Oh well, no sweep. But we did win the series -- our second series win of a 4-game series in a row. We're still 2-games over .500, and we should have a lot of confidece heading on the road, despite the loss today. Speaking of that loss, it was the bi-monthly bullpen blowup coming around for another visit.
I didn't get a chance to watch the game, but it seems like we didn't do much hitting in this one. Tip your cap to Barry Zito for pitching a good game. Sometimes you just get beat.
Mike Gonzalez took the loss and had some tough luck as he got struck in the arm by a batted ball. Will Carroll tweeted that x-rays were negative and the injury is listed as a left arm contusion. Bobby Cox once again unloaded the bullpen, using everyone in the pen except for Soriano. This kind of overuse is going to beat those guys down more and more and they are going to get less effective as the season goes on. I don't know if I'm barking up the wrong tree here, but I'm most concerned about the bullpen. And now with Mike Gonzalez going down for a while... actually, that might be the best thing for him -- get him some rest and come back in August fresher than ever.
Also a good recap of this game in this FanPost.
0 recs | 17 comments
Crap
Kelly Johnson just ate my last cookie!
Bronn - July 23, 2009
While I’m not very happy about Cox’s use of the bullpen what was he supposed to do today? KK couldn’t pitch more than five innings so we had to use the pen. It’s just too bad KK couldn’t work more effectively. We were lucky to be in the game until the 8th.
mdhenshaw - July 23, 2009
Agreed
Plus, he did what a lot of people wanted out of him-he used Boone Logan, he got 1.2 innings out of Kris Medlen, EOF only threw 6 pitches, and he didn’t use Soriano.
Kawakami needed to do a better job throwing strikes, but he wasn’t efficient and threw 97 pitches in 5 innings.
Bronn - July 23, 2009
In KK's defense...
The ump was squeezing him big time today.
However, even when KK is on top of his game, he is still inefficient!
SupermanWearsBobSander'sPJs - July 23, 2009
There's some nasty lightning outside
It’s obviously the baseball gods’ displeasure with Kelly Johnson.
Bronn - July 23, 2009
This was more a defensive blowup than a bullpen one. First Kotchman decided to make a throw to first on a bunt so slow Anderson would have been proud of it and the runner was safe. Then Moylan hesitated on the next bunt thinking he had a play at third only to throw it into the runner at first. Finally Church threw to third on the ensuing single and Chipper tried to make the tag before he caught it allowing the ball to bounce around down the left field line.
redwards95 - July 23, 2009
I agree with you on the defensive problems, but what is funny to me is I made that comment in the open thread and someone replied that the defense looked fine! Duh! What game was he or she watching???? LOL
Well, all teams have bad days. We just had one!
HEYJUDE - July 23, 2009
Yeah this was on the defense. The pitching wasn’t bad. The Giants tried to give us two outs by bunting and we took neither
eaheckman10 - July 23, 2009
Keanu Reeves
Recently stated that Kelly Johnson is the reason he got into acting.
Will the horrors never cease?!
Bronn - July 23, 2009
Scientists have recently discovered that Kelly Johnson’s brainwaves are the cause of over 60% of Global Warming.
Bronn - July 23, 2009
Kelly Johnson has no alibi for the night the Lindbergh baby was kidnapped.
Bronn - July 23, 2009
oh shite, i just realized the loss wasn’t KJ’s fault, it was mine. i wore my unlucky blue braves hat today
Slee - July 23, 2009
Kelly Johnson sold his pit bull to Michael Vick.
Bronn - July 23, 2009
Planet Cy Zito
He pitched a hell of a game. Despite his Jeckyll & Hyde performances since joining the Giants, leave it to the Braves to make him look like the Oakland ace that warranted the big money contract.
But as I say often, hopefully the Braves got all the suck out of the system collectively, leading to this one loss, and they can get right back on the winning wagon all over again.
royhobbs - July 23, 2009
Thanks for the plug/link, Gondeee.
I really appreciate the vote of confidence =)
Kelly Johnson is my father’s brother’s nephew’s cousin’s former roommate.
Jareth Cutestory - July 24, 2009
Well, it sucked to be a Braves fan watching that one. Besides the “who’s these guys on the field in our uniforms?” feel of it, it was one of the more PATHETIC jobs of officiating I’ve seen.
I can’t recall even one call going our way yesterday and we had a strike zone on acid. One minute it was the size of a post card, the other (depending on the jersey you were wearing) it was the size of an open newspaper. Not one appeal on 3rd strike swings from us was granted and no interference call on the play at 1st.
I’ve just got to hope their bad game is over for the week and we can head to Milwaukee knowing we won our last 2 series, got above .500 and ready to play like contenders.
NCChopper - July 24, 2009
KK was the reason for overuse of the bullpen today
KK needs to get his s**t together. He threw 97 pitches in 5 innings, continuing his problem of throwing way too many pitches. Why is this? He had outstanding control in Japan. He has supposedly blamed this problem on the smaller strike zone over here. Well he has had 4 months now to get used to the strike zone in ML ball. That is no longer an acceptable excuse. Most MLB pitchers adjust to an umpire’s zone, DURING THAT PARTICULAR GAME. So 4 months is long enough Kenshin!
Me thinks he nibbles so much because he thinks every hitter is Babe Ruth. Same problem JoJo has. JoJo has not had that problem in the minors, but every time he is called up, he starts that nibbling s**t. Drives me crazy and gets him a high ERA and then sent back down. POUND THE FREAKIN’ STRIKE ZONE GUYS! Just pretend like it’s a guy like me that couldn’t hit it off a tee, and go for it.
Braves fan since 1966 - July 24, 2009
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