Braves’ quotes after Tuesday loss to Rockies
BOBBY COX
Did the passed ball and two runs that scored after it deflate team?
“Nah, in this ballpark you always have a chance. Three runs down is not a lot of runs. Street had good stuff.”
On Lowe
“I thought he pitched a nice ballgame. Six innings, only give up six hits or so [and three runs] in this park, is not bad. De La Rosa was lights-out and he gave up two runs.”
De La Rosa made pitches when needed to?
“Yeah, he did. And we hit into four double plays, so….”
On Saito
“He threw OK. He had the side struck out. Crossed up the catcher.”
DEREK LOWE
“There were obviously a lot of baserunners, and I think that was a key, to minimize the damage. I obviously got off to a little rough start in the first inning. But having pitched here, this is about as good as I’ve pitched here in a long time.
“Individually it’s always been kind of a tough place for me to pitch, so [that part was good]. On the flip side, it seems like I lose every time I go out there. It’s been a long time.”
“You look at this road trip as a whole, if we can find a way to win tomorrow, then get back home 3-3, it wouldn’t be a disastrous trip.”
On giving up the home runs
“For me, walks have always killed me. It seems like I always put extra guys on. Gonzalez’s pitch, I know he’s a low-ball hitter, and you’ve got to tip your cap. Seth Smith, 1-0, the sinker was obviously not where you wanted it. But all in all, it could have been a lot worse.
“I think you’ve got to try to stay away from the big inning here, and we were able to do that. Their pitchers did a great job of, I think they turned four or five double plays, so it seemed like they made a pitch when they had to.”
On the Seth Smith homer
“I would say it was right down the middle. 1-0, you’re trying to just make a quality pitch. He could have easily rolled over, but he promptly didn’t. Good word – promptly.
“We’ve got to find a way to get a win here. J.J. will go out and hopefully pitch like he has since he came off the DL and give us a great chance.”
“I gave myself more of a chance this time here than I ever have. Clearly the results were the same, but it wasn’t the typical six, seven runs in four innings where your team’s out of the game.
“But you don’t play for self-gratification, you play for wins and losses, and I’ve lost a lot recently. I’ve gone through streaks like this before, but it definitely gets a little frustrating because of the time of year that we’re at. You want to go out and win games, and we’ve lost quite a few of my starts in a row.”
TAKASHI SAITO
“I missed the sign.”
“I thought it was a fastball. I didn’t realize it until I got back to the bench.”
How did you feel physically after a week of not pitching?
“It felt pretty good.”
You had the guy struck out, could have gotten out of the inning unscathed
“It’s not about, I could have gotten out of the situation. I didn’t get out of the situation. So I’ve just got to focus on tomorrow and do my best tomorrow.”
MATT DIAZ
On De La Rosa
“He was good. I mean, we got our hits, he just minimized damage. I don’t know how many double plays we rolled into. He induced ‘em, that’s for sure.”
“He pitched a lot different than he has in the past, than he has on film. He threw a lot more changeups than I’ve seen in the past. He only used his slider as a strikeout pitch, and he rarely threw that big breaking ball. His changeup was probably better than I’ve seen it, and I think he kind of felt that, and used it.”
On no run support for Lowe
“We came out hitting for him, but then we’d roll into a double play. I guess it started in the first, I continued it in the second, and it continued throughout the game.”
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137 comments Add your comment
NICE
August 25th, 2010
1:21 am
if you’re not last you’re first?
Frank from KS (now living in CO)
August 25th, 2010
1:45 am
Can we send Lee back to the Cubs?
Seriously, he’s a bust atm.
Jedi Falcon
August 25th, 2010
1:58 am
Nice job, Frank Wren. Making that trade for a washed up, back-injured 1st baseman. Derek Lee is terrible.
doubled
August 25th, 2010
2:11 am
Derek Lee not as good as Glaus.Both need be on DL.
Rey
August 25th, 2010
2:35 am
Don’t worry people. Freddie will be called up soon. BTW….Glaus looked terrible playing 3rd up in Gwinnett. Poor, poor, fellow.
kirkinga
August 25th, 2010
2:40 am
Funny how the same people who wanted the rest of us to be super patient with Gonzalez after the Braves gave Escobar away are also among the people ready to declare the Lee for Glaus trade a bust after less than a week!
Seems to me if we have to ignore that the offense…or defense for that matter, did not improve after trading for Gonzalez, then the same goes for D. Lee as well.
Chris
August 25th, 2010
2:53 am
Could the Braves whine any more about Coors Field? Tough ballpark this, good for this ballpark that. Get a grip and just play the game,
JTH
August 25th, 2010
3:07 am
Lee sux
David O'Brien
August 25th, 2010
3:08 am
kirkinga, are you saying that Gonzalez has not been an offensive upgrade over what Escobar did for the Braves this season? If that’s what you’re saying, please tell me how that’s the case, how Gonzalez has not been better offensively for the Braves than Escobar was before they traded him.
Reggie
August 25th, 2010
3:51 am
Cmon Dave stop trying to mix that mans words…all he is saying is people should not bash the Derek Lee trade so fast. As for the Escobar trade, Yunel was a lifetime 285-290 hitter and he would have come around in the second half just like Larry Jones did before his injury.
J-Hey
August 25th, 2010
4:50 am
“So I’ve just got to focus on tomorrow and do my best tomorrow.”
assuming tomorrow actually comes tomorrow and not a week from now …. and since Saito doesn’t pitch on back to back days anymore i’m guessing “tomorrow” will be sometime next week.
Braves’ quotes after Tuesday loss to Rockies - Bay Badminton
August 25th, 2010
5:15 am
[...] Atlanta Braves [...]
flyboy2b
August 25th, 2010
5:49 am
How is it that a team like the Reds can tear the cover off the ball all game long, and it seems that the Braves must wait until the late innings to start hitting the ball, if it happens at all? Pendleton was never an orthodox hitter, so I can understand why he cannot teach a team to be consistent hitters.
Pendleton was blessed with the ability to hit balls off his shoe tops or a foot over his head. His Achilles heel were pitches around the plate. The team already knows how to NOT hit pitches around the plate, and that is evident early in almost every game. I guess in that aspect, he is doing a good job.
Hitting coach be a good job for Chipper, since he understands the strike zone and has always been a hitter who understands what to do at the plate. We need teams who can hit like the Reds from the first to the last pitch of a game.
Dean
August 25th, 2010
6:04 am
Just be glad the Phillies are hitting a rough patch at the same time as us. We will get them today…I hope!
TheAntiMe
August 25th, 2010
6:06 am
The Braves lost 2 in a row so let’s all jump off the bandwagon. Good riddance, fair weather losers.
TheAntiMe
August 25th, 2010
6:32 am
Oh yeah, and the people who after less than 2 series are already complaining about the Derrek Lee trade are more than likely the same ones who sang the blues about the Javier Vazquez for Melky Cabrera and Arodys Vizcaino trade. Although, I don’t hear much about that from you since Vazquez has been banished to the bullpen for his poor performance this season. No wonder you have to try and find something new to prematurely whine about.
tbravefan
August 25th, 2010
6:44 am
“REY” Glaus looked terrible playing third in Gwinnett? What games were you watching? He’s not gimpy, he ran well, had a homer with 3 rbi last night – ran to the backstop to make an impressive catch on Monday… I’ll take Troy at 1st over Lee any time — but happy to have him as an option at 3rd now.
longtimefan
August 25th, 2010
6:47 am
I have been following the Braves since they came to Atl in 1966 and regularly read the AJC baseball blogs. People certainly have the right to differing opinions, but the occasional outright ignorance of the game by some of the “fans” is laughable. The “fans” constantly berate the team for lack of offense and Wren for his poor job of putting the team together. Facts- 1) The team has the second highest win total in the NL and fourth highest in MLB,despite a payroll under 100M,BTY ahead of vaulted Philly, 2) the team ranks third in the NL in both ERA and runs scored, again ahead of Philly,3)Wren has done a great job of putting a team together with limited payroll- I’m glad hr didn’t listen to the geniuses on this blog who wanted him to let Hudson go and keep Vasques or sign Jason Bay@ 15M for 4 years. By the way Give Lee more than a few days before you throw him under the bus too.
LWells2000
August 25th, 2010
6:50 am
Best thing about this game is Ainkiel didn’t start…and I’ve got my eye on Derrick Lee as to whether he needs to stick around, How can a first-place team [thanx tp Phillies] play so poorly~? I may not get around to watching the finale this afternoon~
Stewie G
August 25th, 2010
6:55 am
Gotta get behind the team adn hope for the best. It is getting a little frustrating always hearing quotes about the opposing starting pitcher…”They were really on today”….and “Had all his pitches working today”. It seems like every starting pitcher facing the Braves lately turned into a pitching god. Maybe it’s TP – maybe it’s Cox – maybe it’s the million dollar athletes who are paid to hit a baseball. Does that mean it’s Wren for not putting a team together?
richard
August 25th, 2010
7:07 am
bring up kk for lowe his arm is fresh and he can`t do any worst then we have been seeing?
desibrave
August 25th, 2010
7:20 am
DOB,
I am 100% confident Derek Lee will turn it around, during this homestand. This homestand against Mets/marlins while the Phillies are going to be tested severely in SDG and LA will see braves gain a lead of 4 to 5 games.
Panic sets in
August 25th, 2010
7:22 am
They’re spiraling, spiraling I tell ya.
Ralph
August 25th, 2010
7:26 am
Freddy will be up soon, only problem is so will Glaus and McOut, Cox wont play Freddy wait and see. Oh by the way, Lowe hasn’t pitched that bad, just get him some runs, same for the other pitchers, they can’ throw a shut out every time they go out but with this team they need to.
Jesse Stone
August 25th, 2010
7:30 am
Did someone really say they would take Troy Glaus at 1st over Derrek Lee anytime? Did you just start watching baseball this week?
supporter
August 25th, 2010
7:38 am
Bobby Cox, On Lowe-“I thought he pitched a nice ballgame.”
I guess Bobby Cox, (and others), will never get it that you did not pitch a good game when you gave up the runs that lost it!
Lowe is not good. Errors and no offense do not help.
braveshoo
August 25th, 2010
7:50 am
Please- No more articles from Bradley saying we have a playoff spot sewed up. We have lost 2 in a row since he wrote that article. Teams can lose 10 in a row. We need to just keep playing 1 game at a time.
Hooter Girl
August 25th, 2010
7:54 am
These Braves have the worst hitting fundamentals imaginable. I really don’t see them making the playoffs as they leave way too many runners on base. They can’t hit behind runners, can’t consistently get a bunt down, and swing at strike 3 way up in the zone too many times. Earl Weaver said if you play for one run, that is all you are going to get. One run is better than none and how many one run games have been played lately? The pitching is really consistently good, just need to score runs when the opportunity is there.
Jimbo Jones
August 25th, 2010
7:56 am
What longtimefan said.
Talk about a bunch a chicken littles…sometimes this site gets caustic, despite the fact that this is the best team Atlanta has had the last decade, the team has pitching depth to be a contender for another decade. The main glaring hole is offensive productivity from the outfield, but other than that we are set for a long time to come.
There will be that minor issue of who the next manager will be, too, of course.
Bravesfansince66
August 25th, 2010
7:58 am
Our pitchers seem to get ahead 0 and 2 and then make a mistake pitch. Couple that with the errors and the poor offense and there you have it. Did anybody else see the problem Melky had cutting the ball off and the pitiful arm throwing to second. He maybe a good outfielder but more of a defensive liability from an arm an coverage perspective.
robdawg08
August 25th, 2010
8:04 am
De La Rosa becomes Sandy Koufax against the anemic hitting Braves. Then he returns to De La Rosa against other teams. Bobby, instead of crediting the average pitcher discredit your poor hitters. Gonzalez was only hitter that showed up last night. J-Hey might set a record for rookies for K’s. Derrek Lee has been a bust so far. 1 for 19 proves it alone…
robdawg08
August 25th, 2010
8:05 am
It seems 1B is the achilles heel no matter who plays there. They’ve tried Glaus,Hinske,and noe D.Lee there. All have hit woefully…
desibrave
August 25th, 2010
8:06 am
How about Ryan Howard going 0 for 7 with 5 Strikeouts and then getting out of the ballgame… Since Aug 17th Phillies and braves both lost and won on the same day..
BRAVOS FOR LIFE
August 25th, 2010
8:07 am
Last night John Kruk made a big deal about Howard getting ejected in the 14th inning. He said that call might cost the Phillies a playoff spot. Sorry but if you score 2 runs in 16 innings you deserve to lose.
Anyways I dont think Kruk remembers the Phillies getting lucky against the Marlins (game winning hit was called a foul). I hope that BLOWN CALL doesnt come back to bite us.
BRAVOS FOR LIFE
August 25th, 2010
8:07 am
I think Derek Lee has 2 Hits and several walks.
obee
August 25th, 2010
8:10 am
DOB:
It looks like McCann uses different signs for Saito than he does for other pitchers–they look more like the signs a third base coach uses. What’s the story with this?
Jesse Stone
August 25th, 2010
8:17 am
Why do some of you keep waiting for BC to throw his players under the bus? You know he doesn’t do that. All you hear is what BC says to the media, not to his players. Would it make you feel better if he belittled his players to the media? Would that make your day?
HorneeWabbit
August 25th, 2010
8:24 am
I think that Glaus is one of the reasons the Braves are in 1st place today. Who were the other players consistently driving runs in throughout May and June.
roseman
August 25th, 2010
8:25 am
Guess it’s time for some more “hat tipping” after being stymied by one of the aces in the NL…yeah.
And DOB, did you really write this in the game summary…”Lowe pitched six good innings Tuesday night”…that is being very generous in your summation of DL’s peformance. On a brighter note, I believe the Braves should send a beer truck over to Citizen’s Park tonight with a message to the Stros…’thanks for bailing our sorry tails out”.
Matt Key
August 25th, 2010
8:27 am
The Braves quotes should say….”We are horrible on defense and if we do not get the errors under control, we can kiss the post season good bye!”
Really 27 errors in 24 games? Are you kidding me?
robdawg08
August 25th, 2010
8:28 am
Well Infante & prado have hit all year, including May. I remember McCann & Hinske driving runs in May. So if a player does well for one month and disappears for 4 months its ok ? Thank you Glaus for May. Now refund the Braves your salary for April,June,July,and August…
cattledawg
August 25th, 2010
8:29 am
This team cant even score runs at Coors field anymore.
robdawg08
August 25th, 2010
8:31 am
Ok, Lee’s 2 for 19 ? Sorry. That other one measly hit means a lot…
robdawg08
August 25th, 2010
8:33 am
If Cox spoke the truth and called out a player for playing poorly then maybe they would wake up and play well ? It has happened before. Rose colored glasses are for losers.
robdawg08
August 25th, 2010
8:35 am
Cox should say “We traded for Derrek Lee to drive in runs and maybe sometime soon he will do it. We need his bat to make the post season.”
Bob Horners Broken Wrist
August 25th, 2010
8:37 am
Well for all of you busting on Bobby for applauding DeLaRosa, going into the seriese all the commentators were saying he was going to be tough. I knew we would lose at least 2 of 3 in this series, the Rockies just have had our number the last few years.
Now for the main reason I’m blogging today….where are all the “CHOO CHOOOOOO!!” Phillies fans and their “freight train” bearing down on the Braves. Lets see, the Braves have lost two in a row and should only be up a 1/2 game because the Phils are playing the WOEFUL Astros AT HOME in front of their FANTASTIC Fans. What? They lost? TWICE??? Howard went 0-7 with 5(!!!!)K’s before getting tossed? 5Ks? Do they even have a name for that? I’m going to call it the Platinum Propeller Cap, because you really look like a retard when you pull that off.
Philly fans…I’m still laughing at the Juggernaut.
HorneeWabbit
August 25th, 2010
8:43 am
robdawg08……..Keep on bitching, moaning, and whining, your doing a good job.
If you look at the standings, you’ll still see the Braves in 1st.
I believe they were picked to finish no better than 3rd, so they must be overachieving(maybe you might want to criticize them for being overachievers, while you’re at it).
Bob Horners Broken Wrist
August 25th, 2010
8:44 am
We really need to bring up Freeman, the kid is the future and I would rather lose with the future of the team than lose with a rent a player. DLee may come around but I’m tired of waiting for broken down Vets to come around. Bobby, its almost September and you’re up by 2-1/2 on the Phils, are you REALLY going to sit on your hands and HOPE the Brokedowns are going to do the job??? I get Ankiel because we don’t have a viable replacement for him but DLee and Glaus are ready to be replaced by Freeman. HOW MUCH WORSE COULD HE BE!! At least you know he will go to the plate with all his major body parts working!!!
Are you really going to go into retirement knowing you didn’t take a chance because the kids is a rookie? As the old saying goes…PRIDE GOETH BEFORE THE FALL.
Don’t be stupid Bobby, call the kid up.
HorneeWabbit
August 25th, 2010
8:47 am
Um Bob, I think you have Wren and Cox’s jobs mixed up.
cattledawg
August 25th, 2010
8:47 am
I agree wth you on that Horner! You forgot one line the losers like to throw out. Every week they get on here say that the phills are on a roll and will be in first place by the weekend, or after the weekend, or by Tuesday. This has gone on for a month now and the ol non hitting Braves are still in frst.
TJ
August 25th, 2010
8:48 am
this Braves team absolutely sucks at hitting with runners in scoring position they suck at hitting period and there the absolute worse defensive team in baseball… how many more wins would the Braves have this year if they could play half way decent defense? they would easily be up five or more games on the phillies but instead there 2 1/2. They better improve or they’ll be watching the playoffs on T.V. come october.
Bob Horners Broken Wrist
August 25th, 2010
8:50 am
Wren won’t do anything until Bobby asks for him to do it….seriously you have to know that, right? Frank makes the financial calls but trust me, he doesn’t do anything that has to do with the clubhouse without asking/consulting Bobby.
Gdub
August 25th, 2010
8:52 am
Dave: My theory is that we are no longer working the counts like we did in the first half of the season. Smart, productive at bats have been a rarity lately. Lots of swinging at first and second pitches and even when the counts go full there’s a lot of swings at what would be ball 4. That is one really good aspect of having Chipper in the lineup that we miss. He rubs off on those guys with good ABs and he takes a lot of walks. Have our walks gone down recently when compared to the first half of the season.
Bob Horners Broken Wrist
August 25th, 2010
8:54 am
We HAVE to have production from the 4 hole if we are going to win the division. Glaus failed and DLee is failing, and watching and waiting aint gonna cut it. I applaud the trade for Lee, because it was something they had to try but if he doesn’t start hitting the Phillies won’t have to get hot to limp into 1st place.
I’m still laughing at the Juggernaut.
robdawg08
August 25th, 2010
9:01 am
Horners : “We HAVE to have production from the 4 hole if we are going to win the division. Glaus failed and DLee is failing, and watching and waiting aint gonna cut it. I applaud the trade for Lee, because it was something they had to try but if he doesn’t start hitting the Phillies won’t have to get hot to limp into 1st place.”
Exactly what I said but I’m the one bitching ???
Hedley Lamarr
August 25th, 2010
9:08 am
JJ better plan on pitching a shut out today, as that is the only hope that this team has of taking at least one game of this series. The offense is offensive…
Bob Horners Broken Wrist
August 25th, 2010
9:12 am
I’m not calling for Lee to be benched RIGHT NOW, but if this lingers through the weekend Frank/Bobby/Obama have to make the call to bring up the kid. If they don’t and Lee goes down with his back and Glaus still can’t play, what are you going to do if we somehow MIRACULOUSLY make the playoffs. Hinske? Yeah, but you’re just hurting the bench. This seems like such an easy decision to make but for some reason its really hard for Wren/Cox/Obama to decide to bring up the kid who IS going to be the 1st baseman next year.
E-6
August 25th, 2010
9:17 am
Indeed, how much worse could it (Freeman) be? The Rockies are throwing some guy at us today with a name out of Moby Dick. Maybe there is hope.
Chief Pitchanono
August 25th, 2010
9:17 am
Same as we have been saying for a few weeks now. We have to get somebody in the middle of the lineup going. When 4, 5 & 6 can’t get it done it makes it hard to score runs. If Lee is truly healthy I believe he will get it going, right now all we can do is hope our pitching can keep winning us some games untill the middle of the order wakes up. Saying a few prayers for Glaus wouldn’t hurt either. If he gets healthy and the middle of the lineup is still stink’n it up, they have no choice but to get him back in their. Gotta win this last one a get back home to the Ted. Go Braves!
Dirty Dawg
August 25th, 2010
9:19 am
The ‘bad news’ about this tit-for-tat, winning and losing with the Phillies and with the Braves in the NL East, is that while we’re knocking each other off, or just playing .500 or so ball, is that the NL West and/or Central will produce the Wildcard representative. We better hope we beat the Phils – by the way, wouldn’t that just be wonderful if we made it and they didn’t?
PMC
August 25th, 2010
9:23 am
Mac needs to start wearing glasses behind the plate too. Cross up or no cross up the errors are getting ridiculous for the entire team.
Imagine this team if they could jump on teams early and then play good defense. The pitching is as good across the board as any team in baseball. The defense… is about as poor as any team in baseball.
PMC
August 25th, 2010
9:25 am
kind of sad to say a major league team needs extra defensive practice….
Castrologist
August 25th, 2010
9:30 am
The Braves are still going all the way, despite some of the Negative Nancies out there. The Braves don’t need Freddie Freeman, Lee doesn’t need to be benched, all we need is to keep plugging away and take care of Philly when we play them.
So we lost two in a row. So what. It happens in a long season. You just cannot keep up peak intensity for all 162 games. There are ups and downs. After all this team has shown through the first 125 games, I am surprised that there are still doubters.
Home stretch, Bravos. Get ‘er done.
http://castrologist.tumblr.com
THE CURSE OF DAVID JUSTICE LIVES IN THE ATL
August 25th, 2010
9:33 am
SO YOU NUTS STILL DONT THINK WE NEED MANNY? HOW IS THAT LEE TRADE WORKING?
P.S. SEND FRANK WREN BACK TO THE MARLINS! WE HAVEN’T WON THE TITLE SINCE YOU REDNECKS CHASED DAVID JUSTICE OFF!
PMC
August 25th, 2010
9:33 am
Lee is a huge defensive upgrade at first and that’s great even if he’s not tearing it up yet.
Also…this series is disapointing… but imagine the depression in Philly today. That’s awesome.
THE CURSE OF DAVID JUSTICE LIVES IN THE ATL
August 25th, 2010
9:35 am
POINT BLANK FOLKS WE CANT BEAT THE D@MN YANKEES IN THE WORLD SERIES WITH THIS LINEUP!
PMC
August 25th, 2010
9:36 am
Curse of DJ… Manny is old, without his steroids and there are kids in the LLWS that run circles around him defensively. This is a NATIONAL league team… there’s no place to put Manram.
savannahdawg
August 25th, 2010
9:39 am
Gotta love all you bandwagon fans. You people are the ones that suck! Go get a life already.
Yo Bravos…………get those bats working. Need some better offense!!! We need more than 4 guys hitting the ball.
Lew Burdette
August 25th, 2010
9:44 am
The Braves are making every pitcher they face lately look like Sandy Koufax. Gotta hit better!
THE CURSE OF DAVID JUSTICE LIVES IN THE ATL
August 25th, 2010
9:49 am
BOBBY THIS IS HOW YOUR LINEUP SHOULD LOOK? PRADO,GONZO,HEYWARD,GLAUS,LEE,ANKIEL,MELKY,MCCANN! AND RUN WITH IT BOBBY
southern hope
August 25th, 2010
9:51 am
thank the heavens above for the truly hapless Phillies…
THE CURSE OF DAVID JUSTICE LIVES IN THE ATL
August 25th, 2010
9:55 am
WITHOUT THE BRAVES GETTING MANNY THEY WILL NOT WIN THE WORLD SERIES,AND YALL CAN TAKE THAT TO THE BANK,CASINO AND INVESTORS!
P.S. THE BRAVES ARE LIKE MADOFF TO THEIR FANS,THE FANS INVEST ALL OF THEIR HEARTS AND SOULS IN THE BRAVES,ONLY TO BE SOLDOUT IN THE END! LIKE MADOFF DID HIS INVESTORS!
Bruce Mac
August 25th, 2010
10:01 am
Hooter Girl, it is amazing to me that you know more about baseball than most of the idiots posting here like they are the next Casey Stengel. You are absolutely correct. The Braves will not make the playoffs because they do not do the little things to win. That includes bunting, moving the runner over, playing solid defense, etc. The miracles will run out very soon, Frank is busy now developing his list of excuses for public consumption.
Reid in EAV
August 25th, 2010
10:05 am
Curse of DJ: your caps-lock key is stuck, apparently. You should get that checked out.
Reid in EAV
August 25th, 2010
10:06 am
I realize he doesn’t come around in the rotation for a bit, but can we talk about Huddy’s beard? Color me superstitious, but….
5 starts before beard – 5 wins and only 2 ER, 2 starts with beard – no wins and 6 ER.
Beard needs to go bye-bye.
Seriously
August 25th, 2010
10:25 am
Lets me serious…the Braves are a black hole for any bat coming into this line up. Ainkel is a joke…he hasnt produced crap sense coming in and needs to be sent to AAA for anyone who can play center field. Lee hasnt done crap sense coming over either…our Strike outs are up while our BB’s are going down. Please get this season over with as most of us are just done with baseball.
Merlin
August 25th, 2010
10:28 am
I was really disgusted at the tone on here last night during the game and in the end I just left in frustration. There were lots of folks transmitting when they should have been receiving and speaking absolute rubbish. Lowe was berated roundly for allowing a home run at Coors Field. Really? How odd that a home run would happen there, I’m shocked. Lowe pitched well enough and allowed fewer runs than Huddy who was not pilloried the night he pitched. Derek made two mistakes and was punished with the long ball. De La Rosa pitched as well as he’s ever done. He made one mistake early and Alex hammered it. The rest of the game he made pitches when he needed to and got double plays to end our feeble rallies. The Braves lost because – save Alex – they did not hit and that is unfortunately not new.
Every Brave pitcher this year has suffered from our power outage; Medlen, KK, Lowe, Huddy, JJ, Tommy, and even Minor would all have won more games if we had just scored more than a couple of runs for them – sometimes even a couple of runs would have been enough. If each had been given decent run support just once more we’d have 80 wins now. Yet we are still in first place. The pitchers so roundly verbally bashed in these blogs keep us close enough so we can get last at bat wins instead of allowing the game to get out of hand completely. That’s quite a feat.
The people calling for Troy Glaus’ return conveniently forget how badly he was hitting when he left and the mediocre way he played 1st base. In spite of his 992 fielding percentage he was a well below average first baseman. Fielding percentage is based on balls he got to and didn’t screw up. It doesn’t include the dozens balls he didn’t get to that an average first baseman would have handled without a problem. It is true Troy’s carried was a huge factor for 6 weeks and without him we would not be in 1st. It is also true that after his trip once around the league with power, the scouts figured out where the holes in his swing were and the pitchers used the information to shut him down. Troy did not adjust to the pitchers changed approach. Perhaps because his bad knees ruined the foundation of his swing, perhaps because he just hurt so badly he couldn’t, or perhaps he just didn’t know how. In any event he stopped hitting consistently at the end of June.
Derrek Lee was a solid acquisition. He plays gold glove caliber defense and will save errors and runs. He took extra bases away from Tulo in game one on a ball Troy or Eric would have looked at as it went by. His defense is a huge plus. I believe he will hit; he always has. It isn’t easy to change teams midseason after 7 years. Anyone who has changed jobs during a critical time in a company’s year can identify with that. Those that think it makes no difference are ignoring reality. He will hit, he will be a big asset down the stretch. Those saying he’s worse than Troy are simply wrong.
I have been and remain critical of the way Frank Wren constructed this roster. We have three 4th outfielders, none a power threat or a run producer. When we needed a right handed bat at the deadline we got Rick Ankiel. Rick is a superior center fielder to anyone we’ve had this year but he is not a consistent run creator or producer. Run creators/producers were available and whether it was financial constraints or bad judgment that they were not obtained we probably won’t ever know. All of that aside we are still in first place and Bobby Cox is the reason.
Bloggers who want Bobby fired immediately and think has has no clue ignore reality. Bobby’s taken a patchwork of part time players, rookies and veterans and created a first place season. Players signed to perform in certain roles did not do so and new heroes emerged to fill the gaps. Prado and Infante have been superb. We saw some of that from Prado last year but Omar has been a revelation. I felt early on and said here Infante should have been starting regularly earlier. That doesn’t make a me genius or Bobby an idiot. With the tools at hand Bobby put a lineup on the field daily that’s won 73 times. I find that almost remarkable all things considered. That’s why he’s won more games than all but four managers in the history of the game and will deservedly be in the Hall of Fame soon. Oh and Terry Pendleton isn’t getting fired any time soon either; give that a rest as well. Am I happy we aren’t sweeping Houston, the Nats, Mets etc.? No. But I’ve watched the other teams as well.
Last night before I went to bed I decided to check in on the Astros one more time. I saw Roy Oswalt playing left field for Philly, Raul Ibanez playing first and an empty Philly bench in the 16th. The Astros then scored 2 runs and beat Philly for the second night in a row. The Astros; really? As they cobbled together their runs I kept saying – they’re gonna actually do this to the Phils again – and couldn’t stop watching them do it. The Phils surely could score 3 against Houston and some pitcher named Norris couldn’t they? Apparently not. A couple of days ago the Nats handed Philly a whipping as well and only lost 1-0 to Roy Halladay. So it isn’t just us, it’s everywhere; pitching rules. Seattle whipped the Yanks, Baltimore beat Boston and Tampa, the Brewers beat the Cards, it’s everywhere in both leagues. So it shouldn’t be surprising that it happens to us as well.
I know trying to reason with the ill informed scream and slander brigade is like spitting in the ocean to make the tide come in. I understand and share your frustrations. I want us to win too; every game. I criticize moves, bemoan bad plays and and pitching changes I don’t agree with as well; sometimes emotionally and irrationally. I also try however to recognize reality like when an opponent is playing well – Helton against Huddy – CarGo against everyone – and give them their due respect. I understand that these players are extremely gifted athletes who lay it all out there every game even if you don’t think so. They play when it hurts so badly many of us wouldn’t get out of bed to go to work. They tape up, ice up, take shots in every possible location to ease the pain then they hit the field and dive head first onto ground that’s like concrete to try and beat out a hit or place their body in the way of a charging base runner knowing his spikes or the impact of his body could end their career. For those reasons they deserve respect even if you don’t care for them.
Respect on the blog is becoming more and more rare daily. Poking good natured fun at someone is fine. Getting personal is silly. I presume – though I can’t be sure – that people blog to connect with others who share an interest in order to discuss things and be a part of the group. I’d never blogged about anything until the Braves this year and only relatively recently came to the AJC blogs of DOB. I hoped for intelligent discussions about the game. At times – usually before games – that happens. Recently however it’s degenerated into irrational name calling, spouting inaccurate facts, making incomprehensible and impossible demands and personal attacks on other bloggers. It’s almost like talking politics during the last presidential election campaign. We all know how much fun that was.
Hooter Girl
August 25th, 2010
10:31 am
Thanks Bruce Mac. Waiting to hear from Clusters about chunky Hooter Girls. Andruw Jones couldn’t perform when he got chunky, why do Hooter Girls think they can perform when they get chunky? There is a difference between being stacked and having too much jiggle in your wiggle.
Manny
August 25th, 2010
10:36 am
DOB… I’m a 34 yr Braves fan and I’ve finally found a great place for information! I’ve read your articles and the Blogs a little over 2 weeks and I enjoy your work. But I have to say “WOW” to the bloggers on the site. I highly doubt the bloggers are real Braves fans.. more like unintelligent critics… They bash the team for 1 or 2 bad games or even a week. I bet most have never played a game above little league and probably don’t understand the baseball season is 162 games. A couple facts to puts these 2-game losing streaks in perspective. Since 2007, the best record at the end of the season was last YRs WS winning Yankees 103-59 and the best record in each league: 2007 (AL 96-66, NL 90-72) 2008 (AL 100-62, NL 98-64) 2009 ( AL 103-59, NL 95-67)… The Braves are 20 games over .500 and are currently 73-53 with 36 games to go.. The law of statistics says we’re going to lose at least 10-15 more games and so are the Phillies.. So get used to the whining and everyone calling for everyone to be called up, sent down, dropped, and fired over the next 40+ days… As for me, I’m going to sit back and enjoy the best season we’ve had in a while and I hope you keep writing the great articles.
left bench
August 25th, 2010
10:56 am
CURSE OF HALLE BERRY-your super CAPS LOCK line up left out Infante. Surely you can’t be serious. This Braves team is leading the league in heart and soul. That alone will be enough to carry us up the mountain. Go Bravos.
Owl Hunter
August 25th, 2010
10:56 am
How on Earth do some of you have the nerve to call yourselves Braves fans?!? Most of you are a bunch of slugs who can barely move, and you’re trying to tell a FIRST PLACE F’N TEAM how to play ball. We’ve been in first place all summer, and I’ve got news for you; the Yankees lose a couple of games here and there, too. All you clowns do is lose at life. Go back to your fantasy leagues.
Melky Way
August 25th, 2010
10:58 am
Thank you Merlin you said what needed to be said,no one crticized Diaz for hitting into a double play with Lee on base and the the next batter Alex hits a home run.Thats baseball it happens.Saying Lee is a bust is foolish!
PMC
August 25th, 2010
10:58 am
Merlin, you know Ankiel besides playing a really excellent CF since he’s been here has also done a terriffic job on the basepaths.
He’s been the guy on base for a lot of those late inning wins of late.
PMC
August 25th, 2010
11:00 am
We was wondering if a Clusters ever saw any Hooters girls down at the Dairy Queen with Stinky Wintes.
Melky Way
August 25th, 2010
11:02 am
Seriously,Go watch some preseason football or something and leave baseball to the real fans of the game!
Merlin
August 25th, 2010
11:03 am
PMC – Yes I know. I love Ankiel, his energy, his guts and his story if not his penchant for eye high fastballs. I couldn’t mention everything tough I will surely be accused of it at some point.
Merlin
August 25th, 2010
11:12 am
For everyone who think DeLaRosa is easy meat, from MLB Trade rumors today. “David Price, Francisco Liriano, and C.C. Sabathia – those are the only other lefty starters who have a harder average fastball than De La Rosa this year (70 inning minimum). De La Rosa doesn’t turn 30 until April, and he’ll rival polar opposite Ted Lilly as the best free agent southpaw available after Cliff Lee. De La Rosa could find upwards of a three-year, $24MM offer, but it’s always scary to sign a guy walking a batter every other inning.”
Tom
August 25th, 2010
11:19 am
Looks like I was right, we should have promoted Freeman to face RH pitchers and Canizares to face LH pitchers instead of getting Derick Lee. Nothing productive is coming out of the cleanup spot now, hell we were better off with Glaus!! If we do not get any production out of the 4 and 5 slots we will NOT make the playoffs. McCann looks tired at the plate, never seen him take so many bad swings.
Dorothy Davis
August 25th, 2010
11:22 am
Now that Chipper is out for the season, Bobby has a new “Hero” to make excuses for. Saito threw a pitch that should have been caught, but Brian turns his mit wrong and missed it, and Bobby says Brian got crossed up? Please, lets don’t go down that road anymore. Just tell it like it is. Brian is a mediocre catcher and not hitting very well. Lets just work on his mechanics and hope for the best. I am sure our “NEW” coach next year will be more of a coach, instead of an excuse giver.
Owl Hunter
August 25th, 2010
11:31 am
Tom and Dorothy
You are exactly what I’m talking about. Lee has been with the team less than a week, and you’re already screaming “bust.” If Glaus was still at first, you’d still be complaining about him. Also, Bobby may not be as forthcoming to thee media, but he’s not going to throw his players under the bus for making mistakes that are common in baseball. The Braves are in first place, and overall, playing good ball. With that comes mistakes and losses from time to time. Every team goes through that. This team has intagibles that go beyond your little stat sheets. Educate yourselves.
Largo
August 25th, 2010
11:31 am
Losing 4 of 6 to so so teams makes a person wonder how we’re going to make the playoffs.
Lobosolo
August 25th, 2010
11:38 am
Another round from some of the absolutely worst fans in the league… If any of you actually had a clue, it’d be one thing, but you bubbas don’t know your butt from third base…
Merlin
August 25th, 2010
11:42 am
Dorothy Davis – Spoken like someone has absolutely no idea what it’s like to try and catch a 93 mph letter high fast ball that reaches the plate in 0.52 seconds when expecting an 84mph breaking ball low and away.
Tom
August 25th, 2010
11:46 am
OWL HUNTER – Every time I look at the daily box scores in the paper Freeman and Canizares always seems to have 2 or more hits, I think both have about 15 HRS and 60 RBI’s and over a .300 BA.! Alot of players hit better in the majors than what they did in the minors anyway. Lee has the look of a ball player but how much longer are we going with someone who has 2 hits(single and double) in 20 AB’s. If we give him the next 6 weeks, we will not make the playoffs!! I love the Braves and watch every game but this is the reality of the situation. I really did not want Glaus back at first but he was more productive than it looks like Lee is at this time!! Now go EDUCATE yourself!!!!!!!
Merlin
August 25th, 2010
11:46 am
Largo – Guess no one makes it then. Have you seen the phillies, cards, giants and reds records lately?
Merlin
August 25th, 2010
11:51 am
Tom – Both are playing against AAA pitching not MLB ready or they wouldn’t be down there. heck even Troy and his bad wheels hit a homer there last night. Canizares is a horrible fielding 1st baseman.
Pierson Brave
August 25th, 2010
12:05 pm
Merlin-
Is it really as fun to talk to the wall as it seems, from my desk?
Bob Horners Broken Wrist
August 25th, 2010
12:06 pm
Hey Merlin, hows the spleen??
To all of you who are aghast at constructive criticism, might I suggest doing somehing else with your time. If you think the Braves defense isn’t ghastly well then you aren’t being objective. I also harp on Bobby and playing these hurt players because its STUPID. If a guy can’t perform because he’s hurt thats on the manager, not the player. I support the guys, they have done a great job this year all things considered but if the objective is to win a World Series…which it is…the level of play right now won’t get us to the playoffs. That may be considered negative but short of going on a profane laced Philly fan style rant, that is the truth. The players know it and they are going to step it up OR they will be sitting at home on Oct. 4th instead of getting ready for the playoffs.
Tom
August 25th, 2010
12:18 pm
MERLIN – I guess you are all in now, so with your thought process, someone hitting around .170 BA or less(Glaus and Lee) in the MLB should be in the lineup over Freeman and Canizares outstanding numbers in AAA(which is a small step below MLB). 1B does not have to be a gold glove, just be a productive slugger in the middle of lineup!!! I’ll take a slugger with 1B weakness in the field over a gold glover anyday!!! Freeman is not being brought up because of the time clock thing, but I have no idea why Canizares is not brought up?????
HorneeWabbit
August 25th, 2010
12:18 pm
Dorothy@11:22…….How many times in a row has that mediocre catcher been named an All-Star?
Mediocre, as compared to who or what, certainly not the majority of catchers, playing today?