We’re LIVE from Braves, as Lowe tries to make statement
If Derek Lowe wants to start games in the postseason, he needs to win games like these.
Welcome to the Braves’ series finale against the Florida Marlins.
It’s “Bark in The Park” day, so there are several dogs in the stadium, although I’m not sure at this time if Bob Wickman has been invited back to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
(Thank you. I’m here all game.)
The Braves, coming off Saturday’s 12-3 win over the Marlins, will try to win consecutive games for the first time since winning four straight Aug. 15-18 (two over Los Angeles, two over Washington). That was followed by a 6-2 loss to the Nationals and a stretch of six losses in eight games before Saturday’s 12-3 win over Florida.
A few subplots in today’s game:
♦ Derrek Lee suffered a strained in his right side Saturday night and is out of the lineup today (Eric Hinske starts at first). The injury is believed to be minor and Lee could be back Monday night against the New York Mets.
♦ If pitcher Derek Lowe (11-12, 4.33) wants to make a statement that he should be a postseason starter, he needs to win games like today’s and start stringing together some impressive games. He was tagged early in his last outing at Colorado, though he ended up allowing only three runs in six innings in a 5-2 loss to the Rockies. The Braves have won only one of Lowe’s last seven starts (Lowe in that span: 1-4, two no decisions, 4.17 ERA).
♦ The Braves are 45-18 at home this season and 17-1-2 in home series (trying to make it 18-1-2 today). Their only home series loss of the season came to Philadelphia back in April.
♦ Omar Infante, who went 2-for-4 with a double Saturday, is batting .344 — 18 points higher than National League batting leader Joey Votto (.326). Infante, however, doesn’t qualify for the batting title. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Infante needs 146 plate appearances in the Braves’ final 33 games (4.42 per game) to qualify.
That’s it for now. Here’s the question of the day (and a possible subject of my column later): How important do you think it is for Lowe to have an impressive performance, going into the postseason (should the Braves make it)?
♦
DID YOU MISS . . .
♦ College football special: Predicting Georgia Tech’s season
♦ College football special: Richt says Georgia is poised for bounce-back season
♦ Contest announcement: Here’s your chance to pick winners and ‘Sack Schultz’
♦
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656 comments Add your comment
Joker
August 29th, 2010
5:02 pm
When did Hawaii get a MLB team?
GREG NORTON FACTS
August 29th, 2010
5:03 pm
WHERE YA AT DON!!!
POAD
August 29th, 2010
5:03 pm
HAHAHA ty long fly to center field and Hawaii come up in the bottom of the 5th traling 2-1. Come on USA.
Jean Pierre's moustache
August 29th, 2010
5:03 pm
Adieu.
Vive la Braves!
POAD
August 29th, 2010
5:04 pm
I can listen to the braves on the web and watch the LLWS. I had to stop watching the Braves in the 4th because I was brining them Bad MOJO.
ernisTbass
August 29th, 2010
5:05 pm
It says on ESPN that doctors have discovered the source of Percy Harvins headaches, they say it will get better next year when he retires
Milt Famey
August 29th, 2010
5:06 pm
I don’t believe what I just saw. How about it DON, do you think it’s our destiny?
GREG NORTON FACTS
August 29th, 2010
5:06 pm
you know we should hire don as a permanent blogger for luck
Phredd
August 29th, 2010
5:06 pm
When Bobby passes, only umpires will have a bad word…
Joe Esposito
August 29th, 2010
5:08 pm
“You’re the best…around…nothin’s gonna ever keep ya down.
You’re the best…around…nothin’s gonna ever keep ya doooooowwwwwwn.”
Thank you Braves.
Thank you Joe.
Mr Charlie
August 29th, 2010
5:09 pm
Ohhh Nooooo. Lowe stinks, KK stinks, McClouthy stinks, Glaus is old, Ankiel is horrible. Yunal Sinks, but not as much as Gonzo stinks. Were slow, were old, and Bobby, he plays station to station, he does not know how to even manage a game.
Wait a minute, we just came back from 5 down, held serve and put pressure on the Phils? Hmm, Imagine would we could do if we were good.
Mr Charlie
August 29th, 2010
5:12 pm
As “bad” as BC manages in the post season, nobody manages better down the stretch of the regular season.
Mike10
August 29th, 2010
5:14 pm
One of the Braves top offseason goals should be finding a way to get rid of Derek Lowe I dont care if they got to pay half of his salary just get his a$$ out of here I get tired of him coming out and giving the braves a better chance at losing than winning.
LFP6
August 29th, 2010
5:15 pm
Oh man….I was picking up the game on the way home, hearing it was 6-1 Fish. In my anger I shut the radio off, and then i get online and see that they won in a last at-bat A-GAIN??????
I swear we should be calling this bunch the ‘Cardiac Crew’…lol
GO BRAVES!
DaveinNEPA
August 29th, 2010
5:18 pm
Hey Schultz! I figured out what “statement” Lowe was supposed to make today. “I stink and I should be replaced in the rotation by Martinez”!! We can’t continue to survive starting pitchers spotting the other team 5 runs by the 3rd inning.
That said, I’m as thankful as any other Brave fan for the outcome of today’s game. I’m just glad the Marlin’s bullpen is as bad as it is.
otisnixonsmokescrack!
August 29th, 2010
5:20 pm
phillies fans are right here b*tches! nice comeback. But hanson and lowe got some issues. lowe obviously won’t get a start in a best of five. but in a best of seven?? more likely. you can sh*t on lidge but wagner is just as much of a choke artist in a penn race/post season. i’ve said this before on here.. of course i want the phils to finish with the best record in the nl. but at the moment the phils are in a better spot. let’s say… padres finish w/best record in the nl- braves win the nl east-ditto for reds in the nl central-phils win wild card. the braves would play the reds- phils get padrs. which is the easier matchup on paper??? anyone with a brain knows the padres are with their wea o is much the easier opp. sd is at the bottom of all major o power numbers. the reds can mash and they have good starting pitching(weak bp). if that happens.. it’s-phils moving on to the nlcs and the braves going out in the 1st round. again…just like old times. great comeback, but stop bragging. because you won’t be when you have to play the reds in the nlds.
JAL
August 29th, 2010
5:20 pm
Could not have said it better Charlie! I do love Bobby, tho!
robdawg08
August 29th, 2010
5:21 pm
Totally a great win ! Josh Johnson was awesome and Derek Lowe sucked. I hope if they make the playoffs they go with Hudson,Jurrjens,and Hanson.
Get Freeman on 1st,put Diaz in LF and roll baby !
Mr Charlie
August 29th, 2010
5:22 pm
Otis, it is September, braves still lead the phils. Are you a little suprised?
robdawg08
August 29th, 2010
5:23 pm
I agree with many of you above. Replace Lowe in the rotation with Martinez or somebody (a top minor leaguer).
Mr Charlie
August 29th, 2010
5:23 pm
OOOOHHHH NOOOOOO, WWEERREEE DDDDOOOMMMMMEEEEDDD.
JAL
August 29th, 2010
5:24 pm
Pretty sad comment Otis, I guess after we lose to the reds, as you think, you will have to deal with them! And I guess you think you will beat them, I say we see you in the NLCS, lets make it a date, CU then!
Mr Charlie
August 29th, 2010
5:25 pm
Lets replace Lowe, Hanson, Sieto, Ankiel, Melky. McCann is not playing well ether. We better get all them fixed, or even if we do make the playoffs, we will surely lose.
Rusty
August 29th, 2010
5:26 pm
Dear Otis…blump me.
JAL
August 29th, 2010
5:27 pm
That is why they play the games, guys! Line em up and let em play! Anything can happen look at today!
Mr Charlie
August 29th, 2010
5:27 pm
JAL, exactly. I don’t think anyone wants to play the braves.
JAL
August 29th, 2010
5:31 pm
After today, we move another game closer to winning the division, we will see if the Phils are up to the challenge. Yesterday, we new they won and we responded with a win, sent a message that this will not be easy for them. How will they answer today?
JAL
August 29th, 2010
5:33 pm
Where did you go Otis? Pop in and disappear? We are still in first and looking for you in the playoffs!
JB
August 29th, 2010
5:40 pm
Charlie.. It seems you want to replace the whole f****ing team.
Mr Charlie
August 29th, 2010
5:42 pm
JB, I am being sarcastic. There is so much whining and complaining on this board, you would think we are 20 games out.
Freddie G
August 29th, 2010
5:46 pm
I wrote in a blog yesterday that we are likely to lose more games like we did in Colorado and to win some that we have no business winning like we did to the Reds, and today to the Marlins. This is Baseball with its peaks and valleys so all of you who were going crazy just Chill.
Don
August 29th, 2010
5:47 pm
Nice comeback braves. I will give you that. Stop making stupid decisions booby and your team won’t struggle so much to win.
Festus
August 29th, 2010
5:52 pm
Lowe’s statement is… “I make Kawakami look good.”
otisnixonsmokescrack!
August 29th, 2010
5:54 pm
how bad is the padre offense?? cole hames was at 50 pitces after 2inns. the game is now in the 8th.. and hamels is still in the game @102 pitches with a 4-0 lead.
JAL
August 29th, 2010
5:55 pm
CU guy’s and girls have a great night, Until the next game….
Freddie G
August 29th, 2010
6:05 pm
Mike Minor has shown very excellent control in his two starts todate, and depending when Chris Medlin returns or if one of the talented minor leaguers show in spring training that they are ready, it is a possibility that Lowe could be moved to the pen next year. Moving Lowe to the pen has to be on the mind of Frank Wren to help the Kimbrel whi is slated to assume the role after Wags depart next year. This would make sense, because Lowe has experience as a closer and could provide valuable help to Kimbrel, sharing the duty and providing guidance in terms of preparation and counseling.
There is still this season to win, but I see folks calling for Lowe’s head because of his poor outing today. It shows that the majority on this blog are fair weather fans.
Katherine
August 29th, 2010
6:07 pm
Hey just got home…..omg great comeback win…..I’m so glad we stayed for the whole game
otisnixonsmokescrack!
August 29th, 2010
6:11 pm
no i am not surprised mr. charlie… i’m not some crazy phils fan just talking trash for the heck of it when the braves struggle and the phils are on a hot streak. i actually know what i’m at i’m talking about. i said on here last year in the second half that i thought the braves would win the wild card. i was surprised when they didn’t. it was hard, but i picked the braves to win the nl east before the season because of their pitching. some phils fans laughed at me when i said wagner was a very good pickup for atl. i also said on here that the braves would be fine and will keep winning as usual when chipper went down.even when so many braves fans began to panic. i can be a jack-bleep just like the rest of’em. but for the most part i’ll give my honest opinon. and currently that is… the braves will win the div. they’re scoring runs now and they have a ton of good arms in their farm system to call up once the rosters expand on sept 1st. i have the phils winnng the wild card just as i did pres-season. i had no clue, like most, that the reds/sd padres would be this good. in a seven game series the reds faults (bp) will be exposed. but in a quick best of 5 they are not a team you wanna play.
otisnixonsmokescrack!
August 29th, 2010
6:13 pm
dear rusty… go bleep a cat that is hiv positive.
Chief Falling Rock
August 29th, 2010
6:13 pm
OK, before either Hanson or Lowe is allowed back on the mound, shave their beards . . . see what happened to Hudson after he grew his . . . two no decisions . . . he shaved and set a new 13Ks (personal season high) along with his 1,500th career K. TRY IT . . . if it don’t work, grow it back again.
rfgh
August 29th, 2010
6:16 pm
Too late now, but i wish Blanco were in center and Hinkse was the every day 1st baseman. The trades have accomplished nothing except weakening the farm system That said, it is amazing what this team can do when you look at the line-up on paper.
yellow jackette
August 29th, 2010
6:18 pm
GEORGIA TECH’S MATT KUCHAR JUST WON THE BARCLAYS IN PLAYOFF AGAINST MATT LAIRD, HE BIRDIED
Katherine
August 29th, 2010
6:18 pm
I’m still so excited….it was magic at turner field
Bob Horners emotional issues
August 29th, 2010
6:18 pm
With a home field advantage- I would bet on the Braves against anybody. Still- even making the playoffs is far from a lock. Been fun tho.
Bob Horners emotional issues
August 29th, 2010
6:20 pm
You are a top notch fan Katherine. Glad you had fun. Me- I gave up.
Bob Horners emotional issues
August 29th, 2010
6:20 pm
Course I have issues!
Katherine
August 29th, 2010
6:28 pm
lol well if I was home I may have turned it off
Katherine
August 29th, 2010
6:40 pm
Don
August 29th, 2010
2:08 pm
Lowe will make a statement alright. That he sucks. I told you suckers yesterday that if they won, it would be with the only good pitcher they have and they did. I said the Phillies would sweep the padres and they are 2-0 now. I said this game would def be a loss. 3 runs in the first. Anyone else want to look like a moron and talk smack about my results AND about how pathetic this team is.
LOL omg Don..please please continue to talk crap about this team that never says die….you must be a good luck charm.
Freddie G
August 29th, 2010
6:49 pm
For those of you who were saying that the Braves should get Matt Kemp from LA to man Centerfield, you should have seen the poor angle he took to a fly ball by Dexter Fowler, allowing Fowler to make it to third. I wondered who would really want him to come here with his inflated ego and salary.
NCBravesFan
August 29th, 2010
6:52 pm
Nice win, Braves!
Suck it, Don.