ESPN – Nationals vs. Braves Box Score, September 8 2007 – MLB
The Nationals’ defense has reached comical proportions. In the first inning, the Braves loaded the bases thanks in part to an error on the shortstop, got a run on a bases-loaded walk to Francoeur (!) and another on an Andruw sac fly. It stayed that way to the farcical fifth.
Chuck James grounded out leading off. Escobar reached on an infield single, then Renteria (back in the lineup) singled. Chipper hit a very long fly ball which the centerfielder dropped on the warning track, loading the bases. Teixeira hit a tailor-made double play to third, but after touching third Zimmerman threw it away again, allowing a run to score. Then Francoeur hit a ball to the corner in right, which the rightfielder knocked over the fence for a three-run homer.
Chuck actually got through six without giving up a run. He gave up two in the seventh and was pulled with one out. Moylan finished the inning with no problems, with Acosta and Yates finishing it. James finished with four strikeouts and one walk. Escobar had a late homer, and finished 2-4 with three runs scored. Renteria and Teixeira also had two hits each.
.500-O-METER: 8-12
Braves are getting closer and closer to my goal for them. 🙂
What a lousy goal.
What about an ‘OVER .500-O-METER’ Sam?
I’m glad we scored three earned runs, just for appearence’s sake. I also like that we won. I haven’t taken any wins for granted after that humiliating Rads series. It’s good to see us beating up on a lousy team.
MLBTradeRumors guy on Braves’ starting rotation in 2008:
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2007/09/mailbag-braves-.html#comments
To Mikey from the last thread…
I know the Sooners are a very good team, but I’m just not used to seeing Miami lose 51-13.
The ‘Canes are rebuilding in a way and they aren’t a national power right now. Add to that that the Sooners are almost impossible to beat in Normam….but still, 51-13 hurts.
Norman*
You start with the reachable goal first. Then you go to the next goal.
Clinching a .500 record is the first step to reaching the playoffs, because once the Braves do that, hopefully in 10-12 games, a favorable situation should be presented for the Braves to use to make the playoffs.
if we win tomorrow, it will be our longest winning streak since the asb. kinda sad.
Well, our longest losing streak is five. Our longest winning streak is five. That about sums up the season right there. Not bad enough to be horrible, but not good enough to be playoff-worthy.
Mikey, from a few threads back, I’m a student at OU as well. It’s just a little surprising because this place is very SEC centric, which is great in doses and even enjoyable when Auburn sucks like they do this year.
So, a few years ago, the Powers that Be at Auburn were thinking, “We need another win, a team that maybe can push us, but nothing much.” So they scheduled South Florida…
They obviously didn’t know anything about Lee Roy Selmon, Mac.
And Tommy Tuberville is a pansy.
Can’t wait to get Wryn’s take on tonight’s events…and I don’t mean the Braves game.
and exactly who has bama played, and how bout them dawgs?
oh…and Cox (Brandon) delenda est!
New poll.
thanks mac, you just saved my life!
war eagle…huh?
Brandon Cox is far and away the worst.
Just got home (yeah, made th commute quickly):
A few things: Tuberville’s clock management was awful. Not calling time out and taking OT is forgivable with the ball at your own 40 inside :12 in the game. It is unforgivable to take a timeout with South Florida about to take a delay a game on USF’s last possession in overtime.
If I ever see another QB choice (the same one Chris Leak and Tim Tebow have run ~7 billion times), I’m going to scream.
I trust nobody on our offense.
Our defense is still pretty derned good.
I blame Gameday for the loss for picking us unanimously. And dang it, if you go back a couple of threads and look at my picks, throw Georgia and Auburn out, I was pretty frickin’ close.
Fear Six.
Change “in overtime” to “in regulation”.
I’m tired.
Bring on Mississippi State.
We have a winning streak against Mississippi State. And La Tech. Touche.
I’m sorry but settling for 3 in over time at home…pathetic. Tubs has lost his bawlz. Brandon Cox is awful and i can’t wait for him to move on and manage the Flea Market Montgomery.
It is a sad day when .500 is not such a bad goal–but then that is the state of Braves’ baseball in 2006-2007. Given the last two seasons, 85 wins would be pretty good. Since have followed the Braves from the late 1960s onwards, I don’t take it for granted either….
here, here stephen, same for those who keep talking about 2nd place in the wild card. where does that get us? nowhere…
A lot of SEC quarterbacks had bad days, for some reason. Wilson had probably the worst game of his career. Stafford was awful, though his receivers don’t help. (At some point, Richt has got to get some instructor in there, this drops problem is running on what, four years now?) Nickson was putrid.
Our defense is still pretty derned good.
Is having the other team’s kicker be a spaz a repeatable skill? For here I watched USF move the ball up and down the field and Auburn was only kept in the game by the field goal follies. It’s pretty tough to be -5 in turnovers and still be in the game.
Come on Mac, I thought you are a big fan of Bobby!!!
Happily enough, I did not get to watch Auburn play this week, but I watched Kansas State carve them up last week. Auburn’s defense looked like crap to me then and I am guessing that it remains substandard for an SEC team. I only wish they had gone to Nashville instead of Bama….
Mac, I think we should actually start a “Smoltzie 3000K countdown”. He is only 53K away…he may be able to reach it by the end of this season…though he will need to have 10 strikeouts for each of the game pitched for the rest of the way…
KC–That is a great idea, even if the probability is remote for 2007. Wouldn’t it be neat if Smoltz could do it on Opening Day?…Start the Countdown…
I will agree that AU’s defense is pretty good at the very least. Auburn’s offense kept handing USF the ball and the defense stopped them cold time after time. I think the D was just tired out in OT considering they were forced to make big play after big play.
The sun is out in Auburn this morning. Amazing.
wryn,
don’t know if you read this but it summed up my thoughts.
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070909/SPORTS/709090326/1002/SPORTS