JULY 4th Gamethread: Colorado at Atlanta (Jimenez vs Hanson)

[-Dr. Brave-]

ROCKIES:
Blackmon LF
Ellis 2B
Helton 1B
Tulo SS
S. Smith RF
Wigginton 3B
Spilborghs CF
Iannetta C
Ahem-inez P

BRAVES:
Schafer CF
Gonzalez SS
McCann C
Freeman 1B
Heyward RF
Uggla 2B
Conrad 3B
McLouth LF
Hanson P

Chipper got a cortisone shot in his ailing right knee and will be out for a few days.

Go Braves

[-Dr. Brave-]

Looks like we may have rain approaching the stadium within the next couple innings or so.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Freeman goes yard with McCann aboard. 2-0 Braves!

[HomerTheBrave]

I like Fred....what a nice swing...

[IkeWagner]

My feelings for Freeman are approaching man-crush territory.

[IkeWagner]

Conrad with a beauty of a play.

[IkeWagner]

I can't remember the last time McCann threw someone out.

[-Dr. Brave-]

I can't remember the last time McCann threw someone out.

I can't remember the last time anyone was caught stealing with Hanson pitching.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Tulowitzki is removed due to an injury. Big blow to the Rocks.

[IkeWagner]

For ****'s sake, Fredi, stop sending slow runners on 3-2 pitches and hit-and-runs when strikeout hitters are up.

[Garydee]

Schafer can't catch up to a good fastball can he? 3 ks tonight.

[IkeWagner]

Mark Reynolds just launched another one.

[IkeWagner]

McCann was probably dead meat if the SS hadn't dropped the relay. Big break.

[-Dr. Brave-]

McCann was probably dead meat if the SS hadn't dropped the relay. Big break.

Officially scored an RBI double for Heyward, but yeah, I was surprised they sent McCann with less than 2 out.

EDIT: Official scorer decides to charge an error on the dropped relay catch, no RBI for Heyward.

Jimenez chased.

[IkeWagner]

Uggla draws an 11-pitch walk. Nice work.

This guy Brothers is throwing gas.

[IkeWagner]

Ianneta is having a hell of a time catching Brothers.

[IkeWagner]

With the bases loaded and two out, Fredi elects to let Hanson hit. Not sure about this one.

[IkeWagner]

Hanson should have been taking on that 3-2.

[IkeWagner]

Actually, probably a good move to let Hanson hit there. But definitely a bad move to not give Hanson the take on the full-count pitch. The chances of him getting a hit off that pitcher are much lower than the chances of the pitcher throwing ball-four and Hanson flailing at it (which is what happened).

[IkeWagner]

Schafer strikes out for the 4th time.

[-Dr. Brave-]

I'm thinking we'll be seeing a lot of McLouth in center field when Prado returns.

[Garydee]

I'm thinking we'll be seeing a lot of McLouth in center field when Prado returns.

For awhile, but I do believe we're going to go get someone to play CF for us.

[IkeWagner]

I'm thinking we'll be seeing a lot of McLouth in center field when Prado returns.

I tend to think so too. McLouth is clearly the better offensive player, and he's been playing good defense lately.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Venters in to pitch for the 143rd time this season.

Probably would have been a good time to sneak Gearrin out there for a couple batters. Already warmed up last inning.

[IkeWagner]

Nate makes a nice catch!

[IkeWagner]

Freddie with another bomb! My man-crush grows ever stronger.

[BFH]

So yeah...I think Freeman's pissed because I said he struggles against lefties...

...I should talk smack about more players. Freeman bombs a lefty, Jurrjens throws a 1-hitter. Maybe I should bash on McLouth and Uggla...

...oh wait, I already have.:headscratch:

[-Dr. Brave-]

For most of the early part of the season, Freeman's numbers against lefties were better than against righties.

He's handled them pretty well, probably better than most of us expected.

[BFH]

For most of the early part of the season, Freeman's numbers against lefties were better than against righties.

He's handled them pretty well, probably better than most of us expected.
I do remember that. It's also why it's concerning that he's worse against them than he is against righties at this moment. The fast start was quickly negated.

Freeman's a quality hitter and I don't question him in the long term, but the way things were going against lefties for him for a while last month, he appeared to need someone to take some AB's against southpaws away.

Best case scenario, he keeps hitting them respectably and we keep his glove out there and we can focus on getting a right hander to play some of the outfield from time to time.

[IkeWagner]

Braves win. Kimbrel with his 25th save.

There's a very good chance that the ROY will be a Brave.

[-Dr. Brave-]

I do remember that. It's also why it's concerning that he's worse against them than he is against righties at this moment. The fast start was quickly negated.

Freeman's a quality hitter and I don't question him in the long term, but the way things were going against lefties for him for a while last month, he appeared to need someone to take some AB's against southpaws away.

Best case scenario, he keeps hitting them respectably and we keep his glove out there and we can focus on getting a right hander to play some of the outfield from time to time.

He was striking out a lot against both righties and lefties, but you're right, his glove makes his offensive inconsistency much more tolerable.

Even with the strikeouts, he's one of the few weapons we have on offense. Probably have to let him get the experience and hopefully learn quickly from that.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Phillies win again to stay 4 games up on the Braves, but Atlanta leads the wild card race by 4 games.