Houston Astros vs. Atlanta Braves – Box Score – May 01, 2010 – ESPN.
Nothing like a dose of the Astros to cure what ails you. Houston took a 1-0 lead in the first, but only had four hits after that inning (it’s like they’re the Braves or something) and the Braves, atypically, refused to go into Hibernation Mode, scoring eight runs in the fifth through seventh innings combined.
Considering the Bizarro World aspects of this series, Troy Glaus had a big day, doubling in the Braves’ first two runs in the third, singling in a run in the fifth, and singling in another run (just missing a two-run double) in the sixth. The Braves’ cleanup hitter is now hitting .221 and slugging .325, which is a vast improvement though still terrible.
Heyward had another homer, his seventh (and third over the last three games) and drew a walk. It’s almost as if being selective helps a guy hit homers or something. Nah, it can’t be. Infante (leading off and playing short) and Prado each went 3-5. Tim Hudson scored the Braves’ first run and went 6 2/3 before leaving with cramps. It’s worrisome that he only struck out one and his K rate continues to be very low.
I posted this in last thread in response to Chipper’s “poor” outing today:
@77 – he hit the ball as hard as you can hit them in 2 of those at bats right at the center fielder and had a hit taken away by a diving stop in the 1st. He actually had a really good day at the plate – just with nothing to show for it.
Mac, was that selective comment a stab at Cox’ comments that he should swing at more pitches? Just asking, because I agree with Cox on that. He was watching too many pitches right down the middle of the plate. He would get behind in the count, have 2 strikes on him, then start having to defend the zone. I love the fact that he is selective, but when you are getting a fastball right down the middle, you need to swing at that pitch. I think he has actually been doing that alot more. You can swing at strikes and still be selective.
Not if you’re looking for something else with less than 2 strikes.
Unfortunately some out there believe that there is no such thing as being too selective. This is, of course, ridiculous.
Jason quickly got a rep in the majors for never swinging at the first pitch. Once that was figured out, he started every at bat 0-1 which is recipe for a slump, a slump he experienced.
He seems to have adjusted. In yesterday’s game he swung at the first pitch twice, which is a lot for him.
We got the fever, we’re hot, we can’t be stopped.
I’m less concerned about Bobby than the Booth Bozos, who have criticized Jason more in the past week for not swinging than they did Jeffy in four years for swinging at pitches that hit the ground in the lefthanded batter’s box.
I’ll be damned. 2 in a row. Better trade Glaus now while his value is high.
Hudson has cramps already??? It’s not even summer, what’s he gonna do when it gets really hot?
The true test of whether or not the Braves are out of their funk will be if they can win on their next road trip.
Always great to see the Braves pile on.
Stu, your chipper jones comment made me laugh out loud.
Heyward’s been striking out a bit much, that at least is true. But he had like one bad week! If that happens in July and his BA dips 5 points instead of 50, no one much notices or complains about his approach.
I think the important thing isn’t that he swing at the first pitch more, but that he make adjustments to what pitchers are doing against him. This is what Frenchy (7 for 32 with a 6:1 K:BB rate in his last 10 games for those keeping track at home) singularly failed to do in his time in Atlanta. As long as Heyward is willing to adjust his game when pitchers change their approach against him, he’ll continue to do fine.
Nice game today….good starting by Hudson, good relief, no errors, aggressive baserunning, timely hitting. Probably the best game of the year overall. It was the Astros sure, but after losing 9 in a row, a W is pretty satisfying.
Jason Heyward, 2010: 14 walks in 78 at-bats
Jeff Francoeur, 2005: 11 walks in 257 at-bats
Whatever Bobby said, Jason is getting it. That’s all it matters.
As far as the Booth Bozos, who cares what they say.
@11 Comparing Jason to Frenchy is completely criminal. Jason is an .800+ OPS player when he is struggling. Frenchy is an .800+ OPS player when he is at his best.
Guys, this is not meant to be political, but I couldn’t help but laugh at it. There is a GA Congressman who’s afraid that Guam will capsize if we send 8,000 troops there. Some of you may have already seen it, but here’s the link for your viewing pleasure (he’s claimed that he was joking and some have said that his having hepatitis had something to do with it – it doesn’t look like he’s joking to me):
I would like to legally adopt Jason Heyward.
I’m voting no on the poll, but only because I see gray area. I don’t like the rule as it is being enforced now, but eliminating it would cause major problems.
I voted no on the poll, because I want it even harder for pitchers to pick runners off. I would change the rule to make it illegal to fake throw to any base whether or not the pitcher has his foot on the rubber.
Stealing bases is exciting and I like exciting things in baseball.
Stealing bases would not be so exciting if there was no chance of getting caught.
I think it is a little too easy to steal a base now, based on some of the success rates out there. I would not be in favor of eliminating the balk rule, but I could see narrowing the definition of a balk a bit.
I was at the game today! The Heyward homer was an absolute bullet from my point of view. The replay showed it had some height to it, but it seemed like a laser to me. I recorded all of his at-bats and just in the at-bat where he goes deep, I run out of memory. C’est la vie.
@15 You can do that by playing fantasy baseball.
I have Heyward in a fantasy league. He’s OPS’ing 1.252 for the week on the back of a .292 average.
it’s may…i made a prediction that heyward would be batting 4th for the braves by may…
it could happen.
@22
I have Heyward too – in an NL only keeper league. Team name: Carry On My Heyward Son