The Office is not immune to the faltering economy, so we're moving cheaper digs. We're now at rowlandsoffice.wordpress.com.
The Office is not immune to the faltering economy, so we're moving cheaper digs. We're now at rowlandsoffice.wordpress.com.
Posted on November 16, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (2)
This is the second post I've done in a row whose headline ends with a question mark. Kinda goofy, eh? Especially since I've written about two posts in the past month.
Anyway, Ted Turner told Robin Roberts on Good Morning America -- who knew she was on Good Morning America? Who knew Good Morning America was still on TV? -- that he'd like to buy the Braves. Maybe he was kidding. I haven't seen the clip.
Three or four years ago, I would have greeted this like I would news the home team had traded for Jake Peavy and Albert Pujols. Now, I'm not so sure.
Yeah, it'd be a hell of a lot more fun having Ted sitting in the box seats every night. But the dude has proven in the past few years that he's loonier than ever. North Korea's not so bad? Sorry, Capt. Outrageous. Gonna have to disagree with you there, as Bill Lumberg said.
According to Bill Shanks' piece about this, Liberty has to hold onto the club until at least 2011. So this is probably just Ted muttering.
--CD
Posted on November 14, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (3)
The Braves want Fukey back, says Ken Rosenthal. That assumes the Peavy deal goes through, and contrary to our previous post, Rosenthal said it's not close to being finalized.
There will be plenty of competition for Furcal. The Dodgers want him back, and as many as 10 other teams are rumored to have interest. Fukey wants a four-year deal, which would be too much for a guy coming off back surgery.
Raffy, 31, was having a career-year last season before his injury. He looked spry after his return, and the Braves would fill two huge holes -- SS and lead-off -- by signing him.
--CB
Posted on November 13, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (6)
Cbs Sportsline reports that the Peavy deal is close to done. If this guy, Scott Miller, is right, the home team would give up Yesco, Gorkys, probably Morton and either Boyer or Jeff Locke.
That would be no steal, but a good deal for the Bravos. Established aces like Peavy just done come along very often. And to get him without giving up Hanson or another of the organization's top pitching prospects, and for a very reasonable salary, would be an excellent way to start the offseason for Wren.
Yesco could be a star. So could Hernandez. Morton might be a good middle of the rotation starter. Boyer? I'm not sure why they'd want him over Locke. Apparently the Podrees want bullpen help now. In exchange for one of the top starters in baseball, you make that deal. No doubt.
--CD
Posted on November 13, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (2)
Posted on November 12, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
That's how DOB described Tommy Hanson's outing Wednesday. The phenom struck out nine in five innings, allowing one run, one walk and three hits.
Posted on November 12, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
If you asked me yesterday what I thought of "Field of Dreams," I would've probably spoken favorably. It had been years since I last watched it -- must've been high as shit.
Posted on November 12, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (11)
The Nats GM just completed a deal the Braves should've made. Imagine trading the likes of Lillibridge, Brandon Jones and Jo-Jo Reyes for a 24-year-old southpaw who topped 200 innings in '08 and a right-handed hitting left fielder who averages 25 homers and 85 RBI a season?
Posted on November 10, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (3)
John Perrotto of Baseball Prospectus predicts Tex will wind up in Washington with a 10-year, $200 mil deal. Bowden is also reportedly pursuing Adam Dunn.
Posted on November 09, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (5)
Two former Braves are free agents: Fukey, injury-prone of late but electric in the postseason, and Edgar, coming off a subpar season in Detroit.
Posted on November 09, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (4)
He finally allowed a run -- the Braves might as well trade him.
Posted on November 09, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
Here's hoping Jon Sciambi emerges as the current and future voice of the Braves. You don't replace Skip and Pete, but Atlanta fans seem to like what they've heard from Boog.
Posted on November 09, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
The Falcons are 6-3, the Hawks are undefeated and a black man was just elected president. What were the odds?
Posted on November 09, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (2)
Scott Miller says the Braves are pursuing Florida lefty Scott Olsen, who's arbitration eligible and thus unattractive to the Fish.
It's tough to get a read on Olsen, who, as I recall, has had a few run-ins with teammates and management. His rookie year was dazzling: 180 IP, 160 hits and 166 K's. He was awful in '07, finishing with a 5.81 ERA. Last year was a mixed bag. His strikeouts dipped for the second straight year, down to 111. But he topped 200 innings while improving his control.
Other pluses: he's a lefty, he's young (25 in January) and his upside is considerable.
--CB
Posted on November 07, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (5)
Fine by me.
The subject of Escboar came up yesterday morning between Peavy and his agent, Barry Axelrod. Less than 12 hours earlier, Axelrod had met with Kevin Towers, the Padres general manager, to get an update on trade talks that had taken place the previous three days at the GM meetings in Dana Point. “Escobar's a pretty good player,” Axelrod said yesterday afternoon. “To be honest, Jake and I have said, 'If that kind of trade gets made, who plays short for them?' ”
In Bill James' The Fielding Bible – a publication devoted to defensive analysis -- Yesco ranked second among all shortstops last season with a plus-minus score of plus-21.
Meanwhile, Scott Miller reports the Braves are willing to deal Gorkys for Peavy. The home team remains the favorite to land the ace right-hander.
--CB
Posted on November 07, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (2)
According to Buster Olney (no link; registration required), "the Braves and Padres may well strike a deal built around shortstop Yunel Escobar, center fielder Jordan Schafer, pitcher Charlie Morton, and one more pitching prospect. The Padres are known to have interest in left-hander Jeff Locke, a 20-year-old who pitched in Class A last season."
Posted on November 06, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (2)
So writes DOB.
Ludwick's final 2008 numbers: .299, 37 HR, 113 RBI.I haven't seen him play enough to reach a conclusion, but I think Frank Wren should place special emphasis on upside (ex.: Snell, Ian) this offseason. At Ludwick's age, I don't know if "upside" is an apt description, but he could be the right player at the right price. Or he could be another Jeffrey Hammonds, who snagged a rich deal from Milwaukee after one good year in Colorado, when he was 31. As a Brewer, the oft-injured former Orioles prospect totaled only 16 homers and 65 RBI in two-plus seasons, never hitting better than .257.
Posted on November 05, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (2)
Posted on November 05, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
Five years from now, highly touted Junichi Tazawa, not C.C. Sabathia, could be viewed as the prize of the 2008-09 free agent market.
Posted on November 03, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (1)
(via The Boston Globe)
Towers still believes the Braves are his best match for a deal. Towers has spent a lot of time speaking to Braves special assistant Jim Fregosi about what they would deal. For the time being Atlanta is still unwilling to part with some of their top young talent, though it appears it would give up shortstop Yunel Escobar, who is coveted by San Diego.
I heard one of the Padres beat writers on XM say he expects Peavy to end up in Atlanta. San Diego's motive is financial, he said, and they're determined to move their ace.
Posted on November 03, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (4)
The Sox are reportedly hot for a certain mercenary first baseman. *Tex and Just Disabled, on the same team? I might have to reconsider not attending next year's BoSox series at Fenway South. Could be fun, booing money-grubbing former Braves, tossing beer onto a Boston fan's head ...
Posted on November 02, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
The Braves might want to hold onto Tyler Flowers. DOB reports the C/1B continues to terrorize AFL pitchers, hitting .419 with six homers in 12 games. Of his 18 hits, 12 have been for extra bases, including, inexplicably, two triples.
Posted on November 02, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
A little late, perhaps, but sincere. They seem to be a good bunch of guys, and Charlie Manuel once provided some badly needed color for a story I wrote on then-Brave Danys Baez.
Posted on November 02, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (2)
Recent Comments