The rain seems to have cleared (according to the radar at any rate) though it’s still cloudy and I guess that there could be some showers. But assuming that the field is in good condition and the power’s on, we should play this. We’re about an hour and a half from game time; if for some reason you don’t have to work, the game’s on SportsSouth.
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Does anyone know why the Braves are not honoring rain checks from last night? That’s an awful way to treat the customer. I realize I’m not due any money back, but there are plenty of empty seats most nights. I simply can not go to a day game during the week. I guess I’ll break out the salt and pepper and see how the tickets taste.
So you can only use them to get into today’s game? That’s harsh.
Does anyone know why Ramirez is starting the first game and Smoltz is starting the second? Smoltz is our only chance of beating Prior; meanwhile, most pitchers, even Ramirez, can at least outduel Williams. Starting Ramirez vs. Prior is akin to throwing the first game.
I dunno, maybe they’re trying to give Smoltz a better chance at padding his win total.
Bobby said there might be more rain and he doesn’t want to have to waste a Smoltz start. HR that is kinda rough, but I don’t blame him.
1-2-3… good start. I love working from home 🙂
There’s a minor advantage to starting Ramirez first. It gives Estrada a few extra hours’ rest. Bobby generally starts the older players in the first game of a doubleheader.
So I guess that explains why Franco is in the lineup against Prior.
No, I think LaRoach is hurt.
Well, on radio Pete just said that LaRoche’s shoulder is acting up, but there’s a good chance it would have happened anyway.
Dubois looks about as good in left as Larry did. Oh well… it’s a double for Johnny.
This is gonna suck.
Can it be wrose than the series CBS tried last year (The Batboy, I think)? Well, yes, of course it can since it’s Steven Bochco.
The Clubhouse was the CBS show… I loved Hill Street, and liked LA Law, and tolerated NYPD Blue though it never grabbed my attention. But when Bochco is bad, he’s worse than anyone.
If you have a complaint about a raincheck for last night’s game, dial (404) 577-9100. This from Skip on the radio.
Are you sure that isn’t just Glenn Diamond’s number 😉
The way the Cubs are swinging the bats it’s kind of a shame we have to waste a Smoltz start against them at all.
No kidding. Horacio has 4 Ks and no walks! That’s a bad sign for any offense.
Man Ramirez is dealing today. Fourty-one pitches through 4 innings. Of course a line-up with Neifi and Blanco, and no Derek Lee, isn’t the toughest line-up to pitch against.
It’s Aramis and the Seven Dwarfs, considering how Burnitz and Walker usually hit lefthanders. And why is Prior hitting behind Blanco?
“And why is Prior hitting behind Blanco?”
Prior’s the sixth-best hitter in this lineup.
Seriously, with the Cubs struggling like this, and depending on the line-up, Smoltz might pitch a 75 pitch shutout tonight.
I love Blanco…jajajajaja
Mets just tied it up against the Natspos.
Nice double for Betty on a swing that looked like he meant to just foul the ball off with.
I don’t think the numbers are fluky, either. Prior is now legitimately a better hitter than Blanco.
Gotta love this line in gameday: Wilson Betemit doubles (11) on a ground ball to shortstop Ronny Cedeno.
I would think it is hard to hit a double to short, but I just saw it.
The little things bring a smile to my face.
Great AB by Furcal!
That double was hit quite a bit harder.
How are we losing to these guys? The Natspos’ 4-5-6 hitters are Carlos Baerga, Vinny, and Brian Schneider.
Brian Schneider is the 3rd best hitter in their lineup – where do you want him to hit? 🙂
Well, if any GM is capable of making his team worse with deadline deals, it’s the one working for that team.
I’m not criticizing the batting order. I’m wondering how a team with that roster can even score as many runs as it gives up.
Update the meter!
Oldest man to hit a three-run homer?
Andrew Jones is the MVP
Oldest man to hit a three-run homer in the first game of a twin bill.
That was like bizzaro back-to-back ABs. Andruw comes through with a “clutch” single and Julio follows it with a blast.
I don’t want to jinx us, but I think we have a chance to maybe win this game now.
Julio is some kind of freak.
YEah Mac he broke the record set by himself.
Has anyone noticed that the Braves now have 18 homeruns and 78 RBIs from first base? Why tamper with this?
LaRoach might end up with 100
I’m not criticizing the batting order. I’m wondering how a team with that roster can even score as many runs as it gives up.
I know, Mac, I was just joking.
Wow. Talk about a bad time to go to the bathroom. Missed it!
Nationals…. their pitching – which is beginning to cool off. Hernandez had his 11 game streak busted up.
Nats are tied 2-2 now. Go Mets.
Dusty is very odd. First game of a double-header, he’s already down 6-0, and he double-switches to bring in his starting catcher to go the rest of the way? So either Barrett is going to catch 13 innings today or Hank White’s going to start the nightcap.
I am shocked the Cubs haven’t made a trade yet. They need a lead off hitter, an outfieler, and a few guys to add to the pen. With the Sox winning it all last season, you would think the Cubs would make more moves to win as well.
I was thinking the same thing Mac. I mean, I can understanding wanting Blanco out of the line-up, but it will put a strain on Barrett. If we’re lucky Blanco will start the night game.
If I were a Cubs fan, I’d riot. Well, I’d find other Cubs fans and riot.
One man rioting is just plain sad.
Have you checked out the Cubs message board? Some of them have this theory that Dusty Baker is making purposefully stupid moves in order to get fired. This is probably BS, but when I see how he manages sometimes, I can see why they think that.
Jerry Hairston is SUPPOSED to be their leadoff hitter. That was part of the problem in Baltimore last year-not only did he and Roberts both want 2B, they wanted the same spot in the lineup, too. Dusty and Hairston are having problems, though. But he is supposed to be a leadoff hitter.
Kristin Benson loaded the bases with two out but got out of it, getting “cleanup hitter” Baerga. The Mets’ good hitters are due up, and Armas is up around 100 pitches.
Nique!
I missed this yesterday… Sheehan, paraphrased: “The Braves’ pitchers aren’t very good, but they’re leading the league in fewest runs allowed anyway… Smoltz’s arm is going to fall off… Oh, look, walks… They’re probably going to win anyway.”
Moment of silence for Londons’ victims at the Nats/Mets game. Good Call.
BPro has gotten kind of funny these days. They’re so arrogant and condescending that it’s almost over-the-top.
Wow, Not to be mean. . ok well it is.
But, the Cubs are just playing horribly right now. That’a way to state the obvious. . but wow.
Radio guys just said that Cox told them that Francoeur will get his first start tonight.
Maybe instead of Dusty doing stupid things to get fired, the players are playing badly to get him fired? Nah. They’re just bad right now.
C’mon HoRam, clear the bases… Just for effect, y’know.
I think those people might have Baker confused with Pinella.
Too bad he didn’t. But pinch-hitting would have been a bad move. Save the guys, and we don’t need the runs (cross fingers).
We don’t need the runs as long as Kolbb stays on the bench for this one!
Oh, no. It’s a Kolbous day. I can feel it in my bones 🙂
I haven’t been as down on him recently. He’s looked OK to me. He might very well come in this game. And right now, to copy someone on AJC, it seems like the Cubs “could not hit water if they fell out of a boat.”
Just as I said that, Barrett singled. Oops.
note to creynolds: I’m hoping that same feeling in my bones is just arthritis.
The Braves page on MLB.com had a thing on Kolb the other day saying he had pitched bullpen sessions in 14 straight days and was regaining his control and confidence. I know a lot of sinkerballers that seem to pitch better when tired, maybe this will work in his favor. Either way, I doubt any team will be so kind as to take him off the Braves’ hands.
He seems to do better when he cuts down his velocity. Being tired does it for him.
You could watch baseball a long time and not see a team so blatently mail in a game as the Cubs have done here today.
I hope they are up for a repeat performance tonight.
🙂 Good one, Joshq… and you’re probably right. But there’s still later tonight!
Oh, wait… Smoltz isn’t likely to allow that.
Kolb isn’t allowed to pitch in games Smoltz starts. Per John Smoltz.
Here is what someone in the Cubs game thread has posted: ” I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue.”
🙂
hahahahhahahaha
Is it just me or do the Cubs half-innings seem to last about as long as a toilet flushing? 🙂
I get up to get a drink and they’re done already. Wow. Not to jinx us, though!
smoltz would rather cox bring joe boever back from the dead to close the game than see kolbus
Is all the hooblah of trading Horacio over?
Or is this just a manner of him dominating our local slowpitch softball summer league team.
Well if he is on the block this certainly didn’t hurt his value!
If he does this against the Nats or the Cards then I’ll buy it. Not this team, though. They are really floundering right now.
Horacio was fantastic today, no argument, HOWEVER, the Cubs are horribly slumping team missing the best hitter in the NL today. to be fair.
If Horacio does that against the Cardinals, I will be highly impressed.
Still, with Huddy & Hampton due back next week and Thomson talking up August 1st, we have a MAJOR logjam considering how solid Colon, Davies & Sosa have all been.
HR to the ‘Stros for Lidge. If we can’t get that lets trade Sneed for a middle man and stay with what we have. I love this team!
I have always thought Thomson was prime trade bait. But, his injury has hurt that.
He is on his option year and we really don’t seem to need him as of late.
HR is quality, and a lefty. he has that nod
No way Houston parts with Lidge, so might as well stop dreaming.
Nice piece of work for HoRam, his first career shutout.
Tonight’s game should be interesting. Who is Jerome Williams? I’ll try to follow it, but we’re scheduled to have the remnants of Cindy come through here and it’s supposed to be flash-flooding and t-storms into tomorrow afternoon. If the power stays on, cool, but our electric company is awful.
Astros won’t trade Lidge straight up for HoRam. I like the idea, but we’d have to throw in other stuff. Can we fool them into taking Brayan Pena?
Well, he had a good game. And he does pitch with his left hand. I still don’t believe, but it was good game even against this lineup. He deserves the credit.
And we could give them a good throw in reliever if anything.
Kolbb once pitched through that division. . they can have him. : )
Snead has negative value – we would have to pay a team to take him off our hands for nothing in return. Who would want him? Try harder for your trade ideas.
To get Lidge, we’d have to ‘throw in’ Francoeur or Marte, I wager.
Lidge is in the process of reminding everyone that he has a disturbing injury history.
Think Smoltz will go 9 tonight?
I hope Smoltz has enough pride not to let HoRam outshine him.
Gosh, I hope not. It would be nice if he could take it easy before the break, and nobody pitched last night… or yet today. Although even his heavier outings haven’t seemed all that stressful, so maybe he’s fine with all the work. It just seems like tonight is not a night to push.
good point, but a few K’s could help make things interesting.
To me it just doesn’t make sense for Houston to trade Lidge. He is way too effective and cost way too little. If JS convinced Houston to give up an all star caliber closer for a 4th or 5th starter, then JS would deserve an ESPY.
I don’t mean to start any blasphemous rumors, but Jay Payton has been DFA and is on the verge of being traded. Of course, the activating of Adam Stern kinda puts a wrinkle in my previous idea since it would have involved giving them his rights free and clear. Of course, they could just be ready for him to play.
I think it would be cool for Cox to give Andruw the night off tonight and let us see what and outfield of Langerhans, Francoeur, and Johnson would look like.
Anybody who needs a laugh, go check the Cubs’ MLB forum. Right now they have a betting pool going as to the date Dusty will be fired. Winner gets cases of beer from the other bettors, delivered to the Harry Caray statue at some point after the firing between 1-3 PM. I think they’re serious.
I wouldn’t mind him giving just about everyone a rest. ‘Cept maybe Giles and Julio ( if LaRoche’s injury causes so )
I feel bad for them cub fans.
We should welcome them in to here with open arms.
Natspos batting in bottom of the 9th, leadoff single by Schneider (as noted above, one of the few good hitters on the team).
hey anyone wanna place bets on when Kolb’s next save will happen.
I’ll throw my old jock from little league days into the prize pile.
Jerome Williams came over in trade from the Giants (for LaTroy Hawkins? I don’t remember.) He was one of the outstanding rookie pitchers of the class of 2003, probably third after Willis and Webb (the triple W’s?) but hasn’t had their success since then. He was a little above average last year and they shipped him off after a few bad starts this year. It was a very odd choice to deal a young pitcher like that for a highly-paid setup man. He had one successful outing as a reliever for the Cubs, then one bad start.
I always though that being a cub fan would make you more prone to alcoholism. that fan forum is a pretty good read
I was at DS games 1 and 5 against the Cubbies in ’03. I have no sympathy.
Natspos 2 runners on, Guillen pinch-hitting. At least that got Cordero out of the game if the Muts can hold them.
Guillen flys out, no advance.
Charlie:
Welcome the Cubs fans with open arms? No thanks. I’ve never seen as many epithets hurled towards children as I have when the Cubs were in town for their centennial playoff appearance.
I was at a Braves vs Cubs regular season game.
And two cub fans sat behind me, and were literally arguing over if the stadium was 80% full, 0r 76%.
we lost like 16-5, but our old pal Javy hit two jacks.
That’s like saying it’s actually 4:07 when someone says it’s 4:00 (and it is, where I am anyway). My brother did that until he was about eight, then he stopped. You know when they televise the exploding of the Steve Bartman ball that they’re a little nutty. But what would we do without them? Yankee fans are so much worse.