The Braves will face the Dodgers in the NLDS beginning this Thursday. Turns out today’s game didn’t matter because the Cubs suck, but for my money it was a pretty fun game. Everybody showed up for the first inning, and the Braves spotted Julio Teheran a 3-run lead. I’ve been a big supporter of Teheran for a while. He was being sold to us as the “next great thing” like four or five years ago, but as is often the case with prospects, folks were jumping the gun a bit, and it’s taken until 2013 for him to show up and perform at the ML level. Needless to say, we’re all glad he didn’t get sent to Arizona last fall. (Though TBH, I don’t really think he was ever much on the table.) Teheran was actually better at the plate than on the mound today, singling to lead off the second. On the mound, he was doing a good job of keeping his pitch count low, but that was largely by getting the Phillies to hit the ball hard but directly
at somebody. This came back to bite him in the 5th when he gave up a 3-run homer. 4 ER in 5 IP is not what you were hoping to see, but I’m not too concerned. I think Teheran will be fine in the playoffs.
On the hitting side, everything came up aces. Jason Heyward has looked good since returning from his broken face, and Justin Upton has been as hot these past couple weeks as he was in April. Freddie Freeman passed Regression Chris Johnson in the batting race, and even Evan Gattis looked like he was showing some of his April form. He hit a towering fly ball in the first that just barely managed to get out of left center
to plate two and kill the rally. But the best was yet to come, as the Braves just kept piling on run after run against the Phillies relief corps. By the time Luis Ayala showed up to lob some meatballs, the game was out of reach for Chase Utley and Co.
So that’s a wrap on the regular season. We look forward to the playoffs with Kershaw and Grienke staring us in the face and hope the offense doesn’t get ice bats over the next three days. Are you pumped? I’m pumped.
Go Braves!
96-66
Enjoy it. It might be a few years before we see another great Braves team.
96 win season. Who would have thought that? That was a FUN season to watch. Now let’s make sure we kick some Dodger butt.
@1
I think we could be better next year.
I like our chances against LA.
@1 I disagree. While I’m not taking it for granted, this is a solid young core that I expect to be really good for a number of years.
4- And we’ve got more good young players on the way, like Bethancourt and La Stella, to fill the holes we have. This team should consistently contend for the rest of the decade.
@3,4: I agree–just saying there’s no guarantees past this year and to enjoy it for what it is.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but weren’t the Braves a.) The youngest team in the big leagues, and b.) the team with the most combined DL days? The youngest team in baseball overcame the most injuries in baseball and won 96 games?
And was there another team that endured 400 and 500 PA’s from, not one, but two players batting below .190?
I think the future is pretty bright, with or without Brian McCann.
@7: Agreed. This group is built to last.
At least our postseason is guaranteed to last longer than last season’s. Not sure how anyone can even try to predict whether our bats will show up or not.
Kershaw hasn’t allowed a run since 9/13 and has only given up more than 2 runs once in his last 10 starts. I guess there’s no better time than Thursday to break that stretch. Or at least ask for Medlen to keep the Dodgers at bay long enough to make it a battle of the bullpens.
Trolley Dodgers lose again
Time for Rosterbation…I’m guessing this is the NLDS Roster…not necessarily what I want it to look like but what I think Fredi will do:
CF Heyward
RF J. Upton
1b Freeman
LF Gattis
C McCann
3b C. Johnson
SS Simmons
2b Uggla/E. Johnson
bench
2b Uggla/E. Johnson
C Laird
OF B. Upton
OF Schafer
IF Janish
OF R. Johnson
Rotation
RHP Medlen
LHP Minor
RHP Teheran
RHP Garcia
‘Pen
RHP Kimbrel
RHP Carpenter
LHP Avilan
RHP Ayala
LHP Wood
RHP Varvaro
LHP Downs
No Walden. No Maholm. Reed Johnson takes the last position player’s spot. If we go down 2-1 you may see Medlen and Minor come back on 3 days’ rest instead of Garcia.
I’m pretty bummed the braves choked away the right to play the wild card, but I guess that piss down the drain now. Strong finishes don’t seem to be a trait of the fredi braves. Oh well, gotta look forward now. Let’s win game one!
The Reds scared me more than the Dodgers do.
I just can’t be as afraid of a team with. Bronson Arroyo in its playoff rotation.
@13
Well the Cards won 10 in a row
Looks like Kemp is out.
http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/mlb/story/_/id/9745750/los-angeles-dodgers-shut-matt-kemp-due-hurt-ankle
Ethier likely a PH only for first round.
Let’s be positive. We can beat them.
15- And Dodger fans are saying “We just can’t be afraid of a team with Freddy Garcia in its playoff rotation, or two starters looking up at the Mendoza line.”
@17, 18 – that’s good and all, but the real bullet we dodged was Chris Capuano straining his groin. That guy just kills us. I’m more afraid of him than I am of Kershaw and Greinke.
@20 Very true. That would be how I would size up the Braves as an opponent.
This team seems to find a way to get it done.
Go Braves!
@21, you’re absolutely right. He destroys us.
Between Capuano’s groin, Matt Kemp being ruled out, Ethier being limited to pinch-hitting duty, the Braves’ individual success against Greinke, and our record with Heyward leading off, I’ve convinced myself we can win this series.
I now hope I have not set myself up for a miserable letdown.
This is all we have hoped for. Getting back to the playoff and have a chance. We definitely have a chance as this is not a weak team. Let’s just be happy that we don’t need to play the one-game playoff this year. Boy, we thought a five-game series was too short when it was first introduced.
GD the Falcons are terrible. Once again the Braves are the city’s only hope.
“If” they get through the first round, I like their chances, actually.
//and coming from a very casual pro football fan, the Falcons appear to be a total paper tiger.
It’s regrettable that Tom Brady didn’t die in that game. I would like to see Tom Brady die on live television. That would make me happy.
$18m per year for Hunter Pence….really?
@30, from the GM who brought you the Barry Zito contract, anything is possible.
I don’t know how they won two World Series. They did a lot of things right — like drafting Cain, Lincecum, and Posey — so all the things they did wrong just didn’t matter as much.
@31 And they drafted Madison Bumgarner ahead of Heyward. A pretty good decision.
Yes, I understand. I am just struggling to comprehend how the Braves can compete under this market. How much Justin and Jason would worth? Taking out the durability element, there is no way the two would worth less than Pence.
This is Tim McCarver’s final season? This has to be the year the Braves win it all.
Game time for Thursday won’t be decided until after the result of the Pirates/Reds game, correct? I was offered a ticket to the game, but can’t take the full day off. I’m really hoping that sliding back to the two seed and playing the Dodgers will turn it in to a night game.
@34
I am really frustrated by this. I have tickets and a job. I understand how TV works, but this kind of screws the fans.
Baseball has more money. If the Braves decide to increase payroll commensurate with that, we’ll continue to do okay as a mid-market team that has very good player development. If payroll doesn’t go up, we’ll probably still be competitive with an A’s/Rays type model. Or at least that’s the hope.
I agree with 34. With Boston and LA being the only big market teams in the playoff, I think the chance of the Braves games being put in prime time is pretty good purely because we are playing the Dodgers.
@37
True. But the Cardinals will drive ratings too.
Got to beat good teams/pitchers from here on out. Might as well start with Kershaw and Dem Bums as anyone else.
Plus, think of how much fun it will be reliving the 80’s hatred. I’m all ready to throw a beer on Tommy Lasorda now as I type this.
Randy Newman’s new song is great:
Hate New York City
It’s cold and it’s damp
And all the people dressed like monkeys
Let’s leave Chicago to the Eskimos
That town’s a little bit too rugged
For you and me you bad girl
Rollin’ down the Imperial Highway
With big nasty Heyward at my side
Santa Ana winds blowin’ hot from the north
And we as born to ride
Roll’n out the Kraken put down the top
Crank up the GNR baby
Don’t let the music stop
We’re gonna ride it till we just can’t ride it no more
From El Oso Blanco to Freeman
From McCann to Minor
Everybody’s very happy
‘Cause the sun is shining all the time
Looks like another perfect day
Let’s Sweep L.A. (We hate it)
Let’s Sweep L.A. (We hate it)
Look at that mountain
Look at those trees
Look at Dem Bums over there, man
Their down on their knees
Look at those chokers
There ain’t nothin’ like ’em nowhere
Century Boulevard (We hate it)
Victory Boulevard (We hate it)
Santa Monica Boulevard (We hate it)
Sixth Street (We hate it, we hate it)
Let’s Sweep L.A.
Let’s Sweep L.A.
(We hate it)
He obviosuly ment They’re instead of Their.
Good lyrics. Randy Newman’s made a living.
It would be nice for McCann to hoist a world series flag before he leaves town to make his fortune, so bring on the Dodgers. Go Braves!
New thread.