Food for Thought
If baseball teams were Halloween candy, then here’s what I think they’d be…
NL East
Atlanta Braves — M&Ms
Miami Marlins — Laffy Taffy
New York Mets — Snickers
Philadelphia Phillies — 100 Grand
Washington Nationals — Junior Mints
NL Central
Chicago Cubs — Oh Henry
Cincinnati Reds — Three Musketeers
Houston Astros — Snickers
Milwaukee Brewers — KitKat
Pittsburgh Pirates — Hershey’s
St. Louis Cardinals — Airheads
NL West
Arizona Diamondbacks — Twizzler
Colorado Rockies — Jujy Fruits
Los Angeles Dodgers — Chupa Chups
San Diego Padres — Pez
San Francisco Giants — Milk Duds
AL East
Baltimore Orioles — Almond Joy
Boston Red Sox — Whoppers
New York Yankees — Baby Ruth
Tampa Bay Rays — Nerds
Toronto Blue Jays — Mars
AL Central
Chicago White Sox — Laffy Taffy
Cleveland Indians — Now & Later
Detroit Tigers — Butterfinger
Kansas City Royals — Candy Corn
Minnesota Twins — Twix
AL West
Los Angeles Angels — Mounds
Oakland A’s — Reese’s Pieces
Seattle Mariners — Life Savers
Texas Rangers — Jolly Rancher
Discuss.
Just excellent.
October 4th, 2012 at 12:06 pmHopefully, the Braves will be Red Hots in the postseason.
October 4th, 2012 at 12:12 pmDid you really have to ascribe my all-time favorite 100 Grand to the most obnoxious franchise in baseball?
October 4th, 2012 at 12:42 pmYou are a strange man, AAR. Thank you.
Astros, Mets and Cubs could have been Zero.
October 4th, 2012 at 1:00 pmHah, sorry about that. I just thought it was funny to assign an obscure candy bar with a name that sounds like money to the most expensive underperforming franchise this side of the Red Sox.
October 4th, 2012 at 1:01 pmJust stumbled upon the Braves press conference on MLB.com with Fredi & Medlen. I guess the only real “news” is that the Braves WC-game roster won’t be known until both clubs turn them in at 10 am tomorrow morning.
Fredi said he wasn’t going to discuss the roster spots publicly, mainly because he didn’t want the Cards to know what they were (for L-R matchup reasons).
Medlen discussed how his repertoire developed, talked about a time when Ross “got in his face” during a 2009 spot start in Colorado with “a few words I can’t say here,” and said that the 5:07 starting time made no difference in his preparation.
Mostly, he just seemed excited to be playing in such a big game.
October 4th, 2012 at 1:05 pmAnd, no surprise, a pink slip for Bobby V.
October 4th, 2012 at 1:08 pmBraves lineup for Friday’s WC game: Bourn 8 Prado 7 Heyward 9 Chipper 5 Freeman 3 Uggla 4 Ross 2 Simmons 6 Medlen 1
October 4th, 2012 at 1:09 pmWow, Ross.
October 4th, 2012 at 1:13 pmBetter defense AND offense I fear, sansho1.
October 4th, 2012 at 1:15 pmAt this point, I’d have to agree. Hopefully BMac is getting a cortisone shot or something, and will be ready once we dispatch the Airheads.
October 4th, 2012 at 1:17 pmMilk Duds!
Melky is a fatty.
October 4th, 2012 at 1:25 pmUbubba, do you have a link for that press conference? I’m not seeing it right off and the search on mlb.com isn’t helping.
October 4th, 2012 at 1:34 pmhow the Astros did not warrant candy corn is beyond me.
October 4th, 2012 at 1:43 pmOr Mounds, for Tal’s Hill. Also, since Laffy Taffy was used twice, I might go with Necco Wafers for the Marlins, since they’re sort of pastel. (It’s a real thinker, this list. Bravo, Alex!)
October 4th, 2012 at 1:48 pmThe Astros warrant those orange circus peanuts.
October 4th, 2012 at 1:49 pmWay to step it up for the playoffs, Alex!
Now I’m all hungry…
October 4th, 2012 at 1:53 pm#13
It was live & now it’s over.
I had visited mlb.com & a window just popped up with the live presser & I watched the last 10 minutes of it. Dunno if there’s a link anymore…
October 4th, 2012 at 2:04 pmIf it makes you feel any better, Kevin, I’m hungry too.
October 4th, 2012 at 2:12 pmDoes this make Bud Selig Willy Wonka?
October 4th, 2012 at 2:28 pmAstros- “I got a rock.”
Cubs- Pot brownies. Eat enough and anything looks good.
Royals- tried to make M&Ms, ended up with candy-covered crap.
Red Sox- The less easily identified stuff sold by school bands.
Pirates- It’s been in your couch cushions for 20 years, so you can’t tell what it was.
The Natspos and Florami Marlins- Whatchamacallit, of course.
October 4th, 2012 at 2:31 pm‘Rissa- Thanks for that description of postseason.tv in the last thread. I’m in the same boat–not willing to get cable just to watch the postseason, but I suspect I’d have a harder time than you getting the right angles in the right situations etc.
October 4th, 2012 at 2:35 pmAnd for the Dodgers I’d go with Sugar Free Jelly Beans — they look like they ought to be pretty good but you just don’t get much out of them.
October 4th, 2012 at 2:37 pmThe good news is that if the Braves advance to the WS I can at least get a digital HD Fox feed with EyeTV.
October 4th, 2012 at 2:38 pm18 — thanks.
October 4th, 2012 at 3:02 pm#25
It’s on the Braves site now. Hit the link & the video should load up.
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=atl&sv=1
October 4th, 2012 at 3:08 pmI would’ve gone with Payday for the Mets or even the Dodgers, but that’s just quibbling. I’m going to be reading this list over and over all day.
I guess when we had better owners we could’ve been Good & Plenty.
October 4th, 2012 at 3:17 pmPop Rocks, for the Marlins.
October 4th, 2012 at 3:20 pmValentine was fired, maybe the Marlins will him.
October 4th, 2012 at 4:28 pmToo expensive. They need to suck on a budget, remember?
October 4th, 2012 at 4:45 pm@21: Astros- “I got a rock.”
Classic.
October 4th, 2012 at 5:56 pmWhat are Chupa Cups? Inquiring minds want to know.
October 4th, 2012 at 6:26 pmBoy, did I screw up. I’m on a plan from 6-8 EST tomorrow. >_<
October 4th, 2012 at 6:56 pmChupa Chups are lollipops.
October 4th, 2012 at 7:10 pm“What are Chupa Cups? Inquiring minds want to know.”
http://tinyurl.com/mzzab6
October 4th, 2012 at 7:49 pmI have tomorrow off, thanks to a divine intervention of my leave balance being too high and someone at corporate insisting I take some right away. If anyone wants to join me in a bar in East Atlanta or therabouts to watch sing out, or drop me a note at atlantaspike at gmail.
October 4th, 2012 at 7:56 pmKudos to Fredi for starting Ross over McCann. The experience last year definitely sucks, but it did a world of good for Fredi. I think we have been seeing it ourselves, Ross is definitely playing better than McCann.
October 4th, 2012 at 8:52 pmRoll call: Who all is going to the game?
October 4th, 2012 at 8:53 pmMy son and three of his hoodlum buddies ended up with sweet tickets.
They’re young drivers (17-18), so I’m concerned.
If anyone has an extra for sale, I’d be interested so that I can drive them down and back. Don’t care where it is.
Thanks.
October 4th, 2012 at 9:18 pmBetter Fredi than Ozzie and Bobby V, for sure.
October 4th, 2012 at 9:25 pmBetter Fredi than a lot of managers, for sure.
I’d rather have Fredi be pretty anonymous than the crap-cloud that those two mongrels bring on their teams.
October 4th, 2012 at 10:11 pm@39 I am reading that the kids have four tickets. I would just take one if I am you, ha.
October 4th, 2012 at 10:58 pm26 – thanks for the link
October 4th, 2012 at 10:58 pmHe’s shown that he can recognize and learn from his mistakes. Definitely didn’t lose the clubhouse after last September. So yeah, I’m coming around on the guy too.
@33, I feel ya. I’m at the farmers market from 4-7 tomorrow, although I’m gonna try to get there early, make my nut and get out to watch what’s left of the game at the eastside Loco’s if any of you Athens folks are out and about. I’ll have my uni on.
October 4th, 2012 at 10:58 pm@38 – I’ll be there in section 410, way up high thanks to my ticket-buying procrastination. I’ve witnessed elimination games in the last two seasons – here’s hoping I break my streak!
October 4th, 2012 at 11:43 pm#36
Wish I could tilt one with ya (& celebrate or drown).
As it is, I’ll be cutting out of work early & probably catching the first couple innings via iPhone on the LIRR. Will have a 6-pack of my “lucky beer” waiting at home.
This anticipation is ridiculous.
October 4th, 2012 at 11:46 pmBOLD PREDICTION:
Braves win.
October 5th, 2012 at 12:51 am@46, I’ll have beer on hand and emergency bourbon should things get ugly. Lets go Braves!
October 5th, 2012 at 1:40 amI haven’t been this excited for a long time. Let’s go!!!
October 5th, 2012 at 6:15 am@44
urlhix, I managed that place almost 20 years ago. Looks a hell of a lot better now, I’m told. If you know Mark Maudsley and he’s still tending bar, tell him his old boss Sam said hey.
October 5th, 2012 at 6:40 amI am leaving for the game in three hours. I’m sitting at my desk and I can’t think strait
October 5th, 2012 at 9:07 amFall ball in Atlanta is fun. I’m excited.
October 5th, 2012 at 9:23 amManaged to convince the boss that this would be a great day for a ‘wear your favorite jersey’ casual friday and he bought! Unfortunately I now sit here at the keyboard, #10 jersey on my back, acknowledging that this will be a veeeeery long day. And I hope the payback is there at the end.
I do wish mac was here.
October 5th, 2012 at 9:25 amI’ll be in section 315 as always…
October 5th, 2012 at 9:31 amCards are about to get rolled, y’all.
He’s shown that he can recognize and learn from his mistakes. Definitely didn’t lose the clubhouse after last September. So yeah, I’m coming around on the guy too.
Ditto.
October 5th, 2012 at 9:36 am@55 Certain manager have lost the clubhouse this year. Bethany got one fired, with plenty of help from Valentine.
October 5th, 2012 at 9:41 amPPT:0
(Potential Productivity Today: zero).
Time is moving so sloooooooooooowly…
October 5th, 2012 at 9:43 amWell, I will be on the road to Asheville, NC to attend a dinner celebrating my parent’s 50th wedding anniversary. So, I’m calling on the Braves to win one for Jim and Cathy (who are also big fans).
October 5th, 2012 at 9:48 amI debated on wearing my Chipper jersey or my Smotlz one.
I mean, if Smoltz were ptiching, there would be no doubt.
But we are talking about Chipper’s last run.
So in the end I went with Chipper.
October 5th, 2012 at 9:53 amCould be Carmageddon today. Hope everyone who’s going to Turner has a plan.
October 5th, 2012 at 10:10 am@60
I’m taking MARTA
October 5th, 2012 at 10:14 amI’m super excited that Fredi is going with Medlen in a situation where almost any other manager in the majors would go with Hudson. Hudson’s the vet with a ton of playoff experience who’s still pitching very well. It just happens to be the case that the particular players in the heart of the Cardinals lineup are ones that give him problems (over enough PA to consider it a real effect). Considering the importance of the game and how the decision breaks with convention, starting Medlen might be the best call Fredi’s ever made as a manager.
October 5th, 2012 at 10:15 amHow Sweet It Is!
Go Braves!
October 5th, 2012 at 10:18 amThe Atlanta Braves have announced their roster for today’s Wild Card game:
PITCHERS (9): Luis Avilan (LH), Chad Durbin (RH), Cory Gearrin (RH), Tim Hudson (RH), Craig Kimbrel (RH), Kris Medlen (RH), Mike Minor (LH), Eric O’Flaherty (LH) and Jonny Venters (LH)
CATCHERS (3): J.C. Boscan, Brian McCann and David Ross
INFIELDERS (8): Jeff Baker, Freddie Freeman, Eric Hinske, Chipper Jones, Lyle Overbay, Tyler Pastornicky, Andrelton Simmons and Dan Uggla
OUTFIELDERS (5): Michael Bourn, Jose Constanza, Jason Heyward, Reed Johnson and Martin Prado
October 5th, 2012 at 10:22 amIs Janish done for the year? I wish we had him for a backup at short.
October 5th, 2012 at 10:25 amI guess Prado is really the back up now.
October 5th, 2012 at 10:26 amKnew braves journal wouldn’t let me down with respect to the roster. I think it’s a little weird to put Hudson on there, but I guess it is win or get out, so if Medlen is (heaven forbid) bad early, we need to put someone good in.
Gearrin instead of Moylan.
Oh wait, holy shit, no Francisco? What? That can’t be right, to have both Hinske and Overbay but not Francisco…
I am glad we have Constanza, though; pinch-running is perhaps what he’s best for, and we have the roster for it today.
October 5th, 2012 at 10:27 amOverbay over Francisco is puzzling, for sure.
This is awesome: Meet Kris Medlen, Baseball’s Best Pitcher – SBNation.com
October 5th, 2012 at 10:29 amThe lines on this game are weird. The Braves are large favorites (-175), and you can bet on the Cardinals to win at +160. However, the spread bet of -1.5 runs has the Cardinals favorites (-145), and you can bet on the Braves at +125. If you wanted to place bets on the Cards at +160 and the Braves -1.5 runs at +125, the only way you lose money is if the Braves win by exactly one run.
I’m not doing it because I’m not betting against the Braves today, but this is a rare case where betting like you’re straddling in stock options actually increases your EV.
October 5th, 2012 at 10:32 amI don’t get the lack of Francisco. At all.
October 5th, 2012 at 10:34 amI wish Fredi had Francisco on the roster rather than Hinske, but hopefully we win easily and it’s a moot point. If Hinske fails as a pinch hitter in a key situation tonight, I’m going to vomit.
October 5th, 2012 at 10:37 amBaker over anybody is even more so.
October 5th, 2012 at 10:38 amI had been able to ignore what’s happening at 4:07 until I read that article @68. I now have the juices flowing and will be completely unproductive for the remainder of the workday.
October 5th, 2012 at 10:40 amWhy no Francisco?
From stltoday.com:
“The Cardinals considered briefly — there was ‘discussion,’ GM John Mozeliak said — keeping Jaime Garcia active for this one-game playoff as a lefthanded deterrent against a lefthanded-heavy Braves lineup. But the lefty won’t be. . . .
“The Cardinals will carry two lefties: Marc Rzepczynski and Sam Freeman”
Expect him to be back for the NLDS.
October 5th, 2012 at 10:42 amFrancisco must be injured.
I am so excited and so happy that I can watch the game at a reasonable hour, 11.07 pm CET. Go Braves!
October 5th, 2012 at 10:44 am74—Doesn’t really explain why Francisco isn’t on the roster instead of Lyle Overbay.
October 5th, 2012 at 10:44 amYou’re right. I brainfarted.
October 5th, 2012 at 10:46 amA visit from brule would seem to be in order, no?
October 5th, 2012 at 10:46 amKudos to Fredi for keeping only 9 pitchers vs the Cardinals’ 10. Only 22 times since 1973 has a team used 10 or more pitchers in a game.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/8188
October 5th, 2012 at 10:48 amI can’t find the roster anywhere; where did you find it, hpotter?
October 5th, 2012 at 10:49 amFrancisco sucks at pinch hitting, he only hits when he starts. I don’t mind leaving him off for one game. I’m really happy about Medlen-Hudson-Minor. That should be our top three for the postseason.
Damn, that article is great. We’re lucky we’re Braves fans. No one else gets to root for that guy.
October 5th, 2012 at 10:51 am81—When does Overbay hit?
October 5th, 2012 at 10:53 amHinske, Overbay and Baker, but no Francisco?
October 5th, 2012 at 10:54 amWe won’t need no stinking pinch hitters.
October 5th, 2012 at 10:55 amWell, Baker’s in a different role. Hinske’s closer, but you’re still looking at someone who can play outfield if Prado needs to change positions. It’s really Overbay vs Francisco. I don’t get it, yet.
October 5th, 2012 at 10:59 am@81
That strikes me as the kind of thing that’s true right up until it’s not. He can put the ball over the fence a lot better than Overbay, I know that.
October 5th, 2012 at 11:00 am@81, Overbay sucks worse at pinch hitting. .592 OPS over 105 PH PA over his career. Ouch.
October 5th, 2012 at 11:00 amMe either, but I hope it’s of no consequence. I mean, if the season comes down to Francisco vs. Hinske vs. Overbay in a pinch hitting role, we’re in trouble anyway.
October 5th, 2012 at 11:02 amSo, I have done my part: betting AGAINST the Braves at four different places. That usually helps.
October 5th, 2012 at 11:02 amCan’t wait till the game starts…
XM radio from Port Orange to Augusta GA this afternoon. I may be able to watch the Braves celebration on TV.
Go Braves, then go Dawgs.
October 5th, 2012 at 11:05 am@82
I guess sometime after Hudson has hit. Honestly, I would rather have Hudson hitting than Overbay or Baker.
October 5th, 2012 at 11:07 amCareer as starter – .304/.343/.596
Career as sub – .183/.254/.294
You’re right, that is a big difference.
October 5th, 2012 at 11:07 amWhoops! Sorry, those are Francisco Cabrera’s career splits. Where’s that darned edit function?
October 5th, 2012 at 11:08 amFrancisco tweaked something in the last game on a play at third, if I am remembering the radio broadcast correctly.
October 5th, 2012 at 11:14 amVegas has the Braves as -160 favorites.
Want to get excited, but have seen this movie before. The Braves will probably lay an egg.
October 5th, 2012 at 11:21 amThe stat that makes me smile the most: in 19 PA, Chipper’s line vs Lohse is 462/.600/.846.
6/13, 6 BB, and, for good measure, one of those hits was a homer. Only one strikeout in 19 shots. Small sample whatever, but Chipper could have a good day.
October 5th, 2012 at 11:22 amDavid O’Brien
October 5th, 2012
October 5th, 2012 at 11:26 am10:46 am
Can’t say I’m surprised Juan Francisco left off roster, considering how little he was used late in season. Got only 26 at-bats over team’s last 34 games, went 3-for-26 with 15 K, 0 BB in that span.
Jonah Keri thinks we’re gonna win: http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8460326/atlanta-braves-st-louis-cardinals
Here’s a preview I wrote for Yahoo: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/10-numbers-cardinals-braves-wild-card-143331810–mlb.html
October 5th, 2012 at 11:39 amRobert Patrick, the T-1000, on playing the Atlanta Braves general manager in Trouble With the Curve:
October 5th, 2012 at 11:43 am@67
I’m shocked he didn’t have moe ABs in September. I wonder if he is hurt or something
October 5th, 2012 at 11:52 amGot a midterm in an hour and really couldn’t care less. Too excited.
Go Braves!
October 5th, 2012 at 12:24 pmI’ve been seeing Robert Patrick everywhere lately after not seeing him since Terminator. He was in Safe House, Trouble With the Curve, and I just saw him last night on some TV show where he was a sailor. Good for him.
First clip from the new Bond movie, Skyfall, came out this morning, if you’re interested. It’s an extended clip from the trailer where he jumps from the forklift into the train car and fixes his cuff-links like nothing happened. Vintage Bond.
October 5th, 2012 at 12:54 pmGame thread posted.
October 5th, 2012 at 12:59 pm