Show #94: Things to Look for in Braves’ 2010 Spring Training
Our final thoughts on Johnny Damon and discussing the Braves’ keys to Spring Training.
217 Responses to “Show #94: Things to Look for in Braves’ 2010 Spring Training”
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Pages: « 1 2 3 [4] 5 6 7 8 9 » Show All
February 23rd, 2010 at 10:23 pm
Curt, all in fun, but I think your progression from “if’s” to “is” is a significant step forward, and proof that therapy can work. Just ask Tiger…ugh, wish I hadn’t said that.
GO BRAVES
February 23rd, 2010 at 10:31 pm
Seriously, is there a way to watch ST games for us out of towners? Ok…I wasn’t going to tell you guys this cause it’s just plain embarrassing. I have broken out in hives. Literally hives on my face! MUST WATCH BASEBALL! I’m very excited, obviously, about this season and the whole Jay Hey ink is only making me itch!
In other news Hammy, Claire gives me the willies! I only caught the last 20 minutes and have to watch the beginning tomorrow.
Sup Bub! Tuesday night =? It’s a game…are you a winner?
February 23rd, 2010 at 10:36 pm
Leah – How can you watch the last 20 minutes and then go back and watch the beginning?!
February 23rd, 2010 at 10:41 pm
Ya gotta pick one, Leah. Hives or willies.
February 23rd, 2010 at 10:42 pm
Which reminds me…anyone read the (fairly new) bio of Willie Mays? Heard the author interviewed on “Only A Game” podcast.
February 23rd, 2010 at 10:48 pm
I see your opinions and want to express my two cents.Yes hitters have to make adjustments but do you ever notice the patient,want swing at bad pitches and line drive hitters never have to make as many adjustments as say a Jeff F. or any player who does not have an idea of the strike zone. Diaz could fall in to this category sometimes.I think he will do well just from the fact that most teams didnt want to draft him because he did take more walks than hacks which completely baffles me.That my friends says alot we could be seeing a Wade Boggs approach to the strike zone with Mark Mcguire power(i know i misspelled his last name) I know i am hyping the guy up but why not be excited yes some teams could be this lucky.Yes this team deserves it, time and time again they have tried to do things right and build from within its time for its spoils to rise.The pieces are in place for a few years. P.S. I love being postive!!GO BRAVES!!!!
February 23rd, 2010 at 10:49 pm
Hammy, I get home and the hubby is watching it so how can I NOT watch it? The next day I watch the whole thing again. Not ideal but such is life. It pissed me off that they moved it to Tuesdays. I’ve been rewatching last season. So much makes sense in hind sight.
February 23rd, 2010 at 10:56 pm
Aaaaaaand…I’m usually not one to complain about uniforms. For instance I like the red church softball uniforms as well as the hats with the old school little “a” (hey , if it was good enough for the Hammer…). But the new hats with the white piping make everyone look like an egg head.
February 23rd, 2010 at 11:41 pm
The hats are really bad.
February 24th, 2010 at 7:55 am
Tcc, hope springs eternal.
February 24th, 2010 at 8:28 am
http://today.sportingnews.com/sportingnewstoday/20100224?sub_id=D4o9SmrSuPyNf&folio=15#pg15
February 24th, 2010 at 1:40 pm
My Homerest Homerism of the Year, let’s get it out of the way:
The Braves will come charging out of the gate and never look back. They’ll be 3 games in front by the end of May. The Phillies will come out flat, but say to themselves “hey, we always start slow.” But by the time they try to put their foot on the gas, Atlanta will be in the throes of an oh-my-goodness-what-do-we-have-here? season, and start playing with the swagger we’ve been missing since the WS sweep by the Yanks (I’m making this up as I go. Stay with me.) A series sweep in Philly by us, where we outscore them 17 to 4 will put a bullet in their confidence that wrecks their team for two months.
Atlanta will be so good we’ll wonder to ourselves how we didn’t see it coming. Chipper, Heyward, Glaus, McCann, and Escobar will all be feared. Getting through McLouth and Prado just to hit the mean part or our order will be a hassle to pitchers. Diaz will sit back and about the time you think you’ve gotten to a soft spot… one mistake pitch, “there it is, BOOM!”
Lowe and Kawakami will have a month or two where they lead the team in ERA, blowing everybody’s mind.
Hanson will win go 12 starts in a row without a loss (9-0 in that stretch). The big winning streak for the team – 11 games – will come early, in late May/ early June.
Saito and Wags will combine for a 1.15 WHIP in the first half. 1.25 in the second half.
Escobar will hit three homers in one game (and get called out on the 3rd one for running the bases backwards, from 3rd base to home)
No no-hitters, but Hanson, Hudson, and Kawakami will all throw 8-inning two-hitters in the same week.
World Series Champions. Beating the Red Sox in 7 games, touted as Best World Series since 1991.
World Series MVP: the rookie, Jason Heyward. World record for XBH’s in playoffs by a rookie.
Ta-Dah.
(I’m exhausted.)
February 24th, 2010 at 3:16 pm
I love it! Especially, “Getting through McLouth and Prado just to hit the mean part of our order will be a hassle to pitchers.”. Bub, you should write a weekly blog. Come on, everybody’s doin’ it.
February 24th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
Seriously intense hockey game is feeding my competitive spirit. USA! USA!
February 24th, 2010 at 5:07 pm
lol, that would be the flip-floppinest, most wacked out Braves blog ever. The Cynical Homer? I’d have to write one euphoric and one dooms day entry for every day. I have no balance. Would that BE a kind of balance?
You want my Bobby-will-sabotage-us, Dr. Andrews-live-in-our-dugout version of this coming season next? Because I’ll be in the mood for it by tonight.
I need… prescription medicine.
February 24th, 2010 at 5:13 pm
Yeah, Bub! I’m drinking the Koolaid!!…and Bobby retires calling this the best year and best team of his career!
February 24th, 2010 at 5:43 pm
Tweet by @capitalavenue. “Who the “f” let Jason Heyward have lunch with Jeff Francouer?”. Hilarious!
Gotta love B. Mac http://bit.ly/aTEGsz
Bub, half the blogs I read I think, “that’s what Bub says or that’s how Mr. Dylan thinks.”
February 24th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
That would be the awesomest, Tcc.
My prediction for the Bobby Cox sports illustrated cover photo caption:
“Brave Old World”
If they miss that one, they’re not thinking.
February 24th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
Did anyone else see the hockey game today? Crazy!
February 24th, 2010 at 9:23 pm
Stevie, just to follow up your Nate McLouth numbers, in spite of his dismal 1st-batter-of-the-game OPS (.607), he has an .803 OPS across his career plate appearances when he starts the game at lead-off. (A tad higher than Johnny Damon’s career .794 OPS when starting the game at lead off, by the way).
So I know it seems like throwing an at-bat away, but since that first at-bat is accounted for in the .803, it’s just a DIFFERENT at-bat being lost per game than the one that, say, Damon loses while racking up his .794.
In other words, there’s some at-bat later in the game where Damon gets an out, but Nate gets a hit. Early table setting is important, but late hits aren’t chopped liver.
And these are large sample sizes. The largest available (career).
Nate’s not an ideal lead off guy, but one of his top OPS’s (of any slot that has ample plate appearances) is right there in that lead off spot, so it’s not a disaster.
February 24th, 2010 at 10:51 pm
Bub – I love it. Sign me up.
February 24th, 2010 at 11:07 pm
Just add: and the Braves get a glimpse of the future when Salcedo joins the team for the September call-ups and Escobar moves to third to give Chipper a rest. Starting players and managers begin to uncontrollably wet their pants.
February 25th, 2010 at 12:28 am
Curt’s gonna develop a permanent eye twitch when he reads all this.
February 25th, 2010 at 7:37 am
Great write up about Jesse Chavez by DOB and how he might be a steal from the Soriano deal.
http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-braves-blog/2010/02/24/chavez-more-than-just-a-warm-body/?cxntfid=blogs_atlanta_braves_blog
February 25th, 2010 at 8:17 am
Well if Franky knew exactly what he was doing with that trade then maybe he knew what he was doing by aquiring The Trojan. I was watching some of the videos and that guy looks gargantuan.