Pete Orr Highlighted in SI

What else would an Orr from Ontario wear? Pete's not related to Bobby, the Bruins great, but has worn the number since youth hockey. "My teammates always wanted me to wear number 4," says Pete, whose dad often showed him film of Bobby Orr and whose middle name, like Bobby's, is Gordon. Bobby finds Pete's imitation flattering -- "I'm honored if I had a positive influence on someone," he has said. Pete, meanwhile, says he got his 4 before asking for it. "The Braves said they gave it to me because it was the lowest number available, that it had nothing to do with [Bobby]."

"Back Stories: Me and My Number." Sports Illustrated July 24, 2006
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/players/07/18/numbers0724/
Photograph: Christopher Gooley/US PRESSWIRE

Bravos Win Despite Bullpen

Despite the bullpen's best effort to blow another lead, the Braves pulled out a 10-8 win over the Phils last night. Hudson looked very tired going 5.2 innings to pick up his 8th win of the season. Ray and Yates gave up 4 runs (2 each) in the 7th and 8th innings. Bob Wickman worked a scoreless 9th for the save.

Oh, don't you dare think I forgot that Pete Orr hustled out a double (his first 2 bagger of the season) in the 7th to ignite a 2 run inning.

Wickman Debut

A nice scoreless inning for the Bravos new Closer, Bob Wickman. Maybe the rest of the bullpen could fall into place as a result of this move. The Braves are 5 games out of the Wild Card at the moment.

Pete Orr's batting average fell below the mendoza line after he grounded out in the 8th last night.

Orr Hitless Streak Extends to 8

Meanwhile the Atlanta Braves are continuing their Offensive rebirth. 18 hits last night - 14 of them were off former Bravo Jason Marquis - Marquis line last night 5.0 IP, 14 H, 12 R, 12 ER, 2 BB, 4 K. UGLY.

Pete Orr pinch hit in the 9th, then played the bottom half of the inning at second base...extending his error free season (101 innings played).

Hudson picked up the win. He looked good until 6th. Could have been the short rest. The 'pen held the Cards in check for the balance of the game - the combo of Villareal, Yates, and Moylan gave up 3 hits, a walk, and Ked 2 over the last 3.1 innings.

The Braves gained a game in the Wild Card standings....trailing the Redlegs by 4. Still 11.5 back in the NL East.

Craziness

The Braves have scored 51 runs in the past 4 games (on 63 hits!). No need to worry about pitching when you score that many....except for Thursday when the Braves narrowly beat the Padres 15-12 in the series opener (and first game back since the 4 day All Star break). If memory serves, I think the Braves got a 4 day break last year as well.

Pete Orr has not contributed any hits, RBI, or runs to this streak. His last hit was on July 1. The last time he scored, or drove in a run, was on his solo homer vs. the Nats on June 7.

The Braves are "o so close" to .500. Sitting at 44-49 (in second place in the NL East) and 11.5 games back from the Metropolitans - better yet, the Braves are 5 games back from the Redlegs in the Wild Card chase.

Pete Orr Snubbed for All Star Team

It really bothers me that the AL keeps beating the NL in the All Star games - the NL has not won in a decade now.

I wanted to figure out why this was - besides the fact that Pete Orr never gets in the game.

Thanks to the data provided at http://www.onestopbaseball.com/TeamPayroll.asp, I'm able to deduct why the AL keeps beating the NL.

1. The top 4 major league team payrolls are all American League teams.
2. The AL total payroll is $1.169 billion (14 teams). The average team payroll in the AL is $83.5 million.
3. The NL total payroll is $1.158 billion (16 teams). The average team payroll in the NL is $72.4 million.
4. Major League baseball requires that each team have at least one representative on the All Star roster. The AL has to fill 32 roster spots from 14 teams; the NL has to fill 32 roster spots from 16 teams.

Assuming that better players get paid more money, then the AL keeps winning the All Star game because they have better players. Go figure.

I just don't get it

Ramirez got knocked around last night like nothing I have seen in some time. Only accumulated an inning of work, but gave up 7 runs on 7 hits.

The bullpen, go figure, came in and pitched 8 great innings. They allowed only 2 earned runs - both of those given up by Villarreal in that painful 2nd inning. Kevin Barry pitched 4 amazing innings to keep his rookie season rolling right along.

I don't understand how the 'pen can pitch so well in a game that the Bravos are losing by 7, but couldn't hold a 5 run lead for Hudson on Thursday.

Pete Orr has not played since Wednesday.

Whuppin' Sticks

The Bravos beat up on the Cards last night -- 14-4. 5 runs in the first was nice. They played with a lead instead of having to play from behind....as they seem to ususally do.

Chucky James - you gotta love that name - hurled 6 innings and improved to 3-0 on the season. Three scoreless innnings from the pen was nice. Yates, McBride, and Paronto combined for 2 hits, a walk, and a K from the 7th through the 9th.

Pete Orr went 0-1, and got some quality time at second base. The Braves are out of the basement in the NL East. The Nats are 14 games back and the Bravos are 13.5.