Sports Columnists

By SR

June 20, 2006 12:34 PM | Link to this

Yes, by all means stand pat and do absolutely nothing. After all, that strategy has worked out swimmingly up to this point. All those great offseason additions have performed so darn well, haven’t they? LAST PLACE DAMMIT,LAST FREAKIN’ PLACE. My, my.

By Matt

June 20, 2006 12:38 PM | Link to this

Carolina was supposed to be last this season, so maybe Washington does have a shot in 2007. They’ll have to go through the ATL first!

By Bob in SF

June 20, 2006 01:13 PM | Link to this

Knee-jerk trades will not save the Braves. That is how the Mets have been run for the last 10 yrs and while they are strong this year it is the exception and they are much more a result of FA over-spending. It is not a given right to finish in 1st place every year. The Braves really had no business finishing in first last year but some excepional rookie campaigns put them on top. Be patient, some re-tooling in the bull pen needs to be done but there is just not a good trade market out there. Too many teams are in the hunt and the ones that are selling are demanding way too much for even avg. players. You might see LaRoche and Giles moved because there are definitely replacements lined for them. You might see some bullpen pieces (Reitsma, Rem, others) get shipped in “change of scenery” trades but you will be most likely getting back struggling players for them. I much rather continue laying the foundation for the next 10 years then make panic trades of valuable prospects such as Salty, Davies and James for a last gasp at keeping the streak alive.

By braves fan

June 20, 2006 01:47 PM | Link to this

What is the most coveted commodity in baseball? Pitching. So I don’t find it unusual that the Braves would not be shopping Salty in trade talks, when what teams really want when they trade veterans is pitching. Not to mention he’s hitting at or below the Mendoza line at AA, so they’d never get full value for him at this point. As for trading the high dollar veterans and starting over, it isn’t necessary. Sure finding bullpen help is hard in the middle of the season. But that doesn’t mean they won’t be able to sign someone as a free agent. And that’s the only real thing keeping the Braves from winning. They’ve had good, although sporadic offensive production all year. They’ve had good starting pitching from Smoltz, Hudson, Ramirez and are on the verge of adding Chuck James to that equation. If they could stablize the bullpen with one or two good arms, the decent arms that are currently there, like McBride, Ray and Remlinger could settle into their roles.

By SR

June 20, 2006 02:12 PM | Link to this

Hey, Bob in SF, that’s where I live! Who knew there was another Braves fan out here on the West Coast. We ought to get together for a beer man and watch a game, presuming they are worth watching as the season progresses.

By SR

June 20, 2006 02:16 PM | Link to this

Hey, Bob in SF, that’s where I live! Who knew there was another Braves fan out here on the West Coast. We ought to get together for a beer man and watch a game, presuming they are worth watching as the season progresses.

By Sophia

June 20, 2006 02:20 PM | Link to this

I’m kinda glad there’s going to be no fire sale. Fire sale would mean rebuilding, rebuilding would mean no hope for 3-4 years. I’d rather take chances with what we have right now (with some tweaking here and there of course.)

By dewan lee

June 20, 2006 02:59 PM | Link to this

Hey Braves fan or you serious. You honsestly think that Remlinger, and Mcbride can pitch? Rem’s ERA is bad but it does not even show his impact such as coming in to stop a rally and leaving with the guys on base scoring but the runs are charged to the other guy. He is past his prime and cant relive the glory days he had here. Note to you and Bobby, there was a reason that he was sent packig by other clubs. McBride has never impressed me and Sunday night did nothing to change my mindset on him. Even Ray has started to show kinks i his armor. Really I think it is a mental thing in the bullpen (not including Reitsma, Rems, Yates) they have alway sucked. We need to gut the entire pen and possibly move Sosa to the pen, trade Thomson, Trade Ramirez while someone thinks he can pitch (yes this is a mirage), brtig up James, trade Davies (yes what pitcher have you all been watching since last year, the stats dont lie), bring up Startup, look at the Rome team and see what great pitchers they have. We can bring up pitchers as we did with Andruw, Furcal, Francouer (players not to stay long in the minors).

By Tommy Hawk

June 20, 2006 03:08 PM | Link to this

This is a copy and paste from what I wrote on thr blog of another atricle but I feel it is applicable to what is being discussed in this blog.

Actually the Braves don’t necessarily have to give up and arm and a leg for a serviceable closer. The Diamondbacks gave up a washed up Orlando Hernandez for Jorge Julio who is doing a respectable job as their closer. Saito for the Dodgers is doing a good job of filling in for Gagne. They didn’t spend a lot or give up anything for him, they just plucked him out of Japan where he was a closer there.

Those are the type of guys Shurholtz usually goes for anyway.

Sure Atlanta might not be able to afford a Jones or a Wagner but they could look outside of their farm system and even Japan. It isn’t like their farm system has been a hotbed of closers in the past. I think they gambled too much thinking Joey Devine would be the man without a plan B if he failed.

By Jimmy Etheridge

June 20, 2006 03:33 PM | Link to this

Smoltz won’t be traded because, let’s face it, he’s 39 years old with a long history of arm problems. I can’t see teams lining up to deal for him.

By Brendan

June 20, 2006 05:10 PM | Link to this

Jeff Schultz ISSSS a hockey guy. And astutely, he has pointed out that yet another Southeast division team will surpass the Thrashers en route to a Cup.

Let’s review. In 2001, Tampa Bay finishes one-point behind the Thrashers that year. In 2004, Tampa Bay wins the Cup. In 2003, the Carolina Hurricanes finished DEAD LAST in the league. By 2006, they win the Cup. All this occurs while the Thrashers fail to make the playoffs.

Jeff, have you looked at the Capitals lately? They’re not half-bad. Halpern, Willsie, Ovechkin, with Brent Johnson and Olaf Kolzig in net. Plus, they FLEECED the Nashville Predators out of their 1st round pick this June 24th, when they moved disgruntled D-man Brendan Witt for that pick, plus Kris Beech, who, by the way, was a Capitals former 1st round pick, now returned home to Washington.

Washington will draft 4th overall on June 24, 2006. Here’s how they’ll HOODWINK Don Waddell. The Thrashers pick 12th overall. McPhee will approach Don with a deal to stockpile 2nd round picks. Atlanta gives up #12 and gets the Capitals #20 (via Nashville) and Washington’s 2nd round pick, #34 overall.

Here’s the 680 The FAN take on the trade: “Oh my God, Don ‘the GENIUS’ has done it again! What a coup for the Thrashers!!!”

The reality??? A team within the Southeast division just picked 4th and 12th, while Atlanta went 20th and 34th. Tell me, who won????

And if Jeff Schultz doesn’t point it out in his column, IT DOESN’T GET CRITICIZED!!! Truthfully, as sports journalists, I am TASKING THE AJC SPORTS SECTION to “find the source” of the Don Waddell kool-aid, as it’s clear to me that many have not only had it, but enjoyed second helpings.

Luckily, no trade of our 12th overall pick has yet been announced. Here’s an idea: Move UP, NOT DOWN in a draft. That’s how you get a BETTER player. It’s not rocket science. But if you’ve had the kool-aid, up is down and black is white, and hamburgers eat people.

By Ryder

June 20, 2006 05:19 PM | Link to this

Detroit would probably make a big run for Smoltz if they didn’t have to give up too much in return. Other than that I don’t see a market out there for him due to arm issues. Atlanta should stay the course and just get better scouting for a closer. Perhaps Sosa could fill that role. This team got to multiple division titles based on their youth, no reason to abandon that now. It may look bleak today, but don’t do what they Mets had to do, overspend for one year of glory and pay the price later on.

By Chuck

June 20, 2006 05:35 PM | Link to this

News from the Braves’ camp: In an interview with Ernie Johnson, Braves GM Bill Lucas confirmed that owner Ted Turner was indeed thinking of suiting up as manager, to try to end this skid. But Manager Chuck Tanner was still optimistic that the team would turn it around and make a run in the 2nd half. However, with Bob Horner on the disabled list with a painful corn on his toe, the team lacks power. In last night’s game, in his 83rd consecutive unsuccessful attempt to throw out a runner stealing 2nd, cather Dale Murphy injured pitcher Rick Mahler when his throw took one hop, hit the pitching rubber, and struck Mahler right on his toe with the painful corn. The gritty Mahler stayed in the game however, and gave up only 7 earned runs in the last 3 innings. Horner would later comment “That Mahler is some tough guy. I don’t know how he…….s**, I dropped my bag of Cheetos. Bucky, get me another beer, and what in hell is taking so long for those nachos you are making?” In off-the-field fashion news, shortstop Darrel Chaney was seen at a local mall purchasing an array of trenchcoats. Seen at the same mall trying on an assortment of fur hats, 3rd baseman Jerry Royster marveled “That Chaney has always been a fashion leader. You never know what he is up to.” Meanwhile, overheard in clubhouse chatter, pitcher Rick Camp told anyone who would listen “Man, I need to get home to my farm for a couple of days to check on things. I’m leaving right after the 4th of July game coming up. I hope that game ends early so I can make a quick getaway.”

By Brendan

June 20, 2006 06:08 PM | Link to this

Jeff, the Capitals are getting Alexandre Semin back, too. The Capitals will probably surpass the Thrashers next season. Imagine if the Caps get the #8 slot, knocking Atlanta out, yet again?

By rich

June 20, 2006 07:16 PM | Link to this

HOLD ON! Let’s ask Smoltz if he would take a trade(to detroit)possibly. If he would and we could get VALUE out of him - it would be the right move! Smoltzie goes to a winner and we get a couple of good young arms and we do NOT have to worry over his arm falling off or wether he wants to close or start! Most importantly it let’s EVERYONE know they’re not indispensable and maybe they’ll elevate their game.

By Gene

June 21, 2006 07:12 AM | Link to this

The Braves are just playing sorry baseball. Perhaps Time Warner should consider the fact that a last-place team is less marketable than a winning team, and free up some money. Bobby Cox deserves better than this.

By mart

June 21, 2006 08:21 AM | Link to this

Was this column written to satisfy a quota?

By coastal jim

June 21, 2006 08:33 AM | Link to this

We should have paid rockin’ Leo!!

By steve in virginia

June 21, 2006 11:21 AM | Link to this

It’s not surprising the Braves have no plans to trade Chipper Jones (as if anybody would take his contract), Andruw Jones, Tim Hudson or John Smoltz is not surprising.

Would someone please diagram that sentence for me?

By ayersling

June 21, 2006 05:23 PM | Link to this

Pull your panties out of your cracks, people! When stuff goes wrong, it does in bunches. The pitching staff before spring training has been destroyed so you have to be patient. Startup will be here before long. We got a lot of nice picks in the draft. Hopefully, Boyer and Devine can bounce back. Stockman may be a nice find. The final component is ground ball inducing reliever like Gryboski(who I disagreed with trading and I try not to disagree with because the Braves are a great organization). The biggest thing is, I think we need to get over the Smoltz era because like Mike in Chicago, it adds undo pressure to the closer. Be easy, greasy!