Huddy reportedly needs TJ surgury, but has decided to toughen it out.
Why? If he has the surgery now, he can still pitch the last bit of 2009. Seems to me like if he waits, he just delays the inevitable.
We don't need Huddy in 2008 anymore, the season is a bust. Please, Huddy, go under the knife.
Perhaps Brian McCann will be back by Saturday, making him the best hitter in the lineup by far (instead of Johnson or Infante). It'd be nice to see him back in the lineup when the Central Youth Group heads to the Ted this Saturday. But DO NOT RUSH HIM BACK!
While I'm on the subject...if any more of our Young starters throw more than 90 pitches in a start, I think I'm gonna bang my head against a wall. Jurrjens throwing that many pitches last night was inexcusable, especially in a season/situation such as this.
I guess it's a good thing that we aren't very good at losing.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
The Braves throw in the towel...
The Braves officially threw in the towell yesterday. As most of you have probably heard by now, the Braves traded Mark Teixeira for Casey Kotchman and Stephen Marek. My thoughts on the trade are a few paragraphs down. But as far as throwing in the towel goes, can't really say it broke my heart. I had personally given up a month ago, hoping the Braves would go on a losing streak so Wren wouldn't think we had a chance this season.
Pop Quiz, who is the best hitter in the current Braves lineup?
If you are a OPS+ guy it's - a tie between Omar Infante and Kelly Johnson (Martin Prado doesn't have enough at bats.
If you are a runs created guy it's - Kelly Johnson
If you are a WPA guy it's - Omar Infante??
So, yeah, if that was the case for my team, I'd give in too. Infante is (supposed to be?) a backup/super utility player and Kelly Johnson is a #6 type hitter in most lineups, maybe higher when he's riding one of his streaks.
All we can do now is look ahead to next year, which as I pointed out, I have been doing for close to a month now anyways.
This brings me to the trade. All-in-all, I give it a B-
I guess a lot of it depends on how high on Kotchman you are. Some are high, some aren't. For a firstbaseman, his career .274/.337/.426 isn't awesome. His declining walk-rate can be a little worrisome, but unlike fellow free swinging teammate Jeff Francoeur, Kotchman doesn't really strike out that often so I don't have as much of a problem with it.
Kotchman's numbers may not be outstanding, but he's cheap and is better than any internal option.
Stephen Marek, he's a pretty unimpressive throw-in to the deal. But I think Wren was smart to want to get a pitching arm of some type out of the deal. We'll see what he pans out to be. He's more valuable to us as a starter obviously, but the Braves do have a thing for minor league relievers.
We need to make some outfield adjustments and possibly add another arm or two, because as we have learned this season, you can't have too many. It's almost humorous how we began the season with "too many" starting pitching options and now we're bandaged up so badly that Mike Hampton is actually pitching.
My only eyebrow raising issue with the trade is this, why so soon? Braves fans last year remember Teixeira's price kept rising and rising the closer we got to the deadline. Why not wait until teams get more desperate and up the ante? I think we might could have gotten more had we waited.
If you would have told me that the Braves traded for a young, inconsistent veteran and a mid-level prospect, I probably would have assumed it was for Will Ohman.
It's going to be a busy offseason.
CP
Pop Quiz, who is the best hitter in the current Braves lineup?
If you are a OPS+ guy it's - a tie between Omar Infante and Kelly Johnson (Martin Prado doesn't have enough at bats.
If you are a runs created guy it's - Kelly Johnson
If you are a WPA guy it's - Omar Infante??
So, yeah, if that was the case for my team, I'd give in too. Infante is (supposed to be?) a backup/super utility player and Kelly Johnson is a #6 type hitter in most lineups, maybe higher when he's riding one of his streaks.
All we can do now is look ahead to next year, which as I pointed out, I have been doing for close to a month now anyways.
This brings me to the trade. All-in-all, I give it a B-
I guess a lot of it depends on how high on Kotchman you are. Some are high, some aren't. For a firstbaseman, his career .274/.337/.426 isn't awesome. His declining walk-rate can be a little worrisome, but unlike fellow free swinging teammate Jeff Francoeur, Kotchman doesn't really strike out that often so I don't have as much of a problem with it.
Kotchman's numbers may not be outstanding, but he's cheap and is better than any internal option.
Stephen Marek, he's a pretty unimpressive throw-in to the deal. But I think Wren was smart to want to get a pitching arm of some type out of the deal. We'll see what he pans out to be. He's more valuable to us as a starter obviously, but the Braves do have a thing for minor league relievers.
We need to make some outfield adjustments and possibly add another arm or two, because as we have learned this season, you can't have too many. It's almost humorous how we began the season with "too many" starting pitching options and now we're bandaged up so badly that Mike Hampton is actually pitching.
My only eyebrow raising issue with the trade is this, why so soon? Braves fans last year remember Teixeira's price kept rising and rising the closer we got to the deadline. Why not wait until teams get more desperate and up the ante? I think we might could have gotten more had we waited.
If you would have told me that the Braves traded for a young, inconsistent veteran and a mid-level prospect, I probably would have assumed it was for Will Ohman.
It's going to be a busy offseason.
CP
Titletown
I took some photos at the titletown extravaganza. But, truthfully, they aren't very good. Only about half of them are even somewhat decent. There were just too many heads popping in and out of my camera view.
So, instead of posting my pictures...I'll just link you to better pictures.
So, instead of posting my pictures...I'll just link you to better pictures.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Titletown!
We won! ESPN's summer promotion, Titletown, concluded today at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium at 2 pm eastern (it aired about 15 minutes ago on the 6:00 Sportscenter). I'm glad they didn't do it live, that was crazy.
With only 48 hours notice, the word quickly spread that ESPN's Wendy Nix was coming back to Valdosta (of course this lead to the assumptions...would they come all the way back for second place?). We were all there. Valdosta High, Lowndes High, Georgia Christian, Valwood, Valdosta State, Open Bible. It was awesome. During football season we are as segregated as can be, Valdosta hates Lowndes and vice versa. But there was none of that today. We assembled in that stadium, supporting our different school colors, but we are united this time. We are Titletown.
It was extremely hot, but no one seemed to care, at least they didn't show it. My experience at the stadium ultimately defines "organized chaos". It was chaos organized by ESPN. ESPN told us to scream when the camera came by our faces (I was on the 40 yard line). Then they told us to be quiet so Wendy could interview Jesse, then ESPN told us to go crazy again. Then ESPN told us to watch at 6 pm. Then ESPN told us the trophy will be displayed on the field for us to take pictures. Then, after I reached the field finally and headed towards the long crowd around the trophy, they told us the trophy had to go in 5 minutes....? Wow, thanks a lot.
We took some pictures but have not yet downloaded them. I'll share as soon as I get the chance (which, quite honestly, will probably be Wednesday, I'm slammed tomorrow).
Oh, and for those of you traveling to (or just passing by) Valdosta on I-75, you'll see a new sign. What does the new sign say?
Welcome to Valdosta.
Titletown, USA.
With only 48 hours notice, the word quickly spread that ESPN's Wendy Nix was coming back to Valdosta (of course this lead to the assumptions...would they come all the way back for second place?). We were all there. Valdosta High, Lowndes High, Georgia Christian, Valwood, Valdosta State, Open Bible. It was awesome. During football season we are as segregated as can be, Valdosta hates Lowndes and vice versa. But there was none of that today. We assembled in that stadium, supporting our different school colors, but we are united this time. We are Titletown.
It was extremely hot, but no one seemed to care, at least they didn't show it. My experience at the stadium ultimately defines "organized chaos". It was chaos organized by ESPN. ESPN told us to scream when the camera came by our faces (I was on the 40 yard line). Then they told us to be quiet so Wendy could interview Jesse, then ESPN told us to go crazy again. Then ESPN told us to watch at 6 pm. Then ESPN told us the trophy will be displayed on the field for us to take pictures. Then, after I reached the field finally and headed towards the long crowd around the trophy, they told us the trophy had to go in 5 minutes....? Wow, thanks a lot.
We took some pictures but have not yet downloaded them. I'll share as soon as I get the chance (which, quite honestly, will probably be Wednesday, I'm slammed tomorrow).
Oh, and for those of you traveling to (or just passing by) Valdosta on I-75, you'll see a new sign. What does the new sign say?
Welcome to Valdosta.
Titletown, USA.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
The Author Speaks (a.ka. - the mystery game)...
I've been busy defending myself on the web. It was an honest mistake. Here's the story.
As many of you know...Valdosta is in the running for Titletown, USA at ESPN. On the voting page they just happen to choose my essay as the featured essay (truthfully though, it's only about 1/3 of it, as they cut off all of the good meat, leaving only my introduction).
I felt kind of honored (I guess) that my essay was the one chosen. But there is a slight problem with this...there is an error in my introduction. The two teams never actually played each other (I'll get onto why I said they did in a little bit). Although I didn't know this at the time (I mean, c'mon, I wasn't even alive in 1971) but the High School National Championship game is just voted upon, never actually played.
OK, so what made me think that they did play? Did I just make that up? Well, no. You see, before typing an essay like that I want to make sure I have all my facts straight so I don't make a fool of myself (uh...too late for that???). I stumbled across a webpage that featured a downloadable boxscore (scroll down on the page) for Valdosta High School Wildcats vs. T.C. Williams High School in 1971.
Long story short, I leave town for a week, come back, check the voting, and I'm getting all kinds of interesting replies (mostly individuals from Virginia upset that their team lost a game that wasn't really played, but you can throw in a few upset Valdostans because I "made a fool of the Valdosta Titletown page").
Turns out...I should have read the website more carefully. If I would have read the other matchups more closely, I would have noticed some of the 2004 Team X verses 1995 Team Z box scores.
Anyways, I'm kind of embarassed to say the least. But I guess I want you to know that I wasn't tipsy, or as one comment read, "a red-neck football fan in the south with just 4 teeth".
I was actually using a source (though - not a very good one). That's what I get for being in a hurry I guess.
Sorry to the Valdosta fans for "ruining the Titletown page" and sorry to my friends in Virginia (but they probably won't call me a friend) for claiming that your team lost a game it really didn't.
I hope I have explained that the mistake I made was an honest one. I did not look at the other matchups with boxscores until it was too late.
I have sent an email to ESPN asking them to select another essay as featured article and kindly take mine down, but being that there are two days left in the voting, it's probably too late.
It's a weird sequence of events - Friends ask me to write essay, I write essay, friends get upset at my essay. Oh well.
I do want to thank those of you who have kindly understood and accepted my apology. As I have noted, I didn't pull anything out of the air, I mistakingly thought I had a reliable source.
To the few of you in Virginia who haven't accepted my apology and insist on continuously insulting me in the comments section, on your own blogs, or wherever else...all I can say is...well...the ball is in your court. I've apologized, so what you do with that apology is up to you.
Sorry peeps!
I'm probably the last one you want to hear this from, but Vote for Valdosta - Titletown. Rumor is we are doing well.
As many of you know...Valdosta is in the running for Titletown, USA at ESPN. On the voting page they just happen to choose my essay as the featured essay (truthfully though, it's only about 1/3 of it, as they cut off all of the good meat, leaving only my introduction).
I felt kind of honored (I guess) that my essay was the one chosen. But there is a slight problem with this...there is an error in my introduction. The two teams never actually played each other (I'll get onto why I said they did in a little bit). Although I didn't know this at the time (I mean, c'mon, I wasn't even alive in 1971) but the High School National Championship game is just voted upon, never actually played.
OK, so what made me think that they did play? Did I just make that up? Well, no. You see, before typing an essay like that I want to make sure I have all my facts straight so I don't make a fool of myself (uh...too late for that???). I stumbled across a webpage that featured a downloadable boxscore (scroll down on the page) for Valdosta High School Wildcats vs. T.C. Williams High School in 1971.
Long story short, I leave town for a week, come back, check the voting, and I'm getting all kinds of interesting replies (mostly individuals from Virginia upset that their team lost a game that wasn't really played, but you can throw in a few upset Valdostans because I "made a fool of the Valdosta Titletown page").
Turns out...I should have read the website more carefully. If I would have read the other matchups more closely, I would have noticed some of the 2004 Team X verses 1995 Team Z box scores.
Anyways, I'm kind of embarassed to say the least. But I guess I want you to know that I wasn't tipsy, or as one comment read, "a red-neck football fan in the south with just 4 teeth".
I was actually using a source (though - not a very good one). That's what I get for being in a hurry I guess.
Sorry to the Valdosta fans for "ruining the Titletown page" and sorry to my friends in Virginia (but they probably won't call me a friend) for claiming that your team lost a game it really didn't.
I hope I have explained that the mistake I made was an honest one. I did not look at the other matchups with boxscores until it was too late.
I have sent an email to ESPN asking them to select another essay as featured article and kindly take mine down, but being that there are two days left in the voting, it's probably too late.
It's a weird sequence of events - Friends ask me to write essay, I write essay, friends get upset at my essay. Oh well.
I do want to thank those of you who have kindly understood and accepted my apology. As I have noted, I didn't pull anything out of the air, I mistakingly thought I had a reliable source.
To the few of you in Virginia who haven't accepted my apology and insist on continuously insulting me in the comments section, on your own blogs, or wherever else...all I can say is...well...the ball is in your court. I've apologized, so what you do with that apology is up to you.
Sorry peeps!
I'm probably the last one you want to hear this from, but Vote for Valdosta - Titletown. Rumor is we are doing well.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Valdosta - Titletown, USA
I was at camp all this week, but that didn't stop me for looking for some of you on the TV cast which can be found all over the web.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Titletown USA
Reminders like this have been going around Lowndes County like crazy today, so if this is the 27,000th time you've been reminded about this, my apologies.
But don't forget - ESPN will be at Bazemore-Hyder stadium at 5:00, tailgates start as early as 3:30 from what I hear.
They'll be here filming the Valdosta segment of Titletown, USA, since Valdosta is one of the top 25 finalists.
But don't forget - ESPN will be at Bazemore-Hyder stadium at 5:00, tailgates start as early as 3:30 from what I hear.
They'll be here filming the Valdosta segment of Titletown, USA, since Valdosta is one of the top 25 finalists.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Bad deal
It's been awhile, and I don't really have time for an extremely informative post, I'm a little bit behind after my recent trip to see the last 3 Braves games.
Well, I hate to end on a sour note, and I especially hate to have a negative reaction on Mark Teixeira since he was the hero of last night's marathon. But have you seen what the Brewers gave up for Sabathia? Compare that with what the Mets gave up for Santana, and yes, well, we gave up way to much for 1.5 years of Tex.
Well, I hate to end on a sour note, and I especially hate to have a negative reaction on Mark Teixeira since he was the hero of last night's marathon. But have you seen what the Brewers gave up for Sabathia? Compare that with what the Mets gave up for Santana, and yes, well, we gave up way to much for 1.5 years of Tex.
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