Not a big year for players seeking big round numbers or moving up career lists. Of course, the Braves are a very young team now. Chipper‘s pretty much settled his spot on the Braves leaderboards — second all-time in most things to the uncatchable Aaron, first in walks, first on most of the Atlanta-only lists. The only round numbers he’s going for aren’t going to get much attention — 45 walks short of 1500, one stolen base short of 150.
With 878 hits, Brian McCann should get his 1000th this season, health willing. He should get his 150th homer as well — he is at 136. Dan Uggla is ten homers and eight doubles short of 200 in both, and 89 hits short of 1000. Eric Hinske is 88 hits short of 1000, but probably won’t get the opportunity to get that far this year, at least not if things work out as expected.
If you don’t count Craig Kimbrel‘s rise up the saves list, the only pitcher with any big goals this year is Tim Hudson. As I mentioned, he had an outside shot at 200 wins this year (he is at 181) but since he will miss the first month of the season that’s very unlikely. 11 wins would give him 100 as a Brave. He’s already fifth on the Atlanta list in wins after Niekro and the Big Three, and will stay there. He’s 19th on the franchise list, and could move up to 15th or so this year. He has 800 strikeouts as a Brave, good for 17th. 111 would move him into a tie for tenth with the immortal Charlie Buffinton.
A fair take on the season here: http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/20512/2012-mlb-season-preview-atlanta-braves
Agree. It seems reasonable.
Totally off the point but this article from Hardball Times seems to support Sam’s position on Bonds.
http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/is-there-a-better-way-of-comparing-players-between-historical-eras/
If the Braves’ starting lineup has the OPS that Bill James’ projects, we’ll be right as rain. He has Chipper, McCann, Uggla, Freeman, and Heyward all at OPSs over .800.
#3
And now, here’s the chart that shows us how much better Ben Johnson was than Jessie Owens…
Well, Babe Ruth would have never had to compete against Bonds, Johnson or Owens, so let’s just pretend that PEDs are the only thing that matters in these conversations.
Bonds was a god among men, head and shoulders better than HIS CONTEMPORARIES, who were also using the exact same PEDs Bonds had access to. That is, in fact, the point of the article linked. It shows that only two players ever stood that far above their contemporaries so routinely. Babe Ruth, and Barry Bonds.
I get it, but who cares? It wasn’t real.
BTW, think some folks in Nashville are rooting for Eddie Biedenbach’s team right now?
on generalship and the Braves,
I think better comparisons can be found in other conflicts.
Maybe like in World War II Bobby Cox was like Eisenhower. Men loved him. Was old school on the battle tactics.
LaRussa was like Montgomery. Wound tight. Thought he knew everything. Meticulous in preparation.
By that analogy Fredi would be like Alexander. Not as well thought of intellectually, but got along. Not too good at holding a handle on those under him (compare Mark Clark to our former hitting instructor). Not too innovative. Struggled when he did not have advantages in manpower and machines.
Aspirationally, the Braves need a Nimitz. Knows the old school. Bold within the reasonable capabilities. Innovative based on the latest in materials and methods.
Arodys Vizcaino is going to visit Dr. Andrews…
Jurrjens sucked again today. I’m starting to get worried about him.
A Braves player equivalent to the Third Fleet or the 8th Air Force would also help.
Babe Ruth’s records are just as meaningless. What’s the point?
Oh, UNLV… you had me going there for a minute.
#11
Ruth & Bonds weren’t playing the same game, but for very different reasons.
This thread needs more Pocoroba.
Babe Ruth could eat more hot dogs than Barry Bonds.
Bob Wickman could out-eat them both.
Ray King vs Bob Wickman.
Chino Cadahia vs. anyone who dares.
@15 – Bob Wickman could eat them both.
Who was bigger? Bob Wickman or Terry Forster?
Chad Paronto is my darkhorse in whatever horrible competition we’re talking about here.
Ray “Burger” King vs. Charlie “Pterodactyl” Kerfeld—no holds barred, 2 out of 3 falls.
NCAA pool peeps: After starting out 12/12 last night (like a lotta folks, I’m sure), I ended up 14/16. But the Vegas gag was damaging.
Lotta chalk yesterday—anybody throw a perfecto?
13/16…Not terrible. Learned to never doubt Shaka Smart.
Also 13/16 but UNLV was one of my Sweet Sixteen teams so that’s no fun.
11/16. My pool over-rewards picking first round upsets, so I always go overboard. Plus, it’s more fun to watch a close game if you have the underdog.
13/16, not too shabby. Apparently I missed how you get bonus points in our Braves Journal pick ’em group, though.
Andy Pettitte coming out of retirement, back to the Yankees. It’s a “minor-league contract” for $2.5M, plus incentives.
I’d guess that Freddy Garcia is less than enthused.
14/16 but had both Long Beach St and Wichita St making it to the sweet 16. I need K State Florida and Texas to pull off big upsets over Syracuse Missouri and Florida St in the next round.
Chipper’s take on Bryce Harper: http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/chipper-jones-remembers-what-it-was-like-to-be-a-teen-phenom/2012/03/09/gIQA9CUFCS_story.html
Andy “I used HGH on multiple occasions but never got suspended” Pettite? Sounds like the feel-good story of the season.
I hate these guys that retire to “be with their families,” then find that they don’t like family life that much and unretire. Maybe Petitte needs the money but I wish these guys would just stay retired. I get tired of the smoke and mirrors about how they want to see their kids grow up–until they don’t.
14/16 – UConn and WVU messed me up.
Royce White is really, really fun to watch. I can’t remember seeing a guy that big with such a solid handle. 76ers era Barkley maybe?
#29
Funny, that’s exactly what they’re talking about on WFAN right now.
Was the upshot that Pettite is on the morally/legally cleared list for publicly confessing his sins and rolling on that SOB Clemens?
Thanks for that link, Askia. From that Post story:
Couldn’t agree more.
#33
Not so much.
A caller, probably a Mets fan, just seemed to want to rain on the Yankee fans’ parade by bringing up the episode. Unfortunately, he tried to engage the host with some half-baked conspiracy theory about the reasons for his short-lived “retirement.” But in a town where the Yankees are both loved & hated, it’s always entertaining.
Perhaps more interestingly, the station’s Yankee beat reporter said today that Michael Pineda could be the odd man out of the Yankee rotation. Apparently, he came to camp “out of shape” and his velocity is down “dramatically.”
I always had a soft spot for Pettitte – fine player, southern boy, seemed to always pitch above his talent. But of all the sorry episodes in the steroid saga, his was the worst. Named in the Mitchell report, says it’s all lies, evidence surfaces, claims it was a one time only thing, more evidence surfaces, did I say once, I meant twice, turns states evidence, and somehow is thought of as one of the good guys who manned up and took his penalty.
I hope he gets shelled.
In the line of things that won’t last, tied for first place in the Braves Journal bracket is my dog.
He makes his picks based on which retrieving dummy he picks up.
Dontrelle Willis beat the Braves yesterday. Today, the Phillies released him.
Obviously, it’s spring training, so I know I shouldn’t draw any conclusions, but… that’s insulting.
Well, team-wide poor performance over an extended period of time (even if it is Spring Training) has me worried.
Intellectually, I know that “ST doesn’t matter”, and I really hope you all get to horselaugh me in May, but I fear our slide has begun a little early.
That’s a nice piece from the Post. Two thoughts spring to mind:
1. That’s almost certainly the interview with “national reporters” that generated the floating, zombie quotes about “not making it through this year” that everyone ran with for a while.
2. It’s fun to listen to Chipper talking shit about Bryce Harper.
3. It’s interesting to listen to him subtly suggest Jason Heyward was rushed to the majors.
Well, just turned the game on. How did the Braves manage 5 runs in the 1st off Wandy?
lol Missouri
Nevermind, Heyward hit a GS.
BTW, Hansons fastball is sitting at 87-89
40 – Sam, I couldn’t help but think your 3rd point the whole time I was reading it too.
Yeah, that entire bit about players needing seasoning at AAA to see ML pitchers “on the way down” and top end pitching prospects is pretty much directly to Heyward, I think.
@36 – Woe be to anyone who earns their way into spike’s soft spot.
At the game tonight. Think Heyward may be breaking out, but Wandy didn’t look good either. Simmons isn’t ready to hit in the majors. Drew Sutton might be an OK utility guy. Now it’s Yonde time!
spike — not an Elia Kazan fan, I take it?
WTF, Mizzou, Memphis? I am so screwed.
Michigan too? Sail on, fail boat bracket.
Duke as well? This is crazy.
It’s a rare thing to lose a final four team in the first round.
I had Duke as champions in my money bracket. I’m okay with it.
Kazan was kind enough not to deny ever being a Communist himself.
I’m at a solid 16 for 28 in the Braves Journal bracket.
I have a good friend who is going to lose a catering bonus at his hotel b/c Duke’s checking out and heading home in the morning.
My heart bleeds for him….
I’d like to think we can all come as a family and rejoice in the pain and suffering of Duke.
Well, I’m just as guilty of this in #56, but we’re all misspelling the name of Those People from Durham.
It’s spelled correctly, as any Tar Heel will tell you, lower case d-o-o-k.
Someone picked Leigh in the Braves Journal league. Congrats.
“When the Rat is denied
And goes down to Lehigh,
That’s logistics”
Sam, in the spirit of brotherhood and togetherness, hear hear.
#57 + #61–Couldn’t agree more….
The somebody that picked Leheigh was my dog.
Not making that up.
Happy Birthday Mac
New post.