Angels 4, Braves 1
Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Angels – Box Score – May 22, 2011 – ESPN.
When you’ve reached the stage where the other team takes a 2-1 lead and people immediately start typing, “Ballgame”, you have a problem with your offense. The Braves took a 1-0 lead in the second on a single by — who else — Joe “Franchise” Mather, but blew several chances to get more runs because once they get a runner on base the team gets even more hacktastic than usual. Derek Lowe couldn’t make the one run stand up.
In the fourth, Torii Hunter, Medieval Outfielder hit a two-run homer, prompting the “ballgame” comments. They were right. The single runs in the sixth and seventh were really just icing on the crap cake that was this game, and this roadtrip. After seven innings of making Tyler Chatwood, a mediocre-at-best pitcher, look like Roy Halladay, the Braves were shut down by Scott Downs in the eighth, then after a leadoff single from Eric Hinske in the ninth — just their second hit after the third inning — went out meekly, highlighted by yet another inneffectual bat ending in strikeout by Dan “Five Years, $62 Million” Uggla.
Chipper Jones did not start the game due to hamstring “tightness” and Jason Heyward is still on the shelf with rotator cuff “inflammation” (neither of these are diagnoses in any real sense of the word). And then Nate McLouth, in the leadoff spot again because Fredi was so impressed with his 1-7 last night, left the game with a strained oblique he contracted while standing there watching ball two and was replaced by Diory Hernandez, who not only provided his usual offense — none — but also threw a ball away playing third base leading to the Angels’ fourth run, though it was scored “earned” off of George Sherrill.
Tyler Chatwood just dominated the Braves. Dude had a 3.89 k/9 and 5.52 bb/9 coming into the game.
I hate Dan Uggla.
That is all.
May 22nd, 2011 at 5:28 pmI’ve seen more entertaining funerals. This team is a hot mess.
May 22nd, 2011 at 5:37 pmSo our CF and RF are injured, and so is Chipper, which means our LF should be playing 3B.
Can we make a trade for an OF now?
May 22nd, 2011 at 5:38 pmHeyward is going to the DL, NOT retroactive to yesterday. THE Wilkin Ramirez called up. Moylan goes to the 60-day.
May 22nd, 2011 at 5:46 pmReally, really wishing that Jordan Schafer could still play baseball.
May 22nd, 2011 at 5:48 pmI’ll be in Pittsburgh for the games Tuesday and Wednesday. I would not have dared to dream that I would be going to see an outfield of Hinske, Mather, and Wilkin Ramirez!
My final preparation this morning was to pick up Wednesday’s Pirates SP James McDonald for my fantasy team….
May 22nd, 2011 at 5:53 pmLong way to go, etc.
This team isn’t going to the playoffs. They might as well start throwing games and hitting sub .200 as a team so that the Blunder Twins Fredi and Larry get a swift kick out of the door.
May 22nd, 2011 at 6:01 pm@4
May 22nd, 2011 at 6:08 pmUsing Heyward in the field yesterday when there’s even a remote chance that he goes to the DL is Frediotic!
@7 They are pretty close to sub .200 already
May 22nd, 2011 at 6:25 pmI would think that it would be Wren’s job to let Fredi know if it looked like Heyward might go on the DL, and how or if he should be used.
May 22nd, 2011 at 6:40 pmI wonder if there’s a panic move with our “surplus of young arms”. Feels like we’d be in a better position to negotiate if it was about adding a piece and not trying to salvage the season. Feel like we might rush a deal. Caveat: I don’t know anything about negotiation.
May 22nd, 2011 at 6:54 pmI think bargaining position is a bit over emphasized… If there is more than one team interested in your player/prospect, that’s all the leverage you need. How bad you need to make the move is irrelevant, provided you have multiple options.
May 22nd, 2011 at 6:57 pm@12 That sounds much more right than what I said.
May 22nd, 2011 at 6:59 pmEven Chip and Joe questioned letting Jason play defense and how he probably should go on the DL.
Uggla, McCann and Chipper are the cogs that make this offense work. Chipper is planing his sabbatical and Uggla has some sort of a disease.
I really think Fredi’s biggest blunder of the season has been to keep Uggla in the five hole and letting Freeman hit behind him.
May 22nd, 2011 at 7:05 pmI understand why he isn’t going to sit Uggla, but it is time to move him to the seven hole.
14 – McCann has not been very good either. And I would say Heyward is a “cog” too.
May 22nd, 2011 at 7:06 pmI agree that Heyward is very important, but Chipper, McCann and Uggla are the big three. Heyward’s struggles and injury have been a huge blow.
I would say the biggest surprise this season has been McLouth, and he hasn’t been that good.
I really think we should pull the plug on Parrish.
May 22nd, 2011 at 7:33 pmI don’t really think the Braves are the type to make a coaching change midseason. Unfortunately.
May 22nd, 2011 at 8:05 pmThe first thing to pull the plug on, of course, is hope.
May 22nd, 2011 at 8:05 pmCan you pull the plug on something that was never alive?
May 22nd, 2011 at 8:08 pmI don’t know. Teams have pulled the plug on hitting coaches mid season many times. Didn’t the Phillies fire one last year or the year before?
May 22nd, 2011 at 8:35 pm18 – Or I could just point out that the Braves are only 2 games back of the Marlins, who just DL’d Josh Johnson with a shoulder injury.
But I won’t point that out.
May 22nd, 2011 at 9:16 pmHeh. I just got one of the Yahoo! fantasy analysts to agree that Fredi should be canned.
The campaign is underway.
May 22nd, 2011 at 9:35 pmHow does Frank Wren escape blame for all of this. He assembled this cluster screw of a roster.
Dude threw money at Uggla when no one else was going to when he had an all star 2B on the roster. OF has been an issue for years now, and his solution is to trade for a dumpy 2b and move his all star 2b to LF. He over reacted in 2008 and spent too much on the bullpen and left the SP to rot, then in 2009 he over reacted and bid against himself for D. Lowe and Kenshin Kawakami. Don’t forget, we still owe Lowe 15 million next year as well. He gave Chipper a huge extention when he has obviously decline. Don’t forget we owe him 13 million next year too. Oh, Uggla is on the books for 62 million for the next five years.
He has overseen as the minor league position depth at most positions has become laughable, yet most people seem to think he has done a good job. He has stockpiled pitching, but when this team had a look at a championship last year his idea of an upgrade to the OF was Rick Ankiel.
Oh year, he hired Fredi and indirectly hired Larry Parish.
Wren sucks, Fredi sucks, Ownership sucks.
May 22nd, 2011 at 9:40 pm@23 Uggla is not a “dumpy” 2b. He was, at the time of the trade, arguably one of the best second basemen in the game, who also happened to fill the need of a right handed power bat. No one could have predicted Uggla would start this poorly in Atlanta.
May 22nd, 2011 at 9:47 pmHonestly, when Joe Mather is carrying the hotest bat and all the key players are either slumping or hurting, it’s kind of hard to blame everything on the GM and the manager and the coaches. At the end of the day, the players play. The only guy who is producing at his normal level of expected performance is AAG. No manager or coach can do anything about it, it’s up to the player to turn it around. I am not saying Fredi has zero fault on his decisions, but I think we have to start saying more Prado sucks, McCann sucks, Heyward sucks, and Chipper sucks. This whole offense sucks right now.
I am not giving up on hope yet because this offense is too talented to keep hitting this way, but the whole offense(except pitchers) sucks right now.
May 22nd, 2011 at 10:20 pmthis would be a great time for Danny-Boy to get his act together.
May 22nd, 2011 at 11:10 pmThis would be a great time for a time machine to be invented.
May 22nd, 2011 at 11:37 pmGreat. Fits right in.
From DOB:
May 22nd, 2011 at 11:39 pm“Ramirez, 25, was hitting .248 with 15 extra-base hits (seven homers), 16 RBIs and six stolen bases in 33 games at Gwinnett, with a .513 slugging percentage but a skimpy .294 on-base percentage.”
The Heyward DL thing is the one of the biggest fckups from Fredo. Putting him in as a defensive replacement no less the other night. Fire Fedi!
May 22nd, 2011 at 11:41 pmMay 22.
May 22nd, 2011 at 11:50 pmI am sure Fredi is a great player-manager, but he surely has some serious weaknesses on the technical side of being a manager.
May 23rd, 2011 at 12:04 amI don’t think the DL thing will matter, unfortunately, because I’m assuming at this point that Heyward’s injury is serious and he wouldn’t have been able to come back by whatever the retroactive date would’ve been.
I’d love to be wrong.
May 23rd, 2011 at 12:32 amlooking at Schafer & Ramirez’s numbers, i’m starting to wonder if Schafer ran over Wren’s family cat with his Hummer.
May 23rd, 2011 at 6:42 am32 – Like Mac has mentioned, they seem to be dealing with symptoms. It wouldn’t surprise me if the rest helps him feel better and then it gets aggravated again. But I’m hoping that it somehow just gets better and he can get going and do some critic silencing.
Come on Jason… heal thyself.
May 23rd, 2011 at 7:22 amWell, sometimes things do get better with rest. That’s the way a lot of things are healed. But it’s preferable that we know what the actual problem is.
May 23rd, 2011 at 7:31 amI think if McLouth has to go on the DL, you will see Schafer.
It would be nice to sit Uggla for a few games, but with 2/3 of our outfield hurt and Chipper getting ready to take his family to the beach, you almost have to keep playing him.
May 23rd, 2011 at 7:41 amlooking at Schafer & Ramirez’s numbers, i’m starting to wonder if Schafer ran over Wren’s family cat with his Hummer.
Huh? Schafer has a .648 OPS and his slugging percentage is barely over .300. Ramirez sucks too, but at least he’s hit for some power.
May 23rd, 2011 at 8:02 amAt least travel days
May 23rd, 2011 at 8:46 amNow have a silver lining
No Braves loss today
Oh, great. Now I have to watch us lose to the Pirates and pine over their much-coveted centerfielder.
It’s like watching the crush of your life with another guy …
May 23rd, 2011 at 9:02 amIs Gregor Blanco still available?
Or Matt Diaz?
Seems like we’re down an outfielder or two. (Or three, if Prado has to go to 3B.)
May 23rd, 2011 at 9:03 amPredict the Charlie Morton line versus the Braves:
I’ll go first with a prediction of
6.2 5 1 1 3 9
May 23rd, 2011 at 9:04 am#33 – what numbers are you referring too?
Schafer – .323SLG, .633OPS
May 23rd, 2011 at 9:05 amRamirez – .513SLG, .806OPS
Maybe jersey numbers?
May 23rd, 2011 at 9:07 amThe current poll for this site may end in a dead tie.
May 23rd, 2011 at 9:09 amPun intended
Seat, no chance he doesnt get further into the game. He already has two complete games this season. He’ll pitch into the 8th inning, he may even get another complete game.
BTW, his last two starts
16.2IP 12H 1ER 3BB 10K
May 23rd, 2011 at 9:09 amSchafer sucks, too. Does it really matter who’s brought up between him and Ramirez?
May 23rd, 2011 at 9:15 amOh the New York life, Wilpon with some very good quotes (not really) about his team and players.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/05/fred-wilpon-on-reyes-wright-beltran.html
May 23rd, 2011 at 9:16 am@33/42:
Schafer definitely has nothing to complain about for not being called up. With numbers like that, he may not be in the Braves organization much longer.
The guy who may have a minor complaint (no pun intended) is Stefan Gartrell: .508 SLG, .822 OPS.
Don’t know anything about him except he’s 27 and played briefly at Chattanooga this year. Can the guy field and/or play center? If so, he would be my choice over Schafer if McLouth goes down. The outfield depth in the minors hasn’t changed much – it’s still poor.
May 23rd, 2011 at 9:21 am@41
I’ll go with
7 innings, 1 run, 4 hits, 3 walks, and 8 K’s
May 23rd, 2011 at 9:32 amthe numbers i was referring to was specifically Ramirez’s 290 obp.
May 23rd, 2011 at 9:49 amcsg,
I obviously computed the presence of The Mather when I came up with Charlie’s projected line. I figure with the way he’s playing, he’s personally good enough for 2 walks and 3 hits in the 6.2 innings. Of course, that requires both the umpires and the Pirates to not notice him batting out of order every inning…..
Edit: I wonder if we should sell high on Mather at this point. I hear the first sacker for St. Louis is having an Uggla-esque stretch. I wonder if the Cards would like to have Joe back?
May 23rd, 2011 at 9:50 am8 innings, 1 walk, 7K, 11 Hits, 1 run
May 23rd, 2011 at 9:55 am10 things I didn’t know about the Braves’ all-time record.
May 23rd, 2011 at 10:08 amI got a feeling that we’re going to make a trade today.
May 23rd, 2011 at 10:25 amI dont, maybe in June
May 23rd, 2011 at 10:33 amToday? I would bet against it.
May 23rd, 2011 at 10:34 amMinor is starting in Hudson’s place on Wednesday. Hudson will be scheduled to pitch again on May 30th. Minor will start again on May 31st.
May 23rd, 2011 at 10:40 am@4, Official site says Heyward’s DL is retroactive to yesterday.
Atlanta Braves placed RF Jason Heyward on the 15-Day disabled list retroactive to May 22, 2011. Sore right shoulder.
May 23rd, 2011 at 10:46 amAtlanta Braves transferred RHP Peter Moylan from the 15-Day disabled list to the 60-Day disabled list.
Atlanta Braves called up Wilkin Ramirez from Gwinnett Braves.
The number one trade we need to make is to trade Dan Uggla’s current imposter for the real one. The current version of Dan Uggla is killing us.
May 23rd, 2011 at 10:49 amCrud. You meant the team’s been playing his evil twin Don Uggla?
May 23rd, 2011 at 10:58 amtrying to convince fellow Braves fans that Fredi is a dope is going to be an uphill battle, my friends. Right now, I’m having the fight of my life on a GT message board…just trying to prove that bunting isn’t awesome. It’s amazing how much people know about baseball through cliches like “get em on, get em over, get em in”. the fact that you’re giving away outs is lost on these people
May 23rd, 2011 at 11:06 amEverybody STEP BACK off the ledge. We are TWO (2) games out of the Wild Card right now. Heyward hasn’t been hitting all year, so for the moment we aren’t really losing anything. Oh, and it’s May. We’ll be fine. What you really should be focused on is trying to introduce me to my love, Emma Stone.
May 23rd, 2011 at 11:17 am@61
please show them this:
http://www.sabernomics.com/sabernomics/index.php/2004/12/on-the-productive-out-percentage/
If they won’t listen to JC, there’s no hope for’em.
Kinda like Productive Outs as a fantasy team name, not so much for a rock band.
May 23rd, 2011 at 11:20 amSpeaking of fun names, I know someone who plays on a co-ed softball team named:
“Where My Pitches At”
May 23rd, 2011 at 11:44 amApologies for turning the conversation to SEC football, but I just finished reading this Harvey Updyke interview and I’m not sure my jaw will lift off the floor for the rest of the day. Crazy doesn’t usually surprise me, but he’s a special case.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?id=6575499
May 23rd, 2011 at 12:29 pmI have no faith in the Braves’ offense either–I feel confident that I have made this clear over the past month or so. But there’s something about Charlie Morton that has gone unmentioned here: he absolutely, positively cannot get lefties out. He has shut down a few of the righty-heavy offenses in the NL Central, but the Braves, bless their LOOGY-phobic hearts, have like 76 left handed batters on the roster. It may not go the way we fear it might.
May 23rd, 2011 at 12:32 pmNote that he is really a Texan. We in Tuscaloosa take no responsibility for his actions or those of any Texans.
May 23rd, 2011 at 12:32 pm@67 I would never project him on the Alabama fanbase, but I have no problem adding him to the list of reasons never to live in Texas.
May 23rd, 2011 at 12:36 pmI know that Kentucky is not Auburn in Bama fans’ eyes and that they usually just pat us on the head, but I will say that I’ve been to most of the stadia in the SEC and Bama fans are the most pleasant of the lot and it isn’t close.
It’s gotta drive true Bama fans crazy that this moron just reinforced the (largely northern) stereotype.
May 23rd, 2011 at 1:03 pmMay 23rd, 2011 at 1:18 pm
I think every fan base has idiots like this (most don’t act on their first toughts). I would say most SEC fans are pretty decent. Yes, even a good percentage of Gator fans are probably okay people (see Mraver and Rob)
It sucks that fools have to ruin things for everyone else.
May 23rd, 2011 at 1:46 pmJohn Sickels likes what he’s seeing from Arodys Vizcaino so far this year:
May 23rd, 2011 at 2:00 pm@72 Even if we don’t end up doing anything this season, I can take comfort in knowing our pitching is STACKED.
May 23rd, 2011 at 2:17 pmI wonder if Prado can play a passible center field?
May 23rd, 2011 at 2:55 pmA trade is inevitable. We have no positional depth in the minors– who is the next 3B? SS? 2B? CF? LF? I understand we have a few nice prospects here and there, but nothing on the level of Heyward or even Freeman.
On the other hand, our pitching is very, very, incredibly immensely deep. In the next 3 years our rotation may include: Hudson, Hanson, Jurrjens, Teheran, Medlen, Minor, Delgado, Vizcaino, Beachy, Oberholtzer. Some of those guys may switch to the bullpen, sure, but that is a lot of arms.
Then you take Lowe off the books next year and boom we just freed up 15 mill.
It may not happen during the season, but I think this offseason may be very interesting
May 23rd, 2011 at 3:11 pmYeah, some of these young pitchers are going to have to be flipped for bats.
May 23rd, 2011 at 3:26 pmCF and SS are open after this season, and 3B is a questionmark. Tbe Braves rarely go after free agents. There isn’t anyone remotely ready in the farm system or they would be up now. You do the math.
May 23rd, 2011 at 3:27 pmThe Braves will free up salary by moving Lowe and probably JJ this offseason. Nate and KK will also be off the books. They will protect almost all of their young pitching.
They’ll get some mediocre bats via trade or FA, pay their arb figures, and sign some useless veteran relievers. Then they’ll pocket as much cash as possible.
Its a trend, it wont change.
May 23rd, 2011 at 3:31 pmJust signed Julio Lugo to a minor league deal….all is cured!
May 23rd, 2011 at 3:43 pmThe sad thing is, Julio Lugo immediately became the second best MLB capable SS in the org.
May 23rd, 2011 at 3:46 pm@79
May 23rd, 2011 at 3:46 pmI’d rather have Lugo who was actually a good major league for a number of years rather than sending Diory out there.
Lugo is an improvement on Diory. They should call him up immediately.
May 23rd, 2011 at 3:48 pmHe needs to get in shape, I’m sure. Give it ten days.
May 23rd, 2011 at 3:50 pmHe’s a legitimate backup SS and bench player. This is a great move.
May 23rd, 2011 at 3:52 pmIsn’t there another Julio Lugo already at Gwinnett? A pitcher I think.
May 23rd, 2011 at 3:56 pmOh, no, it looks lihe Schafer will be called up to replace McLouth.
May 23rd, 2011 at 4:34 pmTyler Pastornicky is having a good year at Double A. The Braves may decide he’s ready to take over SS next year. I would imagine that when Chipper retires that Prado will move to third and the Braves will bring in a LF from outside the organization. They will have to do that for CF.
May 23rd, 2011 at 4:36 pmOn Schafer – Wow. I guess he can play centerfield – not much else at this point. We’re in trouble if he’s the best we’ve got.
May 23rd, 2011 at 4:37 pmFunny, I assumed Schafer would be DFAed to make room for the person called up to replace McLouth.
May 23rd, 2011 at 4:41 pmF***ing last call, Jordan.
May 23rd, 2011 at 4:42 pmLugo probably shouldn’t play Shortstop… unless it’s 2005.
May 23rd, 2011 at 4:45 pmYes, even a good percentage of Gator fans are probably okay people (see Mraver and Rob)
No, really see them.
May 23rd, 2011 at 4:46 pmI found myself chuckling at one of the tweets when I googled Schafer for a source on the callup info. I was about to repost it here when I saw that it was from @bravesjournal.
May 23rd, 2011 at 4:47 pmWhat happens to the pants legs they cut off to make all those jean shorts, anyway?
May 23rd, 2011 at 4:47 pmJordan Schafer wasn’t hitting at AAA because he was just too bored to do well.
#Gwinning
May 23rd, 2011 at 4:53 pmGreat work Stu. I tossed that up hoping that picture would show.
May 23rd, 2011 at 4:53 pmLugo is fine, better than Diory. Schafer not so much.
May 23rd, 2011 at 5:01 pmWe could have an OF of Wilkin, Schafer, and Mather. Yep, 2011 Atlanta Braves.
May 23rd, 2011 at 5:01 pmHopefully Mather is a trend setter and Wilkin and Schafer, who were both royally sucking for Gwinnett, will be AWESOME for Atlanta.
May 23rd, 2011 at 5:10 pmI would have recalled Young. Now we probably have to see Schafer play everyday…I’d rather have Mather play center.
May 23rd, 2011 at 5:18 pm@94 Stuff ‘em with Big Lots “magazines” and make pillows for the couch? I’m sure zip-ties are involved somehow.
May 23rd, 2011 at 5:22 pmEverybody STEP BACK off the ledge. We are TWO (2) games out of the Wild Card right now. Heyward hasn’t been hitting all year, so for the moment we aren’t really losing anything. Oh, and it’s May. We’ll be fine. What you really should be focused on is trying to introduce me to my love, Emma Stone.
May 23rd, 2011 at 5:28 pmAlso, I’m going to ignore his minor league data and assume Schafer comes up hitting and maintaining plate discipline, basically being a better version of Jacoby Ellsbury. Don’t disappoint me, Jordan. Also, I love Emma Stone
May 23rd, 2011 at 5:30 pmbraves14, somehow/someway Schafer is an upgrade over Matt Young. He just has to be, right?
May 23rd, 2011 at 5:38 pmI STILL BELIEVE IN YOU, JORDAN!!!
May 23rd, 2011 at 5:42 pmWell, I was thinking that Young wouldn’t have to play everyday but Schafer probably will.
May 23rd, 2011 at 5:44 pmZip ties? That’s some Yankee substitute for Alabama chrome*, isn’t it?
*aka duct tape
May 23rd, 2011 at 5:45 pmConsider the parallels between Jordan Schafer and Tony Mandarich. Mandarich did have a successful career as a decent guard, so maybe Schafer can be an okay fourth outfielder.
May 23rd, 2011 at 5:54 pmI dig the “upbeat stalker” schtick this new fellow is bringing.
May 23rd, 2011 at 5:55 pmMandarich had a good career as a security guard maybe….
May 23rd, 2011 at 5:55 pmWriteup on Schafer over at talkingchop says he’s having a “decent return” this year. I guess the author has lowered his standards if he thinks a .634 OPS is a “decent return”.
May 23rd, 2011 at 6:02 pmIf I was going to stalk someone it would be Zooey Deschanel or Emma Watson. Maybe Kat Dennings.
Oh right Braves. Uh.. Fredi is so dumb that it’s not tasteful to make fun of him.
May 23rd, 2011 at 6:14 pmWith the exception of a few, I’ve found Talking Chop to be only a step or 2 above the AJC blog in intelligence.
May 23rd, 2011 at 6:15 pmSorry, JC, I called dibs on Emma Watson a long time ago.
May 23rd, 2011 at 6:17 pmI hope it wasn’t that long ago…
May 23rd, 2011 at 6:18 pmGood point, but she’s actually older than me so we’re all good.
May 23rd, 2011 at 6:20 pmSchafer has to at least be a defensive upgrade, right? I mean he can probably throw it on a fly from shallow center to 2nd. Offensively it doens’t matter because that’s not a terribly important skill for this team.
May 23rd, 2011 at 6:21 pmAt my desk, I have a copy of a headline from the Richmond Times-Dispatch for an interview with Emma Watson talking about Hermione Granger: “There’s so much of me in her.”
So, uh, yeah.
May 23rd, 2011 at 6:24 pmSeems like a nice kid. For 20 years my answer to that question has been Marisa Tomei, and it remains so. She and Tim Wakefield are about the only people left who I can point to and say, “See, I’m still just a youngster.”
May 23rd, 2011 at 6:31 pm105 – You and me both Stu. We’re the last two.
F***ing defensive replacement time.
I’m hoping Wilkin Ramirez is spanish for Charles Thomas.
May 23rd, 2011 at 6:34 pmHow to Tell It’s an Off Day Part 35- Talking about who we would stalk…
For what it’s worth if I was forced to stalk someone it would probably be Emma Stone or Diane Kruger.
May 23rd, 2011 at 6:44 pmMy current TV girlfriend (it changes periodically) is Rashida Jones.
Murph just dissed Lady Gaga on Twitter. The man is a true American hero.
May 23rd, 2011 at 6:46 pm@112, Zooey Deschanel is phenomenally gorgeous, but after I saw her in a couple of interviews, my interest in stalking her waned. If I was interested in such things, I’d have to go for someone like Mindy Kaling.
May 23rd, 2011 at 6:59 pmThank God the Todd Raleigh era is over. Hopefully the Mike Hamilton era is close behind.
May 23rd, 2011 at 7:01 pm@107, Well, it is Florida we’re talking about. They probably think duct tape has something to do with boating shoes.
May 23rd, 2011 at 7:20 pm@122 good choice, Mac.
Josh Holloway from LOST would be my tv crush, but I’m too lazy to be a stalker.
May 23rd, 2011 at 7:33 pm#15 LOL!
May 23rd, 2011 at 7:50 pm#115 typo still laughing.
May 23rd, 2011 at 7:51 pmAlso this…
http://i56.tinypic.com/f6mv9.jpg
May 23rd, 2011 at 7:55 pmDon’t mock them too harshly, guys. View at your own risk.
http://www.nathanbeaver.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/AlabamaFan.jpg
May 23rd, 2011 at 8:49 pmAnyone see Manny Acta right now? Hey Fredi take notice, you can take up for a player when they are right. Hell of a managing job he’s doing in Cleveland right now.
May 23rd, 2011 at 9:08 pmManny Acta has long been one of my favorite managers. He not only takes up for players but is pretty statistically savvy.
It also helps that he has a great offense. I would give three Dan Ugglas for one Asdrubal Cabrera right now.
May 23rd, 2011 at 9:38 pmCorey Hart hit his 3rd HR of the night.
May 23rd, 2011 at 9:49 pm#94
Was at the Yankee game tonight & this guy wearing a Florida sweater kept coming & going thru the row. Finally, I said, jokingly with mock annoyance, “Oh, no! Here comes that Gator guy again.”
Completely misreading me & pointlessly attempting to curry favor, he responds, “I know, I know. Everybody hates us, but I’m a Yankee fan, too.”
I just mumbled to my friend, “You have no idea.”
May 23rd, 2011 at 10:16 pmMust be that Natty Light — goes right through you.
May 23rd, 2011 at 10:38 pmI like the Lugo signing….
I had hoped that Schafer would spend more time at AAA, but least his defense should be good.
Yes, it is way too early to give up hope.
Otherwise, off to HK….
May 23rd, 2011 at 11:23 pmVizcaino was dealing tonight. No runs, no walks, and only 3hits in 7 IP. He will prob be in AA soon.
May 23rd, 2011 at 11:31 pmI wonder what the lineup will be like the next couple of weeks. Prediction:
Prado LF
May 24th, 2011 at 1:13 amGonzalez SS
Chipper 3b
McCann C
Hinske RF
Uggla 2b
Freeman 1b
Schafer CF
Where’s Mather at in that lineup ? Don’t tell me it doesn’t Mather.
I’d like the opinion from others around here that follow the minor leagues closer than I do, but it looks like Delgado & Vizcaino are pretty close to ready to be moved up.
May 24th, 2011 at 1:27 am#130 – dadgum.
May 24th, 2011 at 6:41 amUgh-la and Freeman don’t need to be next to each other in the lineup. They need to be spereated like two 8th grade girls that won’t stop talking in math class.
May 24th, 2011 at 7:12 am#138 – Fredi loves the Righty-Lefty thing too much
Prado
Freeman
Chipper
Bmac
Uggla
Hinske
AAG
Schafer
He’s having dreams about how many sac bunts he’ll have against Charlie Morton tonight.
May 24th, 2011 at 8:16 amPrado
AAG
Chipper
Bmac
Hinske
Uggla
Mather
Freeman
Is how I would go
May 24th, 2011 at 8:31 amBrian Fuentes, interim closer (TM), complaining about being brought into a tie game in extra innings on the road…
http://www.insidebayarea.com/athletics/ci_18126004
The real problem seems to be communication about strategy between manager and players, but it still seems pretty silly to me.
May 24th, 2011 at 8:36 amIts not really a communication problem, Fuentes just needs to realize that he’s a pitcher (not a closer) and should be ready whenever he’s called on.
May 24th, 2011 at 8:52 amIt might also be a communication problem, though. On the one hand, Fuentes comes off sounding like a jerk. On the other hand, what he’s describing is awful. If other pitchers feel that way about Geren, he’s facing a low-level mutiny.
May 24th, 2011 at 9:02 amHe’s also a really crappy pitcher, which makes the whole thing hilarious. The A’s have like three other relievers who are way better than he is.
May 24th, 2011 at 9:04 amPastornicky having a real nice year at AA. I don’t know much about the kid’s defense (heard it was average with plus range and average arm), but he can run (80% SB success rate with the ability to steal 30-40 bases a year), has always had good plate discipline, and is showing more power this year (.462 slugging up from a .371 career average). He seems like a Martin Prado type who slips under the prospect radar, but might actually be a good major leaguer.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=pastor001tyl
May 24th, 2011 at 9:31 amPastornicky is repeating a level. Don’t get too excited.
May 24th, 2011 at 9:36 amHe’s only 21 and one of the few decent position players in our farm. Its ok to be a little excited about the season he’s having.
13 errors in 42 games isnt exciting though.
May 24th, 2011 at 9:38 am@130 Huh, I didn’t know Bob Wickman was an Alabama fan.
May 24th, 2011 at 9:45 amJohn Isner up two sets to one on Nadal in Paris.
May 24th, 2011 at 9:51 am@149,
He only played like half a saeson at AA last year. From what I can tell he was at high A when we got him and we sent him strait to AA
May 24th, 2011 at 10:14 am@151 I thought it was either Todd Coffey or Cheryl, but Wickman makes sense too.
May 24th, 2011 at 10:19 amWoof!!
When was the last time an American made it to, hell, the quarters in the French?
May 24th, 2011 at 10:24 amY’all are right. Pastornicky only played 38 games in AA. I’m officially sort of excited but his performance thus far is an aberration.
They say you can never have too much pitching but what if you don’t have any position players?
Is this Jordan Schafer’s last effing chance to make a positive impression?
May 24th, 2011 at 10:41 amAmericans have pretty much sucked at men’s tennis since Agassi retired.
May 24th, 2011 at 10:41 amJordan Shafer is getting another chance only by luck. He certainly hasnt earned it, but Ill hope for the best.
May 24th, 2011 at 10:58 amNadal is up 5-4 in the 5th set
May 24th, 2011 at 10:59 amWhich is now final. Nadal took the last two sets 6-2, 6-4. Like AAR said, Americans just cant get it done in tennis anymore.
May 24th, 2011 at 11:05 amStill an amazing result for Isner just to get it to five sets. Nadal didn’t lose a single set in last year’s French.
May 24th, 2011 at 11:06 amYou callow yutes missed a great era where Connors and McEnroe were must-see tv.
May 24th, 2011 at 11:13 amI like Isner a lot, and it was awesome to watch part of that interminable Wimbledon match he played. He’s a great server, but he isn’t a great player. Nadal won 6 games in every set of the match for the same reason that the Wimbledon match went for three days: Isner can hold serve, but he can’t break serve.
May 24th, 2011 at 11:20 amDan Uggla is batting 1-for-11 (.091) in his career against Charlie Morton, with four strikeouts.
May 24th, 2011 at 11:24 am@164,
Ok so Ugh-la goes 2-3 tonight with both hits bouncing off the topp of the wall. He will get thrown out at second both times.
May 24th, 2011 at 11:36 amhttp://tinyurl.com/43wzyhb
May 24th, 2011 at 11:48 amMore evidence for my “Uggla’s shirts are too tight” theory. His last good game was the Civil Rights game, where he was forced to wear a man’s sized shirt.
May 24th, 2011 at 1:00 pm#166
May 24th, 2011 at 1:14 pmWilpon’s recent attempts to positively modify his image certainly aren’t working.
Everyone was wearing a Cheryl-sized shirt that day. There’s got to be some middle ground between busting out and getting lost in the folds.
May 24th, 2011 at 1:16 pm@166… Madoff or no Madoff. This is the dumbest part:
“SI also reports that the Mets turned to Madoff to help them get rid of outfielder Bobby Bonilla, a clubhouse malcontent, after the 1999 season. If the team released Bonilla, it would have had to pay him $5.9 million for the 2000 season. Mets officials instead offered to pay Bonilla nearly $1.2 million per year for 25 years, for a total of $29.8 million, beginning this July. The payments to Bonilla were based on an interest rate of 8%; the Mets planned on investing the Bonilla money with Madoff, whom they expected would give them a 10% to 12% return.”
May 24th, 2011 at 1:22 pm#170
That should tell you what kinds of returns Wilpon/Katz were actually getting, and for years.
Anyone interested in this stuff (and I find it fascinating) might want to read Harry Markopolos’ book, No One Would Listen: A True Financial Thriller, which details how the author (a financial industry math-genius/”quant”) pegged Madoff early, alerted authorities about the fraud several times & tracked him for years, but…, well, just read the title.
The Mets aren’t in the book, but it explains much of the scam, especially how lots of people made lots of money & why plenty of people kept pitching loads of cash into the kitty.
May 24th, 2011 at 1:31 pmThanks, ububba, I am off to amazon.
May 24th, 2011 at 1:32 pmThe top of tonight’s lineup looks like f—ing success, to me.
May 24th, 2011 at 2:46 pmdoes anyone else miss diaz?
May 25th, 2011 at 12:10 pm