Are the Braves managed by functional retards?
Discuss.
I do like Bobby Cox and am a fan of the Bobby Cox Era in the general sense. I do think that some of the postseason troubles can be traced to how he runs the team and how the team is constructed (which I assume he gets a certain degree of input into with Schuerholz). But in the end, he does an excellent job of handling players and engendering a winning atmosphere, whatever the hell that means. However, after taking in the Friday night game in person and suffering through the game last night, I am more concerned than ever that we're being piloted by functional idiots.
I've never really held with Bobby's innate need to platoon at least 1 or 2 positions, not including catcher, normally to the tune of the trite old righty-lefty crap. Nor have I always held with his manipulation of the bench in late game situations. And of course the last 2 days were stunning examples of that.
On Friday night, we somehow "managed" ourselves into this position. After our "closer" came in and miraculously turned our 1 run deficit into a 3 run by doing all the little things like not throwing strikes and giving up homeruns, we come into the bottom of the inning having 3 outs against Billy Wagner to get 3 runs. The real beauty of the situation though is who we were left with to make 2 of those 3 outs. After pinch running with Orr in a previous inning and pulling old double switch to get Brian Jordan and his bionic knees in for LaRoche, we're left with the pitcher's spot hitting in the 5 hole, up 3rd in the inning. So instead of leaving LaRoche alone to run for himself (Orr of course being easily retired on a ground ball to the infield), we've now inserted a hole into the heart of the lineup. Of course, we peer down the bench and insert Matt Diaz to contribute a much needed out to the cause. Then, through some miraculous occurence, we actually manage to load the bases and bring the winning run to the plate, in the form of Brian McCann, who's actually been one of our few effective hitters over the last couple weeks. But of course being a lefty, there's no possible way we could leave him in to hit against Wagner. And I mean who could argue with the logic of taking a guy hitting .300 (and here I am too lazy to see what McCann hits against lefties, but hell, make it a random crap number like .184) to replace him with a guy who won't hit .200, PERIOD. Strangely enough, 3 pitch, game ending strike out ensues. I don't care how badly McCann hits against lefties, it's going to be better than a guy who isn't going to get 20 hits all season.
Of course Saturday was a whole game Charlie Foxtrot where we start the triumvirate of inning killers I like to call Diaz, Jordan, and Pratt. I understand the need to rest catchers. I know Bobby can't help but platoon first base, even if it is with Brian Jordan's lifeless corpse (and yes I know he got 2 hits yesterday, see how many times that happens). But who in the holy hell feels the need to also platoon the outfield on top of that? Isn't it bad enough that we've had a hard time getting offensive continuity with everyone hitting a cold streak simultaneous to injuries at the 1 and 2 spot? Do we really need to add to that by refusing to set a consistent lineup after we get them back? I realize it probably happens with less frequency than it feels like, but I swear to god it feels like these 3 guys are starting every 3rd game. There is no way you can expect to score enough runs to win any percentage of games where you start all 3 of these guys at the same time. If one of these guys hits over .250 on the year, you can kick me square in the nuts.
For a while, I feared I wouldn't find a picture of Jordan's knees in a functional state.
Anyway, there's obviously much more complaining to do about the Braves, but that's all I have the heart for today. Perhaps salvaging the win today to end the longest losing streak I can remember has dulled my edge a little.
I do like Bobby Cox and am a fan of the Bobby Cox Era in the general sense. I do think that some of the postseason troubles can be traced to how he runs the team and how the team is constructed (which I assume he gets a certain degree of input into with Schuerholz). But in the end, he does an excellent job of handling players and engendering a winning atmosphere, whatever the hell that means. However, after taking in the Friday night game in person and suffering through the game last night, I am more concerned than ever that we're being piloted by functional idiots.
I've never really held with Bobby's innate need to platoon at least 1 or 2 positions, not including catcher, normally to the tune of the trite old righty-lefty crap. Nor have I always held with his manipulation of the bench in late game situations. And of course the last 2 days were stunning examples of that.
On Friday night, we somehow "managed" ourselves into this position. After our "closer" came in and miraculously turned our 1 run deficit into a 3 run by doing all the little things like not throwing strikes and giving up homeruns, we come into the bottom of the inning having 3 outs against Billy Wagner to get 3 runs. The real beauty of the situation though is who we were left with to make 2 of those 3 outs. After pinch running with Orr in a previous inning and pulling old double switch to get Brian Jordan and his bionic knees in for LaRoche, we're left with the pitcher's spot hitting in the 5 hole, up 3rd in the inning. So instead of leaving LaRoche alone to run for himself (Orr of course being easily retired on a ground ball to the infield), we've now inserted a hole into the heart of the lineup. Of course, we peer down the bench and insert Matt Diaz to contribute a much needed out to the cause. Then, through some miraculous occurence, we actually manage to load the bases and bring the winning run to the plate, in the form of Brian McCann, who's actually been one of our few effective hitters over the last couple weeks. But of course being a lefty, there's no possible way we could leave him in to hit against Wagner. And I mean who could argue with the logic of taking a guy hitting .300 (and here I am too lazy to see what McCann hits against lefties, but hell, make it a random crap number like .184) to replace him with a guy who won't hit .200, PERIOD. Strangely enough, 3 pitch, game ending strike out ensues. I don't care how badly McCann hits against lefties, it's going to be better than a guy who isn't going to get 20 hits all season.
Of course Saturday was a whole game Charlie Foxtrot where we start the triumvirate of inning killers I like to call Diaz, Jordan, and Pratt. I understand the need to rest catchers. I know Bobby can't help but platoon first base, even if it is with Brian Jordan's lifeless corpse (and yes I know he got 2 hits yesterday, see how many times that happens). But who in the holy hell feels the need to also platoon the outfield on top of that? Isn't it bad enough that we've had a hard time getting offensive continuity with everyone hitting a cold streak simultaneous to injuries at the 1 and 2 spot? Do we really need to add to that by refusing to set a consistent lineup after we get them back? I realize it probably happens with less frequency than it feels like, but I swear to god it feels like these 3 guys are starting every 3rd game. There is no way you can expect to score enough runs to win any percentage of games where you start all 3 of these guys at the same time. If one of these guys hits over .250 on the year, you can kick me square in the nuts.
For a while, I feared I wouldn't find a picture of Jordan's knees in a functional state.
Anyway, there's obviously much more complaining to do about the Braves, but that's all I have the heart for today. Perhaps salvaging the win today to end the longest losing streak I can remember has dulled my edge a little.
posted by The Drizzle at 6:38 PM
3 Comments:
What hurts the most is that my main man Smoltzie got another 'no decision.' Smoltz and Hudson need to start pitching like cy young candidates if the braves are going to win another division title.
My wife used to defend Brian Jordan, whom I've despised since the first time he donned a Braves uniform. (I mean, how rare is it to find the ultimate combination of a .260 hitter that can't stay healthy and adds only average power and average defense?) She used to agree with the morons that said he was tough and a "gamer." She has since seen the light. Needless to say, when Brian Jordan made the team as a platoon option at first freakin' base, my head nearly exploded.
On a similar note, the string of expletives that I uttered when Todd Pratt pinch-hit for Brian McCann with the bases loaded was epic. Stories will be told for generations.
Luckily I had already given up 2 innings earlier. Thus I was free to simply stare in wonderment.
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