Move KJ back to left when Prado’s able to play second. Let Lillibridge/Prado and Yunel handle up the middle. Get rid of Norton, Infante, Miller, inter alia, and back up the kids with more kids.
If Frenchy cannot be traded and must play (can he still be sent down?), bat him seventh or eighth. Get what you can for Tex, even if it’s not much.
Let Chipper choose whether to rebuild with the club or go elsewhere for prospects. I bet some contender would ante up something good for him; but if he chooses to stay and hit .400, great.
Lose our old pitchers and start our most promising babies, be they Reyes, Morton, whoever.
Whatever money is available, spend on a real ace and a productive corner outfielder during the off-season. An outfield of Schaeffer (geez, 10 ABs +/- above A ball!), KJ (can he make the throw from right?), and the new left field pop plus this year’s birth pangs might make 2009 palatable.
Rebuilding is going to take more than one year, I’m afraid. I don’t see any Ace types that the Braves could pick up in free agency (and Sabathia scares me with his Zito Potential – he has a LOT of miles on his arm for his age).
What worries me though is the legacy of the 14 straight division titles. I don’t believe that the organization believes it is out of the race, despite the evidience before all our eyes. If they aren’t ready to pack it in, we won’t be sellers at the deadline, regardless of our standing on July 31.
I really don’t see a bona fide ace being available. I’d prefer younger, projectable arms. Maybe Bonderman or Santana could be had, but not from free agency. Sabathia scares me too, but I don’t think we would put up the kind of money he’d demand anyway.
What we have’s not cutting it, though I see it more as a failure of offense at present.
Defense hasn’t helped our pitching at times either.
I think that rebuilding probably needs to happen–but it ought to begin on the farm and move upwards. It means an end to doctrines which worked well in the 1990s, but just don’t seem to anymore. For example, at the next draft the Braves need to be willing to move beyond focusing on high school players from Georgia. For another, the Braves need to take a hard look at the coaching within the system. Most players will not develop as hoped, but it seems like the farm system had more success in the 1990s than it has in recent years.
Also, the Braves will need to be patient with the rebuilding–because as Seat Painter rightly says it will take much longer than one year.
Our bats should boom today. Will we get our daily allotment of two runs?
Although they haven’t climbed far, there are some position players in the system that may get to Atlanta in three or four years. Pitching help may be closer, but I also agree with Seat Painter on the prospect of quick turn-arounds. Ain’t happening. May as well start sooner than later with the rebuild.
ESPN.com is reporting the tear was sustained in Colorado and he felt pain in it during the 7th last night. Escobar is hitting third, Infante is playing third and leading off, according to the article.
Attention, attention, would any other Braves like to get hurt? Just curious. Damn, Chipper is ailing and will miss plenty more games because of the quads, Soriano still has tendinitis, Kotsay is out, Smoltz is gone for the year, Hampton is Hampton, Glavine is old and I can hit off of him now, Norton is hurting, Diaz is out, some of the bullpen is overused to the point to where they are going to get hurt, and damn it if we didn’t get rid of Brayan Pena and keep the worst possible backup for when McCann gets hurt.
Holy crap is that lineup awful. All it needs is Gotay in place of Johnson and it’d be the worst possible realistic lineup the current Atlanta Braves’ roster could put out.
well said rob…………i was just thinking its kinda funny for me and my sports teams. the braves and my football team were on a helluva roll through the 90’s and now both have slipped and its amazing how hard it is to get back to the top. or even near the top. …………………oh well, i was a fan when they sucked before(for decades!) so i guess i’ll stick around and see how this one plays out.
Bobby Cox doesn’t have to sit McCann today, with an off-day tomorrow. And the team certainly didn’t have to keep Corky freakin’ Miller as McCann’s backup.
Tonight’s lineup is funny. I don’t get why we move both the 7th AND 8th hitters into the 1/2 spots, but there ya go. 🙂
I hope we win. It’d be funny with this lineup. Heh. With all that speed, maybe we can get a winner the Stolen Base Inning with all those runny guys out there! 😀
Seriously, How does it come to this? How the fuck does it come to this? I was pumped for this season. I was so pumped for this season. The lineup looked stacked. The bullpen looked solid. The rotation looked like it could be dominant. I was even deluded to the point that I thought Hampton could make a comeback.
And now… look at this bullshit. Smoltz…gone probably for good. Glavine…smoke and mirrors, at best. Kotsay…(our best outfielder more BS thanks frenchy) out. Soriano…out and who even knows what the hell is wrong with him. Diaz…out. (not that he didn’t suck anyway). Hudson still gets screwed out of wins on a consistent basis. Teixeira reminds me more and more of A-Rod with how he accumulates his stats. Our top minor leaguer buys his hats at the same store that Barry Bonds does. The bullpen has been overworked and abused to the point Acosta is a nutjob, Boyer’s arm is about to fall off, and the other guys outside Ohman never even see the light of day. (Oh, and good job on the Resop of Kali Wren) Fianlly, Chipper, the one bright point, having a season I’ll tell my kids about, tears his quad and is out. Why the hell is he stealing bases? There should be a rule now that he is not allowed to run faster than McCann ever.
Seriously, How does it come to this? How the fuck does it come to this? I was pumped for this season. I was so pumped for this season. The lineup looked stacked. The bullpen looked solid. The rotation looked like it could be dominant. I was even deluded to the point that I thought Hampton could make a comeback.
And now… look at this bullshit. Smoltz…gone probably for good. Glavine…smoke and mirrors, at best. Kotsay…(our best outfielder more BS thanks frenchy) out. Soriano…out and who even knows what the hell is wrong with him. Diaz…out. (not that he didn’t suck anyway). Hudson still gets screwed out of wins on a consistent basis. Teixeira reminds me more and more of A-Rod with how he accumulates his stats. Our top minor leaguer buys his hats at the same store that Barry Bonds does. The bullpen has been overworked and abused to the point Acosta is a nutjob, Boyer’s arm is about to fall off, and the other guys outside Ohman never even see the light of day. (Oh, and good job on the Resop over Kali Wren) Plus, the team couldn’t win a one run game if you gave it to them. Oh wait, KJ, they did and you still blew it.
Fianlly, Chipper, the one bright point, having a season I’ll tell my kids about, tears his quad and is out. Why the hell is he stealing bases? There should be a rule now that he is not allowed to run faster than McCann, ever.
Well Rob, are you saying that it’s not good to be “doom and gloom” right now? What some of us are saying is that with what remains of this lineup after injuries, combined with the lack of pitching (and good managing) is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, no matter how Bobby bats these guys. You can only keep being positive for so long until you realize it’s September and you are 9 games out…and that’s exactly where this team is headed. Lots of “so close” moments and coulda shoulda wouldas but can’t quite make it happen. Alec Baldwin would tell this team the same thing he told Jack Lemmon in “Glengarry Glen Ross” right about now.
I feel this team has four issues that can be fixed:
1) No left fielder. Just face it, we are going with Frechy in right and that’s not changing. However, we have to get better production out of left. If Blanco is going to play most of the time there when Kotsay gets back, he is going to have to steal some bases or something.
2) We need another starter that has more than two pitches and can go 6-7-8 innings. Our bullpen is going to come apart in August at this rate.
3) Lack of a leadoff hitter. Escobar may fill this void, but I don’t think he is the answer here. Finding a guy who can play left and leadoff would be fill two voids. Someone is going to have to get on base for Chipper.
4) A solid backup catcher that can play once every five days. Like our bullpen, McCann may be found dead behind the plate in late July at this point. Corky can’t hit at all. I understand the UGA kid getting AB’s in Richmond, but it may be time to call him up and let him play a few times a week. Hell, with the way Tex is hitting, we can let McCann play first once a week too!
OUr next looming issue will be the closer. Sorriano may go back on the DL soon too.
C.C. Sabathia is the ace…but DAMN…he’s DEFINITELY cost us some 1st round pick and next year we’ll probably have a pretty high one (if this weekend’s series is any indication)
Coop? Are you serious?
#1: Tex…sure we could get two AAA ready types (a LF and a SP), but from where? Hey…I’d do this:
Chamberlin, Hughes and Austin J. Jackson from the Yankees for Tex.
#2: Frenchy…ain’t going anywhere…but if he did, we’d send him to the AL for some young arms. Probably would work to Tampa Bay, for arguments’ sake, for:
Frenchy for Wade Davis (and Wren would, right now, be GM of the year if this went down)…
#3…If Chipper wanted to leave (which he doesn’t), it would probably be to Texas or Houston (he lives in TX during the offseason)…and neither of them have much in the way of talent to return for Chipper…but I could see Boston trying to tempt us with:
Jacoby Ellsbury and Buchholz and some Minor League Arms….
Smitty, agreed, but that’s a LOT of issues that need fixing. Not sure Wren’s going to change that much, and Bobby sure as heck isn’t, which is why we’ll be 9 games out in September, as someone stated.
Best case scenario: start series 3.5 out, finish 4.5 out
Worst case scenario: start series 3.5 out, finish 6.5 out
Lose today and it’s over. I say that because the Braves play, arguably, two of the best teams in baseball right now in the next 6 games…all of them on the road. There’s potential to drop another 3 games off of the lead in the next week after today. That would put the deficit at 9.5 out and would be a huge psychological blow to this team where the only thing to look forward to right now is Chipper’s quest for .400. Hey, call me a naysayer, but I think we all know what happened in 2006 that started about late May–it’s happening now but some don’t want to admit it.
Chris, the Yankees wouldn’t trade Hughes and Chamberlain for a whole season of Johan Santana. They sure wouldn’t trade him for a half-season of Tex.
There is no chance that Tampa would trade Wade Davis for Frenchy. If they traded him for anyone it would be for someone good, like Colby Rasmus.
There’s no chance that Boston would offer Jacoby Ellsbury, Clay Buchholz, and other prospects for an old, injured, back-loaded Chipper Jones, who is a 10-and-5 and would veto the deal anyway.
I like trade ideas as much as anyone, but you have to give something to get something.
how discouraging is it when the braves get their first 2 on and you absolutely know they arent going to score because you got:
1. someone worse than a pitcher hitting next
2. the actual pitcher hitting second
3. a fast pitcher hitting 3rd.
this would be a fun trade: acquiring micah owings and let him take 4 of 5 games at first and let him pitch the 5th game. that kid can rake. and off i go to oz.
You know this series hasn’t been all that bad, they would have won Friday but for the blunder of Johnson. Yesterday, well, thats another thing, but they could be looking at winning this series then trying to salvage it
I know its a long shot but does anyone think we would be able to get Roy Halladay? He would be good for this year, and we would still have him for a couple of years after this. Plus, the Blue Jays are usually out of it, so they may want to try and get a few prospects for him.
Man…when the braves are having a terrible stretch like this, I really can’t listen to Joe Simpson. His sunshine pumping makes me want to slit my wrists.
When Corky just dropped that ball instead of throwing it to second on the victorino steal attempt, Joe’s thoughts:
“That’s what speed does to you.”
No, Joe…that’s what sucking ass at your job does to you.
I like Joe and all, but the worse the braves play, the less tolerable he becomes.
#45 – 2 of those 4 issues can be solved right now in this organization. Morton is pitching today, too. It would seem the perfect time to bring him up to the big club, especially if this start is anything like his last.
Also, let’s get rid of Miller and promote Sammons.
I sum the last two years to sub-par pitching and lazy play, score two runs then run cold, next game score 15 runs. When a simple hit is needed it doesnt happen.
Joe Simpson: “You see Corky baited Howard there. That is a heads up play by a vet. That is why Bobby Cox sends him out there, for his head and his terrific arm.”
I vote we let Corky pitch, he hits like a pitcher already.
Also, if I have to hear about Corky’s batting practice home runs, I may murder a small village.
Hey, this isn’t that bad at all. We’d probably be about to sweep this series if Utley was on our team instead of theirs, if we hadn’t pussed away the game on Friday in 9 different ways, if our team had half as many winners on it, and if our offense was a third as productive as theirs…I agree, it’s just not all that bad. I really like the way you think, NJBravesfan: In a hypothetical universe, it’s the phillies who are fearing the sweep right now.
If there was ever a time for an ealk, it was there. I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t want to ealk Kelly Johnson — our last good hitter — to load the bases for the Human Out Machine.
If I had a time machine, I would go back to each of my birthdays and tell myself to wish that Jeff Francoeur would be drafted by the Indians before I blew out the candles.
Chief, in fairness, we do have Smoltz and Chipper.
But for young franchise players, yes. (There’s a case to be made that Stephon Marbury hurts his team more, but he is a better ballplayer than Francoeur. Also, he’s gone.)
I wonder how long these shenanigans will have to continue before the media, local or national, starts taking note of the fact that he sucks?
As recently as yesterday, when reading the press release for the ‘Big 3’ special on TWIB, I read that “Brian McCann and Jeff Francoeur have already establised themselves as the next great Braves.”
Really? They have?
Frenchy may be a lot of things…but a “great” player he is not. He’s not even good. He’s not even decent. He’s the worst everyday outfielder in the National League. [i]That’s[/i] what drives me fucking nuts about it, that no one but us seems to notice (including Joe Simpson), despite the fact that all the numhbers are there…it’s not some anecdotal perception we’ve built.
I’ve started to think that NJBravesfan shared some of his stash with Joe Simpson. He seems to have tapped into that alternative universe where nothing everything magically goes your way, even when it doesn’t.
Please, share some with me before I finish tying this noose.
I’ve started to think that NJBravesfan shared some of his stash with Joe Simpson. He seems to have tapped into that alternative universe where everything magically goes your way, even when it doesn’t.
Please, share some with me before I finish tying this noose.
The steinbrenners may be in a position to be fooled into trading Frenchy. Someone send them a tape of TV announcers saying how great he is. Braves should accept anything of genuine value.
He’s obviously stopped one step short of rocking the achey-breaky-mullet or one of those little faggy pony tails, but that’s obviously what he’s going for…
that’s right…our backup catcher is a billy ray cyrus wanna be…
I can honestly say that if the Braves were down by one run in the bottom of the ninth in game seven on the World Series with the bases loaded and two outs; I’d take any one of the team’s pitchers as the hitter over Corky Miller.
check this out. i did a little research, and since tex has been acquired, chipper, finally with some protection behind him, has been incredible. here are his stats since the acquisition:
158/417 .379 batting average .467 obp
27 homeruns, 87 rbis, 68 walks in roughly 2/3 of a season.
Nah, Miley Cyrus’s music is too new school for our boy Frenchy. He only likes the tv show…he says it’s good, down home, family entertainment…and plus Billy Ray is in it.
Musically, Frenchy’s more a fan of the older stuff, you know the classics…like Achy Breaky Heart…’man what a great song’ – Frenchy
What can you say, he’s a man of the finer things in life…trucks…connect 4 and checkers…going down swiniging…marrying high school sweethearts….doing 9 pregame interviews a game for sportsouth, all with huge grins on his face, no matter how much he’s sucking on the field on the time…talking about how he and McCann grew up as a braves fans (did you guys know that?)…exuding small-town, ‘aww shucks’ appeal….you know, the finer things.
Did the commissioner’s office tell the umpires to call everything against the Braves this year when possible? It’s like they want to keep them out of the playoffs because the Braves don’t sell out, losing them money.
With all the Corky bashing (and justifiably so), someone remind me why we released Pena? Seriously…I don’t remember what happened to make us decide to keep a .060 hitter.
In the 10th, Morgan led off with a walk against Chris Resop (0-1) and was sacrificed to second. Jason Bay walked, and Morgan alertly went to third when ball four got away from Miller.
“I was anticipating anything in the dirt,†Morgan said. “Resop was throwing a bunch of curveballs and spiking them. I figured Corky Miller isn’t that great of a defensive catcher back there, and I took advantage of it.â€
It would explain his lack of skill in anything related to baseball…and also explain why the Braves kept him on the roster. (all the country bumpkins in the dugout were in awe of being, as one brave (frenchy) put it, ‘in the presence of one of the great musical minds of our time.’)
forget Clint Sammons – we need to call up Sal Fasano. He cant be worse than Corky, and he is old and cant really hit, which fits that important qualifications which make you a default good defensive catcher. And, most importantly, his ‘stache is hilarious.
I figured out what the Hamster brings to the table. He’s so bad that everyone focuses on him instead of pointing out all the other bad players. He’s even distracting from Francoeur’s suckitude. Every five days, Infante and Norton and everyone else gets a day off.
We can only hope by this time next week, SportsSouth will have developed an entire ad-campaign around Mac’s Corky song. Every commercial break, instead of Whiksey Falls, instead of those inbred homosexuals from the Barn, it will be our very own Mac Thomason…
For all of the sabermetrics-haters out there, this is why “VORP” is not always a useful stat: the Braves do not have replacement players. They have Corky Miller, Josh Anderson, and Omar Infante.
In regards to letting Reyes hit. We have to in that situation, that is a downside of having 13 pitchers. Ugh.
I also thin if we don’t win the next two games, we should focus on the Wild Card
Go Braves
Move KJ back to left when Prado’s able to play second. Let Lillibridge/Prado and Yunel handle up the middle. Get rid of Norton, Infante, Miller, inter alia, and back up the kids with more kids.
If Frenchy cannot be traded and must play (can he still be sent down?), bat him seventh or eighth. Get what you can for Tex, even if it’s not much.
Let Chipper choose whether to rebuild with the club or go elsewhere for prospects. I bet some contender would ante up something good for him; but if he chooses to stay and hit .400, great.
Lose our old pitchers and start our most promising babies, be they Reyes, Morton, whoever.
Whatever money is available, spend on a real ace and a productive corner outfielder during the off-season. An outfield of Schaeffer (geez, 10 ABs +/- above A ball!), KJ (can he make the throw from right?), and the new left field pop plus this year’s birth pangs might make 2009 palatable.
You may fire when ready, Gridleys.
Whose the Ace we are going to pick up in FA?
Rebuilding is going to take more than one year, I’m afraid. I don’t see any Ace types that the Braves could pick up in free agency (and Sabathia scares me with his Zito Potential – he has a LOT of miles on his arm for his age).
What worries me though is the legacy of the 14 straight division titles. I don’t believe that the organization believes it is out of the race, despite the evidience before all our eyes. If they aren’t ready to pack it in, we won’t be sellers at the deadline, regardless of our standing on July 31.
I really don’t see a bona fide ace being available. I’d prefer younger, projectable arms. Maybe Bonderman or Santana could be had, but not from free agency. Sabathia scares me too, but I don’t think we would put up the kind of money he’d demand anyway.
What we have’s not cutting it, though I see it more as a failure of offense at present.
Defense hasn’t helped our pitching at times either.
I think that rebuilding probably needs to happen–but it ought to begin on the farm and move upwards. It means an end to doctrines which worked well in the 1990s, but just don’t seem to anymore. For example, at the next draft the Braves need to be willing to move beyond focusing on high school players from Georgia. For another, the Braves need to take a hard look at the coaching within the system. Most players will not develop as hoped, but it seems like the farm system had more success in the 1990s than it has in recent years.
Also, the Braves will need to be patient with the rebuilding–because as Seat Painter rightly says it will take much longer than one year.
So Sportscenter said Chipper is gonna miss 2 games with a quad tear. I guess thats from stealing those bases? I guess?
Our bats should boom today. Will we get our daily allotment of two runs?
Although they haven’t climbed far, there are some position players in the system that may get to Atlanta in three or four years. Pitching help may be closer, but I also agree with Seat Painter on the prospect of quick turn-arounds. Ain’t happening. May as well start sooner than later with the rebuild.
ESPN.com is reporting the tear was sustained in Colorado and he felt pain in it during the 7th last night. Escobar is hitting third, Infante is playing third and leading off, according to the article.
Link (I hope): http://tinyurl.com/6m8mzo
Makeshift lineup today
LF Anderson
CF Blanco
SS Escobar
1B Teixiera
2B Johnson
RF Francoeur
3B Infante
C Miller
P Campillo
We don’t have any upcoming FA’s to trade except Teixiera.
Well, I guess Glavine, but I don’t think the Braves would do that.
Attention, attention, would any other Braves like to get hurt? Just curious. Damn, Chipper is ailing and will miss plenty more games because of the quads, Soriano still has tendinitis, Kotsay is out, Smoltz is gone for the year, Hampton is Hampton, Glavine is old and I can hit off of him now, Norton is hurting, Diaz is out, some of the bullpen is overused to the point to where they are going to get hurt, and damn it if we didn’t get rid of Brayan Pena and keep the worst possible backup for when McCann gets hurt.
Doom.
Gloom.
Doom.
Gloom.
Doom.
Gloom.
Oh, sorry. I was just recapping the posts for anyone who didn’t get all of that.
Holy crap is that lineup awful. All it needs is Gotay in place of Johnson and it’d be the worst possible realistic lineup the current Atlanta Braves’ roster could put out.
Adam Eaton will look like an ace today.
At least Escobar isn’t batting leadoff and Johnson is hitting fifth instead of second. That might bode well.
If Bobby goes with that lineup in a game in which we are trying to avoid being swept, then the fans should ask for their money back….
Bobby doesn’t have much of a choice.
well said rob…………i was just thinking its kinda funny for me and my sports teams. the braves and my football team were on a helluva roll through the 90’s and now both have slipped and its amazing how hard it is to get back to the top. or even near the top. …………………oh well, i was a fan when they sucked before(for decades!) so i guess i’ll stick around and see how this one plays out.
Bobby Cox doesn’t have to sit McCann today, with an off-day tomorrow. And the team certainly didn’t have to keep Corky freakin’ Miller as McCann’s backup.
Well, I guess he could play McCann until his leg falls off.
Evidently Brian’s ankle’s hurting. I guess catching every day will do that.
Is Chipper actually out or is Bobby resting him?
He’s out.
Chipper has a slightly torn quad and will be out for a few days.
I’m guessing he’d be available to pinch-hit, but Jurrjens would have to run for him.
Thanks–but that sucks….Its time for mighty to have a big game….
Tonight’s lineup is funny. I don’t get why we move both the 7th AND 8th hitters into the 1/2 spots, but there ya go. 🙂
I hope we win. It’d be funny with this lineup. Heh. With all that speed, maybe we can get a winner the Stolen Base Inning with all those runny guys out there! 😀
Irrational Downer Rant:
Seriously, How does it come to this? How the fuck does it come to this? I was pumped for this season. I was so pumped for this season. The lineup looked stacked. The bullpen looked solid. The rotation looked like it could be dominant. I was even deluded to the point that I thought Hampton could make a comeback.
And now… look at this bullshit. Smoltz…gone probably for good. Glavine…smoke and mirrors, at best. Kotsay…(our best outfielder more BS thanks frenchy) out. Soriano…out and who even knows what the hell is wrong with him. Diaz…out. (not that he didn’t suck anyway). Hudson still gets screwed out of wins on a consistent basis. Teixeira reminds me more and more of A-Rod with how he accumulates his stats. Our top minor leaguer buys his hats at the same store that Barry Bonds does. The bullpen has been overworked and abused to the point Acosta is a nutjob, Boyer’s arm is about to fall off, and the other guys outside Ohman never even see the light of day. (Oh, and good job on the Resop of Kali Wren) Fianlly, Chipper, the one bright point, having a season I’ll tell my kids about, tears his quad and is out. Why the hell is he stealing bases? There should be a rule now that he is not allowed to run faster than McCann ever.
Okay I’m done and feel a little better
Infante, Corky Miller, and Josh Anderson. I’m sure TBS will get great ratings out of this game!
Hey, Frank Wren…get us some players.
2-0. Game over.
Irrational Downer Rant:
Seriously, How does it come to this? How the fuck does it come to this? I was pumped for this season. I was so pumped for this season. The lineup looked stacked. The bullpen looked solid. The rotation looked like it could be dominant. I was even deluded to the point that I thought Hampton could make a comeback.
And now… look at this bullshit. Smoltz…gone probably for good. Glavine…smoke and mirrors, at best. Kotsay…(our best outfielder more BS thanks frenchy) out. Soriano…out and who even knows what the hell is wrong with him. Diaz…out. (not that he didn’t suck anyway). Hudson still gets screwed out of wins on a consistent basis. Teixeira reminds me more and more of A-Rod with how he accumulates his stats. Our top minor leaguer buys his hats at the same store that Barry Bonds does. The bullpen has been overworked and abused to the point Acosta is a nutjob, Boyer’s arm is about to fall off, and the other guys outside Ohman never even see the light of day. (Oh, and good job on the Resop over Kali Wren) Plus, the team couldn’t win a one run game if you gave it to them. Oh wait, KJ, they did and you still blew it.
Fianlly, Chipper, the one bright point, having a season I’ll tell my kids about, tears his quad and is out. Why the hell is he stealing bases? There should be a rule now that he is not allowed to run faster than McCann, ever.
Okay I’m done and feel a little better
ON the radio, Skip said McCann’s knee was sore.
I also vote to end the Campillo experiment and make a move for a starter.
It probably isn’t a huge difference, but I think I’d go with Anderson in center and Blanco in left.
Make a move? You must be joking. Our “move” this season was acquiring an injured Greg Norton. Enjoy!
TIme for Tex to choke
Holy Shit!
Teixeira!
Well Rob, are you saying that it’s not good to be “doom and gloom” right now? What some of us are saying is that with what remains of this lineup after injuries, combined with the lack of pitching (and good managing) is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, no matter how Bobby bats these guys. You can only keep being positive for so long until you realize it’s September and you are 9 games out…and that’s exactly where this team is headed. Lots of “so close” moments and coulda shoulda wouldas but can’t quite make it happen. Alec Baldwin would tell this team the same thing he told Jack Lemmon in “Glengarry Glen Ross” right about now.
Thank goodness, because if the runs don’t come from the 3 and 4 slots, they just ain’t coming today.
I’ll admit, I didn’t see that coming.
Way to go, Mark!
Plus it’s been all of 1 inning so it’s a little ridiculous to be claiming he’s going to suck forever now.
I feel this team has four issues that can be fixed:
1) No left fielder. Just face it, we are going with Frechy in right and that’s not changing. However, we have to get better production out of left. If Blanco is going to play most of the time there when Kotsay gets back, he is going to have to steal some bases or something.
2) We need another starter that has more than two pitches and can go 6-7-8 innings. Our bullpen is going to come apart in August at this rate.
3) Lack of a leadoff hitter. Escobar may fill this void, but I don’t think he is the answer here. Finding a guy who can play left and leadoff would be fill two voids. Someone is going to have to get on base for Chipper.
4) A solid backup catcher that can play once every five days. Like our bullpen, McCann may be found dead behind the plate in late July at this point. Corky can’t hit at all. I understand the UGA kid getting AB’s in Richmond, but it may be time to call him up and let him play a few times a week. Hell, with the way Tex is hitting, we can let McCann play first once a week too!
OUr next looming issue will be the closer. Sorriano may go back on the DL soon too.
Hey, the Padres have won four consecutive games by a 2-1 score. And none of them against us!
Nice job of hitting by Frenchy
If ther was ever a time to bunt here it is
C.C. Sabathia is the ace…but DAMN…he’s DEFINITELY cost us some 1st round pick and next year we’ll probably have a pretty high one (if this weekend’s series is any indication)
Coop? Are you serious?
#1: Tex…sure we could get two AAA ready types (a LF and a SP), but from where? Hey…I’d do this:
Chamberlin, Hughes and Austin J. Jackson from the Yankees for Tex.
#2: Frenchy…ain’t going anywhere…but if he did, we’d send him to the AL for some young arms. Probably would work to Tampa Bay, for arguments’ sake, for:
Frenchy for Wade Davis (and Wren would, right now, be GM of the year if this went down)…
#3…If Chipper wanted to leave (which he doesn’t), it would probably be to Texas or Houston (he lives in TX during the offseason)…and neither of them have much in the way of talent to return for Chipper…but I could see Boston trying to tempt us with:
Jacoby Ellsbury and Buchholz and some Minor League Arms….
but NONE of this is happening…
ps–This Lineup SUCKS
Corky needs to hangem up
Smitty, agreed, but that’s a LOT of issues that need fixing. Not sure Wren’s going to change that much, and Bobby sure as heck isn’t, which is why we’ll be 9 games out in September, as someone stated.
Best case scenario: start series 3.5 out, finish 4.5 out
Worst case scenario: start series 3.5 out, finish 6.5 out
Lose today and it’s over. I say that because the Braves play, arguably, two of the best teams in baseball right now in the next 6 games…all of them on the road. There’s potential to drop another 3 games off of the lead in the next week after today. That would put the deficit at 9.5 out and would be a huge psychological blow to this team where the only thing to look forward to right now is Chipper’s quest for .400. Hey, call me a naysayer, but I think we all know what happened in 2006 that started about late May–it’s happening now but some don’t want to admit it.
Chris, the Yankees wouldn’t trade Hughes and Chamberlain for a whole season of Johan Santana. They sure wouldn’t trade him for a half-season of Tex.
There is no chance that Tampa would trade Wade Davis for Frenchy. If they traded him for anyone it would be for someone good, like Colby Rasmus.
There’s no chance that Boston would offer Jacoby Ellsbury, Clay Buchholz, and other prospects for an old, injured, back-loaded Chipper Jones, who is a 10-and-5 and would veto the deal anyway.
I like trade ideas as much as anyone, but you have to give something to get something.
The problem is look at the hurt players that we have had to suffer, and then get this mess
I think we can clear up our issues with only a few trades.
A move for a starter will be the hardest to pull off and may not come til July, if it happens.
I don’t know, maybe Kotsay can bat leadoff.
I feel that Sammons would be a solid back up catcher.
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, that is why Josh Anderson should not lead off on a regular basis.
Ben,
You might be right.
how discouraging is it when the braves get their first 2 on and you absolutely know they arent going to score because you got:
1. someone worse than a pitcher hitting next
2. the actual pitcher hitting second
3. a fast pitcher hitting 3rd.
this would be a fun trade: acquiring micah owings and let him take 4 of 5 games at first and let him pitch the 5th game. that kid can rake. and off i go to oz.
You know this series hasn’t been all that bad, they would have won Friday but for the blunder of Johnson. Yesterday, well, thats another thing, but they could be looking at winning this series then trying to salvage it
Miller’s only use is to catch and throw, and even fails at that
Brayan Pena would have done better than that.
Corky Sucks!!
NJ,
You can sum up this weekend like that, but it also is a summary of the last two years.
I know its a long shot but does anyone think we would be able to get Roy Halladay? He would be good for this year, and we would still have him for a couple of years after this. Plus, the Blue Jays are usually out of it, so they may want to try and get a few prospects for him.
Man…when the braves are having a terrible stretch like this, I really can’t listen to Joe Simpson. His sunshine pumping makes me want to slit my wrists.
When Corky just dropped that ball instead of throwing it to second on the victorino steal attempt, Joe’s thoughts:
“That’s what speed does to you.”
No, Joe…that’s what sucking ass at your job does to you.
I like Joe and all, but the worse the braves play, the less tolerable he becomes.
No campillo sucks with that pitch
#45 – 2 of those 4 issues can be solved right now in this organization. Morton is pitching today, too. It would seem the perfect time to bring him up to the big club, especially if this start is anything like his last.
Also, let’s get rid of Miller and promote Sammons.
Smitty I got you these last two years have causes me more indigestion and grey hair
See, Corky’s horribleness worked for us there.
NJBraves fan youve got to be aboslutely shitting me with that comment (59)…I’m not even gonna respond…I just hope that was sarcastic.
Corky finds a way to make the play…
Campillo is going through what is known as ‘regression to the mean.’
I sum the last two years to sub-par pitching and lazy play, score two runs then run cold, next game score 15 runs. When a simple hit is needed it doesnt happen.
Yeah, but he’s also getting Pradoed to death.
Trying to make the best of it, but I know the truth in my heart…
Parish,
I agree totally. Maybe even 3 of 4.
Joe Simpson: “You see Corky baited Howard there. That is a heads up play by a vet. That is why Bobby Cox sends him out there, for his head and his terrific arm.”
I vote we let Corky pitch, he hits like a pitcher already.
Also, if I have to hear about Corky’s batting practice home runs, I may murder a small village.
Here I’ll try to make the best of it too:
Hey, this isn’t that bad at all. We’d probably be about to sweep this series if Utley was on our team instead of theirs, if we hadn’t pussed away the game on Friday in 9 different ways, if our team had half as many winners on it, and if our offense was a third as productive as theirs…I agree, it’s just not all that bad. I really like the way you think, NJBravesfan: In a hypothetical universe, it’s the phillies who are fearing the sweep right now.
:vomit:
Why not let Blanco steal?
Point taken
must…find…mute….button.
Hypothetically, we should be 10 games up.
Time for Tex to hit into a tripple play
Lose today and it’s over.
Sorry, I’m still laughing.
I hear that plenty from Mets & Yankees fans, but it’s usually in April.
Smitty, if Corky hit like a pitcher, he wouldn’t be so bad. He hits like a dessicated corpse.
A hit scores two. Time for back to back K’s
Hmmm, ital went bye-bye. Weird.
Shit, a walk here doesn’t help. It sets up a DP
BTW, Corky is now officially a Hamster.
GIDP time.
Can we send Roger Dorn up for Jeff?
chip caray: “that one got blanco on the back knee”.
blanco has a back knee? weird.
francoeur up with the bases loaded? is this groundhog day?
If there was ever a time for an ealk, it was there. I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t want to ealk Kelly Johnson — our last good hitter — to load the bases for the Human Out Machine.
Let’s see what Frenchy does with this chance to strike out. Does he take 1 pitch, or swing at all 3?
that’s our frenchy.
ugh
Wow…
SURPRISE SURPRISE!
Hey, I think I finally heard some boos there. About time.
Escobar probably should have let the ball hit him.
The runner should have run into it
I’m sure Francoeur’s a decent human being, but he is sure terrible at baseball.
At least by this point in the season Frenchy has become predictable….I was surpised that he worked the count to 2-1…
Hey, come on guys, make the best of it:
In a hypothetical universe, Frenchy’s in the dugout right now high fiving ‘the gang’ after hitting a mammoth 440 feet shot into the left field seats.
haha .. mac and smitty jinx .. you owe each other a coke
or something … i dunno
i hate francoeur
If I had a time machine, I would go back to each of my birthdays and tell myself to wish that Jeff Francoeur would be drafted by the Indians before I blew out the candles.
I bet we lose 3-2
Is Jeff F. the worst “face” of a franchise in professional sports, meaning the guy that all the local companies want to hire as a pitch man?
Yes, in a hypothetical universe…
So what do you do with Frenchy? The ass has swung at everything since he’s come up, you think by now something would have been done
I think I am going to add another problem to my list. Terry Pendelton.
This is the same shit over and over. Just let Chipper be the hitting coach
Chief, in fairness, we do have Smoltz and Chipper.
But for young franchise players, yes. (There’s a case to be made that Stephon Marbury hurts his team more, but he is a better ballplayer than Francoeur. Also, he’s gone.)
At least Corky would have struck out there
If the organization was ran right, you’d send him to AAA and tell him to either learn pitch recognition or he could stay there.
He has no clue about how to read pitches. He’s one of the worst I’ve seen at that.
I don’t live in GA, does Chipper have a lot of advertisements?
In his first AB, he had a good AB. He was doing good until he got baited to swing at that inside pitch.
I wonder how long these shenanigans will have to continue before the media, local or national, starts taking note of the fact that he sucks?
As recently as yesterday, when reading the press release for the ‘Big 3’ special on TWIB, I read that “Brian McCann and Jeff Francoeur have already establised themselves as the next great Braves.”
Really? They have?
Frenchy may be a lot of things…but a “great” player he is not. He’s not even good. He’s not even decent. He’s the worst everyday outfielder in the National League. [i]That’s[/i] what drives me fucking nuts about it, that no one but us seems to notice (including Joe Simpson), despite the fact that all the numhbers are there…it’s not some anecdotal perception we’ve built.
Where’s JOhnny Estrada?
What do you guys think Brandon Webb’s end of season stat line will be?
I’ll go with 22-5.
Good thing Blanco cut thaball off
God, the sad thing is everyone KNEW Frenchy was going to GIDP there. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind.
BTW, the Human Out Machine should be changed to Automatic Out Machine. The pitcher should bat ahead of that guy.
How did that ball get through?
Nice to see Infante go all-out to get that.
I’ve started to think that NJBravesfan shared some of his stash with Joe Simpson. He seems to have tapped into that alternative universe where nothing everything magically goes your way, even when it doesn’t.
Please, share some with me before I finish tying this noose.
I’ve started to think that NJBravesfan shared some of his stash with Joe Simpson. He seems to have tapped into that alternative universe where everything magically goes your way, even when it doesn’t.
Please, share some with me before I finish tying this noose.
sometimes its nice to live in fantasy land you dont feel the pain
He’s going to walk the pitcher trying to bunt.
JJ and Hudson have almost as many AB’s as Corky and are out hitting him. Cole Hammels is far out hitting Corky with two more AB’s
So stupid
Maybe the Hamster’s problem is that he looks like a garbageman and needs a makeover.
Could we not sign Crash Davis?
Guys,
Victorino scares me more than Howard and almost as much as Uttley
The steinbrenners may be in a position to be fooled into trading Frenchy. Someone send them a tape of TV announcers saying how great he is. Braves should accept anything of genuine value.
He’s goin for that Billy Ray Cyrus look.
He’s obviously stopped one step short of rocking the achey-breaky-mullet or one of those little faggy pony tails, but that’s obviously what he’s going for…
that’s right…our backup catcher is a billy ray cyrus wanna be…
😥
Campillo’s allowed 7 hits in 3 2/3 innings.
See, Francoeur’s great! See how he caught that routine fly ball!
I’d rather have Billy Ray
Infante, Miller, Campillo/pinch hitter due up…psh
The actual answer to the trivia question is “Nobody cares.”
I bet Frenchy likes Billy Ray…
😡
I can honestly say that if the Braves were down by one run in the bottom of the ninth in game seven on the World Series with the bases loaded and two outs; I’d take any one of the team’s pitchers as the hitter over Corky Miller.
Campillo now has as many hits this year as the Hamster.
This inning is an unlikely situation.
We need a wild pitch
attaboy anderson.
I’d rather have Ted Williams frozen head hitting over the Hampster
I bet Francoeur likes Miley Cyrus.
In a musical sense, that is. Not in a bad, weird way.
The Hamster has a worse batting average than Hudson, Glavine, Jurrjens, or Campillo.
check this out. i did a little research, and since tex has been acquired, chipper, finally with some protection behind him, has been incredible. here are his stats since the acquisition:
158/417 .379 batting average .467 obp
27 homeruns, 87 rbis, 68 walks in roughly 2/3 of a season.
Of course Escobar picks now to have a bad AB
A 1-2 count, yeah Joe he is looking to pitch around Escobar
That ball was almost a foot outside.
Nah, Miley Cyrus’s music is too new school for our boy Frenchy. He only likes the tv show…he says it’s good, down home, family entertainment…and plus Billy Ray is in it.
Musically, Frenchy’s more a fan of the older stuff, you know the classics…like Achy Breaky Heart…’man what a great song’ – Frenchy
What can you say, he’s a man of the finer things in life…trucks…connect 4 and checkers…going down swiniging…marrying high school sweethearts….doing 9 pregame interviews a game for sportsouth, all with huge grins on his face, no matter how much he’s sucking on the field on the time…talking about how he and McCann grew up as a braves fans (did you guys know that?)…exuding small-town, ‘aww shucks’ appeal….you know, the finer things.
Wow, if we don’t get that pitch too, Bobby needs to get tossed
Did the commissioner’s office tell the umpires to call everything against the Braves this year when possible? It’s like they want to keep them out of the playoffs because the Braves don’t sell out, losing them money.
lol at 152
Wow, did anone see Corky send 45 seconds adjusting his cup?
Joe made up a new stat, Heat Index Pitch (HIP)
With all the Corky bashing (and justifiably so), someone remind me why we released Pena? Seriously…I don’t remember what happened to make us decide to keep a .060 hitter.
Pena couldn’t catch and throw, becasue that is more important
His FABULOUS DEFENSE!
I really hope there’s more to it than that. Something about them wanting Pena to play every day? Please be a real reason.
Well, Campillo did today what 5th starters are generally asked to do. Now, let’s score some runs.
His sweet soulpatch, and flowing, Cyrus-esque mane of hair. Good enough reason for me.
Did someone pick up Pena?
The Royals did.
When I hear, “Shot through the heart, and youre too late…”
I puke
If he had done that last time, we would have socerd
yea – i think he needs a new at bat song – that could be the explanation for the slump
Aren’t the lyrics ‘Shot through the heart, and your to blame’?
He should pick, “Muskrat Love” it is as annoying as watching Frenchy hit
April 4, 2008:
In the 10th, Morgan led off with a walk against Chris Resop (0-1) and was sacrificed to second. Jason Bay walked, and Morgan alertly went to third when ball four got away from Miller.
“I was anticipating anything in the dirt,†Morgan said. “Resop was throwing a bunch of curveballs and spiking them. I figured Corky Miller isn’t that great of a defensive catcher back there, and I took advantage of it.â€
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/multimedia/s_560597
“Out In the Country”.
I try not to miss one, but I did a quick count so feel free to correct me:
By my count, Frenchy has now left 13 men on base this series and has 0 RBI.
😡
who’s fault is it if we get swept?
Or “See You Again”, Hannah Montana…
Mike,
I don’t know if that is funny or scarry that you know a Hanna Montanna song.
this is 2 days in a row a bottom of the rotation guy has started an inning w/ 90+ pitches – that doesnt seem like normal Bobby Cox
I told you all already, his favorite song is “Achy Breaky Heart’
Word on the street is he did a choreographed dance routine to it, sporting an airbrushed t-shirt in his elementary school talent show.
I heard that on Sportsouth “Jeff Francoeur: In His Own Words VIII”
Bad link. Here is the good one:
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/multimedia/s_560597.html
Joe: He probably doesnt even know it’s hot.
(you know…because he’s mexican)
:eyeroll:
Why didn’t we double-switch and leave Campillo in to play right?
“See You Again” is played quite a bit on Q100 around here. Its actually requested a lot too.
Yeah, Campillo did well in the heat, it won’t get hotter in ATLANTA, GEORGIA this summer
Another GREAT stop by Corky on that wild pitch. Man, nothing gets past him.
Dear Corky Miller,
Fuck you.
Love,
Smitty
What does Corky do well, exactly? Turn oxygen into carbon dioxide?
For a defensive catcher, Corky’s not very good.
So why again did Bobby keep Corky over Pena?
Would have been a double play
And thanks entirely to Corky Miller, defensive specialist catcher, the inning continues.
maybe no one was eating the food on the spreads in the clubhouse, and they needed to keep corky around so it didnt go to waste
Guys, this is easy. We now know where the pictures are.
Mac, we are on top of it today
Good work. We needed to pitch around the pitcher to get to Rollins.
That’s completely unfair, Smitty. Lockhart and Orr and the rest of the picture-carriers were far better players than the Hamster.
Does anyone get out of the catcher’s crouch better than Corky Miller?
Buddy!!
Free Clint Sammons…
How do you walk the pitcher and then strike out Jimmy Rollins on 3 straight?
It does not make sense!
Maybe Corky IS Billy Ray Cyrus…
It would explain his lack of skill in anything related to baseball…and also explain why the Braves kept him on the roster. (all the country bumpkins in the dugout were in awe of being, as one brave (frenchy) put it, ‘in the presence of one of the great musical minds of our time.’)
you decide:
http://tinyurl.com/6kcgqk
http://tinyurl.com/6orpb7
😯 😯 😯
forget Clint Sammons – we need to call up Sal Fasano. He cant be worse than Corky, and he is old and cant really hit, which fits that important qualifications which make you a default good defensive catcher. And, most importantly, his ‘stache is hilarious.
What will the backup catcher be five years from now?
But just watch Hamster run out that ground ball!
Apparently if it is hot, you can’t move
A log.
d’oh fixed links:
http://tinyurl.com/63d6go
http://tinyurl.com/5qzjfh
How low will Corky’s batting average get before he gets his next hit?
Man, Langerhans was gone after his terrible start last year. Why can’t the same be true about Corky?
I give up…fuck tinyurl.
Hank White had a better bat than Corky.
What will the backup catcher be five years from now?
It will still be Corky Miller. This team’s strange obsession with him isn’t going away. They even dumped Brayan Pena to keep him.
I really thought at the end of the 2007 season that I’d never see Corky Miller again. But here he is.
2 grounders in a row our guys didnt run out. Norton would have beaten that out.
Corky Miller:
Terrible Brave or Worst Brave ever?
I figured out what the Hamster brings to the table. He’s so bad that everyone focuses on him instead of pointing out all the other bad players. He’s even distracting from Francoeur’s suckitude. Every five days, Infante and Norton and everyone else gets a day off.
Oh great…and now they hit us with our first coldplay commerical of the day…just when I thought it couldn’t get worse.
I’m actually in disbelief. Coldplay and Whiskey Falls in back to back commercials…
…I’m gonna go have a good cry.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/S/clint-sammons.shtml
Fun Corky Miller fact:
Miller went hitless from 09/11/2004 to 08/02/2007
Joe and John are bitching about the heat. It is only June
I’m writing the “Corky Miller Song”. It goes a little something like this:
CORKY MILLER! He is so bad!
CORKY MILLER! He makes us sad.
CORKY MILLER! I want to cry.
CORKY MILLER! Please just die!
What do Peanut and DOB asay about Corky?
Mac,
You might get to go on BRAVES LIVE!
nice inning ohman! i’m very impressed that we didn’t give up any runs
When are we going to see a series of Corky Miller tapes like we did in spring training involving Mike Hampton?
Ohman is awesome.
Make sure to post it to YouTube so you’ll get famous
Like the Teixiera song kids from Auburn
We can only hope by this time next week, SportsSouth will have developed an entire ad-campaign around Mac’s Corky song. Every commercial break, instead of Whiksey Falls, instead of those inbred homosexuals from the Barn, it will be our very own Mac Thomason…
…I can dream can’t I?
We need to score this inning
I changed the words to “Load up the Bases.”
“Roll out Corky’s Corpse,
Fire up bus.
Call up Clint Sammons,
Gonna hit one ouuuuuuuuuuuuuut (of the infield)
good leadoff walk for Blanco.
Let Blacno steal
that last ball looked like a strike… oh well, we’ll take it
that ‘ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut’ isn’t even half as long as the one in the commercial.
more like OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW-OOOOOOW-OOOOOOOOOOW-OOOOOOOOOOOUT!
and that one looked like a ball…
TBS pitchtrack said that both the 3rd and 4th called strikes were balls. poor Yunel
I vote we buy a pitch back and let Corky set it up every fifth day. It would be way more effective and might even draw a walk
For all of the sabermetrics-haters out there, this is why “VORP” is not always a useful stat: the Braves do not have replacement players. They have Corky Miller, Josh Anderson, and Omar Infante.
“On-field delay”?
I send Blanco here
It was just a meeting on the mound, Catz.
You have to remember that I can’t sing.
Corky.wma
Oh, ok.
This umpire is terrible
AHAHA.. that is really good
Even Sal Fasano would be an improvement over Corky….
That would have been a strike to Escobar
remind me why we released Brayan Pena instead of Corky
Good question–I was wondering as much….