Sports Columnists

By Chipper's a Candy

August 1, 2006 09:42 PM | Link to this

Say what you want to you old dinosaur, but I like the Betemit trade… two quality players for one.

By Haywood Jablome

August 1, 2006 10:05 PM | Link to this

Hey Furman, I like your style, bro…but who are you trying to kid? You get in a “snit” over JS’s moves quite a bit…you just don’t like to admit he’s right much more often than you are.

By Jibo

August 1, 2006 10:39 PM | Link to this

Bisher you can’t judge the Betemit trade yet, but you have to be crazy not to make that deal. I loved WB but two quality players one a closer with 80 plus saves the last year and half. What more do you want? Great job JS. Now get us another starter or two and put Hudson on the road. I think we are on the right track now. Please sign Baez for next year.

By Jibo

August 1, 2006 10:44 PM | Link to this

Sorry, last 2 years and half. JS didn’t Boot The Ball!

By Knuckleballer

August 1, 2006 11:55 PM | Link to this

The jury is still out on the Betemit/Aybar trade as both have performed well but are still in their honeymoon periods. Baez is a 2 month rent-a-cop and the Braves will not pay him $4+M/year to be a setup guy next year. Simple fact is this was pretty much a straight-up swap of infielders and Vegas favors Betemit. We’ll see over time.

Regarding John “I can do no wrong” Schuerholz, am I missing 2 or 3 additional World Series Titles that he brought to Atlanta besides 1995? John has done some decent trades and deserves recognition, but has also failed to provide the final pieces to some very good teams that could have gone much farther. This is the guy that told paying fans that they should be happy with Division Titles and winning it all is of less importance. Braves mgmnt has since changed that stance but it comes at time when the team is in decline. Arthur Blank has made it clear that he wants the Falcons to win the Superbowl and will not rest until that happens. That is why the GA Dome is consistently sold out while Turner Field has many empty blue seats.

By gotigers72

August 2, 2006 12:14 AM | Link to this

I disagree with you about the Betemit trade. As someone else said, the jury wiil be out on that trade for a couple of years. Betemit was a good fill in, but he struck out more times per at bat than any other Brave. You can already see by watching Aybar that he has a much better eye at the plate than Wilson had. Give them both some time to play regularly, then make a judgment on the trade. I disagree, but in the end you may turn out to be right. But we won’t know for awhile.

By right wing conservative

August 2, 2006 12:27 AM | Link to this

Betemit’s gone now so its time for the Braves to move on and continue the rebuilding for the future.

By Tomas

August 2, 2006 01:40 AM | Link to this

Furman Bisher, do yo know baseball. Look I know Beitemet is a good player but you just cat turned down Dany Baez plus Willy Aibar, would you prefer Scot proctor for Wilson Beitemet. Willy Aibar is a good player, runs faster, fields pretty much the same as Beitemet, Beitemet has more power but he is also 3 years older. I agree with you in one thing the braves needed to get another quality starting pitcher.

By Head Coach

August 2, 2006 04:23 AM | Link to this

Mr.Bisher you have every right to snit. I dont know that this trade will work in the Braves favor in the future but at the moment it looks like the Dodgers got a steal. It reminds me of Vinny Castilla , Schuerholz left him unprotected during the 1992 expansion draft( over the objections of Bobby Cox)and he was picked up by the Rockies for free. He then went on to have quit the career playing in the rarified air of Colorado. The situation with Chipper is this: the Braves owe him a lot of money and he is the face of the franchise. He is also an injury waiting to happen and he will never play a full season again without the usual stint or two on the DL. Its a bad situation for everyone , Chipper included but at least Betemit will get the chance to play everyday and make Schuerholz look like a real bozo for trading him. Aybar might turn into an everyday player and we might resign Baez for 2007 but we will just have to wait and see just how good or bad this trade turns out in the future.

By UGA 72

August 2, 2006 05:26 AM | Link to this

Furman, I agree with you based on first impressions. I also wonder where the Braves might have been had they had either Whitman or Baez or both for the whole season. We’ve blown more saves than we have, it just feels different with those two pitching the 8th and 9th innings. I loved WB as a person and as a player, I wish him every success in LA. I hope we do sign Baez for at least a couple of years. We always can play the wait till next year game, who knows what we might do with new owners.

By King 3-B

August 2, 2006 07:55 AM | Link to this

UGA 72: It’s Wickman not Whitman

By Drew

August 2, 2006 08:28 AM | Link to this

Can’t say that I like the Betemit trade at all. Ok, the Braves get Aybar, but most likely Baez will not be here next year. Do you really trade Betemit for Aybar and Baez (for August and September)??? Yes, the verdict is still out on this trade, but if the Brave fail to resign Baez, will this trade will be a complete flop? Can’t blame it on JS either…he can only spend what is in the budget… Go Time Warner Inc.

By Drew

August 2, 2006 08:29 AM | Link to this

Can’t say that I like the Betemit trade at all. Ok, the Braves get Aybar, but most likely Baez will not be here next year. Do you really trade Betemit for Aybar and Baez (for August and September)??? Yes, the verdict is still out on this trade, but if the Brave fail to resign Baez, will this trade be a complete flop? Can’t blame it on JS either…he can only spend what is in the budget… Go Time Warner Inc.

By Rhett

August 2, 2006 09:14 AM | Link to this

Sorry Bisher… Aybar provides a solid OBP (which this team sorely needs by the way) and usually makes solid contact. I’m not saying he will be as good as Betemit, but I think he’s a better complement to this free swinging Braves team. Aybar is younger, will be cheaper over the next few years, and could have a bigger upside. Remember, this guy was the 34th best prospect in the minors a couple of years ago. And by the way, there weren’t many relief pitchers with the pedigree of Baez available…. I remember all of the fans on this blog begging for the Braves to pick up Baez at last year’s trade deadline and in the offseason. He has a bad couple of months and all of the sudden he’s washed up before he’s thirty. All in all, at the very least, this trade is a wash.

By Gil

August 2, 2006 09:18 AM | Link to this

Great trade in my opinion, The Braves filled two needs with one trade. A quality arm fot the bull pen and a legitment lead off man who can play three infield positions. The Braves have been trying to move Betimit for years. It amazes me how the pundits always second guess someone who has a proven track record for improving a ball club. The Braves are playing with a club that is only a few arms away from another long run of first place finishes.

By Terry Williams

August 2, 2006 09:18 AM | Link to this

Come on Furman….this ain’t your first rodeo. You have to give up something good to GET something good. You think anybody wants Chris Reitsma? Brian Jordan? Those other GMs would hang up on Scherholtz (at such a suggestion)so fast your head would spend. Sure Betemit was a great guy with terrific skills….that’s why we got a talented infielder (who can leadoff) and an above average pitcher. I’ll miss WB, but our team has less holes now. Terry Williams

By afoolindeed

August 2, 2006 10:22 AM | Link to this

All of JS moves in ‘05 were gold? DAN KOLB!!!! Hello?

By ebineezer

August 2, 2006 10:32 AM | Link to this

Betemit is just a better all around baseball player than Aybar is. Baez will only be with the Braves a couple months and is AT BEST an average relief pitcher. He is like Sosa in that last year he put up some good numbers but has stunk it up this year. They were glad to get rid of him in LA. I agree with Bisher about how do you bring a kid up through the farm system and right when he is ready to blossem, to be the player you knew he could be, you trade him away? After years of watching Betemit develop, looking forward to what he is going to do for the Braves and you trade him for another teams prospect and a pitcher for 2 months that is having a bad year. That does not sound like a good trade to me.

By Chuck

August 2, 2006 10:45 AM | Link to this

Too bad to lose Betemit. However, the Braves had to get rid of some of their free swingers. Certainly they are near the top in strikeouts this year. Andruw, Franceour, LaRoche, and Giles all have big, long swings or poor strike zone recognition - or both! Betemit had a lot of strikeouts and a lot of value. And what are the three glaring, game losing holes in their lineup this year? Closer, set-up man, and lead-off hitter. If they could have done this week’s deals before the season, they would be .500 now, at least. The team is much better now, and just think what the recent trades did for morale of the starting pitchers and the position players! Even if we don’t make the postseason this year, at least now we can go to the park with a decent chance of seeing our team win! Chuck

By Billy D

August 2, 2006 10:54 AM | Link to this

Betemit and Furcal were two of my favorite Braves. Unfortunately both are now gone. BIG mistakes, IMO. At least they still have A.J., M.Giles, Smoltz, McCann and Francouer.

Hudson has been awful. Meche from the Mariners has been better than the highly touted Hudson. WHO YOU ASK? Gil “Son of a Meche.” 9-5 with a 4.24 ERA. I bet he is getting a lot less money than Hudson too.

There is always a chance for a wild card but until the pitching staff, as a whole, gets their act together the Braves can count on spending this coming Fall on vacation.

By Joe Coffey

August 2, 2006 11:26 AM | Link to this

Trading Wilson is a mistake, Old Chipper should go on the block as he gets paid so well to get on DL several times a year and gives the impression that he isn’t motivated on the field. Wilson is a great player. Aybar is up to the game and thinking of letting Andruw, Smotzy or Giles go would be crazy. But I think the biggest mistake they have made was letting Leo M go as the pitching was good.

By Joe Coffey

August 2, 2006 11:27 AM | Link to this

Trading Wilson is a mistake, Old Chipper should go on the block as he gets paid so well to get on DL several times a year and gives the impression that he isn’t motivated on the field. Wilson is a great player. Aybar is up to the game and thinking of letting Andruw, Smotzy or Giles go would be crazy. But I think the biggest mistake they have made was letting Leo M go as the pitching was good.

By dewan lee

August 2, 2006 12:17 PM | Link to this

34th rated prospect?. Betemit was rated 1-5 based on the publication. Baez only played well in the less stressful Devil Ray environment and is a rent a player. Betemit has realized his vtalent while Aybar has not. Last I checked we were playing to win today and not the future so why trade for unproven talent. With all the speed questions tell me where Aybar has stolen 40 bases or more? I dont see the speed like I saw with Otix,Neon, etc.. So please stop using that excuse. He is no burner I should know I ran a 6.7 60 in college. A burner can run 6.2. Make no bones 6.7 is moving and I was considered above average but 6.2 is world class speed.

By BirdDawg

August 2, 2006 12:23 PM | Link to this

Man all of you Braves apologists need to get a life.

They stink. They are 6 games under .500. They aren’t going to make the playoffs!

Schuerholtz has had one good trade in about 6 years.

ONE!

And it was for Renteria.

He’s no longer a genius. And Bobby Cox gave up his GOAT moniker when he choked away the ‘96 World Series, and then preceded to choke away the ‘97 and ‘98 playoffs, along with the ‘00, ‘02, ‘03, ‘04, and yes, the ‘05 playoffs as well, losing every one of those years to teams with inferior talent.

The Braves have won nothing of consequence.

Winning your division 100 times in a row wouldn’t make you a champion, unless you actually WON the championship!

God, you people are so freaking deluded you can’t see straight.

Much like the Braves of this year.

Shuerholtz had a chance to unload some really awful guys to contenders and get back some really good prospects.

Tim Hudson has been a total and unbelievable bust (Billy Beane strikes again!), and I’m not amazed that Schuerholtz was fleeced by Beane in that deal. Beane saw that Hudson was on the decline and got rid of him. Schuerholtz could have had the chance to do that this year and passed!

Schuerholtz is not a genius. Bobby Cox is a blunderer.

These are your Atlanta Braves, winners of only ONE World Championship.

And I’m sorry, if one of you apologists bring up 14 straight, I’m going to hurl. They won the vast majority of those divisions against the worst teams in baseball. The one year someone puts together a decent team and what happens? The Braves are out of it by August. Oh yeah, and that happened another year, too, but a strike prevented the Braves from losing.

God people, you can’t see the forest for the blessed trees!

By Dan

August 2, 2006 12:44 PM | Link to this

Bird Dog, I agree with you on some aspects of your rant. Bobby Cox does not and probably will never know how to use a bullpen. That is the reason he blew the 96 series and at least 4 of the other playoff exits. Cox’s real talent is being a people manager and this year his handling of some situation (LaRoche should have been benched for 10 games)has been pitiful. Took too much crap from Sosa. I don’t agree with you on the Braves not making the playoffs, but Bobby will find a new way of losing it. Hudson was a big mistake. But I can see that he is being stubborn and agrreing to some samll changes that may help him. I am and always have been a Braves fan since they were in Milwaukee and watch them every chance I get and I can tell I see things that should be changed, but JS won’t make the move. As for Chipper, injuries are caused by ineffective off season conditioning and alot of his problems were caused by the so-called World Championship before the season. Chipper and Andruw are staples of this organization and should never be traded. I am just as frustrated as the rest of you, but the biggest problem is Bobby Cox.

By 2Parc

August 2, 2006 01:10 PM | Link to this

BirdDawg,

Who is your favorite team?

By Kenneth Simpson

August 2, 2006 01:11 PM | Link to this

The Braves got rid of the wrong person. They should get rid of Chipper sending him to a retirement home and kept Betemit who was a much more reliable than Chipper is. Chipper is out too much with every little ailment he can think of. I am surprised he can get out of bed without hurting himself. I guess his pocketbook is too heavy.

By Fred

August 2, 2006 01:11 PM | Link to this

As always, Furman, you’re absolutely correct. Given the opportunity to play every day, Betemit could easily become a multi-year All Star, and he’s only 26. If this trade follows the usual path (see Dan Kolb), Baez will bomb or develop arm trouble, while Betemit tears up the NL for the next 10 years. JS is fooling himself, even if the Braves miraculously make the Wild Card this year, they won’t last past the first round of the playoffs. Meanwhile, the obvious Giles/C. Jones replacement is wearing the hated Dodger blue. There’s no joy in Mudville over this trade!!!

By Fred

August 2, 2006 01:12 PM | Link to this

As always, Furman, you’re absolutely correct. Given the opportunity to play every day, Betemit could easily become a multi-year All Star, and he’s only 26. If this trade follows the usual path (see Dan Kolb), Baez will bomb or develop arm trouble, while Betemit tears up the NL for the next 10 years. JS is fooling himself, even if the Braves miraculously make the Wild Card this year, they won’t last past the first round of the playoffs. Meanwhile, the obvious Giles/C. Jones replacement is wearing the hated Dodger blue. There’s no joy in Mudville over this trade!!!

By 2Parc

August 2, 2006 01:12 PM | Link to this

1.) Dan, who would you rather have as manager?

2.) Kenneth, Chipper is the reason we are still in the wildcard race this year.

By 2Parc

August 2, 2006 01:18 PM | Link to this

Before the trade, my feeling was that there was no chance to win anything this year with the roster we had.

After the trade, my feeling is that we have the holes plugged and the pieces in place to get us there, or at least try, fighting.

Therefore, trade seems good to me.

Next year is a different story. And we should worry about that… um…. next year.

By BirdDawg

August 2, 2006 01:19 PM | Link to this

I no longer have one.

I”m done with baseball. It is a crooked sport run by crooked men, I mean for crying out loud! The Commisioner is a Used Car Salesmen who has to be chastised once a month by John McCain and Congress for letting baseball go down the tubes under his watch!

Bobby the Blunderer broke my heart in 1996, along with my then 11 year-old son’s.

After that, it was never the same, I knew that the Braves were doomed every year as long as he remained employed.

And after I saw McGwire refused to, “Talk about my past.” And Sosa forgetting how to speak english, a language which he is more than profecient, and Palmiero’s finger waving… well, I’m just done.

I mean, it says something about your sport when the guy who is telling the most truth is Jose Blessed Canseco!

And that something is nothing good.

The Braves have always been overrated, playing the last 11 years in the worst division in all of baseball. Bobby the Blunderer is the worst postseason manager in the history of the game, and Schuerholtz turned in his genius credentials about 10 years ago.

Enough is enough!

The should have traded Hudson and Smoltz, fired Cox, and really tried to rebuild into something great, not something which chokes every year.

Frustrating.

By 2Parc

August 2, 2006 01:29 PM | Link to this

Dear BirdDawg,

We are sorry you feel that way. Please do not come to any games, watch any games, or post on this board anymore.

If you are done with baseball, then stop talking about it.

Thanks, Braves Fans

By Eric

August 2, 2006 01:36 PM | Link to this

Chill out people and be patient, in the long run the braves will prevail again. They just need to get rid of of several players such as Orr, Jordan, Pratt, Thompson, Ray, Langerhans should be traded as well as Diaz.

By Rick Roberts

August 2, 2006 01:53 PM | Link to this

Trade proposal: Andrew Jones, Tim Hudson, Marcus Giles, and Anthony Leruw to Red Sox for: Coco Crisp, Craig Hansen, Jon Lester, Wily Mo Pena. Braves drop monies for next year additions; Red Sox now can beat the Yankees; Braves retool and get younger. Possibly spin off Pena to KC for Jimmy Gobble, too. This looks win-win to me.

By Aaron Egnor

August 2, 2006 02:05 PM | Link to this

Trading Diaz is ridiculous - he’s a solid bat with a great eye and enough defense to spot fill the OF corners. Expect to see him get some time at 1B in the offseason or in the spring. Brian Jordan, please break your collar bone again next week. As soon as it heals, break it again. Take one for the team and retire with whatever dignity you think you have. Pete Orr, I was rooting for you but expect to be dealt - Prado deserves your spot on the roster. Pratt, thanks for mentoring McCann, here’s your complimentary set of luggage.

Deadweight abounds on this team right now and JS and Crew need to seriously wipe the slate, bring up next year’s backups from AAA and get them the experience they need NOW to contend next year. If Giles wants to be a Brave next year he’d better play MexiBall this winter and learn 3B (to fill in for Chipper everytime he tweaks something).

By brandon

August 2, 2006 02:17 PM | Link to this

The Braves are not gonna trade andruw. The Braves have the premere center fielder in the game. Possibly ever….debateable.. Atlanta although has had some problem winning the big games, has had a long streak of being good.. noone looks at how much better the national league has gotten over the last 14 years. There is alot of things the Braves could of done but we need to consentrate toward the future..ergo the betemit trade helped us..

By gp

August 2, 2006 02:18 PM | Link to this

So lame when one fan decrees to another that they can’t speak about a team because they aren’t all sun-shiney about every stupid move the team makes.

By brandon

August 2, 2006 02:29 PM | Link to this

Sun shiney?? uh.. ok that was very robust.. anyway we are just passionate about the Braves moran..because we care about the team and thier moves.???? Well i didnt like the renteria/ marte deal at first…but as we all know it worked out great for the Braves…We can only speculate about the going ons but eternally we have to like with the moves js makes…so all we can do is go with the flow

By steve

August 2, 2006 02:35 PM | Link to this

First of all, Chipper is a great player. Hitting .333, 2nd in hitting in the NL. Giles needs to go, I agree there…. and I still think Hudson will rebound, either this year or definitely next year. And Bird Dawg, the Tim Hudson trade was a good one for JS….whatever happened to Charles Thomas(remember him?).

By steve

August 2, 2006 02:35 PM | Link to this

First of all, Chipper is a great player. Hitting .333, 2nd in hitting in the NL. Giles needs to go, I agree there…. and I still think Hudson will rebound, either this year or definitely next year. And Bird Dawg, the Tim Hudson trade was a good one for JS….whatever happened to Charles Thomas(remember him?)?

By rian

August 2, 2006 03:27 PM | Link to this

Hey FB - every move last year did not turn to gold. Can you say Dan Kolb? How bout Farnsworth in that postseason series against Houston. And you even mentioned the draft disaster that was Joey Devine yourself. Not exactly gold in my book.

By GM R

August 2, 2006 03:57 PM | Link to this

So when did Dan Kolb turn to gold last year?

By Richard Lamon

August 2, 2006 05:05 PM | Link to this

This may be a little sappy, but everyone can opine on your opining all they want. What I appreciate the most is the enjoyment of reading your thoughts. It is not easy to compose an interesting column on a freqent basis. Heck, I had trouble just coming up with this.

By Danny

August 2, 2006 05:37 PM | Link to this

hey….birddawg…said it best….cox is awful…horrible….it kills me to watch some games knowing cox will make wrong moves and blow the game for’em..as he did last year against the astros…the braves had NO reason to bring Jordan pratt n orr either…jurries was lookin pretty good in preseason..and whoever as a backup catcher would have done rather then Pratt…and as for chipper….he is still the reason the braves came within reach of anything….as he went down….the braves went down ..NOBODY else stepped up..PERIOD…get off chipper…get on GILES…langy…john thompson…H.ramirez …sosa….instead….we need 1 maybe 2 arms for next year …hampton comes back n lets hope hudson turns it around thats a NICE 1-3 starters….n a left fielder that has SOMETHING in his bat….the pen looks ok IF cox can manage them right….n not over use ray n paronto every freakin night n blow there arms out…

By Craig

August 2, 2006 05:46 PM | Link to this

To the moron who said, “That is why the GA Dome is consistently sold out while Turner Field has many empty blue seats.”

THE FALCONS PLAY 8 GAMES A YEAR!!!!!

THE BRAVES PLAY 81!!!!!!

IF THE BRAVES PLAYED ONLY 8 GAMES A YEAR, I GUARANTEE YOU EVERY GAME WOULD BE SOLD OUT!!!!!!

STUPID

By hunt

August 2, 2006 06:32 PM | Link to this

the braves are having a bad year by their standards,but you cannot blame it on bobby cox. he is a great manager and doing the best he canwith what he has to work with.as for bruce sutter, he belongs in copperstown. he did not help the braves to much,but he sure helped the cardinals in the eightys just my two cents worth hunt

By Dennis

August 2, 2006 07:01 PM | Link to this

Talk about Cooperstown Woes we’re more politically correct than we are baseball right. Again, nothing against Sutter, but did he mean more to baseball than Gil Hodges a perennial pass over for the Hall of Fame?

By R.KACHMAN

August 2, 2006 08:22 PM | Link to this

mr bisher is right on about betemit going to la.i cant believe getting rid of a future super star when you have the jones pair staying here.they have worn out their welcome here with recurring injuries and lax at the plate.i realize that nobody will pay their tab because they already are way overpaid but this trade was a zero for the braves.

By R.KACHMAN

August 2, 2006 08:23 PM | Link to this

mr bisher is right on about betemit going to la.i cant believe getting rid of a future super star when you have the jones pair staying here.they have worn out their welcome here with recurring injuries and lax at the plate.i realize that nobody will pay their tab because they already are way overpaid but this trade was a zero for the braves.

By steve

August 2, 2006 09:35 PM | Link to this

Baez pitched two scoreless innings in the series against the Pirates so far… and Aybar scored the game-winning run after hitting a leadoff double in the eigth(although it was later changed to an error).

By Dave

August 2, 2006 10:45 PM | Link to this

Folks, Inre to the Betemit trade: 1) Braves needed a leadoff hitter (there was no one on the 40-man) 2) Chipper(when healthy, albeit increasingly rare) sets the whole lineup. And can’t be traded without his approval. 3)The bullpen was pathetic. when you are still in an admittably very weak running for the wild card. The pre-trade roster needed: 1) Starting pitching (WTFO on Hudson), 2) Bullpen help, 3) A leadoff hitter to set the table. 2 of those 3 were answered. Braves are set at 3rd & short for several years (with a DL backup needed), 2nd is conjecture, based on how much you love Marcus. Ya do the trade - great job, JS

By Birddawg's boyfriend

August 2, 2006 11:06 PM | Link to this

Birddawg you’re probably the biggest dumbass to ever post on one of these and there have been some doosies.

By dewan lee

August 2, 2006 11:21 PM | Link to this

Like I said before show me the speed with Aybar. He looks average to me. He is no Furcal, Odibe, Neon Deon, Albert Hall, Brett Butler, or any other speedster that we have had here. In my opinion we gave up a proven hitter who can bat leadoff which does not need to be Furcal for a guy that has not impresed in the Bigs so far. For the Falcon fan tell me how many SuperBowls has Blank or Rankin Smith been to. At least the Smith’s made it to the big game but Blank hasn’t. I am a Redskin so I can tell you about SuperBowls. (3-2 record)

By burt

August 2, 2006 11:54 PM | Link to this

Furman, fans gets over crazy trades. like justice and grissom for loafton. or what about a player to be named later, who was brett butler.wayneright for drew. after the season was over the brave offered drew $25 mill, and the dodgers gave drew $50 mill.i remember about 50 years the old atlanta crackers traded country brown to the chattanooga lookouts for dick ruthman. country’s first game he went 8 for nine in a doublr header. down in atlanta ruthvan went o for ten. ruthvan later said he could not catch a cab back to his hotel.

By Greg

August 3, 2006 02:22 AM | Link to this

Unless your name is Sparky Anderson or Tony LaRussa, you don’t have the right to criticize Bobby Cox. They are the only living human beings with more wins than him. With 2142 wins as a Major League manager, Cox is just 15 W’s away from 5th place on the all-time list. Outside of Anderson and LaRussa, only Connie Mack, John McGraw, and Bucky Harris rank ahead of Cox on the all-time list. You can’t blame him for not winning more World Series’. There have been some lack-luster performances from his players in the post-season, but he can only put them into position to succeed. Lonnie Smith has to run the bases. Mark Wohlers needs to keep the ball down in the zone. Greg Maddux needs be his regular season self in the post season. Tom Glavine needs to win one out of two in the 2002 Division Series. Kyle Farnsworth needs to protect a five run lead in 2005 NLDS Game 4. If the players who routinely deliver in the regular season fail in the clutch post-season situations, you can’t blame the manager for believing in them.

As for Schuerholz, he’s one of, if not THE best G.M. in baseball. In addition to getting Renteria this off-season, he’s made it so that the Braves are paying him only $6 million a year (compare to Furcal at $13 million/year). The Red Sox will continue paying for him for the life of the contract. Here’s another one like that - the Braves will not pay a cent for Danys Baez this season. He pawned Jorge Sosa’s $800,000 for the remainder of the season off on St. Louis. Anybody remember the Terry Pendleton signing or the Fred McGriff trade? And don’t give him any credit for a minor league system that produced Andruw, Chipper, Francoeur, Giles, Furcal, Betemit, Glavine, McCann, Jason Schmidt, Jermaine Dye, the list goes on…

Stop being so short-sighted. Look at the big picture. Be appreciative for what the Braves have. And if you think the Braves have done it all against nobodies in the NL West (early ’90s)/NL East (present), remember the ‘93 Giants (103 wins), the ‘97 and ‘03 World Champion Marlins, or the 2000 NL Champion Mets?

Plain and simple, any Braves fan who complains about the last 14 years or a little adversity in year 15 deserves a swift kick to the (anatomical part of choice here).

By clay

August 3, 2006 02:30 AM | Link to this

i personally don’t like the wb trade. i have been saying for weeks now that Chipper should move back to left field and betemit should play third base . that would fill some offence caps that the team has been lacking in.