ESPN – Mets vs. Braves – Box Score – May 21, 2008
It really wasn’t that close. The Mets did score the first run, a lone tally in the third, but the Braves countered with three in the bottom of the inning, McCann doubling in Chipper and Teixeira, then coming home (barely — I joke!) on a Francoeur triple. Once again, they chased the Mets’ starter before he could go five; Chipper hit a solo homer leading off the fifth, Francoeur singled in Teixeira, and McCann came home on a Blanco sac fly to make it 6-1. In the next inning, Francoeur finally ended his homerless string with a two-run shot to make it 8-1.
Jair Jurrjens cruised most of the night, allowing just five hits, though just striking out one. He allowed a second run that was truly unearned in the seventh: Infante (playing for Escobar, out of action after Church’s dirty play last night) pulled a Prado, then Chipper couldn’t field a ball through the haze of broken maple bat, leading to an error, then Infante threw a possible double-play ball about five feet to Teixeira’s left.
After the first two reached in the bottom of the inning, Scott Schoenweis hit Chipper in the shin with a pitch. It was the second hit batsman of the night and the fourth of the last two games, and Chipper had to leave the game for a pinch-runner. Teixeira followed with a bases-clearing double to make it 11-2, but at some point someone has to stop the Mets from hitting Braves players, and if the umpires won’t do it it’s up to the pitchers.
Jeff Bennett had a perfect opportunity with Wright leading off the eighth, but didn’t; Wright singled, and eventually two Mets scored to make it 11-4. Radar Gun Resop pitched the ninth without incident.
The Braves had fourteen hits and eight walks in all. Francoeur missed the cycle by the double. Albert Hall lives. (Seriously, I think Albert Hall would disappear completely from the world’s consciousness if a Brave ever does hit for the cycle again. It’s almost as pathetic as the Mets’ lack of no-hitters. Almost.) He joined Teixeira and McCann with three hits each. Generally, if you have three hitters in a row with three hits in a regulation game, you’re going to score some runs; when the hits include three doubles, a triple, and a homer, along with a HBP and a walk, you’re probably going to score a lot of runs. On the negative side, Kotsay was 0-6 (ouch) and Bobby keeps hitting Infante leadoff when he plays.
So, that’s what the Mets are down to these days…hurting people and playing .500 balls…must be great time for Mets fans!!!
with escobar out, i hope we dont see a chipperless lineup tomorrow. i would hate to see francoeur get re-ruined by hitting in the 3 hole.
Ray King on Baseball Tonight?! No way!
Correct me if I am wrong, but I don’t seem to remember the Braves pitchers EVER retaliate for our hitters getting hit…did someone mentioned Huddy did it once before?
just what is “pulled a Prado” supposed to mean…
Catz, check the “Braves Journal Glossary”.
A “Prado” is any obvious defensive mistake that isn’t ruled an error.
This team can score 11 runs on any given night when Tex, McCann, and Frenchy can keep driving in runs with two outs like tonight…besides, the eight walks tonight is awesome…if not for Kotsay’s struggle tonight, the team should score at least 15 runs. However, Kotsay has done enough good things that I will not complain about him.
I love MetsBlog so, so much:
They want to get rid of Carlos Delgado?!?!?!?!?! They’re crazy, I tell ya!
Rob, they have been talking about releasing Delgado for weeks…
Other MetsBlog people seem to think that The Answer is to play Endy Chavez more. I don’t know what the equivalent here would be… A couple of years ago, saying we needed more Pete Orr?
This glossary is hysterical… But (I’m probably not going to get any serious answers for this) Who is Kim-Jong Il supposed to refer to…
I think the direct corollary is wanting more Willie Harris in the second half last year. They even made amazing catches in the same part of the same ballpark.
ks, I believe Rob may have been joking.
Metsblog is truly a national treasure.
Watchig the game on SNY, Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling figured that Bennett was ordered by Bobbynot to throw at Wright (the first batter after Chipper was hit) to avoid “waking the slumbering beast.” But they suspect that if Hudson gets the first two out tomorrow, Wright will get one in the rear.
On one other note, Mac, I believe the Infante throw was five feet to Teixera’s right, not left. Although once he turned his back on the play, you’re right.
Kim-Jong Il was Jorge Sosa.
And yes, kc, I was definitely joking. But in all seriousness, why not keep Carlos Beltran? He’s not that bad…
Rob, they have been calling for Beltran’s head for weeks as well. Gotta love Metsblog!!!
The crazy slides and the HBP on Chipper were all signs of a frustrated team that knew they were losing. Retaliation might make the blood flow, but it would also send the Mets out of town with a reason to want to come back. Better we just kick their asses on the scoreboard and leave it at that. All the news lately about the Mets has been about a lack of professionalism — if that’s their thing right now, I say let’s leave them to it.
I am just thinking what’s our chance of winning tomorrow night against Santana when Chipper and Yunel are not in the lineup…not that Yunel has any chance against a lefty!
I think to straight-up sweep a team and let them keep to their bush league antics is the ultimate for me. If their guys wanna pull all that and also forget how to effectively (shoot, adequately) slide, then let them go ahead. I think we’re a bigger team, both talent-wise and with our amount of professionalism.
I’ve always thought that the best way to get revenge on someone who pulls a bush league move or head-hunts is to just freaking dime them. We got close tonight. For me, I’ll take a ball in the ribs if it means our retaliation is a buncha crooked numbers up on the scoreboard.
Who said no Chipper Jones tomorrow?
So Chipper is not hurt bad enough to miss a game or two?
Dan, from DOB…
“The egg-sized lump on his shin looked nasty, but Jones said it already felt much better an hour after he was hit, and he hoped it would improve enough for him to play Thursday when the Braves go for a four-game sweep of the Mets.”
Since you all seem to be in a poetic mood, I’ll de-lurk (temporarily) and see if anyone might like this. I wrote it in early April after a certain pre-game warmup; but it subsequently disappeared, and I’ve just found it again.
AN EXISTENTIAL SONNET FOR BRAVES FANS
Now life has its eternal verities,
Great truths which always will remain the same;
And we rely on these consistencies
Because they give our frantic lives a frame.
We know we’ll have essential lives like these:
That gravity will moor us to this earth…
The sun will set, and then the sun will rise…
That gold and diamonds will retain their worth…
The moon and stars keep dancing in the skies…
And always, we’ll have taxes, death, and birth…
But there’s one surety that dwarfs all others—
More certain than the sun, it’s never missed,
Relied upon by fathers and by mothers:
“Mike Hampton’s on the damned Disabled List!”
Infante availed himself well tonight.
Did I say TRADE Frenchy? I meant REST Frenchy!
Way to go, B Cox!!
Malone, Bobby should have rested Frenchy a long time ago…the decision is probably a week or two too late…
…that Marlins team is amazing, they won against Webb tonight…
I’m generally with you guys, sansho and Rob, on the subject of getting into a beanball war, but I’m not so sure here, where there’ve been 4 HBPs in two games, all from the same team. (Not to mention the dirty slide.) At what point do you have to draw a line in the sand and say, “This simply isn’t happening anymore—you’re not going to keep hitting our players without retaliation”? At some point, I don’t think it’s bush league to respond with a fastball to the butt or some similarly painful-but-harmless area of David Wright’s body.
Maybe we’re not at that point yet, but if any of our guys gets hit tomorrow, I think it would be wrong for our pitchers not to strike back.
can we put resop in for the beaning?
There once a team they called Bums
There first bit of history; quite glum
Now each time we play
At home or at Sheah
We leave all the Guidos struck dumb
Shea
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/05/21/fanfall_0522.html
That’s scary…on the other hand, why would anyone do that?
I didn’t see the HBPs by Feliciano yesterday, so I can’t draw any conclusions. The HBP on Francoeur didn’t seem like anything to me, just a ball in on the hands, although I did notice that both Schneider and Delgado positioned themselves between Frenchy and Pelfrey, even though Frenchy made no move to the mound. And the Church slide was nothing if not self-correcting.
The Chipper HBP is the real matter, I guess. I wouldn’t hate it if we hit someone in the wallet. I’d understand it. But if we don’t, and we sweep them, and some Mets fans say “blah blah won’t stick up for a teammate” on their way out of town — well, let’s just say I’m unswayed by punk logic.
Stu, I’m hoping to go watch Vandy play LSU tomorrow here in Bham. Any player that needs my special attention. If I cant go tomorrow, I’ll be watching someone play friday
The Mets lead the league in HBP. Supposedly, it’s Rick Peterson’s philosophy to have the staff pitch inside more. It worked for Glavine while he was on the Mets’ staff, but then he’s always had good control.
I still say that the Code of Hammurabi must prevail. (Nothing dangerous, mind you.)
Thank heavens I finally dumped Frenchy from my fantasy team this morning. He must have found out and extracted payback. Too bad I can’t drop him every day if this is what he does.
You wanna talk about grasping for straws, this has to be one of my favorite Metsblog comments ever:
“Piazza – may seem crazy, but Wilpon talks him into retiring, so he can manage the team AND fans that he carried on his shoulders for the last chunk of years.
What manager would have more people wearing HIS jersey than any player (except Wright) in the stands?
Still may sound crazy, but what better way to help win over the fans than bring back the most favorite Met of the past 10 years?
Sanity speaking now, Piazza hasn’t managed a game in his life so the above is just crazy talk.
but come on, this team has not been the same since the middle of last season….not the collapse…but the middle of last season.
Only a WS ring will appease the Met fans with Randolph.”
That’s what I want from my team, a team where people would wear the manager’s jersey in the stands.
Metsblog sounds like great reading for Braves’ fans. I wonder who and how many fans of other teams read Braves Journal to enjoy our temper tantrums…
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/05/21/smoltz_0522.html
hells yeah…who gets the ax in 2 weeks? bennett, resop, stockman? and what happens when pena and prado come back? i guess this is a good problem to have but i like the way this group is playing together.
Second favorite comment:
“and this is why i miss ruben gotay……he had POP…..”
You can have him back any time you’d like.
Sweep!
Sweep!
Sweep them out of town!
On another note, James Parr is showing signs that he has made some progress at AA. This is his second strong performance in a row:
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2008_05_21_msbaax_tenaax_1&t=g_box&did=milb
Note as well that Soriano started and looks to be a bit closer to returning to Atlanta…
KC–Thanks for the link about the fan falling in Atlanta.
I was at a game in Atlanta in 1969 and the Braves were playing the division leading Cubs. The Cubbies brought several hundred Bleacher Bums to Atlanta. Many drank a good bit that Saturday afternoon and a number of them danced on the outfield wall and then one fell and was just about killed. It was quite a mess.
Of course, no one knew that for the Cubs it was a omen of what was to come…
Why did Parr have 3 ABs?
ububba, you keep thinking sweep and I keep NOT thinking sweep. This may be a lethal combination.
Stephen, Parr may indeed have figured something out…hopefully Hanson will not take as much time as Parr did…
…don’t people realize they may get killed for falling like that…wait…Chucky had the same experience…that’s right, he doesn’t like to think too much! That’s why…
I thought that Chucky was trying to impress his friends with his diving skills….
Rob Cope–I am speculating, but I recall that when the Braves drafted Parr he was regarded as a versatile ‘athlete’ who might have the ability to develop into an everyday player. I am guessing that he might be a good hitter for a pitcher, but you would think that some body at Mississippi would benefit from the ABs. Then again, our AA team is not exactly loaded with potential hitting stars….
Got to see a good bit of the Braves game, and then got to go see Indy 4 (pretty good, but not great IMHO). Have some spoiler-ish review on my personal blog for those interested: http://blog.charlespillsbury.com/?p=235
It may have gone unnoticed, but KJ is having one of those hot month/streak in May and since removed from the leadoff spot.
That “Smoltz, Soriano and Gonzalez all back within two weeks” story is great news.
I say Resop is DFA’d and Stockman sent to the minors. I don’t know who the other will be. It should be Bennett, but the Braves seem to believe their own “versatile is synonymous with good” spin with Bennett, so it will probably be Ring going and Gonzalez replacing him as the second bullpen left hander.
If Gonzo is somehwat ready, because Ring has no options, either Ring gets released (or traded) or Ohman gets traded. My bet is on Ring being packaged with something else and going out on trade.
Bennett and Stockman have options. One of them may go down.
Resop might be packaged with Ring for prospects (hopefully fairly high ceiling, low projectability, not the other way around). A ML club with big holes in the bullpen might take a flyer on the two of them.
Although I certainly haven’t seen enought to trust Resop, he has had 2 good outings in a row.
And yes, Bobby should have used the Resop appearance to plunk somebody. The cheap play by the Mets has been absurd. Maybe a better ploy would be to walk the pitcher and then throw over to first several times and then have an infielder run over that pitcher him in the base lines. Then at least the Mets pitching staff would be getting it, rather than a hitter that basicaly has nothing to do with it.
Oh, the lack of editing!
What is this with hitting a Met in the ass. Let’s go head huntting and put someone out for awhile. Remember that time we had a problem with the dodger throwing at us. so we pulled our right fielder and put who ever was starting in right field and brought Rocker in to hit someone.
That is when Bobby was bad ass.
I love that Metsblog quote, “The mets are making the braves look like a 100+ win team.”
The Braves ARE a 100+ win team. 2-12 in one run games makes your record look worse than you are. I am convinced this team is good enough to win the world series this year. They’re probably the best non-Boston team in baseball.
June 19, 1991: The Braves and Phillies are in a beanball war. Roger McDowell — whatever happened to that guy, anyway? — had beaned Otis Nixon in the top of the ninth, with the Braves leading 6-2; the Braves scored three more runs in the inning to make it a laugher.
Glavine is still in the game — this was not unusual even then — and he is going to protect his teammates by retaliating against the first Phillie hitter of the ninth.
Who is Dale Murphy.
So Tom throws four pitches that are progressively more and more inside — the last two were legitimately in the righthanded batters’ box — and progressively more and more slow. Murph is practically in the on-deck circle on Ball 4. Finally, the umpire ejects Glavine for throwing at the hitter. Tom calmly — but with stormclouds in his eyes — walks off the field.
I’ve told that story before, but it’s a favorite and seems relevant.
Just win, baby!
Dan,
Why should Bennett be the one to go? Even if we’re not using him properly as a swing man, he’s been effective. I’d much rather see Acosta, who has options and has been super-shaky, sent to Richmond.
JoeyT,
Boy, I sure hope you’re right.
Mac,
The story never gets old. I remember that game vividly, and I wasn’t yet 10 years old at the time.
csg,
I don’t know LSU’s players, but the main VU guy to watch is 3B Pedro Alvarez. Other pro prospects include SS Ryan Flaherty and SP Caleb Cotham. RF Dominic de la Osa is also very talented, but he’s not disciplined as a hitter. If C Curt Casali gets in the game, keep an eye on him, too–a future first-rounder.
I saw a Prado at the Phils/Nats game last night. Pedro Feliz completely missed a pop up in the infield, apparently the wind caught hold of it. He didn’t touch it so it was scored a hit.
Francouer had a good game and it happened to come after he had not played in the second game of the double header. I don’t think that had anything to do with it since he played the first game. It’s a coincidence and Frenchy frequently has great games followed by a series of lousy games. Let’s see what happens.
I’m not necessarily opposed to some retalitation but the Braves are kicking the Mets’ collective asses. I see no reason to stir them up at all by throwing at them. It’s not like he hit Chipper in the head. Let it lie. The Braves real problem is to somehow translate their play at home to the road.
And, Mac, you are a tough crowd, getting on Kotsay for a single ofer!
I don’t think I was hard on Kotsay, but an 0-6 has to be pointed out. That’s pretty rare.
csg,
I should probably mention pitcher Brett Jacobson, too. He was the prize in the #1-ranked ’05 recruiting class—better than Alvarez, Flaherty, and Diallo Fon, an outfielder who left the program after red-shirting his first year—a 6’6″ flamethrower from Arizona, considered the best high school pitching prospect in the country that year by many outlets. He has a wicked slider and sits in the high-90s on his fastball…but is a headcase and, consequently, sucks. He’ll be drafted much higher than he should be just because of his freakish frame and stuff, but if you see him, he’ll probably be sucking the life out of VU’s chance at victory.
Does anyone else get a weird Army instructor vibe from Willie Randolph? Last night after his young starter (who everyone on earth knows should spend some time in AAA) was getting pounded, he just had this “son, this is gonna hurt me more than it hurts you” look on his face as he stood at attention.
Or I could just be imagining things…
On Chipper Jones’ Chances Of Hitting .400 For The Season: | The Onion – America’s Finest News Source
New poll at last.
yeah I dont see why they would keep Acosta up. They’ll probably send him back down and let him and Stockman be a nice 1-2 combo in the pen. I would like our bullpen to be
Smoltz, Soriano, Gonzo, Bennett, Ohman, Boyer
I’m also thinking that if Bobby likes Gotay and Infante enough, then Prado will have one of those very long rehab stints and probably will hang out on the DL until Sept. Or Norton will be released
No way they’ll release Norton. Gotay will almost certainly be the odd man out, because Bobby loves Prado.
Who knows if Prado will even be able to swing a bat successfully?
man who fell last night at the Ted has died
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8165710/Man-dies-from-injuries-in-fall-at-Turner-Field
Well, yeah, if he’s still hurt, he obviously won’t be activated. But if he comes back, I think Gotay will be jettisoned, unless there’s another injured player at the time.
This is what I wanted to see last night. Frenchy’s last at bat, he knocks the ball over the left field fence. The crowd goes wild. Then, as soon as Jeff touches 2nd base, he charges the mound. That would be sticking it to them, plus he gets the cycle.
#61
shoaib,
You may have something there. All that’s missing is the broad-brimmed hat.
SABOTAGE!
Everyone go to Posnanski’s blog and vote for Mets’ all-time hits leader ED KRANEPOOL as the Mets’ all-time best player.
#70
They should switch Randolph with Damon Wayans from Major Payne and see if anyone notices.
Im not trying to sound funny. But, we get updates on Soriano, Smoltz, Gonzalez, what is up with Hampton? Are we gonna get anything out of him this year? Is he in rehab? Is he pitching somewhere? If we could get anything out of him at this point it would be a huge shot in the arm.
How could anyone bean the Murph? Even underhanded? That’s a tough spot for Tommy — can’t win either way. Anyone got a video clip?
I’m curious to know whether any of the Kranepool votes were cast seriously.
I think Mac has already updated us on Hampton’s status. That he will never pitch a meaningful game for Atlanta again.
All the Kranepool votes were posted after my plea (Kranepool in ’08!) so probably not.
DOB mentioned that Smoltz dropped to 3/4 and felt better. How about he drops down to submarine … and throws knuckleballs? It’s not too much to ask, is it? It’s just combining the relearning to throw another way with a pitch that practically nobody masters.
Well, he could pitch for 20 more years if he figured it out, c. shorter.
Yeah I know Mac has said that, haha.
See this is what is so frustrating, Smoltz, legitimatley is in pain and is working on changing arm angles and dealing with the pain to get back, meanwhile hampton is just collecting dust.
Sorry to bring up a sore subject just figured maybe you guys knew something i didnt, thanks!
I just noticed that after last night the Braves have the NL’s best team batting average and ERA. And amazingly we’re not still under .500. I’m feeling unexpectedly good about this team… though I find that happening during home stretches and less so when they’re on the road.
is it wrong for me to be happy because i enjoy seeing the Mets feel so miserable? i cant recall the last time i saw a bunch of millionaires having so little fun. with the HD, you could see the tension in the dugout…………..and what happened to Carlos Beltran? this guy showed up in the NL playing like the next Clemente and when the Mets signed him, i thought they were getting the best player in baseball, instead, hes about the 5th best player on a crap team.
Re: 80
Yeah, that’s exactly what Hampton is doing. he’s just sitting on his ass not trying to get back to the majors. Seriously?
Maybe his fate is out of his control. You, yourself, don’t decide what happens to you and neither does he. No professional baseball player who has excelled like he has early in his career wants to sit back year after year due to injuries.
It’s so easy for you to make fun of the guy from your position.
RE: 82
That emotion is not only acceptable but welcomed.
If the Braves are leading the league in batting average, shouldn’t the blog’s tag line (or whatever it is you call it) be changed?
Okay, then.
Vote Kranepool.
I have never found a total meltdown by another team more enjoyable than this, and make no mistake, the Mets are in one of the biggest clubhouse and total team meltdowns I have ever seen. They may have to fire Randolph, whether he deserves it or not (and let’s face it, he probably does), just to shake things up and have the chance to salvage anything from this season.
Let’s sweep them before we get too excited—seriously, if they win tonight, they’re only a game back of us, so it’s not like we’re eliminating them or anything—but I’m enjoying this an awful lot, too, Nick.
Think Smoltz could bring back his knuckleball?
It was pretty effective, but he didn’t really NEED it back then. Now he does.
Yahoo sports “obvious” headline: “Alcohol factored in fan’s fatal fall”
I feel bad for his family, though falling to your drunken death while sliding down the railing at a baseball game does scream darwin award (maybe not scream, but at least says it in a firm voice).
I just noticed that after last night the Braves have the NL’s best team batting average and ERA. And amazingly we’re not still under .500. I’m feeling unexpectedly good about this team… though I find that happening during home stretches and less so when they’re on the road.
As much as I want to think better days are ahead because of our underperformances in one run games and clutch hitting, that best ERA in the NL is a sticking point. Does anyone really think we’ve assembled the best staff in the league? Aren’t we do some regression in that area?
I guess you can argue that Arizona really leads the league in ERA once you do the park factors.
Really sad story. Makes you wonder how many more times it (or something like it) will happen before substantial preventative measures are taken at ballparks everywhere. I can only guess that nets will be put up before alcohol sales are restricted more (or enforced) — too much money to be made.
Around here, it almost seems like Willie’s departure is imminent. With the team’s recent play, the head-imploding fans & his “forced apology” on WFAN yesterday, it looks like he’s taken at least a couple steps down the plank.
Some fans think that, unless they make a move soon, it’s going to get worse before it gets better.
Of course, once again, Met fans can’t fully enjoy their miseries. Who beats them to the tabloid back pages today?
Joba Chamberlain, who is apparently going to join the Yankee rotation. They can’t even win at losing.
What’s our record this year vs LH starters?
I don’t know, but here are the batting lines:
VS LHP .278 .345 .385
VS RHP .288 .363 .470
AS LHB .305 .384 .503
AS RHB .262 .326 .369
I blame Francoeur.
Ughh!! It’s Sad to see a Braves Fan die especially right there at turner field but i don’t know what else measures can be taken to prevent these sort of things from happen this just happened months ago at some other stadium.
Happened at Shea. Very similar circumstances.
Yes, evidence that the very presence of the Mets can kill you.
Too soon?
I’m a Mets fan, and even I can’t stand the comments section at Metsblog. As well, Cerrone, while providing useful information, also strikes me as somewhat short of Roger Angell. Or Roger Angell’s retarded mutant offspring hatched in the sewers.
@91, Robert,
But, Braves have allowed 18 less runs than D’Backs through last night.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/standings
I don’t think our fielders overall are THAT great (maybe overall slightly above average). But Braves’ FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) would have to be .4 or so of a run per game better (which would be statistically significant at this point).
The potentially unsustainable portions of Braves pitching:
1. Juurjens being THIS good (he could have a little more trouble the next time through).
2. Smoltz’ statistics being blended in now (with the possibility of lesser innings compared to games later in the year and certainly less if he doesn’t make it back at all).
3. Boyer’s arm remaining attached.
4. To a lesser extent, Acosta’s arm remaining attached.
The potential upsides for Bravew pitching:
a. Starters covering more innings (later in year, Reyes getting settled in, Campillo getting settled in, )
Otherwise, everybody is about where they should be.
Turner Field is a slight pitcher’s park; the BOB is a good hitter’s park. The DBacks’ ERA+ is 126, the Braves’ 117, which is actually slightly behind the Cubs (118) as well.
It’s 8-10 against LHP. 17-11 against RHP. Pretty big split, not the worst in the league. The worst is, wait for it, San Diego who see their only two hitters neutralized by LHP (Giles and Gonzalez) and have turned in a 2-11,15-20 split.
San Diego is likely to be the answer to any “worst is” question you can come up with.
The Diamondbacks have a good hitters park, but they play in the worst division in baseball, so I would suppose it balances out. (for this year, anyway).
Game thread is up.