You know, I forgot you were a Braves fan, that must have been a tough one to watch.

Funny, my dad was employed by the Braves when they were the Boston Braves. He was part of the field staff maintaining the grounds.

Very tough to watch. Especially considering the Braves don't have much offense when they don't hit home runs. So when they can score 6 by singles and doubles and still lose, it stings.

Yeah the d**n Braves were up 6-1 too! Erv just couldn't get that last out in the 5th. I'm going to Fenway on Wednesday to see them play again. They are doing 2 in ATL then they go to Boston and play 2. Interesting series, but I get to see the Braves so I'm happy. Its looking like Floyd vs. Lackey.

Have fun at the game tonight and wear something warm, it's gonna be a cold one tonight!

 

Sox win 2 and now the news peeps are reporting a "winning streak"!? Seriously folks, they just dropped 10 in a row, can you wait until they win like 4 or 5 in a row before you climb back on the band wagon!

Have fun at the game tonight and wear something warm, it's gonna be a cold one tonight!

Sox win 2 and now the news peeps are reporting a "winning streak"!? Seriously folks, they just dropped 10 in a row, can you wait until they win like 4 or 5 in a row before you climb back on the band wagon!

Thanks, but due to some unfortunate circumstances at work, I will be unable to attend. I'm not happy, but the way the Sox are handling the Braves it might be for the best lol. But I'm very bummed I can't go. My father who is an ATL fan and my mother who is a Sox fan are going still.

Thanks, but due to some unfortunate circumstances at work, I will be unable to attend. I'm not happy, but the way the Sox are handling the Braves it might be for the best lol. But I'm very bummed I can't go. My father who is an ATL fan and my mother who is a Sox fan are going still.

That stinks, I hope your parents have a good time.

That stinks, I hope your parents have a good time.

I'll be watching for them on TV. Shouldn't be hard to find. A guy in a Braves hat next to his wife in the Sox hat. With my luck, it will go into extra innings. Then I'm going to really wish I got to go. I love watching extra innings. So intense. The Braves really need to put the Sox back on their losing streak!

The Braves really need to put the Sox back on their losing streak!

 

Man, and I thought we were gonna be friends....LOL

Man, and I thought we were gonna be friends....LOL

Hey I got mad respect for the BoSox! Just not when they're playing the Braves lol. You won't find more of a "baseball team" than in Boston. Every year too. They don't just buy a team, they build one, with guys who all fit into their role perfectly. I love the whole "work the count" thing they do too. It's gotta drive opposing pitchers crazy! Every single guy on that team, 1-9, is so patient at the plate. Before you know it, the other pitcher has thrown 60 pitches to get 6 outs. It's gotta be so frustrating. Funny thing is, the Braves are literally the polar opposite. Just free-swinging HR hitters.

Hey I got mad respect for the BoSox! Just not when they're playing the Braves lol. You won't find more of a "baseball team" than in Boston. Every year too. They don't just buy a team, they build one, with guys who all fit into their role perfectly. I love the whole "work the count" thing they do too. It's gotta drive opposing pitchers crazy! Every single guy on that team, 1-9, is so patient at the plate. Before you know it, the other pitcher has thrown 60 pitches to get 6 outs. It's gotta be so frustrating. Funny thing is, the Braves are literally the polar opposite. Just free-swinging HR hitters.

How can you say they didn't buy their team?  they either FA signed or traded for pretty much their entire roster.

How can you say they didn't buy their team?  they either FA signed or traded for pretty much their entire roster.

 

 

 

Because they don't blindly throw money at free agents like some teams. They go after guys that they need to fit a specific role. They don't sign superstars, they have enough star power with Ortiz and Pedroia. Instead they go after guys like Napoli, Pierzynski, and Gomes. None of these guys are superstars, not even all-stars anymore, but they are certainly an asset to a winning club. And there big signing this offseason? Grady Sizemore. What a perfect fit for Boston. Not a superstar, but a veteran guy who can do a little bit of everything. They get chip-ins from guys like Nava and Carp, again not superstars. Nava is a homegrown guy and Carp is kind of a journeyman. They both put in near .300 seasons last year. And also look at the rotation. Buccholz and Lester are both homegrown and Lackey is a perfect anchor. None of these guys are super-stars. Don't get me wrong, they spend money. But they don't just buy their team, they build it. Something that some other big-market teams need to learn, instead of blindly throwing $100m contracts at a 36 year old who hit 35 homers in 2007...

How can you say they didn't buy their team?  they either FA signed or traded for pretty much their entire roster.

 

 

 

And they certainly didn't trade or FA sign almost their entire roster. Bradley Jr., Nava, Pedrioa, Bogaerts, Lavarnway, Lester and Buchholz are all guys who are homegrown.

Every team has a core group of home grown players and fill the holes through free agency. Although with an attached draft pick, you'll probably see teams that maintain home grown players like it was back in the 70's, I believe the last decade before free agency.

Every team has a core group of home grown players and fill the holes through free agency. Although with an attached draft pick, you'll probably see teams that maintain home grown players like it was back in the 70's, I believe the last decade before free agency.

 

 

 

Very true. Most teams are a mix of homegrown players and free agents. Usually more FAs than homegrown, especially in big market teams. But the way the Sox do it just makes sense to me. Being a Braves fan, I get very frustrated with the unusual choices made by GM Frank Wren. Then I look at the Sox. When I saw that they signed Grady Sizemore, my only thought was: Brilliant!

Look at the Cardinals, that is a true homegrown team.  personally i don't care either way as long as my team wins but saying they don't buy their team is not accurate.  They do pay based on need but that doesn't change that the team is built via free agency really.

Look at the Cardinals, that is a true homegrown team.  personally i don't care either way as long as my team wins but saying they don't buy their team is not accurate.  They do pay based on need but that doesn't change that the team is built via free agency really.

 

 

 

When you win a World Series after an offseason of trading away Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford (two very highly paid players) and signing the likes of Jonny Gomes and David Ross, it is accurate to say they built that team, not bought it. They built it by signing FAs that filled a need (Yes, they spend money. Every team signs free agents), and by developing guys like Nava. And as far as St. Loius, Beltran was an Astro, Holliday was a Rockie, Peralta was an Indian and a Tiger and Bourjos was an Angel. Every team has players they signed and traded for. But yes, the Cardinals are definitely more of a "homegrown" team than most. And like you said, I don't care as long as my team wins. I am just a fan of how well the Sox roster was put together in 2013.

And Wainwright was actually in the Braves farm system but they traded him to St. Louis. Oh, what could have been.

When you win a World Series after an offseason of trading away Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford (two very highly paid players) and signing the likes of Jonny Gomes and David Ross, it is accurate to say they built that team, not bought it. They built it by signing FAs that filled a need (Yes, they spend money. Every team signs free agents), and by developing guys like Nava. And as far as St. Loius, Beltran was an Astro, Holliday was a Rockie, Peralta was an Indian and a Tiger and Bourjos was an Angel. Every team has players they signed and traded for. But yes, the Cardinals are definitely more of a "homegrown" team than most. And like you said, I don't care as long as my team wins. I am just a fan of how well the Sox roster was put together in 2013.

Seeing how you know so much about the Red Sox and you defended the free agency issue so well, it's not too late to join Red Sox Nation?!?! 

Seeing how you know so much about the Red Sox and you defended the free agency issue so well, it's not too late to join Red Sox Nation?!?!

Haha not a chance! Braves for life! But if I had to pick an AL team it would be the Red Sox. I'm just a fan of baseball in general, and I'll watch any teams play. I'll even sit through 9 innings of Royals vs. Padres lol.

Haha not a chance! Braves for life! But if I had to pick an AL team it would be the Red Sox. I'm just a fan of baseball in general, and I'll watch any teams play. I'll even sit through 9 innings of Royals vs. Padres lol.

I'm the same as you, just a general love for the game. On Father's Day I'll be at the Pawtucket (AAA) Red Sox Game with my wife and 2 kids. We're really looking forward to it!

 

If you think about that Padres/Royals game you mentioned in your post, the 2 teams are about the same so it would more than likely be a real good game to watch!

So Jar it is official they are going to go with the singles machine la stella. Look for uggla at your local wavier wire down the stretch lol.....so lackey blanked them man, can't complain too much he is on my fantasy team lol

So Jar it is official they are going to go with the singles machine la stella. Look for uggla at your local wavier wire down the stretch lol.....so lackey blanked them man, can't complain too much he is on my fantasy team lol

The Red Sox have certainly handled the Braves. Lackey had 9 or 10 Ks too. Things are looking a little better tonight, but when they blew a 6-1 lead in ATL to a Sox team who had lost 10 in a row I knew it could have started something...As far as La Stella, they had to do something. Uggla and Pena are both hitting below or at .200. So he really can't be worse than what we had. Maybe he can be a top of the order guy so Freeman can drive in some runs.

I'm the same as you, just a general love for the game. On Father's Day I'll be at the Pawtucket (AAA) Red Sox Game with my wife and 2 kids. We're really looking forward to it!

If you think about that Padres/Royals game you mentioned in your post, the 2 teams are about the same so it would more than likely be a real good game to watch!

That's a good way to spend Father's Day. Im guessing the Pawtucket Sox draw a big crowd too. I'll root for em, unless they are playing Gwinett lol. I wonder if the Royals and Padres even play each other? Probably would be a good series. My favorite games to watch are pitchers duels. I love them. Two offenses doing everything they can just to get 1 run across. That's when strategy really comes into play. Especially extra innings. Then it's battle of the bench and bullpen.

BTW I'm watching the game right now, and I'm having a great time listening to the hecklers. You can hear them perfectly. "This guy can't hit! He can't hit a can of corn!"

That's a good way to spend Father's Day. Im guessing the Pawtucket Sox draw a big crowd too. I'll root for em, unless they are playing Gwinett lol. I wonder if the Royals and Padres even play each other? Probably would be a good series. My favorite games to watch are pitchers duels. I love them. Two offenses doing everything they can just to get 1 run across. That's when strategy really comes into play. Especially extra innings. Then it's battle of the bench and bullpen.

BTW I'm watching the game right now, and I'm having a great time listening to the hecklers. You can hear them perfectly. "This guy can't hit! He can't hit a can of corn!"

Jar11591, are you still with us? You didn't jump off the bridge because of last night, did you? I kid I kid. Your starting pitcher was dealing last night, hard to believe all those errors commited at the end.

 

You brought up another interesting thing about baseball; all the phases:

A can of corn, I beleive was a soft fly ball to the outfield caught for an out

Battery, the pitcher and catcher

The dish, home plate

The bump or the hill, pichers mound

Ducks in the pond, players on base

Chin music or high cheese, pitch thrown up and in to a batter

 

The list goes on and on and I can't get enough of it...LOL

Ducks in the pond? Lol I've never heard that before. I'm gonna start using that. Bottom 6, 2-2 count, 1 out and 2 ducks in the pond! And yeah that last loss was hard. Minor really was dealing. 7 inning with only 1 run. Between errors, strikeouts and sub .200 batting averages, the 2nd base position is like the Achilles heal of the ATL Braves. The rookie La Stella the other night had two goof ups. Idk if they were both ruled errors, but they were not good plays. Braves got some work to. If they wanna make a real run this year, they're gonna have to trade for a guy that can get on base at the top of the order. Not another guy who may or may not hit 30 HRs and will definitely strike outs 200+ times. Oh how I wish I was the GM!

This weekend I'll be in Cooperstown taking in the Hall of Fame with my family. My son and I can't wait!

This weekend I'll be in Cooperstown taking in the Hall of Fame with my family. My son and I can't wait!

 

Nice ~ say hello to Teddy Baseball's head for me - oh wait . . . . .

 

A-Jay