ESPN – Braves vs. Padres Box Score, July 6 2007 – MLB
Buddy Carlyle, savior? With the team desperately needing some innings from its starter, Carlyle (after allowing two runs in the first inning) went eight — the longest outing by a Braves starter since May 22 — and allowed just three runs on eight hits, and struck out a career high seven. He even drove in the go-ahead run in the fourth.
It had been almost as long since Andruw had two hits in a game — June 9. He had two today, the first of them a two-run homer in the fourth to tie the score at two. In the fifth, he singled in Renteria to make it 4-2, later coming around to score on a Francoeur single.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia started behind the plate for the second game in a row, with Brian McCann’s knee giving him trouble, but had to leave the game after taking a foul tip off the shoulder. Jo-Jo Reyes is up to take Smoltz’s spot in the rotation, with John going on the DL, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Devine had to go back down and Brayan Pena called up.
Chipper doubled in the ninth, his 400th career double. Every day, another milestone with this guy.
good win, only 2 back. I really hate these late games, but 8 of the last 11. lets stay optimistic
Agreed.
Just got back from the game. Was pretty worried there after the first because they tagged him pretty good — everything they hit was a shot. After he singled in the go ahead run he seemed like a different pitcher out there. He really had it going when he struck out the side. I didn’t read the in game threads, but Thorman looked like my little sister swinging the bat against Germano’s breaking garbage. I’m surprised he didn’t pull something. I’ll be there for Jo-Jo’s debut tomorrow, should be fun!
How can this team only be two games back from the Mets?! That’s a miracle itself.
Buddy was pitching out of his mind.
This offense is awesome with a normal Andruw.
Yes, Thorman sucks big time…
Andruw actually looks pretty normal these days at the plate. The at bat yesterday against Penny with the bases loaded was an excellant at bat. Fell behind 0-2 but kept working the count, fouling off pitches until he got a sac fly out of it. He’s starting to homer on a regular basis again. Wouldn’t be at all surprised if he puts on a nice salary push after the three days off.
The weirdest part about that May 22 stat is the pitcher who went 8 innings on that day was Davies. That was shocking.
I know they will probably send Devine down if they need Pena, but the better move would be to DFA Woodward. After all, Yunell can fill in at 3b, ss, and 2B, and Pena can play C, LF, and 1B (plus he’s a switch hitter). Pena, though not a great hitter, certainly gives us more than Woodward. But then, everyone already knows that…
not that i have a great love for woodward or that i’d like to see escobar traded, but if he is traded we’ll need woody.
Good game by Carlyle. He’ll probably never be great, but you can’t expect much more from a 5th starter. Now all we need is a 4th starter and hopefully Reyes will fill the bill. If this happens, we won’t have to “sell the farm” to get another starter.
AJ is 10-42, with 4 HR’s in his last 10 games. This is the hot streak everybody was waiting for.
I hope we do not have to sell the farm to get another starter either. I assume AJ’s 16 million gets freed up for a middle range CF and 3rd/4th starter next year.
Salty for Dmitri Young? Why would we trade a guy at the salary minimum and low salary for the next 3 years who can also play catcher and basically hit as well, for a fat guy with old player skills?
Wow, nicely done, Buddy.
In fairness to the guy, it kinda looks like he’s figured something out this year. At least, his AAA numbers were fantastic before the callup (56Ks, 9BB, 4 hits in 48 IP is very nice). He’s a bit of a fly ball guy, but that’s probably not a bad thing with the Braves defense the way it is.
It’s not unreasonable to think that he keeps his ERA around 4.50 for the duration of this year. The biggest thing is going to be the homers. If he can keep those to a minimum (or at least w/o a bunch of runners on), he should keep the Braves in ball games.
In other news, KJ has been VERY hot for about the past week. In his last 8 games (5 starts), he’s 11/25 with 4BB and 2K. ‘Course, this came after an 0-11, stretch, so there ya go. 🙂 I think the biggest difference between the Kelly we saw in April and the “real” KJ is the power; he’s just not going to be a 25 HR guy. 15-20, maybe, probably on the low side of that. He’s got decent gap power (21 2B+3B on the year), but he looks more like a guy with an ISOP of .150-180 than .200-250. But as long as he plays well enough at 2B, that’ll be just fine. 😀
Am I the only one who thinks it was kinda silly to not DL BMac for 15 days and let Salty catch a lot earlier in the year? I mean, the kid has had nagging stuff that just requires “time” to heal, so why didn’t we just give him that time in early June? It’s not like replacing his bat with Salty’s is going to kill us offensively….
Let me put it this way. I have more confidence in Reyes becoming a reliable 4th starter this year than I do Davies. I’m still not overflowing with hope, but I think Reyes has earned his chance. Davies has earned a trip back to Richmond.
How can this team be two games back from the Mets. Hm, I don’t know, maybe because they stink too? 😉
@8: There’s no such thing as needing Woody… last year he had a negative VORP (meaning your average AAA warm body could step in and contribute more offensively), and this year, he’s worse as best I can tell.
If we do trade Escobar, just bring on the AAA warm body. In the meantime, Pena up, Woodward out.
Francoeur had a negative VORP last year, Chuck, you want to throw him under the bus too? 😛
Not saying that Francoeur = Woodward, but you know.
Yeah, Woodward is slightly worse so far this season, but he never really has been great.
One more,
He’s better than Pete Orr. That’s all we need to know.
I really doubt Escobar will be traded this year. They did that last year with Betemit and it didn’t help either team. Besides, this year, clubs probably want Salty and Escobar, and they are unlikely to settle for Escobar and a AA player instead.
Really, though Pena has also played some 3B (in addition to C, 1B, and LF), bring him up and DFA Woodward. Then, if something unexpected occurs and Escobar is traded (which I’m not advocating), then bring Prado up or Lilibridge.
Either way, Woodward is not only not very good, but he is also in the way of others who are likely to be better.
Look, the whole National League stinks and every team currently in the Playoff hunt, has a chance to go to the World Series. We are the NBA’s Eastern Conference.
Beedee-
We need Woody like I know a 2 inch hole drilled into my cranium. Any stiff with a Braves uniform will fill in. We need to DFA Woody to save Bobby from himself.
need, not know.
WE need to DFA Woodward? Damn, I didn’t know we had that kind of power.
And do you think the American League is better because of the DH, or the simple fact that the NL just has a lot of cruddy franchises?
Oh, and Buddy really saved our bullpen’s bacon last night, going 8 strong. He looked solid.
By the way, I haven’t seen it talked about too much on here, but what are the chances that if Jo Jo out piches Davies (and those chances are very good), that the Braves would then hopefully make the right call and let Jo Jo keep a spot when Smoltzie returns.
I think we have mediocrity across the board in the NL.
Oh, and if we (meaning Braves Journal) had the power to DFA, Reitsma, Kolbb and Lockhart would have ALL had far shorter stints in Atlanta.
Alex R:
So would Francoeur, KJ, Chuck, McCann, Salty, the Bullpen minus Soriano.
Not disagreeing, just saying that this board’s gut reactions may not be the world’s best litmus test.
to be clear… i was not saying that i’d like to keep woody. i just don’t know who we would put in @ 3B if chipper went down, escobar was traded and woody was DFA.
that said pena should’ve been called up a while ago. has he played 3B?
AJC says no disabled list for Salty, and that McCann is fine to play till the break if needed.
Alex, if my neighbors half retarted dog outpitched Davies, he could have a spot in the rotation….