Why isn’t John Schuerholz getting inducted? He’s eligible (not retired for five years, but retired, and over 65). They’re putting in an umpire for Christ’s sake. Maybe he and Bobby can go in together next year.
Why isn’t John Schuerholz getting inducted? He’s eligible (not retired for five years, but retired, and over 65). They’re putting in an umpire for Christ’s sake. Maybe he and Bobby can go in together next year.
Does anyone else feel like teams trading mid-season for major pieces is ruining some of the competitive spirit of the sport? Or is this the way things should be?
When I see teams like the Yankees after Dan Haren and the Cardinals after Roy Oswalt, it just leaves me with a bad feeling about things. Why do stacked teams need to push their levels of talent even further through the roof? What’s the point of competing April-September if a couple teams are able to completely blow away other teams by the teams the field after huge mid-season moves usually based on vulturing pieces from dead, after-thought teams?
Maybe I’m going in circles.
1. Prado 2B, 2. Heyward RF, 3. Jones 3B, 4. McCann C, 5. Glaus 1B, 6. Hinske LF, 7. A Gonzalez SS, 8. McLouth CF, 9. Medlen P
It’s the first time i’ve heard that song version … excellent.
Ugh, I hate Nate.
Who thinks we should make “We Hate Nate” the tagline? It’s a bit mean.
@5, Yeah, too mean.
Did anyone else see that Garret Anderson at-bat? Hilarious. If the Dodgers are serious about this whole contending thing they might not want to play him anymore.
Well, if they were serious they wouldn’t have played him in the first place.
Nate does need a comic strip character to match up with. There’s a comic strip called “Big Nate” but (a) Nate’s short, and (b) I don’t read the strip. I’d go with Charlie Brown, except he’s a pitcher.
I’m still looking for the “I Hate Nate” bumper stickers or t-shirts. What is the over/under on how many key situations Nate fails at tonight? I’ve got 3…
you can’t call him Beetle Bailey… that’s Frenchy.
No, Jeffy is Jeffy from Family Circus.
I want to like Nate. I also want him to hit.
Well, Nathan McLouth’s middle name is Richard, which opens up all sorts of nickname possibilities.
This is Nate’s last game as a Brave, according to my barber:
Nate, KK, and two minor league pitchers for Ichiro.
My super awesome Braves tshirt came in the mail today, so the Braves had better win, or else I’ll never be able to wear it to a game.
The Phillies are currently smoking the Rockies (Jimenez was knocked out by the third inning). I *really* don’t want to have to worry about the Phillies somehow taking this division away from us.
Kind of a big game tonight I think.
Don’t forget that one of the worst broadcasters ever is also being inducted to the HOF – Jon Miller
Sdp @ 1,
It seems as if teams are willing to give up better prospects and eat a larger amount of salary when push comes to shove at the trade deadline as opposed to the offseason. It’s a negotiating tactic- things seem to be always better for a seller when
a) there is a greater need for his commodity- when in the offseason teams have a better perspective on the state of affairs, and are often more optimistic of the upcoming season when they are not looking up to teams in the standings. Being put in a pressure situation as a GM, such as being in a pennant race, means that you are much more prone to make mistakes and give up too much than if you are in the offseason looking forward to the upcoming season, with time to spare.
b) he is the only seller- offseason trades certainly occur, but much more importance is placed on the free agent market at this time, almost purely because of the fact that teams are willing to give up dollars before prospects. Also, pitchers/batters usually recover from major surgeries in time for the start of the season, not in the middle. So when you have a need, and that need can be filled with both a returning player or a free agent, you would want to explore those two options before having to give up players and dollars in a trade.
c) there is a time limit- if the seller holds the key to solving your in-season puzzle, lest your season be a complete failure, you are willing to pay him more when there is an imposed time limit on when you can make a deal.
Because of this, midseason trades are much more profitable for a team than offseason trades. This actually, in the end, helps the competitive balance and evens out teams for the future, as opposed to the opposite.
BTW, the reason that it makes you feel bad is because your team will have to face improved rosters in the playoffs. I mean, JA Happ is probably easier to beat than Roy Oswalt.
At the game tonight. I’ll do my best to root them to a win.
smitty, i hope your barber’s right.
I wish the Fish would move to the Central.
Couldn’t sleep last night and watched a real weird programme called “Hunting with Chipper”… A tv crew joining him, his Dad and some other players to his ranch huntin’ deer. Strange.
PRADO!
Good start.
I wish the Fish would just cease to exist. I LOATHE the Marlins.
who needs a typical leadoff hitter?
The only problem is that our best hitter winds up batting most of the time with nobody on base.
@25 I’ve always thought that was WAY overrated. You are not going to ‘run’ your way to a pennant. It helps but you have to hit to win. If you aren’t stealing bases at a very high percentage, its not worth it.
i dont have the same hate for the Marlins as most here….I keep mine focused on the Mets and Phils
true, but I want our best hitter hitting more than anyone else too
according to Peanut our interest in Cody Ross is minimal
When Prado has homered this season, the Braves have won 9 out of 11 games…
Sounds like our interest in Ross matches Nate’s contributions.
McClouth is useless.
the non-throw strikes again. opponents are going to go first to thrid on him every freakin’ time ’til he starts making some throws. there’s something going on with nate.
dang guys, the ball was away from Nate and he ended up in deep LCF. He had no shot at Coghlan going to 3rd
cmon Nate
edit: its time Wren
Why would anyone consider pitching around McLouth to get to Medlen?
@35
you still make the throw at least to the cutoff man maybe duping the runner at 1st to try for 2nd. it’s simple baseball fundamentals.
if the throw isnt above the cutoff man the guy at 1st doesnt even try to advance either, thats simple baserunning fundamentals. Its nitpicking….but we can bash him for his hitting performance at least 4 times a game
If they’re going to make their decision after 10 AB’s, why even bother? Might as well just flip a coin.
Guess which team has stranded the most men in the Majors?
Rhymes with knaves…
where do the Braves stand in runs scored? when you lead the league in OBP its going to happen
@40
i think they wanted to see the new “shortened swing”. his 610 plate appearances of a sub 700 ops should be enough…
I really enjoyed Nate’s weak groundout to second on a 3-1 count.
I really am looking forward to “Throw Things At Nate McLouth’s Head Night”.
bingo…Nate still has the big uppercut in his swing. Might as well let him finish his 2010 work in AAA, add a RH CF’r if one is available
nate mclouth voodoo doll night?
and jason heyward is good.
10th in runs scored, 20th in HR’s, and 4th in OBP.
I’m not saying it doesn’t make sense, it’s just been especially annoying so far this series.
BMAC!
Yeah!
good lord McCann is on a roll
anibal sanchez looks very hittable.
I think Manny is going to be pitching for the Dodgers soon. Torre is burning through arms.
On a side note, I was front row for an E Street Band show in the fall of 2007 and it was the best thing ever. Ever.
@53 You mean cheesiest thing ever?
I hate Hinske and his fatness.
I really really hate the Marlins.
Mon dios I hate the Marlins.
0-2 hanging curves…seems like the same thing we called with Moylan last night
Phillies won again today.
Mets tied 2-2 in extra innings.
Dan Uggla is a Braves killer.
Why do we pitch to Uggla?
I’m done with this schlock.
kk needs to be getting loose
Okay, Kawakami is obviously injured that that’s why Bobby refuses to use him…so why is he on the active roster?
McLouth has looked bad for a lot more than 10 ABs this season.
Chief is done with you, Braves! Time to pack it in!
Heyward the waterboy. Lol.
I meant for tonight, obviously since I’ve been a Braves fan since oh, 1979.
who’s a better hitter, McLouth or Medlen?
What if we refer to Nate as ‘The Anchor’ since he’s bringing the team down.
I miss Blanco.
just dont think Nate can handle playing/hitting in ATL
McLouth needs to be optioned back to Gwinnett.
81 pitches thru 4–looks like we’ll get plenty of ABs against the pen, at least.
Ump’s a bit testy, eh?
Rodriguez didn’t mind a mysterious strike zone last night.
Lord have mercy.
That must have been a McCann tribute to Yunel.
Oh well… maybe we’ll get Los Marlins all comfy and celebratory before coming back to rip their hearts out tonight.
McClouth is bringing the whole team down….enough is enough.
I hate this team.
@80, the Marlins or Braves?
PURE EVIL versus pure suck.
Let’s call McLouth “Cathy,” because his at-bats make me go, “ACK!”
Both, for tonight.
Who is that guy at the plate right now? Should he be feared?
Bad, bad, Nate McLouth. Baddest player on the whole damn team.
Since June 1, the Braves are …
5-6 when Nate McLouth has at least 1 AB.
13-7 when Gregor Blanco has at least 1 AB.
Jesse Chavez did something right. Can I be hopeful?
Nate is definitely “Cathy” from now on. Noseless freak.
@88, tonight, no.
You think we could get Ryan Church for Nate McLouth?
I love rooting for players to beat the odds, miraculously turn it around and become decidedly average again. Would be a great story for Nate.
That should be dos errors on los Marlins’ third baseman.
please give him an inside fastball
A bit too far inside.
That wasn’t what I had in mind, but i’ll take it.
Changed the tagline.
What is “Cathy” named after? The comic strip character?
His mother named him “Jhan”? That’s not even trying to spell it right.
Glaus has done nothing at all lately.
Time to change that.
Why is Diaz pinch running for McCann??? If you want to pinch run for him, use a starting pitcher. Diaz could be used to pinch hit for McLousy!!
Can you have inexperience?
Now Ross is running for Glaus! I guess we won’t have any need for a pinch hitter!
YES!!
Well I’ll be danged. Way to fight Braves!
Gotta finish the job tonight!
Just trying to mentally prepare everyone: Nate’s about to get a chance to silence his critics. Hopefully AAG does the business here.
Gotta say, I don’t think David Ross is stealing third. Do they just teach faking to bases when you first come in as a system philosophy?
Walk Gonzalez, pitch to Nate and try for the triple play.
Remember, you can’t say “Cantu” without “can’t”.
At least Nate only made 1 out.
McClouth you should retire, tonight. I mean this is almost Francouer territory.
Great work grounding out to first base on the first pitch, Cathy. Good Lord — you think the man might want to enjoy a bases loaded, no out situation for at least one pitch.
That’s the guy we were bunting for. Hate to not have guys in scoring position for that display of power by Nate.
It is impossible to be worse than Nate McLouth is right now.
Like I said – why not pinch run a pitcher and pinch hit Diaz for McLouth????
Sounds like more Braves fans there than Marlins, though that’s not surprising.
And you can’t say “Brooks Conrad” without “Folk Hero”!
Folk Hero!
ALL IS FORGIVEN
YES!!!
Brooks Conrad, Coldplay Fans and Gentlemen.
CONRAD!!
Jason Heyward = |Nate McLouth|
Awesome. Just awesome.
Is anyone else worried that Heyward is becoming a singles machine?
I still don’t like pinch running Diaz (or Ross), but it looks like both of them may get a chance to bat this inning.
I love me some Brooks Conrad. What a team we have.
Can’t really tell what the crowd is saying, Chip. 50/50.
Look, if the guy is going to hit .500, it doesn’t really matter if they’re all singles.
128- Agreed. The Braves have a lot of contributors in the lineup, bench, and rotation. Of course, we also have McLouth and Kawakami, but everything can’t go right.
Not to mention carry a .900 OBP.
Can Conrad play CF? What about left?
Jason Heyward has an 8-game hitting streak. Over his last 8 games, he’s 15-30 with 5 walks. You can complain if you like, but I feel pretty okay with that.
I think the crowd was saying “Brooooooooooooooks”.
Can we trade McLouth and KK to Greg Olsen’s minor league team for a bag of balls and some batting gloves?
@132.. I’m fine with a Diaz/Henske platoon in left. I just wish we had a Blanco/Melky platoon in center.
If I were an MLB’er, the endless loop of the same rap and pop music would drive me up a wall.
That’s what Ross gets for cheating on Rachel.
Kawakami is just a roster spot at this point, he isn’t actively hurting the team like some players.
Rachel who?
Heyward’s power will definitely come back….that’s the least of my concerns. McSlouth is just horrible.
Rachel Green.
well, nate could have tripped on the GS and had conrad pass him or something like that. he did successfully circle the bases.
Rob, there is absolutely no shame in missing a reference to Friends.
i don’t know who is behind @fauxfrankwren on twitter, but if he’s on here, let me say that you, sir, are hysterical. Grade A humor.
@142, Jennifer Anniston?
@144, Thank you, sir.
You’re all right. It felt like Heyward was driving the ball much more before he came back, but I am properly chastened. I’ll take .500. And it’s a small sample size. He could be wearing out the wall soon.
The part that depresses me is that Louth and KK are getting a combined 15 MM next year
So, last night I was running on the treadmill when Bmac hit the 3 run homer. When I stopped, we blew the game. Tonight, I get on the treadmill, we tie the game, then the grand slam. I stayed on that thing for an hour.
This superstition is going to do wonders for my cardio.
Maybe the Venters suspension isn’t so bad. He could probably use the rest the way Bobby has been playing him.
#149 We might need you back on the treadmill! Be on stand-by.
Run, Bethany, run!
Isn’t it about time for Wes Smelms to go an play in Japan? He looks like a guy that would go to Japan and play. He can take Dan Uggla and the Hairston brothers with him.
Get back on that treadmill Bethany!
IN YOUR FACE, WES HELMS.
Whew. Venters and Wagner’s arm may fall off before the end of the trip.
Dear god, I am tired.
156- And the Kawakami will need some serious dusting.
The only thing I’m enjoying about Louth lately is calling him Louth. Dude sucks.
Recapped.