The Braves game plan tonight:
Game plan executed to perfection! Kenshin Kawakami wasn't that great, even though he struck out 7. He also threw a bunch of pitches and lost control in the fifth inning. Jonny Venters replaced him and allowed 2 inherited runners to score making KK's line look a little worse than perhaps it should have been.
The Braves squandered a bunch of run scoring opportunities early with a lot of bad base running, but they worked deep counts on Arizona starter Ian Kennedy and ended up chasing him in the seventh. Brian McCann led off the inning with a homerun, and after Kennedy allowed two more hits, he was relieved by the Arizona... wait for it... BULLPEN!!! Well, I wouldn't really say he was "relieved." It's more like the Braves were relieved to see the Snakes' pen. Reliever Juan Gutierrez promptly gave up a game-tying 3-run homerun to Nate McLouth, the first batter he faced.
Billy Wagner hung a few pitches and got dinged for a run in the top half of the ninth inning, so the D-Backs brought on their closer Chad Qualls. No really, he's their closer. Eric Hinske greeted Qualls with a single on the first pitch. Omar Infante bunted to advance pinch-runner Brandon Hicks, but he bunted the ball off the plate and it bounced so high he legged out a single. Nate McLouth followed with another bunt to advance the runners, and then they walked pinch hitter Melky Cabrera to load the bases and set up a double play with one out.
Marteeeeeeeeeeeen Prado would have nothing to do with no silly double play. He worked the count and laced an opposite field single (that would have been a double if he needed it to be) which scored the tying and winning runs. The Braves Win! The Braves Win! Ah, I love it when the game plan is executed to perfection.
0 recs | 102 comments
GOOO DBACKS!
Scott Coleman - May 14, 2010
EricGreggWasPaidOff - May 14, 2010
Check out how loaded the NL East is right now.
I think it’s about time for the Nats to come crashing back to Earth.
get swoll yunel - May 14, 2010
KK also THREW a lot of pitches…..prayyyyyyydo baby
bpk228480 - May 14, 2010
You’ll have to forgive gondeee, he’s
probablydrunkRhyno18 - May 14, 2010
lol me too!
bpk228480 - May 14, 2010
Great game. Awesome start to the weekend.
blitzerlover - May 14, 2010
The stat line will probably only feed the trolls, but I thought Kawakami pitched one decent ballgame. He hit his high in Ks since he’s come to America, and the only real mistake he threw was the ball Upton hit for a ground rule double. He got let down by McCann in failing to execute a pitch-out and Venters in not stranding his inherited runners.
In any case, it was great to see our LH batters who have been scuffling (McC and McL) come through with clutch HRs, and then Prado continue to tear.
BraveSaluki - May 14, 2010
don’t forget the glaus error in the first and jam he pitched out of in the first: 2nd and 3rd, no out, and no further damage.
i hope KK is more comfortable next outing. we still can’t score when he’s on the mound, and i’m just waiting for a big outburst that rights the ship
atl192485 - May 14, 2010
The worst part about his performance
Is that he only pitched 4.1 innings.
RichmondBraves - May 14, 2010
No Doubt
With KK and Medlen as big parts of this rotation over the next 3-4 weeks…It’s going to be taxing not only on our bullpen – second start in a row i believe KK never got out of the 5th – but its putting more pressure on Hudson, Hanson, to pitch deep into ballgames to give the BP a break….especially if Medlen & KK are pitching back to back…I wonder where our BP ranks in terms of innings pitched so far???
Nova Scotia Steve - May 15, 2010 via mobile
i thought our BP IP was high, too
but it’s middle of the pack in the NL. 103 IP by relievers puts us 8th out of 16 in the NL.
atl192485 - May 15, 2010
Other than KK
We’re getting some decent innings out of our starters.
Bronn - May 15, 2010
True
Good thing there was an off day yesterday.
Let’s see 2 straight CG’s from Hanson and Huddy.
yaggiefresh - May 15, 2010
KK wasn't awful...
But at this point you can’t really call people who are sick of him trolls. He failed to get out of the 5th. Not too many ways to whitewash that. And yeah, he got a lot of strikeouts. But he got them against the a team that leads the league in K’s.
He’s not killing the team, but he’s sure not worth 7 million dollars…
Weldon - May 15, 2010
There are plenty of ways to whitewash that
though I suppose you know that.
If someone is sick of a pitcher for not pitching well for 6 starts after a year in which he pitched pretty darn well, that person may not be a troll, but he (or she) sure isn’t being very reasonable. This is just a less extreme version of the Javy Vazquez thing in NY (Javy was much better last year but has been even worse than KK this year). It’s just silliness all around.
Jacob Peterson - May 15, 2010
Oh, I would agree that it’s irrational, but most aspects of fandom are. They’re just not trolls because they don’t know what they’re doing. Trolls are fishing for a particular response. These people just don’t know that much about baseball.
I think that the commentariat here has overreacted to the negativity from newbies. It’s not stupid to be upset that KK has been worse than expected this year. It’s stupid to say he needs to be sent out to pasture, sure, but his numbers are ripe for at least some criticism. He might be a good 4, but we’re paying him like a 3. And we need him to be a 3, especially when the offense is scuffling…which they always seem to do when he starts.
Weldon - May 15, 2010
You're mostly right here.
Though I don’t think we’re paying him like a 3. We’re paying him like a 4. $7-8M/year is about 1.5 to 2.0 WAR, which equates to a slightly-below average starter. In other words, a #4 starter. He was worth more or less what we paid him last year. This year, not so much, obviously, but that should turn around.
Look at the contracts that #3 starters have gotten lately. They’re usually around $10M per year or more.
Jacob Peterson - May 15, 2010
I wasn’t arguing that any person who is disappointed in KK’s performance this season is a troll. Any person that has followed the Braves closely since Kenshin joned the team has hoped for better W-L outcomes since he joined the rotation. It was in reference to the posters who look only at KK’s 0-6 record and declared him unfit to be on the team, some of whom reared their ugly green heads in the OT tonight. They would look at the box score and see 4 runs in only 4.1 IP and say their favorite refrain of “Kawakami sucks”. But as pacgnosis noted, had his teammates come through for him, we could be talking about a 5+ inning shutout performance. Just another case of KK being snakebitten by the team that surrounds him (they also failed to score any runs in support while KK was in the game). But at least they scored runs to get Kenshin off the hook for the L and pulled out a win. And that’s really what’s important.
BraveSaluki - May 15, 2010
KK was not efficient. Nearly 100 pitches before got taken out in the 5th. Sure he struck out a bunch but he worked alot of deep counts too.
BullManUGA - May 15, 2010
He wasn't sharp at all
Spent most of the first 3 innings completely missing Heap’s target, getting down 2-0 and 3-1 on practically every batter.
I think there’s a physical issue that is being kept quiet — he doesn’t have the control he had last year, and is not getting deep into games at all.
skymuse - May 15, 2010
I hope the Braves get into Arizona's sweet, succulent bullpen early tomorrow....
EricGreggWasPaidOff - May 14, 2010
If the rain stays away.
Scott Coleman - May 14, 2010 via mobile
odd
weather.com has rain from 4pm to midnight, accuweather doesn’t
atl192485 - May 15, 2010
Walking Melky
Hahahahahaha.
GwinnettBraves - May 14, 2010 via mobile
This was an unbelievably stupid move by Hinch.
Weldon - May 14, 2010
walking Melky
I knew it was over then…Prado made good use of his bat. Did they not see the GS. He lives for this.lol
jaleemom - May 14, 2010
I think it was more the power of Heyward on deck
than Prado. Heyward told the ball to land fair.
Bronn - May 15, 2010
That was
one of the dumbest managerial moves I’ve seen in a long time.
Jacob Peterson - May 15, 2010
D'Backs managers
Are required to study Bob Brenly’s unpublished Guide To Winnin’ Ball Games. That strategy is on pp. 11
Sam Jethroe - May 15, 2010
lol
Worst… Manager… Ever (to win a World Series).
Jacob Peterson - May 15, 2010
unbelievable
Bravely going forward - May 14, 2010
HEYJUDE - May 14, 2010
I love it when a plan comes together.
Jacob Peterson - May 15, 2010
This from the CBS recap
Bloop single? Are you kidding me?
Zeus12888 - May 15, 2010
Those bloop singles that nearly go to the wall 340 feet away are always dangerous.
Scott Coleman - May 15, 2010 via mobile
maybe their mlb.tv crapped out too
Rhyno18 - May 15, 2010
Oh, yeah...that was a bloop.
Kind of like how you bloop the turkey at Thanksgiving. Whatta buncha maroons.
Lots of heroes tonight but I want to single out Ske, who was in the thick of both rallies and really seems to have added some punch to this team’s chemistry.
Sam Jethroe - May 15, 2010
Hinske We Trust
EricGreggWasPaidOff - May 15, 2010
That was sick! First pitch of the inning and he sets the tone for the 9th right away.
award6 - May 15, 2010
plus a very nice running catch in the 6th or 7th inning.
fandave - May 15, 2010
Of course it was a bloop!
The same hit by a Yankee, Red Sox, Phillies, or Giants batter is a line drive hit with precision to the spot they picked out 3 innings ago.
Everyone else just taps it and gets lucky.
skymuse - May 15, 2010
Yes, even when the Phillies’ hitters break their bats…..precision and intent, baby!
EricGreggWasPaidOff - May 15, 2010
The media can kiss our collective ______.
We worked for that win last night whether they want to give us props or not.
The Braves never get any respect and I’m afraid not likely to until we climb out of the bottom of the NL East – for good.
And we will.
NCChopper - May 15, 2010
4th time commenting
winning streak continued! PLUS A RALLY JERSEY… I LOVE THIS TEAM
SuperHeyward - May 15, 2010
keep commenting!!!
Kobe:The Legend - May 15, 2010
Phillies Petition
Excellent game Bravos. And to think that Mr. Heyward didn’t score or get an RBI…
Also, if you haven’t heard that MLB awarded the Phils 3 extra home games, you have now:
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/phillieslose/
DJJazzyJHey - May 15, 2010
Not unreasonable
Seems like a money thing. Would be cool if they played them in Buffalo, Rochester, Cooperstown, Montreal…but…money.
Weldon - May 15, 2010
i understand the money aspect of it
but what about the competitive balance and fairness aspect of it? should the phillies play 3 less at home next year?
atl192485 - May 15, 2010
You know that money is more important than fairness to Bud Selig.
If the Phils played 3 less at home next year, who would get the extra games? And when would that stop?
Weldon - May 15, 2010
How about
the team that is losing home games to Puerto Rico this year. I forget who it is, but I’m pretty sure there’s a series in PR at some point.
Jacob Peterson - May 15, 2010
perfect
mets and marlins are the teams playing in san juan. marlins are the home team in san juan, so have the marlins-phillies series next year be split 12 in miami and 6 at CBP.
that evens out the phillies and marlins, then the jays could get 3 extra home games somehow.
too bad mlb and the phils would never do anything like this
atl192485 - May 15, 2010
i will be going to that game with a braves hat :D
Kobe:The Legend - May 15, 2010
WTF?
EricGreggWasPaidOff - May 15, 2010
Sorry i'm on my phone & can't read link
But is this over the G-20 meeting in Toronto? If so it’s valid…as that meeting of world leaders is excepted to be quite “active” and the meetings are being held very close to Rogers Center…
Nova Scotia Steve - May 15, 2010 via mobile
Yes, it is.
But they should have seen this coming long ago. The G-20 meetings are planned well in advance and the Blue Jays people had to know about it since it’s so close. They should never have had home games scheduled during the summit.
If they can’t do it in Toronto, they should do it at a neutral site like Milwaukee. They have a history of being hospitable to teams who’ve had their home games moved.
Jacob Peterson - May 15, 2010
From what I know, the G-20 event was scheduled after the MLB schedules were released. So MLB didn’t know about it at the time. But yeah, it’s still a crock that they have to play it in Philly.
dunnytwogloves - May 15, 2010
So what 3 games of other teams will now get bumped off of prime time viewing?
Gotta cover the Phillies at home ya know.
NCChopper - May 15, 2010
Walking Melky
I know it’s already been mentioned, but I was shocked when I saw this. I can understand walking somebody who’s hot (Glaus, Hinske) in this scenario or Black Jesus, but why would you walk Melky to face Prado?
I saw Melky coming up, and I was like “oh no”, but thank you Mr. Hinch…
forgotten_glory - May 15, 2010
the only two justifications i know are
1. set up for a potential double play
2. zomg melky cabrera had SO many walkoffs last year with the yankees, we can’t let his walkoffs beat us!
atl192485 - May 15, 2010
The fans over at the Snakepit don’t even seem pissed about it. This place would be on fire if we walked Augie Ojeda to get to Stephen Drew and Justin Upton.
Weldon - May 15, 2010
lol good comparison…
forgotten_glory - May 15, 2010
It boggles the mind
How do you walk a guy hitting under .200 to face a team’s 2 best hitters—AND with the bases loaded so there’s no margin for error? The benefit of a DP is just so far outweighed by other factors that it’s ridiculous. Isn’t the likelihood of Melky hitting a weak grounder to a drawn-in infield about 100x greater than the chance Martin hits into a DP there?
Jacob Peterson - May 15, 2010
THIS
I couldn’t stop laughing… very dumb move.
Here’s to hoping they do it again.
GwinnettBraves - May 15, 2010
Stooooopid move with no room for error or lose the game if you don’t execute the DP.
Maybe tonight time they’ll walk Prado to get to Heyward. :-)
NCChopper - May 15, 2010
Bwahahahahaha
I’d die laughing if that happened.
EricGreggWasPaidOff - May 15, 2010
Go Braves!! lets keep this winning streak!!
Kobe:The Legend - May 15, 2010
KK actually pitched really well
The run in the first would not have scored if not for the error, the second run would not have scored if Mac doesn’t throw the ball into CF on a pitchout, and the last 2 only scored after KK was out of the game. Yes, he threw too many pitches, but that was largely b/c the Dbacks are the most patient team in the NL—they see more Pitches/PA than anybody. KK is hardly the first guy that’s gone to 100 or so pitches in the 5th inning off these guys. If Glaus, Mac, and Venters had picked him up just a little, we’re probably talking about a 5+ inning shutout performance.
Considering those gaffes and the baserunning blunder by Infante, this was one heckuva win. Let’s keep it going tomorrow with Big Red!
Jacob Peterson - May 15, 2010
The Diamondbacks also strike out the most in the league too…it’s easier to lead the league in Pitches/PA when 3 of the pitches are strikes.
While KK didn’t pitch bad, he also had a little luck involved. Especially in that first inning. If Upton hits that ball a little farther (or more down the line) it’s a homerun, or just a little shorter it’s not a ground rule double and 2 runs likely score.
Plus, he wasn’t even close to McCann’s target at times. It could have been ugly.
dunnytwogloves - May 15, 2010
He had MUCH more bad luck than good luck.
All 4 runs were the result of bad luck (in the form of poor execution by his teammates). That far outweighs any of the things you mentioned.
As for the pitches/PA, it obviously helped him that they were prone to striking out. They also fouled off TONS of pitches, though. I thought he threw too many fastballs in the first few innings (which are easier to foul off). If he throws his slider and curve more, he might’ve had an easier time of it. Who knows.
Jacob Peterson - May 15, 2010
Agreed.
He threw the ball well.
Sam Jethroe - May 15, 2010
Rainbow Llamasaurus was introduced to Talking Chop a month ago today. It was meant to be.
BraveSaluki - May 15, 2010
And he/she/it has been greatly loved since.
EricGreggWasPaidOff - May 15, 2010
The powerful awesomeness of Rainbow Llamasaurus can hardly be misunderestimated.
fandave - May 15, 2010
+1
…..for misunderestimated.
EricGreggWasPaidOff - May 15, 2010
If the Braves win tomorrow, they definitely will not be in last place!
BraveSaluki - May 15, 2010
I wish that were true. But....
If the Mets and Marlins both win. We will still be in the cellar regardless of whether we win
Frozen Fan - May 15, 2010
(They play each other…)
BraveSaluki - May 15, 2010
mets and marlins
play each other tomorrow, so one of them has to lose.
atl192485 - May 15, 2010
I stand corrected
Frozen Fan - May 15, 2010
Not necessarily
The game could be rained out or suspended.
Jacob Peterson - May 15, 2010
Hmmmm...
Why can’t they both lose? Haha.
XBEARDX - May 15, 2010
Damn, I wish I could have saw this game
I’m at work so I won’t be able to see any baseball for three weeks. Sounded like an exciting win. Looking at the boxscore made me smile. Glad to see BMac had a great game. McLouth as well. I really love the direction the braves are headed. This is the team I expected. 9 out of thirteen with our big dogs pitching the next two games. I feel a sweep coming on, with winning record waiting on the other side. Go Braves!!
Frozen Fan - May 15, 2010
This game had to be a real heartbreaker for the DBacks...
Not that I feel sorry for them or anything, just making an observation.
Little Lady - May 15, 2010
Considering their bullpen ERA...
I feel like they’re probably used to it by now.
Xshare - May 15, 2010
True...
But that doesn’t make it any easier. Flashes of the 2006 Braves bullpen…yikes!
Little Lady - May 15, 2010
This!
HEYJUDE - May 15, 2010
No hard feelings
I feel like we had our fare share last year.
GwinnettBraves - May 15, 2010
There's 1. Now let's have another.
KK may have relaxed and pitched better if his defense and offense had supported him a bit more.
The base running by us and inability to throw out theirs (they seemed to run at will) made his job harder than it needed to be. As soon as the first run scored, and we executed so poorly the next few innings, you gottta feel like mentally he was like “here we go again”. And, we didn’t even give him the 2 runs we average in his starts this time.
I admire him for keeping us in the game and getting the 7Ks, even with their propensity to strikeout a lot.
NCChopper - May 15, 2010
+1
That was a solid, gritty performance. Too bad it didn’t show up in the boxscore except for the Ks.
Jacob Peterson - May 15, 2010
true grittyness.
fandave - May 15, 2010
I just can't agree with this
I look for QS (Quality Starts) and i’m not seeing that from KK this year opponents BA is almost .300…ERA is 5.73 or whatever….like how many QS’s has the guy given us this year on record 1 (against SF)??? That is me WAS NOT even close to be a quality start….errors aside…he wasn’t hitting his spots and we literally stold that game last night (Thank Jesus or Heyward)
Nova Scotia Steve - May 15, 2010 via mobile
He had a QS going in his prior outing, but Bobby pinch hit for him in the top of the 6th, so he didn’t get the necessary innings (his pitch count was only in the 80s, IIRC). As for the ERA, look at D. Lowe’s and JJ’s…..
EricGreggWasPaidOff - May 15, 2010
Thanks, Ladybug.
Go Braves!
Chief Noc-A-Homa - May 15, 2010
lol
I thought it was Smoltz’s frog joke that did it.
Jacob Peterson - May 15, 2010
Just watched the game, didn't have a chance to catch it last night...
AMAZING!!!
strider15 - May 15, 2010
Is Yunel playing today?
SouthernPanther - May 15, 2010
It was stated that he would be playing today a week or so ago, but there’s been no official word yet today or yesterday.
EricGreggWasPaidOff - May 15, 2010
Why has everyone forgotten McLouth’s great catch?
MBL1 - May 15, 2010 via mobile
Oh and...
On PTV, after Mac’s homer, on the screen, it said “Brian McCann 6th Double of the season”
MBL1 - May 15, 2010 via mobile
I noticed
That was…odd.
Sam Jethroe - May 15, 2010
Let’s see what other dunderhead moves Arizona can make tonight.
“We’re going to intentionally walk everyone tonight because Heyward will eventually come up to bat.”
UMDBHIK - May 15, 2010
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