And it’s another goose egg for the punchless Atlanta Braves
It was hailing at the ballyard, but it wasn't raining hits. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
It was business as usual for the Braves’ non-pitchers on a stormy Wednesday that lapped into Thursday, and business isn’t exactly booming. They managed two hits off four Mets pitchers. They hit five balls out of the infield, two of those coming in the ninth inning. They lost 4-0. They were two games behind Philadelphia as of Monday; they’re five in arrears now.
The good news, such as it was, is that the Braves are beginning to get some of their position players back. Jason Heyward returned from the disabled list Wednesday night. (He went 0-for-2 with a walk; his throwing error on Jose Reyes’ leadoff double led to an unearned run, which was all the Mets needed.) Nate McLouth is scheduled to begin his rehab stint at Gwinnett today. Freddie Freeman is set to return to the Braves’ lineup tonight.
The bad news: There’s no assurance Heyward and Freeman and eventually McLouth will galvanize this lineup. As noted, the Braves have the best pitching in the majors. But you can’t, as the saying goes, win a game 0-0.
“Two hits,” said Fredi Gonzalez, the manager. “It’s hard to win a baseball game.”
Then: “We gave up four runs, and that felt like a big mountain to climb the way we’re swinging the bats.”
Dan Uggla, of whom much was expected, had consecutive two-hit games in Houston over the weekend; he has had one hit in the three games since, all losses. Jordan Schafer went 0-for-4 Wednesday and saw his average plunge to .211. Brian McCann went 0-for-4 and saw his fall below .300. Chipper Jones went 0-for-3 and saw his dip below .260.
There’s a good team in here somewhere, but on such a night it was tough to detect. Nobody can explain why Uggla, who has always hit in the majors, hasn’t hit here. Nobody can explain why this team, built to score, cannot. But the Braves have mustered six runs over the past 27 innings, and four of those have come via the homer. This club sustains nothing.
If this gifted team is to reach the postseason, that must change, and soon. The Braves don’t have to lead the league in hitting; they only need to score enough runs to give their splendid pitchers a chance. Tim Hudson threw one bad pitch — Angel Pagan hit a two-run homer off the foul pole — and saw his record sag below .500.
We say again: Surely this team will start to hit. But if we’re still mouthing those words when July arrives, it might be time to give Julio Franco a call.
By Mark Bradley
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117 comments Add your comment
TommyJack
June 16th, 2011
8:40 am
Pretty much standard braves. Good pitching, lackluster bats. What’s new?
Mrs. Bobby
June 16th, 2011
8:40 am
All the “punch” that the Braves had retired last October.
MJC
June 16th, 2011
8:41 am
Hey, We (UF) Own UGA, the Braves do have the best staff in the league. I guess it’s good you are not a GM for any team.
ERA – 3.05, 1st in MLB
WHIP- 1.17, 1st in MLB
BAA – .230, 1st in MLB
And how the hell can ERA be an inflated stat? That doesn’t even make sense.
bvillebaron
June 16th, 2011
8:44 am
longtimefan:
Nice post, but did you really want to go and ruin Stretch and the other arm chair critics day by confusing them with facts?
TN Jeff
June 16th, 2011
8:45 am
I agree Mark. I think Franco would be a great hitting coach. I don’t understand why year in and year out this team tries to compete without one.
the truth...
June 16th, 2011
8:50 am
Mark….
…” this team, built to score”…is really not an accurate statement. This team was put together not to score… but to get by with the resources available and hope that the pitching would compensate for the questions about he offense.
When a team is “built to score” and their center fielder is a weak armed and iffy bat Nate McLouth backed up by a bench of Mather, Young, Conrad, Henske, Diory and Hicks…not to mention the aging Chipper…that doesn’t exactly equate.
The result is disaster…Heyward the invincible is anything but…Uggla is great until you put a bat in his hand…Gonzalez is the glove one cannot believe but a streaky hitter most of the time…Chipper is not the Chipper of old…and Freeman is a rookie who cannot carry this team despite the observation that he may down the road.
The few bright spots are of course McCann and Prado …. and the ever dependable Ross on the bench….
Like you said….no matter how good your pitching is….you cannot win 0-0 games….and that is about all we can count on the offense to produce.
Robert
June 16th, 2011
8:54 am
Chipper, this one is for you and I hope that you find time to read it. A closed door team meeting needs to be held. Put a fire in these guys seat. It’s a shame when the peanut salesman has more enthusiasm than a guy making 13 million a year.
roger
June 16th, 2011
9:01 am
come on y’all the braves will be fine when they just won 6 in a row i did not hear all of this but they loose 2 in a row and now fire and trade everybody i believe in the braves they will be fine add a power right handed bat off the bench
Bobby Coccyx
June 16th, 2011
9:01 am
They’re all good kids, but they bore me night after night
the truth...
June 16th, 2011
9:13 am
Reality Check Folks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
….winning 2-1; 3-2; 1-0, 4-3 night afer night when you win is not goint to cut it over 162 games….
Great pitchers even the best average giving up 3 runs a game, just like great hitters average 7 non hits out of every 10…..
bottom line is that we don’t have enought hitters better than 2.5 hits ber 10 to score more than 3 runs per game…..
…it’s just math baby, so quit kidding yourself….not enough bats….and not enough money like in the days of Ted (you know the one with the buffalo and stadium named for him)… to go get replacement bats….
Yes, it is a bummer but it is the fact of the matter…
have the Braves ever hit.
June 16th, 2011
9:25 am
Maybe once for half of a season. The Bravest are where good hotter come to disappear.
I blame some jinx or curse. AOL.
dean
June 16th, 2011
9:31 am
Yeah. At this point the lack of offense is worrisome to say the least. Being 5 games over on the road and only 2 games over at home is particularly distressing. Just don’t look over the shoulder, the Mets are right behind us.
t
June 16th, 2011
9:37 am
Where can we get a hard-hitting outfielder? http://www.wedgeorgia.com
phil
June 16th, 2011
9:38 am
We didn’t hit a lick WITH McOut, FF and Wayward all in the lineup with Uggly, McFat and Chipper. Why should we expect the guys to start hitting when McOut and FF decide to play again? I certainly don’t and not because I’m being negative.
2 hits. I said it in March when the bats fell silent the last 2 weeks of spring training – something isn’t right. The bats are still silent 3 months later. It really is a terrible concern.
PMC
June 16th, 2011
9:47 am
One year, lets lead the league in hitting. Why not put that as a goal over Frank’s desk for the next 5 years?
Too Tough 44
June 16th, 2011
9:49 am
Excuses Excuses Excuses,,,I think the Mets had to play on the same field with the same rain delays etc. Even they scored a few runs….
I dont have an answere it is just so disheartening as a Braves fan to endure…..whats the definition of insanity? Keep doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result? I am insane to sit at the games and watching this team on tv expecting a different result? i.e. Sac fly, ABC baseball manufactor runs….HELP!
Sonny Clusters
June 16th, 2011
9:49 am
Sonny Clusters goes controversial. We was listening to Chipper make excuses about the game and say some people need to start hitting. He’s right. He might look in the, uh, mirror and see if he is doing anything to elevate his game and carry the team through this mess. Yes, he has knee problems but he almost always has something hurting somewhere. If Chipper is the team leader and the spokesman, too, then maybe he should show on the field that he doesn’t intend to get beat in these games with division rivals. Step up your game, Chipper Jones. We was not sure how to say this since Chipper seems to want Mather and Young to step it up and they may not be the ones who should bear that burden. This is where the stars are supposed to step up and make a difference. McCann does that daily. Where are you Chipper Jones? We was thinking he may be off huntin’.
PMC
June 16th, 2011
9:52 am
Wonders if a Clusters played better the next day after a trip to the Dairy Queen?
Maybe that’s the secret?
dtanner
June 16th, 2011
9:56 am
jordan schafer is a bust time to give up on this guy
Sonny Clusters
June 16th, 2011
9:59 am
Clusters definitely benefit from a diet rich in Dairy Queen. We was thinking Chipper might do better if he ate a Dilly Bar before every at-bat. We listen to the same announcers you do so we hear the same talk about how great Chipper is going, but we see a good many players around the league that are doing better and we was wondering if maybe Chipper could step it up a little and help this team win. Go ahead and get the knee fixed. They can lose 4-0 without you. A team that’s good for two hits a game won’t miss you when you are 0-4. It’s not nice to jump on Chipper Jones in Atlanta, Gerogia but we think he opens it up when he opens his mouth and says, uh, what he says. Let Fredi manage and let the trainer do the healing and try and hit the ball and make something happen. This is going to get us in trouble for sure.
RM
June 16th, 2011
9:59 am
It’s absolutely pathetic that they cannot beat inferior teams like the Mets and Nationals. Their batting is as bad as ever. Some changes are needed if they want to finish over .500 this year. Ugh! I’m frustrated…
Terry Pendleton, JR.
June 16th, 2011
10:11 am
FIRE LARRY PARRISH!
bobby
June 16th, 2011
10:14 am
Heyward is terrible on defense and I’m not sure he will ever be the hitter some think he will. Larry Parrish is not the problem nor was Terry Pendleton. These guys just cannot hit.
extremus
June 16th, 2011
10:20 am
So, any trade rumors swirling around we should know about, Mr. Bradley? I’d have to imagine that with their surplus of good-to-great pitching both in the Majors and in their minor league system the Braves could lure a swap for some really good power and/or speed-type hitters (and hey, they could throw in some of their current hitters for a bag of bats and balls or something; let’s think positive!).
Dr. H
June 16th, 2011
10:26 am
So far, the right side hitting wonder boy at second base is a flop. Tons of prospects available for trade. The Braves are too left side hitting loaded. Trade for a right side hitting outfielder. And ….SOON!
Braves73
June 16th, 2011
10:33 am
It’s clear to me that the real problem is the approach that these hitters have at the plate. If this Brave’s team is going to be successful, then they must be more patient and work the count. It’s one thing to be a “power hiting club” with the potential for the “three run homer”, but that will only go so far if they are done 0-2 in almost every at bat. Also, the lack of patience is killing not promoting the more important stat, which is on base %…this renders the “three run homer” useless.
I’m not one to blame a hitting coach, but the overall approach at the plate has to be a sign of some sort of strategy.
NorCalBrave
June 16th, 2011
10:35 am
Mark, the tone in your column speaks for all of us who root for the Braves: it’s definitely time for our hitters to put up or shut up; we’re all tired of hearing of the same old “this offense is too good to keep slumping.” BTW, those who refer to the Mets as an inferior team should think again: not only have they been playing better baseball than the Braves, they actually look excited on the field.
Reality
June 16th, 2011
10:59 am
If the Braves fall behind by 1 or 2 runs after the 4th or 5th, the game is over.
Heyward had a great April and May last year but has done nothing since. He’s hit under .100 or been on the DL for the last 38 games. By comparison Dan Uggla at .180 is almost twice as good.
I’ve seen some bad Braves teams over the last 40 years but I don’t remember anything this pathetic offensively.
bruce
June 16th, 2011
11:08 am
all hail breaks loose tonight!
dawgfan
June 16th, 2011
11:25 am
By the way “we (uf) own uga”, in case you missed it Tommy Hanson had a career day last Sunday in Houston striking out 14 Astros hitters. Gee has been almost unbeatable by the rest of the league all year so for the Braves to muster up 2 hits was not a big shocker. I know most of the Braves fans want to see them night in and night out put up 10+ hits and post 6+ runs but lets face the facts guys, the guy toeing the rubber every night is also a professional. Yes we have been very bad in spots this year(Uugla, Heyward, and whoever replaces any other outfielder) but the braves are in the top 5 in all of baseball in wins right now. There is a long way to go and I truly believe when the Braves have everyone back in the lineup we will see what this club is truly capable of doing.
Braves Buff
June 16th, 2011
11:31 am
I dont understand it…what the heck is Wren doing to fix this offensive slumber?? I hope hes not just waiting for everyone to come back from the DL because we had no offense even when they were in there! Where is he?? Whats he doing??? John Schuerholz pls come back!!!
iTiSi
June 16th, 2011
11:38 am
SORRY! PATHETIC! I’m bailing out on the Braves early this year. DY, SOB’s (Different Year, Same Old BRAVES) This manager is a “Bobby Cox Clone”! Attitude stinks, no spirit, wimpy, and wussified. Just as they were about to overtake the Phils, they “mail it in” and play like high schoolers. The manager needs to borrow some matches and light a fire under some people, then he needs to sit on it.
iTiSi
June 16th, 2011
11:42 am
One more thing while I’m on my highhorse. Ron Gant is just running his mouth to hear his own voice. He said last night the Braves were a “better team with Heyward in the lineup whether he gets a hit or not”. Yeh, right, guess he proved that last night huh? That is one of the “stupidest” statements I have ever heard.
ynot
June 16th, 2011
11:51 am
I guess you guys have no TP to kick around this year.
Billy D
June 16th, 2011
12:05 pm
E|We got fooled last week with that6 game winning streak. They were against a Marlins team that cant beat anybody and the Astros who are one of the worst teams in baseball. I felt that when we got back to playing decent teams we would revert back to our pathetic hitting , I was right. As is, this team is doomed.
rock
June 16th, 2011
12:08 pm
The Braves players are over swinging at pitches and seems as though every player has a home run swing. The Braves got to become more discipline hitters, just make good solid contact with the ball. As a result, many more hits will come.
joemoedee
June 16th, 2011
12:15 pm
Yeah, because as the Phillies have shown, you can’t win with left handed batters that are slumping and good pitching.
The way most of these comments sound, the Braves have 10 wins.
Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
June 16th, 2011
12:18 pm
pathetic, pathetic, pathetic- that 6 game win streak is going to even itself out. how about the big elephant in the room here- Why, Why are there never any quotes/interviews with the new hitting coach Parrish? shouldn’t some responsibility fall on his shoulders- I feel like i’m taking crazy pills here!!!
Billy D
June 16th, 2011
12:18 pm
Where is my comment entry ? If yiu dont want them dont offer the opportunity
Navigator
June 16th, 2011
12:39 pm
Please let me say again, if Wren wants to save his job, he had better find a way to get two hitters for this club. Without two hitters (no one) this team is destined to maybe finish above .500 but not challenge anyone for anything.
BSB
June 16th, 2011
12:40 pm
What has happened to the scouting reports. The Braves look like they have never seen the pitchers before. Do they not watch film or does that take up too much time from their golf game. Are they even watching film of themselves to see what they are doing wrong. The answer to all this is apparently NO!. It is time for the whole orgaization to re-evalute themselves before we end up being the Braves of the 70’s.
rally
June 16th, 2011
12:42 pm
This team sucks. Eventually what is going to happen is the pitchers are going to quit pitching these lights out games when the offense doesn’t provide support for em. Each member of this pitching staff should have about 8-10 wins if we had a hell of an offense. Unfortunately that isnt the case. I wont be attending a Braves game at all this year. Their salaries are inflated to the point they should have performance contracts. FIRE the GD hitting coach and get Don Baylor back. He was the best won we have had in 20 years. Were falling behind now and unless barring some miraculous event I think our season is done by the All Star Game. This hitting is atrocious. Sure hitting coaches cant hit for these players….but the responsibility lies on him to get them to hit, and he should be held accountable. Hell Hire Me…we would be playing ABC baseball. Pathetic. Bobby would have a heart attack with this team.
Geno
June 16th, 2011
1:12 pm
I’m didn’t stay at a Holiday Inn express last night, but it is very obvious that something is wrong in offense land. I wonder what is being done to break this funk. Is anyone taking extra BP? As someone earlier mentioned, is anyone watching film? I was really excited at the beginning of the year about getting Uggla, but maybe he should be benched for some practice time in the ole batting cage. It is time for FW to go to work and find us a couple of outfield bats. Balance is our only hope. I’m still gonna watch, though I must admit that it is painful!
extremus
June 16th, 2011
1:24 pm
With a 5-game lead in the NL East now, the Phillies have the greatest lead of any division leader. We can all say it isn’t insurmountable (and it isn’t), but I think it’s safe to say by now that the 2011 Braves have shown absolutely no signs of being able to play with the consistency (especially against “lesser” teams like the Nationals, Mets, and others) or the sheer passion that will be necessary to win this division, certainly without some significant changes in personnel on the offensive side of things. Even should they somehow manage to eke out another Wildcard berth, it’ll almost certainly result in a first-round exit at the hands of a quality opposing pitching staff.
I plan to keep rooting for them, but this year’s Braves have to be the least entertaining and most frustrating bunch I’ve had to endure watching since those awful late-1980s seasons. A pitching staff that’s been doing so great for them (maybe the best they’ve had since the Maddux/Glavine/Smoltz days)is being totally wasted, and that’s a crying shame. Is the window going to close once again on a championship run, or were we deceived into believing it was ever open to begin with?
Oregon Brave
June 16th, 2011
1:36 pm
Why do some of you Braves fans chastise us Braves fans that point out how pathetic this collection of batters are doing? We aint Cubs fans. Those fools are happy to go out to the Wrigley Beer Garden and cheer for the beer man. Us complainers are spending big bucks to watch a very bad product, so I believe we are entitled to a few random complaints. Another thing is about you fans that think Schuerholtz was a great GM. Bobby Cox built the team during his time as GM and turned the GM job over to a “dumpster diver.” JS’s crowning jewel was Maddox, who took less money to stay out of Yankee pinstripes. Watching our beloved Braves is supposed to be a fun event, not something so painful. What really hurts is how almost every opposing pitcher gets a spike in his All Star Game votes after tossing a few change-ups in the dirt to this bunch. Just saying.
TruthSeeker
June 16th, 2011
1:42 pm
Although I never imagined our offense would be this bad, I thought it was vastly overrated coming into the season. We were hoping for too many things – hoping Heyward would take the next step, hoping McLouth would revert back to his Pittsburgh form, hoping Freeman would be ready for the major leagues. When you combine Uggla’s nosedive with the fact that only one of those things has happened, it’s easy to see why this offense is scraping the bottom of the barrel.
We only get excellent offensive production at one position in the field (catcher). We’re average or below average at every other position. With so many holes in the lineup, it’s hard to call this team a legitimate playoff contender.
Sonny Clusters
June 16th, 2011
1:43 pm
One time Jeff took a swing when the pitcher threw the resin bag on the ground. That was strike one. Dan Uggla isn’t quite that bad but he’s close. Throw him one low and away and he takes a big swing and starts dancing in the box. Maybe Chipper should call Uggla out instead of Heyward. “Uh, you need to start hitting. Uh, we need Prado to get back. Uh, why aren’t these guys hitting?” Elevate your game, Chipper. Leaders lead. We was thinking this might help.
Alphare
June 16th, 2011
2:26 pm
Braves had good pitching and hitting in the 90’s, now there is only good pitching. That’s not good enough.
OldFan
June 16th, 2011
2:46 pm
Most of us were willing to buy into the, “They’re in a hitting slump, but they’re breaking out soon” daily excuse, because we wanted to believe that our great pitching was too good not to be rewarded by adequate hitting. Unfortunately, the opposite effect is settling in: the great starting pitching is moving toward the poor hitting side of the ledger. Something better change, or the Braves’ chances are going to look pretty dismal, pretty soon.
DE Braves Fan
June 16th, 2011
2:46 pm
We (UF) Own UGA
Venters and O’Flaherty combined= 1 starter in terms of IP so while they are pitching well, their ERA is not completely carrying ATL. Also having 3 guys who when the pitch want you to put the ball in play as starters does not help your ERA.
As far as JJ, every pitch hits rough patches, he is in his hopefully he pulls out of it. You say Hanson can not win on the road? How about this; Hanson at home: 4-2 2.40 ERA, on the road 4-2 2.57 ERA. For Lowe, has he pitched up to his pay? No(except for last September) but did you really try to use W-L for justifying how a pitcher is. That is 1950s info. Lowe has also improved each year with Atlanta. As far as Hudson, he is struggling and again a bit of a rough patch but he also outpitched his FIP last year by an entire run/9IP. Minor is not even the normal #5 starter either.