Braves, Hudson Lose To Cardinals 7-3

by BenDuronio on Sep 13, 2010 1:31 AM EDT in Braves Game Recaps

After back-to-back wins, the Braves were set to take the final game of the series with ace Tim Hudson on the mound. However, Huddy did not have close to his best stuff tonight and he gave up six runs in five innings. Albert Pujols hit a first inning homer and then another in the fifth, which kick started the Cardinals' onslaught.

The Braves were in the game until the terrible fifth inning. Pujols' homer came with the score 2-1 and the Cards finished the inning with the score now 6-1. Kyle Lohse and Brendan Ryan each had RBI hits later in the inning. Pujols, Holliday, and Rasmus all had two hits in the middle of St. Louis' lineup.

Nate McLouth continued to impress today, which is a positive to take out of a tough loss. McLouth ended up 2-4 with a double and a home run. Jason Heyward also had two extra base hits, both doubles, and Alex Gonzalez went 3-4.

Craig Kimbrel had another solid inning as well, striking out two in a perfect inning. Peter Moylan gave up the only other run of the game in just 0.1 of an inning.

The Braves were fortunate to take one of the previous two games with Chris Carpenter starting in one and the following game going to extra innings. They weren't as fortunate today and got beat by yet another bad pitcher. Their next series is against Washington so hopefully they can add some wins over the next few days.

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the score...tied....2-1....?

"Dirty bird can't fly with a broken wing."

by AllSaintsDay on Sep 13, 2010 1:33 AM EDT reply actions

It should be noted that I say this because I don't really wanna talk about the game

:-(

"Dirty bird can't fly with a broken wing."

by AllSaintsDay on Sep 13, 2010 1:35 AM EDT up reply actions

And the mets finished the inning?

Lol

"Braves fans in the hizzy" -Boog
"Is that like the crib?" - Joe

by GwinnettBraves on Sep 13, 2010 2:01 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

That’s the part that concerned me more… have we phased into an alternate reality where we played the Mets tonight?

…does Jessica Biel have a thing for me in this strange nega-verse…?

/wishfulthinking

by J-Freak on Sep 13, 2010 2:14 AM EDT up reply actions

Yes, she does

But her ass is sort of flat there.

by Sam Jethroe on Sep 13, 2010 2:26 AM EDT up reply actions

Fie on this universe then. In the words of Berkeley Breathed, “Ahead Warp 37 to the wild, loud PLANET OF THE LUSTY WOMEN COMMODITIES BROKERS!”

by J-Freak on Sep 13, 2010 2:49 AM EDT up reply actions

This weekend has been bad for Georgia teams...

But, McLouth and Heyward looked great today. They both seemed to crush every ball tonight. It wasn’t surprising to see Heyward do it, but Nate looked great at the plate and drove everything to the outfield wall.

Morton hit Heyward with an offspeed pitch. Early indication is that the baseball survived the impact.

by award6 on Sep 13, 2010 1:40 AM EDT reply actions

Jason Heyward

is seriously going to hurt someone with the way he’s hitting baseballs. And it’s nice to see Nate really turning it on. If he can hit like this for the next month, it’ll be huge for us.

'Terrible preview...pretty weak, didn't learn anything new. pretty sad." - mastermike

by Scott Coleman on Sep 13, 2010 1:40 AM EDT reply actions

Heyward should hit 3rd

I keep hearing, “The lineup is working as is”

Since when? Since the Braves went 4-6 in their last 10? Heyward is on fire lately and he needs to be coming up with more men on base.

60% of the time, it works every time

by ATLandUNC on Sep 13, 2010 1:44 AM EDT reply actions

That's something I've been banging on about for a while, now.

All it gets me is grief from Cox apologists.

by Sam Jethroe on Sep 13, 2010 1:49 AM EDT up reply actions

facepalm

by Braves Biceps on Sep 13, 2010 1:57 AM EDT up reply actions

How am I wrong?

Don’t you really think Heywoard would do far more damage batting third?

by Sam Jethroe on Sep 13, 2010 2:02 AM EDT up reply actions

Nope. But Heyward might.

Seriously though, with the way he’s smashing the ball, it’s a sin not to bat him third or fourth. He’s getting a ton of hits from the 2-spot with no one on in front of him… imagine if there were, like, I dunno, like POTENTIAL RUNZ and stuff there.

by J-Freak on Sep 13, 2010 2:16 AM EDT up reply actions

His awesomeness

Has earned him another letter in his last name.

by Sam Jethroe on Sep 13, 2010 2:19 AM EDT up reply actions

At least

I finally won the seat upgrade tonight….I’m 1-5 now!

"Baseball is like church. Many attend but few understand."

by kauf67 on Sep 13, 2010 2:07 AM EDT reply actions

OMG did you see Barney?

'Terrible preview...pretty weak, didn't learn anything new. pretty sad." - mastermike

by Scott Coleman on Sep 13, 2010 2:20 AM EDT up reply actions

That was you at the game?

Morton hit Heyward with an offspeed pitch. Early indication is that the baseball survived the impact.

by award6 on Sep 13, 2010 3:37 AM EDT up reply actions

yeahhh

We know when/where Mark Owens looks for the seat upgrade contestants so my fellow season ticket holder and I have been on 6 times. And this time we saw the answer on his sheet….haha

"Baseball is like church. Many attend but few understand."

by kauf67 on Sep 13, 2010 11:28 PM EDT up reply actions

lol, I thought it was kind of a tough question. nice. how were the seats?

Morton hit Heyward with an offspeed pitch. Early indication is that the baseball survived the impact.

by award6 on Sep 14, 2010 5:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Bobby Cox has got to change his lineup. Lightning must be caught in a bottle with McLouth’s current hot streak and Heyward’s bat is too hot right now to be batting second. You’re never going to ask Heyward to bunt, nor is he going to steal a lot. He needs all the RBI chances he can get. Derrek Lee is a black hole in the lineup. Whenever he does produce, it’s nothing but singles. He has only one home run, which was a hideously hung curveball by Wainwright.

I’d say give McLouth his lead-off spot back and move everyone down a notch. Or maybe keep Infante lead-off, plug McLouth in at #2, and knock everyone down. Maybe flip-flop Lee and Gonzalez.

Something must change because the current structure is only good enough to play .500. And with the Phillies and Rockies refusing to lose, the Braves can’t afford to go 9-9 in the last 18 games.

And another thing: just let Matt Diaz and Eric Hinske play LF the rest of the way. Melky is going ice cold at the wrong time and the Braves don’t have enough games left to let him come out of it.

by AnEternalEnigma on Sep 13, 2010 2:54 AM EDT reply actions

re: Derrek Lee is a black hole.

Do you have any statistical premise for stating this? Or is it simply anecdotal? Lee has generally put up good at-bats thus far, that I’ve seen.

"C'mon Chip!"

by DuPu on Sep 13, 2010 8:00 AM EDT up reply actions

Hard to get around 12 GIDP and 17 Ks, slugging under .400 and hitting .267, OPS is .747 b/c of the .350 OBP. And he can’t hit a fastball. That’s just my take on it.

by CharlotteChop on Sep 13, 2010 8:20 AM EDT up reply actions

The direction he is trending toward seems promising to me:

Last 14 days: .333 AVG, .422 OBP, .513 SLG, .935 OPS.

I don’t expect that to maintain for the duration of the season, especially the .400 BABIP during that timeframe. He’s doing a fine job offensively over the past two weeks and though it is a small sample size, well, his entire tenure with the Braves thus far could be declared SSS.

According to baseball-reference Lee has 5 GDP in the past 28 days, which exceeds the amount of time he has been with the Braves. 10 BB to 17 Ks isn’t stellar, but it isn’t bad either. He knows how to take a walk.

Lee is playing well for us.

"C'mon Chip!"

by DuPu on Sep 13, 2010 1:26 PM EDT up reply actions

I see the GDP stat on baseball reference, I picked that up somehow and thought it was while he was playing for the Braves, but you are right. Anyway – i do like his trend and he’s not as much a black hole as some might think, but I think he is doing just ‘ok’ not neccessarily well, except as a defender compared to Glaus IMO.

by CharlotteChop on Sep 13, 2010 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed on Melky.

Coming soon: winningugly visits Atlanta, takes dump in royhobbs’ Braves hat.

by 10-4 on Sep 13, 2010 8:12 AM EDT up reply actions

Anyone else hear the radio broadcast of this game? Don and Jim got to talking about websites they frequent, and Jim said he loved Shanks’ website for feeling out the pulse of the Braves fan community.

And then he mentioned some washed up blog I’ve never heard of called Talking Chop. Seemed to think that was also a great place for Braves fans. Not sure what he was smoking there…

by J-Freak on Sep 13, 2010 3:01 AM EDT reply actions

I was listening to it on and off.

This must have happened during one of those “off” times. My favorite thing tonight was Don saying that today “Freddie can rent a car!” and Jim saying he was sure that was at the top of his to do list.

by Sarahbeth on Sep 13, 2010 3:10 AM EDT up reply actions

Dude...someone HAS to get a transcript or something from tonight's game

that’s awesome if it’s true.

'Terrible preview...pretty weak, didn't learn anything new. pretty sad." - mastermike

by Scott Coleman on Sep 13, 2010 3:57 AM EDT up reply actions

What the hell do you mean “IF it’s true”?!?!? Why would I make that up?

by J-Freak on Sep 13, 2010 10:23 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

because your pants are on fire. that is a dead give away.

by fandave on Sep 13, 2010 11:08 AM EDT up reply actions

I heard it too.

I was getting on here to tell exactly that. And to think, I wouldn’t have heard it if the Braves had actually played a decent ballgame-I woulda have still been at Turner Field and not driving home. Thanks Braves!

Coming soon: winningugly visits Atlanta, takes dump in royhobbs’ Braves hat.

by 10-4 on Sep 13, 2010 8:14 AM EDT up reply actions

Huddy's Got a Tired Arm

The other night, in an interview, Huddy was asked how he felt, how his Tommy-John-repaired arm felt. He said that he felt fine — what else was he going to say?…but he genuinely seemed to mean it. But then, as an aside, he said something about “the innings beginning to mount up.” He’s throwing now not like he’s hurt, but like he’s starting games in the 5th inning instead of the 1st. He’s good enough to push through, but misses up in the zone a lot and tends to give up the big inning. Perish the thought, I know, but I wonder if he wouldn’t benefit from skipping his next start, if maybe, double perish the thought, Bobby ought to start Kawakami in his place and see if we can’t freshen up Huddy for the final push.

by Buddy Holly on Sep 13, 2010 5:44 AM EDT reply actions

Huddy is probably combining a tired arm with regressing to the mean. He survived early in the season with a low BABIP and a fairly low K ratio. He started striking more guys out in August, but now he seems to be regressing to the BABIP mean. Balls in play are falling for hits instead of outs (i.e. the Lohse dribbler for a hit and RBI). Actually, Huddy as a Brave has always been very strong through July then falls off in Aug and Sept. I think this year he just lasted a little longer before starting to tire, which keeps the ball up, which increases the BABIP and ERA. 19 Earned Runs in five starts and 36 hits in 31 1/3 innings. He struck out 13 ini his best start at Florida, but has topped out at 5 in the other four. I think it’s all linked and he’s just starting to wear down. He’s had a great year, hope he can gut it out five or six more times.

by CharlotteChop on Sep 13, 2010 8:04 AM EDT up reply actions

Dear Major League pitchers,

Pitch around Albert Pujols when the division is on the line. Helps your chances. Thanks.

CharlotteChop

by CharlotteChop on Sep 13, 2010 6:21 AM EDT reply actions

Agreed...

The entire series the team repeatedly pitched to and got burned by Mr. Pujols. Why? We are either overconfident, stubborn, or stupid.

I don’t mind losing games, but I hate losing games because we get beat by the opposing team’s best player…Make Matt Holliday beat us…

"You can't print what I said, but they have to catch us." - Chipper Jones

by Jman781 on Sep 13, 2010 7:02 AM EDT up reply actions

On the flip side...

Why pitch to McCann with Derrek frikkin Lee batting behind him?

He is terrible.

Chicken pot, chicken pot, chicken pot pie!!

by HalleyGator on Sep 13, 2010 7:18 AM EDT up reply actions

gah....

no mention or love for the Braves MiLB Future Stars and the division awards they received pre-game??? What a load of talent all in one place!! :-)

by rbravesfan on Sep 13, 2010 8:12 AM EDT reply actions

I totally missed that announcement, and was pissed when we walked into the ballpark and they were honoring the guys on the field. We went last year and got autographs from Heyward, Kimbrel and the like. I sure wouldn’t have minded getting Freddie’s and Teheran autograph.

Coming soon: winningugly visits Atlanta, takes dump in royhobbs’ Braves hat.

by 10-4 on Sep 13, 2010 8:17 AM EDT up reply actions

Kimbrel and Freeman were not in the autograph line, but everyone else was. My pics are not great, I’ll try and put a post together if anyone wants to see them. That late gametime was a killer for us, between the drive and it being a school/work night.

by rbravesfan on Sep 13, 2010 10:00 PM EDT up reply actions