Gamethread: Braves @ Marlins, July 30, 2009 (102/162) WIN

[sdp]

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/803/atlfla.png
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Atlanta Braves (51-50) vs. Florida Marlins (53-48)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Series Matchups (Marlins lead, 1-0)
> Tuesday: Marlins 4, Braves 3 (W: Nunez; L: Soriano) - Recap (http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=5799839&c_id=atl) | Box Score (http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2009_07_28_atlmlb_flomlb_1) | Gamethread (http://www.chopnation.com/boards/showthread.php?t=239)
> TONIGHT: Kenshin Kawakami vs. Josh Johnson, 7:10 PM EDT on SPSO
> Thursday: Javier Vazquez vs. Rick VandenHurk, 7:10 PM EDT on SPSO

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Projected Lineup
Nate McLouth, CF
Martin Prado, 2B
Chipper Jones, 3B
Brian McCann, C
Yunel Escobar, SS
Garret Anderson, LF
Matt Diaz, RF
Casey Kotchman, 1B
Javier Vazquez, RHP

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Link Roundup

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Upcoming vs. Los Angeles
Friday, July 31st: Jason Schmidt vs. Tommy Hanson, 7:35 PM EDT on PTV
Saturday, August 1st: Randy Wolf vs. Derek Lowe, 4:05 PM EDT on FOX
Sunday, August 2nd: Chad Billingsley vs. Jair Jurrjens, 8:05 PM EDT on ESPN

----------------------------------------------------------------------
August 3rd-5th: Braves @ Padres; August 6th-9th: Braves @ Dodgers
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Go Braves!

[BigWorm]

If my name was Dreamscape, I would call this one a must-win game for the Braves. If they don't win, and my name was Dreamscape, I'd say that their season was over.

[Chris_Moderato]

Well, they sure will look like chumps and pretenders if they get swept by the Marlins.

[BigWorm]

Come on down to Turner Field on Saturday after the game there'll be a concert by the Chumps, The Pretenders, and The All-American Rejects.

[Dreamscape]

If my name was Dreamscape, I would call this one a must-win game for the Braves. If they don't win, and my name was Dreamscape, I'd say that their season was over.
Your focus on me is so Single White Female.

[Andy G.]

Kelly Johnson's starting at second base tonight. Martin Prado took a line drive off his calf in batting practice, but Kelly was already in the lineup, so he's not replacing him because of injury. Prado walked off the field under his own power. Hopefully he's ok.

Apparently I was right last night. The umpire pulled out his score card and was going to pick somebody off the roster to eject because he heard something from the dugout with his back turned. What an idiot.

They're talking about the fist pump a lot on the pregame. He obviously did fist pump the catcher. They've shown it a million times now. It's unbelievable that a major league umpire could act that way.

[Lauren T.]

Truth? (http://www.chopnation.com/boards/Is%20this%20true?%21%20%20http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-braves-blog/2009/07/30/a-dastardly-ump-and-the-braves/comment-page-5/#comment-230011) I can't find backup anywhere, and y'all know how much I trust DOB. ;)

Jeff Bennett is a free agent. Braves had suspended his pay after he broke his hand punching the wall, and Bennett filed a grievance. Braves had to either give him his pay or let him become a free agent, and they opted for latter option.
ETA: Well, he's put it in a real article now (http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/braves-grant-release-to-104714.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab).
Braves media-relations director Brad Hainje said Bennett requested the team release him from his contract, which they did.

[BigWorm]

Your focus on me is so Single White Female.

You looking for any roommates?

[Lauren T.]

2-0 Braves, top of the 3rd. :)

[Middle Man]

David O'Brien

July 30th, 2009
6:56 pm

CHIPPER on the fist bump: “Shocking. But it kind of makes sense, [considering] how the ebb and flow of the way the game was called.”

“Never seen it before in my 16 years. [Players and umpires] exchange banter all the time, but never a handshake or a fist bump. I guess Baker thought he deserved a hand shake.”

[RiknTN]

Truth? (http://www.chopnation.com/boards/Is%20this%20true?%21%20%20http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-braves-blog/2009/07/30/a-dastardly-ump-and-the-braves/comment-page-5/#comment-230011) I can't find backup anywhere, and y'all know how much I trust DOB. ;)


ETA: Well, he's put it in a real article now (http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/braves-grant-release-to-104714.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab).

Why is it any more true because it's in a "real" article as opposed to his blog. All writers get things wrong no matter where they write it. All writers give their opinions as well as certain known facts in their writings. If they only wrote facts it wouldn't take any writing ability or knowledge of their sport. We get the facts of a game in the box scores and league transaction notices. Obviously there must be a bit of bad blood between you two for some reason.

[Chris_Moderato]

Well, she did mention that DOB and the AJC lifted a photo she took at a game and used it without proper credit. That'd piss me off too.

[Lauren T.]

And the Griffey incident. That adds to the distrust.

[Middle Man]

McCann reminds me a lot of Ichiro.

[Wahoo]

Kelly Johnson's starting at second base tonight. Martin Prado took a line drive off his calf in batting practice, but Kelly was already in the lineup, so he's not replacing him because of injury. Prado walked off the field under his own power. Hopefully he's ok.

Apparently I was right last night. The umpire pulled out his score card and was going to pick somebody off the roster to eject because he heard something from the dugout with his back turned. What an idiot.

They're talking about the fist pump a lot on the pregame. He obviously did fist pump the catcher. They've shown it a million times now. It's unbelievable that a major league umpire could act that way.

The worst part is that he seemingly got away with it, without penalty or public condemnation. That's the part that really pisses me off.

[Middle Man]

The worst part is that he seemingly got away with it, without penalty or public condemnation. That's the part that really pisses me off.

I'd bet a considerable sum that the Braves will be filing some sort of official complaint with MLB or whoever you complain to about such things. Hopefully, they'll forward that pitch location chart thing too.

[Hobbes]

The worst part is that he seemingly got away with it, without penalty or public condemnation. That's the part that really pisses me off.
I'm not surprised they wouldn't acknowledge it publicly, but I imagine somebody said something to him privately.

[Andy G.]

Awesome pitching by Vazquez, and a great play by Kotchman gets us out of the seventh. 3-1 going into the eighth now.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Bases loaded, two out, Braves up 3-2, Jorge Cantu at the plate.

C'mon, Gonzo.

[Chris_Moderato]

Gotta hold it here, Mike.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Bleeder down the third base line, no play. Game tied, bases still loaded, Hermida up.

[Chris_Moderato]

Sigh...

[Hobbes]

Ugh.

[Middle Man]

... and Gonzo screams many naughty words into his glove as he leaves the field. That wild pitch probably ended up costing him the run.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Game tied at 3, top 9, runner on 1st, two out, Greg Norton up.

C'mon Greg, pretend like you're Chipper Jones.

[Middle Man]

Is Church hurt or something?

[Lauren T.]

I heard Gonzo recently got engaged. (Total rumor.) Think that had anything to do with it? Do boys lose their heads in love the way girls do sometimes?

[Devil Wears Prado]

Why is Norton still on the team?

[-Dr. Brave-]

Bottom 9, and Moylan in for his league-leading 57th appearance.

Damnyou Uggla singles to lead off the 9th. Not sure why the Marlins aren't trying to steal instead of bunting him over.

[Middle Man]

Shouldn't Acosta be in since our worst pitcher?

[-Dr. Brave-]

I heard Gonzo recently got engaged. (Total rumor.) Think that had anything to do with it? Do boys lose their heads in love the way girls do sometimes?

In a manner of speaking, yes.

[-Dr. Brave-]

I haven't heard anything about Church being hurt.

X-rays on Yunel Escobar's wrist were negative.

[bravestud]

Mother of God...

[Middle Man]

The Braves escape the 9th in spite of themselves.

[-Dr. Brave-]

What is it with these umpires this series?

[Andy G.]

That sucks. I didn't see a tag on Kelly when the showed the slow motion. It was very close. Not an easy call or anything, but it did look like Kelly slid under the tag. That would have been great for our chances this inning.

[Andy G.]

MCCANN!!!!!!

[-Dr. Brave-]

YEPPERS! Home run McCann! 6-3 Bravos.

[Hobbes]

Way to go Brian!

[-Dr. Brave-]

Ryan Church with a hyperextended elbow.

Geez.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Wonder why David Ross couldn't pinch-hit for Moylan?

Cox is probably afraid Ross would be injured.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Game.

BRAVES WIN! BRAVES WIN! BRAVES WIN!

[Hobbes]

Nice win Bravos!

[Middle Man]

McCann is so good it's just not fair to the other team. The Braves were lucky to get win after some of that sloppy play, but under the circumstances... they'll take it.

[CharlotteBrave]

Wonder why David Ross couldn't pinch-hit for Moylan?

Cox is probably afraid Ross would be injured.

This... Why in God's name is Moylan batting when he didn't even pitch at all the next inning. Especially with the bases loaded and two out, regardless if we were winning by 3 or not.

[Andy G.]

The only people on our bench were Church, Prado and Ross. Bobby didn't want to use the backup catcher, and both Church and Prado were unavailable due to injuries.