Live from the ballyard: The Braves try to even a big series
The ceremony honoring stars of the Negro Leagues was most moving. (Photo by M. Bradley)
I’m here at the ballyard. About to watch Jair Jurrjens, who hasn’t lost this year, oppose Joe Blanton, who could lose at any moment.
The Braves missed a chance last night. They came from 3-0 down to take a lead against Cole Hamels, only to spit it back. Sunday’s game offers Roy Halladay against Tim Hudson, so that won’t be easy. Today’s the game you figure the Braves should win. But sometimes figuring doesn’t pay.
As I type, the Braves and MLB are honoring former stars of the Negro Leagues. Of the eight, four are in wheelchairs. This is the weekend of the Civil Rights Game, and the Braves will wear replica uniforms of the Atlanta Black Crackers in today’s game; the Phillies will wear replicas of the Philadelphia Stars. And Ludacris and Jermaine Dupri will perform afterward.
And with that — I’m not feeling loquacious just yet — I open the floor for questions, comments and moaning about Dan Uggla. (He’s still hitting under .200.) I can’t predict a Braves victory, but I can predict that I’ll be grateful if you ride along. Thanks in advance.
By Mark Bradley
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109 comments Add your comment
Mark Bradley
May 14th, 2011
1:20 pm
Speaking of Joe Blanton … he’s behind 1-0. Martin Prado leads off with a homer.
Double Zero Eight
May 14th, 2011
1:21 pm
The Braves did not deserve to win last night. They stranded
too many runners. Uggla is hitting the ball hard. It is just a
matter of time before he comes out of his slump.
Mark Bradley
May 14th, 2011
1:22 pm
Speaking of Joe Blanton … he’s behind 2-0. Nate McLouth homers, too.
Double Zero Eight
May 14th, 2011
1:23 pm
The missed third strike was a call that even a little
league umpire would have gotten correct. Victorino
is too good of a hitter to be given an extra strike.
Fredi, how about showing a little emotion! Bobby would
have gotten tossed out on that missed strike call.
Double Zero Eight
May 14th, 2011
1:26 pm
The Braves should prevail today! Go Braves.
Ric Flair
May 14th, 2011
1:28 pm
Good start
G
May 14th, 2011
1:35 pm
Uggla is really struggling, something has to change.
Mark Bradley
May 14th, 2011
1:37 pm
Uggla IS struggling. But guys struggle sometimes.
Joey
May 14th, 2011
1:37 pm
The Braves need to come out with a consistent effort and energy.
Sorry, I had been saving that for the Hawks in Game 7.
Mark Bradley
May 14th, 2011
1:39 pm
Jurrjens singles. Two on, two out.
Need to pinch-hit with Cristhian Martinez for Prado, don’t you think?
G
May 14th, 2011
1:40 pm
My gosh I can’t remember the last time I saw Freeman not strike out. Play Hinske or somebody else!
Mark Bradley
May 14th, 2011
1:40 pm
I thought I’d be headed to Chicago this weekend myself.
G
May 14th, 2011
1:43 pm
Mark…. He is beyond struggling, and with he and Freeman nextvto each other we get nothing out of those two spots. Need to split them, until Jason gets back
Ric Flair
May 14th, 2011
1:43 pm
That would at least have been a double
Mark Bradley
May 14th, 2011
1:43 pm
Polanco robs Prado. Pretty nice play.
Joey
May 14th, 2011
1:49 pm
Braves are due for a no-hitter.
Mark Bradley
May 14th, 2011
1:55 pm
Chipper Jones. Hustle double.
Mark Bradley
May 14th, 2011
1:57 pm
Dan Uggla. Groundout with man in scoring position.
Person
May 14th, 2011
1:58 pm
*moans about Dan Uggla*
jim
May 14th, 2011
2:03 pm
Got to say it – love the Atlanta uniforms today. VERY COOL and a very cool tribute to guys who played back then. The Braves would do well to wear these uniforms more often!
Mark Bradley
May 14th, 2011
2:07 pm
I love these uniforms.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
May 14th, 2011
2:11 pm
Love these jerseys but I would love to see circa ‘84-85 jerseys broke out. Do it on a homestead and break out Chief Nokahoma’s tent back out while we are at it!
John Kruk is my Daddy
May 14th, 2011
2:13 pm
Do they have any good organ music at the TED today?
Mark Bradley
May 14th, 2011
2:15 pm
Playing the Ramones right now.
Joey
May 14th, 2011
2:21 pm
Are we watching history?
Mark Bradley
May 14th, 2011
2:21 pm
Do I need to mention what’s going on? Or should I be quiet?
Lowcountry Bulldawg
May 14th, 2011
2:23 pm
shhhh……….
John Kruk is my Daddy
May 14th, 2011
2:23 pm
I Wanna Be Sedated.
Matthew
May 14th, 2011
2:23 pm
Mark, if I say ‘no-hitter’ will that jinx JJ? I think he is good enough to pull it off today and I think it would be huge for the Braves against the Phillies down the road later on in the season.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
May 14th, 2011
2:29 pm
I have been hard on Chipper but you can tell he has his legs under him at the plate. Looks great up there. Plus legging out that double? Hope he keeps it up!
Mark Bradley
May 14th, 2011
2:29 pm
Could this be the day? Ground ball off Jurrjens, to Uggla. Out.
John Kruk is my Daddy
May 14th, 2011
2:30 pm
That was an odd play.
NCBravesFan
May 14th, 2011
2:30 pm
It’s a baseball game, silly.
John Kruk is my Daddy
May 14th, 2011
2:30 pm
How can they already call it “The Toyota Play of the Game”? Shouldn’t they wait until the game’s over to make such a call?
Lowcountry Bulldawg
May 14th, 2011
2:31 pm
Ok, thats the type of defensive plays it takes to keep whatever it is going.
Mark Bradley
May 14th, 2011
2:31 pm
Not today. Martinez pinch-hits, breaks up the perfect game.
Got 17 of the needed 27 outs.
NCBravesFan
May 14th, 2011
2:32 pm
John Kruk: Toyota was probably worried the game would rapidly accelerate and they would miss the chance.
Mark Bradley
May 14th, 2011
2:33 pm
There goes the shutout. Rollins doubles off the wall. But gets thrown out between second and third. Not great baserunning
Lowcountry Bulldawg
May 14th, 2011
2:34 pm
Congrats to JJ! He is a above average pitcher for sure. Braves stole that deal.
NCBravesFan
May 14th, 2011
2:35 pm
I’m looking at you, Matthew!
Nice run, Jair!
Lowcountry Bulldawg
May 14th, 2011
2:35 pm
Smart play by Rollins in trying to get that call.
Sonny Clusters
May 14th, 2011
2:48 pm
We was wondering when Dan Uggla is going to get started? We was told he is a slow starter but it doesn’t look to us like he’s started yet. He can’t make contact when the Braves need to push a run over. In fact, he gets down in the count and takes big ’swings and ends up on his knees in the batter’s box. Somebody else did that, remember? Dan Uggla might be slow alright and we was wondering if he is a slow thinker, too? When the bases are loaded and you’ve got two strikes and the pitcher is sure to throw you a ball low and away, we was wondering why he doesn’t take something off his swing and try to make contact instead of sweeping at the ball and ending up on his knees in the box? He is playing some uggla baseball right now and it is so uggla it’s hard to watch. We was wondering if maybe somebody like Fredi or one of the coaches could explain to him how to hit behind a runner. We know somebody’s gonna tell us he is not being paid to hit singles but a single would have looked pretty good several times lately. He’s been walking a lot but it’s walking back to the dugout and that’s not helping anybody. We heard he sometimes swings at good pitches but nobody throws him any because he’s always whiffing on stuff that’s low and away. We hope maybe he’ll get started before June. We just hope Marcel’s not watching. He’d be discouraged.
Mark Bradley
May 14th, 2011
2:49 pm
Braves score on two-out squeeze bunt by David Ross. Nice.
tmc
May 14th, 2011
2:50 pm
this umpiring crew continues to struggle in this series…
Uggla was out @ 2nd.
can we capitalize though? wow, a safety squeeze w/ 2 out.
Mark Bradley
May 14th, 2011
2:53 pm
5-1. Prado two-run single.
tmc
May 14th, 2011
2:53 pm
Teeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen!
You go Boyeeeeeee!
NCBravesFan
May 14th, 2011
2:58 pm
Nice game so far – let’s bring it home, JJ!
Sonny Clusters
May 14th, 2011
2:58 pm
If Coach had seen us end up on our knees after a swing and a miss there’s a good chance he would have said something like, “Clusters, there’s no kneeling in baseball. Hit the ball and get the runs in.” And we would.
Mark Bradley
May 14th, 2011
3:00 pm
Nice play by Freeman and Jurrjens.
tmc
May 14th, 2011
3:01 pm
WOW! what a play by both Freddy and JJ.
tmc
May 14th, 2011
3:03 pm
WOW!
Throw some leather boys! nice play N8
Lowcountry Bulldawg
May 14th, 2011
3:04 pm
Just how you wanted Howard up, two outs and no one on base!
Lowcountry Bulldawg
May 14th, 2011
3:14 pm
Just did a little research. CJ’s OBP is its lowest since 2008, but his slugging % is its highest since ‘08. Looks like, outside of taking that walk, CJ is making a concerted effort in putting the ball in play with authority.
Perlo
May 14th, 2011
3:14 pm
The Braves announcers should come to work in cheerleader outfits.
How about some honest play-by-play?
They are increasingly intolerable.
GT Alum
May 14th, 2011
3:15 pm
“Scoring opportunities keep finding them”
They’re your 5-6 hitters. If these guys aren’t coming up with RISP, the heart of your lineup isn’t doing its job.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
May 14th, 2011
3:16 pm
Ross has been clutch could be a mistake here.
tmc
May 14th, 2011
3:17 pm
ground hog day….. ugh.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
May 14th, 2011
3:19 pm
…a gift…
Sonny Clusters
May 14th, 2011
3:20 pm
Unselfish baseball will get you some runs.
Mark Bradley
May 14th, 2011
3:21 pm
I wouldn’t have minded a perfect game. I haven’t covered one.
bronkelliott
May 14th, 2011
3:22 pm
Somebody needs to get in Freeman and Uggla’s face on this team. This can not be tolerated. How many more bases loaded and nobody out situation’s can you have and these guys come up and can’t deliver? All the team know that you pitch around Chipper and it’s easy sailing from there. Come on Freddie put some fear in the other teams eyes when your at bat with men on!
Sonny Clusters
May 14th, 2011
3:24 pm
We heard the announcers talking about Dan Kolb and was remembering how exciting he made the games.
tmc
May 14th, 2011
3:27 pm
Stay focused people… we need a “W” in this game.
We can worry about a perfect game another day.
TOMY FOURNIER
May 14th, 2011
3:28 pm
MR. BRADLEY…ARE YOU WAITING FOR A PERFECT GAME…DO YOU???
lanier
May 14th, 2011
3:29 pm
Mark whats Bobby Cox up to. I expected to see him at a few games.
MaSSaHH
May 14th, 2011
3:29 pm
alright! JV comes in and put out the Phillo fire
Sonny Clusters
May 14th, 2011
3:29 pm
We agree with bronkelliott that players need to play smart. The announcers criticize Freddie Freeman and overlook Uggla’s Francoeur-like approach to the at bat. Of course, he’s a notorious slow starter according to the Braves announcers. Dummy. Marcel could hit .199.
G
May 14th, 2011
3:30 pm
The twine is starting to unravel…
Hummon
May 14th, 2011
3:30 pm
These between innings commercials on WPCH are unutterably stupid, the Arby’s and AT & T ads in particular.
G
May 14th, 2011
3:31 pm
Need to get this out here. This team not great with one run leads.
Mark Bradley
May 14th, 2011
3:32 pm
This is kind of falling apart.
Mark Bradley
May 14th, 2011
3:32 pm
Bobby Cox is here as we speak
Mark Bradley
May 14th, 2011
3:33 pm
35,238. Today’s gate.
TOMY FOURNIER
May 14th, 2011
3:33 pm
People…I am in Philadelphia and I viewing the game thru Comcast Sport and for the announcers, Atlantas team is a “”joke” in everything of the games…what about that!!!!
Robert Barron
May 14th, 2011
3:36 pm
They did not ask me but I would like to object to bringing up Teheran up to pitch in his first MLB game last weekend against the Phillies.
When you get a streak going, no one want to be the one to end it.
That places positive peer pressure on the pitchers we have.
I give a spot start to the long reliever or Kimbrel before I rush the AAA star.
I would also rather break him into the majors against a crummier lineup.
We are back to .500 ball.
Nothing relaxes a team like a winning streak.
lanier
May 14th, 2011
3:37 pm
good stay in Phil
MaSSaHH
May 14th, 2011
3:37 pm
comcast announcers are a joke
tmc
May 14th, 2011
3:37 pm
Tomy- does that surprise you? They’re from Philth a delphia.
MitchC
May 14th, 2011
3:37 pm
Glad the Braves got out of that eighth inning. Hopefully if Fredi needs Kimbrel today, Kimbrel can do well. He’s been struggling lately.
Oh btw, welcome back to baseball, Mark. Although its too bad we aren’t waiting for Game 7 in Chicago for the Hawks. Eh, wait til next year.
TOMY FOURNIER
May 14th, 2011
3:37 pm
WHY MARTHER…WHY…PLEASE!!!…YES I KNOW…ANOTHER “MORON” COX!!!!
Joey
May 14th, 2011
3:39 pm
Tomy, to that I say this: Why are you in Philadelphia? Did you lose a bet? Hope you got a tetanus shot.
Robert Barron
May 14th, 2011
3:40 pm
It is easier to say “wait until next year” if u r not a season ticket holder after another failed season.
I’m not.
Just saying.
The Hawks accidentally find their point guard.
If you have been watching them for decades that does not surprise you at all.
Mark Bradley
May 14th, 2011
3:40 pm
I like Philadelphia, by the way. Nice city.
Like Chicago, too. And New York. And Boston. Even Los Angeles. I’m easy to please.
Chop Chop
May 14th, 2011
3:42 pm
Too early for a big series. We’re barely at the quarter pole.
Joey
May 14th, 2011
3:42 pm
Nice city? Are you thinking of Philadelphia, Miss.?
Draftteach
May 14th, 2011
3:44 pm
Time to move Uggla down in the order or play someone else. He is not helping the team. Wonder if Florida will take him back?
Robert Barron
May 14th, 2011
3:46 pm
What is the star rating of the hotels the AJC provides for u?
That can affect the perception of the town.
Mark Bradley
May 14th, 2011
3:46 pm
Kimbrel in to pitch the ninth frame.
TOMY FOURNIER
May 14th, 2011
3:48 pm
JOEY…YES , I KNOW YOU’RE A PHILLYS FAN..BUT I HATE THIS CITY AND PHILYS TEAM..AND LET ME TELL YOU THAT I AM BRAVES FAN FRON BOSTON BRAVES AND MILWAUKEE BRAVES AND NOW ATLANTA BRAVES…ALWAYS A “BRAVES” FAN AND IF THEY MOVE TO OTHER CITY…YOU KNOW…I MOVE WITH THE BRAVES…FOR EVER!!!!
NICE CITY…NICE OF WHAT???..A BROKEN BELL…SH@@##$!!!
tmc
May 14th, 2011
3:49 pm
DO NOT GIVE HIM ANYTHING TO HIT HERE!
make the next guy beat you….PERIOD.
TOMY FOURNIER
May 14th, 2011
3:49 pm
GOOD FOR GONZALEZ…LOKE ALWAYS….BALL GAME,,,
Joey
May 14th, 2011
3:51 pm
How did you get that I’m a Phillies fan out of what I said? I hate Philly. Every aspect of it.
Robert Barron
May 14th, 2011
3:51 pm
Small group today.
I miss the 1 PM Game of the Week on Saturday that Fox took away when they moved the game to after 4 PM.
Few expects the game to start this early anymore.
Robert Barron
May 14th, 2011
3:51 pm
@Tomy.
Representing the AJC, Mark doesn’t have the liberty to go around throwing insults that the rest of us with fake names have.
I’m using my real name today so I might even be on my best behavior too.
Hummon
May 14th, 2011
3:51 pm
That’ll do.
Mark Bradley
May 14th, 2011
3:51 pm
Braves win
TOMY FOURNIER
May 14th, 2011
3:51 pm
GOOD FOR YOU….JOEY
tmc
May 14th, 2011
3:52 pm
Nice! That away Kimbrel.
MaSSaHH
May 14th, 2011
3:53 pm
wohoooo Kimbrel back to being K-Machine
TOMY FOURNIER
May 14th, 2011
3:53 pm
YES,,,THANK FOR TWO HOME RUN…LUCKY DAY!!!
J W
May 14th, 2011
3:54 pm
Braves announcers annoyed us all day about percentage of black MLB players being only 8%. So, what percentage is assigned to white players – which are obviously outnumbered by Puerto Rican, Domnican, Cuban and others of Latino origin?
Robert Barron
May 14th, 2011
3:55 pm
I would like to thank the Phillies for not using their 6th starter who owns the Braves.
Mr. D
May 14th, 2011
3:57 pm
So, the Commissioner is scheduled to be in town, Sunday. Whether you respect him or not, please have the decency to leave the dogs at home.
Robert Barron
May 14th, 2011
4:00 pm
Since there is such a large percentage of blacks in basketball which they practically dominate, I fail to see how the low number in baseball is a tragedy.
Should we pass a law to insure the percentage of whites on each NBA team matches the city’s percentage of whites they play for.
No that would be a huge handicap for the city with the largest white population.
Robert Barron
May 14th, 2011
4:01 pm
Mark,
You must not have offended anyone this week.
A lot of no shows by your following (though many would hate that characterization).
Robert Barron
May 14th, 2011
4:07 pm
While I have the board, may I suggest to the AJC to characterize your blog as the guy you love to hate. You could use clip from the NFL network’s commercial where TO says “they still love to hate me”.
TO lives in Lithonia?
Maybe it’s the water here.
Robert Barron
May 14th, 2011
4:09 pm
BTW Mark I would like to thank you for intentionally being crummy in your Final 4 contest.
Lots of people get bummed about how they do but if they beat you, they can manage to get up for another day. I know that’s what you’ve been doing so thanks.
Robert Barron
May 14th, 2011
4:16 pm
One last comment.
If we bring up Teheran for another road game, make it against the Padres.
Dawg Tired
May 14th, 2011
11:01 pm
Obama opens up drilling in Atlantic and Alaska:
Only doing so in reaction to Republicans passing legislation in House that would facilitate more drilling.
Seems the Republicans are concerned about getting the U.S. more oil.
Obama concerned about getting reelected.