Morning Chop: Braves News 5/20
By Jeff Schafer
Atlanta Braves earn soggy sweep over L.A. Dodgers
May 19, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves shortstop Ramiro Pena (14) celebrates with left fielder Justin Upton (8) after scoring a run in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports
"Ramiro Pena got a fierce wakeup call with the bases loaded and the scored tied in the eighth inning.Pena fouled the first pitch off his lower right leg and bent over in anguish. But after he fouled off the next pitch, he hit a sacrifice fly to put the Atlanta Braves ahead to stay.“I needed to keep the focus,” Pena said. “That’s a big at-bat right there, so I just tried to make contact and put the ball in play.”“With a rain delay and getting tired a little bit later, you have to keep concentrating on the game,” Pena said. “Everybody did a great job from the beginning (of the eighth), and I think everybody put something in that inning.”Jansen began the eighth by allowing a single to Freddie Freeman and walking Brian McCann. Dodgers manager Don Mattingly brought in closer Brandon League for the first time in the series, but he fared no better than his teammate."
Eric O’Flaherty Placed On DL With Left Elbow Issue
"In a very troubling move for the Atlanta Braves bullpen, the club placed set-up man Eric O’Flaherty on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday with what they are calling “left elbow inflammation”. Cory Rasmus was called up from triple-A Gwinnett to take O’Flaherty’s roster spot, but this is a significant blow to an already decimated bullpen.O’Flaherty was the last remaining piece of the “dream” set-up trio that included Jonny Venters (Tommy John surgery) and Jordan Walden (shoulder inflammation) and he’s been tremendous with the Braves since arriving in 2009. O’Flaherty has posted sub-2.00 ERA’s in each of the last two seasons and was well on his way to another strong year, having thrown 18 innings with a 2.50 ERA in 2013."
Brandon Beachy‘s rehab start delayed until Friday
"Braves starting pitcher Brandon Beachy (elbow) was unable to begin a rehab assignment Sunday for Triple-A Gwinnett because the game was postponed by rain. Beachy will instead throwing a three-inning simulated game, according to MLB.com.Beachy will make his rehab start Friday for Gwinnett."
Has Don Mattingly Lost Control On The Field?
"Not to say he’s ever really had it. But if you read between the lines you may be able to see that the players are running the show. Don Mattingly no longer has control over his players on the field . Having control over your payers on the field is just as important as having control in the clubhouse. Take a look at what Ken Gurnick wrote over at MLB.com this morning. It’s some pretty disconcerting stuff.It’s bad enough that the Dodgers decided to option catcher Tim Federowicz back down to AAA Albuquerque today to make room for second baseman Mark Ellis. The veteran second bagger is coming off of a sore quad, and is in the starting lineup this afternoon in the third game of the three game series against the Braves in Atlanta. The move is suspect, as it leaves us with the horrendous Ramon Hernandez once again as the backup catcher to A.J. Ellis, but was the move perhaps more of a disciplinary move?Apparently Mattingly was not happy with Tim Federowicz’s pitch selection in that fateful bottom of the eighth during last night’s 3-1 loss to the Braves. With Fedex behind the plate, the Dodgers were clinging to a 1-0 lead. Before the inning, starter Chris Capuano told Mattingly that he was tiring and his calf was hurting, despite allowing just four hits and no runs up to that point. In that fateful eighth frame, Capuano allowed a one out piddly groundball single, and then was yanked. Mattingly went to the bullpen and brought in Kenley Jansen. The right hander has been the Dodgers best and only good reliever all season long."