When you woke up this morning and saw a lineup with no Prado, Heyward, Chipper, McCann or Hinske, I'm guessing a few select 4-letter words were said. Surely a team that had been struggling offensively for three weeks would be killed with a bunch of bench guys playing, right? Wrong. The B-Lineup came to play on Sunday.
Derek Lowe was on the mound for the Braves, and was solid until he left the game with cramps in the 6th inning. He gave up only 1 run on a Juan Uribe double in the 2nd, and shut the weak-hitting Giants lineup down in every inning besides that. The injury didn't seem serious, but with Medlen already being hurt during the homestand, I'm sure the Braves will be very cautious will Lowe.
David Ross hit his 1st long ball of the year (odd, right?) on a line drive shot into the left field seats. Omar Infante continued his excellent play, and hit a solo-HR in the 4th to add on to the lead. Alex Gonzalez plated a runner with a deep sac-fly in the 2nd, and Brooks Conrad ripped a ball down the left field line to score the Braves 5th run of the day.
The Giants chipped away at the lead courtesy of a 2-error play by Troy Glaus and Derek Lowe, which made it 5-2. Travis Ishikawa hit a long ball to center field off of Peter Moylan to make it 5-3 in the 7th. To be honest, I was starting to worry at this point. The Braves had an early lead on a hot day and appeared to be taking it easy.
Melky Cabrera ended these thoughts in the 8th. With two outs and David Ross standing on 2nd, The Melk Man delivered with a RBI-single to right field. Aubrey Huff made a poor throw home, and David Ross scored. Melky advanced to 2nd on the throw, and the crowd of 33,865 at Turner Field erupted.
With Billy Wagner unavailable, Takashi Saito came in the 9th to record the save. He hasn't missed a beat since his closing days in LA. He struck out the side, and recorded his first save of the year.
Braves win 6-3.
So the Braves win 3 out of 4 against one of the the better teams in the National League, and the hottest team in baseball during the last month. It could've been a sweep too. Not too shabby.
The Phillies won against the LOLMets, so our lead stays at 2 games in the East.
Upcoming Game:
Mike Minor will make his Major League debut tomorrow in Houston. First pitch is at 8:05EST, and it's sure to be a good time watching one of our top prospects pitch. Good luck, Mike.
0 recs | 97 comments
Great game
good to watch Braves hitting w/RISP. Hopefully, now Giants had our RISPiditis and Baseloaditis
joshant - August 8, 2010
They actually had those before the series against us. I would like to think of the Braves as a slightly better version of the Giants.
LEastCoastBears - August 8, 2010
Great series win
and pending the results of the (slightly struggling) Padres game, the Braves might be back to having the best record in NL (although it is now very close between the Braves, Padres, Reds, Cardinals, Giants, and Phillies).
LEastCoastBears - August 8, 2010
Thunder Dome
Six teams enter four teams leave. Six teams enter four teams leave. Six teams enter four teams leave. Six teams enter four teams leave.
On a serious note, congrats on handing it to the Giants they are a very good team with the same build as the Braves (Pitching and Defense). It’s going to make the rest of the season very exciting and every game gives new cheers and every loss gives new groans.
Post Script
Fuck the Mets.
sowhatifitisasportste - August 8, 2010
should've been a sweep
KINGSLYTUT - August 8, 2010
but still we played really well
KINGSLYTUT - August 8, 2010
I'd love a sweep
but I’d happily take 2/3 or 3/4 for every series
ROBravo - August 8, 2010
Great series win
We beat very good Giants team that can into the series hot and continue to show why we have the best record at home.
Braves24 - August 8, 2010 via mobile
JHey is legal tomorrow as well
So we shall all raise a toast to a good debut for Mike and another Braves win tomorrow night
JKowalek - August 8, 2010 via mobile
Melky
Melky needs to be starting in CF against lefties, CF needs to be a platoon not Ankiel full-time.
Buffalo Braves - August 8, 2010
Right now, I agree.
Melky/Ankiel in CF.
Hinske/Glaus at 1B.
Diaz in LF.
YAY for Diaz? lol
Wren_and_Stimpy - August 8, 2010
Agree............
Melky needs to be in CF vs lefties and Matty D in LF.
Versus RH, Matty D needs to be on the bench. he’s over matched. It’s like bringing a knife to a gun fight. Ankiel in CF and Eric in LF.
AlRoBraves95 - August 9, 2010
You realize, of course, that Diaz has, in each of his full seasons in Atlanta, managed to put up a very respectable OPS of at least .750 against RHP, right?
Lennox - August 9, 2010
FaCtZ aND LoGiX
You’ve come to the wrong sports site.
Chopaholic - August 9, 2010
Haha This
HEYJUDE - August 9, 2010
Any update on Lowe yet?
Wren_and_Stimpy - August 8, 2010
Just day-to-day.
Scott Coleman - August 8, 2010
I looked at the schedule, and with an off day Thursday, if need be we could play with a 4-man rotation until next Wednesday.
Hopefully this is only cramping.
Four-man rotation, injured D-Lowe, or finally stretched-out KK…. I don’t like those options, personally.
Wren_and_Stimpy - August 8, 2010
Aren’t we all.
Weldon - August 8, 2010
True
HEYJUDE - August 8, 2010
Can’t he remember to hydrate the day before his start and during his start. The weather is available 10 days in advance Lowe. Add it into your scouting report. Atlanta + summer = HOT.
Pavy848 - August 9, 2010
And you know that he didn't?
sddbaker - August 9, 2010
+1
HEYJUDE - August 9, 2010
Wasn't actually serious.
Just thought it was funny that he got dehydrated and someone commented the other day about how sweaty he’d be.
Side note: If he did was dehydrated and got cramps that way then yes, he did under hydrate. There is nothing wrong with that as it is almost impossible to set an exact number. I meant it purely as a joke.
Pavy848 - August 9, 2010
This is like found money
When you polish off a 3 of 4 (which could easily have been a sweep) of an elite NL team with your B-squad…maybe you’re just living right.
I credit Glavine. If he’s made a regular member of the broadcast team, we will go undefeated.
Sam Jethroe - August 8, 2010
I won't be able to see Mike Minor's debut
because it’ll be blacked out for me!! dang itttttt
good luck to him though!
abraves - August 8, 2010
in honour of Melky's fifth 3-5 day as a Brave
I’m now going to go scrub my eyes until tomorrow’s game begins
ByrneSupremacy - August 8, 2010
Anyone else think prado should play 1b when he comes back from injury?
and let infante and conrad play 2nd?
Braves Biceps - August 8, 2010
I would think most do.
abraves - August 8, 2010
I think Glaus could use some time on the bench
to help heal all that ails him. Maybe, he comes back rested and hitting as he did in May.
I would love to see Infante stay in the line up playing one of the many positions he can play.
HEYJUDE - August 8, 2010
I agree it would be tough to get Infante
out of the line-up but I think Prado’s better defensively at second. I almost wish we could move Chipper to first and put Prado there.
REG103723 - August 8, 2010
Hell yea Glaus needs to sit big time!!
cali viking - August 8, 2010
Glaus is fine
We all knew what he was coming in – a .250-ish hitter with some power and a good OBP.
His average was bound to tail off after that torrid May he gave us, but he is still getting on base at a good clip – even in this slump.
Granted, his numbers over the past two weeks have been horrible, but he has now gotten hits in 2 straight games in key situations. I think sitting him right now may do more harm than good.
justincredubil02 - August 9, 2010
At this point
It’s less about his game as much as it is him getting completely healthy. He needs some time to rest and recuperate.
Sam Jethroe - August 9, 2010
All these successful, winning homestands
are getting kind of tiresome, frankly. We need us a good eleventy game losing streak to build some KARACTER around heah!
UMDBHIK - August 8, 2010
I don’t personally like the term “B Team”. I think that puts down the guys that played today and also the ohter team.
SBURROUGHS - August 8, 2010
why...its not a knock on them
they are infact our bench…and thus our B-team…
SouthernPanther - August 8, 2010
It's not really pejorative.
Our B team is as good as a number of franchise’s A teams and at least competitive with some pretty top notch lineups. The Giants are an elite NL team and they got handled today. It’s not really a fluke, it’s just an example of all of the ducks lining up nicely.
Sam Jethroe - August 8, 2010
The Giants also ran their “B” squad out there.
justincredubil02 - August 9, 2010
Braves played very well without some of their top players playing. Very nice win.
Good to see Lowe pitch well too. The Braves need him to come back to form.
Really, really excited to see Minor pitch. Oh yeah! I’ll be working late, but I’ll be sure to tune in.
Sparhawk - August 8, 2010
5-2 homestand
the guys played great this week. can’t wait until tomorrow to see minor pitch. good luck mike. GO BRAVES!
williejay1 - August 8, 2010
The team played well and probably should have won all seven games. That being said, it sure is nice to see the team win both series against tough teams. It feels especially nice when I think about all the doom and gloom I read on the Braves blogs last Sunday. It would be great to see the team get hot the rest of August and put some games between us and the Phillies. Of course if the Braves and Phillies continue to win at this clip both teams will be playing in October.
JimH - August 8, 2010
the two losses were blowing winning games
could´ve be two swept
joshant - August 8, 2010
I live in Houston
and will be at the entire series. I am looking forward to seeing Minor pitch!
medlenisking - August 9, 2010
Enjoy!
My in-laws live in Houston. My hubby grew up there, but left for a job opportunity here in TN.
I hope Minor does well tonight and you get to see his first major league win :)
HEYJUDE - August 9, 2010
Can someone explain to me
How that second run against D-Lowe was earned after the double error?
pfciv - August 8, 2010
The many failures I wished upon this team could fill a thousand pages
And I learned not ever hater loves Troy Glaus. Some just hate him. But that said, I still have to go to work tomorrow morning and the water bill is due, so life goes on.
I don’t get to go to many major league games, and it was nice to see such an enthusiastic crowd at Turner. With the exception of Friday’s rain delay, the weather was about as nice as could be hoped for baseball in August. And I found a few fellow Giants fans with which to share in the misery.
Good God, that sucked. But there’s a new Mad Men on tonight, so life can’t be all that bad.
TheLetter2 - August 8, 2010
Was that you in the Panda costume last night?!?!
Scott Coleman - August 8, 2010 via mobile
It was not.
TheLetter2 - August 8, 2010
Good. That guy that kissed the panda on the kiss cam was not hot. :)
Lizziebeth - August 9, 2010
i am very hot. don’t hate. just tell me the next game you are at, and i will sit next to you during kiss cam.
webb615 - August 13, 2010
JHey had a good day, went 4-4 with 4 grand slams. Love that kid!
MBL1 - August 8, 2010 via mobile
and
he’s on E:60 tuesday
MBL1 - August 8, 2010 via mobile
So
Have we all officially jumped on the AGon wagon yet?
Richard R - August 8, 2010
if we havent
we must be crazy, back to his toronto stroke
Cody Arrington - August 8, 2010
I’m really rooting for the guy, but at the same time I am not expecting ANYTHING from him.
justincredubil02 - August 9, 2010
I admit...
When that pop-up was lost in the sun, I made this face :-/ But then, I made this face at the double play immediately after :-)
Yeah, I am not expecting a lot offensively, but I do expect good fielding…He’s had some errors, but he’s had some really good plays too (I think this may be about right for him).
Jman781 - August 9, 2010
Kinda like another SS we had once…
justincredubil02 - August 9, 2010
Hey...
Leave Rey Sanchez out of this!
Jman781 - August 9, 2010
I was talking about Jeff Blauser! :)
justincredubil02 - August 9, 2010
Blauser had some really good plays?
On the field?
In the Majors?
Chopaholic - August 9, 2010
Ha...
In contract years, dude was amazing!
Jman781 - August 9, 2010
Beautiful
how about giving Glaus a REALLY nice break, and i think its SO DUMB not to get freeman up here! hes ready, glaus is hurting! cmonn! hes on firee! bring him up to give glaus a majorr break
Cody Arrington - August 8, 2010
we're gonna wait till the September call-up
to get freeman up here, but when it happens, we’re just gonna be that much stronger for the playoffs, i can’t wait
CoxXx - August 8, 2010
Let me start by saying this is my first time commenting even tho i have been enjoying this site for almost three years. I believe the answer with freeman is another 27 abs with glaus. that way the front office saves face and doesnt shy others away from icentive laden contracts in the future (see Tom Glavine last year)
bmac#3 - August 8, 2010 via mobile
but the thing is
if we call up freeman now before the roster expands, you have to send someone else down or release them, and i dont really see a viable option as to who we get rid of since we already have prado on the DL who will send diory back down. but don’t worry, i guarantee that freeman will be the first guy bobby calls when the roster expands.
CoxXx - August 9, 2010
bmac#3
Welcome to TC. I totally agree with your first comment. It’s all about Glaus getting those abs, then the FO will bring up FF if Glaus is still struggling. That said, a couple days on the bench to rest couldn’t hurt, it would only delay FF being brought up by a couple of days.
HEYJUDE - August 9, 2010
I thought the double error was on Glaus and Infante (poor throw), not Glaus and Lowe. Is that not the case?
hailtogeorgia - August 8, 2010
That is correct. Lowe was not charged with an error on that play. Infante was.
justincredubil02 - August 9, 2010
you forgot to put MVP, LVP, etc, but here we go
Braves Hitter MVP.
D. Ross 1-3 HR 2RBI 2R BB .141 WPA
Honored Mention.
Infanta, Melky, Conrad, Díaz and Gonzalez combined for
10-20 1HR 4RBI 3R 2BB 1SB .274 WPA
Braves Hitter LVP.
Ankiel 0-4 1K -0.051 WPA
Glaus 1-4 1K -0.050 WPA
Braves MVP Pitching
All the Staff had positive WPA (except Moylan)
8.0 IP 7H 2ER 1BB 7SO .169 WPA
Braves LVP Pitching
Moylan 1IP 1H 1 HR 1ER -0.023 WPA
Clutch play
Ross 2 run HR .162 WPA
Unclutch play
Glaus FO w/2 runners in Bottom 2nd -0.041 WPA
MVP in the losing effort
Ishikawa 2-4 HR RBI R .078 WPA
Clutch Play
Uribe 2B RBI in Top 2nd .134 WPA
Unclutch Play
Whiteside GIDP Top 2nd -.107 WPA
Torres GIDP Top 7nd -. 132 WPA
I know that everybody (incluiding me) was complaining about RISP. Just look this stat during this serie.
Giants RISP .061 (2-33)
Braves RISP .235 (8-34)
joshant - August 8, 2010
How can you call Glaus the LVP? He had a hit in the inning that we scored runs.
justincredubil02 - August 9, 2010
its because
He only can hit singles . . . you know . . . like he did in April?
drumzalicious - August 9, 2010
Isn’t the MVP/LVP based on WPA?
dunnytwogloves - August 9, 2010
Yeah...
Given how well the other players did, only Ankiel was worse than Glaus yesterday…It was good to see the hit, but 1-4 with a single isn’t exactly setting the world on fire. Yes, I know he’s struggling and this may be a sign of a turn around (hopefully), but you generally want a bit more out of a first baseman.
And I agree with everyone on this site, Ankiel does not need to play against lefties. Period.
Jman781 - August 9, 2010
DLowe
As maybe one of 5 people on this site who don’t think DLowe sucks, I was happy with his performance today. He’s actually pitching pretty well of late, in my opinion. Too bad he had to leave early.
I admit that before the game I had serious doubts about the ability of this lineup to perform. Good job for making me eat crow guys!
Now let’s go beat up on some Stros.
Jman781 - August 9, 2010
D Lowe doesn’t suck. He is a very good pitcher. He just sucks when compared to our other pitchers – which says more about how good they are than how bad he has been.
justincredubil02 - August 9, 2010
I know...
People have a problem with his contract. But I don’t blame Wren for signing DLowe. At the time of the signing, Hudson was hurt (I believe), Glavine and Smoltzie were old, and Mike Hampton was, well, Mike Hampton. We basically had JJ and a young, promising Hanson in the minors. Yes, we traded for Vazquez, but we didn’t know at the time how good he was…
So, our rotation was JJ, Vazquez, Morton and crap (which would be Morton). The Braves needed a starter and they weren’t getting into the Sabathia sweepstakes. They were denied by Burnett (which is a good thing, imo). Thus, they got the next available pitcher. Others would’ve paid him the same amount. The Braves did what they had to do…Yes, they “overpaid,” but that’s not Lowe’s fault; it was the fault of the market and the state of our rotation…We also signed KK for the same reason…
So, all that said, I have ZERO problem with Lowe…I don’t like his contract, but I don’t think the Braves realized how quickly Medlen and Hanson were going to succeed and how dominant Vazquez would turn out…
Jman781 - August 9, 2010
Sometimes the best move is the one you don’t make.
Which, in retrospect, we probably should have.
Lennox - August 9, 2010
No way.
The Yankees wanted C.C., and the Braves couldn’t have possibly kept pace with the Steinbrenner’s bank account.
We got what we could get that year. While we paid waaaay too much for Lowe, I have no problem whatsoever with what we got: A solid innings-eater who occasionally flashes brilliance on the mound.
Chopaholic - August 9, 2010
We spent $23 MM a season combined on Lowe and Kawakami. Sabathia signed with the Yanks for, wait for it, $23 MM a season.
If we were willing to spend that much money on FA pitching then, yes, we could have made a very competitive offer to CC and had an legitimate chance to sign him.
If you think we’re paying way too much for him, why are you happy with what we got in him?
Lennox - August 9, 2010
What you're ignoring...
Is (a) the Yankees would’ve driven up the price even more if we had offered 23 million and (b) the length of the contract itself. To the latter point, Sabathia signed for 7 years…Yes, he’s younger, but that would’ve hampered our ability to sign guys like Hanson, JJ, Heyward, etc. to contracts when the time comes…
To the former point, getting into bidding wars with the Yankees is not a good financial idea…Sabathia is making 24.8 MM this season; our payroll is 84.4. We simply can’t have one player making 30% of our entire pay roll, especially a guy that only plays in 1/5 of the games…
Jman781 - August 9, 2010
A. Why would the Yankees necessarily even know how much we offered? Some agents actually wouldn’t give an exact number to any team. And Sabathia made a lot of noise about preferring to stay in the NL, but received no offers close to what the Yankees put out there. If the Yankees did go higher, who cares, we’ve just forced the Yankees to spend more money and we’ve lost nothing.
B. Sabathia’s contract would be ending right around the time that players like Heyward and Hanson enter FA.
Getting in to a bidding war with the Yankees costs you nothing, unless you’re an idiot that can’t set limits.
Instead of Sabathia making 30% of our payroll we have Derek Lowe and KK combining to make 30% of our payroll while one under performs his contract and the other has been demoted to AAA after a month of being paid to not pitch out of the bullpen.
Lennox - August 9, 2010
We won't wait...
Until all of the guys on our roster become free agents before locking them down long term…Thus, like with B-Mac, Hanson, Heyward etc. will likely get paid well before Sabathia’s contract ends in 2015.
Obviously, hind sight says that the Braves made a horrible mistake in paying $25 MM, but I am sure they expected Lowe to under-perform and KK to be in the minors by August 2010.
Look, I am not happy with Lowe’s contract (or KK’s contract now while he’s in the minors…heck, I don’t like McLouth’s contract now either, but people weren’t complaining about that at the time)…I am merely stating that the Braves weren’t (and still won’t for all of the Crawford lovers out there) pay one guy $25 MM a year or so for 7 years…They just won’t. Thus, we have to make due with what we DO have, and what we have is a very solid pitcher in DLowe. I have said this many times, but I don’t think he quite deserves all of the lashing he gets on this site.
For all of those lambasting the FO for signing KK and Lowe, what about having Huddy for 9 MM this season?! Is Lowe AND Huddy worth a combined $24 MM a year? Hell yes. And don’t forget that Hanson, JJ, Medlen and now Minor combine for under $1.8 MM…
So is our ENTIRE rotation of 7 starters worth $32.8 MM a year? That averages out to only $4.7 MM per starter…Not too shabby.
Jman781 - August 9, 2010
^make do
Jman781 - August 9, 2010
For comparison...
The Yankees rotation totals approximately $65 MM for 6 starters (Sabathia, Burnett, Vazquez, Hughes, Pettitte and Moseley)…That comes out to $10.75 MM per starter…
The Yankees have 5 more wins than the Braves…That’s it…And the above doesn’t include the offensive salaries of the Yankees…
As far as starters, the Braves staff has out-performed the Yankees staff, with a higher combined WAR, and lower ERA, FIP and xFIP (yes…I realize they pitch in hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium in the AL)…They do have more wins, but the Braves have scored so many runs late in games that wins aren’t going to the starters…At most, you can say they staffs are equal, until you look at what they are getting paid…
Jman781 - August 9, 2010
Results matter, and we’d have been better off spending that money on Sabathia instead of Lowikami.
Maybe not, but they SHOULD be willing to when it’s the most effective option.
Hudson has nothing to do with how Lowe and Kawakami pitch. Hudson and Sabathia would cost the same amount of money and would be twice as effective.
Lennox - August 9, 2010
No, Lowe sucks when compared to his contract.
That, when everyone is healthy, he’s (arguably) not even one of the 5 best starting pitchers on our roster just compounds this.
Lennox - August 9, 2010
Well, of course he is not worth his contract. That isn’t really what we are talking about though.
justincredubil02 - August 9, 2010
If you want a top-of-the-rotation guy...
You’re going to pay top of the rotation money. Simple fact.
Did the Braves need a top-of-the-rotation guy at the time?? Absolutely. The only guy they had from the year prior that they could count on was Jurrjens.
Glavine and Hudson are injured. Smoltz coming off an injury. Vazquez hadn’t thrown a pitch for the Braves and was coming off a year with an ERA in the high fours. Your other choices are Jorge Campillo, JoJo Reyes, Charlie Morton and Chuck James. Or make a bid on Mike Hampton. You have Tommy Hanson in the minors.
So what do you do?? You shell out $15MM and pick up a guy that had a sub-4 ERA the past four years for the Dodgers, who has postseason experience. Like it or not, the move made pretty good sense at the time, money be damned.
Take a look at the free agent pitchers that year and tell me which ones turned out better than Lowe…Sabathia, Dempster, Garland, Pavano? Look at who they could have taken on the next tier: Benson, Sheets, Prior, Harden, Penny, Wolf, Oliver Perez…are you really interested in finding out how those folks would have done??
We got what we got, for what we had to pay to get it. It’s not great, but it could have been a hell of a lot worse.
-C
cthabeerman - August 9, 2010
The Braves didn’t get a top of the rotation guy, they got Derek Lowe.
Lennox - August 9, 2010
Really excited about Freeman......
If he’s not brought up this year, no problem. I’m more excited about him thriving in a league in which he’s one of the youngest players. Seriously, a .306 AVG, .368 OBP, .508 SLG with 15 HR and 71 RBI at age 20 in AAA and playing stellar defense?
VERY encouraged by that after a disappointing 2009 season. I think it’s safe to say we can chalk that up to injury……
Undocorkscrew - August 9, 2010
Well, this isn't a boner, but it still makes me happy.
Series WIN and 3 out of 4 against a very tough team.
NCChopper - August 9, 2010
+1
HEYJUDE - August 9, 2010
Now if we can get some more checks...
out of Houston.
Mr. Sanchez - August 9, 2010
FREE FREDDIE FREEMAN
FreddieFreemanTime - August 9, 2010
freddie freeman
why not send hernandez back down and send freddie up and let him play first base to see how he can handle being in the majors? seems like a good thing to me.
jayball - August 9, 2010
Well....
There’s so many factors though aside from performance. Team chemistry, arbitration clock, possibly stunting his development. I don’t really buy into those things in this situation and a lot of people will tell you that you shouldn’t alter a 1st-place team too much, but it’s a move that could only help the Braves if it were made.
I’m still on the fence with it. I wouldn’t be upset if he stays down all year, but I’d hate to look back on it and talk about the ‘what if’s’ if they come up short at the end of the season.
Hopefully he’s at least a September call-up. And regardless, he’s likely to be the Braves starting 1st baseman on opening day 2011. I think that’s enough to be excited about, especially when you consider that the Braves won’t have to spend on either a big-name 1B or another rental…..
Undocorkscrew - August 9, 2010
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