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Atlanta Braves Game Recap: Braves Gut-out Stults’ 1st Start

By Alan Carpenter

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Apr 10, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves second baseman Phil Gosselin (11) hits a RBI single against the New York Mets in the eighth inning at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Last year, the runner would have held at second, and the next batter would have struck out.  If you want to know the difference between the 2014 and 2015 Braves:  that’s it.

If this is going to be the Braves’ season, then all of us will be needing blood pressure medication before we get to June.

Atlanta got another quick start, held on as Eric Stults faltered (back-to-back homers spoiling an otherwise good start), then rode another great effort from the bullpen and an opportunistic offense to a 5-3 victory on Opening Night at Turner Field.

After the game, Fredi Gonzalez was patting himself on the back for using Cameron Maybin to start this game against lefty Jon Neise (who hails from the my wife’s hometown, incidentally).  Maybin lead off the game with a home run, but that wasn’t end of the scoring in the opening frame as singles by Freddie Freeman, and Jonny Gomes scored Nick Markakis.

Truth be told, the Braves could have really put the thumbscrews to the Metropolitans early and often:  2 runners were left in scoring position in that 1st innings, Simmons was thrown out at home in the second, and Chris Johnson was stranded on third in the third.  Still, a 3-for-14 hitting clip w/RISP is better than we’re used to… but that only told half the story.

My Shortstop Can Beat Up Your Shortstop

More from Tomahawk Take

If you’ve been paying attention at all, you know that Andrelton Simmons is good at baseball… and showed that again last night.  But that was a stark contrast from the problems encountered by Wilmer Flores of the Mets.  Witness these lines from the play-by-play:

  • (1st) Markakis safe at first on throwing error by shortstop Flores.
  • (3rd) Bethancourt safe at first on throwing error by shortstop Flores, Gomes scored, C. Johnson to third.

There was another play in which 1B Michael Cuddyer was pulled off the bag and still made a nice play to avoid an error.

The Braves took full advantage of miscues, which led to 2 unearned runs… the margin of the victory.

But this still pic captured from the Simmons video (see link above)… Simba had to be about 140 feet from first base and was moving further away… wow!

Captured from MLB.com video.

Creative Running

But then there was the error that didn’t show up in the box score.  Check this PBP line:

  • A. Simmons grounded into fielder’s choice to third, Peterson to third, A. Simmons to second.

Had David Wright opted to take the sure out at first base, then nobody scores that inning.  And who knows? The Boston/New York game might not have been the only 19 inning affair last night.

Though no error was recorded on the play, at least 2 mental errors occurred: Wright made the wrong choice, SS Flores chose to get a closer look, which… helped in no imaginable way, and 2B Daniel Murphy was caught being a spectator – failing to cover his own base.

Honesty compels me to say that the “right” baseball play was that Jace Peterson probably should not have left second base in that situation.  That would have left him in scoring position for the next hitter, albeit with 2 outs in the inning.  However, the Braves seem intent on pushing the envelope this year – hence that play, hence Simmons getting thrown out at the plate earlier in the game, hence the batters simply putting the ball into play and watching to see what happens in the field.

Last year, the runner would have held at second, and the next batter would have struck out.  If you want to know the difference between the 2014 and 2015 Braves:  that’s it.  Sometimes that’s going to work, sometimes it won’t.  If they continue to put pressure on the defense and to make smart choices about how/when/where to do so, then this could get interesting.

The Result of all that?

Philip Gosselin has a great AB and ropes a single to center field – driving in the two runs that became the winning margin.  What set that up?  A play that will have the Mets muttering to themselves until they reach the park on Saturday afternoon.

Oh – the Bullpen

That’s pretty solid, too.  4 innings, 1 hit, 8 strikeouts, 1 walk.  I don’t know how long they can keep that up, but so far, the pitching is giving the offense a chance to be in the game – just like we’d hoped.

The Braves are 4-0 for the first time since the year before the World Series win of 1995.  21 seasons ago.

This run might not be done yet, either.

Next: Your Simmons Highlight Du Jour

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