Gamethread: Astros @ Braves - 5/16/11

[IkeWagner]

Prado made a superb play in the the first to save a run.

In the bottom half, the Braves loaded the bases with one out, only to have both Hinske and AGon strike out. AGon swinging at garbage with RISP, as usual.

[IkeWagner]

Braves leave the bases loaded again in the 2nd. Myers has no fastball (84-86), so he's throwing almost nothing but curveballs.

[Hobbes]

AGon swinging at garbage with RISP, as usual.
Dude always tries way too hard in those situations.

[IkeWagner]

Prado makes another great play, this time on a bunt to retire the speedy Bourne.

[Hobbes]

Prado makes another great play, this time on a bunt to retire the speedy Bourne.
I'm not sure Bourn didn't beat that throw, BTW.

[Garydee]

We're now behind 1-0. We're playing down to the level of our competition as we usually do.

[IkeWagner]

Myers is throwing beach balls up there, and we can't break through.

[Hobbes]

Nice job Mather!

[Hobbes]

Hinske!

[Fuga]

Why pull Hinske?

[alaskabravesfan]

A lucky single for Heyward! (We'll take it.)

[-Dr. Brave-]

Heyward reached on the throwing error, but yeah, we'll definitely take it. More importantly, Heyward hit that ball hard and seems like he feels OK. Hopefully we'll see him start tomorrow.

[alaskabravesfan]

Thx for the correction. I didn't realize they'd scored it an error. I thought that given the weird hop, and the fact that it's a Home batter, it would go as a hit.

Anyway...now it's time for Kimbrel to earn his keep!

[-Dr. Brave-]

His arm's going to fall off.

[-Dr. Brave-]

And Kimbrel actually retires the first guy he faces!

[Hobbes]

Why pull Hinske?
Welcome to ChopNation, Fuga.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Why pull Hinske?

Mather and Heyward are better defensively.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Kimbrel strikes out the side, allowing just the one-out single.

Brave swin!

[Hobbes]

Braves win!!

[Wahoo]

Phils lose to the Cards so with the Brave swin our boys pull within 2.5. I love a good Brave swin.

[Garydee]

I hope we can get a few blowout wins so we can give our top dogs in the bullpen a rest. These close games our killing them. Good win for the team tonight though.

[Freddy_Ballgame]

The offense sucks.

[Dreamscape]

Braves are third in the NL in runs scored. Though, in full disclosure, their 4.19 R/G is good for seventh, but it is also the league average.

Which is pretty damn surprising considering all of the low-scoring affairs. Of course, the NL average is down from 4.33 last year and 4.43 the year before.

So, no, the offense doesn't suck...but considering that only one regular has an OPS over .800, it's fairly impressive to even be sniffing league average in runs scored.

[luvdembravos]

Maybe the offense doesn't suck but it sure isn't meeting expectations either.

Here's hoping Uggla can get going and that Heyward and Chipper can overcome injuries to contribute. Best surprise to me thus far is that McLouth isn't horrible...he's not great either but he deserves to be in the starting line-up.

[quick]

Maybe the offense doesn't suck but it sure isn't meeting expectations either.

Here's hoping Uggla can get going and that Heyward and Chipper can overcome injuries to contribute. Best surprise to me thus far is that McLouth isn't horrible...he's not great either but he deserves to be in the starting line-up.

When I see ALGGU with that closed stance, peering just over the top of his shoulder at the mound, I just feel like he is not seeing the ball well.

He gets fooled by off-speed stuff about as badly as one can be fooled. How many times have we seen him finishing down on one knee? He will lay off harder sliders away, which is a bonus. Plus, he wouldn't go to right field if to do so would save the world. I can see trying to pull the ball on a 2-0, 2-1 or 3-1 count, but at 2-2 or 3-2 he needs to go where the ball is pitched.

Why are big leaguers often so stubborn?

[ntorvik]

Maybe the offense doesn't suck but it sure isn't meeting expectations either.

Here's hoping Uggla can get going and that Heyward and Chipper can overcome injuries to contribute. Best surprise to me thus far is that McLouth isn't horrible...he's not great either but he deserves to be in the starting line-up.
Maybe McLouth can become the stud that he was in Pittsburgh, but chances seems pretty slim. Freddie Freeman has been looking pretty good lately too, not great, but pretty good.

[Lauren T.]

A friend and I did the on-field VIP batting practice experience for this game. (She posted on the old site as "vailfiregirl" - some of the old timers may remember her; she's a season ticket holder.) It was pretty cool to watch BP from the field, but I'm glad our tickets were free -- I don't know that I would have paid for the experience on my very limited income right now. My story and pictures are here (http://bit.ly/bravesastros51611), if you're interested.

[Hobbes]

Cool stuff there Lauren.

And tell vailfiregirl not to be such a stranger around here.