Live from the ballyard: The skidding Braves need a win (duh)
The NL's pitcher of the month for May needs to halt a June swoon. (AJC photo by Jason Getz)
The Braves had a chance to consolidate the gains made on their road trip, on which they went 7-3. They’ve since gone 1-4, their only victory coming on a walk-off balk. They lost a series to the Mets and have lost this one to the Rangers, and now they’re just trying to exercise damage control.
Jair Jurrjens is pitching today, and that’s usually a good thing. He’s 8-3 with an ERA of 2.13. But Alexi Ogando is working for Texas, and he’s 7-1 with an ERA of 2.71. And the Braves, as you know, have a way of making ordinary pitchers look like Walter Johnson. Imagine what they might do against a good one.
The Braves trailed the Phillies by two games a week ago. They’re six behind now, Philadelphia having beaten Felix Hernandez in Seattle last night. They’re still in good shape for the wild card — tied with St. Louis and Arizona for the lead in that category — but that six-game spread between first and second in the National League East is the widest in baseball.
A cheery note: Dan Uggla had two doubles Saturday, lifting his average to .176 and his RBI total to 21. (He’s sixth on the team in ribbies.) He’s batting second today in a strange lineup that has Jason Heyward hitting third, Freddie Freeman fifth and Nate McLouth — back from the DL — seventh. Diory Hernandez plays third base and hits eighth.
Of the Braves’ starting nine, only Brian McCann is hitting above .264. Only four are above .240. I’ve been saying for a while now that this time is going to hit, but I have to confess even the famous Bradley patience is eroding. Six games back on Father’s Day — time to get going.
And with that, the figurative floor is again open for questions, comments and Father’s Day greetings. I’ll be here all day, and I’d love your company. Thanks, as ever, in advance.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
179 comments Add your comment
todd grantham
June 19th, 2011
3:01 pm
funny and sure to be replayed 5,000 times on ESPN today.
rob
June 19th, 2011
3:02 pm
why can’t i get uggla’s double that was literally 2 inches from winning us the game last night? dang.
todd grantham
June 19th, 2011
3:03 pm
I can hear Mel Allen now. “My Oh My!!!
Mark Bradley
June 19th, 2011
3:03 pm
It’s 3-1. Torrealba with an RBI hit.
todd grantham
June 19th, 2011
3:05 pm
I always thought that record would stand until it was broken
Mark Bradley
June 19th, 2011
3:06 pm
Another odd sequence. Ogando strikes out but the ball eludes McCann — it’s scored a wild pitch — and Torrealba moves to second.
todd grantham
June 19th, 2011
3:07 pm
A hot dog at the ballgame beats roast beef at the Ritz. ~Humphrey Bogart
Mark Bradley
June 19th, 2011
3:08 pm
Eighty-one pitches for Jair Jurrjens.
todd grantham
June 19th, 2011
3:09 pm
That’s baseball, and it’s my game. Y’ know, you take your worries to the game, and you leave ‘em there. You yell like crazy for your guys. It’s good for your lungs, gives you a lift, and nobody calls the cops. Pretty girls, lots of ‘em. ~Humphrey Bogart
Clete Boyer
June 19th, 2011
3:10 pm
It’s a long season and not for the faint of heart, fare weather, Atlanta fan, especially the move ins from Chicago-Boston-New York-Michigan in my subdivision that tell me the “correct” way to care for my lawn, grill out and set my garbage by the curb.
Last week the Braves were tied for the 3rd best record in all of Major League baseball (not just the National League). I am confident that they will be back to that point in less than 2-3 weeks. Save yourself from some stress and do your Monday morning quarterbacking in September.
Thanks.
todd grantham
June 19th, 2011
3:10 pm
It’s hard to win a pennant, but it’s harder losing one. ~Chuck Tanner
and may he rest in peace
Mark Bradley
June 19th, 2011
3:12 pm
Torrealba has been removed. Taylor Teagarden catching for the Rangers. No explanation offered … yet.
Another Mark
June 19th, 2011
3:20 pm
Interference and an error seems a plausible explanation…
todd grantham
June 19th, 2011
3:21 pm
Torrealba was removed because he became hysterical at his catcher and had to be sedated.
rob
June 19th, 2011
3:22 pm
someone please ask chip carey to stop being a fan of expanded interleague play. it is horrible and distorts who the real top teams are for the play-offs.
Mark Bradley
June 19th, 2011
3:23 pm
Ninety-seven pitches through five innings.
Mark Bradley
June 19th, 2011
3:24 pm
I like interleague play.
Henry D.
June 19th, 2011
3:25 pm
To those who say be patient until Prado and Chipper get back in the lineup. What was the excuse when they were in the lineup and this bunch still couldn’t hit their way out of a wet paper bag. And Gonzales the SS. has got to go. I could walk to the mound and strike him out right now. All you have to do is throw 3 pitches outside in the dirt and he will strike out.
Hate to be so negative, but this is rediculous.
rally
June 19th, 2011
3:25 pm
If I was the number 3 hitter I would bunt him over just and “sacrifice” it for the team because were struggling. You can’t go wrong with that. When your struggling for runs you do the little things….and I know you don’t bunt with two outs. He he he:) Good one Mark!
Mark Bradley
June 19th, 2011
3:29 pm
McCann with a 390-foot single off the fence. Hamilton played it deftly.
Mark Bradley
June 19th, 2011
3:31 pm
Another hit for Freeman.
todd grantham
June 19th, 2011
3:31 pm
was bmac held to a single due to Hamilton’s deft or his own heft?
rob
June 19th, 2011
3:32 pm
it’s OK mark but only if they change the scheduling to make it more balanced. the braves play in the hardest division in baseball. the NL central is always the easiest league to win. one or two choice interleague series is fine but half of our june schedule is american league teams. in my opinion, it’s just excessive. maybe it’s just b/c i grew up watching national league teams and really don’t care for the AL.
Mark Bradley
June 19th, 2011
3:32 pm
A combination of both, tg.
Mark Bradley
June 19th, 2011
3:33 pm
Don’t believe the National League East is quite as potent as the American League East.
todd grantham
June 19th, 2011
3:33 pm
that’s what i thought too Mark
todd grantham
June 19th, 2011
3:34 pm
even if the AL were absent the DH?
Mark Bradley
June 19th, 2011
3:36 pm
Tool Race is taken by Saw.
todd grantham
June 19th, 2011
3:37 pm
i think the Braves should seriously consider (next year) moving BMac to first, Prado to third, and Freeman to left. Let David Ross be front line catcher and extend BMac’s career. All assuming Chipper retires.
todd grantham
June 19th, 2011
3:38 pm
at least that’s what most people saw.
curiosity
June 19th, 2011
3:39 pm
MB – you think the Yankees would have sent Granderson south for D Lowe and included a candy gram and a bow during the off season? If any, which player do you see the Braves trading for over the next month and a half. – love the blog.
todd grantham
June 19th, 2011
3:40 pm
and harking back to another column Mark, the Tex deal was truely awful for the Braves.
Mark Bradley
June 19th, 2011
3:40 pm
This hasn’t been the greatest played game ever. Freeman just muffed a foul pop. Not given an error, though.
Mark Bradley
June 19th, 2011
3:41 pm
I’m not sure about the Granderson rumors, curiosity.
todd grantham
June 19th, 2011
3:43 pm
cant figure out why i liked Chip when he was with WGN but find him a bit annoying now.
Mark Bradley
June 19th, 2011
3:43 pm
Pitch No. 110. Two men up in the Braves’ pen.
todd grantham
June 19th, 2011
3:46 pm
Wasnt familiar with Granderson till now. Why would the Yankees want to trade him to Atlanta? For all 5 starting pitchers maybe?
Mark Bradley
June 19th, 2011
3:47 pm
That’s it for J.J. Needed 117 pitches to record 16 outs. But his team is ahead.
Tomahawkin
June 19th, 2011
3:47 pm
Get Double J out NOW!
Bring on The Sheriff! (Sherrill)
bigstack
June 19th, 2011
3:53 pm
If my memory serves me and it may not since that was many beers ago but the Braves led the division at the break last year by at least 6 games and Philly managed to overcome that. With the Braves pitching if they can get some offense like Prado returning and adding someone through a trade i.e. Hunter Pence they should be good. They don’t need alot of offense most games just 4 runs or so.
Mark Bradley
June 19th, 2011
3:58 pm
Lt. Colonel Randall Simmons of Gray, Ga., is today’s Hometown Hero.
todd grantham
June 19th, 2011
4:03 pm
Mark, looks like you picked a good game to go to. Probably not much chance today for extra innings or one or more rain delays. heh, heh
rob
June 19th, 2011
4:04 pm
@mark- point well taken re: the AL East. the red sox have started playing better. i am hoping if they decide to split the two divisions into 15 teams that they leave the divisions in place. maybe mix in a few interleague series for good measure. we def need division rivals to stay in place. makes the long season more interesting to have NL East rivals.
Sonny Clusters
June 19th, 2011
4:05 pm
We was late getting here because it’s Father’s Day but we are here now and glad to see the Braves winning. How many hits do they have today? Happy Father’s Day to everybody, especially ol’ Mark who’s having to work today.
todd grantham
June 19th, 2011
4:06 pm
Mark, does Frank Wren typically travel with the team on road trips?
Sonny Clusters
June 19th, 2011
4:06 pm
We was studying this lineup and was wondering if Fredi uses darts?
Dawgs Man
June 19th, 2011
4:08 pm
If Fredi puts that no-pitching Proctor in we will lose for sure.
todd grantham
June 19th, 2011
4:09 pm
Dawgs, didnt you hear that Proctor was placed on the DL this morning for being a pain in the tail?
Outside Observer
June 19th, 2011
4:12 pm
Four straight games for Proctor?
kirkinga
June 19th, 2011
4:14 pm
It would be nice if the Braves featured speed as part of their offense. It seems to work well enough for the Rangers and some other teams.