ESPN.com – MLB – Box Score – Nationals at Braves
I don’t know if it’s the defense or the pitching. They’re hard to separate. Tonight, it was mostly the defense on the right side of the infield that broke down in a catastrophic sixth inning, the latest in the hit show, “How Can We Lose This One?”
Hudson was strong through five; the Braves led 2-0 despite giving away baserunners and hitting in bad luck. LaRotious defense put a runner on second on an error. A ball got dumped over second base to make it first and third. Hudson got a popout, but then a clean double tied the game.
A soft single turned into another screwup; Andruw threw home and either missed LaRoche or LaRoche was in the wrong spot, and the runner advanced to second. Then the Braves brought the infield in with Hernandez at bat, a ball was hit to Marcus’ right; he made a great play to stop it but for some reason threw home rather than to first, he threw it away, two runners scored and Hernandez went to second. A double later, it’s 5-2, runners second and third, and McBride had to get out of the inning.
Now, Hudson didn’t pitch well, but it’s hard to pitch well when you have to get five or six outs.
Francoeur hit a two-run homer to cut it to 5-4, but the Braves left two on in the eighth and three in the ninth, fittingly with LaRoche making the final out. You realize we’re just two games ahead of these jokers now? The Braves left ten men on base and lost two others on double plays.
McCann is about to start a rehab assignment. Hopefully there will be a season to come back to.
I don’t think the Braves have ever pissed me off so much as they did tonight.
I don’t really see how this game would piss you off more than any other, Sam. Reitsma didn’t thow, Ray had a solid ninth, there were some good at bats at the bottom of the ninth…but I definitely liked it better when Laroche batted 7th. Can’t wait for McCann to get back.
Someone posted yesterday that the players looked like they didn’t even care. Then someone jumped down their throats and said that MLB players always care. For the first time this season, I felt that the players “were” playing like they don’t care.
Missed cutoff men, overthrows, throwing to the wrong base. Silly, sloppy, Little League type stuff.
This team is destined for mediocrity. .500 may not even be do-able with this team as currently constructed.
Let me remind y’all that laroche batted 5th even when we had Mccann. B-mac batted 7th not long ago.
…and it will take another month before Bobby will move McCann back to the fifth spot…and that’s an optimistic timetable based on Bobby’s standard…
Another one-run loss. How many is that now?
Bobby’s a little slow these days. I’m pretty sure he’d still run reitsma out there if we ever had a lead in the 9th.
No, I think Reitsma’s performance (or lack thereof) yesterday was it. We were down by two runs, then we were down by 6, and I think that was it for Bobby. He might be slow and loyal, but he isn’t stupid (although I know there are those on this board who disagree with that statement. I stand by it.) Mop up duty for awhile for Chris, then we’ll see what happens.
I’m not convinced bobby has a ‘final straw’ with anyone. He stands by these guys until JS mercifully releases them. He’d still be pitching Kolb if he was on the team.
Well, Rob, the reason this one pissed me off is because I actually expected the Braves to win as they loaded the bases in the ninth, even though I was outwardly saying they were going to fail again. That infuriated me more than anything else. Cordero practically gave the Braves the game on a silver platter.
We’ll bounce back….we’re the Braves for crying out loud. Pretty bad stretch right now, but better it happen early in the season than in late September. Hopefully we can make some mid-season moves to improve the bullpen.
Kolb kindof dissappeared last season, even while still on the roster. I don’t think he really pitched in a meaningful game for the entire second half of the season. He was also left off the playoff roster. So there was some sort of final straw for Bobby last season with Kolb. I think he’ll still send Reitsma out there from time to time, but he knows his players better than we do and so he ought to know Reitsma has zero confidence in himself right now. So he’ll let Reitsma pitch in meaningless situations for awhile and see if that confidence comes back. If the confidence doesn’t come back after awhile, they release him.
Seems to me 1 run games aren’t something that you can really be good at ‘winning or losing’.. i.e I think we’ll bounce back to about .500 in one run games as I think the mets will.
To me it seemed players were playing a bit more into the game.. but I was listening on the radiol.
what did everyone think of giles laughing it up in the dugout in the 9th? on one hand it shows that he’s still having a good time – which is just peachy, i guess – but on the other hand i wanna smack him in the face for laughing after just playing about as bad a baseball game as a person can.
I suppose Giles laughing shows he has his head on straight and he knows one lousy baseball game isn’t the end of the world. I can’t stand losing, but I try to keep in mind the key word there is “game.” I hate losing as much as anyone else, but there are bigger issues in life, and being able to smile while going through tough times is much more impressive than smiling while everything is going well.
you’re totally right. it’s just beyond frustrating right now.
The Nationals were, five days ago, seven games behind the Braves. They’ve won five in a row, the Braves have lost five in a row. Now we’re only two in front of them for fourth. That is so depressing.
I still have the faith, but the Braves need to turn this around ASAP.
Check the news on Craig Wilson. How about a deal that would bring him and Gonzalez over.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/6642/news
On the note of Kolb’s demotion:
It has been widely stated by Braves’ beat writers that Kolb was not received well by Bobby and Leo. Apparently he was not receptive to guidance. Reitsma is known to be a great person willing to learn which explains why he has had a longer leash than Kolb did last year.
On the note of effort- the players and management are trying all they can. When former-Braves talk of all the things they love about Bobby Cox they often list his incessant cheering and support of the team. They love the way he keeps an even-keel in times of trouble and never lets an incident become too big. This philosophy has led to an incredible run of success.
I don’t the season is quite over. They’re gonna need to turn it around, but it ain’t quite done yet. Keep the faith – there will be more baseball tomorrow.
Charles..I made fun in ma blog of the Braves trying to get Gonzalez from the Pirates. I just picked a random player..from a random team..and now that you mention that, it actually sounds good.
I heard we are trading for Glavine and Mad Dog. It’s called plan ‘X-95′. If and when we look like we won’t win the division we start re-aquiring former Braves. McGriff has a special phone at his place wired directly to JS’ office.
Wohlers still available too?
Didn’t see the game, went to the Red Sox-Yanks game in The Bronx tonight instead. Wasn’t much of a game, unless the idea of seeing Josh Beckett giving up 7 consecutive hits (including 2 3-run HRs) makes you misty. And only one fight all night in the stands, which was a bit of an upset.
As bad as my game was, it sounds like a missed a worse one. This is the homestand from hell.
what do you guys think of milledge high 5ing the fans? would you be offended if you were the opposing team? or do you think it’s a tad over blown? you guys lost a close one today. Those losses always seem so much worse . The nats are like i said earlier” on fire” they are a good team it’s always hard to break a hot streak……..or a cold streak for that matter
Cheers
Mr Kolb
Also, I didn’t catch the game blog, but I’m assuming someone must’ve commented on the coincidence that Eric Gregg died on the very same day that Livan Hernandez beat the Braves. Dunno what it means, but it struck me as weird.
Was never a fan of Gregg as an umpire. In fact, I often had issues with his judgement well before Game 5 of the ’97 NLCS. But, now that he’s no longer with us, I’ll say that he seemed to really enjoy the game, and players & other umps really liked him. I recall Skip Caray really saying nice things about him. And strangely, I saw him on the Stephen A. Smith Show last week (a program I never watch), but I stopped to see the segment just because Gregg was on it. He was jovial and upbeat and entertaining.
But even if I’m reincarnated 14 times, I’ll always think of that damn NLCS game with the strike zone the size of a Toyota Landcruiser. Sorry to say, but that’s the man’s legacy.
Good Morning All,
I woke this up with a few things to say about what happened during the game thread.
First, if you will look there, I sincerely apologized for anyone I have offended by being “negative” or “complaining” about a variety of negatives I am seeing constantly with the Braves these days.
I stand by my apology 100%. I meant it.
Second, if you read any of my negative comments, they are focused at Braves players or management or essentially, people that do not post here in Braves Journal.
What I am having a hard time dealing with, and what is really unsettling to me, is certain people in here making personal attacks at me and saying nasty things about me. I don’t understand this.
I feel that people should be able to disagree….and if I am saying anything in here that upsets someone, say so. What I don’t understand is why you can’t just tell me without taking personal shots at me. That’s the part that really hurts me.
I have openly admitted in here that I am definitely overly sensitive. But a few other folks on the Thread last night pointed out that people were taking personal shots at me and this is not really fair.
The main thing is outside of Mac and Cary, I have never met anyone on here??? You all maybe nice or not nice people in “real” life but I don’t know. In fact, I find most of you on here to be really cool and nice fellow Braves fans whom I would love to have a beer with.
I maybe pessimistic or negative about the Braves sometimes, but as some have said, I love the Braves. I have a father and a brother who are Mets fans and I have to defend the Braves all the time. It sucks. And it makes it even harder to defend when I see bad game to game managerial decisions, or I see LaRoche or Reitsma.
And speaking of LaRoche, I get ripped by a few people in here for my negativity towards Adam, yet he helps the Nationals have their big 5 run inning and and then ends the Braves comeback chance in the 9th with a ground out. Why am I the bad guy on that one?
In fact, I have even said, as much as I cannot stand Reitsma as a Baseball player, I have pointed out on multiple occasions that he’s apparently such a nice, humble guy in real life, that I feel incredible guilt attacking him. It’s a Baseball thing but he clearly sounds like a nice person and that makes me feel bad (Unlike Kolbb).
And I love LOVE LOVE Chipper Jones. I have a Chipper t-shirt in my dresser. But Chipper is is not playing well on either side of the ball right now. Why cannot I criticize this? And why does it be that I have to be “hating” Chipper to criticize?
I do get emotional and I do say things or react (on here) to what kind of bad thing I am seeing on my TV or on MLB.com and it’s sheer frustration.
But after everything Stu and I said to one aother last year (and let me say that from my perspective we are fine and agree that personal attacks towards eachother is not helpful) I would have thought that was a good lesson–it’s never OK to be personall mean to a fellow Braves poster. It’s OK to disagree or even be upset with something myself, mac or anyone else says, but I just feel strongly that making personal attacks at other people in here is really cruel.
I won’t say the 2 names of the people that went on the attack the most against me last night (I felt there may have been a few others but the criticism was more about me overreacting all the time and not personal and that’s OK and fair–I agree) because I am trying to make the point that I am sorry for hurting anyone’s feeling for being pessimistic or mean about certain Braves, so if I am asking for personal attacks on people in here, then it’s only fair for me to try & lead by example and not make personal attacks as well.
But to the 2 people last night who said incredibly hurtful things, all I can say is that you have never met me, but if you met me at a sports bar and I saw you having a beer, and we were all wearing our Braves hats, I would come over, introduce myself and hi five my fellow Braves fans–probably buy you a beer. It’s in my nature to enjoy having friends and especially enjoy having friends who like the same things I do.
What I will do that I see as a fair criticism of me, is stop just throwing negativitiy out all the time or any general rants like LaRoche always sucks or Cox always can’t manage the post season. I may not change the way I feel about these things, but if I see LaRoche strike out in a critical bases loaded situation, I don’t think it’s unfair for anyone in here to criticize that this happens more often then not.
(and By the way, I would criticize Adam less if I saw some heartfelt remorse that he plays badly the way I see heartfelt remorse from Reitsma…a lot of us have said the same thing in here that Adam looks like he’s not trying or doesn’t care half the time).
I also want to echo something Brad said later on last night. (and Brad, I appreciate you defending me–awfully nice of you). Our criticisms of Cox are not personal…we don’t like a lot of his decisions as a Manager and have been frustrated over the years. Alternately, I will say this story, again…I had the chance (with my dad) to meet Bobby Cox in Philadelphia in July of 1995 and he was one of the nicest people we met that weekend, other then tom Glavine and John Smoltz 9and randomly, Brad Clontz…sure nice guy).
So, honestly, as with Reitsma, I feel guilt everytime I am negative about Cox because my mind always goes back to Cox’s genteel nature in the lobby of the Philadelphia hotel in 95. He was so nice and I don’t know if this helps my critics, but I feel really bad everytime I am negative towards Cox. But ultimately, I am such a die hard and passionate Braves fan, I cannot help being critical if i see something that I personally feel is a mistake decision.
(To be fair, our bullpen stinks. Cox really doesn’t know from night to night who’s going to be any good. I don’t think a Telepath could know.)
Anyway, as usual, I am too long wined, and again, I am truly grateful to folks like Brad and Latnam for saying nice things about me. I don’t want to be negative at anyone who was negative at me, but I at least want to say thanks to those who were nice.
I will try and only contribute in the best way I know how and be as positive as possible, but we have lost 5 in a row at home and even the most upbeat Braves fan can’t be feeling good about this team in early June.
All I ask, the only thing I ask is to not make personal attacks on me. I won’t do it either. I also apologize again, sincerely and honestly, for upsetting people. If I do upset someone with a comment I make, say so, but please just don’t make personal attacks.
I will do my best to hear what others are saying if you would hear the one request that I have.
Thanks,
Alex R.
There are 2 Charles on here so I will go by the highly original Charles S. I posted the Craig Wilson link and that’s it.
Davey, funny post on your blog, I cried a little though.
I checked the minors stats, and Thorman is tearing it it up. 13 HR in 200 AB. Strikeouts don’t matter anymore, but he’s got 39. Jurries is playing again also.
Sorry for intruding, but I have to comment. Alex, I think people were cruel to you, but you’re a big boy and I know you can defend yourself.
And what the heck was that “jewish” reference? A little redneck humor?
Alex, you referred to Bobby Cox as being genteel…I lived in Atlanta for a few years and was there when Bobby Cox was arrested for beating his wife. Of course, the allegation went away after, I’m sure JS paid her off to make it go away. He did have to go to court and attend some sort of “counseling.” Whether he ever showed, I can’t tell you.
So genteel is not the word I would use to describe Bobby Cox.
bravenewworld-
You are right–that allegation has long stuck with Cox and we all know about it.
To be fair, I can only comment on meeting the man in 1995 and he was extremely nice. My dad was really slow wiht the camera and Cox sat patiently and took a couple of photos, not rushing us off. It was really cool. All I can say is my 1 meeting with him was friendly.
As for the ‘Jewish’ thing, i am not really sure what your talking about but I didn’t bring religion up at all in the thread last night and Mac has asked us to respectfully refrain from discussing religion in here, I respect that.
I also respect all religions equally and am totally cool with all religious beliefs in here!
I watched the game thread on here last night, and didnt want to post for fear of getting ripped by a few people. I dont think Alex’s comments were aimed at anyone on here, unlike some other people. He just looses his mind when the Braves play like crap, I kick my dog when they do, Alex just vents on here! (I’m kidding about the dog thing)
This team is playing with a lack of heart, and I think its because NO ONE has put the team on thier shoulders and carried them, like Andruw did last year. We need a spark, and I think it can only come from #1 A Trade, like the Mcgriff deal…something to stir it up a bit, and add some confidence, or #2, some guy coming up from the minors and setting the world on fire……somethings gotta give here soon…..
Alex, I was on the journal last night and read what the people wrote about you. I’m split, but leaning more toward your defense. You do post negative sounding posts, however, after losing 5 straight and not playing like like we know the Braves can, I’m personally not in the best of moods either. I feel that people shouldn’t post rude things about other people on these types of things, but say what they feel about the team and baseball in general. So, I’m going to stick up for you and say that you were unjustly attacked. I wouldn’t want you to leave for good, because I have enjoyed reading some of your posts. That is how I PERSONALLY feel and really don’t like reading the personal attacks when you’re here to talk about baseball.
It’s always darkest before the dawn. Keep hope alive, folks; this too shall pass. The Braves are not a great team, and maybe they’re not even a good team, but they’re not this bad.
I think we are going to be fine. We just need to play better D. What was up with the squeeze last night? Was Bobby Smoking crack? Hudson isn’t the best bunter and everyone knew what was comming. We ran our selfs out of 3 or 4 more runs last night. I think we were playing too tight and too aggressive, if that is possible.
It is possible to play too tight, its called pressing. Your get to the point where you are SO worried about making a mistake, its almost like you cant help but make it. They gotta loosen up, and get some confidence back. You would think that a series against the Natspo’s would be the Rx for it, but who knows?
we need a big DEAL to go down. i dont think this is a year where the answer lies within the organization. the passion needs to be brought back in the fans and the players. i teach in public schools right outside the city of new orleans , and i used to teach in inner-city new orleans. every year, the board of education for new orleans public schools breaks down the question, “What is wrong with our schools?” they point fingers at the teachers, the adminstration, the lack of funds, and many other things, but they never address the real issue: parental support. this year we need to address the real issue: this team is not that good. i think most of us on here knew that going into the season because:
1). we knew reitsma couldnt do the job (we were hoping for devine intervention but that blew up)
2).we knew jeff wasnt completely ready
3).we knew we lacked power
4). we knew we downgraded our defense.
our minor league is not that deep anymore. we have to make a deal. we need a closer, we need a starter, we need a leadoff hitter (speed), we need some consistent power. pick the one that we need the most and go get it.
I was the one who made the comment about the players not caring. I just want to clarify my remarks, the play on the field and the smiles in the dugout make it look like they are resigned to the fact that its just not their year. If its this way in June than nothing short of a personel change will shake things up. I know Bobby isn’t one to kick some ass and throw things around the clubhouse, and the team seems to reflect this also. I think that attitude is admirable, but its starting to look like this team lacks fire and passion.
Alex, you didn’t bring up religion. The “Jewish” comment I was referring to was made by Rob Cope #122 on last night’s thread. What was that supposed to mean? It seemed inappropriate to me.
Man, the Braves are turning us into a bunch of middle school kids.
Do something, JS!
This reminds me of my younger days when I developed my love for the Braves watching Horner, Virgil, Mahler, Hubbard and of course the Murph lose 100 games in a myriad of ways.
Danny asked earlier what we thought about Milledge high 5-ing the fans at Shea after his homerun that tied up the game…
Well, usually I have very palpable hate for anything a Mets player does..but not this time. I liked what the kid did, because it shows he’s having fun, he’s into the game..and he didn’t offend anyone. I rather see him enjoying himself, high 5-ing fans…then not hustling, or not running out a pop-up.
He’s not throwing chairs into the crowd..or going in the stands to fight..or flipping his bat utterly ridiculous like Bret Boone used to do. The kid had the biggest hit of his career so far..and he shared it with the home town fans. In the NFl it’s normal to see players celebrate with the fans after a touchdown..so, I don’t see the harm here.
I wish our players would do things like that…show some heart. Maybe we could end this skid.
Good news guys, i just got my hair cut!
Bad news, while I was getting rumors that the Braves were about to get Mike Gonzo, Jason Bay, Maddux, and Kerry Wood in a three team deal that had us sending Salty and Reitsma to the Pirates, Lerew and Langerhans to the Cubs. Just after I got the low down, Satan walked in and told us about the end of the world at around 6:25 est, so those guys wouldn’t get to play in the game tonight with the world ending and all.
Stupid Devil…
I agree with people’s assessments of me that I do tend to ‘lose my mind’ in there when things go bad or the Braves play like this. It feels right now like we can’t buy a win, and to be honest, It chafes me when I see LaRoche play the way he plays, without any heart or effort.
As I say with Reitsma, he sucks, and I wish he was on the Mets, but he’s a super nice guy, willing to listen to Cox and Roger, and I have no animosity towards him as a person–the way I do more so towards a LaRoche.
(For the record, I was one of those complimentary Of Roger during the off seasons because I understood what Hudson and Snoltz were trying to say…plus, as great as Leo was with us, the Orioles pitching is no better!).
Smitty…I am perplexed by your posting. But it was funny.
Bravenewworld…yes, I tried to ignore anything religious that may or may not have been meant as negative. I am Jewish and I also equally have a very healthy respect for Christianity, Catholicism and other world religions.
We all have our place in history and there is good people among all religious groups who want to make the world better. That’s about it on religion for me…please let’s all respect one another’s individual beliefs. I think respecting each other’s religions will go along way towards also personally respecting one another in here.
Marcus still leads the team with 6 stolen bases. I think that should tell us something.
The Braves have never really had a running game. Yes, we do miss Furcal in that regard, but the Braves have always moved runners into scoring position with bunts and hit-and-run plays, so I’m not too concerned about the lack of stolen bases.
Alex’s comment about Leo made me think about the job McDowell has done thus far. He found a hitch in Hudson’s delivery, which has made Hudson a more effective pitcher, possibly eliminating strain on his oblique muscles, and, more important, McDowell got Horacio to ditch his cut fastball, making him less likely to give up the long ball. So, all in all, I’d say Roger’s doing pretty good.
I remember the ’70s and ’80s. Believe me, folks, it’s been worse.
Go, Braves!
Someone had commented earlier on how weird it was that Livan Hernandez pitched and beat the Braves the same day Eric Gregg died.
Seriously…that is incredibly eery and incredibly weird.
Oh, that’s right. It’s 6/6/06. Guess I’ll have to break out some Sabbath.
Alex,
Didn’t catch the game thread last night, but, from my perspective, as long as people aren’t directly personal in their comments, I don’t care how positive, negative, crazy, lucid or drooling they may be. I don’t have to agree and, in forumland, isn’t that the point? If we all walked in lockstep, this would be a pretty boring place to visit.
You get bent out of shape, sure, but I don’t peronsalize it, y’know. It’s about you getting your ya-yas out. No problem. Primal scream, my brother. Let it loose.
FWIW, when the Braves get in funks posters get nasty. That’s generally how it works. It’s not a fun time to watch the Braves lose 7/8 at home, but let’s not take it out on each other. We all come from different places, have different priorities, backgrounds, etc., but we can agree that we love the Braves.
Ububba-
That was really nicely said. We may disagree on Adam’s defense, but you always put things into better perspective then anyone on here 🙂
Peronsalise? I don’t do that either.
I feel the need to comment on last night’s thread also. I watched last nights thread and did not post because it was nothing more than a fist fight. I love this site because of all the different points of view. I got the feeling that RobCope and others just love their point of view way too much. Alex may get negative, but so do many other people and lately with good reason. He has strong feelings and so what if they may be negative towards Bobby Cox. Yes, he has been a great manager for 15 years, but that doesn’t make him immune to criticism. Frankly he still makes decisions that mystify most Braves fans. Personally I don’t want people on here who spend 95% of the game thread attacking other threaders because of their opinions. If you are an adult, then you can surely come up with ways to debate opinions and not degenerate in to Jewish-Messiah comments. That is not for discussion. Let’s comment on the Braves…
I don’t know if it was mentioned earlier today, but I am interested in the fact that Craig Wilson has told his agent to test the waters. LaRoche would make a great back-up for Pittsburgh. Maybe we could also give them Lerew and a starter and they could give us Gonzalez.
From DOB at AJC:
“Don’t believe what you might hear on airwaves about a players-only meeting. It was totally insignificant and merely involved a discussion of their need to elect a player rep because they’re the only team that doesn’t have one. That’s it. Nothing more, regardless of what some misinformed folks might say.”
Lerew i son the DL and can’t be traded until he comes off of it.
Regarding DOB’s comments about a Lack of a player’s only meeting, I am dumbfounded, honestly.
How does losing 7 of 8 at home not generate the kind of concern that leads say a Chipper and a Smoltz (as the veteran leaders) to designate a meeting before yesterday’s home game to discuss what is happening to this team.
At my job, when our department is not bringing in enough money in a particular month, our boss calls a meeting to discuss what has happened and what we can do to bring in more clients.
Yes, it’s a different field but the same general principle.
JoshQ, thanks as well for what you have said. This furthers my feelings that there are a lot of nice, thoughtful Braves fans on here.
Also, in your job, Alex, if you or your boss had months to fix a problem that every single american knew of and you just chose not to, to ride it out and roll the dice, I’m sure neither of you would have a job.
But JS and Cox? Totally immune.
I need to get into baseball management.
It isn’t time to panic just yet. I thought we played well last night, save two innings. It will come, the season can only get better from here
This season is either gonna be 2004 or 1984,— i.e.-we pick ourselves up & become a good ballclub or we fall back to mediocre earth. Here’s to the former…
Smitty’s right. Look where the Astros were this time last season.
we dont have the pitching talent the stros had (not saying we dont have talent, but not compared to oswalt, clemens, and petitte). we need a shake up.
But again, without making any personal remarks on Adam LaRoche, last night’s game, as was commented by many, many posters on here, was a loss as a result directly of mistakes or non plays by LaRoche.
Yes, he hits homers, yes, he occasionally gets a big hit. I should be fairer and point it out when he does good things.
The reason I do not genuinely go positive on LaRoche is frankly, I am aggravated that he’s even still a BRAVE. He’s been the same, up & down, mediocre player for 3 consecutive years. He has shown pretty clearly that he won’t be much better ever then he currently is. I know we need a far better player manning the positiong and protecting Andruw and we don’t have that. (we did and then Eric Byrnes hurt Brian McCann.)
Plus we aren’t ten games back…
Whether or not it’s realistic, a Trade with the already out of it Piurates for Mike Gonzalez and Craig Wilson seems to me like the fairest and most prudent solution for the Bravos if we have ANY hope of staying in this race and climbing back up the East standings.
This team has tons of issues, but the biggest issues are the bullpen/closer and first Base defense and production.
The one other issue it seems that most people in here have agreed with is that Marcus Giles should not be in the leadoff spot. He is not a leadoff hitter.
Giles has been hitting better over the last few weeks. I don’t see us making a move there. I say in three weeks we will make a move to get some relief help.
I believe LaRoche is still at first for the 3rd year because he is cheap and does give some production. I have to believe this or I’ll go insane.
Yes Marcus is not a lead-off hitter, but he may be the best option we currently have. I would love to see Betemit tried there, but he isn’t a protypical lead-off hitter either.
The fact that the team just had a player rep meeting is funny. We are the only team in the majors who didn’t have a rep. Not only do we not have our act together on the field, but evidently we are slow to act off the field too.
Re: last night’s game thread, I didn’t participate (haven’t been around much) but from reading it, and drawing on my knowledge from the threads on other boards, y’all take it WAY too seriously. Most other boards have game threads as like their own separate planet. People cork off, flame players, make irrational remarks, whatever. It doesn’t carry over to the rest of the board and most everybody ignores whatever was said after the game is over, because it’s all done in the heat of the moment and people rarely truly mean what they say. When I watch games, I’m screaming at the TV every 5 seconds, and I bet a lot of you are the same way. The game threads here are incredibly tame compared to what I’ve seen on other boards, and yet people are still getting pissy for some reason. Just treat the game thread as an entity unto itself, separate from all other discussion, ignore what was said after the game is over, and don’t take anything too seriously or personally and it should be fine. Just my $0.02, because if they keep winding up like last night’s, I’m not going to go near them any more, and that would suck.
I went to a bar to watch the game, so I didn’t get to call anyone anything 🙁
That reminds me…
A grasshopper walks into a bar. Bartender says, “Hey, we got a drink named after you.” Grasshopper says, “Really? You got a drink named Murray?”
I was just reading this article on the AJC website:
http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/braves/entries/2006/06/05/errors_extend_h.html
Cox’s comments on LaRoche and Giles interest me.
I think this is a both a positive and a negative about Bobby.
On one hand, you always like a Manager or leader to be supportive and positive. On the other hand, you occasionally need a guy to be Ozzie Guillen. I am not saying you curse someone out in public weekly, but this is how Bobby handles these situations everytime out. An even keeled personally is a good thing. Clearly, I need to be more even kelled.
But there’s also room for passion here and for Cox to be critical when his starters’ blunders cost the Braves another game. Truthfully, he maybe criticizing them behind close doors and won’t do it publicly. We don’t know. But I am not sure it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world for Bobby to publicly call a guy out (LaRoche, for example, because I think Reitsma maybe too delicate for it) who is playing badly and not focusing, to help light a fire under them.
Part of the reason I am so passionate is because it seems the Braves are not. It was a fair criticism that Sheffield made of this team in 2003 and I agree with him. This is too businesslike. Everyone is great and has a cutesy nickname, according to Bobby.
I mean, how do you have a players only meeting in the midst of an embarrassing home losing streak, falling further and further behind in the division, and it’s only to discuss who the Player Rep is??? Does this bother others? Why are these guys not sitting, heads hung around the locker room while guys like Smoltz and Chipper are yelling, pumping their fists and looking eachother and other guys in the eye saying we have to turn this thing around. It upsets me that this isn’t happening?
Alex, I didn’t say this last night because I wasn’t on, but I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Like Ububba, I defend your right to say what you want about this team. Thank you for your apology about being too negative–sometimes this team gets us so down in the dumps that it’s more than I can bear to hear someone else talk about how bad it is. But you’re a Braves fan, we’re all Braves fans, and that’s what this board is about.
Personal attacks really, really piss me off. A couple months ago, a bunch of people ganged up on Jenny–an 18 year old girl on a baseball site–and now, for the third or fourth time, people are ganging up on Alex. It’s tiresome, unnecessary, and uncalled for.
That having been said, I’m glad that you’re still here, Alex. The board got awful lonely those months that we didn’t have you.
AAR,
Very nicely said. People may not be checking this page anymore but I wanted to post my appreciation.
Personal attacks can be hurtful so I am hopeful we can all focus on rationally agreeing or disagreeing on all topics.
And like Ububba, you are on of the really good posters on here so I am always happy to talk Bravos with you.
And nobody, in my opinion, should ever be mean to someone as nice as Jenny!