Braves taking survival in playoff chase to new levels
Brian McCann didn't do too much Sunday -- just a homer, five RBI and a tiebreaking, two-run hit to give the Braves a 7-5 win over Florida. (AP photo)
Regardless of whether this Braves’ season ends in a division title, a wild card berth or one minor spasm short of the playoffs, this much can be said about them: They chose the most difficult way to get there.
Fall behind? Rally late.
Lose four regulars? Start an outfield worthy of camp Disney but somehow get by.
Drop game one of the series (again)? Feh! Come back and win the next two (again).
“I don’t know what the [expletive] is wrong with us – we lose the first game every time,” Bobby Cox said Sunday, the sting of those words softened by a slight smile and a post-game victory cigar.
They won again Sunday, 7-5. They won after blowing an early 3-0 lead and falling behind, 5-3, thanks to another dreadful start by Derek Lowe (20 hits and 13 runs, 11 earned, allowed in his last 8 2/3 innings). They won despite missing Nate McLouth and Garret Anderson and Martin Prado and Ryan Church or any semblance of a bench (pinch hitter: Javier Vazquez).
“Shorthanded is an understatement,” Chipper Jones said. “We’ve got nobody.”
Slight overstatement. They’ve got Brian McCann, who drove in five runs with a three-run crush job in the first and a tie-breaking two-run single in the eighth. They’ve also got a bullpen that held the Marlins to two hits after Lowe was carried out in the fifth.
Mostly, they have resolve.
They have lost game one in seven straight series of three games or more. But they have come back to win four of the last five of those series.
Just to be clear, Matt Diaz said: “We prefer not to lose game one. We would like to reverse that trend.”
Comforting.
How does this end? We can’t possibly know.
But this team is unique. It scraps, maybe like no Braves team we’ve seen in a while. Many point to the improved depth. That’s a factor. But it goes beyond that.
“You have a team where everybody wants to play,” coach Terry Pendleton said. “You have a team of guys who all know how to prepare themselves and work hard in the cage and in the field. We’ve had a few other teams where guys showed up every day. But this one stands out because a number of guys have been hurt but guys have stepped in to help the team keep pace. That says a lot.”
They are now a season-high eight games over .500 (66-58). Since June 28, they own the second-best record in the National League (32-18). The Phillies remain furlongs ahead in the East (6 ½ games with three games in hand). But Colorado is only four ahead in the wild card race, and the Braves have moved to within a game of second place San Francisco in that chase.
How did they make it this close? Still trying to figure that one out.
Cox: “We’ve been scrambling.”
Frank Wren: “There’s some resiliency there.”
Jones: “I like the fact that guys don’t hang their heads and remain confident and play better than we did after losing the first game. We come back late, we win on walk-off hits – all those things build character.
“If we can get to 10 games over .500 by the end of this month, with a ton of games left in our division, I like our chances, if not in the East, then the wild card.”
Lose one, win two. It’s not the path most chosen. Or preferred.
But the math works out the same.
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131 comments Add your comment
Brian
August 24th, 2009
10:29 am
Haha…curtis jones’ comment sums up Bobby Cox haters. When the Braves win, “Cox lucked up again”. He gets no credit for the Braves winning a series against a good team with all the injuries and the short bench. It’s actually kind of hilarious.
McFann ;Ô;
August 24th, 2009
10:31 am
Hillbilly Deluxe If I was the Marlins, I don’t think I would have pitched to McCann with first base open and one out
I was thinking they’d walk him, too–but he was 0-5 with 4 K’s against Pinto, so the Marlins thought the odds were in their favor.
Thankfully they were wrong!
Great game!
midnite
August 24th, 2009
10:40 am
Ark Trans – I don’t believe I said anything about Shafer. I will say in my opinion I think he was rushed. You missed my point about about team BA. I said the Braves BA was higher than other teams with better W-L records, just to clarify. We need Prado back at 2B…bad.
Arkansas Transplant
August 24th, 2009
10:42 am
Prado at second, I would have to agree. I still wish we has one more basher in the lineup. Someone that could play LF or RF on a daily basis.
fieldofdreams
August 24th, 2009
10:46 am
To all my Jewish friends: read Galatians 4:10, call on Jesus.
curtis jones
August 24th, 2009
10:58 am
Well, Brian it’s true. If Cox had his way, Diaz wouldn’t be in the lineup. He is only playing because all of Coxie’s favorites either flamed out, or are injured.
Brian
August 24th, 2009
11:07 am
curtis jones, Diaz has started 20 of the last 23 games, well before injuries to Anderson, Church, and McLouth.
And he still hitting just .255 against righties, and .377 against lefties. Compare that to Anderson (.280), Church (.270), and McLouth (.295) against righties.
Jim Millard
August 24th, 2009
11:20 am
If the trend continues the braves will be chasing down the dodgers in a couple of weeks
sammy Roberts
August 24th, 2009
11:21 am
Maybe Chipper was talking about his self ! It would help if Cox or Roger would just go out help the pitchers refocus when they get into trouble! They seem to be glued to the bench!
tommyc
August 24th, 2009
11:28 am
Has anyone looked at the schedule of the teams that are ahead of the Braves for the rest of the year. Colorado by far has the easiest schedule. They have their next 7 or so games against the Dodgers and Giants. After that nearly everyone else they play are below 500 teams
Richard Weiss
August 24th, 2009
11:30 am
I just want to add that Bobby Cox is past his prime and needs to gracefully retire. He almost always leaves a pitchein way too long until the damage is near irreparable. Other good managers, for example Freddy Martinez, will take their starter out much sooner than later, and replace him with a strong reliever. They don’t wait for the inevitable HR or extra base hit with runners on after the tiring starter (or one who just doesn’t have it that day), walks a few and is getting hit hard. Even a novice can see that it’s time for a fresh arm yet BC just sits there and …waits (what’s he thinking about, anyway?).
Other thing. Norton is an automatic out. Can’t hit a fast ball (or much else come to think of it). Why is he even there? And, needing replaacement outfielders, where did they find that CF Groecke? Surely, there must be someone in the minors who can hit better than that. Most of his swings are a mile off the ball and I’m actually amazed when the ball somehow hits his bat. What about Conrad? – infinitely better!
Scott B (Montgomery, AL)
August 24th, 2009
11:34 am
Regardless if the Braves make the post season or not, what they have done as a team this year will benefit them as they head into 2010. If anyone deserves a multi-year deal with some financial security, it’s Matt Diaz. The guy has been outstanding. Wren would also be wise to lock up Yunel Escobar. With the young arms they have (JJ, Hanson, Medlen) the future is full of hope. Add to that the promising potential of some young guys down on the farm (Heyward, Freeman, Minor, etc), I’d say Atlanta is primed for another stretch of post-season appearances. I would love to see it happen this year, of course, but it’s been a very good year for this team. GO BRAVES!!!
London Calling
August 24th, 2009
11:46 am
All this love for Brooks Conrad is ludicrous. The guy is a career minor-leaguer, a .250 singles hitter who can’t even field that well. Yet you halfwits treat him as the second coming of Ted Williams on the basis of about 30 at-bats! Get a grip. You’d be hating him inside a week if he came back up.
As for Reid Gorecki. If any of you cared to check the AAA stats, you’d see he’s been hitting far better than Brandon Jones or any of the other alternatives. Yet you hate on him after less than a week. Are you the same people who are always saying “bring up the young players”? Why? So you’d have a bigger choice to hate on?
Phil
August 24th, 2009
11:51 am
Brian,
Can you explain Cox using Norton as a pinch hitter with the bases loaded? The very next inning he had Anderson up to use as a pinch hitter. Why didn’t he use Anderson instead of Norton with the bases loaded? The man is an idiot, the Braves are REALLY doing it the hard way as the blog pointed out with Cox in the dugout.
Reid in EAV
August 24th, 2009
12:01 pm
I forsook the don’t-miss Braves-Fish game yesterday afternoon to venture out to East BF, Buford/Lawrenceville (home of the least fan-friendly ballpark in all of the minors) to see six innings from Huddy (and have a vacuum-hose hooked up to my wallet, but that’s another story).
What can I say? He looked really strong. Even struck out the side in the 4th on an economical 11 pitches (yes, I’m a compulsive scorekeeper) and would have escaped with only a lone run if not for some AAA-level defense behind him. (I had NEVER seen a 3B and SS collide when going for the same ball, but I have now!)
The control seemed to be there, too. Didn’t even come close to walking anyone for the first five frames, and only notched one in the 6th that seemed to be a function of fatigue. Yes, doing it against AAA hitters vs. Hanley Ramirez, Ryan Howard, et. al. is two different things, but I can’t wait to see him back with the big club.
On another matter, we need to figure out a way to trade Canizares to an AL club for something valuable in return. Dude can rake with the bat, but his fielding shakiness is well-documented. He’s a “natural” DH if there ever were one… and I love Brian Barton’s speed. Not enough of that with the big club, especially with McLouth’s absence.
Joe Fan
August 24th, 2009
12:25 pm
I for one certainly hope Medlin cracks the rotation next year and the Braves are able to unload a starting pitcher or two for talent that will upgrade the offense. I am also not getting my hopes up that Hudson’s option will be exercised. Can’t see anyway the Braves will take a chance on his arm for $10 million. And hopefully Braves management will also tell Bobby that its time to take a seat in the Boardroom and install a manager that has the energy and experience to lead this team going forward.
ChopperATL
August 24th, 2009
12:30 pm
Am I the only one that reads Sonny’s posts and wonders if anyone can really be that ignorant? “We was…??? Really?
JEZ
August 24th, 2009
12:38 pm
chopper, you’re not alone. If payroll allows and Huddy can prove himself I would love to see him back in a braves uni next year. Guy loves it here and we love him here. He’s a proven competitor who has always been able to get guys out and has a winning attitude.
Brian
August 24th, 2009
12:53 pm
Phil, I’m not inside his head, so I don’t know for sure, but I would think he only was going to use Anderson as a last resort because of his injury. You probably noticed he didn’t actually pinch hit yesterday…he was just in the on-deck circle to give Gorecki some pitches to hit. The Marlins would have intentionally walked Gorecki if they put Vazquez on deck. Obviously, it worked out, because the Braves won.
Brent
August 24th, 2009
1:01 pm
For what it’s worth, Conrad is red-hot right now. Over his past 10 games, he’s hitting .395 with 9 extra-base hits and 14 RBI. As for the post that said he’s a “singles hitter”, Brooks has 20+ HR in each of the past 4 seasons at AAA and no fewer than 60 XBH in each of the past 3 seasons. He does hit for a middling average and strike out a good bit, but give the guy his due. He’s gotta be a step above Norton’s .145 average.
NO MORE BOBBY
August 24th, 2009
1:09 pm
This team actually has what it takes to win. Just hope the manager does not mess it up.
1. Playing Kelly Johnson
2. Norton – need I say more?
3. Misusing the bullpen
Stay away from these three things and we have a shot.
Bubba Clusters
August 24th, 2009
1:12 pm
ChopperATL I’ll have you know thet my Brother Sonny was the most smartest one in our hole fambly. Me an Him will whup yore but if we kin find you. You better knot call him inorunt any more. You is just jelus that him and jeff one state champions.
Brian
August 24th, 2009
1:13 pm
Does nobody realize how dumb it would be to release Norton or someone else a week before rosters expand? Let’s see…do you drop him now and add Conrad’s two or three at-bats this week, or do you wait a week and have both on the roster for September? Hmm…
Conrad will be here in a week, everybody. Calm down.
brvsfaninknoxville
August 24th, 2009
1:16 pm
Jeff,
Kind of an intriguing thought: I see a striking similarity of Greg Maddux in Medlin, and Glavine in Hanson (even though not a lefty) when they were young upandcomers. Medlin is nasty with his pitch placement and has that kind of nerdy way about him. Hanson being consistant, cool, calm, icy and focused much like Glavine was back in the day. And they share the same first name! Could we be witnessing the rebirth of the “young guns” of the 90’s????
BravesLover
August 24th, 2009
1:25 pm
Don’t worry about Chipper as it’s time for him to get hurt. My personal bet was it would be this weekend and I thought I was right on when he did the major grimace after swinging and missing. He’ll be out for a week before long then he’ll get fired up to come back and play great. Sit his fanny down otherwise. He’s a killing machine for our guys in the field and at bat. Third option is to bat him 7th. No excuse $14 million dollar man. Play the game right or take your toys and go home.
Hillbilly Deluxe
August 24th, 2009
1:35 pm
Jeff’
You might want to rethink that Dunwoody Dairy Queen thing. I don’t think it’s legal to conjugate in public there.
ChopperATL
August 24th, 2009
1:46 pm
Bravo Bubba. My apologies to you and yer hole fambly.
Nova Scotia Steve
August 24th, 2009
2:00 pm
It hasn’t been easy that’s for sure…and I’ve never been one to say we HAVE TO sweep a team.
But a sweep of San Diego would be aweful nice…let’s put it that way
NO MORE BOBBY
August 24th, 2009
2:01 pm
Brian – Are you sure your not Bobby Cox?
Brian
August 24th, 2009
2:05 pm
NO MORE BOBBY:
Am I sure my what isn’t Bobby Cox?
Seriously, though, I’m just a supporter. Just like you can find anything to complain about if you look hard enough, I can find good stuff the same way. Sports are less stressful that way.
nique
August 24th, 2009
2:45 pm
Why does Cox continue to make Diaz bunt when he’s so hot?