Ladies and Gentlemen…
The excitement is palpable.
130 Comments
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Ladies and Gentlemen…
The excitement is palpable.
Use code “Journal” for a 5% discount.
Most excellent. I even chuckled aloud at my desk.
Shouldn’t it be Wick-a-mania?
Do we need to break out some Candles for Wickmania?
Trade Suggestion to get mocked today……
Giles to LA for Broxton
– Kent is on the DL, our Bullpen still stinks
better, but unlikely: Giles + Thorman -> Ethier
– Kent and Nomar are probably done
– Ethier would be a big improvement leading off.
They’ll only be eaten.
The candles, that is, not the players in your trade proposal.
Stu,
In case you don’t see it (because I gotta run to the gym now), my old roommate Jon says I should always give mad props to Nashville–his favorite city. He was a Vandy guy and he loved it there for 4 yrs.
Trading A ball players that play positions we have a plethora of talent at = good idea. Trading Thor who happens to also play 1st base, his natural position, which would then make us rely totally on Huckleberry at 1st = bad idea.
Broxton is a BIG boy… he weighs 260+, maybe as much as 280. If we got him, we’d have the fattest bullpen in the league by far. So that’s something….
That’s all I needed to hear, Kyle; this trade has my full support.
Looks like if anything I UNDERESTIMATED Broxton. Here are his vitals according to MLB.com:
Full Name: Jonathan Roy Broxton
Born: 06/16/1984
Birthplace: Augusta, GA
Height: 6’3″ Weight: 290
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
College: N/A
MLB Debut: 07/29/2005
He just turned 22 and already weighs 290 pounds. Wow. He’s from Augusta, another bonus! I definitely wouldn’t trade Giles to get him (anyway, don’t the Dodgers have Jeff Kent) but it’s funny to think about.
The great thing about having big burly guys in the bullpen would be to see them running in from the outfield when the benches clear for a fight. We could have them all lock arms and just sweep the field.
I think we should trade for Prince Fielder and turn him into a relief pitcher.
Well while we’re at it, let’s get David Wells from Boston to fill our 5th starter need.
Hee hee.
I’d trade Giles for Broxton in a heartbeat. But I don’t see LA letting him go.
1914 Update:
NY Giants 48-32 (–)
Chicago Cubs 48-37 (2.5)
St. Louis Cardinals 47-40 (4.5)
Boston Braves 38-43 (10.5)
Cincinnati Reds 39-45 (11)
Philadelphia Phillies 37-43 (11)
Brooklyn Robins 35-43 (12)
Pittsburgh Pirates 35-44 (12.5)
Today’s game:
Boston 001 000 140 – 6 9 2 WP- Rudolph
Pirates 000 000 000 – 0 3 1 LP- O’Toole
In three days, the Braves have leapfrogged from eighth place to fourth, the “First Division.” This was important because at that time, only the top four teams in each league received revenue from World Series gate receipts. At that time, the division was:
42% WS winner, 28% WS loser, 7.5% each 2nd-place team, 5% each 3rd-place team, 2.5% each 4th-place team.
With a total of 111,009 fans attending the World Series, the pool would total $121,898.94, making fourth place worth about $3000.
So are fans going to dress as candles and be Wickman’s Wicks?
tonights lineup
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/gameTrax?gameId=260721122
In other words:
1. W Betemit, 2B
2. E Renteria, SS
3. C Jones, 3B
4. A Jones, CF
5. B McCann, C .351
6. J Francoeur, RF
7. A LaRoche, 1B
8. S Thorman, LF
9. J Smoltz, P
1. J Rollins, SS
2. C Utley, 2B
3. B Abreu, RF
4. P Burrell, LF
5. R Howard, 1B
6. A Rowand, CF
7. D Bell, 3B
8. C Coste, C
9. C Lidle, P
Who got sent down?
Isn’t it about time to disable Giles? It’s been almost a full week since he’s been injured.
I know I’m a little late to the beer conversation, but let me add my 2 cents worth.
I discovered my love of beer after high school. Growing up in Richmond, VA. Rather then racking up large amount of debt in college, I wore out my new shinny credit cards at brew-pubs and wine and beer stores. When all my friends were looking for cheapest case of beer I’d always a large selection of only the best. (at least in my opinion)
– Belgian Lambics and ales
– Potomac Pale Ale
– Purple Haze
– Pyramid Apricot Ale
– Sierra Nevada
– Steel Head Extra Pale Ale ( all time favorite)
– Rogue
– La Fin Du Monde (sp?)
– of course most English and Irish Beers
– I’ve even made my own several times
At age 25 (I’m Now 30) in moved to western Iowa, I’m about 1 1/2 hour from Omaha to the west and 2 hours from Des Moines to the east. I live in a town of about 400 people, so my beer choices became very limited. I’m embarrassed to say that now my fridge is never with-out Busch Light. Around here restaurants and bars serve beer in cans. Needless to say, every time I get to a city of any size I always bring home a few cases of anything I can get my hands on. The only goon thing about the Busch Light is that it makes me appreciate the good stuff even more.
I played around with a body mass index calculator that told me that Broxton comes in at a 36.2. Nicely above the obesity threshold. Now, it underestimates muscle mass, but still, dude is waaaay overweight.
Just for kicks, I did the rest of our pen, too. Normal is 18.5-24.9, overweight is 25.0-29.9, and obese is 29.9 and up. It overestimates for muscle mass in athletes and underestimates for body fat in lazy people, but still, a pretty good measure.
Kevin Barry: 30.2
Macay McBride: 29.3
Chad Paronto: 29.5
Ken Ray: 25.7
Jorge Sosa: 22.5
Oscar Villarreal: 29.2
Bob Wickman: 31.7
Tyler Yates: 29.2
Every single guy is overweight except Sosa and arguably Ken Ray. Barry and Wickman are obese. Paronto looks like he should be, as does Yates. And those listed weights on the roster are usually off, too, so I’d tend to trust my eyes. Has anyone done any studies about the impact of being a lardass on one’s pitching? Might be interesting.
I came in at 17.2, by the way. Looks like it’s time to start phoning in bulk orders to Frito-Lay.
If you’re interested, the calculator is here.
Dans,
La Fin Du Monde is the bomb.
I got turned onto La Fin Du Monde (aka The End of the World) on a trip to Toronto several years ago. Luckily, I found a great restaurant on Long Island that serves it.
Gotta be careful, though—it’s 9-percent—but if you’re used to the Belgian stuff, that won’t bother you.
23.7
Im a fit 36.3 ( if there issuch a thing)
and I pitched in high school.
Maybe there is a spot for me in the pen.
Maybe we should call our bull pen the feed lot.
24.4.
And Jenny, if you’re looking for a lot of calories in a hurry, may I suggest a 40 of Old English?
Meh… 21.3
Jorge Sosa looks fatter to me then Kenny Ray. Sosa has a gut.
Broxton being 290 lbs. and from Augusta? And HOW is he not a Brave? Don’t we raise relievers like him a on farm somewhere?
23.3
21.7 BAM!
How about something with the Cubs for Zambrano?? He’s a little nuts but he would be a heck of a 3rd pitcher in the rotation. Say a package of Giles, Salty and Thorman? Zambrano’s only 25…
I’m disappointed 25.3…..that’s crap my body fat is 12% and they are telling me Im overweight!! Time for a diet I guess
Of course, like Jenny said BMI isn’t all that accurate…for example it calls Francouer, Langerhans and Rentaria overweight by it…but yeah our pen is fat to an almost comical degree. That being said i dont think weight is all that bad a thing in pitchers once theyre a certain age.
28.1, more or less.
And I used to think Mickey Lolich was fat!
Our offense has returned to mortality. Shame, really.
just one inning. lets just see…
I can’t find anything at all from any website talking about who got sent down. I’m watching the game on the Comcast Philly feed via MLB.TV so I doubt they will mention it on here. Have they mentioned anything on FSN South or on radio ??
Even GameDay gives the Braves a 26-man roster.
If we are all hitting well aat once, will we all slump at once?
Hopping in the car, will listen to the game (with Harry Kalas on 1210 AM) on the NJ Turnpike, should get there around the time it ends. Be there tomorrow for the Chucky James Show.
In the meantime, let’s go Smoltz…
Ah Frenchy, starting us off
smitty,
thats been the trend, unfortunately. lets hope this team cooks by inning 3 or 4.
Breaking up the no-hitter–good work, Smurph.
Wow, nice play by Bell
ahh, the old Laroche; I hope the temporary good one we had seen lately comes back next time. I like him better.
I hate David Bell, I am so sucked of him.
Dman Alex, he hit the ball hard and Bell made a really good play!
sorry, smitty, I am watching online because I am watching a movie with my wife—ok, my bad.
I think Smoltz is determined not to be beaten by Utley and Abreu.
Smoltzy is bringing some nasty stuff tonight!
Anyone else think the Phillies aren’t using the best order? Personally, I’d go Rollins-Abreau-Utley-Howard-Burrell. Seems to me that would be a lot better.
Smoltzie loves facing Burrell, doesn’t he?
20 games for Chippah
Stump the Fans question on Philly station: Who had a 0-1 record as a Braves manager? Should be easy for all of you. My brother sent in the answer, trying to see if we can win.
Ugh…… It looks like our offensive explosion is officially over.
Grst, that would be three straight left-handed batters from 2 to 4, which a lot of managers wouldn’t do.
Oh yeah, I forgot Utley was left handed. Still, I’d atleast swap Abreau and Utley. Abreau is an on-base guy, and doesn’t seem to have much power anymore. Utley has more pop.
Why am I starting to feel like this is a game we played in June? I’m getting a sinking feeling. Hopefully it’s just constipation.
me too, Land.
Well, the Braves trade for new relivers every season. Bob Wickman signed year/$5M (2006), plus incentives with the Indians. You know he is a veteran(means too old) if he won’t be a Brave next year, JS should try to find an outlet. Until when? I hate JS builds a makeshift shelter. And I don’t want to hazard a conjecture. Just all I’m saying, I wish want to the bullpen to be comfortably fixed.
Hey guys, just stupid my thoughts!!!!!
I don’t like a guy who was badly in need of a shave.(especially a heavy mustache) I fear him . Frankly speaking, I look the other way when I come across him in the street or lower my eyes. Just I’d like to know… why does he wear a mustache (beard)?
He wants to look like :
1. a strong and threatening guy
2. a sense of style guy
3. a copycat guy
4. just nothing
THOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
MY BOY!!!!!
The Mighty Thor!
Crushed that ball! lol
Meatloaf should go back to his seat.
I wonder if he calls his bat “Thor’s Hammer”?
Brule, the thing about a bbullpen is that you ca overpay for it. Philly has time and again. Schuerholz’s problem was not necessarily not spending money on the bullpen, it was signing players that weren’t very good and had a large risk of collapse just because he was familiar with them (Remlinger and Reitsma in particular).
Wickman is an OK temporary solution as long as we don’t get attached. Like Farnsworth was last year.
Remember, next year we should have Devine, Foster, and Hampton ready to go- Hampton will probably push Ramirez into the pen. There’s half a pen right there.
Loaf is a tool. Dixie chicks and Garth Brooks…… Wow.
Wow, both of those were strikes. POS umpiring.
Thanks your response, Brian
But I don’t want to see Devine, Foster next year.
Smoltz is pissed today, I’ve never seen him look this angry.
5 pitches he shouldn’t have had to throw right there. Horrible call.
hes pissed because he sees the All Star break offensive explosion is gone. I mean, it’s Lidle in Philly, where’s are 13 Runs?
96 pitches through 5, ouch!
Renty with a rare homer.
Edgar’s trying.
Can Edgars homer finally get us our usual 10 runs? Iam getting antsy.
This umpire is horrible. How much is philly paying this guy?
Wonder if Bobby will pull Andruw early.
104 pitches.
Pitch 105 was very satisfying.
Huge Double Play…I hope it bought Smoltzie another inning.
At 108 pitches with the top of the Phillies order coming up, I doubt it. Especially if we reach his spot in the batting order (he’d come up 5th in this inning.)
Let’s turn it over to Wickman for the 3 inning save.
Smoltzie is clearly tired. I hope we can get him through the 7th with no more damage and get that run right back. Sick of Rollins.
So I was wrong. So Cox was apparently wrong too…
Bobby left Smoltz in there too long because……..?
should have double-switched Langerhans in LF and a pitcher; it laid out nicely.
without question, I can’t argue the hateability factor of David Bell.
I can’t fault Bobby for going with an extra inning from his ace starter in a tight game with a questionable bullpen. It’s not like we had one of those 10 run leads. I think I would have left a tired Smoltz vs. say a Tyler Yates.
I agree…this umpire completely sucks.
dammit, no way now for a win for Smoltzie. Now lets just focus on getting a win, period.
am I the only one still online? Here goes our “set up guy” yuck.
I’m here.
listening to radio via internet, reding braves journal, looking at gamecast, and noy liking any of it.
Ray sucks but I seem to be the only left tonight upset about this? so lonely on Bravesjournal.
What the hell, did Ray just let this game get away? The gamecast is bogged down.
Enough! Stop the madness.
why are my comments pending moderation?
Yuck is right. And Ray was one of the good ones.
Wow…Ken Ray…big mental lapse ends up costing us big.
Thanks Kenny. Thanks a lot.
where was everyone?
any body home?
We must think it’s June again.
I’m gonna try to be an optimist here: 7-2 over our last 9 games ain’t so bad….
all my comments said pending, I guess its because at my pc at home with a new e-mail address. I’m usually at work when I comment.
I hate Ray.
Thie does look like June.
Did Laroche blow That play? (watching via gamecast)
and listening to radio
Not at all, Justin, but all the bonehead plays in the eighth inning doesn’t give me any hope for this series. Plus, that home plate umpire is terrible.
I think Ray should have covered that one, dans.
LaRoche was off base going for the ball. Betemit got it and had no one to throw to.
I used my work e-mail and now my comments work, but where did my other comments go?
McCann!! Now, we need some baserunners…
I will take it!
FRENCHY!
Gosh…if only Andruw could have been on base too..
Quadrangular!!!!
Who just hit that homer? That’s right it wasn’t HUCKLEBERRY!
whats Jeff doing its only 1 out?
Francoeur!! One run to go…
Can I insult Adam NOW? First pitch swinging down by a run in the 9th? Dammit.
Langerhans.. joy
Erf.
We will have to wait for Wickman. Why does this seem to be the perfect way for the Braves to have their first game with a new closer?
We have identified the problem. We have tried to fix it. We have a ways to go yet, and not much time.
And yes, Alex R., you may insult LaRoche now.
Giles for pitcher(s).
this one hurts. I hate the Phillies. I hate losing ground.
I think that rain delayed Carpenter game along with a day off has officially killed the momentum and the June Braves may return.
Well, then at least it took an act of nature….
I come home just in time to see Langerhans make the final out… bleh