Update: It was a big day for the Braves, who didn’t even play
Glad tidings from a Philly fanatic. (AP photo)
Update: The Mets scored six runs in the ninth inning to beat St. Louis 8-6 after the Cardinals’ Rafael Furcal, of whom you’ve heard, couldn’t field a double-play grounder. The Braves lead the Cards by two games with six to play. Big break.
Today is an important day for the Braves, and they don’t even play. (The way they’re going, that’s a good thing.) The Cardinals are scheduled to complete their three-game series against the Mets this afternoon, and what happens in St. Louis will have a direct effect on the Braves’ psyche this next week.
Today’s the day when that half-game in the standings goes away. If the Cardinals lose, they’ll be two back with six to go. That’s still too close for comfort, but it beats the heck out of the alternative, which would be …
One game back, six to go.
The Braves appeared to have steadied last week. They held that 4 1/2-game lead for four days, saw it reduced to 3 1/2 on Friday, pushed it back to 4 1/2 on Saturday. They were positioned to keep it there Sunday afternoon, but Jonny Venters blew a lead and then Craig Kimbrel blew one the next night and suddenly they were only 2 1/2 games in front. After amassing two hits against Javier Vazquez (former Brave) last night while the Cardinals surged past the Mets yet again, the lead’s at 1 1/2.
And nothing’s steady now. The Braves led St. Louis by 10 1/2 games on Aug. 25, by 8 1/2 the day after Labor Day, which was barely two weeks ago. But the Braves have stopped hitting (again) and their rotation has been reduced to Tim Hudson and assorted rookies and the bullpen has started to wobble and …
According to Baseball Prospectus’ playoffs odds, the Braves’ chances of reaching the postseason stand at 70.3 percent. A week ago they were at 95 percent. This time next week they could be at 0 percent.
I didn’t see this coming. I didn’t think they were in real trouble until Monday night. But now I do. They’ve lost consecutive series to teams with losing records. They’ve won one of the past five series. They’ve lost 13 of 20 games. If they’re put in position where one more bad night could mean they’re no longer leading the wild-card race, I’m not sure how they’ll react.
The difference between a one-game and a two-game lead isn’t that much on paper, but with six games remaining a two-game lead could be viewed as almost healthy. A one-game lead could not. For a team that has had little go right this past fortnight, seeing the Cardinals lose today would be a major boost. But those Redbirds don’t seem to be losing much, do they?
The good news: Lefthander Chris Capuano is starting for the Mets, and he can be effective. The bad: He has won only twice in his past nine starts, and both victories, wouldn’t you know, were against the local nine. So the Braves have that going for them, which is … not really nice.
By Mark Bradley
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401 comments Add your comment
Rowsdower
September 22nd, 2011
7:25 pm
Popout to CF…2 Down!!
Phils fan
September 22nd, 2011
7:25 pm
if the mets blow this thing
Rowsdower
September 22nd, 2011
7:26 pm
COME ON PARNELL!
Luv 2 Hate Me
September 22nd, 2011
7:26 pm
Mets came back to beat the Cards. The baseball gods are helping 8-6 final
Texas Braves Fan
September 22nd, 2011
7:28 pm
WHAT A FAVOR FROM THE MUTTS!!!!!!!!! Cards have to be crushed…
Rowsdower
September 22nd, 2011
7:28 pm
BALLGAME…2 GAME LEAD!!!!!
rm
September 22nd, 2011
7:28 pm
mets win!
Rowsdower
September 22nd, 2011
7:29 pm
WHAT A CATCH!!!!
mjn99
September 22nd, 2011
7:30 pm
this is the chance. 6 runs in the 9th may have saved them. Now it’s up to them to show what t hey are made of. This could be the turning point.
BRAVESFAN
September 22nd, 2011
7:30 pm
Go Braves!
John Galt
September 22nd, 2011
7:32 pm
Miracle Mets!
mjn99
September 22nd, 2011
7:32 pm
big difference. 1 game it was over, 2 games after that loss and they have a chance to hold them off. That was a very bad loss for St Louis.
Brave New World
September 22nd, 2011
7:32 pm
Phew….., 6 runs top of 9th should kill that Cards bullpen mentally….
Rowsdower
September 22nd, 2011
7:32 pm
If that comeback doesn’t cause a spark I don’t know what will. What a stunning turn of events!
JoshTown
September 22nd, 2011
7:32 pm
Amazing.
mjn99
September 22nd, 2011
7:33 pm
St Louis announcers were in shock
Rowsdower
September 22nd, 2011
7:34 pm
You know the guys are going absolutely ape in DC right now. Rest up and whoop some Strasburg butt tomorrow!
Ron in Vegas
September 22nd, 2011
7:34 pm
I can’t believe that just happened to the Cardinals….but very glad that it did. Maybe this was the spark that the Braves needed. They should come out with a bright attitude tomorrow, or so I would think.
Ronald Millsaps
September 22nd, 2011
7:35 pm
Wow.
Brave New World
September 22nd, 2011
7:36 pm
Hudson goes against Strasburg tomorrow.., Braves will win 1-0 , a homer by McCann will seal the deal..
Hudson , Beachy and Minor should be able to do it..,
BTW if Braves sweep nats then i will stick to those 3 as my post season rotation..,
Ted M
September 22nd, 2011
7:37 pm
Braves are back!
Kimbrel rocks
September 22nd, 2011
7:38 pm
DID THAT JUST HAPPEN?!!! i bet the braves players are absolutely beside themselves.
does this mean the baseball gods have decided to forgive us?
Bravos
September 22nd, 2011
7:38 pm
I LOVE U REUBEN TEJADA!!!,!,!!
mjn99
September 22nd, 2011
7:38 pm
The baseball gods have called off their curse.
dean
September 22nd, 2011
7:38 pm
This seems so cruel.
mjn99
September 22nd, 2011
7:40 pm
biggest win of the year, and they didn’t even have to play
Rowsdower
September 22nd, 2011
7:40 pm
This was definitely a gift from the baseball gods. Can we please skip Lowe if we’re still in it come Tuesday?
bwash21
September 22nd, 2011
7:40 pm
Wow, what a break. Finally. Need a win tomorrow with Huddy on the mound because the Cards have Carpenter going. Thank you Mets!!
Kimbrel rocks
September 22nd, 2011
7:41 pm
lol i honestly do believe the braves are cursed though. they have lost a lot of games but SO MANY of them have been one run losses. such a bummer game after game. maybe this turns the tide. o’ventbrel will def be rested for the next series
ATLtodolavida
September 22nd, 2011
7:41 pm
Today was the best game for the braves in a while. A little weak that they weren’t playing in it.
dean
September 22nd, 2011
7:42 pm
I really really want the Braves to get in, but winning 5 of 6 to do it on their own seems too tall of an order.
Kimbrel rocks
September 22nd, 2011
7:42 pm
i don’t think lowe will be pitching if the WC is still in play. hudson will pitch on low rest b4 that happens
Ron in Vegas
September 22nd, 2011
7:43 pm
mjn99 6:43 – St Louis 6 mets 2 it’s over folks. Lets all just admit it and move on. This team has no heart.
mjn99 7:30 – this is the chance. 6 runs in the 9th may have saved them. Now it’s up to them to show what they are made of. This could be the turning point.
What a difference 45 minutes makes….
Birmingham Jacket
September 22nd, 2011
7:45 pm
Bradley,
More Georgia Tech coverage, please.
Are you covering GT/UNC this weekend, hopefully?
Kimbrel rocks
September 22nd, 2011
7:45 pm
buying a mets jersey now. NOOOOOOOT!
mjn99
September 22nd, 2011
7:46 pm
Ron in Vegas you are absolutley right. I said this morning that if they got to within 1 it was really over but if they could get it back to 2, they would take it. This game was the season as far as I’m concerned.
BananaJacket
September 22nd, 2011
7:47 pm
Wow, Cards blow big lead! Their fans heard screaming: “These guys stink, they have no fire in the belly, they stink; stupid manager, shouldn’t have re-signed Berkman today; they don’t want to win, can’t even beat the lowly Mets after having a HUGE lead. Tip your hat. Our guys should never make an error and they should ALWAYS get a clutch hit! If Chipper (for the Braves) had not been a good dad and left his team in the lurch, this would not have happened to us! Doesn’t he, and all our players, know that the game is much more important than any kid? Stupid LaRussa–he started the wrong pitcher, had the wrong line-up, didn’t raise cain or make the right moves when the sorry Mets started their come-back. Now, the Yankees and/or the Phillies don’t ever lose more than one game in a row—oops, check that. Oh, well, we are experts but “they” won’t listen to us!!!”
Rowsdower
September 22nd, 2011
7:47 pm
I was so tired of throwing up in my mouth all week. It’s refreshing to shyte my pants for a change :b
Dawg4Life
September 22nd, 2011
7:50 pm
What an amazing Met comeback!! I was ready to throw in the towel, now, maybe just maybe….
C’mon Braves! You know what you gotta do now!
NO MORE PARRISH
September 22nd, 2011
7:51 pm
OK Braves…. Met’s did you a favor now let’s see if you guys can actually win your own games.
Ron in Vegas
September 22nd, 2011
7:52 pm
mjn99 – I wasn’t calling you out so much as trying to illustrate the roller coaster ride that we have all been on for the past month. It was nice to finally be going the right way for what seems like the first time in months. Hopefully it will continue tomorrow evening!
Biggs
September 22nd, 2011
7:54 pm
I think they need to start playing small ball. Go for the hit instead of trying to put it over the fence. They load the bases and whoever is at bat tries to put it out of the park and be the hero. They blow it every time.
Felix
September 22nd, 2011
7:55 pm
Huh? What? The Cards lost? WTF? You mean the Braves have a 2 game lead? WTF? The Braves have a second life here. Oh well, they’ll still probably blow it.
Rowsdower
September 22nd, 2011
7:58 pm
Tonight Cards fans get a taste of what we’ve been going through the past 3 weeks.
Rowsdower
September 22nd, 2011
7:59 pm
Tonight Cards fans get a taste of what we’ve been going through for the last 3 weeks. What a turn of events.
mjn99
September 22nd, 2011
7:59 pm
Ron I have no problem with your statement. I’ll be the first to admit, I thought with a st louie win we were done. I’m just so dam happy now, I really think that this will turn things around. Go braves. They do need to show some spirit friday and not be 2 hitted again.
Rowsdower
September 22nd, 2011
8:01 pm
Finally, Cards fans get a taste of what we’ve been going through the last 3 weeks. What a turn of events! WE STILL LOVE YOU, WILLIE!!!
Rowsdower
September 22nd, 2011
8:05 pm
You have to tip your cap to the former Braves today. We couldn’t have done it without Furcy and Willie. Great game today Braves!
Just saying
September 22nd, 2011
8:06 pm
Sonny you are so funny! I miss you when you don’t post! I agree with you about the hugging and patting. In fact, I saw a Brave hugging and patting an opponent recently. NOW THAT JUST AIN’T RIGHT! BTW, I thought we already havvbe Stinky as manager. Some think so.
Just saying
September 22nd, 2011
8:07 pm
I thought we already have Stinky as manager. Correction.