Not quite a West Coast game, but almost. Lots of California immigrants now in Arizona. In Summer, Arizona is on Pacific Time. But the populated coast of California doesn’t bake like the Salt River Valley. Yesterday was 116 for an all time high. The forecast says “hold my beer.” Fortunately, the powers that be in conjunction with the snake collection developed an indoor air conditioned place to play baseball. Without that, no way that valley can have games, even at night.
Well, Bravesdom was slightly shocked when it was announced that Bryce Elder was being called up to start. Well, and also disappointed. Also, in the “sling fecal matter against the wall and see if it sticks” methodological business model, also Eddie Rosario came up. The question on Rosario is if there is any “Jesse Chavez magic.” Meaning, is there some magic to being in the Braves clubhouse that is like a superpower, because if there isn’t, why would you want Rosario?
I keep hoping Brian Snitker will get this, but after this long, I figure he thinks it is a “cheap fake” and is waiting for his wife and son to convince him he is clueless. But Bryce Elder continues to be “lit up” exactly as he faces the leadoff hitter for the third time. Snit, you can’t make this go away. It is more mathematically proven than “only you can prevent forest fires.” The mediocrity that is Elder is absolutely not capable of a third trip through. You don’t save the bullpen by trying to stretch him and watching him collapse. Through 4 innings Elder had given up 2 hits and no walks. That is a WHIP of .5. As usual, he had very little strike out power (1 K). But he had given up 0 runs. In inning 6, Elder gave up a single to the 9 hole hitter Geraldo Perdomo. Then single, walk, walk. So, Snit turns to Grant Holmes with the bases loaded and no outs, but one run already in. Holmes stuck the double Grybo but couldn’t get the third (difficult gymnastics moves aren’t often successfully completed even by the best practitioners).
Meanwhile, since a 2 out Austin Riley home run in the first, the Braves had been playing hibernation mode. So, it didn’t seem like it would be a peaceful easy feeling. Then, with 2 outs in the 9th Eddie Rosario singled. (What???, What???). Then, the Snakes let him take 2nd. So Sean Murphy parks one and the game is tied.
So, Risel Iglesias held the Snakes in 9 to take us to extras. Excitement after a largely listless game. As fate would have it (I know you are getting tired of “so”. So, am I. Ha ha.) So (oops), in 10, Zack Short (who came in at short after Travis d’Arnaud pinch hit for Orlando Arcia with the game tied in top of 9), plays the Manfred Man. He moved to third on a fly ball and came home on another. Yay! A lead!!
Alas, Iglesias allowed the Snakes Manfred man to go to 3rd on a bunt sacrifice and score on a fly ball sacrifice and it was tied again.
In 11, Austin Riley played the part of the Manfred Man and scored. A lead!!!
Then, in 11, Joe Jimenez became the first pitcher to deny the Manfred Man, so “Braves Win. Braves Win. Braves Win.”
Cliff, this is an excellent recap! I stayed up to watch every pitch and what a gift that was!
I’ll be the first to admit that I went to sleep utterly convinced the Braves were about to lose 3-1. Waking up and learning that they won 5-4 left me feeling the pleasant kind of disconcerted!
From your lips to Snit’s ears. I do wonder whether there’s a little bit of bullheaded managing up going on – AA’s the guy who puts the players on the roster, and all Snit can do is play them, and at times, give them enough rope to hang themselves. If the guys can’t do a better job, it’s on AA to replace them with guys who can.
I like your idea of treating Elder as a glorified opener. Maybe he and Smith-Shawver could team up to pitch the first seven innings of a game, before giving way to the Johnson-Jimenez-Iglesias crew. I’ve long thought that our team has been too hung up on the holy definition of a “starter.”
A great Braves victory (heard on radio, a wonderful experience).
Hopefully, Rosario will be more than a totem the rest of the way.
And it all started with a simple single.
Great recap of an excellent finish. Like ububba, listened to mlb.tv radio-audio while waking up in the 8th inning.
There’s just something about the Braves in Arizona.
And, yes, cliff, I hope Snit is reading this about Elder-(T?)TTO.
The Braves organization, whether it was AA or Snit, or AA and Snit, made the decision that in game 89 of this season they had rather start Bryce Elder than Chris Sale. So, what can we infer about the importance the organization placed on said game 89? It certainly doesn’t sound like the plan was to rest Sale just to blow the bullpen up.
cliff makes a very good point that it doesn’t help the bullpen to send Elder back out if he’s not going to make it through the next inning anyway, but I understand why Snit would try it. We can definitely debate game tactics in October, but I’m going to give some deference as to how we get through the season.
I don’t hate the idea of letting Elder “try” the third time through. What I hate are the optics that Snit is totally surprised when it goes, single, single, walk, double, walk the third time through. I mean, at least have someone up so if it starts with two men on you can go to the pen.
Reposted from last thread, or as you guys say (I think), JC’d. Maybe one of you young analytics types can help me with this:
A lot of comments about our impatient approach. I wonder if some of this is due to analytics which says swinging at the first pitch tends to be a positive. If a team relies too much on that approach, could opponents compensate by throwing fewer first pitch strikes and fastballs? Does anyone know how to look up whether we are seeing fewer meatballs on the first pitch than last year?
I was just looking for the Braves Journal Glossary. I didn’t find it. In an upgrade did it get dropped?
I want to give credit to the denizen that came up with “Manfred Man” for the extra innings gimme. All hon or his or her name.
Yes, Manfred Man is one of those typical Braves Journal classics.
I think it was JonathanF? Maybe I’m wrong.
Here it is. I second the request to Ryan that it be restored to place of pride in the links above and below!
“Wancouer.” We gave Jeff grief.
I think AA/Snit/entire-org is on the same page this year with the plan to rest the entire pitching staff so that they have something left for October. They aren’t just protecting Sale and Morton. We’ve repeatedly done 6 and even 7-man rotations. The bullpen is also being used a bit more carefully I think. It can definitely be maddening to watch sometimes, but it’s hard to argue with the logic looking forwards. We’re gonna have some stinkers because of this strategy, but if Sale isn’t healthy in the second half then we’re not going anywhere regardless. I won’t be second-guessing their plan, I pretty much agree with it.
I was expecting them to call up Elder. They haven’t regularly had guys go on less than 5 days rest all year.
It’s not just Sale and Lopez they have to protect. Schwellenbach has never pitched this much. Morton is 40. Fried had injury problems last year.
Manfred Man was indeed of my coinage. I’m gratified that it has caught on.
Doo Wah Diddy for JonathanF!
And our ol’ buddy Nick Ahmed just got DFA’ed. Could he possibly be worse than Zack Short?
He wouldn’t provide much offensive value, but he’s a waaaay better defender, by OAA, than Zack Short has ever been.