Freddy Ballgame
It’s been a while since there was a genuine troll here at Braves Journal. Freddy Ballgame showed promise a few days ago, but since his initial salvo, which started so accurately with “What pretentious bastards,” I’ve heard nothing. I’m not trying to poke the bear or anything, but is that really the best you got? Let’s stop relitigating trades fron three years ago and get down to Internet sniping like everybody else. I warn you though: you need to be more annoying than the Braves’ performance this year before you have a chance to join the Pantheon of blazon and IHeartEmmaStone and Coach, and that’s a pretty steep climb.
Catching Marlin
Catching the Marlins in the standings is a reasonable goal for the remainder of the season. We started tonight 9 games back and ended 8 games back, but it looked pretty grim after 5 innings with the Marlins ahead 6-2. The Executioner followed up his cromulent Braves start with a crapulous second outing. (Yes, Freddy…. I know “crapulous” actually means “drunk,” but “cromulent” isn’t really even a word.) He threw around 100 pitches (good!) but a five-run fifth is not what you want from anybody,
The comback was led by Drake Baldwin, who hit two homers and knocked in 5 of the Braves’ 8 runs. The last (insurance) run was scored by just-called-up Jonathan Ornelas, substituting for the once-again-injured Riley. (Actually, Ornelas replaced the dinged-up Alvarez who replaced the recuperating Riley.) I know Freddy wants to think that I make these recaps all about me, but it gets confusing when if the Braves playing people with my first name.
Raisel Iglesias pitched a perfect 9th, for those of you keeping count.
The next three days’ starters are Bryce Elder, Erick Fedde and Joey Wentz. The three of them combined have a career fWAR of 2.9, and that includes Feddes’ 2024 of 5.6. Freddy: how can you say I’m not supporting the team when I expect at least two wins out of these three against a team 8 games higher in the standings?
How utterly shallow. Calling me out like this. I never saw any responses so I haven’t been back. It’s priggish behavior like this that ran me out of online Braves fan groups a decade or two back. When your emphasis is on your own efforts to be smarmy or feel above it all, you lose me. The Braves are having a disappointing season. That’s nothing new in baseball. Just look at the Twins. Constantly talking down about the team, as if you’re some sort of all-knowing, all-seeing expert only adds to the bad. It isn’t worth my time to get involved in childish arguments.
If you are a Braves fan, start acting like it. Leave the shallow, attacking to the asshats on the tube.
Freddy_Ballgame
Freddy: I thought this recap was upbeat, albeit upbeat in what we agree is a down year. I’ll make you an offer: Recap the game on Friday or Saturday to show me how it ought to be done… your choice. Deal?
I dunno. I thought it was a pretty tame and good-natured response to being called a pretentious bastard. Don’t act all indignant now. A few people replied to you on that post and none of it was nasty. Lighten up and develop some self-awareness.
You can have Sunday too.
The problem is not with being overly critical or overly positive, although I must admit that overly critical gets on my nerves at times. Atlanta has had a rough season and it’s been a combination of underperforming, questionable front office decisions, injuries, and bad luck. The reasons behind or severity of the issues are where we disagree.
The reason this blog is successful is because some really smart baseball people and passionate fans can generally lay out why they believe what they believe in a respectful manner. I haven’t seen a lot of pretentiousness or people just trying to stir up controversy like I see in other blogs. The problem comes with the name calling and vitriol towards others on the blog. As long as you keep things respectful, you will have a voice and you will likely learn something along the way. I know I have. Thanks to all the recappers who help set the tone and make this a great blog.
Exactly that, Td. I joined this blog, I think, over twenty years ago when I thought starting pitcher’s wins and hitters BA were the most important stats. I learned so much more about baseball than I ever could have anywhere else. And the best thing, there are and have been some really great folks running this blog, recapping and commenting. Best place on the web. Go Braves.
I’ll admit to occasional pretentiousness (perhaps more than i admit to myself) and every now and then I’ve acted in ways that deserve the charge of “bastard.” But I will second td and timo and stampton about the civility and intelligence of this blog. Civility and intelligence are increasingly rare, especially on the internet, and it’s worth celebrating a place like this that embodies both.
Here, here!
Honestly, it is the re-caps that have kept this awful season in perspective and also entertaining. The re-caps are more interesting than the game many times and some really smart people put a lot of work into what they write. I, for one, am very appreciative of Jonathan F, AAR, Tfloyd, etc. for the work they do to make us smile during a dismal down year. Thank you for all you do!
I did like “pretentious bastard.”
He gets me.
But sadly, I put my pom-poms away awhile ago…
I think we gots us a sock puppet.
But since there’s no real drama on the field, I’ll take it here in the comments. Bring it Freddy. And don’t fake the funk on a nasty dunk.
Hey, we need the clicks.
Wasn’t IHeartEmmaStone the guy who was always trolling about Francoeur being this awesome player back when Mac was always posting about how much he hated him?
I completely forgot about Coach. Blazon was more recent.
Coach, forgot about him. Knew his stuff but was not a nice chap.
No way Elder can be on this team in 2026. Not even AAA depth.
I mean he’ll give you a good start or two and make you think he’s turned a corner….just too reliant on babip.
Worries me to see a lot of prospects in the braves system that seem to have Elder-like fastballs.