| Falcons Fans? |
[13 Sep 2009|10:29am] |
If this is unwelcome, the mods are welcome to remove the post. Thanks!
Today is the first Sunday of the NFL season! If there are any Falcons fans here, please check out the Falcons LJ community at http://community.livejournal.com/atlantafalcons/. Everyone is welcome!
GO FALCONS!!!
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| OGP: September 4 |
[04 Sep 2009|04:45pm] |
Cincinatti Reds (60-73) @ Atlanta Braves (70-64)
Bronson Arroyo (11-12, 4.35) vs. Derek Lowe (13-8, 4.38)
7:35 pm EDT
The Braves are coming off of a 3-4 road trip and have lost 2 straight entering tonight's game. The Reds are winners of 9 of 11 and are coming off of a 4-game sweep of the Pirates. Cincinnati is averaging 5.4 runs per game in that stretch. If the Reds win tonight, they will have achieved a season-high 5 straight road wins. Cincinnati and Atlanta have squared off 6 times already this season and split the games evenly, but this will be the first set of games between the teams played at Turner Field.
In his last start, Bronson Arroyo held the Dodgers to 2 runs in 7 and 1/3 innings, but the Reds still lost 3-2 in 12 innings. Arroyo has lost 2 straight starts versus the Braves. He is 4-3 with a 6.40 mark in 10 lifetime starts against Atlanta, but has been touched up to the tune of a 20.57 mark over the last couple of outings. In late April, he allowed 9 runs in 5 and 2/3 innings as the Reds lost a 10-2 game to the Braves.
Derek Lowe allowed just 1 run in 5 and 2/3 innings to beat the Phillies in a 9-1 game in his last start. Lowe is 3-1 with a 3.12 mark lifetime against the Reds as a starter, including a 7-inning, 2-run performance with 8 strikeouts to beat Arroyo in the aforementioned contest earlier this season.
Second baseman Brandon Phillips is 0-for-9 lifetime off of Lowe. He is, however, hitting .404 with 2 homers and 9 RBI in his last 11 games. Outfielder Drew Stubbs has 3 homers in his last 4 games.
Center fielder Nate McLouth, batting .258 on the year, might be activated in time for tonight's game. McLouth has hit .324 with 2 homers and 8 RBI against the Reds this season. Catcher Brian McCann is 4-for-9 with 2 homers lifetime off of Arroyo. Third baseman Chipper Jones is batting .375 against the Reds on the year and is 11-for-23 with 3 homers lifetime off of Arroyo.
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| OGP: September 3 |
[03 Sep 2009|06:34pm] |
Atlanta Braves (70-63) @ Florida Marlins (69-64)
Tommy Hanson (11-9, 3.02) vs. Ricky Nolasco (2-2, 5.12)
7:10 pm EDT
The Marlins look to earn a split in a 4-game seres with the Braves. They have won just 2 of 7, and are 5 back of the Rockies in the Wild Card race. The Braves, with a 1-game lead over Florida, are 4 back. The teams are 7-7 against each other on the year. Atlanta is 3-3 as it comes into the finale of a 7-game road trip.
Tommy Hanson lost for the first time in a month last time out, tossing 2 innings and allowing 1 run while striking out 4 in a rain-shortened outing. The Braves lost the game 4-2, but Hanson is still 4-1 with a 2.93 ERA since losing to the Dodgers in late July. Hanson was victorious in his only other career start against the Fish, tossing 7 innings and allowing 3 runs while striking out 7 in a 4-3 game in late August.
In his last start, he allowed 3 runs in 5 and 1/3 innings while striking out 7 but not receiving a decision in a 7-4 Florida loss to the Padres. Nolasco is 1-4 with a 5.29 ERA lifetime in 9 starts versus the Braves, and a 0-0 with a 4.76 ERA in 2 starts against them this season.
First baseman Adam LaRoche is batting .365 with 20 RBI in 29 games as a Brave this season. Against the Marlins, he has hit .354 with 10 RBI in 2009. Third baseman Chipper Jones is batting just .212 versus the Fish this season, but is 10-for-20 with 3 doubles and 4 homers lifetime off of Nolasco.
Shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who leads the NL with a .355 average, might miss a 2nd straight game tonight. Ramirez is hitless in his last 14 at-bats. Second baseman Dan Uggla is hitting just .245 on the season, but is 6-for-13 with 2 homers and 5 RBI in his last 4 games. He is batting .327 with 3 homers and 12 RBI against the Braves this season, but is hitless in 3 at-bats lifetime against Hanson.
( Lineups )
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| OGP: September 2 |
[02 Sep 2009|06:11pm] |
Atlanta Braves (70-62) @ Florida Marlins (68-64)
Javier Vazquez (11-9, 3.02) vs. Rick VandenHurk (2-2, 5.12)
7:10 pm EDT
The Braves go for a 3rd consecutive victory as they take on the Marlins in the 3rd game of this 4-game set. They are now 3 games behind the Rockies in the Wild Card race. Atlanta has won 8 of 11 away from home and 15 of its last 23. The Marlins now trail by 5 games in the Wild Card standings.
Javier Vazquez is going for his 5th straight road win. He is 7-2 with a 2.96 mark in 12 road starts on the year. In his last start, he held the Padres to just 5 hits in 7 scoreless frames as the Braves won 9-1. The good outing was a bounceback after losing 2 consecutive starts. In 3 starts against Florida this season, Vazquez is just 0-2 with a 4.95 mark. He allowed a season-worst 10 hits and 5 runs in 6 and 2/3 innings to the Fish in late August to lose a 5-3 game, falling 6-7 in his career against them. The Marlins are the only team to beat Vazquez twice this season.
Rick VandenHurk will be making his first start since being recalled from the minors yesterday. At AAA-New Orleans, e went 5-2 with a 2.87 mark in 11 starts. He started 6 times for Florida between July and August, allowing 9 homers in 31 and 2/3 innings of work. VandenHurk is 2-0 with a 3.91 mark lifetime against the Braves in 25 and 1/3 innings, including a 6-inning, 2-run, 9-strikeout performance in a game the Fish lost to the Braves 6-3 in 10 innings in late July.
Catcher Brian McCann is 8-for-17 with 2 homers and 9 RBI in his last 4 games against the Marlins after going 0-for-16 against the Fish in the 5 games prior to the good run. Outfielder Matt Diaz led all of baseball with a .404 average and a .467 on-base percentage through the month of August. He was 6th in the month with a .681 slugging percentage. Reliever Mike Gonzalez has allowed just 2 unearned runs in 21 appearances since the All-Star break, making him the only reliever yet to allow an earned run since then (minimum 15 appearances).
Shortstop Hanley Ramirez left last night's game with a hamstring tweak, but will probably crack tonight's starting lineup nonetheless. Outfielder Jeremy Hermida is 4-for-9 with a homer and 5 strikeouts lifetime against Vazquez.
( Lineups )
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| Astros' Hampton out for year, headed for surgery |
[02 Sep 2009|10:18am] |
PHOENIX — Oft-injured lefty Mike Hampton won't pitch again this season and is planning to have surgery on his pitching shoulder and both knees.
Hampton, on the disabled list since Aug. 18 with a partially torn rotator cuff, will have MRI exams results on his shoulder and knees sent to Dr. David Altchek of the New York Mets.
"It's disappointing that he couldn't get to the finish line," Houston general manager Ed Wade said before the Astros played Arizona on Sunday. "We went into this thing knowing that he had a very significant health history, but at the same time he had 10 solid starts for the Braves last year, and we had every reason to hope that he had turned the corners medically."
Hampton is 7-10 with a 5.30 ERA in 21 starts this season, his most since 2004. He missed the 2006 and 2007 seasons after separate elbow surgeries.
A two-time All-Star, Hampton is best known for signing an eight-year, $121 million contract with Colorado after the 2000 season. He is 63-62 since.
"It has been tough for him," Astros manager Cecil Cooper said. "If anybody can go through this and probably bounce back, it's Hamp."
Hampton, who turns 37 on Sept. 9, will be a free agent after this season. He's said he hopes to pitch again, but Cooper offered another possible option.
"I told him, 'Hey, come back as a pinch-hitter if it doesn't work,' " Cooper said. "He can hit. He can definitely hit, so that might be an alternative."
Hampton is a career .246 hitter with 16 homers.
http://www.ajc.com/sports/astros-hampton-out-for-year-headed-for-surgery-127197.html
I guess it was good that Hampton decided on the Astros over the Braves after all. It's sad that a guy with as much talent as he has been saddled with so many injuries over the last half of the decade. Least LM is not picking up the tab this time.
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| OGP: September 1 |
[01 Sep 2009|06:47pm] |
Atlanta Braves (69-62) @ Florida Marlins (68-63)
Tm Hudson (NR) vs. Anibal Sanchez (2-5, 4.96)
7:10 pm EDT
The Braves come into tonight's game trailing the Rockies and Giants by 3 games in the Wild Card race. Florida has lost 4 of 5 to fall 1 game behind the Braves in the standings. The Braves have been held hitless through the first 5 innings in 2 of their last 4 games versus the Marlins, but have won 6 of the last 9 meetings between the two teams.
Tim Hudson will make a start for the first time in 13 months, in the same place that he exited with the injured elbow that would require Tommy John surgery. Hudson went 11-7 with a 3.17 ERA in 22 starts and 1 relief appearance last season, but didn't appear in a game after late July. In his career, the veteran is 146-77 with a 3.48 ERA over 10 seasons. Lifetime against Florida, is he 7-2 with a 2.63 ERA in 13 starts, and is 5-1 with a 2.59 mark in 8 starts in Miami.
In his last start, Anibal Sanchez allowed 4 runs (2 earned) on 8 hits in just 3 and 2/3 innings as the Marlins lost 10-3 to the Mets. It was just his second start back from the shelf, and in his return, he actually held the Braves to just a single run on 2 hits while striking out 7 in 6 innings of work to win a 5-3 game. Lifetime, he is 3-3 with a 4.54 mark in 7 starts against the Braves.
Third baseman Chipper Jones is batting just .120 with 1 homer and 5 RBI in his last 15 games. However, he is hitting .379 with 11 homers and 34 RBI in his last 38 games against the Fish. Reliever Luis Valdez, infielder Brooks Conrad, and catcher Clint Sammons have been called up to join the Braves as part of the September roster expansion.
( Lineups )
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| OGP: August 31 |
[31 Aug 2009|06:36pm] |
Atlanta Braves (68-62) @ Florida Marlins (68-62)
Kenshin Kawakami (6-10, 4.08) vs. Josh Johnson (13-3, 3.04)
7:05 pm EDT
With identical records, the Braves and Marlins begin a crucial 4-game series in Miami. Both teams trail the Phillies by 8 games in the NL East, but the Rockies and Giants by just 3.5 in the Wild Card chase. The Marlins have won just 4 of 11 and had lost 3 straight before winning yesterday. The Braves have lost 4 of 5 after winning 4 of 5, including a series win versus the Fish in Atlanta.
Last time out, Kenshin Kawakami allowed 4 runs on 7 hits in just 5 and 1/3 innings as the Braves lost 12-5 to the Padres. He had been 1-0 with a 1.77 mark in his last 3 starts before the implosion. Kawakami has lost both of his starts against Florida this season, putting up an ugly 8.44 mark in the process.
In his last start, Josh Johnson beat the Mets by allowing 3 runs on 9 hits while striking out 7 in 6 frames of work in a 5-3 game. He is 6-1 with a 3.58 mark in his last 8 tries. Johnson faced the Braves in late July and allowed 3 runs on 8 hits in 6 innings in a 6-3 victory. The ace is 2-0 with a 3.00 mark in 3 starts against Atlanta since the beginning of 2008.
Catcher Brian McCann is batting .462 with 2 homers and 8 RBI in his last 3 games against the Fish after going 0-for-16 against the club in his first 5 games of 2009 against them. McCann is 0-for-12 off of Johnson since 2007.
( Lineups )
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| OGP: August 28 |
[28 Aug 2009|06:12pm] |
Atlanta Braves (67-60) @ Philadelphia Phillies (73-52)
Tommy Hanson (9-2, 3.12) vs. Pedro Martinez (2-0, 5.14)
7:05 pm EDT
The Braves begin a series with the division-leading Phillies. Atlanta has taken 8 of 12 from Philadelphia on the year, in large part due a starting staff that has posted a 2.81 mark against the potent Philly bats. The Braves trail the Rockies by 4.5 games in the Wild Card race coming into tonight's game, but are coming off of a tough series loss to the lowly Padres. The Phillies lead Atlanta by 7 games in the divisional standings.
Tommy Hanson will be pitching on his 23rd birthday and going for a 5th straight victory, as he has won his last 4 starts. In that span, he has posted a 2.81 ERA and struck out 28 men in 25 and 2/3 innings. In his last start, he allowed just 3 runs while striking out 7 in 7 innings as the Braves beat Florida 4-3. After being taken deep 3 times in his majors debut, he has allowed just 6 longballs in his last 13 starts. Hanson has never faced the Phillies in his career.
The Phillies have won each of Pedro Martinez's 3 starts on the year. In his last start, he allowed 4 runs (including 2 homers) in 6 innings, but still a won 9-7 game against the Mets. 6 frames was the longest he has lasted in a game to date. Martinez is 0-2 with an 8.62 mark in his last 3 starts against the Braves.
Shortstop Yunel Escobar is 3-for-4 lifetime off of Martinez, but no other current Braves has higher than a .238 average lifetime off of him. Infielder Martin Prado is 8-for-13 against Philadelphia this season. Outfielder Matt Diaz is hitting .571 (12-for-21) off of Philadelphia pitching this season. ( Lineups )
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| OGP: August 27 |
[27 Aug 2009|05:27pm] |
San Diego Padres (54-74) @ Atlanta Braves (66-60)
Clayton Richard (7-3, 4.42) vs. Javier Vazquez (10-9, 3.14)
7:10 pm EDT
The Braves come into this game having lost back-to-back contests for the first time in more than 3 sweeps. They attempt to stave off a sweep at the hands of the lowly Padres and gain some ground in the playoff chase. Atlanta won 13 of 18 from August 4 to August 23 to pull within 4 games of the Rockies in the NL Wild Card race, but has slipped by a game and a half in the standings since then. The Padres haven't swept a 3-game road series yet this season, and are 21-40 in road games on the year. Still, they have won 7 of their last 11 contests, averaging 6.4 runs per game while batting .325 as a team in that stretch. The Padres set a season high with 7 hits in an inning last night.
Clayton Richard has won 4 straight decisions, including his last start, when he hurled 6 scoreless innings against the Cardinals in a 4-0 game, allowing just 5 hits and striking out 6. In 5 starts with San Diego since coming over from the White Sox, Richard has gone 3-0 with a 3.67 mark. This will be Richard's first career matchup against Atlanta.
Javier Vazquez went 5-0 with a 2.59 ERA in a span of 7 starts between early July and early August, with the Braves winning each contest. Since then, though, he has allowed 4 runs in an outing to the Phillies, and 5 runs on a season-high 10 hits in 6 and 2/3 innings to the Marlins to lose a 5-3 game in his last start. On August 4, Vazquez held the Padres to 2 runs on 4 hits to win a 9-2 game. He is now 4-4 with a 3.19 mark in 16 lifetime starts against San Diego.
Third baseman Chipper Jones is 1-for-32 with 9 strikeouts in his last 10 games. First baseman Adam LaRoche is the only Atlanta batter that has faced Richard, and has struck out twice in 3 at-bats against him.
Fun fact: The 12 runs the Braves allowed last night marked the first time in 2 months that the team allowed double-digit runs to their opponents.
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| OGP: August 26 |
[26 Aug 2009|06:41pm] |
San Diego Padres (53-74) @ Atlanta Braves (66-59)
Tim Stauffer (1-6, 3.95) vs. Kenshin Kawakami (6-9, 3.97)
7:10 pm EDT
The Braves now trail the Rockies by 5 and 1/2 in the NL Wild Card race, tied for the Marlins for 3rd place in the chase. They are also 7 games out of the NL East lead. The Braves are 7-7 in their last 14 home games, hitting just .223 and averaging only 3.6 runs per game in those contests. This stretch follows a span where Atlanta won 10 of 11 at home while outscoring opponents 70-23 and batting .311 as a team. However, they have still won 9 of 12 against the Padres at Turner Field. San Diego has lost 4 of 6, never scoring more than 4 runs in a game in that stretch. The Padres are now 7-5 in extra-inning contests in 2009.
Tim Stauffer has lost 4 straight starts, not winning since July 30. He is 0-4 with a 5.40 mark in his last 4 starts, receiving just 5 runs total to back him in those outings. He has lasted just 5 innings in each of those starts, including allowing 4 runs while hitting 2 batters and striking out 6 in his last start, a 5-1 loss to the Cardinals. Stauffer allowed 3 runs in 5 innings to the Braves to lose a 9-2 game in early August.
Kenshin Kawakami is 1-0 with a 1.77 mark in his last 3 starts, with the Braves winning each start despite giving him just 5 total runs of support in that span. In his last start, he allowed just 1 run on 7 hits in 7 innings to beat the Mets in a 3-2 game. Kawakami has put up 4 straight quality starts coming into tonight's game. Kawakami has faced the Padres once before, taking a loss in early August after allowing 3 runs in 6 innings in a 4-2 game.
First baseman Adrian Gonzalez leads the NL with 23 road homers. Gonzalez is now 10th on the San Diego all-time RBI list.
Third baseman Chipper Jones is batting just .234 with 1 homer and 5 RBI in his last 14 home games. He is also just 1-for-28 in his last 9 home contests. Still, Jones is batting .324 in his last 10 games against San Diego.
( Lineups )
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| OGP: August 25 |
[25 Aug 2009|06:23pm] |
San Diego Padres (52-74) @ Atlanta Braves (66-58)
Mat Latos (4-3, 4.82) vs. Jair Jurrjens (10-8, 2.99)
7:10 pm EDT
The Braves look to win 9 straight over the Padres as they begin a 3-game set to conclude their homestand. Atlanta has won 13 of 18 and is now alone in 2nd place in the NL East by virtue of taking 2 of 3 from the Marlins. The Braves have also won 5 of their last 6 series to pull into 3rd place in the NL Wild Card race. Atlanta leads the majors with 75 quality starts, a number they needed the entire season to reach in 2008. The Padres have scored just 8 runs in their last 5 games, batting .160 as a team in the process. They have lost 8 of 11 coming into play tonight and are just 19-40 on the road on the year. San Diego hasn't taken a series from the Braves since August of 2005, when they won 2 of 3 at Turner Field. Atlanta has won 19 of 25 head-to-head meetings between the club since the beginning of the 2006 campaign, and they took 2 of 3 in San Diego earlier this season.
Mat Latos has lost 2 straight starts after previously winning 4 outings in a row. Last time he endured his shortest outing of 2009, allowing 5 runs on 7 hits and 4 walks in just 3 and 2/3 innings to the Cubs in a 7-1 defeat. In the start before that, he yielded 7 runs in 4 innings to the Cardinals. The two bad outings raised his ERA from 2.43 to 4.82.
Jair Jurrjens won for the first time in 5 starts last time out, allowing 2 runs on 8 hits in 6 innings to the Mets in a 15-2 drubbing. The Braves are backing him with an average of 5.6 runs a game in his last 18 starts. In his last 2 starts, spanning 13 innings, he has allowed 4 runs on 13 hits with 10 strikeouts and 2 walks. Jurrjens won his only career start against the Padres, holding them to 1 run while striking out 8 in 6 innings of work in a 5-3 game early last May.
First baseman Adrian Gonzalez is 1 RBI away from tying Benito Santiago for 10th place in the Padres' all-time rolls.
Catcher Brian McCann has 4 homers and 11 RBI in his last 7 games. Outfielder Matt Diaz is batting .481 with 3 homers and 8 RBI over his last 8 contests. Outfielders Garret Anderson and Ryan Church may return to play tonight after they both missed time with back soreness. Anderson hit .335 with 7 homers, a .370 on-base percentage, and a .540 slugging mark in 44 games between June 8 and July 31, but is hitting just .233 with 2 homers and a .342 slugging percentage in 18 games since. He is 31 hits away from the 2,500 plateau.
( Lineups )
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| OGP: August 23 |
[23 Aug 2009|01:19pm] |
Florida Marlins (65-58) @ Atlanta Braves (65-58)
Ricky Nolasco (9-8, 5.22) vs. Derek Lowe (12-8, 4.45)
1:35 pm EDT
The Braves look to win back-to-back games while escaping this series ahead of the Marlins in the standings. Both teams now trail the Rockies by 4 games in the Wild Card sweepstakes and the Phillies by 6.5 in the NL East. Atlanta has won 12 of 17, but the Marlins have lost 3 of 4 after winning 9 of 11. Atlanta has knocked homers in 14 of its last 15 games.
Ricky Nolasco allowed just 3 hits in a complete-game victory over the Astros in his last start. He struck out 10, didn't issue a walk, and at one point sat down 23 straight, with the only runs he yielded coming on a first-inning homer. It was a dramatic turnaround from an earlier start when he allowed a career-high 10 runs on 8 hits in just 3 and 1/3 innings to those same Astros to lose a 14-6 game. Nolasco has allowed 2 earned runs or fewer in 5 of his last 6 starts. Nolasco has struck out 136 men in 136 and 1/3 innings, while issuing just 32 walks on the season. On July 28, Nolasco allowed just 2 runs on 7 hits in 7 innings to the Braves, but didn't get a decision as the Fish won late 4-3.
In his last outing, Lowe allowed 8 runs in the 4th inning to the Mets, lasting just 3 and 2/3 innings as the Braves lost 9-4. It was the first time that Lowe had allowed more than 3 runs in a start since July 5. In 2 starts against Florida on the year, Lowe has a less-than-inspiring 9.00 ERA, but actually won a game where he allowed 6 runs in 5 innings and still hasn't lost to the Fish in more than 2 years. He has allowed 6 runs to the Florida club in 2 of his last 3 starts against them, posting a 7.80 ERA and allowing 22 hits in 15 innings that span.
Since August 13, shortstop Hanley Ramirez has batted .591 with 2 homers, 2 doubles and 6 RBI in 6 Florida wins, but has gone just 3-for-15 with no extra-base hits and no runs driven in Florida's 4 losses in that span. Ramirez is a lifetime .526 (10-for-19) hitter with 5 doubles off of Lowe. Infielder Jorge Cantu drove in 2 with a pinch-hit single last night, extending his hitting streak to 11 games. Cantu is 7-for-8 with 4 doubles and 1 homer lifetime off of Lowe. Right fielder Jeremy Hermida is 7-for-17 in Atlanta this season.
First baseman Adam LaRoche has hit .415 with 7 homers, 16 RBI, and a .506 on-base percentage in 19 games since being reacquired by the Braves. Left fielder Garret Anderson and outfielder Ryan Church will both probably miss this game as a result of hip pain.
( Lineups )
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| OGP: August 21 |
[21 Aug 2009|06:50pm] |
Florida Marlins (64-57) @ Atlanta Braves (64-57)
Anibal Sanchez (1-4, 5.55) vs. Javier Vazquez (10-8, 2.99)
7:35 pm EDT
With identical records, the Braves and Marlins will vie for an advantage in the standings in this 3-game series. Both teams trail the Phillies by 6.5 games in the East and the Rockies by 4 in the Wild Card. Atlanta has won 11 of 15 and has gone 30-17 since being 6 games under .500 on June 27. The Braves have gone 3-5 against Florida this season, including 3 losses at Turner Field. The Marlins have lost 2 straight after winning 9 of 11. Florida bats tallied just 4 hits last night after reaching the double-digit hit plateau in their last 15 contests, the best such streak since 1937, when the St. Louis Browns also pounded out 10 or more hits for 15 straight games.
Anibal Sanchez will be activated from the disabled list to make tonight's start. Sanchez hasn't appeared in a big league game since early June, when he exited a start against the Brewers after 3 innings due to a sprain in his right shoulder. Even that start was his first since early May, as he was shelved then too with a similar shoulder sprain. In his 2 rehab starts at AA-Jacksonville, Sanchez allowed 3 runs in 10 and 1/3 innings. Sanchez has made just 7 starts this season, though he did garner his one win of 2009 against the Braves in mid-April by yielding just 2 runs in 6 innings in a 6-2 game. However, he also lost one of those starts against the Braves in early May by allowing 4 runs in 4 and 2/3 innings in a 4-2 game.
In his last start, Javier Vazquez allowed 4 runs on 6 hits, 2 of which were homers, while striking out 7 in 7 frames as the Braves lost 4-1 to the Phillies. It was his first loss after going 5-0 with a 2.59 mark over his last 7 tries; he had last lost on June 27 in a 1-0 game versus the Red Sox. In that start, he allowed 2 homers to Ryan Howard; he had previously given up 3 homers over his last 9 starts. Vazquez is 2nd in the NL with 178 strikeouts, and has lasted at least 7 frames in each of his last 7 outings. Furthermore, he has allowed 2 earned runs or fewer in 7 of his last 10 times on the hill, good enough for a 2.71 ERA in that span. Vazquez is 9th among NL starters in ERA. The righty hasn't beaten the Fish since late May of 2003, when he was an Expo, a 7-start span. This season, he has gone 0-1 with a 4.05 mark in 2 starts against the Florida club.
Shortstop Hanley Ramirez now has a career-high 15-game hitting streak and is batting .444 with 2 homers and 13 RBI in that span. However, Ramirez is 0-for-6 with 4 strikeouts lifetime off of Vazquez. Infielder Jorge Cantu may miss tonight's game due to a stiff neck. Utilityman Ross Gload is 10-for-25 (.400) lifetime off of Vazquez with 2 doubles and a triple.
Catcher Brian McCann has homered in 2 straight games and gone deep 3 times in his last 5 contests. McCann is batting just .143 with 1 homer and 3 RBI in 6 games against Florida this season, and is only 3-for-29 (.103) with 2 homers and 5 RBI in his last 11 home games against the Fish. Third baseman Chipper Jones has batted just .222 (4-for-18) with 1 homer this season against the Fish, but is at .312 with 38 homers and 148 RBI lifetime against them. That RBI total is his highest against any one team. Infielder Martin Prado may continue to be unavailable due to an "exertional headaches" diagnosis.
( Lineups )
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| OGP: August 20 |
[20 Aug 2009|05:46pm] |
Atlanta Braves (63-57) @ New York Mets (56-64)
Kenshin Kawakami (5-9, 4.13) vs. Johan Santana (13-8, 3.10)
7:10 pm EDT
The Braves and Mets have split the first 2 games of this series, trading 8-plus-run innings for the first time in consecutive games since the Indians and Yankees did so in early July of 2006. The 7 hits the Braves pounded out in the 2nd inning of last night's game were a season high for the team, as were the 18 total hits and 15 runs collected at the contest's conclusion.
Kenshin Kawakami has lost 3 straight decisions, last winning on July 8 against the Cubs. In his last start, he allowed 3 runs on 7 hits in 6 and 1/3 innings to the Phillies, but the Braves rallied late to save him from another defeat with a 4-3 win. In 3 August starts, Kawakami is 0-1, but has a 2.79 ERA. Kawakami has lost both starts he has made against the Mets in his career, but has posted a 3.09 mark in the process. The Braves have yet to score a run for him when he is pitching against the New York club.
In his last start, Johan Santana allowed 4 runs on 9 hits in 6 and 2/3 innings to the Giants. He has yielded 4 or more runs in 3 of his last 5 times on the mound. The Mets are just 13-11 in his 24 starts on the year, and he endured a poor June, putting up a 6.19 ERA in 6 starts. Santana has a 1.96 ERA in 7 lifetime starts against the Braves, but is actually just 1-4 against them as a result of never receiving more than 2 runs to back him in an outing. Still, he hasn't allowed an earned run to the Braves in 13 and 1/3 innings pitched against them this year, despite going 1-1 in those 2 contests.
First baseman Adam LaRoche has homered in 3 straight games and 6 times since being traded back to Atlanta. Left fielder Garret Anderson was batting .191 on May 10, but has hit .298 with 11 homers and 44 RBI since that date. Anderson hit .286 in May, .306 in June, and .326 in July. Third baseman Chipper Jones leads all active players with 129 career RBI against the Mets, totaled in just 200 games against them. Outfielder Matt Diaz is batting .378 off of lefties this season, and is 11-for-20 with a homer and double lifetime off of Santana.
Second baseman Luis Castillo is batting .391 over his last 35 games. Castillo also has a .456 on-base percentage since July 1, the best such mark in the National League in that span. Reliever Elmer Dessens has allowed just 2 earned runs in 7 innings of work since rejoining the New York bullpen in early August.
( Lineups )
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| OGP: August 19 |
[19 Aug 2009|06:12pm] |
Atlanta Braves (62-57) @ New York Mets (56-63)
Jair Jurrjens (9-8, 2.99) vs. Bobby Parnell (3-4, 3.50)
7:10 pm EDT
The Braves fell 6.5 games back in the NL East with yesterday's loss, allowing the Mets to set a franchise record with 10 hits in one inning.
In his last start, Jair Jurrjens allowed 2 runs in 7 innings while striking out 6 Phillies, but got a no-decision as the Braves lost 3-2 late. Righties are batting just .218 this season against him. Jurrjens is 3-1 with a 2.84 mark in 5 lifetime starts against the Mets. In mid-July he pitched 6 scoreless innings against New York, and in his only career start at Citi Field in mid-May, he yielded just 2 runs in7 and 2/3 innings.
Bobby Parnell will be making his 3rd start of the year after appearing in relief 54 times to begin his career. Last time out, Parnell limited the Giants to just 3 singles in 6 innings while striking out 7, winning a 3-0 contest. In his first start, however, he lasted just 2 and 1/3 innings against the Padres, being yanked after throwing 68 pitches. He has allowed just 2 homers in 59 career innings pitched. In 7 lifetime relief appearances against Atlanta, Parnell has hurled a combined 4 and 2/3 scoreless innings and has not received a decision. He has, however, allowed 2 unearned runs and 5 hits in 4 innings to Atlanta this season.
Infielder Martin Prado will miss tonight's game with headaches. Prado is batting .309 with 8 homers, 24 doubles, and 37 RBI on the season. The current Atlanta roster is a combined 5-for-15 off of Parnell. Closer Rafael Soriano should be available for tonight's game after a short bout with a sore throwing shoulder.
In 33 games as a Met, right fielder Jeff Francoeur has hit .294 with 5 homers and 21 RBI.
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| OGP: August 18 |
[18 Aug 2009|06:41pm] |
Atlanta Braves (62-56) @ New York Mets (55-63)
Derek Lowe (12-7, 4.08) vs. Oliver Perez (2-3, 5.97)
7:10 pm EDT
The Braves trail the Phillies by 5.5 in the NL East, and the Rockies by 3 in the Wild Card race. The Mets have lost 12 of 19 to fall 12.5 games out of the division lead. Since swapping Jeff Francoeur for Ryan Church in mid-July, the Braves have won 21 of 33. Atlanta has won 2 of 3 at Citi Field this season, and 5 of 9 against the Mets overall.
Derek Lowe is 5-0 with a 2.91 mark in his last 7 starts. He allowed 2 runs in 7 innings to beat the Nationals in a 6-2 game in his last start. Lowe has gone 6-5 with a 4.38 mark in 12 road starts. The veteran is holding lefties to a .267 average against, 3 homers, and a .373 slugging percentage, but allowing a .293 average against, 5 homers, and a .420 slugging percentage to righties on the year. In 4 lifetime starts against the Mets, Lowe has gone 2-1 with a 6.23 ERA. In 2 starts against them this season, he has allowed 5 runs on 10 hits in 12 and 2/3 innings, including a 2-run, 6 and 2/3 inning-performance at Citi Field in mid-May.
Oliver Perez hasn't received a decision in his last 3 starts, but has put up a 2.16 mark in the process. Still, he has walked 13 men in his last 16 and 2/3 innings of work. In his last try he walked 6 Diamondbacks but allowed just 1 run while striking out 7 in 5 and 1/3 innings as the Mets pulled out a 6-4 win. The lefty has walked fewer than 3 batters just once in his last 10 outings, and has walked 40 men in his last 41 innings. In only 5 starts this season did Perez walk fewer men than the number of innings he ended up completing. New York has lost 7 of his 12 starts. In 15 career starts against Atlanta, Perez has gone 6-4 with a 3.53 ERA. In his 4 most recent starts against the Braves, he is 0-0 with a 3.91 mark.
Center fielder Nate McLouth, who was put on the disabled list yesterday with a sore hamstring, hopes to return as soon as he is eligible. McLouth was hitting .258 with 15 homers and 56 RBI on the season. Outfielder Ryan Church has gone 18-for-71 (.254) with a .376 on-base percentage and 14 RBI as a Brave this season. Infielder Martin Prado missed a couple of games with heat-related issues, but hopes to return to the lineup tonight. Shortstop Yunel Escobar, utilityman Omar Infante, third baseman Chipper Jones, and left fielder Garret Anderson are batting a combined .411 in 56 at-bats off of Perez in their careers.
Outfielder Jeff Francoeur has hit .293, attained a .331 on-base percentage, and tallied 21 RBI since being traded to the Mets. Outfielder Gary Sheffield is a lifetime .474 hitter with 2 homers off of Lowe.
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| OGP: August 17 |
[17 Aug 2009|03:16pm] |
Arizona Diamondbacks (54-64) @ Atlanta Braves (61-56)
Max Scherzer (7-6, 3.94) vs. Tommy Hanson (7-2, 3.05)
4:05 pm EDT
The Braves, having lost a key series to the Phillies, look to rebound in a makeup game against the Diamondbacks. The Braves had averaged 6.6 runs per game to win 5 straight, but scored just 7 runs while batting .204 and losing 2 of 3 to their division rivals. They are now 6 games out of first in the NL East, and 3.5 back in the Wild Card chase. The Diamondbacks are coming off of a series victory over the Dodgers, winning 2 of 3 and thus completing a 4-2 homestand. Arizona leads the NL with 41 homers since the All-Star break; the Braves are 3rd with 37. This contest functions as the rubber game of the series between these two teams started in mid-May. This game will also decide the winner of the season series between the two teams: each team has won 3 games against the other coming into this game.
In his last start, Max Scherzer allowed just 2 runs on 8 hits in 6 and 2/3 innings as the Diamondbacks beat the Mets 6-2. He struck out 8 without walking a batter in the outing. The start was a welcome rebound, as he had allowed 9 runs in 9 and 1/3 innings spanning his previous 2 outings. Still, the Diamondbacks are 8-3 in Scherzer's last 11 tries. In 2 starts and 2 relief appearances lifetime against Atlanta, Scherzer has gone 1-1 with a 5.40 mark. He did, however, record his first big league win against the Braves in mid-May at Turner Field by hurling 6 scoreless innings in a 12-0 game.
Tommy Hanson has won 2 consecutive starts while posting a 2.13 mark after losing 2 straight in what were his first 2 career defeats. In his last start, Hanson allowed just 1 run in 6 and 2/3 innings while striking out 9 as the Braves trounced the Nationals 8-1. Hanson has put up a 2.53 mark in his last 11 starts, and has allowed 2 earned runs or fewer in 3 of his last 4 tries.
Third baseman Chipper Jones has gone 8-for-21 (.421) with 2 homers and 6 RBI in 6 games against Arizona so far this season. Jones is also 4-for-6 with a longshot lifetime off of Scherzer. Shortstop Yunel Escobar is 4-for-9 with 3 doubles and 3 strikeouts lifetime against Scherzer.
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| OGP: August 16 |
[16 Aug 2009|07:01pm] |
Philadelphia Phillies (65-49) @ Atlanta Braves (61-55)
J.A. Happ (8-2, 2.75) vs. Javier Vazquez (10-7, 2.90)
8:05 pm EDT
The rubber game of the series will end Philadelphia's 6 game road trip, on which they have lost just 1 game so far. Last night, the Braves snapped the Phillies' 4-game winning streak and clawed back to within 5 games of the division lead. The Braves have won 8 of 11 against the Phillies this season. Atlanta trails 4 teams in the NL Wild Card race, but is just 3 games back of the frontrunners. The Phillies still have the best road record in the majors at 36-20.
J.A. Happ has gone 6-2 with a 2.81 mark since taking a turn in the rotation in late May. He also has the bigs' best road mark at 1.84 ERA. Happ leads all NL rookies in ERA, innings pitched, and complete games, and is second in wins. In his last start, he allowed 7 hits, 4 walks, and 2 runs in 6 innings, striking out just 3 against the Cubs but winning nonetheless. Happ has started once and made a relief appearance against the Braves already this season. In the start, he allowed 2 runs on 7 hits in 7 frames but did not receive a decision as the Braves won 5-2 in early July.
Javier Vazquez opposed Happ in that contest, and has gone 5-0 with a 2.49 ERA in 6 outings after receiving a no-decision in that game. In his last start, Vazquez reached the double-digit win plateau for the 10th straight season by beating the Dodgers in an 8-2 game, allowing just 1 run on 5 hits in 8 innings. The righty is second in the NL with 171 strikeouts, and Atlanta has won 8 of his last 9 starts. Vazquez has gone 1-0 with a 3.32 mark in 3 starts against Philadelphia so far in 2009, having allowed no more than 3 earned runs in each of those games.
Right fielder Jayson Werth matched his career high of 24 homers yesterday. Werth is batting .368 with 3 homers and 8 RBI in 23 lifetime contests at Turner Field. First baseman Ryan Howard has now driven in a run in 6 straight games. Left fielder Raul Ibanez has just 4 hits in his last 26 at-bats. Closer Brad Lidge has now blown 8 saves this season.
Catcher Brian McCann is 0-for-7 with 2 strikeouts lifetime against Happ. Center fielder Nate McLouth will sit this game out with a nagging hamstring issue. Infielder Martin Prado will be available after exiting early yesterday. Reliever Mike Gonzalez has allowed just 1 unearned run and 8 hits in his last 14 appearances, spanning 13 innings. Gonzalez has yielded earned runs in just 2 of his last 20 appearances, dating back to July 1. In both of those instances, he was working on a 3rd straight day.
Fun fact: Brad Lidge became the 5th player in the last 55 years to commit 2 errors and receive a blown save as well as a loss in the same game with his dismal showing last night.
Weird fact: The Braves have allowed 37 triples, tops in the majors (tied with the Pirates). I guess it makes sense with Anderson in left, Frenchy's occasional misplays, and Diaz in right, but still.
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| OGP: August 15 |
[15 Aug 2009|03:00pm] |
Philadelphia Phillies (65-48) @ Atlanta Braves (60-55)
Cole Hamels (7-7, 4.77) vs. Kenshin Kawakami (5-9, 4.12)
4:10 pm EDT
The Phillies won the series opener last night, running their winning streak to 4 games. They are now 3-7 against Atlanta on the year, finally winning a game at Turner Field, and have a 4.5 game lead on Florida in the NL East. The Braves trail Philadelphia by 6 games. The Braves lost their 5-game winning streak last night. The Phillies have been playing solid defense: their 51 team errors on the year is the lowest in the National League. They have also been playing well close and late, going 8-3 when tied after 8 innings this season. Atlanta starters have posted a 2.40 ERA against the Phillies this season; only Jo-Jo Reyes has allowed more than 3 runs in a start to them.
In his last start, Cole Hamels allowed 4 runs on 5 hits, 2 of which were homers, while walking 4 in 5 and 1/3 innings as the Phillies lost 6-4. Over his last 2 starts, he has lasted just 10 and 1/3 innings, allowing 10 earned on 15 hits and 6 walks. Opponents are batting at a .341 clip against him in the poor pair of outings. Still, in the 3 starts prior to the skid, he went 2-0 with a 2.25 mark. Hamels has won just once in his last 6 road starts. In 2 starts against Atlanta in 2009, Hamels has gone 1-1 with an 8.10 ERA. When he lost at Turner Field in early July, it snapped a 4-start winning streak for him in Atlanta and dropped him to 7-4 lifetime against the Braves. In that loss, he allowed 7 runs in 4 innings of work.
Kenshin Kawakami has gone 0-2 with a 3.68 mark in 5 outings since the All-Star break. However, in his last start, he went 7 scoreless innings, allowing just 4 hits in 3 walks as the Braves won 2-1 in 10 innings. The Japanese import has posted a 3.46 ERA in his last 17 starts. The Braves have backed Kawakami with just 14 total runs across 10 home starts, and he has correspondingly gone 2-4 while putting up a 3.28 ERA. Kawakami has only faced the Phillies once before, winning a 4-2 May contest by allowing 2 runs in 6 innings.
First baseman Ryan Howard has driven in at least 1 run in 5 straight games. Howard is also now 7th on the Phillies' all-time homer roll with 205. Shortstop Jimmy Rollins now has amassed 8 straight campaigns of 30 doubles or more.
Third baseman Chipper Jones will be facing the Phillies for the 200th time in his career this afternoon. In the 199 games he has played against them, he has hit .341 with 42 homers and 129 RBI, making him the active career home run leader against Philadelphia. Left fielder Garret Anderson has totaled double-digit homers in a season 14 times in his career, and needs 37 more hits to reach the 2,500 plateau.
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| OGP: August 14 |
[14 Aug 2009|06:32pm] |
Philadelphia Phillies (64-48) @ Atlanta Braves (60-54)
Joe Blanton (7-6, 4.02) vs. Jair Jurrjens (9-8, 3.01)
7:35 pm EDT
The Phillies are coming off a 3-game sweep of the Cubs and now lead the Braves by 5 games in the NL East. Their offense remains a powerhouse: they already have 16 multihomer innings this season, and lead the NL with 157 homers. Philadelphia has gone 22-12 in day games in 2009. The Braves, however, have won 5 in a row and 7 of 8 to put some heat on the division frontrunners. Atlanta is 17-9 since the All-Star break, the best record of any NL team over the last 28 games, and the club is 6 games over .500 for the first time since an 84-78 finish to the season in 2007. The Braves are also 25-14 since the start of July. The Braves have won 7 of 9 against the Phillies so far this season, including sweeping the only home series so far in the year.
Joe Blanton has received no runs behind him in either of his last 2 starts, taking losses in both while posting a 3.29 ERA in the process. Over his last 8 starts, Blanton has gone 3-3 with a 2.28 mark, and has a 1.87 mark in his last 6 outings. Furthermore, he has put up a 2.46 ERA over his last 13 starts. In his last start, he allowed 3 runs in 6 and 2/3 innings as the Phillies lost 3-2 to the Marlins. In 4 lifetime starts against Atlanta, Blanton has gone 0-1 with an 8.53 ERA.
Jair Jurrjens is 0-1 with a 7.71 mark in his last 2 outings, both coming against the Dodgers. Prior to that, however, he had allowed just 5 earned runs in 4 starts. In his last start he allowed 5 runs on 7 hits in just 4 and 1/3 innings, but the Braves won 9-5 in 12 innings to save him from a loss. Jurrjens has beaten Philadelphia twice this season, not allowing a run in either of his starts against them and yielding just 5 total hits in 12 and 1/3 innings. In 6 lifetime starts against the Phillies, Jurrjens has gone 3-2 with a 2.27 mark.
First baseman Ryan Howard snapped a 57 at-bat homerless streak yesterday. The drought tied his career high. Howard is hitting .444 (8-for-18) with 2 doubles, a triple, a homer, 6 RBI, 4 walks, and 5 strikeouts in his last 5 games, after going 7-for-40 (.175) with 2 doubles, 2 RBI, 1 walk and 18 strikeouts in the 10 contests prior.
In 10 games since rejoining his former team, first baseman Adam LaRoche has batted .371 with 3 homers and 7 RBI. LaRoche is a notorious second-half player, with a lifetime .295 average after the All-Star break, but just a .252 mark prior to it. Center fielder Nate McLouth hopes to return to the lineup after missing the Nationals series with a strained hamstring. McLouth has hit just .130 over his last 6 contests against the Phillies. Catcher Brian McCann is 6-for-10 with 2 homers lifetime off of Blanton.
Fun fact: Chipper Jones is now at 423 career dingers, 3 homers away from tying Billy Williams for 40th on the all-time list.
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