The day and game started off well, with the Braves trading for Rick Ankiel and Kyle Farnsworth and jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. From then on, the Braves offense shut down and Bobby Cox refused to pull Jair Jurrjens when he seemed done in the seventh inning.
Jair was pitching well up until the seventh, when he allowed four runs thanks to a Jay Bruce RBI single and a two RBI double by catcher Ryan Hanigan. Melky Cabrera made an errant throw on the double which allowed Hanigan to come all the way around to score. Jair also allowed a home run to Scott Rolen in the fourth inning.
Cabrera and Omar Infante singled in the ninth, setting up Jason Heyward to face the Red's closer Francisco Cordero, whom he had the game-winning hit against last night. Heyward struck out looking to end the threat and the game.
As noted, the offense struggled for the game's final eight innings. Brian McCann had three hits and a walk, and needs just one more walk to match his total from last season. Infante went 3-5 batting leadoff and playing second in Martin Prado's absence. Cabrera added the only hit from any of the five through nine hitters, and Eric Hinske was the only other member of that group to reach base. Troy Glaus looked pitiful at the plate once again and is obviously hurting. He went 0-4 and is now 2-19 since July 24.
The Braves will look to take the series tomorrow afternoon with Tommy Hanson on the mound against Edinson Volquez. As I mentioned in the series preview, this is the most lobsided pitching matchup in the series. Despite the Braves tough loss today, a series win against Cincinnati on the road would be a good way to end the nine game road trip. Both Farnsworth and Ankiel should be avilable tomorrow, and after Melky's poor throw, I expect the Braves new outfield addition to start in centerfield.
0 recs | 88 comments
Sit Glaus for a few days
RufRider - July 31, 2010
regarding melky...
i’m going to start taking personal offense if anyone tells me again melky is useful.
ryan c - July 31, 2010
you got that right. after he laughed with hinske about the throw i wanted to kick their asses. i wonder if jj thought it was funny
Brandonba - July 31, 2010
I can guarantee JJ didn’t think it was funny. He actually got charged with 5 ERs. That just didn’t seem fair to me.
EricGreggWasPaidOff - August 1, 2010
this
that wasn’t an error?
Braves24 - August 1, 2010
But, before you crucify him for laughing….it was a break during a pitching change, the guys met on the field conversing until that was over. You just KNOW they were giving him hell over it.. .what else can he (and they) do but laugh about how pathetic it was?
It’s not like the guy could care less and intentionally threw the ball like an 8 yr old girl. It was awful, yeah, and they scored but it wasn’t the reason we lost the game. Our inability to hit with men on base did that. Heck, even one of our 2 runs was from the pitcher walking a batter with bases full.
Melky ain’t headed to the HOF, and his dancing to the ball in CF makes me afraid to look sometimes, but the guy seems to always try and do his best.
I felt bad for him (and JJ) after the play, but I realize I’m in the minority.
NCChopper - August 1, 2010
Really, if you can’t laugh something like that off, they you wouldn’t make it in baseball anyways. People make mistakes. That is just part of the game.
You can think about it like this. What would everyone had said if say Heyward, threw a ball like that. And then laughed about it. It was just good natured ribbing that goes on during the season. It doesn’t show he cares any more or any less that other players.
Now, I finally got to see them play ( I live in So. Indiana and they were on the local FSN. Melky took some very bad routes on the ball. I guess I didn’t realize how bad he was. I thought he was pretty decent, even at CF.
dkinser86 - August 1, 2010
me personally...
i wasnt upset about the laughing. i’m just dumbfounded by how useless he is, and for instance, we acqure ankiel and he’s starting in center today, so one would think that melky sits…wrong. diaz sits, melky plays left, and hinske plays first.
i guess it’s not melky’s fault that bobby continues to run him out there day after day, but it is melky’s fault that he eats cheeseburgers for snacks.
ryan c - August 1, 2010
melky
he is certainly not your prototype outfielder. Watching Manny with the Red Sox years ago was entertaining—- hell it was worth the price of a left field seat just to watch him play left field. BUT his bat more than made up for it. Dont see where Melky’s bat makes up for his defense.
llabyug - August 1, 2010
Sad as Melky is, I think I’d rather see him in the lineup than Glaus is his current slump.
Darin H - August 1, 2010
well said.
brndn - August 1, 2010
I think we need to issue a mid-season physical
AJCbeat - July 31, 2010
i have a feeling these two things will happen tomorrow: glaus gets time off and hanson hits someone
atl192485 - July 31, 2010
Hanson needs to drill their pitcher.
Darin H - July 31, 2010
In the pitching hand.
EricGreggWasPaidOff - August 1, 2010
Hanson drilling someone is likely to happen with the way his season has gone.
Pavy848 - August 1, 2010
Glaus is useless right now
Buffalo Braves - July 31, 2010
He has until mid-August to figure it out. If not, I really think Freddie Freeman is ready.
Scott Coleman - July 31, 2010 via mobile
I think he’s ready whether Glaus is hitting or not. Freddie rules
MBL1 - July 31, 2010 via mobile
Yeah, but that would overload our lineup even more toward lefty hitters.
Tokyokie - July 31, 2010
yeah but
bottom line is you need protection. No homers in over month just won’t cut it.
abraves - July 31, 2010
I mean production
abraves - July 31, 2010
shoulda traded melky instead of blanco
MBL1 - July 31, 2010 via mobile
I'm sure we tried and they didn't want him
can’t really blame them.
ruxsin - July 31, 2010
why wouldn't they take Melky over Blanco?
Braves24 - August 1, 2010
Eh, couldn't really watch today
but it sounded alright besides the 7th inning. I have a feeling it’s going to be a slug fest tomorrow.
Scott Coleman - July 31, 2010 via mobile
other than no offense, you’re correct.
10-4 - July 31, 2010
Nats 3 - Phillies 0
Nice!
Scott Coleman - July 31, 2010 via mobile
woot
MBL1 - July 31, 2010 via mobile
muts lost too
southman - July 31, 2010
-1
They are winning 2-1 now
Jay212033 - July 31, 2010
It's now 3-2 Nats as well
Jay212033 - July 31, 2010
now 5-4 phils in the 9th
10-4 - July 31, 2010
Phils lose, Mets won, Marlins winning
Jay212033 - July 31, 2010
Who cares about the Marlins? :-p
EricGreggWasPaidOff - August 1, 2010
bobby bobby bobby
Why must you do this to me! Its like he wants to punish his starter and make himself get out of trouble. A moylan GIDP woulda been nice in the 7th
KJDH2154 - July 31, 2010 via mobile
One thing I heard is because the bullpen had to work early yesterday because of the Medlen injury, Bobby wanted JJ to give him another inning tonight. Of course it backfired, but that’s what I assume is the reason.
Buffalo Braves - July 31, 2010
How can you guys blame Bobby?
JJ struck out the best hitter in the NL to start the inning, so to say he was done before heading into 7th is a lazy recap of what happened. He probably should have taken him out after the double turned 3 run homer, but he made the move after the Nix single and no more harm was done. The problem is that JJ sometimes gets too emotional on the mound and it affects his control. He was upset about a call earlier in the count to Hannigan and then grooved the pitch he hit the double on. He was obviously pissed about Melky’s circus show in center and it showed in his approach against Nix.
Ultimately, he was right around 100 pitches and Bobby was right for trying to get 7 from JJ with a tired bullpen. JJ was crusin’ along and still had great stuff in the 7th (he was hitting 95 on his fastball). One player or person did not lose this game.
This team has shown very little fire since the all star break. They have lost that sense of urgency that they played with through May and June. Prado needs to get back soon because his effort is infectious. I think Yunel was good for the clubhouse because he kept people uncomfortable. These guys look too comfortable for each other. Remember those Red Sox teams from a few years ago, as close as those guys were, they still had Manny to drive them nuts and keep them uncomfortable. Obviously it would have helped if Yunel was producing, but these guys need to be shaken up a bit.
gutisking - July 31, 2010
Agreed
I was counting his pitches trying to figure out what his chances were of going 8 since the bottom of their line up was due. He deserved better. Bobby and Jair aside, its tough to win in that ball park against that line up when you only score two runs. I still feel like none of this would be happening if Troy Glaus was still alive
thenightstallion - July 31, 2010
MITCH JONES FOR CASH
MBL1 - July 31, 2010 via mobile
Is Cash gonna start tomorrow?
KJDH2154 - July 31, 2010 via mobile
no
He fell into a burning ring of fire, and is now on the 60 day DL…..
ROBravo - July 31, 2010
aw dang it
MBL1 - July 31, 2010 via mobile
+1 Win
EricGreggWasPaidOff - August 1, 2010
Two starters drilled on consecutive nights above the waist
I think it knocked JJ out of his rhythm and cost us the game. Suspensions? or is that only for when you hit the biggest target in the league?
Bitfailu - July 31, 2010
I thought Bobby should have put in Venters against Bruce
at the time… but oh well. I don’t hate Melky as much as others, but jeez that was embarrassing.
abraves - July 31, 2010
In other news
Omar Infante is going to finish the season hitting .395 and will fall 300 ABs short of qualifying for the batting title
15ks - July 31, 2010
Autosingle
EricGreggWasPaidOff - August 1, 2010
need a fresh new lineup
Infante
Heyward
Chipper
Mac
Hinske
Gonzalez
Ankiel
Melky
SmithnCompany - July 31, 2010
Infante
Heyward
Chipper
BMac
Hinske
Diaz
Ankiel
Gonzalez
Scott Coleman - July 31, 2010 via mobile
this, please
atl192485 - July 31, 2010
we really need to put Heyward in CF for a game to break the curse of andruw jones. Ankiel will be another victim of the curse. You’ll see.
MBL1 - July 31, 2010 via mobile
WOW
zimmerman crushes a 3-run bomb off lidge and the nats walkoff on the phils
atl192485 - July 31, 2010
Thank you Nats!
10-4 - July 31, 2010
WOOT!
I LOVE RYAN ZIMMERMAN
MBL1 - July 31, 2010 via mobile
he’s one of the better players in the NL.
fandave - July 31, 2010
Another discipline hitting 3B like Rolen
they learned from Chipper
AJCbeat - July 31, 2010
Rolen has been around about as long as Chipper…so doubtful.
EricGreggWasPaidOff - August 1, 2010
Nats
Nice. At least they are beating the Phils, too!
Jman781 - July 31, 2010
And he knew it too
The look on his face was priceless!
ottie - July 31, 2010 via mobile
yea
his reaction + the batflip = swagger
atl192485 - July 31, 2010
Brad Lidge
Will kill them, sooner or later. He’s a disaster, waiting to happen.
I don’t get to say this often, but Rob Dibble was right: Lidge was scared to throw Zimmerman sliders because he couldn’t get them over and had to feed him fastballs. Without that slider, Lidge might as well be pitching with his pants down out there for all the good it would do the Phills.
That’s at least 2 of 3 for them in that series. I feel a little better about our series there, now.
Sam Jethroe - July 31, 2010
Mets walk off win, but oh well.
10-4 - July 31, 2010
the only team I’m worried about is the Phillies, and saying I’m a little worried would be exagerrating. NL East seems to always play good against us, though, even if the Mets, Nats and Marlins stink
MBL1 - July 31, 2010 via mobile
Phils were what, 7 games back and now are 3.5? Even though Oswalt had a bad 1st start, they could give us a run. Mets are still 6 or 7 back and are already collapsing. I’m not worried about them at all.
iamthesgt - July 31, 2010
We don't need you saying anything else lol!
Your the reason all this mess started in the first place! “Already a lock?”, ever since you posted that fanshot the Phils have cut our lead in half now your saying your not worried about the Mets. Please just keep your predictions to yourself.
Jay212033 - July 31, 2010
Glausasaurus
It says something about how badly the Braves need Glaus to be good that Cox keeps playing him through one of the most horrific slumps I can remember. We have no right-handed power and, without a productive Glaus, there’s no reason to expect any. This is a big problem in any potential postseason. I’m watching the Texas Rangers right now and they roll out Cliff Lee and CJ Wilson. Can you imagine?
I think Hinske would be a marginal improvement at the plate if he were penciled in daily, but he won’t provide right-handed power and, well… he’s just Eric Hinske. We know his ceiling. I don’t know if resting Glaus a few days is the answer. Maybe you DL him and Prado both and hope you get them back in a little better shape by the stretch run.
AmosM - July 31, 2010
At least glaus had a hot streak
I’m really getting tired of chipper swinging at the first pitch and not getting out of the infield
ottie - July 31, 2010 via mobile
Eric Hinske is a winnar. do not question the winnars.
MBL1 - July 31, 2010 via mobile
Fourth World Series, coming up….
EricGreggWasPaidOff - August 1, 2010
Glaus' slump is the most horrific you can remember?
Did you watch Nate McLouth play this season?
EricGreggWasPaidOff - August 1, 2010
Glaus is in a slump. McLouth seemed to be more skill deterioration than anything.
dkinser86 - August 1, 2010
I’d be willing to concede that.
Or maybe McLouth was accidentally blinded by the eye doctor he went to see, and he’s been afraid to tell Bobby about it. That would explain his abysmal batting average and why he never throws the ball in from CF – he can’t see where the cut-off man is. He’s secretly the greatest baseball player to ever live. I mean, seriously, hitting .175ish with a few HRs and accurately fielding the ball in CF (sonar?) without being able to see – that has to take some crazy skill. There must be SOME rational explanation, after all.
EricGreggWasPaidOff - August 1, 2010
Kevin millar likes balls in his face
ottie - July 31, 2010 via mobile
WHAT
MBL1 - July 31, 2010 via mobile
My buddy hijacked my phone and really hates kevin millar and his frosted tips sorry
ottie - July 31, 2010 via mobile
if your buddy really did hijack your phone
and that’s all he did, then that is some buddy you need to hang onto
atl192485 - July 31, 2010
Oh no he is good people….i don’t like millar either
ottie - July 31, 2010 via mobile
i cant believe the nats what are they thinking?
they wanted hanson for 2 months of adam dunn. im shocked. i read this on braves.com
dont know if this was posted
Brandonba - July 31, 2010
Yea I laughed…no wonder he is still a national if that was his price
ottie - July 31, 2010 via mobile
yea
thats kind of insane. Maybe Medlen but not Hanson.
drumzalicious - August 1, 2010
Melky
It is tough watching Melky play outfield. Certainly nothing would lead one to believe he IS an outfielder after watching him all year long. The bad throw was made worse by two players laughing about it in the outfield. I have been watching professional baseball for many years and i have never seen a player laugh about an error. Look up the definition of PROFESSIONAL. That was NOT. I soppose Bobby couldnt see them laughing from the dugout. If he had i think he would have walked out to centerfield and discussed the matter. He did it years ago with another centerfielder——- and he was right for doing it then also
llabyug - August 1, 2010
I bet there’s one reason he didn’t do it- Blanco was already off the roster/Ankiel wasn’t here yet. Technically Infante could have gone out there and Brooksy could have played second, but its extremely hard to blame Bobby for wanting to hold on to Mr. Clutch to pinch hit if we got a rally going.
J-Freak - August 1, 2010 via mobile
Anyone have any info on when Ankiel and Farnsworth will be suiting up?
blitzerlover - August 1, 2010
Nevermind. Good thing I can read….
blitzerlover - August 1, 2010
Please start hitting with men on base to start the inning. I'm begging now.
NCChopper - August 1, 2010
PLEEEEEAAAAAASSSEEEEEEE
I agree.
Pavy848 - August 1, 2010
For the love man pleeease!!!
cali viking - August 1, 2010
You must Login with your SB Nation account and be a member of Talking Chop to post a comment.