Gamethread: Braves @ Padres, August 3rd, 2009 (106/162) LOSS

[sdp]

Go Braves!

[sdp]

N. McLouth cf
M. Prado 2b
C. Jones 3b
B. McCann c
G. Anderson lf
Y. Escobar ss
A. LaRoche 1b
M. Diaz rf
K. Kawakami p

[Chris_Moderato]

Braves intent (http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090802&content_id=6214808&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl) on winning their division. So, there's that.

[wordslayer©]

Braves intent (http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090802&content_id=6214808&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl) on winning their division. So, there's that.

That's awesome!!! I was afraid we were going to end up with the wild card.

[Agent-X-]

Time for Prado to ride the pine. What a dumb mistake. :banghead:

Plug KJ into the lineup.

[Agent-X-]

Boy... I miss Andruw Jones. Why did tubby have to let himself go like that... :(

[Chris_Moderato]

That's awesome!!! I was afraid we were going to end up with the wild card.

Excellent blog this week, by the way. I especially liked the anecdote about the goat and the catcher's mitt. Who knew it could bend like that?!

[Chris_Moderato]

HR Adam! Nice! 2-1 Braves.

[Agent-X-]

There's 2 outs we've given away tonight. Hope these don't come back to bite us.

Instead of having the LOB column next to Hits, Runs, and Errors, they ought to do a "Runs given away"....

[Chris_Moderato]

And, of course, our $21M investment gives the run right back.

I am no fan of Kawakami. What a waste of money, Wren. He derserves criticism for this signing.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Some goon for the Padres just tied it up with a homer of his own. 2-2 game.

That ball landed in the sandbox over the right-center fence. Anyone else think it's a bad idea to have toddlers playing in the sand where home run balls will be landing?

[IkeWagner]

I'm sure Kawa will go to the pen when Hudson gets back.

[wordslayer©]

I'm sure Kawa will go to the pen when Hudson gets back.

I am just not a fan of those 21 million dollar middle relief signings.

[Hobbes]

And, of course, our $21M investment gives the run right back.

I am no fan of Kawakami. What a waste of money, Wren. He derserves criticism for this signing.
Agreed. As much as Lowe gets the attention around here for being not worth the money, Kawakami is a much poorer investment in my eyes.

[-Dr. Brave-]

I think KK's shoulder is bothering him and he won't tell anyone.

He's kept flexing it in his last start, and it may have been a factor when he committed that balk.

[wordslayer©]

That ball landed in the sandbox over the right-center fence. Anyone else think it's a bad idea to have toddlers playing in the sand where home run balls will be landing?

Yes.......this should only be allowed when the braves are at bat.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Can LaRoche pitch?

[wordslayer©]

Agreed. As much as Lowe gets the attention around here for being not worth the money, Kawakami is a much poorer investment in my eyes.

Why do you guys feel this way?

I'm not going to do the research, but from just glancing at it, their stat lines are almost identical. The only real benefit I can see with Lowe is that he has pitched a few more innings.

To me, the Lowe signing makes the Kawakami signing look like a bargain, but then again, I didn't like either signing.

[KB 34]

I give Wren an A+ for trading for Vazquez but Kawakami and Lowe get a D and I'm being generous. I'm not a huge fan of really long deals to old pitchers and expensive deals to 120 inning Japanese pitchers who are also getting up there. Yes, the Braves had to do something but I believe Wren is capable of better. Yes, the team is better than before, but in a couple seasons Lowe, Chipper, and Kawakami for something like $46 million is scary.

[BigWorm]

Please don't lose this game to the freaking San Diego Zeroes.

[sdp]

Neftali Feliz just made his ML debut--he struck out the side on 16 pitches in an inning of work and touched 100 multiple times on the radar.

Damn you, John Schuerholz. Damn you.

[sdp]

Damn. Damn. Damn.

Four batters faced, four strike outs for Feliz.

[-Dr. Brave-]

His last pitch was 101. Damn.

[Agent-X-]

Greg Norton is a turd...

No matter how well he hits the ball, it's right at a fielder... insta-out is his new name. :no:

[Andy G.]

I give Wren an A+ for trading for Vazquez but Kawakami and Lowe get a D and I'm being generous. I'm not a huge fan of really long deals to old pitchers and expensive deals to 120 inning Japanese pitchers who are also getting up there. Yes, the Braves had to do something but I believe Wren is capable of better. Yes, the team is better than before, but in a couple seasons Lowe, Chipper, and Kawakami for something like $46 million is scary.
Kawakami is not overpaid though. He's the type of starter that you get for $7.5 million.

[-Dr. Brave-]

We're watching the reincarnation of the 1982 St. Louis Cardinals.

And as if the Padres weren't stealing enough bases against us, Bobby Cox brings in Peter Moylan.

[Middle Man]

Interesting fact: The new McDonald's that just opened down the road from us has a higher payroll than the Padres.

[Chris_Moderato]

P.S. We lost. To the Padres.

[Chris_Moderato]

Damn. Damn. Damn.

Four batters faced, four strike outs for Feliz.

Why torture yourself?

[luvdembravos]

The Braves have been basically playing .500 ball since August 2005.

They have a .500 record as of today.

So far this year, they’ve played one game under .500 (13-14) against the five NL teams (WASH, ARI, PIT, CIN and SD) with the worst records.

Bottom line: It doesn’t seem to matter who or where we play. We’re a .500 team that is about as reliable as a flip of a coin.

[rick p]

Anybody else like to see Medlen in more meaningful innings---like instead of Moylan, for example?

[Agent-X-]

Would anyone else mind if I add a censor for Greg Norton so that his name always appears as Insta Out??

[Dreamscape]

Welcome to the site, Rick P.

I prefer his usage the other day when Cox let Medlen go instead of treating him like a one-inning guy. What I long to see from Medlen right now is better control. It has been his one real problem since he was promoted. I don't believe it's a long-term problem for him considering his minor league BB/9 of 2.0, but until he starts trusting his stuff more and attacking batters, I'm not too convinced he should be promoted from his current job as long reliever.

The Braves still need some depth in the bullpen and I would feel a lot better about this team's chances had they gotten a reliever before the deadline. Now they need to hope a waiver deal.

[rick p]

Yeah I knda wonder what their plans are for Medlen. Its not gonna help a guy with (I agree on Temporary) control issues to pitch once a week or ten days. They must like him--maybe to replace Soriano/Gonzalez next year. Im sure they had inquiries at the deadline but he'd be more valuable as a starter in a trade

[Lauren T.]

Would anyone else mind if I add a censor for Greg Norton so that his name always appears as Insta Out??
Really? :thumbsdown:

[BigWorm]

Dedicated to my favorite team, the Braves.

When you're team plays like ****
and you want to throw a fit,

Diarrhea, Diarrhea

When Yunel makes an oopsy
and they all smell like poopy

Diarrhea, Diarrhea

When your team has an awful stench
and half your outfield is less then Kevin Mench

Diarrhea, Diarrhea

When you lose to the zeroes
and age has taken all your heroes

Diarrhea, Diarrhea

When your on the toilet toilin
and Bobby calls in Peter Moyaln

Diarrhea, Diarrhea

Tooner Field is full of little squirts
all dressed in Francoeur shirts

Diarrhea, Diarrhea

When you finally have that solid plump
but you've been straining longer than Kelly Johnson's slump

Diarrhea, Diarrhea

[Bad Blood]

I hear alot of bashing on this site about Anderson and his lack of effort - and rightfully so, I might add - but the hustle from O'Flaherty last night was just pathetic. Not covering 1st? A weak toss to Yunel, blowing an easy double play? It was disgraceful...

[Andy G.]

This isn't related to any specific post, but I think people should take into account the impact of traveling from Atlanta to San Diego without a day off. As far as the Braves were concerned, it was 10:00 when the game started last night. Boog mentioned that the Dodgers were getting beat up after making the trip across the country as well. It's got to be tough.

[sdp]

This isn't related to any specific post, but I think people should take into account the impact of traveling from Atlanta to San Diego without a day off. As far as the Braves were concerned, it was 10:00 when the game started last night. Boog mentioned that the Dodgers were getting beat up after making the trip across the country as well. It's got to be tough.
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL9795

[Wahoo]

Would anyone else mind if I add a censor for Greg Norton so that his name always appears as Insta Out??

Hell no. Make it happen, Don.