AJC > Blog > Archives > 2006 > May > 08 > Entry
It’s still early, Pt. 148
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
On the latest NL East road swing thus far, we’re 1-4. Three of the four losses were one-run heartbreakers and our lone win was a 13-3 rout.
Either the bats go cold when we need just enough offense to pull us through or they’re hot in bunches - but for one game and then we’re back to digging around in the cushions for enough couch change in order to just try BUYING some runs again.
I guess it’s somewhat safe to say “It’s still early” seeing as how at this writing we’re barely two weeks into May but the Braves’ lack of consistency so far definitely troubles me. I’ve come to expect that the bullpen won’t coast through the season on cruise control but I do expect decent offense from the Tomahawks. Why are we playing AL “Wait For The Three-Run Homer” ball instead of good ole NL smallball/smartball of the kind that has been proven to produce division titles and World Series championships? Are we too cool to swipe a base? Take a walk? Plonk down some well-placed situational hits or sacrifice fly balls instead of trying to make the “Baseball Tonight” highlight reel? Good grief, y’all - PLAY THE GAME.
There’s a piece to this puzzle that hasn’t yet been filled and I’ve been trying to figure out what it is. For the life of me, so far, I cannot. But one thing I notice: I don’t see that same fire and energy that was so evident last season. The Babies have grown into regular old Braves and The Ted has that old, staid businesslike feel to it again.
Permalink | Comments (17) | Post your comment | Categories: Chop Chick
Comments
By Del
May 8, 2006 09:32 PM | Link to this
CC…I started to think about the same thing several days ago. There have been very few spontaneous outbursts in the dugout this year. Of course with the starts that Giles, Francoeur and LaRoche have had there hasn’t been too much to trigger such outbursts so far. But the lack of excitement on the bench is very noticable. Too much senior leadership??? It’s a game, guys. It’s ok to have fun and get excited. On the other hand, these players might have been the first ones to realize that their team is not as talented as some of their opponents, and that reality is starting to set in. Or the impending sale of the team, and all the uncertainities that implies could be having a more servere effect on them than we realize. I don’t know. But something intangible is definately different. I think the FL series will be very revealing. If we go down there and pound the living heck out of them maybe the season has some hope after all. If we go down there and lose more than once, then I think the season’s story can be written now.
By dylan
May 9, 2006 10:03 AM | Link to this
I got news for you chop chick all of baseball has been playing wait for three run homer ball for a few years now. I would suggest this there is a great book out now called why good teams win go pick it up and read it you will be surprised to find that stolen bases and manufacturing runs is counterproductive to having a good offense. The stat heads that are gaining more and more influence in major league ceague ballclubs front offices all agree taht stolen bases are rarely a good idea most because the value of a player on second base as opposed to one on first isnt much different the percent chance of each scoring changes only a minute amount making the risk your taking of being thrown out a pointless one. The goal of any offense should be to score runs so getting thrown out stealing decreases the chance of you scoring in an inning hugely because now instead of a double (or single since the guy is stealing bases I must assume he has some speed)scoring a run it takes a homerun.
By Hal
May 9, 2006 11:07 AM | Link to this
Dylan I think one team that might disagree with your discrediting the stolen base is THE WORLD CHAMPION white sox they sent a very good power hitting outfielder(carlos lee) to the brewers for a very fast outfielder (Scott posednick) dident work out to bad for them did it? Also there team last year was made up of one power hitter and a bunch of guys who could run,hitand run move guys over ….in other words small ball .I think it worked out just fine !! As for the lack of fire on the bench i think CC and DEL Nailed it!! the only one i see really excited to play has been Mccan and that might have more to do with his success then a person might think .The braves have been a staid bussness like team for too many years which is what made last years infusion of youth so exciting but it seems to have been only that one year and now there all acting like “old pros” a shame cause there not !! and thats not a bad thing
By Chop Chick
May 9, 2006 11:40 AM | Link to this
Note to Dylan: When I see one of our guys captaining the Just Standing There Team on first while three batters following him come to the plate and whiff away because they’re not seasoned enough to understand the nuances of situational hitting or patient enough to take the occasional walk in order to set the table for better hitters, then I could care less what the so-called “stat heads” in league offices say. The game pre-dates them and real fans - and managers who play to win, like ChiSox skip Ozzie Guillen - understand that and appreciate the extra effort. I’m not seeing that much extra effort from the Braves at the moment.
By GEORGE W
May 9, 2006 02:21 PM | Link to this
SMALL BALL worked for the CHI SOX which won the world series last year. SMALL BALL worked for the Boston Red Sox that won in 2004 remember DAVE ROBERTS swipping 2nd!!! SMALL BALL worked for the Marlins in 2003 Pierre and Castillo!!! Etc Etc. LETS LOOK AT THE PAST AND LEARN FROM IT GUYS!! Lets go BRAVES!!
By Chop Chop
May 9, 2006 02:46 PM | Link to this
“Small ball” works if you have the players to implement it. The Braves don’t have many patient hitters, don’t have a lot of speed, don’t have many guys who can bunt, don’t have many guys who handle the bat well enough for “hit and run” situations and don’t have good enough starting pitching to score fewer runs and win. In other words, the Braves could try to do it, but they ultimately won’t be successful at it.
The only Braves teams during this run that were really equipped to play that kind of game were the ‘91 and ‘92 teams.
By Chop Chop
May 9, 2006 02:51 PM | Link to this
Chop Chick is right about situational base hits and sac flies, though. You have to do those oft-mentioned “little things” throughout the year in order to win games. The Braves finally started doing some of those “little things” against the Mets, which is a good sign. RBI groundouts count just as much as a solo homer. I just don’t think you’re going to see much bunting and stealing from this bunch.
By eric the elder
May 9, 2006 05:27 PM | Link to this
Chop Chick, I’m not sure what you mean by that one missing piece to the puzzle. We don’t have a leadoff hitter, a firstbaseman, a closer, or a bench. We also have whole-team problems that the folks above me have already mentioned - - speed, bunting ability, etc.
One, missing piece? I think our boys know as well as we do that this team has so many holes and weaknesses that it’s a season that might just have to be written off. Del said it perfectly. On the other hand, it really is only May, and there is no excuse for not at least trying. When Smoltz said that a loss last Sunday would have ended the season, my jaw flew open. This is veteran presence and leadership?
By T Robb
May 9, 2006 06:30 PM | Link to this
For years we’ve heard that this businesslike team lacks passion and a sense of urgency. Then when they show some, you jump on them? Can’t have it both ways. And the Sunday game was important. Damn important.
We’re one bat short of critical mass (two inconsistent spots in the order you can handle - three is a “left on base” festival) and one lockdown closer short. I’d feel pretty good about our pen with a Rivera/Lidge closer and moving Reitsma to the eighth and Villarreal to the seventh. And if Francoeur, Langerhans and LaRoche weren’t killing so many rallies…
Haven’t we seen enough of LaRoche to know this isn’t going to get any better? My God, the man goes two months last year without hitting a thing, he’s striking out at a record rate… I look at the guy and say, “I know exactly how I’d pitch him.” So I imagine most of the NL feels the same way.
Despite Francoeur’s .239 OBP, he projects to 31 HRs and 114 RBI (no, really!). Sure would be nice to see him take a walk here and there, though.
Langerhans had a nice first week but hasn’t done a thing for a month…too many average players in this lineup…
By Chop Chick
May 9, 2006 07:31 PM | Link to this
I don’t think wanting the Braves to show energy and produce offense consistently is “jumping on them.” All I’m saying is, if this team can’t score the way it apparently WANTS to, it had better find another way that will work when they HAVE to come through in the clutch. We can’t afford to fall too much farther behind. Routs are nice but I’d rather see Francoeur hitting consistently game in and game out than having multi-hit, big RBI days just every so often in a series. All I want to see is consistency, T. Robb. Not too much to ask out of this team, which has really underachieved so far - in my opinion, anyway.
By T Robb
May 9, 2006 09:38 PM | Link to this
I’m for consistency, Chick. I was responding to my good buddy E the E’s call for a more low key approach from Smoltz. I, for one, was glad to hear a note of urgency - and glad Smoltz answered his own call.
Francoeur took a walk tonight and LaRoche had an RBI hit in the middle of a rally. What’s next? Iran unilaterally gives up nuclear development? OPEC halves oil prices?
By dEL
May 10, 2006 04:07 AM | Link to this
One Down !!! Keep pounding !!!
By Voice of Reason
May 10, 2006 11:57 AM | Link to this
This lineup is constructed much like the failed USA WBC team. Alot of boppers, (real or wannabe,) with few role players. Gilly’s swing has become long, too long for someone trying to simply get on base. LaWhif’s swing has been long and loopy with alot of holes - it ain’t gettin’ any better. Last night’s anomaly notwithstanding, his AB’s are mostly wasted. Baseball is slowly sliding into the SportsCenter highlight reel abyss, where too few players remain who truly understand the fundamental nuances of the game. That being said, I still believe that the Braves are only 3 very obvious elements away from winning #15.
1.) Leadoff. Hey, I like Gilly as much as the next guy, but he ain’t cuttin’ it at leadoff.
2.) 1B. LaWhif has had time to develop into the player he’s not gonna be. It’s time to pull the plug and move on.
3.) Closer. Reitsma strikes fear only in the hearts of Braves fans. I still think he can be an effective set-up guy, but the only doors he’s slammin’ are the shower doors.
JS has the know how and about $6-8M to play with. The biggest questions are: Can he make any significant moves with the team’s sale reportedly so near, and who goes? You gotta give quality to get quality. If nothing else, this has been and will be an interesting year…
By Chop Chick
May 10, 2006 12:52 PM | Link to this
“Francoeur took a walk tonight and LaRoche had an RBI hit in the middle of a rally. What’s next? Iran unilaterally gives up nuclear development? OPEC halves oil prices?”
Hee. Good one, T. Robb. Made my workday. Still laughing. :-)
By HEAD COACH
May 10, 2006 07:28 PM | Link to this
Dylan , you need to learn the game. I coach high school baseball and I printed and posted your blog in the dugout. My kids think your absolutely hilarious and an idiot. Only an ignorant person who knows pretends to know everything about nothing would write such nonsense , but it was entertaining none the less. Keep up the good work dylan , but please….son , get an education.
By dylan
May 11, 2006 09:24 AM | Link to this
Head coach pick up that book take a look at it you might find it hillarious the stuff I am talking baout is being taken very seriously in major league front offices.Billy Bean has built the A’s on this concept. Boston Red sox were built oin this concept as well as the Toronto Blue Jays.I am not egotisitical enough to think that I am the best person to explain the theories so I ask you go read the books I have more of an education I am betting then high school ball coach.
By Joe Roman
May 13, 2006 01:08 PM | Link to this
Just a couple of quickies: First, as far as dugout atmosphere is concerned, I suggest you look around more. Compared to the Braves, most other dugouts look like funerals in search of a dearly departed. The Braves look loose, relaxed and most importantly, look like friends having fun playing a game together. I think that’s a huge part of Bobby’s success. He fosters a workplace envoirnment players enjoy. Baseball is supposed to be fun. That’s why the Braves play 162 game seasons while others like the Mets and Phils are usually done around the ninety game mark. Second, the big inning vs small ball debate is like ‘Certs is a candy mint. Certs is a breath mint’ kind of thing. It all depends on personnel. Those who get carried away with statistical analysis need to take things a little less seriously. Most of all, they ned to stop taking Billy Beane so seriously. After all, what exactly are his results? As for the Elias guys, have their ever been better examples of people whose mom’s wouldn’t let them play when they were little for fear of them getting hurt? Baseball is moment-to-moment. That’s why they call it a game.