Gamethread: Braves @ Orioles, June 14, 2009 (62/162) LOSS

[sdp]

http://img386.imageshack.us/img386/6381/atlantaatbaltimore.png
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Atlanta Braves (30-31) vs. Baltimore Orioles (26-36)
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Series Matchups (Series tied, 1-1)
> Friday: Braves 7, Orioles 2 (W: Hanson; L: Berken) - Recap (http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=5025287&c_id=atl) | Box Score (http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2009_06_12_atlmlb_balmlb_1) | Gamethread (http://www.chopnation.com/boards/showthread.php?t=94)
> Saturday: Orioles 8, Braves 4 (W: Bass; L: O'Flaherty) - Recap (http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=5043377&c_id=atl) | Box Score (http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2009_06_13_atlmlb_balmlb_1) | Gamethread (http://www.chopnation.com/boards/showthread.php?t=95)
> TODAY: Derek Lowe vs. Brad Bergensen, 1:35 PM EDT on SPSO

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Starting Lineup
Nate McLouth, CF
Yunel Escobar, SS
Chipper Jones, DH
Brian McCann, C
Garret Anderson, LF
Barbaro Canizares, 1B
Martin Prado, 3B
Jeff Francoeur, RF
Kelly Johnson, 2B

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Link Roundup
Braves-Orioles Preview (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/preview?gid=290614101) (Mezydlo, STATS)
Canizares has made a positive impression (http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090613&content_id=5307526&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl) (Kerzel, MLB.com)

"I don't know whether the ball was extra slick or I had something wrong with my finger." - Peter Moylan

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Upcoming @ Cincinnati
> Tuesday, June 16th: Jair Jurrjens vs. Aaron Harang, 7:15 PM EDT on SPSO
> Wednesday, June 17th: Javier Vazquez vs. Micah Owings, 7:15 PM EDT on SPSO
> Thursday, June 18th: Tommy Hanson vs. Matt Maloney, 12:40 PM EDT on SPSO
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June 16th-18th: Braves @ Reds; June 19th-21st: Braves @ Red Sox
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Go Braves!

[sdp]

LINEUP

Nate McLouth, CF
Yunel Escobar, SS
Chipper Jones, DH
Brian McCann, C
Garret Anderson, LF
Barbaro Canizares, 1B
Martin Prado, 3B
Jeff Francoeur, RF
Kelly Johnson, 2B

[bravos4evr]

Well, let's hope that we can score 4 runs today so we can get the W. We MUST take this series ( and the next one as well).

Oddly enough, we tend to play well against the good teams, so I don't see it as a forgone conclusion that we will get destroyed by the Yankees/Red Sox.

[JanShan12]

Back-to-back walks by Lowe. What are we in for today?!?

[JanShan12]

Baltimore up 3-0 after a Wigginton homer. Ugh!

Another reason you don't walk people... especially the first two batters of the inning.

[wordslayer©]

Let me get this straight....these ballgame thingies are supposed to provide entertainment, right?

[JanShan12]

Let me get this straight....these ballgame thingies are supposed to provide entertainment, right?

I haven't experienced it yet today.

[JanShan12]

Throw home!!!!!!!! Ahhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bravestud]

I haven't experienced it yet today.
I haven't experienced it in about four years. :(

[JanShan12]

I hate being the type of fan who turns the game off when it isn't going my way, but I'm coming really close to that today.

[wordslayer©]

I hate being the type of fan who turns the game off when it isn't going my way, but I'm coming really close to that today.

I hate being one of those David Carradine kind of people, but if I listen to any more of this, I'm putting the rope around my neck and nuts, too.

[wordslayer©]

Man, I don't get it. If we lose this game, we will be two games under .500.

Having this record by the middle of June, after the money they spent in the off-season, for the life of me, I don't see what keeps this team getting ripped to pieces by the media and fans.

Atlanta is the absolute most sports forgiving town in america.

I can see now why the south lost the civil war.

[sdp]

Escobar benched.

[BigWorm]

So much for respectability.

On a side note, interesting tidbit on the radio just now.

This was Lowe's shortest outing since 2004 when he was with the Red Sox....

it happened to be against the Orioles in Camden Park.

[sdp]

If you can't take at least two of three from the Orioles, good luck with the more grueling part of the interleague schedule with the Yankees and Red Sox.

[Hobbes]

I hate being the type of fan who turns the game off when it isn't going my way, but I'm coming really close to that today.
I guess I'm glad I was too busy to watch today.

Escobar benched.
Why?

[sdp]

Why?I'm guessing because of the way he botched the pickoff rundown and allowed a run to score. Diory Hernandez went in to play short immediately after that inning.

[HomerTheBrave]

I'm guessing because of the way he botched the pickoff rundown and allowed a run to score. Diory Hernandez went in to play short immediately after that inning.

I haven't posted in a while, but I just couldn't let this one go....I need to blow off some steam.

I wholeheartedly agree with BC benching esco,I actually wished he would've done in the middle of the inning. This incident combined with the play about a week ago where he bobbled a ground ball and apparently forgot there was a either a tying or leading run on third made me believe that the guy is actually in space out there......no baseball instincts whatsoever..

and to makes matters worse, the guy thinks he's better than what he actually is......

so there,I'm done for now.....

go braves

[JanShan12]

This game has turned into a joke.

I agree with what you're saying about Escobar. I typically like him in the field and think he gives us a better chance to win than anyone else we could put at SS, but today's play was ridiculous. Why would you not try to get the LEAD runner? It was like he had no idea there was a runner at third until it was way too late. Inexcusable. The flood gates obviously opened after that. Losing 11-1 is not entirely Escobar's fault, but when you're struggling offensively like this team is, you have to be at the top of your game defensively.

[JanShan12]

The one small, small bright spot was David Ross hitting 2 home runs. That's all I can think of though.

Braves lose 11-2

[Chris_Moderato]

I get to watch about fifteen games in a given season. Fifteen out of 162. After the Orioles stretched the lead to 8-0, I turned the remote over to my wife and took a nap.

I think this kind of closes the competitive portion of the season for the Braves. At this point, I think it's obvious they aren't going to contend.

[Dreamscape]

I just can't feel good about this team. They scream out "oh, well, we lost again." I HATE THAT! If you're going to lose, do so because you're building for the future. But you went out and spent a crapload of money and you're still losing! You won't fire a coach, won't hold any of your corner outfielders responsible for their vastly below average production, and instead go through the next day like you did the past. With not one damn bit of caring about the outcome of the game.

I tend to not get emotional about this team anymore...but give me a break. You want fans to root for you? You want them to fill those seats? Don't complain about the economy...complain about your lack of concern toward making things happen. Trying new things. Getting rid of the dead weight. This team reminds me of the Indians in the first half of Major League II. The potential is there, the desire to do whatever it takes to get better isn't. Maybe an inner-team brawl will do some positive things for this team.

Hell, sacrifice a live chicken.

Until then, Atlanta Braves...you really don't deserve me hoping you'll win.

You'll get it, but you don't deserve it.

[sdp]

I just can't feel good about this team. They scream out "oh, well, we lost again." I HATE THAT! If you're going to lose, do so because you're building for the future. But you went out and spent a crapload of money and you're still losing! You won't fire a coach, won't hold any of your corner outfielders responsible for their vastly below average production, and instead go through the next day like you did the past. With not one damn bit of caring about the outcome of the game.

I tend to not get emotional about this team anymore...but give me a break. You want fans to root for you? You want them to fill those seats? Don't complain about the economy...complain about your lack of concern toward making things happen. Trying new things. Getting rid of the dead weight. This team reminds me of the Indians in the first half of Major League II. The potential is there, the desire to do whatever it takes to get better isn't. Maybe an inner-team brawl will do some positive things for this team.You are right.

This team has been mediocre for going on three and a half seasons now and not once has a coach's job been in jeopardy. Not once has there been a flame under Bobby's seat. I don't care what he's done in his career, he doesn't have the right to a comfortable manager's chair no matter the circumstances.

When you've got a team with consistent $95-105MM payrolls and the team is not contending, you've got to start looking at management.

A hitting coach can't make Kelly Johnson hit like an All-Star but he can inspire and motivate and work with him until things click. (Patting him on the back after an awful at-bat is not motivation.) It’s time for the Braves to start looking at the coaching staff on this team instead of always trying to acquire a patch to fix things for one season.

If the offense is so bad, why does Terry Pendleton still have a job? Why has this team sucked for going three seasons now and no pressure has been applied to Bobby Cox or ANY of his coaches? Why do we release Tom Glavine for “performance reasons” but have one of the biggest black holes in the history of the game in right field? Why is Peter Moylan used in high leverage situations when he’s clearly not 100% healthy from Tommy John? Why is Mike Gonzalez used with a 5-run lead? Why is Kris Medlen a starter for the past two season in AA/AAA but gets sent to the bullpen when Tommy Hanson gets up? Why are there below replacement level outfielders on the major league roster while options at replacement level are readily available?

None of it makes sense.

[RiknTN]

In the spirit of the game.......Jobu

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j12/rikstn/th_jobu.jpg (http://s76.photobucket.com/albums/j12/rikstn/?action=view&current=jobu.jpg)

[argentina brave]

you guys think you had it bad.....i actually WENT to that game! what an abomination!!!

on the plus side, my boys joined the 'orioles dugout youth club' and got a bunch of free oriole paraphenalia. my oldest did root for the braves to the bitter end. i can't squelch such youthful naivete/enthusiasm!

of note, i got acknowledgment from hanson before the game when i congratulated him on friday's game. he laughed and waved at me. also, i razzed frenchy about parkview high school (i went to his rival brookwood) ... it was all downhill after the first pitch though....

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

Andruw
32 109 19 28 9 0 7 17 20 27 2 0 .257 .371 .532 .903
Frenchy
61 232 27 58 6 2 4 29 10 34 3 1 .250 .282 .345 .627


Wish we had a crystal ball earlier in the season. Could have just dropped frenchy and kept Andruw. He would still be a nice feilder at the corner. I know noone else thinks that way, but I still don't understand what the big risk was. He wanted the league minimum. Argh.

[Dreamscape]

Away from the Ballpark at Arlington...
.216/.333/.324

Last 28 days...
.171/.239/.366

These trends say to me that Andruw's improvement over Francoeur, while marginal, wouldn't have been much to bank on. Andruw is in a perfect situation and I would like him to succeed, but his numbers are inflated considerably. Now, with more at-bats, his away numbers will improve and his last 28 days (which in full disclosure includes only 12 games and 11 starts) would also look better, but when it comes to making the Braves better, not so sure he's the guy you want to point to.

[Hobbes]

you guys think you had it bad.....i actually WENT to that game! what an abomination!!!

Ouch. My condolences.

Still, it was a beautiful day at a great ballpark.

[Freddy_Ballgame]

Couldn't agree with you more, sdp. I give TP a bit of a break because it's obvious Cox doesn't reinforce anything he says. That might change their opinion of him as a "player's manager." (Translation: A do-nothing fan in the manager's role who goes out of his way not to rock a player's boat, unless that player could develop into more than he has. Then the manager benches him and decides the player can't hit this guy or that one without any basis in reality.) Cox is an empty suit, and has been for a decade. Drastic changes need to be made, starting with replacing Cox with a demanding manager who directs the game instead of watches it. I don't think they have enough sticks to compete but with a real baseball guy running things, who knows how far they can go?

[wordslayer©]

I would never want to pile on Cox about being a bad manager or anything, especially when the team is down like this, but it does kind of irk me when I hear the players going into the dugout and they refer to him as "mommy."

[KB 34]

I actually drove by Turner Field on Saturday morning traveling to Florida. The stadium looked really nice and I was interested in the location as it reminded me of Milwaukee. I have to be quite honest, I didn't feel bad I was only driving by. The uneqal standards for playes, general organization arrogance that they're a contending team, Glavine and Smoltz, lack of changes following 3+ years of losing, the list goes on and on it seems. The Escobar situation just adds gas to the fire. Escobar isn't playing out of his mind but he isn't completely tanking like there's no tomorrow either. Is it really going to be Infante at ss going forward? Are these problems recent since Lillibridge was moved last offseason? Why does it seem no one wants to play for the Braves or if they do things fall apart? I'm not too happy with what's happening.

[Andy G.]

Things are never half as bad as you make them out to be, KB.

[KB 34]

When am I going to see a Braves team winning again? I had high hopes for 3 years and nothing happened. Things aren't looking good this year either with the Braves not close to leading the division. I'm perfectly fine supporting a losing team and have supported the Bulls since the late 90s. I'm not happy with a team when I don't feel losing is inevitable and isn't going somewhere.

[-Dr. Brave-]

I actually drove by Turner Field on Saturday morning traveling to Florida. The stadium looked really nice and I was interested in the location as it reminded me of Milwaukee. I have to be quite honest, I didn't feel bad I was only driving by.

I'm impressed by the fact that you were able to take your eyes off the road as you drove by. :o

[KB 34]

I'm impressed by the fact that you were able to take your eyes off the road as you drove by. :o
I wasn't the one driving at the time actually. The night before we were staying 9 miles away according to the GPS so I was on alert for it.