Brooks Conrad has his career moment, wins it for Braves
Brooks Conrad capped the biggest ninth-inning comeback in Braves history with a walk-off grand slam against Cincinnati (Curtis Compton/AJC).
This was a big moment for Brooks Conrad. Possibly even bigger than when he was MVP for Pittsfield in 2001. Bigger than when he rocked for Round Rock in 2004 (and was hit by a career-high 12 pitches). And Salem – dude, he owned Salem.
Could it be even bigger than in 2008 when Brooks Conrad, minor-league lifer, the closest thing on the Braves’ roster to Crash Davis, played for the Sacramento River Cats and was named the team’s “Best Teammate”? (Did that come with a participation trophy and a gift certificate to Pizza Hut?)
The Braves left for Pittsburgh Thursday night. Somebody will be buying Brooks Conrad dinner. Maybe a car.
Before this season, the 30-year-old had played 36 games in the major leagues and 1,103 in the minors, give or take a Motel 6. On Thursday, he exorcised every miserable night’s sleep, every seven-hour bus ride from his mind and body. Pinch-hitting in the ninth inning, Conrad hit a walk-off, grand slam homer to punctuate a seven-run ninth-inning and the biggest ninth-inning comeback in franchise history. The Braves stunned Cincinnati and probably themselves, 10-9.
“I’m on cloud nine,” Conrad said.
“There’s something you don’t normally see,” manager Bobby Cox said.
“We’re sitting there thinking, ‘Did we just win this game — did we just score enough runs to win this game?” Chipper Jones said.
We live for these moments in sports. Half of the announced crowd of 21,621 had left by the time Conrad stepped to the plate. Years from now, probably 121,621 will claim they were there to the end.
Cincinanti's Laynce Nix had Conrad's fly ball bounce off of his glove, then over the wall for a home run. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
The Braves trailed 8-0. Starting pitcher Tommy Hanson felt blessed that he became an afterthought following an eight-run second-inning. He had to be rescued by Jesse Chavez (a string of words so seldom typed).
By the ninth inning, when the Reds led 9-3, Cox had pulled Jones and catcher Brian McCann out of the lineup and was in surrender mode.
Then Troy Glaus singled. Eric Hinske, who had struck out three times, singled. Yunel Escobar hit a potential double-play ball to deep short that Orlando Cabrera bobbled (it was ruled a hit). A two-run single by Nate McLouth followed. Then came a walk. Then another botched potential double-play, this time an error when third baseman Miguel Cairo couldn’t get the ground ball hit by Martin Prado out of his glove.
That made it 9-6. Bases loaded. The stage was set for a dramatic finish, but only because Jason Heyward was up. He struck out.
New script.
Conrad, a switch-hitter, left the on-deck circle. But after the Reds pulled left-handed reliever Arthur Rhodes out of the game and put in righthander Francisco Cordero, Conrad, now planning to hit left-handed, forgot to switch his batting helmet (with the ear flap on the other side).
“When I got to the plate the umpire said something but I didn’t really hear him,” Conrad said. “Then [Reds catcher] Ramon [Hernandez] said, ‘Hey, you may want to switch your helmet.’ So I had to move that past embarrassment real quick.”
He did. Just looking to hit something in the air, Conrad slapped a 2-2 pitch to deep left. Laynce Nix leaped at the wall. But the ball went off his glove, then off the top of the wall and over.
Conrad? He thought it was an out.
“From my angle, I thought he had brought it back,” he said. “I had my hands on my helmet. I thought, ‘No way.’ Then fans started going crazy and [teammates] kept running around the bases.”
He was pounded by teammates in a celebration at home plate. He was joyously assaulted again in the clubhouse. This time players doused him with hand sanitizer.
These are the stories we don’t see coming. Conrad was signed as a minor-league free agent in 2008. He hit a game-winning, pinch-hit three run homer last season in Washington. But he spent most of the season in Gwinnett. This spring, he was the last player to make the roster. He barely beat out Joe Thurston.
“Tough decision,” Cox said.
He doesn’t wear batting gloves. “He just raw-dogs it,” Jones said.
“You have to have guys like him on a team. Just down and dirty, clay everywhere, from head to toe.”
Jones realized something from the dugout. Conrad was pinch-hitting in his No. 3 spot (which later became the pitcher’s spot after a double-switch). “Great decision by Bobby, getting me and B-Mac out of there,” Jones said, smiling.
Afterward, Conrad was asked the obvious: Had he ever experienced a moment like this?
“Having my first-born kid,” he said.
On the field?
“Nothing compares,” he said.
♦
Earlier posts
We’re live, and Braves are alive: Do you think it’s for real?
Fredi Gonzalez should top Braves’ list to replace Cox
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119 comments Add your comment
Dave
May 20th, 2010
7:12 pm
Very nice ending and a very nice piece of writing.
Dave
May 20th, 2010
7:12 pm
And damn, I was first, though I’m not going to say it.
Braves fan80
May 20th, 2010
7:14 pm
BOOM THAT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!
Steve
May 20th, 2010
7:18 pm
Wow. That gave me chills and goosebumps. Don’t think I’ve witnessed anything like it since Sid Bream’s slid to beat the Pirates in ‘91 (or ‘92?) This team may be special.
Don
May 20th, 2010
7:19 pm
QUESTION:
Bobby Cox put Brooks Conrad in the Lineup a few days ago and he immediately got hot; whereupon Cox immediately benched him.
Does this mean that now that he has hit a PINCH HIT GRAND SLAM for a walk off win – that COX WILL NOT use him as a PINCH HITTER ANYMORE????
chamblee dawg
May 20th, 2010
7:20 pm
3rd!
Bat Masterson
May 20th, 2010
7:29 pm
Just crazy man, gotta be happy for Conrad.
Mr Charlie
May 20th, 2010
7:42 pm
Don, just ask every baseball coach he ever played against what they think of Bobby, but of course, you know coaching, none of those guys know what they are talking about.
NCBravesFan
May 20th, 2010
7:45 pm
Don = Robert, if anyone knows him from DOB’s blog.
southern hope
May 20th, 2010
7:46 pm
very nicely written story…
btw, did that really just happen?!!!
NCBravesFan
May 20th, 2010
7:46 pm
Wonder when the Braves last had three straight last at-bat wins?
wxwax
May 20th, 2010
7:50 pm
Awesome. Brought a tear to my eye.
Thanks for posting the video.
Don
May 20th, 2010
7:50 pm
Mr. Charlie, With the Pitching Staff that we have, how did Bobby Cox manage to lose nine straight games. Why was he still using Melky during that 9 game losing streak when he had already proven that he was not producing – instead of giving Hinske a chance. Why was he using McLouth when he was not producing at all at that point – instead of giving Infante a shot in his position. Why was he keeping Chipper in the 3rd spot on the batting order when he was hitting barely over .200?
Are these all signs of a great manager?
RomeDawg
May 20th, 2010
7:58 pm
I agree with Don. Keep Conrad and Hinske in the lineup until they cool off. That was awesome. These Braves seem to have a flair for the dramatics!
heartofdarkness
May 20th, 2010
8:02 pm
Bobby should use Chipper as Conrad’s defensive replacement.
BravesFanSince66
May 20th, 2010
8:03 pm
You gotta love the never-say-die fight in these guys lately; the stuff champions are made of.
Resign or Resign?
May 20th, 2010
8:04 pm
Dave:
My thoughts exactly!!
mike
May 20th, 2010
8:06 pm
Don,
Don’t question Bobby. He is all knowing, and loyal to a fault. He will stick with slumping players until the season is almost unsalvageable, and THEN start to turn things around.
It’s kinda his thing.,
BenFranklin
May 20th, 2010
8:09 pm
Can’t stop smilin’ today. What a moment! I even teared up, too.
Unbelievable!!
Mr Charlie
May 20th, 2010
8:15 pm
Obviously the way he used Conrad worked well today. Fact is, it it works, you are a genuis, it if does not, you are a bad manager. It is easy to second guess.
I am guessing you were for pulling Glaus for Hinske after 6 games.
Fact is, the “strategy” of baseball is grossly overrated, it ain’t rocket science. The sign of a good manager is one who gets his guys to play hard, keep focused, and communicate what is expected, and keeps all the politics, media, and drama from effecting his players.
How did they lose 9 games? Things did not go right, the team took time to gell. I ask you this, after a 9 game losing streak, in his last season, after 40 years, how did he keep this team from giving up, for quitting on the season? How did he keep his team believing in themselves? How did he convince them that they had what it took to get back over 500? You think a Bobby Valentine team would have overcome that?
Again, ask any baseball person, ask any player, any coach in any sport what they think of Bobby, but of course, you know better, because Brooks Conrad has not been starting over the past week.
Mr Charlie
May 20th, 2010
8:17 pm
Mike, you are kinda right. Cox only finishes better than 500 for about, what 30 years? Is it better to pull you slumping players just before they get hot? Cox it DA MAN!
D Hawks
May 20th, 2010
8:18 pm
Great finish today! I was at the game with a group of my co-workers, and we were so glad we had stayed until the end. I must say if we hadn’t been sitting in the shade we might have been gone. Unbelievable!
MitchC
May 20th, 2010
8:19 pm
Jeff, I didnt see the game today, but gosh I wish I had!
This team is red hot. If they keep playing like this, there is absolutely no reason they can’t win the wild card, even if they dont catch the Phillies.
I’m very proud of how the Braves are playing. Hopefully, they can keep winning
Pete
May 20th, 2010
8:22 pm
This will be the “Comeback” to remember.
Just awesome.
Thirty Points to your Twenty-Four Points
May 20th, 2010
8:25 pm
Schultzie…. Next time 11Alive interviews a young man who just hit a walk off grand salami, get your ugly face out from behind him.
I swear on my life, I was watching the news with my girlfriend and she said “eww! is that Jeff Schultz in the background?” hahahahaha!!!!
Doug Markham
May 20th, 2010
8:27 pm
Great piece of video.
Mr Charlie
May 20th, 2010
8:29 pm
IF a career .300 hitters got .100 over 20 games, chance are, he is going to hot and bat .400 over the next 20. If you pull him after 20 games, and you put in a career .240 hitter how got 8 hits in his last 16 at bats, chances are, he is going to cool off. So, you pull your guy who is about to get hot, for a guy who is about to get cold. That is a recipe for 72-90. Notice, over 40 years Bobby does not have many 72-90 seasons? On top of that, to be able to deal with the egos, and drama and the pressure to “do something” while millionaire athletes are bitching, it what makes BC GREAT.
Tweets that mention Brooks Conrad has his career moment, wins it for Braves | Jeff Schultz -- Topsy.com
May 20th, 2010
8:29 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by IMasterfeed, Jeff Schultz. Jeff Schultz said: Here's a look at Brooks Conrad's career (and YouTube) moment for the Braves. http://bit.ly/bUGW2J [...]
Mr Charlie
May 20th, 2010
8:29 pm
Fact is, if you morons had your way, Glaus would have been parked on the bench, and might never have found his stroke this year.
Eric C.
May 20th, 2010
8:31 pm
Hopefully this is a game that can really turn things on for the rest of the season…sometimes one freaky game can do that.
Mitchell
May 20th, 2010
8:31 pm
Is it me, or are the supplementary or commentary blogs only populated by people who never post on the main blog?
I never see you people on DOB’s blog. What’s up with that?
Eric C.
May 20th, 2010
8:33 pm
Mr. Charlie…ha, I’m definitely guilty, and I’m glad to be proved wrong about Glaus.
Eric C.
May 20th, 2010
8:34 pm
Mitchell…I get on both occasionally, but with a full time job and family, it’s not easy dude.
Dave
May 20th, 2010
8:41 pm
Resign or Resign,
Just sweet isn’t it?
Monger
May 20th, 2010
8:42 pm
Braves of 2010 are looking more and more like the early and mid 90s teams, that never gave up, and produced down right miracles at times… From Sid Bream’s Slide on Cabrera’s base hit, to Justice’s homer in Game 6 of the 95 WS, to Lemke’s October heroics, to Eddie Perez’s MVP NLCS run, to many, many comebacks and amazing memories. These 2010 Braves in Bobby Cox’s last season, are producing some great games and most importantly wins. I hate to end this great nostalgia on a sour note, but these wins are no thanks to Cox and Chipper. These two “staples” of Atlanta Braves baseball are becoming major hinderances to the braves chances of winning, and need to leave ASAP and not get in the way of this Braves miracle season of 2010. Chipper is hitting 3rd STILL, and doing the worst job of his career, with an amazingly low 2 homers all year, 11 RBI’s, to go with his awesome .229 Batting average. Today, I honestly was a happy camper when Cox took him out, he had failed miserably in clutch situations with men on base today, struck out or hit routine fly balls…He mearly has warning track power now. But hey he is leading the majors with 29 walks, as our goofball announcers pointed out!!! And who can we thank for continuing to play and bat this guy 3rd?? Thats right Bobby!! Dont get me started on all the strategic errors and head-scratching lineups he has had this season….WE ARE WINNING IN SPITE OF THESE TWO, NOT BECAUSE OF THEM!!!!
-Monger
Monger
May 20th, 2010
8:48 pm
LOL at Chipper saying that Brooks just “raw-dogs it”!!! Chipper is the king of raw-dogging!! Thats why he has a son with a hooters waitress!! He is the raw-dog king…way to put a great, classic quote full of irony into your article schultzie…maybe next article we will get a quote from Bobby Cox telling us how his wife likes when the players wear eye black…
-Monger
Braves fans suck
May 20th, 2010
8:56 pm
Tomorrows headline: BRAVES LOSE 19-0. IT’S OVER THE BRAVES SUCK. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.
idiots
Bob Horner stayed hurt
May 20th, 2010
8:58 pm
good work Jeff…..good stuff..!!
cattle dawg
May 20th, 2010
9:02 pm
This game kind of reminds me of the game in the early 90s when Brian Hunter crushed a Rob Dibble fastball to when the game. At least I think it was Dibble. It was the reds and in Cincy I believe.
mike
May 20th, 2010
9:03 pm
Thanks Mr. Charlie; great points. I will say that you are mostly right…but I still think he goes a LITTLE too far somethimes. I mean Greg Norton last year? For real?
There have been a few times in the past where it was PAST time to pull someone….but thanks for pointing out that, usually, his grand scheme does work.
If the currently hot hitters stay decent, and the usuals (McCann, Chipper, and Escobar) return to form, this could be a good team.
I am cautiously excited.
JohnSmith
May 20th, 2010
9:04 pm
Here’s MLB’s link to the video recap from Cincinnati’s WLW feed: http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=8188441&c_id=cin&topic_id=8877986
The commentator thinks Nix has caught the ball…then dryly has to change his tune as Conrad circles the bases! Hilarity.
J-Smoove
May 20th, 2010
9:04 pm
I was listening in my car and Jim Powell and Mark Lemke literally predicted the outcome… Powell had J-Hey hitting the grand slam before the bottom of the 9th started, but I couldn’t believe how the game ended. Looks like the team has a little bounce in their step and I hope the wins keep rolling in. GO BRAVOS!!!!
cattle dawg
May 20th, 2010
9:05 pm
This article makes me want to go out an buy everyone a round at the bar.
thunderbull56
May 20th, 2010
9:06 pm
Soooo, you get to scoop fellow Braves beat writers foor this stoory.Cheap Dude! Next thing you know, you’ll beat all ‘tha NASCAR writers to JR’s next Win! BTW, I’d as soon watch Wrasslin’ as NASCAR ! Long as my barf bag’s in place Bro.!
Chief76
May 20th, 2010
9:12 pm
For all you Bobby Cox bashers out there, this is why Bobby is the best manager in baseball. Not the moves, not the line-up cards and the like but the culture he creates for the team. I have never seen a Bobby Cox team quit. Everyone lays it on the line for him every pitch, every at bat. He makes sure every player is involved whether it’s a spot start, a pinch-hit at bat, going back to a pitcher out of the bullpen the day after they give up the run that loses the game. Just voted the best manager by the players, every major league ball player wants to be on his team and give the all for him. And that loyalty produces these unexpected, improbable wins. Back during the height of the streak, the Braves payroll was third highest in MLB. If we had maintained that position instead of being a corporate bottom line, we would have those other Championships people moan about as a reason to get rid of Bobby.
caleb monroe
May 20th, 2010
9:13 pm
chipper sucks, hes old washed up and DONE DONE DONE!!! i dont understand why hes still batting third. but i will always love the braves despite how many championships they left on the table. another story another day.
Ted Striker
May 20th, 2010
9:28 pm
Nice article. You captured the essence of the experience.
rekingball
May 20th, 2010
9:47 pm
Bobby Cox is a genius. When Hanson was getting bombed in the 2nd, for 8 runs, and Bobby just sat there watching, I was wondering what was going on in Bobby’s head.
Now I realize that he was just letting the Reds get just enough runs, so that he could put Conrad in as a pinch hitter in the 9th, and swat the ball just out of the reach of the left fielder for that walkoff grand slamy.
Pure brilliance! I hope I can be that smart when I grow that old.
Dawgdad
May 20th, 2010
10:09 pm
I know Conrad is no Johnny Blanchard or Smokey Burgess, but if we had him or someone similiar pinch hitting last year instead of Greg Norton, how many more games do we win? I’m betting 4-6 and maybe we make the playoffs. Cox’s inability to make changes has limited his success. No one was advocating benching Glaus indefinitely, just wanted him to play the hot hand. How many games did he cost us, by refusing to play Hinske over Glaus, over the Melkdud, over Diaz, over Chip. To be successful you have to be above playing your favorites and sticking with a set lineup. Every player goes through slumps and bad streaks, minimize their exsposure. Let them work on their stroke in BP, in blowouts, and against guys they have had success against before. Why is Omar not playing some outfield, I think he is hitting over .300, put him in until he struggles.
Great game today, congrats to Brooks and Bravos.
Jeff Schultz
May 20th, 2010
10:12 pm
MitchC — I was about halfway through a column on Hanson and the starting pitching issues when I decided to stop writing in the ninth.
Jeff Schultz
May 20th, 2010
10:13 pm
Thirty Points — Would you like an 8×10 glossy?
Jeff Schultz
May 20th, 2010
10:13 pm
Doug — Really was. Love the replay at the end when he puts his hand on helmet and starts to turn into dugout.
Jeff Schultz
May 20th, 2010
10:14 pm
Bob Horner — Thanks.
mike
May 20th, 2010
10:14 pm
And the truth lies somewhere between Mr.Charlie and Dawgdad………
Mr Charlie
May 20th, 2010
10:15 pm
When do you yank Hanson? Right after he let up the grand Slam? So maybe Bobby pulled him one or two batters too late. Maybe not.
But there was no guarantee that the next pitcher would have gotten out of it either. As a matter of fact, Hanson is one of our best pitchers, it was the 2nd inning, we were already 5 down, why burn up your bullpen? If Hanson finds it, maybe he goes 6 more innings.
Fact is, Hanson is young, he has not struggled much, and Bobby let him stay in to maybe work his way out, to let him grow, to give him experience to be in that position, and he might very well be a better pitcher because of it. There will be a time in Hansons career he will have to get batters out when his best stuff was not working. He was not able to do it today, but he might next time he will learn something. I think he got rattled due to inexperience, keep him in, let him grow some nads for the next time. Yanking him too early would have just shown him that you don’t have confidence in him. In this case, too late was better than too early.
Norton? Well, the guy was the best pinch hitter in the NL the year before. Again, pinch hitting is the hardest job in the league, and Norton had a track record of success. He was due, but nothing in baseball is 100%. It did not work this time, but Bobby never would have know if he did not keep sending him out there. Finally, you did not see Norton in practice, studying film, you did not see what Bobby saw. Baseball is a humbling game.
Cox does not manage for that game, he is managing for the season. Even if we came up one run short today, I would not have 2nd guessed it.
Jeff Schultz
May 20th, 2010
10:15 pm
Cattle Dawg — Figures. I’m never there when somebody else buys the round.
TheAntiMe
May 20th, 2010
10:15 pm
Not in our house Reds fans
Thanks for the video, Jeff. I just loved the part where in the stands the father and his teenage son all dressed up in their Reds attire – who obviously spent the day just waiting for the game to end so they could gloat to the Braves fans – were standing there looking like they just ate a bad Dodger Dog, or at the very least, some of those Colorado Rockies Mountain Oysters. Cool beans!
Jeff Schultz
May 20th, 2010
10:16 pm
Thank you, Dr. Striker.
Jeff Schultz
May 20th, 2010
10:17 pm
The AntiMe — Thanks. Yeah. That was funny. Can’t imagine what it would be like to be sitting in crowd for that game if you’re a fan of the other team.
Rick
May 20th, 2010
10:20 pm
I don’t necessarily blame Chip Caray because it was hard to tell if the LF actually caught the ball, and I think people unfairly criticize him (probably because of who he’s related to), but WOW did he butcher that call! My advice to Chip: keep your mouth shut until you know what happened. I know it’s an unfair comparison, but ol’ Pete Van Weiren or his Daddy wouldn’t have done that. Hopefully, he’ll learn from that and improve, because I do want to see him do well and have a long career as a Braves announcer.
Mr Charlie
May 20th, 2010
10:23 pm
Mike, I agree, Cox make wrong moves as every manager does. One move changes the destiny of the game, and there is no guarantee that doing one thing here or there will change the outcome of the game. Sometimes it is destiny that you lose (ask the Reds about that).
Who is better? Torre? LaRussa? Maybe, but they have jobs. I don’t know of a whole lot managers I would rather have, I and sure can’t think of any unemployed managers who might be better.
benchwarmer
May 20th, 2010
10:25 pm
Now that’s great baseball!
Thirty Points to your Twenty-Four Points
May 20th, 2010
10:32 pm
I’d love a glossy!! I’ll sell it to the ad agency that does the Rogain ads. I’ll also sell it to Glamour Shots to use as a “before” photo.
Thanks Schultzie!!
Coach (2011 or Bust)
May 20th, 2010
10:32 pm
Well, after Heyward struck out on a foul tip into the catchers mitt I thought that’s it, game over.
Which is why it ain’t over till it’s over. Even as a Braves fan I was stunned when the ball went off the glove of the Reds outfielder and over the wall. The Reds fans must be sick right now.
No to take anything away from the Braves improbable rally in the ninth but when a team commits four errors in one game….the baseball Gods tend to take vengeance. The Reds booted this one away allowing the improbable to happen. As for Brooks Conrad, awesome moment for him and the young man deserves the accolades.
TheAntiMe
May 20th, 2010
10:34 pm
Actually, I think the baseball gods refused to let the Reds win with the way they kicked the baseball around today (apologies to Hanley Ramirez, that’s a switch, by the way). They had four charged errors and it easily could have been five. The Reds really didn’t deserve to win today’s game, IMHO.
Mr Charlie
May 20th, 2010
10:37 pm
Absolutely, the baseball gods have spoken. All you can do is the best you can, the chips fall where they may. I think the Reds thought the game was won in the 2nd inning and lost focus. This Braves team seems to have destiny on its side. Hopefully, come September all these games will be a difference maker. Plus it give the Braves confidence that they are never every out.
asheville dawg
May 20th, 2010
10:40 pm
Now that was an exiting baseball game. I love it when one of the guys at the end of the bench
come up with big hit or big play! Reminds you the little guys can win big too.
Tweets that mention Brooks Conrad has his career moment, wins it for Braves | Jeff Schultz -- Topsy.com
May 20th, 2010
10:41 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by J.C. Redbird, Nick Weber. Nick Weber said: Forgot who shared this link, but it's a cool story. About Brooks Conrad, who hit a walk off slam for the Braves today: http://bit.ly/bJ7kcq [...]
Coach (2011 or Bust)
May 20th, 2010
10:41 pm
I’ve been to two rodeo’s and three goat roping’s but I have never seen anything like that…..what a great line from Joe Simpson.
P. Bull Terrier
May 20th, 2010
10:43 pm
If Bobby Cox was a good manager he would have told the Braves to score all those runs in the first inning. What kind of moron waits until the bottom of the last inning to tell his team to score 7 runs? I don’t know why they keep the guy.
Mr. Charlie & Chief76, you are both too smart to be wasting your time trying to use rational thought to convince the dumb masses that you’re right.
Monger, that’s funny.
TROTTINGHOME
May 20th, 2010
10:43 pm
WHy isn’t Dave O’Brien doing trhis article? Just wondering …he use to do most of the game writing.
DanWoods
May 20th, 2010
10:49 pm
“”I’ve been to two rodeos and three goat ropings, but I’ve never seen anything like that.”
Wow 3 goat ropings and that makes Joe some sort of an expert. Yea today’s comeback was big. But come on, Simpson must be in a coma. There have been some very exciting goat ropings. The 1999 finals????
Reid Adair
May 20th, 2010
10:52 pm
What a great moment for Brooks Conrad and a big comeback for the Braves. Great post, Jeff.
Mr Charlie
May 20th, 2010
10:54 pm
I did not even know they were playing a day game until I saw Shultz’s live article. I check the internet and it was 5-0, 3 minutes later, it was 8. I was hoping it would be one of those barn burner games, like a 14-13. I check a few times and saw the brave puttin up zeros. Last I checked is when the 8th just ended, and I have to say, I thought it just was not to be. Then I went to dinner and checked my phone and saw the score, I could not belive it.
Mr. Wow
May 20th, 2010
11:18 pm
WOW………..WOW……………….wow………………..Man!!!!!!!!!………………………….WOOOOOOOWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ph.D.
May 20th, 2010
11:34 pm
A great American story! Thanks Jeff! Go Bravos. This year has magic written in the air.
Kane337
May 20th, 2010
11:34 pm
How about that Braves bullpen? Hanson gives up 8 runs by the 2nd inning and the bullpen only gives up 1 run the rest of the game.
chem
May 20th, 2010
11:48 pm
Chipper, 6+4 = 10
willy
May 20th, 2010
11:52 pm
I LOVE THE BRAVES AGAIN!!!
GTmasterZ
May 21st, 2010
12:17 am
Congratulations to Brooks Conrad.
I wish May would go on forever for these Braves.
Real UT
May 21st, 2010
12:30 am
Chipper probably does know a thing or two about raw-dogging it. Atta boy Hoss.
YAD
May 21st, 2010
6:19 am
How could anyone watch the Slam video and continue to make “they don’t care” posts about the players, i.e. Chipper and Yunel, attitude?
Phil
May 21st, 2010
8:09 am
“Fact is, Hanson is young, he has not struggled much, and Bobby let him stay in to maybe work his way out, to let him grow, to give him experience to be in that position, and he might very well be a better pitcher because of it. He was not able to do it today, but he might next time he will learn something.”
And this is the same manager who would not let Hanson finish off a 1 hitter against Houston last year, bringing in Soriano instead to lose the game. Yea, that made him a better pitcher, showing Hanson that he didn’t have the confidence in him to get the complete game win.
Doesn’t take pitchers out when he needs to, and takes them out when he shouldn’t.
You can’t have it both ways with Cox, but knowing you Mr. Charlie you will defend Cox till your dying breath.
Cox put the team in an incredibly bad position by being 8 runs down in the 2nd. But the players refused to give up and bailed his stupid butt out. All credit goes to them.
And don’t tell me it was the great Cox that strategized scoring 7 runs in the bottom on the 9th and he knew what he doing all along. But I’m sure you will.
Braves fans suck
May 21st, 2010
8:11 am
Jeff Schultz is a hack.
Todd
May 21st, 2010
8:20 am
I wrote yesterday he should be playing over chipper. Bobby has no clue how to manage. He puts in some old crap who can’t hit or field while this guy has been on fire. If chipper cared about the team at all, he would say put in brooks and see how he does for a couple of weeks.
mountain_jim
May 21st, 2010
8:24 am
Well I was in the live blog late yesterday during the game, and I had to laugh during this comeback as I knew Jeff would have to scramble and re-write his next column-in-progress.
But it was worth waiting for. Excellent column Jeff. I marvel at the folks bitching about Bobby in here after the Braves just served up the biggest 9th inning comeback in franchise history. Something told me to stay and watch that 9th inning live and I am glad I did.
As Mark says, Kudos.
Jeff Schultz
May 21st, 2010
8:38 am
P. Bull Terrier — That’s pretty funny.
Jeff Schultz
May 21st, 2010
8:39 am
Thanks PhD.
Jeff Schultz
May 21st, 2010
8:40 am
Kane337 — Good point about the bullpen. Even Jesse Chavez retired eight straight until giving up a home run.
Jeff Schultz
May 21st, 2010
8:42 am
Mountain Jim — Thanks. Carroll Rogers and I both were saying we were just happy it was a day game. Night game would’ve made it a deadline nightmare and the Brooks Conrad story would not have been given the play it deserves.
meh
May 21st, 2010
8:43 am
pretty awesome. go Braves!!
Sonny Clusters
May 21st, 2010
8:51 am
Stinky Wintes hit a ball like that once. That ball just cleared the fence and Stinky was thinking it wasn’t out. He hollered real loud and dropped down to his knees and started rolling around in the dirt and he was crying and tears was running down his face and he was agonizing about not winning the game with a big hit when the umpire said, “Boy, get off the ground and run the bases or I’m going to call you out.” We celebrated that night at the Dairy Queen.
mountain_jim
May 21st, 2010
8:54 am
I rememeber when Bobby chose Brooks for the final roster spot out of spring training when his average was well below the other player, and at the time I wondered what the deciding factors were.
ttuman4702
May 21st, 2010
9:05 am
Mr. Charlie is spot on with almost everything he said. Someone said nobody was calling for Glaus to be benched. Wrong!!!! There was comment after comment suggesting he couldn’t hit ’cause he was off “the juice”. He needed to be cut. Etc. Yeah, every coach, player or commentator sings Cox’s praises, but you guys are smarter than all of them. You know better. That is what is wrong with the world, people who don’t know anything and think they know everything!
Sid
May 21st, 2010
9:33 am
One for the ages………………….!! No Braves fan will ever forget this game!
AJC guy
May 21st, 2010
9:36 am
I was at the game – and I have witnesses! What a comeback…
Sid
May 21st, 2010
9:38 am
Who wasn’t coming out of there chairs when Sid Bream was lumbering home…….!!!
Run Lindsey Run…………….didn’t it seem like Bream was never going to get to the plate……lol….!!
Phil
May 21st, 2010
9:38 am
“Yeah, every coach, player or commentator sings Cox’s praises, but you guys are smarter than all of them. You know better.”
You must have missed that game in Houston last year. On the post-game show Ron Gant and Joe Simpson spent 20 minutes trying to figure out why Cox took Hanson out of that 1 hitter. He was cruising, wasn’t tired, he was a beast that night. Yet he took him out so the bullpen could get some work.
These are the types of decisions that Cox makes that will cost you 10 games or more during the season. What would an extra 10 wins have done for us last year? It would have put us in the wild card, that’s what.
I know every manager makes poor decisions sometimes but Cox just keeps making moronic decisions over and over every year. That’s why we haven’t been to the playoffs in 5 years.
GT BABY
May 21st, 2010
9:39 am
Jeff – I saw you on tv last night with a tape recorder all in Conrad’s face hahahaha
Sid
May 21st, 2010
9:40 am
Braves fans suck
May 21st, 2010
8:11 am
Jeff Schultz is a hack.
*************************************************************
Normally I don’t feed the trolls but I am taking much joy in this Reds fans agony.
Ryan
May 21st, 2010
9:44 am
Conrad has been clutch more than once…but never as big as that shot. Really proud for the guy, and what a great win!
TommyJack
May 21st, 2010
9:52 am
Jeff, when did you last pay to get into a sporting event?
Susan
May 21st, 2010
9:57 am
Your comparison of Brooks Conrad and Crash Davis absolutely made my day. It was a stroke of genius. Thanks for making me smile early on a Friday morning.
rekingball
May 21st, 2010
10:04 am
105th
EW
May 21st, 2010
10:05 am
Jeff, great day to be you…wish I could have been there…
Jeremiah
May 21st, 2010
10:21 am
Mr Charlie,
You are absolutely correct, great posts! Nice to see there are other fans out there with some common sense. BC haters are typically the biggest baseball idiots in existence. The man is a HOF manager and arguably one of the best managers in the history of the game, imho…2nd time I believe all time in wins to Larussa, yet these clowns question his every move? If they ran the show, Bobby would still be fired and Ted would still be manager giving away free helicopter rides just to get people to show up to the games. Retarded.
Jeff
May 21st, 2010
10:22 am
I’m sure Brooks Conrad “raw dogged” more than just the bat last night…..
Coach
May 21st, 2010
10:33 am
Mr. Charlie- I think some of these fans think it is still amateur baseball; high school or college. If the Braves were Lassiter high school then yeah you can bench your sluping players and put in the hot ones. The slumping players can get some extra tee work and soft toss and you stick them in there in a blowout or something to get some game experience.
It’s frustrating because you would like to see Brooks in there every day right now because he does seem hot or at least warmer than some. Who are you going to replace? Can’t bench Prado and they sure aren’t going to bench Chipper Jones, a future HOF. The only way Yunel gets benched would be a Jimmy ROllins/Hanley Ramirez type situation for not hustling or something. It’s just the difference between high school and pro ball.
Brock
May 21st, 2010
10:36 am
Phil- dead on. Bobby pulling pitchers too early is his achilles heel. The first game against the Red’s. KK throwing a helluva game and he pulls him after the sixth. I thought, “here we go again”. The Moylen strikes out the side and I said,” you wait, he’ll pull him too”. It was inevitable that another setup guy was going to lose the lead (almost) and sure enough Saito gives em 3 runs. I ask, “why take KK out that early?” I also ask “why then take Moylen out when he just sent 3 straight to the dugout?” Then of course Waggy gives up a homer and there ya go. KK misses winning his first game. Was his pitch count too high? Who cares what his pitch count is. Let the guy finish a game for once or at least be the one to let it slip away then pull him. At least you’re not watching another guy lose it for you over and over again. You start chipping away at these pitcher’s confidence and ability to close a game and you’ve got some serious problems. (Baseball is 90% mental, the other half is physical-Yogi Berra)The offense is bailing out Bobby’s bad pitching change decisions on a 2 to 3 game a week basis. Heyward saved Bobby’s ass on that game.
Coach
May 21st, 2010
10:39 am
Also, in baseball the manager gets most of the credit when you lose and very little when you win. In a football game if the coach goes for it on 4 and 1 and gets it then he’s a genius and vice versa. It’s never that the players failed to execute.
In baseball it’s the manager’s fault for pulling the starting pitcher. It’s not the bullpen’s fault for blowing the lead. It’s not the PH fault for not producing (which is what his role is), it’s the manager’s.
How many times have you ever heard a Major League manager get the credit for a win???
Brock
May 21st, 2010
10:46 am
Coach- I understand what you’re saying and yes, the bullpen should be able to close it out, However, you have to admit that if a starting pitcher has the other team guessing like KK did on wednesday there is no reason to pull him unless he is simply gassed or hurt. I’m not sure he was either but Bobby will pull a guy based on pitch count alone and that is not right. Even Smoltz called him out on that one.
Gene
May 21st, 2010
10:48 am
Maybe this is the spark the Braves need to play winning baseball and challenge for the division!!
Brock
May 21st, 2010
10:48 am
Media may not give Bobby credit for wins but I do every now and then. sometimes he just makes crazy decisions that keep me guessing.
Don
May 21st, 2010
10:59 am
Mr. Charlie and other Cox supporters, you are right Bobby Cox is a brilliant — You have to be brilliant to continuously do the absurd things that he does and still be able to make some people (any people) think that you are a good manager.
How in the world could you manage to lose 9 straight games will the Pitchig Staff that we have.
Why in the world would you continue to keep playing Melky during this 9 game losing streak when he had already proven that he was producing next to nothing – instead of giving Hinske a chance?
Why in the world would you continue playing McLouth during this 9 game losing streak when he was producing almost nothing at that point – instead of giving Infante a chance to produce.
Why in the world would you keep Chipper in the 3rd spot in the batting order when he was in a terrible slump and hitting only aroung .200
Brilliant Bobby Cox.
This may be shocking news – But every one of those 9 loses count as much in the end of year standings as any loss in September.
And this kind of thing is nothig new. It has gone on season after season. Remember our great pinch hitter last year. Remember that it took him two seasons to decide to play Prado as a regular. Remember how he never did decide not to play Francouer. Remeber his use of relief pitchers who could not get anyone out over and over – in several different seasons.
J
May 21st, 2010
11:12 am
Brooksie – You the man!
Are Braves playing dangerous game or can magic continue? | Jeff Schultz
May 21st, 2010
11:32 am
[...] Braves obscurity Brooks Conrad hit the shot heard around Atlanta, Pittsfield and Round Rock Thursday, I was on my way to writing a column about the recent collapse of pitcher Tommy Hanson and [...]
61 year Braves Fan
May 21st, 2010
12:59 pm
Sonny Clusters is one funny dude.
Julio
May 21st, 2010
3:57 pm
@ Jeff 10:22a….that was the funniest thing I read in a long time!
Are Braves playing dangerous game or can magic continue? | reds.baseball-news-update.com
May 21st, 2010
8:31 pm
[...] Braves obscurity Brooks Conrad hit the shot heard ’round Atlanta, Pittsfield and Round Rock Thursday, I was on my way to writing a column about the recent collapse of pitcher Tommy Hanson and [...]