25 Aug
Giants 5, Braves 3
Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants – Box Score – August 24, 2012
Okay, so Ben Sheets turned back into a pumpkin. Here’s a fun comparison:
| Pitcher A | Pitcher B | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ERA | BB/K | ERA | BB/K | ||
| Starts 1-4 | 1.46 | 23/6 | 0.77 | 21/11 | |
| Starts 5-8 | 5.70 | 10/7 | 9.82 | 10/9 |
Pitcher A is Ben Sheets in 2012. Pitcher B is Kyle Davis during his rookie year in 2005. Fun, right?
Yesterday, Jason Heyward hit one solo homer and Freddie Freeman hit two, and that was the entirety of the offense. In our past seven games, we’re 1-6 with a grand total of 17 runs scored — that’s 2.4 runs a game. Sheets isn’t helping matters, but he ultimately isn’t the reason we’re losing. The offense is the reason we’re losing. And by “the offense,” I mean “Dan Uggla.”
So, in honor of the man whose last name means “owl” in Swedish, I give you:
I wrote this one.
August 25th, 2012 at 10:05 amWhat help is there for this offense? Just to wait, I suppose, for Simmons to return or maybe start Ross a little more often.
And it’s not like Delgado or Teheran are doing well enough to supplant Hanson or Sheets at this point.
August 25th, 2012 at 10:56 amIt would help if Bourn would ever get on base. And if we sat Uggla. The latter won’t happen though. Just gotta hope that he figures it out.
August 25th, 2012 at 11:21 amI doubt there’s really much to do about the struggling offense. I suppose we could fire Larry Parrish again. I mean, who do we fire this time for the offense not producing? “Uggla, you’re fired!”
August 25th, 2012 at 11:35 amI went to the game last night. Nice and cool 57 degrees. I sat in the 1st row on the 3rd baseline right behind the ball dude. Freemans 1st HR was crushed! So was Heywards HR. I met some guys that flew from Atlanta to go to the game. They were cool. Had a good time even though the Braves lost.
August 25th, 2012 at 11:46 amWife and I will be at game today in charter seats we bought via Craigslist from a Giants season ticket holder. We are pescetarians, so does anyone have ballpark food recommendations at AT&T Park?
August 25th, 2012 at 11:57 amOh, and I’m also anxious to see if the Giants team store has Melky jerseys at a discount…
August 25th, 2012 at 12:00 pmMcCann, over the last 2, has shown signs of busting out. I bet he gets hot this upcoming week.
August 25th, 2012 at 12:05 pmDG,
You can’t go to AT&T Park without trying the Gilroy garlic fries.
August 25th, 2012 at 12:18 pmI agree with you Remy the garlic fries are the best.
August 25th, 2012 at 12:37 pm@9
Agreed. You can try not to buy the garlic fries — but as soon as someone else in your section sits down with some, it’s game over, dude.
August 25th, 2012 at 12:38 pmMusical Braves Journalistas, a little help please:
I have a friend, unlikely as that seems, whose musical tastes are all over the place. He just recommended that I find something by Stiff Little Fingers. My buddy has been known to have fun at my expense. Is this a real band? If so, are they any good?
Thanks.
August 25th, 2012 at 12:46 pm@12: I’m no ububba, but I know how to use Google. If nothing else, Stiff Little Fingers has longevity going for them… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stiff_Little_Fingers
August 25th, 2012 at 1:33 pmSo, the Dodgers just got a lot better.
August 25th, 2012 at 1:48 pmIt’s the Red Sox who should be celebrating.
August 25th, 2012 at 2:09 pmThanks for the suggestion. The garlic fries are outstanding, and much better than the ones in Seattle. I also had a Ghirardelli hot fudge sundae, and it is definitely the best I’ve ever had. Oh, and a crab sandwich with fresh crab meat from a spot in CF. Let me tell you, Turner Field has nothing on the food and beauty of this ballpark.
August 25th, 2012 at 2:19 pmGarlic fries, yes.
In High Fidelity, they argue that Stiff Little Fingers and the Clash are two of Green Day’s biggest influences.
August 25th, 2012 at 2:30 pmCory Gearrin has a .79 ERA in an 11 small sample size innings to go with 11 Ks and the Braves call Miguel Batista, who was released by the Mets for pitching extra shitty baseballs, to take Sheets’ place on the roster.
August 25th, 2012 at 2:44 pmIt would help if Bourn would ever get on base.
Bourn just got on base! Nice bunt.
August 25th, 2012 at 3:08 pmSome balls hit hard by Jason and Ross. Nothing to show for it unfortunately.
August 25th, 2012 at 3:15 pmI agree that the Sox should be the happy ones after that deal. Every player they traded had an awful contract. Beckett and Crawford cant stay healthy. I dont think LA got that much better uness Adrian finds his old form quickly.
August 25th, 2012 at 3:24 pmBatista?
August 25th, 2012 at 3:25 pmHernandez, Sheets, Batista. These are the dumpster-diving “solutions” that ownership’s budget permits. You might get a few decent appearances, maybe even effectiveness for a month, but no more. Sell the damn team, Liberty.
August 25th, 2012 at 3:32 pmI have to admit that I actually have started to enjoy watch Minor pitch.
August 25th, 2012 at 3:36 pmI haven’t been able to enter a comment with MC’s name in it. Is there a block on?
August 25th, 2012 at 3:37 pmIncidentally, fatty PED guy’s souvenirs were removed from AT&T Park last Thursday after a front office directive.
August 25th, 2012 at 3:39 pmHuh. Sheets on the 15 day DL, shoulder.
August 25th, 2012 at 3:45 pmJASON!!
August 25th, 2012 at 3:49 pmHey to the Bay!
Okay, not quite to the bay, but almost.
August 25th, 2012 at 3:49 pmNice to see Minor get a bit of support for a change.
August 25th, 2012 at 3:49 pmWow. J-Hey’s homer sounded like a gunshot in the park.
August 25th, 2012 at 3:50 pmMike M!
August 25th, 2012 at 4:00 pmI don’t know if I can root for a team with Batista. Go Heyward!
August 25th, 2012 at 4:01 pmIt starting to feel like Jason Heyward has fully arrived, isn’t it?
August 25th, 2012 at 4:07 pmUggla is the Ambien that puts the offense into Hibernation Mode.
August 25th, 2012 at 4:11 pmGreetings from Vegas (on birthday #49)…
#12
Stiff Little Fingers were awesome. They were the original Irish punk band. Choice cuts: “Alternative Ulster” & “Suspect Device.”
BTW, 3-run HRs tend to solve a lotta problems. Let’s get these next two & save the trip in San Diego.
August 25th, 2012 at 4:23 pm@35 – or the WOOD (winter of our discontent)
August 25th, 2012 at 4:26 pmThanks for the info on Stiff Little Fingers, all.
Minor’s looking good so far.
August 25th, 2012 at 4:28 pmGreat improvement by Minor, in the past this would’ve been an episode.
August 25th, 2012 at 4:35 pmHe hits too, huh?
August 25th, 2012 at 5:02 pmWhy do I get the sickening feeling Minor will end up with a no-decision here?
August 25th, 2012 at 5:22 pmThis sucks.
August 25th, 2012 at 5:25 pmNoooooo not Durbin in a tight situation, please!
August 25th, 2012 at 5:25 pmDurbin’ed.
August 25th, 2012 at 5:25 pmUgh, guess I’m watching with a delay…
August 25th, 2012 at 5:25 pmFredi hates Mike Minor.
August 25th, 2012 at 5:25 pmDurbin gets 2 Grybos but gets out of the inning without any of his own scoring.
August 25th, 2012 at 5:27 pmChad Durbin: evidence against a benevolent God.
August 25th, 2012 at 5:39 pmSo Fredi’s first thought was to send Hinske up with the bases loaded before calling him back?
This man’s stupidity knows no bounds.
August 25th, 2012 at 5:43 pmTyler Pastornicky: evidence of God’s offbeat sense of humor.
August 25th, 2012 at 5:44 pmChipper is evidently unavailable today.
August 25th, 2012 at 5:45 pmMichael Bourn: Just give him all the money already.
August 25th, 2012 at 5:47 pmGreat AB from Bourn there.
August 25th, 2012 at 5:47 pmThanks Affeldt.
August 25th, 2012 at 5:50 pmWatching the Dodgers become the NL Yankees overnight, while knowing the Braves are locked into a TV deal so bad that it should be taken to court, causes a special kind of angry depression in me.
August 25th, 2012 at 6:06 pm@49 – Undoubtedly the Giants would bring in a lefty, so no sense burning McCann or Francisco there. Would rather have seen Chipper than Pastornicky, but maybe Chipper’s out for the day.
August 25th, 2012 at 6:22 pmWell, at least there’s Kimbrel to relieve our angry depression and depressed anger. Even Fredi hasn’t screwed him up.
August 25th, 2012 at 6:23 pmWow, two Giants actually put the ball in play against Kimbrel. Nice job guys.
August 25th, 2012 at 6:24 pmVery nice win. This is one that I thought we’d have trouble with. Salvage a split tomorrow and things are looking up.
August 25th, 2012 at 6:41 pmThank goodness we won.
August 25th, 2012 at 6:58 pm@60 It was more a walk in the park
August 25th, 2012 at 7:37 pmBefore today’s game, Bourn and Heyward were 4th and 5th in WAR for the NL and Prado was 13th. All had good days.
August 25th, 2012 at 8:55 pmOffensively and defensively, we have the best OF in the Majors. Heyward ranks 1st among RF in the Majors, Bourn ranks 3rd, and Prado ranks 3rd. Impressive.
August 25th, 2012 at 8:59 pm“Offensively and defensively, we have the best OF in the Majors. Heyward ranks 1st among RF in the Majors, Bourn ranks 3rd, and Prado ranks 3rd. Impressive.”
The Braves have come a long way from Diaz-Blanco-Francoeur.
August 25th, 2012 at 9:01 pmOF Defensive ranks (ML)
Bourn- 1
Heyward-2
Prado-7
Heyward is also ranked the best baserunning OF in the Majors.
August 25th, 2012 at 9:05 pmNice win! I thought Bourne was going to track that one down in CF. Woulda saved Minor some pain.
Then again, so would have bringing in a left to face Blanco. Seriously, why bring in Durbin instead of ANY LEFT ON THE STAFF? Oh well. It worked out….
Over the past 6 games, the Braves are 2-4, but their run differential is only -1. So at least there’s that.
August 25th, 2012 at 9:45 pm#66
August 25th, 2012 at 9:59 pmPeguero was announced, Fredi brought in Durbin (a RHP to face a righty), then Bochy pinch-hit Blanco. Can’t change pitchers there.
The Braves have the sixth best record in baseball. They can be frustrating, and they may not have the ceiling of some other teams, but they’re good.
August 25th, 2012 at 10:49 pm“We understand that we have to spend money to win in this league.” – Magic Johnson
August 25th, 2012 at 11:02 pmThere’s spending money, and then there’s taking on all the contracts they took on.
And then there’s giving away actual good prospects in order to obtain those huge contracts.
Going from Loney to beast-mode Adrian is just about the biggest position player upgrade possible in MLB…maybe second to replacing Francoeur with Trout.
But is five weeks of second-half Adrian going to get them in this year, making it all worth it? Questionable. It’s also questionable if Beckett or Crawford help them at all, let alone relative to what they cost.
August 25th, 2012 at 11:25 pmRecapped.
August 26th, 2012 at 1:16 am