Well, great. Instead of Richmond + Andruw, the Braves sent out Richmond + Andruw and Drew. A huge improvement. They didn’t even fall behind until the fourth.
Thomson took a perfect game into the fourth, but allowed five straight hits from there to score three runs. The Braves couldn’t rally, to no one’s surprise. It was 4-1 after six, and in the seventh any chance of a comeback was shelved when Bobby used Base12 to give up another inherited run.
The offense was mostly LaRoche and Drew, who accounted for all three runs and all three RBI. Each hit a solo homer and LaRoche singled home Drew in the eighth. DeRosa, who was 0-5, flew out to end the game as the tying run with Drew on deck. Andruw may be pressing — no surprise, with the lineups they’ve been sending out there — and is 0-for his last 17.
Chipper didn’t play for alleged “precautionary reasons”. Furcal is still only pinch-hitting, Giles’ elbow still hurts. This is pathetic.
One of Bobby’s great strengths is that he’s willing to jeapordize today to allow guys to recover from injury for tomorrow. This has worked great in the past (e.g. Sheff last year). I’m nervous about 2004 but let’s see.
I still say if everyone is gets back in the lineup and stays in the lineup the Braves are going to be tough. But will they? By the way base12 sucks. Why Bobby keeps depending on him I will never know.
Watching Hessman bat is like seeing a prizefighter getting his ass kicked for far too many rounnds and wondering why the ref won’t stop the fight out of humanitarian concern.
It’s painful to watch the guy suffer. Put him out of his misery. I can’t take watching it.
Did anyone see this?
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=mlb&id=1794457
Weird. We have become such a strange clearinghouse for middle of the road pitchers trying to get back on track.
Moehler’s rehab was mentioned up in the news tracker. I’ve been trying to ignore it and hope he goes away.
Re: Hessman
I know this is about 4 (5,6?) games late, but with several other comments earlier, I thought I’d pile on too. I guess it was last Saturday against Joe Kennedy in Colorado, when he got the start against the lefty (Joe Kennedy? I think), and went 0-3 w/ 3 k’s. I know we ‘sabermetric’ types (I use the ‘quotes’ because, for my part, the fan section of my brain still often overrules the completely rational/cool analytical side) are supposed to not be overly worried about strike-outs–but, I mean really, if you’re trying to get a platoon advantage, and your guy whiffs every time up …
IMHO, the Braves have been regularly playing guys who are below replacement level: Garcia, Hessman, Wise, for sure, while LaRoche & Hollins have been down there too (although my long-term outlook for LaRoche says at least give him a chance).
By my figuring the Braves’ recent series pattern seems to be: 2 well pitched games, one poorly pitched blowout. They’ve been winning one of the well-pitched games, losing the other, and losing the blowout. I think, if they can get guys healthy, they’ll begin winning most of the ‘middle’ well-pitched games, and even have a shot at winning some of the blowouts (a la some of the early Mets games this year). One encouraging sign: most pitchers (Hampton really being the notable exception to this point) have at least several good starts that seem to show them being capable of notching some wins if/when the offense decides to show up.
And take heart–at least we’re not Montreal fans having to try to cheer for their ‘offense’ (how could the BP writers have been so wrong?).
“At least were not Montreal fans.” A good point but how sad is that?
LaRoche has a ton of promise but promise can’t keep you from sucking in the present.
Aside from all these crap lineups, Bobby Cox deserves the benefit of the doubt tenfold. I will go with whatever he gives this year.
We’re now behind the Phillies…. unacceptable.
worse – we’re only a half game up on the Mets.
I know I’m not the first to say it, but the team’s bench construction is the one area where Cox/Schuerholz really do deserve to be taken to task. They were already at a disadvantage by carrying 12 pitchers, and to make the situation worse, as JH pointed out, 4 of the 5 bench spots are occupied by replacement level hitters or worse (Perez, Garcia, Wise, and the Marrero/Hessman slot). That’s a bad bench (offensively, at least), which makes for an atrocious half of a starting lineup.
I think another bat will have to be added somewhere during the season, either on the bench or starting at third, allowing DeRosa to move back to the bench.
DeRosa, Nilsson, Franco, Perez, Marrero…. why not. Remember, Marrero can back up in center field quite effectively. And he can pinch run quite effectively as well. The only problem is that we need a 3rd basemen to make it work.
And how bad was Hessman’s AB against Lidge? Hooton comes out and I guarantee you says, “Do not give this guy a fastball. Nothing but sliders.” Three sliders later, sit down Hessman. He’s worse than Cerrano in Major League (now the President (!!) in “24”)….
As I sit here, they just tied the Saturday game in the 2nd. Last year, they would have kept this inning going and scored four runs, at least, instead of a sac and a little pop fly to shallow center to end the inning.
Pathetic is exactly the word I used last night. It hurts to watch these guys. (I’m a girl, so I get to cry.)
He’s worse than Cerrano in Major League (now the President (!!) in “24”)….
Wow, I had no idea that was him.
“Straightball I hit it very much. Curveball, bats are afraid. That’s what All-State think.”