Amazon.com: 2020 Topps #537 Marcell Ozuna Atlanta Braves Baseball Card: Collectibles & Fine Art

After rummaging through the roster post-trade deadline with depressed finger clicks, I started dreaming how the team could improve without outside additions. Thinking about these internal additions prompted yesterday’s “Future Chip Caray Quotes” thread which was a ton of fun. This thought led to a totem-pole of thoughts that ended up coming out in an incomplete thought misinterpreted by masses:

Yes, it was assumed by many that I was implying kit AND caboodle should come up to replace the crappy kit AND caboodle. That wasn’t my point, but today, I accept the challenge with the fierceness my daughter channels when eating ice cream. However, I’m going to make 2 changes and that is Mike Foltynewicz and Sean Newcomb. They stay down. I want no part of Folty or Newk down the stretch and will place my full hope in a 4-man rotation. As with my daughter, I’m sure to fail and end up all sticky.

In the end, the Braves have to pay Ender Inciarte for 2021. If the Braves need someone to go multiple innings, Huascar Ynoa or Tommy Milone could be those guys. The Braves can keep “generic infielder” (see Pete Kozma) on the taxi squad just in case one of the middle infielders break something.

Rotation: Max Fried, Ian Anderson, Cole Hamels, Tucker Davidson

Lineup: Ronald Acuna Jr. Dansby Swanson, Freddie Freeman, Marcell Ozuna, Nick Markakis, Austin Riley, Travis d’Arnaud, Ozzie Albies, Cristian Pache

Bench: Tyler Flowers, Scott Schebler, Adam Duvall, Johan Camargo

Bullpen: Mark Melancon, Chris Martin, Shane Greene, Tyler Matzek, Luke Jackson, Will Smith, Darren O’Day, Huascar Ynoa, Tommy Milone, A.J. Minter, Grant Dayton.

My Real Thought

Sure, if I was a GM, I’d be dangerous and wild and would likely last 2 months at the helm, especially with the above scenario. However, Pache, Albies, and Hamels seem destined to get MLB time. And while I’d love nothing more than Ender getting the ax so Pache can play every day, that’s likely not happening with the $ he’s owed. Schebler is likely a pipedream for now, but the Braves need to seriously consider how they’re going to use Duvall in the future as his numbers against RHP are falling rapidly. Schebler could definitely help with that. I’ve given up on Tucker Davidson appearing in an MLB game this year.

Waiver Wire Clarification

There’s still a small chance that the Braves could try to add via the waiver wire, but being in first place, it’s going to be difficult. In an non-Covid year, players have to be in the org by 8/31 in order to be eligible for the playoff roster. This year, that date is 9/15, but as my friend Andy Harris, who writes over at Outfield Fly Rule said, it’s rare that a team cannot finagle their way into adding a player to the playoff roster, regardless of when said player was acquired.

Acuna and Albies Update

Ozzie…

And Acuña…

Tonight’s Lineup

Get out the brooms!