The Braves felt compelled to give Bartolo Colon one more start as a Brave, and it went about as well as you could have imagined. It’s not official that he’s finished in Atlanta, but… c’mon.
What’s really telling about the state of his career is this story: As Bartolo squared to sacrifice bunt, Wil Myers charged the play like Bart was the 10th hitter in a little league lineup. It really wasn’t a bad bunt, but Myers fielded it right up on the plate, threw to second and on to first to get the easy double play. The 44-year old fella couldn’t be bothered to run down the line. He’s big, but he ain’t sexy.
At any rate, this was a classic 2015-2017 rebuild game where the starting pitcher got bombed early on and the offense couldn’t catch up. Simple as that. Fortunately, these games are fewer and farther between, but as long as Bartolo Colon is pitching, you can bank on an early night, even on a west coast game.
Well said.
@Stu, mixing whiskey is purely a change of pace. I prefer it unadulterated.
As much as I dislike games that Bartolo starts, I was in need of some sleep due to the gem of Newk the night before. Bartolo never lets you down when you need an early night…
For me, Colon is the worst part of the rebuild. He obviously has been a colossal failure, which is disappointing in his own right, but I really don’t like the Big Sexy nickname, the lack of equity he has with the Atlanta fanbase vs. his jovial personality, and the constant marketing by the Braves. Yes, we get it, he’s fat. Awesome. Yes, he has a fun-loving personality. Super. He also sucks, and he never threw a pitch for us before the Braves went into full marketing mode. Between Ender, Teheran, Freddie, Kemp, and Phillips, we had plenty of pieces to market instead of an older starter whose demise was enough of a concern from day 1 and a guy with 149 career PAs at the time (Swanson).
Freddie to rehab at AAA starting Saturday? If Freddie to 3B actually works, then that also really shores up the bench too: Camargo, Santana, Adams, Suzuki. Camargo as first bat off the bench and Santana as first pinch runner (Statcast has him as the fastest player on the team). All three can backup all 3 IF positions, and Camargo can relieve Freddie at 3B on the regular. Still need an OF who can hit, but you can always plug Santana into a corner spot. This also puts Jace back in AAA and being out of options at the end of this year.
He’s also a PED user and has a secret family, and I can’t for the life of me understand why anyone would want to market him, but other than that, great acquisition Coppy. Please run him out there a few more times.
But, but, he hit a home run once and grabbed his stomach! Sweet! Yeah, I don’t get it.
Every day that the Braves leave Colon on the roster moving forward is making the team play a player short. He’s done and the 6 man rotation idea was ridiculous to begin with. Cut the loss and move on.
Braves also should send a message to Julio. Send him back to Gwinnett for a start or two and call up Sims.
The worst part of the rebuild was the Olivera trade. The Colon signing is probably second, but at least it was only money.
EDIT: nope, forgot trading Kimbrel just to dump Mudge’s contract. That was #2
To be fair, Mudge’s contract clearance was more about the previous regime than the current one, unless you’re arguing the salary didn’t need to be dumped.
You’re right about Olivera. Had we not traded Wood, we wouldn’t have needed Colon (or Dickey, or Garcia…).
well said 2
Giving him the start last night sends the message that there’s more important things in play here than winning baseball games. That’s not a message that’s going to work well for this regime in the long run.
Well you could argue that it signals to veterans that the Braves will give you every chance to succeed.
I was bummed that Colon was getting another shot as well and we saw a predictable result, however, I might’ve cut bait on Dickey too and he looks to have turned it around. As long as it doesn’t happen again, there are worse crimes than trying to see if Colon could regain some magic and not just be a sunk cost. But now we know.
Corbin Clouse
gives up no runs,most hitters he can dowse
he speaks in public on many podia
how best to stifle offense, give them cloustrophobia.
(FFF,last 23 innings, no ER, 33 SO)
TC are doing a pretty fantastic job of expanded minor league coverage/stats by 10 the next morning. Someone is working their ass off. We should acknowledge and thank them for it. Where do you think I get all these new names from?
It’s hard to believe they didn’t get more than a salary dump for Kimbrel.
(Narrator voice: they had, in fact, gotten more than a salary dump for Kimbrel.)
For fear of being labeled anti-advanced metrics, I do want to offer an example where I think FIP tells a better story. Max Fried’s last 9 GS include 52 IP, 21 BB, 54 K, a 3.47 FIP… but a 5.88 ERA. I’m inclined to think that Max Fried has not been as bad as his ERA suggests. Of course, it’d be nice for the ERA to converge on the FIP.
@15
I think he’s referring to the perceived notion that the return was still light? After all, we still took on Carlos Quentin’s $8M remaining.
And Bartolo DFA’d with Rex Brothers taking his place.
Wtf is a Rex Brothers?
2—My change of pace is a couple of ice cubes instead of nothing. To each his own.
Kinda fun to have Lipscomb’s finest in a Braves uni. Hope he succeeds.
Bye Bye Bart
Close the door, no more slights
sure miss you all these nights
far away from the hustle and them fancy new lights
let control fade away, we’ll leave you alone
DFA’d to a world of your own.
Still…i’m a bit like coop, fond of the guy…the exit along the length of the dugout last night was poignant for all he passed.
What’s your drink of choice, Stu?
Nice! I had been excited about Rex Brothers being a bit of a diamond in the rough. He’s actually been decent for his career until injuries set in. He had some nasty periphs that created some lucky years, but overall, a better addition to the left side that a lot of what we’ve thrown out there. I’m also glad they’re giving him his addition before someone potentially more talented like Jesse Biddle could become ready.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/brothre01.shtml
sdp,
Possibly that was sarcasm, but Rex Brothers is a previously injured, high prospect, turned lefthanded reliever. He has performed well in the minors this year. He is a perfect guy to both shore up the pen and deal before the deadline. Trading teams want to see them in Majors.
I don’t care what this says about me, but Crown Vanilla or Maple with some Coke Zero and the livin’s easy.
23—If I had the entire universe of drinks at my disposal, it would be a glass of Pappy, neat. Considering only what I can afford to keep around the house, it’s usually Old Forester (of which my father-in-law just gifts me — not exaggerating — 48-60 bottles annually) or Bulleit Rye.
I also love a good Bloody Mary.
In the summer there is no other…Gin and Schweppes tonic, slice lemon.
Winter…Horses Neck…Brandy and Ginger Ale..no ice, everything room temperature.
If you’re loaded…Cognac.
blazon @28
Cognac! wow, thats a drink I don’t pour often at the bar. Of course 50% of what I pour is Guinness.
Islay, any Islay,neat please!
Laphroaig
Enjoyed at The Hague
A whisky of distinction
Staving off one’s extinction
Lagavulin neat is my favorite drink, followed closely by Laphroaig, +1 @30
I would never dream of mixing scotch, btw
@29 I have an Uncle in Law that all he drinks is cognac. He’s a pro.
I’m with blazon in the summer here…but I’d also go vodka/tonic/lime as well, it’s like a sports drink while on the golf course.
For the brown stuff I can appreciate scotch but I’m more a man-of-the-people bourbon guy. Buffalo Trace by the gallon.
snowshine…@30
that’s a good clerihew…
here’s a Scotch suggestion for you, by a roundabout route…
Scottish made marmalade, from bitter Seville oranges, is thick, chunky with tough rind – marvelous.Some people i know, including me, can eat it neat, with a teaspoon.. But there is one company in the Western Isles who add a special ingredient to it, whisky( no ‘e’ please). Fabulous taste. Imagine, first thing in the morning.On your toast.
oldtimer? @29
Draught Guinness, by the pint, good head. To die for. Am horrified to see them trying to add Guinness Blond here now – heresy, brand assassination. The real stuff, pour one for me tonight, please. Cheers.
@32
A pro in every sense, Chief – be nice to him, he’s loaded.
For you golfers, I have a toast to share this evening. After 25 years my son is finally out from under as Mickelson’s caddie. Maybe i’ll get to see a bit of him now.
@33 if you’d like to be a man-of-the-poor-people bourbon guy like me, try Weller Reserve. Made by the same company and tastes very similar to BT (they also make Pappy), 90 proof and 27 bucks a handle
@36, wow…the stories you must have heard…
@37, currently working Weller into the rotation. I’m a fan.
@ 37
a handle? you mean those things on the sides of a coffin? 90, wow.
A handle is the slang term for a 1.75L bottle.
@40
the things I learn here, thanks.
@36 You serious, Clark?
@19,
I believe he was the proprietor of Rex Kwon Do in Napoleon Dynamite.
@42
Who’s Clark, Chief?
Blazon, the “handle” is because the 1.75 L bottles have handles on them to aid in pouring. They’re also called “half gallons” because it’s a close enough measurement. We call 750 mL bottles “fifths” because it’s kinda close to a fifth a gallon. And 500 mL, is of course a “pint”. Yeah, we hate metric.
If you knew all this about lazy American liquor nomenclature, forgive me for insulting your intelligence.
@45
I did not, John WDB, thanks.
@44 It’s from a movie. Clark W. Griswold. Randy Quaid’s character Cousin Eddie says that to him all the time in the flicks.
Clark W. Griswold. Now there is a name I have not heard in a very long time.
It’s always been Macallan for me, but I got a bottle of the Balvenie Doublewood the other day and was pleasantly surprised.
Trea Turner broken wrist on hbp.
Matt Adams hurt… (?)
#36 – blazon
Bones is your son?
If Adams is hurt and Garcia is imploding, we can’t win and we can’t get anything for them in trade…FMBF
(that’s F my braves fandom)
My brother and I were joking earlier today that if the Braves gave Bartolo another run through the rotation, how many runs would he have given up to the Astros (which is where he would’ve been scheduled) ?
We set the +/- at 9.5
Edit: Adams with a foot bruise. X-Rays negative
We should stop playing baseball like this.
Swanson has gone all retro again at the plate this past week.He looks awful, bereft of confidence, lots of strike outs, many called. Can we please move on from his base a couple of weeks ago.
@52
Apparently, according to what i wrote. His name is Jim.
Kemp is playing hurt. He can barely move. All of a sudden the outlook is not so sunny. We play a brutal sched in July.
At 45, if you are of a certain age, once upon a time when you bought it fifth it was actually was a fifth of a gallon. The nicknames stuck after the conversion to metric, but they were real measurements BITD.
/Forgive me if that was implied in your post and I just missed it.
blazon, that is amazing. Guys from the comany I work with have direct contact with Bones and he (now) has been wearing our stuff when it was raining on the golf course. Greetings from St. Andrews today!
@57, it is peculiar how quickly things have turned from sunny to dire. Actually just 2 games to cement in our minds a lost season. I just hope it becomes clear enough that management has an easy decision for a fire sale or not.
@58, it wasn’t implied, but I did know the history of the 1/5th was a bit more complicated than that!
What is Freddie rushing back to?
We looked dire tonight, flat, very little to offer. At no time was there a suggestion of a real contest taking place before our very eyes. One where the final outcome was in any doubt.
In April at STP we sold ourselves short. IWOTP. Now look. All very disappointing. We really need that drink!
Dinelson Lamet (it was only LaMet)
your slider, how hard was it to ‘get’?
Snit thought it maybe suspicious
said Gooden, nah, just let your future be a little more auspicious.
Matt Adams
comes from a long line of Madams
swept up in a sting
he quite properly stated he hadn’t done a damn thing.
“it was only LaMet” justifies the existence of the internet for another day.
I think the culture of the offense is directly linked to to whatever pitcher we have out there. They seem to have a lot more pep with Newk, Dickey and Folty than they do with Garcia, Colon or Julio a lot of the time. The Garcia episode is going to happen and they all know it. When it happens early it just shuts them down that much quicker.
recapped