Braves suddenly lack pitching, defense and a clue
Michael Bourn misplayed this fly ball into a run-scoring triple by Rick Ankiel, one of the Braves' several lowlights. (AP photo)
If for a moment we can get past that the Braves currently have too many players who either can’t stand without wobbling (flu) or can’t see straight (blurred vision) or can’t walk without pain from a strained groin or a bruised leg (or “hematoma,” to use Chipper Jones’ new word), this isn’t a difficult problem to figure out.
If the Braves hope to survive this problematic intersection of injuries and batting slumps, they’re going to need two things: pitching and defense.
They received neither Saturday.
For the second game in a row the Braves spotted the Washington Nationals an early 4-0 lead. They scrambled back to tie, but ultimately spontaneously combusted again — like no perceived pennant contender should.
They lost 8-4. That makes six straight. They’ve suddenly tumbled into fourth in the National League East (not that standings are worthy of panic in late May).
Most important, the Braves not only lack any semblance of clutch in their offense — 15 stranded runners in two games — but their pitchers are being dismembered, and their defense Saturday looked one Volkswagen and a pair of exploding shoes short of a clown act.
“We’re not playing particularly well right now, and there’s no excuses,” manager Fredi Gonzalez said.
Those words were stronger than any others spoken by Gonzalez in the postgame. Fact is, Gonzalez’ temperament seemed a little too mild for a manager whose team is playing so poorly and, at times, lifeless. The Braves have allowed Washington, the team ahead of them in the standings, 15 runs and 12 extra-base hits in two games — this after Cincinnati had 10 home runs in a four-game sweep last week.
Gonzalez barely said a peep about right fielder Jason Heyward, who in the fifth inning had the type of lackadaisical defensive play that aroused memories of a 1998 game, when center fielder Andruw Jones was slow to hustle for a fly ball that fell for a single, prompting Bobby Cox to yank him in the middle of the inning.
Heyward’s play didn’t result in a run. But it was heinous enough that many in the crowd of 42,698 loudly booed him. He bobbled Bryce Harper’s single and then was slow to pick up the ball, allowing Harper to get to second.
Gonzalez acknowledged the miscue later. But when asked about TV replays confirming Heyward’s nonchalantness, he said only, “I have not seen that [replay] yet. I was in the middle of trying to get [reliever Kris] Medlen warmed up.”
It might’ve been the worst coverup in postgame history.
Heyward later said, “I let the ball get away, and [Harper] took the extra base. If I had attacked it aggressively, I still more likely would’ve bobbled the ball, but he probably wouldn’t have run. … [Teammates] just said, ‘Let it go.’ I said, ‘My bad’ out there, and I said ‘My bad’ when I came in. I play the game as hard as I can. I want that to happen as few times as possible.”
The Braves were missing Chipper Jones (leg), Freddie Freeman (eyes), Brian McCann (flu) and David Ross (groin). It’s not like they have much margin for error.
But Heyward wasn’t alone. Three other plays led to runs: Left fielder Martin Prado got a slow jump on Danny Espinosa’s short fly to open the game, and the ball fell for a double. Center fielder Michael Bourn lost track of the wall, bumped into it and played a fly ball into a triple. (No error was charged.) Reliever Jonny Venters had his glove knocked off by Ryan Zimmerman’s comebacker, recovered but threw wide of first base. (The error was charged to Eric Hinske.)
Bourn was as stand-up as a guy could be: “I messed up.”
He said more. But that summed it up fine.
Nonetheless, this isn’t a time for Braves pitchers to feel victimized. Mike Minor recovered nicely after allowing four runs in the first two innings, but that doesn’t excuse the start. (He also allowed a two-single to pitcher Stephen Strasburg before Danny Espinosa’s three-run homer). Medlen and Venters were poor in relief (three runs in two innings combined).
Bourn’s tidy summary: “We were hot before. We’re not hot right now.”
Forget hot. A little less slapstick would suffice.
By Jeff Schultz
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247 comments Add your comment
Denard Span
May 26th, 2012
11:48 pm
fake names are no worse than yours “losers always” thats a good name for “u” .Do agree Jeff did a super job while some don’t.
I used Span’s name today because he can be had from Twins. But no-one gives a crap..thats ok.How many people us real name? lol
Stammering Stank
May 26th, 2012
11:50 pm
But they swept the Cardinals a few days ago…payback time for the so called ‘world champs’!!!
MLB should finally force Atlanta to drop the Braves moniker. Native Americans should not be associated with these losers.
The “Chokers” would be a good choice.
losers always
May 26th, 2012
11:50 pm
•The Braves are more likely to pursue an impact starting pitcher than a hitter this summer, according to rival teams. GM Frank Wren maintains that Kris Medlen is “probably better than any arm who will be available.” Medlen could join the rotation midseason, according to Wren
Denard Span
May 26th, 2012
11:52 pm
I like baseball. big fan
losers always
May 26th, 2012
11:52 pm
Braves centerfielder Michael Bourn could be a possible target for the Nationals and while he wouldn’t directly talk about playing for Washington, he told reporters that he likes what the club has to offer, writes MLB.com’s Bill Ladson. “They are good. They have some real good pitching,” Bourn said. “They made some key acquisitions, and they have Gio Gonzalez over there now. They bring a good starter every night
KNEW U IDIOTS WOULD NOT BELIEVE SO HERE S THE SOURCE
losers always
May 26th, 2012
11:55 pm
4 STRIKEOUTS TODAY?
BET HE WONT DO THAT WITH WASH.?
DERNARD SPAHN
HE SUCKS TO WASH.OFFERED 3 PLAYERS THEY SAID NO,BYE BOURNE FAT FREDI VENTERS,MCCANN COME JULY 31
losers always
May 26th, 2012
11:58 pm
DERNARD SPAHN
GO JOIN WALT IN THE HOOD
OH WAIT….NEXT TO TURNER FIELD IS THE HOOD…..
Denard Span
May 27th, 2012
12:00 am
Thats my bro at 11:52..he likes baseball .big fan but mom always called him Forrest Gump.
Denard Span
May 27th, 2012
12:00 am
me and chipper at hooters looking for another wife
i love this team
May 27th, 2012
12:08 am
you can get drunk and get paid,ask derrick lowe
ask hanson drunk on way to park in spring training
cheat on wife ask chipper
miss your mommy ask prado
again being drunk ask christian
minor worse than jj yet he stays?talk about color gender
hmmmm venters,minor still here ???
i agree with losers
i cant wear glasses sit
im sick sit
bunch of wimps all time
ahh yes the braves where to go and get paid while acting like a baby
t god chipper on dl,know why he suits up?so he can get all the free gifts
yes i went to game today,and tomorrow and will continue to ask chipper,hey chipster,going to hooters tonite?
Ted Striker
May 27th, 2012
12:24 am
Page HIT!
wayn]
May 27th, 2012
12:31 am
this is baseball not basketball 3 players shouldn’t make that much of a difference, maybe 1-2 games but look at the last 10 games.
NorCal Brave
May 27th, 2012
12:52 am
I’ll give them credit for battling back to tie against Strasburg with a lineup that’s a shadow of what it was a couple weeks ago. But starting pitching and relief work (except Kimbrel) have been thin all year long. Unless that gets turned around, there’s no way the Braves can compete in this division. All the other clubs are stronger in the pitching department.
SilentCC
May 27th, 2012
12:55 am
Don’t have a clue what’s up with Medlen. Never expected this from him. But as long as Minor and Venters are regulars on the mound, i’ll choose to watch PGA Golf.
Rowland Office
May 27th, 2012
1:17 am
I coulda caught that ball…Tough period for the home team…
Dennis Green
May 27th, 2012
1:22 am
When you have a payroll of around 78 million of players that are actually on the team and of that only around 60 million that actually play on a consistent basis, stretches like this are bound to happen. Average hitting (at best) with no true 4 hitter/RBI man and average pitching with no true ace = 81-85 wins.
THEY ARE WHO WE THOUGHT THEY WERE
Miami
May 27th, 2012
1:37 am
Payroll means squat!
yes i went to game today
May 27th, 2012
1:40 am
and tomorrow and love my team…even though Otis sniffed lines and Bobby beat mommie…..quit complaining man!
SwanSongBraves
May 27th, 2012
1:44 am
Its about the smooth transition from old GM to new and old Coach to new…not about whats best to bring Punkass Selig to the TED!
SwanSongBraves
May 27th, 2012
1:47 am
to deliver trophy…
LakeDawg
May 27th, 2012
2:12 am
It starts with the front office. They don’t like emotion. They want corporate types that play golf. Works fine when you’re winning or during the regular season, but not so well when you’re in a slump or the playoffs. See Bobby Cox: Winning one WS with three hall of fame pitchers for 15 years and two other hall of famers in the field.
Gwinnett Fred
May 27th, 2012
2:33 am
Didn’t watch the game, but seems as if Jeff (if his opinionated writing is accurate) should include the Official Scorer to the list of those having a bad game!
TROLL PATROLL
May 27th, 2012
2:57 am
So funny LAKE/FRED..stick to ACC football. OMG TROLL stink here.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 27th, 2012
4:51 am
With all the injuries on the team, now would be a good time for Heyward to step up and show that he is the superstar capable of carrying this team that he was hyped to be, and not just the latest in a long line of fake superstars on Atlanta sports teams who get all the hype and don’t back it up. I say this as a Heyward fan, but it is year three, and now is the time for him to start putting it together.
Pink Pony
May 27th, 2012
4:59 am
Yeah, that loss the other night was Hansons fault. He gave up one run.
Pink Pony
May 27th, 2012
5:00 am
Bring back Frenchy. Because I like to say Frenchy.
Matt from MN
May 27th, 2012
7:06 am
Tip o’ the cap to “Frediots” management style.
Po Boy Tim Tron
May 27th, 2012
7:09 am
A bunch or primadonna wusses. Cal Ripken Jr. played 25 years straight with flu,groin,hamstring,dry eyes,hematoma,etc. injuries. These guys are weak.
CF-Brave-Fan
May 27th, 2012
7:12 am
Heyward is not making any adjustments at the plate. I have an app for my phone, and see that everyone pitches him inside and he has not adjusted all year. Just swings at balls. He looks clueless. They are not going to win with him as the RF.
Po Boy Tim Tron
May 27th, 2012
7:16 am
Who goinna replace Chipper numbers next year. He disabled this year more than a MMA fighter. Just retire Chipper. Braves look lost when Chipper have hurt leg. Fans want money back. They pay to see baseball game not circus.
Cap Tipper Fredi
May 27th, 2012
7:24 am
I just want to forever tip my cap to the Nationals,Reds,Phillies,and Marlins. I’m goin on the DL when Chipper comes off (if he ever does) with tip-capping elbow twinges. Me arm hurts.
WTF
May 27th, 2012
7:26 am
One of the teams we’re watching is a playoff team…and it isn’t the Braves. Enjoy watching a good team play good baseball. Forget the Braves. Until the team is sold to a caring baseball PERSON and new management is installed from top down, the Braves will be a write-off for Liberty Media and a kiss-off for Atlanta and it’s baseball fans.
Tune in to FSSO at noon to watch good baseball. Tech and Miami go at it for the ACC championship.
Lil' Barry Bailout
May 27th, 2012
7:48 am
What a surprise–the same team that had no clutch hitting and played spotty defense over 162 games last year is doing it again.
Nativebird
May 27th, 2012
7:57 am
Why is it that according to your buddy Bradley when theses braves were in first place in May, it was all see I told you these guys were the second coming of the 27 Yankees, but when they’re in fourth place losers of 6 straight it’s “don’t worry it’s only May”.
NO O
May 27th, 2012
8:04 am
As the season goes on the Cream will rise to the top and one thing for sure the Braves are not the Cream. Cmon Football Season.
braveshoo
May 27th, 2012
8:15 am
The Braves need a complete housecleaning. It needs to start with Freddie Gonzolez. A team wont fight for its manager if they dont fight for them. We lose every close call, and FG never says a word. The players dog it, and loook like they dont care, and FG does nothing.FG needs to go, followed by Chipper Jones who is too old, Brian McCann who cant see and seems to have a new problem every year, the pitching coach who cant seem to help pitchers when they are going bad, but they go somewhere else and become Allstars again( ie. Derrick Lowe). And finally, what have we done since Stan Kasten left and Frank Wrenn has been running the team? I have been rooting for the Braves for 30 years, but its getting a lot harder. And whoever is our eye Dr should be fired. He ruined the career of Brian McCann, and it looks like the same thing is happening to Freddi Freeman.
Matt
May 27th, 2012
8:19 am
Should have traded Minor last year when we could have gotten something for him. The kid talks the talk (”I belong in the Majors”), but can’t walk the walk.
AlanFalcon
May 27th, 2012
8:21 am
Somtimes sucess brings about a feeling of being invenciablity (Braves player’s, coaches and the manager). Some teams are able to manage these things and sometimes not (Braves), for sure you don’t overcome when you let everything pass and give everyone a pat on the A$$. There are times, believe it or not that you have to speak up, rattle some souls and kick A$$—–The bad thing for the Braves is that we don’t have a clubhouse leader that will take this job and speak up, that along with a Manager or the lack of one) that has no clue as to how you do this and therefore takes the easy road and says nothing. Miami must have taken all of the fire out of Freddie’s belly when they stood of for Hanely Ramerize (sp), therfore it has carried over and the Braves are the recipients.
Tom G
May 27th, 2012
8:23 am
Come on Jeff, the Braves are missing three regulars(Mac, Chipper & Freddie). Probably three of the best hitters on the team. There is a reason the substitute players are called back-ups?
Larry
May 27th, 2012
8:32 am
So where’s Lewd and LoboDumbDumb these days?
Larry
May 27th, 2012
8:34 am
Tom G,
And the Nationals are missing two of their best players, Werth and Morse, the latter hasn’t played a game this season.
Tom G
May 27th, 2012
8:34 am
Reading the posts of some of you knuckleheads in depressing, to say the least! We have a Major League team here, you should be happy about that, if you are a real baseball fan? Most of you should be on Jay Bookman’s liberal blog, commenting about your real hero, Barrack Hussein Obama!!
Tom G
May 27th, 2012
8:38 am
Larry – Perhaps our back-ups are not as good as theirs?? Washington is a loaded team just like Philly was a few years ago. They may win the whole thing this year!! We are a decent team, not a very good or great team??
Larry
May 27th, 2012
8:38 am
I’ve been telling you guys that I know for a fact several key players have very little respect fopr FG. Like him? Yes. Respect his in-game, situational decisiona making and leadership skill? No.
Larry
May 27th, 2012
8:41 am
Tom G
Both teams have comparable talent when all are healthy and playing at their best. However, the Nationals have one very importantant thing the Braves haven’t…a proven, bonified, major league manager.
flagger
May 27th, 2012
8:41 am
vol4ever u sir r a idiot.. please return to the hillbillys..
Tom G
May 27th, 2012
8:43 am
Larry – Where is your two brothers(Curley and Moe)? You have a bad attitude man!!
LWells2000@aol.com
May 27th, 2012
8:48 am
Braves have gotten sooo bad sooo quickly, our new rule: We Don’t Watch Any More Catch-up Games. They get behind, we switch channels.
Strange Murphy
May 27th, 2012
8:51 am
FIRE BOBBY COX!!!
Sonny Jurgensen
May 27th, 2012
9:04 am
The Nationals played with extremely cheap payrolls for several years, when they first came back in 2005. It helped parley into some horrid play, but yielded high draft picks: Harper, Strasburg, Ryan Zimmerman, Drew Storen, Detwiler, Ramos, Jordan Zimmermann, among others. The Braves actually have two Nationals rejects in their bullpen – Durbin and Livo – which shows how Washington’s pitching depth has developed. Trades for Morse, Clippard, Gio Gonzalez (you’ll see him tonight at 8pm); signing of Werth, Ankiel, Nady.
Add one of the very best in-game (and mind-game) managers of all time, and you have potentially, a dynamo for years to come. Braves have a LOT of work to do to keep up with the Nationals. Phillies will get old (showing signs now), and Miami has some parts too. Looks like rough sailing in the ATL.