25 Jul
I am not continuing the conceit but rest assured I still think Francoeur is a giant whiny baby game thread: July 25, Braves at Phillies

This entry was posted on Friday, July 25th, 2008 at 2:05 pm and is filed under Game Threads. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


I love it, Mac. Maybe my favorite thing you’ve ever produced.
July 25th, 2008 at 2:08 pmThanks. The G&G thing struck me a couple days ago.
July 25th, 2008 at 2:14 pmDang, I’m laughing so hard one of my colleagues has asked me whats so funny.
I swear if we see Hampton on the mound this weekend I’ll shit my dress.
July 25th, 2008 at 2:29 pmHas anyone heard health updates on Chipper and Hudson?
July 25th, 2008 at 2:31 pmFrenchy couldn’t even get one right in this Hidden Pictures.
You’re supposed to find the baseballs.
http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/SSPOD/SuperStock_1006-241~Used-Baseballs-Posters.jpg
July 25th, 2008 at 2:55 pmDOB has posted updates on Huddy and Chipper, check out the end of his blog for his notes
http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/braves/entries/2008/07/23/this_isnt_funny.html
July 25th, 2008 at 3:50 pmWhat do think the odds are that it happens?
July 25th, 2008 at 3:58 pmWhat do you think the odds are that it happens?
July 25th, 2008 at 3:59 pmWho’s this Hampton guy they’re saying is going to pitch tomorrow? Is this some sort of experiment, like when Li’l Tony pitched for the Royals the other day?
July 25th, 2008 at 4:05 pmI think Hampton will take the mound on Saturday… and blow out his rotator cuff with his last warmup pitch.
July 25th, 2008 at 4:06 pmHampton to start on Saturday.
http://tinyurl.com/5w9wtv
Critics silenced.
July 25th, 2008 at 4:07 pmDon’t forget, Hampton managed inure himself in his pregame warmup in April this year…there’s still time.
July 25th, 2008 at 4:07 pmHampton has less than 24 hours to injure himself – he needs to hurry
July 25th, 2008 at 4:10 pmHampton still has to tie his shoes, eat & go to the bathroom. I’m rooting for him, but I damn-sure wouldn’t make any bets.
July 25th, 2008 at 4:20 pmHampton’s line for tomorrow:
5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 4 K, 2 BB (W)
July 25th, 2008 at 4:24 pmWhich means he’s going to tear a tendon sheath in his left trigger finger, sever his foot, contract salmonella and blow out his O-ring.
July 25th, 2008 at 4:24 pmDon’t forget take a shower – think of the slip and fall potential.
Maybe he wants to shape the goat’ so that he looks sharp for his much anticipated return to baseball – think of the razor injury potential.
Plus he has to get in the car and ride to the park – think of the car wreck potential.
Plus he could get food poisoning.
Or he stub his toe.
We’re in Philadelphia, maybe he’ll take a wrong turn, end up in Camden, and get mugged within an inch of his life…it could happen.
I’m just saying, there’s still a long way to go. And as that Sports South commercial says, The Braves have a flair for the dramatic. Hampton definitely fits this description, as we learned in April when he waited until the final hour before the game to injure himself. It really makes me wonder what he’s got up his sleeve this time?
July 25th, 2008 at 4:27 pmI really want to watch this game now, just in the small % chance that Hampton makes it into the game.
The Braves/Phillies or Yankees/RedSox are on Fox, which means I cant see it on MLB.tv. Does anyone know how to tell which game will be scheduled regionally, so I can know if I need to find a bar, or watch it at home? (I have a bad feeling the Braves wont be the selection anywhere but GA and PA)
July 25th, 2008 at 4:31 pmHampton’s line for tomorrow:
http://tinyurl.com/689vrp
July 25th, 2008 at 5:00 pmI bet tomorrow’s game gets rained out and Hampton twists/spraines an ankle on the slippery dugout floor. He’ll get treament, but will miss 2-4 weeks and then start a rehab assignment.
July 25th, 2008 at 5:01 pmAvery,
Dunno where you live, but I would guess that much of the Southeast will get the Braves tomorrow.
I could certainly be wrong, but I can’t imagine that Dothan, Charleston or Chattanooga would get Sawx-Yanks.
July 25th, 2008 at 5:04 pmStu, FTW
July 25th, 2008 at 5:06 pmHampton is pissed. The Braves have placed him in a full body cast, in a padded room, with 24 hour surveillance until 10 minutes prior to game time tomorrow.
July 25th, 2008 at 5:07 pmIt doesn’t say much for the team’s opinion of Reyes that with the season in the balance vs a top division rival they are bumping him for a guy who hasn’t pitched in 3 years.
July 25th, 2008 at 5:11 pmWell Morton’s being bumped for a guy who’s lost something like his last 5 starts (not that wins and losses are great stats) so you wonder how he feels.
July 25th, 2008 at 5:26 pmwell, the chipperless lineup looks about as good as it can considering baby jeff is not batting 3rd.
blanco
July 25th, 2008 at 5:37 pmesco
texaco
mccanno
marko
baby jeffo
kj-o
prado
Kotsay in front of Jeffy? That’s different.
July 25th, 2008 at 5:44 pmVictorino delenda est.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:17 pmRegardless of what happens tonight or the rest of this year, if Jurrjens has shown us anything this year, it’s that he’s tough as nails. That inning=Exhibit A.
Walk the speedy Victorino, and then have him advance to third on a bad throw with only one out and Utley and Howard coming up in the first inning of your first start at Philly? No problem.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:21 pmI think Hampton is actually going to throw a perfect game tomorrow. And then injure himself in the celebration.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:27 pmChip and Joe = Goofus and Doofus
July 25th, 2008 at 6:28 pmUnnecessary Cubs update from Chip? Check.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:32 pmCorky sitting next to Chipper on the bench is like parking a double wide next to Versailles.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:33 pmHow is that bad luck for Infante, Joe? Yeah, it was a hard hit ball, but it should have been an out. It hit the pitcher square in the glove and bounced out! How did we let Don Sutton go and keep these jokers around? I really wish the radio was in closer sync with the TV. Pete and Lemke are much better.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:33 pmCan we just get Pete solo like Josh Carey does the Rome Braves?
July 25th, 2008 at 6:35 pmI like Joe Simpson more than Sutton.
Chip Caray, on the other hand, is in my opinion the worst baseball announcer. And that includes Tim McCarver, Joe Buck, Joe Morgan and the rest of those guys that have internet hate sites dedicated to them.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:37 pmSo who gets sent down when/if Hampton comes back? Morton?
July 25th, 2008 at 6:43 pmIs the radio ahead of the TV or behind?
July 25th, 2008 at 6:43 pmIt changes. Tonight, the radio is behind, which is less annoying than ahead, but still annoying.
Don Sutton was at least a good baseball player, and I valued his opinion. Joe was a horrible player. Chip and Joe together bring out the worst in each other.
Frank,
Is Josh better than Chip? BTW, I owe you an e-mail, but I have just been distracted with my family out of town. I’ll get back to you next week.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:50 pmway to go gallant!
July 25th, 2008 at 6:55 pmI ♥ McCann.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:56 pmis good yes.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:57 pmJosh Caray is better than idiot Chip. He’s much more subdued and doesn’t seem like he’s doing a Jim Carrey imitation. Josh is low-key like his dad, though he lacks his dad’s wit. He probably realizes he can’t get away with some of things his dad can.
McCann!
Bunch of rumors that the Bucs have dealt Nady; not sure to whom.
Might be the Yanks.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:57 pmI liked Sutton. When it came to pitching, he knew what he was talking about, which was great in the era of the Braves’ Big 3.
IMO, John Sterling, the Yankees’ radio guy, is the worst announcer in the history of American sports.
Not only is he annoying & overwrought, he’s inaccurate. He doesn’t tell the truth. On radio, that’s a brutal combo.
(To make matters worse for the listener, Yankee radiocasts have more in-game commercials than previously thought possible.)
Phil Mushnick, one of the NY Post’s few truth-tellers, today on Sterling’s latest airwaves adventure:
July 25th, 2008 at 6:59 pmhttp://tinyurl.com/5wxgz3
I also heart McCann. (And I was going to post Nady and Marte to the Yankees is the rumor, but Frank edited his post to add that information. For what it’s worth, SI.com is reporting it’s for 4 minor leaguers.)
July 25th, 2008 at 7:00 pmI miss Skip Caray calling the tv games quite a bit. I also liked Don a lot.
What was that “rumor” Simpson was talking about? He said there is a rumor the Braves have a deal in place to acquire Jason Bay.
Not sure where he got that though.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:00 pmThe rumor is:
July 25th, 2008 at 7:07 pmThe Yankees have traded for OF Xavier Nady and LHP Damaso Marte. No word on who the Bucs got yet. OF Prospects Jose Tabata and Austin Jackson could be a part of the package heading to the Pirates..
SI is reporting that Tabata, Ross Ohlendorf, and Phil Coke (AA pitcher) are in the package.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:08 pmhttp://tinyurl.com/5l8bgd
Jair!
July 25th, 2008 at 7:25 pmWhat happened? my signal froze up, I’ve got nothing right now.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:34 pmThat’s why the Pirates are stupid. They could have gotten more from those two, assuredly.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:34 pmI’m getting commercials here. Women’s basketball and professional lacrosse and Georgia Tech sports and other things no right-thinking human being would ever watch.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:35 pmThe Lemmer and Chip should form an HWS admiration society. What will it take to convince these bozos that he sucks?
July 25th, 2008 at 7:35 pmNow I’ve got picture but no sound.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:36 pmIf Francoeur actually gets a hit, but nobody sees it because Peachtree sucks, did he really get a hit? I say no.
And that’s a… bad thing, Douglass?
July 25th, 2008 at 7:37 pmOh well:
http://tinyurl.com/6j6uzr
July 25th, 2008 at 7:37 pmYeah, the Pirates just traded not one, but two of their most coveted players and didn’t even get Austin Jackson. New guys in the front office, same old results it looks like.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:37 pmI can’t believe that was the best offer that Pittsburgh could get. I can’t believe the Braves couldn’t beat that. How annoying. Do they really still not realize we need a right fielder?
July 25th, 2008 at 7:42 pmCould Jason Bay play right?…
July 25th, 2008 at 7:43 pmI know these rumors have apparently been shot down, but just for the sake of conversation…who are we giving up for Jason Bay in the rumors? I would need to know that before I express my disapproval.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:44 pmyes, better than Francoeur
July 25th, 2008 at 7:46 pmMaybe it’s the Pirates way of saying “thanks for the nice revenue sharing checks!”.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:46 pmHow bitter will Jeffy be in 10 years time when his buddy McCann has followed the Dale Murphy career arc and is playing RF while he is reduced to selling insurance or pushing Viagra for Pfizer?
July 25th, 2008 at 7:52 pmWhile it might not be a mutually exclusive gig to viagra salesman, I see Frenchy moving on to become a televangelist. He’s got all the tools you look for in a good televangelist prospect: the local-weatherman good looks, meager intellectual acumen, and most importantly, insatiable greed – not to mention widespread name recognition across the bible belt. He’s really better cut out for it at this point than playing baseball when you think about it.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:57 pmAnd looking at the media section of his website, it looks like he’s already started practicing. Good for him. *snicker*
July 25th, 2008 at 7:59 pmThe Gwinnett Braves are going to need a mascot. Might I suggest “Hackey the Clown”? Jeffy’s already got the makeup.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:01 pmDid that just happen?
July 25th, 2008 at 8:02 pmMcCann is the dude.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:03 pmYou’re right…viagra sales are really more in the realm of the pretty ladies. Francoeur will have the perfect backstory for his conversion to the ministry. Jeebus had a plan for his life but Jeff originally thought that was playing baseball. It was only through 3 consecutive seasons in the negative VORP wilderness that he realized his true calling is fleecing the faithful. Sorry…this is getting strange.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:05 pmGoofus was recruited to play defensive back for a major college (well, Clemson) but has been unable to use his supposed speed in any way on the basepaths.
Gallant is one of the slowest players in the majors, but is 3-3 on stolen bases this season.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:06 pmMS@E: Billy Monday.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:07 pmMore HRs the rest of the season, Hampton or Francoeur?
(Or higher SLG or BA if you prefer)
July 25th, 2008 at 8:11 pmHampton will have a higher VORP at 0.00 than Francouer at – numbers.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:14 pmGood job again Kelly! You suck too!!
July 25th, 2008 at 8:15 pmMaybe Jeff Francoeur can play the Joker in the next Batman movie (hope I didn’t ruin anything for the 6 people left in the world who haven’t seen The Dark Knight). He has to be crazy to think his approach is working…
Oh! I’ll be here all weekend…
July 25th, 2008 at 8:15 pmAnd I thought MY jokes were bad.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:17 pmHow about a magic trick?
July 25th, 2008 at 8:19 pmAnd here we…GO
July 25th, 2008 at 8:21 pmIf it involves a pencil, I want no part of it.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:21 pmFrancoeur is only 13th in worst VORP for position players??? Step it up!
July 25th, 2008 at 8:23 pmAs I said earlier, kid is fuckin tough as nails.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:24 pmNice play, Jair!
July 25th, 2008 at 8:25 pmI love Jurrjens
July 25th, 2008 at 8:26 pmre 80:
Regarding Francoeur’s VORP ranking, notice that of the players with a worse rating than him, only Freddy Sanchez for Pittsburgh has played as much as Jeffy…none of the other people in that range have played half as much as they have.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:28 pmLidge in the ninth with a deficit? This is the right play, but unusual.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:28 pmLet’s not blow this out of proportion.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:29 pm@ 85
I’ve always found it bizarre that many of the same people that insist that stats don’t matter are proponents of the guy who only pitches in the 9th inning when a save can be tallied…or maybe it’s just Chip Caray.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:33 pmAnyone catch this jab by Joe Sheehan in his bp chat today?
nick (sfo): Is Ricky Weeks going to turn it around this year?
Joe Sheehan: Yes. But I’m not particularly credible on this subject. Now ask me about Jeff Francaeiour.
uptick (St. Louis, MO): ok, i’ll take the bait…how about Francoeur from now until the end of the season?
Joe Sheehan: He’ll convert oxygen into carbon dioxide. I’m not predicting anything past that.
Sounds like something I’ve read on Braves Journal before…
July 25th, 2008 at 8:33 pmClutch hit there by Tex.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:35 pmIts all part of the plan.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:37 pmTex with the clutch hit! And we finally score on Lidge. Woo-hoo!
July 25th, 2008 at 8:37 pm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 25th, 2008 at 8:37 pmGallant slam.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:38 pmGallant goes yard!
July 25th, 2008 at 8:38 pmSuperCatcher(tm) goes boom!
July 25th, 2008 at 8:38 pmMAC! Gotta love him
July 25th, 2008 at 8:38 pmVery Gallant.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:39 pmlulz
July 25th, 2008 at 8:39 pmSomeone told Lidge it was the All-Star game?
July 25th, 2008 at 8:39 pmDoes that make us buyers again, or is this just more false hope?
BTW, Go Heap!
July 25th, 2008 at 8:39 pmThat is a thing of beauty.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:39 pm…I don’t even need to say anything.
I literally got up and jumped around my room for that one.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:40 pmMcCann’s da man!
I guess we didn’t want to risk breaking our streak with a one-run win.
So JJ has to pitch eight shutout innings before his team gets the offense going. I guess better late than never.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:40 pmGallant hits grand slams; Goofus plays Grand Theft Auto.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:41 pmNah, Goofus plays Little Mermaid.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:42 pmI still don’t want to be buyers.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:42 pmSee, Francoeur is half as good as McCann!
And KJ gets in on the fun, too.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:42 pmMaybe Francoeur can pull a Brandon Inge and come down with a pillow-straightening injury?
July 25th, 2008 at 8:43 pmI cannot even understand this. These are the Phillies…in Philadelphia…and this was a close/late situation…and we just scored 6 runs.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:44 pmWow, late inning magic… Even Jeff and KJ are getting in on the action.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:46 pmB-Mac has his season line up to .302/.379/.568 (.947ops) 20 HR, 62 RBI….not bad for a catcher.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:46 pmIf we played better small-ball them we might be able to win these close games.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:46 pm@109:
without Chipper.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:46 pmWE WERE PLAYING SMALL BALL BRO! BLANCOS BNUT SINGLE GOT US GOING!!111
July 25th, 2008 at 8:48 pmJust got some blather from Chip about bloggers blasting Hampton’s injuries. Chip says Hampton has a chance to silence his critics tomorrow.
What can we do to silence Chip?
July 25th, 2008 at 8:53 pmChip just said Hampton is going to silence his critics tomorrow.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:53 pmHow long will I have to listen to Mark Lemke? This just in from “the Lemmer”…”The Phillies haven’t played very well in the division. If you take away their record against the Braves they’re only 19-18 in the East”.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:53 pmChip, if you’re reading: PPPPPPPLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
July 25th, 2008 at 8:56 pmNo shutout tonight.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:57 pmThanks for making fun of Howard for striking out too much, Joe. That’s what you get.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:57 pmSo do we have hope, and if so, are we really screwed?
July 25th, 2008 at 8:58 pmSeriously, was Chip talking about me? Little me? Can’t be.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:58 pmI’m out until Tuesday. Look for me in the rightfield bleachers heckling HWS on Monday and Tuesday.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:59 pmmr swings–you could be listening to Chip instead
July 25th, 2008 at 8:59 pmDoes Howard homer in EVERY game against us?
July 25th, 2008 at 8:59 pmRecap is up.
July 25th, 2008 at 9:07 pmOh snap, theres another Mike here, what should I put as my name?
July 25th, 2008 at 9:07 pmHey Mac – you need to come clean and admit that you ripped off the Braves Goofus and Gallant bit from Rowland’s Office. You know you did – they’ve been doing it for a couple of months over there.
July 26th, 2008 at 12:53 am