AJC > Sports > Braves > Blog > Archives > 2007 > August > 11
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Cormier’s return could be big. Could be.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
OK, posts are clicking toward 900 on the other blog, so I’m cranking out another in mid-game here, unprecedented stuff in the third inning of a night game. So don’t expect too much, just giving you a clean slate for the rest of the weekend.
Anyway, as I wrote that line Jimmy Rollins just hit an absolute moon-scraper of a homer, a towering blast off Lance Cormier. But the good news for the Braves, of course, was that they already had a 4-0 lead when he hit it, and it was a solo shot.
So, it’s 4-1 after three here. And Mr. Cormier, who has had a most frustrating season (for everyone, including himself), actually looks like he might have something resembling his spring form. Folks, if he’s this good on a regular basis, the Braves’ rotation just got significantly better. But let’s wait and see. It’s still real early.
Wait, as I typed that sentence, Pat Burrell just doubled to left. Maybe I should stop tying, huh? I’m screwing with karma or something.
By the way, Burrell was 1-for-20 in his past seven games vs. the Bravos before tonight, that hit coming in last night’s game. And before that double, ol’ Pat “The Bat” - who has been swinging a smokin’ hot one lately, must admit - was having one awful night.
He got bood lustily after a clumsy diving-catch attempt near the left-field line, the got bood even worst when he botched a catch in left-center. The dude’s hitting about .400 with power in the past two months, but these salty iron-lunged Philly folks will jump all over you in a heartbeat if you’ve fallen into their unfavorable column, which Burrell sure did the past few years.
Oh, I don’t like the potential I see here. Cormier can give it up in a hurry anywhere, but here, vs. this lineup…. oh, the (potential) horror….
OK, as I typed that, Jeff Francoeur just hit a first-pitch homer to make it 5-1 in the fourth, and Phillies starter Adam Eaton is looking like he won’t be around much longer. Wow, has that dude fallen off the rails since he showed promise in San Diego.
Folks, Frenchy is having a helluva season. I know, master of the obvious there. But do you guys realize that before tonight, he’s hit .373 with a .411 OBP, .968 OPS and 29 RBIs in his past 38 games? That he was hitting .348 with runners in scoring position, ranking among NL leaders in that category?
He was hitting .333 (22-for-66) with RISP and two outs before tonight. And hitting .245 with 20 extra-base hits in two-strike counts, a huge improvement over last season.
OK, they just took Eaton out, and he made it rain like Pacman _ boos, that is. He made it rain boos. Braves are up 5-1 in the fourth, two on with one out. I’ll leave you with that.
By the way, you guys would’ve loved the pregame ceremonies here to honor Phillies alumni. Mike Schmidt and a bunch of others were introduced.
So then they introduce their PR guy, who’s retiring after 40-some years. He’s a kindly gentleman known as The Baron. Anyway, he goes to the podium to a warm round of applause from the notoriously hard-bitten Philly crowd, most of whom probably are only vaguely familiar with who he is.
Then he says a few words and finishes with, “I have only one request: Please don’t boo so much.”
And guess what? They booed. Loudly.
It was classic. Not as classic as throwing snowballs at Santa Claus, which an Eagles crowd did, or booing Darren Daulton’s infant son, as a Phillies crowd did on family day when Daulton wasn’t doing well one season. But classic.
Gotta love Philly. Or not.
OK, gotta get back to the game. Hoss just came to the plate and guess what? They booed him. Very loudly. But not as loudly as they do at Shea.
“BALL AND CHAIN” by Mike Ness (Social Distortion)
Well it’s been ten years, and a thousand tears/And look at the mess I’m in-
A broken nose and a broken heart/An empty bottle of gin
Well I sit and I pray/In my broken down Chevrolet-
While I’m singin’ to myself/There’s got to be another way
Take away, take away
Take away this ball and chain
I’m lonely and I’m tired
And I can’t take any more pain
Take away, take away
Never to return again
Take away, take away
Take away this ball and chain
Well I’ve searched and I’ve searched/To find the perfect life-
A brand new car and a brand new suit/I even got me a little wife
But wherever I have gone/I was sure to find myself there
You can run all your life/But not go anywhere
Take away, take away
Take away this ball and chain
I’m sick and I’m tired
And I can’t take any more pain
Take away, take away
Never to return again
Take away, take away
Take away this ball and chain
Well I’ll pass the bar on the way/To my dingy hotel room
I spent all my money/Been drinkin’ since a half past noon
I’ll wake there in the mornin’/Or maybe in the county jail
Times are hard getting harder/I’m born to lose and destined to fail
Take away, take away
Take away this ball and chain
I’m lonely and I’m tired
And I can’t take any more pain
Take away, take away
Never to return again
Take away, take away
Take away this ball and chain
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