Atlanta Braves Fan Confidence Poll

by gondeee on Apr 24, 2009 8:38 AM EDT

If it's Friday, then it's the Atlanta Braves fan confidence poll. This poll and therefore your confidence level should encompasses several areas of the team. These areas include, but are not limited to, the team’s ownership, current management, talent, minor-league system, and general playing ability on the field. The poll will stay open for 48 hours, and then the results will be posted and graphed against the previous weeks.

Poll

On a scale of 1-to-10, with 10 being "100 percent confident," and 1 being "no confidence at all," how confident are you in the Atlanta Braves organization?

10

16 votes

9

19 votes

8

76 votes

7

141 votes

6

148 votes

5

52 votes

4

22 votes

3

7 votes

2

7 votes

1

10 votes

498 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

I’m staying with a 7 and hoping the last 2 weeks were mostly due to Escobar, Chipper, and McCann being in and out of the line up which hopefully will not happen from here on.

by redwards95 on Apr 24, 2009 9:01 AM EDT reply actions

8 or 9 if we could just get hot on offense

hopefully this weekend it comes together

"The future is no place to place your better days." - Dave Matthews

by Chief Noc-A-Homa on Apr 24, 2009 9:48 AM EDT reply actions

7 this week.

Defense has committed a lot of errors, bullpen problems, inability to score runs (lack of power), & management are the weak points.

Positives include our minor league system & ownership’s commitment to winning. I really like this team, the starting pitching staff is very deep and we have hitters that can get on base.

by Sparhawk on Apr 24, 2009 10:41 AM EDT reply actions

I gave it a 9 this week. The only thing bothering me is big-league offensive performance and I have confidence that is going to come around.

It will be interesting to see this poll the week after the draft.

"People need help, and you know how to help them."

by VegasAces on Apr 24, 2009 11:35 AM EDT reply actions

Which is when?

I’m trying to get more informed on our minor league system. Where do we pick this year?

by sddbaker on Apr 24, 2009 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Pretty sure we have the #7 pick. Not sure when the draft is.

Braves 2009 offense: in play, out(s)
Braves 2009 bullpen: in play, run(s)

by Smoltz's Beard on Apr 24, 2009 12:15 PM EDT up reply actions

It’s June 9th and 10th. We do pick 7th, but then we don’t pick again until 87th because of signing Derek Lowe. So that first guy better be good.

"At least he didn’t nail the bitchy fat girl from Hell's Kitchen."
www.dropoutproductions.com

by cbwilk on Apr 24, 2009 1:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Remember everyone going crazy about Grant Green back in the fall? Yeah, he’s apparently had a shitty season thusfar and has dropped out of the top 10…KLAW talked about his top 10 in his last chat

SWAGGA LIKE...whoever the fuck is not walking people
President, CEO, and chairman of the Brandon Jones fan club

by bigjoe on Apr 24, 2009 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, apparently nobody thinks he can hit at a high level. His fielding is great, but a lot of scouts are worried about his bat.

"At least he didn’t nail the bitchy fat girl from Hell's Kitchen."
www.dropoutproductions.com

by cbwilk on Apr 24, 2009 1:51 PM EDT up reply actions

poll

if we still had schuerholz i would say 8 or higher, but the moves wren has made don’t make me feel that confident in the future.

by masonulm on Apr 24, 2009 12:08 PM EDT reply actions

Hmm…I’ve actually been pleasantly surprised with Wren’s moves. Which moves in particular did you not like?

Braves 2009 offense: in play, out(s)
Braves 2009 bullpen: in play, run(s)

by Smoltz's Beard on Apr 24, 2009 12:16 PM EDT up reply actions

FUGA comes to mind…signing a backup catcher, which is more of a luxury thing than a need thing…uh…Glavine

SWAGGA LIKE...whoever the fuck is not walking people
President, CEO, and chairman of the Brandon Jones fan club

by bigjoe on Apr 24, 2009 1:04 PM EDT up reply actions

yeah, those are all pretty bad

Braves 2009 offense: in play, out(s)
Braves 2009 bullpen: in play, run(s)

by Smoltz's Beard on Apr 24, 2009 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions

i don’t know, i’ve been pleasantly surprised with Ross so far. He’s been more important than we all thought with Heap having vision trouble. Imagine iff the Corkster were still here!

"Ohhhh Shit."-Bobby Cox, 3/28/09

by 10-4 on Apr 24, 2009 2:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Ross is great, don’t get me wrong…but it looks bad in hindsight when we could have used that extra couple million to sign a better player in LF.

Braves 2009 offense: in play, out(s)
Braves 2009 bullpen: in play, run(s)

by Smoltz's Beard on Apr 24, 2009 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Maybe...BUT

Dunn is a terrible leadoff hitter, so all of your other arguments are null and void.

"…aren’t worthy enough to hold his (Pujols) ass cheeks apart while Playboy models wipe him with thousand dollar bills after he craps out the cure to whatever previously-incurable disease." by royhobbs 1/7/09

by buzzdeadwax on Apr 24, 2009 3:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Ha, I was actually talking about Abreu, but I can’t think of a clever comeback…you win.

Braves 2009 offense: in play, out(s)
Braves 2009 bullpen: in play, run(s)

by Smoltz's Beard on Apr 24, 2009 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions

I was doing the math in my head

Glavine: $1mil + Diaz: $1.25mil + FUGA: $2.5mil + Ross: $1.5mil = $6.25 mil

Abreu: $5.5mil + 3 pre-arb players: $1.5mil = $7mil

I’m sure that finding an extra $0.75 mill wouldn’t have been too difficult. I realize that I’ve got hindsight-vision, but I think most of us were against the 4 signings above (I’m surprised that no one else seemed surprised at the Diaz signing—I thought he was going to be non-tendered).

by buzzdeadwax on Apr 24, 2009 5:28 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't see...

a good backup catcher as a luxury. I don’t feel sick on day games after a night game anymore.

by sddbaker on Apr 24, 2009 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions

didn’t like the texiera-kotchman trade. i know tex was gone anyway but i felt we could have gotten more. also should have gone harder for bullpen help. our bullpen is terrible. i feel we need an elite closer and some middle relief help. soriano and gonzo would be better as setup men IMO.

by masonulm on Apr 24, 2009 1:06 PM EDT up reply actions

You mean you would have wanted Wren to make a play for K-Rod…which would have made him the second or third best reliever in our pen? Along with tying up a shit ton of payroll?

And the only other offer we knew of for Teixeira was Chad Tracy & Micah Owings, which would have made me chug a bottle of white vinegar. Imagine Tracy starting every day and Owings slotting into our rotation. Yikes

SWAGGA LIKE...whoever the fuck is not walking people
President, CEO, and chairman of the Brandon Jones fan club

by bigjoe on Apr 24, 2009 1:09 PM EDT up reply actions

looks like you know it all man.

by masonulm on Apr 24, 2009 2:50 PM EDT up reply actions

fuck this blog i’m outta here

by masonulm on Apr 24, 2009 2:50 PM EDT up reply actions

There was a time after I first signed up that I felt like this too. I’m glad I stuck around though.

"People need help, and you know how to help them."

by VegasAces on Apr 24, 2009 3:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Wow, I’ve never seen bigjoe chase someone out of here that quickly before.

No wonder nobody likes you, Tuttle... everything's a (Pujols) damn debate.

by royhobbs on Apr 24, 2009 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions

3 days.

Braves 2009 offense: in play, out(s)
Braves 2009 bullpen: in play, run(s)

by Smoltz's Beard on Apr 24, 2009 3:21 PM EDT up reply actions

We should call up Guinness World Records submit bigjoe for, “The fastest person to chase another person from a blog,” and the picture we could give them would be the one he posted in the game thread the other day.

I wonder how many more he will chase away tonight during Growler Night #1

People will come Ray. The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again.

by mvandonsel on Apr 24, 2009 3:35 PM EDT up reply actions

i don’t know, but i’ll be there to witness it. It could be me!

"Ohhhh Shit."-Bobby Cox, 3/28/09

by 10-4 on Apr 24, 2009 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions

yeah...

…but only his second post…and…bigjoe actually sort of agreed with him on his first post…must have pretty thin skin…

by sddbaker on Apr 24, 2009 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions

I didn’t even know what I did wrong. Maybe I was a little smarmy? I dunno. if you can’t handle THAT, maybe you should go hang out with the mouthbreathers at Braves Nation.

SWAGGA LIKE...whoever the fuck is not walking people
President, CEO, and chairman of the Brandon Jones fan club

by bigjoe on Apr 24, 2009 6:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, and he didn't even mention utensils in penis

But I did like the drama queen exit. masonulm, we hardly knew ye.

by buzzdeadwax on Apr 24, 2009 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions

the two-part exit...

was a nice touch, I agree…

by sddbaker on Apr 24, 2009 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Why do people post on here if they’re going to blow a gasket at the first sign of a disagreement? I just don’t get it…

Braves 2009 offense: in play, out(s)
Braves 2009 bullpen: in play, run(s)

by Smoltz's Beard on Apr 24, 2009 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Owings could have played LF

by mvandonsel on Apr 24, 2009 3:31 PM EDT up reply actions

sign him up!

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.
~Earl Wilson

by BeantownVol on Apr 24, 2009 4:40 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, I think the Tex/Kotch trade was just the best we could get though. We’ll probably never know. Wren put alot of faith into the bullpen we have, but I certainly would have liked if Ohman somehow came back (not trying to start that whole discussion again).

I thought the Vazquez trade was great, and while we probably paid more than we should have for Lowe I’d gladly do that if it means the Mets have to deal with Oliver Perez.

I think all things considered he’s doing a decent enough job. Was Wren in charged of last year’s draft? I can’t remember…

Braves 2009 offense: in play, out(s)
Braves 2009 bullpen: in play, run(s)

by Smoltz's Beard on Apr 24, 2009 1:27 PM EDT up reply actions

He was the GM during the 2008 draft, though I don’t know how much input he has on it…some orgs just let their scouting department take over and run things.

SWAGGA LIKE...whoever the fuck is not walking people
President, CEO, and chairman of the Brandon Jones fan club

by bigjoe on Apr 24, 2009 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Trades & Moves

1 to the Vasquez trade — I love that guy’s stuff, although I suppose people have been saying that about him for years. But after 3 times through the rotation, I think he’s throwing more strikes and has the fewest walks of any of our starters. 2nd or 3rd in K’s is nice. Can he keep it up for 200 innings? Perhaps not, but its nice that he’s wearing people out right now until Lowe and Kawakami can find the strike zone with consistency.

I’d also say that signing David Ross is not a luxury, but quite a good move. The dude only cost us like 1.5M a year, which is barely 3x what a pre-arb player costs. Not to mention that when McCann is out, our cleanup hitter is gone. Having someone with pop who can actually hit the ball is a massive upgrade over our backup catchers of years past, which have been about equal to a pitcher in terms of offensive ability. Having 8 major league batters instead of 7 + Corky + pitcher will make a difference, and costs almost nothing.

I’m ok with withholding judgment on GA for now, because Diaz is playing well enough against L and R that he’s not hurting the team as is. Glavine more than likely will turn out to simply be a $1M gratuity to his retirement fund, so I don’t think we’re losing all that much there either.

by fphjr01 on Apr 24, 2009 1:50 PM EDT up reply actions

But see, if you look at it that way…the 1 million thrown at Diaz and 1.5 given to Ross would have been enough to sign Ohman, and FUGA’s contract could have gone to someone like a Joe Beimel

SWAGGA LIKE...whoever the fuck is not walking people
President, CEO, and chairman of the Brandon Jones fan club

by bigjoe on Apr 24, 2009 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions

I really like Ross as a player, don’t get me wrong. I just didn’t like the timing, that’s all. TRUST ME…seeING him stroll up to the batters box instead of Corky Miller makes me happy every time I see it.

Braves 2009 offense: in play, out(s)
Braves 2009 bullpen: in play, run(s)

by Smoltz's Beard on Apr 24, 2009 3:39 PM EDT up reply actions