Win, win, win.
Matt Kemp and Matt Adams homered, and to paraphrase Skip Caray, Brandon Phillips had 3 doubles before we had even gotten to the bottom of another fifth. The Braves led 7 – 1 after 4, from which the teams played out the string. Jaime Garcia went 7 strong innings, allowing 4 hits, 1 run, and 3 walks, and recording 7 strikeouts.
The All-Star break seems to have done Kemp, Phillips, and Garcia some good; let’s see how long it lasts (and for what team.)
The 3 game sweep of Arizona leaves the Braves at 45 – 45, and – might as well say it – 6 games back in the race for the 2nd wildcard. The Cubs come to town on Monday holding a 1/2 game lead over the Braves. Hope, because the winter’s long enough without giving away the summer.
The funniest thing I ever heard about Arizona: Born in Arizona.
Thank you, Rusty, for the quick recap. .500; who’da thunk?
“…to paraphrase Skip Caray, Brandon Phillips had 3 doubles before we had even gotten to the bottom of another fifth.”
A line worthy of Skip Caray himself.
@1
And it’s not April!
I think we are about to make a move for a starter
@4 Apparently the Braves are “very open” to trading Julio. I’m guessing Coppy is trying to swing a deal (with Albies as a main piece) to bring in a good starter along with a second deal to trade JT (likely for prospects to restock the farm system depletion from the first trade).
If they trade Albies for a pitcher I will be throughly confused on what Coppy is really trying to accomplish.
Great job, Rusty. Keep the Skip references coming.
As I said in the last thread, the chances of the Braves actually contending for the wild card berth this year are much better than they were just a couple of weeks ago. That’s both because the Braves have gotten to the .500 mark, but also because Arizona and Colorado have played poorly over the past few weeks.
Still, this team is not really good enough as currently constructed to go 12-15 games over .500 the rest of the way (which is likely what it would take). As Rob pointed out in the last thread, we are still a couple of arms short.
I’d hate to trade any of the top prospects for immediate help. The good news is that the next ten games will tell the tale. If the Braves win 8 of these next 10 against the Cubs, Dodgers, and DBacks, well, count me in, and do what you have to do. Otherwise, keep focusing on next year and beyond.
Regardless of if the front office wants to “go for it” this year or not, I think it would be crazy to trade Julio or Albies.
There’s a pretty good argument for not making any deadline moves. The Braves are already in a great position to contend for the wildcard this year, and September callups could potentially the last little boost. You lose out on adding a few extra prospects by selling half a year of Phillips, Garcia, or whoever, but the team, and the whole fanbase, has a great energy right now. There’s value in ending the year on a roll and starting next season with confidence.
8 — I agree with this.
Also I think that the Braves are letting 100 or so PAs from Johan Camargo overshadow his 2,000 minor league PAs that say he’s not a very good hitter. I am wary of trading Phillips and Albies and giving him the second base job when he is likely to turn into a pumpkin.
Let him be a utility player and spell everyone like he is now. Don’t make him something he is not.
Related to my last post:
In arguing that the Braves are not likely to contend for the wild card, I would also add that they have outplayed their Pythagorean so far. They have still given up more runs than they have scored, which suggests they’ve had some good luck that may run out.
But Rusty is right that Hope is a good thing, and I’m thoroughly enjoying this. Truth is, the 1991 season is still my favorite in the Braves’ 50 year history in ATL (and I’ve followed every season). That team was exactly .500 coming out of the All Star break, and promptly won 9 of 11 to get right back in it. Of course they also had Glavine, Smoltz, and Avery, plus 4 other pitchers who each had a WAR over 2.4, and Alejandro Pena who accumulated 1.9 WAR in 19 innings down the stretch. This Braves team obviously doesn’t have anything like that kind of pitching. Now, the 2020 Braves, that’s another story.
@9 and 10–you are absolutely right about Camargo and the SSS. Surely they would not trade Ozzie in the hope that Johan is the second sacker for the next few years.
BTW, the Maddux stat (ERA over 5 in his first 9 ML starts) cited in the video you posted is why I’m cautious about next year’s rotation. I’d love to see any of Soroka, Allard, Gohara or Wright in the rotation next year, but we also need to be prepared for a rocky half season or so from any of them–and to be patient through those growing pains.
Positive signs to be sure but I think we should save our bullets for 2018.
12 — I hope not too, but DOB and Bowman are talking like Camargo is ready to be an everyday player and fill the void at 2nd.
Albies has always seemed like the most likely to be traded. I guess it just depends on the return. We need arms right now.
#14 – .419 BABIP
16 — And he doesn’t walk. Or hit for power. If he doesn’t BABIP he is a useless offensive player.
#17—Camargo’s slug% is .505 and OPS is .863
Now please tell me why we shouldn’t give this kid the opportunity to see if he can maintain above average mlb numbers
Carmago’s best comp is Martin Prado.
Martin Prado was a special player who absolutely maxed out his ability. I suspect that if you took a hundred minor leaguers and gave them his profile, at least 95 of them would have a worse career.
I love what Camargo’s done this year, but this is the same team that recently was convinced that Adonis Garcia could be a solution at third base. Last year, he hit .267/.304/.379 at Double-A; the year before that, he hit .258/.315/.335 at High-A. He could be Prado, but he could also be Ramiro Pena. They should absolutely keep playing him as the hot hand, but I hope they don’t build him into their long-term plans.
Agreed, Camargo is making the best of his opportunity and he should be playing regularly until he stops hitting. I don’t think this team should be looking to move Albies because of Camargo’s recent success.
This team isn’t built for a big post season run. Our offense is solid top to bottom, our bench is much improved, but our rotation and bullpen wont get us through a single post season series. I wouldn’t trade pieces of our future when grasping for a wild card bid.
Yes, pulling the full Prado is an unlikely occurrence. Then again, Kevin Maitan might be more Andy Marte/Jason Heyward than Mike Trout/Miggy Cabrera. Prospects; they are fickle.
And, no, barring absurd return there’s no way the Braves should trade someone like Albies to “make room for Johan Camargo at second” or some such. That would be stupid.
But Johan Carmargo’s best all around comp at this point is still Martin Prado.
I’m a believer in Camargo, but I still don’t think I could get very excited about a deal of Albies+ for a pitcher at this juncture.
I assume if they trade Albies this month it’s because that’s what it would take to get a front line pitcher. That would be very short sighted, mainly because there is a decent chance Albies could turn out to be special, but also because they don’t have a replacement at second for the next few years. Demeritte is not nearly ready. Folks responding to DOB and Bowman elsewhere are actually suggesting they extend Phillips. That coach is likely to be a pumpkin soon. You may also need Camargo at third once adams is traded.
Would Albies be better than Phillips right now? I’m very surprised BP is playing so well, but he is indeed playing well, and we could do a lot worse.
I’d rather have a question mark at 2B than multiple question marks in the rotation.
It just depends on the return. We don’t have the pitching, and most of the young arms are still a couple of years away.
It’s questionable – maybe even doubtful – that Albies could step in and replace what Phillips has provided the club this year, immediately. That is not a reason to trade him, though.
You might trade him if it brings back Michael Fulmer from the Tigers, or something equivalent. There’s definitely scenarios where I’d trade him. All things considered, I’d prefer to stand pat and see what happens next year with Albies, Acuna, Soroka, and friends all on the mlb team.
Right. There’s no one who is “untouchable.” Everything has a price. There’s a number that would get you to do pretty much anything in the world. There’s a return package that gets the other team Albies, Acuna and Maitan. It’s a BIG number. It’s a redonkulus package. But it exists. I’d trade Albies and Acuna for Mike Trout or Carlos Correa, for example.
It’s possible they could trade away the prospects for non-reasonable return. They haven’t won every deal they’ve made, certainly. But they haven’t been outright stupid more than once.
Who are we kicking out of the rotation if we add? Newcomb or trading Garcia?
I can think of two terrible trades. Kimbrel deal and Alex Wood transaction.
Jerry Crasnick:
#Braves are prepared to be short-term sellers and long-term buyers. Will listen on Jaime Garcia, Brandon Phillips if they fade.
#Braves GM John Coppolella on the team’s trade deadline approach: “We’re playing in every game. But we’re not the main player.”
As someone that has been a baseball fanatic for about 35 years now, the biggest mystery for me of the way that baseball ‘works’ is that the history of the game shows that MOST ‘prospects’ will fail. Even if you look at our miLB top 20, HISTORY shows that maybe 1-3 of them will be borderline stars, maybe another 2-3 are MLB contributors and the rest, nothing.
Yet, MLB GMs hold onto them like they are water from an Alaskan glacier.
I don’t think Sonny Gray is Greg Maddux, but we KNOW what he at least HAS done. We also ‘know’ by looking at 150 years of history that all the Sorokas, all the Wislers, all the Allards of the world usually fail.
Two weeks ago I was a seller. Now at .500 and with some teams fading, I think you owe it to your fans to be buyers. I mean, if you get caught in this ‘next year’ trap, eventually there is no next year.
This could be the set of the deals the Braves could be working with:
-Teheran for top 100 prospect, not top 100 prospect but still strong (like Demeritte), filler
-Garcia for top 100 prospect or slightly less
-Phillips for filler prospect
-Adams for top 100 prospect
Top 100 prospects from these deals plus some filler from other deals for front line starter. Sean Rodriguez takes over 2B, Camargo takes over 3B, Albies is still in AAA but imminent, and Freddie goes back to 1B. The problem is you have one hole in the rotation, but that could easily be filled by Medlen. And you probably walk away from all of this with a couple extra not-top 100 prospects than you did when you started. You could improve the big league club, the farm, and the payroll for both 2017 and beyond. They could use that payroll flexibility to either take on payroll in a trade for that frontline starter, or they could wait out in August to take on someone’s contract when other people may not have cash to do so.
@32 I keep forgetting about Rodriguez and his ability to play 2nd base
Kyle looked good:
@32, that makes this year’s squad substantially worse. We’re not trading Matt Adams unless we have a bad 2 weeks to end this month.
Don’t understand the rush to bring back Rodriguez. He’s already ahead of schedule and just 1-18 at Gwinnett, 3-39 overall this year.
Sam, you’re hilarious.
Sam is, of course, technically correct, but there are certainly a list of Atlanta Braves players that will never be traded, so…
RE: Krusell
Yeah, I think you’re right IRT to Adams. That’d be the one trade that would guarantee hurting 2017. I would also amend the trades to get back some sort of 4/5th starter to hedge your risk with Medlen/whomever. But at the end of the day, Garcia and Teheran are 3rd and 4th starters respectively on a contending club. Maybe Julio figures out STP and maybe he doesn’t. If you want to go all in, you would improve the club by getting a #1 and #4 back in my updated scenario while trading a #3 and #4 based on 2017 performance (thus making Julio hard to trade because you’re trading a #4 starter but expecting a better return).
But trading Adams definitely hurts the team. So let’s say you’ve made the deals of Garcia, Teheran, Phillips, gotten your #1 and #4 and prospects, and you’re left with an Adams dilemma. You could trade him for a top 100 prospect. Put it in reverse. You don’t have Adams, and you’d have to trade, say, Mike Soroka or Luiz Gohara to get him for a stretch run for 2017. Do you make that trade? I’d say yes. So to your point, do the same thing and don’t trade Adams for a top 100 prospect.
Honestly, all of this could easily become moot in about a week when a trending upward Cubs team comes to town then we head out west to play LA and AZ in their home parks.
Some chatter today that they’re maybe trying to trade Teheran away while trading FOR a Sonny Gray type. That’s interesting, and makes some sense given Teheran and his problems at the John’s Field of Caucasian Horrors.
Julio’s ground ball percentage 2017: 38.5
Gray’s ground ball percentage 2017: 54.9
You really want to keep the fly balls to a minimum at the White Flight Field, ya know?
HI JOHN! WHITE PEOPLE!!
Sam… let’s not.
Rodriguez and Santana activated. Hursh and Jace optioned. Interesting that Rodriguez has such a quick rehab considering he was 3-39 in all of his rehab stops.
I more-or-less agree with everything Chief Nocahoma said @31. The choices are either stand pat to see how the prospects develop while keeping this team together, thereby buying yourself another couple months to figure out exactly how you’re going to start moving into the final phase of this rebuild, or start trading some prospects to begin that process now. I am in no way OK with actively making the team worse this year and probably next year just to net a few more prospects.
As I’ve said repeatedly this season, enough of this. It’s time to win, and the team looks like it’s starting to do just that. Any trade or set of trades made need to have currently (or I guess imminently) major league talent coming back to us as a prerequisite for doing it, as far as I’m concerned.
If you pull something like Rob is playing with a few posts ago, where you trade Teheran for some prospects here and trade some prospects for Gray over there or whatever, that’s fine. It’s making the team better, because Gray is better than Teheran. But to just sell off some guys for prospects and say, “Well, see you in 2018! But probably more realistically 2019!” would be BS.
Hursh, huh? Maybe Santana can pitch too.
The problem with @31’s logic is the reliance on the very fickle nature of what teams are “fading” or not. A three game losing streak and a couple of split series from the D’backs and we’re back to Atlanta “fading.”
If they make a move for 2017 rather than another in the sequence of “wait til next year” moves, everyone should be cool with the idea that we’re playing to win baseball games again, but not overstate how much of a “chance” “momentum” gives us.
Soroka scouting report
https://www.fanragsports.com/mlb/braves/pleskoff-scouting-report-mike-soroka/
Only logical explanation is the Braves are trying to show that Sean Rodriguez is healthy enough to either trade him or BP/Santana before the deadline.
He’s in the lineup tonight vs Lester and Camargo at SS.
@44
Well, the good fortunate that the Braves find them in during this fickle time is that you’re being tested against three playoff teams. They’re 9 games, which is pretty close to a NLDS and NLCS. So, if you crap the bed, then the team as it currently sits is probably not a playoff team. Or something akin to that logic. It’s not often that you’d have such a helpful test during a crucial time where you potentially have to follow through on decisions you made 6 months previous when you signed players you actively intended to trade at this very time. It’s quite fortunate for the FO.
But to Sam’s point, the good news is that is seems we won’t make a sequence of moves that a rebuilding team is in. They will make trades to try to improve the team in the short-term to win games, and that’s encouraging.
Plus, not many teams have this many top prospects that could impact a playoff race. Like I said, I think Albies is a 3-4 WAR player over a full season today. The SB success, the speed, the defense, the extra base power, that can have a huge impact. Minter could be straight filthy for 20 high leverage innings over 2 months. Dirks could impact. Akeel Morris could go from mop up to a more high leverage situation. Medlen could be in a swing role, Sims could legitimately earn a spot in the rotation, and when other teams would be decimated to an injury to an aging corner outfielder, we have Acuna if absolutely necessary. MoCab might learn how to throw strikes again. There are simply so many reinforcements that you couldn’t possibly justify the cost of the trade market equivalent.
Bowman mentioned something about us scouting Verlander. He would seem to be an incredible pick up, but would seemingly cost way too much. However, after seeing his 5 and 7 record and 4.66 ERA this year, I don’t know what to think – especially at age 34. Anyone here have an opinion on him. I think it’s highly unlikely anyway.
They’re looking to move Rodriguez AND Camargo. That would only make sense. Camargo = Charles Thomas
Showcasing Sean Rodriguez does NOT jive with “win now”. Our front office does some weird shit.
As long as the Braves have the scratch, I sure wouldn’t mind getting Verlander. Fangraphs shows his average fastball velocity at 95.1, and I have to imagine moving to the league where pitchers hit will soften his stats nicely.
They’ve been setting up for exactly that type of move…lets get better by only spending money. Surely they have it, look at all us crackers sucking down $10 Coors Lights at the WFF…
@49 I have a hunch that Camargo is better than Charles Thomas long term.
@40, No, it’s cool. There’s nothing political about his comments.
@39, It is true that White Flight Field at Cracker Stadium is accurately named because white people hate black people and thus flee them at the first opportunity. I mean, I have family that live there that don’t deserve to be tarred that way with Inside the Perimeter/Stuff White People Like-style “self-deprecation” race-based humor, but it’s not political. It’s just fact, like the fact that the “white” ball “flies” out of this decidedly hitter’s park. Which is clever and funny and not political.
It’s weird to see such a quick transition from a park so heavily advantaged towards pitchers to one that seems like Coors Lite (clever name but no race-baiting attached, so not as funny). One might think that the heavy air around Turner Field––or perhaps we could call it Black Vortex Field at Sad Negro Stadium to be perfectly complementary with the new name of our favorite team’s ballpark––was in some way informed by the intractable pathologies of the black community in the surrounding area that have been there for decades that may have been dragging balls down softly into outfielder’s gloves rather than screaming over the fence. Thoughts? Not being political. Not trolling. Just replying in kind. Are we allowed to do that?
There’s pathologies in all racial communities, not just Cobb County, and it’s funny how they correlate with the flight of baseballs in the air at their respective fields. It’s fun to analogize them to baseball on this forum! Fun!
#nopolitics #whiteflightfieldatcrackerstadium #samisnotatroll
The Jurickson Profar rumors intrigue me. I don’t think he’s a replacement for Brandon Phillips or Ozzie Albies, I think he’s a replacement for Sean Rodriguez.
Jurickson Profar is a failed prospect that Hart might still be in love with. There’s no scenario where acquiring him makes any sense at all.
And John, don’t jump right into the boat. Play hard to get…
@45: that’s a scouting report. Thank you.
This will be educational.
Shades of D.C.
Mmmmm, sand up in there always stings, bruh.
Jurikcson Profar is basically a slightly older, more famous Johan Camargo.
I get the idea of seeking out upside on the cheap, but count me out on Jurickson Profar. If he had it, he would have shown it by now.
We must zero in right from the start on Lester’s fear of having to throw to any base. Playing Danny would help.Some bunting maybe. Steals galore, real or imagined. Take very long leads. You could look it up.
John Lester
our obligation is to pester
he can pitch but he cannot throw
what’s important, he understands we all know.
@56, I’ve been a fan of Profar. Not sure his failure has fully manifested. Would be neat to see how his bat plays in STP. Maybe he can get something going. And I’ve “turned the other cheek” to Sam’s trolling of me for the last couple weeks now. Not a peep despite multiple attempts on his part. But then he went ALL CAPS on me with his race-baiting WFF BS. But don’t worry, I never start things, but I will reply in kind when I feel like it. The ball is in the mod’s court on that front.
@59, You can keep your hands to yourself, pal.
Rub a little dirty on it, Snowflake.
EDIT: Sorry. Missed that last bit. RUB A LITTLE DIRT ON IT, SNOWFLAKE!!
@49 and others
There was more tripe written here last evening about Camargo’s supposed lack of power and general ‘ordinaryness’ than there is lining a cow’s stomach, from where it comes. 422 feet in DC a week or so ago, several games with 2 doubles. Maybe his BABIP you are all bothered about has something to do with the fact he hits most everything low and hard. Eh?
Fuck off, Sam. You’ve run off Bethany and other posters I’ve enjoyed reading, but you won’t run me off.
I literally didn’t post here for like 2 years or so. If I’ve run people off, Jesus… Do they not make spines where you’re from? Did they discontinue them when they ran out of senses of humor? Good lord. And such language too.
@64, Albies is probably better than Profar, so the pitcher we get when we trade Albies better be top shelf quality.
Omg it’s our very own Braves Journal Love Story…
Hey Sam, maybe just… stop.
This is ONE GOOD place on the internet. It’s just not needed.
C’mon man.
@68, All my complaints against you and your indulgence in political humor go away when the mod takes down the “No Politics” rule. I’d love to go toe-to-toe with you in a fair fight. The board wouldn’t survive, which would be a shame because I enjoy it for what it’s supposed to be: Talking Braves, not indulging Sam’s trollish attitudes towards people he doesn’t like.
@69, Again, I see Profar as a supersub backing Albies at second, Dansby at short, whoever at third and the outfield. He’d replace supersub Sean Rodriguez who’s been unable to play due to an injury, and apparently unable to perform now that he’s back on the field. I don’t know what we’re dangling to interest TX in Profar…maybe Garcia.
@72 Garcia for Profar would be abysmal and is the exact kind of trade that I’m hoping not to see. Just my opinion. Still will support the Braves.
Sam, you always resort to some comment framing whomever you’ve pissed off as oversensitive–snowflake, spineless, sand in the business, etc. You’re giving yourself far too much credit. You don’t hurt people’s feelings. They just don’t like you because you’re a self-righteous, virtue-signaling, tedious, sermonizing, hypocritical, misanthropic, antagonizing sociopath who is far too insecure to ever let anything go. It doesn’t take too long to get incredibly boring and pitiful and lessen the enjoyment of reading the journal.
P.S.: it is entirely possible that you are actually a decent person and this is just an online schtick, but I’m just going from what I’ve got
I’m also prettier than you.
Still a douche.
@73, Fair analysis. I might be overrating Profar. He is a switch-hitter who plays all defensive positions but if he can’t hit, he can’t hit.
I should add to what I was mentioning earlier, I don’t think we are showcasing SR for others but for ourselves. If he’s healthy and somewhat productive it makes it easier to move BP. Just another veteran option to keep in our lineup
CB Bucknor continues to be terrible…
Let’s talk about Heyward.
@73 In a different era, where a mid 4s ERA guy would be ‘terrible’ I’d think that trade would be fine. But the state of SP is so poor now, that guy is probably much more valuable than before, etc.
Ugliest, non pitcher, LH swing in the majors. Terrible mechanics
We don’t have room for all our infielders now, adding Profar makes no sense
Where have I seen #22 groundout like that before?
I’d take Profar for Garcia. Maybe I’m wrong, I don’t have any inside information on the starting pitching market, but imagine Garcia being worth two low minors lottery tickets. A “failed prospect”/change-of-scenery guy might be a better upside play.
Also, if trading expiring contracts like Garcia and Phillips feels like a fire sale, I don’t know what to tell you. This ain’t Heyward and Upton again. If we were in first place and had a 36 year old with an expiring contract playing league-average ball at a position where we happened to have a top-20 in baseball prospect, I’d be in favor of trading that player. 9-games out, it’s a no-brainer to me.
We could trade Phillips, Garcia and Markakis and promote Albies, Sims and Dustin Peterson and I don’t think we’d really suffer. But then I don’t have alot of faith in a hot team that’s still 25th or worse in basically every facet if the game staying hot long enough to make up a 9 game deficit.
Also, I don’t think “rushing” S. Rodriguez is necessarily showcasing anyone for anything. I think the Braves have a certain way of doing things, and that way includes giving veteran players their say. Rodriguez said he’s ready to play, they activated him.
You never know.
They seem to be sending Swanson a message tonight. Maybe it’s not purposeful. I dunno.
Does Julio lead the world in damage against by pitchers?
One thing to remember about Profar’s performance: he missed all of 2014-15 with a shoulder injury. He performed okay at AAA Round Rock since he got back into playing shape, but hasn’t had a lot of playing time in Arlington. Maybe that’s because he’s just not very good, or maybe it’s because it’s just taking him longer to get back into producing at the level he’s capable of.
@85, as to your last paragraph, with all due respect, but are you serious?
NO WAY.
@90 – YES WAY!
Saber Chip is extolling pitch framing. Quantify, Chip, quantify.
And over in Gwinnett, Albies had a line-drive single followed by an Acuna homer. Here’s hoping they do that for years for the MLB club.
Markakis is sub replacement level and untradeable. Acuna would be a huge upgrade right this very minute. Will be interesting to see what the Braves do here.
Julio having an episode at a bad time. Can’t walk a poor hitting #7 hitter to start an inning. Inexcusable to do that and he gets what he gets
He’s pitched decent, gotta score runs to win in this environment.
Walking Heyward and the wild pitch cost him two runs. BP also has to block that ground ball. He got an awful jump.
Brandon Phillips plays defense like he’s 36 years old.
Probably wouldn’t let Teheran face Schwarber here but then I see Krol warming up. So proceed…
Dustin Peterson probably isn’t very good.
Bucknor sucks
Great idea by the Braves letting Sean get his ST AB’s against Lester here
Activating and starting Sean Rodriguez for this game is one of the stupidest things I’ve seen from this front office to date.
@98
he hot dogged that throw on the DP…cost Julio a bunch of pitches.
Rodriguez and Johan not doing a very good job helping send a message to Dansby
@104- Yeah, he does that.
Bad game for Camargo to turn into a pumpkin
Sean Rodriguez has had one good year in 9 seasons, and Braves fans act like he’s a legit piece to the puzzle. I don’t get it. He’s Jace Peterson with a beard.
Both are struggling defensively as well
Teheran was getting figured out, so let’s leave him in to make it worse.
Not a big league play by Camargo, for sure.
We’re mad at Sean Rodriguez 6 innings into his Braves career?
Walk the pitcher, Julio. Way to be.
Why is Julio Teheran still on my TV?
Julio owes Freddie a ton tonight.
Walking the tightrope for sure. Julio has really struggled with his control this year.
Teheran has been saved by Freeman tonight. 3-4 more runs score with Adams over there
Can’t imagine Julio impressed any of the scouts tonight. Is it worth asking if Julio misses Roger McDowell?
Julio’s fastball IMO is just too straight. He has very little movement on his pitches. He has control to either corner, but his ball never ‘backs up’ or anything like that.
I’ve always thought that. It’s just an arrow.
I’m mad that Sean Rodriguez is on the 25 man and starting an important game after missing spring training and half a season and hitting 0.050 in a very short rehab stint. Why? What’s the rush here?
I’m not mad at him personally, I’m sure he’s a fine fellow.
I don’t get why Krol is still on this team.
Also, he was about the worst choice to bring in that situation.
Ha, no one does, but Bonifacio gave him all the evidence
Krol is Danish for gasoline.
@120
Careful. You saw what he did to that Gatorade cooler.
Krol sucks. When you’re this bad and you’ve been around long enough to be out of options, then you suck.
Guys, quit baiting each other and be nice.
Sam, please cut it out.
I miss Paul Byrd.
seconded, timo
3-0 under byrd, soon to lose with joe
At this point, leaving Krol in to pitch another inning is Snitker trying to prove a point. And that point is to get this sorry pitcher off my team.
If Kemp doesn’t hit, this lineup seems pretty ordinary. I wouldn’t be giving Matt Adams too many more off days.
KROL 99.4 FM “All the hits…”
Joe’s snarky remarks about the potential damage to tablets in the dugouts after the errant throw earlier in the game only deepened my animus towards the crotchety old man. It was a pleasant weekend without him.
Between Simpson back at the mic, Bucknor behind the plate, the annual three-day infestation of Old Style-quaffing hipsters (Old Style is swill that is almost as effective at inducing vomit as ipecac), the decision to sit Swanson against a lefty (Fredi, is that you?) and the inexplicable use of Krol in a close game (unless Snitker simply wants to wave a middle finger in someone’s direction), this evening has been a thoroughly unpleasant experience.
At least Joe worked in a reference to our WS loss to the Twins. Couple that with Chip fellating his Cubs for entire half innings. Not a good product.
yes chip, if the braves take the lead in the 9th, were going to need jim johnson out there in the 10th…lol
This would’ve been awfully nice if Krol weren’t on the team.
The one thing that I will say for this team is that they do not quit.
Flowers almost ended this game.
S-Rod will end it.
Did Snitker just pull Markakis to PH with first base open? Then PR with Swanson?
The difference in this year’s Braves team and some previous teams IMO is that they’ve assembled a group of fringe players that are what I call ‘winners’.
I see it in Camargo. They have several guys that have certain intangibles that are what I call sum of the parts players. IMO.
Markakis was IBB
Thanks, espn app had adams PH
I take that back. Markakis was double switched out earlier. Lane hit for the pitcher.
I mean Matt
Sucks to lose by one run with the bases loaded. But losing to Jon Lester and the Cubs isn’t exactly shameful. The 2017 Braves, against all odds, are not a bad team, the 2017 Cubs are not a good team, and Julio did a pretty good job.
damn, so close, that wild pitch there that went up the third base line saved the tie….s rod deserved to not be out on the check swing since he actually got grazed on the first pitch.
the lesson tonight is don’t let Krol pitch so the braves can actually complete the comeback.
what was the pitch that got Camargo – cutter?
We win that game if Swanson starts. Sitting him against a lefty makes no sense. Send him down already if he’s not gonna play.
@146, Camargo will regress quickly once everyone knows he won’t walk. He swung at a few borderline cutters there. To be fair, Davis is tough and his fastball at 97 tonight means you pretty much have to start the swing early.
I reckon I’d trade a few months of Garcia for a flyer on a fallen former top prospect. Sometimes those guys turn to dust, sometimes they change teams, get healthy, and turn into Jayson Werth or Josh Hamilton. And Profar is only 24. I like those (admittedly long) odds better than striking gold with whatever anonymids we’d likely receive back in a standard trade.
@126
Byrd is good company, talking pitching
but Joe transfixed me
the Heyward top hand, last second twitching.
On the one close up they allowed us to see it was eerie to watch. Roll over.
For someone at my level of understanding of the finer technical points of the game Joe can be enlightening.
Plus he’s avuncular which coop and I both enjoy.
Danny Santana
will run the bases in a most aggressive manner
How to get him on them?
be creative and, if necessary, con them.
When Lester settled in last night, in his groove, we had a weapon we didn’t use.
Pinch run, early if necessary, eg Cakes, Sean, Kemp(late)
Pinch Bunt for a hit – always where he will have to field
If all else fails remember who likely has our longest HR at STP. Amazed us all.
Remember those 3 stolen bases at the Coliseum.
I guess the front office know more about Albies. His trade value might be at an all-time high.
recap up