Atlanta Braves vs. Pittsburgh Pirates – Box Score – May 21, 2010 – ESPN.
Well, that was easy. While the rest of the league plays against the softball guys, the Braves play the Pirates, because there are different numbers of teams in each league, and somebody has to be ignored by ESPN. Might as well be us.
Tim Hudson pitched eight shutout innings, though once again he walked more (four) than he struck out (three). Since he gave up only three hits, all singles, it wasn’t a problem. The Pirates are a remarkably bad team, and against a real club I don’t think that’s going to work, no matter how many ground balls he gets. Tonight, fine. O’Flaherty finished up and gave up a hit and a walk.
The offensive star was, no surprise, Heyward, who went 3-4 with a walk. He drew the walk in the first, forcing Prado to second where Chipper drove him in with a single for the early lead. In the third, he hit a two-run homer (scoring Prado again) to make it 3-0. Hudson drove in Hinske with a single in the fourth, then Prado’s fielder’s choice drove in Yunel. Heyward then doubled Prado in to make it 6-0. McCann capped the scoring with a homer in the seventh, after the one time they got Heyward.
So close to being a 2-HR game for Adenolith. That double he hit was smoked.
Per DOB, Kimbrel optioned, Cristhian Martinez called up. Chavez promoted to sixth arm out of the bullpen!
Who the hell is Cristhian Martinez?
I don’t really get the promotion of some guy who I’ve never really heard of.
His career stats say he’s got excellent control, but that’s the only really impressive stat and he’s a 28 year old career minor leaguer.
He’s the anti-Kimbrel.
I’d say it’s more about Kimbrel than Martinez, though I’d just as soon have seen Resop, since he’ll be up soon, anyway.
It’s kinda scary to think we’re looking at Chris Resop in our starting rotation should someone else go down.
Hudson was pounding the strikezone once he got the early lead. I’m not as concerned with his K total this game. He was pitching agressively.
Martinez getting the call is weird. He’s allowed 5 runs in his last 5 innings and has a 5.04 ERA for the season with a 1.16 WHIP. Why bring this guy up?
Well, he managed to walk 4 while pounding the strike zone.
DOB says Bobby wants Kimbrel to get more work, which inevitably leads me to say, “If there’s not enough work, why not replace a pitcher with a hitter?” The choice of Martinez, one of the worst relievers on the Gwinnett staff, suggests that the Braves are trying to win with a degree of difficulty.
All I can figure is that he will be the odd man out when they have to make a roster move and they want to give him a shot in the majors before they release him.
Martinez and Clevlen both up.. To quote my high school Computer Technology teacher, “It simply bottles the mind.”
why didnt kimbrel pitch tonight if Bobby wants him to get more work?
‘I want him to work more’ means ‘I want him to work more on throwing strikes’. Six walks in three and a third should get you sent out.
At least the new guy looks like he can find the plate. It should make whatever low leverage innings he’s tasked with go faster.
Jason Heyward will have a 4-HR game at some point in his career.
I said to my dad during the game tonight, that I expect that by the time Heyward is 26, he’ll have one of those Bonds-ian seasons where he just doesn’t get pitched to, and he hits every single strike you throw him.
He’s a sure thing, all right. The best since Hank Aaron, and we get to see it.
It was just a few years ago that we were struggling to get lefty relievers. Now we have O’Flaherty, Venters and Wagner that are all doing well. In the minors and on the 40 man we have Lee Hyde (AA- 0.84 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 21.1 IP) and Michael Dunn (AAA – 0.47 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 19.1 IP). Additionally Marianno Gomez is in AAA and has a 1.66 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 21.2 IP.
If Proctor can’t get it turned around soon I wouldn’t be too surprised if we sent one of our leftys to another team for a solid righty.
One other thing. I have to confess that I wouldn’t mind seeing Resop get a chance before the end of the year. He was horrible as a reliever but may have reinvented himself as a starter. He’s definitely looking good so far in the minors.
I honestly wouldn’t mind seeing Mike Dunn get a shot. Since the Phillies lefties bat every inning after the 5th, another lefty doesn’t hurt, maybe he pitches well enough to flip him for something useful down the line.
I had a front-row seat to Chien-Ming Wang’s best years in The Bronx—OK, it was in the upper-deck. But when sinkerballers succeed like that, it ain’t luck. That’s what they’re trying to do. If the opponent doesn’t hit the ball hard, you can field it and throw the bum out.
Huddy has given up 3 ER exactly once. Everything else has been 2 ER or less, and that includes games vs. Philly & St. Louis. He’s given up 43 H in 60+ IP (.206 BAA). And then there are the matter of his 2.09 ERA.
I hate to be contrarian and all, folks, but that’s outstanding.
Hudson is staff Ace, no doubt. If it really comes down to it, we had to trade Vazquez to keep Hudson, I’d say the deal was ok. (Milk Man not withstanding)
@21
Hear, hear!
This is just ridiculous:
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/05/three-braves-minor-leaguers-test-positive-for-peds.html.php
That was our first shutout of the season apparently.
Great game…Braves should beat up on Morton today.
Weird that it isn’t televised, even on Atlanta-based Peachtree TV.
I agree with Ububba — right now, Huddy’s stuff seems like it’s just working. But it’s a thin line to toe — as Wang fans know all too well. He’d make it easier for himself if he just struck out more guys and walked fewer of them, like he has throughout his career.
Right now, I feel confident in handing Hudson the ball every fifth day. But if he isn’t missing bats, there’s always a chance of an Episode, as we’ve seen.
I think people should clarify when they talk about what these guys got suspended for. It was Mays/Aaron-era PEDs, not Bonds/ARod-era. In other words, not the morally wrong kind of PEDs.
Huddy’s getting more ground balls than he ever has, and he’s getting some outstanding defense to back him up. He’s averaged one double play per start (which is good), and base stealers are 1 for 5.
One thing I’ve always liked about Hudson is how he openly shows his appreciation for good plays made behind him. He’s very demonstrative. I don’t necessarily think that causes better plays to be made, but it creates a good vibe.
27,
What makes either one morally wrong?
Depends on your morals I guess.
Jordan Schafer is now 4 for 27 with no XBH and a 2BB/7K at Gwinnett.
i highly doubt Schafer gets called up this year. MAYBE September, but I’m thinking we’re gonna use some of our pitching depth in the Minors to look for a bat. I just hope to God it’s not J. Gullien.
Who could we target? I’m assuming a LF who’s a RH batter. Or, heck, couldn’t we kick the tires on Dye?
Agree sansho… this is why I like Huddy so much, he’s always motivating the team around him. Even between his innings, he’s chatting and laughing in the dugout. As you said, creating good vibes.
So Morton has the highest ERA in the majors. I hate those kind of guys playing the Braves. Let’s see if Lowe has really turned the corner after his last two decent starts.
there isnt anything lucky about Huddy so far, he’s just been outstanding. I dont concern myself with the lack of strikeouts. Huddy said the other day that the strikeouts are just good for the stat sheets and that he wants to get a hitter out with 3 or less pitches, I personally like that mindset and it shows that he trusts the guys behind him. I wish Hanson wouldnt nitpick the corners as much and keep his pitch counts down like Huddy. If Hudson likes seeing slow rollers to our infielders and less K’s thats fine with me
#31 – Dye apparently isnt even working out and still wants $3mil +. Id call and check on the prices like Choo, Markakis, Willingham, and some others. Garrett Jones maybe?
Apparently, little Jeffy Fwancoeur was upset that he was benched in front of his parents in Atlanta. Why isn’t the NY media ripping this guy? My goodness, the South wouldn’t have missed Stonewall Jackson if they’d had Francoeur. He could have turned Sherman around at Kennesaw Mountain with an “aw shucks” grin.
Tim Hudson has .218 BABIP and a 86.5 LOB%. Considering his ERA as entirely a product of his fundamental skill is delusional. He’s been very lucky. Probably one of the 10 luckiest starters in baseball or so (without checking).
Well, if he is pitching to contact, and wants short ABs, why is he walking so many hitters? Can’t have it both ways.
Am not too worried about the wildness. Maybe just the lingering aftereffects of TJ. Huddy has too strong a track record. But I am a bit worried if he actually believes what he is saying to the media.
@35 Hilarious. The one game they actually beat us, and a game in which Frenchy’s replacement was instrumental in scoring those runs, and Francoeur is complaining about personally not getting the start, despite it being justified as he is a terrible baseball player.
That’s our Jeffy!
I think Jeffy can be a punk as much the next guy, but in all fairness, according to the Daily News, he didn’t know about it until game time, and didn’t say anything derogatory.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2010/05/21/2010-05-21_mets_players_have_yet_to_rally_round.html
@39,
Yeah, nothing wrong with that reaction. Surprisingly professional if anything.
He didn’t know until game time? We knew hours before!
#36 – Ah the ever expanding luck bucket. The catch-all for lazy or knowledge-challenged stat heads. Extreme groundballers are never going to fit the equations well.
^^Troll^^
We simply cannot allow the Phillies to acquire Oswalt.
Doesn’t Chipper have a ranch in Texas?
Hank Aaron takes a swing at osteoarthritis | accessAtlanta.
Luck or no, the notion that Hudson can go the rest of the year conjuring up double plays at will is delusional. He’s “cruisin’ for a bruisin'” as daddy used to say.
And, FWIW, http://www.playertrack.com/blog.pl?139
Game thread.