I put this in the game thread last night, but if you want a limerick this is all I’ve got.
The Mets have never had a no-hitter
And their fans are exceedingly bitter
They whine, cry and groan
As they sorrowfully moan
“Our season’s going down the…”
Well, I won’t repeat what Mets fans say.
Missed it in the thread yesterday… Nice one Mac. That might be the best of the lot.
Stu: “I’d much, much rather face the bottom of a team’s rotation than the top, regardless of handedness.”
I think you may be underestimating how poorly the Braves have fared against lefthanded pitching. The difference is colossal, largely due to power.
The Braves have hit .286 .359 .465 against normal people this year; they have hit .275 .341 .378 against southpaws. In 1112 PA, they have hit 33 homers against righthanders, while in 645 they have hit only 9 against lefthanders. The team OPS+ is 109 against righthanders, 89 against lefties. They’ve actually grounded into more DPs against lefthanders than righthanders, an astounding stat. Basically, we turn an ordinary lefthander into Cole Hamels, and Cole Hamels into Sandy Koufax.
The Braves have essentially four platoon outfielders, two righthanded and two lefthanded, but have used one of the righthanded ones to play every day anyway. Diaz and Francoeur are useless against righthanders, and Kotsay is useless against lefthanders. Blanco has been okay against lefties, hitting .278, but with no extra-base hits. Meanwhile, the righthanded outfielders have been much worse than the lefthanders, Escobar has hit better against righthanders than lefthanders, KJ is being platooned for no reason, Teixeira has been awful righthanded, and only one of Chipper’s homers has come righthanded.
From the last thread…
Spike, I’m not sure that Bonds counts as an outfielder.
Re: Campillo, his minor league K-rate was just a little better than 6, but his walk-rate was only a little more than 2, so his K/BB was almost 3, which is quite good. Also, he doesn’t give up homers. Clearly, he’s pitching a bit over his head — his BABIP is .257, so he’s due for a few bleeders to start getting through, his FIP is a run higher than his ERA, etc.
But no matter how you slice it he’s having a terrific year, and he’s already pitched more innings this year than he’d ever pitched before. Like Blanco, he’s a guy who came (relatively) out of nowhere to excel, and who’s bound to head back to earth, but just as Blanco appears to have an approach at the plate that looks like it might survive a slump, Campillo seems to have a long track record of preventing runs, not walking people, and not giving up homers, that could survive the inevitable moment when his ERA peeks over 1.
You’ve outdone yourself, Mac. You really have.
Also, about Teixeira, in his career he’s usually been BETTER right-handed against southpaws, unlike Chipper. For some reason, this year, he’s Wily Mo Pena from the right.
Good points, Mac, and you’re right tabout my underestimation, but I will say that Teix’s splits are fluky—he’s always mashed lefties—and I expect them to rebound.
do we need to see Carlyle pitch to Owings again in the next series. Owings hit two BOMBS off Carlyle last yeat at home, unfor., I was at that game.
Well, since you re-posted your Campillo remarks, AAR, I’ll re-post my response:
Yeah, we’ll see. He’s never been anything but seriously old for his level, not playing in the State until he was 25, so I honestly don’t know what sort of weight to give to his minor league numbers. Maybe he’ll continue to be good, though, and he’s already done enough to have made the organization look very smart for signing him, no matter what happens next.
Anyone think we might be able to pick up Brian Giles at the trade deadline to play left??? I think that may be a nice addition.
Maybe Teixeira will play better, but (a) he can’t make up 20 points of OPS+ by his lonesome, and (b) he’s underperformed lefthanded too, if not to the same degree. The biggest concern for me is Francoeur, who normally pounds lefthanders but is only slugging .410 against them this year. There’s no punch in the outfield at all, but at least the lefthanded contingent is getting on base.
Even though I’ve always been suspicious about Giles & his little brother, he’s been a good player & he’s having another good year.
However, he certainly doesn’t solve any issues about hitting against LHP. No power there either…
Correct about not solving the issue against LHP. But he’d be alot more consistent than our current players. Also, I think alot more power will be there if he were to leave PETCO. But he still does have alot of doubles (which may be influenced by PETCO as well).
Are the Tigers in panic / surrender mode yet? There’s some good players in Detroit to be had at some point in the season.
————–
Tayshaun is King.
Here’s a fun fact: in the 33 games since he hit two homers against the Nats — 66% of his total homer production this year — Jeff Francoeur is slugging .328.
How hard is it to find a guy who can pound righthanders? Normally, these guys are a dime a dozen, but somehow the Braves have put together an all-lefty (or rather, all-lefty-but-one-switchhitter-who-can’t-hit-righthanded) outfield in Richmond. I have to think that was planned, that they didn’t foresee this.
I never understood how someone as big as B. Giles could hit lead-off.
.400 OBP would do it…
Sure, I get that. But I guess I never thought of someone that big being fast. What the hell? If you get on base, you get on base, right?
Fit in perfect with this team – we don’t run for crap.
Although I liked the extra base Esco took yesterday – that was nice.
Yeah, it was almost as nice as the caught stealing.
Yanks, Mets likely bidders for Teixeira – NJ.com
He needs to look for a more competitive team like the Orioles or Rays.
Mac,
You’ll love the cover of this week’s SI. It’s like a DC comic with a cartoon Tampa Bay player upending a cartoon Derek Jeter. It’s called “Baseball Bizarro World.”
Hankonly,
I’ll be at Friday’s game at Comerica. I’ll ask the Tiger faithful about “surrender mode.” Still, even the most Negative Nellie in the bunch couldn’t have expected Justin Verlander to suck this bad.
Willie Randolph took over for Bob.
And soon Mets’ fans started to sob.
Then Willie ealked Francoeur,
Idiotic, for sure,
And now he’s looking for a new job.
Looking into my crystal ball…
Press conference, 2/5/2009
MARK TEIXEIRA: “It was a tough decision, but I made the choice that I felt was best for me and my family. I’m really happy with the direction this team is going, and I can’t wait to bring more winning seasons to the people of Pittsburgh.”
KEVIN MCCLATCHY: “It took me about 5 years to recover from Derek Bell and Operation Shutdown and be willing to spend free agent money again. But I think this is the best way to remind the city of Pittsburgh that they’re more than just a great hockey town and a great football town. They have a baseball team too.”
SCOTT BORAS: “Mark Teixeira is the best first baseman since Lou Gehrig, and he will bring three World Championships to Pittsburgh over the first 9 years of this contract.”
LANDOGARNER: “At least they won’t have to play Huckleberry at first base.”
Time to keep the sweep machine rolling in game three. I feel confident about putting another hurt on the Mets and keep the bitterness going.
The Braves play like an altogether different team at home.
Jurrjens on the mound, set to get 8 K’s 7 IP.
Pelfrey the 2-4 righty on the mound will get crushed.
Any other predictions?
I’m gonna get my Tex bobblehead tonight so one day I’ll be able to remember that he wore a Braves uniform for one season….
and then sell it to the highest bidder.
I’m your huckleberry
You’ll be able to see my parents, sister, and uncle on the broadcast tonight. They apparently have the super-awesome, right-behind-home-plate seats.
They weren’t the ones wearing Devo hats last night, were they?
Mac’s Mothersbaughs?
No, Mac, they can’t afford those seats more than once a lifetime.
I said Devo hats, not big suits.
No like Mark Mothersbaugh the front man of Devo. I thought maybe this was another one of those fan clubs at the stadium.
It’s a stretch.
I was responding to Stu with a slight Talking Heads joke.
Ah….once in a lifetime….
Thanks, Mac. I was sure a classic rocker like yourself knew Mothersbaugh but I was starting to worry
Think “clay pots.”
I got the joke. It was pretty good, too.
Jurrjens Surgeons?
I’m listening to a radio interview with Willie Randolph & he’s backpeddling from his quotes to Ian O’Connor the other day. He sounds like a beaten & ground-down man.
Nonetheless, in Devo-speak, I’ve got an “uncontrollable urge” to take 3 in a row vs. the Mets.
Will be watching the scoreboard tonight from that other cauldron of local baseball misery—Darrell Rasner to the rescue!
Go Jair & go Braves.
I wish just one of Smoltz, Mike Gonzalez or Soriano would hurry up so the days of Acosta as closer would end.
Ububba,
I think three in a row… “It’s a Good Thing”
You Spuds, know what I’m talking about.
The presence of Phil Stockman should end the days of Acosta as a closer. But then, over 18 innings of baseball in a day, he doesn’t even sniff the field.
Ah, just listening to an ol’ rock and roll classic from way back, deep-fried punkabilly.
Louie, Louie, Louie, Lou-i
The bird’s the word and do you know why?
You gotta beat it with a stick
You gotta beat it ’til it’s thick
You gotta live until you’re dead
You gotta rock ’til you see red
Now do you understand?
Do you understand?
I’m a garbageman.
Devo’s cover of “(I Can’t Get No)Satisfaction” is the definitive version.
my favorite line of theirs “I got 96 tears and 96 eyes”
I’d just like to note that as of today we lead the NL in ERA.
Been awhile since that was true.
Phillip, agreed, though their cover of “Are You Experienced” is just as good.
infante leading off and playing short. i bet bobby’s playing it safe with yunel after that double play yesterday.
They said on the pregame show that Escobar is hurting. The shin is badly bruised and he’s having trouble walking without a limp. He might be out for 3-4 days, at least.
Freaking Ryan Church.
Omar “.258/.298/.387” Infante is sure getting a lot of playing time.
Both KJ and Blanco are in the line-up…and Bobby leads off with Infante.
Well finally i get to see a game today haven’t seen one in weeks going to go put on my espn. arghh come back TBS or not…
I’m glad Esco’s getting the night off. We shouldn’t have him playing every day anyway if we plan on him having anything left come September (and maybe October).
I’m torn; do I watch this down stairs on the TV or stay by the computer and listen to Skip and Pete?
Thats exactly what i would want to listen to skip and pete while being able to view the game on espn hmmmm someday.
I can’t believe Cox is batting Infante leadoff against a right hander. What a buffoon.
Listen to Skip and Pete while you still can.
Or what Stu said.
Umm Is it Bobby’s Birthday today?
After watching the video of Church’s “take out slide”, I can honestly say I would stick the ball right between his eyes for that stunt. He freakin’ deserved a concussion.
Y’all know of any studies focusing on SB success rate on pitches the batter swings at versus those the batter takes? I’d guess the success rate is much higher when the catcher has to deal with a swing.
I’m sure it’s been studied. Since it’s been conventional wisdom for, I would guess, over a century, there’s probably something to it.
Ready for your leeching m’lord?
Maybe Cox believes Joe Simpson; that Kelly Johnson is a great hitter anywhere in the order other than the leadoff spot.
Was Pelfrey throwing this hard last time we saw him? They’ve got him sitting at 96.
Urgh. Church probably does not make that catch.
How close was Tex shot?
There’s your home plate umpire James Hoye stats, for no particular reason..
http://www.covers.com/pageLoader/pageLoader.aspx?page=/data/mlb/umpires/2008/umpire8452.html
2 feet shy of the wall
Oldtimer, it was more like a double in the gap than a homer; Chavez caught it on or near the warning track.
Teixeira’s flyout would have been a homerun in Philadelphia.
darn, maybe he is getting his groove back.
At some point, some Met has to go down. This is getting ridiculous. Half our team has been abused with no repercussions.
God, this team is slow. Chipper, Teixeira, McCann, and now Francoeur can’t get to third on a single to right. That’s four hitters in a row.
Agreed Mac. JJ needs to put one in Reyes’ earhole.
Nah, do it to Delgado. He’s a prick, anyway, and he can’t steal 2 bases after you drill him.
It’s not like Bobby Cox to call out an opposing player, but he didn’t sound very pleased when talking about the Ryan Church slide before the game. “I don’t know what he was doing there,” Bobby said. “I mean, you gotta get down. Never seen him do that before.”
I believe I would have walked Wright here
Moises Alou is walking off the field
Well if he’s got his glove on, you know it ain’t a bathroom break.
The shift works again!
Oh, I’ve wanted to write this for three years…
DOUBLES MACHINE!
This place is quiet. Must not be much to cheer about.
trying not to post, have too many this month already
Chipper first to third on a single and Tex scoring from first on a double! Get under the tables, something’s going to fall out of the sky next.
You know what, Joe? Francoeur is hitting… like you!
This whole series we’ve really been making the Mets pitchers work. Pelfrey’s at 70+ pitches.
And Tomas, it was first to third on an infield single.
better!!
Frenchy hits a triple, that’s it, I’m off to buy food for a month.
nice
Joe Simpson’s dream team lineup: eight Juan Pierres and the pitcher.
Jurrjens has given up 3 hits and a walk through 3 innings and still only at 40 pitches. Could we rub Jo-Jo up against him and hope something sticks or would that be too risky… yeah, probably too risky.
I can’t believe they gave Teixeira a hit on the Castillo bobble. Where do they find these idiot scorekeepers?
it’s great to hear skip call’n the game w/pete.
i was growing very tired of lemke’s constant drone
I have to say, every time Jurrjens takes a start I am both looking forward to it and wondering whether this is when he starts playing more like everyone thought he would.
He may be a real #2 right now.
Hit him on the 3-0 pitch….
Chipper makes more Mets history!
boy i love beating the Mets!
Where did we get this Chipper guy? He’s pretty good.
okay Tex with a triple, the world is ending
Wow.. we are in bizarro world indeed. A triple by Tex and Frenchy in the same game?
Pelfrey had been staying away from him all night, and Chipper just kept waiting till he got his pitch.
good to see tex is finally swing’n a hot bat
I really enjoy the commentary..
but geesh, shut up Joe. I have no idea where you’re going with this Randolph rant..
God that Frenchy kid sucks doesn’t he? Useless and DUMB.
we should rest frenchy more often
time 4 the ole unassisted triple play
I like how their starters can’t get past (or to!) the 5th.
Joe’s being careful with his wording, and while I agree with much of what he’s saying, he’s missing something important. The fact that the Latin players go over Randolph’s head to Minaya — because, as a fellow Latin, they find him to be a more sympathetic ear — is a problem (if true) not because Minaya is Latin per se, but because Minaya accommodates this break in the chain of command. If this is the real dynamic in the Mets clubhouse, it’s on Minaya as a GM, not as someone of Latin descent.
Frenchy is having a good game. Two really good at bats.
Hey, someone on here has to give the guy props when is has earned them.
Anyone else watching this game on the espn hd channel? Damn, first Braves game I’ve seen in HD. I could get used to this…
That’s Lando’s job.
frenchy can come off the bench and help out anytime he wants 😉
Walk Infante for the hot hitting Kotsay? Someone please explain that to me?
More brilliance from Willie, walking a bad hitter to load the bases.
kinda like bobby’s bunt fetish…i don’t get it either
Well you and your hangers-on have the Frenchy bashing covered, Mac. So someone has to play Devils advocate.
well i guess it paid off.
Kotsay’s got a fever, and I the only thing that’s going to cure it is more cowbell. Actually, Francoeur, Texeira, and Diaz could use more cowbell too….
Feliciano’s hard on lefties.
#111
That’s an astute observation, sansho. I can understand Minaya’s willingness to accommodate Latin players, but he shouldn’t show up his manager.
i think the whole team needs a cowbell supplement, especially on the road.
btw, joe just said we’ll see Webb on monday against Jair. Webb is pitching tonight
hello – !!!!!!
Jeffy!
Night off help Francoeur?
Mercy! What a day off will do!
Frenchy!
Wow, did I mention how useless he is?
Frenchy’s a double away from the cycle.
Can Frenchy get a day off each week?
So, new plan: Frenchy gets benched every other night.
Francoeur is double from the cycle
I swear if we see Boyer??????
That boy should ride the pine more often.
Albert Hall 1987 – only ATL player to pull it off
Funny you guys say that considering he didn’t actually have a day off.
Is this the night we actually free Stockman?
How many holes does it take to fill the Albet Hall?
Lando, Francoeur came into tonight’s game hitting .235 .307 .279 in May. That’s useless. He’s having a good game, and he gets credit for it, but he’s been very bad.
Meanwhile JJ is cruising. Best pitcher on our staff right now isn’t he?
Tonight he is player of the game
Knew I could count on you Mac. Now I await your flunkies to chime in.
Smitty,
JJ is clearly the player of the game.
One game does not a useful player make. Remember Willie Harris’ 6-6 game last year?
Boyer can’t possibly get into this game, can he?
Oh wait, Bobby Cox is the manager, anything can happen…
There’s no way that should be an error, Chipper was afraid for his life.
I have flunkies? Cool. What does it take to get them upgraded to “minions”?
lol, right on time.
a flunky here–nice game by Francoeur but a blind squirrel still finds a few nuts–it’ll take more than this game for me to think he’s useful at the plate
Thanks Brad.
Myrmidons is what you want.
landogarner,
Not if Frenchy hits a double… IF you hit for the cycle, youre player of the game
Or hangers-on, if you prefer Mac.
I actually like Francoeur, just haven’t said anything negative in, like, a week.
s/v agreement
Myrmidons are what you want.
(Need an editing feature, as I’m constantly under revision.)
Now that was an unearned run.
Smitty,
agreed.
Infante sucks
JJ’s velocity is way down. he’s throwing 90 now. Prolly need to take him out.
Nice reference Remy but definitely not what I was thinking of.
I still think Hudson is the best on the Braves’ staff, over Jurrjens. And a healthy Smoltz would likely be better than both of them.
Infante is a butcher.
Lando… seriously. Are you going to say that Francoeur has been playing well?
Joe and John calling out Bobby’s bullpen mgt.
I had a really good game playing basketball once as a kid. I should be in the NBA
Surely, lando, you don’t mean sycophants?
I hope Jurrjens has something left by August.
Mac, when did I say that? I just find some peoples attitude towards Frenchy to be a little ridiculous and it amuses me to poke fun at them and play Devils advocate.
“Toadies”?
Remy you are hired to translate all of my posts from this moment forward.
Why is Norton hitting?
Hand a flunky a stick and he turns into a goon.
You don’t need a translator, lando. I just need to find a better use for my English degree.
Ok, I lost track, I didn’t think we’d gotten to the pitchers’ spot yet.
Well feel free to embellish my vocabulary then.
Soriano with a scoreless inning for Mississippi.
http://tinyurl.com/6gftj3
Okay, that does it. Wright or Beltran eats dirt next time up.
OK, it’s time to put someone on the disabled list with a Resop fastball.
If they hurt Chipper badly…
They hit Larry. That does it.
The game is STILL to close for Resop. Let Stockman smack someone with a fastball with two outs and no one on.
Think Resop could aim that well?
He might accidentally throw a strike.
#180
Definitely. Resop must redeem himself.
Cox is a sissy about retaliating … if it happens then a pitcher will do it on his own.
I don’t mean in the ribs, either. I want one off the helmet.
there is some of the payback
Yea I would like to see Bennett (or whoever pitches next inning) put a fastball right in someone’s earhole.
That’s right. Run up the score!
No, bring in Resop and hope he has enough control to take out Reyes or Wright.
Is Gotay really running for Chipper?
I didn’t see it. Is Chipper out for precautionary reasons or is he hurting?
If there’s a way for Resop to go for the crotch with a pitch, I’m all for it.
Run it up. Make Willie look bad. That’s enough payback, and you know what they say about payback . . . .
time for the Frenchy double
Come on, Frenchy. Put some icing on the cake.
Where did Chipper get hit?
‘I think they’re booing Shoenweis’
YA THINK!?!!?
Did they just give Brian McCann an infield single?
So both McCann and Tex had infield singles today? That’s hilarious.
McCann LEGS one out, Frenchy hits a HR … there must be a full moon tonight.
I’d like to see a plunk but not an earhole/head shot. Too dangerous.
AHAHAHAH!
Skip: Francoeur needs a double and so does Randolph the way this is going.
#197 – shin
Chip got hit on the shin, he was hurting when he came out.
Chipper caught one below the right knee. Looked pretty flush too.
Meanwhile, Mets fans…
Comment by tvtechwonv27
2008-05-21 21:54:59
David Wright will get beaned and I would have alot of respect if Wright Charges the mound for the team…. Charge the Mound Wright and start swinging wildly….
what would be great is Resop dropping Wright, and the a brawl where they both get suspended. It’s a win-win situation
Up 11-2…if Resop doesn’t pitch in this game, he needs to be DFAed immediately. This is even more than Reitsma room.
Thanks
the=then
Actually, the full moon was last night. I know because I was feeling wiggy.
And of course, we let Wright get a hit.
That’ll show ’em, Bobby.
Boo.
Why Bennett?
Sigh.
Would’ve been nice to see Stockman + Crapmaster, but whatever….
Resop could have done this.
Boyer’s sure to pitch now.
I think Stockman gets the ninth inning.
Cox probably doesn’t like using Resop unless it’s the Braves getting blown out.
Why not hit Delgado? I mean, you know he deserves it.
It’s Bobby’s birthday. He’s in a good mood.
No, Mac. The Code of Hammurabi must prevail. If our third baseman is hit, then we must hit theirs in turn.
Selah.
Literally everyone who has ever commented on this board, including NYMets and Mrs. Shiell, could manage this team better than Bobby Cox has. There is absolutely no excuse for a useful reliever to be in this game. It’s a real shame, but I’m growing to hate Bobby Cox.
not only should the innings go on Resop’s arm, they should go on Corky’s knees instead of McCann’s
Cox would never do it though b/c of not having a 3rd catcher
Their third baseman led off the inning!
Agreed, Stu. Been saying it for years. We need to win it all this year so he can …manage off into the sunset.
There’s always tomorrow?
If you’re not willing to plug a guy with an 11-2 lead, when are you?
A 20 pitch inning for Bennett, so he should be out for tomorrow.
revenge is a dish best served cold…………….save it and hit Santana first time up tomorrow. the same spot as Chipper was hit should do the trick.
I’m sure Hudson would be up for plunking Reyes to lead off the game tomorrow. He certainly was last year against Soriano.
I hear you, Mac. I was just kidding. Actually, tonight’s game reminds me of the time that Pendleton walked off the field when Marvin Freeman didn’t retaliate. I wonder if anyone on the team would risk taking a similar stance?
Resop’s up!
Could be worse…we could be using our closer, if we had one.
I know it’s 11-4, but I will complain if we don’t get a run here.
Brad–don’t give Cox any ideas–if Resop manages to have a good 9th Cox might annoint him closer
this must be Wagner’s punishment for popping off to the press a few days ago
Bases loaded, no one out…but Infante, Kotsay (vs. Billy Wagner) and I think Gotay up. It’s very possibly Wagner’s 0 ER streak will remain.
Is Sutcliffe crankier now that he’s back from cancer? He’s called out people all sorts of things tonight. I am enjoying it.
a slam by Gotay would push the pythag record to 36-10
It would be sweet if we broke up Wagner’s 0.00.
Oh well.
It’s Resop.
Didn’t know resop threw that hard.. I thought he was a useless junk baller.
No, he’s a useless product of the radar gun who throws hard, straight, with no control.
I just don’t think the Mets are very good. Their offense is old and mediocre. The have one good very good pitcher in Santana, a rich man’s Chuck James in Maine, and an injured Pedro. The rest is AAAA dreck.
Also, their bullpen stinks.
So he’s Tyler Yates. Got it.
1-2-3 inning by Resop … must really be a full moon
Er, you know what I mean.
I had to step away for a little while.. i saw chipper is out of the game.. he didn’t get hurt, did he?
If the Mets lose tomorrow, Willie may be going to a different city than the rest of the teams.
@247
He was hit by a pitch on the shin–ouch.
I just powered through the game on dvr delay. I spent the day in Atlanta and had to drive by the stadium twice knowing I couldn’t see the game live before I arrived back at home. I did see a 2-1 score when I landed at the airport and by the time I got back home the game was 5-1. 3 in a row is great. I don’t have a problem with Randolph, but I’d love to see the Bravos put the nail in his coffin tomorrow.
pretty funny limerick… It’s nice to see the braves winning like this, especially against the mets
Recap is up. Someone better go down tomorrow.
There once was a manager named Willie,
With a disgruntled closer named Billy,
He called out his mates
All of them he hates
We wonder why he ever left Philly.