Braves: Turning the Corner?

Snitker got his Braves to score some runs for a change. Will be interesting to see how he manages differently than Fredi – whether he will go by the book of bench players is prolonged slumps (Aybar) to at least get better defense on the field, or play the hot hand (Mallex Smith, below) even though a lefty is on the hill.

The Braves young pitching continues to improve. Teheran keeps getting better, and Wisler (below) and Folty keep giving good outings. That is 3 of the 5 starters. Shea Simmons will soon return from his Tommy John surgery. He has started the last two games out in Gwinnett and has struck out six in two innings. Plus the team is starting to hit. It wasn't just the first month of the Braves schedule that was the toughest in baseball, but the first 45 games. Fans don't understand that.

Last night I was reading comments about the Braves and the first four were factually incorrect. People make sweeping generalizations that aren't true, knowing that 99% of the time what they say won't be challenged. Then if they are taken to task, they just brush it away with another inaccurate generalization. I love it when beat writer Dave O'Brien points out the error of their ways.

I'm not saying the Braves will break .500 or win the division. After starting 9-29 the Braves would have to 54-70 the rest of the way to avoid losing 100 games, winning 44% of their games. That probably won't happen. Making the trade with the Dodgers for Olivera was probably a mistake, as the Braves has received zero all year from their projected starting leftfielder (though Alex Wood hasn't contributed in LA). Freeman is just now coming out of his slump and Incarte (top) has just returned from the disabled list.

C and A went to the High Museum Tuesday. Last night A went over to eat dinner at John's house. M didn't come home until late after spending the day at Sheps. I left work at six and stopped by Best Buy looking for a radio for Will's Jeep. The cheapest is $200.00. C was putting in her student's final grades. I was still full from lunch (leftover homemade pizza) and cereal on the way home. Neither one of us were too hungry for supper. Watched The Voice and Chicago Med, a really good show. Then The Middle while I worked on the computer. Went to bed at 10:30.

Wednesday: On the way to work I just HAD to stop by McDonalds to use my bacon egg & cheese McGriddles, and now I am all full again. Blah. Brought leftover chicken enchilada stuffing for lunch.

Wednesday afternoon A ran to the store for C. Ceil cooked Mexican. After supper A and C went shopping and I crashed on the couch. Watched the Braves game and Jeopardy. It is celebrity week – newspeople like Anderson Cooper. They weren't super smart. The CNN lady whose charity had to do with art couldn't answer any of the art questions.
 
In the afternoon I started sneezing and my throat started hurting. Felt like I had a fever, my joints have been hurting. Got worse last night. Took some nighttime medicine after supper and went to bed but I didn't sleep well. The meds dried me out but my joints still ache. I almost never get sick but this one hit me hard. I was planning on leaving work early today anyway.

Frustrating when I'm at work Thursday busting my butt even though I'm sick, and others repeatedly forget to attend regularly scheduled meetings. I'm so busy I don't take my lunch up to the fridge, then eat it at my desk without warming it up.

Cleveland looks strong but could run into trouble in the finals. Will the Raptors get the same harassment for losing that the Hawks got?
 
Computers: a year or two ago my old 2010 laptop was required to upgrade because the operating system it was on was no longer supported by our IT department. It made everything different and not as easy. Last week the lady next to me got a new computer and it has Windows 10, which is completely different than what I have. She keeps asking me questions and I keep telling her that I'm not the computer department. Another lady said that on Sunday her computer started "upgrading" and as of yesterday/Tuesday it was still upgrading. I think she might have a virus.

My young single co-worker was wondering about the decisions married couples face, and I delivered Dock's father's sage advice: "When we got married we decided I would make all the major decisions and my wife would make all the minor ones. Well in 30 years of marriage there has yet to be a major decision."