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
2:43 pm
It’s so hot that Chipper was taking off his own shirt.
jeff becker
July 22nd, 2010
2:43 pm
with pitcher coming up, even tho huddy, u know… thanks donny
NCBravesFan
July 22nd, 2010
2:43 pm
Aren’t Francouer and Dayton Moore friends from Dayton’s ATL days?
Aaron
July 22nd, 2010
2:43 pm
That image of the Padres bullpen is hysterical. I will have to freeze frame that.
SG10
July 22nd, 2010
2:43 pm
If Frenchy goes to AL, I could actually root for that guy. It was too hard with him playing for the Mets. It is kind of sad to see him fall from such great heights when he started.
Trade Nate for a Bag of Balls
July 22nd, 2010
2:44 pm
trade McClown for Francoeur
Katherine
July 22nd, 2010
2:44 pm
They are clicking their heels saying…there’s no place like home…there’s no place like home.
Aaron
July 22nd, 2010
2:46 pm
@ SG 10, Unlikely, but I hear Yankees could be a fit. Again, I consider it unlikely, but then again I would never have thought we would trade him to the mets.
jeff becker
July 22nd, 2010
2:46 pm
hudson surging toward quick pitch expose… prolly can’t go nine tho
B.Packenwood
July 22nd, 2010
2:46 pm
Adrian Gonzalez has a hit!
Heisenberg
July 22nd, 2010
2:46 pm
TNFABOB, that would be a decent trade. We could non-tender frenchy after season and leave the NY Mess with McOut’s contract.
912 Dawg
July 22nd, 2010
2:47 pm
“If Frenchy went to KC, he would be a Royal pain.” Sounds like a Chip Caray joke
912 Dawg
July 22nd, 2010
2:47 pm
“If Frenchy went to KC, he would be a Royal pain.” Sounds like a Chip Caray joke
B.Packenwood
July 22nd, 2010
2:48 pm
Kind of like “a Ric Flair to right” like the announcer said last nite
Donny Corleone
July 22nd, 2010
2:48 pm
We’re stuck with Nate. His contract looked good when we got him, But now…..not so much.
Katherine
July 22nd, 2010
2:48 pm
If Frenchy went to the diamondbacks, it would bite them in the butt
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
2:48 pm
It’s a hot day. Don’t see anybody going nine in this heat.
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
2:49 pm
Yes they are, NC.
jeff becker
July 22nd, 2010
2:49 pm
wonder what our record would be if we scored four runs every day from here on out
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
2:49 pm
That’s correct, BP. Brooklyn Decker was here because her good-for-nothing husband threw out the first pitch Wednesday.
Trade Nate for a Bag of Balls
July 22nd, 2010
2:50 pm
I would give McClown to the Philles or Mets for free
Aaron
July 22nd, 2010
2:50 pm
I would think it would be below .500
jeff becker
July 22nd, 2010
2:50 pm
eight would even be impressive with pitch count… would be much more relaxed if he could go eight tho
deb
July 22nd, 2010
2:50 pm
@Katherine…With Frenchy’s luck he would get sent to the DBacks and they would trade away his former brave friends to another team.
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
2:51 pm
Jeff Becker, Gonzalez could not have scored on Cabrera’s double.
Aaron
July 22nd, 2010
2:51 pm
How unlucky has Prado been?
912 Dawg
July 22nd, 2010
2:51 pm
If Frenchy went to Florida he would be like a fish out of water. I think we could all write Chip’s jokes for him
Katherine
July 22nd, 2010
2:51 pm
who is her good for nothing husband mark?
Mark Bradley
July 22nd, 2010
2:52 pm
Matchups for Marlins series: Lowe vs. Sanabia, Friday; Medlen vs. Sanchez, Saturday; Jurrjens vs. TBD, Sunday.
B.Packenwood
July 22nd, 2010
2:52 pm
If Prado had been running harder he would have beat that one out. Not that I am going to start critisizing our best player for not hustling.
jeff becker
July 22nd, 2010
2:52 pm
dang. prado needs one to fall
B.Packenwood
July 22nd, 2010
2:52 pm
Andy Roddick, Katherine
Bat Masterson
July 22nd, 2010
2:52 pm
That’s correct, BP. Brooklyn Decker was here because her good-for-nothing husband threw out the first pitch Wednesday.
Got her out to the park, gotta like that.
Katherine
July 22nd, 2010
2:53 pm
ha ha 912…good one. If frenchy went to chicago he’d have to bring a lot of……white socks lol
jeff becker
July 22nd, 2010
2:53 pm
re gonzo: thanks mark, wish i was watching
Katherine
July 22nd, 2010
2:53 pm
Ohhh…well lucky her then
Mitchell
July 22nd, 2010
2:54 pm
Have the Braves forgotten about their magic number?
Not the number to win the division. I’m talking about the number five, baby.
Gotta get that fifth run and we’re golden.
Batman bin Suparman
July 22nd, 2010
2:54 pm
I like Jurrjens’ chances against TBD, but I don’t have any stats on the latter.
deb
July 22nd, 2010
2:54 pm
Katherine she’s married to Andy Dick. what do you call him and actor, comedian? I don’t think he’s either, but whatever..
B.Packenwood
July 22nd, 2010
2:54 pm
Dont worry Mark, Brooklyn just has Andy as her boytoy. You can be her sugar daddy one day.
deb
July 22nd, 2010
2:55 pm
oops, I misgoogled the roddick. oops
Katherine
July 22nd, 2010
2:56 pm
There is a huge difference between andy dick and andy roddick lol HUGE
B.Packenwood
July 22nd, 2010
2:56 pm
Deb, Andy Roddick, not Andy Dick.
Donny Corleone
July 22nd, 2010
2:56 pm
At least it’s not a lot to live up to, Mark.
jeff becker
July 22nd, 2010
2:57 pm
leadoff walk in seventh usually red flag for huddy
John Kruk's Offspring
July 22nd, 2010
2:57 pm
I like the Braves homepage on ajc.com, Mark. The big headline: “BRAVES-PADRES: LIVE CHAT WITH DOB.” And then underneath in very small letters: “Chat Live with Mark Bradley as well.”
Kentavo
July 22nd, 2010
2:57 pm
Doesn’t Bobby have access to stats that say Hudson usually has a terrible 7th inning; which usually start with lead-off walk?
Sonny Clusters
July 22nd, 2010
2:59 pm
We was told by somebody that would know that a certain Braves player keeps a salt lick in his locker and a Rob Deer rookie card. Not sure what that means but that would support the deer thumb rumor. We was wondering about Melky throwing that runner out from centerfield and Blanco playing great center and then McLouth getting the start last night and acting like he didn’t want to be there. His swing starts down low and ends up high and that is part of his problem.
jeff becker
July 22nd, 2010
2:59 pm
big big K there
Aaron
July 22nd, 2010
2:59 pm
Cole Hamels struck out first 5 batters he faced.