207 thoughts on “This could be the last time game thread: Aug. 30 Mets at Braves”

  1. From the last –

    Coco Crisp was a 25 year old defensive whiz CF coming off a 117OPS+/4.6 WAR season when that trade was made.

  2. 1. Infante 2B, 2. Heyward RF, 3. Prado 3B, 4. Lee 1B, 5. McCann C, 6. Diaz LF, 7. Gonzalez SS, 8. Cabrera CF, 9. Jurrjens P

    jc’d from last: the giants already spoke out about their reasoning for signing ross had more to do with blocking him from contenders.

    mlbtr also views him as a non-tender candidate.

  4. Re: the Freeman talk –

    I’ve got to say, if Freeman turns out to be even a league average or slightly above league average 1B, it will be refreshing to have a dynamic young player at that position after some of the bozos and stiffs we have had manning that position the last few years. Sure, LaRoche was solid at times, but he came with a few quirks that made him hard to watch.

    I anticipate big things from Freeman and look forward to seeing him get some playing time in September.

  5. Peanut tweets that the Braves are recalling KK and are optioning the Lisp to Gwinnett. Must want a fresh long reliever.

  6. Lisp does a yeoman’s job to keep the Braves in it yesterday and today he gets sent down. Sigh.

  7. Looking at the stats, I just noticed something I found interesting: Heyward and McCann are having almost identical seasons.

    Heyward: .272/.385/.464 109 Hits, 67 BBs, 24 Doubles, 15 HRs
    McCann: .278/.385/.475 106 Hits, 60 BBs, 21 Doubles, 18 HRs

    The only significant difference is strikeouts, with Heyward recording about 30 more in only about 20 more ABs.

    Obviously their different positions color the comparison, but that’s a hell of a rookie year to produce at the same level offensively as one of the team’s best and most consistent hitters over the last few seasons.

  8. @5, Fall flu season is right around the corner. We need KK in case somebody takes ill, remember?

  10. #6 – Im hoping neither need to be used, unless, Lowe is injured. Which may not be a bad thing.

    I take that back. Id rather see the Lisp or KK over Lowe or Farnsworth

  11. Would love to see the rookie help carry us through September.

    It’s almost Labor Day & we’re playing meaningful baseball. Feels good.

  13. Maybe they’re showcasing KK’s bench-sitting ability so that the M’s will make a last-minute play for him.

    Or maybe they want to make sure he can be on the post-season roster. For some reason.

  14. Heyward’s August power stats are very promising that he is fully healthy or made the next adjustment ot how he is being pitched.

  16. Lisp needs a few off days after 4 innings. Can he come back 9/1? sending Minor down % skipping start good idea. What is his limit on innings?

  18. @16,

    I think he has to be off the team for 10 days unless someone gets hurt, even with call ups.

  21. #16 – Braves said they wouldnt limit Minor’s innings. Looks like he’s in the rotation from here on out

  22. I don’t wish injuries on people, but Derek Lowe needing Tommy John would be nothing short of … amazing.

  24. @19
    ya know what’s funny about that site? adam rosales has ran the bases faster on a regular homerun than some did on an inside the parker.

  28. Courtesy of Fangraphs, here’s something for Figgins fans. It’d take much more than merely dumping KK before I’d take on Figgins and his $25m+ tab.

    INF Chone Figgins
    2009 WAR: 6.1
    2010 WAR: 0.2

    The most dramatic decrease of all, Figgins has gone from one of the best third basemen in baseball last year to one of the worst second basemen this year. In his first year in Seattle, Figgins has hit a measly .248/.336/.292 despite a modest .306 BABIP; after a .358 wOBA with the Angels last season, Figgins is at .298 this year, well below league average. Despite moving to second base, the positional advantage hasn’t mitigated enough to put Figgins where he should be. After a UZR/150 of 17.9 at third base in 2009, Chone is at -13.8 at second this season. Simply put, Jack Z can’t be pleased.

  34. @28
    so, he saved 31 runs at 3b last year and all of a sudden he’s went knoblauch on us? i’ve basically come to a conclusion that defensive stats piss me off. with as much as they fluxuate, how can they be trusted?

  35. The Mariners completely mishandled Figgins, who should have been left at third, but they decided they had a third baseman already. They didn’t.

    Still bitter that the Braves didn’t draft Rasmus, but noooooooooooooo, they wanted Joey Devine.

  36. Just think of the Chipisms we’d have to endure if Devine actually was a part of the team anymore.

  37. DowneasterJC @ 36,

    That is Divinely fisted. Or, that is fisted off the divine arm of Devine.

  40. #36
    Chipisms are nothing compared to the poisonous phenomenon that is Yankee radio announcer John Sterling, America’s most prolific ear rapist.

    You don’t need a TV announcer to know what’s going on—a good director will suffice. Radio is rather different.

  43. Well, there’s always time for a Ralph Branca moment… but let’s not go there.

    Here’s to a 4-game lead with 3 to play.

  46. I’ve enjoyed this past year of looking at Mets lineups and going “Ye Gods, that’s scary.”

    If we walk Braves-killer-in-training Angel Pagan and David Wright each time they’re up, how many runs would you expect the Mets to score?

  47. Good article, AAR. It must take a lot of courage to write for the trog horde over at yahoo.

  48. Basketball always suited Sterling better when he was here — having constant action to describe helped keep him from his worst impulses. And I never tired of hearing “Dominique est magnifique!”

  51. See, that’s the thing I never understood.

    NYC is supposed to be cosmopolitan and avant garde and cool, right? Yet they hire John Sterling who would sound hokey if he was doing the Lexington Legends games.

    “Thu-uhuuhuhuhuh Yankees win!” What the hell is that? Sounds like a storyline off of Seinfeld yet the most storied franchise in baseball, the landed gentry, nay, the blueblooded royalty of baseball is announced by

    John Sterling.

    At least he’s more listenable than Hawk Harrelson. I literally want to go Elvis everytime MLB Channel replays his homerun calls.

  52. Easy answer: George Steinbrenner, who wanted a cheerleader, not a legit broadcaster.

    When he had legit TV broadcasters like Tony Kubek and Jim Kaat, he essentially drove them to quitting. The shenanigans that went on (even before YES network) would make your head spin.

    Nice start, guys.

  57. Ugh, terrible. My intelligence feels insulted by the organizational mouths that tried to tell us AAG is just as good as Yunel, defensively.

    “We should have taken him out back and shot him when we had the chance.”

  59. You can’t blame AAG for not fielding that hop.

    It’s going to suck going into the stretch run knowing that you can’t be sure which Hanson and Jurrjens is going to show up every fifth day.

  61. Sometimes it’s hard to see from TV if a ball changes trajectory because of a funny hop. As far as it missed his glove I’m inclined to grant that the ball jumped unusually high on him. I don’t think he’s so bad to miss a straight ground ball that far without it taking a bad hop.

    I’m more concerned about JJ’s lack of control.

  62. If AAG does his job, then the inning would have ended without a run. Jurrjens got the groundball he needed.

    Also, if the organization actually believes Gonzalez is as good as Escobar in the field, then that does not bode well for the future. Of course, I don’t believe they actually do believe that. I mean, I can’t.

  63. melky’s back to his old tricks. his .690 ops in august just got a little worse. there was that one game though…

  68. mac, that’s not fair. melky is much worse than aag.

    i would give heyward a big ATTA BOY if i were at turner.

  75. you guys are being a little rough on AAG with that grounder. The ball took a pretty nasty hop.

  87. why do we try that with Francoeur? he can hit one pitch and thats a fastball. He’ll swing at anything

  96. Canizares 1-1 with a homer and a walk so far tonight for Gwinnett. I really wonder why he hasn’t gotten a shot at the DH (if his defense really is that bad — as in worse than Glaus on crutches) for some random AL team when you see some of the stiffs being trotted out for some clubs.

  98. ESPN announcer talking about “little ball.” You mean like Heyward’s shot going a “little” over 400 feet?

  101. 91 —
    Yeah, it seems they fixed whatever was the issue. I read it elsewhere and just checked the Braves game and it was working fine then. Sorry, Spike.

  103. I’m going to venture a guess that “never” is the answer to the Trivia Question.

    The Mets have a collection of Braves’ rejects now, I just realized. Francoeur, Hessman, L. Hernandez, Blanco, Acosta, and Dessens.

  104. #103 – I agree

    question for those who didnt see it – When was the last time the Braves won 46 or more of their 1st 64 home games?

  107. Wow, the Mets pulled Misch early (3 IP, 59 pitches). He wasn’t looking very effective – but still, surprising.

  108. You have to wonder about going into the bullpen that early when you aren’t really in any must-win situation. Something like that could come back and hurt.

    I’m all for it of course. Especially if the Braves can hit the bullpen guys.

  111. 102- Looking at the stats, the Mariners (584 OPS from DHs) and Angels (656) should be thinking about Canizares, too.

  113. JJ’s been playing with fire. Good thing it’s the Mets.

    Wright & Davis have a combined 10 LOB tonight.

    FWIW, JJ’s at 88 pitches thru 5.

  116. Wright & Davis have a combined 10 LOB tonight

    A fact that will be mentioned prominently re Wright in tomorrows papers, should the Braves win.

  119. I don’t get it… Manuel bought the same glasses as Joe maddon… why does his team still suck?

  128. Jurrjens hasn’t had great stuff tonight–or at least control–but with better defense he should still have a shutout. Dammit.

  130. Well Josh Thole isn’t supposed to hit balls that far. Besides, if there’s one guy we should want to be extra cautious, it’s Heyward.

    JJ nibbling again…

  131. 5BB’s and we’re in the 6th with no outs….its a 2 run game…and Bobby cant come with the hook

  135. I think the reason that some of JJ’s fastballs are slower than others is because some are 2-seamers (the slower ones that tend to sink a little) and others are 4-seamers.

  139. #135 – that should be the case, but i dont think he’s hit 92 all night. JJ can top out at 95-96 or at least he has before.

  142. 139 — The radar gun has read 93 a few times, I remember Francoeur whiffing on a 93 MPH 4 seamer up in the zone.

  151. someone’s throwing Coke bottles at Frenchy….now the crowd is booing him for gesturing towards them

  153. i dont care if it’s francoeur or not, that is classless and i hope the person guitly gets his/her ass kicked out.

  155. the PRADO!!!

    I love JHEY!! – btw, he’s very lucky he didnt just break his right hand. It got stuck behind him with that head first slide

  165. What a bone-headed call by Snitker. I mean, Heyward is amazing, but we don’t need to risk a play at the plate with a 4-run lead.

  167. Did Snitker wave him in? I get the feeling that Heyward is just aggressive on the bases on his own accord.

  170. scott diamond pitched a 2 hit shutout for gwinnett and is back to being the prospect he should be.

  173. I didn’t see Snitker at all in the picture (not claiming he didn’t windmill Heyward on), but Jason has run through a stop sign to score at least once.

  178. 177- Honestly, that ought to be their official name. “After this series, the LolMets will go to Wrigley to play the RoflCubs…”

  187. Castillo vs. Farnsworth there was classic knife to a gun fight. Not that Farnsworth was anything special.

  193. I dont like injuries, but I really have mixed emotions about Lowe testing his elbow tomorrow. A full year of insurance $$ cant hurt

  195. The players who have 20 year old seasons like Heyward fall into three categories:

    1) Turn of the century players.

    2) Ones who have freak accidents that permanently damage their eyesight after almost four incredible seasons.

    3) All Time Greats.

  198. Joey, I’m assuming that #2 is a reference to Tony Conigliaro. Every so often, I take a look at Tony C’s stats, which he put up during the height of the raised-mound pitcher era in the late ’60s, and am absolutely stunned; he was pretty damn near the best hitter in the league starting when he was about 19 years old.

    Anybody remember that dude in his prime? Just how good was he?

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