I don’t care what the records are. Or whether either team still has games left that matter. Or who is on the mound. Beating the Nationals never gets old. Shutting them out is just icing on the cake.
It has definitely been more fun recently to talk about the Nats’ implosion than to talk about the Braves second half, and now that the Chosen Ones have missed out on the playoffs entirely, they’ve added insult to injury by coming to Atlanta and losing a series against these guys. I love it.
On the heels of a 2-1 victory, the Braves managed to scrape across two more runs tonight against Jordan Zimmermann and hang him with a loss in what was, in all likelihood, his last start for everybody’s favorite non-World Series Champs. Amazingly, the Braves pitching combo of the Dynamic Duo, Atlanta’s favorite Aussie, a-Cub-no-longer, and our Closer 3.0 combined to keep the Nats off the board and our favorite villain hitless. The guys in the bullpen have been making the most of their time in the big leagues recently. As much as this has been a summer for the fans to forget, it has been one to remember for many of these guys who will probably never get the chance to be in the big leagues again. I’m glad they are making some good memories to take with them.
The Braves picked up runs in the first two innings and then rode the cruise control to victory. A.J. Pierzynski has 3/4 of the Braves RBIs in the series and more than the Nats have combined. I was not thrilled when the Braves signed him, but he has definitely proven my misgivings were groundless and he’s been fun to watch this year. I liked him as a rookie with the Twins, and I’m glad I have been able to come full circle with him and root for him in the twilight of his career. Michael Bourn drove in the Braves second run, and has an outside chance of getting to double digit RBIs in his second stint with the Braves.
A Nationals loss/Braves win is automatically a good night, even in a wretched season. Let’s go for the sweep tomorrow. Why not? There is literally nothing else left to play for. Natspos delenda est.
And, in case anyone needed a reminder of how awesome Andrelton Simmons is, he did this tonight. And if that was not enough, he also did this. There is just nothing more fun than watching Simmons get Nationals players out. Nothing.
No freaking kidding — just watched the highlights and Simmons is worth every. single. penny. That guy is so much fun to watch.
It would be poetic justice for the Nats to lose the rest of their games and finish under .500. Get that sweep tomorrow….
As I post my last recap of this season, I wanted to give a big shout out to everyone for the mutual support we shared that got us through this season. There is (hopefully) nowhere for the Braves to go from here but up! The worse the season got the more my recaps became seeped with sarcasm, a measure that was both defensive and therapeutic; thank you all for humoring me and reading my humble offerings.
Also, a big thanks again to Alex for keeping this place running and letting me pitch in and be a part of the recapping team. Even when the product on the field is horrendous, I have enjoyed the chance to write about it!
Simmons defenda best.
@2 seconded.
Good one, ‘Rissa. As are all you post. Wait ’til next year!
What I heard from the Johns today is that they’ll work to get several relievers, they may or may not get a starting pitcher, and they may add another position player or two or make some minor trades for next year. Anyone hear anything else?
Also, does anyone know if we’re counting on Toscano for next year? He has supposedly been traveling all year long trying to get to America.
And we have just lost the second overall pick to the Reds!
At this point, maybe the Nationals should get the number one pick.
Cool read about catching Greinke and Kershaw:
http://www.theplayerstribune.com/clayton-kershaw-zack-greinke-aj-ellis-dodgers/
Peter Moylan
the Nats again were so ripe for the spoilayn’
G’day to you mate
thanks for helping us carry quite unnecessary freight.
the number one pick?
a bit of a dick
better we settle
one with some mettle.
Andrelton oh Andrelton, we can hear your cannon throwin’
we still see that body flowin’
we were not so young when we saw Andrelton.
Andrelton oh Andrelton, in a time of much braves bashing
we can watch your leather flashing
we glean our fun and dream of Andrelton.
We still see him standing by the cooler
wanting back, the sward where he belongs
and does he hear our raucous songs
and know to him we owe our fun?
Andrelton oh Andrelton, we are so afraid of dying
‘fore the Braves when they start trying
but we will wait so we can watch those plays be spun
by Andrelton by Andrelton.
td at 6,
I heard most of the John and John show on the broadcast last night.
I think they committed to make some moves to shore up the bullpen. but with Withrow, Shae Simmons, Grilli returning, and the lower tier of the guys we got this year (not good enough to start) added to Arodys, I really think the only thing we need is a really good late inning capable lefty. Like Eric O’Flaherty 2.0.
They said it was unlikely they would sign a big contract pitcher because of the risk. IF they could get an FA position player at a position where they could not see a solution internally, they might pull the trigger.
3 – I laughed. Well done.
Edward @3: indeed.
Blazon @12: kudos.
Not sure if this has been mentioned of late, but this team actually set a record this year that wasn’t bad: http://www.myajc.com/news/sports/baseball/braves-improbable-record-20-straight-one-run-home-/nnrnj/
If I’d told you before the season that Williams Perez would win 2 more games than Shelby Miller, you’d have assumed Miller would get injured…until I told you he’d also lose 11 fewer games.
hap, I took your post from yesterday and tweeted it. Talking Chop picked it up and gave Tomahawk Take credit. I know you probably don’t care, but I assure you that I have made it known that I wasn’t on the conference call, and that I shouldn’t get the credit.
Sorry for the confusion.
Timo, A.J. Ellis sounds like a perfect catcher. That’s a great article.
Journalistic ethics, wow. Ryan C is behind his times.
Ryan,
No worries 😉
the journo on the spot
he likes to tweet a lot
but whence did it arrive, and…
is the sender still alive?
#2
Thanks for the efforts — to you & to all the recappers, in fact.
Obviously, this season hasn’t been so tasty.
‘Rissa, your recaps and everyone else at Braves Journal have been the best part — at times, seemingly the only good part — of the season.
The bittersweet part is that I think the 2015 postseason is going to have more interesting and even likable teams than any previous postseason I can remember. As much as I’ve hated the Mets in the past, they’re fun to watch and their pitching is unbelievable. Just a year after the Royals broke their own multidecade playoff drought, the Blue Jays did it this year, and the Royals are back. The Cubs are loaded for bear and look like they might be able to break a century-long championship drought. And the Astros-Rangers dogfight in the AL West is really something. I think I’m going to enjoy the next month a whole lot more than I’ve enjoyed the last three months.
@3 I think this may become my new life motto. Brilliant.
Sounds like the Braves will no longer be GM-less after today. I wonder who made the call Coppy is now ready to be official.
Oh, and Coppy is now officially the GM.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/10/braves-promote-john-coppolella-hm.html
Good on Little John. Now fire Fredi.
Maybe the John Hart interview last night where he talked about the Braves needing to score more points and the trade for Markakis, made the FO think they should officially name Coppy as GM a little sooner than planned.
Also, my question from above stands. Does anyone know if Toscano fits into the Braves’ plans for next year?
td,
I think the better question is does anybody know FOR SURE that Toscano is still in existence on this side of the veil and if so, where Toscano might be?
A search of Twitter revealed hes apparently been in Orlando, working out at “Extended Spring Training” since May. He’s apparently been cleared to live here, but not cleared to work here.
As that relates to his contract (Are we paying him? Does this count as a year off his contract?) I’d only be able to guess. I also have no idea what that means for next year. On the one hand, how could they not have it solved by then? On the other, how could they not have it solved by NOW?
I don’t think anyone has any idea if he can be expected to play next season.
Check out @allintheballs’s Tweet: https://twitter.com/allintheballs/status/622893951855497216?s=09
@30: I guess MLB uses E-Verify, huh?
That photographer has photos on her site of Toscano with the GCL Braves. The GCL teams typically play their games on the back fields at ML teams Spring Training facilities.
When we hear a player is at “Extended Spring Training,” it means he’s working out and playing intrasquad games with the GCL team and other non-rostered players, but hasn’t or can’t be assigned to the GCL roster for any of a number of reasons, and therefor can’t play “official” GCL games.
What’s happening in with Toscano isn’t really all that strange, it’s just that he’s a Major League property while it’s happening.
My understanding is that Toscano defected right before the process changed, so the players after him didn’t have to defect anymore.
The process for defectors usually involved being smuggled to the DR or Mexico, establishing residency, and then trying to immigrate to the US. That usually meant working out privately for 6 to 18 months while waiting to be permitted to the US.
The process has since changed, many players are leaving Cuba straight for the US without “defecting” and stopping in between.
My (very limited) understanding is that Toscano is sort of caught in the middle. He left as a defector, and the rules changes have complicated things for him, instead if simplifying them.
Coppy was named GM, because the Brewers were about to come calling.
@24
There are a lot of rootable teams, aren’t there? Personally I’m rooting for a Misery series. Who wouldn’t love to see Heyward’s long strides out in Kauffman’s spacious outfield, or watch Medlen get him with a 1-2 change-up in long relief?
I concur with AAR — the recaps are heavy lifting and are almost always fun to read. Thanks to all the recappers.
I guess we’re already in Ray Bourque territory with some of these guys. Sheesh. Get well soon, Braves. I’d like to root for some of our players while they’re still on our team.
When it comes to this post-season, I’m mostly rooting against teams. And I could do without any Canyon of Heroes Tickertape Parade in Lower Manhattan.
NL
Rooting against:
Dodgers (after the Mets series)
Cardinals (except vs. Mets)
Mets (in all instances)
Rooting for:
Pirates/Cubs winner
AL
Nobody really bothers me that much.
Kinda like Royals & Astros (they’d be a fun ride).
Have almost no feeling about the Angels, Rangers or Blue Jays. If they played the WS against certain NL clubs, I may root for them.
I have Yankee post-season tickets all the way thru, including the Tuesday WC game, but it wouldn’t break my heart if they didn’t win their last game (whenever that comes).
I’m rooting for the Cubs, Astros, Royals, Pirates and Blue Jays in that order
Texas teams, Pittsburgh and Chicago.
I’m rooting for an early spring.
Looking forward to Weber – Grilli.
Y’all bookmark this. The Giants win the WS in 2016.
@44
sorry,Mets!
and, challenge …
what stats are these? to what do they refer?
Wil Myers, Padres — 11-30, .367
Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox — 21-60, .350
Yonder Alonso, Padres — 14-40, .350
Skip Schumaker, Reds — 27-78, .346
James Loney, Rays — 37-107, .346
Peter Bourjos, Cardinals — 19-46, .413
Denorfia, Cubs — 23-61, .377
Johnny Giavotella, Angels — 11-31, .355
Eric Hosmer, Royals — 30-86, .349
Career numbers we are told. Recently published. You could look it up, difficult. You could guess, much more fun, very difficult. Who knew already?! Or am I naively underestimating the power of the SaberMeister?
@43 – funny.
@45
Let’s see…they’re batting averages, obviously, some sort of career split. Could be situational, although Bogaerts having so many PAs already would seem to argue for something specific to his environment rather than a batting situation. Gotta be a road park career batting average, I think. At Yankee Stadium?
(No peeksies, I promise.)
Royals are going to put Kris Medlen in the postseason rotation. If that is not a reason to watch I don’t know what is.
He had a shaky first couple innings last night but settled down to retire the last ten, looking every bit as dominant as the guy who used to pitch for us. God I hate the Johns.
@47
good effort..
fascinatingly, they’re what they hit against 96 mph plus fastballs over their career…i had no idea that this level of the esoteric existed – it’s not April 1st is it?
here’s a link via Peter Gammons, scroll down past the lead story
http://www.gammonsdaily.com/peter-gammons-ramirez-and-sandovals-future-in-boston-power-arms-on-the-rise/
Yeah, I’ll be in full Ray Bourque mode. Heyward, Gattis, Medlen, Wood, KJ, – go, you Barves diaspora.
Other than that, I won a six-pack of beer off a Cubs-make-the-playoffs bet, and this is the year they’re supposed to win the World Series according to Back to the Future II, so I’ll ride for them as well.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2573516-mlb-free-agents-2015-16-brs-initial-top-25-big-board
@51…
a few free agents likely to take us into recap mode..
Jeff Samardzija
for some he will always be larja
than life.
but at Notre Dame he couldn’t catch a wife.
Matt Wieters
realistically his reputation teeters
how many passed balls
and why he assaults umpires on dubious calls.
Tyler Clippard
in the past he has tended to trip hard
throwing to first
just one of the many that Papelbon’s cursed.
Denard Span
wants to be known as an avant gard man
his love of the arts
nullified by never having heard of Descartes.
Ben Zobrist
is he going to be missed?
not by KC
where he was hitting less than one in three.
Scott Kazmir
a Mets phenom who has cost many dear
at 2 and 6
he no longer pulls in the most desirable chicks.
Mike Leake
he owns a remarkable physique
three hands not two
two in gloves and one hidden from view.
@51
Assuming there is truly some money to spend in the offseason, there aren’t many players on that top 25 list that I wouldn’t mind seeing in a Braves uni. Lots of starting pitching options, and a few position players I’d love to have (Weiters, Zobrist in LF, Gordon, and the holy grail of Jupton/Heyward/Cespedes). I would, however, like to see the Braves be consistent with organizational philosophy and not pay top-of-market for a reliever.
Recapped.