The Braves: Bound for the Coast, a big week ahead
The Braves weren’t in much of a mood as Sunday night became Monday morning in the Eastern Time Zone. For one thing, they’d lost to the Dodgers 9-1. For another, they were facing a four-hour flight and a landing at a naval base. (The San Diego airport would be closed by their time of touchdown.) And you thought playing pro ball was all roses and romance.
They’d had a chance to win a series from the team with baseball’s best record and had whiffed egregiously. Jair Jurrjens left an 0-2 fastball over the plate with two on and two out in the fifth and Matt Kemp hit it 420 feet. (”I was hoping the wind would be blowing in,” Jurrjens said, kidding.) Thus was a 2-4 week concluded, the trade deadline come and gone, 57 games still to play.
I spent last night insisting that this could still happen, that the Braves are a better team than they were on Memorial Day or even the Fourth of July, that there’s enough pitching and just enough offense to fashion a run at the wild card. But they flew to the West Coast nearly as far behind wild-card leader Colorado (five games) as the Phillies (seven games).
I’ll say it again: It can still happen. But it has to start happening. The Braves can’t go 3-4 in San Diego and Los Angeles and call it a job well done. They have to start winning games in clusters, winning most every series of every week. They’re 53-52, and some would say that’s all they are — a .500 team or thereabouts. I continue to believe a team that can pitch is a team that can win. I continue to hope out hope. But I am not, contrary to popular belief, Pollyanna. My optimism has a ceiling.
Put simply, the Braves need to go 5-2 in California and see where that gets them. They’d return for two against the Nats and then three against the Phillies, and by then it would be Aug. 16 and we’d know whether or not they still stand a chance. But if they go 2-5 out there, Aug. 16 will be just another day.
Frank Wren can do no more. He has made three in-season trades to fortify three positions that needed it. The Braves like the team they have now, and I like it, too. But none of that will matter if they don’t start winning at a rate we haven’t yet seen. The wiggle room is about to run out. Time to get moving or, as Bobby Dodd used to say, to sack up the bats.
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83 comments Add your comment
Charlie Dressen
August 3rd, 2009
5:01 am
The Braves is dead.
honest_abe
August 3rd, 2009
5:03 am
bleh. after this week you’ll be writing how the braves are just a mediocre team and they have no shot. then they’ll go on a 10 game winning streak and you’re going to say they have a shot to win the division. up and down…… this team is inconsistent offensively, had a horrible bullpen and they’re just too far back to make a run. time to shut the door on this season. the only thing i’m curious to see is if heyward is the truth!
Mike
August 3rd, 2009
5:13 am
Done.
Mike
August 3rd, 2009
5:17 am
The LaRoche move proved that the Brave’s have mailed it in for the season. Bringing him back is like putting bad milk back in the refrigerator because, somehow, it will be better tomorrow. This was purely a money deal and had nothing to do with putting a better team on the field.
There’s always next year I guess…….as they say in Pittsburgh.
"Chef" Tim Dix
August 3rd, 2009
6:12 am
Getting Esky back will help but the Braves need Chipper and McCann to get team totin’ hot.
Braveshoo
August 3rd, 2009
6:55 am
Escobar is the best player on the team and the Braves dont win without him. He’s been out twice this year, and we have a bad record both times.We need to show a little fire and it needs to start with Bobby. Florida hit our players 3 times, and we never retaliated. Then we lose Escobar, and the Marlins go on a win streak. I wonder how the Marlins would be doing without Hanley Ramerez.
NCBravesFan
August 3rd, 2009
6:56 am
This has been an interesting year to be sure. Gotta give Wren lots of credit for the work done thus far, and he’s created some wiggle room on the payroll for next year to take things to the next step.
One big problem with this team is they can’t keep their key guys in the lineup long enough to sustain a run. Mac had his eye problem early in the year and Chipper missed some time, then Yunel went out for a while (and then took a mental vacation) … and now he’s out again after that HBP in Florida.
When they had that steady lineup going in July, they were rolling. So if they can get well and keep their guys on the field, sure seems to me like they can hang in one or both races the rest of the year.
Supes
August 3rd, 2009
6:59 am
Mark, restless morning for you? Do you ever sleep sir?
I tell you who isn’t getting any sleep…is Bobby Cox. This current braves lineup is so fragile…when combined with the absence of super utility man Omar Infante…we are forced to play BUMS like Diory Hernadez at SS to replace our best CLUTCH hitter and top RBI man on the team…Yunel Escobar.
Gotta give Billingsly credit, he did carve up the order pretty good, made Chipper and B-Mac look foolish several times.
Sometimes you’ve just gotta tip your cap to the opposition.
Dodgers are just a better all around lineup. Pitching is about even (top to bottom 1-5 in the SR)
Braves have to have everyone healthy and playing to contend for the WC. Which means…McLouth, Chipper, B-Mac, Yunel, LaRoache, Anderson…none of those key guys can be out of the lineup without wrecking havoc.
Braves bench has been exposed. Also, the longer we keep a bum like Greg Norton on the team over someone who earned a spot with his play…Brooks Conrad, it gives Bobby Cox the opportunity to put Greg Norton in key AB where he has FAILED a great deal in 2009. It’s key pinch hit AB. I’d rather them go to anyone else but Norton. You are a strong as your weakest link. Well…he’s about as weak as it gets.
NCBravesFan
August 3rd, 2009
7:00 am
Braveshoo: didn’t see your comment right above mine – I agree that somebody on the Florida team needs to go down.
Mike: the LaRoche deal was not a money thing. Casey was under team control next year, which adds value that Adam does not have. The problem with Casey is/was his game – guy’s a bench player.
ACE OF HEARTS
August 3rd, 2009
7:01 am
Having watched Heyward and Freddie Freeman play a whole season in Rome I can tell you that they are the real deal. McCann, Francoeur, Hanson, Salty and Elvis just to name a few who have come through Rome on their way to the show. You can be sure that Freeman and Heyward will be there too.
Navigator
August 3rd, 2009
7:11 am
The Braves just lost back to back series and the headlines were, “Chipper thinks the Braves are going to make a stretch run.” Are you kidding me? They can’t ever get 10 games over .500, no that can’t stay above .500. The hitting is terrible, and good old Chipper did what so many players do, had a great season, got the contract, and settles back into being a non-factor. The Braves do have the bones of a future team, with some decent pitching, but their outfield (all) is nothing but average. You don’t win championships or even divisions with this kind of team. Oh well, we settled back into the 1980’s again, same manager, same team, same results.
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
August 3rd, 2009
7:16 am
Braves are not able to sustain a hot streak, therefore, ….WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR!!!!!!
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
August 3rd, 2009
7:19 am
Braveshoo, you might find out about Ramerez, Zambrano plunked him, he left the game in the third on Sat. You are right though, Cox has always been that way. Remeber Pendelton walking off cause they would not plunk somebody.
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
August 3rd, 2009
7:49 am
Supes, tell you who else isn’t getting any sleep…..Mrs. Cox, a lot of sleepless nights during this past homestand.
This Sorry Government NOT working for Americans
August 3rd, 2009
7:58 am
They had the team and that included Kotchman. Then Wren kept on going and traded for LaRoche. LaRoche is not better then Kotchman and that messed with the chemestry. Then he uses Norton EWWWWWWWWWWWWW.
Cox has not let one lineup last though a entire series, I dont even know whos coming to bat anymore. The Braves have turned boring and I just dont watch anymore. Chipper is a excuse, hes not hitting. Whats up with McCann? Then LaRoche is back. Give me a break. They should have left KK stay in Japan and signed Dunn. We needed hitting, not pitching by the time KK was signed.
Im really sick of only going half way. If you want to win you need hitters behind these pitchers. This lineup is just an excuse. I let my season tickets go two years ago and promised I would not waist my money until they fixed the team. Its a long way from being fixed. They cant play with the big boys so quit hoping.
Yes, this is just a 500 team anyway you look at it.
Chris
August 3rd, 2009
7:58 am
Braves aren’t even going to sniff the playoffs. The moves are uninspired, and so is the play. This isn’t a team that you can be down by 3 runs and think that they are going to come back. This isn’t a team I trust to hold a one-run lead against a good team.
It’s August 1st (3rd, now), and for the fourth straight year, that means NCAA and EPL football. See you in March, Bravos.
MightyQuinn
August 3rd, 2009
8:04 am
“Looks like I picked a bad time to give up drinkin’. Where’s Striker?”
mountain_jim
August 3rd, 2009
8:07 am
Well at least Football Season is finally here, just in time as the Braves recede into irrelevanace for another season…..
Brooks Conrad | All Days Long
August 3rd, 2009
8:14 am
[...] The Braves: Bound for the Coast, a big week ahead Atlanta Journal Constitution – Atlanta,GA,USA Brooks Conrad, it gives Bobby Cox the opportunity to put Greg Norton in key AB where he has FAILED a great deal in 2009. It's key pinch hit AB. … [...]
Rufus
August 3rd, 2009
8:25 am
The Braves are so pitiful, they should sale, the team to an organization, that wants to win bad enough.
The comparison between the Phillies and the Braves, is the Phillies want to win, and know how to win in more then one way,
The Braves hope they can win in the same old way.
Bobby Cox, haven’t had a good idea in the last few years
Chipper is full of hot air, himself, and Anderson look like they need a vitamin B12 shot, ( I guess it’s legal,) if not they need some type of wake-up, energy pill, Someone should wake up, these so called professional baseball player, and show, the fans that they really want to win. Adding LaRoche, won’t do it, the Braves have no idea what a real team is.
glenn
August 3rd, 2009
8:28 am
Don’t understand the Braves roster move on sending Conrad down. He was hitting over 300 and fielding great. He actually added a spark to the team. They brought Kelly Johnson back up who was not hitting or fielding well.
jacket3
August 3rd, 2009
8:29 am
I made my donation to the braves this year and saw the 4-3 come from behind win against Torre’s team Saturday at the TED.
Some brilliant effort and a few plays missed that Escobar would have made. Norton suprised us all and probably himself. Jones is still the biggest wall I have ever seen at 3rd base. Anderson – I’ve finally figured out is as fast as Manny to the ball. Plays made in center were spectacular.
Umps were again floating strike zones, and blatantly missing calls – something never changes.
So most of the Braves pieces are there but next year….is here now.
Mark
August 3rd, 2009
8:32 am
I’d like to believe there is still some life left –but as of today the Braves are closer to 8th place in the wild card race than they are to 1st. I still think we’ll look back and losing two-out-of three to the Marlins –although it was only the end of July– put a cap on the 2009 season. Needing 5-2 on the west coast, while possible, isn’t likely. I’d take 4-3.
lefty fielder
August 3rd, 2009
8:32 am
Yo Polly
I wish I had your optimism, but it looks like the plane has landed at 500 ball even with the upgrades at 1st, 2nd, CF and RF. Just not enough pop at the plate. Chipper reminds me of one of those old Mercedes that smokes and leaks oil, and (with the exception of B-Mac) he’s surrounded by a caravan of Corollas.
Mark Bradley
August 3rd, 2009
8:32 am
There’s no doubt the Braves’ bench is pretty sorry. But I don’t think Brooks Conrad was going to save the season, no more than I think Omar Infante will.
Mark Bradley
August 3rd, 2009
8:34 am
And the Dodgers are outstanding. McCann said after the game he thinks their lineup is the equal of the Yankees’ or the Phillies’, and he might be right. Not many holes in that batting order. And the pitching is very good, too. Guess that’s why they’re in first place.
mitch
August 3rd, 2009
8:43 am
Where is Sonny Clusters?
La Jolla Dawg
August 3rd, 2009
8:51 am
Please let them win tonight.
Bama Aaron
August 3rd, 2009
8:53 am
Mark I’ll start in response to your last offering. No, Brooks Conrad wasn’t going to save the season but I’ll bet our next paychecks he’d get more hits coming off the bench than Norton.
As for the Braves…they’re done. I think Wren was saying as much when he went & got LaRoche back. It was a case of if it works great, if not well Kotchman’s last two years are out of the way and Freeman can come up next year.
They can’t hit at critical times and have no bench when an injury happens. Yunel being out cost the Braves 1 or 2 runs (or at least chances at runs) a game. Diory is the closest thing to a sure out this side of Norton.
Wren will need to have a busy off season to find some offense this winter.
abudefdef
August 3rd, 2009
8:55 am
57 games to play, what, 36 of them are against the NL East, with 9 of them against the Phillies, who we are only 702 against so far this season!
All these naysayers can just pack it up I say, send in your Braves paraphenalia and stop watching baseball. You aren’t fans. Fans support the team until they are mathematically eliminated, and even then they support the players, hoping for wins and good games. I am pulling for the Braves to make the playoffs. I’m pulling for them to win the NL East, because they CAN! They have the pitching. They can get timely hitting. They have the defense (y’all need to layoff LaRoche, he’s just as good as Casey-ok, 1 error this year to Kotchman’s 0). They have the coaching, yes, Bobby Cox may not excite some people, but he is WIDELY regarded by players and coaches as one of the best in the business. They CAN win either the NL East of the wildcard. If it all comes together they will do it, and all y’all people who are mailing it in and giving up can just eat a big ole plate of crow.
I’ll be grinning if they are in the playoffs or not, cause I’m a fan of the team, and I will continue to root for them.
Mark Bradley
August 3rd, 2009
8:59 am
Clearly the Braves had decided Kotchman wasn’t the long-term answer at 1B.
Chris
August 3rd, 2009
9:09 am
Being a fan doesn’t mean you stick your fingers in your ears when people start talking about how bad the team is. This team isn’t 2007-bad, but we aren’t anywhere close to what we were 10 years ago.
Don’t pretend you’re a better or bigger fan than anyone else just because you act like Muhammed Saeed al-Sahaf. That’s just ignorance.
The Grinch
August 3rd, 2009
9:22 am
Abudefdef, I gotta disagree about Bobby not being exciting. He makes me jump up and down and throw beer cans at my TV at least twice a game with a metamucil-like regularity.
This team can contend, but as Supes pointed out earlier it’s gonna take all our top guys being healthy and clicking on all cylinders consistently to do it. Wren’s done all that can be done from his end given his payroll, and Bobby’s gonna do what he’s gonna do regardless (which unfortunately means KJ and Norton are going to be involved in key at-bats). This means we gotta pull for lady luck. It’s happened before; our pitching’s good enough to keep us within striking distance.
Mrs. Chanandler Bong
August 3rd, 2009
9:25 am
Injuries are still plaguing us, just as they have in seasons past…
old fart
August 3rd, 2009
9:26 am
Forecast for 2009: 81-81.
abudefdef
August 3rd, 2009
9:26 am
WOW…I didn’t know I was ignorant…thanks for the insight, Chris.
I’m just tired of everyone GIVING UP!
OH WAAAAAHHHH, We ONLY have 57 games to play! We are done! We SUCK! BRAVES SUCK! WAAAAAAAH! (please not the sarcasm)
Yeah, ok, so I’m an optimist. I look at the 57 games left (again, 9 against the Phillies-7-2 so far, remember) and see the possibility. Like I said, I’m not giving up hope until they are mathematically out of it.
And Chris, I AM a better fan than most of the people who come to the stadium. I AM one of the few people trying to get the crowd into it when the Sox or Yankmees or Mutts come to town, so the Braves don’t feel like they are on the road in Atlanta. I AM a better fan because I keep supporting the team and looking at the bright side of the rest of the season. I AM a better fan than those who jump on and off the bandwagon like fleas jumping from dog to dog in an overcrowded kennel. I AM a better fan because I don’t give up hope, and I remember when the 1993 Braves went 49-16 over their last 65 games to bet the Giants by one game. I AM a better fan than most…you can just deal with it.
Dawg Fan in Grayson
August 3rd, 2009
9:41 am
Mark, you mentioned on last night’s blog that you felt that the Braves would start Freeman and Heyward in the minors next spring and bring them up slowly much like they did Hanson this year. I don’t disagree with that theory, but who do you think will be playing 1B opening day next year? It is obvious that the Braves are not going re-sign LaRoche at the end of this year.
Diehard
August 3rd, 2009
9:47 am
You will only read this in the NY Post
Since being acquired on July 11 in a classic change-of-scenery trade, Francoeur has benefited a lot more from his new scenery than the departed Ryan Church, who’s hitting .222 in Atlanta with one homer and four RBIs. Francoeur is regaining the swing that saw him post back-to-back 100-RBI seasons in 2006 and ‘07.
With two on and one out in the fifth, Francoeur charged Miguel Montero’s single and unleashed a dart that reached the plate without a hop to hold Stephen Drew at third, then he robbed Ryan Roberts of extra bases with a running grab in the ninth. But Francoeur has been even better at the plate.
After clubbing Jon Garland’s 2-2 slider out to left to lead off the fifth, Francoeur has four homers and 19 RBIs in his 19 games as a Met. He credits hitting coach Howard Johnson — as well as Jerry Manuel, David Wright and Gary Sheffield — with helping his Mechanics.
“It’s helped. That slider, I was able to get the foot down and put a good swing on it. Those are things I wasn’t doing a couple weeks ago,” said Francoeur
Diehard
August 3rd, 2009
9:47 am
Enter your comments here
Chris
August 3rd, 2009
9:50 am
The team that the Braves went 7-2 against doesn’t exist anymore. That’s what I mean by ignorance.
Dawg Fan – I assume Canizares, or more probably (and I hope) Infante.
Scott B
August 3rd, 2009
9:51 am
They can’t lose any more series. Period. A substantial winning streak, say 12, would help also. It’s getting late, but I’m not giving up on them. Go Braves!
Scott B
August 3rd, 2009
9:53 am
Hey Diehard: Second-guessing a trade is weak. Anybody can do it. What’s even weaker is copy and pasting something from the NY Post!
NC Braves Fan
August 3rd, 2009
9:55 am
Mark: right on at 8:59. “Sunshine” as you referenced in the other post wasn’t hitting with enough pop to justify the pay raise he would have gotten in arbitration next year. It really says something that they would trade a contract like his away for a two-month rental in LaRoche.
Scott B
August 3rd, 2009
9:55 am
Second-guessing a trade is weak. Anybody can do it. What’s even weaker is copying and pasting articles from other papers.
abudefdef
August 3rd, 2009
9:59 am
Chris you are right…I guess the sweep in Atlanta woke them up…maybe we can sweep em again and shut em up
curtis jones
August 3rd, 2009
10:05 am
I wish Frenchy well. He gave it his best in Atlanta, and for whatever reason, couldn’t get it done. I hope he has continued success in NY, he’s a good kid.
As for the Braves, there are a lot of questions marks and holes to fill next year.
1B: ???
2B & SS: hopefully the incumbents return
3B: I guess it will be Chipper, but his defense is gone, and his offense is fading fast.
LF: ???
CF: McLouth, but for the zillionth time, he’s NOT a leadoff man.
RF: ???
C: McCann, too bad he hasn’t learned another position, he’ll have an abbreviated career if he continues catching this much.
SP: Hanson, Jurrjens and Vazquez would be a good 1-2-3, Lowe is a 4th man at best, and then ???
RP: Soriano and ???
Bench: Infante and Ross, and then ???
Right now we’re a .500 team with a lot of end-of-season trouble spots and questions marks. The story of 2009 will be Cox’s poor choices and incredibly bad bullpen management, leaving a team with very good starting pitching in the middle of the pack at best.
Chris
August 3rd, 2009
10:05 am
If the starting pitchers could figure out a way to reach the sixth inning with under 80 pitches, it might be one thing. But our bullpen is a disaster, I’m surprised it’s kept us in it this long. I’m a realist. While I’ll probably watch each and every game I can until the end of the season, this year is a waste. And honestly, I’d rather us not make the playoffs and fix our woes than to be swept out of the first round and Wren think we’re ‘close’.
I’ll raise my hopes and look at next year’s team, or what I’d like to see out of it:
C-McCann
1B-Infante/Canizares (unless we can pick up a nice veteran)
2B-Prado
SS-Escobar
3B-Chipper
OF-McClouth, Church (if I have to), Diaz
Backups/Bench – Conrad, Hernandez, Ross, Blanco
I’d like to see Brandon and Shaefer get legitimate chances when they are ready, along with Freeman and Heyward.
That way your 2011 starters may look like:
McCann
Freeman
Prado
Escobar
Jones/Infante
Jones/Heyward/Shaefer
abudefdef
August 3rd, 2009
10:17 am
I know a lot of people have talked about moving Chipper from 1st to 3rd to help with injuries and such, does that make sense for next season? If that were to happen, it would open up thrid for Infante/Conrad?
While I am hoping for the playoffs this season, I am very excited for the next few years. Wren has a tough job working with the limited payroll, I wonder what would happen if Ted Turner bought the team back…
KEEP THE FAITH BRAVES NATION!
Keep the Faith…
abudefdef
August 3rd, 2009
10:20 am
Chris, and all,
My apologies for jumping up and down on my soap box earlier…I just get frustrated by so many naysayers…realistically I think the chances are low of a playoff push, with injuries and good teams ahead of us, but we can still hope
again, sorry for the soap box rant
abu
Mark Bradley
August 3rd, 2009
10:21 am
You know, Diehard, I liked your New York Post story so much I’m putting it in Bradley’s Buzz — and giving you a shout-out.