Braves look good now, but what can we expect next?
Kris Medlen represented another good sign for the Braves with five solid innings before the rain delay. (AP photo)
(Updated: midnight)
On this day a year ago, the Braves were 17 games over .500 (63-46), continued their ascent to 26 over in late August, flashing the look of a legitimate contender, and muted almost every remaining skeptic when even Dan Uggla rediscovered the art of hitting (the assumption being that his 33-game hitting streak had followed the laying of hands). Then came the fall.
After the Braves’ 7-1 win over the Miami Marlins Tuesday night, giddiness abounded once again. They have won seven straight. They are a season-best 59-44. Everybody is hitting. (OK. Not Dan Uggla. The hands thing wore off.)
So. Is it safe now to project something special?
Uh … no.
There is a lot to like about this team. They score runs. They deliver timely hits. They rank second to St. Louis in the National League in runs scored. The overall team batting average (.257) doesn’t look great, but it’s up from last season (.243) and doesn’t reflect the strength of the everyday lineup: from Chipper Jones (.316) to Martin Prado (.302) to Michael Bourn (.292) to Freddie Freeman (.279, 63 RBIs) to Jason Heyward (.309 since June; 17 homers overall) to the suddenly hot Brian McCann (.309, 9 homers and 21 RBIs in the last 19).
(Not Uggla. He’s at .208. And now, we move on.)
But last year taught us something about assumptions. When a roster without a long resume for winning loses 18 of 26 down the stretch and gets swept in a three-game series at home to end the season to miss the playoffs, it’s best to remain cautious. We can’t yet know if that team is this team. We can’t be certain that this team is immune to a tailspin.
“I feel really good about this team,” Jones said in a near-empty clubhouse after most of his teammates had left for batting practice. “I like the way we’re playing right now. I like the makeup of this ballclub. Is it enough? The next two months will tell us. But I like our chances as we sit here at the end of July.”
The Braves now sit only 2½ games behind Washington in the National League East. Assume nothing. Consider the rest of the season a flashing yellow light.
The good is the offense and the bullpen. The uncertainty is the starting rotation, from which everything flows. The trade-deadline acquisition of starter Paul Maholm from the Chicago Cubs was a solid move, even if not at the level that Ryan Dempster or obviously Zack Greinke would’ve been. Maholm’s career ERA with Chicago and Pittsburgh is a mediocre 4.30, but he has been among baseball’s hottest pitchers lately (5-0, 1.00 ERA in his last seven starts).
“I feel like the front office tried to make a humongous move and they couldn’t make it work,” David Ross said. “They were trying to get a shutdown starter. I don’t know if you would put Paul Maholm in that category, but his numbers lately are great.”
General manager Frank Wren’s best move this season also has been his cheapest move: He stole Ben Sheets from a little league team.
“He has given us one more guy we could trust on a nightly basis,” Wren said.
That’s said, Sheets somewhat illustrates the questions about the rotation. He has returned from two years out of baseball with three great starts (one earned run in 18 innings). But can we expect that to continue? If you lined up the team’s starters by perceived order of strength, it might go something like this: Tim Hudson, Sheets, Maholm, and then Mike Minor and Tommy Hanson (who just went on the disabled list) in either order.
Kris Medlen reaffirmed Tuesday night that he is a viable option. He threw five strong innings, allowing only one run and four hits and needing only 57 pitches before the rain started, causing a 1 hour, 53-minute delay. He was done for the night.
The strength of the starting pitching will cause a ripple effect with the bullpen, which last year wore out down the stretch. That, along with injuries to Hanson and Jair Jurrjens and a blur of hitting slumps led to the slide.
“What happened last September will pay dividends at some point,” Jones said. He paused before adding with a slight smile, “Whether it’s this year or years down the road remains to be seen. It was kind of a perfect storm of bad things that happened to us and led to our demise. The chance of those things happening again are slim. But we’re not going to take anything for granted.”
That’s probably wise.
By Jeff Schultz
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245 comments Add your comment
kral
July 31st, 2012
9:48 pm
I apologize jay..you want what is best for the Braves as do I …you want to get someone who makes us better..I understand..I want who we have to succeed in the roll they are in..maybe they will maybe they will not..we are actually in the same boat..there is no gurrantee either way
J-MAN
July 31st, 2012
9:48 pm
Kral I will take PRODUCTION over playoff experience everyday. Look at the 73 Mets they had Willie Mays on their team and he had “Playoff” experience and look at what happened. Playoff experience is overrated. Look at David Frese he didnt have any playoff experience and all he did was win the WS for the Cardnials, same for Cody Ross for the Giants.
beone
July 31st, 2012
9:51 pm
Jeff,
5 and 10. I think that used to be called a “dime” store. Try 10 & 5 rights.
Prado Matic
July 31st, 2012
10:02 pm
Let’s call it a win and go to the house. Anyone can get hot in the playoffs, heck look at Mark Alan Lemke!!!
J-MAN
July 31st, 2012
10:03 pm
But we have that Lefthanded Power bat with Juan Francisco. So really Hinske is not needed. We need batters that can get on base .200 and 1 HR in 120 ABs isnt good at all, sepecially for a player that is a liability defensively. I sung Hinskes praises all day last year and the year before but this year he is slower and the balls he hits doesnt jump off the bat as quickly. All I expect froma bench player is to be able to hit .250 Hopefully when we go to a 40 man roster in September some of the Minor league guys will out perform some of these Bench guys and steal a spot in the playoffs
kral
July 31st, 2012
10:03 pm
we have the same goal..production is based on the future neither one of us can predict..watch out ..I am going to be nice,but the sey- hey- kid was my favorite player growing up…use another example please trying to be diplomatic tonight
J-MAN
July 31st, 2012
10:05 pm
I also want them to call the game but I would rather earn the win remember that 9 run lead the Nationals had on us and that Game could have beencalled by rain. I want my team to earn every victory
nobody
July 31st, 2012
10:08 pm
Any word on the delay?
Prado Matic
July 31st, 2012
10:09 pm
Saves our pitchers as well,but hey I got nothing better to do—- “Lets Play Ball”
Jeff Schultz
July 31st, 2012
10:10 pm
Almost afraid to pass along that the rain has let up and the groundscrew is out to squeegee the tarp again because every time this happens it starts pouring again.
Jeff Schultz
July 31st, 2012
10:11 pm
And yep, as soon as I finished typing that, it starts pouring again.
Prado Matic
July 31st, 2012
10:12 pm
So how many hrs you been there Jeff about 4- with 2 or 3 more to go?
Geno
July 31st, 2012
10:15 pm
Good job by Medlin tonight. Let’s hope the rain wins and we don’t have to work the bullpen anymore tonight. Last I saw the Nast were getting killed! 2.5 out and streak still alive looks awesome!
Jeff Schultz
July 31st, 2012
10:17 pm
Got here early — about 3
kral
July 31st, 2012
10:21 pm
I almost responded you would not take a team making an error in the bottom of the 9th with 2 on .. runners on 2nd & 3RD..leading the BRAVES by one ..cost them …..Braves win..but I did not took the high road..just like you do when it comes to ……dang I just cannot resist..
Buzz2011
July 31st, 2012
10:23 pm
You would even look good Shultz if you were playing little
league teams who can’t even run the bases. Thank goodness for Uggs..
Jeff Schultz
July 31st, 2012
10:23 pm
Braves re-start has been set for 10:40 p.m.
Buzz2011
July 31st, 2012
10:23 pm
You would even look good Shultz if you were playing little
league teams who can’t even run the bases. Thank goodness for Uggs..
Buzz2011
July 31st, 2012
10:23 pm
You would even look good Shultz if you were playing little
league teams who can’t even run the bases. Thank goodness for Uggs..
Prado Matic
July 31st, 2012
10:23 pm
Hope you brought a good book or some good company! I could only listen tonight how do you think Medlin looked going 5? Did he look like he was tiring much?
Geno
July 31st, 2012
10:23 pm
Long day for sure, Jeff! Thanks for the coverage. Hang tight!
J-MAN
July 31st, 2012
10:24 pm
But I hope when the September call-up happen that some of these minor leaguers will steal some of the Bench spots
kral
July 31st, 2012
10:31 pm
I apologize again J..I guess the WM’s comment bothered me more than I thought Hope we can earn this one
nobody
July 31st, 2012
10:33 pm
I live in Atlanta. Is there any online station I can listen to the braves game? I guess blackout takes away local stations
Big Papa Dawg
July 31st, 2012
10:37 pm
Have i missed other comments or has no one else seen the gross examples of Larry Jones loafing not running out ground balls, probably cost 2 runs Sunday. And the constant posing. I really believe that his teammates dont care for his antics and wish he would just go away.
Jeff Schultz
July 31st, 2012
10:39 pm
Medlen officially is done for the night. No surprise. New Braves pitcher: Cory Gearrin.
Jeff Schultz
July 31st, 2012
10:42 pm
Welcome back: Back after delay of 1:53. And oh boy was that fun. Anybody still out there?
corkymillerlovesbeer
July 31st, 2012
10:44 pm
Jeff,
Pour yourself a cup of coffee with some cream
J-MAN
July 31st, 2012
10:44 pm
you can get on our Waycross ESPN station The Fan 790 and 1350. They have the Braves game on the Radio from their online site
kral
July 31st, 2012
10:48 pm
did notice the ground ball to the utley ..saw he would have beat it out if he had not slowed down..thought the same for a moment..then went easy ground ball to Utley..got him by 15 steps..then realized I should defer to someone who is possibly the greatest 3b men in history..plus seen it occur hundreds of times with other players who assumed it was certain and it was
nobody
July 31st, 2012
10:49 pm
Nope. That sends me to ESPN Radio Sportscenter. I guess I am blacked out because of MLB game day audio. Its so nice that I can’t even listen to the braves online now without paying….
Jeff Schultz
July 31st, 2012
10:50 pm
Corky — Way ahead of you.
Jeff Schultz
July 31st, 2012
10:51 pm
So the near 2-hour rain delay turns Tyler Pastornicky into a power hitter. Pinch hit solo homer off reliever Dan Jennings makes it 5-1.
kral
July 31st, 2012
10:52 pm
I meant one of the greatest
Jeff Schultz
July 31st, 2012
10:55 pm
Jennings has faced 4 batters: homer, 2 singles and a fielder’s choice/error.
Earl Hickey
July 31st, 2012
11:00 pm
After beating up on the Phils and Fish, the Braves announcers now proclaim the team has found it’s “swagger.”
valdosta native
July 31st, 2012
11:04 pm
I like the trade we made for Maholm. The utility guy is a plus, but like many have said, we didn’t break the bank getting something consistant. I hate to see us lose young talent, but you have to give something to get something in return, and this was probably the best “risk cautious” move we Wren could have made. We lock down a solid inning eater/starter who’s in his prime for a year after this at a rate of 6+ mill and give up one proven prospect who may or may not become a superstar at the next level. Good job Frank for not selling our future. Good job for getting our team some help that can keep us competitive. But you’re still not John Schuerholtz….
corkymillerlovesbeer
July 31st, 2012
11:06 pm
Jeff,
how well do you think johnson and maholm will fit in the clubhouse? Do you think they might affect the team chemistry?
J-MAN
July 31st, 2012
11:12 pm
I am really wanting to see who gets the September call-up (15 spots)
1.Ernesto Meja better be here
2.Felix Pie will be here
3.Constanza will also be here
4.Delgado
5.Moylan
6. I would love to see what Evan Gattis can do if he is healthy
7. Teheran
8. Luis Durango
9. JC Boscan
10. Varvaro
11. Gerrin
12. Buddy Carlyle
13. Batista
14. Wilson
15.Flande
I wanna see whos gonna steal some of them bench spots
Jeff Schultz
July 31st, 2012
11:13 pm
Hot damn. Juan Francisco is 3 for 3 with a double, 2 singles, a walk and 2 RBIs.
Jeff Schultz
July 31st, 2012
11:14 pm
Corkymillerlovesbeer — Both have the reputation of being great clubhouse guys. Reed was in there today and it was clear right away he will fit in. Hinske knows him from Pittsburgh.
corkymillerlovesbeer
July 31st, 2012
11:18 pm
I wonder when Chipper is no longer with the team if team chemistry will matter anymore. Braves players comment about good club house guys more than any other team. I think the braves tip their cap more than any other team as well. Who will be the team leader…ross is very outspoken yet he is not signed for next year……
kral
July 31st, 2012
11:24 pm
you have to be on the 40 man before 9/1 to qualify for the playoffs..am not positive..and do not know how many on your list are,but check it out or at least keep it in mind
Keith
July 31st, 2012
11:36 pm
Jeff,
Thanks for the reminder about last year. Always good to reflect on the recent past.
I feel better in July, but there are still questions marks with hanson, sheets, and minor. I hope Malholm will be a stablizer. I like Reed.
go BRAVES!
Keith
July 31st, 2012
11:37 pm
Oh, and it looks like we’ll be 2.5 games out after tonight.
Go BRAVES.
Forgot to say…Thanks, Wren, for making the most with a little.
Corkymillerlovesbeer
July 31st, 2012
11:40 pm
Jeff,
How would you rate wren as a gm?
Jeff Schultz
July 31st, 2012
11:41 pm
Jair Jurrjens is the Braves next and probably last pitcher.
Jeff Schultz
July 31st, 2012
11:47 pm
Braves win 7-1. Thank you and good night.
JC Boscan III
July 31st, 2012
11:47 pm
Nice inning by Jurrjens. He hit 90 MPH, which was a good sign, too…..
Keith
August 1st, 2012
12:12 am
Nite, Jeff. Get some sleep.