2012 Braves Season Thread

[PureBaseballFan]

This bullpen's "bridge" has been washed away by a flood.

Well considering he has pretty much has only been using Martinez, Hernandez, and Durbin it isn't really shocking. He seems to have taken all the criticism about his bullpen management and gone a 180 degrees to not using them (EOF, Venters, Kimbrel) unless he has to.

[Los Bravos]

Exactly. Having Durban and Hernandez rather than Flande and Gearrin is on Wren but using them day after day is on Gonzalez.

[PureBaseballFan]

Exactly. Having Durban and Hernandez rather than Flande and Gearrin is on Wren but using them day after day is on Gonzalez.

While not a huge fan of Hernandez and Durbin I really was not impressed with Flande or Gearrin so I wasn't really upset when they didn't get a spot in the pen.

[PureBaseballFan]

I know I am trying to find logic in Fredi here but how does it make sense to sub Pastornicky out late for Wilson and not Uggla? I mean isn't the strongest infield defense for the late game something like 3B Prado and some combination of Pastornicky and Wilson up the middle. Fredi just baffles me in so many ways.

I have been thinking of putting the Gonzalez tally at negative 1000 (preemptively) though at the rate he is going he could surpass that.

[SamtheBravesFan]

So, PBF, would you care to retract the above complaining or let it stand for all eternity?

[PureBaseballFan]

So, PBF, would you care to retract the above complaining or let it stand for all eternity?

Why because the fact Wilson made a play? I didn't say Wilson shouldn't be in the game just that if Fredi is concerned with defense late in the game then Uggla is the one who should sit down since he has a very well known track record of poor defense. If Fredi subbed in Wilson at SS and moved Pastornicky (or something similar) to 2B then I wouldn't complain but just because it "worked" doesn't mean it is above a complaint.

[SamtheBravesFan]

Why because the fact Wilson made a play? I didn't say Wilson shouldn't be in the game just that if Fredi is concerned with defense late in the game then Uggla is the one who should sit down since he has a very well known track record of poor defense. If Fredi subbed in Wilson at SS and moved Pastornicky (or something similar) to 2B then I wouldn't complain but just because it "worked" doesn't mean it is above a complaint.

No, not at all: I thought that the result of the substitution was that Uggla would be out of the game. In the bottom of the inning, he gets the go-ahead single. That sequence doesn't happen if he's out. While something else could have happened, I have to think it's more likely that Uggla would have done something offensively more than Mr. Bunt.

[PureBaseballFan]

No, not at all: I thought that the result of the substitution was that Uggla would be out of the game. In the bottom of the inning, he gets the go-ahead single. That sequence doesn't happen if he's out. While something else could have happened, I have to think it's more likely that Uggla would have done something offensively more than Mr. Bunt.

Sorry forgot about that but the fact he subbed him in the 8th baffles me more as traditionally you do defensive subs only when your team has the lead. Say if I was managing Uggla still would have gotten that AB but the difference would be Pastornicky would still be in the game and once the Braves got the lead I would have subbed out Uggla for defensive purposes.

What also annoys me is while Pastornicky isn't going to make anyone think of Ozzie Smith defensively his defense has hardly been bad enough to warrant being subbed out defensively for late in the game. I mean Wilson is a nice backup but the fact Fredi has started him twice this season makes me angry, Pastornicky should be getting the start everyday for the most part so the Braves can actually see if he can truly hold down the job for the entire season. Gonzalez just makes baffling choices that I'm sure in his mind are reasonable but I think are some of oddest and dumbest moves done.

[Francoeurstein]

Minor's line for tonight:

6 IP, 5 hits, 3 BB, 7 K, 2 ER.

Quote me on that.

[PureBaseballFan]

Minor's line for tonight:

6 IP, 5 hits, 3 BB, 7 K, 2 ER.

Quote me on that.

Well you were wrong, though I don't think you will complain.

[Francoeurstein]

Well you were wrong, though I don't think you will complain.

Oh not at all, he looked great tonight! Would love to see him have a big year.

[PureBaseballFan]

Freeman batting 3rd, Heyward batting 6th.

Edit :: Of course the second I post that Freddie rocks a HR.

[SamtheBravesFan]

Freeman batting 3rd, Heyward batting 6th.

Edit :: Of course the second I post that Freddie rocks a HR.

And goes 3-5 with two homers and a double.

Being jerked around the batting order hasn't seemed to affect Heyward yet: he seems to be just trying to hit wherever he is.

[PureBaseballFan]

And goes 3-5 with two homers and a double.

Being jerked around the batting order hasn't seemed to affect Heyward yet: he seems to be just trying to hit wherever he is.

I still don't understand Uggla I mean I can understand splitting up the lefties but when Chipper is playing I would think him in the 5th slot would be better. (now hopefully Uggla erupts like Freeman )

[PureBaseballFan]

Braves traded Derek Lowe but found his replacement.

[PureBaseballFan]

Randall needs to follow Jurrjens down to the minors and the Braves need to finally give a spot in the rotation to Medlen, while you stretch him out you can piggyback Hernandez on him that way he isn't going directly into 80 - 100 pitch games.

[bluesky5]

I watched the game last night. First Braves game I saw this year. Did they get rid of the tomahawk on the jersey?

[Los Bravos]

Alternate uniforms for weekend games at home. Recreating the look they had from '63 to '68.

[bluesky5]

Alternate uniforms for weekend games at home. Recreating the look they had from '63 to '68.

Classy look.

[Blue387]

Why is Michael Bourn still leading off for the Braves against left handed pitchers?

Bourn has a career .290 OBP against left handed pitching with a .245 OBP against left handed starters in 2012 and a career .313 OBP against tonight's starter Cole Hamels. In contrast, Mets leadoff hitter Kirk Nieuwenhuis has a .375 OBP against lefty starters, albeit in only six games. Why is Fredi Gonzalez using a leadoff man with such a low OBP?

[Los Bravos]

Because Fredi Gonzalez is a fool.

[Blue387]

Braves beat Phillies 15-13.

[Los Bravos]

That was a real gut check of a game.

All in all, I would've preferred to hold the 8-6 lead and hang a loss on Halladay but it's hard to argue with the ultimate result.

[Francoeurstein]

Who else is shocked with the Braves right now? They are first in the NL in runs scored, and are 13th in ERA!!! Completely unexpected, but I do expect the offense to regress and the pitching to continue to improve. Can't complain with the results however.

[Los Bravos]

They might not finish first in offense but this is less of a fluke and more of a case of having everyone healthy and productive at the same time. Most of these guys who are producing are the real deal.