Friends with Felons

It sounds like Mike Vick associates with some pretty classy characters. He now has convicts saying that they witnessed Vick at dog fights. I am glad to see that AirTran has pulled his sponsorship. His poor behavior deserves to be punished.

Welcome Back to Mediocrity

Florida Gator basketball fans, welcome back to mediocrity. Your Golden Boy, Billy Donovan, has left for the Orlando Magic. Your team now has permission to recess back to the middle of the SEC pack. Perhaps I will get the chance to watch your team get bounced from the first or second round of the tourney every few years.

Go Bruins!

Big Win

Big win for the Bravos today. The Brewers are struggling, as well, but it was good to see the Braves handle them anyway. Chuck James had a strong outing, and I look for him to continue to improve throughout the season. He reminds me a little of Jason Schmidt in his early years. I hope he can turn out as well.

The more I watch this Braves team, the more I am convinced they are a few pieces shy of really being a contender. They are in need of a proven third or fourth starter, as well as one big bat. They can do without the bat, however, if Chipper can stay healthy and Andruw can play like he did in 2005.

Gonzalez Out For Year

Mike Gonzalez is out for the year. This is a huge loss for the Braves. I am very glad we got Soriano and resigned Wickman, but this still hurts. Let's just hope that Yates can keep up his solid work.

Now This is a True Fan

A death row inmate in Arizona used his last breath on this earth to say "Go Raiders!" as he was executed. This guy is literally a "die hard fan", especially given the fact that the Raiders are the worst team in the NFL. Read more here.

Andruw Jones - Most Overrated CF Ever?

Jason Stark has written an interesting book claiming that Andruw Jones is the most overrated center fielder of all time. I think the "all time" portion is a big stretch. Jason does, however, put stats around something that I think a lot of Braves fans have suspected for the last few years. Andruw is not the same defender he used to be. I don't know if it is the weight gain or just age, but he does not have the range he had in the late 1990s.

Based on Jason's stats, the lack of range is even more dramatic that I suspected. Andruw dropped from a career high of 493 put outs in 1999 to 365 put outs in 2005. He equates that to about three extra hits per week. Not only that, but in some stat tracking process that ESPN has to rate center fielders based on range, Jones finished last! That is shocking.

I will hate to see Andruw go when the Yankees, Red Sox or Mets inevitably sign him after this season. I do think that the Braves can get a lot more for their money than they are getting from Jones.

Read Jason Stark's full article here.

200 Wins - A Great Victory!

Wow! What a victory! That game went as well as it possibly could. Glavine was good, but not great. Smoltz pitched about as well as possible. The Braves beat the Mets and gained another game in the standings.

That 9th was a little worrisome, especially given Wickman's recent struggles. Braves fans are used to closers falling apart (see Wohlers, Rocker, the 2006 bullpen, etc). I don't think it will happen to Wickman, however. He doesn't ever look rattled up there and he's had enough history as a closer to get through the rough patches.

I like this Braves team. We are still a starter shy, I believe, but perhaps the new ownership will pony up a few bucks to make a key trade before the deadline.

Jose Reyes - The Scariest Hitter in the NL?

Is there another batter that scares Braves fans more than Joes Reyes. He hits for average. He hits for power. He has speed. He's clutch. He's playing for the enemy. I don't think there's another hitter out there that makes me more nervous.

Mike Gonzales' Injury

If Gonzales is really injured, the Braves will have a big hole to fill. It is not looking good at all to me.

From :

May. 24 : Gonzalez (arm) will go in for his third MRI exam in five weeks Thursday to determine why he has experienced reduced velocity and arm spasms, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports.

May. 23 : Gonzalez left last Tuesday's game after his velocity was down by about 10 miles per hour, but two MRIs and a bone scan have revealed no damage to his elbow, reports the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Gonzalez says there is some inflammation but no pain in the elbow, and he plans to begin a throwing program that will have him ready to come off the disabled list when he is eligible on June 1.

Martin Prado

Does anyone have a clue as to what the Braves see in this guy? He doesn't appear to have a good bat and his defense looks very shaky. He had an error in last night's game vs. the Mets, and almost threw away a ball from third tonight. Prado doesn't bring a lot to the table, in my opinon.

NFL Hires Investagator to Probe Vick Case

The NFL has hired investigators to look into the Vick dog case. I think there is a lot more to the Vick story than has come out so far, and I think the NFL is going to help prove it. The NFL does not want the negative press that comes with dog fighting, nor does the Falcons franchise. My prediction: Vick will be suspended four games...and he deserves it.

Smoltz vs. Glavine

John Smoltz. Tom Glavine. Two of the three greatest pitchers in Atlanta history going head to head for the 3rd time. It doesn't get much better than that. Couple the match up with the fact that Smoltzie is going for #200 and you've got an instant classic. Go Braves!