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
theriddler
September 27th, 2010
5:08 pm
Never would have believed many many months ago that the Braves would have a shot. Stink or not I’m all in right now. We gotta see Cox in another playoff series. Memories.
Sonny Clusters for Gov.
johnny
September 27th, 2010
5:10 pm
The Braves have a ton of faults, you can blame Cox, Wren or anybody hitting with runners in scoring position. I say @&!$ you Jobu, we do it ourselves. To hell with what’s happened up to this point. Half game out with six to go. Considering the way we’ve played we should be lucky to be still in it but like I said forget about it and play your arse off now.
Appalachia Brave
September 27th, 2010
5:14 pm
What one must understand about the Braves/Liberty organization is that they are all buddies….I bet they get together and play poker on road trips and laugh all the way to the bank on your $100 ticket! Cox, Wren,and all the good ‘ol boys are probably ready for GOLF season in Florida anyway and we’re all sitting here fussing cause they choked going down the stretch……Laugh it up boys cause one of these days I’m gonna get a real life and quit watching crappy baseball!
Christopher Chance
September 27th, 2010
5:32 pm
Tyler Langmeyer…….dude, of course I want to see the Braves win the home stand. I want to see them win EVERY GAME they play, lol.
I know that errors are part of the game. I recognize that you cant play your best every night out there.
However, what I dont except is playing like you’ve never been coached, which is what our guys have been showing.
Our pitching is really good enough to compensate for the fact that we dont hit for a lot of power or steal a lot of bases. What it cant compensate for is not doing the little things it take to scratch out runs….nor can it get around sloppy defense and bad base running.
Christopher Chance
September 27th, 2010
5:34 pm
….Tyler Langmeyer…….dude, of course I want to see the Braves win the home stand. I want to see them win EVERY GAME they play, lol.
I know that errors are part of the game. I recognize that you cant play your best every night out there.
SR
September 27th, 2010
5:34 pm
This is one of many frustrating things about Wren, Cox etc. Here is the translation of the following statement, “Lowe and Huddy will start on 3 days rest”, “See , we’re idiots for telling you and everybody else that Mike Minor was our best option. Course, we said the same thing about Jordan Schaefer. And Nate McLouth. And Derrick Lee. And Troy Glaus. And Melky Cabrera. And Rick Ankiel”…….. Lord, please shut the hell up and go away. Quickly.
Lame Duck
September 27th, 2010
5:35 pm
If Wren uses the same criteria in selecting a new manager as he uses to select new players we will get a washed up, over the hill manager who no other team wants. Maybe he’ll change because he hasn’t many chances left.
Christopher Chance
September 27th, 2010
5:37 pm
Bill…..concerning your 4:52pm post, the Phillies have EARNED the right to rest their players. By the time they play us this weekend, they will have clinched the best record in the National League (meaning they will have home field throughout the play-offs).
If the other teams didnt want to be put in a position to depend on the Philies to beat the Braves to help their play-off chances…..then they should have played well enough during the season to not be in a position of having to depend on the Phillies.
Kind of like how we were depending on teams to beat the Rockies late in 2009. If we had played better in the first half of 2009, we wouldnt have needed help.
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Bushwacker
September 27th, 2010
6:28 pm
MB,
Since no one can deny we are about 6 games under 500 since the All Star break after all the CHANGES TO A FIRST PLACE TEAM plaing Ankiel, Lee and McLouth.
And no one can also deny we were 22 GAMES OVER 500 at the Break playing Glaus, Hinske and Diaz and you said it yourself TALENT IS THE PROBLEM .
Why will Bobby at least let THE PLAYERS WHO HELPED GET THEM TO FIST PLACE try and help them get us in the playoffs..
I’ve been in ATL since 1965 and have never seen anything like what happened this year, ruining a first place team.
You think we’re lucky because SD and SF play each other?
Correct me if I’m wrong but don’t we finish with Philly who we’ve lost 6 in a row to and put up very little fight at all.
I thought Bobby was a players mgr, where is the LOYALTY TO THE GUYS WHO GOT YOU TO FIRST!
jerry
September 27th, 2010
6:35 pm
Since when does it matter what pitcher they face? They have already shown they can lose to anybody.
kkong
September 27th, 2010
6:36 pm
Hey, Bobby…you did the best that you could under the circumstances. You just didn’t have the right players to get the job done. Thanks for everything.
Christopher Chance
September 27th, 2010
6:38 pm
jerry…..totally agree withyour 6:35pm post. We make BUMS look like Cy Young candidates. It doesnt matter who the Phillies put out there. We’re just as likely to make Rick Mahler look like Roy Halladay.
jerry
September 27th, 2010
6:38 pm
Who will be the last player that Bobby hollers at from the dugout? Like him or not he will be missed.
Christopher Chance
September 27th, 2010
6:40 pm
kkong………Bobby Cox DID NOT do the best he could. For instance, he could have actually taken the time to teach these guys how to play fundamental baseball.
He could have arranged his rotation so our best faces Philly’s best.
He could have called out some of these guys publicly who cant run the bases right or field the freaking ball.
Just a small example of what Lord Bobby could have done better as manager.
Jim Mora
September 27th, 2010
6:41 pm
Playoffs?
Christopher Chance
September 27th, 2010
6:42 pm
jerry………….what matters is that it will be the LAST player that Bobby Cox yells at (meaning that we’ll have a new manager in 2011).
Whoever it is, I hope that Frank Wren hires a manager whose more concerned with WINNING….than with being a “player’s manager”.
Christopher Chance
September 27th, 2010
7:25 pm
I just found out that the Braves are going to pitch both Hudson and Lowe on 3 days rest the rest of the season.
I can FINALLY say that I agree with Bobby Cox on something, lol. Because of the predicament that we’re in….the SMART move is to have Hudson AND Lowe start 4 of the final 6 games (Hudson on Tuesday, Lowe on Wednesday……Hudson on Saturday, Lowe on Sunday).
What that means is that depending on how much Hanson is used today…….Lord Bobby can either come back with Hanson on Friday (3 days rest)……or use either Jurrjens/Beach/Minor combo on Friday…..and have Hanson available to pitch in short relief if Hudson or Lowe falters on Saturday or Sunday.
Another option would be for Bobby to come back with Hanson on Saturday (meaning he’d be pitching on his regular 4 days of rest) and have Hudson on Sunday (with Lowe available to pitch in short relief should Hudson falter on Sunday).
The point is that by announcing that Lowe and Hudson will be available to start 4 of the final 6 games of the season…..Lord Bobby is stating that these are MUST WIN GAMES and that he’s willing to do what it takes to put our guys in position to win.
Maybe, just maybe……our guys will FINALLY get the sense of urgency that this time of year is….and start playing the kind of ball it takes to get into the play-offs.
I like this move. The day off on Thursday gives the Braves more flexibility to make a move like this.
BravesTeach
September 28th, 2010
6:19 am
Mark: I like Keith’s idea from 10:04 yesterday morning!!
Off to school now…..been up almost 2 hours after not going to sleep until the Cubs finished the Padres….BUT…..Let’s go Braves!!!!!
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ToldYaInJULY ItsThePHILS
October 2nd, 2010
7:40 pm
What will Bobby Cox remember about Bobby Coox Day? He’ll remember getting slammed and dominated and SKUNKED by the Phil’s BACKUPS and BENCH. That’s right…with everything on the line for your guys and NOTHING on the line for ours and none of our players even playing and our manager not even PLAYING TO WIN THE GAME, the Phillies absolutely OWN Cox and his bunch of losers! Hahahahah…love it! We’re making Bobby Cox Day an ANNUAL HOLIDAY in PHILLY! Bye-bye Braves! You know you don’t belong. So does Bobby Cox. That’s why he’s QUITTING you!
Atlanta Braves
October 4th, 2010
8:06 am
All I can say,
About Braves game,
I saw that day.
It was simply marvelous.
I wish you may,
have a real chance,
to attend and you’ll reply,
That it’s just fabulous.
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You can check Ticketsinventory.com