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Series Preview: Mac Thomason Talks Braves

Tuesday, May 6, 2008
by Geoff Young

The Padres continue their East Coast swing with three in Atlanta starting Tuesday evening. To learn more about the 2008 Braves, I checked in with Mac Thomason, of the venerable and most excellent blog Braves Journal. Ducksnorts: The NL East looks to be tight again this year. How do you like the Braves' chances? Thomason: I'd like it better if I was confident in John Smoltz's shoulder or Rafael Soriano's elbow. The Braves are going to score some runs; they're outscoring the Phillies this year even with the Phillies' park advantage. But right now the starting pitching is a huge mess (I realize that the Braves have been better at preventing runs than scoring them so far, but looking at ...

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Posted in Interviews | 45 Comments »

Kings of the Road

Thursday, October 25, 2007
by Geoff Young

I was hoping to have the next installment of our Operation Center Field series ready, but I'm still hacking through the data jungle. Instead, I'll share a few items I found along the way that might help you win a bar bet or three: MLB Road Home Runs in 2007 Brewers: 110 Padres: 99 Phillies: 97 Yankees/A's/Braves/Mets: 94 Source: ESPN. MLB Road Doubles in 2007 Padres: 196 Braves: 194 Tigers: 188 Phillies: 180 Yankees: 176 Source: ESPN. MLB Road Extra Base Hits in 2007 Padres: 307 Braves: 302 Phillies: 297 Yankees: 291 Tigers: 284 Source: ESPN. Don't feel bad; everyone gets these wrong. And even if you don't win any bets, at ...

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Posted in Baseball, Future Friars | 40 Comments »

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Reality: You’re Soaking in It

Tuesday, October 2, 2007
by Geoff Young

Where do I even begin? That this isn't the way I'd wanted to see the season end seems so beyond doubt that it hardly bears mentioning, and yet I just mentioned it. Even though a thing is obvious, it still needs a voice. I hate writing this. I hate thinking this. Honestly? I hate everything about this. But you can't go through life hating, right? Well, you can, but it's probably not a good idea. Besides, it's just baseball. "Just baseball." I hate that, too. Like that somehow negates it all, makes the experience less important, less real. Yeah, buddy, screw you. Anyway. Now you see the problem. I can't even get started. Do I whine about Monday night's outcome (...

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Posted in Playoffs | 234 Comments »

1969: Carty, Braves Too Much for Padres

Friday, September 28, 2007
by Geoff Young

September 28, 1969, Atlanta: Braves 4, Padres 2 (box score) The Braves jumped out early in this one and then hung on late to complete their sweep of the Padres. Clay Kirby started for San Diego, while Pat Jarvis got the call for the home team. With two out in the first inning, Hank Aaron singled. Rico Carty followed with his 16th homer of the year to make the score 2-0. Atlanta scored again in the third to extend its lead to 3-0. The Padres answered in the fourth when Ollie Brown led off with his 20th home run of the season. San Diego threatened in the seventh, but with two ...

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Posted in 1969 Revisited | No Comments »

1969: Reed Fans Thirteen En Route to Victory over Padres

Thursday, September 27, 2007
by Geoff Young

September 27, 1969, Atlanta: Braves 4, Padres 2 (box score) Ron Reed -- yes, the former basketball player -- dominated the Padres in this one. San Diego's sole chance to cause major damage came in the sixth, and for a while it looked as though they might. With one out, Roberto Pena and Ollie Brown singled. Pena advanced to third on the play, with Brown taking second on the throw. In a move that seems baffling in retrospect, Reed intentionally walked Al Ferrara to load the bases for Nate Colbert. The young first baseman delivered, singling home two runs and giving the Padres ...

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Posted in 1969 Revisited | No Comments »

1969: Braves Win Battle of Niekros

Wednesday, September 26, 2007
by Geoff Young

September 26, 1969, Atlanta: Braves 10, Padres 4 (box score) The Padres jumped to an early lead against knuckleballer Phil Niekro in this one. Jose Arcia reached first on an error by shortstop Gil Garrido to start the game. After the next two batters were retired (and Niekro should have been out of the inning), things got interesting. Al Ferrara and Nate Colbert both walked to load the bases. Ivan Murrell singled them home to put San Diego up, 2-0, with Colbert advancing only to second. A passed ball moved him and Ferrara into scoring position, but Cannizzaro popped to short for the final out. The Padres added a run ...

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Posted in 1969 Revisited | No Comments »

1969: Padres Lose Another Laugher at Home

Friday, September 21, 2007
by Geoff Young

September 21, 1969, San Diego: Braves 8, Padres 2 (box score) The Braves scored twice in the third off Joe Niekro, and that was, effectively, the game. They added five more in the seventh -- the final run coming on Hank Aaron's 43rd home run of the season -- to pad their lead to 7-0. San Diego pushed across a run in the bottom of the seventh. Roberto Pena tripled to lead off the inning. One out later, an Al Ferrara ground out scored Ron Slocum, running for Pena. The Braves and Padres exchanged single runs in the eighth to make the final score 8-2. Three Atlanta batters finished with ...

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Posted in 1969 Revisited | No Comments »