Tragic hero | Define Tragic hero at Dictionary.com.
“A literary character who makes an error of judgment or has a fatal flaw that, combined with fate and external forces, brings on a tragedy “
David Bowie
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David Bowie, MTV Music
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JCed:
If anyone cares, here is a diversion from baseball.
Enjoy.
I think you mean “erra” in the OP.
Hang in there, Mac.
Not a weekend that you’ll look back on with undiluted pleasure.
Weekendus horribilis?
I feel so bad for Brooks, and the rest of the team and the fans too, but sheesh, poor guy… I hope we can pull out a win today… I’d love to see the NLCS series with the Braves in it… I expect them to get slaughtered against any other team but the Giants at this point, but I can still hold out hope McCann/Lee/Heyward get their groove back and can carry us a bit further into the post season. Hopefully far enough that they can all get the bad taste out of their mouth from the last couple losses.
BFed,
I think your last point is the best. Heyward, especially needs to get a couple of hits tonight. I would hate for him to go into next season after such a pitiful postseason performance. As far as Lee and Conrad, more than likely they will not be Braves next year, McCann has done okay.
Slot Glaus in there, bat him fifth, and let’s play ball.
why are so many people saying brooks will not be on the team next year? according to fangraphs, he was worth 3 million this year and got paid 400k. sure, he played terrible defense and looks to be sort of a head case, but he has real value coming off the bench. for 400k, i’ll take him back.
Brooks is just a guy forced by injuries to play a role he isn’t capable of filling. Bobby is the real tragic hero.
Ryan,
You are right, this is Atlanta after all. If this were Philly, Boston, or New York and they didn’t make it past this round…of course he would not be back. So you are probably right.
In Brooks’ defense, his first error was erased on a good play by Mac and his second error was pretty questionable considering he was running and looking over his shoulder to compensate for a shaken up Heyward. If Brooks makes the catch, the runner might have tagged from third because of his positioning (I forget how deep it was, I know he ran quite a ways). If not, there’s a good chance the Giants get him in with two more outs to play with. The Billy Buckner play is what really hurt.
how bad is Hinske at 3B?
‘The Billy Buckner play is what really hurt.’
It’s hard not feel for Brooks b/c of that, then he again he gets paid pretty well to be able to make that play.
With an extreme groundball pitcher starting tonight, I’d start Diory at third. Plan to bring in Moylan as the first pitcher after Lowe, then pinch hit for Diory either as soon as they’re both done, or as early as the fifth inning if the situation dictates.
My prediction:
Infante 2B, AGony SS, Necromantically-animated Glaus 3B.
Conrad, Redemption Pinch Homer.
at about 10:00 last night, a peace swept over me concerning this loss. in a series of 5 games, anything can happen, and it’s upsetting to lose a game we should have won.
but in a 7 game series, the phillies would completely smoke us. whether we win the next 2 or go meekly into the night, we’re delaying the inevitable here and i’m glad we just made it back to the playoffs. i think we’re going to be very active in the trade market this offseason and in free agent signings. we could be great next year.
also, even though he’s been very poor down the stretch, AAG has trade value. according to fangraphs, he’s the 6th most valuable ss in the majors. cashing in on a career year, a low salary, and a weak ss market would be righteous.
I feel for Brook’a too, I threw a wild pitch in the last inning of a State Regional Finals game and let the winning run score. I didnt go to school for two days afterwards….didnt matter that I was 3-1 1.87 ERA with 12 saves (1 blown) coming into that game. Same with Brooks, he’s been a helluva bench player all season, and now thats what I’ll be remembered for. I hope they give Brooks a good reception tonite. He’s playing out of position, it would be like Francouer playing SS…
I made crucial late inning errors that cost us the lead in the intramural softball playoffs two years in a row. One was the championship game. They were throwing errors, though. That hurt.
Ryan, in the last two weeks, he’s pretty much given every nickel of it back. We have a 1B for next year (Freeman), Conrad can’t play any other position, and we’re not in the league that has a DH. (Honestly, Seattle or Anaheim really ought to think about bringing him in given the state of their DH pools.)
I was at the end of a direct kick defensive wall in the DeKalb County age 11-12 semifinal match. Dude kicked it right at my head, I flinched, and the ball went in the upper corner of the goal. It wasn’t the decider, but I still felt like the biggest goat.
Without Brooks, we aren’t in the playoffs. He is a head case right now though, anyone else I would be pissed at, but not Folk Hero.
One time I was supposed to go over to someone’s house and let their dog out, but I forgot and it pooped in the floor.
I guess that’s kind of the same.
Not since David sent Uriah the Hittite to the front of the battle has a commander so malfeased one of his troops.
I know we’re shorthanded, but Brooks proved without a doubt that he wasn’t ready for the pressure of playing defense when the whole world was watching.
Turning an asset into a liability by overextending it may be the definition of poor management.
Took me awhile, but I feel really sorry for Conrad. It would be like someone appointing me to lead a SWAT raid. Everyone would die.
In the heat of the moment, someone posted a gem that shouldn’t go unremarked.
He/she posted that last night was actually a piece of performance art designed to capture the essence of Bobby’s years of managing the Braves.
Absolutely. Perfect.
I’m not doing it justice, so I encourage the poster to repost so that we can enjoy it now that things have calmed a bit.
Braves’ Conrad shouldn’t have been there – SweetSpot Blog – ESPN.
Matt Diaz has a message for Braves fans…
Matt Diaz is good people. Period.
Don’t get me wrong, I want the Braves to advance in the post season but at the same time I am at peace if they don’t. You’re chances of winning are pretty slim if the team you have out there is the Junior Varsity. Brooks Conrad has been a MAJOR contributer to this team all season. I hate it he has last nights debacle hanging over his head. At the same time Bobby has to play either Glaus, Hinske or Hernandez in his stead tonight.
23—Bobby is going after Conrad’s wife? Who are we, the Phillies?
@29-
Bobby must be hoping for a REALLY bad hop to kill Brooks then. Or a pop-up to pull a Canseco maybe?
Someone posted this one on DOBs blog. Pretty funny and a sign of things to come…
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100623&content_id=11478652&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
If Bobby Cox was analogous to King David, it would, admittedly, prove that he was heinous and cruel, but at least it would also explain his rationale for having Conrad out there for that 9th inning (or 1st, for that matter). Right now I’m still stuck on the “Why????”
It also bears mentioning that the Phillies allowed the highest scoring team in the NL to score but four runs in three games. The Phillies are really, really good, and no matter our lineup configuration and bullpen management, we are not.
I dunno, I just get this feeling that if we somehow manage to make it to the NLCS, the sheer assholedry of the Phillies will get them beat.
They’re a bunch of cheatin’, sign-stealin’, hit-batsman’ fakin’, wife-stealin’ jerks.
It’s bound to catch up to them. (Probably against the Yankees, but, still …)
I feel bad about the game but it would be much worse if this was really a World Series caliber team. The injuries pretty much killed their chances. But Wren really needs to improve the defense this offseason. Look, better players than Brooks Conrad have made key errors.
What do we know about Madison Bumgarner? Has anyone watched a game that he’s pitched? What kind of stuff does he have?
We know we can expect a big performance out of Derek Lowe if we give him the best possible infield defense, I like our chances of sending it back to San Francisco.
Hanson vs. Lincecum: tough matchup, but let’s make it happen
@ #13
This is the first post I’ve found promoting Diory to get the start tonight. I’m in this camp, too. If you think Conrad is trouble defensively, watch a few innings of Glaus. Diory has shown he isn’t a bad hitter, in fact has the potential to be a good hitter. Pretty tough to establish yourself, getting less than one swing a week all summer. He did prove he is capable of turning on one and going deep, and I vote we hope he is Lemke-like at second tonight, and take our chances.
If Kimbrel would have kept throwing fastballs to Sanchez we wouldn’t even be having this conversation!!
2010 Auburn Tigers = 2010 Atlanta Braves
No defense, late game heroics to scrape by.
I dig the Uriah reference, but the use of the verb “malfeased” is a new one on me.
Well I know that Madison Bumgarner is younger than I am and that I would be really really nervous if I was in his position, so that’s something I guess.
Yes, the 2006 NL batting champion has never hit a good fastball.
malfeased – if it’s not kosher, it should be.
I didn’t mind the slider so much, but if McCann wasn’t dead certain he could locate it out of the strike zone, he shouldn’t have chanced it.
Sooooo close.
Bumgarner was one of the people we were supposedly targeting in the 2007 draft. The Giants took him ahead of us. So we took Heyward instead.
So it’s draft day.
I couldn’t spell Bumgarner’s name that day.
Glaus starting at third tonight, per the official Twitter account.
No Raw Dog!
Infante – 4 Diaz – 7 Lee – 3 McCann – 2 Gonzalez – 6 Heyward – 9 Glaus – 5 Ankiel – 8 Lowe – 1
Extra side-sprints for AAG in warmups today!
Let’s go Troy!
guess Bobby had enough of Heyward in that 2 hole
that is about the best lineup we could possibly as for. let’s tie this bad boy up!
From my Bookie:
The Over/Under on bunt singles by the Giants is 5.
Odds are at 7/2 in favor of Conrad’s NLDS record for defensive futility lasting only one day.
Conrad is a below-average defender, who has lost all confidence in his abiltily to even be only below-average. Bobby made the obvious decisiion to sit him for whatever remains of the 2010 post-season, but Glaus? This is the equivaltent of removing Melky from CF, and replacing him with Kolb or Wickman.
That said, I really feel bad for Brooks. He appears to be a great teammate, who has been a big part of a great season for the Braves. I hope he is able to come through when he gets his chance to pinch hit tonight.
I’m not surprised. Bobby had to do it. I mean lets be honest, most MLB third basemen aren’t in there becuase they can do a Brooks Robinson immitation. I sure hope Glaus has something left in his bat.
I agree with Sansho, I like the idea of starting with the defense, and pinch hitting if needed. The defense is on the field every inning.
But Ankiel against a lefty and Diory in the same lineup might be too much.
I too am skeptical Glaus will be an improvement over Conrad, but also understand that like Animal House, this requires some futile gesture be done on someone’s part.
Here’s hoping for the best, and a big hit from Brooks late.
well, I hope Bobby wins his last game in ATL. Its definitely time for a change though.
Conrad is an error machine especially when it’s very important but I wouldn’t blame him. I just blame chipper and prado.
Unless Glaus discovers the Gatorade has been replaced by the fountain of youth, I have my doubts about his ability to play 3rd for a full game. But hell why not try him? The Braves don’t have much to lose at this point. Maybe he’ll make up for his inevitably terrible range on defense by hitting a homer. If he does, it’ll be interesting to see if he makes it around the bases any faster than Kirk Gibson in ’88 or that guy who hit a homer off the Braves a few weeks back on a broken ankle.
What if Glaus is an absolute machine tonight at third, diving all over the place, making spectacular plays? That’s whats going through my head right now.
I’m just gonna stay in my little fantasy world until 7:30 tonight
I dont blame the players. I blame the scouts/FO for not being able to find some decent INF players.
just saw this on MLB trade rumors and yes, its depressing
“Salcedo turned pro just this summer, and hit .225/.307/.333 in 304 A-ball plate appearances. He is arguably the team’s best position player prospect due to his talent level and physical gifts”
@58, Salcedo was the youngest guy on the team (by 2 years, and league average is 21.5), and played well in the Dominican Summer League this year. I would place little value on those stats for a 18 yo kid’s first year in the US, let alone at an advanced level for his age.
Everyone has complained Lowe in reguler season, look at him now, he is still playing for the team in postseason. He was good or not before, I am telling as a professional, I prefer this kind of player. In my humble opinion, he is a real professional at the moment. Anyway!
I’m looking for an offensive explosion tonight. Translation: 1 run before the eight inning.
I really like the lineup changes. Kudos to Bobby – I didn’t think he had it in him. Better see McClouth in there over Melky when we get to San Fran though.
Hell, lets splurge and get two runs!
I forgot that Lowe pitched on TWO days rest in 2004 in the ALCS. I know that was six years ago, but that’s pretty outstanding.
Bobby is the king of letting a player try to redeem himself. You know it’s bad when even Bobby realizes that there’s no chance for redemption.
Thinking too far ahead perhaps…does Hudson start Game 5? Bobby doesn’t seem to have the confidence in Hanson at the moment.
One more round of humiliation for everybody and we’ll see you in spring training.
If Game 2 was Bobby’s final win at least it was memorable. He even got ejected.
Hanson will start with Hudson on call.
I just hope Glaus can handle it at third. I think the Braves felt Conrad had a better glove than Troy, so I am sure he won’t be much of an upgrade and third base isn’t a good spot to hide a bad glove.
I hate that AAG is batting 5th instead of Glaus. Hopefully the lineup order won’t matter too much, but I fear AAG hits into at least one double play in that spot.
Come on Torgo!! You’re the master now!
Glaus can catch anything hit right at him and make all the throws. He just can’t move to catch a ball, hit, or run the bases. I’ll take him for at least one game over Conrad.
I have a feeling about tonight, I think we’ll get out to an early lead and hang on, filling everyone with optimism until they remember it’ll be Lincecum on Wednesday.
I’m not sure, even without all the injuries, we’d have done much better. The merry band of fourth outfielders, a diminished Chipper, an exhausted hobbled Heyward, and Gonzo the Submazing might have killed us all the same.
Still, we’ve been in this series duct taped together. As upset as I am about the players who are meant to be on the front lines and are clearly not up to it, I also have a kind of grungy, stray dog affection for what’s on the field. It’s not really a lovable team, but it’s a pitiable one. A little pity is keeping me from the larger disgust. In that way the injuries have actually made them watchable. If we’d gone down in flames fully staffed it would really have drove me up the wall. This leaves a pleasant what-if after-taste and the team wins points for gumption.
Yeah, I’ve got to imagine it’ll be Hanson on a very short leash for Game 5 ITIO, with Hudson, Beachy, everyone else in the bullpen, and Ankiel to warm up whenever the Giants get their second baserunner.
Of course, while ditching the Folk Goat is important, hopefully Bobby makes sure to tell everyone not to swing at everything the way they have. It’s not been a good strategy, and if we can get away from it, we can surprise Bumgarner and then Lincecum. (Maybe that was the plan, to lull them into complacency…)
When you step back, it is remarkable how close we’ve played this series.
I am Torgo. I take care of the place while the Master is away.
all curses are off!!!!!!
Uh oh.
80- Oh joy. Can we finally play Diory now?
80–If it weren’t so tragic, the situation would be laughable.
Can the Braves take an early lead for once? Feels like forever since their last lead after, say, four innings of play.
Hopefully there will be a game five.
80—He’s just lulling the competition to sleep.
Hit the Bull Torgo!!
@66
Unless you’re Japanese. He still hasn’t forgiven them for Pearl Harbor, apparently.
Can we put Hinske in at third?
Speaking of which if we are going out tonight someone needs to be designated to do this to Emmel.
Also, today the Mets interviewed Allard Baird, the former GM of the Royals, to replace Omar Minaya.
I want this to happen so badly.
Brooks Conrad is 30 years old? I found that surprising.
Conrad, assigned to catch the ceremonial first pitch, apparently let it get by him. Seriously. Poor Brooks.
Things we know about Madison Bumgarner:
– He has a name better suited to a sorority girl than a baseball player.
83 — An early lead? What is that?
92 — It sounds like a female porn star name to me.
Good first inning.
They look pumped up for this. Finally.
94- Actually, I was sure it was a man’s name, and very appropriate for his home city.
Good start to the 1st.
Looks like Agon will earn his money tonight at SS
And Derrek Lee at 1B. How many errors has he already prevented this series?
Heyward is hung like a horse.
@99 Did he send a dong pic to Emmel?
Tim McCarver: “Even though Buster has had 5 hits this series, his body language seems to say he should get more”
wow
conrad comes off the bench tonight and homers to win the game!!
Very classy of Pat Burrell.
101 — It’s Bob Brenly FWIW.
What the hell is gotten into Lowe?
It warmed me up a little inside to see Burrell encouraging Conrad like that.
Lowe looks good!
“Very classy of Pat Burrell.”
Pat Burrell knows a fellow bad fielder when he sees one.
That’s the fourth ball we’ve hit hard, right at someone. For what it’s worth.
Nice to see Heyward snap out of it.
Alex, you don’t get to complain about a high strike after swinging and missing at a pitch around your eyeballs on the previous pitch.
There ya go, Jason! Welcome to the playoffs!
Winters’ zone is jumping around.
@107, Ha!
Atta boy Jason.
Alright! Finally, we’re not the only guys who suck at defense!
It’s the Giants turn to have a sloppy game.
Hahahaha. Glaus got to the bag years after the ump ruled Heyward safe.
LOL Brenly it’s hard to turn a DP when there are 2 outs.
“Double play ball”?
The Giants have gotten every borderline call in this series it seems.
So Bumgarner is looking wild. I predict at least 12 Ks by the Braves, 8 swinging.
And Derek, with all the self-awareness of Alex Gonzalez, swings at the first pitch after the guy walks the bases loaded.
Damn.
At least we cleared the pitcher.
#119, he isn’t looking wild, he was just pitching to Ankiel.
Man, Lowe is on.
I wonder if Bob Brenly ever confuses himself with Bruce Bochy.
I wonder if Mike Winters ever wears Giants apparel.
I’d forgotten, but Winters is the guy who cursed out Milton Bradley a couple of years ago.
So he’s antagonized a fanbase before.
Boom, Omar!
By the way, that second pitch was clearly, obviously a strike. So that’s at least one call that went in the Braves’ favor.
Nice, Matty.
The breaks are finally going our way. Now for a big hit, please…
We’re squaring the ball up tonight.
Did one of the announcers just say that Bobby Cox hates to sacrifice bunt at any time? Has he ever SEEN the Braves play?
@131
Yes, yes he did.
I would rule that an announcing erra.
Hey, a run!
Woo hoo!
I think he was announcing reality as I wish it existed, rather than as it truly is.
Well, we scored the run and that’s the important part.
Solid baseball there. The way Lowe is going, one run is good.
That’s the earliest that the Braves have scored a run in over a week, since the last game of the season.
“The home crowd always boos throws to first base.”
Where else can you get analysis like this?
Hitting the ball solidly tonight. We’re going to win this game.
We’re fightin’, that’s what I want to see.
////////
Swing the bat Jason
Edit, At the fastball down the middle, not the curve ball.
I know Jason is patient and everything, but dang it, know the situation and look for a fastball and let it rip.
God, Heyward is cold.
That just might be the least horizontal distance I’ve ever seen for a batted ball. Posey was standing in the batter’s box to catch it.
I remember when Heyward got hits on purpose. Kid doesn’t look right.
Bob Brenly keeps calling Derek Lowe, “Derek Lee”
Kid’s just a kid. He’ll be okay from 2011-2028.
Another Braves erra.
Erra erraa HI my name is…
Let’s give the lead right back.
Yes! Great tag.
Posey by a mile.
Hell of a play.
Can we call errors Stocktons, the same way we call outs Poseys?
Torres was so Posey!
That was beautiful.
McCann’s thrown out every runner trying to steal (except for the Emmel/ Posey tag team).
good thing Bmac brought his arm with him to this series
McCann has been throwing the ball so well this series. I have really been impressed. The short hop/throw to third the other night was remarkable.
Lowe is earning his money tonight.
Glaus reached on an erra….
I don’t want to trade Lowe this offseason.
I do. For Ryan Braun.
What!
I would trade him for Jacoby Ellsbury.
you trade Lowe to anyone who will take that contract. Id trade him for nothing
I still say Buster Posey is Neidermeyer from Animal House. I’m really disliking that guy.
Glaus makes the play. Hooray!
A perfect throw from Glaus!
Glaus nice throw
OK now D Lowe we got you your run. Should be more than plenty.
Glaus is the next Vinny Castilla
holyyyyy, what a sinker he has
6 pitch inning with a K is always nice…
I believe it is a mistake for Bochy to let Bumgarner face the top of our order again.
I take back everything I ever said about Lowe being only an average pitcher while with the Braves.
He’s figured something out. Those balls look like they’re going to be strikes, then end up two inches out of the zone. Now I remember why I was excited when he was signed.
I believe Omar and Matt make me look foolish.
This guy hasn’t really thrown a single offspeed pitch in the zone. Just sit dead red.
171- Sadly, our hitters disagree.
dlee is about to smoke one…to right field and fall a little short of the warning track.
Do they have some drunk guy miked up or something?
Here’s my quick list of things more useless than D Lee:
“Wormer, he’s a dead man! Marmalard, dead! Niedermeyer…“
here’s my list of things that’s stupider than your post:
I dig the Emmel-like outside corner on that last pitch.
Braves Killer kills again.
Braves killer. Shit.
GO TO HELL, CODY ROSS.
Braves Killer strikes again….
Commando Fuckin Cody.
still supid offense. Lowe can complete this game if the offense suppport him. He is a emotional guy. Use him, braves. We can save pitchers. Commmon.
I hate Commando Cody.
I don’t much care for Cody Ross. Or the Marlins.
Crap. This game’s going to go past 4 AM, isn’t it?
note to frank wren: please sign cody ross next year.
What a piece of shit.
I hate the Marlins. Contract Florida and move Tampa somewhere else. And don’t give Loria any kind of compensation, just stiff him.
@191:
then trade him irrevocably to a team in japan.
@194, you can’t do that. However, you can trade him to the Royals, which would make him just about as relevant.
Not even a trip to Japan prevented us from signing Chris Resop again. I think we need something more permanent. Like carbonite.
But then the Royals would inevitably trade him at the deadline when they’re 30 games back.
That was really an easy call. Was the consultation necessary? I’m not going to give them any credit for it.
Lowe looks amazing. I hate Cody Ross.
I am irrationally angry about the way Ross flipped his bat, post-swing, too.
I hate the Marlins.
Okay, we need runs now.
What makes it all the more galling is that Ross is basically Melky against right-handed pitchers. But it doesn’t matter against the Braves: he hits everyone.
@201
if you post the word “runs” with a z, it will happen.
I really wish MNF would hurry up and start so I don’t have to sit through these damn commercials again. Who in the hell cares at all about fucking avocados?
MCCANN!
WHERE IS YOUR GOD NOW CODY ROSS
Yes!!!!!!
He wastes no time getting that run back. Awesome.
RUNZ!
Suck that, Cody Ross.
Could we maybe just crush Ross’s spirit? Like, buy his mother’s house and foreclose on her, then run over his cat, then smear dog poop on his Little League trophies, then frame him for murder?
YES!
In McCann We Trust.
Run and tell that, homeboy!
Crush that!!!
MVP
Woooooooooooooooo I love BMac
@204 I love avocados.
it worked once…7 BACK TO BACK HOMERS PLEASE!
Watching AAG flail away like that is almost hilarious.
Is it possible AAG is batting 5th because he’s right-handed? I ask because he’s got a .224/.270/.421 line against lefties this year.
A Gon swings like he lost a bet sometimes.
Mr. Heyward demonstrates the takeout slide for those of us at home.
Heyward took away the double play. I don’t see that often in the bigs.
Wow, that’s a hell of a takeout slide. Totally clean, but totally up in his grill.
Nice job on the slide!
Heyward cleared Ankiel.
That was awesome, but AAG is either slow or doesn’t care. Way too close of a play at first with that turn.
Oh, it was Glaus. Makes sense.
how long do you let lowe go?
Hilarious how close that was- is Glaus actually running or is he sliding along a slime trail to first?
God how slow is Glaus if Heyward takes out Sanchez and it’s still a close play at first.
That pitch was horrible. Second strike, called. Nowhere close.
You know what happens, leading off the bottom of the 7th? A Brooks Conrad pinch-hit appearance, that’s what.
Lowe has looked good. But he has been pitching out of a few 3 ball counts lately.
Hang in there Derreck.
That’s a ball Conrad doesn’t catch.
GIDP, please, you sneaky little shit…
How many social events i’ve been to where guacamole was served: approximately zero.
What a stupid commercial.
@232, I wouldn’t be surprised if he pinch runs for Glaus.
@229 – nice one.
posey is a good player.
Well this is interesting.
Gamechanging moment there. Lowe stays in.
Follow through, Derek.
@236 – Guacamole is the best… you are missing out
Wow. Do it, DLowe.
i’m not sure i’ve ever seen that from cox.
i want lowe right now. go down fighting.
I admit that I like Moylan here. We’ll see.
That might have been a mistake.
Bullshit.
Die Mike Winters.
@ 232: Diory Hernandez has been limbering up in the dugout. Now he’s holding a bat.
Conrad’s just sitting there.
Stockton just compared Cox to Grady Little. Ouch.
Bullshit call.
Is there any doubt that the umpires have money on the Giants?
That’s the most emotion I’ve seen from him in a Braves uniform.
Damn. That looked a lot like strike two, but Derek couldn’t find the plate on the first three pitches.
Okay, Moylan, you better be alright.
Winters, you can have a lot quicker influence on the game if you just start calling balks. Four times as effective. Try it.
A guy pitches like Lowe has tonight, and you don’t call that? Bullshit.
In the movie that nobody would ever make about this 2010 Braves team, Lowe wouldn’t have walked the guy there. Given up a bomb, struck him out, or induced the DP, sure. But a walk? Just seems like something more climactic should have happened…
The one big weakness of the pen is control. This is an awfully tough spot.
C’mon Pete….
I would gladly take a sac fly right here. Gladly.
Brenly just felt the need to explain that homer runs with the bases loaded were also grand slams.
dig deep, pete
Oh my God, these umps.
He was out. ON THE BAG. The audacity after whichever moron Giant was off the bag at first the other night. Why are these morons still employed? Why are they allowed their freedom? Nursing home please, stat.
Sigh. And ticky-tack kills us in the end.
Dammit, he was out.
I’m sick of this umpire bullshit.
Awesome, more bullshit.
Another error.
No, he was safe.
What a nightmare.
My impression of Bobby Cox’s bullpen management.
Well, we fought hard.
We’re just not going to get any close calls in this series.
If he was safe there, every double play turned at second is bullshit.
Looked out to me.
I will say that it was so close that they usually give it to the defense. Not these umps though.
Omar was on the bag. It was freaking obvious. Ump is right there. Maybe he was blinded by Buster Posey’s hype.
Posey again at second, seriously umps? Please retire.
#270, he was out. Toe still on the bag.
He was out. It’s the same thing as the Huff call at first, and we get the short end of both.
The precedent is there, a million times over, with the “phantom tag” you see on just about every double play. Not to mention that the tip of his toe was still on the bag. He was Posey.
i’m watching on my computer with no replay. how close was it? like posey at second? or actually close?
Later Bobby….
It’s not even a neighborhood tag. Foot was on the freaking bag, unlike the other day with Huff at first base, where he was obviously off. These umps need shooting.
Toe still on the bag. On the replay an obvious out.
You know, I never thought I’d see worse defense than the 2006 Detroit Tigers in the World Series.
However, that was not an error. The runner was actually out, per the replay. It was a close play, but on a close play, when the throw beats the runner, you give deference to the fielder. Also, because Alex Gonzalez’s foot was touching the bag when he caught the ball, it would have been the correct call. We can’t have nice things.
I’m ready for the computers to take over.
284—Instead, they will get contractual raises and retire as old, rich men.
need the good venters here
I will personally donate large sums of money to anyone willing to create robotic umpires and send the clowns to the street corner.
should be out of the inning…4 outs are hard to make
esp, with Ross coming up
That should be the end of the inning.
I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords.
Out 4.
hell of a throw, but I hate Cody Ross
For once, McCann blocks the plate, literally making it impossible for the umpire to call Burrell safe.
That 3rd run should never have happened.
So, that’s another run on the umpires.
Can the Giants beat us without the umps’ help? I say no.
Seriously, this is like the fake Togo soccer team. When does the real umpiring crew for our series show up? Hopefully soon, because the series is almost over.
Thanks for the third run, you douches. The Giants really haven’t caught enough breaks yet this series.
of course
Blah.
Hell of an effort this year. This blows.
Giants 2 Braves 2 Umps 1
as a side note:
if MLB trusts the computers to discipline umpires on their strike zone (see: QuesTec) then why is it that they can’t be trusted to call the actual game? on the other hand, it’s way better to have the human element than to call anything correctly.
Good play by McCann at least. Sigh.
I turned around on the call after the replay: he was out. It’s amazing what replay can do.
Serious question: who got more screwed by umpires, the 2010 Braves in the NLDS, or the 2010 USA soccer team in the World Cup?
B Mac is the man. Helluva block.
Nobody will even be talking about these umpires, three days from now, even though we’ll always remember 2010 like we remember 1997.
3 innings to get a run.
Diory Hernandez batting leadoff, what could possibly go wrong?
Dammit Cody Ross again!!!!!
Tough to call the AAG play to Infante an error. IMHO I thought Omar came off the bag.
306–the Braves. The US Soccer team ultimately advanced anyway, and lost legitimately.
The human erra makes baseball fun.
Human element is fine until it craps all over your playoff series. Prefer the non-crapping robots. At least instant replay? Maybe rig Brett Favre up with a camera phone taking pics of the plays, how could it go wrong?
I can understand a missed call. I cant understand 10 missed calls
@311, well, the Braves could still advance, which would make that a tie.
All for the Giants.
the thing that’s crazy is that it takes all of about 10 seconds to look at a replay. and if you really think it takes that long, limit the challenges.
just do something. for crying out loud.
Already impressed with this at bat.
dang that was ball 4, hes battling though
Adam, as far as it goes, that’s true. But the 2010 USA soccer team literally had about 3 goals stolen from them, and considering the rarity of goals in soccer, I’d argue that had an even greater impact on scoring than the bad umpiring in this series.
If not for the Landon Donovan miracle goal, the refereeing would have been the ONLY story.
Yeah, he’s doing a good job. Also like the hustle on the eventual foul.
for those of you scoring, diory is forcing more pitches than most of our lineup right now.
Diory sucks.
Damn damn damn.
time for a little Melktober magic
Why is Melky Cabrera hitting? WTF?
I love how these announcers are pretending the umpire blunders didn’t happen.
that was pretty magical
Finally thought of the one-liner:
These umps need to pull Buster Posey’s plank out of their own eyes.
Die alone, Melky.
Why would you ever make a sign for Melky?
Bobby has absolutely no idea that Diaz is a superior defender to Melky.
Why not Hinske god damn it
Melky = We have officially given up.
326 — Bobby’s ready to go home.
I do not understand Melky there. Is he really better than Diaz against RHP? Really?
when was the last time Melky took a pitch? and when was the last time he actually squared up a baseball?
Also, the umps have done enough Bobby, no need to pile on by hitting Diory and Melky in the same inning.
speechless cabrera
@326
Apparently, Bobby wants to make sure we see some erras in the outfield as well.
@ 329 – There are a lot of things they need to pull out of a lot of places.
I miss Yunel.
how about that one? safe or out?
It would be nice if the announcers would acknowledge how screwed the Braves have been by the umpires. Or at least acknowledge a *single* instance where we were screwed. They just ignore it all, though.
I miss Jeff Blauser.
He was safe. Ball arrived at the exact same time as his foot.
I miss Eric Gregg.
The giants have gotten every borderline call in this series, and some quite frankly that weren’t that close.
Nothing will change the fact that Bochy is a moron, though. We’ll always have that.
Why the HELL is Melky in the game?
I miss umpires with eyes.
Is Francisco Cabrera available to pinch hit? At this point I would take Joe Simpson coming out of the booth over these clowns.
Tom, it was close. However, every, EVERY, close call has gone against the Braves
Just keep in mind – even if we win tonight, Game 5 is against Lincecum in San Fran. And the winner gets to face Philly, and Halladay at least twice.
As a nod towards his impending legacy, Bobby Cox will now use all of the remaining pitchers in his bullpen before the Giants finally make their 27th out.
@352: no joke. this is the first one i’ve had to watch on the computer. you couldn’t count all the blown calls in this series on two hands.
Johnny is all over the place
I’m at the game and the place is still rockin’. There’s also a pretty strong anti-Brooks sentiment around here.
@320 – Isn’t this soccer? 🙂
Venters is gassed.
Out of curiosity, has anyone watched the Tampa-Texas series? I saw Crawford rung up on a pitch at least a foot outside, and really high to boot. The umpiring across the board has been insanely bad in these playoffs. Selig, however, is busy collecting his materials for his memoirs (I know this for a fact) and could probably care less.
nice play AAG
That was a helluva play by Gonzalez.
2 innings to get a run.
I think Stockton’s an old-school guy, in the sense that he’s from an “erra” before replay, when players or managers might jaw about a call but the umpires were generally presumed to be the source of truth — and it was seen as distasteful to harp on a call. Now that we have precise camera angles and instant replay, there is such a thing as objective truth, and part of an announcer’s job is to call that part of the game too. Jim Powell does a very good job of this, and he’s from a younger generation. Stockton’s just a blah guy who grew up in an earlier time.
That’s about the nicest way I could put it. I could just say that he’s an uninteresting announcer who adds absolutely nothing of value other than not being Chip Caray, which would be entirely correct.
Adam – you know for a fact? Is someone in the department helping out?
umps havent been bad just in the playoffs, Ive never seen a season where every ump just looks incompetent. You cant even look their way without getting tossed either
Stockton is past his time. Not saying he ever had a time, mind you, but just assuming that he did, it has past.
@364:
totally agreed. i can’t wait til that erra of announcers retires. we’re getting close.
It’s time for Derrek to earn his salary.
Edit: It’s time for Derrek to give his salary back.
Can anyone besides McCann hit the damn ball??!!
That’s great – take out the only guy hitting the ball.
We’ll hit into a DP anyway.
Bobby must want to get home before 11:00.
It would’ve been great if Kid Rock simply wasn’t born to begin with.
365–Yep. Believe it or not, he’s about to have his own office and PA in our department to assist in the task. I think he’s going to establish a chair in “Sports History” too. Weird, I know.
371 — Wow.
Yes, Brian!
That may have been the last time we see our best player this year. I just want to say… it was another awesome year for BMac.
About time a ground ball gets through for the Braves. Seems like everything the Giants hit has eyes.
i hate we have to have someone run for BMac. right move, but hate it.
These games are taking years off my life.
Great season, Brian. As always.
Just hang one to Gonzalez. Come on.
Unless McClouth is stealing, I think it’s more likely we will need McCann later, than that this is going to make a difference.
Ok, McCann doesn’t get to 2nd, but he has to score to make a difference.
AAG, run, you bitch.
one break. thank you.
OK, Jason, don’t suck.
Did he not run?
if only AAG had been running
Nice hustle, Agony. Is that why they were booing?
Well, Heyward is just going to strike out or hit a harmless popup on the other Javy Lopez.
Why was Alex Gonzalez thrown out by 45 feet on that play?
Don’t they teach you in little league to run as soon as you hit the ball or am I mistaken?
Maybe Jason can get an HBP.
and we traded Yunel for what reason?
I would love to see a replay to see if Gonzalez ran out of the box.
Kid, Look for a fastball, and let it rip
Thank you tbs, you should exactly why Agon does not need to be back next year.
Apparently not, or else he couldn’t have been thrown out by 30 feet.
How do the announcers completely ignore that AAG couldn’t be bothered to fucking run that play out? I hope someone on the bench tears him a new one for that crap.
Hopefully that will be the impetus to trade Gonzalez in the offseason. Hell, toss in the errors in this game, even though one was the blown call. Just need him gone.
AAG, you dipsh**.
Nope. He didn’t run.
nope, they just showed it. He was standing at home plate until Edgar dropped it
Hustle you jack nuts. The difference between us and them is frustrating.
Lopez is death on lefties. And Heyward doesn’t hit them well.
Well, he started to run, then stopped. I don’t think it’s very different from what 99% of runners in baseball do in that situation. I mean, it should have been caught.
No he did not run.
Heyward is awful right now
Heyward is gassed.
Heyward needs to stop doing that.
The ump really expanded his zone with the first pitch called strike. But yeah, he looks done.
Heyward’s 2-4 tonight. He was put in a hole on a bad strike-1 call. (What a surprise.) It was probably over from there, though.
It should have been caught. But he should have been busting his ass. He’ll have plenty of time not to run, starting tomorrow.
Dammit.
We didn’t know it was a damn show. We thought it was a damn fight.
Gotta run, but my final word will be… replay.
Almost every single major leaguer does not run on that play. It’s not like it was a fly ball someone had to chase down.
Cox is trying to kill Venters! It’s his final act!
we lose the first game on an Ump missing an easy call
we lose the 3rd game on Brooks 3 erras and Bobby being Bobby
we are about to lose this game on the 3-4 missed calls by the umps
suck it San Fran, the Phils will embarass you
More Venters, wow.
Bobby with his best Dusty Baker impression
Screencap of blown call in the 7th.
http://twitpic.com/2wvewq/full
hey Bobby, Huff hits lefties
Huff has four hits in this series… all of them off the Braves left-handed relievers. Think about that for a moment.
Then think about this: Cox left Venters in to face Huff, because Huff is left-handed. Again.
I guess these will be my final words:
Yeah, guys, we probably should give Alex Gonzalez the benefit of the doubt. Not like he’s ever not hustled before.
i’m gonna save my phillies-nlcs comments until we finally lose this.
You know what, through all of the crap that was the 2010 season, I think I kind of like this team. Give me one more inning boys, I’m not ready for winter yet.
Not looking forward to all the grief coming my way from all the Giant fans.
3 more outs until this is over…at least McCann showed for the series.
419 – Hell yeah.
Edit: One more inning to get a run.
Ugh, what could make sthis worse? Oh yeah, Kid Rock during commercial breaks.
I stayed up all night. Stupid stupid braves.
Fuck San Francisco. Allen GInsberg is overrated. Most of that hippie music is unlistenable. Jefferson Starship is an abomination. Everything that San Francisco is famous for — Dirty Harry, Steve McQueen movies, Haight-Ashbury, the Mission District, Castro Street — is worse than it seemed back in the acid haze of the ’60s and ’70s. The entire city is a pale imitation of a place where people think they’re better than you.
just blow Posey away with fastballs please
i’m with 419 and 422.
AAG sucks. Why is anybody defending him?
Conrad or Hinske to pinch hit next inning?
I’m sorry, but AAG gave away an out there. And it was total BS for TBS not to show it until after the break.
both
I wish Farnz would sprint out of the ‘pen, right now, and just start taking umpires out.
Man I love watching Kimbrel pitch. He’s like a good Marmol.
425 – the opposition is irrelevant though. This braves team never had a chance, probably shouldn’t be here in the first place and would have stood no chance in the NLCS. But they are here, should probably have won the series and most importantly, I love em.
I came into this series thrilled to be here, thinking we didn’t really have a chance to advance, but secretly hoping I was just being pessimistic and the Braves would surprise me. Even with that expectation, this hurts. It would have been easier if we’d been blown out in every game and we could just point to the injuries we’ve had and keep an at-least-we-got-there attitude. But being in every game and losing as we have and having the umps help them beat us…it’s just downright painful!
429—Conrad probably leads off; Hinske probably hits for Diory.
435—Totally agree.
425:
i live in SF. it’s not so bad. great city actually. most giants fans aren’t even from the city.
this f—ing series, though, may make me burn the city to the ground.
@ 429 – both.
EDIT – what Stu said.
Alright bitches let’s do this
I hate to see it end, but this sure has been a fun team to watch. There were several points in the season where a lot of teams would have packed it in, but they just kept fighting. If we can’t come back and win this one, I hope the fans at the game show this team the appreciation they deserve.
Well gents, it’s been fun.
the braves will get to wilson here
I look forward to watching Kimbrel and Venters for years to come.
@425, you forgot the fog.
As the song gose, “All we need is a miracle. All we need is you…”
This team…. I swear. For the life of me I can’t think that anyone could truly hate this group of over achievers.
edit: Ok there’s Melky ….. my bad.
@428 – never said he didn’t suck. Just that he shouldn’t be held to standards that no other player on the planet would be. But he does suck.
435 — Pretty much sums it up.
And another reason we lost this series is that half our lineup is about replacement level. Alex Gonzalez is basically Francoeur at the plate and hits 5th.
443—Pretty sure Venters dies of an arm infection this offseason. We may well have seen his only good season.
Thanks for reminding me, Url. That awful fog. The city is always 10 degrees colder and cloudier than literally everything else in California around it, encased in a permanent haze of misery and terrible singer-songwriters.
cmon Brooks
Did someone say Miracles?
We’re going to swing and miss nine times and that will be that.
Edit: Let Hudson get an AB. At least he might make contact.
A GIDP by Hinske would be an appropriate way to end the season.
wow, the ump didnt call that? I mean it wasnt a strike but still
Not everyone gets redeemed.
Did someone say Redeemer?
Look how Brooks managed to get halfway to second on a routine play. If only our shortstop knew how to give a full effort.
I move that we bring Chipper out, like Kirk Gibson
how is Wilson that good? He throws nothing but straight fastballs
There’s a minor miracle. A ball is called a ball.
nice AB rick
Alex, I know you’re not here, so how are you responding to me so fast?
It’s the love I developed for this group of overachievers who refused to give up that made me really want them to get to at least the championship series. I love the Braves and always want them to win, but this group of guys is special and found a deeper place in my heart than usual.
Hinske…keep us alive!
The third ball to Rick Ankiel in the exact same spot as the one that Heyward got rung up on in the bottom of the 9th last night.
Vagrant Brian Wilson looks like he’s struggling…
Totally agree, ‘Rissa. And it’s nice to see you around!
3-1 count. The magic count. Do it.
Wow. The ump has suddenly reformed his strike zone.
EDIT: Nevermind.
That was further outside than ball 3…
Ball four called strike two. Shocking.
Figures.
nice AB Eric
Omar, please take a few.
Yes!
Omar, take some pitches, okay?
Don’t curse jonny venters bad luck, stu.
I am so confused.
Don’t tell me this will end up coming down to Melky.
Awesome. Two on, one out, third best hitter in the NL this year coming up.
omar better tie it, or we’re DOOMED!
I would have run Hanson, we might need Hudson to pinch hit later
Classic Omar. Take the first pitch, then start hacking.
Prove me wrong, Omar.
ANYBODY BUT MELKY, PLEASE!!!!!
I can’t watch this.
how is it possible that our hopes may ride on Melky’s shoulders…please tie this omar
melktober!
melky. this is the perfect end to the season.
Melktober? Please?
And the season comes down to Melky. Classic.
PINCH HIT FOR HIM. WITH ANYONE. PLEASE
Shit, Omar. That was terrible.
This is just God flipping us off.
Melky, please.
So this is how the season dies….with Melky Cabrera.
Melky magic?
This is the perfect end to the season. And ball one was called strike one.
And it all comes down to Melky…why is this happening to us?