Forget Number 25* and his (now) 758*, I’m talking about Bobby Cox’s new gold standard of 132 ejections as a manager.

Way to go, Bobby. It fired up the boys last night as they kept pace with the Mets and Phillies.

Is anyone else getting concerned, though. It’s mid August and our post-All-Star surge has never really materialized.

Sure we’ve got Teixeira and we’ve had no trouble scoring runs, but outside of Smotlz and Hudson, name another starter you trust.

And the bullpen is just as questionable, with Wickman looking more and more like David Wells (in physique) every day.

I don’t know about you, but I’m still not sold on the fact that the Braves can pull it together and make the post season. Much like Mulder (Fox, not Mark), I want to believe.

Let me know what you think.

Oh, and if you’re not already a regular reader of Rowland’s Office, become one.

While at the Braves game on Friday (for Friday Night Fireworks…a real treat since I heart fireworks), my boyfriend pointed out the new All-You-Can-Eat Seats. Yes, for one flat price, you can enjoy an Upper Level seat with unlimited baseball fare like peanuts, hot dogs and popcorn, or you can upgrade to a Lexus Level seat and chow on BBQ and Budweiser. Since concessions at Turner Field are so pricey, at first it kinda made sense to me. But when I actually started thinking about how much food you’d have to eat to get your money’s worth ($25 for the “Ballpark Favorites” and $60 for the “BBQ & More” package), it just grossed me out.

Learn more about snagging these sure-to-be-popular seats.

My girl Bear forwarded me an email about a special Braves event, the header reads:

From: braves.com

To: Bear

Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2007 6:11 PM

Subject: Get your free bag of needlearts supplies during the Braves Stitch ‘n Pitch event

I can’t see the image when I’m reading it on my handheld and I keep stumbling over “needlearts” first reading as “needle hearts” (I am not alone) then wondering – is this a prison tattoo competition? What the hell are “needlearts”? Don’t they have someone proof read these emails before they go out?

Then I realize ’tis my love-o-knitting that caused Bear to think of me and forward along.

Want the real information? Click here.

Want to giggle? An excerpt from my last incoming from Bear:

I can’t imagine giving a thousand drunk baseball fans knitting needles and not expect at least a dozen hospital trips.One of the reasons the tomahawks given out now are FOAM and not wooden like they used to be.

Ah yeah. Good times, good times…

Mediocrity.

You’re (if you’re a Braves fan or player) soaking in it.

To be honest, since it’s only the first day of May and the Braves are a half-game ahead of the Mets in first place in the NL East, little was needed to right the ship, but last week was a rough one.

The previously-blogged Hudson-‘splosion, Bob Wickman blowing two saves, falling behind the Mets.

But last night Andruw’s walk-off homer was a huge lift. A nice punctuation to the beginning of a long homestand. Not quite a win for Hudson, but still a win for the Braves.

And Wickman may be on the DL, but better now than September.

Go Braves (and go home haters)!

Not today’s weather, but my tears last night as the Braves blew a lead in the ninth in the worst possible way.

Tim Hudson, bidding for a complete game, loaded the bases on 3 consecutive singles with no outs and Bob Wickman couldn’t stop the bleeding.

Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

My question: If the Braves bullpen got so much better in the off-season (and has performed so well this season) why risk Hudson in a 3-run game? Why not just give Wickman the save opportunity earlier?

Or am I daft? Should I be armchair managing against Bobby Cox?

. . . is one month from today. Nothing says to me, “Spring is here!” like baseball season.

Friday, April 6th
7:35 PM
Vs. The Mets

You can see the full schedule here.

Sure, I’m one of those vocal Braves fans who thinks this is the year they finally lose their perch as a division winner. For me, it’s been a foregone conclusion since early June.

But the Braves, those wily Braves, have me doubting myself (and secretly chastising myself for losing my religion).

They’ve won 6 in a row, scoring 10 runs or more in the last 4.

Chipper had that 14-game extra base hitting streak, and still has a 17-game hitting streak alive.

The Bravos are only 5 games out of the wildcard.

Is there still time? Or are they just toying with all us with some kind of post-All Star trickery?

First, can (and will) the Braves make the playoffs and second, can (and will) they win the NL East?

Is it too late for me to say I’m sorry for falling off the Braves bandwagon? Is it too late to get back on?

Please forgive me and Go Braves! (And I apologize for all the questions.)

I was at the Braves game yesterday (groan!) so I’m glad to see this news:

“LaRoche said when he got to the dugout, Cox told him, “[Johnson] was out. But it shouldn’t have been close. You have got to start hustling.”
Cox said he wouldn’t discuss publicly any disciplinary measures or elaborate on the situation. He once famously pulled a young Andruw Jones off the field for not hustling, but there haven’t been any comparable incidents since.
LaRoche finished the game, then went to Cox’s office to apologize. Cox told him Brian Jordan would be in the lineup today for the series opener against Florida, and that he didn’t know what he would do beyond that.

Good. LaRoche should have been pulled out immediately for not hustling. The thing is I actually like LaRoche. When he’s hitting, he’s pretty good and he is, when he hustles, a pretty decent first basemen. Hopefully being benched today and all the booing he got from the fans yesterday will teach him his lesson.

The Hawks finished up their season tonight with a close loss to Cleveland, who rested most of their stars for the playoffs.

The Thrashers, in turn, also came up short in their bid to become a playoff team, narrowly missing their first trip to the playoffs but setting some wonderful team and individual records.

The Braves are looking to extend their streak of playoff appearances/division titles and held off the Mets 2-1 today.

My question is this: is anyone excited at all about the prospect of pro sports in Atlanta or are we all biding our time until October to witness another fizzle by the Braves and the return of Mike Vick and the Falcons to our Sunday afternoons?
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