Braves’ solid-gold arms are undone by dime-store bats
If pitching is 75 percent — or 90 percent; estimates vary — of baseball, why are the Braves further under .500 than they’ve been all season?
Because the other 25 (or 10) percent of their team is worth about 10 cents.
Without meaning to say it, Brian McCann said it perfectly: “We’ve got to start playing better baseball.” Then he checked himself. “Not better baseball — we’ve got to swing the bats better.”
The Braves swing the bats just fine. It’s the hitting part that bumfuzzles them. They’ve scored one run in two games against the Red Sox, who have managed only five but have already won this loud and steamy series. Jair Jurrjens was rather good Friday night but wound up the loser. Javier Vazquez was nigh-great Saturday and got beaten 1-nil by a 42-year-old who throws about 42 mph.
The Braves mustered three singles against Tim Wakefield, who was knuckle-dusting the Braves in October 17 years ago, and Garret Anderson’s two-out double off the heat-bringing Johnathan Papelbon. Their biggest threat, such as it was, came when Matt Diaz walked in the eighth, took second on a wild pitch and moved to third on a groundout.
McCann again: “This team should win more games. You win with pitching.”
And usually you do, provided you have anything approaching a big-league batting order. The Braves have three only real hitters, and one of them (the increasingly peculiar Yunel Escobar) didn’t play Saturday because of what was described as a twitchy hip. McCann went 0-for-3 but walked and stole a base. Chipper Jones went 0-for-4 and saw his average dip to .290.
The Braves keep marveling about how lucky they’ve been, having not won a series since Memorial Day but still hanging within five games of first place. They can’t expect to be lucky much longer. The Phillies come to town Tuesday, and if the Braves lose that series we can bid adieu to 2009.
“We’re not out there trying to get shut out or stay only four or five games back,” Chipper said. “We’re busting our humps. But we seem a little offensively challenged this year for some reason, and I’m not talking about the front or the back of the lineup. It’s the whole lineup. Nobody’s exempt.”
This could well be the best these Braves can do, and there’s no real reason a team with a right fielder, a left fielder and a first baseman who have managed 10 homers as a triumvirate should bust any fences. We can credit Frank Wren for getting half his offseason spectacularly right — the Braves can really, really pitch — but having whiffed egregiously on the other half.
Still, unless you’re the Red Sox or the Yankees, there’s only so much you can fix over one winter. The good news is that these Braves should be pitching well for a nice long while. The bad is that 70 games’ worth of deft pitching has positioned them fourth in a five-team division.
The feeling in the Braves’ clubhouse Saturday was of reality descending like the crack of dawn . They can’t hit. They’re not apt to hit. You can only be shut out so many times — the number is now at nine — and still retain hope. “We’ve got to keep plugging away,” McCann said, and that, sad to say, is the trouble.
Plugging the Braves can manage. Hitting they cannot.
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218 comments Add your comment
Shamus Thacker
June 27th, 2009
10:16 pm
Baseball is going to lose loads of popularity if a salary cap is not implemented soon.
Small-market teams are absolutely losing the ability to compete. The playing field is as level as Mt Everest.
Paul
June 27th, 2009
10:18 pm
OK, I have to defend G. Anderson. This guy is coming on and people continue to act as if he is inept at the plate….he has 2600 career hits. Any player that plays in one league for 15 years and abruptly switches to the other league will have or need time to adjust. Remember how he only had about 15 ABs in the spring? He is warming up and the results are consistent with his career, about a .280 hitter with marginal power, but the guy knows how to pitch.
If you want to fix this lineup, you need to replace the second base position or at least give Prado several consecutive starts to prove himself. Frenchy is done in Atlanta, we need a new RF (preferably one with power) and Kotchman has had trouble since his return from the DL.
Long-winded answer made short: Get rid of Frenchy and KJ…get power in RF and let Kotch bat about eigth.
Paul Lentz
June 27th, 2009
10:19 pm
Wait. I thought that Francoeur was “swinging the bat better”? What happened to him “turning it around”?
Many of you got “excited” when Francoeur hit that homer against the Cubs in early June. However he went 3 weeks before he hit another one on Wednesday night against the Yankees. It looks like it will be at least another 3 weeks before he hits another.
This line-up has a lot of holes in it. Without Escobar and McLouth, the holes get deeper. As much as I would like to see Frank Wren make a trade to improve the Braves “this year”, I’m beginning to think that it may be in the Braves interests to be “sellers” at the trade deadline, get some prospects who are “almost ready” to play in the Major Leagues………and then acquire a slugger or two after the season either via free agency or the trade route.
The key to improving the team in the off season is to decline the option on Tim Hudson’s $12 mil 2010 option. That money could be better used to get a free agent slugger.
Paul
June 27th, 2009
10:22 pm
*pitch*= hit, my bad….
Shamus, the ‘97, ‘03 Marlins, the ‘08 Rays, ‘09 Jays and the ‘05 Cards would be a few examples to the contrary…the Yanks and Sox don’t win every year…
LSU
June 27th, 2009
10:25 pm
Here’s a thought…..Chipper had 1 spectacular Met killer MVP year, but doesn’t make the players around him any better…..Seems to me that he’s been riding that 1 spectacular Met killer year into the ground, and has forgotten how to perform like the All-Star & team leader that he seemed to be in that 1 & only Met killer season.
jake
June 27th, 2009
10:30 pm
I love Brownie’s comments. I suggest we let him run the team, and maybe we can get Skeezix and his wife to make over the clubhouse.
Shamus Thacker
June 27th, 2009
10:30 pm
Paul, you’re exactly right, but they have a vastly better opportunity to put a winning team on the field. If a player doesn’t live up to expectations, they can also trade for/sign any player they desire at any price. That makes a HUGE difference, and discourages fans rooting for teams that can’t do likewise.
LSU
June 27th, 2009
10:32 pm
Every player on this team with the exception of Jair, Hanson & possibly that overrated fatty McCann should be considered expandable. That’s if, Bobby “clueless” Cox is gone….As long as Cox is the manager, nevermind.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
10:38 pm
You know, I wonder if Bobby Cox ever suggests to his players that it would better if they got a hit now and then.
I don’t think any other manager or any hitting other coach could make any more of this lineup. This is a bad batting order.
Shamus Thacker
June 27th, 2009
10:40 pm
Just thinking the same thing Mark…
Biff Pocaroba
June 27th, 2009
10:40 pm
This team is embarrassing and tonight was the last straw for me and my family. I’m tired of dragging my kids and wife to games, dropping $100+ every time and watching this garbage. Not an ounce of effort was shown today. This team doesn’t even care. No chance will we be returning to Turner any time soon. What you see now is what you’ll be getting for a long time; likely beyond this year as well. There is no sense of urgency or pride with this club. It’s a total joke. Good ridance Braves.
Shamus Thacker
June 27th, 2009
10:42 pm
Corporate ownership sux.
jake
June 27th, 2009
10:42 pm
PS…And I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again: the Braves are stale and have been for the past three years. Cox may be a great guy, but he’s not a motivator. And he’s Typhoid Mary to relievers; see the ‘09 Baseball Prospectus take on how he’s burned out so many relievers. And TP may be smart, but he’s not a communicator.
It’s hard to tell if the talent is there or not, because everyone’s sleepwalking. OK, Escobar’s got it, but he’s a knucklehead. It would be interesting to see what a new regime might do with these guys. One thing’s for sure: they’re not performing now.
Sonny Clusters
June 27th, 2009
10:45 pm
When we was playing ball together me and Jeff would sometimes batting slump. But the gloves were always good. These Braves batting slump and the gloves are no good too. Speed dont slump but the Braves dont have much speed just average and not much hitting. When we was playing we could always hit a little bit even when we was facing real good pitching. I think coaching is too lacks and Bobby Cox should retire, this is coming from a state championship so I know what Im talking.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
10:47 pm
I do remember the 1970 Mets, Mitch C. Their pitching coach, Rube Walker, called it the greatest staff ever assembled. And they didn’t win the division. The Pittsburgh Pirates did.
big dog
June 27th, 2009
10:50 pm
Get rid of chipper and get a bat
brian
June 27th, 2009
10:52 pm
I was at the game today, and i am huge sox fan seems like alot of atlanta fan have jump on the sox bandwagon there is noway, most of these girls were sox fans. Braves fan are just horrible, and the fan always have. The game was so boring kotchman is so boring he make me sick i wish i could still play i am better then half the team. Cox needs to go tp is horrible braves needs to make moves there pitching is the best there offense i s like a little league team. Alot of boring play and jeff fran is horrible braves never score runs bye bye atlanta.
Turtsnap
June 27th, 2009
10:57 pm
This lineup is beyond bad! Holes everywhere!! OF has no power. Your two best hitters can’t play everyday (one because of age, the other because he is a catcher). No power anywhere!! No speed to manufacture runs!!
OH THE PAIN!!
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
10:58 pm
To answer Bill’s question from a while ago: No, I didn’t talk to Brad Mills or John Farrell, and I’m not sure exactly what I would have said if I had. “Hi, I’m Mark Bradley from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and I was just wondering if you’d like to manage the Braves”?
In my experience, every coach wants to manage, same as every assistant coach wants to be a head coach. But I can’t imagine Mills or Farrell, neither of whom know me from Adam Ant, would tell me their career aspirations.
But I do think Mills will be a good manager one day.
Thunderbull56
June 27th, 2009
10:59 pm
Let’s lose the rose colored glasses folks.Braves have always been pretty much smoke and mirrors.BC was proven a fraud by Cito Gasten way back when.Clutch players, players with a mean streak,(not malice but, the burning desire to win), are not welcome or long tolerated in our fair city.One championship would not have happened, except for a guy our fans gave a reason for a grudge.Yep, even ‘ole David was soon changing his zip code.Pitching, GIMME A BREAK.More smoke and mirrors.Lack of intimidating power pitching and BC’s bizzare and head scratching moves in our playoff after playoff opportunities doomed the best efforts of our players. We enjoyed halcyon days as fans, but if you believe for one minute that another intimidator on the mound along with another braintrust in the dugout would not have made for multiple WS wins,you are delusional.So, this current “underachieving”, is just more chapters for a soon to be “Hall of Fame” managers bio.Seems not many are aware that baseball is not only a game of fundementals, situations, awareness of aforesaid, but it’s also a game of intimidation.Same reason jawja cain’t beat flawda. They in they head,Get IT.2007,2008′2009 Braves, keep doing the same things, expecting different results.Wait, I may be amiss, it may be the lack of aluminum bats in MLB.
NO MORE BOBBY
June 27th, 2009
11:00 pm
Cardinals get DeRosa.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
11:00 pm
Turtsnap makes a great point. When one of your big bats is 37 and the other sits out at least once a week, your offense is flawed in theory. When those two bats are essentially your only bats … well, you’re sunk.
NORRIS
June 27th, 2009
11:04 pm
something has to be done to light a fire under this bunch. A major trade, a firing, something.
I would start with the problem. We are not hitting the ball. Terry Pendleton has to be fired. There is no one else to blame. You fire the man and see if it ignites some feeling into your players.
If not then at the end of the season you clean house. But something has to be done to show an effort to the fans that hey we know and we are doing something about it.
Wolf
June 27th, 2009
11:07 pm
The front office put this team together. These front office guys have been overrated for YEARS. They rode the backs of three Hall of Fame pitchers but were never the brilliant baseball “brains” that they pretended to be. It was OBVIOUS that this team was NOT going to score runs. Garret Anderson was released by the Angels for a reason. Jordan Schafer was nowhere near ready. Kelly Johnson will never hit enough to make up for his defensive weaknesses. Escobar seems just plain NUTS at times. Chipper Jones has seen his power diminish markedly, and nobody really expected Francoeur to bounce back, did they? This is a team with a B-plus pitching staff and a D-minus offense, and it was there for all to see over the winter. With the Big Three pitchers gone, we now see that the Atlanta front office is not up to the job.
IlliniBrave
June 27th, 2009
11:08 pm
Mark – great post. But if I was feeling really bummed and down before, now I’m downright depressed and hopeless.
You tell the truth and the reality is that this lineup is just not a major league worthy one. I feel like we are the Royals or Pirates of the last decade. Wow – how totally depressing. I guess the best thing we fans can do is stay away from Turner Field. What do you think? Would that send the message? If we vote with our feet maybe mgmt will get the picture and undertake a total housecleaning. That is what we need.
Reality
June 27th, 2009
11:09 pm
I’m at the point where I get my hot dogs and beer while the braves are at bat…I know I’m not going to miss anything.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
11:12 pm
Don’t feel depressed and hopeless. This starting rotation is under contract for next season, and Tim Hudson could be back in 2010, too. It’s a lot easier to find two bats over the winter than to find three arms, which is what Wren managed this past offseason.
This lineup was going to have to step up big-time if the Braves were to have a chance in 2009. So far it hasn’t.
DCBrave
June 27th, 2009
11:20 pm
Mark,
Good article, and indeed, Bobby Cox is likely mentioning getting hits to his team. This isnt all Bobby’s fault, necessarily, but it does make one wonder what it might take to get rid of any or all of the following:
1) Kelly Johnson and Jeff Francoeur: .220 for an everyday guy is unacceptable. Francoeur is only slightly better. This lineup has way too many easy outs and these are the two easiest. Just chalk out a ground-out to a middle infielder.
2) Terry Pendleton: He is the hitting coach and this team doesnt hit a lick. What more evidence do we need that TP is helpless to get this team to hit better. He cant get it done. This team is what it is and the coaching is incapable of changing that.
3) Frank Wren: He put together a good staff, but other than that has been a massive disappointment both in terms of the talent he has brought to the lineup and in the way he has represented this franchise. His handling of both Smoltz and Glavine was atrocious. Not arguing with the decision to get rid of either one, but why did we have to poke both guys in the eye on the way out the door? There’s a right way, a wrong way and the Wren way. Atlanta deserves better than the Wren way.If an organization as deeply flawed as the Orioles could figure out that this guy was not good at what he does, then why cant one with the pedigree of the Braves?
Ultimately, this is a major league staff with a lineup that would not be particularly good in Gwinnett or Greenville. Its a minor league team, with a bush-league GM trying to compete in the show.
Maybe Hanson will throw another shutout tomorrow. He will have to if he wants to win.
tohellwithgeorgia
June 27th, 2009
11:23 pm
alright i’ve said this before i could care a less at this point but we need to trade prospects for matt holiday. this would really bring a true power bat in the lineup plus he would be coming back to the nl which was where he could rake the ball the past couple of years, resign him… braves will get better if they do this. i’m just so frusrated at this point, we need to do something, hell we could have the posibility of getting juan pierre he’s showing all star #’s.
mr baseball
June 27th, 2009
11:28 pm
When sports teams under-perform as consistently as the Braves have the last 3 1/2 seasons, the manager/coach typically pays the price. Not here.
Cox benefitted immensely from the talent he had in uniform during the team’s 15-year run of success. Other than maybe the first two seasons of the run, the Braves have won in spite of — not because of — the manager.
Now that the Braves’ talent level is not as great as before, there is no way this team is going to contend with Chance the Manager in the dugout.
He is utterly incapable of doing anything to awaken his somnambulent team, and his abject lack of intelligent strategic thinking that might occasionally turn an L into a W is more and more obvious every day.
With a team struggling to score runs to the extent the Braves are, it is just plain stupid to give up an out to gain a base (Prado’s bunt), when the chances were 80-90 percent (at least) that Blanco could steal 2nd on Wakefield.
Stuff like that happens just about every night the Braves play, and as long as the Nose Picker in Chief is making the decisions in the dugout, this team is going to flounder.
It would be nice if the Braves could get themselves some new folks to play RF, 1B and 2B like they did to play CF. Highly unlikely.
Also unlikely that they can get 6 out of the dugout. But it would be a great benefit to the team if they did.
tohellwithgeorgia
June 27th, 2009
11:28 pm
i just saw this rumor on espn. jeff francoer to the royals for carlos guillen. bad move maybe
tohellwithgeorgia
June 27th, 2009
11:37 pm
sorry jose guillen who’s batting .257 with 8 home runs and 33 RBI’s
Herschel Talker
June 27th, 2009
11:39 pm
tohellwithgeorgia: Getting anything for Francoeur in excess of bats and balls is a victory.
Branch Rickey
June 27th, 2009
11:41 pm
TRADE VAZQUEZ OR LOWE TO A CONTENDER FOR A TOP HITTING PROSPECT; PUT MEDLIN IN THE ROTATION; GET A HEAD START ON 2010 ! THIS SEASON IS OVER ! ONLY DREAMERS CAN’T SEE THE BIG PICTURE ! STOP TRADING OFF THE FARM SYSTEM !
old fashioned ray
June 27th, 2009
11:43 pm
They’re vs. Their
You’re vs. Your
It’s not that hard,folks,to use the correct words and be less distracting with your thoughts. Just think first.
Bobby Cox
June 27th, 2009
11:43 pm
Eventually one of these boogers I pull out of my nose will be a doozie. Pick a winner ! Man I miss Reitzma and Remmie !
rabiddawg
June 27th, 2009
11:47 pm
It’s official, Dero traded to the Cards. STL also on the verge of acquiring Matt Holliday… according to espn. Thats what a f’n team that WANTS to win does. They address their needs and make it happen. Imagine Puljos (sp) sandwitched between Holliday and Dero.. Ouch. Must be nice to have ownership willing to make changes and to not accept mediocraty ie.. (BC,TP, JF, KJ, GA, and so on)…
Melvin Flowers
June 27th, 2009
11:49 pm
Some got to give either you a pro baseball nplayer are not. Hey these guys can’t hit neither can they win at home. I have pride does the Atlanta Braves have pride. Go back to the farm system and get some players that can hit the ball. The Braves look so much like a AAA team on the field this year. Send this team to Gwinnett and let Chipper and company play AAA for the rest of the year. Move the Gwinnett Braves Players up to Turner Field. The Braves are playing bad baseball I am serious mad how this season is going right now. Get some players up here that can hit please. The Braves make good pitchers look bad.
Melvin Flowers
Macon Georgia
Pete
June 27th, 2009
11:49 pm
Braves done.
Ward
June 27th, 2009
11:52 pm
Fire Pendleton to make an immediate statement to the team. 34-40 with all the offensive negatives is truly sad.Make things change by dumping someone up top. Colorado made such a change at the very top and it “rocked” the Rockies. Changing Pendleton would have the same effect here–for now. Failure to respond the 9th shutout will prove management is mired in a “slump”. Ward
NO MORE BOBBY
June 27th, 2009
11:59 pm
If the Cardinals get Holiday it will be them or the Dodgers in the series this year. Thats a great playoff if it happens. Torre v/s LaRussa. Two managers that still know how to win.
Bobby Cox
June 28th, 2009
12:03 am
I tell all my guys to swing at the first pitch; that’ll be the best one they see. Why work the pitcher and tire him out? Man, if the Red Sox want to do that, let them. Not me, not the old legend, the manager all the players want to play for. No sir ree. Time for another drink …
Bill
June 28th, 2009
12:06 am
Mark, I know you couldn’t ask if they wanted to be manager of Braves. I did believe you were smart enough to talk with them and just get a idea what type person they are etc. I didn’t need a smart answer. Sorry I asked.
turkey
June 28th, 2009
12:07 am
You have just seen two of the premier teams in baseball. Now ask yourself, except for the pitching staff and Brian McCann who on this team would either the Yankees or Red Sox want?
ShutUpMutt
June 28th, 2009
12:11 am
The Braves are like the University of Georgia. Everybody hopes they do well, but they dissapoint every year.
PMC
June 28th, 2009
12:14 am
what we need is just TV/News Paper/Web medium/Radio Blackout.
This team is terrible. This team is a bad watch, they are uninteresting, they are frustrating beyond belief, and they have utterly no hope of even being a .500 team. They simply are not a major league quality franchise this year, it would be more interesting frankly to hear articles about the minor league clubs this year. It is painful and mostly sad watching them go through the motions at the plate night in and night out. They just aren’t good enough to even compete on the major league level.
PMC
June 28th, 2009
12:17 am
The lineup was a wing and a prayer and has been for several years. They just whiffed big time a variety of moves. They are too proud to admit it publically but I bet it’s even harder for the front office and the scouts to watch this team play than it is for us.
John
June 28th, 2009
12:17 am
Gawd fans are dumb. Unload the whole team? What are we the Pirates? There’s a winning attitude.
Kotchman is not very talented and should be upgraded, Francoeur should be replaced with Diaz permanently. I have fading hopes that Kelly Johnson can turn it around.
McCann needs a break, Infante is missed. Anderson is a total dud in my book. Who are the team leaders? They look like a bunch of guys who don’t care, or only care about themselves.
Packerman
June 28th, 2009
12:35 am
Maybe by trading Kotchman we could get a near-ready outfielder or utility infielder. Then we bring up Barbaro to man first. We know he can hit, and he’s got power. If we’re going to struggle, we might as well get more ML experience for our AAA guys who are almost there.
Once Schafer is ready to come back up we’ll have a great defensive outfield, and we’ll have no need for Anderson or Diaz. We can let them go and/or get some farm talent for them if anyone comes calling. Or let them hang around as bench players. Moving Frenchy will be tough, so letting him hang around to shore up the defense isn’t the worst thing in the world. There are a lot of poor 8-hole hitters around the league, and at least Frenchy helps save runs with his arm.
So with these changes, the team looks like this:
1B-Barbaro, 2B-Infante/Prado, SS-Escobar, 3B-Chipper, C-McCann, OF-McLouth, Frenchy, and Schafer.
The bench looks like this: Prado/Infante, Anderson, Diaz, Kelly, and Blanco.
These are moves that can be made from within the organization to strengthen the lineup and build the farm (however slightly). They add speed (Schafer) and power (Barbaro) to an anemic lineup. If our season is already sunk like so many believe it is, then why not give this a shot? Are we going to score less than we already have? No, so as long as we’re on the selling end, what can this hurt?
Herschel Talker
June 28th, 2009
12:37 am
Bobby Cox likes men
ShutUpMutt likes men