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Friday, June 20, 2008
Looking ahead to the Braves’ homestand
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I had hoped that Wednesday’s win signaled a serious turning point in the Braves’ season. Jo-Jo Reyes had yet another stellar outing, the Braves rallied to take the lead in the ninth, and Mike Gonzalez slammed the door shut, showing an intensity that this team sorely needs.
But Thursday the same old problems reared their ugly heads.
With a new-look (but somehow familiar) lineup, the Braves battled back to tie the game in the top of the ninth only to have the bullpen blow it in the bottom half. To top it off, the 5-4 loss gave them sole possession of the dubious record for most consecutive one-run losses on the road and Chipper Jones went 0-for-4 on the day to drop his average below .400 for the first time since April 12.
But there is a bright side: They won more games on this trip (four) than on any other road trip this season. In fact, if someone had told me after that dreadful sweep in Chicago that they’d go 4-6, I would have been thrilled. And, according to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, Chipper told his parents earlier this week that he’d be happy when he got below .400 and was no longer asked daily about accomplishing something he thinks is impossible. “Now it’s time to start a new streak,” he said.
So let’s take a cue from Chipper and look ahead to the homestand. First up is the only team that’s lost more games on the road this season than the Braves. The Mariners are in a state of complete disarray, having fired their GM earlier this week and axing their manager yesterday, but the Braves can’t afford to take them lightly.
Here are the matchups for the Mariners series:
Friday: Erik Bedard vs. Jorge Campillo. Campillo led the Pacific Coast League in ERA while in the M’s farm system in 2007 but Seattle never really gave him a chance, which led to his signing a minor league deal with the Braves last December. That turned out to be a godsend, because Campillo is 2-1 with a 2.78 ERA in his six starts this season, allowing just 10 runs in 32 1/3 innings. Meanwhile, Seattle’s big offseason signing, Bedard, has been struggling through some injuries this year and while he has a 2.95 ERA in his past four starts, his road ERA is 7.40.
Saturday: Jarrod Washburn vs. Jair Jurrjens: A skipped start (thanks to a sprained ankle) may have been just what Jair needed, because he came out firing Monday, blanking the Rockies through 7 2/3 innings for his seventh win of the year. Seattle’s Washburn held the Nationals to one run in six innings in his last start but didn’t factor in the decision.
Sunday: Carlos Silva vs. Tim Hudson: Huddy’s still looking for his first interleague win after giving up a season-high six runs in 4 1/3 innings in a loss to the Rangers on Tuesday. He’s 0-10 with a 7.82 ERA in interleague play with the Braves. Silva, another disappointing offseason acquisition, was ejected from his last start with two outs to the fifth inning against the Marlins. He’s lost eight in a row since his last win on April 17.
I’m going to stop short of predicting a sweep, but they have to take two out of three here. It’s time for the bats to get in gear so the bullpen isn’t even a factor.
By the way, if you’re heading to Turner Field during this homestand, be sure to check out the new giant Chik-Fil-A cow doing the Tomahawk Chop! See photos of it here.
Upcoming TV Schedule
Friday: vs. Mariners, 7:30, Peachtree TV
Saturday: vs. Mariners, 7:00, Peachtree TV
Sunday: vs. Mariners, 1:30, SportSouth
Monday: vs. Brewers, 7:00, FSN
Tuesday: vs. Brewers, 7:00, Peachtree TV
Wednesday: vs. Brewers, 1:00, Peachtree TV
Thursday: off-day
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