Game Thread: Braves @ Phillies 9-20-10 [Archive] - ChopNation.com

JanShan12

09-20-2010, 11:46 AM

I know it's only 10:45am (central time), but I could not be more excited for tonight's game. I have the day off work and feel the excitement like it's a playoff game. This is a huge series for us!

Phillies have their top 3 pitchers lined up against our young guys, but they all have the ability to succeed. Getting them exposed to big games now will help if/when any of them appear in the post season.

jlcct

09-20-2010, 12:24 PM

I'm with ya Jan. I'm nmfphrpg,adfnvlkerglrkjg pumped.

Agent-X-

09-20-2010, 12:25 PM

I like our chances.

jlcct

09-20-2010, 12:38 PM

I just read that Jair's tweaked knee could keep him from the start and Beachy could get the call. I read it at TC.

jlcct

09-20-2010, 12:42 PM

Although the more I think about it the less likely I think it is that we see that happen. We have other options that would keep us from throwing him to the wolves.

Agent-X-

09-20-2010, 12:51 PM

I just like that we're starting the series against Cole Hamels.

JanShan12

09-20-2010, 01:11 PM

My stomach is going to be churning all day...

The hate I have for the Phillies is making this even more exciting. This is a feeling Braves fans have been missing the past couple of years and man have I missed it! Love this time of year!

quick

09-20-2010, 02:55 PM

Hamels' last three starts: 3-0, 0.44 ERA, 20.2 innings, 25Ks. Hmmm. I am not so glad to see him. Plus, he is a lefty and the Barves have struggled with leftys all year. Meanwhile, JJ got hammered in his last 3 starts--1-2 with a 6.32 ERA, 12Ks, and 15.2 innings.

Frankly, I think our best bet is against Halladay. Our lefty Minor might give the Phils' lefty batters trouble and Halladay's ERA is 4.79 in his last three starts. He can be beaten (although the Barves haven't done it), and he has thrown a ton of innings. Maybe he can be had.

Oswalt is 3-0, 2.05 ERA, 22 innings and 20 Ks in his last three starts. Not good.

We are not bumping into this "Big Three" at the best time....If we can get one of the three games I will feel contented with this series. Not happy, but contented. We just cannot get swept, considering the thin Wild Card lead.

Agent-X-

09-20-2010, 03:07 PM

Hamels' last three starts: 3-0, 0.44 ERA, 20.2 innings, 25Ks. Hmmm. I am not so glad to see him. Plus, he is a lefty and the Barves have struggled with leftys all year. Meanwhile, JJ got hammered in his last 3 starts--1-2 with a 6.32 ERA, 12Ks, and 15.2 innings.

Frankly, I think our best bet is against Halladay. Our lefty Minor might give the Philis' lefty batters trouble and Halladay's ERA is 4.79 in his last three starts. He can be beaten (although the Barves haven't done it), and he has thrown a ton of innings. Maybe he can be had.

Oswalt is 3-0, 2.05 ERA, 22 innings and 20 Ks in his last three starts. Not good.

We are not bumping into this "Big Three" at the best time....If we can get one of the three games I will feel contented with this series. Not happy, but contented. We just cannot get swept, considering the thin Wild Card lead.

Doesn't matter. It's Cole Hamels. Let him string together some good starts. The real Cole Hamels is still there, and sooner or later I'm willing to bet those peripherals will droop back to what he has more consistently been. I don't fear the guy because he may show up tossing batting practice. :thumbsup:

quick

09-20-2010, 03:14 PM

Doesn't matter. It's Cole Hamels. Let him string together some good starts. The real Cole Hamels is still there, and sooner or later I'm willing to bet those peripherals will droop back to what he has more consistently been. I don't fear the guy because he may show up tossing batting practice. :thumbsup:

Hamels has a 1.79 ERA in his last thirteen starts. I believe last year's slump was an aberration and what we are seeing now is more "normal". I hope not, but 13 conseuctive starts of that quality is a nice, long string....and his ERA for the year is only 3.01.

quick

09-20-2010, 03:19 PM

Braves' Twitter confirms its Brandon Beachy, not JJ. It will take a miracle for the Barves to win this one--a kid like Beachy will likely wet his pants. You do wonder if a different manager might move up the rotation to go on 4 days' rest and let Minor go tonight and get Huddy in on game 3 of the series. Starting Beachy looks almost like capitulation.

Here is the lineup:

Tonight's lineup (7:05 SportSouth): Infante - 4 Heyward - 9 Prado - 5 Lee - 3 McCann - 2 Diaz - 7 Gonzalez - 6 Cabrera - 8 Jurrjens -

Obviously, JJ will be replaced by Beachy.

JanShan12

09-20-2010, 04:07 PM

Decent lineup. Personally, I would make a couple switches in lineup position, but I really like the players chosen. Go get'em, Braves!

bravos4evr

09-20-2010, 04:57 PM

Ya never know , sometimes pitchers pitch over their heads good on their first starts.... IMO it's gonna come down to which Braves team shows up: the one who hits with RISP or the one who doesn't. Generally if we do, we win....

BTW I have some serious sports overload clock mgmt probs tonite, the Saints are on MNF and it start like 80 minutes after the Barves game.... ARGHHHHH

warefreak

09-20-2010, 05:50 PM

I'm so glad we're going with Beachy. He's the minor league ERA leader of the year!!!

I'm excited. I don't honestly think we'll win but I am definitely excited still the same.

Gman

09-20-2010, 06:29 PM

I'm so glad we're going with Beachy. He's the minor league ERA leader of the year!!!

I'm excited. I don't honestly think we'll win but I am definitely excited still the same.

The way this has set up with rookies Beachy and Minor having to go against the top of the Philly rotation, Philly is expected to win no less then 2 and should really sweep. The Braves will feel like they accomplished a lot against long odds by taking one. If they take two they'll leave on a serious high and the experts and philly fans will be all over Philly. If by some miracle the Braves sweep this series (and to do that it will have to be late in games against their suspect pen), it will have such a crushing effect on Philly that I don't think they'll even make the post season.

So for the Braves getting swept won't be a killer to their wild card hopes since they know their rotation is in a bad spot for this series. One win is a momentum builder for the wild card. Two or three wins is a momentum builder to take the division.

Amazingly with the turn of events, I think it's become a more critical series for Philly then the Braves.

quick

09-20-2010, 07:06 PM

First inning is about to start. Innn--tense....

Lauren T.

09-20-2010, 07:21 PM

3 pop flys, Beachy didn't look bad. MattE saved a hit, and I clapped pretty loud and fist-pumped in my living room. (This is why I'll never sit in the press box; I can't keep it in.)

For those not watching the Braves feed, they just showed Wags in the dugout in the last half inning, said he's there to talk to / encourage Beachy between innings. Nice!

quick

09-20-2010, 07:24 PM

McCann drives in Lee in the 2d. 1-0 Braves!

quick

09-20-2010, 07:28 PM

Braves have men at the corners with no outs and A-Gon whiffs and Melky GIDP. Cannot blow these kinds of chances!!

All yours Lauren T. Must go to dinner...

alaskabravesfan

09-20-2010, 07:29 PM

(rolls eyes) I'd rather see Rick Ankkkkkkel in there than Melky! At least Rick would've struck out and cleared the pitchers spot before the third inning...

$%#^ you, Melky.

Gman

09-20-2010, 07:31 PM

I was really hoping McLouth would be in there instead of Melky. I just can't watch that guy hit his stinking ground outs anymore. Hope he make me eat my words next time up.

Gman

09-20-2010, 07:37 PM

don't let ruiz beat you when Valdez is on deck.

Gman

09-20-2010, 07:38 PM

Apparently he didn't hear me.

Lauren T.

09-20-2010, 07:48 PM

I won't be calling the game for the board. That's what Gameday is for. If anything unusual or our of the ordinary happens I might post it. :)

I do have a question, though - I'm listing Braves one wouldn't want to fight for a blog post. Farns, Kimmie (with his black belts), Ske, Gonzo... someone want to suggest a 5th and why? I'm leaning toward Chipper - he'd just shoot you with one of his Buck Commander shotguns and no one would ever miss you. ;)

alaskabravesfan

09-20-2010, 07:50 PM

No one wants to fight the Braves because Bobby Cox is the only MLB manager who wears spikes! That, combined with his penchant for getting tossed out of games must be intimidating.

Lauren T.

09-20-2010, 07:58 PM

...It's imaginary. :rolleyes: And Bobby's on the alternate list, after the whole domestic violence incident back in '95. He's older and fatter with bad knees and hips now, though.

IkeWagner

09-20-2010, 07:59 PM

With the way McLouth is coming around, I think it's a mistake to platoon him when the other guy is as weak as Melky.

Gman

09-20-2010, 08:02 PM

Beachy looking good so far. He doesn't have to go deep with the number of guys in the pen. If he can keep them where they are for 2 more innings it'll be a great effort. Only one rookie mistake throwing a strike to Ruiz when he was ahead in the count.

Need some more long at bats and hits against hamel. He's getting too comfortable.

-Dr. Brave-

09-20-2010, 08:04 PM

I do have a question, though - I'm listing Braves one wouldn't want to fight for a blog post. Farns, Kimmie (with his black belts), Ske, Gonzo... someone want to suggest a 5th and why? I'm leaning toward Chipper - he'd just shoot you with one of his Buck Commander shotguns and no one would ever miss you. ;)

I don't think I'd want to get in a fight with Wagner. Not a big guy, but probably a scrappy little f*cker.

Gman

09-20-2010, 08:09 PM

-Dr. Brave-

09-20-2010, 08:11 PM

I don't think I'd want to be on the other end of one of Heywards fist. If I had a choice it'd be the fist with the bad thumb. That fist would only knock me out.

I thought that too, but I think you'd have to almost kill him to make him mad enough to hit you.

Braves N Canes

09-20-2010, 08:22 PM

I don't how good of a fighter he is but Hinskie seems like a tough SOB that doesn't mind a good scrap every now and then.

Let's go Brandon Beachy from a fellow Hoosier! Let's Go Braves!

Gman

09-20-2010, 08:28 PM

Ouch...huge missed catch by Heyward.

Come on Beachy...hold them to one run this inning.

Lauren T.

09-20-2010, 08:29 PM

I thought that too, but I think you'd have to almost kill him to make him mad enough to hit you.
This is exactly why why I'm having a hard time coming up with a #5. You could make this same argument for Wags or Heyward. :/

CanadaBravesFan

09-20-2010, 08:37 PM

I am going to make a statement that at one time in my life thought would never be even imaginable. I HATE a Braves player as much as I loathed Kenny Lofton. That player is Melky Cabrera. Bobby, please start Mclouth. I understand that Melky bats RH and you like that against LHP, but please realize that Melky is a pathetic hitter who is too fat to cover ground in the OF.

Besides that, GO BRAVES!!! :D

Gman

09-20-2010, 08:38 PM

come on BC what are you doing leaving the lefty in to face Werth??????? You're giving it away.

IkeWagner

09-20-2010, 08:42 PM

O-F-whatever walks two to load the bases with one out. This could get ugly quick.

Garydee

09-20-2010, 08:46 PM

Looks like our crappy defense is back.

Gman

09-20-2010, 08:51 PM

Nice job by OFlaherty and Moylan to close it out with only one scoring.

Let's get some run base runners on this guy. He rattles so easy.

IkeWagner

09-20-2010, 08:51 PM

The Phillies only get one run from the bases-loaded, one out situation. But we're down 3-1.

Gman

09-20-2010, 08:58 PM

Incredible at bat by Heyward going from 0-2 to a walk. Hamels was obviously rattled by it and Prado immediately got ahead in the count and crushed one that just hooked foul. Dang.:banghead:

Garydee

09-20-2010, 08:59 PM

Man, Prado missed that homer by a smidgen, then knocks into a dp to end the inning. :banghead:

-Dr. Brave-

09-20-2010, 09:05 PM

Peter Moylan has compacted his delivery and it's made him MUCH faster to the plate and improved his command considerably.

Lauren T.

09-20-2010, 09:43 PM

So, there was a fan on the field in a morph suit (http://www.morphsuits.com/), security couldn't nab him, and the camera was on Mac and Werth. All of a sudden you see both their jaws drop and they look at each other like, "that was awesome" "I can't believe he did that"... MattE Diaz had tripped the morph suit so security could completely take him down. :D

The camera went to MattE, and he was half-grinning and the crowd was cheering for him, and he touched his cap. Then SportSouth replayed MattE tripping the guy! Chip's like, the only reason we're showing this is because of Matt's assist!

So awesome. Add this to the pile of reasons MattE is my favorite Brave.

JanShan12

09-20-2010, 09:45 PM

Diaz is nowhere near my favorite Brave, but that is awesome! Watching the game on the MLB Network though, so didn't get to see it.

Hobbes

09-20-2010, 09:45 PM

If we're going to win this we'll have to do it against Lidge.

JanShan12

09-20-2010, 09:45 PM

Here we go... 9th inning... last chance to score 2 (at least) off of Lidge...

Hobbes

09-20-2010, 09:49 PM

We really could use Chipper against Lidge. He always seemed to hit him well.

Hobbes

09-20-2010, 09:50 PM

Last chance.

JanShan12

09-20-2010, 09:51 PM

Ugh! Wild card lead is down to 2... and those white towels were really annoying.

warefreak

09-20-2010, 09:54 PM

All I can say is Brandon Beachy did a heck of a job and if it wasn't for Heyward's error this game would have been a HECK of a lot closer and we might have came away with it.

Also... runners in scoring position? Why is Melky still on this team?!?@!?!

Lauren T.

09-20-2010, 10:01 PM

Video of MattE's "trip" (http://iputtheillinchillwave.com/post/1158906708/video-of-philly-fan-running-on-the-field-and-then) :thumbsup:

quick

09-20-2010, 10:12 PM

Didn't expect to win this one, but we need to beat Halladay with our lefty pitching. Halladay has looked human lately. If we want one of three, game two is the one to get....

KB 34

09-20-2010, 11:25 PM

When I saw McLouth wasn't in the lineup and Cabrera was I pretty much figured the offense would be a lost cause. McLouth has finally turned it around and it's time to play him erveryday seeing he's a solid major leaguer. Come next season when he's producing everyone will forget how much they wanted to dump him this past deadline. It will be a variation of what happened with Rafael Soriano a year and a half ago.