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July 2008
Braves as sellers presents exciting possibilities
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After this weekend’s exasperating series in Philadelphia, there’s no question about it: The Braves should be sellers.
They flew home last night looking up at a sobering 71/2-game deficit in the N.L. East race (10 1/2 in the wild card). They haven’t been in fourth place this late in a season since 1990, which makes it pretty clear.
This year, the Braves won’t be trying to find that final piece — like Jeff Reardon in 1992, Fred McGriff in 1993, Mike Devereaux in 1995, Denny Neagle in 1996, and recently Bob Wickman and Mark Teixeira — at the deadline.
Instead, for the first time in about 20 years, the team should be trying to cut ties with expensive veterans who aren’t likely to be around next year and load up on some nice young prospects (not to mention keeping the ones they have).
Provided they make the right moves this week, I’m excited about the possibilities. After all, the Braves got an unknown prospect named John Smoltz in 1988 by sending Doyle Alexander to Detroit, and the Yankees built that great team in the late ’90s by holding on to Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and Bernie Williams.
There are some promising youngsters down on the farm these days, and I’m happy to keep them — and maybe even add a few more.
So I’m wishing Frank Wren all the best as he burns up the phone lines this week, likely shopping Teixeira (who’s hitting .400, 12-for-30, since the All-Star Break) and probably lefty reliever Will Ohman, and the scouts, too, as they scour the minors for potential. Here’s hoping the next Smoltz is on his way to Atlanta later this week.
A couple of notes from the weekend:
• Will Ohman does a mean Harry Caray impersonation. His “Nitram Odarp” (Martin Prado) was classic!
• Brian McCann must be one of the most-loved players in baseball. Even the Phillies fans gave him a standing ovation when he walked off the field after that nasty collision yesterday. (See photos of that here.)
Upcoming TV Schedule
Monday: vs. Cardinals, 7:00, SportSouth
Tuesday: vs. Cardinals, 7:00, Peachtree TV
Wednesday: vs. Cardinals, 7:00, FSN South
Thursday: vs. Cardinals, 7:00, Peachtree TV
Friday: vs. Brewers, 7:30, Peachtree TV
Saturday: vs. Brewers, 3:55, FOX
Sunday: vs. Brewers, 1:30, SportSouth
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Who’s Frank Wren talking to this week?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
So much for a fast start coming out of the All-Star Break. The series loss at home to the Washington Nationals, who are 38-61 this year, was embarrassing.
So what do you do now if you’re Frank Wren, who’s facing his first trade deadline as GM in 10 days?
What calls are you making? Whose calls do you return? Whose do you ignore? Do you mortgage the future for potential short-term gain? Do you stock up on a cache of prospects?
The Braves are embarking on a make-or-break — and this time that isn’t hyperbole — six-game road trip, which starts tonight in Florida and concludes this weekend in Philadelphia. And they have to be prepared for the whirlwind of trade rumors that’s sure to surround them.
Bobby Cox reportedly held a meeting Friday, telling the players that first baseman Mark Teixeira and lefty reliever Will Ohman, among others, weren’t on the block because the team was still in the mix for the division title. But today may be a different story.
By the way, adding insult to injury over the weekend was the play of former Braves Willie Harris (7-for-12, with five runs scored; he’s now hitting .480 against Atlanta and .205 against the rest of the Major Leagues) and Ryan Langerhans (6-for-13, with five runs), not to mention the underrated job of Nats’ bench coach Pat Corrales.
During the Braves’ run of division titles, when Corrales was on their bench, think back to how many times Braves players were in perfect position to catch what should have been solid hits. Fast-forward to this past Saturday night and the final outs in the fourth and a fifth innings: Greg Norton’s fly to deep center to Harris and Brian McCann’s line drive down the right field line, where Austin Kearns just happened to be playing, leading McCann to throw his helmet in frustration.
If those two balls, both with the bases loaded and the game still in doubt, fall and the Braves win Saturday, they take the series and have a whole new mind-set heading into Sunday’s nightmare. Interesting.
Upcoming TV Schedule
Monday: at Marlins, 7:10, SportSouth
Tuesday: at Marlins, 7:10, SportSouth
Wednesday: at Marlins, 7:10, FSN South
Thursday: Off-day
Friday: at Phillies, 7:05, Peachtree TV
Saturday: at Phillies, 3:55, FOX
Sunday: at Phillies, 1:35, SportSouth
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What was the best/worst of the first half?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It was great to see the Braves end the first half of the season on such a high note, routing the Padres 12-3 behind another strong outing from Jorge Campillo and the bullpen. Even better, they did it on the road — winning only their third road series of the year.
They went 3-3 on this trip — not bad, considering how they’ve fared away from the Ted this year — but once again, it was feast or famine at the plate. They scored nine-plus runs twice and plated one run or fewer three times.
But the All-Star break is a time to regroup, take stock of where the team stands and give the guys who are banged up some time off.
So let’s talk about this season’s surprises: What’s been your favorite unexpected storyline of the year? The fact that Campillo, Jair Jurrjens and Jo-Jo Reyes (and recently Charlie Morton) stepped up and brought order to the chaos that was the starting rotation? Or that despite all the injuries, the bullpen is third in the NL with a 3.22 ERA? Or maybe Chipper flirting with .400 for so long?
On the other side of things, there was Jeff Francoeur and his horrific struggles at the plate (he’s 5-for-21 since his short stint in Mississippi, but his swings and his approach are promising) and the Braves’ inability to win on the road (they’re 14-32).
What stands out to you about this season? How about around the rest of the Majors? Are the Rays the most shocking thing about this year to you, or is it that the Marlins are five games over .500 at the break?
As for the All-Star Game itself, are you planning to watch Chipper and Brian McCann at Yankee Stadium? I used to really enjoy the Midsummer Classic, but it’s lost some of its luster for me.
Maybe that’s because the rule giving the winning league home-field advantage in the World Series is just asinine. Although, I could be biased since the NL hasn’t won since 1996, when John Smoltz got the win in Chipper’s first All-Star Game.
After the Break
Friday: vs. Washington, 7:30, Peachtree TV
Saturday: vs. Washington, 7:00, Peachtree TV
Sunday vs. Washington, 1:30, SportSouth
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Braves’ big win offers hope for second half
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I hate West Coast trips.
Because I have to be at work at 7 a.m., I fell asleep with the game on while the Braves were still being no-hit by Chad Billingsley. Boy, was I surprised this morning to see what I missed.
After enduring all the recent frustration at the plate (they’d been shut out in their previous 23 innings on the road), it would have been nice to enjoy last night’s offensive explosion. Even Jeff Francoeur got in on the fun with a well-timed single — not to mention the great throw that doubled up Andre Ethier at first base in the third.
If you missed the fireworks, too, here’s Dave O’Brien’s game story and the highlights from the boxscore:
• Brian McCann went 2-for-4, blasting two home runs.
• Mark Kotsay went 3-for-4 and scored twice.
• Kelly Johnson went 2-for-5 and scored three times.
• Gregor Blanco went 1-for-3 with two walks. By the way, the leadoff man’s OBP is .369, third on the team behind Chipper Jones and Mark Teixeira.
Strangely enough, Chipper’s bat was quiet during all this — he took an 0-for-4 collar, striking out three times.
Judging from some of yesterday’s posts to this blog, a lot of you have given up on this season, and I can understand why. But McCann, for one, thinks last night’s 9-3 win is a sign of good things to come.
He told O’Brien, “I think we’re in a good state right now. Everybody’s back healthy. This is our lineup, this is the lineup we broke spring training with. So we’re all excited.”
I was trying to stop scoreboard-watching until they got back to .500, but that’s not going to happen. So now they’re five games out of first (and 3 1/2 behind the Mets and Marlins) with four games left before the All-Star break — tonight’s rubber game in L.A., followed by three in San Diego.
If this is an indication of what the lineup is capable of when it’s healthy — and the pitching continues to hold up — there’s good reason to have hope for the second half of the season. So I’m not giving up on them. Call me a delusional fan, but I think we might yet get to see what this Braves team can really do.
Upcoming TV Schedule
Wednesday: vs. Dodgers, 10:10, FSN South
Thursday: Off-day
Friday: vs. Padres, 10:05, SportSouth
Saturday: vs. Padres, 10:05, SportSouth
Sunday: vs. Padres, 4:05, SportSouth
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What Teixeira trade rumor would you start?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For the second game in a row, Mark Teixeira saved the day. Unfortunately, all that meant last night was that he broke up Hiroki Kuroda’s perfect game and salvaged the Braves’ dignity.
The only positives that came out of the loss that opened this West Coast trip were yet another solid — but wasted — start from Jorge Campillo (he gave up three runs on five hits over seven innings) and the fact that they didn’t rush Jeff Francoeur back out there to face Kuroda’s stuff. That would have ruined anything he might have accomplished over those long three days he spent in Mississippi.
And at least the game was mercifully short, which is key when first pitch is at 10:10 p.m. I made it until the middle of the eighth; how late did you go? (It’s much better now than it was when the Braves were in the NL West and these trips were much more frequent, but you still have to decide whether to be responsible and turn off the game at bedtime or stay up and drag into work the next day.)
Meanwhile, as Tex’s bat is heating up, so are the trade rumors surrounding him. Here’s what he told Dave O’Brien: “I don’t want it to be a distraction. Because we still have a chance to win. There’s no one in here that’s given up hope on the season. The last thing we need is for trade rumors to start.”
What are your thoughts on dealing him before the July 31 no-waiver deadline? If you want to trade him, what rumor would you start?
Pitching Matchups
Tuesday: Chad Billingsley vs. Jair Jurrjens. Billingsley is in the midst of a four-game winning streak, while Jurrjens (who was snubbed for the All-Star Game, by the way) had his scoreless innings streak snapped at 21 2/3 in a loss to the Phillies.
Wednesday: Derek Lowe vs. Tim Hudson. Lowe gave up four earned runs on eight hits in five innings in his last start but was let off the hook when the Dodgers rallied against the Giants. Hudson earned his ninth of the win of the season Friday, when he threw seven strong innings against the Astros.
Upcoming TV Schedule
Tuesday: vs. Dodgers, 10:10, SportSouth
Wednesday: vs. Dodgers, 10:10, FSN South
Thursday: Off-day
Friday: vs. Padres, 10:05, SportSouth
Saturday: vs. Padres, 10:05, SportSouth
Sunday: vs. Padres, 4:05, SportSouth
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Will Braves’ marathon game spark a turnaround?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Show of hands: Who waited through the rain delay and watched all of yesterday’s marathon game? (If you want to prove you saw the whole thing, take this quiz about the game.)
We listened to the first half on the car radio on the way home from some weekend festivities and then watched the second half. (I’m glad we got to see the end, but there’s just something very cool about listening to Skip and Pete on the radio.)
There are so many positive things to take away from that game (Manny Acosta’s pulled hamstring and Omar Infante’s re-injured one notwithstanding), primarily that they finally managed to produce with the bases loaded and that the bullpen was simply spectacular. Buddy Carlyle pitched three shutout innings after throwing two on Saturday, and Mike Gonzalez has been lights-out since giving up two runs in a June 22 appearance.
You have to think that this might be the turning point the Braves have needed, like the game in late June 2004 against the Orioles when they stormed back with seven runs in the eighth inning to win 8-7 and sparked a comeback from 4 1/2 games out to win the division for the 14th consecutive year. Granted, they have further to go this time, but the way the rest of the NL East is playing, anything is possible.
If you saw the end of the game and the way the players reacted, even veterans like Mark Teixeira and Chipper Jones, you know there’s some fire left in this team. Let’s just hope they have the energy to keep it going after flying to L.A. in the wee hours of the morning — and that Jorge Campillo can regain his control and give the bullpen some rest tonight.
Speaking of starters, here are the pitching matchups for the Dodgers series:
Monday: Hiroki Kuroda vs. Campillo. Kuroda was out three weeks with tendinitis in his right shoulder before returning to throw seven shutout innings against the Astros. Meanwhile, Campillo is hoping to bounce back after being roughed up by the Phillies last week.
Tuesday: Chad Billingsley vs. Jair Jurrjens. Billingsley is in the midst of a four-game winning streak, while Jurrjens (who was snubbed for the All-Star Game, by the way) had his scoreless innings streak snapped at 21 2/3 in a loss to the Phillies.
Wednesday: Derek Lowe vs. Tim Hudson. Lowe gave up four earned runs on eight hits in five innings in his last start but was let off the hook when the Dodgers rallied against the Giants. Hudson earned his ninth of the win of the season Friday, when he threw seven strong innings against the Astros.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t note how well Jeff Francoeur is doing in Mississippi (check out Thomas Stinson’s story on his relationship with Double-A manager Phillip Wellman). He enjoyed a four-hit day yesterday and looks to be getting his swing and confidence back.
So do you agree this might be a turning point for the Braves? And how do you handle West Coast trips? Do you turn off the game at your usual bedtime or go dragging into work the next day? Or are you like me and just fall asleep with the TV on in the bedroom?
Upcoming TV Schedule
Monday: vs. Dodgers, 10:10, SportSouth
Tuesday: vs. Dodgers, 10:10, SportSouth
Wednesday: vs. Dodgers, 10:10, FSN South
Thursday: Off-day
Friday: vs. Padres, 10:05, SportSouth
Saturday: vs. Padres, 10:05, SportSouth
Sunday: vs. Padres, 4:05, SportSouth
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Can Frenchy straighten things out in Mississippi?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Braves have decided the best place for Jeff Francoeur to try to get his swing — and his head — straightened out is Pearl, Miss., with manager Phillip Wellman, with whom he has a good history.
Something had to be done, because Frenchy looks completely lost at the plate and his mechanics are shot, but I might have tried sitting him for a series first. Or maybe sending him away for a weekend with instructions not to look at a baseball for three days.
After all, everyone gets in ruts and gets worn down, and a mental break can be just what the doctor ordered. Not to mention that being demoted can’t be good for his confidence, which has to be close to nonexistent.
But that discussion is moot now that the Braves right fielder is heading down to Double A for a stretch. So the questions are, how long do you think he’ll be there and will it work?
In the meantime, the Astros are coming to town and the rest of the Braves have to get their collective act together, too. Now that they’ve fallen seven games out of first, they no longer can console themselves by saying they’re still in the hunt: They have to figure out a way to get back in the hunt.
A series win against struggling Houston would be a good start. Here are the matchups for this weekend:
Friday: Brian Moehler vs. Tim Hudson. Moehler is coming off two impressive starts since joining the Astros’ rotation, giving up only one run in 5 2/3 innings against Boston in his last outing. But interleague play wasn’t so kind to Hudson, who went 1-3 with a 7.17 ERA.
Saturday: Chris Sampson vs. Jo-Jo Reyes. Roy Oswalt is out with a hip abductor strain, and Sampson, who was moved to the ‘pen after starting the season 3-3 with a 6.04 ERA, will make the start. Reyes was the tough-luck loser on Sunday despite allowing only one run in seven innings in yet another one-run road loss.
Sunday: Wandy Rodriguez vs. Charlie Morton. Rodriguez gave up five earned runs in five innings in his last start and has a 10.13 career ERA against the Braves. Morton also was roughed up his last time out, when he allowed five earned runs in only two innings against the Phillies.
Upcoming TV Schedule
Friday: vs. Astros, 7:30, Peachtree TV
Saturday: vs. Astros, 7:00, Peachtree TV
Sunday: vs. Astros, 1:30, SportSouth
Monday: at Dodgers, 10:10, SportSouth
Tuesday: at Dodgers, 10:10, SportSouth
Wednesday: at Dodgers, 10:10, FSN South
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