Braves, Derek Lowe blow up again (but somehow still live)
Derek Lowe might've done better if he closed his eyes while he pitched Tuesday. Or maybe he did. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
(UPDATED: 11:45 p.m.)
So there’s this scene in Monty Python’s “Life of Brian” when all of those who have been condemned to death and are hanging from crosses suddenly break into the cheer tune, “Always look on the bright side of life …”
And that pretty much sums up the Braves right now. They are a team of “Brians.” Every ounce of their corpses screams – a blood-curdling scream – that they are condemned for a season without a playoff game, or at the very least without another win.
And yet, they live. They sing!
For a short while, Braves fans actually cheered Tuesday night when their team trailed the Philadelphia Phillies 7-0 in the seventh inning. Why? Because team officials – desperate for something to spark a cheer, or at least prevent throwing objects – showed highlights on the video board of Houston taking a 5-0 lead over St. Louis.
This is what Braves fans have to live for these days: Astros highlights.
Hoping to somehow, some way drag their seemingly dead behinds into the playoffs as a wild card, the Braves instead were dismembered by the Phillies 7-1. That makes four straight losses and eight in the last 11 and … well, we’ll stop there. And yes, league rules mandate they must play their 162nd game.
Meanwhile, Atlanta’s current favorite team also failed: The Astros botched that 5-0 lead and lost 13-6. So the Braves have dropped into a tie with the Cardinals.
The Braves could be toast soon. Derek Lowe already has pulled the chute. He allowed five runs in four-plus innings. It would’ve been more, but the Phillies couldn’t stop laughing.
Lowe didn’t quite provide $15 million worth of clutch. But given that he is now 9-17 with a 5.05 ERA, maybe there’s a chance the Braves at least qualify for federal disaster relief. He has lost his last five starts, most by several furlongs.
I can’t recall if the Turner Field crowd ever chanted, “Let’s go, Braves!” on Tuesday. But they chanted, “Let’s go, Houston.”
A 105-loss Astros team has a stronger pulse than the home team. The Braves’ game was so over so early that you half-wondered why the marketing department didn’t just mandate that the team leave the field. The could’ve shown the St. Louis-Houston game on the screen. It would’ve kept more fans in the stadium. They would’ve sold more hot dogs.
It’s one thing for a baseball team to fade in the pennant stretch. It’s another to spontaneously combust.
The Braves are 10-19 in their past 29. Yet somehow, they started the night with a magic number of two to clinch the National League wild card. They realized a win would at least clinch a tie with the Cardinals for the playoff berth, thereby forcing a one-game playoff (albeit in St. Louis on Thursday).
But Lowe gave them no chance. And frankly, their bats would’ve given Cy Young no chance. Those are the three absolutes about the Braves these days. They can’t hit. They can’t pitch (save Tim Hudson). The other team is better.
Asked before the game what his thoughts were of Lowe, manager Fredi Gonzalez said, ““My thoughts are he’s going to give us a hell of a pitching performance.”
Did he mean Vaudeville?
There was a rainbow over Turner Field two hours before the game. But any belief that it represented some wonderful fantasy evening ended quickly. The game’s second batter, Chase Utley, cracked a Lowe pitch somewhere over that rainbow. It was 1-0. And counting.
Lowe was booed in the first inning. And in the top of the third when he gave up two more runs. And in the bottom of the third when he came to the plate. And in the fourth when he allowed another run. And in the fifth when he allowed a leadoff single to Jimmy Rollins.
Finally, Gonzalez went out to get him. A mob with pitch forks and torches already had started to form on the field level.
Gonzalez gambled that the struggling Lowe could give him more than rookie Julio Teheran. Consider the gamble an epic fail. Lowe was 0-4 with an 8.24 ERA in his past four losses. Guess what? That wasn’t an aberration.
We can debate just how much should be expected of a 38-year-old starting pitcher who has thrown over 2,500 innings in his career. But when a team is dying on the postseason vine, nobody wants to hear excuses. The Braves needed a strong performance. Lowe face-planted. They all face-planted. But for what it’s worth, postseason tickets are on sale.
By Jeff Schultz
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518 comments Add your comment
Braves fan
September 27th, 2011
10:34 pm
Detroit vs.Philly world series
detroit wins 4-3
VERLANDER GOES 3-0
MVP
CY YOUNG
MVP OF WORLD SERIES
Carlton
September 27th, 2011
10:34 pm
Can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched a Lowe-starting game for the Braves and thought to myself: “Hmm..bases loaded, one out, how is Derek going to get out of this one?”..by about the 3rd inning. He’s been doing it, but all of y’all have continued to defend him because of the name, and now you’re just realizing the sad truth. Luck can only run for so long
rally
September 27th, 2011
10:34 pm
Is anyone selling Derek Lowe masks for Halloween? That would be quite scary to see him showing up at your door to take your candy.
Rockycat
September 27th, 2011
10:34 pm
Poor demonstration of a baseball team. We need to fire Lowe, Gonzales (FL knew he was no good), pitching coach, and others! What kind of idiot would give Lowe the ball tonight – they need to give him his release tomorrow – don’t wait for Friday or later in the off-season. What a joke!!!! That idiot they hired as a coach needs his head examined — he obviously doesn’t need to be coaching in the major leagues – he might make it in little league
Big Wally
September 27th, 2011
10:34 pm
now 8-6 cards. Looks like it will tied going into tomorrow.
Go Vols
September 27th, 2011
10:35 pm
Agree, PhilliesFan, but doesn’t that fall on the manager for putting him in there in a crucial game like this?
And BaseballBluff, I didn’t say that we haven’t lost playoffs and World Series that we as fans thought we’d win, but I don’t recall a wilting down the stretch like this. But I don’t pretent to have a great memory for these things if I’m wrong.
archie
September 27th, 2011
10:35 pm
1. Chipper Jones inability to play baseball is handcuffing the Braves for the second September in a row. Gullible Braves fans will again “pencil him in” for next year, and again he will under-achieve, and fold at the most important times of the season. He’s a shadow of his former self, but we’re stuck with him until he’s ready to stop cashing huge paychecks.
2. How ’bout that .223 hitting, no-assist scatter-armed J-Hey? There’s the future, folks.
3. Derek Lowe. Booooooo
4. Brian McCann yelling “3, 3, 3″ when everyone else in the ballpark would have thrown to 1st. He’s a DH, at best.
5. Find a shortstop who has an OBP hgher than .260. There are at least 60 to choose from in the big leagues, since Alex Gonzalez is last.
Braves fan
September 27th, 2011
10:35 pm
Schafer scores winning run as braves make playoffs tomorrow
Big Wally
September 27th, 2011
10:35 pm
9-6 now. Lowe must be pitching for Houston.
PhilliesFan
September 27th, 2011
10:35 pm
No Way… I completely agree with you that he should’t have been pitching. I am just saying I don;t think it is a lack of effort or fire I just think he is done.
We can beat those Cheese Steaks..
September 27th, 2011
10:36 pm
Hope you got paid handsomely for throwing in the towel Freddie?
I thought this only happened in the NBA..Too easy….
WhatTheHell???
September 27th, 2011
10:36 pm
OK, growing up in Atlanta and watching the Braves through the 70s and 80s, I’ve seen some really bad Braves baseball in my life… but this just defies explanation. My question is who is the most overpaid Braves player on the team: Chipper “On the DL” Jones (fantastic in his earlier career) Dan “It took me over half the season to realize I’m supposed to be good” Uggly, or Derek Blowe? The Braves could pay me $1.5M per year and I could go out and throw batting practice like DBlowe has lately. Geez… Even if they somehow do manage to limp backwards into the playoffs, I think they’ll find a way to lose the series in 2 games.
Bill
September 27th, 2011
10:36 pm
Looks like Cards are back..now 9-6 and Cards still hitting
Batterup
September 27th, 2011
10:36 pm
One comment; The final 6 games indicated that the Zombies were one the rotisserie – getting toasted on all sides. Our manager – brain as he is – get down to the next-to-last-game and, against everyone on earth screaming that D. Lowly is burned out and has a rubber arm nonetheless lets him pitch. Results: behind before the patrons get seated. BUT: Fredi figures that, what the hell, the Zombies are “due” and Roy Halliday isn’t that good, is he?Before this post is cold the Cardinals will have found a way to get that extra run to break the tie and go on to win. Oh, yeah, they’ll win tomorrow, too. The Zombies really didn’t want to change their tee-off times set for this next week.
Is anyone still surprised that Liberty Media doesn’t want to attend a Zombie game?
Braves fan
September 27th, 2011
10:36 pm
9-6 cards
Girl Up, Man
September 27th, 2011
10:37 pm
9-6. DAMN
PhilliesFan
September 27th, 2011
10:37 pm
WOW the braves will be tied for the Wildcard tomorrow. I still can’t believe this collapse. I thought it was destined to be a Phillies Braves NLCS. I thought the NL East took steps to being the AL East with 2 beasts. I didn;t realize it was one beast and one Teddy Bear
Big Wally
September 27th, 2011
10:38 pm
These other teams get multiple hits in the same inning. I don’t think the Braves know that is allowed.
We can beat those Cheese Steaks..
September 27th, 2011
10:38 pm
Andrew Jones was waived by the Bone head temporarily the year he hit 52 home runs!
Chipper should have been cut 3 year ago at least!!!!
Choker!!!!!!!!!!
WhatTheHell???
September 27th, 2011
10:39 pm
Did Dan Kolb get plastic surgery, a tummy tuck and change his name to Derek Lowe? Just asking…
Hater
September 27th, 2011
10:39 pm
It’s okay. Chipper says everyone played hard. He’s proud of that. No wonder we have no grit, no clutch.
Bill
September 27th, 2011
10:39 pm
Schafer on Houston DL?
Lawnmower
September 27th, 2011
10:39 pm
meet grass….(aka Mr. Gonzalez). Win tomorrow or he’s looking for work. Count on it. Leadership matters (and so do asses in seats and TV ratings to a corporate owner). This is a colossal marketing disaster for the Braves and MLB in this market. We aren’t talking Pittsburgh folks.
We can beat those Cheese Steaks..
September 27th, 2011
10:39 pm
Too easy Freddie! Too easy Freddie!
Braves fan
September 27th, 2011
10:40 pm
I agree that lowe is not good this year.Seriously he gave up 4 runs,the one you wanted to start tehran gave up runs as well.Braves scored one run tonight,if you was sober you would know this.Hudson will save us tomorrow with a shutout,braves score 1 run on a walk ,wp,passed ball,and a balk
henry
September 27th, 2011
10:40 pm
i have never seen a team just quit trying to win a ballgame. This is very embarassing to the city of Atlanta. Don’t any of them have any grit and competiness in them. The Phillies and their fans have got to be laughing their heads off and wondering how in the world this team won 89 games. I’ve seen high school teams that could compete against them better than this team. Why don’t they just sell this team and start all over?
We can beat those Cheese Steaks..
September 27th, 2011
10:42 pm
Freddie traded to Cuba White Socks….Kick rocks buster!
The Tradition continues in Loser-ville USA!
rally
September 27th, 2011
10:42 pm
PhilliesFan, have fun playing the Cardinals who just might eliminate you. We will all be watching Football and be rid of the bothersome Braves.
Braves fan
September 27th, 2011
10:42 pm
Andruw was on roids like the rest,never came close to 52 hrs since
MitchC
September 27th, 2011
10:42 pm
Barring a miracle, the NL Wild Card will be tied after 161 games, after this sorry Braves team blew a 10 1-2 game lead.
I’ve been a Braves fan since 1983, through thick and thin, last place and first, but, this is the worst Braves collapse ever. Worse then even the 1996 WS.
Bottom line: The Braves dont deserve to make the postseason, and the Cards do. We had it on a silver platter, and did everything to squander it. Its like a person who was rich, and then turned penniless, by just blowing all their cushion.
Maybe I’m being melodramatic. Even if we squeak in, we will lose quickly in the first round. Might as well go home tomorrow. The Cards will give the Philles more of a run in the NLDS, than we would give any opponent.
Hater
September 27th, 2011
10:43 pm
I know the Braves players and brass don’t care because they’re all rich, but my 10 year old is really disappointed. It sucks trying to explain the greatest collapse in 143 years of NL history.
We can beat those Cheese Steaks..
September 27th, 2011
10:43 pm
Loserville full of excuses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^777
Braves fan
September 27th, 2011
10:44 pm
Hope my boss does not read this,i get paid till oct.31,makes no difference to me
Old School
September 27th, 2011
10:45 pm
Sure Lowe has stunk up the month, but as anyone can see is that Maddux, Glavine and Smolts reincarnate could not consistently win with the way the Braves bats have frozen up for what seems like—-all season. Losing your top two starters for virtually the last half the season would hurt any team, but the young guys have filled in admirably. And once again, we’re back to the lack of conistent hitting that has plagued this team since April. Sure there have spurts of offense, but the lack of hitting the past month has absolutely killed the Braves—no matter who has been pitching. And you know the worst thing about tonight’s game. I had planned to get my oil changed at Express Lube tomorrow but after tonight’s 1-run explosion I will get only $2 off. Now, that’s something to cry about!
No Way
September 27th, 2011
10:45 pm
Come on Braves fan. Someone has to stop the bleeding. It should end tomorrow. Pull the plug. We have no dignity left. I have been saying for monthes that fredi and lowe should be gone. Everyone thought I was wrong. Now, here we are, bleeding to death.
PhilliesFan
September 27th, 2011
10:45 pm
Hater.. Exagerating a little aren’t we? The Mets collapse was worse and the Phils collapse in the 50’s when they lost the last 10 was worse.
NagoyaBrave
September 27th, 2011
10:45 pm
What decision has Fredi made that actually worked out? This guy is an ignoramous of the highest degree, and when the Braves fail to make the postseason, he should be canned. I hate being a Braves fan now.
Reid Adair
September 27th, 2011
10:46 pm
To even be contending for a playoff spot is an accomplishment, given this roster. Everyone was singing Frank Wren’s praises, but truth be told, it was yet another year with little, if any, consistent offense. Many thought Dan Ugglas was going to dominate; his numbers clearly show otherwise.
This roster, much like last year’s, simply was not capable of producing runs on a consistent basis. Throw in a disastrous season by Derek Lowe, and it’s really impressive that they have a chance of making the playoffs going into the last day of the regular season.
Braves
September 27th, 2011
10:46 pm
Hater
September 27th, 2011
10:43 pm
I know the Braves players and brass don’t care because they’re all rich, but my 10 year old is really disappointed. It sucks trying to explain the greatest collapse in 143 years of NL history
I blame u as a parent for letting your 10 year old root for a loser like the braves.I should be calling dss for abuse
luangtom
September 27th, 2011
10:46 pm
Braves, Falcons and the once Thrashers……go Atlanta.
We can beat those Cheese Steaks..
September 27th, 2011
10:46 pm
Hey que pasa amigo, NEWS FLASH* your team quit on ya buster….Your 1hr flight from Havana now..Delta starts flying next month
Bill
September 27th, 2011
10:46 pm
Don’t blame Lowe..Fredi knew Lowe didn’t have it and put him out there anyway.. Fire Fredi ASP..
Bring Back Baylor, Pat Corrales, Hubie and Leo..Make Greg Maddox the manager.
Robert
September 27th, 2011
10:47 pm
Mr. Schurholtz please fire Frank Wren, Fredi Gonzalez, Roger Mcdowell, and Larry Parrish. Oh you willl probably get rid of Roger after he embarassed the organization out in San Fransisco. The other clowns are tearing down all your good work. You must step up and exercise your power.
Bama Fan#2
September 27th, 2011
10:47 pm
As for Derek Lowe from the show Swamp People SHOOT HIM SHOOT HIM!!!!!!!!
Hater
September 27th, 2011
10:47 pm
What’s sucks is I’ll go to work thurs disappointed. Lowe and Chip will lounge in bed relieved. Crazy world. Wish I had the talent of these guys. Glad I dont have an empty heart like those guys.
Braves
September 27th, 2011
10:48 pm
braves outscored by philly 45-7 last 4 games
11 RUNS/GAME
Stevo
September 27th, 2011
10:48 pm
That Monty Python lead-in is great. This team is so bad it’s absurdly funny at this point.
Glad I missed the game!
I give up
September 27th, 2011
10:49 pm
I’ve been a Braves fan for 43 years. I would watch reruns of Braves games with Chuck Tanner managing before I bother to watch these current
goons play.
Hater
September 27th, 2011
10:49 pm
@braves….too funny
JR1967
September 27th, 2011
10:49 pm
The Phillies are playing the Monty Python role as the “Killer White Rabbit”