Brad Brach was acquired at the trade deadline to provide some depth to the late inning reliever corp. Because he was having a down year, the Braves were able to pick him up for just $250K in international bonus slot allotment.
He’s just a rental, but he could provide tremendous value down the stretch. He was an All-Star just two years ago when he posted a 0.91 ERA in the first half of 2016, but his first half struggles this year has taken some shine off.
Brach has a motion that causes him to throw across his body, which helps with deception, especially against right-handers. For his career, he’s limited RHBs to a .646 OPS. He sits mostly in the 95-97 range, and he’s topped out as high as 99. He has some closing experience, so they may ask him to close out some games until Vizzy returns.
So far, he’s appeared in 3 games for the Braves in the first 6 days of his tenure, giving up no runs with 4 K’s in 3 innings. He might be used even more down the stretch. He’d be a guy I’d expect the Braves to consider re-signing if they like what they see.
So the beat writers are saying that Fried did, in fact, strain his groin while trying to avoid the line drive, and that he’s doubtful for his next start. Whether that means Allard or Touki, who knows?
I’d have to think Allard is already on a bus destined for Gwinnett as I’m typing this.
I certainly wasn’t intending for TAD to get the ban hammer. He kinda begged for it, though. I was just going to make it harder for him to post, so we’ll see if Rob put an end to that guy.
BJ membership.Such an interesting topic and particularly when, as Alex mentioned, several leave and no one seems to know why. Our numbers are not that great to start with are they that we can shut our eyes to this. Although, it’s their perfect right of course and you don’t know someone has slipped away, it takes a few months right?
On the other side of the coin the last 6 months or so have seen a remarkable influx of new names who have proved very important by the volume they post. We were lucky to have them arrive. Had they not the slippage earlier mentioned might have stripped us pretty bare
To end this on a funny note. I might be the only BJ member who has been banned and thrown out of TC – and it wasn’t for my poetry!
I had been a member a year or two when the Braves hit their awful September skid you will remember. At the same time TC itself went pretty groggy with nothing much to say and some staff quitting.
So, ever the wit, I posted something to the effect that wasn’t it an interesting coincidence that there were two blow ups that September, not just one. Ha Ha.
I got a formal notice of dismissal within 24 hours and, incredibly, 2 years or so later when i politely requested readmission it was denied so effectively it’s a life time ban!
Silly, silly. Pompous silly.
Fried, Carle to DL. McCreery and Parsons up. I’m
Typo.
Blazon is rattling those cages. Didn’t know you could get the boot on a site like TC. Congrats, blazeman.
It’s sad about Kolby if today’s events end up meaning he’s dropped way down the pecking order and left in some kind of limbo.
He must be given another start in all good time and judged on that and not one where he was rushed up here as a back up 26th guy and then had to be inserted cold at no notice when Max got hurt.
Go Kolby!
I think Mac only banned one guy, a random Mets fan troll. I’m not sure if Gadfly was banned or if he simply left in shame.
Allard’s 20 and tearing up AAA. He had a rough outing. So what? He’ll be okay, and the Braves are not done, even if they lose again today. I’d prefer they win tonight, however.
I think the 6th tool in baseball is prevention of injury. Frankly, Mickey Mantle was a 5 tool player, but not a 6. Willie Mays and Hank had the 6th tool. Even Babe Ruth had some injury problems (and syphilis).
Some guys just cannot stay fully healthy.
I think we’re in decent shape as far as syphilis-avoidance goes.
@11 Us or the team? 🙂
@12, now I have to think about it some.
@4 I saw that. Just when we had things pretty much together, we lose a dynamite starter and a reliable bullpen arm for two guys who have exactly zero MLB experience. It didn’t work out for Phillips (or Allard so far); we gotta “hit” on one eventually. I hope McCreery is worth the 40-man slot he’s taken up all year due to being Rule 5 eligible last year. He owes us.
I think it’s gotta be about 100% certain that Touki comes up to take Fried’s next start. O’Day can be moved to the 60-day DL to make room.
I hope I was right and the Carle DL is for rest not for something. Shoulder inflammation is the excuse they’ve used for several of our permanent DL’ers (like Ramirez and Freeman and Moylan…. and Soroka for that matter). We may be beginning to see the effects of the early year overuse.
I wonder if you could find “inflammation” in every MLB pitcher’s pitching shoulder.
Is there any chance they could get the two pitchers up to DC from Gwinnett in between games????
@9 Sims was tearing up AAA too. I realize Kolby is 20 and younger than Sims but the similarities are beginning to become uncomfortable. And I’m not losing faith, just nervous about it.
Regarding the loss of regulars around here, it’s not surprising to me. Blogs are not a big new thing on the web. Message boards are basically a thing of the past, and I suspect blogs are just about there too.
Who is the youngest person frequenting this blog? Is there anyone here who is younger than 30?
“Tearing up AAA” has virtually no meaning by itself. The comments section ecosystem wouldn’t be what it is without the contingent that puts its faith in the AAA statline of every single Evan Phillips and Michael Reed. If you want to have a better understanding of how these guys will do upon their first call-up and for their careers, you’ve got to dig deeper.
My impression was the Braves themselves had done more to spur the most recent Braves Journal exodus than the commenters did.
There’s a myriad of reasons why people stop coming here (or anywhere, really), and the question is when the time comes for them to read and talk about the Braves where do they turn now and in the future?
Short answer: people aren’t looking for message boards or blogs much anymore. Some of the best blogs I see don’t even get a dozen comments per post.
I think this place’s longevity has been helped by the fact that there’s not thousands of personas and 1500 comments per game thread. It’s always seem “just about right” to me.
Is it me, or is Braves State Media setting us up for “No way any team could ever overcome 44 games is 12 days (or whatever)” as the excuse
@3
Some sites will allow all manner of idiocy to go on, but if you question one thing about their management of the site, even indirectly and humorously, it’s an immediate trip to the guillotine.
@21
And yes, they are.
I think next year is big for Dansby
These last two months are big for Dansby.
Kurt = regression
That inning is going to cost us. Three terrible at bats in a row and we get nothing.
Why was Camargo swinging at 3-0?
Why in the hell can’t Ender bunt or something. He’s a good bunter and that would get the run home. Hard to believe the Braves can waste a 1st and 3rd no one out situation.
So far, predictions of doom for Newcomb after his long game last time have been incorrect.
@28 A walk does us no good in that situation and it was sure as heck gonna be a strike. We needed a hit.
Why is Albies sitting? Has Snit decided that we’ll play the rest of the season with at least one utility player in the lineup each night?
#31
I think Chip said that Albies is something like 1/11 against Scherzer.
Albies’ brand of free swinging does seem like it would be uniquely ill-suited to go against Sherzer.
Snit is pretty much Bobby Cox, except we don’t have four hall of famers on the team. Bobby drove me crazy. Snit is no different.
Letting Suzuki or Flowers hit 5th is a crime. Move Johan up there before those two.
This is much better than Bobby’s Sunday lineups. If you’re gonna give people days off, you should stagger it and not do it all at once. Snit is at least doing that (not that I agree with sitting Acuna and Albies today).
Nats feed just posted that Scherzer is hitting .438 with runners in scoring position but that last AB didn’t improve that fortunately. That earlier hit put him over .300 for the year and he has a six game hitting streak.
What a hook!!! That was an unbelievable curve by Newk to K Soto.
FakeDansby!!!! 2 HRs today…..
Cult hero Charlie Culberson!
Brooks Conrad!
gNats radio announcers were talking up Dansby and Charlie as “twins” and you had to look hard when Charlie was playing SS to make sure you knew who was out there. It’s a “thing” now.
You were saying about starting Culberson over Albies?
Albies would’ve hit 2 by now.
The right answer may have been to sit FakeCulberson…
Nice outing by Sean (assuming it’s done, which…yeah, it’s done). Didn’t have any margin for error after that homer to Soto if we were gonna stay in it against Sherzer, and he didn’t give up anything else.
Joe Simpson pissed someone else off.
What did Joe do?
I don’t know what Joe Simpson’s contract situation is after this season, but I feel confident in saying he’s not been helping his future job prospects any the past couple weeks.
Having someone as good to go to here as Biddle is huge.
Meh. Fake outrage. Nothing to it.
I agree Rob
Biddle!!!
It does strike me that there’s no way that Mike Rizzo knows for a fact what Soto’s age is.
I luv me some Biddle. I don’t know which board I posted it but I was sure we’d see great things from Biddle as soon as he was called up.
And we just no-decisioned Scherzer. So who was the ace tonight – Scherzer or Newcomb?
Ozzie I can’t champion you single-handedly tonight. You need to do your part bro.
Roger, I think you got here around May, so it might have been elsewhere. He’s an unsung hero, no doubt.
Gosh, it’s really nice to not have to worry about Snit going to Freeman or Moylan.
Maybe that is why Acuna didn’t start the first game. Are we looking for the ball on a tee?
So with all the shenanigans with Parsons and Allard and the movement, ole Andres Santiago, who may have more tenure in the org than Snit, toed the rubber for Gwinnett. I swear that guy just stands around waiting for which affiliate needs him at the drop of a hat. It’s an honor to have shared my fries with him one day.
@58
Strike three to Acuna was well high. I think Jerry Layne might just start calling everything a strike any minute now, in fact.
This King Felix/Beltre stuff is gold.
Still got Brach and Minter in the pen if Biddle can get Hooper.
Biddle is a revelation!
@61 Priceless!!! Glad someone in this game is having fun and has a sense of humor.
Can’t complain about the pitching tonight. Time to put up a crooked number and reward them.
My prediction. If Braves score, next inning is Minter. If not, Biddle gets another.
Who was it that said this game was gonna be Newcomb – Biddle – Minter??? Just a slight intervention by Winkler.
Freeman and Markakis are something else…..
Poor Kurt.
Damn, damn, damn. Zuke finally hits one hard. And that.
Ender!
Who luvs ya’, Ender!!!
Great hustle by Neck!!
Favorable scorer (to Bryce, that is). that should have been a double and an error.
ENDER!!!!! He needed that.
Hell yeah. Nice hustle by Harper too, lol.
Damn, there are more Braves fans at that game than Nationals fans.
Harper did loaf
Ender has been hot
Great hit by Ender! Now, let’s get him home.
This would be two huge wins over the last couple gamedays (sandwiched around a pretty annoying loss).
Wow…clutch Ender! Tons of loud Braves fans in the house
Somewhere, Marc Schneider is crying.
Our man Evan Phillips had 2 IP, 3 K’s in his first Baltimore outing before giving up 2 unearned runs on 3 BBs tonight.
@79
Ha!
OK, someone needs to get Duvall back to where he was. That second pitch was obviously in his “happy zone” and he couldn’t get around on it. He needs some coaching.
I liked the pick-up but he hasn’t looked good so far.
Glad Duvall hit for Dansby
As usual with our specialists who are meant to face only opposite-handed pitchers, he winds up in there against the wrong kind of pitcher.
That pitcher was straight up filthy, glad he didn’t start the inning.
Dansby actually was double switched out earlier with Albies and Culberson went to SS.
@ #82
Seitzer’s already working with Duvall on lowering his hands so that his shoulders will be more relaxed. Examined video from ’16 and ’17 campaigns.
Damn! Needed that insurance run.
Oops… forgot Dansby got double switched
Terrible 0-2 pitch.
The schedule says this is one game, but blowing this would be a gut punch that leaves you keeled over for a while.
Oh my. We’ll take it.
Camargo!!! What a play!!! Way to go….. SPLIT!!
Ha ha!!!
Man, did Minter tiptoe through the minefield on that one!
Dang ol’ baseball man I tell you what.
Chief (I think it was) appropriately reminded us that the season is a marathon, but damn, that was a big win.
The bullpen has been stout of late!
I think it’s late enough in the season to take a gander at what Philly is (not) doing against Greinke out west.
That liner was 106 MPH.
Camargo is the answer at third.
I’m glad that we were spared the fuego takes about Allard. I didn’t like what I saw, like everyone who has eye balls, but he’s going to have to learn to pitch with diminished velocity (if he’s going to), and it’s not going to happen being the long guy at age 20. Let him spend 20 more starts in AAA and leave him alone. Let Parsons play that role.
That was AWESOME.
Joe Simpson blows. I don’t enjoy that fact at all, but it’s true now, even if it didn’t used to be.
@99 yes he is, never to be doubted.
What a totally magnificent game to watch. And win.
Ender is back with a vengeance. Does Dansby realize the word is out on his at bats and they throw the first pitch hard down the middle, low, knowing he will take it which he does. Then sliders and such and he’s gone.
Biddle
Sean both terrific.Minter was lucky and has lost some confidence since Mets.
It must be maddening to be in your thirties/forties and thus hate Joe. At your age not everything about the human psyche is understandable yet.
For us it is. Why? Because when we were your age we screwed up so much and learned from it.
Ha.
By the way, can we un-ban Tad long enough for everybody to laugh in his face and then quickly re-ban him again?
Are you as embarrassed as I am by the contrast between Soto and Acuna? He’s younger, 19, hits from a solid base and at a guess strikes out half as much. Ozzie too, except he rolls over.
@102 I dunno, does everyone know that Albies is swinging at first pitch FB and throwing him either junk or straight changes?
We could treat TAD like Phil Collins and un-ban him for bad losing streaks. That’s what he’s good for.
@105–no
@105 Yes, it’s very annoying because it’s the gNats. I was going to post something snide earlier about possibly trading Acuna for Soto but I was OBE. If it helps, Soto rates out as worse than Acuna on defense. But Newk and Biddle figured him out and had him K three times. He’s got some regression coming when pitchers find his weak spot.
To be fair, Ozzie is swinging at first pitches, and second pitches, and third pitches, and…
@100 I agree. And I wouldn’t be concerned if it took another year. I mean 21 is way over the hill, huh….. 🙂 Right now, he looks a lot like how Sims ended up but he’s also got three more years before he’s really Sims.
To elaborate just a little, I’m pretty thrilled with Acuña and Albies. They both have areas in which they can improve, but my gosh they are awfully impressive at this age and stage of their careers.
Soto ‘s pretty impressive himself, of course.
I am in my 30s, and I grew up listening to Joe. But his love of the game has curdled and gotten progressively smaller, until he can see nothing good that does not fit his view of playing the right way, like a store brand Joe Morgan. He doesn’t teach anything about the game beyond his own shrunken sense of honor.
He used to be a decent color guy, when he worked with a good play by play guy. Now he doesn’t and he isn’t.
I’m almost as old as Joe himself, and I agree with everything Alex just said about him.
Soto right now is hitting better than any teenager in the history of baseball. So I’m not troubled by the fact that Acuna has not matched him to date. We’ll see who ends up on top in the long run, but it’s shaping up to be an interesting player rivalry for years to come.
Acuña is more than holding his own as an everyday player at age 20, and Albies has established himself as one of the premier second basemen in the league at age 21 and started the ASG.
@113
This is all about empathy isn’t it? Our generation places more value on it because we see in ourselves the decline that Joe radiates.
And I have another advantage over you! Because i know so much less about the game, I actually learn something from him every broadcast. Really!
One last thing. The informally dressed BP kerfuffle a week or so back. I support his basic stand, uniform over all these years is a precious part of the game. But he made a mistake in not noticing or ignoring the text that was on Utley’s shirt. That was unfortunate.
And then, get MLB extra innings and check the other guys out!
Good morning and great win against Scherzer.
Allard – it was just one game and for the first time ever, he had to come in in relief. That could not have been easy for him. Let’s not give up on him just yet. Give that man another few chances. Eventually we wanna trade him for JTR, so we better show him off a little…
@116 I agree. I am thrilled with the A Team. I just want to see us continue winning. These guys have a lot of resilience. Getting a split after that first performance shows a lot. There is no reason to believe they won’t be successful in the next couple of games.
On the other hand, the gNats are doing exactly what the Dodgers did – through lefties at us two days in a row. I hope Snit doesn’t get sentimental and start Inciarte when this will be the perfect opportunity to try and take advantage of Duvall. Fortunately, both lefties are hittable anyway, so I am very optimistic.
Note: Culberson is not hitting lefties this year so I hope Snit pays attention.
Bryce Harper
first showed us he’s twice sharper
then regresses to norm
the sulk, exquisite, so perfect for him to perform.
I feel like the Braves will have a new color analyst next season. I’m not anti-Chip like many but I do understand where a lot of the frustration comes from. Is Jim Powell still our radio guy? And if so do many think he would be better than Chip?
Jessie Biddle
off waivers and back in the middle
throws nothing but strikes
said Matt Adams, reverse splits?? Yikes!
Jim Powell is a radio guy through and through. I think he’s better than Chip but couldn’t see him on TV. That’s not an insult, either. I just think radio is his thing.
The Old Righthander and the Professor handled both booths well. Where are the announcers of yesteryear?
Newcomb’s proving to be a stud. Hope Foltzie can follow suit. Go Braves.
Did we all notice when the call went out from here yesterday for anyone still under thirty to stand up and be counted the silence was deafening?
We must draw the obvious conclusion. There ain’t none or rather, if there are, modesty compels them to stay in the shadows. Charmingly, their youthful vigor they do not wish to flout.
@126, ha, thought the same thing. Seems like there really are none?
EDWARD
We talked a lot yesterday about those of our blogging friends from here who for whatever reason gradually slip away and are heard from no more. A sad state of affairs we would all agree.
Hope you are well. Please make a noise and convince us. Your tart tongue is missed
‘Consider the Phillies in the field, as they grow. They field not neither do they spin and yet i say unto you Papelbon, with all the gory, was not displayed as one of these.’
@124 Understood. Well I guess I for one feel like Chip and Joe connect us back to Skip and crew and would in some ways hate to lose that connection. However, times change and maybe its time for something new.
Joe these days reminds me of the last days of Billy Packer. The curmudgeon act wears thin eventually. The 2012 WC game was the turning point for me and it’s just gone downhill from there. He’s really not a bad analyst but his personality has gotten harder and harder to take.
I agree he and the Braves probably will part ways this winter.
On a more positive note…what a great season this has been. I came hoping for a .500 type team who might still be in the WC discussion by end of June. Now here we are in a full fledge division race in almost mid-August! Baseball can be frustrating to watch but it’s always been my favorite sport and this team is fun with all the young talent and pulling for vets like Markakis. I just want to watch some Braves October baseball in whatever form that takes. Whether it’s a WC game or the LDS just get there!
I think Chip could be fine partnered with someone else.
Additionally, who says we have to have these two every night? It’s nice to have a crew that rotates in and out throughout the season.
@132 Since apparently we’re all old here…I’m sure you remember the days when they would rotate in the middle of a game. You might have Skip and Don for half a game and then they would go to radio and you’d get Pete and Ernie or whoever. That was fine by me.
@133. I love those days.
What bothers me about Chip is that he sticks too closely to the script. For example, whenever we play the Mets, I know we’re going to hear about how Brandon Nimmo’s folks converted a barn into a batting cage. With the Nats, it’s the story about the former pitching coach pondering how to get Freddie Freeman out. Same stories every time. Spread them out!
Chip is very good at summarizing a situation, however. A bit long-winded at times, but providing a concise summary of a complex situation or idea isn’t that easy.
I like the Chip and Paul Byrd combo in the booth. And even Chip’nJoe’nFrenchy is a not too bad a listen. I guess Joe needs a new partner once every decade to stay fresh? Kinda like a baseball announcer succubus….
What I was attempting to say in #135 is that Chip is adept at setting up the analyst.
I think Boog and Smoltz should be our announcing team.
I also think we have to get Camargo more ABs. He’s hitting better than Dansby and has earned some of his time.
Anybody for announcer except a bunch of sabermetrics-breathing stat heads who can’t miss an opportunity to call out advanced trends that will spell the end of winning (eventually, due to regression and his friends) just so they can have a shot at being right because they’re Smart™.
@126. I’m 31, and have been mostly lurking on BJ for the last four or so years. The quality of discussion on here is excellent, especially in comparison to TC or other blogs for the masses. Hence my lurking- I don’t want to muck up the discussion. (Sometimes I can’t help myself). Not only have I learned a lot more about baseball, the leadership/ frequent commenters are consistently funny, intelligent, and really add something to my rabid Braves consumption. I feel really lucky to have found it. It sucks to lose quality posters but sometimes life gets in the way. Granted I wasn’t around for the early days of BJ but this place is something to be proud of. I wouldn’t take every absent poster as a sign it’s gone bad.
Well, I just turned 30 in May, so…
Agreed. The leadership here has been and is currently excellent. My compliments to the chef.
Some of the recappers though are questionable. Esp. that old fart who does the Friday games.
I’m a huge Jim Powell fan. I think he could survive the transition to TV.
On the announcer situation, the Braves find themselves with Joe who has become stale, dated and the consummate “Get off my lawn” guy. I can’t imagine he has any appeal to a younger audience, and to boot he’s brought the organization some unnecessary embarrassment with his recent commentaries. He has been there a long time now, and is a member of the Braves HOF, so they won’t just run him off. My sense is they will work other guys into the picture more and more, and either settle on a guy like Frenchie or Paul Byrd as they slowly ease Joe out to retirement.
I’ve been a BJ reader and rare commenter for probably 15 years. I too find the discussion here to be excellent and have learned a lot about scouting, roster management and contracts. It’s always better when the Braves are winning, and they have for the most part. I’m enjoying this season as much as any in 20 years due to the combination of winning and the promise of all the youthful talent we are seeing.
@130
I think that’s a very good analogy. It’s also apt because, if he continues down this path, he’s likely to stumble his way into a bear trap that he can’t extricate himself from.
For the record, I don’t think his comments on Soto were really worth all the fuss, and Mike Rizzo getting all pissed about it is pretty funny (and classic Nats BTW), especially since I guarantee that Rizzo has no freaking idea whether Soto is actually 19 or not.
And had Simpson said that yesterday without stumbling his way into the Dodgers/Utley mess last week, I don’t think anyone would’ve noticed. But he did stumble into that, so a bunch of folks are now paying attention to what he’s saying. So every time he pops off about something, however offhandedly, we’re gonna get this.
And as you know, he offhandedly pops off frequently.
I never really was upset about what he said during the infield fly game. Nothing he said during that game was inaccurate, and if you’re interested in finding a broadcaster who’d be A-OK with fans causing a 15-minute delay by throwing garbage on the field, you’re gonna be looking for awhile.
The real issue is what AAR said yesterday. He’s turning into a proto-Joe Morgan. He seems to spend so much time finding seemingly minor things to get upset about with a game that he hasn’t played in 35 years that he barely has time for anything else.
It’s sad, as he and Don Sutton are all that’s left of the old guard that I grew up with. Nobody’s said anything about what’s going on with Sutton all year, but I think it’s pretty clear that there’s something going on with him healthwise, so it wouldn’t be super surprising if he left the Braves radio job soon. And now with Simpson repeatedly triggering land mines, who knows what’s gonna happen with him?
I found this site when I was 18 or 19 and it’s been a daily read (or multiple times daily) since. I am 33 now.
Both the tv and radio booths suffer from both guys being on the same side of almost every baseball discussion/debate. There’s real point/counterpoint discussion to be had about advanced metrics, extreme shifts, bullpen-focused pitching rosters, etc etc. Our guys all take the old-school stance. Color guys waxes poetic about the old days, play by play guy plays the sycophant and kisses up to him. It’s just not entertaining. Could easily be a lot better. You have to point to the whole production though, not just the announcing teams.
Hambone @140
Don’t not post much here for fear of interrupting the discussion. We welcome anybody, any time, more the merrier.
Is Sutton still working broadcasts? I really liked Don when I was last able to watch regularly on TBS. Don was always very even and humble in his commentary. I would also love to see Smoltzie more too – he has the gift of gab. I’d love to hear Smoltz talk about how bad a hitter our pitchers are.
I like Palmer on O’s broadcasts because he’s always very sure of himself. I can take guys like him griping about pitchers not completing games when he used to pitch 300 innings per year. It’s amusing hearing him quote Weaver when I know that they went round and round for years.
Reminds me of the story about Dizzy Dean when he was an announcer for the pitiful St. Louis Browns teams (an obviously rather colorful announcer). He was on the radio ragging on how awful the Browns pitchers were until they challenged him to do better. He came down from the booth, signed something like a one day contract, started a game – six years after he retired, and pitched four shutout innings. And he singled in his only AB. From Wikipedia,
“Rounding first base, he pulled his hamstring. Returning to the broadcast booth at the end of the game, he said, “I said I can pitch better than nine of the ten guys on the staff, and I can. But I’m done. Talking’s my game now, and I’m just glad that muscle I pulled wasn’t in my throat.””
Of course, the Browns lost the game.
That’s the kind of color man we need.
@150 Joe could do that. And he’d pull his hammy The Right Way. 🙂
I discovered Braves Journal in like 2003 or 2004. I think Stu, the original Alex, ububa
(anyone seen him lately?) and a few others were here.
Best bar in town
Same here Smitty, must have been around that time since I remember I found it when I lived in London for a few years back then. I actually do remember my first ever post and how I got told off that it was stupid. I don’t remember who gave me shit – and I don’t think Sam was around back then. Learned so much from all the regulars – especially about sabermetrics in the early years. Best place ever.
And yes, I miss ububba and I am a witness of every haircut you ever got since the early 2000’s, Smitty.
Me, too — I got here in 2004 or 2005, never left.
2003 or 2004. I moved to Pensacola from Atlanta in 2002, and Braves Journal made the transition much easier. Fortunately, I could listen to the games on the radio. I’ve learned so much from the guys on the board. Can’t thank you enough!
I found this place way back before everyone had twitter and trade news or other very specific team news (like minor league stuff) was hard to come by. This place always seemed to break news sooner than any other place. It made me look like a genius to my other Braves friends who didn’t know about this place. If you want to reminisce about the good ole days of BJ, this site is still up (amazingly).
I’ve lurked here since maybe 2010 or so. Love the baseball talk and knowledge displayed by posters. It can also be hilarious. I like that most posters seem to be a little older. I grew up watching TBS with my grandparents and Skip, Pete and Ernie were just like part of the family that came to visit and talk baseball every night. Didn’t matter how bad the Braves sucked back then, sometimes we watched just to see what dry humor Skip might have or baseball insight Pete might provide. Then when 1991 happened it was so much more special to hear those guys get just as excited as we were. I would give a lot to be back in my grandparents living room in 1995 watching Grissom catch that last out…great times.
Remember when BB Abbott use to post here and he got Chipper to answer questions? That was great!
@156. lol at the main topic of conversation being Joe Simpson’s dumb commentary.
Recap up.