AJC > Sports > Braves > Blog > Archives > 2008 > June > 28
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Braves close despite all that’s transpired
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Toronto — Our worldwideinterwebnet traffic is slowest on weekends, but I figured with the Braves managing to get within three games of first place after Jurrjens’ gem Friday night, we could stir up some good discussion among the denizens here during these two day games with the Jays.
Thus a new blog canvas. No, really, don’t mention it. It’s the least I could do.
A few things: Braves since April 17, despite an ugly skid in the middle of that period, are 35-32 with a .272 average and 3.51 ERA. Only the division-leading Phillies have as good or better record among NL East teams in that span, at 36-30 with a .258 average and 3.98 ERA.
Of course, the Phillies have been in free fall lately, losing 10 of their past 12 games including eight of the last nine before today. This is hard to fathom: Philly has a .184 batting average during its 1-8 skid, and scored two runs or fewer in five of those games.
OK, to finish the original point: Since April 17, Phils are 36-30 and Braves are 35-32. In that period the Mets are 32-34 with a .253 average and 4.36 ERA, the Marlins are 32-33 with a .250 average and 4.49 ERA (but 92 home runs, to Braves’ 63 and Phillies’ 88).
And for the curious, the Nats are 28-38 with a .241 average and 4.47 ERA in that span.
While Phillies have hit their worst rough patch of season, Braves have bounced back from their worst to put together a pretty good run lately despite an extremely banged-up roster, piecemeal lineup and inexperienced rotation.
It all comes back to starting pitching, as those who followed the Braves through their best years know. And lately, they’ve been getting some very good starting pitching.
After going 4-12 with a .241 average and 4.31 ERA during a stretch from May 27 to June 6 that was threatening to sink their season before the All-Star break, the Braves have gone 8-6 with a .264 average and 2.99 ERA since then (entering Saturday’s game, which is about to start as I type these words).
Besides the pitching from Jurrjens, Hudson, Campillo, Morton and Reyes, they’ve been getting timely hits and they’ve gotten a much-needed surge from Mark Teixeira while Chipper’s been sidelined.
They won last night with a lineup that included Gregor Blanco and Ruben Gotay in the first two spots, Kelly Johnson filling in for Chipper in the 3-hole, Greg Norton as DH, and rookies Brent Lillibridge and Brandon Jones in the last two spots.
Braves are running out that same lineup today, with Jones and Lillibridge reversed.
Chipper told me he’ll probably not be in lineup until Tuesday, though he hit and took some infield this morning and his injured quad feels a lot better than he did a few days ago.
Shortstop Yunel Escobar (shoulder) is still sore from where he jammed his rotator cuff while reaching out for the base when caught in double play Tuesday. He’s iffy for Sunday, and DL is a possibility, though probably still less than likely.
Infielder Omar Infante (hamstring) still isn’t ready to play, Bobby Cox said this morning.
Chipper creates runs: But you knew that. Anyway, I stumbled upon a Stats Inc category this morning for “runs created per 27 outs.” Don’t ask me how it’s computed; I’d have to look it up and will later.
But anyway, here are the NL leaders: 1. Chipper Jones, 13.01; Lance Berkman, 13.01; 3. Albert Pujols, 12.88; 4. Pat Burrell, 9.46; 5. Chase Utley, 8.96; 6. Matt Holliday, 8.79.
Tex rakes Toronto: Mark Teixeira’s 2-for-3, three-RBI game with a double and homer Friday raised his career average to .313 with 12 doubles, 16 homers and 44 RBIs in 40 games against the Blue Jays, with an 1.125 OPS.
In his past 30 games against them, it was .333 with 15 homers and 40 RBIs.
Blanco provides spar: After his recent slump, the rookie outfielder had consecutive two-hit games and three two-hit games in his past five before Saturday.
J.J. buzz: Lot of folks were still talking here today about Jair Jurrjens’ performance Friday night, when he retired the first 13 batters and threw eight scoreless innings with three hits and one walk.
He leads all major league rookies with eight wins and a 2.94 ERA and ranks third with 69 strikeouts. His ERA is the sixth-lowest in the NL among all qualifiers, just ahead of Tim Hudson’s 2.96.
Jurrjens has a 0.00 ERA and .182 opponents’ average in his past three starts, after posting an 8.40 ERA and .406 opponents’ average in his three starts before the fall at Wrigley that left him with an ankle sprain and forced him to miss a start.
For his career, Jurrjens is 11-4 with a 3.36 ERA in 23 starts, and his teams are 17-6.
I wanted to compare that to some other notable pitchers, so I chose the Braves’ Big Three and some other contemporaries. There are really not many conclusions that can be drawn from this, since some great pitchers started poorly and some mediocre pitchers started out stronger than expected.
Some guys pitched for terrible teams, some for strong teams, some in-between. Some got good run support, some got great support, some terrible. And I obviously didn’t research to find ones who started out great and have since hit the skids (it’s a blog, not a front-of-the-section Sunday story).
But here goes anyway. In their first 23 starts (team = team record in his starts; RunSupp = run support per nine innings he pitched):
Greg Maddux: 7-11, 4.46 ERA, team 9-14, RunSupp 4.15.
Tom Glavine: 5-11, 5.37 ERA, team 9-14, RunSupp 4.35.
John Smoltz: 9-10, 3.72 ERA, team 11-12, RunSupp 4.03.
Brandon Webb: 8-7, 2.59 ERA, team 12-11, RunSupp 4.54.
Jake Peavy: 10-9, 4.43 ERA, team 10-13, RunSupp 5.10.
Tim Hudson: 12-2, 3.22 ERA, team 14-9, RunSupp 6.37.
Jair Jurrjens: 11-4, 3.36 ERA, team 17-6, RunSupp 5.39.
OK, we’re in first inning. A tune as we turn attention to the game.
”WEDNESDAY” by Patterson Hood (Drive-By Truckers)
There was something in the envelope she passed him
That weighed more to him than paper and some ink
It had a hint of something darker and a hint of something sweet
And a little extra glue right on the tip
There was something in the pain that shot right through him
As he climbed up to the place he called his home
They say every man’s house should be his palace
But his castle stank of cat [expletive] and alone
So he opened it and found a faded picture
Of a girl he’s never met, but somehow seen
Like a memory of a dream from early childhood
Like a virgin’s idea of release
She said “I can bend my arms until they’re backward
But you can’t bend your will to take in mine
And I could hold my breath until next Wednesday
And still be doing fine”
He was sad in ways he couldn’t tell her
Though she could make his sadness all her own
He couldn’t see the use in spreading sadness
So he took his dark depression and went home
She saw things in him he never bargained
But it wasn’t enough to save either one of them
Because she took that sadness one step further
And left him all alone to face the end
Services »
