If Rowland was #Braves GM …

The Braves are not going to sign Bryce Harper or Manny Machado. Nor should they. Liberty is always going to be cheap, and spending one-fifth of the payroll on one player would be foolish. Signed Craig Kimbrel — who appears to be in decline but is likely to grab a bigger deal than the 3-year, […]

#Braves must rely on the future, now

Brian Snitker’s bullpen management has been an issue all year. To be fair, he’s had little to work with, and it’s only gotten worse. But there’s some untested arms that have shined in the smallest of sample sizes, and the Braves skipper would do well to cast his lot with the likes of Sobotka, Fried, […]

Late season ‘crowds’ at Mallpark show how #Braves erred in leaving ATL

The biggest game in five years — the cherry on top of one of the most interesting teams the Braves have fielded since moving from Milwaukee — didn’t sell out. Attendance was announced Saturday at 35, 616, well below capacity. For the year, The Mallpark attracted just over 2.5 million paying customers, about 600 more […]

If #Braves miss playoffs, blame the weather (and interleague play)

Of the contenders in both leagues, only the Diamondbacks have a tougher remaining schedule than the Braves. Only the Yankees, Brewers and Indians have an easier schedule than the Phils, Jeff Passan concludes. This it’s likely the better team will not win the NL East. Consider: The Phils play 24 of their last 38 games […]

#Braves should get Real at trade deadline

My proposal: Austin Riley, Cristian Pache, Ian Anderson and Kolby Allard to Marlins for J.T Realmuto and Kyle Barraclough It’s a lot to give up, but I have reservations about each of the Braves prospects. Allard doesn’t miss enough bats; his K/9 has decreased each year; Pache, while developing more power, as predicted, has drawn […]

#Braves must fix ‘pen now to avoid road trip from Hell

In 1982, the surprising Braves embarked on an 11-game West Coast road trip with a 62-43 record and a 5-1/2 game lead in the NL West. They returned to Atlanta a game and a half behind the Dodgers, having lost 10 of 11 during their visit to Cali due largely to a bullpen that couldn’t […]

The fretful #Braves fan

I’m an optimist when things are going well, a pessimist when things aren’t. Guess how I’m feeling today? *We should’ve seen Ozzie’s slump coming, and the peripherals are even more troubling. His OBP is down .50 points from last year. He’s striking out more, walking less. All those home runs seem to have taken him […]

New Yankee Stadium South

Originally posted on Rowland's Office:
Notice how the “dugout” level seats at new Yankees Stadium are almost always empty. Expect the same at Cash Grab Field in Cobb. As the Falcons sell personal seat licenses for their new stadium, the Braves are preparing to begin next month the sales of season tickets for their…

Snitker’s abysmal weekend portends #Braves backslide

With the Braves bullpen, there’s little margin for error. And that margin keeps getting thinner. A.J. Minter, who many thought would be the closer by now, has been horrible in May, allowing 18 hits in 9 IP. Right-handed hitters have an .848 OPS vs Minter, who now sports an unsightly 1.754 WHIP. Remember, he never […]

Wrong on Frank Wren, right about Liberty, giddy over #Braves

We will not be nattering nabobs of negativism about these Braves. They are for real, they are exciting (thank you, Frank Wren, who signed Albies and Acuna) but they are paper thin, with almost no MLB-ready depth and a shaky bullpen in desperate need of a stud. And the rotation remains iffy — as rapidly […]

Rowland bids adieu to the #Braves … sort of

The Office blogged daily for 11 years — as long as Rowland lasted in the majors. So there’s some symmetry, though, unlike our namesake, we’re not done yet. Maybe this will be our only post of the year. We won’t be posting daily. Weekly, perhaps. Certainly, my passion for the not-so-local anymore nine has waned, […]

If Rowland was #Braves GM

Some ideas on what the Braves should do this offseason, in order of priority. Dump Fat Gimp. I suspect a team like the Royals would take him if the Braves paid most of his salary. If not, release the guy. I’d rather pay him not to be on the team than put up with another […]

#Braves seem determined to make uninspired hire

At a time when the game is skewing young, the Braves remain stuck in the past. The fact that Jim Hendry is a candidate for GM or president of baseball ops or whatever says it all. The other five retreads vying for the job don’t inspire much confidence, either, with one possible exception. Hendry, 62, […]

A #Braves take on Dodgers first pitch ceremony

Forget Vin and Fernando. Liberty’s promotions geniuses will have legendary Tool Race announcer Mark Owens, flanked by a pair of Tool puppets, introducing Tim Lee and his battery mate, Arby’s VP of Marketing Rex Whatshisname — with The Chop blaring in the background, naturally. Of course they’d have to involve Hank Aaron — he’ll lead […]

Maddux and Glavine in the Fall Classic

If Clayton Kershaw struggles at any time in the World Series you’re likely to hear how much Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine struggled in the postseason, even if it’s not true. While it’s true that neither was as dominant as they were in the regular season, they were still solid. Maddux had a 3.27 ERA […]

The week in #Braves stupidity

I guess the Braves way means making sacrificial lambs out of respected coaches and fan favorites. Here’s hoping TP and Eddie hook on with a real franchise, not the rudderless mall anchor the Braves have become. Does anyone think TP wouldn’t have been a better manager than Fredi or Snitker? Hey, Mike Maddux, widely regarded […]

Maybe it’s best if Hart stays

The narrative, which rings true, though may not be, holds that Royals GM Dayton Moore would come to the Braves if guaranteed total control over the franchise. That can’t happen as long as John Hart remains president of baseball operations. Hart plans on staying, unless longtime friend John Schuerholz is able to force him out, […]

#Braves can do their young pitchers a big favor but probably won’t

Jim Hickey, long regarded as one of the game’s finest pitching coaches, and Tampa have parted ways, ending an impressive 10-year run. During his time with the Rays, Hickey helped mold the careers of pitchers like David Price (who won a Cy Young while with the team), Wade Davis, Fernando Rodney (who had an 0.60 […]

Andrelton WAR: 7.1; Freddie + Ender: 7.5

Just sayin’. Again. Fuck you, “Coppy.”

Plenty of blame to spread around for Braves dysfunction

Someone hired Frank Wren. Someone else mentored and promoted Coppy. One drove the farm system into the ground. The other skirted the rules. Both were assholes. To quote obnoxious college football fans after their team loses, “Where’s the accountability?” Answer: There is none. The team’s owners look at the Braves like a mall developer looks […]