Hear the Hurd

2011 Braves at the midpoint

I try to do a post every year looking at the Braves at the midpoint, or All Star break, to see how the team is doing.  What my feelings are seem to be different than what is on the page...or the stats.  I've viewed much of the first half as a failure in many ways...the team not performing as expected (Uggla, Heyward, injuries a plenty.)  But the standings say differently.  These Braves are one of the top four teams in all of baseball.

What to make of it?  Let's take it by position as I normally do,

Catcher - Brian McCann has been the man this year.  Ross as back-up rarely leaves anything on the table.  'Nuff said. Plus.

1st Base - Freeman has been this year's Heyward without the injuries.  And plus, plus defense.  This Brave could actually win the ROY. Plus.

2nd Base - Uggla has left a lot to be desired this year, especially after signing that contract after the trade.  His power is still there to a point, but his average is way down.  He seems like he is picking up some steam and we can only hope that is true.  Hold.

SS - Alex Gonzalez has been steady if not productive.  If we could find a better SS, we could certainly do better.  He still has it on defense but where are those power numbers from last year?  Toronto?  Hold

3rd Base - With Chipper down, Prado steps up hopefully.  It will take some time to see if he is back or still hurting.  I won't count his poor numbers during rehab against him.  Thankfully Chipper is back within weeks.  But I said last year - Prado should not be playing 3rd every day.  That madness leads to Conrad at 2nd.  Hold for now.

RF - Heyward is trying to come back into his own.  It is always a learning process and I think his is well on his way.  Sophomore slump, sure, but the man still has plenty of talent. Plus

CF - Here is the place to upgrade if we replace an everyday player.  The two we run out there everyday have some issues, no doubt about it.  McLouth has proved some usefulness this year finally, and Schafer has had his moments, but this is definitely a Minus.

LF - Same thing here, I am afraid.  He have some warm bodies to fill the hole, but Prado moving to 3rd causes McLouth and Schafer to play together too often.  Because of the bench, I'll give this a Hold.

Starting Pitching - Excellent!  What else can I say?  I could get on Lowe and Hudson if I wanted to, but I don't.  Old men getting it done.  Good on them for it.  Thankfully the system is stocked and JJ, Hanson and Beachy/Minor/etc. is getting it done even better. Plus.

Relief Pitching - Steller.  Venters has had a set back or two of late, but Gonzalez uses him a lot.  Kimbrel has been amazing especially given his some time wildness.  There are holes here, however, and given the workload of the big four or five (and Moylan coming back soon from surgery) the team likely needs a fresh body.  Still, Plus.

Bench - Another strength.  Management has done well to mitigate the various injuries and the farm teams seemed stocked.  Still...championship teams often have that one guy that has been around forever.  Chipper may be that man on this team, but often it is a bench player.  I'd like to see one more steady and veteran bat on the bench. I still say Plus.

 

I suppose I should say a word or two about Gonzalez as manager.  His overuse of the bullpen is a sickness, but managers go with the hot hand and we have some good ones.  Outside of that, he seems very much in line with Bobby Cox - a player's manager.  The Braves are in line for winning the division depending on how the second half goes.  I'd say that is a success.  Given the Phillies starters, I am happy.  Never liked the wild card, but I am willing to take it if it means getting this team into the playoffs.  I am not certain we will lose the division, but even if we have to take the cheap route, this team can deliver.  It is very talented and as stated, stocked in the minors.  This could be a very happy October.  That is all.

4th of July, 2011

Every year, it's nice to do something to remember this day and what it means to us as a nation.  Having looked at various aspects of the holiday before, I thought it might be interesting to remind that not only do we celebrate the birth of a nation on the 4th, but so too the deaths of two of its greatest founders - Jefferson and Adams.  The two both died on this day in 1826, hours apart.  Adams final words were, "Thomas Jefferson survives" when in fact, Thomas Jefferson had predeceased his friend.  A rivalry to the final breath.

It's also important to note that Adams himself, among the many things he brought this country, was perhaps the first to suggest we celebrate this day in the manner in which we do.  In a letter to his wife Abigail he discusses his thoughts for what the 4th means,

"The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not."

We have celebrated thusly ever since as I am sure many and most of you will do today (and tomorrow...and hopefully every day!) Allow me to add a little reminder as well...this is what we celebrate:

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government.

I am so very grateful for my country and grateful to the men and women that defend her.  Happy birthday, United States of America.  I hope it's a great day for all.  That is all.