So this weekend has pretty quickly turned to crap.
Today’s game featured the biggest mismatch of the series in terms of pitching matchups – Paul Maholm v. Madison Bumgarner – and it basically played out exactly as one would assume: not well for the Braves.
In order for the Braves to have had a real chance, Maholm needed his best stuff today. He didn’t have it. He gave up a solo shot to Pablo Sandoval in the 1st, and another run off a Brandon Crawford double in the 4th. Yet that was all prelude for the 5th inning, when the Giants blew the game open. Maholm, with one out, surrendered a “triple” to Marco Scutaro – it really should have been a single and two-base error on Justin Upton, but scorekeeping in baseball is still stuck in the last century – hit Sandoval, served up a double to Buster Posey, and intentionally walked Hunter Pence to load the bases. Cory Gearrin then entered the game and promptly gave up a triple Grybo – to Gregor Blanco, of all people. That was all she wrote, though San Francisco added 4 more runs off the Braves’ rapidly-deteriorating bullpen in the 8th. I mean, why not?
On the other side of the ledger, Madison Bumgarner was dealing. With the exception of a lone 5th inning run, the San Francisco southpaw stifled the Braves’ attack with his nasty 4-pitch array. For the game, Bumgarner struck out 11 in 7 innings while walking 2 and surrendering only 4 hits. Of the offense’s woefulness, Dan Uggla stands out especially: the supposedly-revitalized second baseman reverted to form with a golden sombrero. Chris Johnson meanwhile earns an honorable mention with three strikeouts in three plate appearances. I’d say the honeymoon with that guy is over.
There isn’t much good to say after a game like today’s. I guess Evan Gattis had a pretty decent day? He got a couple hits and made no errors in LF. So that’s something. Otherwise, I’m stumped. Hopefully the Braves can manage a win tomorrow and escape this series with a split. I’m not holding my breath, though. They’ve been on the road since around the Nixon administration, and they look like it.
Nixon Administration sounds about right. At the end of the Diamondbacks series, the Braves will have played 26 road games and 14 home games (six of those to begin the season). Whose bright idea was it to have the Braves’ two three-city road trips right on top of each other, and after a two-game home stand?
Look at the flip side – a win tomorrow, and they are 4-3 on a road trip that we’d be ecstatic to go 5-5 on anytime. Even being 3-4 going to Arizona is a not-horrible outcome.
BJ’s terrible at-bats and lack of hustle and Uggla’s flailing really get me down. I guess something had to fill the irritation void that Hanson used to fill in my heart.
A stellar outfielder Justin Upton is not.
So nobody’s excited about the Braves picking up Kameron Loe? Nobody? Yeah, me neither.
@4 Shhh… We aren’t allowed to voice any criticism about Justin.
Gattis only made “no errors” today because scorekeeping in baseball is still stuck in the last century. He badly botched a line drive into a double in a play that could only be described as vintage Klesko.
Surely, Kameron Loe is better than David Carpenter.
Well, there you go. Nobody had a good day. I hope you’re happy, Alex.
This is the post where I point out that Heyward can’t even hit in AAA.
*ducks*
It couldn’t be clearer that the poor guy’s trying to rush back — to save what’s left of his reputation from the all-knowing online commentariat, fresh from having awarded itself degrees in appendectomy recovery timetables — and 5 ABs into the rehab assignment, the knives are out already. Damn.
Heyward’s gonna get Andruw’ed and there’s no stopping it. Nothing short of MVP awards is going to be enough, I guarantee.
Top 10 MLB OFs by WAR, 2010-2012 (w/ age at end of 2012 season):
Braun (28), 20.6
Bautista (31), 18.6
McCutchen (25), 16.3
Hamilton (31), 16.2
Jackson (25), 15.7
Heyward (23), 14.8
Bourn (29), 14.8
Holliday (32), 13.9
Gordon (28), 13.3
Granderson (31), 12.9
It’s good to remember that in Heyward, J Upton, McCann, and probably Simmons, the Braves have four position players who could and likely will play at a 4-5 win pace the rest of the season. Guys like BJ Upton and Freddie Freeman are also likely to play at an above average pace. I think the team will be fine in the long run, and predict there will come a point this summer when everyone forgets about this stretch.
My concern is with the pitching.
@14 I’m just taking the easy joke by picking on Jason. I agree, the pitching is a major concern, but the offense has been collectively slumping for long enough that I’m worried about them too. Johnson is a pumpkin again, and we’re going to have to get consistent performance from more than just Justin if we’re going to have any hope. I worry that Jason has some fundamental issues in his swing, similar to BJ, that are going to have to be rectified at some point.
This is why I was so livid about Kimbrel’s blown saves. Our offense is so off and on that when it’s on we flat out have to win. If the bullpen continues it’s slide we’re in big trouble.
i think we are doomed.
Game thread is up.