00:00Well, that sucked.
00:02Dukes and Bell, man.
00:03Braves fall.
00:04We're going to have a game three.
00:07Loser leaves town to L.A. to take on the Dodgers.
00:11Winner, that is, and the loser's out.
00:13That's aggravating.
00:14John Fricke's in for Carl Dukes.
00:16Carl's banged up.
00:17We're just texting back and forth today.
00:18This game had you pulling your hair out.
00:21We'll go through everything.
00:22Take your phone calls.
00:23404-726-0929 right now.
00:27No waiting.
00:28We'll get you on the air.
00:29What's your beef?
00:30Now, Dylan Lee, John, I'll jump in right there.
00:32Dylan Lee got Schwarber, and he got Bryce Harper out yesterday,
00:35and today he gave up back-to-back home runs.
00:38I mean, that's one level to this.
00:40The other one you and I talked about earlier was bang-bang play.
00:44It was a single to left, and it was the decision of the Braves' third base coach
00:48to hold Ozzie Albies, and look, I'm getting it.
00:51I understand.
00:52It didn't look good on TV, but make the Phillies make a throw.
00:56They decide to hold him at third base.
00:58The throw's up the line.
01:00Ozzie would have scored.
01:01Watkins, the third base coach, decides to hold it there.
01:03Little moments like that.
01:05What would you think?
01:06By the way, did you like Dominic Smith pinch hitting for Murph?
01:08Murph did have a hit today and a walk, and he makes the final out.
01:12Yeah, well, again, I think this really boils down to I hope that this is not the game
01:17that really costs them, and they go out tomorrow and don't win the series
01:20because they had every opportunity to win this game today,
01:22and they probably should have won the game.
01:23They just didn't get a clutch hit.
01:24I mean, when Harris is hitting into double plays in key situations,
01:28and Acuna's hitting soft ground outs and medals and standing there looking at strike three,
01:33and then Riley, of course, strikes out two in the 10th.
01:35It's just these are the guys that are going to have to hit.
01:39We can talk about the bullpen and how good it's been throughout the season
01:42or the starting pitching and how it's been really pretty good
01:46because Mallory deserved better than this today,
01:48but this team is going to rise and fall on that offense,
01:53and one of my biggest concerns or criticisms or maybe both of Ronald Acuna Jr.
01:59is that he has never in his career really lit up the postseason,
02:03and I need to see him.
02:04I think he's the best player in baseball, Mike,
02:08and yet at the same time, he hasn't stood and delivered when this team needed him the most,
02:12and I was kind of hoping today when he stood up there and had a chance to deliver,
02:17and he didn't do it.
02:18It was just a little kind of an inside-out ground ball to second.
02:21I went, that's not going to cut it, Ronald.
02:23I mean, you've got to be – you want to be a star.
02:26You want to be a superstar.
02:27It can't just happen in June and July and August.
02:30You've got to do it in September and October.
02:33I hear you, John.
02:33But again, Matt Olsen finally gives us an RBI, get knocked in two.
02:37The thing is, I'm with you, Acuna, and we'll have plenty of time to dive into that.
02:41My thing is it's about the bullpen.
02:43We rave about the bullpen, the Braves' best bullpen in baseball.
02:46And look, two things about Dylan Lee.
02:49Dylan Lee, and I get it, he's the goat as in the bad way of being the goat right now.
02:53It was Dylan Lee who gets out Schwarber to strike out
02:56and Harper to fly out yesterday.
02:58It works out.
02:59Today, it's back-to-back jacks.
03:01You know, and it's just – I get it.
03:03I got guys up the yin-yang killing Dylan Lee, and I understand that.
03:06But there's so many levels to it.
03:09A lot of guys saying you can't go with Fuentes there.
03:11I mean, well, they've been giving Fuentes high-leverage situations.
03:13Yesterday, Real Muto went opposite field, and Acuna butchered it.
03:16But this is the bullpen, guys.
03:18You can never have enough pitching.
03:20He wanted to go with those match-ups.
03:21That's how Walt Weiss approached it.
03:24It's just – it's so exasperating because some of these at-bats –
03:28and we'll get to this with the callers and get things rolling here.
03:31Dana, just roll them with me.
03:32Just tell me who's on.
03:32Let's get it right now.
03:33Let's go.
03:34Let's go.
03:35Let's go.
03:36Let's go.
03:37Kevin and Noonan, you're hot.
03:39Hey, Braves fall.
03:39They blow a 3-1 lead.
03:40Hey, man, Kevin, you're on 92-9.
03:42What you got?
03:43I find myself crazy to say this, but I agree with John about Acuna.
03:47He's about as unclutched as a star player can be.
03:51On top of that, I got to say the Phillies have the advantage tomorrow
03:54because they got Wheeler, Nola, Deron, all available,
03:58and all three of our high-leverage guys pitched multiple innings in the last two days.
04:02So it's going to be tough to fight back because as much as we hate Harper and Schwarber,
04:09they're clutch, and our guys aren't, seemingly.
04:12That's where it's at.
04:12And look, Malley did a nice job.
04:14I thought Malley certainly, I thought, accorded himself pretty well, John.
04:18But you get to this bullpen, which is supposed to be the strong suit for this team.
04:21And by the way, tomorrow, it's Grant Holmes going up against the guys he just talked about.
04:25You know, you got Wheeler and or Nola, and they can go to either one and use them in the
04:29game,
04:29and we're going to have Grant Holmes in a bullpen.
04:33Not optimal.
04:34Again, I think if you had said to me that the Phillies are going to hit three home runs
04:38but only score four, I would have taken my chances with that.
04:40But to me, Mike, I'm just going to go to a bigger picture here.
04:45The Braves are going to rise and fall solely on their offense.
04:48So I can't really worry about how banged up their starting rotation is
04:51or whether or not Dylan Lee or Fuentes or somebody comes in or even Iglesias and has a bad outing.
04:56I can't be in a position where they could potentially hurt us if they have a bad outing.
05:00And that's required by these superstars that you pay a lot of money to.
05:04They've got to hit.
05:05And they just have – I don't want to know what – you know, this is next level, next gen.
05:09I don't know what the exit velo was today, but it wasn't good.
05:12That's what I'm sure.
05:13And who even cares?
05:14Who even cares?
05:15Austin Riley today after the big home run yesterday, one for four with a walk.
05:18Money Harris, one for five.
05:20Harris struggled, guys.
05:21Harris, you realize he hit into only three double plays all season.
05:24Money Harris hit into two double plays today, including the backbreaker,
05:27which was the first to home, back to first double play, which just killed you.
05:31We've got Brad over in Johns Creek.
05:33Brad talking Braves.
05:34They fall.
05:34It's a game three do or die.
05:35Hey, man, you're on Dukes and Bell.
05:37What you got?
05:38How's it going?
05:40I can't be more frustrated with, you know, you actually have had the starting pitching
05:46for two days in a row.
05:47And if it not for Austin Riley yesterday, your bullpen literally has already cost you the series.
05:52You should have lost yesterday.
05:54You lose today.
05:55I don't understand, like, your starting pitching has been phenomenal.
06:00Let Malley roll today.
06:02You should have let the Dale ride yesterday.
06:05It's just frustrating to watch.
06:07Malley, by the way, 95 pitches after the seventh inning.
06:11I mentioned earlier, like, I just think Walt Weiss saw Dillon Lee get the job done against the,
06:14you know, against the Phillies best hitters.
06:16And that's why, like, I'm not making excuses.
06:18Like, the result is the result.
06:19By the way, John, to the guy that hit us up talking about Acuna,
06:22I'm looking at the numbers, Ronald for his career, 250 in the postseason.
06:27Some better than other.
06:28The big home run against the Dodgers, the Grand Slam, the one game they won the first postseason.
06:32But 2019, 444 in five games.
06:35217 in 2020.
06:37The world's, that was the NLCS.
06:39We should have beat the Dodgers out in Texas, neutral site.
06:422022.
06:43Because remember, 21, he's injured.
06:45333.
06:45He batted 140.
06:46The whole Braves team was terrible in that 23 season in LDS.
06:50143.
06:52And again, today, you know, Ronald, to whom much is given?
06:55Now, again, Ronald's contract, it's still a bargain.
06:57But I get it.
06:58He's supposed to be the star.
06:59He's a former MVP.
07:00I understand where some of the frustration comes.
07:03Drake, as we know, you know, is a star on this team.
07:07But again, Drake was in some situations.
07:08He went two for five with one RBI.
07:11I think you'll look at Money Harris.
07:12And again, does not hit well against lefties.
07:14The Phillies took advantage of some of that as well.
07:17Let's go to Wayne in Jonesboro.
07:18Wayne, we're talking Braves, man.
07:19How you feeling, brother?
07:20You're on Dukes and Bell.
07:21Hey, man.
07:22How you doing, Brady?
07:23How you doing, Mike?
07:24Hey, man.
07:27Just three things I'd like to just mention real quick.
07:29Acuna, that's a dead horse.
07:30We're going to leave that alone.
07:32All year, I've been watching Tommy's stop sign Watkins on third base.
07:37If your team is not hitting, and you know they're not hitting.
07:40If we get close to scoring, make them throw you out.
07:42Tatis ran through two stop signs last night.
07:47Scored two runs to win the game.
07:50And, you know, and also today, I was listening at the radio,
07:55and a bet app came on.
07:56I said, you bet $100 on the Braves and win $800.
07:59I said, we're in trouble.
08:00They're not going to let that go through.
08:02Braves in trouble.
08:04That's it, man.
08:05I'm out.
08:05He saw the money line.
08:07He was concerned.
08:07And, by the way, for guys not following his drift, we talked about this.
08:11The play at third base, look, I get it.
08:16The ball, it was hit to left field.
08:18If you didn't see it, Marsh.
08:21Phillies, look it up.
08:21They're one of the worst teams defensively in baseball.
08:24By any metric.
08:25You can look it up, guys.
08:26If you're a stat nerd, go see it.
08:28I'm not making this up.
08:2925th in Major League Baseball.
08:30Make them make the perfect throw, John.
08:32So, if you send Ozzie, the throw is made.
08:35And you go watch the replay.
08:36I've watched it 10 times.
08:37The throw is up the line.
08:39Ozzie would have scored.
08:40That run was crucial.
08:41Then, of course, Money Harris hits into the double play.
08:43And I'm with him, John.
08:44When runs seem to be at a premium, go for the gusto.
08:46Be Ron Washington.
08:49Yeah, no, again, this is, yeah, you force the issue.
08:52Your offense has to carry you.
08:54That's the only way they're going to win the World Series.
08:56It carried them at 21.
08:57Even without Acuna, we're just waving a flag out there.
09:01You've got to hit home runs.
09:03They haven't hit home runs.
09:03They have one home run in two games.
09:05And that's not going to cut it.
09:06And thankfully, the one did that was a game winner.
09:10But, you know, they've got to hit.
09:12I said, you know, going in saying, you know, if they're going to play,
09:15if they're going to win the World Series, they're going to play like 20 games, right?
09:17I said, what's the overrunner on the number of home runs they have to hit?
09:1930, 32?
09:21They have one.
09:22It's just not going to work.
09:24Braves left 11 men on base.
09:25The big one that hurt, of course, was that base is loaded.
09:27We've got Scotty in – who's up next?
09:29Is it Wayne in Jonesboro?
09:31It's outside.
09:31What do I got next?
09:32Scott in Smyrna.
09:33Scotty, hey, man.
09:34You're in the game.
09:35What you got, man?
09:36Hey, guys.
09:37I appreciate you taking me on.
09:39I just – you know, I've got to own it.
09:41This one's on me.
09:42And I know that sounds crazy, but I was watching the game at work.
09:45Eighth inning, we've got Matt Olsen up.
09:47Base is loaded.
09:48And I said it out loud.
09:49I said, Phillies are done.
09:51And so, it's on me, guys.
09:53Not the players, not the coach.
09:55I take ownership.
09:56My bad.
09:56Scott in Smyrna takes the heat for the Braves' L, Johnny.
10:00Yeah, man.
10:00Look, you just – you touched on it.
10:02John's been on this all day long.
10:04The Braves don't hit home runs.
10:05And this goes back to the 90s with Bobby Cox.
10:08If they don't hit home runs, they don't win.
10:10That's it.
10:10They don't manufacture runs.
10:11That's not been their calling card.
10:13The good news was Ronald today actually steals second, steals third, and is able to come in.
10:18I mean, that was kind of manufacturing run, so I'll give Walt Weiss all the credit in the world on
10:21that one.
10:22But the bullpen let you down.
10:23Guys are looking at the numbers.
10:25Dylan Lee, guys, for the month of September, ERA is ballooned.
10:29But he did get the job yesterday, so Walt had the confidence to go there.
10:32And Walt had the confidence in a young Didier Fuentes, and unfortunately it blew up in his face.
10:36We'll take more of your phone calls, guys.
10:38We're getting right to it.
10:39Quick break and more on this frustrating loss to the Braves.
10:42Now a decided pitching disadvantage against the boogeyman, the frigging Phillies.
10:48404-726-0929.
10:50Your calls when we come back.
