* shortly you too will discover why he remains unpublished…
our current visitors are SOOOO nice…we should thank them…
the Marlin our most favored fish
creates in us the dearest wish
to play them every day
(but trade for Stanton, say)
their defense such a tasty dish.
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O boy, can we ever change..is there another area of life that grabs so hard emotionally, nightly, but yet in which we behave so irrationally, immaturely treating our heroes with contempt one moment delight the next…Andrelton -and many others – take heed, we didn’t really mean it…
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equating the love with the hate
not buying a lot of it’s fate
vast range of emotions
dispel any notions
consistency carries our freight.
 strange goings-on in these southern latitudes of Ohio – Johnny van der Meer and Homer Bailey…back to back to back to back(Bailey has the last two thrown)…hmmmm   if Achilles
signed for the Phillies
would Homer use PEDS
and pitch for the Reds?
and
does Homer Bailey
do it daily?
a dab or two
quite hid from view
then throws so gayly!
the trading deadline approaches – some general input…
while trading pitchers in july
we seldom stop to ask just why.
our fella’s pretty good
be better if he could
but their’s would make his mother cry.
then there’s this nightmare…
scary rumors about Jobba
pitches they would likely clobba
leave him in the Bronx
with our heartfelt thonx
much relief but please no slobba.
Fredi has introduced late night counseling for sluggers who are in the area of
Mendoza…to protect their privacy this is carried out in the dugout, after the post game show
she took him to the dugout, dark
peripherals were saucy, stark
she saw his OBP
but SSS, agree?
still, Fredi says she’ll light his spark.
finally…
your input and comments would please
you’ll notice a fondness to tease
baseball so topical
stadia tropical
and Schafer is resting his knees.
The last ump named Runge
Has dropped from a bungie
The rope stretches… then snaps
Runge falls… drugs perhaps.
from last thread…
Sansho, you’re right…but read this from Bill James. That problem was fixed.
http://www.billjamesonline.com/brett_lawrie%E2%80%94best_defensive_third_baseman_in_baseball_/
However, I just watched Lawrie’s helmet toss that hit the umpire and a fit he pitched when Adam Lind didn’t tag up from 3rd on a fly ball with 2 out in the 9th, down by 2. He’d be a hard guy to root for and probably not of the Braves mold.
Pretty good chance that we have a washout tonight and tomorrow?
Anyways, CJ’s splits
vs LH – .385/.423/.569
vs RH – .308/.357/.442
Batting 8th – .375/.444/.594
Bases empty – .363/.406/.500
RISP – .300/.368/.480
RISP w/ 2 outs – .346/.433/.500
Oh yeah, he doesn’t need a platoon partner.
to answer a question in the previous –
The Dodgers also acquired international signing bonus slot No. 4 from the Cubs as part of the deal for Marmol. The Cubs acquired two international signing bonus slots as part of another trade on Tuesday, when they sent starting pitcher Scott Feldman and catcher Steve Clevenger to the Baltimore Orioles for pitchers Jake Arrieta and Pedro Strop. Chicago then sent one of the bonus slots to L.A. The Dodgers can now use that slot to sign a player.
There once was a man named Lawrie, Brett
Who did many things he’d quickly regret
When his team put on a shift
His defense received a lift
With him at 3rd, would we be set?
The poetry is getting a bit beyond my talents, which center around a certain team near Nantucket.
2- Sounds like he has a low tolerance for idiocy, which definitely would not stand him in good stead on any team with Fredi around. I don’t think petulance is a dealbreaker, not when the Uptons give the stinkeye to the umps every time they watch strike three.
@6…
nothing wrong with Nantucket, we all started there…
the rhyme is almost irresistible, forces its way out…
Strongly, strongly rooting for Dwight Howard to end up in Houston. That would pave the way for a Josh Smith sign-and-trade to the Rockets (for Omer Asik+), which would really go a long way toward making the Hawks relevant in the near future, IMO.
blazon…what I found: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130430&content_id=46192310&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb
@9…
ryan, most interesting, thank you…
is this just 16 year olds though? what about these huge contracts for Dice K and such? and do you know how Puig fits into all this?
@10: Pretty sure the posting system with Japan was left intact by the new international free agent rules, so I don’t think money spent on a Japanese player coming over from NPB is counted against a team’s international signing pool. As for Cuba, I have no idea.
No change at the top
@ajcbraves: #Braves lineup: Simmons 6, Heyward 9, JUpton 7, Freeman 3, McCann 2, Uggla 4, BUpton 8, CJohnson 5, Minor 1.
because you all knew this was going to happen….
http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/eye-on-baseball/22625089/rangers-sign-manny-ramirez-to-minor-league-contract
I would have no problem with taking a flier on Lawrie, though he’s basically a platooner right now until he can figure out how to hit. He clearly needs a change of scenery, but I’m not ready to give up on him just yet. (I’d be glad to take a flier on Dustin Ackley, too; he clearly needs to get the hell out of Seattle.) Lawrie had a huge prospect profile because he hit for power and had real plate discipline in the minors as a 2B/3B.
Lawrie is clearly going backwards, but he’s only 23. I don’t mind his red-ass reputation; there’s a thin line between caring too much and being a punk, and as long as other guys on the Braves are willing to put him in line, he won’t become a clubhouse cancer. (As long as the Braves keep winning, that is.)
We traded a nonessential piece, J.J. Hoover, for Juan Francisco, and while Francisco didn’t work out in Atlanta, I’d do that trade over again in a heartbeat. We traded from a position of strength to address a position of weakness. If Lawrie or Ackley were ever on the table at a reasonable price — i.e., a price that we could pay without significantly degrading the major league team from 2013-2015 — then I’d definitely consider paying it.
Play ball, y’all.
Now would be a good time to start, Braves.
It’s kind of cruel of Minor to give them a couple baserunners while thoroughly embarrassing the other three guys. No need to get their hopes up that way, Mike.
So did Caray and Simpson spend the bottom half of the first inning basically making a sales pitch for Nolasco?
Nolasco’s not going to be in South Florida much longer, between his salary and the LolFish policy of trading you away if you don’t suck. Of course, the Braves come in around 29th on his list of suitors.
Harper drops another ball hit straight to him in LF.
Runs, please.
Alright, so we won’t be no hit tonight.
AND we’ll clear the 10-spot.
Alright, that old 10-hole coming through!
Hey what now?
Mr. Clutch Andrelton Simmons,woo-hoo!
Nice going, Simmons! You shouldn’t be leading off, but you still did your job!
Bunt works and AS with the rbi.
YES!!!
FWIW Harper is 1 for 11 with 2 dropped fly balls.
BJ & AS are carrying team.
So, according to DOB’s article today, in reference to Alex Wood’s failed bunt last night:
Alex Wood hasn’t BATTED SINCE HIGH SCHOOL.
Because every league on the PLANET uses the DH now.
BMAC owns this guy. Totally nuts.
Rocket shot.
BMac!
Am I the only person who really doesn’t care whether or not any of my team’s players gets into the AllStar Game? And, at the margin, I’d prefer they not get in to get some rest?
Uggla, on the other hand, is now back below the Mendoza line.
Yay, McCann.
Gotta say (again) that Don is a really frustrating radio play-by-play guy. That HR call was downright bewildering.
This is approaching “why are they still playing” territory…
Doesn’t look that bad yet.
Gotta finish this half-inning, thats why.
Well that was downright stupid.
Ugh.
Go to hell, Mike.
Throw strikes, Mike.
Not BP meatballs though. Dang, that was whacked.
Had to know that would happen.
Walking the pitcher never ends well.
I want to love you, Mike, but damn, you make it hard sometimes.
Minor has been pretty uninspired against some garbage lineups of late.
Yes, Joe. He deserved that. He walked the pitcher and followed it right up with a gopher ball. He deserved exactly what happened, because what he did was stupid. And when you do stupid things, bad things should happen to you.
A really poorly-timed Episode, not that there’s ever a well-timed one. But one out away from an official game?
@48 He’s been our best pitcher this year. Shouldn’t be that hard.
I am so irritated at Minor right now. Awful.
Mike very quickly, singlehandedly turned this from an opportunity to steal a quick win, to a desperate situation where we hope we can score again before they have to pull out the tarp.
Are we sure C.B. Bucknor isn’t out there? Only a blind man couldn’t detect this downpour.
The umpires are trying to get in 5 innings.
Mike is clearly struggling with the mud on the mound.
Get ’em, Brewers.
Brewers up 4-1 going top 9.
You can’t POSSIBLY blame the umpires for that.
They were holding out to make it an official game. If Mike could retired a fu**ing pitcher, that official game would result in a win.
Well, now there will be an official game, only the Braves will lose.
The hilarious thing is that he tossed him the gopher ball that he needed to throw to the pitcher, but couldn’t.
You can’t complain about the umps trying to get an official 5 innings in before the deluge returns. The weather for the next few days says “get this game done.”
You can’t really complain that hard about Minor losing control of his stuff with a wet ball and mud caked spikes.
It’s one game, people. Calm down.
@52
Only five NL pitchers have given up more home runs this year. He can be so good, but the gopher-ball issue isn’t improving enough.
@62
The Marlins have two more trips to Atlanta this year. Plenty of chances for makeup day-night doubleheaders. This isn’t playing at Colorado in April.
Chris Johnson making Nolasco work on the same muddy mound.
Almost made up for it, Mike.
They will always try to get the game in. As a fan I’d rather they not lose a rain shortened game, but prior to Ruggiano’s HR as a fan I was very happy to take a 5-inning 2-0 lead.
Wait, if the game is about to be called, why would Minor bat for himself?
@64 Doesn’t stop him from being our best pitcher. And yes, he has been pretty damn good going back to mid-season last year. One three run homerun doesn’t change that, though given the ridiculously fickle nature of the so-called fans around here, can’t say I’m surprised that it seems to.
Clearly Fredi thinks they’ll play on.
Chip talking about run differentials…this blows my mind.
Well.
Great outing, Mike. Marlins are tough.
Mule’s been stolen. Bring it home if you can. Good night.
Milwaukee beats the Gnats 4-1, so at least we won’t lose ground.
Edit: and NOW he gets Nolasco out.
So, the scrub marlins pitcher isn’t having any trouble with the wet ball.
I probably would’ve pinch hit for Minor, but I doubt it would have made a difference. Not our night. Gotta tip the cap.
RUN FREEMAN RUN
You hate to let a play like that go unpunished.
No one’s saying he’s a bad pitcher, but to act like Minor’s home runs aren’t a problem is absurd. His last few starts have been like batting practice, and if we lose this one, that’ll be two games it’s directly cost us.
Right, so sometimes the wet ball effects pitches. Sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes the clay effects pitchers. Sometimes it doesn’t. It’s sort of random. That’s the way things go occasionally. If tonight ends up being a “run out the clock” night rather than an “add a game to the lead night” it’s regrettable but something you can live with.
@81 No one said any such thing, but it’s rather absurd for people to be cursing him, saying it’s hard to root for him, etc. just for one pitch. Just getting tired of fickle, fair-weather fans around here. Have some freaking perspective. This isn’t football.
Any time we score less than 4 runs I blame the loss on the guys not getting it done at the plate. We’re so used to good pitching that it seems like a terrible outing when our starter gives up 3 or 4. Sometimes you have to shake that off and just win the game anyway.
This hasn’t been the most fun game to watch.
Aw, Success! failed. At least we have two innings left and they won’t start with two straight automatic outs.
I’m not sure Success! is going to get healthy if we keep using him like this, especially on a day like today. Hopefully the AS break can get our guys healed up.
If Gearrin gets sent down at some point, I won’t be sad.
Man, this weather is really affecting Gearrin. Completely unlike him.
Can we please DFA him?
I see Gearrin is making his typical performance and making sure the game gets out of reach. This guy sucks.
How is Gearin still in the majors ..has he gotten anybody out the 4 or 5 times hes been on mound .
Can we officially dub Corey Gearrin “White Flag?”
Gearrin has not be useful. Have to figure we have some better arms that could fill that spot.
at least Nats lost and Philly loosing .
It feels like this should count as more than just one loss.
#89 – Ha, lol. No rain or shine, this is typical Cory.
The difference between Gearrin and Gryboski is that Gearrin lets his own inherited runners score.
I just want him gone.
It’s pretty clear that when the Braves say they’re in the market for a reliever they mean “we need to get Corey Gearrin off the roster ASAP.”
Yes, Gearrin has even lost me. I still think he’s a good pitcher but he hasn’t shown it in a while. Time for him to get right in the minors.
Well, as this is a Braves loss, Tad has unsurprisingly showed up. Funny how absent he was over the previous four days.
You guys are going to feel so silly when they score five and win this game in 10.
Holy shit! Chad Qualls! I thought that guy was dead.
@101 I think he’s got potential, but he’s going to need to figure it out down in the minors, or perhaps with another team.
@102 Heh.
103- I admire your enthusiasm, and we did beat these guys up yesterday, so I’m still with you. (Edit: Thanks to Justin, not anymore tonight.)
Replacing Gearrin shouldn’t be hard, if someone in the front office remembers that Cristhian Martinez still exists.
Tad has taken over Coach’s role as the annoying bitcher.
@83
Where did anyone say it was hard to root for him? Rooting for a player and loving a player are completely different things. Speaking only for myself, I don’t love any player reflexively because he happens to be a Brave. (Some of them I have downright loathed. See Rocker, John, even before the SI piece, and Francoeur as his amiable cluelessness became more apparent.) It has to be earned through a combination of performance and attitude. Minor is close, really close. I think he’s conducted himself in a generally exemplary fashion, and his performance, as discussed, is frequently top-drawer. But as long as I have that lingering fear –still too often realized — of a meatball at an inopportune time, I’ll hold back, thank you. You might think it makes me fair-weather. That’s fine. I have cared about this team since 1983 and have seen many a stormy day, thank you.
Well, to be fair, this game *has* been pretty annoying…
Whatever. If you want to pretend Minor is still the same pitcher from a few years ago, be my guest. I’m quite happy with the guy who has been, albeit not by wide margins, the best pitcher on a good staff.
This poet is amazing. I think the Marlin is an interesting fish, not the greatest. Maybe one of the best worst team in the MLB.
We just need a Chris Johnson grand slam to make things right again. Too much to ask for?
Two hits for CJ!
Now come on, T-Pas. Make a name for yourself.
Two outs. Batter is the tying run. Bottom nine.
Damn I miss Evan Gattis.
Lisp has had another shoulder set back. He was supposed to be reevaluated today.
Recapped!