Archive for September 1st, 2012

FREDI GONZALEZ

On Hudson:

“Today in that one inning, the sixth, he gave up some balls that just got through the infield that weren’t hit at anybody, got some chinkers. He got victimized a couple times with that. I think he only got hit a couple times hard, the ball by Rollins and the ball Utley hit to right center field. Other than that he wasn’t getting the ground balls hit at people.”

On knowing it would be tough against Halladay, Lee, Hamels:

“You know what? Yeah, but we’re not swinging the bats. I mean it’s so easy to say ‘It’s Halladay and Cliff Lee and whoever is throwing tomorrow and the bullpen, this and that, but we’re just not swinging the bats at all.”

On if not being patient:

“No we’re just not scoring runs. We go to San Diego and score four runs in three games. And yesterday we scored five and just one today. It’s easy to say it’s the other pitchers, the other pitchers are better than us so tip your hats. But enough of that. we need …

Continue reading Braves postgame quotes after Saturday’s loss to Phillies »

The clock struck September on Saturday and the Braves are left trying to prove it’s not panic time.

They opened the final month of the regular season the same way they ended it last year, with a demoralizing loss to the Phillies.

Cliff Lee pitched seven shutout innings in a 5-1 win, handing the Braves their third straight loss and 10th in the past 14 games overall. The Phillies assured themselves of their first series win over the Braves since early May, while the Braves are assured of nothing better than a split in their past five series.

“I’m worried about our offense,” said manager Fredi Gonzalez, when asked about concerns of repeating a September collapse. “I’m not worried about the other parts of the game. I feel like we’re healthy where we weren’t last year. I feel we’re pitching well… But I worry about our offense. It seems like when it goes bad, it goes bad.”

Martin Prado homered for the second straight day and ninth time this season, but his …

Continue reading Braves slump into September – updated »

First baseman Lyle Overbay joined the Braves as one of four September call-ups Saturday eager for a chance to return to the postseason. Overbay, 35, a veteran of 12 seasons and four teams made the playoffs for the first time last fall with Arizona.

Overbay went going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in the Division Series against his former Brewers team. He has also played for the Pirates and Blue Jays, where he got to know Braves Paul Maholm , Eric Hinske and Reed Johnson.

“These are opportunities that don’t come too often,” said Overbay, who will provide manager Fredi Gonzalez a left-handed bat off the bench. “It’s what everybody plays for. This was probably my best opportunity to get to the playoffs. It made my decision easy.”

Overbay also reportedly drew interest from the Giants and Orioles before signing a minor league deal with the Braves Aug. 20. Overbay hit .273 (6-for-22) with three doubles and three RBIs in seven games for Triple-A Gwinnett.

“I felt good,” …

Continue reading Overbay eager for postseason chance; McCann back to glasses »

Peter Moylan has come back from a year out after “Tommy John” elbow reconstruction surgery. He’s undergone multiple back operations, the last of which cost him almost all of last season.

The Australia native has been a feel-good story – the former pharmaceutical sales rep who rose to the majors after the Braves signed him out of the World Baseball Classic in 2006.

But something about walking through the door of the Braves clubhouse on Saturday morning for his September call-up, completing his comeback from shoulder surgery, was the sweetest of them all.

“Every other time I’ve been a part of the club when I’ve been hurt,” said Moylan, who signed a minor league deal this time to work his way back from surgery for a torn labrum and rotator cuff. “I feel like I’ve really had to push to get this one.”

So when Tim Hudson kiddingly told Moylan Saturday morning he was going to have to carry the backpack of goodies to the bullpen – duties that normally fall to a …

Continue reading Meaningful return to majors for Moylan »

(Carroll Rogers is filling in for David O’Brien today.)

Well, here we are. September 1. Thirty games between the Braves and a possible return to the postseason for the first time since 2010. The Braves venture into what was very treacherous territory last year – need I remind you of last year’s E.C. as my esteemed colleague Mark Bradley calls it. Frankly the Braves might as well just get right back into action after last night’s oddly familiar kind of loss to the Phillies (extra innings, blown save by Craig Kimbrel, reminiscent of the last game of the season last year.)

So the 4 p.m. FOX start is probably a good thing today as the Braves didn’t have much time to sit around and think about anything. I do think it was telling when both Chipper Jones and Michael Bourn talked about how they didn’t lose any ground in the wild card last night. At 6 ½ games behind the Nationals, even though Stephen Strasburg has only two or three starts left, and the Braves have three …

Continue reading Hold onto your seats, September is here »

CRAIG KIMBREL

On the pitch to Kratz:

“It was definitely not a location where I was trying to put it. I was trying to elevate on him and it didn’t go high enough. He’s a good fastball hitter and he put the barrel on it and we saw what happened….All we can do is come back tomorrow and keep on playing.”

On how rare it is for him to blow a save:

“I wasn’t too happy. That’s something I’m not going to repeat. Anytime you give up the lead, you’re not going to be happy about it. There’s nothing I can do about it now. All I can do is, if the situation comes tomorrow, is take the ball and do my job.”

On losing a game like this at this stage:

“Any loss is disappointing. You don’t want to go into any game and say it doesn’t matter if we win or lose. Every game is important. That’s the end of August. September is here. It’s time to play ball.”

On the Phillies having his number a little bit:

“They’re putting the barrel on the ball. We see them a lot, …

Continue reading Braves quotes after Friday’s loss to Phillies »