Live from Braves-Bucs: There’s good and better news
Good news: The Braves are playing really, really well. They’ve won 14 of 18. They’re a whisker out of first place, and not long ago they were last. They’ve raised their team batting average to .253, and a month ago they were under .230.
Better news: They’ve still got one game remaining against Pittsburgh, which isn’t the worst team in baseball but is looking like it.
Best news: They don’t have to face Roy Halladay when Philadelphia arrives this week.
It being (almost) Memorial Day, I’m tempted to make of the (in)famous Bradley milepost predictions: You know, like the one from two years ago where I said the Braves would be in first place by the Fourth and pulling away by Labor Day. I’m not going to do it this time, for a basic reason: I’m not yet sure how good these Braves are.
They had a rugged schedule in April. They had a soft slate for most of May. They look good at the moment. I’d like to wait and see how they look a few weeks hence. In other words, I’m resisting the urge — for maybe the first time ever — to pass judgment.
But certainly you’re free to express your sentiments as we proceed through the day, and I suspect we’ll be here awhile. Rain is surely coming, though the field is uncovered as of 12:55 p.m. (The ground grew is standing in the outfield. Ominous sign.) Still, that’s the beauty of baseball: You can tell me how wrong I am about the Braves — even though I’m kind of fence-sitting at the moment — at length.
As ever, I welcome your company. As ever, I say thanks in advance.
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424 comments Add your comment
kurula
May 30th, 2010
3:04 pm
nick- i think that mclouth’s potential has not only been tapped, but tapped out.
Mark Bradley
May 30th, 2010
3:05 pm
Escobar is 3-for-3.
gabuldawg
May 30th, 2010
3:05 pm
Manbeast, this is my fifth time over here. I’m starting to think I border more on brain dead that brave. I keep coming back…
nola braves fan
May 30th, 2010
3:05 pm
stay safe gabuldawg. i think JJ might be the x-factor in the braves hanging around. if he can come back in July and pitch like he has the past 2 years, things could get real interesting. as great as the braves are playing now, I am with Mark. I just don’t know yet.
#22=MANBEAST
May 30th, 2010
3:06 pm
gabuldawg, you fall in the category of MANBEAST as well.
"Chef" Tim Dix
May 30th, 2010
3:06 pm
Does Esco’s flashes out weigh his lapses of udder stupity?
#22=MANBEAST
May 30th, 2010
3:07 pm
and the bravest of Braves fans.
nola braves fan
May 30th, 2010
3:07 pm
somewhere in heaven skip is saying, “a little insurance wouldn’t hurt here” – postscript, i am going with the shortened game theory of one mark bradley
Mark Bradley
May 30th, 2010
3:08 pm
Five tours? Wow. You are indeed a brave man.
#22=MANBEAST
May 30th, 2010
3:08 pm
Sutton upset with Bottom Feeders headline and Chipper’s comments.
#22=MANBEAST
May 30th, 2010
3:08 pm
Will he pitch around Rossy again?
"Chef" Tim Dix
May 30th, 2010
3:08 pm
I’ll proudly second that MANBEAST!
nola braves fan
May 30th, 2010
3:09 pm
be careful Schultie, you don’t want a man in his 60s with a jheri curl mad at you (and yes that is how you spell it, i googed it)
Mark Bradley
May 30th, 2010
3:10 pm
Fittingly enough, the Braves are honoring a hometown hero from the military. This is always a nice moment.
"Chef" Tim Dix
May 30th, 2010
3:11 pm
Always a high spot at the Ted, honoring a home town hero.
Mark Bradley
May 30th, 2010
3:12 pm
And I’d tell you the serviceman’s name, but they always neglect to put it on the message board. I wish they would.
"Chef" Tim Dix
May 30th, 2010
3:13 pm
BTW, KK’s a rollin…
Mark Bradley
May 30th, 2010
3:13 pm
Kawakami with a nifty fielding play to get the lead man on a sacrifice. (Which turned out not to be one.)
#22=MANBEAST
May 30th, 2010
3:13 pm
nola, lol. well played sir. He did go onto say he likes Schultz’s work. He didn’t like it because he thought it might provide the Pirates with bulletin board material. I don’t know if there is enough bulletin board material in the world to make the Buccos not play like the Buccos. 18 straight losing seasons. YIKES!
Mark Bradley
May 30th, 2010
3:14 pm
Two on. This is probably the inning that determines whether Kenshin is the winner.
nola braves fan
May 30th, 2010
3:14 pm
why do i have a feeling this the dreaded inning that comes once a game for KK? a couple hits, walks, next thing you know the little run support he has gotten is gone and we trail?
btw- radar attached below. still in the clear.
http://www.weather.com/weather/map/interactive/USGA0028?zoom=8&interactiveMapLayer=radar&from=today_media_map
"Chef" Tim Dix
May 30th, 2010
3:14 pm
AND, his Masseratti does 185…
#22=MANBEAST
May 30th, 2010
3:15 pm
I hope for Pirates fans sake they don’t trade McCutchen… unless it’s to the Braves.
"Chef" Tim Dix
May 30th, 2010
3:15 pm
BUT, he’s gassed.
nola braves fan
May 30th, 2010
3:16 pm
bulletin board material in late may for teams that won’t play again until 2011, sorry Don, your are reaching my man
#22=MANBEAST
May 30th, 2010
3:19 pm
Getting the Phillies with no Rollins, no Polanco, and no Halladay is incredibly lucky. Hopefully the Braves will take advantage. KK with a K. I like it.
Mark Bradley
May 30th, 2010
3:20 pm
Tool race!
#22=MANBEAST
May 30th, 2010
3:20 pm
Do you think Bobby will pich hit for our pitchers next inning?
Mark Bradley
May 30th, 2010
3:20 pm
The Hammer wins.
#22=MANBEAST
May 30th, 2010
3:20 pm
*pinch hit
Mark Bradley
May 30th, 2010
3:21 pm
Nobody warming up yet, #22=MANBEAST. I’m thinking he might give Kawakami one more.
#22=MANBEAST
May 30th, 2010
3:21 pm
Thanks Mark, for a second I thought McOut and Yunel were randomly having a foot race.
Mark Bradley
May 30th, 2010
3:22 pm
Kenshin hits for himself. That’s a pretty strong indicator.
I think Kenshin is around 80 pitches.
Mark Bradley
May 30th, 2010
3:22 pm
Heh, heh. I laughed again.
Mark Bradley
May 30th, 2010
3:23 pm
Kawakami left in for his hitting, obviously. Doubles to left-center.
kurula
May 30th, 2010
3:23 pm
oh mclouth….you are the worst.
"Chef" Tim Dix
May 30th, 2010
3:24 pm
KK asserting his will.
Marty
May 30th, 2010
3:24 pm
Once again, what a pice of crap we have in center. Wooosa, wooosa, please make it end, Bobby. Do we have to wait until he is batting under .100?
"Chef" Tim Dix
May 30th, 2010
3:24 pm
Disregard my “He’s gassed” post earlier.
#22=MANBEAST
May 30th, 2010
3:24 pm
Lowe, Huddy, and KK have all been better at the plate than McOut this week. Geez, Sutton tried to will that ball out for KK. Pretty awesome, though, because he almost called a KK homer before it happened.
Mark Bradley
May 30th, 2010
3:25 pm
Prado with a single. But Kenshin waits to see if the ball falls and doesn’t score. Not the greatest baserunning.
nola braves fan
May 30th, 2010
3:26 pm
KK w/ 77 pitches and 1 more hit that McOut (love that one #22). hey can we move to the NL central so we can play the Bucs and Brewers more?
Mark Bradley
May 30th, 2010
3:26 pm
Clouding up. Daggone.
#22=MANBEAST
May 30th, 2010
3:27 pm
Another multi hit game for Marteeeeen. What is that, like 4 or 5 multi hit games in a row? Has he had a non multi hit game this week?
"Chef" Tim Dix
May 30th, 2010
3:27 pm
Chip dropping names or even more with the Timothy Leary trip reference.
Mark Bradley
May 30th, 2010
3:28 pm
Lefty readying for the Braves. Can’t tell if it’s O’Flaherty or Venters.
"Chef" Tim Dix
May 30th, 2010
3:28 pm
Radar says its a go Mark.
nola braves fan
May 30th, 2010
3:29 pm
glen burns just tweeted you are going to be ok Mark, rain staying east of you for now
"Chef" Tim Dix
May 30th, 2010
3:30 pm
safety squeeze if I’m managing…
nola braves fan
May 30th, 2010
3:31 pm
ouch… pick em up Jason…