Braves collapsing, may need another last-day miracle
Dan Uggla consoles closer Craig Kimbrel after the Braves blew a game to Florida.
As much as last season was filled with positive memories for the Braves, their preference was that this year not turn into a repeat.
They didn’t want to have to scramble again to make it in as a wild card. They didn’t want their postseason chances to come down to the final series of the regular season again. They didn’t want to be in a position of having to beat Philadelphia, the best team in baseball, in game No. 162 to make the playoffs. But it may come to that.
The Braves lost at Florida 6-5 Monday night. This time, Omar Infante hit a two-run homer off suddenly fallible closer Craig Kimbrel, as the Braves lost for the eighth time in 11 games. Their National League wild card lead is down to 2½ games lead over St. Louis and 3½ over San Francisco — neither of whom are falling apart like Atlanta (numbers below).
Much like last season, the Braves are dropping engine parts down the stretch and all of those postseason ticket ads that have been running on radio and television seem a tad premature. I’ll have more on this in a column Tuesday.
But here are your wild card essentials.
•
First, the standings, showing the records of the three teams in September and since the All-Star break:
Team Record GB Sept AS break Atlanta 87-67 – 7-12 33-29 St. Louis 84-69 2.5 12-5 35-26 San Fran. 83-70 3.5 11-5 31-30•
Here are the remaining schedules:
• Braves (8): 2 at Florida, 3 at Washington, 3 vs. Philadelphia. • Cardinals (9): 3 vs. New York (N) 3 vs. Chicago (N), 3 at Houston. • Giants (9): 3 at Los Angeles (N), 3 at Arizona, 3 vs. Colorado.•
Last season, the Braves were 23 games over .500 (78-55) and held a three-game lead over Philadelphia on Sept. 1. But they lost five of their next six and nine of their next 14 and needed a final-day, 6-5 victory over the Phillies, in combination with a San Diego loss to San Francisco, to reach the postseason. (That was after losing the first two games of the Phillies series, 11-5 and 7-0.)
It’s not a great situation. But the loss of starters Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hansen, along with a dreadful decline by Derek Lowe, has wrecked the starting rotation, and one of the the ripple effects has been an overworked bullpen.
The Braves remain in a good position. But they certainly don’t look like a playoff team, and if they can’t close this thing out in the next five games against the Marlins and Nationals, then it’s going to come down to the last three against the Phillies. And that’s not what they wanted.
By Jeff Schultz
•
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185 comments Add your comment
Dawglasville
September 19th, 2011
10:46 pm
Train wreck. This is very hard to watch but I know I will.
Really?
September 19th, 2011
10:47 pm
Siggggggggggggggggggh! Does it have to be this tough to be a Braves fan in the Fall each year as of late? Even if we get in, it’s best to be playing hot ball NOW not a month ago. I’m losing faith fast and I’ve followed them since I moved here in 1988.
Dawglasville
September 19th, 2011
10:48 pm
I can’t wait to get Lowe off the books. Hansen has to come back or we have zero chance.
Biscuit Bennett
September 19th, 2011
10:50 pm
Idiots manager still believes in Lowe, eh?
Herschel Talker
September 19th, 2011
10:52 pm
Schultzie:
Please tell us how the Braves remain in good position.? The Cards have a joke schedule from here on out, and the Braves play 2 more against FL, 3 in DC (where they don’t play well), and 3 against Philly. Please explain to us why this is a good position.
HT
Harpie
September 19th, 2011
10:53 pm
This team is hocking a giant hairball, and it’s not fun to witness.
Don'tBelieveIt
September 19th, 2011
10:54 pm
I am still not believing what I saw. It was like a bad accident. You didn’t want to look; but you could not help yourself. I know the Braves have to be really down now. What a terrible way to lose another ball game. Doubt tho that we will go any farther. Just end the season, get rid of the problems, IE Freddi and Lowe, and try again next year.
Sonny Clusters
September 19th, 2011
10:54 pm
“You can’t win if you can’t throw strikes’” – Chipper Jones
“You can’t win if you can’t catch a ball at third base.” – Sonny Clusters
JEB
September 19th, 2011
10:55 pm
It might not feel so tense if the Braves were playing better baseball.
The sad truth that really gets us in the guts – they are not playing good baseball right now!
Dawglasville
September 19th, 2011
10:55 pm
This is as bad as the Giants meltdown in 92 (?) when we caught them for the West. Sucks to be on this side of it.
Won 14 straight!
September 19th, 2011
10:56 pm
Stick a fork in this boys club..
Bring Bobby back
JEB
September 19th, 2011
10:56 pm
St Louis is playing good baseball right now,
the Braves are not!
Rich Clary
September 19th, 2011
11:01 pm
It may rest in the hands of the kids. That may be risky, but kinda exciting…
What Happened?
September 19th, 2011
11:04 pm
This:
“The Braves can start thinking about the postseason. They’ve got an 8½ game lead over St. Louis for the wild card. (Their magic number is 15.) Even if the Braves go only 12-11 in their final 23 games, the Cardinals would need to go 20-2 just tie them. So the playoff berth is safe”
all of a sudden became this:
“It’s not a great situation”
BravesRdone
September 19th, 2011
11:07 pm
Put a fork in them. The Braves are done! No pitching, no offense, no guts, no life. Same old Braves, collapse the last month of the season. I’m done too.
Jeff Schultz
September 19th, 2011
11:08 pm
Herschel. They have a 2.5 game lead with eight games left and the next five games are against non-playoff teams. I think most would look at that as an advantage, even if the Braves have had some problems with those teams.
Doom and Gloom
September 19th, 2011
11:09 pm
Well fellow Bravo Fans, its been fun… but I think this ship has pretty much completely sunken……GO FALCONS!!!!
Jeff Schultz
September 19th, 2011
11:09 pm
Sonny Clusters — You are a visionary.
Jeff Schultz
September 19th, 2011
11:10 pm
What Happened? — Yeah, what idiot wrote that? … Oh, wait a minute . . . Really, those numbers are pretty staggering when you think about it. That’s what happens when you can’t even play .500 baseball.
count_schemula
September 19th, 2011
11:10 pm
Terry Pendleton must go!
nashvillewill
September 19th, 2011
11:14 pm
The strength of this team has become its weakness – i.e., the bullpen. The weakness of this team has remained its weakness -i.e., hitting and especially situational hitting. With the bullpen collapsing this mediocre group performs to their level of mediocrity. When your best hitter is hitting .298 and the average is .250, that is the very definition of mediocrity. Pitchers cannot be perfect, especially rookie pitchers. Too much is asked of them due to the hitting problems. Too much stress. Braves will hopefully clean this up in offseason – not resign a SS who hits .230; trade some upside players who have not performed well (RF, LF); acquire a veteran righthander for the bullpen not named Linebrink. And find a veteran starter to replace Lowe. I’m looking forward to the offeseason; this group will go nowhere. And while we’re at it – can FG go join BC somewhere far far away from this team?
TheAntiMe
September 19th, 2011
11:14 pm
You have to give these Braves points for creativity in finding new ways to lose every night. I can only imagine what Skip would have thought: “Chopper to Chipper, this should do it – and he loses the ball in the lights?”
If it’s something bad and something bizarre, it can only happen to these Braves. Or so it would seem during this last month of the season. Tune in tomorrow night folks and see a meteorite crash into Chipper Jones as he heads toward home to score the game-tying run with two outs in the 9th.
Listening to the Braves announcing crew in the 9th, they had already marked this game off of the calender as a win. However, as one of their football colleagues likes to say: “Not so fast, my friend!”
It just gets more strange and more nauseating with each passing game.
Go Figure
September 19th, 2011
11:16 pm
Put a fork in ‘em- looks like they’re done. Barring a last minute resurgence from the depleted starting rotation and a suddendly shaky bullpen , this has all the making of a monumental collapse. Da Braves have lost all confidence in themselves and expect to lose. Looks like the NL Wild Card could come down to a two man race- Cards vs Giants. Very sad.
Doom and Gloom
September 19th, 2011
11:26 pm
Cheer up everyone… Lowe will come through for us…. And the Falcons will win the Superbowl this year, and The Bulldogs and Jackets will win their conferences… Oops… There I go dreaming again…please wake me as soon as this nightmare ends!
jacketinsc
September 19th, 2011
11:28 pm
Hey Jeff, what does the schedule say about Braves winning the Wild Card? I’m just asking because I recall you writing that the schedule said the Braves could catch the Phillies. That was about 3 weeks ago, if I recall correctly.
loweser
September 19th, 2011
11:30 pm
I will get you through the 3rd.
Jeff Schultz
September 19th, 2011
11:30 pm
Jacketinsc — Yep, I wrote that. The schedule said they could catch the Phillies. The team obviously didn’t say that.
PUREFAN
September 19th, 2011
11:31 pm
A 6 and 2 finish is what the Braves need for a jump start into the play-offs. Some early runs would be a boost for Delgado.
loweser
September 19th, 2011
11:33 pm
Its ok…things happen that you can’t control
loweser
September 19th, 2011
11:34 pm
the game is over, can’t do anything about it now
loweser
September 19th, 2011
11:34 pm
I tip my hat to the light that blinded chipper…he put up a heck of a shine!
loweser
September 19th, 2011
11:43 pm
interesting…up until this game, the braves had not los a game on a come-from-behind walk-off home run with 2 outs in the 9th inning or later since june 29,1999. They ARE making history! woo hooo
Billy
September 19th, 2011
11:43 pm
The kids are beat..over worked..Fredi is a joke.
Najeh Davenpoop
September 19th, 2011
11:44 pm
The only silver lining to this Braves collapse is that the Red Sox are also collapsing, which means the national media is so preoccupied with them that nobody has time to notice what’s going on here.
rash
September 19th, 2011
11:46 pm
man unbelievable the braves are ready to go hunting or something this is crazy and i hope d lowe dont get another chance we need hanson and the whole team has got to man up or we wont make the wild card
rash
September 19th, 2011
11:47 pm
jeff has no idea what is gonna happen for sure
Glock 45
September 19th, 2011
11:57 pm
Look at the bright side…at least they won’t embarass themselves and the fans with 3 straight losses in the playoffs. They usually choke in October.
Dadgummit
September 20th, 2011
12:08 am
Can’t even watch them anymore. Tired of the ulcers.
rally
September 20th, 2011
12:18 am
I said it once before and I will say it again. There was a reason Fredi Gonzalez was fired from Florida and might be a refreshing thing for this columnist to say exactly what that was. He was fired because Florida was train wreck and was going nowhere with him in charge. Not exactly stellar credentials to be handing over a top rate program the last two decades. Now he is in control of another train that is fixing to wreck with only 8 games to play. So I will one be glad to pack his bags at Hartsfield Intl if this fool loses a 10.5 game lead in the WC. Don’t doubt me….cause thats where this train is headed.
Mitchell
September 20th, 2011
12:39 am
Maybe Dan Uggla could have consoled Craig by not looking at two pitches right down the middle with the bases loaded and then hacking at a ball for the 300th time in 2011 and the final out of the inning.
wawel78
September 20th, 2011
12:42 am
I think the 92 Giants won 103 games. Their season was hardly a choke job. I want to be upset about this loss but really, the braves shouldn’t have been leading in this game. That 7th was crazy with how they scored those 4 runs.
If the braves can go 4-4, the cardinals have to go 7-2 just to tie them. If the braves play worse (or cardinals play better), then the braves don’t deserve to be there anyway.
Mike
September 20th, 2011
12:42 am
Jeff,
It may not come down to the Phils series. With as poorly as this team is playing, and as low as this team is on confidence, and with the fact that we go from here to face a team we always have issues with in the Nats, AND with as hot as the Cards are, we may fall behind well before we face the Phils. When we face the Phils we may not only be needing wins, but we may be needing the Astros of all teams to beat the suddenly red hot Cards.
Mitchell
September 20th, 2011
12:47 am
Fredi Gonzalez’s Marlins finished ahead of the Bobby Cox’s Braves in the standings two years in a row.
That may not say a whole lot considering how God awful Bobby was in the final years of his career but it deserves to be pointed out to those who want to put everything on his successor.
The Braves played inspired baseball for the entirety of Bobby Cox’s final season and yet we haven’t seen a fraction of the clutch hitting or the flair for the dramatic that they took into the playoffs last year.
Can anybody really say they have given Fredi their all? It’s not like Bobby ever got the most out of his players.
All he ever did was make a fool out of himself defending players that were not worthy of being defended and getting thrown out of games.
What did that ever accomplish?
He reportedly said he felt Matt Diaz had something in him other managers didn’t see and Matt thusly credits him for the career he has now.
Again, what did that ever accomplish?
Mitchell
September 20th, 2011
12:52 am
The Braves scored those runs because they finally stopped what they were doing and started taking pitches and decided to let the Marlins relievers walk them when they clearly wanted to walk them.
You know what? Good for Omar. He was absolutely pivotal in us getting to the playoffs last year and yet we get rid of him for that tool Uggla and then we chose to bring back Matt Diaz, who did absolutely nothing to help us get to the playoffs last year.
We obviously don’t deserve what he contributes to the teams he plays for.
Mitchell
September 20th, 2011
12:56 am
The Braves have to get to the playoffs. You can’t say you’d rather not make it than get embarrassed, which we no doubt would anyway even if they won 100 games.
The Braves will always find a way to lose in October and those occasions have been nothing if not memorable.
To completely choke on this makes the entire season a waste. Nothing will have been accomplished whatsoever.
It is always better to get there and lose than what the Braves are dabbling in.
Mitchell
September 20th, 2011
12:59 am
Sonny Clusters
September 19th, 2011
10:54 pm
“You can’t win if you can’t throw strikes’” – Chipper Jones
“You can’t win if you can’t catch a ball at third base.” – Sonny Clusters
That is f*ing funny. Gotta tip your cap to that one.
idiots will say the dumbest things
September 20th, 2011
1:08 am
You know how to tell the fans that know nothing abiut the game? They are the ones who call for the coach’s head immediately when the team falters. They are the ones who claim a team that is in a wild card chase a losing team. They are the ones who harp on our all star third baseman who ironically can still play with the best of them. You say that Fredi managed a train wreck in Fla? I am sorry but you just showed the world (yes Jeff, the world is reading your blog
how ignorant you are. Fredi managed the hell out of that team for a trainwrek of an owner. People that complain like thishave never been involved in organized sports. They do good to get out of their parents basement Go back to your fantasy football league.
extremus
September 20th, 2011
1:19 am
At this rate I wonder why the Giants aren’t really being mentioned too much in the equation. The way things are going the Braves could end up finishing behind them AND the Cardinals.
September has been like watching a month-long train wreck unfold in slow, agonizing motion. And I’ll be honest; for me it’s killed most of my interest in watching the Braves for the time being; I’m just tired of the constant misery of runners left in scoring position, months-long hitting slumps, and blown leads. I mean TIRED and plain ready to do something else with my time; que sera sera where the Braves’ season is concerned. Another game, another three hours of my life I can’t get back and wish the heck I could. Football is already ongoing and while they certainly have issues of their own I think the Falcons are FAR closer to a world championship right now.
Ted M
September 20th, 2011
2:12 am
The Braves bullpen is great. They probably have been over worked but thats not it. No bullpen in the history of baseball is perfect. Its the offense, games early in the season count just as much as these and our offense blew so many games this season when we had both great starting pitching & relief pitching.
The Braves pitching, starting & relief, even w/all the rookies is the best part of the Braves. The offense not so much.
Lets go w/Delgado instead of Lowe.
Dr. Warren
September 20th, 2011
2:32 am
Only in Atlanta…jeez, the Braves are making the Hawks look like heroes.
Spineless punks
September 20th, 2011
2:50 am
I have never seen a worse group of spineless chumps where is their pride what a bunch of wimps and freddi Gonzalez he alone is responsible for most of it never has a closer up and ready to go when the bum in the game needs to be taken out fire freddigonzalez.com he is notorious for long losing streaks at Florida cut the bum loose
Spineless punks
September 20th, 2011
3:04 am
Freddi has not managed squat this year just put it on cruise control same old sorry hitters offense is offensive this team is the dullest time I have ever seen sorry mr professional that always makes excuses and claims someone lives in their parents basement this is for u go to h— u r a spineless excuse maker I figured since I have had to endure these Underachievers for the last twenty years I can say whatever I want and if u don’t like it tough sh–
melky cabrera
September 20th, 2011
3:57 am
i’d be amongst the team leader in almost all of the offensive categories.. batting average, doubles, rbi’s , runs
Stinger2
September 20th, 2011
4:20 am
I have nothing left to say about this Braves team except that they are a sad and pitiful group.
MitchC
September 20th, 2011
4:40 am
Jeff, the Braves are playing just dreadfully.
The only solace they have if it does come down to the final three games is that the Phillies wont pitch people like Halliday for long outings in that series.
It would be infuriating if they blew such a big lead in such a short time, but it wouldnt surprise me if they did. Hopefully they can get in, but.. it wouldnt surprise me either way. If they dont make it, it would be one of the worst collapses by a playoff team in baseball history.
jbwbly19
September 20th, 2011
6:21 am
Jose, where are you? The Braves are 18-10 with Constanza in the lineup. With Heyward since the hurricane, the Braves are 5-10. Maybe the front office should have kept their mouth shut and let Fredi decide who should play.
Savannah Seer
September 20th, 2011
6:30 am
Some days, there just ain’t enough vodka
PhightinPhil
September 20th, 2011
6:36 am
@idiots will say the dumbest things
Project much?
I love how people who complain about people complaining like to use the argument that they must not have played organized sports, as if it’s some kind of fraternity.
How would you know who played or didn’t play an organized sport? That brush of yours is awfully wide.
So, for future reference, anytime someone defends a player or manager for a job not well done, we are to assume that that person played an organized sport. Gotcha.
Just to be clear, idiots say the dumbest things.
Jonathan
September 20th, 2011
7:20 am
The saving grace may be the Phillies sure won’t want to play the Cards or the Giants in Round 1 as opposed to maybe the Diamonbacks so we will be playing far from best team in baseball that series.
SimpleDawg
September 20th, 2011
7:21 am
The Braves are meat.
They can’t beat the Nationals, and they can’t beat the Phillies.
Oh yeah, they can’t beat the Marlins either.
Snatching post season observer status out of the jaws of post season participant status.
Strange Murphy
September 20th, 2011
7:24 am
Well duh!!!! Braves have tanked.
But Vick lost so everything is not so bad!
O'Brien
September 20th, 2011
7:24 am
Jeff,
I still think the Braves will win the WC. But I have very little confidence in them advancing in the playoffs, especially if they face the Brewers.
JoeBrave
September 20th, 2011
7:27 am
Folks, the reality of all of this comes down to Old assed players that should not be here in the first place, Lowe, Gonzalez, yes even Chipper Jones, and now I will throw Hudson in that mix too., you simply cannot hold a team at ransom when 3 of the old ass over the hill gang are making up half the damn payroll, hence you are stuck with TRASH like Alex Gonzalez, Matt Diaz,Brooks Conrad,and continually playing draft busts like Jordan Schafer, and Jason Heywad, when you have no other choice, Baseball is a long and grueling season, and is for the young guys, but nope, Wren decided that turds like Kawakami, Lowe, Jones all needed to be overpaid, and now you get a wal-mart manager, and brokedown old geriatrics to finish up the season.Oh and by the way 30+ homeruns aint worth a damn if you can’t even hit your weight! see Uggla, never should have been acquired, but no Wren has hitched his wagon to this boatload of B/S and we are watching the rewards!
Patrick Bateman
September 20th, 2011
7:31 am
Chipper sux he tanked that ball on purpose. Loser by birth and by choice. The Braves don’t deserve to be in the playoffs. The way they’re playing now they would be out in 3 games anyway. It’s sad to blow it in the final week, but both the Cardinals and Giants want it more. Plus, the Braves schedule is not easy. Washington plays us like its the World Series every nite. St. Louis has a much easier schedule and a better team right now. Attendance blows at weekday Braves’ games now, if we fold, Turner Field will look like a graveyard next year.
taxman
September 20th, 2011
7:31 am
This is my prediction for the sinking braves. They will manage ONE win in Florida and then lose 3 straight to the Nationals who they simply cannot beat and the Phillies series will be a Joke because they are no match for the Phillies. They could possibly win only one game our of the next 8. St Louis is winning and playing their best baseball now and the braves are reeling out of control. I agree with one other venter who said at least they won’t embrass their fans in the first round of the playoffs by losing 3 straight. They will be watching at home.
Hit A Single
September 20th, 2011
7:35 am
Once again the Braves situational hitting is killing them. Terrible swings with two outs and bases loaded. Upper cuts and trying to hit it to Mars. Can’t hit with men in scoring position except Chipper.
Boobys' Booger
September 20th, 2011
7:35 am
Biggest all time collapse at least top 3 ever. The boys of CHOKE
Donny in Suwanee
September 20th, 2011
7:36 am
I’ve been following the Braves since Bob Bruce and Arnold Umbach were coming out of our bullpen (that would be 1967…) and I’ve had to think long and hard about any loss that felt as bad as last night’s did. It isn’t Kimbrell’s fault. That guy has brought us to where we are along with his other 2 bullpen cohorts. Our pitching is showing some signs of fatigue, and I’m troubled. BUT, we are still in the lead with 8 to go. I’d rather be worried about losing first place in the WC than trying to catch someone.
Boobys' Booger
September 20th, 2011
7:36 am
@taxman: I see you as a visionary. PLease Continue
Donny in Suwanee
September 20th, 2011
7:38 am
Hey, JoeBrave, we traded Schafer to Houston….
Boobys' Booger
September 20th, 2011
7:39 am
It is true that : IF we go 6-2 (which IS what we need to get some momentum for the playoffs, we actually would have a chance in the NLDS. BUT, they aren’t going 6-2. This will be the NATS WORLD SERIES…lucky to win 1 game in Washington…which is a complete embarrassment. This team cannot stick greased needles up their you know whats
Ted
September 20th, 2011
7:40 am
Heh…this is so much fun to read about…and the losing really started after Chipper started talking trash about how they could beat the Phillies! The Braves are getting exactly what they deserve.
fildawg
September 20th, 2011
7:41 am
LET’S GO REDBIRDS!!
Voice of Reason
September 20th, 2011
7:43 am
Idiot has a good point but a wide brush as was stated by one of his detractors. But the main thing to remember, I believe, is that this is a long season and we have hitched our star to a young relief corps and they have, for the vast majority of the time, come through for us. They will again. The Braves will play in the NLCS after taking down the Diamondbacks in 4. You gotta’ believe!
urban redneck
September 20th, 2011
7:45 am
dear braves,
please play better. when the season is over, i have to start “listening” to my wife again. God bless.
UR
Mark
September 20th, 2011
7:52 am
This all started 3 weeks ago when the Braves starting sitting their regulars in huge chunks to get ready for the playoffs – wait til you clinch like Philly did. They started coasting, saying putting in a AAA guy was a “luxury” since they were so far ahead, and lost their edge. They won’t get it back – this year is over and will leave a horrible taste going into 2012. The run is over folks. We didn’t finish the deal.
AtlSean
September 20th, 2011
7:55 am
Good thing I don’t have anything but the basic satellite package and can’t watch any of the Braves games – I probably would have thrown the tv out the window by now.
Frustrated
September 20th, 2011
7:56 am
They need to change their name to the SOB’s so when I say the SOB’s lost again everyone will know exactly who I am talking about.
ramblingbuzz
September 20th, 2011
7:57 am
Who would have thought that the highly acclaimed starting rotation would come unglued? Without the pitching, the Bravos are dead because they sure have trouble scoring runs.
Aubrey
September 20th, 2011
8:00 am
It was nice while it lasted. See ya next year Braves.
Mike is Back
September 20th, 2011
8:02 am
Geeeeeeeeez Schultzy, how can you lose two high powered guys like that from your rotation…and not be impacted….I LIKE Garcia…the BRAVES will prevail.
BobfromAcworth
September 20th, 2011
8:03 am
Face it I have watched the Braves since 1977 and they are a warm weather team. If it is too cool when they play they have trouble. It needs to be 95+ and humidity about 80%+ for them to do their best.
Shug
September 20th, 2011
8:04 am
Typical Chipper Jones game–0 for 4 when it matters, and a dimwit fielding play in the clutch. The only thing missing was his usual baserunning boner.
Really?
September 20th, 2011
8:12 am
For those of you saying the Braves will win the WC… only if WC stands for ‘water closet’ a.k.a. toilet. After 20+ years of watching faithfully, I am so disillusioned that I forgot to turn them on last night. It’s football season and the last 4 years that’s what we turn to at this time of the year. Looks like this year is no different. Even if they did get ‘hot’ (well warm), I just have a bad feeling for the playoffs.
BaseballBuff
September 20th, 2011
8:14 am
This is a classic choke, but the Braves are in elite company with the Red Sox, who are also gagging down the stretch. Even if the Bravos slip into the playoffs, one now has little confidence they will advance beyond the division series. Hats off to St. Louis and San Francisco for playing well when it counts most.
BaseballBuff
September 20th, 2011
8:17 am
@jbwbly19 I’m with you. Why in the world isn’t Constanza starting?
Lou Baseball Fan
September 20th, 2011
8:23 am
Don’t try to over analyze this bad stretch. It is simple to explain with two guys not pitching right now- Juergens and Hansen. When you take two premier starters out of the rotation your won lost record will suffer. Minor and Beechy are future pitching stars but not quite there yet. Lowe is a jekyll and hyde and I can’t figure him out. I think the bullpen is starting to wear down. They probably have some of the most innings pitched in the league. All we can hope for is one spark to get us going again-we’ll get it, these guys are pros.
Mike Lum
September 20th, 2011
8:25 am
One person says the relievers are too young. Another guy says the starters are too old. Uggla can’t hit a home run every time he bats. It’s Fredi’s fault we lost…why did he let the NL saves leader pitch?
I guess this offseason y’all want the Braves to spend $200 million to buy a gold glove .350 hitting shortstop (not that one exists) and “a veteran starter” WITHOUT trading any prospects. Then we can be like the Red Sox. No, wait…they’re stumbling as well.
Fire everyone, and get a team who can go 162-0. Then you “fans” will be happy. Unless they lose the World Series.
Steve
September 20th, 2011
8:30 am
Are you all surprise??? Fredi Gonzalez was hand pick by Bobby Cox. They both are losers!!! Gonzalez had a losing season in Miami so what makes you think he will be a winner here. The Bobby Cox regime continues…..
up north
September 20th, 2011
8:32 am
Last time I checked, you look towards the field for the ground ball, not up in the lights!
JSS
September 20th, 2011
8:35 am
Clusters came from such humble beginnings, a simple reference to Francoeur and Dairy Queen. Now, nearly a half decade later, he has ascend to the Mount Rushmore of Bloggers! That line about the statue pretending to play third base for the Braves was a classic!
“Clusters,” like Lombardi, just the name!
JeanE
September 20th, 2011
8:35 am
That was just gut-wrenching to watch. I keep telling myself it’s only baseball. I can’t fault Chipper because where would we be without him? I did find it interesting when the announcers tactfully said it might not have been the best idea to throw Omar another fastball. Would David Ross had done differently? And the bullpen is completely overworked, fatigued and full of young guys who are feeling the stress. It’s a recipe for disaster. I’m really rooting for the guys but don’t feel hopeful at all. When our starters with the exception of Hudson, can’t or don’t go more than 5 innings, the bullpen is going to breakdown. And we haven’t hit all season. We can’t even beat the Marlins, our previous whipping boy and then we have to face our nemsis, the Nats and Stasburg??? Eyy yi yi.
BG
September 20th, 2011
8:35 am
Um Schultz, even if they win the next 5, that doesn’t mean it’s “closed out”. They could easily get swepted by Philly and be still up 2 while the cards sweep the astrohs and get in. This team always chokes and finds a way to lose in Sept. I guess if Philly doesn’t want to play St louis or San Fran, they can let us win and get in. LOL
CharlestonDAWG
September 20th, 2011
8:36 am
I hate being a Braves fan. We are down 2-1 in the 6th. There are 2 outs. Prado almost homers but instead doubles off the wall. He reaches second and there is ABSOLUTELY no emotion. No excitement. It was like he got a seeing eye single and the Braves were already up 10-1. Where is the sense of urgency? Braves are just to complacent. Minor throws 3 fast balls in a row. The first two are called strikes on outside edge of plate. Next third one belt high down middle. Why not throw a fastball 6 inches outside and have a batter maybe chase worrying about a called strike 3. Chipper should have gotten throw out of the Omar error that started us a rally bc he jogs the first 3rd of baseline. Those are coaching corrections. Get the team excited. Call a pitch for a young pitcher. Sit chipper for being lazy. UUUGGGGGHHHH I’ll support this team til the end. Better than being a cubs fan But Im so sick of the same thing. We will probably luck into the playoffs. If we get lucky enough to beat the Brewers, we will get CRUSHED by the Phillies. But whats knew in ATL. 20 years of first round playoff baseball. Oh wait, we did have that one year.
CharlestonDAWG
September 20th, 2011
8:37 am
New* And BTW that third strike belt high was knocked out of the ball park
Fire Freddi
September 20th, 2011
8:39 am
This is just more evidence that Freddi is a HORRIBLE manager. All those games where we were up by 5 runs (or down by 5) going into the 8th and he ran Venters and Kimbrell out there. Yes, it resulted in Kimbrell getting the most saves of any rookie closer, but the negative is their arms fall off right as you go into September.
I could name more, but I wont, because we all know them anyway. I am hoping against hope that the cards catch us and Freddi is fired before the last pitch of the 2011 season.
oldmike
September 20th, 2011
8:40 am
can’t watch them anymore. what is the point of making the playoffs. without hanson or jj in the rotation we are toast. lowe is awful. once again our manager has completely overworked the major strength of the club – the bullpen. the starters need to go at aminimum 7. not 6 or 5. If so then you can rotate venters and moylan and oflaherty to minimize their innings. even rotate closers. why am i thinking of this. shouldn’t fredi consider it? what a drag being a braves fan this year. and all those 14 years when they lost in the post season to sub standard teams because we played station to staion ball. ughhh.
George
September 20th, 2011
8:41 am
Its over the braves once again will pass out when it gets close to the post season. They just seem to not to be able to handle the reality of post season baseball.
THE CURSE OF DAVID JUSTICE LIVES ON!
September 20th, 2011
8:46 am
DAVID JUSTICE SAID THE BRAVES WOULD NEVER WIN AGAIN
Bernard
September 20th, 2011
8:47 am
I’m just sayin’….”The Braves SSSSSSUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:-(
Bobby Coccyx
September 20th, 2011
8:49 am
They’re all good kids
Lou Baseball Fan
September 20th, 2011
8:49 am
Years ago in the middle of the great years with Bobby, an ESPN analyst said “The Braves are a team built to get you to the playoffs but not to win it all.” I really didn’t know what he was talking about but now understand his coimments and they turn out to be spot on.
Ted Abernathy
September 20th, 2011
8:52 am
A train wreck. Even if they manage to limp into the palyoffs, it willbe because of their record in July, not the way they are playing in September.
The Joker...
September 20th, 2011
8:53 am
How is it that Chipper can bend down to catch a hooters chick in his glove, but cannot catch a routine groundball? I don’t understand…….
Dumbo
September 20th, 2011
8:58 am
Well, here we are…the Braves are doing the slow fall out of the playoffs and why….maybe the brilliant manager overused his 3 best pitchers in the bullpin. Why are the Braves the only winning team with 3 relief pitchers in top 5 in innings worked in relief and not a single starter in the top 10 innings pitched. Think maybe the brilliant manager pulled his starters way to early and thus overused his bullpin to the extent of exhaustion. Hey Fredi….you’ve toasted your own team…bozo.
BirdDawg24
September 20th, 2011
9:03 am
aahhhh. are all the braves bandwagon jumpers jumping ship ? you guys sound like randy quaid in the major league movie.” the braves are done ! lol,, fair weather fans, and everybody knows how to fix it. maybe we should have ” pick a braves coach for a day off the AJC blog.” i bet the braves would win every game then…….hmmm.
Steve
September 20th, 2011
9:05 am
FREDI GONZALEZ=BOBBY COX=LOSERS
flagger
September 20th, 2011
9:10 am
just maybe u get uggla out of cleanup and put him where he can hit his homers with no one on base and not strike out everytime he has a chance to drive in runs, i bet he has left more runners on base than anyone in baseball……so there!!!
Ramblinwreck83
September 20th, 2011
9:11 am
A bunch of chokers!
Cecil34
September 20th, 2011
9:14 am
Keep reading those “quotes” folks, that DOB puts up after very game.
What keen insight to the player’s minds that drivel is…..
Dawg Trainer
September 20th, 2011
9:16 am
Watching the Braves choke this away, all I can do is listen to Johnny Cash singing ‘Folsom Prison Blues’. But if the Man in Black was still around, it’ll go something like this:
I see the Cards a comin’
They’re playing good baseball,
And my poor Braves a chokin’, not playin’ well at all,
And that wild card is slipping, slip, slip, sliding away
Oh, when September’s over, my Braves won’t play, no way
When I was just a baby, my daddy told me, Bart
Don’t believe in Bravos, they’ll only break your heart
But here we are this summer, just to watch them fold
Yeah we saw this thing a comin’, but this just gets old
BirdDawg24
September 20th, 2011
9:16 am
congratulations flagger u are ” coach for the hour. ‘ I feel better already so there…..
loserville
September 20th, 2011
9:18 am
another choke on the way by an atlanta sports team—it never ends. There must be a curse on the city by a higher power.
BLew
September 20th, 2011
9:20 am
Braves playing poorly over a month-long stretch? Must be September…
Bill Clinton
September 20th, 2011
9:23 am
Sad. Even if they make it into the playoffs, they are playing their worst ball of the year. I doubt they can beat Milwaukee or Zona. Too bad, were playing great for a while. Same ole, same ole.
Braves All the Way
September 20th, 2011
9:24 am
Geez…instead of being excited about going to the post season games, now I’m wondering if I’ll get my money back on those tickets I bought. I feel like I just invested in Enron…
DetroitBraves
September 20th, 2011
9:32 am
Getting past the emotional downer this team has become, Coolstandings still has the playoff odds at about 78% so as MB and JS have pointed out, the numbers are in their favor for getting into the field. Still, the odds were around 96% just around a week or so ago so 78% today isn’t exactly cause for celebration. And like others here have pointed out, yeah they still stand a decent chance of getting in but I don’t have much confidence once there. Yeah, MB points out the Giants limped in last year and won but they had Lincecum and Cain while the Braves are still missing Hanson and Jurrjens. But baseball’s a weird game. We’ll see.
KZGuy
September 20th, 2011
9:43 am
What do you expect? If the Braves had a 180 Million payroll like the Phils maybe we could could afford some hitters to go with a good bullpen and average starters. All they have to do is more than double their current payroll. Baseball is a joke. The combined salaries of the Phils starters make more money than several teams entire payroll. It’s like Coastal Carolina being part of the SEC. How can a team with a 45M payroll compete with a team that spends over 200M yearly?
KME
September 20th, 2011
9:44 am
Hershel Talker?! You think that the STL Cards have a “joke schedule”?! Think again, BUD! A team that is no longer in the playoffs can crucify the h*ll out of some team that is still in it! Do not think that the Mets, Arizona or any team out there is a “cakewalk”. you are furtherest from the truth! All in all…with games like last night…the error that Chipper made at third…you cannot make these down the stretch! The Braves want this thing, LOCKED UP…B-E-F-O-R-E playing the Phillies. If they are 3 games, like they are here…in front…with Philly coming to town…this all will go up in smoke. Derek Lowe will be tossed from this team…for sure. I can feel it. He has not had good numbers all year…coming even from last season. We need to get back to a good rotation…back to the days of Smoltzie, Glavine, Maddux…those guys. We need a rotation that is solid…and to let up on the pressure of the bullpen. More consistencies is needed, that is for sure. the coaching staff is good…the pitchers…not so.
eastbound and down
September 20th, 2011
9:47 am
wow. and i thought after reading one of your earlier posts the braves were going to catch the phillies. glad u are not a financial advisor.
Colin
September 20th, 2011
9:48 am
This team is soft. Even if they do manage to sneak into the postseason, does anyone really expect anything more than another first round exit? At least this time they are giving the fans a break by letting them down in the regular season as opposed to waiting for the playoffs to begin their usual collapse. It’s time for fans to turn their attention to football (though in fairness, the Falcons appear to have caught the postseason collapse disease as well).
JMac2011
September 20th, 2011
9:55 am
Told you 3 weeks ago that the Cardinals had the better chance for the wildcard, but I got called an idiot. 2 back on the loss side, 5-1 against the Braves, and 6-3 against the Phillies. Who is the idiot now!! Braves are a weak hitting team that lived as long as they could with an overachieving rotation. Anyone who knows anything about baseball should have been able to see that several months ago.
Won 14 straight!
September 20th, 2011
9:55 am
Da Braves, Da Fal-cant’s, Da Hawks= Loserville Georgia………Former Prison Colony….16th Century, figures……..
153 seasons combines, 1 lone Champiomship(95 braves/lucked out!)
Dandy Randy
September 20th, 2011
9:55 am
Why are we so spit n’ polish eager to see the Braves in the playoffs? We all know what the outcome would be. This isn’t ‘91.
STRETCH
September 20th, 2011
9:56 am
Still trying to understand this team. This franchise. Once again they are doing what they do best and its coming a little earlier this time.
aj
September 20th, 2011
10:00 am
Did you really expect anything different from braves?? They would fall on their face in 1st series of palyoffs anyhow. Biggest underachiving franchise in professional sports!!!
chief pitchanono
September 20th, 2011
10:02 am
Well its come to this, the Cards and the Giants are gonna make sure no one limps into the playoffs. Thats how it should be, the wildcard is for the team that is the hottest down the stretch (or at least luke warm) and that is normally the team that wins it. The Vets on this team have to pull the young guys together and make sure they are focused on nothing but the eight games that lie ahead. The attitude needs to be that there playoffs start now. Whatever happens over the next eight games will determine there season and everything in the past including the 2.5 game lead has to be forgotten. No scoreboard watching, no listening to the media talk about epic collapeses or blown leads. In reality they have not won anything so therefore they have nothing to lose. Its simply an eight game race to the finish between them and the Cards and Giants. Clear there heads and just play baseball. May the best team win. Go Braves!!!!
NativeAtl
September 20th, 2011
10:05 am
Braves have been spiraling out of control for this whole month and prior. The Cardinals have been the exact opposite. Cardinals have the way easier schedule here on out. We get the Phillies for the last three. I will bet the house that the Braves do not make the playoffs.
Brad
September 20th, 2011
10:07 am
I do not see a lot of hustle in this Brave team. When a ground ball is hit, watch the casual stroll to first base as the “runner” thinks it is an out. Where is Pete Rose who could show the Braves how to hustle?Prado has to really dig in at the plate to take that first strike down the middle of the plate. Then he is in position to swing at the pitches he can`t hit. Unfortunately that rubs off on Uggly and Freeman.
Destiny Calling
September 20th, 2011
10:09 am
1964 Cards 11 games out on Aug. 24, went 28-11 to win the pennant.
1942 Cards 10 games out on Aug. 5, went 44-9 to win pennant.
1930 Cards 12 games out on Aug. 9, went 39-10 to win pennant.
2011 Cards 10 games out on Sept. 1st. Now 2 1/2 out on Sept. 20th
STRETCH
September 20th, 2011
10:11 am
JMac2011,
Thats what ive been saying! These guys cant hit w/RISP and the numbers dont lie. Now the pitching is going south and they are being exposed. So, Atlanta…do you really wanna see this team in the post-season?
Lick wounds this season. Next season some things needed:
1. Pick up a legit Left fielder. Prado is ok, but not quiet the man.
2. Sign Bourn.
3. Better pitching management needs to be the focus at the start of spring training.
4. Lowe needs to Gowe!!!!
It's Over
September 20th, 2011
10:25 am
Jeff, you’re absolutely wrong about the Brave-less needing another last-day miracle…they will have officially been overtaken and elimated by then. These guys are officially done. At least we wont have to watch yet another post-season vanishing act this year – getting it done early.
ghostwriter
September 20th, 2011
10:25 am
I’m going to take the flipside of what most people here are writing.
We have more than enough talent to take these next two games and then sweep Washington. Then we can easily win at least one game in Philadelphia. As long as we don’t get swept or lose all of the next series, I think we’ll be fine.
Come on, fans, where’s the faith? Don’t be fair weather.
CardsFan
September 20th, 2011
10:30 am
Don’t worry Braves fans. The Phillies are going to hand you the last series so they get to play you in the playoffs rather than the Cardinals who just beat the snot out of them. Even if the Cards and Giants keep up their frenetic pace, the Phillies’ gift will get you in.
PMC
September 20th, 2011
10:31 am
Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson may never make it through a season healthy.
Derrick Lowe is just old and massively overpaid for what he is.
PMC
September 20th, 2011
10:32 am
They should be destroying the Marlins. Instead…… same old.
seabass
September 20th, 2011
10:37 am
Let it happen! They always collapse at the end of the season. I can’t watch anymore, last night done me in.
Doug
September 20th, 2011
10:43 am
The good news is we still have a 2.5 game lead, at least for now. It is also a good thing there are under 10 games left because longer than that and the Cards or Frisco would catch us.
We have to hope Hudson and maybe Beachy can give us wins and maybe we get a break with Hansen & or J.J. winning a game down the stretch. Maybe one of the young callups will toss a nice game under pressure?
The strength of this club was pitching and we all knew it, now that our staff has broken down this makes our biggest issue very plain….. this is a poor hitting team as a whole.
Ending the season with the Phillys is going to make this very tough, shame it will come down to that series but those who follow the Braves daily knew the team had issues all season long.
Lets be glad for now we are still being chased!
dtanner
September 20th, 2011
10:44 am
phillies payroll 172,000,000,braves payroll 87,000,000,who do you think is gonna win more games,is one of the reasons i no longer watch baseball
b
September 20th, 2011
10:52 am
Mother of God, why want Fredi start Constanza?
He was pivotal to our success and now he won’t play him.
Why won’t Shultz,Bradley,Rogers or DOB qestion this carnival act.
Don'tBelieveIt
September 20th, 2011
10:54 am
I have read every post in this blog. I think it comes down to what Doug said: “but those who follow the Braves daily knew the team had issues all season long.”
Dragon
September 20th, 2011
11:00 am
Tommy Hanson not Hansen
HereWeGoAgain
September 20th, 2011
11:04 am
Only the Braves could lose a grounder in the lights…
DoninAcworth
September 20th, 2011
11:05 am
I’ve been with the Braves since I arrived in Atlanta in ‘68 after some withdrawl agnst with the Bumbs
that I joined in 1947. Yes, these season ending nerves can be awful but hang in there fans! I see
great things if Fredi will just tweek the line-up just a little more: Say Chipper to come off the bench
at just the right hitting/walk time and a better defensive Prado at 3rd. Hopefully, Lowe? Perhaps
NEVER a starter now and “hurry” Hanson we need you! We’ve got the moxie to finish good but
if now….. wait til next year!
playoff!
September 20th, 2011
11:08 am
if the braves choke and miss the playoffs, the GM and manager must go! Enough is enough!
bart
September 20th, 2011
11:10 am
A historical choke job. Even if a miracle happens and they do make the playoffs they’ll be gone in three. Their psyche is damaged beyond repair for this year.
Fredi
September 20th, 2011
11:15 am
Wait, so you’re telling me that the bullpen is starting to wear down? But how can that be? Using them in EVERY SINGLE GAME is good for them, right? I made sure that I used Venters every day last year and he was fine, so I figured do the same thing this year. No matter what, just throw them out there. “They’re fine. There’s nothing there that I know about. They’re good to go. It’s just one of those games. Tomorrow you go out there and you give them the ball.”
HereWeGoAgain
September 20th, 2011
11:17 am
The Braves have no “swagger” left. They no longer expect to win. You can look at them and see that they have already thrown in the towel. Are you ready for some football?????
1991 braves
September 20th, 2011
11:26 am
No need to panic, the braves have the smartest manager in baseball, and they have the stud stopper Lowe, and they have the big mouth, crybaby Larry Jones. With the 3 stooges leading the way, there is no way this team loses the wildcard. Lowe has 2 more starts, so you know he will pitch like the stud he is and put the team on his back down the stretch. And the manager with more baseball smarts than any manager in baseball will outsmart the other managers down the stretch. And Larry Jones will continue to criticize every player in public, but he will fail to mention how pathetic he is at times. Going to buy my playoff tickets today, no way the 3 stooges let this team down. Sounds good anyway. Wouldn’t pay 5 cents to go watch these clowns play, and certainly wouldn’t pay 5 cents to watch Lowe pitch, and fat fredi manage. Actually the real 3 stooges were much more entertaining to watch than these 3 clowns.
JMac2011
September 20th, 2011
11:38 am
This is for Doug who posted @10:43….. I got news for you; The Braves will be caught, because the Cardinals are the better team, and deserve the playoffs more. The defending champ Giants might make it a 3 way.
BirdDawg24
September 20th, 2011
11:39 am
well i guess since the braves are done. we have nothing left to talk about.its all over, turn out the lights, the braves are cursed, its voodooo i tell you….
ab initio
September 20th, 2011
11:40 am
The Braves are not collapsing. They were put together as a mediocre team with serious holes from the past years that haven’t been addressed. They have a hitting coach who has never been a hitting coach before. They have more retreads and castoffs than any team currently competing for the wild card.
One word: Conrad. Any questions?
Again,the Braves aren’t collapsing, Mr. Schultz; they are playing the kind of ball they were built to play. Braves management wanted to aim for the wild card, which is why there shouldn’t be a wild card to begin with.
There is nothing surprising at all about where we find ourselves at this point in the season.
Brave Hokie
September 20th, 2011
11:48 am
The Braves are just “doing what they do” ~ underachive and collapse.
& it will not change until lambs like myself, refuse to believe in them and support them during the spring and summer.
The Braves are heartless, gutless, and satisfied with mediocrity.
tony
September 20th, 2011
11:48 am
Am i the only won who thinks bonafacio would have been safe anyway. the dude is the fastest guy in the league and that was a high chopper.
CardsFan
September 20th, 2011
11:48 am
This is getting real interesting. Think the Braves are a class act organization and look forward to watching the next run of 9 games with the Giants sneaking up as well. Gonna be a great finish overall, great for a baseball fan and even though I think the Braves pull it out its at least exciting to watch. And if the Braves do make it in be sure to PUNISH the Brewers…
5150 UOAD
September 20th, 2011
12:07 pm
The Wheels on the bus are coming off coming off coming off
Brave Hokie
September 20th, 2011
12:08 pm
& another thing: I WISH the Braves would let me negotiate with that punk a$$ Jurrjens next years when he shows up with Scott the pimp around asking for 15 / 20 million per…
I would bring out 2 DVDs: Jurrjens 2010 highlights Sept / Oct & Jurrjens 2011 highlights Sept / Oct ~ both of which would be dude pick’in his nose with a jacket on in the dugout ~ then tell him to get the H out of my sight…
loser.
bart
September 20th, 2011
12:09 pm
Despite how I may sound, I am a huge Braves fan. I have said they have done a massive choke and they have to this point. It is obvious to even the casual observer that the team has no confidence and they are playing games doubting their ability to win. It happens to many teams. It’s frustrating and depressing when it happens to a team you pull for so hence all the negative feedback on the team. Confidence can be a hard trait to get back when it is currently been battered to pieces. It will be interesting to see if they can get their mojo back.
Jair Jurrjens
September 20th, 2011
12:11 pm
My pimp Scott say the Braves owe me 20 million per contract for being so ‘clutch’ down the stretch… {the stretch of May that is}
Pay me my $$$$$$!
iTiSi
September 20th, 2011
12:13 pm
If the Phillies are rolling over and playing dead for the Cards, and looks like they are, then maybe they will pay for it in the end. If they all of a sudden become alive again for the last 3 games against the Braves, with Howard playing, then just maybe the Cards will knock them out in the playoffs. Think the Cards play better against the Phils than the Braves do anyway. Guess we can all see now that FG is one of those managers that “sings ‘Oh Happy Day’ while the barn is burning”.
Joey
September 20th, 2011
12:13 pm
It’s karma.
How many of you laughed at the Mets’ collapses 3 or 4 years ago.
I did . . .
G
September 20th, 2011
12:25 pm
This us a team built by a flawed GM who put together a mediocre starting staff, and manager who can’t manage a bullpen… Same old Braves
JMac2011
September 20th, 2011
12:27 pm
I will say this and I am out of here…. The Phillies played their regulars, except for Howard, who is injured and expected to be out for a couple of days. The Cardinals beat Halladay, Hamels, and won the game pitched by Worley. Manual stated that he was playing his regulars because it was only fair to the Braves. They did not roll over this weekend. If you had watched Rollins stretch a sure double into a hustling triple last night, you would have known that. The Cardinals are just a better team winning 5 of 6 from Atlanta and 6 of 9 from the Phillies. All this without the services of Adam Wainwright, out the entire season.
Bama Mike
September 20th, 2011
12:33 pm
Remember the days when the wild card birth was for the other guys.
5 Time National Champs Nebraska
September 20th, 2011
12:33 pm
This blog needs 2 words:
Mike Vick.
Dawg Trainer
September 20th, 2011
12:38 pm
This blog needs…more COWBELL!
rayraysbraves
September 20th, 2011
12:38 pm
r there any braves fans on this blog
rayraysbraves
September 20th, 2011
12:39 pm
it’s baseball and if you don’t like a good game . . .
coach13
September 20th, 2011
12:39 pm
This is not all on Freddi. The offense has uderperformed for most of the year which has completely gassed the pitching. What is on Freddi is pitching Venters and Kimbrel with multi run leads so that they can “stay fresh”.
For those that aren’t ready to panic ask yourselves this. 2 of our top 3 starters are hurt and haven’t pitched in a month or more. The offense is anemic and the best bullpen tandem in all of baseball have empty tanks from being part of the most used bullpen in all of baseball. Not to mention their last 6 games are against Washington and Philly.
Once again we limp into the playoffs (if we make it) and could very possibly lose to a team with half the talent.
Greg Mendel
September 20th, 2011
1:00 pm
I continue to maintain that the Braves need a new owner more than anything else. Despite throwing away a multitude of razor-close games in April and May, the patch-job team did pretty well for a stretch. As someone noted on this blog a while back, it’s not the team with the best league record anymore, but often a team that’s hot at the end of October.
The Braves may just let their wild card lead ooze away. Or — they may ooze into the playoffs and suddenly become the 1927 Yankees, winning the World Series. It could be our best chance in years.
Personally, I hate the whole concept of Wild Card. I hate the concept of baseball playoffs. Aside from the urgent need to produce more television profits, there was never anything wrong with the best teams of the the AL and NL playing each other for the championship. If they had the Wild Card in 1927, the Philadelphia Athletics might have played the Brooklyn Robins for the pennant.
Chris Matthews
September 20th, 2011
1:12 pm
Hope this is Chipper’s last year! His salary is too high for a part-time player!!
Mike
September 20th, 2011
1:21 pm
Braves after they won the world series never got it back. ALL these division wines etc. butttttttt never come thru in the clutch anymore. It is time for new owners, new managers, new coaches and new players. Start young again a build a team.
Lonnie Smith
September 20th, 2011
1:29 pm
GO CARDS!!
Larry
September 20th, 2011
1:58 pm
The braves would have coasted in, but their starting pitching is in shambles. This is a better braves team than last year’s team. They have played much better defense. This should be instructive to all the grumblers about adding “big bats” to the lineup. Pitching and defense carry teams to championships in the major leagues and you won’t win if you stink it up in either area. I’d also like to know how many of the braves’ homers this year have been solo shots. It seems like there is never anyone on base when they hit one out. I am preparing to return my playoff tickets next week for a refund because I believe there is high probability the cards will catch us based on the remaining schedule. The biggest game may be the one on Thursday, the day the braves are off. If the cards win that one and get to 2 games behind, I think it’s over for us. If they lose, I predict there will be a playoff for the wild card. I believe SF is out of the picture. The worst part of this whole situation? Another year of lowe at $15 mil……unbelievable.
Larry30
September 20th, 2011
2:08 pm
Bama Mike, I do remember when the wild card was for the other guys and I knew this team was in trouble when they proclaimed they were no longer playing for the division and counting on the wild card with over 6 weeks to go in the season. That is the mindset of losers.
Chris Goltermann
September 20th, 2011
2:12 pm
Well, thank goodness ESPN only cares about the Red Sox.. we won’t be the No. 1 flop on SportsCenter.
DawgDad
September 20th, 2011
2:13 pm
The Braves haven’t just been losing games, they’ve been run through the heart in some of these losses. You could see the look of locked-in determination on Omar’s face after he was dusted last night; that was a mistake by Kimbrel to wake a sleeping dog and he paid the price for it.
I see the team playing hard but they are a team built in the Weaver mold to live or die on the three-run homer. There have been some positive signs: Bourn is solid, Chipper is on fire offensively, AGon is hot, and Heyward is showing signs of life. Prado may be coming around after a terrible slump, but McCann is in the can and you have to wonder what’s going on with him.
You’ve got the team with the best player in the league and the comeback player of the year chasing down your tail. I want the Braves to win REAL bad (I’ve already bought playoff tickets), but frankly I don’t see where the wins will come from. The offense is going to have to step up big for them to make the playoffs. If I were managing the Marlins, Nats, and Phils there’s no way I’d run a right-handed starter out there against the Braves.
brad
September 20th, 2011
2:15 pm
I will enjoy watching most of you people eat crow when the Braves are in the playoffs and the Cards and Giants are sitting at home watching.
Charles
September 20th, 2011
2:18 pm
We’re likely to know well before the last game. The Cardinals are playing well and have a cakewalk schedule the rest of the way – Mets, Cubs, Astros. Figure they will go at least 7-2. That means the Braves must go 5-3 to win the wild card. Figure they will be lucky to take 1 of 3 from Philly in the final series with their current injury-ridden rotation and bullpen woes. That means they must win the next 2 against the Marlins and win the series against the Nationals. They face the heart of the Marlin’s rotation and the recent Nat-Brave history as well as the Nats playing reasonably well does not bode well. If they don’t take the next 2 from the Marlins, you can put a fork in the Braves’ postseason.
daxxed
September 20th, 2011
2:42 pm
Biggest problem the Braves have had it the past few years is that when there were a man on third and less than 2 outs, Chipper would not or could not bunt in a run. The majority of the time he would hit into a double play or an un productive out…6 games could have been won if he would have only bunted in the run instead of make an out….ARod bunts, Jetter Bunts, but does Chipper even know how???
Blame it all on Chipper for his premadonnaism…if he would only had bunted in those runs, there would not be an issue now…
Robert
September 20th, 2011
2:56 pm
“The Braves will always find a way to lose in October”
Correction – Bobby Cox will always find a way to lose in October
Mitchell – did you see the picture of Cox at a Braves game that was at the top of one of Bradley’s recent columns?
Allowing Bobby Cox to set foot in the stadium during a playoff drive is like throwing a lit match onto a leaking can of gasoline.
Don't Give Up on This Team.
September 20th, 2011
3:46 pm
I’d still rather be in the Braves’ position than in the Cardinals or Giants. Those two clubs can’t afford to make any mistakes. As bad as the Braves have played this month, they still have room for error. My prediction: They go 4-4 the rest of the way, and nip the Cardinals by one game.
chipper!
September 20th, 2011
3:52 pm
chipper said he’s coming back in 2012! 2012 will be the year of the braves!!!
REGGIE
September 20th, 2011
8:19 pm
Freddi has done a good job this year with the young braves and has installed alot confidence in Venters and Kimball.These two will be good for a long time if Freddi does not overwork them as it appears to be the case now. Also, McCann needs to do a better job calling pitchers.I was watching Delgado pitch tonite. He threw 3 consecutive fastballs to a batters that was pulling his fastball hard and foul.Instead of an off speed pitch he called for another fastball and the batter pulled it for a hit
Braves need at least 2 wins (and don't expect Phillies to fold) | Jeff Schultz
September 26th, 2011
12:14 pm
[...] Don’t forget a year ago. When the Phillies closed last season at Turner Field, they had no clear motivation to win other than to spread misery in Atlanta. But they won the first two games anyway by lopsided scores of 11-5 and 7-0, before the Braves took the finale 8-7 to reach the postseason. [...]