It really shouldn’t have been that difficult, but it’s still a W. Despite the best efforts of the pen AGAIN, Betty and Julio down at the ballyard were just enough to carry the day.
Teheran was in great form from the get go, only allowing two balls hit to the outfield, a Freeman sac fly and a CJ homer staked him to an early lead. That didn’t last long though, as McCutchen got one of the balls hit to the outfield kept right on going out of the park to toe it up. Teheran got even nastier and retired 12 in a row.
Betty chipped in with an RBI single in the 4th and came around to score in the 7th after leading off with a single. Julio opened the 8th by getting a popout. His luck ran out there, and a couple of bleeders later, was lifted for Johnson, who quickly surrendered a grounder to advance the runners and a single to plate them both. The Braves got a baserunner in the bottom half but no runs. Grilli got through the ninth, and it looked like we’d probably go to extras with the bottom of the order up.
Betty must have had dinner plans though as he promptly took Vance Worley’s first pitch from off his shoes and dropped it over the right field wall for a walkoff oppo yicketty. That’s baseball for you and you take it knowing you’ve given up a few that way, but the pen is killing this team regardless of outcome.
“Betty, Julio Down By The School Yard”
Roger the dodger came out to the mound
The situation was dire
Men on base the game was close
And he started to inquire
Can you give me nine?
Please give me nine!
What old Roger saw
There oughta be a law
Now Fredi looked down and spit on the ground
Everytime Masset gets mentioned
Ol Fredi said oy if I get that boy
That’s a pitcher who’ll lack retention
Well I’m on my way
We don’t know where we’re going
We’re on our way with some relief
But we don’t know why
Goodbye to Donnie, Eric and Ian
See Betty and Julio
Down by the ballpark
See Betty and Julio
Down by the ballpark
Betty, Julio down by the ballpark
So relievers come in
Give up the lead
And another starter loses a W
Though Julio’s on
Relief is the rub
And another game lost, take heed.
Well I’m on my way
We don’t know where we’re going
We’re on our way with some relief
But we don’t know why
Goodbye to Donnie, Eric and Ian
See Betty and Julio
Down by the ballpark
See Betty and Julio
Down by the ballpark
Betty, Julio down by the ballpark
And of course Pierzynski is in there again. Gotta see what we’ve got with that pillar of the franchise, after all.
Nicely done, spike. And JonathanF.
Veteran presences need love and playing time, Tanto, especially if they can no longer hit or catch.
Very well done JonathanF! In spite of the bull pen woes this year I enjoy watching this team significantly more than last years team!
Greetings from Minneapolis…
Good work, fellas.
Nice win, and what a weird walk-off HR.
But even checking in from afar on the MLB app, it’s hard not to wonder just how fast this pen is going to cough it up. Went to Target Field yesterday and even an ex-Brave bullpenner got into the act.
Twins reliever Blaine Boyer, who’s actually having a pretty good year, came into a late, tie game with runners on 2nd & 3rd with 2 outs. First pitch, it’s a liner into the gap, providing the Brew Crew its margin of victory. Air goes out of the stadium.
An Aside: Being around Minnesota/Wisconsin rivalry is kinda funny because I can’t really tell the difference between these people, yet they insist they’re separate cultures. I just like to hear them talk; it’s hysterical.
(Eg. – “Ooooh no-o-o, we’ll meetcha ay-at the baarrr leeter.” I feel like an extra from the film “Fargo.”)
Dana Eveland. Season saved!
“Don’t worry, boys, the cavalry is coming.”
Bethancourt could have really used another start coming off last night’s performance. If he had another game even close to that, it could do wonders for his confidence. Plus, I’d like to see how he handles a good pitcher like Cole when batting.
Day game after a night game. No chance he’d start tofay
@9
Ah, I forgot to factor that in.
Terrible at-bat by Neck. He stated at a belt-high fastball, then swung at a 58-foot breaking ball.
Also, Uribe and Maybin can both pick it. The improvement they offer over Chris Johnson and Eric Young Jr. is staggering.
@5, Ububa, I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you this, but while you’re in the environs, be sure to grab a pint or two of New Glarus and Three Floyds. The Upper Midwest has some truly wonderful beer.
I hope Cole gets drilled. He’s up second.
Just tuned in to see Andrelton plunked and heard about Freddie. I see Marte was hit, is that what this is about? I know he’s good but our best 2 for their 1 seems a bit imbalanced. If they think it was intentional I wouldn’t mind sending Cole a message about that high hit on Simmons either, though I’m entirely not sure if it was.
Not hitting Cole was the wrong move. Typical Fredi ball
Well so much for that idea.
I don’t think Freeman’s plunking was intentional. Cole’s been pretty wild.
…And that’s the ball game.
Well, shoot.
This whole inning has been a waste. Not hitting Cole, then walking him. A terrible 0-2 pitch. Umpire’s zone all over the place. Fredi sits by while Wood is ejected.
We should fire him this afternoon
And I see Pierzynski is jawing at the umpire. I’m sure that won’t backfire.
Now another Brave gets throw at. Even Glavine is calling out Fredi
This is incredibly bush league.
I would like to see our most expendable pitcher pitch to the first batter next inning. (I realize that it will take some time to identify that person.)
It’s Cahill.
@23
That’s what happen when we let guys throw at us.
Bill Shanks is calling Fredi out on Twitter
Poor Joey T. Hurts his wrist and only gets 29 PAs before he comes to ride the pine. He can’t even get a start to get some momentum
Now you throw at someone. Clownshow.
At least Maybin is staying hot
Brain Jordan calling Fredi out now
Fredi threw Wood under the bus
Interviews about to come on the radio now. It will be interesting.
Yep he’s throwing him under the bus.
Now he’s apologizing for Cole. “They are an organization that throws inside”.
Did Fredi attend this game? To me it’s incredible that he didn’t get his butt ejected. Really pitiful.
I didn’t watch this game, but if the narrative on here paints an accurate picture, that’s pretty bad on Fredi’s part and can’t portend good things for the clubhouse.
Mac had a pretty good read on Fredi, no? http://bravesjournal.us/?p=6327
Sadly, his tenure has been more disappointing than I ever could have imagined. Bobby would have ran a 4.2 40 from the dugout to stand up for Alex, or any player for that matter. The irony of course is that Bobby is probably more responsible than anyone for Fredi still being around.
@38
And that’s the dichotomy I can’t reconcile. If Fredi is not Bobby, then why does Bobby think Fredi should be around? Is Bobby so arrogant he simply believes no one can replace him? Or is Bobby aware that Fredi is not Bobby and enjoys having an inferior successor so that people long for the days of Bobby? Either way, Bobby can’t be as elite as you guys think he is if this is what he thinks good managing is.
I would rather have Pierzynski managing than Fredi. Some fire, some fight, some willingness to stand up for your players, instead of sitting in the dugout like a slug.
Somebody’s got to take the fall for the Braves’ futility while they put the next juggernaut together. It may as well be Fredi.
When the team’s really ready to contend, the Johns will can Fredi and bring in their anointed (Bo Porter?). At least that’s what I think is going on, and I haven’t been wrong for almost an hour.
@39
No no no…you’re making it way more complicated than it is. It’s very simple. Fredi is Bobby’s protege, therefore Bobby sticks up for Fredi. That’s it. He’s not playing an angle, he’s not clueless about what good managing is, none of that. Think of Fredi as one of Bobby’s players and you’ll have it. Bobby’s gonna stick up for him regardless of how bad he is. Just like he stuck up for the starting pitcher who just got finished laying a gigantic egg by saying, “Yeah, but if he’d just gotten that out where the ball ticked off the end of Chipper’s glove (or had he gotten that one call or had he not walked that one guy, whatever), the other 10 hits he gave up mightn’t have happened.” Bobby always stuck up for his guys and he sees Fredi as one of his guys.
I can’t believe the irrational FREDI hate in this thread. Nobody can have a good reason for criticizing Fredi. brian jordan is a crazed Fredi hater
@42 – I know it doesn’t fit your narrative there, but have you even considered how many hundreds of times Bobby Cox has fired people? Bobby was a players manager because he’d tell the PAPER that “this guy just couldn’t catch a break,” but he mananged just fine to tell that player there wasn’t a place for him on the team.
Bobby was part of the decision making team that let Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux walk away when their skills declined below their salary demands. Bobby let Jimmy Williams leave. Bobby let Pat Corrales leave. Bobby let Leo Mazzone leave. I think it’s ridiculous to think that Fredi stays because Bobby can’t let him go.