ESPN – Diamondbacks vs. Braves – Box Score – May 26, 2008
Counterpunch. That’s how you do it. Arizona scores a run, you come back with three. They cut a four-run lead to two, you push it back up to four. Worked today, at any rate. In a newly Radar Gunless world (Resop designated for assignment! Bells ring! Dancing in the streets! Colors are brighter, food tastes better, and batteries on radar guns last longer!) the Braves salvaged a split with the ‘Backs before heading out on a road trip.
The Braves took the lead in the first. Escobar reached on an infield single. KJ (hitting second with Kotsay not playing due to the mysterious communicable back spasms) bunted him to second. Why you bunt with a guy who’s hitting almost .300 and slugging almost .500 and who is also lefthanded and one of your faster runners is beyond me, but hey, I’m not the manager. Chipper hit a single to left that apparently held up so long that Escobar couldn’t even make it to third, but Teixeira followed with a two-run double. Arizona cut it to 2-1 with a two-out RBI in the second.
As so often happens, the key play in the game was someone doing something dumb. Luckily, it was the other guys this time. Norton (playing left field, which should say something about how little faith the Braves have left in Diaz, since Norton’s defense in the outfield has reached sub-Kleskovian levels) walked, and Blanco followed with a single. Jurrjens came up in an obvious bunt situation and laid down a good one. The Arizona third baseman fielded it and decided to throw to the shortstop covering third instead of taking the out. Norton looked to be safe anyway, but the throw was terrible and got away. Norton scored and Blanco and Jurrjens advanced. Webb almost got out of it with strikeouts of Escobar and KJ, but he walked Chipper and Teixeira hit a two-run single to make it 5-1. All runs were initially scored unearned, but eventually they decided two of them were earned, unless they change their minds again. I’ll admit I don’t understand the unearned run rule, and frankly I don’t think there should be such a thing, but in my opinion all the runs should have been scored earned. See comments 71-74. The mistake wasn’t the error; the mistake was throwing to third in the first place; all the runners would have been safe even with a good throw.
Jurrjens was doing okay, but wasn’t working efficiently. He threw his eightieth pitch leading off the fifth. A double and a homer later it was 5-3. He got the next two, but after a single Bobby did what he should have done yesterday and called for Bennett, who got a flyout to end it. The Braves got the runs back in the bottom of the inning. McCann led off with a homer. Francoeur singled and after a strikeout Blanco walked. Gotay chased Webb with a pinch-hit single. That was it for the scoring.
I make fun of the official scorer, but he got one right today. Bennett faced only one batter, but nine times out of ten the pitcher who finishes the fifth will get the win in that situation. Instead, he gave it to Manny Acosta, who was great, pitching the sixth and seventh, retiring every man he faced, and striking out two. Boyer got a double play to erase a runner in the eighth, and stranded a runner in the ninth; I was surprised that Ohman wasn’t brought in to face JD Drew’s little brother with a runner on and two out, but Bobby let Boyer finish it, as he probably should have.
Chipper was 1-3 with a walk and saw his average plunge to .416. Blanco had three hits and a walk, and if Kotsay can’t pass on the transferable spasms to someone else will be playing center a lot, I’d guess.
I was hoping Resop would get the spasims and take them with him, where ever it is he is going
Was there ever a Resop delenda est on the Braves Journal?
So Bobby basically wants Huddy to go 7-8 tomorrow.
Given how tired the bullpen is, if one of the old horses gets activated, they have to option out Carlyle or DL Campillo right? DFA-ing Ring seems like a good move, but seems such a waste
No wonder all of you sit by your computers and blog all day and night…you have no life at all…..what a waste of cyberspace…keep following Mac to the promised land…. believe me you will be in good hands…BRAVES JOURNAL delenda est
S o wun = Resop? Or someone Resop adjacent?
Anyway, I’ll take 2 of 4 from the D-Backs anyday. They have a ton of talent on that team.
I hope Stockman gets to hang around, he needs to prove greatness or sucktitude so we can stop man crushing him, and Jurjeins lack of stamina is beginning to worry me
I never claimed to have a life, but I have no idea what brought that on.
Lack of stamina? The kid threw nearly 100 pitches. He just needs to learn to be more econimical. Usually 100 pitches should get you through at least the 7th.
Sorry Josh, didnt see the pitch count, just IP’s ,my bad
Reading back over Wun’s comments, he (?) does show an inexplicable fondness for Resop in particular.
Wun is prolly a regular using a throwaway nick.
Jay Bruce called up, so we will see him this weekend, Dusty permitting.
Nope, the IP is unique.
The cousin of Jason Shiell’s wife, who happens to be Radar gun Resop’s wife as well?
Anyway I’m glad my prayers were answered, I’ll come to the states later (for those who wondered, no I’ve never been to the promised land, uh, before 🙁 )
And I’ll take a split and a shelling of Webb anywhen anywhere anyhow. This team is fun to watch again (when the starters can go five)
The complete Wun, Part Wun…
April 13: “I guess Bennett for walking 4 straight and giving up too many hits and earned runs in his short outing” (After I compared Resop, who pitched poorly, to Campillo, who was just up and pitched well, and speculated as to which was more likely to be sent down.)
April 15: “I think if the players ever read the comments they would simply consider the sources from which they come from and laugh heartily….” (In answer to my post “Please be Resop… Please be Resop…” about who would be sent down for Carlyle.)
April 17: “I’ve read Braves Journal twice now and am convinced that it is nothing more than a bunch of 4 yrs olds who have learned to use a computer… get off the Resop, Ohman, Bennett and whoever else is not doing as well as you would like bandwagon… what a worthless site..” (After I said Resop sucked. And a lie, since s/he had been here twice before.)
Same post: “Drewdat yea you’re right…now go beat your chest and type somemore….great thought process that one brain cell puts out”
April 22: “send Campillo back to Mexico those were his own mistaken runs…not Resop’s. So he gave up a dbl…did that run score…not…” (When I mentioned Resop’s Triple Grybo of Campillo’s baserunners. Ah, nativism.)
Same post: “Parish: Resop is responsible for everybody’s runs even if he doesn’t inherit them… NOT…” (Wayne’s World was a long, long time ago, Wun.)
Continued…
Wun perhaps the horseman jumping you in the parking lot would straighten you. WOO!!!!!
The complete Wun, part Wtoo…
May 13: “Mac: Since you suggested a team fight, why don’t you start it and try and kick Resop’s ass. I would pay money to see that happen. Just make certain to let us know which charity to which we should send our donations.”
“You are correct about giving up 5 HR’s in one game.. you will LOSE…and we did…Arizona must have had an ass chewing before the game tonight after losing 6 on the road and turned that ass chewing around on the Braves” (Resop gave up one of the five homers, but this is the only wun I can find that wasn’t a defense of Resop.)
May 25: “Nasa: make sure your visa is up to date…I am certain that he will be waiting for you to take him out… might just be your last trip here…not like Ohman did well… look up the stats of Resop and then Acosta… other than the era looks like Resop might be the better pitcher and 2 yrs younger ….” (After Nasa said he’d make his first visit to the States to “take [Resop] out of the state” if he stayed on the roster after Smoltz/Soriano/Gonzalez were back.)
Yesterday: “Mac: Actually the game was put away when the ace of the staff gave up the grannie…and of course the offense did little to nothing again today…better days lie ahead… hopefully” (When I said that the game was put away after KJ struck out with two on and Resop followed by allowing a two-run homer to make it 8-3.)
Followup to that comment: “you’re right but the Braves don’t seem to be able to do that…granted Chipper was out and that did not help matters”
And then this earlier. So Wun is some sort of Resop groupie.
straighten you out.
And that’s every Wun post, I didn’t pick and choose.
wun vt. To act as an apologist for a baseball player who has yet to prove that he belongs in the major leagues.
Maybe that should be a noun?
Couldn’t that definition also fit landogarner re: Frenchy? Or is that too harsh?
In all fairness, Frenchy has proved some skills as a major league player–he’s just not a star, and quite a bit of the time he’s not particularly good. But, there are quite a few teams that would willingly employ him. Now Resop, that’s another matter. But, as long as he lights up the radar gun, someone will probably give him a shot.
…and wun will give him a bed in which to sleep.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this thread, BTW.
Bizarre. I was going to go with a Jason Shiell’s wife joke, but nasa beat me to it. In light of that, it must be some guy who Resop beat up in high school. What else could make a guy fear Resop so much? Just because a dude throws 95 doesn’t mean he can fight. If his punches are as straight as his fastballs, they should be easily avoidable.
Nuw poll.
IIRC landogarner wasn’t always so Frenchy-centric — he’s been around for a while. But hey, even the most honored of regular posters aren’t above getting bent out of shape when their hero isn’t universally adored….
Why can’t I pick Jason Shiell’s wife as any answer to the poll question ?? I guess I’ll picky Resop’s significant other.
By the way, Mac, you’re right about the DBacks lineup usually being pretty right handed, but they have Drew, Hudson (switch hitter), and Montero (who splits time pretty equally with Snyder). Off the bench, in addition to Salazar, they have the pinch hitting Ojeda as well, fyi.
*Switch hitting Ojeda and now Chad Tracy.
Also contagious: blisters.
From DOB:
Looks like the Braves will be traveling with a cask of pickle juice.
I think Mac you should change Wun’s name to Wuss. What do you think?
It doesn’t look like anyone will be back anytime soon. To be honest, I rather expect Gonzalez to be the first one back, since he does seem to be progressing, and that won’t be for at least two weeks.
whats the deal with this ???
Braves manager Bobby Cox said Jurrjens, like Jorge Campillo earlier in the week, had problems with his pitching hand.
“I thought he pitched really good for having two blisters,” Cox said. “He’s a young kid and we’ve got to take care of him a little bit. He’s already accumulated a lot of innings.”
It actually might be a good thing if Jurrjens is forced to miss a couple starts do to some non-structural injury like blisters. He’s on pace to pitch like 180-200 innings this year, and if we make it to the post-season there’s going to be a lot more on top of that. And that’s just an ass-ton of innings for a rookie to be throwing. So if he’s forced to miss a few starts here and there, it’ll probably be better for him (and the Braves) in the long run. ]
Maybe we can time it with the theoretical 2-5 starts Hampton will eventually make.
Mike Gonzalez I’m confident in coming back and do well. Smoltz too, whenever he does decide to come back.
Soriano I fear will end up needing Tommy John elbow surgery before the season is over.
Hudson’s going to have to go at least 7 tomorrow, since Boyer and Acosta combined for 4 innings today. Who’s left that we can trust in a close game? Ohman? Stockman, maybe, but he’s unproven.
So wait, wun = Radar Gun Resop, himself.
😯 😯 😯
Resop’s mom.
(also, just for the record: there are not words for how hard I laughed reading Mac’s pwnage of wun…post after post of shameless Resop fluffing…tears of joy were streaming down my face. I’m actually kind of ashamed of it in retropsect. 😆 )
If he weren’t ripping other Braves pitchers, and just praising Radar Gun, it could have been a drunken Wren. wun is kinda close if you’re drunk.
Pretty funny stuff.
Hey Mac. Nice to see you’ve still got it. LOL.
Resop is a poor man’s Tyler Yates and that is saying something. The guy can throw it through a barn doorat an alarming speed, provided he can hit the side of the barn.
Another radar gun love affair.
With all these blisters, you should be playing the Beatles’ “Helter Skelter” from The White Album.
Put it in the books, another Mets loss.
I think Wun was somewhat between a friend and someone associated w/ Resop at a distance. Obviously, he felt some loyalty to Resop. If I was really close to Resop, I do not think I could stomach the general attitude about him around here.
When it became clear that Bobby was not willing to trust Resop with almost any pitching situation, I do not think it was unfair to call for his demotion or release. It was clear to us fans that Bobby had good reason to be conservative with his use of Resop and we have a taxed bullpen and no room for dead weight.
Kudos to Bobby for recognizing the need to save Jair’s arm. We can’t expect the kid to pitch 200 innings this year for the sake of his long term health. Otherwise, he will have a similar short career like Avery.
The Mets are really not that bad of a team. They will not be good enough to win the division, but they should be a little bit better than .500.
Put it in the books, another Mets loss.
This Marlins thing is getting out of control. Best record in the NL now, just behind the D-Rays (?) for best record in baseball.
Bowman: “Resop’s release finally silences his critics.”
Has Wun been banned? Silly Wun I think wun might be Peanut
Mets, lol
how can Bobby recognize that we need to save JJ’s arm, but yet he’s running Boyer out there every night for 1 and sometimes 2 full innings
I’ve been having a discussion with one of my friends about the future of the Braves. And we were talking about who would be replacing Chipper in a few years, whenever he retires. I was suggesting Eric Campbell might be able to turn it around. Does anyone think he would be able to turn it around and be a solid presence in the lineup?
Sorry to be off topic.
That’s a great question csg. Maybe Bobby figures Boyer will not need to pitch much by the time Smoltz, Sori, and Gonzo are all back. You know Bobby is a very optimistic man…
…finally Eric Campbell played his first game today. He basically wasted a year of his development. Hopefully his play and his attitude will pick up quickly…
…Gorkys has been out for a long period due to hammy problem…
Well, Mike, Campbell is a candidate for sure, but he has gone side-tracked with his development. Last year’s first round supplementary pick Jon Gilmore is another candidate.
Having Smoltz back in ATL would be best, but a rehab appearance in Rome isn’t far behind. I’ll take my 7 yr old … it’d make the little guy’s day to get an autograph from Smoltz.
I think Gilmore is pretty far away–he joined Rome after the season started and I don’t think he’s done much while here.
I still think Escobar could slide over to 3rd and Lillibridge, despite his o-for-8 at the beginning of this year, at shortstop would be our best in house option.
I know you can’t make too much out of a series this early in the year, but the Braves and D’backs looked like the respective division winners to me. The series was alot of fun. Unfortunately unless we get Smoltz back as a starter, I think the Snakes are better than we are. With Smoltz, Soriano and Gonzo, it’s a close call.
csg asks, “how can Bobby recognize that we need to save JJ’s arm, but yet he’s running Boyer out there every night for 1 and sometimes 2 full innings”
I say two things:
1) Boyers arm is, by my ultra-scientific calculations, worth between 1/8th and 1/23rd of Jurrjens’ to the Braves. Seriously. If Boyer never pitches after 2008, it kinda sucks for the Braves, but it’s not a disaster. He’s a reliever having a good year. His upside is Scott Linebrink, which is nice to have for a few years but not super-difficult to replace. Jurrjens could be a rotation fixture for the next six years.
2) Jurrjens will not have his role diminish as the year goes on whereas Boyer is very likely to see his role in the ‘pen diminish.
While I agree that Cox’s usage of Boyer thus far has not necessarily been conducive to him having a 10-year career, I don’t really think it matters all that much to the Braves. It would be disappointing if we turned him into Oscar Villareal (and Boyer isn’t going to approach the 98 IP Villareal had his rookie year), but it wouldn’t be the end of the world.
I was under the impression that Boyer could start for us one day. I think he could be a decent starter. His secondary pitches seem to be decent enough.
I predict a least a 4-2 road trip.
I’m not sure if anybody has posted this here before, but this is one of the funniest things I think I have ever seen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VKXcxKJ58Q
My favorite lyric, “we don’t have one Carlos, we have two !!!”
So that was an 8-3 homestand, right? Not bad, considering our opponents and that we beat Johan Santana and Brandon Webb in our last 5 games.
ricflair, don’t be so optimistic, this is the same team which lost 3 out of 4 to the Pirates after the 6-0 homestand. The Reds and the Brewers have winning records playing at home, I would be very happy with a 3-3 road trip.
The Mets are suddenly 6.5 games back and 3 games below .500.
The Mets still have plenty of time to recover. I remember the Phillies started out last season pretty poorly…
Glavine’s day/night splits are pretty telling, I think.
DAY
15.1 IP 8.80 ERA 1-2 W-L 4 HR
NIGHT
30 IP 2.70 ERA 1-0 W-L 3 HR
Not a typo. An 8.80 ERA in four day starts. If I were Bobby, I would find a way to not pitch him in a day game again this year.
Of course, Bobby will say the split is only a matter of luck.
…and that’s why none of us is Bobby.
Didn’t HoRam have those kind of day/ night splits?
Don’t know if anyone has posted this yet, but Andruw out for 4 to 6 for knee surgery. Soft cartiledge, probably a meniscus. Athroscopy if it is like mine. Lots of rehab to re build the quad.
Andruw being out will help the Dodgers’ lineup. He’s batting a full .165 with 2 HRs, 7 RBI, and 45 Ks (our K leader is Frenchy with 33). If he doesn’t turn it around after knee surgery, he may go the way of Raul Mondesi and be looking for a job in an int’l league. I’d hate to see Andruw collapse so early in his career.
Hmmm….
No offense Wun but I don’t particularly want you in the same boat with me.
We’re all filled up on crazy here.
Lando, you’re not even on the same lake, don’t worry.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with crazy, per se–
Ooga booga! I am Napoleon! Eeegaaahh!
–sorry. What I do have a problem with is people needlessly picking fights with other people on here. That’s not being crazy, that’s being a jerk.
Good to know!
Sorry about the other day Mac. I let my sarcasm get out of control. That was bad karma on my part. Mea Culpa.
For some reason Wun reminds me of that one crazy met fan that used to hang around.
AAR,
Were you referring to me? I wasn’t picking a fight just trying to distance myself from him, since he made comments eerily similar to mine.
wun reminds me more of4Seam.
(Whatever happened to him and NYMets?)
Lando,
I think AAR was referring to Wun, not to you.
I’ve never understood people who:
1. Go through the trouble of looking for a blog on a specific topic.
2. Have the spare time to look at the comments at said blog.
3. Make a post claiming that those who post have no life.
You don’t understand people who do all three of those simultaneously, right Bethany? Not just people who do any of those three things?
🙂
Bobby uses Boyer the same way i always used my favorite tools. i didnt rest them or worry much about wearing them out, i just used them…………. if the braves somehow win the east with this piced together pitching staff, Bobby should win manager of the year easy. its like winning the Daytona 500 in a “66 VW bug.
Well, I think a manager does have some obligation to look out for a guy’s career. I don’t think Bobby is consciously saying I don’t care what happens to Boyer’s arm–at least I hope not. Boyer’s career is just as important to him as is Jurrjens, although obviously not to the Braves organization.
You’ve also got to understand the use (atually over-use of Boyer) comes down to the fact there aren’t many in the bullpen he can trust at this time. Do you want a close game in the hands of Resop (no longer an issue) or Ring? There just aren’t many options out there right now, and he seems to be doing an excellent job until our guys get back. If the use continues when we get everyone back, then I’d say there is something wrong. But until then I don’t know if we even have a choice…
I actually love it when folks enter a medium in order to make fun of the medium. It’s so… postmodern! wun… you were my favorite postmodern member of the forum, and now you’re gone…
In other news, I’m psyched to go the two of the Milwaukee games this week. Hopefully we’re getting the Brewers at the right moment.
So far this year, on the road has never been “the right moment” for the Braves.
Lando, yep, I was referring to wun, or our periodic Mets trolls, guys who come on here, insult us, and then flee. There are more losers like that on the internet than there are species of beetle, and I have about the same regard for both those forms of life.
You’re cool by me, even if your defense of Jeff Francoeur (whom I’ve ragged on a lot) and hatred of Adam LaRoche (whom I’ve ragged on a lot) has always struck me as a bit odd.
I don’t hate Huckleberry I just wasn’t as high on him as others here were 🙂
I had a feeling his usefulness would be short-lived.
For what it’s worth, I think Wun has to have some connection to Resop, because I can’t imagine that anyone who didn’t have a personal stake would be interested in him at all. Either that, or someone whom Resop really needs to be warned about for his own safety. I suspect that Wun is the same person who wrote this on the AJC blog: “Mac: Now if we can get rid of you and your uninformative nonsense…things will be good..” after I wrote “anything to get rid of Poser.”
The plot thickens.
Maybe Wun is Resop’s agent?
when the new whippingboy emerges, we’ll see if wun comes to his defense………otherwise, hes either simply anti-mac or seriously hung up on Resop.
Mac, wanted to make sure you read my post from earlier?
I did, yes. Thanks.
Fantasy baseball question/scenario:
I currently have the #1 waiver position and someone in my league has put in a claim for Rafael Soriano. Would you waste the #1 waiver position on Soriano knowing he is still experiencing soreness. I think he might be seriously hurt, and agree it looks like Gonzalez will be the first one back of our current three bullpen guys on the DL (smoltz, soriano, and gonzalez). I have smoltz and acosta on my time currently. Should I put in a claim on Soriano?
Or maybe wun is just an idiot?!?
Wun is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do. That much we know.
hate king, no. closers are over valued in fantasy baseball anyways. Smoltz if healthy will be the closer when he returns. You should probably drop Acosta also. If you are counting on him to help your team, then you’re probably struggling. I dont think Soriano will make it through the rest of this season without having Dr Andrews knife touching his arm. If he’s having this much trouble I dont understand why they dont go in and fix it now, that’ll at least allow us to have him for part of the year next season. Maybe they cant find the problem, I dont know
I expect Soriano to be arthroscoped within the next six weeks; whether that will lead to the knife or not, I don’t know. But it’s clear that there’s something wrong and that whatever it is isn’t showing up on MRI, so Dr. Andrews is going to have to look under the hood.
I’m not desperate for saves (i have bj ryan and bobby jenks) and I was leaning toward canceling my waiver request for Soriano. Thanks, csg. I am only a game out of first in this head to head league. I have had the pleasure of dealing with Eric Gagne this year, though. So that’s been a lot of fun.
I just wish we could keep our guys healthy. This is getting a bit rediculous.
Can someone explain the Jason Shiell’s wife jokes?
Someone claiming to be Jason Shiell’s wife — and why would anyone lie about that? — posted a comment in my Player Analysis for him.
leaving in the morning for a few days in deepest, darkest alabama…. no worrying about the braves. its my version of a media deprivation tank. just watch the river flow………
I seem to keep in touch pretty well, Barry, and I hardly ever leave Alabama.
Mac, that sounds like a country song in the making… I’ve already got tears forming. Now I just need a few beers and things will proceed accordingly.
No Josh, it’s getting to be “ri-god-damn-diculous”.
Looks like that comment was for real. Morgan Shiell:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=216341249
Where do I begin? My name is Morgan Shiell; I’m 27 years old and I’m married to the greatest man in the world, Jason Shiell. I graduated from Calvary Baptist Day School and then continued on to UGA where I was a student for 3 years…but then decided to give school a rest. I moved away for a while but then was introduced to this wonderful guy by my best friend and then…boom…we clicked right away. We got married and then had a beautiful baby boy. When we’re not in Savannah, we are usually traveling around the country with various baseball teams since my husband is a professional baseball player. He has been a pitcher for the San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox (especially when they won the world series), the Atlanta Braves and most recently with the Kansas City Royals.
sorry mac……………i didnt mean to insult the great state of ‘bama. hell, i love it up there. we’re going to visit my wifes uncle who lives on the black warrior river and has(by choice) no cable or internet. its the best place i know of to hide out for a few days.
@81 Those who do all three, mraver 😛
Do you guys think Soriano’s problems may be more mental than physical? I don’t know much about MRIs… Are there often problems that they can’t pick up?
Where on the river?
mac……its about halfway between demopolis and greenville……… you turn off the hi-way at a big roadsign for lock #9 even tho the lock isnt there anymore. pretty much in the exact middle of nowhere.
Yeah… pretty much everything south of Moundville is as close to the middle of nowhere as you can get east of the Mississippi and south of Canada.
i’ll be the sweaty guy dredging the ditches for crawfish to use as catfish bait. jug fishing, which according to Zeke, is the only way to fish.
Game thread, in which I accidentally kill Sydney Pollack, is now up.
Morgan > Kotsay’s wife.
She decided to give school a “rest”? Maybe school decided to give her a rest. She sounds like a lot of the students I had as a TA at UGA.