LIVE: Braves can clinch tonight (and it starts with Lowe)
The Braves will do more scoreboard watching tonight, and hope to have another banner to raise.
Amid all of the angst of the Braves’ collapse (10-18), the injured starters (Jair Jurrjens, Tommy Hanson), the slumping hitters (Martin Prado, Jason Heyward, Brian McCann) and the overused bullpen, guess what? The Braves can actually clinch the wild card tonight.
OK, for that to happen, the Braves need to hit a long-odds parlay: 1) The maligned starter, Derek Lowe, needs a strong outing to defeat the Phillies at Turner Field; 2) The St. Louis Cardinals need to lose for a second straight game in Houston. Those two developments would give the Braves the National League wild card spot for the second straight year, and render Wednesday’s regular-season finale against Philadelphia meaningless.
Few expected the Cards to lose to the Astros Monday night. It happened (5-4 in 10 innings). But the Braves’ postseason chances mostly hinge on Lowe. If he and the Braves win tonight, at worst the magic number is down to one, with Tim Hudson on the mound Wednesday against Joe Blanton (advantage: Braves).
What the Braves need is the Lowe of Sept. 2010, not 2011. Last season, he went 5-0 with a 1.17 ERA (29 strikeouts, three walks) in his final five regular season starts. But this has been the worst season of his career. He’s 9-16 with a 4.92 ERA. He’s 0-4 in his last four starts with an 8.24 ERA (though his last start at Florida was solid).
The other obvious issue for the Braves is a lack of offense. They lost 4-2 on Monday, have scored two or fewer runs in four of their last five games and three or fewer in six of their last 10. They’re also hitting only .239 in the month of September and .181 (32-for-177) with with runners in scoring position this month.
They’ll need to break out of that against the Phillies’ Roy Oswalt, who has been strong in two starts against the Braves this season (1-0, 2.08 in two starts) but in his career is only 1-3 with a 5.15 ERA.
As you prepare to scoreboard watch, your second favorite team, the Astros, will start Henry Sosa (3-5, 4.68) against the Cardinals’ Jake Westbrook (12-9, 4.48).
And with that, I turn it over to you. We wait to see what Lowe gives us.
Can this be an omen? There was a rainbow over Turner Field two hours before the Braves' game.
By Jeff Schultz
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1,258 comments Add your comment
Jeff Schultz
September 27th, 2011
8:34 pm
Astros 1, Cardinals 0. Cue up Monty Python, “Let’s look on the brighter side of life …”
"Chef" Tim Dix
September 27th, 2011
8:34 pm
FlaBrave695
epic.
Army Vet
September 27th, 2011
8:34 pm
If the Phillies didn’t show up the Braves still couldn’t win.
LakeDawg
September 27th, 2011
8:34 pm
Oh, and can we get Glavine out of the TV booth?
George Washington
September 27th, 2011
8:35 pm
Stupid hurricane.
JOhn
September 27th, 2011
8:35 pm
If i were Derek Lowe, I would have resigned a month ago… he is why the braves are in the position now.
I like our chances with Delgato and Minor.
Kissinger
September 27th, 2011
8:35 pm
On the same pitch that struck out Heyward, the Phillies would have killed. And Joe Simpson would have called it a hanger.
James
September 27th, 2011
8:35 pm
I don’t get why people thought the Braves will beat the Phillies with a injured pitching staff and only one good pitcher Tim Hudson that is still active. The Braves are done even if they made the playoffs it will be one and done quick so it’s a waste of time even following the Braves cause they are getting ready for the off season.
01HAWK
September 27th, 2011
8:35 pm
BRAVES, DAWGS, HAWKS, FALCONS………………………….ALL SUCK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YES,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,HOUSTON JUST SCORED…………………1-0
bj
September 27th, 2011
8:35 pm
Jeff, I blame Michael Moore, Reed and Dixie Chicks for Braves problems……
monarch
September 27th, 2011
8:35 pm
how long is Fred contract
TruthSeeker
September 27th, 2011
8:35 pm
Fredi Gonzalez HAS to be fired for this. This collapse has been so appalling, so devastating and so complete that there’s no away he’ll ever be able to remove the stain of it in the mind of Braves fans. It will be the thing that defines Fredi’s career. At least when we blew the World Series in 1996, Bobby Cox had a World Series title to fall back on. Gonzalez does not have anything close to that kind of capitol built up.
This year will hurt and linger for a long time. You just can’t keep Fredi around if you want to keep fans coming to the gates. I am so distraught over this team that I can’t imagine I’ll be able to build up any enthusiasm for next season. And I imagine a lot of other fans feel the same way. Unless wholesale changes – meaning a turnover of the entire coaching staff as well as significant personnel moves – are made, attendance is going to be even worse in 2012 and fan morale will be at an all-time low.
Maybe it’s not fair, but what we’re seeing is too egregious. Heads have to roll.
LakeDawg
September 27th, 2011
8:35 pm
680 the Fan needs to boot Mazzone also. All remnants of the Cox era must go.
Brave-less
September 27th, 2011
8:36 pm
the way the Cards are playing seems like they’re playing for a 1 game playoff just so they can celebrate their amazing comeback and the braves amazing collapse in front of their own fans
jerry
September 27th, 2011
8:36 pm
Hey, we still got the Astros.
TampaGator
September 27th, 2011
8:36 pm
01Hawk…..
A new 3B? Teams don’t dump Hall of Fame 3rd sackers…….how long have you been a “Braves fan?” Chipper is still in the top 5 to 10 3B in the national league.
kerryb
September 27th, 2011
8:36 pm
TampaGator, that makes no sense. Uggla’s fielding is not the problem and he hit just fine in florida playing second. I think that $62 million dollar contract got into his head.
Robbie
September 27th, 2011
8:36 pm
Somebody get the rail for Parrish
Greg Mendel
September 27th, 2011
8:36 pm
My wife is a big Braves fan. I don’t care that much, because I don’t know much about baseball, and don’t want to. But, just watching (when I have to), it seems like the Braves can’t hit. Am I wrong? It seems like I’ve watched them “not hit” for at least three years. Maybe the folks who really know baseball have seen them hit, and I just missed it. So, what is it?
rally
September 27th, 2011
8:36 pm
The Braves of the 70s were terrible but they did their best. These clowns do not care and I write them off for once and all.
5 Time National Champs Nebraska
September 27th, 2011
8:36 pm
I thought it was “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life”?
Philly Phanatic
September 27th, 2011
8:36 pm
Just heard Hammels is pitching some tomorrow. What do you think of our 4th starter so far? I gotta hand it to you who didn’t sit on the freeway on the way to this cookout. I just heard Homer Simpson talking about some game form the stoneage where the Braves came back from a 7 run deficit. I swear that guy tries to turn dogcrap into honey showing what a great pitch it was where Victorino singled. I can’t believe you are relegated to scoreboard watching in Houston. Sad.
soduK
September 27th, 2011
8:36 pm
Schultz. I agree. It is bad enough watching the tailspin. These comments make it worse.
R2D2
September 27th, 2011
8:36 pm
Oswalt looking like Randy Johnson against these losers…
PhilliesFan
September 27th, 2011
8:37 pm
The braves should go to the clubhouse and put their Astros hats on
Roy Oswalt
September 27th, 2011
8:37 pm
When my pitching career is over, can I bat cleanup for you guys?
Aggrevated Brave
September 27th, 2011
8:37 pm
Schultzee…..there is nothing bright to look at right now. Until I hear the words….”Lowe has retired” or” Lowe has been traded”…there is no bright side, dude!
Roy Oswalt
September 27th, 2011
8:37 pm
Enter your comments here
G
September 27th, 2011
8:37 pm
I will have to be honest, this team is not showing much heart. When are we going to see an article questioning Fredi’s leadership of this team?
bj
September 27th, 2011
8:37 pm
Chipper was All-Star this year..
Boston Dawg
September 27th, 2011
8:37 pm
Does anyone really even care anymore if the Braves make the playoffs? This last month has been totally disgusting.
Jeff Schultz
September 27th, 2011
8:37 pm
Now in the game (too late), Julio Teheran.
Alaska Dawg
September 27th, 2011
8:37 pm
Jeff, the good thing about living in Alaska is that it is now only 430 P.M. This blowout/choke has now allowed me to take a walk in this gorgeous 55 degree weather. See you Braves.. ..next Spring
George Washington
September 27th, 2011
8:38 pm
Maybe if the Braves play with their caps off they will intimidate the Phillies with their mean looking Fohawks. A more apt haircut would be a bowl cut.
Ridonkulous
September 27th, 2011
8:38 pm
You know what’s telling — the Braves broadcast has very few paying ads.
R2D2
September 27th, 2011
8:38 pm
So Jeff, how does Larry Parrish fit into the hitting woes ?
Old Dawg Fan
September 27th, 2011
8:38 pm
The Braves are trying to sell post season tickets, that takes guts.
I would not give you $5 a seat directly behind home plate. I would not waste the gas getting to the stadium nor spend $10 on a hotdog and a beer. Why are there people still at the park??
monarch
September 27th, 2011
8:38 pm
looks like someone got a lobotomy
Aggrevated Brave
September 27th, 2011
8:38 pm
Any chance we can call the entire Gwinnet team up for tomorrow night’s game? Then you see…we will have a chance.
BT
September 27th, 2011
8:38 pm
Not a great time for Post Season Tickets commercial
Silky-d
September 27th, 2011
8:38 pm
Phiilies 42 – Braves 8…over the last 6 games!!!! An average of 7 runs per game…this is really pathetic!!!!!
Geno
September 27th, 2011
8:38 pm
Does it even matter if the Braves make it at this point? I mean if they do its only because the Cardinals lost. This will be the Braves 4th loss in a row in the most miserable September I’ve ever witnessed. Lowe and the offense is a mess.
Holy Cow
September 27th, 2011
8:39 pm
Is it my imagination or does it seem like the braves have no life in them? I understand there are going to be times when you are over matched by good pitching but some of the pitches they are taking are down Peachtree. I think it is time to say adios to Lowe and it’s starting to look like Heyward has Francouritis. Maybe time to make a change in RF.
tucker
September 27th, 2011
8:39 pm
If the Braves played as hard as they try wearing the stupid Mohawak haircuts they might be a decent team, someone needs to tell them there not 5 years old anymore. I feel sorry for all the Fans who went and watch this team just mail it in, but on the bright side it will all be over tomorrow (HOPEFULLY)
Ridonkulous
September 27th, 2011
8:39 pm
Say something, Jeff! You are all about running Mark Richt out of town but he has a record of some success to point to. This bunch has zilch. Fredi, Parrish, Wren have got to go. Yes or no?
Robbie
September 27th, 2011
8:39 pm
Schultz to Fredi “you guys are down 16 runs, aren’t you discouraged?” Fredi says, “no, we haven’t been to bat yet”
chase
September 27th, 2011
8:39 pm
Can’t believe this team is just laying down like this
Sonny Clusters
September 27th, 2011
8:39 pm
Deer hunting is a sport you can do from a tree. Climb the tree and sit down and wait for a deer to walk by. When you see a deer the thing to do is to slowly and quietly bring your high powered rifle up and aim for the shoulder. Squeeze the trigger, don’t pull. If you feel a tweak in anything you can fall from the tree and go on the DL.
M10
September 27th, 2011
8:39 pm
I know it may be hard for many to admit but the best team in Atlanta is the Atlanta Dream.Sad but true.
No Way
September 27th, 2011
8:39 pm
Can we please get this massacre over? There is nothing I would like more that major changes in the Braves next year. But its not gonna happen.I bet ol fredi has his butt covered pretty well, since he has known all along he is not a manager. My brother in Ohio says you can smell the stink from the Braves all the way up there.