AJC > Blog > Archives > 2008 > April > 21 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USBraves get big boost from bullpen
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Don’t look now, but the Braves are in the middle of a four-game winning streak and have climbed back to .500 (9-9).
Chipper Jones and the rest of the offense has been on a tear (they’ve averaged six runs a game during the four-game win streak), but the bigger surprise has been the way the pitching has really stepped it up.
The staff has taken a few more big hits lately — Tom Glavine going on the DL for the first time in his career and Peter Moylan wondering if he’ll need season-ending surgery — that could have been demoralizing, but the guys have really picked up their teammates:
• Thursday: John Smoltz threw a gutsy five innings in a 4-1 win in Florida in which Braves pitching struck out a total of 16 Marlins, and Will Ohman, Chris Resop, Manny Acosta and Buddy Carlyle backed him up with four shutout innings.
• Friday: Pitching for the fourth time in six days, Jeff Bennett went a season-high 4 2/3 innings, allowing only two hits, and Ohman, Carlyle, Blaine Boyer and Acosta did the rest.
• Saturday: Chuck James filled in for Glavine with a one-run five-inning performance that he and the team sorely needed, and once again, the bullpen (Jorge Campillo, Blaine Boyer and Acosta) had his back with four shutout innings.
• Sunday: Jair Jurrjens continued the string of great starts and gave the ‘pen some much-needed rest with his seven innings of one-run ball, and Boyer and Ohman shut the Dodgers down the rest of the way.
That means the bullpen has given up one single, solitary run in 14-plus innings of work over the past four days.
You can’t work a ‘pen that much and expect that dominance to continue, so here’s hoping Tim Hudson has recovered from the flu and is ready to go tonight against Washington.
And while we’re hoping, let’s send get-well wishes to Chipper’s quad, Glavine’s hamstring, Mike Hampton’s pectoral muscle, Moylan’s elbow, Smoltz’s shoulder and Rafael Soriano’s elbow.
So whose performance surprises you the most? Do you think they can continue to hold down the fort until the big arms are back?
Note: The Braves love the weekend. In Friday-Sunday games, they’re 7-2; Monday-Thursday, they’re 2-7.
Permalink | Comments (17) | Post your comment | Categories: Chop Chick
Comments
By geekboy
April 21, 2008 9:44 AM | Link to this
The bullpen will be OK. There’s a lot of power arms lurking down there that just need the opportunity to shine. Boyer has some nasty stuff if he can keep the ball down, and so does Acosta. If Gonzalez comes back in June or July he will be the closer, unless Soriano is fully recovered. And I still think Hampton has a future as a reliever … a high-priced but potentially devastating one that can get us a lot of DPs.
The big question mark this season is the health of the starting rotation … I just don’t think Smoltz, Glavine and Hampton can be counted on for 30+ starts each (of course not Hampton!)
That leaves Hudson, JJ and James … Not a very inspiring bunch when compared to the Mets or Diamondbacks (or even the Red, who will have the best rotation by year-end).
If I was GM I would trade Kotsay and a prospect for a real outfielder, hire a psychologist for Hampton to get his bleep on the hill, and keep my eye on the waiver wire for a potential older starter that could help later in the season when the wheels fall off our rotation (again).
By richbrave
April 21, 2008 9:59 AM | Link to this
BLAINE BOYER was the biggest surprise for me. He looked terrible when sent down last year, so much so that I felt he was done - at least in the Atlanta organization. From his results this year that appears to be moping around and ‘tude rather than a real pitching problem. He could have had some type of injury of which I am unaware, but at least he’s back in Atlanta and doing well. Good for him and a shame fans in Richmond coundn’t have seen him at his best for whatever reason.
By Mike S
April 21, 2008 10:29 AM | Link to this
I would think the most pleasant surprise is Jair Jurrjens without a doubt. This kid can flat out pitch.
As for Smoltz, Glavine and Hampton - I would rather see them have early season aches and pains than to go down in September. That said, None of them will ever be 7-8 innings workhorses again, and Bobby needs to be smart as to when and how often he trots them out.
I would even go as far as saying that the Braves should take a close look at a modified 6 MAN rotation. Let Huddy and Jair pitch ever 5 days on normal rest, but pitch Smoltz, Glavine, James/Bennett and Hampton/Bennett in a rotation of thier own to preserve the older arms for September when we are going to need them.
By john hoar
April 21, 2008 11:13 AM | Link to this
CC- can you tell us how long it has been since we had a four game win streak? Seems like maybe one time last year, but I’m not even sure of that.
By snowy
April 21, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this
yes i watched all the games and 4 wins and sweep great for a change. smoltz galvine well not sure they can pitch anyplace pass 6 or 7 inn. for whole yr. maybe on occassion. i agree with others mh needs go into bull pen. just like smoltz did. put pride aside and just do it. jj keep as starter great but im not sure he can hold up thru middle aug onward. as get 7 inn. out him all time may be questionable.i still say they need trade some people to get anyplace and stop gambling on who they got for bullpen and starters.
By Chop Chick
April 21, 2008 11:37 AM | Link to this
It does seem like it’s been a while since they’ve strung four together (maybe that’s because this season feels so long already), but they actually had a five-game winning streak last Sept. 16-20 against the Nats (1), Marlins (3) and Brewers (1).
By Chuck James
April 21, 2008 11:47 AM | Link to this
Guys,
I hate to brag, but I was definitely the biggest surprise of the week. Granted, everyone is pitching great - but after the way I started last week, I knew I had to come out firing on Saturday - And I did!
Peace Down A-Town.
By 30YrBravesFan
April 21, 2008 12:05 PM | Link to this
Chop Chick
Biggest surprise HAS to be James. He was not very inspiring last time up. Hopefully the extra work at Richmond did the trick. It sure looked like it on Saturday.
GO BRAVES!
By curiouser and curiouser
April 21, 2008 12:50 PM | Link to this
Just for a baseline:
Kotsay’s BA, OBP, SLG, and OPS: .273, .342, .424, .767 with no errors, two assists.
Andruw’s: .169, .290, .305, .595 with no errors, no assists.
… While I doubt anyone will dispute the wisdom of letting Andruw go and signing someone new, which outfielder are you thinking of getting for him, precisely, geekboy? And which would you have gotten in the offseason instead?
By Kris in NC
April 21, 2008 1:50 PM | Link to this
I am watching the replay of Sunday’s game and seeing Jurrjens pitch, this kid has shown me something. He is pitching like a vet when he is out there and he is letting his defense do their job.
Everyone has stepped it up since Moylan and Glavine went on the DL with these injuries. Even Tex has stepped it up and Chipper, playing hurt with that sore quad has been on a tear with a 12 game hitting streak.
I think we will continue to do what we are doing. That little team meeting that Bobby had, seems to have had big time effect in a very positive way.
Everyone has to keep stepping up, whether top or bottom of the order, they got to keep doing what they are doing.
By pavard
April 21, 2008 2:31 PM | Link to this
Is anyone still upset we didn’t resign Andruw? I love the guy and I wish him all the best, but he looks even worse this year than last year. Good move by the Braves front office.
By richbrave
April 21, 2008 6:15 PM | Link to this
DOWN ON THE FARM
Rain, rain and rain. Single game Sunday and double-header today rained out. Barbaro and Clint will be well rested and ready for bashing some Tidewater Tides pitching tuesday.
By LuisGuillermo
April 21, 2008 7:51 PM | Link to this
Chipper robbed by the people of Bank of America!!! He should have won the Player of the Week Award instead of Conor Jackson (Conor had a great week too, no offense)
By kegs1tx
April 22, 2008 12:45 AM | Link to this
Correct me if I am incorrect; every pitcher in the Atlanta organization has been mentioned except for the Really Big Dunnuda Unit, Phil Stockman. His stats yell, “Look at me”, but no one does, or so it seems. 1.54 ERA, 14 K’s 4 BB: what’s the hold-up on the call-up?
By geekboy
April 22, 2008 6:07 AM | Link to this
C&C: The problem with Kotsay is not his numbers … it is his shaky health, inability to play every day, weakness against lefties and dubious (and declining) defensive skills. I would much prefer a young, slick-fielding centerfielder that can steal bases than an old dude who is one back sprain away from a lost season. There are plenty of options that would have fit … and cost a lot less. I think Josh Anderson would have better numbers than Kotsay if you gave him a chance. For now, he’s not killing the team, but I still say he bats .250 for the year and has more than one defensive meltdown a week.
By Yehuda Hamer
April 22, 2008 6:46 AM | Link to this
It’s always about the bullpen. Pitchers do not pitch complete games. So from here we see it’s always about the bullpen.
By curiouser and curiouser
April 22, 2008 7:33 AM | Link to this
Geek: Kotsay just got a day off last night because he’s started every one of our first 18 games. Inability to play every day, what?
Weakness against lefties just means we can swap him out of the order if it ever becomes an issue. I have no issue platooning him with Gregor Blanco in center, for example; do you?
Declining defensive skills — I see zero errors next to his name, and two assists already this year. That’s one more than Francoeur, who just got his first last night.
Let’s not get all “the sky is falling” before some pieces actually hit us on the head, eh?