Braves 8, Padres 2

Atlanta Braves vs. San Diego Padres – Box Score – April 26, 2011 – ESPN.

Wow, runs! And a complete game! What is this, 1992? Behind strong pitching from Jair Jurrjens and a pair of David Ross homers, the Braves won fairly comfortably for once.

Chipper opened the scoring, homering after Heyward‘s first-inning walk to make it 2-0. Ross’ first homer, in the second inning, made it 3-0 and it stood there until the fourth. The Padres got a run that really shouldn’t have scored and was just another example of the “unearned” run nonsense. Uggla misplayed a grounder that was scored a hit, and McLouth misplayed a gapper that he should have cut off into a triple to score the runner.

Luckily, it didn’t matter too much, except to those of us who have Jurrjens on their fantasy teams, not that I would allow that to affect my judgment. Anyway, the Braves broke it open in the sixth. Chipper singled to lead off, and Uggla and Freeman walked to load the bases. Gonzalez followed with a single to score two, and after the predictable McLouth strikeout Ross hit his second homer to make it 8-1.

Jurrjens cruised from there, bearing down once the Padres got runners on base — which they usually did. They actually had nine hits, the same as the Braves, including three doubles and the triple, but couldn’t put anything together, and also grounded into a couple of double plays. For much of the early part of the game they seemed mostly interested in how quickly they could finish an inning. That helped Jurrjens limit his pitch count to 114 — of which 81 were strikes — and finish the game.

314 thoughts on “Braves 8, Padres 2”

  1. A 5-4 road trip with a chance to come home with a .500 record. Despite the heartbreakers, this could turn out to be a pretty successful trip.

    I’m not going to say tomorrow’s game is gravy—because they never are for sub-.500 clubs—but if you told me we’d go 5-5 on this road trip, I might’ve signed for it. A win will do wonders.

  2. Hard to find much to quibble with tonight. I wouldn’t want Jair going 114 pitches every night, but he didn’t have to work too hard, and he didn’t appear to be laboring too badly. So I’m glad that he was able to finish what he started.

    Damn, it’s nice to have the luxury of David Ross, picking the entire team on his offense for a night, and Brian can be rested totally for tomorrow.

  3. Let’s win tomorrow, then split the first two games with the Cards and leave april with a .500 record behind us!

  5. The Yankees bullpen was interesting tonight featuring R Soriano, Boone Logan and our friend Buddy Carlyle.

  6. Funny tweet from Medlen:

    “David f’ing Ross!! If your any kind of baseball fan you gotta root for that guy! Unbelievable dude!”

  8. If anyone here would be so inclined, I wrote a haiku for a contest to win some free tea ($35 dollar value) from my favorite tea shop. If you have Facebook and go here and like my haiku you can help me. Most likes wins the contest.

    :)

  10. @9

    At this rate,I wouldn’t mind if we dug up Babe Ruth and let him manage.

    We kinda owe him.

  11. Would getting a no hit catcher help pinch hitting much, or even and an emergency catcher? Trade someone besides JJ. Rested RPs will help as Braves have played 2-3 games more than most of rest of league.

  12. Good morning, folks.

    Where online can I find footage or even a still photo of Andruw’s Spiderman catch? Nostalgia’s hit me hard this morning.

    Thank you in advance.

  13. Good for Lillibridge. If he can make catches like that, he could have a ten-year career in the bigs, and just play the yearly DeWayne Wise/Willie Harris/Endy Chavez role for some team, a guy who can fill in most places, play solid defense, pinch-run, and occasionally hit for the pitcher. I’m happy for him.

  14. @10, if we dig him up, he’s not only going to manage, but replace Sherril as the LOOGY and Young as the 5th OF.

  15. Gotta love the headline from the AJC – “Jurrjens’ complete game, Ross’ two HRs lead Braves to 8-1 win”. Of course the article does explain that the Braves actually won 8-2.

  20. @4, it apparently prompted this…words fail me, I am so jealous…editing of his wikipedia page:

    Lillibridge was born in the deepest caverns of ancient mesopotamia. When he was five years old he mastered the art of natural pwning through rightfield. His dad, the famous god Marduk gave him the power of ultimate invincibility, giving him the force to withstand glass. Due to a virgin birth, his mother never loved him :’( but it didn’t matter because his friends were there for him. One thousand years later, he laid dormant until the white sox discovered his frozen body in the jungles of Mexico.

    http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Lillibridge-s-grabs-against-Yankees-prompts-Wiki?urn=mlb-wp4578

    To use a tired meme, “so full of win.”

  23. I’m just going to chime in and say that I am fine with Alex Gonzalez playing shortstop and making outs in the bottom third of the order for my team.

  27. With a groundball staff and an infield with Chipper and Uggla, we need a rangy playmaking shortstop. AAG, warts and all, fits the bill.

  28. BTW, people are still talking about Lillibridge’s 2 catches last night. They were pretty great.

    And Soriano is quickly becoming the whipping boy of the Pinstriped World.

    #25
    I found “New Traditionalists” OK, but, as evidenced by doing a relatively straight-up cover like “Working in a Mine,” Devo was clearly grasping by then. Compare that lame-o effort to their completely re-imagined version of “Satisfaction”… no contest.

    But yeah, the first three albums are all great, and they were a gas to see. Caught them at Atlanta’s Fox Theater back then & what I mostly remember was that most of the audience was wearing some version plastic garbage-bag fashion. Early ’80s… whew.

  31. Wow. Thatusually the code word for something serious. And how about Contreras in the middle of a drug cartel money laundering scheme?

  32. Current UZR #’s per fangraphs

    Freeman -2.2 (really?)
    Uggla -1.3
    AAG 1.8
    Chipper -1.9
    Prado -0.8
    Nate -3.5
    Heyward 1.3

  33. @16- did anyone read the whole article? The way it ends, the juxtaposition of van Slyke being naked and Moore realizing the true cause of his despair… It’s almost like Moore is implying that Andy Van Slyke has a tiny penis. While perhaps true, that is nevertheless a seriously fucked up to write about.

  34. Devo’s cover of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” is about as perfect as pop gets. But I am also a big fan of their cover of “Are You Experienced?”

    With sample sizes this small, current UZR is almost devoid of meaning. Also, Freeman’s main gift is his ability to corral throws from anywhere, and as far as I know, that isn’t well measured by UZR — they’re measuring his ability to get to ground balls.

  35. UZR is about range on batted balls only, isn’t it? Which wouldn’t address Freddie’s (or any good 1B’s) primary defensive skill.

    Edit: Or what Alex said

  37. #34-35, ok…thats what I was thinking, but not sure. Freeman makes everyone else better. He’s saved a ton of throws already.

  38. I think I remember reading that catcher defense has been notoriously difficult to pin down, but has anyone been working on any sort of position-specific defensive metrics? Seems like first base would be a prime candidate for that, so you could quantify the baserunners Freddie is saving with his ability to scoop throws.

  41. @28 – I also saw then at the Fox in the early 80’s. It was senior year of high school, so it would have been late ’81 or early ’82.

    Two friends had an extra ticket. We got in the place, I turned my back on them for two seconds, and they already had the potato chip bowl hat and the sleeveless turtlenecks on…

  42. Can Ross play 3B? 1B? Can McCann spell Freeman at 1B?

    Anything to get Ross in the lineup more often.
    —————-

    Wow. What a shock. The Hawks took the first opportunity they could to lay down like dogs. I hate myself for following them.

    It’s either win the next game or live with “choking losers” tag all off-season. Think they care?

  47. Get ’em on, get ’em over, get ’em in. And congrats to Chipper for passing Mantle with 1510 RBI.

  48. Mac, hows the weather in your part? We got lucky with the first set of storms in Trussville this morning. However, 2 people lost their lives within 30 minutes of us.

  54. Now there’s a break.

    #53
    Got held at 3rd, but their CF missed the cutoff man & McLouth went to 2nd. As it turned out, a big mistake.

  63. This is getting good.

    #56
    It was hit hard, yeah, but he’s gotta get in front of that ball. He played it like it was a pellet of toxic waste.

    Man, we’re killing this guy.

  64. Would anyone pull the trigger on Ross for Lowrie w/Boston scrounging for catching help? Though I can’t think Boston would do it.

    Atta boy Chipper!

  67. Looking at Chipper and Eddie Murray side-by-side, his facial hair kind of looks like Murray’s mustache upside down.

  83. @82
    I’m watching the SD feed. He is a bit nuts. Are you noticing the Braves’ advertising going across the top? What’s up with that?

  84. I think Hawpe touched the ball Prado hit, barely. But yeah, the hometown scorer would much rather preserve Latos’ ERA in that situation.

  85. I mean, that play was a Hawpe screwup. He should have gotten to it, and if he were a first baseman rather than an outfielder playing out of position, he would have gotten to it. It looked like he touched it, but whether it bounced off him or bounced over him, he screwed up that play.

  86. @82

    Maybe they somehow got the audio and video feeds crossed so we have ATL video, and they improbably synch up perfectly? I dunno. . . Very weird.

  88. Braves trying to “win the series outright,” Chip? Is there any other way?

    Roger McDowell is getting sued by Gloria Allred. So there’s that.

  89. Ah wierd, we’re getting Braves video and audio from the Padres Radio Network. I believe that means Color is coming from 86 year old Jerry Coleman.

  91. I don’t know if I believe that. That just seems so extreme and out of character (as far as I know) to be true.

  93. Hanson’s doing a remarkable job of making them swing and miss today. More like this, please.

  94. #90
    There’s no place for that stuff. If McDowell said that (in the way described) he’s an idiot, just like John Rocker.

  95. @90 He should be fined, but the call to have him fired? So Lincecum can break the law and still play but this is a firing offense? No way.

  97. Would a reasonable person believe that Roger would swing the bat at them in that situation? I think the assault part is iffy.

    Allegedly, JMO, etc.

  103. That is such an outrageous story, that there would have to be more proof for me to believe it.

  105. I’ll wait to hear more about it & see if others come forward for further confirmation, but if true, a fine & a public apology might be in order.

    But I don’t know why anyone would make that up.

  107. “Are you three giving it to each other in the a**?”

    I mean come on, really? If this turns out to be true then it sucks but that just seems so unbelievable.

  108. Geez, if this is true, he should be frickin’ canned. I surely hope it’s not. This will start another whirlwind that the Braves don’t need.

  119. I vote for Chip Caray to become the pitching coach.

    Anything to keep him out of the broadcast booth…

  123. San Diego TV guys are pretty brilliant. One just explained that the big lead is nice for Fredi that he can use Kimbrel and he can get some pitches in “because in a 1-0 game we wouldn’t see him”.

  126. Oh, Kimbrel clearly needed to get in, no question. More the TV guy claiming he wouldn’t get to pitch if it was a 1-0 game.

  128. 1 mile wide F5 tornado has just went through Tuscaloosa and headed towards BHAM. See you boys later

  132. Dunno where in Tuscaloosa you are Mac or if you were watching on TV, but that tornado was the scariest thing I’ve ever seen. Hope you’re alright.

    Haven’t seen anything myself, but I’ve heard that DCH and the mall are anywhere from damaged to just gone.

  134. Great, it’s true…

    Roger McDowell’s written statement on his alleged homophobic slurs directed at S.F. fans: “I am deeply sorry that I responded to the heckling fans in San Francisco on Saturday. I apologize to everyone for my actions. “ He wasn’t available to talk with us after game, wasn’t in clubhouse when we entered. Players were told not to comment.

  135. Just north of Atlanta here. Normally I like storms but I’m also worried for later tonight. Anyone in the path stay safe!

  136. anyone have a live video feed? my brother lives in t-town. he says he’s fine, but there’s another one coming…

  138. This Weather Channel footage of the tornado — which is apparently still gaining strength, as it passes through Birmingham — is terrifying.

  145. Wow, F5 came within 3-4 miles of my house. Mac, hope you’re safe. This tornado has been on the ground for over 3 hours and its now over a mile wide.

  150. The weather in Huntsville has been unbelievable. Several tornadoes and quite a bit of damage. There still may be more tornadoes to come. Power is off indefinitely for over 300,000. Apparently there was damage near the nuclear power plant that feeds most of North Alabama. Radio is reporting no power for all of Madison County for 2 or more days.

  151. My brother is closing on a house in Huntsville, AL tomorrow if creek does not rise. His wife is in Opelika and is a bit worried. She was born in Krakow and is not use to tornados but Krakow had a five hundred year flood last year.

  153. td, the reactor near Surrey, VA suffered damage to the power lines 7 transformers outside plant last week and was closed for refueling while it was being repaired. Spring is best time for outage as demand is lower.

  154. Really? Seriously? Do I just have thicker skin than most?

    I know McDowell should not have said what he said, but the end of his career? I think things are getting a little blown out of proportion.

    In other news, Hanson was ridiculous today. 10 Ks with 1 BB and 4 hits over 7 IP. That’s a good recipe for a shut out.

  155. per AJC

    Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig issued a statement Wednesday night: “I was informed today that Roger McDowell, a coach of the Atlanta Braves, is being accused of engaging in highly inappropriate conduct toward fans at a game in San Francisco. Although I do not yet have all the facts regarding this incident, the allegations are very troubling to me. The Atlanta Braves have assured my office that they will immediately investigate the allegations, and report the results of the investigation to me. After I have all the facts, I will make a determination of how to proceed.”

  156. I don’t think his career should be summarily ended — but I think his job should be on the line. He’s welcome to apply for another job and try to get hired. But if the story is exactly true as it was alleged, then the totality of what he’s being accused of is absolutely a firing offense.

  157. Bud Selig won’t be happy until the MLB regular season is as irrelevant as it is for the NBA.

  158. likely the family did not hear the abuse yelled at McDowell, but does it matter in a PC world? Since his reply was aimed at the fans who started it in the stands they would have only heard one side.

  159. But there aren’t any circumstances to justify that kind of behavior. The offended party is asking for an apology, a fine, and sensitivity training, but if he got fired, I wouldn’t be surprised.

    Plus, it’s the Braves. This plays right into many people’s image of the franchise, unfortunately. You just can’t be a part of this team and make that kind of mistake.

  160. AAR – Why? I am asking sincerely.

    I must be missing something here. Maybe I did not read the same article or maybe I am not totally ready to take the words of a guy who hires Gloria Allred at face value.

  161. Hope everyone is ok. Power just came on here. We have had a few tornadoes here, strong winds. It is bad.

  162. I think McDowell has colorable complaint of sexual harassment against MLB and SF Giants.

  163. In other news, Mike Dunn’s line so far this year with the Marlins: 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 13 K

  164. @160

    The fact that McDowell apologized rather than deny undoubtedly suggests that he did what has been alleged.

    Now I’m also almost certain that the fans who he was initially speaking to had been heckling and provoking him, or perhaps attacking one of the players who he felt compelled to defend. In some cosmic playground justice sense, they probably deserved to be attacked back. They may have even broached sexual topics before McDowell did.

    But the fact of the matter is that McDowell represents the team and MLB, especially while in uniform. When people yell stuff at you, you just have to have thick skin and deal with it. It’s one of the thing that you have to deal with in exchange for the insanely awesome privilege of being part of an MLB team. If the fans really are crossing certain lines, the right step is to notify the stadium. And even if you were going to take things into your own hands by retaliating, that in no way justifies lashing out at a different fan, and it especially does not justify an implied threat of violence.

  165. McDowell apologized from DOB:

    Roger McDowell’s written statement on his alleged homophobic slurs directed at S.F. fans: “I am deeply sorry that I responded to the heckling fans in San Francisco on Saturday. I apologize to everyone for my actions.”

    I think he is going to get a big suspension and the way the Braves roll, probably fired. I wonder if Leo is on standby.

  166. The application of the term “PC” isn’t really applicable if the allegations are true. What McDowell is alleged to have said is patently offensive by any reasonable standard of behavior.

  167. If Roger gets fired would there be a Smoltz, Glavine, or Maddux offer? I like what Roger has done with the Braves staff. However, I know that even in my profession, that actions like this are not acceptable under any circumstance. More than likely he will be fired.

  168. @167

    There may be an offer to those guys on the table, but I don’t think any of them are ready to leap back in to a scenario that has them on the road as much as they would be as a full-time coach.

    I personally think the league would only dish out a big fine and possibly a brief suspension. Nyjer Morgan only got seven games for throwing a ball at a fan. If he loses his job, it’s a Braves decision.

  169. Parish, here’s why I’m reacting the way I am.

    McDowell is alleged to have used vulgar and offensive language, including sexual slurs and profanity — and he also allegedly menaced a fan and his child with a bat, saying, “Kids don’t fucking belong at the ballpark.” You can’t curse out or threaten fans — especially children, for heaven’s sake — and you can’t use offensive, homophobic language. You sure as shit can’t do all three.

  171. @169,

    He should even acknowledge fans like that. HE has been doing this a long time.

    If he has to go, I would offer Leo or Don Sutton. Sutton would be great.

  173. Sutton has never been a coach at any professional level, and he’s 66 years old. He’s got a good job.

    Anyway, I’m not ready to dance on McDowell’s grave. People seeking redemption can make the best teachers. Just have to see how this unfolds.

  175. Fans can be douches. He most certainly shouldn’t have said those things, but just fine him and move on.

  176. Sexual slurs and profanity are probably not too uncommon coming from a sports field in an exchange with hostile fans. The threats with the bat seem a little more serious, but I would have to know more about the exchange to conclude this is a fireable offense.

    Seems like he should get a fine and a suspension. I am not sure the Braves should fire him. Unless I have missed a lot this seems more like a one time offense than a pattern.

  177. Not sure it’s fireable, but it is incredibly stupid. It’s like trading punches in college football – the second guy to take a swing is almost always the one that gets the flag. Just ignore the fans and do your job.

  179. I don’t believe he’ll be fired. He’ll be fined, put through sensitivity training, heckled in every other city, but I doubt the Braves are going to fire him.

    Rocker was jettisoned because he didn’t learn his lesson. The Braves even dealt with Rafael Furcal’s multiple DUIs.

  182. Same here, Stu

    Probably just his power is out. My prayers are with everyone in Alabama tonight though.

  183. McDowell was subjected to hostile working conditions, contary to law. He overreacted sure, but those who allowed hostile working conditions are liable.

  184. I can’t speak for Mac, but I can say that even those areas that weren’t directly damaged in Tuscaloosa are having power and communication problems. I live about 6-7 miles from the main damage area and I’m only just now regaining reliable internet and cellular access.

    Hopefully that’s all it is.

  185. It sounds like a lot of people in Tuscaloosa lost power (and, I imagine, internet). Hopefully Mac can get back to us soon. This was a fun game the Braves played today!

  186. Interesting theory, but McDowell would have to be willing to claim an unaccustomed level of hostility. It’s completely unestablished what the spectators might have said, and so any assumption that they are to blame is unsupported.

  187. Hey, 12.30 ET and i’d venture that Mac’s power is out. Hope you’re doing alright buddy! I don’t know you but i’ve read this site for years and wouldn’t expect an afternoon game to not be written up by the time i go to bed in Indiana. Hope you’re doing alright, and that you have a basement and a battery-operated sump pump.

    -Troy

  188. Hope you’re doing ok Mac. Let us know when you can.

    Fans don’t have the right to be out and out offensive, but it would have been easy for McDowell to contact stadium security and have them ushered out. I’ve seen my fair share of loud-mouths escorted out of Yankee stadium. I would think he had another remedy for the problem.

  189. Agree with the ones commenting to fine and possibly suspend him. Hopefully he doesn’t get fired. From what I’ve seen from the Braves organisation, he probably will get fired though. Anyway, he’s a moron.

    Hope everyone of you got through this safely!

  190. This is not meant to defend McDowel, but the two girls (who I guess are twins?) look really creepy. Like Damien-Omen-they-can-start-fires-with-their-minds creepy.

  191. Oh. I just read the original article. I thought it was just offensive slurs, but if he threatened a fan who was asking him to watch his mouth around his daughters and said “how much are your teeth worth?” then you have to fire him. Of course, who knows what the truth is, but if it happens to be that then that’s not really a fine/suspension kind of thing. It’s a pack your stuff kind of thing.

    Clearly this would never have happened when Bobby was here.

  193. “… if he threatened a fan who was asking him to watch his mouth around his daughters and said “how much are your teeth worth?” then you have to fire him. Of course, who knows what the truth is, but if it happens to be that then that’s not really a fine/suspension kind of thing. It’s a pack your stuff kind of thing. ”

    Yeah, exactly.

  194. Interesting how Mac’s unwavering punctuality has many of us biting our nails tonight. I’m sure its just a power outage, but it doesn’t help that readers here are predisposed to pessimism.

    This storm has been horrifying. Glad we dodged a bullet in Atlanta.

  195. Hope you’re doing okay Mac. Someone let us know what is going on if you can.

    The McDowell situation is inexcusable. That’s a firing offense if anywhere close to true, I hate to say.

  196. To add on… Mac, I hope things are ok. Well, as ok as you can expect considering the situation.

  197. Alex R. Have you heard anything from Mac?Tucaloosa looks pretty bad. I hope all of our Alabamans here are ok.

  198. “McDowell was subjected to hostile working conditions, contary to law. He overreacted sure, but those who allowed hostile working conditions are liable.”

    That’s absurd. First, the law doesn’t implicate anything that someone considers “hostile.” I’m pretty sure it has to involve more than heckling a coach at a baseball game. Did McDowell really feel threatened by the fans? Second, the Giants aren’t responsible for what some fans in the stands say.

    Just because you don’t consider what McDowell did offensive doesn’t make it just “PC.” That has become the lamest term for anything that people consider “liberal.”

    The truth is probably somewhere in between the two extremes, but the fact that other fans reacted suggests that McDowell did something unacceptable. Is this the first time he’s been heckled? And why the hell would someone say “kids don’t belong at a baseball park?”

  199. Hope everyone is okay here in the south. There are at least 8 dead in the small town I live in just outside of Chattanooga. At least 35 dead in the area.

    This was the worst storm system to come through in at least 35 years. It was storm after storm after storm.

    Stay safe out there

  200. When was last time San Fran fans were thrown out for offensive things said to other teams coaches and players. Yes, facts are needed and no one trusts Allred.

  201. Well the day after…Apparently this F5 tornado was on the ground for over 5 hours. Pleasant Grove and Tuscaloosa were hit the hardest in Alabama, or at least that being reported. There were over 150 tornados that touched down the yesterday. Its been reported that over 200 people are dead and several hundred unaccounted for. National Guard is all over the place here and its a total mess. The family and I were lucky, Mac hope you were too, but there is a ton of devastation.

  202. I thought Mac lived in B’ham, not Tuscaloosa – although both got direct hits yesterday.

  204. I am sure Mac is without power, but does anyone know how to get in touch with him? Alex?

    The American Red Cross and Salvation Army in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee are helping folks out in need. If you have a few extra buck, it would help if you contacted them.

  205. And some of Moylan’s tweets during the game in question refer to the SF bullpen conditions as the “worst bullpen in the league” and “[a] bunch of angry idiots” – “last time I was there they talked sh#t about my kids. Crossed a line w/ me”, fwiw.

  206. I hope Mac is hand-writing a snarky post about St. Louis by candlelight. Get back to us safe, Mac.

    I just read the braves.com article about Chipper passing Mantle. Can you imagine the numbers he’d have if he had managed to stay healthy for even 50% of the games he’s had to miss?

  207. The college Mac works at released a statment that the school was fine and was open today. So maybe he will go to work and post something.

  208. I’ve emailed Alex to find out whether he’s heard anything, but judging from Facebook, it looks like Alex is currently on a plane, so it may be a while.

  209. @205, I’ve always considered SF fans pretty bad. I went to a lot of games with my dad in 1993 and the fans would throw peanuts and plastic bottles at us. I was 8. My dad was at the second SF-ATL game recently and said a bunch of guys got kicked out. And as someone mentioned during a game thread, they seem to heckle our batters way more than average away crowds.

  210. And of course, isn’t SF where that LA Dodger fan got beaten & is still in a coma?

    Also, want to add, my thoughts & prayers are w/ Mac & those affected by those tornados. I checked FB & Twitter & thought maybe he (Mac) had some access through cell phone or something, but his accounts there have been quiet too. Hope all is ok…

  214. “I just read the braves.com article about Chipper passing Mantle. Can you imagine the numbers he’d have if he had managed to stay healthy for even 50% of the games he’s had to miss?”

    Not sure if you were talking Chipper or Mantle. The same can be said about both.

  215. I, too, want to send forward my well-wishes to Mac and everyone affected in Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia. The video yesterday was absolutely horrifying and the video of the damage today is even moreso.

  216. Atlanta got very, very, lucky. Tornadoes within 20 miles in every direction, but none in the densely populated areas.

  217. Someone else said it earlier and they’re right. The two twins do look creepy in that photo. In fact, they all look a bit like awkwardly posed mannequins. Not that it influences my opinion of the situation at all.

    On the other side, the placement of Roger’s head shot on BleacherReport.com makes him look like Wilson – the mysterious neighbor on Home Improvement.

    “Y’know, Tim, in ancient times simulated gay sex with a baseball bat was way of consolidating power among the tribes. Teeth were considered valuable currency”

    http://bleacherreport.com/atlanta-braves

  218. I sat in the bleachers for a Giants/Angels game a few years ago, and a call-and-response began in the bottom of the seventh inning with a very large, leather-lunged Giants fan bellowing “What’s wrong with Figgins?” and hundreds of people responding “He’s a bum!” The guy kept it up, no lie, for a full inning and a half without a single pause. Just good clean taunting fun, of course, but the level of commitment required to keep going for that long was a little scary.

  220. Tossing in my “Hope Mac’s OK.” too. I just heard from my wife that she spoke to my aunt in b-ham and while my family was OK, my cousin’s girlfriend’s family lost a couple kids and has a missing husband in the mix too. Scary stuff (and I’m talking about the weather not the over-long elaborate sixteen degrees of tornado separation in that previous sentence).

  222. Havent posted in a while, just wanted to send my thoughts and best wishes to mac and all in that area that were harmed and displaced by the Tornados.

  223. It is one thing to watch the awful pictures of the tornado on CNN–but another to read the accounts from all of you here at Braves Journal. The latter brings home the sheer terror and trauma of the event.

    My thoughts and prayers go out to all of those who have sustained losses and had their lives re-arranged.

    Like everyone else here, I look forward to Mac’s next post….

  225. “McDowell was subjected to hostile working conditions, contary to law. He overreacted sure, but those who allowed hostile working conditions are liable.”

    “That’s absurd. First, the law doesn’t implicate anything that someone considers “hostile.” I’m pretty sure it has to involve more than heckling a coach at a baseball game. Did McDowell really feel threatened by the fans? Second, the Giants aren’t responsible for what some fans in the stands say.”

    Actually, one type of harassment claim that someone can bring under federal law is known as a “hostile work environment” claim (despite what the name suggests, it takes more than a subjective belief of hostile conditions to establish). However, it’s irrelevant in the McDowell situation. The only person who would have standing to bring a harassment claim here would be McDowell, in his capacity as an employee, and the only entity he could sue would be the Braves, as his employer. Not only does he not satisfy the elements of the claim, but he would be unable to impute liability to the Braves in this situation. Just thought I’d clarify.

  227. Mac, here’s hoping you’re OK. We really appreciate all you do for us Braves fans. Maybe we can band together somehow to help Tuscaloosa.

  231. Woo-hoo!!! Verbatim email from Alex R.:

    Sorry, on a flight all morning. Mac’s ok, we traded emails & texts. No worries.

  236. I was just listening to an interview with K-Rod on WFAN & the hosts were asking him about the McDowell situation & the idea of players/coaches taking abuse from fans.

    And crazy ol’ K-Rod said this: “You have to do your best not to engage the fans, no matter what they do or say. Everybody knows that.”

  239. 234, yes, but he is 100% right on that one. You can blow your whole career in a minute if you react to some asshole as I’m afraid McDowell will soon learn.

    What I keep thinking, as inexcusable as McDowell’s apparent behavior was, is this: That “father” shold have simply kept his mouth shut and walked away with his two daughters. If I understand correctly, he was just a bystander. He put his kids in harms way by interfering. And went public afterwards. Great person.

    Thank God Mac is ok. I was really worried.

  240. K-Rod’s one to talk, sure, but he was asked the question & he answered.

    Maybe those anger-management classes finally sunk in.

  241. I don’t care to hear Rodriguez tell me what he thinks of baseball ethics. He assaulted his girlfriend’s father last year, and was accused of previously having hospitalized his girlfriend by beating her repeatedly. Whatever the charges against McDowell, the allegations against Rodriguez are far, far worse.

  243. #238
    Just ’cause you’re crazy & perhaps criminal, doesn’t mean you’re always wrong.

    I mean, I’ll assume that even Charles Manson agrees with the laws of gravity.

  244. 238 – Neverthless, you’re making a classic logical fallacy. It’s a red herring. What he did has no bearing on the substance of his claim: he happens to be correct.

  245. Perhaps there was a second gay slur hurler ?

    Seriously though, what happens if Roger says there was a confrontation, but no anti-gay stuff ? I don’t think he gets fired. I can’t believe a guy who has been around the big leagues as much as Roger has would make comments like that, he certainly doesn’t have any excuse if he did.

  246. @236

    What a crock. If the reports are true, he was a paying customer who made a reasonable request on behalf of his kids, was threatened as a result, and now is showing his kids that they don’t have to stand for being treated that way. I take my hat off to him for proceeding in exactly this manner.

  247. I think Alex’s point is that we should be about as interested in K-Rod’s views on McDowell’s actions as we would be on Manson’s views on gravity. I agree: He may be exactly right, but who cares what Francisco Rodriguez thinks about the situation?

  248. Adam, I’m not engaging in a logical fallacy — I’m not saying he’s wrong, I’m saying he should shut the hell up. The kettle may be black, but that doesn’t mean that I’d like to hear the pot tell me all about it.

    Edit: thanks, Stu. What he said.

  249. There’s a valid point in there, though — if freaking K-ROD knows how to handle the situation….

  250. Well, McDowell’s never beaten his father-in-law, either.

    Literally everyone knows how to handle the situation, McDowell included. People screw up, even when they know better. There will (and should) be consequences, but I truly don’t understand the point of having someone like K-Rod weigh in.

  251. I take my hat off to him for proceeding in exactly this manner.

    Well, I don’t. I am in NO WAY defending what McDowell did, all I’m saying is this “paying customer” could have saved his kids a lot of trouble by taking the high road and simply walking away.

  252. If I understand correctly, he was just a bystander. He put his kids in harms way by interfering. And went public afterwards. Great person

    Really? “She was asking for it”? Goodness.

  253. K-Rod was asked about it on a radio program. He didn’t send out a press release & he didn’t know the question was coming. He just gave the correct answer.

    And now, the starting center for your St. John’s Red Storm, God’s Gift Achiuwa!

    http://www.redstormsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/042811aac.html

    Runs in the family, apparently.
    “God’s Gift (20) is the third of six children born to Eunice and Donatus Achiuwa of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. He has one older brother, Promise, and two younger brothers, God’s Will and Precious. He also has one older sister, Grace, and one younger sister, Peace.”

    George Foreman, take some notes…

  255. K-Rod was asked about it on a radio program. He didn’t send out a press release & he didn’t know the question was coming. He just gave the correct answer.

    Right, and I’m not criticizing K-Rod for answering. I’m just saying that the question and answer are utterly meaningless.

  257. Spike, don’t put words in my mouth! Again (third time): I am NOT defending McDowell. Nobody was “asking” for anything, and what McDowell did was piss-poor. All I said was there would have been no crying kids if the father had taken his two girls and simply walked away.

  258. I am not putting anything in your mouth – your claim that a law abiding citizen should just bail on his civil liberties so that someone else can swear and threaten others is just abhorrent. Yes, sometimes you pay a price for it, and yes sometimes discretion is the better part of valor. In any case, blaming the victim is patently absurd, and in this particular case, a father standing up to someone who should know better is laudatory, and his going to the press later to expose this is exemplary, not objectionable.

  259. Tom, aren’t you taking him to task for having an immediate and understandable reaction? If he was supposed to walk away when McDowell made the lewd comment, then you’re blaming him for saying something most parents in that situation either would have said, wished they would have said, or were in complete agreement. Or was he supposed to just walk away after being physically threatened by one of the people in whose pocket his money was going? He’s standing up for himself and his family, for chrissake.

  260. Not getting much news since the power is out. Could be 4 to 7 days in Madison county. My internet access is thru my blackberry. Word from friends and news in Tuscaloosa was that the tornado there was an f5 with 250 mph winds. Apparently University Mall was hit very hard and Bryant Denny stadium was damaged. Will definitely pray for Mac – it’s bad here, but worse in Ttown.

    Today is calm in Huntsville but gas is in short supply and most stores except Publix are closed. Fortunately we have a grill, so we’ll be cleaning out our freezer and fridge. Next few days will be fun.

  261. I don’t have a problem with anything Pops did at the park, but can you really call his role in that press conference (see 251) exemplary?

  262. @251,

    My favorite is when she wouldn’t say “ass” in a “direct” quote (presumably that was the word she euphemized), but had no qualms with recreating the “simulated sex act” with the dude for an uncomfortably long photo op. With the kids still sitting there.

    I guess the lesson here is that kids don’t f***ing belong at a press conference. How much are your teeth worth? (is there a black market for that sort of thing? I guess there’s a buyer for everything…)

  263. @258, Dude, if you threatened me and my kid with a baseball bat, I would do whatever it took to barbecue your ass. Doing whatever I could to make your life a living hell would instantly become my avocation. Could be wrong, but I am pretty sure most parents are the same.

  264. @258

    Sure — that appeared to be in response to a direct question of what exactly McDowell was doing with the bat. What other answer is there?

  265. You know, if I was at the park with my 2 kids and a uniformed coach from one of the teams was yelling obscenities into the crowd, I too would probably ask him to watch his language. That’s not unreasonable.

    If Roger really did respond that way, yeah, he should be fired. MLB is a business, and you can’t go around threatening your customers.

  266. 261 & 262—I’m referring to the fact that he had his 9-year-old daughters with him. No, not every parent would do that.

  269. @263, fine – leaving that angle out of it, if McDowell threatened someone, then yes, coming forward about it is exemplary. What special right does he have to be an asshole?

  270. In other news, Hudson, Hanson, Lowe, Beachy, and Jurrjens have ERAs of 3.57, 2.57, 3.21, 3.68, and 1.23 respectively.

    Hanson, Lowe, and Beachy have K/9s of 8.7, 8.6, and 9.5.

    This team can pitch.

  271. No, the presence of the daughters at the presser combined with the guy’s choice of lawyer should raise plenty of questions about his motives. If concern for the children was really his foremost concern, the rational move would be to keep his kids out of the spotlight and criticism that comes with it as much as possible. That in no way affects the validity of his claims against McDowell, but it does put his status as exemplary father and citizen standing up for his legitimate rights in doubt. He seems much more like an opportunistic slime ball standing up for his legitimate rights – legally, and maybe even morally, the same thing, but at least aesthetically different.

    Edit: @266 – fair enough.

  273. I wouln’t parade my kids around on TV, but I’d definately go after the @$$hole who threatened me for making a reasonale request.

  275. His motives in regards to what, exactly? What he is seeking was spelled out in the press conference — a public apology, a fine, sensitivity training.

    OK, I’m bowing out of this conversation. As spike alluded to, it’s beginning to take on a “what kind of girl was she” vibe.

  280. Hanson, Lowe, and Beachy have K/9s of 8.7, 8.6, and 9.5.

    And Kimbrel has a career K/9 of 15.7 (!). Venters’ 10.0 K/9 ain’t too shabby either. LOVE our pitching.

  284. Just checking in from North Georgia. Our area was fine except for no power at work, but my wife teaches at Ringgold High school and Ringgold has been pretty well demolished. A couple of students are confirmed dead, and she’s been told Ringgold won’t go back to school until May 9, and even then it will be for just a half day and at another school. Please keep the area in your thoughts and prayers.

  285. “I truly don’t understand the point of having someone like K-Rod weigh in.”

    I think the main point was to have people like us debate the merits of having someone like K-Rod weigh in.

    #BravesJournalFail

  286. 281 – That’s truly awful. There’s actually a headlining picture of the destruction at Ringgold High School on the ajc website right now. Hope you guys can pull through.

  287. #Braves Jairo Asencio has been optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett and utility player Joe Mather has been recalled.

  289. Sansho are you a foodie? I just read a recent Kessler post and saw a comment from someone w/ the same handle.

  290. 265 & 266—I’m mostly with you guys on the whole subject; I was only trying to point out that the part where he subjected his little girls to that press conference entailed much fail.

  291. Yep, that’s me, DJ. I think my favorite recent Kessler story was on the new brick oven at Fritti. They brought a guy in from Naples to build it, and he’s using volcanic ash from Mt. Vesuvius in the mortar. Because, you know, it’s really not pizza otherwise….

  295. @288, I have a sort of funny story about Fritti – I am a bit of a foodie, and took my gf at the time to eat there shortly after it opened (years ago, obviously). I had the boar sausage ravioli, and remarked to my partner that it tasted like Chef Boyardee. Later the next week, I met the exec chef and the front of the house guy at a party, and they were commiserating about how they had thrown someone out, and told them not only not to come back , but to tell their friends not to come either…for complaining that the ravioli tasted like Chef Boyardee.

  296. Matt Young hitting third since he’s been sent down says a lot between the difference between AAA and the big leagues.

    Minor’s got 4K’s through 4. Yes, I’m suffering through Brian Jordan on MILB TV with the off day.

  298. I look forward to Mac’s comments about the Falcons trading a shitload to get Julio Jones.

  299. I’m a bit mortified by what the Falcons just traded to move up 21 spots in the draft and get Julio Jones.

  300. @294

    I apologize in advance for being that guy, but yeah.. he’s on my fantasy team.

  305. I can’t think of many WRs in history that it would have been worth a #6 pick and four or five other picks via trade. I would never take a WR in the first round, let alone that high, but that’s me.

  306. @300: Ah, gotcha. I didn’t realize they had a twinbill today. I only saw the headline for the 8 in one game. Heck of a day for that one…

  307. It’s my view that the Falcons are a young team that have desperately needed someone alongside White at receiver, especially when you consider Gonzalez will probably start declining. They didn’t have a lot of holes to fill, why not go for a guy that fills a huge need?

  308. Bethany, you don’t because you can get a guy of a similar skill set in the second or third round, historically. WRs and RBs are a dime a dozen in the first three rounds. I’m not saying he’s not going to be good, but I’ll be curious to see how much better he is than the 3-5 drafted WRs.

  309. The Falcons couldn’t stretch the field at all last year — they had the slowest collection of skill position players of any good team. So the need for a deep threat is pretty obvious. But yowzers, that’s a lot to give up.

  310. I like Julio Jones, no question, and I’m excited by him being a Falcon. But the Falcons gave up A TON. This was almost like Ricky Williams-big for the #2 wide receiver. And I tend to agree with jj3bagger here: it’s risky to take a receiver at all.

    I have to imagine – or at least hope – that they’ll be active in free agency, once it happens.

  311. The Panthers took Newton? Ugh. I think he’ll suck in the NFL.

    I guess I have more 2-14 seasons to look forward to whenever the lockout ends.

  312. You know, partisanship aside, I tend to agree with you. Having said that, Newton was able to take whatever some very good football minds had to throw at him, and still found a way to lead his team to a W. While I don’t buy into it in baseball, chemistry seems to have a much greater place in football. Newton, whatever else his flaws are, seems to be able to lead people. I think that is a translatable skill to the pros, whatever else his limitations may be.

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