Hello, I am Tony LaRussa, and I am the greatest overmanager in baseball history! I would send a runner on an 0-2 pitch with nobody out and Mark McGwire at the plate! I’ll bring in a lefty to face a lefthanded hitting pitcher with a righthanded hitter on deck! You know that one day someone’s going to start a game with a lefty pitcher in left field and a righty on the mound and change them depending upon the hitter, and you know it’s going to be me! I’m also an attorney, and I would be on the short list for the Supreme Court except that I’m too big of a genius! Also, this is a wig!
81 Comments
Advertisement
Use code “Journal” for a 5% discount.
From last thread:
Interesting article from Talking Chop (I saw it yesterday), but showing that Sheffield, Renteria, A. Jones, Giles, and Fick regressed after leaving Atlanta doesn’t prove a whole lot. Age, weight, lack of performance enhancers, and changing leagues also may have been contributing factors. Not that I completely disregard the article, I just don’t think there’s a stat that can fully capture his influence (good or bad).
I’m still of a similar mind with those who think the impact of a hitting coach is overrated. TP is not my favorite and probably needs to go at least by the end of this year, but sending him packing now will most likely have a very limited (or negative) long-term impact.
from last thread – “Not only is McCann’s defense horrible, it’s getting worse.
Move him to 1B now.”
while this may help us this season, what do we do with our top prospect and McCann next season. Once you change his position you dont really want to move him back there again do you?
Remember the days when we would get grand slams out of the Matt Francos of the world? Ah, yes.
“D-U-M-B, everyone’s accusing me…
“D-M-U-B, everyone’s accusing me…”
Nothing against New Hampshire, but this brightened my mood.
http://tinyurl.com/ylg2d99
His overall value at the dish makes it stupid to move McCann.
Outside of Bobby playing Hinske more, I think the most realistic hope is for Freeman to push the issue.
My thought is move Pendleton to 3rd base coach, fire Snitker, and find somebody new to be hitting coach preferably somebody who was a power hitter with a good OBP as a player. While the recent team hitting slump probably has nothing to do with Pendleton, a change couldn’t hurt. Sometimes you’ve heard the same things from one person so many times that you tune him out and you need to hear it from a fresh voice. Also Hinske should always start either in LF or at 1B vs RHP as long as he keeps killing them. But really this is all on the struggling hitters. Once they get back to hitting more like their career averages, this should be a solid offensive club. We’ll just have to hope the team doesn’t get buried in the standings before that happens. There’s still plenty of games left right now, so I’m not in panic mode.
@4: I love “Granite State Of Mind”. It’s enjoyable for those of us who live in or near NH, but also if you’ve never been to NH.
“What’s up, guy?”
Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening
etc
Good stuff.
Tony LaRussa sucks.
@75 from the previous –
Can I interest you in a tiger-repellant rock?
i know this might sound crazy, but can we swap lowe for vazquez? that would be awesome!
Noticed something interesting about the schedule so far and please forgive how non-saber this is but here is the NL sorted by Runs Allowed so far:
1 SF 56
2 STL 66
3 NYM 69
4 SD 73
5 COL 78
6 PHI 84
7t ATL 85
7t HOU 85
9 CHC 86
10 FLA 97
11 WAS 105
12t MIL 111
12t AZ 111
14t CIN 118
14t LAD 118
16 PIT 150
So with Houston up next, our first 8 opponents appear to be the best at limiting runs so far (of course facing out offense has helped put them there I know). But it is a little encouraging that we’ve yet to play any of the bottom half of the NL’s pitching staffs based on those raw #s.
The only reason they’re in the bottom half is that they haven’t had the privilege of facing us, yet.
It never gets old.
http://ballhype.com/video/tony_la_russa_dui_arrest/
#12 – good point, we can help out any pitching staff….wonder how bad our #’s would look outside of opening day
Things That Aren’t True, Part XLVII, New York Mets Edition:
Ububba, how much would you disagree with that particular statement?
12 and 14 – I tried to make that point (guess I failed to) though playing us makes up about 15% of the games played for the teams we have played so while it has an impact, it’s not very large.
lol @ this thread
AAR, that whole Rosenthal article is a riot. “I took off my shirt because it was hot”. is just priceless.
Wow, what a difference 7 games can make.
http://bravesjournal.us/?p=5331
Here’s hoping we get some of the “magic” back tonight.
I hate your face, Tony LaRussa.
Does anyone else dislike all the movement Heyward has before he swings? Just curious.
@12 – LOL
@21
IMO, Heyward’s mechanics are fine. What we are seeing right now is just part of the learning curve. He was a little over aggressive when he first came up. He was striking out on a lot of breaking stuff outside the zone. He over-corrected and is now being a bit too patient. I predict we’ll see him start hitting again very soon.
#20 — You hate my face? You should see my ass! It looks like a 3-D image of the surface of Mars! I should know, because I’ve been there! To Mars, I mean!
bobby sitting heyward and mccann against lefty…
1. Escobar 6, 2. Prado, 3. Jones, 3B, 4. Glaus 1B, 5. Diaz LF, 6. Cabrera RF, 7. Ross C, 8. McClouth CF, 9. Kawakami
suprised Infante isnt in CF
I would almost rather have Ross hitting cleanup in that lineup.
DOB is questioning the value of OBP…
http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-braves-blog/2010/04/28/heyward-taking-too-many-pitches-watch-your-tongue/?cxntfid=blogs_atlanta_braves_blog&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
(Near the end)
AAR,
I think Bernazard made his own bed. I mean, they’ve just finished a 9-1 homestand & it seems he’s trying to take credit.
From what I remember, Bernazard really had pissed off everybody in the organization. Omar, apparently, was his last defender.
The grain of truth in Bernazard’s statement is related to the fact that the Mets’ real brass (the Wilpons) have incredibly thin skin and are always terribly worried about how they are portrayed in the media—print & radio. When the Binghamton report came out, that was the last straw.
FWIW, the Mets really do tend to take a beating on the radio here. The ESPN station, which I never listen to, has a show that’s anchored by Michael Kaye, who happens to be the Yankees TV announcer, and he apparently rakes the Mets over the coals all the time.
For the most part, WFAN is full of Met-fan announcers, which at times can be worse. (“Oh, the pain!”) WFAN’s main guy, Mike Francesa, likes to tweak them, too, but his take is usually kinda funny. His stock statement after each Met PR disaster: “Only the Mets could do this…”
Somebody please cool off Kelly Johnson. Homer to lead off the 10th (lefty on lefty crime, off of Franklin Morales) and now he has 8 this freaking month. My goodness.
He now leads the NL in HR.
Five guys under the Mendoza line, and Glaus is right on it. Whatever Kawakami did to piss Bobby off, this is disproportionate retaliation.
To quote Bob Uecker, “Welcome back to Major League Baseball. Sort of.”
OLE! OLE,OLE,OLE!
Two errors on the first three defensive plays. Well, they’re consistent.
even on a K there’s a screw up
in one inning we have 2 errors and a wild pitch that scores a run. this team needs to do some yoga.
I hate this team.
matt capps for the NATIONALS earned his 10th save of the season! f’n incredible.
8 straight losses now and Wainright tomorrow I cant wait to see what this years June is like
Troy Glaus’s bat may be cashed, but that dude does know the strike zone. Maybe if he does get benched he can be our pinch walker extraordinaire.
As I say that, he swings at ball four. Foot, meet mouth.
Let’s go Melky, save our season right here.
That was essential.
Something’s gotta give.
Peachtree just had a great stat: 6 NL pitching staffs have as many hits on the season as Braves leadoff hitters.
We saw all of eleven pitches that inning.
It feels like we’re 20 games under .500 instead of 4.
44,
We’re as bad as the Pirates and Royals right now. This is awful.
Why didn’t Yunel go for the lead runner or a double play on that?
I’m thoroughly disgusted.
Final record: 75-87, maybe…
Oh man, I was at that game when Nick Green hit the walkoff.
Jeebus. How many baserunners have we had tonight? This is getting nuts.
That’s the Cardinals’ fourth intentional walk of the game, in 4 1/3 innings. Honestly, can you remember seeing a team get 4 IBBs in one game? Bonus points if Bonds wasn’t on it.
… and it backfires, naturally.
4 IBBs is too much for a series let alone a game.
Yep. Definitely should walk more people.
This reminds me of how I used to feel watching and listening to Braves teams of the 70’s and 80’s.
lol….desensitization to baseball comes fast. This is almost hilarious now.
FEEL THE EXCITEMENT OF BRAVES BASEBALL
@39–exactly what I was thinking–somewhat ironic, too, b/c I think the Wainwright trade was one of the key factors in the braves decline over the past 5 years
I was thinking of heading down for a game this weekend but I’m not sure I can take 9 innings of this slop in person.
GBraves were no hit tonight–offensive ineptitude runs in the organization
edit–Clevlen drew a walk and another runner reached on an error
Boy, I bet Adam Wainwright is really glad the Braves traded him right about now.
Hey, look! We can pitch to good hitters and get outs! I figured Bobby was just going to walk him to make sure they didn’t hit a grand slam.
I was just wondering if anybody thought we would win again this year? We could just mail it in now, I suppose.
someone could use Ross, can we trade him for a decent “average” outfielder?
Boy, we really suck. Season over!!!
who would be the top player in next years draft? cant Bryce Harper just hold off for another season
Wow. That was a nice play by Prado and then a good turn by Escobar.
We need some hardcore Phil Collins.
I wonder if you consider at any point Jermaine Dye, Gary Sheffield, Carlos Delgado, etc
@69 Wow, that will make a bad defensive team even worse. Would love to see that!!! Would be fun to watch the team kicking the ball around instead of catching it, ha.
Busch Stadium sucks, BTW.
Yay, Escobar almost gets to .200!!
Honestly, is there anything else positive to say about this game?
66,
Would not want Bryce Harper. If the Braves have a really high pick in the 2011 draft, right now I’d say the guy that makes the most sense is Matt Purke. He’ll be a draft eligible sophomore out of TCU in 2011 and Roy Clark really wanted him in 2009, but Liberty Media said “no” when he asked them for the money.
And now we have Mike Minor.
Troy Glaus- bad morning, worse afternoon, awful night.
this team should just forfeit tomorrows game and head on to Houston
The freaking Hawks are not helping.
That throw right there was why you send the runner in most cases. I get not doing it when you’re down 6 in the 8th, but in general, you should send the runner in that situation. It’s rare that the LF makes the perfect throw and the catcher handles it correctly.
Does Mike Bibby come off of the Hawks’ cap now that he’s dead and all?
out of 30 – braves
24th in runs
29th in hits
21st in 2B
25th in 3B
27th in HR
25th in RBI
29th in BAA
29th in SLG
28th in OPS
26th in SB
29th in FLY BALLS
54 AB per HR
27th in XBH
and that was before this performance. Weve now been shut out 5 times in 21 games. So would 38 shutouts in a season be a record?
Ross really has no value to our team and could be starting somewhere else. Cant he be moved for some decent addition? Wonder when Wren fires or cuts someone to just make a point?
Non-recap is up.