From previous thread,
I must’ve been away when the secret identity was unveiled. (I always liked it when the masked wrestler got unmasked.) Can you clue me in?
BTW, I hope you’re feeling better. We’re all on your side here.
I normally stayed out of the Gadfly tiffs, but he definitely irked me. I remember a few game threads ago he chastised Mac for “dismissing” his theories on something. Dude, this isn’t YOUR forum.
That and the Greek philosophy rant a few weeks back.
To me, it had the same effect as a wrestling unmasking. You think it’s going to be a big deal, and then he turns out to be a Portland State student, no less anonymous to me than “Gadfly”. Sort of like the time Mr. Wrestling II got unmasked, revealing….a middle-aged man whom I didn’t recognize.
spike (back in the ATL)
on June 13, 2009 at 2:48 pm
It was more like when the Masked Avenger was revealed to be Daffy Duck.
Johnny
on June 13, 2009 at 3:10 pm
c’mon! Y’all miss him. Right? LOL
I have to admit that I’d read a response to Gadfly and then have to go and read what bullcrap everyone was responding to.
Jay
on June 13, 2009 at 3:11 pm
The more interesting thing was that JC hinted at Gadfly’s reputation beyond Braves Journal. I wanted to hear more of the legend of Gadfly. JC, any good stories?
Stu
on June 13, 2009 at 3:27 pm
I gotta say he ended up being exactly the sort of guy I expected him to be.
But y’all are basically begging that douche to return by talking about him so much.
sdp
on June 13, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Looks like Manny Acta is getting the axe.
hankonly
on June 13, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Gadfly may have been a lot of well-written sound and fury signifying nothing, but I never did understand why he got under the skin of so many.
Just scroll, baby.
What are we, 4 and 0 against the AL East? What’s the big deal about the AL East?
Tom
on June 13, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Not trying to take anything away from the Gadfly discussion, but does anyone care what baseball in Germany is like these days? If so, here
Do you think Kawakami will look at the infield defense behind him and think, “Looks like a good day to be a flyball pitcher”?
ryan c
on June 13, 2009 at 4:13 pm
one question: why is canizares playing first if he is that bad defensively?
braves14
on June 13, 2009 at 4:15 pm
My guess is Bobby wants to get a first hand look at how bad it is. No other explanation. To be fair, he hasn’t screwd up yet.
Frank
on June 13, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Prado’s sort of gimpy and isn’t exactly a wizard with the glove when healthy.
Nasa from france
on June 13, 2009 at 4:56 pm
@14 Tom
Nice read! As a French guy I totally agree with your article. You’re kind of unlucky because the level in Germany is really low, while its neighbors are much better, the Netherlands are the best obviously (remember the WBC!) and then come Italy and France. I play myself, but in one of the bottom tier leagues, so I know what the passed balls and one pitch repertoires are 🙂 But in the National leagues in the Netherlands/Italy/France there is some good talent developing… I know there are some outfielders in Europe that would outhit Jeffie Francoeur for sure.
Ethan, keep in mind that those numbers miss Willie Mays’ first three seasons (1951-53).
Also, I’m not real sure why Dale Murphy does so poorly.
Ethan
on June 13, 2009 at 6:11 pm
I know. I was trying to be a little tongue-and-cheek. And to be honest, I didn’t even look to see how it was calculated, so who knows how credible it is. It was interesting to see Griffey at the bottom though.
Also, Rich Hill owns us.
braves14
on June 13, 2009 at 6:15 pm
Fantastic.
Ethan
on June 13, 2009 at 6:28 pm
To be fair, he HAS been good at times, but is this really better than what Medlen brings to the table?
Actually, if I were Bobby, I get Medlen up, now.
braves14
on June 13, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Time to warm Medlen up. KK’s got nothing.
Whew, finally. 36 pitches that inning.
ryan c
on June 13, 2009 at 6:28 pm
where is that pinpoint control kawakami?
Ethan
on June 13, 2009 at 6:55 pm
My brother went to the Royals game last night. Luke Hochevar, (the guy the Royals took #1 overall a few year ago in the Lincecum draft) 80 pitch complete game.
Only one night, and up to this point Hochevar has been a huge bust, but my brother said it took back to the similar games that Maddux used to spin back in the day.
Askia
on June 13, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Braves got something cooking….bases loaded with 1 out.
Ethan
on June 13, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Come on Matty
Askia
on June 13, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Diaz delivers a single, 2-1 O’s now, bases still loaded with 1 out
Askia
on June 13, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Jeff up there hacking, faces the familiar 0-2 count
Ethan
on June 13, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Come on Frenchy
Askia
on June 13, 2009 at 7:21 pm
Ground rule double for Jeffy. Braves take lead 3-2.
Daniel
on June 13, 2009 at 7:22 pm
In regards to Askia… can someone put this retard out of his misery?
Francoeur should have advanced to third on that throw/sacrifice.
Ethan
on June 13, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Frenchy!!
Atta baby!!
Askia
on June 13, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Sac fly brings home Diaz. Good inning for the Bravos.
sdp
on June 13, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Kawakami hasn’t been that bad. He just hasn’t been that good, either.
Ethan
on June 13, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Come on KJ (this seems to be working)
EDIT: Frenchy was safe. Still, good inning. After that first, I thought it was going to be a long night.
spike (back in the ATL)
on June 13, 2009 at 7:24 pm
Why the heck did Hill throw anything in the strike zone to Frenchy after getting two strikes on fouls.
Edit: Not that I mind of course.
Dan
on June 13, 2009 at 7:26 pm
What is amazing was not Francoeur got a hit, but it was an extra-base hit. He only had eleven coming into tonight.
Askia
on June 13, 2009 at 7:27 pm
Thought Frenchy was safe myself, but that’s the end of the inning.
@37: Personally, I wish more people would provide score/inning updates in this thread. Since I only get to watch Braves games when they are in the DC market, I often have no idea what is happening in game if people don’t provide details. If Mac doesn’t want it, I’ll gladly stop doing it.
Askia
on June 13, 2009 at 7:28 pm
@37: And as to your use of the word, “retard”, I don’t think that word means what you think it means.
Douglass
on June 13, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Got the leadoff man on in front of Chippa. Let’s do some damage, Bravos!
Ethan
on June 13, 2009 at 7:56 pm
Has anyone ever been to Camden Yards? The more I see of it, the more I like the lines of architecture.
It’s too bad the O’s have sucked for so long/been in the AL East; the fans seem fantastic.
Kudos to KK. Helluva comeback.
NickC
on June 13, 2009 at 8:07 pm
Anyone else feeling not so bad about Canizares at first?
Our New Insect Overlords
on June 13, 2009 at 8:11 pm
@48: When I went to Camden Yards within two years of it opening, I was amazed. When I went back there three years ago, I enjoyed it, but now that it’s the cookie-cutter template, it’s not special. It gets points for fitting well in its neighborhood — better than, say, Turner Field, Chase Field or whatever the Texas Rangers are calling their ballpark this week — but others took the template to a higher level (particularly San Francisco, Colorado and Seattle). Still a top-10 ballpark, though — probably top-six or seven.
Our New Insect Overlords
on June 13, 2009 at 8:24 pm
This is O’Flaherty’s eighth appearance in the last 10 games. Another decent bullpen arm being overused to the brink of ineffectiveness.
Sam Hutcheson
on June 13, 2009 at 8:27 pm
Camden Yard was pretty cool in ’94.
Joshua
on June 13, 2009 at 8:27 pm
But how many innings in those appearances??? I bet he only faced one batter in a few of those.
Ethan
on June 13, 2009 at 8:30 pm
@51
Agreed. And to be fair, while the walk was a ball buster, two of those hits were jokes that could have easily been 4-6-3’s.
Our New Insect Overlords
on June 13, 2009 at 8:30 pm
@53: He faced multiple batters all but once. Total of 5.1 innings, in which he has allowed 4 ER, which could now become 5 ER.
Key thing is the Ks have declined. In his first 15.0 IP, he had 13 Ks. In the last 5.1, 2 Ks.
But his performance pales compared the vortex of suck that was Moylan’s pitch. “He tried the corner and missed,” quoth Harry Doyle.
jon k
on June 13, 2009 at 8:32 pm
I’m at the game as we speak. Camden yards is great
urlhix
on June 13, 2009 at 8:32 pm
That was awful, Moylan.
kc
on June 13, 2009 at 8:33 pm
This is a freaking joke.
jon k
on June 13, 2009 at 8:33 pm
I hate these o’s fans.
jon k
on June 13, 2009 at 8:36 pm
This is a joke
Our New Insect Overlords
on June 13, 2009 at 8:36 pm
Well, that’s two wins Kawakami has lost to the bullpen this week.
urlhix
on June 13, 2009 at 8:38 pm
Is anyone up and throwing?
Our New Insect Overlords
on June 13, 2009 at 8:40 pm
@62: I could throw up. Does that count?
urlhix
on June 13, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Sure.
Edit: Acosta in, we’ve given up on this one, I guess.
tad
on June 13, 2009 at 8:42 pm
Cox is a goofball .. Bennet looks strong for once and he pulls him afet the 6th .. then he leaves Moylan in there when its obvious he doesnt know where his pitches are going !! Where’s MEDLEN ?????? Cox always lets the game get out of hand by keeping a pitcher in too long ..Im sick of it …
Ethan
on June 13, 2009 at 8:44 pm
Is McClouth too much of a pussy to throw?
Our New Insect Overlords
on June 13, 2009 at 8:44 pm
If Medlen is simply going to be the “just in case” guy in the event a starter gets sick or shelled early, he ought to be back in Gwinnett, actually getting in games on a regular basis. To have him in the ‘pen and leave him mostly unused isn’t doing anyone any good.
SkipLives
on June 13, 2009 at 8:45 pm
@66: No kidding, what the hell is he waiting on?
Alabama Realtor
on June 13, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Bullpen management is not exactly a skill of Bobby’s. Being in American League park, this would been a great game to pitch Medlen in innings 5-9.
SkipLives
on June 13, 2009 at 8:50 pm
Baez still throws gas… Barbaro and Mac are close to the same speed – around a 9.5 60 time or so.
stupup74
on June 13, 2009 at 8:53 pm
Cox messed up by getting Medlen up and down so early then not using him. This would have been the perfect game to bring him in to start the sixth and keep him out there for multiple innings (assuming he got guys out).
Cox uses up his relievers too much. Moylan is not 100 percent (and may never be) and the bloom is off the O’Flarety rose.
Unfortunately this is the team we got folks. Get used to it. Schultz of the AJC did a good blog piece on them.
This bunch is terrible and since management is destined to go cheap in the draft and gut the farm system except for Hanson, Heyward and Freeman, or spend money there are no resources to use to go get help. (I’m purposely leaving Schaffer off, until he proves the team did not screw him up beyond repair or he wasn’t a PEDs product.)
Ethan
on June 13, 2009 at 8:55 pm
@69
I was thinking that earlier. Gives the bullpen a night off and Medlen some legitimate work
No way he’d ever do it though.
urlhix
on June 13, 2009 at 8:55 pm
Since they are talking about how much Earl Weaver loved the 3-run homer I guess it’s time to revisit this classic rant from the man himself:
Our New Insect Overlords
on June 13, 2009 at 8:57 pm
@73: I, for one, still want to know the best time to plant my tomatoes.
Ethan
on June 13, 2009 at 8:57 pm
As soon as these AL pitchers realize Jeffy will flail at breaking balls out of the zone…
Alabama Realtor
on June 13, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Bobby has “Padlov Dog Syndrome”. He sees 7th inning on the scoreboard and he gets itchy if Moylan and/or O’Flaherty is not pitching. Their arms or whats left of their arms will end up falling off.
SkipLives
on June 13, 2009 at 9:05 pm
Thank you for that urlhix, lightened my mood considerably.
urlhix
on June 13, 2009 at 9:06 pm
@74, My favorite part is the riffing on Terry Crowley in the middle.
Dan
on June 13, 2009 at 9:23 pm
“We haven’t been as good as I thought we’d be,” Chipper Jones said earlier Thursday, even before this latest loss. “I thought we had the potential, with Mac [Brian McCann] and Frenchy [Jeff Francoeur] and Kelly [Johnson] and [Yunel] Escobar having another year under their belts, to be pretty good. You really look to those guys to take the next step.
Come on Chipper, let’s not lump McCann and Escobar in with the other two.
From previous thread,
I must’ve been away when the secret identity was unveiled. (I always liked it when the masked wrestler got unmasked.) Can you clue me in?
BTW, I hope you’re feeling better. We’re all on your side here.
Also FWIW, “Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner” is one of the greatest songs ever.
Right here: http://bravesjournal.us/?p=4375#comments
It would appear Mac has redacted his last name since the original post. He was definitely pissed.
Life is unfair.
I normally stayed out of the Gadfly tiffs, but he definitely irked me. I remember a few game threads ago he chastised Mac for “dismissing” his theories on something. Dude, this isn’t YOUR forum.
That and the Greek philosophy rant a few weeks back.
Being contrary is not the same as being smart.
Ha. Gadfly.
To me, it had the same effect as a wrestling unmasking. You think it’s going to be a big deal, and then he turns out to be a Portland State student, no less anonymous to me than “Gadfly”. Sort of like the time Mr. Wrestling II got unmasked, revealing….a middle-aged man whom I didn’t recognize.
It was more like when the Masked Avenger was revealed to be Daffy Duck.
c’mon! Y’all miss him. Right? LOL
I have to admit that I’d read a response to Gadfly and then have to go and read what bullcrap everyone was responding to.
The more interesting thing was that JC hinted at Gadfly’s reputation beyond Braves Journal. I wanted to hear more of the legend of Gadfly. JC, any good stories?
I gotta say he ended up being exactly the sort of guy I expected him to be.
But y’all are basically begging that douche to return by talking about him so much.
Looks like Manny Acta is getting the axe.
Gadfly may have been a lot of well-written sound and fury signifying nothing, but I never did understand why he got under the skin of so many.
Just scroll, baby.
What are we, 4 and 0 against the AL East? What’s the big deal about the AL East?
Not trying to take anything away from the Gadfly discussion, but does anyone care what baseball in Germany is like these days? If so, here
http://www.schildheuer.de/09-06-14.htm
is my experience from today.
LINEUP
1. McLouth, CF
2. Escobar, SS
3. Jones, 3B
4. McCann, C
5. Canizares, 1B
6. Prado, DH
7. Diaz, LF
8. Francoeur, RF
9. Johnson, 2B
Do you think Kawakami will look at the infield defense behind him and think, “Looks like a good day to be a flyball pitcher”?
one question: why is canizares playing first if he is that bad defensively?
My guess is Bobby wants to get a first hand look at how bad it is. No other explanation. To be fair, he hasn’t screwd up yet.
Prado’s sort of gimpy and isn’t exactly a wizard with the glove when healthy.
@14 Tom
Nice read! As a French guy I totally agree with your article. You’re kind of unlucky because the level in Germany is really low, while its neighbors are much better, the Netherlands are the best obviously (remember the WBC!) and then come Italy and France. I play myself, but in one of the bottom tier leagues, so I know what the passed balls and one pitch repertoires are 🙂 But in the National leagues in the Netherlands/Italy/France there is some good talent developing… I know there are some outfielders in Europe that would outhit Jeffie Francoeur for sure.
http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3841314
I guess this is what happens when you promote/trade half your AAA staff…
Tom oder Frank… cooler Bericht! Gruss aus Hamburg.
I guess this means Andruw is the best defensive outfielder ever…
http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/blog_article/simple-zone-rating-takes-on-the-outfield/
Ethan, keep in mind that those numbers miss Willie Mays’ first three seasons (1951-53).
Also, I’m not real sure why Dale Murphy does so poorly.
I know. I was trying to be a little tongue-and-cheek. And to be honest, I didn’t even look to see how it was calculated, so who knows how credible it is. It was interesting to see Griffey at the bottom though.
Also, Rich Hill owns us.
Fantastic.
To be fair, he HAS been good at times, but is this really better than what Medlen brings to the table?
Actually, if I were Bobby, I get Medlen up, now.
Time to warm Medlen up. KK’s got nothing.
Whew, finally. 36 pitches that inning.
where is that pinpoint control kawakami?
My brother went to the Royals game last night. Luke Hochevar, (the guy the Royals took #1 overall a few year ago in the Lincecum draft) 80 pitch complete game.
Only one night, and up to this point Hochevar has been a huge bust, but my brother said it took back to the similar games that Maddux used to spin back in the day.
Braves got something cooking….bases loaded with 1 out.
Come on Matty
Diaz delivers a single, 2-1 O’s now, bases still loaded with 1 out
Jeff up there hacking, faces the familiar 0-2 count
Come on Frenchy
Ground rule double for Jeffy. Braves take lead 3-2.
In regards to Askia… can someone put this retard out of his misery?
Francoeur should have advanced to third on that throw/sacrifice.
Frenchy!!
Atta baby!!
Sac fly brings home Diaz. Good inning for the Bravos.
Kawakami hasn’t been that bad. He just hasn’t been that good, either.
Come on KJ (this seems to be working)
EDIT: Frenchy was safe. Still, good inning. After that first, I thought it was going to be a long night.
Another frenchy moment
http://www.sadtrombone.com
Why the heck did Hill throw anything in the strike zone to Frenchy after getting two strikes on fouls.
Edit: Not that I mind of course.
What is amazing was not Francoeur got a hit, but it was an extra-base hit. He only had eleven coming into tonight.
Thought Frenchy was safe myself, but that’s the end of the inning.
@37: Personally, I wish more people would provide score/inning updates in this thread. Since I only get to watch Braves games when they are in the DC market, I often have no idea what is happening in game if people don’t provide details. If Mac doesn’t want it, I’ll gladly stop doing it.
@37: And as to your use of the word, “retard”, I don’t think that word means what you think it means.
Got the leadoff man on in front of Chippa. Let’s do some damage, Bravos!
Has anyone ever been to Camden Yards? The more I see of it, the more I like the lines of architecture.
It’s too bad the O’s have sucked for so long/been in the AL East; the fans seem fantastic.
Kudos to KK. Helluva comeback.
Anyone else feeling not so bad about Canizares at first?
@48: When I went to Camden Yards within two years of it opening, I was amazed. When I went back there three years ago, I enjoyed it, but now that it’s the cookie-cutter template, it’s not special. It gets points for fitting well in its neighborhood — better than, say, Turner Field, Chase Field or whatever the Texas Rangers are calling their ballpark this week — but others took the template to a higher level (particularly San Francisco, Colorado and Seattle). Still a top-10 ballpark, though — probably top-six or seven.
This is O’Flaherty’s eighth appearance in the last 10 games. Another decent bullpen arm being overused to the brink of ineffectiveness.
Camden Yard was pretty cool in ’94.
But how many innings in those appearances??? I bet he only faced one batter in a few of those.
@51
Agreed. And to be fair, while the walk was a ball buster, two of those hits were jokes that could have easily been 4-6-3’s.
@53: He faced multiple batters all but once. Total of 5.1 innings, in which he has allowed 4 ER, which could now become 5 ER.
Key thing is the Ks have declined. In his first 15.0 IP, he had 13 Ks. In the last 5.1, 2 Ks.
But his performance pales compared the vortex of suck that was Moylan’s pitch. “He tried the corner and missed,” quoth Harry Doyle.
I’m at the game as we speak. Camden yards is great
That was awful, Moylan.
This is a freaking joke.
I hate these o’s fans.
This is a joke
Well, that’s two wins Kawakami has lost to the bullpen this week.
Is anyone up and throwing?
@62: I could throw up. Does that count?
Sure.
Edit: Acosta in, we’ve given up on this one, I guess.
Cox is a goofball .. Bennet looks strong for once and he pulls him afet the 6th .. then he leaves Moylan in there when its obvious he doesnt know where his pitches are going !! Where’s MEDLEN ?????? Cox always lets the game get out of hand by keeping a pitcher in too long ..Im sick of it …
Is McClouth too much of a pussy to throw?
If Medlen is simply going to be the “just in case” guy in the event a starter gets sick or shelled early, he ought to be back in Gwinnett, actually getting in games on a regular basis. To have him in the ‘pen and leave him mostly unused isn’t doing anyone any good.
@66: No kidding, what the hell is he waiting on?
Bullpen management is not exactly a skill of Bobby’s. Being in American League park, this would been a great game to pitch Medlen in innings 5-9.
Baez still throws gas… Barbaro and Mac are close to the same speed – around a 9.5 60 time or so.
Cox messed up by getting Medlen up and down so early then not using him. This would have been the perfect game to bring him in to start the sixth and keep him out there for multiple innings (assuming he got guys out).
Cox uses up his relievers too much. Moylan is not 100 percent (and may never be) and the bloom is off the O’Flarety rose.
Unfortunately this is the team we got folks. Get used to it. Schultz of the AJC did a good blog piece on them.
For those who may not have seen it.
http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2009/06/11/braves-take-their-mediocre-act-on-the-road/
This bunch is terrible and since management is destined to go cheap in the draft and gut the farm system except for Hanson, Heyward and Freeman, or spend money there are no resources to use to go get help. (I’m purposely leaving Schaffer off, until he proves the team did not screw him up beyond repair or he wasn’t a PEDs product.)
@69
I was thinking that earlier. Gives the bullpen a night off and Medlen some legitimate work
No way he’d ever do it though.
Since they are talking about how much Earl Weaver loved the 3-run homer I guess it’s time to revisit this classic rant from the man himself:
Link
FOUL LANGUAGE WARNING.
@73: I, for one, still want to know the best time to plant my tomatoes.
As soon as these AL pitchers realize Jeffy will flail at breaking balls out of the zone…
Bobby has “Padlov Dog Syndrome”. He sees 7th inning on the scoreboard and he gets itchy if Moylan and/or O’Flaherty is not pitching. Their arms or whats left of their arms will end up falling off.
Thank you for that urlhix, lightened my mood considerably.
@74, My favorite part is the riffing on Terry Crowley in the middle.
“We haven’t been as good as I thought we’d be,” Chipper Jones said earlier Thursday, even before this latest loss. “I thought we had the potential, with Mac [Brian McCann] and Frenchy [Jeff Francoeur] and Kelly [Johnson] and [Yunel] Escobar having another year under their belts, to be pretty good. You really look to those guys to take the next step.
Come on Chipper, let’s not lump McCann and Escobar in with the other two.
Brief recap is up. Not much to say, really.