Game 21 Recap: Cardinals 5, Braves 3

by gondeee on Apr 30, 2009 8:57 AM EDT in Braves Game Recaps

A tough night at the Ted. A night when nothing really went our way.

"Tonight is the worst luck that I've seen for us in a long time," Braves right fielder Jeff Francoeur said. "Vazquez threw awesome. That's baseball. They got four hits in the same spot it seemed, right over [Braves shortstop Yunel] Escobar's head. Four straight times. They kind of just chinked us to death."

I would support the "chinked us to death" theory.

Javier Vazquez had that one bad inning syndrome thing we had heard so much about when he came over here, though, like Frenchy said, it wasn't like they hit him hard or anything.

We got some runners on late in the game, but couldn't muster a timely hit. That's not surprising, seeing how our offense has performed lately.

I will repeat my insistance that Jordan Schafer move to the leadoff spot. I know he's leading the team in strikeouts, but he's also leading the team in walks. He walked thrice on Wednesday night and finally got on the board with a stolen base. I'm not saying that will solve everything, but that would allow us to move Kelly or Yunel down in the order where they can use their power more effectively, and perhaps that would let Kelly relax.

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clean up

I’m not sure if Schafer is the answer, but I think this series for sure showed us all that Kotch is not the answer. Chip cant get walked four times in a game, thats unacceptable. I also want to think that Mac coming back will be a big boost, but I dont necessarily see him as a great cleanup forever. He’s best 5th.

Schafe stealing that bag last night was great, it was so quick, and against Yadi, and it seemed to make me love that kid even more. If that was even possible.

by traphicg on Apr 30, 2009 9:06 AM EDT reply actions

The worst part about Kotch was that he actually had a great series…5/12 with a walk and 3 XBH…except it seemed liked every single one came with the bases empty. Such is baseball…

by Smoltz's Beard on Apr 30, 2009 9:20 AM EDT up reply actions

Every one except his 3-4 game when his lone out was with the bases loaded.

by BullManUGA on Apr 30, 2009 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Worth a shot

Schaf might not be the answer but w/the way the offense has been lately I say give it a try. Good point on Kotch SB. He’s been one of the productive bright spots on the roster. Just not with RISP. A silver lining in this series has been the dominant pitching from starter to middle relief to closer. The pitching pretty much shut down the big guy (Pujols) in a majority of his bats and Ankiel couldn’t touch the offspeed/breaking stuff last night. It’s a shame the guys can’t get any offense to support their efforts.

by adc62 on Apr 30, 2009 9:34 AM EDT reply actions

Ankiel looked absolutely lost up there against Javy’s offspeed stuff. The Cards announcers made a good point during that 4 run inning…why the hell did Javy throw him a fastball? It was obvious that was the pitch he was waiting for, and he hammered it into RF.

by Smoltz's Beard on Apr 30, 2009 9:57 AM EDT up reply actions

I wondered the same thing too. I was so pissed he threw a fastball.

by Sparhawk on Apr 30, 2009 12:21 PM EDT up reply actions

It is best to ask, Who calls the pitches for him...the dugout...or catcher?

by bravestatoo on May 1, 2009 9:19 AM EDT up reply actions

new batting order please

Why is Matt Diaz starting vs right handed pitchers? I’d like to see Brandon Jones and/or Norton get the ABs in left field vs righties. I’d also like to see Schafer and his .415 OBP leading off followed by Infante or Kotchman then Chipper.

by redwards95 on Apr 30, 2009 9:50 AM EDT reply actions

I agree

Diaz has been making me sick as of late. He seemingly makes his mind up to swing at some pitches before the ball is even thrown

by eaheckman10 on Apr 30, 2009 9:51 AM EDT up reply actions

Splits

Statistically, batting average-wise, Wainwright vs. LHB was better than vs. RHB, so Bobby put in Diaz over Brandon Jones. And Johnson’s slump didn’t help his cause either.

No wonder nobody likes you, Tuttle... everything's a (Pujols) damn debate.

by royhobbs on Apr 30, 2009 9:57 AM EDT up reply actions

He is not a lead off hitter

Mute point….can’t bunt but can knock homeruns…enough said

by bravestatoo on May 1, 2009 9:20 AM EDT up reply actions

Does anyone know what Cox is waiting for. We finally got speed and he is not utilizing it.

by That a boy on Apr 30, 2009 11:14 AM EDT reply actions

I guess he hasn’t realized yet that this isn’t like the teams the Braves had during The Streak where almost everybody in the lineup hit 20+ homers. He’s still waiting for Kotchman and Francoeur to hit a bunch of 3 run homers.

by redwards95 on Apr 30, 2009 12:21 PM EDT up reply actions

The Braves have had a bad month. The bullpen has been pitching better of late, but the hitting has still been cold.

I have a feeling the Braves hitters will heat up soon. Glad April is almost over.

And though I love Diaz’s ability to hit the ball, he seems to be taking a lot of gawd awful swings of late. He’s got to be pressing cause he probably feels like LF should be all his.

by Sparhawk on Apr 30, 2009 12:24 PM EDT reply actions

Yep, Schafer has the OBP for the leadoff spot.

Although, I’m very curious to see how not batting in front of the pitcher would affect his walk total. He has an inordinate number of walks with 2 outs, 9, which I think is definitely attributable to being the 8th batter. Still think it’s worth a shot though.

by Perrinbar on Apr 30, 2009 12:25 PM EDT reply actions

The first week of the season has proven we can score runs, granted it hurts not having Mac in the lineup, but we have simply had terrible luck. How many RBI singles and XBHs have been stolen from us in web-gem type fashion this week alone?

Last night was a great game, and it showed that we were certainly more patient at the plate, even when we were down in the count we were making the Cards pitching staff work. There have been opportunites, and all we are lacking is the clutch hits. I think as the season goes on, our fortunes will change, and those hits will find their way thru

by bravesguy311 on Apr 30, 2009 12:47 PM EDT reply actions

I agree with Gondee about putting JS in the lead off spot and call me crazy, but I’d also like to try Frenchy in the clean up spot. Jeff is batting .326 with runners on and .409 with RISP. Kotchman, on the other hand, is batting .227 with RISP.

Also Yunel needs to move down in the line-up, with the bases empty he has a .295 OBP, as opposed to .371 with runners on and an average of .450 with RISP. My line up would be…

1. Logan
2. Infante (If Kotchman wasn’t so damn slow I think he’d be good in this spot)
3. Chipper
4. Frenchy
5. Kotch
6. Yunel
7. Diaz/Jones
8. Ross

by MatM on Apr 30, 2009 12:50 PM EDT reply actions

We’re facing Mr. Hampton next (please let us pound him). So I’d go:

Schafer
Infante
Chipper
Frenchy
Ross
Diaz
Kotch
Yunel

One day three ducks were crossing the road going to get some soda, they weren't looking where they were going and a bus came along and hit them all and now they're handycapped and that's pretty much it. Handyquacks! And they didn't get their soda!!

by TradeAndruw on Apr 30, 2009 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Why bother? I’d just put these all over the place:

And let him get all paranoid, and probably he’ll take care of the rest for us.

No wonder nobody likes you, Tuttle... everything's a (Pujols) damn debate.

by royhobbs on Apr 30, 2009 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions

lol

by TradeAndruw on Apr 30, 2009 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m still a big proponent of Kotchman in the #2 hole. The guy gets on base, he works pitchers, he hits. Make a change for crying out loud. The Braves have spent the past two years not getting guys on in front of Chipper (and Tex). Chipper and Mac will continue to swing with no one on base.

Shafer needs to be hitting leadoff. Listen, even though the kid strikes out a fair share he can’t be any worse than what we have there. I think Frenchy could be a serviceable #4 hitter while Mac is on the DL. Our offense revolves around Chipper, though. We have to get guys on in front of him, and guys behind him that at least force teams to pretend to throw to him.

by kalesi on Apr 30, 2009 2:02 PM EDT up reply actions

The only thing that concerns me about Kotch that high in the lineup is his complete lack of anything related to speed.

"Ohhhh Shit."-Bobby Cox, 3/28/09

by 10-4 on Apr 30, 2009 3:31 PM EDT up reply actions

It brings up the age old question of…do you want someone who gets on base alot but is slow, or someone who doesn’t get on base as much but is fast hitting in front of your 3, 4, 5 hitters.

I think I’d favor someone who is slow, but is getting on base more often. You’d hope that most of the time he’d be scoring on HR and 2B anyways.

by Smoltz's Beard on Apr 30, 2009 3:36 PM EDT up reply actions

The home depot tools run faster than Kotch he cant be that high in the line up.

by That a boy on Apr 30, 2009 3:33 PM EDT reply actions

Anyone see that Squidbillies episode where they go to a Braves game and watch the tool race?

by TradeAndruw on Apr 30, 2009 4:43 PM EDT up reply actions

The one where they go to court and he tells the judge his name is Awesome Bill From Dawsonville? I love that episode.

by BullManUGA on Apr 30, 2009 4:46 PM EDT up reply actions

DUH DUH DUH

New to posting on this site but on TSN I am “Bravestatooonleg”…The first “DUH”, This year’s first of the season trade Josh Anderson for Barton will become the cause of a few extra checks in the loss box. I am not saying that Shafer needed to be held off the team the whole season….in fact with G.A. on the DL…(Second Duh!) he would have been called up now. I know that what I saw in September last year from Josh; a very good center fielder (over the wall catches included) very very fast on base paths…(needed to learn to bunt better)…. I was not happy with the trade then and now….what we got for him did not address some of our needs….DUH (third one) like we needed another outfielder…..attention walmart shoppers…we have a clean-up need at third base in a couple of years!

by bravestatoo on May 1, 2009 9:14 AM EDT reply actions

Speaking of "duh"

• Josh Anderson was traded for Rudy Darrow, a pitcher.
• Considering the bullpen turned into a bigger issue than expected, getting a potential reliever in Darrow wasn’t a bad preventative move, especially since the risk was losing Anderson for nothing.
• Barton was received for Blaine Boyer, whom also could have been lost for absolutely nothing.
• “Tattoo” is spelled with two T’s in the middle.

No wonder nobody likes you, Tuttle... everything's a (Pujols) damn debate.

by royhobbs on May 1, 2009 9:55 AM EDT up reply actions