What’s that smell game thread: June 14, Mets at Braves

Well, that was a lengthy road trip. And then you get home and the Mets are waiting for you. It’s like if you accidentally left something out on the counter before going on vacation.

75 thoughts on “What’s that smell game thread: June 14, Mets at Braves”

  1. We get Dickey this series…ugh. It seems like every time we face him the offense’s timing goes into a week long funk.

  4. If I’m the Braves I have to put McLouth in LF and Schafer in CF until Prado returns, then determine what to do upon his return. If McLouth doesn’t know how to play LF he better learn quick because his future in the majors after this season is likely as a 4th outfielder. It can’t be that hard.

  5. (From the last thread)…

    PeteOrr wondered what exactly a bench coach does. You obviously did not watch the latest ‘Sunday School’. Riveting television, I tell you.

  6. I think what bench coaches do varies. Pat Corrales was a very active bench coach, and I always thought Bobby missed him after he was fired.

  7. I actually did see that, but I was listening to the radio feed with the TV muted and I missed most of what Tosca was saying. The only thing I caught was that he basically told the defense whether to play towards the left, center, or right for each batter.

    The Sunday School feature lost a lot of credibility with me when they talked to Snitker about 3rd base coaching. As if he would have the slightest clue about what that job requires.

  8. The other thing Tosca said was that he basically sets up and is in charge of all the drills in spring training. And he’s there as a sounding board for the manager. I think that last thing is the most (probably truly the only) super useful thing a bench coach does. If his manager really trusts his opinion and they have legitimate conversations about what to do in a given situation, a bench coach can be very useful. If the manager doesn’t feel he needs a sounding board, then all the bench coach does is set up drills and position fielders based on scouting reports, which is not especially useful.

  10. If Fredi trusts Tosca’s opinion and listens to his advice, then that means Tosca must have some terrible opinions and give awful advice, at least based on Fredi’s typical decisions. So either Tosca is an idiot or he’s fairly useless. I guess it’s possible that Fredi’s decisions would be even worse than they are now if not for Tosca, so maybe he’s got some chance at redemption.

  11. Best back up catcher in baseball means that McCann sitting does not hurt as much as CJ or AG sitting out. Plus McCann did not get good night sleep last night.

  13. Was looking at the John Sickels review of our draft via the link in the last thread. The guys we drafted may not be high-ceiling guys, but the hitters generally seem to be polished and have high OBPs.

    So at least they’re not drafting more Francoeurs.

  15. OPS, starting outfield, Atlanta Braves

    LF: .477
    CF: .663
    RF: .615

    This has to be one of the worst outfields of the year for any team. Schafer is the best hitter of the three.

  16. Note: With this horrible lineup, the Braves are still a -137 to the Mets’ +127 moneyline. I know part of that is Jurrjens, but a lot of that is the Mets.

  17. #15
    Yep, our entire starting OF is currently injured.

    #12
    Very funny you should mention that book, which just came out. When I leave the office tonight, I’m stopping by the bookstore to pick it up.

    A friend of mine was close to the project, got an advance & told me that he couldn’t put it down.

    Always been a huge fan of his music, but I really wanna read about his stint in professional wrestling.

  18. Graphic, leadoff hitters: .451 OBP for Reyes vs .328 OBP for Schafer over the last 15 games.

    Braves TV geniuses: “I thought it would be more lopsided.”
    Chip: “That graphic brings to mind: Jackpot!”

  19. If Fredi would stand up for his players, maybe the umpires wouldn’t acquiesce to the Mets’ complaints about the dirt.

  22. It’s good to see the offense pick up JJ and give him a breather with some long ABs. We really need to take a better offensive approach.

  25. I really think the Dream are going to make some noise this year. I like the sound of their new offensive sets.

  26. Way too many first-pitch swings. Why? Niese isn’t a bad pitcher, but he’s not a Maddux-type whose first pitch is the best one you’ll see.

  33. Now why is the Best Backup Catcher In Baseball playing so many games ahead of the Best Catcher In Baseball, while neither can play ahead of the Worst Outfield In Baseball? TM, C, R, OMG, BBQ, etc.

  35. McCann will play each interleague game as C or DH. Give him some rest when Ross is the best backup catcher and Brian McCann is best catcher in baseball.

  42. Looks like Proctor’s got his head out of… where it’s been, although the Mets tend to have that effect.

  43. @ 40 -Yeah, that’s why I said 7 to 1. :)

    Thought Fredi might not pull the trigger on having both catchers out. In retrospect, seems like Ross could probably play 1B, though.

  51. “Line drive, base hit; caught out there. Runner tags, here’s the throw to the plate: it’s on target, and in time! A double play!”

    -Chip Caray

  56. Great, 2BB and a hit batsman.

    It would be nice if he could throw less than 30 pitches some nights.

  60. Gonzalez, pinch-hitter, Mather (and Young if someone gets on). Feel the excitement.

    To paraphrase Lynyrd Skynyrd, the smell of death surrounds this offense.

  63. I got the trivia question wrong because I saw Glavine and Smoltz in the 2002 All-Star game. I had forgotten that he had already become a closer by 2002 (his first full year in the pen). For some reason, I was thinking that happened later.

  65. “Hell just let the ass man go another inning. He breezed through the 8th.”

    For all the complaining: his ERA is now only 1.69.

  73. Still don’t know why Fredi pulled Ross to move the pitcher’s spot CLOSER to coming up later on.

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