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
IHEARTCARROLL
September 23rd, 2011
8:01 am
Michael,
I hate to confront a fellow Braves fan, but my heart requires me to stand up for Carroll Rogers. I hope you are not including her in your complaints against AJC.
BigGreenTribe
September 23rd, 2011
8:30 am
The starting pitching is…other than Hudson…down the toilet. The hitting, as you point out, is in another of its frequent swoons (by the way, I believe the “swoon” is their normal hitting; when they hit decently that’s a rare exception).
McCann…and I really hate to say this since this guy gives 120%…hasn’t hit a lick since returning from the disabled list; he’s trying to hit a homer on every pitch and striking out a ton. Hayward is a shadow (if that) of his 2010 self; he’s lost all bat control, swings wildly, and strikes out on changeups with sickening regularity (even his fielding is down!). Prado…and I love this guy…looks tired; his bat has slowed down and he, other than a brief three game stretch a week ago, has to be hitting around .230 since August first.
S
September 23rd, 2011
8:43 am
Nice job leading the tour champ Mark.
AlanFalcon
September 23rd, 2011
8:48 am
Never again- I bought into the spring training hype and the man I wanted to become the Braves manager for the future (WHAT A DISSAPPOINTMENT ITS ALL BECOME). Frank Wren is a spin doctor of the first magnitude, in the future I will take what he says and split it in half and then half again before I believe anything he says of does (KK, Lowe and the up and coming pitchers are the heart and soul of the Braves). Fredi, well he is as bad as Bobby when it comes to managing the pitching rotation and the bull pen and its all showing (Hanson, JJ,and Lowe, throw in the breakdown of the young guns (I’ve got to protect them) and what do you have left, AN OFFENSE THAT CAN’T PUT TOGETHER RUNS THAT WIN THE GAMES,
SO MUCH FOR THIS YEAR , IT WILL TAKE A MIRICALE FOR FRANK AND FREDI TO MAKE IT WORTH WHILE WAITING FOR THE SAME THING NEXT YEAR.
SO LONG FOR A SEASON OF HIGH HOPES AND GREAT LET DOWNS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE BIG R
September 23rd, 2011
8:58 am
SONNY’S RIGHT, WHY IS CONTANZA NOT PLAYING?????????????????? WITH HIS SPEED HE GETS ON BASE, STEAL SECOND, BUNT HIM OVER( SINCE WE CAN’T HIT) WE PLAY ALL THESE CLOSE GAMES. THAT COULD MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IN WINNING JUST ONE GAME TO GET IN PLAYOFFS
Fols
September 23rd, 2011
9:07 am
This game will fire up our boys…….we are scoring at least 2 or 3 runs tonight!
Go BRAVES!!!!!!
Micky Maris
September 23rd, 2011
9:19 am
Elvis sung a song years ago called Its Now Or Never…They can’t set back wait on the Cards to lose.
They have got to put it together and sweep the Nats.There is no next year. The Phillies will be waiting for them next week.Oh No
Willie Nelson also had a song.. If The Braves don’t at least win the series with the Nats.
Its going to be as Dandy Don used to say on Monday night Football.
Turn out the Lights the Party is Over.Thats all I got to say about That
Von Trapp
September 23rd, 2011
9:35 am
Das WC is there for das Braves taking…………………….TAKE it………..St.Louis might want it more than das Braves??!!
D man
September 23rd, 2011
9:37 am
No comment…
Dirty Dawg
September 23rd, 2011
9:59 am
Our ‘good friends’ the Mets have given us an opening and we need to take it. Get mad…get determined…if you won’t be beat, they can’t beat ya’…and all that.
As for tonight’s game, make Strasburg work his butt off…take pitches, foul ‘em off, bunt, anything to get his pitch-count up. Start Canstansa and hit him second…hell, start Heyward as well and make sure he takes those pitches instead of missin’ ‘em.
Oh yeah, and hope ‘the bats’ remember we’re still playin’ baseball.
Micky Maris
September 23rd, 2011
10:01 am
Bring Bobby back
Bosox9
September 23rd, 2011
10:12 am
They’ve been in trouble since blowing the first game of the three-game sweep in St. Louis. That game was a turning point, as what should have been an 8 1/2-game lead suddenly became 6 1/2.
Mike
September 23rd, 2011
10:30 am
Well he__, for all practical purposes they haven’t played for the last month. The Braves are not a playoff caliber team. The picture says it all, “Stick a fork in the Braves, they’re done.”
Richard Dawson
September 23rd, 2011
10:45 am
You people are such goofballs. Baseball players can’t control how well they play. It’s a game of streaks and slumps, as anyone who has played the game knows. You don’t lack “grit”, “drive”, “toughness”, or “focus” because you lose games in September. It’s just timing. These guys are competitive athletes. They want to win. It’s so assinine and ignorant to think they don’t, and to say that players look “lifeless” or “not into it” when they lose. Every team looks that way when they lose. Every. Single. One. You get excited when you do something good and when you win. You get quiet when you do something bad and you lose. And cheering and “looking excited” have no bearing on the actual outcome of the game. Neither does the mighty “momentum”, by the way. That is an emotion that dictates absolutely nothing. Notice how it so frequently changes. Freebie for you this morning. Use it wisely.
Von Trapp
September 23rd, 2011
11:20 am
Richard Dawson is right on das momentum. Das Braves do not believes in momentum. They have none. They play like das zombies and fans ask why
DawgDad
September 23rd, 2011
11:33 am
Hudson will get two more starts if necessary. That’s two possible wins, where the others would come from is very much in question. If the Braves veterans don’t hit this team is in big trouble, as they’ve proven. My hope is they make it (I’ve already bought playoff tickets), but my expectation is they don’t have enough left in the tank and will finish out 1-5 or 2-4.
Just sayin'
September 23rd, 2011
11:54 am
If’s funny how the Braves TV announcers (Caray and Simpson) quote the stats about how someone’s average is up or how well they are hitting…the problem is timely hitting, with RISP. That stat is almost a negative number.
And the pitching….the staff reminds me of my old car held together with duct tape and bailing wire.
Been a huge Braves fan since 1966, but just don’t see them making it down the stretch. The Cards are way too hot and the Braves are playing teams that pretty much “own them.”
Chop101
September 23rd, 2011
11:55 am
The Cubs are not automatic pushovers. Even with nothing to play for except pride, they still may have good motivation to knock the Cards out of the race. Dempster v. Carpenter tonight for the Cards and Huddy v. Strasburg for the Braves.
The Cubs could take 2 of 3 from the Cards or maybe even sweep. Stranger things have recently happened. Who would have predicted that the Mighty Mets would score six in the 9th to come back against the Cards in their last at bat? Good teams don’t choke right? Well, blowing such a large lead late in the game is the true definition of choke (especially when every game for the Cards matters so much at the moment).
Will be a good night of baseball ahead. Enjoy and go Braves!
kazoo
September 23rd, 2011
12:08 pm
When you lose your two best pitchers, or two of your three best pitchers, for an extended period of time, bad things are going to happen. First, you’ll simply give up more runs because lesser pitchers have taken their place; and second, at some point the team’s confidence is likely to take a hit. That’s especially true with the Braves, who are very reliant on their pitching. I still think they make the playoffs–but unless one of JJ or Hanson return soon, it probably won’t matter.
Jack
September 23rd, 2011
12:29 pm
@ The big R…. Why is Constanza not playing?
Jason Heyward
SPLITS AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB AVG
Last seven days 17 5 6 2 0 1 1 4 .353
Thats why. If there’s ever been a time for the kid to put it togther, its right now. Lets ride him into the playoffs…
Robert
September 23rd, 2011
12:32 pm
“If you can’t go 3-3 with the postseason in the offing … you probably shouldn’t be in the postseason”
well said – Let’s win today and put the heat on the Cards
Born2Buzz
September 23rd, 2011
12:43 pm
Yea, Heyward is playing well now. Maybe Prado is the one that needs to sit.
Anyway, Bravos need to play these next 3 against the Nats with some intensity. The playoffs start today.
Kevin
September 23rd, 2011
1:06 pm
Kazoo hit the nail on the head. Hanson and Jair were either hurt or pitching ineffectively the entire second half of the season. When that happens to your two studs, the team is forced to run out inferior pitchers who give up more runs and go shorter into ball games. Both of which but more stress on the offense and pen.
Appalachia Brave
September 23rd, 2011
1:08 pm
This year is just like last year, and the year before that, and the year before that…and…so on and on….you get the point. They just never have enough….they go into every year just hoping they have enough….But never do. Oh well….Lets go golfing.
Appalachia Brave
September 23rd, 2011
1:10 pm
bla, bla, bla….these post are even the same as years past…Enough already! Its like re-runs of the office! Sooner or later you just get sick of watching!
Luv 2 Hate Me
September 23rd, 2011
1:13 pm
Braves need to man the f**k up grow a pair and win out the rest of the way. Fat boy McCain’t needs to hustle on the run and with the bat. Braves need to keep Derrick Slow out of the lineup and Kimbel needs to get his swag back. They have a 2 game lead and they need to keep the Cards at bay. Makes no sense for them to collapse at the end. They are really pissing me off!
Jon
September 23rd, 2011
1:16 pm
JUST THE BIG BREAK WE NEEDED!! Now if only we can have St. Louis and then every team we face lose… why, we’d win it all! It’s just that simple.
Jon
September 23rd, 2011
1:25 pm
To Jack: In the last 7 days Heyward is has 6 hits, 1 HR, and 4 RBIs… and you think that’s spectacular? Better than he has been all year – sure… but hardly anything that wows anyone!
Wookie
September 23rd, 2011
1:37 pm
Remember we need to keep only positive energy flowing to help our Braves. This will boost their psyche, improve self/team image and allow them to see into their very essence-their spiritual selves. No more negative posts please; the dark side is real.
DetroitBraves
September 23rd, 2011
1:43 pm
@Jon, Heyward has 6 hits in 20 at-bats, and has thrown in 4 walks in the last 7 days. He also has a .403 obp in September. To make him the target of September angst is either due to not really paying attention to the numbers or something more nefarious.
chris
September 23rd, 2011
1:44 pm
I submit the infamous words of Jerry Royster from 1982 when the Braves were fighting nightly for the NL West crown after losing 19 or 21 in August to let the Dodgers back in the door; they had just blown the Dodgers series and headed to San Diego with their tales between their legs when Royster walked into the clubhouse and said “WE GOT THEM RIGHT WHERE WE WANT THEM” – Team Atlanta fans – we got them right where we want them. Who knows what will happen this weekend and next week here = its been a fun run, I hate to see this terrible collapse in September as all fans do but we have a lot of young talent to build on and if we can wash away some of this veteran thrash who have been overpaid and underperformed – bring on 2012. Not giving up hope we can go at least 3-3 which would require St. Louis to go 5-1 against Chicago and Houston. Cubs have been hitting, Astros not a slouch even though not Philly. Let’s keep hoping for a steady recovery! and hey – we got them right where we want them!
chris
September 23rd, 2011
1:45 pm
We got them right where we want them!
Jon
September 23rd, 2011
1:51 pm
No – nothing nefarious… I have placed blame on several of the Braves this year… but in my opinion, he’s the one who has done the most damage to this team over the course of an entire year. That’s all. Just the facts
DetroitBraves
September 23rd, 2011
2:17 pm
@Jon, you probably understood what I meant by nefarious but I don’t know you and have no issue with taking you at your word. Glad to hear it. So as to his performance, yes I have to admit that relative to expectations he has been disappointing. Relative to his teammates, he stacks up decently with a higher WAR than both Prado and Freeman, to name a couple. But no matter how disappointing he may have been between his shoulder injury in May and the end of August he has played well in September. It may well be a fair point that had he played better in those prior months the September swoon would be less meaningful, but it’s not really fair to blame the September swoon itself on Heyward. He’s actually been one of the few players producing these last few weeks.
Jack
September 23rd, 2011
2:28 pm
@ Jon, We can all agree that Heyward hasnt lived up to the lofty expectations that were put on his shoulders this year. If you dont want to give him the benefit of the doubt thats fine (hes a second year player that battled through injuries with the weight of the south east on his back), but nows not the time to look back…save that for November when the season is over. Was simply supplying some stats to why he is in the lineup, NOW. Dont forget the runs scored either..For as much as they are a premium for us, he has accounted for 5 in that stretch (look back to him turning a bloop single into a double the other night). This is what you want at the end of sept. Our second basemen had a rough year also, but when he snapped out, he carried the team…lets just hope Jason has that going on right now…
Pierson Brave
September 23rd, 2011
2:47 pm
This season has turned into a real Clusters family reunion: ie… A Cluster F!
b
September 23rd, 2011
3:02 pm
For the love of God, why won’t any writer for the ajc address the Constanza benching.
Please Bradley,Schultz,Rogers,DOB tell us why they quit playing him a month ago.
And he was only out one game with ankle injury and Getting Diaz in trade should not
warrant Georgie’s benching.
WHAT is the REASON?
b
September 23rd, 2011
3:03 pm
Why no constanza?
Pleasetell us why
Jon
September 23rd, 2011
4:40 pm
I understand very well what the word nefarious means and how you applied it here… trust me. It’s not that complex. What I am saying is that some Braves have had a good year and many have struggled – gone into funks for periods of time. ASIDE FROM THE PAST 2 WEEKS, Heyward has done nothing offensively speaking or defensively. That’s it. Now if you believe I am saying this because of something other than his production (i.e, his background, etc.) that’s YOUR issue.
the duke of dook
September 23rd, 2011
5:16 pm
“LOLLYGAGGERS” is right. It’s institutional; they always collapse. It’s just happening a bit sooner this season.
If they *do* manage to get into the playoffs, by the hair of their chinny-chin-chin, I’m sure we’ll see another lovely display of highly paid pros swinging at pitches that land 3 feet in front of home plate!
jmor
September 23rd, 2011
5:36 pm
The braves have been choking and gagging and the Cards had a chance to put them away by closing the lead to 1 game…But what do THEY do? They cough up a 6 run lead in the 9th inning with all the signs of a major choke…errors, walks, consecutive hits, everything and anything they needed to lose.The Braves are still standing and have 1 more chance. I think the Cards are going to run out of gas after an incredible run. I just hope the Braves don’t run the table the bad way and lose the rest. If they can split 3 and 3, I think they win the WC.
GO CARDS!!!
September 23rd, 2011
5:48 pm
One choke doesn’t matter. The bravos are in a state of INCESSANT CHOKE.
Bernard
September 23rd, 2011
6:12 pm
Hate to say I told you so….Theres NO SUBSTITUTE for TALENT…they have not hit in the clutch all year so theres no reason to believe that all of a sudden they will now???…Hey Frank, dump Lowe and any other non producer and get some TALENT or we’ll be in the same PREDICAMENT next year….LEARN from history, or you are bound to repeat it!!…Thats why the Braves REPEATEDLY FAILED TO WIN MORE THAN ONE LOUSY WORLD SERIES WHEN THEY HAD ALL THOSE OPPORTUNITIES???….duh
Caseyatthebat
September 23rd, 2011
9:34 pm
Are’t y’all glad we got Fredi running things?
jharris
September 23rd, 2011
11:36 pm
It was a good win, but they have to sweep the Nats and not have any let down games. The Braves control their destiny and it is there’s to win. They are in the driver’s seat. The Braves would play the Brewers in the 1st round and I believe they win have severe difficulty. They will be the worst team entering the playoffs. It is interesting if Hanson and Jurijens are activated for the playoffs. If I were the Braves, I wouldn’t pitch them I would save them for the future. I wouldn’t put them out there because the Braves most likely won’t advance deep in the playoff. They are likely to lose to the Brewers in the first round. The Brewers are deadly at home.
D-backs, Brewers and Rangers clinch on same night – Atlanta Journal Constitution | CgPage
September 24th, 2011
7:35 am
[...] Update: It was a big day for the Braves, who didn’t even play [...]
DetroitBraves
September 24th, 2011
10:41 am
@Jon, calm down. I’m saying I do believe you. I think that is part of the issue with some of the Heyward bashers out here but I believe you. Sorry, should have stated that more clearly. That’s why I turned more to the basebal side of the argument, where I still disagree with you.
Let's Be Logical
September 24th, 2011
12:06 pm
analysis of a ridiculous fan comment:
http://showinglogic.blogspot.com/2011/09/ridiculous-fan-comments-9232011.html
BullDogMike
September 24th, 2011
5:49 pm
As former Saint coach Jim Mora once said: Playoffs ! Playoffs ! What playoffs?
MitchC
September 25th, 2011
4:37 pm
Braves are gone, Mark, just like Furcal’s homer.
Prediction: The Phillies will find themselves in Atlanta,. This Braves team isnt making the playoffs. This should have been over at the latest, this weekend.
2011 will be the worst Braves choke in history. I dont care that they will stil have a one game lead even if the Cards win today. i’m telling you, I have no more faith.