ESPN.com – MLB – Recap – Brewers at Braves – 04/27/2003
Do you think Bobby accepts Marcus Giles yet? Marcus had three hits including a double, scored twice and drove in two. The Braves had thirteen hits in all, and all starters except the returning-to-normal Vinny had at least one hit, including starting pitcher Russ Ortiz who had two.
Ortiz had a fine outing, almost going the distance, with Darren Holmes getting the last out. Ortiz had to throw 127 pitches to get that far, though, and walked six against only five strikeouts. Yes, I’ve moved from being obsessed with the Braves’ offensive walk totals to being obsessed with their pitchers’ walks.
Javy Lopez, who if I forgot to mention it returned last night, hit the game’s only homer in the second inning. Rafael Furcal had two hits and a walk, scoring twice… The Braves now go west for three in Houston starting Tuesday, followed by three in Arizona. The next seven series are all against teams from the NL Central and West. The Braves are tied with the Phillies and Expos for first, all teams 15-10.
Maybe it’s just me waxing nostalgic for the “Ned Yost” era since he’s back in Atlanta, but has anyone else noticed a definite uptick in the number of slow Braves being nailed at the plate by outfielders with OK arms? It’s happened twice in this series (J. Franco and Lopez), as well as someone else (Lopez, I think) running through a much too late stop sign earlier in the season.
I mean really, is the third base coach job that hard?
Or am I imagining this?
Maybe it’s just me waxing nostalgic for the “Ned Yost” era since he’s back in Atlanta, but has anyone else noticed a definite uptick in the number of slow Braves being nailed at the plate by outfielders with OK arms? It’s happened twice in this series (J. Franco and Lopez), as well as someone else (Lopez, I think) running through a much too late stop sign earlier in the season.
I mean really, is the third base coach job that hard?
Or am I imagining this?
I suppose the guy doing it now doesn’t have the experience Yost has. I would hope he learns the OF’s arm quality and the runner’s speed pretty soon.
Who is the guy that replaced Yost? Does he have any experience at being a 3rd base coach?
FWIW, in the Prospectus column on the Giants, Expos, etc. (its free), it turns out the Braves lead the majors in being thrown out trying to take the extra base (with 8). The D-backs and Royals are second with 7.
On an unrelated note, what’s happened to all the doom-and-gloomers who were so upset when the team started 4-8? Bobby and Leo shouldn’t just go into the hall of fame together, but should be declared saints by the Pope.
Marcus Giles is playing great ball right now. But I bet if Keith Lockhart were still with the Braves, Bobby would having them share playing time. I am sooo glad Keith is gone.
Call me pessimistic, but if DeRo keeps up his current “hitting” performance, I would be willing to be that Lockhart comes back to Atlanta circa July 31 as a “veteran bat and glove off the bench…”