Series ERAs for the pitchers used by the Braves in this game:
9.31, 2.08, 18.00, 54.00.
And the good one is Gryboski, who only makes me nauseous every time he pitches in a close game.
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Let’s all agree now that we can’t blame the offense for pressing things a little…
First pitch swinging on any mamber of the Astros bullpen, grumble, grumble.
Oops broke my own rule
Cox didn’t exactly light the world on fire with his managing tonight. DeWayne Wise, pinch hitter? Evidence suggests otherwise. Despite Wright’s homeritis, I wouldn’t have taken him out either, and I agreed with Gryboski in that situation even before I knew he would get out of it. Reitsma and Martin, though… sheesh. Too bad Dan Meyer didn’t get more than a cursory look in the regular season, because we could have used him out there tonight.
I’ll never understand what Bobby and Leo saw in Reitsma, at least at this stage of the season. Despair. Abject despair. That’s all I feel right now as the Houston hit parade continues. The bullpen has completely fallen apart. Time to read a thick Russian novel . . . .
I guess now that I’ve had a minute – I’m still bummed, but am really reminded of really how unpredictable this game is. And yes, you’d not have lost any money for the last 9 years betting against the Braves – but same holds true for fans of Astros, Mets, Twins, ChiSox, Red Sox, Cubs, Indians, O’s, Dodgers, Cards, Rangers, A’s. Oh yeah, and the Padres. Every one of those teams made the playoffs without winning it all. Anyway. What I meant to say was that, in many of the previews (including BP’s preview), it was pointed out that one thing that the Braves pitching staff excelled at this year was keeping the ball in the park. And the Stros proceeded to hit 11! homers in the series (so far). The team with the best ERA (aside – not quite as good with RA, due to lots of unearned runs) gets shelled for 8, 2 (yay!), 8, 5 & 12! runs.
You just kinda wish that maybe the series would be unpredictable, you know, in the Braves favor for a change…
Sigh
Pete Van W just said on the radio that Beltran’s 9th RBI in this series just broke the NL record for most ribbies in a division series … held by Ken Caminitti.
The worst part is how homer-happy the pitchers became this series…they were so stingy with the longball all season, and then the floodgates opened.
I was surprised Bobby didn’t pull his starter-out-of-the-pen routine tonight, too, as he usually does in the postseason. Was everyone gassed? Who cares about Game 1 of the NLCS if you don’t win this one…
Sigh. Still, a helluva good season, and the Mets and Phillies can eat shit…again.
Don S … talking about prior year’s Houston clubs said something about their “tense, puckered … Astros” with a huge pregnant pause.
After giggles from the rest of the announcers, he said, “hey that’s what you get from a lame duck.”
Bye Don. Some of the cliches are overused, but I’ll miss you none-the-less.
I was okay with the use of Wise in that situation–two outs, nobody on base, and the platoon advantage. Surely Cox assumed we would still be in the game later on, and he could then use Marrero and/or Julio if needed. Ah well.
Our pitching staff – yup, the one with the best staff ERA in the NL – set an NLDS record for HR allowed. We finished the season ahead of Houston in most categories stat-wise (ERA, Runs, BA, RBI), but just couldn’t get it done in the playoffs, again. I’m really proud of this team for even doing as well as they did, but I can’t help but be baffled and disappointed as to why this happens every year. Jaret Wright on full rest vs. Roy Oswalt on 3-days; shoulda been a clear advantage to us. Our house and their absolute must win-pressure; they stepped up and we just didn’t. We didn’t get beat by a better team; we just didn’t get it done, again. I still love the Braves though, and I look forward to the off-season and whatever it may bring.
The reason the Braves have struggled the past couple of years is because the team hasn’t had a #1 or #2 starter. We have a bunch of #3 and #4 guys who pitched lights out and overachieved in the regular season but the postseason is what counts. Every team in the postseason ups their game and it makes it harder for finesse pitchers to compete. Either you have the stuff or you don’t. Its just sooo fustrating being a Braves fan. I give all the kudos and respect to the men responsible for our minor league system and for developing players as no team has done better than them in the last 13 years. But to me… Shuerholz is an average GM. He hasn’t traded for players who have helped us win in the postseason. And too many times we have traded prospects in exchange for renting players (Sheffield for 2 years, Kenny Lofton for 1 year and now it looks like we may lose both Drew and Ortiz in the offseason). We havn’t had a guy we have traded for that has become a playmaker and been on our roster for more than 3 years since RP Remlinger (nasty lefty we could count on for years). Schuerholz has to do better. It’s not that I think he is a bad GM but I truly feel he has done an average job bringing us talent. The 2 most significant reasons the Braves have been competitive in postseason play is because,
1. Again, no team is baseball can match our ability to develop players in the minor league system.
2. A solid coach (Bobby Cox)who has brought stability and consistency to this team.
Step it up Mr. Schuerholz… We need 2 top end starting pitchers if we really want to seriously compete for a championship.