The Braves are now a game over .500, so you can be pretty sure we’re gonna lose this one.
You likely saw this blog entry by DOB. The interesting thing is that the actual park factors for the Ted show it as basically an average ballpark this season, slightly tilted towards the hitters. The main reason for this is that Braves pitchers have given up a much higher batting average at home, outweighing the extra power on the road. Braves hitters have hit for basically the same average and on-base at home and on the road…
Today’s cartoon is dedicated to Buddy Carlyle and Jeff Bennett, and in a non-pitching context to Francoeur, who sucks.
Isn’t the rainout supposed to be on Sunday so the Braves have another nearly impossible game to reschedule?
The Weather Channel has “showers” for its Atlanta forecast from 8 PM today to 3 PM tomorrow, followed by “scattered thunderstorms”. I don’t think it’s supposed to rain the whole time, but it doesn’t look good. It’s been raining here since last night.
A really hard shower in town just finished.
Matt Diaz is our best OF. Yet he’s stuck with the short end of a platoon. Why?
Gadfly says that in 2007 there were 84 players with a lower OPS than Jeffy. However, from April 2007 – May 23,2009 which EVERYDAY player in all of baseball is worse than Jeffy? I think over 1000 PA is enough to determine that he is not going to turn it around.
I rarely post, but I’m just trying to figure who Gadfly thinks has been worse than Jeffy and why does he deserve so much patience. It’s not like he was ever a star player. One undeserving gold glove does not make you a star.
I don’t think even think a change of scenery would do him any good. He’s stubborn and not very bright, and will wind up as a bench player or in the minors for another organization.
I just don’t know how any person could possibly keep defending him.
Worst runs created/27 (I won’t use OPS, it is stupid) 2007-08, min. 1000 PA:
RUNS CREATED/GAME RC/G
1 Jason Kendall 3.54
2 Pedro Feliz 3.87
3 Khalil Greene 3.88
4 Yuniesky Betancourt 3.93
5 Melky Cabrera 3.95
6 Jose Lopez 4.07
7 A.J. Pierzynski 4.08
8 Felipe Lopez 4.16
9 Jeff Francoeur 4.29
10 Gary Matthews Jr. 4.30
Offensive winning percentage, same range and qualifier:
OWP OWP
1 Jason Kendall .344
2 Pedro Feliz .364
3 Melky Cabrera .381
4 A.J. Pierzynski .389
5 Yuniesky Betancourt .406
6 Felipe Lopez .414
7 Jeff Francoeur .417
8 Ryan Theriot .417
9 Gary Matthews Jr. .418
10 Khalil Greene .419
The other guys all play more demanding defensive positions than Jeffy, and most of them play them better. It is not unquestionable that Jeffy is the worst everyday player in baseball, but it’s a more than reasonable argument.
That being said, the worst player in the majors this year has been Brian Giles, and it’s not really close. I don’t expect that will be the case at the end of the year, because he will either improve, retire, or be benched.
From the second list, here are their OWP for 2009:
1. Kendall – .257
2. Feliz – .592
3. Cabrera – .582
4. Pierzynski – .348
5. Betancourt – .314
6. Lopez – .662
7. Francoeur – .295
8. Theriot – .565
9. Matthews – .436
10. Greene – .253
It’s a tough competition, but I have to give Kendall the edge, with Francoeur second, just edging out the shortstop tandem of Betancourt and Greene.
Edit: Point taken on Giles.
Yunescobar scratched with a strained hip flexor. Don’t know when he did it. Diory Hernandez in at short tonight.
Johnson, 2B
Kotchman, 1B
ACHE, LF
McCann, C
Prado, 3B
Francoeur, RF
Hernandez, SS
Schafer, CF
Lowe, RHP
Kendall’s ankle snapped running down the line. What’s Frenchy’s excuse?
His brain snapped around the fifth endorsement deal.
lowe better be good with that lineup.
The defensive downgrade at shortstop is not a good thing for Lowe. That’s a hit-a-game difference, probably.
Wow, that is a nasty list of mostly middle infielders and catchers. Gosh, he really sucks right now. I hate to say this, but I am starting to give up on Jeff Francoeur. I’m actually a little surprised I’ve lasted this long. With that said, I was never a supporter of Gadfly proportions.
Guess what Frenchy’s OPS is for the month of May?
Here’s a hint: it’s greater than .539 and less than .541.
Please, hit it to Kotchman.
Man, Marc Fein says ‘fisted’ just like Chip does. Lame.
He’s figured it out!
Kotchman!!!!
Casey Kotchman!
Gameday skipped right over ACHE and just gave the Braves an out.
Does this tell you anything Bobby?
I am noticing that Lowe is not missing ANY bats. I just looked back through gameday and he has one swinging strike the whole game.
I know his gameplan is to get ground balls with that sinker, but does bother anyone else?
EDIT: I love how as soon as I typed this he struck out Barajas swinging.
parish, his sinker is not working too well tonight.
And it’s starting to rain… I don’t think I’ve seen too many games where the defensive disparity is this great. I think Kotchman is the only Brave who’s as good as his counterpart.
Frenchy’s swing looked pretty good on that double…at least it looked pretty quick…keep working, otherwise you will be released!!!
Ugh, Schafer!
WOAH!!! Well dang, put Lowe in RF.
LOWE!!! Lowe will not last longer than six innings tonight…the guy has to run bases twice!
Well, I can’t berlieve Lowe picked him up.
kc- Lowe seems to have been “off” quite a bit lately.
ar…that’s exactly the quick inning that Lowe needs…Diory looks very Andres Thomas/Edgar Renteria to me…Prado’s defense at third is much better than I thought…
well, parish, that should be expected. If you look at Lowe’s career stats, he is really not an ace, but he is much better than Burnett for sure.
Ganderson’s swing is so weak…weaker than frenchy weak…
Schafer probably holds his own against whoever they’ve got in center. (is it Rios)?
That is now 12 groundouts to 2 in the air. I feel like most of the hits have been on the ground, too, even one of the doubles.
Yep – Scutaro’s double was in the air, but Rolen’s was a ground ball into Ganderson territory. One single was a line drive, but the others were grounders.
#33, Vernon Wells.
How are their other OF’s alligned?
Kelly! I should hate him more…
Tommy, just give it up.
Are we really going to run Lowe out for the 8th, or was that just an admission that we have no bench?
Wow – KJ FTW.
I think there must be something wrong with Sori…when did he last pitch?
#37, Rios in right, Lind in left.
#39, I think the feeling is that he’s gotten the last 6 quite easily and doesn’t look that tired.
only 94 pitches for Lowe? I thought he has way more than that!
Something wrong with Lowe?
Moylan with a 3-0 count. Big surprise there.
Why pull Lowe?
Why took out Lowe? Why Moylan? Why not Sori?
Thank goodness…I have absolutely no faith in Moylan now. The guy should really still be in rehab…
Okay, we’ll take that.
This is the Mets lineup today:
Murphy
Pagan
Beltran
Sheffield
Wright
Reed
Santos
Martinez
Castillo
That’s as bad as ours, if not worse.
You have to love Mac.
Sorry…Brian McCann bunt single?!?
I’m gonna go with Parish here… huh?
Can Mac teach all of them how to bunt?
That was actually his second bunt attempt of the game. His first out came on a two-out bunt.
They had that monster shift on and all Mac needed to do was bunting it past the pitcher.
What are the odds that the phrase “silencing the critics” appears in tomorrow’s AJC write-up?
Diory sucks. Frenchy is having a fine game tongiht at the plate. I will give him that.
Hey, Chipper, nice seeing you warming up, now you can return to the bench!
@48: http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/2701/asdfb.png
Does anyone else think that Jordan Schafer sorta looks like Frodo Baggins, or has that already been pointed out?
They don’t appear to be cheap hits from what I can tell on Gameday. The words “line drive” have appeared in the same sentence with “Jeff Francoeur.”
sdp, that was Ganderson!
#60 – I think he looks kinda like Zeke Spruill.
Parish, Frenchy’s hits tongiht were both solid.
Happy birthday, Mike! Make a wish and blow out the Blue Jays!
What are the odds that the phrase “silencing the critics” appears in tomorrow’s AJC write-up?
I think from the tone of that Bowman column, not very good. The FO seems to be greasing the skids to do something and it will take more than a couple of stray hits to turn it around at this point.
#61, didn’t see his first hit, but the double bounced once before it hit the wall, and the single just then almost killed the pitcher.
Yes he does and hitting .255 in AA wasn’t a good sign for “the Elf”.
Craaaaaaaaaap.
And maybe if Jeff turns it around a little he’ll be easier to deal.
Damn you, Gonzo.
Come on, Gonzo is getting squeezed man. He got Rolen out twice.
Come on, Gonzo!
Parish,
I don’t know, but these look pretty similar-
http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2008/04/11/amd_schafer.jpg
http://mr-frodo.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/.pond/frodo_sweet.jpg.w300h456.jpg
Crap crap crap.
Update: Crap crap crap crap.
Unreal
Gonzo was really getting squeezed. The pitch to Overbay was too hittable for a 2-1 pitch.
Here’s Sori!
Nothing is ever easy around here.
Soriano is so damn dominant.
Soriano!
Whew.
Nice!
That’s a closer.
Phew… Thank you, Sori.
Soriano!
That’s a real man’s save. I don’t even mind the statistic here.
Whew!
Guys, don’t make it so exciting next time!
It appears the Mets have just been given a home run and the lead in the 9th by instant replay.
Papelbon blows the save for Boston, allowing a 2 run home run to Omir Santos.
Phillies lost.
Shoulda pumped his fist a few more times, I guess
Recap is up.