The news was depressing.
Tony Gwynn, one of the greatest hitters of all-time, passed away from a long battle with cancer. 31 years ago, Gwynn made it to the majors less than a month before I was born. Of all of the hitters I have watched since I began to follow baseball, Gwynn was the greatest natural hitter I have ever been fortunate enough to watch. As a Braves hitter, Gwynn was one of the few guys I could never feel bad about. Oh, he went 3 for 5 with a key two-out double in the 8th off Mike Stanton? Well, what are you going to do?
This is a Braves blog so I'm not going to focus on his hitting ability or how he once was a tremendous base stealer. Instead, my goal is to focus on what he did against the Braves.
Over his career, Gwyn hit .352/.397/.479 against the Braves. Of teams he faced at least 100 times, the OPS is the third highest and the 316 hits he had against the Braves ranks as the second most he had against any team. He had three more doubles (54) than he had against the Pirates for the most in his career and he only stole more bases against the Astros (46 SB to 39) Amazingly, at least to me, in 975 PA, the Braves never hit Gwynn. They did walk him intentionally 22 times, a mark bested by only the Dodgers. He only played in 14 games at Turner Field, where he hit .327/.389/.531 with a pair of homers. At Atlanta-Fulton County, he hit .360/.413/.477 with 39 walks to 8 strikeouts. I feel like that needs to be repeated. THIRTY-NINE WALKS to EIGHT STRIKEOUTS! Are you kidding me with that?
We always hear about what Gwynn did against Greg Maddux and it's worth discussing. Maddux never struck out Gwynn in 107 PA. Gwynn actually gave Maddux two outs via sacrifices, but he still murder-balled Maddux .415/.476/521. Gwynn was walked 11 times, including seven times intentionally. But Maddux wasn't the only long-time Brave Gwynn handled. He hit .303/.337/.404 against Tom Glavine with 2 HR. Yeah, it may not be Maddux ownage, but Gwynn still didn't have many difficulties with Glavine. Gwynn destroyed John Smoltz, though, slashing .444/.467/.694 against Smoltz in 75 PA with 2 HR. Of his 3,084 strikeouts in the majors, only one came against Gwynn.
It goes on, of course. Against Pete Smith, Gwynn hammered him .375/.412/.604. Kent Mercker had a little more success, though Gwynn still slashed .282/.333/.513. Former young star Steve Avery gave up 10 hits in his 30 PA against Gwynn while walking him twice. Charlie Leibrandt celebrated every time he got Gwynn out because the Padre slashed .483/.467/.621 against him with a sacrifice fly.
A couple of former Braves had an okay run against Gwynn. Gwynn hit only .231/.279/.282 against John Burkett in 43 PA while hitting .200/.256/.325 against Denny Neagle in the same amount of PA. Steve Bedrosian pulled off a rare feat. He struck out Gwynn more times than he walked him in 38 PA while holding Gwynn to a .235/.289/.265 slash. He struck him four times to three walks. Those four strikeouts rank as a tie for 14th, but only pitcher ever struck Gwynn more than six times. Nolan Ryan had nine K's.
Gwynn matched up with the Braves in the 1998 NLCS, though Atlanta handled him pretty okay. He was 6 for 26 in the series with a 2B, BB, 2 K, and 2 GDP. Sadly, the Braves couldn't hold down Steve Finley or Ken Caminiti with such success.
Baseball lost one of its greatest ambassadors yesterday. It was impossible to hate Gwynn, even after he owned you team. You just sat back and watched the greatness and felt fortunate enough to have the opportunity. They don't come around much better than Gwynn.
Showing posts with label Sappy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sappy. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Friday, May 30, 2014
Cheering on the Home Team
The crazy thing about following a minor league team is that players enter your memory and take up residence, always at the ready to be triggered by reading about a player who finally made it to the majors. Such was the case last night when I was reading MLBTradeRumors.com and saw that the Dodgers had called up Jamie Romak. This name might not attract too much attention from Braves fans. He barely played in the Atlanta Brave organization. However, before the Lynchburg Hillcats fans were entertained by Braves prospects such as Andrelton Simmons, Evan Gattis, and Lucas Sims, they got to know prospects that eventually helped the Pirates get to the playoffs last year. From 1995 to 2009, Lynchburg was an affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates and current Pirates such as Jordy Mercer, Pedro Alvarez, and Josh Harrison made stops there. As did Romak for parts of three seasons between 2007 until the Pirates final year in Lynchburg, 2009.
However, Romak was originally a Brave and was drafted in 2003 in the 4th round out of Canada. Romak was Atlanta's sixth selection that year, but they would receive little more than trade bait from the six that were selected before Romak, including both Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Matt Harrison. In fact, the only player from the 2003 draft that eventually became a productive player for the Braves was 30th rounder, Jonny Venters.
After he was drafted, Romak struggled in the Gulf Coast League during 19 games, hitting just .176 but giving us a glimpse into his on-base abilities by walking nine times. He headed to Danville and would struggle there as well, hitting .190 with 5 HR as an 18 year-old in 2004. The age gave the Braves reason to believe better things were coming and in 2005, they started to see Romak come into his own, despite an injury-shorten campaign with Danville. He slashed .274/.368/.540 with 7 HR in 34 G. A promotion to full-season ball followed and he played 108 games during 2006 with Rome, belting 16 HR and on-basing .369 as a 20 year-old.
Romak was developing into a mini version of the Three True Outcomes guy. He stuck out plenty (102 times in 348 AB during 2006), but he also walked a healthy amount and had pop. After originally being drafted as a third baseman, Romak had found a home in right field and while not a big prospect, he was a guy with a solid base to grow from.
He would have to do so elsewhere as after the 2006 season, the Braves sent Romak and Adam LaRoche to the Pirates in exchange for lefty Mike Gonzalez and Brent Lillibridge. The deal was a reasonable exchange. The Braves weren't willing to pay LaRoche's increasing salary as a result of arbitration, Gonzalez helped address a significant weakness for the 2006 Braves, and Lillibridge was a solid prospect capable of playing short or possibly moving to center field. The deal ultimately never worked out as LaRoche's replacements were substandard (and forced ugly trades for Mark Teixeira and eventually LaRoche himself) and Lillibridge maxed out as a utility player. Not to mention, Gonzalez never stayed healthy for long.
Romak became the lost prospect in the deal. He joined Hickory in the Pirates organization and OPS'd .944 over the first month, showing the Pirates he was ready for the Carolina League. He joined a bad, bad Hillcats squad later that year. Future Brave farmhands like Jairo Asencio, Todd Redmond, and Steven Lerud didn't help the Hillcats from a tough campaign where they finished nearly 30 games under .500. Nevertheless, Romak, who missed action both with nagging injuries and the first month in Hickory, hit .252/.380/.483 and led the team with 15 HR.
The Canadian outfielder looked ready for AA and joined Altoona the next year. He struggled there, hitting just .208 and eventually getting himself demoted back to Lynchburg where he caught fire. While the 'Cats were still bad, despite the play of future big leaguers Alex Presley and Brad Lincoln, Romak bashed 18 homers and slashed .279/.360/.552. With the 7 homers he managed in Altoona, Romak finished with 25 HR, still a career high. Yes, he failed in AA, but he still had a positive year.
Unfortunately, the wheels came off in 2009 for Romak. he again struggled in Altoona, hitting an abysmal .175 with no power. He finished the year in Lynchburg and never got going for the eventual Carolina League Champs. Romak, who came to the plate to "Shipping Up to Boston" by Dropkick Murphys during his time in Lynchburg, would be sent packing after 2009.
From there, he began a journey that started in the Kansas City organization. He again destroyed the Carolina League, this time with Wilmington, and finally conquered AA pitching, hitting .278/.389/.459 in 45 games with Northwest Arkansas. He was back with the Naturals in 2011 and he OPS .803 in 125 games, even pitching twice with two scoreless innings where he faced the minimum with a strikeout against future big leaguer Jimmy Paredes to his credit. Romak would finally debut in AAA during 2012, playing first base for Omaha for the first month of action where he posted a .422 OPS. The Royals let him go to the Cardinals organization and despite hitting .277 in 31 games with Memphis, Romak was demoted back to AA and OPS'd .809 with Springfield for the remainder of 2012.
Needing to conquer AAA, Romak returned to the Cardinals organization and would spend all of 2013 with Memphis playing both corner infield positions and both corner outfield slots while slashing .242./.322/.461 with 22 homers. It was hardly a great season, especially in the notorious hitter's league known as the Pacific Coast League, but at 28, he entered the offseason a graduate of a full season at AAA and a minor league free agent. The Dodgers came calling and Romak went to spring training with nearly no chance to make a crowded roster. After camp, he went to Albuquerque and slashed .272/.354/.578 with 13 HR while playing a good deal of third base, a position he really shouldn't be at. All but three of his homers came in May.
He did all he could to deserve a callup and got one, albeit it took an injury to get his shot. He would make his debut Wednesday evening in the bottom of the seventh with the Dodgers down 3-2. Hitting for Clayton Kershaw, Romak was justifiably pumped and went after the first pitch, grounding out to second to end the inning. He would not remain in the game. He did not play Thursday night as the Dodgers opened a four-game set against the visiting Pirates, the team that traded for Romak many years before.
My father used to be an usher in Lynchburg so ever since I was an infant, I have been around City Stadium and seen many games in that park. I've seen the Mets and Red Sox go, the Pirates leave after a title, the Reds briefly spend a season in Lynchburg, and most recently...the Braves. And several players have entered my memory for one reason or another. I recall Phil Plantier taking a liner right off the nose playing third base for the Lynchburg Red Sox. More recently, I remember vividly Joey Terdoslavich beating a throw to second on an RBI single where he was advancing on the throw and being called out. It was an awful call and Joey T slammed his helmet down, earning an ejection and a standing ovation. Players like Romak stick in my head because you spend so long rooting for him as a 'Cat. I am so happy he has made it to the majors and although his chances of sticking seem small, I am hoping he defies the odds. At least, against everyone but the Braves.
However, Romak was originally a Brave and was drafted in 2003 in the 4th round out of Canada. Romak was Atlanta's sixth selection that year, but they would receive little more than trade bait from the six that were selected before Romak, including both Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Matt Harrison. In fact, the only player from the 2003 draft that eventually became a productive player for the Braves was 30th rounder, Jonny Venters.
After he was drafted, Romak struggled in the Gulf Coast League during 19 games, hitting just .176 but giving us a glimpse into his on-base abilities by walking nine times. He headed to Danville and would struggle there as well, hitting .190 with 5 HR as an 18 year-old in 2004. The age gave the Braves reason to believe better things were coming and in 2005, they started to see Romak come into his own, despite an injury-shorten campaign with Danville. He slashed .274/.368/.540 with 7 HR in 34 G. A promotion to full-season ball followed and he played 108 games during 2006 with Rome, belting 16 HR and on-basing .369 as a 20 year-old.
Romak was developing into a mini version of the Three True Outcomes guy. He stuck out plenty (102 times in 348 AB during 2006), but he also walked a healthy amount and had pop. After originally being drafted as a third baseman, Romak had found a home in right field and while not a big prospect, he was a guy with a solid base to grow from.
He would have to do so elsewhere as after the 2006 season, the Braves sent Romak and Adam LaRoche to the Pirates in exchange for lefty Mike Gonzalez and Brent Lillibridge. The deal was a reasonable exchange. The Braves weren't willing to pay LaRoche's increasing salary as a result of arbitration, Gonzalez helped address a significant weakness for the 2006 Braves, and Lillibridge was a solid prospect capable of playing short or possibly moving to center field. The deal ultimately never worked out as LaRoche's replacements were substandard (and forced ugly trades for Mark Teixeira and eventually LaRoche himself) and Lillibridge maxed out as a utility player. Not to mention, Gonzalez never stayed healthy for long.
Romak became the lost prospect in the deal. He joined Hickory in the Pirates organization and OPS'd .944 over the first month, showing the Pirates he was ready for the Carolina League. He joined a bad, bad Hillcats squad later that year. Future Brave farmhands like Jairo Asencio, Todd Redmond, and Steven Lerud didn't help the Hillcats from a tough campaign where they finished nearly 30 games under .500. Nevertheless, Romak, who missed action both with nagging injuries and the first month in Hickory, hit .252/.380/.483 and led the team with 15 HR.
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| Courtesy: milb.com |
Unfortunately, the wheels came off in 2009 for Romak. he again struggled in Altoona, hitting an abysmal .175 with no power. He finished the year in Lynchburg and never got going for the eventual Carolina League Champs. Romak, who came to the plate to "Shipping Up to Boston" by Dropkick Murphys during his time in Lynchburg, would be sent packing after 2009.
From there, he began a journey that started in the Kansas City organization. He again destroyed the Carolina League, this time with Wilmington, and finally conquered AA pitching, hitting .278/.389/.459 in 45 games with Northwest Arkansas. He was back with the Naturals in 2011 and he OPS .803 in 125 games, even pitching twice with two scoreless innings where he faced the minimum with a strikeout against future big leaguer Jimmy Paredes to his credit. Romak would finally debut in AAA during 2012, playing first base for Omaha for the first month of action where he posted a .422 OPS. The Royals let him go to the Cardinals organization and despite hitting .277 in 31 games with Memphis, Romak was demoted back to AA and OPS'd .809 with Springfield for the remainder of 2012.
Needing to conquer AAA, Romak returned to the Cardinals organization and would spend all of 2013 with Memphis playing both corner infield positions and both corner outfield slots while slashing .242./.322/.461 with 22 homers. It was hardly a great season, especially in the notorious hitter's league known as the Pacific Coast League, but at 28, he entered the offseason a graduate of a full season at AAA and a minor league free agent. The Dodgers came calling and Romak went to spring training with nearly no chance to make a crowded roster. After camp, he went to Albuquerque and slashed .272/.354/.578 with 13 HR while playing a good deal of third base, a position he really shouldn't be at. All but three of his homers came in May.
He did all he could to deserve a callup and got one, albeit it took an injury to get his shot. He would make his debut Wednesday evening in the bottom of the seventh with the Dodgers down 3-2. Hitting for Clayton Kershaw, Romak was justifiably pumped and went after the first pitch, grounding out to second to end the inning. He would not remain in the game. He did not play Thursday night as the Dodgers opened a four-game set against the visiting Pirates, the team that traded for Romak many years before.
My father used to be an usher in Lynchburg so ever since I was an infant, I have been around City Stadium and seen many games in that park. I've seen the Mets and Red Sox go, the Pirates leave after a title, the Reds briefly spend a season in Lynchburg, and most recently...the Braves. And several players have entered my memory for one reason or another. I recall Phil Plantier taking a liner right off the nose playing third base for the Lynchburg Red Sox. More recently, I remember vividly Joey Terdoslavich beating a throw to second on an RBI single where he was advancing on the throw and being called out. It was an awful call and Joey T slammed his helmet down, earning an ejection and a standing ovation. Players like Romak stick in my head because you spend so long rooting for him as a 'Cat. I am so happy he has made it to the majors and although his chances of sticking seem small, I am hoping he defies the odds. At least, against everyone but the Braves.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
An Odd Friday Night
I don't usually care to sit here and talk about how awesome it is to be a fan. There is a place for that, but that's not my blog. I'd prefer to analyze players, question Fredi Gonzalez's choices, and talk about random prospects that probably get no play anywhere else. I'll leave the fandom to the amazing Lauren at Love My Bravos.
Usually.
However, tonight was different. Just a lot. Coming into what has to be termed a huge series (though not as huge as the media wants to play it), Atlanta touched down in Washington after a disappointing series against Melky "Douchenozzle" Cabrera and the Giants. They were 2-6 against the Nats on the season with four games on tap, including a double header tomorrow. Down 3.5 games (three less wins) in the standings, a bad series against the Nats would put them in a tough spot. A good series might be the catalyst to catapult past the Nats in August. Splitting the series wouldn't have been bad, but not ideal.
So, Tommy Hanson not taking his "do-not-suck" pills before coming to the park didn't help Atlanta's chances. With two outs in the first, Hanson became unglued and gave up a three-run bomb to Michael Morse that ricocheted off the Washington Monument. In the fourth, he again went to pieces and the Nats again began a rally with two outs and finished with another monster homer, this time by Ryan Zimmerman. 6-0. Game was over at that point.
Hanson preceded to continue his transformation into Kyle Davies II with a fifth inning that began back-to-back singles as Hanson couldn't hit his spots. Fortunately, that was it for Hanson as Fredi came out to tell him to tip his cap and thanked him for not getting spooked. Walk-Off Walk favorite, Luis Avilan, got the call. After a line-out, a wild pitch, and a walk, Avilan faced Stephen Strasburg and...walked him.
I turned the TV off. I didn't exactly give up on the Braves because I continued to keep the game channel up to keep an eye on the game, but I simply couldn't watch as the game went from a seven-run deficit to a nine-run bloodbath.
Resigning myself to a terrible start to the series that still promised starts from Jair Jurrjens, Randall Delgado, and Ben Sheets (the Sequel), I wondered how the bullpen would be overworked. Maybe Avilan could go a few innings. Maybe Lispy Martinez could get to the final out. Maybe the bullpen would be saved a little.
But a strange thing started to happen as I occasionally clicked the tab for the game under my Firefox. Brian McCann hit a two-run homer off Strasburg. Cool, we won't be shutout. Later in the inning, Dan Uggla singled and Eric Hinske hit a double that nearly was another two-run shot. Martin Prado would bring them in with a double. 9-4
Oh, shit. This is kind of an actual rally. Now, I love numbers and I don't get too much joy from superstitions or believing the game has some magical quality where anything, however ridiculous or unlikely, can occur. But as I was given the choice to see where this now 9-4 game after six innings would go, I couldn't turn the TV back on. With it on, they got blasted 7-0. Since I pressed the power button, they were leading 4-2. Probably nothing, but it doesn't hurt to believe you actually matter in some small way, does it?
The seventh passes quietly and we head to the 8th. Former Nats closer Drew Storen gets the call and here is a guy who just made it back from surgery and was dominant at times for Washington last year. Uggla steps back in and singles. Not satisfied, the guy who fans think should be benched swipes second. That's cool and all, but reality is about to step in...wait, Paul Janish walks? Hmm, if Juan Francisco can line up one of his occasional moonshots, it's a two-run game. No, he K's. That's the Francisco I know. Michael Bourn will step up and...wait, another K. Well, the rally was fun while it lasted, but...oh, Prado works a walk to load them and Heyward follows suit, scoring Uggla. Yeah, but everyone knows the Braves don't get a hit with runners on so...Grandpappy Chipper becomes the All-Time Leader among 3B in RBIs with a two-run single. Freeman singles home Heyward. Holy hell, it's 9-8. This shit just got real!
Still, I refuse to turn on the game. I know perfectly well the team doesn't give a shit if I watch or not. I know that there are no baseball Gods saying "don't you dare mess with the cosmic forces." But...I gotta hold out some hope on this one. Suddenly, it was October 9th, 2005 again. Braves/Astros, Game 4 of the NLDS. It was sitting in the same spot thinking that this could be the moment the Braves take the lead. Have I mentioned that I hate Chris Burke?
Momentum's wonderful and all, but the Nats had Tyler Clippard in their arsenal and the Braves have always treated him like Cy Young (1.04 ERA in 26 games) so this game is in the bag for the Nats. And there's Uggla AGAIN. And he walks to open the inning. After a wild pitch, Janish tries to bunt him to third and Clippard beans him instead. What the what? David Ross steps in and K's for the first out. Bourn follows with an amazing piece of hitting, tripling off Clippard to send the two runners home and make it 10-9. You can't make this shit up.
Of course, being Atlanta and more specifically, the 2012 Braves, Craig Kimbrel gives up a one-out homer to Danny Espinosa. 10-10. Kimbrel, working his third straight day, probably didn't have as good moment as he expects.
This game is over. No way, with the Braves bullpen, do the Braves win this one now. All of those hopes were for nothing. Might as well start watching now and I went ahead and finally turned the game on, expecting a walk-off from the Nats at some point. After a quiet tenth, the eleventh opened with Uggla...AGAIN...AGAIN...hitting a grounder that Ryan Zimmerman somehow gets to. He rushes a throw while doing a 360 and it gets past Adam LaRoche. Uggla takes second and then third as a wild pitch to Janish, who again was only trying to bunt, puts Atlanta in prime position to take the lead.
With the infield in, Janish sends a blooper to short left. Ian Desmond gets there, but can't make the catch. Uggla, taking a chance that even if he does, he won't be able to throw him out trying to get back to the bag, had bolted home before the ball dropped. He scores for the go-ahead run and it's 11-10. Braves have another shot to increase the lead, but Jason Heyward grounds out on a 3-1 pitch.
All up to Chad Durbin.
Shitballs.
But a strange thing happened. Durbin delivered that often spoke-of, never-seen "shutdown inning." To cap if off, Uggla (AGAINx3) makes a stupendous stop on a what should have been a two-out single and throws the runner out to end the game. The Braves had come all the way back from 9-0, weathered the storm after their awesome closer blew just his second save, and won in eleven innings. The ramifications won't be known until later. Was this the game that changed everything? Will Atlanta sweep the Nats and run away with the division? Or will the good feelings created by the game be dashed by a double-header sweep by the Nats tomorrow? The future will ultimately decided just what this game meant, if anything.
Regardless, tonight a fan went through all the motions. Excitement, dismay, wondering why he cares, why he even bothers with this team...to...amazement, disbelief, and wondering why anyone, anywhere, can ever say that baseball is boring. This is the world's best sport.
Usually.
However, tonight was different. Just a lot. Coming into what has to be termed a huge series (though not as huge as the media wants to play it), Atlanta touched down in Washington after a disappointing series against Melky "Douchenozzle" Cabrera and the Giants. They were 2-6 against the Nats on the season with four games on tap, including a double header tomorrow. Down 3.5 games (three less wins) in the standings, a bad series against the Nats would put them in a tough spot. A good series might be the catalyst to catapult past the Nats in August. Splitting the series wouldn't have been bad, but not ideal.
So, Tommy Hanson not taking his "do-not-suck" pills before coming to the park didn't help Atlanta's chances. With two outs in the first, Hanson became unglued and gave up a three-run bomb to Michael Morse that ricocheted off the Washington Monument. In the fourth, he again went to pieces and the Nats again began a rally with two outs and finished with another monster homer, this time by Ryan Zimmerman. 6-0. Game was over at that point.
Hanson preceded to continue his transformation into Kyle Davies II with a fifth inning that began back-to-back singles as Hanson couldn't hit his spots. Fortunately, that was it for Hanson as Fredi came out to tell him to tip his cap and thanked him for not getting spooked. Walk-Off Walk favorite, Luis Avilan, got the call. After a line-out, a wild pitch, and a walk, Avilan faced Stephen Strasburg and...walked him.
I turned the TV off. I didn't exactly give up on the Braves because I continued to keep the game channel up to keep an eye on the game, but I simply couldn't watch as the game went from a seven-run deficit to a nine-run bloodbath.
Resigning myself to a terrible start to the series that still promised starts from Jair Jurrjens, Randall Delgado, and Ben Sheets (the Sequel), I wondered how the bullpen would be overworked. Maybe Avilan could go a few innings. Maybe Lispy Martinez could get to the final out. Maybe the bullpen would be saved a little.
But a strange thing started to happen as I occasionally clicked the tab for the game under my Firefox. Brian McCann hit a two-run homer off Strasburg. Cool, we won't be shutout. Later in the inning, Dan Uggla singled and Eric Hinske hit a double that nearly was another two-run shot. Martin Prado would bring them in with a double. 9-4
Oh, shit. This is kind of an actual rally. Now, I love numbers and I don't get too much joy from superstitions or believing the game has some magical quality where anything, however ridiculous or unlikely, can occur. But as I was given the choice to see where this now 9-4 game after six innings would go, I couldn't turn the TV back on. With it on, they got blasted 7-0. Since I pressed the power button, they were leading 4-2. Probably nothing, but it doesn't hurt to believe you actually matter in some small way, does it?
The seventh passes quietly and we head to the 8th. Former Nats closer Drew Storen gets the call and here is a guy who just made it back from surgery and was dominant at times for Washington last year. Uggla steps back in and singles. Not satisfied, the guy who fans think should be benched swipes second. That's cool and all, but reality is about to step in...wait, Paul Janish walks? Hmm, if Juan Francisco can line up one of his occasional moonshots, it's a two-run game. No, he K's. That's the Francisco I know. Michael Bourn will step up and...wait, another K. Well, the rally was fun while it lasted, but...oh, Prado works a walk to load them and Heyward follows suit, scoring Uggla. Yeah, but everyone knows the Braves don't get a hit with runners on so...Grandpappy Chipper becomes the All-Time Leader among 3B in RBIs with a two-run single. Freeman singles home Heyward. Holy hell, it's 9-8. This shit just got real!
Still, I refuse to turn on the game. I know perfectly well the team doesn't give a shit if I watch or not. I know that there are no baseball Gods saying "don't you dare mess with the cosmic forces." But...I gotta hold out some hope on this one. Suddenly, it was October 9th, 2005 again. Braves/Astros, Game 4 of the NLDS. It was sitting in the same spot thinking that this could be the moment the Braves take the lead. Have I mentioned that I hate Chris Burke?
Momentum's wonderful and all, but the Nats had Tyler Clippard in their arsenal and the Braves have always treated him like Cy Young (1.04 ERA in 26 games) so this game is in the bag for the Nats. And there's Uggla AGAIN. And he walks to open the inning. After a wild pitch, Janish tries to bunt him to third and Clippard beans him instead. What the what? David Ross steps in and K's for the first out. Bourn follows with an amazing piece of hitting, tripling off Clippard to send the two runners home and make it 10-9. You can't make this shit up.
Of course, being Atlanta and more specifically, the 2012 Braves, Craig Kimbrel gives up a one-out homer to Danny Espinosa. 10-10. Kimbrel, working his third straight day, probably didn't have as good moment as he expects.
This game is over. No way, with the Braves bullpen, do the Braves win this one now. All of those hopes were for nothing. Might as well start watching now and I went ahead and finally turned the game on, expecting a walk-off from the Nats at some point. After a quiet tenth, the eleventh opened with Uggla...AGAIN...AGAIN...hitting a grounder that Ryan Zimmerman somehow gets to. He rushes a throw while doing a 360 and it gets past Adam LaRoche. Uggla takes second and then third as a wild pitch to Janish, who again was only trying to bunt, puts Atlanta in prime position to take the lead.
With the infield in, Janish sends a blooper to short left. Ian Desmond gets there, but can't make the catch. Uggla, taking a chance that even if he does, he won't be able to throw him out trying to get back to the bag, had bolted home before the ball dropped. He scores for the go-ahead run and it's 11-10. Braves have another shot to increase the lead, but Jason Heyward grounds out on a 3-1 pitch.
All up to Chad Durbin.
Shitballs.
But a strange thing happened. Durbin delivered that often spoke-of, never-seen "shutdown inning." To cap if off, Uggla (AGAINx3) makes a stupendous stop on a what should have been a two-out single and throws the runner out to end the game. The Braves had come all the way back from 9-0, weathered the storm after their awesome closer blew just his second save, and won in eleven innings. The ramifications won't be known until later. Was this the game that changed everything? Will Atlanta sweep the Nats and run away with the division? Or will the good feelings created by the game be dashed by a double-header sweep by the Nats tomorrow? The future will ultimately decided just what this game meant, if anything.
Regardless, tonight a fan went through all the motions. Excitement, dismay, wondering why he cares, why he even bothers with this team...to...amazement, disbelief, and wondering why anyone, anywhere, can ever say that baseball is boring. This is the world's best sport.
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