Talking Chop

Red Alert!

We have a nerd on deck! :)

J-Freak - April 26, 2010 reply

Shush...

I can’t help it that I notice things like that. :(

Nah, you’re fine dude. Just a little good-natured ribbing.

J-Freak - April 26, 2010 via mobile reply

This post

I like it.

I still don’t know what I wanna do with TP. If it were up to me, I’d wait and see where the team is at around May 10th or so, which is about 2 weeks from now. If we’re still sucking TP gets the boot. If we’re hitting like we’re capable of, this whole thing in April is gonna look silly.

Scott Coleman - April 26, 2010 via mobile reply

So where lies the solution?

Imo, Norton2.0 aka Glaus has easily (yes, with some very bad luck, and ‘help’ from other players) lost us 2 Ws. Release him. No big whoop. I was surprised at how little he signed for to begin with. Let Hinske play. Get in a groove.

Another problem is Melky. He’s as bad as people said he was. Guy could be a decent runner if he lost 15lbs, but otherwise, he is a 4th outfielder, and we’re parading him around b/c McLouth is slumping. Release Melky, and call up Blanco.

You say he's lost 2 games for us...

I say he’s won 2 games for us…

Doesn’t that balance out?

touche. the hit.

I was being nice by saying 2. It’s really more like 3.

Fine...

Let’s say you’re right, and Glaus is worth -1 WAR so far. You don’t think there’s any chance he’ll improve? If it were Adam LaRoche at 1B right now, he’d probably be sucking even worse. We’d all give him a free pass, though, because we know he’d put up monster numbers later in the year to make up for it. What if Glaus is the same way?

Ok

So can we agree that batting him 5th is a terrible idea? How about 7th?

Sure...

I think the batting order should get swapped around a lot more until hitters start to click.

And I’m not against giving Hinske more playing time. Although, I’m starting to think Hinske might be a better option for LF than 1B.

Either way...

I’m hoping that Frank Wren is in Frank Wren mode….internally…and hitting-coach-style Frank Wren.

Valid question

At this point, it’s tough to say. With the amount of revolt here towards the hitting and TP, we can only imagine what it’s like in AJC land, and all the rest of the Braves blogosphere. And when it’s this prevalent, even the Braves themselves will be unable to ignore the situation.

Although I don’t necessarily agree with it, and think it would be more reactionary than thought through, the sacrificial firing of TP might become in order. Now if the Braves are suddenly capable of responding with a monstrous offensive tear afterward would clear all the doubts, but honestly, I really can’t think of any alternative ideas that might kick-start the Braves again.

The chances Bobby would agree to that though...

so early in his last season?

Yeah doubtful

I was pondering just how much the Bobby Cox final season card is giving Bobby a little more pull than normal. If it’s 100% Bobby’s decision, then all the TP-detractors here are SOL, because he won’t get rid of him. Now if it’s the FO’s decision, then some results might happen.

I can't recall the front office making mid year coaching changes though...

maybe slide TP to manager of Mississippi under the guise of possible experience as a manager if we like him as a Bobby replacement, with Wellman coming up since some guys have relied on him in the past. I just don’t see that in the past mo of either Bobby or the front office, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen.

Also though, at what point is it TP’s problem? It’s not like our bats are struggling with no one on, because we seem to do a damn good job of loading the bases. Our problems are coming with ducks on the pond, and just how much can a hitting coach control production at the plate exclusively in situations with RISP? That’s our primary problem, not so much hitting (except for a few), but clutch hitting, situational hitting, and simply getting a hit at the right time (i.e. with runners on) instead of the wrong time.

I like the idea

of moving TP to elsewhere, under the guise of change, but I can’t help but wonder whatever new manager is brought in next year, if he’s going to have his group of preferred assistants to take the helm right from the get-go. I’d be pretty excited if the unlikely rumors that Fredi Gonzalez could take the helm, and if he brought Jim Presley with him; sure, we all know Hanley was good to begin with, but reclamation projects like Jorge Cantu have flourished under new guidance

I don’t think it’s ever fully TP’s problem; but a combination of TP and scouting. The players should have a general idea of what the pitcher may or may not have, and given the scenario have an idea of what might be coming, and then it’s TP’s guidance that is supposed to help them know what they might consider trying. I guess it’s easy with sluggers, he could just tell Andruw or Sheff to wait change-up, and then swing for the fences, but with guys who just don’t have that power, it’s not quite as simple.

Of course TP isn't the problem

But people on the internet have to be pissed at somebody when the team doesn’t play well.

Weldon - April 26, 2010 reply

lol

But that’s what we’re trying to come up with…

Is it dumb luck?
Fluke games?
Freak plays?
Coaches?
Hohn?

What’s going on?

McGriff the Crime Dog - April 26, 2010 reply

Did anyone make sure the WIN button is turned on?

bwellnjonesco - April 26, 2010 reply

+1

Smoltz's Beard - April 26, 2010 reply

Oh shit.

Sorry guys…

Hohn.

HereComesBream - April 26, 2010 reply

Its time to make a change

When the offense is this bad, and players continue to struggle here, its time to send a message and to just get some new blood into the system. TP isn’t working, the offense isn’t working. MAKE THE MOVE WREN

ATLandUNC - April 26, 2010 reply

I REALLY hope Frank Wren does some house cleaning this offseason. It would be awesome to see a new hitting coach to go along with the new coach next season. This team has needed a change for a LONG time. Bobby Cox + TP = not very much. I also hate to say it, but we need to start looking for a new 3B too. The status quo has worn its welcome in Atlanta.

ATLandUNC - April 26, 2010 reply

Infante at 3rd and Prado at 2nd sounds fine to me, tho. Let the kid play regularly. He gets into a groove.

But, we need a change with the way we approach the plate. Everyone is doing the opposite of what they should be doing.

Omar Infante is NOT an everyday player. Never has been and never will be.

Scott Coleman - April 26, 2010 via mobile reply

Isn’t that what everyone was saying about Praydo?

Last year Prado was a 25 year old who didn’t have a full season in the Majors yet. This year Infante is a 28 year old with 6 plus years in the Majors. Infante’s level of play is more than proven, while Prado had no reliable record to judge him on. Comparing the two just doesn’t make sense.

cbwilk - April 26, 2010 reply

You’re right, but it’s not the real issue. From what I’m hearing, Terry Pendleton doesn’t make sense.

I'd think of going with this for a little while...

1. Infante – 3B (while Chipper is healing)
2. Prado – 2B (don’t move the man while he’s on fire)
3. Hinske – LF (against RHP, at least)
4. McCann – C
5. Heyward – RF (I think he’d do well here, and it’s not the insane pressure of 3/4)
6. Escobar – SS
7. Glaus – 1B (put him here for a short while to see if it makes him start hitting for contact)
8. McLouth – CF

I don’t think Hinske is a number three hitter….

HereComesBream - April 26, 2010 reply

GeneParmesan - April 26, 2010 reply

that’s a reply to the infante over chip at 3rd. don’t know why it got bumped all the way down here.

GeneParmesan - April 26, 2010 reply

lmao

…while Chipper’s injured. But let Infante play for a week straight. Then let Chipper play however many days he can muster.

AD!

I love that even on a Braves blog I can run into fans of Arrested Development.

joshmaurer - April 26, 2010 reply

How so when he’s one of the leading hitters on the team? You Chipper haters are ridiculous.

FitzFan - April 26, 2010 reply

RoyHobbs makes my case for me.

TP is a 1 dimensional hitting coach and he does well coaching some players (sluggers), but doesn’t seem to be able to help other players. Nate’s in a terrible slump, but I don’t expect he’ll stay there, Diaz either and believe it or not I don’t believe Glaus we stay down either. I’m ex military and if your platoon isn’t doing it’s job, I’m going to hold the platoon leader responsible. It’s TP’s job to get these guys up and running. He needs to get his shit together and figure something out soon! And someone needs to stick a boot up Escobar’s ass and tell him not to be so lackadaisical and, I’m just guessing here, petulant. Just the way he acts sometimes strikes me that way. What bothers me is there will be nobody fired unless we go to the end of June like this, Hell, look how long they let Frenchy start almost every game, not to mention trotting Norton out there all the live long day. Nobody’s getting fired while Bobby’s here unless he is absolutely forced too and I don’t see that happening. It won’t either because this team will get it together with or without TP and win a bunch of games. If that happens it won’t be because of TP’s coaching it will only be partly because of it, but if it does and it will, TP will probably still not be manager next year, I just don’t see it happening. He isn’t the manager type. I hope Wren sees it that way anyhow.

Yeah

I kind of realized that I was justifying to many the obvious reason why TP wasn’t doing a good job, which was his seemingly evident one-dimensionality. Making sluggers aggressive is easily more forgiving, because those with raw strength are simply capable of hiding their mistakes – over the fence. But it does seem pretty obvious that his methods just aren’t working for those who don’t have the raw power of those from prior years.

But it was 2:30 am when I posted it, and decided to let everyone else point out my critical error.

I agree that the Braves are a tad on the slow-side of things, but from the business standpoint, i can see their general caution and fact-checking upon fact-checking, upon examining the organizational chain reactions to making particular moves. I guess fire TP or don’t fire him, but don’t make the man have to wait until June to find out his fate.

I don’t buy the idea that hitting coaches have much of an affect on anything. The Braves hitting problems are a result of bad luck (McLouth, Melky, Yunel—even the pitchers) and taking a chance on a guy that most teams thought was washed up. It certainly looks like most teams were right.

Ron A. - April 26, 2010 reply

First off

he rainout was bullshit (I know you guys already feel this way). We got a game called with he bases loaded against the Phils once.

Secondly, Chipper was such a monster for a good 13 year period there. Looking at those numbers are outrageous and considering I wasn’t that crazy about baseball from 02-04 I forget just how darn good he was.

Lastly, fudge it. Blame it on TP. We blame HOJO for our offensive woes all the time even if they are pretty unfounded (David Wright). The only thing that is tangible we can blame on Hojo is inexplicably altering Wright’s stance. It is completely different now from how it was from 05-09.

Thanks for the implied condolences on our rainout loss...

TC members, as Braves fans, can sit around here bitching about it all day, but it actually means something coming from a Mets fan.

my sarcasm meter

is running poorly today so i can’t really tell if that was authentic. i won’t say i feel bad that you guys lost on a bullshit technicality (I thought it was 5 and a half innnings anyway) but i would be downright furious especially during a losing streak when the team looks much worse than it really is.

as most here have said the braves will be fine and the pitching (rotation and pen) are downright awesome. the lineup is obviously the weak point though. coming from an objective viewpoint this is how i see it:

Prado: Guy will cool down, but a very solid regular. if he were to exclusively play 2B he’d be in the top 10 at the position IMO. can’t complain with a ~360 wOBA with plus defense over there.
Glaus: Lookin bad now but a total wild card. If healthy should be counted on for at least a ~360 wOBA. Health is the concern not because of injury history but age.
Escobar: Brain farts aside a solid everyday SS
Chipper: For sentimentalty the extension was great, but from a baseball view I disagree. He may only be 1 year removed from a 446 (!!!) wOBA, but I think last years 430 slg. is closer to what he will put up this year. I’d like him more as a 2 hitter getting on base and hitting some doubles. Wouldn’t wanna count on him as a middle of the lineup slugger
Mccan: Notch below JM as best offensive catcher. Difficult to quantifty his defense but his arm looks pretty bad. To preserve his bat I’d look to move him to 1B eventually.

Then we get to the OF

Heyward: The kid obliterated every level he played at. He is gonna struggle like he is right now but an 800-850 OPS is insanely good for a 20 YO. I won’t say he is the nex Pujols but I could see him putting up similar numbers to a Matt Holliday away from Coors.
McClouth: Not a good move by FW.

I am not sure who plays LF everyday for you guys. Diaz/Hinske platoon? That’s two pretty good platoon partners, and with Heywards production, the corners can make up for McClouth I think.

All in all, the Braves are most likely a better team than the Mets. The BP’s are pretty close IMO, and I’d still take Santana over any of the Braves starters right now. Obviously that’ll change once Hanson fulfills his potential. Pelfrey is pretty darn good, but the rotation is obviously much deeper in ATL. I’d take the Mets lineup a shade over the Braves if Frenchie keeps his OBP at 350 (a very big if). Wright should return to his 900+ OPS days, Reyes will improve and hopefully Beltran will be back by june. Bay should get better along with Pagan and Davis looks to be a solid ML regular.

Damn this was a long post, sorry for the wall of text.

I'm pretty sure that was authentic

As far as our outfield, the only constant is Heyward in RF.
I’m pretty sure Hinske hasn’t gotten a start in LF this season. He’s played first base 2-3 times.
Melky has played LF and CF, Diaz has played in LF, and McClouth has played CF.

Thanks for the analysis.

schlagdawg - April 26, 2010 reply

McLouth

J-Freak - April 26, 2010 via mobile reply

my bad

I always forget he’s the one with no double ‘c’, like McCann

schlagdawg - April 26, 2010 reply

really?

damn. i always thought it was two C’s

And also

i appreciate the welcoming. I try really hard not to come off as trollish at sites on SBN. If i ever visit the Yankees blog though that may change

McCann and McWill - April 26, 2010 reply

Dude

You were no where near trollish (This is actually a word?). Good post there. Feel free to come here and discuss baseball whenever, I like reading different perspectives. You seem to have a good attitude.

No biggie.

That’s probably the most common mistake on the site, so we just keep pointing it out each time in the hopes that one of these days we’ll have finally knocked it out.

J-Freak - April 26, 2010 reply

I been sayin it for years

Although to be fair since most of the team doesn’t even look to him for help (Brian Snitker anyone?) he might just be there for looks.

The coaching staff needs to be turned over when Bobby leaves. Bless him, but he’s too loyal. I’d keep Eddie Perez and Hubbie but after that I want to Donald Trump the rest.

13thieves - April 26, 2010 reply

What about Roger McDowell?

I think everyone stopped using roids.

BeantownVol - April 26, 2010 reply

Sadly, I had the same thoughts

I mean, just looking at some of those old numbers, some questions do pop up from here and there. Javy Lopez’s 2003 is a hair suspicious, and I don’t necessarily want to pull the Brady Anderson card out here, but just looking at the numbers two years prior and two years afterward . . .

Can’t necessarily say the same about J.D. Drew, since we did have the luxury of having him during his contract year, but there’s been more than just a few times where Andruw Jones’ name has been thrown into the discussion as well.

Not to get on our legend...

but I’m surprised Chipper never got that talk as well. He seemed MUCH thicker and more muscular back around the turn of the century, and his power spiked around the time we had Ken Caminiti. Not saying he did it, just that I’m surprised he was never among the accused.

I think he was

But he’s been so vocal and always among the first to challenge people to prove him wrong, which, like a bully being stood up to, makes them back down pretty quickly.

Fair enough...

I guess I just don’t recall him ever being among the accussed. I’ll agree he’s always been among those vocally against, but then again what exactly does that prove when you look at guys like Palmeiro, Clemens, etc who were/are also pretty outspoken on the subject.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ltD21rYWVw

Not that it is an excuse but if you look at

Power numbers across the league, it’s about right. Did you see how buff Maddux was

BeantownVol - April 26, 2010 reply

And he was obsessed with hitting more long balls, hmmmmmmmmm...

Classic.

Forgot about that

BeantownVol - April 26, 2010 reply

Maddux is AWESOME

HereComesBream - April 26, 2010 reply

Although it has become absolutely unbearable to watch, the hitting problem doesn’t concern me to the point where i’m ready to go to Defcon3 and blow up the team (call up Blanco, really?). I was watching highlights of other teams during the rain delay, and after seeing them actually hit and score runs, a light bulb went off. These are major league proven ballplayers (with the exception of Heyward). They have been up here awhile for a reason. They can hit, we’ve seen them do it.

The real problem is that this team-wide slump with RISP has turned them all into head cases when there’s men on base. They get up there, try to do too much, and look terrible in the process. Or maybe they get what looks like a base hit only to see Chase Utley or Dexter Fowler come out of nowhere and take it away. And as the failed attempts mount, the condition gets worse. And hell, “Win it for Bobby” may be adding unhealthy pressure too. Who knows, maybe we need a team psychiatrist like in The Natural. “Losing, is a disease….”

What is beginning to bother me is when we get to September and we’re 2,3,4 games back, we can look back to this stretch and wonder. But hopefully we go on a 20-5 tear and forget all about this.

10-4 - April 26, 2010 reply

Valid theories

If the players could check their egos at the door, I don’t think it could possibly be of any detriment for the team to bring aboard a sports psychiatrist or something, if they don’t already have one. Preferably the one that John Smoltz had. But I agree that the team seriously needs to loosen up some. I want to see more shaving cream pies and silent treatments this year.

I wish youtube had clips from the Natural...

from the scenes with the shrink.

Just you wait

Before you know it, people will want to see Bump Bailey crashing into the outfield wall and dying, and saying that’s what they want to happen to Melky Cabrera, and then the shit will hit the fan. Again.

Well put

I think any crazy lineup change/callup scenario is an over-reaction. Thing will click eventually, we just have to hope that when they do that the Braves still have a chance at October.

Andy Braves Fan - April 26, 2010 reply

Well, its not just the current Braves. Look at how former Braves are performing.

Kelly Johnson and Jeff Francoeur chief and foremost among them.

Kelly:
Pendleton (2009) – .224/.303/.389; BABIP – .247 (346 PAs)
In Arizona (2010) – .322/.429/.814; BABIP – .300 (70 PAs)

SSS, blah blah blah, but his swing is looking better and he’s being MUCH more patient (15.7 BB% to 9.2 BB%).

Frenchy:
Pendleton (2009) – .250/.282/.352; BABIP – .276 (324 PAs)
In New York (2009) – .311/.338/.498; BABIP – .336 (308 PAs)
In New York (2010) – .286/.350/.511; BABIP – .283 (80 PAs)

His walk rate in 2009 was still horrible while in NY (3.7 w/Braves, 3.6 w/Mets), but in 2010 its 10.0%. Outrageously huge.

I would mention Andruw, but I believe his recovery is due to him working hard and getting his head right; I think he was too stubborn to listen to Terry anyways.

Point being that both of these players look very promising in this early season, and I believe their transformation is in part due to not being coached by Pendleton. Johnson especially, who we all know is a good ballplayer but couldn’t figure it out for some reason while here. Hell, even Frenchy isn’t getting lucky with his hits; he’s hitting it solid.

soup du jour - April 26, 2010 reply

Those numbers are skewed. You took the worst season KJ had and compared it to a 17 game sample. In 2007 and 2008 he had much better numbers, and he was a very good during that stretch.

And as for Frenchy this year, he is his same free swinging self who dropped his average over 200 points in a one week period. Case settled for him, that is the same Frenchy we saw in Atlanta, no control at all.

bashby20sh - April 26, 2010 reply

This so unconvincing

That I really wonder why you even bothered to post it.

You say Andruw “was too stubborn to listen” but you neglect to mention that Jeff was at least as stubborn, while he was here anyway.

You also include the BABIP numbers, which explain nearly all of the year-to-year variance in these players’ stats, thus nullifying your entire argument. Also: small sample sizes.

You know, you’re right. Giving it a once over again it was pretty weak. Care to take a stab at why our Baby Braves are looking so much better then?

soup du jour - April 26, 2010 reply

I took a stab at it in another thread, but I'll summarize:

Frenchy comes into each new season with a new approach, and it takes pitchers a short while to adapt to him. Once they do, his free swinging fails him, and he takes even longer to adapt to their adaptations – if he tries to adapt at all.

KJ is streaky. He will not keep playing at these numbers. They will normalize very soon.

Andruw is having a resurgence because getting paid to NOT play baseball by the Dodgers finally sent a message to him that he was overweight, out of shape and needed to change his approach to the game. It’s taken him a long time to work his way back.

And Andruw has looked much better, but a look at his stats make me believe he will soon become the Andruw we know. He has 14 hits on the season, 6 of them being HRs. He has stuck out 15 times so far (that is 32% of his total ABs). A glance at his stats look very good with his .292/1.112, but he looked good in Texas last year for about a two week stretch and then vanished.

And its being said that there is a list of players who hit better once they leave Atlanta, what about the ones who don’t? Andruw Jones fell into this category also, but what about Adam LaRoche? He hit MUCH better in Atlanta then he has in any other place he has played. So far this year he isn’t having great success either (15 hits and 17 strikeouts). He is striking out 32% of the time also, and he just hit his first homerun of the season this past Friday.

JD Drew had argueably his BEST season of his career in Atlanta, and Gary Sheffield played amazing here too. I know I am talking All-Stars now, I am just saying that I don’t think all of the blame can be placed on TP, because he has done a very good job with most of our Braves of the past.

bashby20sh - April 26, 2010 reply

Good point on LaRoche...

I think he actually played better in each stint in Atlanta than he has anywhere else.

How about this

I’m writing a huge paper due Friday, so I don’t have tome to compile the stats, but could someone get the swing and walk rates for former Braves and see what happens when they leave? The story about TP telling Francoeur to swing away last year is stuck in my head.

On a slightly more positive note, we are so patient this year it hurts. Literally. We lead the league in walks, but we have to be near the bottom in runs scored. I know that good things can happen when you get people on base, but that’s where our plan stops. We get people on base and forget how to bunt, or drive a ball to the outfield, or even run from third to home. I know that about half the team is hitting well below their career averages, but somehow that doesn’t comfort me when we get handled by pitchers game after game. Maybe this is the worst luck a baseball club has ever faced in terms of opponents pitching, with Jimenez and Halladay throwing gems, and KK the suck-ond and Moyer pitching out of their minds. Then we get a rain shortened game and lose 1-0. So, in the name of optimism, I’m declaring that the Braves have had the worst luck in the majors so far this season, and that the baseball season shall revert to the second game of the year. That is all.

Zach Towery - April 26, 2010 reply

Not going to sugar coat it

But I’m baffled by the amount of students who want to write about baseball, but then come on here asking for all this help on what to write about, and now to even have other people find stats for them. When I was in college, this would be called “cheating.”

I got the impression

that his paper wasn’t about the stats. He was interested in the data, but due to his paper on a different subject, he can’t do it. But I could be misreading it.

soup du jour - April 26, 2010 reply

I’m thinking the same thing.

Gage23 - April 26, 2010 reply

You don't have the time to compile the stats, but

you have time to read an OP, and make a lengthy comment. Priorities dude….

HEYJUDE - April 26, 2010 reply

TP

I’ve thought for a while that it may be time for TP to go and I still am in favor of it, if only so he doesn’t become the next manager, but I am staring to wonder if the problem could be advanced scouting. Maybe, and this is a outside the box maybe, our advanced scouting just isn’t as good as it once was. And then I will leave with a contradictory thought, its always been my belief that hitting was 50% mental 40% natural ability and about 10% mechanical. So I see about 60% that a coach can affect.

JFP - April 26, 2010 reply

I think this might be part of it

I’ve noticed a lot of weird scenarios on the pitching side where we seem to be deliberately pitching to certain players’ strengths. That could easily be the fault of advance scouts giving bad info.

I disagree that a coach can affect the mental aspect, at least to a very large degree. I think the 10% mechanical is really the only thing within his purview.

I had a question

Why doesn’t anyone ever bunt when there is only 1 out and bases are loaded? We used to do that in college from time to time and scored every time without a double play. Always did it with weak hitters .But it worked as long as the opposing team wasn’t expecting it.

Force out at home

You’d be basically sacrificing the lead runner for no reason.

It used to work if the other team wasn't expecting it and the runner at 3rd was running. I've sometimes thought that it would work if the bunt was laid down the line right.

Wayyyy too risky though

with major league players. It only worked in college b/c the fielders weren’t as good.

Gotcha!

This.

It ain’t called a suicide squeeze for nothin’.

McCann and McWill - April 26, 2010 reply

Yeah,

but you have to have someone on the team that can lay down a good bunt.

HEYJUDE - April 26, 2010 reply

picky

Picky?

So I’m picky to expect MLB players to be able to bunt? Geez

HEYJUDE - April 26, 2010 reply

And knowing these Braves

I don’t think anyone knows how to drop a good bunt. Jurrjens, KK and Hanson make bunting look impossible. It always feels like they’re striking out. After Prado doubled to start an inning yesterday, and with Chipper’s struggles, I was silently wishing he’d drop a bunt to get Prado to third, but then wondered if a guy of Chipper’s caliber ever had to worry about bunting and if he were capable. And then naturally Chipper struck out to the outside slider like he’s been doing the past two years, wincing all the way.

On my college team, bunting was a part of basic training.

Our coach had the weaker hitters, in particular, learn to bunt well. It would get players over and sometimes even to 1st.

TP might not actually be the problem, but a hitting coach can be changed while the Braves are not suddenly going to change half of their struggling starting lineup. So why not move TP to 3rd base coach, fire Snitker who hasn’t done a very good job anyway, and get somebody new as hitting coach? It might not work, but it’s not like the lineup is going great now under Pendleton anyway. There isn’t much to lose by letting somebody new have a shot.

redwards95 - April 26, 2010 reply

It's easy to call for someone's head when things aren't going so well - Thanks for the perspective.

This comment …I think is likely a lot to do with our struggles with RISP.

But back to the point at hand, you have to ask yourself, is Terry Pendleton is truly the problem? Looking at these very basic numbers, a valid conclusion is that Terry Pendleton knows what to do with guys who can slug, a la the Sheffields, Andruws, LaRoches and Francoeurs. But given a lineup full of hitters who don’t necessarily have the same raw power as prior years as well as an aging and creaky Chipper Jones, and it appears that TP can’t adapt to optimize his dealt hand.

BUT – Pendleton has nothing whatsoever to do with the horrible defense I’ve seen on the field of late. The mental miscues and forgetting the fundamentals of the game is something I never thought I’d see from a Braves team that was managed by Bobby Cox.

Something’s off, and it’s on all the mental aspects of our game right now (except pitching).

I for one, hope it’s just the April Blues and once this horrid month is over we can get down to playing some QUALITY BASEBALL again, whether we’re winning or not. This is embarrassing.

NCChopper - April 26, 2010 reply

I think so too,extra hours of practice are called for

this team will get it together, not too worried, but your right the fielding errors are really costing us.

Bingo...

the inability to drive in runs with runners on has been a problem, but a hitting coach is hard to be at fault for botched balls in the infield, the inability to cover home after we bungle an infield fly, Esco’s base running gaffe, etc. The team just seems off right now, as a whole.

Lack of run support will sure start to wear on the mental aspect of the pitchers too. I know personally, when going out every game and seeing the same old situation occuring game after game, it really starts to wear on your mind. Hopefully things turn around in STL, but if not, maybe a weekend series with Houston will turn things around.

bashby20sh - April 26, 2010 reply

Agreed. I imagine our SPs when/if they give up that first run of a game find themselves wondering if that’s all it will take to lose the game. They’re being forced right now to pitch with no room for error and I imagine it’s making their already tough job even harder.

I’m hopeful things will turn around soon.
Our pitchers have pitched better than our record reflects.

NCChopper - April 26, 2010 reply

In regards to the D

If I had to pick a defensive LVP, it would have to go to Brian McCann. I simply cringe at the thought of him making these horrible throws to second, only for it to bounce/soar into the outfield, allowing the base-stealer to advance to third.

Chipper simply needs to rest, because it’s painfully obvious that he’s not even close to 85% right now. All the hobbling,limping, cringing, and poor throwing is NOT helping the Braves right now.

I know some of our pitchers are easier to run on than others and it’s not all Heap’s fault.
But, if the runner already has the base clearly stolen on the pitcher – don’t throw the ball.
I’d rather see them given second base than see the guy suddenly on third.

NCChopper - April 26, 2010 reply

I cannot imagine

Bobby firing anyone in his final season. Maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe some other year…but not his last.

blairblink - April 26, 2010 reply

Bobby wont fire him, but I agree some measure should be taken.

DrB - April 26, 2010 reply

Give credit to TP for Andruw/Chipper's success?

I take issue with that, TP was given the reigns to a team that was already an offensive force. Chipper and Andruw in their prime…..TP as a first time hitting coach….unlikely to give even a modicum of credit to TP for that.

If vets are struggling, a hitting coach may be of some assistance. The value of a hitting coach is very small IMO, where the real value lies is the hitting coach’s ability to help a hitter make adjustments. TP has not done well in this regard, with the aggressive strategy, he is doing more harm than good. Even if the effect is marginal, he is not helping, and sending a message to the players by his release may be the jolt the hitters need to take a new approach at the plate. One where patience and battling is the key to each at bat.

The hitters have to take some responsibility for themselves here, but I think a fresh pair of eyes and a genius mind sitting in the dugout, acting as our hitting coach, would be the best thing right now.

Cracker! - April 26, 2010 reply

Oh no

I don’t even try and claim the rise of the Jones Boys something of TP’s doing. Everyone knows Chipper has his own batting coach in his dad, and it’s well documented of Andruw’s stubbornness to really listen to TP in the first place. If it wasn’t broke, he didn’t fix it, and that was fine until 2007 (and even then he still hit 26/94). The presence of them just made TP’s job easier and make him look better.

The reason I documented all those years, along with the mention of the dominance of the Jones Boys was to show more that TP was never an issue when the Braves had legit sluggers on the squad, but now that we don’t, and rarely see the three-run HR these days, how it’s now suddenly all TP’s fault, which isn’t entirely fair.

It's not all TP's fault

but he shares some of the blame. Anyone that suggests he’s solely to blame isn’t worthy of a post of any kind. I think we need a fresh approach, and getting rid of TP would bring that. If that doesn’t shake up this funk, then next, the players have to know they’re playing for their jobs.

Cracker! - April 26, 2010 reply

This team is going to absolutely unload on someone within the next 10 days. (TWSS) Let’s face it, we’re seeing the worst baseball possible for the year. I look at it as guys are getting it out of the way now, and the ride is going to get smoother here in May.

I mean, what are the odds this kind of team-wife slump could last all year?

UMDBHIK - April 26, 2010 reply

Ummmm…..obviously that should read team-WIDE slump.

If the team is having marital issues, then maybe they need to talk to their reflection in a storefront window or something.

UMDBHIK - April 26, 2010 reply

What? The team’s wives are slumping, too!?!
Always check your spelling.

HereComesBream - April 26, 2010 via mobile reply

I think that was a bit of a Freudian slip there.

UMDBHIK - April 26, 2010 reply

TP's not helping

But he’s not the problem. The Braves are walkin’ fools this year, so “being aggressive” isn’t to blame. I wish I could say what was. Maybe Glaus is just too rusty? McLouth’s eyes just aren’t what they’re cracked up to be? Melky blows? I dunno.

FineHamAbounds - April 26, 2010 reply

any ideas on why bobby wont let anyone steal a friggin base?? this mets series is the perfect example: braves get a ton of guys on base cant move them and none score.. mets get a few guys on and steal any chance they get caused chaos and scored b/c of it. just sayin…

PhillyBrave - April 26, 2010 reply

Who exactly do you want stealing these bases?

Smoltz's Beard - April 26, 2010 reply

It also helps the opposition when they know Brian McCann is an abysmal defensive catcher