Didn’t we just play these guys?
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Didn’t we just play these guys?
Use code “Journal” for a 5% discount.
Sure did, and we’ve got about 100 more to go. Boo unbalanced schedule!
Isn’t it great playing the Nats every other time out?
depends on if we win or not
Let’s just stomp them the way Allen Collins is doing in the video.
Love me them redneck anthems.
Doesn’t this sound an awful lot like “What’s Your Name, Little Girl?”
Both are Southern-fried honky tonkers, but “Gimme 3 Steps” came out several before “What’s Your Name.”
several years, that is.
My favorite Skynard song:
Hick walks into a bar, starts dancin with some chick and gets a gun pulled on him. AWESOME!
nice video mac…………i just wonder where that show was because that has to be the calmest crowd ever for a skynyrd show……………not even one whiskey-drunk idiot waving the stars and bars.
barrycuda,
Just cause you didn’t see them doesn’t mean they weren’t there. I mean, the camera work wouldn’t win an Oscar. The camera focuses on the crash cymbal for a few bars, and Pyle’s working the snare. Some nice shots of the backdrop, however.
Of all the Skynard songs, I like “Simple Man” the best, though I’ll take the Allman Brothers over Skynard any day.
If you somehow ever get the idea that the MLB powers that be have any idea what they are doing, just remember that in the non-wildcard era – when the only teams you were really competing with for a playoff spot were the team in your division – baseball had a balanced schedule, which of course made you play the teams you aren’t really in competition with more. Then when they switched to a wild card system and the balanced schedule actually made sense because now you really are competing with non-division teams for a playoff spot, baseball immediately switched to a unbalanced schedule. Of course interleague play never made any sense.
The Bud Selig Era: Willfully smiting the game since 1992
We’ve got a weekend series against a 7 game in a row losing Nats team.
We’re sending Hudson to the mound tonight and maybe the warmer weather will get the bats hot again. CO was dreadful, as we know.
Plus, the last time we came off a “rain out” we got a good little weekend sweep on the Mets.
I think we’re poised to get things in order again.
Love the Skynard video, Mac. I hope the three steps are three wins over the weekend. Make it 10 in a row for the DC boys.
JB in ATL
The pessimist in me notes that the Braves seem to always play down to (umm… below) the level of the division mates that they *should* beat (Nats, Fish). But you’ve got to like going into DC against a Nats team that’s lost 7 in a row and we’re starting out with Huddy.
Go Braves!
Robert,
I think you are incorrect, at least partly. Prior to the wildcard era (1995), there were two divisions and I believe each team played teams in its division more than in the other division. After the wildcard, they had an unbalanced schedule until, I think, sometime in the 2000s. I think two things happened: (1) expansion and interleague play made it difficult to do unbalanced schedules, and (2) TV wanted to set up more “rivalry games”, ie, they wanted to have the Yankees and Red Sox play a lot. I agree with you about the stupidity of the unbalanced schedule in terms of the game itself (no reason for the Braves to play the Mets 18 times), but it made perfect sense in terms of business. In other words, MLB knew exactly what it was doing, although we may not like why they did it.
This has got to be a series we can take.
2 out of 3 for the Braves.
Prior to the wildcard era (1995), there were two divisions and I believe each team played teams in its division more than in the other division.
In 1993 when we were in the NL West we played each Western team (term used loosely) 13 times (going a nifty 13-0 against the Rockies). We played each NL East team 12 times. That’s a balanced schedule. You actually end up playing more games against the East (seven teams versus six). This type of schedule would make sense now for competitive reasons. But of course competitive reasons are way down the list of Bud Selig priorities and are always trumped by the financial ones you mention.
OK, Robert, I’m wrong. I did not remember that about 1993. I know that at one point, there was an unbalanced schedule. I didn’t realize the balanced schedule began that early. I know at one point, there was an unbalanced schedule.
1993 was a one-off because of expansion. The 14-team AL had played that schedule, but the 12-team NL had not. In 1992, they played each team in the West (remember, stupid division alignment) 18 times, each in the East 12.
Being a traditionalist, I should hate interleague play but it’s among my favorite parts of the season. (My favorite part of the season is watching the Mets collapse, but I digress …)
Eighteen games against the Mets is bad enough, but 18 games against the Marlins is ridiculous.
#10 remy………..i agree, i’m sure ther was some shirtless freak there somewhere waving the flag……………back in the day, skynyrd used to play local beer joints around here and it was always a good party, after they hit the big time, i’d generally rather baste myself in garlic butter and hang out with cannibles than a skynyrd crowd…………and yes, they dont really compare to the allmans( at least to the originals). i was listening to Live at the Filmore the other day and the thought that these guys were all 22-24 yrs. old blew me away.
wasnt Colorado 0-5 when we came to town?
yep. which is why I don’t particularly like catching a team on an extended losing streak — especially the Nats or Marlins. Seems like they always break out of the doldrums when the Braves come to town.
Michael Hutts, 21, GA Tech baseball player found dead this morning. Lift up prayers for family, friends, and teammates
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/gatech/stories/2008/04/11/techbase_0412.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab
Is SportsSouth blacked out for anyone else?
In 1992, they played each team in the West (remember, stupid division alignment) 18 times, each in the East 12.
True. I would still argue that’s a balanced schedule. In the early days of the wild card era we had a 13 games against divisional, 12 games against non divisional opponents setup. That was perfect for the wild card setup. But of course not enough Sox-Yankees for ESPN.
FCB,
It was, but it is back now.
Tim Hudson: 136-70, 3.51 ERA
Matt Chico: 7-10, 4.69 ERA
Odds we lose this game and score less than 3 runs: Extremely high
Swell start, ladies.
I hate 1-2-3 first innings when we’re the ones hitting into them.
Then again, I like them when we’re pitching ’em. Double-edged sword, I guess.
That was nice — bat slipped out of Brian McCann’s hands, the usher took it away from the fan who was closest (fortunately, it didn’t hit anyone), but McCann got a new bat from the dugout and waved for them to give the bat to the fan.
I like Diaz alot better when he was hitting .330. That’s now 37 plate appearances without a walk.
Terrific catch by Kotsay!
I liked Diaz a lot better when he was a platooner. He’s in over his head as an everyday player.
Our corner outfielders have made 76 PAs and drawn one walk. That’s amazing and, of course, a problem.
did anyone else just hear sutton say that KJ is not a normal leadoff man because he doesn’t walk much? i mean cmon…if he does one thing
FYI
I heard that. Don Sutton, ladies and gentleman! Still waiting on a ‘not every out is on a good pitch and not every hit is on a bad pitch’.
FYI
79 walks last year. Is it that hard to look up?
#39, that would certainly fix our walk dry spell.
Sutton said KJ had a “pretty good” OBP last year.
Don gives us his take on why personal catchers are a good idea. Shoot me.
I’m sorry, #37 and #39… what am I missing?
yeah i was actually sitting here waiting to hear the same thing Robert…and I also love how they take every chance to mention how good Chico is in comparison to Hudson, they seriosuly need to realize that the braves just suck against mediocre pitching (well, all pitching really these days) and that Chico is awful
Oh… because Barry Lamar and Brandon Lamon both walk every now and again? Got it, I think.
AAR,
One lists Jones’ middle name as Lamon; the other lists it as Lamar.
Robert Wuhl! I can’t believe he was available.
To paraphrase Jeffrey Ross on Laraine Newman, I think Robert Wuhl managed to take some time off from taking a lot of time off.
Runs, please.
George Washington won the Presidents race for those of you with money on it.
Okay, that’s weird. I posted that comment at the beginning of the last half inning.
Nice pitch Timmy. Please get the third out here. I hit my Wuhl maximum about five minutes ago.
I hit my Wuhl maximum sometime around the second season of Arliss.
Wuhl’s not much of an actor, but he seems to like baseball, so that’s nice.
Nice play by Kelly. That inning was getting a little long.
Nice play by Kelly and Tex there. A little shaky but they got it done. And Wuhl has called it a night thank God.
That’s what she said.
Yeah he does seem like a big fan. Gotta give him that.
Scott Boras’ clients update;
Tex is hitting .162, 2 HR’s en route to his $18 million contract.
Andruw Jones is on pace to get 180 K’s after starting the season with 10 of them and getting paid $15 mill. to do it. Looks like he’s putting up his 2007 numbers again but in Dodger blue this time.
Kotsay is not only hitting much better than Andruw but also has more PO’s (28 to his 21 in LA) Assists (2 to Andruw’s 0) and a double play to boot. Woulda thunk?
Just in case you were wondering.
Wuhl is in D.C. because he’s taking his thirteen-year-old goddaughter, a big baseball fan, to some of the parks in the east. He said they’re visiting something like seven parks in eight days. Not a bad way to spend your time if you’re out of work.
This is embarrassing. Chico isn’t even breaking a sweat.
I’ll make sure to tune into his new radio show, which I believe is on Westwood One.
I wish we would stop getting into pitcher’s duels against crappy lefthanders, but at least they’re not bombing us.
The 2008 Braves will be lucky to be .500. This is an average team.
At least Hudson is looking amazing….again.
Why can’t we give this guy some run support?
FINALLY! A RUN!
I love you, Yunel!
Yunel!
Esco!
Yunel!
Why say no, when it feels so good to say Yesco ?
Man, Chico has eaten Chipper alive tonight.
A lead is a lead I guess.
good one, JJ. A little cheesy but i think it works some how.
“They talk about guys developing their man-strength. I think Yunel Escobar’s that kind of guy, trying to develop that power” – Jon Sciambi
WHAT THE CRAP?
Can we actually fell this giant of a pitching phenom Matt Chico?
Can someone with TIVO go back and actually see if Sciambi just said that? I feel like I need to wash..
does anyone have an email for this site? i have a few questions
Sorry, Fulton, I’m stuck with the MASN feed. Of course, due to the greatness that is Comcast, it’s not even in HD.
Chief Nocahoma, add something other than “this is a .500 team” to your message repertoire, it’s getting old already.
My God, that was useless.
The email address is bravesjournal at gmail dot com.
What “man-strength”? I missed that but let’s pretend he didn’t say it.
Re-Pete-Van Wieren, has Nocahoma been saying that a lot?
I don’t believe this is a .500 team for the record.
wow… was that really just a 3 pitch half-inning?
The good news is that the Braves probably won’t have to face Johnson again.
McCann’s getting better at throwing guys out — that was a beautiful throw to nail Kearns by half an inch.
That’s why Javy isn’t with the team. He couldn’t do that.
OK Repeat Van Wieren, its a 5 games over .500 team. Is that better? Or should I say we’ll win 110 games and that will make it so?
Let’s get some more runs. I am not particularly thrilled about the idea of this game going to this bullpen.
Well, we certainly know it wasn’t his lack of “man-strength.”
Where do people come up with this stuff?
Otherwise, how you feeling, Mac?
Mac if Huddy goes eight by some weird reason Moylan can shut the door in the ninth.
As long as Acosta or Boyer don’t come out I think it’ll be ok.
89 pitches for Hudson through seven.
I actually feel pretty good, but no appetite and no energy. It’s a lot better than wanting to die, which I did on Tuesday.
we get Tim in the 8th! I’m a little surprised but I guess he’s feeling good. He’s def. looking like he’s got man-strength tonight.
Don’t look now, but we’re in a one run game…
New poll.
Maybe Hudson can get one of those 3 pitch innings.
What’s the poll, Mac?
Once again, though, scant run support for Huddy. Does he not pick up his share of the bill when they go out for dinner?
What would the odds be of tacking the base-out situation at time of posting on the end of everypost along with the time? For extra credit add the ball/strike situation as well.
Hudson for complete game.
You know I’m normally Mr. Quick Hook, but I say you at least let Hudson start the ninth.
I think Bobby will let Hudson start the ninth for sure, then bring in Moylan if he gets into trouble. Some insurance would be nice, either way.
96 pitches for Hudson through eight.
Bases loaded, no outs for the Braves. Hudson pitching the ninth inning may not be needed.
Good Lord Frenchy.
I remember a start last year where Huddy was brilliant through 8, then came in to start the 9th and just didn’t have it, then Wickman came in and blew it… my heart says let him start the inning, my head says I’m not so sure.
Damn it. Please, Matt. Please.
Pick him up, Diaz.
Frenchy has officially taken the baton from Andruw as “the most frustrating offensive player to watch,” at least for me.
Uh oh, was Chipper limping ?
Insurance!
He’s on my roto team!
Damn, Kotsay nearly took that for a ride, but Willie Harris made a nice catch. Anyway, I feel better about 3-0 than 1-0. Please don’t blow this, guys.
Wow, the Nats very nearly got out of that one unscathed. Please guys, let’s just get three quick outs without giving up any runs…
Just stretch out more, Chipper.
Moylan starts the 9th.
Shows how much I know, color me surprised.
I’m astonished Chipper didn’t come out of the game. He was grimacing big time in the dugout after running the bases.
Whoo! A shutout!
Moylan for President!
Put one back in the win column.
Prime Minister, maybe. Recap is up.
Great game tonite…