Diaz battling for job with Braves
But if Jordan makes the team, Diaz will have to beat out KJ.
73 Comments
Advertisement
Use code “Journal” for a 5% discount.
Diaz battling for job with Braves
But if Jordan makes the team, Diaz will have to beat out KJ.
Use code “Journal” for a 5% discount.
if you like developing talent, i dont see how you could not like diaz. he has put up great numbers, but seems to have never been given a legitimate shot. i hope he makes the team and has an incredible year. i wouldnt mind giving him an everyday shot at first.
I wouldn’t call a 28 year old minor leaguer, a developing talent, but I do think he should be given every chance to prove that he can play at the major league level.
I say if Brian Jordan is healthy, there is no way he doesn’t make the roster out of Spring Training. Its a shame, but that’s how it shakes out.
If Jordan is healthy at the end of March, I agree he is on the opening day roster. My hope would then be that they send KJ down to Richmond and give Diaz the last outfielder spot. That way we can call KJ up when Jordan gets hurt.
If Jordan makes the roster then Bobby is out of is Vulcan mind. Ya’ll think he is better than Jurries, KJ and Diaz? I’m more intrigued by Jurries than Diaz. In his two small sample sizes in the bigs Diaz looks like a classic quadruple A player.
I never said he is better, I just said that if he is healthy he makes the roster. He is one of Booby’s favorite players, there is no way he doesn’t keep him if Jordan is healthy.
I refuse to even consider the possibility that Jordan will make the team. Not saying you’re wrong, it just makes my head explode to think about it.
I wish we could turn the clock back to the time of 11-man pitching staffs. Then we could have the following bench:
KJ/Langerhans
Betemit
Diaz
Jurries
Orr
Pratt
Not a lot of speed, but it looks like a fine-hitting bench to me.
Regarding an argument in the previous thread.
Griffey v Bonds from 91-99 should be a slam dunk for Bonds.
Bonds beats him handily in OPS+, beating him every single year. then you add the stolen bases.
Defence is where Griffey got some of it back, but Bonds was at least league average in defence too
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Jurries put up comparable if not better numbers than Laroche this season. I’m pulling for him to make the team.
I’m all for Jurries making the team too. He’s a much better option than Jordan(who I think would make a great coach and would love to have him in that capacity).
I just want to make myself clear in this thread. In no way do I think that Brian Jordan should be on this ballclub. That is where I stand, but I have been a fan of this club long enough to know that if he is healthy, that Booby Cox will keep him on the club.
Jorge Sosa is throwing gas against Italy. 4 IP 1 H 4 K. Of course, it *is* Italy…
Bonds also beats Griffey in the quantity of steriods pumped into his body, hands down in fact
The Italian team has a lot of Italian-Americans, though, including a couple of real major leaguers.
Justin, I understand now. Gentlemen’s bet. Jordan is one of the last cuts of spring. Not even Bobby is that loyal.
I sure hope Brian doesn’t make the team. He is not going to contribute as much as Diaz and Jurries can. Every time I see Jordan on the bench he has Ice on his knees. Diaz can play 1st also and Catch.
The Braves’ center fielder today was a guy named “M Ryan” in the box score, and he went two for four. Who’s that?
Meg Ryan.
a former Twin farmhand who got a few abs in the majors the last few years, most likely just a warm body to fill out AAA
Oh, okay. Michael Ryan, right?
(Thanks for your help, ububba.)
Ryan had a big year in Edmonton in 2002 and got labeled a prospect but they were wrong. He shouldn’t have any real shot at the team, but I said that about Dewayne Wise once.
My pleasure.
If I were running the Braves, she would make the cut over Brian Jordan.
I don’t know, she’s looking pretty rough nowadays.
I know Italy has some major leaguers but they’re still pretty bad. Mike Piazza is their best hitter FFS…
Yeah, but not their only hitter. David Dellucci and Frank Catalanotto have a lot fewer miles on their bats and bodies than Mike, and they can hit a little too.
when i say developing talent, i mean that he has proven himself at every level but hasnt been given a shot at the majors. he is showing his development as we speak and finally getting some notarization. smacked another homer today. a 28 year old can be developing if there is still a challenge to be met. i am really rooting for this guy!
By the way, not to hijack the thread, but in the spirit of our Bonds/Griffey debate, who would you say was better from 1991-1999: Jodie Foster or Meg Ryan?
For my money, as an actor, I’ll take Jodie Foster.
Meg Ryan has never made a serious movie.
Also, Foster gets extra credit for “Taxi Driver.” Though it falls out of the 91-99 range, it’s my favorite film of all time.
Hey, Arnold Schwarzenegger has never made a serious movie, but that doesn’t mean that his films aren’t among the finest ever made.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has never been in a “fine” movie, much less any of the finest ever made.
Did anybody else see that Blaine Boyer reported some “discomfort” in his shoulder? I don’t like mysterious shoulder injuries. It was supposedly tendinitis with no structural damage, but it’s still hurting him. If it’s anything like HoRam’s ailment from a couple of years ago where everybody said he was fine and would come back soon then ended up missing practically the whole season, this could really hurt our bullpen.
Also, I don’t want Jordan on the Opening Day roster. In fact, during the game on ESPN last week, I had the following conversation with my TV screen (when Diaz was up to bat):
Me: Come on Matt, hit a homerun. Make sure Bobby has no reason to even think about putting Brian Jordan on the Opening Day roster.
(On the next pitch, Diaz hits a homerun.)
Me: Thank you!
I am very afraid, though, that loyal Bobby Cox will give Jordan more chances than he should to make the roster. If he’d just accept a coaching job, everything would be dandy. But, he says he still wants to play, so it doesn’t look like that will happen. I would love for KJ, Diaz, and Jurries to all make the roster, and for Brian Jordan to call it quits. I appreciate what he did for the Braves in ’99, and I don’t want any horrible memories from ’06 to ruin that.
Foster, hands down because of Silence of the Lambs.
Jon Schuerholtz had 3 errors at 3rd today. Ouch.
91 WS Game 6 on ESPN Classic right now
Arnold Schwarzenegger has never been in a “fine” movie, much less any of the finest ever made.
Exhibit a: Terminator
Exhibit b: Terminator 2
Come on, man–you can’t really be serious. You’re telling me Terminator and Terminator 2 aren’t fine films?
They’re fine, but they aren’t as good as “Taxi Driver” or “Silence of the Lambs.” And as an actor, Schwarzeneggar is a tremendous bodybuilder.
Just watch “The Sixth Day” or “Around the world in 80 Days” to see a sampling of some of his “fine acting”
Maybe they’re not as “good,” but they’re more enjoyable to watch. When I see Taxi Driver, I lie awake at night feeling depressed about the world. When I watch Terminator 2, I feel ready to kick ass and take names.
EE, all actors make crappy movies. Just watch “The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle” and “Flightplan” to see how far Robert De Niro and Jodie Foster have fallen.
I hope you’ve seen “Crash,” a great movie, and talk about laying awake feeling depressed about the world.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the 2 Terminators just fine. Great escapist entertainment, no doubt.
But for my money, great art should confront you and perhaps make you lay awake at night.
Flightplan sucks? guess i should take it off my Blockbuster Queue.
Crash isn’t a great movie either, in fact I think its horrid. Terminator 2 is the closest thing that Arnold has been in that would be considered good.
We clearly have a different opinion of what makes a good movie. Taxi Driver and Silence of the Lambs approach art, Arnold’s movies, not so much.
I know everybody makes crappy movies, and i love his movies, Commando anyone? But Schwarzeneggar’s movies are simply something to keep you distracted for an hour and a half.
awb, so what movies have achieved art in you’re opinion?
Alex and I have spent the last month debating the merits of “Crash”, which I haven’t seen and don’t want to see on the grounds that it’s basically BS.
Foster, easily. I liked “When Harry Met Sally”, but that came out in 1989 and I don’t think much of any of Ryan’s other films.
My top 10 in no particular order (that would be to hard) don’t look for any oldies… i’m 20:
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
The Life Aquatic
Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?
Donnie Darko
Pulp Fiction
Identity
Mystic River
Fight Club
The Big Lebowski
Braveheart(gotta have one violent flick)
You’re not even willing to watch it to detemine if it’s BS for yourself?
I am taking the word of a number of critics I trust. And actually, of critics I don’t trust, who have given raving descriptions of something they loved that sounded deadly dull and self-righteous. Nine bucks for that? No thanks.
Eternal sunshine is one of my favorite movies, as is the Big Lebowski. I prefer Rushmore to the Life Aquatic. Blade Runner and A Clockwork Orange are two older films. Two recently viewed movies? Elephant by Gus Van Sant and Eraserhead about both amazing pieces of art.
Well, the movie doesn’t attempt to do anything but convey the extreme racial tension that still exists in this country. Working and going to school in Atlanta, I can only imagine how bad it is in L.A.
but enough about that…
Crash was a movie that tended to provoke extreme reactions of either like or dislike. If you think you’ll dislike it, you probably will.
As far as I’m concerned, Spike Lee has been making far better movies along the same lines as Crash for twenty years. Except Crash was set in L.A., next to Hollywood, and Spike’s in New York; and Crash was written and directed by a white guy, and so it’s full of liberal guilt, whereas Spike is not a white guy, and so his films are full of righteous indignation. Liberal guilt makes Oscar voters happy; righteous indignation makes them scared. Hence, Crash wins best picture, while Do the Right Thing wasn’t even nominated.
Remember, Three Six Mafia has an Oscar, and Spike Lee (like Martin Scorsese) has none. Not necessarily racism. Just bone-headed stupidity.
I actually made that same argument with Alex 1. Lee makes controversial films, and sometimes he makes bad films, and he needs to go to Film Ending School, but he doesn’t make stupid films and he doesn’t make BS.
Crash was not a great movie. It was pretty decent for a low budget. Compared to everything else coming out these days, which is total crap. I think it won the Best Picture because (A) everything else is crap (B) Brokeback was too gimmicky. As cheap an art as they practice out there in hollywood, they still insist on calling it art. Thus, they hate to make themselves look so simple minded as to jump on the national bandwagon of gushing over the irony dripping storyline of gay cowboys. This is what sets them a part from every hipster dumbass walking around in slogan t-hirts bought in mass at Urbane Outfitters. Got to hang on to the pretense of artistic endeavor, even if it means giving awards to movies that “make you think”, even if its packaged in a stereo-type laden vehicle even jerry springer would label too superficial. Crash is worthy of a netflix 3rd stringer, for when you’re too lazy to search out something decent. At least that way, you can say you’ve seen all the Best Pictures of the past 20 years, they are usually decent.
Unless of course you count the year Moulan Rouge was named best picture, im still pretty sure that was a big inside joke about tom cruise’s sexuality.
Moulin Rouge didn’t win Best Picture, though it was nominated — that was the year that A Beautiful Mind did and that Fellowship of the Ring should have. Chicago won the following year.
Speaking of “Lord of the Rings” and “film editing,” there is one group of movies that could have been edited, ugh!
EE- did you ever see Forest Gump?
I’m constantly amazed how much credit “The Big Lebowski” gets from people. I’m a huge Coen Brothers’ fan, and I think it’s really one of their worst movies. I love Jeff Bridges in it, but John Goodman kind of ruins it for me. He’s just a screaming cartoon character in it. And the ending is ultra lame.
To me, the best movies of the last 10 years are: Fargo
Boogie Nights
Lost in Translation
The Insider
Slingblade
In the Bedroom
Sideways
Capote
what criteria do you use to decide? Or is it just your general vibe?
What can I say, different strokes. I find the Big Lebowski to be totally enjoyable and also extremely funny.
I’ve enjoyed the insider and lost in translation but found sideways and capote to be vaguely boring.
My favorite movies of 05:
Batman Begins
A History of Violence
The Devil’s Rejects
Broken Flowers
Sin City
Grizzly Man
Crash was a great movie. It was also the only one of the 5 Oscar nominees that I actually saw beforehand. My 10 favorites, in no particular order:
Shawshank Redemption
Office Space
The Godfather
Lord of the Rings 1, 3, 2
Donnie Darko
Jurassic Park
Schindler’s List
The Matrix
Mulan (yeah, I know; give me a break)
Stand and Deliver (see above)
for meg ryan, hurlyburly was certainly serious. it wasn’t particularly good, but it was serious.
and forrest gump is an albatross of a movie, while i didn’t notice a hint of irony in brokeback mountain. it was pretty straightforward.
Here’s an exerpt from the ?Crash? quiz, an article that can be found here
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11700333/
that perfectly explains the problems with the movie:
“Say you?re an Asian woman who has just rear-ended the car in front of you. What do you do? Do you?
1. Wait in your car until a police officer arrives
2. Exchange licenses with the driver of the other car
3. Notice that the driver of the other car is someone who looks like Jennifer Esposito, immediately assume she?s Mexican-American (as opposed to, say, Italian-American), and then tell the African-American police officer that ?Mexicans no know how to drive.?”
Its a little bothersome that so many people find a movie about racism to be profound when the characters are painted in such static stereotypes. Do The Right Thing puts Crash to shame and if you think Crash is good, please watch it.
Grizzly Man was the best movie I saw last year. Lots more people saw March of the Penguins, which I haven’t, but there is another doc involving animals which was also great (making for an anthropomorphological (anthropomorphizational?) triumverate, if you will) — The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill. I’m going to San Fran for a wedding this summer, and my other plans while there are to go to Pac Bell, and to feed the parrots.
There are plenty of reasons why I dig a movie.
In some cases, like “Capote” and “The Insider” it’s more of a case of an actor really carrying an already great film. (Philip Seymour Hoffman, as usual, blew me away & I think “The Insider” is easily Russell Crowe’s best performance.)
In others, it’s the direction: “Boogie Nights” & “Fargo” are prime examples. “Boogie Nights” is the rare film where a director might’ve bitten off too much, but somehow still succeeded. Plus, Anderson’s cadre of actors is off-the-charts. “Fargo” is about as perfect a movie as you’ll ever see.
In others, it’s a mixture of things. “Lost in Translation” was that unique film that somehow perfectly mixed themes like alienation, age, culture, music, lonliness, regret, joy, not to mention the lies accorded by fame. Great direction, spectacular script, and a performance from Bill Murray that I can’t imagine anyone else pulling off.
And, for what it’s worth, many of these flicks tend to touch a nerve in me. I like films that let actors act, and I guess there’s a tiny moralist streak in me. I’ve always liked movies, ever since my mom took me to see “Valley of the Dolls” at the drive-in as a 5-year-old.
I am definitely be more interested in Schuerholz’s book then anything Bill Shanks writes. Geez, I thought the Braves were deciding between signing Bonds or Maddux after the 1992 season. I never thought the Braves were this close in trading for Bonds BEFORE the 1992 season.
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/braves/stories/0310braves.html
“After the ’97 season, we similarly threw in the towel on center fielder Kenny Lofton, who also could never embrace our environment or ideals.”
This is one issue I’d like to hear more about, as I remember everyone at the time being pretty tight-lipped on the subject of Lofton. Yeah, he seemed like a jerk, but lots of players are jerks. When he wasn’t hurt he was the best leadoff hitter we’ve ever had.
Ububba,
if you dig Lost in Translation, check out In the Mood for Love. princess coppola loves to rip off Wong Kar Wai, in this instance, its shameless. As much as I love Bill Murray and think scarlett johanson is incredibly hot, the actor in Wong’s version do a much better job of showing the emotional side you seemed to enjoy. the one area i give Lost the nod, is that it contained some comic relief, otherwise absent in the “original” version.
I don’t read a whole lot of baseball books (reading for my classes is tough enough), and the last one I read was Moneyball, but that article has got me salivating to read his book. Good thing Spring Break is coming up; I’ll have a little extra time to get it read.
I’m a bit surprised by this, but I identify with Jenny’s list more than anyone else’s. A lot of the movies others mentioned are ‘polarizing’ – not in the sense of being controversial, but some people LOVE them & others HATE them. Two major examples are Crash & Sideways – I read reviews (haven’t seen either) that went both ways on both movies (obviously, different reviewers were coming up with the different reactions).
I really liked the Matrix and the LOTR movies. I love Jackie Chan movies (even though most, particularly his foreign made ones) are ‘thin’ (to put it charitably) acting/plot/pretty-much-everything-wise. And I saw Kung Fu Hustle last year and loved it. I’m not one who watches a bunch of martial arts movies, but I was very impressed by KFH.
And, maybe I’ll be scorned for saying this – but I liked Meg Ryan in You’ve Got Mail. It wasn’t Oscar-worthy or anything, but I’ve wasted time on much worse movies than that – and I think she & Tom Hanks work well together.
And I hated Kenny Lofton (ok not hated but you know). He had all these awesome years w/ Cleveland, then came to Atlanta and really dropped off. His numbers – 333/409/428 – were not awful for a leadoff man, but compare these numbers:
66/12
70/14
60/12
54/15
75/17
27/20
54/10
I understand he was hurt (& that undoubtedly slowed him down) and played only 122 games – but those are his SB/CS numbers from 1992 – 1998. And you can easily see the outlier there. And his numbers have gone down in the years since 98 as he has aged – but the fan in me hates the fact that we got rid of Justice & Grissom (I know the financial reasons and all that) to get a guy who had been phenomenal for others, only to have basically the worst year of his career (at that point) with the Braves.
Him & Reggie Sanders – they’re in their own special group with me. Although at least I do have fond memories of Reggie striking out against us in the playoffs in 1995 when he was with the Reds.
Jonathan, thanks for your response. Lofton’s SB totals were affecting by hamstring problems, which caused him to miss 40 games. He should have quit running altogether that season.
Here’s another list:
.371
.348
.351
.345
.317
.349
.409
.327
.335
.394
.321
.323
.352
.344
.348
Those are the OBPs of the most common leadoff hitters for the Braves since ’91. That’s Lofton 38 points higher than any other leadoff hitter besides Furcal in 2000. Only Furcal in ’03 scored as many runs per game (yah I know, context-dependent) than Lofton did for us.
doubledawg,
Yeah, I’ve heard that before. (That film struck me because I travel a lot for my job.) But the great ripoff/homage is part of great art, too. Tarantino (whom I mostly love) has made a living at it.
As David Bowie once said, “It’s not who does it first; it’s who does it second.”
And BTW, he stole that quote.
Sansho,
Good point about the OBP. The stat-head in me appreciates the OBP but something about him always grated on the fan in me. I think a lot of it, truthfully, was seeing him be a one-man wrecking crew during some of the ’95 WS games – then seeing him (understandably-I mean no one can perform at that level all the time) not replicate that performance as a Brave.
And, even back then, I remember there being articles about him ‘not fitting in’ w/ the Braves clubhouse, and it was easy to point to him as part of the reason for Braves failures that year.
But, like you said, .409 OBP is a fine number to get from your leadoff hitter anytime…