141 thoughts on “Game Thread: Aug. 12, Giants at Braves”

  1. I was shocked to discover this game is ACTUALLY on TBS which means I can actually WATCH it without having to balanace a Laptop on my lap and stare at tiny images of Marcus and Andruw–wow, TV…cooooooollllll.

  2. Of course its on TBS the night I’m going to the Reading Phillies game.

    *blames Randy Ruiz and his damn steroids* (its always the ‘roids fault)

  3. Here is a question:

    Let’s say Rietsma is lights out for the rest fo the year. It comes down to a game 7 and Hdson starts. We are up by one in the 9th, who do you bring in to close? CR or Smoltz?

  6. Up by one in game 7 and Reitsma is still the “closer”? If he pitched game 5 (which would probably be right if the rotation were set), Smoltz would probably be up in the bullpen warming up before anyone told him to. I would definitely bring him in. And I think just about anybody else would too.

  7. Watch it get rained out or delayed. That would just suck. Otherwise, I’m watching it in all its widescreen High-definition glory.

  9. Unless he pitched Game 6, Smoltz in a heartbeat. Wouldn’t surprise me to see Bobby do that. He understands that the rules are different in October.

  11. Yeah, I mean, Reitsma’s a good pitcher, but Smoltz is dominant. It would be ridiculous to not put him in, even if he pitched game six. There’s no one like him on the team.

    No one’s questioning that Smoltz is the best closer. It’s just that since Smoltz is so much more valuable in the rotation putting in 250 innings, Reitsma’s the best on the roster.

  12. I don’t care when Smoltz last pitched, I bring him in.

    That would be tough for me. If he threw 120 pitches the night before, how much could he have left? It would be a pretty big risk to find out. In that case, I would prefer a rested Reitsma as crazy as it sounds to trust the season to him (actually I’d prefer a real closer but…).

  13. Wow, I’m being spoiled rotten. The Braves are actually on TV for what, the next 4 days? This is too much! Alex, I do the exact same thing you do. Sit on the couch with my laptop and a snack and alternate between Gameday and this game thread. It’s okay, but…

    If anybody wants to see a funny photograph, ” rel=”nofollow”>here’s a good one of Kevin Millar. The costume is Theo Epstein’s idea of a prank. Who should we dress Andruw up as? Dan Wilkinson?

  15. Seriously, though, I’d consider it, and I think Bobby would do it given his track record of using pretty much anyone (except Glavine) in postseason relief. This October Bobby probably wants a 4 man rotation, but then someone’ll get injnured and Smoltz will start three games anyway.

  16. What are you talking about? An injury could never happen to the starting rotation. At least not to one of the top four starters.

  17. Speaking of injuries a brutal collision between Beltran and Cameron in Met’s game. Cameron taken to hospital. Glavine lost 2-1

  20. No matter what happens tonight we are sure to have be days than Mets and Angels fans. Strange things happen during day games.

    Langerhans in for Johnson tonight batting second.

  27. Of all people, he should know better. He was there when Lofton tore his shoulder up doing that crap. And he saw Robby Alomar do it every stinking time, which should’ve been enough to convince anybody that it’s a dumb play.

  31. Does anyone know where I can find pictures/video of the collision? I was walking into the room just as TBS was showing people standing over one of the guys. Anyone… Bueller… Bueller?

  32. As if there were any doubt. How in the world does Andruw get pitches to hit with LaSuck hitting behind him. You would think pitchers would have wised up by now.

  38. Man, that stellar LaRoche defense shows up again. I loves how he digs out poor throws from Furcal.

  39. Oh my gosh! That is terrible! Has there ever been a worse collision?!?! GREAT ZEUS’ RAVEN!

  40. Did you find it, Rob? If you go to the Mets webpage under the article “Beltran, Cameron hurt in collision” or something like that, the clip is in there.

  41. Just as I posted…yeah, it was awful. Worse than Marcus and Andruw. Kind of like Damian Jackson and Johnny Damon in the ALDS 2 years ago. I nearly cried.

  42. I’m tired of hearing the Braves announcers say that Vizquel is as good, or nearly as good a fielder as Ozzie Smith. He looks great and I love watching him play, but I remember reading that his reputation doesn’t hold up to sabermetric analysis. I did some googling and found this old Rob Neyer article discussing Ozzie’s fielding, and he says Vizquel isn’t anywhere near the fielder Ozzie was. Good article because he also says Andruw is the best centerfielder ever, but we already knew that didn’t we?
    http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=neyer_rob&id=1410373

  44. Anybody read Palmeiro’s media statement? What a bunch of verbal diarrhea. All he does is avoid things and hide and expect us to trust him. Yeah, right, Raffy. I’m so angry.

  45. I tell ya, that’s got to be the worst thing I’ve ever seen on a baseball field. Thank God Beltran wasn’t hurt as bad as Cameron. It looked like they were both equally squashed. Gosh, that’s rough. Something like that actually almost happened with me and my CF last year playing high school ball. I’m not as fast as Beltran or Cameron, obviously, but it still would have ruined my weekend.

    So what do you call the developments of the A’s/Angels game? Is that a walk-off… stolen base?

  46. Nothing is more horrifying to see than a head-to-head collision. I actually screamed while watching it.

  54. I think we should be saying “You rock, Pedro Feliz!”

    Carleton College… right on. What are you studying?

  56. Awesome. I start my first year at CCC the 25th. What a great transition from high school: I have a gym class my first semester. Final exam is a mile under 7, 25 pull-ups, 20 dips. I think I got the mile and pull-ups already, but the 20 dips may get me. Jenny, you have a My Space or AIM name? You can e-mail it if you don’t wanna post it all over the internet.

    OK, I’ll be honest with you people. As you could see from earlier this afternoon, I’m a big LaRoche supporter, but that kind of stuff right there will make anyone mad.

  57. That settles it. Betemit needs to be at third the rest of the season. LaRoche needs to sit when Chipper comes back.

  58. I have an 8:30 AM poli sci class. And everything on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays. No math or science! I’m excited.

  59. What settles what? What did LaRoche do now? My brother’s hogging the TV so I have to tape it.

  62. In case you aren’t watching, fjensen, Joe Simpson is hyping Chuck James on the TBS broadcast.

  63. Cameron apparently has a broken nose and multiple facial fractures and will miss the rest of the year. They’ve taken Beltran for an MRI because he doesn’t remember anything and can’t move his arm. Kind of like Marcus last year. Yikes.

  66. For those of us who concern Hudson being not striking out people as frequent as he used to, I guess he is back to top form now!

  82. About time? He has a double today, a double yesterday, and a double the day before that. What a bum…

  84. I’m actually indifferent towards the Mets. Over the past few years they’ve been like Macho Mice. I reserve my hatred for the Yankees.

  85. You think that the Mets might give up now? They have some guys (Piazza, Glavine, Trachsel) who might get through waivers and could be useful to a contender. Not the Braves, though.

  86. Remember when Tucker would have to call time out and dig dirt out of his massive eyes? He would always loose his contacts too!

  89. Speaking of hating the Yankees, Texas is trying to make a comeback. This is good. Now that Baltimore has fallen out of the race as expected, I can openly root for Boston again.

  91. Nice to see my HoHum appellation is spreading.

    Good move, IMHO. I don’t buy the whole lefty argument. If your righty is a better pitcher, it shouldn’t matter, right?

  96. Jordan is in Rome rehabbing getting ready for his come back to sit on the bench, in 20 days.

  97. Jenny, the hypothetical best pitcher depends upon the circumstance, and I believe it is dangerous to have too many similar pitchers. Let’s say (hypothetically) that you have four righthanded power pitchers. That’s all well and good, but what if you’re in a division with a team that has a bunch of lefties who hit fastballs well? The best staff is a well-balanced one. The Braves’ staff in 1993-94 was perfectly balanced — a righty finesse pitcher, a lefty finesse pitcher, a righty power pitcher, a lefty power pitcher. Not many of those of that quality, though.

  98. Thanks for explaining. But I don’t think the fact that HoHum was born with a recessive gene compensates for his too-often suckitude.

  101. If the Braves reach the world series against the Red Sox, they’ll want as many lefties as they can get their hands on. Hampton would be invaluable, as would any lefty that could come out of the pen.

  102. Someone refresh my memory as to what a LOOGY is? I always think of it as “If you need to clear your throat, hawk a LOOGY onto the sidewalk.” Ha ha.

  107. Um, there really are no good pitchers against the Red Sox. Yeah, Ortiz is left-handed, but Manny sure isn’t. Varitek and Mueller are switch-hitters. You’d neutralize Ortiz (if this is possible), Nixon, and Damon, but you’d do nothing against their other 3 big hitters.

  110. Guess what. Jay Mariotti said today on ATH that he thinks Andruw should be MVP.

    Stop the presses. Jay Mariotti said something intelligent!

  114. You know, from the pitch location on Gameday, you can guess it’s a home run before they even tell you. Dammit!

  117. The pitch was actually inside, but when you throw the same pitch over and over again you shouldn’t be surprised when the hitter eventually looks for it. Why he didn’t throw him the changeup/splitter is completely beyond me.

  125. This blows. How many is that on the year? Pathetic. I may go off on an Alex rant before long.

  128. Positives to take from what just happened:

    1)Marcus wasn’t hurt sliding into second.
    2)

    Never mind.

  130. What’s with the fat jokes for Kolb? It’s not like he’s Rich Garces or David Wells or anything…

  134. Joey, missed the broadcast did Simpson say anything about how he fit into Braves’ plans?

  139. I know I’m -really- late jumping on this bandwagon but… wow, that was a horrible collision.

  140. Don’t know if you guys have heard this:

    “With the announcement that Mike Hampton will rejoin the rotation on Sunday afternoon against the Diamondbacks, the Braves were also forced to tell Horacio Ramirez that he’ll be going to the bullpen for an undetermined amount of time.”

    Great news!!!

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