Lefty Harrison scoring points with Cox | ajc.com
Bobby likes Harrison, Andruw is skinnier, Bobby likes Escobar too, Willy Aybar is still trying to get his visa problems straightened out.
I’ll point out this line on Escobar: “Everybody in the world wants him right now.” Congratulations, Yunel, you’re now officially trade bait.
Blaine Boyer hurt his finger shutting a window.
What I’m really saying is, “The sky is blue.”
The question this raises is: “Did Chuck James install the window?”
Good question.
I have about as much hope for Boyer as I have for Peterson Orr slugging .600. A year and a half of mysterious ongoing shoulder problems is bad news.
I’d like for Escobar to be traded for pitching.
Go ‘Dores!
Blaine Boyer hurt.
Sky is blue.
Carl Pavano hurt.
Ocean is deep.
I remember this feeling from the Braves of my youth- impending doom. Honestly, will we have to pull fans from the stands for the back end of the rotation and bullpen?
I wasn’t counting on Boyer anyway — and remember, we’re actually looking to cut down the pitching staff — but I don’t think it’s fair to call him “always injured” or “fragile” yet. He had one injury to his shoulder that the doctors didn’t figure out and which the team hopes went away with rest. It’s not like he’s Darren Dreifort. Yet.
It’s just Blaine Boyer, Brian. We’ve got plenty of depth in the bullpen. We’re ok.
Go Windows!
can we please wait til we lose to GT before all the dooms day stuff…these aren’t the hawks
GT’s got some good junior college transfers coming in. Our offense better brings its A-game…
Go Patios!
I hope that Smoltz doesn’t get injured filming those Home Depot commercials
Smoltz does do a lot of acting in those commercials. He might pull a hammy standing there!
Braves versus Tech is always fun, because I never know who to root for. Which is not to say that I don’t know who will win.
I am ready. I have been training for the Atlanta MABL tryouts (which are next weekend). True story: one of the major contributing reasons behind my resurgent interest in playing baseball was watching Mike Remlinger pitch last year and thinking, “I can pitch better than this.”
Well Wednesday will be our first win on the way to our World Championship.
We will look back on that last line at the end of the season and say, “Wow, what a sage Smitty is!”
I really hope Atlanta comes away with a W.
Whoops.
Go Ceiling Fans!
ESPN will broadcast friday’s game.
Im in Nashville on my first buisness trip, is anyone up here and want to go eat?
If you like BBQ & you’re downtown, try Jack’s on Broadway.
ok, anyone want to go?
I’m only 700 miles away, plus I’m in the mood for Chinese tonight.
Yeah ESPN is showing this Friday’s game against the Pirates. John Schuerholz and Dave Littlefield will almost certainly be there too.
David O’Brien:
Anyway, for the first week of Grapefruit League games, it’s Kyle Davies starting Thursday vs. L.A., Smoltz vs. Pittsburgh on Friday, Hudson vs. Houston on Saturday, James vs. L.A. on Sunday at Vero Beach, Lance Cormier vs. Washington on Monday, and Davies vs. Washington on Tuesday.
If Hampton is ready, he’ll pitch in the same game with Davies vs. Washington…..
O’Brein also says he the way the pitchers are going, Smoltz will be the opening day starter on April 2 on six days rest.
smiitty,
i’ll be in n’ville tomorrow let me know if you wan’t to grab some food.
I can’t remember the last time that Georgia or Georgia Tech beat the Braves.
there is probably a good reason for that Sam
Om leaving around noon
well, i live in chatt let me know if you meet up sometime
Sure, I am in Cleveland most days
This is kind of a dumb question.. but when MLB teams play NCAA teams, do the college teams use wood or aluminum bats?
With Renteria, Lillibridge and Andrus all at short trading Escobar for something useful, be it pitching or a corner OF who doesn’t eat outs like candy, would be smart methinks.
maybe we can get a leadoff hitter or he can do it and play second
Kelly Johnson is going to be the second baseman and the leadoff hitter unless he gets hurt or sucks during the first month of the regular season. It’s time for people to accept that and stop talking about trading for some other “leadoff” hitter.
I’m in favor of trading Escobar now that we have Lillibridge.
I for one am fine with KJ starting at 2B and leading off. I think he’ll be great.
Depending on what we can get for Escobar, I wouldn’t mind trading him now. I really have little faith he’ll become good enough to be a starter, but packaging him for some good, young pitching could be a very nice get. IMO, he’s neither part of the Braves now nor in the future, so lets ship him out while the getting is good.
A decent take on the SEC’s bubble teams as we approach tournament time…
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/stewart_mandel/02/26/road.tourney/index.html?cnn=yes
Yunel for pitching! Say it with me!
Got my tickets today for Friday’s game against the Pirates. I am taking the day off to hit up some Spring Training! Look for me down the third base line. It’s a 1:05 game so I’m probably going to get there about 11:00 so I can head to the outfield and catch Tony Pena Jr. homers that he hits during bp.
Different kind of question, but…
Since I’m not in any of the Bravesjournal leagues, would any of you have any problem with sharing your draft materials/advising me on where to get good lists from?
AAR, go to fox sports fantasy baseball. They have an overall ranking of the players, they also have overall rankings for players by each position. It might help
Anyone going to the March 10th Braves/Blue Jays game? I’m going with Vernon Well’s uncle and will be visiting with him after the game, good chance we will get to go in the clubhouses….anyone who will be there let me know, we can meet up….
For good fantasy info, see: http://www.fantasybaseballcafe.com
They’ve got the best forums around. Just search the “Leftovers” forum for rankings and stuff.
No surprise, but No. 29 to start opening day…
http://nmsn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6510150
BTW, I heard Steve Phillips on ESPN radio this morning and he picked the Phillies and Braves 1-2 in the division with the Mets third. Thinks the Mets will have serious problems with the rotation.
Honus Wagner 1909 card sell for $2.9 million – owned by Wayne Gretzky
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,254838,00.html
Thanks for the advice, csg and mraver.
CSG, would you say that you trust the Fox Sports lists? I know we rip on Dayn Perry over here a lot. I guess I’m just looking to find info I can trust.
I saw this blurb on Jorge Sosa and had to laugh:
Attempting to rebound from a disastrous 2006 season in which he went 3-11 for Atlanta and St. Louis, Jorge Sosa is among nine pitchers here contending for a rotation spot. Unlike most of the others, however, the 6-foot-3, 218-pound Sosa can pitch out of the bullpen, making him a strong candidate to be the Mets’ long reliever and spot starter.
I guess it depends on what your definition of “can” is. I can pitch out of the bullpen too, but have a feeling the Mets wouldn’t want me (as they’ll likely figure out with Sosa by the end of April).
I dont know how much trust you can put on it. The top 30 players seem to be in pretty good order. I would personally move some to different spots. What I try doing in my draft is taking the top 3 or 4 players from each position, more for OF, and trying my best to get 1 of those from each position to fill my team. I think its harder to fill a good SP staff, so I tend to get these early if possible. Many different ways to do it.
You can compare it to ESPN’s numbers also, they are a little different.
http://games.espn.go.com/flb/tools/projections
Can the Mets staff keep over-acheiving like they did last year. I’ve never seen a staff so bad, perform that good. I guess when you score 10 runs a game pitching shouldn’t matter, unless you have our pen from last year
Q & A with Maddux:
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/braves/stories/2007/02/26/0226maddux.html
csg,
Mets had a great bullpen last year & they won a lot of games late because of that bullpen and their stout lineup. It’s a formula I hope holds true for the Braves this year.
Lead off hitter? Free Gregor Blanco!
Ububba, you are correct. Exactly what I said in a previous post also…
A Big Negatory from the HOF Vets Committee.
Santo 5 votes shy, Kaat 10, Hodges 12
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2781628
As far as I’m concerned, they might as well dump the Veterans’ Committee if that’s the best they can do. Santo certainly deserves to be in and a whole lot more than Hodges. It’s a travesty that he isn’t in. The incompetence of the HOF voters in general is mind-boggling. There are guys in the Hall that couldn’t carry Santo’s jock strap. These voters are boobs, pure and simple.
While the Mets’ starting pitching looks pretty terrible this year, I can’t help but think it doesn’t look any worse than last year. Obviously the big trio of Reyes, Wright and Beltran all need to perform as well or better. That said, I think the season comes down to the final couple of weeks between the Phils, Mets and Braves, and all three teams won’t be seperated by much. I wouldn’t be shocked at all to see the Wild Card come from the East, either.
I’d vote for Santo, then Hodges (and eventually Rice, if nec).
Re: Barry Bonds
Tom Verducci on the new Afterward in “Game of Shadows.”
“My favorite fact: the authors detail in their afterword the freakish growth of Bonds’ body parts in his years with the Giants: from size 42 to a size 52 jersey; from size 10 1/2 to size 13 cleats; and from a size 7 1/8 to size 7 1/4 cap, even though he had taken to shaving his head.”
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/tom_verducci/02/27/shadows.afterword/index.html?cnn=yes
I wonder how big his neck size is now. 10.5 to a 13 in a shoe, good grief!!
I wonder how Smoltz feels about starting opening day? Last year the Braves gave it to Hudson because Smoltz wanted to “pass it on.” And now it’s him again.
This team is so dependent on him. The starting rotation minus Smoltz is a train wreck. The Braves are one Smoltz sore-elbow away from tail spin.
Dan,
If the brokedown Cardinals won the WS in ’06, there’s always hope.
Speaking of brokedown, here’s the latest on Hampton—not good news.
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/braves/stories/2007/02/27/0227hampton.html
I think calling the HOF voters boobs does a great disservice to boobs.
I wonder if he injected himself in the big toe
Docter’s say Shaun Livingston will beout 8-12 months and may miss all of next year as well.
If you haven’t seen the video, here it is. Warning, it’s graphic.
Wow, who is watching the Tennessee-Florida basketball game? Pat Summit just came out in a Tennessee cheerleader’s uniform and led in a cheer. I gotta admit, that’s pretty freakin’ cool…
Oh, and poor Shaun Livingston. That’s rough. Torn ACL, MCL, PCL, and dislocated knee. I guess it won’t get much worse than that. Poor guy…
OK, I love hearing my teams praised as much as anyone else, but Florida is getting beat by 19 and Dickie V is just gushing about how good Florida is. Not the time, dude. Not the time. Shut up.
I don’t know what says about me (a guy with 2 knee ops): I can watch someone getting executed, but I can’t watch a guy blow out his knee.
Ububba,
Same with me. I didn’t even wince when I saw the execution but yet I nearly lost my breakfast this morning when I saw Livingston’s knee buckle.
Somebody needs to tell ESPN or the AP that is not Andruw Jones in the middle.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/teams/photo?photoId=1451061&team=atl
Black guy… check… Braves uniform… check… spare tire… check. Yeah, it’s Andruw.
Vols by 25. Wow.
Yeah, Wryn. Wow is right. I’m amazed at how badly Florida has played 3 of the last 4 games. This is almost not even worth watching.
Wow, it gets even worse for ESPN/AP in this photo:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/teams/photo?photoId=1447923&team=atl
“Atlanta Braves pitcher Jeff Francoeur takes batting practice during baseball training camp at Disney’s Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista Fla., Friday. Feb. 23, 2007. (AP Photo/Reinhold Matay)”
Jay,
I was lucky. I had ESPN on this morning, drinking my coffee & the announcer warned me to turn away during the hoops highlights. I obliged. Still haven’t watched it, probably won’t.
I hope those caption writers aren’t UGA J-school grads. They could be flipping burgers soon.
He hits like a pitcher. They’re close…
Wow, what a depressing loss. We had a good run near the end though…
Rob,
Don’t sweat it. Your team is in better shape than most. You might be on your way to blowing a No. 1 seed in the big dance, but I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it right now. If UF wins the SEC tournament, you’ll probably get it back.
Not that I’m rooting for any of that, mind you…
Yeah, I will give a pass on that Francoeur caption, given the swing depicted in the picture.
Yeah, that was an ugly, ugly first half. I think the Gators actually won the second half, which was nice to see. It was nice to know that, for a second there, the Vols and their fans were very, very worried.
Lets hope that’s something we can build on against Tenessee and again in the SEC tournament.
I just hate losing rivalry games. LSU didn’t burn me too bad, but I hate losing to Tennessee and other teams in the east. As I was saying to Wryn, I would like to be a #1 seed. I think there’s clear advantages to being a #1 seed. He doesn’t agree. That’s ok though.
I would agree that Florida won the second half.
http://www.theauburner.com/ryan_aubiebully.html
Watch it, Rob. Saying Francoeur hits like a pitcher means that he hits like Wes Ferrell or Bob Gibson. That’s toeing the line and being close to a compliment! 😀
Chuckling a bit at the thought of the defending national champs claiming a moral victory against UT basketball.
Anyways, I think that was the best half of basketball I’ve ever seen from the Vols. Very efficient number of points off TO’s, and a lot of points in the paint from dribble-drive lay-ups. The second half was too cautious, but it worked out OK, and even when the fans were worried, we still had a sizable lead (maybe 8 points at the worst, double digits for most).
It was spirited basketball for a bit there in the second half from Florida, but I’ve got to think our reluctant offense played a role on one end. Their offense and rebounding kicked into gear, though, for sure. I’m sure Billy D will get that effort more often eventually.