LIVE BLOG: Braves still waiting for bats to wake up
Brian McCann actually hasn't been a problem for the Braves' offense this season but this strikeout Friday night typified their frustration in a 5-1 loss to Cincinnati. (AP photo)
There’s a baseball adage that you don’t look at the standings until after Memorial Day. If that same philosophy applies to statistics, the Braves hope their bats wake up sometime during this holiday weekend.
After Friday’s 5-1 loss to Cincinnati, the Braves go into tonight’s second game of the series with a .242 batting average and having scored two runs or fewer in 18 games this season (4-14 in those games) and three or fewer in 26 (7-19). It’s actually remarkable that they still have a winning record (28-24), given that they rank in the bottom 10 in the majors in batting average, runs scored and on-base percentage.
Dan Uggla, who was expected to be one of their biggest run producers, is hitting only .183 (just 50 points ahead of tonight’s starting pitcher, Derek Lowe at .133). Chipper Jones, who has battled knee and hamstring injuries, has seen his average drop from. 291. to .259 in 15 games. In the month of May, Jason Heyward has had more MRIs on his shoulder (two) than he has RBIs (zero).
Manager Fredi Gonzalez held court with the media a little while ago. He says he is not worried. He’s convinced that eventually, “The water will rise to its level,” or something like that.
Certainly, the resumes of the players on the roster suggest things will turn at some point. But 52 games into the season, concern is growing.
Let me just add this: If this was a year ago, many fans would be screaming for the firing of former hitting coach Terry Pendleton (who’s now the first base coach). I’m not assigning blame to his replacement, Larry Parrish. Rather, this just reaffirms what players will tell you: Hitting coaches can only do so much.
Tonight’s Reds starter is Bronson Arroyo, who was rocked in his last outing at Philadelphia for nine runs, 10 hits and two home runs in only 2.2 innings. In his previous start, he allowed five runs, seven hits and two homers in seven innings to Pittsburgh. So this would seem like a good chance for the Braves’ offense to get well.
Then again, Arroyo might view this is a chance for him to turn his season around.
I’ll be blogging live from the first pitch on. Until then, do you think the end of the Braves’ slump is near?
By Jeff Schultz
♦
Follow me on Twitter @JeffSchultzAJC; friend me at Facebook.com/JeffSchultzAJC
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
196 comments Add your comment
Jeff Schultz
May 28th, 2011
7:56 pm
Martin Prado — one of smartest most patient hitters in league. great at-bat.
Bravissimo
May 28th, 2011
7:56 pm
Jeff…u get to hob nob with the fox broadcast crew? If so were they like everyday folks??
Elonbrave
May 28th, 2011
8:01 pm
Fox crew is doing a good job tonight, I think.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 28th, 2011
8:01 pm
As someone who grew up listening to Skip/Pete/Joe/Don growing up, it hurts to say this, but for the first time in my life the national Fox commentators actually are better than the regular Braves announcing team. That’s no knock on Joe Simpson, just an observation that Chip Caray is the worst play by play man alive.
Jeff Schultz
May 28th, 2011
8:01 pm
Bravissimo — I don’t know guys on the Fox crew real well. Except for Ken Rosenthal. Know some the ESPN guys better — Buster Olney, Peter Pasquarelli (who are here tonight), etc.
Jeff Schultz
May 28th, 2011
8:08 pm
Four walks for Lowe and second time Cincinnati has loaded bases in 3 innings.
Jeff Schultz
May 28th, 2011
8:08 pm
Dancing with the devil: Lowe has thrown 58 pitches in 3 innings but leads 3-0.
Jeff Schultz
May 28th, 2011
8:09 pm
Make that 4-0. McCann goes yard.
Tucker T
May 28th, 2011
8:09 pm
Jeff
Do you think the Braves will keep Schafer with the team after Nate comes off the DL if he keeps playing like he has been? I think they have to think about it.
Jeff Schultz
May 28th, 2011
8:10 pm
Wow — Lowe gets out of it again, and Jay Bruce has stranded six baserunners in two at-bats.
Bill
May 28th, 2011
8:11 pm
How long can Lowe stay lucky?
Bill
May 28th, 2011
8:13 pm
Bye!
1eyedJack
May 28th, 2011
8:13 pm
Big Mac attack!
Bill
May 28th, 2011
8:13 pm
get those all-star votes in people…..
"Chef" Tim Dix
May 28th, 2011
8:15 pm
Bill: “How long can Lowe stay lucky?” As long as he keeps his Attorney.
Bill
May 28th, 2011
8:17 pm
Tucker T..Fredi will make that call. FG wants to win he will play the hot hand I believe.
Go Freeman…..
Arroyo is meat…..
TJ
May 28th, 2011
8:18 pm
Hey Schultzy this team has potential. Are you anticipating a move before the deadline?
Bill
May 28th, 2011
8:18 pm
since the blog is dead…. I’m gone….
Jeff Schultz
May 28th, 2011
8:18 pm
When’s last time Braves had a 5-0 lead? This is too big for me. … Also, Gonzalez single gives them nine hits and they’re still batting in fourth.
Jeff Schultz
May 28th, 2011
8:23 pm
That’s five walks in 4+ inn for Lowe. How is he still throwing a shutout?
Bill
May 28th, 2011
8:25 pm
Chef..u right…that was cool..lol
Jeff Schultz
May 28th, 2011
8:28 pm
Arroyo coming out.
Sonny Clusters
May 28th, 2011
8:29 pm
When we was a baby our mama bought us some peanut brittle to toughen us up. Clusters babies are pretty strong starting off but we mature quickly with the right nutrients. We was wondering if Dan Uggla is eating right? We suggested he eat some hot peppers but we’re pretty sure he didn’t. We could never talk Dairy Queen into a Hot Pepper Blizzard but we tried.
Jeff Schultz
May 28th, 2011
8:29 pm
Lowe didn’t get out of it that time — bases-clearing double by Stubbs makes it 5-3.
Sonny Clusters
May 28th, 2011
8:32 pm
Maybe Chipper could slip some hot peppers into Dan Uggla’s chaw. We could see some more dancing at the plate. When we was playing ball Coach told us to still be standing up if we swung at a ball and missed.
Jeff Schultz
May 28th, 2011
8:32 pm
Reds load bases for third time in game.
Elonbrave
May 28th, 2011
8:32 pm
Good question TJ. I’d say the most opportunity would be in CF or 1B.
.
May 28th, 2011
8:33 pm
lowe got a blister?
Sonny Clusters
May 28th, 2011
8:34 pm
The Reds just dropped the charges against Lowe.
Elonbrave
May 28th, 2011
8:34 pm
When the bats cooperate, Lowe doesn’t. He’s been very very off his last two starts. Hasn’t used his slider, probably because he’s fallen behind so often. You can only throw a breaking pitch so many times for strike one before you get bit.
Sonny Clusters
May 28th, 2011
8:35 pm
That was some ugly baseball.
Jeff Schultz
May 28th, 2011
8:36 pm
So much for the decision to leave Lowe in. …. It finally all caught up with him. Blows 5-0 lead and now in position to lose game.
Elonbrave
May 28th, 2011
8:36 pm
Jesus, Lowe………..
Stan
May 28th, 2011
8:37 pm
Oh you take him out now fredi after the lead is gone. Just like idiot booby. Stupid clueless managers
iTiSi
May 28th, 2011
8:38 pm
Derek Lowe is pitching like he’s half-drunk. Lock him up and don’t let him out please!!! Bases loaded 3 times in the first 4 innings, and he had a 5 run lead. Maybe he should be charged with “impersonating a major league pitcher” !!!!!
Greg
May 28th, 2011
8:40 pm
Lowe is probably loweded
Jeff Schultz
May 28th, 2011
8:40 pm
TJ — it’s way too early to think about trade deadline yet.
Jeff Schultz
May 28th, 2011
8:42 pm
Somehow I figured the drunk and “Loweded” jokes would start.
Jeff Schultz
May 28th, 2011
8:42 pm
Check that: Official scorer says that previous play goes 4-3, not 3-4-3.
Sonny Clusters
May 28th, 2011
8:42 pm
Hinske will hit a homerun to win it. Can’t give up any more.
J-Man
May 28th, 2011
8:42 pm
How in the heck can Gonzalez allow D Lowe to give up 5 consecutive runs. Awful Job that was the worst managing by far this season. He should have had Martinez warming up when the bases were leaded and should have pulled lowe after that 3 run double.
Jeff Schultz
May 28th, 2011
8:43 pm
Putout goes 3-4-3 I guess.
Jeff Schultz
May 28th, 2011
8:44 pm
Starting pitchers tonight COMBINE for 6.1 innings, 10 earned runs, 16 hits.
Sonny Clusters
May 28th, 2011
8:44 pm
Hey Marcel, did you see Lowe blow a 5-run lead?
Bill
May 28th, 2011
8:45 pm
Jeff you right..no need for Lowe jokes as Officer drops charges. What Chef said was lol but he was not guilty but paid a night in jail. A night in that jail is he!!..
Ralph
May 28th, 2011
8:47 pm
I have been very patient with Fredi up to now, have had many doubts about him. I did post several weeks ago that I didn’t think anybnody could be worse than Bobby Cox but I am now convinced that Fredi is that. He needs to be fired now, any idiot could see that Lowe didn’t have anything from the opening bell and they should have been ready to jerk him on an instants notice. There is no excuse for this stupidity. If they lose this one I will do as I did the last two years when I said I would not watch another game until Bobby Cox was gone and for two years I didn’t.
G
May 28th, 2011
8:48 pm
Two real bad starts in a row by our starters. But our starters were supposed to be what carried us. This is a mediocre team, not a playoff team.
Sonny Clusters
May 28th, 2011
8:49 pm
“You have to tip your cap . . .”
iTiSi
May 28th, 2011
8:53 pm
The Braves need to start looking at Vandy’s coach, Corbin, seriously! That guy is beginning to look like a genius. He is full of baseball knowledge and knows how to manage his players. Somebody will grab him soon, and he will just beat up on the Braves too. Just a couple of days ago he pulled off two successive safety squeeze bunts and scored a run on both of them. Has Fredeeeeee ever even thought of such a thing? Why heck no!!!!!! BTW, I am a Braves fan of many, many, years but don’t care if DL even wins a game this year.
J-Man
May 28th, 2011
8:53 pm
i still like freddi but this was unexcusable. YOUR the MANAGER have the baseBALLS and pull you pitcher. Your here to win games not play politics and make Lowe happy because he your highest paid player. When were sitting home in October we know WHO to BLAME!!!!!!!!!