LIVE: Braves close homestand (and about Brian McCann)
Brian McCann is back in lineup today after being sat for consecutive games. (AP photo)
According to CoolStandings.com, the Braves have a 29.5 percent chance to overtake Washington and win the National League East, a 63.5 percent chance to win a wild card spot and a 93 percent chance to make the playoffs.
I would go into more detail, but we all learned last season what these percentages really mean: bupkis.
The Braves, who start the day four games behind Washington, close a homestand today against Los Angeles. Then they’re off for D.C. for a three-game series against the Nationals. Even with the Stephen Strasburg saga hanging in the air, it seems more likely than not that the Nats are not going to collapse, and that the Braves’ best chance to catch them will hinge on the six remaining games between the two teams (three this week, three more at Turner Field Sept. 14-15-16.
I predict nothing. It’s safer that way.
The most intriguing thing may be how the Braves’ starting rotation plays out. They’ll go from a six-man rotation back to five starters at the end of the month. Tommy Hanson is coming off a strong start. With Ben Sheets giving up four homers in Saturday’s 6-2 loss to the Dodgers and significantly tailing off of late — 3-0, 0.50 in his first three starts; 1-3, 4.85 in his next four — he suddenly may be the odd man out.
One more thing before we get to today’s game. Catcher Brian McCann had some strong comments in today’s blog by David O’Brien. He was frustrated about being sat for the second straight game because of shoulder issues and a slump. McCann revealed he has a cyst near a joint in the shoulder and a frayed labrum, which might require offseason surgery, and he seemed upset that manager Fredi Gonzalez told the media it was a shoulder subluxation. (Fact is, the labrum injury can be related to the subluxation.) McCann is determined to play through the pain.
“So I mean, yeah, I’ve got things going on in there,” McCann said. “But it’s something that I’m managing, I’m going to play through, and at the end of the year see what I’m going to do [to fix it, if necessary].”
McCann rarely vents publicly about anything. For those who don’t know him, it would be easy to take the comments the wrong way. In truth, this is a guy who’s just frustrated because he wants to play — and, suffice to say, he’s not accustomed to carrying .229 batting average (his career average coming into the season was .286).
As I wrote back in May, this also is an important season for McCann, who will be entering the final year of his contract next season (assuming the Braves pick up his $12 million club option).
McCann is back in the lineup today. Chipper Jones gets a day off.
Now, if you want to ready to chat about the game, or something else, I’m here.
By Jeff Schultz
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175 comments Add your comment
fansince66
August 19th, 2012
3:42 pm
how come, they cannot score any runs for minor?
Steve
August 19th, 2012
3:43 pm
Biff, never said I don’t think Uggla is doing a terrible job. However it is silly to say they will not make the playoffs if he continues to start.
Jeff Schultz
August 19th, 2012
3:45 pm
Oh boy … Heyward loses ball in sun. Play ruled a single. RBI 2-0.
FALKONS
August 19th, 2012
3:46 pm
So now they will lose 4-0 and it will look like Monor pitched horribly! Durbin also SUCKS! i am not sure why he is the first choice off the bench, but hey the Braves are what they are! they are a decent team that can win a few games in a row and they will implode like now. I think know Heyward will get beat up for that last play but the kid has been playing well this year. Uggla’s disappearing act is more hurtful than Heyward’s error!
Biff Pocoroba
August 19th, 2012
3:47 pm
Need to trade Heyward while he still has value.. He is turning into another Dave Justice. A decent player with power but strikes out way too much and swings at pithches a foot outside. He doesn’t have the work ethic to become the great player that he could be and his defense is a liability ad he just showed.
Steve
August 19th, 2012
3:49 pm
Trade Heyward!? Now you really are making yourself look stupid Biff. Do you not follow the Braves? He has had a much better season. He is only 23 also!
FALKONS
August 19th, 2012
3:50 pm
Trade Heyward! Your an IDIOT!
Biff Pocoroba
August 19th, 2012
3:50 pm
Durbin is the first choice because Wren brought him off the scrap heap and is trying to look like a genuis. He looked good for a month like Sheets but now is showing why the Phillies dumped him even though they need pitching.
Jeff Schultz
August 19th, 2012
3:54 pm
Reed Johnson comes in, bats ninth, plays left .. Prado moves to third, Francisco out … Martinez in to pitch.
SOS Braves
August 19th, 2012
3:55 pm
Fredi is over managing again. What an idiot.
Times up
August 19th, 2012
3:56 pm
Why not put Prado on second? Ugglas is either a strike out or a walk waiting to happen.
Biff Pocoroba
August 19th, 2012
3:57 pm
Trade Heyward and Uggla for a good third baseman and middle infielder. He will always be a good .260 hitter but strikeout way too much to be a great player. Last night he struck out on a pich that bounced 3 feet in front of the plate to end the game.
Birdhair
August 19th, 2012
4:00 pm
Did we really expect to score runs today with out-makers like Janish, Francisco, Mac, and Uggla all in the same lineup?
Joey
August 19th, 2012
4:01 pm
Biff, the Braves wouldn’t even be playing for the wild card if not for Heyward.
Hey, since you are such an expert, maybe you should go scout some little leaguers and find one that can hit .700, never strike out, and never swing at a bad pitch.
Doofus . . .
Bobbys' Booger
August 19th, 2012
4:03 pm
Totally agree with Trade Heyward
Joey
August 19th, 2012
4:03 pm
Um Birdbrain, didn’t Francisco and Janish win the game Friday night?
Damn at the WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY crowd . . .
Sell the Team back to Ted believe
August 19th, 2012
4:06 pm
I think the Braves have too many ppl that tell liesso often that they begin to believe them themselves. If this lack of pitching team makes the playoffs, they will lose in first round to Cin, LA, SF, or Washington. Booby Cox UNDERACIEVED and he had more talent. This boob of a coach they have now will see to it that they fail as well. Florida runs this t u r d off and we hire him……..typical.
Jeff Schultz
August 19th, 2012
4:12 pm
I think Jason Heyward needs new sunglasses.
Biff Pocoroba
August 19th, 2012
4:15 pm
Joey, you are correct. If the Braves had traded Hewyard for a good middle infielder or pitcher last fall, they might be playing ford first instead of the wild card. With Fredi “managing” this team though, it doesn’t really matter. The late season collapse is upon us once again since this team can’t hit a lick and the only change Fredi can ever think of is batting the pitcher in the eight hole.
Jay Dubu
August 19th, 2012
4:18 pm
Why does TBS have the ESPN Softball Analyst in the booth?
nobobfan
August 19th, 2012
4:18 pm
soon our next Hall of Famer (Uggla) will lead us to victory!!
Jeff Schultz
August 19th, 2012
4:18 pm
Out go the lights … Bullpen has allowed this game to get blown open. Martinez allows bases-clearing double to make it 5-0. … A lot of fans walking up the aisles.
RussianCircles
August 19th, 2012
4:19 pm
This team is truly a confused bunch, and the manager and coaching staff are not helping matters.
A
August 19th, 2012
4:19 pm
Last two games are looking eeriely like last season. Now we gotta go play the nats like this? Rut roh.
Jeff Schultz
August 19th, 2012
4:20 pm
Another reason today to second-guess the manager on pulling starter just because of pitch count. Minor was at 97. But team already using a 6-man rotation, allowing extra rest.
RussianCircles
August 19th, 2012
4:21 pm
Exactly, Jeff, there’s no reason to limit starters to 100 pitches.
Tom from omaha
August 19th, 2012
4:21 pm
Somebody tell Heyward he needs new sunglasses…and tell McCann he should be a stay at home dad!
FALKONS
August 19th, 2012
4:22 pm
I am resined to the fact that the Braves will be one of the wild cards. They are not goimng to catch the Nationals! Once again, the Braves are what they are! they really are not an elite team. they are classic over achievers this year! Be happy that they will at least get into the playoffs, but to expect a championship of any kind from this team is foolish! It aint happening!
Tuff Lover
August 19th, 2012
4:23 pm
The “collapse” will be replayed. Act 1 you just witnessed.
Earl Hickey
August 19th, 2012
4:24 pm
A mock cheer after Heyward’s catch just now…of course the Sunshine boys in the booth ignored it. If they can’t put a positive spin on something, they pretty much clam up.
FALKONS
August 19th, 2012
4:24 pm
If it wasnt for Heyward the would have lost Friday! How soon we forget! Leave the guy alone! He lost the balls in the sun!
Fredo
August 19th, 2012
4:25 pm
“Minor was at 97. But team already using a 6-man rotation, allowing extra rest”
well we’ve seen a couple of times this season where Fredi G thinks one thing when it’s something completely opposite. So in this case, Minor was obviously getting tired …. oh and “you trust your bullpen to come in and get outs. Didn’t happen though. Weird game”
FALKONS
August 19th, 2012
4:27 pm
Think about it, a one game playoff for this team is a good season with all the question marks we have on this team and Dan Uggla’s horrible season. We lost our best short stop, second best pitcher and a guy who is suppose to be adding pop to our lineup is having ah orrible year. that equals a losing season for some teams but the Braves have found a way to stay competitive, maily because of the to three guys in the lineup.
RussianCircles
August 19th, 2012
4:28 pm
I really don’t understand how one could blame Heyward for this loss, he wasn’t the guy that brought in Durbin and Martinez.
john
August 19th, 2012
4:28 pm
look bad today. not the way to get to the play offs .
Buzz2011
August 19th, 2012
4:29 pm
The Braves are tough against the Mets, Marlins and Padres.. What happens when they play the ” good” teams? They lose!
Buzz2011
August 19th, 2012
4:31 pm
What could the Braves get for the announcer, Chip Carey? What a joke Carey is..
Listen to him babble……..
Brad
August 19th, 2012
4:31 pm
Interesting how those dodger players don’t have any problems with fly balls.
RussianCircles
August 19th, 2012
4:32 pm
This team has a lot of talent, FALKONS, it’s not foolish to believe that they have the ability to take this division. It is foolish, however, to believe they can contend at their absolute best while playing behind a manager that clearly doesn’t understand how to manage a pitching staff (specifically the bullpen). I typically don’t give Gonzalez much grief, I’m sure he’s a nice fella and all, but the Braves are never going to be at their absolute best with this man running the team.
RaleighDawg
August 19th, 2012
4:33 pm
Nice of the Braves to get their annual season ending collapse started early this year…and thanks guys for giving us the gift of time by not having to watch them play in the post season…
RaleighDawg
August 19th, 2012
4:36 pm
I wonder if Skip Caray would have a job with today’s Braves ?
Jlew
August 19th, 2012
4:38 pm
Are we blaming the bullpen? If we catch the 3 popups that we lose in the sun, it is still 1-0.
RBigFish
August 19th, 2012
4:40 pm
Why was the sun in Heyward’s eyes and nobody else’s ?
tmc
August 19th, 2012
4:40 pm
Mannnn… very frustrating.
Since the all-star break the Braves are 24-12 and playing well.
But a closer look shows they are feasting on the weak, which is better than years past.
The Braves have played 3 teams with a winning record since the break and are 4-6 against them with 3 games against Washington on deck.
I do like the way the Braves are playing, but against the good teams their weakness shows.
RussianCircles
August 19th, 2012
4:41 pm
It was a one run game, Jlew, you don’t use Durbin and Martinez in a run one game. Simple as that.
RussianCircles
August 19th, 2012
4:43 pm
Not only do you not use Durbin and Martinez in that situation, but there’s really no reason why Minor should have been sat in the first place.
Jlew
August 19th, 2012
4:44 pm
It is a concern that good starting pitching seems to shut our offense down, because in the wildcard or playoffs that is what we will see.
HouseDivided
August 19th, 2012
4:46 pm
McCann should go on the disabled list for a couple of weeks to rest that shoulder. Maybe another cortisone shot also. And if no improvement after go ahead and have the surgery. We need his offense in games like today’s.
tmc
August 19th, 2012
4:46 pm
Props to Mike Minor today. He pitched great.
The lumber took yet another day off.
Jlew
August 19th, 2012
4:47 pm
Russian, seems to me that the same misplays would have happened for Minor if he was still in the game. Or maybe they would have seen the ball in the sun better for him?