Who the hell thought it was a good idea to put a baseball team here anyway?
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Who the hell thought it was a good idea to put a baseball team here anyway?
Use code “Journal” for a 5% discount.
re: ububba last thread… would be interesting to see Damon go back to Boston.
Interesting indeed. That would be a bit of a bitter pill for everyone.
JC’d from last thread, re Pirates fans and if there are any left:
I was in Pittsburgh earlier this summer, and I learned that Pittsburgh sports fans don’t really even care about baseball anymore. I’m sure if the Pirates got good again, their fans would come back, as Pittsburgh is a very loyal and rabid sports town, but until/unless they do, Pittsburgh sports fans will never be anything more than casual baseball fans.
That having been said, I have a buddy who was still an absolute die-hard Hawks fan during their entire 10-year downturn, even when they were at absolute rock bottom. And the Pirates have a far greater history than the Hawks, and a far greater connection to their town, so I’m sure that there are still some die-hard Pirates fans floating around.
Ah, the much-underrated Sly and the Family Stone.
ububba – know much about them? Seems like they just dominated and then disappeared.
They’re reporting that Tiger and Elin have divorced. Inevitable, but sad.
I’m pretty sure God leaves us to our own devices pretty much these days, but if ever there was an object lesson of “Don’t Mess With Happy”, Tiger is it.
Assume for a minute that Minor is the best pitcher in baseball and Kawakami is a replacement level player. Over the course of a full season (35+ starts), Minor is worth about 10 wins more than Kawakami. That comes to about .3 wins per game. So if you give the best pitcher in baseball two games off in September for replacement level Kawakami, you lose, on average, a little more than half a game in the standings.
Now don’t get me wrong, half a game could be huge, and I’m not saying this is the play you make immediately when everyone else is surging. But consider that Minor isn’t close to the best pitcher in baseball, and Kawakami’s probably a fair bit better than replacement level. So the true difference is going to be significantly less. Probably less than half or a third of the difference in our silly hypothetical above.
All this is to say, if we’re sitting there on September 20 5 games ahead of the nearest wildcard team, yeah, give Minor a day off and throw Kawakami out there.
@5- Do you really think Tiger was happy? I can’t imagine anyone who was happy doing the kind of things he did.
@4 – it’s a sad, but fairly predictable story, with some really outrageous episodes thrown in. They lasted a pretty good while, as these things go.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sly_and_the_Family_Stone
#4
Sly Stone became a total basehead junkie.
But, yeah, they were great when he could make it to the stage & the studio.
Boy, those Family Affair lyrics are tragically self indicative –
Newlywed a year ago
But you’re still checking each other out
Nobody wants to blow
Nobody wants to be left out
You can’t leave, ’cause your heart is there
But you can’t stay, ’cause you been somewhere else
You can’t cry, ’cause you’ll look broke down
But you’re cryin’ anyway ’cause you’re all broke down
Wait, speculation is that the Giants claimed Damon? The team that recently signed Burrell, claimed Guillen, and claimed Ross? The team with Andres Torres and Aaron Rowand?
Whatever. I almost hope it’s true, though I’ll probably have to sit Torres in my fantasy league. Watching Ned Coletti and Brian Sabean each try to improve their teams is really, really amusing. Especially when the team punting the division at the year’s start ends up winning it by 10 games.
@6 i really liked that explanation…thanks.
I think the Giants are just blocking anybody that might be useful for the Padres. If I were them, though, I think I’d stop worrying about the Padres and start worrying about the Phillies.
It’ll Cost You $300 To Blog In Philadelphia – The Consumerist.
If it turns out the Red Sox placed a claim on Johnny Damon, anyone want to set an over/under for the amount of time it would take for Red Sox nation to talk themselves back into Captain Caveman over Daniel Nava?
I’d say about 3.5 seconds.
Pittsburgh was never really a great baseball town even when the Pirates were winning, but they certainly deserve better than this. I was outraged at the comment from the Pirates that,as a private company they don’t have to divulge their finacials. That may be true but other private companies aren’t operating in a taxpayer-funded facility.
I disagree with Mac that the Braves/Phillies games won’t matter. Seeding (ie, home field advantage) is going to be very important, especially considering the difference between the Braves at home and on the road. The extra home game (especially starting at home) could be very important. Having said that, if the playoffs aren’t at issue, I wouldn’t risk anyone’s health in that series.
I’ve seen a lot of stuff on here about how bad it would be to be a Pirates fan. I have to agree with that, but it got me thinking about being a Braves’ fan during the late 70’s and 80’s. Those were some pretty hopeless years with the exception of 82. Not sure why I stuck around, but I have to say that with all the last inning heroics and various heroes, this has been a fun year to be a Braves’ fan – let’s hope it lasts through October! Maybe Pittsburgh fans have something to hope for – unfortunately the next 5 years or so don’t look too good.
Another incredible catch in the Japanese league:
http://tiny.cc/wcxbz
Yup, Red Sox have claimed Damon.
my last part in this minor/kawakami argument.
where my opinion comes from: i look at it more in terms of the isolated game, and when you break down what we have seen from the 2 pitchers, kk allows more baserunners, home runs, and strikes out less. considering we havent been the most sure-handed team in the past few months, 2-3 extra baserunners a game could be disastrous.
it is my opinion that if we are in any kind of race, and i was the manager, there’s no way i’m letting kk pitch over minor, especially if minor continues pitching as well as he’s been. and, with options like venters, moylan, o’flaherty, saito, and wagner, i’m not sure he’d pitch in another meaningful game this year.
#17 I agree. The Braves were horrible during the late 70’s and 80’s when I started following the team closely.
There for a couple of years every baseball book I read had Rowland Office as our top prospect.
Tonight’s lineup:
PLAYER OF THE WEEK Omar Infante – 2b
Heyward – rf
Prado – 3b
Lee – 1b
McCann – c
Hinske – lf
Gonzalez – ss
Ankiel – cf
Hudson – p
I have a good friend from Pittsburgh. Obviously, a Steelers fan first and a bit of a Penguins fan.
The last 2 Pirates games he attended were with me—a Braves game in 2005 at the new stadium and Game 5 of the 1992 NLCS at 3 Rivers.
Never misses a Steelers game, though. Ever.
@16
I will say that if I were a Pirates fan, I would probably stop caring too, given that whole situation. It’s frankly a travesty.
I may have mentioned this before, but my dad’s whole family is from Pittsburgh. My uncle’s a huge Steelers fan.
His father was a local broadcaster who actually attended the Mazeroski Game of the 1960 World Series, and had to go on-camera the next day despite being completely hoarse. Everyone in the city understood. A few years ago, my uncle’s daughter asked him about that game, and my uncle was nearly in tears as he described the game, which happened when he was about seven.
He hasn’t watched the Pirates in a decade.
#4 SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE
During their peak 1969-71 they were head to head with CCR and the WHO as the biggest bands in the world. The Beatles broke up in ’70 and really hadn’t played live since ’66, Led Zep wouldn’t really challenge for the throne until ’72. Sly was everywhere for two years, on the singles charts, album charts, a fantastic performance in Woodstock you name it, BUT the man and the band fell apart because of DRUGS. I was a huge Sly fan and ventured from my home in Lincoln, Ne to Ames, Ia in ’73 to see them perform. The opening act was a group named Mason Proffit (Two Hangmen,Eugene Pratt, a real cult group at the time) Mason Proffit was FANTASTIC! Got two or three encores, and the place went wild! After a long time (a little hazy 37 years later—I’d guess about 1 1/2 hours) Sly took the stage and was so stoned he could hardly talk! The band got booed off the stage after 4 or 5 numbers. I was hugely disappointed, but when I got back home, I went and bought all the Mason Proffit albums I could find. I sure wish Eugene Pratt would come out on a CD!
#26
Love that story.
Back in the day, you’d often get completely “incompatible” acts playing together. (Hendrix opening for The Monkeys, etc.)
I saw Tom Petty open for Kiss, saw U2 open for J. Geils, but your gig was way weirder. That’s like seeing the Avett Brothers open for Prince.
14 — Wow, that’s insane. That seems to me like it would be infringing on people’s rights somehow, but I am not a lawyer.
Ububba, I have an incompatible act story of my own. June 1967, Omaha The Who opened for Herman’s Hermits. I wish I could say I was way cool then, and went to see The Who and walked out on Herman’s Hermits but I’d be lying. Still, I did tell my girlfriend at the time that I Can’t Explain was better than anything Herman ever did. (Confession, I still have Listen People and No Milk Today on my computer)
@14
I guess Ibanez knows a guy who knows a guy…
This is horrifying. Chilean miners found alive – but rescue will take four months. “Miners’ challenge will be to maintain sanity during four months it will take to build underground escape tunnel.”
17 — At least Ted Turner was the Braves’ owner. I can’t imagine being a fan of a team whose owners pocketed revenue and wouldn’t spend money on players because they made more money by losing. Sounds like the plot of Major League.
Micky Dolenz has said that the group would watch from the wings and watch people booing Hendrix off the stage. Being that 75% of the audience was probably 12 year old girls and their parents, I’d say that was fairly understandable in 66-67.
On the Mets Today blog, Joe Janish makes a case for the guy who should replace Jerry Manuel as manager of the Mets.
Ken Oberkfell!
I liked Herman’s Hermits (“I’m Henry the VIII, I am…”), but I was 3.
“Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter” is pretty great.
ububba, I’m up early and listening to this. I’m pretty sure you’re the guy who mentioned them. Thanks. Also, whenever they sing “Go and kill,” I hear “Go Ankiel!” Maybe they should play that prior to his at bats. However many that is.
Last thread, 81,
Nah, it was just a joke.
From Ed Price at fanhouse –
Damon can block and told me he’s not inclined to go back to Boston RT @SI_JonHeyman: #redsox claimed damon
Tweets by ed_price
Also, spike:
Your Jayne Mansfield reference motivated me to look up the details of her death. And I’m not sure what to say from here. Thanking you and posting said details both seem inappropriate. I think I’ll go listen to some Cannibal Corpse.
According to MLBTR, most of Manny’s salary is deferred and he only makes $1.1 mil between now and the end of the season. I know everybody hates all the Manny talk, but you have to be crazy to pass up on that, right? Getting one of the best RH hitters around for only $1 mil, especially when you’re needing offense?
I know it’s entirely possible that he doesn’t make it to the Braves due to someone else claiming him, but I don’t see how the Braves can honestly pass that up. I just can’t fathom how “clubhouse chemistry” is SO much more important that adding that kind of offensive threat.
@40 – It was a bit juvenile – a joke I heard as a teenager. Sorry.
@41 Or to keep him the hell off the Padres
41-But the claiming team would still be on the hook for about 3.4 million deferred for Manny. If the Braves financial dealing have told us anything, we should know we aren’t getting Manny unless LA wants to pay his salary and we want to send prospects. Ain’t happening.
@41
If the Braves picked up Manny, they would still owe the $3.3M in deferred salary; those payments just wouldn’t be due during this season.
Total price to pick him up would be ~$4.3M
No apologies necessary. I found the joke amusing (even if a bit inaccurate). I’m currently listening to “Hammer Smashed Face,” so thanks for that. That tune rocks.
There’s something refreshing about how unironic Cannibal Corpse’s song titles are. It reminds me of that Nathanael West line, “Faye’s affectations,
however, were so completely artificial that he found them charming.”
I think Prince opened for U2 in Birmingham at some point in the early eighties. And, I understand, blew their Irish butts off the stage.
I love the youtube interviews with the Cannibal Corpse guys. They seem so… normal (relatively speaking).
Arty they aren’t.
BTW, Prince opened for The Rolling Stones at the LA Coliseum in, like, 1981. He did get booed.
Yeah he would still be owed that $3.4 mil, but that’s the price of.. one bench player? I’m willing to pay that price. I’d even play with a 24 man roster all of next year if it meant we could go to the WS and actually compete. It seems to me like the organization are happy with just going to the playoffs. For them, getting to the playoffs is the goal – winning a series is just icing on the cake. I believe this team could go all the way to the WS, but I’m not really sure that they could actually compete against a team like the Yankees (Rays, maybe. Twins I’d feel more comfortable with). Call me a pessimist, but when you’re 2-100 or whatever atrocious number with RISP the Braves were before yesterday, it’s not exactly inspiring.
Maybe Lee will settle in and fix that problem, but if Manny can be had I want the organization to get him. Especially if he only cost $1 mil for the remainder of the season.
Edit:
On Prince: How does anyone boo Prince? Unless it’s out of sheer vengeful jealousy.
I’ve met Jack Owen, one of the guitarists. He’s really laid back.
#50
How do 50,000 lunkhead rock guys (circa 1981) boo Prince? Easy.
Back then, there was certainly a greater divide between people who could get their groove on and those who couldn’t.
@50, His platoon splits (career and seasonal) are terrific too. He doesn’t need a caddy against a tough reliever, so he deepens the bench considerably.
/but we have cast our lot with the decidedly uninspiring to date Lee.
The Rays have lineup issues. How many times have they been no-hit this season? I like our chances with our pitching.
Spike are you trying to reverse-curse DLee? It sure worked for Heyward…
@54, you could easily say that about the Braves from the Rays perspective.
@55, I would be the happiest Braves fan on earth should that occur. But I have never said a bad word about Heyward’s performance. Actually, in retrospect, I think my position was still best long term, although it is undeniable his impact has been a net positive over who else we would have run out there (unless we had gotten Damon, as I also had urged)
TBQH Dregs Lee is a washed up excuse for garbage, much less a baseball player. If he hits one HR in his time with the Braves, I will eat my hat.
If he hits one and wins the WS I will buy a case of hats and eat them.
Best tools by Baseball America…
http://tinyurl.com/364okhs
The Prado #3 hitter in NL
McCann #2 defensive catcher in the NL.
Bobby #1 Manager in the NL
ugh… guess who they have as the “best arm” in the NL? jajaja
Well, the Rays are 3rd in baseball in runs scored. Then again, the Braves are tied for 9th.
Infante named NL player of the week.
I tried to convince my Phillies-fan brother-in-law that we should rename our band “The Omar Infante Power Explosion.” He was unconvinced.
@56:
Except for only being no-hit once, anyone could say that, I suppose.
@58:
If he hits one to win the WS, I will *buy* you a case of hats to eat. I might even include some bacon to make them more palatable.
so some here really think Derrek Lee wont hit a HR as a brave?
csg, I think the word you are looking for is “someone.”
@62, to say that the Braves’ offense has been anything other than problematic for the last two months is to overstate the case, regardless of whether the club was no hit or one hit or three hit. Tampa also happens to be the AL ERA+ leader at the moment, so yeah, I think they’d like their chances with our lineup just as well.
/and “only being no-hit once” is about the weakest compliment I’ve ever heard.
Just so we’re clear, I was playing off the “reverse-curse” with the Derek Lee and the HR thing. Although this probably ruins it.
Unless I’m actually reverse-reverse-cursing.
@59, if having a good arm meant anything, they’d put it on the scoreboard.
Those lists are…. awful. Prado 2nd best defensive 2B in the NL? McCann 2nd best defensive C? Hell, the Giants had two better backstops on their roster at the same time this year.
I don’t find the Baseball America website very useful except to find minor league stats occasionally updated before Baseball-Reference.
Someone had to be drunk to list McCann as the 2nd best defensive catcher.
It’s a scout-heavy approach to prospects, but I think BA is very informative and useful. I’ve subscribed to the print (and online) edition for a few years, now.
I didn’t read it, but if I understand it correctly those rankings were generated by polling MLB managers, which is an awful way to do it for much the same reason as relying on them to choose gold glove winners is.
@65:
The Braves offense if pretty clearly a weakness. I’m not complementing it. I don’t know why you would think that.
I love Mac, but he’s not even the best defensive catcher on the Braves.
#69 – its probably the same bunch that thinks Ruiz is the 2nd best overall catcher in the NL
@40 – Just went and looked up the Mansfield death info as well.
Arrrgggghhhh. I wish I hadn’t.
It’s an awful way to do it, if what you’re trying to do is come up with an actual list of who’s the best. But it can be a fairly effective way to measure reputation.
70 — To be fair, I’m sure they have better stuff in the subsciption areas of the site, but I’ve never seen anything that made me want to subscribe.
@76
That’s true, but Baseball America’s bailiwick is generally thought to be scouting and tools, which makes it strange they’d put their name to a manager poll.
@72, If I have misread you, I apologize. But if so, I really don’t understand what you are talking about in 54 and 62. The Rays lineup is quite good, regardless of the times they have been no hit, and the Rays pitching is extremely formidable. Htey would be a tough opponent.
This won’t mean anything to those who haven’t watched The Wire, but every time Infante comes to the plate now I say out loud (generally to nobody) “Omar comin’!”
All in the game, yo.
#67 jajaja
# 76 Yes. At the end of the day, they do measure some sort of reputation.
Completely subjective, of course.
But i still see articles portraying Martin Prado as some sort of “lucky” player. It pisses me off.
Omar Infante’s walk up music should be “The Farmer in the Dell”, whistled.
That. Would. Be. Awesome.
Love The Wire.
Lester Freamon: A life, Jimmy, you know what that is? It’s the sh¡t that happens while you’re waiting for moments that never come.
@75:
Sorry, man.
@79:
No apologies necessary, spike. Just another day on the internet. Now I must go to work.
Go Braves!
I just read that Jayne Mansfield actually turned down the role of Ginger for “Gilligan’s Island.”
It was, of course, a decision that impacted history.
For some reason, I don’t think the Mary Ann/Ginger debate woulda been quite the same.
The cheese stands alone.
Me + virus + powerful medications = morning recap!
If we lose tonight, the beard has to go.
“Omar Infante’s walk up music should be “The Farmer in the Dell”, whistled.”
That is simply the best idea I have ever heard, and I’m not exaggerating.
#61 I like the Omar Infante Power POP Explosion even better!
Whenever I think of Jayne Mansfield, that picture of her lifting the milk bottles always comes to my mind. BTW,if you haven’t seen it, I’m sure it’s pretty easy to find on the web, when you see it, you’ll know why it’s indelibly etched in my mind.
It’s been a while since I saw one of those lists of John Schuerholz’s best moves. Was his Tim Hudson trade his best trade ever? Was it top 3?
Feel better, Mac.
And, I gotta say, more often than not, those Denver games don’t end well. Here’s to a big Huddy effort tonight.
I know it’s lame, but on the road, with this team, at this point of the season, I’m in do-not-get-swept mode.
The Astros are trying to cooperate, scoring in the top of the 1st at Philly.
Get some rest, Mac. I imagine it’d be pretty hard to write a recap zonked out on pain medictaion, even if the results would be hilarious. “When did we get a giant mushroom as a center fielder? He’s our best one yet, though. Good move, Frank!”
I have really enjoyed the fact that the Phillies aren’t going away. Adds a lot of flavor to every game, and their fans have got to be wondering what the hell they have to do gain some ground as much as Braves supporters are.
/Braves are 14-6 over their last 20, and the lead is still 2.5.
win every series
@94, Who gets credit for JJ/Gorkys for Renteria amd Ohmann/Infante for Ascaino?
And yes, get well soon, Mac.
99—Wren definitely gets credit for the latter. I give him credit for the former, too, though I know some don’t.
As for JS, the McGriff trade has to be #1. Huddy may well be #2.
Oh, I feel muuuuuuuuch better already. Whee!
Best JS deal was McGriff.
Melvin Nevis and his all star band for Fred McGriff was JS’s best move.
No matter what Chief says, Wren has done a good job. JS had much more payroll flexibility than Wren has, that needs to be noted.
@96, That didn’t last long – tied up, runners 2nd and 3rd, 1 out, heart of the order due up.
2-1 now. Could have been worse.
@73 – thank you.
Was Mansfield her real last name? In high school, I dated a girl (same last name) who claimed to be related. Figure was similar, but it kinda ended there.
Worked for me.
Sort of. According to Wikipedia, her birth name was Vera Jayne Palmer. (Mansfield was her married name, so at least that was legit.)
Yeah. She probably looked more like Jayne Mansfield’s husband if the truth be told.
The pic of Sophia Loren checking out Jayne’s moneymakers is my favorite.
http://drx.typepad.com/psychotherapyblog/images/2007/11/29/loren_mansfield.jpg
did anyone know glaus is starting at third tonight for gwinnett? freeman is already 2-2 with 2 doubles.
Has Glaus done anything?
That’s a great pic. Sophia Loren was smoking hot — Mansfield was almost a sight gag. I think the modern day equivalent would be Monica Bellucci and Anna Nicole Smith (untimely death included). No contest, in other words.
Edit: Omar comin’!
first inning: dayan viciedo doubles on a ground ball to 3rd baseman troy glaus.
0-2 2 ks.
@80–thumbs up on The Wire–one fantastic show
Okay, I’m at the game tonight, and I see a fan in a Kerry Ligtenberg jersey. I’m okay with former stars names on jerseys, but Ligtenberg?
115 — At least it’s not Francoeur.
So Carlos Gonzalez’s nickname is CarGo. I guess if he gets a game-winning hit, that would make him Clutch CarGo?
And how old do you have to be to get that joke?
re: 115
I think you’re sitting behind Kerry Lightenberg himself. Only explanation.
Of course, I rock a Chris Resop jeresey, so I’m not really one to talk. 😳
Chip is the Francoeur of announcers.
Astros threatening in the 8th, 2nd and 3rd one out. Manuel ejected.
I saw someone last year wearing a Spooneybarger jersey and thought it was awesome.
Woohoo! Carlos Lee!
Chavez had an Episode for KC tonight.
1 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
Thank you, Carlos Lee, for the 2-run single. Houston 3-2, middle of the 8th.
AAG screws up a lot, but the man has flair. Gotta give him that.
Alright, Houston bullpen, shut them down.
first inning: dayan viciedo doubles on a ground ball to 3rd baseman troy glaus.
Literally laughing out loud.
Glaus has walked twice tonight FWIW.
124,
At least he stranded three runners!
128- Poor Troy. The spirit is willing, but the knees probably resemble two of those spiky balls on the ends of maces.
Bobby’s getting all kinds of gifts at every stadium he visits.
I wanna be a retiring hall-of-fame manager 🙁
The Braves are going to monitor Minor’s innings and give him extra rest when possible per DOB.
The Phillies middle-of-the-order hitters did nothing in the 8th.
I wish McCann would keep his right arm behind his back.
Blast.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you about Gonzalez.
Talking Chop’s Gondee says that Glaus looks good at 3rd and has made some nice plays.
This place is stupid.
Phillies lose.
Phils lose! Phils lose!
I’d say Mansfield was a latter day Pamela Anderson rather than Anna Nicole Smith. Both Mansfield and Anderson were buxom blonde pinups, Playboy regulars, and each had some modest accomplishments in the acting field. Anna Nicole Smith was more of a print model and reality star, as well as gold digger extraordinaire.
137—I didn’t realize this until last week (when trying to locate him on Twitter), but there are actually three E’s in “gondeee”.
@128 – Who are the 5 best hitters alive? Dayan, Dayan, Dayan, Dayan, Dayan!
Great AB by AAG thus far.
Come on, new guy….
Phuck those Phillies!
I am afraid Ankiel just isn’t much of a hitter these days.
Maybe Ankiel should try life as a LOOGY.
I don’t have a good vibe about this game.
On the trivia question, mý guess would be Ichiro.
Is this going to be yet another night where the Phils lose, and we can’t pick up the game? I hope not.
Shave the beard.
DAMN.
Uh-oh. Tim’s getting Coorsed.
Huddy not sharp tonight…lotta balls up and being hit hard. I think we all know the beard is responsible/
He still has the beard? Oh, this will not go well.
This sucks.
Huddy has made some uncharacteristically terrible pitches tonight.
Huddy doesn’t get the same sink in Coors.
@156:
That shouldn’t be surprising.
Come on, Bravos. Make this a game.
Heyward is on fire.
3 more hits? When is Heyward going to stop dragging down this offense??
Heyward’s now reached in 9 straight plate appearances.
I don’t understand the beard.
He had such a great season going with the soul patch.
He’s after Matty D’s record.
160—10.
MARTIN!
PRADO!!!!!
The Prado strikes.
MARTIN! That’ll get the offense started.
how in the hell do you hit that?
I suppose this makes Prado Brother Mouzone?
You’re right, Stu.
martin really killed our 2-out rally there
Martin The Machine!
How in the world did he reach that ball?
Rally killer.
Let’s breed Pujols, Heyward, and Prado
The English language, starring Chip Caray: “An 0-2 pitch was hit up the middle by Dexter…”
Sigh.
Oh hell yes — Braves as Wire characters. I’m on board.
Glaus = Pryzbylewski. Washes out in his initial job, attempts redemption in different role.
I have just decided that the team really is going to score some runs every day now. As long as the lead is less than 4, I really have faith that the bullpen will hold ’em and the offense will make a showing more often than not. It sure is nice having some decent bench options for a change.
Peanut is Jay Landsman. That doesn’t need much explanation, does it?
Wow, pathetic AB from AAG there… almost Melky-like in its futility.
Apparently there has been 3 straight no hitters thrown on the full moon, and there is another going on late in Texas
I think I could hit these pitches Huddy’s made to Helton tonight.
Seriously… You are having one of the best years of your career, then you decide to grow a freaking beard in August.
I am gonna go with his peripherals catching up with him a bit and COL being a bad place for that over the beard, but who knows?
Not sure the beard has anything to do with it. He won last time out with it.
He wasn’t dominant like he has been.
We are in agreement that the beard looks terrible though, right? It deserves to be axed for purely aesthetic reasons.
It’s still a huge field, despite the drop in PF. Not a good place to have a lot of balls in play, especially with Hinske in Left..
Well, their pitcher is out now, right? Let’s get some late inning magic!
Well, I guess not.
I thin our next center fielder should come from Japan. Those guys are making some great catches over there.
Is the 7th inning too early to pinch hit for Ankiel?
BOOM!
Edit: Yeah, I’d say it’s a little too early.
YES!!!!!!!!!! Take it back, Billy!!!
That’s better.
Hammel’s been Rickrolled!
Edit: NOOOOOO! Bobby, you can’t waste Conrad here!
That a boy Rick,
I still can’t get over the fact that we have converted pitcher playing CF for us.
EDIT: C’mon Heyward, turn on one
I’ll take credit for that on the reverse jinx theory.
Or eat crow, whichever.
Nice one, Rick.
Way to go, Omar! Let’s go Jason!
Omar Infante = Ty Cobb.
That looked like an E on EY2.
Omar watch: he’s at .351 now.
There is a guy behind the Rockies dugout that looks like the Marlboro Man!
I could hit a ball out of Coors.
That’s a fierce-lookin mullet on Beimel.
186—We are not in agreement.
I hope we pound Beimel. He seems to be a little too fond of his own hair.
Bummer.
Mauer just singled off of Neftali Feliz with one out in the 9th, breaking up a combined no-hitter by the Rangers.
Feliz gave up a hit in Texas
Dammit.
Death by mullet.
Chipper doesn’t make that play
Martin really is a heck of a third baseman.
Alright (channeling Chip’s grandpa), let’s get some runs!
Let’s go get some runs.
I wish Chip would channel Chip’s grandpa.
Even Chip’s grandpa probably hated him.
@207,
Good thing we traded that bum. 😀
I wish Chip would channel his dad
I wish Chip worked for another channel.
EY2 not looking good on D tonight.
I wish Derreck Lee could channel his 2009 self.
Betancourt is so nasty.
219—That was defensive replacement Clint Barmes.
220—It’s remarkable just how Glaus-like all of his Atlanta PAs have been thus far.
Lee isn’t looking Glaus-level bad right now, but he sure isn’t swinging with much authority.
EDIT: C’Mon Mac!
Dammit, Lee. Stop sucking.
Lee looks just like Glaus: swinging through down-the-middle fast balls.
And Brian, STOP SWINGING AT BREAKING BALLS IN THE DIRT.
McCann is in a bit of a slump.
Brian, STOP STARING AT STRIKE THREE.
Yikes. Those 2 fastballs to McCann were unhittable.
Did Fregosi scout Lee with his eyes closed? Seems to have a sloooooow bat. Unlike Glaus, his bad ABs only count as 1 out.
Lee and McCann need to get it together ASAP
Nice AB by Hinske.
This is going to be one ugly AB. Come on, Alex…
Who would like to play the part of Robert after AGony fails here?
What’s that’s pitching coach’s name? Abacadabra? You need to have some magic to pitch in this place.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AAG!!
Hey, AAG!
WTG AAG!
Nice. I was so sure he would fail. Yay giant Coors outfield.
Wow. Shame they couldn’t score Diory.
Yo, AGONY!!
AAG! Thanks for the Earnest Ragging, Stu! Now to watch Ankiel fall on his face!
What’s the point of pinch running when the result is the same? Lee could’ve gotten to third on that one too.
Oh, er…
That RBI doesn’t change the fact that it was a ludicrous trade made solely due to racism.
Nice, we finally managed a hit with a RISP
WHERE ARE THE AAG HATERS NOW.
This is beating a dead horse, but – Chip is so stupid. Joe made the comment that Betancourt had gotten all 8 of his last outs through strikeouts… and Joe’s response was “well, let’s see if Alex can change that.”
Oh really Chip? You’re asking for AAG to make a non-K out? Ugh.
On the other hand, nice hit AAG. I didn’t think we’d ever catch the Rockies tonight.
242— 😀
243—Yeah, it’s almost as if Bobby couldn’t see the future.
@244, wait, racism from the Braves against Cubans or from the Jays against Venezuelans?
Oh, Rick.
I love you.
Was I too earnest or not earnest enough?
Coulda called that.
KANKIEL. well, he did hit a homer tonight.
This being Coors, I predict this ends 12-10, Braves.
251—I’m not sure. I tried in vain to rag both Lee and McCann into success. It didn’t work until AGony.
We were Snitker’d, weren’t we?
guys, we couldnt score the go-ahead run that inning. it wouldnt have been a “last at-bat victory”.
97 mph fastball that the bottom dropped out of…oh, venters! you are a frickin’ beast.
Dammit, he was out.
Tulowitzki’s hair is inexcusable. Are he and Beimel playing chicken or something?
That looked a whole lot like he was out.
That pitch was a strike, and the runner was out.
Umpires.
That blown call might cost us the game.
OMG WE GOT FUCKIN HOSED!
Replay works for little league, it can work here too. Make it happen.
Freeman 2-2 now .313
Glaus 0-2 2BB 2K
Was that really a ball?
Oh no, its a former Vol.
geebus. that was also a strike.
The play on the steal is the perfect example of why baseball needs to adopt the NFL style replay system.
By all rights, Tulo should’ve been the second out of the inning after striking out looking.
no, it was a strike
that was a 3-1 pitch though
LOL at the Rockies fans thinking that was on purpose.
Why can’t anything be easy?
272—Ball 1 (the pitch CarGo “stole second” on) should have been called a strike, too.
Looks like Venters is dealing with a baseball-sized strike zone right now.
@274, did you see the last game of the Cubs’ series?
that was a strike also
need an out here Johnny
Ballgame.
So cheap.
hosed.
Well, drag. Not ready to concede yet though.
You know Helton is actually washed up unless you throw him meatballs.
I hate umpires. All of them. Hate.
Stupid umpire.
Cheap way to lose one.
As good as this team is, they can’t close out games on the road.
That said, umpire screwed us tonight, and that happens alot to the braves on the road for some reason.
so, we have an automatic out coming and then infante.
Venters got hosed.
NickH – that best be some more reverse psychology.
After an out, Omar’s comin’ and Heyward’s right behind him. Hope is still alive.
Isn’t there another inning left?
Melky has been utterly worthless in his last couple of PAs. Feeble swings at bad pitches. I don’t expect that to change.
It’s foolish that instant replay can’t be instituted because “human error is part of the game.”
Those outs sure came quickly after they scored.
Heyward’s going to hit one hard. I can feel it. Now, it might be right at some one, but he’ll get a good lick.
Even my reverse-jinxing prowess can’t help Melky.
@293, that out sure came quickly after Melky came to the plate.
LOATHE THE MELKY!
This one stings a bit. Umpires are useless.
BE A HERO
@296, not as quickly as that one by Infante.
I can still feel the breeze that rustles through the tree-ees…
Melky looked utterly over-matched.
Street is getting the outside corner that Venters was not. I’m going to throw something through my TV.
Geez…just saw the replay of that steal. What a friggin joke! The throw beat him by a mile.
Ofcourse Helton follows with a 90-hopper to rub our nose in it.
*sigh* Well that sucks.
Thanks, Ed Rapuano.
Hahaha, Rockies fans wanted that 1-2 pitch. Surprised they didn’t get it.
Ah, screw this game.
Why was there a triceratops bouncing around behind home plate?
Well rats.
anyone that wants to vomit, go look on gameday at the pitches called strikes against braves left handed hitters today. just sickening.
305—More like Ed Crapuano, am I right???
Worst year of umpiring I can ever remember.
Well, the Phils lost, so that bizarre little streak continues.
I can’t believe I stayed up for this shit. 6am is gonna come early.
No sense that baseball can’t give the managers two challenges like the NFL does.
This garbage happens way to much to the Braves.
The Astros have four games against the Phillies and miss Oswalt. Weird.
seriously, there were 5 obvious balls that were called strikes in those last 2 innings, and they were all against braves left handed hitters. 2 to mccan 2 to heyward and 1 to melky.
“Recognition keeps rolling in for Braves infielder Omar Infante, the unlikely All-Star whose ongoing hitting surge has silenced critics of that selection and helped make him the National League’s latest Player of the Week.”
-Not Peanut
Re: The Wire
There was once a Brave who was sent out to the country for his own protection. But, he forced his way back to the city. He was too dangerous to the organization, so the boss man took him out.
“Where’s Frenchy? Where’s the boy, Wren?”
Helton’s in the trainer’s room having his diaper changed right now.
Im ready for sept callups. Freeman/Barbaro have to be a huge upgrade with some late AB’s over Melky. The Braves need DLee and BMac to get hot and quick
@318, Which puts Bobby as D’Angelo, Wren as Stringer, and JS as Avon. Nice.
310,
Umps always call tons of outside strikes to LH batters. The called strike zone to LH batters is generally four inches off the plate. MLB needs to do something about this.
Omar comin’ is awesome (and generally any other Wire references.) This ballgame boiled down to two things, Snitker not sending Diory to try and get the go ahead run (please explain to me the point of putting in a pinch runner if you’re not going to send him there, isn’t that the whole point of having a pinch runner enter any ballgame is for that exact situation?), and Carlos Gonzalez being safe on a horrible call by a horribly out of position umpire, Ed Rapuano.
If any baseball game was ever rigged by umpires it was this one.
Just for shits and giggles I went back and checked to see where the money came in. The line opened Braves -130 and closed Braves -108, doing most of the moving a few hours before game time. A 22 cent move to the dog in a game featuring Tim Hudson vs Jason Hammel. Uh, yeah. Very fishy.
The only thing worse than the shoddy umpiring — which was evident at full speed, sitting 18 rows above home plate — was paying $45 plus $10 at the concession stand and $5 to park for the privilege of witnessing the fiasco first-hand. Never should a guy in the stands have a better view of a call at second base than the umpire. Inexcusable.
Jeremy, first off, I’m all for a good conspiracy theory but speaking as somebody who has bet on more regular season baseball games than I would care to admit, a 22 cent line move is not that big of a move at all. If you look deeper at the numbers, the line opened at some places -115 (at Bodog) and -110 at (Betus), also Rockies are pretty good at home (39-20) and Hammel’s home ERA is 3.36. I know some players that only play home dogs in baseball because of the ‘value.’
I wonder why Bobby wasn’t out there to argue with Rapuano after that blown call. He’s certainly been willing to get tossed for much less egregious errors.
The best thing that could happen to baseball is for management to bust up the umpires again, fire about half of them and institute a challenge system on safe/out. Fair/foul gets tricky, but it could be done too.
It is not so much the blown call, but as 326 alluded, the umpires are not in position to make calls half the time because they are old, fat, and/or just don’t care. These guys make a crap ton of money and are killing the sport. You get a 1/5 chance of getting it wrong, per an ESPN thing they did on Sportcenter a couple of weeks ago. You can’t have that.
Fans pay too much money, for seats, for cable to watch the game, and internet to go on sites like this gripe about this. There is too much at stake not to use the technology available and get junk like this fixed.
I loved it when the umpires striked and Bud fired some of them. That and the wild card are the two best things he has done.
They should strike again
@189,
What would Furman Bisher say?
Recapped.