AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2007 > April > 07 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USReality remains: Nobody’s perfect
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mark Bradley
So long as they kept winning, each division title was an extension of that dominance. But what happens if the Braves finish first this year after running third last time? Would it mark the beginning of something new or the semi-continuation of something old?
Said Chipper Jones: “It’d probably be part of the same era.”
Said Bobby Cox: “We’re trying to make a new start.”
So the Braves don’t know, either. And it could, over the fullness of 162 games, be a moot point. But when a team sweeps its opening series in a geared-up opponent’s ballpark … well, that spawns all sorts of fanciful thinking.
“One hundred sixty-two and oh,” said Cox, eyes dancing. “It’s been a dream forever. It’s like a football play; you practice it over and over. So why doesn’t it work every time?”
What worked in Philadelphia was that the Braves got good starting pitching, even better relief and a series of well-timed home runs. None of the above worked Friday night, which is why the 2007 Braves won’t go 162-0. (The 2007 Mets still have that chance.) A sellout crowd gathered Friday night for the chilly home opener and was reminded that, unlike scripted football plays, baseball games can fly off on tangents.
The Braves trotted out a starting pitcher who hadn’t begun training camp on their roster or anybody else’s. Mark Redman was home in Oklahoma when Mike Hampton tweaked his oblique, and now he’s their No. 4 starter. If he’s their No. 4 starter three months from now, something will have gone badly wrong. He’s keeping a spot warm, trying to eat up enough innings with his 85-mph fastball - sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? - so as to deliver a winnable game to the new-and-improved bullpen.
He couldn’t do it Friday. The Mets led 2-0 after 1 1/2 innings and 3-1 with two outs in the sixth, whereupon Redman yielded a single to pitcher Oliver Perez. That impelled Bobby Cox to summon Oscar Villarreal, who surrendered a two-run triple to Jose Reyes. Matters soon deteriorated to the extent that Jones was booed for not catching a wind-blown foul pop with his team 10 runs behind. And then the postgame fireworks were canceled due to wind.
After three games of good starting pitching and better relief, the Braves whiffed on both fronts Friday. Only time will tell if this was a glimpse of grim reality or simply a rotten night in April. Baseball seasons last six months, and the bedrock of those 14 division titles was the rotation’s capacity to stack inning upon quality inning. At issue, at least until Hampton and Lance Cormier get healthy, is whether these Nos. 4 and 5 starters can do such stacking.
Because those three de facto closers will matter only if the Braves are, ahem, close after six innings. How often in the late ’90s did we see the Yankees do what the Braves are trying to emulate? But how often has Mariano Rivera been rendered a non-factor in recent postseasons because his starting pitchers spit the bit? The three-closer ‘pen is fine in theory, but the Braves’ decision to bank on an aging and/or infirm rotation could undercut the grand design.
Then again, they’ve played four games. “I’ll take three of four the rest of the year,” Cox said, and if the Braves manage that over six months they’ll win more games than any team in the history of baseball.
They can’t go 162-0, but these Braves have a chance to extend the era of good feeling. Or, depending on your slant, to start a new one.
Permalink | Comments (10) | Post your comment | Categories: Braves / MLB, Mark Bradley
Comments
By Taylor
April 7, 2007 12:36 AM | Link to this
Man, what a lousy game!
By Braves fan from birth
April 7, 2007 12:45 AM | Link to this
Despite the cold weather, I decided to take my nine year old son out to the game tonight to cheer for the hometown team. It was a great atmosphere despite the poor play by the Braves. They were hustling and trying on every play, just as I tell my son to do in little league. Then came the 8th inning when on a foul ball Chipper Jones decided not to hustle. Despite the game being out of reach this is a despicable display of effort and sportsmanship. He should be embarassed for such an action and apologize to all the kids watching the game who will now think it is ok to stop hustling just because your team is losing.
By Braves Fan 79
April 7, 2007 1:26 AM | Link to this
why did we have our worst pitcher starting our home opener??? and why in the world is woodward even on the roster….we have better hitters than him in triple A! escobar??
owell the Braves are alot better than they showed last night…go Smoltz…Go Braves!!
By David Duncan
April 7, 2007 1:39 AM | Link to this
Well! Braves fans. Are you ready to concede? Get use to it. The Mets are going to bop you around all season. The Braves will finish 20 games behind the Mets in 2007.
By Braves fan 202
April 7, 2007 1:47 AM | Link to this
Braves fan 79, its called pitching rotation. You dont put your ace in early cuz there are more fans than normal. Hopefully it will be packed tomorrow too for smoltz glavine. If the braves win the next two we will not give a damn about today. Too bad these mets are amazing. i cant see how they good possibly lose a game ever. We need leadoff. We had furcal!! I never realized how important to our offense he was. Jose Reyes is unbelievable. W/e we should be good still, im predicting wild card
By Braves fan 202
April 7, 2007 1:53 AM | Link to this
David Duncan shut up. It was one game. So does ne one know when hampton will come back
By Dave in Tucson
April 7, 2007 2:12 AM | Link to this
Hampton is always injured. He’s a stiff in a uniform. He’ll tear his fingernail eating Jello next week and be out for another two years.
By Andy
April 7, 2007 2:30 AM | Link to this
BF202 You are right. That was just one of many between these two. I love the Mets but I’ve seen Glavine struggle terribly in Atlanta, as a Met. This staff hasn’t even completed one stint through the rotation. I’ve been delighted and suprised with the 1st 2% of the season however. Glad Baseball is back.
By Dawg
April 7, 2007 4:00 AM | Link to this
The Braves will be fine as long as they don’t go into the late innings behind and have to bring in the likes of Yates, McBride, and Paronto. With these three jokers, a one-run deficit quickly turns into 10. If they are ahead after six innings, you will be able to just about shut the door for good. I’d like to think this will not be the complete bullpen in the coming months.
That said, the Mets pitching staff will implode. Give me a break…if you are relying on 65-year old Tom Glavine, 70-year old El Duque, and Oliver Perez, you are dreaming. The Braves will somehow, some way win this division.
By Braves Blue
April 7, 2007 5:31 AM | Link to this
I seem to remember some wise-old baseball sage saying “One game doth not a season make.” Maybe it’s a Bisherism, I don’t know. But one thing I do know is IT’S JUST ONE GAME. All is not lost. To think otherwise is akin to concluding that if I sneeze once, I must have pneumonia. The conclusion just does not make sense without further evidence. In rhe Braves’ case, more games must bs played.