AJC > Blog > Archives > 2006 > May > 28 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USHavin’ a Field day
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Whether or not the Bravos win today’s rubber game against the Northsiders at Wrigley for the three-game sweep, I just want to say how much I love Edgar Renteria. What a pickup. Finally, we have a shortstop who plays great defense, gets quality hits and hits his share of homers but understands the importance of TIMELY base hits as well.
He wears No. 11 but in my book, the guy’s No. 1. Good move, JS. Thank you.
Good that we won this series against the Cubs. We needed that because the Cubs? They’re terrible, even though they didn’t play like it this weekend. If Dusty Baker isn’t managing them by season’s end, you’d best believe he’ll be in charge of some other MLB club. Not his fault that the Cubs are horribly mismanaged at the upper levels and that they rushed Wood and Prior to the bigs because, since letting us steal Maddux, they’ve never had pitching worth a flip.
Not Dusty’s fault that the injury bug has attacked the Cubs ferociously this season. Or is it? I don’t know. Thoughts, gang? Personally, I think Wrigley Field, for all its beautiful ivy and brick, is the place where MLB managers go to die. It’s lovely - a lovely graveyard that eats skippers alive. Weirdness.
Permalink | Comments (27) | Post your comment | Categories: Chop Chick
Comments
By Jerald Holcombe
May 28, 2006 05:49 PM | Link to this
First of all Joe Roman, I’m not making a careless statement about Maddux and who he signs with. Everything is in black and white. Everyone knows that he signed with the Braves for less money than he could have gotten with the Cubs and Yanks. His agent didn’t advise him to take less money then. Maddux is his own man and thinks for himself.
At present, isn’t it glorius to see Reeksma blow yet another save opportunity? It also cost Smoltz another win. And in regards to talk about Chipper’s supposed lack of defense, we really got a lift from Betemit in the 9th that Chipper would have gloved. That brings me to a question. If Bobby was going to pinch hit for Chipper in the 9th and bring in Betemit for defensive purposes, why did he have Jordan batting instead of Betemit? That was f*ing stupid. He just wasted a player off the bench. I know he wasn’t assuming that Reeksma would get the save. Win or lose, Bobby deserves to lose this one.
By eric the elder
May 28, 2006 07:11 PM | Link to this
Chick, it must feel a little lonely here, given that I’m only the second comment on your blog. I hope you will keep doing it, though, The DOB blog is kind of a mess, and I’m sure many of us prefer yours.
It was pointed out today that the Cubs have had 10 managers during the Braves’ 14 straight run. Pretty strong supporting evidence for what you said.
By gotigers72
May 28, 2006 07:40 PM | Link to this
I am a big Bobby Cox fan, always have been. But I think he’s losing it. That’s the 3rd time he should have pulled Smoltz but didn’t. That’s because it’s Smoltz. Anybody else he would have yanked all 3 times. He’s got to start getting more objective about Smoltz. I know he loves him as a pitcher and the heart of the Braves, [along with Chipper] but come on Bobby, when he doesn’t have it, and he didn’t today, get him out of there.
Another reason I think he’s losing it is because he continues to try to close with Reitsma. Didn’t he learn with Kolb last year? When you’re not a closer, you’re just not a closer. You didn’t see Ned Yost put Kolb back in the closer role in Milwaukee did you? Reitsma has to go as a closer. Losses due to saves being blown are especially demoralizing. Come on JS, get us somebody that can close, or put a bug in Bobby’s ear about letting someone else do it for goodness sake. Enough is enough. He had his chance. He’s had one good month as a closer, other than that he’s been horrible.
By Chop Chick
May 28, 2006 08:36 PM | Link to this
I’m just going to blog my thoughts, as a fan, from now on. That goes for in-game blogs as well. No point in my trying to keep anyone up-to-date, inning-by-inning, when DOB is on the case. So if I post a CC blog from a game, it will be about as long as this blog and that’s that. If there are no comments, oh well. It’s a fan blog; I’m not the beat writer and have never put myself out there as the inside source.
By sam
May 28, 2006 08:42 PM | Link to this
I believe that Bobby may have removed Reitsma from the closer role today. Hhhhe has given him every opportunity to suceed and Reitsma has failed. I am concerned about the strike outs as it indicates that the hitters are not adjusting to situations,etc
By Del
May 28, 2006 09:59 PM | Link to this
Sam … Couldn’t agree more re. Braves’ strikeouts. 18 today, and somewhere around 40 in the series. That is 40 times we failed to allow their defense to make an error. This situation is un-acceptable, and requires a team approach to getting it back under control.
The other thing that bugs me is the recent comments by Hudson and others about how successfull the Braves have been about playing small ball recently. As best as I can reconstruct it, we have succeeded obout 1 out of every 6 times. I would hardly call that successfull. Somebody has some pretty low expectations on this team. I wonder who??
By sam
May 28, 2006 10:28 PM | Link to this
del I agreee that I don’t see the braves into “small ball.” I see them swinging for the fences or at pitches that can only be put in play as a potential double play ball. I would like for Giles to focus more on just getting on base. There are those who claim that being the lead off hitter means litle or nothing as most only lead off an inning only one-two times per game, but this hitter always bats in front of the #2-4 hitters so needs to be aware of the need to just get on base for these hitters to drive home.
By Joe Roman
May 28, 2006 10:43 PM | Link to this
Exactly what year are living in?Maddux taking less money to sign with the Braves? That was quite a while ago. I believe he plays with the Cubs now. You can look it up.
By Bechpth
May 28, 2006 10:43 PM | Link to this
Bobby is losing his mind. Seriously he is, where is the logic keeping Reeksma in the game. JS should chew his A$$ for what he did today. This was one win I am not happy at all. Go Braves.
By tbo
May 29, 2006 12:41 AM | Link to this
I said it many times before, but for continuing to put in Reeksma, BC is a fool. If this is not the last time I don’t know what to do. It appears that JS must be one too for allowing BC to put him in.
By gotigers72
May 29, 2006 02:45 AM | Link to this
Read O’Brien’s column, and Bobby said, “For me, he’s pitching fine”, talking about Reitsma. Does that mean he is going to continue to let him try and close? He said Reitsma caught a bad break on the ball that went by Betemit, and that only one ball was hit hard off of him. Come on Bobby, that ball that went by Betemit was a rocket, as was the ball hit by Perez that almost went out.
Why is it that every time Reitsma pitches, he gets a bad break? He just was not meant to be a closer. Doesn’t have the makeup for it. As others have said, you can see in his eyes that he just doesn’t have the confidence needed to close. It will be ridiculous if he is alloed to continue to close.
By sam
May 29, 2006 10:01 AM | Link to this
sam Bobby thinks he is helping Reitsma’s confidence by giving him opportunities to close game after game. I think he is doing the opposite as Reitsma seems less confident each additional time he pitches. Also, the other players on the team must be anxious with any lead they have late in a game knowing bobby is going to put reitsma in at a crucial time in the game.
By Chop Chick
May 29, 2006 11:49 AM | Link to this
REITSMA’S confidence? What about the TEAM’S confidence?!!! Dammit, this team deserves better than having a guy come in who can’t slam the door and close a game - which is his ONLY job - when he’s given a lead, no matter how slim.
I wish I had the luxury of going in to my job on a daily basis and, when I failed to produce edited copy online or put up photos or create web pages or whatever, knew that I could count on my boss to say “For me, you’re editing fine.” Gimme a break.
If Reitsma can’t do the job, find someone who can. Baseball has been a business forever, right? Well, in business people who flop at their jobs are axed in favor of folks who get it done. We need a closer who can get it done.
By Del
May 29, 2006 12:31 PM | Link to this
CC … It’s about time somebody got good and angry about Bobby’s reckless, continuing use of CR. I really think the only way we can get our frustration across to our closed mind mgr is to vote with our pocketbook. That would hurt the whole team, but the whole team is already being hurt by his use of CR. Would the senior players have the guts to express their feelings to Bobby, or do they support him 100%?
By Del
May 29, 2006 12:47 PM | Link to this
By the looks of the ERAs of the Dodgers starters we are going to face this week, along with our huge number of strikeouts, we probably won’t have the need for a closer for the next three games. Let’s give CR some 6th and 7th inning work to see if he has any value left what-so-ever.
By Del
May 29, 2006 01:23 PM | Link to this
What a GREAT start. Looks like the Braves came home with the Cubbies uniforms.
By Chop Chop
May 29, 2006 01:39 PM | Link to this
Hey. It’s only 6-0. I still believe!
Not really.
I’m prior service, so Happy Memorial Day to me and all the other military (ex and current) out there.
By Chop Chick
May 29, 2006 02:42 PM | Link to this
I don’t know if Memorial Day is so much a happy occasion - my dad was a 27-year Army vet (ret.) - but thank you to Chop Chop and all the other veterans out there and those families who sacrificed someone beloved for our continued freedom, especially those families - and those brave soldiers - who made the ultimate sacrifice. We as Americans do appreciate your service, sacrifice and willingness to give back for us.
By Jerald Holcombe
May 29, 2006 02:49 PM | Link to this
Never mind Joe, there’s no point arguing with you because you are so jealous of what these athletes make. And of course, if you were in line to command millions in salary, you wouldn’t take it, right? As for my statement, I only responded to your statement that players only go on the recommendations of their agents. I gave you an instance where Maddux actually took less to play for the Braves. Do with it what you will.
On today’s game, the Braves are doing a good job of making it a game today. Oops, nothing like a LaRoache DP to bring you back down to earth. Still, we are better off than we were an inning ago.
By Del
May 29, 2006 02:56 PM | Link to this
Rally killer LaRoche. To Giles: the words are “I lost it”.
By John
May 29, 2006 03:29 PM | Link to this
Bobby must be in a managerial slump. Nice job pulling Andruw in the 2nd inning. Now with 2 on and 2 out in the 7th we get Pete Orr instead of last years HR champ. Brilliant.
By tbo
May 29, 2006 04:16 PM | Link to this
I’m with you Del. I won’t do back until this senile manager gets rid of Reeksma. We have to do something. It’s beyond belief.
By Jerald Holcombe
May 29, 2006 10:48 PM | Link to this
The Braves have a lefty and righty playing first base and neither one is worth his weight in sheot, so why not give Betemit a shot at playing every day. Yeah, with Betemit on the bench, he helps us to have the best bench in the NL, but I would rather plug up a glaring weakness in the everyday lineup. Neither LaRoache nor Jordan has shown signs that they will get any better, so why leave them out there. And Betemit is a switch-hitter. It’s a no brainer.
By Hal
May 30, 2006 09:41 AM | Link to this
This teams NON appoach to batting situations amazes me ,with the exception of Renteria and Mccan there isent a situational guy on the team .Swinging as hard as you can on every pitch does not constitute having a plan ! It amazes me that everyone on the coaching staff catches flack expecially Cox but no one ever mentions Pendelton whose job it is to provide a plan to our hitters .A guy batting 5th with a on base percentage of .255 is so ludicris that its embarrasing .Our third place hitter and “franchise player” Although i havent really looked up the stats probably has less rbi then any third place hitter on a decent team ! Also CC enjoy your blog much more then some of the other blogs around this rag at least its about baseball not seals and crows!
By Matt
May 30, 2006 12:28 PM | Link to this
LaRoche is hurting us offensively, but so is Langerhans and Orr, who is one player that should not be on this roster. Why keep Orr when we have Prado in the minors. Why not play Betemit at 1st, that way you have Laroche and Jordan off the bench, a left and a righty. Doesn’t Laroche hit pretty good as a pinch hitter anyway? Thats a question, not a comment. And if Giles doesn’t pick it up and start hitting more, than let Prado play. And Langerhans, I’m waiting for a hot streak. Bottom line, we strike out way too much, its actually embarassing to know your team is going to strike out at least 12 times a game. No wonder our OBP is so low. Time to fire Pendelton, just kidding. Think about this, if it wasn’t for McCann and Renteria and Chipper, our team BA would probably be around 230.
By bh
May 30, 2006 05:17 PM | Link to this
Chop Chick, Just so you know, a game can only be a “rubber game” if the teams split the first 2 games of a 3 game series. Sunday’s game in Chicago was not a rubber game.
By Chop Chick
May 30, 2006 08:23 PM | Link to this
Mea culpa, bh. But the way this group’s been playing so far this season, I take nothing - not even winning the first two of three - for granted. So I guess even the third game of a series we’ve already technically won feels like a rubber game to me with the ‘06 Bravos.