Welcome!

Hi. Welcome to the TRobb Braves blog for the 2009 season. Glad you’re here. Looking forward to the season. I’ll be with you on braveshomeplate.com keeping you current on happenings, rumors, contracts, trades and news from the Braves.

I’m shooting for an informed fan’s perspective. I think DOB does a great job with ajc.com and Bowman’s pretty good with mlb.com, but there’s certainly room for an informed discussion among fans – and that’s what I’m going to engage and encourage.

If there are “statheads” and “scoutheads”, I’m a ‘tweener – I value some stats (OBP, OPS, RF) but have no desire to live in Statland; but if you value your eyes to the exclusion of the underlying numbers, you can fall in love with a player and miss the fact that he sucks (see Kyle Farnsworth). So let’s plunge ahead, shall we?

Braves Myths

Reading through the tripe written by national media members and misinformed posters and bloggers, I think it’s important that we address some popular Braves myths that have no grounding in reality.

1. 1. Kelly Johnson is lousy defensively. Actually, he’s not. If you try and get to the essence of defensive second base play, you’re looking for a guy with sure hands, who is accurate, who has range and who turns the pivot.Looking at range factor (2^nd in NL in 2008), fielding percentage (8^th) and double plays/9 (2^nd), it’s clear that Kelly has very good range, middle-of-the-pack hands and turns a nice pivot.

   I think this myth is borne of his very visible dropped pop-up that cost the Phillies game last July. That didn’t mean he sucked; it meant he dropped a pop-up.

   One thing he doesn’t do well is range to his right to make the backhand play. Hopefully, he’s been smoothing that rough edge with tutor Glenn Hubbard in the offseason. Remember, last year was KJ’s second year at 2B.

   Remember, too, that Bill James says in order to optimize your offense, you want to play guys at the toughest defensive position they can handle. KJ’s bat at 2B is far more valuable than KJ in LF. So let’s have a little faith and see if he doesn’t develop a bit more this year.
   
   

2. 2. Chipper can’t run. Chipper is fast. Chipper makes me hold my breath as he goes from first to third on a hit to right field, waiting for him to pop a hamstring or tear a quad or roll an ankle, but Chipper moves very well for a 6’4” guy.
   
   
3. 3. This rotation is nothing special. The last five Braves games (last September) were started by Jair Jurrjens, James Parr, Jose Campillo, JoJo Reyes and Charlie Morton (OK, I might have missed a tomato can in there). All but Jurrjens should have been in Richmond (yes, Campillo had a nice four months).This season, in our first five we’ll start Derek Lowe, Javier Vazquez, Jurrjens, Kenshin Kawakami, and (probably) Tom Glavine. That’s a huge upgrade. In fact, it’s the main reason why you should just throw 2008 out when evaluating the 2009 Braves. Three of them will pitch 200 innings; all could surpass 180.

   We go from a team that doesn’t know what it’s going to get from its starters four out of five days to a team that has a chance to win every day. Not only does that benefit the ballclub from a pitching standpoint, now the hitters aren’t pressing and the atmosphere isn’t depressing. This team can compete – especially if it gets some help in LF.
   
   

4. 4. Chipper can’t play defense. The guy is money. Good reflexes still, accurate arm, makes the barehand play on a bunt or dribbler as well as anyone. Ever, maybe. He’s not going to first anytime soon because he’s a plus defensive player. Well, that and the fact that the Braves have no decent third basemen on the farm.
   
   
5. 5. The bullpen is a mess. Huh? Mike Gonzalez (“The Cobra”) was lights out, even a few klicks short on the radar gun (14/16 saves, 44 Ks in 33 IP). Soriano’s nerve transposition surgery seems to have taken care of his elbow. Blaine Boyer was great ‘til he ran out of gas (3.78 ERA as late as July 23^rd). Buddy Carlyle was as underrated and unappreciated as any reliever in the league last year (62 IP, 1.24 WHIP, 3.59 ERA and 59 Ks in ’08).And they’ve got about nine guys (Bennett, Campillo, Ridgway, O’Flaherty, Acosta, Marek, Logan, Moylan, Stockman) who could win those last three spots on the staff. Gwinnett could go 100-40 with the pitching they’re going to have this year.
   
   
6. 6. The Braves farm is depleted (In the wake of the five prospects going to Texas in the Teixeira deal). In fact, the farm is robust with a number of nice-looking prospects – Tommy Hanson, Gorkys Hernandez, Jordan Schafer, Cole Rohrbaugh, Kris Medlen, Jason Heyward, Freddie Freeman. In fact Baseball America has us rated fourth in MLB. Of course, Texas is first, but still…

Those are the myths that bug me the most. How about you?

Well the first game without Mark Teixeira did not go good for the Atlanta Braves as they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals 8-3.  The Braves allowed the Cardinals to score six late inning runs and come from behind to get the victory.  Before the game, the Braves traded Mark Teixeira to the Los Angeles Angels for Casey Kotchman and Stephen Marek.

Jorge Campillo got the start for the Braves and threw the first seven innings of the game.  Campillo gave up seven hits but only two runs in the game and he really should have got the win in my opinion.  It was too bad that the Braves bullpen couldn’t hold off the Cardinals so Campillo could get the win.

Rafael Soriano took the loss as he gave up one run in the eighth inning.  Mike Gonzalez was only able to record two outs in the ninth inning as he allowed five runs to score.  Only one of those five runs were earned however so things shouldn’t have been as bad as they were.

Gregor Blanco, Greg Norton, and Jeff Francoeur all had one rbi each for the Braves.  They just need a couple more big hits and for the bullpen to hold the Cardinals now.  That didn’t happen and that was why you seen a Braves loss on Tuesday.

Braves Baseball

- Cliff

The Atlanta Braves got a great performance on the mound by Jorge Campillo who pitched seven shut out innings and limited the Florida Marlins to only two hits while the Braves defeated the Marlins 4-0.  It was exactly the way the Braves wanted to start the series with the Marlins.  Campillo earned the win after striking out six batters and improved his record to 5-4 on the year.

Will Ohman and Mike Gonzalez pitched the eighth and ninth innings to finish off the Marlins.  All in all all three Braves pitchers threw a great game and did a great job.

Mark Kotsay got the scoring started in the 2nd inning for the Braves when he singled in Mark Teixeira for the Braves first run.  Chipper Jonese added a rbi single in the 5th inning and then Teixeira had a rbi double that scored Jones in the 7th inning.  In the 9th inning, the Braves added on an insurance run when Martin Prado doubled and Kotsay scored.

The Braves will look to go up 2-0 in the series as they face off against the Marlins again on Tuesday night.

Braves Blog

The Braves bats provided plenty of offense for Jair Jurrjens tonight, plating 9 on 12 hits.  And with ace Tim Hudson starting the rubber game tomorrow, we are in good position to take our second straight series. 

Just one night after mustering only one baserunner against Dodger starter Hiroki Kuroda, the Braves appeared to be in jeopardy of being shut out for a second straight night.  LA starter Chad Billingsly no hit us through four innings before we finally broke through with 3 runs off Billingsly in the 5th..

Billingsly, he of the disproportionately massive legs, was dominant at times, hitting his spots with an explosive low to mid 90s fastball.  He was locating his pitches at the knees and on the corners, embarrassing Chipper Jones a couple of times (It was only the third time all season Chipper struck out more than one time in a game). But in the top of the 5^th, Tree-trunk legs wasn’t able to escape a bases loaded jam when Yunel Escobar came through with the big hit for the second time in three days.

KJ and Kotsay led of the inning with back to back singles.  After a failed bunt attempt resulted in a K for Jurrjens, Gregor Blanco walked to load the bases with one out.  Yunel followed jumping on the first pitch, hitting a bases clearing, frozen-rope double just inside the third base bag.  

The Braves tacked on 3 more off Billingsly in the 6^th on a no-doubter solo bomb by Brian McCann to right center and a two run single by Blanco. 

The run support was more than enough for Jurrjen the surgeon.  He dissected the Dodger lineup to the tune of 6 Ks, lowering his ERA to an even 3 for the season.  Jair has allowed only 5 earned runs over his last 34.2 innings — an ERA of 1.32.

What else?

Jeff Francoeur doesn’t appear to have really figured anything out from a mechanical standpoint during his brief demotion. If you’re looking for silver linings, he did have a basehit and he managed to avoid any U turns on the night.  In his other three at bats, he hit two weak grounders and an inside out fly ball to right field.  The effort to stay on the ball is pretty clear, but his swing still looks long and slow.

Tex and BMac went back-to-back in the 9^th, each getting his 17^th jack of the season.

Chipper struck out thrice for the first time since August 28 of last year at the Marlins.  After reaching base safely 7 times in the Braves marathon win Sunday, Chipper is 0 for 7 with 4 Ks in the series.

Braves batters have struck out 35 times in their last 35 innings.

Kelly Johnson scored 3 times tonight, giving him 52 for the season.  That’s good for a tie for second on the team with Mark Teixeira.

Newly signed Julian Tavarez recorded only one out in the 9^th before being yanked for closer Mike Gonzalez.  There’s a reason this guy is suiting up with his third different team THIS SEASON.  I’ll continue to scratch my head on that acquisition.

The Atlanta Braves avoided a three game sweep by beating the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2 on Wednesday afternoon.  It was a good thing the Braves won as a three game sweep to the Brewers would have been very bad in my opinion.

Jorge Campillo pitched seven innings of two-run ball to get the win for the Braves.  Campillo is now 3-2 on the season.  He wasn’t just pitching well, Campillo also had two hits and two runs scored in the 4-2 victory.  Mike Gonzalez pitched the ninth inning and struck out two as he picked up second save of the season.

Kelly Johnson led the Braves at the plate as he went 2-4 with three rbi.  A two run double and a rbi single was how Johnson tallied his three rbi in the game.  Gregor Blanco went 2-4 and had the other rbi for the Braves which came in the fifth inning when he singled in Brandon Jones.

The Braves are now off on Thursday and will take on the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday for a interleague weekend matchup.

If anyone is interested in doing some game recaps and blogs here at braveshomeplate please use the contact us link on the site or leave a comment in this post and we will get back to you!  Looking for midweek helpers, but could take a weekend person as well.

Braves Blog

The Atlanta Braves broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the ninth inning when Omar Infante singled to right field to score Jeff Francoeur and then got another run in the ninth inning when Gregor Blanco tripled to score Infante.  The Braves weren’t done however as they scored one more time on a Kelly Johnson infield groundout.  Nice comeback win for the Braves as they won 5-2 when it was all said and done.

Now that is a great win for the Braves who were up 2-0 earlier in the game.  Chipper Jones hit his 16th home run of the single in the first inning to get the Braves scoring.  In the third inning, Johnson had a rbi triple for the Braves second run.

Braves starting pitcher Jose Reyes threw the first seven innings of the game and gave up five hits and two runs.  Reyes walked four batters and struckout two batters.  Reyes ended up getting the no decision in the game but it was a quality outing for him.

Jeff Bennett pitched a scoreless eighth inning to keep the score tied 2-2 and then Mike Gonzalez made his first apperance of the year in the ninth inning as he finished the Rangers off.  Bennet got the win and is now 1-4 while Gonzalez picked up his first save of the season.

Braves Blog