Michael Bourn
Speed guy makes good. Bourn was drafted by the Phillies out of the University of Houston in 2003, in the fourth round, and had a minor league career you’d expect with his talent base — decent average, walks, a lot of stolen bases, some doubles and triples power.
He had a cup of coffee in 2006 then was a fourth outfielder in 2006, hitting .277 and getting on-base at a .348 clip, but showing almost no power — just seven extra-base hits. After the season, he was traded to the Astros with two other players for Brad Lidge and Eric Bruntlett.
The Astros made him their center fielder, displacing Hunter Pence, but Bourn had a disastrous season, hitting .229/.288/.300, unprecedentedly low for him. It seems to have been a fluke. Playing every day over the last three years he’s hit .279/.348/.373, including a .303 average this year that might be just a little fluky. Slugging tends to vary from year to year; in his case, it’s actually due more to speed than anything as it’s affected by how many triples he hits.
He’s a great defensive player, as you have to be to handle center in that miniature golf course they call a ballpark in Houston. He is also probably the most accomplished basestealer in the game since the demise of Carlos Beltran’s legs, leading the NL in the category the last two years and doing it again so far this one. Therefore, Martin Prado is about to bunt a lot.
Good move for Braves. Will help with glove and base running. Should produce runs, which we need badly.
August 1st, 2011 at 2:18 pmGet ready to hear a lot of “Get ‘em on, get ‘em over, gett ‘em in.”
Oh, and Prado is about to get a lot of fastballs to hit.
August 1st, 2011 at 2:19 pmAnd Bourn puns.
August 1st, 2011 at 2:24 pmConcering Success and the good things players said about him. His fellow braves are quality people who appreciate that he played hurt in his last game and got hurt worse and still got a bunt hit and an outfield single that put Lugo on third to score winning run. Playing hurt as a rookie hindered him but doing it this year earned him respect.
August 1st, 2011 at 2:35 pmI think I would rather Fredi bat the pitcher second than have Prado bunt all the time.
It would not surprise me if Fredi penciled him in at number 8 to hit in front of the pitcher. Then again, yes it would because I would not expect Fredi to be smart enough to think anything other than “SPEED GUY HITS FIRST CHECK!”
Fredi is a pretty stupid human specimen.
August 1st, 2011 at 2:35 pmPlease bear with me while I clarify my understanding. Frank Wren is stupid, but not as stupid as he was Saturday; and Fredi is just as stupid today as he was last week. Is that about right?
August 1st, 2011 at 2:57 pmI will miss Schafer mainly because I’ve grown quite fond of the nickname, “Success.”
August 1st, 2011 at 2:59 pmOnce Success start leading off bunts were rare by Prado. Same with Broun
August 1st, 2011 at 2:59 pmDidn’t Fredi let Hanley run pretty often in Florida? Maybe it’s just wishful thinking on my part, but I’d have to think he’d give Bourn the green light quite a bit to.
August 1st, 2011 at 3:09 pmIt’s one thing to have a bad hitter like Nate bunt over a poor base stealer like Prado. It’s another to have a good hitter like Prado bunt over a guy like Bourn who can probably go get the bag himself 80 percent of the time.
@9
I read somewhere where DOB confirmed that Success had a green light all the time. I would think Bourn will be running a lot.
August 1st, 2011 at 3:13 pm@8 – I expect Spike to chime in any minute to point out it was just Prado getting hot and not Schafer getting on that cut down on the calls for bunts. Hopefully Prado stays hot so Fredi doesn’t make him bunt Bourn over.
August 1st, 2011 at 3:13 pmwhy would I say that? Don’t misconstrue my pointing out to you that you score less runs after getting on in the 8 spot rather than 1st as anything other than an explanation of why Success seemed to score more frequently than Nate.
August 1st, 2011 at 3:24 pmNB: Add “Success” to the glossary.
August 1st, 2011 at 3:36 pmI do think it’s rather poetic that “The Bourn Identity” for the Braves begins in the hub of espionage, Washington, DC. Yes, a pun.
August 1st, 2011 at 3:37 pmHopefully Bourn is better at baseball than the CIA is at espionage.
Ho!
August 1st, 2011 at 3:40 pmI watched “Bourn Identity” on cable last night. It’s a fun movie but man, Julia Stiles is worthless.
August 1st, 2011 at 3:43 pmFranka Potente, on the other hand, is a pretty good actress. Loved her in Run Lola Run.
August 1st, 2011 at 3:48 pmSecond your Julia Stiles take, Rob.
August 1st, 2011 at 4:05 pmThird that Rob
And now DOB says it will be the Summer of George or Varvaro getting sent down. I am guessing Proctor got out some new pictures of Wren or was contacted by Lockhart and given his
August 1st, 2011 at 4:10 pmJulia was good on Dexter last year.
August 1st, 2011 at 4:12 pmHas there been an interviews with Bourn yet? I always enjoy those. I remember when Nate bawled his eyes out when he had to leave the Pirates.
August 1st, 2011 at 4:14 pmDOB…
Stay tuned but I think #Braves roster move for Bourn might be Proctor. 43 mins ago
August 1st, 2011 at 4:15 pmAll I remember about the Nate acquisition is the candle-lighting that took place in the Pirates clubhouse, allegedly in memory of their departed brother. I bet it was really just to get rid of the smell of his hair dye. I’d view it as a really bad sign for Bourn’s future if he cries too.
August 1st, 2011 at 4:17 pmDOB…
Braves still haven’t announced roster move or lineup. Check what I said about Proctor. Now could simply be Constanza or Varvaro
9 minutes ago
August 1st, 2011 at 4:17 pmLike Jordan Schafer, Nicky’s value was maximized by having a potent slugger behind her.
August 1st, 2011 at 4:18 pmI’m imagining Proctor slowly driving by Wren’s house, holding up the manila envelope containing The Pictures as Wren peers through a crack in the blinds. DOB gets a call shortly thereafter retracting the Proctor DFA rumor.
August 1st, 2011 at 4:20 pm@26….exactly
August 1st, 2011 at 4:21 pm@20, I thought she was pretty mediocre in “Dexter.” Then again, John Lithgow’s performance in season 4 is pretty tough to follow.
August 1st, 2011 at 4:25 pmChipper’s fielded ground balls, but is out tonight. This would be my guess w/a righty on the mound.
Bourn-CF
August 1st, 2011 at 4:32 pmPrado-3B
Freeman-1B
Uggla-2B
Hinske-LF
Ross-C
Heyward-RF
Gonzalez-SS
“How is what you described ’11th dimensional chess’? Wren was probably (as all other GMs do) driving up the price on other teams by getting involved in the bidding for Hunter Pence. That occurs in every market. Think of it as an auction: the more people that are bidding on an object, the higher the price of that object is going to be. That’s not complicated.” (from the last thread)
Sure, it’s not complicated–and of course it’s not really 11th dimensional chess. My point was simply that we should just assume the simplest explanation as the best explanation. The probability that Wren involved himself in the Pence talks so as to screw Philly and/or whet Wade’s appetite for Braves’ prospects is low; he was probably involved in the Pence talks to trade for Pence.
August 1st, 2011 at 4:48 pmLinebrink to DL-per Bowman. I guess Proctor beat him down
August 1st, 2011 at 5:06 pmFredi LaRussa’s lineup:
From DOB: #Braves lineup: 1. Bourn CF, 2. Prado 3B, 3. Freeman 1B, 4. Uggla 2B, 5. Heyward RF, 6. Ross C, 7. Gonzalez SS, 8. Jurrjens P 9 Constanza LF
August 1st, 2011 at 5:09 pmWe’ve entered the LaRussa zone.
August 1st, 2011 at 5:10 pmAt the game. So is Proctor. D’oh.
August 1st, 2011 at 5:11 pmPer DOB, “last Braves pitcher to hit anywhere but 8th Lew Burdette vs Cubs 7/29/59.”
August 1st, 2011 at 5:12 pmApparently, the entire Braves managerial staff has started playing 11th dimensional chess.
I’ll be at the ballgame too, Section 225 Row K. Is anyone else planning to be there?
August 1st, 2011 at 5:13 pmAt least he’s showing creativity. Might even be optimal, depending on what he thinks Constanza’s chances of getting on base are.
August 1st, 2011 at 5:13 pm@32
I don’t think I mind that lineup at all. What the hell? He’s being creative, and if you get T-Bone and Bourn on base back-to-back, finally you can create some runs.
Of course, he’ll just blow it by having Prado bunt, but still….
August 1st, 2011 at 5:17 pmWhy is T-Bone in the lineup? Is Hinske dead?
August 1st, 2011 at 5:18 pmI’ve got no problem with it yet. I reserve the right to complain nonstop if something bad happens.
August 1st, 2011 at 5:19 pm40- As do we all.
August 1st, 2011 at 5:22 pm#39- My guess is now that Fredi is going to try an offense that lets the antelopes loose on the base paths. Hey, it’s a better form of small ball than “productive outs.”
#40- That made me chuckle. I’m right there with ya.
August 1st, 2011 at 5:22 pm@26 it is easier to play crazed killer than a victim.
August 1st, 2011 at 5:24 pmThis really does support my earlier theory that Fredi is Larussa 2.0. If I see an SUV stopped at a green light with a snoring driver somewhere around Atlanta, I’ll pop an audio version of Tom Tango’s The Book into Fredi’s CD player and keep driving. Maybe he’ll wake up in jail with an understanding of leverage index and wOBA.
August 1st, 2011 at 5:25 pmSaber-inception?
August 1st, 2011 at 5:31 pm44 – LOL
I don’t see any huge problems with it yet. Whether he’s hitting 8th or 9th, it’s not like JJ is going to have many bunting opportunities hitting behind AAG anyway. And late in the game, we’ll get to a PH spot earlier, which could be good. I wouldn’t do it with someone slow in the 9-hole, cuz you might waste Bourn’s speed if he’s on base behind a slow guy, but it might work with T-Bone there.
Then again, we’ll see.
August 1st, 2011 at 5:36 pmUpon reflection, can’t we just move Jurrjens up to #7 and move AAG down to #8, which is now apparently the pitcher’s spot?
August 1st, 2011 at 5:39 pmWatching Ross mouth the words to every Motown song they play on the PA. Right now, “Heatwave.”
August 1st, 2011 at 5:41 pmBraves Live! is one of the worst-produced programs in television history.
August 1st, 2011 at 5:48 pm@49
But it’s an “Emmy Winning” broadcast! Allegedly. So they say.
August 1st, 2011 at 5:53 pm@50 “Emmy-winning” has as much connection to quality as OBP has to offensive success. At least that’s what Chip tells me.
August 1st, 2011 at 5:57 pm@43, Gotta disagree with you there. Lithgow’s performance was impeccable. I never thought that the guy from “Third Rock From the Sun” could be scary, but he was terrifying. Stiles on the other hand just played some girl. Which is fine for that part I guess, but it lacked depth in my opinion. Excited for season six though.
August 1st, 2011 at 5:57 pmThe Yahoo box score has an entirely different lineup. Boscan in and no Bourn.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:01 pmI just checked John Lithgow’s imdb page and I am a bit shocked that he’s been nominated for two Oscars.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:02 pmThe MASN guys just called our new CF Jason Bourne.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:02 pm55 — lol
August 1st, 2011 at 6:05 pmHey-o welcome to the Braves
August 1st, 2011 at 6:07 pmYup, welcome aboard, Mr. Bourn
August 1st, 2011 at 6:08 pmBourn should get about 15 steals against Livan.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:09 pmMan, almost.
UGH. Bad luck.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:10 pmI’ve never been so happy to see a slap single to the opposite field.
NO BUNTING!!!!
August 1st, 2011 at 6:10 pmWell hell
August 1st, 2011 at 6:11 pmI can’t take another night of this.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:11 pmWell that’s a shame
August 1st, 2011 at 6:14 pmThat’s disgusting.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:15 pmWelcome to the Braves, Michael. You’re probably going to have steal even more bases than you did in Houston with luck like that.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:16 pm@63, get used to it.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:16 pmReally?
August 1st, 2011 at 6:16 pmSeriously? Rick Ankiel?
August 1st, 2011 at 6:16 pmOh fml. Why do the Nationals do this to us?
August 1st, 2011 at 6:16 pmLithgow was terrific as the freaked-out airplane passenger in the ill-fated “Twilight Zone” movie. And though I thought “The World According to Garp” was overrated, he was really good as Roberta Muldoon.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:18 pmWhy is Ankiel batting leadoff anyway
August 1st, 2011 at 6:20 pmOk, let’s be positive. Martin crushed two balls that AB. If he heats up I’m going to be a much happier person.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:20 pmLivan is getting a pretty generous zone.
DOESN’T MATTER!!! GO DAN!!!
August 1st, 2011 at 6:22 pmThis streak is getting silly.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:22 pmDan Muggla.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:22 pm#hittingstreak!!
August 1st, 2011 at 6:23 pm5.68 ERA and 1.42 WHIP for JJ since the All-Star Break. Am I overreacting to be a tad concerned?
August 1st, 2011 at 6:23 pmSluggla
August 1st, 2011 at 6:23 pmUggla FTW.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:23 pmAnd his name is DAN UGGLA!
August 1st, 2011 at 6:25 pmUgh.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:39 pmLame.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:39 pmI have an exquisite, unhealthy hatred for Livan Hernandez.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:40 pmOh, how I hate you, Livan Hernandez.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:41 pmWay to pick it, Freddie.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:41 pmWell, so far Rick Ankiel and Livan Hernandez are kicking our asses.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:42 pmI want Bourn to get a hit and watch the two of them fly around the bases.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:46 pmChip earns some points with me for calling Livan portly.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:47 pmI was going to have only 2 beers tonight, but apparently Jair Jurrjens wants me to have more than that.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:48 pm@88 – I think we can assume that Snitker will start throwing up stop signs for them with regularity, just to maximize his incompetence.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:49 pm@91 Ha, it would be like him.
Even our fast guys can’t steal bases.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:50 pmVROOOM VROOM FREDI LIKE CARS! VROOOOM!
August 1st, 2011 at 6:50 pmSigh.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:57 pmJesus this ump is terrible…
August 1st, 2011 at 6:59 pm@95 Eric Gregg inhabits the body of the home plate ump whenever Livan faces the braves.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:04 pmYou rock, Freddie! Uggla, can you please get him home?
August 1st, 2011 at 7:04 pmTime for some clutch, Heyward.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:07 pmHe got a clutch HBP. Does that count?
August 1st, 2011 at 7:08 pmI suppose that’s better than another popout
August 1st, 2011 at 7:08 pmCome on David!
August 1st, 2011 at 7:08 pmHis best RISP at-bat in months
August 1st, 2011 at 7:08 pmWe’ll take it. Hell, we’ll take anything right now.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:09 pmYou have got to be kidding me.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:09 pmThat was bound to happen.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:10 pmWow, that was depressing. Yet not surprising.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:10 pmWatching this team is maddening
August 1st, 2011 at 7:10 pmDammit.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:10 pmRoss is a great backup catcher…but McCann is irreplaceable.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:10 pmStill kind of hating this team
August 1st, 2011 at 7:11 pmThat did not rock.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:11 pmIf you didn’t see that coming, you’re not a Braves fan.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:11 pmNice @ 112.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:12 pmIt really is a mystery to me how our record is so good.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:15 pmI’m looking forward to another 13 hit, 1 run affair.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:20 pmI hate this team.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:20 pmIt is never a good strategy to use AAA players in you big league line up.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:22 pmWow, good thing Costanza wasn’t batting eighth… of course, Freddy would have had HIM bunt into that DP instead.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:22 pmBunting into a double play! Is there anything a pitcher in the 8 slot can’t do?!?!
August 1st, 2011 at 7:22 pmIt’s even more annoying when you’re listening on radio and hear Don Sutton say “Jurrjens bunting, and it’s a beauty. (pause) Wow can’t believe he went there. On to first for the double play”
August 1st, 2011 at 7:25 pmBunts are to Braves pitchers as walks are to Braves hitters.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:25 pmFYI: the Phillies had a 56-48 record coming into August 1st last season. The Giants were 61-47.
At 63-47, the Braves just need to get healthy and rolling now. The runs will come.
(but they might lose tonight)
August 1st, 2011 at 7:26 pmAgain. Freaking hell.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:26 pmWTF
August 1st, 2011 at 7:26 pmThat woman’s reaction was the same as my reaction.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:26 pmOh, this hurts to “watch.”
August 1st, 2011 at 7:27 pmEff you, Rick Ankiel
August 1st, 2011 at 7:27 pmWhy do we not throw the high fastball to Ankiel when he has two strikes? I don’t think I saw him lay off that pitch one time last year.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:27 pmWhen Ankiel gets them, he really gets them.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:27 pmWas this Ankiel guy available at the deadline? Maybe we should have traded for him. Gosh knows we could have used someone like that in the playoffs last year.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:32 pm#121
Braves are actually in the top half of the league in walks (7th). But they’re near the bottom in batting average (13th).
Thanks goodness we’re near the top in HRs (3rd). In fact, we could use a couple more tonight.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:34 pmWhat is wrong with Jair?
August 1st, 2011 at 7:41 pm@132: He’s regressing to the mean is all.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:44 pmRegression.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:44 pmHis location isn’t the same, that’s for sure.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:45 pmOk, I’m done. Why is it that we turn into a three ring circus act when we play the Nationals?
August 1st, 2011 at 7:47 pmAnd that means the tv is being turned off
August 1st, 2011 at 7:48 pmShould’ve saved the drinking for tonight.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:48 pmhahaha!
August 1st, 2011 at 7:49 pmI have a plan. There will be a lot of waiver wire action going on this week..
Just claim 25 new players!
August 1st, 2011 at 7:53 pmHere in DC ushering in Bourn with a third Old Fashioned. Watching this circus is sobering.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:53 pmCould this kid be the RHP we need? He’s looked very good in his few appearances.
August 1st, 2011 at 7:54 pmJason, step in to one!
August 1st, 2011 at 7:59 pmawesome grounder to 2nd, Heyward…what a freaking joke.
August 1st, 2011 at 8:01 pmBest Catcher In Baseball
August 1st, 2011 at 8:01 pmDan Knoblauch throws another away.
August 1st, 2011 at 8:09 pmOuch, Knoblauch, good call.
August 1st, 2011 at 8:11 pmDanny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling. From glen to glen, and down the mountain side. The summer’s gone and all the flowers dying. ‘Tis you, you that must go and I abide.
August 1st, 2011 at 8:14 pmOh great, Proctologist time.
August 1st, 2011 at 8:24 pm@149 Good, let’s forget about this game.
August 1st, 2011 at 8:25 pmI think Joe was just not so subtly implying that Linebrink’s injury is BS.
August 1st, 2011 at 8:26 pmWow, scoreless inning from Procter.
August 1st, 2011 at 8:28 pmWe’ve gotten one miracle here, so maybe we’ll get another one and a three-run comeback.
August 1st, 2011 at 8:29 pmDAMN, DAN!
August 1st, 2011 at 8:32 pmWow, Uggla, stay a little hot
August 1st, 2011 at 8:33 pmWe hit a lot of solo home runs.
August 1st, 2011 at 8:33 pm@156 and seem to hit into a lot of double plays
August 1st, 2011 at 8:34 pmBan the Dan.
August 1st, 2011 at 8:35 pm@156+157 I think that relates to each other. And that’s because we are taking much less walks this year. Thanks Parrish.
August 1st, 2011 at 8:36 pmExplain to me why AAG was hitting there with Chipper and Hinske on the bench.
August 1st, 2011 at 8:37 pmWell, at least Dan is on a roll. Too bad no one gets on in front of him.
August 1st, 2011 at 8:39 pmNewman! (My new nickname for AAG)
August 1st, 2011 at 8:39 pm@160 Fredi was sleeping again, obviously
August 1st, 2011 at 8:39 pm160 – The Pictures.
August 1st, 2011 at 8:39 pmI hate hate HATE Alex Gonzalez. He has the worst approach I’ve ever seen. That includes Frenchy.
August 1st, 2011 at 8:39 pmAnd to the surprise of all of creation, AAG hits what would have been a DP.
August 1st, 2011 at 8:40 pmRecap.
August 1st, 2011 at 8:46 pmmind boggling that AAG is hitting in that spot.
August 1st, 2011 at 8:46 pmhe has to be the dumbest manager in baseball.