Gamethread: Braves @ Red Sox, June 21, 2009 (68/162) LOSS

[sdp]

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/6023/atlatbos.png

Jair Jurrjens (5-5, 2.89) vs. Tim Wakefield (9-3, 4.39)

[jamminHANES]

McLouth
Escobar
Chipper
McCann (DH)
Anderson
Kotchman
Prado
Ross
Blanco(RF)

[argentina brave]

no frenchy.....fascinating!

[Murphys#1Fan]

No KJ either...perhaps they will score some runs today.

[randyb]

Good at bat! McCann
2-0 Braves 1 out

[BraveFan]

I hate the green monster, if this series was at any other park we may be going for a sweep. Last night all 3 runs were caused by cheap flys to left and now Ortiz hits what would probably be a fly out over the wall for a 3 run bomb.

[randyb]

We have a 1 run games now Braves down 4-3

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

A rally from the bottom of the order! WTF! Oh KJ and Frenchy are out today, I forgot.

[Andy G.]

Umpire just screwed us. 0-2 pitch to JD Drew was EASILY a strike, one that he'd been calling all day, and we didn't get the call. Now we're losing because of it.

Chipper doesn't usualy blow up like that. He got struck out on the exact same pitch earlier today. This sucks.

[Hobbes]

Just need a deep fly here GA.

[Hobbes]

Tie game!

[randyb]

All knotted up at 5 1 out in the 8TH

[randyb]

Still 5-5 into the 9th

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

Just realized Soriano's stats are MUCH better than papelbons. It's so sad we were only a bullpen short for so many yers and now we got a decent pen, something else has to breakdown (offense)

[Hobbes]

All right. Bases loaded with 2 out for Diaz. Let's get a hit Matt.

[Hobbes]

Diaz swung at a head-high pitch, and the Braves strand the bases loaded.

[sdp]

I have flashes of when I love Matt Diaz--and others where I can't stand his guts.

Ugh.

You can't let Papelbon off the hook like that.

[Hobbes]

Bennett loses the game on one pitch.

[bravestud]

Cox is senile. Where was Soriano?

[sdp]

Sorry, but what a bunch of bull****.

[CharlotteBrave]

I remember when Nick Green played for the Braves, he was a solid player. Who did we trade him for?

Jeff Bennett is GARBAGE by the way.

[bravestud]

Cox is senile. Where was Soriano?
My fault, I forgot Cox got thrown out.

Chino Cadahia is senile.

[sdp]

I remember when Nick Green played for the Braves, he was a solid player. Who did we trade him for?Jorge Sosa.

[sdp]

My fault, I forgot Cox got thrown out.

Chino Cadahia is senile.
Nope. It was Bobby's call.

[sdp]

What are you going to do? That's a foul ball into the corner in every other baseball park.

[BraveFan]

In most circumstances I'd blame Bennet but that HR was luck and total BS. Can't blame a pitcher for giving a 250 foot homer. Green was even trying to hit it that way.

Screw Fenway Park.

[bravestud]

What are you going to do? That's a foul ball into the corner in every other baseball park.
Bennett would have lost it anyway.

[Freddy_Ballgame]

Geez....Diaz strikes out on a pitch over his head. Swing is made and about 99% of the Braves fandom sighs and thinks to themselves, "It's over. We just lost that one." Who didn't "see" a leadoff homer coming? Bennett? At least he has to eat it for one of his bad jobs this time instead of some other guy he relieved. That sucked....almost as bad as Fred Hickman and Brian Jordan! It's torture trying to listen to Jordan stammer his way through his commentary. He's awful. Hickman seems to think he's the star of the team. He basically brings nothing to the table. Why do they foist these stiffs at us right after watching the team choke?

[Andy G.]

That was a frustrating series, because the Braves played well. We pitched well and we hit pretty well when Beckett wasn't pitching. Some will look at the fact that we've lost four of the last six as a sign that we should look at becoming sellers in the near future, but I'm encouraged by what I've seen against the BoSox. It's still June.

[BraveFan]

I think an upgrade in RF and starting Prado everyday at 2B could jump start the club along with Garrett continuing to hit the way he is right now. We have yet to see the real Chipper Jones and he is bound to get hot. Don't sell unless we get 8 games out of the WC.

[sdp]

Braves are in the air, if you interested in this kinda stuff: http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL9795

[Andy G.]

Keep in mind that Escobar made another mistake in the field letting a pop up fall right in front of him, and that mistake lead to a run. I'd be surprised if he's on our team at the start of next season.

[Freddy_Ballgame]

That screw-up could just as easily be placed at Chipper's feet. He may have actually been closer to it than Escobar. I never saw either of them call it, but it was a bigtime blunder. I'm thinking a team meeting without coaches is in order. They need to find some leadership in the ranks and soon. They made a nice comeback and they should've won this one. Even with the bad calls behind the plate they had their chances. They need to get a grip before it all falls apart.

[Andy G.]

I think that was easily Escobar's ball. He had it if he wanted to catch it. If Chipper never called it, it's definitely the shortstop's ball. He's got authority over the second baseman and the third baseman on any close play like that. It's his job to catch that one. It comes with the territory.

[Lauren T.]

Bullpen mismanagement strikes again. If Gonzo and Sori hadn't pitched in the first two games of the series, there's no way Bennett should have been pitching in the 9th last night. :mad:

[Chris_Moderato]

I think that was easily Escobar's ball. He had it if he wanted to catch it. If Chipper never called it, it's definitely the shortstop's ball. He's got authority over the second baseman and the third baseman on any close play like that. It's his job to catch that one. It comes with the territory.

Agreed. The shortstop has authority on those kinds of plays.

If things don't get better soon, I'd like to see the Braves move Escobar, preferably for a couple of prospects. His trade value is pretty high right now, all things considered.

[Bad Blood]

I recorded the game and watched in last night before I went to bed... basically flew of the handle when I saw Bennett was going to pitch the 9th... awful decision.

[Bad Blood]

I recorded the game and watched in last night before I went to bed... basically flew of the handle when I saw Bennett was going to pitch the 9th... awful decision.

[Middle Man]

oN THE THE bright side, my kids think I'm some kind of baseball genious.

As I hurry back into the den to see the bottom of the 9th, I muttered "Oh Lord, Bennett? We just lost this game." Not more than 5 seconds later - HR.

The Braves showed some signs of life during the series. It would have been nice to salvage the series. The defense definitely had some serious lapses. Even in game 2, you could make the argument that all three Boston runs could have been prevented with better defense.