2008 Atlanta Braves season thread

rudel.dietrich · 03-30-2008, 04:44 PM

Season begins tonight when first pitch is at 8:05 EST

I will be at the game in the second row behind home plate a little to the right hand side if you are looking out towards the mound.
I will be wearing a retro 1960 Washington Sens jersey
Look for me

How does everyone see the season shaping up for the Braves?

Prodigal Son · 03-30-2008, 08:30 PM

I'll be watching.

The Braves will go as far as its aging, shaky rotation can take it. Smoltz is already going to miss a start due to shoulder soreness, and he's the least concerning of the crew along with the reliable Tim Hudson. Mike Hampton is a huge question mark, having not played regularly in the bigs in like three years. Tom Glavine's age in years is higher than his fastball velocity. Chuck James, Reyes, Jurrens, etc. are all unknowns at this point.

If the four former all-stars in the rotation can be steady, and if the top two of them can be spectacular at times, then this will be a very good team. Johnson, Escobar, Chipper, Teixeira, McCann, Francoeur, it's going to be a nasty lineup that can get on base and hit for power. The bullpen should be at least above-average and potentially the best in the bigs if they get a few guys healthy. They have, what, three legit closers once Mike Gonzalez comes back?

Prodigal Son · 03-30-2008, 09:13 PM

Wow, they booed the president at a baseball game. How tacky is that?

The Professor · 03-30-2008, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prodigal Son

Wow, they booed the president at a baseball game. How tacky is that?

Pretty tacky, but not surprising. But...gee...it's opening night. Tomorrow is opening day (the best day in sports!) Cheer the moment if you can't cheer the man...[/hopelessly sappy and nostalgic baseball fan]

rem · 03-30-2008, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prodigal Son

Wow, they booed the president at a baseball game. How tacky is that?

Bush didn't throw out the first pitch for one or more years out of fear he'd be booed.

Jeremy Weimer · 03-30-2008, 10:05 PM

Good game so far!

kenyan_cheena · 03-30-2008, 10:55 PM

Go Braves!!!!!

rem · 03-30-2008, 11:45 PM

What a way to start a ballpark!

darkenigma510 · 03-31-2008, 12:27 AM

Great game I must say

Neags23 · 03-31-2008, 12:50 AM

Sad ending, though.

Skipaway · 03-31-2008, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prodigal Son

Wow, they booed the president at a baseball game. How tacky is that?

Let's quote Cheney, "So?"

wireman · 03-31-2008, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neags23

Sad ending, though.

That's funny. For me, the ending was the best part.

Hondo · 03-31-2008, 10:02 AM

That was a storybook ending. I think good things will hpapen to my Nats this year!

professor ape · 03-31-2008, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hondo

That was a storybook ending. I think good things will hpapen to my Nats this year!

It was a great ending for the first game at the new park. We got stuck in the RF seats for the opener but the sightlines were still solid. I can't wait to get to our usual seats on the 20-game plan.

It must be great for the Nats players to have a real home and play in front of a full house. It's a young team and I think a winning season should be the goal for 2008. I loved that during the National Anthem a number of Orioles fans (apparently lost) did their trademark shout of "O" near the end of the songs only to get a rousing BOOOOO from the Nats crowd. I think that a good local rivalry is building.

I'll be interested to see how the park shakes out at a pitchers/hitters park. I think that it will be a pitchers park. Yes, there were two HR hit on a 45 degree night but they were line drives hit by two guys with solid power that barely cleared the fence. The configuration of the statium is going to make it hard for the wind to help fly balls but a north wind has a clear shot to come in and knock balls down. Personally, I am fine with that as long as it's not to the Petco Park extreme.

PotatoPeeler · 03-31-2008, 11:57 AM

What the hell is up with the scheduling? While it's great that the season gets started at a new ballpark, what's up with playing a 1-game series and then making both teams travel to play the next day? And why in the heck would you schedule one game in a new park and then make the team go on the road for a day game the next day? Just plain bizarre.

professor ape · 03-31-2008, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PotatoPeeler

What the hell is up with the scheduling? While it's great that the season gets started at a new ballpark, what's up with playing a 1-game series and then making both teams travel to play the next day? And why in the heck would you schedule one game in a new park and then make the team go on the road for a day game the next day? Just plain bizarre.

That game was supposed to be part of a different series with the Braves later in the month. That one game got moved because MLB/ESPN decided that they wanted to do the Sunday night season opener (well, the US-Soil-season-opener) at the new park.

rudel.dietrich · 03-31-2008, 05:53 PM

Excellent game, but it was damn cold

Prodigal Son · 03-31-2008, 09:36 PM

So far so good on the pitching front. Huddy was unhittable after the first inning and Glavine has looked very good today.

McCann is crushing the ball. Still amazed at Chipper Jones' unselfishness and bat control. How many power hitters don't take that out to score a guy from 3rd? Chipper gets it done the majority of the time. Does anyone keep track of productive outs anymore? For a three-hole hitter, Chipper seems to make a lot of 'em.

kenyan_cheena · 03-31-2008, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prodigal Son

So far so good on the pitching front.

Looks like it's turned to crap since you posted that. I hope they can somehow get a win.

kenyan_cheena · 03-31-2008, 11:52 PM

Braves score 5 in the 9th to tie it up at 9-9!!!

03-30-2008, 04:44 PM	#1
rudel.dietrich Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Zürich, Switzerland Posts: 8,608	2008 Atlanta Braves season thread Season begins tonight when first pitch is at 8:05 EST I will be at the game in the second row behind home plate a little to the right hand side if you are looking out towards the mound. I will be wearing a retro 1960 Washington Sens jersey Look for me How does everyone see the season shaping up for the Braves?

03-30-2008, 11:45 PM	#8
rem Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: College Park, Md. Posts: 5,024	What a way to start a ballpark! __________________ OTBA: Washington Filibusters CLBR: Minnesota Twins 2005 Winner of LL's Pick the Loser Contest! - 15-0

03-31-2008, 12:50 AM	#10
Neags23 All Star Starter Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 1,577	Sad ending, though. __________________ GM Havana Sugar Kings, World Baseball League - 2000, 2003, 2005 WBL Champions Former GM Washburn Sea Wolves Dog Days Baseball - 1981 & 1986 Kennel Cup Champions

03-31-2008, 10:02 AM	#13
Hondo Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Virginia Posts: 42	That was a storybook ending. I think good things will hpapen to my Nats this year! __________________ Washington Nationals NL East Champs 2008 Touchdown! Washington Redskins! March to Super Bowl XLIV

03-31-2008, 11:57 AM	#15
PotatoPeeler Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Rapid City, SD Posts: 3,639	What the hell is up with the scheduling? While it's great that the season gets started at a new ballpark, what's up with playing a 1-game series and then making both teams travel to play the next day? And why in the heck would you schedule one game in a new park and then make the team go on the road for a day game the next day? Just plain bizarre. __________________ 培傑西 I have never taken a lesson on how to talk on TV in my life. - Tim McCarver Guns have only two enemies; rust and liberals. The world is a comedy to those that think; a tragedy to those that feel.

03-30-2008, 08:30 PM	#2
Prodigal Son All Star Starter Join Date: May 2006 Location: Iahiodo a.k.a. the flyover Posts: 1,635	I'll be watching. The Braves will go as far as its aging, shaky rotation can take it. Smoltz is already going to miss a start due to shoulder soreness, and he's the least concerning of the crew along with the reliable Tim Hudson. Mike Hampton is a huge question mark, having not played regularly in the bigs in like three years. Tom Glavine's age in years is higher than his fastball velocity. Chuck James, Reyes, Jurrens, etc. are all unknowns at this point. If the four former all-stars in the rotation can be steady, and if the top two of them can be spectacular at times, then this will be a very good team. Johnson, Escobar, Chipper, Teixeira, McCann, Francoeur, it's going to be a nasty lineup that can get on base and hit for power. The bullpen should be at least above-average and potentially the best in the bigs if they get a few guys healthy. They have, what, three legit closers once Mike Gonzalez comes back?

03-30-2008, 09:13 PM	#3
Prodigal Son All Star Starter Join Date: May 2006 Location: Iahiodo a.k.a. the flyover Posts: 1,635	Wow, they booed the president at a baseball game. How tacky is that?

03-30-2008, 10:05 PM	#6
Jeremy Weimer Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 3,411	Good game so far!

03-30-2008, 10:55 PM	#7
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 9,037	Go Braves!!!!!

03-31-2008, 12:27 AM	#9
darkenigma510 All Star Starter Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: The Wild West Posts: 1,353	Great game I must say

03-31-2008, 05:53 PM	#17
rudel.dietrich Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Zürich, Switzerland Posts: 8,608	Excellent game, but it was damn cold

03-31-2008, 09:36 PM	#18
Prodigal Son All Star Starter Join Date: May 2006 Location: Iahiodo a.k.a. the flyover Posts: 1,635	So far so good on the pitching front. Huddy was unhittable after the first inning and Glavine has looked very good today. McCann is crushing the ball. Still amazed at Chipper Jones' unselfishness and bat control. How many power hitters don't take that out to score a guy from 3rd? Chipper gets it done the majority of the time. Does anyone keep track of productive outs anymore? For a three-hole hitter, Chipper seems to make a lot of 'em.

03-31-2008, 11:52 PM	#20
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 9,037	Braves score 5 in the 9th to tie it up at 9-9!!!