Talking Chop

Turner Field, Colorado Rockies vs. Atlanta Braves, 4/17/10, 9:41PM EST, Bottom of the 9th

Stings, doesn't it?  Kind of like in basketball or football, when the coach of a the losing team calls a timeout in the closing seconds of the 4th quarter, to let the players soak it in, the pain of a loss.  But sometimes, that kind of experience is necessary in order for a team to grow.  Sometimes that kind of experience is necessary to light fires under the feet of players on a team to makes the necessary improvements, adjustments, and changes to decrease their chances of feeling the pain again.

Personally, I'm not mad about the loss tonight.  Sure, I'm disappointed that not only did the Braves lose, they got no-hit.  But I'm also pleased in the fact that I had the privilege of being there in person, in seeing a live, no-hitter.  I've never seen a no-hitter happen, live and in person.  I've always wanted to see a no-hitter happen, live and in person.  And tonight, as unfortunate as it was that it happened against my team, I saw my no-hitter, live and in person.  And for that, I am grateful, and I am in awe, and I am, admittedly a little happy.  Consider one of my baseball fan goals accomplished.  Congratulations to Ubaldo Jimenez for what was an unforgettable performance.

Maybe calling timeout is a little overkill for some of you, but even if it was at the expense of the Braves, I'm hoping you guys can recognize a magical feat when it happens, and are capable of appreciating it as fans of the sport of baseball.  But that's why my thoughts about the occasion on Talking Chop are buried here, behind the jump, of what is typically a photo-based feature.  /schill You can read about my full experience over at Purple Row. /endschill

But here's the reality - no-hitter or no no-hitter, it was a loss.  One loss.  And as humiliating of a loss it may have been, we still have 151 games left to leave it in the past.  I can't remember who said it, but someone said in the Open Thread against the Padres that "things couldn't get worse" after getting blown out 17-2, well they just did.  And I find out who said that, you're banned(just kidding [...maybe]) - you never say things can't get worse!  But whatever, this team has been blown out, and this team has been no-hit.  The true fortitude lies in how this squad responds to such failures; and truth be told, I'd take a humiliating beatdown every series once, as long as the Braves won 2/3 every time, because at the end of a season, a team with a .660+ winning percentage is typically looking at about 105 wins.