I do not know that this is a good idea at all.
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I do not know that this is a good idea at all.
Use code “Journal” for a 5% discount.
“Of course the Mets are going to be picked to win the division as they always are.”
Times have changed. Nice video blog, Mac. I hope you keep them up.
And great closing line!
Good job Mac, I can’t disagree with anything you said.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=7119
Winter grade: C-
Trading away Renteria shows a faith in Yunel Escobar that is likely misplaced. However, the presence of Brent Lillibridge should save them. Losing Jones was inevitable, although the contract he signed may turn out to be a bargain. They have no center fielder, despite trading for two nominal ones over the winter.
One move to make: Escobar is a utility infielder who happened to have a peak season for batting average. The Braves can’t get Renteria back, but they can minimize the damage by moving quickly past Escobar to Lillibrdge. The 24-year-old has good secondary skills and a plus glove at shortstop; rumors that he might be moved to center field persist, but those have more to do with the Braves’ fascination with Escobar than with Lillibridge’s skills.
After the Braves went for broke last year in trading for Mark Teixeira, it would have been nice to see them sustain that mode into the offseason. Instead, they pared payroll and added only marginal talents, doing little to address the problems that kept them from staying with the Phillies and Mets down the stretch last season. A team with a lineup core of Kelly Johnson/Chipper Jones/Mark Teixeira/Jeff Francoeur/Brian McCann should be able to compete with anyone. That they’re trying to do it with holes at center field, shortstop, and in the bullpen is a shame.
One day I may post the outtakes. I got this on the third try, but I tried to redo it eight or so times and never got further than talking about the fourth and fifth starters from last year.
As for the video, I can’t listen to it. I don’t own any speakers….
Man I agree with everything in the Prospectus blurb. Especially this:
After the Braves went for broke last year in trading for Mark Teixeira, it would have been nice to see them sustain that mode into the offseason. Instead, they pared payroll and added only marginal talents, doing little to address the problems that kept them from staying with the Phillies and Mets down the stretch last season.
I may need to reconsider my positions.
In other news, LSU found their eighth home game for next seasaon…Appalachian State. link
So it’s North Texas, Tulane, Troy, and Appy State for the champs, all at home (of course). I would like to say something snarky about the rarity of a 1-AA team being the best OOC game on your schedule but Appy State loses alot and Troy can be at least occasionaly frisky. Still, for a elite team that’s just shameful.
Totally off topic but I just found out the club level at Turner Field is no longer called Lexus Level…. oh no, as if calling it Lexus Level wasn’t bad enough, this year it will be called “Golden Moon Casino Level”. I’m not sure how I feel about my season tickets being in that level but I’m pretty sure it’s not good.
Center field is hole = fine
Bullpen is hole = questionable
4th & 5th starters are hole = more accurate
Shortstop is hole = what is he smoking?
If I were in BP’s shoes, I might well have a similar opinion of Escobar. His overall numbers look a lot like a guy who got hit-lucky, and I don’t believe he’s a .330 hitter either. But I saw him play regularly, I’ve spent more time studying his performance than that of any other player (even Chuck James) and I think that his secondary skills improvement later in the year will keep his offense at a plus level for a shortstop.
Right, Mac. I don’t think that Escobar is going to hit as big of a wall as some super statheads think. I mean, having a peak half-season at age 24? Doesn’t really make much sense.
I bet he can sustain some of that, even if his BABIP drops into the .280-.300 range.
So my roommate’s a big Yankee fan, and he came across this on a blog:
It is believed the Yankees have agreed to terms with veteran infielder Chris Woodward, who played all four spots for the Braves last season but hit only .199.
http://yankees.lhblogs.com/
How does he keep getting a job in the majors?
He has pictures of everyone.
Agreed, Sam. Thirty extra-base hits in just over half a season (355 PAs) and a walk per 12 AB last year mean that Escobar isn’t all empty average. His negative defensive rating is pretty much all from playing out of position at second and third. He can be an above-average shortstop and leadoff man this year if the average stays up, and would be an asset at #7 even if it doesn’t.
True, there’s a void in center, but the Braves have Blanco and Lillibridge to fill it when we they get desperate enough. The ‘pen is fine, and I’m more enthusiastic about our 4th and 5th starters than most here- between James, Jurrjens, Bennett, Hampton, and Reyes, there should be two people who can pitch halfway decently.
The Yankees were the team that signed Todd Pratt after the 2006 season too.
And Jaret Wright after his year in Atlanta. And Nick Green.
And Darren Bragg, and Tony Womack and Jose Vizcaino and Wilson Betemit and…
Brian J,
I think they’ll put Schafer in center first when they get despearte, but I still agree with you.
center first? Is that some weird Barry Bonds shift, short outfielder thing?
That was a reach, Dix, but nice one. 😉
I just crawled out from under my football season rock and I now understand that because I live in the South East but not in Atlanta I’m screwed out of 45 games this year. Is this correct?
Marc,
I think that is the case, yes.
Marc, at least you’re still in SEC country!
Dix,
Yes and my Mississippi State Bulldogs had a much improved season this year followed by a bowl win. But this news that I’m going to miss 45 games this year blows. If I lived in California I could get the games through Extra Innings but because I live in the Braves “footprint” I miss the games. Talk about unfair!
Unfair? Lets ask Wilford Brimley about unfair.
“If we had an early signing date, you wouldn’t have another outfit with a guy in a wizard hat selling snake oil get a guy at the last minute, but that’s what happened.”
Urban Meyer, your thoughts?
“I heard his sister’s good at volleyball”
@20
I hear ya about the piss poor TV schedule. I’m trying to figure out my best option and I’m not real happy about any of them.
Good job on the vlog, Mac. Especially for the first one. Easily way better than the Macon sports guy I get around here, and that dude probably has a degree in what he’s doing. Looking forward to more…
LOL. Someone beat me to the punch on the Chris Woodward thing. I just saw that. Good job yankees. Wankees.
From AP: “In Seattle, Horacio Ramirez, a flop in the rotation last season, moves to long relief.”
Have you noticed that Wikipedia lists Horacio Ramirez’s arsenal of pitches, one of which is a ‘hanging curveball’.
hahahahahaha
gotta love wikipedia
Nice blog, Mac.
I tend to agree with you and hole out optimism on Escobar. I think he’ll be fine at SS. The way Sheehan talks about him, you think he’d be an absolute black hole. Personally, I think he’ll have an OBP above .350 and a SLG above .400; in other words, he’ll be about average for a SS batting and solid defensively. Maybe throw in a couple of those “steal a bag while the pitcher walks around muttering to himself” and you’ve got yourself a solid starter.
Also, the ‘pen will be fine provided Soriano is healthy. Subtracting Wickman is already an upgrade, especially if one of Bennett, Morton, James, Reyes or Jurrjens is back there to solidify things.
I hope Reyes and Jurrjens are NOT in the ‘pen. If they aren’t in the rotation, they need to be in Richmond.
Mac, I like how you’ve got the Chad Codero hat thing going there. Pull it down a little bit more over your eyes. You’ll be intimidating that way…
what do you expect from the GD yankees? sensible decisions? i’m still laughing about them dumping a boatload of monet on gary sheffield and thinking he would get them over the hump, this after his sizzling 3 for 30 playoff performance with the braves. in the end, all they got from him was joe torre being called a racist.
Cue cards or teleprompter? Good job, Mac!
cue cards
Barrycuda, if I recall correctly, that was the offseason Vlad Guerrero was a free agent. Cashman wanted to open up the purse for Vlad. Steinbrenner personally nixed it and opted for Sheffield.
Also, the A’s just lured Keith Foulke out of retirement. Dammit, I want us to get the cheap good relievers.
Since when is Keith Foulke good? Wasn’t his arm ruined by the 2004 World Series run?
Well, who knows. Apparently Troy Percival is still good.
this was painful to watch
Of course, I agree with the BP take, as it has basically been what I’ve been arguing since the Glavine signing. If this team wins more than 85 games I’ll be shocked. I’m sure many here will think I’m an idiot, or just a pessimist, but I guess only time will tell who is right. I said I was unimpressed with Wren before the Kotsay trade; now I’m simply disgusted.
As for Sheffield, um, he was kind of a great hitter for two of the three years the Yanks had him, posting a 900 OPS for 2004 and 2005, or a 140 OPS+. He faded in 2006 because of injuries and age, and Cashman smartly dealt him to Detroit. For fans of an organization who just gave the center field job to Mark Kotsay, I’m not sure anyone here should be throwing stones at any other team’s folly.
yeah………he was “kind of” a great hitter. .right up until the games really mattered. then, he “kind of” sucked. did you notice how the world series tigers fared after they “upgraded” with sheffield? sorry for the rant but just yesterday i was thinking about the sick feeling i got when the braves signed him. somehow, i able to tolerate him as a brave, but just barely. kind of like the the way i tolerate curt schilling on the red sox……………………ok…………i guess i’m done now.
real good stuff, mac. keep it coming.
Looked to see what Escobars BABIP was last year. Couldn’t find it on BR. Lets face it he isn’t a .326 hitter or even a .305 hitter for that matter but I’m not as pessimistic as BP. I wanted the Braves to dangle him as trade bait and take their chances with Lillibridge but……. Sheehan is very pessimistic…. but a lot of what he says has grains of truth.
Good Job Mac! Maybe try showing a little skin next time, works for Katy Couric….
BTW Mac, great vblog. I’d love for some of the terrific Thomason sarcastic humor to be displayed too.
Mac, only tip here. Try to work on the arch on the bill of the cap. Kind of looks like a shallow ‘w’. LOL.
Adam-
They won 85 last year (and played better than 85 wins FWIW). You honestly think this year’s team is significantly worse than last year’s? Personally, I think it’s at least as good as last year’s and quite possibly better.
Johnny,
You can find BABIP on BR under Splits.
mraver,
My guess is that he thinks it is significantly worse because Escobar and Kotsay/whoever else are downgrades from Renteria and Andruw Jones, and that those downgrades will cancel any other positive out.
Thanks Sam.
If Kotsay hits as badly as Andruw did last year, he’ll probably be replaced, as the team has no reason to show loyalty to him and he isn’t as good with the glove no matter what A’s fans say. My guess is that centerfield will be no more than a wash.
Short might be a problem, but I think Escobar will be better than Renteria defensively so again a wash.
And don’t forget that Teixeira will be the first baseman all year — that’s a hundred games or so of Wilson, Thorman, and Franco replaced by MVP-level hitting.
Renteria hit 332/390/470 last year, compared to Escobar’s 326/385/451. Both were basically average defenders at shortstop. Renteria will be 33 next year, Escobar 25. That’s really not a downgrade at all.
The dropoff in CF is real, but should be at least canceled by a full year of Teixeira instead of suffering through four months of Thorman/ Wilson/ Franco’s corpse/ Woodward at 1B. Add a little improvement from KJ, McCann, and Frenchy, and this offense should be better than last year’s.
Throw in actual 4th and 5th starters, note that the Braves’ Pythag was 88-74 last season (third best in the NL), have interleague play against a weak AL West instead of the Central, and this should be at least a 90-win team. 95 isn’t impossible.
Or what Brian said.
Anyone think I should take up the speech therapy ads on the right on their offer?
The key is to find your voice. You’ve already found a writing voice that’s engaging, funny, knowledgeable, and consistent. Find a way to transport that to your spoken voice.
Incidentally, I liked the vlog and thought you did a good job. Obviously, stutters come out the more practice you have, and doing it for a while helps your confidence. I’d say keep at it.
I liked the video. I’d rather listen to someone with a “shaky” voice and interesting comments than to someone with a nice voice but who has nothing to say (see : Chip Caray).
Oh BTW, with all the Braves TV scheduling buzz, will we have Chip destroying our ears again in 2008 or is he gone?
@56
http://tbaatil.blogspot.com/2008/02/braves-on-tv.html
chip will do the peachtree stuff
Mac,
I finally got a Jake R. break enough to check out the vblog and great job.
And I agree w/ Nasa – I wouild take you over Chip Caray, any day.
Thanks for the vblog, Mac. Everything you said was spot on.
Man, Tim Lincecum looks like he is about 16 in this picture. Yet he throws so hard.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080209&content_id=2369575&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=sf
#52 – Great point, Mac.
Just how much better will the Braves be with 100 more games of Tex at 1B?
lol at the “Natspos” comment
Your voice kinda reminds me of Bob Vila.
Mac–I enjoyed the video! Keep it up…
I also agree with much of the BP post–the Braves and Wrenn do indeed deserve a low grade for this offseason. Since Tex will probably be in Atlanta for one season, then it would have made sense to be aggressive and land another quality arm (after getting Glavine) and a better CF. Instead, Wrenn devoted his energies to adding to the team’s spare parts.
I fear we will look back on the 2007-2008 offseason as a lost opportunity….
Haha, your post reminds me of the Mitch Hedberg joke where he messes up and calls his current girlfriend, Lynn, by his old girlfriend’s name, Lyn. She knows because he doesn’t say “nnn” long enough.
I don’t even think it’s possible to get that “quality arm” without selling out the farm a third time.
I mean, if we do that and don’t win, then what? Are we going to look back and say “Well, at least we tried”? I doubt it.
Seeing what it took to get Bedard I don’t think that we were in the hunt. Adam Jones is supposed to be a stud. We didn’t have the mlb ready high level prospect to offer. I guess its my round about way of saying that a plus arm wasn’t in the cards for us this season.
Johnny,
You got that right.
By dumb trades or not, the Braves are looking at the prospect of trading away 8-10 prospects or so over the past year and potentially not having a player on the major league team to show for it after this season. Do we really want to make it one and 12-14 prospects? That just seems to compound the problem.
Craig Wilson signs with the Reds. Haha. Good deal.
Johnny
that is a SCARY realization.
does anyone thing that we’re looking a little like the Orioles did in the early mid-90s?
we will have jurrens and hernandez that we traded FOR on the roster next year (if your theory holds right).
we’ll probably have Kaia at 1st or, gulp, make Heyward move there ASAP…
and, unfortunately, we’ll be 4 years away from competing seriously again.
chris,
I don’t really see that much of a specific comparison. Do you mean the “try to cover up gaping holes with scotch tape” kind of team or something?
I enjoyed the vblog, Mac. Good stuff.
I always believed that the idea behind trading for Tex was to make a serious run at 2007 and 2008. While I hate to see the Braves trade away a number of great prospects (I thought and continue to think that unless they ink Tex it was a bad idea), the logic of the deal would be to make sure that their position in 2008 was even stronger. Instead, I fear that the Braves have adopted a half-hearted approach (they traded for Tex, but did not move on quality arms) and if the Braves don’t win and Tex leaves, then they will have traded a number of elite prospects and have nothing to show for them.
Two other points: (1) Santana proved not to be that costly; (2) the Brave still have a great deal of talent in the lower minors.
Therefore, it should have been possible to obtain another arm without mortaging the future.
I don’t think that we are anything like early 90s Orioles, but I almost agree with Adam M (#41)that anything much over 85 wins should not be taken for granted. I hope that the Braves prove us badly wrong….
The cost of prospects may not have been that much, but Santana’s extension sure was.
I disagree Chris, we are not the Orioles of the 90’s. We’ve shown we are not afraid to trade veterans for prospects, and we arent handing out big time contracts nilly-willy (Albert “dont call me Joey” Belle anyone?) I think we are going after more of an A’s model, win with cheap, young talent, with the right amount of veteran talent and leadership mixed in. Oh yeah, and Peter Angelos is NOT our owner….
perhaps, but we traded away 5, count them, 5 good to great prospects (ok, 4 good to great and 1 mediocre) for 2 players; one who left us via free agency and the other who, when playing for us for 1 year, might put up gigantic numbers but then leave.
we gave up ALOT for that 1.5 years of 1B.
what happens if, and that’s a pretty small if, Boras takes Tex to Boston? Or shops him to the Steinbrenners (who are pissed that the Mets stole the free agent thunder this year…remember, ’09 opens a 1.5 billion dollar stadium in the bronx and the star power for selling tickets will be needed and Tex is the man for that)?
i hope we’re not the A’s. I would hope that we turn into a more stable (read, more $) version of the Marlins. Trade veterans at the opportune time for great prospects; but be able to sign our own veterans.
Agh! It’s that “we need to be like the Marlins” thing again!!!
All we really need is to keep doing what we’re doing, and add about $10million to payroll. We could keep pace in the NL with that easily.
The horrific irony of that Albert Belle remark is that Wren was responsible for that move as the Orioles’ GM at the time.
“perhaps, but we traded away 5, count them, 5 good to great prospects (ok, 4 good to great and 1 mediocre) for 2 players; one who left us via free agency and the other who, when playing for us for 1 year, might put up gigantic numbers but then leave.
we gave up ALOT for that 1.5 years of 1B.”
how can this be a complaint in february of 2008? we have a full year of tex for now. if we aren’t able to sign him after 2008, THEN complain about the deal. worrying about things that aren’t even close to the immediate future is silly. if it’s february of 2009, and tex is long gone, then the complaint would be justified. for now, we have a solid rotation, a good lineup, and a good pen. considering money constraints, we are in a good position. frank wren’s offseason acquisitions have been at the least “risky”, but so was js’s. let’s give them both time and see how it works.
I think some people have cast doubt on whether signing Belle was really Wren’s decision.
Also, the Sox have no place for Tex — they have Kevin Youkilis, and he’s not going anywhere for a while.
Enjoyed the vlog, Mac. I’m not too sure it’s necessary – I enjoy your writing. But it adds a cool wrinkle. I would just suggest that you bend the cap bill like everyone else did. Stick it in a coffee mug overnight and you’ll be alright.
About Peachtree – will those us outside of the Atlanta area be able to see these games? I get most of them because I’m in the Southeast and get FSN Braves coverage, but I’m a good 3 hours from Atlanta…and I don’t particularly want to miss out on 45 games this year.
Tex is not going to Boston. The Yankees are the most likely destination. I hope their rotation falls into total disarry, so that they have another more pressing need than 1st base.
As for the Orioles comparison, I do not agree. The Braves have a top 10, maybe top 5 farm system. Some of these players are going to pan out. The only similarity with the O’s of the mid-90’s is that we share the division with a New York team that should be able to outspend us by a wide margin.
does anyone know where i can find out the fsn coverage by team (or channel)? i am debating purchasing the “sports package” through directv that comes with all of the fsn channels (about 15 or so), and i was wondering, through other teams coverage, how many braves games i would be able to catch. i heard that fsn south will be televising 26 braves games. that alone is not worth the purchase, but if i could see 100 or so games purchasing the package, it would be worth it. any info would be great. thanks.
I think the Mets are likely to throw lots of money at Teix, too.
Tex will be a very hot commodity after this year. The only way he’ll still be in Atlanta is if he wants to be and is willing to take a couple million less per year to do it. Seattle, both NY teams, Toronto, and possibly a couple “want to make a splash” teams (San Francisco?) will be looking for a 1B next year, and AFAIK, there’s nothing else out there similar to him. If he wants to get paid, he’ll get paid. The Braves can’t go to $20M per, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s what it took to get him.
another post for people out of the atlanta area considering their options for televised games for 2008:
i only researched the month of April, but it looks as though almost all of the games will be televised somehow, some way, on an FSN channel. from what i could gather, the dodgers, mets, and nats have not posted their televised game schedule, but through either FSN or National broadcast, here’s the televised games that i could find.
April 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 16, 19, 23, 30. i am sure the dodgers, mets, and nats games will also be televised on the FSN network (i had mlb tv last year, and almost every game was from a fox affilliate). the sports package is 12 bucks per month. it should be worth at least one month subscription just to try it out. this should be a cheaper alternative than the 119.95/yearly subsription to mlbtv over the net. my calculations bring the total to 72 bucks for the year.
Stu, regarding the Mets and Tex, I guess that is something I just don’t want to consider. I also have been hopeful that sinking $20M+ into Santana may have made them a little less likely to spend similar money on Tex. Their farm is empty, outside of F-Mart, and they will have multiple needs next year.
ryan c,
The sports package is not worth it. What they do is show all of the coverage on the different fsn networks but once it’s time for the actual game to start they black it out. That’s why to see the games you have to actually pay for the Extra Innings package. I currently have Dish Network and am going to fork over the $120 and Extra Innings was removed from Dish last year. So I am going to fork over the $120 again this year for MLB.tv Premium.
If anybody is considering purchasing MLB.tv this year I would pay the exra $30 for MLB.tv premium. I started with the regular MLB.tv to begin the season last year and a couple of weeks in upgraded. The picture quality is just so much better on MLB.tv Premium.
Honk If You Left An Orange Cap on The Table
–Hilarious posting signature referring to everyone’s favorite #35/36 recruiting class 😉
http://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p=9&c=14&yr=2008
http://rivals100.rivals.com/teamrank.asp?Year=2008&Page=2&PosType=0&Sort=0
I have heard that if you are a new orderer of DishNetwork or Direct TV and if you register the place of service address as an Atlanta address, that they will let you get the Atlanta local station package (7 to 10 dollars) and with it comes the Atlanta version of FSN and Sport South, etc. You have to be able to install your own equipment or at least not have a normal dealer install.
Cory: Regarding MLB.tv, the website page says I would have a blackout for the Braves. Have any of you subscribed to this service in a Braves “blackout” territory? I’m in NC, and I do not have cable/satellite, so I was hoping to watch baseball on the PC, but I’m not paying $120 to not see Atlanta. Any input would be appreciated—-
I don’t quite understand the TV thing.
I live in Chattanooga, so I am missing like 45 games on Peachtree TV?
I have cable with the expanded sports package, do I get the 45 games? If not, how do I get them on TV?
King Diamond,
I feel for you man. Bud Selig’s office has really made it difficult for a lot of people with how the blackout areas are arranged. You are absolutely right, you should not pay that kind of money if you can’t see Atlanta play. I’m in the Florida panhandle so my two blackouts on MLB.tv are Tampa Bay and Florida. The only games you shouldn’t be able to get are the 45 games on the new station replacing WTBS. I don’t know any way that viewers in the Braves territory outside of the WTBS viewing area, can receive those 45 games.
How are we going to watch the other 45 games?
Smitty,
As of right now, it doesn’t look like it’s possible.
Thanks, Cory. So, if I understand you correctly, I should be able to see 115 un-blacked-out Braves games on MLB.tv? That might justify the price tag.
King Diamond,
You should be able to get those 115 on FSN South and SportSouth. You WILL NOT be able to get any Braves games on MLB.tv or MLB Extra Innings because you live in North Carolina which is in Braves Blackout Territory. Just like for me if I wanted to watch the Marlins or Rays I would watch them on FSN Florida or SunSports.
#100
I guess living in Northern Virginia I should be safe for all the “blacked out” Braves games if I get the Comcast package.
Assuming there is a Comcast MLB package – still haven’t been able to find out. I wasn’t thrilled with the MLB.TV package last year as much.
Alex R.,
It’s strange. Who would have ever thought those outside of Braves territory have an opportunity to watch every single Braves game? It’s a shame they won’t be on TBS on a regular basis. I guess I will get to watch them when they play on Fox, ESPN, TBS when selected, WGN for the Cubs, and FSN Florida and SunSports when they play the Marlins. That should end up being about 35-40 games, considering they play the Marlins 19 times. I will watch all over the other games on MLB.tv.
Thanks again, Cory. I might just have to break down and dial up Time Watner Cable…..ugh…
Cory – it’s very strange to me.
Like you and most people on here (maybe everyone?), watching Braves Baseball on TBS was a BIG PART of our childhood.
It makes me sad now that my new son won’t have that same opportunity his father had in the 80’s.
The worst part? The only way I get to hear the dulcet tones of Skip Caray again is listening to Braves HOME games in my car on XM Radio.
Dan Kolb – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
i’ll be in Auburn (2-2.5 hours away from ATL) for the spring as well as September so im assuming I am in the black out area also. am i right?
and does anyone know if the mobile area would be outside the blackout area? and can you purchase either mlb.tv or the Extra Innings package on a monthly basis?
any info would be much appreciated
AUmike,
Both Auburn and Mobile are subject to the blackout. MLB.tv can be purchased on a monthly basis, however, I am not certain if Extra Innings can be broken down monthly.
Mac,
Well, the guy deserved it for sucking so badly.
“So it’s North Texas, Tulane, Troy, and Appy State for the champs, all at home (of course). I would like to say something snarky about the rarity of a 1-AA team being the best OOC game on your schedule but Appy State loses alot and Troy can be at least occasionaly frisky. Still, for a elite team that’s just shameful.”
Texas Tech turned them down, so it isn’t like they tried to scedule cupcakes.
And teams like USC and Ohio State aren’t penalized in the polls for playing cupcakes out of schedule.
I think you are underrating Troy and App State.
A team like GaTech,K-State, Purdue or Ok State wouldn’t look great on LSU’s slate but they wouldn’t be criticized for playing cupcakes with teams like that.
But Troy and App are that good or better.
App doesn’t lose quite as much as you think.
Their whole front seven, plus good reserves, returns on defense.
Their big issue there is replacing 3.5 starters in the secondary, including the best defender in I-AA last year and 2 shutdown corners.
@92: I’m not a big believer in stars or ranking high school kids, but to have only 18 commitments does point to some recruiting problems. That’s the lowest number in the SEC by a few. (Next are Kentucky and Vandy with 21 each.)
As far as the Peachtree TV Braves games go, I’m pretty optimistic. Here’s my local paper (link):
So people need to call their cable companies and independent local TV stations to get someone local to pick up the package.
actually, small classes DO NOT mean recruiting problems. However, it does mean that you have had inconsistent numbers (big class-small class-HUGE CLASS-small class). Attrition, being what it is now days (grades, going pro, graduation early, early enrollees, drugs, new coaches “counseling” out players, gambling, transfers, etc.), it’s no surprise you get the BIG classes, and if you recruit good kids, you will be squeezed by the scholarship numbers the following year (remember, you can only have 85 scholarship kids), making for small classes. It doesn’t mean you, JoeyT, that “to have only 18 commitments does point to some recruiting problems.” It simply means that your numbers are not as consistent as a Coach would like.
It makes sense that if you have a lot of retention out of a couple of large classes, you recruit fewer guys. Looking into it, I see that UT had a huge class last year, so the low number makes sense. At first glance, though, 18 seems low unless they all qualify.
Hi Mac, the video was nice but I personally prefer your writing. Although it could be interesting to see your recap-video after annoying losses… 😉
Joey T!
We have to make this work! I just call my local cable company (Charter) and ask them about picking up the games?
The 18 kids UT signed are all decent. Plus, they are trying to get Brandon Warren from FSU in as well. Warren was a Freshman All-American at tight end two years ago.
JoeyT,
It’s incredibly unlikely that all 18 of UT’s incoming recruits will qualify. Gerald Williams, for instance, has been credited to each of UT’s past 3 recruiting classes, only to fail to qualify. It’s not a good class at all.
Sooooo, moving back to the Braves…..
Can we get a countdown until the Day? (You know, when Ps and Cs report?)
Pitchers and Catchers report Thursday.
The most scholarships you can give in a single year is 25 right?
Teams like Bama and Miami who took in 33 commits aren’t going to be able to offer scholarships to all of them if I understand correctly. Some won’t qualify, which will reduce the number left out.
UT is in a tough spot but signing only 18 guys won’t kill them. If they end up needing that 84th and 85th scholarship athlete to make a difference somehow then they already have much worse problems. Its the lack of quality players UT recruited that is going to be the real problem. They basically took in a 3 star class
Mike Hampton reports total body failure Thursday
Many of the 3-star guys signed early and their rattings might be lower than they should be due to this. We have had several 3-star guys turn into all-SEC calliber players. Plus, we had a top 5 class last year.
But please, all you SEC fans outside of Tennessee take the Vols for granted and think we suck. We’ll take it.
Some players will “greyshirt”, not take up a scholarship until next year. One or two might pay their own way or have some other scholarship set up. And some just won’t qualify, which is why most schools sign more players than they have slots for.
Even with just 25, Alabama’s going to be ten or twelve over the 85 scholarship limit. Saban’s going to chase off a bunch of Shula’s boys. I don’t really approve, but I hope at least he gets them good slots at some other school.
I am working on my 45-game Braves problem
anyone who believes that being a 5STAR recruit mens much is crazy. i’ve seen too many “top 5” recruiting classes here produce 1 or 2 really good players. some kids are as good as they’ll ever be at 18 and some at 22 and some at 30 and its pretty much impossible to tell which is which. some just cant adjust to the fact that they arent automatically the best(or biggest, strongest, fastest,meanest, etc.)player on the field anymore. some will cry and want their momma such as brandon warren at tennessee.some cant(or wont) do the class work.some simply piss the coaches off enough that they spend gameday sitting at the end of the bench. its all a crap-shoot so good luck with whatever kids your school signed.
Maybe if your team wasn’t handing out free shoes to its players, they’d be motivated to improve and eventually earn the money to pay for their own footwear.
Any chance we can get Corey Patterson to sign a minor league deal and see if he can make the team?
Didn’t we not re-sign Willie ‘Corey Patterson Light’ Harris?
Seat Painter,
But… but Patterson can hit homers every now and then! *GASP*
c’mon stu…..thats an old joke.i’m sure they’ve moved way beyond footwaer by now. what do they use at whatever SEC bastion of integrety that you root for?
mac, do you really believe saban gives a damn about whatever kids he chases off?
Barrycuda,
http://sundaymorningqb.com/story/2008/1/21/1614/43228
Its kind of long, but it attempts to provide some statistical analysis to back up the notion that recruiting rankings are typically accurate predictors of future success and not just a crap shoot.
dix…….thx for that. i read it the best i can until the math killed me. i think this proves that there are 3 kinds of information. lies, damn lies and statistics which in the hands of a skilled manipulater can be made to prove whatever point one is trying to make. at least i found out that i’m obtuse and shortsighted……………. guilty as charged.
I seriously doubt that he cares, and certainly not about anyone he didn’t recruit. He doesn’t even care about his assistants. But hopefully someone there will make sure that the players land on their feet.
@130
I know I am biased, but I think you directed that question to the wrong person.
barrycuda,
Surely you know that Stu roots for Vandy and Tennessee, neither of which conduct any form of recruiting for football apparently.
Yeah, the Vols don’t recruit (SEC East Champs)
I don’t really root for Tennessee. I just don’t root against them like most Vanderbilt alums do.
And Vanderbilt doesn’t cheat, which is why we can’t win football games in this conference. Well, part of why, anyway.
Historical inaccuracies aside, I like the bait I cast.
Guys,
There is a pressing issue that we may not get the 45 games on Peachtree TV. We need to get to work on getting these games on tv. Write letters, protest at a Braves game or something.
i’ve resigned myself back to the 60’s and 70’s……………braves games on scratchy AM radio. at least i can listen to skip…..i hope.