GDT 9/25/13: Brewers (Lohse) @ Braves (Maholm) 7:10 PM

[stpeteirish]

The September collapse of our hitting has been ridiculous. I know this is a team that over relies on the HR and strikes out a lot and will be streaky, but this is absurd. Tonight our guys are going to the plate without a clue. They don't have anything resembling a plan.

I'd take a serious look at our hitting coaches. With the utter collapse of BJ Upton in his prime and a year from Uggla that made is disappointing prior years with the Braves look stunningly good, you gotta wonder if they're the right men for the job.

16 shutouts this year. That's a quarter of our losses come by shutout. And we're trying hard for number 17. That's totally unacceptable.

I don't think you can pin Uggla on our hitting coaches, he's beyond coaching.

[The Chosen One]

Maholm is only 31 and he's already throwing the same velocity Jaime Moyer was at age 45.

By the time he's Moyer's age he'll be throwing high 60's fastballs.

[jpx7]

16 shutouts this year. That's a quarter of our losses come by shutout. And we're trying hard for number 17. That's totally unacceptable.

[stpeteirish]

If we do lose out on homefield, look no further than our performance against two teams (Padres, Brewers) that we should have been able to handle and couldn't.

Game's not over, but I can't see us figuring out while Lohse is in there.

well Milwaukee would be extremely stupid to take him out and he's not going to get to 90 pitches in 9 innings at this rate.

[Gary82]

[striker42]

1) why aren't the players held accountable?

2) Are you watching this game tonight? Lohse has no-hit stuff, literally. He's nailing his spot on every single pitch.

When it's a single player or just a couple, you can hold them accountable. When there are systemic problems you gotta look at the hitting coaches. This team has had systemic problems at the plate all year.

I am watching tonight. Lohse is pitching well. But he's averaging 9 pitches an inning and 2.84 pitches a batter. 54 pitches through 6. A ton of that goes on guys going up to the plate without a clue what they're going to do. We're swinging early at pitcher's pitches and making easy outs. When you see a guy has his A stuff, you need to shorten up, try to have good, long ABs, and try to wear him down.

[bravesnumberone]

well Milwaukee would be extremely stupid to take him out and he's not going to get to 90 pitches in 9 innings at this rate.

Exactly, I feel like I've been watching vintage Maddux pitch against us multiple times this month. Sometimes, a guy is just locked in.

[jpx7]

And that sequence is translated, "Blue Knee."

Chip's got jokes tonight.

[Dalyn]

And that sequence is translated, "Blue Knee."

Chip's got jokes tonight.

Or as the Spokane call him: White Lip.

[striker42]

I don't think you can pin Uggla on our hitting coaches, he's beyond coaching.

With Uggla it's entirely possible his bat has slowed down to the point where he's no longer a major league player. But the guy is lost at the plate all the same. There's not even been an attempt to change his plate approach to fit his slowing bat. He's still trying to deposit everything in the left field stands. That might be all on Uggla but I haven't heard anything about trying to overhaul Uggla's approach.

[The Chosen One]

Anyone notice Chip has stopped using the phrase "that one was fisted"?

[Dalyn]

Another good home start from Maholm. If we don't win HFA, he needs to start game four.

[Gary82]

So, yeah, the Braves need to pick it up. Stop bitching about other team's home runs and start hitting them yourself.

[Dalyn]

Anyone notice Chip has stopped using the phrase "that one was fisted"?

I hear it upset Pamela.

[jpx7]

Anyone notice Chip has stopped using the phrase "that one was fisted"?

He's just waiting to phase-in "donkey-punched."

[drewdat]

Laird to Eddings:

"I don't speak Spanish, bitch!"

Not really. But can you imagine?

[Dalyn]

He's just waiting to phase-in "donkey-punched."

"BJ Tony Danza'd that one. Who's the boss, man...junior?"

[jpx7]

That time, the duck was warranted.

[Dalyn]

Hitting Uggla in retaliation is like cutting off your foot because someone stepped on it.

[striker42]

Dan Uggla's bat is sooooooooooo slow and all he tries to do is pull the ball out of the park. The result of that is going to be a lot of pop ups in the infield.