Atlanta Braves vs. Chicago White Sox – Box Score – June 23, 2010 – ESPN.
This game doesn’t break your heart — it drives you insane. The Braves got nine hits in six innings off of Mark Buehrle, but couldn’t get more than two runs, blowing chance after chance. Meanwhile, Tim Hudson most of the night breezed through the White Sox batting order, but allowed a walk and four hits in the fourth, and three runs, and only got out of it through a runner thrown out at the plate.
It was the sort of night where Melky had three hits (and the outfield assist to end the fourth) but when he came up with the bases loaded and one out in the sixth, popped up on the first pitch. Or where in the fifth, Martin Prado, hitting .336, struck out with runners first and third, one out.
Glaus scored on a Melky single in the second, and Yunel on a Ross popup that dropped in the outfield in the fifth. However, between those came that fourth inning, where the Sox tied it on a single and took the lead on a Carlos Quentin two-run homer. In the seventh, Quentin, who has spent the last year and a half collapsing into a black hole from which no offense can escape, hit his third homer of the series for an insurance run.
I’m feeling very depressed. I’m going to leave this as the game thread for tomorrow, an early afternoon game.
last thread – Omar does sport a 356/382/433 line vs RH in 104 AB’s this season
On the plus side, our country is good at soccer.
On a side note, I don’t know how big Heyward debut was in Atlanta….but I’m already sick of the Strasburg talk here in DC. It’s funny how the Nats have tanked since his call up.
Thing is, Strasburg has totally earned it. He’s awesome.
You know what sucks? When your baseball video game freezes when you’re winning in the 8th inning.
You know what else sucks? When someone like Peanut writes a game recap talking all about how Hudson was the losing pitcher while basically ignoring that the offense only scored 2 runs.
#2 A thrilling match that even folks who don’t understand the game could appreciate.
As for the Braves. I sure hope that this isn’t the beginning of one of those funks we go through where we simply don’t hit in high leverage situations.
Did anyone else notice the tape job on Heyward’s wrist last night? I knew he had some soreness, etc., but that did not look real good.
I now have an idea as to why he had looked impatient at the plate. He must be having to start his swing earlier to compensate for the wrist injury. That would explain the pulling of everything this month.
This worries me.
Hudson had a couple of nice snags on balls hit up the middle.
From my vantage point I couldn’t really tell, but how close was Heyward to catching Quentin’s first HR?
These are the kinds of losses that don’t bother me. I mean yeah it sucks to lose any way, but we’re getting guys on base, out-hitting the other team, etc. You can’t get every runner home.
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We need to give Heyward a week off. Just don’t even show up to the park. Stay home and do wind sprints to keep in shape and let that wrist heal. He’s been awful for a whole month’s worth of games.
watching Saito hobble around on one leg last night worries me. Im starting to think we need to add another starter, along with JJ, and get Medlen and KK to the pen. We need some RH pitchers down there and some that Bobby could trust. Wont hurt keeping Med’s innings down either.
Let Diaz/Nate be the bats that are added and hope for the best. This team still leads the league in runs/obp I believe
#8 – a couple of feet..
We need to give Heyward a week off. Just don’t even show up to the park. Stay home and do wind sprints to keep in shape and let that wrist heal. He’s been awful for a whole month’s worth of games.
Or go to Gwinnett for a couple of weeks to buy us another year of team control…
The game this afternoon needs to start so I don’t have to think about last night anymore. I really really hope we don’t get swept.
#12 – bingo
I have to cede this to my buddy Charno. He’s a huge ChiSox fan. I’m not cool with it, but if we’re going to lose to anyone, I hope he gets some satisfaction out of it.
From here on out, let’s crush some Mets’ fans’ souls.
1,
Means less than nothing to me. Lots of unexpected results will happen in ~100 AB’s, doesn’t mean they have any predictive value.
what about the 140AB’s from 09 – showing he hit .300 vs RH. Omar was just as likely to produce there as Brooks or Blanco
Peter, why are you down on Fredi?
Why do I feel like this team is going to break my heart?
If lots of unexpected results happen in 100 ABs, why wouldn’t an unexpected & positive result happen in one AB?
Isner and Mahut have played another set, by which I mean they’re now tied 65-65.
20—Well, it could. But you’re better off playing the percentages, and you get a better idea of the percentages by looking at much larger samples.
One hundred at-bats playing every day for a month may not mean much, but one hundred at-bats over 3 months while both pinch hitting and starting means something. Any time someone hits .350 over a 100 AB clip, we should be paying attention.
Well, if someone is a “true” .250 hitter, then statistically there’s about a 15% chance that he’d hit .300 over 100 at bats. That drops to 1.5% if he hits .350 and .1% if he hits .400.
All I have to say is that I still tip my cap to Charno, even though I believe his team is inferior. They have come out on top where it counts and they will never in my heart be beneath the Cubs (Lord, No!), Mets, or Phillies.
Rock on, bro.
So the Miami Heat (in an effort to clear cap room for Bosh and/or LeBrick) have traded their pick (#18, I believe) AND Daquan Cook to OKC for the number 32 pick.
And the Hawks were where? Why are we NEVER involved in one-sided deals that serve the financial interests of another team. (Gasol comes to mind …)
Oy.
I hate Jimmy Rollins. That’s not true, but I really hate it when Rollins returns to their lineup and does something incredible at the plate to make up for his egregious play in the field.
Better win this one, Braves.
or we could assume that Omar is becoming a better hitter as well
since 2006 – 1060AB’s 307H – .289avg
since 2008 – 670/200 – .298avg
or we could look at this splits since 2008 vs RH – 440/132 – .300avg
I just don’t see where pitching is the major flaw in this club. To me its getting runners in with men on third (and even second to a point) with one or fewer outs. That seems to doom us more than anything.
I think we need a bat way more than another starting pitcher. Hudson’s lost two of his last three games in which we scored 1 and 2 runs for him. In the one we won for him we got 3 runs. Cash in some guys from third and less than two out and we win those games.
Just a quick look at our last ten losses show a trend of either the starting pitcher getting shelled early (Lowe v. Arizona for 7 runs, Kawakami and Resop v. Tamapa for 10, and Hanson v. White Sox for 9) or complete futility with runners in scoring position. (and in the shelled games we had a chance to come back if we’d done better or limited the bleeding earlier like we did Sunday against Kansas City.)
1) Pittsburgh won 3-2. 8 hits, 3 BB, 1 bucs error, 1-9 RISP, 7 LOB.
2) Marlins won 6-4. 9 hits,4BB 2-10 RISP, 9 LOB.
3) Dodgers won 5-4. 6 hits, 5BB, 1 Dodger error, 2-9 RISP, 8 LOB.
4) Dodgers won 5-4. 12 hits,4BB, 1-10 RISP, 11 LOB.
5) Arizona won 7-4. 11 hits, 6BB, 4-16 RISP, 11 LOB.
6) Arizona won 2-1. (The Heyward McLouth collison), 5 hits, 6BB, 2-12 RISP, 9 LOB.
7) Twins won 2-1. 5 hits, 0BB, 0-4 RISP, 3 LOB.
8) Rays won 10-4. 13 hits,4BB, 1 Ray error, 1-15 RISP, 14 LOB.
9) White Sox won 9-6. 6 hits, 1 BB, 1 Sox error, 2-7 RISP, 4 LOB.
10) White Sox won 4-2. 10 hits, 2 BB, 3-8 RISP, 7 LOB.
I see games like last night where we had 10 hits and 2 walks and could only score 2 runs off of it. Or the Arizona game where we only scored 1 run on 9 base runners. In this stretch, even with games where the starters got shelled, we’ve only lost one game by more than three runs. Looks to me like the pitchers and especially bull pen are giving them a chance in every game. We just can’t get the men across to score enough runs when we’re going 1 for 9 or 1 for 10 or 1 for 15 or 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position.
I’m with everybody else that RBI is a misleading stat but we need to get somebody that gets these guys in however necessarily. I’m so tired of watching guys not even be able to get a sac fly (like Melky and Prado last night) when we’ve got men on third and less than two out.
We’re still in first; rant over.
Isner wins 6-4, 3-6, 7-6, 6-7, 70-68.
I just havent seen a bat available that would make that huge of an impact. The list that most have come up with is Wiggington, Kearns, Lowell, Scott, DeJesus. If thats our list, I think Diaz is a better addition. Somehow maybe Nate if he can return healthy.
If we add these two and a starter, IMO, it makes us much deeper. Ill take any upgrades though
Can’t believe I’m defending Melky, but he did pick up McCann and Claudell Escobar (have I mentioned that I’d rather see Infante at SS?) in the 2nd when the former got picked off (say that again – McCann got picked off) and the latter does what he always does.
Mike Lowell is batting .213 and makes 12.5 mil. Even with the Red Sox paying part I can’t see that as a legit option.
Kearns has an .806 OPS and only makes 750K. Don’t see the Indians selling him without expecting a ton in return. It would all depend on if he was planning on declining arbitration and they wanted to insure they’d get something which with that low of a contract its more than likely he would decline. Still last two years in Washington he had a .621 and .647 OPS. Could really be a buy high problem.
Ty Wigginton makes $3.5 mil which isn’t bad and has another year left. He can also play first, second, third, left and right and has a .846 OPS this year. Sounds like a lot of teams are in on him.
Luke Scott’s making $4 mil and has an .849 OPS with 11 home runs. Sounds like about what we need but don’t see the payroll flexibility to add that much unless we dropped Kawakami somehow and don’t see the Orioles kicking in much salary relief. Actually though we should have tried to get him last year. Has two more arbitration eligible years. Been a solid .800 + OPS guys for the last few years.
DeJesus is having an outlier high year after a .780 OPS last year which is still solid for a center fielder. Looks a lot like Nate in the solid OPS for a center fielder but could be buying to high like we did for Nate. Makes $4.7 mil so don’t see us able to afford him without shedding payroll somewhere else.
@33
It’s about more than what those players cost financially, it’s about what they would cost in prospects to acquire. Is it really worth giving up decent prospects for Nate McLouth 2.0 in DDJ or Scott or Gordon?
If the Braves are going to be giving up prospects, it needs to be for an elite guy. Seeing as how there really aren’t that many elite OF bats (Although who knows what might open up if we dangle say.. Vizcaino), it makes more since to look at strengthening the SP even more.
That’s how I look at it, anyway.
#33 – the O’s want a young SS in return for Wigginton. I dont think Diory or Brandon Hicks would get that done. Id do it, but Im sure they’d want more
Luke Scott would help, but Hinske has done very well in our LH LF platoon. We need a RH power bat
DeJesus is having a nice year and I think we could add the payroll. Dont know if he’s going to put us over the top.
Like I mentioned earlier, the options arent great and not huge upgrades. I dont know what prospects we’d be willing to let go of for just a marginal upgrade.
Corey Hart may be the best available, huh, never thought Id say that
Prado
Heyward
Jones
Bmac
Glaus DH
Hinske 1B
Melky LF
Yunel
Blanco CF
Chipper’s in a hurry again today. Geez.
OBPs of today’s Chisox starters: .311, .298, .311, .399, .315, .290, .320, .200, .667 (Lillibridge, 2-3).
Joe is in love with Melky “empty .270 BA” Cabrera.
Mark Kotsay batting 3rd is pretty humorous. Almost as humorous as the possibility of Derek Lowe getting his tenth win today.
Lowe knows how to “win”
Lowe’s stuff is dancing today. Lets hope it doesn’t dance down the middle of the plate at the wrong time.
this one will be over in an hour and a half
I was at the game on Tuesday, and on the jumbotron it listed the longest homeruns at the White Sox stadium this season. Brent Lillibridge was 2nd, with a supposed 420-foot homerun. That I have to footage of before I believe it.
two 5th starters looking like aces?
Right down the middle, Jason.
The WGN announcers are awful.
5 ERA coming in and now 4IP 1H 0BB 6K, nice job ladies. Hopefully 3rd time through the order will do the trick
pitching around Kotsay to get to Konerko is an interesting idea
Lowe knows how to win.
Well, he’s doing his job. Can’t say the same for anyone else.
The Braves were averaging around 4 and 1/2 walks a game before they came to Chicago, they’ve drawn three so far.
they’ve caught ozzie guillen never walk syndrome…the cure is still at phase I clinicals…
@50
Could you use some form of that phrase as a pick-up line?
“Baby, I may be rough, but I know how to win.”
really, Kotsay?
got a bad feeling about this inning
Here comes the epic slump.
This game is doing nothing to temper my opinion that we need another bat more than another starting pitcher.
And considering all we got for Teixiera was Kotchman and Marek I don’t think the demand for the guys listed would be to great. At least not top five prospect great.
It’s been a while since I’ve actually heard “Hawk” Harrelson announce a game… and after hearing him again, I know why people want to hurt him. Anyone who can make me wish for the “adopted” son of Skip is BAD.
Re: trading for Luke Scott: we already have him. His name is Eric Hinske.
WOOOOOOOO!! Go Derek Lowe!
thats a big league pitching effort right there
Braaaaaains.
Nice analysis of what’s wrong with Heyward by Joe. He’s not trying to hit the other way any more, so he’s pulling all those outside edge fastballs and changeups, turning them over and grounding to first and second. Lots of those the last 2-3 weeks. That’s something they need to fix.
so I guess we need to “tip our cap” to all of their starters
haven’t had a big hit in a long time. need one.
Joe’s solution to every hitting problem sees to be ”go the other way more”.
If Derek Lowe is done for the day, this will be his first scoreless appearance since Opening Day, 2009.
Is this baseball or soccer? Can it end in a 0-0 tie?
@66, you’re right and it does get a bit old, but in fact Heyword IS trying to pull the pitch on the outside corner . . . and normally, you end up popping up or bouncing out when you do that. I thought Joe’s suggestion that JH move 6 inches closer to the plate was a good one.
outside of June 7th vs Ariz, Lowe has been very solid
last 5 starts (other than June 7)
35.2IP 27H 7ER 9BB 20K
What a way to step up Lowe, really impressed. I agree, give Heyward at least a couple of days off. Put Cabrera in the 2 hold. This slump is ridiculous.
The most troubling aspect of Heyward’s current slump is the power outage and frequent inability to catch up to fastballs. During his prior slumps, the issues seemed to be in his approach (either swininging at balls in the dirt or taking too many pitches). However, he was still hitting the ball out of the ballpark. This is why I think the injury is hampering him much more than is being let on.
Heyward’s wrist is HURT. The tape job ran outside of the batters gloves yesterday. It looks like he having to start early to compensate for the wrist. Thus he swings early and looks bad on breaking stuff, or pulls everything.
This is starting to look like a Jordan Schaffer type situation.
i wish Heyward would get AllStar weekend off to rest and heal. he’s starting to look bad
Ugh
Oh, hamburgers.
Let’s go Tigers
Mr Saito, welcome back
Ahhh, crap.
Ballgame.
The Sox are white hot. bad time to play em.
I’m going to the game tomorrow… Hopefully they got all the suck out with this series.
according to Gamecast, Heyward just swung at one in the RH batters box and almost pulled it to the right side of the infield
Heyward is killing us right now. Never thought I would say that.
White Sox seem to have our number for some reason.
This has been a piss poor series.
Well, the Braves sure made this .500 team look good. They don’t deserve to be in first place after today.
that stunk.
I hate watching this team not hit.
Heyward needs a break, but everybody has been swinging at bad balls — all that plate patience disappeared in this series.
Recapped.