Game 28: Braves 13, Rockies 9
May 6, 2012 at 1:07 am by David Lee under Atlanta Braves
Source: FanGraphs
Game MVP: Michael Bourn, .307
Least Valuable Brave: Mike Minor, -.374
Most Valuable Rockie: Michael Cuddyer, .244
Least Valuable Rockie: Esmil Rogers, -.367
Big swing: Cuddyer’s grand slam in the first inning gave the Rockies a four-run lead, .257.
Mike Minor has allowed 15 runs in his last two starts. His seven runs allowed against the Pirates last time out was a career high, and he broke it one start later by allowing eight against the Rockies.
Chipper Jones has three hits in each of his past three games, totaling two home runs and nine RBIs.
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Great to see Chipper playing as well as he has in years. It’s early on, but I hope he can stay healthy.
I don’t think that having our starting pitchers walk the bases loaded in the first inning every night prior to giving up four or five runs is a sustainable winning strategy.
I’m getting tired of seeing the Braves’ starters being listed as the least valuable. But for the most part, the offense is picking up the slack and the pen is shutting the opposition down.
This was Minor 7th start IIRC and he’s allowed 6 or more runs in 3 of them. Not a good sign.
What else can be said about Larry Wayne Jones? He is going out with a flourish.
Great game, and just wanted to apologize to Tim for calling him a troll, overreaction on my part. MY bad Tim hope you can forgive me.
It most certainly isn’t a sustainable winning strategy. Besides Brandon Beachy, none of the Braves starters has been particularly sharp.
The good news is that the BABIP vrs Braves pitching so far this year is at .328. That’s due to regress some, and that’s why the team FIP is at a respectable 3.60, whereas the team ERA is one of the worst in the NL, and in the bottom 3rd of both leagues combined. Team SIERRA is also respectable at 3.69. I’m somewhat concerned, but it could just be a rough strech for what has the potential to be a very deep and strong rotation.
Note: This was before tonight’s game.
I think we can expect Hudson to regain command and stamina as he continues to pitch, giving the Braves another reliable starter besides Beachy. I can’t blame him too much for giving up a ton of runs at Coors in his second start of the year. However, what were going to get from Minor, Delgado, and JJ who knows. JJ was due to regress, and combined with injury regressed himself into AAA. Delgado has pitched well at times, but made big mistakes in key situations as you might expect from someone his age. Minor hasn’t been consistent either. Hanson I just don’t really know. It seemed to me that he has been relying more on his breaking pitches and he’s paid for it at certain times (like the one game he gave up that 3 run HR after 5 curveballs). However, and this could just be SSS, but I’ve not come up with any data to support this.
Anyone else think that 2nd Heyward blast was a HR? I love seeing him square up the ball. It is a thing of beauty. Its poetic that his run is starting right as Chipper’s is ending. Hopefully he can be the guy for the next 16 years or so.
From the SportsSouth angle I saw the ball dip behind the pole which if it was on the foul line would definitely mean it was a HR, maybe the Umps did not have that view or the advantage of an HD TV less than 2 feet in front of them. Needless to say that ball was hit almost as hard as you can hit a ball.
Why does Heyward keep on getting slighted by Fredi in the lineup? What reason was there to bat Diaz above Heyward?
Diaz seems to always bat 6th and Heyward 7th when their is a lefty pitching. Oh you wanted a logical reason? I dont have one.
Yeah it’s illogical to bat the guy with a career .372 wOBA vs lefties ahead of the guy with a career .312.
The mindless Fredi bashing in these comments is tiresome. Many of the commenters are performing the same subjective analysis Fredi himself is rightly accused of relying upon. There are arguments for batting Heyward higher of course, but pretending there is no countervailing evidence is ridiculous. Get informed.
In that case, bat Diaz 4th
If the Braves are convinced Matt Diaz is again the Matt Diaz capable of putting up those numbers against lefties, they’d be insane not to bat him 4th in our lefty heavy lineup. That is, unless they are worried about righties later in the game, against whom he is below average. Which is precisely why he hits sixth (so Hinske or Francisco can pinch hit in critical situations against tough righties late).
Heyward has had an excellent two weeks followed by a dreadful two weeks. We still don’t know which version of him we are getting. I don’t mind him hitting lower in the order, especially against lefties, until it becomes more clear either way.
I think the “Fredi-Bashing-Arguments” are being made based on the sentiment shared by Philip (from Austin) above. Fans want to see the guy with MVP potential who they want to be the face of their franchise play over a utility outfielder. As much as I respect statistical analysis I think in cases such as these a manager is especially perspicacious if he chooses to play a potential future MVP.
People do overreact to Fredi doing anything. The main reason why is even if Fredi does the right thing, it is usually for terrible reasons. Heyward and Prado both have less than good seasons last year and yet Prado maintains at 2 while Heyward drops?
Batting order construction is, over the long part of the season, still only a minor influence on the team as a whole. Not only that, the Braves have an offense that is quite solid through making it even less of an issue. Pastorynicky is the worst everyday hitter so far at a 95 wrc+? This isn’t the Tigers lineup with about 4 major league hitters in triple A guys. Even despite this, Fredi is still terrible. Him winning games because the team is good does not mean he is good. The team was good in 2010, injuries predominately affected them in 2011 and now they are back to being good. Fredi has virtually no effect in their ability to play. The only thing he does is determine the order they play, and he does it wrong.
I am just glad Bourn is hitting incredibly well so far.
Stop defending him – he is one of the worst in baseball.
Chipper said Moyer accused him of relaying signs from second. He denied it saying it was a matter of integrity. I remember a few years ago there was a big deal about sign stealing in Toronto. My eventual conclusion was that stealing signs from outside the playing area was cheating, but stealing signs from second wasn’t. Can someone help me out here? Am I wrong on this?
It’s one of those things where it’s been done for years and is usually accepted as the norm on the playing field. Someone might want to get sensitive about it, but they’ll get laughed at.
In my opinion, doing it outside the playing field is taking it to another level, and I can’t say I approve of that. You’re including people who aren’t even directly involved in the game.
I think that the difference is between cheating by the rules, and ‘bush-league’ behavior. Stealing signs from outside the field of play is clearly against the rules, but stealing them from second base is not.
However, stealing signs from second is viewed by many players (and other baseball guys) as bush-league. Like yelling “Hah!” at an infielder trying to field a pop-up. Why this is viewed differently from running the hidden-ball trick is beyond me, but obviously I’m not a baseball guy.
What is there to steal? “Psst, it’s gonna be SLOOOOOOOOW!!”
Do the braves need to trade for a starting pitcher? I know that seemed crazy before the season but 25th in the league in era isn’t gonna cut it. And seeing der Lowe do his thing in cleveland doesn’t help
G get Roy Oswald right now for 3 million, if they did, then I’m thinking world series
That’s two issues now with Venters’ shoulder. One in Spring training, one in May. Doubting he gets through the season without a DL stint.
It´s good to see Chipper stirring some shit up. I like that he´s still got some fire. Gonna miss that guy.
I was just as agitated at what Moyer said to Mac in his next at bat…” that kind of stuff will get somebody hurt”. He had to be referring to Chipper meeting him in the tunnel……