Braves Journal

New York Mets vs. Atlanta Braves – Box Score – September 02, 2010 – ESPN.

Well, you can’t win them all, even against the Mets. Tim Hudson allowed four runs, three of them “earned”, in seven innings. In the first, the Braves defense was plenty sloppy, though the two runs scored were “earned”. I’ll shut up about that now. Anyway, after getting the first two, he allowed a double to Carlos Beltran, but Melky was in center and misplayed it into a triple. (I dunno. He didn’t really “misplay” it. He played it as well as he can, it’s just that he’s slow. Any real centerfielder cuts the ball off.) Then Omar Infante threw the relay throw into the dugout to score Beltran. Hudson allowed two straight singles, then walked the bases loaded before getting a little dribbler that Martin Prado couldn’t handle, turned infield single to make it 2-0.

The Braves couldn’t catch up. In the second, Brian McCann hit a homer against Johan Santana to make it 2-1, but they mustered only three hits and a walk against Santana in five innings before he left with a pulled muscle. They hit some balls hard, had some bad luck, but I didn’t think they looked good. Then David Wright hit a solo homer in the sixth to make it 3-1, and more sloppy defense led to an “unearned” run in the seventh to make it 4-1.

The Braves did get the tying runs on in the eighth, with two out. Melky led off with a single, but the next two batters didn’t do anything, then Heyward walked. They moved up on a passed ball, and then Prado hit a chopper off the plate for a single to make it 4-2. Derrek Lee lined out to end the inning. Since McCann singled leading off the ninth, you have to wonder what would have happened if he’d kept the inning going. Anyway, Ankiel ran for McCann, and he didn’t go anywhere as the next three batters went down meekly.

It’s that time again! Home teams in italics, Tennessee always picked to lose, and I spent as little effort as possible deciding.

Alabama 62, San Jose State 9
South Carolina 19, So. Miss 10
Georgia 41, Louisiana-Lafayette 6
Florida 51, Miami (OH) 0
Kentucky 17, Louisville 16
Ole Miss 16, Jacksonville St 3
Auburn 56, Arkansas St. 12
Arkansas 70, Tennessee Tech 14
Northwestern 20, Vandy 14
MSU 24, Memphis 14
LSU 40, UNC 10
Tennessee-Martin 7, Tennessee 6

New York Mets vs. Atlanta Braves – Box Score – September 01, 2010 – ESPN.

As I watched a dispirited, going-through-the-motions Mets squad tonight — well, last night, now — I remarked to my brother, “Hey, I’ve seen this team before!” It was the Atlanta Braves, circa 1985 — one depressed-looking righthanded-hitting superstar, an injured star who probably shouldn’t be playing, and six guys who may or may not belong in the big leagues but who in combination are deadly to their team’s chances. Not fun in Flushing, I fear.

The Braves jumped on the Mets early, scoring two in the first as Omar Infante singled, Jason Heyward doubled to the gap, and Martin Prado followed with another double to score both of them. Prado was later thrown out trying to score on a Eric Hinske groundout, but so far, so good. In the second, they scored two again, with Infante singling in Rick Ankiel and then scoring on Heyward’s second double. 4-0.

That was more than enough tonight, as Tommy Hanson finally had some good luck on balls in play. He only struck out three, but was getting a lot of fly balls, mostly routine outs to center. Ankiel made one spectacular catch, but most of the rest was pretty easy. Hanson allowed only one hit, a double by David Wright (“It’s not your fault, David. Relax.”) in the fourth, and walked only one over seven innings.

The Mets got a run against Jonny Venters in the eighth, with a walk, a groundout (which if Venters hadn’t deflected it might have been a GIDP) and a single by, of all people, Luis Hernandez. Billy Wagner got three outs on ten pitches in the ninth for the save.

Heyward was 4-4 again; the Braves had eleven hits in all. They could have scored more, but for a spectacular episode of Snitkering with two out in the fourth, when Rick Ankiel was thrown out trying to score on an Infante single to center. Before the ball even hit the ground, I remarked, “He can’t score on that.” And he couldn’t. With Heyward on deck; did I mention that he was 4-4?

By the time you read this, I should be on my way to Atlanta to catch tonight’s game. Recap will be up at some point; I may tweet some during the game.

New York Mets vs. Atlanta Braves – Box Score – August 31, 2010 – ESPN.

Ah, the Mets.

The game stayed scoreless through three, as despite any number of baserunners neither team could get a hit with a runner in scoring position. In the fourth, that changed, as Martin Prado led off the inning with a double, and Derrek Lee (having his best game as a Brave with three hits and a walk) singled him home to make it 1-0.

The lead didn’t hold up for long, as Mike Minor lost the strikezone in the fifth, walking three men on the way to allowing two runs, giving up sac flies to Jeffy Francoeur and Henry Blanco, members of the Mets’ sizeable crappy ex-Braves contingent. Bobby was walking a high wire in that inning sticking with Minor, who was always on the verge of imploding… but it was the Mets.

Being the Mets, they didn’t hold the lead for any time to speak of, and by the end of the inning were out of the game. Nate Louth, up from Gwinnett, pinch-hit for Minor and did the only positive thing he was likely to do, getting hit by a pitch. Infante followed with a double-play ball that Luis Castillo allowed to go through his legs, and the floodgates opened. Jason Heyward was held in check most of the night, but this time hit a screaming line drive that went all the way to the wall, scoring two. He only got to third on a Prado single, and then Lee walked to lad the bases. Matt Diaz struck out, but Alex Gonzalez singled to score Heyward, though Prado was thrown out at home. Melky walked, and David Ross hit a line drive grand slam to make it 8-2, and then Jerry Manuel got the starter out of there. Sheesh.

The rest of the game was pretty desultory, Bobby using O’Flaherty for the sixth, Venters the seventh, Saito the eighth, and Moylan the ninth. (No Farnsworthless?) The Braves got one more run on a Melky double to score AAG in the seventh.

Now, I’m not saying that Jeffy won’t play in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area next year. He’ll look great in a road uniform in Gwinnett.

New York Mets vs. Atlanta Braves – Box Score – August 30, 2010 – ESPN.

It would appear that Jason Heyward is fully recovered from his injuries. Beware.

Despite the final score, this one was in doubt most of the way. The Braves took the lead in the first on singles by Infante and Heyward, a groundout by Prado, and a single by Lee. But some poor defense by Gonzalez in the second (opinions differ on whether it was really his fault or just bad hops) helped lead to two Mets runs off of Jair Jurrjens to tie the game.

The Braves got back ahead in the second. After two quick outs, Jurrjes and Infante singled, and Heyward then crushed a pitch for a three-run homer. The Braves blew a good chance to score in the third (a single by Lee and a bunt single by McCann, only for Diaz to hit into a double play). Meanwhile, Jurrjens was struggling with his control, walking six Mets (but striking out eight) in 5 2/3. Because it was the Mets, he got through a lot of danger, but in the fifth they got a run and had the tying runs on base with nobody out. A fielder’s choice got a runner at the plate, and then a strikeout got him almost out of danger, but then he walked Luis Castillo on four pitches and Bobby finally got him. O’Flaherty got a groundout to put out the fire.

Then the Braves put the game away in the bottom of the inning. Manny Acosta was on the mound, predictably. (Actually, Acosta has given the Braves fits this year — but not this time.) After two more quick outs, Ankiel singled and Omar walked. Jason singled again, scoring Ankiel, and then he came around to score from first on a Prado single to make it 8-3. McCann capped the scoring with a solo homer in the seventh.

Heyward wound up 4-5 with four RBI and three runs scored. Pretty solid day. He’s officially on a tear.

Do you realize that this could be the very last series that Jeffy plays in Atlanta? I mean, even if anyone wants him to play for them next year, it would probably be the Royals.

Florida Marlins vs. Atlanta Braves – Box Score – August 29, 2010 – ESPN.

What’s the word? Oh, yeah… RESILIENT.

The Braves got off the bat after another disaster start — oh, heck, let’s call it a catastrophe start — this one by Derek Lowe. At least with his other starts, Lowe has been giving them five innings before falling apart. Today, he gave up a three-run homer before getting an out, then managed only two more innings, in the second of which he allowed two more runs, before getting lifted. He sucks.

The pitching hero of the game was The Lisp, though he won’t show up with a decision or anything. He allowed a run in the fourth, but then threw three more innings, more or less unscathed, and kept the game from getting totally out of hand. Not that it looked like it would matter off of Josh Johnson. The Braves got an “unearned” run in the first on an Eric Hinske single, but left the tying runs on base, then didn’t do much of anything for five innings after that.

Luckily, Johnson had thrown 103 pitches, so the Marlins got him out of there after six. The Braves couldn’t score in the seventh, but our old friend Will Ohman didn’t have it in the eighth, allowing three runs, though only one was “earned”. Heyward walked to lead off, then after an out McCann singled to make it first-and-third. Hinske doubled to score Heyward and chase Ohman. The next reliever got Gonzalez to strike out, but Melky hit a little grounder to third that Wes Smelms threw badly on; Gaby Sanchez at first was charged the error, and he could have made the play, but Smelms should have been charged. Two runs scored and it was 6-4.

Marlins pseudo-closer Leo Nunez walked Brooks Conrad to lead off the inning, then Matt Diaz hit an opposite-field shot to tie the game. Nunez rallied to strike out Heyward and get Prado to ground out, then McCann hit a ball that I never thought he got enough elevation on to get out of the park. It bounced off the top of the wall, on to the retaining wall, then back onto the field. The first-base umpire screwed up the call, saying it was a double, but after video review it was changed to the rarely-seen trot, stand at second, then walk-off home run. Saito got the win after pitching the ninth.

Seriously, was anyone surprised that the Marlins have been basically running a con game, crying poverty to get what amount to kickbacks from the local governments while at the same time pocketing millions in revenue-sharing money? First off, this is what the owners do. They always lie about how much money they’re losing, and they always use accounting tricks to do it. Second, they’re PURE EVIL.