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
Colin
May 20th, 2010
4:21 pm
I am naming my first born Jason Brooks Conrad.
daBraves860
May 20th, 2010
4:21 pm
Phil which bafoon are you talking about? the pitchers that gave up the runs? or the manager that put the pitcher out there? don’t be an jerk, especially after this magical win. take it easy bro.
supa
May 20th, 2010
4:21 pm
Chipper told the skipper he’s willing to hit anywhere in the order. What about the bench? Brooks deserves to start. This reminds me of Prado-Johnson last year. At some point, Bobby has to give him more playing time.
a
May 20th, 2010
4:22 pm
can’t believe i didn’t see that.
Hollywould
May 20th, 2010
4:22 pm
Did it really go off outfielders glove?
Phil
May 20th, 2010
4:23 pm
daBraves860,
The manager, who else. The players didn’t give up, they gave it their all.
gobraves
May 20th, 2010
4:24 pm
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Casey
May 20th, 2010
4:24 pm
Phillis,
Bobby is the one who doesn’t allow them to give up. Hanley Ramirez would have been showering in the clubhouse had it been him before this past week. The players made it happen, but once again, THE COACH PUT THE PLAYERS IN POSITION TO WIN. It was his decision to go to Conrad, and the other players throughout the game. You never would have pulled Tommy Hanson, and one hit gave four of those runs up, so it’s not like they were nailing triples and such. Can’t pull a pitcher too much earlier than 1.2 innings work dude. Learn the game of baseball and get back to me if you don’t believe that.
gobraves
May 20th, 2010
4:24 pm
yes off the tip of the glove he thought he caught the ball
Temporary Milledgeville Resident
May 20th, 2010
4:24 pm
And we will see you in October! The Braves are for real, and only someone who has no baseball sense whatsoever would predict that they won’t win the World Series this year! I have never witnessed such hitting, such pitching, such team chemistry, and, dare I say it, such managing. I don’t know if they’ll challenge the 1998 Yankees for most wins, but I wouldn’t bet against it. Oh, the Glory!
meh
May 20th, 2010
4:25 pm
brooks conrad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sid Bream
May 20th, 2010
4:25 pm
That a boy Brooks! You the man.
where
May 20th, 2010
4:26 pm
is it on youtube yet anybody know ??
gobraves
May 20th, 2010
4:26 pm
what radio station can i hear the post game?
WOW
May 20th, 2010
4:26 pm
I’m here jumping around the living room like the braves won the world series and my 9 yr old daughter’s looking at me like i’m nuts lol
gobraves
May 20th, 2010
4:27 pm
680 the fan? they have been on commercial for more than 10 minutes
myra
May 20th, 2010
4:27 pm
I went out after the third and mowed lawn. i finished and came inside to cool off. i turned on the tv to see if the game was still on. it was just starting the bottom of the ninth………
that may have been the most luckiest and stunning defeat in regular play!!!!!!!!!!
I dont know what happened to TOM BOMB but the rest of the Bravos are SMOKIN BAY- BE!!!!!!!!
This team is goin to make the neighbors call the cops to my house……cause im SCREAMING SO LOUD!
Thank u Braves.
(and reds)
Bend Over Rover
May 20th, 2010
4:27 pm
If Booby doesnt play Brooksie he should be put to sleep!
Phil
May 20th, 2010
4:28 pm
OK thanks Casey,
I’m glad you explained that strategy of going 8 runs down. Yes you can pull a pitcher less than that, if the game is getting out of reach. Hanson didn’t have it, it happens sometimes. The players bailed Cox out today.
gobraves
May 20th, 2010
4:29 pm
im at at work and cannot stop smiling and everyone is wondering what the hell i am so happy about
Luv 2 Hate Me
May 20th, 2010
4:30 pm
Working from home and caught the 9th inning. Man if you didn’t believe -now is the time.
Its Not Frank its Bobby
May 20th, 2010
4:32 pm
Great win…and I hope I’m wrong but as long as Bobby hangs with “his guys” we aren’t dong anything. Chipper needs to quit or sit and Infante needs to be in there for Escobar until he gets his hunger back. Playing Hinske turned out good for Bobby but something tells me that the more that National League pitchers get to see of him, the worse he will do. He’s been a bench guy his whole career for a reason. BUT if Glaus keeps it up and if McCann turns it around we have a chance. Prado, Heyward and Glaus are fueling this surge and the Braves will only go as far as those guys take them. The pitching is there…today not withstanding…we just need some bats to show up regularly. If we had the Reds lineup we’d be in first pi$$ing on the Phils
BravesFanLostInOhio
May 20th, 2010
4:32 pm
I’m here jumping around the living room like the braves won the world series and my 9 yr old daughter’s looking at me like i’m nuts
That’s how teach ‘em it matters
Bravo Indy
May 20th, 2010
4:34 pm
Is there going to be a replay tonight? A lot of the times the day game will be replayed at 7 or 8 that night. If not then they should.
Hollywould
May 20th, 2010
4:34 pm
I will say it again HOLY COW
bravedav
May 20th, 2010
4:35 pm
If I recall correctly, the Braves were floundering under .500 back in 2004 until a comeback against the Orioles that was almost identical to this one catapulted them to another NL East championship by 10 games.
Keep the momentum going, Braves! Great win!!
C. Tampa Ironworse
May 20th, 2010
4:36 pm
I hope Conrad gets some palying time…oh, wait….we just traded for Kelly Johnson and BC is looking for some great things from him. Brooks Conrad has been shipped to Mississippi.
DC Bravesfan
May 20th, 2010
4:36 pm
The Braves are playing the 9th inning like they have god mode on…
C. Tampa Ironworse
May 20th, 2010
4:38 pm
Also…I think Glaus is really getting overlooked. He’s the bat we needed at 1st and he’s actually playing well in the field too. FW may have gotten a steal with him.
Casey
May 20th, 2010
4:39 pm
Gotta explain something to try and get through to that thick skull and mushed up brain of yours. In any sport, the athletes are the ones that make the plays. Their motivation, signs, and ultimate decisions come from the skipper. Go on down to the players locker room and run your rant by 6′5 Jason Heyward, or 6′4 Chipper Jones, or even 5′10 Martin Prado and see if you leave out of there in anything but a stretcher.
Blackberry Cobbler
May 20th, 2010
4:40 pm
Let’s see if Booby Cox now has enough sense to sit Chipper and Escy on the pine and start Conrad and Infante next game. You know it ain’t gonna happen.
gobraves
May 20th, 2010
4:42 pm
does anyone know the post game radio station
Rex
May 20th, 2010
4:46 pm
Bravedav….
I remember that game against the Orioles well…. On a Sunday afternoon in June 2004. I had just got done playing a round of golf.
Observor
May 20th, 2010
4:54 pm
This comeback was eerily similar to a comeback with against the Reds in 19991. The braves came back from a huge deficit to win 10-9 against the Reds on August 22, 1991, which was fueled by a Cabrerra 3-Run HR to tie and a David Justice double for the win. Here is an article from the LA Times about that game in case you are interested:
National League Roundup
Braves Come Back to Beat Reds, 10-9
August 22, 1991|DAN HAFNER
A team that finishes in last place one season is rarely a contender the following season.
That is why several teams, including the Dodgers, have not really taken the Atlanta Braves seriously.
ns→Sports
National League Roundup
Braves Come Back to Beat Reds, 10-9
August 22, 1991|DAN HAFNER
A team that finishes in last place one season is rarely a contender the following season.
That is why several teams, including the Dodgers, have not really taken the Atlanta Braves seriously.
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It’s time to get serious.
Faced with the prospect of dropping 3 1/2 games behind the Dodgers Wednesday night at Cincinnati, the Braves rallied dramatically.
With two outs and the Reds leading, 9-6, in the ninth inning, Atlanta’s Francisco Cabrera tagged bullpen ace Rob Dibble for a three-run home run.
Then, in the 13th inning, David Justice doubled home a run to give the Braves a 10-9 victory.
Atlanta is 2 1/2 games out of first place, and the Reds have dropped to 9 1/2 back.
Cabrera started the comeback for the Braves, who trailed, 9-5, with a home run in the seventh.
His home run in the ninth was only the third off Dibble and marked the second time in 26 chances that he failed to get a save.
Even with Justice out for almost two months, the Braves stayed in the race. He went four for seven, driving in three runs and indicating he will be a big help in the stretch.
In the Atlanta 13th, Greg Olson was walked by Randy Myers (5-10), the Reds’ seventh pitcher. Terry Pendleton followed with his fourth single. With one out, Justice delivered.
http://articles.latimes.com/1991-08-22/sports/sp-1042_1_beat-reds
Bravesfan79
May 20th, 2010
4:55 pm
Thankfully they are reshowing the game late tonight! I didnt bother turning on my tv when i saw the score midway thru the game, wow did i miss out!
Ryan
May 20th, 2010
4:56 pm
This was bigger than 04 – that happened in the 8th, though it was on the road. Still doesn’t have the same excitement as a walkoff grand slam. This is a perfect example of why you stay the whole game – I would be so furious if I was there today and left in the 7th thinking the game was over. Only to miss something so incredible.
Ryan
May 20th, 2010
4:58 pm
BTW I know our attendance is up from last year, but we really need to get more fans in the stands. This team has had a number of exciting wins already and are starting to look like a team that the city can rally around.
NRBQ
May 20th, 2010
4:58 pm
Hard to believe three wins in a row like this.
It must be pointed out, though, that the winning run against the Mets was unearned Tuesday. Three runs in the ninth were unearned today.
You can’t count on the gifts to continue.
Observor
May 20th, 2010
4:58 pm
The braves also had another huge comeback win that same year (1991) against the Reds on October 1, and once again, Dave Justice had the game winning hit, except it was a 2-run home run this time. This was one of the most memorable regular season moments in braves history IMO, as I remember going crazy when this happened because we were neck and neck with the Dodgers trying to win the division, and literally, every win mattered. It seems like we have a long history of huge come back victories versus the reds.
Heres the NY Times article about that game as well for your nostalgia and reading enjoyment:
http://www.nytimes.com/1991/10/02/sports/baseball-justice-s-homer-in-ninth-caps-comeback-for-braves.html
Observor
May 20th, 2010
5:01 pm
I had a previous post that is awaiting moderation for some strange reason. Anyways, here’s the post that my last post was building on:
This comeback was eerily similar to a comeback with against the Reds in 1991. The braves came back from a huge deficit to win 10-9 against the Reds on August 22, 1991, which was fueled by a Cabrerra 3-Run HR to tie and a David Justice double for the win. Here is an article from the LA Times about that game in case you are interested:
http://articles.latimes.com/1991-08-22/sports/sp-1042_1_beat-reds
Ryan
May 20th, 2010
5:05 pm
Thanks observor – I was only 9 at the time, so it’s good to read about things like this. So now my question is – have the Braves (since moving to Atlanta) ever had a bigger comeback in the ninth inning than this one?
Pescizete
May 20th, 2010
5:11 pm
just got into Hilton Head for a wedding this weekend and missed the whole game. I’m considering divorcing college football and trying to get my 1st love, the braves, to marry me again.
Ryan
May 20th, 2010
5:15 pm
According to this article this ties the biggest bottom of the ninth comback win since 1957. Notice the Braves scored 7 in the bottom of the ninth in May of 1994 to tie the Phils. They went on to win in 15 innings.
http://blogs.wsj.com/numbersguy/baseballs-biggest-ninth-inning-comebacks-385/
Sand Napper
May 20th, 2010
5:16 pm
suck it, a-rod!
robdawg08
May 20th, 2010
5:20 pm
Great comeback but pretty pathetic getting down 8-0 in the first place.
Don’t worry Braves fans I’m delivering 3 bottles of HGH to Pittsburgh to hand deliver to Chipper,McCann,and Escobar so they can get their power back ! Hey Jeff, you gonna do a story on the decrease in homeruns in MLB being likely tied to stricter steroids testing ?
robdawg08
May 20th, 2010
5:21 pm
Chipper is typical of a former steroid user, injuries,lack of power all of a sudden.
robdawg08
May 20th, 2010
5:22 pm
Can we get Infante at SS,Schafer in CF,and Conrad at 3B and win this division please ?
Blue Skies
May 20th, 2010
5:32 pm
The Oct. 1 game in 1991 immediately came to mind. I was only 12 at the time but I’ll never forget Skip Carey’s call “I hate to borrow it from you dad, but HOLY COW!”. By the way, I remember the Reds went up off a Hal Morris grand slam, in the first i believe.
KnightInATL
May 20th, 2010
5:37 pm
It must have sucked to have left early if ya went to today’s game.
Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
May 20th, 2010
7:02 pm
great game, had my doubts earlier in the game but my lord….what an ending. hopefully this trend will continue on the road.