ESPN – Athletics vs. Braves – Box Score – May 17, 2008
It wasn’t that close, but it’s another one-run loss! I don’t really understand what the deal is with Tim Hudson. Most of the time, he looks really good, but this is the third start he’s had this season where he’s been terrible. Tonight, he just lost his control and walked a bunch of guys, and left the ball up and allowed two homers, including a three-run shot by Ryan “Babe” Sweeney, who came into the game with a .327 career slugging percentage and one homer. It’s like if Gregor Blanco took you deep. Unlike the first two times, Bobby let Hudson work through it, and he managed to pitch better in the fourth and fifth.
The Braves were doing diddly, of course, and were shut out through the first four. Escobar singled in Blanco with two out in the fifth, but that was all they got, and all they would get until the ninth. They rallied then for three runs off of Huston Street, with hits by Teixeira, McCann, and KJ, but never got the tying run on base and Blanco Norton struck out to end it.
Resop pitched well in a long relief role. Don’t fall for it, Bobby. Put him in a close game and he’ll blow up. Chipper was 0-4 with a couple of strikeouts, and the Braves are obviously pretty dependent upon him. Teixeira had two hits, which is nice, but I’ll believe he’s come out of it when he puts a run together.
It was Norton that struck out to end it, not Blanco.
Yep, Blanco swung at the first pitch and flied out to center, scoring KJ.
I predicted a one run loss out loud to myself with nobody out during the 9th.
the vulture has given up 10HR’s in 22 IP this year
Something to shoot for this year: the major league record for one run losses! Whatever that is.
one run losses in a season, that is
That’s probably held by a franchise in a really low-run environment, not like today. But we can shoot for the record for fewest one-run wins.
George Sherrill has 17 saves already? That is alot.
Apparently Francisco Rodriguez has 17 saves also.
George Sherrill has 17 saves already? That is alot.
APSU’s finest!
How about “worst one run game winning percentage”?
Looks like Francoeur shouldn’t taken that contract offer before the season.
I beginning to think he stinks. So he’s got a great arm. Kotsay’s hitting better! Mark freakin Kotsay!
Replace “shouldn’t” with “should’ve.”
Auburn’s loser baseball coach resigns.
At least Tex got two hits…maybe he will be in a good zone by June.
Looking forward for Blanco’s first HR…
As rough as it has been we are right in the thick of it all. 3 games out is nothing and we may get one huge jolt of adrenaline in the near future. Smoltz, Soriano, and Gonzales could all enter the bullpen over the course of a month(June?) and bring the rest our pitchers will need.
I do think Tex will start hitting and that will replace Chippers bat when he cools down, he does have to cool down at some point(doesnt he?).Even Frenchy will get better, he could use a few days off though.
P.S. I do not like the Maddux idea at all, another 6 inning guy is NOT what we need.
Feeling optimistic, made a good batch of coffee this morning.
Hudson’s inconsistent results make me think that we will have real trouble succeeding if Smoltz moves to the pen. Hudson is no better than a #2. We don’t have a true ace which really hurts in the post season, if that’s even an issue.
Looking forward, this fact has me even more convinced that any $ that could be allocated to resign Tex would be better spent on a front line starter.
I agree we should search for a front line starter, the problem is, no one is going to let one go. We will never be able to outbid the big markets for a supreme ace and we can not afford to keep trading away our assets for players we can not keep. I do not think re-signing Tex to a big contract will have any affect on us getting a #1 pitcher in FA.
Out next studs will have to be developed our acquired in lower level trades (renteria..)
Jeff’s smart. He’s worth every dime for the marketing outside of baseball. I agree that on the field he’ll get more money than he deserves. But the Braves made him the face for the next 15 years the day they drafted him. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him get $10 million a season after arbitraition. Good for him. I wish it was me.
That being said can we throw Teix’s money at Kotsay to keep him. What a season that guy is putting together.
Oh yeah. Tim Hudson is a more expensive version of Chuck James. Flashes of greatness. Longer stretches of…wtf
Comparing Tim Hudson to Chuck James in any way is not something I would advise doing if your goal is to sound like you know what you’re talking about. Everyone’s forgetting that he looks good far more often than he looks terrible. He probably is more of a #2 starter than an ace, but that’s the least of our problems in this rotation.
We absolutely need to make a trade for a starter at some point. It doesn’t have to be an ace, but the trade does have to be made. Yes, we will give up a minor league prospect or two. Yes, it has to be done if we want to do anything this year. And if I hear somebody say that we’re out of it so hold onto the prospects, I may throw something. We’re three games out. The trade has to be made. We cannot build from within for this one. We don’t have anybody who’s ready yet within the system, and even if we did, we need a slightly more reliable starter than that.
Hudson shouldn’t be expected to pitch a shutout every start. In Hudson’s three sub-par starts, we’ve lost by one run each time, only scoring 3, 5, and 5 runs respectively. It would have been nice if Hudson had only allowed two or three runs in those starts, but those losses should be hung on our offense, not Hudson, and that includes last night’s game.
And Hudson has won the team at least two games by himself – the 2-0 complete game shutout of Cincinnati and the 3-0 eight-inning win over Washington. And then there was the game where he allowed only two runs over seven innings and the team lost 2-3.
Basically, I’m very happy with Hudson. He’s won us games by himself, and he has never taken us out of a game.
Typo: make that “only scoring 3, 5 and 4 runs respectively.”