Ummmm.....Braves fans!

You got some splainin' to do!

Who would pay?

Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution indicates that Disney is charging fans $14.50 to watch the Braves practice at Disney's Wide World of Sports. This is not for a game. This is for practice.*

Per the attached photo, I think it is safe to say that supply definitely seems to be exceeding demand for this product.

*Allen Iverson does not agree with this "practice" charge either. "We're talking about practice!"

Billy is back!

I see that the Braves signed Billy Wagner to be their closer next year.

Yea, Braves! Another year of Billy Wagner cards!

You see, I collect Billy Wagner cards and not really for his accomplishments though they are impressive.

No, I collect Billy Wagner cards because of the "cocked arm/blow you away expression" thing.

You gotta admit, that is pretty cool. Nobody does it like Billy.

The others are just posers.

Do not hit a home run here. It will ruin everything!

In the AP story on last night's Mets/Braves game, there is a really strange quote by Jeff Francoeur. It is even stranger than Dusty Baker's quote of a couple years ago when he said in all seriousness that he did not like walks (from an offensive perspective) because base runners "clog the bases".

As background, in the fourth inning last night, the Mets had like a mega-rally where they reeled off 10 hits erasing a 4-0 deficit.

Jeff Francoeur had this to say about the inning: "That was a lot of fun. You just keep pounding balls into the gap. The one thing you don't want to do is hit a home run. That's a rally-killer."

I can't tell if Francoeur was speaking "tongue-in-cheek" or not here. I sure hope he was because if not, he needs to go back to "baseball school" where on the first day he will learn that a home run is the best result a batter can get in any situation; bar none.

If he was speaking "tongue-in-cheek", I give Francoeur credit as that is kind of a funny quip for that circumstance. If he was completely serious, it is also funny but in a different, less flattering, kind of way and again some remedial education would be probably be necessary here.

I can just see Jerry Manuel telling Francoeur just as he was leaving the dugout for the on-deck circle: "Whatever you do, do not, I repeat DO NOT hit a home run here. We're on a roll and I don't want to mess things up. Understand?"

Bobby Cox ejection watch

I see Bobby Cox got thrown out of the Braves game with the Dodgers last night giving him 148 career ejections. After a slow start, he is really getting back in the swing of things. All seems right with the world.

I would like to give Bobby more credit on this one but I really can't. This is why.

The Dodgers have a batter up with a full count and a runner on first base. Jair Jurrjens pitching for the Braves throws a strike and the batter does not swing. Home plate umpire motions a strikeout with his right hand. The runner on first is attempting a steal and Braves catcher, Brian McCann throws him out at second base. Two outs on one pitch. Nirvana!

But hold on one second. Home plate umpire now says he actually called a ball and a walk (and people say Pete Rose had a gambling problem) and puts runners on first and second base.

Bobby Cox enters the scene and the rest is very predictable.

As you can see, Bobby only gets a very slight pat on the back here as any competent manager gets thrown out in this situation.

It still counts though!

I do however know one umpire who is not going to be working the Playoffs or World Series this year. Baseball just does not reward bad behavior like that.

What's with these umpires?

I knew that Bobby Cox got thrown out of Monday's game with the Marlins but I really did not know anything other than the basic facts in the AP article on the game. Well, here is the rest of the story.

In an article by David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, it appears that several Braves players saw rogue umpire, Bill Hohn (yea that guy in the picture above) bump fists with Marlins catcher John Baker after the final out in the Braves 6-3 loss.

"Shocking," Chipper Jones said of the Hohn-Baker fist bump. "But it kind of makes sense considering how the ebb and flow of the game went, the way the game was called."

"Never seen it before in my 16 years," Jones said. 'Players and umpires exchange banter all the time. But never a handshake or a fist bump. I guess Baker thought he deserved a hand shake."

"And as a player, it makes you not want to play when that stuff happens. Because you don't have a chance," Jones said.

"No comment," Hohn told two reporters after the game. (At least deny it....if you can)

You can't make this stuff up. You just can't.

As kind of a public service, I think I will provide the following basic, timeless rules for umpires so to prevent these kinds of problems.

1. Do not wear paraphernalia of either team while on the field. (Stick with generic mlb gear. No snazzy emblems but that is how it goes.)

2. Do not sit in either team's dugout between innings. (Even if it is hot and you are tired. Gut it out.)

3. Do not lend or borrow anything from anybody while on the field. (Even if Jim Leyland tries to bum a smoke off of you)

4. Do not at any time while you are on the field give a fist bump or high five to any player or manager competing in the game. (People are watching you know)

Actually, there are quite a few other rules to eliminate any potential evidence of umpire bias in games but consider these just a start. If we can get through a few weeks with no problems on these, we can work on some others. Our long-term goal is bias-free umpiring. Because right now, we have players that don't want to play. And we don't want that.

And here I thought Bobby Cox got ejected all on his own.

Bobby Cox ejection watch

It is noted that Bobby Cox was ejected in last night's Braves/Marlins game which extends his major league career record to 147.

Actually, Bobby was in danger of managing this game to it's conclusion but he pulled it out in the end getting ejected by home plate umpire, Bill Hohn in the eighth inning for arguing balls and strikes. That is one clutch performance.

Bobby was in a slump during the first half of the year but really seems to be getting back in the swing of things lately and this is nice to see. It kind of makes you feel that everything is right with the baseball world again.

(Now Magglio Ordonez needs to turn it around)

The Bobby Cox ejection watch

I see that Bobby Cox got thrown out of the game last night in the Braves 5-1 loss to the Giants. This gives Bobby who of course is the career leader in ejections, 146 ejections giving him a commanding 15 ejection lead over John McGraw who of course cannot catch him because he is dead.

While I appreciate Bobby's continued feistiness and willingness to extend his lead here, he seems to be in a bit of a slump as this was only his third ejection of the year. This is kind of disappointing. Three?! From Bobby Cox? What's going on here? Is Bobby losing focus or something? It's not like umpiring is getting any better recently. This is truly something of a mystery.

I have said it before but if Major League Baseball would assign Doug Eddings and fellow incompetent Angel Hernandez to ump more Braves games, I bet Bobby would get back in the groove really quick.

Until then, if I was Bobby, I would periodically hurl some abuse on the some of those lesser guys and bide my time until the Eddings and Hernandez games come up when he can really rack up the numbers.

Bobby exits early again

I note that Bobby Cox of the Braves was ejected in the bottom of the ninth inning in yesterday's 3-1 loss to the Pirates. As you can see, Bobby was in danger of actually managing the whole game but in the end, he pulled it out in the clutch and was ejected in the bottom of the ninth.

I knew that Bobby Cox was the all time major league leader in managerial ejections with 144 and John McGraw was in second place with 131. What I did not realize is what a commanding lead Cox has over the nearest active manager as he leads Tony LaRussa by more than 50 ejections.

What this means is that Bobby has a chance to join baseball's immortals like Cy Young and Joe Dimaggio in owning a record that will never ever be broken. He could join the inner-ring pantheon of baseball gods. Frankly in my opinion, this just does not get enough attention.

Actually major league baseball could even help Bobby in his bid for baseball immortality by assigning noted incompetents like Doug Eddings and Angel Hernandez to umpire more Braves games. Bobby would really rack em up then. Think about the numbers he could put up. There would be no stopping him.

If I were an advisor to Bobby Cox, this is what I would tell him:

1. Argue everything and anything. Instant replays on those home runs are not always right especially if the call goes against you and replay seems to confirm the call on the field. Be persistent.

2. Be demonstrative too. Don't be shy. Hats were made for throwin and dirt was made for kickin. (Actually, Bobby has this one down pat)

3. As for language, let it fly. You know all the words that will ring the bell. Use them. (Though I would not actually know, I suspect that Bobby has this one down pat too.)

4. Don't let them cheat you. You are not just a potted plant out there. Make them respect you. (But not enough that they would feel reluctant to throw you out. It's a fine line there.)

After all, baseball immortality rides on this.