Live from the ballyard: A flip-flop explained, A-Rod eyed
It was only a week ago I suggested the Braves’ season could be finished, at least as a vibrant entity, by the Fourth of July. Today I wrote there’s a way they can win the NL East. And now you’re saying, “There Bradley goes again, flip-flopping like a flounder on the dock at Fisherman’s Wharf.”
And I say, in my fishy defense: Things change.
The Braves are playing better. The Phillies lost six in a row. The Mets are hurting. Winning the division seems infinitely more do-able today than it did June 17. But — and you knew there was a “but” coming, didn’t you? — they can’t stop playing.
They’ve split their first four games against the Red Sox and Yankees. They have five to go, and then three against the Phillies. These eight games will determine the course of July and beyond.
Go 5-3 or better and the Braves will have proved something to themselves and the watching world. Go 3-5 or worse and they’ll have given their doubters — which I, on occasion, have obviously been — further evidence. Go 4-4 and they’ve treaded water, which probably isn’t a victory this late in a season.
And I’m delighted to report I’m on-site at Turner Field, ready to report and ruminate on all tomahawk/pinstripe developments. I just took a walk through both clubhouses, and the players seem loose. (That’s a joke. Baseball players always seem loose — they do this every day.)
Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte were watching videotape, presumably of the Braves. (Pettitte starts tomorrow night.) A-Rod and Jeter were nowhere to be seen. (The big Yankees, Jeter especially, are famous for hiding from the media before games, surely because there are so many media types following the Bombers.)
I’ll head back downstairs in a bit to do some more goofing around — er, research — and I’ll keep you appraised. And I’ll be here all night, ready and willing to serve as your online master of ceremonies. So no flipping, y’hear? (Flopping’s OK; flipping’s verboten.)
A word of apology: I had to step away from this blog for 45 minutes. According to esteemed colleague Sekou Smith, the Hawks are about to trade Speedy Claxton and Acie Law to Golden State for Jamal Crawford, which I believe is a tremendous move. But I’m back to baseball now, and I’ll be here throughout the game.
A Yankee update: Hung around the Bombers’ clubhouse. A-Rod finally wandered through and plopped down on the sofa — off-limits interview area, even though it’s in the middle of the room — and chatted with Robinson Cano. Then A-Rod picked up People magazine and read it closely. Then he switched to Entertainment Weekly.
Movie night: For pregame entertainment, the Yankees started off watching “Full Metal Jacket” on DVD. Then they got bored — not enough action, I guess — and switched to “Next Friday.
Hiding as a strategy: Saw Chipper Jones by the cage and said, “You might be a great player, but you can’t hide from the media the way Jeter does.” He laughed. (He and Jeter are pals.) And Chipper said, “I don’t have the same kind of media he does.” And he doesn’t. There were 30 reporters gathered in the dugout for Joe Girardi’s pregame briefing. Bobby Cox gets antsy if he sees a half-dozen of us.
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411 comments Add your comment
trob
June 24th, 2009
9:05 pm
why in the hell is jeff bennett still in?????? hr to swisher, bennett you suck
NORRIS
June 24th, 2009
9:05 pm
ok lets look at this. The braves are tied one to one and we are late in the game. We are looking at a chance tonight to win the series. we were looking at a chance to get out of the inning.
BUT NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. we bring in the man who gives up more hits than anybody on the team. the guy whose confidence was destroyed sunday. WE BRING HIM IN TO FACE AROD. AREEEEE YOUUUUU KIDDDDING MEEEE??????????//
SOMEBODY IS OUT OF THEIR FREAKING MIND!!!
Mark Bradley
June 24th, 2009
9:05 pm
Thanks, R Rob. It was a hard one to write, but it is the way I feel.
Ecooper
June 24th, 2009
9:05 pm
Why is jeff bennett still in the majors? He is the new dan kolb. He’s more than proven his incompetence and inability to pitch in the majors.
Reid Adair
June 24th, 2009
9:05 pm
Good point, Mark. I don’t know that there were many other options at that point. It was too early for either Mike Gonzalez or Rafael Soriano – and Bobby certainly wasn’t putting O’Flaherty or Acosta in the game.
faraway brave
June 24th, 2009
9:06 pm
Can we please get rid of jeff bennett. I’m tired of seeing him pitch like crap!
Ross
June 24th, 2009
9:07 pm
I love baseball and I love the team but I’ll be damned if I’m going to suffer this. I was in St. Louis for 6 years with LaRussa and Duncan. I can’t take this crap. This is just crazy.
Mark Bradley
June 24th, 2009
9:08 pm
Tell me, Braves fans. Who should Cox have used against A-Rod? Because I agree Bennett is a bad option. But he’s close to the only option, unless you go to Moylan, who has an ERA — or had an ERA — higher than Bennett’s. You want to bring in a righthander against A-Rod, and Soriano closed on Tuesday and Acosta’s a mop-up man. So who, then?
mark l
June 24th, 2009
9:09 pm
jeff bennett gets better and better each time out better for whoever he’s pitching against
Sean
June 24th, 2009
9:09 pm
Why is Jeff Bennett still on the team? When was the last time he pitched without giving up an earned run and/ or an inherited run. There has to be someone better in Gwinnett.
i hate jeff bennet
June 24th, 2009
9:10 pm
I really could care less who bobby had picked to go up agianst arod, but there is absolutely no reason that scrub should be in the major leagues. Not once have i seen him do something positive
Mark Bradley
June 24th, 2009
9:11 pm
Obviously Kawakami leaving after three innings stretched the bullpen tonight. But Medlen had gotten the Braves into the sixth.
Ross
June 24th, 2009
9:11 pm
Mark – I don’t care – this is big time – sellout crowd, even game – unexpected loss of the starter – I’d put in Lowe early and deal with it tomorrow night. This “by the book” is Cox’s undoing. This was an important game. Maybe we can get 4 maybe not. But Cox pissed this game away.
The Dust
June 24th, 2009
9:12 pm
Sadly, Bennett is the only man to go with in this situation. Moylan is in a good situation mentally. If he gives up runs there, his confidence is shot. Soriano and Acosta are not options. They are late inning guys. Acosta with big leads or blow outs. Soriano in set up and save situations.
trob
June 24th, 2009
9:12 pm
I think anyone would be better than Bennett to face Arod. I dont care if O’Flaherty is a lefty or if we only use Acosta when we’re down but Bennett takes the life out of every Braves fan when he comes to the mound. Its an automatic that hes gonna give up a run or a bunch of hits
R Rob
June 24th, 2009
9:14 pm
The Braves have traded away so many pitching prospects that the barrel is empty.
Chrisw148
June 24th, 2009
9:14 pm
Too bad for KK looks like that was going to be a good game. This series like the rest is a tease you see signs of hope but at the end you realize the team is just not that good. Its a .500 team.
R Rob
June 24th, 2009
9:16 pm
Enter your comments here
Cro25
June 24th, 2009
9:16 pm
Mark, you were correct about Leyritz’s home run, I went back and looked at the painful video and re-lived it once again. It was pretty close to the pole. I must be getting old because I thought I remembered it being closer to left center.
Reid Adair
June 24th, 2009
9:16 pm
Wow. When you look at Jeff Bennett’s numbers, it certainly doesn’t match up to all of the “complaints.” He had an ERA under 3.00 before the game Sunday at Boston. He made 10 appearances in April, and nine of them were scoreless.
Coming into tonight, he had a 2.70 ERA against right-handed hitters with 12 strikeouts in 20 innings.
Mark, I have to agree with you. I don’t know that there was a better option for Bobby Cox at that point. I don’t even think he would have considered Kris Medlen if Kawakami had still been in the game.
The Dust
June 24th, 2009
9:18 pm
.500 is what I’ve been saying all along. What can I say? Schultzy and I are smart.
Mark Bradley
June 24th, 2009
9:18 pm
Here’s where not having a home-run hitter gets you: It’s hard to rally against good opposition if you have to string singles in a row.
Although Kelly Johnson just beat out a bunt. Two on now, Prado pinch-hitting for Bennett.
Chrisw148
June 24th, 2009
9:18 pm
Jeff made the same mistake as Mark Wohlers got beat on your worst pitch.
darrin sloan
June 24th, 2009
9:19 pm
I would have went with Gonzo as said Arod cant hit fastball and i think he could have worked the 7th maybe stupid but thats what i think even though he is a lefty
Mark Bradley
June 24th, 2009
9:19 pm
You went back and watched the video of that game? Cruel and unusual punishment, I’d say.
zorba
June 24th, 2009
9:19 pm
Bobby and “the choker” Bennett can leave on the same plane. They seem to be joined at the hip in blowing winnable games.
Ecooper
June 24th, 2009
9:19 pm
when is infante coming back to save us from kelly?
Mark Bradley
June 24th, 2009
9:20 pm
Joba still throwing hard. Scoreboard was 94 mph on that last pitch.
Chrisw148
June 24th, 2009
9:20 pm
get a hit martin
Ross
June 24th, 2009
9:20 pm
Tell me why Acosta is not an option on a night when you lose your starter and have to use your middle guy? Jose Oquenda was once an option.
Ross
June 24th, 2009
9:21 pm
This team has a lot of heart, just not in certain suckage pitchers who need to GO!!!
Mark Bradley
June 24th, 2009
9:21 pm
OK, forget what I said about it being hard to come from behind with singles. Prado just cued one into right field. One in, two on, one out, Joba exiting.
Chrisw148
June 24th, 2009
9:21 pm
why is prado not playing everyday for KJ
darrin sloan
June 24th, 2009
9:23 pm
Mark always wanted to get into this field how in the world do you get started doing this
Bill (SC)
June 24th, 2009
9:23 pm
I would be satisfied with the singles approach if we had more batters with a high BA.
Greg
June 24th, 2009
9:24 pm
Oh, yeah…any word on when omar’s going to be ready? Imagine the shot in the arm getting him, then huddy back, near the same time!
Bill (SC)
June 24th, 2009
9:24 pm
Can u think of a way to consistently utilize McCann and Ross in the same game?
Chrisw148
June 24th, 2009
9:25 pm
Swischer is a terrible outfielder
Ross
June 24th, 2009
9:25 pm
That extra Bennett lollipop looks big now!
Bill (SC)
June 24th, 2009
9:25 pm
We will take the sacrifice. Good job Nate!
Mark Bradley
June 24th, 2009
9:26 pm
Nick Swisher just made a nice catch on McLouth’s drive. The run scored, though. And then Escobar flied to center. Braves down one after seven.
Chrisw148
June 24th, 2009
9:26 pm
Saving grace Tampa on top of the Phills 2-1
Ross
June 24th, 2009
9:26 pm
Bill – yes – McCann is not a good defensive catcher and he’s not improving. He’s Boog Powell but better. 1st base – Kotchman to platoon or trade for a middle guy. I like Casey but the sooner McCann in on 1st the better for the team and for him.
Chrisw148
June 24th, 2009
9:27 pm
Cmon Mark nice catch is generous Francour would have had that easy.
Mark Bradley
June 24th, 2009
9:27 pm
Darrin, I’d say just find a vehicle and start writing. A vehicle can be a local paper, a blog, anything.
Cro25
June 24th, 2009
9:27 pm
I’ve always considered McCann as an above average defensive catcher, but not a bad one.
The Dust
June 24th, 2009
9:28 pm
I thought Nate “The Great” had it. Oh well.
Greg
June 24th, 2009
9:29 pm
McCann’s a fine defensive catcher, or at least average. What’s more, he calls a hell of a game, is very cerebral, and the pitchers love to throw to him. I doubt they’ll move him.
Mark Bradley
June 24th, 2009
9:29 pm
You’re probably right. But I’m giving Swisher extra credit for his hair. It kind of comes to a point in the center.
Mark Bradley
June 24th, 2009
9:30 pm
O’Flaherty slow to cover first, and Damon is safe. And Tex singles. A bad gaffe.