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
Donny Corleone
July 22nd, 2010
2:09 pm
Bad luck.
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
2:10 pm
I’ll defend Chipper. He’s one of my favorite pro athletes ever. In the top five, along with Dominique Wilkins and Tom Glavine and Gerald Riggs and Charles Barkley.
Ron
July 22nd, 2010
2:10 pm
Brandon
July 22nd, 2010
1:34 pm
hey everyone here is a link for the game atdhe.net then click on the braves link
Brandon thanks for the link. That is awesome. I will check that site in the future as well!
Katherine
July 22nd, 2010
2:10 pm
No I was just throwing ideas out there about Chipper…I realize he wouldnt be the best choice.
Donny Corleone
July 22nd, 2010
2:10 pm
You left out O. J.
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
2:11 pm
Hudson nearly had an RBI single. Nice play by Chase Headley. He chased down that grounder, heh heh.
Josh
July 22nd, 2010
2:11 pm
What about a top 5 of your least favorite pro athletes ever?
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
2:11 pm
I was an O.J. fan at one time, I’ll admit.
Steve
July 22nd, 2010
2:12 pm
Ha ha. Good one Mark.
Donny Corleone
July 22nd, 2010
2:12 pm
Mark, What changed your mind?
Heisenberg
July 22nd, 2010
2:13 pm
Sure, OJ. Then add Tiger, Big Ben, Lebron, & Pacman. Now there is a top 5 for you.
Katherine
July 22nd, 2010
2:13 pm
If we are talking about what athletes do strictly on the field, not in their personal lives, then i could see that Mark.
Heisenberg
July 22nd, 2010
2:13 pm
almost forgot TO
Nerds wish they had red panties in their lap
July 22nd, 2010
2:14 pm
Mark, why does no one mention Hubbard as manager material?
Donny Corleone
July 22nd, 2010
2:15 pm
I’d give her that foul ball.
oldbird
July 22nd, 2010
2:15 pm
Heisenberg – What about Vick?
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
2:15 pm
Actually, I’m talking about how well they handle stardom and the media. It’s a little selfish on my part, I’ll admit. But I’m not St. Francis.
Batman bin Suparman
July 22nd, 2010
2:16 pm
Mark, I know this game isn’t over yet, but what’s your prediction for the series against the Marlins?
B.Packenwood
July 22nd, 2010
2:17 pm
Hudson batting almost .100 higher than McLouth. We need a DH for the centerfielder when he plays.
Heisenberg
July 22nd, 2010
2:17 pm
Yes Ron Mexico. Gonna have to make it a top 10
NCBravesFan
July 22nd, 2010
2:17 pm
Nice rebound by the Braves so far today – that’s what the good ones do after a tough loss. You’d think the season was over after the blog posts last night!
Sonny Clusters
July 22nd, 2010
2:17 pm
We was almost left out and then we realized this blog was going on.
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
2:17 pm
Marlins sweep. Batman. I’m tired of jinxing the Braves.
Katherine
July 22nd, 2010
2:18 pm
Batman…I predict in the Marlins series…it will rain.
Chanticleer
July 22nd, 2010
2:18 pm
I use to be a big Gheorghe Muresan fan until My Giant came out.
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
2:18 pm
Hey, Sonny. Still pondering the “deer thumb.”
deb
July 22nd, 2010
2:18 pm
Mark, despite last night, Wagner is a great closer..do we have anyone now who can take over as closer after Billy retires, or will they trade for another experienced closer after the season ends? No one else we have right now seems consistent enough except Venters and we need him for middle relief.
Donny Corleone
July 22nd, 2010
2:18 pm
Packenwood, is your first name Ben?
Josh
July 22nd, 2010
2:18 pm
At least we won’t have to face Josh Johnson. Give me that guy over Ubaldo any day.
Sonny Clusters
July 22nd, 2010
2:18 pm
McLouth must have found a deer foot in his locker. Where is he today? Deer foot in the locker = soon to be gone.
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
2:19 pm
But “deer thumb” did remind me of a baseball trivia question: How many active big-league outfielders have one arm?
deb
July 22nd, 2010
2:19 pm
Re: Nate, he’s an awesome base runner and he’s great in the field, I wish he could get his bat back like last year. Re: Yunel, I really liked him, (especially last year!) but he obviously wasn’t happy here and the clubhouse wasn’t happy with him. Even if he makes his comeback in Toronto, he had to go.
Donny Corleone
July 22nd, 2010
2:20 pm
All of ‘em.
Katherine
July 22nd, 2010
2:20 pm
I’m still laughing about that deer thumb lol
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
2:20 pm
Good screen name, Chanticleer. And I refuse to see athletes in movies. For me, the worst part of “Airplane!” was Kareem.
GTSteve
July 22nd, 2010
2:20 pm
All of them do Mark
Batman bin Suparman
July 22nd, 2010
2:21 pm
Well played, Mark and Katherine LOL
B.Packenwood
July 22nd, 2010
2:22 pm
Dr Benjamin Richard Packenwood III, esq.
Donny Corleone
July 22nd, 2010
2:22 pm
What do I win?
Nerds wish they had red panties in their lap
July 22nd, 2010
2:22 pm
Is my screen name why you won’t answer my question about Hubbard, MB?
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
2:22 pm
I hate it when the first responder gets it right. Kudos, GTSteve.
Katherine
July 22nd, 2010
2:23 pm
I even googled deer thumb just because I was so confused lol
Sonny Clusters
July 22nd, 2010
2:23 pm
Chipper is using a deerskin glove according to somebody close to the game (and about to be traded to somebody else) but we are not at liberty to reveal their identity. Deer thumbs are not all that popular and Chipper may have the only one on the team. Deer parts are easily available when you are a buck commander. Wonder if Gonzales will join up?
Donny Corleone
July 22nd, 2010
2:23 pm
Hey, Mark I was first.
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
2:24 pm
Sorry. Donny Corleone beat GTSteve to it. I’m getting confused.
GTSteve
July 22nd, 2010
2:24 pm
I have to give kudos to Donny Corleone, he got it before me…I don’t want to get whacked
Steve
July 22nd, 2010
2:24 pm
How about a shout out to James Gammon! He did a heck of a job for the Indians in Major League. Best baseball movie ever.
NCBravesFan
July 22nd, 2010
2:25 pm
“Dunn was over Unger and I was under Dunn.”
“Roger.”
“What?!”
B.Packenwood
July 22nd, 2010
2:25 pm
Random question: Did anyone else think the woman the UGA AD got caught with was kind of ugly? And I am not even that picky!
deb
July 22nd, 2010
2:25 pm
But speaking of one arm (for real), what was the name of that pitcher who had one arm?