March 27, 2011

Show #140: The Braves 2011 Campaign Set to Begin

Discussing the final roster moves.  Making our predictions for the 2011 season.  And what we hope to see during the first week.

Show #140 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 

125 Responses to “Show #140: The Braves 2011 Campaign Set to Begin”

Pages: [1] 2 3 4 5 » Show All

  1. 1
    Walker Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 12:02 am

    Great podcast. Way to be sensitive with Salazar.

  2. 2
    Nate Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 2:26 am

    just got off work. about to listen. pretty excited. go braves.

  3. 3
    BRAVEinNY (Matt) Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 9:31 am

    Just listened to the podcast… I have to say I disagree about the biggest spring surprise- I kind of saw the Salazar thing coming.

    In other news- we have 11 of the 12 spots filled for tonight’s fantasy baseball draft. I will get to the draft room early to chat (if anyone cares).

    Matt

  4. 4
    ferms Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 10:00 am

    The bit about making fun of Salazar’s tragedy was really funny. Too bad he didn’t lose both eyes because then it would have been even funnier. Way to go buddy. /sarcasm

    BTW, get rid of the new guy. He’s a douche and he talks all over the other guys. Go Braves!

  5. 5
    Nate Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 10:35 am

    #4, agreed.

    Plus, how can you rip Chipper for having a good Spring. You know you would rip him if he had a bad one. Come on. Chipper needs a manager to manage when he goes on the lineup card. I know. It’s a crazy concept. Just like Brooks needs a manager to not start him. Hopefully Fredi will do that. 5 games a week, 6 max. No day games.

    The versatility from our bench is awesome. Matt Young can play all outfield spots and 2B. Brandon Hicks can do 3B and SS. We’ve seen what Hinske can do. David Ross is clutch when he plays.

    The Phillies have some issues. The Utley injury sounds extremely painful. They obviously aren’t the same team with Ibanez batting 3rd. Cliff Lee looked somewhat mortal in the playoffs. Roy Halladay will be unhittable. To me that team is like the Cardinals when they have both their big guns healthy. They are beatable, but the Braves have to step up and do it.

    Our pitching staff is the most underrated staff in baseball. Our pitching depth is ridiculous. Our bullpen has the potential to be scary good. Look what the Giants did last year. It’s doable.

    NL: East- Braves, Central- Cards, West- Rocks, WC- Giants. Crazy. I know.

    AL: East- BoSox, Central- Detroit, West- Who Cares, WC- Twins.

    Series: Braves over Red Sox. I like or team a lot.

  6. 6
    Nate Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 10:37 am

    *our

    P.S. I totally agree with Hammy on Hamels. I’m not an Oswalt believer either. I’m just glad they got rid of Kyle Kendrick and Jamie Moyer…

  7. 7
    Steve Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 12:30 pm

    Nate – I’m glad about Kendrick and Moyer, too. Great comment.

  8. 8
    ferms Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 12:34 pm

    I think Chipper is heavily driven by what people think about him, so if he hadn’t received the season-ending injury last year I don’t think he would be back this year. I think he was planning on retiring in relatively good form last season. The injury is motivating him to try once again to go out on a high note. I like Chipper and I think he brings a lot to this team, but I don’t see him lasting longer than 2 months tops. Something is going to happen to him again unfortunately, just like what happens seemingly every year.

  9. 9
    Steve Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 12:36 pm

    Everyone – we get that Scott’s Salazar joke was not funny and really, really too soon. Stuff comes out of your mouth when you’re talking off the cuff like this. Please don’t take offense. None was intended.

  10. 10
    Steve Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 12:37 pm

    Matt – the 12th should have just signed up. We should be all full.

  11. 11
    Steve Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 12:39 pm

    ferms – damn, I hope you’re wrong about the Chipper injury. But I fear it too. It will be like the last couple of years, except times 10, holding my breath with every awkward swing, every hard slide, every dive, etc.

  12. 12
    Curt Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 1:06 pm

    I think had Chipper continued the tear he was on right before he was hurt, he would have come back this year. From all the interviews I have read/heard, he still has a great desire to compete. With that, I think that having ended the season on such a high note – again, taking the injury out of the equation – he comes back one more year to finish it all up showing people he still has the ability to put a full season together. Added to that, who knows how much further the Braves go if Chipper is still in the lineup all season and in the post season. Not having to have moved Prado, maybe he doesn’t get hurt. But if the Braves had been together and had pushed on to the NLCS and/or the WS, no way he is not back. I know that is all filled with suppostion, but the whole question is. How much of a difference would a guy make who could hit and field in a series decided by 4 runs or something, with the opponent taking advantage of errors in each game.

    Adding to it, I will say it again, Chipper is one of the most underappreciated players in the history of MLB.

  13. 13
    Steve Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 1:33 pm

    Braves and Twins Announce Two-Player Trade
    Atlanta acquires right-handed pitcher Billy Bullock from Twins

    ATLANTA – The Atlanta Braves and Minnesota Twins announced today that the two clubs have completed a two-player trade. The Braves have acquired right-handed pitcher Billy Bullock from the Twins in exchange for left-handed pitcher Scott Diamond.
    The Twins, who selected Diamond from the Braves in the 2010 Rule 5 Draft, offered him back to Atlanta, but the Braves allowed the Twins to keep Diamond in exchange for Bullock.
    The 6-foot-6, 225-pound Bullock completed his second season in the Twins organization in 2010, going 2-8 with a 3.53 ERA in 58 appearances between Single-A Fort Myers and Double-AA New Britain. He recorded 105 strikeouts in 74.0 innings pitched, including 60 punch outs in 36.2 IP for the Class AA Club. His combined 27 saves ranked 11th in all of minor league baseball, while his 105 strikeouts ranked fourth among minor league relievers who did not start a game. The right-hander opened the season with Fort Myers (A) where he was selected to the Florida State League All-Star team before being joining New Britain (AA) in late June for the remainder of the season.
    In 91 career minor league appearances, Bullock has amassed 150 strikeouts in 150.0 innings while recording 38 saves.Bullock, 23, was a second-round selection by the Twins in the 2009 June Free Agent Draft out of the University of Florida. He was originally drafted in the 20th round of the 2006 June Free Agent Draft by the Detroit Tigers.
    Diamond, 24, went 5-10 with a 3.50 ERA in 23 games (all starts) for Double-A Mississippi in 2010. The left-hander owns a 20-13 career record with a 3.17 ERA in 49 games (47 starts) in the Braves farm system.

  14. 14
    Leah Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 1:39 pm

    Comment #4 frustrates me. If you have listened to this show long at all you would recognize the immediate realization that the jokes were a bit soon. I thought it was handled with class. Scott isnt on the show week after week and not as seasoned as the other guys. A little slack and understanding would be nice.

    Great show. I’m glad you guys are so optimistic. I’ll feel better once the lineup is all together and our offense kicks in. I don’t know how Chipper can keep from getting hurt. His body seems to wear down super quick. I’m actually encouraged by JJ…not that he’s hurt but that he told somebody. I think he’s going to be awesome. Which terrifies me since I’m rarely right. Martin is as wonderful as always.

    Go Braves!

  15. 15
    Tim in Orlando Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 2:58 pm

    ”North, Miss Teschmacher! North!”

    So I called the ESPN Wide World of Sports hotline and heard: “Tonight’s game between the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals has been cancelled.” Those were some of the saddest words I’ve heard all spring. No opportunity to go to Champion Stadium one last time and to see the Braves leave Florida on a win. The weather has been so great this spring with nothing even close to a rainout that this is a real disappointment. Sigh. No opportunity to say goodbye to a lot of good friends like Bob and Pat who travel from Minnesota each year, Steve and Mike our ushers, Charlie the program vendor, or Ashley the prize give-a-way girl who roams the aisles. But it was a great season.

    The Braves depart Disney with a record of 16-12-4 for the fourth best record in the Grapefruit League. The Tigers had the best record. At Champion Stadium, the Braves were 10-5-2. Highlights were Chipper’s resurgence, McLouth’s strong spring, and the overall quality of the pitching staff. Low points: Coach Salazar (great to see him out of the hospital), Sherrill & Proctor pitching, Mather, Conrad & Schafer hitting.

    I hope that I’ve given you a taste of spring training. It’s not like a regular season game. A lot more relaxed and causal. Winning the game is not the ultimate goal and much as we fans in the stands would like for it to be. There are a lot of things that just don’t happen in a spring training game, such as, situational pitching substitutions (pitches are in there to pitch no matter the batter), changing pitchers in the middle of an inning (happens occasionally but rare), and name players playing the entire game. What you do see are closers pitching the in 4th inning, unknown kids pitching or hitting at critical spots in the game, and of course a lot of unknown players that may become superstars one day – who knows.

    So that wraps up another spring training for me. I went to 15 ballgames in 27 days and that’s a lot of baseball. My lovely wife Jackie, my baseball widow, gets me back and I know there’s a long “Honey-Do” list on the refrigerator. But it was great fun as always. I hope you all have an opportunity to experience spring training one day. Come on down the weather’s great….usually.

    Steve, Curtis and Hammy over to you. Let’s keep the ball rolling. And as Steve says, “Go Braves!”

  16. 16
    Curt Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 3:45 pm

    Tim, we can’t thank you enough for your great insight this spring. We look forward to you joining us all season, and of course, serving as our permanent ABT spring training correspondant.

  17. 17
    Curt Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 3:45 pm

    Cool story:

    http://www.thepostgame.com/features/201103/greatest-pitcher-youve-never-heard

  18. 18
    Steve Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 4:25 pm

    Royals just placed Blanco on waivers. Bastards!

  19. 19
    Tim in Orlando Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 4:29 pm

    Curt – Thanks. It was fun.

  20. 20
    Steve Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 4:32 pm

    Tim. As Curt said, thank you so much for the time and energy you put into the write-ups and photos. It made a great Spring much, much better. Thanks again.

  21. 21
    Kate Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 5:27 pm

    The Royals must be making room for Mather.

    If you have MLB network the Braves 30 in 30 is on tonight at 8:00.

  22. 22
    QC Bravo Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 6:40 pm

    Fantasy draft at 8 pm … 30 in 30 on Braves at 8pm. Luckily, they re-run those about 900 times. Can’t wait to hear Billy Ripken critique Heyward.

  23. 23
    Leah Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 6:42 pm

    I’m watching live. I can’t handle the stress of the draft. So nervous…

  24. 24
    Steve Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 6:49 pm

    “The Royals must be making room for Mather.” – Awesome!

  25. 25
    Leah Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 7:38 pm

    Uh-oh…30 in 30 guys don’t like Venters Kimbrel both being closers. They kinda made sense too.

Pages: [1] 2 3 4 5 » Show All

Leave a Reply

←
→