CINCINNATI -- Since the All-Star break, the Braves pitching staff has had an uncharacteristically rough go. Entering Sunday night's series finale against the Reds, the Braves had a 6.06 ERA since the All-Star break, which was last out of 30 teams in the major leagues.
Their starters had gone 3-3 with a 6.53 ERA while the Braves went 5-4 overall.
For a rotation that was either right there with the Phillies or leading the majors for much of the first half in ERA, it’s a drop-off. Braves starters are now eighth overall in ERA for the season at 3.52; the Phillies are first at 2.98.
The rise in ERA has a lot to do with the long layoffs Braves starters had over the All-Star break and playing the past seven games in two of the most hitter-friendly parks in baseball: Coors Field and Great American Ballpark.
"Pitching in Colorado isn't easy, then coming and facing these guys isn't easy," Braves starter Tommy Hanson said. "They're two good offensive teams and both these parks are tough to pitch at. I think that has a lot to do with it. If we came here at a different time it might be better, but I think with the break and then coming to a place like this, it makes it a little bit more difficult."
Tim Hudson, Derek Lowe and Hanson went seven days between starts coming into the second-half. Jair Jurrjens and Brandon Beachy went 10 days.
“It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but for us, and our job, I think it’s just throws us out of whack a little bit,” Hanson said.
Eye on Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates have been a great story around baseball this season, and one Brave, in particular, has kept a close eye on their progress.
That's Nate McLouth, who was drafted by the Pirates and made the All-Star team for them in 2008 before they traded him to the Braves in June 2009.
McLouth had an eye on the Pirates-Cardinals game on the Braves clubhouse TV Sunday afternoon, looking up occasionally from his card game to see the Pirates win 4-3 in the 10th inning. With the win the Pirates moved into a three-way tie for first place in the NL Central with the Cardinals and Brewers.
The Pirates (52-47), who open a four-game series at Turner Field on Monday night, haven’t been this far over .500 this late in the season since 1992. When asked if it was fun to see, McLouth said, “It’d probably be a little more fun if I knew more than two people on the team, but, yeah, it is. They deserve it.”
The only players left on the Pirates roster from when McLouth was there are pitcher Paul Maholm and catcher Ryan Doumit.
McLouth thinks a key to their turnaround has been pitching. The Pirates’ 3.42 ERA is fifth in the National League.
"I think they were near the bottom last year and that's turned around," McLouth said. "I know Ray Searage is their pitching coach. He was in the minor leagues every year I was there. He's a great guy, and it's good that he's doing such a good job."
Schafer finger still hurting
Center fielder Jordan Schafer missed his fourth consecutive game Sunday with a jammed middle finger on his left hand, which he injured sliding into second base Wednesday in Colorado.
Schafer is still waiting for the swelling to go down so he can comfortably grip a bat. Schafer took 15-20 swings off a tee on Saturday afternoon and still felt discomfort, so he did not take batting practice. He didn’t pick up a bat at all on Sunday.
“It was OK off a tee, but with any kind of force behind the ball, it’s not good,” Schafer said. “It’s nothing serious but it’s just something that might take a couple days to get better.”
Schafer is still available to play defense and pinch-run. He also said he could bunt if need be.
