ESPN – Mets vs. Braves – Box Score – September 21, 2008
Stop me if you’ve heard this one: HA-HA!!!
In each of the first two innings, the Mets scored two runs while the Braves scored one, and it stayed 4-2 for some time. Klinger Parr has gone from a 0.00 ERA to useless in record time. He was lifted with two out in the second, having allowed four runs on four walks and four hits, and threw more balls than strikes. Carlyle finished the inning and it was up to the bullpen from there. They did a good job this time.
The hitting star was Jeffy, who had two doubles and a triple. The triple was the big blow, bringing in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning. Slugging Third Baseman Martin Prado also had a big day, with three hits, and hit a two-run double later in the inning to make it 7-4. They needed the extra runs, as Gonzalez allowed a two-run homer to Lazarus in the ninth. On the other hand, he struck out the side. No halfway measures with this guy. Jorge Julio got the win. (I can’t just call him “Julio”, it seems wrong somehow.)
Chipper was available to pinch-hit, and did, but was intentionally walked. Pujols was 0-3 and was switched out of the game late; he may have an injury. At any event, Chipper now leads the batting race by thirteen points and the OBP race by fourteen.
Things definitely look good for Chipper winning the batting title after Pujols continued in his slump today. It would be hard for someone to say that Chipper’s title would be tainted because Chipper is always playing hurt and doesn’t need to risk injury this late in the year. It just so happens that this rest is doing two things by helping him recover from another season of bangs and bruises and maintaining his lead on the batting title race. The scenarios are: Pujols would need 11 straight hits to pass Chipper assuming that Chipper stays exactly where he is or he would need to go on a 17 for 28 tear in the Cards final 7 games (assuming 4 abs per game). If Pujols is indeed hurt then the point is moot. It looks like our guy finally won something he’s been after for quite some time.
Nasa from France asked how well Frenchy had hit since the Braves were eliminated.
The Braves were mathematically eliminated on September 9. Counting the Braves’ game that day, Francoeur has had 50 plate appearances in 12 games. In those games he’s gone 15-47 with 4 doubles, 1 triple, and 3 walks (319/ 360/ 447) with 6 runs and 4 RBI. He’s struck out 7 times and hit into 1 DP. Nothing very special, but that’s still as well as he’s hit all year.
Ben, shh — don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.
Brian, in other words, that’s basically just a little bit worse than how Matt Diaz hit over the last two years…
Do any of you guys seriously think Carlos Delgado’s on the juice? I mean he look finished earlier this year. What gives?
Stupid Brewers…ruining our fun at ruining the Mets’ post-season…
Probably a combination of not liking Willie Randolph and recovering from all the injuries he’s had.
Shame we don’t get to play the Brewers one more time.
Delgado was tanking it because he hated Randolph.
I dunno about all that. I mean, Delgado’s having a nice year, but it’s not all that great. Lotsa homers and RBIs, but he’s just hitting .270, and this season’s really no better or worse than he was in 2006. 2007 may have been an anomaly or it may not have been, but it’s not like he’s close to the hitter he was in his late 20s. His OPS+ this year is still below his career average.
Ben, I didn’t say the batting title would be tainted if Chipper is hurt and can’t play every day — I said it would be tainted if he sat on it despite being healthy, which is how I read your comment the other day. Apologies if I misunderstood.
What are his stats since the Randolph firing though?
Can we claim the road to the NL East title is still through Atlanta.
Mets 1-8, Phillies 9-0 at Turner Field.
NickC,
Talk about a stark contrast. The Mets still hate it at Turner. I guess we can take that as a good thing. 🙂
Another Alex R.,
It’s hard not to see the writing on the wall when I look at Chipper leading the batting title race. It was the only think to look forward to after late May or early June when I decided that they were out of it.
Sansho1,
Even if Chipper could potentially go out there, it would hard to say whether he is truly “healthy” or not. I am of the opinion that Chipper hasn’t been healthy for quite some time, maybe 5 years or so (could be more). I hear what you are saying loud and clear about the record being tainted, but there again, Chipper can get hurt walking to the on-deck circle so we can only speculate as to what he’s really feeling like and if he could really be putting in 3 or 4 abs a game to fight on rather than relying on Pujols to keep screwing the pooch.
Carlos Delgado, pre-Willie firing: .242/.321/.407
Carlos Delgado, post-Willie firing: .284/.368/.591
New York Mets lineup, pre-Willie firing: .257/.333/.395
New York Mets lineup, post-Willie firing: .276/.345/.447
Either it’s luck of they were tanking to get their manager fired. I’m guessing it was the former. But if it’s the latter, Mets fans should be concerned. As a Braves fan, however, I’m simply gonna enjoy their inevitable demise.
It’s probably a coincidence.
I saw the Brew Crew play at Cincinnati yesterday. Fielder yanked a ball out on his first at bat. Then he doubled in two runs a few innings later. He can rake.
I also saw Mike Cameron strike out 4 times. But he led off!? Craig Counsell batted second and looks just as bad in person as on television.
Loathing the Mets as I do, I hoped this team would snatch the Wild Card from them. But the Brewers, except for Prince, don’t have much life.
Yeah–I am pullilng for the Brewers as well–but I can hardly see that it helped them to yank Yost. There must be some nasty dynamics in the Brewer clubhouse….
Beware of Frenchy. This little “surge” is almost certainly going to keep him in RF next year. I can just hear Bobby talking about much better Frenchy has looked this month. Never mind that he has a total of 30 home runs in two years. Apparently, he is going to work with a personal hitting instructor during the offseason. I just hope it’s Chipper or McCann’s father.
I feel like all this baseball talk is distracting from the fact that Vanderbilt is 4-0 and ranked in both polls. Let’s stay focused, people.
yes and Bama is undeafeted (at least until Sat) and Les Miles is still a lucky idiot, but hey, Auburn lost!!
I’m praying this little hot streak he’s on writes his ticket to KC.
Who’s going to trade Jeffy? The GM tried to demote him and couldn’t get away with it.
Stu, this CF thing hasn’t really worked out like I hoped it would, but I’m pretty happy for Vandy.
Les Miles makes his own luck. I’m not upset that he isn’t coaching Michigan, because I’m not sure he’s actually a very good coach, but when so many coaches are conservative and lame its fun to watch a game where the coach has balls and plays recklessly. I think Lesticles is the word being used to describe it.
Too many coaches play to not lose, or not get blamed for losing. Miles, to his credit, doesn’t do that.
I’m also really happy for Vandy. You gotta’ admit that Ole Miss fumbling just b/f the goal line was lucky, but it’s nice to see the ball bounce Vandy’s way for a change.
I don’t think Francouer’s improvement in September will make much of a difference in the long run. I think that we’ll either look to trade him in the offseason or we’ll give him another chance until the All Star break to sink or swim (most likely option 2).
As much as most of you hate to hear it, I still think Atl’s best case scenario is for Francoeur to return to his 2007 hitting with a little more power and a few more walks. Anything else will result in us spending too much money on RF when we should be spending it on starting pitching and LF.
I would rather us have a competitive but average 2009 in hopes of a great 2010 than to literally “sell the farm” and place all of our hopes on 2009. I would much rather keep Heyward, Hanson, Freeman, and Schafer and count on them for 2010 than trade any of them for a “proven veteran” with the elevated injury risks and costs.
we better keep Heyward, Hanson, Freeman and Schafer. If we trade ANY of those kids this offseason, I am officially a Rays fan.
I would add Flowers to that list as well. The Braves need at least 3 starters, a RF and LF and I think to be realistic means to recognize that it might not be possible to acquire these players over one winter….Wren certainly has his work cut out for him…
td, to be fair Vandy did hand the Rebs their first TD on a fumble return. I figured we were destined to lose at that point. Vandy cannot spot 10 to too many teams and still leave with a “W.”
My position on the Braves off-season is unchanged: just don’t do anything stupid. No big trades for a guy two years away from being a FA, no huge long-term deals for players who will be past their prime by 2011. If you can get Sheets, fine, do it. But don’t break the bank on a 35+ guy who you’re just hoping will be able to hold things together. Lowe=bad move. Get Hampton to sign a cheap, one-year deal.
Just make sure there’s payroll flexibility come 2010 once we have a better idea of how Schafer and Hanson will fit in to the starting lineup and what Heyward’s ETA looks like.
At this point I’d love to talk about anything other than the Vandy Ole Miss game. The Atlanta Braves 2008 season is more inspiring.
mraver – I agree fully! Signing top FA’s to incentive-laden deals = good. Trading prospects for expensive injury risks = bad!!!
You gotta’ admit that Ole Miss fumbling just b/f the goal line was lucky, but it’s nice to see the ball bounce Vandy’s way for a change.
Well, it’s not like McCluster was untouched and just let go of the ball—Marve ripped it loose. But, yeah, we’re actually getting the breaks this year, which is a welcome change.
The luck wasn’t the McCluster fumble it was that if you watch the replays with the help of DVR you can see clearly that he was down on the two and the fumble occurred when he bounced back up.
Its not like it matter thought. When your quarterback has such a melt down that Ryan Leaf laughs watching the game you don’t deserve to win anything. This was pay back for the 2006 game where Vandy completely dominated but lost because of turnovers. Vanderbilt did a better job of protecting the football and deserved to win.
Game thread is up.