The Braves are not the only team getting hit by the injury bug. Ryan Zimmerman, who already has an arthritic shoulder, fractured his thumb while trying to slide to avoid a pickoff tag. He was out then, and now he’ll be out for another 4-6 weeks. Along with concussed center fielder Denard Span and catcher Wilson Ramos’s broken hamate bone, this is the third major injury to a major piece of their lineup.
(Also in the “oh no poor Nationals” file: They may have gotten screwed on at least three different calls last night. In the second inning, Angel Hernandez called Nate McLouth out on a sac bunt, and Matt Williams challenged. TV replays showed that he may probably arrived at the same time as the ball. But they didn’t overturn the call, so Williams was out of challenges — which cost him when Adam LaRoche caught a liner on the fly but the ump thought it hit the ground, so the Nats couldn’t double Heyward off of first base. Later, when Nate McLouth caught a ball then lost control of it while transferring it to his throwing hand, Angel Hernandez ruled it was no catch, and Williams couldn’t challenge that either. Angel makes tons of terrible calls, and will continue to do so in the era of video replay challenges. Fortunately, they went for us last night.)
In the meantime, the rest of the ballgame didn’t go well for the Nats. Alex Wood didn’t have much on his fastball and he was getting squeezed by home plate ump Larry Vanover all night. Take a look at this zone, and just look at how many green dots there are at the edges of the strike zone.
But Wood didn’t make it easier on himself, either. He gave up a leadoff home run to Anthony Rendon, the only run he would allow, but in every subsequent inning he allowed multiple baserunners. Fortunately, his breaking ball was working, and he went to it every time he needed to get out of a jam and usually managed to get a swinging strikeout — in five innings, he had eight strikeouts and three (umpire-assisted) walks. After the fifth inning, he was at 103 pitches, and that was that.
Fortunately, the bats woke up. Taylor Jordan is a fifth starter whose sinker had no sink last night. So he basically had two pitches, a decent changeup and a hanging fastball. The Braves probably should have tagged him a lot harder than they did. But they put up four runs on him in the first inning after Rendon’s homer, and that provided the entire margin of victory.
As it was, B.J. Upton and Dan Uggla both had two hits and Freddie Freeman, Justin Upton, and Evan Gattis all had three hits. Justin is heating up, and B.J. and Dan hit the ball hard. Heyward, Regression, and Simmons all went ohfer, but I’m not overly worried about that. It’s more important to get the Uptons going.
The last game is today at 1:30 and this will be the game thread for that one. We’ve already won the series, but it would be nice to break out the brooms. We’re currently tied with the Nats for the best record in the East, at 7-4 apiece, and it would be nice to break the tie and kick ’em into second place where they belong.
I DVRed the game last night, but the recording got super messed up somehow. Lines appearing all over the screen such. Therefore, I had to watch the condensed version this morning. How pleasant to see BUpton and Uggla swinging it so well! Regression’s 17Ks this game (Was it not that many? It seemed like that many at the time.) were disappointing, and Heyward seemed frustrated at his last AB, but otherwise it was a very good viewing experience!
Moar!
@76 from previous threat:
And Mike Cather is their pitching coach.
speaking of Angel Hernandez….
To be perfectly clear, the Nats were screwed on the failure to overturn the out call on the McLouth bunt, which meant they didn’t have a challenge on the LaRoche catch that was called a trap. They were not screwed on the failed transfer by McLouth in the fly ball. That play is being called that way across baseball this year. It’s bitten the D-Backs (in spring), Texas and Minnesota already. MLB has told umpires that if the ball does not come out of the glove in the hand it is not a successful transfer, which means it is not an out.
@2, I noticed that too! I’m glad he’s still in baseball.
By the way, Jonah Keri may have some answers on why there are so damn many more Tommy John surgeries now than ever before.
Go read the whole thing.
Also, here’s a seven minute YouTube where Blaine Boyer and the rest of the El Paso minor league club exhibit to the world the fact that Jeff Francoeur is, in point of fact, just dumb as a box of rocks.
On Jeff Ears
@4, that’s very interesting. I had completely missed that. That’s strange, though — it used to be that the catch was ruled as separate from the transfer. I wonder why they changed it?
So I guess the Japanese are not as crazy as we thought.
I have a theory that I am trying to corral into an article on the subject, actually. Maybe done in time for the next off-day thread.
@#7
I don’t think the rule was changed. It just wasn’t being enforced as strictly. I was taught that it wasn’t considered a catch until I had the ball firmly within my grasp and either showed the ball or made a throw.
BTW, my Little League days started in the mid 1960s.
@10: you are correct, though in some 25 years of playing and watching the game, I’ve never seen them call it as strictly as they are this season. The rule in question seems to be part of Rule 2.00, specifically the definition of a catch.
Emphasis on the last sentence is mine. Forever umps have more or less ignored that last sentence. They are specifically not ignoring it this year.
The Francoeur video is great, and the cameos of Boyer and Conrad make it even better.
I guess I interpret the last sentence differently than you do, Sam. In all of those phantom catch plays, my take is that the transfer is always voluntary and intentional (after all, we know the fielder was intentionally trying to make a transfer) so that last sentence would only apply to cases like the one many years ago, when (i think it was) Terry Harper caught a ball, took about six steps and then hit the stands and dropped the ball, and it was ruled no catch. If anything the issue is the first clause in the case you’re trying to make a quick transfer.
Right. It’s the penultimate sentence that I find most important: “If the fielder has made the catch and drops the ball while in the act of making a throw following the catch, the ball shall be adjudged to have been caught.”
I didn’t see Louth’s play last night, so I don’t know if he “drop[ped] the ball while in the act of making a throw following the catch,” but that’s what the commentators appeared to believe, and that’s what I have always understood to be an out.
Of course, it rarely happens that discretely — usually the catch-to-transfer-to-throw is all sort of mashed together, and the fielder often doesn’t have full control of the ball more more than a split-second if that. So I have no doubt that he screwed up. But if he screwed up while trying to throw, that doesn’t necessarily mean he didn’t catch it.
I’m not sure which clause MLB called out to the umps, but they definitely called out something and the umps are giving far less leeway to fielders on transfers. There’s been a couple of plays on the infield where runners were safe on a bobbled transfer where in previous years it would have been a force and the ball “lost on the attempt to turn two.”
Here’s the new interpretation from an Indians-Padres game. Elliot Johnson, playing RF (!?!) makes a play, takes two steps, bumps the fence, turns to throw back in and drops the ball. Called “no catch.” Challenged and reviewed. Call stands as “no catch.”
http://mlb.mlb.com/shared/video/embed/embed.html?width=400&height=254&content_id=31940799&property=mlb
Right, the McLouth catch call was actually correct, but this interpretation of the rule is new—or at least has been revived after some period of dormancy. The LaRoche catch was a clear error that could have been easily corrected with replay.
In the Francoeur video, the pitching coach Mike Cather is also a former Brave from the late ’90s.
I just viewed the E Johnson video, and have to agree it was clear he caught the ball. How can anyone say the batter was safe in that situation? Can we be seeing the “Umpires Revenge” against tnhis review process?
Not many guys catch that liner Werth hit. BJ’s reactions were Andruw-like on that one.
Now we really need some hits from Jason.
Wow. That was a generous no swing call.
More of this BJ please.
Infield in with Jupton up there…. We very well may see a fatality on the infield.
EDIT: Hey! That works too!
Justin!!!
I’m beginning to think that Justin Upton is heating up.
Now if we can just find some way for him to always think it’s April.
Edit: Was ball 1 to Andrelton really right down the middle as Gameday says? Nevermind.
Justin!! Love his hot streaks.
Good thing, too, because this is a classic Sunday lineup: the last four guys in the lineup are Laird, Pena, Pastornicky, and Harang.
Beating up on Gia Gonzalez is very, very satisfying!
This Gio guy, he’s not so tough. Of course, putting anyone in a Gnats uniform seems to make him falter against the Braves.
This lineup raked against Gio Gonzalez last year too.
This part of the rule “A CATCH is the act of a fielder in getting secure possession in his hand or glove of a ball in flight and firmly holding it;…” was, in my mind, satisfied by McLouth last night. His glove was firmly gripped around the ball. That ball wasn’t going anywhere. If it had been the third out, he’d have just sauntered towards the dugout and tossed the ball towards a fan a minute later. Or maybe he would have fallen flat on his face, because he’s Nate McLouth. Regardless, I don’t know what to make of the fact that a firmly held ball in the glove is not a firmly held ball in the glove depending on the situation.
@21
Was it? Looked clean to me.
What a lovely inning that was.
I don’t understand why Pena doesn’t bat lefhanded against lefties.
I like this Harang guy. What a great job done by Wren & Co. to exchange him for Garcia.
Two triples in two innings. Where did this speed come from?
Gio Gonzalez is one of my favorite guys to beat.
Job well done, Jason!
Tyler does look an awful lot faster running the bases than playing the field, doesn’t he? That was a nice looking swing too (by both Tyler and Jason).
Freeman’s probably the league MVP so far!
Edit: And now we’ve hit for the cycle as a team, with two out in the 2nd.
BAM!!!!
Gio’s look of incredulousness after both homers is kind of hilaroius to watch.
That home run swing was classic Freddie Freeloader. That’s how I’ll always remember him, pulling out his 7-iron for the inside pitches.
Bet Gio wishes he could throw a curve that breaks as hard as Freeman’s homer.
And we’ve staked Big Handsome to a 6-run lead. Harang’s sittin pretty.
I know the Simmons and Freeman extensions are early days and all, but someone may need to commission a statue of Frank Wren.
Nothing is more beautiful than zeroes on the board.
As the greediest person I know, I’ll say it’s a shame that Harang isn’t putting guys away a little faster. It’d be really nice to let add some of the bullpen to the list of guys getting a Sunday breather.
When Minor and Floyd are ready who is out of the rotation beside Hale?
Aside from winning the game, the goal now is to try and get a day off for Kimbrel, Carpenter and Avilan.
Edit: @47 my thoughts exactly.
The only problem with being up by so much early in the game is that we probably won’t get to see Tyler Clippard. I always enjoy watching us get our daily run off of one of the Nats’ best relievers.
Bryce Harper, ladies and gentlemen!
Awww, poor Harper. More unfortunate baserunning.
Did Joe just say “atrocious” as they cut to commercial? Lol.
When did the Nats hire Snitker?
Hey, remember when Washington set up their starting rotation out of spring to put their best against us in our opening matchup (their second series)? Yeah, I guess that strategy hasn’t played out consistent with their hopes and dreams.
@47, 49 – That 8 pitch inning will certainly help.
@48 – It might be popular, but if Harang keeps pitching well, Wood goes to the pen to reduce his workload.
Someone is pound to strain an oblique or something. He won’t be there forever. And he can come back if Harang falters. And if everything goes perfectly, maybe you flip flop them in July or August, anyway.
OK, asshole…
Well, Freddie took his base. I hope it’s not bad.
Thanks again, Bryce!
Crap. Please be okay, Freddie.
It might be worth thinking about going to a kind of five and six-man rotation, where if Wood is needed in long relief his spot could be skipped. That might keep his innings down below 170 or so and we’ve got him ready to start in the postseason.
@59 – I really don’t think they’re going to screw with everybody else’s rest to keep Harang’s arm in the rotation. It’s going to be Harang vs. Wood, and unless and until Harang turns back in to a pumpkin, the incentives lineup for Wood moving to the pen.
I think for now, Floyd is not needed. If we have five good starters, I’d keep him on his rehab assignment until he forces the issue by proving he can dominate.
Kevin Frandsen – Kevin Frandsen! – is killing us. He has half their hits.
@61-I definitely think that will happen, too, but if it’s mid-May and Floyd is pitching really well with stamina and velocity I don’t think you can keep him in AAA indefinitely.
Edit: of course, Harang continuing pitching like he has thus far is the least improbable of all the probabilities.
how many guys have we gotten plunked this weekend? 3 or 4 on Friday, now Freeman today, this has got to stop. A 6 run lead is a great time to make that point.
The Braves and Nats have had a plunkoff the last few years. We don’t need guys getting ejected right now. I’d let the scoreboard do the talking.
61: Results notwithstanding, not much reason to think Harang is a good pitcher. I would send him to ‘pen when Floyd’s ready, regardless of whether he keeps up this smoke-and-mirrors act.
Hell of an at-bat, Tyler!
The rotation right now is:
Teheran, Wood, Harang, Hale, Santana
When Minor comes back, Alex Wood or David Hale is the odd man out there. Probably Hale. When Floyd comes back, if Harang still has a 1.00ish ERA, the other of them sits down. Because all things considered, Aaron Harang’s current ERA is 1.02. And that’s pretty good.
Angel Hernandez must have something against Werth.
@66 – I understand the impulse. But he’s thrown 18.1 innings, with 17 K’s and 3 BB’s. I’m not betting on the 0.90 ERA to continue, and I’m not even contending that the 6:1 K:BB ratio is going to continue. But we’re not really talking about David Hale’s first three appearances here. He’s performing in line with his results. If he keeps up about 2/3 of this performance, he’s in the rotation.
EDIT: Oh, and I know everyone jokes about “knowing how to win,” but he’s the third straight guy we’ve handed a 4-run lead to, and he’s the only one who knew what the hell to do with it.
A better strike zone last night would have improved Wood’s win knowledge considerably.
Aaron Harang’s current ERA is 1.02. And that’s pretty good.
When Sam goes to hot-handism, something is very wrong in the universe…
Thanks for the assists today, babip!
Don’t know that I am ready to use him any high leverage situations, but Ian Thomas could be really useful. I don’t understand why guys aren’t hitting that fastball, but he seems to know what he’d doing, that’s for sure.
Why Walden on three straight days?
I had the exact same thought.
Fredi might figure that Walden is going to break anyway, so he might as well use him while he’s got him.
I get a tingle up my leg watching Freddie swing.
It’s also nice to see that Matt Williams is a pretty average manager, to the extent such a thing matters: His early lineups (and subsequent justifications) are odd; he won’t pinch hit his sp in obvious spots; and he seems content to just sit around while his players yell at Angel Hernandez’s awful strike zone. What I’m saying here is that the Nationals can eat it.
So…the Nationals would appear to be our bitches.
Simba! Routing the Nats is so much fun.
There are plenty of Nats fans that will still try and tell you that Desmond is as good as Simmons.
Start making Wren his statue.
B.J. Upton, prior to spending 15 minutes at the batting cages with Chipper Jones Thursday afternoon: 29 at bats, 0 extra base hits, 0 walks, 13 Ks
B.J. Upton since spending 15 minutes at the batting cages with Chipper Jones Thursday afternoon: 19 at bats, 1 triple, 1 HR, 1 walk, 3 Ks
82- Great! He’s made it all the way up to mediocre!
Gus Schlosser is pretty much killing time waiting for the bus to Gwinnett.
sigh, it seems pickles will be the first to go when minor gets back, IMO
I love Pickles, because we named him Pickles, but two months ago no one aside from his mom knew Gus Schlosser pitched for the Braves.
BJ may be coming around, but he did his little toe tap again on his last AB.
The Nationals are now 7-5, with all 5 losses coming to the Braves.
@82 – It’s a good sign that the K’s are down. I’m still not optimistic, but I want to believe.
“I’m still not optimistic, but I want to believe.”
Kind of like with Harang. I remember how Ben Sheets’ first three starts went though, and how he pitched after them.
Harang has done his job. Anything more we get out of him is cake. We need BJ to be functional as a baseball player for the next four years.
5-8 against the Nats the rest of the way wins the season series.
So does 13-0.
Olney: Managers frustrated with replay system
Into the trash it goes.
I was indifferent on adding replay when it was announced during the offseason, but so far it really sucks.
Given the fragile and volatile nature of pitchers, you are far more sanguine than I about Harang’s job being done at this point
Harang’s basic job description out of Florida was “get me to Santana and Minor without being 5 games back.” He’s done that and more, and in the process, he’s earned the right to continue getting the ball every fifth day for a while. Alex Wood is quite talented and barring setback certainly looks to have a place in the Braves rotation for the next few years. But Alex Wood is also only 23 years old and has all of 211 innings pitched in his professional career. He’s never pitched more than 139.2 innings in a single year (2013, split between MS, GWI, and ATL.) It won’t hurt anyone to let him ease into things as a bullpen arm and sixth starter, at least until Floyd or Harang show signs of failure.
Fun series. Go Braves and Go Dawgs.
So did Harper get booed incessantly again today?
That first game on Friday, he was booed very loudly. It was funny to watch Simpson and Caray pretend to be oblivious to it, and not acknowledge it.
“They’re a good team,” Harper said. “They play very well here. We try to come in here and win ball games. And sometimes it doesn’t happen. They’re a great team. They’re a great organization. They hit homers and doubles a lot these past three days. And they didn’t make many mistakes. You gotta tip your cap.”
Never gets old.
Chip and Joe. Two drunks in the bleachers would be more palatable.
That series was fun.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=RKYOGX0x5FDS3M&tbnid=kJWprU9JG8hsuM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmuppet.wikia.com%2Fwiki%2FStatler_and_Waldorf&ei=eCZLU7lRs76xBIajgOAD&bvm=bv.64542518,d.dmQ&psig=AFQjCNGuyYeW1jI6fukt7UZnwFybU0w0fg&ust=1397520371457238
Instead of Skip and Joe, how about these two for the announcers?
I’m actually kind of turning around on Harper. ESPN is no fault of his, his weekend kind of seemed like he was the guy trying to light a fire under his team. Unfortunatly for him, it typically manifested itself in a stupid mistake, but I would rather have him on my side than someone so talented but fragile as strasberg for example.
“They’ve come on the winning side of it more often than we like, but we feel confident against this team. We feel we’re better than this team. We respect them, we respect the organization, but we don’t fear them. We think we’re the better team, and we think at the end of the day we’re going to come out on top.”
-Washington Nationals General Manager Rizzo.
This was said exactly one year to the day of Espinosa’s “I don’t think they’re better than us” comment about the Braves. Guess April 13 is simply the day when Nationals’ personnel like to run their mouths.
Recap up