We’re live, and Braves are alive: Do you think it’s for real?
Jason Heyward has a team leading 29 RBI after a game-winning double against Cincinnati Wednesday night. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
So are you feeling a little more comfortable today, or are you still nervous about this Braves’ team?
I’ll be heading out to the stadium later for the finale of a seven-game home stand that has seen the Braves go 4-2. They are back to .500 (20-20) after a nine-game losing streak had dropped them to 8-14 and general manager Frank Wren had angry torch-carrying villagers climbing the hill to his front gates.
If we divide the season into 10-game increments — and yes, I know the season is 162 games, not 160 — here’s how things break down:
♦ Games 1-10: 6-4 record, 56 runs scored, 47 against (plus-9)
♦ Games 11-20: 2-8 record, 21 scored, 38 against (minus-17)
♦ Games 21-30: 5-5 record, 41 scored, 43 against (minus-2)
♦ Games 30-40: 7-3 record, 61 scored, 38 against (plus-23)
What jumps out obviously are the runs scored. The Braves scored 40 more runs in the last 10 games than they did in the second 10. That’s pretty remarkable when you consider three key members of their lineup — Chipper Jones (.234), Yunel Escobar (.198) and Brian McCann (.261) — are still miles from their average levels of production. Nobody expected the top four RBI men in the lineup to this point of the season would be Jason Heyward (29), Troy Glaus (27), Martin Prado (18) and Eric Hinske (18).
Heyward (29) has driven in nearly as many runs as Jones (11), Escobar (8) and McCann (14) combined (33).
About Prado. I love stories like this. Kid spends most of seven years in the minors and developmental leagues (going back to 2001) and he eventually wins the starting second base job because he just keeps getting better — and also Kelly Johnson implodes. He’s hitting .321 this season and his career major league average is now .309.
It doesn’t matter where Bobby Cox sticks him in the order: Prado is hitting .381 (8 for 21) as a leadoff hitter, .309 (42 for 136) second and .400 (2 for 5) third.
Prado vs. lefthanders: .313.
Prado vs. righthanders: .325.
OK, I’m going to hit the road here. When I get to the park, I’ll check back in and then blog live during the game against Cincinnati. Are you feeling comfortable, nervous or somewhere in between?
♦
Earlier post
Fredi Gonzalez should top Braves’ list to replace Cox
♦
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354 comments Add your comment
Phil
May 20th, 2010
1:21 pm
“Yo, Phil — you ever hear of protecting a young pitcher? you want him to be dusty baker and let him ruin people like he did kerry wood?
Sure, they lost that game. Ten years from now when Hanson’s still pitching, somneone needs to remember to thank bobby.
You, sir, are a moron.”
So 1 more inning and his arm would have fallen off? So if Hanson is pitching a no-hitter Cox should protect him and not let him pitch the 9th? He would probably would do that now that I think of it.
Phil
May 20th, 2010
1:24 pm
Good thing Bobby wasn’t managing those teams that threw 2 no-hitters against us this year, he would have pulled the pitchers to protect them, right Sandy??
Snowman
May 20th, 2010
1:25 pm
Jeff, what do you think the chances are of Medlen staying in the rotation if he keeps pitching like he has when starting?
Jeff Schultz
May 20th, 2010
1:26 pm
Steve … It’s another partial sellout. (20,000 maybe). And it is a gorgeous day.
Hmm
May 20th, 2010
1:28 pm
So what kind of statistics would we need our various lineup stalwarts/question marks to put up to make the playoffs? I’d say if Mclouth gets over .250 with .340 OBP (still weakest link, if Hinske keeps producing in left), Escobar does .275/.340 OBP, and Mccann and Chipper both get over .275 with 20 or so HR, then with the kind of years Prado, Glaus, and Heyward are putting up, we should be strong enough at least for the lineup not to be a liability. Oh, and we need to get Medlen in the rotation and move Kawakami to the bullpen.
Jeff Schultz
May 20th, 2010
1:30 pm
J-Dubb — 6 of next 9 vs. Pirates. That’s the good news. But also big series coming up vs. Marlins, Phillies and Dodgers.
papadawg
May 20th, 2010
1:31 pm
The Braves can beat the lower half of the teams but I don’t see them even close to Philly
Jeff Schultz
May 20th, 2010
1:33 pm
Snowman — well, if everybody’s healthy, it all gets back to who are you bumping down to the pen? Not Hanson, Jurrjens, Hudson. So it has to be Lowe (5-4, 5.47) or Kawakami (0-6, 4.98). More likely Kawakami.
myra
May 20th, 2010
1:35 pm
cmon big red
Phil
May 20th, 2010
1:35 pm
KM,
Youre making way too much sense.
Steve and Sandy will call you a moron because of that.
Colin
May 20th, 2010
1:36 pm
lets leave the bases loaded here please..I came inside from doing wood and find this out..utoh.
myra
May 20th, 2010
1:36 pm
0-2 dont let em off
myra
May 20th, 2010
1:36 pm
i quit
Colin
May 20th, 2010
1:37 pm
of flippen course..Hanson is not a closer, he always fails when it comes to strike 3..
J dubb
May 20th, 2010
1:37 pm
I like Hanson to win the Cy and Heyward to win ROY. How effin cool would that be?
But i guess we would have to make the playoffs (as the wildcard) for Hanson to win the CY?
Chipper retires with Bobby, Fredi G manages and Chipper is batting coach. TP is sent out to be new Bullpen coach!
Colin
May 20th, 2010
1:39 pm
J-Dubb, Hanson cant win the ROY..maybe you mean Heyward.
myra
May 20th, 2010
1:39 pm
w t h?
Colin
May 20th, 2010
1:39 pm
well it was nice being at .500 for a day.
TruthSeeker
May 20th, 2010
1:39 pm
Ouch. Gonna be a long day. I don’t see us touching Leake.
steve whitmire
May 20th, 2010
1:40 pm
won’t have to worry about Hanson pitching a no hitter today, Reds grand slam, 5-0, bummer
Kane337
May 20th, 2010
1:41 pm
Hanson has been sucking lately.
myra
May 20th, 2010
1:41 pm
big red is/has been suffrin. jeez
Marcus
May 20th, 2010
1:42 pm
yeesh. ajc live blog = bad ju-ju.
Braves #5
May 20th, 2010
1:43 pm
we need Josh Hamilton to play center !
Colin
May 20th, 2010
1:43 pm
this is kind of sad now, he can’t throw a strike.
FDB
May 20th, 2010
1:43 pm
Yep, 12-8 over 20 games at their hottest. This team has significant flaws. I hope Wagner ain’t among them or we are in big trouble. But I think we finish 78-84 ish UNLESS we get a consistent above-average production at the plate out of (1) Jordan Schaefer, (2) Troy Glaus and (3) a LF(Hinske or Diaz, I guess). That is a lot to ask.
Jeff Schultz
May 20th, 2010
1:43 pm
OK … Tommy Hanson: Not good… Grand salami by Joey Vitto (his first career) gives Reds a 5-0 lead in second. Still batting. Two men on. Ouchie.
myra
May 20th, 2010
1:43 pm
lol
it was fun being .500
oh well time for gardening.
Phil
May 20th, 2010
1:44 pm
Pull Hanson Bobby!!! Protect him!!!! He will thank you in 10 years!!!
Jeff Schultz
May 20th, 2010
1:44 pm
Ramon Hernandez is 10th Red to come to the plate. He started the inning six hours ago with a single.
Colin
May 20th, 2010
1:45 pm
Hanson is like a 10 year old little leaguer, all smiles when everything is going good..once 1 thing goes bad, well the game is over.
Braves #5
May 20th, 2010
1:45 pm
Release # 53 ,24,11 , 23 ! ASAP !!! Sign J.Dye ! And trade for Hamilton! Bring #29 out of the booth!
kurula
May 20th, 2010
1:45 pm
what is going on with tommy? is he hiding an injury?
THE TONE
May 20th, 2010
1:46 pm
is it really 5-0 already dad gum it , I finally have a game i can follow at work here at the huddle house and it turns out to be a no hit blowout for the other team ,
Colin
May 20th, 2010
1:47 pm
whatever I am out, Ill go find something better to do with my time, Hanson is a joke.
Kashi
May 20th, 2010
1:47 pm
where can I listen braves-reds game live beside mlb.tv?
Jeff Schultz
May 20th, 2010
1:47 pm
RBI single by Hernandez, 2 run double by Nix — makes it 8-0. Somebody get Hanson out of there….
TruthSeeker
May 20th, 2010
1:47 pm
Welp, that’ll dent that ol’ ERA.
GTSteve
May 20th, 2010
1:48 pm
Looks like we can get some work done today
Kane337
May 20th, 2010
1:49 pm
Way to show up for work Hanson. You should have called in sick.
Tech Sucks
May 20th, 2010
1:49 pm
Wow, glad I forgot this game was on today. Freaking awful….
Chris
May 20th, 2010
1:49 pm
Oh no, we suck again!
Turtsnap
May 20th, 2010
1:50 pm
So much for ending the home stand on a positive note. At least I can get back to work now!
Phil
May 20th, 2010
1:50 pm
Hey Sandy and Steve,
Rememeber when I was saying Cox left Lowe in and gave up 10 runs in an inning last year to the Mets? Looks like he’s doing the same to Hanson. And you guys wonder why we’re sick of him.
Kashi
May 20th, 2010
1:50 pm
Braves are down like a stock market today. Will they survive?
GTSteve
May 20th, 2010
1:51 pm
Drive home safely
Kashi
May 20th, 2010
1:52 pm
WHERE CAN I LISTEN BRAVES-REDS GAME ONLINE? LINK LINK PLEASE…
SOUTH GA DAWG FAN
May 20th, 2010
1:53 pm
Have many fans left yet ?
StingerSplash
May 20th, 2010
1:54 pm
Well, that was awful.
steve whitmire
May 20th, 2010
1:55 pm
oh well, can’t blame this one on Frank Wren