05 Jul
Out at home game thread: July 5, Braves at Nats
“Hi, I’m Braves third base coach Brian Snitker, and I have the depth perception of a one-eyed rhinoceros.”
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“Hi, I’m Braves third base coach Brian Snitker, and I have the depth perception of a one-eyed rhinoceros.”
Article on Captain Underpants.
July 5th, 2009 at 9:05 amFrancoeur sucks.
July 5th, 2009 at 9:09 amLineup…no Jeffy
1. Nate McLouth CF
July 5th, 2009 at 10:00 am2. Martin Prado 2B
3. Chipper Jones 3B
4. Brian McCann C
5. Yunel Escobar SS
6. Garret Anderson LF
7. Matt Diaz RF
8. Casey Kotchman 1B
9. Derek Lowe P
Washington:
July 5th, 2009 at 10:04 amMorgan – 8
Johnson – 3
Zimmerman – 5
Dunn – 7
Willingham – 9
Guzman – 6
Bard – 2
Belliard – 4
Olsen – 1
Francoeur’s career line against Olsen: 7 for 28 with 2 HR, 1 3B, and 3 2B. 1 BB, 6 K. .250/.276/.643
I hope this means something is afoot.
July 5th, 2009 at 10:22 amI hope this means Jeff’s tenure in Atlanta is about done.
July 5th, 2009 at 10:35 amhaha i thought i was reading about tim Tebow for a second then it basically was saying how Jeffy sucks & i laughed again..God is good. lets win the series today!
July 5th, 2009 at 10:37 amDunno what it’s going to look like, but the end is nigh for Turkeyboy.
July 5th, 2009 at 10:47 amLove “Life of Brian.” Very smart, very dark, and always walking that fine line of good taste and bad. It definitely had a big impact on my sense of humor growing up.
How long did we have to watch Salty sitting on the bench while the details of the Teixeira trade were being sorted out? A while if I remember right….hopefully that’s what Frenchy is doing right now. And hopefully the wait won’t be long.
July 5th, 2009 at 11:20 am1)
Great article. That OBP quote always makes me mad.
July 5th, 2009 at 11:29 amIn Catholic high school, we were “advised” not to see “The Life of Brian.” Of course, we saw it the night it opened & laughed our asses off.
July 5th, 2009 at 11:33 am9,
July 5th, 2009 at 11:34 amIt was about 4-5 games.
What did the nuns say about “The Meaning of Life”?
July 5th, 2009 at 11:35 amHaha, ububba & Mac, that’s funny. I would imagine the Catholic School teachers weren’t too fond of that “Every Sperm Is Sacred” song.
July 5th, 2009 at 11:35 amWimbledon broadcaster just compared Federer to Greg Maddux.
July 5th, 2009 at 12:09 pmSo Josh Hamilton is a starter with a whopping 125 at bats and a .240 BA with 6 home runs.
July 5th, 2009 at 12:12 pm5 of the 8 NL position players come from the East (Beltran, Ibanez, Hanley, Utley, Wright). Should be 6 (McCann).
July 5th, 2009 at 12:22 pmFrankly, the only thing I’d like to see are longer outings. Instead of Moylan/Gonzo/Soriano (in whatever order), why not go Moylan for 1.2 and, when a lefty comes up mid-way through the 8th, bring in Gonzo for the last 4-5 outs? Or something to that effect, anyways. Maybe have a LOOGY (not Gonzo) come in to pitch to the leadoff lefty in the 8th inning and back him up with Soriano to finish the game? When Sori is out there getting 6-pitch innings, why not let him go for two innings some times and end up with 80-85 IP on 70 appearances?
And finally, no reason to complain about ‘pen over-use. This is the first game they’ve lost us in a good long while. It was only getting 3 vs. Lannan that sunk us yesterday. Luckily, I have faith that they’ll score well more than that today.
July 5th, 2009 at 12:24 pmAnybody know what is up with MLB Gameday? It has only been about a week since I clicked into it from the Braves official site. And, in the past, I have linked it from ESPN Scoreboard. There are no links now (makes me think it is now a pay service?).
July 5th, 2009 at 12:30 pmThe Prado is now tied for the team lead in doubles.
July 5th, 2009 at 12:39 pmNitram strikes again, again.
Cliff, not sure what you mean, Gameday works just as usual for me (apart from the highlights which they moved to a premium version).
July 5th, 2009 at 12:42 pmback to gamecast for me unless someone picks up the stream & puts it on tvants
July 5th, 2009 at 12:43 pmOf course Soriano and Vazquez get snubbed.
July 5th, 2009 at 12:43 pmNick Johnson looks like a plumber.
July 5th, 2009 at 12:48 pmhe’s not one?
July 5th, 2009 at 12:51 pmNot professionally.
July 5th, 2009 at 12:52 pmI had a brain fart on that one… forgot about the shift and couldn’t understand how Escobar went to Chipper on the DP
Chances are Beltran will drop and another OF will be added (Dunn?)
July 5th, 2009 at 12:52 pmI was kind of hoping Soriano or Vazquez might be a Final Vote candidate, but there are already 13 pitchers on the roster.
So now I’m hoping that Adam Dunn is a Final Vote candidate, because that man in the Home Run Derby would be awesome.
July 5th, 2009 at 12:52 pm@24 – still rather have him than Kotchman.
July 5th, 2009 at 12:54 pmIt seems like the Braves should have two all-stars. But Chipper isn’t playing that well by his standard, Yunel hasn’t played enough and is crazy, and nobody else among the regulars is worth a look. So it would have had to be a pitcher, Soriano, Jurrjens, or Vazquez.
July 5th, 2009 at 12:55 pmA 1st baseman batting 8th in a lineup. Has that ever happened?
July 5th, 2009 at 12:57 pmwould it rain blood if somehow jeffy made the all-star team?
July 5th, 2009 at 12:57 pmPretty surprised they took 3 backup first basemen. Kind of overkill, don’t you think? I was thinking 2 backup third basemen, with Mark Reynolds making it. Somewhat low batting average with an enormous amount of strikeouts, but still has 23 home runs with a good OPS.
July 5th, 2009 at 1:00 pmJason Marquis made the All-Star team, and the Rockies already had Brad Hawpe, so he wasn’t a charter member. Jason Marquis is an All-Star and Javier Vazquez isn’t. Tell me how that works.
July 5th, 2009 at 1:00 pmIt’s 70 degrees here in DC in July. SO Lowe should be able to go a long way, if he can keep the ball down.
July 5th, 2009 at 1:01 pmLowe is pissing me off…
July 5th, 2009 at 1:04 pmEvery ball is up. Lowe has been garbage since June.
July 5th, 2009 at 1:05 pmso is lowe is just pitching like shit?
July 5th, 2009 at 1:05 pm@38: That’s generally what you call it when you are losing to the Natinals
July 5th, 2009 at 1:07 pmtouche’ sir, touche’
July 5th, 2009 at 1:08 pmTypical Prado defensive effort.
July 5th, 2009 at 1:09 pmLowe is our No. 5 starter right now.
July 5th, 2009 at 1:09 pmPRADO is ridiculous….
July 5th, 2009 at 1:12 pmGood job, Prado. I knew I added you to my fantasy team for a reason…
July 5th, 2009 at 1:13 pmI added him too! Second base was pretty awful for me on that team, hopefully he finally gives me a consistently good second baseman.
July 5th, 2009 at 1:14 pmDamn Mac….
July 5th, 2009 at 1:15 pmCan we just get rid of Lowe?
July 5th, 2009 at 1:18 pmThat was ugly Prado….very ugly.
July 5th, 2009 at 1:19 pmTYPICAL.
July 5th, 2009 at 1:20 pmLowe’s pitches are up, up, up. Not good at all. Near 50 pitches in the 3rd inning. Even the outs are getting smoked.
July 5th, 2009 at 1:24 pmLowe has really been struggling lately.
July 5th, 2009 at 1:28 pmNah Lowe’s going to be fine. So the sinker is staying up, and the slider’s a little flat. He’ll just have to start getting outs with the…
Oh.
July 5th, 2009 at 1:30 pmMeanwhile, we’re making Olsen look like C.C. Sabathia.
July 5th, 2009 at 1:33 pmThe Phillies beating the Mets again….
July 5th, 2009 at 1:37 pmCome on, quick inning here Lowe. Get our guys back up making outs again. If we can’t win, we can at least lose more quickly.
July 5th, 2009 at 1:38 pmMarquis is leading the NL in wins, that’s why.
July 5th, 2009 at 1:39 pmLook at it this way, the Braves have developed their first all-star starting pitcher since Kevin Millwood!
July 5th, 2009 at 1:42 pmWhat really sucks is that as the only backup catcher, McCann will be nailed to the bench until the ninth.
July 5th, 2009 at 1:43 pmSeriously though, what the hell is the point of having four first basemen?
July 5th, 2009 at 1:45 pmSandoval might make it and help with the Catching
July 5th, 2009 at 1:47 pmOh well….
July 5th, 2009 at 1:47 pmWell, Fielder and Gonzalez clearly belong. (As, of course, does the starter, Pujols.) The problem is Howard, probably the most overrated player in baseball today. Among qualifying NL batters, he is 33rd in Offensive Winning Percentage, behind not only the three real All-Stars at the position, but also Todd Helton, Derrek Lee, Nick the Plumber, and Adam LaRoche(!).
July 5th, 2009 at 1:50 pmSince his manager is managing the All-Star game, I can see why Howard is going. Although I don’t think he belongs this year either.
July 5th, 2009 at 1:52 pmSandoval has caught two games all year.
Me 3 days ago:
“Both Vasquez and Jurrjens should be on the team. However, we’ll probably get Jason Marquis and Randy Johnson.”
If I’d replaced Marquis with Johan, would’ve nailed it
Scott Olsen isnt this good
July 5th, 2009 at 1:52 pmThe players picked the reserves, not the manager, right? Howard’s on the team because he’s hit 20 homers, but then, Jay Bruce has hit 18 and he’s on the verge of Louisville.
July 5th, 2009 at 1:53 pmSeriously, this is Scott Olsen. Can we please start scoring runs in bunches?
July 5th, 2009 at 1:53 pmHere comes the best shot we’re likely to get: Prado, Chip and Mac. I say that because we aren’t going to get much of a shot at that sketchy bullpen unless we draw some pitches out of Olsen.
July 5th, 2009 at 1:55 pmPRADO!
July 5th, 2009 at 1:56 pmThis Morgan guy is making me sick….
July 5th, 2009 at 1:57 pmAnd I will rant on about Howard, but I feel very strongly about this for some reason — I just don’t understand why people don’t realize that all he does is hit homers, and that he’s simply not a very good player, much less a great one.
July 5th, 2009 at 1:57 pmWhy exactly did Pittsburgh have Morgan in left and McLouth in center?
Pathetic.
July 5th, 2009 at 1:58 pmIt amazes me how I can swing from optimistic to totally hopeless about this team’s chances in less than 48 hours. This is not the first time it’s happened this year.
July 5th, 2009 at 1:59 pmBecause they’re dumb.
July 5th, 2009 at 2:00 pmEight pitch inning, and the first guy WALKED.
Seriously?
July 5th, 2009 at 2:01 pmWow…a leadoff walk, with the heart of the order coming up and get nothing.
I would rather have Ryan Howard than Casey Kotchman.
July 5th, 2009 at 2:01 pmYeah, but nobody’s pushing Kotchman for the All-Star Game or voting for him for MVP.
July 5th, 2009 at 2:01 pmThis game is very, very important. Losing 2/3 to the Nats negates all of the good work against the Phillies
July 5th, 2009 at 2:02 pmAnnoying that the Braves seem to be in a hurry to catch the plane.
July 5th, 2009 at 2:03 pmLowe should have been run for in the 5th.
@71
McLouth started last year with Jason Bay and Xavier Nady on his sides. He went on to win a golden glove.
Taking him out of his golden glove position would be a slap in the face regardless of the decision’s merits.
July 5th, 2009 at 2:04 pmHe was awarded the Gold Glove after the year was over and the other guys were already gone.
July 5th, 2009 at 2:05 pmWe’re making Olsen look like Babe Ruth.
July 5th, 2009 at 2:06 pmThe last thing the Braves needed….a short outing by their “ace”.
July 5th, 2009 at 2:06 pmMy point is he was given a gold glove for CF prior to Nyger being a full-time player…
July 5th, 2009 at 2:07 pmI’m pretty sure that Morgan was starting last year after Bay and Nady were traded.
July 5th, 2009 at 2:08 pmOlsen for the cycle!!
July 5th, 2009 at 2:09 pm3 runs for gods sake get three more runs
July 5th, 2009 at 2:10 pmDaniel,
July 5th, 2009 at 2:13 pmWhy is that point relevant? They save more runs by putting Morgan in Center and McLouth at a corner. So why wouldn’t they do it? Even if he won a gold glove.
Manny Acosta vs. Ryan Zimmerman with the bases loaded. Interesting.
Good job…
July 5th, 2009 at 2:15 pmFrancoeur would not have made that play.
July 5th, 2009 at 2:15 pmI said regardless of the merits of the decision, it is a slap in the face. Just ask Texas and the Young/Andrus situation in the offseason.
Not everything in baseball makes baseball sense…
July 5th, 2009 at 2:17 pm@87, PHWjort,
Because managing is really about managing the sensibilities of the players and if a better lineup or defensive arrangement BY THE NUMBERS might upset them, then a good manager shouldn’t do that.
July 5th, 2009 at 2:19 pmDo we have to use Francouer now? Damn…
July 5th, 2009 at 2:21 pmLets place bets on what kind of DP he hits here. I’m going 5-4-3.
Or a foul out to RF.
July 5th, 2009 at 2:21 pm89 MPH fastball right down the middle, and he is late and fouls out on the first base side. Horrendous.
July 5th, 2009 at 2:22 pmStenchy sucks.
July 5th, 2009 at 2:22 pmFrancouer is horrible…
July 5th, 2009 at 2:22 pm“I didn’t like that at bat”- Joe Simpson. Really? You didnt?
July 5th, 2009 at 2:23 pmWhy didn’t we just let Acosta hit?
July 5th, 2009 at 2:23 pmIf you’re making a decision that results in a sub-optimal arrangement based on not wanting to “upset” your players you’re running your organization very badly.
July 5th, 2009 at 2:25 pmNats broadcaster Carpenter has given no respect to any Braves hitter besides Chipper. Sort of funny actually.
July 5th, 2009 at 2:25 pmThe Braves have hitters?
July 5th, 2009 at 2:27 pmI wasn’t saying it was optimal, I was just giving an explanation.
–
MASN just televised the seventh inning stretch as someone sang “God Bless America.” Her ability paralleled that of the Nationals.
July 5th, 2009 at 2:27 pmOk, then the Pirates were running McLouth out in center because they knew they were going to trade him and his value would be much higher as a center fielder than a left fielder.
The Braves are killing me.
July 5th, 2009 at 2:28 pm103,
There’s a rational explanation. Though I’m not convinced they were planning on moving him. I feel like that was a spur of the moment deal.
I would pay 5$ for a video of Tommy Hanson chasing Tim Hudson with a remote-control Helicopter.
July 5th, 2009 at 2:30 pm@Daniel
LOL…I tried to listen to the little girl sing, but it was too painful. Had to change the channel.
July 5th, 2009 at 2:31 pmDammit
July 5th, 2009 at 2:39 pmIs that the first Yunel from Prado? Only a half-inning after a Prado by Yunel!
July 5th, 2009 at 2:40 pmThat was dumb play by Prado.
How quickly that Phillies series will be forgotten.
Marlins win and Phillies are winning….
July 5th, 2009 at 2:42 pmShown up by Olsen…
Wow… looks like we are going to give the Nats their first complete game win…
July 5th, 2009 at 2:47 pmThis team disgusts me.
July 5th, 2009 at 2:49 pmAww don’t make Olsen bunt he has 2 hits and ruby today!
July 5th, 2009 at 2:51 pm“Ruby”?
Why can’t they find a hat that fits Medlen?
July 5th, 2009 at 2:54 pmMorgan looks like an idiot with his mouth full of tobacco. Someone should remind him that it’s 2009.
Well let’s go get the Cubs at Wrigley, and the Rockies in Denver.
July 5th, 2009 at 2:56 pm@100–not even McCann?
July 5th, 2009 at 2:57 pmCan we just wave a white flag?
July 5th, 2009 at 2:58 pm@Frank. Nope. Not even McCann.
July 5th, 2009 at 3:01 pmruby=rbi
July 5th, 2009 at 3:01 pmKotchman sucks.
Braves 3-6 hitters are 0fer today.
July 5th, 2009 at 3:02 pmI probably would have hit Conrad for Kotchman and Ross for the pitcher…but I’m sure it wouldn’t matter much.
July 5th, 2009 at 3:03 pmThough the 3-5 hitters do all have one walk.
July 5th, 2009 at 3:07 pmThis is so typical Braves. Put a few on the board in the 9th and fall short.
July 5th, 2009 at 3:08 pmPrado is amazing at the plate.
July 5th, 2009 at 3:11 pm4-4 and a walk… beautiful regardless of baserunning gaffe
July 5th, 2009 at 3:12 pmThat was ball 3….
July 5th, 2009 at 3:13 pmChipper has nerves of steel.
July 5th, 2009 at 3:14 pmGood eye….
C’mon Mac…
July 5th, 2009 at 3:15 pmMcCann is due.
July 5th, 2009 at 3:15 pmOuch. Very bad series.
July 5th, 2009 at 3:16 pmVery bad series indeed.
July 5th, 2009 at 3:19 pmGame thread is up. Francoeur sucks.
July 5th, 2009 at 3:26 pmI thought all we needed was Francoeur to be gone. Looks like we still suck.
July 5th, 2009 at 3:29 pmThis team disgusts me. They are losers, I’m sorry to say. There is nothing to like about this team. These guys do nothing but talk about how good they are or should be.
The lack of heart on this team is especially apparent after watching Federer and Roddick leave it all on the court.
As for Lowe, that’s a lot of money for a number 5.
July 5th, 2009 at 3:30 pm