ESPN.com – MLB – Box Score – Braves at Nationals
The Vulture got the start, and he was masterful with five innings of one-hit, one-walk baseball. Another starter would have gone another two innings; Villareal threw only 65 pitches, 46 of them for strikes, and struck out four. He’s certainly going to stay in the rotation for another turn. Villareal is probably better-suited for starting anyway (and his best work has been in long relief) since he has four pitches none of which are overpowering.
McCann got the scoring started with a solo homer leading off the second. (He hit cleanup with Andruw still resting. Hopefully Andruw will be able to stretch his legs on the plane ride to Florida.) The Braves put three across in the fifth as Marcus singled home Diaz and Langerhans, got to second on the throw home, and scored on a single as Renteria broke out of his slump. (Marcus apparently should have been called out. Oh, well.) Renteria scored Langerhans with a single in the seventh to make it 5-0; after going 0-24 he had hits in his last three plate appearances. Langerhans walked four times, or as many times as Francoeur does in two months.
Paronto pitched the sixth, Baez pitched two scoreless innings, and Wickman had two strikeouts in a perfect ninth for the Atlanta Save.
WE need one more in the football league
Yahoo League: 468603
Password: Braves
at least 1 more…3 open.
I guess I was wrong about getting out the vulture doghouse.
3 1/2 hours till the draft.
Wow, draft tonight. Lucky me.
Let’s hope Marshall Faulk is still available for whenever my first-rounder comes up.
The draft should be cool. I really wonder how I’ll mess my picks up…
Yeah I can’t wait….The number 1 pick is…..
We still need one more. We can’t draft with an uneven number
Davey I like you site.
“Actually, I should be preparing for my Fantasy Football Draft tonight. Most people pre-rank their players, make draft boards, follow the experts, have certain strategies…but nope, not yours trully.
Like my strategy in life, I’m just going to wing this shit.
I have no idea what I’m going to do, so I’m just going to go on feeling. I might have the second overall pick and go with Cleo Lemon, because it’s not often you see a guy named after a fruit.”
Heh…
Yeah..my reasoning is very flawed Jay.
Someone should sign up!!..
im in – little known 2 sport athlete Steve Avery and his Squad will make the jump to football
I think I screwed it up and made it odd again.
If no one has signed up by 6:45, I’ll create a bogus team or something and prerank players like Shawn King. It will be like having a bye week. I’ll do it if I HAVE to, but I would rather someone sign up.
Well we now have 15.
Surely we can find one more.
Yahoo League: 468603
Password: Braves
Davey, I am with you on the wing it thing. In fact I think I’m gonna have wings for dinner. This will put me in the right frame of mind when I sit down for the draft. I’ve tried to be all prepared by changing my draft rankings, but who are we kidding. The real run is wheeling and dealing after the draft. That is the time you see you’re roster and realize you just drafted Ryan Leaf as your starting QB. Expletive!!!
“run” should be fun… I guess you can all see now that I clearly favor the running game.
if it doesnt even up, I can leave before the deadline rather than make a bogus bye week team
I like the run also.I personally like having a speed back and a power back on Madden and NCAAF 07.
bout time we didnt have a Ray or Yates sighting while the game was still being played.
No Avery,
You shouldn’t have to leave.
No Avery, I would rahter have 15 teams and the bye, then to have 14 teams
Villareal has trade value!
And there were 16…
yeah avery, I could end up with T.O. and he could use that week to rest his hammy.
filled up, nice
i like the fantasy leagues here – huge #’s of people, spreads the talent out and makes the draft and year fun. Baseball is going well id say, my favorite league even tho I have $ in others
No..don’t leave Avery. Smitty’s idea is good. But let’s hope for just 1 more person to sign up…
Good idea on that dinner Josh…
Good…
BTW the Cardinals just had a walkoff single to beat the Reds.
Ah…we’re filled up. Nice…
Way to go emoore…
Im going to eat. See you at the draft!
See ya
Hey boys…I’m back from FL. Looks like the vulture got it done today! He has my vote to take the mound again.
I think the guys in the booth said that Bobby was impressed and he will be starting Sunday.
I might have my day mixed up.
Here’s an issue I’d like to discuss: we have to get Marcus out of the leadoff spot…but who is the person that he swaps with?
Renteria i think.
although he doesn’t get many BBs, Diaz gets on base a lot.
Jay..I think they were talking about Tuesday vs. Pittsburgh
Davey is right, Sunday is pretty soon for getting the nod again.
I’d bat Diaz leadoff, but they don’t ask me.
Oh, ok….I wasn’t sure what day he said for Oscar.
Marcus is just better in the 2 hole…he needs to be there. Although, i’d hate to have to move Renteria down to the 5 or 5 slot with his average.
sorry, 5 or 6 slot
I guess that is a pretty good poll question.
Who should bat lead-off?
A.Giles
B.Diaz
C.Renty
I would be fine with either B or C.
If we move Rent to the 5 hole, that pushes McCann further down. I like McCann where he’s at…
I wish I was an Oscar Meyer
My proposal:
1 Renteria
2 Giles
3 CJ
4 AJ
5 McCann
6 LaRoche
7 Diaz
8 Frenchy
9 P
Diaz
Giles
Jones
Jones
BMAC
Renty
Frenchy
LaRoche
or
Renty
Giles
Jones
Jones
BMAC
Diaz
Frenchy
LaRoche
Thats good to Petros..but for some reason Bobby always has Frenchy hitting above Roachy.
If Diaz leads off then I’m going
Diaz
Giles
CJ
AJ
B-Mac
Renteria
Laroche
Frenchy
P
yes i am intentionally putting Frenchy in the 8 spot
HAHA I just smashed Pitt..70-7 with Louisville.
I had 149 rushing yards with Michael Bush in the first half. 224 all together and 5 TDs.
It’s Cormier he was impressed with and he is starting on Sunday against Dontrelle Willis.
I know Jay, bobby does like to do that…But i think the Best 8 hitters are good at hitting a ball out of the strike zone (thus Frenchy) because number 8 hitters are often pitched around (thus frenchy) just to get to the pitcher spot. When taking a BB isn’t always the best thing in that situation, why not put someone there who can make something out of nothing, at least .250 percent of the time
I think we should bat Frenchy leadoff.
My ideal lineup:
1. Francouer RF
2. Pena SS
3. Orr 3B
4. Langerhans CF
5. Pratt C
6. Hudson P
7. LaRoche 1B
8. Diaz LF
9. Giles 2B
Anything to get Marcus out of the leadoff spot!
I don’t like having two righthanders at the top of the order, but it’s hard to figure out any way around it — unless you want Chipper, McCann, or LaRoche hitting second. Again, the loss of Johnson and general suckitude of Langerhans come back to haunt us.
Good point Petros…
Thanks Elizabeth. I knew he said someone was starting Sunday just couln’t figure out how it was.
I hung 112 on Vandy with Alabama, but don’t tell Stu.
Ok,
My next random game is Texas A&M vs. Michigan State. I’m the aggies.
I agree Mac, two righties makes it difficult, but we don’t have much to work with…besides thats what bobby is doing anyways with Giles and Renteria.
what’s happened to Jake Peavy this year?
Big days next week…
Monday : Season premiere Prison Break
Tuesday : Madden ’07 release..
My Internetworking exam on Wednesday is suddenly looking very bleak.
I visited Athens the other day and decided I didn’t want to go there hah. I think the campus is too big. My dad was so excited to be back there, he loved living there.
later dudes, i’m gonna go grab some grub with my friends.
Damn, the Aggies don’t have my Favorite defensive play.
4-3 stack, crash 2.
Shit!!!! I blew my coverage.
I hate it when I do that.
I blitzed and gave up a 81 yard pass…Then I hit the X button and dove…left him wide wide open down the line.
O well 7-0.
Sounds like something I would do..
Ok, 7-7. They have a pretty good running team.
I have 42 yards with Courtney Lewis. 8 carries 42 yards still in the 1st.
Auburn nose tackle finally reported today after going to a JUCO – Greg Smith, #1 DT in the country two years ago, weighs in at 345. 30 pounds overweight, but he’ll start alongside Josh Thompson, one of the best run-stoppers in the country. Uhm.. looks like you won’t run up the middle on Auburn this year.
WTF…I just got sacked trying to had the ball off…LOL.
Well I stopped it at halftime…I was winning 21-10. Gotta start dinner.
If he is over weight, then he might not play a whole lot.
I don’t buy that Marcus needs to be taken out of the leadoff spot. Didn’t he start his hot streak (and maintain most of it) from the leadoff spot? I think we really have a small sample size of Marcus in the two-hole this year.
However, I am all in favor of Francoeur at 8th. At least, it sends some kind of message.
The mascots are taking out the other teams with golf carts.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2552123
And why do people think Pena, jr can hit in the Majors?
I think the only person that thinks Pena can hit is his dad.
This is sad…
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2552369
Damn the Hokies fell off.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/powerranking?season=2006&week=0&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos3
Just to check, Jay, are you using Yahoo’s default scoring, or do you have a scheme of your own?
I guess, Smitty is the one that set up the League.
Here’s the settings.
http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/f1/468603/settings
Sorry. Smitty, you still here? What scoring system are you using?
Oops. Thanks, Smitty.
Smitty,
How much time do we get between picks?
Hey everyone,
The Draft order will be selected at 7:00 pm(et)
The only diffrence from generic scoring and the one we are using is that return yards are factored in
Damn…I am #13 in the 1st round.
The selections are up…Drewdat you got #1.
Looks like I got # 7…
I’ve got #3 in my league, but i’m not with y’all
Do any of you guys work?
I do…
Work from home. Freelance rules!
i work
I work 24 hour shifts, 24 on 48 off…..only job I’ve ever had where I get paid to sleep 🙂
I wish we would’ve gotten Joel Zumaya…he is hitting 100 pitch after pitch.
LanceinFL,
Fireman?
I sometimes wonder if people on here work too. I have this picture in my head of my boy Smitty walking down the street with his laptop. I can see Stu in line at the supermarket typing furiously while the nice lady bags his groceries. 🙂
Pena can get a hit in the majors, all he has to do is ask Bronson Arroyo for some of his weed.
The Vulture should start. He would have nasty stuff and I think being a starter would force him to slow down and locate. Villareal has very good stuff problem is location, even though his stuff with be a bit less effective, him now relaxing and locating will actually make him a better pitcher.
Thats my worthless opinion.
I missed the game today (because I had to work, ha!), but I have to say I was really encouraged by Villarreal’s performance. In light of what Mac said about his repetoire, could this guy be a starting pitcher trapped in the bullpen? Of course it was only one start, but he’s generally been good in long relief appearances as well. Could this guy actually be useful as a starter?
Maybe I’m just getting juiced over this because of the “pitchers” that the Braves have been running out lately.
I type furiously while in my boxers and a shirt that says “Hunk of, Hunk of Burning Love”.
“Maybe I’m just getting juiced over this because of the “pitchers” that the Braves have been running out lately.”
He got out Soriano today. That counts for something
Good point. Speaking of Soriano, this guy has got some crazy throwing mechanics. I just saw his two throws to the plate today. First, he threw over the top and somehow air-mailed it even though he looked like he got on top it. Second, it looked like he side-armed it like a second baseman turning a double play but actually made a decent throw from such a long distance.
I’m still laughing at a comment someone made earlier. Something about us getting 2 starters for Estrada. How sad is that? Hopefully we’ll get Davies back soon. I’m really interested to see how he pitches the rest of the season. I have high hopes for what he could bring next year.
How is that sad? I think what is sadder is that at the time it seemed like we got two relievers. I’d take a mediocre starter over a mediocre reliever. Now, Cormier is a terrible starter, but I guess that’s better than him being a terrible reliever. I’m still optimistic about Cormier, though. Don’t ask me why. The jury’s still out on the Vulture, I suppose…
Hey, anyone else seeing the vulture as this year’s Jorge Sosa? Similar scenarios anyway. Davies went seven innings in his last minor league start. When he comes back, what should happen to Cormier? assuming the vulture stays, I think he should go to the pen and Yates should be sent down or sold for a new water cooler
Well it’s sad because we would never be a serious contender with Cormier and the Vulture as 40% of our rotation. It’s sad because this is what our season has come to. It’s sad because I miss the good old days. Sure it’s great that we got serviceable parts for Estrada (more than serviceable with the Vulture), but they shouldn’t be 2/5 of our starting rotation.
Seau not done yet, could sign with the Pats.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2553051
JoshQ,
You happy with your team?
It was one game. Villarreal is terrible.
Close Urlhix, I’m a a Paramedic…..
It’s cool, Mac. I hung 73 on Bama as Vandy. Playing on the second-hardest difficulty setting. What about you?
Besides, in real life, it’s going to be tough for the Crimson Tide to score 12 points in many games this year.
JoshQ, I worked at a law firm this summer, but now I’m back, finishing my third and final year of law school. I’ve got lots of time to type.
Isn’t the third year the easiest?
Im currently in the third year of my study…”Internet Based Information Systems”… I work at a web-developing office.
Before that it was a sportsbook. Actually, I’ve worked at 2 sportsbooks…
I jsut graduated and I am looking for a real job. This sucks!
good luck with that Smitty…
Yeah, third year is supposed to be the easiest. Looking forward to that.
I had a friend who only went to class three times his third year. He said there was no reason to go.
Well, we didn’t trade for those two pitchers for them to be 40% of our rotation; injuries is the cause of that. What’s sad is Thomson, Davies, and Ramirez are injured and Sosa stunk so we’re forced to have those guys in the rotation. The more I think about it, if we had Thomson to eat innings, Davies to pitch effectively, Ramirez doing his thing, and Sosa could have atleast done something good, except get us a salamander, then we would be in pretty good shape right now. Cormier would probably be in AAA, and Villarreal would be in the bullpen. Yes, it is sad for what the season has come to, but I think that trade is actually saving the season right now from being a TOTAL disaster.
just looked at the NL Wildcard race, out of the top ten in the race, 8 of them are 5-5 in their last 10, so many teams still have a chance, even the Braves as difficult as it would be.
We have to sweep the Marlins to have a chance
Rob,
In my book, not making the playoffs isn’t a total disaster, but finishing below .500 is–no matter how any individuals perform.
Here’s an interesting story in the NY Times about the geographical dividing line between “Red Sox Nation” & “Yankee Country.” If you don’t wanna read it all, check out the video:
ububba,
I would say that not making the playoffs isn’t a total disaster, but I wouldn’t say finishing below .500 is, though. We’ve been VERY unfortunate this season, through bad personnel decisions, TONS of injuries, and things just didn’t go our way a lot this year. Has it been a “total disaster”? No, I wouldn’t say so. How do I define “total disaster”? The Kansas City Royals.
Rob,
If we had a decent-to-good season & missed the playoffs because someone was a few games better, I can handle that. But this season won’t be defined that way—this team will miss the playoffs because it is, by mathematical definition, bad.
I’m afraid I’m one of those Bill Parcells types who doesn’t believe in excuses or get caught up in circumstances. You are what your record says you are. It’s up to you to turn the page & get better.
In the past we’ve been able to overcome injuries, but not this year. I’m not convinced that the injuries are the problem like most people do. When defining the problem, i first point to our 20 BLOWN SAVES!!!
“The last thing we wanted to do was drop three out of four to these guys,” Giles said. “We definitely wanted to win three out of four, but getting a split, it’s better than kissing your sister, I guess.”
Second toughest setting?
Let me guess you have two controllers and you play both at the same time….
John Parker WIlson has been there for 2 1/2 years, he was 6A Champion with Hoover, and threw for a ton of yards and TDs.
Andre Smith will deliver at the LT position with pass protection not seen at ALL since Britt in 2004 (and he was injured for the LSU, Auburn, and Bowl game) , Caldwell is an excellent center, the guards will be better prepared and experienced, and I expect Tatum to be a bit better. The OL will be good.
Hall and Brown are back. Brown should be better, so should Hall. If Stover gives them a 3rd option at WR, with Caddel as a 4 then they will be rock solid. The TE’s will be better prepared too.
The Backfield is deep even with Coffee’s injury and Ford’s inability to get out of Hargrave. Darby, Johns, and Upchurch along the best FB tandem in the country LeRon Mcclain and Tim Castille make Alabama’s Backfield a deep and talented backfield.
The Defense has lost less than people think, unlike in 2003 when everything was confused and no one knew what they were doing(due to the Price affair and crash cours August camp of Shula’s whose time to implement was seriously hampered), the players starting have had 2-3 camps and are well schooled in what to do.
Jeffery Dukes and Simeon Castille will fill the roles of Anthony Madison and Roman Harper. Moore and etc. at the LB spot is not as bad as people think. He came on strong last year. The DL is solid and Gilberry is a Jr. and should be better.
Jamie Christensen is more consistent and has a ton of confidence.
9 wins at least.
I updated the Alabama preview yesterday… Tatum has all but lost his job. If the coaches are convinced Smith can hold up at LT he will start there and Capps will play RT. I think they finally got sick of waiting for Tatum to figure out how to pass block. As it is, the line is pretty much set if Stabler is healthy.
How’s that preview on ur blog coming along 4-Seam?
Excuses? The Braves have a horrible bullpen, one really dumb hitter, and Hampton/Thompson/Davies/everybody on the DL.
CJ’s been down, McCann has been down.
Injuries, bad players, and etc.
Not their year….
Tatum lost his job? Wow he must have really failed. A fifth year senior with a couple of seasons starting?
What did he do go Gilbert Brown?
Davey that preview is painstakingly coming together.
It’s gonna be a three-part huge unwieldly thing that I’m going to unleash onto the blogoshphere.
My number one team is going to every position analyzed…….
Stats up the ying yang too….
I’ve gone mad.
No, he just can’t pass block. Making him a tackle was a mistake; he’s more suited to guard. Anyway, once Smith came in and started wowing them, the coaches figured that Capps is going to play RT next year anyway so why not now? Tatum’s shoulder has been hurt a little which hasn’t helped his cause but Capps just beat him. If Smith starts, Tatum won’t.
Capps. Yay!!!
Is Justin Woodall anywhere to be seen? Or has he taken his fastabll somewhere?
Woodall is in camp. He was working into the playing rotation (after Dukes, safety is probably the weakest position on the team) but suffered a bad ankle sprain yesterday. There was a story on him a couple days ago but Al.com is kablooie this morning.
I may need to update the Tennessee preview, I am starting to think a 7-5 season is the best they can do.
anyone else watching the Sox/Yanks game?
Wait… the Yankees and Red Sox are playing? Why haven’t I heard about this?
just started w/ a Damon triple. Jason Johnson sucks!
Yeah I don’t know why the keep throwing him out there.
Man my team sucks!
QB-Jake Delhomme
WR-Larry Fitzgerald
WR-Earnest Wilford
WR-Antwan Randle El
RB-Willis McGahee
RB-Willy Parker
TE-Ben Watson
BN-Courtney Anderson
BN-Charlie Frye
BN-Justin McCareins
BN-Maurice Jones-Drew
BN-Troy Brown
K-Rian Lindell
BN-Nate Kaeding
DEF-Pittsburgh
BN-Carolina
I want to get rid of Chris Henry.. I need to get me Ronnie Brown damnit
You denied my trade….I tried to give you a Hurricane…but noooooo 🙂
I cant believe they only got one off of Johnson in the 1st. Does anyone besides Espn actually care about this series?
I’m just watching it because it is the only game on in my area.
Yep Jay, your going dow week one.
Mac, much like you, I was shocked to hear that the Red Sox were playing the Yankees! I was unaware that the teams and their fans do not like each other! I thought they were all best friends and in differnt divisions in baseball! Who knew!?!?!
Get this: One time the Red Sox sold a player by the name of George Ruth to the Yankees. It turns out he didn’t want to go and had some sort of special powers and put a curse on the Red Sox. Then a few years ago the Red Sox were losing to the Yankees in the playoffs and came from behind to beat them! WOW! You would think ESPN would cover some of this.
I hope the two teams fans stay best buddies after the one game they are playing today…What’s that? They are playing two? I guess that is so both teams can win a game and everyone will be happy!
I don’t want Willis “I’m the best back in the NFL ” McGahee…
I’d rather keep the other ‘Cane…Edge..
oh yeah, and all the annoying Redsox and Yanks fans.
Smitty,
That’s why I’m trying to make deals…have you looked at the match-up?
I am supposed to lose 55-49.
O yeah I forgot he was a cane….damn there goes that approach.
But you never know Jay.. You’re “supposed” to lose…but you never know which players will step up and which ones will choke like a Manning in the play-ofss…
I think ESPN is going to develop a Yankees holiday. Instead of having 10 hours of coverage everyday, they will have a marathon and give us nothing but 24 hours of Yanks highlights. They haven’t decided which day is best for the new holiday!
True.
My defense rocks…I took two of the best that way I have an options.
csg, I have no idea why the Yankees formed their own network, they had one already based in Bristol!
This Saga never ends.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2553084
Preston Wilson is no longer unemployed.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2553597
WTF!!!
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2553562
I wonder if Some Generic Name knew about this before he drafted Jerramy Stevens.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2552813
I doubt it Jay… I saw that this morning also..
btw Jay, im detailing my failures in the draft last night…you can read after it’s done and ridicule me..
I look forward to it.
I hate to break the news, but the reason ESPN covers this stuff is because people watch it—just like sitcoms, just like Oprah.
If the Colorado Rockies’ players got the same Q Scores & pulled the same TV ratings, you’d see more of them—just like LeBron, just like Elway. Same reason why some teams are never on Monday Night Football & other teams always are. An Arizona Cardinals-Cleveland Browns game is just not sexy.
ESPN is all about money, all about ratings, all about branding. It quit being a “sports-news channel” long ago.
Javy that was a horrible throw.
ububba, totally agree!
http://daveysplace.blogspot.com/2006/08/how-to-destroy-your-fantasy-team.html
There it is Jay. Gotta run..be back a bit later
So the Nats/Braves game I attend, the Braves get 2 hits and 3 errors and play one of their most pathetic games of the year.
The game I have to miss entirely because of work meetings in Baltimore, the Braves win a 5-0 shutout and a good performance from the Vulture.
I give up. I will have to be a Braves fan in private, evidently.