Braves 6, Phillies 3
Atlanta Braves vs. Philadelphia Phillies – Box Score – July 7, 2012 – ESPN.
So, Michael Bourn is an All-Star, McCann homered again, Hanson pitched seven good innings, and the Braves beat the Phillies.
Really, I could stop there. Oh, I suppose I could do the contrarian thing of pointing out how ridiculous we all are for complaining all the time during what wound up being a very nice win, but that conversation already happened in the last thread and you all said it better than I could.
Instead, I’ll just point out that the Phillies are the losingest franchise in the recorded history of professional sports across the globe. The franchise’s record is 9274-10341, 1067 games below .500, a career winning percentage of .473.
That’s awful, obviously. But this year, they’re 37-49, a winning percentage of .430, while the Pittsburgh Pirates are in first place. You are all aware, of course, that the Pirates have not had a winning season since 1992. In the past 20 years, their franchise record is 1341-1750… which is a winning percentage of .434.
So the Phillies have a worse winning percentage this year than the Pittsburgh Pirates have had since 1993. Oh, and they owe Ryan Howard another $115 million over the next five years.
Life is good.
Should we blame less on Wren and more on ownership?
“Under GM Frank Wren the Braves won more games while spending less money than every team but the Rays from 2009-11, Rosenthal notes.”
The Phillies have pasted their peak. Unfortunately, the damn Natspos are in their upswing…while we are stuck at natural.
July 8th, 2012 at 5:13 amI’m told by Phillies fans that they will retool and by awesome yet again. Yes, because Howard and Utley are getting younger and healthier every year.
July 8th, 2012 at 6:20 amFun stat of the day:
Most doubles per triple, career (minimum 200 career doubles, 1901-present):
3. Mike Sweeney, 65 (325 doubles, 5 triples)
July 8th, 2012 at 8:02 am2. Victor Martinez, 91.667 (275 doubles, 3 triples)
1. Brian McCann, 105 (210 doubles, 2 triples)
This guy might be one to keep tabs on.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=martin003cod
July 8th, 2012 at 8:04 amSo when will Uggla start his 30 game hitting streak?
July 8th, 2012 at 8:04 amUpdated WAR rankings: (Last update was after 7/3 game)
July 8th, 2012 at 8:14 amBourn- 3rd (same)
Prado- 7th (same)
Heyward-9th (down 1)
Chipper-27th (up 4)
Uggla- 29th (down 8)
Andrelton-56th (down 13)
McCann- 60th (up 24!)
Freeman- 70th (up 1)
Phillies opening day salary : $172,093,902
Cliff Lee – $21.5m 1-5 3.98ERA
Roy Halladay – $20m 4-5 3.98ERA
Ryan Howard – $20m 4AB 0RBI
Chase Utley – $15m 30AB 3RBI .281OBP
Jimmy Rollins – $12m .721OPS
Those 5 guys equal our entire payroll.
July 8th, 2012 at 8:40 am@4. Another pitching prospect is always good, but we really need more hitting prospects…
July 8th, 2012 at 8:41 amWarning: political statement.
AAR for President.
July 8th, 2012 at 9:05 amMLBTR:
Cody Ross told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter) that he rejected a multi-year offer from the Braves to sign a one-year deal with the Red Sox this winter. Ross has a .275/.352/.560 slash line in 220 plate appearances this year.
July 8th, 2012 at 9:06 amIf you’re on Twitter, and you’re not following Dale Murphy, why do you even bother?
https://twitter.com/DaleMurphy3/status/221813308494331904/photo/1/large
I hope you can see that without being logged in. I’m not sure how Twitter stuff works…
July 8th, 2012 at 9:11 amWith quite a bit of glee, Another Alex R. you are rescuing us from the mediocrity of the Braves season thus far. At the Phillies expense. Excellent! Thanks, AAR.
July 8th, 2012 at 9:18 amscrew Cody Ross.
let’s break out the brooms today, boys!
July 8th, 2012 at 10:47 amAnother reason to hate Cody Ross. I knew there was something else.
July 8th, 2012 at 10:49 am@14–Agreed. I will now bite my lip and root for the Yankees every time they play the Red Sox as long as Cody Ross is no that team.
July 8th, 2012 at 11:00 amAndrelton Simmons – 285Innings 16 Runs Saved
Tyler Pastornicky – 326Innings -16 Runs Saved
Only Brendan Ryan and Yunel are ahead of Simmons, but each of them have almost 700 innings.
http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=ss&stats=fld&lg=all&qual=0&type=1&season=2012&month=0&season1=2012&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&players=0&sort=9,d
July 8th, 2012 at 11:35 amWho is this “Pastornicky” person?
July 8th, 2012 at 11:39 amI had this whole post regarding Jack Wilson being useless, Diaz and Hinske not filling their roles, Freeman’s inability to hit LHP, our need for a bench player, starting pitcher, relief pitcher, and how nice it would be to go to the Cubs as a one stop shop, adding Dempster, Camp, and Reed Johnson, releasing Diaz and Wilson, but it was too long. So, with 0 analysis, that’s my rewrite.
July 8th, 2012 at 12:13 pmBrewers must be ready to move Greinke. He’s getting the start today after getting ejected in the 1st inning yesterday.
July 8th, 2012 at 12:26 pmHamels is supposedly on the block. Any shot we could go after him, since the Phillie’s run of success is likely over?
July 8th, 2012 at 12:43 pmDid Reed Johnson ever have that muskrat excised from his face? I don’t want to look at that.
July 8th, 2012 at 12:52 pmHow was McCann thrown out there?
July 8th, 2012 at 12:52 pmDan Uggla appears to be in one of those “slumps” that they talk about.
July 8th, 2012 at 1:00 pmWay to make them work, Bravos. 20 pitches one inning, 7 the next.
July 8th, 2012 at 1:02 pmWell, that’s not good.
July 8th, 2012 at 1:09 pmThe thing about Jair Jurrjens is that his stuff is not nearly as good as it was a few years ago. It’s not just his velocity, it’s also his movement.
July 8th, 2012 at 1:11 pmThe thing about JJ is that since he’s come back, he’s got 3 starts with 18ip and a 1.47 ERA, gone 2-0, and opponents are hitting .250/.299/.333 against him. Smoke and mirrors, perhaps, but he has been a success regardless.
July 8th, 2012 at 1:25 pmOk, let’s get Freddie in.
July 8th, 2012 at 1:38 pmKa-boom.
July 8th, 2012 at 1:39 pmWOO!!!! Thanks for the mojo, Joe.
July 8th, 2012 at 1:40 pm???
Dan… Uggla, you tell me?
Wow, Andrelton Simmons just pulled off the coolest hustle double ever.
July 8th, 2012 at 1:40 pmDAN! Hopefully, that’s one of them there slumpbusters.
July 8th, 2012 at 1:40 pmGod, I love Simmons.
July 8th, 2012 at 1:41 pmUggla has had enough of everyones’ crap.
July 8th, 2012 at 1:41 pmComing into this game, vs. the Braves:
Roy Halladay: 8 G, 56 IP, 2.89 ERA
July 8th, 2012 at 1:42 pmCliff Lee: 8 G, 49 1/3 IP, 3.83 ERA
Kyle Kendrick: 16 G, 74 2/3 IP, 2.29 ERA
Vance Worley: 4 G, 13 IP, 1.38 ERA
Honestly, losing to Jason Pridie?
July 8th, 2012 at 1:50 pmYou’re going to let JASON PRIDIE beat you? Come on, JJ, shape up.
July 8th, 2012 at 1:50 pmJeez, JJ just doesn’t have it.
July 8th, 2012 at 1:50 pmSo Jason Pridie — Jason Pridie — has all three Phillies RBIs today. This is a 28-year old journeyman with a career triple slash of .229/.308/.364.
July 8th, 2012 at 1:50 pmOh no. Andrelton Simmons was icing his hand in the dugout, then he looked headed further into the clubhouse. This is after that headfirst slide on the hustle double. No no no.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:00 pmBMAC!
July 8th, 2012 at 2:03 pmOh NO. Jack Wilson is in the on-deck circle for Simmons. NO NO NO.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:06 pmNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
July 8th, 2012 at 2:07 pmWhy in the hell is Wilson still on this team?
July 8th, 2012 at 2:09 pmhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWaLxFIVX1s
July 8th, 2012 at 2:09 pmAlright, Jack. Be a hero.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:10 pmReally nice at-bat by Uggla, working a nine-pitch walk.
And… here comes Hinske. Here’s hoping.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:10 pmCheck that, break one out, Hinske.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:10 pmAlright Hinske, prove you still belong here.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:10 pmSomeone needs to tell Hinske he’s being paid to play baseball, not expand in size.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:11 pmSee, now PHing Hinske for Simmons makes me way angrier than JJ challenging some bum.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:12 pmOkay, Eric. Please go away.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:12 pmAnd now he K’s and we’ve lost Simmons. Capital fucking idea Fredi.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:12 pmgive me cantstandsya over Hinske anyway. He is shot.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:13 pmUm, obviously Hinske pinch hit for Simmons because Simmons hurt his wrist. Guess you’d rather have Wilson hit there?
July 8th, 2012 at 2:13 pmSpike, we lost Simmons when he started icing his hand in the dugout and then followed the trainer into the clubhouse. Hinske was a better pinch hitting option than Jack Wilson, which just means that our bench sucks.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:14 pmActually, yes. Wilson can’t hit, but neither can Hinske at this point.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:14 pmNo cable TV – had no idea Simmons was hurt.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:14 pmYea, I’m assuming Simmons was taken out because of the play at second. Can’t fault Fredi for being extra careful with him.
And bad call by the ump on strike three.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:14 pmHOLY CRAP. Jason Heyward just made a CRAZY play on Juan Pierre. That was AWESOME.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:16 pm59, yeah, but the ump has called that pitch a strike all day long. Howard complained about it in the first inning. Hinske should not have taken it with two strikes.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:17 pmAt least JJ’s doing well when he’s not pitching to Pridie.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:19 pmWe really need another bat off of the bench
July 8th, 2012 at 2:23 pmWeirdly enough, we need Tyler Pastornicky a lot more than Jack Wilson, but I’m not sure Pastornicky’s ready.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:27 pmMLB Trade Rumors notes that Josh Beckett might be on the market.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:27 pmWhy isn’t Chipper available?
July 8th, 2012 at 2:28 pmI don’t mind Fredi hitting Hinske there ans saving Chipper.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:30 pmDavid O’Brien @ajcbraves
July 8th, 2012 at 2:33 pmSimmons left the game with an injured pinky finger on his right hand. Will be re-evaluated further
I’m guessing that Ruiz hasn’t been visited by the PED Testers yet this year.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:34 pmHe is having an insanely abnormal good year compared to his career stats.
@69
And this is only his 5th game against the Braves. It would be understandable if he had faced the Braves 19 times.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:35 pmDamn, Brian’s locked in.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:40 pmBMAC!!!!! 4th in a row!
July 8th, 2012 at 2:41 pmYes, I am… oh, wait. Still true, though.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:41 pmSilencing his critics.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:41 pm@69, I know you’re only half serious, but Ruiz has been a good enough hitter the last three years to where we can allow him a half season outlier before burning him at the stake.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:46 pmAnd suddenly McCann’s ISO is back up to his career norms. How about that.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:47 pmNice recovery by JJ; time to leave this one to the pen.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:53 pmJJ banks another good outing. I really don’t care how he does it.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:54 pmTwo innings is two too many to be without Simmons.
Hurry back, Andrelton.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:57 pmJJ knows how to win
July 8th, 2012 at 2:57 pmGreat game for JJ. Nice to see him pitching better.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:58 pmYes, fantastic job by JJ.
July 8th, 2012 at 2:59 pmVia @BravesStateMind: Teheran has allowed 7R through 5IP today for Gwinnett.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:03 pmInteresting use of Medlen here. At least his inherited runners scored percentage can’t get worse.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:03 pm9 pitches, 3 outs. And Minor was actually up in the bullpen earlier, when JJ was struggling.
I think Medlen would be a fine setup man, but I still wish they’d just let him start.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:06 pmEOF has been used three straight days, so…
July 8th, 2012 at 3:06 pmIt did work. This may be a new role for him- full innings that aren’t suitable for Kimbrel or O’Flaherty.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:06 pmDavid O’Brien @ajcbraves
July 8th, 2012 at 3:07 pmO’Flaherty gets day off after pitching in three straight games
Simmons fractured his finger.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:16 pmBraves Twitter: Simmons has fracture of fifth metacarpal on right hand. Will see Dr. Gary Lourie tomorrow to examine and determine course of treatment.
That sucks.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:17 pmNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
Fractured finger for Simmons.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:17 pmWith that injury Simmons will be out 6-8 weeks.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:17 pmIn response to #75, Ruiz has quietly been one of the most interesting stories in baseball the last few years, sort of like a mini-Jose Bautista. Catchers are famous for aging early, and through his age-29 season, he was batting .242/.329/.359 in 880 PA.
Since then, he’s hitting .294/.382/.448 in 1569 PA.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:18 pmWhy can’t we have nice things?
July 8th, 2012 at 3:18 pmOh God. Oh no.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:18 pmSimmons should have went spikes first into Utley, teach him not to block the bag like a douche.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:19 pm“Who is this ‘Pastornicky’ person?”
Guess we’ll be finding out soon…
July 8th, 2012 at 3:19 pmSo will the Braves go with Jack Wilson or go back to Pastornicky until Andrelton gets back? Yuck.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:19 pmPoop.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:20 pmSimmons getting hurt is really the worst thing that could have happened. We’ve lost our best starter and now we’ve lost one of our most valuable position players.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:21 pmI guess the Braves are now in the market for someone that can play major league caliber defense at short.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:25 pmHoward really sucks.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:25 pmMaybe they can get Yunel
I hear the Jays are sick of him.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:27 pmWith that injury Simmons will be out 6-8 weeks.
Is that 6-8 weeks out or 6-8 weeks without doing anything with the hand? If it’s the latter, it’s not unlikely his season is over. Here’s hoping that at least it doesn’t carry over into next year like Jason’s thumb injury did. Too bad, I really enjoyed watching him play.
Ban the headfirst slide. Now!
July 8th, 2012 at 3:27 pmOh, we won. It doesn’t taste as sweet today.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:27 pmWell, there’s still Kimbrel. If he gets hurt, the icy embrace of death starts getting much more attractive.
Sweeping the Phillies should have been more fun than this.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:27 pmWin the battle, lose the war.
Pastornicky hit a HR today for Gwinnett. Not that it makes him any more likely to avoid botching a 6-4-3.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:28 pm@75 – yes i am joking, but he’s hitting 73 pts higher than his career avg, has 4 more HRs at the break than his previous career high, and is slugging 170 pts above his career avg.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:28 pmif it quacks like a duck….
Sweeping the Phillies should have been more fun than this.
I second that. But still, nice job guys!
July 8th, 2012 at 3:28 pmAt least it was game before All Star break and not game after. How has Pastornicky done in AAA?
July 8th, 2012 at 3:29 pmAnd Betancourt strikes out Flores with the winning runs on base to beat the Nationals. We’re four out.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:30 pmI think before yesterday leftys had an OPS (yes) of 0.190 against Kimbrel and it’s obviously dropped even lower during the last two innings. I wonder if at some point other teams will try right handed pinch hitters.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:30 pmWe’re past the Mets. Hopefully for good. And I’m not so sure about that 6-8 weeks. Depends on exactly how it’s fractured.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:30 pm113 — True. I only said that based on my experience. If it’s a hairline fracture it might not be as long.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:32 pm@113 Asked a hand specialist about the injury. Said it could be four weeks depending on the type of fracture. At that point he went into medical talk that I can’t translate into proper English.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:32 pmPastornicky’s hit 255/ 301/ 355 in Gwinnett going into today.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:33 pmBury the Phillies!
July 8th, 2012 at 3:34 pmEverything with Simmons hand obviously depends on how severe and where any fracture is, but you can do a lot with your pinky in a splint if needed.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:36 pmDuring the game, you never saw Simmons acting like the hand injury was severe. Good thing its All Star break week.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:59 pmRecapped.
July 8th, 2012 at 3:59 pm118 — The metacarpal bones are located about halfway down your hand (if not farther), so I don’t think a simple finger splint is going to be it.
July 8th, 2012 at 4:00 pmI know this because I broke one once.
July 8th, 2012 at 4:01 pm