Official 2008 Atlanta Braves Season Thread (59-77) vol. We Blow

[messiahchild]

Originally Posted by MFr3shM

I knew we couldn't trust Hampton this year I would just release him he is a pain to deal with. I was hoping he would at least give us 5 wins but it is just sickening to hear news of Hampton injured again. Just stay healthy dumb piece of crap.

Tell em, Why u mad......

But like I said earlier in this thread or the NL East one, that Hampton elbow will be the only thing healthy this season. The rest of his body parts are up forgrabs...But he is still my dude though, I just gotta wait about 2 weeks for him to make that ML debut...

As for the Braves themselves, their record will be 3-1 right now, if they chose to walk Nady every time he came to the plate.....

 

[mfr3shm]

I'm mad because Braves still paying Hampton for sitting on the bench for the past 3 years while that 15 million salary could go towards getting healthyplayers and resigning our top guys like Teixeira and Francoeur we are going year by year by lowering salary we need a healthy Hampton.

 

[atljunkie]

so pretty much the braves hampton caused that loss and now we have the mets coming up.
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat!

 

[messiahchild]

Originally Posted by MFr3shM

I'm mad because Braves still paying Hampton for sitting on the bench for the past 3 years while that 15 million salary could go towards getting healthy players and resigning our top guys like Teixeira and Francoeur we are going year by year by lowering salary we need a healthy Hampton.

You got a point, but at this point it what it is....We can't do %++! bout Hampton contract until after this season when his contract is up. But when itcomes to Hampton, I'm like Bobby Cox, I got the utmost confidence that he can produced, its just this sixth sense that I have when it comes toHampton....

Originally Posted by atljunkie

so pretty much the braves hampton caused that loss and now we have the mets coming up.
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat!

Hampton can take part of the blame but the pitching staff came thru last night.... So you can only blame him to a certain extent....
-Escobar strikeout wit the bases loaded in the 6th.
-Corky passed ball/Prado error in the 7th which led to a run.

 

[trillipinotrapstar]

Nice win by the Braves today. Hudson pitched 6 solid innings while allowing 3 runs to get his first win of the year.

Kelly Johnson then hit a pinch-hit Grand Slam and Chipper got another 3-hit performance this season.

Next up Smoltz vs Johan Santana.

 

[mfr3shm]

Game is still set as Smoltz vs Santana. Game should be very good.

Who knows how Smoltz will do as he is returning from his small stint on the DL.

 

[atljunkie]

hell yea!!! get it smoltz!!!!

i have to leave for work soon but come on guys!

edit: yesssssssssssss! braves beat santana!
good game guys!

 

[mfr3shm]

Yes we beat Santana with Smoltzie opposing him he got the job done and not giving up any runs and striking out 6 in 5 innings and allowed only 2 hits.

Smoltz was throwing gas up to 95 MPH some high heat struck out lots of batters and fooled them badly.

Teixeira hit a 9th inning 2 run homerun breaking his mini slump. Braves took 2 games from the Braves and now its off to face the Rockies they haven't beenplaying good.

 

[trillipinotrapstar]

Smoltzie had a great game.

About time Tex broke his minislump. Dude needs to get the hitting flair going.

 

[mfr3shm]

Braves up 1-0 RBI double for Chipper Jones he has said that last year being so close to winning the batting title it has fired him up to try and win it thisyear.

 

[trillipinotrapstar]

Our promising projected starting outfielder for next season Jordan Schafer took one for the team today.

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04/08/2008 7:07 PM ET

Braves prospect Schafer suspended

Minor Leaguer projected as Atlanta's center fielder in 2009
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DENVER -- Jordan Schafer spent the month of March showing why many consider him to be one of the game's top young stars. Now, the21-year-old Braves Minor Leaguer finds himself staring at the embarrassment of a substance-abuse suspension.

Major League Baseball announced late Tuesday afternoon that Schafer has been suspended 50 games for using human growth hormone, a performance-enhancingsubstance that is in direct violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

"We are extremely disappointed that Jordan has violated the Commissioner's Performance Enhancing Drug Policy," Braves general manager FrankWren said in a prepared statement. "We are supportive of the program and will continue to educate all of our players. Earlier today Jordan asked to speakto his teammates to apologize for the mistakes he has made and for letting the organization and his team down. During his suspension, we will continue tosupport and counsel Jordan."

When asked to provide further details, Wren said he wouldn't provide any additional information.

While preparing for Tuesday night's game against the Rockies at Coors Field, many Braves players and coaches were wondering how MLB determined thatSchafer was using HGH. Currently, there is no approved test for the banned substance.

But MLB would have had the right to deem Schafer guilty based on evidence they gathered via conversations with him, other players or even some of hisnon-baseball related associates.

Schafer, who has been projected to be Atlanta's center fielder by the start of the 2009 season, has recorded just one hit in 11 at-bats with Double-AMississippi this year. When he was limited to one at-bat during Friday's doubleheader against Huntsville, Mississippi manager Phil Wellman told TheHuntsville Times that his player was addressing "personal issues."

When the Braves parted ways with Andruw Jones in October, Schafer, despite the fact that he'd never played above the Class A level, became an immediatecandidate to fill the Gold Glove center fielder's void. He was coming off a strong Minor League season and in the midst of further raising his stock duringthe Arizona Fall League.

After hitting .324 and recording 34 hits in 26 games with Peoria, Schafer was named to the AFL's All-Prospect team. Braves manager Bobby Cox went toArizona to see the young center fielder and was impressed in much the same manner that he was while watching Schafer again during this year's SpringTraining.

While participating in his first big league camp, Schafer appeared in 17 Grapefruit League games and hit .316. When he was sent back to Minor League camp,he drew praise from Cox, who indicated the youngster would have won the staring center field job if Mark Kotsay hadn't been acquired from the A's inJanuary.

"I liked him all spring," Cox said on March 22, when Schafer was cut from big league camp. "He's a good-looking player. I like him alot."

Many scouts considered Schafer to be the most improved player in the Minors last year, when he combined to hit .312 with 15 homers for Class A Rome andAdvanced Class A Myrtle Beach. During the 2006 season, he hit just .240 with Rome.

 

[dlo13]

Schafer goes from hitting .240 in Low A ball in 2006...to .372 in Low A and .294 in High A in 2007.

Yeah...dude wasn't on nothing.

We got Gorkys Hernandez in the Renteria deal over the winter. He's been highly spoken of. Could be our CF and leadoff man in 2010. Maybe Kotsay can holdout until then...

As for the current bunch...

Yet another one-run loss. These low scoring games in Colorado are a trip. I guarantee that stops tomorrow with Chuck James and Mark Redman on the hill.

Might be looking at a 14-12 game with those two...

 

[atljunkie]

god i hate reading espn.com seeing the braves lose to the damn crappy rockies.
thats irritating. in coors field the ball should be flying out. get the bats awake braves.
damn, its irritating.

 

[atljunkie]

braves about to lose again. kill me!
shhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh.

 

[mfr3shm]

Disappointed in Jordan using HGH.

Damn it Braves got rocked.

Score is 12-5 rockies lead and Braves were facing Mark Redman today.

Sorry atljunkie i don't know how to make gifs.

 

[trillipinotrapstar]

Terrible how the Braves lose 3 straight to a "fake" World Seriescontender in the Rockies. Last game of the series is to be made up June 16.

Hudson to start against the Nats on Friday.

 

[mfr3shm]

Braves: Soriano on DL:

The Braves placed Soriano on the 15-day disabled list with right elbow tendinitis. The move was made retroactive to April 7, meaning the right-handed reliever would be eligible for activation for the April 23 game against the Marlins.

"It was the same little elbow thing," Cox said referencing the elbow discomfort Soriano felt in March. "It's getting better. But there's no sense in pushing it this time of year. We'd like to get him completely well to pitch the rest of the season."

While Soriano is unavailable, Peter Moylan or Manny Acosta will likely serve as the Braves closer. When asked, Cox didn't specify how he'd now use these top two setup men.

Soriano complained of some elbow discomfort during the early weeks of Spring Training and didn't even appear in a Grapefruit League game until March 15. He has made four appearances this year with his only back-to-back appearances coming during this weekend's abbreviated two-game series against the Mets.

After struggling through Sunday's 24-pitch ninth inning and notching his first save of the season, Soriano appeared healthy. But he was unavailable to pitch during the 2-1 loss to the Rockies on Monday, when Cox was forced to use Boyer in the eighth inning and save Acosta to serve as his closer.

When Soriano was acquired from the Mariners before the start of last season, he was considered somewhat of a health risk. Elbow problems limited him to a combined 13 games during the 2004 and 2005 seasons. He underwent Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery on Aug. 17, 2004. Soriano, who posted a 3.00 ERA and limited opponents to a .181 batting average last year, was also on the disabled list during the 2002 and 2006 seasons because of a right shoulder discomfort.

The Braves were willing to gamble on Soriano's health when they provided him a two-year, $9.1 million contract in January.


Soriano will be back soon but who knows if he will be dominant?
Braves bullpen has been shaky and it was terrible losing to the Rockies who have started off poorly themselves.
Braves will be facing the Nats with Hudson, Smoltz, and Glavine in those 3 games Braves need to win all 3 games.

Lets get something going Braves

 

[trillipinotrapstar]

Braves finally got their first road win of the season. Yunel Escobar hit a 2-run homer deep in the top 9th while Tim Hudson didn't allow any runs enroute to his second win of the year.

 

[mfr3shm]

Braves won 3-0 Hudson is looking like the Ace we badly need.

Take that J Rain LOL at him thinking they were going to sweep us vs Hudson

Smoltz is going tomorrow looked outstanding vs the Mets his last outing he will need to do that vs the Nats to get some motivation in the Braves.

Hey anyone notice the weird camera angles when they play in the Nats stadium it looks weird makes the field look slanted i guess its just the way the cameraangles are recording.

 

[trillipinotrapstar]

Soriano needs to come back soon.

Bullpen and starting pitching has been near flawless last 2 games.

Glavine up on da mound today vs Tim Redding.

 

[atljunkie]

proud of their win last night. good stuff. Frenchy doing his damn thing.

come on braves. sweep these nats then go to florida and handle them in
time to come home to sweep the dodgers. get rolling!!!

 

[mfr3shm]

Tom Glavine left the game in the first inning strained right hamstring.

At least the rest of the division is stinking it up Mets lost and Phillies losing to the Cubs.

Up next Braves go to Florida for 3 games

I cant wait until this weekend when its Braves vs Dodgers and Andruw's homecoming.

 

[atljunkie]

ughhhh...

come on guys.
nows your chance to gain ground in the division against the mets and phillies.
beat the teams you are supposed to beat. so inconsistant.

 

[trillipinotrapstar]

Damn, Braves did not get the sweep. Like atljunkie said beat the teams you can actually beat.

 

[mfr3shm]

Peter Moylan will likely need elbow surgery (Tommy John Surgery)

It's likely that Braves reliever Peter Moylan will need reconstructive elbow surgery, though he will wait two weeks before a final decision is made.

The Braves' top setup man was examined Wednesday by Dr. James Andrews, who concurred with an earlier diagnosis by a team doctor: There's a bone spur pressing against the ulnar collateral ligament in Moylan's pitching elbow, which has "compromised" the ligament.

"We're disappointed, for both Peter and our club," Braves general manager Frank Wren said, "because he was an important part of our bullpen.

"We hope that the rehab in two weeks will improve his chances of returning this year, but understand that they may not be possible."

Third baseman Chipper Jones was asked how big a blow it was to lose Moylan, one of the most durable and effective relievers in baseball in 2007. "Big," Jones said. "Huge."

Moylan will continue treatment before being reevaluated to determine if UCL reconstruction, commonly known as "Tommy John surgery," is necessary. "It's not good," manager Bobby Cox said of the diagnosis. "They want to wait two weeks and see how it reacts. We'll just have to wait and see. Couple weeks either way is not going to make any difference, if he does do it."

Whether he had the surgery now or two weeks from now, he would miss the entire season and probably most or all of spring training.




So many injuries