Live from Philly: Cox’s ‘hardest-working team’ faces Halladay
Matt Diaz was in a tripping mood Monday night, if you get my drift. (AP photo)
Philadelphia — The most optimistic man in the world all but admitted Tuesday what has become increasingly obvious: That these Atlanta Braves have come close to maximizing a modest set of assets. Asked how he would remember his final club, Bobby Cox said: “This is the hardest-working team I’ve ever had.”
Not the best. Not the most talented. The hardest-working. And it has had to be. Because talent-wise this team at peak capacity was never a colossus, and the Braves haven’t been at peak capacity since Chipper Jones hurt himself in Houston. They’ve been making do, plugging leaks, fashioning a semblance of a lineup with retreads and duct tape. And you know what?
They entered play Tuesday with the second-best record in the National League.
We Atlantans have noted and bemoaned the slide from seven games ahead in the NL East to four games back, but we can’t have been totally shocked. A lot had to go right to get the Braves into first place, and a lot more was going to have to go right to keep them there. And it’s not as if this team has collapsed: For all its recent wobbles, it would still be leading either of the other two divisions.
The Phillies, who have talent to burn and money to spend, have showed their class. They’ve gone 16-3 in September, and on Monday one of their three aces (Cole Hamels) beat a Braves’ rookie (Brandon Beachy) pressed into service because Jair Jurrjens turned up sore. On Tuesday the matchup was only slightly more encouraging for the visiting nine: Another rookie (Mike Minor) against maybe the best in the game (Roy Halladay).
There are times this season when to look at the standings was to think, “Has this team really won that many games?” Because a list of the things the Braves don’t do well — hit for power, hit with runners in scoring position, steal bases, catch the ball — is longer than a recitation of their strengths, which have been starting pitching, relief pitching and pugnacity. And now the starting pitcher has buckled, which is why the Braves are 9-10 in September.
At such a time, the response is to ask what has gone wrong. In this case, it’s the incorrect question. We’re seeing a team that has spent nearly $60 million more for its roster assume control of a division it has won three seasons running, and we’re seeing a team that hasn’t reached the postseason since 2005 position itself to qualify as a wild card.
The lost division lead represents failure of a kind, but to harp on that would mask the bigger success. Even if these Braves lose every game from here out, they will have overachieved. Let’s return to Cox, who earlier this season described his mindset thusly: “You can’t win them all. But I keep thinking we’re going to, even though it hasn’t worked out like that in 51 years.”
Of this team, Cox said Tuesday: “The ball has bounced our way a good deal this year. You win that many late games and things are going right for you.”
Let’s note that this is the manager whose postgame briefings routinely include a recitation of all the balls the Braves hit hard that were caught (and all the bloops authored by the opponent that weren’t). Let’s note that this is a manager who expects the best no matter what. Let’s note that for Bobby Cox even to hint that his final team has gotten good value for its resources is close to a revelation.
And with that, the figurative phone lines are open yet again for your disagreement. (I know a lot of you blame Cox — or Frank Wren — for everything that has gone awry. I respectfully disagree.) I’ll be here to chronicle and annotate the events of Game 2 in this series, and I’d be honored to have you as company. And, as ever, I thank you in advance.
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580 comments Add your comment
CSpin
September 21st, 2010
8:11 pm
GREAT play nate. Those are hard to hang on to.
Aaaaaaand time to tire out the already tired bullpen.
Ghost of Jeff Treadway
September 21st, 2010
8:12 pm
“We’re not making the plays right now” – Ghost of Jeff Treadway
GT Alum
September 21st, 2010
8:12 pm
SG10, I’m not really talking about platoon. I’m talking about regular starters. But every player could use a break now and then. And every team needs a sub who can play multiple positions. I’m just saying Infante could still get very regular ABs without being a starter at any one position per se. Assuming everyone stays healthy, he would be the only one getting bounced around regularly. If his defense becomes particularly bad, we might have to re-think that approach. But I think he’s actually been one of the more consistent Braves when it comes to defense.
J-Hey
September 21st, 2010
8:12 pm
if you did not think they would lose this game, raise your hand so you can be properly called out
CSpin
September 21st, 2010
8:12 pm
GREAT *effort, I should probably say.
kaminari
September 21st, 2010
8:12 pm
of course that wouldn’t last. another great try. close. if only the Braves played horseshoes & hand-grenades.
clay
September 21st, 2010
8:12 pm
why waste moylan and all them for a game they arent going to win. just throw martinez and KK the rest of the game
mjn
September 21st, 2010
8:12 pm
This isn’t even close. They look like they don’t deserve to be on the same field as the Phillies
clay
September 21st, 2010
8:12 pm
maybe dunn too
Mark Bradley
September 21st, 2010
8:13 pm
Martinez in. Minor: 72 pitches, seven outs, seven hits.
SG10
September 21st, 2010
8:14 pm
Mark,
Do you feel Braves coming back too?…or may be I will just switch off the channel and avoid slow torture…:)
clay
September 21st, 2010
8:14 pm
Joe simpson”lets restore order and see if we can get the braves offense going” hahahahaha. when did he become the new john smoltz
G
September 21st, 2010
8:14 pm
Why would you bring in a relief pitcher to intentionally walk a batter. Is Cox awake tonight?
welikebaseball2
September 21st, 2010
8:15 pm
Oh boy, here’s where the 2010 Braves worry me. When we’re up against premier pitchers & we give up 3 or more runs, it rarely turns out well. True, the same could be said for lots of teams, but our offense is simply par…at best. Our pitching has, hands down, been our strength. Our offense (or lack thereof) just puts so much pressure on the pitching staff to be stellar night in, night out. Here’s hoping tonight’s different!
Reid Adair
September 21st, 2010
8:15 pm
I just love the people who want to blame Bobby Cox for the fact that they’re starting two rookies in a critical September series. These same people probably blame Cox for Nate McLouth being on the team – along with Troy Glaus, Kenshin Kawakami, Rick Ankiel, Melky Cabrera and Derrek Lee.
Fortunately, many folks realize there is one person to blame for the roster Cox has to work with – and that is Frank Wren.
jbones from PCB
September 21st, 2010
8:15 pm
Good call on throwing 2 rookies against Phillies’ studs. Braves should start playing for the Wild Card.
todd grantham
September 21st, 2010
8:15 pm
floodgates have collapsed
Mark Bradley
September 21st, 2010
8:15 pm
Wow.
G
September 21st, 2010
8:16 pm
Man that Prado is a human vacuum cleaner.
Don
September 21st, 2010
8:16 pm
Did I call it or what?
Ugghh...
September 21st, 2010
8:16 pm
Sick of this team doing stupid stuff like not bunting with a man on first and 2 outs. We are absolutely choking and the cause hasn’t been the hitting or the defense. Both have been the same all year. No, it’s the starting pitching that has let us down. This team was built around solid pitching, and it has started to choke. Hudson, JJ, Minor, and Hanson have all been inconsistent. Only Lowe is pitching well as of late. AND… with that blast by Werth, it looks like we might lose another series.
clay
September 21st, 2010
8:16 pm
the sad think is that the braves even know that this game is over. see there thats why conrad needs to be playing. but we all know bobby will be trotting him back out there day in and out even thoughhe is not contributing anything. damn this sux
SG10
September 21st, 2010
8:16 pm
wow..Prado not having good September will be an understatement…not many hits and now 2 errors in 2 games..
welikebaseball2
September 21st, 2010
8:17 pm
LOL…Mark…I was just about to type the same thing…”wow”
GT Alum
September 21st, 2010
8:17 pm
Sutton speculated Bobby had no confidence in Minor’s bunting ability.
What could Minor have done trying to bunt that’s worse than that? If he’s that worried about his bunting ability, he should’ve just told him not to take the bat off his shoulder and let Halladay either strike him out or walk him. Worst case scenario you have 1 out and a runner at 1st.
Jimmy Baron
September 21st, 2010
8:17 pm
Braves are embarrassing.
G
September 21st, 2010
8:18 pm
Man the trade of Vasquez looks better and better every day.
Mark Bradley
September 21st, 2010
8:18 pm
Ugghh… you really think it’s good baseball to bunt with two outs?
CSpin
September 21st, 2010
8:18 pm
Prado, prado, wherefore art thou Prado?
Mark Bradley
September 21st, 2010
8:18 pm
Some damage control by Martinez.
Mark Bradley
September 21st, 2010
8:19 pm
Good news: Still only 3-0. Bad news: Halladay.
clay
September 21st, 2010
8:19 pm
so mark should i just go ahead and turn the ball game off? is it over?
jbones from PCB
September 21st, 2010
8:19 pm
The braves can’t even play fundamental baseball.
mjn
September 21st, 2010
8:19 pm
why are we worrying about making it in to the playoffs, …….we’re going to get killed even if we do.
Lobosolo
September 21st, 2010
8:20 pm
Time for the girly fans to turn off the game and watch “Dancing with the Stars”…
Mark Bradley
September 21st, 2010
8:20 pm
Not over.
Matt k
September 21st, 2010
8:20 pm
Obviously Halladay is a good pitcher, but give me a break even the good ones give up runs. For us to never even get a run off this guy is pretty pathetic. I mean 1 run in 3 starts against us in the last 2 years? That is pitiful.
satanas
September 21st, 2010
8:20 pm
Worse news: Braves.
SG10
September 21st, 2010
8:20 pm
C. Martinez looked good there..wonder why Bobby didn’t start him instead of Bleechy or Minor.. At least Cox pulled a quick plug on Minor here.. In past I have seen him wait till the starter bleeds 6-7 runs..
Heath
September 21st, 2010
8:21 pm
Phillies think they’re so smart putting their best three pitchers out there. The Braves can go scoreless against ANY pitcher!
Mark Bradley
September 21st, 2010
8:21 pm
Minor threw 73 pitches. Not 72.
kaminari
September 21st, 2010
8:21 pm
Lets win this game Braves!
todd grantham
September 21st, 2010
8:21 pm
could have been much, much worse. but bad enough to lose the game.
welikebaseball2
September 21st, 2010
8:21 pm
Good damage control indeed
Phillies, Class of The NL
September 21st, 2010
8:22 pm
boom…play with fire long enough, get burned.
Jamie
September 21st, 2010
8:22 pm
Mark – need to educate Atlanta fans that the Phillies’ payroll is paying home grown talent and talent acquired by trading home grown talent. Ruiz, Howard, Utley, Rollins, Hamels. Halladay via trade for a heap of minor league talent, and Oswalt via trade for homegrown Happ. Oh yeah – and picking up Victorino and Werth off the scrap heap when stupid teams cast them off. The only true free agent “purchases” are Polanco and Ibanez. The Phillie organization is one of the tops in baseball. Tired of reading these jealous Braves crybabies on the blog. Braves used to be the class of the NL, now Philly is.
Sons of Rick Matula
September 21st, 2010
8:22 pm
I do blame Frank Wren for leaving this team shorthanded at crunch time. You can’t predict JJ’s injury but KK has been an unmitigated disaster. medlen went out weeks ago. You can’t go into the biggest series of the season with two kids with zero September experience. How does that happen?
Mark Bradley
September 21st, 2010
8:22 pm
Nice at-bat by Prado. Leadoff walk.
satanas
September 21st, 2010
8:22 pm
And now for the double play..
kaminari
September 21st, 2010
8:22 pm
that’s a good start. That’s the kind of at-bats that are gonna get us into the PostSeason.