Cardinals Complete the Sweep, Take Care of Braves 6-3.
by moorebraves on Sep 11, 2011 5:07 PM EDT
in Braves Game Recaps
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The Braves fell to the Cardinals yet again at Busch Stadium this afternoon for their seventh straight loss. Similarly to last night, the Braves fell behind and just couldn't quite claw their way back. This afternoon's 6-3 loss falls on Tim Hudson and moved the Cardinals to just 4.5 games back in the wild card race.
The Braves' loss was facilitated by a five run Cardinals third inning. Hudson allowed the rally behind two hit batsmen, two walks, and two hits in the inning. The second of those two hits was a liner into the right field corner off the bat of Yadier Molina and cleared the bases for the Cards. The Braves proceeded to spoil a big opportunity in the next half inning. With the bases loaded and one out, Eric Hinske struck out and David Ross hit a fly ball that Lance Berkman handled to end the threat.
St. Louis tacked on another insurance run in the fifth when Matt Holliday singled up the middle, just out of the diving reach of Jack Wilson and Dan Uggla, scoring Jon Jay. The Braves were able to score a couple of runs when Jack Wilson's and Chipper's singles to lead off the inning resulted in runs with the help of a Freddie Freeman base hit and a Matt Diaz sac fly. Chipper hit a solo homer just out of the reach of Lance Berkman in the eighth, but the three runs were all the Braves could muster, as they fell 6-3.
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Our worst fears feel as if they are slowly becoming true
Now Huddy has become unreliable lately. I dont even feel comfortable with him starting game 1 in any play-offs. If there are any.
I posted this at the end of the last thread and wanted to drop it here…
A disturbing trend…
Looking at more than just this year, there is a trend developing with this team over the last few years that is very disturbing to me. If we are going to rise to being an elite team again, these need to be corrected and I hope that it is something that is noticed…..
1. The offense is way too inconsistent and seems to play below their talent levels.
2. The offense cannot hit lefties even though we have a reasonably balanced line up.
3. The offense plays down to their competition level.
4. The offense always has problems with pitchers they have never faced even if they arent very good.
5. The offense cannot execute fundamental offense very well (bunts, sac flys, getting guys over)
6. The pitchers dont pitch deep into games. Our veterans dont, and our young guys dont. This causes an over use of the pen burning out our best arms. The Pen should be something you go to to relieve your pitcher, not as standard procedure every game.
7. The team seems to lack consistent fire and passion throughout the year. I am not saying they are not passionate, but it has trouble showing. I have actually read in several places throughout the recent years that we are considered a very plain and boring though good baseball team.
Look I know no baseball team is perfect. But these are a number of serious trends that I have noticed over the past few years that I think cause us problems. Some of these trends are more recent, and some have been going on for years.
This is not meant to be a negative post to bash the team. I am curious as to what you all think.
You guys are missing the bigger pitcure
Nance Worley took the loss today….
In all seriousness, this is troubling. We’re still in good shape and will be in better shape once they take care of the Marlins. Call me crazy, but it does look like we have the pitching advantage in at least 2 of the 3 upcoming games, despite all 3 being rookies. The Marlins are coming off a sweep of the Pirates, so they’re due for some losses.
I’ll be worried if the Marlins crush us. Until then, this is another valley to our peaks.
The Pirates are not going to trade Andrew McCutchen - please stop suggesting this.
It's a pretty big valley
Our pitching seems to be falling apart at the worst possible time. The Braves are just looking tired out there. If they make it to Oct, they’ll be hobbling in & what’s the purpose of that?
worst possible time would be in October
we are fine for now, still up 4 1/2 games with 15 left to go, we could be in a much worse position, most teams have had a bigger “Valley” than losing 3 in a row, so I’m not too worried
Chopmaster: my link is my dad who has watched the braves since I don’t know. he’s 56.
I am worried
Baseball, as well as other sports, is subject to momentum. Ours is not toward winning. Losing back to back three game series is seriously not good.
That's the thing about baseball, no time clock. Anything is possible until the last out.
by BravesFaninAZ on Sep 12, 2011 12:22 AM EDT up reply actions
What if the team is simply not pressing as hard and trying to get rested while playing? October will come and they’ll rock.
The Pirates are not going to trade Andrew McCutchen - please stop suggesting this.
by Pavy848 on Sep 11, 2011 11:50 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Another rough losss....
About the only thing good I can say about the last 10 games or so is that we are competing other than the 9-0 philly game. We just need a bounce here or a bounce there and we could have gone over .500 in those games. Other than leaving RISP and not being able to get past the 5th with our starters we are still fighting in those games. We just need to quit going behind early…it’s killing us.
The Braves fell to the Cardinals yet again at Busch Stadium this afternoon for their seventh straight loss
Not counting that doubleheader in NY I guess.
by EastFallowfield on Sep 11, 2011 5:15 PM EDT reply actions
Oh ok, it probably makes more sense to put it the way you did just now….
by EastFallowfield on Sep 11, 2011 5:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Next time I see a cardinal in a tree, I’m going to wish I had a shotgun. I don’t know if I’ve ever been this angry over a regular season game before.
Twitter: @TAlmeyda
We have to make the playoffs....
I just bought my division series tickets….and I am flying from philly to see the games!!
Not quite 7 straight—3 to the Philiies, then 2 wins against the Mets, then 3 to the Cardinals.
We also won the last game of the Dodgers series.
With that said, I’m sickened and disgusted by this team. Braves baseball has been a huge part of my life since 2001, and every year I watch every game that I reasonably can, which amounts to about 150-160 games a season. I have never seen a team be so sluggish, and seem to care so little about playing. I know some of it is just me being angry, but I almost feel like they’re seriously disrespecting the game and the uniform with the way they’re “competing” (read: not at all) out there. That same part of me feels like it wouldn’t be a huge deal if we complete a collapse and miss the playoffs—because it should go to teams that care about being in it.
Again, I’ve been with this team in great years and in bad years, but I’ve never seen them look like they care so little. I know this is probably just a compounding of my frustration with Fredi in general, but I wonder if the team would have ever dreamt of pulling this crap with Bobby at the helm. We had plenty of comfortable leads in the early 2000s and never went into full crappy autopilot before. And the fact that Fredi’s own managerial decisions signal to the team that he doesn’t care can’t be helping their motivation.
And the fact that Fredi’s own managerial decisions signal to the team that he doesn’t care can’t be helping their motivation.
This is pretty much the most ridiculous statement I’ve ever heard. I know it sucks, but let’s not take our hatred of Fredi to the point where we tie the result to his level of caring…
by TBuzz on Sep 11, 2011 5:36 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
In Game 2 against the Phillies, with the team having come back to score runs twice after falling behind, Fredi put C-Mart in a game instead of EOF, who was warm and ready.
As soon as that happened and C-Mart allowed runs, the offense went to sleep, despite putting up great at-bats and scoring runs earlier in the game.
I know it’s just one incident and exogenous factors were obviously also in play, but it’s not that ridiculous.
by Ivan the Great on Sep 11, 2011 6:42 PM EDT up reply actions
You’re reaching dude, and frankly a lesson in Causation vs. Correlation would be in order…
by TBuzz on Sep 11, 2011 6:55 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Hrrm....
“I know this is probably just a compounding of my frustration with Fredi in general, but I wonder if the team would have ever dreamt of pulling this crap with Bobby at the helm.”
Like last year?
by Undocorkscrew on Sep 11, 2011 5:38 PM EDT up reply actions
Eh
I feel like last year was due more to injuries piling up, but there were certain games where a lack of enthusiasm seemed to be the problem. With that said, the same team that people said “just didn’t seem to care” played their heart out in last year’s NLDS.
If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there are men on base. ~Dave Barry
by -InsertWittyNameHere- on Sep 11, 2011 6:47 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Injuries piled up to the rotation right now.
At least we have depth, but I’d rather have Hanson/JJ out there then a not-ready Delgado (he isn’t ready yet, he’s close and gonna be real good, but needs a year at AAA) and a rookie Teheran.
JJ has been having an awful second half.
That's the thing about baseball, no time clock. Anything is possible until the last out.
by BravesFaninAZ on Sep 12, 2011 12:34 AM EDT up reply actions
Unfortunately, this didn’t happen last year.
Last year’s September series:
Win 3 of 4 (Mets)
Lose 2 of 3 (Marlins)
Lose 2 of 3 (Pirates)
Split 4-game set (Cardinals)
Lose 2 of 3 (Nationals)
Sweep 3-game set (Mets)
Get swept in 3 games (Phillies)
Lose 2 of 3 (Nationals)
Sweep 3-game set (Marlins)
Lose 2 of 3 (Phillies)
The team was playing even better before heading into September, and we now have a 3-6-1 series record. Last year, overall, we went 13-14 in September, after an 18-11 August. This season, the team is 4-7 in September after a 17-9 August. The 4-7 pace is much worse than the near .500 pace from last season.
by Ivan the Great on Sep 11, 2011 6:49 PM EDT up reply actions
This is what I am worried about
The players keep talking as if there is nothing to worry about, we have the wild card in the bag. Ridiculous. We could so easily blow the wild card lead now. Even ONE win in St. Louis would have made a HUGE difference. Alas, it was not to be. Now we are on a downward slope., and the Cards are flying. It doesn’t look good.
I don’t share the “Fredi doesn’t care” sentiment, though. In fact, I think it is absurd. It is not about caring, nor is it about the team caring. Caring is not the problem. It is a sports thing, hard to put your finger on. Somehow, they gotta figure it out.
That's the thing about baseball, no time clock. Anything is possible until the last out.
by BravesFaninAZ on Sep 12, 2011 12:40 AM EDT up reply actions
I'm not overly concerned.
This same slide happened last year, and we ended up making the playoffs. And we probably would have made the NLCS had it not been for Conrad’s errors and the blown call at second base.
My dad taught me how to make meat for sloppy joes and my mom let me turn over hot dogs on the grill.
by ChopMaster on Jun 25, 2011 7:25 PM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Jun 28, 2011 9:50 PM EDT reply actions
by ChopMaster on Jul 2, 2011 12:53 PM PDT
We ended up making the playoffs by about a hair’s breadth. That’s not really that awesome.
by Ivan the Great on Sep 11, 2011 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions
We'll make it in much easier this year.
My dad taught me how to make meat for sloppy joes and my mom let me turn over hot dogs on the grill.
by ChopMaster on Jun 25, 2011 7:25 PM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Jun 28, 2011 9:50 PM EDT reply actions
by ChopMaster on Jul 2, 2011 12:53 PM PDT
last year
we also had Hudson, Hanson and the good Lowe starting . . . .
by drumzalicious on Sep 11, 2011 9:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Also...
You guys are acting like we are the worst team in the league. We still have a 90% chance of making the playoffs.
My dad taught me how to make meat for sloppy joes and my mom let me turn over hot dogs on the grill.
by ChopMaster on Jun 25, 2011 7:25 PM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Jun 28, 2011 9:50 PM EDT reply actions
by ChopMaster on Jul 2, 2011 12:53 PM PDT
And a 95% chance of exiting quickly.
'There are two pains in life. There is the pain of discipline and the pain of disappointment. If you can handle the pain of discipline, then you'll never have to deal with the pain of disappointment,'- Nick Saban
I'm worried
NOW! Get it together Braves
by PhuckthePhillies on Sep 11, 2011 5:29 PM EDT reply actions
Time to at least glance at the panic button. The worrying bit is that the Braves were swept by an inferior team. 6 homes games left against the Marlins and Mets, and 6 on the road against the Marlins and Nats are why the playoff simulations have the odds at 90%+.
The Brewers and Red Sox have been struggling a ton lately too
Red Sox just 3.5 up.
It’s a long season and good teams sometimes struggle. Still, I’d be shocked to see the Braves miss out on the playoffs.
by Undocorkscrew on Sep 11, 2011 5:34 PM EDT up reply actions
An inferior team?
The Cardinals are the best offensive team in the league…they lead every offensive category that matters. I would hardly call than “an inferior team.”
by Aaron Meier on Sep 11, 2011 6:56 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Can't expect the Cardinals to keep that up though
And they’d basically have to do that in order to catch up. I know their schedule is pretty easy, but I can’t see them maintaining that rate.
Braves just need to win some series.
by Undocorkscrew on Sep 11, 2011 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions
The Braves know...
…they can play during football season, right? In fairness, UGA and the Falcons don’t know that either (0-7 including the preseason).
Woo!
"Don't go ninja'n nobody that don't need ninja'n!" ~ Kung Fu Hillbilly.
by Jman781 on Sep 11, 2011 5:47 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
The reality may be
the Braves are really only a mediocre team that has had flashes of brilliance. Nah, man did we pick a bad time to go into a funk. Got to have shift in momentum if we are to have a prayer in the playoffs. We made the playoffs on the last day last season, after having something like an 8 game lead on the Phillies. If we back in to the playoffs this year instead of storming in to it, expect another early exit. This offense has all the pieces to be brilliant, but relying way too much on our starting pitching, and it is starting to show. This is the caliber of team we will be playing against in the playoffs, if we cant beat them now, how are we going to then? Somebody needs to slip some steriods in our line-ups cheerios.
"I Farted" - Me, everday
Maybe it's just the wine talking, but
gfsdihafodsi hhfdaoishdcan hyosifhozsfh afhooih yoihn
Also, I have made some killer lasagna 100% from scratch (okay, I didn’t make my own cheese). Y’all are all welciome for dinner’
Every Year......
……….except for the year they won it all under Bobby….it seems the evil fairy baseball godmother on September First sends out a team of pixies to sprinkle “Can’thitworthaflip” dust on all the Atlanta Braves’ baseball bats (the WS win year was really no exception, they managed to overcome it somehow). Seems an old medicine man related to Chief Nokahoma stood her up on a blind date. And payback’s a bitch. Two things can ALWAYS be counted on in late season Brave’s baseball….a fried/abused bullpen and no hitting. It’s a family tradition.
It is frustrating now, but I still think we’ll nab the WC. I do wonder if the front office will release Fredi barring a WC collapse?
"Whatever happens, happens. I'd let the boys in Vegas know if I knew." -Maddux
Just a thought...
This may sound crazy, but could we actually be witnessing the birth of… dare I say it?…
The Cox Curse? D:
Here is the deal….we control our own destiny….its ours to lose at this point…..I can almost guarantee there was or will be a players only meeting where chipper will get in the ears of everyone and have them man up or get ready to watch the playoffs….this team is too good and remember st Louis will have to play flawlessly in order to catch us barring a complete collapse which WILL NOT HAPPEN…..go Braves!!!!
by CaptainLou02 on Sep 11, 2011 7:18 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
In the Phillies/Cardinals series, can I just wish for a meteor to strike? No way will I root for either team to win.
Twitter: @TAlmeyda
This could easily happen.
The Braves gotta start playing their hearts out.
That's the thing about baseball, no time clock. Anything is possible until the last out.
by BravesFaninAZ on Sep 12, 2011 12:45 AM EDT up reply actions
Damn John Jay!
Damn anyone who will not put a candle in their window and stay up all night damning John Jay!
I see great things in baseball. It's our game - the American game. It will take our people out-of-doors, fill them with oxygen, give them a larger physical stoicism. Tend to relieve us from being a nervous, dyspeptic set. Repair these losses, and be a blessing to us. ~Walt Whitman
I'm glad we lost
maybe it will light a fire under this team and they will play like they are capable.
Cardinal fan here...
whose lived in Buford for the last 3 years, during which time the Braves have grown on me. I went into this series with very ambivalent feelings. Since the Cards came into it with a 5% chance of making the playoffs, and the Braves with the polar opposite 95% chance of making the playoffs, I figured it really wasn’t going to make a difference for either team. And, statistically, it only changed the probabilities by about 2-3%. My fellow Cards fans who feel like we’re “back into it” now are deluding themselves. Going 15/3 from here on out with 4 games left in Philly is never going to happen. All the Braves have to do is play .500 ball from here on out & it’s going to be impossible for the Cardinals to catch them.
The Cardinals were inferior to the Braves in the first half of the season when their bullpen couldn’t hold a lead. But since the bullpen issues have been fixed, I think these two teams are fairly even. But the Cardinals just have too much ground to make up now.
As for today’s game: if you think the Braves look like they don’t care at least Hinkse was giving it his all!
But, I was about to throw something at the TV when it was obvious Hudson was going to walk Berkman in the 3rd inning & neither McCann nor McDowell were making a move to go out the mound. Just walking out there to give him a breather might have gotten him out of that “I can’t throw a strike” groove.
Still, I’m not worried about the Braves. They’re going to make the playoffs, and I think they even have a reasonable shot at beating the Phillies in a 5 game series. It’s baseball. Anything can happen once you get to the playoffs. Any Cardinal fan who remembers 2006 can tell you that.
Can’t blame anybody for being frustrated by John Jay’s awesomeness, but, please people, let’s not hate on players just because they’re on the other team & they’re awesome. There are enough jerks out there to hate on for being jerks, if that’s your cup of tea. But Jay’s one of the good guys.
I think the larger issue is the team needs to be playing better baseball heading into the playoffs – we are not playing consistent good baseball in any facet of the game.
by bravesfaninchitown on Sep 11, 2011 10:44 PM EDT reply actions
Since blowing the lead to the Cubs, (2nd game) this team fall apart. Wish they could put all back together. The young kids (rockies) are working hard to the mound, they looks like more determined to win more ballgames. Go braves!!!!
by Braves.14 on Sep 11, 2011 10:56 PM EDT via iPhone app reply actions
This has been overlooked.
It was posted above that someone would rather see our “aces” start than Delgado or Tehran. Not me. Right now, it is the rookies who are outshining the veteran pitchers. Let Minor and Beachy take the lead, particularly Beachy. JJ simply cannot find his groove. Lowe is not cutting it. I think Hudson and Hanson will be all right, or at least I hope.
That's the thing about baseball, no time clock. Anything is possible until the last out.
by BravesFaninAZ on Sep 12, 2011 12:50 AM EDT up reply actions
Just be happy to have to deal with this problem. You could be fans of the Pirates, Royals, Orioles and Cubs.
The Pirates are not going to trade Andrew McCutchen - please stop suggesting this.
by Pavy848 on Sep 12, 2011 12:23 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Okay, you got me there.
Ours is a MUCH better problem to have than those teams.
That's the thing about baseball, no time clock. Anything is possible until the last out.
by BravesFaninAZ on Sep 12, 2011 12:51 AM EDT up reply actions
Get real people
If you think our guys don’t care if the team wins or loses, don’t care if they play good or bad, you’re wrong. Do you really think they want to look foolish at the plate, terrible on the pitching mound, or lazy in the field? It’s been a long hot summer, players go in slumps, pitching arms get tired, nagging injuries catch up with them, balls get hit right at the opposing fielders, balls take a bad hop, this is part of the game of baseball.
If a player doesn’t want to play a game all he has to do is come up with a phantom injury, or claim he has a flu bug, and he can ride the pine that day.
I’ll admit, the games of late have been frustrating to watch. At times, as boring as watching paint dry, but that’s part of a long season of baseball. C’mon guys lets come together as a fan base and cheer our team into the playoffs, and beyond!
Twitter:Hey_Jude18
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