Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves – Box Score – August 13, 2010 – ESPN.
Yeah, take that you big blue sissies. You didn’t know you had to deal with a folk hero, did you?
The Braves spent the first several innings doing their usual “get a runner to second and let him rot” routine. With Alex Gonzalez, for some reason, taking Chipper’s third spot in the batting order, it’s not surprising that the lineup was a little dysfunctional, but they just couldn’t get anything going.
Fortunately, they had Tim Hudson on the mound. He continued his Madduxian work of late, going eight innings and allowing just three singles and one walk. The walk came leading off the game; the runner later got to second, but he was stranded. The Dodgers didn’t even get another chance to leave a runner in scoring position. A one-out single in the second was erased on a double play. They didn’t get another runner until the sixth, with two out — stranded — and then another single with one out in the eighth — stranded. Hudson struck out six, including the side in the fifth.
Still, he was always one pitch away from being down, because the Braves couldn’t score. Until Brooks Conrad, Folk Hero, stepped to the plate and homered to straightaway center with one out in the seventh. Of course he did.
Hudson had only thrown 91 pitches, and some were a bit upset when Bobby went to Billy Wagner in the ninth, but it was the fourth time through the order and it’s probably the correct call. He allowed a weak single (to Scott Podsednik, who had two of the Dodgers’ hits and their walk) through the box leading off the inning, then got the next guy to pop up. He picked off Podsednik, and the Braves actually successfully executed the play for once, tagging him out at second. Wagner then struck out Andre Ethier to end the game.
Lowe pitched his ass off the last game until he cramped up.
He sure did. Expecting an 8 inning shutout is a bit sanguine for anyone though.
highlight of game was Jonny’s arm not falling off
Nate 1-4
Freeman 4-5 30th double tonight
Beachy 5IP 7H 2ER 0BB 7K
Emancipate Freeman
Re: Prado
I fractured the tip of my right ring finger on a bad hop groundball playing softball a couple of years ago. It took me about 3 weeks before I was really able to grip anything without pain, so I’m not surprised that Prado (with a similar injury) isn’t quite ready in just a little under 2 weeks.
Prado does not need to come back too early.
Pretty strange after last night’s crazy LA/ Philly game that both got shut out 1-0. RA Dickey pitched a no-hitter through six for the Mets and Mike Hessman had a a homerun taken from him because of fan interference.
Tomorrow’s lineup without Chipper against a lefthander is going to look ugly.
Books Conrad
folk hero will right though and Glaus seems to hitting again. Will Ross play if righty pitches Sunday
my favorite Polish author
EOF pitched a scoreless inning allowing 1 hit and struck out 2 in his first rehab appearance for Gwinnett.
Who be called up in September?
Great win tonight!!!!!!!
13 — Among position players, probably McLouth, and maybe Freeman and Wilkin Ramirez (the other guy on the 40 man).
Among pitchers, probably Kawakami, Kimbrel, and maybe Stephen Marek.
Freeman is the only guy of those who is not currently on the 40 man.
Bobby likes having a 3rd catcher, so they might add J.C Boscan (the lesser of the terrible 2 AAA catchers) too.
Great to see Wags pull through. Man, Huddy is all kinds of good.
It’s a lot of fun to watch Hudson having this season that flies in the face of how we think pitchers succeed. You can absolutely tell he is trying to do this on purpose, and batters literally are just rolling over pitch after pitch. It’s really amazing.
@15
No other pinch runners? We have some slow guys out there. 3rd catcher will free up Ross to PH. No good middle infielders?
Let’s breed Hudson, Heyward, and Chipper.
I guess the only reason we brought up Hicks is that he’s on the 40 man. What does he give us that Diory doesn’t? What is involved in adding someone to the 40 man? It looks like we only have 38 on the 40 man roster and that includes Chipper and Medlen. I guess there may be financial reasons and we may be looking to make a trade, but why not add a couple? – Timmons, Freeman, … Can anyone think of any reason why we’re not adding at least a few to the roster?
Btw, I didn’t think Timmons had much speed, but I see where he’s stolen 19 bases – not too bad.
18- We’ve got Brandon Hicks in Gwinnett, but he’s not much good; if Bobby really thinks he needs a pinch-runner/ defensive replacement, he might come up. Also, if Jesus Sucre keeps hitting .300 in Mississippi, he might get a call instead of Boscan.
I like the 3 game lead. Let’s make it 4 tomorrow.
The experiences at the dealerships was decidedly horrible. I’m not sure I’m going to be taken seriously anywhere. When I started talking about offers on the car it was in one ear and out the other, they wouldn’t even honor the newspaper prices or the 1.9% financing options offered through Dodge. Awful way to waste a day.
Who thinks Bill Hohn will call the hospital to eject Chipper for old times’ sake tomorrow?
All I can tell you Bethany is to never buy a new car. (When I get a car, I actually let one of my lawyer/former car salesmen relatives handle it.)
@22: Take a man with you.
Bethany, as a financial advisor, just go to a local credit union and find your financing there. They’ll give you 15-30 day preapprovals, then you only have to worry about your offer on the car. Dealerships will screw you royally by letting them find your financing. Try to sell your car on craigslist or auto trader before buying anything. You’ll most likely lose money on trading it in also. Buy used
@24. Friend who sold used cars knew he had to give a decent price to an asian man. Sterotype maybe, but they had rep for researching prices.
22 unfortunately sdp is probably right.
@23 I can picture Hohn rolling Chipper out of the hospital, shoving him into the parking lot and tossing him.
@24 If I go back, I will. They refused to price match, even though they told me previously they would, they were all dubious about me saying I didn’t need a cosigner.. ugh. I feel gross and depressed. Hudson’s performance helps quite a bit, though.
Does Wren make a move?
1 – true that.
csg is right, being pre approved for the loan truly simplifies the process. And buy a 1 or 2 year old Challenger if they exist. Since this is one of the few Chrysler products in demand it might be hard to find one that offers the usual price advantage of young used car but hey worth a little internet searching.
@29 I might just have to wait on a used one. I wanted that low interest rate, which one dealership was going to give me, because it makes up for the difference in getting a used car (1.9 vs. 5.5). There also aren’t any used models in the area that are what I want.. I’m not sure if I should go on and try to sell my car or just pray the right used model comes around.
Huddie for Cy Young. Seriously, he is certainly charging down the stretch.
Can you think of anyone you’d rather have out there about now?
————–
Sink or swim with Conrad. He’s earned it.
————–
R.A. Dickey – Phillie assassin. Last time he did this to them, they couldn’t find their ass with both hands for about three weeks.
#30 – Yeah get your own financing outside the dealership, they’ll just use that to confuse the issue. Do your research beforehand to figure out what is realistic price, walk in and say ‘I like this car, if you sell it to me for X, I’ll buy it today’. If they won’t go for it, walk away.
If you actually end up walking away, you should at least gain an understanding of what the best price that a dealer will offer for that car. Use that information at the next dealership if that’s a price you can afford.
I’ve bought many cars, all new. The first time is the hardest but if you do your homework up front and stick to your plan it shouldn’t be that hard.
Edit – Oh and if the salesman you happen to get seems like a prick just leave immediately or request someone else. Life’s too short to deal with some salesman with an attitude.
It was an evening of Folk Heroes—ours, Brooks Conrad, and the Mets’, RA Dickey—and 1-0 wins. Thanks, Mets.
And I’m 100-percent on the Hudson Bandwagon. Nothing lucky about what he’s doing. He’s been a genuine ace for us. Here’s to ya, Timmy!
You know, at some point, we’re just going to have to enjoy what has become a really weird, but ultimately compelling season. Let’s keep it rolling.
Oh, the game. DVR’ed through it in under an hour. I think that’s a personal record. Gotta find some offense.
@32 Have you ever gone to a dealership and asked for a different color of a new car they didn’t have on the lot? There’s a dealership just north of Atlanta that my parents have bought from before, and they have one for 24, which I’d be ok with, the only issue is it’s the wrong color. Can I go in, say, “If you can get me a blue one with white stripes for that price, I’ll buy it”?
Uh, Mac?
http://www.ajc.com/sports/bama-misspells-mississippi-on-591008.html?cxntlid=thbz_hm
Since we’re on cars, I’d like a 2010 Bentley Continental GT SuperSport. Anyone got $276,000 sitting around?
18, 20, 21 — Both Diory and Hicks are already on the 25 man roster. I suspect that Diory will stick around. Hicks probably will get sent down when Prado returns, but will be back in September.
Brandon Hicks, profession pinch-runner.
I seem to have lost my “al” in 39.
I think it’s entirely reasonable to expect 8 inning, 3 hit performances when you’re putting up crazy GB/FB numbers and very strong K/BB numbers like Hudson has been. But at the same time, he’s inevitably going to have some nights when grounders find their way down the lines for extra base hits, the bad guys string a couple bleeders together, and he allows 4 runs. But the way he’s pitching, that should certainly be the exception. Great night from Huddy.
Impossible poll is up.
Chip, because the other two blind squirrels find nuts occasionally.
How much better would our baseball experiences be if Chip were blind?
Is he not?
Better yet, what if he was mute?
He would be more accurate if he were blind, I think.
Mute would be perfect!
You know, I really have enjoyed Smoltz in the booth, despite the jokes.
I think Joe’s pretty good on play-by-play — of course, he did a fair amount of it during the TBS days.
I think Joe’s a better play-by-play man than Don Sutton. In fact, I think it would generally be better if Joe and Don switched jobs, although I do like the chemistry between Jim Powell and Don.
Well with Chippers announcement that will tie up the 13 mil we could have used for a real bat waiting on him to see if he can get ready on a bum knee .. he was over the hill before the injury .. anybody think he will do any better on a surgically repaired knee .. NOT … oh well .. we will never get a HR hitting bat for the OF
I’ve been using a version of Smoltz’ joke tonight for the past decade plus, only mine has better flow.
So bacon and eggs walk into a bar, and the bartender says “Sorry, we don’t serve breakfast here.”
(Usually accompanied by “So four guys walk into a bar, but the fifth one ducks.”)
I feel like we’ll have a little bit better of an idea what’s gonna happen with Chipper by the time the offseason rolls around. He will have been rehabbing a couple of months by that point. Also, the injury doesn’t change the fact that we would have been dealing with this….unless he immediately announced his retirement, which probably wasn’t going to happen.
You all laughed at me when I said I was nominating Brooks Conrad for the Nobel Peace Prize. Well, who’s laughing now?
I just read a blurb about Medlen’s injury and I was like, “Oh yeah…”
It’s been a rough month in that department.
Congratulations, DN. Those are VERY funny.
Huddy rules.
Brooks rules.
1-0 wins rule.
Go Braves!
What is red and smells like blue paint?
Red paint.
Can I go in, say, “If you can get me a blue one with white stripes for that price, I’ll buy it”?
Absolutely. Just remember you have all the power in this relationship. If you walk in there with your financing setup, your old car sold, and ready to buy that day they will move heaven and Earth to get the commission. And if for some reason the guy won’t play ball, go find another guy.
Wanted to make another folk hero joke, but realize two pinch-hit grand-slams in one season trumps hanging out with a big blue ox.
Go Brooks!
Go Braves!
@57 Thanks Robert. I’m hoping they trade for the car I was looking at from the LaGrange dealership so I can stick it to them! They also have a blue one on the lot without the stripes or wheels… Maybe they can add on the Ralley package.
Is autotrader worth the 26 bucks for the 3 week listing?
it’ll be interesting to see what the braves do with yasser gomez over the next few years. the guy has absolutely no power but gets on base a ton. its a small sample, but his obp at mississippi is .450 right now. he hasnt stolen a base yet, but from what i recall he has quite a bit of speed and can play an above average center field.
#50 – what did you expect Chipper to do, leave 28 million dollars on the table? Would you?
Someone mentioned the possibility of calling up Jesus Sucre if he keeps hitting .300. Considering he has a .302 OBP (1 walk in over 100 abs), I think not. I guess we’re stuck with Diory until September. Why Hicks is up now, I’ll never know, although I would guess he’s only here until Prado comes back.
It seems obvious to me that the Braves should call up Freeman, Timmons, Canizares and a pitcher or two (along with Kawakami and McLouth most likely), but it seems like we haven’t made too many callups in recent years. I wouldn’t be surprised to see us call up McLouth and Kawakami and a backup catcher (Boscan) and that could be it.
I’ve had three knee surgeries between the ages of 18 and 40 and the last one was the best. Surgical techniques for knee repairs have come so far since Chipper had his last surgery, it will not surprise me at all if he comes back strong next year. I know after my most recent surgery my performance was way better after I finished rehab and the knee feels more stable than it had for years. I think one of the other benefits Chipper is going to get is “second hand conditioning”. I think the rest of his seemingly fragile body will get some rehab as well so maybe he will be overall better at the end of rehab and not just a healthy knee surrounded by the tissue paper remainder of his body. I’m going to predict now, if Chipper does not retire he will have a good year next year.
I was hoping Chipper would call it quits after this year regardless.. I’m even more nervous about how he will perform now that this has happened. But he had been proving me wrong this season, so who knows.
Joe Torre removed Broxton from the closer’s role, because of his meltdown against the Phillies. (Just think about how much it would take for Charlie Manuel to do that to Brad Lidge.)
Hong-Chih Kuo’s the closer for now, and he’s really good but also really really fragile. In his six-year career, for example, he’s only pitched 16 games on zero days’ rest, and only done it twice this season — by comparison, Peter Moylan has pitched 89 games on zero days’ rest, 25 times this year.
Peter is Australian and drinks beer. That may be redundant. Koreans have terrible taste in beer.
I’m honestly more optimistic about Theoretical 2011 Chipper now than I was in May when he wasn’t hitting a lick. At least the second half of his season showed that he can still hit at an elite level. If he can return to that, we’ll be in fine shape next year.
hap @ 63 – good thoughts. Hope they become reality.
There were whispers after the injury that Chipper would never make it back because he didn’t do much in the area of conditioning and that rehab just wasn’t his style – a style, btw, that will land him in the HoF.
The rehab that will be required should indeed put him in better shape than he’s been in years and with a bionic knee – who knows?
Feeling much better now. Thanks, hap!
Remember when Chris Woodward was our backup infielder?
@69 Oh god, don’t depress me any more than I already am.
Chipper gave Braves a hometeam discount. How much of the $28 million would he have gotten in a settlement. Jones may need some rest but Conrad and Jones combined should be an effective combo next year. If he plays full time Brooks has chance to lead team in HRs.
What’s brown and sticky?
A stick.
td @20,
The “cost” of a 40 man roster spot is motly “opportunity cost.
1. The obvious, you can’t put anybody else there.
2. Once you put Freeman on the 40, you start his option time line. That is, you can only send him back down in 3 total years. In the case of Freeman, not a big deal, but for a too young and so so pitcher (liek bringing up Teheran this year to close) that could be a big problem.
3. All players 4 years out from HS age (whether signed at HS or earlier as an international FA) have to be on 40 to protect from Rule 5 draft. With Junior signees from college, it is 3 years. Freeman does not have to be “protected” this offseason. I am not sure who else has to be (looks like Beachy ahs to be added, for one who is too good to throw away)but that would be a reason not to add him to the 40 (PARTICULARLY if he was only being brught up for a “taste”).
I know also that once a playeris added to 25 man and then optioned back, his minorleagueplayfor the next eyar cannot be below $150,000 (where typically they are getting 25 to 30). So wholesale movements strt nibbling at the budget.
Can anyone find tonight’s game on TV? I don’t see it on FSS, SS, or the alternate Peachtree channel. Not on big Fox, ESPN, MLBN, or TBS either from what I can tell..
The Helms rumor actually made some sense to me. He is still a serviceable 3B and a lefty killer. Platoon him with Conrad, and maybe 3B is o.k., huh?
Proposed nickname for our Gwinnett 1b: Freedie (Un)Free(d)man.
74, braves.com says Peachtree.
Cliff -thanks for the info on the 40 man roster. This being Cox’s last year, I think we may bring up one or two more than normal, but I’m not expecting a lot of moves – as normal.
74 — It’s on Peachtree.
@69 – Didn’t we also have Langerhans, Thorman and Pete Orr as part of our bench? Could you imagine us getting this many injuries a few years ago? We’d have the guys above along with some pretty miserable bullpen additions and JoJo Reyes or Kyle Davies as our 5th starter.
Edit: Actually we did have Reyes and Davies as our 5th starter. I guess Jorge Campillo would have been our ace.
I am leaning toward’s mraver’s position @67 as well. I’ve assumed Chipper would retire after this season, especially if they won it all and he could go out on top. He is very aware of his own career narrative, and I think he would love to have won a final WS ring and then disappear into the sunset with Bobby. He is also very concerned with *not* doing the Glavine/Smoltz “one more year of suck” thing. And I don’t think he wants to play for any other manager either.
But he really seems to want to write his own ending, and popping your ACL on a defensive play you rarely make isn’t what he had in mind. Since the ASG he’s pretty much proven that he *can* still be “Chipper Jones” instead of Zombie Chipper. If he can do that on a robotic knee, I think he plays in 2011. Certainly he makes the trip to Florida to make the effort.
Crazy thing. I am watching “The Pacific” and Brooks Conrad just showed up and showed John Basilone how to stop 3000 Japanese from advancing on you.
76—Speaking of which, rehabreject’s post at 4 deserves more recognition. That’s a quality line.
Folk Hero’s middle name is “Litchfield”
Huh. I usually get all of the Peachtree games on DirecTV, but this one isn’t showing up for me. =(
@72:
😀
what do cats say when they get hurt? meouch.
tomorrow the Braves are on TBS
Smitty – John Basilone is one of the few who could out-folk hero the Folk Hero.
Why are Venetian blinds so important?
If it weren’t for them, it would be curtains for us all.
God the thought of getting Helms almost makes sense, doesn’t it? He’s just so useless against RHP though – I hate adding another one dimensional guy.
dish network has it on the alternate 450 channel. Im guessing thats peachtree
The problem is that it’s August 14. The only guys available are “one dimensional.” Helms is hitting .323/.447/.516 against LHP. Having a 963 OPS v LHP would help immensely. He should never bat against RHP, but he kills lefties. Brooks Conrad hits for power against RHP and sucks against LHP. It would be a near perfect platoon.
Do it Wren!
Yeah, that would be a really good fit, but Helms is cheap enough that it’d be a miracle for him to make it through to the Braves on waivers, right?
I have no idea if Helms makes it through waivers, but you should definitely ask the Marlins about it, see if they’ll send him, see if he makes it. He is pretty much the best possible addition to this club right now. You take Brandon Hicks and replace him with Helms, this club is still solid to hold a 3 game lead going forward.
@93, oh I concur. Desperate times and all.
I don’t think I’m up to being nice to Wes Smelms at this point in my life.
Another right-handed third-baseman who’s pretty good is Evan Longoria. He’d be an interesting trade target.
I’m pretty sure Evan Longoria won’t make it through waivers.
Mac, I understand, but at the end of the day Helms is just a RH Eric Hinske. I think we could swallow our pride and welcome him back in order to, you know, make the team better and give us a better chance of making the playoffs.
Think of it this way. Right now, if the Braves hold on for the division and make it through the NL to the World Series, their DH would be Brooks Conrad. I’ll take Wes Helms.
If the season ended today would Hudson be 3rd in Cy Young voting?
@73
We have two available 40-man spots right now, and can open up two more when we put Chipper and Medlen on the 60-day DL. That, coupled with whatever other moves we make right after the season, should be enough to take care of the Rule 5 people.
This takes the zombie chipper trope to a new level.
LIGAMENTS!!!!!!!!
@104
I now know it’s possible to laugh out loud while being totally creeped out.
Emancipate Freeman? Isn’t that like saying hot water heater?
Dangit! P.W. beat me to the joke I came here to make!
I wouldn’t put too much stock in what Chipper is saying right now. Best to let him cool his heels.
Javy Lopez used cadaver tissue when he blew his knee out. Let’s hope Chippers tissue didn’t come from an executed mobster or something.
Rob Neyer just tweeted that he has started a dream journal. Oooooookay.
that guy jumped the shark in a hurry.
I think we need Zombie Chipper t-shirts.
Keroauc had a dream journal. It’s not that uncommon.
Game thread time.
Mac always flips the thread on me when I post. He hate me.
Does anybody know if they prorate MLB Extra Innings as the season goes on? This is the first time since ’05 that I’m excited about September and October baseball, and I’ll pick it up if the price is right.