When I recapped last Wednesday’s game, the Braves were on the verge of attaining that elusive .500 record. Although the team started 0-7 and 5-13, the climb back had been impressive. They had just won a couple in a row, and five of six. But a tough one run loss kept them underwater for the season.
Déjà vu all over again. After a tough beginning to the series against the Dodgers, the Braves had won three in a row and a win would have made them even on the season. But after last night’s 4-3 loss to the Reds, our guys are back to two games under .500.
Grant Holmes was not as impressive as he had been in his last start in LA, surrendering four runs in the first four innings, including two home runs by TJ “Max” Friedl. Kenny Powers’ final line was a mediocre four runs on seven hits in five and a third, but the pen (Bummer, Lee, De los Santos) held them scoreless and hitless over the final three and a third.
That good work by the underrated relievers gave our guys the opportunity to make a comeback, and come back they did. Drake Baldwin cut it to 4-1 with a solo shot in the fifth. They tacked on two more in the sixth on hits by Riley and Olson and a sac fly from Ozzie.
But that was the last scoring of the evening. Michael Harris reached on a two out single in the ninth. So with the tying run on base, and Eli White (he of the .303 BA and .888 OPS) due up, Snitker chose to pinch hit Eddie Rosario. What could go wrong? Rosario was due, right? He hasn’t been a quality big league hitter in four years—so he was way past due. Sean Murphy (.526 SLG, .848 OPS) was available, but he was not nearly as due as Rosario.
But the mighty Eddie struck out swinging to end the game. Feel free to discuss in comments whether Rosario’s pinch hit appearance with the game on the line is more the fault of Anthopoulos for signing him or Snit for deploying him. I look forward to a lively exchange of views.
Oh well, perhaps next Wednesday I can help us celebrate the long awaited achievement of a .500 record. I think we will be due, and the celebration will be all the sweeter for having to wait.
In the meantime, PDQ Schellenbach tries to get back on track tonight in the finale of the Reds series.
I think Snit is a decent game manager – certainly no worse than Bobby, I think – but I also think he’s lost a bit of his fastball. He certainly projects less vigor and more exhaustion than in past years. But Rosario is on the roster because AA put him there, and there’s really no more optimal way to use him than as a pinch hitter with the platoon advantage.
I’m still unnerved by the Kelenic saga where Snit didn’t know what had happened in the game until after the game ended, and I’m frustrated that this team still feels less than the sum of its parts. But ultimately, it’s more than just the skipper. After a nightmarish first two weeks, our offense, starting rotation, and bullpen have all stabilized, but while all of them feel above average, none feels elite. That’s not just on Snit – that’s on everyone.
It wasn’t just after the game, it was the next day.
I think Bobby Cox’s game managing was his primary weakness, though far outweighed by his strengths. I would agree Snitker is on par with Cox, but that is not praise. It isn’t that hard to fill out a lineup card, stand on the dugout stairs from time to time, bring in your 8th inning guy in the 8th, and smack your players on the butt a few times per game. Game managing in baseball is far easier than any other major sport because for the most part, players just go out there and do their job, and even when you make the wrong decision, it has a chance of working out. The majority of the population has a results-based mindset, so when the team wins, they think you’re obviously doing a good job.
Agreed. There are so many levers to pull. With that said, DOB notes that RHB are 1-29 against Pagan, so he definitely just played the lefty-righty thing when neither lever to pull was a good one.
The sub-Rosario-in-for-our-hottest-hitter routine is getting old. He can’t get off of our roster quickly enough. He’s played significant roles is creating two losses that could have easily been wins.
Actually, Snitker is backing away slightly from the “you gave me 26 guys, so by cracky I’ll be using all 26” approach. The entrance of Orlando Arcia into the Witness Protection program suggests. I’ll have a bit more to say about this on my Friday recap. I don’t want to use up all my material in comments.
So would we have felt better if Kelenic had the at bat instead of Eddie? On balance, I think Rob has it about right. There weren’t any great levers to pull. Can’t wait for Acuna to get back as I think that will mark the end Rosario’s current stay with the Braves. Though, who knows. They might talk themselves into letting Fairchild go instead.
I can’t imagine that they would keep Rosario over Fairchild, who at least has defensive and pinch running value.
Devers isn’t paid enough to play offense and defense…
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/45059014/rafael-devers-tells-red-sox-move-first-base
Iglesias is washed.
Matt Olson has a .406 slugging percentage.
Win, win, win.
Wow what a win
I think we need to keep Drake Baldwin.
Little annoyed by the Twitter birds comparing Baldwin and Murphy. “Baldwin’s great, Murphy sucks!” In what universe do you not want to have 2 great catchers, especially with the injury risk of the position?
With that said, I’d love to see if Baldwin could indeed play outfield. Verdugo seems to be coming down to earth so that’s going to get loud.
Happy to see Blewitt didn’t blow it. Two huge innings.
Aside from Game 2 in San Diego, the Braves have been one game under .500 twice this season and Rosario has at-bats in both of those games. Will the streak continue?
Alex Verdugo reminds me of Nick Markakis a bit as a player.
Good Iglesias write up here:
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/45054014/mlb-2025-relievers-closers-struggles-clase-williams-iglesias-pressly
Basically, his slider stinks this year. It feels like something that could improve as the season progresses, unless he’s dealing with some sort of injury that keeps him from torquing his elbow. I doubt that though, because he’s still throwing it 20% of the time. Strikeouts and walks are still good. Velocity is down, but not crazy amount.
Re: Drake in the outfield:
His bat is good enough that you have to try it.
Rosario DFA’d. Luke Williams is up.
Who says god doesn’t answer prayers?
Game thread posted