Atlanta Braves vs. New York Mets – Box Score – September 08, 2011 – ESPN.
Ah, the Mets, the perfect cure.
In the first, Michael Bourn reached on a throwing error, went to second on a stolen base, then third on a groundout by Freddie Freeman, scoring on a single by Dan Uggla. Julio Teheran had by far his best major league start yet, but it didn’t begin too well. The first two men he saw singled, and the first of them, Jose Reyes, eventually scored on a sac fly; he allowed one other hit in the inning but no more runs. For the next four innings, he was terrific, allowing just two singles.
Martin Prado doubled leading off the fifth, and David Ross singled to score him with one out, giving the Braves the lead. The Braves had two on with two out in that inning, and couldn’t score when Chipper flew out; they loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, but Alex Gonzalez popped up and Ross struck out.
Fredi won’t hit for AAG, but will double-switch him out. I guess this is progress. After getting the first man in the sixth to fly out, Teheran walked the next two, his only walks of the night. Fredi went with Cristhian Martinez out of the pen, switching in Jack Wilson in AAG’s place and Teheran’s lineup spot. The Lisp had a great day, facing six men and getting them all.
Wilson then led off the seventh with a double, went to third on a Bourn sac bunt (sigh) and scored on a Chipper sac fly to make it 3-1. After Martinez got the first man in the eighth, Fredi went to Eric O’Flaherty, who had pitched in the first game. O’Flaherty got the first man, then gave up two hits before Wilson made a terrific play to save a run with two out and even threw out the batter.
The Braves then got it beyond a save situation so Craig Kimbrel didn’t have to pitch twice in one game. I know! Ross struck again, homering to center with one out in the ninth. Bourn tripled with two out, and Chipper doubled him home. 5-1. Anthony Varvaro pitched the ninth (if it hadn’t been a double-header, I’m sure Fredi would have used Kimbrel anyway) and got them 1-2-3.
Ross, Bourn, and Chipper understood that Kimbrel’s season is more important than a single game. Nice work getting the lead beyond the all-important 3-run mark, fellas.
And yes, pitching Kimbrel there would have been idiotic. Consider me worried about O’Flaherty.
Oh, Eric knows to pick up a virus if he needs some time off.
Venters is the one to be worried about, if you’re gonna worry. O’Flaherty was just pitching for the second time today, that’s all that was.
I would imagine EOF will have tomorrow off. I know he had to get loose twice in one day, which can’t be easy, but he still only threw 21 game pitches between the 2 games combined.
The whole trio is overworked. I just hope we’re in a position to give them a little rest the last couple weeks of the regular season, cuz we’re gonna need them big-time in the playoffs. Then they can rest in the offseason and pray for some bigger margins of victory next year.
I would like to have seen Venters and Kimbrel get some work.
I’m going to be running a contest — with actual prizes! — and I’m wondering what to do. Trivia, I guess. But I’m open for ideas.
I’m already concerned about Venters, but again, he hasn’t been right for awhile now. The shiny ERA in August covered up some declining control.
Went to Game 2 tonight. There was nobody there.
I mean, I’ve seen more people at a Columbus Mud Cats game in Golden Park. By the end… defintely less than 1,000 people in the joint.
But, of course, I had a helluva time.
#4
I’d imagine Fredi sits O’Ventbrel tomorrow (or at least O’Vent) no matter the result, like he did the other night in Philly. Punt the game, if nec. Get ’em some rest & do our best to get out of the weekend with at least a win. Tonight was actually kinda huge.
“I’m going to be running a contest — with actual prizes! — and I’m wondering what to do. Trivia, I guess. But I’m open for ideas.”
Photoshop contest?
Wnt to sleep during Game 1 and 5-4 Braves. Really had a bad feeling. Waking up to a double header sweep is nice. Now go get 2 out of 3 from the Cardinals and start focusing on October. Go Braves.
If you want to run a trivia Mac, I ran one some time ago on another place, so I’ve got around 60 questions ready if you want. Some might be outdated, but I think most aren’t, and they range from fairly easy to very hard (without google). I could mail them to you.
@10
That would be nice. The main priority is to avoid being swept.
Great to see the Braves pull out a couple victories yesterday! It was especially jarring to witness actual late insurance runs in the 2nd game which meant we didn’t have to bring in Kimbrel to finish the game (for the first time in seemingly forever).
Fingers crossed that we’ve got a healthy Venters and a healthy-ish Hanson for the playoffs…
Contest idea:
Predict the postseason rotation. Tiebreaker: Predict the postseason bullpen.
http://www.rolaidsreliefman.com/nlstandings.aspx
Kimbrel the frontrunner for the silver-plated firefighter’s helmet.
You could do a limmerick or sonnet contest, like you used to.
I fear that a Photoshop contest excludes too many computer doofuses. *cough*Like me.*cough*
Fredi told the media that Venters’ problem was that he was too fresh, getting too much rest. I wonder if Fredi will pitch him every day until the playoffs, including the off days, to make sure he’s ready.
I liked the Jeff Francoeur joke contest a few years ago. I was particularly proud of my submission:
Q: What’s the difference between Kevin Costner and Jeff Francoeur?
A: Kevin Costner actually resembles a baseball player.
(I still have to Google that turd’s name to see if I spelled it right.)
Contest idea:
Pick the over / under on the combined total of SEC wins for Kentucky and Auburn.
Line set at: 2
Still can’t get over how good (and how important) Jack Wilson’s play was. Changed everything.
Were I Wren, I’d be on the phone to Fredi suggesting we find out if Wilson can be the Braves shortstop next year.
You do not want Jack Wilson as our starting shortstop next year. He’s currently our backup shortstop because he just got done failing to adequately be the starting shortstop for several different teams over several years. It was a great play, but let’s not get carried away. We need another option.
I want anyone but AAG as our shortstop next year. I don’t care if they sign Danny de Vito or Marge Simpson or give the job to Ted Williams’ frozen head. Just free me of that face, PLEASE!
@6 Contest
It’s so simple:
Bravessaga 2011
O’Ventbrel, the 3 headed monster or Death in the Seventh
Wren, the cagey Uncaged Bird
Zombie Chipper slays the Metropolitans
The Baffling Phenom of Right Field
Bourne’s Charge to Glory in Centerfield
P.S. The original still holds a proud place on my wall of honor.
So I was wondering when the last time all the starting pitchers in a DH were rookies. Quick Google search reveals it’s only the 4th time since 1965 (also happening in 2006, 1977, and 1976), with the Mets somehow being involved in 3 of the 4 instances. Not really sure what to make of that.
Mets, LOL, that’s what to make of it.
“That’s it. I just can’t stand watching AAG anymore. He sucks, sucks, sucks. From now on, I will leave the room when he comes to bat and pray to the good Lord every night that the Braves will not resign him. Never in my entire life have I hated a player even half as much as him.”
Amen. Cannot stomach another season of Gonzalez at shortstop. Gonzalez has become probably my least favorite Brave since I started following the team regularly late in the 2004 season. So “congratulations” to former #1: Norton.
NickH nailed it in the previous thread – Gonzalez seems physically incapable of approaching an at-bat with a plan or even with simple hitter’s discipline.
I mean EVERY player on my 16u team had a better approach! Well, most of the time, anyway.
Gonzalez has his weaknesses, but he is not even close to Norton. Gonzalez plays a darn good Major League shortstop, but doesn’t hit. I didn’t like the trade,still don’t, but can respect what he does.
“Gonzalez has his weaknesses, but he is not even close to Norton.”
You’re right, Norton was a way better hitter:
Norton, 2008: .246/.361/.427, 108 OPS+ (202 PAs)
Gonzalez, 2011: .228/.259/.341, .600 OPS, 64 OPS+ (560 PAs)
Who wants another season of an everyday position player that hits like a backup catcher and makes Francoeur seem like a greek god of getting on base?
“I want anyone but AAG as our shortstop next year. I don’t care if they sign Danny de Vito or Marge Simpson or give the job to Ted Williams’ frozen head. Just free me of that face, PLEASE!”
I bet Williams’ head could put up a decent OBP although his power would probably be limited and he wouldn’t have much range.
Ted Williams’ frozen head would sit inanimate in the batter’s box, and thus draw more walks over a full season than Gonzalez.
Of all major league SS’s – only Betancourt walks less and only Desmond strikes out more than AAG. He’s got the 4th lowest WAR of all SS also. You know Wren/Fredi will keep him around because they love cheap options.
However, if we are going to win this year Fredi has to start hitting for AAG when there is RISP. There’s not much drop off between AAG and Wilson in the field so why worry about it?
AAG 2011
RISP – .230/.256/.317
RISP 2 outs – .151/.194/.269
Bases loaded – .118/.158/.176
Pinch hit for him. 64 OPS+?? awful
And even that 64 is slugging-“heavy”…
“You know Wren/Fredi will keep him around because they love cheap options.”
I think it’s Liberty Media that loves cheap options.
Hate to defend Alex Gonzalez, when my fondest hopes for him involve striking out rather than grounding into a double play every at-bat. But the free agent shortstop market is grim; Wren has proven he’s not willing to move top pitching prospects for position players (with good reason); and Pastornicky probably isn’t ready to start. So yeah, I think it’s AAG’s job to lose in 2012, unless he holds out for a multi-year deal. And I think that’s really ok. SS is the second most-important defensive position on the diamond, and in the most important defensive position the Braves get way above-average offensive production, equivalent to a good corner OF when McCann starts and equivalent to maybe a good 2B or 3B when Ross starts. They should be able to afford to carry one weak bat in Gonzalez.
csg @ #51
Chip and Joe were saying that, for some strange reason, AAG hits for a significantly higher average with RISP and one out. Do you have that stat?