If any of you have been keeping up with the current Braves series against the Diamondbacks, you might also be wondering who these guys are? And when I see these guys, I’m referring to the Braves of course. The team that has taken the field the last three nights is much closer to the team we all expected to watch play all season coming out of spring training, than the team we have been left to watch.
So I’m happy.
Today, we have the opportunity of sweeping the D-backs and maybe moving within around 8 games out of first place in the NL East. With 45 games on the season, I’ll seize a window of optimism and say the pennant is still possible, but I’m not going to hold my breath.
Filed under: Game Discussions | Tags: All Star Break, Charlie Morton, Charlies Angels, Francoeur, Gonzo, Kotsay, Mark Teixeira
I can see it now, next time Charlie Morton pitches, three girls dressed in tight leather holding a sign emblazoned “Charlies Angels”. I’m just waiting, but when it happens just know they probably got the idea from my blog : ) hah.
I know this is going to draw fire for my fanship, but; the guy is doing well so this blog entry is justified. So far the guy is fairly consistent giving up five hits in each of his first two starts, and three earned runs. I don’t like the three runs each outing, nor do I especially like he only went five innings yesterday. However, all of that said, the loss yesterday was not attributed to Morton, it was given to the entire team. Francoeur fumbles a key play in the outfield, while batting a lowly .252. Meanwhile relief pitchers allowed those runners in the first place, to surrender to Braves to just one more one-run loss.
I know I am not the only Braves fan stuck in disdain. Right now it’s hard to get excited about even the home wins, when you know that a trek away is just around the corner. It’s hard to grow enthusiastic when you see Chipper’s average finally fall below .400. It’s almost as if you’re watching a sinking ship, Cpt. Bobby remaining stoic at the bridge.
While yes, the home stand can help repair damage done in the past three series, it can’t repair an entire first half of a season of away games. Perhaps what this team needs more than anything is a couple of days off to re-evaluate that yes the season is long, but you can’t think everything will fall into place in the final weeks before playoffs.
The day Morton goes seven innings, Francoeur goes 4-4 , Teixeira does good cleanup, Kotsay finds good health and Gonzo is back in the closer position strong, then that will be an interesting game to watch.
The Braves better reward me today, I’m cursing and the game hasn’t started. Don’t you hate when a large group of family comes over and you’re the only one that wants to watch the game. Gah how did I end up with these people? So I’m banished in my room when I could be watching it in HD on the flat screen, ick.
On the bright side, Campillo is 2-0 compared to Eaton’s 2-3, and has only two less strikeouts than Eaton. Meanwhile Eaton has over 25 walks and Campillo has only 6. Nice ratios….
Filed under: Game Discussions, Random Aspects | Tags: 400th homer, Chipper Jones, Southern emphasis
No picture shows the personality of Chipper Jones better. Chipper fired his 400th homerun over the wall at Turner Field in tonight’s 7-5 win over the Marlins. I don’t know what I love more, the classic Chipper post-game interviews where he’s clad in a shirt with the sleeves cut-off and a camoflauge hat, or that some of the best players in the Braves history have been named Hank, Dale, Eddie and Larry. Maybe the southern emphasis is a reason they’re so popular.
Anyway, nice way to pick up the low day yesterday Chipper, you’re one of the reasons fans can stay tuned day after day.
Filed under: Game Discussions, On the Road | Tags: Campillo, Francoeur, Johnson, Teixeira, Wives
Okay, maybe a harsh header.
Winning the game against the Milwaukee Brewers today 8-1, the Braves saw excellent clutch hitting come from Mark Teixeira, Jorge Campillo, and Kelly Johnson. 4 can be accredited to Teixeira, two to Campillo and two to Johnson. Not to mention Chipper went 2-4, keeping his average at .420.
Tonight the Braves travel to Cincy, where the Reds are 25-28, and were swept the last time they met up with Braves, albeit it was in Atlanta.
I wonder how all of the Braves’ wives are doing on this trip. In a radio show with Berts Show earlier last week Jeff Francoeur said his wife didn’t go to as many games now that they were actually married, so leaves me wondering if the wives are shopping during games or in the stands…I know where I would be hah.
Filed under: Game Discussions, On the Road | Tags: Jo-Jo, Struggles away from home
Sadly, I am so apathetic about Braves losses away from home at this point. One after another, I’m feeling myself reaching a point of almost desensitization (is that even a word, probably not). I hate that during the pre-game show while we’re rounding out all of the points of why it’s going to be a good contest, who to watch, in the back of my mind I’m already preparing for a loss. Call me a bad fan, but at least I’m still watching and still blogging. I mean I could just skip traveling sessions completely, but I don’t.
Anyway, props to pitching today, yes even to Jo-Jo. I really don’t know what to say except that the Braves should have executed better. Like last night we left too many men on base, eight to be exact, and in a low scoring game of 1-0, eight opportunities are too many passed ones. At least now Soriano is healthy and pitching, and maybe a Kotsay return could help infuse the dragging team again. I just don’t know what I’ll do if we get swept though, by the Brewers at that.
By the way for those of strong stomach, we’re now 6-18 on the road, read it and weep.
Filed under: Game Discussions | Tags: Francoeur, Mark Teixeira, Mark Teixeira Tribute Song, McCann
8-3, isn’t bad for the longest home stretch of the season.
Mark Teixera was the main story for the Atlanta Braves today, driving in 4 runs off of a double and a single. It is extremely good to see him rebounding after going 0-11 entering today’s game in the series. The only sad portion of today was that it was the last day of the homestand. Now the crucial question mark is, will this be the trip that the Braves will carry over the momentum and offense?
I noticed a few intimate moments between Francoeur and McCann in the dugout today, something I’ve been noticing more thanks to Lauren’s blog , hah.
Anyway, watching the game, I kept finding myself humming this song. Thought I’d share.
Who knew Teixeira was a vegan? Dear Jesus I could never never ever do it.
Filed under: Game Discussions | Tags: Andruw, Atlanta Braves, Chipper, Francoeur, Glavine, Kotsay, Teixeira
I rode three hours to Atlanta, spent roughly $20 on cold drinks to not die of a heat stroke, cheered through the sweat and pain, and all I’m left with is a nice farmers tan and residual disappointment.
The Braves had a rough outing against the Arizona Diamondbacks today, with bad offense and defense. Glavine surrendered a homer to the first batter of the day, and a grand slam later. Relief pitching allowed an additional three runs to seal the Braves fate, and the umpires weren’t looking favorably across the plate. Whether Glavine was having serious control issues today or the umpire was creating black hole strike zones is unbeknownst to myself, who was seated in the right field section, I do know taunters and hecklers were live and firing early in the second inning….against our own team.
Offense wasn’t much better with Teixeira and Kotsay both going 0-3, and 0-4 respectfully, and all other starters only garnering a single hit each. Leaving 13 men on base, the Braves are only lucky that clutch pitching turned out decent as the Diamondbacks left 20 on base.
The day was hot. Extremely hot. Yet these players must be used to the heat, they’re playing in Atlanta for goodness sake. So I was really disappointed to see Francoeur let a few hits drop in that I think could have been caught if he was giving it 100 percent. I suppose that’s easy to say sitting a few rows behind him though looking on . . . I’m just saying if they were to center last year Andruw would have been all over it . . . but we all know how much “what ifs” are worth.
Anyway, disappointing trip to Atlanta, but as always: stuck to the plastic seats from my sweat, eyes burning from the sun and focus, annoying kids and moms squeezing past every ten minutes and even with 9-3 final score there is absolutely no where else in the world I would have rather been (except maybe sitting next to Chipper in the dugout).
Filed under: Game Discussions | Tags: Add new tag, Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Brandon Webb, Chipper Jones, Chris Young
Appropriate slogan for myself, or the Braves I suppose. WIth the sweep this week the Braves, and their fans can once again begin confidently looking at the no. 1 position in the NL East Division. There is a giant on the horizon however that could easily undo all of the hard work of the week; the Arizona Diamondbacks and their their golden child Brandon Webb.
Arizona is well over .500 currently with 28 wins and 19 losses, the team owes much of their offensive success to Chris Young, who leads the team with 37 runs and 9 homeruns, and Orlando Hudson who has the leading batting average of .303. (Kind of pale against Chipper’s .412 though isn’t it?)
The Braves meanwhile are still juggling starting pitchers, handing the start on Saturday to Jorge Campillo again, who will face D-Back Randy Johnson. Campillo has two career wins, and hopefully will retain much of the sharp pitching he showed this past week against the Mets. Meanwhile, the first pitching match is not the one I have my eye on. Saturday and Sunday will be duely monumental to the series, but the true challenge for the Braves will be, of course, saved for last in Brandon Webb.
Webb just garnered his first loss of the season this past week against the Marlins bringing his record to a pitiful….9-1. He leads the team (obviously) in wins, and also with a 2.69 era. (Quite close to our own Jair Jurrjens 2.64, Jurrjens issue is he has pitched exactly 10 less innings than Webb, and has only five wins.) In addition Webb’s WHIP stands at a low .98. Don’t be looking for many walks Braves, he’s only surrendered 17, but liberally handed on 56 strike outs.
But you say, they were just swept….and by the Marlins. That my friends is what makes it ever more important that the Braves draw blood quickly and prey on the sloping confidence and morale of the team. Wins this wekend could pull the Braves even, or even over the Division-leading Marlins who are only 1.5 games ahead of the Bravos.
I rarely get as riled and over-excited about games against the Diamondbacks, but I believe this will shape up to be a fairly interesting Memorial Day weekend (Plus I scored some pretty good seats at the Sunday game 
).
