ESPN – Braves vs. Diamondbacks – Box Score – August 09, 2008
Seriously, Arizona has to be embarrassed. I’d ask when football season starts, but hey, it’s the Cardinals. When’s basketball season? The DBacks committed four errors, saw their second baseman go down with an injury when he tried to catch a terrible throw, and generally looked like, well, the Braves.
McCann gave said Braves a 2-0 lead with a first inning homer (scoring Chipper). The ‘Backs cut it to 2-1 in the fourth, then took the lead in the fifth with two runs, the main play being an error by Escobar. But then came the sixth, when the Braves scored seven runs while Arizona looked like a group of players that had never previously met. KJ hit a two-run double past the first baseman that at minimum he should have knocked down, giving the Braves the lead; Jurrjens followed with a single, chasing Dan Haren in favor of our old pal Juan Cruz.
Cruz couldn’t have done as much to help out if he’d still been wearing a Braves uniform. He walked Blanco (who had three on the night, and was playing right field, even though he can’t throw, in place of the Out Machine) and then hit Escobar to force in a run. He rallied to strike out Chipper, but McCann singled in two on another play the fielder (this time the third baseman) probably should have made. And the third baseman then made a terrible throw to the plate that somehow Cruz wound up fielding. McCann advanced to second on the throw, and Cruz threw the ball right into his body; Orlando Hudson, trying to catch it, broke his wrist in a collision. McCann then stole third and came home on a throwing error. Really, just horrible baseball all around.
The DBacks got one run back in the bottom of the inning; Jurrjens gave up four runs, three “earned” in six innings, which isn’t too bad in that park. Carlyle pitched the next two innings. He also singled and scored in the eighth, coming in on an Escobar double; Yunel went to third on another throwing error and then wound up scoring on a sac fly. Nunez pitched the ninth, letting the first two on and then getting out of it. The last out was on batter’s interference, which just says a whole lot about the way that Arizona is playing. Which kind of stinks, because it helps the f-ing Dodgers.
Nice to see Bobby play our best 8 for a change. Blanco can’t throw but he can at least get on base.
On KJ from the last thread. I’d hate to trade him. The strength of the team is the infield offense. But I do see the point. Prado, Infante(pumpkin) and Lillibridge do represent alternatives but to Mac’s point why do you trade your 3rd best hitter when you are challenged to score runs.
We’re going to be more challenged to roll out a decent rotation next year. If it makes sense to deal KJ, meaning he can somehow help fetch a legit starter, I think about making that move.
I know that tomorrow’s mound matchup ain’t great, but, hey, as long as they’re dropping the ball all over the field, let’s sweep these clowns.
I know this sounds impossible (unless somebody already posted it, in which case it sounds redundant) but the White Sox have apparently traded a living, breathing human to the Royals for Horacio Ramirez. To “fill out” their rotation. Seriously. In a pennant race. Seriously.
There’s desperation and then there’s desperation.
Throw with left arm. Will have job.
from last thread:
ladies and gentlemen,
it looks like we finally have a productive outfield:
kotsay, blanco,and infante combine to go 5/12 with 3 walks and 2 runs scored. is there any chance in hell that this will be a wake up call?
just got home
kinda drunk
braves win
who’d a thunk
is there any chance in hell that this will be a wake up call?
So the relavation is that our best outfield consists of a utility infielder, a fourth outfielder, and a guy with a trick back? Who is that supposed to wake up?
manny manny manny manny manny manny manny manny manny manny manny manny
the cries arise
Robert,
Don’t you have a kneecap to worry about?
Horacio?
AHAHAHAHAHAH
The sad thing is that that outfield is our best one, taking the T-baller out.
yes, robert…i think that’s the perfect outfield….point being that francoeur wasnt part of the scenario.
i wasnt saying a “wake-up call” for the season, but rather a francoeur-less outfield can be productive. it should “wake up” bobby.
i guess it was too late in the night to expect people to catch vague comments.
If they would trade for HoRam, they might have given us something for Chuck James….a lost opportunity for us….
How many runs have the Braves averaged with Francoeur out of the starting lineup? I know it’s a small sample size and ultimately proves nothing–either way–but I’m curious. I mean, the season is basically over anyway.
As for the outfield… my goodness. If Infante, Kotsay, and Blanco provide only league average offense going forward, the Teixeira loss will almost be offset by that alone. THAT’s how bad the right fielder has been.
Robert,
Don’t you have a kneecap to worry about?
Bad news for Sanchez, good news for Mustain and/or Corp. The train keeps moving, one kneecap ain’t stopping it.
What an odd game, usually the DBacks don’t play like a little league team and throw it around the park like we’ve seen so many times from the Braves this year. I think Haren’s pitched good enough to win the Cy Young this year, but he didn’t have anywhere close to his good stuff tonight. I guess it is easier to score runs when you’re not giving away 4-6 outs a game between your right fielder and your pitcher.
Anyway, with KJ, he’s clearly not a problem, but just as ububba said in the last thread, there are very few unmovable options on this team. I’ll make the case that KJ is one of the few realistic options that actually has trade value. On a normal team, he hits more than enough for a 2B, but I’m not sure that he does enough to play a corner OF spot. Of course he would have been leaps and bounds better than any outfielder this season, but like I said, on a normal team, probably not enough to play a corner spot. I would think he would have more value to another team as a 2B than the Braves as a corner OF.
If the Braves want to contend in ’09, and all accounts thusfar indicate that they do, which is a whole ‘nother discussion in its own right, then somebody is going to have to get traded for starting pitching. I’m not counting on a FA signing. Who else is going to get a decent return as far as position besides KJ ?? I can’t see anybody offering much of value for anything on the major league roster besides Escobar and KJ. I’m sure maybe Gorkys, Schafer, or somebody of the like could get something decent, but somebody is going to have to play outfield eventually, so I’m not sure that’s a good idea either.
This might be a little off-topic, but watching Greg Maddux laying down a bunt single in the Padres-Rockies game today reminded me of what the Braves were truly lacking this season – a winning spirit. Greg sits at 353 wins for his career now, one behind Clemens on the all-time list. Seeing him getting two more is my goal for the rest of the season (alon with a Chipper Jones batting title, which won’t happen).
Did Maddux have the “winning spirit” when he went 12 starts without a win? This is not to denigrate Greg at all, but all “winning spirit” means is that you are playing well. Does Manny Ramirez have “winning spirit?” Baseball is not metaphysics.
Clearly, most of the players will be available for the right deal. Other than McCann, no one should be untouchable.
It’s too early in the am to say this well, but my “critical mass” theory of sports is being proven out by this unexpected showing in the desert.
A constant stream of men on base (by any means necessary) quite often leads to big innings and, oddly, primes the pump for home runs.
Point being, the walks, HBP, singles, speed on the basepaths that Blanco, Infante, (hell, even Prado) have provided have made us a far better offensive team than we were with Tex and Francouer (and Tex was hitting very well when he left).
Our pitching is pretty good when they can give up four runs and have a chance to win.
Perhaps I’m describing “the Angel Way”, but I think it might be a model for winning in the near future.
Not sure Bobby agrees, but …
Just say no to Manny.
Other than Bonds, he’s the only guy they could acquire that would end my 25-year romance with the Braves.
Just wondering … maybe the Dodgers signed Andruw so the Braves could beat Arizona. Colletti’s a genius?
$18 million is a somewhat expensive way to get the Braves to win a few games against Arizona.
The Braves don’t lack ‘spirit.’ They lack talent.
now the talk turns to signing Manny? thats a hoot. when he signed his last contract, he was the highest paid player in baeball and he might get that much again. anyway, i wont hold my breath waiting for the Braves to get in on the bidding. even tho i think he’s enough fun to watch at the plate that i wouldnt care if he played left field with a ping-pong paddle duct taped to his left hand instead of a glove.
The “Angel way” is to play in a crappy division and slug the shit out of the ball in the playoffs.
It used to be the “Braves Way”.
USA Basketball is back!
spike, maybe Braves should try part 2 of that formula next time they make the playoffs. i dont seem to recall the Braves ever hitting in the post season like the Angels did when they won it all a few yreas ago.
The ‘Angel way’ is to have a great five-man starting rotation. I’m sure there are one or two other teams out there who would like to have a great pitching staff too. Their ‘scrappy’ ways, meanwhile, have netted them the 15th best offense in the league. More potent offenses out there include powerhouses Pittsburgh and Baltimore.
Game thread is up.
Using the measure I care about—runs—the Angels are right in the middle of their league (8th) and in MLB (14th). Not great, but they’re not so bad.
And that’s a team you’ve really got to watch play to fully appreciate. They are super aggressive on the basepaths. They go first to third all the time. They start runners. They challenge outfield arms. Unlike any other team—especially one we know—they’re really good at executing all these things. A really fun team to watch.
Their pitching, especially their bullpen (they just don’t give up leads), is the main reason they’ve racked up such a record, sure, and having Tex officially makes them scary, but their approach seems to work just fine for them.
Look at Scioscia’s record while he’s been there. Look at their record this year. Can’t argue with the results, really.