Braves 1, Mets 0: Dickey's Fine Performance Goes to Waste

by Chris McShane on Sep 17, 2011 6:38 PM EDT

A perfectly enjoyable performance by R.A. Dickey was unfortunately ruined by the Mets' complete lack of run-scoring and, of course, an opportune hit by Chipper Jones.

Dickey's knuckleball was in fine form this afternoon in Atlanta, moving all over the plate while confounding the Braves' lineup for nearly eight innings. But with two outs and runners on first and third in the bottom of the eighth, Jones singled up the middle, just past Dickey's glove, to score the only run of the game.

As for the Mets' offense, well, there was no real offense. Tim Hudson struck out ten Mets in his eight innings of work, and the few chances the Mets did have to score were never really all that serious.

When Dickey left the game in the eighth, the bases were loaded with Brian McCann coming to the plate and Tim Byrdak taking over on the mound for the Mets. As has been the case with Byrdak all year, he retired the lefty to put an end to what could have been an even worse end to Dickey's afternoon.

Craig Kimbrel retired the Mets in order in the top of the ninth inning to complete the Braves' victory.

SB Nation Coverage

* Traditional Recap
* Boxscore
* Amazin' Avenue Gamethread
* Talking Chop Gamethread

Win Probability Added

Big winners: R.A. Dickey, +15.7% WPA
Big losers: David Wright, -16.5% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Alex Gonzalez grounds into fielder's choice in the seventh, +8.7% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Chipper Jones run-scoring single in the eighth, -26.2% WPA
Total pitcher WPA: +19.6% WPA
Total batter WPA: -69.6% WPA
GWRBI!: Chipper Jones

Game Thread Roll Call

Nice job by MetsFan4Decades; her effort in the game thread embiggens us all.

Num	Name	# of Posts
1	MetsFan4Decades	114
2	Terry_is_God	98
3	Spike Davis	92
4	BurleighGrimes	81
5	feslenraster	76
6	Xfactor26	73
7	Greenpoint Ian	37
8	TWilliAM	32
9	graves9	31
10	Shinjo Is God	19

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Comments

Can Jones please retire and take Jeter with him?

I feel like baseball has been under a curse since those two entered the league. Flash back to 1994 in the days before Jones. The Toronto Blue Jays were the defending world champions, the Expos were the best team in baseball, and the Yankees hadn’t won a world series in my lifetime (the Braves not since they were in Milwaukee).

Maybe if they both go away, we’ll get those days back.

Mark Cuban for owner! Save us from the Wilpons!

by Greenpoint Ian on Sep 17, 2011 6:42 PM EDT reply actions

i hate very few things in sportslarr

I hate Philadelphia so much.

by the caveman on Sep 17, 2011 7:15 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

try again

I hate few things in sports. But larrys near the top. Go die somewhere

I hate Philadelphia so much.

by the caveman on Sep 17, 2011 7:17 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

As if we needed any more proof that

Dickey is not a winner

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf. "

– Tug McGraw when asked about his preference for grass or astroturf

by Terry_is_God on Sep 17, 2011 6:45 PM EDT reply actions

Interesting seeing Phil "Knucksie" Niekro at the game and going down to chat with RA after the game

Would love to hear what they chatted about

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf. "

– Tug McGraw when asked about his preference for grass or astroturf

by Terry_is_God on Sep 17, 2011 6:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Niekro: "Offenses, huh."

Dickey: “You’re telling me!”

Save Jenrry Mejia!
Keep Reyes, Trade Wilpon.

by Ogre39666 on Sep 17, 2011 7:49 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs

Only watched the last two innings

man, that ump was calling strikes 3 inches off the corners.

"Those who fear disorder more than injustice inevitably produce more of both." -- Rev. William Coffin

by dcrockett17 on Sep 17, 2011 6:48 PM EDT reply actions

The zone was a bit arbitrary all night

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf. "

– Tug McGraw when asked about his preference for grass or astroturf

by Terry_is_God on Sep 17, 2011 6:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, there were some really hinky called strikes in the 9th.

"And that's why anybody who invested with Lenny Dykstra should really call that number. Lawyers are standing by."

by BobbyV_Incognito on Sep 18, 2011 1:11 AM EDT up reply actions

just want to see this team play not terribly these last few games

is that too much to ask

by brodude on Sep 17, 2011 6:50 PM EDT reply actions

Is SNY disallowed airing the post-game until this Fox "Bonus Coverage" (..right) of the Rays/Red Sox game is over?

Because that sucks, for the viewer and for the network.

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf. "

– Tug McGraw when asked about his preference for grass or astroturf

by Terry_is_God on Sep 17, 2011 6:52 PM EDT reply actions

and after the scroll telling me to stay tuned for the post-game, it's more college football. great

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf. "

– Tug McGraw when asked about his preference for grass or astroturf

by Terry_is_God on Sep 17, 2011 7:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Finally it's on.

Terry and then Dickey praise Hudson, Dickey says he knew he didn’t have a lot of room for error and thought his knuckleball had good movement but this also caused more walks than usual. I was thinking the same thing. Very well pitched game on both sides and Dickey (as he pointed out) just missed snagging Chipper’s death blow.

As good as Hudson was, it might be hard to believe that the team that scored 12 runs in that park yesterday was shut out today, but this is of course the Mets we’re talking about.

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf. "

– Tug McGraw when asked about his preference for grass or astroturf

by Terry_is_God on Sep 17, 2011 7:30 PM EDT up reply actions

As they always announce

SNY post game can’t start until 7pm, no matter what time the game ends.

by MetsFan4Decades on Sep 17, 2011 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions

We are... FUX SPORTS!

(yes, I did personally modify the logo)

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

We did it!

The Amazin' Avenue Rec-ord Book (4/17/2011 edition)

by sj10689 on Sep 18, 2011 2:45 AM EDT up reply actions 4 recs

HAHAHAHA-awesome Sj10689

"Fantasy, reality, science Fiction. Which is which? Who can tell?"

by feslenraster on Sep 18, 2011 8:51 AM EDT up reply actions

Thanks

It was waaaaaay overdue.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

We did it!

The Amazin' Avenue Rec-ord Book (4/17/2011 edition)

by sj10689 on Sep 18, 2011 9:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Poor Dickey. No love from the bats or the bitch they dubbed BABIP goddess...

__________________________________________________________________
Really good kid.A very good player.Not a superstar. #BlameWilponz. Never Forget

by ScottfromPeekskill on Sep 17, 2011 6:57 PM EDT reply actions

Dont forsake the goddess

She is fiestey. If our bats go cold I’m blaming you.

I hate Philadelphia so much.

by the caveman on Sep 17, 2011 7:18 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs

Dickey was excellent again

but as has been the case all year he got absolutely no support. Dickey was fantastic on the mound, but not getting the bunt down with runners on first and second and nobody out really ended up costing him. As far as the 8th inning I would have never pitched to Chipper in that spot and gone after Uggla, but Dickey walked Uggla anyway.. Gotta give Hudson some credit as he was really good today and stepped up big time with the rotation crumbling around him. I can already hear the mongos on Wfan saying Dickey doesn’t know how to win. I sure hope Dickey gets better runsupport nextyear as t can’tbe much wors than it was this year.

by graves9 on Sep 17, 2011 7:03 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Surprise surprise.

I think it's fine.

by NetsMets4Life on Sep 17, 2011 7:47 PM EDT reply actions

Same shit

Different day.

What's that about?

by Brian. on Sep 17, 2011 8:18 PM EDT via iPhone app reply actions

Praise Dickey...

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!" Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

AA Gamethread Embiggening Record Holder- 458 posts (08/24/11)
3rd Place- 2011 AAOP Contest

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Sep 17, 2011 9:13 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Dickey has been incredible this year

I feel the Mets have chances to win every game he pitches and would say he lines up against any team’s best pitcher (Halladay and Kershaw excluded). he has quietly put together an amazing season (although his SABR numbers don’t back that up, but that’s because they don’t really work in conjunction with the knuckleball).

would have loved to see the Mets win because I like winning and, more importantly, to fuck with the Braves. I hope they collapse down the stretch.

by theamato on Sep 17, 2011 9:26 PM EDT reply actions

Espicially since the Braves were a big reason

the Mets missed the playoffs in ‘08. The Mets played six games vs the Braves, in the last two weeks of that season and wen’t 2-4. The Braves were as bad as the Mets are this year in ‘08 and they stuck it to the Mets. I agree 100 percent on Dickey. Baseball reference does rate him pretty highly as he’s at 4 WAR. Dickey isn’t rated as highly by fangraphs as he’s just above 2 WAR.

by graves9 on Sep 17, 2011 10:06 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

BR has him as the 7th best pitcher the NL

don’t know if he’s that good — knuckleball makes it real hard to properly evaluate him. but he’s certainly better than Fangraphs gives him credit for.

by theamato on Sep 17, 2011 10:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Because FIP disregards a talent for knuckleballers.

Namely weak contact.

Save Jenrry Mejia!
Keep Reyes, Trade Wilpon.

by Ogre39666 on Sep 18, 2011 12:29 AM EDT up reply actions

Couldn't we use tRA for WAR?

AAARRRRRRRSSSSSHHHHHHHHAAAAAAVVVVVIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNN!
Dream goal!

by Aidan Gibson on Sep 18, 2011 6:51 AM EDT up reply actions

Assuming they are scaled the same

Dickey’s tRA and SIERA are very similar to his FIP and xFIP.

by Balagast on Sep 18, 2011 10:30 AM EDT up reply actions

Someone does.

Save Jenrry Mejia!
Keep Reyes, Trade Wilpon.

by Ogre39666 on Sep 18, 2011 12:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Startcorner does that, and Dickey is 3.8 WAR there.

In lobby for: Jaime Cevallos, Zack Lutz, orange unis and Rickroll as the 7th inning song.
The Unwritten Rules of AA

by Michkin on Sep 18, 2011 1:19 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm sure RA is happy that the Mets took

a chance on him and finally he’s getting to show what he can do.

And now that this gratitude has worn off a bit, he’s probably secretly thinking to himself ‘I hope they trade me to a team that can actually get a couple of runs when I pitch’.

by MetsFan4Decades on Sep 17, 2011 11:08 PM EDT reply actions