April 23: Braves (Kawakami) at Mets (Maine)

[HTF]

Lineups:
Braves:


McLouth CF
Prado 2B
Jones 3B
McCann C
Heyward RF
Hinske 1B
Cabrera LF
Infante SS
Kawakami RHP

Mets


Pagan CF
Castillo 2B
Reyes SS
Bay LF
Wright 3B
Davis 1B
Francoeur RF
Barajas C
Maine RHP

Probable Pitchers
Kenshin Kawakami, RHP (0-2, 4.91)
Kawakami proved to be effective while utilizing his sinker against the Giants during his season debut. But while opposing the more patient Rockies lineup on Saturday, he left too many pitches up in the zone and fell behind in the count too often. The Japanese right-hander allowed four runs on eight hits in five innings against the Rockies. He needed 103 pitches to complete the outing and just 65 pitches to complete the six-inning effort against the Giants. In five appearances (three starts) against the Mets last year, Kawakami went 1-2 with a 2.19 ERA. His finest effort against them occurred on Aug. 20, when he limited them to one run and seven hits in seven innings.

John Maine, RHP (0-1, 10.38)
Maine produced a no-decision in his only home start this season. In 34 starts at Shea Stadium and Citi Field in the previous three seasons, he won 17 of 26 decisions and produced a 3.56 ERA. His 38 road starts in the same period produced a 15-15 record and 4.62 ERA, and he has been ineffective in two road starts this season -- 0-1 record, 12.38 ERA and 20 baserunners in eight innings. His renewed emphasis on his fastball served him well for four innings in his most recent start, against the Cardinals Sunday, but the fourth home run against him in 14 innings essentially ended his workday. Alfonso Soriano has two home runs but no other hits in 17 career at-bats against Maine.

[BraveHawk]

He have a Hinske sighting!:chop:

[vnodnarb]

We really need a pick me up win tonight, gotta end this losing streak.

[HTF]

If we can't take at least 2 of 3 from the Mets while not facing Santana we just need to quit and play for the #1 pick.

[ChipChipHooray]

Heading to my first Braves game tonight. Pretty excited. Hopefully Heyward can hit a bomb!

[Chop33]

heyward # 5 = win

[jackrabbitjones]

heyward # 5 = win

Yes. He obviously isn't going to hit .700 w/RISP all year, but our 5 hole sees the most guys on base. I fear he is only hitting here because Yunel is out. We'll see if this is where he stays with Glaus and Yunel back in. I hope he does (or moves to 3).

[Chop33]

I wonder if Escobar is out because Bobby's punishing him or just because he's been struggling at the plate.

[Willie Mays Hays]

Weird, I about came on here earlier and was going to post that I want to see Hinske and Infante give Troy and Yunel the day off. Cox must have been reading my mind. I had the same lineup too just swtiched Omar and Melky.

[Brave Henry]

Hinske needs to rake...can't waste these rare opportunities to force his way into the everyday (vs righties) lineup.

[McCarroll21]

Tonight's gonna be a good night. I've already called it a day from work and finally get to relax and watch the game.

[Willie Mays Hays]

Tonight's gonna be a good night. I've already called it a day from work and finally get to relax and watch the game.

what do you do for a job? seems like you are always posting about working at different hours.

[Brave Henry]

Tonight's gonna be a good night. I've already called it a day from work and finally get to relax and watch the game.

I'm in the same boat sort of. Just finished a big assignment that's been pissing me off for weeks. Time to relax, tie one on and enjoy some Braves baseball.

:beer:

[HTF]

This is my last game I have to listen to. Thank Heyward.

[McCarroll21]

what do you do for a job? seems like you are always posting about working at different hours.
I do web design. I work from home so I set my own hours. Basically it's not a "you work from this time to this time" and more of a "this project is due now and you need to get it done" kind of thing. I try to keep it as close to an 8-5 thing as possible but lately we've had a lot of big projects that have had me spending a lot of time at night working on things. In addition to that job, I also do web design for this other guy when he needs it. He owns a baseball camp training facility, so he's had a lot going on recently with spring break and then summer coming up. Kind of added to the work load.

Plus there is this place and there's more work involved in it than some may think.

[warning.track.power]

I see Maine's sporting a 10+ ERA. He'll probably find his way against us and pitch 7 scoreless innings.

[HTF]

jonmorosi (http://twitter.com/jonmorosi) In the would-be market for Adrian Gonzalez, a team that makes more sense than the #RedSox (http://twitter.com/search?q=%23RedSox): http://bit.ly/dChvd7 #Braves (http://twitter.com/search?q=%23Braves)

Uh, yes please.

[Brave Henry]

jonmorosi (http://twitter.com/jonmorosi) In the would-be market for Adrian Gonzalez, a team that makes more sense than the #RedSox (http://twitter.com/search?q=%23RedSox): http://bit.ly/dChvd7 #Braves (http://twitter.com/search?q=%23Braves)

Uh, yes please.


I know this topic is over-discussed every year, but PLEEEEEASEEE!

[Willie Mays Hays]

I'd def be willing to give up a Tex like package for A-Gon. I know most think we got robbed in that deal and we did but today the Braves are a lot closer to being a Championship team than when the Teixeira deal was made. This team needs a bat like A-Gon or Prince. Problem is if the Pads plan is to move Blanks to 1B that makes the trade harder b/c that means Freeman wouldn't have value to them.

[Chop33]

I do web design. I work from home so I set my own hours. Basically it's not a "you work from this time to this time" and more of a "this project is due now and you need to get it done" kind of thing. I try to keep it as close to an 8-5 thing as possible but lately we've had a lot of big projects that have had me spending a lot of time at night working on things. In addition to that job, I also do web design for this other guy when he needs it. He owns a baseball camp training facility, so he's had a lot going on recently with spring break and then summer coming up. Kind of added to the work load.

Plus there is this place and there's more work involved in it than some may think.
are you freelancing? Is this what you studied/are studying in school?

[warning.track.power]

A-Gone on the Braves ? :please:

[McCarroll21]

are you freelancing? Is this what you studied/are studying in school?
Started as freelance, but a freelance assignment turned into a full time job. It's not what I studied. My degree is doing nothing for me other than making it harder to get back into school.

[dogmanx23]

I'd like to get A-Gon but sign him long term. No 1 year rental BS. I can only imagine A-Gon/Mac/Heyward... DAMN!

[J-Cup]

It'll be interesting to see how our lineup will do tonight without a struggling Glaus and Escobar.

[HTF]

It'll be interesting to see how our lineup will do tonight without a struggling Glaus and Escobar.
You can't judge our long term success on what we do against the shitty Mets.

[HTF]

ajcbraves (http://twitter.com/ajcbraves) Jeff Francoeur got call from McCann to give him a ride to ballpark. Francoeur went and picked up McCann, Chipper and Heyward, brought them.

Jeezus. He could've pulled a suicide mission and set the Braves back 20 years.

[BGarrett7]

Did we learn nothing from the Teixeira deal? It's not worth it.

The Braves were five games over, 3.5 back in the division and 1.5 back in the wildcard race when that trade went down... Tex went balls-out crazy after coming to Atlanta... And the team finished one game better than they had started out and lost the division by five games, despite having the second best Pythagorean W-L in the entire league.

And now, the Braves farm system is a lot less deep -- thanks in great deal to the above deal -- and wouldn't even be getting the benefit of having an extra year to sign.

Having the Braves name attached to A-Gone in any way, shape or form scares the absolute shit out of me, and I want no part of it.

[BGarrett7]

... pulled a suicide mission and set the Braves back 20 years. Hey, speaking of the Teixeira trade... :)

[McCarroll21]

That's the Ron Mahay deal, thanks.

[BGarrett7]

That's the Ron Mahay deal, thanks.Shit, with all the names in that deal, I'd completely forgotten about his!

[BraveScot]

You can't judge our long term success on what we do against the shitty Mets.

I'd hold that line until the series finishes.

[McCarroll21]

If we can hold Faily hitless tonight, he'll have gotten 1 hit in the last week. They played every day last week, so 7 games and one of those was the 20 inning game.

1 for his last 26 with a walk and sac fly mixed in. A scorching .038/.071/.038 - .110 line over the last 6 games.

[Willie Mays Hays]

Out of the Teixeira deal Feliz is really the only guy I miss. Andrus probably would have been blocking Martin b/c he or Yunel would have probably taken over 2B. Besides Feliz and Andrus the other guys have done nothing of point.

[HTF]

If we can hold Faily hitless tonight, he'll have gotten 1 hit in the last week. They played every day last week, so 7 games and one of those was the 20 inning game.

1 for his last 26 with a walk and sac fly mixed in. A scorching .038/.071/.038 - .110 line over the last 6 games.
Not sure how confident I am of KK holding him hitless.

[HTF]

Talking about the Teixeira deal is pointless. Wren would never do anything so dumb so it's moot.

[McCarroll21]

Not sure how confident I am of KK holding him hitless.
Dude. It's Francoeur in a slump. I think either of us would have a shot at holding him hitless right now.

[J-Cup]

Let's avoid our first 3 game losing streak and bounce back.

[Brave Henry]

I'm thinking JFK has at least two hits and 3 total bases, but I hope I'm wrong.

[HTF]

Let's go Nate get something started.

[gobravez]

Bill Hohn!!!

[Brave Henry]

Complain as hard as you want, you can't take that pitch with two strikes, Nate.

[gobravez]

Bill Hohn already starting shit.

[b10wick]

Great start.

[BGarrett7]

Besides Feliz and Andrus the other guys have done nothing of point.Well, given 500 PA and Salty would've out-homered anyone on the Braves roster last season not named Chipper or McCann.

And who would you rather have going into the '09 campaign -- Matt Harrison at 23, or Lowe and/or Kawakami? Because his presence would've eradicated the need for one of those two. Or how about a starting rotation of Hudson/Jurrjens/Hanson/Feliz/Harrison... How's that suit you?

With a little extra money to throw around, so maybe the Braves could've made a legit run at someone like Dunn last off-season?

But, anyways...

[McCarroll21]

Bill Hohn!!!
Love him. That game he worked behind the plate in Boston last year was epic.

[Willie Mays Hays]

Bill Hohn, odds on a Bobby Cox ejection?

[HTF]

Fucking Bill Hohn. Damn. Wonder if he'll give the Mets' catch a slap on the ass after this game?

[BGarrett7]

Anyone else annoyed by how much all the new stadiums resemble each other? It's like the cookie-cutter FultCo/Veterans/Three Rivers/Riverfront all over again, but slightly altered here or there to try and develop some personality.

[jrod1986]

Well, this is looking familiar so far.

[Willie Mays Hays]

How come the Braves never swing early in the count when a guy is throwing strikes? When a guy is wild they go up there hacking.