2014 Braves Thread

[trefeet]

If you watch BJ on a strike out where strike 3 he gets caught looking he always gives the ump a long stare down. Tonight's caught a nice portion of plate. I guess when you suck you suck. I imagine he will get tossed in next week for arguing balls and strikes because he will boil over at some point.
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[trefeet]

BJ is on pace to strike out over 200 times. Averaging over 1.3 per game.
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[DFSNOLE]

Kimbrel bounced back well after the poor outing. He just needs more work.

 

[Vizike Is Back!]

0 for 2 with 2 Ks. Average down to .202 (but some of you say he's improving). Oh, and he's STILL starting.

Don't be mad at the obtuse messenger.

 

[DFSNOLE]

Who would you have start in his place?

 

[trefeet]

I would hope we have someone in AAA who maybe could hit at BJs current avg and obp but could have more upside potential. We don't need it to be a CF. We can move Jason to CF and stick them in right. I guess my thoughts are BJ is on his downslope and there isn't any more upside. What you see is what you get and there's enough tape and scouting report to get him out plus he's pressing so hard he's making it even harder on himself. Maybe some young blood with some adrenaline might provide an offensive spark. Who knows.
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[DFSNOLE]

Originally posted by DFSNOLE:
Who would you have start in his place?

Well Vizike?

 

[Vizike Is Back!]

Originally posted by DFSNOLE:

Originally posted by DFSNOLE:
Who would you have start in his place?

Well Vizike?

Any other outfielder in their system. It's very hard to do much worse.

 

[fsugrad06]

Originally posted by trefeet:
I would hope we have someone in AAA who maybe could hit at BJs current avg and obp but could have more upside potential. We don't need it to be a CF. We can move Jason to CF and stick them in right. I guess my thoughts are BJ is on his downslope and there isn't any more upside. What you see is what you get and there's enough tape and scouting report to get him out plus he's pressing so hard he's making it even harder on himself. Maybe some young blood with some adrenaline might provide an offensive spark. Who knows.
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In AAA, we have Constanza, who will never be more than a 4th OF and is 30 years old and in the minors, that's all you need to know. Terdoslavich, who can't field and has little power for the corner spot (he only has 2 homeruns this year and strikes out about once per game). And then there is Cunningham, who doesn't have power, but has some speed and bat control, and can field. Cunningham is already 25, so, if he is going to get a shot, needs to be soon. All 3 are hitting near .300 in Gwinnett, and are on the 40 man roster.

 

[trefeet]

Well at least BJ went 2-4 last night. I guess Uggla is their biggest problem. Cannot be a good clubhouse situation.
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[fsugrad06]

Originally posted by trefeet:
Well at least BJ went 2-4 last night. I guess Uggla is their biggest problem. Cannot be a good clubhouse situation.
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Uggla hasn't started in a week and only played this past Sunday as a pinch hitter and took a HBP. I think he sees the writing on the wall for him.

 

[trefeet]

Crazy how and it seems like they are this year and we are in first place. Guess it could be worse.
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[trefeet]

Can't link back to my post from 5/10 but totally called it. Knew BJ would get tossed for arguing strike 3 call. This one looked like a ball but way to close to take when your a .200 hitter.
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[Vizike Is Back!]

BJ went 0 for4 today with 4 Ks in the loss. Can it get any worse? Still starting and batting 6th.

UNREAL

 

[DFSNOLE]

Nice win last night. Been a while since we've seen that much offense.

 

[trefeet]

They may have found a spark last night. Sometimes fluke nights like that can get a team hitting. Was crazy to see Overbay walk out of dugout to pitch. Didn't even warm up.
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[DFSNOLE]

The team wants to think the tide turned in the ninth inning comeback in St Louis. Either way, I hope the bats start to come alive some.

 

[DFSNOLE]

Three in a row. Teheran threw really well but I'm surprised they let him get to 128 pitches.

 

[fsugrad06]

The bats are improving, although small sample size in the 3 games, but Heyward has a 6 game hit streak where he is hitting over .300 and as he goes, I think the team goes. Teheran has shown he is the ace now, not of the future. If the bats can keep coming around, this team is dangerous. And Uggla looks to have realized his role and is actually encouraging his replacement and seems supportive (from seeing pregame and postgame reports/video).

 

[DFSNOLE]

I like Pena in the two hole. Neither Upton really fit that role.

 

[DFSNOLE]

Another wild night at the Ted. That was a big comeback win. Taking 3 of 4 from the Brewers is more than I expected. I hope the Braves have shaken their three week funk.

 

[DFSNOLE]

5 out of 6. Nice run.

 

[DFSNOLE]

Atlanta Braves' game Friday night -- by his own manager.

The veteran third baseman threw a tantrum in the tunnel to the
Braves' clubhouse following a second-inning strikeout, leading manager
Fredi Gonzalez to remove him for Colorado Rockies.

Atlanta went on to beat the Rockies 3-2, and afterward, Johnson said he was sorry for his behavior.


"I apologized to the team about that after the game and to Pena for
having to pick me up," Johnson told reporters, according to The Atlanta
Journal-Constitution. "I'm sorry to the fans, people who came out to
watch me play today. That's just one of my demons. That's one of those
things I've got to try to get through and get better at.


"It's like getting tossed out of a game in the first inning. Pena has
to go in and get ambushed and the team doesn't know what's going on,
and I let my emotions get the best of me. First and foremost I wanted to
talk to the team and let them know that I was deeply sorry for that and
that I was going to work my butt off to fix that part of my game."

It's not the first time Johnson's temper has gotten the best of him.

According to the Journal-Constitution, he was benched for two games
in April after erupting following two four-strikeout games in a
three-day span. He also reportedly got into a confrontation with Braves
first-base coach Terry Pendleton last year after throwing his helmet in
anger.

On Friday night, Johnson blew up after Rockies right-hander Jordan Lyles struck him out to lead off the second inning. It was the third baseman's 10th strikeout in the past eight games.

Johnson was followed into the tunnel by Braves teammates and coaches.

"I play with a lot of passion every single pitch, every single
at-bat," Johnson said, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I
hold with pretty high regard, and then when things don't go well,
that's kind of my downfall. That's one of the biggest parts of my game
that I've got to try to work on. And yeah, hurting myself would be bad.
One of the worst things I could probably ever do would be hurt a
teammate or something like that, and both of those would really hurt the
ball club. So I think that was Skip's reasoning for taking me out of
the game."

Johnson said he respected Gonzalez's move.

"I agree 100 percent with his decision," Johnson said. "It was the
right thing to do. Taking me out of the game and not letting me play is
probably the worst thing to do to me because all I want to do is get out
there and play, and whatever the punishment may be, I'll take it like a
man and try to get better at that."


The Braves signed Johnson to a $23.5 million, three-year extension earlier this month.

The 29-year-old is hitting .265 with one home run and nine RBIs in 46
games this season. He hit .321 last year, finishing second in the
National League batting race behind the Rockies' Michael Cuddyer.

Link

 

[seminoleed]

I wish Upton and a few others would show this much passion when they fail.

Benching a guy because he's upset with his own performance? I'm not a Fredi basher, but seriously?

 

[DFSNOLE]

Ed, My guess is that Fredi knows Johnson doesn't channel his anger in a positive manner.

 

[fsugrad06]

Originally posted by DFSNOLE:
Ed, My guess is that Fredi knows Johnson doesn't channel his anger in a positive manner.

Agree, I didn't read the article, but don't forget last year when Johnson and Pendleton got into it after Johnson threw his helmet and blew up.
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[DFSNOLE]

Minor really threw pretty well yesterday. I think at one point he had only given up two hits but they were both solo homers.

 

[DFSNOLE]

Another series win. Bring on the Red Sox!

 

[seminoleed]

From AJC's Jeff Schultz on line this a.m.: ". Since a four-strikeout game
in St. Louis that dropped his batting average to .203, Upton is
6-for-23 (.261) with six runs, four walks and only two strikeouts in
seven games."


Hope this keeps up, but I'm like Vizike--I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[DFSNOLE]

Originally posted by seminoleed:
From AJC's Jeff Schultz on line this a.m.: ". Since a four-strikeout game
in St. Louis that dropped his batting average to .203, Upton is
6-for-23 (.261) with six runs, four walks and only two strikeouts in
seven games."


Hope this keeps up, but I'm like Vizike--I'll believe it when I see it.

If BJ can hit .250, that will be enough. I still don't think the #2 hole is the spot for him but I too hope he keeps it up.

 

[DFSNOLE]

From being up 6-1 with no one on and two outs in the fifth to a 6-6 tie before another out could be recorded. Wow.

 

[DFSNOLE]

That was a bad loss.

 

[seminoleed]

I

Originally posted by DFSNOLE:
That was a bad loss.

If Thomas hustles on that grounder to Freeman instead of being a spectator, this doesn't happen. Very disappointing loss. And very disappointing that half of Boston was there as well.

Atlanta fans are so blase at times.

 

[trefeet]

Yeah the game had a ton of Boston fans. Moving the stadium "should" change that.
It's also becoming very evident that teams are going to pitch around Freddie. He had three walks yesterday. He has been very inpatient at the plate and you can see he is frustrated.
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[seminoleed]

Why do you think moving the stadium would keep Boston fans down? I'd think a fanbase that loyal would show up wherever they played.

 

[trefeet]

Because atlanta fans don't go to games. Entire reason for moving is the majority of ticket holders live near new stadium.
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[DFSNOLE]

I think the Red Sox crowd is bigger than yesterday. Didn't know there were so many Boston transplants in Atlanta.

 

[fsugrad06]

Last night was just an impressive way to lose, almost as if the team didn't even care. I know it's a long season, but geez.

 

[DFSNOLE]

Originally posted by fsugrad06:
Last night was just an impressive way to lose, almost as if the team didn't even care. I know it's a long season, but geez.

The whole series was puzzling. Should have been 2-2 at worst.

 

[fsugrad06]

Originally posted by DFSNOLE:

Originally posted by fsugrad06:
Last night was just an impressive way to lose, almost as if the team didn't even care. I know it's a long season, but geez.

The whole series was puzzling. Should have been 2-2 at worst.

Absolutely, the way Monday and last night's games ended are just gut-wrenching.