New York Mets vs. Atlanta Braves – Box Score – September 17, 2009 – ESPN
The Mets really are a pathetic ballclub. Then again, the Braves have had their problems with pathetic ballclubs, so it’s nice to sweep one.
The Braves took a 2-0 lead in the third with a rally centered around a Prado double. But the Mets came back and tied it up in the fourth when Jurrjens, who had been able to pitch around some hits, wasn’t able to pitch around a two-base error by Diaz on a Jeffy fly ball. The Braves took over in the fifth. McLouth and Prado singled with one out, then ACHE struck out. McCann followed with a homer over Jeffy’s head to make it 5-2. It was McCann’s 19th homer of the year, so it’s likely that the team leader will finish with 20 or more. Whee! The Braves followed with three more singles, Diaz capping it by singling in Escobar.
Jurrjens had been a little shaky to that point, but he settled down. He finished at 100 pitches with seven innings, five strikeouts, two walks, and six hits. He also doubled and scored in the sixth to make it 7-2. O’Flaherty pitched the eighth, allowing a homer to Murphy. Soriano pitched the ninth, which I don’t really mind because it had been awhile since he’d worked. He allowed one hit.
Not only did I inexplicably stay up to watch the whole game, I couldn’t get to sleep afterward… at least we got a win out of my insomnia.
How many days in a row can Soriano go to the mound? I expect us to need him all three of the Philly games… maybe he can take the first and third and Moylan can close out #2… assuming Gonzo doesn’t get feeling better over the weekend. I HOPE we can beat up on Lee again on Sunday so I won’t be stressing about missing the last two innings of a close game (I’ll be AT the game, and my 6yo wants to run the bases again, so we’ll probably be waiting in line after the 7th inning).
Some material for your awful umpiring blog, Mac:
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090917&content_id=7021770&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
The umps blew an Angels win TWICE in the same at bat. Well the check swing was questionable, but the called ball 4 was clearly a blown call. Of course nothing’s gonna happen regarding the terrible job they did. Then the umpires complained that the Halos coaches had “bad words” toward them, and filed a complaint against the MLB, so we’ll likely see some fines or suspensions soon.
This drives me crazy, they basically give the game away to Boston without any fear of anger by the MLB, and in return they cry at the first opportunity.
And the pitch f/x plots for that at bat : http://tinyurl.com/qgj4xe
ANYTHINGS POSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!!
[/checking the standings again.]
Nope. Not possible. No hope here. None. Nada. Zippo. Zilch. Can’t be done. But still,…..
No.
[/ctsa]
Winning is still fun though.
I just don’t see how we could lose another game this season. Look at our rotation!!
Hope is what people feel before frustration.
Timo, look at the Reds games.
this is the same team with the same rotation that lost 6 of 7 before this 7 game win streak. So yes, we are 8-6 in the last 14 games….
still no hope
Let’s just no hope our way into the post-season!
Or not, as that would imply hope. Of which there is none to be found here.
I’ve no post season hope, but I do have hope that we’ll play good ball the rest of the way. Hell if we go 4-12 in our last 16 games we’ll finish over .500!
“The cause endures, the hope never dies.”
Steve Phillips says that a 12-4 finish puts the Braves in the playoffs.
Oh man I almost typed that without laughing.
“The audacity of [Wild Card] hope.”
Ububba, thank you for adding a political touch to this discussion.
Well, that certainly reaffirms my disbelief.
Metacular!
NorthJersey.com: Klapisch: Mets can’t bank on a better 2010
If he somehow gets this team with no outfield and Chipper Jones quitting on the team down the stretch into the playoffs this would have to rank pretty high on Bobby’s list of best managing jobs ever.
I think I’m feeling a flicker of hope. Please excuse me while I go stamp it out. Winning is fun to watch in any case although it may have the unfortunate effect of getting Bobby another year if he decides to come back.
Well, a 12-4 finish puts us at 90-72 for the season I believe. Not going to be enough to get the WC. Nope. Not enough. But still a darn good finish. Still No Hope though.
I am on the fence on whether I want Bobby to return. I mean, his in-game management is horrid at this point, but the effect he has on his players is hard to replace. These guys love playing for him – and I truly believe if Vasquez had gone anywhere else, he wouldn’t have been nearly as good as he has been this year. But god, it is tough watching him butcher decisions during the game.
Off-topic: I’m looking for books on baseball barstorming. Please give any suggestions. You are the most literate baseball fans on the Internet.
12-4! You (almost) Gotta Believe!
I actually got the quote wrong from Ted Kennedy–it was supposed to the “the dream never dies.”
But if Phillips thinks the Braves have a chance, there truly is no hope. I don’t see why he thinks 90 wins would get the Braves in when Colorado already has 83. What reason is there to think that Colorado won’t win at least 8 out of 15?
I expect John Kruk to get on ESPN any moment and say we are his favorite to win it all, officially ending the season.
OK Tom, here’s another one:
“Tear down this [Wild Card] wall.”
Kevin,
There is a book about barnstorming that came out somewhat recently called “Baseball Barnstorming & Exhibition Games,” but I haven’t read it.
Though it’s not specifically about barnstorming, “The Glory of Their Times” offers some good stories about it. (I would consider it essential baseball reading, but it’s also a fascinating look at early century America.)
Ich bin ein Believer!
No Hope here, No None.
Possibilities maybe, by no hope here.
90 wins would be a nice accomplishment.
Thanks, ububba!
Go Red Clay Hounds!
“It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored fans we take increased devotion to that hope for which they gave the full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these fans shall not have rooted in vain — that this team, under Bobby, shall have a new birth of postseason play — and that pursuit of the Wild Card, by the players, for the fans, shall not perish from the schedule.”
Even if 90 isn’t enough to get us to the post season this year, I know I’d feel good about our season if we came that close considering how many holes we had to fill when the season started.
Phillies No Hope Watch
2009 85-60 7.5 Up
1964 88-57 6.0 Up
Now it starts to get interesting.
We have these three against the Phils, 3 against the Fish, and everything else is Nats or Mets… Rockies have 3 against the Cards, 3 against the Dodgers, and 3 against the Brewers (plus their next few against “junk” teams like the Padres and D-Backs). The main question for us on if we can gain any ground (though I don’t think we COULD gain enough to take the WC) is if we can win games against the Nats… we’ve got 7 more against them.
I love the application of great political speeches/slogans to this Braves team. Keep ’em coming.
Doesn’t it say a lot about the Mets that trading for Jeff Francoeur turned out to be a bright spot for them this year?
@31
Well, the Braves are in a position to make things interesting this weekend with a sweep. I’m not holding my breath.
“We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight! We’re going to live on! We’re going to survive! Today we celebrate our Independence Day!”
That kinda works, I guess.
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Out of contention teams should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise managers at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good pitchers, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Decent outfielders who finally caught the ball in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
We have nothing to Francouer but Francouer itself.
Baseball (with Jeff Francoeur in right field) is hell.
More than at any other time in history, mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other, to total extinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly.
We shall fight them on the road. We shall fight them at home. We shall fight them through bad weather. We will never surrender.
If the Atlanta Braves last 1000 years, men will say that this was their finest hour.
Man, I’ve seen the Falcons go 12-4. If that can happen, then anything can.
Also, lol @ 37.
@40:
Okay, if you’re going to get Iron Maiden involved, then you need to let Mac know so he can coordinate the vids.
We shall never surrender!
Yo, Braves Journal, I’m really happy for you, and I’mma let you finish this meme, but 1993 had one of the best Braves pennant races of all time.
Of all time!
I’m listening to WFAN’s Mike Francesa, who just said, “And now…the Braves are in the mix.”
Shut up, man!
25, 37: LOL, great stuff. I love Braves Journal for discussions like these.
And Mac, how in the world could you come up with that Woody Allen quote?
I love this site for stuff like this too Tom! Great baseball minds and so much more!
“Ask not what your team can do for you, but what can I do for my team”
We’ll see if I remembered the url right to go with Adam R:
http://kanyelicio.us/http://bravesjournal.us
@47,
As I like to say, not likely to see these discussions on Mets Blog.
New thread/poll.