Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers – Box Score – August 07, 2009 – ESPN
Well, there was no way I could stay up for all of that.
The Braves overcame a rare subpar outing by Jair Jurrjens and an all-too-common subpar umpiring job to rally and tie up the game, then finally got their revenge for last night with four runs in the twelfth. Jurrjens didn’t really need any help from the umpires to have an off night. He seems to be suffering from Horacio Ramirez’s Disease, where you get ahead of the batter but can’t finish them off, and eventually either walk them or groove a 3-2 pitch. Jurrjens was pulled after he gave up a three-run homer with one out in the fifth, having already thrown 94 pitches. He then got himself ejected as well, and I don’t blame him. The egregious umpiring started in the fourth, when an obvious swing — I thought that the home plate umpire should have called it with no appeal, it was that obvious — was called no swing, and instead of a strikeout the at-bat continued. The hitter then singled, which eventually led to a run, tying the game at 2. That was just the preview of the horrible umpiring of the fifth, where a 3-1 pitch was called a strike, McCann gunned down Furcal trying to steal… and the home plate umpire then changed his mind and called it a ball, sending the batter to first and retroactively making no play at second. Two batters later, homer. You really can’t blame Jurrjens for being upset.
I didn’t have much hope, then. But this time, it was the Braves bullpen that stepped up, and the Dodgers’ that couldn’t hold it. Medlen finished the inning with no problems, and also handled the sixth. Acosta (!) got through the seventh; with two out in the eighth, he was in a little bit of a jam, and O’Flaherty got out of it. Gonzalez threw two innings (!!) and allowed only a walk. And Billingsley left after the sixth with an injury, and the Braves got to his replacements.
KJ was playing because Chipper’s side is acting up again. He had a huge hit, a two-run homer to score Church in the seventh, cutting it to 5-4. Bobby — he’d been ejected, but come on — used Norton to pinch-hit leading off the ninth, because what the heck? So with one out, McLouth worked a walk, then stole second. Prado struck out, but ACHE, in the three spot, singled in McLouth to tie the game.
Moylan pitched the eleventh, and had a bit of trouble but got out of it. In the twelfth, ACHE and McCann singled with one out. The Dodgers went to the pen, and the next guy struck out LaRoche. But Yunel then singled, bringing in ACHE with the go-ahead run. And just for insurance’s sake, Church hit a three-run homer. Soriano, this time, had no problems in a non-save situation, retiring the Dodgers in order.
LaRoche was 0-5 with three strikeouts, the only Brave to not get a hit; he’s been hot, so it’s news. Church and Escobar each had three hits, including, as noted, the big ones in the twelfth. Church missed the cycle by the triple.
I’ll admit I gave up on this one. I was as shocked to read about the final this morning as I was yesterday after the walk-off, so I guess it balances out.
@1….I also bailed on this one also. What a shocker. Good for the Braves. Showing some heart for a change.
it was nice to wake up to a ‘good’ surprise this morning. That umping in the 5th inning made the outcome seem assured. never seen anything like that before.
What a nice surprise! I had to bail around 2 AM too, thinking the Bravos had no chance. A 4-run 12th is convincing.
It seems like we’ve lost so many games when a bad call by the umpires goes in the opposing team’s favor. Like the Braves just give up. It was great to see some late rallying by McClouth and ACHE (speaking of bad umpiring, McClouth looked at a 2-2 pitch that looked like strike three to me and then walked. Heck, I’ll take it.)
@4 That pitch was a little outside. You can see Martin moving his glove away from the plate as he was setting himself behind the outside edge of the plate.
How is it even possible for an umpire to change his call on a pitch after the play is over? The other umpires should have thrown HIM out of the game.
@5 – It was a strike – but the umpires owed us alot more than that pitch. I would have been pissed if the umpire called that a ball on a Braves pitcher.
@7 Well, everybody’s eyes are different. Looked like a ball to me and Martin’s glove movement says so as well. Oh well. What the heck, it was a great win.
It doesn’t matter if it was a ball or strike, the umpiring was terrible all night. There arer a bunch of missed calls and Cooper’s strike zone wasn’t consitant at all.
I hate sounding like one of those whinners, but there have been a few games this year MLB should investigate and elvauate the umpiring.
The amazing thing is that Bobby and JJ are going to get investigated for last night no matter what, because those are the Rules, but evaluating the umpires’ insanity is optional.
What does “investigated” mean?
I got home last night in time to start watching in the 9th, so all I got to see was the good stuff. 🙂
I went ahead and watched the happenings of the 5th this morning, and wow, what an egregious call. For me, it’s not so much the reversing yourself (I wouldn’t fault an umpire for accidentally throwing up the wrong sign once every ten or hundred thousand chances), but changing the (obviously) correct call to the incorrect one is just baffling. And that was a helluva throw by McCann. I usually don’t put stock into those, “This player has been working on Skill X with this other player” stories, but whether it’s Ross or something else, McCann has looked a lot better at throwing runners out.
I agree that McCann has gotten better at thowing out runners (about 25%, not great, but up from 23% last year adn 21% the year before)
I think that when he came up that was the biggest flaw in his game and he seems to be getting better every year behind the plate.
However, I think he is starting to wear down this year and needs to get a day off a couple of times a week.
I think our chances for the division are better than the WC. The Phillies are all or nothing and if they continue their below avg ball – and we win at least 4 of the next 6 a/g them – we’re close to a dead heat (we’re now only 6.5 back after a subpar 2 weeks). On the other hand, passing 4 teams and making up 4.5 games for the WC may prove too tough. Our chances either way may not be great, but I like our chances a little better for the division.
I don’t really even know what to say about the umpiring last night. It was awful beyond belief. It’s frankly amazing we were able to come back from that and win. This is really getting ridiculous, and something really needs to be done about it by MLB.
The Braves should bring up Phillip Wellman to the major league coaching staff as umpire liaison.
Vin Scully during a replay said something along the lines of “the pitch was a strike, it was called a strike, the throw down to second, the runner was tagged out and called out….so we move along here two on, nobody out in the fifth and here comes Manny…” From the animations during the argument it seemed that Cooper just flat denied that he ever called it a strike.
The local LA station showing the game even went above and beyond the call to pull up a similar situation from earlier in the game where a guy was stealing on ball four and showed the difference in reaction of the homeplate umpire. Vin said the umpires would be embarrassed when they saw the replay and Bobby had every right to argue, which are pretty strong statements for Vin.
Every ejection is reviewed by MLB.
What can MLB possibly say about that except the Umpire is most likely suffering from a mental disability?
you know what, I like the idea of having MLB review that event. I mean, seriously, what are they going to say to Bobby? Both teams observers agreed that it was a bad call, and to be fair, I thought that we got alot more borderline calls after that one, just so happened that the call we didn’t get probably should have cost us the game. review away boys.
I was at the game last night and I’ve gotta say, the Dodgers have the best record in the NL but as long as Manny is not on a hot streak, the gap between them and us is not huge.
According to pitch f/x data, the pitch was a ball.
http://cascreamindude.livejournal.com/
That is extremely borderline. And, most importantly, he called it a strike and then changed his mind.
I just started “Awful Umpiring”. I’m looking for co-bloggers. Anyone in?
Heh. Awful Umpiring. Looking forward to reading that. Should also cover asinine rules.
I’ve put up a header. I’m not crazy about it…
MLB Network trying to break my nostalgia meter. They’re replaying 1991 WS Game 7 and I’m watching a 24 year old Smoltz… An almost 16 year old me went to some of that series at FulCo (obviously not this game)
Mac, I am very disappointed that you have not acted on Grst’s unnecessary comment on the previous night’s blog. His comment, regardless of who it was directed at, was uncalled for. I guess we can call anyone who we don’t like any term we want to on this site. I thought there were rules here, but I guess I am mistaken.
An apology is necessary from Grst, not him telling me to have thick skin. And I’ll keep asking for it until either something is done or you decide you would rather ban me for standing up for my son and others with Special Needs.
Respectfully,
Bob Warren, son of Taylor, 6, with Prader-Willi Syndrome.
I don’t think he should have said that, and I wouldn’t say it, but I won’t edit his post without his permission.
Whether the pitch was a ball or a strike is irrelevant. Cooper CLEARLY called the pitch a strike and then inexplicably gave Ethier first base. Even Vin Scully was baffled.
bwarrend: I’ve had a weight issue for all of my life until losing 90+ pounds over the last couple of years. Did I ever find myself telling people they couldn’t use derogatory terms against fat people? No.
Trust me, I know the pain that words can cause, and as much as I respect and admire your taking up for your son, would a forced apology from Grst fix the offense you took from his remark? I don’t see how it could. People are going to use the words they want regardless of their meaning to other people. Sometimes, you’ve just got to let it roll off your back.
Oh, the game thread’s been up for awhile.