Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
June 09, 2005
Ford Prefect Would Be Proud

In The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams explains why the Guide is more popular than the Encyclopedia Galactica:

First, it is slightly cheaper; and second, it has the words DON'T PANIC inscribed in large friendly letters on it's cover.

I get the feeling John Schuerholz and Bobby Cox each carry around a copy:

The Braves put a starting lineup with four rookies on the field for Wednesday night's game against the Los Angeles Angels, causing Schuerholz to wisecrack about his Class AAA team, "There's a fear we may have to cancel our Richmond schedule."

Other teams that have not been through a calamity of injuries in a tight division race might be in a full-blown sweat. But the Braves do not sweat; they shrug. They have navigated through injury-marred seasons before and managed to keep intact their streak of consecutive division titles, which is at 13, not including the 1994 strike season.

...

"I don't remember any year where there have been this many," Schuerholz said when asked about the trapdoors opening under his team. "We've had to manage ourselves through roster crises before. We've had minor leaguers come to us before, and they have been expected to contribute and they have, but it's been one or, at the most, two."

...

They are also benefiting from the steady hand of manager Bobby Cox, who refuses to allow any sense of panic about the injuries. When asked Wednesday about the rash of injuries, Cox said, "We had more last year," and closed the discussion.

The loss of Chipper Jones is extremely rough on the offense. But Furcal and Andrew Jones are in a year-long slump. Those two getting on base more will go a long way toward improving the Braves run scoring. One doesn't make a lot of money betting against Schuerholz and Cox. However, if they keep bringing in players like Mondesi, Jordan and Kolb, it may be the time to do just that.


Posted by David Pinto at 09:35 AM | TrackBack (0)
Comments

While I agree that Mondesi and the others were stinkers, all will be forgotten in they can get the Reds to part with Kearns.

Posted by: LargeBill at June 9, 2005 11:15 AM

Maybe the Braves aren't worried that much because there's not a great deal to be worried about. They're only two games out, they have the best run differential in the division, and it's not like they've gotten a lot of luck so far (9-11 in one-run games).

After a third of the season, no other team in the division looks fearsome. So Cox and Schuerholz probably figure they've got as good a shot as anybody.

Posted by: Casey Abell at June 9, 2005 11:38 AM

In April I would have agreed with you about Austin Kearns. I was all for a Kearns - Horacio Rameriz deal in spring training. Now, I woldn't want him. He has killed BOTH of my fantasy teams, and he's hitting .226 in JUNE!!!

I'd rather see the Braves go get Jacque Jones, Matt Lawton, Aubrey Huff, or Juan Encarcion. All of which are available right now. I think Encarcion or Lawton would be the easiest to pry free...

Reitsma is doing fine as closer, and I think Kolb will rebound in July.

I'm not sure if the Braves should just trade Furcal now, since it's likely they will let him walk in November anyway. But he would probably get the most in return.

Just don't trade Kyle Davies!!!

Posted by: Kristofer Theilen at June 9, 2005 12:00 PM

Even if the rookies get their legs underneath them, it's hard to see the Braves surviving this terrible bullpen. Reitsma is the most able of the bunch but in the past has not shown the stamina to be a regular closer over a full season. Kolb just looks lost, period. Grybowski is giving up line drives instead of the ground balls that always bailed him out before. Nobody is stepping up, although Colon and Sosa have the stuff.

But it is fun to watch the rookies, and I look for great things from Andy Marte.

Posted by: high&tight at June 9, 2005 05:28 PM
Post a comment









Remember personal info?