Gamethread: Braves vs Mets 8/2/10 - Mormon Night at the Braves (not kidding)

[Lauren T.]

@Braves (http://twitter.com/Braves/status/20152707199) - Tonight's lineup: Infante - 4 Heyward - 9 Chipper - 5 Diaz - 7 Gonzalez - 6 Glaus - 3 Ankiel - 8 Ross - 2 Hudson - 1Santana's pitching for the Mets, and I get to meet Dale Murphy and be in the pre-game parade around the field because my parents decided to convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the early 80s. Oh yeah, Mormon Night at the Braves is going to be awesome. Here's the flyer (http://pdfcast.org/pdf/mormon-night-at-the-braves); it's the first since the 80s, I think.

My brother and I will be sitting near the bullpen tonight. I brought my 1982 Chief Noc-a-Homa shirt to change into after work, but would have worn my #23 shirt had I known MattE was going to be batting cleanup. :thumbsup:

Oh yeah, and the game is a national broadcast tonight on ESPN. Everyone watch!

[quick]

Interesting line-up for Mormon night. I understand Diaz is a distant third great-grand cousin thrice removed of Joseph Smith, so that is why he is getting to hit clean-up on Mormon night. ;)

The boys really need a win--I hope this lineup delivers some pop. Have fun.

[luvdembravos]

Have fun at Mormon night.

BTW, that line-up looks like Cox drew names out of a hat.

[wordslayer©]

I'd go to the game, but nothing would irritate me more than getting a good seat and then having a bunch of Jehovah's witnesses sitting behind me and harassing me all night.

[Lauren T.]

Oh no, they shoved us all out in the field pavilion (outfield), in designated seating. No one will be proselytizing, and if they do, I'm sure the rest of the Mormons will tell them to shut up. :D Beer sales won't do so well in the outfield tonight, haha. Poor vendors.

Time for me to leave work! Peace out, kids! Hopefully I can tweet some good stuff!

[Braves N Canes]

Where are you guys seeing lineups already?

[-Dr. Brave-]

Where are you guys seeing lineups already?

Based on the @ sign, I'd say some Twit posted it.

[luvdembravos]

...and on Mormon night, the Princeton Review announces that BYU is the most sober (least partying) school in the nation for the 13th year in a row.

UGA rated #1 party school.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38524448/

[Dreamscape]

Poor JMU took a step back...we stopped partying and went with rioting instead. New title, just as prestigious. Or something.

[Dreamscape]

Early trouble for Huddy as Angel Pagan singles and swipes second with one out. After a walk by Carlos Beltran, in steps David Wright.

[Dreamscape]

With Pagan going, Wright flies out to right and a chance to get out of the early jam with Ike Davis stepping in. Davis...has more homers than any Brave, btw.

And he plays half of his games in Ebbets Field.

[Dreamscape]

Little popup to end the first.

Always good to see the other team stranding runners.

[Dreamscape]

"The Amazing" Omar Infante starts the game by taking one to the opposite field for a base hit.

[luvdembravos]

Good start....BTW, have I mentioned lately that Infante needs to play everyday?

[Dreamscape]

After Heyward walks, dummy Chipper grounds into a twin killing. Well, a killing. Cause even dumber Luis Castillo couldn't transfer the ball to turn two.

[luvdembravos]

Castillo didn't want anything to do with Heyward.

Way to go Diaz.

[Dreamscape]

MATTE! Lauren is very happy as Diaz comes up with an RBI double to make it 1-0. He is Johan's daddy.

[Wahoo]

After Heyward walks, dummy Chipper grounds into a twin killing. Well, a killing. Cause even dumber Luis Castillo couldn't transfer the ball to turn two.


I will be thoroughly shocked if Chipper doesn't hang up his spikes after the season. This is reminiscent of the good old days when even the best players would drop off when they entered their late thirties. Chipper just doesn't have it anymore.

[Dreamscape]

That play really didn't look right at all.

Chipper didn't break home when it the grounder was hit and is dead meat at home. Not your best inning of baseball, Chipper. Glaus has runners on the corners and two outs.

[luvdembravos]

I will be thoroughly shocked if Chipper doesn't hang up his spikes after the season. This is reminiscent of the good old days when even the best players would drop off when they entered their late thirties. Chipper just doesn't have it anymore.

Nice break from 3rd Chipper :rolleyes:

[Dreamscape]

Oh, crap...bases loaded.

Wait, loading the bases is supposed to be a potentially good thing, right?

[luvdembravos]

Ankiel!

[Dreamscape]

Whoa, a hit with the bases loaded? Two-RBI single from Ankiel who lines it just past the diving Castillo.

[Dreamscape]

Still great to see Francoeur in another uniform.

[Dreamscape]

Just dumb. No chance for Huddy and he turned a single into a triple.

[Hobbes]

Glaus should have been yelling at Huddy to hold the ball.

[luvdembravos]

Uh, now Huddy, you can't throw a ball like that to a statue. Where was Heyward on the back-up?

[Dreamscape]

Johan Santana tried to decapitate a dude in the stands. I know you're mad and all, but dude, don't go crazy.

[Dreamscape]

Huddy makes up for the error by doubling the opposite way to open the inning.

[Dreamscape]

By the way, Chris Resop has been waived in hopes of outrighting him to Gwinnett. If anyone claims him, he will be headed there as the Braves cannot bring him back. Either way, it's another spot on the 40 man roster.

[luvdembravos]

Heyward punched out on a questionable call.

[Dreamscape]

Heyward gets burned by Santana getting the benefit of the call.

Time for Chipper to possibly embarrass himself further.

[Wahoo]

Heyward gets burned by Santana getting the benefit of the call.

Time for Chipper to possibly embarrass himself further.

Not possible.

[Hobbes]

I *hate* these ARod break-ins.

[Hobbes]

Diaz stretches his single to a double!

[Hobbes]

Wow, Diaz is 16-for-28 against Johan Santana (.571).

[Braves N Canes]

Agreed Hobbes. Atta baby Matty Diaz stretching a single into a double!

[Dreamscape]

Hey, cool, a single for Glaus. Runners at first and third and one out. Gotta get another run here.

[luvdembravos]

Now that was our typical lack of production out of the 7 and 8 holes...but I can't blame Melky this time.

[Dreamscape]

Chip, Francouer and McLouth aren't similar at all. One hitter has some idea of what he is doing. The other swings at everything, sometimes multiple swings at the same pitch.

[luvdembravos]

Did I mention Infante should start everyday?

[wordslayer©]

I will be thoroughly shocked if Chipper doesn't hang up his spikes after the season. This is reminiscent of the good old days when even the best players would drop off when they entered their late thirties. Chipper just doesn't have it anymore.

When your prostate gets larger than the baseball, it may be time to call it quits.

[Dreamscape]

Glaus can't even bend over right now.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Somebody give Glaus some caffeine pills.

[Hobbes]

Glaus should have had that ball. It looks like he can't even bend his knees.

[Dreamscape]

You knew this would eventually happen. RBI double follows the error. Reyes probably scores from first, but Huddy has had a lot of runners on.

[Hobbes]

Francoeur is 16 for his last 107 AB. Ouch.

[-Dr. Brave-]

I will be thoroughly shocked if Chipper doesn't hang up his spikes after the season. This is reminiscent of the good old days when even the best players would drop off when they entered their late thirties. Chipper just doesn't have it anymore.

When your prostate gets larger than the baseball, it may be time to call it quits.

All those painful foot problems Chipper has had in recent years were actually his testicles sagging into his feet.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Sigh. Another A-Rod update.

[Dreamscape]

Um...that wasn't too productive.

[Hobbes]

Sigh. Another A-Rod update.
I wish he'd just hit the damn thing so they can move on.

[007]

Sigh. Another A-Rod update.

This dirge of a death march to A-Rod's 600th is brutal. Is there anyone outside of Yankee Stadium that cares?????

[wordslayer©]

I just heard someone in the mormon section yell.....

"You sucketh young man!!! It is better to suffer wrong than to do wrong! Be courageous! Courage is nothing more than fear that has said its prayers. In the gentlest of spirits, I bequeath you to fight, fight, fight!"

Or maybe that was from the amish section? Those are some passive aggressive sons of b!tches.

[Hobbes]

Chipper!

[007]

Chipper!

Ding dong!!!!!

[Hobbes]

Barves win!

Nice quiet save from Wagner.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Phillies were idle tonight, so the Braves lead is now 3 games.

[Braves N Canes]

Great win for the Braves! No McCann either. If we can keep Ankiel from worrying about hitting bombs every at bat(like tonight) then he's gonna be a phenominal pickup. Huddy gutted out a W tonight without his best stuff. It's awesome to see Chipper go yard! I think that he could play another year(if he wants to). But it would have to be as more of a role player. Meaning he would have to hit lower in the lineup and probably only play 4-5 days a week. I think he'd be an awesome 6th hitter for us if he'd want to do that.

[007]

Barves win!

Nice quiet save from Wagner.


Except for the sound of the door slamming at the end!!!

Yes!

[-Dr. Brave-]

It's awesome to see Chipper go yard! I think that he could play another year(if he wants to). But it would have to be as more of a role player. Meaning he would have to hit lower in the lineup and probably only play 4-5 days a week. I think he'd be an awesome 6th hitter for us if he'd want to do that.

Word has it that he will play for the Geritol Blue Balls of the Golden Baseball League.

[quick]

Great win for the Braves! No McCann either. If we can keep Ankiel from worrying about hitting bombs every at bat(like tonight) then he's gonna be a phenominal pickup. Huddy gutted out a W tonight without his best stuff. It's awesome to see Chipper go yard! I think that he could play another year(if he wants to). But it would have to be as more of a role player. Meaning he would have to hit lower in the lineup and probably only play 4-5 days a week. I think he'd be an awesome 6th hitter for us if he'd want to do that.

Nice HR, but Chip doesn't so much swing his bat anymore as just lay it out there so the ball can run into it. He can't crank (Compare to Diaz in the hitting zone). It's almost as if the obliques have said, "no mas". It would be great it the boys could win it all so both Skip and Chip can go out on a good note....

[Braves N Canes]

Nice HR, but Chip doesn't so much swing his bat anymore as just lay it out there so the ball can run into it. He can't crank (Compare to Diaz in the hitting zone). It's almost as if the obliques have said, "no mas". It would be great it the boys could win it all so both Skip and Chip can go out on a good note....

I agree with you that everything is slower and that he can't explode like he used to. But he is also hitting 3rd on a division leading team as a 38 year old. IMO it doesn't matter who you are...in the pitcher's mind you are the 3 or 4 hitter so you're going to get pitched to differently. The focus is there esp if there is runners on. Because of that, the stuff is sharp. I certainly understand that it isn't the same swing but he can still hit. If we got him in the right spot in the lineup and if he wants to come back I think he could. I won't be surprised at all if this is his last year though.

[Lauren T.]

Where are you guys seeing lineups already?
Well, I linked to my source, so you could have clicked it to see it was the Braves official Twitter account posting the lineup.

MATTE! Lauren is very happy as Diaz comes up with an RBI double to make it 1-0. He is Johan's daddy.
Could you hear me yelling from right field? I yelled pretty loud. I also seem to have a little bit of heat stroke after the parade, and I was forced into the air conditioning after his AB. They tried to make me go before, but I wanted to see MattE hit cleanup. :)

I posted some pics to my twitter and will post some real pics soon. The best parts of the evening were during the parade -- as we walked past the dugout the only Brave in there was David Ross, so I waved as we walked by and called in, "Hi Rossy!" I didn't stop and didn't hear him reply, but my brother, his GF, and the two guys I was with all said he replied something like, "Hey, how's it going?" Heh, I was just being silly; I didn't expect an answer. Then when we were in the outfield, Eddie Perez caught me taking pics like this:

http://i28.tinypic.com/28hj67n.jpg

(Come on, how could I not? Ha ha!) Which got me looks like this, and I'm sad this pic didn't come out in focus because it's the only one I got:

http://i31.tinypic.com/2dj8bd0.jpg

Eddie was cracking up! I'm glad he was amused -- Rossy was too. I gave Huddy a "Have a good game, Huddy!" fist pump as we walked past. He was too focused to respond - and I certainly didn't expect a response - but my cheering obviously worked! :rolleyes:

[Braves N Canes]

Well, I linked to my source, so you could have clicked it to see it was the Braves official Twitter account posting the lineup.

Sorry, for some reason didn't see the link. I'm not as technologically inclined as everybody lol...I'm not on Twitter. Not trying to make you mad...just wondering where people got this kind of information.

[Lauren T.]

I'm not mad. Links are one of the first things you need to learn when posting in forums on the internet, though. You should also probably familiarize yourself with our site FAQs and rules (http://www.chopnation.com/boards/showthread.php?t=5), and make sure you're following those when you write your own posts (citing your own sources, etc.). :)

[-Dr. Brave-]

Sorry, for some reason didn't see the link. I'm not as technologically inclined as everybody lol...I'm not on Twitter. Not trying to make you mad...just wondering where people got this kind of information.

Don't feel bad BNC. I missed it as well or I would have pointed it out to you. Links inside quotes tend to be skimmed over.

[Hobbes]

As for me, I avoid Twitter on principle alone.

[Lauren T.]

That's fine, but if the Braves choose to release information there before they release it anywhere else, it's still a valid source.

[Hobbes]

That's fine, but if the Braves choose to release information there before they release it anywhere else, it's still a valid source.
No doubt. With the way Twitter has been embraced there is likely all sorts of information to legitimately be gleaned there.

I just choose to ignore it. :)

[Lauren T.]

Finally got my all my pics and vids up from Monday night, if anyone wants to take a look. :) Link (http://braveslove.blogspot.com/2010/08/game-day-pictures-braves-vs-mets-8-2-10.html)