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
Mike
July 22nd, 2010
1:45 pm
Norton was allowed to stay one year too long. He was okay for a while, just couldn’t keep it going.
Mitchell
July 22nd, 2010
1:45 pm
Huge run right there.
Let’s get a win Braves.
Katherine
July 22nd, 2010
1:45 pm
I’m so glad Heyward is healthy
oldbird
July 22nd, 2010
1:46 pm
Just think, Heyward is still a growing boy.
Katherine
July 22nd, 2010
1:47 pm
ok…chipper looks like he’s golfing with that swing
David Dejesus!
July 22nd, 2010
1:49 pm
The Braves need to aquire David Dejesus! Mark have you heard anything about this?
jeff becker
July 22nd, 2010
1:49 pm
not only could ross have pinch hit after mcclouth sac he could’ve stayed in for mccann to rest him, 12 innings too long for one catcher anyway, right? seems i would’ve been looking for place to get ross in anyway around then…. fredi g would make a fine manager… wouldn’t mind someone who knows how to use the hit and run better with all the walks some weak grounders resulting in first and third seems like logical next step in braves “how to win by not hitting fair balls”
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
1:50 pm
I have heard the Braves have evaluated DeJesus.
Heisenberg
July 22nd, 2010
1:51 pm
When the Marlins called up the AAA manager to the bigs after firing Gonzo, they promoted Norton to manager of the AAA team. Maybe he can be the next Braves manager? LOL
Kashi
July 22nd, 2010
1:52 pm
If this is our year, DeJesus is the answer else no world series.
Katherine
July 22nd, 2010
1:53 pm
Bite your tongue Heisenberg…hard lol
JakeNJboro
July 22nd, 2010
1:53 pm
RE: Frenchy
Two words: Brad Komminsk
Donny Corleone
July 22nd, 2010
1:53 pm
Norton would run Bobby out every day to pinch manage.
jeff becker
July 22nd, 2010
1:54 pm
wow melky actually scores a run (much more comfortable with bases empty)… melky’s sooo not a run scorer, approaches ABs like he’s a power hitter too often… see 30 runs scored in almost 300 at bats… i believe infante, hinske, others have about same runs scored in like 100 less at bats and even mcclouth has 21 with way less ABs and .170 avg….. when we got him i thot he could at least get on and run the bases… oh well at least he’s accurate when he decides to throw it in time
Steve
July 22nd, 2010
1:55 pm
Mark, who is waiting to take over 3rd base for Chipper when he retires in the minors? I think he will retire after this year. Shouldn’t they just let Omar Infante play 3rd?
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
1:56 pm
A bon mot from the Corleone family.
Josh
July 22nd, 2010
1:56 pm
Mark, Bruce Levine at ESPN listed Bobby Cox as a possible replacement for Lou in Chicago. Any chance Bobby’s “retirement” is better understood as a retirement from Atlanta than from baseball. I can envision any scenario that Cox coaches in Chicago, but I was stunned to see ESPN mention it at all.
Heisenberg
July 22nd, 2010
1:57 pm
Not that I would be in favor of Norton as the next Braves manager, but guys like that are the one that turn out to be good managers.
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
1:57 pm
No, Josh. He’s quitting.
912 Dawg
July 22nd, 2010
1:57 pm
DeJesus would be a huge pickup for the Braves, they would just have to give up so much. They need to get the speedy Rajai Davis from the Athletics. That guy is something special on the baseball field.
Katherine
July 22nd, 2010
1:58 pm
Then why not let chipper retire and be the next braves manager?
Donny Corleone
July 22nd, 2010
1:59 pm
Norton would say “Heck, Nate, I can’t play you. You’re batting .180. Wait……………”
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
2:00 pm
Tim Hudson: Good pitcher.
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
2:01 pm
I don’t think Chipper Jones wants to manage, Katherine. I think he wants to manage to shoot more animals.
912 Dawg
July 22nd, 2010
2:01 pm
@ Mark Bradley, If not Fredi Gonzalez, could you see Joe Torre returning to the Braves?
HEYMAKER!!!
July 22nd, 2010
2:01 pm
Lets GO BRAVES!!!!
Katherine
July 22nd, 2010
2:01 pm
Well, he is well liked here in Atlanta, just a thought
Mike
July 22nd, 2010
2:02 pm
Katherine: Do you believe Chipper, with no managerial, management or personnel experience, would make a better manager than everyone else on the Braves coaching staff or currently in their minor league system? That seems like a stretch. Being a great player does not make a great manager. If one naturally followed the other, Ted Williams would have been the greatest manager in history.
Heisenberg
July 22nd, 2010
2:02 pm
We do not need another left handed bat without power like DeJesus. I would rather stand pat than make that trade. Right handed bat with pop that can play CF…….there are 2. Matt Kemp & Torii Hunter. Neither of which are within our grasp.
Mitchell
July 22nd, 2010
2:02 pm
Chris
July 22nd, 2010
1:13 pm
The Braves need to win THIS game in the worst way – it would be a good sendoff for a key roadtrip and put tremendous pressure on the Phils and Mets – either of whom could fold like a lawnchair at any moment.
Thank you Chris. A Braves fan/blogger who actually cares whether his team wins or loses. That’s a rarity these days.
Do yourself a favor Chris. Do not ever go on the DOB’s blog. It’s filled with losers and douche bags who are more concerned with the slightest bit of criticism about the Braves than the outcome of games.
I’m convinced that if the Braves end up getting swept in the first round of the playoffs, you’re very likely to see some of them say something to the effect of, “The Braves fail to win a game in the divisional series and some people want to blame it on Bobby Cox. Get a grip.”
It worries me almost as much as the thought of the team going three and out. Imagine that.
Donny Corleone
July 22nd, 2010
2:02 pm
They don’t call him Ballplayer Commander.
Delbert D.
July 22nd, 2010
2:02 pm
Frenchy would maybe have been a first-round draft pick at safety with Clemson.
UKnowWho
July 22nd, 2010
2:02 pm
When I retire I dont even want to have to manage a fantasy team.
Steve
July 22nd, 2010
2:03 pm
Sure is good to have Diaz back! I don’t see why the Braves need to make anymore moves. Even Melkey in center is not THAT bad.
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
2:04 pm
Sea Bass with an RBI two-bagger. Anybody not liking this trade today?
Aaron
July 22nd, 2010
2:04 pm
Gonzo’s coming out as a brave party?!?!
Josh
July 22nd, 2010
2:04 pm
I am reading Moneyball, and the first thing I thought after reading a few chapters was, “Billy Beane would not have touched Jeff Francouer with a ten-foot pole.”
Donny Corleone
July 22nd, 2010
2:04 pm
Bream Head! Uh, Sea Bass.
Heisenberg
July 22nd, 2010
2:04 pm
Just what we need, a big lead so Wags can get some rest.
GTSteve
July 22nd, 2010
2:05 pm
If the mets dump frenchy, I wonder if he would go to college to play football
Mitchell
July 22nd, 2010
2:05 pm
F the Padres.
I could go for about eight more runs.
Kentavo
July 22nd, 2010
2:06 pm
Sea Bass is making me want to go to Bonefish Grill tonight!
Batman bin Suparman
July 22nd, 2010
2:06 pm
Who is this “Escobar” you speak of??
B.Packenwood
July 22nd, 2010
2:06 pm
Frenchy is still batting about 60-70 pts better than McLouth
GTSteve
July 22nd, 2010
2:06 pm
At least there is one A Gonzalez hitting in this series
NJBravesFan
July 22nd, 2010
2:06 pm
@Katherine. And if you meet Chipper in person, he is an a$$. Someone told me that a long time ago and I defended him until I finally saw it for myself.
Mitchell
July 22nd, 2010
2:07 pm
<i.Josh
July 22nd, 2010
2:04 pm
I am reading Moneyball, and the first thing I thought after reading a few chapters was, “Billy Beane would not have touched Jeff Francouer with a ten-foot pole.”
I started ready Moneyball recently. But then I stopped.
It was boring.
Donny Corleone
July 22nd, 2010
2:07 pm
Hudson’s gonna make ‘em pay.
Mitchell
July 22nd, 2010
2:08 pm
Wow. I really fell down on the job of italicizing there.
I’m embarrassed.
Watch Tim go deep.
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
2:08 pm
Walking Melky C. to get to Tim H. Don’t know if I’d a-done that.