Glad I’m not a Dodger fan. Win well over 100 games, then lose out to a wild card team - after leading 3-0 in game five. Did the Nats not come back against one of the best and highest-paid pitchers in baseball, Clayton Kershaw? Fire the manager.
So the Cards and Nats advance. Earlier this week the lowly Rays beat the best team in the American League (Astros) and the current best pitcher in baseball (Justin Verlander). This verifies what baseball experts know: in the playoffs it’s the hottest teams who advance.
Baseball is a team game. Plenty of blame to go around. Last night it was Folty and Fried, but there were fielding plays that didn’t get made in the dreadful first as well. The offense only mustered one run. Yet there shouldn’t have even been a game five. The Braves stranded seven runners in the last three innings Monday – including a leadoff double and triple by Acuna. In the series the Braves were 5 for 39 with runners in scoring position. Brian Snitker isn’t as good of a manager when Culbertson and Camargo are on the disabled list.
Team leader Freddie Freeman shouldered the blame. His refusal to admit his injury was admirable. The Cardinals made stopping Freddie their top priority. Fans still piled on – without offering alternatives or solutions. Fun that Chipper came to the team’s defense.
The Braves radio announcers shared the probably-true rumor: the juiced baseballs used during the regular season (that resulted in an all-time MLB home run record) are not being used in the postseason. Instead MLB distributed 2018 baseballs. While this effected all teams equally, the Cardinals were able to adjust better than the Braves. So many of the Cards key hits were bloops just over outstretched gloves, and hits down each baseline.
Nice that Phil Neikro got to throw out the first pitch. The Braves focus so much on Hank Aaron that oftentimes the 300 game winning knuckleballer often gets left out of the mix. Nice touch to have Soroka at the plate to catch his pitch.
First time I can remember Folty wearing striped socks in a game. Not a fan of his all-white mid-cut cleats (or the all-red pair he wore last Friday) but at least he got the socks right. Guess he wore the striped socks to counter all the Cards wearing their stripes socks.
Over the years I had come to respect the Cardinal organization. Well run. Winners. Quality. Legions of fans who pack Busch Stadium, all wearing red. Traditional uniforms and striped socks. Adam Wainwright has had a great career. Yet I lost some of that respect during this series. The button-down Cards took offense with the brash young Braves players, particularly Ronald Acuna, twice hitting him, mouthing off at him on the field, and mocking his celebratory demonstrations. After several innings with pinpoint control, last night Cards ace starter Jack Flaherty suddenly lost control and hit Acuna square in the back, between the 1 and 3 of his jersey. The Braves radio announcers were sure it was intentional. Flaherty was due up second in the next inning, but the Braves wisely did not retaliate. Indeed it was Acuna’s home run celebration in the game one loss that lit the fire in the sleeping Cardinals.
Though he had a good series, I am no fan of Cards catcher Yadier Molina. His pitch framing is a little too obvious. He seems to ask for the base umpire’s call on every checked swing. Turns around and complains to the umpire face to face. Felt the need to walk Acuna to first base both times he was hit. Ostentatious Air Jordan catcher’s gear. Tattoos. Not my kind of player.
Not a big fan of the national media and intense magnification on every minute detail of the MLB playoffs. A Cardinal reliever is a member of the Cherokee nation, and objects to the tomahawk chop. Why didn’t this story come up when the Cards played in Atlanta earlier in the season? The Braves’ Indian imagery and the chop are increasingly significant issues in this age of diversity. Sad that the Braves waited to act until such a public complaint from a rival player in the middle of a playoff series. Better to address the issue in house during an off season. I thought the chop might be phased out when the team moved to SunTrust Park, but I was wrong. I’m sure this wasn’t the first complaint. The Braves chose to not distribute foam tomahawks before game five, and to not initiate the chop when that pitcher was in the game. But like prayer in schools, there was no banning fans from starting the chant on their own.
But where does it end? Now that the Braves have blinked, the complainers smell blood in the water and move in for the kill. Should the Braves remove the iconic tomahawk from their jerseys? Stop selling caps and t-shirts with the vintage laughing Indian logo? Replace #ChopOn with #Relentless? Change the name of the team? Some won’t cease to complain until they do. Does the term “Brave” not honor those Indian foot-soldiers?
As a Braves fan, sure I’m disappointed in the series loss. But all fans have to admit this 2019 season exceeded all expectations. No one could’ve predicted such a fun, successful season. Hardly any expert predicted the Braves would make the playoffs, much less win the division so decisively. Much better than the Falcons. And Hawks. And Tech.
After the game Brian McCann gracefully announced his retirement. Talk turns to next season. Will Keuchel and Donaldson be resigned? Surely Teheran won’t, meaning the Braves must add two starters. Like every other team in baseball, the bullpen needs to be strengthened. If the team isn’t remade by Thanksgiving fans will grow impatient, despite the way GM AA continued to add valuable players throughout the year: in December (Donaldson), at the end of spring training (Joyce), in June (Keuchel), July (three deals for relievers), and August (Hamilton).
Only 125 days until pitchers and catchers report.
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