.196 < .197

 

Last night Julio Teheran (who’s teetering on being left off the postseason roster) just set the Braves single-season record for lowest opponent’s batting average at .196, breaking Greg Maddux’s .197 in 1995. Teheran won far fewer games and gave up many more walks and home runs than Maddux, who won the Cy Young Award that year. Maddux went 19-2 with ten complete games in 28 starts. He only walked 23 batters in over 200 innings, less than one per game. A 1.63 ERA and three shutouts.

 

.W.L...W%..era..GS.CG.SHO.IP…..H…R..

19 02 .905 1.63 28  10   3 209.2 147 39 GM 1995

09 09 .500 3.94 00  00   0 175.2 122 80 JT 2018   

 

This year Teheran set the team record with a slightly lower batting average against, but compared to Maddux walked almost four times as many batters, and allowed over three times as many home runs. In only this one category are the two seasons comparable. In literally every other category Maddux had a superior season by far. I would say move Teheran to the bullpen, but he does so bad the first inning he’s out there.

 

HR.BB..K.HBP.BLK.BF.WHIP

08  23 181  4     0  785 0.811 GM 1995

26  84 162  9     3  724 1.173 JT 2018   

 

HR9.BB9.K9

0.3  1.0 7.8 GM 1995

1.3  4.3 8.3 JT 2018

Maddux played for the Padres in 2007 and part of 2008, winning 20 games and walking only 51 batters in 60 games / 351 innings.  

 

Freeman and Markakis are both on track to play in all 162 games this year. Both have missed starts but appeared as late game pinch hitters (Like Freeman last night). In new York the Braves dressed the rookies as elves.

Would be nice to have another chapel choir reunion. But hopefully not on a Saturday afternoon during the college football season!

 

Fact: GT does not have the same talent as UGA, Clemson, Bama, Auburn, FSU, Miami, Virginia Tech, NC, Syracuse, and many other schools they play. They don’t have a QB as talented as Fromm or Fields, a kicker as good as Blankenship, backs as good as Fields or Holyfield, or an offensive line as good as Georgia’s. UGA’s receivers are faster, taller, and more talented than Tech’s. Compare Micol Hardiman to Tech’s Bryant. NO COMPARISON. UGA’s defense is light years more talented than Tech’s.

 

For anyone to say otherwise hasn’t been watching both teams. Ask a Tech fan how many players they can name from schools other than Tech. Not many can.   

 

Same with Clemson and Tech. Last week Clemson could’ve put up whatever score they wanted against Tech. The Tigers were more interested in getting playing time for everyone.

 

From what I’ve observed at Tech games the past 40 years, just because someone is a Tech grad, and/or season ticket holder, that doesn’t make them an expert on sports. So many look like they’re at the game just to be seen, and to socialize. If they’re attending Tech games that means they’re not watching other teams – so how could they know Tech has talent equal to other schools? But when Clemson and UGA beat GT eight out of ten, and Duke and UNC beat GT nineteen out of twenty in basketball, you have to conclude those other teams are more talented than Tech.

 

BUT: Tech does have one of the better punters in the nation. But lots of teams have good punters. Some schools (like Auburn) order a punter from Australia. UGA has a good punter, but they don’t have to punt much. Pressley Harvin (#27) is Tech’s punter. Originally he was a traditional two step straight ahead punter. At one point the coaches ordered him to perform the running rugby style punts, which didn’t go so well, like last year in Miami. I thought he had ditched that style – I hadn’t seen him do that this year, but I haven’t seen many punts. The running punt is a coach’s decision, to give the coverage time to run downfield. May be employed against dangerous return men – or against more talented teams. See what I did there? 

 

There were lots of comments about the trial on social media. Teachers who must get off earlier than me as well as the usual all-day long commenters. Sometimes at work you can sneak peeks but I wasn’t doing that yesterday. I caught several clips when I got home last night.

 

Thursday: worked until six. Ceil made her favorite dish: spaghetti, this time with meat sauce. Also tossed salad. Watched “Saving Mr. Banks” – Tom Hanks plays Walt Disney trying to convince the author of Mary Poppins to sign over movie rights to him, while she sits in with the songwriters writing “Spoonful of Sugar” and other songs from the movie.

Mellow Mushroom for lunch today. Tonight we’re going over to a friend’s house for…pizza. Saturday hopefully we’ll watch the Tech and Clemson games at noon, and GA/Tenn at 3:30. 

 

The Republican candidate for governor has a plan to increase teacher pay. I wonder what my Democratic teacher friends think of that. Charles Baugh and Missy are huge liberals on social media. Ricky Glover is completely on the other side. I’m sure Ricky’s comments and posts drive them crazy. 

 

I still say all this conflict and division in our country is the handiwork of George Soros, in his effort to destroy America. He’s bankrolling protests and making sure the divisive stories are getting out in the media. And millions and millions are being sucked in like lemmings. Even Sports Illustrated has become more about protests and “change” than sports. They’ve mentioned Acuna and Albies in passing, but not one article about the upstart Braves all year. But sure, they’ll write about the Nationals and Oakland A’s.