| | | |
ATLANTA ( MILLER ) WASHINGTON ( GONZALEZ ) |
|
| 7.5un | 2 Final 8 |
|
|
| | |
|
|
| | |
|
909 | ATLANTA | +185 | Ov 7.5,-105 | +182 | Ov 7.5,-115 | 910 | WASHINGTON | -200 | Un 7.5,-115 | -195 | Un 7.5,-105 |
|
|
| |
|
| | | | | |
|
|
All Games | 54-81 | -18 | 69-58 | 3.6 | 0.251 | 0.310 | 0.360 | 0.670 | 4.8 | 0.273 | 0.339 | 0.432 | 0.771 | Road Games | 21-49 | -21 | 35-33 | 3.4 | 0.250 | 0.302 | 0.353 | 0.655 | 4.9 | 0.287 | 0.351 | 0.473 | 0.824 | vs Left-handed Starters | 10-18 | -6.8 | 13-11 | 2.7 | 0.220 | 0.293 | 0.332 | 0.625 | 4.6 | 0.277 | 0.334 | 0.434 | 0.768 | Past 7 Games | 0-7 | -7.4 | 3-3 | 2.0 | 0.207 | 0.305 | 0.256 | 0.561 | 8.7 | 0.349 | 0.424 | 0.536 | 0.960 | Grass Games | 52-78 | -18 | 66-56 | 3.5 | 0.250 | 0.310 | 0.357 | 0.667 | 4.8 | 0.272 | 0.338 | 0.428 | 0.766 | Night Games | 41-56 | -9.8 | 48-42 | 3.5 | 0.251 | 0.311 | 0.355 | 0.666 | 4.7 | 0.269 | 0.336 | 0.428 | 0.763 | Division | 25-30 | -3.2 | 32-20 | 3.8 | 0.258 | 0.313 | 0.363 | 0.676 | 4.7 | 0.277 | 0.340 | 0.411 | 0.751 |
|
| |
|
|
All Games | 3.6 | 0.251 | 0.310 | 135 | 4541 | 1138 | 218 | 14 | 83 | 0.360 | 460 | 394 | 931 | 62 | 959 | 135 | 71 | 149 | 76 | Road Games | 3.4 | 0.250 | 0.302 | 70 | 2414 | 604 | 107 | 6 | 43 | 0.353 | 228 | 178 | 491 | 29 | 493 | 73 | 36 | 76 | 34 | Lefty Starters | 2.7 | 0.220 | 0.293 | 28 | 901 | 198 | 36 | 4 | 19 | 0.332 | 73 | 93 | 195 | 7 | 200 | 28 | 16 | 28 | 19 |
|
| |
|
All Games | 4.80 | 1.468 | 410.7 | 230 | 219 | 429 | 50 | 174 | 371 | 18-27 | 38 | 22 | 63.3% | Road Games | 5.40 | 1.622 | 191.7 | 123 | 115 | 227 | 36 | 84 | 174 | 6-20 | 16 | 14 | 53.3% |
|
|
| |
|
|
All Games | 69-65 | -12.1 | 70-57 | 4.4 | 0.254 | 0.320 | 0.406 | 0.726 | 4.0 | 0.257 | 0.302 | 0.390 | 0.693 | Home Games | 39-26 | +2.3 | 33-28 | 4.3 | 0.258 | 0.327 | 0.417 | 0.744 | 3.6 | 0.244 | 0.285 | 0.360 | 0.645 | vs Right-handed Starters | 51-49 | -6.8 | 53-44 | 4.4 | 0.254 | 0.323 | 0.404 | 0.727 | 4.1 | 0.259 | 0.306 | 0.388 | 0.694 | Past 7 Games | 5-2 | +2.8 | 4-2 | 6.6 | 0.328 | 0.402 | 0.552 | 0.954 | 3.9 | 0.271 | 0.335 | 0.383 | 0.718 | Grass Games | 68-64 | -12.2 | 69-57 | 4.3 | 0.251 | 0.317 | 0.403 | 0.720 | 4.0 | 0.257 | 0.301 | 0.390 | 0.691 | Night Games | 43-47 | -14.9 | 46-39 | 4.4 | 0.257 | 0.325 | 0.407 | 0.732 | 4.1 | 0.260 | 0.306 | 0.401 | 0.707 | Division | 31-21 | +2.3 | 25-24 | 4.1 | 0.255 | 0.320 | 0.400 | 0.720 | 3.3 | 0.244 | 0.288 | 0.342 | 0.630 |
|
| |
|
|
All Games | 4.4 | 0.254 | 0.320 | 134 | 4491 | 1139 | 226 | 13 | 144 | 0.406 | 554 | 439 | 1086 | 54 | 926 | 116 | 76 | 97 | 47 | Home Games | 4.3 | 0.258 | 0.327 | 65 | 2113 | 545 | 111 | 3 | 73 | 0.417 | 271 | 217 | 490 | 24 | 439 | 60 | 41 | 46 | 19 | Righty Starters | 4.4 | 0.254 | 0.323 | 100 | 3364 | 856 | 163 | 10 | 107 | 0.404 | 420 | 338 | 801 | 41 | 705 | 87 | 58 | 80 | 42 |
|
| |
|
All Games | 3.59 | 1.239 | 390.7 | 170 | 156 | 370 | 33 | 114 | 355 | 16-19 | 37 | 17 | 68.5% | Home Games | 3.10 | 1.169 | 191.7 | 71 | 66 | 175 | 13 | 49 | 183 | 11-5 | 20 | 6 | 76.9% |
|
| | |
|
|
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) | 1-15 | L | 205 | 8 un | O | 2 | 5 | 0 | 18 | 11 | 0 | 9/4/2015 | TEHERAN(R) | @ WASHINGTON | ROARK(R) | 2-5 | L | 150 | 8 ov | U | 9 | 10 | 1 | 11 | 9 | 0 | 9/5/2015 | MILLER(R) | @ WASHINGTON | GONZALEZ(L) | | 9/6/2015 | BANUELOS(L) | @ WASHINGTON | ROSS(R) | | 9/7/2015 | PEREZ(R) | @ PHILADELPHIA | HARANG(R) | | 9/8/2015 | WISLER(R) | @ PHILADELPHIA | NOLA(R) | | 9/9/2015 | TEHERAN(R) | @ PHILADELPHIA | MORGAN(L) | | 9/10/2015 | MILLER(R) | NY METS | SYNDERGAARD(R) | | 9/11/2015 | BANUELOS(L) | NY METS | MATZ(L) | | 9/12/2015 | | NY METS | | |
|
|
| |
|
|
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) | 15-1 | W | -225 | 8 un | O | 18 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 9/4/2015 | ROARK(R) | ATLANTA | TEHERAN(R) | 5-2 | W | -160 | 8 ov | U | 11 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 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 | STRASBURG(R) | NY METS | DEGROM(R) | | 9/11/2015 | GONZALEZ(L) | @ MIAMI | HAND(L) | | 9/12/2015 | | @ MIAMI | | |
|
| | | 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 TAYLOR BECHTOLD STATS Writer
Atlanta (54-81) at Washington (69-65), 7:05 p.m. EDT
While other players are chipping in, Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman are taking on the leading roles in the Washington Nationals' uprising.
The star sluggers look to stay hot against the historically bad Atlanta Braves on Saturday night when host Washington tries to tighten the NL East race with its fourth straight win.
With Friday's opener tied in the 10th inning, Harper and Zimmerman delivered singles ahead of Michael Taylor's walk-off, three-run homer in a 5-2 victory. The Nationals (69-65) had evened the game in the ninth on a pinch-hit, RBI single by Matt den Dekker.
Harper went 2 for 3 with his 32nd home run to raise his average to .396 over his last 15 home games. The right fielder is 4 for 9 with 11 walks in 21 plate appearances over his last five overall.
"He's been patient enough in viewing it as 'OK, I'm not going to expand my zone," manager Matt Williams said. "If they chose not to pitch to me, then I've got somebody behind me who can pick it up."'
Zimmerman picked up two more hits as Washington won for the ninth time in 11 games at Nationals Park. The first baseman is batting .404 with seven homers and 23 RBIs over his past 12 overall.
The Nationals now hope to trim more off their deficit after closing to within five games of the first-place New York Mets, who suffered an extra-inning defeat at Miami.
Harper and Zimmerman might have a tough time extending their torrid stretch since they're a combined 4 for 20 lifetime off scheduled starter Shelby Miller (5-12, 2.56 ERA).
Miller, however, is trying to avoid a 20th consecutive winless start, a run of futility that is the longest by a Braves pitcher since the team moved to Atlanta in 1966. The right-hander is 0-11 with a 3.13 ERA while getting one or no runs from the offense 13 times during the streak.
"I've never seen anything like this," manager Fredi Gonzalez told MLB's official website.
Miller had been 2-0 with an 0.85 ERA in five meetings versus Washington before giving up five runs over five innings in a 6-1 loss June 30. He'll have to be careful with Jayson Werth, who is batting .370 during a six-game hitting streak, and Yunel Escobar, who is hitting .464 in his last eight.
The Braves (54-81) have lost 10 straight and 17 of 18, 11 in a row on the road, and eight consecutive games in Washington. They haven't lost 11 straight since 1982 and last dropped 12 in a row on the road in 1942, when the franchise was in Boston.
An anemic offense has been the biggest problem for Atlanta, which is batting .219 and averaging 2.2 runs during the 10-game skid.
Gio Gonzalez (9-7, 4.13) will try to keep them scuffling as he looks to build on only his second quality start in his last eight. After posting a 10.22 ERA in dropping three straight, he allowed three runs over six innings but did not factor in Monday's 8-5 loss at St. Louis.
The left-hander had been 0-7 with a 5.32 ERA over an eight-start stretch versus Atlanta before giving up two runs over seven innings in a 9-2 home win May 8.
Freddie Freeman, who went 3 for 4 with two doubles Friday, had a pair of doubles versus Gonzalez in May and he's 9 for 27 with two home runs lifetime off him.
|
| Last Updated: 3/19/2024 12:48:58 AM EST. |
|
|
| |
|