Didn’t I just recap this exact same game last week? Sean Newcomb goes 5 1/3 alternately great and frustrating innings? Check. Dan Winkler comes in with men on in the 6th to bail out Newk? The pen shuts down the opponent? Sam Freeman wiggles out of trouble in the 8th? Check, check, and check.
OK, so the offense jumped all over the Phillies starter, Ben Lively. Double by Ender Inciarte. Singled home by Ozzie Albies. Freddie Freeman double. 2 run single by Nick Markakis. 2 run yickety from Kurt Suzuki. Just like that, 5-0 after 15 pitches. Johan Carmago added a single after Suzuki’s shot, but was erased on a niftily turned DP.
Atlanta added a run in the second, when Newcomb worked a walk, and was eventually driven in by Markakis. Always fun to see your clean-up hitter, in the second inning, have a 2-2 line with 3 RBI.
Philly managed to get one run back in the 4th. Cesar Hernandez led off with a double, and was eventually driven in by a Nick Williams sac fly. In the 6th, Williams singled in another run, and Newcomb left with men on first and second. Winkler came in, and got Rhys Hoskins to fly out and struck out Aaron Altherr to end the threat.
Suzuki finished up the scoring with his second dimger of the night, his 18th of the season. Show of hands, who had the Braves catchers with 29 HR and 94 RBI? Anyone? Bueller?
Anyhow, the Braves surpassed last year’s win total, and, for one night at least, slew the Philadelphia dragon. Now, let’s keep it going.
Well done. Whup the Phils.
JC’ed
If Minter is pitching the 9th instead of whatever high-leverage innings come our way in the 7th and 8th, then we won’t be doing our best to win, and we’ll be making Minter unnecessarily expensive.
Relievers that aren’t at Minter’s talent level are so volatile that you can’t pencil them in for anything. Take Sam Freeman, who is already pretty close to replacement level. That’s what he’s been his whole career…
Tomato potato. People don’t give their card at the door if they believe bullpen roles should be set or based on leverage. If that’s your flavor, then the list is in order of leverage.
Bob Nightengale….Brian Snitker expected to meet with the #Braves front office, perhaps as early as today, to learn if his managerial fate is already decided.
@4, based on those comments from yesterday, the fact Snitker went there, IF he ISN’T fired is a remarkably awful look for the FO who have obviously not communicated with him. Conjecture.
I don’t see the problem with Freeman. I agree that Ramirez’s ERA is misleading, and his periphs aren’t matching, thus his FIP. My only response to that is that he’s an inconsistent reliever with electric stuff, and he has a place in most teams bullpen because he has the talent and stuff to become elite. Freeman has a 3.40 FIP and .6 WAR in 55 appearances. Is he a setup man? No, but with a good manager and pitching coach, hopefully you can find the right role with him. Based on career performance, Freeman is just as likely to turn into a pumpkin as Jim Johnson is to have a rebound season, so you can’t just say “FIP says Ramirez sucks, but Johnson still sucks too.” If you’re trying to predict future performance, then Johnson should probably be in the Second-Highest Leverage Bullpen Role, which admittedly, doesn’t sound as shiny as setup man.
Bottom line: the pen has enough talent to engender some satisfaction in where we are. Plus, you still have a lot of live arms that haven’t factored into this year: Cabrera, Biddle, and Lindgren. Then you have Motte, though his ERA is also misleading, and Krol, who had a 2.91 FIP last year and could be due for a bounce-back year next year as well. And $30M that you could use a sliver of to spend more than Jim Johnson + Vizzy arb-3 + 6 league minimums.
Snitker has played baseball, managed minor league teams and coached for the Braves in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Mississippi only (I think) for the last 41 years after graduating college in Louisiana. Is he going to pick his family up and move to Albuquerque? I hope they can re-assign him in the organization and go get someone they feel is going to move the needle. It doesn’t have to be an indictment on Snitker if he isn’t the manager next year, so I hope they work it out. He seems to be a good guy.
Snit should be named special assistant to Bobby Cox in perpetuity.
@6 I’d say that our bullpen options are at least Wild Card contention level. I don’t think you’d win any kind of championship with them, but with some retooling and thought they could be good enough. We really need 1 more very high K/9 guy with good control to really be good enough.
It was always assumed (at least by me) that as an organizational soldier Snitker’s role as manager was a placeholder until the Braves were “ready to win” with a more name talent like Ron Washington. It would seem to me someone with Washington’s pedigree wouldn’t be coming to an organization with whom he has zero history to be their third base coach if it wasn’t expected that he’d have a high-percentage chance of assuming the role eventually.
Seems logical to me, though still speculative, so who knows?
Snitker closed on a huge house in a Cobb County subdivision (the biggest one in the HOA) earlier this year. He’s not going anywhere outside of Rome, Gwinnett, or Atlanta.
You ain’t kidding.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3057-Moss-Stone-Ln-Marietta-GA-30064/71117643_zpid/
That’ll do.
Thanks, Rob. I was having problems searching the records on my phone. I guess they actually closed in December. He still has an HOA, however, so some folks still wouldn’t trade with him. My relatives all live in a small town in Alabama (Ryan C.’s high school rival), and they don’t even know what an HOA is. As I age, this stuff fascinates me more than the game itself.
That’s a nice house. I don’t think he’s going anywhere.
According to Peanut, braves are finalizing a one year deal with Suzuki
@6, You’re right, I don’t think Jim Johnson’s that bad, in part because of his track record.
The change in pitch mix and best-of-career velocity could mean Sam Freeman’s gains are real. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the league adjust to him next season.
Snit
that’ll do for a bit
get a bigger one when they move you.
This Camargo guy is growing on me!
Where I live things are going for about $350/square foot so $635K would get you 1800 square feet. I am amazed you can get 7000 for that price in Marietta. Geez…
And you’re right, DG! No one knows what an HOA is back home. My wife was an attorney for 6 years doing HOA council and talking to my family about it was like watching a German flick that’s been dubbed over in Japanese.
Just looked at all the pics of that house and it might be my coastal style, but good heavens, it’s hideous on the interior. Makeover stat.
painter, thanks as always, recapped