If you’re a struggling pitcher, it seems that there’s no better team to face than the Braves. Woody Williams got his first win of the season last night even though the Braves sent out an actual major league lineup — well, one with Jesse Garcia and Mark DeRosa, but other than that, a major league lineup. Of course, DeRosa drove in Garcia for the Braves’ only run, and they had two of the team’s four hits between them.
Marcus Giles did return to the lineup, but was 0-4. So was Chipper, who is hitless since returning to the lineup. Marcus put it best: “We’re absolutely awful now offensively.” And defensively — they committed three errors. Can we start this season over?
Jaret Wright didn’t pitch too badly, but right now you have to be perfect to win. He gave them five strong innings before hitting the wall in the sixth again. He was charged four runs, but only one was earned. Armando Almanza, activated from the DL — Will Cunnane was designated for assignment, and about time, too — replaced him with two out in the sixth and immediately allowed Tony Womack to single in a run. So he’s going to fit right in.
As if things weren’t bad enough, Hampton versus Morris tonight.
This mess doesn’t surprise me one bit. Trade 100 HR and 300 RBI away and this is what you get. What does surprise me though is the constant unability of established ML players to play 1-2-3 baseball. Error after error (seven in one game, how pathetic is that?), stranded runner after stranded runner. To steal a line from Bruce Springsteen: “You’ve got to prove it all night – every night.” How about that for the rest of the year?
Oh, I’m sorry, one brief correction: They didn’t trade 100 HR/300 RBI away, they just let them go.
Except that the guys replacing Lopez and Sheffield are playing well. It’s the ones replacing the seemingly replaceable Fick and Castilla who are dragging the team, that and the injuries to the guys who are still around.
This is a really difficult Braves team to watch right now. I find my self not caring that they are on TV or not on TV. I used to be glued to the tube when the Braves were playing. Poor baseball in most all facets of the game is not what we are used to as Braves fans. Oh well, corporate ownership at its very best.
I agree with Mac. Good production from Drew and Estrada. Corner infielders are really hurting us with their lack of production at bat. I wonder how much longer we can endure that.
Andruw going through one of those prolonged funks where he hits nothing and draws no walks. Chipper and Marcus coming back from injury. Hope that this doesn’t spell long losing streak.
What’s frustrating to me is that they have squandered some very good early-season pitching. Horacio, Wright and Thomson (save for his Colorado start) have all pitched very well, and the team should have a lot more to show for their starts. Much of that may have been luck, but it’s the kind of luck you need to take advantage of.
And Mac is correct on what’s dragging the team down. Laroche has been abysmal as a hitter (4 BB in his first month in the majors), and the team is getting a 227/292/353 line out of first base to go with their 592 OPS out of 3B. Thanks to injuries we have a 762 OPS out of LF, and only 2 hits in 27 AB from those who have had to replace Drew in RF.
Throw in that Andruw has followed a sparkling 291/394/532 APril with a 176/263/324 May, and things are just ugly
I think, for one thing, that Bobby has to seriously consider giving the first base job to Julio full-time. I also think that at least Russ Branyan would have walked and hit homers and rarely commits a Buckner.
Just as frustrating as the hitting has been the defense. Four of the Cardinals runs were unearned. Take the runs away from St. Louis that our defense handed to them, and it’s a tie game. We have to be leading the league in unearned runs. Isn’t Jesse Garcia’s specialty supposed to be his glove? I haven’t noticed. And LaRoche had positioned himself perfectly by coming off the bag, just to let it go through his 5-hole.
I have to agree that dealing Branyan (for what appears likely to be absolutely nothing) was an astonishingly bad move, given the state of things. Yeah, he’d strike out 7,421 times, but he could have brought a little pop to an offense that is almost completely punchless right now. He may be Mike Hessman with walks, but that’s a hell of a lot better than the actual Mike Hessman.
The Braves have had years where they’ve struggled early on during their run the last decade or so. What worries/saddens me is looking at the teams ahead of us and realizing the Marlins and Phillies have more talent and that 3rd place is about where we should finish.
Whether the talent to win the division is there or not is hard to say. Regardless, I am expecting a nice run in the next few weeks beginning with a 4-2 road trip.
Of course, I was expecting the good play to start last night and that didn’t come close to happening.
Well, everyone was talking about how this year we could make a deal midway through the season to shore up a deficiency. Maybe once Byrd says he’s ready, we pull of a nice trade (I’m not saying he will be involved neccesarily, but some starter would likely be).
Then on the first night with our new guy, Skip lights a fire in the press box and we win like the 2003 Marlins from there on out.
It could happen!
Its kind of funny. I agreed with the decision by the Braves to let Fick, Castilla, Lopez and Sheffield walk. There was no way I’d have over paid for career years by Javy and Gary and I thought Castilla and Fick were easily replacable. Maybe not. In my wildest dreams I only figured DeRosa and LaRoche for .275/.350/.440 essentially doubles hitters that got on base. I know its still early but how long can you carry players on your corners that are below replacement level? Even more depressing is if the Braves wanted to change who do you change to? Nothing at Richmond. Nothing at Greenville. Who do you trade to get a bat?
Of all things the pitching hasn’t been that bad.
I’m REALLY feeling like floating a pipe dream wish it would happen rumor today. Let’s trade somebody for Justin Morneau. Woohoo!
Skip torching the press box is actually more likely to happen than Paul Byrd ever pitching an inning for the Atlanta Braves.
I also rue the premature ditching of Branyan. There’s every possibility that he would have come up and gone 0 for 13 with 9 Ks, and then disappeared from view. How much worse off would we be if that had happened? At least he’s got a puncher’s chance against big league pitching, and that served the late and (unbelievably but truly) lamented Vinny Castilla well enough.
Anyone other than me ready for a look at Mr. Marte???
I’m NOT ready for marte. No way I want to ruin his future for the now.