Cable TV didn’t come to our part of the country until 1983, and although air conditioning had long existed, it wasn’t anything my folks could be bothered with until long after my brother and I moved out. But summer evenings can be pleasant in the WNC mountains, and we spent many an evening sitting out back waiting for the first star to come out and to see the evening’s first lightning bug. And after dark, we could pick up the Braves on WSB radio, where you might hear something like:
Ernie: Skip, Harper was supposed to return from his groin injury tonight, but it looks like it might be another day or two.
Skip: Well, you know sometimes a groin has a mind of its own.
I’ve long since had both cable and air conditioning, but sometimes I still like to go sit out back and turn on Braves radio.
Anyway, the Braves won another series. Ho, hum.
The first star came out in the top of the 4th, when Ronald Acuna Jr. broke up Taj Bradley‘s perfect game. Ronald lined a 97 mph fastball on the outside edge of the plate between 2nd base and shortstop, and turned it into a hustle double. Matt Olson drove in Acuna for the Braves first run after an Ozzie Albies walk, and Sean Murphy brought the lightning with his 17th homer of the season to make it 4 – 0.
Spencer Strider did Strider things, striking out 11 in 6 1/3 innings, allowing 4 hits and 0 runs. The Rays were gifted with their run in the 8th when Orlando Arcia broke to cover 2nd on a chopper fielded by Austin Riley, and Wander Franco never stopped running from first. Arcia could not beat Franco to the 3rd base bag, and Olson’s throw to the empty base allowed Franco to score. Ben Heller watched all this unfold from the mound.
However, Franco gave the run back in the top of the 9th when he threw past Brandon Lowe at 2nd on a chopper by Michael Harris II, allowing Arcia to come all the way around. Ronald singled in Harris to conclude the scoring.
A.J. Minter departed the game with left pectoral tightness after striking out the first batter in the eighth. Minter says he’s not concerned about it, per our KirkH.
Max Fried Back on the Hill!
per a report, Fried was really working on his secondary pitches, but ran a few fastballs up to 96 MPH. Rumor has it that AA and his crew will give Fried about a month before activating him.
Sunday Game Thread
The Braves look to put the cherry on their 11th straight series victory by completing the sweep on Sunday; Bryce Elder and Zach Eflin scheduled at 1:40.
In 2 games against the Rays, the Braves have allowed one earned run to the team with the 2nd best record in the majors, albeit a team now in the midst of a 7 game losing streak. A victory on Sunday would allow the Braves to go into the All-Star break with a 6 game lead on MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL(!).
Final thought: with 8 All-Stars headed to Seattle, if the National League loses this year should it count as a series loss for the Braves?
KCR just DFA’d Amir Garrett. Would be a great MiLB contract addition.
Fixing people who’ve failed in KC has become an MLB tradition, and I’m okay to get in on it.
Hilarious!
Garrett did some good work in Cincinnati not long ago, and he was a very high-profile prospect once upon a time. I’d be very happy to see if we could catch some lightning in a bottle. We could certainly use another live arm.
Yes, Rusty, as an apparently deleted comment said, you are indeed doing well at your job. Your evocation of listening to the Braves on WSB on summer evenings put me right back there.
I spent summers listening to the Braves on CBS Radio in Alabama back in the 70s. I grew up with some pretty bad Braves teams and so relish every successful moment.
It would be awesome for the Braves to complete the sweep of the Rays today and go 5-1 on this road trip. But, regardless of the outcome of today’s game, this has been an incredible first half. Heading into the season, everyone knew that the Braves’ roster was deep and talented and that they were projected to be successful, but I’m not sure anyone could’ve expected them to be so dominant.
Braves should consider d’Arnaud/Murphy as DH. Ozuna seems to be back in a funk again.
So what’s next? When Fried and Chavez come back who goes? Can Allard be a long lefty in the bullpen? Who are the low men on the totem pole on the pitching staff? I gotta believe they’re gonna stick with Soroka as a starter. Seems like Iglesias, Minter, Anderson are safe. Heller has an option. That leaves Yates, McHugh, Jimenez, Tonkin and one would have to go. If Dylan Lee comes back then another would go (both statements assume Heller is optioned). Before all of Fried, Chavez, and Lee come back, AA will have to make some sort of move.
I’d like to see something like McHugh, Jimenez and prospect on the 40-man (Vines? Munoz?) for Hand and Suter. Ian Anderson can be promoted and moved to the 60-day IL Heller can be optioned. Fried and Lee can be added to the 40-man and Chavez returned from the IL. Then it would come down to what to do when Suter comes off the IL. Suter is expendable in the offseason as Matzek should be back.
Would the Rockies go for it? It’s a fair proposal.
If Ian gets promoted, Braves would lose a year of control.
When Fried returns, both Soroka and Allard have options I think.
I would think McHugh would be the clear option to phantom IL.
Just thought that we haven’t really had a “Sunday lineup” for a long time.
Oof. That errant throw by Olson is looming large now.
Nothing 10 runs won’t cure.
Elder doesn’t have it today. Get him out of there, no reason to save the bullpen.
Why does every single hit off Braves pitching seem to be on 2-strike pitches????
Nothing 11 runs won’t cure.
I guess there’s a reason the Rays have a .624 winning percentage. They don’t suck.
Recapped: https://bravesjournal.com/2023/07/09/rays-10-braves-4/