Third-World Problems

[clvclv]

FWIW La Stella is ripping the tits off the ball in his little plate time. That being said, on a team with ZObrist and Baez, he won't play much.

I hope a team who needs a 2B trades for him. Would be interesting to see what he could do in a season.

Maybe we can trade Vizcaino and a couple bonus slots for him - Reid Brignac's our starting 2B after all.

[50PoundHead]

Maybe we can trade Vizcaino and a couple bonus slots for him - Reid Brignac's our starting 2B after all.

Speaking of, I have nothing against Brignac. He played well in spring training and in a different year, he may have gone north with the team. But what the f*ck is going on with Jace Peterson? They used him as a utility guy all spring and that's his likely future in the big leagues, but I thought he did enough last year to as least be the placeholder at 2B until the Albies/Swanson duo hit town. Did he spit in Fredi's coffee or something?

[clvclv]

Speaking of, I have nothing against Brignac. He played well in spring training and in a different year, he may have gone north with the team. But what the f*ck is going on with Jace Peterson? They used him as a utility guy all spring and that's his likely future in the big leagues, but I thought he did enough last year to as least be the placeholder at 2B until the Albies/Swanson duo hit town. Did he spit in Fredi's coffee or something?

Have been wondering that for weeks now myself. More or less the same question many of us had last season when Bethancourt couldn't get into games IMO. While I think it's absolutely ridiculous to try to hang the fact that a BAD team's losing games to everyone while playing arguably the toughest schedule in baseball to start the season on him, I think everyone's absolutely right in questioning many of the players he puts in the lineup at times. A. J. when Flowers is a much better defensive Catcher and started off swinging a pretty hot bat? Aybar when he was booting the ball around and Castro could step in? Frenchy pretty much anytime other than pinch-hitting opportunities and as a late-inning defensive replacement in LF?

These are "glitches" that the brass has to fix if Fredi truly doesn't understand what a lost season like this should be about. It's on Coppy and Company to step in and say "we didn't tell you to play Jace all over the field during camp to have you stop doing it once the lights came on - get him in the damn game somewhere". I realize I'm in the minority that seems to be OK with keeping Gonzalez around all season, but there's a reason - if you have someone who's as worried about keeping his job as Fredi should be, it's much easier for the brass to bully him into playing the players that they want to make future decisions about. "If you want to keep your job for the rest of the year, we need to see Peterson, Flowers, Smith, etc. at least 4-5 times a week or we'll replace you with someone who will make sure we do."

[GovClintonTyree]

You're rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

I would say "it makes no difference because they've decided Peterson isn't part of their plans," but they really haven't given him sufficient exposure to make that judgement.

So that leaves impatience and desperation, because Reid Brignac isn't the answer to any questions other than "which Braves scrub will be 37 in five years?

[clvclv]

You're rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

I would say "it makes no difference because they've decided Peterson isn't part of their plans," but they really haven't given him sufficient exposure to make that judgement.

So that leaves impatience and desperation, because Reid Brignac isn't the answer to any questions other than "which Braves scrub will be 37 in five years?

This is what's so hard for many of us to understand - what Titanic???

How good did anyone realistically expect this team to be - even IF most of the stopgap signings and placeholders had pretty decent seasons?

If Bud Norris wasn't Folty before Folty was Folty last night, if Aybar was anything resembling the back of his baseball card, if the Olivera debacle never happened, if Inciarte played every game, and if Blair had started the season in the rotation, I still don't know anyone who honestly believed this team would be able to do anything other than struggle mightily to lose less than 100 games.

The team just finished the most brutal scheduling month they'll face ALL SEASON with nothing from Freeman (for the most part) or Inciarte and with Julio struggling mightily to begin the year. The Braves' April opponents combined to go 104-59 to this point and NONE of them has a losing record. That's pretty tough sledding for contenders, much less bad teams.

[zitothebrave]

Maybe we can trade Vizcaino and a couple bonus slots for him - Reid Brignac's our starting 2B after all.

I know the post is largely snark, but Braves are a bad team as well.

[clvclv]

I know the post is largely snark, but Braves are a bad team as well.

No doubt. The problem I continually have with many posters is the fact that they're apparently incapable of managing their own expectations.

Seriously - how good did ANYONE realistically expect this year's team to be???

[GovClintonTyree]

No doubt. The problem I continually have with many posters is the fact that they're apparently incapable of managing their own expectations.

Seriously - how good did ANYONE realistically expect this year's team to be???

My prediction was 62-100, and I'm way too optimistic.

However - there are signs here and there. The pilot light might not be out. Bravo, Matt Wisler.

[zitothebrave]

No doubt. The problem I continually have with many posters is the fact that they're apparently incapable of managing their own expectations.

Seriously - how good did ANYONE realistically expect this year's team to be???

The lucky hot streak to start last season disillusioned fans to our terribleness.

Add that we lost our best player (and pitcher) and second best position player, we were gonna get screwed. Add fluke season from Pierzinski.

[clvclv]

My prediction was 62-100, and I'm way too optimistic.

However - there are signs here and there. The pilot light might not be out. Bravo, Matt Wisler.

The "homer" and Posi-Brave in me never dies - I had us pegged for 65 wins.

Youneverknow - put Mallex and Ender in the OF together and call Swanson and Albies up after June 1 and we may yet get there!!!

[50PoundHead]

You're rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

I would say "it makes no difference because they've decided Peterson isn't part of their plans," but they really haven't given him sufficient exposure to make that judgement.

So that leaves impatience and desperation, because Reid Brignac isn't the answer to any questions other than "which Braves scrub will be 37 in five years?

If the Titanic was a rowboat.