ESPN.com – MLB – Box Score – Braves at Cubs
This game never should have gotten this close — the Cubs actually had the tying run on deck in the ninth — but the Braves stranded a whole bunch of runners and the bullpen frazzled.
The Braves had 20 hits on the day, getting three apiece from Johnson, Harris, Renteria, and Kyle Davies. A lot of it was poor Cub defense, which among other things allowed an unearned run and made very few good plays. It has also apparently driven Carlos Zambrano insane; after the Braves blew it open with five runs in the fifth, he got into a fistfight with his catcher in the dugout.
In addition to going 3-4 with a double, scoring a run and driving one in, Davies also pitched well, seven innings of one-run ball. He got into a couple of jams but got out of them with double plays; the one run he allowed was a homer. He threw 107 pitches, 68 for strikes.
Peter Moylan’s ERA looks fine, but he gave up three runs in the eighth to put the game in reach. Because they came after a KJ error, they’re “unearned”, but the man gave up a two-run homer. Wickman allowed a solo shot in the ninth but got a DP after a bunt single.
All the Braves starters had at least one hit; all but Andruw and Thorman had at least two. Clearly, Andruw is holding the team back from scoring 17 runs.
Could anyone tell what Wickman was screaming about after the game? I know he was pissed about giving up the homer to Jones, but it looked like it might have been directed at someone in particular…..
I just thought he was pissed about the homer. Couldn’t imagine who else he would be mad at.
on the postgame interview, Pinella is saying that Zambrano and Barrett got into it again in the dugout.
sorry, clubhouse.
I am of course at work and cannot watch when we play the Cubs on a weekday afternoon in Chicago, but I am glad we won.
As for Andruw, he’s finally hitting this week so I am laying off for now. If he ends the year with 45 home runs and a solid B.A., I will eat some crow but for now, I am just glad he’s not striking out 5X a game and hope for the best.
As for Davies, well, this is what he does…a good start and then has 2 bad ones. If he could maintain any momentum, I would feel a lot better about him.
Also, Zambrano is definitely nuts so I am not surprised he would attack his teammate, an all star catcher like Barrett. Zambrano is a moron.
One more thing, Mac:
Can you amend the current BravesJournal poll to add Celine Dion as ‘Worst Canadian’?
Piniella said the fight continued into the clubhouse after the dugout scrap. He says he sent both players home & “both will be disciplined, believe me.”
“This just shouldn’t happen,” he said, “Go fight the other team, if you have to.”
“When I was with the Yankees, this seemed like it happened a lot, but it still shouldn’t.”
He said he sent Zambrano to the showers & Barrett followed him. “Barrett’s lip is cut up pretty good.”
Then, he really got rolling. “I’ve only got so many players I can send out there and it’s about time they started playing like Major Leaguers!”
Sounds like a crazy game.
And yeah, no surprise that Zambrano flipped out. He’s mentally as stable as Mike Hampton’s body.
Can someone post the link to the interview…I can’t seem to find it.
Thanks.
I love the “fight the other team if you have to” comment. I’m guessing that it’s a good thing that we didn’t hit anybody with a pitch after that incident. It’s entirely possible that if we had so much as backed someone off the plate, and all-encompassing shitstorm would have ensued.
Jay,
It’s not up anywhere. I was just transcribing as Lou was spewing. I heard it on WGN radio via MLB.com.
Ok,I just tried to comment and I typed a different name than usuall…so I guess that’s why it’s awaiting moderation.
But yeah…here’s what I had meant to say.
“Sounds like a crazy game.
And yeah, no surprise that Zambrano flipped out. He’s mentally as stable as Mike Hampton’s body.”
oh ok…no problem.
I’m through blaming Andruw for the Braves’ offensive woes. I think it’s time to blame the real culprit… Quilvio Veras.
(Yes, I just said that to annoy Mac. Sorry, Mac.)
Maybe we can get out of this mess that is Cubland with a couple more wins.
And go, D-Backs.
Skip delivered this gem during the game: “The Cubs press box just read Zambrano’s line over the loudspeaker, but they forgot to include punches landed and punches thrown.”
Rheal Cormier retired. So we won’t be seeing him with the Atlanta Braves.
I was deep sea fishing all day and missed the game. How absurd was the fight between Z and Barrett? I’ve got to take Barrett’s side on principal. He jacked Pierzynski last year.
Big Braves news….
Smoltz might miss his next start, Rheal Cormier has decided to retire…
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070601&content_id=1998745&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl
Sheffield and Bard both suspended 3 games and fined
Wright and Beltran out tonight, Julio filling in at 3rd.
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6876284
Here’s the video of the fight…
“Smoltz might miss his next start”
As in completely or as in they push it back a couple of days to the Florida series?
Hudson, James, Davies, Cormier and Caryle is a rotation only Bobby Cox could praise.
It was basically a spaz-fight, though Zambrano maybe got in a couple of good licks.
From all I hear, they’d just push it back a couple of days to Tuesday.
OK, that’s 3 of 4 after the lost Phillies weekend. Hate to kick a team when it’s down, but it must be done.
Chipper is so fragile its rediculous. I bet any other brave could have that same exact fall and be fine.
The AP is saying that Barrett ended up at a hospital.
AP:
“The Chicago Cubs didn’t need another team at Wrigley Field on Friday to find an opponent. Carlos Zambrano and catcher Michael Barrett shoved each other in the dugout, then the pitcher busted his teammate’s lip in the clubhouse so badly that Barrett wound up in a hospital.”
If Chipper can’t swing a bat, there’s no sense in sending him out there.
fox news is reporting jack bauer has been called in to prevent Zambrano from launching a nuclear stike aimed at erasing Barrett’s family from the face of the earth.
That reminds me, I wish to thanks Messrs. Zambrano & Barrett for making tomorrow’s game thread video choice so easy.
Thanks for the fight details and links.
MGL released his UZR numbers (if that makes no sense to you, you might want to just skip my post) through May 31. He doesn’t have us being as bad defensively as I would have thought.
Thorman +3
Johnson +1
Renteria -3
Chipper -2
Harris +2
Diaz +1
Andruw +1
Francouer +2
Units are in runs. Overall we are pretty average.
Notables
Sizemore +12
A.Everett +9
Utley +8
D.Wright +7
Jeter -7
J.D.Drew -10
M.Ramirez -13
J.Kent -15
Jeff Kent has the range of a dead hamster.
Kent really should be at first base, but they already have a guy who used to be a middle infielder there. Your Los Angeles Dodgers, ladies and gentlemen!
[sarcasm]
At least they have Juan Pierre with his laser, rocket arm in center
[/sarcasm]
The one that kills me is Chone Figgins at -6. So not only is he hitting .160/.233/.234, he also cost you another six runs in defense at third base. Tremendous. And still Bill Stoneman won’t trade one of their eight starting pitchers for a bat.
I could never understand why the Giants had him at second back five or six years ago when they were good. I mean, their first baseman was J.T. Snow. Good glove, but he couldn’t have hit a pinata sans blindfold. Surely they could’ve put Kent at first and found someone better at second.
I think the main question about Chipper now is: If he has to retire in the next year or so, is he a Hall of Famer?
Brandon Webb is dealing tonight. It’s 5-0 D-Backs in the 8th.
We should be 3.5 games out now.
And the Phillies lost too, 13-0 to the Giants.
What I don’t get is why Escobar? Isn’t he a shortstop? Where is that Eric Campbell fellow? He’s suppose to be the Braves’ current stud third base prospect.
Campbell is at least a year away.
dan,
escobar, salty and pena were brought up to showcase, so JS can shop for more pieces to the puzzle.
Also from AP:
“… The Braves are expected to purchase the contract of INF Yunel Escobar from Triple-A Richmond on Saturday. …”
Frankly, I am excited to see what Yunel escobar can do. Not only is this kid a stud, but wouldn’t we all rather see the Braves throw this kid out there rather then Woodward? God, I hate Woodward.
And I am getting very tired of Chipper always being hurt…it’s even more frustrating then Andruw’s elongated slumps.
I don’t think anyone is more frustrated about Chipper Jones’ injuries than Chipper Jones. Unfortunately there’s not a whole lot the Braves can do about it; I just hope he can play well when he does play. Atleast he’s a not Reggie Sanders injury type; Chipper’s a superstar when he’s on the field.
re:40
Bordrline right now. Incredible rate stats, and really only one year where they weren’t impressive, but the counting stats are on the fence – 1992 hits/369 HR. At 2500/400, he’s a lock. So three more years at this level, say. For me he’s in now though, of course. Amazing stats for a switch hitter.
Lillibridge got promoted to AAA.
I don’t mind bringing up Escobar; it’s a good move. After all, he plays short and 3b. But really now, do we need four guys who play ss, 2b, 3b on the bench at the same time? If it’s Escobar’s time, send Prado down / release Orr / destroy Woodward, and then bring up Pena so that Salty can play some. Surely the three amigos (Woodward, Orr, Prado) haven’t ganged up on Bobby with the pictures? I thought the agreement was that only one sucky middle infielder would have the rights to the pics at a time? I’m at a loss here, truly.
I believe that Chipper’s a HOFer, but I agree that, for many, it’s a close call.
Aside from the injuries, I believe the Steroid Era’s numbers will complicate matters.
Nonetheless, it may be possible that the Braves had as many of 6 HOFers on the team in the mid-late ’90s—Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz, McGriff, C. Jones & A. Jones.
the first rule of who has the pictures is: there are no pictures
after watching lillibridge play this week i’ll say he really hustles. great range but doesn’t move as well to his left. At the plate he seems to patient but doesn’t hit with much power. He would be ok to take over when renty’s contract is up, but i wouldn’t call him the second coming. I’m waiting for elvis. i look forward to seeing escobar too.
Crazy crazy night in Mississippi last night…
Braves manager Phillip Wellman, starting pitcher Kelvin Villa, reliever Joey Devine and shortstop Mike Rozema all were ejected by plate umpire Brent Rice.
I just saw the video on CNN just moments ago and I gotta say, Wellman out did that one minor-league manager that went crazy,I forgot his name…i’ll try and find the video…but trust me, the guy is insane.
Here is the only video I can find so far…
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=sports&id=5361557
I hope Bobby is taking notes and uses that tirade if the breaks the record for ejections.
That would be classic.
…And McGriff ain’t going to HOF.
holy shit. That’s some high grade performance art. I never would have thought of using a rosin bag as a hand grenade.
Campbell is struggling at Myrtle Beach (which does not mean that he will not make it), but not as badly as Langerhans did.
Lillibridge was 0 for 5 at Richmond with 3 strikeouts. He had over 60 Ks at Mississippi, leading me to believe that he was promoted to Richmond because Escobar went to the Braves….
re: manager goes crazy
*sniff* *sniff*
..smells like a bid for PTI (SportsCenter is sooo 1993)
Jay, thanks for that video, that is the greatest!
I love how all of his players are just looking on like he’s insane; which he may well be.
I think he deserves consideration when Bobby Cox retires for this incident alone. And good toss with the rosin grenade.
McGriff not going in would be a shame – his career straddles the low offense/high offense eras, and all of it is unfortunately judged against the latter. For me, he is in.
Amazing ejection video. Thanks for the link, Jay. The army crawl and hand gernade toss is priceless. I don’t know how someone could top that move. The “gernade” even produced some smoke when it landed right at the umpire’s feet.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/mcgrifr01.shtml
His offensive career is even better than I remember it – Top 50 all time in HR, RC, XBH, TB, and RBI, Top 100 in R, H and 2B. That’s what you call a career.
Phil Wellman should be fired immediately. Totally unacceptable behavior.
“That’s the first sign of life the Cubs have show in weeks. Zambrano is dropping his left that might hurt him in later rounds.”
Phillip Wellman use to be the manager here in Chattanooga. I once saw him throw all the balls and helmets from the dugout to the field. It was great!
Wellman: temporarily amusing, yet ultimately embarrassing. Still, the Army Ranger routine with the hand grenade was rather inventive.
I, too, believe McGriff will get into the HOF at some point. If you go by “HOF seasons,” which a lot of voters do, he’s in. And, yes, straddling eras works in his favor.
I don’t remember the name of the minor league manager who went ape sh!t last year, but he managed the Asheville Tourists.
I agree with JC: he should be fired. That is absolutely ridiculous, and someone representing and leading a bunch of 20 something kids shouldn’t be acting like an absolute moron.
He kinda looks like Bob Wickman, by the way…
i was there…it was not amusing at all, he needs medication. the call was questionable but not worthy of that…not over balls and strikes. Villa was ejected because they thought he was pine tarring the balls. i left after that.