Now I know why UT fans are calling Kiffin a “great” hire.
Smitty
on June 8, 2009 at 2:53 pm
@5
LOL.
Tony
on June 8, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Continuing from the previous thread…Maddux and his $*#@)# after he missed a pitch was classic. Come to find out from a Cubs broadcast last week, the reason why he was so pissed is b/c when he missed a pitch, it messed up his sequence of pitches.
hankonly
on June 8, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Do y’all realize the Rockies have a better record than the Braves?
Is it too much to ask for a 10-game winning streak? Five? Three?
cliff
on June 8, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Tony at 7,
Much in the spirit of Einstein disputing quantum mechanics because God didn’t play dice or Koeppler fighting to make the universe orderly with ellipses, rather than pure circles.
Is not good to mess with little Jobu.
cliff
on June 8, 2009 at 3:03 pm
The Pirates and the candlelight vigil kind of reminds me of the guys sitting in front of the computer wearing bras on their heads in Weird Science. I guess because when I think of their vigil I think “Weird.”
Nick
on June 8, 2009 at 3:07 pm
A candlelight vigil? Really? Did he die? Did his plane go down behind enemy lines? I mean, for the love of God! Get a grip, Pirates! Is it just possible that someone in the organization might think they’re better with McCutchen than McLouth? I think it’s possible, and I do not follow the Pirates in the least. Sheesh!
c. shorter
on June 8, 2009 at 3:09 pm
4 — Law basically said what we know… even with McLouth, the OF gives too little production.
cliff
on June 8, 2009 at 3:14 pm
What do you guys think we could possibly get to help outfield?
Willingham, Ross, Spillborghs (although I don’t think I want him) Maybe an Indian (Choo would be good). Who else? One of the Duncan boys? Ankiel?
What is doable for us to give up? Medlen? Obviously Jo Jo. Who else?
cliff
on June 8, 2009 at 3:16 pm
I still think the Red Sox could make a move for Barbaro, but we need to let him get some ML at bats first.
But, I don’t think they have outfielders to give. (Somebody on here identified one at AAA that had pretty good numbers that the Sox didn’t seem so high on).
Ethan
on June 8, 2009 at 3:35 pm
@13
Put me strongly down as against trading Medlen. Starting pitching depth is essential, and with the Glavine release and the Morton trade, we’ve lost a lot of it.
You never know when injuries’ll happen and Medlen is an invaluable security blanket against that.
As far as a trade goes, I’d be down with maybe JoJo and Acosta for Willingham, trading Frenchy for a bucket of baseballs, and then standing pat.
Either that’ll make the team good enough to compete, or the simple fact is that we probably won’t be until Heyward/Freeman/Schafer 2.0 arrives. In any case, I don’t really see the team making another move outside the Willingham type
Nick
on June 8, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Oh yes….I bet loads of people will be lining up around the block to get their hands on Manny Acosta. I’m pretty sure we’re not going to be able to give up the two most useless non-Francoeur players on our team and get Josh Willingham.
cliff
on June 8, 2009 at 3:42 pm
I really wish we could draft Ackley. He sounds like just what this team needs. Otherwise, we just need to pile up some position prospects without totally ignoring pitching.
Timo
on June 8, 2009 at 3:43 pm
Wow… Did anyone notice the following surprising fact about Kenshin:
Kawakami has not given up more than three earned runs in six straight starts.
Ethan
on June 8, 2009 at 3:45 pm
@16
What did the Yankees give up for Nick Swisher?
What did Washington give up to get Willingham in the first place?
There is always value in young lefty starters who consistently throw in the 90’s (regardless of their initial struggles) especially for a cheaply acquired, oft injured, superfluous part in an already overcrowded outfield.
I have no idea if JoJo and Acosta would be enough to get a deal done, but I would not at all be surprised if that was all it took.
cliff
on June 8, 2009 at 3:48 pm
The Braves had an MiLB minor league player of the week. A POSITION player at GWINETT.
cliff
on June 8, 2009 at 3:48 pm
The Braves had an MiLB minor league player of the week. A POSITION player at GWINNETT.
Not only that, it was WES TIMMONS. I haven’t heard anything good about him in 3 years.
(sorry, I thought I was editing the first post)
mraver
on June 8, 2009 at 4:05 pm
Really, what we should be rooting for is 1) Schafer getting it together in AAA and coming back to post a league-average line for a CF (eg, maybe cut his K-rate to like 30%; I’m not asking too much here), GA hitting .300 the rest of the way with a modicum of power and patience (so a line like .300/.320/.420), and 3) Frenchy to leave so that McLouth can take over in RF.
If all of those things happen, it’ll still be a weak unit, but it won’t be so bad as to overwhelm the good work being done by the pitchers and the infield. Really, replacement-level production for 2/3 of the OF and above-average production from the other spot would be a major upgrade.
csg
on June 8, 2009 at 4:16 pm
I can pretty much guarantee you that the Red Sox arent going to have interest in Canizares. They have an unlimited payroll and they will get a top tier player if they make a move.
#8
Although they just swept 4 from the Cards in St. Louis, the Rockies have only zoomed to 25-32.
The Braves keep splashing around .500—we’re 27-28.
Stu
on June 8, 2009 at 4:22 pm
But what if we sweeten the pot with Jeff Francoeur???
cliff
on June 8, 2009 at 4:33 pm
csg,
The Red Sox don’t wnat to pull the plug on Papi yet. They don’t have an unlimited payroll.
Canizares has no major league service time and 3 option years. He is 30 or so. Even if he is great he can’t cost them more than about 30 million over 6 2/3 years. If he isn’t great, they can cut him. It isn’t crazy.
Barbaro is on the League Notebook on the IL at MiLB.com. I thought he had been platooned against righthanders a good bit, but that isn’t so. He is second in the league in hits. he is at .390 obp and .600 slg. That is a middle of the order HOSS.
Mike N.
on June 8, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Latest update from the All Star Balloting, McCann moving up, hes second in voting for catcher behind Yadier Molina. Chipper behind Wright and Zimmerman. And Jimmy Rollins is leading all shortstops…
csg
on June 8, 2009 at 4:38 pm
1. McLouth
2. Escobar
3. Chipper
4. McCann
5. Anderson
6. Francoeur
7. Prado, 1B
8. Johnson
9. Kawakami
more Frenchy and no Diaz, unreal
Joshua
on June 8, 2009 at 4:45 pm
@27 – And Rollins is playing like crap.
Dan
on June 8, 2009 at 5:02 pm
I’m done talking about Fr*nc***r. It is starting to feel like an eternal curse on the Braves from some divine force to even out the goodness of the run of division titles….or McCann. The Braves haven’t won squat since Fr*nc***r became the everyday right fielder for a full season in 2006.
Ron E.
on June 8, 2009 at 5:32 pm
#28 – even more unreal is Frenchy hitting 6th. Wake up, Bobby! It’s not 2006 anymore!
Tiger224
on June 8, 2009 at 6:09 pm
Ron Gant still looks like he might could play…maybe a comeback bid?
He could meet Frenchy’s production with one arm tied behind his back…we’d just have to keep him off dirtbikes.
NickC
on June 8, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Has Zach Duke switched to pitching right handed?
Why else would Anderson start over Diaz?
Frank
on June 8, 2009 at 6:23 pm
b/c Cox is senile–he’s been doing this cr@p all season even though Diaz is the one decent OF on the team
Chipper on fire again!
edit–powell’s wrong about the last three pa being homers–the last pa yesterday was an intentional walk
Today I wrote today a sentence that said something like this for the book I’m writing on player valuation.
“The Braves use of Francoeur over Diaz in 2007 cost the Braves nearly $2 million in performance value.”
sansho1
on June 8, 2009 at 6:38 pm
So much for that conspiracy….
ryan c
on June 8, 2009 at 6:42 pm
mlbtraderumors has a new post up about boston looking for a new shortstop. they say there’s a “mystery shortstop” from the braves. i hope it’s diory hernandez. could we get anything for francoeur and diory?
oldtimer?
on June 8, 2009 at 6:43 pm
No, we couldn’t, but that is not a bad thing if they take him from us.
smitty
on June 8, 2009 at 6:47 pm
I wonder if it is Escobar or Infante when he gets back. I couldn’t imagine Hernandez would get us much.
Frank
on June 8, 2009 at 6:49 pm
Infante is more likely than Hernandez–no way the Sox want someone with 10 games of ML experience to be thrown into their fishbowl.
I’m also skeptical b/c the Sox don’t really match up with surplus OF.
Parish
on June 8, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Hello everyone. Just tuning in.
Wow, Chipper is on a tear!
bandit31312
on June 8, 2009 at 6:56 pm
what would the braves get bck for yunel and failcour? green and drew?
ryan c
on June 8, 2009 at 6:58 pm
ummmm…that would be the worst trade in history.
bandit31312
on June 8, 2009 at 6:59 pm
lol didnt say it wouldnt be
hankonly
on June 8, 2009 at 6:59 pm
Aack! Misread the ESPN crawl. Rockies are actually worse than us – that’s a relief. What a drag it is getting old.
Dixie Surrender Monkeys – still chuckling.
Frank
on June 8, 2009 at 7:00 pm
Here’s a tidbit I noticed in the Braves museum before yesterday’s game–it’s been over 7 years and nearly 200 homers since Chipper had a grand slam. I think it’s probably a reflection of two factors–random chance and hitting in the three hole (only 2 hitters ahead of him in the first, 3 batters after the pitcher in others).
At the ballpark they used to put the third K backwards. The first time I noticed on Sunday Hanson already had 4 Ks and they were all faced forwards. I’ll bet they still don’t show just 3, though. Probably skip from 2 to 4.
Here’s a trivia question free for the Braves to use.
Since 2006, which outfielder has made more outs than Jeff Francoeur?
Answer: It’s a trick question! No outfielder has made more outs than Jeff Francoeur, and only a couple of middle-infielder leadoff hitters have!
Tony
on June 8, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Has Bob Walk ever liked the Braves? He has been ripping the Braves all game. “Glavine and Maddux were helped by the wide strike zone”, “it’s very noticeable to look at the flags and see only one World Series flag”, …I know he has issues with the Braves, but let it go dude.
Askia
on June 8, 2009 at 7:45 pm
wow mccutcheon has speed
Hanan
on June 8, 2009 at 7:45 pm
I seem to remember attending a Braves-giants game, c.1982, when Bob Walk was significantly outpitched by something called “Fred Breining”.
The best baserunner in the game bookended by the two worst.
SkipLives
on June 8, 2009 at 8:00 pm
A Yunel.
ryan c
on June 8, 2009 at 8:01 pm
tony…they play different positions…
yunel’s iq has got to be in the teens.
it sure is refreshing to see stolen bases again.
Tony
on June 8, 2009 at 8:01 pm
It has to be the hair….get rid of that sh*t.
Our New Insect Overlords
on June 8, 2009 at 8:02 pm
This team’s margin for error is too narrow to continue to do the little things wrong and be able to succeed.
With that said, Cox ought to cancel batting practice tomorrow and spend the time on remedial baserunning. Go the Casey Stengel route and explain where the bases are. That would be less embarrassing than tonight’s basepath display.
sansho1
on June 8, 2009 at 8:02 pm
By the way, for those not watching the game, Sciambi said McLouth was 180 for 181 in stolen bases in high school, and has only been caught stealing by a catcher once in his major league career.
Joshua
on June 8, 2009 at 8:02 pm
How many times can Yunel run into an idiotic out on the basepaths and not get punished for it. I mean it, bench the guy (and I know it will kill our offense). But really, he needs to know that he can’t do that crap.
Lord. Another baserunning error with Chipper at the plate. Sigh. Yunel, you need to quit eating paint chips.
oldtimer?
on June 8, 2009 at 8:03 pm
Ecobar is an idiot.
Rob Cope
on June 8, 2009 at 8:03 pm
When I become a coach, I’m going to use half of my yearly budget to pay Nate McLouth to come and do a clinic on playing the outfield and stealing bases for my team. That guy will be worth every freakin’ penny.
Rob Cope
on June 8, 2009 at 8:04 pm
I think Yunel lived under power lines as a kid.
sansho1
on June 8, 2009 at 8:05 pm
And on top of nuclear waste.
Tony
on June 8, 2009 at 8:05 pm
Maybe the translator is too soft on Escobar. They a need Eddie Perez or a Ozzie Guillen type to really lay into his azz.
Tony
on June 8, 2009 at 8:06 pm
Batista is the new champion? Geez he can barely move.
SkipLives
on June 8, 2009 at 8:07 pm
@109: sucking on toys from China.
sansho1
on June 8, 2009 at 8:08 pm
That would have been a season-long highlight catch by Prado. Except he didn’t make it. So never mind.
Stu
on June 8, 2009 at 8:09 pm
Can someone describe the Yunel?
sdp
on June 8, 2009 at 8:10 pm
Moylan is awful.
urlhix
on June 8, 2009 at 8:11 pm
Crap.
Tony
on June 8, 2009 at 8:11 pm
Sigh….
Our New Insect Overlords
on June 8, 2009 at 8:11 pm
K2 ought to choke Moylan in the dugout. And because Diaz overslid and Yunel was caught off the bag, we lost our chance for the insurance runs that were desperately needed. Can’t do the little things wrong, guys. You’re not good enough to get away with it.
Jon K
on June 8, 2009 at 8:12 pm
nice angle on that fly ball tardface… do they keep francoeur in there to just make our lives miserable? he’s totally worthless as a player
Mike N.
on June 8, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Haha, I change the channel to watch Texas-TCU for like 5 minutes, come back and its tied. What the hell.
I don’t know why with a bunch of lefties due Bobby sent Moylan out instead of O’Flaherty. I certainly would have brought him in once it got to second and third.
oldtimer?
on June 8, 2009 at 8:14 pm
What the hell, i turned away for a couple minutes.
Moylan should be in AAA with Frenchy and KJ.
sansho1
on June 8, 2009 at 8:14 pm
McLouth on second, Yunel singles to center, the throw from CF gets cut off and Yunel is predictably caught off first base.
Well, this has degenerated quickly.
Tony
on June 8, 2009 at 8:14 pm
As much as I want to blame Francouer, Moylan threw softball pitches up there…he maybe done. I like this McClutheon kid.
One day, I will discover why people keep wanting to put an “L” in the middle of “McCutcheon”, and “McCutchen”.
— McCutcheon A. Thomason
mraver
on June 8, 2009 at 8:17 pm
Moylan looked good in the last few outings. And frankly, that first “hit” should’ve been an E5.
ryan c
on June 8, 2009 at 8:19 pm
moylan has looked pretty good lately. in all fairness, the play that was deemed a “hit” to chipper should have been a routine play. chipper threw sidearm and falling, on a ball he could have easily planted and thrown the catcher out by 2 steps. that changes the whole inning.
Tony
on June 8, 2009 at 8:19 pm
“One day, I will discover why people keep wanting to put an “L” in the middle of “McCutcheon”, and “McCutchen”.
– McCutcheon A. Thomason
Answer:
B/c McCutheon was McClutheon
braves14
on June 8, 2009 at 8:19 pm
But it makes no logical sense to bring in a sidearming right-hander to pitch to left-handers.
You know, with the go-ahead run on third and two out, you better bring in the guy they’re hitting .320 against.
Tony
on June 8, 2009 at 8:21 pm
You are right Ryan, I actually turned to start watching wrestling, forgot about the Chipper error. But when I did turned back to the game, I saw two softball tosses to Hinske and the Irishman.
marspr
on June 8, 2009 at 8:23 pm
Luckily, they are now batting .317 versus him…
Our New Insect Overlords
on June 8, 2009 at 8:23 pm
Bobby’s treating Medlen like James Parr. Real useful for a guy you’d like to develop into a starter.
I guess Chipper can’t get a hit every time he comes to bat, but that is pretty much what we need.
mraver
on June 8, 2009 at 8:26 pm
I just really hope Cox leaves Bennett out there to face a few batters (assuming his spot doesn’t come up in the lineup). We’re already used 3 guys, and we don’t need to stretch it too far given the tie game.
braves14
on June 8, 2009 at 8:26 pm
Hibernation Mode!
There’s no way we’re not losing this game.
ryan c
on June 8, 2009 at 8:27 pm
here comes a runner stranded…
Tony
on June 8, 2009 at 8:27 pm
2run HR Francouer…..to right center.
ryan c
on June 8, 2009 at 8:30 pm
francoeur had 5 pitches thrown at him, none of which were strikes. seriously frank…bobby…js…who the hell ever, get him off the field.
Parish
on June 8, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Frenchy saw 4 pitches in that at bat.
Gadfly, can we consider this a conclusive improvement to his 2008 level?
Jeremy
on June 8, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Well, Moylan did give up a double to Wilson and a triple to McCutchen — both are right-handed. So let’s not blame this all on Bobby. Moylan was pretty awful.
Tony
on June 8, 2009 at 8:31 pm
well at least he hit it to right…
sansho1
on June 8, 2009 at 8:33 pm
He’s saving Medlen for a possible multi-inning stint in extra innings. Duh. Boy, when some of y’all get a meme going….
Dan
on June 8, 2009 at 8:33 pm
Well at least Anderson cleared the right fielder for the bottom of the eighth.
ryan c
on June 8, 2009 at 8:34 pm
@138
hibernation mode? really? 1 inning without scoring.
braves14
on June 8, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Just wait.
Tony
on June 8, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Gonzalez vs the Yankees, Red Sox or even the Orioles just doesn’t put my stomach at ease.
ryan c
on June 8, 2009 at 8:43 pm
john francoeur has now left 12 men on base in 6 june games.
Parish
on June 8, 2009 at 8:43 pm
KJ and Ganderson are not helping our case against Francoeur.
Tony
on June 8, 2009 at 8:46 pm
I thought Diaz was slow…Norton just showed me what slow really is….
mraver
on June 8, 2009 at 8:46 pm
My god, Greg Norton is slow.
Parish
on June 8, 2009 at 8:46 pm
As someone who is slow and old, I take offense and think your comment should be deleted.
ryan c
on June 8, 2009 at 8:47 pm
diaz isnt slow at all, tony…where is your head tonight?
Tony
on June 8, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Parish, is that better.
ryan c
on June 8, 2009 at 8:52 pm
let’s win it here…
Parish
on June 8, 2009 at 8:52 pm
It’s okay, Tony. I am putting it on my resume:
Slow and old – could play for the Braves!
Tony
on June 8, 2009 at 8:52 pm
Ryan when you say Diaz isn’t slow at all, you make it seems like he’s fast. Which he isn’t. He may be Braves fast, but in reality he really isn’t.
C’mon Joe and John? How could you not know about Adam Jones of the Orioles?
Parish
on June 8, 2009 at 8:54 pm
Nate can cure them of the candlelight vigils right here.
I seriously would consider pitching around Chipper, McCann and Ganderson here and just going after Janis Francoeur.
ryan c
on June 8, 2009 at 8:58 pm
@159
still, it’s a weird comparison. and i would be willing to bet that diaz is the 5th or 6th fastest player on the team, including medlen and jurrjens.
Our New Insect Overlords
on June 8, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Our best chance to win probably just died at the warning track.
ryan c
on June 8, 2009 at 8:59 pm
shitters…
Mike N.
on June 8, 2009 at 9:05 pm
Did Adam Laroche just steal second?
Our New Insect Overlords
on June 8, 2009 at 9:05 pm
You know you’re slow to the plate when Adam LaRoche steals a bag standing up.
Parish
on June 8, 2009 at 9:06 pm
166 – That cannot be right.
Randy
on June 8, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Laroche just stole a base?
Mike N.
on June 8, 2009 at 9:08 pm
Really easily, too.
Tony
on June 8, 2009 at 9:08 pm
I need to quit changing the channel. Adam Anderson is at 2nd? How?
mraver
on June 8, 2009 at 9:08 pm
WTF. Why are we just giving away bases?!
Our New Insect Overlords
on June 8, 2009 at 9:09 pm
If LaRoche steals a base in the top of an inning and Frenchy walks in the bottom, I’ll know the world is ending.
ryan c
on June 8, 2009 at 9:12 pm
prediction: john francoeur will get out. any takers?
mraver
on June 8, 2009 at 9:12 pm
Heh. Guess Soriano just figured he wasn’t going to let another ball in play, so it didn’t matter. 🙂
sdp
on June 8, 2009 at 9:13 pm
Just the THIRD stolen base of ADD’s career.
Parish
on June 8, 2009 at 9:14 pm
Oh well, I guess we could get another chance to score if we can last a couple more innings.
Our New Insect Overlords
on June 8, 2009 at 9:14 pm
@175: No, he’ll get TWO outs.
Frank
on June 8, 2009 at 9:15 pm
175–you won’t get any takers unless you make it more specific–strikeout or dribbler to the pitcher or dp grounder etc.
ryan c
on June 8, 2009 at 9:15 pm
prediction: john francoeur will add to his 12 runners stranded in the month of june.
Tony
on June 8, 2009 at 9:15 pm
Remember when the tomahawk chop was cool….back in 1991?
Parish
on June 8, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Do you get credit for a runner stranded if you erase them in a double play
That’s one possible strategy for Francoeur here.
mraver
on June 8, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Joe and Boog are talking about how all we’ve seen tonight is LH pitchers, and I’m sitting here thinking, “And all Matt Diaz has gotten is one PH at-bat.”
Tony
on June 8, 2009 at 9:18 pm
Damn wtf?
Tony
on June 8, 2009 at 9:20 pm
That’s what the idiot pitcher gets…
RJ in KS
on June 8, 2009 at 9:21 pm
How’d we get a guy on? MLB.tv never came back after the double switch
Nevermind. it just came back with That Guy getting walked.
Parish
on June 8, 2009 at 9:21 pm
Maybe they think Jeff will swing at one of those pickoff attempts.
sansho1
on June 8, 2009 at 9:22 pm
I didn’t think it possible, but this pitcher appears to be even more of a basket case than Francoeur.
mraver,
Someone on AJC pointed out that the reason Diaz may be sitting is because he got hit on the hand the other day. I don’t know. I really HOPE that’s Bobby’s reason.
My computer must be broken. It says that the Pirates intentionally walked Frenchy.
ryan c
on June 8, 2009 at 9:24 pm
well, that would have never been predicted…the pirates must have lost their booty.
Parish
on June 8, 2009 at 9:25 pm
Come on Marvelous Martin! Take one for the team!
trace
on June 8, 2009 at 9:25 pm
FML
Frank
on June 8, 2009 at 9:25 pm
Intentionally walking Francoeur (maybe, but only maybe, with the exception of his hitting in front of the pitcher) should be grounds for immediate termination of a manager. It is incontrovertable evidence that the manager is a complete moron.
edit–How many innings does this game have to go before we see Medlen? Just asking–I think Acosta makes more sense than Medlen at the moment.
Our New Insect Overlords
on June 8, 2009 at 9:27 pm
213,
False. .229/.270/.386 line this season. Diaz and McLouth are better than that. 3rd best? Maybe.
Parish
on June 8, 2009 at 9:34 pm
By the way, McCutch’n is awesome.
Grst
on June 8, 2009 at 9:34 pm
Game over if ACHE was in LF.
mraver
on June 8, 2009 at 9:34 pm
Nice relay by Escobar.
jj3bagger
on June 8, 2009 at 9:35 pm
Mac, I was trying to make a point that just about any other outfielder in the league would immediately become the second best outfielder on the Braves.
ryan c
on June 8, 2009 at 9:36 pm
good kelly and bad kelly have been alternating more frequently.
Acosta hitting…… Didn’t he get injured during an at-bat in that marathon Houston game last season?
Tony
on June 8, 2009 at 9:38 pm
earth to KJ.
mraver
on June 8, 2009 at 9:38 pm
I’m really starting to sour on KJ. His “hot streak” lasted about 3 days and now he’s right back in a funk. And there, he took the two hitable pitches and flailed at the one too far outside. Weaksauce.
ryan c
on June 8, 2009 at 9:38 pm
that outside call is getting awfully wide.
Tony
on June 8, 2009 at 9:40 pm
Hold them top of the 12th. We should win this in the bttm half.
Ethan
on June 8, 2009 at 9:41 pm
In Acosta, I think that we’ve found the one person who looks worse at the plate than Frenchy.
mraver
on June 8, 2009 at 9:42 pm
On the other hand, Chavez was lookin pretty sharp out there.
Joe Simpson reminds us that Freddy Sanchez won a batting title about once every 3 innings.
drewdat
on June 8, 2009 at 9:45 pm
I wonder if KJ (or TP) has tried to change his approach and it just isn’t working. Seems like he had said something earlier about not taking as many strike threes.
Parish
on June 8, 2009 at 9:52 pm
And we got Chavez out of there. All a part of the grand plan.
Stephen in the UAE
on June 8, 2009 at 9:53 pm
I am just getting up and now joining the game….I wonder if we will finally get to see Medlen….
mraver
on June 8, 2009 at 9:53 pm
I’m very grateful that the best PH the Pirates had left was Ramon Vazquez.
Twelve innings is just about the limit for a catcher.
Stephen in the UAE
on June 8, 2009 at 10:05 pm
Lets hope that we get the Medlen from his last start….
jj3bagger
on June 8, 2009 at 10:07 pm
This is one of the few things I will agree with LaRussa on, just about every catcher he has ever had can play first base. Friday I saw Yadi Molina play first base. It would be nice to keep Mac’s bat in the lineup and have him play first right now if Ross is going to catch.
Parish
on June 8, 2009 at 10:09 pm
6 IP?!?
Jeremy
on June 8, 2009 at 10:10 pm
Yay Medlen!
Parish
on June 8, 2009 at 10:11 pm
Come on, let’s get Medlen the win.
urlhix
on June 8, 2009 at 10:11 pm
Nice work. Let’s get him a run.
Our New Insect Overlords
on June 8, 2009 at 10:12 pm
End this game now, fellas. I’ve got to go work out.
Parish
on June 8, 2009 at 10:14 pm
Way to take those garbage pitches, Frenchy.
mraver
on June 8, 2009 at 10:14 pm
GJ, Medlen. Now can we please get a run? ‘Cause I really don’t want to see McCutchen hit for the cycle.
@264, amazingly, not even his first of the season. April 24th against Cincy.
Our New Insect Overlords
on June 8, 2009 at 10:19 pm
Frenchy’s internal monologue: “What’s the point of walking? No one can move me around. I might as well swing away!”
DJ
on June 8, 2009 at 10:20 pm
That strike zone is the size of _________
mraver
on June 8, 2009 at 10:20 pm
The thing I always used to like about Kelly was that even when he got two strikes on him, he wouldn’t offer on pitches outside the zone. But he’s doing that more and more now it seems….
stupup74
on June 8, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Batting Average
Frenchy .244
Kelly J .241
The OBP is not that much better for KJ.
The lack of offense is not all Jeff’s fault, even though he shares much, much blame.
I think the note above proves that this offesne is woefully short at at least 3 positions (4 if you count 1b, which I do).
KJ was stuck in a hole by a terrible call on the 0-1 pitch.
This is the last inning for me. If nobody scores, morning recap.
jj3bagger
on June 8, 2009 at 10:23 pm
As others have pointed out, Andrew McCutchen is going to be a stud. That guy is going to be fun to watch for Pirates fans.
Frank
on June 8, 2009 at 10:24 pm
2 walks–maybe he realized obp is on the scoreboard!
Our New Insect Overlords
on June 8, 2009 at 10:24 pm
Yunel, yu-idiot. Get out of the freaking way when the left fielder’s coming in.
mraver
on June 8, 2009 at 10:25 pm
For a second I thought I’d called that….
ryan c
on June 8, 2009 at 10:26 pm
well…here goes nothing…
stupup74
on June 8, 2009 at 10:27 pm
Gregor Blanco is useless
urlhix
on June 8, 2009 at 10:32 pm
Let’s go Medlen!!!
Edit: Oh well.
Dan
on June 8, 2009 at 10:33 pm
I really cannot figure out what the hell happened to Kelly Johnson. He was so good in 2007 and 2008, and I thought this would be his year coming into the season, but he looks like Fr*nc***r aside from the short hot stretches.
Okay, I lied, I couldn’t sleep. Quick recap up in a bit.
mraver
on June 8, 2009 at 10:59 pm
I’ll take it!
ryan c
on June 8, 2009 at 11:00 pm
john francoeur tried to lose the game.did anyone see him looking back at that ball? he truly is a dumb ballplayer. please, someone go back and look at that play and tell me how ludicrous that is….he could have been out, but he should have scored easily. how dumb can one person be?
Give the game ball to Kris Medlen. Fantastic 3 innings of work. What a kid.
jjschiller
on June 8, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Oh I’ll take the win, too, no doubt. I was just struck by how how fitting it was to win that ballgame in that way.
I mean, think: Blanco is in for defense (and went out and promptly made an error) gets on base with the only thing he brings to the table: his ability to take a walk. Jeff, stupidly, bunts. Also, he bunts stupidly. So his futility put the slower man on base.
Then he scores on an infield hit by the one guy I thought we could count on to hit a fly ball. He would have been out, Blanco would have been safe easily, and he only was called safe because the catcher couldn’t QUITE keep his foot on the plate.
Just.. eesh.
Our New Insect Overlords
on June 8, 2009 at 11:07 pm
Medlen is growing by leaps and bounds with each appearance. If Hanson is the same way, look out.
jjschiller
on June 8, 2009 at 11:10 pm
Right on about Medlen.
Honestly, what are the odds of that happening.. But I guess now we know the reason Medlen’s still up and not starting in Gwinnett. Specifically because both Campillo and Carlyle are hurt, but maybe more importantly, because he’s better than them.
Use code “Journal” for a 5% discount.
After reading about the candle light thing. I wonder if the Pirates will bring gifts tonight, or wear a patch on their arms?
DOB’s new blog has some great Frenchy numbers in it.
Actually, I think “great” is the wrong word. I have some alternate suggestions from its thesaurus antonyms:
infamous, insignificant, powerless, uncelebrated, undignified, unimportant, unknown, weak
😉
Keith Law is coming up on 680 to talk Braves. http://www.680thefan.com/archives.aspx?type=1
Thanks, JC.
Now I know why UT fans are calling Kiffin a “great” hire.
@5
LOL.
Continuing from the previous thread…Maddux and his $*#@)# after he missed a pitch was classic. Come to find out from a Cubs broadcast last week, the reason why he was so pissed is b/c when he missed a pitch, it messed up his sequence of pitches.
Do y’all realize the Rockies have a better record than the Braves?
Is it too much to ask for a 10-game winning streak? Five? Three?
Tony at 7,
Much in the spirit of Einstein disputing quantum mechanics because God didn’t play dice or Koeppler fighting to make the universe orderly with ellipses, rather than pure circles.
Is not good to mess with little Jobu.
The Pirates and the candlelight vigil kind of reminds me of the guys sitting in front of the computer wearing bras on their heads in Weird Science. I guess because when I think of their vigil I think “Weird.”
A candlelight vigil? Really? Did he die? Did his plane go down behind enemy lines? I mean, for the love of God! Get a grip, Pirates! Is it just possible that someone in the organization might think they’re better with McCutchen than McLouth? I think it’s possible, and I do not follow the Pirates in the least. Sheesh!
4 — Law basically said what we know… even with McLouth, the OF gives too little production.
What do you guys think we could possibly get to help outfield?
Willingham, Ross, Spillborghs (although I don’t think I want him) Maybe an Indian (Choo would be good). Who else? One of the Duncan boys? Ankiel?
What is doable for us to give up? Medlen? Obviously Jo Jo. Who else?
I still think the Red Sox could make a move for Barbaro, but we need to let him get some ML at bats first.
But, I don’t think they have outfielders to give. (Somebody on here identified one at AAA that had pretty good numbers that the Sox didn’t seem so high on).
@13
Put me strongly down as against trading Medlen. Starting pitching depth is essential, and with the Glavine release and the Morton trade, we’ve lost a lot of it.
You never know when injuries’ll happen and Medlen is an invaluable security blanket against that.
As far as a trade goes, I’d be down with maybe JoJo and Acosta for Willingham, trading Frenchy for a bucket of baseballs, and then standing pat.
Either that’ll make the team good enough to compete, or the simple fact is that we probably won’t be until Heyward/Freeman/Schafer 2.0 arrives. In any case, I don’t really see the team making another move outside the Willingham type
Oh yes….I bet loads of people will be lining up around the block to get their hands on Manny Acosta. I’m pretty sure we’re not going to be able to give up the two most useless non-Francoeur players on our team and get Josh Willingham.
I really wish we could draft Ackley. He sounds like just what this team needs. Otherwise, we just need to pile up some position prospects without totally ignoring pitching.
Wow… Did anyone notice the following surprising fact about Kenshin:
Kawakami has not given up more than three earned runs in six straight starts.
@16
What did the Yankees give up for Nick Swisher?
What did Washington give up to get Willingham in the first place?
There is always value in young lefty starters who consistently throw in the 90’s (regardless of their initial struggles) especially for a cheaply acquired, oft injured, superfluous part in an already overcrowded outfield.
I have no idea if JoJo and Acosta would be enough to get a deal done, but I would not at all be surprised if that was all it took.
The Braves had an MiLB minor league player of the week. A POSITION player at GWINETT.
The Braves had an MiLB minor league player of the week. A POSITION player at GWINNETT.
Not only that, it was WES TIMMONS. I haven’t heard anything good about him in 3 years.
(sorry, I thought I was editing the first post)
Really, what we should be rooting for is 1) Schafer getting it together in AAA and coming back to post a league-average line for a CF (eg, maybe cut his K-rate to like 30%; I’m not asking too much here), GA hitting .300 the rest of the way with a modicum of power and patience (so a line like .300/.320/.420), and 3) Frenchy to leave so that McLouth can take over in RF.
If all of those things happen, it’ll still be a weak unit, but it won’t be so bad as to overwhelm the good work being done by the pitchers and the infield. Really, replacement-level production for 2/3 of the OF and above-average production from the other spot would be a major upgrade.
I can pretty much guarantee you that the Red Sox arent going to have interest in Canizares. They have an unlimited payroll and they will get a top tier player if they make a move.
#8
Although they just swept 4 from the Cards in St. Louis, the Rockies have only zoomed to 25-32.
The Braves keep splashing around .500—we’re 27-28.
But what if we sweeten the pot with Jeff Francoeur???
csg,
The Red Sox don’t wnat to pull the plug on Papi yet. They don’t have an unlimited payroll.
Canizares has no major league service time and 3 option years. He is 30 or so. Even if he is great he can’t cost them more than about 30 million over 6 2/3 years. If he isn’t great, they can cut him. It isn’t crazy.
Barbaro is on the League Notebook on the IL at MiLB.com. I thought he had been platooned against righthanders a good bit, but that isn’t so. He is second in the league in hits. he is at .390 obp and .600 slg. That is a middle of the order HOSS.
Latest update from the All Star Balloting, McCann moving up, hes second in voting for catcher behind Yadier Molina. Chipper behind Wright and Zimmerman. And Jimmy Rollins is leading all shortstops…
1. McLouth
2. Escobar
3. Chipper
4. McCann
5. Anderson
6. Francoeur
7. Prado, 1B
8. Johnson
9. Kawakami
more Frenchy and no Diaz, unreal
@27 – And Rollins is playing like crap.
I’m done talking about Fr*nc***r. It is starting to feel like an eternal curse on the Braves from some divine force to even out the goodness of the run of division titles….or McCann. The Braves haven’t won squat since Fr*nc***r became the everyday right fielder for a full season in 2006.
#28 – even more unreal is Frenchy hitting 6th. Wake up, Bobby! It’s not 2006 anymore!
Ron Gant still looks like he might could play…maybe a comeback bid?
He could meet Frenchy’s production with one arm tied behind his back…we’d just have to keep him off dirtbikes.
Has Zach Duke switched to pitching right handed?
Why else would Anderson start over Diaz?
b/c Cox is senile–he’s been doing this cr@p all season even though Diaz is the one decent OF on the team
Chipper on fire again!
edit–powell’s wrong about the last three pa being homers–the last pa yesterday was an intentional walk
Chippah!
What a beautiful swing.
My guess is that Diaz is benched because he went 0-4 or 1-9 against Duke in his career.
Checking…
Nope. 5-13, albeit without power or any walks. Weird.
Diaz is out because he got hit on the hand yesterday and it is bugging him a bit.
Today I wrote today a sentence that said something like this for the book I’m writing on player valuation.
“The Braves use of Francoeur over Diaz in 2007 cost the Braves nearly $2 million in performance value.”
So much for that conspiracy….
mlbtraderumors has a new post up about boston looking for a new shortstop. they say there’s a “mystery shortstop” from the braves. i hope it’s diory hernandez. could we get anything for francoeur and diory?
No, we couldn’t, but that is not a bad thing if they take him from us.
I wonder if it is Escobar or Infante when he gets back. I couldn’t imagine Hernandez would get us much.
Infante is more likely than Hernandez–no way the Sox want someone with 10 games of ML experience to be thrown into their fishbowl.
I’m also skeptical b/c the Sox don’t really match up with surplus OF.
Hello everyone. Just tuning in.
Wow, Chipper is on a tear!
what would the braves get bck for yunel and failcour? green and drew?
ummmm…that would be the worst trade in history.
lol didnt say it wouldnt be
Aack! Misread the ESPN crawl. Rockies are actually worse than us – that’s a relief. What a drag it is getting old.
Dixie Surrender Monkeys – still chuckling.
Here’s a tidbit I noticed in the Braves museum before yesterday’s game–it’s been over 7 years and nearly 200 homers since Chipper had a grand slam. I think it’s probably a reflection of two factors–random chance and hitting in the three hole (only 2 hitters ahead of him in the first, 3 batters after the pitcher in others).
Here’s his HR log:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/event_hr.cgi?n1=jonesch06&t=b
Out Machine just tried to slide to break up a double play… 20 feet from the base.
And yet he’ll inevitably stay in the game, despite such feeble effort.
2-4-6-8
This is how we hibernate.
Did Joe just make a KKK reference? Good cover by Sciambi…
That’s what we need from the outfield.
NATHAN
Nice.
At the ballpark they used to put the third K backwards. The first time I noticed on Sunday Hanson already had 4 Ks and they were all faced forwards. I’ll bet they still don’t show just 3, though. Probably skip from 2 to 4.
McClout
“The Sox have also discussed a shortstop with the Atlanta Braves.”
http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2009/06/sox_focusing_on.html
Can Prado considered a shortstop? I can’t imagine them trading Escobar right now.
White hot….
Yessir.
McCann….what a hitter!!!!
Brian is so fun to watch hit.
did garrett just work a count? holy shartles! it must be our night….
From Bill James Online:
The hottest hitters in baseball at this moment are:
Prince Fielder 106°
Chipper Jones 102°
Lyle Overbay 101°
David Wright 98°
Ian Stewart 98°
and john francoeur shows his worthlessness.
Inning recap
HR
Long fly out
Sharp single
HR
Walk
Dribbling 9 hopper to the first base
Long fly out
Can someone please shoot Francoeur when he’s out in right… i mean come on no one would even notice
canizares is 3 for 3 today and is now hitting .341.
Here’s a trivia question free for the Braves to use.
Since 2006, which outfielder has made more outs than Jeff Francoeur?
Answer: It’s a trick question! No outfielder has made more outs than Jeff Francoeur, and only a couple of middle-infielder leadoff hitters have!
Has Bob Walk ever liked the Braves? He has been ripping the Braves all game. “Glavine and Maddux were helped by the wide strike zone”, “it’s very noticeable to look at the flags and see only one World Series flag”, …I know he has issues with the Braves, but let it go dude.
wow mccutcheon has speed
I seem to remember attending a Braves-giants game, c.1982, when Bob Walk was significantly outpitched by something called “Fred Breining”.
Well, the Braves released Walk and then they knocked him out of consecutive playoff series, so he’s bitter.
Was Garrett napping in LF?
Does Garrett Anderson care about ANYTHING?
triple to left-center….madness
ACHE may also be known as the Human Extra Base Hit, and not because of anything he does at the plate.q
@68–and the 9 hop dribbler was probably on the first pitch or maybe the 2nd pitch (I didn’t see it–I was away for a phone call)
Another triple?
This team must have some slow outfielders.
back to back triples?
Watching on Gameday right now –
How many times in a row does this A. LaRoche guy get to bat?
Slow, lazy and can’t hit. That covers 2/3 of the outfield playing tonight.
How the hell is that a triple?
so…matt is ok to swing after he was hit last night and ganderson starts against a lefty? bobby is a moron.
ACHE seems to me a good bench guy/pinch hitter. That’s it.
No it was a triple, sac fly, then a Garrett Anderson special….then a sac fly by Garrett Anderson’s brother from a another mother Adam Larouche.
Nice slide Diaz….that was hilarious, hope it doesn’t cost the the Braves.
#80
I backed it up to make sure, but it was the first pitch. Change up low and off the plate. Great pitch to swing at huh, especially on the first pitch!
i like the hustle…great play by sanchez.
ACHE seems to me a good bench guy/pinch hitter.
A most generous assessment …
Nice job boys, very JV.
18 – The string of no more than 3 ER continues for Kawakami.
Now that McClouth is here, and he basically the same as KJ, except he’s better. Is KJ expendable?
Why did Bobby Cox start ACHE over Diaz? Can anyone come up with a reason?
94,
Maybe.
That’s the Yuneliest moment ever.
The best baserunner in the game bookended by the two worst.
A Yunel.
tony…they play different positions…
yunel’s iq has got to be in the teens.
it sure is refreshing to see stolen bases again.
It has to be the hair….get rid of that sh*t.
This team’s margin for error is too narrow to continue to do the little things wrong and be able to succeed.
With that said, Cox ought to cancel batting practice tomorrow and spend the time on remedial baserunning. Go the Casey Stengel route and explain where the bases are. That would be less embarrassing than tonight’s basepath display.
By the way, for those not watching the game, Sciambi said McLouth was 180 for 181 in stolen bases in high school, and has only been caught stealing by a catcher once in his major league career.
How many times can Yunel run into an idiotic out on the basepaths and not get punished for it. I mean it, bench the guy (and I know it will kill our offense). But really, he needs to know that he can’t do that crap.
Lord. Another baserunning error with Chipper at the plate. Sigh. Yunel, you need to quit eating paint chips.
Ecobar is an idiot.
When I become a coach, I’m going to use half of my yearly budget to pay Nate McLouth to come and do a clinic on playing the outfield and stealing bases for my team. That guy will be worth every freakin’ penny.
I think Yunel lived under power lines as a kid.
And on top of nuclear waste.
Maybe the translator is too soft on Escobar. They a need Eddie Perez or a Ozzie Guillen type to really lay into his azz.
Batista is the new champion? Geez he can barely move.
@109: sucking on toys from China.
That would have been a season-long highlight catch by Prado. Except he didn’t make it. So never mind.
Can someone describe the Yunel?
Moylan is awful.
Crap.
Sigh….
K2 ought to choke Moylan in the dugout. And because Diaz overslid and Yunel was caught off the bag, we lost our chance for the insurance runs that were desperately needed. Can’t do the little things wrong, guys. You’re not good enough to get away with it.
nice angle on that fly ball tardface… do they keep francoeur in there to just make our lives miserable? he’s totally worthless as a player
Haha, I change the channel to watch Texas-TCU for like 5 minutes, come back and its tied. What the hell.
I don’t know why with a bunch of lefties due Bobby sent Moylan out instead of O’Flaherty. I certainly would have brought him in once it got to second and third.
What the hell, i turned away for a couple minutes.
Moylan should be in AAA with Frenchy and KJ.
McLouth on second, Yunel singles to center, the throw from CF gets cut off and Yunel is predictably caught off first base.
Well, this has degenerated quickly.
As much as I want to blame Francouer, Moylan threw softball pitches up there…he maybe done. I like this McClutheon kid.
Bobby’s senile.
Kris Medlen does not have the pictures.
One day, I will discover why people keep wanting to put an “L” in the middle of “McCutcheon”, and “McCutchen”.
— McCutcheon A. Thomason
Moylan looked good in the last few outings. And frankly, that first “hit” should’ve been an E5.
moylan has looked pretty good lately. in all fairness, the play that was deemed a “hit” to chipper should have been a routine play. chipper threw sidearm and falling, on a ball he could have easily planted and thrown the catcher out by 2 steps. that changes the whole inning.
“One day, I will discover why people keep wanting to put an “L” in the middle of “McCutcheon”, and “McCutchen”.
– McCutcheon A. Thomason
Answer:
B/c McCutheon was McClutheon
But it makes no logical sense to bring in a sidearming right-hander to pitch to left-handers.
You know, with the go-ahead run on third and two out, you better bring in the guy they’re hitting .320 against.
You are right Ryan, I actually turned to start watching wrestling, forgot about the Chipper error. But when I did turned back to the game, I saw two softball tosses to Hinske and the Irishman.
Luckily, they are now batting .317 versus him…
Bobby’s treating Medlen like James Parr. Real useful for a guy you’d like to develop into a starter.
Why, Bobby, why?
I guess Chipper can’t get a hit every time he comes to bat, but that is pretty much what we need.
I just really hope Cox leaves Bennett out there to face a few batters (assuming his spot doesn’t come up in the lineup). We’re already used 3 guys, and we don’t need to stretch it too far given the tie game.
Hibernation Mode!
There’s no way we’re not losing this game.
here comes a runner stranded…
2run HR Francouer…..to right center.
francoeur had 5 pitches thrown at him, none of which were strikes. seriously frank…bobby…js…who the hell ever, get him off the field.
Frenchy saw 4 pitches in that at bat.
Gadfly, can we consider this a conclusive improvement to his 2008 level?
Well, Moylan did give up a double to Wilson and a triple to McCutchen — both are right-handed. So let’s not blame this all on Bobby. Moylan was pretty awful.
well at least he hit it to right…
He’s saving Medlen for a possible multi-inning stint in extra innings. Duh. Boy, when some of y’all get a meme going….
Well at least Anderson cleared the right fielder for the bottom of the eighth.
@138
hibernation mode? really? 1 inning without scoring.
Just wait.
Gonzalez vs the Yankees, Red Sox or even the Orioles just doesn’t put my stomach at ease.
john francoeur has now left 12 men on base in 6 june games.
KJ and Ganderson are not helping our case against Francoeur.
I thought Diaz was slow…Norton just showed me what slow really is….
My god, Greg Norton is slow.
As someone who is slow and old, I take offense and think your comment should be deleted.
diaz isnt slow at all, tony…where is your head tonight?
Parish, is that better.
let’s win it here…
It’s okay, Tony. I am putting it on my resume:
Slow and old – could play for the Braves!
Ryan when you say Diaz isn’t slow at all, you make it seems like he’s fast. Which he isn’t. He may be Braves fast, but in reality he really isn’t.
C’mon Joe and John? How could you not know about Adam Jones of the Orioles?
Nate can cure them of the candlelight vigils right here.
Let’s get a tater & call it a night.
I seriously would consider pitching around Chipper, McCann and Ganderson here and just going after Janis Francoeur.
@159
still, it’s a weird comparison. and i would be willing to bet that diaz is the 5th or 6th fastest player on the team, including medlen and jurrjens.
Our best chance to win probably just died at the warning track.
shitters…
Did Adam Laroche just steal second?
We’re letting our ol’ friend Rochy steal bases. Sweet merciful crap.
You know you’re slow to the plate when Adam LaRoche steals a bag standing up.
166 – That cannot be right.
Laroche just stole a base?
Really easily, too.
I need to quit changing the channel. Adam Anderson is at 2nd? How?
WTF. Why are we just giving away bases?!
If LaRoche steals a base in the top of an inning and Frenchy walks in the bottom, I’ll know the world is ending.
prediction: john francoeur will get out. any takers?
Heh. Guess Soriano just figured he wasn’t going to let another ball in play, so it didn’t matter. 🙂
Just the THIRD stolen base of ADD’s career.
Oh well, I guess we could get another chance to score if we can last a couple more innings.
@175: No, he’ll get TWO outs.
175–you won’t get any takers unless you make it more specific–strikeout or dribbler to the pitcher or dp grounder etc.
prediction: john francoeur will add to his 12 runners stranded in the month of june.
Remember when the tomahawk chop was cool….back in 1991?
Do you get credit for a runner stranded if you erase them in a double play
That’s one possible strategy for Francoeur here.
Joe and Boog are talking about how all we’ve seen tonight is LH pitchers, and I’m sitting here thinking, “And all Matt Diaz has gotten is one PH at-bat.”
Damn wtf?
That’s what the idiot pitcher gets…
How’d we get a guy on? MLB.tv never came back after the double switch
Nevermind. it just came back with That Guy getting walked.
Maybe they think Jeff will swing at one of those pickoff attempts.
I didn’t think it possible, but this pitcher appears to be even more of a basket case than Francoeur.
They’re WALKING Frenchy! Ahahahahaha!
Well that takes the double play out of the equation for out machine so he probably won’t make more than 1 out.
Francoeur walking. The end of the world is nigh.
Russell is a moron.
IBB to Frenchy, and the fans boo….
Intentional walk?
wow… IBB
IBB = LMAO
don’t tell me a little part of you didn’t think francoeur was going to try and poke ball 4 of the ibb kelly leak style….
They’re not booing, they’re saying “doooo-umb”.
mraver,
Someone on AJC pointed out that the reason Diaz may be sitting is because he got hit on the hand the other day. I don’t know. I really HOPE that’s Bobby’s reason.
LOL @ the Pirates
How could they boo that intentional walk?
My computer must be broken. It says that the Pirates intentionally walked Frenchy.
well, that would have never been predicted…the pirates must have lost their booty.
Come on Marvelous Martin! Take one for the team!
FML
Intentionally walking Francoeur (maybe, but only maybe, with the exception of his hitting in front of the pitcher) should be grounds for immediate termination of a manager. It is incontrovertable evidence that the manager is a complete moron.
edit–How many innings does this game have to go before we see Medlen? Just asking–I think Acosta makes more sense than Medlen at the moment.
And yet it worked.
Nice to see Prado picking up for Jeffy there.
Do we really still have Kris Medlen?
I keep forgetting that Acosta is on this team.
And now Blanco is in LF instead of CF? WTF?
True or false, Craig Monroe would be the second best outfielder on the Braves ?
He should let the pitch hit him.
Thank God Anderson was out of the game!!!!!
That was a textbook Brian Snitker decision right there.
OK would ACHE have made that play?
Wow. Yunel threw out someone from Pittsburgh pulling a Yunel.
Monroe entered the game with four walks and a .270 OBP… Why is Snitker coaching third for the Pirates?
I’m on radio not tv, but I guarantee that the run scores if ACHE is still in LF.
thank god ganderson got a hit last inning or the pirates would have the lead right now.
213,
False. .229/.270/.386 line this season. Diaz and McLouth are better than that. 3rd best? Maybe.
By the way, McCutch’n is awesome.
Game over if ACHE was in LF.
Nice relay by Escobar.
Mac, I was trying to make a point that just about any other outfielder in the league would immediately become the second best outfielder on the Braves.
good kelly and bad kelly have been alternating more frequently.
Monroe is not one of them, but I actually typed that before I saw your post — I was criticising Acosta for walking him.
Wouldn’t it be better to have like Medlen hit here and then stay in to pitch?
Acosta hitting…… Didn’t he get injured during an at-bat in that marathon Houston game last season?
earth to KJ.
I’m really starting to sour on KJ. His “hot streak” lasted about 3 days and now he’s right back in a funk. And there, he took the two hitable pitches and flailed at the one too far outside. Weaksauce.
that outside call is getting awfully wide.
Hold them top of the 12th. We should win this in the bttm half.
In Acosta, I think that we’ve found the one person who looks worse at the plate than Frenchy.
On the other hand, Chavez was lookin pretty sharp out there.
Joe Simpson reminds us that Freddy Sanchez won a batting title about once every 3 innings.
I wonder if KJ (or TP) has tried to change his approach and it just isn’t working. Seems like he had said something earlier about not taking as many strike threes.
And we got Chavez out of there. All a part of the grand plan.
I am just getting up and now joining the game….I wonder if we will finally get to see Medlen….
I’m very grateful that the best PH the Pirates had left was Ramon Vazquez.
I don’t twit, but this might be worth keeping an eye on:
Ken Tremendous (KenTremendous) on Twitter
i dont like medlen coming in so late in a game after not pitching in a while. it seems so joey devine-ish.
This loss, if it happens, is all on Cox. I’m going to bed.
And that’s why he’s behind Yadier Molina in the All-star voting…
Could have hit one out (and the ESPN brief mention), but settles for the single.
Not to get too Terrence Moore, but I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen an all black outfield like Pittsburg has now.
Can anyone?
Over/under at 16 innings?
Do we really need to take Mac out of the game so someone else can stand on base while Blanco pops out?
I mean, I guess you kinda have to. But still, I hate to see Mac leave the game.
Twelve innings is just about the limit for a catcher.
Lets hope that we get the Medlen from his last start….
This is one of the few things I will agree with LaRussa on, just about every catcher he has ever had can play first base. Friday I saw Yadi Molina play first base. It would be nice to keep Mac’s bat in the lineup and have him play first right now if Ross is going to catch.
6 IP?!?
Yay Medlen!
Come on, let’s get Medlen the win.
Nice work. Let’s get him a run.
End this game now, fellas. I’ve got to go work out.
Way to take those garbage pitches, Frenchy.
GJ, Medlen. Now can we please get a run? ‘Cause I really don’t want to see McCutchen hit for the cycle.
Even Joe was surprised Francoeur didn’t swing at that.
2 walks in one GAME??!?!?!?!?!?!?
See, Jeff? Good things happen when you don’t swing.
Two walks tonight. With that, we’re stuck with Frenchy another two weeks.
It’s extra innings, but that’s TWO walk in one game for the out machine in right.
wow…
Congrats to Jeff on the first 2 walk game of his career. I won’t look it up; it has to be true.
“I’ll take Signs of the Apocalypse for 1000, Alex.”
Sweet merciful crap, KJ.
Kelly…….is………….bad. Really bad. At least advance the runner.
@264, amazingly, not even his first of the season. April 24th against Cincy.
Frenchy’s internal monologue: “What’s the point of walking? No one can move me around. I might as well swing away!”
That strike zone is the size of _________
The thing I always used to like about Kelly was that even when he got two strikes on him, he wouldn’t offer on pitches outside the zone. But he’s doing that more and more now it seems….
Batting Average
Frenchy .244
Kelly J .241
The OBP is not that much better for KJ.
The lack of offense is not all Jeff’s fault, even though he shares much, much blame.
I think the note above proves that this offesne is woefully short at at least 3 positions (4 if you count 1b, which I do).
KJ was stuck in a hole by a terrible call on the 0-1 pitch.
This is the last inning for me. If nobody scores, morning recap.
As others have pointed out, Andrew McCutchen is going to be a stud. That guy is going to be fun to watch for Pirates fans.
2 walks–maybe he realized obp is on the scoreboard!
Yunel, yu-idiot. Get out of the freaking way when the left fielder’s coming in.
For a second I thought I’d called that….
well…here goes nothing…
Gregor Blanco is useless
Let’s go Medlen!!!
Edit: Oh well.
I really cannot figure out what the hell happened to Kelly Johnson. He was so good in 2007 and 2008, and I thought this would be his year coming into the season, but he looks like Fr*nc***r aside from the short hot stretches.
At least Chipper’s OBP will go up….
Well, I’m out of here. See you sometime tomorrow.
Heh. Chipper’s not getting another pitch this game.
At least we won’t have the pitcher’s spot up in the bottom half of the inning….
KJ should’ve had that.
Teixeira is still a douche
If Karstens comes in, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Morton pitch on Wednesday.
Next five Braves batters are a combined 3-for-17 tonight. Uh … they’re due?
Ethan,
Was that a random (but still completely true) thought, or is there new evidence?
Let’s go, Braves. Win it for Medlen!
Medlen is at 40 pitches through 3 innings. I’d say you could at least get him through 2 more innings before you bring in Vasquez.
Would be nice to get him his first win tonight though.
@290: I think it was in response to SportSouth showing the team mobbing Tex after the game-ending RBI in the 18-inning win over Houston last July.
Out Machine can’t even bunt right.
Add another thing to the list of things that Jeffy can’t do; sac bunt. You suck Jeff.
And the out machine just gets more creative…
Frenchy’s heavy bat…..
Francouer finally hits the ball hard for once, but its when he’s trying to sacrifice.
Desert,
They just did a flashback of the 17 inning Houston game last year where Texeira hit the walkoff.
This is some legit hibernation mode.
does this game being in the 15th inning prove that the braves are pretty much equal to the pirates this year? when do we start selling?
Bunted like a Free Safety.
Thanks at 293 and 298. So Kelly, Double play, strikeout, or weak fly?
please god
Looks particularly bad given Prado’s hit….
If Prado gets pulled ’cause of the knee, do you move Chipper to 1st and Diory to 3B? Or KJ to 1st and Diory to 2B?
C’mon, David.
YES!
ROSS!!!
Ross comes through….Finally!!
Whew.
W000000000000!!!!!!!!!!!!
2K for Bobby
The absolutely most feeble way to win that ballgame. Seems about perfect.
We’ll take it.
Okay, I lied, I couldn’t sleep. Quick recap up in a bit.
I’ll take it!
john francoeur tried to lose the game.did anyone see him looking back at that ball? he truly is a dumb ballplayer. please, someone go back and look at that play and tell me how ludicrous that is….he could have been out, but he should have scored easily. how dumb can one person be?
Just glad to get a win
replay is leading off Baseball tonight
Give the game ball to Kris Medlen. Fantastic 3 innings of work. What a kid.
Oh I’ll take the win, too, no doubt. I was just struck by how how fitting it was to win that ballgame in that way.
I mean, think: Blanco is in for defense (and went out and promptly made an error) gets on base with the only thing he brings to the table: his ability to take a walk. Jeff, stupidly, bunts. Also, he bunts stupidly. So his futility put the slower man on base.
Then he scores on an infield hit by the one guy I thought we could count on to hit a fly ball. He would have been out, Blanco would have been safe easily, and he only was called safe because the catcher couldn’t QUITE keep his foot on the plate.
Just.. eesh.
Medlen is growing by leaps and bounds with each appearance. If Hanson is the same way, look out.
Right on about Medlen.
Honestly, what are the odds of that happening.. But I guess now we know the reason Medlen’s still up and not starting in Gwinnett. Specifically because both Campillo and Carlyle are hurt, but maybe more importantly, because he’s better than them.
Recapped. Now I will try to get some sleep.