If Braves serious about East, they need to beat Nationals now
You can almost hear Jason Heyward say, "Uh-oh," as he lost two fly balls in sun in Braves' loss. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
Three months ago, when the Braves were swept in their first season series against Washington (by a combined score: 22-10), the thought occurred (by me, anyway) that the Nationals were a nice little story that ultimately would spontaneously combust or do a slow fade into wild-card race oblivion.
That hasn’t happened. In fact, Washington has been in first place for all but 10 of 137 days since playing its season opener, and has been looking down on everybody in the National League East since May 22. (This for a franchise that hadn’t spent even one breakfast in first in five of the previous six years.)
First place used to be an afterthought for the Braves. They wiped their feet on the rest of the division. But they haven’t won a division title since 2005, and their chance to hang another flag — ignoring the misplaced wild-card banner at Turner Field – probably hinges on the next few days.
They open a three-game series at Washington on Monday night. Losing consecutive games to Los Angeles to close a homestand, including Sunday’s 5-0 defeat, wasn’t the jumpstart going to D.C. they were seeking. But the division lifeline likely is going to come down to the six remaining games against the Nationals, anyway, and in particular these three.
When asked if he feels his team needs to win this series, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said, “Yes, absolutely. We need to go in there and win two out of three. That wild card stuff is fine and dandy, but it’s a crapshoot. We don’t want to get into a situation with a crapshoot.”
Yes. We all know how that ended a year ago. The Braves found themselves in a crapshoot and were left with only the first syllable.
They’ll still have 38 games remaining after the Washington series. But they were 4½ games out of first before the Nationals had concluded its game against New York Sunday, and that’s all Chipper Jones needed to know.
“Let’s say they win — we’ll be five back,” Jones said. “Lose two out of three, we’ll be six back. Six games is a large margin when you’re talking about a team as good as Washington. They don’t lose a lot of games in a row. They don’t make that many mistakes. If we dig that big of a hole, we’re going to be focusing more on the wild card than the division, and the last thing I want as a player is to starting looking in the rearview mirror at teams chasing us for the wild card. We did that last year.”
We have seen how good the Braves can be. They went 18-5 in a recent stretch. Their starting pitching stabilized. Their offense began producing 6, 7, 9 runs a game with regularity.
But we’ve seen in the last two games how quickly they can look anemic. The Dodgers won games 6-2 and 5-0 over the weekend.
Jones again: “We’re seeing some guys with that look on their face at the plate – they’re scuffling.”
The problem Sunday wasn’t just offense. Jason Heyward lost two fly balls in the sun in the eighth and ninth innings, both opening the door to runs, when L.A. blew open a 1-0 lead.
Gonzalez also may have contributed to the unraveling. He pulled starter Mike Minor before the eighth inning, even though Minor had allowed just one run and five hits, and he later said he felt fine. Gonzalez said he was looking for a certain “match-up” (reliever Chad Durbin vs. pinch hitter Juan Uribe, who was hitting for starter Chad Billingsley).
It’s called overthinking. Why pull a starter unless he feels gassed?
Maybe it wouldn’t have made a difference. The Braves didn’t score a run.
That will need to change against a team the Braves not only are chasing, but one they’ve had problems with. They’re 4-8 against the Nationals. They had won seven straight series before this weekend, dating back to a four-game split with Washington.
Despite the Nationals’ general miserable existence before 2012 (..435 winning percentage in seven years), the Braves were 64-63 against them. At least now Washington is good, so the Braves have an excuse. But that will be of little consolation if they find themselves in a wild card race again.
By Jeff Schultz
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124 comments Add your comment
Van
August 19th, 2012
6:38 pm
First?
"Chef" Tim Dix
August 19th, 2012
6:41 pm
Must get Freeman to quit leaning over and take a first pitch sometime.
He can carry this club.
@DanWeiner
August 19th, 2012
6:41 pm
This division was likely decided On July 21st. The night before, the Nationals imploded for the first time all season. Then early on the 21st Ben Sheets shut down the Nats in the first game of a double header. In the nightcap, the Braves jumped out to 2-0 lead in the first innings. They had the Nats on the ropes and couldn’t finish the job. When the history of this season is written, the second game of that double header will be the moment when the Nationals proved they had the character to win the division and the Braves proved they just weren’t as good.
JSS
August 19th, 2012
6:46 pm
The Nats are the 1991 Braves… They are ready, they are good, and they can put the Braves out of their division misery this week… And unlike the 91 Braves, they don’t have Bobby Cox mucking up the last two months…
bobby
August 19th, 2012
7:03 pm
Stop worrying people. THE BRAVES WILL SWEEP THE NATS AND ALL 6 GAMES BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN THEM. We have the better team because we have older guys on the mount who can pich long in to a season. THE NATS HAVE YOUNGER PICH WHO ARE GOING TO GET TIRER BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT PICH THIS LONG IN A SEASON WATCH THE LAST MONTH OF THE SEASON.
bobby
August 19th, 2012
7:03 pm
Stop worrying people. THE BRAVES WILL SWEEP THE NATS AND ALL 6 GAMES BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN THEM. We have the better team because we have older guys on the mount who can pich long in to a season. THE NATS HAVE YOUNGER PICH WHO ARE GOING TO GET TIRER BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT PICH THIS LONG IN A SEASON WATCH THE LAST MONTH OF THE SEASON.
Henry D.
August 19th, 2012
7:08 pm
Getting ready for the September swoon. The entire team didn’t look like they even wanted to be on the field today.
mark
August 19th, 2012
7:11 pm
And it,s time to play the big boys and Uggla ain’t it! No more wait and hope he hits,he’s not not tomorrow or next week,he’s broken a project for the off season, put the absolute best team on the field and ride’m sink or swim, nobody will fault you (Fredi) if you put the best players on the field. I would play this next 35 days like my life is on the line. It’s now!
Sell the Team back to Ted believe
August 19th, 2012
7:14 pm
bobby is on crack………this is a mid tier team of posers. One playoff series and they are DONE.
RBigFish
August 19th, 2012
7:27 pm
Has anybody figured out how the sun was in Heyward’s eyes but not the Dodger’s outfielders ?
RBigFish
August 19th, 2012
7:28 pm
Who’s more pitiful at the plate, StrUggla or McCann’t ?
"Chef" Tim Dix
August 19th, 2012
7:38 pm
I give J-Hey alot of credit for not playing the Yunel, “The wind blew it off course.” card.
benchwarmer
August 19th, 2012
7:42 pm
Did the Dogers outfielders have to play any flyballs to right late in the game? Somebady please talk to Freeman. He looks like he has been taking Uggla lessons!
Jfreak13713
August 19th, 2012
7:44 pm
This series with the Dodgers sums up the Braves season and really defines them as a team. They are good enough to beat sub .500 teams and their pitching will hold up to even good teams but they just simply don’t have the starting pitching to beat playoff teams. Minor pitched well today and Sheets did ok yesterday but playoff teams like the Dodgers have pitching that is a little better. The Dodgers pitching today was just better enough to win.
Braves are a good team with average pitching and that won’t win in the playoffs. They might beat the pirates or even the reds but they won’t beat the nationals, dodgers, or giants because their starting pitching is just slightly less.
Sorry but not World Series team here. Good enough for playoffs and I’ll take that but not quite good enough to beat playoff teams. Maybe next year?
Jaded
August 19th, 2012
7:45 pm
The Nats are just better than the Braves. There’s no shame in that for the Braves, because the Nats are better than everybody.
Anything less than two out of three and I’m officially focusing exclusively on the wild card. Four games is surmountable if the Nats run into some bad luck with injuries down the stretch. Making up six or more games on these guys isn’t going to happen.
Larry
August 19th, 2012
7:47 pm
Fredi Gonzalez matching wits with Davey Johnson?
Gross mismatch in aptitude, basic instincts and situational, in-game management…time to focus on the wildcard! After nearly two seasons I’m still waiting to hear or read anything from Fredi that has even the remotest evidence of intelligence.
He will be like his daddy, the booger picker: outmanaged and outwitted in any playoff game. The only hope this team has is to pitch, hit and field so well that they overcome this manager who suffers from grave, irreversible fatuousness the White Sox did for a manager possibly more witless than even Fredi Gonzalez, Ozzie Guillen; thusly, I guess, anything is possible…even with Fredi!
Sonny Clusters
August 19th, 2012
7:49 pm
We’re not one to say we told you so but we saw this coming. Here they are like they were last season when they were going up to Philadelphia to show the Phillies a thing or two. How did that work out? We would like to have known if Chipper’s bat would have made a difference today. A team with no urgency can’t just turn it on when they decide they need it. They showed us that last year as game after game they could not produce the one win to earn the wild card. What is different this year? Well, lots of things. Keeping Uggla in the lineup waiting for him to hit seems foolish to us when game after game he has little league at bats and is so selfish at the plate. He adds nothing but the occasional HR and fails far too many times to advance or bring in runners or to keep a rally alive. McCann has not looked so bad since he fell at the swimming pool and suffered two black eyes, facial abrasions, and some bruised ribs and tender cauliflower ears like he’d lost a bar fight. We are pulling for the Braves but there are some strong similarities to last year when they suffered the EPIC Collapse. Again, they can’t just turn on the urgency. This game was not urgent enough to warrant the very best lineup apparently. Meanwhile, the Dodgers say, thankyouverymuch in their best Elvis.
Dawgdad (The Original)
August 19th, 2012
7:55 pm
They don’t manufacture runs or play small ball, and when you can’t hit good pitching either, you don’t last long in the playoffs. It doesn’t matter how much pitching you have, you have to have at least one run.
Jeff Schultz
August 19th, 2012
7:57 pm
JSS — How did Bobby Cox “muck up” the last 2 months in 1991?
Jeff Schultz
August 19th, 2012
7:58 pm
RBigFish — McCann has an excuse: He’s injured. Not the case with Uggla.
falconfan58
August 19th, 2012
8:00 pm
It is time to put Uggla on the bench. You can not continue to justify his playing because he just might, maybe could hit a homerun or even get a hit. A good 275 hitter at second and we have probably 5-6 more wins. The guy is stinking up the field now and anyone else would be an improvement.
Pj
August 19th, 2012
8:00 pm
If we get the same things we’ve been getting from minor medlen and maholm – we will make up the ground and win the east. Offensively, McCann and uggla hitting bombs is the key.
NorCal Brave
August 19th, 2012
8:05 pm
I’m not so concerned about losing today to a red-hot pitcher who hasn’t allowed a run on the road for 25 or 30 innings. AND I think we have the pitching to get into the playoffs. What’s troubling is we have two huge parts of the offense that continue to scuffle. Uggla may just be a lost cause, the way Smoltz talked about him during the game. And we now know McCann has a sore shoulder which he intends to play through, even though he’s stopped contributing offensively. Fredi needs to find a combination that maximizes our chance for scoring runs, even if it hurts some feelings.
Don Waddell
August 19th, 2012
8:15 pm
The Braves are DONE.
Fredo
August 19th, 2012
8:31 pm
until they can prove otherwise against the Nationals, I’m saying they’re going to win just 1 game at best
Langston
August 19th, 2012
8:32 pm
I swear, Atlanta Braves fans are some of the most negative, the sky is falling fans I’ve ever seen in my life. We only lost 2 games in a row to a good team. THIS TEAM IS GOOD ENOUGH TO WIN A WORLD SERIES.Start being positive for once.
Lou Piniella's cap
August 19th, 2012
8:34 pm
The Braves need to be focusing on securing that #1 WC position instead of trying to chase down a MUCH better Nationals team. Barring a September meltdown like the Braves had last year, Washington is going to win the East. The Braves are pretty good his year, but the Nationals are just better in every aspect of the game.
They’ll almost certainly make the playoffs, they’re too talented not to. But I think that’s where the line will be drawn. I agree with an earlier post above, they play great against below .500 teams, but this weekend against the Dodgers was case in point on how they play against legit playoff teams. The only reason LA didn’t sweep the Braves was because their bullpen imploded Friday night.
Buzzards Luck
August 19th, 2012
8:37 pm
Hey kids It’s baseball and there will be more ebb and alow in the offense the rest of the way (hopefully more flow than ebb), it’s just the nature of the beast. From where I sit I see Huddie and Maholm as the only two certain survivors of this two week “tryout” at this point. Hanson didn’t look too bad the other night but probably not as good as the others, but he was just coming off the IL so should get the benefit of the doubt. In spite of the crappy results last night, Sheets pitched pretty well, 4 hits and 2 walks in 6 innings. Minor and Medlen have been pretty spectacular but being the most inexperienced I gotta believe Fredi will err on the side of guys that have been there the longest so, assuming no injuries and none of them fall flat in the next week and a half, I see Meds being the odd man out just due to his good work in the pen. It certainly wouldn’t be a popular decision but I just don’t see it playing out any other way, again assuming they all stay healthy and on course. Thoughts?
Buzzards Luck
August 19th, 2012
8:38 pm
“ebb and FLOW”
Cowboy
August 19th, 2012
9:14 pm
I’d like to know how commenting on facts is perceived to be negative. This team has folded the tent so many times in crucial situations it boggles the mind. This team is already playing tight in August for crying out loud. Playing scared. Taking the gas already. Memories are long for this scared outfit and they seem to be having flashbacks from last September here in August. You can’t play the game scared. Tight. Sucking on air. Can’t be done. Being observant here, and not negative, I see a tee total collapse on the door step and a sweep by the Nationals in tomorrow’s series. Wild cards are for losers. Can you imagine this bunch trying to win a one game play-off with last year’s collapse hanging over their heads? It is time to put up or shut up. Start tomorrow by doing the undoable — sweeping the Nationals at their home. By any and every means necessary. All hands on deck. Do it for “The Chipper”. He’d probably do it for himself if Fruiti would put him on the gold dang baseball field. Hoping for the best. Expecting the worst…
RBigFIsh
August 19th, 2012
9:19 pm
Langston, I wish you correct….but you have got to be kidding ????? Good enough to win a world series…with a catcher hitting below .230 and 2nd baseman hitting below .215 ? Hanson is good for 5 innings. Sheets was a fluke his first couple of starts. You never know what you’re going to get with Huddy now. The bullpen has been great in August, but the starting pitching is iffy at best.
RBigFIsh
August 19th, 2012
9:20 pm
Hey Schultz, if McCann is injured…..put him on DL. Ross is a much bigger threat now anyway.
The Answer
August 19th, 2012
9:37 pm
Making decisions based on ‘matchups’ was Bobby Cox’s achilles heel as well. Cost him at least 1-3 more WS rings.
Cowboy
August 19th, 2012
9:54 pm
Cox managed scared. Hated the spot light. Did it straight by the book so as to avoid critisism. I agree with The Answer. 1-3 more rings with a fiery, “go for it” when you’ve got the chance, creative manager in the dug-out.
povox
August 19th, 2012
9:58 pm
Yeah Schultz- put McCann on the DL! What were you thinking, starting an injured catcher?
Sundrop Kid
August 19th, 2012
10:15 pm
The SUNDROP KID thinks maybe Mr. Uggla does indeed have a problem. Those huge $$$$$$$ marks are over his eyeballs and keep impairing his vision. $ $
*
(—)
TuffShhhtuff
August 19th, 2012
10:23 pm
So, if I understand it correctly today is the first day Heyward has played right field, with the sun out, in his Braves career? I guess now somebody will say it was the first day the sun has been in that exact position at that exact time when the ball was hit in that same trajectory. Go ahead, say it.
Reality
August 19th, 2012
10:26 pm
How much longer are we hung with Uggla? He is a drag on the team and will never hit without a major swing overhaul.
Bat him #8
nobobfan
August 19th, 2012
10:53 pm
stop picking on Uggla, or FW’s secretaries will blog you to hell.
He’s not arrogant…even though he drags the team down , he’s nice enuff to tell Fredi he’ll kick his as- if taken out of lineup.
He is our next hall of famer, after Chipper/
(ok Mr. Wren? worth the $20?)
Pj
August 19th, 2012
10:53 pm
McCann and uggla will decide the teams fate in these last weeks.
Mister Frisky
August 19th, 2012
10:53 pm
Once again it’s the offense that is the problem.Uggla,McCann,Janish.and the pitcher.Throw out Chipper every 4th or 5th day along with the streaky bats of Heyward and FF.Will get embarrassed on this roadie.No playoffs!
the truth...
August 19th, 2012
10:58 pm
Prado to 2 base
Reed Johnson to Left
Keith
August 19th, 2012
11:14 pm
I hate to say this because I know it sounds a little extreme. But I personally don’t think winning 2/3 is enough even though everyone (myself included) would be happy with it.
If they want to make a move, a sweep needs to happen. Move from 5 games back to 2.
Thoughts, Jeff?
extremus
August 20th, 2012
12:18 am
While the Braves have done better in games without Chipper playing in recent weeks/months than they did at the start of the season (they were AWFUL), I still see a stark correlation between having his bat in the lineup and winning ballgames. Chipper takes a lot of flak here on these boards due to his inability to play every day, but there’s no question the Braves are a much better team with a much more potent offense when he is on the field.
Pitching inconsistencies aside, the Braves need to find a way to win games and score runs when Chipper isn’t in the lineup. There are nine players on the field in a given game; somebody needs to step up in a big way.
Besides, they’re no longer going to have the luxury of having him at all after this season. The window for “put up or shut up” is rapidly closing…and the Nationals are built for perhaps an even longer run of division dominance than the Phillies had.
Largo
August 20th, 2012
12:24 am
Considering all aspects of the game, common sense dictates that the braves team does not possess the wherewithal necessary to win the East. Sorry.
Columbus
August 20th, 2012
1:21 am
This series is huge. Braves MUST win 2 of 3 or they will be hoping for the Nats to have a losing streak which isnt likely. One thing in the Braves favor is they have an easier schedule I believe but that alone will be enough if the Braves dont pick up ground, at least ONE game in each of these last 2 series against the Nats. IMO. Can the Braves catch the Nats? ABSOLUTELY! Sheets needs a rest. Skipping his next start might be a wise move. The only thing the Braves are missing is McCann and Uggla hitting better. If they pick it up and hit close to what they are capable, the Braves can win it all this year and the division but if they dont, it will be very difficult. Strange things happen in September….Nats have NEVER been in the position and the pressure might take a toll….but man those guys can hit….Braves better match em starting Monday!!! Go Braves!
Columbus
August 20th, 2012
1:26 am
Good point Bobby. Young arms do tend to tire late in the season. Braves also have an easier schedule SO….just got to score some runs because the Nats usually do. Nats have had the Braves number the last couple years. It is time to offically put an end to that.. Nats will be looking to lock up the division and these will be like playoff games. Cant wait! Going to be AWESOME! Damn its a Monday game though…..well 2 monkeys off the back then! Braves better get more than 3 or hits. They need to come out rocking at the plate!
P B Orr
August 20th, 2012
3:11 am
Gonzales is mentally out of his league. He’ll find a way to screw things up. I’m secretly hoping for another collapse so we can be rid of him, but I don’t have a lot of time left here and can’t quite do that. But man, what a depressing sight to see him there in the dugout looking stupid and befuddled.
clay
August 20th, 2012
3:56 am
Don’t look at it as being down 5 games. Look at it as being down 2. As long as we can get within three games by september, then the braves will be just fine. They can make up three games in four weeks.
Eric C.
August 20th, 2012
6:17 am
A nationals sweep would just about close the deal, but anything else gives the Braves a shot. The schedule for Sept looks pretty favorable if you haven’t noticed.
eastbound and down
August 20th, 2012
7:09 am
JS,
i can file this BS column with all the rest you write. what was the column in April or May? the Braves have to beat the Philies to be a legitiimate threat in the east. by the way, as far as the wife beater Cox goes, Leibrandt in game 6 of the 91 WS.
rc35
August 20th, 2012
7:36 am
If this were last season, we’d be OK. I think this team could win a legitimate Wild Card series. However, when the whole thing rides on a one-game qualifier for the two “Wild Card” teams (won’t Bud Selig EVER retire before he messes up everything in baseball?), I don’t like those odds at all.
The Braves have played excellent baseball at times, but when their hitting goes cold, it might as well be January in the Yukon. I’m hoping for the best, but hoping without logical support for that hope.
Thomas Brown
August 20th, 2012
7:41 am
Does anyone really think this baseball team is going to win the play-offs, weak as we are up the middle and not one single go-to hitter in the line-up ?
That would be like thinking the Georgia Bulldogs are going to beat top teams this season, when we haven’t either in years and years and years.
Longtimefan
August 20th, 2012
8:06 am
Again, some perspective is in order to balance the sky is falling/epic collapse is imminent crowd. Yes, the Braves just lost 2/3 to the Dodgers and a sweep would have been nice. It would be nice to have won 100 ball games by now and have the division sewn up, but this is baseball and if you hang around .600 for the year you pretty much have a ticket to the dance. BTY, the Braves still have the fifth best record in baseball, which for the numerically challenged out there means 25 teams have a worse record. Not bad. They have the fourth best team ERA in the NL and possibly the best bullpen. That runs contrary to naysayer comments above. They have the third best offense in the NL- runs scored, that’s the name of the game. And the best defense in the NL, by multiple measures. If you didn’t know better you would think we were the Astros based the negative comments above. And all that talk of a collapse like last year, on what basis? A 2 game losing streak? Smell something in the air? Been playing with the Tarot cards again?
Thomas Brown
August 20th, 2012
8:29 am
Ticket to the dance.
That is all that Braves and Bulldogs’ Football fans can strive for.
It doesn’t take Tarot cards to know that neither the Braves nor the Bulldogs have an offense.
Delbert D.
August 20th, 2012
8:45 am
“If the Braves are serious.” I don’t like the premise of the article. Washington has superior pitching and equivalent hitting. Getting mentally tough and spiking the adrenaline to greater than usual strength doesn’t work in baseball like it does in football, with the possible exception of throwing at batters and taking out infielders and catchers on hard slides to alter the outcome.
Baseball is a lot of round bat, round ball, anything can happen stuff, and thinking, “I know he thinks that I think he’ll be sitting on the fastball, but really expecting the changeup, so I’ll throw the fastball” scenarios. Yes, Chipper can bring that laser-like focus and get a base hit 30 percent of the time. Getting those 30 percents to occur at the right time is the tricky part, and Nationals are playing exactly the same game.
NCC-1701
August 20th, 2012
8:54 am
Mr. Schultz,
What do you think will happen to management and the team if the following situations occur.
A. The Braves get one of the wild-card births, however lose in the one game playoffs
B. The Braves stumble and fall like last year
Steven Lemon
August 20th, 2012
8:57 am
Try as I might, I can’t convince Jayson Heyward nor Dan Uggla that trying to pull an outside fastball into the corner is NEXT TO impossible, Chipper Jones went into his recent hot streak when HE rediscovered that, but it seems nobody else on that team is aware.
And no matter how little support Mike Minor gets, the one fact that remains is that the homerun ball is his one big weakness.
I’m about ready to sell my majority interest in this team and add to my New York Yankees holdings.
A least with the Yankees you get a good game win or lose and no matter how far the Yankees are behind in a game, as Yogi says, “It ain’t over ’till it’s over”.
old scout
August 20th, 2012
9:00 am
The AJC writers should get quotes after a loss from the guys who played the game. I really don’t care what Chipper has to say when all he did was sit on his butt and watch. There is a lot of criticism of Uggla, but the guy hurting the team more is McCann. He is totally lost at the plate (maybe should stop listening to Dad and brother), and not very good on defense. They are a better team with Ross catching.
No Flag Since Lemke
August 20th, 2012
9:08 am
The absolute key to not winning this series and winning it was that freak play involving David Ross in game two where he dives out of the way of ball four and the damned thing ticks his bat and the Dodgers catcher discovers it in his glove. Take that play away and you have a two run lead and the bases still loaded against a guy who couldn’t throw a strike to save himself.
Delbert D.
August 20th, 2012
9:10 am
The headline in the Washington Post this morning is “Why losing to the Braves this week could come back to haunt the Nats.” Another mystery that needs really deep investigation.
Sammy
August 20th, 2012
9:12 am
BMac is hurt. He shouldn’t even be playing. Just a shame to watch this team crumble again. We’ll see after this week.
Thomas Brown
August 20th, 2012
9:19 am
Braves ? Compare Braves to Washington ? Why not admit truth that Braves lack :
an Adrian Beltre
a Josh Hamilton
an Elvis Andrus
a Derek Jeter
a Curtis Granderson
a Mark Teixeira
a Robinson Cano
a Brandon Phillips
a Yadier Molina
a Carlos Beltran
a Matt Holliday
In fact, if you get right down to it, the Braves only have 1 player listed on any leaderboard and that is Craig Kimbrel who has played exactly 45 innings all season long out of our over 1,081 innnings.
Give me a break. Atlanta Braves. We do not compete for the top players here in Atlanta and have not since Ted Turner left town.
Rick
August 20th, 2012
9:36 am
JSS……every one of your post Bash the hime team……you are tired…..juat go away!
Backdoor Slider
August 20th, 2012
9:38 am
GONZALEZ
Jeff, thanks for mentioning the Gonzalez role in the game unraveling of yesterday.
So true. So very true — though Fredi will never admit it.
I sincerely hope this offseason brings a needed managerial change.
Taylor Wooten
August 20th, 2012
9:42 am
They aint catching the Nationals…unless they make some changes. Sit Uggla. Hes a liability..at the plate and the field.
Thomas Brown
August 20th, 2012
9:43 am
As long as fans run in here and say how great we are, you are not going to get any changes for the Braves or the Bulldogs.
PMC
August 20th, 2012
10:11 am
J Hey needs a new deal for sunglasses sponsorship. He never looks comfortable catching fly balls.
GET ON IT OAKLEY!
Fats OKelly
August 20th, 2012
10:26 am
40 games left…………….Plenty of time left to catch Washington. This season is so long, you have enough time to catch anybody. Bones and Heyward and Freeman will go on a streak now. Watch
T DOG
August 20th, 2012
10:29 am
The Braves better get serious. They don’t want to get into a 1 game playoff with the Pirates and that lineup.
Hillbilly D
August 20th, 2012
10:41 am
The way Bud Selig has screwed things up, all you have to do is get a wild card. After you do that, the wild card playoff will be tough because it’s one game and anything can happen in one game. If a team can get past that, it just becomes a matter of which team’s top 3 starters get hot. Starting pitching will win it, 9 years out of 10 and you don’t have to have the “best” pitchers, just pitchers who get on a roll at the right time.
Davey Sprocket
August 20th, 2012
10:55 am
@longtimefan – quit trotting out stats that are misleading, dude. The Braves are FAR from teh best defensive team in the NL. They do not get to many balls in the infield – hence the 9th and 10th NL rankings in Assists, Putouts, total chances. Nats are top-3 in all of these. Even I could catch balls – IF I could get to them.
The Braves have some decent balance, and some obvious holes – yes it is possible for both to be true. It tends to account for the final results – behind a few good teams, and ahead of the bad ones. How they stack up against the GOOD teams is what is important, now, and it does not bode well that some of the bats are slumping horribly, and some pitchers are showing fatigue or worse, simply being figured out. The manager adds ZERO to the chances of success.
All the talk is how simple it will be to spend the Chipper/Bourn/Lowe money on – a 3B, a new 2B, a pitching ace and a power LF. See how easy that was?! Focus on today, first.
Peter
August 20th, 2012
11:55 am
Well Mike pitched great again… he is a hard luck guy not getting any run support.
Uggla, another real Wren mistake……. I would take Infante back in a heart beat for this guy !
JSS
August 20th, 2012
12:03 pm
Bobby did everything possible to “try” to blow that final 1/4 of 1991 miracle… From not realizing that Smoltz was his best pitcher to always giving us those bizarre sequence of pinch hitters… Thank goodness for Fat Boy Juan B and Pena, saved their butts… That and Justice sending a Rob Dibble (early John Rocker with at least a filter) fast ball somewhere near Covington KY!
BillEGoat
August 20th, 2012
12:10 pm
The Nationals are better than the Braves by a slight margin in every area except the bullpen. I give credit to the Braves, though. With Uggla and McCann having the seasons they are having, it is a credit to the club that they have won this many games. It would take a miracle for the Braves to win the Eastern Division title. The race is going to be for the wild card, snd THAT is no sure thing. The Nats and the Braves are going to be fighting it out in the NL East for the next several years. Both teams have good young players, but the Nats have an advantage in payroll.
Joey
August 20th, 2012
12:31 pm
Congrats, JS.
Obviously the pressure from your column a couple of months ago moved Billy Payne to admit 2 women in Augusta National.
OldFan
August 20th, 2012
12:33 pm
Braves better step up now and make the run for the Division title. This team does not need to get into a one game play-off with anyone. Braves have consistently shown that they fold against tough pitching. They’ll see the best in a one shot game.
Dennis Green
August 20th, 2012
12:42 pm
The Brave’s are who we think they are and the Dodger’s should have swept them but they were let off the hook!
Bobby Cox
August 20th, 2012
12:44 pm
I might have Blown a Few but Fredi has Choked on the Big ones!
Freddie Freeswing
August 20th, 2012
12:46 pm
It looks like Freddie can’t see again……….please sit him a few games and make him get new contacts!
Knat's
August 20th, 2012
12:49 pm
The Nat’s are like a million annoying bugs………they just won’t go away and keep coming back at you with more tenacity!…………….Good Luck to the Brave’s in just winning 1 game in this series!
Longtimefan
August 20th, 2012
12:49 pm
Davey Sprocket:You need to learn the facts before you pop off. Fact: Braves lead the NL in not only fewest errors but in a more encompassing advanced defensive metric called UZR. I’m not going to explain it to you but you can go to fangraphs.com and read all about it, as well the Braves leading the majors in UZR/150. BTW, the Nats are 7th in MLB in UZR, significantly behind the Braves. Saying a team is better defensively based on # of putouts, total chances etc is ludicrous. Go to some baseball sites and do some reading then state your case. You won’t have one.
And to Thomas Brown-last time I looked, what mattered was the total number of runs scored by the TEAM, not individual players. Look how many players the Braves have with 50 plus RBIs-just about the entire lineup. I’m not going to look it up but they are near the very top in MLB in this category and this leads to a more balanced attack.Again, the Braves are third in NL in batting stat-ie runs scored. You cannot dispute that.
joe
August 20th, 2012
1:02 pm
if the braves pay McCann big money this off season they even stupider than i thought.
joe
August 20th, 2012
1:02 pm
if the braves pay McCann big money this off season they even stupider than i thought.
Longtimefan
August 20th, 2012
1:32 pm
To the Dude who questions the BRAVES defensive superiority, one more stat-DRS(defensive runs saved). For 2012 as a team the Braves are plus53 which puts them top in the NL and second to only the Blue Jays in MLB. The Nats are minus13. Just sayin. I know all these metrics and numbers are soooo difficult to understand but I believe I will put my trust in the many experts whose life work it is to evaluate MLB players skills in an objective fashion rather than “going with my gut” or saying “I think Heyward and Uggla suck in the field because I played a little high school ball and I watch them on TV every night while sipping a cold one on my couch”.
DetroitBraves
August 20th, 2012
1:35 pm
@Longtimefan, good stuff. The Braves outfield may actually be the best in baseball when you consider offense and defense. In fact, once you get past McCutchen in Pittsburgh, Heyward is quitely putting together an MVP type season when you factor in his plus defense in right and his tremendous baserunning. And they’ve put up these stats without their best defender on the infield playing much at all, Andrelton Simmons. And it’s a good thing since the starting staff tends to pitch to contact quite a bit.
As for the Nats, I figured early on that they were improved but would fade back to the fringes of the wildcard chase at best. I’m still looking for that starting pitching to hit a wall any day now but so far they have not. And this is with Werth, Morse, Ramos, Desmond, Zimmerman and Storen all spending time on the DL at some point, several of them significant time. After not contending for so long, it would be a fun club to pull for if they were in someone else’s division.
Jim Pierce
August 20th, 2012
1:48 pm
Winning two of three won’t get it……. If we have ANY shot, we need to sweep this series.
The Wood
August 20th, 2012
2:07 pm
Unless the Nationals fall apart it’s over, but we are good enough to go throught the Wild Card and eventually face the Nationals in the NLCS
Jim Pierce
August 20th, 2012
2:20 pm
McCann and Uggla MUST find their mojo also. We are entering this series with those two, plus Prado, looking lost at the plate.
Supes
August 20th, 2012
2:31 pm
The Nats have 7 games left against the Cards and 3 against the Dodgers…that’s 10 games against some of the best competition in the NL…stop making out this 3 gamer to be “make it or break it”…close to 40 games left (I think it’s 36-38?) season can still turn around. Nationals could CHOKE or go on a skit…if not well we’ll have to be content with the stupid Wild Card spot…
DawgDad
August 20th, 2012
2:39 pm
Over the past four seasons (counting this one) the Braves have essentially been treading water as a wild card contender (86 to projected 93 wins this season) while working some kids into the lineup and rotation, and, Dan Uggla non-withstanding, patiently waiting for the calendar to turn over some bad contracts. They lost a crucial series yesterday with their $13.5 million-per team leader catching a breather, and they lost the day before behind their reclamation project sixth starter. The issue isn’t whether or not the Braves are a good team, it’s whether or not they are good enough at this point.
Scoots
August 20th, 2012
2:40 pm
Not worried – 40 games is still plenty of times to catch the Nationals, IF they take care of business against them in their 2 remaining series. Also the Nats are shutting down Strasburg after another few starts, so that will surely set them back a couple/few games in the standings down the stretch.
Or, if you like to hang on every win or loss like it encapsulates the season, then the Braves have lost two in a row and are clearly f*cked.
DetroitBraves
August 20th, 2012
2:49 pm
My understanding is that the Braves also have a less than ideal television contract. With the stadium often half-empty, a bad, long-term T.V. deal, and dispassionate ownership the future may be tough sledding against a fairly rich, and competitive Eastern division. Heck, even the Marlins spent this offseason after opening their new stadium – though they quickly divested some of that. This Braves team may be good enough, though probably not strong enough at the top to be a favorite, but going forward I would like to see something more inspired than a sacrifice bunt or a projectable, backend starter in the first round of the draft. Ted’s money is long since gone. The current dynamic needs to shift if they are to continue to contend in this division. I know, I know, enjoy the now…….
Charles
August 20th, 2012
3:16 pm
Winning the division and/or beating the Nationals in the playoffs is important if the Braves want to re-sign Bourn. There was an excellent article by Mike Wise of the Washington Post recently that commented on the “special relationship” between Scott Boras and Nats GM Mike Rizzo. Scotty has a lot of clients on the Nats Roster — Strasbourg, Harper, Werth… and he has been feeding players to Rizzo — that’s the main reason they will shut down Strasbourg after he hits 160-180 innings. If the Braves want a realistic shot at keeping Bourn, they have to beat the Nats. Otherwise, you will see Mikey playing against us next year.
Bartles....Not James
August 20th, 2012
4:03 pm
Need to take a broom to those dirty nats and Sweep Em
Pennant race.....yum!
August 20th, 2012
4:06 pm
Nobody wants a one game, 50-50 chance in a wild card game……Only unless you’re the second eligible wild card team……
who?
August 20th, 2012
4:09 pm
and the phillies might make a run for 1st…..hehehe
who?
August 20th, 2012
4:11 pm
Imagine all the tie possibilities for divisions and wild cards? A bunch of one game playoffs, it’s staggering……Bud Selig has really dipped his hand in the cookie jar now.
Carl Spackler
August 20th, 2012
4:14 pm
“I don’t think the hard stuffs comin down for a while.”
Sam
August 20th, 2012
4:38 pm
Say the Braves end up winning the first wild card spot, but lose the play-in game to the second wild card team… do you think they will still put up a banner in leftfield?
I know I wouldn’t.
LakeDawg
August 20th, 2012
4:40 pm
The Braves serious about the East? The Braves aren’t serious about anything. They pretend to be serious and will ride a hot streak, but when it comes down to cases they always fail. They made their hot streak on mediocre to bad teams. They finally played a good team and lost the series. I look for the Braves to get swept by the Nats.
BigHittas
August 20th, 2012
4:50 pm
well, I was at the game yesterday and it sure looked like ATL wasn’t bothered they were playing a sloppy, uninspired game. The 9-9 pitcher may have had their number, but LA looked like a TEAM that wanted to win. The Braves reminded me of a HS all star team. Looked like most wanted to swing for the fence. Why do that all the time when you’re 1-2 runs down and have ducks on the pond? Why not just a good line drive sometimes? Where’s Ken Oberkfell when you need him???
Kevin Chop
August 20th, 2012
5:02 pm
If the Braves were serious about winning championships like they use to be, then they would of spent more money on the team. Atleast we use to choke in the playoffs or world series instead of during the regular season. This organization needs a make over because the Braves were the pride of Atlanta. Now they are just like the rest of the organizations in Atlanta, just happy to get to the post season.
Nerdville
August 20th, 2012
5:13 pm
I still can’t believe that the ‘Master of Contract Over Payments’, Frank Wren, said the Braves could win the WS. ………….as the saying goes: It is one thing for people to think you are a fool, but another to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
OnOneWheel
August 20th, 2012
5:42 pm
2 out of 3 = meh (anything less = toast), 3 out of 3 = job well done.
BUGGSY
August 20th, 2012
6:07 pm
NO SHEETS SCHULTZ YA THINK………………
Old Jax Braves Fan
August 20th, 2012
8:22 pm
In the LA game Bourne on third, 1 out; Braves need a run to get back in the game. Prado at p;late; 3-0 count, no outs. Freddi (or someone) told him to take the pitch. Zip-strike one. Ended up striking out. Why the hell didn’t Gonzo give him the hit sign? The next pitch (which he took) was straight down the pipe and Prado could have hit it a mile and scored two or three but NO.
Freddi (or Freddy) is a good fellow but there have been some glaring poor calls when … oh, well.
Braves haven’t got that “ummph” this year and the comments re Uggla are spot on. He is a liability and the Strike out King had better get some darker shade glasses that will filter sunlight that, apparently only affects his fielding, or he will become a liability. It’s the Rosses, the Janish’s and those who are on the low end of notoriety that seem to be getting the hits and helping to win games.
What do you suppose they will do with Janish? We may have some idea if Freddi/Freddy starts putting Uggla in at cleanup.
Finally: Are there any other teams that fail more oftento get a hit when the bases are loaded as often as the Bravos?
DawgNole
August 20th, 2012
8:31 pm
Down 4-1 in the first inning against the team we must beat.
This is why they call us Losersville.
It's over now
August 20th, 2012
8:54 pm
Uggla in cleanup is just a matter of time. I figure once he goes below .200 he’ll be a sure fire candidate for clean-up. I’d love to see Janish (or Pastornicky) go to 2B when Simmons comes back but that will NEVER happen. In fact, Dan’s job is only in danger if Freddi ever gets fired/quits.
This is a team that just cannot win when they have to – they can win when the pressure isn’t on but apply pressure and they will fold like a lawn chair.
Jean Claude Killy
August 21st, 2012
12:05 am
Its all that Jeff Fish guys fault,, right JSS,,
Jean Claude Killy
August 21st, 2012
12:05 am
Sorry, wrong blog,,
Jean Claude Killy
August 21st, 2012
12:06 am
Hey JSS,, stick with football, you obviously dont ish about baseball,,
meg
August 21st, 2012
12:31 am
FIRE UGGLA…BENCH UGGLA…..TRADE UGGLA……WHAT A PIECE OF CRAP HE IS……………UGLY, UGLY, UGLY, UGGLA
RaleighDawg
August 21st, 2012
12:32 am
Wow…not sure who looked stupider in the 13th…the “HOF’er” (hee-hee, pardon my giggle there) Chipper by not only not covering his base, but then kicking the ball so Janish could make a play or the “12 million dollar” second baseman who drops the ball trying to get it out of his glove…these guys are so clutch you can set your watch by them…
Fredo
August 21st, 2012
1:35 am
“We’re seeing some guys with that look on their face at the plate”
Hey Chipper …. Uggla always looks like that
Predictions!!!
Gm2: The Nats officially break out the bats tomorrow, the Brave’s will keep slumbering.
Gm3: The bats hate the left hander, they keep sleeping
Final tally: Nats 3 Braves 0
*bonus feature!
Gm1 vs Giants: Zito tries to wake up the bats but Hanson is pitching
Gm2: Bullpen decided game! + we get a good idea the direction Sheets is headed in
No sweep now
August 21st, 2012
4:49 am
Lookin good Uggla gave up n made error Must had dollar bill in eye threw bad to first we lose Game Nats now 6 game lead and on way to shut down stratsburg n lose in 1stround to Pirates we be Home watchin as Frank Wren said we will win east n get to world series…he right he be in front of his tv set as will freddi n rest of the braves after Oct 2 2012!
Scott Brantley
August 21st, 2012
6:39 am
STOP GIVING UP 4 RUNS IN THE FIRST EVERY TIME VS NATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PTC DAWG
August 21st, 2012
9:29 am
Brilliant article. Way to really master the obvious.
And by the way, what kind of idiot would think the Braves aren’t serious about winning the East?
Robert
August 21st, 2012
10:26 am
Our best chance at catching the Nats would be to campaign to have them hire Bobby Cox as their manager
Lobosolo
August 21st, 2012
11:54 am
Larry, you haven’t made a comment yet that would indicate that you were once a “oretty good player” for nine years, because you haven’t made one comment that shows you understand the nature of the game… I don’t believe it a bit… Little League, maybe, but even then, you would have been kicked off the team for being too slow on the uptake in picking up the simpleness of the game… Legend of your own mind in some bizarro world, and just a plain, stupid hater in reality… How does one man cry so many tears… what a blubberer…
Lobosolo
August 21st, 2012
11:56 am
.. and the Loserville tag comes from the Braves having the stupidest loser fans that ever walked… It just cannot be fun to watch a game you do not and will not learn about…
Pete
August 21st, 2012
12:19 pm
Compared to the Nats the Braves are a toothless tiger, no competition. They have no killer instinct, no knock out punch.
IF the Braves do make the playoffs they will be “One and Done”, gone after a futile first round of stranding baserunners all over the place and beating no one.
A waste of time.
Thank God for the NFL.
coach13
August 21st, 2012
12:43 pm
The Braves are a good team. They are not a great team. Their only chance is to get hot as they enter the playoffs (assuming the make it) ala the Giants from a couple of years ago.
Ted M
August 22nd, 2012
8:28 am
As it turns out the Braves were not serious about winning the East. Its starting to feel like 2011.