Keith Lockhart Statistics and History – Baseball-Reference.com
Seasons with Braves: 1492-2061 1997-2002
Notable Stats: .248 BA, .359 SLG
Notable Achievements: Enthusiastic amateur photographer.
Versus
Chris Woodward Statistics and History – Baseball-Reference.com
Seasons with Braves: 2007
Notable Stats: .199 BA, .252 OBP
Notable Achievements: Wikipedia: “In 2004, Woodward was featured in an episode of Degrassi: The Next Generation.”
Lockhart is my least favorite Brave ever
I just remember being embarrassed when Lockhart was our DH in the ’99 WS.
On the other hand…Woodward WAS putridly bad…
Good old 6-4-3 Lockhart.
Lockhart wasn’t bad to begin with, as I seem to recall, he just overstayed his welcome by several years, as any talented photog is apt to do. Bobby + (insert farm animal) = contract extention.
Yeah, the problem wasn’t early years Lockhart, it was that he never left. His first couple of seasons he was a solid contributor to championship teams.
Chris Woodward was useless, but he was only useless for one year. The Lockhart un-ending trail of death lasted nigh unto forever.
Mac, is the Todd Pratt vs Corky Miller coming up soon
Lockhart was a light-hitting 2B. Woodward was a lighter-hitting middle infielder. Couple that with the fact that Lockhart was around entirely too long (so his bad outweighs the good overall), and it’s Lockhart by a nose.
Tough one. Lockhart, gets my vote (although I don’t vote).
Lockhart’s career earnings: $5,430,500
The Braves contributed $3.39 million of that.
Woodward’s career earnings: $4,788,000
The Braves contributed $850k of that.
Lockhart wasted more resources ($$) but did so when they were less valuable because we had an unlimited supply. Then again, he wasted a roster spot too that could have been filled by someone better, because we could have afforded it.
Lockhart wins due to more years of negative VORP.
Wow Dix, a lot of thought went into that vote.
My criteria is much simpler. If the player was any good for any length of time and the other guy simply wasn’t then I’ll vote for the other guy. Therefore Woodward.
I’m more disheartened at the fact that Woodward and Lockhart made a combined $10 million playing the game of baseball.
“They’re competitors. They competit well.”
My vote goes to Gilderoy Lockhart
@11,
That was my initial thought, and was originally going to be the point of my post.
Lockhart earned over $5M and did so in his mid to late thirties. That means he was probably smart with the money, which means he’s retired for life. That is somewhat annoying to me, given how hard I will work for 40 years just hoping to reach that lifetime earnings number by the time I finish, all the while, he widens the gap on interest alone.
FML.
Shoulda learned how to play second base with limited range.
Don’t know if anyone saw this but our TV ratings went way up from last year. I suppose it’s a function of being competative.
“At the regional level, half the clubs saw ratings increases with biggest gainers being the Nationals (up 67 percent), Rangers (up 58 percent), Giants (up 39 percent), Braves (up 35 percent), and Rockies (up 26 percent).”
Here’s the link:
http://www.bizofbaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3622:mlb-sees-tv-ratings-down-for-2009-regular-season&catid=57:television&Itemid=122
Aside from the fact that I will literally pick Woodward over anyone else we vote for, I agree with Johnny. Lockhart was productive to start off his tenure here, which somewhat negates the years of him overstaying his welcome.
Woodward was not just awful, but rotoworld even claimed him to be “the worst player in major league baseball” when he had a two-error game again (I believe) the Marlins. His fielding percentages were lower than Lockhart’s across the board, regardless of year. He was a no-hit, no-field middle infielder who Bobby continuously ran onto the field. His offensive winning percentage was .190, whereas Lockhart’s worst was .274.
And for what it’s worth, even though Lockhart had no business being the DH, he was a career .287 postseason hitter.
Vote Woodward@
I should point out that Woodhead had only 151 PA in his year with the Braves, while Lockjaw had more than that every season. Also, Woodward never complained to the press about playing time.
I have no real reason for it, but I always liked Lockhart a little. Woodward was epically terrible in his brief time w/ATL.
Tough call, but I, too, voted for Woodward.
Aside from his distinct lack of range or speed, and general suckiness, I remember that Lockhart nearly had a glorious post-season moment.
In 1999, he got the tie-breaking, extra inning double in the rain to drive in the go-ahead run in Game 5 of the NLCS. It would’ve been a pennant-winner, but Robin Ventura & Kevin McGlinchy made everyone forget about that in the bottom of the inning.
FWIW, according to Neil Best, who does a pretty good sports broadcasting blog for NY Newsday, only the Nats & A’s had worse local ratings than the Dodgers & Angels. Surprising.
Here’s his source: The Sports Business Journal, same as above.
http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/63798
So, Mike Minor pitches in the AFL opener later today.
Lockhart
He’s become important to this site, the living example of the notion “Why is this guy still around?”
Inspiring the joke about the “pictures” makes him a shoo-in by itself.
Speaking of Mike Minor And Jason Heyward, here is some pertinent information on the pair of Braves prospects:
http://www.baseballhq.com/library/hqtoday.shtml
trust me Kevin…..it wasn’t Lockhart or any other ballplayer that inspired that joke.
DOB reporting Roy Clark accepted the Nationals job.
No, it was Lockhart.
F***!!!!
http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/braves-lose-scouting-director-161822.html?cxtype=rss_sports_82062
It was going to happen sooner or later – let’s hope Clark was as professional about training his subordinates as he was at analyzing prospects.
We’ll find out
Man, I never understand when teams fail to hold on to execs that are known to be valuable. The Detroit Redwings have basically stayed good for 15 years specifically because they keep their scouting and player development guys no matter what. When your team is frequently outperforming other clubs in player development you’d think there would be an emphasis on keeping the people responsible.
I must admit, I know nothing about what went on or how this came about, so all my complaints may be unjustified. We may not have been given an opportunity to talk him out of it. Oh well. Maybe now we’ll be able to develop some pitchers.
Lockhart earned over $5M and did so in his mid to late thirties. That means he was probably smart with the money, which means he’s retired for life. That is somewhat annoying to me, given how hard I will work for 40 years just hoping to reach that lifetime earnings number by the time I finish, all the while, he widens the gap on interest alone.
After paying off an agent and living expenses, I imagine the remainder, while a non-trivial sum, is probably not “fukc you” money. Further any player in MLB, let alone one of the worst, worked his ass off to get and stay there in a way that you or I really can’t begin to fathom. I don’t grudge him the money.
I still think he was a lousy pro though.
@30
No one can consistently develop pitchers…you just get lucky every now and then if you sow enough seeds
It’s a promotion. You can’t expect Clark to hang around and wait for a GM job to open up, especially since he and Wren are the same age. The only way to give Clark that job with the Braves would have been to take authority away from Wren.
Hudson to opt out, per Rosenthal.
http://bit.ly/Fhj3c
#16 – it could be the fact that more people were at home instead of at the games also
Not that it’s easy to defend Dayton Moore, but after Amaro was hired in Philly, Dayton just made up a position and hired Mike Arbuckle (guy who scouted and drafted Rollins, Utley, Howard, Burrell etc)and paid him quite a bit of scratch.
I don’t know why Wren couldn’t have just made up a position and backed up a Brinks truck in front of Roy’s house.
Lot cheaper in the long run.
so if Huddy leaves we then extend Vasquez right? however, this does take a lot of our trade options away
The whole “pictures” thing originated with Raffy Belliard.
I’m confused on the Hudson thing. I thought it was established that the Braves had the option and not Hudson.
Trust me, it was Lockhart. Belliard’s continued presence was explicable — stupid, but explicable.
It may have been Lockhart here, but over at asb.ab we talked about Belliard’s pictures and how that’s why he started over Blauser all the time.
Mutual option. Hudson can’t demand the Braves bring him back, but he can opt out of the deal into straight free agency if they decline his full salary.
Sam – the decline his full salary thing is what has me confused. If we offer him his full salary ($12 mil?), can he still walk?
td – yes, both sides have the same option. Braves can exercise, but Huddy can still decline and enter FA. Huddy can exercise and the Braves can reject and he’ll enter FA
Im guessing the Braves decline and make a fair offer and Huddy may still reject it
Lockhart should have had an easier bracket. The name still makes me cringe.
Big downside is there would be no draft penalty if someone else signs Hudson, so it will be a straight bidding war.
JC mentioned this on Facebook, but with Cox moving into the front office next year, it looks like Clark saw the writing on the wall–there wasn’t going to be any further advancement for him on the front office ladder. And Wren’s already got his own guy, Bruce Manno, as assistant GM. Sucks, but I don’t think this is something that’s going to set back our organization.
I’ll be surprised if Huddy leaves as this eventuality was expected to happen. Tim Hudson loves it in Atlanta and of course the impending retirement of Bobby Cox gives the Braves a leg up on the competition, not to mention that Hudson had already said he is willing to take a pay cut in a multi-year deal to stay with the Braves.
Tim Hudson quote back in September:
“I would be glad if they picked up the option. But it’s one of those things if they want to discuss not picking it up and maybe going a few years out at some kind of whatever hometown discount, that’s something I’d obviously be willing to discuss with them.”
This “Worst Brave Ever” topic is depressing. Those of us who were around for the seemingly endless walk in the 100-loss wilderness have tried to purge some of those memories and just when we think we’re out, Mac pulls us back in.
I’d rather remember Skip coaxing, pleading, and finally town-criering:
“He –
is –
SAFE!!
BRAVES WIN! BRAVES WIN! BRAVES WIN!”
May it ring forever.
I would be surprised if Huddy decides to go for FA as well considering how much he wants to stay, but we will see.
Sucks to lose Clark. We will see how big the impact will be.
Bisher is retiring, yeah!!!
I will be surprised if Hudson stays unless the Braves make a major push to keep him. When players say it’s not about the money, it’s usually about the money.
Hudson is gone. Starting pitching is one of the few growth areas of the FA market. Someone will give him more money/years than ATL will. This is really the only thing about the Lowe contract that is bumming me out.
Losing Roy Clark hurts badly. Very, very badly.
Hudson should make like Glavine & consider the Mets. They’re ready to overpay & overcommit for pitching.
53,
I don’t think so, really. I mean, he was great at his job, but I’m sure the organization will fill the position with someone just as capable and ambitious. Plus I think the department as a whole and the philosophy is more important than the man you choose to run it. Not that he won’t be missed–I’m sure he will be. But I think people are overestimating his impact. People said the same thing when Snyder left. And then Roy Clark came along. I suspect people will say the same thing when Clark’s replacement comes and goes. And life goes on..
It seems as if Wren and Clark had some contention over the first-round pick this year. Wren had the Braves go with the economical signing while Clark wanted to advantage of their highest pick in years and get a guy like Matzek or Jacob Turner.
Come on people. There’s no way 151 PAs of Woodward is worse than multiple years of Lockhart.
55 — Hopefully someone in the organization can step up and fill in, and the overall philosophy will be carried though. Sometimes, though, the guy doing the job makes a big difference.
One of my colleagues is super good at his job, has become much better than the description requires, is willing to bend over backward to help people, and is a great guy to work with. If he were to leave, it would be a tremendous blow to our group. It’d still be a great group, but it would take finding the right person and still it would take some time to recover while that someone grows into the position and owns it.
57 — True. But I can still smell the stink of Woodward. It’s all too recent.
Hudson should make like Glavine & consider the Mets. They’re ready to overpay & overcommit for pitching.
I read on a Mets board today that they should trade Perez for Lowe. Man those guys never change.
good start for the braves players in the afl:
heyward 1-2 double rbi run sb
minor obviously didnt pitch great, but still hasnt given up and “earned run” after college. 2ip 1 unearned run 2bb i hit
I’ve avoided advanced stats for these, but just to illustrate Lockhart’s length of suckitude, adjusted batting runs as a Brave:
Lockjaw: -58.7
Woodhead: -12.4
The Runs Created “Above” Average is the same, though I think that the formulae are different. Lockhart’s 2001 season is just about as bad as Woodward’s year. I believe that this was the year when he complained about playing time.
I demand a recount if Lockhart does not win. I do have a feeling that once returns start coming in from heavily Lockhartcratic areas things will tilt in the right direction.
What if we trade Lowe to the Mets for Perez, and then trade Perez to the Mets for J.J. Putz’s 2010 club option?
To change the subject, there was a nice obit on Larry Jansen in the NYT:
I would rather not think about either Woodward or Lockhart, but I am waiting to see Pepe Frias get into one of these competitions….
Losing Clark sucks. Losing Huddy (for nothing in return) would suck. Losing Huddy to the Muts would REALLY suck… But at least we’re not the Mets.
The distinction on Hudson not pointed out above (but several times on the site over the past year) is that if the Braves DON’T exercise the option, then they owe Hudson $1,000,000. If they do and Hudson declines, they owe him nothing (on the option unless they do another deal).
I really don’t think it will be purely a “highest bidder” thing for Hudson. However, the “respect” thing is, for these ballplayers, real. that is, he might leave a little money on the table, but not a lot.
Wren’s hands may be tied in that if the possible multi year deal isn’t done by option time they may not have, the wiggle room to elect the option and wait to play things out (as in, move a pitcher to somebody, no wiggle room being like the Maddox / Milwood affair which was almost purely money or the Giles non tender which was also performance driven).
If we offer 3/28-30 I dont see how he could reject and test FA. Would that be overpaying to a 34 yr old, who is still a #1-2 type SP, coming off TJ?
The figures I’ve seen as a “likely” contract offered to him are 3/24-27… or even 2/16, which would mean 3/30 would possibly be overpaying him.
those figures are pure speculation and he would get a higher contract by some other team. Its Lackey, Huddy, and Piniero as your top pitchers in FA. He can get $10 per from some team
I think that Hudson’s agent has told him that its in the best interests of him and his family to test free agency. Lackey is the only fairly untarnished arm on the market. With the dearth of FA pitching on the market he could be looking to get another big contract. 3 years at 36-39? JC may have a better feel if his tools take into account coming back from injury and the sellers market.
And really who knows? Wren could be communicating that the hometown discount would have to be significant or that he is unwilling to commit to a contract length that Hudson feels is appropriate.
I wouldn’t blame Wren. With 5 starters in fold already and Kris Medlen in the wings as a potential Vazquez replacement should he and the Braves decide to part ways after next season, he shouldn’t feel any pressure to commit to lengthy contract.
Fair enough csg.
While he probably would get $10M/year from somebody that may not necessarily mean it wouldn’t be overpaying (though I don’t think it would be… the 3/27 contract would be a hometown discount one).
By common understanding, overpaying would only imply paying more than the market would otherwise pay, but as anybody in the market paying ANY amount would make it “what the market would pay” that may be a meaningless way of defining it… You could also argue that free agent market is by definition overpaying as it becomes equivalent of paying for gas once you’ve run out of it… the people in that market are the ones willing to pay a premium because they need SOMETHING and that’s what’s available.
I don’t think anybody is going to be screwed by signing Huddy to 3/30… unless he gets hurt (and in that case he’d have insurance)… though I would imagine the main question with him would be how much he wears down at the end of a season due to the surgery and age. It’s not like they’d be paying $36M for 3 years of Oliver Perez… that would be just SILLY overpaying.
Dave Cameron agrees with you, csg.
if we all agree that Lowe cant be moved, would you rather have KK at 2/14 or Huddy at 3/30?
I don’t know… All equal I think Huddy is going to BE a better pitcher, but KK and his contract allows more financially flexibility (and I don’t think you can, for long term business reasons, trade your new “foot in the Japanese market door” guy after one season).
I think for our financial situation it would be better for us to move Lowe one way or another (absorb 5M on the ’10 contract, maybe 2m on ’11, and then go for 3 years of LaRoche at 1st with the option to trade him for that 3rd year).
DOB just talked to Huddy
http://tinyurl.com/yhs29c3
Interesting thought on LaRoche.
I think this would not be true, but I don’t KNOW.
The 10 / 5 rule (player with 10 years in MLB and 5 with current team) doesn’t allow a player to add together two different stints with one club to become “10/5”. Right?
Just thinking that if a player could do that and if we get several years of LaRoche, he might thereby become untradeable without his ocnsent.
csg,
When comparing money on contracts, remember that the money difference can be applied somewhere else.
So it is KK + (whatever at 3 million a year, like a high end set up guy or keeping an arb guy like KJ or Church or to add to GA and Glavine’s money to “get a bat”) versus Hudson at 10 per year.
Performance to contract, I think KK at 7 a year is better than Hudson at 10 a year. Add in 1 less year of commitment and that swings it a little more.
One thing on JC’s model, Hudson is notsubject to free agent comp. So, some teams would rather have him than lose a draft pick. So,his price might be higher relative to performance (than other FA pitchers) because of that.
Wondering if JC feels he has an adjustment for that pick thing. Lsst year several lower end guys seemed to be heavily weighed down with that.
The first 2 or 3 years Lockhart was a Brave, I could at least understand why he had a roster spot, I just never understood why Woodward did, the amazing thing is the guy is still in the majors.
I don’t think the 10/5 counts if there was another team in the middle there. I’ve heard it floated elsewhere that we should sign him for 3 and if Freeman is ready in 2 we then have the option of trading LaRoche.
csg, that link worked sort of funky for me, but nice to see that my assumption was right (that Huddy hadn’t done an about face and it was more a reporter’s different take on the situation).
The 10 / 5 rule (player with 10 years in MLB and 5 with current team) doesn’t allow a player to add together two different stints with one club to become “10/5″. Right?
No. If the Braves had re-signed Andruw last winter he would not have been a 10/5 player. The years have to run consecutively. 10 years in the league, 5 years with the same club.
BTW, the article DOB talked about writing on it is up:
http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/hudson-refutes-report-says-162582.html
If we can get Hudson for 3 years $27 million, we would be foolish not to. Even 3 at $30 is great.
I know in-division trading is “dangerous”… but Lowe is what the Mets need, and last I checked they had a blocked young 3B prospect that should be ready about the time Chipper is ready to retire… Not sure it’s perfect… but freeing up that money and putting somebody in the pipeline for Chipper’s retirement isn’t a bad thing right?
The real question of the poll is – “why did Woodward and Lockhart square off so early?”
I feel I must vote for Woodward, but it seems wrong to see Lockhart go so early in this contest after he hung on with the Braves forever and ever.
BFedRec, are you suggesting we trade Lowe for Wilmer Flores?
Hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo not returning to the Rangers.
http://tinyurl.com/yftyjof
AAR, I don’t think that’s who it was I was remembering… i thought Flores was an SS and they had a 3B too. Not saying Minaya/Wren would do it mind you… or that I’m remembering correctly for that matter… Just thinking we need to get rid of Lowe’s contract and it would seem that we’d be more likely to get a couple prospects to fill in future holes than it would be to get ML ready “fixes” for any of our current ones.
Ububba,
How long before he is a Met?
They need a lot more help than him.
Sucks to be a Met fan right now. Not only did your team just complete a historically awful & deeply embarrassing season, but your ultimate nightmare World Series could be a couple weeks away: Yankees vs. Phillies.
@89 –
Just long enough for the Mets to pretend to interview other candidates.
Rowland’s Office guys are already saying we should pursue Jaramillo, Make TP bench coach and move Chino to 3rd to replace Snitker:
A free agent the Braves should pursue
And yes ububba… my Met fan friend has articulated that nightmare series fear recently… I think she’ll completely ignore it and just watch Hockey if it comes to that.
84 – Flores and Marte had pretty bad years, if that’s who you meant.
Marte sounds right… I haven’t kept up with their guys throughout the year, just recalled they had a couple guys in the low minors coming into the season who were going to be blocked by Wright/Reyes.
Unfortunately for us, the Phils have replaced the Braves as most-hated NL team in MetLand.
I never particularly liked the Phils, like ever, but I really respect this bunch. By now, I ought to.
I’d certainly be in the minority in these parts, but I’d much prefer a Phils-Yanks series to a Dodgers-Yanks series. Of course, Angels vs anybody wouldn’t break my heart either.
Why the fuss about Hudson? Vasquez, Jurrjens, Lowe, Kawakami and Hanson works just fine.
Scott Thorman re-signed by KC
I think the fuss is because we’d rather have Huddy here for 3 more years at 9-10M per than Lowe here for 3 more years at 15 per… and spend the difference on offense and arb guys (even if you absorb some of his salary I think we think that Huddy will be a better pitcher than Lowe).
92,
I like the idea.
Tim Hudson is going nowhere. He wants to stay, the Braves want him to stay and Huddy will give them the home team discount. The man is an Ace and a proven winner, period. End of story.
@100
Agreed. Until there something credible to the contrary, the only real story is years and dollars per
Lockhart is losing to Woodward? Seriously?
click on the first video. is this real?
http://tinyurl.com/6awv9l
No chance, but I like that Little League snag.
Nope, that’s fake.
No that catch is fake. Has something to do with Gatorade advertising or something.
“Lockhart is losing to Woodward? Seriously?”
These votes always seem more tilted towards whoever was on the team more recently.
This is pretty funny. Excerpt from Jim Callis’ (Baseball America) chat on ESPN today:
Scotty C (Tucson)
Jim, can you give me a good comparison for Jason Heyward? I think he’s a Garrett Anderson with better plate discipline.
Jim Callis (2:29 PM)
I know someone who works for the Braves and loves Heyward and couldn’t stand Anderson, and you probably just gave that guy a heart attack. I’ll make a comp to a little less athletic Dave Parker.
I was wrong. The 3rd order pythag isn’t better than the second order. it is worse.
Look at the link, and, if I understand correctly, the Braves should have won the East this year.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/statistics/ps_odds.php
108,
Yes, that’s correct. If you agree with all of the assumptions the BP crew makes when calculating their expected runs from the components, that is.
Baseball’s top 10 baserunning blunders – ESPN
Congratulations, Lonnie and Dave!
That’s an Insider thing. What were they?
111,
1991: Lonnie Smith
If Jack Morris is someday elected to the Hall of Fame, he can thank Lonnie Smith. Because Morris wouldn’t be a serious candidate if he hadn’t beaten the Braves 1-0 in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series, and he wouldn’t have done that if Lonnie Smith hadn’t committed perhaps the most costly baserunning blunder in World Series history. In the eighth inning, the game still scoreless, Smith led off with a single against Morris. Terry Pendleton followed with a liner into the left-center gap, easily enough to score the speedy Smith. That’s what everyone figured, anyway. Depending on whom you ask, Smith either lost the ball in the Metrodome roof or was fooled by Twins second baseman Chuck Knoblauch, and held up at second base before finally advancing to third. Morris then wriggled out of the jam with no harm done, and the Twins eventually won the game and the Series with a run in the bottom of the 10th inning.
1992: David Justice
You remember Barry Bonds’ vain attempt to prevent Sid Bream from scoring the decisive run in the 1992 National League Championship Series? It might never have happened if David Justice hadn’t missed third base in Game 5. It was the fourth inning, and Justice stumbled while rounding third, on his way home. The Pirates appealed at third base, the umpire agreed that Justice missed the base — Justice has always claimed that he didn’t — and the Pirates eventually won the game 1-0.
Lonnie, obviously, the 1991 WS. Dave Justice missing the base, or not, in the 1992 NLCS.
Lonnie Smith got deeked by Knoblauch (Smith should have scored on Pendleton’s double off the outfield wall but lost track of where the ball was) but still, the Braves had the bases loaded with one out before Sid Bream grounded into an inning ending double play.
And I despise Chuck Knoblauch, he helped to beat us in 1991 and 1999, then turned out to be just another juiced up player when the Mitchell report became public.
Of course, there are plenty of ex-Braves who did the same thing.
Did Justice miss the bag or not? I don’t think so, and if an umpire isn’t sure how can he call him out for something like that on a play of that importance?
Good thing Sid slid.
The Justice play was in 1991, not 1992.
Rob Neyer wrote that?
He needs to get his head out of his ass.
I was at Game 5 of the 1992 NLCS & we lost that one 7-1. Wasn’t close. Avery got bombed in the 1st inning.
He’s gotta be talking about Game 5 of the 1991 NLCS. And all that hoo-hah about “Barry Bonds’ vain attempt” & Sid Bream? Happened in a completely different series.
Love ya, babe, but that’s a glaring mistake.
Tony DeMacio promoted to director of scouting
The Justice thing was 91
17 years ago tonight. Braves miracle 9th inning. Thanks Francisco.
Braves win! Braves win! Braves win!
…somewhere Skip is nursing a Bud Light and grumbling about downtown Atlanta traffic.
I love that picture.
I have a photo similar to that one autographed by Sid Bream himself sitting in a frame on my desk at home. One of my most prized possessions.
Yes! I can say in all honesty that 17 years ago was one of the best moments of my life.
Tough to beat that one.
By the way, I’m glad as hell to see the Metrodome retired as a baseball venue. Our Braves never did win one single stinking game they played there, and baseball was never meant to be played indoors much less inside a glad bag.
I think our Braves will sign Tim Hudson to a new contract in the three to four year range with most of it back loaded, which would of course be a brilliant long term strategy. It would lock up the foursome of Lowe, Hudson, Hanson and Jurrjens through at least 2012. Then there is Kris Medlen and Mike Minor backing them up. I don’t know what the long term projections are for Vazquez and Kawakami, but it sure is nice to have the starting rotation stabilized for the foreseeable future.
122—Video.
Why would Hudson agree to a discounted, back loaded contract?
Well, he’s said more than once that he’ll take a discount, that he wants to stay in Atlanta. Dunno about the backloading bit.
128,
That still gives me goosebumps. My soon-to-be brother-in-law is a Pirates fan so I don’t think he shares that sentiment.
He argues that Bream was out. It’s not the greatest angle to tell, but I think he definitely made it in. Has that been discussed?
EDIT: The video that comes up after that one is Clint Sammons throwing someone out at second. That also gives me goosebumps.
When are the winter meetings? Just as a W.A.G., I’d expect to see Hudson locked up to an extension before then, with Wren then looking to deal one of the Lowe/Vazquez/KK trio at the meeting.
My soon-to-be brother-in-law is a Pirates fan so I don’t think he shares that sentiment.
Rob, are you getting married, or is your sister?
@130 – that was sort of my question for Coach. I can understand the discount, but if he’s doing that, I don’t see him agreeing to make the contract worth even less by back loading.
133,
Older sister. I won’t be taking that dive for some time.
I agree, spike. And I don’t see why the Braves would even press the issue, either. They shouldn’t really need the backloading if he’s signing for less than $10 million / year, which appears to be what’s going to happen.
Rob,
It’s a wonderful dive. Congrats to your sis.
Re: Sid’s Slide
In ’92, I made it to Games 4 & 5 of the NLCS in Pittsburgh.
I happen to like that town & I have some very good friends there—of course, for them, Steelers are 1st, Pens 2nd, Bucs 3rd—but before Game 4 I got some surprising grief in the Clark Bar & Grill, which was down the street from the old 3 Rivers Stadium.
I was wearing a Braves cap, so I deserved the extended abuse, right? Such a crime.
Anyway, I get a huge kick out of that video & the televised moments before the Cabrera hit because they show people in the Clark Bar in tense agony (during the rally, guys with their hands clasped against their foreheads like they’re praying) & deathly shock (after the Cabrera hit, those girls with the quivering lips looking up at the TV screens).
Video revenge in perpetuity? I’ll take it.
And yes, Skip’s call still gives me chills.
I feel for Pirates fans—that’s their most recent postseason game.
Screw Hudson. The Braves need offense.
@ 138 – Wow. I had never thought of it from that perspective. I don’t think I could take that.
New post.
I was in Pittsburgh for game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals this year. Great experience. I thoroughly enjoyed going to the Bucs games after they won. Game 7 fell right in the middle of a Tigers Bucs interleague matchup. The atmosphere at the game was great, if you liked Pittsburgh or were neutral, as I was.