Braves vs. Marlins Series Recap
by Jacob Peterson on Aug 30, 2010 12:37 PM EDT
in Series Previews & Recaps
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PrintDespite the fact that two-thirds of this series was non-competitive (there was a margin of 4 or more runs after 18 of the 27 innings), it managed to be fairly interesting. On Friday, Billy Wagner set the cool-but-obscure strikeout record for lefty relievers, which he immediately dismissed with scorn. On Saturday, Tim Hudson passed the 1,500-strikeout plateau in style en route to a career-high 13 K's. And of course, the Braves rallied from a 5-run deficit on Sunday thanks to atrocious Marlins defense and dramatic homers by Matt Diaz and Brian McCann. McCann's homer was initially ruled a double but was reversed on replay, making it the first walkoff in the history of baseball to be decided by replay (though of course replay has only existed for two years).
Considering how game 1 went, and how game 3 started, for the Braves to come out of this with yet another series win is pretty impressive. After the horrific series in Colorado, they righted the ship quite nicely, I'd say.
Stat of the Series
The Braves have now scored 4.73 runs per game in 2010. That makes them the third-best offense in the NL, which seems hard to believe given all the moaning and groaning that has gone on related to our hitters (both from Braves fans and from outside sources). Clearly, anyone who dismisses this team based on a supposed lack of offense is not looking at the facts.
By the way, the Braves are second in the NL in runs allowed per game, at 3.84. No other team is in the top 3 in both categories.
Awards
Braves' Pitching MVPs
Tim Hudson -- 7 IP, 1 R, 6 H, 1 BB (1 IBB), 13 K, 7/14 GB (50%), 0.113 WPA
Christhian Martinez -- 6 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 0 BB, 4 K, -0.008 WPA (that's some quality long relief)
Braves' Hitting MVPs
Matt Diaz -- 3/6, 2 HR (both off righties), 3 R, 3 RBI, 0 K, 0.573 WPA
Brian McCann -- 5/11, BB, 2B, walkoff HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, 0 K, GIDP, 0.475 WPA
Eric Hinske -- 5/11, 2B, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 K, 0.116 WPA
Jason Heyward -- 4/11, 3 BB, HR, 4 R, RBI, 4 K, 0.011 WPA
(Really, everyone but Rick Ankiel had a pretty decent series.)
Braves' Clutch Plays
McCann's review-delayed walkoff HR (0.469 WPA)
Diaz's game-tying 2-run HR (0.461 WPA)
Marlins' Pitching MVPs
Chris Volstad -- 8 IP, 1 R, 6 H, 1 HR, 0 BB, 3 K, 0.163 WPA (plus a 0.031 WPA as a hitter)
Josh Johnson -- 6 IP, 1 R (0 ER), 3 H, 3 BB, 8 K, 0.106 WPA
Marlins' Hitting MVPs
Hanley Ramirez -- 4/10, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, SB, 0 K, GIDP, 0.219 WPA
Emilio Bonifacio -- 4/10, 2 BB, 2B, 3 R, RBI, SB, K, 0.117 WPA
Logan Morrison -- 2/13, 2 BB, HR, 3 R, RBI, 4 K, 0.123 WPA
Chad Tracy -- 4/10, BB, 2 2B, R, 2 RBI, K, 0.084 WPA
Marlins' Clutch Play
Hanley Ramirez's 3-run homer in the 1st inning of game 3 (0.153 WPA)
For those who voted in the poll in the series preview, the winner is a tie between Hudson and Lowe (each gave up 6 hits), though really you'd have to say Hudson wins the tiebreaker based on, you know, not sucking.
Next up for the Bravos are the Mets, starting tonight at the Ted... Wouldn't a sweep be nice?
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Christhian Martinez
has been great for us this year. I almost want to see him on a more regular basis.
Drinking prune juice.
Will keep him regular. Truth.
"You can't print what I said, but they have to catch us." - Chipper Jones
It is a warrior’s drink, after all.
"My God! Good news fans, the Braves are showing signs of life for the first time in weeks. As a matter of fact, they appear to be beating the crap out of each other."
The clubhouse guy
Is going to have to draw the line at Rokeg Blood Pie. McCann gets into that and it makes him all gassy.
"It was the worst celebration of all time. I got lost in the moment." - Brian McCann
That makes them the third-best offense in the NL, which seems hard to believe given all the moaning and groaning
Yeah our offense isn’t ‘sexy’ but they get it done. You just have to glance at the OPS of the lineup.
1- .828
2- .849
3- .847
4- .860
5- .734
6- (.863/.763)
7- .786
8- .707
with a backup catcher and pinch hitter with OPSs of .780 and .833.
You can see there is no elite 1.000 OPS player up there, but that lineup is patient and will wear pitchers out for runs.
Jason Heyward wins at baseball.
I was SHOCKED to see this...
I had no idea… I am a bad fan… I don’t deserve to be privy to this team’s awsomeness…
Chipper Jones will forever be known to me as the greatest switch-hitter to ever play the game, and Jeff Francoeur should have stuck with football. May the baseball Gods smile kindly upon the Atlanta Braves, I know by now they must be sick of Philly and New York, right?
by HansonManCrush on Aug 30, 2010 1:26 PM EDT up reply actions
THE BRAVES CAN'T WIN THEY HAVE NO CLUTCH OFFENSE AND THE PITCHING SUCKS OH NOZ THE CARDINALS ARE TOO GOOD!!!
Go USA, Braves, BU Terriers, Irish, Caps, Colts, Hoyas, NU Cats, Wizards, DC United, Washington Freedom
BU Hockey: National Champions 1971, 1972, 1978, 1995, 2009
It just blows me away to see comments like
“no clutch offense.” If anything, we ought to be worried that we’re having to depend on it.
i think the problem is
all of our “clutch” seems to come in the 7th inning or later and we waste opportunities before then
by drumzalicious on Aug 30, 2010 1:47 PM EDT up reply actions
…and my concern is that we’re not really hitting the starting pitching — of anybody (ignoring the lone stat-skewing counter-example from Denver). Yes, it’s great that the team pounds either tired starters or a lousy bullpen, but is that enough come playoff time?
[Mets] GM Omar Minaya confirmed to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News that the Mets aren't going to fire any coaches today. July 26, 2010.
"What was more odd than that pitch being low is that Jeff Francoeur didn't swing at it." -- Jim Powell, Aug. 4, 2010.
Very tough choice for series MVP.
McCann hit everything this series, Hudson came up huge and stopped the bleeding, and without Matt’s home run yesterday we would have lost the series.
Wags' quote
’We’re getting our (butts) kicked, it’s raining, let’s go,’
I can see how he felt that way, especially at the time. At the end of what would prove to be four straight losses, any of the really competitive guys in that dugout weren’t going to be in a very good mood. And anyone who thinks that Wags isn’t competitive is clearly missing the boat…
Still, I’m glad that the Braves sent the guy after the ball, because I’m sure it WILL mean something to him 15 years from now. I bet stuff like that will even mean something to a guy like Maddux after a while. ;-)
I had a nice summary...
And then my browser crashed. So, here’s a shortened version:
1. Woo Hoo!
2. Interesting Stats
3. Screw you Phils
4. :-) Wags
5. Sweep the LOLMets
That’s sound analysis right there.
"You can't print what I said, but they have to catch us." - Chipper Jones
Does anyone have
any readily avail stats as to the most team HRs hit from the 7th inn on?
Avalanche fan stuck in Penguin territory.
I think the offense argument has been misunderstood for the most part
I think those of us that are a little concerned are more concerned about what is in our lineup right now and not with how the lineup has done all season.
My general feelings are similar to that of the Reds. They keep winning and they keep getting it done. But I don’t seem to have a ton of confidence in them. I mean, whenever I see Ankiel, Cabrera, DLee, MattyD, etc night after night, my confidence tends to go down, even though they seem to be getting the job done.
"If I have asthma, they won't let me scuba. And if I can’t scuba, then what’s this all been about?? What am I working toward??"
"You look like you should be married to one of the San Diego Padres."
From Elias
Brian McCann’s video-reviewed walk-off homer capped a 7-6 come-from-behind victory for the Braves against the Marlins in a game that Atlanta trailed 6-1 entering the bottom of the eighth inning. It was the Braves’ second win this season in a game they trailed by at least five runs in the eighth inning or later. The other was a 10-9 win over the Reds on May 20. Atlanta won only two games in that fashion over the previous five seasons combined (2005-2009).
Realistically
I know the team’s goal is to win every game, but instead we end up just winning each series 2 of 3.
Seriously when was the last time we swept a team?
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Braves+Schedule
"You can't print what I said, but they have to catch us." - Chipper Jones
Looks like KC… which I guess we all forgot because we were then swept by the Chi sox
by SuperHeyward on Aug 30, 2010 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Braves+Schedule
"You can't print what I said, but they have to catch us." - Chipper Jones
I seem to remember
An announcer several years ago saying that Bobby’s philosophy wasnt to win every game — seeing as that is unrealistic — but rather to win every series. You win 2/3 of the games, you’ll be over 100 wins.
Not a bad (realistic) goal.
"If I have asthma, they won't let me scuba. And if I can’t scuba, then what’s this all been about?? What am I working toward??"
"You look like you should be married to one of the San Diego Padres."
Heyward
Heyward needs to find his groove again. You guys should check out bettorbelieveit.com. The baron capper is killing it
Re: His groove
I think Stella has it now. She’s hoarding them.
"Jason Heyward was a Greek philosopher reincarnated as a baseball player." - Don Sutton
Don't know if the ship is "righted", exactly.....
Game 1 was more of the same from the Rockies series.
Game 2 was a real breakout and we played well.
Game 3 was back to the low-wattage offense for 6-7 innings, followed by a bit of focus and a lot of luck in having an opponent with a bad defense and bad bullpen.
The series win does not prove that we’re back to where we should be. This Mets series will help show whether we truly are going to be a postseason contender — if we don’t take 3 of 4, and pretty decisively at that, I will officially start worrying.
Runs Scored
I love seeing that we are third in the league in runs scored per game. I think people are so hung up on power numbers that they forget that there is no more important stat than runs scored. Its especially true now that the game is no longer infested with a bunch of roided out power hitters.
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