Highs and Lows

Whether fun win (Monday) or "devastating" loss (Tuesday), I am quick to remember that the baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint. To be sure, each game is important, but it's more important for a team to peak at the end of the season. With that thought permeating our email conversations, how does our fledgling blog compare to the others that live and die on every pitch?

To that end, the very best news that I can read is that BJ has gone to Hitting Coach Greg Walker for help returning to his hit-to-all-fields form in 2007 - 2008. That could make the offense even more explosive.

Another quality start by Medlin. Rob, do you have any significant quality start data for the past week or two?

O'Flaherty pitched out of trouble in the eighth, but Kimbrel blow it in the ninth. Kimbrel threw low the entire inning, perhaps thinking he needed to keep the ball low in such a hitter's park. Joe Simpson said it allowed the batters to throw the barrel of the bat down and out in front of the pitch, and lift the ball up and over the fence. Seems like Kimbrel's strength is to change locations, blowing the ball past hitters either high, inside, or outside. To me, that blown save was due to poor strategy. I was sitting on the couch watching. Perhaps the outcome would've been different had I got up and went to bed.

Kimbrel would've become the fourth faster closer to notch 100 saves. John Smoltz was second fastest.

Gattis has comported himself well out in left field. He was given an error on a tough ball almost out of his reach in the corner. There weren't many replays, but it didn't seem like he lost the ball transferring it from his glove to his throwing hand. He was reaching so far to just catch the ball that he wasn't able to hang on. I didn't see the batter hesitate after rounding first. Looked like a double all the way to me, regardless of where the batter was when Gattis lost the ball. Schafer, the Bear's defensive replacement, had a couple of tough plays as well.

Both Fredi and Bobby love emptying the bench once a week (usually Sunday) to give the regulars an off-day and the bench players a chance to shake off the dust. Kind of a day game after night game thing. But with the need to keep Gattis' bat in the lineup when Heyward returns, Fredi could rest his regulars by giving Evan a start or two each week at catcher, one at first base, and two or three in left field. Downside to this proposal: Less playing time for the other bench players.

Spectacular between-the-legs tag by Simmons Monday night, who benefitted from the favorable call by the umpire. Andrelton is starting to hit as well. Even Uggla and BJ are starting to reach base. A series in Cincinnati 's bandbox might've been just what the doctor ordered.