Dbacks 2, Braves 1

Atlanta Braves vs. Arizona Diamondbacks – Box Score – May 19, 2011 – ESPN.

This was not a fun game to watch. Jair Jurrjens had good stuff for five innings, but was pitching behind a hapless offense and once he lost just a little bit gave up two runs — on a homer and a single-triple combination with two out in the sixth) and thus gets hung with a “loss” that was really unfair.

There was no chance at a “win”, however, because the offense for the first six innings off of the legendary Josh Collmenter was two hits by Freddie Freeman. No walks, no other hits, one hard hit ball (to deepest center by Dan Uggla; you can’t hit it out to dead center in that park) and really very little expectation that anything would change.

Kirk Gibson hasn’t gotten to the chapter on riding your starter in Managing the Deadball Way yet, so he pulled Colander (uh, Calendar, Commentator, whatever) after that (pinch-hitting with two out in the bottom of the sixth, actually) and the Braves did get two hits (by Freeman, again, and by Alex Gonzalez) leading off the seventh. So, of course, it was Bunting Time! After Nate McLouth‘s seventh sacrifice of the season, Brooks Conrad popped up (the eighth popup of the game by the Braves, I believe) and Martin Prado grounded out.

The Braves finally got a run with two out in the ninth, when Brian McCann doubled and Uggla hit a routine lineout that Justin Upton dropped, but Freeman, the only guy who did anything all night, struck out swinging to end it.

George Sherrill and Scott Linebrink pitched an inning and a third of shutout ball. There, some posititivity.

155 thoughts on “Dbacks 2, Braves 1”

  1. I think I see a pattern developing:
    We start playing well and win a few games in a row;
    Fredi has a game where he makes poorer than usual managerial decisions, we lose the game (which we should have won) and momentum;
    We lose the next game and struggle for a while

  2. I had already started curssing at Fredo after I saw McLouth up with two on and none out.

    My “favorite” part was when the announcer said something to the effect of, “Well, you’ve got to get at least one here.” This coming DOWN TWO in the TOP OF THE 8TH.

    You need to get more than one there, guy.

  3. I had to miss this game and I’m not that upset about it.

    The 1-3 spots in the lineup really tell the whole story,

  4. The Angels have lost 5 in a row so the question thus becomes, Are they the team we need to see right now, or are we the team they need to see right now?

    Oh and Ron Gant just said Freddi needs to try something different and bunt more. Seriously? Does he watch the games or is Hickman passing around blow in the studio?

  5. I’m glad I went out after the 2nd inning. It’s fair to say that, after a 10 day blip at the start of the month, the Braves are back to their April ways. The offense just may not be good.

  8. 7 – Well, there are some problems beyond Fredi, to be fair (not to him; just to logic). But it’s really hard to focus on those when I keep seeing postgame quotes like…

    “I asked Fredi G about bunting McLouth after consecutive hits to start 8th: ‘Try to get at least one. I was hoping with Brooksy — one of your two best pinch-hitters that you rely on along with Hinske — just get one, and maybe Brooksy goes gapper and we tie the game. I’m not one of those guys [that says] play for the tie at home and the win on the road. Let’s just keep playing. And they [Dbacks] got out of it.'”

  9. @8

    I hadn’t seen that before. It makes no sense and I refuse to believe he’s that stupid. For my sanity, I may have to go with the @6 route and conclude he’s just f**king with us.

  12. So how many days do we go before we “learn” Heyward’s injury is more serious than previously thought?

  13. @12

    I say by the middle of next week when Dr. James Andrews is seen for a third opinion. THe Braves will play it off like they were going fishing together and the BOOM out for the season.

  14. See Nate Bunt.
    Bunt Nate Bunt.
    See Braves Lose.*

    *from Syllogisms for Dummies, ed. 2011

  15. So we know that at least a few guys are trying to play through injuries – Chipper, Heyward, and I’d throw Fredi in there since attempting to manage without a brain is not easy. What’s Uggla’s excuse?

    I’m also wondering when McOut is going to fight Fredi for being asked to bunt more than the pitcher.

  17. So, this might be too much work for someone but can anyone look up how many sac bunts we’ve made from position players this year and how many runs we’ve scored from those sac bunts? I’d venture to say 20 and maybe 2 runs.

  18. I have an awful/awesome feeling that this Fredi problem is going to take care of itself.

  19. STOP BUNTING.

    @6, agreed. I also have this really bad feeling the organization is going to keep him around for 5+ years because they love this crap.

  20. To be fair, it’s not his fault Uggla has sucked. With where he bats in the lineup, if he were putting up his career numbers right now, this team would probably be in first place and Frediball would be less of an issue.

  22. I count 12 sac bunts from position players so far (McOut has 7! of them). There are several obvious problems with this number though – the biggest one being that it doesn’t include all the unsuccessful bunt attempts that give away an out and don’t advance any runners so you have no context in which to judge how “effective” we’re being with our “productive” outs. I know we’ve had a ton times where the sac bunt attempt has failed (K or lead runner out) – though most/all of them by pitchers I think.

    Also not included are the times when the batter bunts until 2 strikes, then hits away from a big hole.

  23. 19- Fearfully agreed. They think he’s carrying on the best Cox traditions, not the worst.

    Did Gant really say he wanted this team to bunt more? I’m sorry, but I’m trying to wrap my head around this concept, especially since it comes from someone whose entire offensive game plan was “swing hard in case you hit it.”

  24. We’re stuck with Fredi unfortunately. But what about this trade proposal?

    BAL gets: Mike Minor and Arodys Vizcaino

    ATL gets: Manny Machado, Koji Uehara, Nolan Reimold, Cesar Izturis, and Felix Pie

    We get our SS of the future, and we try to Fredi-proof the bullpen and bench. The key to the value is getting Machado by trading from a position of strength.

    BAL stays with their strategy of grow the arms and buy the bats. They have Hardy and Andino at SS right now, and they’re not even using Reimold. He would be a good RH pinch hitter for us.

  25. Frediball is especially hard to watch when the games start around 9:40 P.M. EST.

    My dad always compares baseball to a chess match. Frediball is like literally watching people play chess, except Gonzalez is the kind of player who constantly asks what the knights do.

  26. A trade proposal this Vanderbilt fan was thinking about, yesterday: Minor for Pedro Alvarez. If the Braves think Pedro can stick at third, that is.

  29. 27—Wait on him to retire. Pedro has options. This would be the move that gets Chipper’s replacement.

  30. Lots of hate on Fredi. But, offering a tepid defense here, Uggla has been a bust, Heyward is in a sophomore, junior and senior slump, Agon is being Agon with a .292 OBP, and our leadoff guy is sporting a cool .329 OBP. So with our pitching playing for 1 run is the book. Again this is a TEPID defense but I can see where FGON is coming from.
    Long story short – Fredi ain’t the total reason we can’t beat a crap team like the d-backs. Chipper, McCann, Prado (sort of) and McLouth(wow, who would have thunk it)simply aren’t good enough to carry Freeman, Uggla, Heyward, and Agon.

  31. Right now you may have to leverage a hot Eric Hinske and let Jayson or Fredi figure some things out on the pine. Uggla, whoa. I sure hope that this is just an aberration. Does anyone think that the home park is hurting him? Unlucky BABIP?

  32. @26/27, that’s sort of the problem with the way the lineup is constructed. Unless we get a challenge trade, every position starter is either good or expensive. Are we seriously going to bench Heyward or Prado or Chipper if we get an OF impact bat? Unless the guy is a CF, that’s the net outcome of trading for OF/3B. Don’t see us trading for a 2B, C is fine, SS would be an extremely expensive position to upgrade. 1B could be done I suppose, but really, that’s it, besides CF.

  33. Look, I hate all the bunting as much as the next guy, but let’s remember that if Conrad would’ve just hit something other than a pop up, we get the one run and would’ve tied it in the 9th. I don’t have a huge problem with bunting there.

    You’ve also got two shots at a base hit to tie the game in the eighth. At some point the players have to produce.

    I think Fredi puts us at a disadvantage at times, but not nearly as much as this board would have you believe.

  34. @31 Uggla always hit well in Atlanta before the trade. Either the book has gotten out on him or he’s in a universal slump, I would not blame the park yet.

  35. Chipper could play 1B if need be. Getting a high impact OF bat would at least make me consider that type of move. Right now I’m still of the mindset that we just wait this collective slump out and hope for mean reversion.

    Stopping the bunting is the only quick-fix I’d want to make. It’s probably not going to happen while Fredi is here, but it’s at least something that’s easy to correct. Fredi can’t make Uggla/Heyward/Freeman/McOut hit, but he does have 100% control over the number of outs we intentionally make.

  36. ‘Fredi can’t make Uggla/Heyward/Freeman/McOut hit, but he does have 100% control over the number of outs we intentionally make.’

    McLouth isn’t the problem. He isn’t hitting with any power but he is getting on base at close to his career rate.

  37. The leading OPS of the regulars is Chippers .811. Joe Mather has a higher OPS than Jason Heyward, Freddy Freeman, Nate McLouth, Dan Uggla, and Alex Gonzalez.

    I don’t care how many bunts your call or don’t call, 1-18 out of the top 5 in your lineup won’t win many games even if Connie Mack’s dead ass rose from the grave and was managing the team. The braves spazz when some guy they never faced goes out there. I don’t get it, never have.

    This is not going to be a popular idea, but I still think the best trade the braves can make is for an impact or leadoff hitting OF bat, play that guy in LF and use Prado as an everyday super sub. It lengthens your bench and provides Chipper insurance.

  38. Dusty, I agree that the Braves shouldve been able to get a run across in the 8th. My problem is that the team struggled to get anything going all night. Freeman and AAG hit two ropes off that lefty to start the inning and then we bunt with one of our best hitters in May for the potential of 1 run when being down 2. Time and time again Fredi is wasting outs late in these games. Nate was more likely to produce that run than Conrad was and this managerial style is creating no opportunities for big innings.

  39. Uggla’s problem is that he doesn’t have Heyward behind him to protect him. /sarcasm

  41. I’m very sorry to break from the whole bunting=death meme, but I’ve got bigger fish to fry. Eg.—I keep forgetting… is The Rapture today? Or tomorrow?

    I’m trying to decide whether or not I should bother to pick up my dry cleaning because, y’know, what’s the point?

  42. Are you going to be Raptured out of here, ububba? Or were you just not planning on wearing clean clothing afterward?

  45. apparently, its at 6 tomorrow with a massive earthquake in California. Last time I checked this guy already predicted the rapture 5 times. I have a lot to say regarding this, but I wont turn it into a religious debate.

  46. Mark 13:32-33 (NKJV) — “But of that day and hour [when Christ returns] no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. / Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.”

    Matthew 24:44 (NKJV) — “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

    I wouldn’t stop planning for tomorrow, just yet.

  48. I am going to leave the lawnmower running in the front yard along with some artfully arranged shorts, tshirt and shoes.

  49. Stu read my mind, here’s 2 more for you.

    “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.” (Luke 21:8)

    “Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” (1 Thes. 5:1)

  51. I didn’t get to tune in for much and when I did I was listening to Arizona’s radio tandem. When Heyward fouled out to left in the sixth they said it was his third foul out of the game and the team’s SEVENTH. What the hell was going on?

  55. @49: ““Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.”

    I think they made some movies about that. Mission Impossible or something. They’re pretty good, especially the one with the guy hanging out the plane.

  56. Wait, that got me thinking … what if Fredi Gonzalez is not the real Fredi Gonzalez, just a Fillies fan in a Fredi mask? The time is near … to bunt.

  59. I’m glad I’m not the only one fascinated by the Harold Camping thing. Here’s how he picked May 21, 2011:

    He says certain numbers repeat in the Bible along with particular themes. The number five means “atonement.” Ten means “completeness.” Seventeen is “heaven.” Multiply those numbers by each other and multiply the result by itself. It equals 722,500.

    “Christ hung on the cross April 1, 33 A.D.,” he says. “Now go to April 1 of 2011 A.D., and that’s 1,978 years.”

    If you multiply that number by 365.2422 — the number of days in the solar calendar — it equals 722,449. And if you add 51 (the number of days between April 1 and May 21) to that number, it equals 722,500.

    Makes perfect sense!

  60. Heyward’s still not right.

    It was nice to see Freeman hit the ball hard a couple times. We need him to come around.

  61. What’s worse is that he predicts the ultimate end of humankind to come on Oct 21. That”s my 50th birthday so I am screwed either way.

  62. @50
    It’s great to see people find creative ways to suppliment their Social Security checks!

  64. Ozzie, mourning the loss of Macho Man, on Twitter:

    U put wrestling on the top u was good and funny and who no remenber elizabeth

  65. 63—I would agree with you if I hadn’t been reading Fredi Gonzalez quotes for the past two days.

  66. The Rays just designated Dan Johnson for assignment. How can a player be so dominant at AAA (30HR 95rbi 1.053OPS) and be so bad in the bigs?

  70. So I had some time today, well I just didn’t want to work ;). So I looked at each successful sac bunt to see how many runs resulted in the same inning FOLLOWING the bunt. This doesn’t not take into account unsuccessful bunts or the reasons the run as scored after the bunt.

    1 Game 2 Hanson 0 L
    2 Game 6 Minor 0 L
    3 Game 7 Hanson 2 L
    4 Game 9 Beachy 1 L
    5 Game 10 Lowe 0 L
    6 Game 11 McLouth 2 W
    7 Game 15 McLouth 1 W
    8 Game 15 Jurrjens 0
    9 Game 16 Gonzalez 0 L
    10 Game 19 Lowe 1 L
    11 Game 21 Hanson 4 W
    12 Game 22 Hudson 1 W
    13 Game 22 Hudson 2
    14 Game 28 Beachy 2 L
    15 Game 29 Mather 1 W
    16 Game 32 Hudson 1 W
    17 Game 36 Hernandez 0 W
    18 Game 38 Hanson 0 L
    19 Game 39 McLouth 1 W
    20 Game 40 McLouth 1 L
    21 Game 40 McLouth 0
    22 Game 40 McLouth 0
    23 Game 40 Mather 0
    24 Game 43 Hanson 0 W
    25 Game 44 Conrad 0 W
    26 Game 46 McLouth 0 L

    Runs 20
    Wins 10
    Losses 11

    Hanson 5 6
    Minor 1 0
    Beachy 2 3
    Jurrjens 1 0
    Lowe 2 1
    Hudson 3 4
    14 14

    McLouth 7 5
    Gonzalez 1 0
    Hernandez 1 0
    Conrad 1 0
    Mather 2 1
    12 6

    What does this mean? Not much I guess, but some interesting stuff learned; when a Braves pitcher sacrifices runs are at a 1:1 ratio per successes. When a position player sacrifices runs are at 1:2 ratio per success. The last 6 sacrifices have led to 0 runs.

    Braves pitchers should keep sacrificing, Braves players should stop.

  72. I picture the rapture as God watching us like some cosmic Braves-D’backs game, and saying: “I’m sick of this crap, and I’m going to bed.”

    I don’t think there’ll be any more logic to it than that.

  75. Stu, do you think Alvarez is going to be able to stick at third ? I’m not encouraged by what I’ve seen so far.

    The Orioles aren’t trading Machado, and I wouldn’t do that trade anyway. Minor and Vizcaino (if he stays healthy, I know a big if) are worth more than that IMO.

  77. Marc at 4,

    I think it would be more toward the mellow. if it was blow it would be all “Pulp Fiction”. Frenetic energy.

    Bunting is more like some extra leaves in your lettuce. It is just so mellow.

  79. Ethan at 20,

    “It’s not his fault Ugglas has sucked..”

    Making the trade was not Fredi’s fault and was probably a good idea.

    The 4 extra years of pay (guaranteed), were definitely endorsed by and encouraged by Fredi. It isn’t so early that I can’t begin to have a suspicion that those extra 4 years will be much more painful than Derek Lowe’s.

  81. The next 4 years of Fredi Gonzalez will be much much more painful than Lowe’s and Uggla’s. Hell, Id give Uggla an extra two years if it meant getting rid of Fredi.

  82. #42
    billy-jay,

    Me, Raptured? Not happening.

    My Rapture came the moment I graduated/escaped parochial school.

    Plus, I listen to Slayer.

  83. 75—Oh, I have no idea. He’s got good defensive tools, but I don’t know that he’ll be able to keep his weight down.

  84. i’m fairly certain that the Macho Man’s untimely death is somehow linked to the world ending tomorrow.

  86. @75, If the Pirates pick Anthony Rendon, we’ll know why. I’ve read some speculation that they’ll go that route and move Alvarez to 1B when he’s ready.

  87. Derek Lowe, AAG, and Billy Bullock (or equivalent) to the Red Sox for Mike Cameron, Jed Lowrie, and Marco Scutaro would be my trade.

    Cameron can platoon w/Louth, Lowrie significantly upgrades the one position where it is plausible to do so, and Scutaro balances the salary and rounds out the bench. Throw Bullock in because Lowrie is the best player/value in the deal. Probably pipe dream though.

    @79-What’s interesting/nauseating to think about are the parallels between the Uggla and Baustista deals, the calculated risks involved, and the results to this point.

  88. @84 – Macho Man was sent from the future to prevent the world from ending tomorrow. He failed this time, but will succeed next time.

  90. Why is Heyward not playing? And there’s a good thing about Uggla batting 2nd; he want be bunting.

  92. DH and no Heyward? He just had a 5 day break, I dont think another day off will help.

  93. Fredi: (Loudly, to be heard over a bustling clubhouse) “Yo Uggs, bro, everything’s all f**ked up. Where you wanna hit? Two?! F**K IT! You’re hittin’ two! WOO!!”

  96. DOB: “Just a rest for #Braves’ Heyward”

    Ok, so Fredo rests him when they’re in an AL Park… totally makes sense.

    The thing is, ordinarily I would assume Heyward was just hurt–because anything else would be stupid. But because this is Fredo-ball and all, I actually wonder if Heyward is just resting.

  97. He’s probably being benched for missing a bunt sign last night. No sense in calling him out in the press…

  98. Adam raises a good point @96. Fredo is already in the glossary, but Fredi is doing his best to start a controversy. Is there a conceivable point in which he could steal Ledezma’s thunder?

  99. Oh I’d say Fredi already stole his thunder. And then he wiped his bunt with it.

  101. Mac nicknamed Fredi “Frediot.”

    Just what we need, a sub .300 OBP batting 2nd!

  102. @50. Fab Five Freddie says its off. Apparently we are now dreaming of a new date.

  103. Does anybody even read DOB anymore? I can predict his columns from looking at the box score.

  107. According to Ron Gant, the AL is more familiar with Hudson than the NL. How much stupid can you have associated with one team?

  108. Fredi Gonzalez’s managing philosophy:

    “Why not?”

    Ugh. Please let the world end tomorrow.

  109. 108- Actually, it already did. We’ve all been very, very bad and missed the Rapture.

    You’ll know that I speak the truth when FredEx gets a seven-year contract extension.

  112. 110- Yeah, that lineup does remind me of the ’95 World Series, where the most frequently asked question was “Can we let Maddux hit for himself and DH for Belliard?”

    I’d still like to know why we couldn’t, other than that we can’t have nice things.

  113. When they originally set up the DH rules, the umpires (yeah, they let the umpires do it) set the rules so you can’t DH for anyone but the pitcher.

  114. Looks like another deadball era game in store for us.

    National League runs per game are at their lowest level since 1992.

  115. The league average for runs per game in ’92 was 3.88, this year it is 4.11.

    Ballgame.

  117. Well, we aren’t going to score more then 2 runs tonight, so the ballgame rests on 3rd base right now

  122. And a guy named Trumbo delivers the killing blow. Figures.

    No doubt when we get our first baserunner, FredUp will have him bunted over, so we can get “at least one here.”

  123. Is Bourjos something the Braves would/should be interested in ? The Angels have to make room for Trout, right ?

    Hope The Lisp is ready for his one appearance for the next two weeks.

  125. It’s a good thing we haven’t pissed any games away lately so the inevitable disasters like tonight don’t hurt us as much. Phils and Marlins won.

  128. 0 for his last 23 against non-Braves teams, I’d say Bourjos would fit right in here.

  129. The Angels changed their halos to gold for this season, to celebrate their 50th year in MLB.

  130. It’s fascinating listening to the angels broadcasters trying to guess who threw the braves last no hitter.

  131. That guy was out at least twice.

    Can we pick who Ervin Santana hits? If not Fredi, I vote Uggla.

  134. It’s not the gold halo, the angels hats have a halo on top of them, like a Jewish Yakima.

  135. Because Fredless knows that he can annoy us more by following the letter of one of our suggestions (no more Procsherbrink) when it makes no sense- even though they exist to grab mops in situations like this.

  139. Dear Fredi, if anybody not named the Lisp, Luis Valdez, Jairo Asencio or Linestink pitch the rest of the this game, let me know now and I’ll start on the Jack and Cokes.

    We’re only 8 bunts away from getting right back in this thing.

  140. Nine-pitch, two-K inning. Gee, it’s a good thing Martinez only pitches three times a month.

  143. @139 see chart above, bunts don’t equal runs at a 1:1 ratio, so we would technically need 10 bunts to get 8 runs. Since there are only 11 outs left, we are DOOOOOOMED!!

  145. What is it we always say? This is one of the 54 you’re going to lose and we’ll get them tomorrow. The Braves will still be three games above .500 after this one and probably will still have the best run differential in the NL East. So why does that saw not ring true to me?

  148. How? Mather’s already playing, Conrad’s positionless, and Heyward’s hurt. That leaves McCann and one middle infielder to pull and replace with Ross and Diory.

  149. @ 148- I figured Ross and that Conrad couldn’t really make things any worse, but you make a valid point.

  150. That’s the trouble with having two DHs who can’t hit on your bench, and one guy who can’t play or go on the DL, when you also carry twelve pitchers. It wasn’t that it’s a bad idea to pull starters, but we just can’t do it because of bad roster construction.

  152. Santana’s still under 90 pitches. One win on the season going into tonight, and he’s three outs from a CG ShO.

    Guys, I know you’re not trying, but can you at least try to look like you’re trying?

  155. Team OPS is in the 600’s. We’ve scored 10 more runs that the Mets, but we’ve also played several more games and have 100+ more ABs than they do.

    In other words, this offense fucking sucks.

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