Washington Nationals vs. Atlanta Braves – Box Score – September 14, 2010 – ESPN.
Anyone ever tell you a player can carry a team on his back? Doesn’t work that way. Jason Heyward reached base four times — a hit, two walks, and a HBP — and yet the Braves didn’t score. Brian McCann also had two hits, but the rest of the lineup combined to produce two hits and one walk, and one of the hits was by the pitcher. Of course, we were facing archenemy Livan Hernandez.
Jair Jurrjens just doesn’t have it right now. He allowed three runs in the second inning, two on a massive Adam Dunn homer and one on a two-out single double by Hernandez. In the fourth, he allowed a homer to Hernandez. Maybe one player can carry a whole team, if he’s a ageless Cuban who may actually be an alien with psychic powers.
The Nats had three homers and eleven hits; given that, it’s kind of impressive that the Braves only allowed six runs. Anyway, even if Heyward had homered every time up, the Braves would have scored only five runs (one being Jurrjens, who singled and was on base in front of Heyward) but I’m just saying. Heyward’s not just playing like a Rookie of the Year; right now, and really except for when his thumb was hurt, he’s playing like an MVP. And the Braves are playing their way out of the postseason.
As if it matters, Livan’s first hit was a double.
Go Padres I guess.
Evenif the Braves make the playoffs, with the way they are playing, they won’t be around long. Hudson and Jurrjens aren’t the same pitchers they were a month ago, Hanson is a wild card, and Lowe – well, he’s had one dominant start in the last six weeks. Our vaunted starting pitching depth is looking mighty ragged at this point.
Plus, the offense…Ay carumba! They have shown admirable resilience all year, but you just cannot consistently wait until you run the starter out to score.
The annoying thing about the play of late is that all these issues were recognized issues coming out of Florida. Will Chipper stay healthy? (No.) Can Glaus give us anything? (No, then YES!!!!, then No.) Can we come up with a right handed outfield power bat? (Nope.) Will Hudson and Wagner return to form after surgery. (Yes.) Will Hanson, Medlen, and Jurrjens continue to improve? (Hanson – soph. inconsistency, Medlen – out, Jurrjens – looks like he’s next in line for the Dr. Andrews Hotline based on last two starts.) Can Heyward live up to the hype? (I’d say that’s a big Yessir!)
So, all in all, the problem we identified in late March have conspired to put us today in a position that would have delighted us back then. Unfortunately, we’re spoiled by the two and a half month run on top of the division. So, we’ve had our hopes dashed a bit. But, tomorrow is another day, and, in closing…
Edit: Well, my first ever attempt to embed the Bluto ‘Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?’ clip went over like Melky trying to cut off a gapper in right center. missed it by THAT much.
Doooooooooooooooooomed. And does “Nate McLousy” have naked picture of Bobby Cox in the shower? Why else would he be playing? Seriously, someone explain the thinking on that to me. (Bobby: “Well, Nate is swinging really well lately?”)What an anemic bunch again tonight.
At # 3. Nate has hit over .400 since he came back up.
Heyward now has the second best OBP in the National League.
And why would you throw him a strike at this point?
Heyward and McCann did fine. Sadly the guy directly in-between them in the batting order did absolutely nothing.
OBP? They don’t put that on the scoreboard. Plus, it is not one of the requirements for Rookie of the Year. If I’m correct, they are:
1) Play for a team that is .500 or worse
2) Have a kooky name like Buster, Gaby, or Ike
3) Be totally unrecognizable in a crowd even when your name is stitched to your uniform
@3 – ???? – Have you been watching the games or reading boxscores lately? Before tonight McLouth was 7 for his last 15 with two home runs. Most of his outs have been hit hard and he was robbed of a hr on at least one occasion. Given the way he’s been hitting I would much rather have him out there than the Melk Man or Ankiel.
Shades of 1997!
http://is.gd/faYCu
Man, I hate Livan Hernandez. And no, I will never get over the Eric Gregg game.
I am sad. Someone hold me.
I don’t think it matters anyway…the Phillies aren’t going to lose another game this season. In fact, they will win each game by only one run, making the folks at Elias go crazy.
I’d love to, Bethany, but I can’t get my arms through the monitor.
At least the Rockies lost and the Giants are losing (despite a collective 1-hitter).
Jeffery Francoeur hits
a bases loaded pop up
then asks for a trade
I know this isn’t about the game (even thought I’m sure no one wants to talk about it) I was just kidding about Heyward compared to “Frenchy the Great.” It seemed like no one really sinced my sarcasm as I know Frenchy can’t even be compared to Heyward.
That’s what I thought, Lane. I tried to approach your “comparison” in that spirit last night, since I’ve seen enough of your posts to figure that you know Frenchy isn’t headed to Cooperstown. But the lack of nonverbal clues makes it hard to be sure about sarcasm on the Internet.
After all, we see it so rarely.
And the Giants lose 1-0 to the Dodgers, so our standing in the WC race is unchanged.
Yeah Brian, thanks.
Giants lose. Yay. I guess
Anybody want to come over and pound down a case of Keystone Light?
19- I’m game. I don’t work until 3 tomorrow so I should be good by then.
Francoeur a Christian
yet I saw him carousing
in an Atlanta club.
@19
I will but only if you have some Metallica to blast at full volume.
Keystone Light pounded
Braves fans like Lemmings to sea
Following Jason
Blast Metallica
Til Keystone Light is all gone
No Bob Dylan though
“30 Rock” filmed a few scenes on my cross street today. Got a pretty good look at Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan. I’m not really a celebrity idolizer, but it’s pretty cool to see them from your front door.
That day off Thursday will do the team a world of good. 20 straight games at the end of the year is hard on anyone.
Had to go to a work-related event in Times Square tonight. Really wanted to watch this game instead. But after a couple drop-ins on the iPhone, I hit the Guinness. (That Dunn HR was a blast.)
Thanks, Dodgers.
In Braves world, Livan is in hell.
time for voodoo yet?
We really could use an off day.
Heyward best age 20 season ever watch (according to OPS+):
1 Ty Cobb 167 1907 20
2 Mel Ott 165 1929 20
3 Al Kaline 162 1955 20
4 Mickey Mantle 162 1952 20
5 Alex Rodriguez 160 1996 20
6 Ted Williams 160 1939 20
7 Rogers Hornsby 150 1916 20
8 Jimmie Foxx 148 1928 20
9 Dick Hoblitzell 143 1909 20
10 Frank Robinson 142 1956 20
11 Jason Heyward 139 2010 20
12 Ken Griffey 135 1990 20
Incredible.
Most games reaching base at least 4 times in first 126 games of a career (1920-2010):
Wally Moon, 1954 — 18
Ted Williams, 1939 — 16
Hersh Martin, 1937 — 15
Minnie Minoso, 1951 — 14
Jason Heyward, 2010 — 14
Brush With Celebrity — standing behind me in the security line at the DeKalb County courthouse yesterday was Kid Rock, on trial for inciting a brawl at a Waffle House. Note to Mr. Rock…the bowler hat, while undeniably snazzy, might not have been the best choice.
(Curiously, an AJC picture taken later in the day shows him wearing a fedora, leading me to believe he brought MULTIPLE HATS to court. And no, he didn’t shave….)
Oh, I see, now that it’s been on ESPN, everybody is on the “Jason Heyward is having a historic season” bandwagon. I see how it is. JoeyT isn’t good enough, but when the network that employs Joe Morgan puts up a graphic, everybody suddenly notices.
The game yesterday almost made me forget the series in Pittsburgh and Colorado….Shades of the 1983 Braves, we can still recover, but at this point the WC seems a bit too optimistic….
Can we fire T.P. yet?
If Jason has a career like Dick Hoblitzell, we can all be happy.
The Braves really have been incredibly lucky the last couple of days. The Padres win two one-run games in Denver and then the Dodgers get one hit and win. What more could you ask other than the Marlins also winning?
If Jason has a career like Dick Hoblitzell, I fear that Stu will be speaking in haiku for the rest of his life.