clemens = porkchop, no 300 for you...yet.

[chillzatl]

haha, Clemens puts two guys on and gets pulled for Juan Ocavedo and who promptly lets the first pitch fly out of the park. No 300 for Clemens today and I'm glad. He's a porkchop. He'll definitely get it. But I love seeing him and the Yankmees suffer waiting for it.

[Guest]

I hope Clemens gets it soon.

[Admin]

But I can understand how you guys feel. If the Dbacks continued to win I would still be upset about their victory in the world series, so I know how you guys feel about the Yankees continuing to win.

[chillzatl]

And they aren't going to get it done this year. All that vaunted "post season experience" and "yankee magic" doesn't mean crap when your team isn't that good, and their team just isn't that good. Their starting pitching is weak and their hitting has faded. Unless they make some serious trades, there will be no Yankee magic yet again this season.

So much for all that "the best yankee team ever" talk that was thrown on them to start the season. It's funny how records change when you play good teams that are warmed up.

[Admin]

They are definitely in trouble this year so far, but remember that when they were playing great baseball earlier it was with Bernie Williams and Nick Johnson healthy and without Jeter. Once they come back and start playing like they should, things will change. The pitching definitely worries me though and the addition of the vaunted Ruben Sierra hasnt done much to help alleviate some worries about the offense either.

[Guest]

Jason Giambi seems to be having a down year...Isn't

Mondesi having a decent year?

The Yankees have a ton of players I like.....

Sariano

Clemens

Mussina

Pasada-Ever notice he looks like Peja that plays for the Kings?

Nick Johnson

Don't care for Bernie Williams all that much even though

he's a good player.

You guys should target Mike Lowell.Why didn't you

get Barto Colon?What's wrong with Jeff Weaver???This

guy is mad talented but doesn't seem to bring the

results.

[Admin]

I dont know what the [censored] is going on with Weaver, but he has been a huge disappointment. He is going to be in the bullpen for a long while because he is sucking as a starter. I guess he just cant handle pitching for the Yankees or something, I dunno. Once Jose Contreras learns to pitch in the big leagues he is going to become the ace of the staff, but that might be 2 years down the line.

Soriano is my favorite Yankee, this kid is getting better and better and better, its just amazing. I believe that when all is said and done he will have broken Ricky Hendersons lead off home run record and quite possibly every offensive record in the books for second baseman. Mussina is probably my 2nd favorite Yankee, I just love to watch him pitch. He is definitely a class act and brings it every time he pitches.

Funny that you mention that about Posada, I have kinda thought that myself for a while. Yeah Giambi is struggling this year and I cant figure it out, but I am sure he will start to come on as the season progresses. Its still early so we will see what happens. I dont think the Yankees are as good as the start they had, but they certainly arent as bad as they have played lately. Right now the Braves and Mariners are probably the class of baseball I think right now, but that could change if SF or the Yankees or the A's get hot.

[Guest]

I thought Soriano hit second in the order?This guy

and Guerrero are up and comes for sure.It's amazing

we have those two along with guys like Corey Patterson,

Albert Poujols and even Marcus Giles for the Braves

is improving!

Jason's power seems to be coming around, but the

fact that he is only batting .230 is way down for

him.He's a .300 hitter Atleast.

The Dodgers are a hitter or so away from being a

major contender.Kevin Brown is pitching well, and

Perez is pitching ok aswell, as is Nomo and of course

Gagne.But Green is having a bad year and they have

no other guy...Beltre hasn't played that well either..The

Cubs are also a hitter away from being a contender in

the NL.

The Astro's are a flop.Jeff Bagwell is one of my favorite

hitters, but I feel that he is on the decline, and Kent

hasn;t hit that many dingers this year either and Berkmans

just now coming around.I have no idea what is wrong

with Wade Miller.

If the Braves are to go anywhere it will be because of

they're scoring...The lack of good pitchers is going to

be exposed sooner or later....Hampton hasn't been

that great....Maddux is getting old, and Paul Byrd is

a question mark.Why should I think Maddux/Hampton

and Byrd will win a playoff series?

The A's seemed to be lacking hitting?The Twins are pretty

good....Toronto is coming up on you guys fast.Carlos D

is really pounding the ball.Seattle is a very good all

round ball club and they should beat out the fluke

Angels.

If you where the Yankee's would you offer Weaver to

The Rangers for one of they're hitters??

Btw,here are the pictures.....

It don't look like it as much in these pics...but when you

see them on TV they do look alike...

Baron Davis also looks like Ice Cube

[chillzatl]

maddux just needed to get warmed up. He's been like that the last season or two. Takes him some games to find himself. He's got like a 2.25 era over his last 4 starts and is like 2-0 in them. He's coming around. Our pitching is good enough to win in the playoffs. It's about offense in the playoffs more than pitching. We always loose to teams with "good enough" pitching but much better hitting than us. This year we've got the good enough pitching and the hitting like those other teams had. Should be a fun season.

[Guest]

Will Maddux do well in the post season?Mike Hampton

isn't good anymore...Russ Ortiz hasn't been that good.

Everyone has a extremely high era for the Braves almost.

If they're offense wasn't as good as it is this year

they might even have a losing record.

"He's got like a 2.25 era over his last 4 starts and is like 2-0 in them."

It's about the playoffs.

[chillzatl]

Ortiz has been the Braves most consistant pitcher. 7-3, a sub 4 ERA and only given up 6 homers all season...

Hampton is doing fine. He's been a little inconsistant but he's pitching fine. If he can stay healthy long enough he'll be more than good enough. Hampton isn't good anymore? That's just stupid.

You know, I really hate how you talk out of your ass about some of this stuff. It's completely obvious that you either don't watch the games, don't follow the players or you are just going out of your way to be negative about it. Your comments aren't even based on any fact. It's childish. Why waste your time and other peoples time commenting on things that you obviously don't follow enough to comment on intelligently?

As far as the playoffs go, they are good enough to get the wins. The reason they weren't in the past is because WE HAD NO OFFENSE. If we'd had an offense half as consistant as what we have now in years past, we'd have 3-4 championships. Pitching is negated in the playoffs, offense wins.

[Guest]

Ortiz has been the Braves most consistant pitcher. 7-3, a sub 4 ERA and only given up 6 homers all season... "

I follow ERA more than wins and losses because good

hitting sometimes can cover up bad pitching.

Ortiz ERA is 3.8 and there is nothing that great about

that...Even in a era with no really good pitchers.

Maddux ERA is 4.66 Hamptons is a lousy 4.05

"Hampton is doing fine. He's been a little inconsistant but he's pitching fine. If he can stay healthy long enough he'll be more than good enough. Hampton isn't good anymore? That's just stupid. "

If there starters are so good how come Ray King is on

pace for 94 times out?How many complete games do

the Braves starters have?How Many shutouts?How many

times has the pitchers made it to the 7th inning?

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/teams/pitching?team=atl

There is nothing impressive about the Braves pitching

staff right now.Can it get better?Yes...But as of right now

it doesn't look very impressive.

"If we'd had an offense half as consistant as what we have now in years past, we'd have 3-4 championships. Pitching is negated in the playoffs, offense wins."

Is that why Glavine got hammered last year?

"

You know, I really hate how you talk out of your ass about some of this stuff. It's completely obvious that you either don't watch the games, don't follow the players or you are just going out of your way to be negative about it. Your comments aren't even based on any fact. It's childish. Why waste your time and other peoples time commenting on things that you obviously don't follow enough to comment on intelligently?"

Really?Being Negative?I don't hate the Braves....but I'm

not a fan of them either.I don't have a favorite baseball

team and actually Like Ortiz and Hampton,but they aren't

doing that great.It's a fact.Hampton has more losses than

wins and a era over 4.....Maybe you should watch games.

Maybe you should look at you're attitude.You talk about

mine...But you've been a [censored] for the last month or

so.I know things have been frustrating with Diesel and

Walter, but you shouldn't take you're shyt out on me.My

"negitive"has been toned down ALOT lately...While the

attitude has got alot worse from you.

[chillzatl]

Ortiz ERA is right up there with Kevin Millwood. A guy considered to be "one of the best in the NL" this season. He's not doing bad. A sub 4 ERA is VERY GOOD. We've been spoiled for years by having pitchers who were excellent. It happened to work out that our hitters would put up just enough runs to cover for it too. But an ERA in the low 4's is good and above average. Take a look at team ERA's in MLB, there's only one team below 3 in all of baseball. Most are mid 3's and up.

In reply to:

---

"If we'd had an offense half as consistant as what we have now in years past, we'd have 3-4 championships. Pitching is negated in the playoffs, offense wins."

Is that why Glavine got hammered last year?

---

In the playoffs, most of the teams usually have solid pitching. Pitching isn't usually the dominant factor. You'll get guys with an ERA 1 run apart, it's not that big of a difference. It's the hitting that counts. that's why the Braves have floundered so many years in the playoffs. Our pitching, while better than another teams, balances out. But other teams had the offense to get the runs on us and we couldn't get them on them consistantly.

As far as Hampton and Maddux, their ERA's really aren't that bad. Maddux only looks like it does because of his history. But it's dropped by over a run in his last two starts. He'll be in the mid 3's before season end as will Hampton, as long as he stays healthy. An ERA in the low 4's isn't trash. It's not extra ordinary like we are used to. But it's not junk player numbers.

In reply to:

---

Really?Being Negative?I don't hate the Braves....but I'm

not a fan of them either.I don't have a favorite baseball

team and actually Like Ortiz and Hampton,but they aren't

doing that great.It's a fact.Hampton has more losses than

wins and a era over 4.....Maybe you should watch games.

---

As I said, watch the games. I don't know where you get that Ortiz "isn't doing that great". He's 7-3 with a sub 4 ERA. That's pretty damned good in the baseball world. It's not Cy Young numbers, but it's above average. Hampton hasn't been consistant. He'll get roughed up in a few starts and then pitch a few games where he only gives up a run or two. He's getting there though, just has to stay healthy.

As for the rest, diesel and walter dont' bother me a bit. That situation has long been worked out and didn't cause me any frustration. I'm sorry that you get upset because you make statements about things that aren't based in fact and I point it out. Sometimes my wording might be a little harsh. If so, i'm sorry. But the facts are the facts. You make statements and comments about things with no facts behind them. Just like your "Ortiz isn't doing that well" statement. There's no fact behind it and nobody who knows baseball would agree with it. If that's not negativity, what else should I call it?

[Guest]

Ortiz ERA is right up there with Kevin Millwood. A guy considered to be "one of the best in the NL" this season. He's not doing bad. A sub 4 ERA is VERY GOOD. We've been spoiled for years by having pitchers who were excellent."

IMO 3.5 and over is a high ERA.

"You make statements and comments about things with no facts behind them."

They're are facts.A win/loss record doesn't mean all that

much.ERA does.The fact that the braves pen is used more

than most of the others is also proof.Like I said,King is

on pace for 90 something games pitched.

"

As far as Hampton and Maddux, their ERA's really aren't that bad. Maddux only looks like it does because of his history."

A 4.6 ERA is high.It doesn't matter who it is.

They're plenty of facts.None of the Braves starters

have completed a game this year.The pen is being

overused.Bong/King and Smoltz are good and have

had good years...However, the starting pitching has

yet to impress me so far.Hampton has been average

at best...But he's not the player he was in Houston

and NY....Maddux has been bad until recently.

It's not like I'm really trying to put the Braves.I'm

simply pointing out they're winning because of

offense and average pitching at best.That is the

truth of the matter.

As far as Millwood goes,he's pitched a perfect game

and is putting up numbers on a worse team.Burrell is

only battin .197 this year and Thome hasn't been

hitting all that great.

[Guest]

Also you must remember I said right now.I do think

that Ortiz and Hampton could start pitching better.I

just mean if I was a hitter and facing the Braves

in the playoffs right now I wouldn't be that worried

about the Braves starters right now.I watch games

sometimes.Maybe I'm just used to seeing the Cy staff

from them...But they aren't the feared pitching staff

they used to be.I bet alot of baseball fans would

agree....However,Paul Byrd can be a wild card and

the rookie is good.It's not that I don't like the pitchers

or don't think they have the potential to be great

by playoff time.I just don't see them as great at this

point in time.

[chillzatl]

you said that so far Hampton has been average. I agree with that completely. But that's a far cry from "not good anymore" and "miserable"

I agree completely though. The starting lineup has been average. Compared to what we've had in years past it doesn't look good. But compared to other teams in the league and teams in the past fwe years that have won championships, we have the perfect mix for that.

I also agree with something you said in your other post. An ERA above 3.5 SEEMS high. But it only seems that way mostly because of what we've had for over a decade. compared to most pitchers and other teams anything below a 4 is pretty good. Maybe not good for what WE are used to having, but compared to everyone else it's still pretty good.

I'd rather have the 12 best team ERA in the NL and the best offense than have the 12 best offense and the best ERA!

[Guest]

you said that so far Hampton has been average. I agree with that completely. But that's a far cry from "not good anymore" and "miserable"

I'm looking at back at his days with Houston and wondering

what happend!He's close to average now while he was

a top pitcher in the league a few years ago.Hampton is

really a 3rd or 4th starter now.

"I'd rather have the 12 best team ERA in the NL and the best offense than have the 12 best offense and the best ERA!"

Well that's fine.I'm just pointing out that the reason the

Braves are winning is because of offense.