Show #116: The 2010 Braves at the Halfway Point
Omar Infante backlash, All Star no shows, Yunel Escobar, and looking back at the first half of the Braves’ season.
298 Responses to “Show #116: The 2010 Braves at the Halfway Point”
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Pages: « 1 … 2 3 4 5 6 7 [8] 9 10 11 12 » Show All
July 15th, 2010 at 1:51 pm
So, is the organization thinking Gonzalez is going to fill the SS role until Salcedo is ready? I’m guessing our future infield will include Infante and Prado at 2nd and 3rd. Who is our most viable future SS in the organization? This Postornicky (sp?) guy sounds like another Brandon Hicks. His future seems like it will be as a super utility player rather than a starter. Your thoughts…
July 15th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
Other than pre-minor’s advanced scouting, I don’t know why we’re sure Salcedo is the guy. He hasn’t done much in the states yet, has he?
I believe the SS position will become an offensive weakness like LF has been unless we get lucky somewhere. I figured that when this whole thing went down. I’m fine with it if we actually do replace the LF weakness and keep the rotation strong.
(After all, SS was a weak offensive position during out best half season in years – this one)
July 15th, 2010 at 2:41 pm
Listening to Wren, they are clearly picking up Gonzalez’s option for 2011 and then will worry about it then. It’s only like $2.5 mill. So if Chipper returns, you have your left side. Should Chipper retire, I wouldn’t be shocked if they gave the job to Brooks Conrad to see what he could do for a season – which is insane by the way. He’s a role player, not a starter. And then come 2012 they see where their SS talent has developed and find someone there to replace Gonzalez.
Unless Arthur Blank owns the team in which case A-Rod and Jeter are our left side in 2011.
July 15th, 2010 at 2:43 pm
Starting. Pitching.
Don’t lose your focus, peeps. We’ll be fine.
Remember: http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/blausje01.shtml
July 15th, 2010 at 3:19 pm
This 11 game road trip the Mets are about to go on might be the end of their season.
July 15th, 2010 at 3:22 pm
EOF on the DL with a viral infection? Mike Dunn got called up? Why couldn’t Chavez get the viral infection?
July 15th, 2010 at 3:55 pm
Bub, not to state the obvious, but the Braves won one WS in 14 tries throwing out the likes of Jeff Blauser. They have to start cultivating some more offensive threats for this team, and power threats more imporatantly. Dominating pitching can’t be all you have. There has to be some balance. You can check stats for Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz, Avery, whomever, and they all have great post season ERAs. It was their offense that let them down time after time. Sterling Hitchcock shut them down one year.
post season:
Glavine – 14-16, 3.30 ERA
Maddux – 11-14, 3.27
Smoltz – 15-4, 2.67
Avery – 5-3, 2.90
Don’t get me wrong, I would much rather win with pitching than in some slugfest, but the Phillies are going to get a starter. The Yankees have a crazy rotation, and a lineup that can pound you. It will be tough to compete against teams like that if we rely on Jeff Blauser to get it done. History proves it.
July 15th, 2010 at 4:02 pm
Lineup tonight
Prado
Heyward
Chipper
McCann
Glaus
Hinske
Gonzalez
Blanco
JJ
July 15th, 2010 at 4:22 pm
Curt, the Braves could have won more championships than 1 with those teams. When they did win, they beat one of the most potent offenses of the era in 6 games.
July 15th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
Viral Infection? That sounds…fun. Hope it’s not contagious. Very excited about this series. Why? No idea!
July 15th, 2010 at 4:31 pm
Speaking of offense, here’s more crackpot detective work I did for the Darkboard.
1995 vs. 2010 offenses
Grissom .693 OPS
Lemke .681
Jones .803
McGriff .850
Justice .844
Klesko 1.004
Lopez .842
Belliard .500
Total OPS points: 6.217
Prado .851
Heyward .821
Jones .770
Glaus .802
McCann .827
Gonzalez .793
Melky .664
Average of Diaz v. LHP and Hinske v RHP .790
Total OPS points: 6.318
I know this is of limited worth, but I though it was worth mentioning. As a starter-driven team, our offense shapes up a lot like 1995.
As for the times changing and all that,
in 1995 reg. season, Braves scored 4.48 runs per game and Cleveland scored 5.83 runs per game.
In 2010 reg. season, Braves score 4.61 runs per game and Yankees score 5.33 runs per game.
So, both #’s have shifted in our favor.
Obviously, being starter-driven isn’t the same thing as having Smoltz, Glavine, and Maddux and the Yankees’ pitching is more dominant than 1995 Cleveland’s was, but I thought these numbers were worth a contrasting look.
July 15th, 2010 at 5:22 pm
Making Mama proud.
July 15th, 2010 at 6:03 pm
Obviously I agree that we should have won more than the 1. My thinking is that we should have won at least 4. 1991, 95, 96, 98.
But they didn’t. They won one. I’m curious as to why you think that is? Bobby? Luck? Bullpen?
July 15th, 2010 at 6:06 pm
Lemme get back to you on that. I have an answer, but I’m not very confident in it and I won’t to poke at (read: manipulate in my favor) some numbers.
July 15th, 2010 at 6:06 pm
won’t = want
July 15th, 2010 at 6:16 pm
Greetings from Turner Field where (news flash) it’s hot…but I have beer AND water.
Alan the Usher’s two cents on The Trade: Esco will never ever be a team player and will always showboat wherever he may land. “He’s not a ball player.” Alan saw Gonzalez in 2003 while he was a Marlin and liked what he watched developing. So sayeth my ballpark boyfriend.
Brewers just finishing BP. Go Braves!!
July 15th, 2010 at 6:17 pm
In the meantime, though, the Braves are scoring 4.6 runs per game. Do you think we’re a weak offensive squad? We’re in the half of the league and #2, barely behind Philly in the East. And we’ve faced a crapload of aces & high caliber guys.
July 15th, 2010 at 6:19 pm
Plus we play at the Ted and Phillies play at the Toy.
July 15th, 2010 at 6:23 pm
I don’t think they are a weak offensive squad, but I think they can be had. You pitch around 2 maybe 3 guys and the runs will completely disappear.
July 15th, 2010 at 6:28 pm
What? Subtract Melky and you can’t get more that 81 OPS points between any two hitters. Who in all of MLB is that balanced?
Prado .851
Heyward .821
Jones .770
Glaus .802
McCann .827
Gonzalez .793
Melky .664
Average of Diaz v. LHP and Hinske v RHP .790
July 15th, 2010 at 6:29 pm
*I should say… that’s very balanced. Not “who in all of baseball…” because I haven’t looked.
July 15th, 2010 at 6:30 pm
There’s a reason we have “a different hero every time” syndrome.
July 15th, 2010 at 6:43 pm
Gonzalez will be jersey #2. I swear I remember he was #11 for the Jays. Oh, wait…#11 is Kawakami. God forbid we mess up THAT mojo…
July 15th, 2010 at 7:01 pm
Nice “welcome home” ceremony pre-game for our 6 All Stars.
July 15th, 2010 at 7:16 pm
So write it down. Bub says we are winning the world series.