Diaz in better shape in left field | ajc.com
Again, the man hit .327 last year and he isn’t guaranteed a roster spot, much less a regular job. Is it his breath? No, apparently, it’s his weight. Perhaps the Braves are selling jeans after all. Meanwhile, in the continuing saga of Diaz’s eyesight, he’s wearing contact lenses.
I like Matt Diaz. I hope he gets a starting job. Perhaps they’re worried about his range, and they think it’s tied to his weight.
I don’t mean to be a doubter, but what leads you to believe that Diaz has any chance of not making the team? I know we’ve made some dumb roster moves in the past but Diaz on the team has got to be a certainty in a sane world.
Can we not have two platoon’s this year. We’ve done it for the past 3 or 4 years it seems. Diaz/Langy and Wilson/Thor? Why cant all 4 have a roster spot? I figure 13 postion players….
McCann, Pena, Wilson, Thorman, Johnson, Renteria, Aybar, Woodward, Jones, Langy, Diaz, Jones, Frenchy….
am I missing someone?
durant is a bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad man
Mac, here’s to Auburn and Bama winning Saturday. Whadda ya say?
The message boards are funny:
AU Guy: “Well, we need Auburn and Alabama to both win Saturday for us to win the West!”
Bama guy: “I guess that means you’ll need to learn the words to Yea Alabama”
AU Guy: “You first”
Vandy does it again!
If Wickman is buy everyone a new big screan for winning the GL, then I will get one! Come on Braves, I new a new set!!!
I’m starting to wonder if maybe Diaz won’t become something pretty special. I mean, last years numbers were awsome if you can produce them for a whole season. And now he’s hitting with more power? Move over Jeff Francoeur…. 😉
Well, Diaz isn’t the OBP machine that everyone seems to want. Not that that makes much difference to the Braves. I can’t imagine that he won’t make the team, especially after having traded La Roche.
BTW, Rob Neyer says the Braves could win 78 or they could win 92 or anywhere in between. That seems a reasonable statement to me–the team could be very good if things fall right or they could struggle again. I really don’t think anyone will have much of a take on this team until they survive June (let’s try to avoid what happened last year).
I think this team will have a very very hard time winning fewer than 80 games. Their bullpen is about 200 times better than last year’s even if Wick becomes Dany II and Soriano gets hit in the head again. Our offense is pretty much comparable–LaRoche’s loss is somewhat offset by the C. Wilson platoon, and KJ probably can reproduce Marcus’ numbers from last year, at the very least. Our infield defense will be horrendous, but I’d be a little more conservative with the range. Let’s say this team could win anywhere from 82 to 90 games.
Two big ifs: (1) if our 1-4 SPs each pitch around 200-220 innings (except Hampton who gets into the rotation full time by early May and logs 170+ innings), and (2) if Chipper plays 120+ games, this team should win 90-95 games. Bank on it.
Shot in the dark: Braves, Mets & Phils scramble in the 89-win area & duke it out to the last week. Marlins play the nasty spoilers, while Nats shrivel.
I like ububba’s prediction. Hopefully the Mets and Phils will be reluctant to part with minor league talent at the trade deadline to try and push their division title hopes over the top.
I have a feeling the Mets, no matter how they’re doing, will be taking a starter off some team’s hands in mid-season.
I disagree with Ububba in that I don’t think the Phillies are that dangerous. Between us and the Mets, it all comes down to keeping the pitchers healthy. Two years ago, we had a clear advantage there; now, I’m not so sure.
Diaz hit .371 in Omaha in ’05, .332 in Durham in ’04, and .354 between Orlando and Durham in ’03. He’s shown that he can hit well over .300 consistently. Even with a low walk rate, that makes his OBP respectable- and his “low” walk rate is better than #7’s.
ububba – and the final score is?
I’m sure you’re right, and they’ll overpay to do it. The question is whether Schuerholz will do the same.
The Phillies can score, but pitching is something else. They have some arms but the park is a shoe box. The Mets can’t pitch for the first six innings, and will have to find another starter — maybe two — to make a run at the NL East.
The Phillies added Garcia and Eaton, and Hamels is just going to get better.
Garcia and Hamels are good, Eaton is not. Doesn’t matter if you’re pitching 1/2 your games in the band box.
I know a lot of people here hate Thomson, but I wish we had spent Woodward’s or Sturtze’s money on him. He would have given us depth and he’s far better than the avg. 5th starter
I’m not pheeling the Phillies. They have a below-average outfield, plus Helms and Barajas starting at 3B and C, and a crap bench. The rotation looks good (though populated with two flakes, an old guy, a young guy, and a hurt guy), and Gordon has been good and durable for the last few years, but the rest of the pen is a bunch of no-names who might be good or not.
I actually think they’ll pitch better than they’ll hit, though the ballpark will obscure it. Three guys who each might be the worst in the league in fielding their respective positions in Howard, Helms, and Burrell. Overall, nah.
Damn, it doesn’t look like i’ll be able to watch the Braves game on MLB.TV. 🙁
Frenchy grounded out with the bases loaded. I believe it was on the first pitch too.
I also predict that I don’t have all the answers.
But my muse tells me that the Braves can be about 10 games better,the Mets around 8 games worse & the Phils will tread water.
Philly’s lineup is still pretty good. Any team (in that bandbox) with Utley & Howard in the middle will score some runs. They will bludgeon some people, but they obviously have holes.
Kelly Johnson with a sacrifice fly to give the Braves the 1-0 lead in the 2nd inning.
What’s the deal with mlb.tv? It’s either not working or not carrying the Braves game? I thought it had all the ST games.
David15,
That’s what I thought too when I bought it last night. But i’m only getting the audio for the Braves today. I really hope it’s not like this when the regular season starts.
today’s game isnt on MLB tv, tomorrow’s is
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/schedule/index.jsp?c_id=atl&m=3&y=2007
Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospect List came out yesterday.
One big surprise: no Eric Campbell. I have to believe this is an oversight.
36 JARROD SALTALAMACCHIA, c, Braves
Wrist injury led to an off year in 2006, but he’s still the game’s best catching prospect
Opening Day Age: 21. ETA: 2008
65 ELVIS ANDRUS, ss, Braves
Kept his head above water in low Class A at age 17, and he has offensive potential to go with plus defense and speed
Opening Day Age: 18. ETA: 2010
90 MATT HARRISON, lhp, Braves
The closest thing Atlanta has had to Tom Glavine since Glavine left as a free agent
Opening Day Age: 21. ETA: 2008
93 BRENT LILLIBRIDGE, ss, Braves
An underrated part of the Adam LaRoche/Mike Gonzalez deal, he could fill Atlanta’s second-base void
Opening Day Age: 23. ETA: 2008
Thanks CSG.
But what’s the deal with the regular season. Will all the Braves game be on MLB.TV? Because I don’t see the “mlb.tv” logo on any games other than March.
Brent Lillibridge just made an error.
All the regular season games are unless they’re blacked out or on Saturdays before I think 6 PM eastern and not on FOX.
Scratch that, they gave him a hit….although from the sound of it, it should’ve been an error.
Where would you rate Campbell among those four guys? In between Salty and Andrus?
Oh ok…thanks.
Jay it looks as if they haven’t announced what stations any of the regular season games will be on yet. I’m guessing they’ll update the schedule closer to when season starts
Ok…I guess I’ll just have to be patient then. Something i’m told i’m not very good at. 😉
Guys, how was Davies today?
It sounded like he pitched very well today. He went 2 innings didn’t give up any runs on a hit or two(I was a little late to the game, so i missed the first inning).
on=only
Ok…sorry about that…I was wrong on Davies he was impressive…
He was perfect in his two innings of work. He threw 17 pitches, 11 of which were strikes and he struck out one.
Salty just hit a 2-run single….Lillibridge and Orr score. Braves lead 5-2.
Corky Miller scored Salty from third…6-2
who is Corky Miller
who gave up the 2 runs today
How long will the Texas Rangers flounder. Michael Young is 30 years old, has 50 OPS points on Renteria with a lower zone rating and the same range factor (ESPN stats). They want to pay him $15 million a year for multiple years. Furcal is a better hitter and fielder. Does anybody understand this one?
Enterprise, AL was just nailed by a big-time tornado. Injuries downtown, children trapped at Enterprise High School’s gymnasium, injuries reported at the high school.
The town of 23k is in chaos.
Corky’s a catcher, signed as a free agent this offseason. He’s probably headed to Richmond to wait for someone to get hurt.
Corky Miller is a catcher who use to be in the Reds system. He was a Chattanooga Lookout for forever
Cormier gave up both runs in his 2 innings pitched…
Besides Cormier, everyone pitched extremely well today. Braves lead 7-2 going into the 9th.
#49 – hope it didnt kill anyone. I’m in B’ham and it looks as if we are going to have a rough afternoon. Be safe
Damn, I should really read my post before I send them…going into the bottom of the 8th…not the 9th.
Corky Miller is this year’s Todd Pratt. Journeyman catcher. Hopefully Brayan Pena tears it and forces Bobby to not go with a “veteran presence” as Mac’s backup.
Escobar is 3-3 today. So, trade him or keep him?
I’d say trade him, we already have a lot of middle infielders as it is and with the way he’s playing right now he could fetch us some talent.(Hopefully a starter or something)
Enterprise has requested assistance from Montgomery, Troy, Dothan, ambulances and the like – state troopers flooding into Enterprise.
Escobar isn’t going to fetch the starter we need. It will take something like Davies, Escobar, and Salty for an upper tier starter. Which I would do in a heart beat. Maybe we can get Peavy.
I think the Braves are discriminating against fat people.
I think Escobar and Salty could bring a good arm
How so, Pedro? Look at all the fat people in the bullpen.
I think we should trade Yunel Escobar for Carl Crawford.
*Ducking to dodge the rotten tomatoes*
Enterprise is “a disaster area” according to football coach Nathan McDaniel – “students running around crying, several are injured. This school is totally destroyed. Cars upside down, it’s really unfortunate.”
“Several parents are outside looking for their children. I don’t believe there are any fatalities, but I don’t believe any are injured. Every medical personnel is requested to go to Enterprise High School.”
“The roof has collapsed in”
1 confirmed fatality in tornado in Miller’s Ferry, AL.
Also saw on CNN that there’s another supercell (no tornado yet) bearing down on Tuscaloosa- the anchor told U of Alabama students to “take the day off.”
Yeah we got tons of fat people on our team….Wickamania, Paronto, Moylan, Barry, Bobby, etc…
Braves Win, 7-2.
Davies- 2 innings pitched, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks, 1 K…our six pitchers combined for 1 Walk!
Also Mark Lemke was in the booth with Pete today.
That’s horrible about the tornadoes, they are in Missouri too, one reported death in souther Missouri, a 7 year old girl.
5 rotations in Tuscaloosa county, could touch down at any time
AAR,
As long as you don’t mention Rocco Baldelli, you’re probably safe.
Brian J.,
I don’t mean to make light of the tornado situation; indeed, I’m praying for all those in the area.
That said, when are Alabama students not considered to be taking a day off?
Big trade in football today….
DET- RB Tatum Bell and OT George Foster
DEN- CB Dre’ Bly
also the Steelers released Joey Porter today, saving themselves $5M.
That said, when are Alabama students not considered to be taking a day off?
Weekends.
Why did the Steelers did that?
Pedro,
Well he is in the final year of his contract and the Steelers probably think Porter would hold out to get another deal. He had a $1M roster bonus coming along with $4M for his final year. But this also could be one of those “release and sign” deals. But that’s risky, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone snatches him up quickly. The Ravens maybe, who need another OLB that can succeed in a 3-4 scheme since Adalius Thomas is leaving for Free-Agency.
8 dead at Enterprise High School following today’s tornado
Correction – 8 dead in Enterprise, though not necessarily all at the high school.
In an interview with a student (who seemed very intelligent), he said he didn’t want to comment if there were fatalities at the high school, which leads me to believe there are some.
Cadahia survives wreck on the way to the park today..
http://www.accessnorthga.com/news/ap_newfullstory.asp?ID=88345
Has anybody upgraded to Vista? I just got a new laptop, and I wanted to hear if any of you guys had any comments.
I dont, but my wife works for a software co. She was telling me the other day that most people feel like they’ve wasted their money and its not very good.
Rob,
I want to, but I only have a gig of memory…so I don’t know if I have enough.
from DOB….
Pena assigned to Davies? Brayan Pena is catching and batting fifth today vs. the Dodgers, probably a pretty good indication he’ll be assigned to catch Kyle Davies’ starts this season.
Bobby Cox indicated during pitching camp last month that he’d go back to using his backup catcher for a specific pitcher, the way he did most seasons until last year, when he started out the season with Brian McCann and veteran Todd Pratt in a platoon.
There will be no platoon this season, with the All-Star McCann expected to catch four days out of five, at least (he would probably get some of Davies’ starts along the way, especially late in the season in a playoff drive). Of course, all this is assuming Davies is the fifth starter, which I think he will be unless he falls on his face this sprin
I’m thinking 1GB of RAM is enough. This laptop’s got a Turion 64 X2 and 1GB of RAM, and it’s running Vista with no lag. I just moved all my mp3s across my network, installed MS Office 2003, and burned the recovery DVD at the same time, with no problems.
DOB can’t even get the words to Big River right – no wonder I don’t read his blog.
We went from O’Brien, Perez, Bako, Lunar, et al catching Maddux to Pena catching Davies. My how far we’ve fallen…
Spike,
At least DOB’s got some musical taste. As they say in Soprano-Land, I’d give him a pass.
Why didn’t this kind of “news” appear back in the early 1980s, when I really hated the Dodgers? Now I just don’t care…
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6519208?MSNHPHCP>1=9232
Who else caught Maddux?
Damon Berryhill and Henry Blanco.
Ooooh good ones. Anybody else? Estrada?
15 dead in high school tornado. Mercy.
Paul Bako caught Maddux.
Davies was good and Cormier sucked today. That is what I want.
No Cormier for starter!
Tomorrow’s game should be good…Smoltz pitching…LaRoche/Gonzo/Lillibridge vs their former teams…
I think Greg Myers caught Maddux for a little bit.
Yeah, come to think of it, I caught Maddux for a couple starts in September of ’99. At the time they just wanted anyone but Javy. I didn’t really understand why, but hey, I made the league minimum prorated to 3 weeks, so I didn’t argue…
Who else caught Maddux?
I think that Lopez guy got a couple in.
You’re right about DOB of course – but goodness, if you’re going to print lyrics, it’s pretty easy these days, what with the intertubes and all.
plus Torrealba, Matos and Fabregast? Maybe Spehr?
ok I cheated a bit, but didn’t go to check individual games
@48
Michael Young is the face of the franchise right now (he’s in the sports page here daily, probably the way Chipper, Smoltz, and Andruw are in Atlanta). He plays every day, every stinkin’ hot day, and in these parts when an August/September day climbs to 105, after 20 or 30 days of 100 in a row, and the evenings cool down to 90 by 11:00pm (94-98 for gametime), that’s saying something. Arlington, is after all, the place where pitchers go to die (unless they are superhuman, like Ryan). Moreover, the SS position was supposed to be a black hole after they traded A-Rod to the Yankees, but Young stepped in, and while he’s no A-Rod…he’s no A-Hole (publically, anyway. Naturally, I can’t speak of him personally) either.
So, while his stats may not merit 15 million, losing him would have other costs. In fact, it would probably also cost them Texiera, Blalock, and any other player nearing free agency soon. And it would cost them more of their already declining audience. And the owner here doesn’t really want to start all over, again, nor does he want to lose precious attendance dollars.
Oh yeah, forgot about Luis Matos. Anyone else?
Pascual, not Luis.
About Michael Young
That´s my random guess. Besides, all fans who know Michael Young (of course, I am a big fan of Michaey) feel that is a natural result. A-ROD is a talented man but if someone ask me like this “Which SS player do you prefer?” My choice is positively Michaey Young. For myself, his cute smile is irresistible. LOL…Congratulations his long-term deal. Michaey, he is enough rich. Pray for good health.
Finally, I’ll watch TV Braves vs Pirates. Go BRAVES. I’m happy !!!!
Heh, thanks flournoy. Might be why I “forgot.” haha
Will he be suiting up for Liverpool as well? No?
I think Michael Young caught Maddux for a time, so did Cousin Larry Appilton
Peter Gammons on Mike and Mike in the Morning:
“The Braves are back. Hudson is back and looks great and seems to finally have realized that it’s different pitching in Atlanta than in Oakland, Davies is back after his injury last season, Hampton is back and Bobby Cox has been given the best bullpen of his career.”
We just got a computer with Vista. We made sure we got 2 gb because people told us we would have problems with less. So far,I like it pretty well, but it’s not backward compatible with some of the programs I need for work (Word Perfect), so we are having to keep our old computer. I have been trying to network the two computers using a router, but so far have been unable to access the internet this way. (Said it was trying to connect but could not.) I am wondering if this might have something to do with Vista. I would be glad to hear any words of wisdom from people with computer knowledge.
If you can wait a little while to get Vista, I would recommend it. Microsoft rushed many aspects of it to the market. I’m a CS major and I have many classmates and professors who are hearing horror stories at work and in the school with it. I wouldn’t be so scared with a new PC, but I would recommend 2gig of Memory. At many times, Vista is configured to be using half a gig by itself so if you upgrade you may find that your computer is running slower than it did with XP. Also, some of the big problems come with upgrading. There are many programs and hardware that are not currently compatible with Vista. Once they go through some service packs, things will get better.
wow mark, I wish you would have told me you were going to type many of the things I wanted to say…:)
“A charter bus carrying a college baseball team from Ohio plunged off a highway ramp in Georgia early Friday and slammed into the pavement below, killing at least six people and scattering sports equipment across the road, authorities said. ”
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=2785357