Amidst the excitement surrounding Georgia baseball, the Braves lost one of the most heartbreaking and miserable games I have ever watched. I love the Braves and will continue to, but I might get some heat from some people on the following opinion coming on 6-7-08.
This will not be a playoff year for the Braves.
It started on Opening Night with the walk-off win by the Nationals. It continued with Mike Hampton, the most effective Brave pitcher in the spring, getting hurt warming up for his first start. Soriano going down soon after. Brave great John Smoltz's season, and possibly career, coming to an end the same week a popup is dropped with two outs in the 9th inning up by 1 run against the division leaders allowing the tieing run to score. Then to add to the equation the tieing run for the braves gets thrown out at the plate on a bang-bang play in the 10th to end the game. I normally don't like to overreact to 1 MLB game in June, but the signs seem to be too glaring to ignore. This isn't the braves year.
I also think Bobby's time has passed. One of the greatest managers off all-time indeed. But how in the world do you allow Acosta to trot out there in the 10th in a tie game when he has given up nothing but HR's and extra base hits in his last 3 outings. Reminds me of his constant confidence in KLOB and Reitsma. Francouer has fallen off the face of the earth. McCann and Chipper can't do everything even though they almost are and for godssake will they please tell Lemke that its okay to tell the truth once in a while and its not okay to say that the breaks sometimes don't go your way when discussing a dropped popup.
Maybe I am overreating but the Braves have never frustrated me anymore than this outside of Reitsma blowing 8 saves in one week.
Solution:
Trade Tiexera for Wainwright.
Trade Kotsay to get Andruw Jones back because he smiles.
Trade Acosta for Michael Tucker.
Trade Ring and Resop to get Renteria back and play Escobar at 2nd and Kelly Johnson at 1st.
Trade Hampton for Joey Side.
Pickup Ozzie Guillen as bench coach.
2 comments:
1.) Getting rid of Wainwright was a big mistake.
2.) Bring back Alejandro Pena if he is still alive.
3.) Let Lonnie Smith run the bases again.
4.) Whatever happened to Denny Neagle?
5.) Bring Rip Warren and like JJH4 said, bring Joey Side as well to the Braves.
I'm still more optimistic than most when it comes to the Braves this year.
To be where they are right now ( a winning record despite a 3-16 record in one-run games) after having had all these bad breaks is very encouraging.
Based on their run differential, they should have at least five more wins, and those things tend to even out over time.
But that doesn't mean your suggestions aren't rock solid. They're definitely what they need to put themselves over the top.
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