Welcome back, old man.
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Welcome back, old man.
Use code “Journal” for a 5% discount.
Rosenthal updated the Teixeira rumors, saying it might not have to include Salty or Escobar. Sounds promising until he says Thor might be included, and that we all know is just ridiculous
http://dugout.progressiveboink.com/archive/jon130.html
I know it was mentioned last thread… but I still find it hilarious.
“So with his .350 avg, you telling me Diaz is a better hitter than Frenchy, Chipper, Edgar, McCann, KJ…c’mon guys let’s calm down with putting Diaz in the hall of fame.”
tony,
i know we are supposed to ignore people’s thoughts on things if we dont like their comments, but when someone totally neglects your point and posts 40 times in a 200 comment thread, it’s kind of hard to ingore that.
i never said diaz was better than any of those players, because every player you named has power and rbi producing ability. diaz and escobar do not and that is why they i compared them to each other. did you even read my post or did you just pick the parts you thought pertained to you? anyway, no, people are not going to ask for diaz, because they see him as a role player, and that is why escobar is being shopped, because as long as he is with the braves, that is what he will be: a role player (which, on a good team, that’s what he should be). by trading him, we are doing what every gm in baseball would like to be able to do, and that is trade high. not marijuana high, but player value high.
My hope is that they’re bringing Franco back so he can retire as a Brave. Then they should induct him into the Braves Hall of Fame. Like, you know, next week. So he doesn’t get the crazy idea of trying to suit up for a game.
Tom,
Rosenthal himself is rediculous, and you should take everything he says or writes with a bit of suspicion.
AAR,
He’ll at least be pinch-hitting today, that I’m certain of.
Justin,
Thanks for your opinion…will leave it at that. As far as my credibility on the board…nevermind again thanks for your opinion. Geez.
So JS actually passed on D. Young, so they are really looking for another bat. I agree the lack of power from Francouer and Thor was totally unexpected.
A new sighting of Phil Stockman. Last night he pitched his second stint in Missippi. 1 inning, 1 H, 1 K, no runs.
Boy, we need him to stay well and come visit us on the big league club.
I would pass on Young when Bowden asked for Salty and Escobar too.
With the way the pen has been used Bobby better start pushing some of our starters to get a little deeper. He might have to quit cutting them off at 100 pitches and let some of them get 110-120 if possible. Yates and Soriano have been overused and its starting to show. He cant keep pulling James after 5 when he’s only at 75 pitches or so
Stockman would be a welcome change. Wonder what he could be like as a starter. He’s got a power arm
At the All Star break, I was thinking we needed a starter, a left handed reliever and some bench help. That was before we couldn’t score against the Reds. With Franco, we may or may not have bench help. It sounds as though we may be in line for a bat and reliever. That still leaves us a starter short…
Ryan C,
Ok Ryan if you think the Cuban Missle, will just be a role player…then ok your opinion has been noted.
I love me some Stockman…my kind of pitcher. 6-8 250 lbs.
Wasnt he a starter at some point. I think he started gettting cramps in his outings so they converted him. Does this sound right?
Living in Reds country, I’ve taken crap all day long. When I said before this series we were a starter away from a pennant, they just shrugged. Now they think I’m insane.
The local talk was all about our relief pitching. Marty Brenneman and Jeff Brantly said–flat-out–that our relief picthing went to hell the day we lost Gonzo. The Reds radio fans sincerely don’t believe we have anybody to get Griffey out when the game is on the line.
And they believe if Chipper gets hurt, we’ll finish below .500.
I’m out of arguments. Can anybody help me?
Not really thats about right. You’ve seen our numbers with and without Chipper. We lost a big part of our pen when Gonzo went down. our pen is being overused and not managed properly. I dont know if I would bet on any of our guys to be able to get out Griffey with the game on the line. Wickman? Soriano? Yates? None have been too impressive lately
Kevin,
Give them all of Tony’s post on Escobar, and tell them thats the reason the Braves will win the pennant. Just be prepared to tuck tail and run afterwards.
that sounds negative, but most of its true I think
LOL, Justin.
Kevin,
I’d ask them why they’re listening to Jeff Brantley’s opinions.
Hmmm…no offense but gives a damn about the Reds. You live in Reds country, sorry about that. But the Braves are a much better team on the road, so we will shut them up when we come to that bandbox they call a stadium.
Isn’t Griffey a hall of famer? Anyway, they are going nowhere, so I wouldn’t waste my breath.
Justin,
Give it up dude…you’re late.
Our relievers just now went to hell at the All Star break I think.
My favorite way of dealing with people who give me shit about being a Braves or a baseball fan is to punch them in the stomach with a brick.
check out the comparable stats to Carlyle and Villareal. Almost the same ERA, IP, H, BB, and Villareal has more K’s. We’ve been more than happy with Carlyle’s starts. I think its time to give Villareal a shot and just give Moylan the long relief role. Put Reyes in the Pen to see if he can be a loogy
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/stats/sortable_player_stats.jsp?c_id=atl
that doesnt sound like a bad idea csg. if all this trade crap doesnt pan out, maybe it happens.
Nice find, csg. Great comparison—Carlyle’s given up twice as many HRs, too, although I seem to remember every single one Villarreal gives up.
AAR will not be happy with this development.
The thing about Villareal is you can never be comfortable with him. He can be lights out for about 3 innings and then he’ll totally lose it and get thrashed. Maybe it’s just because Buddy had some really bad starts early on but I would have thought his numbers would be much better than Oscar’s. Maybe Oscar is allowing a lot of inherited runners score?
I was really surprised to see how close the #’s were. Seriously though, if our 4th and 5th were Carlyle and Villareal and the #’s stayed similar I think that would give us a very solid rotation with a total era between 3.5-3.7. Good enough without having to trade away our good pieces. however Im sure JS wants another vet to throw in the #3 spot
Tony,
You post too much, get a life and if you have a job go back to it as your about to get fired for playing on the internet too much!
Oscar has a 3.50 era in 4 starts. Sample size of course
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/splits?statsId=7112&type=pitching3&three=1
A brick to the stomach…interesting.
What the Reds should do is trade Griffey so he can get a shot at a ring before he retires….
I like Vil in the long relief role. I think we will need he and Moylan down the stretch in that role. They both will give up runs, b/c they don’t have anything to get out lefthanders….
also check out Oscar’s stats with 3-6 days of rest. Same link as above
csg – I’d be all for that. I must admit, I am not sold on Carlyle just yet either, however. I am just not sure his “luck” will keep up and Villareal has much the same issue. Some great moments, but inconsistent. I’d be willing to wait and see, however, if we cannot land another starter. Villareal sure looked great last summer during the World Baseball Classic.
Stu, you’re quite right, I tend to have trouble stomaching Villarreal’s blow-ups, though I have publicly apologized to him in this forum, as he’s been quietly having a very good year. Hell, if he can give us Carlyle-like performance in the #5 role, and Carlyle can give us Carlyle-like performance as a #4, that would be so much better than what Davies and (insert random assorted crappy fifth starter) have given us all year, we could probably catch up to the Mets in a matter of weeks.
Remember, they have Jorge Sosa.
Jake,
I only post at work b/c I have a life. And if I can’t write a one word sentence and still get my work done…then I must be an idiot or what we call back home in CT, a jake. Now that was funny…LOL
Carlyle’s been great against bad teams, and bad against good teams. Which means he—and if the comparison holds up, Villarreal—are very solid back-of-the-rotation guys, especially at their prices, but not guys you’d want on the mound in a short (read: postseason) series. We still do need a #3.
Chuckie’s been doing a great job recently, actually. He’s a solid #3-#4, and is trending upward.
Yeah, AAR, you’ve publicly apologized to him…and then been like, “See, this is what I was talking about!” when he’s had a blow-up.
I’m not calling you out or anything (just trying to make a joke), because, although my stomach doesn’t turn quite as much as yours, I’m similarly uninspired by The Vulture. Still, he can’t be worse than what we’ve been putting out there, and if Reyes proves not to be the answer and we don’t acquire anyone else, I think he’s earned a shot at the rotation.
I agree AAR. Chuck is becoming more consisent and thus a viable #3 starter.
I think they should give Escobar a chance in the rotation, I’m sure Tony would agree.
True, AAR—and as someone who only goes 5 innings, he should certainly be well rested for the playoffs.
If you look at Oscar and Buddy’s FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) which attempts to take luck out of the equation, neither seems to be “lucky” this year. Buddy is a 4.42 FIP with a 4.00 ERA and Oscar has a 3.38 FIP with a 3.93 ERA. Oscar has actually been unlucky. I wouldn’t have guessed it though, watching im pitch.
Bonds just hit #752 if anyone cares.
While Chuck may become a #3, he currently is a #4. We need a true #3 because I don’t trust him (yet)in a postseason series.
Did anyone notice how fat Bonds is getting? The showed him running in a tshirt and his belly is getting bigger than his head. However, he’s still able to crush some balls
Yeah, I like Chuck and hope he’s in our rotation for the next several years. I’d just like to have 3 pitchers better than him in the rotation, too.
Justin,
Keep it up..you are doing a great job so far.
One of these is Matt Diaz and and other is Ichiro’s career numbers. (.350 .372 .460) (.332 .379 .439) Anyone want to guess?
One of these players is getting 20 mm and the other doesn’t even start.
It makes no sense to me why Diaz isn’t starting, especially with Willie coming back to earth. The guy just straight up hits.
Thanks Tony.
Ethan,
There is just no point in bringing statistics into this debate. Diaz doesn’t look like a good baseball player so he isn’t, end of story.
Granted he doesn’t steal bases, but I’m not saying to pay him 20mm. He’s a solid defender and plays hard. He should start.
has anyone been sent down for Julio yet. I really think they should keep Ascanio up. He’s still fresh and can throw some innings for us. Davies has no place right now
would you rather trade Escobar or Andrus
Did someone just compare Ichiro to Diaz? Mercy…
justin, i got your back. check this out.
if anyone is interested in how many words tony has typed on this website over the last 8 hours, i just calculated it. his total word count is 1216 words. thats a lot of “on the job” blogging. so much for those 1 word “sentences”. if i can calculate that correctly (1216/1 words per sentence=1216 sentences). btw, i am a school teacher, and i am on summer vacation. 🙂
Did I just see a comparison of Ichiro and Matt Diaz? I like Diaz and all, but I never thought I’d see his name in a statistical comparison with Ichiro.
I’ve been pondering that ever since the last thread, csg, and it’s really tough for me to decide.
On the one hand, Escobar is capable of helping the Braves right now, and Andrus may never pan out.
On the other, it’s tough to envision Escobar’s value getting any higher, and Andrus’ upside is much higher.
I think I’d probably trade Andrus, although that would also depend on who the other teams value more highly—if Escobar would bring significantly more in return than would Andrus, I’d trade the former.
I’d trade Escobar, Andrus has a much higher ceiling.
You sure did. Matt Diaz is basically a very old Ichiro.
Ryan C,
A high school teacher…what you need to borrow some money or something? Is that why you are keeping up with the number of words I have typed on this website in the last 8 hours? Lol you kids are hilarious.
thats what I was thinking also. The kids only 18 and they’re saying he could be the next Jeter. However, like you said, he may not ever pan out
can we just try and have a civilized discussion about the team that we all pull for?
Diaz does have similar career percentages to Ichiro. There are certain problems with the comparison, the most important of which are:
1. Ichiro plays center fairly well and right very well, while Diaz plays left and first both fairly indifferently. (I know the stats there for Diaz, but there is a context illusion there I am quite certain.)
2. Ichiro has played his entire ML career in a part that severely limits power, while Diaz has played in two good hitters’ parks and one neutral one.
Question, Mac:
While Safeco surely limits HRs, is there not a bump, especially for a guy like Ichiro, for triples and doubles, what with the spaciousness?
The statistics may well account for this—I’m just asking.
Giants should have traded Morris when he had value. another bad start today
4ip 9h 7r 4er 1bb 0k era is now at 4.02. They can keep him and his $9mil salary
Offensively, Diaz is Ichiro w/o the speed. Argue it.
Here are the latest from Joe Morgan:
john (denver): Do you think the rockies can contend, and how good do you think Matt Holliday is?
Joe Morgan: I think the Dodgers and the Padres are the teams to beat over there, mainly because of their pitching. The Rockies seem to be manipulating the balls in their stadium–one day it’s 13-1, and one day it’s 1-0. Arizona’s also in there. Everyone has a chance there except the Giants.
Raymond (Wichita, KS): Hey Joe, What is your take on the Roayls sucess since the middle of May? Do you see good signs in the way they have been playing?
Joe Morgan: Every team so far has had good streaks/bad streaks. Every team has weaknesses. It’s gonna be an up-and-down rollercoaster, but I do see signs of them getting better, and as long as Alex Gordon continues to get better, they will continue to build on that success.
I know he was a good player, but how does he have a job?
I don’t have overall stats. Interestingly, Turner Field has been by far the hardest place to score runs in the majors this year, while Safeco has been more or less neutral, but has been below-average for doubles and an absolutely impossible place for triples.
ESPN – MLB Park Factors – Major League Baseball
Ethan,
No he wasn’t a good player, he is a hall of famer. The two answers you quoted were a bad example of whatever point you are trying to prove.
Matt Morris is doing what I knew he would do.
what does that tell us about KJ and his 8 triples?
From Jayyyyson Stark:
Zack Greinke is admittedly a long shot to be traded, but that doesn’t mean teams aren’t asking all the time. The Braves connection is obvious. Stark says John Schuerholz is getting very aggressive and creative trying to improve his team. Two prospects on the block are Elvis Andrus and Dan Smith.
It is Safeco where triples are nearly impossible. Turner field is only slightly below average when it comes to allowing triples.
csg,
It tells us that KJ hits for extra bases, unlike some Cuban singles hitter we all know.
Tony,
Joe Morgan as a announcer is a joke. I’m not questioning his ability to play baseball.
I am aware he is a hall of famer, but if it wasn’t as a player, it would never be from the Ford C. Frick Award.
Those were answers from a live ESPN chat a few hours ago. If you think they were insightful, then it says more about you than I ever could.
JS better not trade Andrus!
I’m hoping Escobar gets traded soon just so we can stop having this discussion.
As for Oscar starting, I’ve been banging that drum for so long I’ve sort of given up hope. He’s been the best option for the fifth spot for months and yet we continue to use him only in games that are lost causes or on their way there.
Justin,
Whatever dude…no one is going go back and forth with you. You like a little kid at the begging for someone to play with you. You got in too late and we already had the KJ/Esco convo for today. At least with me….
I know he was a good player, but how does he have a job?
Although there isn’t much insight given, I agree with everything Joe says there right down to the Rockies manipulating the balls – something they should have been doing all along anyway.
Then again I don’t seem to have the same violent negative reaction to Joe as most people.
Andrus > Lillibridge > Escobar
Ethan,
I understand you have this hatred of Joe Morgan. However, the example you gave does not prove your point of how bad he is…what would have said? Goodness….
what would you have said?
any word on who will be sent down for Julio?
Tony,
To be fair, Ethan is not the only person who hates Joe Morgan–I gladly put myself on that list.
As a player, he was great. As an announcer, he makes my ears bleed, and it’s not just is open disdain for the Braves organization.
Alex R,
I understand about the announcing…I was just asking what was so bad about the Q&A Ethan quoted…I can’t see it.
Count me as one who loathes Joe Morgan as an announcer.
Mainly that Morgan rambles and says many nonsensical things. Kind of like Paula Abdul. Or Woody Paige.
Smoltz pain free yesterday…
http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/braves/entries/2007/07/19/smoltzs_strong.html
good info on our offense also
Look closely at the first question:
john (denver): Do you think the rockies can contend, and how good do you think Matt Holliday is?
Joe Morgan: I think the Dodgers and the Padres are the teams to beat over there, mainly because of their pitching. The Rockies seem to be manipulating the balls in their stadium–one day it’s 13-1, and one day it’s 1-0. Arizona’s also in there. Everyone has a chance there except the Giants.
I will grant that he answered the first question, but there is not a word to be said about Matt Holliday. That would be his classic “I haven’t seen him play enough to comment on him” dodge.
Morgan is as bad or worse than McCarver and Torborg….I respect what he did as a player, but I’d rather listen to Fran Drescher read shakespear for an hour than listen to him for 1 inning.
That’s great news if it’s true. I’m not convinced it is, but I’ll be happy if I’m wrong.
Let me try this again…
Alex R,
What’s wrong with this q&a?
“Here are the latest from Joe Morgan:
john (denver): Do you think the rockies can contend, and how good do you think Matt Holliday is?
Joe Morgan: I think the Dodgers and the Padres are the teams to beat over there, mainly because of their pitching. The Rockies seem to be manipulating the balls in their stadium–one day it’s 13-1, and one day it’s 1-0. Arizona’s also in there. Everyone has a chance there except the Giants.
Raymond (Wichita, KS): Hey Joe, What is your take on the Roayls sucess since the middle of May? Do you see good signs in the way they have been playing?
Joe Morgan: Every team so far has had good streaks/bad streaks. Every team has weaknesses. It’s gonna be an up-and-down rollercoaster, but I do see signs of them getting better, and as long as Alex Gordon continues to get better, they will continue to build on that success.”
Ethan said that was from ESPN chat today…I’m just trying to figure what was so bad about it.
http://www.firejoemorgan.com
Reading a single JoeChat is enough to make ANYONE realize that man does not care about his job and puts absolutely NO effort in giving good answers to simple questions like “Hey, the Royals haven’t COMPLETELY sucked, will they be solid in the future?” Come on. All it takes is an internet connection and some clicks to give a bull shit answer better than Joe’s.
I didn’t want to get sucked in to that, but I fully believe that people like Joe Morgan (as writers and commentators) are a pox on my favorite form of entertainment.
Anyways, I had no idea Diaz’s career line was that nuts. He really does put together singles like nobody’s business. It’s a shame he doesn’t have enough of the other 4 tools to make up for being a COF.
Well, for the first question, I would have answered it. It was, a) can the Rockies contend and b) what about Holliday?
Joe says dodgers and padres are the team to beat, then changes to everyone (except the Giants having a chance). He does not address the Rockies at all except to refer to them manipulating the baseballs. He never talks about them contending. Also, he never even mentions Holliday.
For the second question, he gives a cliche about streaks and every team having weaknesses (no s*&*!). He then talks about signs of the Royals turning around (but forgets to say what they are), then instead of bringing up something intelligent (like the Royals improved bullpen) he throws it all in Alex Gordon’s lap.
The guy was a great player, but he should have left it at that.
Sam,
As far as not answering the 2nd part of the question…here in DC that’s common practice. Doesn’t mean the person in an idiot though. But oh well…
Tony,
I guess you just don’t watch the ESPN Sunday game of the week every week. Because if you did, you’d hate Joe Morgan.
I am already planning to have ESPN on MUTE this Sunday when we play the Cardinals.
To address the second question’s problem, he sort of contradicts his own first question answer. He basically accuses the Rockies of doctoring balls and causing streakiness in offensive output, and then immediately states teams are streaky.
However, the main problem is you can copy-paste that response for EVERY bad-to-average team in any sport and replace “Alex Gordon” with their young stud player.
I’d take Joe Morgan over Chip Caray.
Maybe I just have better things to dislike, but I can’t get that passionate about Morgan being a bad announcer. I guess if I didn’t like him I wouldn’t listen to him.
Nice cop out.
I will grant that he answered the first question, but there is not a word to be said about Matt Holliday. That would be his classic “I haven’t seen him play enough to comment on him” dodge.
That seems like the correct way to answer it to me. I don’t think there are too many analysts out there sitting through Rockies games these days. He could have spouted platitudes or made something up but I doubt that would have made people happy either. I mean he covers the game on a national level and the Rockies don’t really play on a national level.
I know someone mentioned this a few weeks ago, but with Bonds hitting #752 this afternoon and us going to SF in four days for a four game serie, I’m really scared Hank’s record will get broken against us. That would be the worst thing that could ever happen to the Braves (until someone break’s Bonds’ record), hands down. If he’s just got one to go, I vote we intentionally walk him every single time he gets up to bat, no matter what.
I just posted something but it didn’t come up. Any ideas where it went? There were no links on it…
Joe Morgan vs. Chip Caray.
You don’t have to choose, really. Just keep using the mute button–seriously, it works!
I just seriously hate Morgan’s rambling style. It’s like he’s constantly shocked that he’s not being asked exclusively about the Sox and Yanks with a little Reds mixed in.
And back to the Braves.
A lot of rumblings exist on this board about us being a .500 team or worse were it not for the hot start, but I’m sure a lot of you have seen stuff about the Red Sox. They’re like 20-23 for the past 43 games, and I don’t think any of us think they’re a shitty team.
joshtothemax,
It sounds to me like you guys are digging way too deep to find something wrong with those quotes.
No Alex I do watch the game of the week. And I don’t have a problem with Joe Morgan. Where I live I have the opportunity to listen to Jim Palmer, Buck Martinez and Don Sutton do color..and I think they all are insightful. They all have different styles and in my mind are all solid. And I put Joe Morgan in that group.
Tony,
During the infamous Cubs/Braves Sunday night game, I believe about a month ago, it was Morgan who spent the entire 9 innings (and dragging his enabler, Jon Miller, along for the ride) bitching & moaning about how unfairly the Cubs had been treated and wouldn’t let it go the entire game.
But of course good ole’ Joe would never point out that Alfonso Soriano’s annoying hot dogging has led to multiple bench clearing brawls.
Alex its no use, Tony is just playing Devil’s Advocate to every subject on this board.
Now Alex, I didn’t say he didn’t have his moments…b/c even I had to mute that game b/c it went on way too long.
Well, they did get screwed there, but yeah they talked about it way too long. Morgan is pretty benign to me. He can’t ruin a game for me like Tim McCarver, not even close. I don’t think I even like baseball when Tim McCarver is involved.
Don’t like the Chip and Joe team at all but that may be more a case of them being so much worse than Skip and Pete that I get annoyed that we are stuck with them.
Finally something that makes sense and Davies got sent down. Let’s hope Jo-Jo keeps improving.
Justin,
You do know what Devil’s Advocate mean right? I wouldn’t say if I didn’t believe it. A fans blog is not for everyone to get on and agree with one another.
And now Bonds just hit #753. Looking a lot like he could break/tie the record against the Braves next week in San Francisco.
I remember Chip saying something stupid about a pitch the other day. He called it a “bow walker”
Oh man…wouldn’t that be something if he did it agains the Braves. Wow…
I hope he doesnt break it and Selig gets to travel around watching for a couple of weeks
@98
it’s his job to know. And besides, Holliday is one of the best hitters in baseball. Do you think Keith Law (one of my favorite analysts) would have answered like that?
Here’s something from his chat today.
Jim (Detroit): Keith, I believe you have said in previous chat’s that Andrew Miller wasn’t ready for the big leagues this year, but he’s pitched pretty well in his starts (3.33 ERA). Has this surprised you at all? Also, once he gains a little more command of his fastball and further developes his off speed pitches, how good can he be?
Keith Law: His ERA is good, but his peripherals aren’t – but it doesn’t seem to be hurting him to be in the majors, so they were probably right in promoting him after all. I think he’s a potential #1, and I hope that he struggles a little bit this year to force him to develop as you mentioned.
That is how you answer a question.
I hope the Braves intentionally walk Bonds in every single AB, even if that means walking in the go-ahead run in extra innings. I would support the immediate release of any Braves pitcher who gave up #755 or #756.
And I agree with Dan that Chip is worse than Joe. I don’t like Joe, but kinda like Robert with respect to Tim McCarver, when Chip calls a game, I’m too distracted by how bad he is at his job to fully enjoy the game.
Joe Morgan calls himself a “fan” of baseball, and yet, he doesn’t know about the man who is one of the leaders the National League in batting average.
I like Law, too, Ethan. In that chat (actually a couple days old), however, he refers to Aaron Harang as nothing better than a good innings eater, a 3/4 type pitcher. That’s a case where he’s just not paying attention, it seems to me.
Why can’t he just BS it like everything else he does: “I think he’s a very good hitter, although that might be a product of Coors Field. We’ll see how he does the rest of the season.”
You know what’s bad about Chip, he actually has a good TV voice…it’s just he is too inaccurate. And when gives his opinion it’s like Chip, please just call the game.
Joe is a fan of what baseball can do for him and his image.
Yeah, I saw too. I think he spends more time on the minor leaguers. You’re right; it was the 18th.
McCarver use to be real good, I think he’s just being doing too long. Time for new blood. I really like Thom Brenneman….he’s probably my favorite. Although Michael Kay for the Yankees is not too bad.
I think his TV voice is too perfect and it is unbearably annoying.
I hope the Braves intentionally walk Bonds in every single AB, even if that means walking in the go-ahead run in extra innings.
I hoping this is hyperbole. We are trying to win ballgames here. I don’t want him to make it either, but this thing is going to happen one way or another.
That is how you answer a question.
Sure, but those guys have different roles within the ESPN organization. Law is a bit of numbers cruncher, Morgan give a player’s insight. They don’t hire the former players to talk about peripherals.
Whatever. His chats are easy to avoid. He’s pretty harmless.
Robert,
Great insight….
That should be hyperbole, because walking Bonds with the bases loaded in extras in San Fran means losing the game.
the sky is blue……..waiting for an argument.
Vin Scully is my favorite announcer. It’s weird too because he’s kinda monotone, but it just works. I like Skip too, more now cause he’s getting older and says what he wants and doesn’t give a s#($ what people think.
Well I grew up in the 80’s so Vin Scully will always be my favorite….watching the game of the week with he and Joe. Skip is cool too….
I’m a little worried about Skip actually. He’s been ok on radio, but on TV he hasn’t sounded too with it.
Scully is hanging in there. Obviously age is taking it’s toll, but he’s fighting it better than most.
Put me in the anti-Morgan camp. However, I don’t think Chip is all that bad, and Skip’s curmudgeonly commentary is absolute ear candy. I also like how Skip and Chip play off each other, but maybe most of my affection for Chip is residual respect for his dad…
Ah, I was thinking the game was in Atlanta.
But no, it’s not hyperbole. I would sacrifice a loss or three to prevent Bonds from breaking the hallowed record of my franchise’s greatest player.
But you guys don’t really need to worry about it, since I’m not managing the games.
I don’t think Chip is all that annoying, although he does annoy me sometimes.
I’m a little worried about Skip actually.
Me, too. I’ve mentioned this before. And he may not be as bad on radio as on TV, but even there, it sounds to me like he’s slowed down a good bit.
I do love him as a broadcaster, though. I really enjoyed the Skip-Joe team (fabulous dynamic), which is part of the reason I’ve become so frustrated with the Chip-Joe team.
What does everyone think of Sciambi? I like him.
In reply to Tony, the Devil’s Advocate generally takes a stance in opposition of popular opinion for arguments sake. You have taken the opposing side of two different arguments on this board lately and argued them, not very well might I add, against everyone, excepting a few.
Yea Skip /Joe was cool….
I remember when I saw Skip in DC last year…I couldn’t believe how slow he moved, like he was about 90 y/o. Hope he is ok…
Scully is hanging in there. Obviously age is taking it’s toll, but he’s fighting it better than most.
Yeah. I really noticed his slippage during the recent series against the Braves. As usual, all the anecdotes were great, but he had unusual trouble with pronunciation and outright mixing players’ names up. He referred to Andruw as Andruw Johnson on more than one occasion.
Sciambi’s okay, but he’s the same guy who started screaming about Andruw’s flyout the other day.
Jayson Stark’s Rumblings and Grumblings:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=2941630
“Meanwhile, clubs that have talked to Atlanta say there isn’t a buyer in baseball trying to be more aggressive or more creative than the Braves. “They’re in on everybody,” says one GM. “Starters. Relievers. Bats. Older guys. Young guys. They’re heating up to do something.”
The Braves are balking at dealing Jarrod Saltalamacchia or the dynamic Yunel Escobar. But other clubs report they are willing to talk about shortstop prospect Elvis Andrus and power left-hander Dan Smith.
“We’re not talking about guys at the level of a [Jeff] Francoeur or a [Brian] McCann, guys like that,” says an executive of one team. “But they’ve still got some real nice pieces to move. They’re just not gigantic pieces.”
There are indications the Braves made a run at Dmitri Young a few weeks ago, didn’t like the asking price and headed in other directions. “
Sam,
We had a good discussion about that Stark article this morning.
Shift is over…we see the bravesjournal on 07/22..lefty going tonite, hit him hard Esco…
Well, I just saw a few minutes ago. Sorry. 😛
Does anybody know anything about Willy Aybar? Usually, prescription drug and street drug treatments are 8 weeks (unless you are a physician and then it is 24 weeks). He should have gone in, gotten out, and started playing.
Does he have other mental problems? Are the Braves just going to release him? What’s up?
Not to be a Devil’s Advocate or anything…
I’ve never really listened to Steely Dan, but they inspired one of my favorite comments from one of my favorite music reviewers, David Wilson:
Wilson’s Steely Dan Bedtime Story
Once upon a time, there was a little boy named David who listened to a lot of “classic rock radio.” He got to know all of Steely Dan’s hits without knowing who they were, or that they were all by the same band, and he found all of them deadly dull (“Hey Nineteen”), annoying (“Boddhisatva”) or both (“Reelin’ In The Years”). One fine day, he was sitting in a restaurant with Alroy, and what did he hear but their greatest hits CD – David was stunned to realize that just one band had recorded so many songs he hated! And he lived unhappily ever after.
David continued to be exposed to the band over time – just the other week, he sat through a CD of theirs at a social gathering – but his opinion of them never changes. He often finds their production too slick, but mainly he just can’t stand the compositions, and has no idea why people are so impressed by their “jazzy” chord progressions.
PS David hates Nazis way more.
Julio in the starting lineup, batting seventh between Diaz and Salty. Wild stuff.
Lineup
2B Escobar
SS Renteria
3B Chipper
CF Andruw
RF Francoeur
LF Diaz
1B Franco
C Salty
P Hudson
Any time I hear an announcer go all Sabermetric on the air, I swoon.
I’m a Sciambi fan, although he did take some warming up to…
For the record, righties are hitting a hefty .316/.371/.580 against Maroth this season and we will be sending nine of them out there.
Going all-out righty. Nice.
Did someone really use the phrase “empty .350 average” in the previous thread?
Oh, and what do I win for predicting that Franco would start today’s game? With this stupid Julio Franco nonsense, and the Vick dog fighting
scandal I may just have to throw all my chips in with the Hawks.
Sciambi has been the best Braves tv announcer by far this year. He’s even been better than Skip, although that mostly has to do with Skip’s not being on much. But anyway, he’s been a nice surprise. I know I’ve heard him before, but I can’t place where. Was he with the Marlins last year, maybe?
yes, he was with the marlins.
Not last year, but he was for a while…
thanks, they all blend together after a while, but I figured he had to be from the East.
@113
>>I would support the immediate release of any Braves pitcher who gave up #755 or #756.
Now we know what Bobby’s been saving Devine for!
Well if Devine did do it we know that it would be a dramatic-as-possible game winning grand slam. Might as well make it a good clip since it will be replayed a billion times.
I said it about a week ago, I’ll say it again…
ANDRUW IS BACK DOODZ!!!
ANDRUW
Hey, is there anywhere on the web I can listen to this game on the radio? If you have a link, I would appreciate it. I am working late and have no TV here.
Julio is inspiring the troops already!
Random side note: I got to listen to most of the game on XM yesterday and realized how much I truly missed Skip’s non sequiturs…
While Pete is trying to call the game Skip is going on about how his oven is beyond his control.
franco?? inspiring??……..hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.i wonder what fred mcgriff is doing
wow… why couldn’t we do this against the reds…
Escobar would have hit a 2 run homer there.
I caught the tail-end of that conversation….were the announcers saying Carpenter is having surgery and will not return until 2008?
Yeah. Carpeneter is going to get the TJ. It takes about 1.5-2 years to make a full recovery.
Thanks. Time to waive him from my fantasy team…
Walked the last guy Jeff, time to work the count…
Maroth looking very Redmanish out there tonight.
Has anyone heard that Julio Franco is old?
Diaz a triple away from the cycle. I hope this platoon thing is over.
“Put the snowman on the board” (?)
I have never heard that one before…
Diaz is definitely making a statement about today’s comparison. And good on him, I says.
Julio!
yeah, julio
Maybe Julio should be the manager when Bobby retires, if Julio ever retires.
this julio guy coming back is complete nonsense…..2 rbi’s and braves winning 10-0……what were we thinking? 🙂
@168
HAHAHAHA!
Diaz a triple away from the cycle. I hope this platoon thing is over.
Somehow I doubt Bobby will be moved. Hitting lefties is his job and Maroth clearly has nothing tonight. Bobby loves his platoons.
So Maroth is still out there. I wish I was a genius.
davies back to richmond and lerew to have tommy john surgery.
I guess that strikeout was the straw that broke the camel’s back. The pitching performances weren’t enough.
Julio will never retire. He’ll petition to use a HoverRound to get around the bases.
So Maroth is still out there. I wish I was a genius.
I don’t really mind saving the bullpen when the game is obviously over and arm involved is as disposable as Maroth. With the starting pitching the Cards run out there, they are likely to need the bullpen a lot over the weekend.
I recognize Bobby likes platoons. But as great as Willie has been at times, he’s still Willie Harris. Another week or two of Willie suckitude combined with a .360 hitting Diaz and Bobby should be institutionalized for continuing the platoon.
Is Gameday crapped out for anyone else, or is it just me?
Finally, a night of relief.
my gameday sucks too
Gameday delenda est.
Gameday must be destroyed. ;P
Jerome Jurenovich is a traitor.
While I’m watching the game on FSN-South, my wife overhears a commercial with JJ. She then says “Jeeerrroooome Jurenovich! Headline Sports!” and asks if he used to be on tv 15 years ago. I google. I get this page.
Before the excerpt, a note – Jurenovich is from PA (and a Pirates fan), worked at US Steel to put himself through college, and was working for CNN in Atlanta during the 1992 baseball season.
Excerpt:
Glad he has a job in the “worst sports city in America.” I hate you now, jackass.
“davies back to richmond and lerew to have tommy john surgery.”
why did it take them so long to get Lerew to have surgery? Also with a 10-1 lead they should have let Ascanio finish this off
Woodward just hit a HR, but it was foul
oh yeah, is there anything better than the look on LaRussa’s face when their getting blown out
didnt know Ascanio was sent down
Regarding Willie Harris mentioned above. I’ve been expecting him to return to his former self, but I haven’t given up on him at this point. He has actually hit several balls right at people or been robbed quite a bit lately. All hitters go through something like this (everything was falling for him earlier), but he stil seems to be swinging the bat fairly well – except his strikeouts are up a little.
I hate to mention it, but all of our new phenoms have struggled lately. Salty’s average has been dropping and so has Escobar’s – 0-5 tonight. He and Salty are the only two starters without a hit tonight.
They were both due to struggle a bit. I wouldn’t worry about it too much, as long as Druw is hitting like he has been.
I’d really like to sweep these guys, but I’ll take a 3-1 series win. Good way to get things started!