I pull up somewhat short of where John Drake number 6 comes down on the stalwarts and many regular contributors of the site, but do rather obviously share many of the same concerns.

One of the reasons baseball is so great is everyday is a new game, what happened yesterday or last year is not a reliable indicator of what will happen next, and an individual player or an entire team is capable of capturing lightening and vaulting to previously unanticipated levels of success at any point, with essentially no forewarning.

The Braves’ worst to first season (1991) – sparked by Schuerholz’s much criticized acquistion of Terry Pendleton, who was coming off a bad year w/ the Cardinals and had been plagued by hamstring problems, but won the MVP – is a great example. Another is the Braves unbelievable stretch run in 1993 in which they chased down the Giants and won the NL West on the last day of the season, finishing with 104 wins. More recently, who would have bet the farm on Chipper maintaining a plus .400 batting average most of last season or Dustin Pedroia being the runaway winner of the AL MVP?

It is one damn thing to hold perceived rationally based opinions based on pure mathmatical analysis of recent past performances, but something else entirely to, for example, offer up militantly cocksure speculations about a player’s character, integrity, sexuality or longterm potential simply because he has been under-performing or made some stupid statement to the media when frustrated or disappointed.

One of the things I’ve said before is the Braves have a tremendous group of experienced baseball men running the organization, to include Schuerholz and Cox – both of whom are world class – and an awesome scouting and talent evaluating staff. To me, it is nothing short of wildly presumptious for anyone on this board to think they are better positioned to make roster decisions than the Braves’ baseball men.

You missed my point. While I’m ambivalent about the decision to let Tom go, I didn’t criticize management for making it . Rather, I’m criticising those of you who have written so cavalierly here about it.

I am appalled at the abject lack of concern and downright arrogant glee expressed in this thread for someone who played an essential part in this Brave’s greatness to which you’ve all become so acustomed.

It might or might not be Tom’s time to leave the stage and it might be something we all have to accept and adjust to, but there’s a respectful, dignified way to watch this play out and an immature way. Heckling him, with a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately attitude falls into the latter category.

“I cheer for the Braves, not for the individual components that make up the team. Because the Braves are a team.”

What exactly do you think a team is? If you think they’re “components” that should be swapped in and out at a moment’s notice then maybe NASCAR should be your sport.

A team is a group of individuals who come together for a common purpose, with an understanding of their collective strengths and weaknesses and a willingness to help each other. A team is more than the sum of the parts.

The attitude you avow makes you a consumer of sports moments, not a fan.

It’s hypocritical: implicit in everyone’s posts is a notion of a bond between themselves and the team, but there is no bond —not only are you prepared to excise a player at the first sign of a problem, but you do it remorselessly.

It’s anti-thetical: you want a bond, but do you think anyone on this team -or any other- would welcome any of you into their midst with the way you’ve comported yourselves here?

And it’s shameless: I have trouble imagining any of you not sucking up to any past or present player you might run into, forgetting all the while to mention to them “you know I called for your ouster every chance I got.”

“This ain’t backyard softball.”

Wow! You make writing about the actual players sound so rough and tough.

Some of my reply to tchoup would have been just as relevant here (especially in response to how you pat yourself on the back for being a fan of the emblem), but I’ll comment here on a couple of points.

“This is professional baseball where you want the best possible team on the field.”

Would you be just as big a Braves fan if tomorrow the entire team was swapped for the Yankee’s roster? And would you lustfully boo Chipper, McCann, et al when they came to town?

Don’t you find it even a little ironic that you criticise players on this site yet you are thin-skinned about what you perceive to be criticism from me?

It wasn’t the entire post—just that one line, which is why I pointed it out. I’ll go ahead and maintain that the line actually did not make sense, but have fun with that.

It’s pretty important to suggest that Glavine thinks A, B and C (which you’ve done in this entire thread) and literally in the very next thought say “I don’t know what he’s thinking.” That doesn’t make me an ass for bringing that to your attention.

Quit being so defensive about your post. You root for the laundry. I get it. I happen to agree. But you act like you’ve never been called out before. Say something and back it up with insight, because you’re not immune to criticism with a line like that. Just because it’s a lengthy read doesn’t mean it’s a gem.