ajcsportstalk

By NS from Kennesaw

May 27, 2008 11:20 PM | Link to this

Brewers 3 : Braves 2 Well, from my view our defense was good but the offense gave away the lead and the game. I did not understand why our guys were going overly aggressive AB in middle and late inning. Felt really bad for Huddy, particularly in the sixth and seventh, our offense was not helping at all with one-pitch-out. For sure this game is not like many of those one run games we lost.

I am no ball player here, but I’ve seen that when the Bravo works the pitch count in their AB, they usually win (or should I say look at how the Brewers worked up Huddy in late innings?). I don’t know how the offensive approach is executed during the game - Can someone explain please?

That said, I would say lets move on. Make sure we continue on playing good defense and be a little more patient on each AB.

Go Braves !!!

By Bowie

May 27, 2008 11:20 PM | Link to this

Hudson pitched a hell of a game. Put all the blame on players for not hitting. God Bless our Troops and USA.

By NS from Kennesaw

May 27, 2008 11:22 PM | Link to this

Brewers 3 : Braves 2 Well, from my view our defense was good but the offense gave away the lead and the game. I did not understand why our guys were going overly aggressive AB in middle and late inning. Felt really bad for Huddy, particularly in the sixth and seventh, our offense was not helping at all with one-pitch-out. For sure this game is not like many of those one run games we lost.

I am no ball player nor manager here, but I’ve seen that when the Bravo works the pitch count in their AB, they usually win (or should I say look at how the Brewers worked up Huddy in late innings?). I don’t know how the offensive approach is executed during the game - Can someone explain please?

That said, I would say lets move on. Make sure we continue on playing good defense and be a little more patient on each AB.

Go Braves

By Steve

May 27, 2008 11:34 PM | Link to this

Two things were working against us tonight: cold weather and being away from Turner Field. For whatever reason, I have noticed that the Braves offense rarely shows up to play when the weather is cold and or wet. Can anyone please explain this?

By Marc

May 27, 2008 11:51 PM | Link to this

It’s hard to win on two runs. You should win a ballgame in which the pitching staff only gives up three runs.

These hitters look so overmatched if “SunTrust” isn’t plastered behind their backs. Let the blame rest on the offense and bad decisions by Bobby Cox.

By fieldofdreams

May 28, 2008 12:08 AM | Link to this

Love the Braves but they’re headed for a .500 season. Would someone tell Wren to bring in the young arms, try speed at the top of the lineup, and audition next year’s first baseman?

By Charlie

May 28, 2008 7:00 AM | Link to this

Typical…this group of hitters does not get it. At home, the Braves hitters took pitches,and showed patience at the plate. They were very successful. They leave Atlanta, and it’s like they aren’t smart enough to figure out why they were 8-3 during the homestand. Escobar was the worst. Hitting leadoff, against an unfamiliar pitcher, and he sees 8 pitches for the night. Not a very intellegent approach. Frenchy, dispite a game winner/walkoff during the homestand continues to disappoint. Chipper is the only hitter that has a plan and approach to each at bat. He is the best example out there of a professional hitter. Diaz, whose defense is average on his best day, makes a valiant effort on a foul flyball. He crashes into the wall, bangs up and cuts his knee, and then, in his next at bat, attempts to bunt for a hit. Wow. I would have liked to know what thought process went into that. Tex did nothing productive, along with hitting into a double play, after a good homestand. If the Braves are smart, they will trade him before the deadline in July. He won’t re-sign in Atlanta. He’s a Bora$ boy, looking only for ego-busting big buck$. Cut him loose, and get something in return. Reality is that this is a .500 ball club. Too bad. The talent level is there, but smart baseball and consistency is sorely lacking.

By must win on the road

May 28, 2008 8:02 AM | Link to this

This one was given away. The hitting was not there but what really hurt was Cox’s decision to let Hudson pitch the eighth. I was very surprised to see him bat for himself in the top of the inning as he was over 100 pitches and was tiring at the end of seven.

Furthermore, in the eighth Cox should have pulled Hudson with runners on second and third instead of walking the bases loaded and having Hudson stay in the game. But for some reason, Cox didn’t even have Ohman —or any other lefty for that matter— warming up in the eighth.

Despite all of this, the offense let the Braves down.

By TBraveFan

May 28, 2008 8:15 AM | Link to this

Well come Friday, ROAD TRIP!!!! There will be three Braves season ticket holders sitting by the Braves dugout in Cincy to bring some good ol’ sweet Southern home cookin’ to the boys on the road!
But here’s hoping they win the next two in cold, damp, nasty Milwaukee!!! Remember: win the series, not every game…win the series, not every game…rinse and repeat…

By KneeJerk

May 28, 2008 8:17 AM | Link to this

Hindsight is 20/20. If Hudson (a ground ball pitcher) induces an infield grounder there is no second-guessing. The reason ATL lost is they only scored 2 runs. Leave Bobby alone on this one.

By atlbravesfan44

May 28, 2008 8:19 AM | Link to this

Let’s quit blaming it on the road and talk about the real problem. Bobby Cox cannot manage a pitching staff. I don’t care how taxed your bullpen is, they should be able to go two innings to close down a game when the starter is toast. Also, if you pinch hit, maybe you get a little insurance there.

By Greg

May 28, 2008 8:23 AM | Link to this

It has to start getting in their heads. Loss after loss on the road. Which is why Cox’s decision to leave a tiring Hudson in was baffling. I know the bullpen is tired, but Soriano is coming back and Carlyle is available to back up Reyes and Campillo.

Odds are they only win Campillo and Jurrjens starts on this road trip.

By ChampDawg

May 28, 2008 8:26 AM | Link to this

We don’t loose the game if Bennett holds that runner at second…. CAN’T MAJOR LEAGUE PLAYERS EVEN DO THE FUMNDAMENTALS RIGHT!!!!!!!!!

By Kerrie

May 28, 2008 8:28 AM | Link to this

I am one of those season ticket holders showing up for some support in Cincy! We are bringing home to the boys and hopefully a series win! Losses like last night’s are tough, but in the end the boys will come out on top! You can’t win every game, but winning the series is important! Win the final two in Nasty Milwaukee and we will see you in Cincy!

By bobby

May 28, 2008 8:35 AM | Link to this

Again and again, Bobby cannot manage a pitching staff. Either he leaves them in too long or pulls them too early. Also, having pitchers warm up night after night and then just pitching to one hitter is idiotic. It takes just as much out of a pitcher to do that as it does to pitch an inning or so.

By Bobby....No!

May 28, 2008 8:57 AM | Link to this

Bobby…No! We have been and will be reliving these situations as long as Bobby is making the decisions. He is the greatest manager in the world to play for, but he constantly makes terrible decisions when it comes to crunch time. When the most logical choice is apparent to everybody in the world, Bobby will allways make the opposite decision. I love him and hate him in the same breath. Bobby…No!

By Jburman82

May 28, 2008 9:22 AM | Link to this

You have absolutely got to be kidding me. Another 1 run road loss. Everybody says it will even out in the long run … but we are 1/3 of the way through the season. I dont know if this will even out or if we are having one of those seasons. It’s getting pretty ridiculous.

By formerplayer

May 28, 2008 9:40 AM | Link to this

The comments of many on this blog are just plain comical. I really like those Cox critics with comments like “doesn’t know how to manage a pitching staff”. Some of you critics of this hall-of-fame manager(I’m guessing you guys may have played Little League)need to list your credentials, and if you are such astute baseball minds, tell us why you are not managing a major league club; after all, the pay is really good. Oh well, guess there are just a lot of baseball geniuses out there.

Let me offer a different opinion(based on experience)as to why Braves are so good at home and not so good on the road. When young, well-paid ballplayers are at home (especially those who are married), their behavior, and what time they get to bed, and what they do after games is far different than it is on the road. When players are at home, there are no bedchecks…and in this day, probably no bed checks on the road. If you think all of these guys are just going to the hotel and ordering room service,then you are mistaken. From my experience, this is the single biggest factor affecting road record vs. home record.

By david

May 28, 2008 9:44 AM | Link to this

please put skip carey out to pasture. he is the worst announcer in mlb.

By Bill D.

May 28, 2008 10:02 AM | Link to this

The Braves hitting on the road is always woeful. They usually get a run or two in the early innings then quit. They make every journeyman type pitcher look like Cy Young. I’m sick of watching this apparent give up attitude .

By bobby

May 28, 2008 10:26 AM | Link to this

Former player, I have probably played as much baseball as you have. As a pitcher I know of what I speak. As far as what the players do while on the road, it is no different now that it ever was. Being young and with plenty of money, they do what young men have always done. I’m sure you did the same, I did. I am not in baseball in an official capacity because I choose not to be. What’s your excuse?

By GaCracker

May 28, 2008 10:28 AM | Link to this

Maybe the Braves need 2 managers: Bobby at home and a road manager. Seriously, I think it is past time for Bobby to go. He showed his stuborness by continuing to play Andrew Jones in the wnd half of the season when he was leaving so many men in scorint position. A manager should graded by his won-loss record in 1 run ball games. Here managing is critical, and Bobby’s record is just awful. The GM should send him the way of Andrew. Get a manager that isn’t so “old school” - lefty/righty unless he has the stats to justify it.

By STRETCH

May 28, 2008 10:41 AM | Link to this

Its mental now folks, i dont know if the players think so, but its gotten mental for me. I got home, turned on ESPN to check the scores and i see the Braves up 2-1 going to the eighth.

At that moment, I said to myself …”watch they find a way to lose.” And miraculously they did. WOW! 6-17 on the road and still losing in the most unbelievable and unimaginable ways. Win atleast 5 of those games and they are sitting pretty good at 33-19.

Heres what have seen so far about these years and past versions of the Braves:

And that my friends is why this team has 1 ring in 14 years of post-season play. They will never win another championship with BOBBY at the helm…NEVER.

By 1eyedJack

May 28, 2008 10:52 AM | Link to this

It’s ok to be aggressive early in the count early in the game to try and take advantage of first pitch strikes, but in the middle of the game or late in the game hitters need to be a little more patient and give their pitcher time to catch his breath. It seemed like Huddy was walking to the dugout and turning around and going back to the mound. Sometimes a first pitch strike is a pitcher’s pitch and not a pitch the hitter can handle which results in a popup or weak grounder to second. Our hitters need to be a little more patient, work the count and look for a pitch they can handle and drive. Bush shouldn’t have lasted 5 innings. We have a bad habit of making mediocre pitchers look like world beaters.

By TBraveFan

May 28, 2008 10:53 AM | Link to this

FormerPlayer After hours activities are much mroe guarded now than they ever were even back in the 90’s… no, you’re right, no bed checks, but did that ever keep Mantle from boozing it up and showing up hungover? No!!

Today there are no such rules for MLB players - they are treated as adults - but there are tons of reporters who would stalk and sell their souls to get the goods on anyone famous — so you better bet most of the guys are not out there partying it up continuously night after night… although I do know of one former fish who may be a tiger but has been known to be totally worthless after a night out at the Peachtree Traven in Atlanta…

But being out til midnight is allowed if you’re over 21 after all…that is NOT the Braves problem on the road…

By KneeJerk

May 28, 2008 12:44 PM | Link to this

The national media and those “in the know” have a good laugh at the expense of those “Bobby needs to go” people. They hide out under a rock when the Braves are playing well, and when Atlanta loses a game, it’s all Bobby’s fault. There’s a reason Bobby is managing a MLB club and the second guessers are hiding out behind a computer monitor.
It’s real easy to second-guess after the game. I’m sure a lot of you were crying for Bobby to get someone up in the pen when Glavine was in early trouble against the Mets. No matter what Bobby does, whether you think he pulls a pitcher too early or leaves one in too long, you find fault with it. Maybe some of you long for the Braves of the 80’s, but I don’t. One of the few consistencies of the Braves from ‘91 to present is Bobby Cox. Every manager makes a mistake from time to time, but I’ve never seen so many armchair managers that think they know more baseball and know his players better than Bobby Cox. Like I said, baseball people laugh at Bobby’s detractors.