Show #166: The Braves Leave No Room for Error
Sizing up the Braves chances of getting to the post season. Should Fredi stay? And is there a better batting order?
490 Responses to “Show #166: The Braves Leave No Room for Error”
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Pages: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 … 20 » Show All
September 25th, 2011 at 11:54 pm
I’m bringing some positivity. I actually think the Braves do belong in the playoffs because I am a loyal fan and would like to see my team win the world series. The biggest mistakes made before this year were definitely on the coaching staff. We hurriedly hired Fredi and regrettably fired TP and hired Larry Parrish. For all you TP haters out there, the Braves have only 3 games left and have only scored 635 runs all year. This will be their worst output since 1994 which was shortened. Be careful what you wish for. Even with all this I will still root for my Braves because if they end up with a better record than the Cardinals they DO deserve a playoff spot.
September 26th, 2011 at 12:14 am
Walker – if they make it in, what kind of shot do you give the Bravos in the first round? I’m not trying to make any kind of point here, just want to know your thinking.
September 26th, 2011 at 12:45 am
The weird thing about the playoffs is that it gives off a kind of fresh start feeling. And of course the cliche “Anything can happen” idea gives me hope. Don’t laugh but If they make it I would give them a 60 % shot at getting to the NLCS. There is history of clubs struggling in September and clicking in October. Besides all that I selfishly want that high of seeing my team in the playoffs. After 162 games there is no sport where teams earn their playoff spot more than baseball. Making the playoffs is a real accomplishment and you’ll never know when your team will make it again. Who knows, the next time the Braves make the playoffs may be 2028.
September 26th, 2011 at 2:03 am
We’re fans. Freaking out and being frustrated are what we do best. But if we get in the playoffs, I’ll happily forget September. I think we’re one good win away from completely having a different outlook for October.
September 26th, 2011 at 2:23 am
The Heyward situation plus the way the bullpen has been handled all year are my main concerns with Fredi. What is his beef with Heyward? Even when his ABs improve he still bats behind Alex Gonzalez and Jack Wilson. I was under the impression that this guy was a meaningful part of our future. I think Fredi is in way over his head. The Braves and Twins both have this model of continuation in management and coaching. For both clubs the model has produced nothing but first round exits from the playoffs if they make it. I guess that’s good. And yes, I realize both those teams won a WS 15-20 years ago.
The game has changed in the last 20 years. The Braves need to do the same.
As a fan I hope we win all 3. I guess that issue needed to be addressed this week? But in the role of a rational thinking human I would bet we miss the playoffs.
September 26th, 2011 at 2:28 am
Ham, your comment about your brain giving you the double bird is pure gold. I think we’ve all had that moment once or twice.
September 26th, 2011 at 8:15 am
Walker – not sure what your comment means, but I hope you don’t think that we’re not real fans.
September 26th, 2011 at 10:00 am
I agree with most, however, I do have confidence in Venters & Kimbrel. If we somehow get the miraculous charge to go to playoffs, they could turn some of this around…..I don’t know about going all the way. Fredi has totally mismanged this team. Much more so than I believe Mark Richt has mismanaged UGA. I’d like to see Jim Fregosi, but I don’t think it would happen.
September 26th, 2011 at 10:02 am
No excuse for poor situational at-bats.
September 26th, 2011 at 11:23 am
curt, if we win 1 game and the cardinals lose two games, we clinch, no playoff needed. i hope you are right and that happens.
i agree if it comes to a playoff, we dont have a good chance.
September 26th, 2011 at 11:40 am
It’s all Curt’s fault
September 26th, 2011 at 12:01 pm
#11 – Finally someone’s making sense!
September 26th, 2011 at 12:05 pm
freddi had good teams in florida that he didnt do much with? yeah right. they finished ahead of the braves in both 2009 and 2008. in 2009, they finished second to the phillies. and the team improved its W/L record every single year he was there, each year with terrible pitching staffs.
September 26th, 2011 at 12:07 pm
@7
I don’t question your fanhood. We are all loyal fans.
September 26th, 2011 at 12:12 pm
DAP – butchering the facts aside for the moment, what do you think about Fredi as a manager and what he’s done this first year?
September 26th, 2011 at 12:18 pm
Guess Florida fired Fredi for no reason.
September 26th, 2011 at 12:30 pm
One can still be a fan and recognize that the Cardinals were 10 1/2 games out on Aug 26. And, it is NOT primarily a pitching/injury problem; if you score 3 or less runs in most of your games, you lose most of your games. It isn’t anti-Braves to recognize that they suck right now but, yes, they could start hitting again any day, week, month, or season. I hope they win 3 but I am only willing to bet a quarter on it. A lot of frustration goes with the realization that not one player out of 25+ has been able to step up. What’s his name, Parrish? should be proud of how he has helped turn a bunch of pretty good hitters into a team that can’t buy a timely hit.
September 26th, 2011 at 12:38 pm
steve, butchering the facts? those are pretty basic numbers. those marlins teams were not all that good, and they won 84 and 87 games the final two full years under fredi gonzalez. including finishing 2nd to the eventual NL champion phillies.
that post wasnt meant to build fredi up, or say that he has done a great job this season with the braves. just saying that he did well with bad teams in florida, while you guys were saying he did badly with good teams. it just isnt true.
both in 2008 and 2009, the marlins pitching gave up nearly as many runs as the offense scored. thats really bad pitching, guys.
September 26th, 2011 at 12:39 pm
john j “Guess Florida fired Fredi for no reason”
no good reason. everyone involved with baseball knows that.
September 26th, 2011 at 12:50 pm
and steve, i wrote a long piece about what i think of fredi, but lost it. ill try to sum up… he spent a good chunk of the season trying to figure out this team. in atlanta, we havent had a new manager in a long time, so we dont really know what thats like. he made some good moves and bad moves with the lineup, and alot of strategic mishaps, especially in the early part of the season.
fredi deserves to stay, but parrish doesnt. i never thought pendleton should have lost his job, and im a person who always supported pendleton’s position on the team. the braves were consistently a very good offensive team during his entire time as hitting coach, and this year, it has all dried up.
September 26th, 2011 at 12:52 pm
john j “And, it is NOT primarily a pitching/injury problem”
depends on how you look at it, right? venters and kimbrel have blown 4 saves in the last couple of weeks. we couldve clinched by now.
September 26th, 2011 at 12:54 pm
#18 – to clarify, my butchering comment was in reference to Hammy, not you.
September 26th, 2011 at 1:13 pm
#22 gotcha.
September 26th, 2011 at 2:49 pm
Wait, what? Which facts did I butcher (this week)?
September 26th, 2011 at 3:54 pm
ham … butcher …. heh…. cuz ham’s a meat …. and butchering is …. heh…