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Official 2011 Atlanta Braves Thread

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  • melvin289melvin289 Posts: 3,019


    << <i>Well, you've still got two shots at us before the All Star break.

    I'd wish your team "good luck", but you'd know I wouldn't mean it. image >>



    My compliments to you for your honesty. May I wish y'all the best of luck too. I made this statement either earlier in this thread or in another thread but no matter how hard I try I just can't hate the Phils. Class organization. I hated the Dodgers when the Braves were part of the NL West. I wasn't real fond of the Mets when the Braves became part of the NL East and it's getting to be more than not real fond. The Phils though, well if they beat up on us enough I might learn to dislike them but as for now they are kind of a bur under the saddle.

    Ron
    Collect for the love of the hobby, the beauty of the coins, and enjoy the ride.
  • stevekstevek Posts: 28,697 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Well we pulled off a 4 to 1 win Saturday. The rubber match is tomorrow at 1 PM EDT. May the best team win.

    Ron >>



    Nice win for ya today. I thought for sure the Phillies would win today off that adrenaline rush walkoff home run. Oh well...

    Should be a good game tomorrow - and yes...may the best team win. image
  • mcadamsmcadams Posts: 2,618 ✭✭✭
    Two extra inning games in a row with your division rival. Its not supposed to be this good in July...
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  • stevekstevek Posts: 28,697 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Phillies leading the game by a touchdown. image
  • stevekstevek Posts: 28,697 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Phillies fans at the game mocking the Braves fans Tomahawk Chop.....

    .....come on now...ya gotta love it. image
  • stevekstevek Posts: 28,697 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Did I just hear a pin drop in this thread?
  • melvin289melvin289 Posts: 3,019
    I don't have access to a computer away from work and just got here. I'm embarrased to say the least. To sit there and listen to the announcers say that Fredi was resting his bullpen. He rested them the last time we played the Phils and he brought up some kid from Gwinette, that no one ever heard of, to pitch to NL East leaders. My God, I hope they are plenty rested to sit at home in October and watch the freaking playoffs. What in the name of heaven was Fredi thinking. Bobby sat and picked his nose. Fredi don't even do that. They are athletes and I do believe they can pitch when the chips are down. Had he pulled Hansen when Heyward was on second for a pinch hitter it at least might have gotten something going. When he finally pulled Hansen for a pinch hitter it was some kid from Gwinette with an .050 batting average that was 1 for 20 at the plate. I don't understand.

    Ron

    Edited to add: I must have been upset. Hansen didn't pitch that day, Lowe did, and not very well at that. The only problem was the bullpen pitched worse.
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  • stevekstevek Posts: 28,697 ✭✭✭✭✭
    ahh...the Braves will be fine, and they've been playing good ball...every team goes through this every now and then when the other team just goes on a feeding freenzy...it's only one loss.
  • melvin289melvin289 Posts: 3,019


    << <i>ahh...the Braves will be fine, and they've been playing good ball...every team goes through this every now and then when the other team just goes on a feeding freenzy...it's only one loss. >>



    Stevek it was a stupid loss. Wouldn't have been so bad if it was a close loss. Fredi acts like these games in July don't matter. When September rolls around they start fretting and wondering what they can do. Not just the Braves, but most teams. I have heard it said that there is no game where loosing means as little as it does in baseball. If you watch the loses in mid-summer you don't have as much to worry about in the fall.

    How would you have felt had the shoe been on the other foot and your manager just sat there with his thumb up his #### and acted like nothing was wrong?

    Ron



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  • melvin289melvin289 Posts: 3,019
    Now that the All-Star Game is over I hope Fredi Gonzalez feels his pitchers and bullpen have gotten enough rest. If not I can take him to Bum's Corner and he can maybe get a few wineos to come pitch in important games. We sure would hate for our multi-million dollar piching staff to over extend itself. I'm still upset with his decision to bring in AAA players to pitch against the Phils in 2 very important series because his bull pen needs rest.

    Ron

    image
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  • Can someone please tell me why we still have Derek Lowe???? Are we stuck with him, to hard to move him? Couldn't they trade for anybody half his age with upside, or bring someone up? So what if they are green behind the ears, they can only get better, when he can't? So whats the dif?
  • HallcoHallco Posts: 3,641 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Lowe's not going anywhere. We did pay too much for his services I think. He's probably going to retire after his contract with the Braves is up.He's a pitcher who flirts with moments of greatness and then gets shelled the next time he pitches. BUT...he's a veteran who wins 12-14 games a year and ERA hovers around 4. And at least he's not as bad as Kawakami! imageimage
  • melvin289melvin289 Posts: 3,019


    << <i>Lowe's not going anywhere. We did pay too much for his services I think. He's probably going to retire after his contract with the Braves is up.He's a pitcher who flirts with moments of greatness and then gets shelled the next time he pitches. BUT...he's a veteran who wins 12-14 games a year and ERA hovers around 4. And at least he's not as bad as Kawakami! imageimage >>



    Hallco be careful when evoking the name Kawakami. He's still out there somewhere and he might be back. If the Braves had had even half the 10 games he lost last year back, they would have been NL East champs instead of the wildcard.

    Ron
    Collect for the love of the hobby, the beauty of the coins, and enjoy the ride.
  • stevekstevek Posts: 28,697 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Phillies have the best record in MLB, and yet only a 3.5 game lead. Will your team please quit so I can relax a little bit?

    Thank you.
  • GootGoot Posts: 3,496
    I was at the game today! What a walk off by Freeman after they walked McCann to get to him.

    image
  • melvin289melvin289 Posts: 3,019


    << <i>I was at the game today! What a walk off by Freeman after they walked McCann to get to him.

    image >>



    One heck of a finish Goot. I work nights and stayed up Sunday morning to watch the British Open. I wasn't going to be able to watch the Braves also. Woke up Sunday afternoon and went for something to drink and a cigarette. Turned the TV on and it was the Braves half of the 9th. Now that was a great finish. Too bad the Phils also won Sunday's game.

    Ron
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  • melvin289melvin289 Posts: 3,019
    Here it is monday night and the Braves beat the Rockies while the Phils lost to the Cubbies. I believe the Braves are 2½ back now.

    image

    Ron
    Collect for the love of the hobby, the beauty of the coins, and enjoy the ride.
  • melvin289melvin289 Posts: 3,019
    Tuesday night. I think the Braves need to take Gearrin and Proctor and send them to the cornfield or where ever they sent Kawakame lest the braves revert back to their pre 1991 state. 12 to 3 loss to the Rockies. Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!! Where's the sack cloth and ashes?

    Ron

    Edited to add: I do believe we live and die a little each day with the fortunes of our respective teams.
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  • dp
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  • << <i>

    << <i>Lowe's not going anywhere. We did pay too much for his services I think. He's probably going to retire after his contract with the Braves is up.He's a pitcher who flirts with moments of greatness and then gets shelled the next time he pitches. BUT...he's a veteran who wins 12-14 games a year and ERA hovers around 4. And at least he's not as bad as Kawakami! imageimage >>



    Hallco be careful when evoking the name Kawakami. He's still out there somewhere and he might be back. If the Braves had had even half the 10 games he lost last year back, they would have been NL East champs instead of the wildcard.

    Ron >>



    kawakami didnt pitch that bad really. Just horrible run support.
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  • HallcoHallco Posts: 3,641 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I can understand Gearrin struggling. He is a young player trying to get his feet wet in the show. But Proctor has been around for a while. I honestly don't see how he is even still in the big leagues, he's awful. I guess teams need a guy like that to bring in when the game is out of reach. Tonight should be better(fingers crossed!) image
  • melvin289melvin289 Posts: 3,019
    Water, I need water. They are killing me. I die a little each time they lose.

    Ron
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  • melvin289melvin289 Posts: 3,019
    Friday 7/22/11-

    The Braves won tonight 6 to 4 on a top of the 9th PH 2 run homer by Dan Uggla. This put his consecutive game hit streak at 12 games which ties his personal best. Kimbrel closed out the game in the Bottom of the 9th for the Braves. Too bad the Phils also won today. They just won't go away. It's about time for them to have a little loosing streak. They seem to have been awful lucky all year long and are over due. The Braves remain 4 back of the Phils but things will get better.

    I remember the old days when they were bad, I mean bad. I think it was actually more fun then. You went to the game and enjoyed the game for the sake of the game. If the Braves won it was a plus. Now we expect them to win.

    I looked it up on the Braves Minor League web site. Kawakami is playing for the Mississippi Braves and currently on the 7 day disabled list.
    Mississippi is too close to Atlanta for comfort, they might call him back up to give away a few games.

    Ron
    Collect for the love of the hobby, the beauty of the coins, and enjoy the ride.
  • mcadamsmcadams Posts: 2,618 ✭✭✭
    I can't imagine they'd call up Kawakami under ANY circumstances. As much as I love Bobby Cox, I still fault him for allowing Kawakami to continue to pitch last seaason as far into the season as he did.
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  • I don't care how many wins Lowe gets!! He's outta here!!!! Dump him!!!!! For anything!!!
  • HallcoHallco Posts: 3,641 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Read my previous comments regarding Proctor!!!! imageimage Completely unacceptable Frank Wren!!!!! image
  • mcadamsmcadams Posts: 2,618 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I don't care how many wins Lowe gets!! He's outta here!!!! Dump him!!!!! For anything!!! >>



    Lowe won't get another contract in Atlanta. His next deal will likely be a $7 - $10m per year short-term contract, but he won't get anything close to the $15m/per that he has now in Atlanta. His spot will be filled in the rotation by Julio Teheran, who is almost MLB ready today.

    That being said, I am overall not too disappointed with Lowe's contributions as a Brave. He's had his ups and downs and was a little bit overpaid, but he's surely had his share of great outings over the past 4 years and I'm not complaining about him.
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  • << <i>

    << <i>I don't care how many wins Lowe gets!! He's outta here!!!! Dump him!!!!! For anything!!! >>



    Lowe won't get another contract in Atlanta. His next deal will likely be a $7 - $10m per year short-term contract, but he won't get anything close to the $15m/per that he has now in Atlanta. His spot will be filled in the rotation by Julio Teheran, who is almost MLB ready today.

    That being said, I am overall not too disappointed with Lowe's contributions as a Brave. He's had his ups and downs and was a little bit overpaid, but he's surely had his share of great outings over the past 4 years and I'm not complaining about him. >>




    Thanks for the update on Teheran. I don't hate Lowe. Its just the amount he is paid for lack of better play. Yes, he has had good games. But last 2 years, he has just killed me with certain games he has blown. Its so frustrating. If we can hold on and make the playoffs, I just have a real bad feeling he'll blow an important game. Hope I'm wrong.
  • melvin289melvin289 Posts: 3,019
    They're killing me I tell you, just flat out killing me. Come September they will be in a pinch to win so many games out of so many remaining games to be played. If they worried about that now, they wouldn't have to worry come September. I watch while they lose and complain, Fredi just watches. At least Bobby Cox picked his nose, Fredi don't even do that. He'll have a thought in a few days and say his bullpen is tired and bring up all these minor league pitchers to lose more games. Either that or he'll bring in Proctor and Gearrin a few more times. Where in heaven's name did they find Fredi? I know the Braves can't win every game but they make some stupid losses.

    Ron
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  • stevekstevek Posts: 28,697 ✭✭✭✭✭
    in the 17th inning - two games for the price of one. LOL
  • stevekstevek Posts: 28,697 ✭✭✭✭✭
    up to 19 innings...this is exactly why a time clock is needed in baseball.


    image
  • melvin289melvin289 Posts: 3,019
    Well they finally won the game but we won't talk about the circumstances.

    Ron

    image
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  • gemintgemint Posts: 6,098 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That was the most pathetic call I've ever seen in any sport. What a shame that such a great game ends on a call like that.
  • melvin289melvin289 Posts: 3,019


    << <i>That was the most pathetic call I've ever seen in any sport. What a shame that such a great game ends on a call like that. >>



    I remember Kent Hrbek picking up an Atlanta runner Ron Gant in the '91 World Series and the Atlanta player was called out. I don't think anyone saw the infraction but me. I know the umpires didn't, and in a world series there are 6 in each game. The absolute worst call I ever saw in baseball.

    Ron

    Edited to add:

    I'm at work and did not see any of the game past the 7th inning. A friend called me at work and said to be sure and watch Sports Center in the morning to see the end of the Braves' Game. He said the umpire missed the call big time. The Braves batters had been questioning the home plate umpire's calls on strikes all night long. Apparently he was off on his judgement, having a bad day, or just being a bung. Bad calls are a part of the game and even though we don't like for our team to win on a bad call, it's better than losing on a bad call.
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  • stevekstevek Posts: 28,697 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Well they finally won the game but we won't talk about the circumstances.

    Ron

    image >>



    I watched it live on TV. Of course I'm rooting against the Braves so I wasn't happy either with the call. Everybody knew the runner was out, including the umpire...I think the length of the game had something to do with the call with the ump wanting to get the game over with...but in any event, the ump needs to be discliplined or preferably fired...in my opinion it wasn't an accidental bad call, it was an intentional bad call.
  • jdip9jdip9 Posts: 1,895 ✭✭✭
    <<<in my opinion it wasn't an accidental bad call, it was an intentional bad call.>>>

    No doubt it was a bad call, but I wouldn't go that far. In real time, I could see how the ump thought the catcher missed on a sweep tag. 99% of the umps in that situation would call him out just because the ball beat the runner. I give the ump credit for trying to evaluate the play, rather than make a robotic call. He just blew it.

    For me, the most amazing part of that whole play was the fact that Julio Lugo was involved. I cannot believe that guy is still on a major league roster.
  • stevekstevek Posts: 28,697 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i><<<in my opinion it wasn't an accidental bad call, it was an intentional bad call.>>>

    No doubt it was a bad call, but I wouldn't go that far. In real time, I could see how the ump thought the catcher missed on a sweep tag. 99% of the umps in that situation would call him out just because the ball beat the runner. I give the ump credit for trying to evaluate the play, rather than make a robotic call. He just blew it.

    For me, the most amazing part of that whole play was the fact that Julio Lugo was involved. I cannot believe that guy is still on a major league roster. >>



    I understand your comments, and ya rarely if ever see stuff like that on a MLB level of which I made my remark. However I have played a lot of baseball, and I have seen umps do that, make intentional bad calls, in situations of possible rain, darkness coming, or long extra innings whereby it was obvious the ump wanted to get the game over with. For example, say it's a close play at first base, the runner is going to be called out and everyone knows it...and a number of times the umps will even clearly say to the batters "If it's anywhere close I'm gonna call it a strike." But even on a Little League and High School level, I've never seen an ump make a game ending obvious blatant error like that.

    Whatever are the circumstances, and only a polygraph test would determine the umps thought process in the call, and that ain't gonna happen, I still definitively say that ump needs to be severly disciplined or fired - ya can't have crap like that happen on a MLB level.
  • gemintgemint Posts: 6,098 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i><<<in my opinion it wasn't an accidental bad call, it was an intentional bad call.>>>

    No doubt it was a bad call, but I wouldn't go that far. In real time, I could see how the ump thought the catcher missed on a sweep tag. 99% of the umps in that situation would call him out just because the ball beat the runner. I give the ump credit for trying to evaluate the play, rather than make a robotic call. He just blew it.

    For me, the most amazing part of that whole play was the fact that Julio Lugo was involved. I cannot believe that guy is still on a major league roster. >>



    I think on a play that important and when the ball beats the runner by that much, you HAVE to see a gap between the mitt and the runner before calling him safe. Since the catcher clearly swiped the knee, there's no way the ump could have seen a missed swipe.
  • JeremyDie1JeremyDie1 Posts: 2,383 ✭✭✭
    That was no doubt intentional call in my opinion. Even in real time,with the angle the ump had it was not even near being close to being safe. The ump should be fined. video replay
  • HallcoHallco Posts: 3,641 ✭✭✭✭✭
    New night....new game....but still a tie game going to the top of the 10th!!!! image I will NOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT be staying up until 2pm again tonight unless my wife keeps me up!!! image
  • melvin289melvin289 Posts: 3,019
    I'll be up for the duration but only because I'm at work. I'll be trying to keep up with the score on the internet. Inside the building I work in an AM radio will not pick up too well, especially a Charlotte radio station, 20 some miles away.

    Ron
    Collect for the love of the hobby, the beauty of the coins, and enjoy the ride.
  • melvin289melvin289 Posts: 3,019
    Well the Braves won the game in the 10th by a score of 2 to 1 and the Phils lost to somebody somewhere by a score of something to something else. Sorry I'm not more informed tonight but such is life.

    Ron
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  • melvin289melvin289 Posts: 3,019
    Here it is Thursday night and the Braves lost to the Pirates but the Phils lost too. So, nothing ventured, nothing gained. The only good point is nothing was lost either, by that I mean in the standings. Each day during the summer months I live and die a little with the Braves. I need to get a life.

    Ron
    Collect for the love of the hobby, the beauty of the coins, and enjoy the ride.
  • HallcoHallco Posts: 3,641 ✭✭✭✭✭
    BEACHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! image
  • melvin289melvin289 Posts: 3,019


    << <i>BEACHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! image >>



    The only problem today is the Phils won too. I swear they just won't play pretty and go away.
    When I was a wee little melvin289 my mother used to tell my brother, my sister, and me to play pretty or she would put us in separate rooms.

    Ron
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  • HallcoHallco Posts: 3,641 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Hate to see Schafer go since I have kind of followed his development with the Braves, but I like the Bourn trade!!! image
  • mcadamsmcadams Posts: 2,618 ✭✭✭
    I have mixed feelings. I very much believe that Schaefer has bigger upside than Bourn over the long run, but Bourn is the better player today and Wren is running the club to win today. Bourn is a TRUE leader hitter and it will be great to finally have some speed at the top of the lineup (Bourn has 39 SB already). The biggest downside to Bourne IMO is that he strikes out 2X for everytime he walks, which weighs down his OBP. He doesn't have what I consider to be great eyes for the strike zone. But he's hitting .300+ and will certainly be an upgrade for the remainder of the season. With all the power the Braves have in the middle of the lineup now, Bourn will be a great table setter.
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  • Hope they did not give up too much, looks like some pretty good prospects. A Boras client to top it off with and arbitration eligible to boot. Did need a leadoff hitter and he fits the bill, I would rather have given Schaefer more time to develop, or gotten Pence.
  • mcadamsmcadams Posts: 2,618 ✭✭✭
    The guys sent to Houston are not high quality or on the verge of joining the big league clubs, as far as I know. Everyone who deals with the Braves this year either wants Mike Minor, Brandon Beachy, Arodyz Vizciano, or Julio Teheran. As long as all 4 of those arms are still Braves, i don't really care who else they dealt.
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  • melvin289melvin289 Posts: 3,019
    I feel in trading Schaefer for whomever this guy Bourn is the Braves are trading the future for the past to do something for the present. I hope it works out. Schaefer to me looked like a good young up and coming prospect but what do I know?

    Ron
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