A good win for the Braves. Tommy Hanson was sharp in the middle innings -- he hit a rough patch in the first and the sixth, but in between he was marvelous. He breaks his personal 2-game losing streak to pick up his sixth win -- that's one more than Kenshin Kawakami has in half as many starts.
We got hits from all over the lineup, with every regular collecting at least one base knock -- and every single Braves hit, all 14 of them, were singles. Chipper Jones broke out of his snide with a 3-hit afternoon, Nate McLouth also picked up 3 hits. Ryan Church returned to the lineup and contributed 2 hits.
Just as Matt Diaz grounded into 3 double plays in last night's game, the Padres Kevin Kouzmanoff grounded into 3 double plays into today's game. An odd occurrence to say the least.
Nice to see the Braves win a series, and they need to keep this momentum going and take the series in LA that starts tomorrow.
0 recs | 65 comments
Teheran strikes out the side looking in his first inning in Rome….
yondaime4 - August 5, 2009
Teheran, KJ and Freeman for AGonzalez in the offseason? Who hangs up first?
Scott Coleman - August 5, 2009
the padres
was385 - August 5, 2009
Hopefully those two double plays make the highlite reel…..very sick stuff.
And we lost the damned feed during Church’s throw to home, but got to listen to it on an old-timey-sounding radio.
Go Braves. Revenge is a dish best served HOT.
Chief Noc-A-Homa - August 5, 2009
Good win today boys
Oh, and some guy named Jason Heyward is playing CF tonight in Mississippi. I hear he’s a pretty good prospect.
Scott Coleman - August 5, 2009
CF?
blitzerlover - August 5, 2009
plays a decent amount of center
just won’t in the majors
was385 - August 5, 2009
it can only help his defensive development. im not sure, but i would imagine it would be harder to read a ball off the bat in CF than it would in one of the corner outfield positions.
Scott Coleman - August 5, 2009
I don’t really think it helps or hurts.
was385 - August 5, 2009
Based on playing in high school, I thought Centerfield was MUCH easier than the corners, but that could just be me
eaheckman10 - August 6, 2009
Yes, he plays there often.
His range is great for a kid his size.
MichaelProcton - August 5, 2009
Teheran is
getting roughed up a bit tonight at Rome.
Scott Coleman - August 5, 2009
Anyone else notice
that Chipper and McLouth seem to both have good days at the same time? I know it’s happened quite a few times in the relative short time we’ve had Nate here.
At any rate, go Hanson, go Braves.
Bronn - August 5, 2009
One minor observation
Nate McLouth made another couple of good plays out in CF today, and that made me curious about his UZR. I’m not at all a big fan of any fielding metric, but UZR is probably the closest thing that exists to a functional one. Well, last year, UZR determined that he was a farce of a gold glove choice because he had among the lowest rating of all centerfielders. This year, interestingly, UZR has him at -2.6, which isn’t that much below average.
It’s just funny how unstable most fielding metrics are. Even sample sizes as large as an entire season can be full of noise. Watching Nate, he doesn’t have elite speed, but he also doesn’t take silly routes, and he often gets a good jump on balls coming off the bat. He’s really not that bad at CF, despite the metrics hating him last year-he’s probably right about average, or just a tad below.
Bronn - August 5, 2009
+1
He’s quick enough because he rarely has to outrun mistakes. I can’t remember seeing him take a really circular route to a ball and though he isn’t really aggressive in the outfield, it also leads to fewer balls getting past him than a lot of more dive-happy outfielders. He’s a very solid centerfielder.
was385 - August 5, 2009
Funny...
Because the knock on him was that he was just “dive-happy” enough to make easy plays turn into Web Gems.
MichaelProcton - August 5, 2009
not with us
he’s pulled up a number of times on balls that are right on the edge of catchable. I don’t know how he played in Pittsburgh because I just didn’t see him enough, but that certainly hasn’t been a staple of his time here.
was385 - August 5, 2009
Love the team that showed up today!
It was nice to get back to back wins, and take the series, even if it was the Padres!
I would love to see them continue on this roll…………….
HEYJUDE - August 5, 2009
Amen to this.
NCChopper - August 6, 2009
Cute shot at Kawakami...
Why not mention that Hanson has six more wins than Reyes in only five more starts?
MichaelProcton - August 5, 2009
because JoJo Reyes isnt making 8 million dollars this season.
Scott Coleman - August 5, 2009
I was going to say something along these lines too. That was totally unnecessary, IMO. It was a cheap shot.
I am working on a fanpost about Kawakami that should surprise quite a few people…it is taking quite a bit of number crunching and typing on my part though. Hopefully, I will have it finished tomorrow.
This bashing of KK has to stop. It is completely unwarranted and juvenile.
justincredubil02 - August 5, 2009
make sure to use pictures
people always seem to recommend those…
VivaLosBravos - August 5, 2009
lol. Thanks for the tip.
justincredubil02 - August 5, 2009
seriously
im gonna post a bunch of random pictures and type how i feel about them and see if people rec them for me!
Scott Coleman - August 5, 2009
hahaha…just don’t ask for the rec!
justincredubil02 - August 5, 2009
Are you implying something?
royhobbs - August 6, 2009
Yeah, its a shame that the “(insert Braves player) sucks and should die and we need to call up (insert Braves prospect) to save the team” don’t get rec’d more often.
10-4 - August 6, 2009
+1
There are a lot of teams that would love to have a 4.38 ERA out of the fifth spot in their rotation. Plus, his value has as much to do with expanding into the Japanese market as his pure pitching ability
was385 - August 5, 2009
The Mets would love to have a 4.38ERA out of the 2nd spot in their rotation.
Scott Coleman - August 5, 2009
Are you reading my fanpost before I even post it? lol…I definately touch on our division-mates’ batteries and contrast them with KK…
justincredubil02 - August 5, 2009
haha na man.
i’ll be the first to admit…i get pretty worked up in games. everyone does. and everyone says something every once in a while they shouldnt. but when you calm down and take a step back, you realize KK isnt all that bad of a pitcher. and when you have 4 studs in Hanson, DLowe, Javy and JJ, having KK as a 5th starter isnt too bad.
Scott Coleman - August 5, 2009
Whether or not KK is good or bad which he is good, he will help the Braves get some of that talent over seas.
That a boy - August 6, 2009
the e.r.a. sure
not the performance though.
Mike Pelfrey has a FIP of 4.19, Kawakami 4.65 and Hanson 4.49.
tRA* (regressed to mean) Pelfrey is 4.84, Kawakami 4.91, hanson 4.96.
Hanson has been lucky. So has Kawakami. They have pitched about equally well. Hanson is going to be a good one, but right now he is fortunate more of his flybals haven’t gone for homers (albeit he had the 3 homer debut), and his k/bb has trended up relatively, but still walking too many.
Kawakami showed, as someone pointed out on the nearby KK thread, that he had beeter k/bb in japan. Of course, major league hitters effect that, but KK had a rough start and sems to have picked it up. He seems a decent mid-staff kind of pitcher.
W-L is not a good evaluation metric for pitchers.
wobatus - August 6, 2009
BTW hanson Pitch count?
Is hanson on a pitch count? He got pulled after only 70 some odd pitches.
wobatus - August 6, 2009
AJ Mass (take it for what it’s worth, I guess) said that it is pretty obvious that they are being careful with him…
I don’t see the point in keeping him in the game though…he had a 4 run lead, went into the 6th inning and got into a jam…pitch count be damned, any starter should be pulled at that point.
justincredubil02 - August 6, 2009
any starter
should be pulled at 70 pitches aftyer the 6th of a game he gave up 2 earned runs?
wobatus - August 6, 2009
Odds that Hanson will win ROY?
blitzerlover - August 5, 2009
Right now i’d say its Hanson – 25% Rasmus – 25% Wells – 25% Fowler – 15% McCutchen – 10%.
It’ll probably come down to which team stays in the playoff races the longest.
Scott Coleman - August 5, 2009
no Garrett Jones?
The guy has a 1.023 OPS in 110 at-bats with 10 homers and five steals. I know he’s old for a rookie but he’s still a rookie.
was385 - August 5, 2009
hes a rookie?
oh, well then yes you have to put him in the conversation as well. i thought Jones was a 2nd year player tho…
and that McGeehee guy on Milwaukee might have a small chance if he tears it up the 2nd half.
Scott Coleman - August 5, 2009
he is a second year player
but didn’t reach the time or AB minimum to lose his rookie status. I figure McGeehee is effectively out because Felipe Lopez has been taking a lot of his playing time.
was385 - August 5, 2009
Nah
McGehee’s playing time hasn’t really been hurt. They’ve been playing him a lot at 3B, where he’s much, much better than Bill Hall and Craig Counsell.
Bronn - August 5, 2009
my assumption was wrong
obviously I wasnt thinking clearly about the Brewers situation without him at third
was385 - August 5, 2009
I do believe his advanced age and the amount of time he lingered at AAA, in addition to playing for the Pirates, will really marginalize him in the eyes of BBWAA.
Bronn - August 5, 2009
it also makes him
a really good story
was385 - August 5, 2009
You forgot JA Happ
blitzerlover - August 6, 2009
I bet Hanson will have to have at least 10 wins to get the nod.
soup du jour - August 5, 2009
Still probably pretty long, at this point. He’s only had 10 starts, and right now, Randy Wells is just killing him in VORP. There’s also McCutchen making a ton of noise in Pittsburgh as a power/speed combo. You also can’t ignore McGehee in Milwaukee-the kid is just straight hitting, although he probably doesn’t get enough attention.
And of course, there’s J.A. Happ, who’ll get tons of recognition because the Phillies will likely make the playoffs, are the defending champs, and refused to trade the kid to get Halladay.
Bronn - August 5, 2009
IF
IF this is Hanson adjusting to the Majors, then I can’t wait until he is established. He is going to be really good barring injury. What I have noticed in some of his starts is that most of his close pitches get called balls. Maybe he hasn’t earned the bigger strikezone yet.
JFP - August 5, 2009
I just saw a movie
called 500 days of summer. Anyway, the point is the main character’s name is Tom Hanson. I felt kind of validated by that, watching in my Tommy Hanson player shirt.
VivaLosBravos - August 5, 2009
i want one of those. where did you get it? please dont say Turner Field. Cause thats a 6 hour flight away.
Scott Coleman - August 5, 2009
Sorry, pal
paid for it at the Pro Shop with my Braves themed Visa.
VivaLosBravos - August 5, 2009
HaHa – I thought we were the only ones with a Braves logo credit card.
I hand over my Braves Mastercard proudly and more than once it’s triggered conversations about the team with the salesperson or waitstaff.
NCChopper - August 6, 2009
http://shop.mlb.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3415171&cp=1452343.1452601.2454034
was385 - August 5, 2009
i thought about customizing one...
but i think im going to just save up a bit and customize/buy a Hanson jersey later in the year.
Scott Coleman - August 5, 2009
Dare I say
I’ll cutomize a Heyward one?
BeantownVol - August 6, 2009
is that anything like sodomizing one?
justincredubil02 - August 6, 2009
you don’t know what number he’ll be.
10-4 - August 6, 2009
I guess I’ll just have to bust out my customized Eric O’Flaherty shirt
eaheckman10 - August 6, 2009
Hey everyone, Frenchy got his 1st unintentional walk as a Met last night,lol. Did he really say “if obp was important they’d put it on the scoreboard.” and did he mean it or was he joking?
jimmontg - August 6, 2009
yeah, he said it…and was serious.
justincredubil02 - August 6, 2009
Amazing I guess Chipper was right, he really is a dumass. The Mets fans are starting to call him “1 pitch” cause he’s still swinging at everything.
jimmontg - August 6, 2009
I thought they were calling him “Savior”?
justincredubil02 - August 6, 2009
No, Justin, his batting average is down where it should be around .268 last time I looked. One of their blogs was complaining about his 4 at-bats and he only saw 7 pitches and hitting the 1st pitch into a DP same old Francouer stuff. You know how to fix him? Teach him how to bat everyday or else he forgets how. I’m not kidding he’s like a little leaguer.LOL
jimmontg - August 6, 2009
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