re: The ATL Thread: Offseason Edition

These guys consider chipper to be a brother. How would you feel if your brother or sister said you couldn't do it? You take that shite personally.

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The Rig

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I don't know how many times I need to explain my opinion. See my previous 3 or 4 on the topic. He gave his honest opinion of who he thought would win. Our guys handled it like pouty children and because of that, we are once again laughing stocks. They should have used it as motivation. There are just better ways of handling these things.

I think Craig said it pretty well here:

NBC Sports- Hardball Talk

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They’re still my team, but boy oh boy were the 2013 Braves a joyless and unfun bunch. On the heels of the “policeman of the unwritten rules” stuff last month comes this from the New York Post. Seems that the reason Chipper Jones ceremonial first pitch last week was thrown out to the Braves mascot rather than an active player is because no active player would do it.

Why? Because Chipper declined to be a blindless homer when asked to handicap the series:

Evidently, Braves players were not happy Jones had gone on the radio earlier in the day with the team’s flagship station, 680 The Fan, and predicted the Dodgers would win the NLDS in four games. So no player volunteered to catch the pitch.

Former manager Bobby Cox threw out the ceremonial Game 2 first pitch to Tim Hudson.

For a bunch that claims to adhere to the strictest professionalism in the game you look pretty unprofessional childishly shunning a franchise icon because, like just about everyone else on the planet, he recognized that the Dodgers were pretty good.

And I guess now Chipper will get no extra credit for being right either. Oh well.

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He's a franchise icon to the fans and the media but to those players he's a good ole boy known better as an old teammate than an icon. That's where I draw the difference and the acceptance that they shunned him.

They have every right to identify this team as a funless bunch. It all started with the 2 HBP of Harper and was just further magnified by the Jose Fernandez and Gomez incidents. It's unfortunate and this franchise can handle themselves better as a whole.

I said when they retired his number something was up and got blasted for it...fricking Dan Uggla was the only current play rep to speak???

Reminded me of that scene in Mr 3000 when they could only get the fat reliever who played half a season to speak at Bernie's retirement ceremony

Kimbrel should be mad. I love his competitiveness. No reason he couldn't throw 2 innings in an elimination game.

There is zero excuse for double switching and leaving Carpenter in there after the communist trash got a leadoff double. None. Zip. Nada. Why the frick do you double switch if not as a contingency plan to be able to bring Kimbrel in for a two inning save?

I wonder what they do since the two biggest holes on the team are locked up with big contracts that cannot be moved without eating most of that salary.

1st. What do we do at second base? Do we stick with Uggla or trade him and eat most of that salary? I think a team would take Uggla at something around 2 to 5 million per year which means we would eat about 11 to 8 million of that contract this year.Do we give Tommy La Stella a guy that hits,walks, and doesn't strike out in the minors,who is not a top prospect a chance at second base on opening day? Do we go sign a veteran second baseman? Guys like Brian Roberts,Mark Ellis, and Kelly Johnson all can be signed to one year deals and very cheap.
Answer: I like the idea of trading Uggla eat that contract sign a veteran second baseman and have Tommy La Stella as insurance.

2nd. Do we keep Hudson or sign another free agent arm? I think this is really easy decision because Hudson coming off injury and a year older won't cost much. I think the contract should be 2 years for 14 million which is a good deal for both the Braves and Hudson.

3rd. What to do about center field? It is really simple here, hope BJ has a bounce back year.You can't get a good MLB outfielder in free agent knowing the only way he plays if BJ struggles. We're stuck with BJ for now.

4th. What to do with catcher? Another easy one, simple go with Gattis.We really don't lose that much with Gattis catching and save a shite ton of money.

5th. Add a bat for the bench.We need a guy to DH and pinch hit off the bench.

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I am not a fan of paying Uggla $10 million to be an above average hitter for another team.

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Are you ever going to drop this shite? Uggla is not an above average hitter. He isn't an average hitter. He isn't even a fricking below average hitter. He hit one HR after mid July and went something like 9 for his last 100 ABs. Gattis posted a higher OPS this year than Uggla ever has in an Atlanta uniform and you never STFU about how terrible he is.