LIVE: It’s time for the Braves (or is that the Black Knight?)
Do Omar Infante and the Braves have enough healthy bodies left to win the wild card? (AP photo)
Welcome back to Turner Field for a game involving what remains of your Atlanta Braves.
To all of the injury issues the team has had in the season — not the least of which were losing Chipper Jones and pitcher Kris Medlen for the year and pitchers Jair Jurrjens and Takashi Saito for extended periods, we add this: Martin Prado is “definitely going to be out for a while” with a hip-pointer, manager Bobby Cox said after Monday’s game.
The biggest problem with that: There’s not “a while” left in the season. In fact, there are more letters in “a while” (six) than there are games left on the Braves’ schedule (five).
Prado might be toast, but the Braves aren’t, yet. They enter tonight’s game against Florida with a one-half game lead over San Diego and 4 1/2 over all-but-dead Colorado in the National League wild card race.
Prado is having an MRI and was not available for comment before the game. Cox said he was “feeling better” today. But, even though we’re talking about one of the toughest players on the team, it would be surprising to see him back in the lineup this season. A hip-pointer is an extremely painful injury, one that prevents a player from pivoting — which eliminates pretty much every movement in a baseball game (fielding, throwing, hitting).
How are the Braves still here? They’re like Monty Python’s “Black Knight,” who kept fighting on despite severed limbs. (”It’s only a flesh wound!” … I am invincible! The Black Knight always triumphs!”)
In fact, since everybody can use a laugh these days . . .
On a related note, the “Black Knight” is batting third and playing center field for the Braves tonight.
OK, seriously. The lineup includes these changes: Catcher Brian McCann is batting third to replace Prado; the struggling Melky Cabrera (hitting only .229 with one homer in his last 49 games) is hitting fifth; Brooks Conrad starts at third base and hits seventh.
Pitching tonight on only three days rest (in place of the injured Jurrjens) is Tim Hudson. He’s only 1-4 with a 6.10 earned run average in five September starts after going 6-0 with a 1.43 ERA in his previous eight outings. One positive omen: Hudson has pitched on three days rest three times before in the regular season, going 2-0 with a 2.61 ERA.
That’s it for now. I’ll be back to live blog at game time. Can the Braves hang on?
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♦ Bust poll: Bobo (Georgia offense) vs. Groh (Tech defense)
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636 comments Add your comment
Bravesmb
September 28th, 2010
9:24 pm
now’s about time to stop trashing Bobby, he’s been like a father to “Braves Country” for 2 decades. if you think the braves would’ve been half as good without him, especially with the limited payroll of late, you’re delusional. one year from now, after a season with a new manager, you’ll come to the same realization that so many ex-braves have: there’s no one else like Bobby. let’s close this game, season, era out with a win!!
My O My
September 28th, 2010
9:24 pm
Jess – 0 -10 NO MORE Baby!!
5150 P.O.A.D
September 28th, 2010
9:24 pm
JACK BULL don’t let the Ticket person tear them and yes you should keep them.
Jon from FL
September 28th, 2010
9:25 pm
Jesse: Yeah…I know. I’m just disappointed with Melky. After all the interesting projections (my favorite, sarcasm intended, being 30homers 100+ RBI) at the beginning of the year, and how badly he’s been going this year, it’s just hard to root for him batting in the 5-hole, let alone the 8-hole.
rugburn
September 28th, 2010
9:25 pm
important to hold them here to keep the mo on our side
Upper Class Twit of the Year
September 28th, 2010
9:25 pm
NOBODY expects the Braves Bench! Their chief weapon is surprise…surprise and fear…fear and surprise…. their two weapons are fear and surprise…and ruthless efficiency…. their THREE weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency.
GT Alum
September 28th, 2010
9:25 pm
That steaming pile of crap Heyward couldn’t get Infante in from third!?!??! Yeeesh!
(Oh, wait. He’s not one of the players we’re jumping all over every time they don’t get a hit?)
Jon from FL
September 28th, 2010
9:26 pm
Meh, at least it’s only 3-2
Jesse Stone
September 28th, 2010
9:26 pm
Jon- You won’t find a bigger Melky detractor than me, but you have to “tip your cap” to Bobby for realizing he hits Sanchez well and inserting him in the 5 hole
Scooby-Don't
September 28th, 2010
9:27 pm
Nice pitch Dick (wad).
My O My
September 28th, 2010
9:27 pm
way to go Moylan
david s
September 28th, 2010
9:27 pm
Ok, so now we get some hits is it the pitchers turn to suck!?
GT Alum
September 28th, 2010
9:27 pm
OK, Upper Class Twit of the Year just raised the bar.
jl
September 28th, 2010
9:27 pm
Well Here We go Again!!!!
Pete
September 28th, 2010
9:27 pm
bobby pitches peter every single day. damn, give the guy a rest
brave hitters
September 28th, 2010
9:27 pm
you know? this IS more fun when you make contact. ….got to hold them…1 hitter in to this inning and we have to start worrying again
Jon from FL
September 28th, 2010
9:27 pm
At least it’s interesting to see that he’s doing well tonight
Edward
September 28th, 2010
9:28 pm
Pete you are an idiot if you think Brian McCann sucks. Look at the career numbers moron. Leave this blog with dumbass posts like that.
david s
September 28th, 2010
9:28 pm
Talk about sucking the oxygen out of a stadium.
SG10
September 28th, 2010
9:28 pm
If Heyward could get going, this offense wouldn’t struggle so bad..we could say that about McCann too but since he hasn’t got going for 157 games, I have given up hope on that..
GT Alum
September 28th, 2010
9:28 pm
Well, I was being sarcastic, but Heyward not getting Infante home might bite us yet.
bobbycoxcountdown: 5
September 28th, 2010
9:28 pm
Scooby- i agree, but McLouth .220???
I wish he could hit .220.
Current avg: .189
last 7 days: .176. last 12-13 games, less than that.
He got hot for 10-days to 2 weeks late August early September… but that is it.
That’s a HUGE difference than .220, but it’s all good.
jl
September 28th, 2010
9:28 pm
Jonny needs a cart to get to pitcher’s mound, he has to be worn out! Bobby is trying to kill him. Anything can happen here!
Jesse Stone
September 28th, 2010
9:29 pm
We got the wrong Meky from the Yanks. Look up the numbers of Melky Mesa sometime on milb.com
Nelson
September 28th, 2010
9:29 pm
I told you guys yesterday, there is no way you could have Hinske & Bruce in the bench with a team scoring less than 4 runs per game, this is another huge mistake of Bobby as usual.I know they are not good defensive players, but they hit the ball when is needed.
Pete
September 28th, 2010
9:30 pm
edward, I do not recall saying he sucks. I said he sucks behind the plate, which is true. You are a moron with little baseball knowledge if do not realize that. And he is a little above average hitter. Where you get confused his because he puts up good numbers for a catcher but not numbers worthy of hitting 3rd or 4th. Please learn a little baseball and stop being such a homer.
Jon from FL
September 28th, 2010
9:31 pm
If ‘Everyday’ Jonny can get out in 6 pitches, I’ll be fine with trucking him out for these two outs
Jesse Stone
September 28th, 2010
9:31 pm
Pete- He does put of worthy numbers of batting 3rd or 4th for US
Jesse Stone
September 28th, 2010
9:32 pm
put up, not “put of”
rugburn
September 28th, 2010
9:32 pm
there’s a reason brave relief pitchers don’t last long. rivera wouldn’t have made it 4 years if bobby had him
Pete
September 28th, 2010
9:33 pm
McCann a career OPS+ of 122. Mauer’s is 136. 14 points is a ton with looking at OPS+
JacketFan
September 28th, 2010
9:33 pm
I could watch Hinke’s HR again and again.
PS – really stupid article idea, comparing Groh and Bobo. C’mon Shultzie!
GT Alum
September 28th, 2010
9:33 pm
SG10 -
Hate to tell you this, but McCann’s hitting right around his career averages. Average is a little low, but the OBP is higher. OPS is about 10 points lower than average, but is higher than last year. The problem is the guy is not a cleanup hitter. He’s a number 5 or 6 guy. You put someone who can hit cleanup in front of him, and you’d have no complaints about him.
SG10
September 28th, 2010
9:33 pm
Insurance runs would be nice here
MWC
September 28th, 2010
9:33 pm
Sutton just said 36,000 tonite.
Obviously a big walk up crowd.
Jesse Stone
September 28th, 2010
9:33 pm
No argument Mauer is better
Pete
September 28th, 2010
9:33 pm
Jesse, I was talking about a normal lineup, not our murderer’s row
rugburn
September 28th, 2010
9:33 pm
mccann puts up numbers worthy of 4 AND 5 for us
SG10
September 28th, 2010
9:34 pm
In the ideal world for Braves (and Phillies too), Braves will win the wild card and Padres will win the West
Scooby-Don't
September 28th, 2010
9:34 pm
Well McLouth already gets picked on more than a fat Albino retarded kid does so I was trying to pump his meager average up a few points…
Pete
September 28th, 2010
9:35 pm
like I said GT alum, he is not a 3 or 4 hitter. You can take 20 HR and 80 RBI from a 5 or 6 guy. Not a 3 or 4 guy. He is a good hitter for a catcher, but he is an average hitter for other positions
Scooby-Don't
September 28th, 2010
9:35 pm
Just keep in mind that Sutton took remedial math like 8 times. The numbers may be incorrect.
rugburn
September 28th, 2010
9:37 pm
no, i’m pretty sure he counted them
jack bull
September 28th, 2010
9:37 pm
i’m not asking for insurance here, but, i am asking for Wagner to get the first guy he faces out…he seems to do much better when that happens…
Nelson
September 28th, 2010
9:37 pm
Bravesmb; Later Bobby is very limited in payroll, but long ago he was second behind the Yanks, and with 3 future hall of fame pitchers.
The Marlins are one of the Team with less payroll in the Mayors and playing with 6 rookies yesterday and today and see the results.
Compare the two teams in the last five years!!!
sidslid
September 28th, 2010
9:38 pm
So Troy Glaus is now the fourth string third baseman
One bourbon one scotch and one beer
September 28th, 2010
9:38 pm
Lee needs another shot!
jack bull
September 28th, 2010
9:39 pm
i know this is a stupid question, but did Washington give Bobby anything, i didn’t see or read it anywhere..
david s
September 28th, 2010
9:40 pm
I don’t know guys, no momentum from Henski, same weak at bats.
One bourbon one scotch and one beer
September 28th, 2010
9:40 pm
Here we go!!!!!!!!!!!!