Though overall the Braves have started off fairly strong this year, I haven’t. This makes me 0 – 3 for Mondays. The old Bobby Cox Braves used to stink up Sunday with the famous “Sunday lineups” in which scrubs frequently manned half of the positions. I can’t figure out what else is going on on Mondays, so it must be me.
Though overall the Braves have started off fairly strong this year, I haven’t. This makes me 0 – 3 for Mondays. The old Bobby Cox Braves used to stink up Sunday with the famous “Sunday lineups” in which scrubs frequently manned half of the positions. I can’t figure out what else is going on on Mondays, so it must be me.
How does what appears to be a fairly decent team with upside lose to a potentially epic catastrophe of a team? Let me count the ways.
Mike Foltenewicz was o.k., but throwing lots of balls. First 4 innings, no runs. He got into the 5th and walked Billy Hamilton. Like, damn, throw it down the middle. So, obviously a Scott Shebler (whatever that is) hit a home run, Jose Peraza made an out, as usual (aren’t we glad our FO picked Albies?), and Joey Votto got a single. So at 2 outs in the 5th, he was dragged off the mound by Snitker. Sam Freeman put out the fire and it was a 2 to 2 game.
How did the Braves get their 2? In the third, Dansby Swanson walked to lead off. Ryan Flaherty and the Polish Prince followed with outs. Ender Inciarte singled and with Dansby running on contact with 2 outs, he was headed for 3rd when Adam DuVall threw to third. Dansby would have been safe anyway, but the throw was bad and got away. Dansby headed home and ran into the third baseman standing in the baseline, but he still scored. Then, Amazing Power Hitter (APH) Nick Markakis hit what famous outdoorsman and Buck Commander Chipper Jones has called a “mammo oppo.” Even in Great American Small Park, it was a pretty good shot to left center.
The battle of the bullpens was once again lost and once again impacted by large numbers of walks. The strategy for pitcher acquisition in the previous administration seemed to echo Roosevelt’s strategy as to musical choice. Roosevelt said “Play anything, AS LONG AS IT’S LOUD!” Coppollella World said “get any pitcher, as long as he throws HARD!” Some of the starters are getting better at trying to throw to this strange thing called “the strike zone.” However, for now there seem to be many in the “pen” that can’t get it done.
I don’t think Folty was ok. When a guy fails to get through the 5th inning, it’s not a quality start. He must complete the 5th to even qualify for the win.
These guys need to work on doing more with less. I know, I know. It’s way easier said than done. Etc. etc. If he or they did THAT then each one would be a legit staff ace on most other teams. Yada yada…
But seriously, just like taking a little off the velocity improved command, it wouldn’t hurt to look to induce some ground ball outs versus the high K counts. Barry Zito was another guy who would have to labor beyond 120 pitches to claw into the 7th inning, and for that he was never quite as dominant as he really could have been.
More Fun at The Old GABP…Day 2 of 4
From previous thread…Guys, those of you who hypothesized on the true meaning of my post yesterday were VERY FUNNY , I enjoyed them much.
And Stu @11…great verse. More please.
It was so cold within the wind whipped vortex of the park some allowance need be given the pitchers.
I have one spare, free ticket for tonight, behind Reds dugout. Almost certainly i could get half a dozen more(Divorce Lawyer’s clients have given up on the Reds) again, free.
Let me know, here, by 2pm. We can arrange to meet outside the park at 6 this evening. First pitch 6.40
Please Go Braves. Party time if we win. You buy the Horses Necks.
When offered a seat by the action
surprisingly, too little traction
the obvious reason
an up and down season?
no, no one’s nearby, just a fraction.
Offer still holds, extended to 3.30. Get the G50 out.
@blazon I wish I could make it work somehow someway. Not happening though.
Remember last years Gnats: crappy bullpens are the easiest things to fix, largely because there are more relievers than any other baseball position and most of them are interchangeable. Even if this entire crop of relievers has to go, there are plenty more available for future considerations. And relievers have a funny way of at least showing some improvement upon a change in scenery, for at least a while.
Max Fried is coming up.
One comes, the other goes. Who hurts us more?
Sokolovitch
you son of a bitch
we who loved and supported you
3 runs in the eighth, is that what you purported to?
Max Fried
has just asked for one of my tickets
in this time of great need
requires advice pitching on sticky wickets.
Happy birthday, blazon! Wishing you many more.
1-2-3 in the lineup for Gwinnett: Bautista, Acuna, Flowers. Might as well bring ’em up as a trio.
It looks like Preston Tucker is turning into the pumpkin that everyone was expecting. I was thinking we could just release Markakis if Tucker continued to play well, but that’s not happening.
Blazon, do something.
Blazon gets to watch a no-hitter.
@11 – No, something else.
Fried’s call up tells me they are indeed looking for a piggyback arrangement with these short SP performances. I think it’s fine if you’re having SPs struggling to complete six innings as long as you have relievers that can pitch multiple innings. Carle had three multi-inning appearances in his first six, but has not pitched at least two innings in his last 4 appearances, seemingly because he’s been “promoted” to more higher leverage outings. But they leaves a huge void when you’re having to go to relievers as early as the 5th.
It would seem to be a good use of current resources to deal one of your position players for a setup man. Deal Tucker or Flaherty for an equally flash-in-the-pan reliever. Call up Culberson or Adams and bury them on the bench. You could use Fried/Wisler in a multi-inning role, then go Fried->Freeman/Moylan->Carle->New Reliever->Winkler->Minter->Vizzy in order of leverage and availability. You could win a lot of games that way.
I don’t think blazon should be allowed to go to any more games. We need a divorce lawyer for blazon and Braves game visits.
I kinda wish Snitker had left McCarthy in just to eat some innings. He only had 67 pitches through 5 innings, we have a weary bullpen, and are probably not winning this game.
You can’t expect Snitker to pass up a chance to have Moylan face lefties.
Omar Infante’s 26 and 27 yo seasons with Atlanta
.293 .338 .416 .755
.305 .361 .389 .750
Ender Inciarte’s 25 and 26 yo seasons with Atlanta
.291 .351 .381 .732
.304 .350 .409 .759
I know Inciarte gets a lot of his value from playing center field well, but I knew they seemed really similar as hitters.
@14 – I think the future of MLB will be either 2 guys going once each through the lineup every 4th day, followed by bullpen parades, or else backing off max effort and starters trying to go at least 7 innings again. I don’t think the 5 inning model is sustainable, not that anyone is actively *trying* to use a 5 inning model.
My fantasy team appreciates Freddie hitting his first home run since 4/3.
That’s it Blazon. Right there. Don’t move.
I vote to let Blazon attend more games as long as he stays in the exact same spot where he is now.
Blazon must be up getting a hot dog or something.
I don’t think blazon deserves all the credit. I added Mahle to my BJ fantasy team while he was batting in the bottom of the last inning.
@19 You’re probably not far off. I can see pitching staffs becoming dominated by long relievers who can go 3 innings really effectively on 3 days rest. Teams who can get through 7 innings on 2 pitchers more regularly than others will obviously hold an advantage.
This… whatever it is we’re looking at (5 IP starts) is garbage.
Tucker is officially in free fall.
Acuna is 2 for 3. I’m starting to wonder if they’ve just decided to wait for Super 2.
Minter has been a little disappointing so far. He hasn’t been bad, but kind of pedestrian.
No shitting on Johan, but now would be a good time to have Joey Bats lurking…
Wow. Nice play Scooter.
Damn. Albies smoked that.
clutch double by tucker, what an at bat by camargo, and ozzie got robbed!
Let’s send this thing into extra innings and start winning extra inning games tonight!
Actually Chip, I think he got hit in the large of the back.
Great game for Kakes. As much as I want to see us upgrade, he’s still the best we have in right field.
It’s really brutal that our PHs went Culberson and Bourjos. You only get 27 outs.
Ozzie needs to stop swinging at every damn first pitch. He’s worse than 1st pitch Freddie. Flaherty’s K was inexcusable – he could have bunted a run home. Fortunately, Camargo and Inciarte bailed him out.
For the record, Tucker is NOT turning into a pumpkin. Someone needs to go read his splits. He has turned into what we thought he was a platoon player with a good bat. He will be a great bench or platoon piece as a minimum.
Note that Minter’s walk was intentional. One run was scored on a sac bunt (what Flaherty should have done) and the other on an infield hit. I know that he gave up a double and a single first but that performance was not the same as the walk/HBP performances of other relievers.
I guess MLB has killed the tradition of walking out to the mound to buy some time when the umpire gets hit.
Minter was walking 18% of hitters faced coming into tonight. That has to improve.
Someone needs to give Ender some love for that 2-run single.
@37 If the first pitch is good, hit it. I’d say Freddie’s and Ozzie’s results speak for themselves.
I don’t think I’d sac bunt down 3 runs with 1 out in the 9th.
@41 Ozzie has been slumping recently.
@42 better than a K. The sac bunt likely scores a run and puts the tying run in scoring position. Not a bad outcome and might force them to intentionally walk the next hitter.
How about that Carle!!!! Who turned him into a stud?
@37 – I hope you’re right about Tucker. A .152 average with a .471 OPS over his last 15 games before today’s 1 for 5, feels like he’s heading towards pumpkin status.
Wish Inciarte had gotten out. Losing Carle so that Perez can pinch-hit with a man on first and two out…woof.
@44 – Yeah, it’s better than a K.
Acuna went 2 for 4 with a double. I think there is a good chance he gets called up for the next homestand.
They need to score here. They’re out of proven relievers. I guess we go to Biddle.
We have seemingly lost every replay this year.
There was zero chance of that going in the Braves’ favor, in spite of the fact that calls have been overturned against them with less evidence.
What the hell is a “hammer job” Chip?
That’s what you get for shaking off your catcher, rookie.
Ugh. I had come to terms with the loss hours ago, and instead they toyed with our emotions.
Cripes, what an awful pitch.
Well, I guess Fried will be going down for another random tomorrow.
Well, I just told my wife I hate this team and she said “mm.. yet you just watched 12 innings”!
offense always sucks in extras, 1-5 now?
I don’t feel like Snitker gives us an advantage in close games. Or any games. Oh well, at least it was a fun game.
@54 – Agreed. Just dumb.
Ugh. Fried is better than that. Unfortunate. He did get screwed on one of the ball calls on Votto not that it matters.
ERA of infinity. But what does that make his ERA+?
Yeah, simply just unfortunate. I don’t think they envisioned to use Fried in a tie game in extras when they called him up. I don’t think he’s here to be a one-inning guy, and I don’t know if his stuff makes him an effective one-inning guy anyway.
We’re 4th in baseball in reliever appearances and we’re climbing the leaderboard in relief innings pitched. I’m glad Fried didn’t pitch much, and he can be the long reliever tomorrow for Wisler.
Acuna, Bautista, Flowers, and Gohara, please come quickly. Moreso than anything, we need a 200 IP SP in the worst way, or at least 4 160+ SPs, and I doubt we even have that.
ERA+ of zero? lol
Our late inning PH options are heinous. I’m thinking that Culberson might have to stay on the roster because of some weird voodoo doppleganger magic where he’s absorbed all of bad-Dansby’s mojo.
It’s really frustrating to lose to a team that was 3-18 going into the series, but there’s nothing really surprising going on. It’s just being bunched into a couple games. Bad/inefficient starting pitching and over-worked bullpens are leading to some awful nights. There’s no reason to think we should expect it to continue on this degree.
It’s a freaking miracle this team is 12-10 with this roster. I just hope they won’t let everyone turn into pumpkins for a month before changing things up.
Getting pounded by a grown ass man who willingly goes by ‘Scooter’.
Two choices: Make some trades for some proven relievers that you don’t hope/wishcast for, or suck.
These relievers collectively, are not good.
I realize that the starters need to learn to work deeper, but at some point, do your $^&&(*_()$# job.
It’s to the point that trades are needed. Period.
I agree with Chief. Although I am not that distressed by most of our bullpen. Some of them need to regress up to their former abilities. Not sure what relievers might be available yet. Although seems like a blockbuster deal for Herrera and Moustakas might be just what the doctor ordered. Some combination of a couple of our prospects from 20-30 and/or Weigel and Markakis and Wisler would give a (mostly) revenue neutral and 40-man neutral trade along with getting the Royals a couple of decent prospects and a controllable Wisler in exchange for a couple of good rentals. Might cost the Braves a couple million in salary but not much. Herrera would be worth an extension too.
So Acuna got called up!
It’s Acuna day!
Acuna Matata!
HaHa.
Guess who gets to see the Acuna debut later today. If he doesn’t use him i’ll run out on the field.
Please don’t hesitate to ask whatever question you may have on the debut. SMIRKS
True story. Around the 10th inning i was sitting in my usual seat at the end of a row when a beautifully dressed and coiffed Southern Lady, likely in her seventies, came up and said..
‘Excuse me,my friends and i were noticing the number of Braves fans who come over and talk to you during the game. So we wondered are you perhaps a part owner of the Atlanta Braves?’
‘Well, yes, Ma’am’ I said. ‘I see y’all have rumbled me but my stake is actually quite small'(guilt trip starting).
So I fessed up and we went on to talk about Acuna and Fried and would they be arriving.
Lovely, lovely lady, up for the first two games, here with a dozen of her friends from the South- can’t remember where.
Yelled my head off tonight once the comeback started. Co-opted a nice young married couple to sit next to me, arranged tickets for them for Wednesday and Thursday. We would have gone across the road had the Braves won for a trio of Horses Necks.
I love this game. I love the people you meet at the Park. Make a little effort to initiate contact and you could become lifelong friends
Acuna it is then, in a few hours. If Snit hides him i will weep.
Please forward all my messages/ticket requests to the Liberty HQ number. They are under specific instructions to forward them tout de suite. Acuna!
Cool story from the park, blazon. Enjoy but now make sure the Braves win a couple, will ya.
Acuna is freed!
Can we please temper our expectations. Excitement is good but would rather not hear any Acuna hate if he takes an O-fer and makes an error. Let’s give the kid some time. Based upon his GW performance, he’s a pretty good singles hitter with speed at the moment. I would be tempted to bat him ninth like the Reds have been doing with Hamilton and make him a defacto second lead-off hitter.
I hope Ender takes him under his wing. It’ll be really nice having a countryman who’s a primo player next to you every day in the OF.
Snitker loves Acuna and wanted him on the team at the beginning of last year. He will play. Patience may be needed, but we are a patient group fo sho…
Acuna is our new Andruw/Frenchy/Heyward. It’s all his fault.
I agree with Chief and Roger. We’ve got some quality arms in the bullpen, but we could use one or two more. Now would be a good time to strike a deal to pick one up.
Glad to see Acuna up. Not just hyped for the prospect of his bat in the lineup but also his speed and glove. In spite of a couple of losses, this team is only getting better.
Cool to see Acuna. Hope he does good.
@70, I don’t understand Moustakas talk. Maybe if Bautista is a disaster, but for now it seems the die is cast at third, don’tcha think?
A recapping has occurred.