Swept in Philly and nearly no-hit, the beaten Braves move on
Tommy Hanson's night: Six innings, two hits, no runs, one fine outing. (AP photo)
PHILADELPHIA — They got the start they needed. Alas, they got nothing else. Heck, they nearly got no-hit.
They came here thinking one win — one crummy win — would leave them in good stead for the wild card. Instead they got swept. They weren’t overwhelmed in any of the games, which made it even worse. Three nights running, the Braves got to see firsthand how vast the expanse is between them and the Phillies.
“We got beat all three games,” Brian McCann said. “We were in every ballgame. We just got beat.”
Wednesday’s loss was sweet excruciation. Tommy Hanson matched Roy Oswalt for six innings, and Roy Oswalt was all but untouchable over his seven. (The Braves’ one hit was Martin Prado’s two-out double in the fourth.) In the eighth Jonny Venters opened by plunking Chase Utley, but induced Ryan Howard to hit into a double play.
Then Venters pitched around the right-handed hitting Jayson Werth, which made sense. Then he fell behind Raul Ibanez 2-0 and tried to throw a sinker. The ball didn’t sink. Ibanez, a pro’s pro, poked it into the left-field corner, and Nate McLouth overthrew the cutoff man and the Phillies had the run they needed. And the Braves had an 0-for-Philly.
McCann: “It ain’t easy for a left-handed hitter [meaning Ibanez] to hit a 95-mph sinker into the left-field corner. You tip your hat. And we move on.”
The Braves needed this game to prove to themselves that they could beat the Phillies when it mattered, and all it proved was that they couldn’t. Hanson did what neither of the rookie starters deployed in Games 1 and 2 could manage: He gave his team a chance to win. His team, sorry to say, wasn’t good enough to avail itself. His team is running on fumes.
The Braves had more errors (five) in the series than runs (four). Yes, they ran face-first into the Phillies’ Big Three, but if you plan on playing postseason baseball, you’d better be ready to face top-shelf pitching. All the Braves could think to try was another oddball lineup — McLouth in left and Rick Ankiel in center — against the Roys (Halladay and Oswalt), and here were the two-night totals for the twosome:
Thirteen at-bats, one single, four strikeouts.
“We couldn’t have done much better,” manager Bobby Cox said after Wednesday’s loss, and that assessment sounded at once pitiful and pithy. The Braves have tried everything this season and have gotten further than they probably should have, and now it’s down to this: Nine games to go, the wild card blowing in the wind.
McCann: “This is our season. We’ve got nine games left. We have to be able to get up for these.”
Motivation wasn’t the issue here. The Braves tried their best. The Phillies’ best was just better. Cox even broke with custom before Wednesday’s game. “I talked to the team today,” he said afterward. Then this: “We’re trying to win a game.”
They couldn’t win even once here, but late Wednesday they boarded a chartered Amtrak car for the trek down to D.C., where they’ll meet the last-place Washington Nationals. Then they return home for the season’s final week — six games against the Marlins and the Phillies, and the latter will surely have clinched the National League East by the time they arrive at Turner Field.
Meaning: For all that went wrong here, the Braves should still be able to draw the wild card. (With San Francisco losing in Chicago on Wednesday, the Braves were assured of staying atop the runner-up race at least another day.) They spent three days proving they’re no longer a match for the Phillies, but that’s no longer the issue. The Braves simply have to win as many games as they can and hope it’s enough.
Before the game, Cox had said: “I wouldn’t mind seeing a ‘WC’ [for wild card] up on the wall of our ballpark.” In previous seasons the Braves were always the team winning division titles and letting lesser lights claim the ‘WC’, but in 2010 it’s their only real hope. A big series was lost in egregious fashion, and now they move on.
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321 comments Add your comment
Woodrow Call
September 23rd, 2010
8:36 am
You really have to ask yourself – After the embarrassment that just occurred in Philly, do you want the Braves in the playoffs at all, just to be swept in 3 games? There are teams out there playing better baseball with better managers, that are more deserving then this collection of inept ballers.
Yes its been a great ride, but, do you really think this team worthy?
STRETCH
September 23rd, 2010
8:37 am
I dont even know if this team is going to make it to the post season. And if they did, they would only lose in familiar fashion anyway. This is what the fans get when the Braves are forced to play budget baseball.
I love Bobby Cox, just frustrated at some of his coaching, but overall, players like him so that says a lot about him and his coaching. Frank Wren, as much as people talk about him, the guy is NOT afraid to make moves. Hey, when George was alive, thats all he did was push buttons and the Yanks have like what…27 WS rings?
So whats the problem? Money most likely is the problem. Take this series against the Phils for example: they score 4 runs in 3 games, were really in all three games. Pitching was pretty good, but once again the lack of offense reared its ugly head. They really need to just play the season out and look forward to the off-season cause they know they dont stand a chance in gaining the NL banner. Heck, they might not make it to the playoffs!
A few things i think a few of us would like to see going into next season:
1. Get that pitching staff back healthy, they are loaded so im not worried there.
2. Freeman needs to take over at first, keep Lee as backup.
3. Chipper needs to give it a try and he should be able to determine by ST weather or not he can go. If not, take that 15 mil and get some HITTERS!
4. GET A REAL LEADOFF HITTER. When is the last time have they had one…2005??? Last night was a prime example of why you need that type of guy on your team. Someone that knows how to generate runs. Hanson pitched his tail off, and that lineup couldnt get ONE run!
5. Stop with the musical chairs in the outfield. Time to go get an everyday LF too.
I really believe this team will be better and possibly a WS contender. Like i said before, the pitching will be much better, just need a speedster and some bats, they will be fine.
BaseballBuff
September 23rd, 2010
8:39 am
Steve-o, I still have not forgotten when Cox started Tony Graffanino and Danny Bautista in Game 6 of the 1999 NLCS against the Padres. Padres were up 3 games to 2 at the time. Graffanino and Bautista were youngsters who were both hitting under .200. Braves were blanked, Padres went to World Series.
Robt. Gibson
September 23rd, 2010
8:40 am
The game was over when non-HOF manager B. Cox yanked the shutout-pitching starting pitcher after just the 6th inning. I guess Cox wanted to save him for the stretch drive.
BaseballBuff
September 23rd, 2010
8:40 am
Excuse me, Stevie-o, I meant 1998 NLCS against the Padres, not 1999. 1999 was the year the Braves choked and collapsed against the Yankees in the World Series.
DALTON BRAVE
September 23rd, 2010
8:40 am
RGP dosen’t matter who you pitch if you dont play defense and hit braves pitching was good enough to win all 3 .
WonderDawg
September 23rd, 2010
8:42 am
Venters is now what Moylan was two years ago. Abused.
Moylan had to have TJ surgery fom Bobby overusing him. Venters will be next.
Steve-o
September 23rd, 2010
8:44 am
BaseballBuff,
I can understand playing McLouth. He was playing pretty well before the series. But Ankiel should be reserved for pinch running and the occasional late game fielding duties. Bobby should play Diaz more – he can be clutch and his hitting would improve if he played more.
John Kruk
September 23rd, 2010
8:44 am
How bout them phils!!!!!!, and how bout somebody get me another bagel!!!!!
Over for 2010
September 23rd, 2010
8:46 am
Wren tore this team apart. We needed one hitter and he went after Ankel and Lee. Once Ankel took over then here comes McLoser back and thats all there is folks. Glaus can hit but once his knee went bad Bobby dumped him. Glaus went into a slump. Now they are using players who did not take us to the lead but instead are here for the ride and they are not getting the job done. Glaus should be playing 3rd and Prado should be playing 2nd and Diaz should be playing in the outfield daily. Freddy should be getting the starts at 1st base but instead they are distroying his confidence sending him in to pinch hit. The kid was hitting in the 400’s before Bobby called him up, started his arbitration clock and then benched him. Good use of a really good rookie. Lets not play him, instead, lets let him sit and drop in the standings.
Right now I would say that the Phillies are a way better club with their pitching and hitting. A GM needs to know what to get and where to place it. The braves and Wren started to tear this club apart with the trade of Escobar and did not stop till they had a non hitting center fielder and replaced a 1st baseman. Our pitchers are exhausted having to do all the work and win games with their arms. Personally its the way its always been. Good pitching, no hitting. Even McCann is not holding up. Until they decide to spend some money in position players we go no place. We dont have prime Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz any more. We never will again. We need hitters to help out our pitching. What we have is another year of KK-Lowe and Chipper holding on to his youth. With those three salaries next year, we will again have nothing but utility players pretending to be hitters on a big league club. We will have to wait for 2012. Nothing but bad management and bad decisions that ripped apart a very good club. We should have done nothing.
Sonny Clusters
September 23rd, 2010
8:52 am
We was thinking there is too much cap tipping and not enough players getting mad for blowing this series and blowing a 7.5 game lead in the division. Bobby must not have watched the same game.
BaseballBuff
September 23rd, 2010
8:53 am
Right, Steve-o. I agree. McClouth had shown signs of improvement, but he is now playing like a minor-leaguer again. Just loved that rainbow throw of his from left field last night. Pretty weak for a guy who usually patrols center field.
ryan
September 23rd, 2010
8:53 am
Mark- I agree. Philly is just a better team. More depth and a better front end rotation. Hanson proved he is a big game pitcher last night. That is the one bright spot. We’re better at catcher and possibly right field. Other than that Philly is better everywhere on the field.
Jesse Stone
September 23rd, 2010
8:56 am
We have more errors than runs in the series and people are still asking why we didn’t shuffle our rotation. This team needs outfielders. Who is the best option for CF? Melky? That’s pitiful. The holes in this team are glaring. Surely FW can do better than acquiring Glaus and Melky this offseason…can’t he?
Jesse Stone
September 23rd, 2010
8:59 am
Over for 2010- where was Freeman hitting in the 400s? I must have missed that. Do you really want Glaus playing 3rd? Chino Cadahia probably has better range than Glaus. Have you forgotten that he couldn’t even bend over to catch throws from the pitcher? Ang BC is “distroying” Freeman’s confidence? I didn’t even bother reading your second paragraph because the first was so offbase.
Don
September 23rd, 2010
8:59 am
Some Cox bashers are trying to say that Bobby played both Ankiel and McLouth in last nights game. Us Cox supporters know that that ain’t true – couldn’t possibly be true – our Hall of Fame manager wouldn’t do that — No matter what the box score says, and no matter what we appeared to see — We have faith in Booby – no matter what.
Mike
September 23rd, 2010
9:04 am
OK. It’s top of the 7th. Our guy has gone 6 innings and given up just 2 hits. Someone please explain why Hanson was pulled. This is a complete over-use of the bullpen. Still might have lost. Don’t know. I guess we’re saving our pitching for the “stretch run”.
The Braves are DUN.
ben
September 23rd, 2010
9:05 am
How does MCCLOUTH miss the cut off man there? FIRST thing you learn in little league ALWAYS HIT YOUR CUTOFF!!!
First game, heyward misreads a fly ball. game over.
Second Game, Bobby takes a chance on Dunn instead of bringing in Moyland for the last out of the inning so that he can pinch hit in the next inning for Dunn. game over.
third game, Mcclouth misses his cutoff man, game over.
Its the little things that we DONT DO WELL.
the talent is there for the most part. the heart and chemistry seems to be there.
IT MUST COME down to coaching.
I’m still on board, but i’m looking forward to a new coaching TEAM!
Sweet Old Buck
September 23rd, 2010
9:06 am
What is it with McCann? He isn’t hitting and he seems to be letting a lot of balls get away from him. Is he tired? Are his eyes bothering him? Is it just me, or does seem a little heavy?
Don
September 23rd, 2010
9:07 am
Some Cox bashers are trying to say that Bobby played both Ankiel and McLouth in last nights game. Us Cox supporters know that ain’t true – Bobby couldn’t possibly do that — no matter what the box score says or no matter what we thought we saw — We have faith in our Hall of Fame Manager.
Jesse Stone
September 23rd, 2010
9:10 am
Mike- Phillies didn’t score until the bottom of the 8th. Oswalt only gave up one hit and was pulled after 7.
Jesse Stone
September 23rd, 2010
9:11 am
ben- I would rather Dunn pitch to Ibanez than Moylan. With Moylan’s delivery, lefthanders get a nice, long look at his pitches.
The Man
September 23rd, 2010
9:13 am
will someone tell the idiot phillie fan that Hanson is not a rookie?
Richievan
September 23rd, 2010
9:13 am
Believe it or not, there is a silver lining for the Braves (and I’m a Phillies fan for full disclosure): The Phillies magic number for best record is five, which they should take care of before they get to Atlanta next weekend. That means the Phillies will rest their starters since they would have nothing to play for. That only helps the Braves.
Turtsnap
September 23rd, 2010
9:14 am
Eight reasons this team will not make the playoffs:
1) Frank Wren
Kyle Fudgeworth
2) Bobby Cox
3) Terry Pendleton
4) Nate McLousy
5) Rick AnKKKKiel
6) Dufus Lee
7) Troy Glousy
Jesse Stone
September 23rd, 2010
9:14 am
where is this talent everyone is talking about? We have one outfielder deserving of being an everyday player. We have firstbasemen on the downside of their career. Prado is fielding like a DH. Infante is a utilityman having a career year. Look at the Phillies roster. That is a first place team.
Corvette Ed
September 23rd, 2010
9:16 am
I’m from Philly and always liked the Braves for years. But I need help in someone explaining to me why the Braves pitching rotation was what it was. Manual took this series very serious and made adjustments to have his three top guns on the mound. Cox knew this series was coming weeks in advanced and should have adjust his pitchers to match the Phils. Last night’s pitcher did very well and probably should have stayed in the game.
Good luck with the Wild Card.
heymmered
September 23rd, 2010
9:19 am
I really feel like the spark that Infante and Prado was giving the team earlier in the season is gone. Everything went with these two. They both looked horrible in this series. Infante was just flailing at pitches.
Tosh.No
September 23rd, 2010
9:19 am
Thats alright, at least we didn’t buy our team like the yankees and now the phillies do every year. Thats why I have lost ALL interest in baseball, cause no one does what teams like the braves do and build teams, they just buy them and it takes all the meaning out of the sport. Enjoy your championship that you bought Philly or New York. Sure one of you will win it, and if not, you sure did waste a LOT of money this year…
carlchamblee
September 23rd, 2010
9:20 am
LOL I still remember Jeff Schultz saying the Braves “sent a message” when they acquired Ankiel and Farnsworth. And Bradley saying Braves will NOT squander lead.
I also remember them piling on a Philly sportswriter who said midseason that the Braves are nothing special and the Phillies should catch them once they get rolling.
Now of course there is no reflection or mea culpas, just more pom pom waving in the form of “they did all they could with their talent, etc”
Hilarious.
G Morris
September 23rd, 2010
9:20 am
The Phils win the close games because they seem to know how to play them. It makes sense since the Phils have played about 30 playoff games the last two years. With those 3 starters, you can only hope for a close game…which is how you get swept.
Wren Loss
September 23rd, 2010
9:22 am
Wren ruined the season by not trading for an impact player. He essentially swapped for equal parts at SS, 1B, and CF just so he can say “We are trying.” I definitely was in favor of getting a new OF and 1B, but we needed someone who could carry our team offensively. We got players that are kinda similar statistically. Why trade just to trade? We should have tried to get the likes of Dunn, Bautista or Fielder even if it was just for a season.
Jason
September 23rd, 2010
9:24 am
We couldn’t have done much better??? Are you kidding me Bobby. We just got one hit and committed more errors than runs scored in the series. And Mark, Beachy gave us a chance to win as well, only one earned run. But bad defense and lack of clutch hitting ruined his good outing. Pitching was not the problem in this series.
Woodrow Call
September 23rd, 2010
9:25 am
I’m rooting for Tampa Bay! They didn’t buy their team!
Darin
September 23rd, 2010
9:25 am
What? Only 1 hit and no runs at the Philly band box? How pathetic! Maybe it seems like Petco to the Braves hitters in lieu of a Little League Field.
Terry Harper
September 23rd, 2010
9:26 am
Can we please put Prado back in as leadoff. Has everyone forgotten this spring before he was at leadoff(9 losses in a row), what happened when he lead off from May through August(tore it up) and what has happened since he hurt his pinkie sliding in home(losing again). Everything else will take care of itself. Please comment here MB cause no one else seems to remember the chemistry and I am surprised Cox hasn’t tried it.
tin man
September 23rd, 2010
9:27 am
if i was manager i would have all my players at the doctors office first thing to have their eyes checked and their reflexes. i have never in my life seen players swing at so many bad pitches and take good pitches. if i was starting a new team from scratch there are only 8 or 9 players from this team that i would pick and most of them would be pitchers. the remainders might make a good AA ball team.
Ralph
September 23rd, 2010
9:28 am
Mark is just finding out what some of us knew back in April, braves have a good pitching staff and thats it, PERIOD. I have said it before and i’ll say it again, the braves should trade McCann during the off season for a lst rate CF or 3B, he has geat trade value but his defence really hurts the team and a good trade could replace his bat also Ross is a first rate catcher and he can hit.
Pete
September 23rd, 2010
9:30 am
Eight reasons this team will not make the playoffs:
1) Frank Wren
2) Bobby Cox He cannot leave soon enough. WHy do players love playing for him? because he refuses to put a foot in someones ass
3) Terry Pendleton
4) Nate McLousy
5) Rick AnKKKKiel
6) Dufus Lee
7) Troy Glousy He is the only reason the Braves were in first place at all this season. He carried them for a month and a half. He starts to slump so we trade for a player slumping worse than he is. Lee has 115 more at bats than Glaus and has 2 more RBI. Do you morons realize this? Glaus was on pace for 24 HR and 95 RBI. If I told you that at the beginning of the season you would have taken it in a heartbeat. The Braves should have called Freeman up and benched Glaus for 10 days to get his legs healthy. We instead trade for an older more beat up first baseman
Kyle Fudgeworth
Pete
September 23rd, 2010
9:31 am
Glaus is the only reason the team was ever in first place
Woodrow Call
September 23rd, 2010
9:34 am
Everyday players from 2010 Braves should have on opening day roster in 2011.
Jason Heyward
Martin Prado
Brian McCann – Could trade for a third baseman and hitter
Chipper Jones – If he can come back, won’t know that until Spring Training
thats your everyday players from the 2010 season that are anywhere good enough to be in the major leagues. Thats sad!
For those of you wanting infante. He’s a utility player have a once in a lifetime season! You can’t count on his playing this good again. Trade him, release him, NO. But you better have a backup plan!
Now you know why this years Braves don’t deserve to be in the playoffs!
PMC
September 23rd, 2010
9:36 am
Meh, take your lumps, move on. Focus on the wildcard. We’ve known for 4 years now that the Phillies have a better all around ball club and they have a ferrocious lineup. Something the Braves simply don’t have.
The Phillies are a great team…but the Braves have a chance to win 90 games with very average MLB talent. That’s a great sign. They really play hard. That’s good. If they can pull out the wild card in this last week it will be icing on the cake of what’s been a very solid season for this club.
Just dust yourself off, rub some dirt and icy hot on it and go smash the next club you play.
Go Braves.
Empty Seat at Turner Field
September 23rd, 2010
9:36 am
I have a riddle.
What enters as a 3 but exits as a 6?
john davenport
September 23rd, 2010
9:37 am
Did Tom Petty once play for the Braves, we still have the heartbreakers.:
sportsmandh
September 23rd, 2010
9:37 am
Excuses on the pitch Ibanez hit the double on. It was a bad pitch.
McClouth wouldn’t have thrown Worth out at home even if he’d hit the cutoff man. The loss is on Venters.
PMC
September 23rd, 2010
9:37 am
Also, it seems Carl Crawford is available for next year…..all it takes is money.
tin man
September 23rd, 2010
9:37 am
have you ever seen a team lose 3 big games like these and just walk out of the dugout like it was april or may? somebody needs to turn over a water cooler or kick down a table or something. has bobby intimidated this team so bad that they act like a bunch of wussies? why can’t they throw inside on the hands once in a while to keep the opposition from unbuttoning their shirts and swinging from the hips? this club is pitiful, but it’s not our fans it’s the owners and GM fault.
Don
September 23rd, 2010
9:39 am
Some of the Cox bashers are trying to say that Bobby again played BOTH Ankiel and McLouth in last nights game. Us Cox supporters know that ain’t so – It is not possible that Bobby would do that — No matter what the boxscore says and no matter what we thought we saw — We have faith in our Hall of Shame (Woops – I mean Fame) Manager – no matter what.
butthurt braves fan
September 23rd, 2010
9:41 am
BRAVES LOSE!!! BRAVES LOSE!!!
Southern Boy N Philly
September 23rd, 2010
9:43 am
Look, I don’t want to gloat or say anything bad about the braves. I just want to point out that this was a form of payback for the sweep earlier in the year. It was a hard pill to swallow then and we just are giving it back to you. Now go win the f***ing wildcard so we can meet for the NLCS! You’ve got the talent. Take a deep breath and go beat the Nats and Fish and we’ll see you on Friday.