So, Mr. Jones has decided 2012 will be his last wearing the Tomahawk across his chest. While Braves fans are waxing poetic about his loss to the organization, many fans of opponents are making arguments against Chipper's standing in history. While most have to admit that he's a likely Hall of Famer, the general consensus is that Chipper leaves folks wishing for something more (he doesn't have enough All-Star games, he doesn't have enough MVP shares, he doesn't have enough championships). Now, I am not one to go putting Chipper beyond where he truly should lie in history, but he's often stated as the second-best switch-hitter in the history of the game, so I thought it'd be interesting to compare him to the nearly-unanimous best switch-hitter of all time, Mickey Mantle, in one area where he'd obviously lack behind the Mick - championships.

Continue reading this post »

The schedule really hinges on the strength of the division, but we have some tough games to play this summer. Our little tour through the AL East a month before the ASB could define the season. The rest of the division has to go through it too, but the Phils get to skip the Yankees altogether. The 10 game road trip in August to Washington, San Fran and San Diego could also be a hurdle. The new playoff format should ease the pain of a tough schedule if we play good baseball, but it could also allow teams with easier schedules some crucial wins down the stretch. I guess the only bright spot is that we end with the Pirates, unfortunately its away. Here are some of the tough games we have left:

Cardinals - 6 games

Yankees - 6 games

Red Sox - 3 games (away)

Dodgers - 3 games

Blue Jays - 3 games

Giants - 7 games (I still think they are going to be good)

Orioles - 3 games (I still think they are going to be bad, but if they are still playing good ball)

Phillies - 15 games (Divisional)

Off Topic Thread - MAY edition.

Well, the month of April finished with a pesky loss to the guys from PBurgh. At least we were able to split the series and not a loss. Overall our April was a very successful one for the Braves (14-9) and as a fan, very fun to watch. Next is that other team from Pennsylvania and let's just say, victories against them are not only needed but much desired.

Any big plans for you upcoming this month? I'm not looking forward to the HOT weather that is no doubt just around the corner. I'm a winter person and tend to spend way too much time indoors when it's hot and humid.

Don't forget ... May 13th is Mother's Day.
Don't forget ... May 28th is Memorial Day.

Mr. González,

Don't take this personally, but I find many of your moves baffling. As an MLB manager with a long 162 games season, you are bound to face criticism throughout the course of a season from all sides, and I imagine it gets exhaustive. However, this doesn't mean there are not some quick, easy, and reasonable ways to improve the team. If you could consider these ideas to implement into everyday use, nothing would make me happier.

Continue reading this post »

I've only been a baseball fan for about 9 or 10 years. Sure, I played when I was a kid, both in backyards and school grounds, and even a little high school ball before I realized I couldn't cut it. It was my first year of college before I became indoctrinated into baseball. I use that word because that's how it happened. I was laying in bed in my fraternity house room, watching something mindless on the TV. I had no plans for the day, maybe some beers, maybe I stroll through campus just to see who I could find. A friend and fraternity brother of mine barges in and asks what I was doing. I give him that same short, gruff answer you normally get from kids at that age, "nothing." He knows that I like most sports, and he knows that I also don't include baseball in the list of ones that I will watch. He is on a mission. He snatches the remote from my bed, parks himself in my recliner, and turns on the Braves game. Before I could even think of a protest against it, he tells me that he's tired of me not watching "the game" and that I don't get to leave my room until I am at the very least a baseball fan. So I stay, I watch, I learn. Even before the game was up, I knew what I needed to know. I was hooked. Not because of the hard hits, or the constant suspense, or the flashy moves of the players. I was hooked because of the relaxed simplicity of it all. I was able to be drawn in to a sport that moves at a snails pace, that allows you to forget how many cold brews you have polished off while still holding your attention and reminding you that when this game is on, almost everything else melts away into a nostalgic remembrance of childhood. Not only was a baseball fan made in a day, but I was a Braves fan. This realization was because of one man, one player who made the game look so easy, even though what he was doing out there was technically so difficult. I was on the edge of my seat whenever he was up to bat, just knowing that the odds of him doing something magical were always in his favor. Chipper Jones made me a Braves fan and re-introduced me to the game in the course of an afternoon, and now its all but over.

In an age where baseball is doing everything it can to re-kindle interest in America's pastime, whether it be huge attention drawing contracts, or the intentional over hyping of players who have yet to step foot on the grass, there stands Chipper Jones. In my humble opinion, one of the last throwbacks to the way The Game used to be played. He represents a time when you didn't so much care about how much you were making, or how much exposure you were getting. You played because you loved the game, because you couldn't bear to think of the day when you would have to hang up your cleats and store your glove. You played for your team, and if they didn't want to trade you, you rewarded them by not demanding anything more than the most modest of pay raises. If they handed you a large contract because they thought you deserved it, then great. You didn't demand more money, you didn't have your agent pimp you out to other teams in an attempt to incite a bidding war for your services. You laced up your shoes, oiled your glove, and took the field, the same way you did every day before that. He always has had a lighthearted yet serious approach to the game. Never one to shy away from cracking a joke, whether the subject be himself or others, but always careful to point out your mistakes and quickly follow them up with pointers that have come from a combination of a natural gift and years of experience. For 19 years he has been a picture of consistency, even though the way he chooses to hit from both sides of the plate is one of the more difficult things to do, let alone do it well for so long. He has quietly been one of the best third basemen to ever play the game, never drawing a lot of attention to himself unless he is watching another ball sail over the fence, or ignoring cat calls of "Laaaarrryyyy" from Mets fans and the like. He comes to the plate, does his job, and then goes back out to third and gives it his all, every play, no matter the cost to his body. After 19 years, that last part is finally catching up to him. It seems he has to have his knee drained of fluid weekly just to be able to play 2 out of 3 games. After missing 90 games total the last two seasons, he has already missed 8 this season. It's his farewell tour, and while you have a feeling that he might not make it all the way through, you can count on one thing: he is going to play as hard as he possibly can for as long as he can. The season started under fairly dark circumstances. He tore his meniscus an hour before his press conference to announce his retirement. He started the year on the DL, and was forced to miss his final opening day. He had to watch his team struggle to an 0-4 start before getting the chance to play again. If you ever doubted what one player could mean to a team, take a look at the Braves now compared to where they were before. Since Chipper's first game back, they have gone 11-3, and he has 3 home runs and 9 RBI's in 10 games. While he may not end up having the type of statistical year that he is accustomed to, what he brings to the team just by his presence on the field cannot be measured on a score sheet. He will play, he will give his all, and along the way, he will be given gifts, shown short "thank you" videos on opposing team's scoreboards, and will have the chance throughout the season to look back on all he has done. Hopefully he will do the latter and just smile, knowing that it's time, and no matter how much your heart and soul want to keep going, when the body starts sending as strong a message as his is, you have no choice but to listen.

Watching Bobby Cox call it quits was an extremely hard thing for Braves fans to endure, and his departure left a gigantic hole on the steps of the dugout. That day is coming for Chipper. It may be the last game of the year, or it might be a day during the season when it has been forced upon him. Either way, somehow, I feel like that day will be so much harder than watching Bobby leave.

Thank you, Chipper Jones, for playing baseball as it should be played, and for doing it for the Braves.

This guy is just playin' with High A ball. Atlanta's gotta move him up quickly...Could he be the power Right-Handed bat we've been looking for? The entire Lynchburg line-up (minus Lipka) is "Murderer's Row." Only two in line-up below .300 and one of those at .270. These Hillcats are fun to listen to!!! Gattis hit his 7th HR and is counting, but I really love La Stella. He looks like a professional hitter!

Braves vs Dodgers preview

I pose this question, one that i have been struggling with to the talking chop community- What could we obtain in a trade for Jair Jurrjens? Last year around the all star break his value was incredibly high and it was even high during the offseason. Noq im just not sure what we could get for him. Even before this season i thought trading JJ was a good idea because he's expensive and we have Beachy, Minor, Teheran, Huddy, Hanson, Medlen and Delgado.

Continue reading this post »

Ok maybe invasion is too strong of a word, but just was trying to gauge some interest in a possible group outing to Nationals Park to watch our Braves and maybe get to see Chipper play live for the last time. My plans to get to Atlanta are still up in the air so I am definitely going to at least one Nats game to hopefully catch him out there.

The Nats group pricing can be found here. We would need a minimum of 25 people to qualify as a "group". Being a group does get a slight discount on tickets and saves on some fees. FYI, The July games are Prime games so they cost a couple dollars extra.

I have the poll set to end a month from today which would be a couple weeks before the first game.

If there is enough interest we can try to do more than one game as a couple of the series fall on weekends. The last series is all weekdays which is a bummer, but I am including them anyway.

Lastly, I know I am putting this here, but it's just as open to any other Braves fans you know - they don't have to be on TC. The more the merrier!

April 24th is the 40th Birthday of our beloved 3rd baseman, and future HOFer, CHIPPER JONES!

As a Braves fan, I am thankful I've been able to watch him play for our team for so many years, and it's great that at 40, he's still a vital and contributing member of our Atlanta Braves.

Use the space below to offer your Birthday wishes to the old Battleaxe and let's celebrate this milestone.

I'm sure gonna miss that guy next year. I have plans to get to see him at the Ted at least once more this year, and I plan on enjoying every minute of it.

After the game on Saturday (I think, if not then it was Friday) Freeman said that for the first time, they have video during their pre-game meetings with the hitting coaches so they can see how the pitcher delivers, how his pitches move, etc.

I find this incredible, to say the least. Could this be the reason the offense is finally clicking? So before this, they would just discuss the pitchers, with no video? Please tell me I'm missing something here, as this seems like a no-brainer tool that they should have had since the beginning of time?!