Sunday, October 10, 2010

A Rough Saturday... A Worse Sunday...

Braves First...

Okay... let's address Game 3 or "The Brooks Conrad Game" for the history of Braves lore...
  1. Brooks Conrad isn't good at defense... we knew this coming in... I've been on record since the end of the regular season that I'd rather see Diory or even Glaus (if he could defend at all) instead because Conrad is a far-below-average defender by the numbers even prior to this 8 error in 7 game stretch, and he's a valuable switch-hitting pinch hitter...
  2. Tim Hudson was fantastic... he grinded through the early innings and was definitely everything he was supposed to be...
  3. The bats were almost too patient... Sanchez threw a ton of pitches for a guy who didn't allow really any baserunners... but lots of 3-2 counts, and even more called strikes... I'm a fan of patience... just not with 2 strikes
  4. The decision to have Conrad bunt with 0 outs (which he promptly popped up) was one that I will defend... Bobby clearly has confidence in Conrad to bunt, despite evidence of his potential ineptitude, and that's a spot where Bobby bunts 100% of the time... it's a philosophical debate if you disagree, and I'm okay with that, but this is the same guy that we've seen bunt Infante (top 5 in the league in BA), and Prado (the team's best hitter all year) in tie games this year... he likes to bunt... it is what it is...
  5. If Craig Kimbrel is your de facto closer, use him as such... he didn't look anything but dominant in this series, and the hit he allowed in Game 3 was a ground ball that was placed beautifully.. I didn't understand pulling a guy who had looked lights-out for the entire season (17+ k's per 9, blah blah blah) for a cold Mike Dunn who, while he's been effective, is a step-down in talent from Kimbrel...
  6. Bobby's decision to leave Brooks Conrad in on defense in the 9th inning is the single most indefensible one... the Kimbrel move? I didn't like it at the time, and said as such prior to the Huff AB... but the decision to play a known defensive liability, who had been visibly shaken by his 2 errors already in the game WITH THE LEAD in the 9th inning with an above-average defender in Diory Hernandez available was inexplicable... I thought it was an absolute no-brainer going into the inning to the point where I barely noticed Brooks was still out there as Kimbrel was throwing his first real pitch... was stunning, and obviously, it backfired...
  7. What is the plan for Monday? I have no idea... there are a few things I'm confused about... if Bobby had enough confidence to insert Troy Glaus at 3rd LATE in the game 2 win, what stops him from starting him there against a lefty (if Bumgarner starts) in Game 4? I won't comment on Glaus at 3rd because I haven't seen enough.. but putting him in late in G3 speaks for itself, no? I'm not sure Bobby can throw Conrad in there again without a 50,000 person revolt, but it certainly wouldn't be a "Bobby move" to pull Conrad and blow his confidence even further... I frankly have no idea what the lineup will look like tomorrow... but mine wouldn't involve Conrad...
  8. This series isn't over... It felt that way walking out of Turner Field on Sunday night... but if San Fran stays to what they've stated and throws Madison Bumgarner against Lowe on Monday, there is life... yes, Lincecum is on full rest for Game 5, but so is Tommy Hanson... and with all the talk of how putrid the ATL offense has been, SF has been nearly equal in their futility... but that doesn't make Sunday sting any less... Big-ups to Eric Hinske on what would've been a shot for the ages if it held up...
A quick Michigan tangent that no one will read...
  • I've heard Denard Robinson being beat up a bit today... word? Yes, he threw 2 game-changing INTs in the opposition's end zone... I'm aware of that... but he was fantastic for 95% of the snaps... and he literally has to play perfect football for this team to win right now... Greg Robinson is hamstrung by some really bad recruiting + early defections (I hate you Donovan Warren) + injuries to his defensive unit... but they are a grease fire right now... 30+ points again at home and it would've been worse if MSU didn't call off the dogs... Robinson will have days like this because, frankly, he can't possibly be as good as he's been... but for him to take the lionshare of public blame for this loss? Indefensible...
Well that was positive...


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