Ben Franklin once said, “It’s not solo home runs that kill you, but late inning lead-off walks.” And last night showed the truth of that statement.
As an aside, before getting to the gory details, I was wondering who each of the Founding Fathers would be if they had a modern baseball equivalent. Franklin, to me, ahead of his time and scientifically inclined would be Earl Weaver, who’s ‘pitching, defense, and three run homers’ philosophy was sabremetric’s intellectual predecessor by two decades. George Washington, a general who’s strength lay in the ability to hold his clubhouse army together despite an occasional questionable battlefield decision has to be Bobby Cox. James Madison would be a steady, underrated Hall of Fame talent like Eddie Murray while Alexander Hamilton would be another great talent who’s career was cut short by injury, like Herb Score. Thomas Jefferson gave me the most trouble – a once-in-a-lifetime great who wound up on the wrong side of America’s future. Barry Bonds perhaps? John Adams was the successor to Washington, and just couldn’t maintain the success, so he has to be Fredi Gonzalez.
Anyway, back to our regularly scheduled recap.
Last night saw Anibal Sanchez toe the rubber against Jameson Taillon. Sanchez gave up two runs, a second inning RBI single to Elias Diaz, and a sixth inning single to David Freese. He left with two on and one out, but Sam Freeman ‘induced’ a lineout double play to escape further damage.
Meanwhile Taillon was shutting down the Braves bats, as he allowed only four baserunners in the first five innings, two hits by Ender Inciarte, a walk to Dansby Swanson, and hit Johan Camargo with a pitch. He was cruising until Ronald Acuna, Jr hit one out into left to start the sixth. Camargo then led off the seventh with a liner into the Chop House to tie it up leading off the seventh.
In the eighth Brad Brach walked Adam Frazier, who pinch hit for Taillon. That walk came home to roost when Starling Marte hit a tailor made double play grounder that Ozzie Albies booted. After a fly ball moved Frazier to third, Gregory Polanco muscled a high fastball into center for the winning run.
So, the Braves have lost three in a row, and the Phillies have crept to within two games of the lead. But it’s September 1st, and there’s only 28 games left to play. It’s not time to panic yet, and as the gNatspos have run up the white flag by trading Gio Gonzalez and Ryan Madson, it is looking more and more likely that the division will be decided by the seven games left between Atlanta and Philadelphia over the last ten days of the season.
So come on gentlemen – this is the time that try men’s souls. Let’s buckle down during this brief Valley Forge stretch and win through.
Blazon, should the Braves not emerge victorious today, we need you to deploy the Collins.
Hey, the Louisiana Purchase has to be good for at least one WS ring. Not sure why you say Jefferson is on the wrong side of history – seems to me to be one of the greatest. If we have to make him someone controversial – let’s make him Clemens. Give him two rings to go with his controversy.
I’d put Jefferson in with Cobb. He was great, but he had some unpleasant personal qualities.
@1, He’s going to mess it up and post a Billy Collins poem.
Not winning the division looks increasingly like not making the playoffs at all.
It is sounding more and more like Michael Reed will be released. I know he’s beyond prospect status at 25, but batting over 340 with a 450 obp and close to a 1000 OPS seems to be worthy of at least a shot. Maybe Snitker or the FO knows something I don’t, but it’s not unprecedented for guys to figure it out at this age. Adam Duvall has gotten 4 hits in 38 at bats, Michael Reed got 2 hits in 6 at bats. I’m really not getting it.
Phil didn’t even work last time. We may need a new slumpbuster.
@6 I don’t get it either. Reed hasn’t really been given a chance. I can’t imagine any possible reason for adding Lane Adams over Reed, which is what Bowman suggests (Reed is at worst Lane Adams redux only three years younger). Maybe Bowman is just an idiot. I am also mystified as to why the Braves would start Wright’s service time clock when they have Wilson and Touki and Fried already in the fold. We surely need more hitters than pitchers right now.
Can we get a pinch-writer for Bowman?
In 3 days the general mood went from setting playoff rotations to DOOOOM! There is a middle ground.
Gaus to the rescue
The arms are more important than the bats as far as Sept callups go. The guys that are currently really struggling – Freeman, Markakis, Albies – aren’t going to lose playing time to any AAAA fodder bench/bat type of player. We’re talking a couple of pinch-hits per week here. Doesn’t really matter. Maybe Lane Adams can get a clutch pinch-run appearance or two.
A deeper pen and a good 6th starter are very important for us though.
We need the starting 8 to hit.
@11 I can’t fathom that Lane Adams pinch-running is better than Michael Reed pinch-running. Further, if your starters are not hitting better than AAAA fodder, maybe a change is called for even for a short time. Of course, some of the bats traded in the last couple of weeks are somewhat better than AAAA fodder. Daniel Murphy would have helped a lot.
I also think that top prospects, specifically Austin Riley, are not AAAA fodder. Riley needs to be seen and evaluated this year, too, in preparation for the winter and next year.
Rob @ 1…
Memory is brief where i live so please remind me – Collins? Meanwhile in the spirit of a change for the better tonight I have already written some 300 words of the recap and held them in proof to be completed tonight. Raw but loving. Learn the real truth.
Adam @4…you seem to be right but i refuse to look him up, as everything else, on principle.
Adam @5…the obvious, surely.
krussell @7…already taken care of, see above, recap already half written.
Austin Riley
if he also pitched they would think of him more highly
so September call up
pitching only, the rest’s a balls up.
Rusty S @ 9
the middle ground
if only we knew how it could be found
disgraceful errors
leading to a night of tears and screaming terrors.
@14 Riley can pitch – used to be a 2-way player in HS. The question is can he pitch better than Culby?
I was delighted to hear Chuck Tanner being quoted the other day as being ‘vastly impressed’ by Camargo’s arm. He went on to list some of its physical attributes but ended on a lyrical note – he loved to watch it, the beauty of it.
We have one more Brave, in the field, who has something that delights the eye. Ender’s routes. Instantly chosen, planned out, put in motion, arrival at the chosen destination, the perfect timing. Take them never for granted.
a slugger now weak in the eye
said however as hard as i try
i can’t comprehend
the swerving, the bend
it’s Touki, i cannot comply.
Adams, Wilson, Wright, Touki, Rivera, and Reed called up. Surprised to see Wright, but looking forward to it.
Looks like they’ll need two 40-man spots.
Wait, they’ll need one extra spot. So someone gets DFA’ed. McCarthy is already on the 60-day.
Well, looks like the Pirates have traded Freese and Hechavarría.
Viz to 60-day DL.
I would think this next year of arbitration may call for Vizzy to be paid like a real reliever, and I’m not sure the Braves should do that.
As a Gator fan, Will Grier picking apart Tennessee is both entertaining and depressing.
Carle also activated. I guess that means that Wright and others added by not expecting Moylan, Viz, or McCarthy back. I think that’s good to see (except for Viz) as neither McCarthy or Moylan are in the future plans.
I think this also leaves open the possibility that someone like Adams could be DFA’d if they decide to call up Riley. I’m also glad they didn’t DFA Reed. He seems like the better play for a long term bench role.
@17: Didn’t Chuck Tanner die in 2011? Is he reviewing Camargo’s 2011 arm? Was this a celestial interview? If it was, I want to know what Eddie Mathews thinks of Camargo’s arm.
Shrewd move on Viz. Since he was DL’d on 7/14, moving him to the 60-day DL only means he can’t return until 9/13. They bought 12 days of roster space for someone until Viz can possibly be ready. If Viz does come back then the interesting situation will come up about how to find a 40-man slot. The guys on the bubble seem to be McCreery, Parsons, Adams, and Reed.
@27–we now have two references in the last day to the 1988 Braves (ok, indirect reference; Chuck Tanner was the manager of that squad, until he got fired). That was a terrible team and Chuck Tanner was not a good manager. Maybe he’s learned something since his demise, but otherwise I wouldn’t put stock in his opinion
Having said that, Camargo has a truly elite arm.
@27
In that case it must have been Clint Hurdle, a mere detail. My point remains.
One example of Chuck Tanner’s judgment: for the 1986 Braves, Omar Moreno led off for most of the year. He had an OBP of .276. He did steal 17 bases–with 16 caught stealing!
We will win tonight, EJ guarantees it. We used to be known for our musical Saturday, Saturday victories – they are back.
Blazon, you (and Clint Hurdle) are right about Camargo’s arm.
Moreover, you were right last year in your praise of Johan as a hitter. I was skeptical then, but I’ve come around. He is the real deal.
Still, any Chuck Tanner reference–even inadvertent– brings back horrible memories of the late 1980’s
I like Chuck for the role of John Hancock
What a change a year makes. The last few years college football has been the talk of this blog on the first Saturday of September. Not this year.
Appy St almost made this a perfect opening day.
Tagovailoa starts and throws his first touchdown pass of the year. Roll Tide. (Sorry Bulldog fans)
Seems like Jeremy Pruitt has his work cut out for him……
This offense is gotten boring. No steal attempts. No small ball. Just out after out. We can’t even move a leadoff walk to 2nd base!!!
Colin Moran sounds like a character from Sherlock.
@37–pretty tough to steal first
@39 Acuna was on first. They only made one pickoff attempt. They don’t believe the Braves will do anything. Ender didn’t even try to move him over. Acuna didn’t attempt to steal. We need to make something happen.
more errors – ick
and there it goes…. more unearned runs
This combination of slumping offense and giving up unearned runs is getting pretty old
So, is Chris Archer going to no hit them tonight? Just awesome.
2 games – 4 unearned runs (one earned run) given up
Welp, there’s another earned run.
Boston is gonna murder us.
Let’s see if they PH for Gaus and use some of that newfound pitching depth.
Thank God for Acuna.
Freddie is hitting terribly – just awful.
Can we please give Freddie a day off.
@45 BOS has not been doing all that well recently either; you just can’t tell because they’re so far ahead.
I thought AA was all sabr and whatnot. Batting one of your worst OBP guys 2nd for most of the season just baffles me.
We may need the Phillies to play sub .500 this month – which they just might.
Why not PH for Flowers? You got three catchers now. When we make an error they score two runs; when they make an error, we get a strikeout.
Dansby!! We better be able to get a sac fly here….
OK, well, I’ll take a WP.
C’mon Freddie; one good AB.
Let’s here it for Duda finally being one of our PH heroes.
Way to go, Freddie. Finally a crooked number. Whew.
I love this team! They never give up.
Wow that took a turn for the better. Great to see Freeman get a clutch hit.
I hope someone is going to give Real Dansby his props for being one of our hottest hitters among a huge number of slumps.
Big win.
We got one. Whew. Back to a 3 game lead.
Really big win. Another day like today and they’re back to 4. Anything is possible.
I would like to take this opportunity to remind us all that just as last night’s loss (and Phi win) wasn’t Creeping Doom, tonight’s win (and accompanying Phi loss) isn’t the end of the race. It’s nice, yes, but we don’t need to get all worked up over one game – yet anyway.
Let’s take care of business tomorrow, and the day after that and the day after that…and see what shakes out of the trees.
Gotta give Dansby credit. He started the come back tonight pretty much all by himself.
and AA has delivered again…Duda immediately contributed!
recapped…bow down, i told you so.