ESPN.com – MLB – Box Score – Rockies at Braves
See, that’s the Tim Hudson we’re paying for.
Hudson went the distance, allowing only one hit (to the opposing pitcher), walking three, striking out five, and by the way drove in the game’s first run in the second inning with a single. He didn’t hit the 100 pitch mark until the ninth. It was his second complete-game gem in his last three starts.
One problem is that in a game like this, there’s not much to talk about even if you’re happy. (Much less unhappy — see my post on Randy Johnson’s perfect game if you want to be depressed.) The Braves had eight hits, two by Renteria (now hitting .373) and two by McCann, who scored on Hudson’s single, though he later was thrown out trying to stretch a double into a double). Giles drove in Langerhans in the fourth for the other run.
The Rockies broke out Tom Martin late in the game. Wow, Martin in Colorado — I hope nobody gets killed. Second of two tomorrow, Sosa against Aaron Cook.
We needed this. Now if the Nationals can pull out a win against the Mets, it’d be a good night.
Who looks like Jesus, acts like Judas and throws like Mary? Johnny Damon. Saw that on a sign during the Yankees-Red Sox game going on now (flipped over as soon as the Braves won, can’t stand the FSN announcers getting a promotion.)
we def needed this win… and hopefully it will continue through the week… good game wish I had Turner South and could have seen it!
Great game by Hudson tonight. He was in complete command the whole night, and there is pretty much nothing else to say about him besides awesome. These Rockies coming into tonight won seven of their last ten and leading their division even without Helton, so these are not the usual Rockies we are used to seeing.
Can’t complain about tonight too much. Hope Huddy keeps it going for his next start, Saturday at Shea.
Mets tied 1-1, going to bottom of the 9th.
Well, the Nats invented a way to lose tonight.
An inning ending DP ball got thrown into CF, scoring the winning run. Oh well, guess we’ll have to beat ’em outselves.
Yeah, Majewski crapped the bed.
The Mets and the Phillies both won. The reality is that unlike some earlier years we have strong competition. I think that we are in for a great race and possibly a memorable season.
Did Majewski throw the ball into the outfield?
The Braves starters ERA is now 4.32, sixth in the NL. Who’d a thunk it?
McCann is some kind of slow.
Majewski handed us a game at Washington as well by allowing that 3-run homer to Beta-meat on a 0-2 pitch. Nevertheless, Majewski does suck big time this year.
haha… yea McCann’s not very fast but I still LOVE him!
I am still debating if McCann runs faster than Estrada…
we should time em and find out… lol
I listened to the game on the radio, it was so much better than Rathbun!
Martin is the 2nd pitcher (after he who shall not be named) to keep the Braves scoreless after pitching horribly for Atlanta last year. I just don’t get it…
Nobody is slower than Johnny Estrada.
Although I’m rooting for the Mets to lose their next 130+ consecutive games, to be perfectly honest, I’m more interested in seeing the Braves play well. If we get on track, we’ll be fine.
And so far, we’re 1-0 this month.
Personally, I listend to the game muted with my latest Gourds bootleg on the stereo, but I’m logging in now to say a couple of nice things about the broadcast. I tuned in late, but in the top of the 4th inning, the first several pitches to the first batter were shown from a far-away wide angle, looked to be about the second tier. You could see just about all the grass, but not quite the infielders; the pitcher, batter and catcher. I’ve been dying for wide-shot angles for a while and was *thrilled*. They kept it up for pretty much the first 2 batters. You could see the full delivery, the break of the ball to the left or right, and when there was contact with a fractional move of the camera you got Marcus’ break on the ball and throw to First. In between hitters, it panned back and you could see Andruw take several strides over and set up to the right side of straight-away for the next guy up. Really lovely, I thought. The camera movements were jerky and the zooms in and out poorly controlled, so it was almost like watching yer buddy at the camera, and I don’t know if this was all because of some difficulty TS was having or on purpose, but I really liked it. Then in the bottom half of the 5th, Renteria was up first, the angle was again high, wide, from behind home plate several decks up, but this time like another deck up, like the eye in the sky maybe, so you got to see the Rockies take positions, Renteria take some swings in the on-deck circle while Jennings threw a couple of pitches, then again another kinda poorly executed zoom down onto Renteria, the catcher and ump from almost directly above, slightly behind. No pitcher, fielder or delivery at all. Which really threw me. But rewinding and watching again it was really nice. You could see how the catcher and ump set up, clearly evident on the first pitch when Jennings missed his spot and the catcher had to reach across the plate to get it, then set up outside, Jennings hitting his spot this time. All you see is the three at the plate from above and then the ball come in and all three react, hitter catcher and umpire. Only did that angle for about 2, maybe 3 pitches. Then they cut back to the standard field-level-behind-the-pitcher-advertsing-banner-or-green-screen-slightly-center-focused shot.
I viewed this on the baseball package, since I don’t live down there any more, but is this something anyone else noticed, or has noticed on Turner South broadcasts? The off-beat nature and poor camera-handling made me thing maybe it was a mistake or the result of some difficulty they were having, but I’m hoping that it was an expiriment, and one that sticks. There’s no “Contact Us” link on the Turner South website, but I want to write and tell them to please keep doing it.
McCann…later was thrown out trying to stretch a double into a double
LOL, that’s hilarious. Good one, Mac.
I’m not much of a tinkerer, but it might be time (past-time?) to move McCann up in the lineup to #5.
He’s stinging the ball & he can’t be any slower on the bases than LaRoche or, say, Jason Varitek. And it really doesn’t matter how fast you walk back to the dugout after a K, does it?
Maybe a drop in the lineup will free up LaRoche from his dreadful funk. Even those who loved to hate LaRoche before this year couldn’t imagine it would be this brutal.
A late-night listening session has inspired me to offer two record recommendations:
Bruce Springsteen’s “We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions”
Back to basics from way, way back, mostly folk & gospel standards. Some renditions work better than others, but the playing & singing are really inspired.
Drive-By Truckers’ “A Blessing & a Curse.” Big rock, big country, solid songwriting as usual. Really, one of America’s best bands. And go see ’em if you ever get a chance. They never have a toss-off show.
Thanks for the tip, ububba. I didn’t even know the Truckers had a new one out.
The Truckers is definately different in some ways- songwriting, scope and concept-but its just a REALLY enjoyable listen. Just feels good to have on.
The truckers are playing with the black crowes and the robert randolp band this summer.
On one hand its bad because ive seen the truckers and randolph tear up clubs but i dont know if ill enjoy it as much at a big huge arena. and itll be more expensive.
on the other hand its two great bands and a good one (the crowes) in one night.
Robert Randolph actually put on the greatest concert ive ever seen. Just amazing how much energy he, and his whole band, had and how much he made it an expericen for the crowd.
i dont have the time to go into detail now but go see him if you get the chance, esp at a smaller venue.
Good news from Richmond: Lerew had his best outing by far this season last night by throwing seven shutout innings with two hits allowed, one walk, and four strikeouts.
I’m terribly disappointed in this recap. Hudson throws a one-hitter against a hot team (10-3 and several (5?) game road winning streak coming into last night) and the best that can be said is “that’s what we’re paying for?”
It seems to me there’s a lot to talk about. Huddy had most everything working, worked quickly, and threw strikes. McCann must have called a pretty good game, or at least did a great job catching all that filthy stuff Huddy was dishing out. Huddy gave the bullpen a rest and Bobby Cox a much needed break as well. After the game, Huddy apparently credited McDowell with correcting something mechanical in his arm angle, producing the better vertical movement on his pitches. Overall, the starting pitchers (Sosa excepted, maybe) are looking terrific.
It was a great example of Braves baseball for the past 13 years (a few years notwithstanding) … good starting pitching and situational hitting (Huddy afterall) … and one example of only a handful so far this year. None of that really worth talking about? I’m terribly disappointed.
Saw Randolph with Dave Matthews once…pretty awesome.
I am just relieved this morning to have a two game winning streak. We just need to keep going out and playing and I think we’ll be fine. Until we can get Giles going, I’m afraid the offense will be erratic.
Sorry. A refund is forthcoming.
It’s hard to say anything about excellent pitching. How many ways can you say that a man was on? The thing about a great pitching performance is that little actually happens.
Roger that, and everyone has their own take on it. Maybe I just reacted with a little more joy to see such a great pitching performance.
I think the most important thing is that McCann was wearing a shirt that read “I Rode the Bodacious for Nine” after the game.
It’s hard to understand why is Adam La Roche still playing 1B everyday…. but its a lot harder to understand why is that piece of trash still batting 5th. I mean… sure our offense sucks, and Bobby likes a lefty batting 5th, but We have better options right now (see McCann B.)
I hate hate hate hate LaRoche…….
…..Thanx… i feel better now
Nevin,
To answer your question, the FOX crew is doing the TS games now, so that means theri terrible camera crew, announcers and so forth are doing the TS games. FOX has the worst camera work ever. You will see Francoeur running in for a ball that was caught on a line by Renteria.
From the AJC:
Hudson credits his recent improvement to pitching coach Roger McDowell, who noticed a flaw in his delivery two weeks ago after looking at side-by-side video of some of his best starts with Oakland and his first few starts this season.
McDowell showed Hudson that he wasn’t staying back as tall on the rubber as he used to, and was pitching more across his body as a result.
Hudson thinks the flaw may have contributed to his side strains the past two years, and lessened the downward movement on his pitches.
“It’s something you’d have trouble noticing by yourself,” said Hudson, who threw his sinker about 80 percent of the time Monday, by McCann’s estimation.
If that’s true, I’m voting for him for President.
I was very nervous when “the rocker” left the braves to go to Baltimore but it seems that McDowell is doing OK.
President McDowell?
I would’ve thought that anyone on the 1986 Mets would’ve been precluded from the presidency on principle, but now we now that stuff doesn’t matter as much anymore.
Draft Roger!
When does HoRo come off the DL? My guess is he’ll push Sosa out of the rotation. The problem is that is not an upgrade. It’s a wash to me. I can only dream that either Sosa starts pitching as good as his stuff or James at least gets a chance.
Anyone else looked ahead at the schedule the rest of this month? Other than the Mets this weekend, its 2 w/ PHI, 7 w/ FL, 3 each w/ WAS, ARI, SD, CHI, LA. No reason we shouldn’t get well in May. June through the All Star break could be beastly, with Houston, St. Louis, the Reds and the AL East, so let’s hope we really use May well.
AJC
Well, if it’s a complete wash, I guess it’s better to have the left-hander, and I still think Sosa would be good to try as closer, which Ramirez most certainly would not be.
And I know everyone bashed McDowell that first week and a half of the season. I must admit that I too started to wonder just what the hell he was doing down there. But that’s two pitchers he’s helped tremendously thus far this year (Davies has improved a ridiculous amount since last year). I think maybe he’s gonna turn out alright after all.
Oh darnit.
(That was in response to JC’s post.)
Oh joy…why do I smell another year-long injury problem with something that should’ve taken him two weeks, at most, coming on? Either his body doesn’t heal for shit or he’s the biggest wuss on the face of the planet.
Someone has a stalker…
where does brian mccann live – Yahoo! Search Results
JCB, you broke my heart…
Sosa has closer stuff, the problem is that he doesn’t throw it for strikes.
The same closer stuff that Rietsma has.
Reitsma doesn’t walk people, but he doesn’t strike them out either–and he gives up hits.
Sosa is all over the place: 15.2 IP, 24 H, 12 ER (6.89 ERA), 8 K, 8 BB. About the only good thing I can say about Sosa so far is that he is yet to give up a first-inning run.
Name your poison.
How did I break your heart? By reporting the delay of HoRam’s return?
Yeah, another month without HR has really got me down 🙂 I’m so “depressed” I might celebrate!
I’m sure that HR is coming back as quick as possible so that Thomson can be moved to middle relief. Right? Right?
Pretty funny, Mac. Last year on my blog I made a crack about Roman Colon pitching badly because he missed his girlfriend in Richmond. Now not a day goes by that I don’t get at least one Google hit from “(butchered spelling of Francoeur)” + girlfriend.
IMO, sosa would make a pretty good closer (maybe elite in the long run). most of his outings he looks very crisp in the first couple of innings, but has to throw too many pitches to be a quality starter. sosa for closer, reitsma for hire, james for starter and horam to hades. get it done. while your at it, send laroche with horam.
“About the only good thing I can say about Sosa so far is that he is yet to give up a first-inning run.”
Maybe that’s why he should be a closer… his first inning then would usually be the 9th 😉
Sosa is the walk king! In fact when Sosa’s last start was skiped, he came to my house to walk my dog.
Bad joke, but someone had to make it.
Lets not forget the sosa used to be in the out field when he first was drafted. I do not want some one that played the out field as my CLOSER.
Look, I’m not saying it would absolutely work out, but I think it’s worth a try. He looked downright nasty in several of his relief appearances early last year, including one at-bat by Jeff Bagwell in that Hudson vs. Clemens game that might have actually been the most embarrassing at-bat of his career. I think perhaps his stuff is better suited to the bullpen than to the rotation.
And I’m not sure how you can compare his stuff to Reitsma’s. Reitsma is a junkballer with a semi-decent change-up on a good day, when the hitter isn’t looking for it (and why they appear not to be sometimes just baffles me, by the way). Other than that change-up (which he can’t locate, by the way), Reitsma brings absolutely nothing to the table. Sosa, on the other hand, has some good breaking stuff (which, as I said, was pretty filthy during his relief stints last year) and a fastball with pretty good velocity on it. He even got this velocity up into the mid to high 90s during his relief appearances last year, then backed it down a bit as a starter.
So while I’m not saying it’s a can’t-miss proposition, I would send just about anyone out there over Reitsma, and Sosa has at least shown some potential, albeit limited.
Hap,
That’s why I mentioned it.
Maybe at some point HoRam replaces Sosa, Sosa replaces Reitsma, and Reitsma replaces whatever we have going on now in the setup role.
Best-case scenario: HoRam eats some innings & we score for him so it doesn’t become a complete disaster. Reitsma pitches every second or third day for a total of 60 or so. Sosa blows people away while giving us a little Mitch Williams angina.
FYI – We miss Pedro & Glavine this weekend.
Oh that’s great, closer…just brilliant. If you have any other pearls of wisdom, you be sure to let us know.
I say we get Todd Helton, let him play first base and then in the 9th we bring in LaRoche to play first and Helton to close. This is how he was used at UT and he was a decent QB for the Vols too.
Thinking outside the box, Smitty. I like it. He was indeed used as a closer by Tennessee. However, I think people have the tendency to exaggerate how good of a QB he was. As a Tennessee fan, I can tell you that he was good enough to hold the job for a couple of weeks and not make a complete fool of himself, but we did lose two games that we should’ve won during that time and he was replaced by two freshmen who weren’t quite ready yet, so he wasn’t that good. And yes, I know that one of those freshmen was Peyton Manning and that Helton tweaked his knee a little bit. I think Helton would’ve come back though, Fulmer just told him they were going with the freshman so he said decided that, since he was obviously gonna wind up playing pro baseball and not football anyway, he might as well just go ahead and make that decision. Manning still wouldn’t have been starting that year if Helton were all that great. Of course, the fact that he did made him so much better the next year that we were one choke second-half choke against Florida away from playing for the national championship, so I guess I can’t complain too much.
Helton wasn’t too bad. I think you are right about him hurting his knee and thinking, “Um, I think baseball is my thing.”
If he had come back before the Alabama game that season, he might have played more (you know Fulmer, see Rick Clausen). After the Alabama game, where Manning kept us in it and threw that bomb to the end zone that was picked off (hail marry), it was Manning’s job. Brandon Stewart transfered to Texas A&M and beat Kansas State in the Big 12 title game in 1998, setting up the Vols for the National Title game against FSU.
Thank you Todd Helton and your “sore” knee!
I do think Sosa belongs in the bullpen and will be there before the season is over. His value is so much higher as a reliever. He will never be a solid starter. I just don’t think that his stamina is what it would need to be for the starting job. He has the POTENTIAL to be a closer and in the meantime can be a solid arm out of the bullpen.
How many innings does Sosa go tonight? I say 4 2/3
Phillies uber-prospect Cole Hamels crushed Richmond today. Here are his aggregate stats in his first two AAA starts:
15 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 23 K
Sosa will pitch the game of his life tonight.
How many innings does Sosa go tonight? I say 4 2/3
Sosa will pitch the game of his life tonight.
Both of these statements could be correct.
helton probably could be picked up but i dont know how much it would cost.
ok, so that was not a very wise post. helton makes 16.6 mil this year. i dont think he could be picked up. research before you post, not vice versa.
If we pick up a 1B, I’m guessing it’ll be a one-year rental of the Conine variety.
and oh yeah trade HoRo, Brayan Pena, Matt Diaz for a closer 1B and bench…Craig Wilson?? Keith Foulke???(bosox dont need him…they got a closer..)hey how about todd helton…rockies got a good replacement…its time for them to go young…TRADE HIM TO THE BRAVES!GEEZ SOMEBODY GET ON THE HORN AND CALL MCGRIFF!!! ANYBODY WE NEED ANYBODY…GALARRAGA as a bench player??? hmmmm..one more thing…when i look at matt diaz in the back of my mind i can hear him saying the last day of spring training…”IM ON THE ROOSTER IM ON THE ROOSTER!”
Does Diaz recite Playboy after every pitch?
Kyle S.
Are you following he Richmond game?
The game log looks like the R-Braves picked up 3 runs charged to Hamels in the bottom of the 8th, but the MiLB box score credited the runs to S/W-B. So, which is it? 3-2 Richmond or 5-0 S/W-B?
I was going based on the box score; maybe it was wrong.
Looks like it’s fixed now, Parish – I dunno what happened. This is what it says for the Richmond 8th:
Richmond Bottom 8th
* Brayan Pena flies out to center fielder Chris Roberson.
* Jamal Strong called out on strikes.
* Jonathan Schuerholz pops out to second baseman Angel Chavez.
—
Hamels came back out for the 9th and K’d the side while giving up a 2B to Wes Timmons. His stats for the year are now:
16 IP
5 H
0 R/ER
1 BB
26 K
sign me up.
That was strange. Everything that happened in the top of the ninth was previously credited to Richmond in the bottom of the 8th. Oh well. I was hoping the good guys had come back.
Incidentally, aren’t those the first runs Phil Stockman has given up this year?