I watched in frustration Monday after the Braves lost their opener 2-0 to the Brewers.
Obviously not much offense -- I know it's early but Uggla and BJ Upton picked up where they left off last season, going a combined 0-for-8. Hey, Uggla didn't strike out (BJ did -- twice), so I guess that's a positive.
The other positive was that Teheran pitched reasonably well -- two runs, seven hits and one walk in six innings. The bullpen was flawless.
Still, you have to score runs to win and the Braves didn't do that.
Making it worse, the Nationals -- clearly the Braves most dangerous rival in the division -- survived a terrible start by Strasborg and some shaky bullpen work to beat the Mets in extra innings.
Amazing the difference it makes when you score runs.
-- Pumped for the Yankee opener tonight. I want to go on record as saying that I have high expectations if this team stays healthy. I realize that's a huge 'if' -- few teams have as many fragile players -- but if we can keep most of them on the field for most of the season, I think this is a playoff team and a contender in the toughest division in baseball.
I was going to answer that I expected him to get off to a slow start (he had a terrible spring), but regain form about June or so.
Then he goes out and gets two hits (and an RBI) in the opener.
Still, a disappointing debut as Sabathia gave up six runs in the first two innings to the Astros and the Yankees lose 6-2.
At least the Braves bounced back from an opening loss for a 5-2 win in Milwaukee as Freddie Freeman hits two home runs and goes 3-for-3. Even Uggla got two hits, although BJ Upton now is 0-for-8 with four strikeouts. Nice start by Alex Wood.
Ramos has to be one of the more snake-bitten players I can remember in recent times. Two years ago, the ACL. Prior to last year, kidnapped and held for ransom in his native Venezuela. Then, two hamstring strains that cost him about a third of the season. And now he goes down on opening day. If the guy didn't have bad luck, he wouldn't have any luck at all.
Everyone in the organization speaks so highly of him, and the Nats' staff has performed considerably better with him behind the plate over the last two years than they have with the alternatives. Hopefully, Lobaton can live up to his rep as a good defensive catcher who handles pitchers and frames pitches well.
JBDuke
Andre Dawkins: “People ask me if I can still shoot, and I ask them if they can still breathe. That’s kind of the same thing.”
I know it can't last, but in Milwaukee this afternoon, the Braves and Brewers have played five innings and nobody has a hit -- on either side.
Aaron Harang for the Braves and Matt Garza for the Brewers have given up one walk each ... that's it.
Check it out.
Amazed to get a start like that from a journeyman such as Aaron Harang. He's only in the rotation due to the injuries to Medlin, Beachy (both on the 60-day), Minor and Floyd (both on the 15-day).
I'll take it though -- the key for the Braves is to hang tough until they get their frontline pitching back. Three solid starts so far. David Hale (with 11 career innings to his credit) due to start Friday. I don't have a clue who the No. 5 guy is right now. I thought it would be Santana, but he's in the minors. I guess Teheran will be ready Saturday and Wood on Sunday.
BTW: Two great catches by Heyward in right ...
Looks like the Angels are primed to waste another year of Mike Trout's excellence. He's off to a great start with a .400/.500/1.000 line through 3 games. The rest of the team, as a whole, is hitting .151/.187/.233. And the pitching staff chipped in to give up 26 runs in three games, at home, to the Mariners. As bad as the starters were - 6.88 ERA - the bullpen was worse, giving up 12 runs in 10 innings and surrendering 5 home runs (again, to the Mariners) in what is supposed to be a pitchers' park.
Yes early season and yes small sample size, but what an awful, awful start to the year.
Just be you. You is enough. - K, 4/5/10, 0:13.8 to play, 60-59 Duke.
You're all jealous hypocrites. - Titus on Laettner
You see those guys? Animals. They're animals. - SIU Coach Chris Lowery, on Duke
A three-hitter from the Nats' staff last night as the whole team looked good in a 5-1 win over the Mets. Top 3 hitters went 8-15. Gonzalez pitched 6 innings, gave up 3 hits and 1 ER, and provided some of the offense as well by going deep - the second year in a row that he's homered in his first start. The only starter that didn't get a hit was Harper, and he threw out Miguel Tejada at home.
One more against the Mets this afternoon - Jordan Zimmermann vs. Zach Wheeler. Then home for the weekend and the Braves. I'll be at Saturday's game to see Strasburg vs. Teheran.
JBDuke
Andre Dawkins: “People ask me if I can still shoot, and I ask them if they can still breathe. That’s kind of the same thing.”
Well, he probably has at least 10 or 12 years of excellence left in him so it ain't that big a deal
Meanwhile, Craig Kimbrell is on pace for 108 saves. I think that would be a record (and would also cause his arm to fall off) ;0
-Jason "early season MLB, where stats are almost meaningless" Evans
Why are you wasting time here when you could be wasting it by listening to the latest episode of the DBR Podcast?
When does their Major League schedule start? Geesh, we're looking bad - 30 some odd Ks in 2 games? Grandy 0 for the season with like 6 or 7 Ks. Ouch.
It's RUBEN Tejada...and Collins claimed that he didn't understand the new rule and could have run the catcher.
God, we are bad. As a pundit said (after the Alderson claim of a 90 win possibility): The Mets may win 90, but only if the season is extended to 200 games!
JBDuke
Andre Dawkins: “People ask me if I can still shoot, and I ask them if they can still breathe. That’s kind of the same thing.”
Nats Sweep.jpg
Woo hoo!
JBDuke
Andre Dawkins: “People ask me if I can still shoot, and I ask them if they can still breathe. That’s kind of the same thing.”
The Barves avoid a sweep by the Nationals with another better-than-they-deserve pitching effort. Saturday and Sunday's losses will now only leave them two games back when they finally open home play next week.
The Cubs have sole possession of last place in their division. That didn't take long.
The Braves' pitching just astounds me. Down three starters, they plug some fill-ins and leftovers into the rotation, and get amazing performances. David Hale makes his third major league start ever and shuts down the Nats for six innings, handing the game over to perhaps the best bullpen in the majors.
Now, the Nats helped out by making some really boneheaded base-running decisions and the umps may have helped out with a questionable call on a "trapped" ball, but still - give the Braves' staff the credit, and the offense did just enough to win it.
JBDuke
Andre Dawkins: “People ask me if I can still shoot, and I ask them if they can still breathe. That’s kind of the same thing.”