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Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Season synopsis: L, W, L, MRI … L, L, W, MRI …
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
New York _ It’s never a good sign when the thing you remember most about a season are all the days spent waiting for the results of surgeries, MRI exams or visits to the orthopedist.
That’s what this season has been, a neverending series of reports on pitchers’ injuries and the prognosis for a return this season or ever. The latter being the case with Tom Glavine, who’s seeing Dr. James Andrews today to find out what kind of elbow surgery he probably needs if he hopes to keep pitching.
Anyway, while we wait for that, let’s kick around a few other matters, or at least give you something to ruminate over between calling for this coach or that team official to get fired or resign or for ownership to sell the team.
And before we go any further, the size and weight of a sandwich at any of New York’s famous delis. I just walked back from Maxie’s with a brisket sandwich, and it felt like I was carrying a dumbbell in a paper bag.
OK, onward.
What up, Kotch? Anyone noticed that Casey Kotchman isn’t doing much at all with the bat since the Braves got him? Oh, you have noticed? OK, then we’ll just give you the first baseman’s numbers:
In 20 games for the Braves, he’s hit .157 (11-for-70) with three extra-base hits (no homers), five RBI, seven walks, 10 strikeouts, a .259 OBP and .214 slugging percentage. He has no extra-base hits in his past nine games, no RBI in his past 10.
This from a guy who, in his last 11 games for the Angels before he was traded, hit .319 (15-for-47) with three doubles, four homers, 10 RBIs, one walk, two strikeouts, a .333 OBP and a .638 slugging percentage.
Clearly, he’s been sucked into the vortex of gloom and evil that has consumed this Braves season. That, or he’s a still-developing player who’s struggling to adjust to new surroundings in a new league after moving to a fourth-place team from a division leader and the only organization he’d known in his pro career.
I’m leaning toward the vortex of gloom and evil.
Tired arms: Quick, what do Mets relievers Pedro Feliciano and Aaron Heilman and Braves relievers Will Ohman and Blaine Boyer have in common?
They share the major league lead for relief appearances with 66 apiece.
Those four have appeared in more games than any other pitchers in the majors. And it’s probably no coincidence that three of them have faded since July, and the other, Ohman, has struggled in two of his last three outings, including last night’s loss at Shea.
— Boyer had a 3.63 ERA and .228 opponents’ average in 43 appearances through the end of June. He has a 7.91 ER and .293 opponents’ average in 23 appearances since July 1.
— Feliciano’s stats have taken a remarkably similar path as Boyer’s, right down to the breakdown in number of appearances before and since July 1. Feliciano had a 2.78 ERA and .256 opponents’ average in 43 appearances through June 30, and has a 6.08 ERA and .280 opponents’ average in 23 appearances since July 1.
— Heilman had a 4.68 ERA with 45 strikeouts and 17 walks in 42-1/3 innings over 40 appearances through June 30. He has a 6.84 ERA with 29 strikeouts and 16 walks in 25 innings over 26 appearances since July 1.
Then there’s Ohman, who has held up far better than the other three. At least until this past week, when he’s shown possible sign of fatigue, finally.
Ohman was charged with two runs, a hit and a walk last night, when he faced two batters during the five-run Mets eighth inning that carried them to a 7-3 win. He came into a bases-loaded situation with one out after Jeff Bennett issued consecutive walks and gave up an infield hit.
Ohman gave up a two-run double by the first batter he faced, Carlos Delgado, then issued an intentional walk to Fernando Tatis before Julian Tavarez was brought in and squirted more gas on the inferno.
Anyway, Ohman has now been charged with four runs, three hits and one walk while recording just one out over his past three appearances. That’ll sure kill your ERA, folks. (For the record, his ERA is 108.00 in that span, with a .750 opponents’ average - ain’t numbers fun?)
The thing is, Ohman had never been better than he was before this little spell. In his last 23 appearances before last Thursday, Ohman had allowed only two earned runs and eight hits in 19-1/3 innings, a 0.93 ERA and .125 opponents’ average in that stretch, with 20 strikeout and four walks.
Speaking of Bennett: When this guy loses command, he really loses it. Things spiral so quickly with Bennett, a good outing going to the dumper in a span of 11 pitches, as it did last night when he pitched a perfect seventh inning, got the first out in the eigth, then couldn’t throw a strike.
Anyway, here’s the recent rundown on Bennett: Since June 7, he’s pitched in 22 games (one start) and has a 6.58 ERA and .333 opponents’ average, allowing 34 hits, 19 runs and 15 walks with 18 strikeouts in 26 innings.
Power down: When even Brian McCann and Chipper Jones aren’t driving in runs or getting extra-base hits, you know the Braves are in trouble.
In his past eight games, McCann has hit .207 (6-for-29) with one walk, one double and one RBI. He also has been charged with three errors in seven starts during that span.
Meanwhile, Chipper Jones is 10-for-32 (.313) with a .425 OBP in nine games since Aug. 9, but has no extra-base hits in that span.
The Braves, by the way, are 1-8 with a .247 batting average and 6.84 ERA in his past nine games, and have gone homerless in seven of those nine games. They’ve totaled 26 runs in those nine games, and 18 of those runs came in two games.
Braves nemesis: Carlos Delgado’s go-ahead two-run double last night gave him eight extra-base hits (including five homers) and 13 RBI in his past 13 games against the Braves.
Meanwhile, Ohman, in his past seven games against the Mets, has allowed nine hits, six runs and four walks in six innings. Six of those appearances were this season.
A tune: Been listening to Dylan’s Nashville Skyline album a lot lately, one of those phases most of us Dylan enthusiasts go through with one or another of his masterworks for long stretches. Never get tired of hearing him and Johnny Cash sing this together.
”GIRL OF THE NORTH COUNTRY” by Bob Dylan
If you’re traveling in the north country fair
Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was the true love of mine.
If you go when the snowflakes storm
When the rivers freeze and summer ends
Please see if she’s a coat so warm
To keep her from the howlin’ winds.
Please see if her hair hangs long
If it rolls and flows all down her breast
Please see from me if her hair hangs long
That’s the way I remember her best.
I’m a-wonderin’ if she remember me at all
Many times I’ve often prayed
In the darkness of my night
In the brightness of my day.
So if you’re travelin’ in the north country fair
Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine.
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