New York Mets vs. Atlanta Braves – Box Score – July 14, 2012 – ESPN.
Like I keep on saying, the Braves are an offense-first club. A day after Tim Hudson had an Episode and had to be bailed out by the bats, Tommy Hanson had an Episode and had to be bailed out by the bats.
Oddly enough, Chipper Jones went 0-5. But everyone else on the team went nuts, despite the fact that the Mets were pitching R.A. Dickey, who has arguably been the best pitcher in the league this year. But Dickey isn’t left-handed, and doesn’t suck, so the Braves’ offense went to town. Other than Chipper, the rest of the Braves offense 1 through 8 went 12-27. Even when Hanson sucks, like he did tonight, it’s hard to lose when you hit like that.
The Braves led 3-1 after the 2nd, 5-3 after the 5th. Hanson really didn’t have it today. Fredi took Hanson out in the top of the 6th, after he got a groundout but then gave up three straight singles. Then, unfortunately, Chad Durbin gave up two straight singles before getting a strikeout and getting relieved by Luis Avilan, who got the final strikeout in the inning. That made it 6-5, Mets. This wasn’t a game to feel comfortable. In the top of the eighth, the Mets scored another run. That made it 7-5.
Then it was time for some more miracles. When the bottom of the 8th rolled around, the Braves offense decided to take the pitching off the hook again. Brian McCann led off. And this happened:
Walk, single, strikeout, strikeout, single, single, single, groundout.
Those three straight singles each scored a run, and they were hit by Bourn, Prado, and Heyward, who — because they’re the first three hitters in our lineup — are pretty much the three most important and best hitters that we’ve got. If we’re going to win, it’s going to be because of them. And, indeed, they went 6-14.
It wasn’t just them, though. Freeman went 3-4. A day after going 1-3 with 2 walks, Uggla went 1-3 with one walk. Hinske went 1-2 with a walk. He’s above the Mendoza line, thank God.
Look, our starting rotation is… shaky to be charitable. Awful, to be pessimistic. Not good, to be realistic. But our offense sure is pretty decent.
Speaking of Bill James, I love him, but he’s been fluent in contrarian for a long, long time. He was Pete Rose’s last advocate for many years.
He’s smart, but I wouldn’t advocate his positions as being arrogant. He’s just basically a reflexive contrarian. He usually acknowledges that he’s wrong after it’s been definitively proven. But his greatness is not in the way that he answers questions. It’s in the way that he asks them.
Great recap, Alex. You’re doing a great job filling in.
After watching videos of Paul Janish on mlb.com, I boldly predict that we have ourselves a new whipping boy.
I never thought I could tell what bat speed looked like. But watching Paul Janish, I know what a slow bat looks like.
I don’t care if his bat moves at glacial speed, as long as he can pick it in the field and make our groundball pitchers into decent major leaguers.
I don’t see what the difference between Paul Janish and Jack Wilson is.
Non-atrophied defensive ability?
Bill James and Keith Law are guys who I always thought were smart, but they have become like those cousins you have that feel like they are political stratigists because they watched “Meet the Prees” one time.
They know everything and it is unclear how the any games were played before them.
Law is the worst. He is very smug, but if he is so smart, how come he isn’t a GM? How is it all the prospects he says are going to be great based on their JC stats don’t all pan out?
@5, Ten functional fingers?
Redmond seems like a guy who can get outs at the MLB level. Considering the state of our rotation, it seems dumb to trade him for Janish.
Here’s one reason for Janish…percentage of ground balls fielded that were converted into outs (Janish for 2011, all others for 2012):
Simmons 95%
Janish 93%
Wilson 90%
MLB average 89%
fifty feet of crap
Pastornicky 79%
Thank you for the nice recapitulation, AAR. I hate watching Tommy Hanson pitch, regardless of how wonderful he is.
I just watched the condensed game for yesterday. Man, we got lucky.
Great job AAR!!!
Newest #Braves Janish in starting lineup vs. Mets: Bourn 8, Prado 4, Heyward 9, Jones 5, Freeman 3, McCann 2, Diaz 7, Janish 6, Sheets 1
Uggla is 1-25 against Santana so Prado is at 2b today. LOL
Tommy’s average fastball is down from his 92 mph heyday to 89-ish. He’s striking out a full two batters less per nine innings, compared to last year.
It’s just sad, is what it is.
Diaz hits Santana and Uggla sucks right now. Smart move be Fredi today. He’s actually realized how versatile Prado is and good for him.
Tommy’s biggest concern is the long ball. His K/BB numbers are similar to his 2009 and 2010 seasons. Im not really sure how to examine whats going on with him. His LD% is down, GB% is up, FB% is the same. I really wish he would start throwing his change up more. 85% of his pitches are fastballs and sliders. He’s got a good curve and a decent change up, but I think most players are sitting fastball and recognizing the spin on that slider.
To be fair, Chipper should’ve had a hit in the first inning, if it weren’t for the pesky Ruben Tejada making a diving catch on him.
Mets-Braves is the free game on MLB.TV today, I’m not sure that bodes well.