Reds 11, Braves 2

Atlanta Braves vs. Cincinnati Reds – Box Score – July 23, 2011 – ESPN.

The Braves fell behind 1-0 in the first without giving up a hit. In the second, Derek Lowe hit a one-out two-run double to make it 2-1. They couldn’t get any more runs, and blew several other chances to get more.

The Reds got more; three runs on three doubles and two singles in the sixth. Lowe didn’t even get out of the inning. Down 4-2, it was time for a visit from the Proctologist. He and the List combined for seven runs in the top of the eighth, which at least kept the pressure off.

170 thoughts on “Reds 11, Braves 2”

  2. @ ONIO: Proctor, Martinez and Gearrin = Prolispin? Sounds like one of those medications that may cause heart palpitations, stroke, or severe nosebleed.

  3. God, I just want Proctor to go.
    I’d rather see them play out the string with a 24 man roster.

  4. Maybe it’s just me but I think the team would be better if Proctor was replaced by Vizcaino.

  6. “Since July 10, the combination of Proctor, Gearrin and Martinez (suggestions for O’Ventbrel-esque combo nickname welcome):”

    Shit?

  7. @4 it’s not just you.
    the team would be better if Proctor was replaced by a pitcher from your local high school’s JV squad.

  8. Personally, from now on I’m calling Proctor ‘Little Boy’ and Gearrin ‘Fat Man’; since every time they enter to pitch, the Braves’ chances at winning the game get nuked.

  12. Reports that Vizcaino has been called up to AAA are unfounded. He pitched for Mississippi tonight.

  14. Well guys/ladies….I just found out that Im going to be a father again!! Prayers accepted….

  21. My new theory: Fredi knows that, for whatever reason, people look at the difference between the expected W-L and the actual W-L to judge a manager, so he keeps Proctor around to turn losses into blowout losses, and, bam, the Braves outperform.

  26. Does anyone here read Red Reporter? Their write up takes a little of the sting out of the loss.

  30. Mike Minor, Jordan Schafer, and Juan Abreu for Carlos Beltran, Bobby Parnell, and Scott Hairston (with the Mets eating Beltran’s salary). Do you do it? Just think, no more Proctor, an upgraded bench bat and CF.

  31. I don’t make that move. Schafer doesn’t need to be in that move to make it work.

  32. And what makes us so sure no more Proctor if that deal is made? He would still have Lockhart’s pictures….

  34. If Minor is an overpay for Beltran, then a good work-around might be to add an under-pay for Parnell (A Triple-A reliver? Maybe someone more valuable, Hoover?) but adding Schafer to get a guy who’s available as an FA virtually every year, I don’t like.

  36. @34
    JJ, you don’t understand, I want Schafer in that deal, kinda like Jeffy going to the Mets. It’s basically an automatic out for the Braves 40 times a year.

  41. To add insult to injury: in this part of the world Fox Sports is replaying yesterday’s game….

  44. @41 – Yep, but I think Wren wants a right handed bat. But I would go for Rasmus and his reverse platoon split.

  45. Congrats, csg!

    If the Braves are able to trade Lowe before the deadline for salary relief, they have to do it.

  48. To complete the analogy, turns out most of the crap the candy shop is selling isn’t so good for you…

    Do the Phillies ever lose? Sheesh.

  52. PUMPED!

    Chipper Jones declares himself ready to return. “I’ll be waiting for them when they get back.”

  53. Just wish he had signed after the Rome game. Apparently he did for several minutes before the game.

    Lots of scouts on hand. Must be near the trade deadline or something.

  55. I love that every time a regular has an off day or minor leaguer misses a start, rumors start flying.

  60. 1. Prado 3B, 2. Heyward RF, 3. McCann C, 4. Uggla 2B, 5. Freeman 1B, 6. Gonzalez SS, 7. Ramirez LF, 8. McLouth CF 9 Beachy P

  61. DWonder @ 7,

    Well, my kid threw a one-hitter against Stu’s alma mater. Does that count?
    ————–

    Is Schafer still hurt?
    ————–

    csg – uh, you know how this stuff works, right? Congrats!
    ————–

    Did you all see Rasmus’ wimpy throw home today? And only 10 home runs?

    I think I’d pass unless it’s a gift.

  62. csg- congrats on the news…that is fantastic.

    My 2 year old daughter, born in ATL at Northside, now knows how to say “Go Braves”…and it is just awesome.

  63. Ugh – mine was born during l’Affaire Farnsworth. As if I didn’t have enough reasons to stay in the delivery room.

  64. Great, 7 pitches for willis. It would have been nice not to give the head case anything to be confident about.

  65. Maybe they were all super meatballs and screaming to be swung at, I don’t know, but I don’t think the Braves took a single pitch in the 1st, against a pitcher who has a strong history of problems with command- the word “inauspicious” comes to mind.

  67. Wow you could really see the giant fork sticking out of Renteria’s back on that K.

  73. How some of you feel about Hanson is the way I feel about Beachy, especially after his comments about Coors Field (saying the park/altitude had no impact but later saying his sliders didn’t slide — I wonder why, Einstein). He doesn’t make me confident and I think he’s a little clueless. Just the impression that I get.

  82. I’m sorry, but did Bobby V. just say that Jason’s swing is “not functional?” I mean, he’s not having a great year, I’ll grant you, but I’d like to think last year would perhaps give the lie to that comment.

  83. Two of the most patient at-bats tonight have come from Uggla and AAG, the two Braves who know Willis best as ex-Marlins teammates. Take the bloody hint, Martin and Jason.

  84. Terrible approach by Prado. Freeman’s AB was also bad – swinging at the first pitch after 4 balls to Uggla against a pitcher that has had control problems. It seems like nobody wants to give up their AB to do what’s best for the team, like advance a runner. I don’t have stats in front of me, but they have to rank low in getting runners home from 3rd with less than 2 outs.

  93. @81 – I’m not sure if that’s exactly what he said, but even so I agree with him. Heyward’s swing needs lots of help. He’s way too tall to hold his hands up as high as he does. He approaches everything that’s in the zone from a high-to-low angle. I would trade him in a heartbeat, but I know I’m in the vast minority on that one.

  94. Just got back from a weekend away and see that no trade has been made, Proctor is still on the roster, and the Braves still can’t hit lefties.

  97. @91– Nah, that’s exactly what he said. He said Heyward’s swing was “not functional” at the major league level. I’m not going to argue that he hasn’t had a good year, but the alarmism about him fascinates me. His skill set remains extremely strong, and his biggest weaknesses that I see are a prone-ness to injury and being somewhat slow to adjust. It’s also worth remembering that he just turned 22. Is he a perfect player? No. But he’s still a long way from a finished product, and the idea that the Braves should cut their losses and get rid of him is kind of amazing.

  102. @97-

    Glad you said that. I thought he looked like he was jogging on that play too- doubt he beats it out at full speed, but when you are sucking ass at the plate like he’s been doing, you ought to at least run out what could be a close play.

  103. Ive never seen a SS with as much range as AAG, but be as slow out of the box. He’s awful and yes, he was loafing.

  104. Mac’s going to be out for a couple of days, y’all. Surgery tomorrow morning at 0500. I may or may not be able to post a new thread or two.

    Also, on a different note…

    Well, my kid threw a one-hitter against Stu’s alma mater.

    What does this mean?

  108. WOW, nice stab. Not sure about that IBB decision or leaving Beachy in, etc., but Freedom bailed everyone out.

  113. Lugo is the first guy off the bench? Really?

    LOL, alrighty then.

    Was going to say he should have been in for Gonzalez after last inning anyways.

  117. Maybe Aroldis Chapman throws hard enough that J-Hey’s grounder to second will be too fast to field. Probably a K though.

  118. Bobby Valentine needs to ease off on the Heyward hate. “He hasn’t figured out how to hit the fastball yet?” What the hell?

  120. @116 If the only night he watched Heyward was tonight, I can see how he’d draw those conclusions.

  121. 116 — Incredibly silly statement.
    Then he did call the gidp (along with many, here, I’m sure).

  122. Well, he hasn’t hit the fastball well this season, but, last year, he was pretty amazing at hitting fastballs. I usually like Valentine’s opinions, but I’d disagree with him on this one.

  125. Well, it goes along with his earlier comment that Heyward needs to change his swing (he said “adjust,” but in context it was clear he meant “change”). That’s a lot to say about a kid who hit the way he did last year.

  129. This Uggla AB has epic fail potential. Three straight high fastballs, he’s set up.

    And the slider.

  130. Almost every Braves AB vs. Chapman this weekend has been epic fail.

  133. Speaking of dumb….the Reds had 3 righties batting this inning (well, 2 plus the pitcher). Why did Fredi feel the need to burn Venters? Linebrink was available and ready.

  134. Excellent decision to walk Hernandez (if it wasn’t intentional, we’ll pretend it was). Nice play by AAG.

  136. @131
    Because.

    Is there really any hope in scoring this inning with Agony, Wilkin, and McLouth up?

  137. @131, I would put Venters in over Linebrink in a tie game.

    Of course, I’d put in Kimbrel over Venters there.

  140. Oh yeah, we’re going to National League Baseball the shit out of this inning.

  141. I feel so weird. It looks like the bunt isn’t on in a rare situation where I would bunt. I don’t know what to make of this.

  142. @135– Yeah, I know. I’m not suggesting Linebrink’s his equal or anything. But it seems like Fredi always plays this situation the same way– assuming the Braves are going to score and take the lead, not thinking ahead at all. I mean, at some point, there have to be more than 3 good relievers in the Braves’ bullpen. At least Linebrink has been pretty good this year.

  143. Bobby V misunderestimated Fredi’s ability to ruin our innings with botched bunting/running calls. Hinske saved it with a foul.

  146. Lucky man, Fredi. Lucky man.

    Hopefully Nate can work some 8-hole magic here.

    That’s not a euphemism.

  150. To recap the week: Fredi walks Ty Wigginton to get to Carlos Gonzalez to create a lefty-lefty matchup, then four days later burns Venters against a right-hand heavy order (and the bottom of the order, at that).

    I’m losing brain cells watching this every night.

  160. 3-4 on the road trip in a couple bad places to play for some of our pitchers. Could have been a lot worse.

  161. Right-handed bullpen help. Forget about Beltran or Upton; that’s the top priority, IMHO.

  164. On the bright side, it’s unavoidable for Wren now that they need a right handed arm.

  169. I’d rather pitch Kimbrel and have a better chance to win the game. And then DFA Proctor and call up Arodys.

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