Astros-Braves NLDS thread

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Can it be we don't already have one of these threads started.

Astros are leading the Braves 3-1 bottom of the third.

The Braves are wearing their solid red jerseys. I thought that was a Sunday-only thing. Maybe it's day games?

[Zvon]

I think this series is the most interesting at this point.
If Boston comes back to win game 2 that series as well.

Nothing like watching the postseason unfold, like the rose that it is.

[Guest KC]

10,000 empty seats for game 1. That just strikes me as amusing.

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

That most certainly disqualifies Atlanta from the "Best Fans in Baseball" contest.

It's just disgraceful not to sell out a playoff game.

[Valadius]

Look at all the folds in his neck:



That's amusing to me.

[Guest rpackrat]

The Atlanta bullpen implodes in the 8th. Now 10-3 "Stros, 2 out, men on 1st and second, Everett batting.

[Guest KC]

I wasn't glued to this, but of what I saw Andy Boy looked great and Hudson
was all over the place. I maintain it's hard to root for Andy and Roger, but
seeing the Braves get all bitched up in their own 1/5 empty park just make
me all giggly.

[MFS62]

ScarletKnight41 wrote: That most certainly disqualifies Atlanta from the "Best Fans in Baseball" contest. It's just disgraceful not to sell out a playoff game.

They're "famous" for not selling out (especially first round) playoff games.
I guess they have become blase about winning the division every year, and want to save their whatever for later rounds.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

Not that I'm declaring this over, but it's amazing to watch Atlanta in the post-season where they don't even look like the same squad that annoys me with their efficiency for the previous six months.

I mean Hudson's wildness was the biggest culprit but also;
- Andruw had a medium-shallow fly ball w/a runner on 3rd which I suspect he'd gun out at least 70% of the time ... and he threw the ball about 15 ft over the catcher's head.
- Braves also missed an infield out when - after a great sliding stop by Giles - the runner was safe by a hair because Franco at 1st didn't even make the slightest hint of a stretch toward the throw, so there were 2-on/1 out instead of 1-on/2 out.

[nymr83]

3 run homer off the clemens! 3-1 braves in the only game i hope they win.

[nymr83]

2 run double off the rocket...
5-1 braves
...never thought i'd be smiling about that. i hate clemens.

[Frayed Knot]

7-1 Braves in the 9th.

Solid game from Smoltz, lots of outward enthusiasm by the Braves, Cox disagreed with every call made in the entire game.

Odd seeing both closers (Lidge and Farnsworth) being used with a score like that.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Today is the anniversary of the Mets completing the playoff sweep of the Braves in 1969 with a seven-inning relief outing by Nolan Ryan.

[Guest SwitchHitter]

They say it's better, but Clemens has a bad hammy. And they never score runs for him. And Smoltz is a good pitcher. I'm not surprised by the outcome.

(And to be a real fan,don't you have to have at least one player on your team that you can't stand? I was willing to give him a chance, but Rocket lost the only All Star Game I'm ever going to see live. That used up all his chances.)

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

The Astros win 7-3, giving them a 2-1 lead in the series. These two teams need to turn everything around in time to play the early game tomorrow.

[Guest SwitchHitter]

Well, our pitcher used to be an outfielder. And an infielder. And, frankly, we can use all the hitters we can scare up.

Last I checked, it's not been announced who the tomahawk-choppers are sending to the mound.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Hudson, throwing a shutout so far, backed by a granny from LaRoche and it's 5-0 Bravos.

[Guest mlbaseballtalk]

Couple of things

-What happened with Johnny Estrada? Or is McCann continuing the Braves tradition of "personal catchers for the big name starters"

Estrada is on the roster for the series

-Wonder how much second guessing there will be from the media wondering why Garner didn't follow suit and start Andy on 3 days rest to GET THE JOB DONE! Granted that means Rocket on 3 days in Atlanta but still...

Steve

[Guest mlbaseballtalk]

Like to get stats on how many times a rally has been effectivly ended because of a HR. In other words, a team in midst of a comeback rally sees the rally die after a HR because the HR ends the conga line that was being formed

Also you would think the defensive team would calm down a bit because there is now just a singular focus on the guy at the plate, not worrying about the base runner(s)

[Theoldmole]

I've changed my mind. I'm rooting for the Braves.

I don't care how evil they are...I can't root for the Colt 45s (sorry, Annie), and I have respect for the Braves.

[Guest OlerudOwned]

Wow! 2 outs in the 9th and Brad Ausmus his a game tying homer off of Farnsworth (who allowed a grand slam to Berkman in the 8th)

[Theoldmole]

13th inning, still tied, Dan Wheeler in.

[Valadius]

We never should have traded Wheeler. He's become nearly lights-out since he went to Houston.

[seawolf17]

Top of the 15th. Clemens warming in the bullpen as Wheeler walks Giles with one out and Chipper ambling towards the plate.

I'm rooting Astros, but if Clemens comes in the game, it's "Let's go Braves!"

[Guest Edgy DC]

Love to see a good War of Attrition. Houston's burned their bench and their pen. (Only Pettitte and Oswald remain.)

'Lanta still has Jordan and Estrada.

[Valadius]

The 43-year-old Clemens facing the 47-year-old Julio Franco.

[soupcan]

16 innings ties Mets-'Stros '86 for longest postseason game by innings.

Here's hoping the 'Stros win THIS one.

[seawolf17]

And the 47(?)-year-old Franco almost gets thrown out for arguing called strike 3. He really should know better; I was really hoping the Braves would be out of players and we'd have to see John Smoltz play first base.

[Valadius]

Vizcaino's coming up this inning.

[Guest mlbaseballtalk]

To quote the late Bob Murphy about another long Houston postseason game

"This is heart stopping baseball, pulsesating baseball. No one has sat down for the last four or five innings!"