Braves say they’re still confident despite fourth loss in five days
The Braves have played the last three games with their NL East lead down to one game over the Phillies. They’ve lost two of those three, including Monday’s 3-1 dud against the Pirates.
Yet, after the Phillies lost the first game of their doubleheader against the Marlins Monday, the Braves were guaranteed first place in the division come Tuesday morning, either by ½ game or 1 ½ games pending the outcome of the Phillies-Marlins Monday night.
With first place – regardless of how ugly it’s been for the Braves to maintain it lately – comes confidence.
“We don’t really have a strut on the field but we definitely have a swagger in the locker room,” Matt Diaz said after Monday’s loss. “We’re not losing confidence at all. We know we go in the division and control our own fate. That’s the beauty of being the team that a lot of teams are chasing, whether it be one game or 10 games. You control your own fate.”
The Braves turn to Tim Hudson Tuesday night against the Pirates to do what Jair Jurrjens did Saturday night, win on this trip and keep the Phillies at bay. The Braves have managed to do it since May 31 when they took first place from the Phillies.
“Even tied, people have got to beat you,” Braves backup catcher David Ross said. “It’s always nice to be chased. We haven’t even played good ball lately. We had a 5-2 home stand and didn’t even feel like we were playing our best ball.”
Martin Prado conceded Monday that the Braves might be pressing, after they went 0-for-6 and left 11 runners in scoring position. But he said they’ll just keep doing what they’ve been doing: moving forward.
“I feel like everybody is trying too hard,” Prado said. “At the same time, we can’t think about that. We’ve got to move on and start over again with Huddy. This is going to be the best chance to get back on track.”
McLouth starts back-to-back days
Nate McLouth earned his second consecutive start Monday on the merits of two hard-hit balls Sunday and playing in PNC Park where he spent the better part of five seasons with the Pirates, Braves manager Bobby Cox said.
“He’s around familiar surroundings,” Cox said of McLouth, who was robbed of a grand slam by center fielder Cameron Maybin and lined out in his other at-bat Sunday. “He hit two bullets. His at-bats are real good right now.”
McLouth went 1-for-4 on Monday, including 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position. He started against the left-handed Brian Burres presumably in part because of Rick Ankiel’s struggles against lefties. (Ankiel is 4-for-14, hitting .167 with 14 strikeouts against left-handers.)
Etc.
Braves’ 2010 supplemental first round draft pick Matt Lipka was named to the Gulf Coast League All-Star team after batting .302 with eight doubles, four triples, a home run, 24 RBIs and 20 stolen bases in 48 games.
Marlins left fielder Logan Morrison returned to the lineup Monday the day after he got hit in the face with an Emilio Bonifacio foul ball while standing in the on deck circle in the 10th inning of the Marlins 7-6 win over the Braves on Sunday.
“Sooner or later somebody is going to get killed,” Cox said. “We have to do something with on deck hitters and bat boys. There’s no way you can move. We need to find a way to enclose it a little but where the fans can still see (on deck hitters).”
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20 comments Add your comment
grammy
September 6th, 2010
7:19 pm
Are the Braves hoping for a wild card spot?
wallypip
September 6th, 2010
7:21 pm
Sad to say, but I have no confidence that Derek Lee or Troy Glaus are going to be able to contribute at all the rest of the way. I am shocked by how ineffectual Lee is. No bat speed at all. Seems like it might make sense to get Freeman in there and let him get his timing. We need some power, and we’re not getting it — from ANYWHERE.
Dumbo
September 6th, 2010
7:22 pm
Grammy….I think the Braves are just hoping.
DannyB
September 6th, 2010
7:27 pm
Its time to stop worrying about the standings and start focusing only on the games, the innings, the at-bats, …. Winners stay in the moment and losers look backward at what should have been…
Matt
September 6th, 2010
7:45 pm
What did you expect them to say? “We suck and we’re going to blow the division?” Just horrible baseball being played again. No way, no how should you lose to AAA Pittsburgh.
Mathman
September 6th, 2010
7:47 pm
When McLouse can’t hit Resop, he can’t hit. He cannot hit in clutch. Bobby says he is swinging good.
rob
September 6th, 2010
7:47 pm
The sad part is we all know that they will lose the Wednesday game w/ the Pirates b/c Lowe is pitching meaning we lose this series. Than we will somehow beat Carpenter and Wainwright at home. I dont know why we cant hit lefties or pitchers with ERA’s over 5, or hit at all on the road.
Henry D.
September 6th, 2010
7:50 pm
I agree with Prado. They are pressing because they are all falling back into the Braves habit of trying to hit every pitch into the next County instead of just getting base hits. And can someone tell me why Cox would turn Heyward loose yesterday on a 3-0 count with the bases loaded? And could he look anymore rediculous standing in the dugout with that stupid catcers mitt on? If he’s afraid of the ball, he should take his naps down in the tunnel instead of in the dugout! He will do this year like he has done so many times before and make his “game management” decisions and manage us right out of the playoffs.
Mike C.
September 6th, 2010
8:20 pm
I have to agree with you Henry. the Braves do seem to go in spells where they’re just swinging for the fences. They’re at their best when they’re being patient,drawing walks and hitting singles and doubles. I.E. Letting the bad teams beat themselves and making the good ones feel pressured into making the perfect pitch or defensive play. I see more of this at home but almost none on the road-sad to say. Lets all be realistic.. Chipper wasnt the Chipper of old but his loss is immeasurable in the lineup. As far as the pitching, the rotation hasnt recovered from Medlens loss either.
Joe
September 6th, 2010
8:40 pm
The thing that gets me about this team is that when they’re facing what’s consider a good pitcher they’re all patient taking strike after strike but when the pitcher is consider not so good they decide to let every swing be for the fences. When a guy has a 5 ERA don’t you think you should work the count a little more? They did the same crap against FLA; Volstad has close to a 5 ERA but what do they do? They swing at every pitch instead of taking a few. BTW I think Heyward is awesome and he’s tearing it up right now but how many more times is he going to look at a strike right over the plate or maybe even a borderline pitch for the third strike? Dude if it’s close, even if you don’t like the pitch, SWING! That’s why Chipper is a great hitter he knows to swing at a borderline pitch when he has 2 strikes against him.
Golden Nose Nugget
September 6th, 2010
9:16 pm
And the economy’s improving!
flatFork
September 6th, 2010
9:19 pm
Henry D., misspelling ridiculous kinda makes you sound ridiculous.
DaNutz
September 6th, 2010
10:07 pm
Didn’t McLouth bat below .200 in AAA?
zenman
September 6th, 2010
10:21 pm
Pointing out spelling mistakes, makes one appear to have a superior attitude. Also not very considerate. Could even be labeled a jerk.
Lobosolo
September 7th, 2010
12:27 am
Thinking that you know all about managing a team and even the most basic nuances of baseball makes ALL OF YOU seem to have a superior attitude… Biggest bunch of jackass fans in all of baseball, this sorry lot is…
HRod
September 7th, 2010
8:49 am
I realize that guys need a day off, but to sit Brian McCann while we are in the latter part of a playoff race is just stupid to me. The man makes plenty of money and needs to be in the lineup every night or day until we wrap this thing up.
Chief pitchanono
September 7th, 2010
12:33 pm
Yep, I agree I think at least for yesterday is seemed some of our guys were pressing a bit at the plate. This is where Bobby & Chipper and the other vets are most valuable. They have to balance the focus, while keeping them relaxed. While 14 consectutive trips to the playoffs may be pretty fresh on most of our minds, allot of the key players on this team have not been through this before. They need to take a one game at a time aproach and not get caught up in all the September craziness. The hype will only get worse as the month goes by, but they have to keep focused on the day on the calendar and nothing else. No team or pitcher can be overlooked this time of year. Go Braves!
Philly Phanatic
September 7th, 2010
1:40 pm
Take away all of your vanishing late inning comebacks, all of the Phillies DL stints to their best players and you’re a half game up on a seasoned veteran been there done that team and if you’re not worried even to make the playoffs you’re living in a deamworld.
Frozen Rope
September 7th, 2010
5:47 pm
Right on Zenman,, its a sports blog,, not frikin english test…
Remember
September 8th, 2010
12:45 pm
This is why I don’t watch baseball anymore. When the last place team can beat the first place team MULTIPLE TIMES, is there really any point in watching? So if they played in the playoffs, the last place team could get lucky a few games and win the WS? There’s too much luck involved in baseball. Also, constant FOUL BALLS, over and over.