I’m sorry, I can’t think of anything else noteworthy about St. Louis but baseball. And frankly, baseball is getting pretty depressing. Well, the arch, but it’s boring.
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I’m sorry, I can’t think of anything else noteworthy about St. Louis but baseball. And frankly, baseball is getting pretty depressing. Well, the arch, but it’s boring.
Use code “Journal” for a 5% discount.
Sam,
I didn’t know who you are until your crazy injury cheerleading. Most everyone knows me on here (for better or for worse) so let’s call it a wash that we don’t know one another.
Also, I am not doing the crazy talk so it’s not fair to “lump me in” with Sam. I am the one NOT wishing for injuries. I mentioned Osama Bin Laden because that’s one of the few people where you can root for injuries…I was merely offering an example. My goodness.
But I am done with this now and it’s boring me. But can we please refrain from wish life threatening injuries? That doesn’t make me the “crazy” one when I ask people to stop that. It’s like not talking religion or politics. Gosh.
And yes, Mac, not much to say about St. Louis…it’s the gate way to the west…that’s about it. I just hope we can get 2 of 3.
These next 7 are huge. If we can win both series against St. Louis and Cincy, I will feel a lot better about our WC chances at the least.
Tonight is pretty much a must win for the Braves’ playoff hopes. If they can’t beat St. Louis with Smoltz on the mound, they aren’t going to be able to make run at the wild card. Hopefully John has a complete game shutout in him.
a week or so ago, we had to go 62-27 (I think) to get to 92 wins, and a shot at the wild-card. Since then, we have been 5-4, leaving us a 57-23 run to make. If we had gone 6-3 vs. 5-4, we still would have lost ground.
Not going to happen, guys. We would have to play 1/2 a season at a pace equal to the best record in MLB history, in a 162 game season,,,with this team…
Let’s get ready for 2007, and make a team that can compete, then. I really like James for 2007, and I think Davies will be good, too. The offense has an AS catcher, and HOF at 3B and CF. Let’s go from there.
Excess of starting pitching is not bad..last two years should show us how good backup starting pitching is invaluable. Trading Hudson at the nadir of his value is not smart..
Smoltz is gimpy, Hampton hasn’t pitched in 1.5 yrs, James is going to have to make sophomore adjustments, Davies has NOT been impressive, Thomson won’t be here, Lerew is struggling in AA, HoRam..well is HoRam. just remember last year or this year’s Houston game, Sosa’s bubble has burst. Cormier / Barry are looking like longmen in the pen, not regular starters. I see absolutely no reason to trade Hudson for less than a super-elite package. We shouldn’t be too obsessed with the division streak IMO. it is much better to build a strong team for next year than try and force an improbable win this year ( remember the Kris Benson trade by the Mets? )
Also starting pitchers for fungible relievers? If you are getting Mariano back, thats one story otherwise there is just not enough value. If we can sort out the bullpen by next year, and return much of the same team, watch out!
Rolen has been superhot. if we can keep him in control, we should win the series.
Bfan, the Braves might not need 92 wins for a shot at the NL wild card spot. I believe the projections you are referring to was the necessary W-L record to overtake the Mets assuming they went a game over .500 the rest of the way. But, (and I hate to be a naysayer) you’re absolutely right: The season is over for the Braves. They need to start showcasing some of the talent they’d consider trading and retooling for ’07.
Also wishing for injuries, just get over it. you don’t agree with it, fine. Not everyone has to think like you do. I will never boo Glavine, or wish for career ending injuries on anyone, but seriously, you would think the post was tongue in cheek! ( season ending injuries are ok 🙂 )
And for those who think this season is over..
break it month by month. can we gain 5 games on the Mets this month?
and in August?
and so many head to heads in Sept, maybe 5 games then too?
I’m not sure if we can play record pace baseball, all I’m asking is that we start being more cometitive. I agree that our chances this year are slim, but that doesn’t mean I’m willing to bag the season as a fan. I hope we don’t make any stupid trades to mortgage next year, but at the same time I know we can play better. I wouldn’t mind seeing a little bullpen help without giving up our future. We are 9 games back of the WC and while that is a long shot, I’m still rooting for a comeback.
well, let me put it this way. i hope we play better, and more exciting baseball, too.
I think we have zero shot at the wild-card. I think 92 wins is just an average for the WC winner. Shoot, make it 90 wins-does anyone think we can go 55-25 the reat of the way? This whole is too big, for this team.
What I don’t want is a Kazmir for Zambrano trade, or something stupid like that. The front-office grasping at straws to get to the WC, and trading 5 great years of one good player, starting 2 years out, for a half-season out of a guy, in the faint hopes he will get you over the top is what bad/stupid organizations do. Shoot, I love what Renteria has done this year, and I would take back the Marte-for Renteria trade in a heart-beat, right now.
Yeah, and maybe Liberty Media will give JS another $30 mil so that we can go buy two starting pitchers, a bull pen, and two infielders for the second half. No, this team cannot make up 5 games on the Mets in July, August, and September. It’s unlikely that this team can make up 5 games in one month, much less in each of three consecutive months. The hazard of thinking that this team can go on a historic run is that JS makes foolish, short-term decisions about keeping some players, and trading others, all to our future detriment. Gotta let it go when it’s time.
St. Louis is the home of the real king of rock-n-roll: Chuck Berry.
Quick Chuck Berry Story: Several years ago, I’m at JFK in the TWA terminal waiting to check in for a business trip. I’m in line with a friend & up walks Chuck Berry. He’s wearing black shirt, black slacks and a white captain’s hat (like Gavin MacLeod in the Love Boat or something); he’s carrying his legendary black briefcase (with the proceeds, I find out, from the previous night’s gig in Dubai). He gets in line right behind us.
The weirdest coincidence was that I’d seen “Hail Hail Rock-n-Roll” for about the 10th time the very night before. I turn to my friend and say, “I’d like you to meet the great Chuck Berry.” He brightened at that (of course) and was incredibly gracious & talked about anything I wanted for about 15 minutes—we were in line, so he wasn’t going anywhere. He gave me some hysterical Keith Richards stories, including the time he actually decked him. An absolute joy, really.
So finally a pair of agents summon us & we check in for our flights—me to Miami, him back to St. Louis. I see him walk off with the white hat, black duds & his famous briefcase. As I leave the counter, I notice that my 2 co-workers are there, they’ve checked in & were apparently waiting for me to finish checking in. One of them pulls me aside and says, “Man, did you notice that your driver looks just like Chuck Berry?”
I damn-near died laughing.
First, great story, ububba! Thanks for sharing.
Second, I can think of $32 million reasons to look to trade Hudson, nadir of value or not ($6mil in ’07, $13mil in ’08, $13mil in ’09, per Rotowire). He should still be able to bring a reasonably good prospect due to the dearth of pitching available. Hudson’s not that bad; he’s just not that great.
The only reason to keep Smoltz around is to mentor the younger pitchers, so weigh that against the prospect he could bring, but if it could be Zumaya, pull the trigger! Zumaya can be a starting pitcher. Maybe not this year, but we’re long past playing for this year.
There’s no sense in trading for bullpen help for this year or next. Wholesale change is needed to compete for the World Series title.
Sometimes you people depress me. But then again this team has a lot to do with that as well.
Since we’re all getting this out in the open about ourselves, I will never, under ANY circumstances cheer against/boo the following players:
John Smoltz
Tom Glavine
Greg Maddux
Tim Hudson (I would throw things if we traded him, War Damn Timmy)
Chipper Jones
actually wait, just throw in any member of the 1995 team.
Michael Barrett (that was friggin PRICELESS what he did to that rathole Pierzynski)
Curt Schilling (i just like the guy)
Miggy Cabrera & Albert Pujols (the face of new baseball, and everything that is right with the game)
I will not root for the following teams:
the spankees (i loathe everything they are)
the mets (i think i may hate them more than the spankees)
the giants (for still supporting bonds)
the fish
the astros (i hate clemens, i hate berkman, i hate ausmus, and i hate that ridiculous stadium)
I also find it tough to like the Twins (Kent Hrbek will spend eternity in a special place in hell if any justice ever exists). And personally I like Ozzie Guillen, he gets fired up, he takes less crap than cheap toilet paper, and I thought he did a great job while he was here and would love to see him come back to Atlanta to take the job from Bobby when he retires.
That all said, hopefully we can somehow scratch out a win tonight, but I’m not puttin my life on it.
What is the current ownership update?
Is it still Liberty Media? Will they cut payroll? Or maybe they’ll turn around and pass it off to Blank?
Blank won’t cut payroll.
TRADE HUDSON!
It sounds like we’ve got a pretty solid concensus building here…Here’s to hoping we’re more fun to watch the rest of the year while we contemplate ways to make this team better in 07, 08, 09.
Hudson even at 32 mil for 3 years is slightly under market value, esp the way it is backloaded.
We might be disappointed that we don’t have the second coming of Greg Maddux, but Hudson is still a very good pitcher. It is all very good to say we can trade Hudson to save money, but what are you going to do with that spot and the saved money? If you can’t fill the spot competently and use the money efficiently to fill a need, just keep Hudson
You have to ask yourself this when it comes to players like Hudson and Giles: are the Braves going to win a championship next year by keeping them? I don’t see it. Keeping underperforming players will just hinder the Braves’ ability to address the imploding bullpen and stagnant offense. I don’t see new corporate ownership increasing the payroll, and there’s every chance they’ll shrink it. The Braves have not had much success growing relievers themselves lately (see also: Joey Devine). In order to get the free agent relievers this team will need to become not just a playoff team but a championship contender, they are going to have to free up some money that is currently locked up in an underachieving starting rotation and aging offense. I’d rather go through a few years of growing pains with young players for eventual success (call it the Marlins philosophy) than keep around expensive duds like Hudson for a few more years and possibly lose a few more first round playoff series for lack of a bullpen.
There are several reasons I would like to beat the Cardinals.
My roomate claims to be a big Cardinals fan, but other than Rolen, Edmonds and Pujols, he would struggle to name anyone on the team. He also couldn’t name the teams in the NL Central, much less which teams are good or bad this year. However, he’s always wearing that Cardinals cap or t-shirt. People like that really piss me off. (Of course, this is also the same guy who tried to tell me once that Eddie Murray wasn’t really that good of a player and was not worthy of the Hall of Fame.)
My OLD roomate from college now lives in St. Louis, and acts like the biggest Cardinals fan in America. He claims to be a lifelong, diehard fan, but strangely, I never heard him mention this until about our junior year of college. Anyway, he and his wife have this gay blog where they post all these pictures of their trips to Busch, and every time I talk to him he wants to talk about clowns like So Taguchi. Give me a break.
Finally, I really just don’t like Tony LaRussa. He just seems like a real jerk, and I hate the fact that he wears what appear to be Transitions lenses in his glasses. I hate Transitions lenses.
And your replacement for Giles is?
one bad half year sways your opinion more than 3 good years?
and in Minor News, Devine is pitching for the Pelicans.
they ofcourse started him off in the park most difficult to hit homers in !
2 scoreless innings with some Ks the last 2 outings
Are those the ones that change tint based on how much light there is? Do they really work as fast as they do in the ads or is that some special effect and they really only change about halfway really slowly and just sort of suck?
“…is that some special effect and they really only change about halfway really slowly and just sort of suck?”
Jenny,
Yes.
-TN Brave
P.S. They don’t just sort of suck, they REALLY suck. I have also spotted Stu Scott wearing them recently on SportsCenter. They should be outlawed.
I’ve always worn PhotoGray lenses (which are what Transition lenses want to be), but it’s nearly impossible to get real glass lenses anymore. My next set of lenses will not be glass, and I’ll have separate sunglasses…
In times like these, life is too short to worry about things like transition lenses, especially when other folks wear them.
I agree on the LaRussa bashing, but how do you not mention that ludicrously homosexual 1980’s haircut???
greeeeaaaat…its rathbun…
Dramatis personae for the evening:
St. Louis
D. Eckstein ss
C. Duncan lf
A. Pujols 1b
S. Rolen 3b
J. Edmonds cf
J. Encarnacion rf
Y. Molina c
A. Miles 2b
A. Reyes p
Atlanta
M. Giles 2b
E. Renteria ss
W. Betemit 3b
A. Jones cf
B. McCann c
J. Francoeur rf
A. LaRoche 1b
R. Langerhans lf
J. Smoltz p
chipper out long?
Reds lost again today, to Milwaukee. We come into this one only 8 1/2 behind the wild card, albeit with a horde between us and them.
I’m actually feeling optimistic not just because of Smoltz but because the St. Louis lineup is very soft when you get away from that Pujols- Rolen- Edmonds core.
The news says Chipper’s had X-rays and an MRI taken on his foot, and will have a painkiller shot. Hopefully just a couple more days, if the tests come back negative.
Pujols- Rolen- Edmonds
Yes, but other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?
Thorman’s at first, and the great Turner South forgot to get back for the first 2 pitches
Yahoo told me a story. Sorry about that. As for the lineup, BFan, it helps to make sure Pujols comes up with two out and no one on.
Langy, that’s no way to get more playing time.
Thor in for Huckleberry! Oh happy day.
Spazzy’s got back spasms…..kinda rhymes..
Smoltzy showing some nice hustle.
He must have thought Hucklebery was playing first tonight and decided to take it himself, just in case…..
Betemit just keeps getting the job done…
Promising start here..
Cards are setting up way outside.
that was bizarre.
getcha one bmac!
An unintentional intentional walk to load the bases for a .354 hitter. Brian, that’s an insult.
…ARGH.
That was deflating…
maybe i shoulda specified that i meant a hit, not a groundball….
Yeah it was. God is McCann slow.
If we lose by one run I’m going to feel sick.
I am on late, hello.
It’s a bit past dated but regarding McCann’s double play, if he’s going to hit like LaRToche, he needs to sit on the other side of the dugout. He doesn’t watch to “catch that”.
McCann hitting like LaRoche and Smoltz starting off like Hudson…uh oh.
“Thor in for Huckleberry!”
Yeah, that under .200 batting average really gets me excited too.
re: LaRussa
He’s the #1 reason I hate the Cardinals. He’s been a giant a–hole to Cox and he’s a giant a–hole in general. I can’t stand the snotty bastard.
And now I can see why Mac bemoans about Jeff Torborg–he’s not only talking about his old “glory” days with the Marlins, but he’s sat there and kissed LaRussa’s(a known Braves basher) a–.
And to top it off…our ace is losing 2-0 to a SCRUB pitcher. Yuck.
Nice play by Thorman.
Smoltzie running good out there.
Eckstein looks like a 5 year old.
Uh… That is not good at all.
Oh no. Make sure Jeff’s OK.
Where are you?
How many fingers am I holding up?
How many balls in a walk? (Wait, he didn’t know that one before…)
way to be on top of things, Turner South. Gee.
Maybe that hit on Frenchy’s head will wake the slumbering Braves off and we can tee off this clown.
Now how big was that dang McCann double play. With one out, bases loaded and knowing you’re extremely slow, you got to lift that ball.
Down by 2 with a rookie pitcher on the mound, and we know how the Braves do against those.
Well, I guess this means tomorrow’s a “must-win,” now…and if we lose tomorrow, then the day after…
I am curious about something: How does LaRoche get back spasm if he can barely run? He always looks incredibly relaxed, sleepy, really comfy out there..he should never have to worry about injuries when he lollygags around 😉
Jeff needs to just stop trying to steal.
Frenchy needs to stop trying to steal and giving away outs. Just pathetic.
and who is Al Reyes again? Yuck.
I still don’t understand why Jeff can’t steal a base.
The good ol’ strike em out…throw em out…
These are the Braves we’ve come to love folks
Another f-ing double play.
Why the hell do the Braves keep trying these steals!? They always get thrown out. Furcal is gone, only Orr is fast enough to give away free outs.
Cardinals are bringing pain today…
You’d think that guy with the Superman shirt could have caught that bat without even flinching.
*sigh*
Like I said, make sure there’s no one on…
I feel sick.
“You’d think that guy with the Superman shirt could have caught that bat without even flinching.”
That shirt is a real eye-sore, isn’t it?
I wish the Cardinal fans would shut the hell up already. They aren’t as mean spirited as Cubs and Red Sox visiting fans (nor as seemingly drunk ), but gosh, it’s annoying to be out numbered in your own park.
You know what’s more annoying? when you can’t get John Smoltz or Tim Hudson do give yuour team a lift and a much needed quality start. It makes me want to toss my laptop into my big screen.
Yes Jeff…
If you get on base…and you have Rolen, Edmonds and Encarnacion behind you…you’re probably going to score some runs..
Eh, I don’t feel sick. Par for the course, yes?
Dan,
It’s an eye sore when it’s on the body of a redneck and the shirt is turned into a wife beater. I am a huge “Superman” fan (the movie is great!!! except Kate Bosworth sucked royally as Lois Lane) but guys like that ruin its spirit.
Look at all the hair Pujols has lost. That guy is so juicing. God I wish I didn’t have to wonder who is using and who isn’t. Tainted the game forever.
John Smoltz = Tim Hudson = we SUCK
Alex….. Kate Bosworth sucked? You are smoking crack man. The guy that played Superman gets a C, just average. She would at least get a B+. She was pretty good.
Landogarner,
It’s funny…NO ONE (among sports writers) wants to accuse Pujols because A) hes a nice guy and soft spoken, humble and B) doesn’t want Baseball to have another “juiced” superstar…I have even been loathe to say it…feel guilty for thinking it.
But it’s hard not to look at his body and ‘think it’. I think you maybe onto something.
Ramirez>James>Smoltz>Hudson>Thomson>Cormier
The way things are now I think most players are guilty until proven innocent. Too many players have said it’s a common thing to take some form of “helper”
Land,
Mac, my brother, all my friends…everyone has agreed across the board that Bosworth stunk. She’s not a Lois Lane…sorry. Again, to each their own but the two TV Lois Lane’s (Smallville’s Erica Durance and Teri Hatcher) and Margot Kidder captured her spirit. Mac and I discussed this the other day and had she been willing a perfect Lois would have been Rachel McAdams. Bosworth looks like she’s 15…didn’t buy her at all.
As for Brandon Routh…he may never win an Oscar, but man, he sure looks identical and sounds identical to Chris Reeve. I was dumbstruck at the eery resemblance. Bryan Singer nailed that casting.
But Spacey stole the movie as Lex Luthor…just off the effing charts he was so great in the part. Much better then Hackman.
Giles!!!!!
GILES!
Some good news from Giles.
Giles—increasing his trade value—yeah!
MARCUS! He’s figuring this baseball stuff out again.
It’s really nice to see us not retaliate when 2 of our first 6 hitters get beaned, including one in the head. We shoulda hit Pujols last inning if you ask me.
Would a rain-out be bad now? I don’t think so.
back to back
EDGAR!
RENTERIA IN THE RAIN!
Back to back!!!!!
Edgar!
Bang, bang…
Alex, that we can agree on! Spacey was the start of the movie. Classic performance.
WOOHOOOO
If smoltz doesn’t retaliate, will Ozzie Guillen send him to Richmond?
And now we have the rain delay, just after we were developing momentum.
Well the offense was nice while it lasted.
Hahaha…I was thinking that same thing Alex..
If Smoltz doesn’t hit someone soon…Ozzie will scream at him and send his down to Richmond
Nice of that rain delay to cool our bats again
Figures the one shower within 100 miles affects downtown Atlanta. Should have no problem getting the game in, but it could be an hour or so before things let up to get the game going again…or the shower could crap out in 5 minutes. We’ll see.
This has got to be the most poorly pathetic baseball broadcast I’ve ever seen. The commercial overlapped and the first thing we saw was Jeff on the ground in pain with no explanation, then the camera searched and searched for where Edgar’s homer went this inning.
I would watch ESPN if I ‘friggin could. Turner South …ahem, I mean, um, FOX has the game blacked out on ESPN in my area. That never happened when Turner actually owned the channel.
I’m just disgusted.
Hey, Reyes’s arm could cramp up, heh heh heh
I have to watch the game on FSN midwest. These brodcasters kiss so much cardinal ass.
Yeah..it really is ironic that as we start to get hot, mother nature takes us down. If it’s not Cox, its the bullpen, if it’s not the bullpen, it’s the defense, then the offense, then the starters…and now, mother nature. Unreal!
Does anyone know who is going to be in the homerun derby?
Six players have been named to the HR derby:
AL: David Ortiz, Troy Glaus, Jermaine Dye
NL: Ryan Howard, David Wright, Carlos Lee
There will be one more player from each league, not named yet.
Thanks.
This is horrible luck.
I live in Metro Atlanta, and there isn’t a cloud in the sky. And, It sucks to go outside lately.. horrible heat.
and the only rain in the state probably, is over Turner Field.
While we’re killing time, Jonah Keri of BP named his worst of the worst for ESPN’s Page 2:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=keri/060703
Only obvious booboo is that Reitsma and Sosa have been worse pitchers than Todd Jones and Jose Valverde.
Funny, I’m just debating with my girlfriend if we wanna catch the late show of “Superman” or the Al Gore movie. I wanna hold off & see “Superman” at the iMax, but may change my mind.
This rain delay might not be all bad. If it lasts long enough, there’s a decent chance that LaRussa won’t let Reyes go back out there again, him being their prized prospect and all. Course, if Smoltz is also finished we’re looking at 5 innings of the ATL bullpen…
So is this a new season of Junkin? They set up a tent and had people bring their crap to them? This sucks.
ubbuba,
I highly (two thumbs way up) recommend both films…it all depends on your mood.
I actually saw “Superman” last Thursday and saw the Gore flick last Friday.
Oh…and my wife wanted to see the Gore flick but not as high on seeing “Superman” though she does watch “Smallville” with me. The point being is I think your gfriend will enjoy either–my wife is just picky and depends on her mood.
ESPN says the game will resume at 8:55 Eastern.
I hope so..
I’m bored out of my mind right now
Did I read correctly that Jermaine Dye and David Wright are in the homerun derby? I mean, with all due respect, those guys have some power, but I don’t think of them as the kind of sluggers you see in the HR derby. Is anyone else as surprised as me at those selections? Especially Dye…
Game on. Reyes still in. Betemit sucks.
Alex,
Al Gore wins (sounds funny, eh?) Taping the Braves for the evening.
Go Braves.
MCCANN!
McCan!!!!!
THAT’s what we needed earlier, but we’ll take it now, waytogo BMAC!
How can this guy not be starting the All-Star game…
This guy’s arms deader n julius caesar
Frenchy has his revenge on Reyes.
I don’t think he got very much of that, but the strength just cranked it. That’s how ya get revenge Frenchy!
There ya go Jeffrey..
that’ll teach that guy to hit you in the head…
Offense is rolling.
dammit Thor, great hit but don’t kill the rally!
This is what an offense looks like!
I just love Frenchy’s enthousiasm in the dug-out.
wow…didnt realize the game was back on. cool, 5-3 🙂
This is the inning we’ve been waiting for almost a month now. If we make a run at the WC — heck, assuming we win the game! — we’ll be able to look back on this one. Reyes is going to be a really good one, but we got to him. Let’s keep it up!
Now that is a fine-looking defensive play by Thorman and Smoltz.
Smoltz putting on a show
Mac and I argued about the Braves chances for the Wild Card and this may surprise some but Mac thinks the season is over and a WC run is not realistic. I disagree and think it is.
A few simple points as to why it’s possible, still.
1. If Hudson ever gets right (hopefully) soon, that gives us 4 very good starting pitchers…none of the other WC teams except Houston can match that.
2. The National League sucks. There’s no reason a team can’t get hot and scoot past these mediocre teams. The Reds are the leaders? Are they really going to survive with one good starting pitcher?
3. We have to assume that JS will get off his suspender’d butt and make a deal or two, at the very least to get us a reliever. I don’t buy we can count on Sosa, but I buy we can get a reliever and straighten this mess out.
The point, it’s less then 50% likely but I think it’s still possible. But this team better nut up and I am looking at you, Tim Hudson…
Reyes getting a bit to close here
If he hits one more person..I’ll charge the mound…somehow..
Look at all the teams ahead of the Braves… They can catch some of them. Catching all is almost impossible. I think that the Braves are “really” a .550 team as currently constructed; they’ve been unlucky and have played a lot of bad players who aren’t around any more. But even if they play the rest of the year at a .550 clip, they’ll still finish below .500. Too big of a hole. If they’d won half their one-run games this year, they’d be about .500 and in it. But they didn’t, and they aren’t.
I hate David Eckstein…he’s the ultimate pest ballplayer.
I just realized the Cardinals’ main problem. They’re really not that strong up the middle..
C – Yadier Molina – good defensively, but less than 100 career RBI’s
2B – Aaron Miles – career OPS of .682, less than 100 career RBI’s
SS – David Eckstein – best of the list so far, but no power, average defense
CF – Jim Edmonds – at 36, how many more glory days are ahead of him? Chipper-like 9 bombs so far for Edmonds this year, OPS of .777
AAHH…Torborg is killing me
Rathburn is making the point..that eventhough Eckstein is of Verne Troyer stature, that he still can play pretty good. (3rd in the leaugue in hits, etc)
Adds Torborg : “and on top of that he’s a little guy”
Wow…
Smoltz = Hudson = …..
BP projects that the NL Wild Card will have 87.4 wins- an average derived by running the rest of the season a million times. No NL team projects to an average of more than 86 wins except the Mets.
To win 87 games for the season, the Brave must go 52-28. Do the Braves have the talent to do this? If Mac is right- and I think he is- that the Braves are really a .550 team, how likely are they to go .650 the rest of the way?
I come up with a less than 5% chance of winning 52+ out of our last 80 games. So, while it’s not impossible, it’s not the smart way to plan for the future.
wow…maybe we can get out of this…
Paronto in the bullpen? Oh God no, Bobby. Haven’t we been good? Why must you punish us so? Can Smoltz sue Bobby for this kind of sabotage?
I love Eckstein as much as heterosexually possible for a non-Braves player BECAUSE he’s a pest. I love the guys that just play ball. Reminds me of Walt Weiss
How did Smoltz get out of that jam…
Walt Weiss rocked!!
Nope, hate Eckstein–annoying. Like Craig Counsell. sorry, just a personal opinion.
(maybe if they were Braves I would feel different, admittedly).
Weiss was one of my alltime favorites. Everybody in here should remember THE catch against the Astros. That still gives me chills.
That and he has a chance to be a hero on national television, if he doesn’t blow it. By the way I saw his wife at the Capri Lounge last night. Helluva dancer he must be very very proud. And that guy she was with? I’m sure he’s a close personal friend and all but tell me, what was he doin wearin her panties on his head?
Add Chase Utley’s name to the pest list.
Yeah he kills us, but if he played outside of the division he’d be one of my favorites
Utley is actually some sort of demonic entity from a lower dimension sent to punish us.
Another d.p. ground out by Andruw. What’s his RISP look like now Mac?>
Since there wasn’t anyone in scoring position, it doesn’t.
Smoltz looks good. Is that 7ks now.
Smoltz is just getting better as he goes along. He’s at about 85 pitches, and should be good for another inning at least.
Hopefully
That’s our franchise on the bench right there…
Frenchy and McCann…
Did anybody see Torborg’s face in that interview when Brian asked “Are you serious?”
It was the weirdest most awkward smile ever.
That’s our franchise, and some guy with a French name.
Paronto’s on the mound now. Oh joy.
So much for John Smoltz.
PARONTO!?
Nine outs for the Braves’ bullpen? I can’t breathe.
The Pirates lead the Mets 10-1.
Hmm.
Alex, buddy, love the optimism, but c’mon! You know I’m with Mac on this, so…
“If Hudson ever gets right (hopefully) soon, that gives us 4 very good starting pitchers”
–We have four very good starting pitchers? This year? Where? Smoltz is great. There’s one. Ummm… Hudson is decent and Chuck James is decent. End of list. HoRam? hahahhahaha
“…none of the other WC teams except Houston can match that.”
–Ever hear of the Florida Marlins?: Dontrelle Willis (3.96 ERA), Josh Johnson (2.34 ERA), Scott Olsen (4.26 ERA) and Ricky Nolasco (3.26 ERA)…that’s much, much better than what we’ve got and they are improving
“The National League sucks. There’s no reason a team can’t get hot and scoot past these mediocre teams.”
–True, but it’s tough to get hot with a team that strikes out 10 times per game regularly and blows game after game in the bullpen.
“We have to assume that JS will get off his suspender’d butt and make a deal or two, at the very least to get us a reliever.”
–To get a reliever, we’d have to give up something. I hope we don’t give up prospects for the honor of losing in the first round of the playoffs (again!) with an undermanned squad. If a player on the current roster isn’t helping us get to the postseason (LaRoche, etc.), then no one else is going to want to give up a reliever for him anyway. If a player is helping us… well, we’d need that guy, right?
yes…hate Eckstein…and hate Paronto. hate…lots o hate.
Smoltz’s win=dead.
The Braves are never going to win two in a row again this year is seems.
The plot thickens
Mac, is right…we are dead. Thanks Chelsea and thanks Bobby for using him.
Chelsea has gotten fatter apparently…he ate Mary Remlinger.
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sumbitch. Now that was a fine double play.
Thank you Wilson!!!!
the crowd…the plays….
y’all i’m getting that feeling…
I have officially seen it all now. I can die.
Paronot forces Pujols into first pitch DP.
wowser.
On that last graphic, they showed the May 28th game @ Chicago Cubs (blown Smoltz wins by the Braves bullpen). Erm. We won that game. That was the one where Betemit hit the infield fly off Aramis Ramirez’s head.
Wow..
Paronto=luck
Smoltz win=still possible
Right. The Braves won that game, but Smoltz didn’t get the win, Wryn.
Ryan!
woot
Rough way to start your major leaugue career…
welcome to the bigs MEAT
Langy!
Welcome to the majors.
LANGERHANS!
We have the long ball working tonight.
To quote Two-Face, Paronto has “Blind, stupid, simple, doo-dah, clueless luck!”
LANGY!
That’s right Brian, thanks..
The graphic said a 13-12 loss, should have been a win, but it was still a blown win. You’re right.
That’s 2 in 2 days for Langy correct?
That said, I hope we get it turned around, Chipper starts hitting with authority again, Giles finds his stick, Francoeur pairs power with *some* patience, Smoltz stays healthy, Hudson regains form, Chuck James grows up fast, HoRam continues the Jorge Sosa/Jaret Wright/John Burkett where’d-that-come-from season, and the whole g-d bullpen suddenly pitches well AND the Braves make the NL Playoffs AND improbably win the World Series!
I just don’t think it’s likely, at all.
“y’all i’m getting that feeling…”
So am I. But Jorge Sosa will take care of that.
I think I could get struck by lightning 6 times on a sunny afternoon…while winning the Florida Lott0..for the 10th straight week…while listening to Joe Morgan give intelligent commentary on how Jeff Francouer is leading the Majors in walks and Chris Reitsma is leading the Majors in saves and e.r.a…. before that happens Cary…
I really, really hope I don’t see Pujols at the plate anymore.
You guys make pre2004 redsox fans seem cheery sometimes…
Well, it’s been a while since Red Sox fans have had to suffer a stretch like the Braves had in June, James. That takes a lot out of you.
Cary, the hell of it is that most of the players involved have shown the required talent at some point or another. But now, we need all of it to happen at once.
Oh I know. If the Canes hadn’t won the cup in June I woulda been looking for a building to jump off of (unfortunately, no building in Oak Ridge, TN is more than 4 stories i’m pretty sure). But we’re still the Braves, and the team at the top is still the mets.
I’m not sayin we’ll make it, but I think that June is behind us and we’ll play more like the old Braves the rest of the summer.
Ray’s looking good lately. Has the bullpen turned the corner at long last?
beautiful work there Kenny, just 3 more to get, wouldn’t mind some of that insurance
Davey, you forgot about your double date with Jessica Alba and Jessica Biel.
Other than that, you just about pegged it.
I think I am dreaming, the bullpen looking very good tonight.
Dan,
That feeling you maybe getting is called, “Gas”
Cary…double date with Jessica Biel and Jessica Alba….hmmmmm
Stay on target, everyone. We still gotta land this one, and Sosa’s gonna need all the help he can get.
Did I just hear Pete say Thomson will pitch tomorrow?
God I really wish there was something we could do about these announcers. Man i feel so useless sometimes
mcaann is such a stud. is he single? ‘;0
I guess you don’t need to run that fast when you hit it that far.
Brian gives new meaning to the word “chugging”
that should end any doubt about Edmonds being on Andruw’s level
The ESPN announcers are going over Todd Pratt always backing up All-Star catchers (Daulton, Hundley, Piazza, Lieberthal, McCann). I thinnk it’s because compared to him they’ve all looked so good by comparison.
Another fine hit by McCann, and Edmonds looks kinda dazed after hitting the wall.
It would be nice if Frenchy can give us at least one more run.
Frenchy works a 3-1 count and gets a hit on the cripple pitch. Oink, flap, oink, flap.
Nice Jeffrey..
Frenchy gets a clutch hit and doesn’t get the RBI. Oh well, guess he’ll charge BMac more rent
Lol
that was not a strike
Frenchy getten it done.
You’ve gotta hit a triple to score McCann from second…
Frenchy’s looking much better at the plate the past week..
Another asied: For those watching ESPN, that Taco Bell commercial had the old Atari Pac-Man sound coming from the videogame. Do you realize that’s now a quarter century old?
Even then you’ll beat him to third base billy…
Brian J., you’re making me feel old.
On an unrelated note, perhaps we’re related? Are you from the Florida Js or the Alabama Js?
Davey, I run like McCann. I’m not beating him anywhere. Although I’m hitting .308 this season.
😀
Pac-Man is a little before my time.
Nope, from the Arkansas Js.
One more out. Will our ‘pen actually hold?
One more to go.
Is Spiezo’s facial hair pink?
Wow, Marcus!
The Braves take on the second-best team in the NL and are superior in every phase of the game. I’m glad to see the old days come back, at least for tonight.
Great catch Giles!!!!
That will be on the highlight reel tonight!!!!!!!
Holy cow what a catch
and the Braaaves have won the game!
wow…Giles just grew 10 inches. cool.
what a way to end the game..
We actually looked pretty good out there tonight.
Joe Morgan reminds us all why we hate him- in ten seconds he refers to Sosa as getting “the last three innings” and to our 2B as Brian Giles.
and this further justifies my opinion that the Braves are still in this WC race.
Ha ha! Great win, guys. Hey, is that two in a row?
We had it all tonight, good starting pitching, solid releif, and offense
Joe Morgan doesn’t need to remind me why I hate him..
It’s on my mind most of the day…
One of the best outings of the season. Congratulations to the Braves, I’m proud of them for tonight’s effort.
I would like to take a moment and rub this headline in the face of the Mets and the Red Sox:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=260703130
that was sut, not morgan.
“Frenchy gets a clutch hit and doesn’t get the RBI. Oh well, guess he’ll charge BMac more rent”
Other way around, McCann owns the house, Frenchy pays the rent.
Anyways, I think it’s funny that I read this post and the same people earlier saying stuff when McCann grounded into the double play were praising him when he hit a homer.
Not only Kazmir, but Wigginton went deep twice. What happened there? I thought the Brady Anderson train left the station 2 or 3 years ago.
ATL pitchers gave up 0 walks this game. Nice.
By the way, I am still shaking my head that Redman and Buehrle make the All Star team ahead of Verlander and Liriano.
Ozzie is a MORON and now he’s mouthing off at his critics.
he needs a muzzle and to have his brain examined.
Seriously…look at Verlander and Liriano’s numbers. It’s just insulting.
Guillen attended his first sensitivity training session.
J
We’re always praising McCann. He’s our lone bright spot this miserable season.
That’s why when he hits into a double play with the bases loaded..we get dissapointed. They intentionally walked Andruw to get to him..and we all are expecting a hit in that situation…because Brian is awesome like a tall glass of coke on a sunny afternoon.
So..seeing our guy hit into an inning ending double play with the bases loaded makes us dreery.
Liriano’s stuff is so sick.
“By the way, I am still shaking my head that Redman and Buehrle make the All Star team ahead of Verlander and Liriano.”
Redman had to make it to fullfil a player for KC. Each team must have one…
http://www.suntimes.com/output/sports/cst-spt-stars03.html
Ozzie needs a beating
You know, badmouth Ozzie if you like, but if I were in charge of All-Star team selections and I knew I had to pick somebody off of every team, I’d be picking the worst players I could just to point out how freaking stupid that rule is.
Even among KC’s players, there were several better choices- Jimmy Gobble, Emil Brown, Esteban German, even Doug Mientkiewicz. Redman’s 12th in VORP on the Royals.
J,
I am not retarded…I am well aware the Royals need a rep. thanks to the stupid all star rukes.
However, he should not have been the Royal–he sucks
Yeah but Ozzie’s not picking the worst… ( well, he did take Redman)
He’s taking his own guys while others like Hafner, Liriano, Verlander, Schilling etc clearly deserve to be there.
And if it was up to him, he would pick more of his own guys. I know you have to show your own players some love but Ozzie’s going too far.
Jimmy Gobble has to be the best name in baseball…
Mac’s theory and I agree:
Ozzie is such an ass he picked Redman to humiliate the rule and MLB and to be an ass and he knew Redman sucked.
Yeah, that kinda sucks. I’d have inquired about one of KC’s batboys.
I read somebody say that the All-Star game should always have a DH. Now, I hate the DH on principle, but I like that idea.
I hope the NL kicks the AL’s ass this year.
Jimmy Gobble’s better than Coco Crisp?? idk man…
That’s not exactly my phrasing, but more or less.
Coco Crisp is just ridiculous…
I’d hang with a guy called Jimmy Gobble. That would be cool.
A guy called Coco Crisp I would just point and laugh…maybe even throw mud, depending my mood.
Coco isn’t actually his real name, though.
Anyway, I like Ozzie. He kind of makes me feel like Vince MacMahon is running MLB instead of what’s-his-name.
I have come up with a script idea for a sports comedy:
“Sports Nuts” starring John Leguizamo as Ozzie Guillen or an Ozzie like character who is a terrific manager but gets himself into trouble daily by mouthing off at everything.
The team is forced to stick him in “sensitivity training” and while there, he starts to learn a valuable lesson about his behaviour until he’s kidnapped by 2 crazed Indian fans who want to prevent him from managing. and insulting people.
co-starring Leslie Nielsen, Damon Wayans and Steven Van Zandt as Jay Marriotti
Ha..I was just going to make a Marriotti refference..
You beat me to it Alex
Alex R., I like it!
I think Silvio from “The Sopranos” actually works as Marriotti.
Oh and:
Chris Elliott (“Cabin Boy”, “Get a Life”) as AJ Pierzynski.
1 more:
Dennis Haysbert as Pedro Cerrano
🙂