LIVE BLOG: Can Braves find some offense (and defense)?
The Braves are hoping for different scene tonight in San Francisco. (AP photo)
SAN FRANCISCO — Hello. We begin this evening with some good news, Braves fans. Tim Lincecum is not pitching. So the rest should be easy, right?
OK. Maybe not. The Braves and their depleted lineup aren’t much of a threat against most pitchers, let alone a two-time Cy Young Award winner. But if they have any hope of winning this National League Divisional Series, they’ll have to be far more patient at the plate tonight against Matt Cain than they were in Thursday’s series opener against Lincecum, who had 14 strikeouts and allowed only two hits in a complete-game shutout.
Here are the Braves taking batting practice. We'll find out if it helps.
Hitting coach Terry Pendleton clearly believes the Braves could have done better. When the word “great” was used in a question about Lincecum, Pendleton responded: “The guy [Roy Halladay] in Philly the other night was great. That’s a no-hitter. That’s great.”
This much is certain: There’s a ton of pressure on every Braves pitcher, knowing one run can decide it. Derek Lowe and four relievers allowed the Giants only one run and five hits, but Lincecum reduced them to an afterthought.
Just a few other things about tonight:
♦ Tommy Hanson will start for the Braves, as expected. You may have heard or read that he was hit in the eye by a batted ball in batting practice Thursday and immediately went to the clubhouse to be examined. Obviously, he’s fine. (But if he walks out to the mound with an eye patch and a parrot on his shoulder, we’ll know something is wrong). Hanson has allowed only one run in his last three starts (18 2/3 innings).
♦ Manager Bobby Cox made only one lineup change – Melky Cabrera replaces Matt Diaz in left field and will bat fifth. The batting order:
1. Omar Infante (5). 2. Jason Heyward (9). 3. Derrek Lee (3). 4. Brian McCann (2). 5. Melky Cabrera (7). 6. Brooks Conrad (4). 7. Alex Gonzalez (6). 8. Rick Ankiel (8). 9. Tommy Hanson (1).♦ Many readers continue to wonder why Troy Glaus is not getting into the lineup. To repeat, Glaus’s knees are so shot that he can’t play in the field and there’s not much left of him at the plate, either. But here’s something else that our David O’Brien dug up. Glaus is only 13 for 80 (.163) with one homer at AT&T Park. (He’s also 1 for 10 in his career against Cain.)
Finally, as mentioned in this space last night, I don’t believe the Braves lost the series opener because of a blown call but because they couldn’t hit or field. If they score a run off Lincecum, it doesn’t come down to one run. And if Omar Infante can knock down a ground ball in the fourth inning, Buster Posey never scores. That said– yes, baseball needs to expand its use of instant replay.
That’s it for now. I’ll check back with you shortly.
Do you believe the Braves can get out of here with a split?
♦
Instant re-blog
♦ Poll time: Does blown call reaffirm need for replay?
♦ Lincecum shuts down Braves; so what’s next Plan B?
♦ Weekend Predictions: Dogs win (it’s the ice cream talking)
♦
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1,958 comments Add your comment
Katherine
October 8th, 2010
10:06 pm
the announcers are super homers…they don’t care. They didn’t even care about the bad call last night either.
Steven
October 8th, 2010
10:07 pm
same umpire that blew the call at second last night. He should be castrated.
Baldemar Huerta
October 8th, 2010
10:07 pm
Get your tickets now for Booby’s last game ever, Sunday at 4:35
Bellefay
October 8th, 2010
10:07 pm
Jeff, Dick Stockon was able to actually recognize that the Braves got screwed as opposed to last night when it took TBS over an hour to radio to him that he’s an idiot.
Seth
October 8th, 2010
10:07 pm
Announcers are pathetic but they said the same thing. That it looked like his foot was off.
ommyTa
October 8th, 2010
10:07 pm
If we had instant replay, call would have stood because it was inconclusive.
Headley Lamar
October 8th, 2010
10:07 pm
His foot came off.
Katherine
October 8th, 2010
10:07 pm
Hey Miranda! I feel fine….and i’m not a guy with a frickin girls name. It’s all good lol
IlliniBrave
October 8th, 2010
10:07 pm
miranda: WTF? what is your problem? probably because you come from a city that is perhaps the biggest s**thole of a town that I have ever been forced to visit. Take away Rocky, the cheesesteak, and your great Art Museum (which nobody visits) and all you have left is a filthy, stinky town with a lot of mean people. Oh, and an ex-con named Vick.
ATLNOLE
October 8th, 2010
10:07 pm
Thats lousy incompetent !$&!
Seth
October 8th, 2010
10:08 pm
Well said Bellefay
DP
October 8th, 2010
10:08 pm
Bobby Cox just reduced his remaining major league managing career by almost 50%.
homerun
October 8th, 2010
10:08 pm
Do the UMPS travel back to Atlanta? Same umps or new ?
rufino linares
October 8th, 2010
10:08 pm
Has this ump ever called a playoff game?
wordy
October 8th, 2010
10:08 pm
announcer said “maybe hi tip of the cleat was on the corner of the bag”
miranda007
October 8th, 2010
10:08 pm
yo SCHULTZ…Brenly said he had the tip of a cleet on the tip of the corner of the 1st base bag….LOL BRENLY IS A FOOL…TALK BOUT BRWON NOSSIN THE UMPS WHEN ITS OBVIOUS HE MISSED THE CALL
Eric C.
October 8th, 2010
10:09 pm
I’m not saying the Braves are done in this game…but does anyone know if a team has ever come back from an 0-2 deficit to win an NLDS?
Terry Funk
October 8th, 2010
10:09 pm
Dick Stockton…..he used to call the games on CBS 30yrs ago when the Celtics beat the Hawks…..(I haven’t forgotten him nor forgiven him)
Bellefay
October 8th, 2010
10:09 pm
Dick Stockton is beyond horrible. Give it up old man.
Way’s I’ve heard him pronounce Infante this series.
Unfante
Infant
Infantea
Infanta
Unnfan’ta
Joe Simpson does Phillies games and we’re left with….Dick.
Najeh Davenpoop
October 8th, 2010
10:09 pm
It’s too bad for Gonzalez, too… someone needs to buy that guy a hit for Christmas.
PhillyPhanatic
October 8th, 2010
10:09 pm
As you know from about 20 of your wins sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. We got lucky. It’s either the Phils or ex-Phils that are your worst nightmare. I got tired of watching us hammer you at the end of the year. It’ll be nice to beat up on some new blood. You all may as well get a good nights sleep and go to bed. 3 runs?The Braves. See you next year.
Brave Hokie
October 8th, 2010
10:09 pm
In the history of Baseball has there ever been a MLB team with LESS “moxie” than the Atlanta Braves in the post-season?
Paul Emmel
October 8th, 2010
10:10 pm
Same umps and I will be behind the plate on Sunday. Another truly terrible call.
ATLNOLE
October 8th, 2010
10:10 pm
Tie goes to the runneryou lousy Homer both jerks
Katherine
October 8th, 2010
10:10 pm
Can we complain to tbs about the horrible announcers?
Baldemar Huerta
October 8th, 2010
10:10 pm
aaaaaAND Season. Get your 2011 Spring Training Tickets Now!
Eric C.
October 8th, 2010
10:10 pm
Terry Funk…wasn’t that actually Brent Musberger?
Braves Can't Hit....Again!
October 8th, 2010
10:10 pm
The Braves couldn’t score three runs in a week against the Giants. Time for bed.
Seth
October 8th, 2010
10:10 pm
The thing is when you screw a team with a horrible call like yesterday, you give them a makeup. Even though he would have been correct in saying safe. Stupid horrible umpire who should be removed. Nfl and college football hold their refs accountable. And they have replay!! But not stupid baseball
miranda007
October 8th, 2010
10:10 pm
VICK IS GREAT!!! AND PHILLY IS A CITY OF ARTS YA HATER!!! ITS WAY MORE FACT PACED AND COOL THEN ATL…I CAME THEIR AND IT WAS LIKE I WENT BACK IN TIME
Poorbrave
October 8th, 2010
10:10 pm
It will take more than Bobby’s ejection to fire up that group. A little lucky are call going Braves way will do more to spark them.
Hanson’s got to keep the damn fastball out of the middle of plate.
Bellefay
October 8th, 2010
10:10 pm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Emmel
Emmel also umpired the 2010 National League Division Series between the San Francisco Giants and the Atlanta Braves. As the second base umpire in Game 1 he blew a crucial call on a stolen base leading directly to the Giants only run on a two out hit in a 1-0 win.[1]
playmeortrademe
October 8th, 2010
10:11 pm
Fired up? doubt it… Braves have to be demoralized. Down 3-0, your 5-8 hitters are bench players on every other playoff team, your #2 and #3 hitters are 0 for the series with one ball out of the infield.
Right now, I think only Chipper pulling a Kirk Gibson would put the life back in this team…
Kashi
October 8th, 2010
10:11 pm
does anyone has link to listen online?
Seth
October 8th, 2010
10:11 pm
I bet Sandoval and Fielder could eat an entire chinese buffet
jeff
October 8th, 2010
10:11 pm
haha just pitiful. This Team Doesnt deserve to set FOOT on that Field. Can we replace the Braves with The Padres. The Padres actually play baseball.. Goodbye Atlanta Braves and Bobby Cox. I am a True Braves fan But I have seen enough from the Management of This man. his last game in SF goin out a loser haha.. i guarantee you we lose to the Giants at home.. I feel sorry for all the suckers who are gonna show up on sunday to watch this horrific baseball team…
miranda007
October 8th, 2010
10:11 pm
Yo we didnt get lucky…we won the game as we always do…the reds just arent in our league
Baldemar Huerta
October 8th, 2010
10:11 pm
If there’s a Braves station streaming, Let me know,as that’s a violation of contract.
Jeff Schultz
October 8th, 2010
10:12 pm
Miranda007 — Brenley said he had “tip of clete” on base? Does he have a magnifying glass up in booth?
Eddie Cook
October 8th, 2010
10:12 pm
I just went back and replayed it again in slow motion, and it really looked like Huff had his foot on the first base bag as the ball hit the pocket of his glove and before Alex arrived at first.
I understand that the controversy is whether or not Huff had his foot on the bag after he caught the ball and to me it looked very close, but Alex was out.
Last night there was no doubt that Posey was out at second. Tonight’s play to me did not appear as cut and dried.
San Francisco Dawg
October 8th, 2010
10:12 pm
Cox getting ejected this early in the game does not help the Braves…
I think I just spotted Bobby at Fisherman’s Wharf here in SF…
Bellefay
October 8th, 2010
10:12 pm
Kashi…you want to listen to Chris Berman willingly?
Yahoo
October 8th, 2010
10:12 pm
The announcers are getting Buster Posey off.
Jeff Schultz
October 8th, 2010
10:12 pm
FYI– that was Cox’s third postseason ejection. Nobody is sure if that’s a record or not (to go with his record 158 regular season ejections).
Katherine
October 8th, 2010
10:12 pm
Miranda…its “there” first off….and it would be “fast” paced not fact paced. You are truly an ignorant idiot from the great fan base that vomits on people and throws batteries.
Najeh Davenpoop
October 8th, 2010
10:12 pm
atdhe.net has links to watch online.
miranda007
October 8th, 2010
10:12 pm
these announcers are great, I would love to have stock & brenly callin the phils gms instead of the fools we have
IlliniBrave
October 8th, 2010
10:13 pm
miranda: have you graduated from 5th grade? dang, you really can’t spell.
Najeh Davenpoop
October 8th, 2010
10:13 pm
“VICK IS GREAT!”
The one area on which I can agree with Philly fans.
todd grantham
October 8th, 2010
10:13 pm
Paul hemmel is the worst damn umpire since Eric Gregg.