The Braves are determined to shatter my poor heart this season.
Don’t make it to the playoffs.
No one gets a silver slugger, no one gets a golden glove.
No Coach of the Year for certain, no MVPs.
And then they pull this.
It’s a good thing it’s not official, because the day the Braves trade BOTH of my favorite players in one transaction is the day I might start shopping for other loyalties.
(Even though we know that will never happen – the loyalty part at least – in my anger I’m allowed to vent.)
I know Francoeur didn’t earn his keep this season – but you know me. Doesn’t matter how badly a team or player can disappoint, it doesn’t change the support. I mean for christ sake – I am after all still blogging about the Braves, right? I might have taken a hiatus, but I’m hoping to get back into swing soon.
Filed under: Random Aspects | Tags: Bobby Cox, Braves 2009, Brian McCann, Matt Diaz, New York Mets, Old, One Tree Hill, SportSouth, Tampa Bay Rays, Which Braves player would you let your daughter date
The Braves are not on an especially good streak, losing the last four games and having a 1-9 record in their last ten. Not promising, considering that they are 14 games back with one week left in August.
Honestly, I don’t foresee them overcoming the greatest comeback kids on the planet right now – The Tampa Bay Rays. (Does anyone else instinctively still insert ‘Devil’ in there or is it just me?)
Anyway. At this point I’m starting to contemplate what the Braves can do to save this team. There are so many young players that are making mistakes, and veteran players playing coach from the bench…while resting on the DL, that I believe a big shakeup is going to have to take place to improve them.
I love Bobby Cox, but in this day, one must speculate whether or not losing to this club has become something that the players have gotten used to, are accepting, and are not as fired up about rolling tides as they were in previous years. I love Bobby Cox, but how many teams go post-season for a decade with only one championship title as a result?
Just food for thought.
On other aspects, I hope everyone caught the Braves feature that aired on SportSouth this past Sunday before the game. I was interested to discover that Brian McCann was a popular choice for players in “Which Braves player would you let your daughter date?” portion of the show. There were a lot of other questions, i.e favorite TV shows, of which apparently Matt Diaz is a fan of One Tree Hill .
I’ll watch for a re-air if you missed it, and try to put out the date! Let’s all hope that Hampton makes a good show tonight against his old team, and one of our oldest rivals, the New York Mets!
To say, that I’m back for a few days 
.
So Francoeur went to the craps while I was gone didn’t he? Poor guy, that must have been a terrible fourth of July being demoted. The reports say he was happy playing AA though, so I’m guessing even he knew it was necessary.
On another note though. Teixera is looking a little better. I’m sorry if I’m being vague, but literally the state of Florida could have seceded while I was in the woods and I would just be learning about it today, meaning my Braves knowledge is a bit minimal.
All the same. The Mets appear to be gaining a second wind, and I believe the All-Star Break is going to affect every one differently. The Phillies are full steam, and the Nats are seemingly already being swatted out of the race, however; the Braves are the ones on the edge. We could go either way right now, and I believe that the All-Star Break will yield a good rest for the team. Perhaps we can re-enter with a smaller DL and a record over .500? It’s within reach boys, we just can’t forget what it feels like to win, because that’s when we’re in trouble.
Filed under: Random Aspects | Tags: Baseball Signing Period, Campillo, Charlie Morton, Fans, Hampton, Loyalty, Mike Gonzalez, Perfect baseball world
Let’s not jump the gun though, it’s not necessarily a sunrise, for all we know it could be a sunset.
So Campillo goes for almost a full game, Hampton is starting rehab again (scoff), Morton comes up to stun all and Gonzo is set to return to the club in Texas. Could some pieces be gravitating back together? Perhaps, afterall Braves pitching held the Rockies almost run-less in tonight’s game.
However, while others keep looking to who we could sign coming close to the All-Star Break, I almost dislike the chatter. I’ve never been a fantasy baseball fan because I am such a devout Bravo I don’t exactly enjoy pulling for players at the plate that I’m not as truly connected to in a fanship sort of way.
The support the Braves have from me has been built up over twenty years of droughts and successes, and usually players get my approval when they don a Braves uniform.
That said, there is a but. This is why I don’t exactly like signing talk. I’m one of those old folks that likes the roster as it is; losses and all. If we win, if we pull it together I like the idea of our team, the players we started with ending it. The old idea of a true team. Not adding other team’s rejects or wanderers halfway into the season.
I understand that baseball is a business completely, and I understand why some would find browsing the baseball market enjoyable. I could, with much effort, probably learn to enjoy it as well. For now though, it only frustrates me. In a perfect baseball world teams would be teams, rivalries would be even and players would remain as loyal as their fans.
Baseball isn’t perfect. Players aren’t perfect. Sometimes I just wish my ideal world was the real one . . .
Filed under: Random Aspects
And I missed it.
Charlie Morton has risen, and rumors are he isn’t going anywhere.
“Charlie had a good debut. He could be very special,” said Cox, who confirmed that Morton would stay with the Braves and get another start. He filled in for injured Tom Glavine, who isn’t expected back until at least the All-Star break.”
So says Bobby Cox to the ajc.
Gosh I hope all my building-up of Morton pans out, because God knows if we ever needed some aid, now is the time.
On another note, did anyone see the picture of Kotsay’s wife on atlantabraves.com today? Wow she’s a knockout, and I say that in a very heterosexual way.
And on yet another quite different note, two wins over the Angels, one without Chipper? Who would have guessed? Certainly not myself.
Sorry this is vaguely a lame post but I’m functioning on roughly fifteen hours sleep since oh, Wednesday. Not to mention I’m still in the midst of catching myself up.
Hope you have had an enjoyable weekend!
Filed under: Minor League Prospect, Random Aspects | Tags: Chipper Jones, Jordan Schafer, NL Player of the Week
As an opener, congrats to NL Player of the Week Chipper Jones! Way to go there Larry.
On another note, there’s more development with Jordan Schafer who is apparently truly a beast, or still on HGH (for those with a sense of humor). In the Mississippi Braves game June 6th Schafer hit two homeruns, a 3-run in the first innning and a solo in the third to help propel the Braves to a win over the Mobile BayBears.
If I passed Schafer on the street I wonder if I’d realize he was older than me. He really doesn’t look much past 16. . .
Keeping the spirit of the two previous draft days and completely ignoring, avoiding and not acknowledging the heartbreaking loss the Braves endured last night (wow that is typed and read too often these days), I’m doing a, how the heck did we get this line-up in the first place – blog.
Yunel Escobar – No draft pick for Yunie, simply a signed contract straight out of the International League.
Kelly Johnson- 38th pick in the first round of the 2000 Draft.
Omar Infante – Signed by the Detroit Tigers as a free agent in 1999.
Larry Wayne “Chipper” Jones – First pick of the first round of the 1990 Draft, by the Atlanta Braves.
Mark Teixeira - Fifth pick of the first round of the 2001 Draft by the Texas Rangers.
Jeff Francoeur - First round, 23rd pick of the 2002 Draft by the Atlanta Braves.
Mark Kotsay – 1st round, 9th pick of the 96 Draft by the Florida Marlins.
Matt Diaz – 17th round draft pick by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 1999.
Brian McCann - Drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the second round of the 2002 Draft.
Gregor Blanco – Strangely I can’t find much, I’m guessing he was simply signed though…*cue mystery music*
Greg Norton – Drafted in the second round of the 1993 Draft by the Chicago White Sox.
Tim Hudson - Drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 6th round of the 97 Draft.
John Smoltz – Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 22 round of the 85 Draft. Wow that’s a sign that draft order doesn’t make as big of a deal in the long haul, ey?
Tom Glavine - Second round draft pick in 1984 by the Braves.
Jo-Jo Reyes – Second round draft pick by the Braves in 2003.
Jair Jurrjens - Signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent in 2003.
Blaine Boyer – Third round draft pick by the Braves in 2000.
Rafael Soriano – Signed as an amateur free agent by the Mariners in 96.
Mike Gonzalez- Drafted in the 30th round of the 97 Draft by the Pirates.
I know there are a few omissions in players, but I just concentrated on the big ones for now, and who knows I might have missed some of them…I’m doing this with a lot of distractions.
Anyway, pretty interesting to see how many high draft picks are on the field as starters right now, and how many were signed as free agents.
So I know…this makes four blogs, but I just saw a commercial for a show “Playing for Peanuts” it’s about Minor League players playing for much less cash than those in the Majors and an inside look. It appealed to me and it might appeal to some of you, so catch it on CSS Sunday at 11 p.m. You can bet I might be writing something about it.
Filed under: Game Discussions, Random Aspects | Tags: 400th homer, Chipper Jones, Southern emphasis
No picture shows the personality of Chipper Jones better. Chipper fired his 400th homerun over the wall at Turner Field in tonight’s 7-5 win over the Marlins. I don’t know what I love more, the classic Chipper post-game interviews where he’s clad in a shirt with the sleeves cut-off and a camoflauge hat, or that some of the best players in the Braves history have been named Hank, Dale, Eddie and Larry. Maybe the southern emphasis is a reason they’re so popular.
Anyway, nice way to pick up the low day yesterday Chipper, you’re one of the reasons fans can stay tuned day after day.
Losing John Smoltz is a blow. Somehow, a blow bigger than losing a game against the Marlins when you are winning by two runs through the ninth inning.
Poor Smoltz. Poor Braves. Smoltz says he isn’t emotionally ready to retire, but at the same time Frank Wren stated that the organization didn’t know if the season-ending shoulder surgery would allow Smoltz to pitch again, or to simply go on with his life. Either way, I’m saddened.
It’s a depressing day to follow the Braves…
