NLDS: Braves vs Dodgers

[DJlaysitup]

Holy Cow...Gonzalez got away with keeping Garcia in one inning too long...then we don't guard the lines in the late innings (why T.F. was our first baseman shading away from first ???) So we give em a leadoff double that should have been an easy out.

Then we don't stretch our closer? Kimbrell should have been in there in the 8th with a one run lead...madness.

Oh and by the way the Falcons just lost at home to the Jets and are 1 and 4.

..... ...tough to be an Atlanta Sports fan....

[Guest]

Fire Gonzales...left Uggla off playoff roster, benched bj upton( I know both were horrible but you gotta go with your stars you just have to). He plays Evan gattis is left field? Wtf. Heyward leads off? Wtf. Simmons bats 7th and sometimes 8th in the order? Wtf. Dodgers have 5,6,7 hitters coming up and he doesn't insert Kimbrel? Wtf. He hardly plays reed Johnson, that guy is money. We don't guard the lines in the 8th and Puig gets a leadoff double. Then he leaves carp in and still doesn't bring Kimbrel. I'm sorry but he needs to be fired tomorrow at the latest. I despise him as a manager. Get rid of him, McCann, uggla, carp and get a smart manager. Dang I'm so tired of this crap, ever year.

[WraithSentinel]

[lethalweapon3]

The 2012-2013 Atlanta Hawks.

Once again, Atlanta's Male-Team Sports Story of the Year!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Postseason-Round Victories, since 2000:

6 - ATLANTA DREAM* (2010, beat Mystics 2-0 in Conf. Semis, beat Liberty 2-0 in Conf. Finals; 2011, beat Sun 2-0 in Conf. Semis, beat Fever 2-0 in Conf. Finals; 2013, beat Mystics 2-1 in Conf. Semis, beat Fever 2-0 in Conf. Finals)

3 - ATLANTA FALCONS (2002, won @ Packers in Wild Card; 2005, won vs. Rams in Wild Card; 2013, won vs. Seahawks in NFC Divisional)

3 - ATLANTA HAWKS (2009, beat Heat in 1st Round 4-3; 2010, beat Bucks in 1st Round 4-3; 2011, beat Magic in 1st Round 4-2)

1 - ATLANTA BRAVES (2001, swept Astros in NLDS 3-0)

0 - ATLANTA THRASHERS**

* Did Not Begin Play until 2008

** Relocated in 2011

~lw3

Edited October 8, 2013 by lethalweapon3

[lethalweapon3]

NL Teams Who Have Defeated the Braves in the Postseason since 1995

Arizona Diamondbacks (2001 NLCS)

Chicago Cubs (2003 NLDS)

Florida Marlins (1997 NLCS)

Houston Astros (2004 NLDS, 2005 NLDS)

Los Angeles Dodgers (2013 NLDS)

St. Louis Cardinals (2000 NLDS, 2012 NL 1-Game Wild Card)

San Diego Padres (1998 NLCS)

San Francisco Giants (2002 NLDS, 2010 NLDS)

~lw3

[Gray Mule]

Our all star catcher, who refuses to try hitting anything

to the left of second base had a batting average of .000

for the entire series.

Johnson had the highest BA for the Braves, followed by

our rookie Gaddis.

Some of the Braves high priced players sure didn't. Uggla

was left off the roster and BJ did nothing.

Hawks lose 1st pre season game - Falcons lose - Braves lose.

Hope the Dream turn things around tonight after their blow out

loss in the first game of the WNBA finals.

..............

[macdaddy]

Anyone know this guy? Let's bring him home.

[Guest]

I'm down to bring Dusty in. Anyone is an upgrade over Gonzales. Gonzales is a moron.

[benhillboy]

The manager's impact on a baseball game has been debated since the beginning of time. I don't blame Freddie too tough, although leaving Kimbrel in the pen is a fireable offense that I wouldnt argue with. Much like what Mike Smith is going through now, you make controversial decisions that work, and you're a genius with balls. Employ those same philosophies and they don't work, you're a moron all of a sudden. We just ran into a buzzsaw who actually started to play like their contracts suggest. Nobody saw Carl Crawford reverting back to his Ray days. We were missing an ace (Huddy), a power bat (Uggla if he hasn't totally forgotten how to play baseball) and a verstile player (Upton, see Uggla). Just give it up to Dodgers making the historic turnaround. I have my doubts about Hanley being on the up and up, but y'all can't front on that Puig bastard. My favorite players are from the 80s and early 90s: Ricky, Kenny, and Vlad. This kid is like a hybrid of all 3. Don't mind seeing him carry on at all. We still had a fine season with tons of great moments and memories. Wren will certainly retool and we'll get back at em next year.

Edited October 8, 2013 by benhillboy

[macdaddy]

The manager's impact on a baseball game has been debated since the beginning of time. I don't blame Freddie too tough, although leaving Kimbrel in the pen is a fireable offense that I wouldnt argue with. We just ran into a buzzsaw who actually started to play like their contracts suggest. Nobody saw Carl Crawford reverting back to his Ray days. We were missing an ace (Huddy), a power bat (Uggla if he hasn't totally forgotten how to play baseball) and a verstile player (Upton, see Uggla). Just give it up to Dodgers making the historic turnaround. I have my doubts about Hanley being on the up and up, but y'all can't front on that Puig bastard. My favorite players are from the 80s and early 90s: Ricky, Kenny, and Vlad. This kid is like a hybrid of all 3. Don't mind seeing him carry on at all.We still had a fine season with tons of great moments and memories. Wren will certainly retool and we'll get back at em next year.

I used to feel that way but to me he has mishandled Uggla since he's been here. He seems intimidated by Uggla. Even Cox knew you had to save the game in the 8th. Tying run on second with no outs? Bring in the closer. That alone isn't enough to fire him but i'm not sure he is a championship level manager.

Still he's good but at some point you have to change the culture of just being a good team that can't rise to the occasion. Dusty may not be the answer but i can tell you for sure he isn't going to continually trot out guys batting in the low .100s day after day. I mean we're talking guys batting under .100 in some situations that are still getting full time play.

Freddie needs to get credit for going with Garcia rather than medlen though. That was a great move.

[WraithSentinel]

A few articles I came across.

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/10/08/the-braves-wouldnt-catch-chipper-jones-ceremonial-first-pitch-because-he-didnt-pick-them-to-win/

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/10/08/dont-blame-fredi-gonzalez-for-last-nights-loss-blame-the-braves-culture/related/

[benhillboy]

A few articles I came across. http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/10/08/the-braves-wouldnt-catch-chipper-jones-ceremonial-first-pitch-because-he-didnt-pick-them-to-win/ http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/10/08/dont-blame-fredi-gonzalez-for-last-nights-loss-blame-the-braves-culture/related/

Good reads. Shame on the players for dissing Chip like that. He's an icon who was only giving his honest (and correct) opinion.As far as out culture, I have no problem with it whatsoever. There is no blueprint to wining it all in the NFL or MLB. I'd rather have the stability and long term success we've enjoyed by following the precedent and culture set forth than the Helter Skelter style that the Dodgers use. A World Series ring just isn't worth consecutive years of futility IMO. Nobody cared about the "defending World Champ" Giants all season, because they were awful. A-Rod got more negative attention for not hitting and being a douche than they got positive burn last season during their World Series run. 2 Super Bowl Rings cant save Eli from being the laughingstock of the NFL right now. Baseball and football playoffs are a crap shoot, period. 162 and 16 games tell me much more than 5 or 1 game eliminations where anything can and will happen. Edited October 8, 2013 by benhillboy

[macdaddy]

Damn that's crazy about Chipper. I was wondering why homer caught that. That had to be the dumbest looking first pitch ever.

I love McCann and hate for him not to be a Brave but i'm officially pissed that he couldn't get the bat off his shoulder in 4 ABs. There is no tomorrow. Quit taking pitches and swing at something dammit. And if Chipper is throwing out the first pitch you go and catch it. Of course, that thing may be more just friendly poking than them really being mad about it.

[Guest]

I miss Omar infante...he just came thru big for tigers ..smh. I was in favor of trading him for uggla at the time I won't lie...but dang that backfired

[jhay610]

They really showed up Chipper and his prediction of Dodgers in 4....by going out and losing to the Dodgers in 4....LOL

Fredi is a boob but he is the organization's approach manifested on the field. Don't be mad at Fredi: he is just being himself, and that's what the Braves hired him for. There is an excellent article about this:

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/10/08/dont-blame-fredi-gonzalez-for-last-nights-loss-blame-the-braves-culture/related/

Of course, forward-thinking types would argue that Kimbrel should have been brought in at the highest leverage point -- if not going into the 8th, with the 5-6-7 hitters up, then certainly after the leadoff double. But Fredi has never shown himself to think outside the box. You bring your closer in during the 9th inning, no matter if it's the 3-4-5 or the 7-8-9 slots due up. No matter if its bases loaded in the 8th and none out. And you never bring your closer into a tie game in the 9th on the road.That's just how it's done, in his mind -- by the book.

Fredi is an old school guy, but his defenses for his thinking are never particularly well thought out. He said that 6 outs was too many for Kimbrel, but not 4 -- as if outs are actually a meaningful measure for a pitcher's workload.

Honestly, I am a dyed-in-the-wool fan, but I can objectively say that the Braves were one of the most annoying teams to watch this year. The Uptons constantly whine about calls (BJ being the worst by far -- why don't you get your avg above .200 before you blame the umps?) and they were Baseball's Police Force for Playing the Game the Right Way this year.

They overachieved in my book, given the injuries and their two highest priced free agents being absolute duds. Wren should be feeling some heat now between Lowe, Kawakami, BJ Upton and Uggla, but I doubt he is.

Edited October 13, 2013 by jhay610

[WraithSentinel]

Looking back on it I think it is safe to say they overachieve as well and/or were one year ahead. The entire division was down. Nats didn't start doing anything until Sept. Take away the 2 hot streaks and I think the Braves are a below .500 team.

It is a bit annoying though watching the Cards bring up young pitchers and they seem to thrive when put on the big stage. No moment is too big for them. Even their young hitters seem to handle themselves quite well.

Regardless Wren got some house cleaning to do. Pay most of Uggla salary if need be but just get rid of him. Then look into getting David Price. See what the price tag is in terms of money and prospects. If it is too rich then back away. At least check in on him. Price despite a down year is still an ACE we need on this staff.

Edited October 14, 2013 by Braves

[ATLHawks3]

Off-season Needs

Trade DAN UGLAAH (Uggla)

Find an ace pitcher, QUICK.

Find a quality second basemen

Revamp the bench.

If we do atleast the first 3 options, there's no doubt we are contenders next year.

Edited October 15, 2013 by ATLHawks3