ESPN – Braves vs. Phillies – Box Score – September 23, 2008
Uh… We won? But we never beat the Phillies.
Hampton went tonight, and since he’s a deep-cover Mets operative, maybe he’s not with the program. Anyway, he went six and allowed just two runs on six hits and three walks (striking out four). Someone’s going to give the guy a major league contract this winter. It better not be Frank Wren, or I can’t be held responsible for what happens.
KJ was in the middle of most of the action. In the first, he singled in Slugging Third Baseman Martin Prado, who had doubled in front of him. In the third, he scored on a throwing error by Hamels, making the score 2-1. Kotchman hit a solo homer in the sixth to make it 3-1, and the Phillies were only able to get one more run. Ohman, Bennett, and Gonzalez finished up with no real problems — just a couple of walks.
Chipper didn’t play, and remains at .364 with a .468 OBP. Pujols is 1-2 with a walk (.348) and will hit at least once more tonight.
A one-run road win against Philadelphia? Who’da thunk it?
Me, I’ve got 7:30 Saturday night on my mind.
We need a new poll. What will Mike Hampton’s salary be next year? I say $5M.
let’s see if you can do html here…
link
So the Yankees’ playoff streak comes to an end, one year short of ours.
So I win a bet i had that the yankees would not make the playoffs. i would lose the bet if the yankees won the world series. I would have been an idiot not to take it
Catz linked that very funny story about the Phillies-Braves conspiracy goin’ on this year, and I think it has now become the first article about the Braves to hit the front page of Digg.
http://digg.com/baseball/Phillies_Braves_Conspiracy_Leaked
Warning SEC Football Alert:
Finally got to watch the UGA-ASU game from Saturday night. (Thank goodness for ESPN360.) A few things I noticed:
Georgia played a far from perfect game, but ASU wouldn’t have won this game in a million years or for a million dollars. They could’ve played it on the moon, wouldn’t have mattered. They were outmanned at nearly every significant position. Their QB/WRs combo is pretty good, but on offense they’re hopelessly one-dimensional. Their running game wouldn’t scare a Pop Warner team.
And apart from the first 2 UGA possessions, ASU got pushed around pretty badly on defense. Their DBs need to learn how to tackle—they seem to prefer grabbing the ballcarrier’s facemask.
On the negative side for the Dogs, Georgia cannot seem to kick its issue with penalties and, again, the Dogs dropped another perfect Stafford TD pass (Massaquoi this time). The reshuffled O-line was good enough, but I’d like to see some improvement on pass protection.
That said, FWIW, I saw 4 plays that should have the refs hiding their heads. One was a “tripping” call on Massaquoi (AJ Green’s big gainer on the reverse). He fell down near an ASU guy and didn’t touch him. They called 2 facemask penalties on ASU during Moreno runs, but inexplicably didn’t call 2 others.
But the worst one? ASU had 12 players on the field when it “stopped” Moreno’s end zone dive near the end. Nothing much more to say there, but…ridiculous. (I don’t know what’s up with the refs this year.)
Upsides were many, but I’ll just mention three: Matthew Stafford has a gun & his decision making was almost 100%; Rennie Curran is a total badass; and AJ Green might just be a Red & Black Randy Moss after all.
Bama up next. I promise you they’ll be better than ASU.
If my math is correct… If Chipper doesn’t go to bat again, and Pujols has 4 games left… with 4AB per game (assume a walk here and there) he needs to go 13 for 16 to beat Chipper.
The Phillies are now in good enough shape that we can actually play hard without benefitting the Mets (much). We might need to bring Dessens in tonight just to be safe, though.
I just noticed I’m tied with ububba for most comments… I’m thinking I should shut up and just watch the last few games.
Let’s go Cubs tonight. Let’s go Brew Crew.
At the very least, let’s see a WC playoff game.
(I don’t know what’s up with the refs this year.)
It really does seem to be worse this year. Especially in the SEC, although I’m guessing it wasn’t an SEC crew in Tempe.
Actually, to me, they seem to get worst pretty much every year. Is that because I forget how bad they were the year before, or because I’m wrong about how bat they are now, or because technology gets better every year and I can see the mistakes more clearly?
After all the draft fallout, according to CBR, VU has the #3 recruiting class in the country (#1 in the SEC). And that’s with only 13 recruits, compared to #1 Arizona State’s 20 and #2 Oregon’s 35.
Poor UNC didn’t even make the Top 40 after being so depleted by the draft.
Whoops, forgot to link to it.
If the Bulldogs get penalties like they have all season, they’re in trouble. Alabama had 1 penalty last week and is averaging just 4 a game vs Georgia’s 11 per game.
I’d say it’s about time for a JPW crapfest.
Georgia has to stop the running game first. Our backs aren’t really all that great, but the line’s the best in the conference.
It’s going to be a good game with the top rushing defense vs the top rushing offense. If Jessica Parker Wilson has to throw a pass more than 20 yards in the air, Bama’s screwed.
Addendum: Guys, Sean’s planning to run updates of the blog software around midday, so it’s likely there will be some down-time today.
Scratch that — Sean has already updated the software. He’s fast.
don’t worry about UNC. We already have a STACKED recruiting class for ’09
link:
http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=78&f=1412&t=1698836&p=1
Happy belated Merkle Boner anniversary, everyone.
And in celebration of Merkle, Matt Millen has finally been fired.
Similar to the one you thought you had this year, chris. I’m definitely pulling for Jacob Stallings to do big things in Chapel Hill, though. If not for Curt Casali, he’d probably our catcher for the next 3 or 4 years.
http://uga.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=854097
That second paragraph includes an all-time great.
That said, FWIW, I saw 4 plays that should have the refs hiding their heads. One was a “tripping” call on Massaquoi (AJ Green’s big gainer on the reverse). He fell down near an ASU guy and didn’t touch him. They called 2 facemask penalties on ASU during Moreno runs, but inexplicably didn’t call 2 others.
In the Pac-10 this is what we call “The Refs having a good game”. I agree that the officiating was awful, but it was sort of a Pac-10 normal awful and not an egregiously awful game like Oregon-Oklahoma a few years ago. It was also very one sided against Georgia but that was to be expected. I don’t think you guys got to experience one of our patented ‘Somehow the refs stumble into a correct call only to have it reviewed and overturned’ situation. Those are fun. Maybe in 2056.
Georgia played a far from perfect game, but ASU wouldn’t have won this game in a million years or for a million dollars. They could’ve played it on the moon, wouldn’t have mattered. They were outmanned at nearly every significant position. Their QB/WRs combo is pretty good, but on offense they’re hopelessly one-dimensional. Their running game wouldn’t scare a Pop Warner team.
With their top RB hurt it was going to be real tough, although it’s unclear how much of a difference he could have made with that o-line. They were either going to have to generate a bunch of turnovers on defense or have Rudy go crazy throwing the ball. Neither happened.
As far as UA/ UGA goes, it should be a great game. If the good JPW shows up, Bama probably wins, if not, we probably lose. It’s hard to predict what will happen, but if JPW plays like he did in most big games last year, Bama is in trouble. Bama’s O-line has definitely improved, but UGA seems to be getting better every game also.
As for the Braves, they are 11-10 this month, but 1-4 against the Phillies in Sept. With Jojo pitching tonight, it looks pretty bleak. Has he ever held the Phils to under 5 runs?
If the good JPW shows up, Bama probably wins
Wow, you Bama fans are confident.
We’re a better team than we were last year, even though JPW hasn’t played well. If he plays as well as he did against Georgia last year, we should win.
Really? In Athens?
This feels like the sort of reasoning—we almost beat you last year, and we’re better now than we were then—that led me to foolishly predict an upset over Bama last season.
Bama is a 6.5 point dog for a reason.
I like Ga and I don’t think I have my head in the clouds on this one, but judging by what I’ve seen so far, with the definite exception of Tulane, Alabama has looked better. The main reason for this is on the line of scrimmage. Alabama’s O-line has been really good and Cody has made a huge impact on the D-line. I don’t think Ga has played to their potential yet, but going only by what I’ve seen, and barring a meltdown from Wilson, I like our chances. I don’t think Alabama ever looked this good at the line of scrimmage last year. It is also helpful (especially on the road) to be the least penalized team in the SEC after playing at the Gerogia Dome and at Arkansas.
It’s an SEC game against a very good team, and yes, anything can happen.
If I were totally unbiased (which admittedly I’m not), I may give Ga a very slight edge only because it’s a home game for them. I think 6.5 points is definitely too much.
Georgia has better skill players than Alabama; Julio Jones is probably the only receiver who could start for Georgia, and I doubt any of our backs could even crack Georgia’s rotation. But Alabama’s offensive and defensive lines are better than Georgia’s. A lot better.
You’re really using the Arkansas game as any kind of measuring stick? They are one of the absolute worst teams in the SEC I’ve seen in a long time. Casey Dick gift wrapped about 3 touchdowns to Bama by himself. Also, I doubt UGA’s run defense will allow 13 yards per carry to the Bama backs.
I think 6.5 points is where the line should be.
SEC
The refs are particularly terrible this year. In fact my cousin who’s a Wake Forest grad and I could sit down and agree during that game how terrible they were and that calls were blown through out the game for both sides. Sadly it seems like the SEC doesn’t care if they’re good or not any more.
BRAVES
This may have already been discussed but apparently we have 5 of the top 20 prospects in the Sally League this year.
2. Jason Heyward, of, Rome (Braves)
10. Freddie Freeman, 1b, Rome (Braves)
13. Cole Rohrbough, lhp, Rome (Braves)
14. Jeff Locke, lhp, Rome (Braves)
20. Cody Johnson, of, Rome (Braves)
I’m not using the Arkansas game as the only measuring stick. clemson has turned out to be okay – definitely comparable to ASU – and like Mac and I have both said, we are looking at the line of scrimmage for both teams after 4 games. I think you have to say that Arkansas and South Carolina are at least comparable and Ga really struggled. I agree that Ga has better skill players, but if they don’t win the line of scrimmage, it will be difficult to show off those guys.
The weird thing about the 12-men-on-the-field play was that it got reviewed!
In an attempt to see if Moreno crossed the plane of the end zone—he was a foot short—they still didn’t notice the extra defender.
It didn’t matter, of course, but how do you miss that call?
BTW, I love this Bama matchup on Saturday. Gonna be some fun football and, yes, it’s a Blackout game.
The Replay officials are worse than the on the field officials.
It didn’t matter
Speak for yourself. I had UGA -1.5 in the second half.
Jeremy,
A little hint for you: Never bet on UGA if they’re favored, especially if favored big. I’ve been burned in Vegas on 2 occasions myself.
Unlike coaches like Spurrier, Richt will almost never try to run up the score (with his regulars) or even score that last TD.
Although he did pull Moreno once they got their last first down, I was a little surprised Stafford didn’t take a knee on the last 2 plays. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen Richt order “victory formation” when they could’ve tacked on a late TD.
It’s just not his way.
I am neutral on the Bama/ UGA game because the Vols have no interest in it or their own game against Auburn.
I would take Bama @ -6.5. Mac is right about the personel match up. The game will come down to stoping UGA’s running game and covering Georgia’s recievers deep.
If you force Stafford to make short, quick reads to the middle of the field, you can slow the Dawgs down. This is how Tennessee beat them last year and how Carolina stayed close.
Game thread is up.
I may be wrong, but it looks like the “Bama crowd” (and the stray “Volunteer” (what did they “volunteer” for? To get slaughtered in the Alamo? Anything else?) are missing some important info.
Georgia is still this year (and was last year) a young team. Certainly there is reason to believe Alabama is significantly better than last year in Tuscaloosa. However, with 5 minutes to go in the Vandy game last year, Georgia became a vastly better team. Yards and ponts for went way up. Yards and points against went way down. Moreno became the regular running back. Rennie Curran began playing regularly.
I can see where the Bama gang thinks its offensive line is better than Georgia’s. But, where do you get a defensive edge? Georgia returned almost everybody off last year’s 3 deep defensive chart (probably lost 4 that deep).
Bobo will scheme Alabama into submission. Lots of tunnel screens, shovel passes, wheel routes, flares to backs, a few deep balls and THEN come back to Knowshon, Caleb, and Richard time.
Georgia 24, Alabama 13.
However, with 5 minutes to go in the Vandy game last year, Georgia became a vastly better team.
You mean when we fumbled the game away? I’d say you became better after, not during, that game.
Jeremy,
A little hint for you: Never bet on UGA if they’re favored, especially if favored big. I’ve been burned in Vegas on 2 occasions myself.
After watching that first half I thought it was a lock. You could see the talent disparity. Of course, I damn near covered at the end when Richt ran back to back fullback dives inside the 5 yard line instead of kneeling. Oh the horror.
Anybody know for sure where that officiating crew came from?
Tripping? Leaping? I was watching a football game and “The Nutcracker” broke out …