SB Nation User Blog: gondeee

Game 79 Recap: Braves 9, Nationals 8

gondeee — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 02:29:15 -0000

That ended up being a close game, as the Braves closer Rafael Soriano battled some wildness in the ninth inning to get the save after allowing 2 runs to score. But thanks to the newest Braves player, Brooks Conrad, Atlanta had a 3-run lead going into the ninth.

Starting pitcher Kenshin Kawakami struggled through his four-plus innings while throwing a lot of pitches, and was ultimately unable to get out of the fifth inning. Every time Kawa would give up a run or runs, the Braves would come back the next inning and tie it up. The Nats scored 1 in the first, we came back and tied it in the second. They score 2 in the second, we score two in the third. They score 1 in the third, and we finally take the lead in the fourth.

The Nationals tied it in the fifth as Kawakami exited the game. The bullpen kept it close and that allowed pinch-hitter Brooks Conrad to slug a three-run homerun to right field in his first at-bat as a member of the Braves. It was Conrad's first major league homerun. Washington added another run in the bottom of the seventh, but Atlanta got it right back in the eighth.

Nate McLouth was back in the lineup, and looked a little slow in the batters box and in the field, but did end up with a hit late in the game. Martin Prado stays hot with 3 hits on the night, and Chipper, McCann, Escobar, and Diaz all had 2 hits a piece.

Should I even harp on the Lilburn Flash-in-the-Pan? He was 0-for-4 with a strikeout and 6 men left on base, and was again pinch-hit for in a critical situation late in the game.

Mike Gonzalez struck out the side in the eighth and was hopping off the mound after each K, hopping almost half way to the third base line -- he is a funny guy. That reminds me somewhat of Mitch Williams, the closer for the Phillies several years ago, who is now an analyst for the MLB network.

Hey! This is now a 5-game winning streak. Let's keep it going tomorrow afternoon.

Final - 7.3.2009	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Atlanta Braves	0	1	2	2	0	0	3	1	0	9	14	1
Washington Nationals	1	2	1	0	1	0	1	0	2	8	8	1
WP: Boone Logan (1 - 0) SV: Rafael Soriano (8) LP: Jesus Colome (1 - 1)

Complete Coverage >

Open Thread 7/3: Braves at Natinals

gondeee — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:57:41 -0000

More photos » by Charles Dharapak - AP

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Let's see if we can beat the worst team in baseball. I feel confident with us coming off of a 3-game sweep of the Phils, but the Nationals always play us tough.

Kelly Johnson was placed on the DL with right wrist tendinitis, which could explain some of his hitting problems. Brooks Conrad was called up to replace him.

Tonight's game will also tell us if Kenshin Kawakami is all right after getting hit in the neck last week.

Current Series

3 game series vs Nationals @ Nationals Park

Atlanta Braves Talking Chop @ Washington Nationals Federal Baseball Friday, Jul 3, 2009, 6:35 PM EDT Nationals Park Kenshin Kawakami vs Ross Detwiler Mostly sunny. Game time temperature around 80. Complete Coverage >
Sat 07/04		1:05 PM EDT
Sun 07/05		1:35 PM EDT

Atlanta Braves Fan Confidence Poll

gondeee — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:59:16 -0000

If it's Friday, then it's the Atlanta Braves fan confidence poll. This poll and therefore your confidence level should encompasses several areas of the team. These areas include, but are not limited to, the team’s ownership, current management, talent, minor-league system, and general playing ability on the field. The poll will stay open for 48 hours, and then the results will be posted and graphed against the previous weeks.

Game 78 Recap: Phillies 2, Braves 5... OMG a sweep!

gondeee — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:06:53 -0000

More photos » by John Bazemore - AP

Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Mike Gonzalez, left, and Philadelphia Phillies Jayson Werth look for the umpire's call after Werth tried to score from third on a wild pitch in the eighth inning of a baseball game in Atlanta, Thursday July 2, 2009. Werth was out and Atlanta won 5-2.

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I can't believe we actually swept the Phillies. Our little Braves.

Thursday night's game was a typical Javier Vazquez start -- he doesn't give up a lot of runs, and the Braves don't score a lot of runs for him. Only this time, we actually came back to win the game.

It wasn't the top of the lineup like it had been in the previous two games, tonight the offense came from the bottom of the lineup and Matt Diaz and Casey Kotchman. They had 5 hits between them, including a key double by Diaz in the decisive 3-run eighth inning.

After Diaz came through with the tie-breaking RBI, Garret Anderson pinch-hit for the helpless (0-for-3, 2 SO, 3 LOB) Jeff Francoeur and added two insurance runs with his 5th homerun of the season.

Brian McCann, who scored the wining run in the eighth, helped save the Braves from falling behind in the top inning by hustling back to the wall on a wild pitch and then twirling and throwing a bullet to Mike Gonzalez who sacrificed his body to tag out the runner attempting to score. The opposing manager put it best:

"That's momentum," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "They stopped us. ... That turns the whole game, the whole energy, the brightness of it. They're going back in the dugout thinking, 'Man, we dodged a bullet there. Let's go get 'em now. Things liven up.'"

Diaz now has his average up to .299, and with Anderson at a respectable .287, the .248 with no power hitting Francoeur might find himself Kelly Johnsoned out of an everyday role. Diaz and Anderson aren't names that blow your socks off, but either of them are better at the plate than Francoeur.

"If we keep playing with the same errorless baseball and the great pitching and timely hitting, this team's going to be tough to beat," McCann said.

Timely hitting, then Francoeur need not be in the lineup.

But enough about the negative, let's enjoy this win and enjoy this sweep, and let's hope the team doesn't let up when they play the Nationals this weekend.

Final - 7.2.2009	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Philadelphia Phillies	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	2	8	0
Atlanta Braves	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	3	X	5	10	1
WP: Mike Gonzalez (3 - 0) SV: Rafael Soriano (7) LP: Ryan Madson (2 - 4)

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Open Thread 7/2: Phillies at Braves

gondeee — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:12:17 -0000

More photos » by John Bazemore - AP

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Do I dare even say the s-word? We certainly have the right pitcher on the mound, and a guy who watched the Surgeon disembowel the Phillies last night. Hey karma! Our Braves need some of that good stuff you got.

Current Series

Braves lead the series 2-0

Tue 06/30	WP: Peter Moylan ( - ) LP: Chan Ho Park ( - )	5 - 4 win
Wed 07/01	WP: Jair Jurrjens ( - ) LP: Cole Hamels ( - )	11 - 1 win
Philadelphia Phillies The Good Phight @ Atlanta Braves Talking Chop Thursday, Jul 2, 2009, 7:10 PM EDT Turner Field J.A. Happ vs Javier Vazquez Mostly clear. Game time temperature around 85. Atlanta Braves - Philadelphia Phillies: Series Preview posted by gondeee 2 days ago 18 comments \| 0 recs Complete Coverage >

The annual Ultimate Sports Teams list, which ranks teams based on how well they "give back to the...

gondeee — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:03:45 -0000

The annual Ultimate Sports Teams list, which ranks teams based on how well they "give back to the fans in exchange for all the time, money and emotion the fans invest in them," ranked the Braves 27th overall. The Atlanta Falcons came in at 43rd, The Atlanta Hawks landed at 80th and the Atlanta Thrashers placed 108th.

ESPN: Braves are Atlanta’s best (Atlanta Business Chronicle)
Neat. I'm surprised we're higher than the Falcons, what with the South being retarded for football. I mean, jeez, I've gotten two fantasy football invites already -- is football starting up again already?

Game 77 Recap: Philles 1, Braves 11

gondeee — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:45:26 -0000

More photos » by John Bazemore - AP

Atlanta Braves starter Jair Jurrjens works in the first inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies in Atlanta, Wednesday July 1, 2009.

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A lot of good stuff going on tonight. The Braves finally scored some runs for starting pitcher Jair Jurrjens. The Phillies only got 1 hit off of Jurrjens through 7 innings, and that hit didn't happen until the last out of the seventh when former Braves catcher Paul Bako laced a legit single into left center. While the Braves did score 11 runs, Jurrjens was really the story of the night. He walked four batters, but kept the Phillies hitters off balance and used the wind blowing in to get them out in the air (4 groundouts vs. 11 flyouts). He also recorded 6 stikeouts

The scoring got started by the same guy who was the hitting star last night, Martin Prado. After Jurrjens got a hit to left field, Blanco followed with a hit, before Prado laced a double to score two runs and get the Braves on the board. Chipper Jones drove in Prado to give the Braves a 3-run lead. Two innings later, the Braves chased the Phillies starter Cole Hamels, who couldn't get an out in the fifth.

In that fifth inning, the Phillies reliever didn't fare any better, giving up an opposite field homerun to Matt Diaz that drove in the last of Hamels' baserunners. Diory Hernandez added his first major league homerun later in the inning, and received the silent treatment as he entered the dugout -- a sure sign that this Braves team was having fun playing baseball tonight.

Brian McCann broke an 0-for-13 streak (I believe) with 2 hits. Yunel Escobar came off the bench for an RBI hit -- his specialty. Reliever Manny Acosta, slowed last week by the flu bug, pitched the ninth and was dealing, running the ball up to 95 mph. It would be a big boost to our bullpen to get Acosta going -- he could take the place of Jeff Bennett while Bennett is on the DL (and beyond).

Fantastic game! Let's get that sweep tomorrow.

Final - 7.1.2009	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Philadelphia Phillies	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	1
Atlanta Braves	0	0	3	0	6	0	0	2	X	11	14	2
WP: Jair Jurrjens (6 - 6) LP: Cole Hamels (4 - 5)

Complete Coverage >

Open Thread 7/1: Phillies at Braves

gondeee — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:38:44 -0000

More photos » by Rob Carr - AP

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It's July! We survived June without too much damage. The Braves always seem to suck it up in June, at least in recent years. The Surgeon is on the mound tonight against Whole Camels.

Current Series

Braves lead the series 1-0

Tue 06/30	WP: Peter Moylan ( - ) LP: Chan Ho Park ( - )	5 - 4 win
Philadelphia Phillies The Good Phight @ Atlanta Braves Talking Chop Wednesday, Jul 1, 2009, 7:10 PM EDT Turner Field Cole Hamels vs Jair Jurrjens Mostly clear. Game time temperature around 90. Atlanta Braves - Philadelphia Phillies: Series Preview posted by gondeee 1 day ago 18 comments \| 0 recs Complete Coverage >
Thu 07/02		7:10 PM EDT

Braves starter Tim Hudson set to begin rehab in two weeks

gondeee — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:48:02 -0000

More photos » by Gregory Smith - AP

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Atlanta Braves right-handed starting pitcher Tim Hudson is close to taking the next big step in his return from Tommy John surgery. Hudson had the surgery last July 27th, and has been rehabbing ever since, including throwing off the mound in the bullpen recently. The organization has now scheduled him to pitch for Myrtle Beach on July 19th and 23rd. He will then be reevaluated, and could be ready for major league action soon after.

If Hudson's outings in mid and late July are successful, and the club deems him close to returning, this could open up the Braves to trade Javier Vazquez for other pieces that the club needs. I've made the argument several times that Vazquez is our most tradable player (even more than Yunel Escobar), and there are a lot of teams that need to add more starting pitching. The good season Vazquez has had to this point also means that he has likely increased his trade value since coming to Atlanta last off-season, that's more reason that the Braves should trade him if they feel that Hudson can step into the rotation shortly thereafter.

The Braves love lefthanded pitching, and word in Latin America is that they like Dominican power...

gondeee — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:02:30 -0000

The Braves love lefthanded pitching, and word in Latin America is that they like Dominican power lefty Edgar Ferreira this year. Scouts have called Ferreira's asking price exorbitant, but he has a chance to push seven figures with his bonus. The Braves are active in Panama again after signing Panamanian catcher Christian Bethancourt last year for $600,000. They have also been connected to Venezuelan shortstop Humberto Valor, though there's no clear leader for his services.

Baseball America previews the international free agent signing period
We should know by the end of the day or tomorrow who the Braves signed. There seem to be a lot more team in the mix this year than there normally are.

SB Nation User Blog: gondeee

Game 79 Recap: Braves 9, Nationals 8

Open Thread 7/3: Braves at Natinals

Current Series

3 game series vs Nationals @ Nationals Park

Atlanta Braves Fan Confidence Poll

On a scale of 1-to-10, with 10 being "100 percent confident," and 1 being "no confidence at all," how confident are you in the Atlanta Braves organization?

Game 78 Recap: Phillies 2, Braves 5... OMG a sweep!

Open Thread 7/2: Phillies at Braves

Current Series

Braves lead the series 2-0

Atlanta Braves - Philadelphia Phillies: Series Preview

The annual Ultimate Sports Teams list, which ranks teams based on how well they "give back to the...

Game 77 Recap: Philles 1, Braves 11

Open Thread 7/1: Phillies at Braves

Current Series

Braves lead the series 1-0

Atlanta Braves - Philadelphia Phillies: Series Preview

Braves starter Tim Hudson set to begin rehab in two weeks

The Braves love lefthanded pitching, and word in Latin America is that they like Dominican power...