So, I settled down to watch the Braves and a Disco Era Uniform Throwback Game broke out.
The game started off well, with Matt AdamsJeff Burroughs launching a second inning shot for a quick 1-0 lead. R.A. DickeyPhil Niekro was dominant through 5. Unfortunately, he pitched into the 6th, when the Big Red Machine woke up and launched three homers off his now non-knuckleball. Joey VottoTony Perez led off with a single, then Adam DuvallGeorge Foster homered. Inspired by the blast, Eugenio SuarezPete Rose and Jesse WinkerDan Dreissen added solo shots to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 4-1 lead.
Cincy starter Sal RomanoDon Gullet went 7 strong innings, limiting Atlanta to just the one run on 5 hits and 2 walks. He was never really threatened, although he was lifted after 102 pitches through 7. In the 8th, Atlanta rallied for 2 runs off Kevin ShackelfordPedro Borbon, with a RBI groundout, and run scoring double by Tyler FlowersBruce Benedict. But Burroughs JUST missed a homer down the right field line, and after walking, Ozzie AlbiesGlenn Hubbard flew out to end the threat.
Thanks for the recap. Disappointing loss. A shame RA fell apart there in the 6th.
Question for the ones who’ve parked at Suntrust Park before. I am driving to Buckhead after the game, which parking should I book? Red is available and nice and close to the ballpark. Or does 31 or 43 make more sense as it seems closer to the Interstate? Thanks for any advice.
I parked in lot 11. It’s close to the left field gate entrance and had quick access to the interstate. I am not sure if that’s going towards or away from buckhead.
It’s a crowded field but this might be my favorite recap of the year.
Loved the recap. Only issue I had was did they even count pitches during the disco era? I bet Neikro had plenty of pitch counts approaching 200.
Dan Dreissen. Now that’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time.
Dan Driessen…one of the first baseball cards I ever pulled out of a pack. He broke into the bigs at 21, looked like an old timer by the time he retired at 35. Jesse Winkler would be lucky to have the career Driessen had. Maybe he will!
Yeah, but how did Cesar Geronimo play?
Albies’ LH at bats make me weep for the future.
I do wonder why they promoted Albies not knowing if he was a switch-hitter or right-handed hitter. Wouldn’t they want to have that solidified by now?
To answer my own question, I think the reasons would be: he’s still young so why make the decision now, he’s still pretty good hitting LH, and at the end of the day, he’s just another player who has platoon splits. But it is still weird for a team to call up a hitter whose switch-handedness is still under review.
He’s obviously a natural righty. Seeing that swing for a week, I’d have told him to give it up. A week should be long enough to judge a player’s strengths and weaknesses…lol.
In all seriousness, if he’s going to hit from that side more often than not, he’s not going to be a very useful piece for us.
I agree with krussell in this regard: If you’re a natural righty and come in as a switch-hitter with severe platoon splits in favor of righthandedness, just giving it up and going right-handed seems like the obviously correct thing to do. I mean, what’s the point?
Someone like Chipper Jones can stay a switch-hitter, as he developed a left-handed power stroke to go with his natural right-handed swing. A natural lefty can keep tinkering around with switch-hitting from the right side for awhile, as he’s not gonna see that many right-handed at-bats, anyway. But it’s stupid to give away 75 to 80 percent of your at-bats just so that you can remain a switch-hitter.
I’m sure it works when these type of guys are in lower leagues, but why continue banging your head against a wall in the majors? When you start asking yourself how much worse they can possibly be in a righty-righty matchup, it’s probably time to just give it up.
@12
You should see Chipper’s RHH splits his first few years, and you’ll probably think differently. Sadly, Chipper would be an example of letting Ozzie stick with it.
Kemp activated. Micah Johnson optioned.
Matt Wisler recalled. Luke Jackson DL’ed for eating too many boogers.
@13
Not from what I’m looking at.
1995: RH (natural side) – 811 OPS; LH (non-natural) – 800
1996: RH (natural) – 811 OPS; LH (non-natural) – 968(!)
1997: RH (natural) – 666 OPS(!); LH (non-natural) – 940
I wouldn’t be surprised if he had some troubles in the minors with his left-handed swing, but that’s not what we’re talking about here. He was actually better from his adopted side after his first season than his natural side, and I don’t think I’d suggest having a switch-hitter completely abandon his natural side quite as easily as I would his adopted side.
@13
I can’t edit my previous post, unfortunately, but I now see you were talking about his RHH splits. Awful reading comprehension on my part, but Chipper was a natural righty, as mentioned above, so it’s not the same thing at all, as Ozzie is a natural righty having trouble left-handed.
Ozzie is only 20. Seems like he might need more time.
Either I’m missing something or that call was a total crock of shit.
Seeing the questions about parking got me to thinking – I’m going to next Friday’s game. We are staying at a hotel about 3 miles from the stadium. Anybody use Uber to get in and out? I’m probably one of the few people anywhere, who has still never used Uber (called an Uber? Done an Uber? I’m sure there’s a term), but I was wondering if I should plan to drive to the stadium, or use Uber to get there and back. Appreciate any tips/advice…thanks
Julio usually doesn’t get hit hard in the early innings, but has been awful in the middle innings.
His defense isn’t helping, either.
@18, Uber is a solid bet for you, Jonathan. It’s a free app you’ll want to download to your phone. Register a credit card, it’ll bill everything to that. You summon the car when you’re ready to go and it takes it from there.
Is anyone as amused as I am by the umpire solidarity wristbands over a player daring to suggest that maybe Angel Hernandez should be fired?
@ Nick – I thought the same thing.
@ John R – thanks. I’m familiar with the idea with Uber, just have never used it, and didn’t know if it worked well for people coming to/going from Suntrust. Didn’t know, with the volume of people, how well it works for identifying your driver, and other specifics like that (especially not having done it before).
Have you used it going to/from Suntrust?
@21 – If they had baseball fan solidarity wristbands I would gladly wear one suggesting that CB Bucknor be fired.
@ td – amen
@22, Yes. “Going to” shouldn’t be a problem; they’ll pick you up easy peasy at your hotel and then drop you off anywhere you want near the stadium. You might decide if there’s a traffic crunch as you get close it’ll be faster to walk. Just hop on out. If you arrive well before game time there shouldn’t be an issue, though, with the car just taking you right on up to the stadium entrance.
Leaving the stadium, there’s a dedicated Uber line where the cars stack up waiting for their rides. I guess it helps to know makes and models of cars. The app will tell you that and you can walk the line until you see your car. You’re supposed to identify yourself when you enter the car, and the driver is supposed to as well, that keeps people from grabbing the wrong car. You can also call your driver (and they can call you) for special instructions.
One other thing to keep in mind is surge pricing. If everyone is using uber leaving the game at the same time, it might be pricy.
Touki tonight: 7 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 9 K, 0 R.
Also at MS: Meneses, 4 for 4; Alex Jackson 2 for 4; Austin Riley has his BA up to .286.
In Florida, Matt Withrow has a nice little start. He’s quietly putting together some decent numbers on the year.
Gwinnett: Ron Acuna, 2 for 4. Remember, his nickname is “The Answer to Everything.” Except on the mound, where tonight Luiz Gohara pitched 4 innings, 1 H, 2 BB, 5 K, 0 R.
Rome: Drew Lugbauer, 2 for 4 with a homer.
Wow this team bad .. they have thrown in towel on season .. I’m voting Eddie Perez for Mgr .. we need a change .. can we buy some of these Reds hitters ..
Jim Johnson gives up a grand slam and no one here cares, as it should be.
We’re watching…but what can you say? The uniforms are very apropos.
2 of our 3 top position players can’t hit Swanson and Ozzie .. our scouting director needs fired ..
@29
I didn’t mean it in a bad way. I just thought it was funny.
Kemp is in the tank .. throw him a slider on outside of plate .. equals week ground ball to ss or 2b .. lol .. guess we will have Kemp / Markakis platoon in LF next year with Inciarte and Acuna in CF and RF..
I think Kemp beats out that grounder if the Reds 3B doesn’t make that play. Oh well.
recapped…goodnight sweet Princes