Diamondbacks 10, Braves 9
ESPN.com - MLB - Box Score - Braves at Diamondbacks
I'm really starting to hate Chris Reitsma.
The Braves took a 5-0 lead in the first, the big blow a LaRoche grand slam. I'm guessing if you factored out extreme blowouts, and maybe even then, you're a lot more likely to lose a game in which you score five or more runs in the first than five or more runs in any other inning. You relax. The Braves sure seemed to. John Thomson couldn't hold it. He left the game with two out in the sixth having given up a three-run homer to make it 7-5.
But the Braves woke up. They cut it to 7-6, then when McBride gave up a run (he really shouldn't have, and I thought it should have been scored unearned) Chipper hit a two-out single in the eighth to tie it. In the ninth, McCann hit a leadoff double, was pinch-run for (I think that was a bad call, taking out your best hitter in a game like this) with Orr, who went to third on a Francoeur flyout and came home on a LaRoche single. The Braves had a shot to score more but couldn't.
Enter Spazman. Reitsma immediately gave up a double in the gap. He actually got the next guy, but then followed that with another double. (Ken Ray was up, but Bobby didn't go to him. This was a mistake.) Reitsma intentionally walked the next guy -- Johnny Estrada! -- then hit a pinch-hitter with an 0-2 pitch. He followed that with the inevitable hit to end it.
Tomorrow, Travis Smith. I am not optimistic.
posted by Mac @ 5/20/2006 12:08:00 AM
10 Comments
10 Comments:
I felt like this game was going into the Loss column when we only scored 1 in the top of the ninth. Its a bad way to lose, one we've had to see too often.
if only we could play every game at home, thus avoiding having to send someone out after we take a lead. *sigh*
Baseball Prospectus had him (Reitsma) at like the top of their list in terms terms of inherited runners prevented.
When I saw that, I was thining "Yeah, its not the inherited runners we have to worry about. Its his own damn runners that kill us every time."
Its another example of how a single SABRmetric statistic can yeild wildly misleading results when taken out of context.
BP was also calling for Francoeur to be sent back to minors since he hadn't walked yet.
True - if Francoeur ALSO walked, he'd be pretty effing amazing, but I'll take his big bat without the walks for now. Lord knows he's had some huges hits for the Braves the last ten days.
In my mind it all depends on the first batter he faces. If he gets an out, I feel like he can escape the inning with no runs. If he lets the leadoff man get on base, he WILL give up a run. I hate him.
Its another example of how a single SABRmetric statistic can yeild wildly misleading results when taken out of context.
Unlike traditional statistics taken out of context like RBI and Runs for hitters and Wins and ERA for pitchers.
Other than the popout, every ball hit against Reitsma last night was NAILED. You could tell from the first batter on that they had a bead on him. That game was over when the first guy got on base.
Honestly, I would rather see almost any reliever we have closing out games than Reitsma. Whatever the intangible is that closers have, Reitsma ain't got it. He's never had it. I just wish we would use him in a role where he could be valuable to the team.
Also, I completely agree with Dix. If the leadoff man gets aboard versus Reitsma, he WILL give up a run. Count it.
My vote is for Paronto to close, best k/9 ratio, a reliever who can actually strike out guys! And bring Chuck James back to replace Moylan.
Paronto has been pitching well, but Ray is going to have first crack -- even with less than outstanding peripherals.
Did anyone see Michael Barrett cold-cock AJ Pierzynski? He's going to get in a load of trouble, but really, my only regret is that he didn't hit him harder. Pierzynski is a huge asshat. This is probably not the first nor the last time this will happen.
I've been a Braves fan since 1987 and have never ever seen a closer (if you can call him that) as bad as Chirs Reitsma. I have never thought he was good. The Braves need to get rid of this clown!! He has cost the Braves entirely too many wins. They totally came back to lose because of him.
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