Albert Pujols was not in today's lineup. The Cardinals didn't mind.
David Freese, Yadier Molina and the Cardinals defeated the Braves in St. Louis this afternoon, bringing the Braves losing streak to 9 games.
In the 1st inning David Freese hit a 3-run HR off the RF foul pole which was only the beginning of his excellent day at the plate. After Omar Infante doubled in a runner to cut the lead to 3-1, the Cardinals responded with a RBI single from Yadier Molina in the 4th and then a 3-run double from David Fresse to essentially end the game. Molina then drove in Freese to put the lead at 8-1.
Eric Hinske contributed for the Braves, driving in two runners with a single in the 6th. Jason Heyward also hit his 5th HR of the year with a rocket to RF off Dennys Reyes.
The Cardinals received insurance runs with a solo HR from Tyler Greene and an RBI-groundout from Joe Mather in the 7th inning.
That was your game. Red Birds win 10-4.
Good, Bad and Ugly after the jump.
The Good:
Yunel Escobar - He continues to hit from the top of the lineup. He went 2-for-3 today and raised his average to .215.
Jason Heyward - 2-for-4, HR(5)
Kris Medlen - 3IP 2H 1ER 2K 1B
The Bad:
Melky Cabrera (hitting leadoff) - 0-for-3, 1BB
Jair Jurrjens - He left with a strained hamstring after the 1st inning, but the 3-run HR he allowed probably crushed the Braves confidence. JJ needs to be healthy if this chance is going to have any chance of competing this year.
The Ugly:
Injuries - A sore hammy for JJ and a bad groin for Esco. Great!
Jesse Chavez - 2IP 5H 5ER 1BB/2K 1HR
Peter Moylan- 1IP 1H 1ER 2BB/1K
Nate McLouth - 0-for-4, 1K
What a mess.
Upcoming Game:
The Braves play the Astros tomorrow night in Atlanta to kick off a 3-game series. First pitch at 7:35EST. Tommy Hanson will be on the mound for the Braves and the Astros still haven't announced their starter. I'll be happy if there's more than 20,000 fans in the stands tomorrow night. I don't think I'd pay $5 bucks to watch this team play considering how they've played the last week. It's freakin embarrassing.
Open Thread Comment Count: 1,313
Go Braves.
0 recs | 94 comments
The way the schedule plays out, I think Wandy Rodriguez will pitch tomorrow for Houston.
Hudson v. Myers on Saturday
Lowe v. Norris on Sunday
This might change, though.
TonyAlmeyda - April 29, 2010
maybe we can turn it around at home
we still aren’t that far out and it is way early. things obviously don’t look good right now but we still have time. we have to right the ship NOW.
lingsched - April 29, 2010
the ultimate silver lining ...
we can’t possibly lose twice in 24 hours again tomorrow? nothing.
calucas78 - April 29, 2010
At this point I'm rooting for the #1 pick
Are there any Strasburg’s in next year’s draft?
Bobby Cocks - April 29, 2010
Bryce Harper
TradeAndruw - April 29, 2010
ewwww
no.
atl192485 - April 29, 2010
He’s like the anti-Heyward. Greatly skilled, but this one’s all full of himself and Barry-Bondsified-in-the-head already.
J-Freak - April 29, 2010
Bryce Harper is in this year's draft
The Nats will land him. I’m talking about NEXT year’s draft. Wonder if there’s some phenom we can land with our #1 pick.
Bobby Cocks - April 29, 2010
Gerritt Cole, pitcher, UCLA
Stephen Schmidt - April 29, 2010
Randy Gress Jr.
TradeAndruw - April 29, 2010
i’m thinking about entering next years draft.
10-4 - April 30, 2010
Let's go win!
So, we lose nine straight. Don’t cry or throw a fit yet. The Braves are fired up, and are going to make up for that loss of offense. Next thing you know, we’ll have a winning streak!The season is young, the sky is bright, and Heyward finally got another homer. The best place for the Braves to snap the slump is at home, in front of the Braves faithful, and that they will do.
Georgia air is better for playing baseball.
Joseph_C - April 29, 2010
optimism is great and all...
But this bright and shiny “Hey guys! We’re gonna win tomorrow! And then we’re gonna go on a winning streak! I feel bad for the next team we play! YAY! Back to Atlanta to the Braves faithful…” is getting a little old. The Ted will empty by the thousands as long as this streak continues. Atlanta fans (a lot of them) are fairweather, and don’t show up when this team is struggling…and this team is S-T-R-U-G-G-L-I-N-G. If we get behind in early innings I expect the boo birds to be out in full. Ignorant optimism is just as bad as ignorant pessimism to me. This season isn’t over (although it’s getting closer by the day) but we’re not a winning streak or two away from righting the ship either. Major work needs to be done with this team, and I just hope we can find and fix whatever it is that needs to be fixed.
Brave Neander - April 29, 2010
Major work needs to be done, and is done best at home. Our offense is better at home, and despite our struggles, we score better. I was merely pointing out that home is the best place to be for the Braves. Sorry If I sounded to happy.
Joseph_C - April 29, 2010
I really don’t mean to sound so down, but I’m seriously wondering if this team has what it takes to win 85+ games this season. Yes, home is much better than the road, but I don’t think our homefield advantage is as good as a lot of other teams. I dunno…I’m just terrified we’re going to go into the first houston game and lay another egg…I don’t know how much more BAD baseball this teams psyche can take. We go down 3-0 in the first few innings to the ’stros…ugh, this streak could climb to epic proportions.
Brave Neander - April 29, 2010
And we’ve been playing so well on the road the last couple years…
Chief Noc-A-Homa - April 29, 2010
5-4 at home, 3-9 on the road.
Yeah, I like home games better. Too bad the Braves go on the road for nine games immediately after this series.
Anyhoo, I’m hoping for positive results nonetheless.
TonyAlmeyda - April 29, 2010
3-93-10TonyAlmeyda - April 29, 2010
This team’s streak is making me an angry and depressed person.
romone_braves91 - April 29, 2010
That “If the Braves Become Sellers” post on mlbtraderumors is hard to stomach.
GeneParmesan - April 29, 2010
I doubt we become sellers
But yeah, still disturbing.
GouldisGold - April 29, 2010
Lowe
If we could find a taker for him and his salary, I’d be all for that sell.
HEYJUDE - April 29, 2010
that'd be a hard sell
but if FW pulled that off…oh man, not sure what I’d do.
Scott Coleman - April 30, 2010
heck
i would do that trade even if we were winning games lol
drumzalicious - April 30, 2010
For some reason I think Frank Wren agrees...
and has since last winter. Maybe we can find a Japanese team that’ll take him.
Mr. Sanchez - April 30, 2010
Who's on the hill tommorrow? Tommy?
Brave Neander - April 29, 2010
yes
TonyAlmeyda - April 29, 2010
The section of the recap titled "Upcoming Game"
Is usually a good place to look for that.
Scott Coleman - April 29, 2010 via mobile
sorry...
Just overlooked it.
Brave Neander - April 29, 2010 via mobile
Negativity
I’m agree. I’m growing tired of this fake optimism. Most Atlanta fans are fair weather, but I think we all need to be realists here. Our team sucks right now. Plain and simple. Therefore I say we turn off the positivity and bring up the negativity. Look at it this way: when we win (if we ever do), then the wins will be more exciting.
TheBraveDude - April 29, 2010 via mobile
http://www.talkingchop.com/2010/4/29/1451155/the-official-thunderdome
Scott Coleman - April 29, 2010
Thank you
TheBraveDude - April 29, 2010 via mobile
i agree.
etidd - April 29, 2010
"freaking embarrassing" pretty much sums it up. You could have saved yourself some time and
made that the entire article. This team is a train wreck right now and it’s going to take something pretty incredible to get it back on track.
letsgobravos - April 29, 2010
Keith Law has a great answer to this question:
Keep that in mind whenever you start worrying about Heyward NOT becoming a superstar in the league for years to come.
Scott Coleman - April 29, 2010
What do you mean?
He’s already a superstar! He leads the team in most offensive categories, right? :-p
EricGreggWasPaidOff - April 29, 2010
What does it all mean??
Weldon - April 29, 2010
That's NINE....NINE, Ah Ha Ah!!!!
El Soro - April 29, 2010
KJ
.320 .416 .787 1.202 – and that was before he was 4-5 with a HR today.
SSS acknowledged, but does anyone besides me and Jareth Cutestory now wish that we had picked up his $3M contract and played him in LF?
justincredubil02 - April 29, 2010
I mentioned that in the postgame thread yesterday....everyone was too scared after his TJ surgery (my opinion)
El Soro - April 29, 2010
ATLandUNC - April 29, 2010
Not really. KJ’s horse is very much alive and kicking.
I apologize for talking about the league leader in HRs (BTW, that number is 9).
justincredubil02 - April 29, 2010
I was with back before he was NT’d- we never should have let him walk.
J-Freak - April 29, 2010
Sure, I would have liked to keep Kelly, but let’s be realistic, would Bobby have even put him in the lineup?
Lennox - April 29, 2010
Yes – if we signed him to play LF.
justincredubil02 - April 29, 2010
But we wouldn’t have signed him to play LF. At best he’d have been signed to compete for a spot in the lineup with Melky. After Spring Training (going off this year’s ST numbers), there’s a good chance that Bobby would have gone with Melky as the starter, and there would almost certainly have been a platoon with Diaz in either case.
Lennox - April 29, 2010
Bobby stuck with him for 3 years, until he got hurt – then Prado was too hot to not have in the lineup.
justincredubil02 - April 29, 2010
I said that a couple a days ago. Why not try him in LF?
Braves24 - April 29, 2010
I definitely wouldn't have minded him in LF...
KJ/Diaz platoon in LF? Or would you keep Melky instead since he can play CF?
EricGreggWasPaidOff - April 29, 2010
Keep all of them.
justincredubil02 - April 29, 2010
At the expense of?
UMDBHIK - April 29, 2010
JoJo.
justincredubil02 - April 29, 2010
Actually...
It sounds like it would be KJ at the expense of Conrad – I’m perfectly ok with that.
EricGreggWasPaidOff - April 30, 2010
Didn't KJ specifically reject that option?
I seem to recall him quashing any suggestion he move back to the outfield last season. I’ve thought he was playing out of position the whole time he was at second and should be back out there ASAP. Would’ve covered a couple of needs for this season if he’d been retained and moved back there.
I think people are maybe a bit too dazzled by his power start this year to remember just what a butcher he was with the glove at second for the last couple of years and how dreadfully cold he could go at the plate.
Sam Jethroe - April 30, 2010
Never heard of that before, and for your information that “butcher” at 2B was actually better than Prado there.
KJ was above average in LF. I am also well aware of his “dreadfully cold” streaks – which were fueled by a BABIP nearly 200 points below his career norms.
justincredubil02 - April 30, 2010
If he were still with us, i’d be willing to bet that he would be slumping right along with the rest of them. Paging Terry……
10-4 - April 30, 2010
lol
justincredubil02 - April 30, 2010
Shakes head.
McCann and McWill - April 29, 2010
We are not even a month in
and the season is over already. Christ. This is the i’ve felt watching the Braves in 20 years. I can’t wait for next year. Hopefully Wren will get tossed out on the street where he belongs and he takes Glaus with him. We’ll be lucky to see 80 wins.
Enron - April 29, 2010
70 wins*
ATLandUNC - April 29, 2010
8 WINS
I WIN THIS GAME OF ONEUPMANSHIP
DogDaysofSummer - April 29, 2010
7 wins
MLB is going to take away our last win, because really, we shouldn’t have won that game either…
Vance in Sacramento - April 29, 2010
i'm glad we have some competitive spirits in here.
…because the graves losing so much makes me feel a little worse about atlanta. the players don’t even seem to care after losing 9 in a row. i don’t even think i saw one frown… pathetic team this year.
etidd - April 29, 2010
Best Freudian slip ever.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the starting lineup for YOUR… ATLANTA… GRAAAAAAAVES!!!
J-Freak - April 29, 2010
lol
HEYJUDE - April 29, 2010
Sweet post. Ironic name.
justincredubil02 - April 29, 2010
worst post ever
unless its sarcasm
traphicg - April 30, 2010
I’m trying to figure out if there has been a team in MLB history to win its division after experiencing a 10 game losing streak at any point during that season. (yes I know it’s only 9, but still)
I’m having no luck right now. I figured Elias Sports Bureau would have that info but I can’t figure out how to access any of their MLB stats.
UMDBHIK - April 29, 2010
Don’t worry about it. We won’t be winning the division.
Enron - April 29, 2010
You must be an awesome fantasy baseball manager.
Skyagusta - April 29, 2010
The Cards had 2 seperate 8 game losing streaks AND a separate 7 game losing streak, and they won their division AND the World Series.
justincredubil02 - April 29, 2010
I assume you’re talking about the ’06 Cards then?
UMDBHIK - April 29, 2010
Yes.
justincredubil02 - April 29, 2010
While I understand that….I doubt 83 wins makes the playoffs this year…im not sayin…im just sayin
bpk228480 - April 30, 2010
We haven’t been this bad since the ’40s… What the hell is this?
Maybe it’s like in Spacejam, where Barkley and LJ and all those guys lose their playing powers. Maybe we just suck. I said, “Maybe.” I’m still not sure which.
Chief Noc-A-Homa - April 29, 2010
false
2006. I thought I remembered like a 9 game losing streak, then a win, then 10 straight losses as well. I checked – it was more like 5 losses, 1 win, 4 losses, 1 win, 10 losses. Ugh.
Enjoy the link if you dare. If you dont know about this website, well, duh and/or hello.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/ATL/2006-schedule-scores.shtml
traphicg - April 30, 2010
Well, You All Can Be Down In The Dumps
I’m not going to be, I’ve invested in season tix and I promised everyone of my grandson’s little league team including the coaches ( I’m hitting coach and I’m better than TP cause they’re hitting) that I would take everyone to at least 1 Braves game. So we will get fired up and start winning! We have too. My Grandson is a Braves fan and they can not disappoint him. By the way, we won this evening, 5 to 2, GO MOUNTAIN LIONS, YAYYYY!!!
jimmontg - April 29, 2010
+1
yaggiefresh - April 30, 2010
Who else was injured besides JJ?….or were they talking about Chipper?
Chief Noc-A-Homa - April 29, 2010
Sadly, Esco.
J-Freak - April 29, 2010
Is he on the DL? What the hell happened?
Chief Noc-A-Homa - April 29, 2010
Answers
1) Yes, he is on the DL
2) The frosted tips of his hair wore off, and his ego was badly bruised
Vance in Sacramento - April 29, 2010
Anybody else get the vibe that Kelly, LaRoche, Adam W, etc., are just brushing the dust off their shoulders…..?
Chief Noc-A-Homa - April 29, 2010
Can we get KJ back...
I sure wish Kelly was in left field and laroche was on first base. The trade for JD Drew where we gave up Wainwright was one of the worst trades we have ever made
BravoGustaves - April 29, 2010
JD was a beast that year though, and almost led us to the promised land.
justincredubil02 - April 29, 2010
The Tigers would say the same thing about Doyle Alexander.
UMDBHIK - April 29, 2010
I'd say restocking the Ranger's farm system for 1 year with Tex was worse.
I wouldn’t mind Elvis Andrus batting lead off. I’m just saying ..
yaggiefresh - April 30, 2010
Long, long time Braves fan
from LA, long time reader of TC, and just now getting active on the boards. Anyways, baseball is a long season. It’d be one thing if it were the NFL or even the NBA where games don’t come as often so there was more time to fret. The good thing is the Astros aren’t exactly known to be contenders this year and getting back on the winning track is coming.
Lastly, what are the chances Hinske gets more time at 1B with super-mega-ultra-no-f’n-doubt-about-it-struggling Glaus playing the way he’s playing? Glaus reminds me too much of Francoeur’s power — too much sitting around waiting for it to come around and the next thing we know half the season is gone and there are a whole lot of K’s to show for it.
yaggiefresh - April 30, 2010
Bobby’s gonna wait for it. And wait for it. And..
Chief Noc-A-Homa - April 30, 2010
actually
Glaus has been fine. He had a pretty good series in St. Louis and has been getting back on track lately. People have to remember that he is a career .230ish hitter so we arent going to get a high average from him and we are going to get plenty of K’s. That is the player we signed basically a RH Adam Dunn.
Personally I would love Glaus to be down in the 6 Hole with McCann 5th and a RH cleanup hitter after Chip.
drumzalicious - April 30, 2010
+ .025
EricGreggWasPaidOff - April 30, 2010
i didnt think I would see someone saying Hinske was more “fit” than anyone…
traphicg - April 30, 2010
i really hope
no one here is really underestimating the Astro’s. Although they aren’t doing amazing right now they do have a pretty solid 1-5/6 in their line up with the top 3 in their rotation being pretty solid. They have the potential to still contend so please Fans and Braves do not underestimate the Astros.
drumzalicious - April 30, 2010
This
The last team the Braves should be underestimating right now is the Astros. Last time I checked, the Astros L10 column is looking a lot prettier than ours is right now.
royhobbs - April 30, 2010
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