Atlanta Braves Morning Chop: Couldn’t Hold On; Help is on the Way

Aug 21, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Atlanta Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell (left) talks to starting pitcher Shelby Miller (center) in the fifth inning of the baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

You’d Think… at Some Point…

There was an actual lead for Shelby Miller yesterday afternoon – a 3-1 lead, in fact.  Was Atlanta too tight in trying to protect it?  Were they too anxious in trying to make a couple of key throws?  Maybe – heck, even Andrelton Simmons made an error.  Regardless of just how, the Braves were unable to either hold or to pad that early advantage and Miller himself wilted in the seventh inning.  He was charged with 3 earned runs (both errors were costly), though 5 ultimately crossed the plate and the Braves became road kill yet again:  5-3.

You would think that something have to give for Miller – 17 starts without a W.  Nine losses, 8 no-decisions dating back to May 23rd.  His last victory was that near no-no in Miami, a 2 hit shutout.  He has given up 36 earned runs over that time, plus 8 more unearned runs.

You’d think that an average of 2.59 runs yielded per start would be enough to get a win somewhere.  Even if you reduced this equation to a coin flip, then it’s a lot like flipping that coin seventeen times and coming up with ‘tails’… seventeen times in a row.

The odds of that happening?  Once in 131,072 times.

Heck, Jerome Williams is rocking an ERA over 6.  In his last seventeen starts, he’s given up 61 earned runs… and he’s got 3 W’s over that time… for the Phillies, no less.  Kyle Lohse?  4 wins for the Brewers despite 63 earned in his last seventeen… which put him into the bullpen.

Here’s your box from the event:
 

Next: I'll Get By With a Little Help From My Friends?