care of themselves. And, most importantly, Bobby will learn not to change pitchers solely based on righty-righty, lefty-lefty matchups.
By Efrim
June 10, 2008 11:41 PM | Link to this
Wow. I’m not to sure what to say about that Glavine news.
Braves gambled with age in the rotation and it came up and bit them in the arse.
By Anders
June 10, 2008 11:41 PM | Link to this
Efrim
Hey, things could be worse. How would you like to be Smoltz’s and Glavine’s caddy? That fella is headed for the breadline tomorrow!
By Maria
June 10, 2008 11:41 PM | Link to this
The Braves have to improve on the MENTAL aspect of their game. It seems to me that they find themselves too comfortable at home and, once they hit the road, different ballparks tend to throw their momentum. Management’s involvement in their performance goes so far. Only a player’s determination can help him break this streak. Thus, we can’t blame the entire coaching staff for the poor job of the team on the road.
House-cleaning may not do the Braves much good. If, in the upcoming offseason, Frank Wren decides to trade anybody, the transaction will likely NOT include Escobar, Francoeur, McCann, Anderson or Jones. Jones is pretty self-explanatory. McCann signed a six-year deal early this spring. Escobar has too promising an arm and bat to get rid of. Francoeur has yet to be offered an extension, but his determination to stay in Atlanta will help him improve his chances. He already has one of the best outfield arms in the game and he still possesses the ability to hit 30+ homers and drive in 100+ RBI each season. Anderson, who would’ve played in center had Kotsay not been acquired, is also a promising guy. Though we can’t expect numbers like Frenchy’s or Chipper’s, we can definitely expect an average that reflects plentiful singles and clutch-hitting. Look at the job he’s done so far.
Point is, it couldn’t do the Braves more good than harm if they pull a Marlins-type clean-out. Sure, they’ve managed to win two World Series by rebuilding and, sure, we have the resources to begin again. But our current lineup has potential. If you’re solely referring to arms, than, yeah, a little restart in the ‘pen could probably increase efficiency. However, pitchers are doing well, too. Sans injuries, they’re going late into the game and often, in the case of Hudson, saving the bullpen an appearance at all. The only reason our record is what it is can be chalked up to the approach to hitting.
There are two amazing teams competing for first. If we can revamp our hitting and get the players off the DL, there may be a chance to find ourselves right back in the mix.
So why hang our gloves now? There’s still room for improvement, even if we’re almost halfway through the season. Frenchy will get it together soon enough; Escobar will find his spot in the lineup; pitchers will (hopefully) start taking better care of themselves. And, most importantly, Bobby will learn not to change pitchers solely based on righty-righty, lefty-lefty matchups.
By Edward
June 10, 2008 11:45 PM | Link to this
Great…i hope they DL Glavine for the rest of the year…it wont hurt much…he was only giving 4 or 5 innings…so…Good Bye Glavine..nice to know YA!!!…see ya at the Induction at Cooperstown….
By kirknga
June 10, 2008 11:47 PM | Link to this
Let’s please remember that Acosta and Boyer were not supposed to be in the closer/set up roles. Those were to be filled by Soriano and Moylan.
We’re not only asking them to pitch a bunch of innings, but they’re being asked to perform roles they were not yet ready to fill.
Let’s not destroy them, and have them go elsewhere and perform like studs.
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 11:48 PM | Link to this
Good thing muts and nats are in this division.
We are having a hell of a race with the muts, too bad it is for 3rd place.
If the Answer is JF hitting 3rd….. what would the question be??? Thats a hard one right there.
By BravesFanInRockies
June 10, 2008 11:48 PM | Link to this
Well, if the Braves do go out and get a pitcher, for crying out loud, make him younger than 40 and not “recovering from injury” (in other words, Harden).
Old and fragile players haven’t worked out that well for us this year.
Get well, Tommy. This mess isn’t your fault.
By mr baseball
June 10, 2008 11:50 PM | Link to this
N8:
In fairness to Chance the Manager, there was not a viable No. 3 hitter available tonight. Against a lefty, Francouer was probably the best hope, even with his extended slump, but it’s pretty obvious there’s something wrong with his swing/approach/something.
Don’t get Joe Simpson’s repeated references to Jeff’s swinging for the fences. He’s hitting mostly ground balls and does not appear to be over-swinging. He just ain’t making solid contact, which could be any number of things. He didn’t just all of a sudden forget how to hit, and given what the Braves have behind him, Cox basically has no choice but to let him work his way out of whatever it is he’s in.
If this blog was in existence whatever year it was Smoltz started something like 2-11, wonder how many calls for shipping him to the minors would have been posted here.
Francouer has been a very good player and will be again. On the other hand, Blanco’s run as a minimal contributor seems at an end. Time to let Josh Anderson play a little.
Also time to let someone other than Acosta & Boyer pitch every night in a tie/1-run game in the 8th, but don’t expect the genius in the dugout to figure that out.
By the middle of next week, will this team still be hovering around .500, ot will it limp back to Atlanta with a 2-8 or 3-7 road trip. The season is about to get away and it doesn’t look anyone is prepared to step up and do something about it.
By Maria
June 10, 2008 11:50 PM | Link to this
I have no idea why that posted three times. I wish I could a way to delete two of the posts. Really, really sorry.
By Chop Chop
June 10, 2008 11:51 PM | Link to this
You gotta be s** me, DOB. Glavine on the DL? An MRI scheduled for tomorrow?
Wow.
By Overlord-D-Day
June 10, 2008 11:52 PM | Link to this
JF is looking bad, but not enough to make me forget about KJ 9th inning E on friday night. He might get it done by friday though.
By kirknga
June 10, 2008 11:56 PM | Link to this
Mike Yeah I’m for real dude. I think we just suffered another pathetic with a capital P loss.
However, I believe fair is fair. Everybody is in love with the young guys when they’re doing good until and then they f’up and all of a sudden they’re bums.
I feel for Morton should they call him up.
I think players in their first year in the bigs deserve more patience than people are giving Acosta and Boyer. They are clearly misused and overused. But they are not bums or the reason why the Braves are below 500 team right now.
Getting rid of them would accomplish what? Who is going to replace them? I’m let’s get real here.
By Philliesuk
June 10, 2008 11:58 PM | Link to this
It was kinda cute how we and the Mets bloggers were fighting over who would win the division, way back when. Who would make the biggest difference for our club…Santana?…Teixeira?…Glavine???
We all should feel a little stupid at this point.
Not to say that we can’t win the wild card, IF some key moves are made. There are plenty of sucky teams in the NL to make the wild card attainable. We just have to be less sucky.
By Coach Smith
June 10, 2008 11:59 PM | Link to this
HERE IS HOW TO TURN IT AROUND
1.BRING UP MORTON….
Sell the farm for a youngish starter who can be here for the next 5+ years
Pick up a PROVEN outfielder even if he is a renter like (DUNN, GRIFFEY, NADY)
Leave CAMPILLO in the rotation
Use Stockman
Get GONZALES back
Give Bennett a shot at closing
Bring SCHAFER up
Get rid of CORKY for someone who can at least hit .100
If you do this…you could have a rotation of HUDDY, JAIR, pitcher you traded for, MORTON, Campillo, then JOJO/Glavine in reserve
The Outfield could be Dunn/Griffey/NADY etc in LF, Schafer/Blanco in C, FRENCHY/Shafer/Blanco in RF
This could get the team turned around in a hurry with new life, enthusiasm, and better outfield and rotation
It also takes care of some pitching questions for next year
What do you guys think?
By Anders
June 10, 2008 11:59 PM | Link to this
Efrim
back when the Braves signed Soriano to that two year deal I said it smelled funny to me. Why would a guy on the edge of FA sign a $’s light two year deal knowing the closer job was his? I wondered if he knew his arm was bad or at least suspect and wanted to lock in what he could.Of course DOB ripped me a new one saying how could I know what’s in the guys head he just wanted ta assure his families security etc.etc..
Then the guy shows up lame in ST and hasn’t been right yet. I still think his agent pulled one over on Wren. what do you think?
By Overlord-D-Day
June 11, 2008 12:02 AM | Link to this
Maybe braves can sign Steve Carlton, he could bring some youth to the team…. right FW?
Or what about Anderson, Campillo, B Jones and Shafer for Curt schilling, I heard he is almost ready to come out of the DL.
By chrisklob
June 11, 2008 12:04 AM | Link to this
Austin, the language that you use on this blog is simply unacceptable. In no way, shape or form am I a prude. I can (and often do in the right circumstances) curse like a sailor. However, this is a public space and there are quite a few kids and ladies (including mine) that read this blog regularly. Please refrain from the unnecessary profanity and respect the younger crowd here. It doesn’t help whatever argument you have and it only makes you look like an immmature child.
By Anders
June 11, 2008 12:06 AM | Link to this
I know you guys are big stats mavens. Anyone know the record for pitching dollars on the DL? Glavine, Smoltz, Hampton et al have to have that beat easy.
who wants to do the math?
By uga-brave
June 11, 2008 12:06 AM | Link to this
n8,
just heard a interview with john malone CEO of liberty media.
peter gammons asked him to comment on the signing of brian lawrence, he said “sorry peter, you mean joey lawrence dont you peter.” gammons said ” no, brian lawrence”
malone, obviously got emabarassed and screamed “wren promised me we signed blosom reruns to show as filler programs in august and september” WHOA.
By Overlord-D-Day
June 11, 2008 12:07 AM | Link to this
62-65, combined record for NY teams.
Aint life sweet???
Guess not, braves sok also.
By Chop Chop
June 11, 2008 12:11 AM | Link to this
The Braves’ record since the Bobby Cox extension: 6-12
By Cody
June 11, 2008 12:11 AM | Link to this
I am sick of people blaming the Braves losing on the pitching staff. The Braves problem is the offense and Jeff Frankycanthits-hitcour. The Braves need a power bat for the outfield. Move jeff to AAA for the rest of the season. Get Anderson in right and when Kotsay comes back the outfield will have power bat in left, kotsay/blanco in center and anderson/blanco in right. This team needs to drop Jeff and get another power bat. His offense has lost more games than the bullpen has blown on the season. Morton will be a boost to the rotation and will be hear the rest of the year. Glavine is done becuase that elbow injury signals TJ surgery. If the Braves want to win this season this is what they need to do: 1. get Morton up hear ASAP, 2. trade for a young priemer pitcher, 3. aquire a power bat, Finally send Francour to the minors and let Anderson take his place.
By BravesFanInRockies
June 11, 2008 12:11 AM | Link to this
Coach Smith,
A couple of your ideas are defensible (calling up Schafer, Morton). But you’re not thinking this through.
If you sell the farm, you don’t have Schafer and maybe Morton. To get a young stud starter, one of them probably has to be in the deal. A team’s not going to give up an effective ML starter during the season for longterm prospects who won’t be ready for years (like Heyward or Hanson or Rohrbaugh).
And who’s left on the farm to acquire Griffey or Nady?
I still say get Brian Giles if he can be had for a B prospect or two. Bring up Morton and Schafer and Sammons. And pray that Gonzo’s healthy!
By Dr Andrews
June 11, 2008 12:12 AM | Link to this
With the ever rising cost of fuel I’ve found it to be more efficient to move my practice to Atlanta rather than continually transport all these Braves players down to Birmingham for procedures.
By Supes
June 11, 2008 12:15 AM | Link to this
What excuses will Bobby give this time for FRANCINE’s lack of production? Jeff hit the ball real hard, just right at people, he even got to a 3 ball count once!
By Roman Gal
June 11, 2008 12:15 AM | Link to this
Some good news: Jason Heyward returned to the lineup tonight (only to get ejected in the 8th inning.)
By AZBravoFan
June 11, 2008 12:15 AM | Link to this
Wow, remember in spring training when the Braves were gathered around the batting cage watching the newly bulked up Francoeur pull ball after ball deep over the fence? And Chipper joked, “Lose an Andruw, gain an Andruw…”. Ha, ha! Not so funny anymore is it?
By Overlord-D-Day
June 11, 2008 12:16 AM | Link to this
Coach Smith the only way to turn it around is benching JF or sending him down. Benching KJ more until he really shows the job is his, not something like a kings crown that Cox wanted to give him. And last but not least, sending the fish to Bocci Cox (The Godfather style).
By David O'Brien
June 11, 2008 12:18 AM | Link to this
Seriously, this is becoming like a cruel joke. The guys were sitting around just shell-shocked after this one. Cox looked about as tired and worn out and frustrated as I’ve ever seen him.
By monty
June 11, 2008 12:19 AM | Link to this
I say Bennet becomes our next starter. I admire Glavine, no one ever in the history of the game got as much out of so little stuff. Glavine understands pitching and he hasn’t been bad this year as a whole. But the thought of him pitching in a playoff game gives me the willies.
By uga-brave
June 11, 2008 12:20 AM | Link to this
ANDERS,
i agreed with you then and i agree with you now. i also smelled smoke when smoltz was pitching on the back fields instead of pitching in ST games.
that is not a knock on smoltz, he did what he thought he needed to do to be ready and give his team the best shot.
smoltz gave it his best shot but father time just caught up with him.
if a third of this team had his heart maybe things would be different.
By AA
June 11, 2008 12:24 AM | Link to this
This team needs to have a blow out meeting. Chipper needs to take the floor and scream at guys to step it up. Injuries and all, this team has a very good nucleus. You can all say what you want about Francouer, but nobody feels worse than he does. He is just trying to hit a 5 run homerun everytime up. He is trying to pick up the slack of everyone else and in the process, is having the worst season of his young career. But the point is, that he is TRYING too hard. Its not as if he is going up to the plate, striking out, and having that dumba** grin on his face on his way back to the dug out (Andruw??) He wants to win as bad as anyone else. I’m not going to crucify a guy that has a big heart and plays the game hard. I will be the first one to say (and probably the only one) that this season is NOT over and the Braves will turn it around. All it will take is one come from behind win (like in Baltimore a few years back) or someone to step up and take the bull by the horns.
By Kentavo
June 11, 2008 12:29 AM | Link to this
The current regime will never admit to being anything other than a so-called “contender” - so don’t expect a fire sale. They’ll make some weak moves at the deadline and try to make a go at it - but true rebuilding won’t happen til Cox is thankfully gone. Unfortunatley, Smotlz, Glav, and Chip will be gone too.
By Kentavo
June 11, 2008 12:29 AM | Link to this
The current regime will never admit to being anything other than a so-called “contender” - so don’t expect a fire sale. They’ll make some weak moves at the deadline and try to make a go at it - but true rebuilding won’t happen til Cox is thankfully gone. Unfortunatley, Smotlz, Glav, and Chip will be gone too.
By fastasballs
June 11, 2008 12:30 AM | Link to this
Coach Smith Are you serious? Sell the farm for a youngish starter? We sent enough of it away last year for Tex. For once we have some youngish starters that WILL make an impact on the rotation for years to come. JJJ & Jo Jo are here now, Morton probably very shortly. Hanson maybe in a year or so as well.
There are no quick fixes for this team & IMO it’s foolish to try and salvage this season by making trades that give away prospects for rentals. We have some really good prospects coming along, but we are not overflowing with them. Brandon Jones is a good trade piece though.
Injuries have destroyed this team, regardless they should be about 5-6 games better in the standings even with the injuries, maybe more. If that were the case maybe some aggressive moves would be called for.
I’d love to see them get some real value out of Tex. If the Braves are out of it by the break I say move him. Draft picks are nice, but will take years to develope. This team will need serious help next season.
The Braves will at least need to go and get one starter for next season, maybe two. Two outfield positions will need to be filled, Schaefer hopefully is one of them. Also a first baseman & maybe a closer to round things out. Lots of needs don’t you think?
On a sad note quite possibly, depending on Glavine’s MRI, we have watched two HOF pitchers have their careers ended within a week of one another. I would still bet Smoltz is back at some point next season. I hope Glavine is ok, but I have a feeling it’s not good.
By Coach (Not Drinking The Kool Aid)
June 11, 2008 12:30 AM | Link to this
Yep , the death spiral has begun. The only question left to ask is, when does Frank Wren decide to sell.
The only silver lining that I can see is, maybe Cox will decide to retire and hang it up due to sheer frustration.
By Coach Smith
June 11, 2008 12:31 AM | Link to this
BRavesFaninRockies
I disagree….
The Braves have plenty of other prospects….
Gorkys Hernandez, Lilabridge, Brandon Jones, Raurbourgh, Chuck James, Josh Anderson, even Gregor Blanco if needed…
Rich Harden could be had for far less than most, then you have HARANG who is having bad year record wise (might not command as much), ARROYO, BEDARD, GRIENKE, there are more
You don’t have to give up your top 2 prospects to get something when you have so many other well thought of prospects.
GILES does not supply the power we need in the outfield
By rolltideface
June 11, 2008 12:33 AM | Link to this
Good, maybe Bobby should just throw in the towel, call it a career and get the hell out of the way. This team has sucked now for 3 years and it’s time that Bobby Bowden- err Bobby Cox- hang it up before he’s made us any worse. I know quite a few FSU fans that feel the same way- DONE.
By jason
June 11, 2008 12:34 AM | Link to this
I think the Braves should seriously consider getting Maddux. Maddux is having a good year, his ERA is 3.33. I think with Smoltz and now Glavine out, the Braves need another quality veteran pitcher.
By Roman Gal
June 11, 2008 12:34 AM | Link to this
Sometime during the 3rd or 4th inning, the Cubs announcers were talking about Tom Glavine and how he made the first DL trip of his career. They then proceeded to say that it was a leg issue and that he had never had any arm troubles.
Personally, I like the blue unis. But that is one HECK of a coincidence…
By Kev
June 11, 2008 12:34 AM | Link to this
Things to DO for Frank Wren this 2008 OFF-Season:
-Hudson and Cook would be a good start to a rotation, especially when you have Jair, jo-jo and Morton to compete for the other spots…
-Use some of this $50 million coming off the books to go after a guy like sabathia, sheets,Lowe in FA this off-season…Lowe would be a PErfect signing IMO..
-Call up Schafer to be CF or even LF, Sammons to be Backup,Get Corky Miller the heck out of a ML Roster…
-Trade for a real Power LF..Nady,Dunn,Bay,etc..
-Get some Bullpen help:Hennessey from the Giants,Rockies, who have Fuentes,etc…set up guys and good middle relief guys would help..
-With all this…set the lineup and Bat Frenchy 7th or 8th…THAT GUY IS CLUELESS of what he’s doing in a batter’s box…
By Coach Smith
June 11, 2008 12:36 AM | Link to this
One thing to the AJ bashers…
I guess it wasn’t all his fault after all…
Striking out falling down or not…the Braves sure could use his 30+ HRs and 100+ RBIs out of an outfield spot right about now
By Austin
June 11, 2008 12:37 AM | Link to this
chrisklob
I am an immature child.
By David O'Brien
June 11, 2008 12:40 AM | Link to this
If they ever wear the blue uni’s again, someone should be drug-tested.
(Of course, I’ve had a similar thought when Acosta is sent back out for a second inning. Or lately, for a first inning…)
But seriously, they’re 2-9 with the blu uni’s and at least three key injuries while wearing them — Glavine twice, and Moylan.
By brent a.
June 11, 2008 12:40 AM | Link to this
Sorry, if this is asked elsewhere, but I would enjoy some legitiimate discussion about possible Teixeira trades.
Sad season, so far, but unless we win at least 4 of the next 9, I just can’t see us staying around much longer.
I just hate to see us allow the Wild Card to make us think we still have a chance. But, what do I know?
By Coach Smith
June 11, 2008 12:43 AM | Link to this
Any of you guys talking about “REBUILDING” or “FIRE SELL”” may as well get it out of your heads..
You can’t be serious….The Braves WILL NEVER DO THAT especailly as long as Cox, Chipper, Huddy, Tex, McCann etc are here…
Teams like the Braves, Yankees, Red Sox, and to some extent the Mets and Phillies will never go into true tear down rebuilding modes like other teams….
They will continue to try and bring along some minor league prospects and add some select free agents to their CORE and tweak it on the fly..
But if any of you are expecting a 2-3 year give up and turn it over to all young guys and win 60 games you obviously haven’t been watching the last 17 years
By Austin
June 11, 2008 12:44 AM | Link to this
Down in Richmond
Gonzo pitches 1 2/3 hitless innings with 2 K
James pitches 3 2/3 scoreless 3 H 3 BB 4 K
By Coach Smith
June 11, 2008 12:49 AM | Link to this
I am frustrated and said some things about the season possibbly being done as well BUT
REALISTICALLY iif the Braves win the next two and the Phillies lose the next 2 everyone will be singing a different tune at 4 1/2 out with 96 to play
That is why you have to temper the dispair
By jason
June 11, 2008 12:51 AM | Link to this
Coach Smith, you are comparing the Braves to teams like the Yankees and Red Sox ? The Braves are not a big market team. Smaller markets like the Braves need to rebuild.
By gtg821x
June 11, 2008 1:01 AM | Link to this
Gorkys Hernandez, Lilabridge, Brandon Jones, Raurbourgh, Chuck James, Josh Anderson, even Gregor Blanco if needed…
None of these guys are big time prospects. Hernandez is the closest thing to it. Chuck James is at best a 5th starter, and Blanco/Anderson don’t have the bat to be a major contributor to an offense. You are a homer and it shows. No team wants Chuck James, and it would definitely take real prospects i.e. Morton and Shafer to pick up a quality established starting pitcher.
By Supes
June 11, 2008 1:06 AM | Link to this
Coach Smith , AA…Aren’t you paying attention to the stats.
96% of teams who have a sub.500 record as of June 20th have NOT won a Division title. The Braves are now 1 under.500 (9 more to go on this brutal road trip…injuries are mounting and road woes continued).
It doesn’t matter if the Phillies lose the next 2 and the Braves win the next 2. Braves need to have a .500 road trip period.
Those stats are not made up. Only 4% chance of winning the NL East after June 20th with a losing record. Do you really want to place your hopes and dreams on 4%…Oh yes, you do. You also play the lotto twice a week hoping for that big jackpot.
By THB
June 11, 2008 1:10 AM | Link to this
Coach Smith-Dude, you’re laughable. You want us to go after Harden (Who can’t stay healthy), Bedard (Who would command a deal like Teixeira-2 years left on contract, did you see what the orioles got in return?), Arroyo (Who has been a huge disappointment), Harang (Who would cost a lot, maybe on the way down as well), or Greinke (On the same level as Cain, would command a lot for a ace under 25)? That sure would fill a lot of our other needs, you know, 2 outfield positions, a new 1B, a leadoff hitter, and a closer? Wow, I’d be impressed if you could pull that off.
The Braves don’t need to call up Schafer. He won’t make the Braves win, and neither will a trade for Giles or Greinke or Nady. We have more than enough to win (Marlins are proof), we just don’t have a winning team right now. If they’re gonna win, they’ll start showing it, and showing it soon. My bet is they don’t show much, and I would like to see some MLB ready players coming to the Braves for one of Tex or Francouer.
By The Goche
June 11, 2008 1:22 AM | Link to this
Braves could use something BIG, like Morton pulling a Volquez, otherwise we might see this slip too far before we can get it together (if we ever do).
It’s definitely too early for me to give up, giving up in June may be easy, but it’s no fun. I may not be picking the Braves anymore, but there is a lot of time for them to turn it around.
One thing is for sure though, they’ll never get anywhere without some serious fixing.
Turns out both Braves and Mets fans were right, about each other, everything we said about them has been true and same for all they said about us. Too bad we were both wrong about the Phillies.
Still, the Phils will cool. They are good, and they sure could run away if the Marlins don’t keep it up or NY or ATL don’t pull it together, but I still think their pitching will eventually cause them to slow down, if only for a while. The Braves had sure better figure it out before then.
However, if we do fall out of it, might as well just go ahead and see what we can get for Tex.
We could certainly get Alan Horne (once he gets healthy) and someone else, maybe even Ian Kennedy from the Yanks if they are still alive. That would be a good start for the future, and really way better than any two draft picks we might get. Maybe the Red Sox would get into the bidding too.
If Soriano gets it together and we fall out of the race, I think I’d try to trade him too. Maybe we could get a good hitting prospect. Save the money and see what we can get. We can find a closer later (I still like Mike G.).
If we do end up losing out on this year we could really pull it together for a big future real real soon. Unless there is some move that would make us legit World Series contenders again (i.e. not Joe Blanton), I think that makes alot more sense then giving up the moderate strength we have building in the farm so that we can win 90 games.
So think about it, add a couple arms like Horne and Kennedy, call up Shafer after this year and maybe Morton, maybe BJones comes around, plus we’d still have Hanson, Locke, Teheran, Heyward, etc. coming sooner or later. We then have some money to go for a bat for left field or 1b. Shoot, how about Adam Dunn. That way we are competitive next year (though probably noone’s favorite), the pitching will be too young to really lead, but they will be learning. Our offense would actually still be good no matter who was on first (maybe pick up Nick Johnson and take what you get).
SP Hudson, Kennedy, Horne, Morton & Bennett/Campillo/James. 1. Schafer, 2. Yunel 3. Chipper, 4. Dunn, 5. Mac, 6. French, 7. Kelly, 8. whoever you might try at 1st (maybe even try Kots or Diaz there).
I’d try to keep Infante, Prado and Norton on the bench, along with Blanco/Anderson/Diaz. I’d try to see what Ohman wants for a couple years.
But I really think that unless this team finds a way to be one trade away from the series, that I would rather give up Tex for a future, than trade the future for mediocrity now.
By Chop Chop
June 11, 2008 1:23 AM | Link to this
Coach Smith has to be a ringer. His posts are too amusing in their ineptitude.
By David O'Brien
June 11, 2008 1:46 AM | Link to this
Striking out falling down or not…the Braves sure could use his 30+ HRs and 100+ RBIs out of an outfield spot right about nowCoach Smith
Yeah, I bet the Dodgers would like that out of Andruw, too. But neither the Braves nor the Dodgers can turn back the clock and get the old Andruw, and the new one is on the DL, after putting up statistics that were literally the worst among any NL lineup regular this season.
By The Goche
June 11, 2008 1:51 AM | Link to this
shoot, i forgot JJ and JoJo.
We’d have an absolutely ridiculous amount of young pitching if we followed my Tex for young Yankee SP plan (I’d even include another small piece if it was necessary to get Horne and Kennedy). This might work, because it departs from the typical 1 rental for 3-5 top 10 prospects, instead you get 2 basically ML ready top 5 prospects.
New rotation Huddy, JJ, Kennedy, JoJo, Morton/Horne.
Plus then all the guys like Rohrbough, Hanson, Teheran, Locke. Maybe not even one of those 9 young pitchers are HOFers, but that is as close to a young big 3 as we are ever likely to see, while probably not a Maddux, Glavine or Smoltz in the group, there are so many of them we would certainly be able to put a 1-5 rotation together to be way proud of.
We could easily afford to sign Dunn. We could even probably trade BJones and/or Lillibridge (or Diaz, Anderson, Blanco, also Chuckie for what that’s worth) for some piece we may need. And in the field we’d still have Hernandez and Heyward as major prospects already in the pipeline. We could almost be as stocked as a post firesale Marlins without ever finishing below 3rd.
I think that Braves team wins the East by 2010, maybe even the NL if Chipper holds up that long. And with all that young talent, we could trade for whatever veteran we may need at that time.
The more I think about it, I think we may be better off if we fall out of the race if it makes us do a deal like the Tex deal I proposed (especially if it prevents us from doing something stupid to get a mediocre innings eater).
Not that I am giving up, because I’m not.
By Moby Grape
June 11, 2008 2:12 AM | Link to this
Now that I just typed that I see the entire Royals starting rotation is Right handed. Chuck, a lefty, might actually interest them more…TennPaul
didn’t they already turn up their noses at Chuck back in the winter when we were interested in DeJesus? That was b4 Chuck got sent down when he probably had a little more bloom on him than he does now.
By N8
June 11, 2008 2:18 AM | Link to this
Coach Smith
“REALISTICALLY iif the Braves win the next two and the Phillies lose the next 2 everyone will be singing a different tune at 4 1/2 out with 96 to play”
If I thought there was a realistic chance at us winning the next 2 games, I’d agree with you.
I’ll be SHOCKED if this team wins 2 games on the entire road trip.
This season is officially over for this club. UNLESS some miraculous events take place over the next 9 games:
1) Phillies come back down to earth
2) Jeff starts playing like Dale Murphy again and NOT Brad Komminsk.
3) SOMEBODY (any trio) puts together 3 QUALITY starts to give this battered bullpen a rest.
4) Mike Gonzalez comes back soon and shows ZERO signs of missing a year with TJS.
5) Chipper is able to play in 7 of the 9 games, and continue what he was doing before being injured.
6) Corky Miller gets injured, so another catcher THAT CAN HIT gets called up.
7) Bobby drops the 13 man pitching staff and gets an extra bat for the bench.
8) Bobby taxi driver REFUSES to get out of his cab and knock on the door to wake him up.
9) Benjamin Linus goes to the “basement” and moves the whole damn island, sending it back in time.
Unfortunately, the ONLY one that has a real shot of happening, is Chipper playing.
Yikes.
uga
That was very funny, btw. Well done.
Woah!
By NO MORE BOBBY
June 11, 2008 2:19 AM | Link to this
Manny Acosta is the new Tyler Yates but even worse!! Why does Bobby stick with these guys for so long? This is MLB not Boy Scouts where we try to make them better people with chance after chance.
Who cares? Go Cubs!!
SMOLTZ FOR MANAGER 2010!!!!
By Dallas
June 11, 2008 2:24 AM | Link to this
I think it’d be a really good idea if we all posted players that we think Wren should trade for. Since most of them are outrageous to begin with and couldn’t be pulled off even in a fantasy league, let’s continue to give Wren great trade ideas. I’m sure all of these players we throw out there are available too. Then we can talk about how much better we’d be.
By Otis Nixon
June 11, 2008 2:30 AM | Link to this
Blossom? Is that the one with the chick that got her boobs shrunk? Why a woman would ever do that is beyond me.
By CamdenDUDE
June 11, 2008 2:33 AM | Link to this
Go Phillies. Wow this is one heck of a race we’re going to have with the braves what are you 6 ..7 games back impressive sub .500 record..
BRAVES BASEBALL IS BACK!
ATLANTA=WORST SPORTS CITY
By Davey O'Bravien
June 11, 2008 2:44 AM | Link to this
This season just keeps getting worser and worser!! Seems everybody has the Hampton flu…get sick/”injured” and get paid to play golf. Don’t worry Tiger, they ain’t no good, except for Smoltzie!!
By TennesseePaul
June 11, 2008 2:46 AM | Link to this
Wow. Moby Grape, I don’t know. Possibly.
I left this evening with the game tied. I come back to find that our innings eating, first round draft pick forfeiting pitcher has gone on the DL fof the second time this season and second time his career and the Braves have lost again…. Bummer. It’s a bummer man. But I’m still a fan. Still like the Braves.
In other news, the Lakers won and that made for a fun evening. I’m not a huge Laker fan but I live here so why not? And then there are other connections going the other way. So watching this game is pretty exciting. I enjoy every play on both sides. It’s been quite the lovein for basketball finals and TennesseePaul. Ha!
We’ll get’em tomorrow!. Go Braves!!
By N8
June 11, 2008 2:46 AM | Link to this
Otis Nixon
“Blossom? Is that the one with the chick that got her boobs shrunk? Why a woman would ever do that is beyond me.”
No. You’re thinking of Punky Brewster, and I agree….nobody’s “toys” should every be shrunk.
By Overlord-D-Day
June 11, 2008 2:51 AM | Link to this
NEW BLOG IS UP!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry…….I was just kidding…..
But it was possible, right? Tons of exciting thing to write about the Braves these days.
By Wayne in Utah
June 11, 2008 3:02 AM | Link to this
I know most are off to bed tonight. Sad state of affairs for our team. As much as I despised TG for going to the Mets, I never wished this on him or the team. Realistically, I think Tommy G and John are done.
Our team this year has a slim chance to recover, and the Braves front office and management team have NEVER thown up the white flag this early in a season. I don’t expect them to this year.
Realistically though, as the month progresses, if things don’t go well in the next few games, I think the team needs to gear up for the future. No major overhauls, but give some more of the youngsters a shot.
In his better days “Joey” Lawrence was a decent innings eater. If Morton is not ready, I say give BL a few starts. I don’t think Buddy is the answer either. Somewhere down the line, I would like to see Campillo given put back into the bullpen, and Stockman be given some more innings, so as not to burn out Acosta and Boyer.
If Kotsay is not coming back soon, I would be tempted to bring up Schafer, and put him in at CF, and give Anderson more time in left. Also, Frenchy is probably trying to hit a 10 Run homer each time up, and is probably pressing. Bench him for 3-4 days and give him a chance to understand he doesn’t have to get well in one at bat.
To salvage a shot at the post season, please do NOT mortgage the future, but hope and pray for health from our existing players (Chipper, Gonzo, Hudson, and the other regulars).
If we drop 6-7 games on this road trip, then it is time to shut down Soriano, and check the DFA wire for some old retreads that can do some mop up work for us.
I would love to see Tex resigned, but if he would not sign this summer, I would deal him to one of the NY teams for the best offer. (only if we are below 500 on July 1st).
Sorry for the long post. Just been busy lately, and wanted to add my two cents worth.
What would it be like to have a starting staff next year of Hudson, Jurrjens, JoJo, Morton, and somebody like Arroyo?
A lineup that would include a CF who could hit in the leadoff role, and provide a spark (Schafer???), Yunel in the #2 hole, and Chipper at his usual third. The challenge would be to fill the clean-up spot, if Tex is not retained. This one is going to be a challenge.
Baby Huey, Frenchy, and KJ in the 5-7 spots.
Wren has got to start doing his homework on LF and 1B for next year. Do we put someone in left to mark time until Heyward is ready? Nady is intriguing. Would LaRoche be available reasonably in a trade? Wouldn’t that be ironic!
I loved that Dr. Andrews update from earlier this evening!!
By The Goche
June 11, 2008 3:03 AM | Link to this
If we absolutely decide to hold Tex and make a run for it, I think we should trade for Dunn and resign him, that way we go ahead and fulfil one of our needs for after this season.
I think a package of BJones and/or BLill (if either one starts hitting) and maybe one of our pitching prospects would get it done (I wouldn’t do Morton, Hanson, Rohrbough or Teheran though). Maybe Locke or Evarts.
Then we sign a pitcher in the offseason, maybe a Dempster, Garland or A.J. Burnett (if he opts out). I think we can afford both Dunn and a pitcher in the offseason.
Another thought: A possible off-season trade we could consider, trying to get Kendry Morales from the Angels. It wouldn’t be real cheap, but maybe BJones (if we don’t trade him for Dunn or something) and Chuckie would do it.
Kendry is blocked by Kotch and their OF is old, plus they get a young lefty pitcher who at least at one point was successful. The only hold up is BJones needs to start to hit before we can get real value for him.
I might suggest giving Jones a shot in the majors to see if he can do that weird minor leaguer thing where a guy hits better in the majors than the minors. Lets showcase him a bit and maybe he even becomes our answer in left, you never know. I mean he can’t make his trade value any lower than it currently is as a .263 hitting AAA player.
By Wayne in Utah
June 11, 2008 3:10 AM | Link to this
Tenn-Paul: Are you a socal resident? I didn’t know. My two favorite pro b-ball teams are the Jazz (love the J-Slo way) and who ever is playing the Lakers! Not a lot of love lost for the Colorado Kid.
I too am still a big fan, and will be throughout the bad times. Maybe this year it is time to do some tweaking for the future. Too many good players on this team to blow it up and start again though, as some would do.
Tomorrow is another day!!! Hope springs eternal…
Silence is golden, but duct tape is silver!
Nite all…..
By kirknga
June 11, 2008 3:54 AM | Link to this
Lots of folk talking trades, but realistically I only see KC, Seattle, San Diego, and maybe Colorado, the Reds, and Pirates as potential sellers at this point. Everyone else is either a buyer or likely to stand pat for now.
There are alot of teams still around 500(including the Reds and Pirates) and thus not ready to call it a season. If for no other reason, they could take a hit at the gate if the put up the white flag.
I think the Braves are still in it because even after today, they are one of only 7 teams in the NL that has scored more runs than they’ve allowed. There are only 8 in the AL.
I doubt we will see a repeat of last season when Diamondbacks made the playoffs scoring less runs than they allowed. I don’t think the Mets or Marlins will either.
Until the Braves become a team that scores less than they allow, and stays that way for awhile, I don’t think we should give up on their playoff chances.
By BravesRule
June 11, 2008 4:05 AM | Link to this
Speed leads to errors, errors lead to runs.Kirk
Funny, I didn’t see any errors while Anderson was on base
By Coach (Not Drinking The Kool Aid)
June 11, 2008 4:08 AM | Link to this
Look, lets be honest. Part of the reason that Hoss is banging away at a .400 clip is because Tex is protecting him in the lineup.
That said, Tex isn’t going anywhere no matter how bad it gets. The Braves have to be committed to building an offense for now and in the future around Chipper and Teixeira.
I know, Teixeira will test the free agent market. But, the Braves will have the money available to be competitive in bidding for his services in the future.
Chipper has said he wants to play until the age of 40. But, lets be realistic. Hoss has bad wheels and it’s pure guesswork trying to predict how much longer his legs will hold up. Chipper is 36, Teixeira is 28, I think the Braves know where their bread is buttered.
Teixeira is 28, McCann is 24, Escobar is 25. As far as I am concerned, these three players are sure fire athletes that any franchise should build an offense around now and in the foreseeable future.
By Scott from Fairburn
June 11, 2008 4:45 AM | Link to this
Folks, let’s be honest about Glavine … he’s done … he hasn’t exactly ramped up his off-season training in the last few years … the guy has the gut of a beer league softball player.
By Moby Grape
June 11, 2008 5:01 AM | Link to this
You gotta be s** me, DOB. Glavine on the DL? An MRI scheduled for tomorrow?
WowChopChop
well at least Ledezma and Trachsel are now both available as possible replacements
By Moby Grape
June 11, 2008 5:16 AM | Link to this
The Braves have plenty of other prospects….
Gorkys Hernandez, Lilabridge, Brandon Jones, Raurbourgh, Chuck James, Josh Anderson, even Gregor Blanco if needed…Coach…Smith
Other than Hernandez(and he’s still pretty far away) none of those guys have much trade value right now the way their seasons have gone. Do you think the other GMs are totally stupid to trade a decent young starter for our middling leftovers?
By Moby Grape
June 11, 2008 5:25 AM | Link to this
We could certainly get Alan Horne (once he gets healthy) and someone else, maybe even Ian Kennedy from the Yanks if they are still aliveGoche
Not familiar with Horne(what, we need another player coming off an injury) but Kennedy is fast being described around baseball as being highly over-rated,
By Bravo Nam
June 11, 2008 5:57 AM | Link to this
Coach Smith
You’re right about one thing: temper the despair.
Bravos from here
Forget the Cox and Braves bashing and let’s focus. Any team (including the Red Sox and Cubs) who have had the number of injuries to key players that the Bravos have had would be stumbling at this point. The fact that the Bravos are just under .500 is remarkable. Plenty of time to right the ship. Some thoughts on this.
Why on earth is Kotsay on this trip…he’s unlikely to play. Keep him back in Atlanta, away from flying on planes…this is truly bone headed!
Bench Frenchie for three games. The guy needs some rest, time for reflection on his hitting, and to get some urgency back into his game. He needs a gentle kick up the backside, and Cox benching him would do him a world of good…I’m betting at this juncture the Bravos are delighted they haven’t yet signed him to a lucrative contract.
Play Stockman…the man is pitching lights out and the rest of the bullpen needs a rest.
Take Acosta out of the pen and send him down to Richmond for a rest. Bring in a fresh arm.
DL Soriano until he’s right. It’s ludicrous having a guy in the bullpen who obviously isn’t right and burning out everyone else!
Don’t repeat the mistake next year of having three 40 something starting pitchers…is it any surprise that Smoltzie, Glav and Hampton are all out?
Cox to have a team meeting to rally the troops…to forget hanging of heads and woe is me type attitude that about 90% of bloggers on this blog have. Inspire the players to beat the odds.
Arrange a meeting between Robert and Chipper, Smoltzie and Glavine. Robert can express his views about his favourite donkey, and either one of two things will happen to bring joy to Braves nation…Robert will never be heard of again OR he’ll be forced to listen to 2 years worth of pro-Cox musings as penance for his 2 years worth of flogging a dead donkey anti-Cox nonsense we’ve all had to put up with on this blog!
By Bill
June 11, 2008 6:33 AM | Link to this
It’s all over but the crying. What in the he— are the Braves waiting for? Time to shake this team up. Over or under, Glavine wins 8 games.
By Greg
June 11, 2008 6:34 AM | Link to this
DOB:
Funny how everybody told m the blue unis were great. When I was on here saying that they should publicly burn them. Yes, they are pretty. But great teams do not change their uniforms just for a marketing ploy. BURN THOSE DAMN THINGS!
By Coach (Not Drinking The Kool Aid)
June 11, 2008 6:55 AM | Link to this
For the record, Tyler Yates is 2-0 with an ERA of 3.64.
Manny Acosta is now 3-4 with an ERA of 4.41.
It goes without saying, the Braves FU-D that up and the litany of brain farts continues unabated.
Francoeur needs to sit.
Norton’s three run bomb not with standing, he does not belong in the everyday line up, he’s a bench player.
McCann should be left to hit in the five hole whether or not the pitcher is right handed or a southpaw.
Jeff Bennett belongs in the rotation.
Yunel Escobar isn’t a lead off hitter, he should go back to batting in the two hole.
Corky Miller is hitting .063, back up or not, that is just ignorant.
The nearest thing that the Braves have to a closer is Phil Stockman and he almost never even pitches.
Bobby Cox is asleep at the wheel and the man is driving this team right off the cliff.
By David O'Brien
June 11, 2008 6:56 AM | Link to this
Bravo Nam, weighing in strong. Thanks for that solid post (5:57). Good points.
By the way, I asked Kotsay exactly that question, about coming on the trip despite the plane rides, etc. He said he accompanied team because if he gets better and is ready to start “baseball activities” — i.e. hitting and throwing — he wouldn’t have anyone to do that stuff with if he was sitting back in Atlanta alone.
By mark
June 11, 2008 6:56 AM | Link to this
Its TIME now to not depend on those sometime Great but tired old arms Smoltz Glavine and ole Hampton BRING in new YOUNG GUNS and go with them..Trade Frenchy foe something positive..
By mark
June 11, 2008 6:56 AM | Link to this
Its TIME now to not depend on those sometime Great but tired old arms Smoltz Glavine and ole Hampton BRING in new YOUNG GUNS and go with them..Trade Frenchy foe something positive..
By Matt
June 11, 2008 7:00 AM | Link to this
I love all the Phillies fans. You still haven’t won a playoff game since 1993, and your city is losersville, but you’re still talking smack for some reason. Nevertheless, it’s time for Braves fans to face facts - this team was poorly constructed - way too much reliance on 30 and 40 year-olds. Now that the race is near-over, it’s time to trade off the dead wood - make the Yanks and Sox get into a bidding war over Tex, get rid of anyone over 30 except Chipper, Smoltz, Glav, and let the kids prove themselves. It’s time to look toward 09 and beyond.
By mark
June 11, 2008 7:06 AM | Link to this
Also you might want to hire Leo back as a consultant on how to run a pitching Staff wehave been loosing ever since he left the team…
By Matt
June 11, 2008 7:38 AM | Link to this
But DOB, isn’t one of the reasons the Cubs and Sox aren’t going through all the injuries the Braves are is because they aren’t so reliant on 40 something pitchers? IF the Braves give up after a lousy June, who would they consider trading away other than Tex?
By Cherokee
June 11, 2008 7:55 AM | Link to this
Braves at Cubs, 8:05 ET, ESPN:
Jair Jurrjens (6-3, 3.77 ERA) has given up 28 hits over his past three starts, a stretch of just 15 innings. Oddly enough, though, Jurrjens is 1-0 with two no-decisions in those outings. In an effort to keep Ryan Dempster (7-2, 2.90 ERA) fresh, the Cubs have limited his pitch count his past two starts
By InCognito
June 11, 2008 7:58 AM | Link to this
I am not trying to be a smarta$$ here, but why carry so many pitchers if Bobby is never going to use the last 2 out of the bullpen?
By Random
June 11, 2008 8:03 AM | Link to this
Capt Caveman —
I’m with you.
Legal systems should never be results-oriented, but rather process-oriented.
You will never get universal agreement on what results are right or wrong, fair or unfair; but it is possible to get agreement in the abstract on the process — right/wrong, fair/unfair.
Once you’ve got that agreement, set it in place, step back and let the system work. No tinkering to get particular results depending on which way the wind is blowing.
By i cant take it anymore
June 11, 2008 8:12 AM | Link to this
It isnt the blue uniform, for crying out loud. its the shoes. everytime the team has lost on the road, they have been wearing shoes. hey ANDERS, can you predict the nba finals for me(points scored, wins, etc.)because your predictions are amazing! you know, like the soriano elbow thing. accurate nba finals predictions would be the only thing good that you could bring to the this blog.
By Will
June 11, 2008 8:19 AM | Link to this
In all seriousness can somebody explain to me how this team has a shot in the dark to make the playoffs?? This team just does not seem to have it. The injuries alone are probably too much to overcome. There are so many other things i can point out but one of the main other things that stick out to me is the absolute regression of Frenchy. He is just putting brutal at bats together in big spots time and time again. Glad to see he was in the 3 spot last night!!! I have a bad feeling Kelly Johnson’s drop was the beginning of the end.
By eware
June 11, 2008 8:21 AM | Link to this
Just a few thoughts…
Furcal: our lineup has not been the same without him in it. Seriously, since 2006, our lineup has shifted constantly without a good fix. I think we should try to get him back (pending he’s healthy).
Morton: I hesitate to bring him up too soon, but I don’t think we have another option. I guess I’d be okay bringing up Lawrence.
Sparky: This team needs a player that sparks it up. Like Willie Harris last year and the Baby Braves in 2005. That was fun baseball.
Whether or not we win the division, let’s at least start to have some fun. This team is down, but shouldn’t be. They get to play baseball everyday!
Otherwise, I’ve got to emotionally disconnect a little from this team. It’s too painful to watch.
By 22oz
June 11, 2008 8:28 AM | Link to this
DOB, did Bobby give any reason for leaving Acosta in to pitch a second inning? That move continues to baffle me and i’m sure most everyone else.
The injuries this year has been unbelieveable. But, when you have injuries, and ON TOP of that, your manager gives you no chance to win, or come back, then that is even worse. Bobby is indefensible this year, and i just hope people outside of this blog begin to notice.
By The Crab
June 11, 2008 8:30 AM | Link to this
Will -
If it makes you feel any better this team does not deserve to be in the playoffs. Stranger things have happen but usually when they do a little luck comes into play. “Luck” the other thing this teams lacks besides timely hitting and quality pitching.
By Efrim
June 11, 2008 8:31 AM | Link to this
Seriously, this is becoming like a cruel joke. The guys were sitting around just shell-shocked after this one. Cox looked about as tired and worn out and frustrated as I’ve ever seen him.
With Glavine going down, or with the team being 7-22 on the road this year. Probably both.
Anders
back when the Braves signed Soriano to that two year deal I said it smelled funny to me. Why would a guy on the edge of FA sign a $’s light two year deal knowing the closer job was his? I wondered if he knew his arm was bad or at least suspect and wanted to lock in what he could.Of course DOB ripped me a new one saying how could I know what’s in the guys head he just wanted ta assure his families security etc.etc..
Then the guy shows up lame in ST and hasn’t been right yet. I still think his agent pulled one over on Wren. what do you think?
You could be right, but they did take him for an MRI earlier that year, when he signed the contract. I think the Braves thought process was that relievers like Soriano are few and far between. He can be absolutely dominant. So grab him for another season. I mean, he had 72 IP, 70 K’s and 15 BB’s in 2007. Thats as good as it gets. Hopefully he doesn’t have another serious elbow injury, but personally, I would be shocked if he didn’t. It doesn’t make sense. Maybe there are some bone chips or something. Anyway, hopefully both him and Gonzo will be back at some point this year and 100% healthy for 2009.
By tbo
June 11, 2008 8:34 AM | Link to this
Just to throw in my 2 cents again. Braves will never be a winner again until we get rid of Bobby Cox. We all know the definition of insanity and he is it.
By Efrim
June 11, 2008 8:35 AM | Link to this
Eware
Furcal: our lineup has not been the same without him in it. Seriously, since 2006, our lineup has shifted constantly without a good fix. I think we should try to get him back (pending he’s healthy).
Good player, but I wouldn’t go