Gamethread: Giants @ Braves, July 23, 2009 (96/162) LOSS

[sdp]

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/4576/pngf.png
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San Francisco Giants (50-44) vs. Atlanta Braves (49-46)
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Series Matchups (Braves lead, 3-0)
> Monday: Braves 11, Giants 3 (W: Hanson; L: Sanchez) - Recap (http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=5654433&c_id=atl) | Box Score (http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2009_07_20_sfnmlb_atlmlb_1) | Gamethread (http://www.chopnation.com/boards/showthread.php?t=210)
> Tuesday: Braves 8, Giants 1 (W: Lowe; L: Sadowski) - Recap (http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=5675677) | Box Score (http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2009_07_21_sfnmlb_atlmlb_1) | Gamethread (http://www.chopnation.com/boards/showthread.php?t=213)
> Wednesday: Braves 4, Giants 1 (W: Jurrjens; L: Lincecum; S: Soriano) - Recap (http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=5693407&c_id=atl) | Box Score (http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2009_07_22_sfnmlb_atlmlb_1) | Gamethread (http://www.chopnation.com/boards/showthread.php?t=217)
> TODAY: Barry Zito vs. Kenshin Kawakami, 1:05 PM EDT on SPSO

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Projected Lineup
Nate McLouth, CF
Martin Prado, 2B
Chipper Jones, 3B
Garret Anderson, LF
Yunel Escobar, SS
Matt Diaz, RF
Casey Kotchman, 1B
David Ross, C
Kenshin Kawakami, RHP

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Link Roundup

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Upcoming @ Milwaukee
Friday, July 24th: Javier Vazquez vs. Manny Parra, 8:05 PM EDT on SPSO
Saturday, July 25th: Tommy Hanson vs. Yovani Gallardo, 8:05 PM EDT on SPSO
Sunday, July 26th: Derek Lowe vs. Braden Looper, 2:05 PM EDT on FSS

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July 28th-29th: Braves @ Marlins; July 31st-August 2nd: Dodgers @ Braves
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Go Braves!

[Middle Man]

N. McLouth
M. Prado
C. Jones
Y. Escobar
M. Diaz
D. Ross
C. Kotchman
R. Church
K. Kawakami

Looks like Esco is batting cleanup today and Diaz is in for GA.

Hopefully the guys will have some patience with Zito. He will walk some guys if you give him the chance.

[Middle Man]

...and Conrad is down.

KJ called up (http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/braves-activate-2b-kelly-98894.html)

"...With Martin Prado now thriving as the starting second basemen, Johnson will be used as a backup at second base and possibly play some outfield...."

More changes are on the way soon, no doubt. Is there a projected return date for Infante?

[Hillbilly]

More changes are on the way soon, no doubt. Is there a projected return date for Infante?


I just read somewhere ten minutes ago that Infante himself said after August 15th, but now I can't find where I saw that. I think it was in a Bowman article.

[Agent-X-]

Let's hope Kawakami has his A game today. If there's one thing I don't like about Zito, it's that he'll K a lot of impatient hitters.

[Andy G.]

And a first inning walk already results in a run.

Old man Anderson woke up with a "stiff hip". That's why he's not playing today.

I'm glad KJ's back. I'm still not sure what they're going to do with him. Nothing would surprise me at this point.

[Hobbes]

Too bad Conrad was the odd man out. I liked that guy.

[Andy G.]

Yeah. It kinda stinks a 29 year old rookie gets a chance and plays well, then gets sent back down anyway.

The ball looks to be carrying well in Turner today.

[Agent-X-]

Braves being no-hit by Zito through one inning.

Come on boys! Walk his brains out. Don't let him even cruise through an inning. He sucks.

[Middle Man]

1-0 Giants heading to the bottom of the 2nd. It looked like KK might have forgot he was pitching from the stretch there for a second. Some bad luck on that run in the 1st on the hit that bounced off the ball boy.

[Middle Man]

1-1. HR Esco. Off the foul poll I think.

[Middle Man]

Esco's shot was to right. And Diaz follows that up with a hit to right.

[Agent-X-]

There goes the no-hitter! Yunel Escobar is red, stinking hot right now. Wooo!

[Andy G.]

Sweet. That's Escobar's fourth homerun of the homestand. Diaz got on with a single. Ross is up. It's nice to have a backup catcher that isn't an automatic out. I have confidence in Ross as a hitter. He's also helped McCann improve his throws to second.

[Agent-X-]

And Ross became Zito's first K of the day. But he put up a good at bat!

Krotch-man up to bat.

[CharlotteBrave]

DO NOT TRADE ESCOBAR PLEASE.

I'm glad Kelly got called back up, but I was also liking what Conrad brought to the table. And while I'm at it, can we also DFA Norton and call up Barbaro Canizares as our other 1B?

[Agent-X-]

Now where's the logic of sending Diaz to steal 2B... when he's like the slowest base runner I have ever seen.

Come on, Cox. :(

[Agent-X-]

Way to kill an inning. Sheesh. We had an opportunity to put this game in our favor.

[Middle Man]

.. when he's like the slowest base runner I have ever seen.

(

You definitely didn't mean that - but Brian and Garrett thank you anyway. :D Replay shows he was easily safe. Oh well.

[sdp]

Sorry, Conrad. Norton should have been the one to go.

Yunel, will you marry me?

[Lauren T.]

1-1. HR Esco. Off the foul poll I think.
This is how you know Middle Man doesn't spend too much time in strip clubs. ;)

[Agent-X-]

You definitely didn't mean that - but Brian and Garrett thank you anyway. :D Replay shows he was easily safe. Oh well.

Okay... okay. You're right. But once upon a time Diaz was one of our slowest runners.

I confess that I never get to see these guys play on TV. This weekend, though, when I get my 10 Mbps connection, I hope to try MLB.tv! :D

[Lauren T.]

Okay... okay. You're right. But once upon a time Diaz was one of our slowest runners.
Since his knee surgery, rehab, and weight loss, he's actually pretty fast. He's not graceful, but I'd guess he's in the top 10 on the team.

[Hobbes]

Since his knee surgery, rehab, and weight loss, he's actually pretty fast. He's not graceful, but I'd guess he's in the top 10 on the team.

I agree. From what I've seen he's actually fairly quick.

[Middle Man]

1-1. HR Esco. Off the foul poll I think.

This is how you know Middle Man doesn't spend too much time in strip clubs. ;)

:D And I was so proud of myself for catching my foul pool typo. Yes, i spend way more time looking at polls than poles.

[Middle Man]

Regarding Diaz, his defense has also improved because of his new speed. The guy has put in some work. You have to admire that.

KK with only 2 hits but 63 pitches through 3. Definitely not his best stuff up to this point. I wonder if it bothers the guys to switch to Ross every so often.

[Agent-X-]

I hope the bullpen is ready to bail this one out. Looks like Konami could be done after 5 or 6 IP today.

[Middle Man]

Starting to rain in Atl. Bummer. CJ not happy with a called third strike. He's not one to complain often for no reason, but that looked like a strike to me.

[CharlotteBrave]

Great AB by Ross there... Made Zito pitch, and got the walk. Let's go Kotch.

[Agent-X-]

Krotch-man down on strikes. Eeesh. That's just not acceptable in a bases loaded situation. We are making Zito look good. lol

[Lauren T.]

Starting to rain in Atl. Bummer.
I'm only about 3 miles north of the stadium, and it's not raining here at all! How funny. :)

[Middle Man]

Dang it! 3 walks and 3 Ks for Zito - no runs. At least we're making him throw some pitches. The SF bullpen will be generous to us today, I have a feeling.

[Middle Man]

I'm only about 3 miles north of the stadium, and it's not raining here at all! How funny. :)

The umbrellas are already put away and the sunglasses out.

[Middle Man]

KK struggling again. I'm not sure he'll make it through the 5th.

[Middle Man]

KK struggling again. I'm not sure he'll make it through the 5th.

KK works out of trouble. Works every time :D Nice catch by Church for the third out. I'm sure they'll PH for him in the 6th though.

[Hobbes]

KK works out of trouble. Works every time :D Nice catch by Church for the third out. I'm sure they'll PH for him in the 6th though.

He threw 97 pitches through 5 innings.

[Hobbes]

O'Flatulence throwing in the pen.

[Middle Man]

Diory pinch hitting for KK in the 5th - pops up. An odd choice. I guess Booby wants to save the good hitters for later in the game.

1-2-3 inning. 1-1 heading to the 6th.

[Agent-X-]

I'll give KK this... on a day without his best stuff, he still gave us a quality start. 5 IP, 1 ER... not bad.

[Hobbes]

Bochy isn't pinch-hitting for Zito.

[Agent-X-]

I hope Zito wears down from here on and that we can put up some runs. I loves me a good sweep right now.

[Hobbes]

And it bites them.

[Agent-X-]

Come on Chip! Let's start a run-fest of an inning here!

[Hobbes]

Braves having all sorts of problems with the home-plate ump today.

[bmitm76]

I'll be stunned if Bobby doesn't get tossed after that. He hasn't missed the end of many games this year.

[Agent-X-]

Well... we really aren't helping ourselves today. If I didn't know better, I'd say the Giants have the advantage at the moment.

[Hobbes]

Bobby was tossed.

[Agent-X-]

Good. That play deserved some fuss. I don't like the strike calls Zito is getting... MLB shows them being close the plate, and it looks like Zito's getting anything remotely close today.

[Middle Man]

Bobby was tossed.


I was gone for a while. Was he arguing balls and strikes?

[Hobbes]

I was gone for a while. Was he arguing balls and strikes?
He was arguing a high called third strike on Yunel that started an inning-ending strike-'em-out throw-'em-out double play.

[Agent-X-]

Well, here's to hoping Gonzalez has a good outing.

[Hobbes]

Gonzo gets drilled on the arm by a comebacker and will leave the game. Seems more precautionary than anything.

Mole-man coming in.

[Middle Man]

Well, here's to hoping Gonzalez has a good outing.

Well, not so good. Line drive off his left arm/wrist. Out he comes. In comes ??
... Boone.

[Middle Man]

Not trying to pick on MG or anything, but he puts himself in horrible fielding position with the falling off the mound thing. I agree that it looks like a precautionary.

[Lauren T.]

KJ's coming in... let's see how this goes!

[Middle Man]

Kotch Man with a screw-up, but is errorless streak is still alive, and that's what counts. Logan is out - this inning has disaster written all over it.

[Middle Man]

I hate it when I'm right sometimes. 2-1 Giants. Let's hold them there boys.

Ump really blew the call at first. The runner was clearly in fair territory, and the throw from Moylan hit him on the head I think. Should be interferance.

[Hobbes]

Braves D is melting down and it's now 4-1 Giants.

[Middle Man]

Sigh. 5-1

A bad combination of Braves' screw-ups and a bad call by the umps at an inopportune time.

Put your brooms away.

[Middle Man]

I guess they're giving Church the error on the throw to third, but it sure looked like Chipper could have easily caught it. I'm not sure what Chipper was looking at when he went to make the catch.

[Middle Man]

KJ with a hard hit up the middle. Nice. X-rays on MG are negative.

[Hobbes]

Braves lose.

[Lauren T.]

Can't win 'em all, especially if the umpires are as bad as the radio made them sound.

[Middle Man]

Can't win 'em all, especially if the umpires are as bad as the radio made them sound.

They were pretty bad, both behind the plate and on the bases.

I switched over to watch Mark Buehrle throw his perfect game. As I mentioned on the other thread, DeWayne Wise made an over-the-wall catch in the 9th. Good Stuff.

[BigWorm]

Well, my baby's first game was a loss. Thank god we had 755 club passes. It was scorching hot after the storm and our plastic seats in center field were hot to the touch. I don't see how all those parents can bring kids to the game. We had to go up in the air-conditioned 755 club for most of the afternoon. It was still fun, don't get me wrong. But methinks I'll wait until the cool fall to bring her back.

[BigWorm]

This just hit me. Last loss for the Braves. Kawasaki vs. Johan. Hmmm.

We gotta find a way to get that damn motor bike running again.

[hoosjon]

Well, my baby's first game was a loss. Thank god we had 755 club passes. It was scorching hot after the storm and our plastic seats in center field were hot to the touch. I don't see how all those parents can bring kids to the game. We had to go up in the air-conditioned 755 club for most of the afternoon. It was still fun, don't get me wrong. But methinks I'll wait until the cool fall to bring her back.

We live in VA and took my one year old niece to a Braves at DC game ... and we had to move to the shade during BP, hydrate a LOT, and leave in the 7th. Might be the first game I've ever left early. But the kiddies take precedence. Sorry Little Worm's 1st game couldn't have been a better one. (Should taken LW to yesterday's game!)