Pirates 9, Braves 3
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Atlanta Braves – Box Score – April 30, 2012 – ESPN.
Yuck. I guess Mike Minor isn’t ready for acehood just yet. He did strike out nine in 6 1/3, but most of what they hit was hit hard, including a pair of home runs. Minor had to walk a tightrope just to get through the second unscathed, but gave up two runs (tying the game) in the third and a two-run homer in the fourth. He was knocked out in the seventh having allowed seven runs; Chad Durbin came in and regressed to his usual Durbinitude with two runs allowed of his own.
The Braves got two runs in the first on a Freddie Freeman homer. Maybe it should have been more; Michael Bourn was called out trying to steal second earlier in the inning, but appeared to be safe. (I don’t think it was as cut-and-dry as some did.) And Minor struck out looking in the second with runners second and third and one out; even a pitcher has to swing there.
Eric Hinske started for a gimpy Jason Heyward, and went 4-4, accounting for half of the Braves’ hits. Livan Hernandez continued to put together decent long work, two innings with just one hit allowed.
Well, thankfully I got ice cream with Alex and discussed the brattiness of a name like “Buster” instead of watching this disaster.
May 1st, 2012 at 9:24 amEh, young pitchers tend to have these sorts of games from time to time. Good young pitchers tend to bounce back from them and be better the next start.
May 1st, 2012 at 9:57 amI still have a few positives in a loss – I know, this is not proper protocol, but the Braves are doing pretty good in some areas.
First of all, even when the Braves don’t score a ton of runs, they seem to be working the count much better than last year and getting to the bullpen a litte earlier (this is exactly what Wren said he wanted). Secondly, outside of the bunts (which I’m not crazy about, but can deal with), Fredi has not seemed to be as egregious this year as a manager. His use of the bullpen has been better, which was one of my biggest concerns last year. I know Fredi will probably screw up badly soon, but so far he has been surprising tolerable to me as a manager. Wow, I can’t believe I’m saying that!
May 1st, 2012 at 10:05 amHamels vs. Beachy—now there’s a pitching match-up.
May 1st, 2012 at 10:17 amthey seem to be working the count much better than last year and getting to the bullpen a litte earlier
Its funny you say that right after McDonald has the longest outing of his career. Just messing with you, the team does seem to have a better approach and game plan than they did for most of last year. I may be wrong but it seems like the Braves still struggle with runners at 3rd and 1 out.
I will give Fredi credit for saving the arms of OVentbrel. I just hope he has noticed that Durbin shouldnt be allowed to pitch in games that are still within reach.
May 1st, 2012 at 10:18 amThe Phillies might be a worse team than the Pirates right now.
May 1st, 2012 at 10:24 amThe schedule gets a lot harder in May. We should get a better idea of how good the Braves are.
May 1st, 2012 at 10:51 am#6 – You could argue that, but we do have to face Hamels and Halladay in the first two games. Beachy and Hanson need to step up against them. Im hoping for a series win.
What do the Braves do if Delgado struggles again? Do they consider moving Medlen to the rotation at some point? You would think JJ will need more than just 2 starts at Gwinnett.
May 1st, 2012 at 10:55 amDelgado’s longest outing this season is 5.1IP.
May 1st, 2012 at 10:59 amJust read that Evan Longoria is out for 6-8 weeks. He seems to get hurt quite a bit. Am I imagining it, or is third base a position that is often associated with injury prone players?
I know Chipper was actually very durable for the first half of his career, but guys like Longoria, Wright, and even Scott Rolen come to mind.
So, to someone who knows, do 3B get injured more often than average? And if so, is it because teams shoe-horn 1b bodies who have enough athletic ability to be”capable” of 3b just to get their bats in there?
May 1st, 2012 at 11:07 am@10 – I was curious so I found Baseball Prospectus’ injury projection system, aptly called CHIPPER, and found the free archive page for last season for Longoria:
link
Bascially, and this is before last season, not a high injury risk but lots of nagging little injuries. As for all of 3B’s, not sure how to pull that information together. I’m with you and would say it seems like there are a lot of 1B bodies playing that position, leading to an enhanced risk of at least lots of nagging injuries.
May 1st, 2012 at 11:25 am@8
I would think Delgado has 2-3 more starts to show something. At that point if JJ is pitching well, he comes back.
I am not sure how long we can leave JJ in AAA before we woudl have to put him on waivers or release him.
May 1st, 2012 at 11:26 amRoughly speaking, catchers get hurt most (not counting pitchers, of course), then second basemen, then third basemen. Chipper has had one of the longest careers of any third baseman who didn’t shift across the diamond or DH a lot.
May 1st, 2012 at 11:27 am#12 – We could realistically leave him in AAA all season, right? He has options left so its not like he could force the issue. Best case scenario for the Braves is that he’s healthy/effective enough to get back in the rotation. He’ll be non-tendered at the end of the season. I just dont see him getting his value up high enough by the trade deadline for Atl to be able to move him.
May 1st, 2012 at 11:36 amBaseball Prospectus’ injury projection system, aptly called CHIPPER
I don’t care for that…but fair is fair. Still, among baseball measures named after Braves this ranks behind BP’s PECOTA stats projection, and waaay behind the official unit of currency of the original Rotisserie baseball league, the pocoroba.
May 1st, 2012 at 11:42 amNever thought this would happen, but Pastornicky has a higher BA than Chipper or BMac after April. He’s also got a higher OBP over those two and Freeman.
May 1st, 2012 at 11:44 am12—Huh? We can leave him there all year. And all of next year, too.
May 1st, 2012 at 11:50 amI figure we’d non-tender him at the end of this season if he doesn’t get it turned around.
May 1st, 2012 at 12:28 pmOh, sure. Just saying, he’s got options. The Braves don’t have to cut him or anything for like the next three years, if they don’t want to.
May 1st, 2012 at 12:33 pmExactly, but I really dont see the Braves paying him $6mil+ moving forward either. He’ll be non-tendered.
May 1st, 2012 at 12:46 pmPredictably, Durbin leads Braves pitchers in appearances.
May 1st, 2012 at 12:50 pmI don’t care for that…but fair is fair
That’s actually rankly unfair, as Chipper Jones has been one of the most robustly dependable 3B in the history of baseball. Sure, as he crept into his late 30s he started missing more and more games, but in the first half of his career he was an iron man out there.
Scott Rolen is an injury prone 3B. Chipper is just old.
May 1st, 2012 at 12:54 pmHow many games has Durbin appeared in where it was not reasonable to have him pitch?
May 1st, 2012 at 12:54 pmI guess you could call it good-natured ribbing as applied to Chipper, considering he’s added to his HOF resume despite the injuries. Meanwhile, injuries are probably going to cost Rolen his HOF shot. He would have made it, easy.
May 1st, 2012 at 1:05 pmNice little tid-bit for today.
Chad Durbin’s 9.00 ERA is tied with ex-Brave Manny Acosta of the Mets for worst among major league relievers, and Dubin’s .378 opponents’ average is second-highest in the majors. He has a 12.27 ERA in four home games.
May 1st, 2012 at 1:15 pm>Chad Durbin’s 9.00 ERA is tied with ex-Brave Manny Acosta of the Mets for worst among major league relievers, and Dubin’s .378 opponents’ average is second-highest in the majors. He has a 12.27 ERA in four home games.
That’s easy enough to explain. When he comes in to pitch in a home game he’s obviously bothered by the booing. On the road, the cheers help him pitch better. QED.
May 1st, 2012 at 1:19 pmDurbin-proof:
A) A lead so large that it is safe for Chad Durbin to pitch.
B) The measure of alcohol required to tolerate viewing Chad Durbin pitch.
Either way, the answer is 90.
May 1st, 2012 at 1:27 pm“Chad Durbin’s 9.00 ERA is tied with ex-Brave Manny Acosta of the Mets for worst among major league relievers, and Dubin’s .378 opponents’ average is second-highest in the majors. He has a 12.27 ERA in four home games.”
Good thing he has the most appearances. Can’t wait until there is an extra-inning game in which his usage is basically forced.
May 1st, 2012 at 1:33 pm28—Psh, he’ll have already been used in a high-leverage situation in the sixth or seventh.
May 1st, 2012 at 1:36 pmI’d say down 7-2 in the 7th isn’t a bad time to say “ah screw it, see what Durbin can do for an inning.”
May 1st, 2012 at 2:02 pmAgreed.
Of course, last night, it was 6-3 with a runner on, which is a bit different.
May 1st, 2012 at 2:05 pmYeah, something like 60% of Durbin’s appearances have come with the Braves within 3 runs up or down now. Not that that’s necessarily high leverage, and I think he has had the lowest average leverage appearances of anyone in the ‘pen so far, but Fredi also used him in the same sentence with Venters and Kimbrell when referring to shutdown guys in the pen in whom starters could be confident of having their backs in Sunday’s pre-game radio interview, and he’s been used in increasingly high-leverage situations as the season has progressed (which meshes with Fredi’s comment).
May 1st, 2012 at 2:11 pmWhat is the status of Moylan? I don’t see him on any of the minor league stat sheets. I would greatly prefer him over Durbin, along with Carlyle, Flande, and Gearrin, who are all doing well so far. Actually, I think I would prefer Acosta or Resop over Durbin.
May 1st, 2012 at 2:11 pm@33: Moylan is in extended spring training.
May 1st, 2012 at 2:13 pmFunny, one of my Metfan co-workers has become The World’s Biggest Manny Acosta Hater. He comes into my office every day, bemoaning Acosta’s latest atrocity.
May 1st, 2012 at 2:18 pm@27 #Loud Applause#
May 1st, 2012 at 2:26 pmWell played, Rusty. I’m a big fan of Chad Disturbin.
Seems like all the moaning about overworking the relievers got to Fredi and he asked for a couple of veteran arms he could burn up (with Livan).
Yeah, something like 60% of Durbin’s appearances have come with the Braves within 3 runs up or down now. Not that that’s necessarily high leverage, and I think he has had the lowest average leverage appearances of anyone in the ‘pen so far, but Fredi also used him in the same sentence with Venters and Kimbrell when referring to shutdown guys in the pen in whom starters could be confident of having their backs in Sunday’s pre-game radio interview
And Bobby Cox used to tell the world how the guy that just got pummeled was just one or two pitches away from getting out of it.
May 1st, 2012 at 2:42 pm@37 – Well fair enough. The “pre-game radio interview” section is completely subjective and subject to interpretation. The “60% of appearances…” part, less so, though you could just as easily point out that Bobby Cox ran Keith Lockhart out there far more times than Fredi will have the opportunity to with Durbin. Doesn’t make Fredi’s moves more defensible, it just rightly shows that Bobby was far from infallible himself.
May 1st, 2012 at 2:48 pm@23 I count 4 times he’s come into a 1 or 2 run game, which as far I’m concerned is damn near inexcusable (caveat being factors I can’t easily take into account after the fact, or with spending far more time on it than I care to, like who was else or was not available for a game, etc.). So that’s almost half of his outings in situations he should in all likelihood not have been used.
May 1st, 2012 at 2:54 pmI think the Braves should trade Durbin for Matt Kemp. That would resolve the Durbin issue.
May 1st, 2012 at 3:08 pmNo way we would give up that much for Kemp.
May 1st, 2012 at 3:10 pmI’m thinking the Angels should be ready to give up on Pujols and we can trade Durbin for him. I know it would be a risk for us since Albert has gotten off to such a poor start, but you gotta take chances like that if you are going to compete. I’m sure the Angels would be willing to eat some of his contract.
May 1st, 2012 at 3:22 pm@42. At this pace, they’d have to eat about $150 MM.
But if they offered: Pujols + $150 MM for Freeman I’d consider it.
May 1st, 2012 at 3:31 pmDodgers would have to sweeten the deal a little bit. Throw in that Kershaw kid.
May 1st, 2012 at 3:31 pmI don’t know, I like Freeman. I’d rather trade Juan Francisco for Pujols + $150 MM, then let Pujols back up Chipper and be our emergency catcher.
May 1st, 2012 at 3:55 pm#22
Zimmerman, the Nats third baseman, also seems to be injured a lot.
May 1st, 2012 at 4:59 pmNo Chipper. No Heyward.
May 1st, 2012 at 5:16 pmBourn
Prado
Freeman
McCann
Uggla
Diaz
Francisco
Pastornicky
Beachy
Francisco facing Hamels should be fun.
May 1st, 2012 at 5:20 pmI don’t like Cole Hamels’s facial hair. I will choose to focus my general annoyance with him on this particular body part.
May 1st, 2012 at 6:37 pmHey guys. I’m going to go pour some tea into a Heyward. Would anyone else like a Heyward of tea?
May 1st, 2012 at 6:44 pm@38, Keith Lockhart started at designated hitter in the World Series for the Braves in Game 4 down 3-0 in the series. Nothing can ever top that.
May 1st, 2012 at 6:47 pmBoy I wish we could have gotten pence. I just like him
May 1st, 2012 at 7:08 pmF***
May 1st, 2012 at 7:08 pmDefense!
May 1st, 2012 at 7:09 pmHunter Pence is vile and evil and we should build a time machine to go back into the past to kill his grandparents before they can breed.
May 1st, 2012 at 7:11 pmThat’s a reasonable suggestion. I think we should do that after we trade Durbin for Pujols.
May 1st, 2012 at 7:14 pmThank god for BMac.
May 1st, 2012 at 7:17 pmI like Alex’s idea at 45, mostly because an emergency catcher would let us punch hit with Dave Ross.
May 1st, 2012 at 7:18 pmHaha, punch hit.
May 1st, 2012 at 7:19 pmDid SportSouth already give up on the Keener social media experiment?
May 1st, 2012 at 7:27 pmUmpires are worthless.
May 1st, 2012 at 7:48 pmNo doubt.
May 1st, 2012 at 7:49 pm@60
No, she shows up form time to time.
Amen Stu
May 1st, 2012 at 7:49 pmTerrible AB by Uggla.
May 1st, 2012 at 7:51 pmDan Uggla pops out sharply to first baseman? Pops out sharply?
May 1st, 2012 at 7:52 pmI would hit Chipper here
May 1st, 2012 at 7:53 pm!!! Luck!
May 1st, 2012 at 7:54 pmOh well, good AB there
May 1st, 2012 at 7:55 pmI’d hit Chipper here too.
May 1st, 2012 at 7:55 pmJuan can hit. Love the sac there.
May 1st, 2012 at 7:55 pmIt worked out, but it would have made more since to hit Chipper there than let him hit for Beachy
May 1st, 2012 at 7:57 pmGigante! Gigante Juan.
May 1st, 2012 at 7:57 pmNice grab
May 1st, 2012 at 7:59 pmWooo! Great job Tyler.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:00 pmIs EOF up in the pen?
May 1st, 2012 at 8:00 pmMATTY D!!!!!!!!!!
May 1st, 2012 at 8:01 pmDamn, Matt
May 1st, 2012 at 8:01 pmGet you some, Matty D!
May 1st, 2012 at 8:01 pmMatty!!!!!!
May 1st, 2012 at 8:01 pmThe “Scout” feature on MLB.com’s Gameday is beyond worthless.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:01 pmMaybe luck is on our side tonight.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:01 pmDIAZ!
May 1st, 2012 at 8:02 pmBad play by Prado
May 1st, 2012 at 8:03 pmI want a Bastardo jersey
May 1st, 2012 at 8:07 pmAnother nice game from Beachy.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:08 pmThis would be a better spot to hit Ross than Wilson
May 1st, 2012 at 8:08 pmJack Wilson is the worst baseball player I’ve ever seen. That includes Greg Norton.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:09 pmNo way. Norton was useless in the field and on the bases, too.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:10 pmNorton was at least useful to us for a season.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:11 pmKeep watching.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:12 pmLawdy Miss Clawdy I miss that edit button.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:14 pmUh oh
May 1st, 2012 at 8:18 pmSo the current book on Venters is take the first pitch, swing at the second.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:19 pmOh no.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:20 pmTerrible, Brian.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:21 pmCome on McCann
May 1st, 2012 at 8:21 pmThat could be the ballgame.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:22 pmThere is no doubt in my mind that Brian McCann is the worst defensive catcher in baseball.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:23 pmSo, in other news, the Hawks are beating the crap out of the Celtics for the second straight game. That’s nice.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:23 pmWhat poor luck we have had this inning
May 1st, 2012 at 8:24 pmI’d take Jonny out. He hasn’t been great this inning and his feet have got to be hurting after that.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:25 pmFor the second time, Hunter Pence defeats the stupidshift. Screw this inning.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:26 pmBULLSHIT
May 1st, 2012 at 8:26 pmWell…I guess Brian’s off the hook.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:26 pmI do hate the Phillies so.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:27 pmHunter Pence is too good of a hitter to put a shift on.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:27 pmUtter crap.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:28 pmWith 2 outs, why wasn’t Uggla playing in his normal spot? Pence hits a weak grounder right where he should have been. It’s bad enough down 1, but that just doubled the lead.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:28 pmLet’s see who can get Beth to read the most “Chip Caray like” Tweet. I just answered, “The Brach was on fire” to :What are your thoughts on Beachy tonight #Braves fans? #FSBraves”
May 1st, 2012 at 8:32 pm*Beach
May 1st, 2012 at 8:32 pmWell the obvious would have been “And Beachy was just peachy” but I would not at all be surprised if he’s said that already.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:36 pmAnd Brian McCann redeems the passed ball by grounding into a double play. I’m looking forward to justhank’s commentary.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:39 pmHinske, not Chipper, first ballot HOFer, is on deck
May 1st, 2012 at 8:41 pmOh well.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:42 pmDue up for us in the 9th Pitcher Spot, Pitcher Spot #2, Bourn
May 1st, 2012 at 8:43 pmHinske-Chipper-Bourn should be what we see…
May 1st, 2012 at 8:47 pm@116 Who plays short if we tie?
May 1st, 2012 at 8:48 pmPrado, maybe? Worry about that if we tie.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:49 pmPrado, but I don’t think we will see it Chipper hit for Wilson.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:50 pmA the Douche King is on to pitch
May 1st, 2012 at 8:51 pmI don’t, either. Just said it should be that way.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:51 pmWay to make him work, Hinske.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:52 pmAlways love that guy in the crowd who has the against-the-rhythm chop
May 1st, 2012 at 8:52 pmIf Wilson gets on, I would hit Chipper for Bourn
May 1st, 2012 at 8:52 pmThat would have been a homer in a silo
May 1st, 2012 at 8:53 pmThe quality of ABs decreases drastically when Chipper and Heyward sit.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:55 pmHome Plate Ump is having a bad night
May 1st, 2012 at 8:56 pmI blame this loss on Heyward being a pussy and Fredi being Fredi after the 7th.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:57 pmFugly. Not a good night for Atlanta sports fans.
May 1st, 2012 at 9:00 pmStupid Hawks and stupid Braves.
May 1st, 2012 at 9:24 pmMy teams went 1-1 vs. Philly tonight. Luckily, the win was a playoff game.
Halladay tomorrow. Gotta have it, Hanson.
May 2nd, 2012 at 12:35 amVenters sucks. The 8th inning should now be Durbin time.
May 2nd, 2012 at 7:14 amI predict future clubhouse problems from the Bluejays.
May 2nd, 2012 at 7:25 amNot sure why, but this made me laugh.
If Wilson gets on
May 2nd, 2012 at 8:35 amI had no idea Vizquel was still playing baseball. He’s been playing in the Majors since the 1980s, and he’s a decade removed from his last All-Star season.
Actually, I’m pretty glad of any reminders of the ’95 series. Chipper, Thome, and Vizquel are it, I think, and they probably won’t be around next year.
May 2nd, 2012 at 8:40 amThe Phillies are becoming the Braves bete noir somewhat in the way that the Braves were to the Mets in the 90s.
May 2nd, 2012 at 8:43 am134 – Don’t forget about Manny Ramirez who comes back from suspension in June. I will always think of him in the context of that Javy Lopez pick-off play at first. Sad to think that there are kids in college now too young to remember the glory of that season.
May 2nd, 2012 at 8:58 am@136: I’m recently out of college and I don’t remember much about the 1995 season. =/
May 2nd, 2012 at 9:15 amTehran has given up 3 HR in 16.2 innings.
@136
In my mind, that was a game changer.
May 2nd, 2012 at 9:29 am@ 138 – He’s also walked 10
May 2nd, 2012 at 9:39 amRecapped.
May 2nd, 2012 at 9:41 am