March 18, 2012

Show #175: The Braves Spring Training Turnaround

The winning begins, Chipper’s comments, the SS battle, and Kris Medlen.

Show #175 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 

91 Responses to “Show #175: The Braves Spring Training Turnaround”

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  1. 1
    Steve Says:
    March 18th, 2012 at 11:05 pm

    Bub – Just saw your comment #66 from Show 174. Awesome.

  2. 2
    BluesMan Says:
    March 19th, 2012 at 2:08 am

    Loved the show guys! I didn’t know it was DOB that Chipper was implicating in that rant. That wasn’t cool that Chipper was being an old grouch. I’m on Curt’s side on the issue of Medlen, ‘if’ in some alternate universe I was GM of the Braves. I’d put JJ on the DL so he can sort out his command/mechanics issues, Medlen would break camp as a starter, Delgado would go into Medlen’s role when Hudson comes back, & by June…when Moylan will also be back into the fold. I’ll be putting out feelers and trade a pitcher (or two) away for cash & or prospects (power hitting prospects that is…).

  3. 3
    Leah Says:
    March 19th, 2012 at 8:12 am

    Steve- it’s the butter slathered toasted buns combined with a wedge of lettuce that makes me love a Double Double. But i always ordered no sauce (thousand Island) add mustard. If you like grilled onions you should try one animal style (I can hear snickering).

    Fair on Medlen in the pen. Lack of reliable long relief killed us last year and exhausted O’Ventrembrel.

  4. 4
    Steve Says:
    March 19th, 2012 at 8:45 am

    Leah – funny you mentioned animal style. I received that same recommendation a number of times on Twitter the night I posted my middling review.

  5. 5
    DAP Says:
    March 19th, 2012 at 10:02 am

    i agree with y’all on chipper. he shouldnt have said what he did about DOB, and i am a big time chipper supporter. chipper could have aeasily recanted without throwing anyone under the bus.

  6. 6
    Leah Says:
    March 19th, 2012 at 10:24 am

    Or not recant at all…I’m not nearly as old as he is, I haven’t played a grueling sport for most of my life and my body complains every morning when I get outta bed!

    I mean I guess I get it but personally, his initial comments didn’t seem like THAT big a deal to me. One can watch him play in any given game and know dude is old and in pain.

  7. 7
    Anne Says:
    March 19th, 2012 at 3:58 pm

    Also speaking of animal style, (and I should listen to the podcast before I ask stuff like this), but do we get some Scott and Ballpark Frank anytime soon?

  8. 8
    Steve Says:
    March 19th, 2012 at 4:25 pm

    Hey Anne,

    No plans for Scott and Ballpark in the near term. Scott is buried at school and Frank needs a headset.

  9. 9
    Nate Says:
    March 19th, 2012 at 5:27 pm

    Great show. I’m with Ham. I like that they’re playing better, but this still feels like last year’s team.

    IMO, Meds should be a starter. This is like when Martin and Infante used to hit .280-.300 off our bench while guys like Kelly Johnson started in their place. Also, by putting him in the ‘pen you are assuming Fredi will use him properly and not put his career at risk by pitching him on too many consecutive days.

  10. 10
    Bubdylan Says:
    March 19th, 2012 at 10:26 pm

    About to listen to the show and clean the apartment. That’s become kind of a past time for me; anyone else?

  11. 11
    Bubdylan Says:
    March 19th, 2012 at 11:12 pm

    Good show. Needs to be longer, though; I have dishes left.

    Still have a pretty low opinion of the team, but you have to love Dan Uggla. I think he’ll have his best year in the majors this year. It’s very refreshing to hear him be so aggressive to get better when he’s already got his contract. Opposite of Teixeira who didn’t even sweat his early slumps when he was going for a contract.

    Chipper’s a real schmuck for using a tv broadcast to deflect his own screwup onto a beat writer. I’m glad it was unanimous that this was a bad move. I won’t obsessively rant this time, but I’d set the over/under of classless Chipper Jones press comments, before he retires, at about seven. He’ll just get more defensive as his body frustrates the claims his mouth makes. Gonna get ugly. We ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

  12. 12
    Bubdylan Says:
    March 20th, 2012 at 1:37 am

    I don’t have a link or source for this, have no idea if it’s true, cut it off a Phillies blog:

    The New York Times analyzed data from 2003 to 2010, and found that there is some direct correlation to winning games in spring training and having success in the following season. Teams have gained confidence from winning, found unsung players and the confidence and organization created has carried over. The correlation measures out to 0.22.

    Over that period of time, the five best team’s and the five worst team’s spring training records were evaluated. Over that eight year period the top three teams were 3 times more likely to make the playoffs. Over the last three seasons it has been even more true. Source;… “NY Times blog “Bats”

    Of the 14 teams who finished in last place in either the Cactus League or the Grapefruit League since 2003, none have made the playoffs. Five have finished at better than .500, and five finished last in their division. Course;..”National Journal”…(Adam Kilgore)

  13. 13
    Will Says:
    March 20th, 2012 at 5:59 am

    dont let facts get in the way of a good story…

  14. 14
    ham Says:
    March 20th, 2012 at 7:09 am

    Bub – great stuff. (and by “great” I mean “extremely depressing”)

  15. 15
    Nate Says:
    March 20th, 2012 at 10:15 am

    I watched the replay of yesterdays game on MLB network. Delgado looked pretty sharp. He locates his pitches better than Teheran. If Teheran ever learns how to consistently locate his pitches he’s going to be a monster. He makes hitters look silly when he’s on, but he also looks like he could use some more time at Gwinnett.

    I’m anxious to see JJ today. The reports on him have been a little worrisome.

  16. 16
    Bubdylan Says:
    March 20th, 2012 at 10:58 am

    Someone could make a few bucks if they came up with a complex way to rate Spring Training performances that better predicted April results. It doesn’t really seem like it would be that hard to a fangraphs-type mind.

    You’d just need to weight everything. Give a little weight to the win-loss record of the team, for psychology, confidence and what not. But then turn to match ups. Weight heavily the hitting and pitching performances of projected starters facing off. So that a AAA batter facing a AAA hitter weighs nothing, or nearly nothing. An ace versus a clean-up hitter weighs a lot.

    And of course, weight the earliest performances, when timing is off and pitchers are just finding their fastballs, very lightly, but let results weigh more as they come near the end of Spring Training.

    If a fella (or fellette) had the time & spreadsheets, I bet you could come up with a point total that would be do a fair job of predicting early season results. Maybe even further out.

  17. 17
    Mark Says:
    March 20th, 2012 at 12:27 pm

    Steve is on target with In-N-Out vs. Five Guys. In-N-Out only wins on amount of hype. Five Guys kills it with fries, especially.

  18. 18
    Nate Says:
    March 20th, 2012 at 2:52 pm

    JJ just looks bad.

  19. 19
    Leah Says:
    March 20th, 2012 at 3:59 pm

    Back to depression and doubt.

  20. 20
    Bubdylan Says:
    March 20th, 2012 at 4:24 pm

    Leah, if you never leave the doubt, you won’t have so much depression. Doubt is your friend. Feel the doubt, breathe it in; BE the doubt.

    BTW, noticed Fredi was up to his old tricks with an ill-advised hit-and-run yesterday. Good, good.

  21. 21
    Curt Says:
    March 20th, 2012 at 4:33 pm

    So JJ over Medlin? Seriously?

  22. 22
    Leah Says:
    March 20th, 2012 at 4:52 pm

    I really hate to say this but Curt may have been right.

  23. 23
    George Says:
    March 20th, 2012 at 6:00 pm

    I still say Minor’s comment makes me feel he is the Second best competitor on Braves team behind Tim Hudson. That includes Chipper. Hinske & Ross are great competitors, but Minor’s comments show confidence…I disagree with his comments as arrogant, but as “matter of fact.” I wish Fredi was more like that.

  24. 24
    George Says:
    March 20th, 2012 at 6:06 pm

    I would be ASTONISHED if Simmons makes the team over Pastornicky. Frank Wren will make the prudent decision, while the media continues to pontificate.

  25. 25
    Steve Says:
    March 20th, 2012 at 8:15 pm

    Sooooo unhappy about JJ. I suppose it’s good that he says he feels good physically. There’s no room for better performance when you’re on a bum knee. But, seeing his comments after today’s game he’s clearly in his head AND not trusting his knee and mechanics. That’s a lot to overcome, too. Hanson just got more important (if that’s possible).

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