Live from the Braves’ game, not long after a really tough loss
Jerry Hairston Jr. slides home with the equalizer last night. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
A few words about, er, me: For nearly two decades I expected the Braves to win every game — even though I knew they wouldn’t, I still expected it — because for nearly two decades they did nothing but win. Then they stopped winning, and gradually I came to expect less.
But over the past two months I’ve been geeting that feeling once more: That a Braves’ victory is something close to inevitable, that they’re going to figure out a way to win even if you’re never sure just how they’re managing it. And I operated, as you blog and Twitter folks well know, on that assumption last night. And the Braves …
Well, they didn’t win.
They blew a ninth-inning lead for only the second time this season. Billy Wagner failed to close a game for only the second time in almost two months. They messed around a while longer before losing in the 12th inning. It didn’t hurt the Braves in the standings — the Mets and Phils both lost again — but it served as a nice little reminder. (At least for me.)
This is baseball. Nothing is inevitable.
And on that semi-sobering note, I open the floor again for questions, comments and other metaphysical garbage. And yes, before you even ask, it’s hot at the ol’ ballyard today. Too hot. We need a roof. Somebody get Arthur Blank on it, will you?
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540 comments Add your comment
Heisenberg
July 22nd, 2010
3:46 pm
if you listen to the game on the radio with gamecast, the radio is live but gamecast is usually a few pitches behind
Bobby Coccyx
July 22nd, 2010
3:46 pm
You know my motto – ‘Never take a pitcher out of the game until at least one batter too late!!’
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
3:46 pm
He was all over the place.
jeff becker
July 22nd, 2010
3:46 pm
gt alum: ok thanks
jeff becker
July 22nd, 2010
3:47 pm
thanks mark
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
3:47 pm
Sea Bass with a backhanded flip to start a DP. That’s how it’s done.
Aaron
July 22nd, 2010
3:47 pm
And Dunn keeps the era of 0.00
Shane
July 22nd, 2010
3:47 pm
THIS IS WHO WE TRADED VAZQUEZ FOR?!?
No we traded him for Melky Cabrera, their top pitching prospect Adroys Vizcaino, and this guy.
Mitchell
July 22nd, 2010
3:47 pm
Why does Bobby worry so much about his starting pitchers as opposed to the damn bullpen?!
The starters get four to five days rest. The bullpen guys should be thankful he doesn’t bring them in to work on off-days..
I don’t get it. The guy had three of the greatest pitchers in baseball history and all he thinks about is “saving” his starters.
Well, he did a hell of a job of that last year. He saved them from having to pitch the whole month of October. That’s love right there.
Katherine
July 22nd, 2010
3:47 pm
I love Bobby..but he does tend to leave pitchers in there way to long
jeff becker
July 22nd, 2010
3:47 pm
hehe was halfway done typing peter “double play” moyland
Shane
July 22nd, 2010
3:48 pm
You know my motto – ‘Never take a pitcher out of the game until at least one batter too late!!’
Yup it sure was too late their wasn’t it genius
jeff becker
July 22nd, 2010
3:48 pm
moylan
Braves fan80
July 22nd, 2010
3:48 pm
Good boy Moylan!!!!!!!
Shane
July 22nd, 2010
3:49 pm
I love Bobby..but he does tend to leave pitchers in there way to long
With an 8 run lead im surprised he didn’t leave him in their longer. If he was anywhere near the plate he would and should have.
bruce
July 22nd, 2010
3:49 pm
thanks Mark, all ok now… ready for next assignment
jeff becker
July 22nd, 2010
3:49 pm
mcclouth gets an AB, sea bass a chance for 5-5… good luck boys
Kentavo
July 22nd, 2010
3:49 pm
Will Booby let Chavez come in the 9th and give up 4-5 runs?
Katherine
July 22nd, 2010
3:50 pm
But thats just it…he wasn’t anywhere near the plate shane.
Mike
July 22nd, 2010
3:50 pm
Dunn not getting it done. Chavez a recurring possible nightmare. Kawakami non-existent. So there are at least three jobs available in the bullpen. Talk about the solid bullpen should be quieted .. They do not have enough quality behind Wagner, Venters and Moylan .. Somebody else needs to take up the slack so those guys are not totally thrown out in September and October .. If not Dunn, Chavez and Kawakami, then let’s go find somebody else .. This is more important than finding an outfielder.
deb
July 22nd, 2010
3:50 pm
Heisenberg, my MLB gameday still shows Moylen pitching to Hundley. ESPN is much better.
ReddJonn68
July 22nd, 2010
3:50 pm
J-Hey is looking better. He still is in a bit of a power slump though, I hope this thumb thing doesn’t linger all season.
Bobby Coccyx
July 22nd, 2010
3:50 pm
He’s a good kid though.
captain Midnight.
July 22nd, 2010
3:51 pm
If some of thes eggheads could have sit through the Braves clubs of the 70’s and 80’s they would appreciate this team today. Pardon me while I fix myself a Jack Daniels to celebrate how great I am.
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
3:52 pm
Nate McLouth’s average of .177 takes a dip.
Shane
July 22nd, 2010
3:52 pm
The starters get four to five days rest. The bullpen guys should be thankful he doesn’t bring them in to work on off-days..
They get paid to pitch every day. Mitchell im sure your a nice guy but you dont know baseball.
jeff becker
July 22nd, 2010
3:52 pm
j hey’s feeling “great” and “as good as he has in a long time” they said last nite
ReddJonn68
July 22nd, 2010
3:53 pm
Exactly what the Doctor ordered !!!
Shane
July 22nd, 2010
3:53 pm
But thats just it…he wasn’t anywhere near the plate shane.
And thats why he took him out
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
3:54 pm
The Braves’ A. Gonzlez makes an out. His first of the day. He and McLouth have each made one out.
Donny Corleone
July 22nd, 2010
3:54 pm
Nate’s gonna snap out of it any day now………any………..day.
Katherine
July 22nd, 2010
3:54 pm
speak for yourself captain egghead
jeff becker
July 22nd, 2010
3:54 pm
ratfarts
ReddJonn68
July 22nd, 2010
3:54 pm
Hey Mark are Bobby & Mclouth fishing buddies ? Whats up ?
Katherine
July 22nd, 2010
3:55 pm
Any…day
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
3:56 pm
I think the Braves feel they have to give Nate McLouth every chance to prove he hasn’t lost it.
Donny Corleone
July 22nd, 2010
3:56 pm
Redd, a sub .180 batting average is OK in Bobby’s book.
Shane
July 22nd, 2010
3:56 pm
You dont leave a 36 year old pitcher in the game who is recovering from Tommy John surgery on a 100 degree day to pitch an eight inning on the day. He had already thrown 101 pitches.
Would have been dumb dumb dumb.
I dont care how many guys you have to use out of the bullpen.
Donny Corleone
July 22nd, 2010
3:58 pm
Right you are Shane.
Sutton's Fro
July 22nd, 2010
3:58 pm
That’s nice, Mark. Why do they think he ever had “it?” To me , it looks like McLouth is a below-average guy who once had an above-average stretch of good play.
Shane
July 22nd, 2010
3:58 pm
Redd, a sub .180 batting average is OK in Bobby’s book.
Absolutely it is. I can remember hearing Bobby saying all the time on the post game show. ” If I could only get a few more guys that hit around .180 we would be fine.”
ReddJonn68
July 22nd, 2010
3:59 pm
Well in the post season lineups, the only .180 batters are gonna be NL pitchers.
SG10
July 22nd, 2010
3:59 pm
Why isn’t Kawakami pitching in any game?
Donny Corleone
July 22nd, 2010
3:59 pm
Shane, it worked for Norton all last year.
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
4:00 pm
People. don’t cast me as a McLouth defender.
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
4:00 pm
Because they want to win, SG10.
Katherine
July 22nd, 2010
4:00 pm
Kawakami is recovering from a very bad deer thumb incident.
Heisenberg
July 22nd, 2010
4:01 pm
McOut will break out of his slump when donkeys fly. Wait…what?
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&q=russia+donkey+parasail&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&pbx=1&fp=7d67d6643e4ec592
Ashley
July 22nd, 2010
4:01 pm
Great job Braves!
Sonny Clusters
July 22nd, 2010
4:01 pm
We was victorious! Good job, Mark.