2007 In Review: Top 10 Braves Moments

Today we’re looking back at 2007 with BravesBlast’s Top 10 Braves Moments from 2007. After many rounds of voting, revisions, adjustments, and arguments, the BravesBlast crew presents what its most memorable moments from the 2007 season.

#10 - After many years of success, most notably the 14 consecutive division titles beginning in 1991, John Schuerholz stepped down from the general manager position and into the role of President of the Braves. His legacy as GM will obviously be the division titles and the brilliance with which he negotiated trades that favored the Braves time and time again.

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Mailbag

With only a couple days left to enter to win the Brian McCann autographed baseball, there’s a lot of commenting on. Get your chance now - simply comment on one of the articles or pages with a valid email address. With each valid comment, you are entered once. Contest ends December 31!

Now, let’s dig into the mailbag. Katrina Taylor writes:

With the recent signing of Javy Lopez, given he meets or exceeds expectations in Spring Training, how much rest is Brian McCann expected to receive with an experienced backup catcher in the lineup?

Well Katrina, I have a few thoughts here. Read more »

Holiday Tidbits

Well with no real news coming out of the Braves organization this time of year (who can blame them - I’d want Christmas off too), I’m just sharing a few thoughts between stuffing myself full of Christmas cookies and meats.  Hope your weight-gaining fest is going as well as mine is.  Without further ado, seven random thoughts.

1) I’m not sure David Justice is hall-worthy, even without this whole Mitchell Report thing.

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Javy Back

The Braves signed former catcher Javy Lopez to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training today. He was formerly released by Colorado during Spring Training 2007. He’ll try and earn a backup spot behind Brian McCann along with Brayan Pena, Corky Miller, and Clint Sammons.

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Mailbag

Time for our first Mailbag question - to submit a question, please go to the “Submit Question” page using the navigation above.  For each question you submit, you’re entered to win that Brian McCann autographed baseball.

Melissa asked:

Ken Rosenthal over at MSN.Foxsports.com had this interesting comment about the Braves - “Meanwhile, the Yankees could trade Melky Cabrera even if they do not include him in a deal for Santana; several clubs are showing interest in Cabrera, including — presumably — the Braves, who tried to acquire him last off-season. ”

What do you think about the possibility of Cabrera getting signed?

First, thanks to Melissa for submitting a question - she’s entered into the drawing for a Brian McCann autographed baseball!

Secondly, let me ask you why the Braves would want Melky Cabrera? Read more »

The Silence Scares Me

So, we know where Andruw went. Willie Harris has signed elsewhere. Tom Glavine is back. Alex Rodriguez went back to the Yankees. Tejada traded to Astros, Dontrelle and Cabrera traded to the Tigers. These are just a few of the trades and free agent moves we’ve seen and heard of over the past month - and indeed it has been a while since Glavine signed. Yet with all this free-agent activity, the Winter Meetings in Nashville, and the blockbuster trades, there’s one absolutely crucial player the Braves must think about in the same sentence as “contract extension” for.

I am, of course, talking about Mark Teixeira. Read more »

Justice Served?

David Justice is upset, and rightfully so, regarding the implication in the Mitchell Report that he used performance enhancing drugs.  I heard him on a replay of a talk show where he denied using HGH and said that though he did have a conversation with his strength trainer and purchased a kit, he did NOT use it once he realized it was injected with a needle.  He also adamantly claimed he had never even seen steroids.

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The Mitchell Report and the Braves

So if you have turned on a TV or checked a major news site today you’ve noticed that everyone’s talking about the Mitchell report. Major names mentioned in the report include Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds (no surprise there), and Eric Gagne (among many, many others).

I hear you thinking though - you don’t want to download the report, and you don’t have time to read 409 pages of highly documented conversations, interviews, and surveys. But you want to know how the Braves came out - did we have any major names mentioned? Any legends tainted? Read on - we’ve done the homework for you.

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Andruw to Dodgers

What we’ve known has been coming since the end of the season is now a reality - sources are reporting that Andruw Jones has signed a two-year deal with the Dodgers in the range of $36 million.  The Dodgers are competing with the Angels for the LA market (The Angels just signed Torii Hunter) and felt the need to fill their centerfield gap with one of the best in the business.

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The Right Thing To Do?

With the arrival of Will Ohman and Omar Infante from the Cubs in exchange for Jose Ascanio yesterday, room had to be made on the Braves 40-man roster.  The unlucky one this time around?  Willie Harris.  Now, I have approved of pretty much every move that Frank Wren has made since stepping into the GM role…….until this one.

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Winter Meetings’ First Moves

Frank Wren and his posse are in full force at the Winter Meetings in Nashville with a few tasks to accomplish. Rumor has it they’re looking for a center fielder with a short contract, a backup catcher, and a bench player that can back up Yunel at shortstop.

Wren pulled the trigger on a deal today that sent right-handed reliever Jose Ascanio to the Cubs for left-handed reliever Will Ohman and utility infielder Omar Infante. Read more »

Thank Goodness They Lose?

Man, am I glad the Braves missed the playoffs the last two years. In fact, it is probably the greatest thing that could have happened to a team that in all reality has been floundering. Now, if you don’t mind, hold off on making me turn in my 1974 reissue Braves Cap, don’t ban me from the Varsity, and please don’t key my truck the next time it’s parked on 75/85 Southbound before a ball game. Just hear me out.

Most Braves fans remember exactly where they were when “Sid Slid”. But do they remember where they were when the Braves made the playoffs for the fourteenth consecutive season (and once again choked) in 2004? Do they remember what they were doing when the Braves lost to the New York Yankees (I’m considering editing that team name out from now on, like a curse) in 1996? How about again in 1999?

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