I pretty much wrote what I had to say on this subject — and linked to the songs that I would have wanted to link to — a few days back.
So this is really just a new thread for the sake of putting up a new thread. Thank goodness the 2014 season is over. Each day is another day closer to the departure of B.J. Upton, and may it be swift.
Smitty, we’re all thinking about your wife and your family.
Does everyone on here think Hart will most likely manage through next year and groom Coppolella to take over the year after? It seems this would fit with Fredi being given one more year to try without Wren supposedly micro-managing. If Fredi fails then in the following year when Coppolella takes over he will have the opportunity to put “his guy” in place as manager or if Fredi succeeds then they can keep him without much fanfare.
Hey old friends,
I’ve lurked a lot more than I’ve written this year. The last year and a half has been a rollercoaster so Braves baseball had to take a backseat. A few random updates for the regulars:
1) I checked Detroit, Minnesota, Cleveland, and Toronto off my list of stadiums this year. I can’t say I was looking forward to any of those stadiums or cities but I was pleasantly surprised all the way around. Plus I got to see Jeter one last time, spent a few hours in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and experienced Niagra Falls close up (HIGHLY recommended). I have 7 stadiums left: Anaheim, San Diego, Seattle, Cincinatti, Baltimore (which rained out the first time I went), Arlington, & Houston. I’ll cross off the last two early next season; hopefully in April when it’s only 130 degrees.
2) I’ve been working at a music conservatory teaching kids. I’ve never been a kid person but it pays the bills and can be fulfilling.
3) I’m about a month away from buying an engagement ring (she knows).
I hope the Braves Journal family is doing well. I look forward to talking shop/chop a lot more next season.
I put an “If I were GM” post over at TT if bored…
http://tomahawktake.com/2014/09/30/offseason-atlanta-braves-gm/
@1 I think that’s very likely
ryan c’s been peeking in on my dreams again. Ryan for GM!
@2 Congrats. Bought one a couple weeks ago. Giving it on Saturday.
“It’s so easy to blame the coaches in any sport and we understand that is what we signed up for,” Gonzalez said. “I don’t have any idea. Would I like to keep my staff completely? Absolutely. Is that going to happen? I’ll call you as soon as I get out of the meeting.”
Thanks for the thoughts and prayers. We are still living at the hospital, but improving. It is like watching a BJ Upton AB everyday
JC’d from last thread:
How did I miss this from four years ago? http://m.espn.go.com/general/story?storyId=5572278&src=desktop
Lonnie Smith was going to shoot John Schuerholz?!?
Ironically, every Braves fan wanted to shoot Lonnie after his base running in the World Series.
Maybe I’m just reading into this but Bonifacio has changed agents from Paul Kinzer (who I’m pretty sure handled the Furcal fiasco) to Gene Mato. Wanting to re-up with ATL maybe? Does ATL still avoid dealing with Kinzer?
Trading Minor now is a bad idea for more or less the same reasons that trading Gattis now is a good idea.
Speaking of new posts, there is an AL Wildcard game thread available now.
@11
Boy, I can whole-heartedly disagree with that statement.Who is there to replace Evan Gattis? Christian Bethancourt has shown 1 above-average skill, his arm. And there’s no one else in the farm system that can hit a lick and play catcher. And Gattis is going to get paid about 1/2 million.
On the contrary, Minor was a 0.2 WAR player in ’14, and aside from ’13, has been every bit of what he was projected to be: a back-end rotation pitcher. And he’s about to start making real money. If the Braves could get rid of B.J. by adding Minor and get back Edwin Jackson, the Braves should do that tomorrow. Yes, I do realize they can’t really do it tomorrow. If they Braves can add 10MM to that deal and acquire Luis Valbuena, they should have done it yesterday.
Point being: A back-end starter is much easier to replace than a 2-3 WAR catcher.
Agree wholeheartedly.