Win, win, win.
The Braves battled back late from 6 – 4 and 7 – 5 deficits to take the series from the Brewers, 2 games to 1. Dansby Swanson‘s 2 run homer in the 6th tied it at 7, and an Ozzie Albies homer in the 7th won it.
Sean Newcomb was not sharp, allowing 12 hits in only 4 innings, and the first 5 runs. In fact, neither starter could get past the 4th. Freddie Freeman‘s double and a Nick Markakis triple highlighted a 38 pitch 1st inning against Chase Anderson, and Ronald Acuna‘s 2 run homer in the 2nd gave the Braves a 4 – 2 lead.
Jonny Venters worked himself into a no-out, runners on 2nd and 3rd jam in the 7th, but a strikeout, intentional walk, and double play preserved the tie. Brad Brach and A.J. Minter closed out the 8th and 9th; winner, winner Jonny Venters.
Aguilar went 3 – 4 with a homer, double, and 4 RBI’s, and Lorenzo Cain added 4 more hits for the Brewers.  Freeman and Markakis added doubles in the 5th to end as the only Braves with multiple hits.
The Braves move to 64 – 51, and pull into a first place tie with the Phillies. The Marlins come to town Monday; the series starts with a doubleheader.
Great recap.
From the last thread, I asked if the starting pitching overall has been surprising. For me, I think it’s just kind of averaged out. Teheran has disappointed, but Folty has really impressed. I did think that either Folty or Newk would have put in what Newk has done. But Folty’s eliteness was definitely surprising. Anibal has obviously been a huge surprise, but the cumulative 1.1 fWAR from Soroka, Fried, Allard, McCarthy, and Gohara is a little disappointing. So I think it all averages out.
The pen has been a pleasant surprise though. With their lack of experience and track record, I wouldn’t have thought we’d have been even middle of the road.
The position player performance, offense and defense, has been the biggest surprise. 8th in offensive fWAR, 9th in defense. Definitely did not see that coming.
Great recap. Only glaring error is that we are not in a first place tie with the Phillies. We are alone by ourselves with a winning percentage .001 points better than Philadelphia (-; . If we split the doubleheader tomorrow, then we will be tied with the Phillies. Here’s hoping for a sweep!
Thanks, Rusty.
Looking forward to Touki’s debut.
As to Folty, he’s not Max Scherzer yet, and he doesn’t go deep enough for me to declare him an ace; but he’s got all the makings. Five innings a start won’t do it though.
Newk had a bad game, but he’s getting there; and Gausman pitched a gem last time out. Anibal’s steady, and Julio’s, well, Julio. You get the bad with the good.
When Fried comes back, we will have an embarrassment of riches, with younger, better arms on the horizon.
@2, Good point, first is first, we’ll take it. (Makes note to write about opening up a 1/1000 game lead in the next edition of “Bravda.”)
To me today’s win is right up there with coming back from a 5 run deficit against the Marlins in May. Interesting that Dansby played a huge role in both wins. If he finishes the year strong, it may be the difference in making the playoffs.
lol gNats.
Is that the end of the Natspos?
NATITUDE!!!!!
So… nats… maybe shouldn’t have traded Kintzler, huh? They have the look in their eyes that they believe they are a cursed team.
A perfect ending to a perfect day…Cubs walk off the gnats with a granny and the philth lost. Feels so good.
Oh, wow. That’s too perfect.
I watched the first couple innings of our game today, listened to a couple innings on the radio, but only pulled up mlb.TV on my phone to watch Minter blow away Yelich. And then I tuned in right in time to see the Cubs walk-off. So I’ve watched very little baseball today but enjoyed a couple of incredible thrills. Love this game.
Honestly, as of now til the end of August, the Braves have a favorable schedule. For the most part (one game against the Cubs), the Braves don’t have to play any other top playoff contenders and have 8 against the Marlins. In the meantime, Phils play the Nats 6 times, and the Cubs and the Red Sox. The Brewers play a couple against the Cubs and then everyone in the Central. The D-Backs and Dodgers play the West and the Mariners. If we do well against the Marlins, then everyone else should eliminate each other. Honestly, the planets seem to be aligned for us to succeed.
I also think Braves 14 in the last thread is prescient. We need to go to a 6-man rotation so the starters can get an extra days rest. Newk proved that today. We should already be counting on Touki as the sixth man until Max gets back. This should not be a spot start for Touki. There’s only 18 days until September when Touki would be called up anyway with expanded rosters – three starts or a couple of tarts and time in the bullpen. Hopefully, Fried will be back sooner than Sept 1st.
Newk was definitely down 2-3 MPH all day. Maybe it was hot, maybe he’s wearing down. All of the young starters are nearing their career max’s for innings pitched. The 6-man rotation is required to keep us going.
Newk didn’t have his best stuff today but I’d rather see him give up a lot of hits than walk everybody.
I don’t see AA bringing in any August reinforcements. Not sure there’s anyone out there that makes sense.
And, yes, Flaherty is dead weight, but there’s no one outside of Rio Ruiz that would be any better as a lefty inside the org. It might be better to just try someone like Reed or Peterson and pinch hit them regardless of the handedness. Plus, I gotta believe Flaherty is currently our mascot and Kakes Whisperer.
Speaking of which, because of our pitchers neutralizing Yelich, Nick and Freddie are now #1 and #2 in the batting race. Yelich lost like 5-6 points off his average this weekend while both Freddie and Nick increased their average. The offense has definitely been a surprise but not because the potential wasn’t there.
Unless the Nats offer Harper a personal fleet of Brink’s trucks, I think he’s a goner. He wants to play for a team that wins games that matter.
Touki Toussaint
this is not the time to key some restraint
unapologetic excitement
extended lunch hours that could lead to indictment.
Here comes attempt #2 at getting an online conversation started around the Nats…
Is Mike Rizzo’s job in danger?
🙂
@15
I think we need a LH bench bat and another reliever.
@19
Has to be.
I think we’re down on the bullpen. Vizzy will be an acquisition in and of himself. But a LHH 3B could make sense.
Would you start Touki in your fantasy lineup?
I think it’s time to bring back an old, old nickname for EOF and start referring to our crappy bench 3B as Failurety.
Lookie, lookie, lookie,
Here comes Touki
Touki’s Pest Control
Yankee angst.
In an ongoing court trial it has emerged from the ooze that a block of 4 primo season tickets behind their dugout, with ‘access to the owner’s suite’, was invoiced at the start of the 2016 season at two hundred and ten thousand dollars. Post season excluded no doubt. The buyer, languishing in jail on other accounts, has apparently yet to pay for them.
How delicious to remind ourselves that hubristic excesses at this level do not necessarily translate to success for the Yankees themselves. Each day passing makes it more certain they are not going to catch the Sox and thus Armageddon looms. Wild card elimination game, lose and go home.
And this very likely will be against a line up packed for the occasion with beefy lefty sluggers from Iowa and thereabouts who didn’t quite make the Home Run Derby but will relish their idiotic short porch and the fame that stands to come with it.
Sic transit gloria
in the midst of bland euphoria
reality beckons
Cashman’s cure? Prices up next year he reckons.
@24, Comment of the year.
@22, I’m doing it…for now. I’m going to try to see what lineup the Marlins run out there first.
If i recall correctly, Rizzo has a “below market” salary as GM and a couple years to go on his contract. Gven how tight-fisted the Lerner family is, I can’t see them making a move yet.
Blazon, given pronunciations, shouldn’t that be “restraunt” in the Clerihew? 🙂
@19
Mike Rizzo
izz so
idiot savant
has a level of job security that others haven’t.
Same here. If they run a thinned lineup, that’ll make it easier. Still, the Marlins have a thinned lineup at regular deployment.
The Fernando Salas experiment has ended.
I’m back from San Diego. You’re welcome. It was a weekend that showed all those “who are you playing for the rest of the season” comparisons are all well and good, but of limited predictive power.
Rizzo’s signed through 2020, for $4 million a year. I think it’s very unlikely the Nats could do better than him without really opening the checkbook, and we all know that’s something they’re unwilling to do for non-player personnel.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/04/nationals-extend-mike-rizzo-through-2020.html
Rizzo’s got some weaknesses, but he’s got some real strengths. I think it’s possible that the Nationals have done the best job of first-round drafting of any team in the majors over the last decade, and their trades have been pretty exceptional, too. (Turning Stephen Souza into Joe Ross and Trea Turner wasn’t their only heist, but it may have been their most eye-popping.)
From 2005-2014, the Nats drafted four different 18-win players in the first round: Ryan Zimmerman, Anthony Rendon, Stephen Strasburg, and Bryce Harper, and they took another, Jordan Zimmermann, in the second round. For comparison, the Braves have just one in the first round (Heyward) and three more in the second (Simmons, Freeman, Yunel Escobar).
The GM can’t completely escape blame for the team consistently being less than the sum of its parts, but he’s generally done a very good job of building the 25-man roster.
@30 I was glad to see that.
@20 I agree but I think the reliever will come from in house and we’re just not going to get a LH bat before Sept 1st. At that point Rio will come up. Unless AA wants to bring on Adam Lind (after September expansion). I do not see Flaherty going away for whatever dark reason there might be.
I really would like to see a few DFAs at Sept 1st to allow more of our prospects to be called up – especially any Rule 5 eligible. But, honestly, Bell, Moylan, Whitley could all be DFA’d to allow for potentially better prospects to be protected and used (I’m hoping to get a taste of Jackson at catcher and Riley). Note: I am sure Touki will get a spot from O’Day being moved to 60-day DL.
I’d like to see the Braves field the best bench available to them (via trade, FA, etc) versus opting to keep a sub-optimal player on the 25-man roster for non-competitive reasons.
But what do I really know about Flaherty?
On that note: oh, if only every bench player could be Charlie Clobberson. If only Swansby Danson could be Charlie Clobberson — he certainly resembles him in appearance! 😉
@27
Hey, explain please. The ‘rule’ in Clerihew rhyming has always been it can be forced if it’s funny. But in this instance i saw no need – Toussaint/restraint’
aaahhh!! The penny has dropped – ‘Toussant’ you are saying is the correct pronunciation? OK, then…
Touki Toussaint
will soon get all the action he may want
unapologetic excitement
extended lunch hours that could lead to indictment.
(to make the point you could alternatively spell his last name phonetically.)
Then i saw there was a similar situation @28 for Adam
Mike Rizzo
izz so
idiot savant
has a level of job security that others haven’t.
that’s a cheat pure and simple and is not funny…
but change one letter ‘openly’ and you have come clean and made it much funnier. Forced rhymes do not have to wait for the second line, you can use it on the first. ‘he’ is a minor addition while i’m at it.
Mike Rizzo
izz so
idiot savent
he has a level of job security that others haven’t.
Cheers and thanks for your input, any time.
Alex is right that Rizzo has built a good roster over the past several years, but that is the issue, isn’t it? Given the abundant talent they have every year, the franchise is one big mess of fail over the past five years. They keep changing the field manager, sometime for good reason (I’m looking at you, Mattie W), and sometimes for questionable reasons (I’m not a big Dusty B fan, but that firing looks pretty dumb now, doesn’t it?).
At this point, I don’t know how the accountability for their failures doesn’t flow up to Rizzo.
I really like ‘savent’ here
Culbs at SS for game one today…why wouldn’t you rest Dansby in game 2, and put the best defense you can behind the guy making his ML debut?
@37 I’m a proponent of continuity, and if you’re going to rifle through managers like that even while winning (most of the time), then the least you could do is pinpoint where your success has been coming from and attempt to double-down there.
In the case of the Braves, the continuity at this point rests with Snitker since the GM has had to change. All the questionable bullpen and substitution decisions do not, in my mind, bring into doubt whether Snitker ought to remain the team’s head coach.
I hope we’re still looking at Snitker in that dugout 10 years from now on the back of multiple NL pennants.
@39 They want Culberson in game 1 because he’s on a tear at the plate and the opposing pitcher is one the team hasn’t faced before. It makes sense to load the lineup a little with Touki on the mound as they probably figure to need more runs.
Do we think Marc Schneider survived the night?
(Also, I’ve been away for a few days and am not sure if anyone has already suggested this, but: Austin Hedges is the catcher I would like to see the Braves target in an off-season trade.)
Can’t believe my good fortune in this game being broadcast on FSS Florida. I get to actually watch Touki’s debut!
With apologies to the Bard:
“This day is call’d the feast of Touki.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam’d,
And rouse him at the name of Touki.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say “To-morrow is Saint Touki.”
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say “These wounds I had on Touki’s day.”
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words—
Freddie the Freeman, Ozzie and Ronald,
Cakes and T-Flo, Dansby and Fake Dansby—
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb’red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Touki St. Touki shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be rememberèd—
We few, we happy few, we band of Braves;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in Atlanta now a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Touki’s day.”
I for one am loving that the Astros have played horribly since selling their souls and trading for Osuna. Amazing how loathsome they have become just a few months after I was rooting hard for them to beat the Dodgers in the WS. At this point I’d probably root for the Yankees over them, at least the Yankees would never turn their closer job over to someone with a history of domestic violence…what’s that? Oh.
Touki’s ball has life. Serious life/stuff.
Welcome, Touki!
Nice delivery. The wildness is there but damn does his ball pop into the mitt.
HIS NAME IS RONALD!!!
The sound the ball makes when Acuna hits it solid is out of this world.
Can’t imagine a more exciting first inning for the future of the Braves than this one.
Ron Jr. is already third on the team in homers. He’s sneaking up on Freddie in almost half the PAs.
Good job getting out of the jam in the second inning. Let’s see how it goes second time through the order. Go Touki!
Ronald Acuna is absolutely unbelievable.
@52, 54 Another way to look at it: Ronald Acuna is now first on the team in SLG (as of his 16th homer).
Early returns show Touki will do nicely, thank you.
@53 The pitch selection in the second was totally different than the first. In the first it was FB/CB and, in the second, slider after slider with the others occasionally thrown in (at least according to pitchcast). I guess they’re trying the whole arsenal to see what works best. I thought he was much more impressive in the first – especially without the leadoff walk.
@57 using the splitter/changeup (Byrd) worked as well.
What an exciting team we have right now. Finally!
Just booked a trip to Atlanta in September, will watch a few games against the Red Sox. I cannot wait.
3rd inning was mostly splitters backed up by a few FB/CB – no sliders. I am not sure I get this…. Whenever they go to a new pitch it costs him several balls. Not a good way to keep the pitch count down.
I actually like listening to Frenchy.
Touksbury looks pretty good.
Ozzie must think that that game where he had an approach and went 0-2 with 3 BB was a failure, so he’s back to swinging at everything
It feels like every time Camargo has a guy in scoring position, he’s making it happen.
Now that was a great inning by Touki – 7 pitches. Beginning 3rd time through, he may be getting better as the game wears on. Hope Snitker leaves him in for a couple more.
Freddie Freeman does the little things right and adds to the Braves lead with a sac fly. Braves up 3-1.
I think Touksbury can get big league hitters out.
@44–wonderful, John R.
This may be forever St Touki’s Day, but it’s starting to look like St Ronald’s year.
I’m loving the Touker.
That was a nice DP.
Touki 83 pitches through six. Hope Folty and Newk are taking notes.
I propose the Braves go to market with a new cereal: Touki Crisp.
@44 and 68: impressive.
I don’t think Touki wants to go back to Gwinnett. I don’t want him to either.
Folk Hero!
Charlie clobbers one to the outfield for an RBI double. 4-1 Braves.
Touki to the plate. He looks like he wants his face on a cereal box.
Good game, Touk. Big hit, Charlie. Good move, Snit, to try to pad the lead.
Dangit. Why won’t he let Touki bat and pitch the 7th. Hasn’t he heard we have to play two today?
Welp, I guess that worked out….
Adam Duvall didn’t make an out!
@50, There’s that sound you’re talking about.
Acuña is just 20 years old, by the way. He is getting better as the season goes along.
@78 If we amass a great enough lead here, we can let one guy finish out the rest of the game.
Anybody know who the Braves have warming up?
I get a kick out of Frenchy in the broadcast booth. He just noted, correctly, that the key to Acuna’s hit was taking the first pitch slider, so he could then sit on the fastball. I saw Jeff play a lot, and I don’t remember him ever taking a first pitch slider.
Donny, Don said Biddle. I want Sobotka!
lowest guys on the totem pole should be pitching.
Checking this on the official site every hour or so and I just clicked in as the uprising was developing further. Runs 5 – 8 came on in.
Frenchy is the bizzaro Joe Morgan. Morgan was one the smartest players who ever played, but his tv commentary was notoriously, well, not smart.
Frenchy was not known for being a smart player, but his commentary is surprisingly good.
Yeah, French’s much better than I expected.
Lol, Frenchy knows the words to Nick Cage’s classic Con-Air due to Smoltz putting in the clubhouse every 5 days before his starts.
The wealth of supremely talented arms that has been bubbling to the top the past two years is so impressive. And several more on the way it appears. Expecting good things the rest of this season. But no matter how it plays out, all the Braves need to do is spend/trade wisely this off season for a couple of lineup/field position spots and we could position ourselves for many years of sustained success. I for one don’t think we need to trade top talent for a rotation stud, much less bullpen help. I think all we need to do is be a little more patient and continue to develop the arms we have. That gives so much more flexibility to tweak the rest of the roster. The talent and payroll should be there to do what AA needs to do. Can’t remember the future so bright since the early 90s. I am glad they held Acuna down for another yr of control. Smart baseball move for the long term. I like AA playing the long game so far. With the depth of the organization and the amount of controllable talent it’s definitely the smart move.
The Braves need to move Teheran this offseason just to make room.
@90
We should sign Machado to play third, move Camargo to short. Then either move Riley to left or package him, Swanson and a young starter for an elite starter (deGrom)
@89 Put the bunny back in the box.
I’m as bullish on Touki as anyone, but the Marlins are not a major league team. Please put a mental asterix by all performances against them. There’s going to be growing pains with him and all the yougins.
Sobotka looks good again.
Sobotka with the hit. HaHa. I thought Touki was supposed to be the better hitter. Maybe we ought to pinch hit with Sobotka and Biddle instead of Flaherty.
I played CF from Little League to one college offer and I’m not convinced that at 43 years old I couldn’t play CF better than the Marlins Sierra did a couple innings ago…
@92
there’s a lot to like about that plan. But that assumes Machado would actually come here without making us significantly beat the next best offer. And I don’t think that would be smart, mainly for the amount of yrs involved. He seems to want a big market. In your trade Riley scenario, would you move Acuna to center? Then what about right? Or keep Inciarte in CF and have Acuna play right? I was an Inciarte fan until this yr and it’s not just the decreased production. As many have noted, it’s the increased amount of lack of effort or low baseball IQ plays. I think the Braves can do better. I would not be opposed to putting Acuna in center and extending a QO to Markakis for one more yr. Either package Inciarte or keep him as a 4th OF/def sub, pinch runner.
@92 Not gonna happen. Machado will only sign to play SS. I am quite sure that will be part of contract negotiations. And Machado is not a good defensive SS. Better to have Dansby at SS, Riley at 3B and Camargo as Util. Sign Harper for RF.
@91 Yep.
We’ll definitely give kakes a qualifying offer right? Assuming we don’t work out an extension before.
@94 is also why they likely pushed Touki’s start to today rather than going against the Brewers on normal rest. Good call, fwiw.
@94 That’s some BS. I’ve no problem with your conclusion, but list off some triple A teams that are better than the Florida Marlins…
Also, apparently, the LA Dodgers were only good for a 2-4 record against a minor league Marlins……
Anyone think Acuna can catch Soto in the Rookie of the Year awards? He’s coming on strong.
Edit: just matched up the stats…..He’s pretty much pulled even or ahead except for BB, K, and Average.
@100 I do not anticipate a QO for Markakis. The Braves have gone to great lengths to reduce payroll for this offseason’s FA season. If they re-sign Markakis, it will be for a lower salary than his current one. His age limits his value.
No, they won’t offer Kakes a QO, I don’t think.
Sobotka is being asked to throw a ton of pitches.
Wow, I did not realize the QO was up to 17.4 mil!
@44
Bravo…
The top of the 9th is why Chewbotka is perfectly suited for mop up duty. Walk the bases full with an 8 run lead, well, we’ll give him one more chance to blow the next guy away on three pitches to end it.
Great win for the Bravos! We can all agree that the Marlins are a poor excuse for an MLB team, but the wins and losses against them count just the same as do results against the Phillies and everybody else.
Oh, and btw, back in sole possession of 1st.
New thread courtesy of Rusty S.