ESPN – Braves vs. Astros – Box Score – September 26, 2008
In the annals of “pathetic ways to lose”, a walkoff homer by Darin Erstad is definitely up there. Not that it matters.
Campillo did not pitch well, and went only three innings, allowing four runs. But Carlyle & Company did their job in relief, keeping the game in play. Kotchman drove in two runs with a single in the fourth, and the Braves got single runs in the eighth and ninth, and suddenly it was tied. But after getting the first man in the bottom of the ninth, Tavarez gave up the homer, and that’s the game.
Chipper pinch-hit again, and walked. He has an eight-point lead in both batting average and OBP after Pujols had a big game. It would still be very difficult for Albert to catch him as long as Chipper has only one PA a game… KJ’s hitting streak was interrupted, though he did walk and had both a run scored and an RBI.
If Tavarez would have been with Atlanta all season, we may have lost fewer 1 run games (we would have lost by more than 1 run – we didn’t win any one run games anyway) and our bullpen may have had less work (extra inning games would have ended sooner). Seriously, if Wren gives him any chance at all of making the team next year, I will be upset.
It may be illogical to assume this, but I seriously doubt that Tavarez is going to make the team next year because he pitched so blowfully this year. I’ve viewed him as a filler from the first day he came to Atlanta and that’s what I’m convinced he is.
If Wren does bring him back next year, I believe it will be because someone is still hurt and can’t go. We all know that the Braves organization over the years has frowned upon “rookies” being thrust into important roles, but this year is a little different than most. This probably doesn’t need to be repeated, but I think the only reason that Tavarez is here is because of the insane amount of injuries that happened to the pen.
“Blowfully”? Don’t look now, but his ERA in 33 2/3 innings with the Braves is 4.01, ERA+ is 103. 34 K, 15 BB, 5 HR. Yes, he’s sucked, but if someone just looked at his overall numbers they might think he’s a guy who’s had a few bad breaks and has otherwise pitched well.
Funnily enough, Vladimir Nunez has almost the exact same numbers with us: 31 IP, 4.06 ERA, 102 ERA+, 23 K, 19 BB, 0 HR. And we all know how badly he’s pitched. Somehow he’s been able to get into enough games and throw scoreless frames to be able to make up the difference.
That’s the thing. We know they’re pretty sorry pitchers in general, yet they seem to space out the days when they stink.
If it really mattered — which it doesn’t — the problem with these pitchers isn’t that they’re mediocre, but that they keep being used in key situations. You need some mediocre pitchers, because nobody has twelve good ones.
Ole Miss just got screwed on a catch that got overturned.
guess it doesnt matter when you win by a blocked extra point….!! 31-30 Ole Miss