As Yogi Berra said, “Predictions are hard, especially about the future.†(Like so many Yogi Berra quotes, he didn’t actually make this one, which appears to be an old Danish saying. And as Damon Runyon actually said, betting against someone’s prediction is a good way to get an earful of cider. (Just Google “earful of cider†if you’re confused.)
And as hard as it can be to predict the future when there is actually some rational process by which a prediction can be made, some things are sufficiently random that almost any prediction has a reasonable shot.
Predicting baseball outcomes are hard; predicting spring training outcomes are impossible, particularly at the beginning of spring training when nobody even knows who’s going to play. So, to prove me wrong, we have a contest! The rules are simple:
Follow the Rules Like Good Schoolchildren for this Spring Training Contest
Name three Braves (not necessarily on the 40 man) numbered 1 through 3. The first Brave to hit a home run in spring training listed as the #1 player on at least one entry will win a Braves Journal t-shirt for the entrant. If more than one person submits that player at #1, the contest continues for all such entrants until a Brave listed at #2 hits a home run in spring training. If necessary, we will go to the #3 player.
All entries must be unique to ensure a winner. First posted, first served. (Note that only one player, or the order of players need be different to qualify as a different entry.) All entries must be submitted by February 15th. We’ll post a complete list of entries then (without posting email addresses.) The winner will be notified by email. Snit is not eligible to enter, but anybody else can…. I’d love to see RAJ’s entry.
In the case of split squad games, there may be some question as to when a particular homer was hit. (The first SS game is February 28th, so we’ll probably have a winner by then.) The opinion of the judges, while free to be ridiculed, is final.
Let’s have some fun, shall we?
1.Albeis
2.ozuna
3.Acuna Jr
1.Acuna
2.Freeman
3.Ozuna
Contrition
if you put me in this position
you won’t find it here
those trash cans, how apropos, just what they appear.
KR gets the scoop, TV the sit down. MLBtv this evening, 6pm, in full, FWIW.
Hinch
a cinch
for LVP
the Gods might agree.
D’arnaud
Albies
Dansby
Quadratic Equations
might be particularly useful for certain occasions
when words fail the writer
flamboyant for sure, not necessarily brighter.
Duvall
Riley
Albies
Riley
Camargo
Acuna
Dansby
Hech
Ozuna
Riley
Ozuna
Flowers
Flowers
Freeman
Acuna
Camargo
Albies
Acuña jr
Yonder Alonso
Acuña
Freeman
Love seeing the mix of regulars and some from other media outlets. Y’all come back. We don’t bite.
Hard.
Alex Jackson
Riley
Acuna
Ozuna
Acuña
Swanson
Pache
Waters
Albies
Riley
Acuna
Camargo
With apologies to Rusty who stole my first idea……. lol
@18 – lol. Except for @1 and @2, we might all be wildly overthinking this.
Inciarte
Camargo
Flowers
Yonder
Yangervis
Ortega
Freeman
Acuna
Dansby
I would note that with 17 entries so far, every nonpitcher on the 40 man has been taken at least once other than Contreras and Markakis.
Time for Nick to silence his critics.
I’m probably not allowed an entry, so I’ll go with
Lindor
Langeliers
Culberson
If that wins, you have to admit my prediction skills are pretty amazing.
I was thinking the same thing about mine!
Freeman
Ozuna
Acuna
Roger Kahn just passed away. The Brooklyn Dodgers are dead; long live the Brooklyn Dodgers.
My bums.
Riley
Dansby
Acuna
Riley
Duvall
Camargo
Ozuna
Riley
D’Arnaud
10 for 10’s discussion:
Who are the best Braves bench players of the 2010’s? Who gave us the biggest moments? Reply with video and comment.
Note: Longtime Braves Journal reader and lurker Jonathan Hyde is in the front row where the ball landed jumping hysterically.
The Betts trade dying would be just wonderful.
Since it’s 2020, we are going to give it a shot on re-doing the 44 Best Atlanta Braves and Worst (number unknown). If you are interested in submitting a private list to me via email so we can tally up the votes and create a list, send me an email. I’d like to get 50 participants.
Oh Lordy, MLB Network has a special on the 80’s Cardinals. About how they changed the game and played “Whitey-ball” and all that crap. And they spend about 15 minutes of an hour show on the ’82 NLCS and WS. I learned something I didn’t remember, Knucksie was one out away from not being rained out (what a fix!). And I remembered why I hated those Cardinals so much even though they had some very admirable players (very hard to dislike Ozzie Smith). But still, the Cardinals became a “thing” by beating the Braves in 82. Ugh….
When I say I prefer getting to the playoffs every year instead of winning only one WS, this is why. The Braves went to the playoffs this one time between ’69 and ’91. And we were beaten by rain. And the team that beat us has become a historical meme. For all of you younger guys, being a fan and demanding perfection is so much easier since the 90s. Before that, mere competence was a huge deal.
I love this team and I love what the rebuild gave us.
What’s worse is that a lot of those Cardinals later became Braves when they were no longer Cardinals – Lonnie Smith, Sutter, Pendleton, Oberkfell.
Keith Hernandez says, “we were the better team”. Oberkfell says, “They had no left-handed pitchers.
We knew if we could just get past Niekro, we’d win”.
I loved that team. Niekro, Murph, Horner, Chambliss, Butler. That was a great team. They deserved better.
For all of your griping about trading Simba (and it should not have been made, of course), the Butler/Jacoby for Len Barker trade was way worse…..
New thread.
https://bravesjournal.mystagingwebsite.com/2020/02/09/atlanta-braves-bench-best-of-the-10-for-10s/
Nick M.
Acuña
Riley
Shea Langeliers hit the first HR today.