From Braves-Phils: Can the Bradley live-blog streak continue?
This young fellow always seems to hit when MB's here. (AJC photo by Hyosub Shin)
Strange homestand. The Braves have been shut out twice and no-hit once over these five games. On Sunday they were an out away from losing 3-2, and two nights ago they were an out away from losing 3-0. And yet they’ve won three times in five.
They’ve done it with two bursts of late-inning lightning, sure, but they’ve also done it with pitching. The Braves’ starting pitchers have managed only one win this homestand — that by Derek Lowe against Colorado on Friday in a game he led 7-0 after two innings — but they’ve kept their team close in every game except Saturday’s, which was the night Kenshin Kawakami worked against no-hit Ubaldo Jimenez.
Throw out that game and the Braves’ starting pitchers have yielded 10 earned runs in four starts against two good-hitting teams this homestand. And that is, I submit, what will have to keep the Braves close if they’re going to make a race of it — pitching.
The Braves are hitting .227 as a team. That’s second-worst in the National League. That will improve over time — it has to improve, does it not? — but this lineup isn’t apt to hit .270 all summer. Too many holes, as we’ve noted a time or two before.
But the lesson of three wins in five games is that pitching is the great equalizer. The Braves haven’t hit much this homestand — 33 hits and 17 runs in five games — but they haven’t let the other guys hit much, either. (The Rockies and Phillies have mustered 35 hits and 17 runs between them.) Tonight Lowe starts against Jamie Moyer, and Lowe is 3-0.
And I’ll be here all night, watching and reporting and typing and chattering away. I’d be obliged if you’d join me, and I should note that the four previous games we’ve done this the home team has prevailed. With two walk-off wins. With three wins in the final at-bat. With Jason Heyward having an RBI in all four games. As Kate Smith was to the Philly Flyers, I am to the 2010 Bravos.
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481 comments Add your comment
Chip
April 22nd, 2010
10:20 pm
OK, let’s review,
2010 Braves:
1B—Glaus is horrible
2B—Prado is quality. Makes you wonder about Cox and his ridiculous love affair with Kelly Johnson last season
SS–Slow start for Yunel, but he’s quality
3B—Thanks for the memories Chipper, but it’s time to go
C—McCann is good, but he’s overrated
OF–We’ve got the phenom, and nothing else. Nate sucks, and Melky & Matt are utility players….2 out of the 3 outfield positions are ridiculously horrible
Pitching—Except for Lowe, pitching should be pretty good…But if you’ve got almost zero offense, what difference does good pitching matter?
Vino Fino
April 22nd, 2010
10:20 pm
Will the Braves go quietly 1,2,3 or load the bases and then fail to get any runs in?
Bryan G.
April 22nd, 2010
10:21 pm
MVB – it reminds me of the line from Major League when Harry Doyle says “One hit? One G.D. hit?”
Mark Bradley
April 22nd, 2010
10:21 pm
It is, Coach. That was my thinking, too.
extremus
April 22nd, 2010
10:21 pm
Mr. Bradley, it’s interesting to note that along with being Bobby Cox’s final season with the Braves, from what I hear it’s also Liberty Media’s last year before that aforementioned tax writeoff ends. If that is the case, A) do you think it’s likely they’ll sell the team (and HOPEFULLY to a human, competent ownership) and B) do you think the Braves are a “lame duck” this season with regard to trading for needed bats? My reasoning being that if they’re going to dump the team anyway, why spend money to make them as competitive as possible even if they’re in the thick of it?
Anyway, I welcome any insights you may have.
Mark Bradley
April 22nd, 2010
10:22 pm
Hinske touches off the six-run comeback.
rob graner
April 22nd, 2010
10:23 pm
Hinske crushed that one…time to give a start…all he knows to do is hit and win
kurula
April 22nd, 2010
10:23 pm
diaz with a glausian at-bat.
MenVsBoys
April 22nd, 2010
10:23 pm
Why is Troy Glaus still playing? Echo Echo Echo
Mark Bradley
April 22nd, 2010
10:23 pm
Perhaps I misspoke about that rally. Matty D raps into a twin killing.
Bryan G.
April 22nd, 2010
10:23 pm
Barbaro Canizares on line one, Mr. Cox…
Mark Bradley
April 22nd, 2010
10:25 pm
Perhaps I misspoke about misspeaking.
Bryan G.
April 22nd, 2010
10:25 pm
Chipper can still hit thank God.
kurula
April 22nd, 2010
10:25 pm
probably not.
rob graner
April 22nd, 2010
10:25 pm
chipper is getting his swagger back 9 for 21 in series is much better than I trhought he would do
Bryan G.
April 22nd, 2010
10:26 pm
back to back to back homers would tie.
chas
April 22nd, 2010
10:26 pm
Make Medlen our new starter and put Lowe back in the pen where he spent the earlier part of his career.
Mark Bradley
April 22nd, 2010
10:27 pm
Ballgame.
rob graner
April 22nd, 2010
10:27 pm
now move JHEY up in order and give us a chance to score some runs
kurula
April 22nd, 2010
10:27 pm
do you really want lowe coming out of the pen and giving up those runs?
Bryan G.
April 22nd, 2010
10:28 pm
Pretty frustrating series save for two innings Tuesday.
kurula
April 22nd, 2010
10:28 pm
well. that was painful to watch.
MenVsBoys
April 22nd, 2010
10:28 pm
Phils set em up and knock em down. Workman-like domination. No post season for the Braves this year. Too many good teams in the NL.
Bryan G.
April 22nd, 2010
10:29 pm
So…maybe all that talk after Sunday and Tuesday about the “vibe” and “feeling” around the time was premature?
Hillbilly Deluxe
April 22nd, 2010
10:29 pm
And Mark said I was, “ye of little faith”.
Bryan G.
April 22nd, 2010
10:29 pm
*around the team, I mean
kurula
April 22nd, 2010
10:31 pm
jamie moyer has as many wins as tim hudson, jair jurrjens, tommy hanson, and kenshin kawakami combined.
MenVsBoys
April 22nd, 2010
10:35 pm
Okay, It’s just April, and I’m already sick of Jets fans,
J-Smoove
April 22nd, 2010
10:41 pm
Chip – I agree that Glaus is terrible, but you are way off on B-Mac. He is one of the best catchers in baseball. Nate is a great defensive outfielder and is just off to a slow start. Remember we are only a few weeks into the season. Hopefully Melky will come around and Diaz is a solid every other day player. The Bravos have had great starting pitching thus far (except for J.J. in San Diego) and the bullpen has been excellent. We should challenge the Phillies for the East and at least get a Wild Card spot. GO BRAVOS!!!
Mark Bradley
April 22nd, 2010
10:58 pm
Yes, the Bradley streak of winning live blogs ends at 4. Alas and alack.
reason
April 23rd, 2010
2:43 am
Bobby, in his last year, and still doesn’t have the guts to break away from his obvious predictability.
Using a First baseman, who very fond of his bat and he’ll rest it on his shoulder, striking out three
time with men on base, but this is nothing new.
Once in a while his bat will get lucky and hit the ball, and if there is a blue moon he may hit a homer.
The moves that Cox makes is why he need to retired, and he
should take Pendleton with him. I hope Pendleton won’t try to help Heyward any, if he does the kid is cooked.
I wouldn’t say that the Braves are bad, maybe embarrassing, or a little sluggish, showing a lacking of the ability, that got them in the big leagues.
I’ve seem how some of the player run out a ground, a 4 years old will most likely get to first before they do.
They should take the 5 hour energy drink, or omeone needs to kick some tails. They are putting people asleep, it’s like wondering when a rock will give birth. This 2009 season is a long one…..