The Braves, like their baserunners, cannot get home fast enough, as they left 9 men on base and fall to 3 – 7 on the road trip.
R.A. Dickey had the knuckleball working to the tune of 8 strikeouts, 4 wild pitches, 2 passed balls, and 1 unearned run in 7 innings, but Vince Velasquez threw 7 scoreless innings for the Phils.  The Braves played for 1 run in the 8th and got it, on a Danny Santana single, a wild pitch, a sacrifice bunt by Ender Inciarte, and a run scoring fielder’s choice that probably could have been scored an error.  Rex Brothers cleaned up a mess in the 8th, but a leadoff double off him in the 9th by Andrew Knapp led to Akeel Morris loading the bases with nobody out, from where Freddy Galvis walked the Braves off with a line drive single.
Interestingly, Jim Johnson came on with a tied score in the 8th, and Brian Snitker confirmed after the game that Johnson is no longer the primary closer.  http://www.ajc.com/sports/baseball/braves-snitker-says-johnson-longer-primary-closer/RFjGpuN0wazeaqWQDWnh5J/  I’m sure the Braves would have liked to have gotten Johnson a couple more saves so that they would not be selling at the bottom, but it appears that now they will try to build up Arodys Vizcaino‘s value instead.
The Braves will try to salvage a game from the 4 game set on Monday at 12:35.
The 2nd funniest thing I ever heard about Philadelphia:  The Phillies are still just 38 – 64.
I don’t want to burn it down. I do trust the process. I’m tired of bad baseball. Give me a reason to believe.
Seen a man standin’ over a dead dog lyin’ by the highway in a ditch
He’s lookin’ down kinda puzzled pokin’ that dog with a stick
Got his car door flung open he’s standin’ out on Highway 31
Like if he stood there long enough that dog’d get up and run
Struck me kinda funny seem kinda funny sir to me
Still at the end of every hard day people find some reason to believe
1 — Any guys we trade wouldn’t have been core players anyway next season so there’s nothing to worry about.
I have to admit that I’m a huge RA Dickey fan. I’m happy when he’s successful and wouldn’t mind if he comes back next year. I think Dickey has good character, but more than anything else, after having Neikro for so long, it just seems like he belongs in a Braves uniform. Forgive my nostalgia, but go RA!
from previous thread…
I’d like to say something about Kurt Suzuki’s play in the game today. Not in hero mode knocking back to back homers. But scrabbling in the dirt for three and a half hours of a razor tight ballgame trying first to contain the Dickey knuckler which was in inspired, fractious form for all of 7 innings – then JJ looking almost ghostlike trying to pitch out the 8th and throwing the ball up, down,left,right, allover. Followed by Brothers throwing everything hard into the dirt followed by the coup de grace of Akeel without his usual control, the game withering away.
There were a ton of wild pitches and, ostensibly and more personally, passed balls. I don’t care how many of each the scorer ascribed or which was called which – each demanded acrobatic defense, maximum physical exertion. And those were the multitude that didn’t get away. I couldn’t take my eyes off him, what he was putting out for the team in all nine innings. I want to thank him.
@4
Td..You have nothing to be forgiven for…you have perception. Go RA.
@1
coop…nil desperandum…without you, all is lost! But we know there will always be you here.
‘There’s a breathless hush in the Close to-night—
Ten to make and the match to win—
A bumping pitch and a blinding light,
An hour to play and the last man in.
And it’s not for the sake of a ribboned coat,’
Or the selfish hope of a season’s fame,
But his captain’s hand on his shoulder smote
‘Play up! play up! and play the game! ‘
This season has always been about creating the appearance of competing while still rebuilding. Judging by the vibe on here, I don’t know how anyone could call this season anything but a success by those standards. Seems to me like the illusion worked all too well…
By all means, get upset over how competitive we would’ve been this year if we hadn’t traded Wood, Kimbrel, and Andrelton — and in the case of Wood in particular, what that says about our braintrust’s ability to evaluate their own talent. All they had to do was get him to raise his arm slot back up and not keep him in the game that long.
Likewise, feel free to fret over the team pushing some of these prospects rather quickly. But the team’s record looks to me like exactly what they were aiming for, and things are more or less proceeding according to plan.
We have a few really good prospects. They seem healthy, they’re probably improving, and if they stay on this trajectory, our window will open up. Can’t ask for much more right now.
I’ll just get it out of the way and say: unless we’re the beneficiary of a lopsided trade, we’ll probably compete a little longer into 2018 than we did this year — and still fall short of the wildcard then too. And you know what, oftentimes teams that are actually committed to making the playoffs find themselves out of the running in August too. That’s baseball.
@7
Very well said.
@13, previous thread.
Please, please someone release me from comedic purgatory!! Didn’t anyone get the fantastic joke, and the reference contained, about going to the movies in Danville, previous thread #13 ??
I can’t believe such beauty fell on stony ground. Even if you didn’t think it was funny but you understood it I would be consoled!
Galviston oh Galviston
i see your arm still throwing
and your bat, it’s always glowing
Yes, you’ll be four and none, when we leave Galviston.
@1 Only in favor of burning it down at the MLB level. Except the notable exceptions. I suspect that will all happen naturally, anyway. I found myself watching Gwinnett on the ol’ iPad more this weekend, anyway.
Still, I am tired. Tired of waiting to make a decision that should have been obvious weeks ago (demotion of Johnson) — I’m not sure what pitcher the powers that be were watching, but I watched one who left too many fastballs dead square in the middle of the strike zone. Tired of the organization trying to sell us a 40-something fertilizer burger of a starting pitcher for three months but telling me it’s cute and tasty because of LIKABILITY! and MARKETING! and IT’S FUNNY BECAUSE HIS BATTING HELMET IS TOO SMALL! (I’m all for having fun, but don’t sell me a rival’s geriatric hand-me-downs.) Tired of luddite Joe, his know-nothing sidekick and their ignorant schtick.
We will be in need of a massive PR boost when we return home Monday evening after this awful road trip and the Dodgers waiting.
Albies, Acuna, Soroca on site – all wrapped up in red ribbon. Plus one or two young relief arms.
What on earth do we have to lose? If we do nothing dramatic we stand to lose a great deal. Fill up the DL.
11 — You’re one of the hardest people here on Dansby. One of the primary concerns about his struggles at the major league level is that he completely skipped Triple A even though his numbers at Double A were just decent, but not great — AND that he hadn’t even played that many minor league games at any level.
Seeing how that transpired this year, don’t you think it may be wise to be patient and let the guys you listed marinate a bit more?
I understand that they are special talents but I want to maximize their potential in the future, don’t you? Especially since this team has now played its way completely out of contention, there’s no need to rush them up this season.
I would like to add that RA Dickey really has turned into a pleasant surprise this season. I think the team should exercise his option so that Allard and Soroka can have time at Gwinnett.
Lucas Sims will be in line on normal rest to start August 1 if the Braves don’t trade for a starter.
Whilst not happy about losing, we should not really have expected to be competitive this season. Until the ASB, this team has over-achieved. A 3-7 stretch sucks but should hardly be the reason to blow everything up and question Coppy & Co. I still believe in the strategy and that the Braves will be better/competitive in 2018. We need a front line SP though. And that will cost prospects. Which is why they have been hoarded like that. Get it done, Coppy.
PS. Free Sims
Everyone, I have a ticket to give away for Friday Aug 25th against the Rockies. Sec 13, Row 4, Seat 16. My flight is arriving too late so I won’t be able to make it to the game that day.
E-Mail me at timo.regier at gmail dot com if interested.
@12
Not really, the only thing i have been ‘hard’ about was getting him back down to rebuild his confidence, he looked so out of it on the bench.
I do confess to a romantic streak when it comes to our young kids on the way up.I’m looking for the Acunas of this world who respond positively to playing at each higher level. They may be hard to spot but they do exist. To this point Swanson is not one. I like him as a person, his attitudes but you have to worry about his future when someone who is now being called a journey man flash in the pan so clearly outperforms him on the field. Fingers crossed for when he does come back up. The Acunas of this world, rare as they are, i want up now. The Organization as a whole is in dire need of a lift.
Really interesting how great a player Adrian Beltre is and how funny his personality is and yet he never has reached the popularity you would think. I mean, there was a whole national marketing campaign around a relief pitcher’s beard, for crying out loud.
I want trades, and I want them now. I will accept nothing less… than trades. Plural. Now.
Who are we supposed to trade? Freeman? Folty? There’s no more trades to be had. If we give up young guys for Sonny Gray I’m going to lose it.
Sounds like we’re out on Gray.
I still wouldn’t mind getting something for Suzuki since he’s playing out of his shoes and he’s a FA at the end of the year. But we also traded our 3rd catcher for nothing, so that probably won’t happen.
JJ’s been bad recently, obviously, but it’s hard to see what relievers are going for and not think you could get something for him as a middle reliever/setup man. But, like I’ve said before, the one thing we do have is money, and JJ isn’t costing much even as a setup man. It’s unrealistic to think we’re not going to pay anyone in the pen. Vizzy, Ramirez, Motte, Freeman, Hursh, etc. cost almost nothing.
JJ, Suzuki, Phillips, and Markakis should all be moved. Even if its just for a relief prospect.
@20
I’m sure the return on someone like Suzuki or Brandon Phillips will probably be… not large. And, you could say that about the Jaime Garcia deal; Ynoa doesn’t sound like much, “a lower minors lotto ticket”.
As someone here (Rob?) said over the weekend, the sheer quantity of Braves prospects means we’ll soon have to worry losing some of them in the Rule 5 draft. So, I say go ahead now: trade Kurt and Brandon for very young, but intriguing long shots–guys in their 1st or 2nd year of pro ball. This is where we’ll have to trust our scouts, who, we are told, are very good at this sort of thing.
Then, plug in Albies at 2nd, and somebody (maybe Sivicque? maybe Odom?) to alternate with Flowers. And do it now; get “the process” moving some more.
Forgot about Phillips. Yeah, definitely move him. And you could argue that Markakis, Dickey, and JJ’s markets will open up in August with the non-waiver deadline passing, but Phillips won’t pass through.
Question on Phillips:
I know the Braves are only on the hook for $1 Million of his salary but wouldn’t a claiming team be on the hook for the full contract as the Reds sent $ to the Braves in the deal? Braves could pocket Reds $, wouldn’t have to send along to claiming team correct?
Wouldn’t it be nice to score a few runs today? And trade all players over the age of 28?
Is the Phillies line-up this horrendous every day? How have they not lost a hundred already?
Too many running errors.
Camargo has been very overmatched this series.
@25
The Reds are on the hook for the whole contract, minus $1 million.
Given that Brandon Phillips is a roughly league-average player with Veteran Presents whose pay (to an acquiring team) is a rounding error away from $0, whom the Braves could replace without much downgrade at a point in the season where the team is no longer competitive – it follows that 1) BP should be worth at least something in the trade market, and 2) there’s no good reason for the Braves to hold onto him this year.
As things stand, the Braves can play out the string on 2017 quite easily without BP’s help. I have to wonder if the Braves are keeping him in the hopes that he’ll help sell tickets, or if BP perhaps had a handshake deal with the Braves when he came from the Reds that they wouldn’t trade him.
I realize we have quite a few old players that we’d like to trade away, but I don’t understand why anyone would want to acquire them – even if they were free.
I love baseball. I wish Atlanta had a team this year.
Guys I really think we’re about to go on a run for that wild card spot! These veterans are really showing ALL the young guys how to play everyday!
might as well get rid of replay if they aren’t going to overturn an easy call. Well at least its not like the braves have a chance of winning today.
Screw the umps making the calls in NY
I thought that was reasonable to not overturn. I didn’t see clear and convincing evidence that they were wrong there. It was pretty much a tie, and a tie no longer goes to the runner. It goes to the call on the field.
Freddie Freeman: good field, no hit.
I made a screengrab of the slow motion that had the foot hitting the bag and the ball was not in the glove yet (it was not a matter of the ball hitting the pocket of the glove), so it wasn’t that close IMO.
Whatevs, I guess the slomo reviewer for the braves must have seen it from my angle as well.
I have little doubt that inciarte would’ve just made an out, so it really wasn’t a critical play (I’m just looking for something to entertain myself with while the barves play terribly once more).
Chip is a tool.
Sonny Grey will be traded somewhere in the next hour and a half, and if the Yankees waver in paying the price he’s worth, I’m sure Billy Beane knows how to find Coppolella. The Braves have touchable prospects that are better than some teams’ untouchables.
Please God, not Ozzie Albies or Ronald Acuna.
Don’t even joke about that, Alex R.
No sense in wasting two years of control of Grey while the team is still not in position to contend.
oh god, now freddies shoulder is messed up?
it would explain his suckage the last couple of weeks….get the man on the DL NOW please!
I really hope we trade for Sonny Gray in the next hour and change. First, I think it would be the right thing to do (depending on who we send their way, but I’d be willing to send a whole lot more than most people). Second, the collective freakout on here would be epic in scope and would provide a solid evening’s entertainment.
After a triple and a double it’s easy to do, but I like Santana.
We got ourselves a ballgame.
Not that I’m not happy it finally occurred, but one hit with runners in scoring position would’ve won one of the last two games, and it doesn’t come then. No, it comes when we’re down by three runs.
we suck … Freeman slumping , Carmargo is waking back up and being soso .. Adams has stopped hitting , Kemp hurt .. subs suck .. lets see what else .. pitching is not real bad from starters but not getting any run support .. i think the guys have given up and going thru the motions .. DONT GIVE UP ACUNA or ALBIES FOR SONNY GRAY .. we need hitters we have pitching coming up … I would be OK with a young pitcher but and any other top 10 player besides those 2 .. not one of our top 6 guys in the minor leagues.
Even with Grey, what would the rotation be?
Grey
Folty
Dickey
Gohara?
Newcomb?
Teheran?
maybe Newcomb goes in the trade, Teheran maybe? or is he traded in the off season at close to no value?
Not considering blair or wisler, for obvious reasons…
Ehhh…lots of ??? in that rotation
Ask not for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for our Hotlanta Braves.
Gray is gone to the yanks, so that ends that
Freddie needs to learn how to short arm the ball.
Johan can.
I’m not sure of the genesis of Freddie’s shoulder problems (something could’ve happened that I missed), but it could very well have something to do with the fact that he’s not used to throwing as much as he currently is.
Hit and field, Johan can.
In addition to playing like crap, we’ve also just had no luck at all. That ball is a couple inches farther left, we tie the game. Instead, it bounced off the stands directly to the right fielder.
meh, I didn’t want to tie just for another philly walk off, anyway ;p
just good enough to lose :/
Getting swept by the Phils in a 4 game series is pretty impressive. Until Coppy can build a 25 man roster this team has no shot at a playoff.
Sims tomorrow night against LAD.
@58
Even though that is what I wanted (assuming we weren’t going to trade for a pitcher), I still do not look forward to constantly being told, “Who said anything about getting swept by the Phillies? I didn’t hear anything about that. Look at that shiny thing over there!” for the next 24 hours. But oh well…I’ll just slide back into the half-caring stupor I was in last year, I suppose.
I’m not gonna whine too much about a team that I predicted would totally suck. They are meeting expectations.
We’re getting a new youthful roster addition. The more that happens, the more it starts to look like a rebuild.
Hey, remember when we were going to use that money for something else!
The return for Sonny Gray seems less than stellar. We could have beat that had we wanted to. I guess we didn’t want to.
kneecapped. Oh wait, it’s “recapped.” Seems more like the former.
Sonny Gray doesn’t get this team to the playoffs. Why get in a bidding war for his services?
I didn’t want Sonny Gray.
But I get tired of the FO apologists on here. I’ll just say it, they’re (the FO) inept. They remind me of much of America today. They are great talkers but they’re not great doers. They basically talk a good game with the sound and fury signifying nothing.