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Atlanta Braves 2007: The Return to Glory and the Loss of a Jones

post #1 of 97
3/23/07 at 11:58am
Thread Starter 
For the first time in my life I am a season ticket holder. On top of that is Direct TV's Superfan package, which means I will be to baseball as whores are to dicksuck. Here I will document the trials and tribs and hopefully there'll be some decent Braves discussion in here.

First bits of business:

Nick as Braves Commish #1:

Trade Saltalamacchia and Kyle Davies ASAP. Get value while there is some. No need for a catcher with McCann signed for eternity.
Martin Prado needs to the be starting 2nd bagger. Kelly Johnson ain't the answer.
Rocco Baldelli is needed. Make the deal. MAKE THE DEAL.
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post #2 of 97
3/23/07 at 12:22pm
Is this the thread where I get to bitch about MLB Extra Innings moving to DirecTV?
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post #3 of 97
3/23/07 at 12:26pm
That McCann signing was absolutely outstanding. He'd have gotten twice that on the open market in a couple of years. Easily.

I'm in agreement 100% on Davies and Salty. Not Baldelli, though. The guy can play, sure, but he's always hurt. Hell, the season hasn't started and he's already hurting. I could probably be talked into the right deal, but I'm not that high on it at the moment.

Anyway, I'm excited about this season. The offense should be adequate (or better if the Thorman/Diaz/Wilson/Langy 1B/OF platoon produces), the starting pitching (even with its question marks) is still probably the best top-to-bottom in the division, and the bullpen looks to be outstanding.

Every team in the East is flawed this year, with the Nats being a joke, the Fish being another year or two away, the Mets having very little healthy starters, and the Phils being the Phils. I think the Braves have enough to start a new streak. Here's to hoping.
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post #4 of 97
3/23/07 at 12:39pm
I might actually buy a Braves cap if they sign somebody named Rocco.
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post #5 of 97
3/23/07 at 1:49pm
Good luck during the season, the NL East looks pretty good this year. I still think the Mets are the best team in that division though even with a shaky starting pitching staff, but their offensive power is till tops in the national league. I am a biased Met fan though so take what I say with a grain of salt
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post #6 of 97
3/23/07 at 1:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob Rocco
I might actually buy a Braves cap if they sign somebody named Rocco.
There are plenty of D-Ray hats around, you know...
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post #7 of 97
3/23/07 at 3:20pm
I'm a bit more bullish on the Mets starting rotation than most, leaving myself far more concerned with their bullpen, mostly due to the fact that they're going to go to war with a rotation not known for going all that deep into games. So yeah, I'm certainly not expecting the Mets to run away and hide this year, even if I'm nowhere near sold on the Phillies.

But hrm, the Braves, right... to be perfectly honest, I wouldn't be surprised if all three favorites find themselves fighting for the Division Championship well into September.
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post #8 of 97
3/23/07 at 4:12pm
Rocco Baldelli is actually hurtin' right now.
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post #9 of 97
3/23/07 at 5:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boomstick
There are plenty of D-Ray hats around, you know...
Yeah, but I live just outside the ATL. Home-team, ya know...
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post #10 of 97
3/26/07 at 5:30pm
I agree that Salty should be moved now; he will never be so highly prized and you don't need now with McCann signed for a 1,000 years.

But, Nick, you're shitting on Johnson before he's been given a chance to fail/succeed. The Braves have always been good about not getting too high on Spring Training numbers by rewarding the wrong guy the starting job. While I really like Prado as well, he's not exactly a sure fire leadoff man. Prado has a better glove and more speed than Johnson, but Johnson has the superior batting eye, a better contact ratio (higher average), and way more power potential than Prado.

All I ask is you give him the shot - he's earned it, and I have no problem with the Braves going with him to start the season.

However, if he's hitting around .200 come the middle of May, then you've got to boot him off the planet.

And screw the Mets.

And the Phillies.
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post #11 of 97
4/1/07 at 3:54pm
Thread Starter 
We went to our first game in the new season ticket spot and it's glorious. Second row, outfield. Right between Andruw and Frenchy. If we get there early, many BP homeruns can be ours.

It was a nice game, overcast with that secret UV damage built-in. Langy hit a nice jack and made a nice play in left, further solidifying that Matt Diaz is NOT the solution defensively.

I really wish the DH was everywhere in baseball, but I'm in the minority.
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post #12 of 97
4/2/07 at 12:27pm
They're coming to town for a brief 2-game set the 16th and 17th. I'll definitely be at one, or both, of those games, watching from my trusty seats in LF. Alas, outfield seats in RFK are nowhere near as good as those in The Ted, but I have to take what I can get. I'm just hoping to see Smoltzie.
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post #13 of 97
4/2/07 at 1:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dontEATnachos
Is this the thread where I get to bitch about MLB Extra Innings moving to DirecTV?
Shit tell me about it. In Canada we cant get it anymore. So looks like its the Jays 24/7 for me. With a mix of Cubs games on WGN.
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post #14 of 97
4/2/07 at 1:41pm

let the season begin

I have high hopes for today. The preseason was heartening to say the least. I'm gonna be at Shea on the 21st and 22nd of this month, and yeah LaFors, I'll be at RFK on the 17th. I'm excited. With Woodward inexplicably taking Prado's spot, I'm really hopping Kelly can play the position. I'm assuming this was a Pratt-like mentor decision. The travelling a CT fan has to do...
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post #15 of 97
4/2/07 at 5:25pm
So our number 4 reliever picks up a 10th inning save, on Opening Day, on the road.

I like this new bullpen. I like it a lot.
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post #16 of 97
4/3/07 at 11:32am
Thread Starter 
The thing I get from yesterday's game was that Edgar, when prompted, can DESTROY a ball. Those home runs were not only timely and brilliant, but vicious swings.

Game 1 Pros:

Edgar.
Chipper. No injury!
The pitching. All of it.

Game 1 Cons:

Kelly Johnson.
Scott Thorman.
Ryan Langerhans.
Jeff Francoeur
Andruw.

Tidbits:

So much for widening your stance, Jeff. You looked like the 2006 model, standing upright with less plate coverage, swinging wildly. Don't be Rob Deer.

I love the hateful scowl of Mike Gonzalez after a strikeout. He looks like he's in a mosh pit ready to hammer faces.

Hard not to love Bob Wickman.

Is there a team in baseball who gets 0-2 in the count as much as this one?
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post #17 of 97
4/4/07 at 10:49pm
Thread Starter 
I don't know who is going to win this game, but the umpire needs to be reprimanded. He's calling strikes so oddly and liberally that Eric Gregg's fat dead ass is getting an erection.
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post #18 of 97
4/5/07 at 9:41am
Brian McCann > Jesus
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post #19 of 97
4/7/07 at 1:02am
Thread Starter 
Well the military fly-by was cool. The rest was face rape. The double Alou hit in the second inning hit right in front of us and the guy in the front row made an ass play and let it fall. Andruw gave him a look like "how did you not catch that?'. For a split second (on the Mets broadcast at least) we're sitting there looking pissed.
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post #20 of 97
4/9/07 at 10:05am
Friday was horrible, but man did the boys get it done over the weekend, especially on Sunday. Major Kudos to Kyle Davies!
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post #21 of 97
4/9/07 at 3:52pm
Once the Joneses catch their stride, things are gonna look mighty pretty, my friends. Mighty pretty. I had my doubts about Schuerholz this off season. It's difficult to see past getting rid of Rochy, but having seen the 'pen weather some close calls and come through for us, I might just have been wrong. No bold admissions after only a week of baseball - and this should all be chalked up to beginning of the season excitement - but a week in, I'm ready to see the team rebound. That is, if the Braves infield learns how to field.
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post #22 of 97
4/9/07 at 4:15pm
I should have ridden a tauntaun to Friday's game. Still, the results of Saturday and Sunday made up for it.
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post #23 of 97
4/9/07 at 4:39pm
On the Sunday TBS telecast, they showed Urban "Urban Fucking Meyer" Meyer in the stands, and revealed that he was once a shortstop in the Braves minor league system. A teammate of Mark Lemke's, in fact. I wish we could send The Lemmer back in time, like The Terminator, to kill Urban before he could make it to Gainesville.

The Lemmer would actually make a kick-ass Terminator. "Come with me if you want to leap."
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post #24 of 97
4/9/07 at 6:51pm
Thread Starter 
Mike Hampton needs to retire, execute some insurance clause, and allow the Braves to use that payroll salary for something tangible.

Out for 2007. The guy is made of glass.
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post #25 of 97
4/10/07 at 11:02am
Jesus. If he keeps it up, he's not going to have a ligament or tendon in his body that hasn't been replaced. He'll be like James Andrews' Frankenstein.

Thanks for the memories, Hampy.
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post #26 of 97
4/11/07 at 10:42am
Wow, the Nats are truly terrible, but Huddy was absolutely outstanding last night. If he really is back to his old self, as he seems to be so far, we're going to be awfully tough.

Also, the TBS broadcast was blacked-out here last night, so I caught some of the game on MASN, featuring new Nats color man Don Sutton. It was profoundly weird to listen to Sutton doing a Braves-Nats game...for the Nats.
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post #27 of 97
4/11/07 at 11:33am
Thread Starter 
We were there at the game and the weather was perfect for baseball. Hudson was popping the mitt, his speed was around 92-93 until the last inning where was 88-90. He looked loose and worked fast. A really great performance. All in all it was a great ballgame to watch, though the Nats really are atrocious. I wonder if this year will showcase the REAL Ryan Zimmerman. I wonder if he's as good as folks think.
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post #28 of 97
4/23/07 at 1:46pm
Great work by the Braves taking 2 of 3 from the Mucks this weekend!

My personal highlight was Smoltz barehanding Glavine's weak grounder to throw him out at first. Anyone who doubts that Smoltzie is a superior athlete needs only to watch that clip. It was super-human; I still don't know how he did it.
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post #29 of 97
4/25/07 at 12:35pm
Okay, it's time for the Mark Redman Adventure to come to an end. He is a partial-birth abortion.

On the plus side, Kelly Johnson is turning in outstanding work as the leadoff man.
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post #30 of 97
4/27/07 at 12:06pm
Redman's last outing was horrendous. It sucks that he got a W and Hudson's gem ended in an L. Tough loss, but man, the Fish have some talented guys out there. I'm still looking forward though. This is exactly how I wanted to go in May.
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post #31 of 97
5/2/07 at 12:06pm
Dear Mark Redman,

Please stick your head into Dustin Hoffman's giant bear trap.

Signed,

Everyone
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post #32 of 97
5/8/07 at 12:42am
Chad Paronto is a bitch. I loved it when the pitcher he hit with two outs was walked home.
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post #33 of 97
5/9/07 at 2:11pm
Smoltz-Maddux tonight. Should be a lot of fun!
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post #34 of 97
5/9/07 at 2:24pm
Thread Starter 
There will be 4 of the 11 Colonels in attendence.
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post #35 of 97
5/9/07 at 2:27pm
I'd be a bigger fan of the Braves if they could settle on a replacement closer for Wickman. Is it Soriano or Gonzalez?

I've gots to know!
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post #36 of 97
5/9/07 at 3:09pm
Apparently it better be an African-American, whomever it is.
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post #37 of 97
5/9/07 at 3:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Martianman
Apparently it better be an African-American, whomever it is.
Que?
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post #38 of 97
5/9/07 at 3:44pm
http://www.ajc.com/search/content/sp...sminority.html
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post #39 of 97
5/10/07 at 10:40am
That cracks me up. Apparently, Jesse Jackson doesn't consider Soriano, Renteria, or Druw to be black. Anyway, we've addressed the issue with the call-up of William Harris.
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post #40 of 97
5/10/07 at 10:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe LeFors
Smoltz-Maddux tonight. Should be a lot of fun!
I was at that game.

Best part is when we cheered Maddux for his at bat, then booed him for the hit.

Also Francoer's throw to third was pretty titty.
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post #41 of 97
5/11/07 at 4:06pm
Rafael Soriano is half-man, half-messiah. Just unstoppable.
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post #42 of 97
5/14/07 at 3:29pm
I was pulling for Chuck James to complete the no-hitter Saturday night. I'd like to see a n.h. or perfecto in person some time. Given the unlikelihood that I'll get to ever see playoff baseball at PNC Park, that's the next best thing to relevance.
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post #43 of 97
5/15/07 at 11:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe LeFors
Apparently, Jesse Jackson doesn't consider Soriano, Renteria, or Druw to be black.
Neither do they consider themselves to be.
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post #44 of 97
5/16/07 at 6:27pm
Well, they arent "African-American" but they are black guys.
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post #45 of 97
5/16/07 at 6:28pm
There goes Mike Gonzalez. The Braves bullpen, which had looked like the best in baseball (with the possible exception of the Angels) is now definitely middling.
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post #46 of 97
5/16/07 at 6:42pm
What happened with Gonzalez? Haven't heard.

EDIT: Never mind. 15 day DL. ESPN is reporting that Wickman is now back, fwiw.
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post #47 of 97
5/16/07 at 6:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by 4496 aka Joe Sixpack
What happened with Gonzalez? Haven't heard.

EDIT: Never mind. 15 day DL. ESPN is reporting that Wickman is now back, fwiw.
There's been rumblings about Gonzalez's elbow for a long, long time now. I think he missed the last month of 2006 with the same problem. I predict a Tommy John announcement within the next fifteen (15) days.
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post #48 of 97
5/17/07 at 9:59am
Maybe, although he's had at least 2 MRIs on it this season, and both showed nothing. It may just be a dead-arm situation, like McBride had (who is now back, and looked great in the spring). I hope so, anyway. Gonzo is necessary.
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post #49 of 97
5/17/07 at 10:01am
Thread Starter 
McBride is a human holocaust of a pitcher. Not the solution. Gonzalez HAD BETTER NOT need surgery. I already think that Mike Hampton should be carrying the team's bags, updating their website, and handing out cotton candy to fans for his abuse of the sport and Swiss banks. Can't have one of the saviors of the team go down for an extended period.
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post #50 of 97
5/17/07 at 4:33pm
McBride has potential to be a serviceable middle relief man if he can maintain some consistency, but he's not a crunch-time guy, and definitely no Gonzo. The way the Mets are playing, we'll be in some trouble if we lose him for a significant period.

Mike Hampton is rape.
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