I have made the argument on scoreatl.com that Jair Jurrjens should be rookie of the year this season for the National League. (I will post the article up here, once I have seen it confirmed on www.scoreatl.com. They get first dibs) Last night he certainly helped his cause with 8 shutout innings of three hit (all singles) ball. He is now 10-5 on the season with a 3.02 ERA. And he faced DOWN Ryan Howard (2006 MVP) Jimmy Rollins (2007 MVP) and Chase Utley (2008 MVP?) and allowed only three singles!
BMac is making it hard for me to pick Gregor Blanco as the Score ATL player of the week this week as he went 2-3 last night with two home runs, one a grand slam, and 5 RBI along with a pair of walks and runs, as the Braves led 1-0 entering the ninth and just exploded for RUN after RUN after RUN off the Philadelphia bullpen. Closer Brad Lidge had only allowed 5 runs in Citizens Bank ballpark for his career entering last night, and he gave up 5 without even recording an out. The Braves were 5-7 with runners in scoring position in that inning and it took a decent play by Chase Utley to get out of the inning with a runner at second.
Will Ohman gave up the shutout with a two-run, two out HR to Ryan Howard after Chase Utley had FINALLY gotten a hit after an 0-17 skid. I can only hope that didn't kickstart them for today.
Speaking of today, Mike Hampton is scheduled to return to the hill for ATL for the third time in 35 months and he'll be facing Cole Hamels. I am HOPING for 5 innings from Hampton and maybe a 1-run lead (1-0 for example) so the Braves bullpen can protect that, AND THEY WILL. That would make a nice story for Mike Hampton and his comeback, a win. Hey, I hope, (but an not pinning ALL of my hopes ) Hampton comes back with avengence and gets 3 or 4 wins down the stretch for the Bravos to help lock up a playoff berth. I think that would be a neat final story and a LOT of Atlanta would forgive him if he did that.
Just a thought.
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