Gamethread: Braves @ Angels, 5/22/11

[IkeWagner]

1-0 Braves in the 3rd.

[IkeWagner]

Braves leave the bases loaded in the 3rd.

[IkeWagner]

Lowe gets the strikeout to escape trouble. Still 1-0 Braves.

[IkeWagner]

Anyone who deliberately throws a strike to Alex Gonzalez is an idiot.

[luvdembravos]

Lowe gives his obligatory HR...Braves down 2-1 in the fourth.

[Garydee]

It would be nice if we could SCORE SOME FREAKIN' RUNS!!!

[Garydee]

During the 7th inning stretch, they are showing a tape of Uggla teaching us how to turn a double play. Thankfully, he isn't giving out any hitting tips.

[HomerTheBrave]

During the 7th inning stretch, they are showing a tape of Uggla teaching us how to turn a double play. Thankfully, he isn't giving out any hitting tips.

Was it a comedy sketch?:rimshot:


Was there special effects involved? CGI? a stunt double? :rimshot:

[luvdembravos]

Isn't it about time for Uggla to reveal that he's playing with an injury. After all, that seems to be the excuse nowadays when someone is totally stinking up the joint ... AND HE STINKS.

[Lauren T.]

During the 7th inning stretch, they are showing a tape of Uggla teaching us how to turn a double play. Thankfully, he isn't giving out any hitting tips.
The best part is, you could barely understand a word he said. This (https://twitter.com/#!/alc0013/status/72415882827137024) was my favorite related tweet...

#lessonswithdan how a grown man can fit into a size 5T jersey.

[Wahoo]

Isn't it about time for Uggla to reveal that he's playing with an injury. After all, that seems to be the excuse nowadays when someone is totally stinking up the joint ... AND HE STINKS.

Maybe the whole damn lineup is injured because our offense is god awful.

[KB 34]

Isn't it about time for Uggla to reveal that he's playing with an injury. After all, that seems to be the excuse nowadays when someone is totally stinking up the joint ... AND HE STINKS.
When a player is sent to the DL after trying for a month to rehab after sucking I tend to side with the player, which has happened a lot with the Braves over the past few years. I don't know if this is the case with Uggla or others but it wouldn't surprise me. I understand the applause for players who productively play through injuries. I'll never like that players are labelled weak if they sit rehabbing an injury or get ripped to shreds for being a bad player if they can't play through the injury productively and keep trying.

[ntorvik]

Isn't it about time for Uggla to reveal that he's playing with an injury. After all, that seems to be the excuse nowadays when someone is totally stinking up the joint ... AND HE STINKS.

ya know, I've never really thought that Uggla was a great player. I always thought he was good with the potential to be awful instead of good with the potential to be great. Even when he played for Florida. Always have to love that All-Star game performance he had a few years ago...how many errors did he have? In an All-Star game? It was at least 2...I don't remember exactly

[quick]

Uggla I believe is suffering from "I got this big contract from a great organization and I am pressing to perform"-itis. First off, he needs to see a sports psychiatrist.

As far as physical issues, Joe Simpson noted he is standing too far from the plate to cover the outer half. He has short arms, too. Indeed, with the way he is approaching the plate now, he will not see anything but fastballs away and sliders/changeups away, unless the pitcher is insane.

Plus, Uggla couldn't go to the opposite field on a bet. He will inside-out his socks before he inside-outs his swing.

So, Alggu needs (1) to move closer to the plate, and (2) on pitcher's counts, to go the other way and settle for a gapper rather than wait to homer on that inside fastball that will never come....

Oh, and how about the 3 pitch strikeout yesterday with the bases loaded? Allgu never swung the bat. Three fastballs, all away, and go sit down. That could be the low point that will cause him to reassess his approach. We can all hope.

[quick]

Maybe the whole damn lineup is injured because our offense is god awful.

I would suggest to you, the way the Braves are hitting now, that this is the lineup we need to get the most we can out of our current players:

1) Prado 2B
2) McLouth (bunter extraordinaire) CF
3) Chip 3B
4) Mac C
5) Mather LF
6) Hey RF
7) Gonzo SS
8) Freeman 1B
9) Pitcher

Prado will get on; McL will bunt him over; Chip or Mac will drive him in. McL shone in the 2 hole and we were scoring runs with him in that spot.

Mather has played his way into this lineup, in my opinion. Play him until he cools off, or maybe he's just in the lineup now, period.

We need to disable Uggla and let him see a sports psychiatrist for his poor head, and then he needs to get his swing back in the Minors on rehab assignment while working on some opposite field hitting skills. Right now he is just a rally killer.

Heyward is a quandry, what with his spotty performance, low average and low OBP. But, I cannot see benching him now. Of course, if he is hurt, then let's put Hinske in RF and move on.

Anyway, that is how I see it, as this lineup will get our highest OBP guys in the lineup except Hinske and Ross (2d and 3d, respectively), but we need Ross to fill in for Mac on Mac's days' off and we need 'Ske to come off the bench. When Ross is in the game, I'd leave him at cleanup in Mac's place. He is really hot (.306/.359/.583). If 'Ske is in the game (.355/.383/.553), let him fill in for Freeman at 1b or maybe HeyWood in RF.

[quick]

I would suggest to you, the way the Braves are hitting now, that this is the lineup we need to get the most we can out of our current players:

1) Prado 2B
2) McLouth (bunter extraordinaire) CF
3) Chip 3B
4) Mac C
5) Mather LF
6) Hey RF
7) Gonzo SS
8) Freeman 1B
9) Pitcher

Prado will get on; McL will bunt him over; Chip or Mac will drive him in. McL shone in the 2 hole and we were scoring runs with him in that spot.

Mather has played his way into this lineup, in my opinion. Play him until he cools off, or maybe he's just in the lineup now, period.

We need to disable Uggla and let him see a sports psychiatrist for his poor head, and then he needs to get his swing back in the Minors on rehab assignment while working on some opposite field hitting skills. Right now he is just a rally killer.

Heyward is a quandry, what with his spotty performance, low average and low OBP. But, I cannot see benching him now. Of course, if he is hurt, then let's put Hinske in RF and move on.

Anyway, that is how I see it, as this lineup will get our highest OBP guys in the lineup except Hinske and Ross (2d and 3d, respectively), but we need Ross to fill in for Mac on Mac's days' off and we need 'Ske to come off the bench. When Ross is in the game, I'd leave him at cleanup in Mac's place. He is really hot (.306/.359/.583). If 'Ske is in the game (.355/.383/.553), let him fill in for Freeman at 1b or maybe HeyWood in RF.


Update--the Braves just disabled Hey, so I would move Hinske into RF. The Braves are bringing up Wilkin Ramirez, who should go to the bench as a late inning base runner or defensive replacement. I am sure he'll get some starts, too.

Apparently, McLouth with his strained calf may be next on the DL. This is really bad news. My new lineup relied on him to move the lead off hitter. Do we dare bring up Schafer? Who moves to CF?

If both Jhey and McL are out, then I go with this lineup:

1) Prado 2B
2) Chip 3B
3) Mac C
4) Hinske RF
5) Mather LF
6) Gonzo SS
7) Freeman 1B
8) Wilkin Ramirez CF
9) Pitcher

Huddy is in some kind of trouble and has been digressing with each start of late--is he next to the DL? Minor will replace him for now.

Jeez--this injury bug needs to go away. We are not deep anywhere but with pitching.

[-Dr. Brave-]

The Braves are bringing up Wilkin Ramirez, who should go to the bench as a late inning base runner or defensive replacement.

Ramirez wouldn't be much of a "defensive replacement".

BTW, McLouth's injury is to his oblique. McLouth has been put on the DL and replaced by Jordan Schafer.

[Wahoo]

Getting a little frustrated with the Heyward situation. Is he hurt or just sucking? If he us hurt how bad is it? Is this what he going to be for his career? A talented hitter that can't stay on the field? I gotta admit the doubts are starting to creep in as whether his production will ever meet the hype.

[Freddy_Ballgame]

Maybe the whole damn lineup is injured because our offense is god awful.

I suggested something similar awhile back, if you recall. I don't see them creating much even if McLouth and Jason were healthy. Last I looked, Chipper was leading the team in slugging. Not a huge accomplishment, but hit him 4th. McCann is a great hitting catcher, not neccesarily a great hitter Hit him 5th. I'd keep Prado first, then either Mather or Hinske. Who ever is hot like those two would flip-flop 2nd and 3rd, depending on pitching matchups. 6th is Freeman, 7th is Schaefer and 8th is Gonz. I'm going with hot guys until they cool instead of deadwood like Alggu.
I believe this is where we thin out some pitching depth and try to get some legit bats. Honestly, how many of you figured Diaz would look good in the lineup this year?

[Lauren T.]

Getting a little frustrated with the Heyward situation. Is he hurt or just sucking? If he us hurt how bad is it? Is this what he going to be for his career? A talented hitter that can't stay on the field? I gotta admit the doubts are starting to creep in as whether his production will ever meet the hype.
The media is telling us he's seen a lot of doctors, had MRIs, and had numbness in his arm and hand. He has "inflammation" in his shoulder. I wouldn't call that "just sucking", but this is coming from someone who had a 4-month-long headache that doctors still don't know where it came from. I guess I have a little more sympathy. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

[Wahoo]

The media is telling us he's seen a lot of doctors, had MRIs, and had numbness in his arm and hand. He has "inflammation" in his shoulder. I wouldn't call that "just sucking", but this is coming from someone who had a 4-month-long headache that doctors still don't know where it came from. I guess I have a little more sympathy. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Hmmm...sounds like a pinched nerve. Wonder if they have done an EMG yet.

[quick]

The media is telling us he's seen a lot of doctors, had MRIs, and had numbness in his arm and hand. He has "inflammation" in his shoulder. I wouldn't call that "just sucking", but this is coming from someone who had a 4-month-long headache that doctors still don't know where it came from. I guess I have a little more sympathy. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

I hate to say this, but the numbness may not be his shoulder; it may be his back, specifically one of the discs up toward the lower neck. Numbness in the hand is a common symptom of compression of the spinal nerve system from a disc problem. This makes sense because all the doctors found in the shoulder MRI was a little inflammation--and how does a left handed player get any significant inflammation in his right (non-throwing) shoulder? Swinging the bat shouldn't hurt his lead shoulder, anyway. My first indication I was having lower back disc problems was pain in my hip and knee. If this is the case--and I hope I am mistaken--that could be very bad news indeed.

[luvdembravos]

It looks like Mather and Schafer are going to get a great opportunity to show their worth to the organization in the next couple of weeks.

I'm really interested to see how Schafer does. If he can't take advantage of this opportunity, his days with Atlanta may be numbered.

[Wahoo]

It looks like Mather and Schafer are going to get a great opportunity to show their worth to the organization in the next couple of weeks.

I'm really interested to see how Schafer does. If he can't take advantage of this opportunity, his days with Atlanta may be numbered.

I certainly won't be holding my breath. Never been a Schaefer fan.

[Wahoo]

The media is telling us he's seen a lot of doctors, had MRIs, and had numbness in his arm and hand. He has "inflammation" in his shoulder. I wouldn't call that "just sucking", but this is coming from someone who had a 4-month-long headache that doctors still don't know where it came from. I guess I have a little more sympathy. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

I didn't mean to come across as unsympathetic to his medical issues just frustrated that we haven't seen the Heyward I thought we were getting.

[luvdembravos]

Never been a Schaefer fan.

Me either. Schaefer beer was awful...maybe the worst I ever consumed.

[Wahoo]

Me either. Schaefer beer was awful...maybe the worst I ever consumed.

Lol. Touché.