New York Mets vs. Atlanta Braves – Box Score – June 15, 2011 – ESPN.
Well, that was unpleasant. The return of Jason Heyward was not the spark the offense hoped, though he was one of only four Braves to reach base. The tally:
- Alex Gonzalez doubled with two out in the second.
- Heyward then walked semi-intentionally to get to Joe Mather, the poor man’s Jeff Francoeur, who struck out.
- Chipper Jones walked with one out in the fourth, and was still at first base at the end of the inning.
- Brooks Conrad singled pinch-hitting with two out in the eighth, followed by a Jordan Schafer strikeout.
Is this any way to run a railroad? The only bright spot of the night was a rain delay after the fourth which got Dillon Gee out of the ballgame, but unfortunately play resumed. The Mets already had a 3-0 lead off of Tim Hudson, with Jose Reyes (who else?) doubling, going to third on a Heyward throwing error, and scoring on a groundout in the first, and a two-run homer by Angel Pagan in the fourth.
Cristhian Martinez replaced Hudson after the rain delay and threw two good innings, but fell apart in the seventh, and Scott Linebrink came in to hold the Mets to just one run. Which they hardly needed. For some reason, Eric O’Flaherty pitched the ninth.
The Braves offense is horse manure.
A rainout would have been our best offense….
continued from the last thread.
jjschiller, I dont think the ASA has banned any new bats from the previous year. However, I only play in one ASA tournament all year. I have a couple of Mikens and Worth bats that I hope are still Legal. We typically play NSA and USSSA which allow 120mph bats and the guys we are playing against are shaving and rolling these bats. We also play on fields that are 320 down the line and 370 dead center. Im seeing some guys hit balls on roof tops past these fields, but we have some guys that are doing them with our bats that we swing straight out of the wrapper too though. I just was wondering because I havent seen that rolling really makes a difference. You can definitely tell when a bat has been shaved because most of the time its done incorrectly and these bats start shattering.
Well, I was hoping Schafer could start finding ways to get on base so we could keep his glove in the field. Unfortunately, he cant and is basically an automatic out once again. Like ryanc said, we need a CF and leadoff hitter desperately.
@4,
I agree. I was thinking we needed another power bat, but maybe Uggla is coming around.
We really need a leadoff hitter. I guess we should be in on Michael Borne
Bourn, yes! I’d give up JJ Hoover or Oberholzer for him, no problem. Someone call up Wren and suggest it immediately.
I’d rather have the recently-DFA’d Jorge Cantu than Joe Mather…
I usually dont jump on the bring up a unknown prospect bandwagon, but Constanza may need a look.
Last 10 games…
23 for 41 .561/.591/.683 5SB’s
He’s not on the 40 man roster though.
@7
Me too.
Well, something needs to be done. This team appears listless and completely uninterested right now and they need a jolt. The bench consists of players who are hardly AAA caliber let alone major league caliber. A trade for a lead off hitting center fielder such as Bourn might get things rolling but I am afraid by the time Wren decides that our current weak hitting center fielders aren’t going to play their way through this it will be too late.
Lugo’s not sucking. It might be time for him and Brandon Hicks to swap places.
If Freeman returns tonight, which he should, the lineup might look okay, depending on whom F-bomb decides to play.
2-McCann
3-Freeman
4-Uggla
5-Chipper
6-AAG
7-Hinske
8-Schafer
9-Heyward
With everyone healthy, the only real change is Prado over Hinske, and Hinske is a pretty good player. Other than the perpetual CF black hole, this looks pretty good, and at least there’s a really good defender in CF now.
Just to show how perverted ideas of “clutch” can skew statistics, Uggla leads the majors in close-and-late home runs after that late homer two nights ago.
csg- if your league allows 120 mph bats, maybe there’s no “padding” to roll out of them? 120 mph is what they’re trying to get by rolling the 98 mph bats.
Our dimensions were 310 / 330 / 310 with 60 ft baselines, and 38 to the rubber.
I hope your pitchers are farther than 38 feet away.
Dear fellow Braves’ Journalers,
I’m going to take the MCAT today. I do believe that I need divine intervention to succeed, so please, if you are inclined to, say a prayer for me!
Thank you so much!
#14 – 38 feet??! No wonder people were getting killed out there. Every league I’ve ever played in whether its ASA, USSSA, or NSA have always had the pitchers at 47 feet and 65 feet for the bases. NSA just changed to 53 feet for the pitching rubber and 70 feet for the bases.
Yeah, thats what I was wondering about the bats. NSA allows basically anything but senior bats. I guess shaving these could help, but why do it? These bats are designed to have balls flying off them and are usually hot right off the shelf. I dont see the point.
Good luck, desert. Stay calm!
This sucks… I have to go back into the hospital to treat this infection. I don’t know for how long, but I should be able to borrow my brother’s notebook and be in contact tomorrow. Stu will recap in my place tonight.
Good luck Mac, Get Well
Ugh! Take care, Mac. I spent half of last summer in yellow disposable gowns when my mom kept getting MRSA. I know it sucks, but hang in there.
That’s what it is, alright.
Good luck, desert. You too, Mac. Get well soon, and when you get back, you can tell Martin Prado how you did it.
Good luck to both, indeed!
————
I’m sorry, but this team is really unwatchable right now.
Compare our sorryass efforts to what the Phillies showed last night. Who would you bet on? Worse, who would you like more?
Right now, ole Burn in Hell would look pretty good in our center field.
Just inexcusable level of effort.
Best wishes to you, Mac, and you, desert. Slay your dragons.
And what in the world is wrong with the people of Vancouver? This is twice they’ve done this.
Well, I’m out of here. Don’t know when I’ll be back in contact. Stu’s in charge.
Good luck, Mac.
Good luck Mac
Get well Mac. desert good luck.
I had pretty much decided to pop for mlb.tv. Now what do I do?
Good luck Mac.
Good luck, Mac. And go desert!
Good luck to the both of you guys
____________________________
btw, I think ESPN shows our 3rd hole hitter, Chipper, with 8 runs scored and 8 rbi’s in the last 30 days.
To compare Kelly Johnson has 22 runs scored and 23 rbi’s.
Thats lovely.
Stu’s in charge.
I’d like to begin my Robespierrean reign by directing everyone’s attention to the glorious front page of ESPN.com’s football recruiting section.
what? Vandy’s going to play football this year?? wow, whaddaya know? Congrats Stu. ; )
Eh, Florida can have all the TEs they want from this class, since UGA is already stacked with TEs.
Granted, we don’t develop or integrate them in a gameplan properly. They’re still there, though, and Mike Bobo thinks that should count for something.
get well, Mac. go get em, desert.
i agree that Wren needs to do something. Cantu certainly couldn’t hurt.
Cantu is finished, although that doesn’t mean he would be our worst player.
I took my son to the game last night. It was strange having a rain delay and waiting 30 minutes for it to rain. When the rain came, it was hard with a lot of hail. We left after the second rain delay – we definitely didn’t miss much! Since we catch a game every year or two, that especially stunk. We still had a good time at the park, unfortunately not much to watch during the game.
JC Romero was DFA’d by the Phills. Can he hit?
Schafer
Heyward
Chipper
Bmac
Freeman
Uggla
Hinske
AAG
Minor
Take care, Mac, get lots of rest and get well soon!
Do work Mac and desert.
Stu, we’ll need some creativity get this team to score a run.
Get well & good luck!
Let’s salvage one from this bunch & get this car out of reverse.
Get well soon, Mac. Watching these guys is less fun without you.
So Minor still “has nerves”? How long does it take to get over “nerves”, Brian?
Probably about as long as it takes for Brian to stop being such a monumental sycophant.
That’s actually Gant, FWIW. Still an idiot, though.
Sucks to only get one out of that.
When is this shitstorm of an offense going to actually start matching their capabilities?
We should’ve gotten more in that 1st inning. Of course, the Mets can say the same thing.
Hanson’s missing tomorrow’s start with “shoulder tendonitis” — uh-oh — but at least we’ll get to see Randall Delgado’s major-league debut…
Great, the last thing we need is for our #2 starter to have pain in his shoulder.
I’m anxious to hear from Desert about the MCAT.
Freaking Reyes.
Teheran pitched last night so that’s why he’s not coming up. Beachy is making his first rehab start at Gwinnett tonight. Don’t know who is pitching tomorrow for Gwinnett, they don’t list probables on their site (or if they do I cannot find them).
A triple to shallow center. Good defense.
The Mets look like a real baseball team. The Braves–not so much.
Doesn’t look like AAG is mentally with it tonight.
So that’s 1 run and one out that Alex has cost us so far and we are only in the 3rd inning . . .
“The Mets look like a real baseball team. The Braves–not so much.”
Both teams look like posers compared to the Phillies.
GO GO GO GO YES!!!!!!
Boom.
CHIPPER!
Chipper + Mets = Crazy Delicious
Chippah!!!
I WAS PRAYING TO OTIS NIXON AND YES WE MAKE RUNS HAPPEN YES YES
CHIPPER!!!
Chipper!
Is there any good reason to not extend the screens past the dugouts?
Fun fact: aside from a 1.1 inning start on October 1, 2010: Minor has never had a start in which he hasn’t given up any earned runs.
Would it be crazy to assume Chipper was really the mastermind behind Madoff’s ponzi scheme?
Gosh, it’s only his 13th start.
You don’t think it’s safe to assume that if he hasn’t done it in his first 13 starts, he never will?
Can we please have a bunting workshop or something? We are atrocious bunters.
Sometimes I find myself amazed that AAG ever gets a hit. Tonight is one of those times.
Agreed. When he looks bad, he looks baaaaaaad.
So, Jordan Schafer.
sigh
I would bring Venters in here, but that’s just me.
Thank you, Mets player, for not swinging at that pitch.
OH MY GOD I HATE THIS MANAGER. SCOTT PROCTOR WITH THE TYING RUN AT THE PLATE. F THIS GUY.
Proctor needs to go.
Wow.
Entirely too believable.
“You don’t think it’s safe to assume that if he hasn’t done it in his first 13 starts, he never will?”
Just wondering where the ‘not crap’ is.
Cristhian Martínez, if you gave him 13 starts, would likely have at least one start of five innings or more with zero ER.
I absolutely cannot stand Fredi Gonzalez.
83—“Likely”? “At least”? Really?
That’s why you can’t judge pitchers solely by ERA.
Fredi Out. Next, please.
Chipper probably wants to strangle someone about now.
Give me a freakin’ break.
Chip Caray just embarrassed himself in hilarious fashion on Twitter.
Hard to pin this all on Fredi. Minor was the one who couldn’t get through the fifth inning with a four run lead.
So, Proctor successfully sticks the Double Grybo, allowing both runs without allowing any of his own to score to improve his ERA.
“Proctologist: Reliever Scott Proctor. Any Proctor appearance is like having someone stick their finger in places you’d rather they didn’t.”
-Braves Journal Glossary
I miss Beachy.
Pretty sure you get tagged with an earned run when you give up a homer.
You can’t walk the first two batters with a four run lead. That’s awful.
Manny Acosta and his 40.50 ERA ready to shut down the Braves.
Why is frank wren so bad at filling the last 2-3 spots on this roster? It’s not that hard. If a guy doesn’t produce, remove him and try again.
Just tuned in…does Minor ever get a leadoff hitter out?
Minor was the one who couldn’t get through the fifth inning with a four run lead.
Well, he might’ve been able to… Hard to believe he’d have done worse. Anyway, there’s no excuse for bringing the worst pitcher on the team into that situation.
94 — Oh, yeah. Duh.
Chip apparently thinks Billy Beane wrote Moneyball.
I don’t usually get pissed, but I am really upset that this manager still has a job. He is terrible.
Oh and Scott Proctor, good thing we are keepiong him around.
@83,
On the other hand, it took Jojo Reyes 50 appearances to have a scoreless outing of any length (in #46 he “only” allowed 6 unearned runs).
But I’m not especially impressed with Minor yet either. I concede that it’s more of an irresponsible snap judgment, but it’s not like my opinion really matters. I just wish he’d start giving us better starts.
I do wonder how he’d do if he were actually a part of the regular rotation and not on the constant Gwinnett-Atlanta shuttle, but yeah, it’s pretty clear that the Braves knew what they were doing when they chose Beachy over him to start the season.
Now, when they decided to pay millions of dollars for Fredi Gonzalez and Scott Proctor…
I’m still fuming. Can no one in the front office see how terrible he is at managing? This team would be in first place with an Acta, Maddon, or Valentine managing.
Or a monkey, or a rock, or ILoveEmmaStone…
Can we beat these freaking Mets?
It’s too early, but I am starting to see some JoJo in Minor.
“It’s too early, but I am starting to see some JoJo in Minor.”
Wasn’t that what EmmaStone was saying? That Minor is the Braves’ new Jo-Jo.
Earl Weaver is only 80 years old. 80 is the new 60. Make it happen, Braves.
@105,
I think (fear?) that the team is too good and that the Braves are too much of a “family” for it to ever gain traction. Of course, there’s no relevant track record for personnel decisions, really… unless you could glean something from support staff movement, but that probably was as much to do with what Bobby wanted as anything.
Maybe, at most, they don’t renew him?
Sherrill with the shutdown inning. That guy’s going places.
110- That’s the best we can hope for, and I doubt we’ll get it. Bobby lobbied for Fredi, and fans would think it’s an insult to Bobby’s legacy not to renew his handpicked replacement that he’s worked with so much.
So, I asked Chip if he read Moneyball. He replied with this:
“I did…name of game is scoring runs…not leading in OB%”
113- That’s a joke, right?
Might as well have let Sherrill bat for himself. Hicks is just brutal.
Is Hicks the Proctor of hitters, or is Proctor the Hicks of pitchers?
In any event, Fredi is worse than both.
“113- That’s a joke, right?”
http://twitter.com/#!/kapaya1234/status/81526985783918592
I can feel brain cells dying with every Chip tweet I read.
(shudders)
On a brighter note, Schafer’s 4-4 now. That’ll help him in the battle of midgets that is our center field controversy.
And that CS will hurt him, since we’re overstocked with dumb baserunners.
Simple roster adjustments:
Gearrin for Proctor
Lugo for Hicks
Chip Caray: http://tinyurl.com/5s6ugmj
Chip’s logic: what would you rather do? Touch first base or touch home plate? OBP must be bunk.
It’s not too late to Ventilate!
Good night for our rehabbers…
McLouth: 2-3 1r 1rbi
Beachy: 5 IP 4h 2bb 8k 1r
@108 I think it’s too early to come to this conclusion though. Minor is better than JoJo, just don’t know how much better.
I am not a Mike Minor fan simply because he made Proctor come in the game in the 5th inning. I could blame Wren, or Fredi, but Minor needed to pitch beyond Proctor and failed to do so…ugh
I like that Chip answers tweets.
McLouth for Hicks, anyone for Proctor
@122 Chip is great in providing humors to the Braves fans.
wow, give Fredi credit. Venters in before the 8th or 9th.
edit: just kidding, fredi deserves no credit after the proctor choice
Was schafer actually out on that steal? He looked safe as hell live, but of course the video crew was too busy showing the ridiculous stolen base challenge to show a replay of the actual steal attempt.
Venters for the seventh inning? What’s going on?
Throw strikes, Jonny!
No, he was out
Bad time for Venters to become mortal.
I am displeased.
This team is a joke…I love the strikeout/wild pitch blowing of the 4 run lead
Wow…
If the Braves lose this game, I hope nobody expects much of a recap.
So the Mets are the bad team that the Braves can’t beat this year?
“If the Braves lose this game”
Haha.
The Rangers are about to make this team look like a little league ball club. Hell, the Mets are doing that already.
At some point you have to say that if you keep losing to “bad” teams then you are one.
Some of Freddie’s ABs lately have been downright Francoeurian.
#143 – bingo.
BTW, that long homer may be the worst thing thats ever happened to Freeman. Awful AB’s since then.
Nice at bat by Freeman….they don’t do any of the little things to score runs…poor fundamentals…ugh
Is it so hard for a nominally major league hitter to get his bat on the ball?
And Dan is still Dan.
Infuriating.
I think Freeman is hurt
Doug Uggla. Too bad the bases weren’t empty with us down a couple.
Dammit. Trolled by Chip on Twitter.
Reading Chip Caray’s Twitter feed is seriously depressing. He makes tons of money telling people about a subject he doesn’t understand, at all.
Wow, what a terrible call!
So I guess Fredi isnt going to argue that? Pagan never came close to the bag and Freddie knew that.
E5?! Completely awful call.
This is like, the worst thing ever.
I honestly don’t understand why Fredi would move Dan down in the order when he is starting to do well in the 2-hole. Everybody says he is another Bobby, but he is so different from Bobby.
I’m not sure what makes me more mad: this game, or that our announcer says things like this:
“the goal folks isnt to”on base” the ball, but to HIT it”
@154
He is too busy sitting on his ass thinking of ways to blow out Venters arm Dusty Baker style.
Nothing can redeem this game other than a medium-sized asteroid wiping out an empty Turner Field after it’s over.
Venters’ mechanics are off, he’s releasing the ball way off too the first base side.
Perfect capper to the DP attempt. Just a few days ago we were on a 7 game win streak.
unreal…
Another bad call by an umpire comes back to bites us.
That and more bad baseball.
Remember that 9 game losing streak last year? Well, we may be well on our way to another one.
Between the circumstances of the game and Chip’s tweets, this whole night is a bloody train wreck.
Extremely bloody.
Fredi stresses fundamentals, and ending up the current team’s fundamentals are even worse than before. How funny.
Remember when the score was 6-2?
My brother also killed my Xbox tonight, and I’ll get to pay to get it fixed, so there’s that too.
It’s been done, but still:
“Mr. Caray, what you’ve just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone on Twitter is now dumber for having read it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.”
And that goes for Dan, Mike, Freddie, Fredi, and the rest of these morons.
Chip is stupid. I think we have all gotten over that fact…
Imagine the most unlearned, anti-SABR bloviator you can — Chip, being completely serious, is less knowledgeable.
170 — Damn, that sucks. This game makes me want to shut it off and play PS3.
Should have never done away with the Steely Dan game threads.
If FJM was still around it would have a field day with Chip’s Twitter feed.
@171 Your Billy Madison reference makes me wonder if Chip could pass all 12 grades in the span of a couple of months. I think not…
I knew Fredi would use Venters for two innings when he put Venters in there in the seventh. He has completely lost confidence of his entire bullpen. Not that I blame him, but what a stupid thing to do.
AAG is in another world tonight.
Agony must’ve lost a bet, because there’s no way he took those three at-bats seriously.
And more of our powerful bats off the bench…If Hicks, Mather, Conrad and Hernandez don’t strike fear into you, who will?
Wow, we’re about to get swept by the freaking METS. Amazing what a difference of four days can make…
They strike fear into me, I’ll tell you that much… was that what you meant?
Kimbrel. Sure! Why not? Let’s ruin all the good relievers! And is Chipper hurt, or did Fredi somehow forget that he’s moved the reliever to where he’ll bat third in the bottom of the 9th?
So, Chipper’s knee is bothering him again. What else can go wrong tonight?
If Chipper’s not hurt, that’s the dumbest switch of all time.
@178 I wish Cory Gearrin hadn’t been sent back down. He would have been a good choice for the 7th. Actually, he would have been a good choice for the 5th, too.
#183 – well its not like he’ll get much work against the Rangers. Those games will be over in the 1st.
pretty sure, Chipper is hurt. Either on the throw to 1B or the 1st to 3rd run earlier. But then again its Fredi.
And Hanson is hurt too apparently.
Why to go Fredi! Venters and Kimbrel will pitch in every game from now on!!!
Would’ve been nice to have had Chipper Jones up now.
OMG
I love Brooks!!
Suck it, K-Rod.
Thank God for Folk Hero.
FOLK HERO!! Chipper who?
Whewwwww!
Let’s win this thing
“Would’ve been nice to have had Chipper Jones up now.”
Or not.
BROOKSY! 43.4% is forgiven!
The Folk Hero returns.
So much for my smart mouthed crack about the bench… folk hero comes thru again
Top of the order
10 for 14 2HR 6R 8RBI and somehow we are tied.
raw dog
Who’s in the bullpen?
K-Rod looked like… well, me for the last hour on that replay. “WTF?”
why does Joe have to take Chip’s spot?
my god, Freeman is swinging at everything.
thats better
So close there, Bmac.
That’s the pitch you’re looking for 1-0?
I always love Brooks. He should never be an everyday player. What happened last year was unfortunate but we had no choice.
And Uggla’s back down to .174. Those two days in Houston were just a mirage.
Chipper update, right abductor strain.
He also needs to remember that Chipper at 80% is much better than Hicks/Diory/Conrad.
“Brooks Conrad remains in the game as the second baseman.”
“Scott Linebrink replaces Craig Kimbrel.”
Those are not lines you want to read.
Nice play Freddie.
4 straight balls. Good idea Fredi. Let’s bunt.
And let’s burn up a pinch-runner who can’t really run in the process. And of course AAG can’t drop a bunt.
Well that was a great plate appearance.
Dear lord.
I give Alex a lot of slack, but seriously, screw him tonight.
well, that wouldve won the game.
If Agon would’ve struck out like everyone expected, the game would’ve been over.
OK, Jordan, let’s win this.
Brainlock from Duda, thanks, fella
“Lucas makes a Braves-like play, Duda, Duda, Lucas makes a Brave-like Play- Jason, win the game!”
Duda Duh-Duh.
DO IT JASON!
holy crap!!!! Braves win!!!!
Mets, LOL.
Ballgame!
BALK!!!
What. The. HELL.
Weirdest game of the season!
BALK!
lol shades of John Rocker
Wow, how very Met-like.
At least we’re not the Mets.
Best ending ever.
Alright if that doesn’t make every single person here feel awesome I don’t know what will.
I’ll take it, thanks.
A game reeking of failure.
My head hurts.
Recapped in full.