Somebody Up There must really like the Atlanta Braves
The Braves are 10-14 in September. They’ve won one of the past seven series. They’ve gone from three games ahead of Philadelphia on Sept. 1 to six games back with six to play. And you know what?
They still should win the wild card.
They start the week a half-game behind San Diego, which is a half-game behind San Francisco in the National League West. The Braves play the Marlins these next three days. The Padres have four against the Cubs. The Giants have three against Arizona. But here’s the catch:
The Padres and Giants finish against one other. One of them has to lose each of the season’s final three days. The Braves end against the Phils, who have already clinched a playoff berth and a tie for the East title. That quirk of scheduling should be enough to get the Braves into the postseason. Provided the Braves remember what it is to win a series, which is, as we know, not exactly a certainty.
The Braves have lost three series to last-place clubs in three weeks. Of their 10 victories in September, four have been posted by Derek Lowe. Their rotation is coming unglued. Their batting order fell to pieces a while back. The wonder isn’t that this team is losing but that it still holds the chance to win something. The Braves are most fortunate.
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423 comments Add your comment
Quicherbichin-giving up on Lynne
September 27th, 2010
2:06 pm
wow.. I thought we had a chance. And then you went and gave up. It’s okay. Real fans know that all the griping whining and complaining won’t get Matt Diaz that hit or give Farnsworth an extra 3 Mph on the fastball… and oh.. BTW.. real fans know you can’t steal first.
Quicherbichin
September 27th, 2010
2:08 pm
@ Billy (not Martin) We may have already lost Fredi Gonzales. I hear the Cubs are very interested in him. And knowing the fan base we have here, why would he return? At least Cubs fans still support their team… and they haven’t won a WS since 1908!
Texas Frenchy
September 27th, 2010
2:09 pm
The Bravos have lost 2 series to the last place Knats, 1 to the last place Pirates, & 1 to the Marlins this month, they DONT deserve to go anywhere but home, you cant win with only 1 outfielder, no first baseman, no speed, no power, & a over the hill manager, thank god spring training comes once a year, lets get Freddi in here & YES, Eddie Long Dong did it, quit hiding behing GOD as your cover up you pervert!
Booby Cox
September 27th, 2010
2:09 pm
Let’s go Klesko…
Jim jitsu
September 27th, 2010
2:13 pm
The Phillies are going to be planning ahead this weekend. They will have in their power to choose their matchup. If the Braves need 2 out of three to secure a playoff spot and the result of a loss is the Phillies facing the Giants. You might see a forgiving Phllies team. Phillies hit .210 vs the Giants this year.(3-3)
The Braves are fighting the three NL West teams for the wild card berth – SI.com | ArticleNox.com
September 27th, 2010
2:17 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
Billy ( Not Martin)
September 27th, 2010
2:18 pm
Freddie comming to Atlanta.
Reports are he’s been offered contracts by other clubs and have turned them down. And there’s no reason to think if it were with the Cubs, they would have him locked up by now. especialy since Lou’s already gone.
wawel78
September 27th, 2010
2:19 pm
Mark – the fault in your logic is the braves have to win. They are not winning so it doesn’t matter if the pads/giants lose games because the braves are already behind.
After perusing stats, I see that Hinske went 5 for 11 in a 3 game series against the Marlins in late August. Your favorite manager has started him 2 times since and he’s gotten 19 ABs in the mean time. Greatest manager of all-time, in deed.
Quicherbichin
September 27th, 2010
2:19 pm
Texas Frenchy – I didn’t know school was out for the day yet. The Nats and Marlins seem to play us tougher than they do the Philthies. As far as Fredi ( note proper spelling ), there is no guarantee he’ll come here. He might prefer the Cubs. Their fans are certainly more loyal.
Gen Neyland
September 27th, 2010
2:21 pm
Seeing how Bobby played with Moses back in their day at New York (they were a divine DP combination btw), I’m guessing Moses is looking over Bobby. Moses didn’t win ‘em all and neither has Bobby…Let’s Go Braves.
Quicherbichin
September 27th, 2010
2:21 pm
Ok, Billy (not Martin) .. Fredi manages very similarly to Bobby, having come up through this organization… so if you’re unhappy with Bobby… you’re going to like Fredi better?
Quicherbichin
September 27th, 2010
2:23 pm
Gen Neyland .. No.. Moses played alongside Methuselah… Bobby came along much later.
NC Braves Fan
September 27th, 2010
2:26 pm
Going down in the last week of the season is the only thing worse than being eliminated in July.
Christopher Chance
September 27th, 2010
2:26 pm
Quicherbichin……….Chuck Tanner’s “mind fell off when he came to Atlanta” because he had a bunch of broken down, never was going to be anything, type players playing for him.
If Bobby Cox had been managing the Pirates since 1993, how many games do you think he would have won? In fact, how many winning seasons do you think he would have had?
Billy ( Not Martin)
September 27th, 2010
2:30 pm
Quicherbichin
Their nothing alike. Just because you’re with the same organiztion doesn’t mean they’re similar. Freddie’s not afraid to sit players and I’ll gurarntee he would,’t leave the same pitcher in the game long enough to give up 7 and 8 runs in one ionning. I can recall twice Booby doing that with Derek Lowe. And I’ll guranntee he would’t keep running a sub 200 hitter out to hit( Greg Norton come to mind in crucial game winning situations. Is Greg Norton or Nate your brother?
Christopher Chance
September 27th, 2010
2:32 pm
Billy ( Not Martin)……..your 1:53pm post sums up what I’ve been saying for years. I, myself, would love Bobby Cox if he allowed me an opportunity to play Major League baseball, earn millions and collect a pension……while SUCKING A$$ on the field.
Bobby Cox mismanaged the Braves in 2009, even more so than he has this year. How many comebacks do you think that the Braves could have mounted in 2009 if Lord Bobby didnt time after time trot out Greg “the only way I could get on base is hope that the pitcher forgets to throw strikes” Norton to pinch hit (in effect killing rallies)?
Or if Lord Bobby didnt wait two months to bench Jeff Francoeur and Kelly Johnson?
Or if he didnt wait until Jeff Bennett broke his hand in Boston…..which gave Frank Wren the perfect excuse to cut Bennett? Do any of you really think that Lord Bobby wouldnt have kept using Bennett time and time again if he didnt slam his hand in the dugout after giving up that game winning homer to Nick Green?
Murph
September 27th, 2010
2:33 pm
As a Braves fan, if the situation were reversed and the Braves had clinched and were playing either the Phillies or Mets during the last weekend with a chance to keep them out of the playoffs… yeah, I’d want the Braves to play their best players just to knock the other team out.
Maybe I’m just mean, but that’s what I’d do. Especially if my club was playing great… if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Something Wren and the rest of the Braves management should learn.
Andre212
September 27th, 2010
2:33 pm
I completely agree with this. Despite the Braves recent struggles, they have 6 at home, and unless they lose all six, they probably have the best chance of getting in the playoffs. Either the Padres or the Giants HAVE to lose that final weekend, and the Phillies will not be throwing Hamels, Oswalt and Halladay at the Braves in their final three, or if they do, they’ll be on a limited pitch count. And I have a feeling Charlie Manuel is not going to want to stick it Bobby Cox and bury the Braves. Not saying he doesn’t want to win those games, but he respects the hell out of the legendary manager, and he wouldn’t want to run his three aces against them if he doesn’t have to.
Quicherbichin
September 27th, 2010
2:34 pm
Christopher Chance- Assuming that Bobby took over Pittsburgh instead of the Braves and given the fact that players like to play for Bobby Cox, Pittsburgh would have become a more favorable destination for players, so they would have gotten players to stay, management would have made money and attracted more big name free agents. So they would have stayed good after 1992 and they would have had 13 consecutive division titles and Atlanta would have remained the team they were back in the late 80’s. Why not? It’s as reasonable as anything else the Cox detractors have said all day.
Christopher Chance
September 27th, 2010
2:36 pm
Quicherbichin……it isnt that the Marlines and Nationals play us tougher than they do the Phillies. It’s that the Phillies know that they have to take care of business against teams that they are SUPPOSED to beat.
Unlike the Braves, who treat every game like it’s a time to be “jolly”. The Phillies play with a sense of urgency. Just look at their September record since 2006. They turn it up a notch when they have to.
What do we do, we choke…..and blame it on line drives getting caught.
Quicherbichin
September 27th, 2010
2:36 pm
Billy (not Martin) I have a friend that is a Marlins fan and she was glad to see Fredi get fired for many of the reasons that people vilify Bobby here. And just ask Kenshin Kawakami if Bobby’s afraid to sit someone.
Quicherbichin
September 27th, 2010
2:37 pm
if Chris Berman did blogger nicknames.. Christopher ” With women I have no” Chance.
Christopher Chance
September 27th, 2010
2:39 pm
Quicherbichin……..while I would rather see the Braves hire someone else, I did pay attention to how Freddi Gonzalez didnt play favorites with his best player, Hanley Ramirez. Ramirez was dogging it and Gonzalez publicly called him out on it.
The Braves actually could use a manager who will publicly call out players for FCUKING UP on the field. I think that you’d be surprised to learn that calling out players for bad play will either motivate them to step up their game………or drive them out of town (which would be a good thing to see happen if they cant cut it).
ward
September 27th, 2010
2:41 pm
I LIKE WHAT YOU SAID BRADELY. WE HAVE A CHANCE.HOW BAD DO THE BRAVES WAN;T IT? I LIKE BEACHY AND I LIKE MINOR. WE NEED A CENTER FIELDER BADELY, A LEFT FIELDER TOO. IT;S STILL A GREAT SEASON. NO MATTER HOW WE LOOK AT IT! GO BRAVES!!!!
BaseballBuff
September 27th, 2010
2:42 pm
How nice that the Braves were relaxed and feeling good going into their third game in Philly. How nice that they were clowning around on the train while travelling to DC after being swept in Philly. How good this spoiled bunch of multi-millionaires feels is, of course, what is truly important. The whole notion that in baseball a team can’t elevate itself for a big series, that it is subject entirely to the capricious whims of the baseball gods, is a lie invented by losers.Years ago, Tony LaRussa made the comment that there must be no mirrors in the Braves clubhouse, because nobody ever seems to look in one. Time to look in one now, guys, especially you, Mr. Cox!
Quicherbichin
September 27th, 2010
2:42 pm
Christopher Chance .. uh… yeah.. whatever gets you through the night. If you look through the years when the Braves were winning division titles, the Marlins played us tougher than they did other clubs. And our September record then was quite similar to the Phillies September record that you’ve posted here. Baseball is a game of inches.. If you hit enough at em balls.. you would think some would fall eventually. Surely the Braves have not been good of late, but sometimes as a player or manager you have to take chances to try to make things happen. Sometimes with disastrous result.
Billy ( Not Martin)
September 27th, 2010
2:44 pm
Yea???
but it took him eight or nine straight losses before he did.
And we all know that wasn’t Booby’s decision. Wow, what we two or three of those wins that KK gave up mean now.??? Great manager, yea.
Same as retering. I think after that great managing job he did last, I think the FW told him it was going to be his last year. NO wat he retires unless they push him out.
ward
September 27th, 2010
2:44 pm
I LIKE THE IDEA OF CHRIS CHAMBLESS OUR MANAGER OR JACK MCDOWEL.
Christopher Chance
September 27th, 2010
2:44 pm
Andre1212…………if it was as simple as the “level of competition” this week, then yes, the Braves should win the Wild Card.
However, with this bunch, it’s not that simple. When our pitching is clicking, then our margin of error is greater. However, when our pitching is struggling….our play has shown that our defense, base running and lack of fundamental play will not help compensate for that.
If you look at the Phillies, they can overcome bad pitching to win games. And it isnt just because of their power. The Phillies play MUCH BETTER defense than we do. They run the bases (I’m not just talking about stealing bases)…they hit the cut off man and throw runners out. Their catcher doesnt resort to the lazy back handed stabs when it comes to blocking wild pitchers….NOR does he airmail throws into the outfield. They can lay down bunts, hit and run, move runners over AND hit a sacrifice fly.
In other words, the Phillies, Giants and even the Padres show signs that they have been coached……….something that our guys have simply not shown.
Now how does that make Lord Bobby a great manager?
Quicherbichin
September 27th, 2010
2:44 pm
Billy (not Martin) Ask Kenny Lofton and Andruw Jones what happened when they sloughed off on the field.
ward
September 27th, 2010
2:46 pm
ALSO I WISH BOBBY THE BEST. I;LL MISS HIM!
ward
September 27th, 2010
2:48 pm
CRISTOPHER CHANCE DO YOU ALWAYS COMPLAIN ABOUT EVERYTHING? THE BRAVES DID HAVE A GOOD YEAR!
The Abs Man
September 27th, 2010
2:49 pm
Mark: Obviously your great, great grandfather worked for Gen. Custer, would’ve blogged similar at Little Bighorn.
As much as this avid 50+ years Braves’ fan hopes you’re correct, my brain tells me you’re drinking too much Peoples Temple juice and Jim Jones in next seat.
When Cox brings into a patented, long-proven rat as Farnsworth in yesterday’s winnable 2-2 game, you can’t have faith. Done it so many times earlier in season too, just as he did when Jesse Chavez was surrending runs like monopoly money early in season.
When Cox fails to use Wagner (hadn’t pitched since previous Saturday vs. Mets) in scoreless 8th inning in Philly finale, then is quoted he “didn’t see” Nate’s sissy lollipop throw from corner (worse-looking than a last-pick, fat-camp outfielder) and it results in losing, 1-0.
When Cox refuses to make obvious adjustments in lineup and maybe put some runners in motion to stay out of daily-average of three DPs per game, you lose more hope than a penniless man meeting Charon on the River Styx.
I could on and on and on and on….keeps playing a bum like Melky, keeps underusing Diaz, sat Nate way too many games when he was he red-hot, plays Alex-G with a 6-for-50 lifetime batting ledger vs, Livan, and so and on and on….well, you get the idea.
Have no doubt Cox personally is a sweet ol’ man, kind and generous to all, but as a late-game tactican is more like Fredo Corleone,
BaseballBuff
September 27th, 2010
2:51 pm
Okay, let’s assume that in baseball a team can’t elevate itself for a big series (which is a lie). In that case, how about just playing good level-headed baseball and not the worst stinking ball you’ve played all freakin’ year???????????
ward
September 27th, 2010
2:51 pm
THE BRAVES ARE GOING UP THATS THE POSITIVE SIDE AND WILL BE BETTER NEXT YEAR TOO!
Quicherbichin
September 27th, 2010
2:52 pm
Booby (not Martin) Ultimately, it’s Bobby’s decision who plays. Try to find out how deep KK is buried in the doghouse before you say it wasn’t Bobby’s decision to start Beachy over KK. The team was doing fine before Frank Wren started tinkering.. you want to blame someone.. blame him. Not Bobby, Bobby can only play with the cards he’s dealt.
Michael
September 27th, 2010
2:54 pm
Why would anyone in their right mind even WANT this team to make the playoffs just because they might do so through a fluke of scheduling? They can’t even beat bad teams with nothing on the line. How painful will it be to watch them up against a good team with a trip to the NLCS on the line?
Christopher Chance
September 27th, 2010
2:54 pm
Quicherbichin……….players would have “come” to Pittsburgh like they did in Atlanta if Bobby Cox managed the Pirates?
Really? The Braves traded for Kenny Loften, Gary Sheffield, J.D. Drew and Mark Texeria. They all said that they “loved” to play for Lord Bobby. However, they all left for a bigger payday when they became free agents.
Steve Karsay, Mike Remlinger, Mike Hammond (all reclamation projects whose careers were rescued in Atlanta…..and who all proclaimed to “love” playing for Lord Bobby)…all left for big free agent contracts.
If these guys truly “loved” playing for Lord Bobby, they would have stayed for less money. Kelly Johnson would have taken less money and re-signed with the Braves after they cut him (the Braves didnt want to have to pay him $4 mil if they offered him arbitration). What good does it do for the Braves to have players who “love” playing for Lord Bobby, if they dont end up staying?
Do you remember what happened in the winter of 2009, when Frank Wren had a hard time trying to sign any of the big time free agents? Where was all the “love” for Lord Bobby then? Derek Lowe only came to Atlanta because the Braves were willing to OVERPAY him big time.
So again, if Lord Bobby was managing the Pirates, do you really think that he could do any better at attracting quality free agents (as well as prevent big time free agents from leaving Atlanta)…..than he did in Atlanta?
Come on, man!
Ron Roberts
September 27th, 2010
2:54 pm
I’m not gonna take the bait and go all anti-Bobby Cox like some agenda-filled folks here will, but with that being said…
…it IS frustrating when we don’t play station-to-station baseball when our offense is in a funk. We’re not built for the 3-run homer, and yet it seems like we still play that way. With runners at 1st and 2nd and no outs – we don’t bunt ‘em over. With runners and 2nd and 3rd and less than 2 outs, we don’t have hitters capable of grounding to the right side of the infield or popping up at the very least. We don’t rattle pitchers with runners on base because we don’t run – at all.
Those are the sorts of things that can spark rallies or just scratch a freaking run across. Twice yesterday we had runners on base with less than two outs and got nothing, when some FUNDAMENTAL things (bunts, sac flies, etc.) would have given us at LEAST a run.
Marvin Mangrum
September 27th, 2010
2:55 pm
Im just hoping the plane dont crash!
ward
September 27th, 2010
2:55 pm
YOU GUYS THINK YOU CAN BE MANAGER? WAGNER HAS BEEN USED A LOT. YOU HAVE TO PLAY WITH WHAT YOU HAVE . SOMETIMES IT WORKS OUT,AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN;T. GO!!!!BRAVES!!!!
ward
September 27th, 2010
2:58 pm
I THINK IT;S ALWAYS GREAT FOR THE BRAVES TO MAKE THE PLAY OFFS. THAT IS BASEBALL MY FRIENDS! GO!!!!BRAVES!!!!!
Christopher Chance
September 27th, 2010
2:58 pm
ward……….good, isnt good enough……especially when you should do “better”.
Do you think that Bill Gates would be happy if he lost $50 billion dollars tomorrow (even though he’d have about $10 billion left)?
How can a true Braves fan be happy with a 10-14 record in September, ESPECIALLY given our schedule? We’re losing to some BAD TEAMS. BAD TEAMS! How hard is that for you to freaking understand?
SG10
September 27th, 2010
2:58 pm
Instead of clicking ’sports’, I clicked ‘Obituaries’ on http://www.ajc.com ..I dunno but for some reason I hoped to see the ‘Braves news’ there too
D-Nice
September 27th, 2010
2:58 pm
I have been calling for Andruw for a while. Lets not pay attention to his batting average because all we are concerned about is can he drive in runs. A struggling Andruw still drove in 87 runs for the Braves his last year and now that he is motivated not to lose his career I think we can give him one of those minimum contracts that we have been known to get away with (Glaus, Jordan, Mondesi, etc…). We have had no production and we have no minor leaguers coming up in the near future so if we want to win next year then we sign Andruw for 2-5Mil and the money coming off the books for KK, Lowe, and possibly Chipper if he has to retire then we throw everything into signing Carl Crawford so we actually get a leadoff hitter and also someone with some power.
Quicherbichin
September 27th, 2010
2:58 pm
The Abs Man .. Bobby tries to go with the hot hand.. Farnsworth had looked somewhat better of late (not that showing any improvement was difficult). And as far as starting runners.. As much as we swing and miss, you must prefer the strike em out -throw em out DP to 6-4-3. I tend to place more blame on TP than on Bobby.
Christopher Chance
September 27th, 2010
3:00 pm
The Abs Man…………do you really think that Bobby Cox is a sweet old man? If so, you might want to ask his wife what he was like back in 1995……..when sweet old Bobby “I make Ike Turner look like a BYTCH” Cox was beating up and punching his wife?
Christopher Chance
September 27th, 2010
3:02 pm
BaseballBuff……….I’ve been pondering what you said in your 2:51pm post for quite some time.
Why indeed do we continue to shoot ourselves in the foot?
My answer is simple: We are a poorly coached AND poorly managed team. Our guys dont know any better BECAUSE they havent been taught to do better.
Christopher Chance
September 27th, 2010
3:04 pm
ward……..how do you explain the 120 errors (only 4 more than the worst fielding team in the National League) AS WELL as leading the league in runners left on base?
Quicherbichin
September 27th, 2010
3:05 pm
Christopher Chance.. With many players it seems to come down to money. They have to keep their agents happy. If it were me, I’d take less to stay somewhere I enjoyed. Atlanta fans have gotten spoiled and all they want to do is complain. I’ll take what we have had since ‘91 compared to what we had before it.