Second “Half”
Everyone enjoy their time off? I did. I’m up in the Berkshires, playing golf and thinking about things other than baseball. A side effect of my time is the Berkshires is that it’s Red Sox territory, so I’m not blacked out from Yankees games. The All Star Game divides the season into halves, but unequal ones. The second half is only about 46 percent of the season.
I can read standings as well as anyone, and there is no question that we are up against it. 52 teams in the 162 game era have gone 42-53. None of them have made the playoffs. The best record in the remaining games were 40-26, a mark put up by both the 2011 Dodgers and the 1973 Yankees. Would I be satisfied with 40-27? Maybe, if they went about it seriously. But as long as they’re playing ’em, I’m watching ’em…. at least until Yale football season.
The Game
It is very odd to follow up a four gane break with a bullpen game, but that’s what the Yankees chose to do. If this is taken as a subtle dig at the Braves offensive prowess, the first inning that saw the Braves score 3 off Ian Hamilton should suggest that was an improperly calculated risk. A three-run Ozzie Albies mammo in the third solifigied the opinion. Then it’s 7-0. This was a piece of strategy sufficiently odd that even Frenchy found it odd. When he agrees with me, I like to reassess my reasoning, but he’s right.
Strider wasn’t perfect, but he was perfect enough. He got a major assist from Acuña’s outfield assist to complete a double play at third base. If you weren’t watching it, here it is. Big props to Nacho’s decoy move on the play. Strider pitched 6 and gave up no runs. He was replaced by Aaron Bummer, whose métier is not not giving up runs. He gave up three (one Grybo’s by Lee) and suddenly Aaron Judge is facing Dylan Lee with a chance to pull the Yankees to within one. An adrenaline moment…. survived with a Judge K.
Self Awareness Award…
Goes to one Jeff Francoeur, who on noting that Michael Harris II has now gone 175 AB without a walk: “Now he’s surpassed me.”
7:15 again tomorrow. I’ll be back in NY, so I’m going to have a local watering hole.
Would Michael Harris have fared better in those 175 AB if he had simpy never swung the bat? Couldn’t be too much worse
Poll question of the day: how mad will you be if the Braves don’t sell at the deadline? Not bad, slightly mad, really mad?
Put me down for “really mad”. This is definitely the year to restock the farm system. Even if we turn around and trade the equivalent of what we get back in the offseason, we need to sell anything not nailed down.
I am kind of ambivalent about making trades at the deadline . Murphy is a good trade piece but I don’t think trading him now vs this offseason makes too much difference . Ozuna’s value is fading, I can’t see us getting much for Albies, and trading Harris would be the ultimate sell low proposition. I think we could get something for Iglesias but I don’t see it as making a lot of difference. Maybe I’m skeptical of the whole mid year sell off thing but I would at least like to see us put out a viable product. I’m probably wrong but my whole attitude is meh towards a sell off.
Not really mad. You have to get something projectable back, and there is a morale cost to selling. Filling out the bottom of the organization’s top 30 doesn’t excite me. But if you could get a future piece back for any of our expiring players and you pass it up, I will not understand.
Not too bad since I am not sure we’d get a good return for any of the guys potentially on the block. Basically agree with Td. And I know it’s just a delay to disappointment but I still have some hope – which, I know, is completely irrational due to the state of our starting pitching at this point. Well, Go Braves!
Here are my jaded thoughts on the meaningfulness of a lot of trade activity.
Minor help 30%
Major help 10%
Neutral 40%
Hurt 20%
I have no expectations for the team for the rest of the year. No getting angry or upset or anything, just a chill activity on nights when I need that.
Anything good that happens on the field or in the offices will make me happy.
I’ve been waiting nine years for this version of Joey Wentz! During those miserable years from 2015-2017, I followed the draft and Braves prospects more than I ever had before or since. I knew a lot more about Wentz in 2016 and 2017 than I know about any of the current Braves prospect pitchers. I had really high hopes for Wentz, which turned out to be totally unrealistic. TNSTAAPP, after all.
Wentz has clearly demonstrated over the last seven years that he doesn’t have what it takes to be a sold MLB pitcher. But still, it feels good to see him doing so well in a Braves uniform (in a very small sample size).
A little MH II ambush… he hung w/ that breaking ball… nice.
Still, something tells me we’re gonna need a lot more than that tonight.
EDIT: Yep, with Wentz out there, avoid or tip-toe thru the big bad righties in this lineup & go after the lefties. Chisholm’s splits this year are stark — good call, Snit.
Responding to Rob’s poll earlier in this thread, I don’t expect the Braves to do much at the deadline, and that won’t disappoint me much. Rob urged them to sell anything not nailed down. The problem is, very little is not tied down. The only expiring contracts that might have any value are Ozuna, Iglesias, Johnson, and Bummer (who has an option). And none of those has much value. Am I overlooking anyone?
This is not a team that should punt on the next couple of years. So they should keep valuable players under contract for next year and beyond. Sale has trade value, but he is essential for the chance to compete next year.
Albies would be a bargain for anyone if he was the hitter he was two years ago, but he’s lost almost all his trade value. Harris would be the quintessential sell low trade. May as well see if those two can figure some things out. If they don’t in the next couple of months, probably need to use resources to replace them.
EDIT–maybe Ozzie and Michael are starting to figure things out.
Ozzie again…
Well, our 2 biggest offensive disappointments have so far slammed the Yanks tonight. Wow.
Ozzie awesome. But that AB by Nacho right after that was so good. He was pitched very tough and got a couple of perfect pitcher’s pitches. He also took a couple just off the plate—great eye—and he was rewarded with a base hit.
I’m rooting for him but his first 45 PA were as bad as they come. I see the potential, and boy do we need to but on a middle infielder
ADDENDUM: second most miraculous walk in history after JC on water
Ladies & gentleman, we have a base on balls for MH II… (and after going 0-2)
EDIT: Goldschmidt with his head up his ass there. Thanks, Goldy.
Did y’all just hear Frenchy? In referring to Harris, he said that getting on base is the name of the game. In his playing days, Jeff famously said, “If on base percentage is so important, why don’t they put it on the scoreboard?”
More self awareness from Jeff. Frenchy did not acknowledge the earlier quote–but I’ll give him credit for growth in understanding.
And Michael just walked! First since mid-May! That’s a better sign than the homer in his last AB.
Major league baserunning from Nacho and Fredi. Also “Major League” baserunning.
Absolutely loving the Murphy/Baldwin DH/C combo right now.
Ozzie is not leaving runners on base in this series — 9 RBI this wknd.
He is completely killing the Yankees.
Running out some stalwarts from the pen. They’ll lock this one down
Ozzie and Harris homering in the same game? And Harris drew a walk too? What is this, bizarro world?
Another strikeout with a man on 3rd and less than two outs.
P.S. Gawdawful bullpen
Well…
Get Raisel gone. Even if you get nothing in return. Seen quite enough of him.
Recapped