Update! The Philly series: Braves sweep? Braves get swept?
This was Doc Halladay against the Braves in April. Note zeroes. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
A couple of updates: As you’ve heard, the Braves will NOT deploy Jair Jurrjens tonight. They’ll hand the ball to Brandon Beachy, of whom you’ve never heard. And — here’s the good news — I’m in Philadelphia and will be monitoring developments from the press box at Citizens Bank Park, and this development induced Bobby Cox to pause during his pregame media briefing and say, “Mark Bradley is here. He’s our good-luck charm.” (Which I’m not, but never mind.)
Here we see two ways of approaching a regular-season series. Charlie Manuel, the homespun Philly manager, has set his rotation as if these were the playoffs: Cole Hamels, Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt. Bobby Cox, the greatest regular-season manager ever, has chosen not to tweak his rotation.
Thus will the Braves attempt to counter the Phillies’ Big Three with Jair Jurrjens, Mike Minor and Tommy Hanson. This isn’t a bad threesome — and a lefty like Minor could be disproportionately effective against the lefty-heavy Phils — but it doesn’t include Tim Hudson, who has been the Braves’ best pitcher in 2010, or Derek Lowe, who has been the best in September.
To have expected Cox to differentiate from the methods of a lifetime would have been to forget who this man is: He’s the man who started Eddie Perez, Tony Graffanino, Gerald Williams and Danny Bautista in Game 3 of an NLCS the Braves trailed 2-0. (The year was 1998, the opponent San Diego.)
Cox isn’t a man to differentiate from the norm, which is why his teams assume such an even disposition. And also, I would submit, why the Braves could go to New York and sweep the Mets after losing a home series to the Nationals. Because this team does not panic.
Loading ...That said, I’m having a tough time seeing the Braves winning this series. I don’t think they’ll take the collar, but I think they’ll leave Philly four games back and essentially playing for the wild card. Which isn’t the worst thing that could happen.
And here’s where I ask you kind folks: What do you think? Braves sweep? Braves get swept? Braves and Phils split? (Hee, hee. Little joke)
Both teams, it must be noted, enter on a high. The Braves come off their big showing in the Big Apple, capped by Derrek Lee’s grand slam. The Phillies have won seven in a row, capped by Jayson Werth’s walk-off home run Sunday. We’ve waited a while for these teams to meet again, and here it is. And now we’ll see what’s what.
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357 comments Add your comment
OBX dawg
September 20th, 2010
9:53 am
Are you kidding? I’m first!!!!!!!!!
RaleighDawg
September 20th, 2010
9:54 am
Braves choke…to paraphrase a great columnist “…To expect the Braves to differentiate from their methods of a lifetime would be to forget who this team is…”
DCBravosFan
September 20th, 2010
9:55 am
Braves win one of three. Hamels, Oswalt, and Halladay are pretty tough to beat. Hoping for a Bravos sweep, but reality sets in this week!
Brazil Boy
September 20th, 2010
9:57 am
Braves sweep!
DCBravosFan
September 20th, 2010
10:00 am
Also, am I reading that the Bravos are considering throwing a minor leaguer into today’s start if JJ can’t go??? Kind of a pressure situation for an unknown quantity, is it not?
Jair Jurrjens / A Braves minor league pitcher is probably in trouble | Sporty Twits
September 20th, 2010
10:00 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)The big series in Philly: Braves sweep? Braves get swept?Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)Thus will the Braves attempt to counter the Phillies' Big Three with Jair Jurrjens, Mike Minor and Tommy Hanson. This isn'ta bad threesome — and a lefty … [...]
5150 P.O.A.D
September 20th, 2010
10:03 am
This is where the rubbere meets the raod. Braves need to win the Series to get back in the Lead. a split does the Braves no good. I want to win not just be the wildcard. come on JJ and get it done tonight.
chalkdawg4
September 20th, 2010
10:03 am
I’ll be happy with one win. Just avoid the sweep. I don’t see us catching the Phils. Too much talent there with all the injured players back.
Brad
September 20th, 2010
10:05 am
Win 1 out of 3
Brad
September 20th, 2010
10:06 am
They win tonight and lose the next two.
Ellen
September 20th, 2010
10:08 am
With those 3 starters the Phillies are throwing at them, I think the best anyone can hope for is to win at least 1 game. Would love for them to win all 3, but just do not see that happening.
ernisTbass
September 20th, 2010
10:13 am
If they can leave still leading the wild card race it will be a victory, if they leave tied for the division it will be a miracle
CT Braves Fan
September 20th, 2010
10:14 am
Many times during the 14 year run, I often wondered if the Braves’ fate would be different if they went in as the wild card. There just seems to be so much less pressure in opening a playoff series on the road and just needing/wanting to split two (vs opening with 2 at home and the pressure to win them)…that being said, in 2010, I have been hoping for a division title so the Braves get home field…especially given this season’s home/away splits…ultimately, though, we just need to get into the tournament…I think we’ll go 3-3 vs Philly down the stretch but hold off the Rockies and take the wild card.
fightins
September 20th, 2010
10:16 am
BOOM…BOOM…BOOM! That freight train that has been bearing down on you…ITS ARRIVED. The Phillies will now crush any hope the Braves have/had of winning the division.
Phillies, Class of the NL
September 20th, 2010
10:17 am
Bravos are walking into an ambush tonight – JV, meet the Varsity.
CT Braves Fan
September 20th, 2010
10:19 am
Is it too much to ask the Philly fans who crash these boards to use proper punctuation? Probably.
Phillies, Class of the NL
September 20th, 2010
10:19 am
Enter your comments here
JC from DR!
September 20th, 2010
10:20 am
This was just another season that got screwed up by Bobby Cox!
Cant wait for 2011, the begining of a Coxless era.
T-Bone
September 20th, 2010
10:20 am
Braves win one in this series (the one Minor Pitches) but take 2 of 3 when the Phillies come to Atl. So they split the two series. I predict the two teams will end up exactly where they are now–3 games apart. So the hope is that the Pads/Rocks/Giants don’t catch them for the WC.
Phillies, Class of the NL
September 20th, 2010
10:21 am
this ain’t the Mutts you’ll be playing tonight – get ready to play a real September baseball team – JV, meet the Varsity.
Phillies, Class of the NL
September 20th, 2010
10:21 am
The NL Champs will not only beat the braves, they will dismantle them and leave them reeling…
Reality
September 20th, 2010
10:22 am
The reality of this situation is….that I’m freaking terrified of what could happen here. This is our season, right here. We sweep them, and we charge into the final week and a half with all kinds of momentum. They sweep us, we may be out of the playoffs. I don’t know how much faith to have….
Phillies, Class of the NL
September 20th, 2010
10:22 am
this isn’t like facing the Mutts, this is a real baseball team that knows how to win in September – get ready to get smacked.
Phillies, Class of the NL
September 20th, 2010
10:25 am
I’ll tell you exactly what happens Reality – The NL Champ Phillies send a message to the braves – we take care of this now, thats why Charlie Manuel is a genius, and Bobby Cox is an above-average, but ultimately disappointing manager
Phillies, Class of the NL
September 20th, 2010
10:26 am
the reality of the situation is that there isn’t a National League team that can compete with the Phillies – the true test for the Phillies comes in the World Series – where the AL has 3 teams that can compete – Yankees, Rays, Twins.
Don Carmen
September 20th, 2010
10:28 am
the Phillies could lose tonight and it would be absolutely no big deal at all – thats the confidence you have when your lineup is scorching and you pitch Hamels, Halladay, Oswalt – you KNOW you will win the series, if not sweep it.
southern hope
September 20th, 2010
10:28 am
They win 2 of 3….game 1 & game 3.
sportsmandh
September 20th, 2010
10:28 am
No KK if Jurrjens is hurt? Wow, 7 mil really doesn’t get you much huh? Seriously though, if that happens KK must really be mad. If he is mad, maybe he should have looked like he was actually trying to throw strikes that last spot start he got.
Braves win at least one this series. I feel good about the Hanson vs. Oswalt game. If they can take one of the first two games they may take the series.
Don Carmen
September 20th, 2010
10:28 am
the Phillies could lose tonight and it would be absolutely no big deal at all – thats the confidence you have when your lineup is scorching and you pitch Hamels, Halladay, Oswalt – you KNOW you will win the series, if not sweep it outright.
southern hope
September 20th, 2010
10:29 am
Reality, I’m with you….all I can offer is moral support.
Arno
September 20th, 2010
10:29 am
Lee hero. Braves take two.
Phillies, Buttholes of the NL
September 20th, 2010
10:31 am
We might have the best team in the NL, but we have to live in the armpit of american. Let us enjoy the 1 month of the year where Philly has something of value, since we have to live in this god-forsaken city for the rest of the year
bruce mac
September 20th, 2010
10:32 am
So, Class, even if the Phillies sweep, which is entirely possible, how does that crush the Braves? This is baseball, momentum is the next days starter. I guess you are just another blow hard yankee prick that loves to run their mouth for no good reason. I assume you have a very ugly girl friend that likes to drink beer, fart and cuss.
Don Carmen
September 20th, 2010
10:35 am
well bruce mac – if the Phillies sweep the Braves, the Braves will be 6 out of the division race with 9 games to go – sounds pretty crushing right?
Don Carmen
September 20th, 2010
10:36 am
JV vs Varsity tonight.
Jason
September 20th, 2010
10:36 am
I am an avid Phillies fan and I think Braves will take one of these games – probably tonight where the minor leaguer starts. If you follow the Phillies, they have a very difficult time against pitchers that they haven’t seen before, especially minor leaguers. But I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if Phillies do a sweep.
In the end, these are the two best teams in the NL and they’ll be playing in the NLCS. However, I think the Phillies are just too good and will wind up in the World Series rather easily. This is the best team in Phillies franchise history, and they should be able to win the World Series this year against any AL team.
Braves are making a heck of a run. As much as I think the Phillies are the clearcut favorites, I think the Braves are the clearcut second best team in the NL; much better than the Reds, Padres, Rockies or Giants. If this was last year, then I’d say the Braves would have had a shot since the Phillies were very weak last year – I have no idea how they made it to the WS. But who knows, anyone can get hot (or cold) in the playoffs.
Mike
September 20th, 2010
10:37 am
Leave it to Bobby to manage a playoff type game like a regular season game. Its works great in the regular season, but it leads to failure in the post season. These 3 should have been pitched by Hudson, Hanson, & Lowe. We could have still swept the Mets with Minor, JJ, & Lowe.
bruce mac
September 20th, 2010
10:37 am
No, it will not be crushing if the Braves leave Phillie with the lead in the wild card that is fine. The Braves are not catching the Phils and they don’t have to. The goal is WS and however you get into playoffs is okay by me.
Hillbilly Deluxe
September 20th, 2010
10:37 am
My guess is the Phillies take 2 games.
A tad off-topic but after the incident in yesterday’s Cub game, it’s past time MLB did something about shattered bats. Somebody, on the field or in the stands, is going to get killed.
Don Carmen
September 20th, 2010
10:40 am
the JV team meets the Varsity team tonight.
clay
September 20th, 2010
10:40 am
why do philly fans feel the need to get on here and comment. we dont get on your s*** and write dumba** comments. and the fact is that you call charlie manuel a genius now is dumb because you wanted to get rid of him at the start of the year every year. stay off here.
TC
September 20th, 2010
10:42 am
Are you feeling better Mark?
mike
September 20th, 2010
10:44 am
Who is worried about the Feelies? We’ve beaten them 8 times this season. They’ve beaten us 7. For what it’s worth, the Braves are the only team that has swept a series between the two so far this year. We’ve beat ‘em before. We can beat ‘em again.
Nice little run, Feelies…but the Braves you are not. We’ll be taking OUR division back this year, thank you very much.
mudcat
September 20th, 2010
10:48 am
Phillies are out to crush the Braves since they would rather face west coast teams in the playoffs. Still don’t like our playoff chances. Too many games with the Phillies & Marlins, who always kick our butts.
DawginLex
September 20th, 2010
10:48 am
I think the Braves will beat Hamels and Oswalt and torture us by getting within a game.
Then get shut out Wednesday night by Halliday.
Steve-o
September 20th, 2010
10:48 am
Clay,
I’m a Braves fan, but I think it’s fine for fans of other teams to get on these boards to comment. It can make things more interesting, as long as they offer something of value instead of just boasting “we’re the best.” When I read an article, I like to see quotes from the opposing teams’ players, not just comments from the home team.
NCBrave
September 20th, 2010
10:49 am
The Braves are 3-3 in Philly this year, 8-5 overall in the season series (including a 4-game sweep in ATL). However some of this success came with a depleted Philly lineup and the lineup they field tonight is banging on all 8 cylinders. My worry for this series is how the young pitchers (JJ, OFlaherty, Kimbrel, Minor, etc) perform under playoff type pressure they have never experienced before. Saito’s experience will be sorely missed this series. I’m trying to stay positive but my gut feeling is not good. With that said if somehow we can win tonight then who knows? Go Braves!
DawginLex
September 20th, 2010
10:50 am
where is my post?
realistic bravo fan
September 20th, 2010
10:51 am
Braves could easily get swept. Not only because Bobby Cox is amazingly stubborn, but because coming down the stretch the Braves went out and got Derick Lee and Rick Ankiel while the Phillies went out and got Roy Oswalt. Now it’s time to face a nasty 3 man rotation in a 3 game series that they are treating like a playoff game and we are treating like a spring training game – lets just throw a rookie in there if JJ cant go! Good luck braves roster I hope you can do it.
Terry
September 20th, 2010
10:53 am
This is a “DO OR DIE SERIES)….Win two, they have a chance. Lose two….close the barn door…winter is coming early for the Braves. enough said!!!!!!!!!!