http://www.sportsnipe.com Atlanta Braves, Team News, Updates, and Stats from all sports sources, updated continually. http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1048586/guess-40man-roster-additions-bleed-cubbie-blue-blog.html MiamiHerald.comGuess The 40-Man Roster AdditionsBleed Cubbie Blue (blog)This article from the Atlanta Braves website gives some details on how this process works and also about some other upcoming deadlines. ...Arizona gets Heilman from CubsABC Action Newsall 299 news articles » Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047999/braves-top10-minor-league-relief-pitchers-610.html Kevin Gunderson will need to improve his left/right splits if he hopes to earn a spot in Atlanta's bullpen. View full size photo » The fact is, most effective Major League relievers are converted starters. But, that's no reason to ignore the crop of pitchers performing primarily as relievers in the Braves' Minor League system, as the tops names are each not only talented but have succeeded as they've moved up the ladder.6. Kevin Gunderson B/T: R/L Born: 9/16/1984 Ht: 5'10" Wt: 165 The nephew of former Major Leaguer Eric Gunderson, the diminutive lefty was drafted in the 5th round in 2006 after making a name for himself by leading Oregon State to a College World Series title by pitching effectively as both a starter and a reliever. Gunderson has only pitched out of the bullpen as a pro though, working his funky low 3/4 delivery for a 3.01 career ERA. After pitching the second half of 2008 with Mississippi, he returned to AA in 2009 and succeeded, collecting a 1-3 record, 2.55 ERA, and 1.31 WHIP in 49.1 innings. When he was drafted it was believed that Gunderson would be able to move through the minor leagues quickly, but three and a half seasons later he's only played 2 games above AA. The good news is that he's remained effective throughout his career. While he doesn't have overpowering stuff, he still gets good movement on his fastball, good break on his slider, and, when he is able to harness it, his changeup is a weapon. Unfortunately, he didn't show much ability to negate lefthanded batters last season, allowing a .322 average against lefties compared to just a .211 average against righties. Gunderson will likely be invited to Major League Spring Training with Atlanta to see if he can earn a bullpen spot, but he'll probably be spending the majority of 2010 with Gwinnett trying to refine his game. If he can continue to remain an effective reliever he'll certainly be looked at as a Major League option, but if he isn't able to get lefites out at a better rate he won't have much success at the highest levels. T7. Luis Valdez B/T: R/R Born: 5/5/1984 Ht: 6'2" Wt: 205 Valdez is proof that Minor League free agent signings shouldn't be overlooked. After struggling to harness his talent in four seasons with various Pirates A ball teams, mostly working as a starter, he was signed by Atlanta prior to the 2008 season to provide bullpen depth for Mississippi. He went on to shine as the team's closer, collecting 28 saves in an All-Star season. He followed up that performance by collecting another 27 saves in 2009 for Gwinnett, while also racking up a 5-4 record with a 3.28 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 71.1 innings. He made his Major League debut with the Braves in July, pitching one game then and two others late in the season. With his low to mid 90s fastball, diving slider, and show-me changeup, Valdez is the typical reliever. His stuff is good enough to make him dominant out of a Minor League bullpen and he should have little problem adapting to Major League hitters. By getting knocked around in his early career with the Pirates, he learned a lot about who he is as a pitcher and what he needs to do to succeed. The reason he's been so successful with the Braves is that he's cut back the types of pitches he throws and has trusted his stuff. Valdez is likely to be given a chance to earn a spot in Atlanta's bullpen out of Spring Training in 2010 and there's little reason to doubt that he'll be able to earn one. No matter what Frank Wren works out with the back of the bullpen, there's likely to be a spot or two up for grabs and Valdez has both the physical stuff and the mental makeup to claim one of those positions. T7. Ryan Weber B/T: R/R Born: 8/12/1990 Ht: 6'0" Wt: 170 After playing for the Juinor National Team in high school, Weber was thought of as a possible 1st round draft pick, but scared teams off on draft day with his contract demands and wasn't picked until the 12th round by the Phillies. He opted to go to Junior College, hoping for a better result a year later, but fell even further in the draft, as the Braves picked him in the 22nd round. The team managed to sign him right near the deadline and they were rewarded with their dilligence as he pitched well in 10.1 innings for the Orlando Braves in the GCL, working a 1.74 ERA and 0.77 WHIP while striking out 13 and walking none. Weber is smallish but he's also deceptive, with a delivery that hides the ball from the hitter, a whip-like arm action, and a low 3/4 arm slot. His fastball is a plus pitch, working with a ton of movement in the mid 90s, and he combines it with a big, looping slider that rolls in in the low 80s. He'll be just 19 entering the 2010 season and though he'll start with Rome, his unique skill set indicates that he might be able to blow through Atlanta's Minor League system. T9. Lee Hyde B/T: R/L Born: 2/14/1985 Ht: 6'2" Wt: 185 Before 2009 there was a rumor that Lee Hyde was a myth. After a standout career at Georgia Tech the Atlanta native was drafted in the 4th round of the 2006 draft by the Braves and pitched well in 16 games between Danville and Rome. But then he suddenly disappeared into the mythical realm of Big Foot, the Loch Ness Mosnter, and Marlins fans. The stats say he pitched 16 games between 07 and 08, but nobody could be found to actually verify this. The Legend of Lee continued in in early 2009 as he was nowhere to be found once again. But, in May, something strange happened, Hyde was actually able to take the mound and by the end of the year he had pitched in 26 games, 45% of his career total, and pitched well, with a 5-2 record, 2.27 ERA, and 1.03 WHIP in a career high 35.2 innings while striking out 11.4 batters per 9 innings. While Hyde hasn't always been able to show his pitching ability, one thing his recovery from Tommy John surgery has shown is his determination and work ethic. A former starter, Hyde mixes a low 90s fastball with run on it with a mid 80s slider and a developing knuckle-curve, which could become his best pitch. He's been as effective against lefties as he has against righties and has an advanced feel for pitching. Pitching in the Arizona Fall Leauge, a league roundly known for the quality of its hitters, Hyde has performed well, striking out 13 in 12 innings while allowing 4 runs and a.167 average against. He was added to the Braves' 40-Man roster today and while he'll like return to AA Mississippi to start 2010, his age, he'll be 25 at the start of the season, combined with his talent, indicate that he could find himself in Atlanta's bullpen by the end of the season. T9. Brett Butts B/T: R/R Born: 4/24/1986 Ht: 6'1" Wt: 190 The nephew of longtime Atlanta strength coach Allan Butts, Brett was drafted out of Auburn in the 19th round in 2007. He's moved throughtthe system quickly, succeeding at every level and made huge strides for AA Mississippi in 2009 as he led the team with 53 appearances collecting a 7-3 record, 2.58 ERA and 1.35 WHIP in 73.1 innings. Butts doesn't have overpowering stuff, working with an average fastball, slider, and changeup, but he's an advanced college player who knows how to pitch and, more importantly, how to pitch out of the bullpen. Like Valdez, Gunderson, and Hyde, he'll likely be invited to Atlanta's Major League Spring Training, and though he's apt to spend the majority of the season with AAA Gwinnett, there's a good chance that he could find himself as an option out of Atlanta's bullpen at some point in 2010. Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047728/tom-glavine-talks-on-sirius-xm-radio.html More photos » by Paul Abell - AP It seems like some of the bitterness of the Braves' decision to cut Tom Glavine (evident in this picture from June 5th of this year) has finally left the future Hall of Fame pitcher. Browse more photos » I was sent this transcript by the media guy over at Sirius XM Radio's MLB Home Plate show. I thought it had some good quotes from Tom Glavine... he usually has good quotes when he's asked questions: Yesterday, Nov. 19, on ‘SIRIUS XM’s MLB Home Plate’ channel, hosts Seth Everett and Jim Duquette spoke with Tom Glavine about his future plans and Bobby Cox’s pending retirement. Host/Seth Everett: "Tell us about the way your season came to a close and what your thought process is as we hit November. Free agency signing period starts tomorrow. What is your attitude in terms of what you think your future is?" Tom Glavine: "I honestly don’t know.  I didn't like the way my season ended last year. It has been well talked about and well documented. Obviously I wasn't happy about it and I thought it should have gone differently than it did but it didn't. And that’s something on a personal level that I have to deal with and I have dealt with.  I’m okay with it.  I’m okay with it now.  I’ve moved on. I don't know what the next chapter of life is for me.  I'm not closing the door on playing next year but I really don't see myself at this point in time playing.  I mean, a lot of things would have to change.  I don't know what I am going to do next. Assuming I don't play, I don't know if it is going to be to get into the broadcasting side of the game or trying to get into a front office type situation with somebody and start learning that side of the game. I don't know.  I see myself staying around the game a little bit that's for sure, but I’m not quite sure exactly what it is that I want to do. I've been home since June of last year and it’s actually been kinda nice being home, hanging out with my boys, and being a dad so I don't know how soon I want to get away from doing that."   Host/Jim Duquette: "Bobby Cox has announced that he is going to manage his last year in 2010. It’s hard to imagine him not being in that dugout beyond 2010. Your thoughts on his pending retirement?" Glavine: "There are certain guys that you just don't ever expect not to see in that uniform or in that dugout anymore and Bobby is one of those guys. You look at the Braves and for so many years they had the stability of myself, and Smoltzy, and Maddux, and Chipper Jones now and all those guys you kind of knew from year to year were going to be there and slowly but surely, everybody has gone by the wayside. Bobby has kind of been the lasting guy. And I think a lot of people thought they would have to tear the uniform off him to get him out of the dugout. That'll be extremely strange for a lot of people when that day comes to look over there and not see Bobby yelling at the umpires anymore or cheering the guys on in the dugout. It's going to be a big adjustment, I think, for everyone involved with the organization but sooner or later you have to make those changes. I feel bad for the guy who has to come in after him because you know as much as everyone talks about, ‘Oh, he’s not filling Bobby's shoes’, that's exactly what everybody’s going to think he's doing and its going to be a tough assignment for whoever comes in after him."   SIRIUS XM’s MLB Home Plate channel is available to listeners nationwide on XM channel 175 and SIRIUS channel 210 with the "Best of XM" package. Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047727/mlb-offseason-buzz-nov-1214.html The World Series may still be fresh in your mind, but MLB GMs are already focusing on next season. Thankfully, Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi have all the latest gossip and buzz. Note: All times listed are ET. Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047028/royals-sign-former-braves-pitcher-jorge-campillo.html Royals sign former Braves pitcher Jorge Campillo I did not see that coming... no, wait, yes I did. Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045721/braves-add-five-pitchers-to-40man-roster.html The Braves have chosen to protect an additional five pitchers from the Rule 5 Draft by adding them to their 40-man roster. Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045717/braves-add-five-players-to-40man-roster.html Today is the last day to set 40-man rosters to protect players from the Rule 5 draft later this month. Per Mark Bowman, the Braves added five pitchers, left-handers Lee Hyde, Jose Ortegano and Jonny Venters and right-handers Jeff Lyman and Kyle Coffield. Bowman has a writeup of each player here. Lee Hyde and Jeff Lyman will be reviewed today and tomorrow respectively here as Talking Chop presents our top-10 Braves minor league relievers. I'm a personal fan of Hyde, and I think he'll be a solid bullpen contributor in a year or so. Lyman seems to be following the Blaine Boyer track, and Coffield and Venters could be on that starter to reliever track as well. Ortegano was ranked last week as the Braves third-best left-handed starting pitching prospect, and you can read a review here. A notable player who was not added is outfielder Matt Young. If we give enough credit to the Braves for thinking all the way ahead to this day, then we may be able to understand why Young was kept in double-A for all but 7 games this year, for the second consecutive year -- they didn't want to expose him to this draft after having played at a higher level. Though it is highly unlikely that he would be taken. Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045523/smoke-signals-this-dallas-week.html SLB Brian Orakpo is tied for 10th in the NFL with 7 sacks, which leads all rookies. He’s had to make the transition from college DE to pro SLB and he’s done pretty well, though he does look a bit awkward in pass coverage. To me, Orakpo’s natural position is DE and I think he’d have 10 sacks this season if he’d played every down with his hand on the ground. Orakpo is so quick and explosive that I think any use of him that  doesn’t involve him playing forward, attacking the offense, is a mistake. Read it. Speaking of Orakpo, although he grew up in Texas, he’s from the Houston area and doesn’t like Dallas or the Cowboys any more than the rest of us do. Orakpo grew up as an Oilers fan, though that team no longer exists. Read it. TB Clinton Portis has been ruled out of the game on Sunday due to lingering effects from the concussion he suffered in Atlanta. DT Albert Haynesworth will be a weekend decision, but my semi-educated guess is that he will play. OL Mike Williams will not play. Read it. Whether it is Sherman Lewis calling the plays or superior execution on the field or some combination thereof, the Redskins red zone offense has improved in recent weeks. In the past three games, the Redskins have scored six touchdowns on eight trips inside the 20-yard line. They’ve also kicked one field goal and fumbled on a fourth-down snap. In the first six games, Washington scored six touchdowns, and six field goals, on 15 red zone possessions. During that stretch, they ran the ball 16 times — nine to the left — and managed just one rushing touchdown (aside from a fake field goal). They’ve run 14 times in the past three games — eight to the left — and have rushed for two touchdowns. They’ve also thrown four touchdown passes. “We’re mixing it up good,” quarterback Jason Campbell said. Against Denver, they ran out of shotgun formation on first down, spreading the field with three receivers and forcing the Broncos to use less defenders in the middle. They also ran a fake reverse to Santana Moss from the 2-yard line. The middle linebacker flowed with Moss. That left the middle open for Yoder, who started in and then slid out. Denver was forced to cover three receivers on the right side with only two defenders. FB Mike Sellers takes some veiled shots at Portis, who asked coaches to bench Sellers for poor blocking during a win against Tampa Bay, in noting that the Redskins have run pretty well with Ladell Betts and Rock Cartwright carrying the ball. Only trouble is, a lot of those yards were gained without a fullback on the field. My view is that Sellers has had a down year, but so has Portis and the problems Portis has had cannot be blamed on Sellers. Read it. Cowboys WR Miles Austin is getting a lot of attention lately. He had two monster receiving games earlier this season, but the fact is, his production has declined every week for about 3 weeks now and he did nothing against the Green Bay Packers last week. Is Austin really a big shot now or is he just a flash in the pan? We’ll find out more this Sunday, but if he’s going to start catching long TD passes again, the Redskins secondary is a pretty promising place to start. Read it. Jerry Jones wants TB Felix Jones to get more carries. That means Felix Jones will get more carries. Read it. The Cowboys will be without starting free safety Ken Hamlin, lost for the game to injury. In Hamlin’s place, Alan Ball makes his first NFL start. Read it. Read more about this Cowboys team here. Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045471/interesting-free-agent-rankings.html More photos » by Winslow Townson - AP Billy Wagner could wind up in an Atlanta Braves uniform next year. Browse more photos » Keith Law ranks the top-50 free agents at ESPN Insider. Some interesting notes: He lists Mike Gonzalez 16th, ahead of Rafael Soriano, saying they are the two best relievers on the market, but he considers Gonzo healthier and more valuable from the left side. Rafael Soriano is 19th, and the thing that jumped out at me is that Law says he should be looking for K-Rod type money in a contract. Francisco Rodriguez got a 3-year, $37 million deal after leading the AL in saves, Soriano has been a full-time closer for less than a year, and as my 2009 review of him showed, he regressed throughout 2009. I can't see a team desperate enough to give Soriano that type of money, or even close. Maybe I'm misjudging the market for relievers. Billy Wagner is ranked 23rd, and Law says of him that the biggest concern is if he can handle the closer's workload, and that an incentive-laden contract for games finished would make sense for the signing team. I can see the Braves being open to something along those lines. He mentions a Japanese reliever named Ryota Igarashi, and I can see the Braves taking a chance on him if he chooses to come to the States. Adam LaRoche is listed 29th, and while the review is not glowing -- pointing out his overall averageness and his first half swoon -- Law seems to think that some team will still pay him like a regular first baseman in both salary and years. This could easily put the Braves out of the running. I still think our best option is to offer him arbitration and act excited if he accepts, keeping him around for one more year. I noticed that there were a lot of free agent second basemen. Teams needing a second baseman and not wanting to give up the draft picks to sign one of the free agents may create a market for Kelly Johnson. Good overview of the free agents by Law, if you're an insider you should check it out. Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1043282/offensively-blazers-remain-work-in-progress.html The Portland Trail Blazers are by no means clicking on all cylinders. Even though they have made some improvement defensively, the are vehemently searching for their game on offense. Nate McMillan is going through an adjustment period as head coach. With three new additions to the playing rotation. It’s been challenging to find time and the right formula for everyone on the roster. Who to play? When do you play them? How do you play them? Who get’s the shots and what plays do you run? No one may be more lost right now than all star guard Brandon Roy. Due to injuries on the team, Brandon has had to start and play the three spot. This has taken a lot out of him offensively going against bigger guys. But what maybe confusing the fourth year player the most is not knowing how to play and not knowing his role. Does he play off the ball? Does take the ball and control the offense? Where and exactly does he fit? Some of these issues are being created with the integration of veteran point guard Andre Miller. Like Brandon, Andre needs to the ball in his hands to be effective. He is a play maker. For Nate McMillan, it’s a balancing act trying to find the right formula that combines both players skills and making it pay dividends for the team. And there are bigger issues for the head coach. With having so many weapons at his disposal. He can play it inside and outside. However, the coach is struggling to put together the scheme that balances an inside and outside punch. An equation that will find points from not only the perimeter but in the paint as well. Right now, points in the paint are difficult to come by. Greg Oden is still developing. Even with as big as he is, LaMarcus Aldridge would rather play like a guard on the perimeter. So finding the points in the paint is tricky. However, it might be as simple as throwing it into the big guy inside and letting him go to work. Greg is improving daily. His footwork, quickness down low is much improved from last season. He is in better shape. He is leaner which in all, is making things easier for him. But he is not without struggles. He is still a work in progress. He doesn’t have the greatest hands and a lot of times he loses the ball when he goes to the hoop or when he is attempting to grab it in the low block. His turnovers are a problem for the team which presents a trust factor by the guards or whoever is throwing it into him. Do you pass it to him or not? The fourth quarter is when you can look at the Portland Trail Blazers and see that they are no where near where they should be. They look confused and out of sorts. Isolation’s and kick outs dominate the offense. Not enough high percentage shots, too many low percentage. The blazers can cure some of the problems by running isolation’s using Andre Miller to initiate the offense and Brandon Roy to complete it. Or they can go with a two man pick and roll using Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge or even Greg Oden to open up some advantages on the inside and out. They are not with out answers. It’s just a matter of finding the right match ups and taking advantage of it. Were 13 games into the season. The blazers find themselves tied in the Northwest Division with the Denver Nuggets. This is a team that has yet to come close to playing their best ball. Offensively is where the improvement needs to come. The good news is it is early and they have plenty of time to work out the problems. But this is a moment that innovation and creativity needs to move to the forefront. And for Nate McMillan, this presents a new challenge for him as an NBA head coach. Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1043281/ducks-defeat-lightning-in-ot.html It was only the 20th game of the season for the Ducks. One fourth of the way in, three fourths to go. Yet it wasn’t too early to say “must win” for the Ducks. The Ducks began a seven-game homestand after coming off a winless road trip that Bobby Ryan described as “abysmal.” Tampa Bay was the intended victim of the Ducks and things started out well for the Anaheim team that has seen their fair share of ups and downs within games this season. This game was no different. The Ducks started up with goals from Teemu Selanne and Ryan Getzlaf in the first period, and Ryan extended the lead to 3-0 at 6:52 of the second period. All three Ducks goals were the results of power plays, although Selanne’s goal came :03 seconds after a penalty to goaltender Mike Smith had expired. While you see goaltender interference, it is rare to see interference by a goaltender, but that was what happened when Smith pinned Corey Perry against the boards behind the net. Perry’s assist on Selanne’s goal extended his point scoring streak to 13 games. Ryan’s goal was the result of a double-minor for high-sticking by Tampa. It was poetic justice that the player, who was still bleeding and awaiting official stitches after the game, was the guy who put the puck in the net. After the “up” the Ducks came down. Jeff Halpern and Steven Stamkos scored just :18 seconds apart in the middle period. After that, coach Randy Carlyle took a timeout and diagrammed something for his team. One can only surmise what it was, but it could have been as simplistic as “they score here, you score there.” Tampa Bay tied up the game early in the third period with a power play goal of their own. Martin St. Louis had a beauty of a shot that went past traffic and into the net behind Jonas Hiller at 1:38. The game remained tied and the Ducks took their chances in overtime. “Down three nothing on the road and you get a point, that’s pretty good,” reflected St. Louis. A cross-checking penalty by Ryan Malone just :11 seconds into the extra period gave the Ducks their seventh power play opportunity. It did not fail as captain Scott Niedermayer put the puck into the net at :52 seconds, giving the Ducks their first win since November 7. Insert huge sigh of relief here, for the Ducks and for the Ducks fans. “It was a good start,” said Niedermayer, whose post-game gift of his stick caused a near brawl amongst greedy fans. (That will likely be the end of that brief tradition.) “We stuck with it and got the win. That’s all that matters.” Carlyle was not about to critique a win, and was seemingly relieved just to get the two points. “The positives were we had lots of energy at the beginning of the game,” Carlyle said. “We skated and created a lot more in this game from the outset. That is the most encouraging sign and the building point that we want to take forward.” Forward march to Saturday, when San Jose comes to town. While there is much work to do, this was a good beginning. In other notes: James Wisniewski left the game late in the first period after taking a shot to the foot. Xrays were negative, but he did not return to the game. Erik Christensen was loaned to the Manitoba Moose of the AHL for conditioning. Steve Eminger sat out with back spasms. Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1042358/were-just-wasting-time-now.html Ugh, does this ever stop? For the past couple of years we’ve been hearing “Where will LeBron James play in 2010!?” every time the Cleveland Cavaliers play on TV. LeBron finally nixed answering questions about his free-agency, but then he ruined it by announcing that he would change his jersey number from 23 to 6 in 2010. And now that that has quieted down, LeBron comes out and says this: “If I put all my time and commitment into it, if I dedicated myself to the game of football, I could be really good No matter what team I was on.” Great, so we have to listen to empty chatter about how good LeBron would be if he played football. Isn’t there anything else in the sports world we could talk about? Like Brett Favre? Or Soccer? Anything. Please? It was an interview with the crew of Monday Night Football that elicited that little sound bite. Essentially, the context was “Boy, the Browns really suck, but you’d certainly make them better!” Then he says that and now everyone is in a craze about LeBron playing in the NFL It’s like people (see: ESPN) are just looking for a reason to talk about LeBron. He knows it too. That’s why he keeps saying stuff like this even after telling the media that he doesn’t want to talk about his free-agency. He said he had always dreamed of playing in Madison Square Garden, thus launching the countdown for 2010 years in advance. Then it’s like “Oh, LeBron played football in high school. WHAT IF he played in the NFL? I bet he’d be AWESOME!” I think the logic there is funny. He played in high school and he’s one of the best players in the NBA, therefore he would be great in the NFL. See? It’s stupid. I fully expect LeBron to say “I like hotdogs” and we’ll then wake up the following day to a lot of “Could LeBron beat Joey Chestnut in a hotdog eating contest?” The same logic works there too; he’s one of the best players in the NBA and he likes hotdogs, so he would certainly be good at consuming a bunch of hotdogs in a competitive eating contest, right? Wrong! Cleveland Browns coach Eric Mangini says he wouldn’t mind LeBron being on his team. Everyone agrees that LeBron would help the Browns be less horrible. But there’s a problem that everyone is overlooking: the Browns don’t have a quarterback with which to get the ball to LeBron. So what good does that do? Oh sure, he’s competitive and athletic, but if no one is capable of getting him the ball what the point? And I know they keep asking football analysts and people within the NFL if he could succeed in the NFL, but they’re wrong all the time. Weren’t Brady Quinn and Matt Leinart supposed to be awesome while Joe Flacco was “drafted too high?” How’s that working out? You know, I’d actually give good money if reporters started asking LeBron if he were really going to play in the NFL. After every game, he needs to be asked about which NFL team he will play for in 2010 and what jersey number he will wear. And even better, there’s two teams in New York-the Giants and Jets-that he could choose from. Reporters should just skip the speculation stage and head to the rumor stage. Like, “Hey LeBron, are you looking forward to playing with Eli Manning next season?” Wouldn’t that be fun? Somebody needs to make this happen. There are currently at least two articles on ESPN.com right now about this topic, a topic which is based on a question that starts with “what if.” It’s a waste of everyone’s time. People trolling the IMDB message boards debating whether “The Dark Knight” is better than “The Godfather” are laughing at this. And yeah, you could say I’m stupid for taking the time to write this post, but at least I can arrive to a conclusion that isn’t based on fantastical speculation. LBJ and NFL: A fantasy based in reality (ESPN) Browns would give Cavs’ James a shot (ESPN) The Browns wouldn’t mind LeBron’s help (SLAM Online) Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1042348/access-points-16-1948-sain-glove-at-atlanta-braves-museum-journal-constitution.html Atlanta Journal ConstitutionAccess Points 16: 1948 Sain glove at Atlanta Braves MuseumAtlanta Journal Constitution... the first Series televised on a national network - but Sain would go on to a long career as a pitching coach, including a run with the Atlanta Braves. ... Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1041182/braves-having-trouble-shopping-lowe-off-record-blog.html Off the Record (blog)Braves having trouble shopping Lowe?Off the Record (blog)Sources tell Foxsports.com's Ken Rosenthal that the Atlanta Braves are having trouble shopping starter Derek Lowe. Sources also leaked information to ...Footprints in the Snow: BravesFanHouse (blog)It's a Brave Market: Hudson Gets ThreeBleacher ReportSources: Braves finding it tough to shop LoweFOXSports.comMLB.com -AtlantaBraves.com -Rotoworld.comall 11 news articles » Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1041181/report-braves-attempting-to-move-derek-lowe.html From Ken Rosenthal, we learn that the Atlanta Braves have had what seems like several conversations with teams about trading starting pitcher Derek Lowe, but they have had little luck finding a taker: The Braves' most extensive discussions concerning Lowe have been with the Brewers about a trade for outfielder Corey Hart, according to one source. But the Brewers are not sure they would want Lowe even if the Braves included significant money in the deal, another source says. Another team showing interest is the Angels: The Angels, who showed interest in Lowe about a month ago, according to sources, could use him to replace Lackey in their rotation. The Braves, seeking a right-handed hitter, like Angels outfielder Juan Rivera. Rosenthal also speculates that the White Sox could be a match for the Braves, in a possible swap for right-handed first baseman Paul Konerko, but no sources are cited for that rumor. The rumor about the Brewers seems quite credible since Rosenthal mentions two different sources, and the Braves have long had eyes for Corey Hart (though I don't know why). Once John Lackey signs, the market for Lowe may open up, with those teams who lost out on Lackey willing to up their offer to get Lowe. The Braves could still reverse course and choose to deal Javier Vazquez, but for the moment it seems clear that they are focused on moving Lowe and his contract (even if they have to eat part of it). Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1041180/i-did-interview-about-braves-offseason-at-simon-on-sports.html I did an interview about the Braves' off-season at Simon on Sports I answered the best I could, though I think my opinions on some topics change daily. The one thing I do know is that the Braves have a lot of holes to fill once again this off-season. Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1040526/ever-wonder-what-darren-daultons-been-up-to-mvncom.html Ever Wonder What Darren Daulton's Been Up To?MVN.comLongtime readers know that I approach this site with a singleminded devotion to just two topics: the Atlanta Braves, and the coming Robocalypse. ... Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1040124/keys-to-game-dolphins-panthers.html Remember when their cheerleaders had lesbian sex in a restroom and then got busted for punching someone in the face after wards? That was awesome. Ok, so here’s the scenario: Win, and we’re at .500 and looking at a real shot at a playoff berth. Lose, and we’re pretty much fucked in the face with a telephone pole. Losing Ronnie is going to hurt us, no doubt. It’s bad enough when our offense is made up of a bunch of white dudes, a guy who runs routes like he’s being chased by a bee, and an emo tight end. Now we  have to go and lose our absolute best fucking player. But does that mean we shrivel up, cancel the hookers and call it a season? Fuck and no it doesn’t. It means we sack up, let Ricky handle his shit, and hope to the ever loving little baby Jesus that our defense stops shitting on itself in the fourth quarter of games. We’re 4-5, they’re 4-5. They’ve lost guys to injuries, we’ve lost guys to injuries. They have Delhomme, we have De Robot. They have Julius Peppers, we have Jason Taylor. They have Jon Beason, we have Cameron Wake. They have DeAngelo Williams, we have Ricky Williams. They have Steve Smith, we have…. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …………………………… fuck! Ah well…. onto the keys -I cannot stress this enough. Run. The. Fucking. Ball. The Panthers are actually very good defending the pass. However, they suck kangaroo testicles when it comes to defending the run. Carolina ranks 25th in the league, allowing an average of 128.1 yards per game. So, naturally, Dan Henning is gonna dazzle them with his Salvador Dali like mind and do shit we have no business doing, such as throwing it 70% of the time. Fuck. That. Dan. Run Ricky til he shits a canary. And then run Lousaka and Lex. Run, run. run. Nuff said. -Looks like Joey Porter will be back tonight. Which can only mean one thing. Joey’s talking shit again. The offense is only going to need to score 17 points, you say? Oh Joey, please go fuck yourself with a small horse. -For the love of all that is good and decent… please do not take Chad Henne out of the game and replace him with that little kid with the retard helmet. When Henne is getting into a groove, stop fucking with that groove! Pat White has one decent play against the Patriots and now we’re suddenly going to start throwing him out there every time we start moving the chains and getting into a rhythm? Fuck. That. This offense needs all the rhythm it can get — especially with Ronnie out of the mix. I don’t want to see Pat White unless the score is 1,265 to -888. And even then it better be because Henne needs to take a really serious shit. -Stop DeAngelo and Jonathan. The Fins have been the tits when it comes to stopping the run this season. But lately, they’ve been fucking up in that department. They’ve allowed at least 100 rushing yards in five straight games. The Jets ran 127 yards on them with Thomas Jones and Shon Green. Williams and Stewart are better than those two as a tandem. The good news is, the Panthers are without Jordan Gross, which means the pass rush better be all over Jake Delhomme. Hit him, hit him often. Him him til he poops his own spleen. -And for the love of large breasted women, please double up on Steve Smith as much as possible. Feel free to throw your two cents in the comments. Also feel free to read my Miami New Times Game Preview. Prediction: Dolphins 24 – Panthers 21 Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1040081/vazquez-lands-among-elite-in-cy-voting-atlantabravescom.html Canoe.caVazquez lands among elite in Cy votingAtlantaBraves.comATLANTA -- Braves right-hander Javier Vazquez gained one of the two votes not cast for Tim Lincecum, Chris Carpenter or Adam ...NL Cy Young Eludes Both Cardinals ContendersThe Cardinal Nation (subscription)Giants' Lincecum wins NL Cy Young second year in a rowReutersGiants' Tim Lincecum Is Favored to Win NL Cy Young Award AgainBloombergThe Associated Pressall 490 news articles » Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1040073/vazquez-lands-among-elite-in-cy-voting.html Braves right-hander Javier Vazquez gained one of the two votes not cast for Tim Lincecum, Chris Carpenter or Adam Wainwright in the balloting for this year's National League Cy Young Award, finishing fourth. Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1039409/1119-pregame-notes-rosters-bruins-at-thrashers.html Here are the rosters for tonight’s game between the Boston Bruins and Atlanta Thrashers. Face-off is scheduled for 7:00 from Philips Arena in Atlanta. BOSTON BRUINS (8-8-4, 20 pts.): #6 D Dennis Wideman 1-3-4-6 #16 F Marco Sturm 4-5-9-10 #17 F Milan Lucic 0-3-3-9 #20 F Daniel Paille 2-5-7-4 (totals w/ BOS & BUF) #21 D Andrew Ference 0-1-1-6 #22 F Shawn Thornton 1-2-3-42 #26 F Blake Wheeler 5-5-10-8 #27 F Steve Begin 2-7-9-11 #28 F Mark Recchi 3-5-8-6 #30 G Tim Thomas 5-6-3, 2.33, .918 #33 D Zdeno Chara 1-10-11-38 #37 F Patrice Bergeron 6-7-13-6 #40 G Tuukka Rask 3-2-1, 2.44 .911 #42 F Trent Whitfield 0-0-0-5 #45 D Mark Stuart 1-2-3-17 #46 F David Krejci 2-6-8-2 #48 D Matt Hunwick 4-2-6-8 #53 D Derek Morris 2-9-11-10 #55 D Johnny Boychuk 0-0-0-5 #60 F Vladimir Sobotka 1-2-3-2 #61 F Byron Bitz 2-1-3-12 #63 F Brad Marchand 0-1-1-18 #73 F Michael Ryder 4-3-7-2 #91 F Marc Savard 4-3-7-4 ATLANTA THRASHERS (10-6-1, 21 pts.): #1 G Johan Hedberg 4-1-0, 2.63, .923 #3 D Mark Popovic 1-1-2-4 #4 D Zach Bogosian 8-2-10-25 #6 D Ron Hainsey 2-4-6-4 #9 F Evander Kane 6-5-11-12 #10 F Bryan Little 2-6-8-2 #12 F Todd White 3-5-8-16 #13 F Vyacheslav Kozlov 1-7-8-17 #16 D Christoph Schubert 1-2-3-18 #17 F Ilya Kovalchuk 12-6-18-8 #19 F Marty Reasoner 0-8-8-4 #20 F Colby Armstrong 3-3-6-6 #23 F Jim Slater 0-0-0-9 #25 D Anssi Salmela 1-1-2-12 #27 F Chris Thorburn 1-2-3-20 #31 G Ondrej Pavelec 6-5-1, 2.90, .917 #32 G Kari Lehtonen 0-0-0, 0.00, .000 (IR – back) #36 F Eric Boulton 1-1-2-35 #39 D Tobias Enstrom 2-10-12-10 #47 F Rich Peverley 8-15-23-10 #61 F Maxim Afinogenov 7-10-17-10 #77 D Pavel Kubina 3-5-8-16 #80 F Nik Antropov 0-16-16-4 - Tim Thomas is expected to get the nod in goal tonight for the Bruins. Thomas is coming off of one of his toughest games this season, as he allowed six goals to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Prior to that, he had allowed a total of six goals in six games. The Flint, MI native enters tonight’s contest with a 5-6-3 record, a 2.33 goals against average, and a .918 save percentage. Thomas is 4-3-1 in nine career appearances against Atlanta. In the other crease, the Thrashers will turn to Ondrej Pavelec. Pavelec has appeared in 13 games this season, going 6-5-1, with a 2.90 goals against average, and a .917 save percentage. The 22-year old hasn’t seen much ice time against Boston, as he was pulled after allowing three goals on four shots last December. - For once, the Bruins’ roster looks different, as Marc Savard and Milan Lucic have both been activated off of Long Term Injured Reserve. In all likelihood, this will mean that Brad Marchand and Trent Whitfield should be heading to Providence in the near future. Savard is still a few games away from returning to the lineup, while Lucic could be ready to play tonight. If Lucic plays, expect the scratches to be Marchand, Whitfield, and Johnny Boychuk. - The Thrashers’ active roster is currently made up of 22 players, meaning that there will be two scratches for tonight’s game. Bryan Little and Pavel Kubina could be those two players, as they are both battling injuries. - The past two weeks have been both good and bad for Boston. The good news is that the Bruins have picked up at least one point in five of their last six games. However, the end result has been a win in just two of those contests. Boston enters tonight’s game on a three-game winless streak, losing once each in a shootout, overtime, and regulation. Tonight is the first of four straight road games for the B’s, who are led offensively by Patrice Bergeron’s six goals and 13 points. - The Thrashers are on the other end of the spectrum at the moment, entering tonight’s game on a four-game winning streak. Three of Atlanta’s four victories in the streak came at home, including a 7-0 thumping of the Los Angeles Kings last Friday. The Thrashers will get to enjoy the home cooking of Philips Arena for the majority of the month, as they will play five of their next seven games on home ice. Atlanta’s leading scorer is Rich Peverley, who has eight goals, 15 assists, and 23 points. Ilya Kovalchuk is in second place with 12 goals and 18 points, despite missing six games with a foot injury. - Last season, the Bruins and Thrashers met four times, with Boston sweeping the season series. The Bruins outscored Atlanta 18-10, winning by scores of 5-4, 7-3, 4-2, and 2-1. David Krejci led all scorers with six assists and seven points, while Milan Lucic and Michael Ryder each found the back of the net four times in the four games. Three of Lucic’s goals came during the October 25th game, as he recorded his first career hat trick. Ilya Kovalchuk led the Thrashers with two goals, three assists, and five points. Manny Fernandez and Johan Hedberg each played in three games to lead the goaltenders, with Fernandez going 3-0, and Hedberg going 0-3. - Since joining the league in 1999, the Atlanta Thrashers haven’t exactly been successful, missing the playoffs in eight of their nine seasons as an NHL franchise. This past offseason was relatively quiet for the Thrashers, as they were involved in a mere eight transactions. Maxim Afinogenov, Nik Antropov, Pavel Kubina, Mark Popovic, and Christoph Schubert all joined the organization, while Garnet Exelby, Eric Perrin, and Colin Stuart each left Atlanta. - This past summer, Atlanta selected Evander Kane with the fourth overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft. Although John Tavares and Victor Hedman tend to receive most of the attention among rookies, Kane has brought excitement to the Thrashers, scoring six goals, five assists, and eleven points in 17 games. The 18-year old played three seasons of junior hockey with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants. One of those seasons was 2006-07, when the Giants won the Memorial Cup with Boston’s Milan Lucic. - Both teams have one player that has worn the colors of tonight’s opposition. Marty Reasoner was a member of the Boston Bruins for 19 games during the 2005-06 season. In that time, Reasoner had two goals, six assists, and eight assists. The former Boston College Eagle was acquired along with Yan Stastny and a draft pick in exchange for Sergei Samsonov. The draft pick ended up being Milan Lucic. On the other side, Marc Savard spent three seasons with the Atlanta Thrashers. During that time, Savard had 63 goals, 133 assists, and 196 points in 174 games. - Tonight is the 37th lifetime meeting between Boston and Atlanta. The Bruins have the lead in the all-time series, entering the game with a record of 20-11-2-3. The individual season series have been very one-sided throughout the years, as one of the teams has gone winless in four of the nine seasons. There has only been one split during that time, as both sides won twice during the 2005-06 campaign. Boston has won seven of the last eight head-to-head meetings with the Thrashers. Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1039370/giants-lincecum-wins-nl-cy-young-second-year-in-row-reuters.html Boston GlobeGiants' Lincecum wins NL Cy Young second year in a rowReutersThe only other time a pitcher won the Cy Young Award without receiving the most first-place votes was in 1998 when the Atlanta Braves' Tom Glavine had 11 to ...NL Cy Young Eludes Both Cardinals ContendersThe Cardinal Nation (subscription)Giants' Tim Lincecum Is Favored to Win NL Cy Young Award AgainBloombergGiants' Lincecum wins second consecutive Cy YoungBoston Globeall 381 news articles » Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1038227/former-braves-star-in-panora-guthrian.html FORMER BRAVES STAR IN PANORAThe GuthrianFriday former Atlanta Braves star Ryan Klesko was at J&J Meats in Panora filming a new half hour segment for "Hard Core Hunting TV" to be shown on the ... Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1038226/braves-2009-season-in-review-middle-relief-talking-chop.html Braves 2009 Season in Review: Middle ReliefTalking Chopby gondeee on Nov 19, 2009 10:48 AM EST 0 comments More photos » by John Heller - AP Atlanta Braves reliever Peter Moylan was one of the most valuable ... Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1038225/braves-2009-season-in-review-middle-relief.html More photos » by John Heller - AP Atlanta Braves reliever Peter Moylan was one of the most valuable members of any team's bullpen last year. Browse more photos » Middle relief is never a sure thing in baseball. The Atlanta Braves have been lucky in the past to have cobbled together good middle relief corps. They haven't been so lucky the last few years, but last year they did a decent job of assembling good middle relievers while working around some injuries. The most striking thing about the 2009 middle relief crew was how fast the team was to make a change early in the year. The Braves hadn't broke camp a week when they released Blaine Boyer after two (out of three) disastrous outings. Blaine bounced around the rest of the season, ultimately finding some success (or luck) in Arizona. The Braves were also quick to cut ties with Jeff Bennett after he went kung-fu on the clubhouse wall. Peter Moylan Perhaps the rock of the 2009 bullpen, Peter Moylan appeared in 87 games only a year removed from Tommy John surgery. He got off to a rough start, but continued to battle, and posted a 1.00 ERA in the second half of the season. He gave Bobby Cox the luxury of having a second setup man, and his 25 holds led the team and ranked 6th in the NL. Going back to the 87 games he appeared in, that should raise some alarms, but Moylan insists he likes to pitch that much and many say that his arm angle puts less strain on the elbow than an overhand motion. Those 87 games ranked one game behind the NL leader in appearances for a pitcher, and the Braves had 4 relievers in the top-10 in appearances. Eric O'Flaherty / Boone Logan One of those relievers who was in the top-10 in appearances was Eric O'Flaherty. The lefty specialist appeared in 77 games (56.1 innings pitched) and put in his best work as a major leaguer. The Braves got him off the waiver wire from Seattle last off-season, and he beat out Boone Logan in spring training for the LOOGY role. A minor pick up at the time, his good season makes that move look genius -- getting a reliever like that without having to give up anything. Boone Logan came over as part of the Javier Vazquez trade. He was called up several times in 2009, but had spotty success while being used rather sparingly by Cox. Here is a breakdown of all the lefty relievers on the Braves in 2009, and how they did versus left and right-handed batters: Pitcher BA vs. RH BA vs. LH Mike Gonzalez .218 .194 Eric O'Flaherty .282 .215 Boone Logan .364 .231   O'Flaherty was pretty close to Gonzalez in handling lefties, but Logan wasn't that far away either. The big difference between O'Flaherty and Logan comes when they're facing right-handed hitters, with Eric having the clear advantage in that department. The Braves will probably want to keep all the depth they can, but Logan is out of options and arbitration eligible this year, so a non-tender might be in his future. Kris Medlen While Medlen posted a respectable 4.26 ERA for a rookie, his ERA as a reliever was even better at 3.47. He struck out more than a batter per inning in relief and gave up less than a hit per inning while keeping his walks in check. He was used inconsistently at times, getting long rests only to pitch on consecutive days. This unfamiliarity with the major league bullpen role caused Medlen to admittedly undergo some growing pains, but his work ethic kept his spirits up and his mind ready for any situation. He could certainly move into a setup role next year, and may become one of the more indispensable members of the Atlanta pen. With the Atlanta rotation at 120% capacity, there's little chance that he would move back to a starting role, but his familiarity with starting may make him an ideal emergency swing man -- further increasing his value to the bullpen and the team. Manny Acosta Here are Acosta's ERAs the last three years:  2007 - 2.282008 - 3.572009 - 4.34 Meanwhile his FIP has hovered around 4.77, and has never been below 4.25, so that should tell us that Manny is either getting real lucky or he's getting bailed out by other Atlanta relievers -- either way it seems to be catching up to him. He is becoming more and more worthless, and that tells me his spot in the pen is in question. Others Jo-Jo Reyes and James Parr could find some time in the bullpen in 2010, though neither is ideal for the role. Luis Valdez is doing well in winter ball, and he could play a prominent role in the pen as well. I wondered why the Braves didn't use him more this year, especially towards the end, but maybe they wanted him to get work in winter ball and not the majors. As always, there is a lot of work to be done this off-season to bolster the Atlanta bullpen. Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1037774/narveson-deserves-chance-to-start-for-brewers.html While much has been written lately of Brewers’ GM Doug Melvin looking at free agent starters and other starters via trade and, theoretically, Rule V, fill-in starter Chris Narveson put up impressive numbers in ‘09 and should be in the mix for a ‘10 starter slot. Narveson, who turns 28 in December, went 2-0, 3.83 in 21 games and 47 IP for the Brewers in 2009.  But that only tells part of the story…Narveson had 46 K’s to just 16 BB’s in ‘09, resulting in a K/9 of 8.8.  His overall WHIP was a rather unspectacular 1.30…but did better against right-handed hitters (.289 OPA, 1.19 WHIP), of which there are more of in the league. Narveson made 4 starts last year–at Arizona, home against Houston and Chicago, and at Colorado–a small sample but a bit representative of the league.  In these starts, Narveson went 1-0, with a 3.38 ERA, and had 19 K’s over 18.67 IP–better than 1K/IP. Narveson will likely start 2010 in the bullpen or in AAA…but should be given a serious look in Maryvale, as well as be the proverbial Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1036896/footprints-in-snow-braves-fanhouse-blog.html Footprints in the Snow: BravesFanHouse (blog)The Atlanta Braves were alive in the wild-card race late in the season due to a powerful pitching rotation that featured six viable starting candidates (at ...It's a Brave Market: Hudson Gets ThreeBleacher ReportVazquez, Jurrjens could garner Cy attentionMLB.comPatience a free-agent virtue for BravesAtlantaBraves.comFanHouse (blog)all 6 news articles » Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1036274/cardinals-wont-turn-to-bay-if-holliday-leaves-sportingnewscom.html Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that free-agent outfielder Jason Bay... Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1035863/jenningsmania-in-full-crazy.html The Best since Kareem?? Sidney Moncrief, Marques Johnson, Paul Pressey, Ricky Pierce, Terry Cummings, Jack Sikma, Ray Allen, Alton Lister, Sam Cassell… I realize the Bucks have been wandering lost in the NBA wilderness for a long, long, time, but that is the roll of past Buck luminaries Sports Illustrated writer Arash Markazi blithely cast aside in deciding the two week old career of Bucks legend errrrrrr rookie Brandon Jennings ranks him as “perhaps the best Bucks player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar”!!!!!! People, lets get a hold of our selves and let the kid breathe a little.  Nothing like half crazed expectations to derail a promising future. … I mean, my God!  Did you hear the way they talk about Jennings on Bucks television?  The same way the media talked about Obama just before his inauguration (notice how much more human he looks now). … And it only begins there.  Somewhere I read (and lost track of, but I assure you I saw it) a headline regarding “Jennings MVP candidacy”… did LeBron James quit the Association??   And according to the Bucks website, when Jennings visited a Milwaukee area hospital a terminally ill woman merely touched the hem of his garment and was made whole!! (okay, that one’s made up). … But trust me, its just gonna get crazier before it gets saner.  For right now, the Bucks franchise needs the jolt of goodwill, so I’ll let it slide.  But the media tends to love to tear down that which it works so hard to build, and in equal increments of strength, so beware of the inevitable “Jennings backlash”. … Endnote:  Here’s what kind of pisses me off, though.  The national media is never going to admit that they were just flat wrong in projecting the Bucks as low as they did — with or without considering Jennings.  They won’t admit they did zero homework in making their collective predictions.  Instead they will just as lazily claim the Bucks would have been as bad as they originally projected… but for the addition of Jennings.  Mark my words!  That’s what they’ll say!! “It was all Jennings!” I say to them as that golf playing baby said to Shankopotamus, “Do some analytics!” … Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1034068/astros-2009-minor-league-free-agents-any-keepers.html From Baseball America, here’s the list: RHP: Kenny Baugh (AA), T.J. Burton (AA), Jose Capellan (AAA), Casey Daigle (AAA), Tip Fairchild (Hi A), Abraham Gonzalez (R), Ryan McKeller (AAA), Billy Sadler (AAA) – I’ll talk about this guy because for some unknown reason, Fast Eddie picked him up offn the scrap heap – was a reliever most of his minor league career, was pretty decent. Made into a starter at Round Rock, had a 5.12 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, didn’t even average 4 IP/Gs; Charlie Weatherby (AA): the rest of the guys can be summarized as – um, massive suckage. LHP: SP Mark McLemore (AAA) – injured a LOT, missed all last year, half of this year, unusually low K rate for him; SP Josh Muecke (AAA) – low K, high BB, WHIP 1.59 – as bad as last year at AAA; SP/RP Andy Van Hekken (AAA) – age 30, spent most of the year at AA, unremarkable except for low walk rate 1B: John Gall (AAA) ; LH Mark Saccomanno (AAA) – age 30, local boy, lead glove, minimal power for a 1B, .765 OPS his 3rd year at AAA 2B: Drew Meyer (AA) – age 28, a well paid 1st rounder, has a minor league OPS of .682 and had a .757 OPS at AA after 3 straight years at AAA. What is called a “bust.” Felix Molina (AA) – age 25, very little power, won’t walk, minor league OPS .699 3B: Chad Spann (AA) – age 25 – don’t know how his glove is, but I can tell you that Michael Bourn has more power SS: Ronald Ramirez (Hi A) age 22 – pitcher turned SS who hits like a pitcher OF: RH Reggie Abercrombie (AAA) age 28 – would have produced with glove and bat better than Erstad fer SHER, at 1/4 the price, but unfortunately, Reggie’s to Black to supply needed Grittiness; RH Ray Sadler (AA)- age 29, had 845 OPS at AAA last year, had no place to go with the ML club seeing as how we got Jason Useless Michaels, was let go, went to the Rays, sucked, came back, spent a few weeks at AA, sucked How can I put this – any AAA guys who are allowed to become minor league FA very very seldom go on to become useful major leaguers. I mean, it’s possible, but hey, let’s be real. THIS Organization doesn’t have ANY useful AAA guys. And don’t hand me Reggie Abercrombie unless you have a lineup like the Phillies and need a PR/DR in the OF. He does hit some homers, but he strikes out more than Mark Reynolds. And while I am usually not real too upset about strikeouts, there IS a time and place to point out that poor strike zone judgement is not a good thing. I’m going to check out the list from other teams, see if there just might could be anything good among the scraps. And no, I don’t want Elizardo Ramirez. Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1033760/energetic-ducks-are-ready-for-home-stand.html Yesterday’s practice was quiet and somber, a result of fatigue from a road trip and the lack of results on that road trip. Today, the Ducks have caught up on their beauty sleep and are putting the past behind them. Time to move forward and get something going here, a fourth of the way into the season. “I just think it's all part of trying to regroup and trying to provide energy,” said coach Randy Carlyle. “We were more vocal, we were more into the practice. We're trying to turn the page, trying to provide the necessary energy for us to feel good about going out and going to work.” Next job is the Tampa Bay Lightning, the first of a seven game home stand. “These are going to be huge for our team,” goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere commented. “We've got to focus on tomorrow night against Tampa Bay. It's the most important game of them all. We need to make a stand here. We need to have a good home stand. We can reset ourselves back to put some wins together here. It takes one game. We're not that far off. One game, one win, and your whole perspective can change and you move forward with confidence.” The Ducks seem to be lacking in that confidence of late. It’s the mental part of the game that is still their biggest challenge. That seems to be the reason why they continue to be an erratic team – good one shift or period and mistakes that cost them in another. “The one thing that we're disappointed about is we've never really had everyone going on the same night for a long time, for whatever reason,” observed Carlyle. “Our team play was up and down. We played some stretches where we were ok in the hockey game but then we found a way to let a team back into it.” Have seven games, one played every other night, should help the Ducks get into a rhythm and pace that will be helpful in turning over a new leaf on bad habits. Every player is well aware of the standings and that things need to change. “I think whatever we're dealt right now, we need to use it to try to be better,” mused captain Scott Niedermayer. “We just came up short. We made too many mistakes. When you're playing good teams you can't do that. We're going to have to correct that. Hopefully we can have a bit of a string here at home, that would be great.” At this point a win would be great. A good, consistent effort with fewer lapses and errors than the other team. “Right now there are no more excuses,” said Giguere. “Right now we've got to move forward.” So Ducks, take that energy from today’s practice and forward, march! In other notes: The Ducks have recalled center MacGregor Sharp from Bakersfield, in light of Saku Koivu’s and Ryan Carter’s lingering injuries. Koivu (groin) skated with the Ducks, but is not yet 100%. Carter (bruised foot) continues to have pain and swelling and is day to day. Their absence from the line up has left the Ducks short in the center position. Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1033678/mlb-hats-honoring-veterans-up-for-auction-examinercom.html Examiner.comMLB hats honoring veterans up for auctionExaminer.comHats by members of the Kansas City Royals, Philadelphia Phillies, Colorado Rockies, Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers, Toronto Blue Jays, Oakland A's and Los ... Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1033032/its-brave-market-hudson-gets-three-bleacher-report.html Bleacher ReportIt's a Brave Market: Hudson Gets ThreeBleacher ReportIf pitching wins championships, then the Atlanta Braves are taking all efforts to win in the next there seasons. The team re-signed right-hander Tim Hudson ... Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1032556/all-crane-rental-georgia-puts-cap-on-49foottall-cocacola-bottle-at-earthtimes-press-release.html Earthtimes (press release)ALL Crane Rental of Georgia Puts the Cap on 49-Foot-Tall Coca-Cola Bottle at ...Earthtimes (press release)... complete with red cap, onto the new, interactive, 49-foot-tall Coca-Cola bottle above left field at the Atlanta Braves' Turner Field. ...and more » Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1032553/halladay-celebration-in-new-york-mlbcom.html Halladay celebration in New York?MLB.comMeanwhile, the New York Post reports that the Red Sox have taken one of the logical first steps toward shoring up their bullpen, asking the Atlanta Braves ...and more » Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1032552/braves-2009-season-in-review-mike-gonzalez-talking-chop.html Braves 2009 Season in Review: Mike GonzalezTalking Chopby gondeee on Nov 18, 2009 9:16 AM EST 4 comments More photos » by Tom Mihalek - AP If Rafael Soriano was the Atlanta Braves closer that came out of the ...Reliever Gonzalez goes with BorasMLB.comMike Gonzalez: Report: Gonzalez is now a Boras clientRotoworld.comBraves 2009 Season in Review: Rafael SorianoTalking ChopRotoworld.comall 6 news articles » Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1032060/cleveland-indians-afternoon-news-roundup-new-coach-sandy-alomar-jr-brings-plain-dealer.html Plain DealerCleveland Indians afternoon news roundup: New coach Sandy Alomar, Jr. brings ...Plain Dealer... Jr., starting to run out a double he hit during the Indians' 5-4 win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 5 of the 1995 World Series in Cleveland. ...and more » Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1032048/cox-finishes-fifth-in-nl-moy-voting.html Bobby Cox has announced that he plans to end his legendary career at the conclusion of the 2010 season. But at 68 years old, he can take pride in the fact that he is still regarded among the game's top managers. Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1031738/worlds-most-prestigious-power-poll-week-11.html This is the most lopsided NFL in recent years, with a thin crust of good teams, no more than 8, at the top, a crop of mediocre teams in the middle and a vast desert of awful teams at the bottom. 01. Indianapolis Colts [9-0]: Home field advantage pretty much wrapped up. [NC] 02. New Orleans Saints [9-0]: Drew Brees looks human lately, but they won’t get to the Super Bowl unless he starts looking super-human again. [NC] 03. Minnesota Vikings [8-1]: Signing Brett Favre starting to look like the best move of the offseason. [NC] 04. Cincinnati Bengals [7-2]: Not even God saw the Bengals sweeping the Steelers and the Ravens. [NC] 05. New England Patriots [6-3]: Boston Globe reported today that going for it on 4th and 2 was really Giselle’s idea. [+1] 06. Pittsburgh Steelers [6-3]: Must have a healthy Troy Polamalu back for the playoffs or they’ll be home early. [-1] 07. San Diego Chargers [6-3]: Ready to seize control of the AFC West with a victory in Denver this week. [+5] 08. Arizona Cardinals [6-3]: An amazing 5-0 on the road, so a playoff game under a dome in Minnesota or New Orleans won’t bother them a bit. [+1] 09. Dallas Cowboys [6-3]: A team with 3 terrific running backs and no great wide receivers throws the ball constantly. How is Jason Garrett still considered a top offensive coordinator? [-2] 10. Baltimore Ravens [5-4]: He doesn’t get the attention, but Dawan Landry is a better football player than his brother Laron. [+3] 11. Houston Texans [5-4]: Can prove they belong this high by throttling the red-hot Titans on Monday Night Football. [+4] 12. Philadelphia Eagles [5-4]: Brian Westbrook is so important to Philly, but there is no way he should be on the field again this season. [-1] 13. New York Giants [5-4]: Best week in over a month spent just watching Eagles and Cowboys fall back to the pack. 14. Jacksonville Jaguars [5-4]: Maurice Jones-Drew plans to almost score 3 touchdowns this week. [+6] 15. Denver Broncos [6-3]: Would be better off with Phil Simms at quarterback. [-6] 16. Green Bay Packers [5-4]: Proved against Tampa that they can lose to anyone if they don’t protect the quarterback. Proved against Dallas that they can beat almost anyone if they do protect the quarterback. [+1] 17. Carolina Panthers [4-5]: The hottest team in the league nobody is talking about. [+4] 18. Atlanta Falcons [5-4]: Matt Ryan has already thrown more interceptions as a sophomore than he did during his entire rookie season. [-8] 19. Miami Dolphins [4-5]: Beat Tampa, but loss of Ronnie Brown is a huge blow. [-3] 20. San Francisco 49ers [4-5]: Mike Singletary to inspire his team by killing, skinning and eating a black bear on the sidelines during halftime. [+3] 21. Tennessee Titans [3-6]: Bud Adams plans to celebrate Thanksgiving by visiting 12 homeless shelters in Nashville and giving everyone the finger. [+1] 22. New York Jets [4-5]: Did you know that the Yankees have as many games in November [2] than the Jets, Giants, Knicks and Nets have combined? 23. Chicago Bears [4-5]: Jay Cutler’s plan to destroy two NFL franchises in one season slowly coming to fruition. [-4] 24. Washington Redskins [3-6]: FBI to investigate sudden and unexplained appearance of points in FedEx Field. [+4] 25. Seattle Seahawks [3-6]: Time to break this team up and start over. [-1] 26. Buffalo Bills [3-6]: Somebody finally figured out that Dick Jauron has no business being an NFL head coach. [-1] 27. Kansas City Chiefs [2-7]: Undefeated without Larry Johnson. [NC] 28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers [1-8]: At least they won’t be looking for a quarterback with their extremely high 2010 draft pick. [+2] 29. St. Louis Rams [1-8]: Unnoticed at the bottom of the league, Steven Jackson is having another incredible season. [+2] 30. Oakland Raiders [2-7]: Looking for a reason why the Raiders are always near the bottom of this power poll, I noticed that their last 3 first round picks are Jamarcus Russell, Darren McFadden and Derrius Heyward-Bey. 31. Detroit Lions [1-8]: Sunday’s game against the Browns unlikely to be watched by anyone on the planet. [NC] 32. Cleveland Browns [1-8]: Earlier today, President Obama signed into law a bill that would ban the Browns from Monday Night Football for the next 99 years. [NC] Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1031048/freddie-freeman-interviewed-in-afl.html Freddie Freeman is interviewed in the AFL Project Prospect was out in the AFL last week and collected a lot of interviews with various prospects. Freeman talks about his injuries and the experience of playing in the AFL. It's a great five and a half minute interview. Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1031047/30-will-coxs-last-season-be-special-year.html Here's the last article in the series looking at the 30 questions facing the Braves this winter. Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1029515/on-grossman-weird-ways-chicago-tribune.html One day, the Chicago Tribune calls up the father of former quarterback Rex Grossman, asks him what he thinks of the Bears as an organization, and publishes what he has to say (Dan Grossman – a former quarterback at Indiana – is not impressed). The next day, Rick Morrissey of the Tribune dedicates a full column to ripping Grossman for answering the phone when the Trib calls and answering their questions: It’s like I always say: If you want to know what’s wrong with your local NFL team, ask an ophthalmologist. Or a former quarterback who played the game. Unlike a smarmy know-it-all columnist. Wait a second, that’s not what I always say. What I always say is, if you want to know what’s wrong with sports these days, pay attention to the pushy parents behind the athletes. You must be a pleasure at dinner parties. Figuring out what possessed Dan Grossman, ophthalmologist and father of former Bear Rex Grossman, to rip the Bears isn’t too hard. He’s another father fighting his kid’s battles. Or a man who answers the phone when the Trib calls and shares his thoughts. Thoughts that Steve Rosenbloom and David Haugh say were insightful and valid. Many of us have an inner voice reminding us of the importance of letting our kids learn their own lessons. Fair enough. But more than a few parents have no such voice, no such filter, no such clue. They’re the ones calling college campuses to complain about their 20-year-old’s grade in 19th Century French History. They’re the ones typing their kids’ resumes. They’re the ones calling their adult children three times a day. Is there any evidence Dan Grossman does any of this? I really need to stop using the word “children.” Rex Grossman is 29. So maybe what you’re writing doesn’t apply? Twenty-nine! You already said that. If I were Rex Grossman, I would be looking for a hole to crawl in from the embarrassment my father has caused me. I would be trying to understand why I still have my dad speaking for me in the pages of the Tribune, especially when I don’t recall asking him to do so. And I would be wondering how tone-deaf a parent has to be to think that firing on his son’s former team is a good idea. If you were Rex Grossman, you would be much better at your job and be infinitely more wealthy. Dan Grossman would like everyone to know that the Bears can’t develop quarterbacks and that his son got jobbed. True and probably not true. If you were a Houston Texans teammate of Rex Grossman’s, what would you be thinking about him today? That he sure has a supportive dad? Or that it’s more than a little creepy having a father who spouts off publicly? I would probably be thinking about the game this weekend and the fact we are in the playoff hunt – unlike the Bears. I’ll go with Door No. 2. Old-time game show reference! Anyway, I don’t have the energy to do this for the rest of the column. Let’s just say this: Sources beware. If the Trib calls you for your views on anyt Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1029401/braves-2009-season-in-review-mike-gonzalez.html More photos » by Tom Mihalek - AP The typical Gonzo pose. Browse more photos » If Rafael Soriano was the Atlanta Braves closer that came out of the gate strong and finished poorly, then Mike Gonzalez is the opposite -- the closer who started out poorly and finished strong. Gonzalez was in the co-closer role out of spring training, but he was clearly favored by Bobby Cox to get the lions share of saves. Gonzo blew four saves in the first half of the season before losing his job to Soriano. He also ended up blowing three more saves the rest of the season while mainly working in a setup role. Soriano's season was relatively easy to point to and say, "look, his ERA increased each month throughout the year, that's what his problem was." But with Gonzalez it's not that easy. He had the typical reliever monthly splits, where he'd have a good month, then a bad month, then a good month, and so on. Though he did finish out the year with two consecutive good months. Gonzalez and Soriano are pretty similar pitchers, whose 2009 seasons as a whole look mighty similar. Their ERAs were similar, their innings pitched, and most of their percentage numbers were fairly close, with Soriano having a slight edge. Both pitched in high leverage situations with equal frequency. While Soriano may have the distinction of picking up more saves by virtue of pitching more ninth innings, they were in about the same number of save situations (34 for Gonzo and 37 for Sori). The only other Braves reliever who came close to that many high-leverage situations was Peter Moylan, who appeared in 32 save situations. The luxury that we experienced in 2009, of having two pitchers who were essentially closers pitching in the eighth and ninth innings, is not something the Braves have had in recent years -- at least not two relievers like that who were both healthy for an entire year. This got me thinking about the biggest question mark of this season. It may not be who plays first or who fills the corner outfield spots, it is more likely "who pitches the last two innings of the ball game?" To get to the point where Soriano and Gonzalez were our co-saviors, we had to trade away a starting pitcher and a starting first baseman. This begs the question, "what will we have to trade away to replace these guys?" The quick and easy answer is to retain one of both of them, with Mike Gonzalez being the player that many around the team think the Braves have a better shot at retaining. This was thrown a huge curve ball yesterday when it was revealed that Scott Boras is now representing Mike Gonzalez. The m.o. for Boras is to ask for more years at more money per year than the Braves are generally comfortable giving away to a free agent. This may have put Gonzalez out of reach for the Braves. Perhaps our best hope now is that Boras takes those demands to other teams and is turned down, only to fall back to the Braves who hopefully offered Gonzalez arbitration. There's no reason to think that Gonzalez can't be an effective closer for years to come. He often let's his adrenaline get the better of him, but if he can learn to control that while continuing to harness the positive effects of that adrenaline, then he should still be counted on in the ninth inning. Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1028311/four-more-years-felix-then-olympian.html Four more years, Felix, and then ...The OlympianIt's the way of the baseball world: When Tom Glavine and John Smoltz can cut ties with the Atlanta Braves, nothing is permanent. ...and more » Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1028063/28-how-did-frank-wren-grade-out-in-2009.html Let's look back on the moves made by the Atlanta general manager. Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1026782/coghlan-bailey-named-rookies-year-wjbd-online.html ESPNCoghlan, Bailey Named Rookies Of The YearWJBD OnlineAtlanta Braves pitcher Tommy Hanson, Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen and Milwaukee Brewers infielder Casey McGehee rounded out the top five ...Texas Rangers' Andrus places second in AL Rookie of the Year votingDallas Morning Newsall 212 news articles » Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1026288/braves-could-add-to-roster-by-friday-atlanta-journal-constitution.html Atlanta Journal ConstitutionBraves could add to roster by FridayAtlanta Journal Constitution... an Atlanta furniture store, Huff's Furniture, where the young center fielder supposedly just randomly ran into an old Braves center fielder, Otis Nixon. ...Behind Enemy Lines: Atlanta BravesThe Cardinal Nation (subscription)Braves Have 16 Minor League Free AgentsTalking Chopall 3 news articles » Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1026118/behind-enemy-lines-atlanta-braves-cardinal-nation-subscription.html The Cardinal Nation (subscription)Behind Enemy Lines: Atlanta BravesThe Cardinal Nation (subscription)By The Sports Xchange The Braves started their off-season by signing a key pitcher to an extension. But, that's not all that's happening down in Atlanta. ... Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1025361/mets-announce-2010-spring-training-schedule-tcpalm.html Mets announce 2010 spring training scheduleTCPalmBy staff report The New York Mets will open their 2010 spring training schedule on March 2 against the Atlanta Braves at 1:10 pm at Tradition Field. ...Mets release spring training slateLower Hudson Journal newsMets Announce 2010 Spring Training ScheduleNew York MetsMets release Grapefruit League slateNew York Metsall 4 news articles » Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1025313/braves-2009-season-in-review-rafael-soriano-talking-chop.html Braves 2009 Season in Review: Rafael SorianoTalking Chop... that can jump out at you, but there are also some pretty numbers that can't be ignored; such is the case with Atlanta Braves closer Rafael Soriano. ...Gonzalez goes with Boras for agentMLB.comMike Gonzalez: Report: Gonzalez is now a Boras clientRotoworld.comall 4 news articles » Atlanta Braves - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates