I worry about Fredi over using Venters like Cox did last year. Venters was toast by September and it sucked seeing him struggle in the most important games of the season. Venters stuff is just nasty as hell though. Hopefully when Moylan gets back, the Braves can give Venters more rest and use O'Flaherty for more lefty matchups.

5/2/2011 3:55:11 PM

Any word on when Lowe will be back in the rotation

5/2/2011 4:17:32 PM

The fuck is wrong with you Ragged

5/2/2011 4:22:19 PM

back on the wagon

5/2/2011 4:25:14 PM

Quote :

"Wish more managers would use this strategy"

What strategy? Venters is the setup guy, Kimbrel is the closer

Ain't no closer combination

5/2/2011 4:26:28 PM

I was referring to Toronto's two headed monster of Ward and Henke

Both closed

5/2/2011 4:28:27 PM

Finally beat Gallardo last night. Hate seeing the Braves face that guy. Alex Gonzalez had a great game, excellent defense to go along with the clutch 3 run double. Cannot believe how well he is playing in the field this year, he was terrible with the Braves last year.

Chipper made a very good defensive play as well that stopped a potential Brewer rally. The Braves are playing well, just need more big innings like last night. JJ looks like he's back to his 2009 form.

5/3/2011 11:38:40 AM

If JJ and Beachy can keep up what they've done in their last two starts (and Lowe can sober up), then fuck the Phils, we might have the best 1-5 in the NL.

5/3/2011 11:41:11 AM

eaaaaaasy there fella, let's not get crazy now

5/3/2011 12:00:46 PM

Yeah I am not going crazy like Ernie and suggesting the Braves have a rotation as strong as the Phils, but our overall pitching with bullpen included can match up to theirs. We'd still lose in a 5 or 7 game series, but pitching is not the Braves weakness.

In terms of best pitching rotations 1-5 in the NL, I'd rank them:

1. Phillies
2. Braves/Dodgers in a dead heat
4. Marlins (Vazquez has been shitty)
5. Brewers (when Grienke gets back)
6. Giants

Braves might have the best bullpen in the NL.




[Edited on May 3, 2011 at 1:48 PM. Reason : re]

5/3/2011 1:45:45 PM

If Uggla and Heyward can keep up what they've done in their last two games (and Freeman can heat up), then fuck the Cards, you might have the best lineup in the NL.

5/3/2011 1:50:46 PM

Get the fuck outta here with that Dodgers nonsense

Joe Blanton sucks. 1-5 Braves could be second to none, but it depends on whether Beachy and JJ can keep it up.

[Edited on May 3, 2011 at 1:51 PM. Reason : LA has the third best rotation in their four-team division]

5/3/2011 1:50:51 PM

Hey Ernie, how about rank the staffs of the four teams in the Dodgers division

5/3/2011 1:55:21 PM

So it's the AL West with four teams, huh

[Edited on May 3, 2011 at 1:56 PM. Reason : Dodgers might be fourth best in their five team division though]

5/3/2011 1:56:03 PM

If you look at the stats on mlb.com by team, the Braves are near the top of MLB in almost every major statistical category for both pitching and fielding(a very welcome upgrade from last season). But looking at the offensive stats, it's obvious that is the only reason we are just at .500. The offense should round into form, we all know Uggla is much better than he has shown so far, plus Heyward will only continue to improve and Freeman should too. Getting Moylan back eventually will make the bullpen that much better, and if the pitching keeps its pace the Braves will be very hard to beat later in the season. And I would say Chipper might have a legit shot to start the All-Star game in what might be his final season if not for fucking polanco. No doubt Hall of Famer

5/3/2011 2:18:08 PM

Dodgers are pretty good 1 through 5. Look at the rotation:

1. Kershaw (legit ace)
2. Billingsley (great stuff, control issues)
3. Kuroda (solid #3 or 4 in any rotation always around 1.1-1.2 WHIP his entire career)
4. Garland (good veteran back of rotation guy)
5. Lilly (good when healthy)

Plus they have Padilla as another option. Just my opinion. I'd take the Braves rotation if Beachy proves his recent success is not a fluke and Lowe gets back to his late 2010 season form.

5/3/2011 2:51:04 PM

I think ATL and LA's rotations are pretty close, but keep in mind that LA's numbers are enhanced by playing 100 games in their own stadium, Petco, and Pac Bell.

Citi is the only real pitchers park in East.

5/3/2011 2:59:42 PM

Turner Field is a pretty decent pitcher's park too.

5/3/2011 3:50:28 PM

^^ Good point. I guess we need some sabermatic adjusted stats to truly match-up the pitching staffs.

5/3/2011 4:10:36 PM

PTI said Jo Jo Reyes is winless in his last 23 starts

5/3/2011 6:40:44 PM

Dry heat<atlanta heat

5/3/2011 8:43:33 PM

If i had told you before the season started that on May 3rd, McLouth would have a higher Batting Average than Heyward, Freeman, Uggla and Gonzalez and only one point behind Prado...would you have believed me?

5/4/2011 7:02:16 PM

Prado es muy en fuego

5/4/2011 8:45:24 PM

Tim Hudson pitched lights out tonight.

Complete game, 0 ER, 1 hit, 6 k's, 1 walk

Braves also take the double header from the brew crew

5/4/2011 10:47:52 PM

Mclouth reached base in all 8 of his plate appearances today

5-5 with 3 walks. Avg above .280 now. 8th spot is treating him well

5/5/2011 12:33:00 AM

team is on fire lately... now just need the Phillies and Marlins to lose a few...

5/5/2011 1:10:31 AM

Regarding Hudson's performance last night per the AJC:

Quote :

"The man faced 29 batters and threw 26 first-pitch strikes. According to ESPN’s Stats and Information department, via Buster Olney’s blog, that’s the highest percentage by a major league starting pitcher this season. “You’re going to have nights where you feel really good, and tonight was one of those nights,” Hudson told us late last night, after he’d completed his third one-hit shutout and first since 2006 (he’s never pitched a no-hitter). What does it feel like to throw 74 strikes in 102 pitches, to throw only eight pitches when behind in the count? That’s what Hudson did last night, turning back the clock a with his best numbers in those categories in several years "

Only 8 pitches the entire game behind in the count? Amazing. Glad to see Uggla hit the ball a little yesterday and for McLouth to finally start having some success. You can see it wearing on him, maybe this recent hot streak will help his confidence.

5/5/2011 3:45:23 PM

t hudson> c lee

5/5/2011 5:53:46 PM

Doug Heffernen just went yard.

5/5/2011 7:47:42 PM

Quote :

"bang bang"

5/5/2011 9:33:32 PM

Walked McCann to get to Uggla. Make him pay danny

5/5/2011 9:38:51 PM

Is it too late to return Uggla for Infante?

[Edited on May 5, 2011 at 9:43 PM. Reason : Hell, they can even keep Dunn]

5/5/2011 9:41:23 PM

O'Flaherty, Venters and Kimbrel to close out the game almost isn't fair...

5/5/2011 10:41:01 PM

What happened to sherrill? Isn't he better than o'flaherty?

5/5/2011 11:22:45 PM

Are you serious

5/6/2011 8:14:33 AM

I mean, yeah? He was pretty good like 3 years ago, figured he should be fine as a lefty specialist

5/6/2011 10:34:42 AM

O'Flaherty might be the best lefty middle reliever in the NL right now, plus he can pitch two innings if necessary. Sherrill is a straight-up LOOGY who sucked last year.

5/6/2011 10:51:54 AM

nothing is wrong with me btw

5/6/2011 1:24:14 PM

LOL at the George Sherril comments. Dude is beyond washed up. He'll see action in blow outs or long extra inning type games, but never in close games unless absolutely necessary. And yes O'Flaherty/Venters/Kimbrel is filthy and if Moylan can be mixed in there with O'Flaherty for lefty/righty matchups, then it is

GG to the Braves on the sweep. Hope we can get two in Philly this weekend. Hate those guys.

5/6/2011 3:29:43 PM

Should have stayed your ass in texas cliff

5/6/2011 7:52:19 PM

http://markbowman.mlblogs.com/

says Teheran is making his debut tomorrow.

5/6/2011 10:21:43 PM

Quote :

"O'Flaherty, Venters and Kimbrel to close out the game almost isn't fair..."

5/7/2011 1:29:48 AM

man, sounds like it was an awesome game... missed it due to being at the drive-in with some lady pals who wanted to see fucking Thor.

5/7/2011 2:23:33 AM

It was great. When lee didn't strike anyone out they were hitting the fuck out of the ball.

I think nine ks were looking. Lowe pitched a hell of a game into the 7th. he was favoring his ankle or foot for the better part or 2 innings.

5/7/2011 12:33:29 PM

Blister on his right foot.

Quote :

"I hate my skin"

Was Lowes response after the game.


Also the announcers were talking about something being wrong with Lowe during the game. Gary Matthews said. It's not his right foot. It's his landing foot His right foot IS his landing foot.

5/7/2011 1:27:14 PM

Yea those mlb guys fucking bore me. Quick pitch is about the only thing I can stand

5/7/2011 7:30:57 PM

Simpson said it was his push-off leg last night btw

[Edited on May 7, 2011 at 7:34 PM. Reason : wait what]

5/7/2011 7:32:11 PM

Can't wait for the espn game tonight.

5/8/2011 2:53:43 PM

So glad to finally be able to catch a game. I turn it on, and gonzalez knocks a 2 run homer

5/8/2011 8:34:52 PM

TBS needs to pick up on the braves again. I'm so tired of watching the cubs lose.

5/8/2011 8:51:58 PM