About to wind this up, folks. Have to do another in our popular series of CineSport spots. Thanks for hanging with me today. I feel sure we'll do it again soon.
Fredi will be managing the Atlanta Braves for a long time.
I'm not sure any of those want to coach. It's not like they're coaching full-time for any other team. Players of that caliber have made a lot of money and don't necessarily want to spend 12-hour days at the ballyard anymore.
Kind of liked the design. I'm of mixed feelings about the location. I live not far away and I'm concerned, as all Cobb Countians are, about traffic. But I fully understand why the Braves are moving.
I think Wood will be back in the rotation at some point this season. How's that?
I really don't know what to think about B.J. Upton. Just from seeing his stance, I'm surprised he ever hits the ball. But he has been a bit better of late. A bit, I note.
Smashing a bat becomes an issue when pieces of that bat hit someone else. As for him showing he cared: Baseball is a game of failure, as the saying goes. You have to manage your moods and play the next play, to use a Coach K line.
It's the nature of fans to get a bit fan-atical. Red Sox Nation is famous for its gloom and doom. Fans want their teams to go 162-0. Don't believe any team has.
He would be a boost if he can hit and reach base at the big-league level. I'll concede that point. But that's also a significant "if." Long story short: If the Braves were totally sold on La Stella, I'm thinking he'd be here already.
You know who'd really be terrible at calling games? Me. I couldn't do it. As for those two gentlemen: I learn something every time I listen to Mr. Sutton, and I have great regard for Mr. Caray as well.
I think Gattis will be fine in October. He's pretty intense, but isn't that what folks want to see -- intensity?
But the extensions do drive up the payroll. Then again, they did find $14.1 million to pay Ervin Santana.
The extensions were always going to be a risk, but I believe they were a risk worth taking. The Braves were blessed in having some of the best young players in baseball. They'd have to pay twice as much (if not more) to buy such talent on the open market. It was better both financially and strategically to pay a lot now to keep from having to pay much more later.
Don't know the answer to that one. Santana is 31 years old and has had some excellent big-league seasons. But he was also available in March because nobody wanted to pay him $14.1 million. Over his first six starts, that seemed money well spent. His past three have been pretty bad. But I'd expect him to settle down. As you say, he's been around.
The Braves think La Stella is close to being ready. But La Stella isn't a prospect on the order of Heyward or Freeman or Teheran or Minor. He's a singles-hitting infielder, and the Braves -- for better or worse -- tend to build around the home run.
The Diamondbacks supposedly built their roster to accommodate rah-rah guys in the mold of manager Kirk Gibson. They're in last place.
I disagree with the premise. I believe this team plays hard every night.
Kind of used to it, Scott. But I know even the Red Sox were surprised at how loud their fans were. It was kind of like a college football game where the tickets are split 50-50.
It's purely a money issue. I don't know that I'd put Uggla in the company of those other three. He's considered a good teammate, but he's not a McCann or a Chipper or a Hudson.
Obviously missing the playoffs would be far worse. But I doubt they will. As of today, FanGraphs lists their playoff probability at 73 percent.
I don't think the Braves are in any hurry to trade Heyward ahead of the deadline. I know they haven't tried very hard to keep big-ticket free agents, but if he gets going, they'll have to make the attempt.
I'd be lying if I said Chris Johnson was as sound an investment as Freeman and Teheran and Simmons. Last year was clearly the best he'd had, and I think we could be saying the same four years from now.
Have not heard. Sorry. He looked fine during the game. Walked his first three times up, too.
They obviously don't want to buy him out. I'm a little surprised they haven't already, but I think -- and this is just a guess -- is to hang on to Uggla and see if anyone nibbles at the trade deadline. (I've already said I doubt anyone will.) If nobody does, they'll reassess. I would be beyond surprised if he's on this team next season.
