You would think a lead off triple is a good way to put 20 scoreless innings away and move on to winning ways. You, like many others, would be wrong. You are probably on target when it all fell apart though. That’s right, the dreaded 5th inning is where it all blew up for Mike Minor giving up three runs. The Yankees did not stop there, scoring one run in each of their at bats to follow.

A team coming off the aforementioned 20 scoreless innings cannot afford to relinquish a lead. The Braves struggles at the plate are far to similar to that of 2011, excluding Dan Uggla, whose patience is shown through the number of walks he has this season. What is not similar is the amount of pitching at Atlanta’s disposal. The bullpen is not as reliable, most notably Johhny Venters. Eric O’Flaherty has been injured, Livan Hernadez designated for assignment, and Kris Medlen sent down to stretch out for a starting role. Needless to say, Medlen will not be filling that spot just yet.

Although, a starter spot has opened with news that could be devastating if the Braves stay on the recent course. Brandon Beachy, who left Saturday’s game versus Baltimore with an elbow injury, showed a partial tear of the Ulnar Collateral Ligament on an MRI performed today. Beachy will see the team doctor Tuesday and Dr. James Andrews Wednesday. Injuries of this nature often require Tommy John surgery and one year of rehab.

I will take the blame for this one, I asked the rain to go away thinking that would benefit the Braves. Obviously I was wrong. Julio Teheran came out of the gates like Atlanta’s bats, hot. A three up three down inning that ended with striking out Jose Bautista is not a bad way to make a season debut, but as he is prone to do, Teheran had a blow up inning. After being able to get only one out in the fifth, allowing a run, and loading the bases, his day was done, and so was the Braves’. » Continue reading “A Little Rain Never Hurt Anyone…A Lot Would Have Helped the Braves”

Don Sutton said on a Braves Radio Network broadcast that he was convinced that Chipper studied theater in the off season. I on the other hand, think it was a mandatory team activity- kind of a Banding People Together team building activity. (If you don’t know what I’m talking about, go check it out!) If you look at this young season in the musical drama terms, it is shaping up as a rock opera.

Noun 1. Albums of rock music that aspired to the status of art; first appeared in the 1960s.[Wordnet].

Rock operas, concept albums, song cycles and oratorios all differ from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are unrelated to each other in terms of storyline. The rock opera style sometimes overlaps with concept albums, song cycles and oratorios. More recent developments include metal opera and rap opera (sometimes also called hip-hopera). The category a particular work falls into is, to some extent, defined by the intent and self-definition of the work by its creator, as long as the creator’s interpretation does not stray too far from the accepted definition of what constitutes a rock opera. The formal distinction may be that the rock opera tells a coherent (if sometimes sketchy) story, often with first-person lyrics sung by characters; while a concept album or song cycle sets a mood or maintains a theme. Some albums share characteristics of more than one category. Opera consists of individual singers acting out a specific character within a drama. The same is also true of a legitimate rock opera. If a work consists of singers who sing a story, but do not act it out, it is not a rock opera, and should not in the traditional sense, be categorized as such.

Not seeing the correlation? Atlanta is using a collaboration well beyond five part harmony, a variety of instruments, a coherent (if sometimes sketchy) story mostly sketchy, and most importantly, individual singers giving a dramactic performance, not merely singing the lyrics. » Continue reading “Braves Banding Together”

Two teams moving in opposite directions meet tonight in the nation’s capitol.  Atlanta in first place in the Wild Card race, made a move in acquiring Michael Bourn to make a run at a championship.  The Nationals’ moves, on the other hand, showed they are packing it for next year.  The Nats traded Jerry Hairston, Jr for a prospect, but did hold onto closer Drew Storen.

Atlanta cannot overlook a Washington team with 10 losses since the All-Star break if that want to want their moves to pay of.  Arizona, while not expected by many to be able to hang with the Braves until the end, is only four games out of the Wild Card.  After getting as close as three games within of the Phillies, the Braves are now again six back.  Playing a team with nothing to lose could be dangerous if they are not taken seriously.

Jair Jurrjens takes on a struggling Livan Hernandez in Michael Bourn’s debut.  Jurrjens’ entered the All-Star break with an astounding 1.87 ERA, but has risen 2.38 since.  JJ showed marked improvement from his first to second starts since the break.  Atlanta needs him to continue his dominating ways throughout the second half of the season.