Can one disastrous inning overshadow two great games?
I had hoped to be writing about a sweet sweep in Philly to start the season, but that’s not the case, thanks to a disastrous seventh inning in yesterday’s 12-11 loss. So now the question is, did that one inning overshadow the two electrifying games before it?
It shouldn’t. Taking the series as a whole, there’s not a lot to complain about — aside from that excruciating seventh, of course. The Braves averaged more than six runs per game, and the starters allowed only three earned runs in 19 2/3 innings. Derek Lowe looked like the ace he’s supposed to be, Jair Jurrjens and Javier Vazquez produced quality starts in the two and three spots. The back end of the ‘pen performed well, too, as both Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez did their jobs.
And how about that offense? If you said you saw this power surge coming, no one would believe you. The Braves hit eight home runs and five doubles, with Brian McCann and Jordan Schafer each going deep twice.
That’s a whole lot of positives to build on, but the sour taste of that seventh inning is still with me. How do you overlook four bases-loaded walks? It’s too painful for me to recount, so check out Dave O’Brien’s game story if you need the play-by-play.
How does Bobby Cox, the ultimate player’s manager, put a positive spin on this eight-run debacle? “Everybody loses games like this in here,” Cox told MLB.com’s Mark Bowman. “Philadelphia loses them too. You get a five- or six-run lead and it’s like a two-run lead the way the ballpark plays. It’s a hitter’s park from the word ‘Go.’ But you can’t catch walks.”
Matt Diaz told O’Brien: “One of the solid parts of our team is our pitching, front to back. So that [seventh inning] is just an aberration. You can’t describe it. That’s the first time I’ve ever seen it, and hopefully it’s the last. I don’t count on seeing anything like that again this year, that’s for sure.”
I’m still excited about going to the home opener tomorrow night (fingers crossed it doesn’t rain), but, unlike Diaz, I’m definitely a bit more concerned about the middle relief. Maybe this year the Braves will have enough offense to overcome some shaky outings — as long as they don’t all lead to eight-run innings.
What do you think? Were the first two games the real indication of how this season’s going to go and that seventh inning was merely an aberration? Or does that one inning take away from the excitement of the first two games and have you concerned about this year?
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128 comments Add your comment
Pal Joey
April 10th, 2009
11:51 am
Bobby should stop yanking his starters in the middle of the game if they are doing the job. It just doesn’t seem to be in his psyche to allow a pitcher to finish a game. Some of those arms in the bullpen are a virus that will infect this team and sap its strength, just like last year. It is a scary sight to see him hop out of the dugout in the sixth or seventh inning and wave in one of the batting practice hurlers (better known ad relievers) to waste a good starting effort. I truly hope the Braves are a better team this year. But unless the bullpen can get its act together, all the great starting pitching we get will be for naught. Unless Bobby will let starters pitch and stop treating the game like Spring Training, good starters will be insufficent to overcome the scourge of the bullpen. He should know by now that some of his relievers resemble arsonists who bring gasoline to fight a fire, and keep them away from action until the game is completely out of control.
Fan from Dallas
April 10th, 2009
11:04 am
Bring Hanson up and move Glavine to middle relief; then I would get excited. Glavine can throw strikes
and any starter would not mind nearly as much leaving the game knowing that Glavine was coming in behind them. Just his presence in the bull pen would help the younger pitchers.
bakerman
April 10th, 2009
10:20 am
Just throw strikes!!!1
OldFan
April 10th, 2009
10:05 am
Thank goodness the natural order has been restored. After the Braves won the first two, I thought their resurgence would require me to pay more attention and follow the team as closely as I did in the old times. That game wasn’t a fluke,bad luck,”some just get away” game. It was the Braves of late as their customary selves. Good teams just don’t lose that way. So, now I can just enjoy the Braves because they play a game I love and worry about more important things like how Saban is going to sign all of Georgia’s top recruits (except for the ones UF signs).
Random
April 10th, 2009
9:26 am
proeye — Thanks. I agree with most all of your 1:06 am (except that I really do have hopes that Boyer will excell this year. And, hopefully, for the Braves. Just call me KC, Jr.
PMC
April 10th, 2009
9:16 am
Hey, you know, at least it wasn’t Charlie Leibrant in another crucial World Series Game.
I know Wholers was a big part of 95 but then you think back to 96 and Leyritz…
It’s really ashamed, maybe if we leave Smoltz in in 91… if Wholers gets Leyritz out in 96…
We were so close to 4 WS titles in the 90’s with an opportunity for potentially 2 more. Maybe one of these days we will have a bullpen and starting rotation we feel really comfortable with.
stupup74
April 10th, 2009
8:55 am
In a word…………….YES. Yes it can overshadow all the good work of the week. Very simply, the seed of doubt about the bullpen has been planted and they have taken root ever so slightly.
It was the ugliest of losses, but the next 6 games are going to tell a tale about our Bravos. Can they overcome the struggles vs. the Nats and how good is Florida????? If they go 4-2 or better on this homestand, all should be forgiven in Philly.
Acworth Don
April 10th, 2009
8:21 am
Well, we’re 2 and 1 and the Phillies ain’t! I’m thinking this was a real wakeup call for our “pen.”
Bobby, you win some and you lose some. And, your old pitching coach is available if you need
some real help that you can depend on.
richbrave
April 10th, 2009
8:01 am
PHILLIES FAN:
You worked the count. You worked the count on the three blind mice. Are you s****ing me? And MATT DIAZ almost pulled it out for the BRAVES in the ninth? Oh yeah, he worked the count, then hit a fly-ball. An out? BANDBOX. Don’t expect any generosity next time either. This is all you get.
Mike45
April 10th, 2009
1:23 am
Bobby needs to stop the dam$ ballpark didnt have a dam$ thing to do with them losing.That Shi$y bullpin did.He!! they didnt even need to hit the ball.And that left me wondering why in the He!! Bobby took out o’flahrity he was solid up to the hit batmen runner on second 1 out and Howard at first big deal 7 run lead he could of got out of it with minimum damage.This all could Of been avoided if Bobby staid his a$$ on the bench.The young guy has to learn how to pitch in tough situation at some point and then bobby brings in the bullpin from He!!.STOP WITH LAME EXCUSES BOBBY.