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Friday, August 24, 2007
Is getting rid of Wickman right choice now?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Braves designated reliever Bob Wickman for assignment on Friday after the former closer allowed a game-winning home run in the 12th inning at Cincinnati Thursday night.
Is this the right decision for the club at this time?
Do you still have confidence that the Braves will make the playoffs with the current arms in the bullpen?
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Change of scenery good for Braves
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ah, you know you’re in a real baseball town when the woman behind the counter at the hotel desk is wearing a Cardinals baseball jersey.
It’s not the playoffs, not a Cubs series, just your average, run-of-the-mill, pennant-influencing baseball weekend.
Maybe the Braves will perk up in this baseball mecca. They need something. As we all know, things couldn’t get a whole lot worse.
This is what Brian McCann had to say last night after the Braves lost their third in a row to the Reds, to fall to 1-6 against them this season and three games back in the wildcard. (Is there another race? Hasn’t been lately, it seems.)
“You can’t come up here in a playoff atmosphere and only win one game,” McCann said.
And really, it was a playoff atmosphere for one team. The Reds crowds were nothing special, in the 20,000s — probably because of the heat and the lack of something at stake for the Reds. These next three days in St. Louis can have playoff implications for both teams. And the ballpark will play more like a regular ballpark, thank goodness.
And at its most basic level, the Braves need the change of scenery in the worst kind of way.
The Braves are at the right point in the rotation to turn things around with Smoltz going tonight and Huddy tomorrow. That right there could get them a series win. But I know, I know, first things first: any kind of win will do.
And as Chipper said last night, when I asked him if he thought things were going to turn around after he tied the game 5-5 with a three-run homer: “I don’t take anything for granted this year.”
Nope, nothing is sacred.
This weekend we’ll have a couple of third-place teams going at it, strange as it is to say, and one of those third-place teams is on the rise.
The Cardinals came into this series only three games back in the Central. Granted, the Central has been pretty weak this year, and the Cardinals are still under .500 at 61-63 coming in. But the Cards are 26-21 in July and August. The Braves in that time are 23-24.
The team that’s reeling right now is Atlanta, which seemed to play its best ball in April when the Cardinals were fading. Now roles have reversed.
In fact, the Braves are only three games ahead of St. Louis in the wildcard.
Believe it or not, Smoltz actually has a losing record against the Cardinals - 10-11 for his career - one of only two NL teams where that’s the case.
And Albert Pujols is smoking hot right now (and for more than just his good looks). He had homers in five games in a row until last night. And he’s pretty well raked against Smoltz, hitting (.467) 7-for-15 with three homers. Smoltz needs to take care of the hitters around Pujols so it’s not that big of a deal if Pujols does his usual damage. Easier said than done of course.
Oh, and the Braves shouldn’t expect to save their offense for late in games. The Cardinals starters are 38-55 with a 5.04 ERA this year, but the relievers are 23-8 with a 3.90 ERA. Jason Isringhausen has converted 25 of 27 saves. He hasn’t blown a save since June 26.
Meanwhile, a couple numbers for thought:
Chipper is back in the lead in the NL batting race, hitting .337 after going 3-for-7 with two doubles and a homer Thursday night.
After going 12 outings without allowing a run from July 19 -August 10, Peter Moylan has allowed runs in three of his last six. He took the loss on Wednesday night against the Reds and a blown save on Thursday.
Andruw Jones’ three hits Thursday night was his first three-hit game since July 18. That last one was also against the Reds, and also in a loss.
Manny Acosta has pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings to start his major league career, with two walks and six strikeouts and three hits allowed.
Jeff Francoeur went 0-for-6 Thursday night to fall make that 4-20 (.200) on the trip heading into St. Louis.
Off to the ballpark. It’s my first time to the new Busch Stadium. Saw it going up from inside the old one. Still, I think it’s the people that make the place in this town.
I was here as a spectator a couple years back and even in a game the Cardinals were losing to the Braves, their fans would still ask us Atlantans questions about the team, young players, what the stadium was like in Atlanta, etc. Very cool.
Do denizens do road trips? I highly recommend this town — though perhaps not in August.
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