There are literally thousands of facts about baseball in general, and about the Cubs and Braves in particular. Probably millions, actually. This thread contains none of them. Sorry about that!
139 Comments
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I had a bad feeling about seeing Simmons slide last night. I was surprised he didn’t break it since it jammed in the bag. When will team start banning players from sliding that way?
Didn’t Simmons hurt a finger last season sliding? If so, combined with his comments from today makes me think he is a very immature player. Kind of obnoxious really.
I was going to post what CSG did. Seriously, headfirst slides have already cost the team wins in the past (and possibly the present). At some point, “slide control” has to be implemented. I know, I know, no political stuff, but I will simply say that banning headfirst slides is an interesting parallel to the current debates regarding gun control and leave it at that.
Trivia time — six players have recorded at least 100 hits for both the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta Braves. Who are they?
Elvis Andrus just stole a base against Tommy Hanson and the catcher didn’t even bother making a throw. Some things never change.
@3: One is Jeff Blauser.
yessir
Fred McGriff is one, right?
that’s two
Damon Berryhill
3 down
Mark Derosa
Jody Davis?
DeRosa yes, Davis no
Maddux?
Excellent, #14!
Thought of it, but didn’t think about it.
Correct! One left…gotta reach back a little further.
I wonder who plays shortstop if something happens to Pena.
16 — Alvin Dark.
From the AJC:
Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons’ left thumb sprain is expected to keep him out for no more than two games so he didn’t have to learn another hard lesson about the risk of sliding head first.
So much for the (rather) good news. Now this:
Simmons fractured his right pinkie finger while sliding head first into second base in July 2012. He missed more than two months with that injury. Simmons said he doesn’t plan to stop sliding head first. “It’s just how I feel faster,” he said.”
Apparently, our slick-fielding SS is as dumb as an earthworm.
16 — Alvin Dark
Nice! But we’re talking Atlanta era only, or else it would have taken me all day.
Wow, that was not an encouraging start.
Jeez, Jason.
Teheran’s issues at the major league level has been putting away guys with two strikes. Let’s see if he’s improved on that.
OK, gametime. The sixth player is Gary “Sarge” Matthews.
Good job BJ!
Oh well.
Not much of a jump.
Justin Upton hot damn
JUPTON!
So, have all of Justin’s Homers been on 2 strike counts? Because holy crap, send him up there with 2 strikes.
JUPTON!
Should be 2-0 by now.
28- Yes, they have.
I actually thought about Sarge but forgot he played for the Cubs.
Chip just said that Darwin Barney is a really good player.
Nooooo Dan, should have taken the walk.
Laird’s BA has moved within 125 points of Gattis’.
SSS of course, but Uggla hasn’t hit any other than the first game HR.
Nice play, Pena.
And FatJuan has the first of many errors.
Some of that great Francisco defense.
Don’t give me that olé shit, Juan!
Could Teheran not have caught that? It was right where he was standing. Wasn’t aware the pitcher couldn’t catch a pop up.
It’s just general practice to let the infielders catch stuff I think. I’m sure pitchers could make pretty much all of those.
You figure the pitcher doesn’t field every day like the infielders, so why risk it. Kind of like hitting.
First pitch to Justin wasn’t a strike.
Well, that was frustrating.
Freeman going for the record for highest hits.
So, some of Teherans fastballs are sitting at 86-87
That one was 86 again
This lineup could use some Gattis. Too many automatic outs.
If only Gattis could play shortstop.
2-2 Gerald!!
Laird has perfected the art of the duck fart.
Laird’s doing his best Gattis impression.
Edit: And Pena’s doing his best Belliard impression.
Pena is garbage.
Pena looking like Lil Tony Pena…horrible AB’s
“You figure the pitcher doesn’t field every day like the infielders, so why risk it.”
It could not have been easier for Freeman to catch the ball on the run with an outstretched glove, than for Teheran to catch a short popup to the exact spot he was standing.
All good feelings about Teheran have vanished again.
Julio, for future reference, hanging breaking balls over the heart of the plate will not get major league hitters out.
Throwing 86-87 is a big difference than 94-95. Where has his velocity gone?
Dear Lord. This is the Julio I remember.
Aren’t the Cubs supposed to be a terrible offensive club? What’s Teheran’s outing look like with a good hitting team?
I’m not sure what you’re watching, but the TV feed has him 91-93.
Bethany’s right. He still has major trouble putting people away on 2 strikes.
And again… Man, it’s so frustrating to watch. Fredi should have pulled him after the double.
Argh.
Where are you guys seeing 86-87 on his fastballs?
@66 I honestly haven’t been checking the radar. csg, are you seeing that on Gameday?
Maybe MLB Gameday? They always seem to say pitchers throwing 90+ on television are really throwing 83-88 MPH fastballs.
And Jordan returns as he left.
Looking back through gameday, it’s saying he’s at 88-91.
Two strikes Justin, you’ve got him right where you want him.
I’m watching the fox sports tv feed. He hit 92 on some of the later fastballs, but most were sitting in the 86-88 range
Hey, at least The Lisp is throwing well. That’s . . . something.
This guy is throwing slop and we can’t do anything with it.
It probably would be easier for Teheran to catch it, but it’s drilled into pitchers to stand aside if the infielder is close enough to make the play. That’s what’s coached.
Ramiro Pena can’t hit a pitch that’s not perfectly straight
B.J. Upton slugs his first hit as a Brave!
Bravo for BJ, glad he got that off his shoulders.
That’s a relief.
Like to see Heyward hit one to third with this shift on
Bowman….After missing two months because of the fracture, Simmons said he would likely continue to slide head first. This latest setback has not altered his mindset.
“It’s just how I feel faster,” Simmons said. “Maybe I’ll put something in my hand that makes it easier sliding. But I doubt I’ll just plain stop sliding head first.”
Gonzalez said he and his coaches have warned Simmons and other players about the danger of sliding head first.
“We talk about it all of the time,” Gonzalez said. “Don’t slide head first. Slide feet first and you won’t get hurt. But boys are boys.”
“But boys are boys.”
Umm…isn’t he, like, their boss…
Nice thinking by Uggla. The bats are asleep, but they’re still paying attention.
81, 82- When you’re being paid $500,000 to work, you’re no longer a “boy.”
@81, “I feel faster” means “I feel like I look cooler.”
Gearrin to a lefty with the bases loaded. Seems like a bad idea.
But it worked.
Good work by Varvaro and Gearrin.
I need to get on the treadmill, don’t I?
Get to runnin’!
Does your treadmill go up to eleven?
Nice job Laird. Too bad we didn’t keep Pastornicky instead of Schafer.
C’mon Ramiro Pena, show us that you belong on the team…
Translator: This guy sucks. Throw it over plate.
EDIT: Lol. Whoops.
Gattis time.
PENA?!?!
WHOOOOOO!!! Run, Bethany, run.
Or not. Not Gattis that is.
Will el Oso strike again?
…
…
dangit it’s reed >:(
and of course, a DP…
That’s it, I’m blaming Fredi for this loss
Balls.
Thanks, Reed, we were just getting some hope again. (Only other guys left on the bench were Gattis and Simmons.)
That is on Fredi. He could have pinch-run Reed for Laird and then pinch-hit Gattis. But that would have actually made some fucking sense.
@84
Well, painted sidepanel flames worked for Awesome Express. For a while.
@100, or pinch run Simmons for that matter, since he can’t hit or field.
Wake up, Gerald!
Jesus, Laird.
102- Right, pinch running Simmons makes more sense. I’d forgotten he was an option.
Alright, everybody hits.
BJ!!!
BUPTON!! Bupkis is no more!
Bossman Junior!
F yeah!!!!!
BOSSMAN!
Nice timing for BJ!
Welcome to ATL, BJ!
Finish it, Justin.
JUPTON FOR THE WIN!!!
HEll Yes!!
That’ll work
Uptons!
Wow! Incredible!
I don’t believe what I just saw!
What a great win! This team is freaking awesome!!!!
This is the kind of brotherly teamwork we were looking for!
OHHHHH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOD
How is this real?!?!!?!
No way.
{goes and looks}
Way!!
Y’all gonna make me lose my mind.
Time to revise my NL MVP prediction.
Looks like center field is Upton Abbey.
wow…lol…how awesome is this start?
That was delightful. I love the fact we have actual hitters 1-6 every day.
Wow
I’m still shell shocked.
It is strange to see a Braves’ walk-off celebration without Chipper. This is really a different team than last year, but it may be a really special one.
It’s possible that Jupton may hit more than 17 homers this year.
He might hit 17 by the end of April.
Were there any one throwing mud around like Martin?
kc – That is what I was looking for: the dirt bath. I love this team, but I sure do miss ol’ Prado.
And none of this “barely make it over the wall down the line” crap. We’re hitting these balls three rows deep into center freaking field!
Woof. (And I’m not even Georgish.)
Pretty awesome to watch
Recapped!
This Justin Upton kid isn’t half bad. Man, this is going to be a fun year.