Everywhere you look, ducks on the pond! If General Larry Platt can make a pop-culture hit out of his pet peeve, why can’t I? It was easy to forget how the Braves started the season consistently leaving double digit runners on base when they were not putting them on in the first place. Now that Atlanta is hitting, they are back to the same problem of stranding runners. Game three in the Marlins series the Braves had 13 hits to the Marlins 7- great if the Marlins first column did not have three runs to the Braves one. » Continue reading “Ducks on the Pond, Ducks on the Pond……..”
Dan Uggla and Freedie Freeman got the memo that they have to stay hot for the Braves while Brian McCann is on the DL. Both extended their hitting streaks Saturday against the Marlins, Uggla to 21 games and Freeman to 14 games. Martin Prado and Eric Hinske got into the action- Prado with an RBI in the 4th and Hinske with a home run in the 8th. Anytime you spot Tim Hudson a four run lead, it is safe to say that a win is not far behind, Saturday was no different. Hudson got the 5-1 victory bringing him to 10-7 for the year.
The Braves send Tommy Hanson to the mound to go for the sweep against Ricky Nolasco before heading to Washington Monday.
Braves fans can breathe easier as Atlanta made move this morning that many in the baseball world saw coming, at least part of it. Atlanta traded Jordan Schafer and pitchers Juan Abreu, Paul Clemens and Brett Oberholtzer for Houston Astros Michael Bourn. Noticeably missing in this trade are the names Mike Minor, Julio Teheran, and Randall Delgado. Frank Wren was able to pull off a trade that gives Atlanta their first true lead off hitter since Rafael Furcal without dealing top prospects. The trade is bittersweet for the Schafer, who is currently on the DL with a fractured finger, and the Braves locker room.
“I thank the Braves for sticking by me the entire time,†Schafer said while packing up his locker. “With everything I’ve been through, they’ve been great to me. It’s a business. They have to do what’s best for the team. They have to what’s best to try to win a World Series this year.”
“It sucks, truthfully. I was comfortable here. At the same time I’m excited to go there. Any time you get traded the team obviously wants you. I’m excited to go over there and start fresh and try to start winning.” » Continue reading “Are You Happy Now?”
You would not know by looking at the 5-0 score that Atlanta posted against Florida that: a) it was a close game b) the Braves had only two hits and no runs until the 7th inning or c) fans were crucifying management for not having made a deal for another bat.
One swing by Dan Uggla not only extended his hitting streak to 20 games, but it also busted the game open for the Braves. Martin Prado and Freddie Freeman did their part by getting on base for Uggla to drive them in. Long time minor leaguer Jose Constanza added to the total and notched major league hit and RBI after Brooks Conrad doubled to start off the inning. Constanza also showed his speed and later scored on a Prado single and Freeman sacrifice.
While many of us watching could not help but focus on the lack of offense (especially after word came down that Philly acquired Hunter Pence) Brandon Beachy was busy pitching 7 1/3 shutout innings. Beachy gave up only two hits. Clay Hensley pitched well for six innings, until Uggla broke up his shutout. Beachy pitching into the eighth and the offense finally giving the luxury of run support allowed Fredi Gonzalez to stray from the OVentrel formula. O’Flaherty came on for 2/3 of an inning, and Scott Linebrink found himself in the role of closer.
It only took 47 innings and 18 hours and 39 minutes for finish the Braves and Pirates four game series, and they essentially settled nothing. The teams split the series at two each with the Pirates took the finale 5-2 after a 47 minute rain delay. Derek Lowe came out of the gate well, but was clearly affected by the rain delay. Lowe once again was the victim of his team leaving runners on base. Atlanta had 11 hits, yet only scored two runs- similar to the previous night’s performance of two runs on 14 hits. More importantly, the Braves left 49 men on base in just four games (well, more than four inning wise, but still). » Continue reading “It’s Finally Over!”
In their 20th extra innings game and just one day after the longest game in franchise history, the Braves needed 10 innings to beat the Pirates.  David Ross showed he has accepted the challenge to step in for injured Brian McCann. Ross was responsible for runs and stepped up the catcher’s [osition defensively. The same two teams face off in the fourth and game of the series.
It’s funny in a game that went 19 innings and 6:39:00, we are only talking about 10 seconds of it. For the Braves, the other 6:38:50 could change the course of the season. Atlanta has to feel fortunate that this game happened before the trade deadline because Brian McCann, Jordan Schafer, and the bullpen all took a hit last night.
In the middle of what could be a MVP season, Brian McCann left the game with the injury of the year a strained oblique. The Braves placed him on the day disabled list before game’s end. McCann carried the offense to this point in the season, and losing him in the line up could change Atlanta’s opinion of getting Carlos Beltran. The Mets outfielder was not optimal for the Braves with McCann, Dan Uggla, and Freddie Freeman all hitting, and Beltran is not a true center fielder. Taking McCann out for at least 15 days while Chipper Jones is again injured makes Beltran more attractive. At the time of this post, it is reported that San Francisco is close to a deal with the Mets for the outfielder, and center field option Colby Rasmus has been traded from St.Louis to Toronto.
Going after Beltran would be more likely if Jordan Schafer were healthy. Schafer had eluded to possibly going on the DL before the game with a chipped bone in his middle finger. He then worked 9 innings in which he was hit on that finger during an at bat.
In a game full of scary moments, Martin Prado went 0-8, and Scott Proctor was forced to pitch three innings. This goes to show the need for another bullpen arm and another top of the order bat. Nothing like playing a 19 inning game to find your weaknesses!
Not even close! All I am going to say on that matter is Jim Joyce and Don Denkinger. As my dad used to say to me every time I tried to dispute an umpire or referee’s call, “What did they call? Then that’s what it was.” Is it always correct, not by a long shot? His point was that you deal with what is, not what should be. Until there is instant replay, we are stuck with the judgement of a guy that working behind the plate for 6:39:00. Yes, that says six hours and thirty-nine minutes. We should be more bothered by how bad he was when he was fresh. You could argue that had Jerry Meals called even a descent game, we would have all been asleep long before he decided that Michael McKenry do not actually touch Julio Lugo with his swipe tag. » Continue reading “The Worst Call Ever……”
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The Queen City of Cincinnati was not kind to the Bravos this weekend. What started off as a promising series for the Braves, ended in the disappointment of losing ground on the Phillies. Sunday was the first of two games in a row to be televised on ESPN, and ending with a heart breaking walk off loss to the Reds.
Brandon Beachy, who has struggled of late with his command, did so again Sunday. Beachy gave up three runs in the first two innings before settling in to hold the until he was pinch hit for in the top of the 7th. Beachy, like many control pitchers, can get aught up in trying to place pitches to perfectly.
Braves fans can breathe easier as Atlanta made move this morning that many in the baseball world saw coming, at least part of it. Atlanta traded Jordan Schafer and pitchers Juan Abreu, Paul Clemens and Brett Oberholtzer for Houston Astros Michael Bourn. Noticeably missing in this trade are the names Mike Minor, Julio Teheran, and Randall Delgado. Frank Wren was able to pull off a trade that gives Atlanta their first true lead off hitter since Rafael Furcal without dealing top prospects. The trade is bittersweet for the Schafer, who is currently on the DL with a fractured finger, and the Braves locker room.
