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ATLANTA ( WISLER )
WASHINGTON ( ZIMMERMANN ) |
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| 901 | ATLANTA | +225 | Ov 8,+100 | +225 | Ov 8,-110 | | 902 | WASHINGTON | -250 | Un 8,-120 | -245 | Un 8,-110 |
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| All Games | 54-79 | -16 | 68-57 | 3.6 | 0.252 | 0.311 | 0.362 | 0.673 | 4.7 | 0.271 | 0.336 | 0.429 | 0.765 | | Road Games | 21-47 | -19 | 34-32 | 3.4 | 0.252 | 0.303 | 0.357 | 0.659 | 4.7 | 0.283 | 0.346 | 0.468 | 0.814 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 44-61 | -9.1 | 55-46 | 3.8 | 0.260 | 0.316 | 0.369 | 0.685 | 4.8 | 0.269 | 0.337 | 0.428 | 0.764 | | Past 7 Games | 0-7 | -7.8 | 4-2 | 2.6 | 0.233 | 0.333 | 0.317 | 0.651 | 8.9 | 0.335 | 0.408 | 0.549 | 0.957 | | Grass Games | 52-76 | -16 | 65-55 | 3.6 | 0.252 | 0.311 | 0.360 | 0.670 | 4.7 | 0.270 | 0.336 | 0.425 | 0.760 | | Night Games | 41-54 | -7.8 | 47-41 | 3.5 | 0.253 | 0.312 | 0.357 | 0.670 | 4.6 | 0.266 | 0.332 | 0.423 | 0.755 | | Division | 25-28 | -1.2 | 31-19 | 3.9 | 0.262 | 0.315 | 0.369 | 0.684 | 4.5 | 0.271 | 0.334 | 0.403 | 0.736 |
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| All Games | 3.6 | 0.252 | 0.311 | 133 | 4476 | 1127 | 215 | 14 | 83 | 0.362 | 457 | 385 | 917 | 62 | 944 | 133 | 70 | 145 | 76 | | Road Games | 3.4 | 0.252 | 0.303 | 68 | 2349 | 593 | 104 | 6 | 43 | 0.357 | 225 | 169 | 477 | 29 | 478 | 71 | 35 | 72 | 34 | | Righty Starters | 3.8 | 0.260 | 0.316 | 105 | 3575 | 929 | 179 | 10 | 64 | 0.369 | 384 | 292 | 722 | 55 | 744 | 105 | 54 | 117 | 57 |
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| All Games | 4.64 | 1.440 | 401.3 | 218 | 207 | 410 | 48 | 168 | 361 | 18-26 | 38 | 21 | 64.4% | | Road Games | 5.08 | 1.568 | 182.4 | 111 | 103 | 208 | 34 | 78 | 164 | 6-19 | 16 | 13 | 55.2% |
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| All Games | 67-65 | -14.1 | 69-56 | 4.3 | 0.251 | 0.317 | 0.403 | 0.720 | 4.1 | 0.258 | 0.303 | 0.393 | 0.696 | | Home Games | 37-26 | +0.3 | 32-27 | 4.1 | 0.253 | 0.321 | 0.410 | 0.731 | 3.6 | 0.246 | 0.286 | 0.364 | 0.650 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 49-49 | -8.8 | 52-43 | 4.3 | 0.251 | 0.318 | 0.400 | 0.718 | 4.1 | 0.261 | 0.307 | 0.392 | 0.698 | | Past 7 Games | 4-3 | -0.9 | 3-2 | 4.7 | 0.295 | 0.355 | 0.517 | 0.873 | 4.3 | 0.269 | 0.318 | 0.412 | 0.729 | | Grass Games | 66-64 | -14.2 | 68-56 | 4.2 | 0.249 | 0.314 | 0.399 | 0.713 | 4.0 | 0.258 | 0.302 | 0.393 | 0.694 | | Night Games | 41-47 | -16.9 | 45-38 | 4.3 | 0.253 | 0.321 | 0.402 | 0.722 | 4.1 | 0.262 | 0.307 | 0.405 | 0.712 | | Division | 29-21 | +0.3 | 24-23 | 3.9 | 0.249 | 0.311 | 0.391 | 0.702 | 3.4 | 0.247 | 0.289 | 0.347 | 0.635 |
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| All Games | 4.3 | 0.251 | 0.317 | 132 | 4419 | 1110 | 220 | 13 | 141 | 0.403 | 534 | 426 | 1071 | 54 | 906 | 112 | 76 | 95 | 47 | | Home Games | 4.1 | 0.253 | 0.321 | 63 | 2041 | 516 | 105 | 3 | 70 | 0.410 | 251 | 204 | 475 | 24 | 419 | 56 | 41 | 44 | 19 | | Righty Starters | 4.3 | 0.251 | 0.318 | 98 | 3292 | 827 | 157 | 10 | 104 | 0.400 | 400 | 325 | 786 | 41 | 685 | 83 | 58 | 78 | 42 |
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| All Games | 3.65 | 1.251 | 382 | 169 | 155 | 366 | 33 | 112 | 347 | 15-19 | 37 | 17 | 68.5% | | Home Games | 3.20 | 1.191 | 183 | 70 | 65 | 171 | 13 | 47 | 175 | 10-5 | 20 | 6 | 76.9% |
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| 8/20/2015 | FOLTYNEWICZ(R) | @ CHICAGO CUBS | ARRIETA(R) | 1-7 | L | 245 | 7.5 ov | O | 8 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 1 | | 8/21/2015 | MILLER(R) | @ CHICAGO CUBS | HENDRICKS(R) | 3-5 | L | 175 | 9 un | U | 8 | 9 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 1 | | 8/22/2015 | PEREZ(R) | @ CHICAGO CUBS | HAREN(R) | 7-9 | L | 182 | 9 ov | O | 11 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 2 | | 8/23/2015 | WISLER(R) | @ CHICAGO CUBS | HAMMEL(R) | 3-9 | L | 195 | 10 un | O | 8 | 8 | 1 | 11 | 11 | 0 | | 8/24/2015 | TEHERAN(R) | COLORADO | DE LA ROSA(L) | 5-3 | W | -110 | 7.5 un | O | 10 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 0 | | 8/25/2015 | FOLTYNEWICZ(R) | COLORADO | BETTIS(R) | 1-5 | L | -115 | 8 un | U | 6 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 1 | | 8/26/2015 | MILLER(R) | COLORADO | FLANDE(L) | 3-6 | L | -145 | 7.5 un | O | 10 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 8 | 0 | | 8/28/2015 | PEREZ(R) | NY YANKEES | TANAKA(R) | 4-15 | L | +185 | 7.5 un | O | 7 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 8 | 0 | | 8/29/2015 | WISLER(R) | NY YANKEES | SEVERINO(R) | 1-3 | L | +190 | 7.5 un | U | 8 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 1 | | 8/30/2015 | TEHERAN(R) | NY YANKEES | EOVALDI(R) | 6-20 | L | +130 | 7 un | O | 12 | 12 | 0 | 21 | 10 | 1 | | 8/31/2015 | MILLER(R) | MIAMI | NARVESON(L) | 0-4 | L | -135 | 7.5 un | U | 3 | 5 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 0 | | 9/1/2015 | BANUELOS(L) | MIAMI | NICOLINO(L) | 1-7 | L | -105 | 8 un | P | 8 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 7 | 1 | | 9/2/2015 | PEREZ(R) | MIAMI | CONLEY(L) | 3-7 | L | +105 | 8.5 un | O | 5 | 7 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 0 | | 9/3/2015 | WISLER(R) | @ WASHINGTON | ZIMMERMANN(R) | | | 9/4/2015 | TEHERAN(R) | @ WASHINGTON | STRASBURG(R) | | | 9/5/2015 | MILLER(R) | @ WASHINGTON | GONZALEZ(L) | | | 9/6/2015 | BANUELOS(L) | @ WASHINGTON | ROSS(R) | | | 9/7/2015 | JACKSON(R) | @ PHILADELPHIA | HARANG(R) | | | 9/8/2015 | WISLER(R) | @ PHILADELPHIA | NOLA(R) | | | 9/9/2015 | | @ PHILADELPHIA | | | | 9/10/2015 | | NY METS | | |
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| 8/20/2015 | SCHERZER(R) | @ COLORADO | FLANDE(L) | 2-3 | L | -190 | 10.5 ov | U | 4 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 9 | 0 | | 8/21/2015 | GONZALEZ(L) | MILWAUKEE | NELSON(R) | 3-10 | L | -145 | 7 un | O | 6 | 6 | 2 | 14 | 7 | 0 | | 8/22/2015 | ROSS(R) | MILWAUKEE | JUNGMANN(R) | 6-1 | W | -155 | 7 ov | P | 11 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 0 | | 8/23/2015 | ZIMMERMANN(R) | MILWAUKEE | GARZA(R) | 9-5 | W | -190 | 7.5 un | O | 9 | 6 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 0 | | 8/25/2015 | STRASBURG(R) | SAN DIEGO | SHIELDS(R) | 8-3 | W | -185 | 7 un | O | 10 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 1 | | 8/26/2015 | GONZALEZ(L) | SAN DIEGO | ROSS(R) | 5-6 | L | -135 | 7 un | O | 7 | 6 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 1 | | 8/27/2015 | ROSS(R) | SAN DIEGO | CASHNER(R) | 4-2 | W | -170 | 7.5 un | U | 11 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | | 8/28/2015 | SCHERZER(R) | MIAMI | CONLEY(L) | 3-4 | L | -275 | 7 un | P | 8 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 0 | | 8/29/2015 | ZIMMERMANN(R) | MIAMI | KOEHLER(R) | 5-1 | W | -245 | 7.5 un | U | 9 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 0 | | 8/30/2015 | STRASBURG(R) | MIAMI | HAND(L) | 7-4 | W | -245 | 7 ov | O | 13 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 0 | | 8/31/2015 | GONZALEZ(L) | @ ST LOUIS | LACKEY(R) | 5-8 | L | 115 | 7 un | O | 8 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 6 | 1 | | 9/1/2015 | ROSS(R) | @ ST LOUIS | GONZALES(L) | 5-8 | L | -115 | 7.5 ev | O | 12 | 10 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 1 | | 9/2/2015 | SCHERZER(R) | @ ST LOUIS | LYONS(L) | 4-3 | W | -135 | 7 un | P | 8 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 13 | 0 | | 9/3/2015 | ZIMMERMANN(R) | ATLANTA | WISLER(R) | | | 9/4/2015 | STRASBURG(R) | ATLANTA | TEHERAN(R) | | | 9/5/2015 | GONZALEZ(L) | ATLANTA | MILLER(R) | | | 9/6/2015 | ROSS(R) | ATLANTA | BANUELOS(L) | | | 9/7/2015 | SCHERZER(R) | NY METS | NIESE(L) | | | 9/8/2015 | ZIMMERMANN(R) | NY METS | HARVEY(R) | | | 9/9/2015 | | NY METS | | |
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| |  | ATLANTA: ATLANTA (AP) - The Atlanta Braves usually start the season touted as playoff contenders.
Not this time.
For one of the few times in the last two-plus decades, not much is expected of a team that collapsed late last season, fired general manager Frank Wren and underwent a massive overhaul during the offseason.
The Braves dealt away sluggers Justin Upton, Jason Heyward and Evan Gattis, receiving only one player (starting pitcher Shelby Miller) who is likely to make a significant impact right away. Mostly, the team was focused on restocking a once-mighty farm system that fell on hard times during Wren's regime.
The message was clear: The Braves are rebuilding under new GM John Hart, with an eye toward the 2017 opening of the team's new suburban stadium.
''It's kind of on us to just put our heads down and work hard and try to win as many games as we can with the team we've got,'' third baseman Chris Johnson said. ''We can't look back. We can't look at who's gone.''
The Braves are likely to remain one of the most offensively challenged teams in baseball, but the pitching staff at least looks promising. The 24-year-old Miller had 25 wins for St. Louis over the last two season and joins a rotation that already includes two more 24-year-olds: All-Star Julio Teheran (14-13, 2.89) and left-hander Alex Wood (11-11, 2.78). If lefty Mike Minor, only 27, can bounce back from shoulder problems, the outlook is even brighter.
Atlanta also has perhaps the most dominant closer in the game, Craig Kimbrel, who led the NL in saves for the fourth year in a row with 47.
''I like our pitching,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said. ''Our rotation is going to be as good as you want.''
Even if the pitching comes through, the Braves have slipped way behind Washington in the NL East and could have trouble holding off the up-and-coming Miami Marlins as well.
Yep, times have changed in Atlanta.
Or maybe not.
''The goal is the same for me,'' Gonzalez insisted. ''Our goal is to make the playoffs.''
WHAT'S IN A NAME?: The center fielder formerly known as B.J. Upton is hoping a name change - actually, using his given name - will help him bounce back from two horrific seasons. The early results were not promising for Melvin Upton Jr., who missed all of spring training with a foot injury. Eric Young Jr. will hold down the starting job until Upton returns. Even then, Upton may have to share playing time unless he shows significant improvement. As it stands now, he's one of the greatest free-agent busts in baseball history. Since signing a $75-million, five-year contract with the Braves, his two-season totals are .198 with 21 homers, 51 RBIs and a staggering 324 strikeouts.
WHERE'S THE OFFENSE?: Even with Upton, Heyward and Gattis, the Braves scored the second-fewest runs in the majors. The offense was virtually non-existent coming down the stretch, the major reason Atlanta went 7-18 over the final month and wound up 17 games behind Washington after being tied for first at the All-Star break. The homer-or-bust philosophy clearly didn't work, so the Braves are hoping to scrap for runs this season. They'll have to with a lineup likely to include journeymen such as Young and Jonny Gomes, as well as rookie second baseman Jace Peterson. The only major offensive addition was right fielder Nick Markakis, and he's coming off neck surgery.
FREDI'S FUTURE: After firing Wren with a week to go in the disappointing 2014 season, the Braves decided to bring back Gonzalez for another year. He certainly deserved a shot to make up for a late-season collapse that was largely the result of a feeble offense. Let's not forget: During Gonzalez's first three years as manager, Atlanta won an NL East title, made two playoff appearances and missed out on another postseason berth on the final day. But his long-term future looks shaky, even with a franchise that cherishes stability. The Braves are definitely in rebuilding mode, and the manager often takes the fall when the losses begin to pile up. | | WASHINGTON: WASHINGTON (AP) - Bryce Harper's reaction to the news that the Washington Nationals added Max Scherzer to an already-talented starting staff drew quite a lot of attention.
''I just started laughing,'' Harper famously said. ''I was like, `Where's my ring?'''
Yes, that pretty much sums up where the expectations are for the 2015 Nationals - as expressed by them and by others.
On the first day of full-squad workouts at spring training, reigning NL Manager of the Year Matt Williams posted these words of wisdom in the clubhouse: ''The road to the World Series begins today.''
''We're here to get to that ultimate goal,'' Williams said. ''We're not alone. There's 29 other teams that have the same thought. So that being said, I want to make sure that we understand that that's our goal. That is our goal: to be the last one standing at the end of it.''
The main reason many folks think the Nationals are capable of achieving that goal, even if the team has yet to win a playoff series, is the rotation.
Scherzer, the 2013 AL Cy Young Award winner with Detroit, came aboard with a $210 million contract, joining a group that led the majors in ERA last season - right-handers Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann and Doug Fister, and lefty Gio Gonzalez.
''There's no break'' for an opposing team, new reliever Casey Janssen observed.
It's such a formidable quintet that a guy who won 15 games, had a sub-3.00 ERA and threw nearly 200 innings a year ago, Tanner Roark, is moving to the bullpen.
In 2014, the Nationals won a league-best 96 games and finished atop the underwhelming NL East by a whopping 17 games, but then bowed out in four games in a Division Series against the eventual champs, the San Francisco Giants. Washington's starting pitching wasn't the problem in the postseason; its bullpen and hitting were what led to a second quick playoff exit in three years.
And yet general manager Mike Rizzo allowed those two areas to lose important pieces, trading away the man he called ''maybe the best eighth-inning setup man in the history of the game,'' Tyler Clippard, and letting first baseman Adam LaRoche (team highs of 26 homers, 92 RBIs) leave via free agency.
The hope, presumably, is that hitters such as Harper, Ryan Zimmerman (who replaces LaRoche at first) and Wilson Ramos, who each missed significant chunks of last season, will deliver the numbers they're capable of producing, while opponents have a really hard time scoring much against all the aces Williams will send to the mound.
''It's hilarious having to go in there and face them. It's absolutely stupid,'' Harper said. ''We have the best staff in baseball. I don't care what anybody says.''
Actually, Bryce, that's exactly what pretty much everybody IS saying.
Here are other things to know about the Nationals, who open the season on April 6 at home against the New York Mets:
HEALTH MATTERS: Half of the everyday lineup - outfielders Jayson Werth and Denard Span (both recovering from offseason surgery), third baseman Anthony Rendon and new second baseman Yunel Escobar - missed extended periods of spring training, as did fourth outfielder Nate McClouth. Rendon, Span, Werth and McClouth might all miss opening day. ''You can be as good as you want on paper, but that doesn't mean anything until the end of the year,'' Scherzer said. ''We've got to stay healthy.''
MIGHTY `PEN?: Given their aspirations, October is what really matters for the Nationals, and Drew Storen blew save chances in the 2012 and 2014 playoffs. Still, the closer's job is his entering the season, and Clippard is no longer around to shut down foes in the eighth - or provide ninth-inning backup if needed. Worth watching: Will Aaron Barrett set aside the yips that hit him in the NLDS?
LAST HURRAH: A couple of homegrown franchise cornerstones, Zimmermann and shortstop Ian Desmond, can become free agents after the season, as can Span and Fister. Rizzo could try to sign one or more to long-term deals. He could trade one or more. Or he could decide to let things play out with this group, then move on next offseason. ''With this group of guys,'' Werth said, ''this might be it.'' |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER NL PREVIEW (ATLANTA-WASHINGTON) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Braves-Nationals Preview* ==========================
By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer
Atlanta (54-78) at Washington (66-65), 7:05 p.m. EDT
In dire need of momentum to become a factor in the NL East, the Washington Nationals' remaining schedule presents that opportunity.
Losing Bryce Harper, however, would make that very difficult.
After avoiding being swept by the best team in baseball, the Nationals may be without their best hitter as they try to capitalize on a four-game series with the spiraling Atlanta Braves on Thursday night.
Washington (67-65) got two homers and three RBIs from Ryan Zimmerman in a 4-3 victory over St. Louis on Wednesday but remained 6 1/2 games behind the first-place New York Mets in the division.
If the Nationals are going to eventually catch the Mets, they'll need to take advantage of a favorable schedule. Of their remaining 30 games, 24 are against five teams out of postseason contention while the other six are against New York - including a crucial three-game home set that starts Monday.
Before that, Washington will play the first of seven remaining games with the Braves (54-79), who have lost 19 of their last 22 games and nine straight on the road for their longest such slide since dropping 10 in a row in 1996.
The Nationals may be without Harper after he was removed in the fourth inning Wednesday with tightness in his left glute. The right fielder is having a career year, batting a league-leading .331 with 31 homers and 78 RBIs.
He's hitting .372 with three homers and 10 RBIs in his last 11 games against Atlanta.
Zimmerman appears very capable of picking up the slack. He's batting .359 with seven homers and 19 RBIs in the last 10 games and has gone deep four times while going 7 for 14 with eight RBIs in his past three.
Jordan Zimmermann (11-8, 3.45 ERA) takes the ball in search of a fourth straight winning start for the first time since last September. The right-hander's current streak has been aided by 21 runs of support while he's compiled a 4.34 ERA.
He turned in his best performance of that stretch Saturday, yielding one run in seven innings of a 5-1 win over Miami.
"Fastball was a lot better and slider was pretty good," Zimmermann said. "Still not where I want it, but better than the last start."
Zimmermann is 4-1 with a 1.99 ERA in his last nine starts against the Braves, tossing 18 2-3 scoreless innings over the past three. He shut out Atlanta for 7 2-3 in a 6-1 victory June 30.
The Braves are 25 games under .500 for the first time since finishing 65-97 in 1990. They've also been outscored 67-19 during an eight-game slide after losing 7-3 to Miami on Wednesday.
"We're in some kind of a perfect storm right now not scoring very many runs and allowing the other team to score a lot," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "It's a tough combination."
Matt Wisler (5-5, 5.22) seeks his first win since July 26 after going 0-4 with a 7.85 ERA in his last six starts. The rookie right-hander was 4-0 with a 3.30 ERA in his previous five outings.
He's 0-3 with a 9.35 ERA in his last four road starts but was effective at Turner Field in his most recent outing Saturday, limiting the New York Yankees to two runs over six-plus innings of a 3-1 loss.
Wisler has split two starts against Washington, giving up six runs over four innings in a 7-0 loss in the nation's capital on June 25 before tossing 5 1-3 scoreless in a 4-1 home victory seven days later.
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| | Last Updated: 4/19/2024 11:47:03 PM EST. |
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