Braves Rally Comes Up Short Against Giants, Lose 7-5

by TonyAlmeyda on Aug 17, 2011 10:35 PM EDT in Braves Game Recaps

Did Matt Cain make a cameo in "The Untouchables"? Because that's what he was.

Atlanta's offense was absent for much of the game, but a ninth-inning comeback fell just short against the Giants, losing 7-5.

Jair Jurrjens was making his first start since August 1, and the Giants got to him in the first inning with consecutive doubles from Mike Fontenot and Pablo Sandoval. The Braves tied the game in the bottom of the inning against Matt Cain when two hits and an error loaded the bases for Chipper Jones, and he drew a walk to force in a run.

Outside of that, Atlanta's offense disappeared against Cain. The Braves left two on in the second and wasted Dan Uggla's leadoff double in the third. Cain retired 18 straight hitters after the double in his eight innings of work.

The Giants knocked around Jurrjens in the fourth. Aubrey Huff doubled leading off and scored following two straight singles. After a walk, Eli Whiteside drove in another run with a single. Cain and Cody Ross hit sacrifice flies to put the Braves in a 5-1 hole.

Scott Linebrink gave up two more runs in the top of the ninth, and they turned out to be the difference in the game. Jason Heyward's RBI single with two on off Dan Runzler cut the lead to 7-2; an error on Michael Bourn's grounder scored another. Martin Prado doubled home two more off Jeremy Affeldt with two outs, and the score was 7-5. Unfortunately, Brian McCann struck out to end the rally.

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Comments

Pretty jarring to give up 7 runs to this lineup. Stop giving up on games Fredi…

by Ultada on Aug 17, 2011 10:46 PM EDT reply actions

Frickin Linebrink

We need Moylan back so we can get rid of him.

by crsosa on Aug 17, 2011 10:52 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Linebrink = Proctor lite?

Twitter: @TAlmeyda

by TonyAlmeyda on Aug 17, 2011 10:54 PM EDT up reply actions

to be fair

The guy went on the DL and didn’t pitch for 15 days or so. No rehab assignment just right back in the bigs.

by drumzalicious on Aug 17, 2011 10:57 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Still, this seems to be a common thing with Linebrink. He doesn’t suck as much as Proctor did, but I cross my fingers whenever he comes in. I have more faith in Sherrill than I do Linebrink.

Twitter: @TAlmeyda

by TonyAlmeyda on Aug 17, 2011 11:05 PM EDT up reply actions

I have faith in Sherrill against lefties, but not against right-handed batters. Agree about Linebrink though. He has been lucky to have a ERA of 3.38 with a FIP of 4.19 (before tonight). Obviously he isn’t Proctor but he isn’t good either.

by Ultada on Aug 17, 2011 11:30 PM EDT up reply actions

vs. Sherrill:

LH: .270
RH: .236

Twitter: @TAlmeyda

by TonyAlmeyda on Aug 17, 2011 11:33 PM EDT up reply actions

LOL batting avg.

FIP:
LH: 0.59
RH: 5.82

K/9:
LH: 14.69
RH: 3.45

BB/9:
LH: 0.47
RH: 5.74

by Ultada on Aug 17, 2011 11:38 PM EDT up reply actions

He’s been the best pitcher in all of baseball this season against LHB (in FIP): http://bit.ly/oVGxRz

Incredibly, Kimbrel is 4, Venters is 11, and EOF is 33 (starters included)

Against RHB, Kimbrel is 3rd and poor Cory Gearrin is 11th and sitting in Gwinnett.

by pbrfan on Aug 18, 2011 12:23 AM EDT up reply actions

BABIP:

LH: .452
RH: .229

We can throw stats around all day, but I’d still trust Sherrill more than Linebrink, regardless of who’s batting.

Twitter: @TAlmeyda

by TonyAlmeyda on Aug 18, 2011 12:31 AM EDT up reply actions

You know the BABIP is telling you RHers have been incredibly unlucky while the LHers have been incredibly lucky against Sherrill when they put the balls in play. That’s arguing for my point. Sherill should not be facing right-handers. Linebrink isn’t good either but he is a “better” option against RHers than Sherill.

The only one that should ever be in a high leverage situation is Sherrill against Lefties only.

by Ultada on Aug 18, 2011 1:20 AM EDT up reply actions

High leverage:

Sherrill: .172 avg. .250 OBP .276 slug %
Linebrink: .326 avg. .392 OBP .500 slug %

I’m pretty sure those numbers encompass both lefties AND righties. I’ll take Sherrill.

Twitter: @TAlmeyda

by TonyAlmeyda on Aug 18, 2011 2:48 AM EDT up reply actions

Pretty sure Fredi has mostly used Sherrill well in high leverage spots(as in only against lefties). There have been a few notable exceptions which is why those numbers aren’t better.

Bottom line Sherrill is terrible against RH batters and exceptional against LH batters. The numbers are telling you this explicitly. Don’t blunder by looking at batting average and think Sherrill suddenly has the ability to pitch well to RHers.

by Ultada on Aug 18, 2011 1:26 PM EDT up reply actions

It took 3 months

For them to shed Proctor which means Linebrink ain’t going anywhere. They would rather demote Martinez I fear.

by atlynkhtr on Aug 17, 2011 11:12 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

move freeman/uggla back to 3 & 4 until mac gets it going

by Followed_By_Helly_Sf_Gnat_Bikers on Aug 17, 2011 11:02 PM EDT reply actions

So it begins…

by Ultada on Aug 17, 2011 11:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Go with the hot hand

If your doing it with Heyward do the same with Mac just until he gets his swing back.

by Jay212033 on Aug 17, 2011 11:37 PM EDT up reply actions

no, just put him in the 5th spot

by Followed_By_Helly_Sf_Gnat_Bikers on Aug 17, 2011 11:43 PM EDT up reply actions

or chipper to the 2.

by Followed_By_Helly_Sf_Gnat_Bikers on Aug 17, 2011 11:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Heyward bats 7th

Why not Mac 6th or 7th

by Jay212033 on Aug 18, 2011 12:05 AM EDT up reply actions

That’s when Heyward starts

by Jay212033 on Aug 18, 2011 12:06 AM EDT up reply actions

Linebrink

Of the available options, Linebrink was the best choice for the 9th down 4 runs. Unfortunately he’s just an average reliever, at best. Either Gearrin or Varvaro is more deserving of the roster spot because they can at least generate Ks and groundballs against RHBs, but Linebrink can’t be cut because that would make EOF the “veteran” and that’s just ridiculous.

I’d still like the Braves to pickup a RH setup man at the August deadline. It shouldn’t be expensive, and there will be a number of relievers that are upgrades over Linebrink or Moylan. That move is entirely compatible with Vizcaino pitching up to his potential, but also hedges against the fact that he’s 20. It also hedges against an injury to EOF or anyone else, as the innings continue to pile up for all of them. EOF in particular is a concern.

Moylan has been canonized in his absence, but he’s still a ROOGY. And if he’s back in 2 weeks as they are reporting, that brings him back on or about August 31st. Is that the best use of a playoff roster spot if he hasn’t pitched all season and is coming off major surgery? If they want a ROOGY, they could get a much younger one that hasn’t been hurt this season in Gearrin.

by pbrfan on Aug 17, 2011 11:05 PM EDT reply actions

Isn’t Moylan already eligible for the post season since he pitched in April? Being on the DL doesn’t disqualify him does it?

"First!"...Who gives a damn if you are first

by bighop on Aug 17, 2011 11:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Good point, you have to be on the 25-man roster or the DL on August 31, I believe. So in that case they’d be wise to keep him DL’s until September 1 to expand the number of choices they have for the actual 25-man playoff roster.

by pbrfan on Aug 18, 2011 12:12 AM EDT up reply actions

To be fair...

This Matt Cain guy has some serious talent.

The Pirates are not going to trade Andrew McCutchen - please stop suggesting this.

by Pavy848 on Aug 17, 2011 11:19 PM EDT reply actions

And “JAR” had just came back from the DL.. but still shouldnt have got hit off by that shit giants lineup

by Followed_By_Helly_Sf_Gnat_Bikers on Aug 17, 2011 11:34 PM EDT up reply actions

one more day of having to listen to stupid giants announcers.

by Followed_By_Helly_Sf_Gnat_Bikers on Aug 17, 2011 11:34 PM EDT reply actions

Get Direct TV

Then you can choose the FS South feed and you can listen to Chip and Joe every game. Of course, you’ll also have this stuck in your head for the rest of your days:

Leave on a happy note,
Watching your savings grow
At Food Depot

"You owe it to yourself to be successful. After that you'll owe it to the IRS."

by WienerDog on Aug 18, 2011 8:05 AM EDT up reply actions

i live in california…
i use mlb.tv and fall in the blackout range so im stuck with CSN bay area for this series.

by Followed_By_Helly_Sf_Gnat_Bikers on Aug 18, 2011 4:46 PM EDT up reply actions

As soon as the Giants took that 4 run lead

I posted on Facebook that the Braves wouldn’t have another base runner until the Giant’s starting pitcher was gone. Unfortunately I was right.

If I had a nickel for everytime someone told me I should shutup, I'd probably have 5 or 6 bucks.

by pchaucer on Aug 18, 2011 1:05 AM EDT reply actions

Well.

You shouldn’t sip liquor.
-justincredubil02

no, Jack Daniel is whiskey.
-ChopMaster

"Welcome to the show, Brandon Beachy. I think you’re going to stay a while."

by abraves257 on Aug 18, 2011 1:18 AM EDT reply actions

Doesn’t hurt nearly as bad since we won the first two.

"One thing I’ve learned as a Phillies fan is that a lot of people hate our team and its fans."-commenter on The Good Phight

by Chipper Pwns on Aug 18, 2011 3:23 AM EDT reply actions

That 4th inning was rough…4 hits and a walk before the first two outs were recorded (which were, of course, sac flys)

Giving up 4 runs in an inning isn’t good, but considering that bases were loaded with no outs a couple of times, I’m surprised it wasn’t any worse.

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

by award6 on Aug 18, 2011 8:18 AM EDT reply actions

It's Fredi's fault.

Just thought I’d go ahead & get the obligatory post out there. Someone else can do the “Fire Larry Parrish” & “Chipper needs to retire” post.

"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." Rogers Hornsby

by adc62 on Aug 18, 2011 8:22 AM EDT reply actions

You forgot “send Heyward to AAA” and “move Lowe to the bullpen”

by Broccoman on Aug 18, 2011 8:25 AM EDT up reply actions

Linesuck

"It looks like The Hound of the Baskervilles out there." - Steve Stone
"...I'm reminded of Wuthering Heights." - Harry Caray
~
"Wang, my third at-bat, he threw me a 1-0 fastball that I fouled straight back, and he came back with another heater, which surprised me." - Freddie Freeman

by Chief Noc-A-Homa on Aug 18, 2011 8:31 AM EDT reply actions

Gutsy performance from JJ. You could tell his knee was still bothering him as his pitches were elevated in the early innings, but he just kept battling. He worked long enough to not cause an overuse of the bullpen.

Dammit Linebrink. It always seemed to me that Linebrink and Proctor were the weak links in the bullpen. At least 1 of them in gone. Linebrink isn’t that bad, but he’s now the main weak link in the bullpen.

And it's now my sig
by Bronn on May 17, 2011 4:56 PM EDT

by Sparhawk on Aug 18, 2011 8:35 AM EDT reply actions

Gutsy performance from JJ. You could tell his knee was still bothering him

Didn’t he say the other day that he felt the best he has all season? Guess that didn’t last long…

"You owe it to yourself to be successful. After that you'll owe it to the IRS."

by WienerDog on Aug 18, 2011 8:42 AM EDT up reply actions

He looked like he was spent, to me. Kept waiting for someone to jack a 450 footer.

Rusty, sure. But the stuff wasn’t really there. And then if you add Linebrink into the equation, you’re only going to give up more runs which, ultimately, led to the Loss.

by Chief Noc-A-Homa on Aug 18, 2011 8:55 AM EDT up reply actions