Atlanta Braves lookback: eight years ago today
The 2012 Atlanta Braves were an interesting mix of veterans, newcomers, and role players. They also showed how good they could be in this game from 8 years ago.
April 17, 2012. The Mets came in this night to continue a series that started the evening before. In that game, Dillon Gee had outmatched Atlanta Braves starter Tommy Hanson. Both went seven innings, but the 4 runs allowed in the 6th and 7th could not be overcome as the visitors took the game 6-1.
That dropped Atlanta to a 5-5 record on the new season, and fans had to wonder what was to come of the Tuesday night affair: the Braves had lost four straight to open the year, won 5 in a row, and now … was this the start of another slide?
The lineup posted by skipper Fredi Gonzalez looked like this:
- CF Michael Bourn
- RF Jason Heyward
- 3B Chipper Jones
- C Brian McCann
- 2B Dan Uggla
- LF Matt Diaz
- 1B Freddie Freeman
- SS Tyler Pastornicky
- SP Randall Delgado
That’s a set of names for you.
Matt Diaz got the start in left because he eats Lefties for breakfast and the Mets had Johan Santana on the mound and came in feeling pretty good with a 7-3 record.
This was significant for the Mets: Santana had been out of the majors for a solid year after surgery to repair the anterior capsule on his throwing shoulder.
Before that critical injury, he had finished in the top 5 for the Cy Young award over five straight seasons (2004-08), winning twice — most of that with Minnesota.
The Mets got a great year out of Santana in 2008 and part of ’09, but the injury bug bit him during that season. He was just now back up to full strength, and would go on to a 2.99 ERA for the year with nearly 200 innings.
Santana had already faced the Braves this year, back on April 5th. That game was a 1-0 win for the Mets with Hanson being the unlucky victim. Both starters went 5 innings and combined to allow 6 hits, but New York had strung together a walk and two singles for the lone run of the game.
So Santana had to be confident going in, but the trick would be whether young Randall Delgado could keep pace.