I like Braves in tomorrows early game. Why ? Well I just mentioned a good part of my reasoning. It's an early game and with Giants playing the late Sunday night game, it is very likely that Barry Bonds will not be in the lineup ! Does this make a big difference ? Well, just look at tonight's game with Bonds already driving in 6 runs with 4 for 4 and 2 tape measure Home runs. Also, if you just take a quick look at the pitching, one might give the Giants pitcher a edge with his 3.88 era. However, Lowry is just a rookie and in his last 3 games Lowry has a era over 7.1 I'm going with the home team Braves in this one !
If you have been following Giants baseball this year, it is very rare that Bonds ever plays a early game behind an evening game. He already did it once in this Brave series so I would be very surprised to see Alou do it twice. I believe that Bonds has only done that once this year. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Looks like this confirms it - I guess...
San Francisco (72-60) at Atlanta (75-54)
Preview - Box Score - Recap
Game Info: 1:05 pm EDT Mon Aug 30, 2004
TV: FSBA, WTBS Add to Calendar
Buy Tickets
Starting Pitchers
N. Lowry
SF vs.
J. Thomson
Atl
3-0 Record 10-8
3.88 ERA 4.20
48 K 105
17 BB 42
4 HR 19
Barry Bonds is supposed to take a day off Monday, but after Sunday's performance he may not want to.
The All-Star slugger may play as the San Francisco Giants try to split a four-game series with the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field.
The Braves took the first two games of the series, outscoring the Giants 14-6. Bonds, who had gone 2-for-6 with a home run and three RBIs in that span, broke out Sunday to lead the Giants to a 9-5 victory, their 12th in their last 17 games.
He hit a pair of mammoth two-run homers -- giving him 696 in his career -- and went 4-for-5 with six RBIs. The home runs that traveled an estimated total of 929 feet were the second and third longest in Turner Field history.
``Who cares where it goes,'' said the six-time NL MVP. ``As long as they go over the yellow line.''
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His first blast soared 467 feet, the second longest ever at the stadium that opened in 1997, bested only by a shot Sammy Sosa hit that traveled 471 feet on Sept. 1, 2001. Bonds, who leads the NL in batting at .368, added a two-run single to help end Atlanta's season-best, six-game winning streak.
He had a chance for his first career five-hit game in the eighth, but struck out.
``I was tired,'' said a smiling Bonds, who spoke with reporters for over 10 minutes. ``I saw eight baseballs.''
It was the fourth multihomer game this season for Bonds and the 68th of his career, breaking a tie with Mark McGwire and placing him second only to Babe Ruth, who had 72. Bonds, who has four career three-homer games, needs two more home runs to reach 40 for the eighth time in his career.
Bonds was not surprised that the Braves ignored a common trend and pitched to him.
``They're going to win their division so there's no need to walk me,'' said Bonds, who has drawn 183 walks -- 93 intentional -- this season.
Manager Felipe Alou said that Bonds would be given a day off Monday. The 40-year-old outfielder was originally scheduled to take Saturday off since he often skips day games that follow night games, but told Alou after Friday's 5-3 loss that he wanted to play.
The Giants are tied for second in the NL West, five games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, but are one percentage point behind the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres in the wild card race.
Chipper Jones went 2-for-4 and drove in his 29th run of the month for the Braves, who lead the NL East by 8 1/2 games over Florida. Johnny Estrada also had two hits and two RBIs and has hit safely in eight of his last nine games, batting .441 in that span.
The Braves will start John Thomson, who threw seven solid innings against his former team, the Colorado Rockies, in an 8-1 victory on Wednesday. Bonds is hitting just .185 (5-for-27) with two homers, four RBIs and four walks lifetime against the right-hander.
San Francisco (72-60) at Atlanta (75-54)
Preview - Box Score - Recap
Game Info: 1:05 pm EDT Mon Aug 30, 2004
TV: FSBA, WTBS Add to Calendar
Buy Tickets
Starting Pitchers
N. Lowry
SF vs.
J. Thomson
Atl
3-0 Record 10-8
3.88 ERA 4.20
48 K 105
17 BB 42
4 HR 19
Barry Bonds is supposed to take a day off Monday, but after Sunday's performance he may not want to.
The All-Star slugger may play as the San Francisco Giants try to split a four-game series with the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field.
The Braves took the first two games of the series, outscoring the Giants 14-6. Bonds, who had gone 2-for-6 with a home run and three RBIs in that span, broke out Sunday to lead the Giants to a 9-5 victory, their 12th in their last 17 games.
He hit a pair of mammoth two-run homers -- giving him 696 in his career -- and went 4-for-5 with six RBIs. The home runs that traveled an estimated total of 929 feet were the second and third longest in Turner Field history.
``Who cares where it goes,'' said the six-time NL MVP. ``As long as they go over the yellow line.''
ADVERTISEMENT
His first blast soared 467 feet, the second longest ever at the stadium that opened in 1997, bested only by a shot Sammy Sosa hit that traveled 471 feet on Sept. 1, 2001. Bonds, who leads the NL in batting at .368, added a two-run single to help end Atlanta's season-best, six-game winning streak.
He had a chance for his first career five-hit game in the eighth, but struck out.
``I was tired,'' said a smiling Bonds, who spoke with reporters for over 10 minutes. ``I saw eight baseballs.''
It was the fourth multihomer game this season for Bonds and the 68th of his career, breaking a tie with Mark McGwire and placing him second only to Babe Ruth, who had 72. Bonds, who has four career three-homer games, needs two more home runs to reach 40 for the eighth time in his career.
Bonds was not surprised that the Braves ignored a common trend and pitched to him.
``They're going to win their division so there's no need to walk me,'' said Bonds, who has drawn 183 walks -- 93 intentional -- this season.
Manager Felipe Alou said that Bonds would be given a day off Monday. The 40-year-old outfielder was originally scheduled to take Saturday off since he often skips day games that follow night games, but told Alou after Friday's 5-3 loss that he wanted to play.
The Giants are tied for second in the NL West, five games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, but are one percentage point behind the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres in the wild card race.
Chipper Jones went 2-for-4 and drove in his 29th run of the month for the Braves, who lead the NL East by 8 1/2 games over Florida. Johnny Estrada also had two hits and two RBIs and has hit safely in eight of his last nine games, batting .441 in that span.
The Braves will start John Thomson, who threw seven solid innings against his former team, the Colorado Rockies, in an 8-1 victory on Wednesday. Bonds is hitting just .185 (5-for-27) with two homers, four RBIs and four walks lifetime against the right-hander.
If Bonds does play in this one, well then everything changes as that was my main reason for making this wager. If you haven't already made a wager on this game, I would wait for confirmation that Bonds is sitting. This guy get's in a groove and it's just plain scary ! I still think that the Brave's bats will get to the rookie Lowry. Alou says that Bonds will be sitting out this game but remember this....Bonds doesn't take orders from Alou... it's the other way around ! If Bonds says He wants to play, What would you do as a Manager ? I would say " Let me help you lace up your cleats old fellow " LOL
