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DEL.ICIO.USGoing nuts good gameplan for Braves
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Terence Moore
Houston — For Game 3 of tonight’s National League Division Series at Minute Maid Park, those inside the visitors’ dugout will turn the place into a yelling, dancing and jumping mess.
Good. Consider this from Eddie Perez, among the Braves’ old heads, who shook his head on Friday before a workout and pointed across the way to Blaine Boyer, among the Braves’ young heads. “That guy never stops screaming and saying, ‘Yeah, yeah,’ on every pitch of the game,” said Perez, referring to one of eight rookies on the Braves’ playoff roster. “You’ve got Pete Orr and Kelly Johnson, all of them screaming, and it makes you want to do what they’re doing. It makes you want to get into the game. You go crazy. It’s way different from what I’ve seen here.”
That’s good, all right. Maybe the Braves finally get it. Then again, since another early and brutal collapse in the playoffs by this tease of a franchise isn’t acceptable, they haven’t a choice.
Contrary to whatever silliness the Braves thought before, emotion is needed in baseball, especially after September. So here they are flashing signs against the Houston Astros, understanding what others have known: Forget that stoic approach in the postseason. Go nuts. Follow the lead of Brian McCann, another one of the Braves’ young heads, who was ripping a three-run homer off the great Roger Clemens one moment on Thursday night and chest-bumping Andruw Jones, another one of those old heads, the next.
Such enthusiasm was wonderfully contagious for the Braves. Exhibit A: Those pumped fists combined with wild eyes from old heads Chipper Jones and John Smoltz down the stretch of the Braves smacking the Astros into a 1-1 tie during this series. “For sure, all of those guys are more enthusiastic than they’ve been in the past, with a lot more energy,” said Jeff Bagwell, among the old heads for the Astros. “You could have a 21-year-old kid on your team, but he might be quiet. They have a bunch of kids that age who are really enthusiastic. I’m sure it makes things fun for those guys who have been around a long time, and it makes them feel a little younger.”
Whatever works. Remember that among the slew of reasons why the Braves keep evolving into the Great Pumpkin before Halloween is that they usually have the enthusiasm of Charlie Brown during the playoffs. It used to send Gary Sheffield into a quiet rage. “You don’t even get the feeling around here that it’s the postseason,” groaned the accomplished slugger who nevertheless vanished in October during his two years with the Braves.
Now Sheffield is back to prospering this time of year with a Yankees team that is dominated by those who get it. Not coincidentally, despite the Braves’ ongoing record streak of 14 trips to the playoffs, the Yankees have four world championships during that period to the Braves’ one. None of the Braves’ young heads have any world championships, and they wish to change that. Which brings us to something from either the Bible or Yogi Berra that goes, “A little child shall lead.” In the Braves’ case, we’re talking about several big children, who can hit, field, pitch and work themselves into such a frenzy that it is making their elders do the same.
Maybe it was only a coincidence that the Braves suffered a blowout loss in Game 1 against Houston with only one rookie in their starting lineup but rolled to a blowout victory in Game 3 with three playing, including McCann along the way to his blast against Clemens.
“It’s fun to be out there, and it’s fun to bring a new attitude to this team, but at the same time, I think (the old heads) are helping me and Brian and helping all of us to be calm and not be too excited,” said Jeff Francoeur, another one of the Braves’ young heads. “We still are a very business-like team, and I like that. We carry ourselves professionally, but to see Smoltzie and Chipper pumping their fists, that really is huge.”
Yes, it is, and now all the Braves have to do is the following: Keep turning emotion into victories.
Permalink | Comments (11) | Categories: Braves / MLB, Terence Moore
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By GATA
October 8, 2005 01:37 AM | Link to this
Congratulations Terence; your best article in a long time.
Game 1 was frustrating to all of us. I especially had to feel sorry for Chipper who is expected to perform miracles and played as the superstar he is, to no avail. He has as much emotion as anyone. Some players think they perform better when on an even keel.
Game 2 was just the opposite. I was glad the tv cameras caught the veterans pumping their fists since it was such a moment for those of us close to the field. Chipper, Smoltz, and Andruw deserve credit for helping to bring these rookies along. While participating in the rookies enthusiasm, they quietly have set the bar at a lofty height which should reap dividends for this organization for years to come.
Hope they can keep it going. We need to make the bullpen a non-factor until it can be reworked in the off season.
GO BRAVES!
By Pete
October 8, 2005 07:29 AM | Link to this
If the Braves starters pitch complete game shutouts, they will win … same old story.
By Jacob
October 8, 2005 07:42 AM | Link to this
Terence, if you wrote articles like this, I would read you every day. You are obviously a talented writer who would be better if you could just forget the race card you so often pull out. I loved seeing the veterans and rookies alike getting excited…but I think Bobby Cox was racist for not playing Brian Jordan instead of Langerhans in Left Field….just kidding!!! Good article.
By CJC
October 8, 2005 08:27 AM | Link to this
So let’s see…the reason the “accomplished slugger” Gary Sheffield was 3 for 32 or whatever it was here was because the Braves weren’t emotional enough. OK, so what was his excuse in games 4-7 in last year’s ALCS? Maybe the guy just disappears when he’s needed most.
Otherwise a good column. You didn’t bring up any race issues even one time.
By Mike G
October 8, 2005 08:30 AM | Link to this
I wish Bobby would forget the righty-lefty matchups and just keep the hot bats in the line-up. McCann, Langerhans, LaRoche, are pure hitters. We need them playing everyday to win this championship. I wish Bobby would let go of his old ways so we could get this done.
By allen
October 8, 2005 11:15 AM | Link to this
I love the mix of rookies and veterans. The rookies are providing the enthusiasm and the veterans are providing the leadership. As for your “Mr.October” Gary Sheffield check out is lifetime .258 BA during the postseason. Sheffield can talk a good game but his perfromance during the postseason doesn’t back up his words. He is also perfroming his vanishing act right now for the Yankees as they are on the verge of being eliminated and he has done nothing to help them. I’ll take Chipper’s .300 Postseason BA any day! GO BRAVES!!!
By DC - Augusta
October 8, 2005 01:00 PM | Link to this
Thanks for saying it best - to win in the postseason, Bobby Cox has got to inspire the players, something he has never been able to do. Since he can’t, or won’t, maybe the hunger of the kids, and the “last chance” realization of the veterans will be sufficient substitutes. As in past years, the talent isn’t lacking. This year, we’ve got the next best thing to a motivational manager.
By Joe Roman
October 8, 2005 01:40 PM | Link to this
The last line in the NYTimes’ report on the Sox-Sox game is something all the whiners who bemoan one series win in 14 divisional titles should think about. Of the Red Sox, it read “for the 86th time in 87 years, it’s ‘wait until next year’.”. Kind of puts things into perspective, doesn’t it?
By Joe Roman
October 8, 2005 01:46 PM | Link to this
Oh, one other thing Terence, good thesis, really bad example. 0nly in a post-season for jerkdom does Sheffield come out a champ, but definitely not n baseball
By Rashid Z. Muhammad
October 8, 2005 04:23 PM | Link to this
I can appreciate this perspective, but I don’t buy it. Let’s not forget how many “emotional” teams the “business-like” and expected-to-win Braves teams from 95 onwards tore through in the postseason. Several very emotional Houston teams, a very emotional Cubs team in ‘98, a first (only?) time playoff Rockies team, a cruising St Louis team in ‘96, a resurgent Mets team in ‘99.
I know that you have a thing for Sheffield, but the sad reality of his tenure here is that he probably made zero aggregate difference in the Braves final position during the two years that he was here. It’s actually likely that he had a negative difference in the postseason. He only added insult to injury when he whined about the lack of clubhouse emotion and then went on to point out Robert Fick as some sort of role-model for the Braves to follow. Ha! I say good riddance.
The Braves won game 2 because they were patient at the plate and worked the count, got timely hits, played solid defense, and pitched well. The emotion that you saw was a by-product of that, not the other way around.
By braves fan
October 8, 2005 07:25 PM | Link to this
It would be nice for Sheffield to contribute something for the Yanks,oh that’s right he’s contributing in the same manner as he did in postseason for the Braves-his mouth! There are many better post-season examples to be pointed at besides-Sheffield.