Live from Braves-Phils: First place – wouldn’t it be nice?
"Got to keep those lovin' good vibrations happenin'." (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
The Braves haven’t been in first place this late in a season since Oct. 2, 2005. They’ll be in first place if they win today.
How’s that for a snappy lead?
Memorial Day at the ballyard. Phils in the house.Big crowd assembling. Traffic a mess. Clouds overhead. Beach Boys to perform afterward.
(And here I pause for a Beach Boys digression. I saw Brian Wilson perform at the Daytona 500 a few years ago, and I thought to myself: Here’s an individual who couldn’t bring himself to leave his house — the one with the sandbox in the living room — for years at a time, and now he’s standing up there in front of a couple hundred thousand other individuals.)
Chipper Jones said it Sunday: “We’d like to win two of three. When we’ve played these guys the last few years, we went in knowing we had to sweep.”
True enough. Since 2005, which ended the run of excellence, the latest the Braves have been in first was May 15, 2007. So you could say there’s something at stake today. Then again …
It’s baseball. This is Game No. 51. There will be 111 games remaining after this. You don’t clinch pennants on Memorial Day, and the Phillies, who have been hurting — Jimmy Rollins is on the disabled list and Placido Polanco has been hurt — and who haven’t been scoring (six runs in the past eight games, three in the past six). And the Braves won’t face either Roy Halladay, who just worked a perfect game, or Jamie Moyer, who’s 2-0 against the Braves this season without yielding an earned run.
In sum, you have to think the Braves have a splendid chance to win this series, which would not only put them in first place on Memorial Day but would leave them there on June 2. Which would be big news ’round here.
And I’ll be here to witness the doings, and I invite you to join me. And if Brian Wilson and Mike Love get into a fistfight afterward — Love famously thought Wilson’s shelved masterpiece “Smile” was gobbedlygook — I’ll tell you who prevails.
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513 comments Add your comment
Elliptical Logician
May 31st, 2010
3:45 pm
Just hope that Glaus can stay healthy through the summer. Announcers just said he’s been a bit gimpy. Mark, any word on Troy’s physical condition? Sure looks like he’s in good shape.
chris
May 31st, 2010
3:46 pm
ya good point brock. but they actually train you to do that. on tv you talk about background stuff. the people listening can see the baseball. and on radio you talk about the game more. but joe does take it a little far.
Bravissimo
May 31st, 2010
3:46 pm
Schlitz…lol
Brock
May 31st, 2010
3:46 pm
Bo- not sure that was sarcastic or not. If not thanks. If so, thanks anyway.
kurula
May 31st, 2010
3:46 pm
what’s the last straw for mclouth? where does his batting average have to fall before he is no longer in the line up?
Poorbrave
May 31st, 2010
3:46 pm
Braves need to wear White Caps all the time?
Ashley
May 31st, 2010
3:46 pm
Hope the Phillies offense has gone back to sleep.
IlliniBrave
May 31st, 2010
3:46 pm
Cornfuzed:
Don’t EVER invoke that name on this blog. You might junx the whole thing!
That huffing-and-puffing, hyper-sweaty, tub of goo was perhaps the worst pitcher in Braves history. Then again, Dan Kolb could give him a run for the money.
Sid
May 31st, 2010
3:46 pm
good teams have the ability to put games away late…..the Braves have been showing that ability the last couple of weeks.
Mark Bradley
May 31st, 2010
3:47 pm
I don’t know anything about Glaus hurting. He seemed to make it around the bases fine after he hit the ball over the wall.
Brave New World
May 31st, 2010
3:47 pm
What’s the score? Just kidding…
The Citizen
May 31st, 2010
3:48 pm
Mark: Is it safe to safe Johnny Venters has been the silent MVP of the bullpen so far this season? He never lets a game get worse if they’re down and doesn’t blow leads, no matter when or in what situation they need. All of it done without much hoopla.
Brock
May 31st, 2010
3:48 pm
cmon Bravissimo- you know you would buy it if it was sold in your hood. Lucky to be in CIncy where beer is #1 and god runs a close second.
Bravissimo
May 31st, 2010
3:48 pm
Or as the commercial says…” I dont often drink beer, but when I do I drink Pabst Blue Ribbon. Stay thirsty my friend.
Bo Diddley
May 31st, 2010
3:48 pm
Brock, not sarcastic at all. I shall reserve sarcasm for the less rational Cox-bashers.
Mark Bradley
May 31st, 2010
3:49 pm
Venters has been good. Saito has been good, too. This is a fine bullpen. The Phillies would love to have it.
Bravissimo
May 31st, 2010
3:49 pm
Brock I just love beer…the only requirement is that its cold
Mark Bradley
May 31st, 2010
3:50 pm
Cincinnati beers: Hudepohl; Wiedemann, Schoenling.
Brock
May 31st, 2010
3:50 pm
you know, not always been a basher. Liked the guy for years. Just need a change I guess.
GO Venters.
ATL FAN363
May 31st, 2010
3:50 pm
quick inng
Cornfuzed
May 31st, 2010
3:50 pm
Announcers yesterday said something about Glaus having a nagging foot injury.
Brave New World
May 31st, 2010
3:50 pm
kurula – enjoy a win and leave your personal life “outta here”
The Citizen
May 31st, 2010
3:50 pm
Oops. Jonny.
Brock
May 31st, 2010
3:50 pm
Now they have Hudy delight. $5 a 6 pk. Not bad beer.
Marty
May 31st, 2010
3:51 pm
We shoulld be in first in about 30 minutes. WOW!!!!!!!!!!! Didn’t see this in April.
Elliptical Logician
May 31st, 2010
3:51 pm
Wiedemann’s was the cheapest coma I ever induced.
Sid
May 31st, 2010
3:51 pm
Brock…when I hear Cincy remember being there when Francisco Cabrera hit that famous homerun to beat the Reds and sent the Braves running to first place in ‘91. Still gives me chills.
Brock
May 31st, 2010
3:51 pm
Mark- you obviously been here before. Skyline anyone!!
kurula
May 31st, 2010
3:52 pm
um…what?
Bravissimo
May 31st, 2010
3:52 pm
42543….sounds like a sell out to me MB?
David
May 31st, 2010
3:53 pm
Didn’t i say during that 3 run Phillies inning that the Braves can get those runs right back??? Well Consider it done.THANK YOU GLAUS.Glad to see you are hitting now.
.
May 31st, 2010
3:53 pm
kurula has no personal-life.
J.J.M.
May 31st, 2010
3:53 pm
anybody grilling today?
Mark Bradley
May 31st, 2010
3:53 pm
I grew up 60 miles from Cincinnati. My wife and one daughter are in Northern Kentucky as we speak.
roger
May 31st, 2010
3:53 pm
I knew everyone would be eating there words on Glaus in April, love the way he goes to all fields with power
Mark Bradley
May 31st, 2010
3:54 pm
It’s not a sellout. Place holds around 50,000.
Brock
May 31st, 2010
3:54 pm
nice logician. I intend on being a Schlitz-ophrenic by end of day
Mark Bradley
May 31st, 2010
3:54 pm
And I enjoy Skyline very much. Even more than Gold Star, which is good, too.
roger
May 31st, 2010
3:54 pm
prado is the man
.
May 31st, 2010
3:55 pm
brave new world is drunk
kurula
May 31st, 2010
3:55 pm
what are you guys talking about?
Mark Bradley
May 31st, 2010
3:55 pm
All those Cincinnati beers — and I forgot about Burger — were Reds sponsors back in the ’60s.
Brave New World
May 31st, 2010
3:56 pm
go prado. Let’s pour it on (just leave some for tomorrow)
NCBravesFan
May 31st, 2010
3:56 pm
The Troy of April was awful, but May has been a high Glaus month for him and the Braves!
IlliniBrave
May 31st, 2010
3:56 pm
Chili Three-Way at Skyline – wow that brings back great memories. Born in Hamilton, lived up the road in Colmbus for awhile.
roger
May 31st, 2010
3:57 pm
except for two braves in april, every Brave was awful
Mark Bradley
May 31st, 2010
3:57 pm
The many Bradley daughters insist I wouldn’t mind eating Chick-fil-A every day. And I wouldn’t. But I wouldn’t mind dining at Skyline as a daily occurrence, either.
"Chef" Tim Dix
May 31st, 2010
3:58 pm
Mark, please leave the library of Chef comments out.
Brave New World
May 31st, 2010
3:58 pm
brave new world doesn’t drink, except that one time with your mama. she kept forcing me to do things that i regret to this day. i don’t talk about it much
Mark Bradley
May 31st, 2010
3:58 pm
Speaking of Jesse Chavez … he’s pitching.