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
•
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
518 comments Add your comment
CJ
September 27th, 2011
10:50 pm
So even if they win tomorrow, then it;s to the cards and who pitches? Haha. And what happened the last time they played at St louis. Sweep 0-3
wins-by-a-link
September 27th, 2011
10:51 pm
FG asked for this one, Why in the world would he start Lowe in a must win game, Lowe has been terrible in his last five starts, Did FG really believe he would actualy pitch a decent game? They say panic spreads quickly and looks like FG has been infected and is not thinking clearly, I really want to feel sorry for FG but when he does something stupid like starting Lowe it makes it difficult to do so. Maybe the Phils will make the killing blow quick and painless tommorow night and get this season over with, It will take a long time to forget this one, I don’t think it will make any highlight films.
Braves
September 27th, 2011
10:51 pm
WHATS EVEN MORE FUNNY IS U THINK THE FALCONS AND UGA ARE GOOD,YET THEY SUCK WORSE THAN THE BRAVES
We can beat those Cheese Steaks..
September 27th, 2011
10:51 pm
Hey freddie something smells real fishy in Atlanta baseball… Too easy….
I thought this only happened in the NBA..Too easy….
Link
Report this comment
Khan from king of the hill
September 27th, 2011
10:51 pm
Chippy–”We are the only team who can beat Philly”. Stupid dumb redneck.
Bill
September 27th, 2011
10:52 pm
Thanks Robert.I agree fire the four..asp…..
Braves
September 27th, 2011
10:52 pm
PRICELESS
Boycott the Braves
September 27th, 2011
10:52 pm
I’m ready for these spineless beta males to be put out of their, and our, misery.
There’s only so much you can take. I think having the Braves out of sight and out of mind until next spring will be good for everyone’s mental health. If the Braves do my some miracle get into the playoffs then I’ll root for them, but I just want this season to be over.
Pratt
September 27th, 2011
10:52 pm
I would rather have JJ or Hanson pitch left handed than Blow out there.
Bill
September 27th, 2011
10:52 pm
Braves now 11.5 games out of 1st behind the Phillies.
Earl Hickey
September 27th, 2011
10:52 pm
The Cards took a 9-6 lead 20 minutes ago and the Braves post game goofballs still have them trailing 6-5.
DAboze
September 27th, 2011
10:52 pm
When they sent Blowe out there they knew he was going to lose. Doesn’t Fredi know how to read statistics. What does he owe Blowe? Blowe owes Atlanta $14 million back for this pathetic season.
We can beat those Cheese Steaks..
September 27th, 2011
10:52 pm
wink wink wink..Somebody dont want the Braves in there??? HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
Nice one Freddie…Cant fool all of us..Maybe most?
Braves
September 27th, 2011
10:53 pm
LETS NOT FORGET THAT RELIEVERS HAVE BLOWN 14 SAVES THIS YEAR FIRE THEM ALL
Old School
September 27th, 2011
10:53 pm
Looks like the Cards are now headed for a tremendous come-back win that will mean that the Braves will have lost their 10 1/2 game lead they had less than a month ago. Unbelievable!!! So we into tomorrow night’s final regular season game tied for the Wild Card. PLEASE, Braves! Don’t scew with us even more by winning this game—you know the Cardinals will win their game tomorrow night—and force us into a winner take all game in St. Louis on Thursday. End the misery, PLEASE! We sure don’t want further embrassment by making it to the division playoffs~
GBR
September 27th, 2011
10:53 pm
Do the Brave have a hitting coach? I can honestly say I don’t know his or her name which is hard to believe. The Braves do not seem to have a clue in terms of a hitting stategy. It was very obvious tonight listening to the frustration in Joe Simpson’s voice that he had the same opinion.
We can beat those Cheese Steaks..
September 27th, 2011
10:54 pm
Hey Joe Johnson can you pitch or maybe Matt Ryan can save the day? lol
choozer
September 27th, 2011
10:55 pm
Look what Kirk Gibson did with the sorry D-backs — less talent than the Braves. Right after Braves broomed them, that team went on a tear and finished strong. Now THAT’S a manager.
Blast
September 27th, 2011
10:55 pm
Hard to believe a choc. city like atlanta has never learned.LET ME REMIND YOU AGAIN……..
WHITEY CANT F HIT
Parson Brownlow
September 27th, 2011
10:55 pm
It’s bad, it’s sad, but it’s not all that unbelievable with the injuries to the pitching. Where I fault Fredi is his tampering with a good thing by pulling Constanza from the lineup. The only time in the season when the Braves had a robust offense was when Constanza was playing.
The other problem is the ownership. Hopefully we’ll get somebody here who cares about winning to take advantage of all the young pitching.
And it’s not Derek Lowe’s fault that he’s the best we have right now. The man carried the pitching to the playoffs last year, but the tank might be running dry on the old pro.
Boise Brave
September 27th, 2011
10:56 pm
“Lowe didn’t quite provide $15 million worth of clutch”/// Sure he did, he’s given the organization and the whole Braves country $15 million worth of clutching our asses as this team is on the verge of a monumental collapse.
CHUCK UGA
September 27th, 2011
10:56 pm
That has to be Derek Lowe’s final outing as a Brave. The guy needs to retire.
Braves may get a win tomorrow and have to watch the television. if they get into a one-game playoff with St. Louis, they will lose. LaRussa owns the Braves.
RB
September 27th, 2011
10:57 pm
The Braves SHOULD have to earn it. The Cards are gonna win and force the Braves to earn a playoff spot. This is how it should be. If the Braves can’t RISE UP (sorry that’s the Falcons), They don’t need a spot.
braves
September 27th, 2011
10:57 pm
We can beat those Cheese Steaks
HOW YOU LOVE MATT RYAN AGAINST TAMPA BAY????LOSERS
Old School
September 27th, 2011
10:57 pm
By the way, I once loved Leo Mazzone, but after listening to him on 680TheFan on the drive home every day during this incredible collapse the last few weeks I’ve decided he makes Bobby Cox look like The World’s Greatest Pessimist. To say that Leo is the Braves Apologist Supreme would be an understatement of giantic proportions! If Leo had been on board the Titanic he would have been holding out hope on the way to the bottom.
Bill
September 27th, 2011
10:57 pm
Red Sox and Rays tied for wild Card… hope Rays win with their 45 million pay-roll– beats out the 195 million payroll of Sox’s.
Ozzie going to be Fish manager. ap wire
We can beat those Cheese Steaks..
September 27th, 2011
10:57 pm
Chipper Jones for President!!
DawgDad
September 27th, 2011
10:58 pm
I went to the game tonight and I have tickets for “the first two playoff games”. Laugh’s on me. Cards just went up 9-6 and they’ll have caught the Braves tonight.
I haven’t said a single bad or critical thing about Freddi all year, but he may two idiotically bad decisions tonight that cast a pall of sheer hopelessness over the Braves and the fans from the very beginning of the game. First, starting Lowe, which was idiotic and gutless, and second, not pinch-hitting for Lowe leading off in the bottom of the third already trailing 3-0. What on earth was Freddi thinking in the bottom of the third? Sure, in April, May, June, July, or August you leave your starter in, but THERE ARE LESS THAN TWO GAMES LEFT IN THE SEASON, and you don’t need to preserve the bullpen because YOU HAVE AN EXPANDED ROSTER and if you lose out THE SEASON IS OVER. You pinch-hit, you idiot! Duh.
I’ve been watching MLB since about 1959. Aside from watching Gene Mauch and the Phillies choke up 1964 this is the most pathetic stretch-run performance I’ve seen in my lifetime, and that includes the 2007 Mets. There. I said it.
Face it, the Braves could have swapped rosters with Gwinnett on Sep 1 and fared just as well. Win or lose, if they want to sell me tickets next year they need to clean house of the core veteran players on this team, including McCann, and rebuild for two-three years down the road. I have NO desire left to pay to watch this plodding, moribund bunch. Now, what GM in their right mind is going to take Uggla and his ridiculous salary?
braves
September 27th, 2011
10:59 pm
FREDDI ON MLB NETWORK
WE GOT ONE GAME TO WIN TOMORROW ITS A NEW MONTH.WTF???ITS SEPT.29 THE WHOLE TEAM NEEDS TO GO TO AA ASAP
Buck Belue
September 27th, 2011
10:59 pm
The Braves are fine, they’re playing great baseball right now.
Smokey
September 27th, 2011
11:00 pm
“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.’”
The idiot really believed that? That, in of itself, should get his behind canned. What made him think he’d provide a “hell of a pitching performance” when he’s not had one in ages?
Idiot!
braves
September 27th, 2011
11:00 pm
BMAC ON MLB NETWORK ON THE BUNT YELLING 333
IDIOT
We can beat those Cheese Steaks..
September 27th, 2011
11:01 pm
Hey Freddi NFL rules state that a full blown concussion does not allow you to play or coach the next game.. oooppps my bad, wrong sport! lol
Pratt
September 27th, 2011
11:01 pm
Guy in mlb blames the game on McFann’s stupid 3 3 3 cry for lowe to throw to 3rd on the bunt. he’s partially right. It was a big turning point. McCann is turning into a lousy player.
braves
September 27th, 2011
11:01 pm
smokey
did it really matter??team had one f run,r u drunk like lowe is
Smokey
September 27th, 2011
11:02 pm
McCann a lousy player? That’s about as dumb as Fredi starting Lowe.
McCann is one of the best hitting catchers in all of baseball, idiot.
braves
September 27th, 2011
11:03 pm
Mccann is being paid by the phillies,bet no ajc writer has a pair to ask wtf he was yelling 333 for
LJ
September 27th, 2011
11:03 pm
Funny yanks probably want sox out so they let tampa win. philly players look at chippies comments and want them out.
Smokey
September 27th, 2011
11:03 pm
@braves, the point is, jackwagon, he didn’t have a “hell of a performance” and no one realistically thought he would. Well, other than the other jackwagon, Fredi Gonzalez.
And, yes, the entire collapse isn’t on Lowe. The bats are pathetic. But Lowe’s horrible, plain and simple.
Wow
September 27th, 2011
11:04 pm
Look at the cardinals offense. About 7 players batting right at or over 300. They will pound us 12-1
We can beat those Cheese Steaks..
September 27th, 2011
11:04 pm
MLB wants the Cards not the Braves..
Great job Freddi, your a team player…
braves
September 27th, 2011
11:04 pm
Smokey
September 27th, 2011
11:02 pm
McCann a lousy player? That’s about as dumb as Fredi starting Lowe.
McCann is one of the best hitting catchers in all of baseball, idiot
mccan since allstar .209
since return from dl..179
YOU ARE THE F IDIOT
Smokey
September 27th, 2011
11:05 pm
@braves I can assure you there are easily 20 teams that would gladly take McCann if idiots like yourself were running the Braves’ franchise.
braves
September 27th, 2011
11:05 pm
SMOKEY
HUDSON GIVES UP 1 AND WE LOSE TOMORROW HE SUCKS TO
Pratt
September 27th, 2011
11:06 pm
read what I wrote smokey. if you aren’t too stoned idiot. I said he IS turning. Look at his play the past 2 months. It’s been atrocious.
We can beat those Cheese Steaks..
September 27th, 2011
11:06 pm
Chipper Jones for Mayor of Norcross..
braves
September 27th, 2011
11:07 pm
Smokey
u was prob.yelling 333 also
Bill
September 27th, 2011
11:07 pm
Houston has some damn good kids playing ..they will be good in Future.
Schafer may not make that team and then Braves will pick him up again on waivers…thats there habit..rejects!
If I was Constanza I’d ask to be traded .
What? Me Worry?
September 27th, 2011
11:08 pm
WIth the stay of execution Monday night after St. Louis lost, I would’ve hoped the Braves would come out with some fire and emotion. Boy, was I wrong. Lowe looked good against Rollins to lead off. But after Utley’s homer, it went downhill instantly for everyone. They looked stale, listless, and completely uninterested. They started to get a spark but Chipper snuffed it out when he hit into the double-play. I’ve been the eternal optimist this season, but I’ll be shocked if the Braves survive to play St. Louis on Thursday.
rash
September 27th, 2011
11:08 pm
the braves should fire freddy i can not believe he let lowe pitch the biggest game of the year w t h.why not start tehran or anybody this is a total disaster lowe is a 15 million dollar pitcher damn braves is awful got to make alot of changes starting with freddy g and for damn sure lowe