Batting practice may be optional on this team, but bunting practice is mandatory.
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Batting practice may be optional on this team, but bunting practice is mandatory.
Use code “Journal” for a 5% discount.
This song is as bad as Uggla.
I hate this thread. Bunt off, Mac.
I think Dave Bristol said something to the effect of: “There are two buses leaving for the park tomorrow. The bus for players needing extra batting practice leaves at noon. The empty bus leaves at 2.”
Lineup vs. Pirates (Morton): Schafer 8 Prado 7 Chipper 5 McCann 2 Hinske 9 Gonzalez 6 Freeman 3 Conrad 4 Jurrjens 1
6 lefties, good call
Schafer Leadoff? not so great, but who else do you put there?
Im desperately waiting for this lineup…
Schafer
AAG
Freeman
Ross
Mather
Wilkin
Lugo
Conrad
P
No Uggla?
I love this song so much — I’d never seen them perform it this fast. This is the most punk I’ve ever seen Devo. So incredibly good. Hard to believe that they’re actually human.
Check out Morton’s splits
vs RH – 39IP 21H 12BB 25K 0.83WHIP .156BAA
vs LH – 15IP 25H 14BB 4K 2.54WHIP .385BAA
Over under on Braves walks = 2. Schafer should be released immediately if he swings at the first pitch tonight.
NO Mather? How are we going to score then?
Off topic but I was looking at Maddux’s epic 1995 on B-Ref and found that Greg gave up one run from innings 2-4 all season. The second inning was particularly impressive to me. In 27 innings this was the opponent’s batting line: .091/.101/.102-Just unreal.
I’m starting to think we’re all saps for Fredi Jesus González’s grand social experiment involving …something. I haven’t figured it out yet.
@9, It doesn’t Mather, Morton is mediocre so we won’t score anything anyway…
I know, I know.
Memo to Bobby Knight and Len Elmore:
Kentucky Men’s Basketball APR tied Vandy for tops in the SEC.
Biteth me.
Fredi is making it difficult to enjoy anything in life.
Greetings from Pittsburgh, home of the Clark bar!
I’d planned to visit the Andy Warhol museum prior to the ballgame, but made the mistake of eating at Primanti Bros. for lunch, where they put cole slaw and french fries INSIDE their sandwiches (!), which required a subsequent nap. I’ll hit the museum before tomorrow’s game.
By the way, restaurant service in Pittsburgh goes something like, “You want something to drink? You want something to eat?” I like it here so far….
The second inning was particularly impressive to me. In 27 innings this was the opponent’s batting line: .091/.101/.102-Just unreal.
Yeah, and that’s typically against 4-5-6 hitters, too. I’d have expected the third inning to be the dominant one.
Primanti Brothers is an experience. I love it, but it definitely isn’t something you want to do prior to swimming or operating heavy machinery.
When you’re at the game, be sure to have an Iron City ‘n ‘at.
#15
Sam,
Really enjoyed the Warhol Museum when I visited in ’05, and check out the icons on the nearby parking decks that represent the area attractions—Pirates logo, Steelers logo, bug-eyed Warhol head, all in a vertical row.
Coulda sworn I heard a guy on the plane say “yinz”…but I might have hoped it into existence.
Edit: Thanks for the tip, Jim. Looking forward to it.
Also, the Church Brew Works is a great local brew pub in a beautiful old church, with vats in the nave, that uses the pews as seats for the tables. The Pittsburgh pierogi pizza works better than it has any right to.
I’ve gotta say, watching UT message-board fans melt down over the suggestion that they are on the verge of losing out on the state’s top prospect is pretty entertaining. Been waiting for this to break for weeks, since Kimbrow’s been a strong VU lean for quite a while.
I can’t wait until the legit Drae Bowles info starts leaking out, too.
@15, Loved Pittsburgh. Have a good trip.
#19
Translation site for the local language:
http://www.pittsburghese.com
“Nate” is one of this year’s Atlantic storm names.
You’re scaring me Stu. We can’t beat y’all anyway. If you get Kimbrow, Bowles, and I’m hearing you are a strong lean for Andrew Jelks you’ll be tough on offense.
Ugh. I’m not looking forward to the SEC previews this year.
There’s a looooong way to go in recruiting, and we don’t yet know whether this staff can coach. I wouldn’t be too worried, just yet.
But, yes, we’re a major player for a lot of big-time talent, as of today. And we’re fortunate that this is a pretty good year for local prospects.
Well like I said we can’t beat y’all anyway so add talent and I’m sure it will be worse unless your coaches are so bad at coaching they rival Orgeron. But I don’t think anyone is that bad.
From what I understand Memphis and some of west Tennessee is loaded this year in comparisons to the last few years. Three big time running backs in Memphis alone in Jovon Robinson, Kimbrow, and Jaylen Walton.
Yeah, all three of those are really good backs, although VU Admissions hasn’t cleared an offer for Robinson. Mathers, out of Murfreesboro, is another stud at that position. There are also several really good offensive linemen in the state, including Barrett Gouger, whose commitment we’ve already gotten. We continue to do well in Georgia, too, somehow. I’m still holding out hope for Josh Dawson (best friend of current commit Jacob Sealand) and Kyle Fleetwood (best friend of current commit Darreon Herring).
We can definitely offer kids at most positions the opportunity for lots of early playing time…
Yankees shutting down Rafael Soriano.
That’s a lotta money sitting on the shelf.
I haven’t heard about Gouger yet but between Andrew Jelks of Paris, Blake Bars of MBA, and Graham Shuler of Brentwood its a good offensive line class as well. You know anything about CJ Beathard?
Sorry folks for turning Brave Journal into West Tennessee Preps. I blame Fredi.
Basketball recruiting: Kentucky, Duke, St. John’s, Arizona… ALABAMA?
Those would all be good gets for Vandy
30—Haven’t heard VU linked to Beathard. Those other three have been, along with Gouger, our top line targets. With Bars and Shuler right her in our back yard, surely we can get at least one of them.
Speaking of West TN, FWIW, I know folks mistakenly believe that we only offered Redmond to get Kimbrow — and folks further mistakenly believe that’s the only reason we’re in good shape with Kimbrow — but this staff likes Redmond every bit as much as it likes Kimbrow.
31—SEC should be pretty tough, next year. UK, VU, Florida, Bama, and Arkansas could all be really, really good.
Of course, Tennessee, LOL.
“Sweet Jane” long jam on the PA just now. Niiice.
The canned crowd noise over the big screen montage is all too obvious…but Mazeroski’s HR still gets audible cheers
I think we need to start a collection to hire a hacker to break into their computers and insert a clip of Cabrera-Bream into their montage.
Conrad and Schafer are both in the lineup, oh my. And Schafer is leading off because, well, why not?
I am so f$#@ing worried that Jordan Schafer at leadoff will lead to us being shut out by Charlie Morton.
I’m thinking no-hitter.
Shut up, Chip.
Did Chip really just say that? Everyone associated with this organization is a fucking idiot.
What did he say now?
Joe was talking about Fredi’s defense, and Chip said something like “Don’t tell me you’re into those new age stats like.. zone rating?”
I’m about to vomit listening to this telecast
He said that? Sigh.
Nice sac fly for Brooks after that wack strike 2 call.
Hooray, no shutout.
@45
Yep, and then Joe said, all sarcastic like, “Well you know me!” Then they both chuckled as if the whole concept was utterly absurd.
Braves should trade ESPN Hanson for Boog. One redhead for another.
I love me some unnecessary dives!
#49 – exactly what i was thinking
Chip, thinking we want more of his words, obnoxiously referred to the Angels as “the American League Los Angeles team.”
Do you want him to say more words or trying to spread more “ideas”? Yeah, ugly decision, but that’s what being a Braves fan is like.
I want him to disparage a protected class and get fired or at least suspended.
It’s Hinske in right field. Of course that dive was necessary.
No way. Pretty sure he didn’t even dive until after catching it, which is my favorite kind of unnecessary dive.
Has Schafer always been that small?
53 – LOL.
@55
I was thinking more of the physical comedy angle more than the baseball angle.
Getting on base and scoring: f—ing success.
58—Conceded.
Can someone tell me how the Schafer-f***ing meme originated?
Well, when a baseball player loves a lady very much, he…
That double flap helmet, aside from looking dumb in its own right, makes Schafer look like a life sized bobblehead.
60—During Spring Training, DOB tweeted that he asked Schafer how he felt, and Schafer responded that he felt “like f—ing success, man.”
Speaking of Schafer, I always thought he looked like an elf, which caused me to come up with a potential nickname for O’Brien: DOB the House Elf.
Stu,
Hopefully the Vols will hire a competent coach. The baseball program will be easy to turn around with all the good in state baseball talent.
65—It’s not going to be that easy, considering the juggernauts in the East and considering that Delmonico — who had been extremely successful — was basically fired because he couldn’t keep Tennessee’s best away from Corbin. But, there’s no reason why the program shouldn’t be much better than it is, currently.
Speaking as a member of a class that is more or less protected, I would be happy for my coreligionists and me to be slandered if that’s all it took to get Chip off the air. I’d call it a bargain.
29 pitches in three innings. Man, this is a promising start for JJ.
Jair Jurrjens + Johnny Venters’s slider = disgusting
I think it’s the sinker, but yes.
To show our faith in you, Jordan, we’re going to make you make an out.
I’m not convinced Schafer can hit it out of the infield anyway.
If it’s a home-team fan illegally screwing with the visiting team, the call shouldn’t freaking benefit the home team.
I don’t see why the umpires can’t award Prado home base. He would have scored. He was running on contact.
Baseball has archaic, stupid rules. It’s exhausting.
Shouldn’t the fan be kicked out?
Or at least kicked?
Fredi should send someone off the bench to bunt him in the face.
It is unbelievable how incompetent MLB umpires are.
None of this excuses McCann’s utter uselessness.
Asinine. I implore all Braves fans at Turner Field with front-row outfield seats to reach out and catch opponents’ fly balls with two outs and a runner on first.
Or sacrificed to the Dark God of Madness as payment for driving Fredi insane and forcing the Braves to hire a new manager?
I guess I can’t say that I lost any respect for Fredi there, but only because I have none. The umps just crapped on the rulebook and stole a run. Might be a good time to press the issue a bit, Fredi.
“Driving?” I thought Fredlot was nuts from the get-go.
Good thing that the umps didn’t take an unnecessarily long time screwing us. It would suck if JJ had gotten cold in between innings and started leaving pitches up.
81—Joe just now suggested the same, on air.
No he’s just stupid, not insane.
If we lose by one run this game should be protested.
If we lose by one run these umps should be immolated.
Chipper, you da man! Great catch.
Nice play Chipper, McCutchen scares me.
Oh and, instead of fines, umpires should be required to spend one month in Siberia farming beets for every error they make. They’ve been doing their jobs for years, no reason to screw it up so royally when you’re at the level where it counts.
Wow. Chip, of all people, just got that right by referring to it as a rule-book double and not the frequently misused ground-rule double.
After that fan thing, no way Bobby would still be in the game. In fact, I think if Bobby was manager they would have counted the run. That is why you have to argue.
Chip, “Joe, What is the responsibility of the hitter during a hit and run?”…Really?
Smitty, I wouldn’t be surprised to find that the league office found a way to eject Bobby from his couch.
Actually, I rethought it, and Fredi’s intuition and bunting cues are far too valuable to sacrifice in the clubhouse after getting ejected. We wouldn’t stand a chance.
I will say his hit and run call did pay off.
Whoever asked, Schafer’s much smaller than he used to be.
How does Fredi not get ejected there?! Bobby wouldn’t have even of waited until they were done looking at the replay.
Came in late. I see there’s been some f***ing success, but no bunts yet. What gives?
Well, Schafer did attempt one in the 5th inning.
and in the first
He’s tried bunting twice actually.
Right, but only the one in the 5th was potentially a sacrifice, and that’s the target of our particular ire.
8 or 9 bunt hits in Gwinnett? Schafer is never sacrificing.
Charlie Morton cannot for the life of him get lefties out… until he plays the Braves.
Is JJ putting himself in position to start the All Star game?
when does Uggla come in for his glove?
108- Shouldn’t Diory be the guy coming in as a defensive replacement?
@109 I was trying to make a funny. Not very funny.
I mean, we’re talking about Conra—literally anyone else on the roster could come in as a replacement and constitute an upgrade.
BUNT
110 — Considering Diory’s defense the last few times, it’s possible Brian J. was making one too.
Boy, you guys are mean.
113- I see what you’re saying. And to paraphrase Ring Lardner, “Although they are very poor fielders, they are very poor hitters.”
Gotta love Uggla as a defensive replacement here.
Struggla’!
There have been like 8 guys to win 10 back-to-back since Drabek, even for the Pirates. Terrible guess, Chip.
Venters to pitch 9th too or EOF
Matt Diaz, we meet again.
Ladies and Gentlemen, your league leader in ERA: Jair Jurrjens!
Poor Diaz, Still does not play often, but he gets $$$$
Fredi will use Kimbrel (closerTM) in the 9th. Using Venters for three more outs is way too sensible.
So Wilkin likes breaking balls, he just cant hit them
Wilkin reminds me a lot of Jeffy at the plate
EDIT: The three (relatively) new guys looked pretty feeble there.
Schafer looks like the Martian from Looney Tunes with that helmet.
Minus the SI cover that reads ‘The Natural’.
Meek before tonight: 8 IP, 8 runs allowed.
Looks like he can dominate AAA, though.
Mather, Wilkin, Schafer…Meek must have felt like this was a minor league rehab stint.
126- Sadly, without the earth-shattering kabooms.
Kimbrel keeps throwing ball outside strike zone after 2 strikes. Worked this time.
As Chip will no doubt say, when you give up no runs, you probably won’t lose.
And I thought our offense was pathetic!
Our offense IS pathetic. It’s just the Pirates’ is worse…
Schafer and Conrad the offense tonight. WOW!
Recappage.