Lousy call, lousy game, lousy system: A lousy Braves’ exit
This was a warm and fuzzy moment. The rest of the night stunk. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
Why to hate baseball’s newly minted play-in game: Because you can be, as the Braves were over the course of six months, the demonstrably better team and still give a performance that fuses the three-error Brooks Conrad game of October 2010 and the Epic Collapse of September 2011. Because you can go home having sipped from the postseason cup for all of 189 minutes. Because you can put yourself in position to be rooked by those darn replacement umps.
Wait. These aren’t replacements? These are the real umpires? Is this a real sport?
Had Andrelton Simmons’ pop that dropped been allowed to stand, the Braves would have had the bases loaded and one out. When you’re trailing by three runs in the eighth inning, that’s rather different than having men on second and third with two out, which is what they wound up having. But not before the game was halted for 19 minutes as the field was cleared of the cups and bottles that had been flung, with somewhat greater accuracy than the Braves’ infielders displayed this night, by incensed patrons.
Pete Kozma, the St. Louis shortstop, was positioning himself to catch Simmons’ meek fly when he stopped running and chose to leave it to left fielder Matt Holliday. And here we note the incongruity: A shortstop deferred to an outfielder on what left-field umpire Sam Holbrook adjudged an infield fly. It was a horrible call, indefensible at the moment and more ludicrous after further video review, but this is baseball and replay can be applied only to home runs. (The Braves registered an official protest. Summarily denied.)
And thus, in its first manifestation, was baseball’s play-in game rendered a bigger joke that it appeared on paper. A team that won 94 games is gone; a team that won 88 gets to go home and play twice against the National League’s No. 1 seed. One bad performance. One lousy bit of umpiring. Season over.
“You’ve got to judge a team over the 162-game season,” said Braves’ manager Fredi Gonzalez, classy in bizarre defeat. “Anyone can have one bad call [go against them] or one bad game.”
His team was guilty on the latter charge. The team that made the fewest errors among National League teams offered up three in the span of four innings, leading to four unearned runs. Each was on a throw, each by an infielder. First Chipper Jones, playing his last game. Then Dan Uggla. Then the aforementioned Simmons, a rookie shortstop at the center of nearly everything Friday night.
The errors turned a two-run lead — and Chipper, speaking before the game, had suggested the game’s first run could be the determinant — into a 6-2 deficit after 6 1/2 innings. By then the unbeatable Kris Medlen was gone, having yielded only three hits and two earned runs but about to become a loser as a starting pitcher for the first time since 2010. That left the Braves in comeback mode, and there were moments when they appeared capable of climbing the mountain. But Chipper swung at the first pitch and grounded out in the seventh with two men in scoring position, and Michael Bourn struck out with the bases loaded to close the infamous eighth, and Uggla, representing the tying run, ended the season by grounding to second.
Said Gonzalez: “We didn’t score runs, and we didn’t handle the baseball.”
Said Chipper: “You give a good team extra outs and it ends up lightning.”
To his credit, the man who will play no more faulted himself above all. “Ultimately when we look back on this loss we have to look ourselves in the mirror,” Chipper said. “We put ourselves behind 6-2. Three errors cost us the ballgame, and mine [a fourth-inning throwaway of a cinch double play] was probably the biggest. I’m not willing to say a call cost us the ballgame.”
Because he always been a stand-up guy, you wanted it to end better. Still, in his final at-bat the great Chipper Jones managed to block out the deafening ovation and the applause from the Cardinals’ dugout — he tipped his helmet to the crowd and pointed to the visiting team — and the flashes from camera-phones and remind us why he was so great. He worked the count to 3-2 against the heat-bringing Jason Motte, and finally he put bat on ball (breaking said bat) and legged out an infield hit. Down to his and his team’s final strike, he got a hit.
We’re lucky that, as time does its work, we’ll have our memories of Chipper Jones to keep us warm. And maybe someday we can get past the strange doings on a lousy night in October 2012, when a good team played badly and got unlucky to boot, and thanks to this silly professional “system” it was eliminated. At least in the College World Series they play double elimination.
By Mark Bradley
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516 comments Add your comment
George
October 5th, 2012
10:45 pm
Growing up in Missouri I was always both a Royal and Cardinal fan. 1985 World series between my two favorite teams was great. Having grown yup in K.C. I was happy they won the World Series, but I know in my heart that the Cardinals were not champions, because of a terrible call. Yes, worse then the infield (woops outfield) fly rule. The interference call at first was correct. If the Braves had their opportunity, it could have been different. I have felt for 25 years that the Cardinals should have won in 1985. I feel your pain from tonight. However, Brave fans were ugly tonight, very ugly. I still remember How classy Cardinal fans were in 1985, despite the terrible call. If the fans were as incredibly classy as Chipper has been his career, I would have a much higher opinion of Brave fans. I feel the pain, because I have felt it before, but The Brave fans lacked integrity.
Rob M
October 5th, 2012
10:46 pm
Reading these comments warms the heart of this Pirates fan.
Ken Stallings
October 5th, 2012
10:47 pm
Just thought of something.
In his hall of fame speech, Royals immortal George Brett, opined that his ideal last at bat would be a routine grounder and he would bust it down first base to be thrown out by half a step.
Chipper Jones’ last AB in reality was a not-so-routine bounder up the middle with a shattered bat, and he legged out an infield single.
A small bit of baseball god poetry and symmetry for two Hall of Fame third basemen!
smitty
October 5th, 2012
10:48 pm
Enter your comments here
Cletus Van Damme
October 5th, 2012
10:49 pm
..I’m sick and tired of hearing Braves fans complain about the playoff format. Under the old system, the Wild Card winner in each league qualified the same as the division winner with the 3rd best record (opening on the road in a 5 game series).
Now, the two Wild Card qualifiers in each League have to survive a “one and done” playoff game…in order to qualify for a 5 game series.
I dont care how much better the Wild Card team with the best record played over the other Wild Card team. I feel that the fair thing to do…is to reward the division winners with automatic bids into the Division Series…while the 2 Wild Cards in each League fight it out in a “winner advances” play in game.
Yeah, we had some bad calls today. However, we have ourselves to blame for putting ourselves in a “sudden death, susceptible to bad calls” plan in game! It took Braves management 17 Randal Delgado starts to realize that he is was brutal (Braves went 5-12 in his starts)…..even though Kris Medlen had excelled as a starter in 2010 (before his elbow went out).
Our clutch hitting was a joke! If it wasnt for outstanding pitching….we may not have made the playoffs (our offense took the month of September off).
With a dominant bullpen (and a resurgent starting rotation led by the dominant Kris Medlen) we should have won the division. Instead, we found ourselves in a truly “Wild Card”, wild card type play in game.
When you dont take care of business….you end up putting yourself in a position of getting unlucky. That…plus the three errors and lack of clutch hitting throughout the game……let to us losing.
Fredi Gonzalez made a heroic decision to start David Ross over Brian McCann. I guess he decided that his job managing was done…because he took the rest of the night off. Our guys on the field were mentally not prepared to play ball tonight.
Yadier Molina was right after the game. He said that they (the Cardinals) play the game to win…while we (the Braves) play to not lose.
MARTEEEEN!!!!!
October 5th, 2012
10:49 pm
I don’t understand why they have a protest when you know they are NEVER going to overturn a bad call. I knew that if they weren’t going to overturn Jim Joyce’s bad call, they sure weren’t going to overturn this one. Not that it matters. The Brave’s beat themselves tonight. This one game playoff is incredibly STUPID!
LakeDawg
October 5th, 2012
10:51 pm
Now that Chipper’s gone, just need to get rid of Shuerholtz and Freddie. The last lingering remnants from the culture of the “Cox culture” of playoff chokes. Don’t blame this on the umps. Braves were never gonna win this one.
ArkyTech
October 5th, 2012
10:52 pm
What’s so frustrating is MLB had 18 minutes to fix what was a very obvious and correctable error and chose not to. Why allow your product to be damaged like that?
The Atlanta Tames
October 5th, 2012
10:54 pm
Rob M… may The Slide be your dreams every night for the rest of your life…. goodnight.
Hillbilly D
October 5th, 2012
10:57 pm
I will look forward to the examples MLB can dig up showing a similar call in a similar situration. In my many years of watching baseball, I’ve not seen one.
I haven’t seen that play either but I’ve only been watching about 50 years. I have seen that same play, minus the infield fly rule call, countless times in Wrigley Field and Candlestick Park, as well as fewer times in just about every ball park.
Connie Lingous
October 5th, 2012
10:58 pm
Same ole Braves…
Beachdawg
October 5th, 2012
10:58 pm
If MLB won’t correct a perfect game blunder..we NEVER should’ve expected a bright outcome to this.
Tina
October 5th, 2012
10:58 pm
So much was made about starting time and the sun well it sure killed us on those ground balls. The Braves choke when it a win game or go home and I mean CHOKE. We have to get rid of McCann, Uggla and Hanson and we will be alright. Think McCann will be able to hit again next year but he is a DH because his defense stinks.
billyjoeraybob
October 5th, 2012
10:59 pm
I’m glad the Braves threw this one away so they could get started on their off-season plans .. Can’t stand that stupid chop and woo wooing .. Seminoles .. Chiefs .. it stupid no matter who does it.
G
October 5th, 2012
10:59 pm
I love how a guy like Jie Torre who argued against umpires and now he is a spineless leader defending them, only in MLB the worst run league in sports.
Choppinmama
October 5th, 2012
10:59 pm
MLB rep’s in the park tonight: Joe Garagiola, who was signed by the Cards organiziation, played 9 yrs for them and now has a star on the St. Lous Walk of Fame…….and, Joe Torres, played with St Louis for 5 years and managed them for 6. Helping to decided on the protest? Even Torres’ ties to the Braves organization didn’t sway him from upholding tonight’s laughable judgement call.
SELIG is German for CHOAD
October 5th, 2012
11:01 pm
The new system BLOWS; the Braves absolutely earned the right to play in the Division Series. That said, we’ve known the new rule all year, and the Braves CHOKED. The “infield fly rule” call was ridiculous, but all it really did was rob the Braves of the opportunity to STEAL this game…the Cardinals were better prepared, and they played better baseball tonight, so I’m not taking anything away from them at all just because of some knuckle-headed umpire. While we should not have even had to play this game tonight, and while the Braves were (by far) the team that earned the right to be in the playoffs alongside the Division winners, on this evening they had home field advantage and every opportunity to advance…instead, they proceeded to wet the bed with every opportunity. You just have to tip your cap to the defending World Champions and move on…they were able to give Tony La Russa a fairytale ending to his career last year, and you have to come to grips with the reality that shit like that just doesn’t happen here…EVER. Even the one year when we did win it all, the hero was David Justice, the most annoying prick to ever wear a Braves uniform. Tonight reminded me of a George Wallace joke about the old Fulton County Stadium: it didn’t matter if you were at a Braves game or a Falcons game, it was like being at a Billy Graham Crusade, because you had 50-thousand people all standing in unison yelling “Jesus Christ!”…
Bob the Blogger
October 5th, 2012
11:02 pm
For the record, before the game, Chipper said the one game playoff “sucked”. He was right. MLB could have decided the wild card team with 162 games, but instead it chose one game.
redwave73
October 5th, 2012
11:03 pm
The fans in the stands were throwing more accurately than the players tonight. One positiive is the Cards didn’t get to celebrate on the Braves field.
chase
October 5th, 2012
11:03 pm
This is why MLB will never be as popular as football – at least in football the Refs will talk about a call and attempt to get it right or use replay – baseball hides behind “well, it was an ump’s judgment call and we don’t question that”…..What is worse is the UMPIRE was interviewed post-game and had the nerve to say that the SS was “camped under the ball waiting on it to come down and he got there with a normal effort a few feet from the infield” He literally just said all of that with a straight face on MLB network!!!!! Unreal- at least man up and say “I blew the call”
John Remelius
You cannot be serious?!?!?! And if you are, you are getting your info from USA Today and ESPN Talking heads who are notoriously biased against all Teams in this state and most in the old south
cloudodust
October 5th, 2012
11:03 pm
Tina—Really..? Re the game tonight, BM pinch hit and drew a walk and Hanson didn’t take the hill. Got any more nuggets to assist FredGonz and Wren?
chase
October 5th, 2012
11:05 pm
Oh and that ESPN and everyone else who is criticizing the Braves’ Fans for throwing things on the field….they are the same ones who constantly over the years chastised the Braves’ fans for not caring and having no passion…the minute they do, we are “embarrassing”
Even Chipper said “hey , nobody can ever say that Atlanta fans don’t care anymore”
Scott
October 5th, 2012
11:06 pm
Please don’t post the rulebook on this blown call anymore. Just because it is a judgment call does not mean that the correct judgment was used. If an umpire judges a runner to be safe, when he was out by 10 feet, his call is not protected under the “judgement call rule.” Almost all calls are judgment calls. When those calls are incorrect, they should be criticized.
cloudodust
October 5th, 2012
11:07 pm
Tina—BM pinch hit and drew a walk. Hanson didn’t take the hill. They both played a part of getting to 05OCT. Got anymore nuggets besides fire FG???
chase
October 5th, 2012
11:08 pm
By the way, the Braves won 94 games, St Louis won 88
The Braves beat the Cardinals 5 out of 6 games in the regular season….who is the better team? THE BRAVES!
And here I thought playoffs were about having the best teams!
Choppinmama
October 5th, 2012
11:08 pm
The two MLB reps in the stands tonight helping to make the protest decision: Joe Garagiola, who was drafted by the Cards organization, played 9 seasons and has a star on the St Louis Walk of Fame; and Joe Torres, played 5 years for and managed 6 years for the Cards. Not even his Braves ties were enough to uphold our protest on this laughable judgemental call.
Of course, had it been upheld, we would have had to bring both teams back out on the field tonight, and played it again from the 8th. Inconceivable……..kinda like playing to a tie in an All Star Game. Inconceivable.
BCC0224
October 5th, 2012
11:09 pm
The defense let us down, most assuredly – stupid mistakes and starting pressing. And a safety-squeeze bunt with the pitcher on deck with runners at 2nd & 3rd… no…
However, in the spirit of Eric Gregg, Sam Holbrook screws the boys with the tomahawks on their chest. Fredi protests – only to have Joe Torre (while former Brave, had bigger success as a Cardinal) say “Nope. Ump’s decision stands. Sucks to be you…”
Chipper wasn’t going all out on that last grounder he hit. This is your last game, ever, and you’re TROTTING to first! Two weeks ago I played softball for the first time in 20 years. I hit a grounder which could’ve turned into a double-play but I ran as fast as I could down to first base. I beat out the throw, but fell, breaking my tibia near my knee and ACL damage. I don’t make $$$$$ but I still gave it my all. Chipper, you’ll be missed, but I don’t agree with you trotting to first on what could’ve been the last out in the Braves’ 2012 season…
chase
October 5th, 2012
11:10 pm
I am proud of the Braves’ fans for throwing things!!!!!!!!
We constantly get slammed by ESPN etc for having fans that don’t care…the minute we show up and show fire and passion we are all of a sudden “embarrassing”
Even CHIPPER said “hey, the media will never be able to say Atlanta fans don’t care anymore”
Choppinmama
October 5th, 2012
11:11 pm
test, test, test……….blog ate my last 2 posts…………
cloudodust
October 5th, 2012
11:11 pm
BCC0224—Jus’ dam, son. Mend well.
Gumby
October 5th, 2012
11:12 pm
Well they can’t say Atlanta Braves fans aren’t passionate anymore. That was the wildest I have ever seen Braves fans get….and I don’t blame them.
For me, that call tonight will rank up there with bad calls pretty close to as bad the 1991 WS call against Ron Gant.
Sandra
October 5th, 2012
11:13 pm
Exhausting game. The Braves gave up 3 errors and left 12 men on base. This was not their game. The call may have been blown but it was a judgement call. You live with judgement calls everyday.
BIG MIKE
October 5th, 2012
11:15 pm
@BILLY
I was at that game in ‘73 I believe it was. It was a double header and they handed out the LUM’S frisbees at the gate. I was only 11 or 12 yrs old. It happen twice that night. The first time, I held on to my frisbee, but the game was delayed for quite a while to clean up the field. The second time, I gave my frisbee to my dad, so he could throw it along with another man and his kids. I thought it was hilarious. The second time they anounced that the game would be forfeited if it occured again, but by that time, all the frisbees were pretty much gone. We found out later it was a big story in the news. I
I’m amazed anyone still remembers that. Were you there?
Choppinmama
October 5th, 2012
11:17 pm
MLB reps at the field tonight: Joe Garagiola, drafted by the Cards, played 9 seasons for them and has a star on their Walk of Fame and; Joe Torres, played 5 years with and managed 6 years for St. Louis. And they were in on the decision to uphold our protest?
Not even Torres’ ties to the Braves were enough to sway him towards upholding our est over a laughable “judgmement” call and/or misapplication of the infield fly rule. Would have to bring both teams back out on the field and resume game from the 8th inning. Inconceivable. Almost as inconceivable as the All Star game ending in a tie.
billyjoeraybob
October 5th, 2012
11:17 pm
What a bunch of whiners .. we won 6 more games in a 162 game season waahh .. we had the second best record in our division waahh .. the umps are meanies waahh .. the one game playoff isn’t fair to our superior team because we can’t win the big ones waah .. we have a terrible manager that only helped us win 94 games waahh .. I’m done watching baseball waahh .. losers .. go put on your big girl panties
flintrock70
October 5th, 2012
11:19 pm
Screw Bud Selig, Screw the Umps and Screw the Cards for chanting “Infield Fly” as they celebrated. I wish nothing but the worst for those mentioned. Fans revolted against the crap, good for us. Also, Joe Simpson, you sir, are the worst Braves announcer ever. Go quit. GO BRAVES!
Voice of Reason
October 5th, 2012
11:21 pm
I do not know if I will watch MLB again. This was the worst call I have ever witnessed in the playoffs in all of sports. And people were worried about the replacement refs in the Seattle/Green bay game in week 3??? This horrible call may have changed the postseason! MLB needs a challenge flag . This is insane!
TheTruth
October 5th, 2012
11:25 pm
The bumb a$$ Commissioner came up with a one game playoff. It stinks on ice. Should be two out of three with the better record hosting two games. But, ole bumb a$$ Bud has not a clue.
Rob
October 5th, 2012
11:27 pm
The left field umpire made the WORST call I have seen in my 41 years of life!! He should be removed for the rest of the playoffs if not permanently! That having been said, the Braves played a poor game defensively and missed on opportunities at the plate. This one game series is horrible and should be changed (and I said that before the Braves lost, too). 162 games season followed by a 1 game playoff…RIDICULOUS!
cloudodust
October 5th, 2012
11:27 pm
flintrock70– Simpson had to try and defend the integrity of his Home Field. It may have been embarasssing for him but for me, I was proud to see the angst. Fans didn’t throw at the Cards. They threw trash at the standing ignorance of the system in place. Vote accordingly in NOV. Good’nite Braves Fans.
Beachdawg
October 5th, 2012
11:28 pm
Maybe Selig will call the Braves in a day or so and admit it was a blown call, just like the Big 12 commissioner did to Okla. St. this week…and what of that???? Ok.St. and the Braves still lost. At least Ok. St. play was reviewed. This was just BS.
jj
October 5th, 2012
11:28 pm
Did anyone really expect the Braves to win? 17 years of the BS..Braves have not won a play-off game since 2001. The ump made a bad call but that didn’t lose the game. Braves played sorry except Ross, Freeman,Kris. Wren needs to go! The fans were mad not just because of ump call but 17 years of frustration with this organization and team.
Wait till next..lol
STL
October 5th, 2012
11:29 pm
@flintrock70 infield fly, infield fly, infield fly!!! Quit crying, Braves choked get over it.
BIG MIKE
October 5th, 2012
11:29 pm
@Billy
I was at the double header with my dad and brother in ‘73 (I think it was ‘73…maybe ‘72), when they passed out the LUM’S frisbees at the gate. The first time, there was a bad call at first base and one guy threw his frisbee out, then everybody seemed to think it was a good idea. It was hilarious. I held on to mine while they cleaned the field up. Then it happened again…another bad call and frisbee were thrown, though not as many this time. I gave mine to my dad the second time and he flung it out to left field. While they cleaned up the field the second time, an anouncement was made that the game would be forfieted if it happened again. Everyone just started laughing cause all the ammunition that was provided at the gate had been spent. Don’t know what ever happened to all those frisbees but I heard later that they incorporated a ban on handing out stuff like that at the gate after that day. It was the first and last Braves game I ever attended in person. I still have the team picture in a frame that I bought that day.
Gumby
October 5th, 2012
11:31 pm
Well they can’t say Braves fans aren’t passionate anymore and I don’t blame them. This ranks up there with the 1991 WS call against Ron Gant when he was thrown off the bag and called out. Instant replay on all calls in MLB now with a ump in the booth.
jj
October 5th, 2012
11:32 pm
Big Mike that is right I worked that game as Police SGT.
Greg
October 5th, 2012
11:33 pm
CHoke-Choke-Choke-Choke-Choke-Choke same song 11th verse~
boots
October 5th, 2012
11:34 pm
MLB should be embarrassed. The umpiring was some of the worst I have ever seen. I am left wondering if there was wagering involved, and the fact that the call stood is a joke. Should the fans have littered the field? No. However, that call was beyond horrible. There should be an immediate investigation in to Holbrook and he should be terminated. I am left with a horrible taste in my mouth for baseball. I seriously cannot stomach the Braves or MLB for a few years. Tonight was a joke, and our manager should say so. Screw acting like a gentleman. When the umps were crooked, you say so.
John
October 5th, 2012
11:34 pm
Typical AJC reporting. Things don’t go their way so they want to overhaul the system. BRAVES lost, get over it Ian’s watch some football.
Dum-Bass
October 5th, 2012
11:38 pm
FG bears some responsibility for this loss. Earlier in the game, except for his boneheaded call for a safety squeeze, the Braves may have scored 2-3 runs which could have made a difference later in the game. I have never seen a manager call for a safety squeeze in that situation in my long lifetime. For those “Fredi Lovers” and backers, good luck in the future with him. After many, many years being a Braves fan I am now dumping them for a really good AL team who may go all the way this year. So long Braves, consider yourselves replaced!