Suddenly, Braves see everything go wrong
What's that thing about a picture telling a story? Matt Diaz gets picked off third, and the Braves' playoff hopes probably go down the drain. (Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com)
The sudden wake-up call in July, the mind-numbing 15-2 run in September, the otherworldly creature that seemingly once inhabited the body of Martin Prado — this is what happens when everything catches up to a team in one night.
The Braves didn’t lose a game Wednesday night. They suffered the mother of all market corrections. You figured maybe this would happen in December. You know, like maybe Yunel Escobar turns an ankle while hanging Christmas lights. Instead it hit during the final spasms of a playoff race.
What’s more unpredictable? That the Braves extended their postseason hopes this long, or that they probably were ended by Ricky Nolasco and a bizarre base-running mistake by maybe their best base runner, Matt Diaz?
The Braves’ wild-card hopes were badly bruised Tuesday night when they lost to the Marlins and Colorado won in extra innings. This one dropped them to the canvas. They lost again to Florida on Wednesday, 5-4, dropping them four games behind the Rockies in the wild-card race with four games to go. Their postseason extinction number: one. It will be a short countdown.
“We know we’re in real need of some serious help,” said Diaz, “not necessarily from the Rockies but maybe from above — maybe a miracle or something like that. It’s a sinking feeling.”
Do you believe … how it ended?
A three-run Marlins' third buried Javier Vazquez and the Braves early. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
After five innings, the Braves trailed 5-0 and had struck out 12 times (including nine straight). They managed a final gasp for those few fans who 1) showed up and 2) stayed. They scored two unearned runs in the seventh and added two more in the ninth to close to 5-4. A walk to Nate McLouth loaded the bases with two outs, bringing up Prado. The first pitch was in the dirt. Diaz, who was on third, began to dart home, then stopped, then started back toward third, then hesitated and considering coming home when he saw Marlins catcher Ronny Paulino turn the wrong way looking for the ball.
“I thought, ‘Oh, maybe I can make it,’” Diaz said. “When you think, you’re done.”
Paulino found the ball quickly. He threw to third. Diaz was done. So, probably, are the Braves.
Everything that went so right during a 15-2 run went so wrong for the second night in a row.
Question: Ricky Nolasco?
We can’t be certain if he was channeling Cy Young, Sandy Koufax or Walter Johnson. We just know he wasn’t channeling Ricky Nolasco. He struck out 16 in 7-2/3 innings. One more, and the Braves would’ve been eligible for aid from FEMA.
This is the same Nolasco who entered the game with a 5.32 ERA. Houston dented him for 10 runs in just over three innings last month. He picks now to get serious and ruin a party.
Mathematics says it’s not over. Javier Vazquez, who had one of his worst outings, said, “Obviously, we have an uphill climb.”
Fact is, it would’ve been an uphill climb if the Braves had 14 games left, not four. Diaz accurately pegged it when he called for divine intervention.
Maybe it figured to end. It just didn’t figure to end like this.
Nolasco struck out the first two Braves of the game, McLouth and Prado. Then he struck out Brian McCann in the second. Then things just got stupid. He struck out everybody in the third, the fourth and the fifth. When Adam LaRoche doubled to lead off the sixth, fans didn’t know whether to applaud or run onto the field and hug him.
Meanwhile, Vazquez, was getting rocked. He allowed five runs (three earned), eight hits, a home run, a wild pitch and hit a batter in six innings. In five previous September starts, Vazquez was a 4-0 with a 1.93 ERA. He has been the Braves’ best starter this season, leading general manager Frank Wren to marvel before the game, “He’s as solid as a rock.”
But on this night, Vazquez, Diaz and the Braves got sideways. Everybody was due.
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145 comments Add your comment
ManOfTeal
October 1st, 2009
7:05 am
Mwahahahahahaha…..Braves why is there a fork stuck in your side? Oh because YOU’RE DONE!!! Go Marlins!!!!
Kevin
October 1st, 2009
7:09 am
Yes folks bobby cox loves Craig Norton they lovers see….why not send a 136 hitter to strike out…and here cox say Thataboy good eye haha and why should fans come out they knew we done after losin to marlins night before…if chipper wants call us out lets call out chipper non hittin bad fieldin plays this season 22 errors..I guess his dad not teach him to field either!well folks its 2011 for Us maybe then we be in playoffs….Unless cox is still pickin his nose are beatin his wife still!
bull-gator
October 1st, 2009
7:27 am
F Troop…
Jim
October 1st, 2009
7:27 am
The biggest difference between the Marlins and the Braves is that the Brave HOPE they can beat the Marlins while the Marlins KNOW they can beat the Braves.
elmer fudd
October 1st, 2009
7:28 am
I huntin Braves……heh heh heh heh heh….
deja vu
October 1st, 2009
7:31 am
GREG F@#%&$G NORTON??????????
Down 5 with nobody out and two on??????????
Hitting .100??????????
Bobby?????
WTF?
Nativebird
October 1st, 2009
7:32 am
Braves? are the Braves still playing?
Bobby Cox
October 1st, 2009
7:32 am
Show me some love i enjoy chokin two marlins n Pardes n Yankees (twice) so they be the team of the 90’s…i be back in 2010 so u see me in action again to blow games n have norton PH….My players love me the press is stupid never question me for bad ideas like 91 92 lost n 93 when we let the phillies in WS. I so glad be here n play losers out in field.
victors valient
October 1st, 2009
7:43 am
Enter your comments here
Jeff- enjoy your work. Strictly speaking, this isn’t on topic, but here goes: what’s the deal with Leo Mazzone? He’s the best pitching coach of his time, and one of the best of all time. He says that he wants to work, and that money is no object or barrier, but there he sits. I can’t help feeling that there is some sort of untold story here. I mean, on the face of it, he should have been scooped up as soon as the Orioles cut him loose. I hate to use the word “blackballed”, but this doesn’t add up. Any insights?
GREG NORTON
October 1st, 2009
7:46 am
Hey, back off guys. I tried…oh yeah. Anyone want to help me spend my $800,000 I stole from the braves this year. Bobby, I love you man, thanks for NEVER losing faith in me although I NEVER came through.
dark30
October 1st, 2009
7:50 am
Yet another choke job from the Buffalo Bills of baseball. Still wondering why Turner Field is nearly empty? Because we know they will find new ways to lose in the games that matter, against the big boys. This happened all year, and has happened consistently ever since ‘95. They wouldn’t have even made this run were it not for gorging on wins against two of the worst teams in baseball. There still is something fundamentally wrong with the DNA of this team, and I wish the answers were easy to see. Maybe with Cox gone and new players coming up, things will change. But for now, it’s the same old song.r
59bulldawg
October 1st, 2009
8:04 am
Forget about it Matt! Making the playoffs was going to be a near miracle anyway. Yes there have been some missed opportunities this season this is the best I’ve felt about the Braves in a long while. And even though I think they could possibly do some damage if they got there this year, I think they’re still a good hitter or two away from really contending. At 86 wins and 4 left to play let’s enjoy what the team’s accomplished, make some minor adjustments over the winter, and reclaim the east next year. This is a good scrappy team and you can bet that whenever they are officially eliminated in the next day or so, there’ll be more than a few sighs of relief in St. Louis, Los Angeles, Colorado and Philadelphia. With all its frustrations I’m proud to be Braves fan.
oldmactech
October 1st, 2009
8:06 am
They say Atlanta is a bad baseball town. All you have to do is read the moronic comments from the obvious carpetbaggin’ yankees on this blog that gleefully throw dirt on the Braves coffin to find out why. These are the same fans that will only go to a game if “their team” is in town to play the Braves. You know-Mets, Sox, Yankees and Cubs.
Go home.
But…I still want to know why Norton was even suited up for a big game. At least he didn’t ground into a DP.
Shug
October 1st, 2009
8:13 am
Maybe the biggest boneheaded play in Braves history. Easily the biggest this decade. Diaz should be playing in Duluth.
Shug
October 1st, 2009
8:14 am
One more thing: explain to me why the Braves are letting Bobby C. mismanage the team for one more year.
Call it like it is.
October 1st, 2009
8:24 am
Man, I love it, Atlanta is a bad sports town, Atlanta doesnt support their team, blah blah blah. It’s kind of like watching the movie Pearl Harbor hoping that the Japs don’t really get to catch America off guard and bomb our base. But you know what, it always does end the exact same way. Braves choke, Braves lose. Schultz and the rest of the AJC crew should just save these articles and reprint them next year, just change the names.
What time is kick off Saturday?
P Rose
October 1st, 2009
8:25 am
I BELIEVE the Atlanta Braves can still win it all
I BELIEVE the Rocks and Phils are headed for a fall
I BELIEVE the Braves can beat the Yankees or the Sox
I BELIEVE they’ll win it all once more for Bobby Cox
I BELIEVE we Braves fans have nothing left to fear
I BELIEVE we’ll win it all… NEXT YEAR!!
DD
October 1st, 2009
8:25 am
Okay, so I bought into all the guilt that was being heaped on Braves fans for not caring about the Braves enough to go to the games or watch on television. I was one of those who had mentally ‘checked out’ a month ago or so and was afraid to get my hopes up when the Braves started winningn more than 2 games in a row.
So with all the hoppla about the lack of Braves fans, I went to the game Tuesday night and walked away $50 poorer and feeling like I had been taken for a ride. Not wanting to fork out any more money, I watched the game on television last night, hoping that maybe I had somehow jinxed the team by actually showing up at the stadium. Didn’t seem to make a difference – as usual the Braves figured out a new way to lose and to once again crush any enthusiasm that I had been guilted into feeling.
Now you know why it’s so hard to support this team – it’s called false hope and true disappointment.
Sigh. Maybe next year…
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
October 1st, 2009
8:31 am
Norton is the anti-Brave. For those that say the Braves are choking in the biggest games. They have been playing do or die for a month and done great. And don’t be too hard on Diaz, yes the play was horrible, but the guy has carried the team the past 2 or 3 weeks. And lastly, I have always been a Cox fan but I have to agree, his love of Norton has been pathetic
Chief Nocapopup
October 1st, 2009
8:32 am
There’s plenty to go around here, but the bottom line is these guys can’t hit…..am i the only one who thinks McLouth is a total waste batting leadoff??? .258???? your leadoff hitter??? all i’ve seen him do the past two months is pop up or strike out………
bravofan
October 1st, 2009
8:33 am
The bottom line is the players didn’t hustle and didn’t act like they cared to be out there not running out close ground balls, yunel not even moving to when the baseball pases him and that E5 that Chipper made by trying to go down to one knee and field the groundball and he missed it completley and the next play what do ya know a base knock for two runs thats how the game went last night it was a great run! Matty we can’t blame it all on you but you can’t get flat footed no hesitation when the game is on the line!
Chief Nocapopup
October 1st, 2009
8:33 am
Hey P Rose, are you betting on that??
Kashi
October 1st, 2009
8:35 am
Oh well, what to say. I’m very dissapointed watching last night game. I couldn’t sleep last night asking question myself…why Greg Norton pinch hitting 0 out 2 on while we still have Conrad, Infante, Kelly, Church, Greckroi…why why I just couldn’t sleep. Is this at bad would have made a big difference if anyone but the Norton batting?
TN Jeff
October 1st, 2009
8:41 am
All the complaining about the fans not coming out to the games. The Braves SUCK at home. They are 3 games over 500 at home and 11 games over on the road. WHY? Been saying for years this team needs to see a sports pyschologist – bunch of head case, choking losers.
Matt Diaz “is our best baserunner” – now there’s an indictment on the crappy coaching by this staff. Nobody on this team knows how to run the bases and it bites us in the rear in crucial moments. Get thrown out being aggressive at home plate NOT being an idiot at 3rd base.
EVERYTIME Braves tease us fans into thinking they might do something special they pull the rug out from under us. Every crucial game it seems that Chipper has a monumentally costly error – last night no exception. And now we get to add his anemic bat (batting 3rd no less) to his CHOKING example as the team leader.
TN Jeff
October 1st, 2009
8:44 am
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
Braves been doing it on the road – NOT for the home fans! Choke at home in bigtime games. Dare say will continue that this meaningless long weekend.
Go Braves...and take Atlanta with you!
October 1st, 2009
8:56 am
Has anyone else noticed that when the Braves get a runner on, and they’re down by two, JOe will say “a homerun here sure would be nice.” A pitch or two later, the batter hits into a double play which is followed by a flyout. The only one that ever talks after the outs is John. If the Rockies win this afternoon (locking up the wild-card), Joe will be on and say “we can work on positives for next year, see who we need to work on keeping, play for pride, end the season on a high note and so forth. He still talks about the Braves of the 90s! Jeez! It’s pretty bad too that during the game about the only stadium noise you can hear is the guy hawking “hot dogs”. Listen for him!
Jeff Schultz
October 1st, 2009
8:59 am
Wxwax – could be.
Victors Valient – Thanks. On Mazzone, I wouldn’t agree with the statement that he’s the best pitching coach of his time. He had the best pitchers of any pitching coach in his time. I can tell you one knock on him was he was better with veteran pitchers than young guys. That said, I’m sure he could get a job if he wanted but maybe he’s particular at this stage or just doesn’t care enough about getting back in the game.
Steven Lemon
October 1st, 2009
9:07 am
I don’t BELIEVE this!!! Anyone who takes a look at Chipper’s, Martin, Brians’ and Nate’s at bats in this game and can still blame Matt Diaz for losing is either blind or mindless. Those great Braves hitters, who have been expected to step up in the face of pressure and crisis, all looked like MATT DIAZ at the plate all week long. Trouble is, only MATT DIAZ can hit like Matt Diaz, who has made more of a contribution to the team’s surge than Chipper Jones has all year. I think the miscarriage of justice will be that both Chipper AND Bobby Cox will return next year to do this all over again. Not all hope is lot, however, for this year. There is still a chance that MATT DIAZ will be able to put the Braves into the playoffs. Or we can wait for Chipper to become the new MR OCTOBER. holding my breath and turning blue.
Herschel Talker
October 1st, 2009
9:09 am
Schultzie – how about the fact that Cox batted Greg Norton YET AGAIN with a run in scoring position and fewer than 2 outs, and he promptly struck out. Mark Bradley had a column about this a few weeks back, but no one seems to be rehashing this. Obviously we don’t know how it would have turned out otherwise, but that run would have come in handy, as the result shows. How come no one is slamming Cox for taking his loyalty to such ridiculous extremes? Enough of this madness!
Gene
October 1st, 2009
9:10 am
The Braves made a good run, and Diaz was an important part of it. Since we are placing blame this morning, mine goes to Chumper, who is always in a hurry to get to his ranch. Maybe it’s time for him to stay there.
GSU Eagle 91
October 1st, 2009
9:10 am
I’ve got to believe we’ll throw this base running blunder in with Wohler’s split finger pitch to J Leyritz,
and Lonnie’s base running mistake in 91. I couldn’t believe it…Prado was the perfect batter with the situation we had…Greg Norton must be Cobby Box’s illegitimate son…..
Cudos to Wren for letting Smoltz go. What a head case….
Chris Chambliss
October 1st, 2009
9:12 am
The Braves hitters looked like idiots. 9 whiffs in a row? They came dangerously close to letting some nobody hang the major league record on them. 16 Ks in all – what an embarassing performance. Calm down in the box and stop flailing at garbage. Remember my sweet swing back in 86? That’s how it’s done…
The Braves need a true cleanup hitter – and I don’t mean a couple of upper-30s professional hitters with no power. I’m talking about a guy who can bash 40 homers and provide a real threat in the middle of the lineup. That’s the only thing that was missing at the end of this season. I tip my cap to the team for making it interesting at the end – next season is going to be great.
Just rest Chipper once a week, no matter what. He was tired in the 2nd half and playing with nagging injuries. Think Larry Walker – at the end of his career, you could still pencil him in for .300, but he just couldn’t play every day. Infante/Prado twice a week, Chipper 4 times. Easy formula.
GO BRAVES!
PMC
October 1st, 2009
9:14 am
But the Fans were loud and proud last night Mitchell. It was plenty loud and plenty alive. Nolasco just owned them last night. They looked beaten and defeated until the ninth… and it took Diaz busting it to first and a timely error for him to even have a chance to be thrown out at third. There is just a major shortage of hitting talent on this team compared to the others even in our division. I don’t know the actual numbers but they have to be one of the worst batting teams in baseball. Even the things they did well this year (2 out RISP) they failed in this series.
The Marlins have decent pitching and they hit VASTLY VASTLY better than this team.
They had a budget and this year they spent it all on pitching…. i’m interested to see what happens in the offseason. Not too many 30 HR guys just laying there in the weeds.
I still think they need a legit clean up hitter and a true lead off man
Herschel Talker
October 1st, 2009
9:15 am
STEVEN LENNON @ 9:07 –
I agree 100%. Excellent post, especially about Booby coming back.
www.FireBobbyCox.com
October 1st, 2009
9:16 am
I’m not saying last night was Bobby Cox fault but we’ve been down this road before and I don’t understand why we continue to reward him with a contract when we haven’t got out of the NLDS since 2001.
That’s a long time ago folks. 8 seasons now.
We have won 1 of our last 7 series appearances. I guess that’s still acceptable to Braves management who can clearly see when it’s time to move on from Glavine and Smoltz but obvious cloudy judgement on Cox.
http://www.FireBobbyCox.com
Drunkdawg
October 1st, 2009
9:16 am
I will be watching the Braves on Sunday just to see them in their new uniforms, hunting camo with buck commander logos on them. At least they will look different and it will save time getting to the tree stand after their last game since they will already be dressed for hunting season.
Joey
October 1st, 2009
9:18 am
The three most compelling questions of the day: 1) Will Bobby bring back his Nortie for his farewell tour next season? 2) Will Mark bring back his Willie next season? If so, will clearer minds (GM Wren, AD Evans) prevail and rid us of these hapless friends of Bobby and Mark?
Herschel Talker
October 1st, 2009
9:19 am
Schultzie – how about the fact that Cox batted Greg Norton YET AGAIN with a run in scoring position and fewer than 2 outs, and he promptly struck out. Mark Bradley had a column about this a few weeks back, but no one seems to be rehashing this. Obviously we don’t know how it would have turned out otherwise, but that run would have come in handy, as the result shows. How come no one is slamming Cox for taking his loyalty to such ridiculous extremes? Enough of this madness!!
PMC
October 1st, 2009
9:19 am
Diaz made a mistake, it happens, he was a beat late getting back… he plays hard and he cares…that’s all I can ask really. The Chipper bending down and picking up the ball missed double play error in the second is what eventually cost them the game.
PMC
October 1st, 2009
9:20 am
I hope Chipper does at least hit 2 more home runs. Even with a down year this year. His consistancy at the plate is still remarkable.
Adam in Norcross
October 1st, 2009
9:22 am
Jeff: Where’s the Third Base coach interview? Did Snitker say, “Go” or “Stop” or just sit there with his hands on his knees? What should he have done? Was it Prado who held Diaz up? Why do I subscribe to the print edition?
Joey
October 1st, 2009
9:28 am
Chris, what in the world was Chipper tired of? You mean a 37 year old, world-class athlete gets tired of standing around at 3rd base 5 nights a week? Or of running to first base about 1.3 times per ten at bats the last two months? Or tired of luxury hotels, room service, and first-class travel? Probably that $10K he has to haul home after every game.
jaybob
October 1st, 2009
9:28 am
Wow. The comments on this string make me sad. Bob Horner? David Justice? Mrs. Hudson? Are you serious?? Where’s the creativity?
The Atlanta Braves are my favorite team…of ALL sports. I live in God’s Country, Montana, and I’m disheartened by the lack of support FROM THEIR OWN CITY! Chya, they make come up short this year but there a heck of a lot closer than they were in the ’80’s.
So, “Mr. Horner,” “Mr. Justice,” “Mrs. Hudson,” and all the other pseudonyms you use (I shall collectively refer to them as ‘you,’ as I am sure you are all the same choad), please keep up your disrespect. I know it makes you feel good.
After all, we should all feel good…even the uncreative.
GO BRAVES!
jaybob
Ken
October 1st, 2009
9:34 am
I am not one to complain but there is someting I just can’t understand about hall of fame manager Bobby Cox. Why continue to use a guy batting under .150 key situtions when you have better options on the bench. If I was on this team, I would be very disappointed because this is outright favortism by the manager. Another thing, if the Braves could play the kind of winning ball they have since this streak, what prevented this kind of passion earlier. I feel sorry for Diaz, but this season of not making the playoffs should never have come down to the last few games. I just don’t understand Cox’s decision making, it seems to me to have gotten worse this year. Greg Norton, Why?
Braves73
October 1st, 2009
9:40 am
Glad Bobby decided to manage one more year…that means another season of senilty, Greg Norton, Kelly Johnson, and possibly more….GREATTTTTT!
JB Wright
October 1st, 2009
9:40 am
Who in the H-E-double toothpicks wants to watch Cox manage in the post season? Talk about your self torture! Thank goodness it’s over!
midnite
October 1st, 2009
9:44 am
The last three weeks have been some fun baseball. That run was quite incredible. We had the Rockies and Philly scared last weekend. Too bad a handful of miserable wretches sit safely behind their computers and spew venom. “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain”.
bobby
October 1st, 2009
9:45 am
So Diaz made a mistake last night. If the Braves had seven other players that play like he does they would have had the pennant won long ago. They weren’t going to make the wild card anyway. Colorado is not losing..
Ralph
October 1st, 2009
9:46 am
Remember how earlier this month the statistical odds were said to be too great for the Braves to overcome 3 teams ahead of them in the wildcard race even if they went on a tear?
Jeff Schultz, meet mathematical reality.
Don
October 1st, 2009
9:48 am
The problem is not “suddenly everything going wrong – at the end” but rather the “averything going wrong was all the games lost during the season because of Bobby Cox’s incompetence – actions, lack of actions and blunder afte blunder.