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By ssiscribe
ATLANTA – Eighteen years. The time it takes for an infant to grow into a high-school graduate.
That’s how long it’s been since the Atlanta Braves have provided us with a season like this, a season that flew off the rails long ago, a season that is destined to finish with 90 losses.
Eighteen years. It’s a long, long time frame. Let’s rewind the clock for a minute.
I was 17 in 1990, looking forward to my senior year in high school, looking forward to college and adulthood. Atlanta was awarded the Summer Olympics, the city’s first major victory in anything remotely related to sports. Evander Holyfield won the heavyweight boxing championship. Georgia Tech kicked off its undefeated season, one that would end with the Yellow Jackets claiming a share of the national championship.
The Braves? Well, they stunk, losing 97 games and finishing last in the NL West. But what else was new? The Braves had been bad for the four previous years, and the 1990 season was no different. Atlanta lost 13 of its first 15 games, found itself 10 ½ games out of first as early as April 28, and finished 26 games behind the eventual World Champion Reds.
Then came 1991. I graduated high school and started college, and everything changed for my favorite baseball team … forever.
The fall would come; this, we all knew deep down inside. At some point, the run of division championships, the thrilling Octobers, the pursuit of the world championship, would come crashing down. We knew it would be painful to watch. But nobody dared to dream it would take this long to occur.
Even the past two years, which ended with the Braves standing outside the postseason party, carried with it a modest amount of hope as August unfolded. The wild card was still in play for Atlanta two years ago, the division still up for grabs last season.
Then came 2008. A season of high hopes, of lofty expectations, of talk surrounding a division title and a pennant, crashed into an abyss we haven’t seen in, oh, 18 years. The pitching staff imploded under the weight of injuries and overuse. The hitters became allergic to clutch situations. The team couldn’t win on the road for the first two months, couldn’t win at home in the heat of summer, couldn’t win at all in games decided by one run. Too few players lived up to expectations.
And so, here we are, smack-dab in the midst of misery, baseball style. It’s a long, long season when you’re winning. When you’re losing, well, it feels like the journey to October never will end. Get up, watch, lose, go to bed. Shake. Stir. Repeat.
It tastes bad going down, for sure, especially after eating steak and shrimp for the better part of two decades.
The focus long ago shifted to 2009, and that’s probably a good thing. There is little to salvage from a season that’s seen more injuries, more blown games, more frustration than this franchise and its now-beleaguered fan base has endured since the dawn of the ’90s. We’re tucked into the bomb shelter, experiencing the depths of a nuclear winter, something not experienced by Braves Nation in what seems like forever.
Actually, it’s not been forever. It’s been 18 years. And while so much has changed since 1990, one thing remains the same:
Being buried in August stinks.
The Scribe abides.
—30—
Braves & Stuff 
You are so right, scribe! Let’s just hope this is the beginning of another record-breaking run! Super job! Thanks!!
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Excellent, Scribe… as always.
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The word comes down… Instant replay officially begins for MLB Thursday for all new series beginning Thursday, Friday for the rest.
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My dad was just referring to this as “the lost season” since basically everything that could go wrong … did. I guess you have to hit bottom before you can bounce back up.
I’ll reserve judgement on instant replay ’til I see how it’s used. Not crazy about the idea but I want the correct calls to be made.
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Choptalk just arrived, with a pic of Skip on the cover. I’ll probably sniffle reading it.
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Great post sscribe… Yes, while winning never gets old, losing sure does in a big hurry.
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Unbelievable deluge of rain here today, all day. We just came out of a tornado warning at 5:00pm with rain coming down almost horizontally and by the bucketfull.
10 minutes later, the sun is out and the sky is beautiful.
Perhaps the rift in the universe has been fixed and the Braves will be back to winning again. 😀
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Excellent Scibe, excellent! Man, you are younger than me! Of course, most everyone is younger than me here….Guess it just seems that way! 😉 At least my hair is longer than yours! 😛
It really is hard to remember how bad we were, consistently. You have to hope we have a better system in place than back then….that we won’t just run dry like we did then.
I understand why JS felt the need to trade for Tex, I just wish it hadn’t happened. It would be a perfect year for Matt Harrison to have a Jo-Jo Reyes type of year…nice to know Elvis was in the wings….that Neftali Feliz was going to be an excellent starter in a year or so….oh well, can’t turn back time…at least, that’s what they want us to think! 🙂
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Game time… SportSouth… good…
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Hmmm… Kotsay is a late scratch. Bye-bye, Mark.
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The guy across the street confirms it’s a trade, just no details yet…
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Probably BoSox… Drew was DL’d today.
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Oh, yeah.. there’s a game. Braves score 3 in the top of the 1st.
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Just when the timing could not possibly be worse… I gotta go. 😡
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Thanks for the info V!
From the TMI department….I seem to have some strange cyst/Abscess in a very…delicate area, way, way down south. 😳 Went from a tiny bump on the surface, to pea sized in a day. Went to doctor….not doc, but PA. Like the guy, but the last 2 times, just seems to be mainly for things healing on their own. He said likely a clogged, infected hair folical. Gave me an antibiotic(About the 5th one this year, grrrr!!!) and told me to put heating pad on it…today, its gone from a marble sized thing, to nickel sized….really getting painful, can’t sleep on my side. Walking like I have been riding a horse all day, to keep it hurting too much. Good grief!!! 😦
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Okay Berigan, beware of such things as they can be mersa…
And will wonders never cease, the Braves pull one out of their butt and win 10-9… A reversal of fortunes for the Bravos…
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Great comeback by the Braves. That was fun.
VOR, glad you’re OK. Saw there was a tornado in Gainesville & others around the area.
Ber, I hope you’re taking probiotics or eating tons of yogurt with all the antibiotics you’ve been on.
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Lots of nice tributes to Skip in Choptalk. Also I was amused by the pics of Family Day. Looking at the photo of Chipper, his wife & the 3 youngest mini-Chippers, you can tell exactly which one of the boys starts all the mischief in the house. 😉
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Gil, I had no idea the game was still on! I stopped watching when I saw it was 6-3 Marlins, then I looked at espn, and swore the box score was grayed out and showed we lost 9-6!!! Man, wish I had seen that comeback! Maybe they will rerun the game….
I wish they’d shut Jurrjens down for the rest of the year, and use Chucky in his place….
FLB, I have been eating tons of yogurt the last several months. I already had stomach issues…really didn’t need another antibiotic…
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I just checked out the boxscore, Kotsay pinch hit??? 😯 Espn’s website said a deal was nearly done.
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Yeah, he did. Joe & Boog were speculating, mostly about Boston but never got confirmation.
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Did you miss Smoltzie’s visor? That was amusing.
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I believe the deal was pending but not complete. Seldom do teams take a chance with a player about to be traded but I guess the Braves figured they had nothing to lose if they kept Kotsay.
I like the guy and will miss him.
Ber… I don’t know what compelled me to keep watching. Perhaps when faced with the alternative of watching Hillary give a speech, seeing the Braves lose another game was less painful.
Who’d have thunk it???
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Wish I had known the game was still on… I tuned in to Baseball Tonight to get highlites, and coulda watched it live. 🙄
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The Boston Red Sox acquired outfielder Mark Kotsay from the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night pending a physical, according to a baseball source with knowledge of the deal. The Braves will receive a minor-league pitcher in return if the pitcher passes a physical.
Officials from both teams would not confirm that the deal was complete.
– Gordon Edes, Yahoo Sports
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Waiting impatiently for the official announcement… I’m not too excited, though. After all, it is basically a one month rental for Boston. Theo Epstein is not likely to send alot back. However, they are trying to get to the playoffs, and in Boston, where the fans are always very demanding. So… who knows?
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FLB, I missed Smoltzie’s visor! What’s on it???
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V, I really don’t see the point of trading a guy, to help another team, if you don’t get anything back in return! What’s the point, salary relief? The A’s paid him to play for us this year, anyway. Maybe they will give us money and nobody to be named later.
Sounds like the mighty braves couldn’t dream of Kotsay playing full time next year, even though he has the highest Batting average of the 3 outfielders….
I sound a bit bitter, don’t I??? How bitter would y’all think I am if I said I fully expect the team to panic if Schafer doesn’t hit well in ST, and will offer the job to Brian Jordan??? 😛
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Kotsay is simply not in their plans for next year, given Josh Anderson’s season in AAA, and Jordan Schafer’s recent surge. Anderson has absolutely nothing left to prove in the minors, and will most likely be the CF next year, unless Schafer completely dominates in winter ball. And as decent a season as Kots is having, when healthy, he is going to be nothing more than a Type B FA, meaning the Braves would receive very little, if anything, in the form of compensation. So, something now is better than nothing later.
If you believe they should try to resign Kots, I will have to disagree. He is having a nice season, when healthy, but who knows when the back will go out again? It is a chronic condition that can reoccur at any time – see Kotsay’s history, or J.D. Drew’s history, ironically. And for the money he’ll command, you can fill your right-handed hitting LF need. Essentially, for the league minimum, you get Kotsay’s hitting and defense in Anderson, with a little less power and alot more speed. You make up for the power (which isn’t exactly Ruthian) in a LF acquisition.
As to Blanco, I believe he’ll be traded this offseason ala Charles Thomas. He had a nice breakthrough rookie season, but nothing on his minor league resume hints that he’ll be anything other than a 4th outfielder. I look for him to be packaged with an infielder to bring back a pitcher. Quite honestly, he’s not tremendously gifted defensively. He has speed, but he takes bad angles and doesn’t exactly have soft hands. That’s the kind of defensive compromise you make for a slugger, which he isn’t
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Can we still talk about Jamie Kotsay? Mmmmm…
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Speaking of Jamie:
She must have liked Atlanta… 😀
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Judging by the radar, your grass isn’t crunching anymore, Gil! 🙂
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In what might be the biggest name traded before Sunday’s deadline for setting postseason rosters, Braves center fielder Mark Kotsay is headed to Boston.
The Red Sox have acquired Kotsay for a mid-level prospect, according to major-league sources. The player headed to Atlanta hasn’t been identified yet.
To complete the deal, Kotsay waived his no-trade clause for the Red Sox, one of eight teams on his no-trade list according to his contract.
Kotsay will receive a $325,000 assignment bonus for waiving his no-trade protection.
The Braves did not plan to offer salary arbitration to Kotsay, who is a free agent at the end of the season.
– Ken Rosenthal
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Currently, we are receiving a light rain but not the soaking verity we need. The bulk of the rain is to our west. You will find the major demarcation lines thru Virgina are I-95 and I-81 east and west and I-64 north and south.
I have been watching the talking heads on Fox and MSNBC opine about the DNC. Sigh… Maybe we would all be better off if we went back to the 15 minutes each allotted to local and national news and spend the rest of the time watching reruns of Andy Griffith and Happy Days…
Any other time the major story would be the resurgence of the Russians and their chest pounding at our expense….
Alas, they allow the ignorant to vote as well as the learned. We are doomed to repeat the same mistakes I fear because folks are afraid to peek behind the curtain.
And baseball…. GO BRAVES… and take the Falcons with you…..
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Red Sox acquire Kotsay from Braves
13 minutes ago
ATLANTA (AP) — The Boston Red Sox have outfield depth after completing a trade with the Atlanta Braves for center fielder Mark Kotsay.
The Red Sox, in a tight pennant race, acquired Kotsay on Wednesday, only one day after placing J.D. Drew on the 15-day disabled list with a lower back strain.
The 32-year-old Kotsay hit .289 with six home runs and 37 runs batted in 88 games with the Braves. The Braves acquired minor-league outfielder Luis Sumoza in the deal.
The 20-year-old Sumoza hit .301 in 51 games for Class A Lowell of the New York-Penn League this season.
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Official press release:
ATLANTA — Atlanta Braves Executive Vice President and General Manager Frank Wren announced today that the Braves and Boston Red Sox have completed a two-player trade. The Braves acquired minor-league outfielder Luis Sumoza in exchange for outfielder Mark Kotsay.
Sumoza, 20, was signed by the Red Sox as a non-drafted free agent on July 24, 2004. The 6-foot outfielder played for the Lowell Spinners (A) of the New York-Penn League this season and batted .301 with 15 doubles and 38 RBI in 51 games. He ranked second in the league in OPS (.915) and slugging percentage (.549) and his 11 home runs tied for second.
In 2007, Sumoza batted .253 with 17 doubles and 31 RBI in 53 games for the Gulf Coast League Red Sox. His 24 extra-base hits led the Gulf Coast League and his 17 doubles ranked second. In 2006 he played for the GCL Red Sox and in 2005 he was a member of the Venezuelan Summer League Red Sox.
A native of Maracay, Venezuela, Sumoza was named New York-Penn League Player of the Week for the week ending August 17, when he went 13-for-23 (.565) with three home runs and 10 RBI. Sumoza will join the Rome Braves (A).
The Braves recalled Josh Anderson from Triple-A Richmond to take Kotsay’s spot on the roster.
Kotsay, 32, hit .289 with six home runs and 37 runs batted in 88 games with the Braves in 2008. He was acquired in a trade with the Oakland Athletics on January 14, 2008. In 1,428 career games, he is a .282 hitter with 109 home runs and 597 runs batted in.
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Not a bad deal for a one month rental, eh?
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I agree, VOR. I was expecting a mid-level pitcher with a lower-ceiling.
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Impressive trade indeed. Much better than the Aybar deal.
So I got the word from the doc, I’m looking at another month at least before I get my hand back. Typing one handed with my left hand is improving some.
sScribe: Great article. Really enjoyed it.
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Loading up on young outfielders I guess. Gorkys, Heyward, Cody Johnson, and now Sumoza to go along with Schafer, Blanco, Anderson, and (eh-hem) the Future Face of the Franchise.
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Hmm. Sumoza sounds promising. Good job, Frank.
Ber, someone had given Smoltz a visor with spiked hair attached to the top. Joe & Boog had to razz him about it of course. Then they put up a pic. 😆
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The stockpiling of young outfielders is strikingly similar to the past stockpiling of young infielders, many of whom were used to make new deals. It’s good to deal from strength…
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“and (eh-hem) the Future Face of the Franchise.” 😆
Another month, TNPaul? Wow! You musta done a real good ‘en to it!
Well, I did like Kotsay. He seemed to give it his all and I appreciated that. The new guy seems to have pretty good numbers. Hope it pans out!
TONS of rain here today! Funnel clouds, thunder, lightning – and rain. In a couple of hours, the airport ‘officially’ recorded 3.01″.
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CL.. Looks like I timed my vacation pretty good this year..
On the trade. I hope the kid pans out. Boston has had some pretty good players coming through their farm. Cleveland is another that produces good position players. Best pitching prospect seem to come out of the Cubs’ farm system. Just ask Florida… 🙂
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You really did, Gil! Skies are clearing now, but the humidity is through the roof! But, I’m thankful for every drop of rain! After three years of drought, I’ll take it whenever we can get it! 🙂 But I had forgotten how bad the mosquitoes can get! 😡
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http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080827&content_id=3375888&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
Interesting piece about a Pirates’ signee. Looks like Boras is not winning any friends in Pittsburgh.
I recall an instance where one of my union brothers was fired for refusing to do a job assigned to him. I did the best I could for him but in the end all I could provide for him was a copy of the want ads. One never has a grievance before the fact, only insubordination… It is a big misconception that union workers cannot be fired, only that when someone is fired, it is for cause. You can stamp out ignorance with education, you cannot stamp out stupid though, it is a permanent affliction I am afraid.
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Boras is absolutely crazy. The kid would do himself a huge favor by getting rid of Boras ASAP.
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Boras is a detriment to the game of baseball. It’s sad when one man’s greed can rub off so quickly on his often young and impressionable clients. Every player who employs Boras as an agent is already stained in the eyes of management, and is now becoming tainted to the fans as well. How many other agents have their name attached to their client, i.e. Boras-client Jones or Boras-client Drew?
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V man, I was all ready to argue when I read your posts, was going to say if they never brought Anderson up after being sent down months ago, why would they now…but they brought him up! You the man!! Kind of stunned, considering he had been hot for months….hope they didn’t get him up as he cooled off.(Haven’t seen his number of late) He had a huge September with Houston last year, 21 hits in 67 AB’s(.358 BA) 11 RBI’s. They clearly didn’t think he was a starting outfielder(Though they are set it appears) Will the braves know one way or another in a month????
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Well, it is finally raining harder here. About 1/4 inch so far today.
I have no objection in an athlete getting top dollar for his services. I do have a problem when an athlete does not honor his contract just as much as if a club did not honor one. Agents that advise a client to not honor an agreement for whatever reason does everyone a great disservice.
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Anderson reminds me very much of Pete Orr.
And yes Ber… he is still hitting…
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However, I expect him to cool off as soon as TP messes with his head…
Josie and I were talking about how Atlanta players stopped hitting once they were exposed to Terry. To me it was much like when I first started playing golf. I found when I had to think about more than one thing when addressing the ball and striking it, I was doomed to failure.
Ball players can either hit or not, they have an instinct for it. When someone gets in their head and they now are worrying about holding their hands higher or spreading their feet apart or opening or closing their stance or how they are positioning their elbow they develop sensory overload and no longer can hit the ball.
The problem is amplified the longer this goes on until they forget what made them successful to begin with. This is why you hear of players like Chipper or McCann asking their fathers for advice. Those long time mentors know their son’s basic swings best.
Now, that is not to say a player’s swing or approach cannot be tweaked but a hitter is best served when he can focus on what the pitcher is doing and knowing how to react. Not worry about if he needs to scratch his nose or wiggle his ears or hold his tongue just right so he can have the perfect swing.
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GIl, as far as I can remember, TP was a swing hard in case you hit it kind of guy, wasn’t he??? Liked to hit pitches far outside down the line???
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If you read the new AJC blog, and DOB mentions that Wren won’t have anyone come up basically. 40 man roster, young pitchers have pitched a lot of innings, (Jurrjans is likely having arm issues, but out there every 5 days)blah, blah, blah….so, I saw this post,(handle is john10, don’t recognize it) and would be curious what Gil and others think about this…
FW’s argument about the 40 man is curious as it seems unlikely that guys like DeSalvo, Bueno, Perry, and Tavarez would be claimed on waivers if taken off of the roster. Soriano, Glavine, and Diaz all could be transferred to the 60 day DL too. With so many pending free agents, it doesn’t look like the Braves will have issues with a full 40 man roster over the winter. And if the Braves are concerned about hanson and Medlen’s IP as they should be, why are they sending them to the Arizona Fall League?
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Hey folks! Sorry I’ve been awol lately. My heart is with you all and Scribe gave us a GREAT lead here.
I’m gonna play the pregnant wife card and use it to redeem a bail out for not making any appearances recently. I hope you’ll forgive me.
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We’ll think about it, JB. 😉 Good to see some of our wandering brothers show up. TennPaul, what did you do to your hand?
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Well, all I have to say about it is – y’all are just letting too many trivial things – like family, jobs, social obligations, and stuff like that – interfere with your blogging! Need to get your priorities straight! 😆 And you know I’m kidding! But we do miss y’all when you aren’t around and appreciate it when you can stop in and yak a while!
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Hey CL! I hope you’re well and thanks for the warm welcome back. I knew I could count on y’all to not give me (too) hard of a time.
We’re having a boy!!
So just remember what Scribe was saying about how fast 18 years go by and look for an up and coming prospect within the Braves org. with “Baldwin” on the back of his jersey about that time. You’ll know who’s boy he is.
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JB, congrats!!!! I can just hear what ol Bobby will call him in 22 years, come on Baldy!
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Baldy!!!
That’s great. I don’t know if Coxsy will still be coaching then but….
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SUPERIOR, JB!!! Congratulations!! Where can I place an order for the jersey?!
Cox not there? Don’t be too hasty! Ya never know!! He’d only be 91!
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Great news JB….
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Slow news day…
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Yes, the DNC has sucked all the oxygen out of the air… We are being bombarded with so called news about much of nothing… Then as a side bar, it’s the “Oh there is a storm, let’s see how much we can get gas prices to go up this week”? game.
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Yes… I heard a “Katrina refugee” on the radio today who is still living in Houston. Coincidentally, he was planning to “move home” this weekend, but now he “can’t go home.” He doesn’t know if he can “ever go back home again.”
Puh-lease… 🙄
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And, yes, the DNC certainly has sucked, alright. 😀
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Glenn Beck makes some valid points.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/27/beck.conventions/index.html
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Nice Beck piece, CL. In it he asks, “Am I the only one who can’t wait for November fifth?”
I personally am very afraid of that day. Very afraid… 😯
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I just worked very hard to bring you tonight’s lineup, complete with stats in a graphic view that shoulda lined up really nice… and Internet Explorer experienced a “problem” and ate my post. 😡
Suffice to say that Anderson is leading off and playing CF tonight…
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Lineup without fancy stat stuff:
1. J Anderson, CF
2. M Prado, 1B
3. C Jones, 3B
4. B McCann, C
5. Y Escobar, SS
6. K Johnson, 2B
7. J Francoeur, RF
8. B Jones, LF
9. C Morton, P
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Hmmm… it appears that interest is lower than Francoeur’s avg. with RISP.
For me, it’s gonna be a tough call between Josh Anderson leading off, DJ Shockley trying to keep his job with the Falcons, or College Football kicking off. I foresee myself wearing out the remote… 😀
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Now I’m going to go feed my children.
Ciao!
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Now I’m going to go feed my children chow!
There, fixed! 😛
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😆
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Braves win! Braves win!!!!
Just came in, heard Chip say Gonzo hasn’t blown a save since….2004!!!!! 😯 😯
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Where’s Grinch??? I done tol him he had something wrong with his elbow!
Soriano has two procedures done on right elbow
Associated Press
Updated: August 28, 2008, 9:19 PM ET
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ATLANTA — Braves right-handed reliever Rafael Soriano had elbow surgery on Thursday and is expected to be ready by spring training next season.
Soriano
Soriano had an ulnar nerve transposition and a small bone spur removed from his right elbow by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala.
Soriano, who has been on the 15-day disabled list three times this season, was 0-1 with three saves and a 2.57 ERA in 14 games. He pitched 14 innings, allowing seven hits and walking nine with 16 strikeouts.
The 28-year-old Soriano was 3-3 with a 3.00 ERA and nine saves in 72 innings in 2007 with Atlanta. He was acquired by the Braves from Seattle in December 2006 in exchange for left-handed pitcher Horacio Ramirez.
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I’m glad they finally figured out what was wrong. Doesn’t give me much faith in the Braves’ medical staff. They seem to have trouble with finding the right diagnosis.
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FLB, they sure do, don’t they????
Charlie Morton’s being interviewed right now….when did he turn into a 12 year old??? I thought he sounded just fine after his first start, and now he looks so darned nervous, goofy, smiling, and umm, and umm….in other words, the way I’d be if they stuck cameras in my face! 🙂
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He probably was still up in the clouds after his first start. Nice start for him, he needed that. Good to see Chipper get a couple of hits, Mac hit a HR & (continuing Joe & Boog’s nickname theme) the Cobra finally get a save opportunity.
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It would be very nice to see the braves finish on a high note, building for next year….
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They looked like they were having more fun tonight, didn’t they? Gotta mention Kelly’s defense. He gets ragged on so much, we need to give him equal time when he has a good night with the glove.
And Francoeur is quietly getting himself together, it seems. He’s had some very good at-bats lately.
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Now, getting caught up… VOR, we appreciate that you took the time to bring us the lineup with all the bells & whistles even if IE did eat it.
So have you bought a tiny little bat & glove yet, JB? 🙂
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After agonizing over the Braves/Falcons/college dilemma, I watched my son’s football practice until 9:00pm instead. I think I made the best choice. How did Anderson do tonight?
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He went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks, a stolen base and run scored.
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Thanks!
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😀
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Greetings all… Good game tonight. I still say Anderson looks like Pete Orr. Just hits better… Let’s see how long it takes TP to screw him up.
Kelly did make some nice plays in the field. Just missed a grand slam in the first inning too. Of course, Charlie just missed giving up a dinger to Ramerize too thanks to Brandon’s Jones nice catch.
I watched Obama give his speech tonight. I have to hand it to the guy, he can really make a great speech…
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He can make a great speech as long as he has his teleprompter. Get him away from being prepared, and he stumbles like Aunt Sophie on Friday night. He is a polished Canadian penny. He shines really nice, but is completely worthless.
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Speakin’ of worthless, I’m goin’ to bed.
Later!
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Oh sure, show up while I’m looking at something else. 😛
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Well, Jason Starks has some braves and Tex talk….Tex talk sounds like what we have heard before…don’t like the talk that we won’t even try to go after CC or Sheets…we’d likely get outbid anyway, but good grief, if braves execs think either Bronson Arroyo or Aaron Harang is anywhere near an ace…I mean, you might get lucky that Harang just ran into bad luck…but, who are we going to trade for him???
• Bronx glue: The best thing that could happen to Mark Teixeira’s checking account is the Yankees’ missing the playoffs. Even though Jorge Posada’s long-term future might well turn out to be at first base/DH, missing the playoffs — because of an offense that will score nearly 200 fewer runs than last year — likely would make the Steinbrenner family just desperate enough to put the team in the mix for Teixeira. And it’s a good thing for him, because it now seems like virtually a lock that that other team in New York, the Mets, will pick up the $12 million option on Carlos Delgado (who actually leads Teixeira in homers, 30-27).
• Boras’ auction house: But how much is Teixeira worth? If Scott Boras is serious about establishing a 10-year, $230 million price tag on Teixeira, he won’t have many bidders to play the Yankees against. Most teams view him as a five-year, $90 million kind of guy.
“What really stands out, when you’ve got Vlad and Teixeira back-to-back in the same lineup, is what he isn’t,” an official of one club said. “Let’s put it this way: I know which one I fear, and it isn’t him. To me, when you see truly great players, they always have that extra edge, that killer instinct. Well, if this guy has it, he doesn’t project it. Hey, he’s a good player, obviously. But is he a guy who’s going to legitimately carry a club for the money he’s asking? I don’t see that.”
• What’s free about free agency: Whether Teixeira ends up in the Bronx or not, the Yankees’ free-agent hyperactivity figures to make this an expensive market for any team to shop in. The Yankees have about $90 million in expiring contracts (most of it courtesy of Jason Giambi, Bobby Abreu, Carl Pavano, Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte and Pudge Rodriguez/Kyle Farnsworth). Even if they bring back a couple of those guys at reduced rates, that’s way too much money for a team like this to have burning a hole in its pocket as it heads into a new ballpark. So other clubs already are hearing that the Yankees plan to put a full-court press on CC Sabathia, Ben Sheets (if Sabathia rejects them) and Teixeira. And that will drive up free-agent prices for everybody, as agents everywhere rejoice.
• Brave new world: Another team to watch closely this winter is the Braves, who will wave farewell to more than $56 million in contracts (primarily Teixeira, John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, Mike Hampton and Mark Kotsay). But the Braves have never been fans of free-agent madness. So there’s no reason to think, even with the loss of Tim Hudson for all or most of next season, that they’ll chase Sabathia, Sheets or A.J. Burnett.
More likely Braves targets would seem to be starters in the Ryan Dempster/Derek Lowe mold. Or they could check out the Asian market. But they also could take a pass on free agency and trade for a high-priced arm, a la Bronson Arroyo or Aaron Harang. The Braves have signaled that they’ll be willing to talk this winter about dealing just about anyone on the roster, except Chipper Jones, Brian McCann and Yunel Escobar. So they’ll have lots to talk about.
• One more time: Meanwhile, friends of John Smoltz and Tom Glavine continue to report that both want to return to Atlanta next year for low-guarantee, incentive-packed deals as long as it’s even remotely possible for them to pitch. In part, it’s because they feel remorse for collecting $22 million this year and contributing just five wins and 18 starts. But in part it’s also because these guys are such good friends, they feel as if they were cheated out of one last season of playing with each other. And they’d love a mulligan, in more ways than one. “If they want to come back, and you’re the Braves,” one NL executive said, “I don’t know how you would say no.”
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=3557223&type=story
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The Braves have signaled that they’ll be willing to talk this winter about dealing just about anyone on the roster, except Chipper Jones, Brian McCann and Yunel Escobar. So they’ll have lots to talk about.
Interesting! Wonder if Jeff’s pouting/attitude when being sent to Pearl has much to do with losing his ‘untouchable’ status?
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That last para on Smoltz and Glav… I like it. That sounds like a good thing from all angles.
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They need to add JJ to that untouchable list.
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And Gonzo…
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VOR, right you are! They also ought to shut him down for the year. I read DOB say during his last start that he was rolling his shoulder a bit….this year is lost, put Chucky in there, put Buddy in…anyone, but don’t make him make every start from here on out!
Oh, and how about the guy who hasn’t blown a save since 2004??? I think some teams might wonder how solid his arm would be for a full season…and what could you get back that’s better than him????
So, who’s that leave??? Frenchy, off a bad year, not worth much right now….Kelly Johnson, having a sub par year. Lots of teams have more than one decent 2nd baseman. Who going to give us much for him??? Infante is having a very good year, but has been stamped a utility guy….who am I forgetting???
That means trading guys in the fairly thin minors. Am I missing something???
We need to sign free agents, IMHO. We might even be so bad we get to keep our number one pick??? What was that, the bottom 5 teams, record wise??
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Sigh….I take a long time to write a post I guess….
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Here is someone’s updated list from last November(Well, same list just updates to what the prospects are doing) again, unless we trade Heyward, and we shouldn’t, who do we have that is going to get us what we need???
http://www.minorleagueball.com/2008/7/25/579247/atlanta-braves-top-20-pros
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When I said rolling his shoulder, I meant ala Smoltz, if that didn’t seem clear.
And like you V, I’d love to have Glavine and Smoltz come back next year! I know they want to win, and we need winners!
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Here’s the thing… I believe Francoeur does have trade value, but – and I know I am a lone wolf here – I also believe his is value to the Braves is also high. He is already showing signs of hitting again, and I am convinced that this year is an anomoly. Again, I know I stand alone here, but, he has proven that he CAN do it, he just needs to go do it,
Anyway, similarly, KJ is a good hitter having a bad year. He is also a player without a positon. He isn’t strong enough defensively at 2B for the Braves who covet strong D up the middle, and doesn’t hit with enough power to be an everyday OF. He would be a good 2B candidate for a team like the Dodgers who have Jeff Kent’s contract expiring. Kent isn’t exactly a defensive whiz himself, you know. Also, the Yankers haven’t been all that pleased with Robinson Cano’s season. I think KJ is a certain goner. BTW – I am changing my opinion more and more on Prado the more I see him hit.
On to the OF… The Braves have Blanco/Anderson/Schafer all in the mix for CF next year. I am convinced they will fill LF with a right hand hitting power bat either through trade or FA, and that one of the above players will be traded. My money says CF in 2009 is Schafer’s to lose, with Anderson slightly behind as a fall back option and backup to all 3 spots, and Blanco on the trading block. Oh, yeah… I almost forgot about BJones. He’s probably a goner, too.
As to pitchers, JJ and Charlie are probably untouchable. Smoltz and Glav are possibilities, but as we have all heard and said, they’ll probaby bring in a couple of veterans. So, 2 newcomers + JJ + Smoltz/Glav + Charlie leaves guys like Jo-Jo out to hang. I think he’ll be used in a package deal with Blanco or KJ land a prospect (one of the many OF prospects) to bring back a veteran pitcher.
Also, let’s not forget that Lilliputian is blocked at SS and utility, and could be part of a package as well.
To summarize, KJ, Blanco, BJones are almost certainly to be shopped hard. Jo-Jo is also a trading chip being young, lefty, cheap, and still developing. There is a stockpile of low level OF prospects. (Gorkys immediately comes to mind as a guy who would be desirable.) All are pieces that are young, cheap and talented and therefor desirable to other teams with needs.
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Fan hit by ball loses eye
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,413121,00.html
Raisins, would Lilli maybe be converted to 2b, you think? I’d sure hate to lose him!
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Scot Thorman continues his good work hitting a homerun in the ninth for the RBraves the other night. They have him playing left field too….
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Gil, I can’t remember… Thor a righty or lefty. Lefty,
right, er, correct?CL, Lil could be 2B or utility, but I think Infante is signed through ’09. Prado is winning the 2B job this year.
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Heck Raisins, Prado is making a pretty good case to play first….
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Palin Poll: yes or no?
CL: yes
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Trying to convince the wife to venture to DC for the Sunday afternoon game. If I can avoid i-95 completely there is a chance…. Hate that it is a holiday weekend…
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Be careful on the roads, Gil! I hate ‘holiday’ travel!
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CL…. I think it was a stroke of genius.. Have to be careful about the word stroke when used in context of a 72 year old, right?
The pick works for me… Pro life, union member, NRA… what’s not to like?
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For sure it was not a Dan Quayl moment today… Very assertive without being mannish… NO PANTS SUIT!!!! Always a plus with me…
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yes, really stole Obama’s thunder today…
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I think she’s exactly what the whole country needs!
She’s been in politics since 1992 (16 yrs); has governed a state for 2 yrs. Has beat deeply entrenched incumbents for office. She’s held real, actual JOBS and has raised a family while doing it. (Obama had 7 yrs in the IL legislature + about 5 months in the US Senate, and has never had a real JOB.) She has appointed people who are Rep, Dem, and Ind to positions depending on their qualifications for the job. What a novel idea – the best person for the job actually gets the job!
I’ve been doing a lot of reading about her – and I like what I’ve learned.
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McCain hit a home run with Palin. She is a winner. Brilliant strategic move; but she’s just a darn good choice anyway.
The week I spent in Alaska this summer, I saw how much they love their Gov, and they love their Gov.
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Anyone watch the coverage on CNN??? That Cafferty dude PO’s me big time! He keeps reading letters from the “folks” and comments like “If I thought a soccer Mom should be VP, I’d have suggested my wife!” 🙄 And how she comes from a tiny (Population wise) state, home schoolin’ pro life baby factory(Well, the baby factory line might have come from a bitter guy on the jazz board I frequent) gun nut…blah, blah, blah….I could see women of ALL political backgrounds being mad at the comments coming out….
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They are picking the negative comments and leaving off the positive ones. I’m checking all sorts of news blogs and a few people are making the rounds making the SAME negative posts on every blog – but the positives seem to be overwhelming the negatives. Don’t expect anything positive from most of the far-left people, anyway. I really feel she will resonate with the real mainstream Americans. The one thing I’ve not been able to determine is her position on illegals. Anybody know?
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Raisins, I read that her approval rating in Alaska is over 90%.
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I think some of the idiots making those comments are simply ignorant of her qualifications. And, naturally, the Democrat party die-hards will do everything possible to diminish her through every avenue available. Wonder how the MSM, so firmly and openly in Obama’s camp, will handle it.
On my local NBC station’s news, which is on right now, is talking 90% Obama and his ‘rousing and moving’ speech vs “Oh, yeah. McCain picked some women we never heard of as his running mate”. sigh….
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CL, it’s tough to watch the news right now….Fox was the first channel I saw to run more than 30 seconds on her.
Her choice was a very brave one, IMHO. More than just a get the woman’s vote choice. She is clearly very popular in Alaska. Which will of course marginalized as well.
Obama has been running for office for almost 2 years, so he has been a senator on a day by day basis for only 2 years. But of course, he’s got plenty of experience….
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Palin is just what McCain needed and what this country needs… a true conservative. Now I won’t have to hold my nose when I pull the lever for McCain.
She’s also a hottie that hunts and fishes!
Can I say ‘hottie’ now that she’s going to be VP Palin?
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I read a comment earlier today to the effect that she has all this (qualifications enumerated) “and she’s good looking, too. Something the Democratic party is not known for.” 🙂
I’m imagining Hilary’s reaction today. Obama rebuffs her for VP and now this younger, much better looking, smarter and highly respected woman steps into the position she herself would sell her soul for. I imagine the interior of the Clinton residence will require extensive repairs.
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Hillary is no doubt fuming and tossing plates and silverware (at Bill)… but she’ll be fine when she calms down and remembers that when McCain-Palin win the White House, she can say ‘I told you so’ to the Dems for four years. Her campaign for 2012 begins the day after the election.
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Bill and Hilary have lived in separate homes since he left office. Can you see a race between Hilary and Sarah??
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No SG… Hilary has not stopped campaigning, she is just taking it to the mattresses…
Democrats are really worried about Palin… They have really tried to slam her, it is desperate if you ask me. I have been around politics all my life, they are really conflicted on how to attack her. One idiot had the gall to say because Palin had 5 children, she did not have time to run for office… I wonder if he would have been offended if someone told him he needed to be in the fields picking cotton… ? Talk about lame stereotyping…
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Well, Bill is taking it to the mattresses anyway…
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😆 😆 😆 😆
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I think this choice completely blindsided the Dems. They were expecting one of the old regular Washington insiders. What a dull, bland choice that would have been. And the timing was perfect.
One article I read (written several months ago) opened:
“Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is a God-fearing, gun-toting former beauty queen who could just become America’s next vice president.
Instant interest.
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Good thing you are reading rather than watching the Braves get their clock cleaned by the Nats… Ugly….
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It was funny this morning listening to the pundits opine about how Palin could have a Dan Quayle moment. Well, after she spoke, no more mention of Quayle.
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Had to take a break to see what Chris Matthews and Keith Olberman had to say about Sarah Palin. Understandably the pseudo-intelligentsia were not impressed with this “Red meat, Moose killing, global warming non-believing ice melter, pro-lifer, Mayor of a little Hamlet, nobody”, blah blah blah.
Amazing. Olberman even had Michael Moore on to help him trash the Repubs, conservatives, Palin, McCain and all things not Obama. It’s a combo love-Dem, hate-Repubs festival. Those people are the most obnoxious, smug, condescending, hate-filled elitists I’ve ever seen on any television for any election ever.
I like to occasionally check out the enemy. They never surprise me but I never cease to be amazed at the hate and inferiority.
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Uh.. two pinheads I refuse to watch are Matthews and Olberman… nuff said…
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Now, that said, I give props to Obama for good speech and a smart campaign but he needs to be careful associating with such lowlifes as Moore. I would have to disavow him (moore) faster than I would Rev. Wright…
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Palin’s dad:
With only a few hours sleep, and with the phone ringing constantly at his home, he remained bemused by the commotion.
“I’d rather go moose hunting than be involved with politics,” he said.
He and Sarah used to get up at 4 am to go moose hunting before school. Don’t think anybody better be messing with her.
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The degree of their snide-ness indicates the degree of their concern.
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I will say that Palin will bring a lot of the conservatives in Virginia (and there are a lot) out to vote. A smart choice by McCain if you ask me…
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yes CL… I do not know if you watched Obama’s speech last night but he mentioned how attacking an opponent’s character was a sign of desperation. I have been watching the Dems shoot themselves in the foot all day (which is tough when it’s in your mouth) and they have inspired me to volunteer some time for the McCain Campaign. I still have a very large data base of e-mail addresses from my time in EMS and the Union…
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At 10PM there is going to be a interview with Palin on MSNBC done about 2 weeks ago…
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SG, I loved Obermann as a baseball guy….back when he had a sense of humor. His book with Dan Patrick which was basically just them talking baseball, is one of my favorite books, really!
So, to see him implode into a wing nut is very sad….I couldn’t watch he and Chrissy Matthews for more than a minute. I shouldn’t have watched CNN earlier today, it had the same effect. They can’t find one person to say something positive about her????
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Sure they could, Ber! They just refuse to show it!
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I’m sorry, I know I sound negative on the team…but, we are out of the race. Campillo, JJ are tired, and could really use being skipped a start. Will they be skipped in September, or will we hear the BS that we have to put a big league club on the field when we face teams in a pennant race????
And who is more likely to be a starting outfielder the braves next year, Infante, or Brandon Jones??? Play Jones every day! I know, we might not be able to trade him for much if he fails, but honesty, would you trade for a 25 year old a team that needs to rebuild, won’t play??? Who knows, he might gain some confidence and you know…hit. He drove in 100 in 2006.
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Gil, all I saw was Olberman dissing Palin. And some woman laughing about Palin’s “5 seconds of media attention today.” Is that their plan, then? Continue to refuse coverage?
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This was written in Feb:
She took office on Dec. 4, 2006. Since taking office, her top priorities have been resource development, education and workforce development, public health and safety, and transportation and infrastructure development. Under her leadership, Alaska invested $1 billion in the state’s education fund and implemented the Senior Benefits Program that provides support for low-income older Alaskans. She created Alaska’s Petroleum Systems Integrity Office to provide oversight and maintenance of oil and gas equipment, facilities and infrastructure, and the Climate Change Subcabinet to prepare a climate change strategy for Alaska. Pretty good for 2 1/2 years in office. And forward looking.
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Sorry to interrupt the S with some B talk! 😛
I have a good friend that is a Dem, but told me if Hillary didn’t get the nod, she would vote for McCain. I will be interested in talking to her now that a Woman is on the ticket…..She never mentioned after Obama beat Hillary that she was still going to vote for him for sure.
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CL, I think it was more like a year and a half, right? Even more impressive!
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from Oct ’07:
As a cost-cutting measure, in June Gov. Palin released Stefani Marnon who had been the Executive Chef of the governor’s mansion for more than 8 years. Gov. Palin stated that the talents of a gourmet chef was no longer required and that she and her family would share meal preparation and clean-up chores until the reopening of the busy legislative session in the fall. What a precedence the Governor has established!
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You’re right, Ber.
Here’s an article that is a pretty good biography:
http://beldar.blogs.com/beldarblog/2008/06/review-kaylene.html
This is one interesting lady! 😀
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I love this one!
I’m sure Sarah will be a great vice-presidential candidate. She is no ordinary mortal. She was delivering the Keynote Address at the Republican Governor’s meeting when she went into labor. She finished the speech.
😀
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She’s a tough broad, in the very best sense of the word! 😉
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From a British paper. My chat with the ‘hockey mom’ from small-town Alaska
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/my-chat-with-the-hockey-mom-from-smalltown-alaska-913307.html
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Don’t worry FLB, we’ll be back to talkin’ baseball tomorrow! 🙂
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Opps… That was CNBC… Sorry about that. She is a very impressive lady.
It is a shame that the news media has become shills for whatever cause some misguided nut can come up with.
I read a lot of papers on line plus try to keep up with the news channels. Controlling the media is the classic Orwellian ploy to shape public opinion. Why else is it that in a coup, newspapers are shut down and radio and TV stations are quickly brought under control.
Thank God we have the freedom to have different opinions in this country. Now, having said that, I hope people have enough intelligence to pull the right leaver in November.
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Gil, what scares the heck out of me, is how very divided the US is these days. We were united for about 3 months after 9-11, then it got worse than it ever has.
The folks on the ultra liberal jazz board I frequent, have been trashing Sarah Palin…..
They also see the media the way you(and me) do. How that’s possible, I don’t know, but they do….
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Well, I kept saying bring up Chucky, bring him up to rest JJ or Campillo. Well, that ain’t gonna happen, going to have shoulder surgery. 😦 Probably should have had it during the off season, but the crack braves medical team knows what’s what! 🙄
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Berigan… This country has always been divided, it’s just more evident with the advent of the internet. Now folks from so many demographics are allowed to interact where before only persons of the same background and same social strata interacted.
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On the Brave’s pitching staff woes… Jorge’s outing last night was simply a microcosm of this season.
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Do we even have any pitchers left??
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Gil, I guess(And hope)you are right. I just hear so much anger on both sides, but moreso from the far left. They really want blood. They believe nothing the president says, nothing. I could almost see riots if we yet again had a close race with McCain winning.
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Folks on the left angry? Believe the President is lying? So… what else is new? They have always been that way. It’s in a politician’s DNA to lie. Otherwise they could not get elected to begin with.
I will say that McCain’s selection of Palin motivated 3 people I know to get involved on his behalf.
The nuts on both sides are not going to change their minds nor will they influence me.
Now, want to know the quality I see in Palin that seems to be so lacking in others? She appears to at least have some common sense… A commodity that is short supply with most folks who get sent to Washington.
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And they are not multimillionaires. They know what WORKING for a living is. There may be some, but I’m not aware of even one other politician in DC who is not very wealthy.
Several things that just made me chuckle:
*The previous Governor had bought a very expensive small jet with funds from the state treasury. When she took office, she put the jet on eBay. And sold it!
*The staff in the Alaska Governor’s mansion included a highly paid gourmet chef to cook for the First Family. When she moved in, she said thank you very much but we can cook and clean up for ourselves. Fired the chef.
*After she gave that speech (above) where she went into labor, she went to the airport, bought a ticket on Air Alaska, went back home, then had her baby.
You gotta love it!
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Ber, those on the far left are always in a rage about something.
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CL… I must tell you, her selection has certainly energized me… Imagine that, regular folks making decision affecting regular folks… You couldn’t script this any better if you tried….
Ready to be President from day one? I’ll take may chances with her over Joe Biden or Obama any day…
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“I’m so excited, I just can’t hide it
I’m about to lose control and I think I like it
I’m so excited and I just can’t hide it
I know I know I know I know I know I want you” 🙂 …
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Many, many feel the same way, my friend! 🙂
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Glad to hear use guys like her!!! 🙂 I do too.
In case you didn’t know, they are going to hit her with both barrels and then some. I know she can take it, but like with Bush, they are going to ask her questions while running that they wouldn’t dream of asking Obama or Biden. They WILL trip her up, anyone would be tripped up, if asked enough questions.
And she should be asked tough questions, no doubt. But, not ones that are impossible to answer…..
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Well Berigan, I would rather for her to be tested now rather than later. Like they say, if your are going to be the best, you have to beat the best….
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from Carroll Rogers:
It took him 22 games to get his 20th home run of the year, but with his solo shot to right-center field off Nationals reliever Charlie Manning on Saturday night, Chipper Jones finally matched Eddie Mathews.
Jones and Mathews, a Hall of Famer and former Brave, are the only other players in major-league history to start their careers with 14 consecutive seasons of at least 20 home runs.
CONGRATULATIONS, CHIPPER!
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Ahh, a baseball post. 😉 Pity the pitching didn’t hold up their end of things tonight. So how many years did Mathews do it? (I’m sure my dad would know but he’s asleep.)
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Bobby Cox is losing it… He blamed Anderson for making too wide a turn at third as the reason Josh was thrown out at the plate tonight. The Nats made a good play was all…. For some reason Bobby does not like the kid it seems to me…
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Gil, missed the game,(Sleep, or watch them lose?) and there was no baseball tonight for some reason, so just went to mlb.com which had a clip of the play. You are right! Anderson didn’t swing wide at all! What is Bobby thinking????
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Nice short article from Chop Talk by Hampton on his comeback.
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080828&content_id=3383735&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl
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Gee, just stumbled across this info….did y’all know Chipper has a bad elbow? 😦
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=451674
As much as I want him to finish as a brave, perhaps, just perhaps, we should consider offers from the AL. Of course, he might not want to DH, but I bet some teams would love him. Or perhaps Kotchman can play 3rd??? Does he throw left handed??? Guess I could look it up…
Kotsay in 3 games with the Red Sox, 5-13 with 4 RBI’s. I think he has 4 doubles as well. Good for Mark!
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Got a question, is Manny Acosta injured again??? I don’t see any info about that. He pitched 2 innings on the 24th, and gave up no runs. Hasn’t pitched since. Just makes one wonder when 11 pitchers are used in 2 nights, and he wasn’t one of them.
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FBG, before going to bed(Man, are my hours messed up! 😕 )
I just looked up Eddie Matthews’ stats. 14 years in a row, and total with 20 or more homers. Did y’all know he played his first year in Boston?? And only played one year here in Atlanta? He was washed up awfully early. If he had hit like he did in his early years, he might have been the one to catch the Babe…..He may have had more homers at 33 than Hank…someone more awake than me, do the math! 😛
Oh, and check out the year he had at the age of 21!!!!! 😯
http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/matheed01.shtml
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This news just in:
All of the Wal-Marts across Alabama sold out of ammunition
as of yesterday. A reliable source said that one of the
purchasers commented that while Russia may have invaded
Georgia, they sure as hell ain’t doin’ it to Alabama.
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CL: 😆
It must be in Southern GA ’cause me an ma boyz ain’t even heard a shot over here on tha coast or in Atlanta. 😛
On the weather front, I’ll bet those folks in N’oleens are wondrin’, ‘why me Lord”‘. CAT-5 is bad… really bad. But for my East coast’ers… look out for Hard Hearted Hannah. One of my models shows landfall right smack at Savannah. Another shows just North of Wilmington and another shows NC/VA line. The best (but not likely) model shows Hannah doing a big turn and heading back NE into the ocean.
Let’s pray for that last model for Hannah. As for Gustav, pray for a landfall at low tide, further West into a higher elevation and less populated area between LA/TX.
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Yeah, I’m watching Hanna, too! The Farmer’s Almanac predicted “tropical activity” in this area in September. 😦
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Whoopsie daisy… Hanna, not Hannah. Don’t those Hurricane namer-prople even know how to spell? 😀
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CL, I’m not a farmer or an almanac but even I could’ve predicted tropical activity in the Atlantic in September. Did they say we’d get cold weather this winter? 😆
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Woo Hoo… Corky is coming back!!!
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Dessens givin’ lessons… oh, my!
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Good gravy, swept by the mighty Nats! Well, the worse we do, the better our draft pick becomes! 😛
You know, I’d rather cut off my arm, than criticize Bobby ( 😀 ) but why was Dessens left out there to give up 5 runs??? Well, I should say I missed the game(every time I sleep, we lose-then again, when I watch a game, we lose too!) perhaps it was too hard to get someone warmed up in time???
I see Manny Acosta is still resting his arm and hammy. Good for Bobby. Don’t try anyone except those with their arms about to fall off, or those that can’t get anyone out. 😕
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Hard Hearted Hannah??? SG, you’re old! 🙂
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In old Savannah, I said Savannah,
The weather there is nice and warm!
The climates of a Southern brand,
But here’s what I don’t understand:
They got a gal there, a pretty gal there,
Who’s colder than an Arctic storm,
Got a heart just like a stone,
Even ice men leave her alone!
They call her Hard Hearted Hannah,
The vamp of Savannah,
The meanest gal in town;
Leather is tough, but Hannah’s heart is tougher,
She’s a gal who loves to see men suffer!
To tease ’em, and thrill ’em, to torture and kill ’em,
Is her delight, they say,
I saw her at the seashore with a great big pan,
There was Hannah pouring water on a drownding man!
She’s Hard Hearted Hannah, the vamp of Savannah, GA!
They call her Hard Hearted Hannah,
The vamp of Savannah,
The meanest gal in town;
Talk of your cold, refrigeratin’ mamas,
Brother, she’s a polar bear’s pajamas!
To tease ’em, and thrill ’em, to torture and kill ’em,
Is her delight, they say,
An evening spent with Hannah sittin’ on your knees,
Is like travelin’ through Alaska in your BVDs.
She’s Hard Hearted Hannah, the vamp of Savannah, GA!
Can you imagine a woman as cold as Hannah
She’s got the right name, The vamp of Savannah
Any time a woman can take a great big pan
And start pouring water on a drownin’ man
She’s hard hearted Hannah
The Vamp of Savannah GA
Ohh she’s sweet as sour milk
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CL, you must be…..wise as well! 😉
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Well, read some interesting stuff on Carroll’s blog(Man, is it a nicer place when she’s in charge)
After several folks asked why in the world Acosta wasn’t in there, she found out he’s had a sore arm after going 2 innings on the 24th. Perhaps Bobby shouldn’t have pushed him that much…..said, he hoped he could pitch in a few days. Sigh….
And Corky is back because Bobby PROMISED him he’d bring him and his .093 BA back! 😯 Wow.
He did tear the cover off the ball in AAA, even winning player of the week .
Folks there were apoplectic about bringing in Dessens with a lead, and not Ohman, who came in after him…
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And Gil, or anyone else….why do the Braves refuse to bring up Jorge Julio???? Looks like he had a very good year at Richmond……
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Man, as much as I like the choice of Sara Palin, I really, really like the governor of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal! Listening to him on TV, what a smart man! He has a real future in politics…..
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Ber, you showed a great deal of wisdom yourself! 😆 😆
Jindal was in the running and I’ve heard positive things about him for a while now. Good to know that there are good people coming up!
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Ella Singing Hard Hearted Hannah, with a Jack Webb into.
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Carol Burnett:
The song will never be the same! 😆
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CL, that’s a kick! 😀
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fun film quiz!
http://www.filmwise.com/invisibles/invisible_394.shtml
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Good find CL… haven’t heard that’n in a ‘coon’s age. Hard Hearted Hannah was a vamp, but she’s also a tramp, a tramp, a female tramp. Or was that Cher? 😀
Speaking of old ‘coons: So, I’m old and CL is wise… Bear is a smart feller. 😆
Now, politics: Bobby Jindal is a good conservative, as is Tim Pawlenty. I was hoping for Romney, who is a lot more conservative than the folks in MA know. Sarah Palin was a brilliant choice… a media checkmate perhaps.
Now baseball: Uh, oh nevermind. It’s just ugliness. Oh, the horrors!
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Completing the triangulation… Bobby’s own:
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Has anyone else wondered about the competence of Braves doctors, trainers and conditioning crew this year? So many injuries, such a long time to diagnose. Strange… too many for mere coincidence or bad luck.
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Just saw the movie ‘Traitor’ this afternoon. Good’un.
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Conditioning coach Foltz was fired. Can’t even remember the name of the replacement. I recall that at one time a woman was on staff for aerobics training or something like that. Guess she’s long gone. Sounds like they need Overhaulin’. Anybody got Foose’s phone number?
BTW, I’ve decided that what I really want is:
While I’m in New York getting a new wardrobe and makeover on What Not To Wear, Ty Pennington and co can makeover the whole house. And since I won’t be using it, Chip can take care of the car! That’ll work! 😆
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SG, it does make one wonder, doesn’t it? All these injuries, so few diagnosed quickly or accurately.
So, Traitor is good eh??? I worried when I saw the ads, if this wasn’t another US = evil film….
I’m looking forward to An American Carol! 😛
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I’ve wondered about the medical staff too, SG.
CL, I love What Not To Wear. I could never go on it though, since Nick would want to cut off my hair & Stacy & Clinton would object to the large amount of purple in my wardrobe.
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Greetings fellow stuffians… Yes, if we still have a country to save in a few years, there is talent in the pipeline. Trouble is, we still have so many ill informed rabble who can vote.
Best line heard so far coming out of the Obama camp on Sarah Palin was, “she comes from a state where half the politicians are in jail and the other half are headed there”… Well, coming from Chicago, he should know what that looks like….
I would comment on today’s game but it would just further depress me.
Berigan… I don’t know why the Braves do anything anymore… Only thing I know is when you google the words “train wreck”, you are taken to the Braves’ homepage…
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“Winding up: Lerew underwent “Tommy John” reconstructive elbow surgery last June and returned to the mound three months ago. The right-hander successfully employed a new windup yesterday after revamping it in one bullpen session with pitching coach Guy Hansen.
Lerew allowed five hits and one run in seven innings. He did not walk a batter and struck out five while picking up his first win since last year.
“It was fun not to walk somebody for once,” said Lerew, who walked nine in his past two outings. “It was good to have mechanics. I knew where it was going and put very little effort into it.””
From the Richmond Times Dispatch 9/1/08
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Man, I go to sleep, everyone else does as well! 😛 Gil, ain’t it about time for you to wake up???
CL, you dream big, don’t ya? 😀
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Ha! Berigan, you dope! You didn’t hit refresh first! 😳
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I see that the Padres released Brett Tomko and Tadahito Iguchi to make room for 2 prospects on their 40 man roster. Do you all think the braves should do something like this, to get a look at some folks???
I am sure I am not the only one that remembers September being the time teams gave some veterans a lot of time off, and played the kids to see what they had. I mean, who’d you rather see here now, Tyler Flowers or Corky??? Sigh…I know, I know…nothing is going to happen. They will have these guys work out in the AZ instructional league, then spring training, blah, blah, blah. Nothing like facing real major leaguers in games that count. There is always the chance that that might be a set back, but it seems to me you tell the kid(s) we know you are not ready for this level, we just want you to experience it….it shouldn’t hurt.
Schafer missed 50 games, so he should be fresh as daisy…or something. Release Gotay, or one of those myriad of lousy arms in the bullpen, and see what he can do, if he really should be the starting CF next year.
I get the feeling no matter what Josh Anderson does, he won’t be a starter next year. Nor will Blanco(Could be wrong, but I don’t think the team is all of the sudden going to aim for speed and defense in both left and center)
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Did anyone see the Mark Bradley piece on the Braves??? he really lets them have it.
http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/bradley/entries/2008/08/31/restoring_braves_luster_will_t.html
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Morning Berigan, yes, glad to see someone take the Braves organization to task. Best way to treat any illness is to treat the underlying cause. Is that age?Poor judgment? Apathy? Just plain old incompetence? All those injuries as a result of bad luck or poor conditioning?
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Gil, was hoping someone would finally wake up! 🙂
Good question(s) all of the above???
Isn’t amazing how good this team looked on paper, with us thinking Frenchy with added muscle was going to have the best year of his career, Diaz improving, with a full time job, KJ continuing to hit with power, and improve his defense….Smoltz and Glavine, each winning 12-15 games each….
We all know injuries have played a huge role in us being a terrible team after the all star break, but even if Smoltz and Glavine had stayed healthy all year, would we be any better than a .500 club???
For the life of me, I can’t see how the Mets are doing as well as they are, they just don’t look like much of a team, weak at both corners. bullpen woes.
The Phils on the other hand…every one of their outfielders are superiour to ours. Same thing from SS , 2nd base, and 1st. We only beat them behind the plate and at 3rd. They have a much stronger bench than us as well. They don’t have a great bullpen, but they do have a great closer. They also have a starter older than any we have, who just won his 12th game last night! Some teams just have dumb luck.
But, I just don’t see how we can compete with the Phils next year, unless they do something stupid like trade Ryan Howard.
I guess the real question is, can we turn it around and be competitive by 2010????
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One of the bright spots for Atlanta the past few weeks is Martine Prado. That kid looks good at the plate and is improving day by day at first.
Anderson is better than Blanco both at the plate and in the field and would be a good lead off guy for the Braves next year.
However, the real problem is exactly what most of us old baseball heads said early in the season when Bobby kept burning his bullpen. You can get away with it for a while but around mid July it comes back to haunt you….
With out the benefit of PEDs I think a lot of flaws are unmasked….
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The number one hole in the Braves line-up has to be Francoeur… So many guys left on base, so many double plays hit into. Want to add muscle that will benefit hitting? Add it to your forearms…..
I will bet you ten dollars to a donut if Jeff is traded he will hit again. A good hitting coach will straighten him out.
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Gil, you are probably right about Frenchy. I don’t think TP is good at getting into the heads of hitters. Best I can remember about TP, is he often swung at bad pitches, just a real hacker. And what Frenchy this year, and Andruw last year needed more than anything is to learn patience. Not for the first pitch, or one AB, but to be patient all the time. I know Frenchy did real well swinging at first pitch fastballs, but the pitchers around the league adjusted. He hasn’t….
Would it be worth the risk to trade him straight up for Aaron Harang??? I don’t know…
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Prado has really turned it on, hasn’t he???? I hope when Kotchman gets back, Prado will get most of the time at 2nd. But, I don’t think Bobby will do that, for some reason.
I hope Anderson gets a ton of playing time as well. After what he did last September for Houston 11 RBI’s and a .358 BA, I don’t know what he could do beyond that to prove he can lead off for the braves, except be given the chance….
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I wasn’t going to mention politics this AM, but just read this, and it got my blood boiling…
Lefty Bloggers Go After Palin’s Daughter
http://townhall.com/blog/g/9b3375c7-6a27-4b5e-9204-b267282a1ce1
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Gil, you may be right about French and a new hitting coach. Thing is, on a new team he might receive not only better hitting instruction but better overall game management, strength and conditioning consultation and less coddling.
Then again, maybe the sports psychologist Jack Llewelyn could help him more than anything else below the neck.
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What is worrisome to me is just like Andruw, this has been a season long thing. Andruw was even worse this year than he was with us! You never hear of (relatively) young guys just completely losing the ability to hit. It’s more like they caught a hitting disease, for which there is no cure.
Perhaps the cure is to leave the organization before the wrong ideas are allowed to ferment for years….
I’d love to see Frenchy catch fire(Looked like he might of with those back to back multi hit games) hit 300 for Sept, hit 7-8 homers, and might right field one less worry. Ty Wigginton has hit 12 homers in August for goodness sake!
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and make right field one less worry, is what I meant to type…tired…sleeping just beyond goofy right now.
I don’t think we could get enough for him to even move him. Unless some team sees his numbers from 06, 07 and will take a chance on him, and give us a good prospect in return….
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Demonizing through the “politics of personal destruction” is all the Dems know. The bigger lie is that they engage in it, then use the phrase to stifle an outraged counter attack.
Until outrage is demonstrated by Repubs (elected officials, famous conservatives, media and we citizens), it will always occur and the Dems will get away with it.
Wonder what would happen if a very large group of conservative bloggers stormed into the Daily Kos and posted their outrage with the Palin pregnancy story. Take over the blog for a few days and such. That would not change the world or the idiots there, but it would demonstrate to the politicos that the silent majority is still alive, well… and mad as hell.
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SG… The only thing we can hope for is they (the left) only get one vote per person… Still scary I know but I think you catch my meaning. Of course that little restriction never seemed to stop LBJ….
I do not think Palin can walk on water, unlike Obama supports and their adoration of all things Barack. But at least she appears to have enough common sense to use a boat or at least wear galoshes.
There are two things upon which the weak minded depend upon. One that if you say something often enough, it becomes the truth, no matter how outrageous. The second is the person whom screams the loudest wins the argument…
And baseball… Remember the old adage that the ball will somehow find the guy playing out of position, the same is true when you have holes in your line-up… The poorest hitter always comes to bat with men on base…
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There are two things upon which the weak minded depend upon. One that if you say something often enough, it becomes the truth, no matter how outrageous. The second is the person whom screams the loudest win the argument…
Truer words have never been said! So many believe Bush stole not one, but two elections, and of course more than a few think 9-11 was an inside job….never mind the logistics of such crimes, that dumb guy is a super genius!!! 🙄
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That kind of ties in to my point the other day….I know there have always been wing nuts on both sides…..but, in the past we came together in times of crisis. Now, some on the left believe nothing, nothing the President says…
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You’re on a roll this morning Gil. Truism upon truism.
Now, baseball: wonder if Josh Anderson will get a fair chance in Atlanta or if he is another ‘marked man’ by Cox and crew. Time will tell. I don’t remember Bobby pointing at one player in a loss like he did with Anderson, with his “wide” turn comment about Josh rounding third heading home the other night. The turn looked perfectly normal, not wide.
Methinks the Emperor has no clothes… with game management magnified with our lack of pitching. The pitching is what it is but the offense is inexcusable.
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I turned on NBC news to get the noon infor: coverage of Gustav, then – replays of Obama accepting his nomination, replays of his wife and kids on stage, replays of Obama supporters ‘crying from their deep-felt emotions of his historic nomination.”
Hmm. I must be mistaken. I thought it was the Republican Convention that was supposed to start today…..
I did read where a group of protesters were continuing with their plans to disrupt the convention, their leader saying (paraphrased) “we need to have our voices heard and we must be first in the news.” How ’bout Gustav, huh?
Reading the list on a newspage:
*Palin’s daughter is pregnant
*Obama asks thousand to help hurricane victims
*Obama returning to Chicago to monitor Gustav
*Biden skips Pittsburgh parade to monitor Gustuav
The press should be completely ashamed of themselves. I am. All I ask is fairness.
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This will bring a tear to your eye:
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) — Fuel prices have grounded an unexpected frequent-flyer: Diddy.
Sean “Diddy” Combs complained about the “… too high” price of gas and pleaded for free oil from his “Saudi Arabia brothers and sisters” in a YouTube video posted Wednesday.
The hip-hop mogul said he is now flying on commercial airlines instead of in private jets, which Combs said had previously cost him $200,000 and up for a roundtrip between New York and Los Angeles.
“I’m actually flying commercial,” Diddy said before walking onto an airplane, sitting in a first-class seat and flashing his boarding pass to the camera. “That’s how high gas prices are. I’m at the gate right now. This is really happening, proof gas prices are too high. Tell whoever the next president is we need to bring gas prices down.”
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As to “B” – my opinion, for what it’s worth.
I think it is very easy to “Monday mornng quarterback” a manger when a team goes south after many years of success. We as a fanbase are unaccustomed to being in this position, and are looking for places to pin blame. That, unfortunately, is a product of the society we live in where pinning blame is paramount to any other aspect.
I think, though, we should consider a couple of relevant points:
1.) We attempt to place blame by second guessing actions when we lack first hand knowledge of the reasons for those actions. We see and hear alot, more now than ever before. We often take all of our observations and draw what we feel to be strong conclusions, but the fact is that we are not privy to all of the details. Those forgotten details must be remembered when seeking an accurate picture.
2.) Was Bobby inept in 1990 when the Braves lost 100 games? No, and he likewise didn’t enter a great renaissance in 1991 when they won the NL. Joe Madden did not have a great epiphany this year, nor was he overmatched last year. Is Lou Pinella any different in Chicago than he was in Tampa? No. The difference is the team and their performance.
Winning baseball is a great acheivement. Winning titles is a greater achievement. Many things must come together to create it. Fewer things must occur to impede it. Should Bobby retire? Probably… but not because the game has left him. That broad HOF back already carries a large target, it should not also carry alone the blame of a prematurely lost season.
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CL… Fairness??? Surly you jest, do you forget with whom and with what you are dealing with???
Is having a child out of wedlock relevant anymore? Could she be looked upon with sympathy for becoming a single parent? Does that card only apply to Democrats? Well.. I have voted for Democrats in the past and I have voted Republican and also independents and third party. I know the tactics of the left and they mirror the tactics of the right but to those narrow minded souls, the ends justify the means… It is up to those of us with some semblance of sanity to help keep in check the nuts on the fringes lest we be overwhelmed by them.
Now baseball, Rasins, they has been no greater supporter of Bobby Cox during his tenure as I but there comes a time when we must face reality. Is he a great manager? I would say yes. Was he saddled with a substandard team this year? Yes again. Does he have control over who his coaches and aides are, well, I don’t know about that one…. I am sure he would have liked to have kept Leo as a pitching coach and Pat as his bench coach. Didn’t it come down to money would the Braves really be in this fix?
Someone has to take the fall, the manager is often the most visible… Is Lou Pinnella really that great a coach or does a huge payroll make the difference?
You can have a great coach who gathers players who can execute his plan or a great coach who adapts his plan to fit the players he has… What you can’t have is a “great” coach that can do neither…
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Many good points and voice’s of reason and raisin on the Cox blame thing. Cox is not solely responsible for the last three years… and by that same logic, he’s not solely responsible for the 14 NL Titles either. So, if we use that logic, does he deserve to be a HOF manager? I think so… but you decide for yourself. He was the skipper during the run so he gets the credit.
To give credit where credit is due must also mean giving blame where it’s due. I won’t take credit away from Cox for the 14 consecutive titles. Nor will I excuse him from leadership responsibility and accountability for the last three years. It ain’t Monday morning quarterbacking if a team is managed to be below .500 for three years.
Blame three years of losing on anyone or anything you like or a combo of all factors, including ownership changes, budget reduction, executive leadership (JS and Wren and above), injuries, coaches, alignment of the stars, the planets, global warming, voodoo or just plain bad luck. Fair or not, at some point in any society or organization the leader gets the credit or blame for how things go.
If you think one or more of the factors above contributed to .500 ball the last three years as I do, then so be it, but I also think Cox has been one of the worst playoff managers of all the teams we’ve played against throughout the winning run. We should have at least one more WS ring… probably two more.
Give Cox his HOF, give him a desk job ‘upstairs’, wish him well, give him a parade and get him the heck out of the dugout. Without three HOF starters in their prime, Cox couldn’t have won most if any of those 14 titles, he can’t win this year or next year, much less rebuild a team and shake out the ‘country clubhouse’ mentality. If you don’t believe any of that logic and reason, try this: he’s not necessarily too old but he’s too tired and out of shape to manage effectively. Again, it ain’t Monday morning… it’s almost every single game that he pulls bonehead moves.
Sad but true, hard but fair.
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In love, war and politics, all is fair. Dems know this and will take the low road every chance possible… which is almost all the time because they never get called on anything. William ‘cold cash’ Jefferson is still making executive appointments.
The networks haven’t mentioned Wright, Rezco or
They are the party of BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA, JEREMIAH WRIGHT, TONY REZCO, WILLIAM AYERS, NANCY PELOSI, HARRY REID, DIANNE FEINSTEIN,
JUDGE ALCEE HASTINGS, SANDY BERGER, JOHN MURTHA, JESSE JACKSON, BARNEY FRANK, ROBERT TORRICELLI, JAMES McGREEVEY, GERRY STUDDS, DON SIEGELMAN, ALAN MOLLOHAN, STRENY HOYER, MARION BARRY, FREDERICK RICHMOND, RAYMOND LEDERER, HARRISON WILLIAMS, JR., ELLIOT SPITZER,
DAN RATHER, BILL MOYERS, CHRIS MATTHEWS, KEITH OLBERMAN, CNN, NBC, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, PBS, BBC, GEORGE SOROS, MOVEON.ORG, BILL & HILLARY CLINTON, JOHN KERRY, TED KENNEDY, ROBERT WEXLER, MIKE VEON… and on and on and on. Dems get away with murder.
The Republicans have, uh, FOX… and they have no backbone. They have turned into the Democrats of the 60’s-70’s.
Conservatism has a long way to go and it’s all uphill from here.
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Second para should have read:
The networks haven’t mentioned Wright, Rezco, William Ayers orBorn Alive Infant Protection Act (BAIPA)
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V, I get quite confused with Bobby. If the Braves win, and I see the post game interview, he seems sharp as a tack. Remembers what happened in the 3rd, and so and so hit a curveball….when we lose, he turns into a shut mouthed , monotoned old man…might be protective after all these years…I don’t know.
But, what we see during games, is what is troubling to me…or after games nowadays.
Like blaming Josh Anderson for swinging too wide on the way home, when he clearly didn’t. After going 0-5 last night, I’ll be interested to see if he’s in the line-up tonight. If he isn’t, he doesn’t really think he is a full time guy, plain and simple.
I think Bobby was the only reason the teams didn’t totally quit in 2006 or 2007, when logic told you the teams were toast.
This is a very weak lineup, no doubt, but we can’t even beat the Nationals right now.
This was written while distracted, that and no sleep…My last post I had to finish up quickly, as we had a friend coming over to fix my Dad’s car. He’s a mechanic for Delta, so cars are not a problem to him! 😀
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SG, that clips amazing….don’t know why anything surprises me anymore, but it does still…
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Didn’t know the game was a day game today. Looks like their fans didn’t know it either! 😛 Why in the wide, wide, world of sports would they have a day game today????
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Well, that long post made me look stoopid….stoopider than usual! 🙂 Josh Anderson is in, Prado is in, B. Jones is in…..Bobby is great! 😀
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Bubba says:
01. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either. Just pretty much leave me alone.
02. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and leaky tire.
03. It’s always darkest before dawn. So if you’re going to steal your neighbor’s newspaper, that’s the time to do it.
04. Don’t be irreplaceable. If you can’t be replaced, you can’t be promoted.
05. Always remember that you’re unique. Just like everyone else.
06. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.
07. If you think nobody cares if you’re alive, try missing a couple of car payments.
08. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you’re a mile away and you have their shoes.
09. If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving is probably not for you.
10. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day .
11. I f you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably a wise investment.
12. If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.
13. Some days you’re the bug; some days you’re the windshield.
14. Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.
15. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.
16. A closed mouth gathers no foot.
17. Duct tape is like ‘The Force’. It has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together.
18. There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.
19. Generally speaking, you aren’t learning much when your lips are moving .
20. Experience is something you don’t get until just after you need it.
21. Never miss a good chance to shut up.
AND
22. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
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It’s Labor Day Berigan…..
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Day game??
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Another hapless one run road loss to the Fish. This is an MLB record for one-run road losses, so at least we have that. The game put me to sleep.
It was a nice nap… didn’t labor at all.
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CL, that Bubba list is a keeper. 😆
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SG, you do know you’re up next? 🙂
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whaa?
Uh…
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OK, I’ve recovered. No problem. Can you give me a deadline CL?
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The hits just keep on coming:
http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/14111
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Probably 4-5 days, SG. 😀
Hey, y’all quit complaining! I did 4 in a row just to give y’all a break!
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Wow… They say time flies when you are having fun… I guess I must have been having a ball. Tis a sad day for Braves fans in Richmond. Not just a changing of a franchise, 43 years is a pretty long time to have any kind of relationship, good or bad. A lot of great players have made their way thru the Rivah City and I am glad to have made their acquaintance. I shall not be sad about what I have lost but happy to have had the experience to begin with.
So good luck Braves, I wish you all well in your new surroundings. I hope Gwinnette treats you better than we did and appreciates you. I also hope you give Gwinnette a little more respect too. Any relationship depends on mutual trust and understanding.
http://media.gatewayva.com/photos/rtd/slideshows/20080901braves/index.html
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That’s nice, Gil. I know this has been tough for you. (((hug)))
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Gil, did you get to the game??? I heard a lot of former braves were going to be there…..
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Gil, a former girlfriend liked to say….times fun when you’re having flies! It’s always stuck with me.
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I’m weird! 😆
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Headline: Palin hires attorney for Troopergate investigation
Story: “Tucker Eskew, a senior McCain adviser, said the state, not Palin herself, hired the attorney to represent her in her capacity as governor, and he has been working for several weeks.”
…the lawyer “requested a copy of all witness statements and documentary evidence from the Legislature’s investigator, Stephen Branchflower. Sen. Hollis French, an Anchorage Democrat who heads the panel, said he has instructed Branchflower not to comply with the request.”
“The accuser is blogger and rental car executive Andrew Halcro, a Republican-turned-Independent who lost to Palin in the 2006 governor’s race.”
“The man in the middle is Monegan, who says Palin never told him to fire the trooper, but he felt pressure to do so from members of her administration.
Then there’s trooper Mike Wooten, who used a Taser on his stepson, Palin’s nephew Payton. Wooten has been reprimanded for violating nearly a dozen laws and departmental policies since December 2001.”
It has bias and old-boy political enemies all over it. And Wooten is such an outstanding employee of the state, too. Anybody would love to have him on their law enforcement staff!
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I just typed a SG length thesis on my evaluation of the Braves, from Terry McGuirk down to the bat boy, and somehow lost the whole !@#$%^ thing before submitting.
I am now not in any mood to try to replicate it. Suffice to say that there is plenty of blame to spread all around. Although I think the bat boy has done a pretty good job… except when he let Chipper go out with the wrong helmet. Now that I think about it, that’s about the time his AVG. started to slide… hmmm…
The one single thing that still wrinkles my rectum is the 29 consecutive losses in 1 run games on the road. That blows my mind… If they could have won just 14, less than half of them, they would be 73-65 and just 4 games behind the Muts, 2 behind the Philthies. They’d still have Kotsay and Tex and his non-clutch but still potent bat that protected Chipper, plus they’d have probably made a harder push for Jason Bay. They almost certainly would have acquired someone for LF. So much of the dynamic would be different. But instead, we now mope about and look toward the future with a wary eye.
Yep… one more run here and there… Amazing, ain’t it?
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Raisins, sorry your post got lost. I would’a liked to have seen that. Plenty of blame to go around. In baseball it’s never just one thing, but the top three things would be Liberty, injury bug, Cox… in that order.
Didn’t factor in the bat boy… you could be onto something. Or maybe it’s that fan from Marietta that sits behind the Braves dugout. He could be bad luck, even though he seems to catch a lot of foul balls. 😀
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I just fished this out of my email… It is eerily appropriate.
20 Ways To Maintain A Healthy Level Of Insanity
1. At lunch time, sit in your parked car with sunglasses on and point a hairdryer at passing cars. See if they slow down.
2. Page yourself over the intercom. Don’t disguise your voice.
3. Every time someone asks you to do something, ask if they want fries with that.
4. Put your garbage can on your desk and label it “In-Box.”
5. Put decaf in the coffee maker for 3 weeks. Once everyone has gotten over their caffeine addictions, switch to espresso.
6. In the memo field of all your checks, write “For smuggling diamonds”
7. Finish all your sentences with “In accordance with The Prophecy.”
8 dont use any punctuation
9. As often as possible, skip rather than walk.
10. Order a Diet Water, with a serious face, whenever you go out to eat.
11. Specify that your drive-through order is “to go.”
12. Sing along at the opera.
13. Go to a poetry recital and ask why the poems don’t rhyme.
14. Put mosquito netting around your work area and play tropical sounds all day.
15. Five days in advance, tell your friends you can’t attend their party because you’re not in the mood.
16. Have your co-workers address you by your wrestling name, Rock Bottom.
17. When the money comes out the ATM, scream “I won! I won!”
18. When leaving the zoo, start running towards the parking lot yelling “Run for your lives! They’re loose!”
19. Tell your children over dinner, “Due to the economy, we are going to have to let one of you go.”
20. And the final way to keep a healthy level of insanity:
Send this e-mail to someone. It’s called “therapy”.
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I just discovered that my office wall clock is 53 minutes slow… and now so am I. 😯
Much to be done.
C-ya later…
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Unbelievable! I cannot believe that I am about to type these words, but here goes…
Terrence Moore actually has a pretty interesting column in today’s ajc…
http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/moore/entries/2008/09/01/its_not_bobby_coxs_fault.html
I feel so dirty. 😥 I need a shower now…
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Morning, Raisins! LOVE the ’20 ways’! 😆
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V, this may sound crazy….not that that should bother you 😀 IF you haven’t closed this rowser since you posted that lost post….back up several times….I can hear the jokes now….hit the back button on your browser….stuff I was sure was lost and gone forever shows up again! At least with mozilla.
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Well, B, it doesn’t sound crazy at all. The thing is… well, here’s what happened. I was typing away at my tome on my laptop. This Dell has a very sensitive touchpad, and whilst composing, I proceeded to move the cursor for something, and accidently clicked on the “back” button, navigating back from this page to the last. After screaming loudly like a little school girl, I navigated back forward to find this entry box completely empty.
😳
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“navigated back forward”
Sounds somewhat like Democratese. 😀
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V, I have been there, believe me. Even screaming like a school girl! 😉
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And I liked the 20 Ways To Maintain A Healthy Level Of Insanity as well! 😛
That does sound like Democratese. Also sounds like that like in a Ozzie sound, going forward, in reverse….No More Tears????
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Drudge page says…. NY TIMES FEATURES 3 PAGE ONE STORIES ON PALIN’S TEEN DAUGHTER IN TUESDAY EDITIONS…
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Casey Kotchman returned to the Braves Monday after spending two weeks at his mother’s bedside. Kotchman said his mother suffered hemorrhaging in her brain on Aug. 19 and has been in neuro-intensive care in a St. Petersburg hospital.
“I’m happy to be back here with this group of guys and this organization,” Kotchman said. “That’s one thing my mom wanted to say: Thank you to Bobby Cox and Frank Wren and the players and everybody. She said she was going to thank them but for now I’m doing the thanking for her.”
Kotchman was not in the lineup Monday and won’t be for a couple of days, Cox said. Cox wanted to give him time to get back in the flow.
“I don’t think I go that long in the offseason without picking up a bat,” Kotchman said.
– ajc
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The Braves have added another arm to the their group of September call-ups and will bring up Richmond closer Jorge Julio Tuesday with five others.
– more ajc
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Love the “20 Ways”, VOR! 😆
From what I read, they still don’t know what caused her hemorrhage. Scary.
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You have my email address, right? I’d like to send that to some people if you have time to pass it along.
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FLB, in case you didn’t know….you can copy and paste this info into an email.
Go to the first line. Press and hold the left hand button on the mouse. drag cursor down the whole post. Now, right click on the highlighted text. Then left click on the word copy.
Then, in a new email, just right click again and left click on paste.
1. At lunch time, sit in your parked car with sunglasses on and point a hairdryer at passing cars. See if they slow down.
2. Page yourself over the intercom. Don’t disguise your voice.
3. Every time someone asks you to do something, ask if they want fries with that.
4. Put your garbage can on your desk and label it “In-Box.”
5. Put decaf in the coffee maker for 3 weeks. Once everyone has gotten over their caffeine addictions, switch to espresso.
6. In the memo field of all your checks, write “For smuggling diamonds”
7. Finish all your sentences with “In accordance with The Prophecy.”
8 dont use any punctuation
9. As often as possible, skip rather than walk.
10. Order a Diet Water, with a serious face, whenever you go out to eat.
11. Specify that your drive-through order is “to go.”
12. Sing along at the opera.
13. Go to a poetry recital and ask why the poems don’t rhyme.
14. Put mosquito netting around your work area and play tropical sounds all day.
15. Five days in advance, tell your friends you can’t attend their party because you’re not in the mood.
16. Have your co-workers address you by your wrestling name, Rock Bottom.
17. When the money comes out the ATM, scream “I won! I won!”
18. When leaving the zoo, start running towards the parking lot yelling “Run for your lives! They’re loose!”
19. Tell your children over dinner, “Due to the economy, we are going to have to let one of you go.”
20. And the final way to keep a healthy level of insanity:
Send this e-mail to someone. It’s called “therapy”.
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FLB, I trained a lot of folks when I worked at Borders…no one ever blew up a computer copying and pasting! 😀 Practice on just one line if you want, and paste in an email. Just don’t try to highlight in the middle of a paragraph, got to start at the beginning or the end(and go upwards)
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FBG: Check your email. 😀
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Gil: You will love this…
County gets bigger bill for Braves stadium
By MICHAEL PEARSON
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
The Gwinnett County Commission will vote today to spend another $19 million on its new baseball stadium without debate or public discussion.
At its morning work session today, the commission voted to add the payment to its “consent agenda,” a package of issues voted on with a single vote and no discussion at its afternoon business session. That meeting happens at 2 p.m.
Officials with the Gwinnett Convention and Visitors Bureau, which is building the stadium for the county, said Friday that they could no longer finish the project for the initial $40 million estimate. It will now cost $59 million, a nearly 50 percent increase.
The county initially pledged $12 million in property tax funds and proceeds from a new car rental tax for the project. In addition to the rental tax, it will now provide $31 million.
While the proposal has not gotten good reviews among posters to online comment boards that focus on Gwinnett, no formal opposition to the stadium project has emerged since county officials announced the project in January.
And despite growing financial worries and efforts to reduce costs to deal with millions of dollars in unexpected costs this year, County Administrator Jock Connell said he would recommend commissioners approve the deal.
Changes driving up the price include adding on to the concourse so that it completely circles the stadium, adding a canopy over part of the stadium, putting storm water detention for the site under ground and upgrading finishes.
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Gwinnett Braves close in on mascot name
By PATRICK FOX
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
The Gwinnett Braves have announced the name for the team’s groundhog mascot has been narrowed to three.
The mascot, selected in honor of the county’s legendary weather prognosticator, General Bearegard (sic) Lee, will be named either Shadow, Pop-Up or Chopper.
Oh, jeez… Why not just sew We Are Dorks on his back…
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Afternoon all….
Berigan, I have a chance to pick up a 1977 Trans Am with 51,000 mile on it for $5,000. What do you think??
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Raisins… I guess that means I didn’t win… Still like Chattahoochee Chuck… I think it sings… Maybe they thought it would be too hard for the locals to spell Chattahoochee… 🙂
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Gil, you shouldn’t be picking up anything with your back, never mind a 4000 pound car! 😛
Seriously, if it’s a real one,(From what I hear, Pontiac has better records on cars they have sold, than any other American car company) sounds like a real good price! Check out what they are going for, before the final price on ebay….granted, some are very low mileage(Heck, 51K is very low mileage in my book!)
http://motors.shop.ebay.com/Cars-Trucks___1977-Trans-Am_W0QQMake247a0eZPontiac4ba0dc06QQ_nkwZ1977Q20TransQ20AmQQ_catZ6001QQ_fromZR40QQ_pcatsZ6000
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Thanks, VOR.
Ber, just ’cause no one ever blew up their computer copying & pasting before doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen. I’ve tried to have my sister teach me how to do more on this thing & it’s just hopeless. I am just a computer-challenged person.
Back to bathroom cleaning…
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FLB, barefoot and in the kitchen for you!!!
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Seriously, I gave good advice up above, try it! I know you wouldn’t listen to Chris, but come on, give it a try! Start on a simple line of text to copy and paste, I was able to teach my soon to be 77 year old Father how to do it even. he forgot soon afterwards, but still! 😉
Nothing ventured, nothing gained!!!!!
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Just heard Jerry Reed has died! 😦 71. Funny, I think of Trans Am’s when I think of him…very good guitarist of course….
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And after the weather “experts” patted themselves on their backs for predicting where Gustav was going(Of course much less power than they predicted, thank God) it didn’t just go into Texas like it was expected to. It’s gone more northerly, meaning Arkansas and Missouri are getting more rain, something they don’t need….I wonder if there is any chance Hillbilly got someone in to fix the cracks yet???
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Barefoot & in the kitchen is my usual state.
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Yep, Cletus was a great movie character. Coach Red Beaulieu in The Waterboy was another classic. RIP Jerry Reed, another legend. Dang… they’re dropping like flies!
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Just heard Jerry Reed has died! 71.
No frickin’ way. The Alabama Wild Man can’t be dead. What a sucky day.
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B-Worm, I didn’t fix the crack, but I diverted an underground gutter drain that I think was the cause of the problem. No leaks when I checked on my lunch break a few minutes ago. Maybe I solved that problem. Now I’m dejected because the Snowman is dead…..” SON!! “
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Hillbilly, glad you figured something out! Looks like you might get a ton of rain….
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Berigan.. This particular car is from an estate. White on white leather. 6.6… Also have a 94 vette with 21,000 but my big butt just does not fit in a vette…
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Buy the TA!!!!!
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Does not have the T-Tops so I guess I won’t have to buy the hat… 🙂
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Ok. Somebody will have to explain this one to me:
A group protesting at the RNC – “The group known as the Good Conduct Society says it considers bird-watching to be voyeurism. It says research suggests that those 48 million people who enjoy bird-watching across the country are more sexually active than the general population. The society’s director says, “most disturbing are the groups of bird watchers seeking vicarious sexual gratification in the woods. Shamelessly, they blatantly observe God’s defenseless creatures mating.”
There is actually a group of people who care enough about this to travel somewhere so they can make a protest?? The situation is worse than I thought….. 😯
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Jerry Reed MADE the Bandit movies! RIP.
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Methinks it is likely a spoof, at least I hope so….
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Less than an hour before the start of the 7:10 p.m. ET game, Chipper Jones was removed from the lineup with a tweaked right knee he suffered while taking batting practice. – mlb.com
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Gil, bet that looks nice, white on white!!!!
V, like my avatar???? Joe Biden is my inspiration…when you plagerize, plagerize the best! 🙂
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Game’s on, and Prado and McCann just pulled off a double steal. McCann, aka speedy Gonzalez, has 5 for the year!!!
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Oh, no! French is up with bases loaded… 😦
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“And as night follows the day…”, Jeff grounds out to end the inning.
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Frenchy came up with the bases loaded, and 2 outs….grounded to 3rd…at least he didn’t ground into a double play! 😀
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Man, I am taking this plagerizin’ thing too far!
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BMac!!! Awesome!
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Man, a great play by McCann on a pop up bunt in foul territory! It’s a web gem, but no doubt baseball tonight will not show it. They never show highlights of braves games these days, and when they do, like last night, it was to mock Gonzo’s cobra routine. And of course he lost….sigh….
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This combo of Infante and Prado….not so hot, eh V???
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2 errors by Omar, but only because the non-1B Prado couldn’t make the pickups…
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Any good movies on tonight???? 🙄
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The Marlins need to be contracted. I’ve always been against that…but damn…no fan support at all! I know the team has been blown up a few times, but Florida is not baseball country. The Tampa Bay Rays are proof of this as well…12K fans show up for a team in first place??? Bah.
Or Move them to Las Vegas, and put the Reds in the East.
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And since we are the team closest to the Marlins, we should get first pick. Uggla and Hanley would be fine!
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Uggla and Tex should play on the same team. Uggla could hit up to the ASB, and Tex could hit after… 😀
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Whoa there, games tied up at 3!!!! I thought we were toast for sure….
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French gets a 3 run dinger!!!
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Frenchy just hit a 3 run homer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
😯 😯 😯
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I
did
not
space
it
like
that!
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I just saw a plague of locusts as well!!!
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Josh Anderson better get a fair chance come next year!!! Prado too!
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That was just total craziness.
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Please tell me the bird-watching protesters are a joke. There cannot actually be a group of people who think that is a serious problem… can there? 😯
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Next they’ll want proof that the birds are legally married.
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Gives new meaning to watching humming birds……
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I watched 3 hours of convention tonight rather than the game… Shame on me….
Klober, SG… batten down the hatches bros cause I think ya’ll are going to take a hit from Hanna… Looks like the race will get rained out Friday night. Will they have a double header Saturday????
Looking at the box scores it appears the beer league softball teams showed up tonight. Tired arms anyone?
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Hanna, Ike & now Josephine. I sure as heck won’t miss hurricane season.
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I watched all nearly-4-hours of the game, Gil. Do I get a prize?
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🙂 FBG… You take the cake… 🙂
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Usually I make the cake.
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🙂
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Maybe my prize was Mac’s great catch? The Marlins’ guys were impressed. They replayed it several times.
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That was an amazing game! Had flipped away after the big lead, to see the Braves go from a 10-9 lead, to a 13-10 score. I thought, how in the world could they lose this game?? But, miracle of miracles, they came back, and kept the lead! That was nice to see!
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Hannah, just like a woman, can’t make up her mind! 🙂 Gotta get Grinch back here…for some reason, that comment just sounds like him!!!
It looks like it’s actually moved further south…how can they say with any accuracy, what she’d do several days down the road???
Off to bed….I’m tire….
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See above comment for proof of why Berigan is single. 😉
Good luck trying to get hold of Grinch, he’s a busy boy.
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News of the weird:
Andruw Jones is back with the Dodgers, whatever that means. The Dodgers activated Jones from the disabled list Monday, as part of their Sept.1 roster expansion. Jones reclaimed his old locker and shagged some balls during batting practice but otherwise doesn’t seem to have a role. Jones’ right knee, which was surgically repaired in May and kept him out for six weeks, apparently is still sore, with what manager Joe Torre described, rather vaguely, as “irritated. It’s like a bruise.” “It’s not something that needs any attention,” Torre said, “other than getting it to feel better.” There’s no assurance that will happen, or that Jones – who is making $18.1 million this season and hitting .161 – will see any extended playing time with the Dodgers this month. If it happens, it almost certainly won’t be at first base. Jones spent some significant time at first base with Triple-A Las Vegas while rehabbing his left knee – which also has been hurt this season – and while Torre said he is confident Jones could play first base for the Dodgers, he won’t. “I don’t see myself taking James out,” Torre said, referring to first baseman James Loney, who is hitting over .300 and extended his hitting streak to 12 games Monday with a first-inning RBI single. — LA Daily News
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Yo, Gil:
Some Richmond fans have paid attention to the minor league affiliate migrations that are set to occur after the season, hoping that in some way the Washington Nationals could enter the Richmond market. MASN, the Nationals’ broadcast network, already airs in Richmond, and the Nationals’ top minor league affiliate, Class AAA Columbus (Ohio), has announced it is ending its agreement with the Nationals following this season, most likely in favor of the Cleveland Indians. “This would become a Nationals town,” Tom Schaefer, 54, said while watching a game between the Braves and the Columbus Clippers at The Diamond earlier this season. “Truthfully, it hasn’t been as much a Braves town in the past few years because of MASN, because of the Orioles, because of the Nationals. But if the Nationals come here, oh, man!” If nothing else, having a Class AAA affiliate in close proximity to the major league club is advantageous for promotions and rehabilitation assignments. — Washington Post
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Full article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/01/AR2008090103069.html
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I found Paladin:
http://www.cbs.com/classics/have_gun_will_travel/video/video.php?cid=787939068&pid=loOx9Aj2yg_aKTM_ViYN0uJsIoDJt9s5&play=true
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That would sure make sense, but didn’t Gil say something about how no teams could get to that park, for some reason, in 2009? Might be able to get around this is that Nat’s AAA team is kicked out…
This post has been sitting here for quite some time….my Dad’s friend came back this morning. Car wouldn’t start yesterday(My Dad’s 1979 Town Coupe) He put in a new ignition module a couple days ago, car started right up! Car’s can be evil….
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Hey WW, that’s pretty cool! They have all sorts of old shows available. Hawaii 5-0, Twilight zone, etc….and Have Gun will Travel looks great!
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Great, ww!!
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Whoa! Crap! The game’s on!
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By the way, WW, I HAD to watch the episode…
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😯
Hanley Ramirez just hit one to Haiti.
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Yep, he got that one, didn’t he?
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Now Yunel is out of the game after slipping while swinging, and hurting his shoulder again….though Boog pointed out it looked like he was grimacing before he put his hands out.
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Jeffy gets a hit with RISP and hustles it into a double!!!
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I was thinking about this yesterday. Should we at least consider putting Yunel on the market, to see what he would briing??? I like him a lot, and think if he was fully healthy,(I’m sure the crack medical staff will get to the bottom of his shoulder pain 🙄 ) he will be a consistent .300 hitter. But, Infante is looking more and more like a regular player. I know it’s great to have a guy to fill in for Chipper, but if he can hit .280-.290, and Yunel could bring in a #2, #3 starter….just wonderin’
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Omar is the consumate super-sub. He’ll always be a sub.
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I may be on an island, but I love Bobby Cox. 😀
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I was just checking out Infante’s stats…I didn’t know that he was more or less a starter for 2 years in Detroit! 503 AB’s in 2004, 406, in 2005. Hit only .222 in 2005, believe it or not! He was also only 23 that year, then became Mr. Sub the last 2 years in Detroit. And he’s still only 26, going on 27 in Dec.
Let’s compare to him to Mark DeRosa. He was Mr. Sub for several years, we all wanted to see him get a full time chance. He was given that at the age of 29, in 2004, and hit 3 HR’s drove in 31 and hit .239. That seemed like his last chance. Next year a sub in Texas, then, at the age of 31 he had a chance to play everyday(everywhere I believe as well) and hit .296 and drove in 74. Now, he’s having his best year ever, 19 HR’s, 80 RBI’s, .292 BA.
Not saying Infante can do this, but between Lilibridge and himself, we would have good defense at short next year….
We just don’t have a lot to trade, and if we could get some teams stud AA starter, or outfielder….I don’t think Blanco, Infante, or Lilibridge (After hitting .222 at AAA) is going to bring in much……
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V, I missed the pitch that got Campillo so steamed, was it that bad??? And how many folks are there in their stands??? Is there even a 1000????
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Ok, this isn’t really about politics, just funny! 😛
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/31136_Blooper_of_the_Day
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B, the pitch was definitely strike 3, out 3 with Braves ahead 3-1. Instead, it was called ball 4 and, well you know the rest.
The crowd is so sparse, the same group of young ladies has retrieved 2 foul balls. Also, at one point when someone was fouling off several pitches in a row, Joe quipped that “The seats are taking a beating!” 😆
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Game over.
Me too.
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Man…well, it was nice to wake up after win….too bad I couldn’t feel good about the braves til dark….sigh…..Brian Jordan was saying perhaps Yunel should rest his shoulder, perhaps take the rest of the month off and see what Lil’ Bridge can do….might not be a bad idea….need to mow a lawn….don’t want to….let’s see what’s on the the home shopping network, or the cooking network! 😕
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Raisins, believe it or not, the relocation thing can get pretty complicated. It is a bit like not being able to remarry because the divorce isn’t final even though the former spouses haven’t live together for years. Because a franchise has to be moved it means that like the domino theory, someone else is going to lose a team.
I don’t think people really understood that it was not just losing a team, it was losing one that had 43 years of history. Big difference….
So, now the ball is in the court of the local groups to come up with an attractive package. A new stadium will be necessary before a triple A franchise is even considered for this area. A new mayor in Richmond this fall will be the first step. That is a given.
In the mean time, I guess I will cut back next year and not buy the MLB package and watch the Nationals and the Orioles. Well… the Nationals anyway…
One possibility remains that Richmond will get the AAA franchise displaced by the Marlins when they are forced to relocate by continued poor attendance.
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Berigan, the Braves get closer to that number one pick every day… 😦
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Hanna is shifting more eastward! Savannah and Charleston are clear and I think I will be before it gets here. Hopefully, it will just skirt the coast and give us much-needed rain! 😀
map:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at3.shtml?5day#contents
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CL, honestly, I don’t trust what they have shown for the storm! It’s been spinning it’s wheels for days, no one predicted that. It was first to hit Georgia, then it was thought to possibly hit Florida….you know a bit about Hurricanes, I imagine! 😀
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Raisins, did the Titanic go down in Australia?
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Looks like we may not even get a drop of rain or much of a breeze.
On the other hand, it’s a good time to grab the board… surf’s up!!! 😀
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Wow…. great speech….
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Proud to be an American again… 🙂
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And why do I know we will get rain from Hanna??? NASCAR is in town this weekend!!!! They are better rainmakers than an old Indian doing a rain dance… but not as good as when I wash my cars…
And wither baseball? Time to play the rookies… Uh what do you mean that’s what we have been doing??? Uh Oh…
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Proud to be an American again… 🙂 Not the first time in your life I assume then??? 😛
She seemed a bit slow out of the box, but she really did an excellent job!!! And when you consider her she has no experience speaking in front of millions of people, amazing!
My dear sweet pals on that loony jazz board are still trashing her, it ain’t over trying to destroy her. yesterday, they mentioned that in 1996, she tried to get some books banned, but didn’t actually follow through on that. We are going to hear that she badmouthed her teachers behind their backs in high school, could she really run a country???
Typical comment from a board member….
Damn, I hope we don’t see this religious nut and the so-called old “hero” soil the White House.
That’s a 77 year old folks, not a 27 year old!!! They are scared,no doubt.
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Now, baseball….the braves are 3-7 in there last 10 games. The Nats are 8-2!!! They are only 6 back of the braves. I think people forgot how many injuries they have had this season as well. Zimmerman, both 1st basemen. Dukes, Willy Mo Pena. they are starting to get healthy, and are looking more like the 2007 Nats.
Oh well, we need to get a great pick next year, and if we are bad enough, and sigh a couple of free agents this off season, we don’t lose any picks!
Just being positive! 😉
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Damn, I hope we don’t see this religious nut and the so-called old “hero” soil the White House.
This religious nut wouldn’t mind seeing a few more of them…
As for heros, their hero is Bill Clinton. ‘Nuff said.
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What. A. Speech. I love that lady!
There’s another ‘lady’ I don’t love. Hanna. 😦
Pray with me that it will deflect eastward and stay well offshore.
Current forecast has conditions steadily deteriorating; tropical force winds extend out nearly 300 miles from the center. Center forecast to arrive here Friday night. I HATE losing power! 😡
I just checked the info on Ike: 145 mph sustained winds….. 😯
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Folks, never underestimate the power of suggestion… Now, the wife and I talked about it last night and it is our firm conviction that many of the pundits are caught up in their own sense of self importance. Honestly, they have about as many readers as we do., and maybe the same impact.
What many folks seem to miss is for a change there is a person who actually gets it running for high office. Think about it, no Yale or Harvard pedigree, no royal blood, just someone who has actually been on the front lines of life…
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Now, if we can just get the Braves straightened out all will be right with the world.
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Gil, maybe in her spare time she could manage the Braves! 😀
Off to get a couple of things at the store before the madness gets worse.
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My local paper reported that there were about 600 people actually at the game yesterday. And a large portion of them were Braves’ fans. Time to move the Marlins.
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Oh yeah, I almost forgot, the panic buying before the storm… Good luck on finding a loaf of bread… 🙂
I finished mowing the lawn this morning as per usual had lots of opportunity to reflect on the speech last night. The sports metaphors kept popping up for me. Of course the theme from Rocky was running through my mind but the phrase GAME ON!! should be the rallying cry for conservatives everywhere.
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FLB, it was beyond pathetic yesterday! I really couldn’t believe it…..minor league teams with smaller populations, draw much better than this.
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I don’t know what genius scheduled a Wed. day game at this time of year. We’re still in full summer heat & humidity, the kids have all gone back to school & there’s no tourists at this time of year. Did they think people would take off from work to broil out there?
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…just someone who has actually been on the front lines of life…
Good line, Gil!
I was quite taken with CNN’s coverage after the speech…collective jaws on the floor. The whole collection of ‘anchors’ were bowled over…pretty funny.
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I won’t be voting for the Republicans but it was kind of cool to see Sarah Paladin prove that she has a gun and will travel last night.
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After 19 seasons in minors, McClain hits first major league homer!!!
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=280903127
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Give it time WW, I voted for Clinton…..Once. 😛
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Might be good news for us…..From Jayson Starks…
Standing Pat: There has been an outbreak of optimistic reports out of Philadelphia about the likelihood of the Phillies being able to re-sign Pat Burrell this winter. But our take is: Not so fast.
Burrell clearly wants to stick around. And the Phillies appear to realize that if he leaves, their free-agent options are messy. But as they mull their offer to Burrell, they have a major disadvantage that other teams wouldn’t face:
The biggest concern all National League teams would have about Burrell is whether he would be able to play defense through the life of a three-year or four-year deal, in a league with no DH. But only the Phillies would have to worry that he would become a 10-and-5 man about seven weeks into Year 2 of any contract — meaning he could block a deal to the American League.
So while the Phillies are more motivated to sign him now than they were a few months ago, there is no indication they have wavered from their belief that they can’t afford to give him more than two guaranteed years. And there undoubtedly would be longer deals out there elsewhere. So this negotiation will be a real test of just how much he really wants to stay.
And some braves talk…
• Decision time: Very few teams face a more challenging winter than the Braves. But one NL executive says their biggest question will be figuring out what happened to Jeff Francoeur, a guy staggering through nearly a 150-point OPS drop.
“I don’t think you go from being that productive to being a total zero,” the exec said of Francoeur. “But if he has the feeling they don’t believe in him anymore, or they truly don’t believe in him anymore, I think they have to see if they can deal him for pitching.”
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=3568753&type=story
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Berigan, I voted Bush, Clinton, Bush, Kerry and will be voting Obama ………… I’m a schizo voter
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And I thought Reagan was great when I was a kid and still do and would have voted for him if I wasn’t just a kid then.
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WW, I voted Bush 1, Clinton, Perot, Bush, Bush….a bit schizo here as well!!!
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Good to see Salty & cousin WW. Missed you guys.
Ber, I’m not ready to give up on Francoeur & I hope the Braves aren’t either. He’s figured out that the approach he took in the off-season was a mistake & finally seems to be recovering a bit. Part of the problem was the ridiculous expectations people had for him. They looked at his high school hero reputation & expected him to be Superman.
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FLB, from this layperson, it’s interesting to see Frenchy now seems to have a strideless swing, a bit like Manny…for all that is wrong with Manny, he has a darn near perfect right handed swing….
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Meaning it looks better….didn’t sound clear, what I just wrote…
Oh, both starters are making their first start in the Majors!!!
James Parr for the Braves. From what I recall DOB saying, sounds like he is pretty interesting…..
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Couldn’t find the link before, but here it is to vote for Skip!
http://web.baseballhalloffame.org/awards/frick_2008/vote.jsp
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Welcome to the big leagues, Mr. Parr! Very nice debut.
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Thanks for the link, Ber! OK, people, 1 vote per person a day for the month of Sept. Let’s get Skip on that ballot!!!!
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What happened in the game tonight? I just got in, am working for just a short while, and would like the Reader’s Digest version, if anyone is willing…
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Oh no, you missed it?! James Parr started in Jo-Jo’s place ( Jo-Jo’s wife just had their first baby). He did great! 6 shutout innings. 2-0, Braves. Can you believe our bullpen actually held a 2-run lead?
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Mac & Kelly each drove in a run. Gonzo struck out the side for the save. Chipper was back in the lineup & seemed fine.
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Thanks, FBG. That was exactly the kind of recap I was seeking. I’ve had kind of a crazy day. Had to take my son to the orthopedist today… Thought he might have sustained a broken arm from football Tuesday. As it turns out, he sustained a crack in the growth plate in his elbow. ( The result of a direct blow from a helmet. ) He should be fine, but has to keep the arm relatively immobile for 3 weeks… It’ll seem like 3 years before it’s done. He’s stressing that he’ll miss 3 games; I’m relieved that it’s not worse.
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😯 I’m glad it wasn’t more serious!
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Thanks… I really thought it’d be a fracture from the way it still looked this morning with the swelling and discoloration. I was hoping he’d wake up today with marked improvement, but when it was unchanged, I started calling for an exam. He’ll miss 3 weeks of football, but should be able to return to full participation afterward… with a new set of elbow pads!
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If I had a kid who wanted to play football, I’d be trying to dress him in a full suit of armor.
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It’s a rough sport, but that’s part of the appeal. I never thought his Mom would go for it, but she’s as bad as me. 😀
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One last comment before I head to slumbertown…
Football isn’t nearly as tough, or dangerous, as the real world in which we live. But it will help instill in him a whole bunch of good traits and qualities needed to cope in the real world. Too often we coddle our young’uns only to later realize we’re raising a complete generation of wussies that couldn’t get a grip on adversity with a meat hook. Many times, those who tout “Turn the other cheek” are really saying, “Turn the other cheek, and run like hell!” Raising this generation of spineless, non-confrontational idealists is gonna come back to haunt us one day… and it may be really, really soon.
On that note,
G’night!!!
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“Turn the other cheek, and run like hell!” is not a bad strategy when faced with an overwhelming force.
Talking with one of my buddies today, I was relating to him the time as a young kid I came up against a fellow who was a golden gloves boxer. I think he hit me 6 times and I still did not see a punch… Only stars….
Another one of life’s lessons…:-)
Now, I am glad your son will be no worse for wear, nothing like a red badge of courage to give you a little swagger… 🙂
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Looks like Hanna is gonna visit Carolina Lady. Watch out CL… dangerous conditions ahead. Not from the storm though. Hanna shouldn’t be too bad but you better be careful not to let those Weather Channel trucks run all over your lawn. Those people standing in the rain, shouting their weather reports and slipping in global warming commentary may cause nausea… and the trucks are really bad for the grass.
FBG, you’re right about football being a good thing for developing good traits and qualities for the real world. Well, usually that’s the case… not always…
Then there’s the wussie that doesn’t play sports at all. Maybe they’ll spend their entire life turning the other cheek. Sad to see that.
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According to media sources, the Braves are actively scouting Japanese pitcher Junichi Tazawa. His 2008 Japanese League stats are as follows:
54 IP, 46 hits, 56 K, 4 BB, 6 ER, 1.00 ERA. His fastball has been recorded at 153 km/h (95.625 mph).
Aside fro his fasball, he has a very good 12-6 curve. He also features the shuuto, the pitch made famous by Daisuke Matsuzaka. The pitch is mainly designed to break down and in on right-handed batters. The shuuto begins as a fastball, then “rolls over” and drifts toward the batter. The pitcher puts a slight spin on the ball, so that as the ball’s velocity decreases, though not to the degree of a straight change. It breaks alot of bats of righthanders, but also keeps lefties off balance because they can’t sit on the fastball.
Here is a youtube video of Tazawa – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxRKY_Xg5tQ
The other team reportedly pursuing Tazawa is the Red Sox… of course.
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SG, it was V, not FLB singin’ the praises of FB.
V, one word on football……Baseball!!! 😀
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Correction! Upon further review:
Tazawa is currently pitching in the Japanese amateur Industrial League for the Eneos Oil team.
I see, too, that the Mets are also in the mix…
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Those Japanese broadcasters never shut up either!
I’d be all for signing him, but I don’t think the bullpen is going to be our main problem anyway. Red Sox interested? Well, it will be nice to know we came in second moneywise.
A starter from Japan would be nice….
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Apparently the Sox are the frontrunners as Theo Epstein has already given his minions the go-ahead to sign him…
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He’s starter material, B. A 3 pitch guy with 95 mph stuff is a starter, without a doubt…
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FYI – 2009 FA starting pitchers:
CC Sabathia
Ben Sheets
Derek Lowe
Ryan Dempster
Mike Mussina
AJ Burnett (can opt out of current contract)
Andy Pettitte
Randy Johnson
Kyle Lohse
Greg Maddux
Jamie Moyer
Randy Wolf
Oliver Perez
Braden Looper
Jon Garland
Pedro Martinez
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Are Yankees fans also Barack Obama supporters? The Yankees have won eight world championships during Democratic administrations in the past 50 years but haven’t won a title with a Republican in office since Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1958. Since then, the Yankees have won titles during the terms of John F. Kennedy (1961-62), Jimmy Carter (1977-78) and Bill Clinton (1996, 1998-2000). While Boston owner John Henry is a major contributor to the Democratic Party, the Red Sox haven’t won a World Series with a Democrat in office since Woodrow Wilson in 1918. And then there are the Cubs, who haven’t won a world championship the past 100 years, regardless of who was in office. — Rocky Mountain News
WW is a Yankees fan, right? 😀
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As comeback stories go, this is a pretty good one. Catcher Koyie Hill batted .275 with 17 home runs for the Cubs’ Triple A farm team at Iowa this year. Not bad considering that, last October, he essentially severed his right thumb and three fingers in a table-saw accident while making a window frame for his house. It took a hand specialist to reattach the fingers. Now Hill, who was called up when roster limits were expanded this week, jokes that he’s even better than new. “They added enough bones to my middle finger to where it moves some,” he said. “They had me hold a ball in my left hand to see where my finger was, so when they sewed it back on it was in a fixed position. So you could say it was actually built for playing baseball now, which is something a baseball player always wanted.” — Philadelphia Daily News
😯
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OF Milton Bradley, the Rangers’ cleanup hitter, is close to accomplishing a rare feat: capturing the triple crown of percentages. Heading into last night, Bradley leads the league in on-base percentage at .446, and trails only Dustin Pedroia [stats] (.333) in batting average at .327 and Alex Rodriguez (.597) in slugging percentage at .585. The last AL player to pull that off was Kansas City’s George Brett, in his MVP season of 1980. — Boston Herald
Bradley is a FA for 2009… hello, Frank?
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Fun article on the Braves MLB site about their “walk-up” music choices…
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080905&content_id=3422487&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl
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V, it’s going to be tough to copy your avatar now! 😡
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You could, but it’d be rewind, and you don’t wanna go back, do you? 😀
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Ok V, or anyone else….any thoughts of who from that list above we should, or at least might be able to get??
My thoughts??? Thanks for asking. I’d go nuts on a huge, but fairly short contract on CC. Pay him 60 mil for 3 years. Perhaps have option years. Pay him more than anyone(yeah, right-I can dream, can’t I?) Ok. That was funny. back to reality.
Kyle Lohse worries me, since he has had a great year, but for Duncan in St. Louis.
Derek Lowe is 35.
Braden Looper. Another Cardinal miracle.
How about Oliver Perez?? He isn’t always consistent, but man it would really hurt the Mets, wouldn’t it???
AJ Burnett ??? Gonna cost moola!
Jon Garland??? 4.64 ERA, 176 innings 204 hits….
Well????
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WELL?????
I’m not a patient man!!!!! 😉
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CC Sabathia – I’d pay whatever he wants for however long he wants. Period. I think Frank’ll make a run, I just don’t think he can win the bidding war.
Ben Sheets – I’d go no longer than 3, and try to build value with incentives.
Derek Lowe – I’d love him as a 3. My gut says he comes here.
Ryan Dempster – Iffy. Don’t see him here.
Mike Mussina – Too old…
AJ Burnett (can opt out of current contract) – I think Frank should aggresively pursue him. I think Frank will aggressively pursue him. The Marlins connection doesn’t hurt.
Andy Pettitte – Intriguing. I’d make a run.
Randy Johnson – He still around?
Kyle Lohse – No thanks…
Greg Maddux – Wrong time zone…
Jamie Moyer – Wrong time period…
Randy Wolf – Too inconsistent. We have enough of htat already.
Oliver Perez – Oliver Hardy was more consistent…
Braden Looper – He might just be the kind of under the radar guy Frank swoops up after a CC or Ben. He has won 12 games this year. Don’t forget the Marlins connection…
Jon Garland – Kinda like candy. Looks good on the surface, but not good for the long term.
Pedro Martinez – Do I really have to comment on Pedro? Rather average since returning. Not worth the money he will want.
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Looking at the list as a whole, if you added Burnett and Lowe/Looper to go with JJ, that gives you a pretty decent 1-3. All righties, though. Do you give Glav one more shot?
I think I would, at a decent incentive based 1-year deal.Wait… which lefty gives you a better shot in ’09, Glav, Jo-Jo or, ahem, Hampton? If healthy, I say Hampton. I think I’d sonner give Hampton the incentive based deal before Glavine. As a sentimentalist, that’s hard to say. As a realist, not too tough. Perhaps, then, you make a run at Wolf instead of Lowe/Looper. I’m really glad it’s not on my shoulders…LikeLike
Definitely go all out for Sabathia. Unfortunately, he’ll probably wind up a Yankee ( I figure they’ll want to make a big splash this winter since mini-George has been whining). Sheets scares me, he’s been hurt so many times. I envision Hampton v.2. Guys like Lowe, Burnett & Looper are probably more realistic for the Braves.
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Back to my train of thought before I got derailed…
1) Burnett
2) JJ
3) Lowe/Looper/Wolf
4) Campillo
5) Morton/Reyes/Glavine/Hampton
Not too shabby, I don’t think. Morton has tremendous potential, which he has shown this year. I see nothing to impede continued improvement for ’09.
AJ and JJ 1 and 2; I like it. AJ is 16-10 with 201 K’s to just 78 BB’s in 30 starts. He’s already pitched 193.1 innings. He is just the kinda guy we need if CC is untouchable.
What happens if Smoltz manages to make a comeback? Do you insert him in the rotation? You gotta like the intangibles he brings to the team.
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And I’d have to vote no on Meltdown Bradley, VOR. Enough baggage to fill a semi.
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I think if Smoltzie can make it back ( & if anyone can, it’s him) he’d be in the bullpen.
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Re-sign Hampton if it’s reasonable. He’s gotten better with each start, and is a solid starter at the back end. Two years, max, though. Call me stupid, it’s OK, I’ve been called much worse.
Lowe and Burnett…nice as well, as long as the D scoops the grounders. CC would be super nice……who could be sqeezed from the FA list along with him? JoJo has it in him…Morton needs Smoltzie’s psychiatrist to work on that confidence thing. Let’s see what Parr does the next 2-3 starts…and keep an eye on the farm boys in Arizona this winter.
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Hey, Salty.
I heard a radio interview with Leo recently. He said Lewellan received way too much credit for Smoltz’s career turnaround and that Bobby was the guy that did it…
I agree on Hampton. I think he’d take an incentive laden 1-year deal. Realistically, nobody’s gonna offer much more… maybe 2. But 1 year is probably more favorable to a guy who has to prove himself again. And you’re right about him looking pretty good. Burnett, Lowe and Hampton are all big-time groundball pitchers. Gotta move KJ…
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V and S, signing Hampton is a pretty good idea, I forget about him….remember way back in spring training, where it seemed the last thing we’d need was starting pitching??? that perhaps we would be able to trade excess??
Derek Lowe is very durable, but so was Glavine. Granted, Glavine is older, but you just never know….I think I heard he is quite the workout fiend. Just like Moyer. Funny, Moyer is the oldest pitcher in baseball….and I don’t think he’s missed a start this year…who’d a thunk it???
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I look for Hampton to sign for a west coast team next year. He has moved his family to Arizona this past winter. He will also do well… Not a number one or two but a solid number three… Remember, you heard it here first..
And now the weather… It’s raining here… No race tonight…
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And wither Parr…? No jacks against him last night. Not a guy who is going to strike out a lot of folks but manages to keep the ball off the sweet spot of the bat pretty well. Defense needs to stay awake when he is on the mound…
And too bad about the Nat’s Belliard last night. He did not realize that the firstbase line at the Ted is a no spin zone. May even be cursed from what I can tell….
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As long as Charley gets his confidence in order, I don’t care how it happens…heck, drink Vitamin Water, makes no difference to me! 😆
Gil…you’re hip to what may happen more so than I am, but ‘first right of refusal’ would be fair of him…if such a trait even exists anymore. At a minimum, the contract can allow for him to only be traded to certain teams should he be doing well and the Braves are doing an ’08 rerun (Heaven forbid!).
VOR…gotta move KJ, indeed. He should return to the outfield, or go to an AL team. Second base makes him think too much, in my opinion, and he takes it to the plate. He’s taken more called ‘3’s’ than anyone in baseball…and half of ’em could’ve been launched! Alas!
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Here’s a clip of Gov. Palin at her church….. quite a comparison from what Rev. Wright’s church teaches, don’t ya think????
http://www.netbroadcasting.tv/sarah_palin.html
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Thanks for chiming in everyone! Heres some info on Randy Wolf….
Wolf Will Consider All Destinations In ’09
By Joe Pawlikowski [September 5 at 8:42am CST]
When Astros lefty Randy Wolf reached free agency after the 2006 season, he made his desire to play closer to home, on the West Coast, well known. He signed with the Dodgers, and managed a little over 100 innings amid shoulder issues. His ERA, 4.73, wasn’t too impressive. Yet the Padres, considered before the season to be contenders, decided to take a flier. They signed him to a one-year, $4.75MM deal with a number of incentives.
Back in July, the Astros acquired Wolf in a trade. GM Ed Wade had been fond of the lefty since his days as general manager in Philly. He had even courted Wolf last winter, but the pitcher chose to stay out west. As Wolf once again reaches free agency after this season, he says that geography won’t quite play the role it did over the past two off-seasons.
“It doesn’t matter anymore,” Wolf said. “I played on the East Coast for so long, and you’re like, ‘I wonder what it would be like [to play closer to home].’ I’ve done it. It didn’t change my world.”
Wolf says he’ll consider the Astros, but his foremost concern is signing with a contender. He has been pitching in the majors since 1999, and hasn’t yet made the postseason. Will the Astros sate that desire? Personally, I’m not so sure. Any ‘Stros fans out there think that next year could be the one?
Over at ESPN, Rob Neyer writes about how well Wolf has pitched for the Astros, and how he was wrong in his initial judgment of the trade.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2008/09/wolf-will-consi.html
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Well, everything is battened down. Hanna is presently due south of me moving north at 20, 70mph with gusts to 86 but not yet a hurricane at 74mph. On track to come in during the night just about over my place or just a little to the west. Pray for it to turn more eastward to keep the “bad” right side off of me. Sure hope the power stays on; don’t be messin’ with my a/c and internet connection!! 😆
(Gil, will you keep Salty out of the filter if I’m not around?)
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CL: I’ll say a prayer for you tonight. Hunker down and emerge unscathed tomorrow.
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Thanks, Raisins! Was just checking – it’s coming in on a rising tide. High tide is at 12:30 but the water is already 2 – 4 feet above normal. Expect 4 – 6 feet above astronomical high tides + 15′ waves on top of that. Hmm. Gonna be some flooding, sure as shootin’!
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Shifted again! Now coming in just about on the NC/SC border. Going to bed; wake me when it’s over! 😆
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I’ve got your back CL…
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Salty=Filter
What a reputation! 🙄
No CL…hmmm…no power?
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Yo…Saltman… Yes, I am sure CL is trying to dry out this AM, we are getting drenched here in Mechanicsville. NASCAR was smart to postpone both races until Sunday. My question is how folks are going to navigate the parking lots? May be a jackpot day for the tow truck drivers.
I was going to an auction this morning but there was nothing being sold I really wanted to get drowned for… Well, there was a Colt 1849 pocket pistol but I guess I will have to pass on it.
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Hey Salty!!!
Gil, what’s the latest on the White Trans-Am???
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Saw this on the other blog…from dob…
Charlie is being shut down for 10 days, skipping a start, because of a problem in his scapula, or beneath it. Not a shoulder problem, but something they think might be from lack of strength, from losing a lot of weight since spring and pitching lot of innings. He’s had a couple of cortisone shots (they hadn’t disclosed that, but he told me today) since July.
Yet another pitcher with arm troubles?????
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Berigan… I am in a holding pattern about the T/A… Trying to decide if I really need another car…
Arm bone connected to the shoulder bone… let’s call the whole thing off.. 🙂
Sounds like two different problems to me but could be related, is it time to call House???
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Howdy, gang! All is well and thanks for your thoughts!! Yard is a royal mess, but the power is back for good (I think!). Haven’t checked on the local news but I would be surprised if there was much damage. Maybe at the beaches, dunno. It got pretty brisk in the wee hours but not much rain in my area – which is a little surprising.
The pines did pretty well, but the Sweet Gums and Oaks really shed a lot of debris. A billion little green pine cones add just the right touch. 😦
Got all the big stuff picked up and hauled away (man, is it ever HUMID out there!!) and tried to get the mower started to get the rest, but it won’t. Did I ever tell y’all how much I hate John Deere?? It has never failed to let me down. 😡
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CL, glad all is well!!! Or well enough!!!
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Glad you’re OK, CL! You have my sympathy about the yard clean-up. I’ve done that more than enough times.
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The sun has come out here, lots of rain (about 5 inches) and loads of pine needles. I am sure there are more trees down but the walk around will wait until tomorrow.
I had to pump about 500 gallons of water off the pool and I am sure my mom’s basement has flooded. A small inconvenience though compared to many folks.
Yes CL… really humid… oppressive humidity… Should be pretty tomorrow however.
And oh by the way… no more crunchy grass. 🙂
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CL, I have an older John Deere that is like that. It is why I bought another one a couple of years ago.
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I have blisters on top of blisters. 😦
Gil, this JD has been balky since day one. I have fought and struggled with it non-stop. It has spent more time in the shop than any other machine in 6 counties. I bought it to be a reliable machine so I could do the work myself. Right. Worst decision I ever made.
Amendment: second worst decision.
When I buy another mower, it will NOT be a John Deere! (Bad for one’s blood pressure.)
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John Deere=CL’s HBP! 😆
Don’t you just love that pine smell after the storms? Branches, cones, needles everywhere! We’ve had several storms this year, more than any other since I’ve lived here.
Yard work…if that’s the worst we have of storms, we have it quite well. I’m glad everyone ‘weathered’ the storm! 😯
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Hey, Salty! Fortunately, my BP is excellent. Except when I have to deal with JD! 😆
We were all most blessed not to have suffered loss. And got some rain!
An EARLY night for me! Y’all be good!
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Lady Luck really has it in for the Braves this year, doesn’t she? That should’ve been a game-winner for Kelly.
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When you hot you’re hot… when you’re not you’re not… So it has been for the Braves this year. All those seasons where everything went right verses this season…
I agree FBG, the Braves should have won it on Kelly’s hit.
What is sad is that this sort of thing has happened so often that I have come to accept it. Just sort of resigned to the Braves fate. I don’t think the 2009 season can get here soon enough for the Braves.
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Geez, wake to to find no baseball tonight! 😡 Put espn news on, but apparently, baseball season ended awhile ago, and it’s all college football highlights. double 😡
I hate this time of year. Baseball soon to end, football and basketball talk…cold(er) weather, dark at 6 pm….dead trees, dead yards. Bah!
And it’s funny, my best friend LOVES this time of year, chilly weather, football, everything that is wrong with this time of year! 😀
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UN says eat less meat to curb global warming…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/sep/07/food.foodanddrink
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Game at 1:30, Ber.
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CL, as usual, I was clear as mud….the show “Baseball Tonight” wasn’t on at all….then again if you were just telling me there was a game on at 1:30, thanks!
Just awoke from afternoon siesta to see we are up 4-2, and Jo-Jo pitched a good 6 innings!
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Frenchy told Joe he’s lost 20-25 pounds since the season started! 😯 Said he feels much better….man, I don’t see it, do you all???
Looks like a small crowd….
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Oh boy, free baseball! 😕
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Still free! In case folks are missing this game, McCann attempted to bunt…for some reason. Joe seemed perplexed. He later struck out….I am thinking of going to the pool in the neigborhood for the last time, instead of watching Braves lose. Going to the 12th.
Prove me wrong braves!!!
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Gee, it’s fun talking to one’s self! 😕 Braves lose, braves lose! Dukes did us in again.
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Allllll by mysellllf……
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Hey, Ber!
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Hello CL!!! Going to grab some grub….try to keep ’em in line while I’m gone! 🙂
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I sure will! Let’s see……there’s me…and……..ummm. OK. I’ll behave. 😆
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Another day, another heart breaking loss for the good guys… 😦 This is just plain wrong. Time to start offering up some sacrifices to the baseball gods to end the curse…
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Do the baseball gods like brownies?
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Everyone likes brownies! 😀
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Well, I’ve met a few oddballs who don’t like chocolate but, yeah, pretty much everyone else likes brownies. How do I get them to the baseball gods?
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FBG… You will have to make the sacrifice of baking the brownies and then shipping them to me…. I will take care of the rest.. 🙂
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The baseball gods are your neighbors, Gil? 😉 Nice try.
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If you bake them, they will come….
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Now the skating gods have always liked ice cream. Makes sense that it would be something frozen.
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Time to read. G’night!
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Tough mailing that ice cream though…. Brownies will do… 🙂
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‘Morning, everyone!
NEW BLOG IS UP!
Berigan, you’re up next! 😀
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