Francouer...when you just gotta have an out. Can he break the record?

[Budworth22]

<table style="clear: both;" class="tablehead" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tbody><tr class="stathead"><td colspan="17">FRANCOUER HAS ALREADY MADE 135 OUTS...HE IS ON PACE FOR 521 outs made! The alltime record is 551!

Sortable Batting</td></tr> <tr class="colhead" align="right"><td align="left">RK</td><td align="left">PLAYER</td><td align="left">TEAM</td><td>AB</td><td>R</td><td>H</td><td>2B</td><td>3B</td><td>HR</td><td>RBI</td><td>SB</td><td>CS</td><td>BB</td><td>BA</td><td>OBP</td><td>SLG</td><td>OPS</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left">1</td><td align="left">Barry Bonds</td><td align="left">SF</td><td width="27">90</td><td width="27">21</td><td width="27">21</td><td width="27">6</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">5</td><td width="27">14</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">39</td><td width="27">.233</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.481</td><td width="27">.467</td><td width="27">.948</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left">2</td><td align="left">Bobby Abreu</td><td align="left">Phi</td><td width="27">121</td><td width="27">31</td><td width="27">33</td><td width="27">10</td><td width="27">1</td><td width="27">4</td><td width="27">26</td><td width="27">7</td><td width="27">1</td><td width="27">40</td><td width="27">.273</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.442</td><td width="27">.471</td><td width="27">.913</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left">3</td><td align="left">Jason Bay</td><td align="left">Pit</td><td width="27">141</td><td width="27">25</td><td width="27">39</td><td width="27">5</td><td width="27">1</td><td width="27">7</td><td width="27">25</td><td width="27">4</td><td width="27">1</td><td width="27">34</td><td width="27">.277</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.422</td><td width="27">.475</td><td width="27">.897</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left">4</td><td align="left">Brad Hawpe</td><td align="left">Col</td><td width="27">145</td><td width="27">19</td><td width="27">49</td><td width="27">5</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">10</td><td width="27">28</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">3</td><td width="27">20</td><td width="27">.338</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.418</td><td width="27">.607</td><td width="27">1.025</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left">5</td><td align="left">Brian Giles</td><td align="left">SD</td><td width="27">149</td><td width="27">27</td><td width="27">43</td><td width="27">7</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">4</td><td width="27">28</td><td width="27">3</td><td width="27">1</td><td width="27">33</td><td width="27">.289</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.417</td><td width="27">.416</td><td width="27">.833</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left">6</td><td align="left">Carlos Beltran</td><td align="left">NYM</td><td width="27">105</td><td width="27">25</td><td width="27">27</td><td width="27">6</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">10</td><td width="27">25</td><td width="27">5</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">27</td><td width="27">.257</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.403</td><td width="27">.600</td><td width="27">1.003</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left">7</td><td align="left">Pat Burrell</td><td align="left">Phi</td><td width="27">126</td><td width="27">19</td><td width="27">35</td><td width="27">4</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">11</td><td width="27">30</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">24</td><td width="27">.278</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.395</td><td width="27">.571</td><td width="27">.966</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left">8</td><td align="left">J.D. Drew</td><td align="left">LA</td><td width="27">138</td><td width="27">19</td><td width="27">40</td><td width="27">5</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">7</td><td width="27">30</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">1</td><td width="27">22</td><td width="27">.290</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.388</td><td width="27">.507</td><td width="27">.895</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left">9</td><td align="left">Randy Winn</td><td align="left">SF</td><td width="27">157</td><td width="27">26</td><td width="27">46</td><td width="27">8</td><td width="27">3</td><td width="27">4</td><td width="27">17</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">3</td><td width="27">22</td><td width="27">.293</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.383</td><td width="27">.459</td><td width="27">.842</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left">10</td><td align="left">Adam Dunn</td><td align="left">Cin</td><td width="27">141</td><td width="27">31</td><td width="27">31</td><td width="27">5</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">13</td><td width="27">26</td><td width="27">1</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">37</td><td width="27">.220</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.381</td><td width="27">.532</td><td width="27">.913</td></tr><tr class="colhead" align="right"><td align="left">RK</td><td align="left">PLAYER</td><td align="left">TEAM</td><td>AB</td><td>R</td><td>H</td><td>2B</td><td>3B</td><td>HR</td><td>RBI</td><td>SB</td><td>CS</td><td>BB</td><td>BA</td><td>OBP</td><td>SLG</td><td>OPS</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left">11</td><td align="left">Ryan Freel</td><td align="left">Cin</td><td width="27">120</td><td width="27">20</td><td width="27">30</td><td width="27">6</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">6</td><td width="27">10</td><td width="27">4</td><td width="27">22</td><td width="27">.250</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.379</td><td width="27">.300</td><td width="27">.679</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left">12</td><td align="left">Shawn Green</td><td align="left">Ari</td><td width="27">142</td><td width="27">21</td><td width="27">48</td><td width="27">6</td><td width="27">1</td><td width="27">3</td><td width="27">14</td><td width="27">3</td><td width="27">1</td><td width="27">9</td><td width="27">.338</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.379</td><td width="27">.458</td><td width="27">.837</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left">13</td><td align="left">Jose Cruz Jr.</td><td align="left">LA</td><td width="27">110</td><td width="27">19</td><td width="27">26</td><td width="27">8</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">8</td><td width="27">4</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">26</td><td width="27">.236</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.374</td><td width="27">.364</td><td width="27">.738</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left">14</td><td align="left">Josh Willingham</td><td align="left">Fla</td><td width="27">137</td><td width="27">15</td><td width="27">39</td><td width="27">13</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">7</td><td width="27">29</td><td width="27">1</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">17</td><td width="27">.285</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.373</td><td width="27">.533</td><td width="27">.906</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left">15</td><td align="left">Luis Gonzalez</td><td align="left">Ari</td><td width="27">145</td><td width="27">29</td><td width="27">39</td><td width="27">12</td><td width="27">1</td><td width="27">5</td><td width="27">21</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">22</td><td width="27">.269</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.372</td><td width="27">.469</td><td width="27">.841</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left">16</td><td align="left">Carlos Lee</td><td align="left">Mil</td><td width="27">152</td><td width="27">30</td><td width="27">43</td><td width="27">6</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">15</td><td width="27">35</td><td width="27">3</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">22</td><td width="27">.283</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.371</td><td width="27">.618</td><td width="27">.989</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left">17</td><td align="left">Dave Roberts</td><td align="left">SD</td><td width="27">139</td><td width="27">25</td><td width="27">40</td><td width="27">5</td><td width="27">6</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">9</td><td width="27">14</td><td width="27">1</td><td width="27">14</td><td width="27">.288</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.365</td><td width="27">.410</td><td width="27">.775</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left">18</td><td align="left">Matt Murton</td><td align="left">ChC</td><td width="27">126</td><td width="27">18</td><td width="27">35</td><td width="27">4</td><td width="27">1</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">17</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">1</td><td width="27">16</td><td width="27">.278</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.364</td><td width="27">.373</td><td width="27">.737</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left">19</td><td align="left">Austin Kearns</td><td align="left">Cin</td><td width="27">155</td><td width="27">26</td><td width="27">46</td><td width="27">12</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">8</td><td width="27">27</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">14</td><td width="27">.297</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.362</td><td width="27">.529</td><td width="27">.891</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left">20</td><td align="left">Jim Edmonds</td><td align="left">StL</td><td width="27">122</td><td width="27">20</td><td width="27">32</td><td width="27">5</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">5</td><td width="27">27</td><td width="27">3</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">21</td><td width="27">.262</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.361</td><td width="27">.426</td><td width="27">.787</td></tr><tr class="colhead" align="right"><td align="left">RK</td><td align="left">PLAYER</td><td align="left">TEAM</td><td>AB</td><td>R</td><td>H</td><td>2B</td><td>3B</td><td>HR</td><td>RBI</td><td>SB</td><td>CS</td><td>BB</td><td>BA</td><td>OBP</td><td>SLG</td><td>OPS</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left">21</td><td align="left">Andruw Jones</td><td align="left">Atl</td><td width="27">151</td><td width="27">28</td><td width="27">42</td><td width="27">8</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">9</td><td width="27">39</td><td width="27">3</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">17</td><td width="27">.278</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.360</td><td width="27">.510</td><td width="27">.870</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left">22</td><td align="left">Brady Clark</td><td align="left">Mil</td><td width="27">120</td><td width="27">13</td><td width="27">30</td><td width="27">5</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">1</td><td width="27">8</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">17</td><td width="27">.250</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.359</td><td width="27">.317</td><td width="27">.675</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left">23</td><td align="left">Aaron Rowand</td><td align="left">Phi</td><td width="27">126</td><td width="27">19</td><td width="27">39</td><td width="27">4</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">6</td><td width="27">17</td><td width="27">4</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">5</td><td width="27">.310</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.356</td><td width="27">.516</td><td width="27">.871</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left">24</td><td align="left">Matt Holliday</td><td align="left">Col</td><td width="27">162</td><td width="27">28</td><td width="27">52</td><td width="27">13</td><td width="27">3</td><td width="27">11</td><td width="27">36</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">4</td><td width="27">.321</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.351</td><td width="27">.642</td><td width="27">.993</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left">25</td><td align="left">Xavier Nady</td><td align="left">NYM</td><td width="27">136</td><td width="27">20</td><td width="27">39</td><td width="27">8</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">8</td><td width="27">20</td><td width="27">1</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">10</td><td width="27">.287</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.342</td><td width="27">.522</td><td width="27">.864</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left">26</td><td align="left">Jason Lane</td><td align="left">Hou</td><td width="27">134</td><td width="27">25</td><td width="27">28</td><td width="27">3</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">8</td><td width="27">17</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">27</td><td width="27">.209</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.340</td><td width="27">.410</td><td width="27">.750</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left">27</td><td align="left">Cory Sullivan</td><td align="left">Col</td><td width="27">151</td><td width="27">21</td><td width="27">44</td><td width="27">14</td><td width="27">6</td><td width="27">1</td><td width="27">7</td><td width="27">3</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">11</td><td width="27">.291</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.337</td><td width="27">.483</td><td width="27">.821</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left">28</td><td align="left">Geoff Jenkins</td><td align="left">Mil</td><td width="27">161</td><td width="27">19</td><td width="27">45</td><td width="27">11</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">6</td><td width="27">27</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">14</td><td width="27">.280</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.337</td><td width="27">.460</td><td width="27">.797</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left">29</td><td align="left">Willy Taveras</td><td align="left">Hou</td><td width="27">163</td><td width="27">24</td><td width="27">45</td><td width="27">4</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">10</td><td width="27">3</td><td width="27">3</td><td width="27">11</td><td width="27">.276</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.324</td><td width="27">.325</td><td width="27">.649</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left">30</td><td align="left">Alfonso Soriano</td><td align="left">Was</td><td width="27">170</td><td width="27">24</td><td width="27">47</td><td width="27">5</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">13</td><td width="27">26</td><td width="27">8</td><td width="27">3</td><td width="27">9</td><td width="27">.276</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.317</td><td width="27">.535</td><td width="27">.852</td></tr><tr class="colhead" align="right"><td align="left">RK</td><td align="left">PLAYER</td><td align="left">TEAM</td><td>AB</td><td>R</td><td>H</td><td>2B</td><td>3B</td><td>HR</td><td>RBI</td><td>SB</td><td>CS</td><td>BB</td><td>BA</td><td>OBP</td><td>SLG</td><td>OPS</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left">31</td><td align="left">Reggie Abercrombie</td><td align="left">Fla</td><td width="27">112</td><td width="27">15</td><td width="27">28</td><td width="27">7</td><td width="27">1</td><td width="27">3</td><td width="27">11</td><td width="27">3</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">9</td><td width="27">.250</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.306</td><td width="27">.411</td><td width="27">.716</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left">32</td><td align="left">Cliff Floyd</td><td align="left">NYM</td><td width="27">129</td><td width="27">15</td><td width="27">26</td><td width="27">5</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">3</td><td width="27">14</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">13</td><td width="27">.202</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.300</td><td width="27">.310</td><td width="27">.610</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left">33</td><td align="left">Preston Wilson</td><td align="left">Hou</td><td width="27">150</td><td width="27">18</td><td width="27">38</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">5</td><td width="27">19</td><td width="27">3</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">7</td><td width="27">.253</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.292</td><td width="27">.393</td><td width="27">.685</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left">34</td><td align="left">Jeff Francoeur</td><td align="left">Atl</td><td width="27">175</td><td width="27">23</td><td width="27">47</td><td width="27">5</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">10</td><td width="27">36</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">4</td><td width="27">1</td><td width="27">.269</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.279</td><td width="27">.491</td><td width="27">.771</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left">35</td><td align="left">Juan Pierre</td><td align="left">ChC</td><td width="27">166</td><td width="27">22</td><td width="27">38</td><td width="27">6</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">13</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">8</td><td width="27">.229</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.269</td><td width="27">.289</td><td width="27">.558</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left">36</td><td align="left">Jose Guillen</td><td align="left">Was</td><td width="27">133</td><td width="27">18</td><td width="27">29</td><td width="27">8</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">5</td><td width="27">18</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">4</td><td width="27">.218</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.260</td><td width="27">.391</td><td width="27">.651</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left">37</td><td align="left">Juan Encarnacion</td><td align="left">StL</td><td width="27">145</td><td width="27">21</td><td width="27">32</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">2</td><td width="27">5</td><td width="27">14</td><td width="27">1</td><td width="27">1</td><td width="27">3</td><td width="27">.221</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.250</td><td width="27">.366</td><td width="27">.616</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left">38</td><td align="left">Jeromy Burnitz</td><td align="left">Pit</td><td width="27">148</td><td width="27">11</td><td width="27">29</td><td width="27">5</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">7</td><td width="27">24</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">0</td><td width="27">8</td><td width="27">.196</td><td class="sortcell" width="27">.247</td><td width="27">.372</td><td width="27">.618
</td></tr></tbody></table>​

 

[HinesWard86]

Odds he breaks the record:

Yes +220
No -300

 

[Budworth22]

Those are ridiculous odds! Theoretical Hold: 5.88%!!!

Almost as ridiculous as letting this joker waste his talent trying to figure our major league pitching!
​

 

[Budworth22]

I'll take no, because this fucker should be in the minors.
​

 

[Budworth22]

Maybe if Francouer had done anything tonight, the braves wouldn'tve lost.
​

 

[CHRISG612]

he doesn't walk, swings at everything, and yet still managed to bat .300 last year.

 

[Budworth22]

he doesn't walk, swings at everything, and yet still managed to bat .300 last year.

A clear abberation. Whats his OBP. How many times is he NOT making an out.

 

[Bet-It-All]

I'll take no, because this fucker should be in the minors.​

You belong in the minors, what is wrong with you?

I had money on the braves tonight :nopityA: but you can't get upset at Francouer. The Thompson and the Bullpen fucked up. First of all he has 10 HR and 36 RBI those stats are probably better than 80% of the Major Leagues.

 

[Budworth22]

Lol, forgot, he's great. My bad.
​

 

[Italianole]

Francoeur not belonging in the minors does not make him great. Nowhere in bia's response did he mention Francoeur being great. He is not great, far from it at the moment but he most definitely should be playing everyday like he is. I don't understand your obsession with Francoeur, he's playing just fine for his second season. No need for the sensationalism.

 

[CHOPTALK]

Francoeur not belonging in the minors does not make him great. Nowhere in bia's response did he mention Francoeur being great. He is not great, far from it at the moment but he most definitely should be playing everyday like he is. I don't understand your obsession with Francoeur, he's playing just fine for his second season. No need for the sensationalism.

No Kidding!!! The guy is hitting .265 on pace for 40 homers and 130 rbi and plays great defense. WHATS WRONG WITH THAT??? Those numbers comming from someone who is only going to get better, not worse.

 

[Budworth22]

I think that Diaz is the much better option. And Francouer plays adequate defense with the glove, and he has a pretty solid arm (it's not like the best ever, many 3b coaches didn't have a good report on him, and ran their guys into a lot of outs).

The Braves have no shot, why not allow this guy to DVELOP into something special, and actually have a concept of the strikezone. 0-5 TONIGHT, 6 LOB.

 

[TKE683]

Dude has 10 homers already, I mean come on, the minors, the Angels would kill to have this guy in their lineup.

 

[Budworth22]

If he is such a slugger, why is his ops .770?

Guys, step into the new era. Books have begun to adjust to the wealth of info out there, why haven't you.
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[Dr.Pepper]

Does Francouer deserve all the blame? Sure he's wild and unpredictable but it's only his first full season in the bigs. I don't expect changes over night, and a half season + offseason in baseball terms, isn't over night.

If he's got this problem next year or even in two, then you may have to sit him and down and talk. But he started the year off hitting in the .100's and when asked what he was going to do about it, he said stop thinking about all the advice he listened to. Such as taking it easy on the free swinging.

So what happens? The Francouer switch turns on and he's apparently back to his familiar ways. If the Braves had to choose between the two, they would pick the wild-man versus the .100 hitter.

McCann didn't exactly light it up tonight with men in scoring position either. But he's a catcher so all is forgiven.

 

[Dr.Pepper]

I think Bud is upset that Francouer isn't hitting with RISP for his relievers, which, are probably the bigger problem on the Braves than Francouer not drawing a walk or leaving too many men on base.

Fact is, the Braves are TRULY missing Mazone. I don't care what similarities there are to last season's pen, Mazone makes them better.

Pendelton will continue to develop the hitters - he's got a lot of new farmhands to work with.Eachl with minimal experience. (Yes less than a full season is minimal).

Bud, what are the Braves going to do about their pitching staff?

I saw they are starting a 30 something tomorrow who has had horrific numbers in 4 years in the majors. Any more minor league talent pitching wise to call up? Or has the gravy train began to run out in terms of talen in their farm system. For all the studs they have on their team, I'm sure they have a reliever who can throw fastballs to end and inning versus changeups repeatedly.

 

[Hobbes]

The Braves have no shot

This is all you had to say, all the rest is just piling on.

 

[Budworth22]

The Braves have a perception problem. They BELIEVE they can compete this year, so they won't begin the RELOADING process, and thus they will need to have a 2-3 year reBUILDING process.

McCann is excellent, but they get BELOW AVG production from 1b, LF, AND RF. The problem with having the numbers francouer has is his wild inconsistency. He has only been VALUABLE in 10 of the 42 braves games. And, that is generous. That means he has HURT his team in 32 of 42 games. And when he hurts them, he hurts them BADLY. He's also 0-4 in steals.

Davies is likely to be pretty good.

The Braves owe MIKE HAMPTON 43 MILLION DURING '06-'08. Nobody else is paying any of that anymore.

Horacio Ramirez is much better off as a lefty specialist, he will never be above AAA level.

Sosa only throws one pitch well, and he could use a shitload more Minor League seasoning.

Jake Stevens is very promising though.

Thomson is fine as a 3rd starter, but the braves rally have 3 starters and 2 guys who belong in the minors starting right now.

They'd have to putup softball league type numbers on offense to have a shot at the division.
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[Dr.Pepper]

I guess I would understand your point if you had a large sample size from Diaz - hasn't he only produced or been helpful in 6-7 games? I saw the stat flash up this evening.

Who takes Francouer's spot? Brian Jordan? Langerhans (hasn't his production fallen off too?) Diaz?

If Diaz can keep hitting, go ahead and platoon him with Francouer. But if you want to point out Jeff has only been valuable in a few games, those few games have been increasing exponentially over the last two weeks, whereas when the season started he did nothing. I think it's a little misleading to say he's only done well a few times, because those few times (maybe 8 games in the past few weeks) have come in bunches (a good sign).

Ramirez needs to learn how to keep his legs healthy, always going on the DL for something and it's usually after a trip out to the west coast (Happened twice in two years).

Realistically I agree they believe they are competing and why wouldn't they? How many years in a row have they done that? But the pitching needs to catch up late in games. The period for adjusting and "feeling" your relievers is over. Stuff needs to happen. Unfortunately, this has been a common thing among MANY teams so far.

So if the hitters aren't juiced and the ball isn't juiced, I guess the pitchers aren't either. What's more of an advantage, hitting juiced or pitching juiced? I wonder. It's easy to pass over a pitchers incredible stats and not think the inprobable, but the second a hitter dominates a league, he's on roids. I know that is tangent material (juice talk) but it's an interesting development this season (strong pitching teams falling off the table). It could go back farther into past drafts and team philosophy. Stocking up with hitters with high OBP etc is the "in" thing to do. Pitchers demand more money drafter earlier in a draft. Too much attention on the phenom pitchers and not enough on above average development for pitching could play a role. I don't know, but it's all interesting.

 

[Dr.Pepper]

Interesting development.

First, Diaz has done well over a larger sample size. Just that the sample size has come in bits and pieces. Easy to rebound with a start here and a pinch hit there.

But...57 at bats and 0 walks...are the Braves teaching something we don't know about? Anti-Billy?