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Back to the drawing board , again ……….

Back to the drawing board, again

Well, with both the Atlanta Braves and Tampa Bay Rays bowing out in the divisional series of the NLDS and the ALDS. It is hard to explain, where the two teams now go from here in terms of their immediate long-term futures. Managers, Fredi Gonzalez and Joe Maddon did all that was asked of them by way of their respective hierarchies, but at the end of the day it simply was not enough. The Atlanta Braves with a great deal of ease won the NL East , going away from their closest rivals , the Washington Nationals . In the case of Maddon and the Rays, it was a year erratic plays and then heightened moments of excellence, only to the stumble at the most inopportune of moments. Simply making the postseason, was all that the Rays could have hoped for, in spite of the optimism shown by the team’s 2012 Cy Young Award winning pitcher David Price .

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Utter frustration and dismay, would be the best way to describe the very fact that the Tampa Bay Rays fought all season long to gain a postseason berth , only for their pitching and then their hitting to let them down in their ALDS match-up against divisional rivals the Boston Red Sox , who might now be the clear favorites to win the AL Pennant for this season. Of the four teams left at that stage of the postseason the Red Sox might well be the most balanced of the quartet in terms of their fielding , offense and pitching . And that to my mind may well be the determining factor as to whether or not John Farrell leads this team to their third … World Series’ title in the past seven seasons . It would certainly justify the faith shown in the manager and his staff , after a year of sheer turmoil and utter incompetence shown by Farrell’s predecessor , Bobby Valentine . The ease with which Boston was able to dispose of the Tampa Bay Rays, says a great deal about the determination of the team and the simple lack of real depth and leadership of the Rays’ staff altogether . When I have repeatedly pointed this fact out to a number of Tampa’s supporters , few have been prepared to answer that question succinctly, simply choosing instead to point to the managerial acumen of Joe Maddon. Yet , the manager can only give instruction to his players, and then expect them to execute accordingly.

The ease of Boston’s 3-1 series’ win in a best of five game series , has been a damning indictment of a Rays’ organization , although well ran , it remains with an unenviable task of trying to compete against teams within their division , who possess far deeper pockets and essentially have far greater resources all-round. During this off-season, GM Andrew Friedman will have to contemplate whether or not the organization can afford to retain the services of David Price , who in many ways was the team’s best pitcher and overall performer during the postseason. A one-year . $10 million contract was all that the ball-club could afford in 2013. Greater riches await Price and his agent Bo McKinnis , should they refuse what is likely to be another single or no more than two-year deal from the organization . A rather asinine article written in the business bible for many Forbes Magazine, suggested that the Rays would be able to negotiate a multi-year multi-million television deal that would be able to sustain the franchise over the decade and a half. Unfortunately, the writer of this article must have been someone with very little knowledge of the ball club and clearly not an intelligent enough individual, to realize the fact that once again the Tampa Bay Rays were at the lower end of attendance levels for baseball’s thirty teams during the 2013 season . In spite of the claims MLB that the Tampa Bay Rays draws on average in excess of 22,000 fans per home game at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg , Florida. That figure in reality, is a great deal closer to 15,000 hardcore fans that this franchise is known to possess. The fact the matter is, in spite of a growing television audience in the local market , on the national stage this ball-club is far from being a major draw.

Tampa as a baseball town, is unable compete along the lines of their big market counterparts, never mind the fact, that the Sales and Marketing Department’s attempts of selling the Rays as a brand, has proven to be about as successful an attempt, as it has been for the current Presidential administration’s attempt to raise the debt-ceiling and creating the perception that it will be a cure to solving the federal government’s budgetary woes. One can only carry on repeating the same lunacy for so long, before the general public or the fans finds that whole exercise tedious and rather comedic. The biggest issue I have with the Tampa Bay Rays’ organization is the continued reluctance shown by managing partners Matt Silverman and Stuart Sternberg to seek out a wealthy financial backer willing to take stake in the franchise , while providing the franchise with the means and resources to go after some of the more marquee free agents available. Granted, Maddon and his managerial assistants in conjunction with Andrew Friedman have been able to assess great talent by way of the MLB Draft over the past few years , while also being able to obtain workmanlike free agents via trade acquisitions that have proven to be productive. Yet, if Tampa is to compete against the top-heavy payrolls of teams such as the New York Yankees , Detroit Tigers Boston and Boston Red Sox , then the front office will clearly have to rethink its current strategy.

The disappointment of this postseason, has not been lost on the Rays’ fans as a great deal more was expected from this team at the start of the season. As the year wore on, it became abundantly clear that they were not the best team in the AL East , as many analyst and commentators alike had predicted. All of the hyperbole was simply misplaced on a team , that at best, their main hope was simply to make the postseason and then hope that the baseball gods would look down upon the franchise favorably as they sought to make their way the World Series. In 2013, it was not meant to be and at this juncture, I do believe it may well be a considerable length of time before we see the Tampa Bay Rays make another appearance in baseball’s showcase finale. Five years removed from that sensational year and that series’ appearance against the Philadelphia Phillies whetted the appetite of the fans, but it has now become a lovelorn quest that has proven to be so disappointing at every juncture for this organization in the subsequent years after that World Series’ appearance in 2008 .

As the front office spends time this off-season reassessing their needs and how best to strategize, who will remain a part of the current roster , and which players will be jettisoned. The thought has to be , whether or not it is feasible to continue along this path while knowing that next season without a doubt the New York Yankees , Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles are likely to get considerably better in terms of their lineups . In the case of the Toronto Blue Jays , theirs has been a lesson in abject stupidity and a complete lack of leadership from their executives on down to the managerial staff and amongst the players . After such an abject season, one can only question the decisions made by the front office and the lack of competitiveness shown by the team throughout the entire season. I can only surmise, that the goal of the organization was simply to assemble a platoon of overpaid stars to place alongside Jose Bautista and then to let the chips fall where they may , rather than to assemble a cohesive lineup. Manager John Gibbons is likely to return , but in all likelihood , his long-term future with the organization will not be all that long , if this franchise fails to compete in 2014.

With Joe Girardi and the New York Yankees agreeing to a contract extension , it remains to be seen whether not the organization will be as ambitious in retaining the services of Robinson Cano , as the player becomes a free agent this off-season. The retirements of Andy Pettite and Mariano Rivera , will see something of a depleted pitching staff , that this season was nowhere as good as advertised . Add in, the continued idiocy of the Alex Rodriguez saga and the Yankees’ less than ambitious task of seeking to remove the player from their organization , along with Bud Selig’s stupidity, in handling this issue. And baseball’s most celebrated franchise will have its own endearing off-season drama of comedic events .

Two years in succession and a change of leagues and the absolute mediocrity shown by the Houston Astros remained intact. It is one thing to lose one hundred games 2012 , but to repeat that feat again in 2013 as the American League’s newest arrival, was something that I believe not even the Astros’ fans were expecting. GM Jeff Luhnow and team owner Jim Crane must now be wondering, if that added incentive of $100 million offered by the league hierarchy was worthwhile in making jump from the NL Central to the AL West . While there is said to be a sense that current manager Bo Porter has the team heading in the right direction , there are those who feel that he and his staff are not the right people to be in charge and oversee the development of their young players on the roster, as well as seeking the progress of the farm system and prospects . With a payroll of just over $22 million in 2013 , the Astros’ salary obligations were the lowest in all of Major League Baseball and a far cry from the $228.8 million that was committed to by the New York Yankees . Consider the fact also that the game’s highest paid player , Alex Rodriguez , whose salary this season was a colossal $29 million delivered meager returns for the franchise , while the likes of the Astros struggled not only with attendance , but also trying to remain competitive over the course of the season . Next year, we are likely to see the Astros begin their Spring Training schedule with the usual mindset amongst baseball’s thirty teams , but once the regular season starts , will the team revert to ways of old , in proceeding to show us the form witnessed in 2012 and 2013 ?

As an avowed Atlanta Braves’ fan I expected a great deal more out of the team during the postseason ! The fact that Fredi Gonzalez and his staff could muster a sense of urgency amongst the players provides me now with the ammunition I need to not only be critical of the manager but the entire organization as a whole , from the executives on down . The NLDS series was simply an absolute abomination to endure and watch. Capsizing at sea perhaps , would be the best way to describe the effort of the team , as no one showed any emotion, or sought to step up to the plate. A clear case can be made that the Braves are a reflection of the manager Fredi Gonzalez , whose laid back style is not the type effort that is needed when managing in the postseason .

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Now that we are down to the final four teams for playing to become the AL and NL pennant representatives for this season’s World Series . It will be interesting to see how these respective series pan out with the Boston Red Sox playing host to the Detroit Tigers for the first two games of the ALCS at Fenway Park , while the St Louis Cardinals will have as their guests at Busch Stadium the Los Angeles Dodgers . While the league hierarchy and some of the more uninitiated, try to suggest that baseball has a level playing field , but consider the fact that these four teams combined, will have a payroll exceeding $600 million. Baseball has lost its way, in spite of the controversy and drama seen this season . Simply leave comment as you see fit on this and anything else you believe to be pertinent to the subject matter .

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(1) Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers and his teammates celebrate their 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves in game four of the NLDS played at Dodgers Ballpark in Los Angles California . AP Photo / Mark J Terrill ….

(2) Jason Heyward of the Atlanta Braves reacts after striking out in the third inning of game four of the NLDS played against the Los Angeles Dodgers . Heyward like the rest of the Braves’ offense performed poorly during the series as a whole . Getty Images North America / Stephen Dunn ….

(3) Tampa Bay Rays’ manager Joe Maddon speaks with pitcher Jamey Wright , during the second inning of game four of the ALDS , which was played at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg , Florida against the Boston Red Sox . Also pictured, catcher Jose Lobaton . Boston would go on to win the game 3-1 and take the series 3-1 to make their to the ALCS , where they will play the Detroit Tigers . AP Photo / Chris O’Meara ….

(4) Red Sox relief pitcher Koji Uehara celebrates with teammate , Jarrod Saltalmacchia after Evan Longoria of the Tampa Bay Rays is struck out in the ninth inning of game four of the ALDS . AP Photo /John Raoux ….

(5) New York Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman is seen here with the team’s manager Joe Girardi . The manager has agreed to a four-year contract extension said to be valued at $16 million . This off-season the team faces a number of tough decisions , most notably the re-signing of third baseman Robinson Cano as dealing with the decision to also acquire Japanese pitcher Lure Masahiro Tanaka . There also remains the uncertainty as to whether or not Alex Rodriguez will be a part of the roster for the upcoming 2014 season . The Yankees’ third baseman has a lawsuit in which he seeks to sue MLB as well as the team’s lead physician Dr Christopher Ahmad in a suit seeking unspecified damages , emotional distress , pain and anguish , slander , while seeking to do harm to his career and reputation . It should be noted , that an appeal’s hearing and date has yet to be set in the ongoing process, during which Rodriguez will seek to have his two hundred and eleven game suspension overturned . Getty Images / Thomas Croft ….

(6) Alex Rodriguez is seen here arriving at the MLB headquarters in New York City for an impromptu meeting with arbitrator Fred Horowitz . Also in attendance , were the player’s legal team headed by criminal defense attorneys Joseph Tacopina and David Cornwell . Getty Images / Robert Keller ….

(7) Houston Astros’ owner Jim Crane , left, is seen here with the team’s manager Bo Porter as he is formally introduced to the convened members of the media at Minute Maid Park in Houston , Texas . Coming off two straight seasons of losing in excess of one hundred games , the long-term future of the franchise is not as bright as Crane and his fellow executives have been trying to suggest . In recent months , it has been suggested that the Astros have been facing some steep financial difficulties which the owner and general manager Jeff Luhnow have denied . AP Photo / Ashley Jacobson …..

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tophatal ………… 10/10/2013

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MLB postseason schedule

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Gianna Michaels

A hard rain is going to fall ….

Sunday 1st September and baseball will enter the final month of the regular season with two divisional races set , in terms a winner . It would be pretty safe to say, that barring a major catastrophe both the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers look to be certain winners of their respective divisions . For the reigning World Series champions the San Francisco Giants , this has been a lamentable season , where nothing seems to have gone right for Bruce Bochy , his staff and the team . Injuries , inconsistent play from many of team`s top players took its toll on so many of the stars , that it could very well lead to some tough decisions being made in the off-season by GM Brian Sabean .

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For Don Mattingly`s Dodgers , this was a team that I felt would be left for dead a little over six weeks ago . Yet quite the opposite happened , with the Los Angeles putting together an astonishing run , where Los Angeles rolled off forty-two wins out of a possible fifty game stretch , to put themselves back in the hunt for the NL West title . Mattingly could very well come away with this season`s NL Manager of the Year award , if the adjudicators have any common sense . At the same time, the inspiration for this remarkable stretch run , all came down to the call up of Dodgers` outfield sensation Yasiel Puig .

At present the team with the best record in baseball, is by no means a clear indication that they are the best team currently playing . Yet a case, can be made that the two best ball-clubs now reside in the National League .. And beyond all of the ongoing controversy surrounding both Ryan Braun and Alex Rodriguez , baseball has repeatedly shot itself in the foot, and still carries on , as if nothing had ever happened . Never-mind the utter conceit shown for the fans by the game`s hierarchy and team owners . With Bud Selig continuing to remain the very public face of the game , with a number of rather inane and idiotic edicts , it should come as no wonder why many still remain distrustful of the league hierarchy and its overall leadership.

The AL East, long believed to be the standard-bearer for some of the best baseball to be played, has this season become a complete paradigm , with the painstaking mediocrity shown by John Gibbons` … Toronto Blue Jays and the continued perils of Perils of Pauline as portrayed by the New York Yankees , with the continued excuses being made for that team`s woeful ineptitude, alongside Alex Rodriguez`s effusiveness and his wish to be seen as a victim, even in light of the continued evidence showing him to be an habitual liar and a cheat. Within this particular division, for much of this season it has been left to the Baltimore Orioles , Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays to provide the fans with a great deal of the entertainment to found . Yet, bearing in mind, as to what I believe to be a tarnished season within baseball, where there have been very few positives either on or off the field. The fans can only take what is now said to be on offer by the teams within the game, and as things now stand, it is not that great a deal .

The New York Yankees will host the Baltimore Orioles for a weekend series , in which Joe Girardi`s players will be looking to make up ground on the third placed Orioles , who themselves are vying for one of the two AL wildcard berths available for postseason play. Buck Showalter , is sure to have his players prepared for what is likely to be a highly contested series over the next three days. The first of the triumvirate of games will begin on Friday , with the Orioles` Miguel Gonzalez taking the mound against Yankees` starting ace CC Sabathia . AL East division leaders the Boston Red Sox will host the laboring Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park , with Robin Ventura`s players somehow looking to derail the Red Sox`s divisional hopes and what in essence has been a memorable inaugural season for the team’s manager John Farrell. His managerial acumen, has somehow managed to steady the ship with the team`s veterans and younger players buying into Farrell’s managerial style after the disaster witnessed last year under Bobby Valentine. The second-placed Tampa Bay Rays within the AL East , has for much of the season remained in close proximity of the division’s leaders , themselves having held the lead before a momentary lapse, led to their falling from the top of the division. Rays’ manager Joe Maddon would like nothing better than to lead the ball-club to their second divisional title in the franchise’s history , with GM Andrew Friedman having to operate on a somewhat meager budget , as he seeks to make the team competitive .

Tampa currently sits, 2 ½ games adrift of the Boston Red Sox (79-56) and only a half game ahead of their weekend opponents the Oakland Athletics in the wildcard standings. These two teams will meet , knowing that there is a great deal on the line for both ball-clubs , as each vies for a playoff berth. David Price will meet Jarrod Parker at the O Coliseum , in the first of three games to be played at the venerable venue in this series .

With a 6 ½ game lead over their nearest rivals in the AL Central, the Detroit Tigers are hoping to make up for a very poor 2012 foray in the postseason . Jim Leyland will once again seek redemption , by taking the division and then look to meet, whomever their first round opponents may well be . GM Dave Dombrowski has gathered together a team that should be good enough to win the AL pennant , but herein lies the caveat , the Tigers in their present guise know how to win in the regular season but the postseason in recent years has been their Achilles’ heal . The Tigers will play host to the Cleveland Indians in and what should prove to be a very interesting series , with Zach McAllister on the mound for the Indians against Rick Porcello of the Tigers.

Last season’s AL MVP Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers and baseball’s most recent Triple Crown winner looks on course to repeat as MVP. Granted , the seasonal home run crown is beyond his reach , with the Orioles’ Chris Davis leading the MLB (league) and AL with forty-seven home runs to his name. If Detroit is to have any real success this postseason , then it will certainly not just come down to the competency of the offense , but also the tenacity shown by the pitching staff led by Justin Verlander , Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello .

I will give credit , where it is due ! And granted, there have been very few positives to come out of this season , beyond the play of a number of very good rookies . Yet in the midst of this baseball season , how can we continue to overlook the poor play and bad teams that still exist within the game ? New York Mets’ fans are probably now hoping that 2014 will be a great deal brighter than a lamentable 2013 season , where the ball-club’s brightest hope rests squarely on the shoulders of their pitcher Matt Harvey . Shuttered for the remainder of the season , because of an arm injury , there was not much that one can really say, was inspiring about the team’s play , beyond Harvey , himself. As to the idiocy of their fans that the team will be competitive next season . That would be like suggesting that after Miley Cyrus’ performance at the VMA’s , we can now seriously take her as a talented individual . Anyone who witnessed Cyrus’ somewhat titillating act , will know that beneath the surface, there lies a very untalented individual and yes , the same can be said of the New York Mets.

Given the recent lack of progression of this Mets’ organization on the field of play , even with the alleged front office talents of Sandy Alderson and JP Ricciardi . The real issue with this ball-club , has been the very fact that they hog-tied themselves with some burdensome contracts that are tied to several players who are close to or essentially past their prime or in some cases are no longer with the organization.

As baseball seeks to find its champion for this year , I must admit that overall, this has to be looked upon as a season of disappointment and one wherein, once again, all of the main parties concerned have let another golden opportunity slip from within its grasp to clean up its image . Instead, fans are looking at an issue of instant replay being adopted for 2014 as a positive for the game , without ever acknowledging baseball still remains in a quagmire of deceit , , lies and delusions of self-importance. There seems to be no indignation from the union (MLBPA) as to the dishonor brought to the game by the continued cheating by the players , and not one prominent team owner has stepped into the fray to question how Bud Selig and the league hierarchy have dealt with the issue. Needless to say, things are likely to remain the same, because baseball`s commissioner, is simply averse to any real change , unless it is a change that would begin to show him in some form of a positive light . As commissioner , he chooses not to tackle the issue of the financial imbalances within his sport, while denigrating certain owners as being unimaginative and lackluster. Unfortunately, Bud Selig has never really taken the time to question his own actions in all of this and his own failings as being someone, who has not led with authority .

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Picture gallery .

The future of baseball on the face of it, does not appear bleak , but if the truth be told, its future is not as bright as some might believe it to be , even with the ascent of a number of young players coming to the fore. Leave a comment on this and anything else you believe to be pertinent to the subject matter and thanks as always for the continued support of this site.

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tophatal ……………………………… 08/30/2013

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(1) Miami Marlins third baseman Placido Polanco (30) leaps above third base to catch a throw from catcher Jeff Mathis as Atlanta Braves Freddie Freeman (5) slides safely beneath him after a wild pitch during the fourth inning of a baseball game at Turner Field in Atlanta on Aug. 30, 2013. John Amis / AP Photo ….

(2) Adrian Gonzalez (23) of the Los Angeles Dodgers is congratulated by Yasiel Puig (66 )after hitting a two-run home run against the San Diego Padres in the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium on August 30, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. Jeff Gross /Getty Images North America ….

(3) San Francisco Giants` GM Brian Sabean , who this off-season will have a number of issues to deal with , concerning this Giants` team , their lack of consistency and productivity in 2012 , as well the impending free agency status of a number of players on the roster . AP Photo / Mark Perry ….

(4) Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon, center talks with Jose Molina (28) and James Loney (21) in a baseball game against the Houston Astros Tuesday, July 2, 2013, in Houston. AP Photo/Pat Sullivan …

(5) The Detroit Tigers` Torii Hunter (48) is seen here alongside teammate Miguel Cabrera in a game played at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan, against the Oakland A`s on Wednesday , 28th August 2013 . AP Photo /Paul Sancya ………..

(6) MLB executive vice president Rob Manfred , left, is Bud Selig’s right-hand man, but there’s no guarantee that he’ll become baseball’s next commissioner. Selig continues to try and put out fires or the continued embers from past flare ups that he thought resolved . Due to step down in 2014 , there is no clear linear successor to the present MLB Commissioner and with their being calls for an outsider to succeed Selig , it seems unlikely that the hierarchy and team owners are willing to heed those calls at all . Getty Images / Rich Carmichael …….

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MLB results 29th August 2013

MLB probable pitchers

MLB standings and wildcard standings

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This day in MLB history

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Jeny Romero . Comes courtesy of King Magazine

Feds watching ……………

Feds watching ……….

Well baseball`s season having been encompassed by an ongoing steroids` scandal that now even Bud Selig actually wants no part of , along with the executives who oversee the game, is now looking to wind down its regular season. After a schedule that began on the 31st March 2013 , we are now one hundred and twenty-nine games into the season , with a mere 33 games left before the schedule reaches its finality. Not all of the divisional races are completely known in terms of an outright winner , but it would appear that barring a major catastrophe the Atlanta Braves are likely to be the runaway winners of the NL East . Now not wanting to disparage the other contestants within the division but their challenge to the Braves this season , has bordered on being downright abysmal, if not insulting to the fans of the game.

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At 77-49 , the Atlanta Braves currently possess a fifteen game lead over their closest rival within the division , the Washington Nationals (62-62). With the Philadelphia Phillies having fired manager Charlie Manuel , who has subsequently been replaced by Ryne Sandberg as the ball-club`s interim manager until the end of the season. It remains to be seen, how the team will fare over the remainder of their schedule. Sandberg knows , that this well be the best chance to prove himself to GM Reuben Amaro and the ownership group , that he is a worthy successor to the deposed Manuel . As to the fact, that the team has performed so poorly, with a high-priced roster of overpaid stars , this off-season is likely to be a tumultuous one for this franchise and how they will seek to remedy the issues that have befallen the team. Certainly, Amaro will be looking to off-load a number of the free agents , who the staff will have deemed to be unproductive. In all likelihood , the front office will assess their farm system , promoting from within and pursue not so expensive free agent assignees.

The Phillies will face the Colorado Rockies at Citizens Bank Ballpark, in Philadelphia on Thursday . That game itself, will pit Chad Bettis of the Rockies against the Phillies` Kyle Kendrick . For the Rockies this has been something of an unproductive season , where they are now languishing in third place within the NL West , behind the high-flying Los Angeles Dodgers , leaders of the division followed by the Arizona Diamondbacks .

Fredi Gonzalez and the Braves will take their talents on the road to face the St Louis Cardinals , who are in something of a dog-fight , as they seek to chase down the Pittsburgh Pirates within the NL Central , one of the surprise stories of this MLB season . . Taking the mound for the Braves will be Paul Maholm facing off against Joe Kelly of the Cardinals. This will be one of the more interesting pitching duels of the day within baseball . Atlanta faces something of a minor dilemma with the recent injury to Jason Heyward , with the player being struck on and suffering a broken jaw during a game against the New York Mets at Citi-Field in Flushing , New York. The cause for concern, beyond the player`s return to the team`s DL , was the very fact that in the lead-off spot for the Braves` offense. Heyward had been hitting .364 over his last eleven games for the team along with an on base percentage of .404 and a slugging percentage of .659 , with three home runs and five runs batted in. Yet, the player`s defensive ability was also one of the things that Fredi Gonzalez and his staff had come to rely on during that time-span. The Braves` manager is likely to platoon his playing staff to make up for the loss of Jason Heyward.

Beyond the itinerant stupidity, that we have already seen displayed by baseball`s hierarchy . Is it not enough that we now have to deal with the hypocrisy of the players themselves as it relates to issue steroid abuse within the game ? So much has been made of the recent incident during the game between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees , where the Red Sox pitcher Ryan Dempster struck Yankees` third baseman Alex Rodriguez with a pitch. Yankees` manager Joe Girardi vented his anger, and was removed from the game by the officials . Dempster, was subsequently punished by the league drawing a fine and handed a five-game suspension . Call me naïve , but given the controversy surrounding Alex Rodriguez at present , baseball has just taken a step backwards in terms of its action against the pitcher . Albeit , that is being stated that Ryan Dempster has been at the forefront of players speaking out against the use of steroids within the game . To my mind, that has got to be the biggest crock of fecal matter within the game of baseball altogether , much like the idiocy of Matt Kemp`s rather childlike uttering , as it related to the now suspended Ryan Braun . The entire baseball fraternity of players, have remained silent for all too long , and only now are they voicing their displeasure , solely because of the fans` and public`s anger over the issue . As to Red Sox slugger, David Ortiz coming out in support of Rodriguez after Dempster`s actions during the game. Need we be reminded that Ortiz`s name was amongst the one-hundred and four players named in the now infamous `Mitchell Report` of players , who reportedly tested positive for a banned substance ? How soon we all forget , most notably David Ortiz, himself .

As the fourth placed New York Yankees of the AL East seeks to make inroads into the leads held by the Boston Red Sox , Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles ahead of them within the division. It is interesting to note, that beyond the off-field drama that concerns the team , and what is now said to be a lukewarm relationship between GM Brian Cashman and the team`s now unpopular third baseman , Alex Rodriguez . There have been few bright spots to the team`s season, and one of those occasions, came last night . Ichiro Suzuki would add to his already impressive resume` by record by claiming his 4,000 hit in baseball, and granted 1,278 of those hits were recorded playing in the Japanese League (JBL). Yet whichever way you look at it, it is still an astonishing feat by this MLB All Star . Twelve years into what has been one of the great careers in baseball by a Japanese born player , and for any player over the past decade. Ichiro has notched up some incredible feats. His 2722 hits, during his now storied MLB career, places him third amongst active players , only behind Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez , respectively. That figure also places him in fifty-ninth place among the career hits` leaders . Combined however, his 4,000 hits, would only be supplanted by Hall of Fame enshrined Ty Cobb and the . all-time career leader in that specific category , Pete Rose .

The game in which Ichiro Suzuki notched that historic 4,000 hit came against the struggling Toronto Blue Jays , with pitcher R A Dickey , being the player unlucky enough to be part of history . Alfonso Soriano broke open this showdown , but the night obviously belonged to Ichiro , as the team romped to a 4-2 victory over their slumping AL East rivals and further sending the Blue Jays` season into an abyss of sheer mediocrity , from which there now seems absolutely no escape .

New York, is now a mere ½ game behind the third placed Baltimore Orioles within the AL East, but their thoughts must now be firmly placed on the second placed Tampa Bay Rays , who hold a five game lead over the Bronx Bombers . A three game series between these two teams to be played at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg, Florida, with the opening salvo taking place on Friday , is sure to be a raucous affair. This might be one of the few times this season where the Rays will actually have a sellout for all three days. And with all three scheduled games due to be televised nationally, this series does promise to be filled with fireworks, as well as undoubtedly , the Rays` fans looking to give Alex Rodriguez a less than salutary welcome at their venue. Taking the mound for the Rays on Friday will be their young pitcher Chris Archer who will face Yankees` starter Hiroki Kuroda . Pitching will be the key to this series , as well dependability from both offenses .

The season series between the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays have been fairly close affairs this year, with Joe Maddon`s team holding a slight 7-6 edge in their meetings so far in 2013. There are three more scheduled contests between the two dueling divisional rivals that will take place take place during the final month of the regular season , from the 24th to 26th September at Yankee Stadium , in New York City , New York . There is no denying that Joe Girardi and his players know how important this series just happens to be , in spite of all of the off the field issues . Likewise , Joe Maddon , must feel that any kind of misstep that allows the New York Yankees to inch closer to the Rays in the divisional standings as well as the wildcard picture , places and even greater burden upon his team , whose recent record of late, has been a model of inconsistency .

For much of the Rays` season it has been James Loney leading the way , yet there have been some valued contributions from other players on the team . This off-season there is no doubt in my mind that once again for this troubled franchise , it will be a matter of cutting their expenditure to meet their needs . A patron of my site, who is an avid supporter of the Rays` organization points to the fact that the ball-club is a profitable entity. Yet what he continues to overlook is the very fact that the Tampa Bay Rays would not be a profitable concern, were it not for the fact the organization is continually reliant upon baseball`s hierarchy to provide them with an assist by way of the luxury tax. For GM Andrew Friedman , who as been able to work wonders on almost a shoestring budget in terms of the team payroll and being able to acquire players who have proven to be productive, gives credence to his acumen as one of the better general managers within Major League Baseball. I truly believe that both Friedman and manager Joe Maddon are the most valuable assets within the Rays` organization , bar none ! .

The recalcitrant shown by senior managing partner , Stuart Sternberg is now beginning to grow thin along with his continued whining and the most ridiculous of statements that can be attributed to him directly , Beyond knowing that he will never have the full support of Bud Selig, in aiding the franchise to obtaining a new ballpark . Fans in recent weeks have listened to Sternberg readily admit, that teams such as the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees having large payrolls , is actually good for the business of baseball . Now unless Stuart Sternberg has not been taking note as of late, at least one-quarter of the teams within the game continue to struggle from a financial standpoint , with many in a similar position if having to rely on the good graces of league to provide them with an assist to actually stay afloat . All this, from an individual, who is said to have made is fortune in the field of the commodities` market as a managing partner of a brokerage firm ?

I firmly believe that the vast majority of the owners within baseball are not completely in touch with reality, very much in a similar vein as Bud Selig remains in the dark , as to real issues that have brought down the game of baseball, where it has now become a complete laughing-stock for all of the wrong reasons ! If the commissioner now believes that his latest edict of instant replay to be initiated in 2014, is the best that he can now offer, while the issue of steroids within baseball runs amok at not only the Major League Level, but also remains a troubling issue in the Minors , then clearly , it is now time baseball`s Board of Governors to start considering their options for a noteworthy successor to the incumbent commissioner . It would be in their best interest to look completely outside of the game for someone with fresh and progressive ideas, rather than someone who is simply willing to tow the line of a group of owners, whose only concerns seems to be greed and offering the fans a somewhat mediocre on-field product .

While Bud Selig continues at large to run around like a headless chicken , it also troubling to note that once again , it has been left to the US Justice Department to try and rid the game of individuals such as Doctor Anthony Galea , Victor Conte and Anthony Bosch. Unfortunately, even after their eventual demise, be it through their imprisonment or simply being exposed as a fraud. There is likely to be someone else to take their place, with the MLB hierarchy simply sowing no vigilance as to the impending and growing dangers within their midst . Baseball has now become so damn incompetent , mirroring what we continue to witness each day with the federal government and their own incompetency, there. Feds watching and not much is really being done at the end of the day !

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(1) Atlanta Braves’ Justin Upton , second from right, is congratulated by pitching coach Roger McDowell , left, and manager Fredi Gonzalez , second from left, as he is followed into the dugout by Paul Maholm , right, after hitting a two-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2013, in St. Louis. The Cardinals would defeat the Braves 6-2 . AP Photo/Jeff Roberson ….

(2) St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Joe Kelly throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2013, in St. Louis. AP Photo/Jeff Roberson ….

(3) Philadelphia Phillies’ Michael Young , left, is cheered by teammate Carlos Ruiz after making the game-winning run on a hit by Domonic Brown during the ninth inning of a baseball game to defeat the Colorado Rockies 5-4 , Thursday, Aug. 22, 2013, in Philadelphia. AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson ….

(4) The Philadelphia Phillies’ new manager, Ryne Sandberg, is greeted by Chase Utley, right, before the start of action against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Friday, August 16, 2013. RON CORTES, MCT ….

(5) New York Yankees’ Ichiro Suzuki, of Japan, follows through on a single for his 4,000th career hit in Japan and the major leagues, during the first inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2013, in New York. AP Photo/Frank Franklin II …

(6) New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez tosses his helmet after he was called out at first for the third out in the bottom of the fourth inning with two runners on-base in a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2013, in New York. AP Photo/Kathy Willens …

(7) FILE – In this Feb. 24, 2012 file photo, Milwaukee Brewers’ Ryan Braun speaks during a news conference at spring training baseball in Phoenix. Braun stood on a spring training field and proclaimed he was innocent of using banned testosterone. Braun has finally admitted taking performance-enhancing drugs during his NL MVP season of 2011 . The suspended Milwaukee slugger said in a statement released Thursday, Aug. 22, 2013, by the Brewers that he took a cream and a lozenge containing banned substances while rehabilitating an injury. AP Photo/Jae C. Hong …

(8) BALTIMORE, MD – AUGUST 21: Adam Jones (10) of the Baltimore Orioles is greeted in the dugout after hitting a solo home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the third inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 21, 2013 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Baltimore Orioles won, 4-2 . Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images …

(9) BALTIMORE, MD – AUGUST 21: Pitcher Jeremy Hellickson (58) of the Tampa Bay Rays is relieved in the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 21, 2013 in Baltimore, Maryland. Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images …

(10) ST. PETERSBURG – AUGUST 13: Infielders (L – R) Yunel Escobar (11) and James Loney (21) of the Tampa Bay Rays relax during a pitching change against the Seattle Mariners during the game at Tropicana Field on August 13, 2013 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images ….

(11) From left to right, Tampa Bay Rays` managing partner Stuart Sternberg , Matthew Silverman , GM Andrew Friedman and the team`s manager Joe Maddon. The executives and manager were pictured at Tropicana Field in 2008, when the team won the AL pennant and were the league`s representatives in the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies . They would subsequently lose the series in a lopsided fashion 4-1 . This off-season the managing partners will face some tough questions by way of the team`s payroll and whether or not to reduce or increase it, dependent upon the resources available . The organization still seeks help from Bud Selig`s office in seeking a new venue , and the commissioner has been reluctant to help the franchise. Further exacerbating the situation , has been Bud Selig`s repudiating remarks, calling the team`s owners unambitious and the local municipalities uncompromising . Courtesy of Tampa Bay Times/ Keith Connolly …..

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tophatal ………….. 08/22/2013

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MLB news and news from around the league

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2 Chainz … feat`g Pharrell ………. `Feds watching`

Engine, engine , number nine ….

The little engine that could and did . Now while all of the rage this season in baseball has been to simply lay siege to the ongoing stories concerning the Biogenesis fallout . Baseball has seen one or two positives by way of the play of the teams . Fans have been fortunate , well at least those in attendance to have witnessed two no-hitters and a near perfect game earlier in the season with the Texas Rangers` ….Yu Darvish . A mere four weeks ago , it was the ascent of the Los Angeles Dodgers as they recovered from an indifferent start , to having risen up the NL West standings, to become the dominant team within the division, with all of the talk being about their rookie sensation Yasiel Puig .

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Well , on the senior circuit of the National League the Dodgers are not the only story to be relished, as the most dominant team in baseball right now, are the Atlanta Braves in the NL East . Some fans have been rather idiotic enough to be talking about the all too momentary ascent of the Pittsburgh Pirates within the NL Central . The team has been far too inconsistent , and wherein at a moment`s notice they are beating teams that they should be defeating, but yet, when challenged by a divisional rival , they seemingly crumble than for no apparent reason, other than being mediocre .

Chasing, a season high fifteenth consecutive win of the season. Atlanta Braves` manager Fredi Gonzalez , has his players playing with a high level of intensity and as a team , nonetheless. Justin Upton seems to be fitting into his role , having been acquired by the franchise in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks . Elder sibling and teammate, BJ Upton , though off to an indifferent start , now seems to be settling in and contributing on the field , while proving to be something of an inspirational leader to the younger players on the roster.

Looking to further extend their lead within the NL East over their closest rivals the Washington Nationals. Atlanta will now look to inflict even further pain upon the beleaguered Miami Marlins, for whom this season has been a total catastrophe and a nightmare for rookie manager Mike Redmond . As to whether or not he remains in his current position along with his managerial staff , will be left to the decision-making team of David Samson, Larry Beinfest and GM Michael Hill. The two teams will meet on Saturday afternoon, at Turner Field (Fulton County Stadium) in Atlanta, and then again on Sunday afternoon, as a finale to their current series.

Undoubtedly, the biggest success this season for the Braves has been their pitching , with their front-line starters leading the way . Mike Minor the team`s leader in wins has been one of the primary reasons behind Atlanta`s efforts along with a supporting cast of Julio Teheran , Tim Hudson , Paul Maholm , Kris Medlen and the mesmerizing NL saves` leader Craig Kimbrel. It would be remiss to merely to suggest that the Braves are simply proficient by way of their pitching alone . The team`s offense have had their moments to shine with Justin Upton spearheading that lineup of power and run productivity .

If the Atlanta Braves are able to withstand the remaining challenges within the their division and the rest of this season . Then it is my opinion that they will have to be seen as one of the clear favorites for the NLCS pennant. They are certainly good enough to win it, but a great deal will be predicated upon team health and whether or not they can keep this current momentum going . Fredi Gonzalez has proven to be a very good manager, although he has been often criticized , as not being tough enough on his players . Yet I believe, that his managerial style is conducive to the current environment and the very fact that he has been able to get a great deal out of this team, seasoned veterans as well as many of the younger players on the roster. Gonzalez I also believe will be amongst the leading candidates for the NL`s Manager of the Year. Others who ought to be considered , Don Mattingly , Clint Hurdle , Mike Matheny, Dusty Baker and Kirk Gibson. These are the only serious candidates worth considering for the award. It may well come down to which of these managers does the best possible job of leading their team into the post-season . And record-wise or not, at present, to determine a winner might just be too close to call.

I will not delve deeper into the issues of Ryan Braun`s suspension and that of eleven of the thirteen possible players named by Bud Selig in the fallout from the latest drug smeared scandal to have hit baseball . Other than to suggest, that if Tony Bosch of Biogenesis and his statements given to the US Justice Department under a subpoena, are to be believed . Then the commissioner and baseball`s hierarchy are indeed hiding something from the fans and the public in general . Bosch, now under indictment for his involvement in the Biogenesis scandal, stated that as many as sixty players were implicated in a web of deceit , lies and cheating . Yet somehow, MLB can now only come up with only thirteen names. Either my math seems to be off,but there remains forty-seven names still unaccounted for and something that the league hierarchy may not wish to tell us . Your thoughts on that all ?

Baseball this season, has been clouded in scandal , and no matter how one now wishes to address the matter , there are not that many positives that can be taken out of 2013 , even with the stellar play of the game`s up and coming young stars . With a league hierarchy that seems to be non-combative and passive in dealing with scandal . Team owners , who are simply driven by greed and a union that seemingly would rather see the status quo remain , as is . Less we forget also, many of the players who have been non participants in the steroid abuse , yet they have continually remained silent, unless offering up some witticism ,and even when pressed to give a statement . Far too many of them, have simply come up with something that is either hypocritical or simply too banal or idiotic to be deserving of a response . Matt Kemp needs to keep his damn mouth shut and remember that in 2010, he was playing alongside an avowed steroid cheat named Manny Ramirez . Being critical of a former friend , just because you now have displeasure of his cheating and the fact that you finished second to Ryan Braun in the 2011 NL MVP vote , now makes you look as an individual, jealous of that loss. If you can be openly critical of Braun, then why no criticism, of your former teammate , Manny Ramirez ?

As baseball enters the final quarter of its season , what if anything has been the biggest disappointment for you as a fan and what do you feel as brought you the most pleasure overall in terms of the teams` play or that of individual players ? By all means do leave a comment on this article and anything else you believe pertinent to the subject matter. Do feel free to peruse other baseball pieces and sports` related content within this site by clicking on the links provided below .

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(1) Texas Rangers` starting pitcher Martin Perez , right, is congratulated by catcher Geovany Soto (8) after defeating the Houston Astros 6-1 during a baseball game , Sunday, Aug. 11, 2013, in Houston. AP Photo/Patric Schneider …

(2) HOUSTON, TX – AUGUST 09: Yu Darvish (11) of the Texas Rangers talks with pitching coach Mike Maddux during a baseball game against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on August 9, 2013 in Houston, Texas. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images …
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(3) Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Mike Minor (36) works in the second inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins in Atlanta, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2013. Atlanta won 9-4 . AP Photo/John Bazemore …

(4) Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman , center, celebrates with his teammates after hitting a three-run home run in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins in Atlanta, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2013. Atlanta won 9-4 . AP Photo/John Bazemore ….

(5) Atlanta Braves’ Justin Upton and Dan Uggla (26) hug after winning 5-0 against the Miami Marlins to keep a 14-game winning streak alive during a baseball game at Turner Field, Friday, Aug. 9, 2013, in Atlanta. AP Photo/David Tulis ….

(6) Atlanta Braves` GM Frank Wren is seen here with the team`s newly appointed manager Fredi Gonzalez . The incumbent succeeded Bobby Cox whose legend looms large over the Braves` organization . Gonzalez took control as the Braves` manager in 2010 and in subsequent seasons there has been a gradual improvement in the team`s play, along with newly acquired players becoming a part of the success . AP Photo /Matt Gray ….
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MLB results 9th August 2013

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This date in MLB history (10th August) and August 11th

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Chic pic of the day , actress Eva Mendes .

It was a year that we were told, was meant to be special ….

It was a year that we were told, was meant to be special

The MLB season has begun in earnest with several teams showing their mettle , while others are already beginning to show signs of wear and tear . If that isn’t enough the game of baseball , still has to deal with the fact that with several players sidelined with injuries , the fans still have to view the prospect of seeing their teams under-achieve or in some cases over-achieve .

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Right out of the gate the Atlanta Braves started out fast , albeit that as of late things have cooled down somewhat for Fredi Gonzalez and the team , who were on a three game win streak as of 21st April , 2013 . Seizing the day, for the franchise has been the play of the Braves’ newest player , Justin Upton , who along with elder sibling, BJ Upton , were brought in to bolster the offense of the ball-club . Justin Upton leads the Majors and NL in home runs .

As the Atlanta Braves remain atop of the heap within the NL East standings , it should come as no surprise that the Miami Marlins remain a club that is seemingly spiraling out of control , heading nowhere fast , without their being any signs of leadership on or off the field of play. Rookie manager, Mike Redmond and his staff have been entrusted to manage the team . From within the front office , executives, Larry Beinfest , David Sansom , GM Michael Hill , and team owner , Jeffrey Loria have taken it upon themselves to take a back seat having gutted the roster , and having plead economic woes as to the reasons why and the team’s misfires of 2012 , as the ultimate excuse . All somewhat asinine , when at the start of last season , the Marlins moved into their $575 million new Marlins Ballpark , situated in downtown Miami, with those very same executives informing the public and fans that this would all be the dawn of a new era . Alas , it has been more of the same , with the same ongoing mediocrity , which is currently on display with this team , firmly exhibited by their anemic 4-15 record within the NL East , which is by far the worst in the Majors this season.

Next up for the Marlins will be an away game against the Minnesota Twins (8-7) which will be played at Target Field in Minneapolis , Minnesota , which will be part of a double-header to make up for a postponed game from Monday afternoon . On the mound in game one for the Twins will be Kevin Correia facing Ricky Nolasco . Game two , will pit Jose Fernandez of the Marlins against Mike Pelfrey . A series that in many ways reflects two franchises that are so alike , while in many respects , are also somewhat different, as how they each seek to battle their own adversities .

While the season remains in its infancy , what cannot be denied, are the litany of injuries that seem to be hampering the teams , their aspirations and no doubt , progress over the course of the season . It is hoped that those players will be able to contribute to their respective ball clubs upon their return .

From my own perspective , at this point of the season and the teams as such not yet hitting a real rhythm of consistency , it will be somewhat difficult to gauge how good or bad the ball clubs are actually doing . One could surmise that by looking back at this point last season < and the events that unfolded at the same point , could prove to be fruitful. Yet that in of itself, is by no means a clear indicator of what we should expect by season’s end or at any point during 2012 . One of the things I do believe that will be prevalent , will be that the fans will remain ever vigilant as to the exploits of the players , particularly when it comes to any single season mark that may well be under threat !

The single season home run mark which currently stands at 73 , a figure held by Barry Bonds does seem to be out of reach of today’s Major League sluggers and rightly or wrongly , the record will always be looked as being somewhat “ tainted “ , in spite of continued innocence being plead by Bonds, as to his unknowingly ingesting a banned substance . And the same can and should be said of the career home run record , also held by Bonds . A player who now seems intent on gaining his acquittal of perjury , and who no doubt , looks to be enshrined in Cooperstown , New York , as an honored member of baseball’s Hall of Fame . While Bonds does have his detractors , there are many fans out there who continue to support the player , in spite of the allegations and charges that were leveled against him . And to my mind , Barry Bonds in some respects remains one of the most admired , as well as one of the most despised players in the game’s history

In 2001 , when Bonds set the mark for the single season home run mark . Many felt that having obliterated the previous mark set by Mark McGwire , this would in fact put an end to the scurrilous and some might say unwarranted rumors concerning McGwire’s own accomplishments in that endeavor. However , what we do now know , was in fact that Mark McGwire was not without his own demons as well lacking as lacking in candor as to his honesty . The former St Louis Cardinals and Oakland A’s slugger , is now a hitting instructor on the staff of the Los Angeles Dodgers . As to how one might view this latest turn of events in the former slugger’s career , can either be looked upon with a great deal of disdain or ridicule , dependent upon whether or not you are an admirer of the player. Your thoughts if any , on this all ?

Baseball’s hierarchy led by Commissioner Bud Selig , have never spoken openly public on the fact that both the career and single season home runs’ record remains intact and validated on their books . A fact that is further acknowledged and emphasized by the Elias Stats Bureau , a bastion allegedly for what is said “ to be pure “ as it relates to the game’s most heralded statistics .

I have always maintained that while Bonds , McGwire and Sammy Sosa were laying waste to the single season home run mark , it simply diminished the feat of Roger Maris when he broke the sixty home runs’ plateau for a season , when in 1961 , he surpassed the record (59) held by Babe Ruth . Somehow baseball’s sordid and dirty little secret was allowed to simply ran the gamut of highs and lows , with the print and television media simply looking to absolve themselves from reporting anything suspicious as it related to the era that would become known as the “ steroid era” . In truth , not much has changed from the mid-nineties when the feats of the aforementioned players were being lauded as being superhuman and , a marvel for the baseball fans to watch in astonishment.

Consider the fact that even today , with what Bud Selig claims to be the toughest drug testing protocols in all of professional sports , we still have players running afoul of the league’s testing policy , having tested positive for a wide array of banned substances . It is even more prevalent at the Minor League Level , where in the last two and a half years , over one hundred and thirty players have been suspended in accordance with the league’s mandated edicts . A stunning figure , no matter how one chooses to make an argument favoring or opposing the league’s policy on performance enhancing drugs (PED’s) and other illicit substances .

Bonds’ record breaking single season home run feat would come off a hit , from opposing pitcher Dennis Springer of the Los Angeles Dodgers in a game played at Candlestick Park in San Francisco , California on the 7th October , 2001, between the San Francisco Giants and their famed NL counterparts .

The 2001 season itself, filled with its infamy cannot be overlooked in terms of the accomplishments within the AL and NL that year . Bonds would come away with the NL League MVP for the season with his AL counterpart , Ichiro Suzuki winning the AL crown as well as the Rookie of Year honors . Ichiro , would have a spectacular rookie season with the Seattle Mariners , while going on to simply fulfill the promise first shown as a player within Japanese Leagues . Now with the New York Yankees and looking to aid that franchise in whatever way he can . It has to be said , that perhaps at long last , the fans of the game can see the player perform at the highest levels possible as well as quite possibly being a regular postseason contributor to the Yankees’ current and future aspirations .

The teams making up the 2001 postseason gave us an array of teams with varying degrees of success throughout the regular season . . Aspirants seeking to make their presence felt were the New York Yankees , perennial contender , along with the , Cleveland Indians , Seattle Mariners and Oakland A’s . From the senior circuit (NL) , we had the Arizona Diamondbacks , Atlanta Braves , Houston Astros , and St Louis Cardinals . And the postseason foray would in part, play out like a fictionalized Hollywood thriller , with the Arizona Diamondbacks having an improbable run through the postseason , where they would meet the high-flying New York Yankees in the World Series .

A triumphant Diamondbacks’ team managed by Bob Brenly having won the franchise’s only World Series’ title . They would subsequently fall from grace , with their being a some major upheavals amongst the managerial and playing staff in the subsequent years . Sharing the World Series MVP honors were pitchers , Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling , two of the game’s most renowned pitchers in recent history . Both players having retired , they now await their eligibility for enshrinement into the Hall of Fame . In or out , for both , Johnson and Schilling as for enshrinement in Cooperstown ?

From my own perspective I do feel that the 2001 baseball season was unique in its very own way , but the tragedy of 9/11 struck home , to cast an irreversible shadow over the entire postseason , albeit , that the nation was unified in a common cause for the greater good . Yet , were it not for the atrocities committed on that fateful day in September , one seriously doubts also that it was in that very same year that Barry Bonds cast his own dubious shadow over the game , leaving his legacy I believe completely in question !

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How do you view the 2001 season , during which Barry Bonds’ feat that in many respects cannot be completely overlooked , in spite of the triumph of the Arizona Diamondbacks ? Less we forget also , that September , baseball came to a complete halt , after the tragedies that took place on September 11th , 2001 . Chime in with your thoughts on the season , as you deem fit , and thanks as always , for the continued support of this site !

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(1) DENVER, CO – APRIL 23: Evan Gratis (24) of the Atlanta Braves celebrates his solo home run with third base coach Brian Snitker (51) during the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on April 23, 2013 in Denver, Colorado. Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images …

(2) Atlanta Braves’ Justin Upton swings to hit a single in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Wednesday, April 17, 2013, in Atlanta. AP Photo/David Goldman …

(3) Miami Marlins catcher Miguel Olivo , right, visits pitcher Jose Fernandez after he walked Minnesota Twins’ Joe Mauer in the first inning in the first game of a day/night double-header , Tuesday, April 23, 2013 in Minneapolis, Minn. AP Photo/Jim Mone …

(4) From left to right , Miami Marlins’ front office executives , Larry Beinfest , Jeffrey Loria and David Sansom , seen here at the franchise’s ballpark discussing team issue’s . This season looks as if tit will be another lamentable year of indifference and mediocrity for the Marlins , with the team now firmly rooted at the bottom of the NL East after a disastrous start under rookie manager Mike Redmond . AP Photo / Arthur Moore …

(5) Barry Bonds blasts home run number 73 on his way to the single season home run record in 2001 . The former San Francisco Giants’ player also holds the career home runs’ mark (763) having broken Hank Aaron’s feat of 755 . Courtesy of San Francisco Chronicle @ copyrighted material all rights reserved ……

(6) Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling , right , are seen here with the Word Series trophy , after the Arizona Diamondbacks’ expected 4-3 series’ triumph over the New York Yankees in 2001. Johnson and Schilling were voted joint World Series’ MVP for their efforts in the postseason , with Bob Brenly guiding the franchise in his rookie season to the Diamondbacks’ first , and only World Series . Courtesy of MLB.com ….

(7) The Diamondbacks’ Luiz Gonzalez and his late game heroics is seen here hitting the winning RBI off Yankees’ reliever Mariano Rivera , that would give the franchise their first World Series , in 2001 . AFP/Photo/ Barry Young …

(8) A draped banner during game seven of the 2001 World Series , bringing the nation together in its national pastime , uniting us all after the horrors and the grief of 9/11/2001 . Getty Images / Ron Carter …..

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By Tophatal 04/23/2013

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News from around the league

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Sports can be such a barbaric business ….. In baseball there are still lessons to be learned …

Sports can be such a barbaric business ….. In baseball there are still lessons are to be learned

by Tophatal

I’m not so appreciative of this nonsensical notion that we can continue to abide by the idiocy that the government knows best . I mean by 11.00PM EST , Tuesday night , we should know whether or not the incumbent , Barack Obama will have done enough to retain his position as the President of the United States. His erstwhile opponent , self- styled businessman Mitt Romney , whose claims as to his financial acumen are almost as robust as his apparent knowledge of the country’s foreign policy , which in truth has been non-existent for over four decades . I’m no great admirer of Barack Obama or Mitt Romney , and be truth be known I find that both main political parties to be just as disingenuous as the other ! The Democratic and Republican Party would rather “ browbeat” the electorate into believing their opponent just happens to be a monstrous demagogue . Make of it, what you will.

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OK, so the MLB season has ended , we have a new World Series champion , as the San Francisco Giants have won their second world title within the past five years. Heroics asides, the effort put forth by the Giants’ opponents , the Detroit Tigers , can be best described as being anemic . It is one thing to be swept, as the Tigers were , but for this team not to show up for any of the four games in question , simply adds insult to injury . Bud Selig , may well have felt happy with his new revised playoff format. In essence, by comparison the divisional and championship series were far more entertaining than baseball’s postseason finale, itself. Bruce Bochy , comes away with title number two, legacies were further added for the Giants’ franchise and now the Bay area of California becomes the epicenter of the baseball world. Sorry New York (Mets & Yankees), and that is even light of Superstorm Sandy , my condolences , all the same . Now the bloodletting begins as teams seek to offload many of those ridiculous contracts and unproductive players that slighted their ambitions. And for the general managers within the game , the question could be asked , have the majority of them truly earned their money ? Brian Sabean has excelled over the past few seasons , while acknowledging the franchise’s success would not have come about , without the largess of team owner , Bill Neukom , and his syndication of partners. Baseball franchises when ran , as a business enterprise, can indeed have an incredible amount of success , commercially , as well as competitively. More often than not, the team owners are simply running these franchise purely as a form of opulent pleasure , fully aware of the fact that their losses can be written off legally as a tax based incident against another business enterprise .

As an avid Atlanta Braves’ supporter, this was something of an emotional season for the team and franchise as a whole. Having made the postseason, their foray was short-lived as they were summarily dumped from the extravaganza. Chipper Jones bade farewell , with his usual aplomb , while being acknowledged by the fans of the game. Next stop, Cooperstown, New York, one would hope, at least . As much of a disappointment as it was to see the Braves bow out in the wildcard divisional round of the postseason, it was an even bigger disappointment to know that Jones’ postseason would come to such an abrupt end . I am sure that Chipper Jones will take his place alongside many of the Braves’ all-time greats , as it is an honor that is so “ richly “ deserved .

Frank Wren , general manager of the Atlanta Braves , along with team manager , Fredi Gonzalez and his coaching staff , must now spending this off-season assessing the needs of the team , as they seek to become a real competitive force in 2013. With the abundance of free agents having declared their status , it remains to be seen whether or not the Braves will seek to delve into that particular market , beyond re-signing the club’s own free agents they deem to be a necessity to the franchise’s ambitions and long-term future. And though this organization does not have to operate on a shoestring budget by way of the team’s payroll , the troubling issue facing the Braves, is that as salaries escalate to ridiculous highs , they are either forced to overpay for talent that isn’t significantly better than what they already have at their disposal.

Pitching is at a premium , and there are several marquee free agent pitchers that are there to be picked up for a nominal fee. With sports agents such as Scott Boras , hovering like vultures flying over the entrails of the dead carcass of an animal, this will be one of the many scenarios that will be played out during this baseball off-season. Amongst the Atlanta Braves’ free agents , upon which decisions will have to made , are the following players, Michael Bourn, Jeff Baker, Miguel Batista , JC Boscan , D J Carrasco , Chard Durban , Eric Hinske , Reed Johnson , Peter Moylan, Lyle Overbay, David Ross and Ben Sheets.

While I have felt that pitching was prevalent for the Braves to succeed , but the offense and specifically the hitting was something that I felt could be more beneficial for the team and organization as a whole . At times, the team struggled in close games and it factored into a number of the Braves’ losses during 2012. Freddie Freeman , Dan Uggla , Jason Heyward , Martin Prado , Michael Bourn and David Ross , were major contributors the franchise during the season.

The Braves’ salary commitments in 2012 , came to $97.5 million , but with their being a march to what Frank Wren states will be prudent financial responsibility on the part of the organization, that figure is liable to be pared down in the coming season, unless there is a necessity to go after a major free agent , without being forced to break “the bank”. Turner Field /Fulton County Stadium , in Atlanta , Georgia, remains one the bastions in terms of heralded ballparks in the game of baseball. It should come as no surprise the MLB hierarchy of baseball , is seemingly at a loss as why there is seems to be no restraint concerning the gratuitous spending by the teams. Bud Selig is clearly at a loss , but considering the fact as the game’s highest ranking executive, you would have to be angered by the fact that the commissioner earns in excess of $25 million a year , which would rank Selig’s salary amongst the ten highest paid players in the game of baseball. Personally , I would like pose the question to the commissioner and ask him “ when, and how will he seek to have baseball’s teams become financially responsible rather than capricious in their spending” ? what now, becomes of the game as we know it?

After a tumultuous season, during which the Tampa Bay Rays fell out of contention , for an AL wildcard berth . The real issue beyond failing to make baseball’s postseason fare was not only a big surprise, but once again, it heralded in the continued questions as what direction this franchise now happens to be heading in ? Care to proffer up your thoughts on the matter? Rays’ manager Joe Maddon, the consummate master of the understated, was able to do a miraculous job , as he has always done, since he succeeded Lou Piniella as the team’s manager.

Stuart Sternberg , team owner and GM, Andrew Friedman now have the unenviable task of making the decisions , as to which players they feel will be superfluous to their needs . Amongst the players currently on the Rays’ roster now declaring free agency are BJ Upton, Jeff Keppinger, Carlos Pena , Kyle Farnsworth , Joel Peralta , J P Howell , and Luke Scott.

We are constantly reminded that the Tampa Bay Rays are a small-market team, with limited resources, and a payroll , that is amongst the lowest in all of baseball. These are one of the many constant reminders that so many of the impoverished teams within the game, for which there does not appear to a clear answer. The fans may well feel slighted by what has taken place during this season, but what is becoming transparently clear, while the Rays struggle to be competitive. There is a great deal of false bravado amongst the approximately 15,000 hardcore fans of the franchise, and not the figures claimed by baseball’s hierarchy in terms of the team’s home games’ attendance in 2010 , 2011 and 2012 . In this past season the Tampa Bay Rays ranked fourteenth out fourteen of the AL teams within the game of baseball . Yet this constant idiocy remains , concerning the franchise “if we build it, they will come” . Well, how the hell can that be, when for the team’s home games there is barely anyone in attendance at Tropicana Field , in St Petersburg, Florida,. ? Never-mind the fact that , it will the resources of a municipality’s resources that will be used to build the venue that the ownership desires without any financial commitment being forthcoming from Stuart Sternberg or his partners. But somehow the anally retentive fans within the community as well as the blithering idiots of the local sport’s media market will continue with their asinine suggestion that this is the best step forward for the franchise , with the building of a multimillion dollar state of the art venue for the Tampa Bay Rays. Somehow the issues that have befallen both the Miami Marlins and New York Mets are not lessons that the anyone seems to have learned from , as how not to conduct your business operations . The Marlins’ unquestionably, one of the biggest failures of 2012, now finds the city of Miami under investigation by the US Justice Department for how the financing was raised , and whether or not there was undue coercion by the franchise and MLB hierarchy , forcing the city council in passing their finance bill , that brought about the final seal of approval for the now, $575 million 34 ,000 seat venue , known as Marlins’ Ballpark , in downtown, Miami. As we know the Mets were another of baseball’s teams that failed to live up to expectations , with a high-priced payroll at the start of the season , and little to show for it all , by way of the team’s performances over the course of the season. Citfi-Field became an elephants’ graveyard, and the Mets’ home performances left a somewhat bitter taste in the mouth, if you just happened to be a fan of this ball-club . Bud Selig and Jeff Loria, owner, of the Miami Marlins have refrained from answering questions when approached concerning this matter , leaving it up to the public to speculate on what may well have taken place , as this whole episode was enacted .

New York Mets’ team President , Sandy Alderson, J P Riccardi , SVP, co-owners, Saul Katz and Fred Wilpon , seem to be at a loss for words , as to how best to rectify the numerous problems the Mets now face from a competitive and financial standpoint. The franchise barely escaped by the skin of their teeth in a legal suit wherein , claimants who lost billions of dollars in the “ Bernie Madoff” scandal , sought to recoup $1.6 billion from co-defendants Saul Katz, Fred Wilpon and the New York Mets’ franchise, who profited and received an estimated $1 billion , as part of that now infamous scheme. The defendants claimed that there was never any wrongdoing on their part, albeit, that there was enough evidence to suggest that there were certain executives within Katz and Wilpon’s investment vehicle , Sterling Equities , who knew otherwise and chose to hide those facts from the public as well as the claimants’ legal representatives. The matter was settled out of court with the defendants paying a reputed $ 175 million to fulfill the claims. That figure seems somewhat ludicrous as a final settlement , but it somehow has brought this baseball franchise even closer to a financial precipice , which the front office has now began to acknowledge. What this now tells us , as to how baseball from an economic standpoint conducts its business , can be seen as another lesson as to why this game fails so miserably as an entrepreneurial enterprise , when you simply peruse the financial statements of baseball’s thirty teams. Do bear in mind also, that for many of the teams in question, profitability comes by way of an assist from baseball’s hierarchy , by way of its asinine tax sharing revenue scheme, which is meant to aid the game’s small market teams.

As a keen observer of the Tampa Bay Rays, how the front office now deals with the off-season by way of the decisions to be made , will actually go a long way in not only determining this team’s future but also indicating whether or not they remain a viable competitive force within the game. From my own perspective, as long as Joe Maddon remains a part of this organization , it is an added advantage they have over their opponents . Yet , there is now some indication to suggest that not only is Maddon feeling somewhat frustrated , but so too are a number of the franchise’s so called diehard fans , because of the lack of real commitment that has been forthcoming from the ownership. A patron once suggested , that the Rays cannot simply go out and spend money , but more to the point the question I feel that ought to be asked , when have the Tampa Bay Rays truly made a big splash in acquiring a player , let alone paying the “big bucks” for one to begin with ? So that point, now becomes, mute in terms of that patron’s assertion.

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Picture gallery .

What if anything do you hope to see come out of the baseball off-season by way of undoubted trades that will take place ? And do you believe that baseball has done enough to get its financial house in order? Simply state your reasons as what you see as being currently beneficial within the sport economically and what you think has been a great error in judgment by the league hierarchy .

Picture and slideshow details below.
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(1) San Francisco Giants pitcher Sergio Romo holds up a flag during the baseball team’s World Series victory parade, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012, in San Francisco. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu …

(2) San Francisco Giants players pose for photographs after a ceremony celebrating the baseball team’s World Series victory at City Hall in San Francisco, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012. AP Photo/JeffChiu …

(3) SAN FRANCISCO, CA – OCTOBER 31: San Francisco Giants Sergio Romo holds the World Series Trophy as singer Tony Bennett sings “I left my heart in San Francisco” during the Giants’ victory parade and celebration on October 31, 2012 in San Francisco, California. The Giants celebrated their 2012 World Series victory over the Detroit Tigers. Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images …

(4) SAN FRANCISCO, CA – OCTOBER 31: The Mayor of San Francisco Edwin Lee (R) presents the key to the City to San Francisco Giants President and CEO Larry Baer (L) during the Giants’ victory parade and celebration on October 31, 2012 in San Francisco, California. The Giants celebrated their 2012 World Series victory over the Detroit Tigers. Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images …..

(5) A triumph for the ages, as teammates , Sergio Romo (left), and Buster Posey , realize that the San Francisco Giants have just won game four , and with it, the ball-club’s second World Series’ title in four years. San Francisco Giants celebrate after the Giants defeated the Detroit Tigers, 4-3 , in Game 4 of baseball’s World Series Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012, in Detroit. The Giants won the World Series 4-0 . AP Photo/Patrick Semansky …

(6) Officials stand in the center of the field as fans throw trash during the eighth inning of the National League wild card playoff baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals, Friday, Oct. 5, 2012, in Atlanta. The Cardinals won baseball’s first wild-card playoff, taking advantage of a disputed infield fly call that led to a protest and fans littering the field with debris to defeat the Braves 6-3 . AP Photo/Todd Kirkland …

(7) (C) Chipper Jones (10) of the Atlanta Braves walks to the dugout before taking on the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Wild Card playoff game at Turner Field on October 5, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia. ….

(8) Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon gestures as he answers a question during a season wrap-up news conference , Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Petersburg, Fla. The Rays’ season ended Wednesday with a 4-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles. AP Photo/Chris O’Meara ….

(9) Andrew Friedman , right, Tampa Bay Rays executive vice president of baseball operations, gestures as manager Joe Maddon looks on during a season wrap up news conference, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Petersburg, Fla. The Rays’ season ended Wednesday with a 4-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles. AP Photo/Chris O’Meara ….

(10) Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Wade Davis leaves the clubhouse after packing his belongings, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Petersburg, Fla. The Rays’ season ended Wednesday night with a 4-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles. AP Photo/Chris O’Meara …

(11) Sept 28, 2011; Miami, FL, USA; Florida Marlins new manager Ozzie Guillen (left) and owner Jeffrey Loria (right) during a press conference before the game against the Washington Nationals at Sun Life Stadium. Guillen was fired after the Marlins’ disastrous season that saw the franchise miss the postseason , having finished with a sub.500 record and at the bottom of the NL East standings for 2012. Behind the scenes , Loria has come under increasing suspicion, as to his actions , intertwined with those of Commissioner Bud Selig into coercing the city of Miami , concerning how the votes were secured with regard to the bond issue which facilitated the building of the Miami Marlins Ballpark , in downtown Miami. The cost of the 34,000 seat facility , is a reputed $575 million , for which the residents of Miami are entirely on the hook for , should the city not be able to pay off the debt financing instrument , inclusive of principal and interest. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE ……

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NB: Baseball related links .

Deal done : Big Papi in Boston for next two years

Trout, Bourn, Braves top Wilson defensive awards

Can a rough October hinder payday for free agents?

Giants don’t plan on relaxing, eye repeat in 2013

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Baseball posts within this site : Tophatal’s baseball pieces

A tale of one city but two teams that now seem to be at a loss

Giving it one last try

Atlanta Braves’ related pieces

Tampa Bay Rays’ related pieces

Desperate measures call for desperate remedies , in desperate times

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This week in baseball history

MLB transactions

MLB free agents

MLB team payrolls (2012)

MLB important dates

2012 MLB postseason schedule

2012 World Series

AL & NL pennant series

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Atlanta Braves news ….. & …. Braves’ press releases

Atlanta Braves head-to-head results (2012)

Atlanta Braves’ 2012 results overview

NL East final standings (2012)

Atlanta Braves revenues & profitability
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Tampa Bay Rays’ news

Tampa Bay Rays head-to-head results (2012)

Tampa Bay Rays’ 2012 results overview

AL East final standings

Tampa Bay Rays’ revenues & profitability

MLB team values

MLB team payrolls

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Hot chic pic of the day , actress, Jennifer Lawrence

Giving it one last try ……

By Tophatal

The divisional races in some cases are heating up , whereas in others, they are pretty much settled , as baseball enters final stretch of the regular season before it all culminates on the 3rd October . In what has been an eventful year that was filled with the usual plethora of drama , it should be noted that not much has changed in terms of the players’ continued fascination with the use of prohibitive substances (PED’s and anabolic steroids). The league hierarchy would have us believe that they have everything under control , but at the minor league level, the illicit use by the players is far more widespread than the league would care to acknowledge . In the past 18 months in the Minor Leagues , over seventy players have been caught , penalized with the mandatory suspensions , yet the feeling is that the concern amongst the fans is what actually happens at the MLB level , where many of the game’s high-priced stars exhibit their talents . This season we have had our answer with the summary mandatory suspensions of Melky Cabrera , a one-time leading candidate for the NL MVP , and also with the Oakland A’s pitcher Bartolo Colon . The latter, whose suspension may or may not have severely hampered the A’s hopes of making the postseason. As things now stand, it is looking like a four-horse race for the two AL wildcard berths.

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Slide show .

In what he says, will be his twentieth and final season in the Majors , the Atlanta Braves (90-65) utility player and outfielder, Chipper Jones will be looking to lead the team into the postseason for the first time since 2010, where they lost (3-1) in the NLDS to the San Francisco Giants . This season the Braves have been lucky enough to play themselves into contention for a postseason berth within the NL. As the leading contender for one of the two berths under the new playoff format instigated by Bud Selig , the ball-club seemingly has a comfortable 6 ½ game lead over their closest rivals the St Louis Cardinals , with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers closely following in hot pursuit.

The Braves, now have 7 games remaining on their schedule , starting with the final game of a three-game series against the Miami Marlins. Fredi Gonzalez’s players, then close out the month of September with two games against the New York Mets , and with their final three games, in a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Ballpark , in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania .

The NL East division appears to be of reach , albeit , that were the Washington Nationals (94-61) to lose five of their seven remaining games , then just about anything would be possible . For the moment however, I am just happy to witness a season, where the Braves had more than their fair share of success ! ! GM Frank Wren and team President John Scheurholz have emphasized a commitment to success, which has been passed on by Gonzalez’s coaching staff to the players on the entire roster. And it has been that renewed commitment that has brought about the change in fortune for the team over the course of the season. Michael Bourn , Chipper Jones , Jayson Heyward , Freddie Freeman , Dan Uggla and Martin Prado , have all contributed greatly to the team’s efforts in 2012 , in providing the offensive productivity needed to be viewed as a contender within the NL. While the pitching at times, has been exacerbating and inconsistent , here too, players such as Tim Hudson, Mike Minor , Brandon Beachy , Tommy Hanson , Paul Malholm and Craig Kimbrel , have more than justified their worth to the team.

One of the more positive things to come out of the season for the Atlanta Braves , has been to see that renewed interest in the team by the fans. Far too fickle , at times it was somewhat depressing to see Fulton County Stadium (Turner Field) in Atlanta , Georgia , barely filled to capacity for the Braves’ home games . This season having drawn over 2,242,046 in —- attendance for their scheduled games at Fulton County Stadium , the franchise ranks eighth of the National League’s sixteen teams averaging 29,117 per home game. Team payroll asides, Chairman & CEO Terry McGuirk along with the managing partners who make up the ownership group of the organization , would have to be happy with the 2012 season. . The ball-club has been fiscally prudent with team salaries , which this season is pegged at $83,309,942 , a far cry from the almost $200,000,000 that the New York Yankees have budgeted for their roster.

The playoff picture is still somewhat muddied , as the vagaries that make up this point of the season will be filled anomalies .In 2011, who would have thought that both the Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox would have surrendered their wildcard berth leads to the St Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays , in what has been described as one of the best finishes to a season , in recent baseball history . As we all know, the Cardinals would go on to prevail in a thrilling triumph in the World Series over the Texas Rangers . The Atlanta Braves would like nothing more to be a participant in baseball’s showcase postseason event , but that would now all be predicated upon how the ensuing scenarios now in motion , would play out . There is no denying that the most significant moment in the Braves’ postseason history came in 1995 , when they prevailed in defeating the Cleveland Indians (4-2). Two other appearances in the “ Fall Classic” resulted in losses, in 1996 and 1999 , each time to the New York Yankees .

With the inauguration of a one game playoff format , the Braves would have to face the St Louis Cardinals for the privilege of appearing in the NLDS . In between 2008 and 2012 , the two teams have met thirty-three times , with the St Louis Cardinals holding a significant 19-14 lead. In 2012 , their meetings show a significant turnaround , with Atlanta having defeated the Cardinals five out of the six times ( 5-1) that they have met . It would be easy to surmise that this bodes well for the postseason, should such a scenario materialize! The last meeting between the two teams in 2012 , was a hard-fought competitive game , which resulted in a 10-7 victory for the NL East —- team. The advantage would appear to favor the Atlanta Braves , but in a one game playoff format , just about anything can happen .So we might as well let the chips fall where they may , in such an instance and just hope for the best .

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Picture gallery .

In light of the new playoff format for the postseason , which in all likelihood will be tinkered with by baseball’s hierarchy. Do you ultimately believe that this change will of benefit to the game? Or do you simply see it all as just another make-shift idea of Bud Selig to simply create the perception that everyone is in with a chance ? And of the NL teams that will be vying for the NL pennant as the NL’s representative in the World Series , which of the ball-clubs do you believe to be the best and will be triumphant ? By all means do leave a comment as you see fit .

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Picture and slide show details below.
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(1) In this photo taken Sept. 25, 2012, Atlanta Braves’ Chipper Jones , right, celebrates after the Braves beat the Miami Marlins 4-3 in a baseball game in Atlanta, to clinch a playoff spot. With one last trip to the postseason assured, Jones is relishing the final days of his last season. Jones, who will be honored by the Braves before Friday night’s game against the Mets, says he is savoring the final days of his last regular season as he and his teammates look forward to the playoffs. AP Photo/David Goldman …..

(2) In this photo taken Sept. 25, 2012, Atlanta Braves’ Chipper Jones , right, celebrates with teammate Freddie Freeman after the Braves beat the Miami Marlins 4-3 in a baseball game in Atlanta, to clinch a playoff spot . With one last trip to the postseason assured, Jones is relishing the final days of his last season. Jones, who will be honored by the Braves before Friday night’s game against the Mets, says he is savoring the final days of his last regular season as he and his teammates look forward to the playoffs. AP Photo/David Goldman ……

(3) Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Paul Maholm (17) works against the Miami Marlins in the first inning of a baseball game in Atlanta, Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012. AP Photo/John Bazemore … (4) Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel (46) works in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins in Atlanta, Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012. Kimbrel earned the save as Atlanta won 3-0. AP Photo/John Bazemore …….

(5) ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 26: A young fan shows off a sign in support of Chipper Jones (10) of the Atlanta Braves against the Miami Marlins at Turner Field on September 26, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images ….

(6) Fredi Gonzalez tries on his Braves jersey as the team’s new manager. At the Wednesday press conference announcement, Gonzalez is flanked by (from L-R) team president John Schuerholz, general manager Frank Wren, and former manager Bobby Cox . Photo-Edgar Treiguts ….

(7) (L-R) Atlanta Braves President John Schuerholz , Atlanta Braves Chairman Emeritus Bill Bartholomay , Atlanta Braves Chairman & CEO Terry McGuirk , and Major League Baseball Living Legend, Hammerin’ Hank Aaron . Philip Moss / Atlanta Journal Constitution ….

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If at all interested do participate in the above mentioned poll.

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MLB news & press releases

MLB transactions

MLB standings & wildcard standings

One year ago today : MLB standings (divisional) & wildcard ———- schedule for 27th September 2011 and the resulting scores

MLB results

MLB team injuries

MLB important dates & MLB postseason schedule 2012

MLB probable pitchers

This week in baseball history & chronological dates of significance

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Atlanta Braves’ news

Atlanta Braves’ profile & depth chart

Atlanta Braves’ front office

Atlanta Braves’ active roster

Atlanta Braves’ coaching staff

Atlanta Braves’ team payroll

Atlanta Braves’ net worth

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Forbes.com MLB team values and earnings

There’s no other way to describe it , other than being god-damn awful ……

There’s no other way to describe it , other than being god-damn awful

By Tophatal

Well my weekend was something of a busman’s holiday , having to bring work home , while at the same time I tried to catch up with the latest news in the world of sports . Let’s put it this way, in this day and age of the various media platforms for news information we still have the same staple of idiocy appearing within our midst . In the world of baseball it appears that the Melky Cabrera is now about to take on a life of its own the story coming to the fore that an acquaintance of the San Francisco Giants’ player sought to create evidence that would suggest the player inadvertently sought fabricate the story as to how he came to have tested positive from having ingested a banned substance . From my own perspective this only further substantiates why so many players that have fallen afoul of the testing within the game of baseball are utterly dumb and completely lacking in common sense . That being said , I am still not convinced that baseball’s hierarchy has all of their bases covered , with regard to the testing protocols and their gathering of the evidence. Who can forget the idiocy that surrounded the Ryan Braun “ episode “ , with the overturning of his 50-game mandated suspension ? Someone needs to remind Bud Selig and Rob Manfred of the rules of evidentiary gathering and how it applies to the law , rather than the commissioner continuing to show his stupidity .

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Slide show for your perusal .

With the latest story unfolding Melky Cabrera , it now look as if we will see three separate governmental investigation into this incident . The FDA , FBI and Justice Department will each seek to conduct an in-depth into the whole affair . Just what we need , another in-depth governmental investigation , from another completely inept , top-heavy and bureaucratic administration . Is it me , but when you have the Criminal Division of the Justice Department actually failing to indict or arraign anyone of 200 senior financial executives for the egregious and willful malfeasance that took place as the financial sector wilted under the chain of repeated abuses that took place . Then why the hell should I have any implicit faith in any of these agencies , much less in this present administration or the federal government ( House & Senate), itself ?

So with the firing of manager Brad Mills and several members of the managerial staff , the Houston Astros are said to be in a rebuilding mode, and are looking towards to the future . Somehow , I believe their long-term future will not be that bright , especially when one bears in mind that in 2013 , this organization will move from the NL Central to the highly competitive division of the AL West ! The difference between the two divisions of the AL West and that of the NL Central , is that of night and day . And let’s not kid ourselves , the Astros are one goddamn awful team .

Houston Astros’ owner Jim Crane may well felt he was getting a bargain when he purchased the ball-club for a reputed $775 million and then was given a $65 million hometown discount , to assist as an inducement to relocate the franchise to the American League . Crane and GM Jeff Luhnow may well have bitten off more than they can chew concerning this beleaguered and bedraggled organization . At 39-83 , the Astros currently have the worst record in the Majors , having lost four-in-a-row , as they now become the guests of the St Louis Cardinals , this Tuesday at Busch Stadium , in St Louis , Missouri . The multiple lists in ineptitude as accredited to the team this season gives credence , as to how a MLB franchise should not be ran , and by way of the on-field performances , as they do leave a great deal to be desired .

While the MLB hierarchy may well feel that the move of the Houston Astros emboldens the status that will be given to the AL . From my own standpoint , I believe that given the present play of this team , it simply weakens the American League and specifically the AL West , altogether !

As an avowed fan of the Atlanta Braves , I have not been entirely happy with the recent turn of events concerning the team ! Just when I felt that they were ready to mount a serious challenge to their NL East divisional rivals , the Washington Nationals . The players on the roster seem to find an inexplicable ways to disappoint , much to the annoyance of the fans who hope to see the franchise make the postseason . Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to see Fredi Gonzalez lead the team deep into the postseason . I am certainly of the opinion , once into the divisional rounds of the MLB Playoffs , this team is more than capable of holding their own against any of the NL wildcard aspirants . First , however , the Braves will have to erase the 5 game lead within the division that the Nationals currently maintains . And with the two teams set to meet in a three-game series beginning today at Nationals Ballpark , in Washington , DC. These three games could have a bearing on how this Braves’ season is likely to continue . This much is clear , the Atlanta Braves can no longer afford to lose games to divisional rivals , much less series to sub .500 teams over the remainder of their 2012 regular season schedule.

Taking the mound for the Braves will be Tim Hudson (12-4, 3.59 ERA, 1.19 WHIP) who will be facing Jordan Zimmerman (9-7, 2.38 ERA, 1.09 WHIP) . The two pitchers will each seek give their respective teams the lead-offs they seek , by being efficient in what is sure to be a highly contested and competitive series . There is no denying that the Nationals would like nothing better than increase their lead within the division over their closest rivals and essentially sew up the NL East before entering the month of September . While much of the talk within the Washington Nationals’ environment surrounds the assertions as to whether or not , GM Mike Rizzo will seek to shut-down the season of the team’s starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg , once he meets the criteria of having pitched 160 or 180 innings . This may well negate any aspirations that this ball-club has because without Strasburg , there is clearly no way that this team can make a successful foray in the postseason . Anyone who believes to the contrary has to be completely misguided and naïve . While the conjecture and speculation continues within the Nationals’ camp , the baseball world will continue to wonder what it is behind the mindset of the front office in general, as they continue to contemplate the decision that has to be made .

Clearly no one seems to have the intent to tell team owner Jim Pohlad that the time has come to reassess the credibility of Ron Gardenhire , in continuing to manage the Minnesota Twins . Amongst the longest tenured managers in baseball , Gardenhire during his reign has seen his fair share of success as the manager of this organization . However, over the last eight years , success has been far and fleeting , and the ball-club’s situation certainly has not been helped with recurring injuries to two of the team’s most popular players, in , Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau . In recent years , the duo have become known as the “walking wounded “ , more than for their accomplishments on the diamond. Now one could attest to the fact that because of these injuries , these have been the primary issues that have led to the woes repeatedly for the ball-club. I have no doubt that Gardenhire is a very good manager but now might be time for a change, and a fresh infusion of managerial acumen and talent. Furthermore, given the money invested in both Mauer and Morneau , I believe that the dividends the Twins clearly sought to reap have not manifested itself into anything tangible at all ! The front office’s financial commitment to the two players is a combined $264 million, with Justin Morneau due to become a free agent in 2014 . And the financial commitment to Joe Mauer beyond this year , is $138 million through to 2018 , it remains to be seen whether or not both players will remain a part of the Twins’ long-term future. Clearly, it was not envisaged by Jim Pohlad and GM Terry Ryan , much less the managerial staff that the woes of the Twins would be this acute. Such has been the ineptitude shown by this team that been borne out by their depressing record (50-70) , that sees them firmly rooted at the bottom of the AL Central , some 16 games out of the divisional lead . The wildcard standings, does not reflect any better a picture for the Twins as the fans and ball-club tries to make such sense of the malaise .

Average attendance for the Minnesota Twins at Target Field , in Minneapolis , Minnesota , now sits at 35,256 per home game , which ranks sixth of the fourteen AL teams. Considered a small-market team but with big-league aspirations , the Twins now seem a distant aberration from those years where they were looked upon as perennial contenders within the AL. The organization’s last appearance came in 2010 by way of their series’ loss to the New York Yankees in the ALDS of that year . In the subsequent years since that defeat the struggles of the Twins have been well chronicled , and still are , to this day .

As the season meanders to its inevitability the Minnesota Twins will have a great deal to assess amongst the current crop of players on this roster . The front office may well seek to bring up a number of their AAA prospects to see if they have the potential to be contributors for Twins long-term. Aaron Bates , Nick Blackburn , Daniel Sattler , Darren Mastroianni , Tsuyoshi Nishioka and Wilkin Ramirez are but a few of the players that could very well be called up by the front office . It should be noted however , the real issue may not be how well these call-ups may well do but the coaching acumen shown by Ron Gardenhire , as he seeks to resurrect the Twins’ fortunes over the remainder of the season .

I am not so sure that Angels’ owner Arte Moreno can be entirely happy with what he has witnessed from his pitching staff as they were recently swept in a four-game home series at Angels’ Ballpark , in Anaheim , California , by the Tampa Bay Rays . The acquisition of Zack Greinke was meant to bolster the pitching roster while seeking a great deal more productivity from that staff. Instead, it has been somewhat of a nightmare to watch this team acquit itself over the past eight games , as the Angels have struggled to stay in contention with the Oakland A’s and the AL West leading Texas Rangers . Should the Angels fall out of contention for the division and the AL wildcard berth , then the blame for this debacle can rest squarely upon the shoulders of the pitching rotation and that of Mike Butler, the pitching coach of the Los Angels’ coaching staff . . With the monies invested in this roster by way the payroll , failure to make the postseason would have to be viewed as an immense failure for this Angels’ organization .

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Picture gallery .

After the schedule which has now encompassed 121 games , how do you envision the remainder of the season now panning out ? And which teams do you feel are now danger of falling out of the race for a wildcard berth ? Simply leave a comment as you deem fit .

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Picture and slide show details below .
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LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 20: A.J. Ellis (17) and Clayton Kershaw (22) of the Los Angeles Dodgers argue a call at the plate with home plate umpire Ron Kulpa (46) after an Angel Pagan (16) of the San Francisco Giants run for a 2-0 lead during the sixth inning at Dodger Stadium on August 20, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Harry How/Getty Images …

(2) Melky Cabrera whose world has come crashing down after it was revealed that the San Francisco Giants’ player had tested positive for a banned substance . Cabrera has since apologized for this incident but it is now being revealed that a close confidante of Melky Cabrera sought to fabricate evidence to suggest that his actions were a mistake and not something that was premeditated . AP Photo / Richard Fox ……

(3) Astros’ GM Jeff Luhnow ,foreground,left , is seen here with team owner Jim Crane ,right, at the Houston Astros’ Minute Maid Park , in Houston , Texas . The beleaguered franchise is having an indifferent season , and with the ball-club due to make the much-anticipated move to the AL West in 2013, it is believed that the Astros will struggle to remain competitive within the division. AFP/REUTERS/ Philip Marsh …..

(4) Danny Espinosa (8) of the Washington Nationals celebrates scoring the winning run with teammate Jayson Werth (28) as catcher Brian McCann (16) of the Atlanta Braves walks off the field after the Nationals defeated the Braves 5-4 in 13 innings at Nationals Park on August 20, 2012 in Washington, DC. Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images …

(5) WASHINGTON, DC AUGUST 20: Chipper Jones (10) of the Atlanta Braves (C) poses for a photo with Mark DeRosa (7) (L) and Adam LaRoche (25) (R) of the Washington Nationals before the start of their game at Nationals Park on August 20, 2012 in Washington, DC. Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images …

(6) OAKLAND, CA – AUGUST 20: Darin Mastroianni (19) of the Minnesota Twins steals second base as the throw goes into center-field past Adam Rosales (17) of the Oakland Athletics in the second inning at O.co Coliseum on August 20, 2012 in Oakland, California. Mastroianni went to third base on the play. The Twins would go on to defeat the A’s 7-2 . Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images …

(7) Brad Radke is flanked by Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, left, and general manager Terry Ryan, right, as he announces his retirement from baseball. MPR Photo/William Wilcoxen …

(8) Twins’ manager Ron Gardenhire is seen here talking with Joe Mauer , left and Justin Morneau (33). The two players in recent years have spent more time being on the DL , than they have on the field , much to the detriment of the ambitions of the organization. The salary commitment of the Minnesota Twins to both players is an exorbitant $264 million . Morneau becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2013 , and it remains to be seen whether or not the popular play is re-signed by the ball-club. AP/Getty Images /Michael Richardson …

ANAHEIM, CA – AUGUST 19: Zack Greinke (23) of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on August 19, 2012 in Anaheim, California. Since being acquired by the Angels from the Milwaukee Brewers the player has struggled with his form for the Angels . Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images ….

(10) Angels’ owner Arte Moreno,left, is seen here with general manager Jerry Dipoto . The duo this year have committed in excess of $285 million to sign prospective free agents Albert Pujols and C J Wilson , giving the Los Angeles Angels one of the highest payrolls in all of baseball . Mitchell Harmon / Getty Images …..

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Anthony Hamilton ……………. Coming From Where I’m From !

The Trouble With My Team Last Season …. Name An Issue ….. And They Had Many ….. The Atlanta Braves !

By tophatal ………..

The biggest disappointment for myself as an Atlanta Braves’ fan last season was to see the rapid decline of the team during the final month of the season . Seemingly with the wildcard berth well within their grasp at the beginning of the month of September only to finally it all slip away on the final day of the season with the St Louis Cardinals snatching the last remnants of hope that Braves’ manager Fredi Gonzalez in seeing his players hopelessly to play themselves completely out of contention .

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Slide show for your perusal .

If that wasn’t enough beyond the injury issues that the team faced with long spells on the DL list spent by Jair Jurrjens , Chipper Jones and Jason Heyward to name but a few , it really had me wondering had the Atlanta Braves made the postseason would they have proven to be a resounding success againts either the Philadelphia Phillies , Milwaukee Brewers or Arizona Diamondbacks !

Disheartening as all of this may well have been , with the mere fact that the difference between the margin of success and failure in terms of the final divisional standings and a playoff berth was one of a few games . But at the same time I hope that the experiences of this past season will be used and seen as a learning tool for Fredi Gonzalez , his coaching staff but specifically for the young players as they about to embark upon their 2012 schedule .

Frank Wren in succeeding John Schuerholz as the team’s general manager knows that the success attained by his predecessor in conjunction with former manager Bobby Cox has cemented the legacy of the Atlanta Braves’ organization . With Schuerholz now in the front office as a senior consultant guiding his protege` in all things related to the personnel …….. decisions for the organization. I would certainly like to think that the team has depth in all of the positions necessary to succeed this upcoming season within the NL Central to compete against the likes of the Miami Marlins , New York Mets , Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Nationals .

With Chipper Jones , Jayson Heyward and Dan Uggla seen as the brunt of offensive production sought in order to compete against their divisional rivals as well as the rest of the National League (NL) as a whole. And though this season , there once again will be inter-league play between the AL and NL teams . If there was one thing I knew would be a harbinger of things to come , it was the mere fact that with Jair Jurrjens having started off the season with a bang , it simply would implode with the player faltering when the Braves needed him most . The team’s pitching became erratic as the season progressed with there being no real end in sight for the fans in attendance at Turner Field , Atlanta , Fulton County , Georgia . Hopefully , Jurrjens in conjunction with a seasoned veteran such as Tim Hudson can lead the rotation to where they need to be .

If there is one thing that I am now sure of , it is that the Braves’ pitching and offense will certainly have to show a marked improvement if they are to be truly seen as a viable contender not just within the NL East but most certainly to counter the likes of the Cincinnati Reds , St Louis Cardinals , Milwaukee Brewers and San Francisco Giants but the likely perceived contenders within the AL such as the Los Angeles Angels , Texas Rangers , Boston Red Sox , New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays .

One thing is very clear with the Braves’ organization and that is over the years they have been able to produce some highly productive players either through their farm system or by way of trades . And though I long for the days when the organization could rely on the wiles of pitching aces Steve Avery , Greg Maddux , John Smoltz and Tom Glavine . I now know that era is now long gone though the unprecedented years of success under then manager Bobby Cox brought about only one World Series title the precedence was set with that decade long reign . Multiple divisional titles and a number of NL pennants with an unprecedented eleven straight seasons in the playoffs was enough to suggest that while the Atlanta Braves could hold its own during the regular season it was more often than not the postseason that would be prove to the ball-club’s own undoing and their Achilles’ Heel .

The Atlanta Braves’ pitching rotation this season led by Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson will have to raise the level of their play this upcoming season . The frustration was there for all to witness during 2011 that the real inherent issues for the Braves simply wasn’t just the pitching but also the lack of overall productivity . And most definitely what I would like to see from the current roster , is that the > offense has to be more forceful with their intent .

Granted , within the NL East the Atlanta Braves will have to deal with Ozzie Guillen’s now formidable Miami Marlins , given the financial outlay made by GM Michael Hill now in acquiring the likes of Jose Reyes , Mark Buerhle , Carlos Zambrano and Aaron Rowand to complement … Hanley Ramirez , Emilio Bonifacio , Mike Stanton and Josh Johnson on that Marlins’ roster . And while there’s no denying that the Miami Marlins did not make the biggest splash this off-season in terms of the moves made by the teams around the league , most definitely there were amongst the biggest movers and shakers in that environment .

Given the pitching strength of the Phillies’ roster led by Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee the perception would be that the team has everything going for it but given their failure to acquit themselves in the 2011 postseason there are still flaws that Charlie Manuel and GM Reuben Amaro have yet to address fully . And the loss of first baseman Ryan Howard for Spring Training and the first few months of the regular season will do doubt affect the Philadelphia Phillies adversely given the player’s productivity .

I certainly believe the NL East is up for grabs given what I perceive to be now growing uncertainty of the Philadelphia Phillies and what I now feel they personify as a team ! The are certainly very good during the regular season but in recent years apart from their triumph in 2009 there has been little to suggest that this roster in its current guise can repeat their most recent success in the World Series. It was abundantly there for all to see as they simply fell apart during the MLB playoffs of 2011 without showing any real determination .

To my mind the New York Mets and Washington Nationals will simply viewed as the ” also-rans” within the NL East ! Neither team has made the sort of moves that certainly would give me the impression that they are able to contend within the division . The Mets remain but one step away from being deemed a financial failure when one bears in mind the mess created by the two most senior executives Saul Katz and Fred Wilpon . And the idiocy of it all have been the maneuvers of Sandy Alderson and J P Riccardi as they try to resurrect the fortunes of this organization. Alderson , given his experience as a front office executive has shown all the astuteness one would deem befitting a clueless Congressman . As Head of Baseball Operations Sandy Alderson chose to berate Jose Reyes for his lack of candor and honesty knowing full well that the organization would not be able to afford the player in terms of the Mets’ contractual obligations and specifically matching the 6 year offer made to Reyes by the Florida Marlins.

This season it remains to be seen as to whether or not the New York Mets will once again be an also ran within the NL and more noticeably the poor crosstown rival to the New York Yankkees . Something that no doubt pains the Mets’ fans almost as much it must now pains New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg who was seemingly duped by the NL organization as well the MLB hierarchy led by Bud Selig in financing what now appears to be that grossly ostentatious ” white elephant” …… known as ” Citi Field” , in Flushing , New York built at the cost of some $775 million of public financing . I mean what better way to show how out of touch the vast majority of politicians now happen to be as it concerns the economic and political environment . Only Bud Selig ., the Mets’ organization and the New York City Mayor could still in fact be dumb enough to believe that the building of such a monstrosity would be a guarantee of success when the on-field product was so grossly inept ! Is there anyone of the belief that the New York Mets’ fortunes can now be resurrected given their recent history ? Your thoughts ?

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Picture gallery for your perusal .

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Can the Atlanta Braves be a factor this season within the NL East and specifically mount a serious enough challenge to be a legitimate contender for the World Series ? I certainly believe that they can be given the right set of circumstances with the team raising the level of their overall play and team manager Fredi Gonzalez and his coaching staff leading by example by getting the players to buy into their brevitas ! What thoughts if any do you have with regard to the points raised within piece ? Simply chime in with a comment as you see fit and thanks as always for the continued support as it is greatly appreciated !

Picture and slide show details below .
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(1) Atlanta Braves’ Brandon Beachy pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game, in Atlanta. Beachy is the most established of four 2011 rookies who saw time in the Braves’ rotation. AP Photo/John Amis …

(2) Atlanta Braves’ Hank Aaron acknowledges the media while Braves’ Chipper Jones looks on when introduced during a news conference to unveil the club’s new alternative home uniform, Monday, Feb. 6, 2012, in Atlanta. The uniform pays homage to the team’s past, reflecting more of the look of the 1966 team when Aaron played. AP Photo/John Amis ….

(3) Atlanta Braves’ Chipper Jones, center, Brian McCann , right, and Dan Uggla model the club’s new alternative home uniform during a news conference to introduce the new threads, Monday, Feb. 6, 2012, in Atlanta. The uniform pays homage to the team’s past, reflecting more of the look of the 1966 team. AP Photo/John Amis …

(4) Jair Jurrjens of the Atlanta Braves seen here pitching in a game for the team during the 2011. The player’s injury woes beset the organization as well as his inconsistency towards the end of the year. AP Photo/ Mark Hughes …..

(5) Jason Heyward (22) of the Atlanta Braves gets set to take batting practice for the game against the Chicago Cubs during Opening Day at Turner Field on April 5, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. Getty Images/ Scott Cunningham …

(6) Jason Heyward (22) of the Atlanta Braves hits a 3 run home run against the Chicago Cubs during Opening Day at Turner Field on April 5, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. ….. Scott Cunningham/Getty Images …..

(7) Atlanta Braves general manger Frank Wren , left, shakes hands with new manager Fredi Gonzalez during a news conference where Gonzalez was introduced as the baseball team’s news manager, Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2010, in Atlanta. AP Photo/John Bazemore ………

(8) John Schuerholz, left, addresses reporters about the announcement he will become president of the Atlanta Braves baseball team and be replaced as general manager by Frank Wren, right, during a news conference Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007, in Atlanta. AP photo/John Amis ….. AJC/ Mark Harris ……
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Atlanta Braves’ front office

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Pick ’em At Your Peril ……………..

Pick ’em At Your Peril ………

Well with the baseball season now climaxing in a schedule of games that may well impact the playoff scenario it is extremely hard to believe that after a 162 game schedule it all now comes down to this . The divisional winners are set but we have a quartet of teams now vying for the wildcard berths within both leagues . Those teams are the Atlanta Braves , St Louis Cardinals within the National League with the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays within the American League . This all bodes well for the league hierarchy of baseball and in particular for both TBS and TNT who will broadcast the divisional and league championship series before Fox Sports takes over the tenure to televise the World Series , itself.

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At this point the questions now being asked and the reverberations caused , have to be about the meltdowns of both the Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox who less than three weeks ago held sizeable leads over their respective wildcard rivals coming into the last day of the season . The troubling fact is that for the managers in question they now have to their teams playing with added vigor because of what’s said to be on the line for both of these ball clubs . For Fredi Gonzalez he knows it is imperative tonight that the team is victorious against the Phillies Phillies in a game to be played at Turner Field , Atlanta , Georgia. For Cardinals’ manager Tony La Russa he knows that this is the last chance for his team to make something of what many believed to have been something of a disappointing season as they were favored to win the NL Central . That privilege went to Ron Roenicke and the Milwaukee Brewers and in doing so that could conclude with the manager being named NL Manager of the Year . But I do believe that he could well be challenged for that honor by Kirk Gibson of the Arizona Diamondbacks !

The St Louis Cardinals in their pivotal game face the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park , in Houston , Texas . And there is no one on this Cardinals’ team who does not know the importance of this game and what it means to their season . Certainly for the St Louis Cardinals’ fans they are cheering on the players in the fervent hope that they can make the postseason . Add into this all the intrigue surrounding whether or not this could well be Albert Pujols’ last season with the organization and you can begin to feel the fervor and excitment arising out of this scenario as it plays itself out .

I have said repeatedly when teams such as the Boston Red Sox with their financial wherewithal simply act as if money is of no object as they chase down talent in the search of glory , sooner or later you’re bound be undone by your own avarice . The organization led by GM Theo Epstein and team President Larry Lucchino have the league’s second highest payroll behind the venerable New York Yankees . And inasmuch as that might sour the taste for some fans one cannot be denied is the very fact that when spent wisely no one can argue with the success attained by that organization. For the Boston Red Sox front office the question now being asked is…. how could this all have spiraled out of control so quickly ?

With there now being rumors of discord between Francona and Theo Epstein there is a thought that the same fate that befell his predecessor Grady Little could now await Terry Francona should he and the team fail to deliver . From my own standpoint it has been the inconsistent pitching from the front end of the rotation led by Josh Beckett that has been the primary cause of the Red Sox’s woes . It will be left to Jon Lester pitching for the ball club tonight against the Baltimore Orioles ____ to acquit himself well and the team still into contention for that AL wildcard berth.

If there is one thing that Joe Maddon has going for himself and the Tampa Bay Rays at present then it would have to be the momentum and the hunger of this young team . And granted , there are some seasoned veterans at the heart of this roster but it has been the welcome play of the youngsters on this squad that has brought about this surprising turn of events . The likes of Desmond Jennings , Sam Fulds , Alex Cobb , Sean Rodriguez and Jeremy Hellickson have all contributed to the success of the organization this season . And for Joe Maddon and his managerial staff this has to be one of the most pleasing moments of his distinguished career .

As to what may transpire tonight no one can really say but I am sure that the events as they unfold will have all of us riveted to our screens and for those of us able to witness the events live at the venues in question . I can only surmise that you too will be enthralled by the games as they take place . Trying to determine a winner however might not be as easy as it looks and I for one can only hope that the intrigue will only add to the competitiveness of the games !

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Picture gallery for your perusal.

Which teams do you favor or actually envisage attaining the resepective wildcard berths ? Simply chime in with a comment as you deem fit .

Alan aka tophatal …………….. https://tophatal.wordpress.com

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(1) Atlanta Braves’ pitcher Derek Lowe walks off the field after giving up two runs to the Philadelphia Phillies during the third inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2011, in Atlanta. The Phillies would go on to defeat the Braves 7-1 . AP Photo/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Curtis Compton …..

(2) ATLANTA – SEPTEMBER 27: Chase Utley (26) of the Philadelphia Phillies is congratulated by Ryan Howard (6) after hitting a home run against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field on September 27, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images ……

(3) Allen Craig (21) of the St. Louis Cardinals receives congratulations from Yadier Molina (4) after hitting a three run home run in the eighth inning scoring Albert Pujols (5) and Lance Berkman (12) at Minute Maid Park on September 27, 2011 in Houston, Texas. The St Louis Cardinals would defeat the Astros 13-6 . Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images ….

(4) St. Louis Cardinals’ Yadier Molina, left, slides safely into home plate to score as Houston Astros catcher Humberto Quintero (55) handles the throw during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2011, in Houston. Molina and Allen Craig scored on a triple by Ryan Theriot. AP Photo/David J. Phillip ……

(5) Manager Terry Francona (47) of the Boston Red Sox walks back to the dugout during the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 27, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Red Sox defeated the Orioles 8-7 . Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images ……..

(6) Boston Red Sox shortstop Marco Scutaro, center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury and second baseman Dustin Pedroia, from left, high-five teammates after a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2011, in Baltimore. Boston won 8-7. AP Photo/Patrick Semansky …..

(7) ST. PETERSBURG, FL – SEPTEMBER 27: Catcher Kelly Shoppach (10) and pitcher Kyle Farnsworth (43) of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrate their team’s victory over the New York Yankees at Tropicana Field on September 27, 2011 in St.Petersburg, Florida. Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images ……

(8) First baseman Mark Teixeira (25) of the New York Yankees takes the throw at first as Johnny Damon (22) of the Tampa Bay Rays gets back safely during the game at Tropicana Field on September 27, 2011 in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays would defeat the New York Yankees 5-3 and now tie the Red Sox atop of the AL wildcard berth standings (90-71) Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images ……
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MLB standings

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MLB results 27th September 2011

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MLB Standings final day of 2010

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Never Too Late To Apologize It’s All In How You Say It ………..

You can either choose to be part of the news or simply read about but in no way do you want to be seen to be creating worthless tidbits , simply to have to recant a statement . We tend to see it all the time when it comes to celebrities further looking to parlay their fifteen minutes of fame . Albeit , that now with Indianapolis Colts’ owner Jim Irsay I am not so sure that he knew by tweeting that Peyton Manning is out for the season be it inadvertently or not this seems to have created a furor that neither Irsay , Bill Polian or Jim Caldwell would really care to address publicly and with any degree of certainty.

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The Indianapolis Colts’ season has now taken on turn for the worse as this team seems to have lost all confidence when it comes to its play on the field . One patron had suggested to me that I was being completely overzealous in my statement when made the claim that the Colts’ season was over before it had began but I think that this patron was simply too naive to think that Peyton Manning would be back and playing under any circumstance for the Indianapolis Colts. The four time league MVP is the heart and soul of this team and has been so since he was drafted by the organization in 1998 as the number 2 overall pick behind Ryan Leaf .

The Indianapolis Colts for their part having brought in Kerry Collins have suffered three successive defeats to their start of the season which now has them firmly rooted at the bottom of the AFC South . Inasmuch as I would like to think that there is hope for the Colts for this season with the play that the team has offered simply isn’t enough to convince me that they are able of containing and steering their own destiny. Now it would remiss to suggest that Peyton Manning’s career with this organization is over but sooner or later the fans and the front office may well have to realize that this era could very well be coming to a close .

All of this talk about a resurgent Chicago Bears’ — team came to a quick and abrupt close when they were ceremoniously dragged across the turf by the Green Bay Packers in a decisive 27-17 victory for the defending Superbowl champions. It is pretty safe to say that this Bears’ team still has flashbacks nightmares from their NFC championship game loss (21-14) to the Packers . This time around the Bears’ defense simply couldn’t cope with the passing game of Aaron Rodgers and the play of tight end Jermichael Finley who accounted for the first three touchdown game of his career in the team’s — 27-17 win .

Jay Cutler as the quarterback of the Chicago Bears has a lot to be answerable for , especially when one bears in mind his performance during that NFC championship game . There are those who genuinely believe that the player was hurt and that was the reason for his leaving the game. But I would suggest to the contrary because when your team needs you the most that is when as a presumed leader you have to step up to the plate and lead by example.

And as good as we’re led to believe this Bears’ defense is said to be they were clearly exposed by a Packers’ offense simply chomping at the bit. Aaron Rodgers simply carried on from where he left from last season . And it is easy to understand the reason why the team made the player their first round draft choice in 2005 (24th pick first round) by the Packers’ front office and coach Mike McCarthy . With the way that the Green Bay Packers now seem to be performing amongst their divisional and conference rivals . All the talk may well be about the surprising start of the Detroit Lions but until this team led by Matthew Stafford has played full season unscathed and have a winning season then perhaps we may well get to learn something about this organization as a whole . In spite of the added history of the franchise and the apparent direction that they now seem to be taking with Jim Schwartz as the coach working in conjunction with the front office led by GM Martin Mayhew .

The turnaround in the fortunes of the Detroit Lions has coincided with the recent draft choices made by the organization . And clearly with the additions of Nick Fairley , Ndamukong Suh and Calvin Johnson this is a team capable of contending but as I have repeatedly stated until Matthew Stafford is able to play an entire season and at the same be protected by his offensive line then I will continue hold my reservations about the competitiveness of the team .

It is hard to believe that a month ago the Boston Red Sox led the AL East and held a seven and a half game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays within the division . Now as of the 27th September that divisional lead is no longer there with the New York Yankees having won the division and secured a berth in the postseason , we now have an almighty dog fight brewing as the Tampa Bay Rays look to chase down the Red Sox to gain the wildcard berth as the AL entrant into the playoffs. Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona and his coaching staff have to be perturbed by what they are now seeing from his team that has lost eighteen of their last 22 games .

What might be even more distressing for the Boston Red Sox front office has been the very fact they have an outlay of an extortionate amount in salaries to pay for free agent acquisitions that in part have been productive but the overall expectations just wasn’t there . Clearly Theo Epstein , Larry Lucchino and the entire front office cannot be entirely happy with the thought that the team could once again miss the postseason . If ever there was a certainty as to why things started to spiral out of control for the Boston Red Sox then one would have place the blame squarely on the shoulders of the players and their lack of consistency .

As rabid as the Red Sox fans are said to be , I am not so sure that they are willing to tolerate the meltdown of their team especially when one bears in mind that their perpetual nemesis the New York Yankees has won the AL East and now await postseason play. It would certainly burn the fans even more also to know that the Tampa Bay Rays would once again be part of the playoffs.

The fans of the Tampa Bay Rays are all giddy with the very thought that they could be making a quick return to the playoffs when one considers their swift exit from the postseason last year . This time around I am sure that Joe Maddon would like to see his team perform to the best of their abilities with the advent of making the playoffs. The players have hit a rich vein of form that has seen them win five of their last 10 games but also on a two game win streak .

For the younger players on this roster such as Desmond Jennings , Sam Fulds , Alex Cobb , Matt Joyce and David Price this offers these teammates a further chance to show that this simply is not another aberration for the Tampa Bay Rays and their fans. Most certainly this may well have been the season that GM Andrew Friedman had envisaged alongside senior partners Stuart Sternberg and Matt Silverman .

It has been well chronicled as to the financial constraints that the Tampa Bay Rays now finds itself under and this is solely being done at the discretion of the front office as it is the only way for this organization to simply remain viable as a baseball franchise . And when adjudged against the rest of baseball one can see why it is that the ball club chooses take this route . Perhaps in light of the movie ” Moneyball” and the fact that the movie while now receiving critical acclaim it has to be said the box office (grossed slightly under $20 million opening weekend ) expectation doesn’t seem to have met with the expectations of the studio and one bears in mind that it placed second behind a fifteen year old animated classic “The Lion King” .

I am not so sure what to make of the Atlanta Braves’ meltdown within the NL East and the mere fact that they have allowed the St Louis Cardinals to simply erase their lead in the NL wildcard standings . Both Tony La Russa and Fredi Gonzalez are now vying to have their respective teams playing hard down the stretch as the waning days of the schedule winds down . With the St Louis Cardinals losing to the lowly Houston Astros and the Atlanta Braves falling to the Philadelphia Phillies the margin between the two teams is now a mere half game as of Monday night. With two regular season games now left on the schedule it certainly will interesting and suspenseful to see how things play themselves out over the ensuing days .

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Picture gallery for your perusal .

Given what we are now witnessing within the NFL and MLB are there further surprises that you feel could very well occur ? And what thoughts if any do you have concerning the statements made by Colts’ owner Jim Irsay concerning Peyton Manning ? Simply leave a comment on the points raised within this piece and any other points you believe to be pertinent .

Alan aka tophatal ……… https://tophatal.wordpress.com

http://facebook.com/tophatal

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Picture and slide show details below .

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(1) Indianapolis Colts football head coach Jim Caldwell talks about the quarterback situation and the 0-3 start in Indianapolis, Monday, Sept. 26, 2011. AP Photo/Michael Conroy ….

(2) FILE – This Sept. 1, 2011 file photo shows Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning on the sidelines in the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, in Cincinnati. At rear right is quarterback Kerry Collins. Colts owner Jim Irsay says there is an “outside chance” Manning might return in December. Irsay used Twitter on Monday, Sept. 26, 2011, to update Colts fans on Manning’s status after remarks he made during a private breakfast with Super Bowl donors. AP Photo/Tony Tribble ….

(3) CHICAGO, IL – SEPTEMBER 25: Jermichael Finley (88) of the Green Bay Packers catches a touchdown pass in front of Craig Steltz (20) of the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on September 25, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. The Packers defeated the Bears 27-17 . Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images ……

(4) Aaron Rodgers (12) of the Green Bay Packers talks with Jay Cutler (6) of the Chicago Bears after a game at Soldier Field on September 25, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. The Packers defeated the Bears 27-17. Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images ……

(5) MINNEAPOLIS, MN – SEPTEMBER 25: Donovan McNabb (5) of the Minnesota Vikings and Keiland Williams (34) of the Detroit Lions talk after the overtime win by the Lions at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on September 25, 2011 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photo by Adam Bettcher /Getty Images ……..

(6) Matthew Stafford (9) of the Detroit Lions is chased by Chad Greenway (52) of the Minnesota Vikings in the third quarter at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on September 25, 2011 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photo by Adam Bettcher /Getty Images …….

(7) Carl Crawford (13) of the Boston Red Sox (L) and teammates Jacoby Ellsbury (2) (C) and Josh Reddick (16) [(R)] leave the dugout after losing to the Baltimore Orioles 6-3 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 26, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland. Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images ……

(8) Infielder Ben Zobrist (18) of the Tampa Bay Rays congratulates Reid Brignac (15) after he scores against the New York Yankees during the game at Tropicana Field on September 26, 2011 in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Tampa Bay Rays would defeat the Yankees 5-2 . Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images ….

(9) Matt Diaz (23) of the Atlanta Braves slides into second base safely under the tag of Jimmy Rollins (11) of the Philadelphia Phillies after hitting a double in the second inning at Turner Field on September 26, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Phillies would defeat the Braves 4-2 . Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images …….

(10) Chris Carpenter , right, of the St. Louis Cardinals high fives Matt Holliday (7) and Albert Pujols (5) after they scored in the eighth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on September 26, 2011 in Houston, Texas. The Cardinals would go on to lose the game 5-4 to the Astros . Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images …….
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Everything In Its Place Much Like Things Being Put Into Perspective …………..

Well now that the Dan Uggla hitting streak is over perhaps the furor over the streak and what it represented can now be put to rest . The player and his teammates on the Atlanta Braves have pretty much spent the greater part of the season trying to play catchup to the Philadelphia Phillies within the NL East . And as much as I’ve admired the player’s 33 game hit streak the greater good for the team and organization is for them attain a postseason berth .

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Slideshow for your perusal .

The Altanta Braves currently sit some 9 games behind the division leading Philadelphia Phillies within the NL East but they do hold the wildcard berth lead amongst the NL contenders. That lead at present is four games over the rapidly descending San Francisco Giants whose own problems of late have come about from poor play with the pitching but also from the lack of productivity with the team’s offense . And this certainly has to be a real cause for concern for manager Bruce Bochy and his coaching staff . As defending champions and often seen as perhaps having the best chance of any team in recent years with the thought of successfully defending their World Series title . But it has been the team’s inconsistency to play at a high level over their last 12 games that has simply brought about this collapse .

For Fredi Gonzalez and the Braves’ coaching staff the intent is to ingrain it into the players that there’s still a great deal to play for over the remainder of this season . The falloff in the play of Jair Jurrjens was to be expected as I’ve always felt that as a pitcher he tends to succumb to fatigue in the latter part of the year . And from a team standpoint his travails of late have also mirrored the team’s own failings . Certainly the pitching has come into question from in terms of the increase in the overall ERA . And with regard to the team offense , well there too the problems have arisen .

Atlanta Braves’ Martin Prado reacts as he scores the winning run on a Freddie Freeman base hit in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants Monday, Aug. 15, 2011 in Atlanta. Atlanta won 5-4. AP Photo/John Bazemore …….

Coming into this season I certainly didn’t know what to expect , as I sought a new team with which to cast my loyalties . I had completely abandoned the Florida Marlins as I no longer felt that team owner Jeffrey Loria and the entire front office could be trusted to be entirely truthful in any aspect whatsoever as it relates to the organization. And as to be expected the odious lame ass politicians within the greater Miami area like lap dogs , having completely bought into the rhetoric and bullshit that the owner was selling . So much so that the city of Miami already with a burgeoning deficit is been willing to pay in large part for a new facility for the team with an assist also coming from the state legislature in Florida. But somehow in the midst of this all Loria hasn’t had to make an outlay out of his own pocket in the building of this new stadium , which will be at the team’s disposal in 2012.

Much has been made about the travails within baseball and the mere fact that a number of teams around the league have their own financial worries. Perhaps none more so at present than the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets . But it would be remiss to think that these two teams that are the only ones actually on a precipice waiting to be pushed. Unfortunately , Bud Selig along with the MLB hierarchy and team owners would rather have the fans believe that all is well within the game. If anything , Selig would simply point to the divisional races that are heating up around the league rather than face the reality of what is actually happening within his midst . His handling of the Dodgers’ financial failures and the very fact that in some respects he suborned the actions of Frank McCourt and the front office executives only further enhances the sheer stupidity and lack of foresight coming from within the commissioner’s office.

The season itself for the Atlanta Braves in the advent of Bobby Cox’s retirement brought about not only the end of an era but in some respects the change needed if this organization was to take the necessary steps forward. GM Fran Wren along with the front office , the coaches and scouting directors led by Kurt Kemp and Tony De Macio have seen fit to replenish this Braves’ organization with the talent prerequisite to take this team forward for years to come . The draft choices made also by Wren and the staff have been fortuitous over the years but as with any organization you can sometimes let one or two gems simply slip from within one’s grasp. At the minor league level the organization is well represented Brandon Drury , Lucas La Point , Edward Salcedo , Julio Teheran and Randall Delgado will no doubt have something to offer the Atlanta Braves at some point in the future .

As the season approaches its final months the Braves face a number of series that they will no doubt inevitably have to be playing their very best baseball. They start a four game series against the San Francisco Giants at Turner Field in Atlanta , Georgia , before then taking on the NL West leading Arizona Diamondbacks in a three game set at home once again . These seven games are of the utmost importance to the Atlanta Braves as they seek to widen the margin between themselves and their nearest rivals for the wildcard and further erase the deficit they have against the Philadelphia Phillies.

It is at this time of the baseball calendar year where we tend to see the real separation that takes place between what we deem to be the contenders and pretenders in terms the precursor in the run-up to the postseason . And it could very well be that some divisions and the wildcard races might not reach a conclusion until the final day of the regular season. I am of the opinion that anything that the Atlanta Braves can do to make it a foregone conclusion that they will be the wildcard entrant before then would be to my complete and utter satisfaction ! This is where I would expect the veterans such as Chipper Jones , Uggla , Derek Lowe , Alex Gonzalez and Brooks Conrad to set the example for the younger players on this team . Players such as Jason Heyward , Craig Kimbrel and Tommy Hanson can profit greatly from the knowledge that will be proffered up by these seasoned veterans.

As an Atlanta Braves’ fan I would certainly like to see how far this team can go should they make the postseason ! The Philadelphia Phillies may well be deemed as the prohibitive favorites for the NLCS pennant . But I have always maintained that merely because you’re the presumed winner , the games themselves have to played before a victor can be decided upon . And that is what we will certainly be finding out once the postseason comes into being . It makes for an interesting scenario all round for those at the center of the events in question .

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Picture gallery for your perusal .

What thoughts if any do you have on the ongoing divisional races now happening within baseball at present ? And which team if anything has been a complete surprise to you in terms of their play be it competitive or otherwise ? Simply leave a comment as to your thoughts on the points raised within this piece .

Alan aka tophatal …….. https://tophatal.wordpress.com

Contact – tophatal …………….. via Facebook or Twitter

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Picture and slide show details below .

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(1) ATLANTA – AUGUST 15: Freddie Freeman (5) of the Atlanta Braves is interviewed after knocking in the game-winning run against the San Francisco Giants at Turner Field on August 15, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves would go on to defeat the Giants 5-4 . Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images ……

(2) Brian Wilson (38) of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field on August 15, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images …..

(3) Freddie Freeman (5) of the Atlanta Braves is congratulated by Alex Gonzalez (2) after knocking in the game-winning run against the San Francisco Giants at Turner Field on August 15, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images …….

(4) Atlanta Braves’ Martin Prado reacts as he scores the winning run on a Freddie Freeman base hit in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants Monday, Aug. 15, 2011 in Atlanta. Atlanta won 5-4. AP Photo/John Bazemore …….

(5) Dan Uggla (26) of the Atlanta Braves throws out a runner against the San Francisco Giants at Turner Field on August 15, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images ………..

(6) Aubrey Huff (17) of the San Francisco Giants scores on a sacrifice fly against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field on August 15, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images ……..

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