Ahh, irrelevant September games against the Marlins. A 12:40 start, Freddi wanted to make clear how little he cared about this game, so he gave the start to Freddie Garcia. To drive home the point, he also started BJ Upton and Dan Uggla. Not to be out done, the Marlins countered with Juan Pierre and an ancient astronomer.
The game itself wasn’t exactly uneventful, but it’s not like any pitcher hit a HR. The Braves took a lot of pitches and left a lot of guys on base before breaking through in the 3rd inning for 4 runs coming on three walks and doubles by Evan Gattis and Chris Johnson (part of a 3-hit day; he got robbed of a 4th). The next inning, Freedie Freeman hit a 2-run HR to put the game out of reach.
Garcia, meanwhile, pitched quite well. He’d been good in relief with the big club, and today he gave Atlanta 6 innings of 1-run ball. He wasn’t exactly razor-sharp, surrendering scads of hits and only recording a few Ks, but his real job was, “Give Alex Wood a break”, and for that, he was marvelous. Jordan Walden returned with a one-hit inning in relief, David Carpenter pitched the 8th, and Tony Varvaro pitched the 9th.
Other highlights included Garcia huffing and chugging his way to first to make the play just in time on a groundball to the first baseman and Chip making the point, after noting that the Royals have the best ERA in the AL and the As have the second best that, “You pitch, you win.” Except, I guess, if you’re the Royals?
The Royals are winning, just not as frequent as they would like.
If the Natspos can only play the Phillies, the Mets, and the Marlins, they would probably have the best record in baseball.
We need to add Success! and Regression to the Glossary. Both of those terms are used heavily enough that I think they warrant permanent remembrance.
I thought AFG was a hilarious nickname for Laird, but it never really caught on. What else have we developed this year that is deserving?
@2 – Certainly can’t forget Kate’s “Mississippi Hawaiian”.
Hard to believe that DOOOOOMED! isn’t in there yet.
I would also vote for Feliz Avilan.
This point in the season feels a bit like last year, except we know that we’ll be playing at least 3 post-season games this go-round.
Incidentally, according to ESPN.com’s version of WAR, Andrelton Simmons is third in the NL with 6.1 WAR.
http://espn.go.com/mlb/statistics
Is it better to win NL East in DC against the NATSPROS?
@6 – I find it interesting that there are actually 24 pitchers worse than Kameron Loe on that list.
Actually, by WAR, there are more than 50 NL pitchers worse than Loe; we just haven’t given him enough time to do real damage.
@7
It might be. In fact, that is when it looks like it will go down.
In fact, let’s have some fun since it is so DOOOOOM around here all the time.
Which game will the Braves clinch:
a) Sunday 9/15
b) Monday 9/16
c) Tuesday 9/17
d) Wednesday 9/18
e) Thursday 9/19
f) Friday 9/20
g) Later
I’ll take c
I hope it’s (b) or (d). I’ll be at both!
@11
I like option d, if only for the irony of starting Freddy Garcia against Strasburg
In other news, child 2 refuses to wear anything but her JUpton replica shirt socially since her first visit in August
The Dodgers are five games away from clinching the western division title.
@13
Child 2 has a strong sense of good taste. At least in April and August…
What a pitiful schedule the Nationals have.
Nationals final 12 series:
Cubs, Royals, Marlins, Mets, Phillies, Marlins, Mets, Phillies, Braves, Marlins, Cardinals, Diamondbacks.
It’s great the the rest of the NL East is such a kitchen sink of suckitude.
The Royals are 3 games out of the AL Wildcard game.
Jonah Keri puts Fernandez,and the brawl, in perspective
http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/74444/putting-jose-fernandez-in-perspective
Our legend crushed a home run off their legend.
16- Our schedule’s not any better: we finish with Marlins, Mets, Phillies, Marlins, Padres, Nationals, Cubs, Brewers, Phillies.
New thread.
@18, Yeah, a perspective built on sneering sanctimony, and the conspicuous absence of relevant commentary from the Marlins’ manager, broadcasters, and teammates – a true disservice to his readers.
There is a middle ground here. Fernandez is worthy of much respect, not just for his background but also the year he’s had, which is amazing. Further, he’s worthy of respect for the unmitigated mea culpa he delivered after the game. There is such a thing as being a dicklick in baseball, and to his credit, Fernandez doesn’t want that to be his persona. When McCann took him aside and put him in his place, he did what all good big brothers do when the younguns are acting a fool.
Kerl talks about Fernandez saving his mother’s life, but acting like an obnoxious twerp in front of his teammates and fans doesn’t do his mother any good. My mother would have been embarrassed if that had been me.