Braves quotes after Saturday’s loss to Red Sox
**FREDI GONZALEZ
on what happened to Delgado
“I really couldn’t tell you. He couldn’t command anything, really. He was behind in the count a couple of different times and got a little, I don’t know, edgy on the mound? Uncomfortable I guess is a better word. That wasn’t the same guy in his last turn against the Orioles.
“It’s just one of those things. We scored four different innings and they came back and scored in [the bottom of] three of those innings. You get a couple of shutdowns in those innings and it’s a different game….
“It was a [winnable] game all the way to the seventh inning, it was a two-run game.”
On not taking advantage early
“Morales got out of a first and third, nobody out in the first with only one run. That kind of gave them a boost, they come back and score two in that inning. Other than that end of it, I’m really proud of the way we played offensively. We kept battling and kept battling, and made it a game. They just kept adding on every time we scored. We just couldn’t get closer than two runs.”
On Delgado not having an ‘out’ pitch tonight, nothing real effective
“Nothing. Yes. Maybe the word is not comfortable, maybe it’s frustration. He got a little frustrated with his lack of command of pitches, and that’s maybe [because he’s] a young starter. Just one of those days. We go out tomorrow with Minor and go out with a chance to win the series.”
On Delgado having one of those starts young pitchers are prone to have
“When you’re bringing a young starter along there are going to be some days when it’s not going to look as good. Sometimes you’re going to feel like the young man’s turned a corner and you take a step backwards. That’s where we feel like it is today.”
On the offense
“We hit the ball hard. How ‘bout Bourney sliding in head-first? And Heyward, we were taking an extra base at third on the [pop foul]. I’m really proud of our team offensively. It’s just, to ask our bullpen guys to hold the Red Sox, who are third in the league in hitting, for 6-1/3 innings or something…and we were in it the whole game.”
On Anthony Varvaro’s two solid relief innings
“I was really encouraged. His velocity – he was really cranking it up. He just ran out of gas at the end. We bring in Jonny to try to get a sinkerball. I know people at home are probably thinking, bring in a lefty to face a righty and then the next inning bring the righty to face the left-handers. But you feel like you know your guys better than everybody else… But again, I thought Anthony did a terrific job.”
On Venters
“He throws a wild pitch, so two guys go to second and third. Then a ball that’s just a foot out of reach of Freeman … He [Venters] is going to be OK, though. I think. The sinkerball is sinking, and the ground balls are getting through.”
Take Delgado out with bases loaded and Gonzalez up, to avoid possibly giving up another grand slam?
“I wasn’t really worried about that as much as I was worried about, I think at that point he had right at about 60 pitches, and he labored from the very beginning. That was my train of thought.”
**RANDALL DELGADO
On his performance
“I don’t know, just a bad day today. I felt good with my pitches, everything. But I gave up hits.”
You felt good with all your pitches?
“Yeah, I felt comfortable like with the curve and the change-up. I mean, maybe I left the pitches right in the middle, but I felt good with all my pitches. But they hit them. They hit the ball at the right time.”
Gave up only three hits and two runs in your last start against Baltimore….
“I was trying to do the same thing, stay in the strike zone and attack. I think I did it like I wanted, but I’ll say again, they hit the ball.”
On his change-up and fastball
“I left it right in the middle. That’s a good team. They won’t miss those mistakes.”
**CHIPPER JONES
On his near-home run to right-center
“I can’t hit the ball any better. I can’t leave [the ‘yard] out that way, I guess.”
Just one of those young-starter nights for Delgado?
“Yeah. He didn’t have it. He didn’t have location tonight. When a young pitcher struggles with location, it snowballs on him fast. And it snowballed on him. You’ve got to really get him to slow himself down. He just wants to get it and go, get it and go, get it and go. And it’s harder to make adjustments that way.
“And for whatever reason, he lost the arm-side of the plate with his fastball and got behind, had to come at them. That team’s going to hurt you – any team’s going to hurt you when you constantly fall behind.”
Still in the game till the two-run hit in seventh
“Yeah, I felt [trailing] 4-1, 6-2, 6-4, that we had a chance. But when you’re on the comeback trail, can’t give up runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings. And we gave up two huge ones there in the [seventh]. That was pretty much the nail in our coffin.”
On only scoring one run in the first
“We needed to get more out of the first than we did. We really had a chance to set the tone for the ballgame and have them play catch-up, and hopefully give our young guy a little bit of breathing room. But unfortunately we only got the one, and they come out of the top of the first feeling good about things as opposed to being down two or three runs.”
Did Morales change anything after first few batters
“I don’t know. He was fastball-split to right-handers. If you get him down in the zone, you can hit him. But when you’re swinging at balls belt-high and above, he’s pretty tough.”
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66 comments Add your comment
TheOnlyBravesFan
June 23rd, 2012
11:35 pm
1st…. get ‘em tomorrow
NORRIS CHUCK
June 23rd, 2012
11:46 pm
They really need to go out and get a legit starter tomorrow!
Who Me?
June 23rd, 2012
11:56 pm
Naaahhh. Delgado’s young, you’re going to get peaks and valleys with this kid until he levels out. He was leaving pitches up and got rocked for it, otherwise he had plenty of pace and movement on his pitches. Maybe find a spot starter for the right price that you can trust to throw strikes but those are few and far between…
Who Me?
June 23rd, 2012
11:57 pm
Uggla’s having a crappy June…
Yes Way José
June 24th, 2012
12:09 am
How much longer do Uggla and Freeman continue to get passes?
bob didier
June 24th, 2012
12:28 am
Fredi needs to change the order. Chipper and Heyward moved up, Uggla and McCann down. Can’t have Uggla striking out continuously in the 4 hole. On target for 180 K’s and BA going down fast. Last year, it was the 1st half where he hit .190. Looks like the 2nd half will be bad this year.
No way, Miami lets us have Infante and Dunn back for Uggla. Braves and Wren were taken again.
Runner-
June 24th, 2012
12:30 am
MOVE JASON up in the lineup and we would have had at least a 3 run first, Stupid Fredi!!!
Maria
June 24th, 2012
1:10 am
oh geez, Uggla has a few strikeouts and you want him to go back to Miami for Infante and Dunn? That’s just stupid. A couple of days ago, it was told that Infante had not had an RBI since May 18th. Not June 18th but MAY 18TH.
Just move Heyward up to the three hole and drop McCann to fourth, Uggla to fifth and leave Chipper at sixth and have Freeman at seventh. McCann is not real hot right now but he is starting to hit better. He smashed the ball a couple of times tonight, one at which Adrian Gonzalez happened to be in the right place at the right time for Boston or we would have had a tie game.
Something has got to be done about Venters. H looks great one day and the next, he’s awful. I hate that too cause he’s one of my faves.
ACE
June 24th, 2012
2:13 am
DOB wonders aloud if Medlen will take Delgados place in the rotation and he says there is no good answer to why Medlen was sent down just to stay in the bullpen. ASK FREDI, ASK FREDI. Quit serving up these softball questions.
Bob Didier
June 24th, 2012
4:42 am
Maria, a few K’s for Uggla? He is on target for more than 180 which would break the Braves All time record by a considerable amount. We thought Andruw J struck out a lot before but this makes him look like a contact hitter. Uggla is headed toward .220 which is about what he hit last year.
The poster is right. If Chipper or Heyward were hitting 4th and 5th, Braves would have had a big inning tonight. Uggla is Fredi’s boy from Miami days, but he is killing us in th 4 hole. Now, in arm wrestling, he might belong in the cleanup spot. lol
Bob Didier
June 24th, 2012
4:50 am
Actually, Maria, just checked. Infante has 5 RBI’s in the last week. So, you were told wrong. He also has a BA of .290 and makes far fewer errors than Arms. He also made the AS team with a batting avg over .320. Uggla will make the AS game with a BA of close to .230 probably.
ButterMilk Tuesdays
June 24th, 2012
5:22 am
“He throws a wild pitch, so two guys go to second and third. Then a ball that’s just a foot out of reach of Freeman … He [Venters] is going to be OK, though. I think. The sinkerball is sinking, and the ground balls are getting through.”
NO, Fredi, Venters is not going to be OK if you keep running him out there! He’s clearly frustrated and it’s absolutely irresponsible for Wren and Gonzalez to continue to allow him to flounder in key situations! F%CK.
shorty
June 24th, 2012
5:40 am
Fire Fredi! He is absolutely Clueless!
jt
June 24th, 2012
7:44 am
Hey Uggla, can you say “Mendoza” You short fat piece of Crap. Really helps the team eh???
Bigbrave
June 24th, 2012
7:48 am
I usually don’t complain about the Braves’ management but they are going to ruin Medlen. WHY send him down to “stretch him out” if you did not have an immediate plan to put him in the rotation? Now if is time to move him to a starter he’ll probably have to sent down again……Makes no sense!
Whiskey River
June 24th, 2012
8:00 am
I complain about them, but does no good. NO COMMENT
Hugo
June 24th, 2012
8:26 am
I really wish he could find another dependable starter. MINOR is not it. Sorry. I think there are more teams that only have right handed starters. Until we get one we need to find someone to replace MINOR.
Whiskey River
June 24th, 2012
8:41 am
@Hugo Management is not going to do that. PERIOD!
Ebenezer Snerdberg
June 24th, 2012
8:54 am
GO BRAVES!
Fire Havana Fats!
TROTTINGHOME
June 24th, 2012
8:59 am
Go get Moyer….
BravesFan
June 24th, 2012
9:00 am
One bad start and everyone calls for his head. How quickly you forget his last 4 solid starts. He is young, and young pitchers are going to struggle. It wouldn’t be good MANAGEMENT if you just gave up on him and went out and got a rental SP. And letting him sit in AAA for another year isnt going to help either. He needs MLB experience. Only way to develop any further.
I do agree it is time to move J-Hay up in the lineup. Bourn, Prado, J-Hay
Ralph
June 24th, 2012
9:01 am
Teheran got bombed again last nite, he has regreased from last year.
Whiskey River
June 24th, 2012
9:03 am
@BravesFan Completely agree. He’s Young. How many times did he pitch well and got no run support.
Whiskey River
June 24th, 2012
9:06 am
@Ralph Good morning I have seen Teheran pitch several times. I have not been impressed. Wren had a chance to trade him to get a bat and he didn’t. Another stupid move.
74bravesjersey
June 24th, 2012
9:18 am
What can you do?
74bravesjersey
June 24th, 2012
9:19 am
@Ralph; @whiskey; HEY!
Mister Frisky
June 24th, 2012
9:21 am
Heyward and Simmons need to be moved up in the line up.The 3,4,5 holes not getting it done.Uggla seems to be headed south,McCann stalled out around 240 and I’m not sure what to make of First Pitch Freddie.
74bravesjersey
June 24th, 2012
9:22 am
@BravesFan; w/ya on that one bud! Oh, & a Big Hey also.
74bravesjersey
June 24th, 2012
9:23 am
Need another Big rebound today to feel better.
Le Fan
June 24th, 2012
9:27 am
Listen, we cant endure Uggla in the cleanup spot anymore..he sucks, he leads the league in whiffs. Cant field, atrocious arm, all he does is kiss his biceps in the mirror
Ps…listening to Don Sutton cll play by play is the most painful experience a listener has…hes totally clueless as to where the ball is headed!
74bravesjersey
June 24th, 2012
9:32 am
I’ve been kinda hunker’n to see Gattis come up, be a Big Thumper in LF, make a big impact bat like the middlebrooks kid is doin’ for the ’sox’. I’m sure I’ll get some backlash for this one. So I better brace myself. Move prado solely to 3rd.
74bravesjersey
June 24th, 2012
9:33 am
Big Pappa Pump Uggla. Muscle Milkman.
Angel Wings
June 24th, 2012
9:52 am
Hello everyone. First time poster. Been Brave fan about 2 yrs. Did not have internet. Need info please. Just graduated from police academy. Got first assignment in Chico California. What i need to know is if there is any brave fans in this area that I could E-mail.
Mets R Best
June 24th, 2012
9:56 am
Hello there third place Braves fans! I just want to make sure you are aware of an exciting opportunity! Tonight, ESPN will broadcast a game between the two giants of baseball–the New York Yankees and New York Mets. Here is your chance to watch the most talented and dynamic teams in MLB go head to head. You should tune in. This is a chance not only for Braves fans to see the Mighty New York Mets; but also, to see baseball played at the highest level possible by the two best teams in the history of MLB.
Sean
June 24th, 2012
9:57 am
Uggla’a fielding percentage is at .976…just a few points shy of his .980 career. I’m not worried about fielding quite yet.
Mister Frisky
June 24th, 2012
10:00 am
Hello Angel Wings,Congratulations on your graduation from the academy.There are Braves bloggers across the fruited plaine.Be careful on the job.
Angel Wings
June 24th, 2012
10:06 am
Hello Mr Frisky Do you know if there are any bloggers near me. I am just a little scared and loney and need friends. If being a cop scares everyone off, I will quietly leave.
just facts
June 24th, 2012
10:18 am
the braves either have the wrong manager or the wrong players. something needs to be done NOW!!!!
Dan Uggla
June 24th, 2012
10:19 am
I can’t hit the ball. I try as hard as I can and swing as hard as I can, but the ball always seems to sneak by me. It won’t stay still. Those curve balls really confuse me. That mean Fredi won’t let me bring my porn queen girlfriend on the road with me.
I really miss my mommy.
I need my tinker toys.
Angel Wings
June 24th, 2012
10:23 am
Thank you Mr Frisky for speaking. To the rest of you thank you for nothing. I guess the word COP scared you off. Just trying to start a new life and make friends,but nobody cares about talking to a ladycop. So take care of yourselfs and may God Bless you. Maybe see you down the road.
Stanley
June 24th, 2012
10:25 am
So I guess that means a sweep is out of the question.
chas
June 24th, 2012
10:25 am
you are so right just facts. if we can see this, then why cant management see this????????
reckingball
June 24th, 2012
10:43 am
The Braves need to get a team that never loses a game.
go braves
RWill
June 24th, 2012
10:48 am
I said last year that Uggla would remind people of Andruw Jones. Lots of power, .250 or so average, and lots of strikeouts. Still very valuable out of a 2B or any position. Seems we did alright with Andruw in the cleanup spot, too. And with much less protection behind him. I’m not opposed to moving around McCann/Uggla/Freeman/Heyward/Jones into any order really. But you know as soon as Uggla is moved down and he starts raking, the same complainers now will be complaining that he needs to be moved back up and that it’s killing us that he’s too low in the order.
Braves Fan in Beantown
June 24th, 2012
11:06 am
Despite a brutal t-storm before game time, and the score at the end, it was a very entertaining game. The first time I saw live Braves action in 17 years. How come no one is talking about Bourn letting one drop in front of him in the first? That led to the 2 runs. From the bleachers at Fenway, the pop looked very catchable – vis a vis Jason Heyward beautiful diving play. He did make up for it with that unbelievable hustle play when he dove into first.
There was a heavy, heavy Braves fan presence at Fenway last night. It was great to see. Now only if we can get the same Braves fan presence at home!
PaulG
June 24th, 2012
12:15 pm
Oh yes, blame fredi but I didn’t realize he wasn’t doing the pitching & hitting…..oh for the days of John McGraw ….he would make all the braves pitchers immediately become walter Johnson
Sparks
June 24th, 2012
12:15 pm
Fredi should be more concerned about pitch selection with Delgado…throwing sinkers with men in scoring position…you’re just rolling the dice that the ball will be hit to somebody, and odds are it won’t. Surely he’s got something more elusive than that….
jim
June 24th, 2012
12:18 pm
Teheran did not exactly get bombed last night. Bad first inning in which he gave up all 4 hits and 3 runs all scoring after 2 out. After that Syracuse did not get another hit over the next 5 innings. They scored 2 runs in the 4th without a hit and with a big PB. Not a great outing, but not necessarily a set back. He needs to hone his breaking balls and improve his secondary pitches. In doing so, the results might not be the same as last year, but the minor leagues are there for development more than for immediate results.
henry tn
June 24th, 2012
12:23 pm
the braves will never make the play offs they don’t have good enough starting pitching, nor good enough bull pen, nor good enough offense they will finish around 500 and that is not good enough to make the play offs….
Ozzie G.
June 24th, 2012
12:26 pm
My team isn’t doing so well but it is not my fault. It’s a vendetta. My communist friend Fidel Castro tells me that the reason my team keeps losing is the result of a carefully planned capitalist/CIA conspiracy against me.
jim
June 24th, 2012
12:28 pm
Heyward needs to be moved to the number 3 spot in the order. NOW!!! Even if there is little difference between the offensive numbers of Heyward and McCann, Uggla, Freemn, and Jones (Heyward’s are better than the first 3 and as good overall as Jones). Heyward will avoid more double plays, give much better value on the bases, and draw more walks hitting higher in the order.
On a separate note, Prado seems like an ideal # 2 hitter, but how many times do we see Prado hit into a DP after Bourn reaches bases and stays there? PLEASE Fredi, try a hit and run. Send Bourn. Make things happen!!! Don’t just sit there and wait for something to happen.
Whiskey River
June 24th, 2012
12:36 pm
Hello I am back. jim I agree but how about Simmons in 2 hole
jim
June 24th, 2012
12:50 pm
We had an off day after the Yankee series in Atlanta, then 3 games at home against Baltimore, 3 at Yankee Stadium, an off day, then 3 at Fenway followed by an off day tomorrow. Chipper sat out one of the Oriole games, the last game in NY, served as a DH on Friday, and sits out today. In the 12 days since the close of the home series vs. the Yankees (including this Monday) the Braves will play 9 games and Chipper will play in 7 (at least one as DH). He is complaining today of being sore and getting a rest from Fredi. What can we expect during the next few weeks when we are playing division rivals with fewer off days and no DH opportunities. Chipper should no longer be the center of attention on this team (Will he or will he not play? How do we do without him in the lineup?) This team should now belong to Heyward, and Freeman, Prado, and Simmons. Put them in more key roles in the lineup, and hope that Chipper can add occasional value as a complimentary player.
Whiskey River
June 24th, 2012
1:00 pm
Well I noticed above that no one wanted to talk to lady cop. So sad. You talk to me and I am an ex-cop. So sad.
jim
June 24th, 2012
1:02 pm
Whiskey,
I’ve thought about how Simmons might be in the 2 hole. If he is to move up in the lineup that seems to be the spot where you’d put him, BUT
1) Let’s get a larger sample of ABs before we know just what his offensive contribution will be,
2) He has been good in RBI spots to date, and #2 is not a big RBI spot in the order.
3) Prado profiles better in the # 2 hole than anywhere else in the order, and
4) He (Prado) would seem to be an ideal #2 hitter if Fredi would play more hit and run and SB with Bourn
5) Simmons is not a patient hitter like you want at #2 and I don’t want to see him trying to change into something he is not.
Whiskey River
June 24th, 2012
1:02 pm
Game time. Bye Later
Whiskey River
June 24th, 2012
1:04 pm
@jim OK I can buy that.
jim
June 24th, 2012
1:13 pm
The way innings have been playing out lately, today’s lineup has either Uggla or Freeman making the third out of the inning, leaving Heyward to either lead off or hit second in the inning, then if he or Simmons gets on base, leaving Hinske and Francisco to drive them in. The hot hitters in the line up are batting 1, 2, 6, 7 leaving too large a gap filled by the hitters who are struggling to bolster the likelihood of a sustained rally.
Angel
June 24th, 2012
1:46 pm
Where is the game today? TBS is showing news.
jim
June 24th, 2012
2:02 pm
Another wasted Bourn single with no movement on the bases. Play hit and run with Prado and move McCann lower in the order where the DP might be less glaring!!!
RWill
June 24th, 2012
2:04 pm
To quote Eric Church, Chipper is trying to “relive those glory days” off field, iykwim…
AtHomeGym
June 24th, 2012
3:34 pm
Wasn’t Cody Ross, who is currently destroying the Braves, available this year? Just might have been a good pickup–but who’s paying attention? I guess it’s whoever’s pulling the purse strings.
jim
June 24th, 2012
3:39 pm
Get Chipper back in the lineup and Heyward will probably be back in his customary 7 spot.
Ken Stallings
June 24th, 2012
3:42 pm
“Got a little … edgy on the mound.” — Fredi Gonzalez on Delgado.
Ditto that for Mike Minor!
The main problem that the Braves have with their young starters is that they lack mental toughness. Anytime something goes the least bit wrong, a little adversity creeps into the game, they go from cruising to disaster in quick order. The reason is a lack of toughness.
In today’s game against the Red Sox, Minor did the exact same thing. He was crusing through the first three innings. Then, he started pitching like he was scared to throw strikes and walks two runners to start the bottom of the fourth inning. He then throws a cookie with two runners on the bases and surrenders a three-run homer on a low inside “wheel house” cement mixer slider that had “hit me hard” written all over it!
Then, his team scratches out three runs to make the score 4-3 and a mentally tough pitcher goes back out rejuvinated. But, Minor goes out and surrenders another homer after a throwing error put base runners on. Mentally tough means putting that throwing error out of your mind.
That is the difference between being a Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, or John Smoltz kind of pitcher versus being a Mike Minor or Randall Delgado type pitcher (or any number of other highly regarded rooking ptichers who flammed out. Glavine, Maddux, and Smoltz all had mental toughness. Even when Smoltz needed a psychiatrist early in his career, he still had toughness. He overcame. The difference between being a winner and a loser is that the winner gives up a run or two and then gets tough and ends the damage.
Had Minor done that today, or Delgado yesterday, both pitcher could have won those games as the Braves hitters cam back in both games to score multiple runs. But, both pitchers lost focus and toughness and turned a few runs into a flameout.
They better learn how to be mentally tough. They won’t get much more time to learn on the job!
Angel Wings
June 24th, 2012
4:55 pm
Got the score, but didn’t see game. Would someone please tell me how my man J-Hey did?
Whiskey River
June 24th, 2012
5:39 pm
Hello little lady. Sorry I missed you J-Hey did good.