Atlanta Braves: Recent road resurgence a great sign, but what’s up with homestand headaches?
The Braves hope for more celebrations like this -- at Turner Field. (AP)
With a nailbiter of a 12-inning 8-7 win May 13 against the NL East-leading Mets, the Braves helped themselves immensely in the division standings. The victory moved Atlanta back to within 1.5 games of New York, evening the Braves’ record to 17-17.
But here’s what interests us, looking at the standings and stats: The Mets’ home record is 12-8 in Citi Field, their brand new ballpark; their away record, 6-7. Atlanta’s away record is 12-8; the team’s stats at The Ted currently clocking in at an unkind 5-9.
YOU TELL US: With a 10-game homestand up next for the Braves (vs. the NL West’s lackluster Arizona and Colorado with interleague play vs. AL East leader Toronto) and a 10-game road trip on tap for Mets (at NL West leaders San Francisco and L.A. Dodgers with interleague play vs. AL East contender Boston), is a major shakeup in the NL East standings in the offing? Or will the Braves’ lacking play at home combined with the Mets’ road woes maintain the status quo? And why can’t the Braves win at Turner Field?
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74 comments Add your comment
chrisw148
May 14th, 2009
2:22 pm
Atlanta is not a great sports city and it is depressing to see us play the Mets at home and Turner Field is empty. I think they are more into the games on the road because they feed off the big crowds we have seen the last couple games and when they go home there is no motivation.
Herschel Talker
May 14th, 2009
2:46 pm
Great road trip, but it is all irrelevant as long as Cox will continue to throw Kawakami and Reyes 2 out of every 5 games. There is no way to win in the long run with those clowns in the rotation. Francouer should be demoted again. And Cox should be canned. Those would be good starts.
Horner's Corner
May 14th, 2009
2:48 pm
Yesterday was one of the best Braves games I’ve seen in a long time. No quit, guys playing with a lot of intensity and Bobby acting quite managerial.
By the way, one of my favorite off-season acquisitions has to be David Ross. That guy has been amazing with the bat, the glove, the arm and the enthusiasm. Never like to see McCann out of the line-up, but I sure don’t dread it like I used to.
The Wreck
May 14th, 2009
3:05 pm
Herschel Talker – What are you talking about? How is Kawakami and Reyes Bobby Cox’s fault. Those are two of the starters Frank Wren provided. Who else is he gonna start? Jeff Bennett? LOL! If you are gonna start pointing fingers, point them in the right direction. Injuries are the reason the Braves are not leading the division by many games. Like any team, if the stars stay healthy, the Braves will win.
the real Andy
May 14th, 2009
3:07 pm
SkunkyDave — “They do not win at home, because the atlanta fans suck. They always have (perhaps excluding 1991 and 1992).”
I’ve been to a lot of different cities now, and the Braves have by far the worst home crowd . too few fans show up. They pay more attention to the Home Depot tool race and to what sugary/alcoholic beverage they’re gonna buy next than to the actual game.
A few years back I was at a tense game, with the Braves down 3-2 in the 7th inning in mid-July to a division-leading rival that Atlanta trailed by 1 game in the standings. This is regular season baseball at its most riveting – and the frockin WAVE breaks out!
Atlanta fans rarely cheer spontaneously – instead wait for the PA system and giant TV to tell them what to do. We’re regularly shown up by the opposing team’s fans – including in the playoffs. For goodness sake, we can’t even sell out playoff games with the help of the other team’s fans! it’s embarrassing.
The ones who do show up are often fickle fans who show an astonishing lack of baseball knowledge and a very short memory. At the Braves home opener last year, Moylan – arguably our only good reliever the year before, who posted a sub-2.00 ERA in 80+ IP as a rookie – was roundly booed bc he had given up a homerun the night before in Washington. Matt Diaz, who hit .338 the year before, was being heckled by Atlanta “fans” because he started the year 0-4 or something. It made me sick.
Despite the fact that I have never lived within 75 miles of Atlanta, am only 31, and have lived for 5 years out of the area altogether, I have made it to, as a rough estimate, 150 games – and I cheer my guts out. I’ve only booed a Braves player twice, and trust me, they deserved it. So no saying this doesn’t come from a true fan.
I realize most people on the blogs are good fans who actually watch the games and pay attention, so no offense to y’all. But Atlanta fans do suck, with the brief exception of the early 1990s. Remember how electric it was then? We actually had a home field advantage.
Anyhow, Go Braves.
Waylen
May 14th, 2009
3:15 pm
I think this team has a renewed desire to win. I love the chemistry and the role players are great. If Chipper can stay away from nagging injuries and a reliable 5th starter can take the mound it’s looking good for this home stand!!
Herschel Talker
May 14th, 2009
3:20 pm
The Wreck – let me clarify. Kawakami and Reyes are not Cox’s fault in that they can’t pitch. My comments regarding Cox are for his general mismanagement of game situations and the bullpen. They are two independent problems. But in one sense, Reyes is Cox’s fault since Cox keeps running him out there every 5 games to get shelled. If it is not Cox who is to pull the plug on the Reyes experiment by not pitching him, then who? Frank Wren?
wilson
May 14th, 2009
3:31 pm
When is Cox going to start giving Infante starts in Center?
bry22
May 14th, 2009
3:42 pm
If I never ever saw JoJo pitch again it would be to soon. Bobby Cox, remember every game you give away might be the one game behind at the end of the year. Every game counts. Reyes is a loser!
bry22
May 14th, 2009
3:46 pm
Cox being canned would be a good start. The game has changed. His thinking is to old school to win in todays game.
go north young man
May 14th, 2009
3:48 pm
a stadium in the northern suburbs would sell out every night. Beautiful stadium, wrong location
Herschel Talker
May 14th, 2009
3:56 pm
bry22 – Cox never had it. That’s what people don’t get. Any of us could have gotten to the playoffs with Maddux, Smoltz, and Glavine.
No More Bobby
May 14th, 2009
4:05 pm
One word for our homestand headaches…… HOOTERS!!!
Let's Go Bravos!
May 14th, 2009
4:11 pm
I expect to see the Braves win 7 of their next 10 games at home, while the Mets only win 4 or 5. The Braves will hopefully be on top of the standings or tied with the Phillies in the East after these 10 games! Let’s go guys, keep it up. Frenchy, go back to being patient. It worked to start the season. And can we please steal some bases!!
steve
May 14th, 2009
4:14 pm
Maybe the player’s wives/girlfriends should tell them “No more lovin’ til I see some winnin’”.
If that won’t turn around their home record nothing will.
Ross
May 14th, 2009
4:41 pm
The seats at TF are too closely packed. It’s extremely uncomfortable to sit there for any time at all for a normal sized man. (I’m 6′2″ and it’s damn near impossible.) It’s hard to get to the park even if you are dead set against driving. MARTA is hopeless – it leaves from the obscure end of UATL and takes forever to go 2 miles. Shuttles from the northern suburbs with onboard kegs would help. The beer is too expensive, the food is terrible and overpriced. Try lowering the prices and improving the access and people will show up. It’s a shame the park was not built near Chastain or Atlantic Station.
-drl
Mike
May 14th, 2009
4:46 pm
“is a major shakeup in the NL East standings in the offing?” Not if they keep sending out Ho Ho Reyes to pitch. Seriously how many 10 K, 2 hit games does Hanson need to get called up? He’s obviously done all he can in the minors. And please find a power hitter somewhere in our talent pool in the minors….this Anderson, Prado, Kotchman, Johnson group isn’t going to take us very far.
Right
May 14th, 2009
4:49 pm
Because they certainly don’t get any “lovin’” on the road. No sir. Not these choir boys. And especially not Larry.
Arkansas Braves fan
May 14th, 2009
5:09 pm
I think some of it has to do with the fact they seem to get early leads on the road. They bat first obviously and they get to see the pitcher the 3rd or 4th time before their oppenent does. When this team has a lead in the 7th inning or later we have a good chance to win every game as long as Moylan,Soriano, and Gonzalez stay healthy. Our Starters will allow us to stay in most games. Barring no injuries the Braves will have a shot at the postseason come september.Lowe and Vazquez will give u 200 or more innings. JJ almost did last year and expect him to this year. We need Hanson to come up, Reyes doesn’t give us a chance consistently. Glavine is an injury waiting to happen!! Only other gripe is Schafer is an automatic out along with the pitcher. We can’t afford to have to many of those. Too bad we can’t have Anderson back.
Drixie
May 14th, 2009
5:28 pm
There is no dominant team in The NL East. Whichever team wins about 90 games in 2009 will take the division. With the exception of The Nats, it looks to be a 4 team race. As far as the Braves go, they need a reliable 4th and 5th starter and some help in the middle relief area. On offense they need to average about 4 -5 runs and they will be in a position to win most games.
Cherokee STH
May 14th, 2009
5:30 pm
The baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint. The large number of home losses statistically coincide with the absence of the three primary offensive weapons comprising the center of the Braves’ lineup. Put Anderson, Jones and McCann together for the games that were lost and there is a likelihood you swing the outcome by a couple of games. Check back on this topic in July/August. This team is built for its field and will do fine.
Michael
May 14th, 2009
5:43 pm
I love the arrogance of the couch-stationed fan who believes that he knows what should be done with the rotation better than Bobby Cox. The long rope he affords rookies is part of his managerial style. It allows the youngsters to work through their struggles without fear of being benched after a few rough games. Jordan is talented and will work it out and the rotation will be handled appropriately.
For all you doomsdayers, our offense will logically be more productive now that our 2nd best and arguably 3rd best hitters are back in the line up. Also, our 4th and 5th spots in the rotation should also improve, as Kawakami makes his adjustment and Glavine, Hanson, Medlin, Morton will surely be better than Reyes has been.
Last thing, we should not give up so quickly on young Reyes, lest he go elsewhere and become a solid started (Marquis, Wainright…).
bravesphanatic004
May 14th, 2009
7:15 pm
alabama is not worthy of having the braves in their state? too bad on any given night bammers make up nearly half of the crappy attendence. it seems to me atlanta is not worthy of having the braves. last time i checked turner field was still in atlanta, right?
Aunt Esther
May 14th, 2009
8:14 pm
Go Braves, sucka.