Chop Chick

By TheSouthernJackAss

May 5, 2006 04:09 PM | Link to this

In other words…Braves Suck!!!…GO METS!!!…

By T Robb

May 5, 2006 04:25 PM | Link to this

They need to get it going. The rubber band is stretching.

They need to send Francoeur out until he recognizes what a strike is. They need to cut LaRoche back to a platoon or just get a 1B. They need a closer, and not a retread or an obscure farmhand. Most importantly, they need to remove Sosa from the rotation and start Chuck James.

This is the year. I know many of us said that last year and the year before that, and maybe the year before that, but this is the year. The Mets, back half of their rotation notwithstanding, are stout. That’s a lot of offense, a nice bullpen and enough starting pitching to win it.

We don’t look anything like a championship club. Did you see the shot of Chipper in the dugout after last night’s loss? Chipper knows this is all very grave, indeed.

By eric the elder

May 5, 2006 04:33 PM | Link to this

I moved to Atlanta in 1984 and witnessed 6 years of the worst excuse for baseball I had ever seen. I don’t have the skill or energy, but I wish some stats wizard would go back to that time, choose the worst year of the 80s, look up the hitting and pitching stats for that year, and compare them to this year’s team.

I know we can’t truly compare a ful season to 6 weeks, but my hunch is that the 2006 Braves are worse in all categories. It’s scary to think that this team is worse than the worst team of the 80s, but it might be true.

By eric the elder

May 5, 2006 04:37 PM | Link to this

btw, it’s good to see your blog, TRobb. I wish we could see more of Del, Fab, Carroll, and others who care about baseball. The O’Brian/Curtright blog has become a mess.

By Brian

May 5, 2006 04:47 PM | Link to this

Please tell me how Chris Reitsma “mpresses” at all. Everytime he goes out there to the mound things look shakey. Everytime.

In the word of numerous Star Wars characters, “I have a bad feeling about this.”

By Carroll

May 5, 2006 05:45 PM | Link to this

What are you talkin bout, dude? Thommy has been the best starter in all of baseball, save for last night where he was fairly average. Davies has also been quite solid for the most part. Sosa is shaky but has put together a string of decent outings, and James is waiting in the wings if he faulters. Plus, Aaron Sele is about to be available if we get really desperate.

The biggest problem is Bobby’s mismanagement of the pen (i.e. James has only pitched 1/3 of an inning in the last 18 days—if he would have been used wednesday instead of remmer, we win that game), and Bobby’s mismagement (or lack of management alltogether of the offense/lineup. When you have two automatic outs killing every rally in the 5th-6th spots, how can you wonder why we have no offense??!!

The solution is simple: Betemit at first base and hitting leadoff, Renteria second, and Gily at 5th where can can actually provide AJ some serious protection, and he can swing from his heels all he wants (can’t have that from leadoff or 2nd spot in the order, so putting him 5th makes perfect sense). Then back Gily up with McCann (our best hitter right now) and suddenly you have quite an offense!

But no, BC sits on his damned hands, bowing at the alter of his painful ignorance, stubborn loyalty and closed mindedness. October has come early this year, boys!

By Carroll

May 5, 2006 05:48 PM | Link to this

I give a shout out to Erice the elder. I too miss the good ole days with the regular bloggers…even Matt Cafaro.

By mets fan in atlanta

May 5, 2006 06:30 PM | Link to this

Admit it. The Braves are Dead! Lets Go Mets! Chipper will always be Larry and is a cocky, pompous a**!

By metsmanintheatl

May 5, 2006 06:54 PM | Link to this

bravos will leave big apple with double digit # in games behind column…been telling you all along…METROPOLITANS RULE!!!!face it ’ look at the rosters

By eric the elder

May 5, 2006 07:03 PM | Link to this

Maybe it will work out, but I think tonight’s lineup is a joke.

By stinking muts

May 5, 2006 07:10 PM | Link to this

I will not count the Bravos just yet you Mets fan don’t get to exciting.

By Dave

May 5, 2006 08:03 PM | Link to this

The Braves need another bat in the line-up. LaRoche batting 5th isn’t going to get it done. When Ramirez returns designate Sosa the closer and let Reistma be the set up guy.

By Del

May 5, 2006 08:45 PM | Link to this

Hey elder eric I’m still here, but most nights it is so darn frustrating I only get mad and madder. Another example tonight: it is a sad commentary on a ball team when it has only one man who knows how to play small ball, or who has people who are willing to play small ball. I said two weeks ago we ought to declare this a re-building year and get on with doing just that. Hate to say it, but this team stinks and I honestly don’t see our GM willing to try and correct the situation. What we need is for Renteria to replicate himself eight times.

By eric the elder

May 5, 2006 09:04 PM | Link to this

Del, with a 20-game hitting streak on the line, Renteria went to the right side to move a runner, and later he took a walk. Those are marks of a selfless player. You’re right - - we could use more of that.

I also agree about the rebuilding. About the same time you did, I said that this smelled like a rebuilding year. Everyone keeps pushing for trades, but for whom? Okay, trade LaRoche to St. Louis for Pujols. Trade Reitsma to the Mets for Wagner. I just don’t think there are many quality players available out there, so we bite the bullet and rebuild. We can start by batting McCann in the 5-hole instead of LaWhiff and the Delta man.

By Del

May 5, 2006 09:26 PM | Link to this

ER does it again!! You would think that the rest of this team might learn a thing or two from Edgar one of these first days. If this team would have shown half of the intensity they have showed tonight at Philly we wouldn’t have been swept there!

By eric the elder

May 5, 2006 09:34 PM | Link to this

Here comes McBride. Before the season began, I was hoping that McBride and Boyer would give us a might pen. Now Boyer is down and McBride is just getting back. I don’t know what will happen, but let’s hope he shows good stuff.

By eric the elder

May 5, 2006 09:36 PM | Link to this

Looks like we jinxed ER, Del. :)

By eric the elder

May 5, 2006 09:48 PM | Link to this

Have we ever seen so many bloops and seeing eye grounders? That thing Matsui hit was right off his shoe top. This might be the Mets’ year - - they have the magic.

By Del

May 5, 2006 09:49 PM | Link to this

Cann’t stomach anymore of this. I’m gone. Look out 4th place, here we come.

By T Robb

May 5, 2006 11:15 PM | Link to this

Good to talk to you too, Eric and Carroll. When the blog has 250 entries and 200 of them are unintelligible, the exercise basically loses its appeal.

Well, the whole Reitsma thing has run its course, hasn’t it? Don’t we know enough at this point to think about finding some help?

And Carroll, I’ve been thinking about Betemit to first for a while now. Leadoff? Maybe. You’ll have to convince me. I wouldn’t mind hitting Giles lower in the order. Clearly, Betemit’s one of our eight best players and ought to be on the field nearly every game. LaRoche, conversely, is not.

It’s a shame this team has no money to spend. They’ve got some holes to fill and no cash to fill them. Can you imagine what a difference even a $90m payroll would make?

By gotigers72

May 6, 2006 01:08 AM | Link to this

I liked Carroll’s suggestions about moving Betemit to first and letting him leadoff. I believe Giles would be much more comfortable hitting down in the order. Fifth would be a good spot, because if the league hasn’t quit pitching to Andrew yet, they soon will if LaRoche continues to hit behind him. I’m sorry to say this because I love the guy as a player, but Frenchy may need to go get some more seasoning in AAA. Diaz needs to go. We’ve gotta get a better bench somehow. Bring Eddie Perez up and let him tutor McCann, and catch the occasional game. He can’t hit any worse than Pratt. There are a couple of relievers at AAA that have dominating stats. Bring them up and see how they do.

I’ve heard that 40 games is the point at which a team/player can be judged accurately. We are at 29 games now, 8 games behind, and not playing good. Pitchers continue to think they can pitch up in the zone [witness Reitsma’s pitch that Floyd hit for a homer], hitters continue to be wildly erratic. It’s time to do something, even though it is early May.

By Fat Lady

May 6, 2006 01:55 AM | Link to this

Dear John, Please get off your rear and stop writing books and do something to help the braves get a closer, 1st baseman, bench that can hit, leadoff hitter and bullpen. You can’t rest on the past.

By Tbo

May 6, 2006 06:22 AM | Link to this

Last night did me in. I told my wife when the Braves went ahead in the 11th that I was sure that stupid (BC) would put Reitsma in. And guess what? It only took ONE pitch. After 3 years of him can somebody not see that he needs to be out of here?

By batrol

May 6, 2006 06:45 AM | Link to this

Reeksma’s a good set-up man. Period. He’s a valuable pitcher just not with the game on the line. We NEED a closer in the worst way. Milwaukee has a guy who closed for them before Turnbow got there; I wonder if he’s available for the right price.

By BOBO

May 6, 2006 09:18 AM | Link to this

Turn out the lights the party’s over.The great JS & BC have run out of tricks.

By mondaca

May 6, 2006 09:31 AM | Link to this

Reitsma’s psyche must be in tatters. He’s on a slippery slope to being irrelevant by mid June.

By Carroll

May 6, 2006 09:41 AM | Link to this

I don’t know why everyone is surprised about Reeksma. He has been awful since he got here. Yes there have been a few good times….but the regularity and magnitude of the bad times totally negates the good ones. You can set your watch to Reeksma meltdowns. I still can’t figure why Bobby thought his suckiness would just magically go away after he led the league in blown saves in a little over a month on the job last year….it’s probably the same reason that Bobby keeps a guy who’s batting .190 hitting 6th in the batting order. I just don’t understand why BC was so quick and willing to give up on guys like Kolb, Tom Martin, etc (as well he should have) but yet he KEEPS giving Reeksma chance after chance after chance. It makes NO sense!

By gotigers72

May 6, 2006 09:57 AM | Link to this

Kyle Davies has mucho potential, especially considering his age. But he is never going to have an ERA below 4 unless he learns how to pitch down in the zone consistently. He doesn’t have the overpowering stuff to pitch up. Even guys that do can’t get away with it often.

It seems like the entire staff is having trouble keeping the ball down. I know you have to pitch up occasionally to keep hitters from looking down for every pitch. However, pitches up need to be where they can’t be hit solidly. Check back and I’ll bet 90% of the pitches that have been hit solidly were up in the zone. Leo was no fool. His “down and away” theory was and always will be the way for a pitcher to be successful in the bigs. Come inside occasionally, as Glavine has finally learned, but basically stay down and away.

By Del

May 6, 2006 11:49 AM | Link to this

I try to wake up each morn with a positive attitude about our Braves. But as I think about our performance thus far this year, and realize just how many holes we have to fill I soon lose that positive attitude. I wish someone in mgmt would explain to us fans why they cann’t, or won’t, try to correct some of our deficiencies. Of course that won’t happen, but pretty soon out game attendance is going to start sliding when people realize that they are paying a stiff price to watch a second rate performance.There are only two position players on our team that I would consider above average. That is ER and BM.

Giles is above average in the field, but not at the plate as a leadoff hitter. As long as BC keeps him leading off, his hitting is going to suffer. He should be hitting in the 5 hole.

La Roche is ok in the field, but miserable as a hitter. At best he ought to be a late inning defensive player. Period!!

Chipper is barely ok at 3rd. although as he gets older and older he is covering less and less ground. As a #3 hitter I think he is below average (I’m talking about this year).

JF is above average fielder in right (although of late his batting slump has hurt his fielding (bobbled balls, mis-played fly balls, errant throws, etc). What more can we say about his hitting. He is a junior Andruw at this point in his career. I personally would send him down until he better masters the art of plate discipline. He is a rally killer at this point.

RL is a slightly above average fielder in left. His biggest weakness in the field is diving for balls he has little chance of catching. Hence a single becomes a double or triple. But experience will take care of this problem. As a hitter, at this point, i think he is slightly below average. That may be unfair, because his recent slump appears to have really thrown his timing off (his strikeouts have increased dramatically).

AJ in the field is above average, although this year he is coming in on balls hit his way less than less, and I don’t think his arm is as strong or as accurate as it used to be. But still an above average centerfielder. His bat is something else though. He seams to have backslid this year as far as plate discipline. His RBIs are ok, but they come in bunches. I guess I’m saying that he looks more like the Andruw of old this year, rather then the Andruw of the last half of last year. All in all above average hitter.

The bench. Probably one of the weakest benches in the majors (excluding WB). In my opinion right now WB contributes more to the team than Chipper does at third, and would contribute more to the team at first than LaRoche even though he hasn’t played the position. Bobby has to find a place for this guy to play! Period!!

The pen. Way below average. I still say the most effective solution to this part of the team is to put JS back as closer, CR as setup and the 6th and 7th innings will take care of themselves with whoever is left. That will solve 90% of the pen problem.

The starters. Thus far I would say barely average. I know a lot of you think that losing JS as a starter would kill the rotation, I don’t happen to agree with you. JS has been ok as a starter, but he has been anything but a superstar. D.Willis ia available. He is young and talented and someone who would be our #1 man for years to come. Give up some of our young talent for him. Our starters would be better with DW than with JS IMHO.

Braves management. Overall, my biggest disappointment. JS seems to be sitting this year our. Because of the impending sale?? I don’t know, but I do know we have plenty of holes and I don’t see anyone shoveling dirt to get them filled. And then to Bobby. Love the man dearly but I swear that as he gets older he becomes even more stubborn. IE: LaRoche, Reitsma, Francoeur, Jordan.

Sorry to be so windy, but I just had to get some things off my chest. I love the Braves and I root hard for them. But I also cann’t stand underachieving, sloppy play, apathy, etc. Once in a great while is ok, but we have seen this for a month now. Something has to change!!!!

By eric the elder

May 6, 2006 01:36 PM | Link to this

Del, I had composed in my head an analysis of this year’s Braves, but you said it better than I would have.

An old military saying: “Hope is not a plan.” Violating that rule got us in trouble in Iraq and, less seriously, got the Braves to where they are today. Three of our starters have less than a year of experience. The kids that I thought would help us in the pen have been a disappointment. Boyer is out for the season, McBride is just now getting back, Larew and Devine are scuffling in the minors, and now James is hurt. Meanwhile we have reclamation projects like Remlinger, Jordan, Pratt, and Diaz, and a pen of people we’ve never heard of. Chipper looks tired and tentative, and Andruw is pressing, which is understandable. Why try to coax a walk or get a base hit, only to have a better view of the next two guys striking out?

It’s interesting that we’ve neither seen nor heard from JS for a long time. Maybe he’s off reflecting on an old rule: Hope is not a plan.

By Dave

May 6, 2006 02:02 PM | Link to this

Tivo is a wonderful thing. The pitch Reitsma served up to Cliff Floyd in the 11th was nothing more than a batting practice fastball. I could have hit it out! I rewound it 3 times and it was with out a doubt the worst pitch I’ve ever seen!

By Zinte

May 6, 2006 02:09 PM | Link to this

Well, well, well. Let’s see;the Braves get a lead and whaddaya know: the bullpen blows the game:AGAIN!! Why does anyone seem so disappointed? From C.Liebrandt(91’WS)to J.Reardon(92’WS) to Wohlers(96 WS) to the MELTDOWN in Houston(05’NLDS & up SIX runs in the 9th!!)its the same old thing EVERY year. Last night’s game v.the Mets was/is the same status quo. Winning division titles are nice every year but there is NO WAY the Braves willEVER get back to NLCS/WS with the bullpen winning games for the opposition. Some things are like clockwork:the Braves winning another division title & the inability to close games w/a lead. Same story, different year.

By Del

May 6, 2006 05:24 PM | Link to this

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE? Should read IMPOSSIBLE MISSION!

One other thought I wanted to mention, but forgot in my earlier blog. I have watched pro sports all my life, and there is one common thread that runs through all pro sports teams. Dispite how great a manager or coach is, when he stays on the same job for a long time always expousing the same message there comes a time when his players finally tune him out. Not his fault, it’s just human nature. That time may have arrived in Bravoland! I know a lot of you are already preparing your blog to refute my observation, but think hard about it. How long has BC been doing this? When was the last time you could perceive that he had changed his message or his approach? The time may have come for BC to hang ‘em up.

By Del

May 6, 2006 06:27 PM | Link to this

By this time next week, the Braves could be sitting in last place. Maybe that is exactly what this team needs{ a good dose of cold reality, imstead of that crap that Chipper keeps spouting out. Chipper needs to put his bat where his mouth is and become part of the solution instead of part of the problem. Is that unfair? I think not! Check the size of his paycheck.

By eric the elder

May 6, 2006 08:29 PM | Link to this

In fairness, I do think this team is giving its all. It’s just that, for the first time in a long while, our all isn’t good enough. There are a lot of teams that have better players than we do - - simple as that.

Moreover, I suspect that the problem is not short-term. A lot of us are begging for trades to improve the team, but trades rarely help much. If players A and B are traded, one team didn’t think much of A, and the other team didn’t think much of B. Both teams have a little fresh blood, but that’s about all. If JS pulls off a trade or two, I suspect that we will be only marginally improved.

Teams get dramatically better in only two ways. Blockbuster free agent trades, which I don’t see the Braves being in a position to pull off in the indefinite future, or some rising superstars coming through the farm system. The kids we have were modest minor league players, and only McCann is a surprise. We want to see Salty and Jurries and the like, but look at their numbers. Nothing to write home about.

I honestly think we Braves fans are in for a period of disappointment that could last years rather than weeks or months.

By eric the elder

May 6, 2006 08:31 PM | Link to this

Sorry, I meant free agent signings, not trades.

By TheSouthernJackAss

May 6, 2006 09:15 PM | Link to this

No Braves stinkin’ up the east division playoffs this year - maybe the next division winner will get past the 1st. round this time…Braves are finally landing at the bottom of the heap, where they belong!…

By Del

May 6, 2006 09:18 PM | Link to this

Elder Eric I suspect you are probably right. The farm talent we wanted to see so badly this past Spring have very average stats so far this year, just as JF had last year. It took the Detroit Tigers 15 years to turn their farm system around, and boy do they have the talent coming up now. It won’t take Atlanta that long cause we have better mgmt than the Tigers had and the farm is not devoid of talent as theirs was, but it ain’t going to happen overnight either. The only surefire way to rebuild fast is to follow the Marlins firesale example. But to do that we would have to act pronto while our sale items still have value. It will be extremely interesting to see how all this plays out throughout the year.

By Jerry Holcombe

May 6, 2006 11:14 PM | Link to this

Here’s my take on the whole thing. First off, what is wrong with the Braves cannot be corrected by making a trade here or there. They are currently one of the worst teams in the National League and are in the lower half of the league in pitching and hitting, plus way the hell up there in strikeouts. In years past, we have seen these types of slumps early in the season, but those teams never looked as helpless as this team looks. I remember those bad old days when the Braves would lose 100 games annually, and the reason they did so is because they didn’t have the players or the system to yield such players. This team does, but something stinks to high heaven about what we have this year. We have Chipper who as soon as he gets hot, will undoubtably hurt himself again and go on the DL. Giles has the most pronounced uppercut swing that I’ve seen since Willie Stargell and that means that he is going to continue to strike out alot and that isn’t good if he’s hitting leadoff. Francouer is feeling the pressure to produce and is pressing a bit. He can remedy that easily enough if he would just decide to take the walks that these teams are trying to give him. He is clearly getting himself out most of the time. The only two players we have right now that are producing are McCann and Renteria, but they are hitting at opposite ends on the lineup. Someone suggested that Betemit play 1st base and I agree. Someone has to shore up that position with some offense and Betemit can adapt to the position change easily I’m sure. As for pitching, we have 2 aces that are killing us. Smoltz plays around with a changeup that never worked for him in the past. Now he looks very vunerable. He should go back to airing it out and to hell with wearing down by seasons end. If he doesn’t do something soon, it won’t matter. The other ace Hudson is nothing more that a paper tiger.

Here's something that some of you may not wanna hear, but if this continues until after the allstar break, the Braves ownership group may decide to have a fire sale and trade Hudson, Thomson, Smoltz, Andruw, Giles, and Renteria. Those players have trade value and with the Braves farm system, the management may wanna look at some more youngsters that will play cheaply. That is a real possibility because season ticket holders will run for cover next year. I hate to spell doom for the team this year, but face facts, they just aren't very good and prospects of a few trades aren't likely.

By ConyersDawg

May 7, 2006 01:34 AM | Link to this

It’s still early! After what I saw in Houston last year I think any team with talent and good veterans can make a run.

By Zinte

May 7, 2006 03:31 AM | Link to this

With or Without Leo, the Braves don’t have a problem scoring runs. It’s the bullpen that comes in and constantly implodes. When they choke in the post-season(assuming they get there)it certainly won’t be due to “the farm system.”

By T Robb

May 7, 2006 07:44 AM | Link to this

The good news is they’ve got time to turn it around. The bad news is they don’t have the horses.

And it’s not one thing or one area you can point at and say, “This needs shoring up.” We’ve got problems in the outfield, infield, bullpen and rotation and no corporate appetite to invest the money needed to resolve them.

Last year, Terry McGuirk alluded to the fan base “voting with its wallet”. He ain’t seen nothing yet. How they got it done last year I’ll never know, ‘cause that group wasn’t the best team in the East. Now all the others have improved and our vets are a year older and our kids look younger, if that’s possible.

I’m sick of watching Francoeur flail at a two-strike slider three feet off the plate. I’m sick of looking at LaRoche in the box and saying, “I know exactly how I’d pitch him.” I’m sick of watching Hudson get beaten up. I’m sick of watching Sosa frisbee another 0-2 slider across the fat part of the plate. I’m sick of watching Reitsma come in with a one-run lead, knowing that it’s as likely as not that he’s gonna cough it up.

And I’m sick of listening to Jeff Torborg and Bob Rathbun describe it for me instead of Skip Carey and Pete Van Wieren.

Vote with your feet? I’ll do it. I doubt if TimeWarner or Liberty Media really give a damn.

By Dave

May 7, 2006 10:24 AM | Link to this

After following the Braves since 1989 (I lived in Norcross then, and the Internet was in it’s infancy) I honestly believe last years pennant is the last until there is a major overhaul of the team. I’m not so sure Bobby and John are entirely to blame. They are probably doing what they can with what they’ve got. I sure wouldn’t want to try to manage all those high paid egoes (like Phil Jackson did with the Bulls!!).

I hope we win yet another division, and on to the World Series for that matter, but you know what? It’s just a game.

By spud

May 7, 2006 10:25 AM | Link to this

I am sick of you people saying its still early wake up there is only one way things will change sell this team to ONE person arthur blank he will spend the money to get a closer a 1st basemen a middle reliever a set up man starting pitching that is CONSISTENT whatever it takes to win friends thie is baseball you have to have pay to win.

By Carroll

May 7, 2006 10:31 AM | Link to this

Jerry: If we are out of the race, god-forbid, I wouldn’t mind to see some of those deals go down. Look at it this way. The streak HAS to end sooner or later. If it ends now, then we can make those moves that you elluded to, trim off some of the dead weight that has been holding this team back, and get so many great young players in return that our franchise will be set for the next decade plus (see 1998 Marlins fire sale). I mean, Smoltz is an eyelash away from a career-ending injury and we would get nothing for him. But if we trade him in the middle of the season, we might get enough young players to constitute half of our starting lineup in the next few years…or an entire starting rotation. Same goes for Chipper and AJ. Again, I don’t want the Braves to lose but I am certainly tired of this same ole b****** every year with players like Chipper and LaRoche slothing around as if they don’t give a hoot.

By Del

May 7, 2006 12:26 PM | Link to this

Carroll… As I mentioned earlier, a firesale type of re-building is the fastest way to do it I believe. But that also assumes we have something of real value to offer. I’m sorely afraid we have waited a year or two too long. I really cann’t see Chipper and Smoltz having much trade value at this point. Andruw is another story, he should have a great deal of value left. LaRoche value is only as a late inning defensive specialist. Another thing we can do is get us a batting coach/instructor who knows how to aim a 2x4 to get some of these young kids’ attention. TP sure ain’t getting it done.

By Del

May 7, 2006 01:10 PM | Link to this

I give up. LaRoche hitting cleanup. Uggghhh!!

By Carroll

May 7, 2006 02:24 PM | Link to this

Del: I could see a team like Detroit giving us a whale of a deal to get SMoltz at the break if they’re still in it. Not only is he a hometown boy, but he would give them that legitimate top of the rotation guy. In return, we could probably get 2 or 3 potential Smoltzs.

By Del

May 7, 2006 02:45 PM | Link to this

Carroll… You may be right about Detroit and Smoltz, but I seriously doubt that Dave D. would go for that. The previous GM (Smith) would have, but not DD.

What word would you use to describe Giles plate performance today; Lost, dumb, stupid, frustrating or all of the above

By Jerald Holcombe

May 7, 2006 05:50 PM | Link to this

Carroll, I agree with Del. Dombrowski didn’t get to where he is by trading young players for old ones. He was the one holding the fire sales. As for LaRoache, when he’s at the plate, I turn away from the screen. If I were Bobby, I would get rid of players like him with stupid swings. It’s one thing to have a player who is really good that looks awkward at the plate because that is his timing mechanism. But, LaRoache can’t claim anything like that because he just flat out sucks! The great thing that the Braves have in their favor is that if they started selling and trading off most of their high priced players, it wouldn’t really be rebuilding per se. With future stars like Francoeur, McCann, Salty, Betemit, etc., it’ll would be more than a couple years it get back into the playoff mix. I was listening to Mark Lemke today on the post-game show, and he said today’s win will give the Braves a little momentum. My thoughts were, “We just lost 2 outta 3 to the Mutts when we should have swept them and we didn’t have to face Pedro at all, and he thinks that you can derive something positive out of that crap?” Sheesh!!!

By Palm Beach Representin'

May 7, 2006 06:30 PM | Link to this

Carroll, I hate Reeksma as a closer as much as you, but who’s a better option at this point? Nobody has been impressive enough out of the pen to take Reeksma’s spot, so until JS gets a REAL closer, we’re stuck with that hanging changeup that Reeksma has copyrighted by now.

By Carroll

May 7, 2006 08:45 PM | Link to this

Palm Beach: as far as I’m concerned, pluck someone from the stands before you use Reeksma. At least then there’d be some excitement that maybe they would get it done. Instead, we have Reeksma whom we KNOW will blow it half the time at least.

By Carroll

May 7, 2006 08:48 PM | Link to this

I’d like to see a trade with the Twinkies: Gily, and 2 other players for Castillo and Nathan.

By dave

May 8, 2006 01:09 AM | Link to this

the nathan trade is a good idea, just not for castillo. he is washed up and makes too much. trade kelly johnson, adam the strikeout king laroache, and joey devine for nathan and justin morneau. the twins will need an outfielder when torii hunter leaves and morneau hasnt lived up to his potental.If they cant get nathan, call texas and see if they will trade cordero. his stock couldnt be lower so we could get him for a minor leaguer. when he is right, he is one of the best closers in the game. i prefer nathan tho, just not for giles.

By Smoltzee

May 8, 2006 02:08 PM | Link to this

im sorry but its time to face the facts…the braves dynasty is over!! The mets are they new king pins!! The sooner you all realize that the easier it will be to handle the braves constant losing