23 May
Oscillating game thread: May 23, Jays at Braves
The Braves are now a game over .500, so you can be pretty sure we’re gonna lose this one.
You likely saw this blog entry by DOB. The interesting thing is that the actual park factors for the Ted show it as basically an average ballpark this season, slightly tilted towards the hitters. The main reason for this is that Braves pitchers have given up a much higher batting average at home, outweighing the extra power on the road. Braves hitters have hit for basically the same average and on-base at home and on the road…
Today’s cartoon is dedicated to Buddy Carlyle and Jeff Bennett, and in a non-pitching context to Francoeur, who sucks.
Isn’t the rainout supposed to be on Sunday so the Braves have another nearly impossible game to reschedule?
May 23rd, 2009 at 2:11 pmThe Weather Channel has “showers” for its Atlanta forecast from 8 PM today to 3 PM tomorrow, followed by “scattered thunderstorms”. I don’t think it’s supposed to rain the whole time, but it doesn’t look good. It’s been raining here since last night.
May 23rd, 2009 at 2:15 pmA really hard shower in town just finished.
May 23rd, 2009 at 2:19 pmMatt Diaz is our best OF. Yet he’s stuck with the short end of a platoon. Why?
May 23rd, 2009 at 3:04 pmGadfly says that in 2007 there were 84 players with a lower OPS than Jeffy. However, from April 2007 – May 23,2009 which EVERYDAY player in all of baseball is worse than Jeffy? I think over 1000 PA is enough to determine that he is not going to turn it around.
I rarely post, but I’m just trying to figure who Gadfly thinks has been worse than Jeffy and why does he deserve so much patience. It’s not like he was ever a star player. One undeserving gold glove does not make you a star.
I don’t think even think a change of scenery would do him any good. He’s stubborn and not very bright, and will wind up as a bench player or in the minors for another organization.
I just don’t know how any person could possibly keep defending him.
May 23rd, 2009 at 4:28 pmWorst runs created/27 (I won’t use OPS, it is stupid) 2007-08, min. 1000 PA:
RUNS CREATED/GAME RC/G
1 Jason Kendall 3.54
2 Pedro Feliz 3.87
3 Khalil Greene 3.88
4 Yuniesky Betancourt 3.93
5 Melky Cabrera 3.95
6 Jose Lopez 4.07
7 A.J. Pierzynski 4.08
8 Felipe Lopez 4.16
9 Jeff Francoeur 4.29
10 Gary Matthews Jr. 4.30
Offensive winning percentage, same range and qualifier:
OWP OWP
1 Jason Kendall .344
2 Pedro Feliz .364
3 Melky Cabrera .381
4 A.J. Pierzynski .389
5 Yuniesky Betancourt .406
6 Felipe Lopez .414
7 Jeff Francoeur .417
8 Ryan Theriot .417
9 Gary Matthews Jr. .418
10 Khalil Greene .419
The other guys all play more demanding defensive positions than Jeffy, and most of them play them better. It is not unquestionable that Jeffy is the worst everyday player in baseball, but it’s a more than reasonable argument.
May 23rd, 2009 at 4:41 pmThat being said, the worst player in the majors this year has been Brian Giles, and it’s not really close. I don’t expect that will be the case at the end of the year, because he will either improve, retire, or be benched.
May 23rd, 2009 at 4:49 pmFrom the second list, here are their OWP for 2009:
1. Kendall – .257
2. Feliz – .592
3. Cabrera – .582
4. Pierzynski – .348
5. Betancourt – .314
6. Lopez – .662
7. Francoeur – .295
8. Theriot – .565
9. Matthews – .436
10. Greene – .253
It’s a tough competition, but I have to give Kendall the edge, with Francoeur second, just edging out the shortstop tandem of Betancourt and Greene.
Edit: Point taken on Giles.
May 23rd, 2009 at 4:57 pmYunescobar scratched with a strained hip flexor. Don’t know when he did it. Diory Hernandez in at short tonight.
Johnson, 2B
May 23rd, 2009 at 5:07 pmKotchman, 1B
ACHE, LF
McCann, C
Prado, 3B
Francoeur, RF
Hernandez, SS
Schafer, CF
Lowe, RHP
Kendall’s ankle snapped running down the line. What’s Frenchy’s excuse?
May 23rd, 2009 at 5:44 pmHis brain snapped around the fifth endorsement deal.
May 23rd, 2009 at 5:46 pmlowe better be good with that lineup.
May 23rd, 2009 at 5:50 pmThe defensive downgrade at shortstop is not a good thing for Lowe. That’s a hit-a-game difference, probably.
May 23rd, 2009 at 5:51 pmWow, that is a nasty list of mostly middle infielders and catchers. Gosh, he really sucks right now. I hate to say this, but I am starting to give up on Jeff Francoeur. I’m actually a little surprised I’ve lasted this long. With that said, I was never a supporter of Gadfly proportions.
May 23rd, 2009 at 6:00 pmGuess what Frenchy’s OPS is for the month of May?
Here’s a hint: it’s greater than .539 and less than .541.
May 23rd, 2009 at 6:06 pmPlease, hit it to Kotchman.
May 23rd, 2009 at 6:11 pmMan, Marc Fein says ‘fisted’ just like Chip does. Lame.
May 23rd, 2009 at 6:16 pmHe’s figured it out!
May 23rd, 2009 at 6:30 pmKotchman!!!!
May 23rd, 2009 at 6:47 pmCasey Kotchman!
May 23rd, 2009 at 6:49 pmGameday skipped right over ACHE and just gave the Braves an out.
Does this tell you anything Bobby?
May 23rd, 2009 at 6:50 pmI am noticing that Lowe is not missing ANY bats. I just looked back through gameday and he has one swinging strike the whole game.
I know his gameplan is to get ground balls with that sinker, but does bother anyone else?
EDIT: I love how as soon as I typed this he struck out Barajas swinging.
May 23rd, 2009 at 7:06 pmparish, his sinker is not working too well tonight.
May 23rd, 2009 at 7:08 pmAnd it’s starting to rain… I don’t think I’ve seen too many games where the defensive disparity is this great. I think Kotchman is the only Brave who’s as good as his counterpart.
May 23rd, 2009 at 7:10 pmFrenchy’s swing looked pretty good on that double…at least it looked pretty quick…keep working, otherwise you will be released!!!
May 23rd, 2009 at 7:13 pmUgh, Schafer!
May 23rd, 2009 at 7:15 pmWOAH!!! Well dang, put Lowe in RF.
May 23rd, 2009 at 7:15 pmLOWE!!! Lowe will not last longer than six innings tonight…the guy has to run bases twice!
May 23rd, 2009 at 7:15 pmWell, I can’t berlieve Lowe picked him up.
May 23rd, 2009 at 7:15 pmkc- Lowe seems to have been “off” quite a bit lately.
May 23rd, 2009 at 7:22 pmar…that’s exactly the quick inning that Lowe needs…Diory looks very Andres Thomas/Edgar Renteria to me…Prado’s defense at third is much better than I thought…
May 23rd, 2009 at 7:25 pmwell, parish, that should be expected. If you look at Lowe’s career stats, he is really not an ace, but he is much better than Burnett for sure.
Ganderson’s swing is so weak…weaker than frenchy weak…
May 23rd, 2009 at 7:29 pmSchafer probably holds his own against whoever they’ve got in center. (is it Rios)?
May 23rd, 2009 at 7:34 pmThat is now 12 groundouts to 2 in the air. I feel like most of the hits have been on the ground, too, even one of the doubles.
May 23rd, 2009 at 7:34 pmYep – Scutaro’s double was in the air, but Rolen’s was a ground ball into Ganderson territory. One single was a line drive, but the others were grounders.
May 23rd, 2009 at 7:38 pm#33, Vernon Wells.
May 23rd, 2009 at 7:41 pmHow are their other OF’s alligned?
May 23rd, 2009 at 7:44 pmKelly! I should hate him more…
Tommy, just give it up.
May 23rd, 2009 at 7:56 pmAre we really going to run Lowe out for the 8th, or was that just an admission that we have no bench?
May 23rd, 2009 at 7:57 pmWow – KJ FTW.
May 23rd, 2009 at 7:58 pmI think there must be something wrong with Sori…when did he last pitch?
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:00 pm#37, Rios in right, Lind in left.
#39, I think the feeling is that he’s gotten the last 6 quite easily and doesn’t look that tired.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:01 pmonly 94 pitches for Lowe? I thought he has way more than that!
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:03 pmSomething wrong with Lowe?
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:04 pmMoylan with a 3-0 count. Big surprise there.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:08 pmWhy pull Lowe?
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:09 pmWhy took out Lowe? Why Moylan? Why not Sori?
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:09 pmThank goodness…I have absolutely no faith in Moylan now. The guy should really still be in rehab…
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:12 pmOkay, we’ll take that.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:14 pmThis is the Mets lineup today:
Murphy
Pagan
Beltran
Sheffield
Wright
Reed
Santos
Martinez
Castillo
That’s as bad as ours, if not worse.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:16 pmYou have to love Mac.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:16 pmSorry…Brian McCann bunt single?!?
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:17 pmI’m gonna go with Parish here… huh?
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:18 pmCan Mac teach all of them how to bunt?
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:19 pmThat was actually his second bunt attempt of the game. His first out came on a two-out bunt.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:19 pmThey had that monster shift on and all Mac needed to do was bunting it past the pitcher.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:20 pmWhat are the odds that the phrase “silencing the critics” appears in tomorrow’s AJC write-up?
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:21 pmDiory sucks. Frenchy is having a fine game tongiht at the plate. I will give him that.
Hey, Chipper, nice seeing you warming up, now you can return to the bench!
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:23 pm@48: http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/2701/asdfb.png
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:24 pmDoes anyone else think that Jordan Schafer sorta looks like Frodo Baggins, or has that already been pointed out?
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:24 pmThey don’t appear to be cheap hits from what I can tell on Gameday. The words “line drive” have appeared in the same sentence with “Jeff Francoeur.”
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:25 pmsdp, that was Ganderson!
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:25 pm#60 – I think he looks kinda like Zeke Spruill.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:26 pmParish, Frenchy’s hits tongiht were both solid.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:26 pmHappy birthday, Mike! Make a wish and blow out the Blue Jays!
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:27 pmWhat are the odds that the phrase “silencing the critics” appears in tomorrow’s AJC write-up?
I think from the tone of that Bowman column, not very good. The FO seems to be greasing the skids to do something and it will take more than a couple of stray hits to turn it around at this point.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:27 pm#61, didn’t see his first hit, but the double bounced once before it hit the wall, and the single just then almost killed the pitcher.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:28 pmYes he does and hitting .255 in AA wasn’t a good sign for “the Elf”.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:28 pmCraaaaaaaaaap.
And maybe if Jeff turns it around a little he’ll be easier to deal.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:31 pmDamn you, Gonzo.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:31 pmCome on, Gonzo is getting squeezed man. He got Rolen out twice.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:32 pmCome on, Gonzo!
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:32 pmParish,
I don’t know, but these look pretty similar-
http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2008/04/11/amd_schafer.jpg
http://mr-frodo.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/.pond/frodo_sweet.jpg.w300h456.jpg
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:32 pmCrap crap crap.
Update: Crap crap crap crap.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:34 pmUnreal
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:36 pmGonzo was really getting squeezed. The pitch to Overbay was too hittable for a 2-1 pitch.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:36 pmHere’s Sori!
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:36 pmNothing is ever easy around here.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:37 pmSoriano is so damn dominant.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:39 pmSoriano!
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:41 pmWhew.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:41 pmNice!
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:41 pmThat’s a closer.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:41 pmPhew… Thank you, Sori.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:41 pmSoriano!
That’s a real man’s save. I don’t even mind the statistic here.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:42 pmWhew!
Guys, don’t make it so exciting next time!
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:44 pmIt appears the Mets have just been given a home run and the lead in the 9th by instant replay.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:47 pmPapelbon blows the save for Boston, allowing a 2 run home run to Omir Santos.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:49 pmPhillies lost.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:50 pmShoulda pumped his fist a few more times, I guess
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:51 pmRecap is up.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:52 pm