Chip Caray channels Harry Caray as Braves home run drought ends
The Atlanta Braves two-and-a-half week nightmare is finally over.
In the eighth inning of Wednesday’s 9-4 loss against the Boston Red Sox, first baseman Freddie Freeman hit a home run off left-hander Tommy Layne to end their 15-game homerless streak.
[Elsewhere: Adam LaRoche wants you to celebrate take your child to work day]
As you can tell from the call of Braves broadcaster Chip Caray, he was pretty excited. Excited enough that he broke out his grandpa Harry Caray’s famous “It might be, It could be, it is” home run call, even adding a “Holy Cow” for added emphasis and perhaps meaning.
Caray had reason to be excited too. The home run was the first hit by a Brave since April 10 at Turner Field, which was Atlanta’s fifth game of the season. On that afternoon, Drew Stubbs delivered a three-run homer against St. Louis ace Adam Wainwright. The Braves only hit two home runs prior to that, when Freeman and Adonis Garcia each homered against Washington’s Max Scherzer.
So yes, the drought was somehow worse than you imagined.
If you’re keeping track at home, the Braves now have a grand total of four home runs on the season. Freeman’s was actually their first on the road.
The Braves homerless streak was the longest in the majors since the Cardinals went 18 games without a homer in 1991, so at least it won’t go down in the MLB history books.
So again, Caray had good reason to be excited.
Here’s a little more perspective that’s perhaps not as exciting or encouraging. Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen hit three homers in a single game on Tuesday in Colorado, equaling Atlanta’s season total before Wednesday. Braves pitching, meanwhile, was allowing plenty of home runs of their own. In fact, they were allowing them in grand style with the same frequency that the Braves were hitting any type of homer.
That stat included Dustin Pedroia’s grand slam on Wednesday, so at least the Braves didn’t have to hear about it long.
With that in mind, they’ll be hearing about this one for awhile.
Yes, the same Mets team that homered just twice during their first nine games exploded while the Braves offense went completely punchless.
That might be the most fascinating stat we see all season. Then again, the rebuilding Braves still don’t have a lot of offensive upside to speak of. Freddie Freeman is clearly their best power source, but he’s not going to get many pitches to hammer with so few home run threats around them. Honestly, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Braves have a couple more streaks where the home run well runs dry.
[Elsewhere: Noah Syndergaard tours New York City as Thor]
With that in mind, the old Harry Caray home run call might fit this Braves team perfectly.
“It might be” is always delivered with some surprise and excitement.
“It could be” brings with it some hope.
And “it is” is the signal that the unlikely has happened, and it’s safe to celebrate another Braves homer.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
