I bet he’s back in the lineup, though. He’ll probably hit fifth. Resolved: Francoeur = June.
I bet he’s back in the lineup, though. He’ll probably hit fifth. Resolved: Francoeur = June.
Now that he is rested, I’m sure he will go on a streak. All he needed was to “clear his head.”
I think they should bat him third. That way, he would be sure to get good pitches to hit and that’s apparently his only problem. Bat Schaefer leadoff and Francouer third. That way, the strikeouts come early in the game. 🙂
Defeat the swoon!
Why is Blanco in the doghouse? Why can’t he replace Schafer?
Schafer’s been sent down per the AJC. Replaced by Blanco
#3 He has. Schafer was optioned today.
Braves stuggling center fielder Jordan Schafer has been sent to Class AAA Gwinnett to regain his form, and the Braves have called up Gregor Blanco from Gwinnett.
Schafer was hitting .204 (34-for-167) with a whopping 63 strikeouts, which was the fourth-highest totals in the major leagues.
Blanco was in the lineup in center field for Tuesday night’s series opener against the Cubs at Turner Field. Blanco was hitting only .242 in AAA Gwinnett but was hitting .350 in his last 10 games with two doubles and eight RBIs.
I like that move. Shows that — at least for some — there is such a thing as playing your way out of a starting role. No one can say the Braves didn’t give Jordan a fair shot at the role. He just plain wasn’t ready.
one down, an Ache and a Frenchy to go
It is best for Schafer, Blanco, and the team.
Is anybody reporting a lineup for tonight? Curious about Diaz. Since it is Lilly and Lilly is lefthanded, Diaz should be in left. Frenchy against lefthanders is better than ACHE at this point of ACHE’s “long and almost distinguished career” and the defense combo of Diaz left / Frncoeur right is the best corner defense we can come up with off the 25 man roster.
It’s about time; he wasn’t doing himself any good up here. But the kid has talent and I would expect him to be back up later in the season.
cliff, Lilly starts tomorrow. A righty tonight and Diaz isn’t in there; Stenchy’s back.
LINEUP
Johnson, 2B
Escobar, SS
Jones, 3B
McCann, C
ACHE, LF
Prado, 1B
Francoeur, RF
Blanco, CF
Kawakami, P
I saw the lineup on the other thread after I read this one.
Bobby, you just don’t get it do you?
Wren, I know it is difficult since he is “an institution” but Bobby’s gaffes are starting to count against you. Even this bunch of morons around here knows that Diaz should be starting in right against righthanders.
@8 – as listed by Dutch in previous thread:
Lineup:
Johnson 2B
Escobar SS
Jones 3B
McCann C
Anderson LF
Prado 1B
Francoeur RF
Blanco CF
Kawakami P
Why would anybody want an extra 200 points of ops at one lineup spot? That would be too much offensive talent, wouldn’t it?
I guess I was right yesterday, I was wondering why Blanco wasnt starting yesterday in Gwinnett
From the last thread, if that’s true about the Braves signing mostly college pitchers last year, then that’s good. The drafting high school pitchers thing didn’t work out for most of the drafts during the 90’s.
What did Diaz do to deserve this? That guy should just ask for a trade or something since it’s clear his current employers do not value his services.
I believe the Braves’ top three selections from the 2008 Draft were high school pitchers, after that they mostly went with College arms.
I think the top 2 and maybe the top 3 pitchers drafted by the Braves last year were HS, and not college pitchers. At least 3 of the pitchers drafted last year (2 HS [DeVall and Spruill], and Jacob Thompson, out of UVA) are in the rotation at Rome.
Diaz is too nice of a guy and he enjoys his role with the team unfortunately. Id love to see him call out these guys. Look at the numbers and its clear to see he’s our best OF’r, but Bobby thinks hes the 4th
I’m going to Rome’s game tonight–was planned before Glavine announcement–my kid’s little league team takes the field with the players–too bad Pee Wee plays 3rd instead of pitcher.
FREE MATT DIAZ
you think Schafer is meeting with the media right now describing how he didnt see it coming and how his relationship is over between him and the Braves? If not, he should. He’d be back in about 5 days max
“you think Schafer is meeting with the media right now describing how he didnt see it coming and how his relationship is over between him and the Braves? If not, he should. He’d be back in about 5 days max.”
That is very funny.
I heard on 790 the zone this morning the announcers saying they cannot understand the venom so many people feel for Frenchie, and how out of line it is. In my mind, his reaction to his well-deserved demotion last year (and how he got away with and was rewarded for publically pouting) is 1 reason. The fact that the media and the AJC fall all over themeselves over his limited success, and kind of quietly ignore his terrible play, is another.
You know, ACHE, Greg White, and Frenchy may be the worst defensive outfield of the decade. And it’s not like any of them make up for it with the bat. Terrible decision for the club right now to option Schafer. He was one of the bright spots in our defense. And they replace him with a guy who can’t really hit and plays awful defense. Just a horrible decision. Like covering a manhole with a collender.
Frank, good for you. If I were in the country I’d be at State Mutual Stadium tonight too.
Blanco isn’t that bad defensively. And it’s not like Schafer is a +20 runs defensive guy. He seems to be average at best in CF. I don’t see any positive in him continuing to be overwhelmed in the majors. It’s time to try something else while seeing if Jordan can get straightened out.
25—Disagree with you not because you’re wrong about the defensive deficincies, but because I think it’s important for Schafer’s development that he get sorted out in the low-pressure minors. In the short run, the Braves might be taking a hit, but this is the best long-term move regarding Schafer. IMO.
Absolutely, bfan.
I saw him as a player with problems but with potential until that. If he didn’t or wouldn’t understand he had a series of problems, he wasn’t going to get better.
It also hardened my attitude toward Cox. This team needs many many fanny kickings.
@25, Jort:
Blanco is about league average in center according to UZR/150, and is well above average in left.
Schafer in 2009 UZR/150 is -8.4.
Blanco in 2008 UZR/150 (CF only) is -3.8.
On Schafer, it was absolutely the right move to send him down, albeit at least three weeks late. And mercifully, all that “anything offense from him is a plus” crap from Peanut goes down with him.
Sorry to interrupt this thread, but I didn’t want Marc to miss my response to his derision on the last thread.
@235 from the previous thread: Thanks for the personal attack Marc. I did have respect for you, and I guess I’ll try to cut you some slack since you’re obviously emotionally attached to the situation.
I’d hope you could detect sarcasm better in the future though. I’ve got no problem with the censoring of the joke, which as I said was in poor taste, but I was actually just poking fun at Jason C’s Titanic reference by comparing it to another comment that had no place here… FWIW, I am of Jewish descent, and I have met more than one female who happily embraces the label you find so offensive. One of the things I respect most about my heritage is the ability to laugh at ourselves even in the roughest of times.
I should point out an error in your comment though. The accident that Jason referenced did not happen “100 years ago,†it is only 12 years old, and the wound is still fresh in the hearts of many American men who had to sit through that crappy excuse of a film.
@25: Regardless of how the move affect the Braves this season this was without a doubt the correct move. Schafer simply wasn’t getting a chance, while batting in the 8th hole, to work on the things he needs to be working on, and his production in the future is more important than any surplus benefit he’d provide us over Blanco. If Schafer can get things straightened out, maybe he’s back up in a month or two and can contribute when this team might really need it.
@31: I think we would’ve seen this move earlier if Gregor hadn’t been wallowing in AAA at the start of the year.
You are all right that it is a good move for Schafer’s development. But Schafer is a well above average CF. He had some misplays in the first few weeks and that has hurt his UZR and +/-, but since then he’s played error-free and displayed great instincts, plus plus range, and a plus arm. And +/-, the superior system in my opinion, has Blanco pegged at well below average in center. I only said it was terrible for the club right now. Which it probably is. Weather or not it turns out to be a good long-term decision remains to be seen (I think it probably will be), but I’m just saying we have all the problems (and most probably more) that we did before this move.
Why is Blanco in the doghouse? Why can’t he replace Schafer?
Because the Atlanta Braves are right now 14th out of 16 teams in the NL in team slugging percentage and Blanco slugged .309 in 2008?
And Schafer’s slugging .287 in 2009.
I think Schafer will get a month or so in AAA, and if he’s hitting pretty well after that, he’ll be back up with the big club for the stretch. And I think that’s probably the right way to go at this point. The Braves are usually pretty good at handling prospects, moving them up/down, etc., with the one notable exception of Frenchy (and arguably Hanson, but that’s more about money, IMO).
And Schafer’s slugging .287 in 2009.
And yet he doubled Blanco’s 2008 homerun total despite doing so poorly.
I’m sorry, I don’t understand your point. Fact: Offensively, ’09 Schafer has been far worse than ’08 Blanco.
The point is the team replaced a struggling player who may eventually have “figured it out” with a complete no-hoper.
The same goes for replacing Kris Medlan with Tom Glavine or Tony Armas, Jr.
Blanco also put up a .366 OBP last year, which would be by far better than anyone we have in our current outfield except Diaz.
40, great point. I think the logic is that he has a better chance of figuring it out at AAA.
39, Schafer’s 2009 offense and Blanco’s second half 2008 offense are eerily similar. And when you consider defense….
40—They replaced a guy who sucks badly right now with a guy who’s nothing special but who just last year did far better than the badly-sucking guy.
The Medlen-Glavine/Armas analogy doesn’t work at all.
One good thing that will come out of this: if he spends 12 days in the minors he’ll be FA eligible a year later and if he spends 7 or so weeks down in the minors his arb clock will also be pushed back a year.
All this noise about Blanco v Schafer is rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, if you will. As long as Anderson and Frenchy are your corner OFs we are simply a less than pedestrian team offensively and defensively.
According to MLBTR:
“Delmon Young “surfaced on the Braves’ radar,” but just briefly. An unnamed GM said acquiring Young would be a bad move when free agent hitters could be just as productive.”
Ugh. One of the few outfielders who’s been worse than Frenchy this year. At least Wren really is looking for a solution.
Wow, lot happened when I was out. Anyway, Schafer’s OPS was down to a cool .600 after Sunday’s game, and eventually even the Braves will notice that. The problem is that the Braves’ problem is lack of power, and the possible solutions in the farm — Blanco and Brandon Jones — have no power, though they’ve been on-base threats.
Not enough happened, you-know-who is still here.
44,
Nothing about his second half 2008 or his AAA numbers in 2009 or what scouts think about him suggest he’s a better option than Schafer. Nothing. Throw out his 2008 first half, which I believe is more of a fluke than anything, and you’ve thrown a player that isn’t hitting but plays good defense for a player that CAN’T hit and CAN’T play good defense.
But I like Chipper!
Maybe the anti-Chipper can be his new nickname.
PWHjort, if Schafer has plus plus range, I am Hussein Bolt.
Well hi there, Hussein Bolt. So nice to meet you.
It’s Usain Bolt. And while Schafer runs well, he really doesn’t know what he’s doing out there yet and takes weird paths to the ball. If defense were all-important, we’d have called up Gorkys.
Usain is a simple dialect variant of the same name, but yes, you are correct, I am technically Usain Bolt (if in fact Schafer has plus plus range [even if he did know where he was going]).
He got over that after the first few weeks and hasn’t taken a bad route since.
False.
Oh God, Chip’s going to do PBP for the Cubs tonight.
Exactly. Schafer’s defensive range and skill with the leather have been exagerrated his whole trip up through the minors by the Braves and scouts who get starry eyed about “tools.” This isn’t to say he isn’t an above average CF prospect, in fact his numbers in the minors show him to be just that. But he’s not even close to being on the level of a Gorkys for example, and frankly, he’s looked like a lost cause out there on a regular basis so far this year, which has been really surprising to me. I’m sure he’ll figure it out eventually, but I think you’re drastically overstating his current defensive value, PWHjort.
@ 57,
WOW. someone didn’t watch the most recent road trip. Off the top of the head I can think of a couple he made during the trip…
Can Schafer’s bad routes be attributed to his playing in new parks, or is he just inexperienced at the position?
@57 Schafer took a terrible route on a line drive to the gap in the D-back series
We still have Gregor Blanco? wow, i almost completely forgot about him.
Note the excitement in Chip’s voice, as he announced the Soriano bomb…dude’s sportin a chubby….gonna be a long night.
What a start.
That’s it. I’d rather listen to the sounds of sexual intercourse between Mark Lemke and Bobby Cox than ever listen to anything Chip Caray does again for the rest of my life.
5 pitches? Way to make him sweat.
Guess what? Chip won’t shut up about the Cubs.
The game itself sucks too.
Terrible.
What the heck, i just read a few posts and the inning is over already?
I would not bring Schafer back up until September, let him work things out and really build some confidence.
Corky Miller makes an appearance:
http://tinyurl.com/dz7al2
ESPN Neyer article up regarding Schafer demotion. Nice slam on Jeffy too.
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/sweetspot/0-3-11/Atlanta-s-Schafer-down–Blanco-up.html
The umps still hate Milton Bradley. He was clearly safe.
The Cubs really hate Yunel.
Bean the next Cub up right in the head.
Is that the third time this year Yunel has successfully pretended to be hit by a pitch? I believe it is.
Yunel is kind of a douche.
@76
True, but he’s our douche.
Francoeur is like an infection. Stick him in the lineup and not only does he suck, so does everyone else.
Hibernation Mode began early tonight.
This is more like Frozen Mode.
47 pitches through 5 innings for the random dude on the mound for the Cubs.
Makes me wonder how many pitches it would take mid-90s Maddux to shut out our team. 75? 70?
Ballgame.
You could have said that after the first hitter.
I’m beginning to think that Garret’s outfield play would be a bit sharper if we hadn’t installed that hammock for him out in left.
I really cannot stand Chip Caray any longer.
How does Joe blame Kelly’s arm for the run scoring and not a word mentioned about Anderson’s anti-hustle? Oh yeah, he’s Joe Simpson.
I am glad to see that Schafer was sent down.
I think it’s good for his game, but not necessarily good for the Atlanta Braves.
WGN’s replays showed the ball clearly hit Yunel’s bat. It never touched him.
It’ll be funny if that kills the perfect game if this random pitcher ends up with a no-hitter.
First pitch fastball right down the middle and Francoeur can’t put it in play.
@89 – So did Peachtree’s.
WGN’s game recap so far lists KK’s line and just says “ESCOBAR FAKES HBP”
Please Cubs, take Chip Caray back with you when you leave!
Um, what? We are being no-hit by Anonymous, Pitcher?
“That was Francoeur’s first 3-0 count this year.”
-WGN announcer during last Francoeur at-bat.
(Still made an out.)
It’s not inconsistency, Joe, it’s inability.
@94 – He should have a perfect game, but even then he’s on schedule to face the minimum. This is hell.
God, Rob Neyer is a dick. He’s right, but I really can’t stand the guy.
Joe Simpson is Jeff Francoeur’s biggest fan and he doesn’t even try to hide it.
Wow…I just realize how bad Chip Carey really is…after listening to Steve Physiok(Angels), Duane Kiper(Giants), Vin Scully, and even Darren Sutton for the D-Backs over the past few days…I’m shocked at how bad he is.
We’re being no-hit by a pitcher who is looking for his FIRST major league win.
I’m really starting to hate this team.
Welcome to June.
(1) If some jagoff throws at our guy’s head, I don’t care if our guy hams his way onto first base.
(2) All game, the Cubs’ TV broadcast team has been harping on the Braves’ foolish free-swinging ways. Ordinarily, I’d be ticked at opponents’ announcers dogging the Braves. Unfortunately, they are entirely correct. (They’ve practically admitted that the Braves are handing Wells [2 Ks] his no-hitter.)
(3) Interesting comparison by Cubs’ announcers re counts that Francouer and Chipper have run up this year. Needless to say, Francouer fairs terribly in this comparison.
We ought to pull one man out of the lineup every day until we deem the problems fixed. Today it was Schafer. Francoeur, you should be tomorrow. Won’t happen, but I can hope.
This is pretty sad.
Thank you, Chipper.
Thank God for Chipper.
WOOOOOO
Thank you, Chipper, for sparing us from total embarrassment.
Lemke just said Manny Acta was warming up in the bullpen. He meant Acosta. Hah.
Good night for Glavine.
And at 5-0, good night, Braves. Though that probably could have been uttered with accuracy at about 7:14 p.m.
Bobby calls ACHE “Andy.”
Well, that was unexpected.
ACHE? Another homer? Wow
ACHE!
Break up ACHE.
braves score , braves score , braves score
ACHE has woken up, you see he just thought the season didn’t start until May 31st.
Carlos Marmol…don’t swing b/c you will not get a hit. Just take the walk(s)
Walking Francoeur is asking for it.
Damn. The Braves have been unlucky tonight with BABIP.
Wow…walked Francoeur on four pitches.
A Garret Anderson homerun and a Francoeur walk in the same inning?
Wow…How long will Norton be out?
No idea. He’s probably not hurt too bad. Medlen just runs better.
I can’t believe it. I expected him to swing at a pitch in the dirt there
Garrett has looked good at the plate for a while now…
Lou’s leaving him in?
The fans tonight seem unusually enthusiastic…
Escobar good at bat, Chipper not so much. Damn…
Typical. Doesn’t seem like this team has gotten a big hit late in the game in 4 years.
Figures.
Cue Price is Right “failure” tune.
Good work by Moylan.
C’mon boys — Kevin Gregg ain’t good. We can do this.
@126: “The fans tonight seem unusually enthusiastic…”
You’re misinterpreting the environment at Turner. The enthusiasm was a blend of Cubs fans cheering on Marmol and Braves fans cheering on their hitters.
Ganderson shows some hustle!
Prado has been terrible at the plate lately…
Francouer with a 2 run homer…
Wow.
HOLY SHIT
OMG
No. Freaking. Way.
No freakin’ way!!!
edit – Jinx!
I don’t believe it.
I DON’T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST SAW!
/Scully
Holy @&#(@…I called it!!!!!
Quelle ironique.
Holy f***ing sh** I do not believe that.
Haha, what a horrible pitch that was. How on earth is this guy closing?
I CANNOT BELIEVE IT!
Mac just died a little inside.
But I still hate Francoeur.
Tomorrow’s game thread should also be titled “Francoeur sucks”
Shit, I was kinda dozing there! Did that just happen???
Quick, trade him!
@141 That was Jack Buck…
I bet we lose the game anyway, though.
Frenchy set us up to lose by one-run in extras.
@150 I said the same thing to my wife.
I’m with you Ethan, trade him quick!!
Urlhix, what do you think she’ll get for you? 😉
I’m not going to start being nice to him.
Best line of the night goes to Ethan. #150
Gonzalez vs. Soriano…..please be careful.
We’re never getting rid of him now.
Catie’s got some “cash and prizes” for Jeff when he gets home tonight…
Francouer is an athlete, no doubt about it. He’s just dumb.
The Yankees and Red Sox vs. Gonzalez. Can’t wait.
@156 Maybe an old worn-out mule at this point 🙂
Let’s do this, Braves!!
Gonzo never makes it easy.
Is Kotchman available to pinch-hit?
Prado and Gonzo on the field at the same time in the ninth….too much for one man to have to endure.
Joe was saying he could barely walk earlier today, I doubt it.
You know, this Bing thing is kinda cool. Google never put me on the first page.
Bunt…..
C’mon Chipper….
I suspect the next 2 guys will be walked.
Walk Chipper and McCann. Pitch to Garrett Anderson.
Nah, with Chipper, I’d have brought in a lefty and turned him around.
99 percent of the time walking the bases loaded with two out is a bad move. This is the one percent.
Damn….that was his pitch.
Damn
Who didn’t see that coming?
Man, Chip. Learn how to anticipate what is going to happen. I’ve never heard someone get so excited about obvious outs.
At least we’ll have Francoeur up in the bottom of the 11th.
Of course, if the braves walked the bases loaded in that situation, you know the pitcher, no matter who, would just walk the next batter.
177 — Towards the end of his career, his grandpa used to get pretty excited about pop ups that he thought had the distance. But it was charming with Harry.
Also, in Wrigley some popups do go the distance.
I think Soto could have done that.
How old is Pinella anyway? Some of the closeups tonight have been less than flattering!
Piniella will turn 66 in August.
This is the most gut-wrenching game I remember in a while.
I love watching Soriano pitch. It’s the same sort of pleasure as watching Wohlers before he went off the rails.
I just realized that Diaz stayed in the game for ACHE. That means we can get one more out of Soriano.
Good move, Bobby!
185 – Since Saturday.
Pinella, Cox, Torre, LaRussa…A lot of years.
Prado is in a major slump….
I checked the live box score before I went to teach class 40 minutes ago and saw 5-3 Cubs, Anderson at the plate in the bottom of the 9th. Game over, surely.
I finish class and come back and see that Francoeur hit a homer, driving in Anderson to tie it and force extras. Bizarro world.
Other than Chipper, Francoeur still gets the largest response from the crowd.
Take us home Jeff….
Bobby was a Yankee coach when Piniella was a player.
Why isn’t he bunting?!?!?
Ha, spoke too soon.
I think this one is more gut-wrenching with the 5 run comeback, IMO.
Francoeur is probably the only guy on the team Bobby would not ask to bunt here.
EDIT: I stand corrected.
Francoeur’s first CAREER sacrifice? wow.
Francoeur just laid down a successful sacrifice bunt. (The first in his career. Hey, why would you have Frenchy bunt when you can get Kelly or Yunel to do it?) Can we start thinking of other sacrifices he can make for the team?
#195
Think again.
Cox never asks Francoeur to bunt for some reason. But he finally did.
Easy Blanco….
In the Aztec sense of the word “sacrifice,” AAR…
First successful sacrifice. Any attempts before? Just curious.
Take it to right Matty…..
Aaron, just remember… once a Met, always a Met…
#202
Brenley and the other WGN announcer say, “No.”
C’mon, Matty!
Only problem with that plan is that I’m pretty sure he’s not a female virgin, Brian.
If it’s not a good pitch, take it, please.
Dang, Diaz almost got that down.
Yeah, that was ball four.
Heilman sure walked the tightrope there.
Shit…playin him so damn shallow.
I was listening to the Braves on the radio and they were talking about how impressed they were with Fontaine. Lemke said that he is a solid hitter very similar to Lockhart and the other announcer agreed. I thought you guys would enjoy that.
two innings of bunt strategy. two zeroes on the board.
Damnit
Well, here’s a scary thought… what reliever do we go to after Soriano?
No one on this team preforms in clutch hitting situations
Have you watched this game, Jon?
216 — Probably O’Flaherty
I think Bobby should get Jeff to pitch. Best case scenario, he finds a new career. Worst case scenario, we all go home.
That was a strike.
Does anybody know when the last time the Braves had two, (TWO!) outfielders hit a home run in the same game ? I’m sure it happened last week or something, but it seems like for-ev-er.
This game would be over if that bitch Acosta didn’t give up his cursory home run.
Soriano is pretty good.
We have to win it here or it’s not happening.
I think we can go back to calling him Atrosta.
Well, Braves outfielders only hit two homers last month — Francoeur on the first day, Anderson on the last. I’d guess it was opening day, when Francoeur and Schafer both homered.
223-
If Acosta had not given up that homer, Jeff Francoeur would have hit a walk-off home run. Which would mean….. (fill in the blank). Acosta merely wants to keep the order of the universe.
That hurt.
TIME TO BUNT, CHIPPER!
C’mon Chipper.
Mark Lemke: “I love the way Yunel Escobar runs the bases. He makes you and the defense stop him.”
Very true. Unfortunately, they succeed a whole lot more often than he does.
The game is still going on…Damn.
“I love the way that Yunel runs through that minefield. He really makes the mines blow him up.”
I was about to ask Yunel just to take it station to station…
That is such a better play than a bunt.
I just got back from Israel. They use old minefields for cow pasture.
Every so often, cows blow up.
YAAAAAY!!!!!
YES! YES! YES!
BRAVES WIN
Wow, that stolen base was HUGE.
Larry!
WHOO!!!
Braves win!
Idiot Cubs. Why pitch to the Chipper?
Be careful guys! Chipper’s fragile!
I was thinking the same thing, Rob…
I can’t believe this… it’s june. we’re not supposed to be doing things like this
245—I thought that same thing. Please don’t put him on the DL from celebrating.
Exactly Rob. I hope he’s able to go tomorrow.
Soriano totally deserved that win. And Heilman deserves the lose, just because he used to be a Met.