We Want Blanco! We Want Blanco!
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We Want Blanco! We Want Blanco!
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Poor Nate. However, I think his time as whipping boy will be short. He will turn it on or we will make a move before the deadline.
I am also pulling for the Marlins to pass the Phills. Only two back.
are people on Nate because he didnt make the throw to 3rd last night? There have been several times in the past where I questioned him holding onto the ball. Last night I think he made the right move. There were two outs and Gwynn was at first. Pretty sure Gwynn couldve tagged on any throw. Id rather have first and third with two outs than two in scoring position with a throw that is slightly off the mark.
He looked better at the plate to me. I still dont expect to much but he squared up a few and thats a good sign. Problem is Bobby will sit him against the lefty today and Wren and co wont get to see him as much as theyd like. Either way, if you can add Cody Ross for Dunn/Melky. You make that move either way. It strengthens the bench at worst
Maybe the Mets will trade Frenchy to Japan. He would probably encourage lots of Japanese players to move to the States under the theory that if Jeff Francouer is a major league player, it can’t be that tough.
The hilarious things is that the Mets fans keep talking about getting something of value in return for Francouer. Just what exactly? A bag of BP balls?
1—I think he’ll turn it on, and we’ll make a move before the deadline. I don’t really get his status as BJWB.
nate’s ops against rhp this year: .639
nate’s ops against rhp for career:.808
melky’s ops against rhp for year: .681
melky’s ops against rhp in career: .717
considering there’s no way in hell we can trade nate, i know who i’m shipping out (and his chubby ass will run up that shipping charge…think he can fit in one of those “flat-rate” boxes?).
mclouth, although noodle-armed, has some value with his above average pop, walk rate, and speed. other than his arm, i cant think of what melky has on mclouth…drinking, maybe?
I hear there’s an outfielder on the Mets that might be available.
i dont know if this has been posted, but this is the best bobby cox article i’ve ever read..
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1172328/2/index.htm
So, Chris Paul looks to be demanding a trade…
very interesting line:
“He keeps track of retired players and occasionally writes them checks if they need money.”
otis nixon’s crack money, maybe?
another one: “David Vincent found that since Cox took over in 1990, the Braves’ player-ejection rate has been about half the major league average.”
Today’s lineup: Prado – 4 Heyward – 9 Chipper – 5 Glaus – 3 Diaz – 7 Gonzalez – 6 Ross – 2 Cabrera – 8 Hudson – 1
I’m shocked that Heyward and Chipper are in the game. Awesome.
Hey, look, an ironic trade possibility. Throw in at least 2 future #1s, and there’s your deal!
I really only follow baseball, and as such, don’t listen/watch ESPN or anything much, but I flipped on the radio to check on trades. Colin Cowhered is the most annoying person I have ever heard on air.
I think Bobby wants this game before starting the road trip. If they had won last night, lineup would probably have been different.
I don’t. Chipper had the last two games before last night off, and only played seven innings.
Stu @9,
I wonder where he want to get traded , hmmm?
Don’t think the Heat could give them any thing of value in a trade.
@13, fun game. http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=24q2rrq
What about signing Frenchy when the Mets cut him lose at the end of the year and sending him to Gwinette. Think about it, he is a hometown kid and all those chicks with the #7 shirts could all go over there to watch him play.
It would help our AAA team sell tickets. Just a money making thought.
Do 13, sign Shaq (for depth and ticket sales) to a mid-level deal, and you might have something.
Starting five of Paul, Crawford/Johnson, Johnson/Evans, Smith, and Horford. Bench of Crawford/Evans, Shaq, New Crawford, whoever else (re-sign Joe Smith?). Profit!
Yes, I am delusional.
Maybe Linda Cohn will buy Francoeur from the Mets and use him as a pool boy for the rest of the summer.
The Braves lost the last game? WOW!!!!
Francoeur is still tremendous popularity? Ha! What did he do for the Atlanta Braves as a baseball player? I can’t get it about Atlantans if he is just popular because he is a hometown kid. Even he has wife. Why should chicks chase him? Sorry….A little strange for me.
It’s being reported in New York that Francoeur may be jettisoned by the weekend.
I heard Manuel’s radio show yesterday. When the host asked about Francoeur’s “leadership position” on the club and how he “can’t lead” on the bench, Manual sidestepped the question like a shifty politician.
Said a lot. Said to me that the last thing Jerry Manuel needed was a guy like Francoeur making me-first noise when the season was circling the drain.
If Francoeur is a leader on that club, then I feel sorry for everyone on the team. I can just imagine the advice he’s giving some of the guys.
“No, Ike, you see you want to swing at the first pitch no matter what. It shows the pitcher that you’re not messing around, see?”
here’s something…Wren is trying to upgrade the balllcub and apparently Bobby will not start McLouth vs a LH’r. Why not go get Ross anyways and let at least one side of the platoon be productive?
Note: I am following online today, and the recap will probably be a little late because I have to be somewhere right after the game.
Glad to see us bringing home the run from third with one out. We haven’t done that nearly enough lately.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/07/mets-trying-to-trade-jeff-francoeur.html
People are actually mad that the Braves traded Francoeur in the comments.
Ha.
wow, Hairston in LF maybe has a worse arm than Damon
BEAT THEIR ASSES INTO THE GROUNDS!
when writing the recap, you should note that Chipper would’ve been out at home had the LF not been named Damon, Pierre, or in this case, Hairston.
Jeff Francoeur to the New York Yankees Would Make a Lot of Sense! If you’re a moron.
Wuzza-wuzzup, Braves fans! The Jeffster heard ya rip rappin on him, and came back to set the record straight! The fact of the matter is, the Jeffmeister was a hard-sluggin mac daddy in the ATL; don’t let your basement-bound silly sabr suckers tell you otherwise! All I did was come up with the big hits! That’s what the Frenchaton does, baby!
Badoodle-boo-yeah! The Jeff just served ya! Francoeur out.
we dont want/need shaq
Those were some horrible pitches to try to bunt at.
I agree that Jeff Francoeur to the Yankess makes a lot of sense.
Of course, I hate the Yankees.
#24
That just means Francoeur talks to the press a lot. He’s become a self-appointed spokesman, which isn’t a bad thing for the Mets. Wright hasn’t exactly warmed to that task.
@13 If they trade for Paul, they’ll have to give up Josh Smith and take back Okafur as well. I imagine Crawford’s expiring contract would have to be traded too.
The contracts work out to not have to give up Smith, but the Hornets would need something other than non-lottery picks and Marvin.
The guys on tv are displaying the cultural sensitivity of the Frito Bandito
Nice one for AAG!
melky is so frickin’ slow, and he came up holding his hamstring. please be hurt.
And…a fat man slides to a stop two feet short of the second base bag.
I hope a real Englishman socks Chip. Maybe Moylan will.
Random. What kinds of cars do we drive here?
1999 Ford Explorer with 145,000 miles here.
@45:
2001 Jeep Cherokee Sport with a few hundred over 100K.
Was stolen from my apartment in Atlanta a few months ago and abandoned a block away. At the time, it had no gas in it. (I only discovered it stolen when I went to go fill it up.)
A very useful bit of laziness on my part, I suppose.
2005 Altima with about 70K.
Had my sister’s old manual transmission 1996 Ford Explorer Sport before that. That thing was a tank, and I absolutely loved it.
2001 Nissan Xterra
But I’ve got a boat too…
1996 Mercury Grand Marquis
My wife’s grandma gave it to us after she hit a couple too many fences. My neighbor says it’s a little “mature” for us, and an acute distaste for Ford products runs in my veins, but hey, I’m in no position to turn down a freebie.
2001 Camry 160K
2004 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited about 30k miles.
1979 MGB about 80k miles.
@47 – I’ve got a boat too: 1999 Chris Craft 210 Cuddy Volvo Penta I/O
How did Melky get a double and aag only get to 3rd with 2 out?
Did our freind Snitker throw up a stop sign? Why?
And, I didn’t add, with the good hitting pitcher Tim Hudson the next batter up?
01 Harley road king
1999 Honda Civic EX.
Only 75 K b/c I take the train to work half the time.
’03 Hyundai Sonata 90K-ish
I assume that Joe has been continuing with the Luis Durango BS from last night? I only just got in, and something said in passing made it sound like they were and that I was glad I wasn’t here for it.
#44 – 2002 Yukon Denali 104K
1998 Toyota 4-Runner 201,000 miles
AAG very nice so far – 3-3 with a double and 2RBI
33—Sure you do, if you trade Pachulia.
Melky getting his trade value (HA) higher
05 Honda Accord – 82k miles.
Hudson looks sharp so far on GameCast.
😉
2005 Ford Expedition
88,000 miles
Man, do I hate listening to Chip Caray call a baseball game.
37—Works for me.
Paul, Johnson, Williams, Okafor, Horford
Bibby, Crawford, Evans, Pachulia
Looks pretty good to me.
Just now able to listen to the game, looks like Heyward and AAG are having good games.
Well, more Melky than Heyward, I suppose.
’99 Nissan Altima. 129K miles
According to this little survey, Braves Journal readers are killing the car industry in America; nothing newer than ’05. 🙂
49 — Your boat is actually a watercraft, though. Mine’s just a car that looks like it needs a sail…
Hey now, I drive an 06 Scion xB, 36,000 miles.
late model Lamboghini Countach 3000k
how old is everyone here? Im about to hit the 30 mark
101 pitches through 7 for Hudson. With the bullpen situation, I expect he’ll start the eighth unless we score a whole bunch of runs here.
Thirty-four here.
Nice to not have to talk about Hudson, which means he’s doing his job just fine.
Not to change the subject from vehicles, but do our main relievers get a break today? It would be nice to keep Venters on a chair for the day.
22
This game is flying by.
Also 22
Long time lurker/reader, first time poster. Not sure why I’ve never posted before. Love your site Mac.
25 here. Drive a 96 Cavalier with ~78k on it.
2009 Accord 15k miles
Drive a 98 Ford Taurus with 140,000 miles on it. Fine car, but I really need to get the air fixed.
How about Martin flashing some leather?
@66 – I was imagining a Grand Marquis with a sail.
@65 – Actually I see mostly US manufactured and assembled cars on here. Ford, Mercury, Jeep, GM. All Altimas and Xterras are assembled in either TN or MS. The Civic in OH, not sure about the Accord, Scion and 4Runner.
Of course, the Harley and Chris Craft are all American.
Then there’s the MG – not so much assembled as cobbled together in a MacGyver-esque way by the Brits.
Accords built right up the road in Marysville. My real car 2001 Honda Accord 126k miles. My 3rd Accord
#79 How do you like your 2009?
Nate’s now in a role that he can handle. I think.
Yay AAG!
At what point do we start worrying more about the Marlins than the Phillies. If the Phillies lose, Florida will only be a game out of third and they seem every bit as good as PHI lately. Come to think of it why would they be wanting to trade Ross anyway? Do they have a glut of OFs?
How does Heyward go 1st to 3rd on a single to LF but Nate can’t when he’s running on the pitch?
Way to be, Ross!
Melky, an OBP machine.
Diaz is faster than Louth!
w00t.
Heyward wills it to be and it is.
LOL IBB MELK
They probably wanted to get Hudson out of the game.
2010 Civic with about 3k on it. Oh, and I’m 22.
Would’ve like to see Huddy go one more, but whatever.. it’s all good.
Please be okay.
Medlen pinch-running? I’m sure he’ll be just fine in the Miami heat in two days.
You know it’s a good day when Melky has reached in all four PAs (2 IBBs!?!). Not to mention AAGs 4-4 going.
How was Hinske hurt on the HBP?
I’m 28, and I drive a ’99 Mitsubishi Mirage with about 85K miles on it.
31, subaru forester ’01…a billion miles
I saw “In play, run(s)” right there on the Heyward AB and was praying for a grand slam.
🙁
top of the left foot.
2005 Yamaha FZ6.
Hinske was hit right on his left foot. It was like reverse soccer with the ball hitting him squarely.
Mwahahaha!
Me too, sdp, but we should save those for closer games.
And the Zombie comes through again. Have some more brains. You’ve earned them.
Thirty-nine.
Edit: Chippppaaahhhh.
Did Chipper just hurt himself again? Yeesh.
Forgot it was an afternoon game today. Hudson doing it again….
i havent seen chipper run past first without wincing in quite a while. however, he was smiling with bmac when he was removed from the game.
Over/under for outs Chavez can get (’cause that’s who’s coming in, right?) before we need to pull him for a real pitcher?
Padres should walk Glaus here to keep it to 9-0 with Nate coming up.
I feel a “death by a thousand cuts” coming on anytime now..
Just tuned in: that’s more like it! Back to work…
Nothing like a rubber-game blowout to put you in a good mood.
How old? Old enough to be your older brother—46.
CHAVEZ TIME
I drive a 1991 Toyota Camry with something like 112,000 miles on it.
It’s too bad this series won’t be a sweep, but I’ve seen all I need to see to say this: we are better than the Padres. At least, we’re better than they are when they don’t have Mat Latos on the mound.
This is Heyward’s third straight multihit game. I wish they’d send him back to AAA to learn how to f’in hit. I hate this f’in team.
I’m 26.
Maybe his producer told him to cool it with “death by a thousand cuts.” That was the quintessential example of that type of inning, and he didn’t say it even once.
111- After all, according to Chip the Braves are “Latos intolerant”
Why not Chaves or KK when it 8 zip?
111- Or Michael Dunn. Eight straight balls to open the inning? This is not how you pitch with a lead.
Bring in Chavez already.
KK shouldve gotten these last two…I guess Dunn is getting showcased
I’m 26.
Gamecast makes it look like Dunn is really getting squeezed.
Well, maybe some of those pitches are technically high strikes. But based on how the strike zone is normally called, he’s not really been close.
31
I’ve got a 2000 Ducati Monster that’s been sitting in my parents’ garage for years. At this point, I guess it’s a relic from my single days. Even with a salvage title and dented tank, I had to spend just about everything I made that summer to get it. I just don’t have anywhere to keep it right now.
This AB, on the other hand…
Yikes, hes all over the place.
Well this is just stupid.
Dunn kinda flubbed his showcase there.
There’s got to be some kind of… Anti-Pictures or something that explains why KK never sees the light of day.
To tell you the truth, I’ve kinda been hoping that oldtimer? will answer the age question, so we’ll know whether or not he can remove the question mark.
If I were bidding on the Dunn Showcase I would bid $1
Now AAG is just showing off.
I would say that it looks like he and Prado will work out very nicely as a double play combo.
I think you might have bought him with that bid.
@122 – Sweet. 750 or 900?
You people still drive cars?
Aussie Aussie Aussie!
Edit: 45 here, with the aching knees to prove it…
Dunn’s ERA stays at 0.00
Oy Oy Oy!
I’m not sure what value KK and Chavez have to the club if they can’t even pitch in winning mop up games.
19, 2008 Mazda3, 17K
Evidently we inadvertently showcased Peter Moylan.
46, ’02 Camry, 155K
I can see Mac on a Segway.
Ugh…if the producers told Chip to stop with “death by a thousand cuts,” perhaps they should have concentrated more on his haphazard puns. “Last of the Mujica???”
I’m 37 and have an X6.
And, wooh! another series win for the Braves!
Nah, I have one of the new matter transporters. You have to know who to talk to.
Okay, it looks like I won’t have time to recap right after the game. I’ll try to have it up around 5 CT.
8-0 and KK or Chavez cant get used?
No hurry, Mac. Hope whatever else you’re doing is as fun as the game has been.
Are we trying to trade KK or Chavez?
Today is the exact opposite of last night.
We can’t use Chavez or Kawakami when we are up by 8? Then, when do we use them? We may need Moylan tomorrow (although I think it was right to bring him in to “shut it down” I think his “rebound” would be better if he hadn’t come back to pitch the 9th.)
BRAVES WIN! BRAVES WIN! BRAVES WIN! BRAVES WIN!
@145
for what? I have green stamps with more value.
Meanwhile, in another part of town, the Phils and Cards are scoreless at the seventh inning stretch. Cole Hamels has a one-hitter going.
Okay, gotta go get the transporter warmed up. Moylan only needed 14 pitches, so no harm there. Talk later.
Ballgame. That’s the kind of win you love to see after last night’s game.
@149 – My point exactly.
AAG 4-4, Melky 2-2 and 2BB, Chippaaahh and Weyward with multiple hits, and Huddy wins his 10th. All good. Troy making two outs in the same inning, not so good. If he can start heating it up again, this team could put away the pennant by mid-August.
@143–my question too
If they can’t be trusted with an 8 run lead then maybe they should be replaced (esp Chavez who could go back to AAA) with someone more useful or another bench bat.
AAG struck out in his last at-bat, so he wound up 4-5. But otherwise, basically everyone on the team was good.
@155 – Thanks, counting not a strong point.
Surely I’m not the oldest one on here?! I’m 51 and drive an 02 Mitsubishi Montero Sport, 82,000.
From today’s KLAW chat:
Jason (Nashville, TN)
Is Brandon Beachy really good enough to start in the majors or will he end up in middle relief?
Klaw (1:10 PM)
Starter. Interesting guy.
25 – 1994 Honda Accord- 186,000 miles.
Not to complain, but, damn, they had a sweep in hand.
regarding attendance:
we’ve heard a lot about the braves boost in attendance this year, but has anyone actually looked at the difference? we’re averaging 1,250 more people per game than last year, and last year we were below 30,000 for the first time since 2004. we’re averaging 30,551 per game. big flippin’ deal.
A metro rail system and a bus pass. A car? I wonder if I still remember how to drive. Oh and cab fare for emergencies.
ryan – I have, and those numbers are skewed by the fact that many home games were played while school was in session. The total”per game” is not weighted. Later summer games are almost always better attended and will certainly cause this number to rise. The team being in real contention. not “if everything goes right…” mode will also boost this figure.
@157,
You aren’t the oldest. I’m 54 and drive an ’09 Subaru Forrester. I’m glad to at least see others of my generation! 🙂
I’m an ‘old’ 34 – feel like I should be out on my porch yelling at neighborhood kids to get off my grass. But a game like today puts everybody in a good mood, even while feeling a twinge of what Marc said @160.
I drive a 2000 Toyota Tacoma with 108k miles – extended cab so my little 2 yr old can ride around town w/ me…
We ought to have Mac form an Old Coots Wing of Braves Journal, where we can talk about how Dale Murphy was so much better than Heyward and Chipper’s hamstring is the 2010 equivalent of Bob Horner’s wrist.
#163
Exactly. BTW, last Saturday night vs. Milwaukee was a sellout.
But I don’t really go crazy about attendance either.
Sure is nice to have Huddy back & at the peak of his powers. Guy’s been an ace this year.
Oh, and yes, while we blew a sweep, the Pads are now headed to the airport thinking “we’ve played them seven times and are lucky we are 2-5 against those guys.” Which can never hurt if we see them in the playoffs.
John Sickels, answering more questions from an All Questions Answered thread.
@160: That’s assuming today’s events were independent of yesterday’s. I’m not sure if you can view things in baseball that way. Am I thinking too much?
JoelK: 65 and counting; you’re a mere child.
2001 Deville w/140,000+ and 1997 F-150 w/120,000+.
I feel like Chipper…breaking down at 33. That is when Chipper started breaking down isn’t it?
@166 I wish I could have seen the good Dale Murphy years. Just missed it.
Today’s win, makes last night loss so forgettable.
Phi/Stl scoreless thru 10. STL still with just 1 hit.
I’m 25 and drive an 04 Kia.
So does this make me the youngest?
Phillies up 1-0 on a home run by Polanco, who I was not aware was back, by the way.
Incidentally, this game is currently on MLB Network, if anyone’s interested.
Desert @19. You are the Jason Heyward of Braves Journal. Congrats! We are expecting big things from you lol
29 – 2009 Volkswagen GTI 35000mi
While I was reading the SI article on Bobby today I was wondering if the Braves don’t have something planned for his last home game where lots of former Braves players show up, what with his reputation as the ultimate players’ coach. Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz, Murphy, Eddie Perez, Javy, etc…
So do I drive the oldest car?
Phillies win, 2-0. In every perfect day a little Placido Polanco must fall.
@180, As a daily driver maybe – I have ’55 Harley panhead I putt around on sometimes.
54 — (10 when the Braves moved to Atlanta — the ’66 team is still one of my favorites, allowing me to live 30 years up here in Yankeeland as a committed Braves fan) 2008 Infiniti G37 Coupe 16K miles
One of Frenchy’s staunchest defenders finally gave in… http://nybaseballdigest.com/?p=27820
But of course, because it’s Mike Silva, Jeffy’s problems are due to a “football mentality” instead of just not being a very good hitter.
#179, we may have the luxury of not knowing when his final game is.
Silva’s basically convinced that plate discipline is just something that more or less everyone can pick up as they get older and more experience — unless, of course, they have a “mentality” that holds them back. That presumes that plate discipline is a skill, rather than a talent. But rather a lot of evidence appears to have mounted in the other direction.
No wonder my “Yunel is Claudell” riff didn’t get any response. You whippersnappers are too young to remember who Claudell Washington was.
It was said of Claudell (by a high-ranking Braves official), “He’ll break your heart everytime.” Meaning, you always saw the immense talent, but he never would bring it bear.
Speaking of Bear – Nick Saban is my new hero. FINALLY, someone has the balls to point the finger where it belongs.
As much as I hate to say this, the Yunel trade reminds me of nothing so much as the way the Red Sox traded Manny for Jason Bay. And I went from liking Yunel and disliking the trade to being resigned to its necessity, within a matter of days. I hate thinking that I’m as impressionable as those Red Sox fans, but that’s what my behavior reminds me of.
With Francoeur, it’s not just the numbers that scream at you.
As many of us know, it’s the cumalative experience of watching him give up AB after AB (for weeks & months) that just drive you nuts.
For Met fans, and not even the SABR types, seeing is believing.
BTW, any D1 football coach who calls an agent a pimp needs to take a long look in the mirror because he’s wading in the same corrupt waters.
It takes a ton of balls to point the finger at sports agents? Incredible.
Oswalt to the cards? Yikes.
Recapped.
Yeah. There’s a belief that breaking balls are harder on the arm than fastballs.