Atlanta Braves thread!!!

[Muhast]

Bats finally came around last night..Braves pound Cliff Lee and move to 4-4..

This Braves pen absolutely has to be the best in baseball..if there is a better pen out there I'd like to see it..

I am so disappointed with Tommy Hanson right now..he needs to get his stuff together..

Offensively, I still think this team needs to add a big bat somewhere

Kimbrall is the man!

But today was embarrassing. 10-2.

 

[Temo]

I hate the way Fredi manages the bullpen.

 

[Patton]

I hate the way Fredi manages the bullpen.

George Sherrill seeing a righty period is inexcusable. He let him face two in a row...lol

And Scott Linebrink with the bases loaded was equally horrible. He's a guy that's been devalued around the league because he has a serious problem with giving up the long ball. Gonzalez deemed it okay for him to pitch with the bases loaded. Ugh. I really tried to give him the benefit of the doubt, but Gonzalez's decision making is it really difficult.

 

[Joe Realist]

George Sherrill seeing a righty period is inexcusable. He let him face two in a row...lol

And Scott Linebrink with the bases loaded was equally horrible. He's a guy that's been devalued around the league because he has a serious problem with giving up the long ball. Gonzalez deemed it okay for him to pitch with the bases loaded. Ugh. I really tried to give him the benefit of the doubt, but Gonzalez's decision making is it really difficult.

Chooch!!!

 

[Temo]

George Sherrill seeing a righty period is inexcusable. He let him face two in a row...lol

And Scott Linebrink with the bases loaded was equally horrible. He's a guy that's been devalued around the league because he has a serious problem with giving up the long ball. Gonzalez deemed it okay for him to pitch with the bases loaded. Ugh. I really tried to give him the benefit of the doubt, but Gonzalez's decision making is it really difficult.

Right now I'm hanging on the fact that no one on the Braves is substantially over-performing their seasonal expectations, Uggla is severely under-performing and due to break out, and the entire Phillies team is batting above career lines so far.

 

[Patton]

Speaking of Uggla specifically, his career line in May is his best and April is his worst. So if he starts to hit like he should with Prado, Chipper and McCann in front of him, the team is going to score a ton of runs. I get the feeling that April and May will probably play out a lot like last year. Right now they just have to keep their heads above water and then they'll take off next month.

One thing I've noticed about this team offensively that's isolated from one player though is the lack of walks. This team isn't walking at near the rate that they did last year. That's troubling because that was probably their best quality offensively. Now the team has faced a number of lefties (who they struggle with) and pitchers with good control thus far, but that's something to monitor.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

I tried to warn you guys about Uggla. To be honest, he's never been that great of a hitter. He'll give you some power numbers, but it seems most seasons he finishes with at best a .250 average.

 

[Patton]

I tried to warn you guys about Uggla. To be honest, he's never been that great of a hitter. He'll give you some power numbers, but it seems most seasons he finishes with at best a .250 average.

I don't think anyone is worried about his average. He's solid at getting on base and that's much more important than average. We need his power more than anything. The Braves were about just about the middle of the league in slugging last year with only one 20 home run hitter (McCann). On the flip side they had the highest on base percentage of any team in the NL and 4th in the league overall. With more power in the lineup, you conceivably drive home more baserunners.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

I don't think anyone is worried about his average. He's solid at getting on base and that's much more important than average. We need his power more than anything. The Braves were about just about the middle of the league in slugging last year with only one 20 home run hitter (McCann). On the flip side they had the highest on base percentage of any team in the NL and 4th in the league overall. With more power in the lineup, you conceivably drive home more baserunners.

You might be a little concerned about his average because the more he puts the ball in play, the more runs he'll drive in.

He still strikes out alot every year, and it seems every other year he's terrible with RISP.

 

[casmith07]

I tried to warn you guys about Uggla. To be honest, he's never been that great of a hitter. He'll give you some power numbers, but it seems most seasons he finishes with at best a .250 average.

That's why there's 9 guys in a batting order. Everyone has a particular role that you need in order to get the W.

I like Uggla a hell of a lot more than guys like Troy Glaus, Garrett Anderson, and Derrek Lee. Absolutely brutal watching those guys the last few years try and play as "big bats."

But I agree with someone above -- there's no reason why Heyward should be in the 6 spot. In my opinion, I would have it like this:

Prado
Heyward
Jones
McCann
Uggla
Gonzalez
McLouth
Freeman
Pitcher

This way you can get on base/score early, and then the guys at the bottom of the order can hopefully make a little noise to get someone like Prado back up to the plate at the top of the order with 1 or two guys on base. With Prado hitting well and getting on base a lot, you put pitchers in a bind with Heyward, Chipper, McCann and Uggla coming up 4 in a row with the possibility of McLouth or Freeman on base with the pitcher sac bunting them ahead to 2nd or 3rd.

But, Fredi Gonzalez is a pro. I'm just a guy on the internet

 

[Temo]

You might be a little concerned about his average because the more he puts the ball in play, the more runs he'll drive in.

He still strikes out alot every year, and it seems every other year he's terrible with RISP.

He's averaged 96 RBIs per 162 games over his career.

 

[DIAF]

You can live with strikeouts and a low BA if the guy is getting on base. Dan Uggla currently has a higher career OBP than the great Ryne Sandberg. .350 OBP, 30+ homers and 90+ RBI at 2nd base? Yes please.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

You can live with strikeouts and a low BA if the guy is getting on base. Dan Uggla currently has a higher career OBP than the great Ryne Sandberg. .350 OBP, 30+ homers and 90+ RBI at 2nd base? Yes please.

He's a good player.. but i don't think he'll be as good as many Braves fans are expecting.

 

[casmith07]

He's a good player.. but i don't think he'll be as good as many Braves fans are expecting.

What are people expecting? I'm not expecting an all-star at 2nd base. Just expecting some actual production in the middle of the batting order instead of a bunch of stiffs.

 

[DIAF]

I'm expecting .260/30/95 and an OBP in the .340-.360 range. In other words, right around his career average. Optimistic that he'll outperform that because he'll be playing half his games in Turner.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

I'm expecting .260/30/95 and an OBP in the .340-.360 range. In other words, right around his career average. Optimistic that he'll outperform that because he'll be playing half his games in Turner.

I'd say that's reasonable. I figured alot of Braves fans would be expecting an all star out of him.

 

[DIAF]

I'd say that's reasonable. I figured alot of Braves fans would be expecting an all star out of him.

Uhm, those ARE all-star numbers, lol.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

Uhm, those ARE all-star numbers, lol.

How many people who hit .250 to .260 make the all star team?

 

[Patton]

You have a really antiquated view of baseball, if you think average means much. On base percentage or on base plus slugging are much better metrics.

And Dan Uggla himself has been an All-Star batting .260.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

You have a really antiquated view of baseball, if you think average means much. On base percentage or on base plus slugging are much better metrics.

And Dan Uggla himself has been an All-Star batting .260.

You didn't answer the question..

Im just saying.. imagine how many runs he could drive in if he hit well with RISP, or didn't strike out 150 times a year, and made more contact. He's clearly a good player, im not debating that fact.