ESPN.com – MLB – Recap – Padres at Braves – 08/12/2003
Ugly. Personally, I don’t think much of the “swing at Maddux’s first pitch” philosophy, but it worked for the Padres, who got five runs in five innings off him. (He threw only 63 pitches but gave up 13 hits.) A run off Marquis, a run off Cunnane (who’s still here), and then seven runs in the ninth off of Boom-Boom. Release him already.
It was actually 5-4 when the bullpens got involved. As has happened too often, the Braves’ pen — see above — stunk up the joint, while the Braves’ hitters couldn’t do anything against the opposing relievers. Chipper had three hits, including his first homer in weeks, but the Braves got diddly from the last five spots in the order. Furcal, Giles, Sheffield, and Chipper were 7-14; nobody else got a hit.
This marks the Braves’ first three game losing streak since the first three games of the season… The Phillies lost and the Marlins won, and Florida is now in second place in the division and leading the wild card.
Three things.
I suppose Bobby had Javy off for the whole evening regardless of the outcome. I loathe seeing Blanco in there.
Chipper was a single away from the cycle, that fly out in the first proved costly.
Andruw is killing me. Last night’s performance was terrible. If he is ever going to get over the hump and be a great-not-good player he needs to either lay off the outside pitches or take them the other way. To swing like he did with a strained side seems very very idiotic.
He should take the next two weeks off. Of course, the Braves don’t have an internal replacement who’s as good as Andruw even with the bad muscle.
What did Cox bring in Cunnane into a tight game? Down 2 runs at the top of the 8th, I was expecting that we might see some game winning hits of aging closer Rod Beck that would ultimately win the game. Cox didn’t bring him in as a matchup for one guy. He left him in there! I told myself that maybe it is because he wants to show Cunnane that he has confidence in him or maybe he really did (it’s not that hard when the other relievers aren’t too much better).
Also did anyone catch that quote in the ESPN recap? “We’re trying to get Maddux’s numbers up so we don’t have to pay him as much next year,” Nevin joked. “We want him to be in San Diego next year.” I am trying to put pieces of the puzzle together to try and figure out where my favorite player Maddux will be next year? He only wants NL (because he likes to bat), he wants NL West (since he resides in Vegas) and he signed a one year large $ contract. What do you guys think will happen? It’ll be painful to see him in another uniform but I think it’s a sure thing. I live in Chicago and when he came here I was almost taking it as final that that was the last time he was gonna pitch at Wrigley in the Braves uniform
In general, I think the swing at the first pitch against Maddux rule doesn’t hold, either. But it does at times, or with the right hitters, or when he is just a tad off. I’d really like to see him nail a hitter after three straight hits, maybe throw a couple of pitches that miss badly away and then, bonk, right in the shoulder.
I recall several years ago (warning, anecdotal evidence coming) he beaned a guy and then proceeded to run off something like 40 scoreless innings in a row. I do think hitters get comfortable with him and if he doesn’t have his excellent stuff – and he doesn’t very often anymore – he is ineffective.
(Of course, by the time I thought all this last night, the bases were loaded with one out and a .190 hitter at the plate, perhaps not the ideal time to throw at someone.)
If he is ever going to get over the hump and be a great-not-good player he needs to either lay off the outside pitches or take them the other way. To swing like he did with a strained side seems very very idiotic.
What’s frustrating about Andruw is he does know how to do this. He does it for weeks at a time and runs off a 950 OPS. Then he has something like a two homer game and goes hack crazy for a few weeks. Or a few months.
As for Maddux and San Diego – when the Braves were there earlier this season, I read that he hasa beach house in San diego, and in fact stayed there on the road trip. If JS doesn’t bring him back to take a run at 300 – and that will depend on how mammoth of a pay cut he’s willing to take – then San diego seems like a pretty obvious option.
I hope Maddux is gone; he just makes too much money to keep. I’d rather the Braves bring Millwood and Sheffield back, plus give Ortiz a nice extension than pay Maddux, 300 wins in another uniform be damned (besides he came up with the Cubs, which makes him a different situation than Glavine).
San Diego sounds logical, although I’ve heard Arizona over the years as well (Maddux grew up near there in Vegas and West Texas; plus Phoenix has some of the best golf in the world). But after years of trying to build from within, the Padres seem ready to pull a Phillies and spend some serious cash, with a deal to bring in Brian Giles and Jason Kendall in the works for weeks.
Is Andruw right? He was on a tear and now he can’t put it in play 75% of the time. Is he hurt? Is his side muscle really bothering him so much to where he can’t put the bat on the ball? I agree with Mac he needs to take a week or two off but (I could be wrong) he either says he is healthy everyday or Bobby wants him to get the 40 hr and 100 rbi.
The ninth inning was really comical. After a couple hits i actually started hoping they would continue it, so as to force the release of Hernandez. I mean, how is this guy still on the team? I dont understand how a team can have the best record in baseball, consider themselves a contender, and yet continue to run Boom-Boom out on the mound. There is no sense to it, especially when Mercker suits up today.
I’m sure Andruw re-injured himself on a swing in the Sunday night game — I think his second at-bat. It wasn’t reported, but I saw him bend down so his torso was parallel with the ground. Will Carroll says it’s not just his side but also his back, but then Carroll says lots of things. (He is never going to live that down.)
If Hernandez isn’t released soon… “He’s still throwing hard!” say the Braves. Yes, but he doesn’t know where it’s going!
Maybe Bobby had something subconscious going on with Roberto last night. He might’ve left him in there crossing his fingers to hear a shoulder or elbow pop whilst giving up hit after hit…
Quote from Hernandez after last night’s game:
“I’m very disappointed in myself,” Hernandez said. “I’m sorry for the fans of Atlanta. This isn’t me.”
Whatever…