The Braves' emotional roller-coaster continues. After scoring a total of 19 runs Saturday and Sunday in Philadelphia -- and losing both games -- the team took a hit to its psyche Monday when third baseman Chipper Jones and right-hander Tim Hudson were placed on the disabled list, both retroactive to July 24.
Neither Jones' left hamstring nor Hudson's right elbow has improved to the point where nursing it along made sense. The Braves are making a last-ditch effort the next few days to get closer to the top of the National League East, and they need able bodies. Catcher Clint Sammons -- called up because catcher Brian McCann was knocked out cold in a helmet-to-helmet collision with the Phillies' Shane Victorino at home plate Sunday -- got the start Monday because he and right-hander Charlie Morton have been a dynamic-duo battery from Class A on up. Morton was batting only .237 at Class AAA Richmond, but that beats backup catcher Corky Miller's .102 average.
McCann, who has never had a concussion until now, hopes he will miss only a few days. But he did not venture out to the field in Atlanta's 94-degree heat and humidity Monday.
Left-hander Jo-Jo Reyes has been optioned to Richmond. "I'm not mad about it," he says. "I kind of had a feeling. I haven't been pitching very good the last three or four outings."
Pitching coach Roger McDowell says Reyes has made changes in his delivery and needs to become more comfortable with them in game situations. "He's lights-out in the bullpen," McDowell says, "but there's no batter. He needs to learn to take that stuff into the game."
CARDINALS 12, BRAVES 3: The game was over once Cardinals C Yadier Molina chugged across the plate in the third inning on an errant throw. That made the score 6-0, and it was clear by the way RHP Charlie Morton was pitching and by the way the Braves weren't hitting that six runs was too much to overcome.
