ESPN – Braves vs. Astros Box Score, September 28 2007 – MLB
I considered not recapping this under my “I don’t recap exhibition games” policy. I mean, it’s a regular-season game, but has no bearing on anything really important. Bobby treated it like an exhibition game, too, starting several reserves and pulling most of his regulars before the end. Even Francoeur took some innings off. Anyway, I’ll recap the only remotely important thing about this game first.
Chipper went 1-2 with a walk, and is still at .339. He has a percentage points lead on Holliday, also at .339 after going 2-4.
The Astros took an early lead, not that it matters, 1-0 in the second. The Braves rebounded to make it 2-1 in the third, but the Astros tied it in the fourth. The Braves bust out in the middle innings, two in the fifth and three in the sixth. Jo-Jo Reyes got the win. Brandon Jones finally got his first major league hit, a two-run double to cap the scoring in the sixth. He also drove in a run on a groundout.
The Cubs suck like the Mets.
The Mets are in second place. I never thought I’d be so grateful to the Phillies.
The Phillies are exorcising the ghosts of ’64. The Mets’ fans are adding to their fascinating collection of neuroses.
Just in case this wasn’t seen:
Chipper is ahead by percentage points in the batting race:
Jones – .33925
Holliday – .33868
Mets are in second and it’s hockey season. Good Enough
So do we want the Phillies to clinch today or tomorrow or do we want the Mets fans to suffer through losing a 1 game playoff on Monday?
After careful consideration of the issue, I have concluded that Jayson Stark is a bad writer.
So… I gotta admit, the Mets collapse, and while this forces me to root for the Phillies, it is also unbelievably sweet. This could all be over today. Of course, it’s Philadelphia we’re talking about, so it probably won’t be. But the Mets could be done in just a few short hours.
As far as Chipper and Holliday go, it’s ridiculous the home-away splits Holiday possesses (of course): he has a .726 SLG at home vs. .485 on the road, not to mention a BA 75 points and OPB 60 points higher at home. That’s crap. Chipper is the batting champ.
I’m off to catch a flight.
I don’t care if it’s today or tomorrow, I want the Phillies to clinch and the NL East and the Padres the wildcard and the Mets out of the postseason.
I love this.
Dan, same here. Who wins the head to head if they tie? Do the Phils just have to win one more game if they get the tie breaker?
Good to see Brandon Jones come up for the team last night. I’m guessing they put him in CF in winter ball
sorry if already posted, Soriano’s suspension
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070928&content_id=2236891&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl
by the way, how good did USF look last night. They completely shut down WV. I find it hard to pull against USF, Levitt has done an awesome job down there. Their secondary could be the best in college football
If Chipper Jones wins a batting title and a gold glove this season, does that make him a lock for the hall of fame or does he still need a few more solid seasons?
in my eyes it locks him in
He’s already a HOFer in my eyes, but getting a batting title and Gold Glove would help his case with all the northeastern sportswriters who think Derek Jeter and David Wright are the best players in baseball history.
Now if only the Diamondback pitchers would cooperate and knock a few points off of Holliday’s average.
As for the prediction for today’s Georgia Tech game…
Clemson 27, GEORGIA TECH 24
I think that the series will return to its close ways, but I’ve been convinced for practically two weeks that there’s no way in hell Georgia Tech wins this game unless something really, really bad happens to Clemson.
Clemson wins by 10-14 unless they commit turnovers or have speacial teams gaffes, both of which are possible based on the history of this series.
Looking at the last 4 years:
2003: Clemson 39 GT 3
Clemson blows out GT in Bobby Dodd
2004: GT 28 Clemson 24
Clemson was up 24-14 with 3 minutes to go and then had a punt snap over the punters head and lost an onside kick to facilitate 2 late TD’s. That was Calvin Johnson’s coming out party.
2005: GT 10 Clemson 9
Clemson rolled up over 400 yds of offense but lost 4 fumbles, and had a TD called back due to 6 men on the line. James Davis was out injured and Whitehurst played injured and accounted for 3 of the fumbles.
2006: Clemson 31 GT 6
Clemson ran the ball well and Reggie Ball was perhaps Clemson’s best player that night.
Should be interesting. I expect Tech to play with a lot of emotion because if they lose this one they are probably headed for Boise. Clemson is out to try and prove the critics wrong who say they will eventually fold. I’m looking forward to hopefully celebrating a Clemson victory tonight.
In other games:
I like Alabama over FSU, because they are just a better team at this point.
South Carolina struggles but wins against MSU. Same for Georgia, they will struggle but win a close one at Ole Miss.
Auburn may give Florida some trouble in the Swamp. They did beat the Gators last year and I expect the Tigers to start playing better eventually on offense. This may be the week to get healthy against Florida’s porous secondary.
I also like Cal over Oregon in a shootout.
Remember how everyone had written the Cubs and Phillies out of it in May and there were the jokes (for the Cubs) about spending money for nothing, and (for the Phils) about Jimmy Rollins comments and how wrong he was? I guess it really is a long season…
csg and all,
The tie breaker ONLY makes a difference in who gets division and who gets wild card if two teams are tied for both.
If it is a question of a division crown or go home, then that has a one game play off.
The playoff is at the site of a team that won a head to head coin flip a couple of weeks ago.
Phils and Mets tie for regular season (unless neither San Diego nor Colorado is the wild card) then they play it off on a one game playoff.
#19
Good point. I would really be inspired by the Phillies perseverance if I didn’t hate them so much. :)
Bah, go Phillies I guess.
One positive note from last night: Jo Jo Reyes…..should we pencil him in for a rotation spot next year?
But we hate the Mets more. I’d rather see a Mets collapse than a Phillies choke.
TSS,
Reyes has gotten better as the season went on. He should be given a shot as the fifth man, no question about it.
Where is the room?
Smoltz, Hudson, Hampton, James and Reyes?
No way. The Braves need a solid third starter.
Smoltz, Hudson, third starter, James and Hampton.
Where does that leave Jo-Jo Reyes if Hampton somehow doesn’t get hurt?
it wont hurt Reyes to spend one more full year in AAA and then replace Hampton after 08
With his tendency to tire and lose stamina as a starter, why not send James to the bullpen?
Dave, I think that if he could just learn to pitch more efficiently — pitch to contact when there’s no one on base, then focus on getting the strikeout when necessary with that great changeup — he could pitch into the 7th inning pretty consistently. He really only starts to tire around the 100th pitch, so if he could average 15 pitches an inning, he’ll be fine. I like him as our #3 going into next year.
Oh, and I’ll bet each and every one of you $1000 dollars that Hampton doesn’t make 15 starts next year.
Hampton might go to the bullpen just like Smoltz did after his last Tommy John’s. If not and Hampton actually stays healthy, Reyes could take the long man position allowing Vulture to be traded or dumped. Or Reyes could be traded for the established #3 the team badly needs.
a 16 million dollar middle reliever….hilarious