I did not stop to think after the rainout on Saturday that meant I would have 2 games to recap for Monday. Hmm. I need a union rep to go to bat for me. Even with the big pay and great benefits package, workers still need to be treated with justice and compassion.
I actually was in Savannah from mid Friday to mid Monday. We had a deluge from 12 to 3 on Saturday and one from 3 to 6 on Sunday. Otherwise, hotel costs have gone through the roof, the city is still beautiful, and the food is almost routinely great. If you haven’t gone to the main lobby of the J. W. Mariott in Plant Riverside District, it is truly amazing. Fossils (2 foot across nautilus shells) and “geodes” (big hunks of rock with interesting or semi precious stones), a big steel dinosaur in the air with pterodactyls above
Back to the proper subject. The “Super Team” has spent the past week as the victim of a Kryptonite scare (not sure of which color, there is one that mixes everything up, and that is the one I think is closest). So, after losing 5 in a row (including Game 1, yesterday), there was finally a win in Game 2. So, why may the nightmare be ebbing?
Sean Murphy is supposed to be starting a rehab assignment this week. After 8 days, maybe Austin Riley is about ready to get back. I think that now barring major Minor League improvements, we won’t see Bryce Elder back in Atlanta. Darius Vine has been decent. X stats have to revert to norm. IT JUST ISN’T FAIR FOR US TO SUFFER THROUGH THIS.
As to Game 1, when you are ahead 5 to 0 after 3 and 5 to 2 after 7, you don’t lose very often. Unfortunately, this game didn’t follow the averages. All of the offense came early and then mass hibernation mode. Joe Jimenez 4 run meltdown in 8 spoiled the game.
But finally, signs of life in Game 2. Chris Sale was his usual (and previous) masterly self. 103 pitches with 71 strikes. 9 K’s, no BB’s. No runs. 5 hits, one of which was a double. Usually, you win when that happens with a starter. This time these strange Braves actually did win. The offensive star was once again, Marcel Ozuna. 2 for 3 with a walk and a homer (after a home run in game 1). Also, he had a second run scored. The whole line up had 11 hits, 3 for extra bases (a team cycle with one double, one triple, and one HR, besides the 8 singles).
So, the question for today (I first typed “this point in time”, yow!) is how do we get more games like 2 and less like 1? We don’t need speculation. we need a guaranteed answer.
It’s been a while since I’ve been to Savannah, but worth it every time.
The guarantee formula looks like this: The right-handed pitchers pitch like Reynaldo Lopez, and every lefty pitches like Chris Sale or Dylan Lee + Ronald leads every game off with a triple or HR + Big Bear goes yard = W
You’re welcome. Thanks for the great post to start my day!
Ray Kerr was optioned after yesterday’s game and Daysbel’s sticking around for a minute. Kerr is going to AAA to stretch out. I’m guessing he’ll have 2 starts, one 4 inning stint and one 5 inning stint. From there, AA will decide if he needs more time or if he’s ready to throw 5.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens with Ray Short when Austin Riley is activated. My guess is he’ll stick around and Luke Williams will be optioned back to AAA.
Austin Riley and Sean Murphy are expected to be back by the end of the week.
This team is about to explode. Bet.
Where did you see that Riley is coming back?
Re: Kerr, maybe this had always been going on & I just didn’t notice, but stretching relievers into starters seems to be kind of a Thing this year. In addition to Reynaldo’s success, the Jordan Hicks experiment has been going well for the Giants (10 starts, 53 IP, 2.38 ERA, 3.51 FIP) and Garrett Crochet has been solid for the White Sox (10 starts, 51 2/3 IP, 4.18 ERA, 3.27 FIP).
Wonder if this is a coincidence, or something of a fad and/or a new possible market inefficiency, in GMs trying to get themselves starters for reliever money— esp. as, if you feel like you know what you have in a reliever, like we did with Lopez, it feels pretty low-risk to try, as you can always move them back to the pen if they kerplode as a starter.
PS feels like Reynaldo is getting into needing a nickname territory. since “rey” is “king” in Spanish, maybe something like Rey King (or King Rey), in honor of our very own erstwhile Ray King? though the commentariat here could doubtless do better.
Savannah… went to summer camp there on the Isle of Hope when I was about 9. I remember that the horseflies & mosquitos were remarkably large and pesky. I also remember being bummed that the camp counselors wouldn’t let us watch the MLB all-star game that was being played in Atlanta that year. I returned to Columbus not completely digging Savannah.
Many years later, as a collegian, we did a road trip to the Savannah Hilton to see Jason & The Scorchers and The Nighthawks play this weird one-off gig in the hotel ballroom (completely killer, btw.) Afterward, we kinda broke into the off-limits swimming pool area for a dip & were persuaded less-than-gently by hotel staff to head back to our rooms. I returned to Athens liking Savannah just fine, but feeling more hung over than Billy Martin.
Yup, Chris Sale is completely out of his mind right now. I know he’s only 56 innings into the season, but if you like pure domination (eg. – his K/W ratio is a blaring 8.75), his starts are becoming must-watches. I’d sure love to hand him the ball for a Game 1 down the line.
Just a note that no one has played fewer .500+ teams than the Phillies. Talk about a cupcake schedule.