LIVE BLOG: Here are the scenarios for Braves’ playoff hopes
Bobby Cox climbs steps to the dugout for what he hopes isn't the last time. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
Hello. Wasn’t this supposed to be the just-sit-and-relax day?
Two days ago, the Braves arrived at the ballpark believing they had the National League wild card about wrapped up, and so did most of us. Their magic number to clinch was two. They had an upcoming series against Philadelphia, which already had the East Division wrapped up and had scratched two scheduled starters (Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt).
The team chasing the Braves: San Diego, which was reeling and going to San Francisco for three games. This didn’t seem to be an issue.
But here we are. Two Braves losses (11-5 and 7-0) and two Padres wins later, the teams are tied and Turner Field is panic central. The Bobby Cox celebrations have been dwarfed. The Braves have the right guy on the mound today, Tim Hudson. He’ll be opposed by Cole Hamels, but for possibly only two innings. Oswalt also may pitch an inning or two.
Braves take batting practice before today's game -- and they can use it.
The Braves game starts at 1:35 p.m. If they win, they’ll clinch at least a one-game playoff. If they lose, they have to hope the Padres also lose. In either case, they must wait for the end of the Padres-Giants game, which starts at 4:05 p.m. EDT.
OK, here are the four win-lose, Braves-Padres-Giants scenarios:
♦ Braves win; Padres lose: Easy. Braves win the wild card and face the West champion Giants beginning Thursday.
♦ Braves win; Padres win: Mayhem. There is a three-way tie between all three teams and two — TWO — one-game playoffs for the first time in history. The Padres and Giants would play 0n Monday. The winner would be the division champion. The loser would come to Atlanta for a one-game playoff to determine the wild card Tuesday.
♦ Braves lose, Padres lose: Giants win the West and the Braves and Padres have a playoff Monday at Turner Field to determine the wild card.
♦ Braves lose, Padres win: Braves are out and the Padres are in as the wild card.
Here’s the optimist’s view: There’s only one out of four scenarios (Braves lose, Padres win) in which the Braves don’t play at least one more game after today.
Here’s the pessimist’s view: That’s the scenario we’ve witnessed the last two nights.
One more thing: Cox has made a significant lineup change, shifting Brooks Conrad from third base to second base and moving Omar Infante to third. Conrad’s two errors led to seven unearned runs in the first two games of this series.
That’s it for now. I’m heading down to the field for batting practice and I’ll be back up shortly. Chat with you soon.
♦♦♦
You may have missed . . .
♦ Braves lose and stretch out the drama a little longer
♦ Braves’ improbable road to playoffs almost complete
♦ Weekend Predictions: Falcons, Jackets win (Dogs? Feh)
♦♦♦
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396 comments Add your comment
Innocent Bystander
October 3rd, 2010
4:07 pm
you’ve GOT to be kidding me
justin
October 3rd, 2010
4:07 pm
come on billy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bye Bye Bobby
October 3rd, 2010
4:07 pm
Choking Bastards.
Come on Braves!
October 3rd, 2010
4:07 pm
8-5
Getting really scary now.
Jeff Schultz
October 3rd, 2010
4:08 pm
Unbelieveable. … 8-2 becomes 8-7.
Innocent Bystander
October 3rd, 2010
4:08 pm
How about the Phillies — hitting for both Utley and Howard.
Emphasis on the word “hitting”
Bye Bye Bobby
October 3rd, 2010
4:09 pm
We would screw up a steel ball.
DurhamNCBravesFanatic
October 3rd, 2010
4:09 pm
ALL w/ TWO outs …
TTTT-Thumbody Thed Thats Thupid!
October 3rd, 2010
4:09 pm
Well, Mr. Cox, how you feeling right about now about that pitching decision in the 7th? Everybody but you knew that Venters was spent! Lamebrain!
playmeortrademe
October 3rd, 2010
4:09 pm
Wagner looks awful, like he’s trying to make the perfect pitch every time.
nashvillebravesfan
October 3rd, 2010
4:09 pm
if the braves choke this one up, they really don’t deserve the playin game
playmeortrademe
October 3rd, 2010
4:10 pm
Can’t believe I’m having to check the playoff scenarios for a Braves loss.
Bye Bye Bobby
October 3rd, 2010
4:10 pm
Cox trying to blow one LAST game. And he will do it.
TTTT-Thumbody Thed Thats Thupid!
October 3rd, 2010
4:10 pm
Jeff, sure hope you ask Cox why he left Kimbrel sitting on the bench and brought Venters in?
Bye Bye Bobby
October 3rd, 2010
4:11 pm
Venters is a Jinx. If we get to the playoffs he should not appear.
Innocent Bystander
October 3rd, 2010
4:11 pm
of course the Braves have to give me one more near-heart attack
Jeff Schultz
October 3rd, 2010
4:12 pm
Lidge coming in for Phillies.
nashvillebravesfan
October 3rd, 2010
4:12 pm
you really are running with MY idea aren’t you TTTT! It is how cox does things…it has brought a lot of wins over the years but the stubborness has also yielded many losses
Jeff Schultz
October 3rd, 2010
4:13 pm
Nashvillebravesfan — Agree completely. You can’t blow 8-2 lead against anybody, let alone team pulling starters left and right.
BASEBALL GODS
October 3rd, 2010
4:13 pm
HA HA No matter how much Booby avoids putting Glaus at 3b they keep making error after error. That’s what the Braves get for making sure Glaus did not get any kind of bonus this season. Braves Organization is a disgusting greedy group and Wren is the one that makes sure they not lose $$$ even at the cost of a ring.
Line Drive
October 3rd, 2010
4:13 pm
A fitting finish for the Cox, huh…..how many of you had tears in your eyes yesterday at his ceremony?
playmeortrademe
October 3rd, 2010
4:14 pm
Kimbrel in the 9th? I would trust him more than Wagner. If Farnswoth comes out, “go Giants”
Alex
October 3rd, 2010
4:14 pm
Umps just robbed SF of a leadoff double!!!
CMOOOOOOON
Herschel Talker
October 3rd, 2010
4:15 pm
Schultzie:
What do you think of Bobby putting in an obviously gassed Venters? How many idiotic decisions will you and Bradley give this guy a pass on?
HT
Bye Bye Bobby
October 3rd, 2010
4:16 pm
If we lose, thank God it will be Cox’s last game.
TTTT-Thumbody Thed Thats Thupid!
October 3rd, 2010
4:16 pm
NBF, would argue with you on whose idea it is, been saying that for weeks now, but maybe we are just “two enlightened fools”. That would make sense, being we are both in Nashville.
justin
October 3rd, 2010
4:16 pm
GAINTS ALREADY GETTING SCREWED
DurhamNCBravesFanatic
October 3rd, 2010
4:17 pm
damn that Charlie; pulling a double steal. I hope the Phillies lose in the Divisionals, regardless of they play. i am ready to put Manuel in the same boat with Spurrier — jerks when it hurts the worst. (Jeff, I do wish that you would ask Bobby about the use choice of Venters in the 8th, regardless of the outcome today. I don’t understand?)
Jeff Schultz
October 3rd, 2010
4:18 pm
Herschel — Seriously? He got first 2 outs and should’ve been out of the inning after error following the single. 2 unearned runs. This isn’t on Cox.
jack m
October 3rd, 2010
4:18 pm
With 2 today. Brave equal Wash and Pitt for most errors for a team. Least errors? NYY, SF, SD, Cin, Minn, Tampa Bay and Phil. Just really bad basics and unworthy of the playoffs.
Alex
October 3rd, 2010
4:19 pm
This Sun-Shadow thing might help Billy Wagner
Innocent Bystander
October 3rd, 2010
4:20 pm
hahahaha take that Cholly
Bye Bye Bobby
October 3rd, 2010
4:20 pm
Swing the dam bat McClout.
Mr Charlie
October 3rd, 2010
4:20 pm
If you told that the braves would be here at the beginning of the season, up 1 batting bottom of the 8th to get the W to cinch a 1 came playoff for the Wild Card, I would have taken it.
justin
October 3rd, 2010
4:21 pm
Gaints should be up 2-0 already bad call umps
Bye Bye Bobby
October 3rd, 2010
4:22 pm
K.
TTTT-Thumbody Thed Thats Thupid!
October 3rd, 2010
4:23 pm
I respect BC mainly for his ability to work with less, but his biggest fallacy, and the reason he is just in the top 30% and not the top 10%, is his inability to know when or who when it comes to pitching changes.
Jeff Schultz
October 3rd, 2010
4:23 pm
Bases juiced for Gonzo.
justin
October 3rd, 2010
4:23 pm
lets go alex!
Jeff Schultz
October 3rd, 2010
4:23 pm
Epic fail.
Alex
October 3rd, 2010
4:24 pm
Damn AGone SUUUUUUUCKS right now
Bye Bye Bobby
October 3rd, 2010
4:24 pm
Exactly what I expected out of that S*B.
Mr Charlie
October 3rd, 2010
4:24 pm
Sure glad we got rid of Escobar.
justin
October 3rd, 2010
4:24 pm
Pinch hit chipper!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! its are only hope lol
Jeff Schultz
October 3rd, 2010
4:24 pm
Wagner tries to close it out.
Innocent Bystander
October 3rd, 2010
4:25 pm
Again, someone please convince me that the Braves wouldn’t dare pick up his $2.5MM option for next year.
playmeortrademe
October 3rd, 2010
4:25 pm
Gonzalez has shown me nothing all year, terrible hitter, poor defense, swings at first pitch after a walk, was it worth running Escobar out of town for this? Hopefully Mycal Jones is almost ready….
Henry
October 3rd, 2010
4:26 pm
I TRIED TO TELL YOU MINDLESS ATLANTA FANS A MONTH AGO THAT ATLANTA WOULD NOT MAKE THE PLAYOFFS………..YOU SHOULD HAVE LISTENED AND SAVED YOURSELVES ALL THIS GRIEF
Bye Bye Bobby
October 3rd, 2010
4:26 pm
I had rather have an old mop at the plate than Gonzalez. He just sux.
Naboo the Enigma
October 3rd, 2010
4:26 pm
GONZO YOU SUCK