Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers – Box Score – April 20, 2011 – ESPN.
How to tell your offense sucks: Jon Garland throws a complete-game four-hitter against you. Yet again, the Braves essentially were never in this one. Yet again, the only Brave to have a good game at the plate was Nate McLouth, who was 2-3 with a double, the team’s only extra-base hit, and scored their only run. Yet again, we have become the Pirates.
After the usual scoreless top of the first, the Dodgers got two runs in the bottom of the inning off of Derek Lowe. Lowe has been the Braves’ best starter this year, but working on three days’ rest simply didn’t have it last night, and gave up three more runs in the second to put the game essentially out of reach for a team that has scored more than four runs five times this season. Lowe allowed nine hits in three innings; while he did strike out five, he was not generally fooling them, allowing a lot of hard hit balls.
Martin Prado‘s sac fly in the third to score McLouth was the Braves’ only RBI. Cristhian Martinez capped the scoring allowing a homer in the fourth. Jairo Asencio, if that is what we’re calling him now, pitched three strong innings of mopupball, and Eric O’Flaherty pitched the eighth.
Jason Heyward is in a deep slump, and was 0-4 with three strikeouts. Chipper Jones was also 0-4 and saw all of seven pitches.
I’m going to let this serve as the game thread for today’s afternoon affair.
If Bud can do this with the Dodgers, will the Mets soon follow?
If the Fightin’ McCourts are forced to sell, what valuation will they put on Vin Scully?
McLouth for Scully.
Oh look, 3 lefties in a row, then Lincecum
Kershaw, Bumgarner, Sanchez, Lincecum
I am glad to see McLouth’s average coming up–but I am afraid he is going to be one of those players who gets his hits in games whose outcome has already been decided. I hope that I am wrong….
@2: Seconded. Though losing McLouth would hamper our offensive output right now, which is something I thought I’d never write.
I said it the other day, but I think it got JC’d, I’d like to see The Artist Formerly Known As and The Lisp pitch in some 6th/7th innings with a lead, rather than Linebrink, while Moylan is out.
So excited. Just made a bet with a co-worker here in KC who has been completely sucked into the Frenchy vortex.
Loser has to grow a molestache (the kind of facial hair we both grow)for a month.
For him to win, Frenchy has to have an OPS+ of 100 or greater at the AS break.
It’s like karma is finally paying me back for the years of having to suffer through Jeffy.
I still think we’ll be able to fight off the Mets. I mean we’re still about 2.5 games ahead of them. Catching the Nationals is going to be tough.
Heyward and McCann taking today off, Young starting in right.
Dear Lord.
Good grief…
Prado
AAG
Chipper
Uggla
Freeman
Ross
Nate
Young
JJ
I understand giving Heyward the day off.
You guys are just being negative. Matt Young OWNS Clayton Kershaw. This is simply the realization of Fredi’s double secret plan to kick some ass and take some names.
Sure, I understand it, too — but that doesn’t make the lineup any less fugly.
AAG in the 2-spot. Because… Well, there is no reason.
That lineup is a very good reason for me not to stay up late to watch the game….
#12–Agreed
Actually, we will have a trace of speed at the bottom of the lineup….
I had a hunch we’d see AAG in the 2-spot for these types of lineups. Fredi did it quite a bit this spring.
#16 – well, the game starts in 3 hours
Braves lifetime vs Kershaw
2 for 43
5BB
19K
1RBI
I know it’s been argued that the batting coach doesn’t make much difference and I’m probably in agreement on this. However, doesn’t he play a major role in deciding the strategy to hit against certain pitchers? If this is the case, I’m ready for Parrish to be fired today. Our strategy seems to be “be aggressive” and swing if you get the pitch you’re looking for – whether it’s in the strike zone or not. This is not working!
I don’t think I’ve read a single f**king quote from this hack Parrish. Who the hell is he anyway?
Worst outfield ever? This has got to at least be in the running.
There is no way today’s starting outfield is worse than a May ’08 OF of Norton, Blanco and Frenchy:
http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=280526115
Prado > Norton
Nate = Blanco
Young < Frenchy
#18–The game time here in the UAE will be 11:10 pm. I like the West coast night games(which start around 10:00 EST)because they come on here in the early morning (6:00 am). Of course, this morning it meant that my day began with Derek Lowe’s first couple of innings. Sheesh…..
Watch us score 10 runs because, like Braves baseball thus far this season, it doesnt make sense.
ryan, Ill take 1…
Ryan c, unveiling the Chewbacca Defense.
@25 game starts at 3:10 EDT
It says “In the UAE,” people.
C’mon!
I don’t care how much he hates the Power Rangers, the game comes on until 3pm.
Is it possible to hit for the cycle twice in one game? I think Matt Young might get close today.
Good news for you, Mac: Lady Gaga changed her mind:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2011/04/21/135582519/crisis-averted-lady-gaga-approves-weird-al-yankovic-parody-after-all
Over or under:
Braves score 0.5 runs today.
Well, at least David Ross will finally get some at-bats for my fantasy team. (Yay, Deep NL-only leagues).
@33, Hooray!
I’ve been an Al fan for 20 years. When I first started listening, he was spoofing songs and bands I had never heard of (“Weird Al” indirectly introduced me to The Police, James Brown, Tom Petty, Queen, and many more). Now I’m 27 and, once again, I don’t know any of the songs or bands he’s spoofing. It’s a weird full circle. Except now I don’t want to hear the source material.
@34, Don’t be such a pessimist. We’ll score at least .75 runs.
Ill say over…The Dodgers will pull Kershaw after 7 innings up 6-0. We will score 1 off the bullpen.
Rob, everything that you just said is true for me.
Matt Young can palm a medicine ball.
Matt Young is the player Bernard Malamud had in mind when he wrote “The Natural”
Hah, Matt Young wrote The Natural under a pseudonym.
Frenchy is Bump Bailey
Frank McCourt as The Judge?
Hopefully, in a year or two Frank McCourt will be a character from a Frank McCourt book.
Can Bud Selig take over the federal government too?
Why not give it a try, Bud? Can’t get any worse.
Presidents are only jazzed up used car salesmen, just like Selig.
BTW, Scully really did make a “Lisp” reference to Martinez last night? I don’t have the option of the Dodger feed here, but that’s awesome.
o/u on Braves K’s today is 9
Should’ve just hit a ground ball on the first pitch Prado. Save us all some time.
Sigh.
Have the Braves scored a 1st inning run on the road this season?
Did JJ really just open with an 86 mph fastball?
Im listening to Scully now. HE could make paint drying seem interesting
I dig the old Braves uniforms.
Infield hit to Gwynn Jr.? This season is over.
Ben, he was 86-88 in his last game too
I’ll take the under on Ks, but I would also take the under on BBs since there is a plane to catch.
If you think “The Chewbacca Defense” is a bib… you might be a redneck.
Up to 93 there. That’s quite a spread.
wow, another 30+ pitch 1st inning for our starters
@54
JJ’s average speed was 89mph last time out with pitches reaching 92. I’m not sure where you got the 86-88 information.
Thank God.
Just from watching his start. TV gun had him clocked 86-88 all night. I was even asking about in on the thread that day. They may have several gun readings.
As a matter of fact, Beachy’s start showed him 93-94, but Joe kept saying the stadium gun had him at 95 all night.
Kershaw 2IP 3K’s on 19 pitches
JJ 1IP 3K’s on 36 pitches
Gameday had him constantly around 90-92. BTW, kepp watching folks since you’ll be treated with a perfect game tonight.
Feels like this could become a no-hitter with less than a hundred pitches thrown.
@61
Well pitch/fx has him between 88-92 and the broadcast I was watching also had him peaking at 92. He reached 93 last inning. His arm’s fine…
ok, apparently I was wrong on JJ
JJ looking good.
Nate, Young, and the pitcher’s spot… I smell a rally.
Tight zone for jurrjens and a big one for Kershaw. Just what we need to tip the scales in our favor.
Wonder how the Gwinnett offense would fare against Kershaw. This has a good no hit feeling, doesnt it?
3IP on 32 pitches???
Can we consider it a moral victory if the no-hitter today isn’t a perfect game?
I figure McCann breaks it up, pinch-hitting, with two out in the ninth.
Amazing that everyone is already thinking no-hitter. I mean, I am too.
How do you have an infield single to 1st and the runner on 1st gets to 3rd.
I hate feeling like the game is out of reach when it’s 0-0.
Woo-hoo, for once it’s the other team giving away free outs through stolen base attempts.
Heh. Dodgers Fail.
75 – okay. That’s funny.
Should we just go ahead and tip our caps now?
take a pitch!
Look at the body language. I feel like they’ve given up and it’s still tied.
Thanks Dodgers!
AAG!
I remember when we used to see post like this one and it meant a run scored. Im just happy for a hit.
#74
Hard grounder bounced up & hit Freeman in the chest & bounced away into foul territory. Could’ve been an error, I guess.
Hey, there’s a hit.
A hit! Zounds!
Kershaw could throw 15 innings today at this pace
“Woo-hoo, for once it’s the other team giving away free outs….”
Never mind. Nice one, Alex Gonzalez.
We can’t get him out either.
3 infield singles for them now
“Kershaw could throw 15 innings today at this pace”
What’s funny – or sad – is that Kershaw is usually pretty inefficient. His inability to get through seven is what’s keeping him from joining the ranks of MLB’s elite pitchers.
After watching McLouth and Heyward flail, I’m just pleased that we finally have a #2 hitter who won’t go 0-4.
AAG in the 2-hole forever! Just remember to nail him to first base if he reaches!
Scully is totally rocking out to the Lindy, with a “Mmm mm mm” and a “Yeahh!”
Man, I love this guy.
Hope is evil.
For those of you unable to watch the game:
http://ilemi.eu/22498/1/Watch-Atlanta-Braves-vs-Los-Angeles-Dodgers/
Freddie!
Freddie!
Hey there! Not too bad a swing off a tough lefty…
Hey hey, whattayasay, Freddie!
Freddie!
Freddie!
Seond time someone threw in on him and then he goes deep
Damn… that was a crazy good bunt by Ross. Took an incredible play by Kershaw to nail him.
Wow, that was a helluva play by Kershaw.
So, is Franchise Freddie a good nickname?
McLouth, Kawakami, Sherrill, and Schafer for Kershaw.
Get it done, Bird.
@105
I like it, though I think Freddie Franchise has a better ring to it.
Young has a slow bat.
Matt Young is just overmatched at this level. We need a better 4th OF’r
Seems like Ethier comes up every inning.
“That’s a season high 5th strikeout for Jurrjens.”
Wow, Chip, all those starts this year and this is the highest total!
Jurrjens is dealing.
Can we make the trade for Kershaw now, so we can get him off the mound before next inning?
Should we trade JJ now for our future 3B/SS/or CF’r?
Very impressive so far
The difference in quality listening to Scully and then Chip could not be bigger. After starting with Scully, I just switched to Chip. Man oh man.
I always wonder what the typical Dodger fan thinks of Scully.
And I think about the guys who beat that Giants fan half to death when I think of “typical Dodger fans.”
Read the latest Fangraphs article AAR. Ignore the brushback you get in the comments. The article is very well done. Though Marisa does make me feel like a bum. I’m fairly sure at 14 all I cared about was girls and blowing stuff up/lighting it on fire.
“So, is Franchise Freddie a good nickname?”
I thought he was ‘Captain Marvel Jr.’?
Going from Vin Scully to Chip Caray is sort of like going from Marilyn Monroe to Shelley Duvall.
Thank you, Ethan.
Damn it. I hoped we could win this 1-0.
Nice outing JJ, its too bad Gwinnett came to play with you.
Great game by JJ! He seems to be back in 2009 shape.
I have no idea who Shelley Duvall is but I dont dare to
google her…
How about a big fly after we get a baserunner?
Struggla?
She likes reading bedtime stories about eating your spinach in secluded hotels in the middle of winter.
117 – Wow, I just read the article and the comments and feel horrified by the latter. WTF? I almost feel reluctant to go back to fangraphs. Those are some awful, though telling, reactions.
Anyway, nice job AAR. I concur with Ethan.
When was the last time we got a runner to 2B?
@123- If you’ve seen “The Shining”, it’s too late.
@123, the crazy looking one in “The Shining” not named Jack.
@124, Struggla works for me.
Ballgame. That was our chance right there.
Joe just pointed out Uggla’s opening up too early, planting his front foot toward third base, and pulling off the ball. (Some would say being left with power that’s “all arms”. Of course with Uggla’s arms, IF he made contact that could be enough to hit the ball well.) However, pulling off means he is not staying “in the plane” long enough so isn’t making contact. That’s pretty basic. My question is, if Joe can see it, and we can see it, why can’t Parrish and the rest of the braintrust see it and do something about it?
Thanks, Adam. I hate that people react that negatively, but it makes me want to explore it in much greater depth.
123 — http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TVooUHN7j4
Good job, AAR.
Can’t take stuff like that personally. Some people are beyond helping.
Haven’t seen The Shining… And you don’t make it attractive for me to check it out.
Good to see Sherrill isn’t being allowed to pitch full innings.
Sigh.
Ballgame.
Linebrink is the new Jesse Chavez.
I hate the 7th inning.
That should just about do it….the one run lead that the Braves have no hope of overcoming with their JV lineup. What am I saying, every lineup is the JV lineup
“The Shining” is awesome, but that pitch sure wasn’t.
Boy do we suck. This is not fun.
That’s what happens when you throw right down the middle over and over.
I hate, hate, hate Sherrill & Linebrink. Hate ’em…ok, I shouldn’t hate, so I don’t really. But I hate seeing them in a game, in a Braves uni, in any kind of meaningful situation…
You can blame Linebrink, but the offense is once again to blame.
I miss Moylan.
Linebrink sucks, as does Sherrill, and I was nervous about the pen, or at least its veteran members, coming into the season.
Nevertheless, you’re gonna give up at least a couple runs almost every game. No team with this bad an offense should ever win more than 65 games.
2 straight complete games is going to be encouraging
@147, For sure. 2 runs in 7 innings is good for most teams…
And since we talk about this sort of thing, Jeremy Sands is one ugly looking kid.
Wait! So Conrad gets the call and not Heyward or BMAC? I dont care if they are left handed…
This team is not handling expectations well. It is much easier to play when nobody expects anything from you.
This team is a little depressing to watch. I know there is plenty of season to go but I want to win now dang it.
Losers always say “it’s early”. Then, for two days or so, it’s “now or never”, and then “wait ’til next year”.
Pen fail.
At least JJ doesn’t get hung with the loss. He pitched well enough.
Ohkay. Butt Pluggla
Too soon to change the site tagline back to “epic fail”?
The 2010 Braves would win this game in dramatic fashion. Let’s at least threaten here…
I’m thinking “No Offense,” Dan.
ESPN Gamecast is such a tease. That looked like a leadoff double.
Vin Scully on Kershaw’s unusual outing: “he’s had 13 at bats of 3 pitches or less.” Congratulations Braves. You’ve become the most hack-tastic team in baseball.
The only positive I can try to grasp for here is that I thought our team totally sucked on paper last year, and for a good part of the season we did, but we got very hot and very lucky (imo) and somehow made the playoffs. To me this team still looks very weak on paper – not enough power, terrible bench, and counting on some very young players and some aging veterans in key spots … so I hope to be proven wrong yet again this year.
Let’s see.
Hat on head? Check.
Hat bill in forward-facing position? Check.
Raise hand toward forehead and prepare for tipping motion…
Woah. Ballsy. Why stretch that?
Wow. Thought he was out.
Wow that would have been an awful way to end the game.
Oh. My. God. I seriously thought Uggla ended the game at 2B.
This is incredibly poor use of your bench Fredi. Instead of using Heyward to pinch hit, he’s a pinch runner in a game that you hope goes into extras?
Whoo!
Wow that was risky!!
Yeah, he was safe.
Makes up for the stolen base where he was safe and called out last night.
If Uggla had been thrown out there, he’d have been burned in effigy.
0-1 to 3-1. Go kid.
Kershaw must fear Freddie.
Well, McCann will hit for Ross here.
Or not.
McCann please.
Edit: still would prefer McCann.
Make him pay, Ross.
Great at-bat by Freeman. He’s already having better at-bats than he was the first week of the season.
Incredible.
Rosssy!!!!
YES
Ross!
ROSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah baby!!!
Heck of a job,
Grady LittleDon Mattingly.WHOOOOOOO!!!!!!
YES!
SWEET!!!
Wheeeeeeeeeee!
Let’s not blow it.
Amazing!! Some 2010 magic!!
No way.
Thanks Mattingly
YESSSS!
my mlb.tv is screwed up so I watched it on gamecast. I saw that blue dot and was so happy when the 1 flipped into a 3
Un.be.lievable
122 pitches for Kershaw. I’m sure Dusty Baker is nodding approvingly somewhere
*… aborts cap-tipping at the last possible moment. Instead jubilantly tossed cap in air in celebration!*
We finally get to see Kimbrel again!
He had to pitch to Ross since Mac was available
@195, Haha.
add on to lead
Man, I’m giddy just thinking about Kimbrel. He’s the best.
#197
Release the Kraken.
kimbrel against 8-9-1 hitters isn’t fair
Is B-Mac in now?
This is the kimbrel that frightens me.
Gamecast looks like the first two pitches were right down the middle for ball 1 and ball 2.
Auspicious start.
Can’t throw a strike.
gamecast has three of those in the strike zone
@206, definitely a bit high.
His body language is totally off.
Edit: Much better.
That was a strike, but I guess he hasn’t earned any right to the close ones.
The first two pitches to Carroll were borderline at the top of the strike zone. Kimbrel rarely misses by a ton, but he’s often a few inches off the zone.
sweet
That one was 98 mph.
Got that mojo workin’ now.
My goodness, Sands wasn’t even close to being able to catch up. Spotted him two balls and just blew three fastballs past him.
98! Filthy! Come on, kid…
casey fn blake? really?
Damn
baaaah
Poop.
Well shit.
Waaaaaaay too good a pitch to throw there.
I guess I don’t understand the pitch selection there.
Frickin’ one strike away.
I guess Kershaw could say the same thing.
This team is painful to watch so far this season. A familiar theme.
3-1 to Ethier is no kinds of good.
Battle of the pens. I’ll take ours.
thought you said something else, Ryan
Whew.
Gotta go get ’em, Braves.
Leadoff walks should result in a fine for relievers.
Someone help me understand why Fredi brought McCann into the game but didn’t put him in the 9th spot, which is due up this inning. Is he trying to prevent Heyward and McCann from batting as long as possible?
I like the Braves in extras.
Oh wait, McCann is 9th. The box scores online are all wrong. Nevermind.
Also, I’m sorry but Matt Young sucks.
Why are you sorry about that?
this camera guy has tourretes
Yeah, Matt Young is completely blowing what will probably be his only MLB chance. He’s not walking. He’s not hitting the ball out of the infield, and he hasnt even bunted for a base hit (that I recall). Basically, he’s not doing anything that got him here.
I don’t think he has a hit this year.
He’s 2 for 18.
Yeah, the ball from his first hit was thrown into the stands. Hopefully, he got the ball from his second one.
Haha, Uribe is gonna fall over.
One inning too late, but I’ll take it.
Would’ve been nicer to have done that in the 9th inning.
On FIRE.
Freeman may be the Braves’ best hitter right now.
McLouth reverted to form just in time for it to matter again.
Meh. Who’s on the mound for the Braves?
I’m starting to think Nate isn’t very good.
Vintage McOut. At least we have Matt Young to set the table in the next inning.
Interesting that Fredi is using the Lisp instead of Venters.
You know who is really, really awful? Matt Young.
And everyone else.
At least Young’s good for something. It’s not at the plate, but still.
252, I figure he wants to save Venters to close it out.
Hopefully they can survive this inning, so the amazing Matt Young can lead off the next inning.
yep, Matt Young sucks. So does 90% of this lineup right now.
Joe Simpson doesn’t believe in “take the out stupid.”
“Throw to second on the bunt. The runner at first doesn’t matter!”
If Jerry Sands wins the game, I will vomit on my keyboard.
Joe Simpson is a moron. Listening to him and Chip together makes my ears bleed. Thankfully I am listening to Vin Scully right now.
@258, that got to me, too. My first thought was, “Earl Weaver would smack you in the face.”
Matt Young is going to hit a weak grounder to first.
Matt Young made another out, but you know… he really plays the game the right way.
Young makes Gregor look like a HOF’r
Jerry Sands looks like a beaver with an overbite.
nice jog to 1st there. This team is ready to leave LA
Still mix up Matt Young and Brandon Hicks. Who can tell them apart?
@266, yeah, seems like the white flag is up. Although, I do love a surprise.
I’d walk Kemp.
Well…
Yeah, I’d have walked him too.
That would be why.
As soon as Chip Caray said Matt Kemp has had a bad day, it was inevitable.
F*ck you, baseball…
Amazingly unsurprising.
Well that stinks. We move on to face the world champs and we’re 4 games under.
Yeah, that seems about right.
Hmmm, maybe we should walk guys who are hitting .400 with first base open in a tie game. That’s just me though.
IIRC, the three biggest hits today came on 0-2 counts.
Fredi walked Kemp in the 1st inning of the first game of the series. But in the 12th inning with a man in scoring period and first base open, he opts to pitch to him. That about sums up our managerial situation right now.
There was zero chance in hell we would win this one after the Dodgers tied it up. The Braves don’t win games like this, period.
Reminded me a lot of the playoff game last year vs. the Giants, where we went ahead on a HR after looking silly at the plate all night long, only to lose it a half-inning later. Soon as we took the lead, I thought “no way this is going to hold up”. Same today.
Yeah, I don’t have much confidence in Fredi, right now. He seems pretty dim-witted.
I expect to see him in the Braves Journal Doghouse before May.
Id call up Schafer or Mather right now. Having Young and Nate in the same OF is awful. Both have speed but neither get good jumps or can throw at all. At least Schafer and Mather have strong throwing arms and there is no dropoff offensively. Young gives this team nothing.m Neither does Hicks for that matter.
Recapped.
Matt Young sucks. Joe Mathher sucks. Brandon Hicks sucks. Jordan Schafer sucks. Diory Hernandez sucks. Brooks Conrad sucks.
Christian Martinez sucks. Scott Linebrink sucks. George Sherrill sucks.
I have no idea what to do. Frank Wren will pay too much for a rental to fill a hole, and we will get hot for a while and tease us and then lose out in the end of the year as always.
I hate this team. I hate our GM. I hate our manager. I hate our ownership.