Archive for December, 2010

Hi gang! As you have probably noticed, we’re in a bit of a lull in the Braves news cycle right now.  One thing of interest, though, is that Takashi Saito has landed a gig for 2011.  He landed with the Brewers on a one year deal that could pay him north of $3 million, based on incentives. Now, if the contract is for something like $10,000 base salary with the rest based on incentives, then I’m on board.  If, on the other hand, it’s for something like $2.8 million with the rest incentives, then I think it might be time [...]

On behalf of all the folks at Tomahawk Take and the entire FanSided Network, I’d like to extend a Merry Christmas greeting and Happy Holidays to all. I hope Santa was good to you and yours, as he was to me (I’m actually keying this post on the iPad my beautiful wife gave me; I love it!). Enjoy a relaxing day with family, and we’ll be back soon!

With apologies to Robert Louis Stevenson and Treasure Island, I really hope that Santa brings the Braves  “Ho! Ho! Ho! And A Barrel Of Runs” this Christmas.   And while he’s at it, maybe he will bring the rest of the division a “Ho! Ho! Ho! and a Bottle Of Tums”! Having said all that, I don’t think it’s fair to leave all the work up to Santa, especially with him being as busy as he is this time of year (you know, granting Brewers’ fans wishes and everything!).  I figure there have to be some stocking stuffers that can help Santa [...]

In case you missed it, there’s a nice article on the ajc.com site about Kris Medlen’s recovery from elbow surgery (read it here). It appears that things are going very well at the four month mark post-surgery. In fact, he’s scheduled to begin throwing any day now. Assuming the recovery remains on track, the Braves will have some tough decisions to make about how best to use him when he returns around August 1. Let’s take a look at the some of the things they’ll have to consider:

SI.com is reporting that Zack Greinke has been traded to the Brewers, confirming the whirlwind acceleration of the breakup in Kansas City. In return for Greinke, Yuniesky Betancourt and $2 million, Kansas City is receiving outfielder Lorenzo Cain, shortstop Alcides Escobar, pitching prospects Jake Odorizzi and a player to be named later. The deal is pending physicals and the commissioner’s approval. The entire article can be read here. There was no mention of any contract extension being part of the deal, which likely influenced the mix of players and money going in both directions. Given Greinke’s supposed issues in K.C., [...]

The situation with Zach Greinke in Kansas City is evolving rapidly. In apparent frustration with progress on a contract extension, Greinke has taken two bold steps: First, he fired his agent and hired “Super-firm” CAA, one of the highest profile agencies across all of entertainment and sports and the representatives for many top-tier baseball players including Derek Jeter. Secondly, Jon Morosi is reporting that the has demanded a trade. The Royals have apparently agreed to try to make a trade happen.

It seems that every sports columnist and blogger in America is intent on weighing in on just how historically good the new Phillies rotation is. Well, Braves fans know a thing or two about historic rotations, so I thought I’d ask for your thoughts on which rotation is (was) better, the Phillies Halliday/Lee/Oswalt/Hammels group, or the Braves Maddux/Glavine/Smoltz/Avery group.

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe tweeted today (12/16/2010) that the Braves and Dan Uggla are close to a five year extension worth $60-61 million. It appears that the deal would start with the 2011 season, effectively making it a four year extension beyond the year the Braves are already on the hook for. If Mr. Cafardo’s sources are correct, this would go a long way towards shoring up the Braves offense for the foreseeable future. But is the deal a good thing or a bad thing if you’re a Braves fan?

Hall Of Fame Cleveland Indians pitcher Bob Feller died today, Wednesday, December 15, 2010 from acute leukemia. He was 92. Known amongst his legion of fans as “Rapid Robert”, he earned his fame in the days before radar guns. In fact, I remember exhibitions of his fastball outrunning locomotives and speeding motorcycles. That was excitement in glorious black and white! I wish he had been born later, as I would have cherished seeing him pitch. Perhaps he biggest achievement was for his country, as he gave up three years of the prime of his playing career in defense of his [...]

Hello everyone! Sorry to have been away the last couple of days, but I had a little tuning up done on my left eye, which made looking at a keyboard a challenge. But I’m back! In checking out the blog-o-sphere, it seems that the baseball world is somewhere between shock and startling surprise over the Lee signing. I admit that I was following this one fairly closely and can honestly say that none of the “inside sources” saw this one coming. Even Rosenthal was reporting a fait accompli, in my opinion.