Not what most were expecting (with exception of my co-host on the podcast, Brent Blackwell), but we have a Braves trade, as they have landed LH Starting Pitcher Tommy Milone in a deal for 2 PTBNLs, which are said to be players not in the player pool. To make room for Tommy, Matt Adams has been DFA’d, which was expected.
While Milone isn’t anything to wow fans, he’s striking out 9.5/9 and only walking 1.2. That will play…if he can keep the ball in the park vs. right handed hitters (.849 OPS against).
Braves Trade? A Heavy Hitter is Available
With the deletion of Matt Adams, the Braves are in need of another LH bat, preferably one that could platoon in a DH/OF role with Adam Duvall, who is still struggling to hit RHP. One of the best just came available:
Gallo has a TON of swing and miss potential but comes with light tower power and game changing potential. His walk rate continues to be elite and his K% is down a bit in 2020, and so is his BABIP (a career low .231). He’d cost a ton as he’s controlled through 2022, but it would definitely make the Braves offense elite for the foreseeable future.
In addition to Gallo still left on this list, Kyle Seager, Shin-Soo Choo, and Colin Moran are all thought to be available, but Tommy La Stella and Mitch Moreland have already been dealt.
Braves Trade? Cleveland Talking Clevinger
Would the Braves? Should the Braves? It would cost Waters+ several other players.
Tonight’s Lineup
Braves try not to get broomed tonight and freshly acquired Tommy Milone takes the bump.
Another nugget on Milone from Brent.
https://twitter.com/brentblackwell/status/1300168142828822530?s=21
And the visual-evidence gods give us one back. I think he was out on that but there wasn’t an angle to see when he touched the bag.
I am streaming on you tube tv. The sound of the crack of the hat comes before contact. Anybody noticing that?
Yeah Cliff, I’ve got that, too. I think it’s just more of ESPN’s insistence on setting up a mic right near the plate. I remember them having annoying bat-cracking sound effects on Sunday Night Baseball in years past.
Milone has already demonstrated one of the most important attributes in a starting pitcher: great run support.
This is fun.
After going 0-for-our-last-16 with runners in scoring position, suddenly we’re 6-for-7 in that inning.
Acuña was yanked for some reason…
Not sure I’ve ever seen an inning where everybody in the lineup scored a run.
@8 yeah that’s no good
Probably just giving our star who just came off the DL the rest of the day off, after we’re up ten runs.
I think he had some sort of minor discomfort/ailment. I’m not sure it was that serious, perhaps just precautionary.
I fear I’m about to steal JonathanF’s thunder, but that’s apparently our first 10-run inning since 2004.
Yeah let’s not celebrate too early. Long way to go. I mean this dude Has high school velocity and this is a bandbox
Not my most favorite “Tommy” to ever don the Braves uniform.
If this guy can’t even save the bullpen a few innings when spotted a 10-0 lead, he’s frickin’ useless.
Try again, Alex.
This guy’s throwing batting practice, man.
@17 exactly. It’s great to throw strikes but not when it’s only batting practice velo
This guy sucks. If you get spotted ten runs and can’t get out of the third, you don’t belong.
Get him out. If we gave up more than a two liter and a bag of chips it was too much
Is it too late to get our PTBNLs back?!
Hahahahaha Tommy Milone sucks. Who coulda seen this coming?
I 100% could have crushed this guy in HS.
This dog ain’t gonna hunt.
He should be a DFA candidate already. Folty is a better option
Asking for a friend, has anyone ever been traded for and DFA’d on the same day?
@Brent Blackwell might want to take off his rose-colored
glasses.
Luke Jackson. That’ll save us.
I mean at least this makes AA get two starters, right? Right?
They flew Milone in on a private jet from Buffalo for that performance lol.
Has the pandemic affected umpire quality as well? Garbage strike 3 call on Riley in an important situation.
I just started watching… Millone sucked, I presume?
@31
Uh…yeah, to say the least.
AA clearance aisle shopping again lol #ChampionshipMaterial #sarcasm
https://twitter.com/bnightengale/status/1300232451235573760?s=21
https://twitter.com/jonmorosi/status/1300236015899209729?s=21
Wow. Anyone can have a bad game. You guys are completely overreacting. It is almost comedic. I mean, I don’t expect Greg Maddux type performances and it will be a huge disappointment if this is the only move we make, but let’s give the guy a little bit of a chance.
I’m just gonna go ahead and assume that we’re gonna lose this game for my own personal sanity.
It’s true that Milone wasn’t expecting to start today and then was told he was traded, had to take a plane, and then go through game preparation to make an unexpected start for a new team. So it’s not surprising that he stunk up the joint in his first start.
But he is not a guy who would start a playoff game even when things are going well. He’s a pitchability #5 starter. The left handed Josh Tomlin.
Yeah, they’re not winning this.
As someone pointed out, Milone has been the definition of league average over the last few years. That’s not great, but it’s better than more than half of the starters we have now. I’m expecting league average from here on out.
@40, no — he’s been replacement level. He has been two wins worse than league average over the last few years.
Viva Minter.
Could be the turning point.
Reitsma Room in the Glossary might need a companion piece: Milone Margin. Unfortunately, as we sit here we don’t know whether it’s more or less than 10 runs.
@41, I stand corrected. Given catching and defensive upgrades in Atlanta, I still think he’ll be better than most of our current starters.
If you tell me we’re gonna finish with 15 runs, then I’ll go back to thinking we’re gonna win this game. Anything less and I’m not super optimistic.
Is it me or are the Braves swinging at just about every pitch while the Phillies keep working deep counts?
So glad we had Ender there instead of RAJ
Thanks to A.J. for restoring some semblance of order. The difference between his command this year and his command the past two years is like night and day.
The rumor mill is churning that the Braves are in hot pursuit of Clevinger.
Now, more than ever, air horns
-Phillies fans
Also, a big thanks goes to Aaron Boone for complaining to the umpires about the horn-blowing Phillies fans like a ninny, thereby giving them the incentive to up their horn-blowing game even further.
Minter and Matzek have been extremely good.
Bryce Harper seems astonishingly pleasant. This is disturbing. Not quite as disturbing as a serious attempt to blow a ten run lead, but disturbing nonetheless.
More money well spent on Will Smith
Philadelphians are used to Will Smith being nice to them.
I was about to ask why Will Smith isn’t closing over Melançon when they gave him that big contract to do so, but never mind.
In the immortal words of the late Skip Caray, a little insurance couldn’t hurt.
This game is ridiculous.
But if we can eke out a win & end up with Clevinger, it will have been a good day.
EDIT: Dansby, yes!
Somebody should’ve told Joe Girardi that there was no way Ender was reaching base and to relax.
DANSBY!!!
I’m willing to give Milone one more shot even though he doesn’t excite me very much.
Somebody tell the ump that the tom glavine strike zone isn’t a thing anymore.
Robot umps, to be sure…but Travis, my man, you’ve struck out looking on that exact same pitch three times now. I know it’s not a strike, but at some point, you’ve gotta protect on it and try to foul it off or something.
This is the first Dominican-born ump. He seems to have internalized “you don’t walk off the island” into his umpiring.
Are you kidding me? The first pitch you hit a guy to bring the tying run up? Top notch
What a play that was!
Nice stretch, Freddie.
We might just get out of this thing.
EDIT: Whew.
Never in doubt!
Well, that worked out. Now let us never speak of it again.
That was exhausting
Man…it’s not often you feel like you steal one when you had a 10 run lead but there ya go. Great turn in the 9th…wow
Cristian Pache was at the game tonight, which means he’s on the taxi squad…but why? The Braves surely value him getting reps at Gwinnett over watching games in Philly.
A nice, crisp 4 hours and 13 minutes for a nine-inning game.
We need a third catcher more than we need Pache. Either that or start Flowers at least twice in Boston. D’Arnaud’s production has fallen off the table, he is worn down. That plus Duvall’s slump against right or left handers has left a hole where it hurts most, right in the middle of our order.
Minter’s time on the mound settled the ship, was the key to victory.
Freddie’s stretch was balletic, amazin’. A double play for the ages.
Mr. Riley is well on his way.
Scared of the RAJ diagnosis.
Swanson came through when it mattered most, offense and defense.
GREAT WIN !!!!
Clevinger…
now that would be nice.
Still alive? Who do they want?
Also…was disappointed in Camargo’s throw, awful.
I would love to see Clevinger, but do you guys think a month and a half rental is worth Waters? I’m not sure
@75: Clevinger has two years of team control after 2020.
Yes. You just have to do Clevinger for Waters.
I’d do Waters for Clevinger in an Atlanta minute.
I’d sow “Waters” onto his Cleveland uniform if it got the deal done.
Recapped.
Please don’t correct me on my spelling mistake. I feel terrible enough already.
You wonder if AA could keep Waters and still get Clevinger. The Tribe badly needs catching and we have two solid prospects (plus Mueller perhaps)? Just speculating. But for two years of him, if it takes Waters, okay. Corner outfielders are easier to get than front line pitchers.