Live from Game No. 162: Fredi tries, gently, to rally his Braves!
Is darkness about to descend on the 2011 Atlanta Braves? (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
You wanted a team meeting? Fredi Gonzalez convened (a brief) one after Tuesday’s game. “He let his feelings be known,” Chipper Jones said, but now I offer this warning:
You’re going to be disappointed.
The Braves’ manager did not hurl invective or furniture. What he said was essentially what he told the press moments later. “I told them I wouldn’t pick another bunch of guys to go out and win one game,” Gonzalez said. “I also told them to get a nice sleep and come out ready tomorrow.”
Then: “It wasn’t like Knute Rockne. But maybe 50 years from now it’ll be in a book of great speeches.”
When you’ve handed back an 8 1/2-game lead and there’s only one game to go, what else is there to say? “If we blow this, you’re all fired”? (Those pesky longterm contracts might mitigate against such a purge.) “Take two and hit to right”? (Sounds like something the hitting coach should have been saying.) “You’re a bunch of choking dogs — now go relax and win this game”? (A bit of a mixed message, eh?)
It’s Game No. 162, you’re can’t install the Wishbone. And if you’re wondering why Fredi G. didn’t try to incite his men … well, these are grown men. They know what they need to do.
Chipper said Wednesday that the city of Atlanta was ready to box these players’ ears. (Or words to that effect.) Someone noted that at least such venom showed this city cares. Said Jones: “We care, too. Nobody cares more than we do. We just need to batten down the hatches and give ourselves a chance.”
Of his manager, Jones said: “I just don’t know what strings he can pull. It’s up to the players to put up good at-bats and up to the pitchers to put up zeroes.”
Of the Braves’ inability to score (four runs in the past four games), Jones said: “We have picked an inopportune time to make outs with runners in scoring position.”
Here he smiled. Baseball can be such a simple game. “If we could control when we struggle and when we’re hot, the game would be pretty easy.”
Nobody disputes that these Braves have made this much harder than it should have been. At the same time, they haven’t quite blown it yet. They’ve got Tim Hudson working tonight, and he’s the guy you’d want taking the ball even if Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson were hale and hearty. And the Cardinals will be facing a hot pitcher.
“We’re big Brett Myers fans,” Chipper said, speaking of Houston’s starter. “He went to my high school. I’m hoping for some Bolles mojo.”
The Braves didn’t appear a beaten team beforehand. They went about their pregame business the way they usually go about their pregame business. And Gonzalez sounded utterly upbeat in an extended media session.
He had, he said, packed “all the way through Sunday night.” If a one-game playoff with the Cardinals is required, the Braves will depart tonight. Should they win in St. Louis, they’d head for Milwaukee or Phoenix. Did Fredi pack attire for both the Midwest and the desert?
“They’re both indoor stadiums,” he said. “Besides, I don’t have that kind of wardrobe.”
The big news of the afternoon: Shortstop Alex Gonzalez could, his manager said, miss up to two weeks with a calf injury. Jack Wilson will start in his stead and bat eighth tonight. And batting seventh with be the right-handed hitting Matt Diaz; Jason Heyward has been omitted from the starting lineup for Game No. 162 — even though the Phillies are deploying righthander Joe Blanton.
Fredi’s reasoning: Blanton is actually more effective against lefties than righties — the numbers underscore the point — and Philly plans to bring in lefty Cole Hamels after three innings, which would force the Braves to pinch-hit early if Heyward started.
Gonzalez: “We’ve got a lineup capable of grinding out a group of at-bats.”
And that, assuming some of the at-bats conclude with hits, would be a good thing. And these Braves weren’t acting as if they were looking for a soft place to plop down. They want to keep playing. They want to win. I think they’ll be playing in St. Louis tomorrow night. So does their manager.
Asked if his team would win tonight, Gonzalez said: “Yes. We’re going to go out and play the best baseball game we can play.”
That might be enough. It might not. That’s why they play the game. “Hopefully at about 10:30 or so we’ll be shaking hands and seeing what’s happening with the Astros and Cardinals,” Gonzalez said.
And I’ll be here until we know what’s what, baseball-wise. I ask you to join me as Game No. 162 unfolds. I thank you, as ever, in advance.
By Mark Bradley
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1,908 comments Add your comment
Rob
September 29th, 2011
12:09 am
Unreal. No wait… I’m not surprised at all.It’s just another day in the life of an Atlanta sports fan.
I can take solace in this though: I didn’t waste a penny going to a game this year.
If the higher ups want to continue to raise the price of tickets, concessions and parking while continuing to lower the payroll every year, I’ll keep my damn money. If more people would do the same, we’d actually see some changes.
bogardem
September 29th, 2011
12:10 am
Who can the young Braves players look to for leadership, guidance and mental stability under pressure? I’ll wait…
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2011
12:10 am
But the Tampa Bay baseball “fans” are more pathetic than the Braves hitters…..hardly any emotion in the stadium after the homer……because most of them are Boston or Yankee fans and came to cheer a Boston or Yankee win. Many of them are leaving disappointed. Can we trade the Braves players for the Rays players?
G
September 29th, 2011
12:11 am
P B Orr- I grew up an hour from St. Louis. They are very passionate and calssy fans. LaRussa gives them a shot to take out Phillies. I root fro the Braves, but since they are gone my Cardinal hat on also.
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2011
12:12 am
Again……at least we don’t have to listen to ESPN talking about the Braves collapse…..all their focus will be on what happened in Boston…..thank goodness for that.
omar
September 29th, 2011
12:12 am
The Rays are a team with heart
rugburn
September 29th, 2011
12:12 am
chipper is the head lollygagger and he has taught the rest how to lollygag. he is the cancer on this sick team
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2011
12:12 am
Rays…..down 7-0….and they win…..take note Braves.
RJ
September 29th, 2011
12:12 am
Tampa Gator, I grew up in Atlanta, started going to Braves games when Murph was playing in the 80s, I live in Lutz now and still like the Braves and always will (although I am sick right now), but I picked the Rays as my AL team, because I can’t stand the Yanks and the Red Sox. I also love their low payroll.
G
September 29th, 2011
12:13 am
Tampa Gator-Can we tradeBraves players for your manager????
Braves Sufferer
September 29th, 2011
12:14 am
Saw a list of things that the braves need to do before next season to have a chance to win ! I don’t think it’s gonna be that easy, because the main thing they don’t have is fire ! They’re not disiplined, they play me ball instead of we ball ! They don’t seem to have a clue as to the difference between a ball and a strike, no disipline ! They depend entirely on the 3 run homer, no disipline ! They miss too many oportunities on the bases, and must be the worst bunting team in history ! They have to hold the record for bases loaded with 0 outs and not scoring ! And…….I’ll bet they lead both leagues in number of pitches thrown….especially balls ! And now, the painful truth….My hero Larry Wayne “Chipper” Jones…..it’s time to take over the hitting coaches job, even if you decide to play another year….you can do both, and be a valuable tool in the braves quest for respectability again !
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2011
12:14 am
rugburn……
If you had two bad knees…..you probably would not even go to work at McDonalds. Chipper is a hall of fame player…..you idiot. Show some respect.
RJ
September 29th, 2011
12:15 am
The Rays starters usually pitch deep into each game. They lost the ENTIRE bullpen in the off season, literally. I wish the Braves starters pitched deeper into games so our pen was not burned out in Spetember.
rugburn
September 29th, 2011
12:15 am
chipper says it’s a tough pill to swallow, it’s hard to swallow anything when you are choking
cdbgolf
September 29th, 2011
12:15 am
Will someone please put a sock in Leo Mazzones’ mouth now?What do you mean a relievers ERA doesn’t mean anything?
Jo-Jo
September 29th, 2011
12:16 am
Rays fans were going crazy and so was dugout..What a manager and team with heart..10 games back of Boston 4 weeks ago and win..Boston and Braves make history but all bad. Go Rays….
RJ
September 29th, 2011
12:17 am
Another sick ironic twist of fate, Longoria hit his walk off HR off Proctor, a Braves cast off.
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2011
12:18 am
I listened (as a teenager in S. Georgia) to Tony Cloniger ruin his arm in that epic first game in the old stadium…..and then spent many nights after work watching Marty Perez, Biff Pocoroba, Rick Mahler…and Rowland Office……play in front of 800 fans. They played harder than this team.
Lutz……..if you are living in Florida….you have to live on or near the beach. Otherwise, it is just not worth it.
Wow....
September 29th, 2011
12:18 am
Is LARRY PARRISH ever available for comment?
LakeDawg
September 29th, 2011
12:18 am
The Braves piddle-farted around because they needed to win just a couple of more games and they were in. No sense of urgency. Par for the course for the Braves since ‘96. They don’t want to acknowledge the elephant in the room and hope somehow everything will work out. They don’t have the guts to face their situation and bear down. A “reverse” choke. Its become the culture of the organization. David Justice lit a fire under their butts and they won a World Series. So naturally, they got rid of Justice. Too mouthy. I blame Cox, Sherhoulz (sp?), Glavine and Smoltz. Golf was more important to them than a World Series. Chipper grew up in that culture. He’s not able to provide leadership. Oh well, its football season anyway.
stendek
September 29th, 2011
12:19 am
Rays rule! Braves, well, uh, just do not. Actually the opposite. Always nice to see a team leave it all on the battlefield when everything is on the line! Maybe Braves pulled Thrasher. Make that a Jet! Zoom.
rugburn
September 29th, 2011
12:20 am
chipper deserves respect for his hitting but not his leadership. he has never hustled worth a flip and because of his status as a great player, young guys follow his example. i didn’t say he won’t go into the hof. i’ve said it many times. chipper is a great player but a poor example
RJ
September 29th, 2011
12:20 am
I have been a Braves fan since I was 6 years old growing up in metro Atlanta, I will always pull for them no matter where I live, but let’s be honest. No way were they going to fly to St. Louis this morning, after a 13 plus inning game, in the midst of an epic slide, with a burned out bullpen, most of their hitters in a slump, FG as their manager, and beat the Cards. It was not going to happen and we must admit that.
stendek
September 29th, 2011
12:20 am
Wish Braves played baseball as well as they make excuses! World champs every season. WOW.
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2011
12:21 am
Jo Jo……
There were about 25,000 fans in the stadium in St. Pete tonight…..and many of them were Yankee and Boston fans. Most of them left right after the homer to watch the Boston or Yankee highlights over and over again on ESPN.
Jo-Jo
September 29th, 2011
12:21 am
The Braves biggest problem..They need to get rid of the Bobby Cox clone attitude on this Team and get a manager like Rays. The whole good ole boy crap needs to go. damn its sad!
G
September 29th, 2011
12:22 am
I think we saw tonight how important a Manager can be to a team in both the Rays and Braves games.(Even St. Louis)
RJ
September 29th, 2011
12:23 am
I think the Boston slide was a little worse than ours, by a half game. Just trying to look at the bright side of things.
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2011
12:23 am
Say goodnight…….now all those Boston fans in Tampa Bay will now become Rays fans for the playoffs…..but they will probably still wear their Boston hats to games.
The Citizen
September 29th, 2011
12:23 am
Anybody notice Scott Proctor (yes, that one) gave up the walk-off homerun to the Rays? How fitting.
LakeDawg
September 29th, 2011
12:23 am
Chipper is a hall of fame player when you look at his numbers, but I’ve never looked at Chipper as a hall of fame player. He was never a leader and lacked something. I just have a hard time putting him in the company of Aaron, Musial, Yastremski, etal. He never made the difference a hall of famer should make when compared to other hall of famers. Of course, its easier to get into the hall now.
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2011
12:24 am
Suddenly getting blocked……well….I need to go to bed anyway. Go Gators.
jb
September 29th, 2011
12:24 am
Fredi needs to play his best players..not his favorites.
Constanza I hope will get on another team that will give him a fair chance.
Old Violin
September 29th, 2011
12:24 am
Don’t have a clue what goes on behind the scene in major league baseball, so I don’t know how much control Fredi has over the team, but if he has control and still let what happened to the braves happen, he has to go. I’ve always thought Bobby was over rated, but Fredi seems to be a clone of him, and just maybe Bobby might still be calling the shots…..With the talent the braves have, they should have been at least a contender in their division…..Jim Leland would turn this team around !
LakeDawg
September 29th, 2011
12:25 am
Boston loses, so the Braves can’t even claim the title of worst choke. They lose all the way around.
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2011
12:26 am
LakeDawg…..
I guess Chipper hitting all those HRs against the Mets when it was the Mets vs. the Braves in the NL East back then……..had no impact on the Braves winning any of those 14 divisional titles. Give me a break.
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2011
12:27 am
Well…..now unblocked…..but time for bed. Let’s hope the Falcons get it together and quickly make us forget about the Braves. Good night.
G
September 29th, 2011
12:28 am
Jo-Jo so true and I have been saying that all night but the homer chat dogs on this sit have blocked me.
Rabid Dawg
September 29th, 2011
12:28 am
Pastornickey will likely be th starting ss next year as Alex moves on. Then we need to get a big bat left fielder. Let Prado and Heyward battle it out for the starting right field spot.
Let Pastornickey and the big bat in LF bat 2nd and 3rd. They are certainly better options than we have currently!
As for the pitching rotation….we’re still looking good.
LakeDawg
September 29th, 2011
12:28 am
Tampa Gator….Just giving my impression. Never said he didn’t accomplish things. I was comparing him to others in the HOF. BTW How is Tebow doing?
rugburn
September 29th, 2011
12:28 am
agreed LakeDawg. tampa gator, i missed 4 hrs of work after both of my knee operations and i don’t work at mcdonalds. you and fredi can’t get anything right.
LakeDawg
September 29th, 2011
12:30 am
And another thing. The Braves were winning divisional titles when they should have been winning World Series’.
T bone
September 29th, 2011
12:34 am
Tampa Gator-They will block you hear for knocking the Braves and earlier I was talking up the Rays too much and they blocked me. I have lived in other cities and you were able to express your opinion and as long as you didnt curse, insult someone, or be an idiot you could comment. Not true here. Dont mess with their Fredi crush.
T bone
September 29th, 2011
12:36 am
I’m probably blocked again but I agree with you Lake Dawg.
Old Violin
September 29th, 2011
12:39 am
Just had to comment on Tampa Gator’s post ! ” If you had 2 bad knees, you probably wouldn’t even go to work at McDonalds. ” That’s the point ! You don’t go out there with 2 bad knees when there’s someone ready and willing to play with 2 good knees….Ego is a killer on any team……and these young players are lead by these ego tripping ex super stars….Let’s hope they don’t follow !
jb
September 29th, 2011
12:40 am
The block is the new filter they us..it get everyone at times.
rugburn
September 29th, 2011
12:43 am
hey bright side, medlen looked good.
LakeDawg
September 29th, 2011
12:45 am
Its very telling that as a HOF player Chipper isn’t universally loved by Braves fans.
rugburn
September 29th, 2011
12:47 am
how could you keep constanza out of a game like this?
jb
September 29th, 2011
12:47 am
Medlin..no e