Gil
Mechanicsville, VA
04 Sept 2019
It is finally September and the Braves go into the home stretch with a slim 5 1/2 game lead over the pesky and tenacious gNats. I will be the first to admit that after the pre-season flourish of acquisitions by the Phillies, Mets and Nationals, I had picked the Braves to finish the season in 2nd place in the division behind Philadelphia. The current standings should give everyone a good understanding of why I am not very good at picking winners and losers.
As it stands, the Braves continue to hold serve over the Nationals who apparently were recharged by Max Scherzer’s “black eye” game. Since that game the Nationals have been on a tear and have refused to lose. Still, the Braves have kept the Nats at arm’s length by winning at a nice clip too. Can the Braves continue to keep the Nations playing for a wild card spot and not the division crown? September will tell the tale. The two teams have 7 head to head games in September, four in Atlanta and three in DC. The Braves also have seven games left with the fading Phillies and three in New York with the Mets to end the season.
By trailing the first place Braves by 5-1/2 games, the burden is clearly on the Nationals. The Braves are in a position to run out the clock on the season but methinks los Bravos will not be content to simply play out the string. I believe they truly want to make a statement that they are the “Beast of the East” and all play-offs once again go through Atlanta. The Nationals, in addition to seven games left with the Braves have three with the Mets and four with Philadelphia. Both of those series are at home for the Nats but they also have to face the Twins, the Cardinals and the Indians. The Braves remaining foes include games against White Sox, the Royals and the Blue Jays.
While the games are not played on paper, the Braves do appear to have the easier path to the NL East title. As good as the Nationals are playing right now, they were horrible in April and May once again proving that while you cannot win a title at the beginning of the season, you can certainly lose one.
Billy Hamilton
Francisco Cervelli
Adeiny Hechavarria
Now a word about the addition of Adeiny Hechavarria, Francisco Cervelli and Billy Hamilton. All those bad thoughts I had about Alex Anthopoulos I here-by rescind. Three players who were discarded by their former teams were claimed of waivers by the Braves and it was as if AA was able to wave a magic wand which sparked new life into a tired team. All three have had a role in sparking victories over the Mets and the Blue Jays. The trades for three bullpen arms at the trading deadline has also borne fruit with Martin, Green and Mark Melancon all contributing to shoring up a sagging and spotty relief corps.
So as we head down the home stretch with only the Nationals in a position to challenge the good guys, I am not counting our chickens quite yet but I do like the Braves’ chances to defend the flag.
Braves & Stuff 
Thanks, Chief!
I feel that the team is having so much fun they are fueling themselves. The new people joining them are being greatly influenced by it, as well. Great fun to watch, for sure!
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Hey Godon, let’s plan for a get together in October, this should be a little closer to home for you.
https://www.richmond.com/food-drink/restaurant-news/new-opening-date-for-o-toole-s-restaurant-in-midlothian/article_5fe72806-ea2e-5dad-a3b2-56ab6337d309.html
Practically around the corner. Saw it yesterday in fact. WS with or without BRAVES, you bet.
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DOWN ON THE FARM
GWINNETT (0-1)
Play-off time.
LHSP TUCKER DAVIDSON is rocked pretty good right out of the gate allowing two earned in the top of the first.
A lead-off walk followed by a single had TUCK on the ropes early.
Batter number three blasts a frozen rope double to plate two.
The bender wasn’t working, and the COLUMBUS hitters were able to sit on the fastball.
A third scores on 3B JACK LOPEZ’ throwing error.
However, STRIPERS’ bats retaliate, and match COLUMBUS in the bottom half with three runs of their own.
2B ANDRES BLANCO is on via a walk.
AUSTIN RILEY follows with a wall-scraper plating two.
Next batter, ADAM DUVALL matches RILEY’s shot with a monster 400+ HR of his own with the bases empty.
A DREW WATERS single was the final base knock of the inning, but he was left stranded.
After that flurry of offensive prowess, things settle down until the third.
In the third, COLUMBUS again pounds DAVIDSON for two more tallies.
After 3.2 innings enter three successive G-Men relief arms that hurl three-hit shutout ball for 5.1 innings.
GWINNETT scores one more in the bottom of the sixth on successive singles by SEAN KAZMAR, JACK LOPEZ, and J.R. MURPHY.
At that point COLUMBUS relief entered the game, and shut down the STRIPERS offense for the balance of the game.
Ultimately, the good guys come up one run short of the mark.
2B ANDRES BLANCO, 0-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 0 SO.
RF AUSTIN RILEY, 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR [1], 2 RBI [2], 0 BB, 0 SO.
LF ADAM DUVALL, 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR [1], 1 RBI [1], 1 BB, 2 SO.
1B SEAN KAZMAR Jr. 1-4, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 SO.
3B JACK LOPEZ, 1-4, 0 BB, 0 SO.
CF DREW WATERS, 1-4, 0 BB, 2 SO.
C J.R. MURPHY, 1-2, 1 RBI [1], 2 BB, 0 SO.
LHSP TUCKER DAVIDSON [L 0-1] 3.2 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO, 84p/52s.
RHRP BEN ROWEN 2.1 IP, zeros, 1 BB, 0 SO, 29p/18s.
LHRP PHIL PFEIFER 2.0 IP, 1 H, zeros, 1 SO, 32p/19s.
LHRP GRANT DAYTON 1.0 IP, 2 H, zeros, 1 SO, 24p/16s.
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CL
Coming into your own in SE N.C. about now.
Stay safe, and use some of this to distract you momentarily.
Know you’re being thought of, and prayers for your safety and health are going up.
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Yep CL. Take care. Praying for you… as you know. Praying that Dorian pushes on out past 10 miles. Praying for the integrity of your trees and the safety of your home. Praying for you and Kelly. Praying you emerge with minimal impact.
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NOLAN KINGHAM is a legit prospect.
6-4, 210.
Good frame for a SP.
He throws a big sinker and there is some upside there with that frame.
He blew thru three levels this year depositing four complete games along the way.
Three were shutouts, all in A+.
Six starts in AA, one bad one.
Then rest were solid.
He saved the best for last.
Another complete game four-hitter with two runs allowed. 96p/66s.
AA line – 6 GS, 35.2 IP, 32 H, 15 R/ER, 5 HR, 10 BB, 25 SO.
Take out the one bad start – 5 GS, 32 IP, 24 H, 8 R/ER, 3 HR, 8 BB, 21 SO.
With six starts in MISSISSIPPI, there are too many small sample sizes to get all the advanced metrics necessary to get a really good picture of his future as a BRAVE.
This year’s results in ROME, FLORIDA, and MISSISSIPPI were certainly promising.
Next season should tell the tale about his true abilities.
I expect the BRAVES to start him back in AA then promote him to AAA fairly early in the season, if all goes well.
The caveat being the system’s needs next spring.
He certainly could be pushed along like HUASCAR YNOA as an example.
I personally am much higher on him off past results than TUCKER DAVIDSON or CONNER JOHNSTONE as a comparative.
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Nolan Kingham was a Round 12 pick in the 2017 draft after pitching for 3 seasons at the University of Texas… not a slouch program. So at age 23, he is older and has more secondary level innings than many of the Braves other pitching prospects.
The poop:
Kingham features a heavy sinking fastball that typically sits between 92-95mph, and can get up to 97 on occasion. But the sinking action is better when he doesn’t overthrow it. It can be a swing-and-miss pitch, but also generates alot of ground balls. He grades out at 60 (out of 80) on his fastball.
He also has a big breaking slider (that needs greater consistency). When it’s on it’s a plus pitch. At worst it’s “above average”. It’s a pitch that Kingham uses often, making him a classic big, righty sinker/slider pitcher. This pitch also grades at 60.
He does possesses a 3rd pitch in a changeup that he doesn’t use much, but often enough to keep batters from sitting on his fastball. It’s not as strong as his other pitches, grading at 50. If he can further develop this pitch he could certainly become a mid-rotation starter.
He also needs to continue to hone his control but what young minor league hurler doesn’t?
Bottom line is that he doesn’t have any specific plus-plus pitches, but he does have a variety of plus pitches. As a big righty with a solid pedigree and some notable improvement this year, he should rise into the team’s Top 30 going into 2020.
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Yes, but can he throw strikes… 🙂
Touki has great “stuff” but it is so great, no one in the stadium knows where it’s going. Same for A.J Minter.. Great if you can throw a 100 mph fastball but if it goes to the backstop every other pitch, you are not going to stick around long. Then again, the reason organizations look for kids that can throw that hard is because the allegedly can teach a player how to control the ball. Throwing 100 mph is a gift from God.
Darren O’Day will be used tonight at some point.
Barryhill to Alex… “Hey kid, looks to me like you are limping, did you catch that from McCann? Well, the good news is we are going to give you a couple of months to get over it. Just in time for the rule 5 draft.”
Alex… “Duh, okay coach, just don’t DFA me”
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Well. Poor ol’ AJax. From top prospect to IL fodder. Quite liberal use of the IL guidelines by the front office, but technically not against the rules.
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Watched Guasman pitch in relief for the Reds this afternoon. Still can’t throw the ball over the plate. Woof…
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NOLAN KINGHAM
Yes, he can throw strikes.
His economy of pitches allowed for the four complete games this season.
He is frugal with pitches in general.
That’s the first different thing i noticed about him.
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Hi, guys! Quick update: some areas here in my neck of northeastern New Hanover County have already had 9.94″ of rain and quite a few roads are underwater, including mine. Thankfully, my property sits a little higher than most of my neighbors, so, though there is standing water, it isn’t a problem for Kelly & me at this point. The storm itself isn’t even here yet.
Tornadoes have done quite a bit of damage all around the area, some photos posted on fb a short time ago. Nine confirmed tornadoes have touched down, leaving damage to homes, trees, etc behind.
Thankfully, Dorian is a fast-mover.
Thank you, my dear friends, for your prayers! There is nothing more powerful!
Will update later, if power and internet stay on. (That would surprise me! lol )
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You and Kelly are always in our thoughts CL..
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Eight game lead with 21 to go.
I predicted a split of this series.
Half-way home.
DAVE MARTINEZ had his post-game interview.
Deer in the headlights, watery eyes.
He knows what this means.
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I predicted a split of this series.
I’ll be perfectly happy with that. No ground gained by the enemy and 4 days removed from the calendar. Works for me.
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What a masterfully pitched game by Fried. Seven strong innings by the young lefty with only one infield hit given up. Melancon gave me a bit of a scare in the ninth however.
In other former Braves news, Kolby Allard won his third game in a row at Texas…
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Wilmington getting hammered, pray for Margie and Kelly. At least they are not right on the ocean and not in a trailer…
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Have to go thru WordPress so I can’t respond with a Like so I’ll just echo GIL’s prayer.
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DOWN ON THE FARM
GWINNETT (0-2)
STRIPERS’ pitching hammered, and the G-Men are drubbed this time 7-3.
Who’s this guy ANDERSON?
RHSP IAN ANDERSON [L 0-1] 5.1 IP, 6 H, 1 HR, 5 R/ER, 3 BB, 4 SO, 96p/56s.
LHRP TYLER MATZEK, 1.2 IP, clean, 2 SO, 19p/14s.
LHRP CALEB THEILBAR, 1.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R/ER, 0 BB, 2 SO, 26p/18s.
RHRP JOSE DePAULA, 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 HR, 1 R/ER, 0 BB, strikes out the side………almost.
Lead-off DH RYAN LaMARRE [.111 BA/.644 OPS] 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR [1], 1 RBI [1], 1 BB, 1 SO.
RF AUSTIN RILEY [.250 BA/.875 OPS] 1-4, 0 BB, 0 SO.
2B ANDRES BLANCO [.125 BA/.472 OPS] 1-4, 1 2B [1], 0 BB, 0 SO.
SS JACK LOPEZ [.375 BA/.875 OPS] 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B [1], 0 BB, 0 SO.
CF CRISTIAN PACHE [.250 BA/.500 OPS] 1-4, 1 RBI [1], 0 BB, 2 SO.
LF DREW WATERS [.250 BA/.625 OPS] 1-4, 1R, 1 2B [1], 0 BB, 2 SO.
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Last report I heard said Dorian was leaving the Wilmington area, and that weather conditions there should improve fairly soon.
UPDATE: From the AP about 10 minutes ago…
Still, the damage was far less than feared in many parts of the Carolinas, including historic Charleston, South Carolina, which is prone to flooding even from ordinary storms, and Wilmington, North Carolina, the state’s biggest coastal city.
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I read speculation yesterday they’d bring him up today to face Corbin.
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I will guess the lineup…
RAJ, CF (R)
Ozzie, 2B (S)
Freddie, 1B (L)
Bringer, 3B (R)
Riley, RF (R)
Duvall, LF (R)
Flow, C (R)
Dans, SS (R)
Keuchel, LHP
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I don’t know if I would want to put a kid who had never played in the outfield before this season in right field with that tricky wall. Of course Snit failed to call me about my line up recommendations so there is that…
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Perhaps, but I’ll take his RH bat in the lineup and consider it a fair tradeoff. Plus, Riley played a better LF than I expected. He’s a pretty good athlete that seems to be able to adapt fairly well. That said, I would think Duvall would be a better RF candidate than Riles.
I suppose we’ll see when the lineups are posted. Always fun to speculate.
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Watching MLB this morning (in the background) and D-Ro saying last night’s game was a dagger thru the heart of the gNats. By putting them 8 back, they might as well face facts and set themselves up for the wild card because unless the Braves go into a total tail spin (which isn’t happening) they are to far behind the Braves to catch them.
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And we did it against Strasburg, too. Remember, they shuffled their rotation so that he’d get game 1 of this series.
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https://twitter.com/GenJerryBlevins/status/1169797311481954304
😀
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You realize these post have JJS’ fingerprints all over them. Much more entertaining than his current mantra.
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“Dry, witty – he’s super-funny,” Jackson said. “He’s like a health guru now, too, reads about a thousand books a day. He’s just … he’s out there. He’s taught me how to sleep. I’m like a nocturnal animal, and he gave me everything under the sun (on how to sleep better). He’s a very intelligent human being.”
But the humor specifically? Jackson smiled, paused, then continued, with a look that said he didn’t know if he should.
“He’s got a bunch of rules in the bullpen,” Jackson said. “They’re a little out there, funny, but I don’t know how much I can talk about …”
One or two you can share?
“Hmm. Well, if someone farts in the bullpen, you have to respect it,” Jackson said, citing an O’Day rule of bullpen etiquette. “No matter what. No running away. You’ve got to stay there and enjoy it. So that’s kind of an interesting one. And he’s the only guy that farts non-stop, 24/7, so it plays into his favor really well. … From the Athletic 9/6/19
Luke Jackson opine on sidearmer Darren O’Day. I did not realize O’Day had been in the bullpen for nearly every home game this season. Helps me understand Nick’s attending home games during his IL stint.
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I know the 40-40 club is rarified air and RONALD ACUNA Jr. has a legitimate shot at it, but isn’t the 35-35 club pretty exclusive too?
Last night he went above and beyond with another home run [37] and with that stolen base he’s closing in on 35 [34].
That’s pretty good too if you ask me.
‘Course no one has…….so there’s that.
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Stuff:
Things to appreciate:
Friends. Blue skies. Electricity. Air conditioning. A big ‘ol piece of perfect fried chicken to munch upon while catching up on news. A delicious nap. Did I mention friends? God’s blessings, grace, and mercy.
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Glad to see your smiling face again CL…
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Glad to see things are good CL.
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BRAVES really blew a chance to put this one away in the sixth.
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A CS and two pick-offs at 2B that’s a lot of runs that didn’t.
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STRIPERS have a solid 10-6 lead in the ninth, but PAT WEIGEL can’t throw a strike leading off the bottom half, and he puts the “W” in jeopardy.
O.K. force out, one on, one out.
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Groundout…….two away, one on 2B.
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Whew! Frozen rope caught in CF. Three out, STRIPERS take a must win 10-6.
Now trail the CLIPPERS 2-1 in the best of seven series.
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PACHE has a grand salami, and 1 SF for five RBI total.
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RH starter KYLE WRIGHT, and LH’d relief arm GRANT DAYTON are cuffed around for nine hits, a couple of yard-shots and six runs, five earned.
RHRP PATRICK WEIGEL comes on for 2.1 IP and shuts the door though a bit shaky late.
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C J.R. MURPHY goes yard with two on.
1B SEAN KAZMAR jr, and LF RYAN LaMARRE have a pair of doubles between them.
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The DC nine are poetically 9 back of the Braves as Los Bravos try to chase down the Dodgers for home field advantage. Wouldn’t that be something? Of course the Dodgers are not going into the night quietly. The Mutts are intent on chasing down the Nats but so many teams are right there for that 2nd wild card spot.
I guess I should mention that while DK was not uninhabitable, he was tough in the clutch. The gNats must have felt very frustrated with all the chances they had and failed to score.
Zimmermann made a game of it but Green was up to the task in holding off the Nationals in the ninth for the save. Yipee…
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I am surprised that Snit did not call upon O’Day in the seventh inning. I fear he is falling into the Bobby Cox trap of using the same guys every night until their arms fall off.
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Maybe tomorrow. Julio takes the bump against a bullpen squad. It would be good to take the game and not have to worry about Mad Max on Sunday but honestly, the Braves have already accomplished exactly what they needed to.
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A split of the next two would be nice too.
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well…stuff…not even big stuff, has kept me from getting on the ol’ blog…knew I would have to read a bunch to get caught up 😉
CL as I said on FB as well, so glad things are better than was expected at the old homestead! God is indeed good 🙂
now baseball…it is weird to watch a team win basically, every night (it is something like 12 in a row at home right?)
bad baserunning seems more irksome than it would otherwise…and yet the team still won!
teams that have seemed to have been on a role just before hitting town, all of the sudden aren’t , once they face the braves. Sorta like when we went out to L.A. several months ago…I really hope that they aren’t peaking early (another fear of a fan of a team on the way to 100 wins) but really hope, as nice as home field advantage is, that guys like Ozzie, FF and especially JD will get some rest. Just looked it up, his last day off? May 22nd. I know , I know, he’s hot…well, even young FF was flat as all get out come playoff time. 1 day off last week of the season doesn’t cut it…
on the topic of JD, I really think we need to sign him for 2 years, club option on the 3rd…unless his salary demands are crazy high (what is crazy high these days?) I don’t see how he or the club could ask for less than the 23 mil he got as a big ol’ question mark this year. 2 years 50 mil, would that get it done?
Cristian Pache is 20 and had 12 HR’s this year (ok 1 in playoffs) Drew Waters, also 20 as of today, 7 HR’s . I mean, either in RF or CF next year, and they might not hit more HR’s than Nick M has….so, if you don’ sign JD for next year or beyond, and you re-up Nick M for another year…Riley goes to 3rd, and and you bring a kid up….then no power from the outfield…I know, power comes last, and all that….but you lose JD’s 30 + as well as less power in the outfield….I know, more of an off season discussion….
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It is the mantra of a Braves fan to worry over things which they have no control.
In the immortal words of Scarlet O’Hara, “fiddly dee, I’ll worry about it tomorrow”
In the meantime, I will let those who get paid to worry do so, especially those in the gNats’ camp.. Do you think they were worried about missing the play-offs altogether prior to coming south to the ATL? They should be, the D’backs are hard on their trail, I’ll venture no one saw that coming after they traded Grimke.
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Watching Julio pitch like an ACE tonight. 55 pitches after 4 innings, one hit…
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OMG, a DARREN O’DAY sighting.
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And the BRAVES need to get out the broom tomorrow and clean up the dead gNATS littering the front porch.
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Is it me, or has our magic number shrunk to single digits?
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Close Gordon, it is 11 at this point but the Braves are now only 2 1/2 games behind the Dodgers for best over all record. Who would have thunk it?
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Oh well, today’s game ended up being in the loss column for the Braves but the series was a far better outcome than was expected by many, especially the gNats. So, who now has the best won/loss record since May 24th? Oh yeah… us… 🙂
So, it’s on to Philly for a four game set where the Braves can put the Phanatic out of his misery. Not saying the Brave will sweep but even a series split would do the trick. Then it’s a train ride from the City of Brotherly Love to the swamp for three. Then a day off for the A team.
Washington meanwhile will be in the Braves rear view mirror as the curly Ws will be flying to the twin cities to take on the leaders of the AL Central, Twinkies.
I think the gNats have to realistically face the fact that the Braves are now out of reach and they best concentrate on maintaining their slim lead on the number one wild card.
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Now, about the wild card… What in the world has happened to the Cubs? The surprising d’Backs are only 1-1/2 games back of the Cubbies and Milwaukee and Philadelphia are 2 games back for the final spot. I think everyone else can hang it up for this season.
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The Braves made a trade!!
Well, they sent Gwinnett OF Ryan LaMarre to the Twins for cash yesterday after the Stripers lost game 4 of their opening round Governor’s Cup series, losing said series 1 game to 3 and ending their season.
Speaking of the minor leagues… congratulations to AA OF Trey Harris on being named the organization’s 2019 Minor League Player of the Year to go along with uber-prospect Ian Anderson being named 2019 Minor League Pitcher of the Year.
Hmmm… now that the Gwinnett season is over, I wonder if Ian Anderson would come up and audition for the playoff bullpen? At worst, I wonder if he’ll go down to North Point and stay stretched out for the rest of September? Same for Bryse Wilson? That’s more likely. Plus, Ender and Nick will need some good arms throwing to them down there as they prepare to make it back for October.
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I am glad to see LaMarre get an opportunity to play in the bigs again, maybe he will hit a game winning homerun against the Nats this week.
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So, it appears that a post season match up between the Braves and the Cardinals is much more likely than the Cubbies after the Cubs were swept by Milwaukee. The Braves need to put a dagger in the Phillies hopes this week but other than preventing wins, they have little control at this point in the wild card race.
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Bowman has made his early playoff roster prediction, as is shown below:
Catchers (2): Brian McCann, Tyler Flowers
Not 3 catchers as we have speculated, and as was a favorite recipe of Bobby’s. But that strategy works best if they top 2 are potent PH candidates. We have better options elsewhere, so I agree with this part.
Infielders (6): Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies, Dansby Swanson, Josh Donaldson, Johan Camargo, Charlie Culberson
This one is a little more interesting. He has picked Johan over Adeiny Hechavarria. Has Johan done enough since he’s been back from his exile? I’m not sure. I think the other 5 are easy picks.
Outfielders (6): Ronald Acuña Jr., Nick Markakis, Austin Riley, Matt Joyce, Billy Hamilton, Adam Duvall
Notice first that Ender is missing from the group. And I think that’s right. His defense plays up more in the regular season. In the postseason you must bring the thunder. Period. I think that the OF will be RAJ in CF, Nick in RF, and Riley/Joyce in LF. Joyce’s recent hot streak edges Ortega for the primary LH bat on the bench. BHam is just there to run. That’s about it. Adam Duvall? Hmmm… that’s a tough one to get on board with. He’s essentially whom you have chosen over carrying a 3rd catcher. He’s just 5 for 25 since coming back up. IMO, I’d take Francisco Cervelli instead. Franco has far outperformed Duvey at the plate since he arrived.
Rotation (4): Mike Soroka, Dallas Keuchel, Max Fried, Julio Teheran
Easy call here. Not in that order, of course. Keuchy has to start game 1.
Bullpen (7): Mark Melancon, Shane Greene, Chris Martin, Sean Newcomb, Luke Jackson, Jerry Blevins, Mike Foltynewicz
Melancon, Greene, Martin, and Folty are easy. Newk too. Jackson has such nasty stuff.. maybe too nasty. He can get you that swing-and-miss quicker than just about any of these guys, but he can also walk the first hitter just as quick. Still, I do think he’s in. Blevins? He’s been surprisingly good lately, especially against LH’ers. That’s why he’ll make the squad. Notable absences: Josh Tomlin, who helped keep the bullpen from coming apart in midseason, and Anthony Swarzak who was the most dependable reliever before the ASB. But after the ASB, he was the same guy that was sent away from SEA for a pittance. If the suits opt for an 8th reliever over 6 OF, I think Tomlin is back in.
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More Bow, this from Saturday:
Nick Markakis could be activated within the next week, and Ender Inciarte remains hopeful he’ll return before the end of the regular season.
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I just realized I contradicted myself when I agreed with just 2 catchers in favor of a better PH, then advocated Cervelli over Duvey for the RH bat on the bench. It was a function of tunnel-vision and blind logic. Upon further review, Cervelli is my preferred RH bat off the bench, who just happens to also be a 3rd catcher. Win/win.
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Is a 9 game lead with 18 games to play a lot?
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Dates to look forward to:
Oct. 1 – NL Wild Card game
Oct. 2 – AL Wild Card game
Oct. 3 – Game 1 of each NLDS
Oct. 4 – Game 1 of each ALDS
Oct. 11 – Game 1 of NLCS
Oct. 12 – Game 1 of ALCS
Oct. 22. – Game 1 of World Series
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DOWN ON THE FARM
GWINNETT (1-3) ** Cumulative numbers for the series only.
DURHAM wins the GOVERNOR’s CUP five games series.
This one would have been a sweep for the BULLS except for CRISTIAN PACHE’s bat.
Our future in center came alive when it counted with five RBI’s, a SF and a bases-loaded jack in game three.
This effort extended the series going forward.
Despite PACHE’s three-for-four exhibition in the fourth and final game, the STRIPERS’ season came to an end.
The offense generated 10 hits and four runs.
The pitching wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t exemplary in this game, the one that counted the most.
The defense allowed five runs, all earned.
One too many as it turned out.
G-Men fall in the finale 5-4.
**Lead-off LF DREW WATERS [.188 BA/.528 OPS] 0-4, 1 BB, 1 SO, 1 SB [1].
We could have certainly used another big bat to complement PACHE, but alas and alack, no such luck.
RF RYAN LaMARRE [.118 BA/.603 OPS] 0-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 SO.
CF CRISTIAN PACHE [.417 BA/1.218 OPS] 3-4, 2 2B, [2], 1 RBI [7], 0 BB, 0 SO.
SS JACK LOPEZ [.294 BA/.862 OPS] 1-5, 1 R, 1 HR [1], 2 RBI [2], 0 BB, 2 SO.
3B PEDRO FLORIMON [.278 BA/.722 OPS] 2-5, 1 R, 0 BB, 3 SO.
DH ANDRES BLANCO [.294 BA/.721 OPS] 2-5, 0 BB, 2 SO.
C J.R. MURPHY [.333 BA/1.267 OPS] 0-2, 2 BB, 1 SO.
1B SEAN KAZMAR Jr. [.267 BA/.722 OPS] 2-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 0 SO.
2B LUIS MARTE [.000 BA/.000 OPS] 0-4, 0 BB, 2 SO.
RHSP BRYSE WILSON [4.50 ERA – 3.42 ERA/1.21 WHIP] 6.0 IP, 10 H, 1 HR, 3 R/ER, 0 BB, 6 SO, 99p/69s.
LHRP TYLER MATZEK [2.70 ERA – 9.00 ERA/1.50 WHIP] 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R/ER, 0 BB, 2 SO, 32p/21s.
This proved to be the one decent relief arm in the series.
Unfortunately, not in this game.
RHRP JASON CREASY [BS 1, L 0-1, INFINITY– 5.59 ERA/1.30 WHIP] 0.0 IP, 1H, 1 R/ER, 2 BB, 0 SO, 18p/9s
JASON CREASY is no longer a YANKEE for a reason.
LHRP CALEB THIELBAR [6.75 ERA – 0.00 ERA/0.50 WHIP] 0.1 IP, zeros, 1 SO, 5p/3s.
BRYSE WILSON’s, TUCKER DAVIDSON’s and KYLE WRIGHT’s collective efforts were satisfactory, I suppose.
They weren’t terrible, but they had to be close to perfection for the series win due to the relief arm’s struggles.
This was for all the marbles, and the games were competitive for the most part.
PACHE’s bat won the lone GWINNETT victory, and that was a standout.
There were other steady offense contributors as can be see by their line scores.
Just not quite enough in the spots necessary to overcome stellar play by the BULLS.
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Gordon, as Atlanta often does, they called up most of the big bats and striped the Triple A team of the best players. Okay, I get it, that is what they are in the minors for, to get ready for the show. I had my heart broken as a child far too often when the Yankees would gut the Richmond team but that is what they are there for. So I can honestly say I saw the last time the Atlanta’s Triple A squad won the Governor’s Cup.
Just a note: Snitker was the manager of that team too.
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So, about last night…. Whoopee… The Braves opened with a homerun by Acuna who had been MIA for the past 3 weeks. Ozzie and Freddie added to the fun too. The amazing thing was it Phillie had their best pitcher on the mound last night.
Folty was outstanding. He really pitched a great game. No sulking no tantrums, just great baseball. I think Brian really helped him settle down and settle in. A great veteran catcher can do that. I would like to see BMac paired with him the rest of his starts.
I should also mention that RAJ made a great catch in center field too.
That and the Rain Man driving a spike thru the Phitens heart with a three run opo taco blast in the 7th.
I would not have thought it possible or likely a month ago but this team has a real shot at 100 wins this season.
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And to think I only picked then for 96 wins before the season started.
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Just went back to chop house prediction – 95 wins sorry.
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A few changes in the line up for the Braves tonight against lefty Jason Vargas. Batting 5th playing right field Johan Camargo, batting 7th and catching will be Francisco Cervelli and playing left field and batting 8th will be Austin Riley. Max Fried will be pitching trying to duplicate the outstanding outing he had against the gNats.
So, the line up is loaded with right handed bats plus Frdie who doesn’t care which arm the pitcher uses as he hits lefties and righties with equal aplomb. (blog first) ??? 🙂
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maybe……..certainly apropos
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Definitely a blog first! 😀
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Wow, 2 first… Now, if the braves can just score some runs to get Fried out of a hole.
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more than you ever wanted to read on Ted Simmons… man, this guy must be obsessed with him….can’t imagine what it would be like to be so mad that Simmons wasn’t in the HOF 😛
I keed, I keed…he’s not mad 😉
https://www.cooperstowncred.com/will-ted-simmons-ever-make-hall-fame/
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OMG… This is so me….
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hummmm… Word Press no longer allows pasting?
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It’s there.
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Even with a loss yesterday, it was a good day for the Braves as the Nats also lost, lowering the Magic Number to 9 and knocking another day off the calendar.
It was not a very good day for the Pirates as they lost a reliever to a season ending hand injury after a fist fight with another reliever in the clubhouse. That is why clubhouse chemistry is important even if it can’t be quantified on an Excel spreadsheet.
It was also a bad day for the Brewers after team stud Christian Yelich suffered a fractured right kneecap when he fouled a ball off his knee in the 1st inning of their game last night vs. the Fish. Ouch.
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Surprised it wasn’t a purpose pitch issued by one of any number of MIAMI pitchers under orders from manager? DON MATTINGLY.
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Gettin’ down to a precious few now.
Today and four in ATLANTA against the Filthies.
Three in ATLANTA against the gNATS.
Three in N.Y. against the melts
Three against the GIANTS in ATLANTA
Two on the road in K.C.
16 total
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Max just did not have it last night, it happens to pitchers young and old. Sometimes the hitters just have your number. So, in the meantime, congratulations to the Doggies and their 7 straight NL West title.
The gNats lose, the Mutts win and the Brewers may well have seen their wild card hope get knee capped. Shades of Nancy Korrigan… Sadly. I’ll bet Christian’s knee is the size of a basketball this morning.
Dallas takes the hill tonight. Let’s hope he has it going tonight.
I am both excited and saddened by the approaching end of the 2019 season. Who knew 162 games could fly by so fast?
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https://twitter.com/GenJerryBlevins/status/1171787339653427201
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V, I am not seeing some of your posts, well any….if they have images…perhaps a temporary issue?
I know some folks think Don Mattingly ordered Acuna hit, but I did see that starter has a very tailing fastball…still, Donny baseball might have…just not sure…why do I mention this?
Clint Hurdle, manger of the Pirates. Now there is a knucklehead I really dislike these days…his pitchers hit simply an insane number of Reds players ( I forget how many times Derek Dietrich has been hit this year) and basically forced the reds to fight them earlier this year….as V mentioned, 2 pirates pitchers got into a fight, and one of them was not reliever Keone Kela, who admitted to being a head hunter, and has been suspended at least once by the Pirates this year…but, the Pirates are not the late 70s Yankees winning W.S. , but a team about 20 games below .500. Any smart Gm would fire his arse yesterday….but, the Pirates don’t have a smart GM, gave up 2 excellent, “cheap” young players for a 30+ Chris Archer . And before that smart trade, the GM traded away a young, super hard throwing (but durable) starter, Gerrit Cole, perhaps one of the top 3-4 starters in baseball, for 4 young controllable (CHEAP!) thoroughly mediocre players…
so, no doubt, Clint Hurdle’s job is safe….
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Yes, I have the problem with invisible post…. Something new…
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I can see all the posts, pics and links on both my desktop (yes, I still use a desktop for work) and my phone. Maybe something in your settings?
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Weird… I use ad block but I have it disabled for word press. (just now).. Maybe it is in Java?
Oh well, Dallas pitched like an Ace last night, Green was immaculate and Melansen was just good enough after getting the heck squeezed out of him.
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DUH! Make that Chris Martin who had the immaculate inning last night… Hey, they all look alike to me… 🙂
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Well, re installing JAVA returned the videos to Twitter but still not seeing anything on Word Press… Oh well…
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In 2019, the BRAVES traded with the ORIOLES.
1 – We got BRAD BRACH released off-season 2018.
They got International slot money
2 – We got KEVIN GAUSMAN released 2019, and DARREN O’DAY one inning appearance in ATLANTA 2019.
They got LHSP BRUCE ZIMMERMANN [AAA], RHRP EVAN PHILLIPS [ML], C BRETT CUMBERLAND [AA], 3B JEAN CARLOS ENCARNACION [A], and International slot money.
Despite GAUSMAN’s 2018, we got took……..
That’s two trades that I’d like to do over.
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Pretty evident Snit does not trust O’Day.
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Oh, and I take back all the bad thoughts I had about Tyler Flowers last night, it was his 3 run homer what won the game. Too bad about Johan, he will be out a few days with that nasty bone bruise. Will have to use a longer shin guard.
It was nice to see Austin get a knock last night, now, about that guy Harper who keeps making perfect throws to nail Braves base runners.
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So, I shell out hard earned cash to be able to watch my favorite baseball team play and for my trouble, the poers that be yield to the national audience cede a nation wide telecast to Fox Sports. Translation, local Fox affiliate will be broadcasting the match up of the year Dodgers vs Orioles which is really, really important to the races this season. BOOOOOO!!!!
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Hey CL, you might be able to view the Braves game tonight on your local Fox network. Mine is showing the Dodgers vs Orioles.
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You might each be able to view it on the Fox Sports Go app if you have a traditional cable or dish carrier.
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BOOOOOOOO! Raspberry’s and spit!
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But I get to see the next three with the sound turned off of course.
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I wish that you could count on the game being on, oh gosh I don’t know ONE ____ station!!! trying to find the game wears me out….now…is Thurs night baseball something new? just September?
John Smoltz is on the broadcast which is always a good thing….he talks a lot, but it’s smart stuff 😉
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He’s certainly NOT a fan of the “modern” game…
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ACUNA HR Count 38
Stolen Base count 36
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Oops, HR count 39
Stolen base count 36
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He wants to establish a ‘roid free 50-50 club. Fourteen more games to do it.
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Braves’ magic number:
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I guess if there was a game I could not see, last night’s contest was a goo one to miss. Bad Julio? Both he and Fried suffered the same fate. The common denominator? Tough one, Phillies like even number days? The wild card race is one I am glad the Braves are not in the mix for.
I wish I could like Bob Carpenter, the gNats play by play guy, he seems nice enough, it is just for some reason he grates on me. Fair enough, I know I can have the same effect on folks…
Something I always try to keep in mind, you have to remember, God can make you the sweetest, juiciest plum ever created but some people just don’t like plums…. Hummm, now that I think about that, I’ll bet they don’t like prunes either but at least prunes can irritate the s**t out of people…. 🙂
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Good for the bowels however.
I have one every day.
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About Swarzak… Maybe he needs a 60 day vacation too…. He is not endearing himself to Braves fans any longer is he?
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… and hasn’t for a while. He will not play in October. That’s a given.
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There was some dust-up involving females and racial superiority last week that SWARZAK was connected to in some way.
Maybe he wants out of ATLANTA?
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??
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Never really understood what that was.
I think it involved his wife and a players wife from another team, maybe the one he came from.
Somehow white nationalism may have been involved.
I really didn’t understand the full import, and dismissed the article in my mind, but something is affecting his performance for sure.
This definitely is not the SWARZAK we traded for.
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google up “swarzak wife” and the confusing social media conversation between SWARZAK’s wife and TIM ANDERSON’s wife comes up . Sounds like much ado about nothing, but if ATLANTA’s management got involved in the GM’s or manager’s office, maybe it has affected his job.
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Convo going on regarding MARKAKIS’ return, and potential inclusion into the starting line-up.
Early on this season, I was all for ditching NICK.
From all I’ve heard, he is not effective when used in a platoon, or off the bench.
He’s aging, and his production has eroded since he became a BRAVE.
He’s a consummate professional however.
What i saw from his offense prior to July 21 opened my eyes.
His production in the five-hole was essential to the BRAVES’ offensive prowess earlier in the season.
It may have been singles, and timely hits, rather than as a power bat, but very important to overall team success.
With our pitching resurrected, the hitting should improve with KAKES in the line-up off earlier results.
If he’s full recovered and ready to go that is.
Time to find out before the playoffs begin.
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His production in the five-hole was essential to the BRAVES’ offensive prowess earlier in the season.
It may have been singles, and timely hits, rather than as a power bat, but very important to overall team success.
Yup.
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Was mentioned earlier this week. Have been expecting it. Should be a big boost to the lineup. How much more potent might JDon’s bat be with the added stability behind him in the order again?
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I can see LF becoming a platoon with Joyce/Riley.
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Wow. Fractured right shin. Horrible timing. He was coming around after his brief stint in the minors, too. Hechy better stay sharp.
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Look for Wright and Wilson to help give Soroka and Fried a break here and there down the stretch. Especially if Soroka has another outing tonight like he had in his last one. Leaving fat pitches up in the zone to become dingers is a classic sign of fatigue.
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Is it too much to ask for the Braves to take 2 of 3 in DC? That would be the final crushing blow to the Nats’ psyche, I would think. I believe the enemy has already taken a realistic look at the division and are more focused on the Wild Card, but you know there is some faint hope that a sweep at home might springboard them to a magical last 2 weeks. Here’s hoping our beloved Braves can board the plane for home Sunday saying “We just stepped on their face with a hobnail boot and broke their nose.” (Homage to the late great Larry Munson.)
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From Monday to Friday, alot of things can happen. In this instance, I’m ready to make my first revision to my initial post-season roster prediction:
Catchers (3): Brian McCann, Tyler Flowers, Francisco Cervelli
Extra RH bat in this category gives depth behind the plate, but also for reasons I will expound on down the page a bit…
Infielders (6): Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies, Dansby Swanson, Josh Donaldson,
Johan CamargoAdeiny Hechavarría, Charlie CulbersonCan’t overcome a broken tibia in 2 weeks. Hechy catches a break. Literally.
Outfielders (5): Ronald Acuña Jr., Nick Markakis,
Austin Riley, Matt Joyce, Billy Hamilton, Adam DuvallRiley seems lost at the plate lately. Is he still a threat to jack one in any given AB? Sure. But he’s chasing alot more than he’s connecting. Can’t afford that in the playoffs. His time will come, but not in 2019. Joyce and Duvall could platoon in LF.
Rotation (4): Mike Soroka, Dallas Keuchel,
Max FriedMike Foltynewicz, Julio TeheranFolty has found his groove, and it’s a really good one. Cannot argue the results. Plus, with all the salad tossers in the rotation, it’s good to have one flame thrower. Julio could get bumped in my next update, but for now he’s still in.
Bullpen (7): Mark Melancon, Shane Greene, Chris Martin, Sean Newcomb, Luke Jackson, Jerry Blevins,
Mike FoltynewiczMax FriedThis was a struggle for me. Fried has been soooo very good as a starter. But as good as he’s been in the rotation, he could be a even better out of the pen. He could be our 2019 version of the 2016 ALCS MVP Andrew Miller, who was absolutely crucial to the Indians’ deep run to game 7 of the 2016 World Series.
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Caveat… in a 5 game series, which the NLDS is, Snit could go with a 3 man rotation. Alot of that will be determined by the outcomes of games 1-3, but with 2 off days embedded in the 5 game series, it’s actually more likely that there will only be 3 starters. Could Julio give way to an experienced reliever? Is this how Josh Tomlin finds his way back to the playoff roster? The good news here is that we are talking about which deserving pitcher will be left off, not how to find a serviceable arm to be on.
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Interesting! Nick gets the start in LF, not RF. And I think that’s absolutely the right call. I’m just a little surprised Snit actually did it.
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I thought you knew Nick was going to be moved to left field, that has been a given all week.
A stress fracture to the right tibia… That is indeed a tough break for Camargo, he was poised to make a big impact.
Looks like DuVall and Joyce will platoon in right with Acuna in center until Bobby H takes over and Acuna moves to right for defense.
I think substitutions ( alterations) can be made to the line ups after each series. Also can make a sub for an injury but that is limited. Not a day to day thing.
You speak of two out of three in DC, Well, even one game would do the trick methinks. I cannot believe this Braves team will choke, just a different team from so many in the past. I’ll bet Markakis gets a big knock tonight. It has been the MO of this season’s Braves team. A guy comes back and has an immediate impact.
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Even subs for injury must come at series end. That’s why depth is so important. It’s also why alot of managers will carry 3 catchers.
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V, don’t see anything in your 5:26 PM post….
Riley seems lost at the plate lately. Is he still a threat to jack one in any given AB? Sure. But he’s chasing alot more than he’s connecting. Can’t afford that in the playoffs. His time will come, but not in 2019. Joyce and Duvall could platoon in LF.
another thing in Duvall’s favor is he’s really good defensively…
ok, I’ll bite, why is Nick M moving to left? Has he ever played much there? Just seems like a bad move to put a vet in a position he isn’t used to playing
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Simple answer is that the throws from LF are easier than from RF. And with the break in his wrist having been on his throwing hand, it’s just prudent to give him the easier field.
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Magic number:
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Awaiting word on Freddie’s elbow…
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That was fun! Got to see a whole Braves game.
I loved watching Matt Diaz when he played. He does not have a broadcast voice. My ears feel as if they’ve been used as a cat’s scratching post. Silence is golden!
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Magic number is six.
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That was both surprising and fun last night. A bit of a reversal of fortunes between Max Schurzer and Somoka. And didn’t Nick have a stellar game? One amazing catch short of being a human highlight reel.
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Yesterday’s convo re: NICK:
“His production in the five-hole was essential to the BRAVES’ offensive prowess earlier in the season.
It may have been singles, and timely hits, rather than as a power bat, but very important to overall team success.”
Last night:
2-4, 1 R, 1 2B [23], 1 RBI [56], 0 BB, 0 SO.
Welcome back NICK. Nice to have your glue in the middle of the line-up again.
With KAKES back, let’s get ACUNA into the 40-40 club so he’ll quit pressing, SWANSON going in high gear offensively, and hope DUVALL can be an early season RILEY.
With the pitching now fixed, we can have an offensive line-up rivaling anyone in baseball.
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Yes Gordon, Nick’s prowess on the baseball field was a bit of a revelation. He had it going in all phases of the game. He was playing gold glove defense in left field and he just missed hitting a grand slam but did manage a sac fly. The cooler temps last night did suppress the flight of several hard hit fly balls.
I have to say, the home plate umpire had a curious strike zone. Very inconsistent…
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A PYRRHIC victory winning 10-1 and losing CHARLIE CULBERSON for the season.
HECHAVARRIA instead of CULBERSON, not good.
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PYRRHIC fir sure a blog first… but an apt assessment. Charlie Clutch getting hit actually brought tear to my eyes… I know, it is un manly but I have not been manly for years. I get teary eyed watching Hallmark movies with the wife… but, back to baseball.
I honestly thought Brian Snitker was going to have a stroke. His face was beet red and the veins were popping up on his forehead and his neck. For a minute their I thought he was going to slug the umpire for a terrible call, I think it was a bit of deferred anger.
So, with only two weeks to go, both of the Braves primary bench players have gone down. Of course the team will rally like they did after Charlie went down. Yes, even thru the TV you could sense a change had come over the team. They had a determination I had not seen for a while.
Now, let’s go for the sweep. Time to swat the gNats for good.
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Equal to the BRAVES resolve was the gNATS flat tire.
I can’t blame them.
I would have been totally dispirited if that had happened on my watch.
Any word today on Clutch’s condition?
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Multiple facial fractures, flying back to Atlanta today with a trainer for further evaluations. Recovery time without surgery 6 weeks… I would suspect his season is done.
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https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
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I must agree, it is like something the “Mad Hatter” would opt for… Like a giant question mark on his face…
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Here is a link to the MLB site to vote for the Roberto Clemente Award… Vote for Charlie…
https://www.mlb.com/forms/roberto-clemente-award
Almost game time…
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Okay, reality check, the gNats can drop a dime on ya if your game isn’t up to snuff. Fried was flat and Anibal was not. A day off tomorrow to regroup and then the Philties roll in for four.
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Yeah, take ‘um behind the woodshed and beat the snot out of ‘um.
GO BRAVES!
93 wins and counting.
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And the Braves’ magic number remains at:
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Very busy weekend for me, so I missed all the game action, as it was. Still… I did keep up. And when I learned of Charlie’s fate Saturday night, I was sick. Obviously I am not as “sick” as Charlie – see note below – but as much as I had already lamented losing Johan for the remainder, Charlie’s loss is more impacting. It’s a huge blow to the bench… YUGE blow. And I found myself trying to figure out who the team would replace him with on the post-season roster, and I cannot find a match. Oh… they’ll have a replacement RH bench bat, likely Austin Riley, but it’s not Charlie Clutch and it severely hampers the IF versatility especially with Johan already out. I’m glad we have Hechy around because he provides a great backup glove at SS. But there is a reason he was released before we picked him up. And who backs up Ozzie at 2B? God forbid anything happens to him. Hechy does have some experience there, but only parts of 33 games in a 5 year career. For those who may wonder who played 2B at Gwinnett this year, it was a dude named Jack Lopez. Lopez isn’t considered a real prospect and has zero ML experience. A guy like Andres Blanco would be more likely as he’s bounced around for 10 years with 4 different ML teams and has experience at SS/2B/3B. He could be added to the 40-man by simply placing Charlie on the 60-day IL. (For what it’s worth, Charlie has not been removed from the active roster at all as of yet.) But he’s not any better of an option than Hechy, so what would be the point? Oh, Charlie… I miss you already.
As for my note… what is it with announcers who have to throw out cliches that are not only trite and overused, but are almost insulting? For the Nationals announcer to say, per report, “Nobody on the field feels worse than (pitcher) Fernando Rodney” while Charlie is bleeding all over home plate is just plain stupid. STOOPID. I’m pretty sure Charlie felt worse. I’m fairly sure that a broken face feels worse than letting one get away. I know it was not intentional and I know Rodney regretted what happened. but he’s not out for the rest of 2019. Of course, they way he’s pitching that may be more of a hindrance to the Nats than a help.
And I won’t even get started on Dave Martinez, but suffice to say I lost respect for him after the way he treated the situation. And as classless as his reaction was, he then tried to walk it back on Sunday by saying it was not the way it was reported. Bullsnot. The ump is on record as saying he was asked specifically by Martinez to appeal to the 1B ump for a strike call, and was thus required to do so. I’d say that’s exactly the way it was reported. And it was totally classless. On the other hand, Snit was perfect… cut from Bobby’s cloth in so many ways. I did watch the video of his, uh… “discussion” with the umpires and I’d watch it again and again. He may have gotten tossed, but he got his money’s worth. And every player on that team knows Snit has their back under all circumstances regardless of his own fate. Who wouldn’t want to go into battle with that General?
Y’all, I love this team and I believe they could make a run all the way to the big trophy. But losing Charlie was a major blow to the way this roster works. Somebody has to step up and fill the void… just like they have all year long. Can they do it one more time? And sustain it for a deep playoff run?
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Beautifully stated, V!
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Dave Martinez: “The last thing I wanted to do was be a jackass.”
Well, you cant always not get what you don’t want.
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(That made alot more sense in my head before I typed it.)
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Just following his convoluted, and tortured sophism.
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excellent opining V…I was going to write something long, but didn’t get a chance, but you touched on most of the points…I remember Dave Martinez back in his Cubs days …now it gets weird. I’d SWEAR he battled Cancer when he was a Cub…I remember rooting for him when he came back…I cannot think of who I could have confused him with, but I can find NO mention of him having Cancer! anyway, I have always had a soft spot for him, but …that was destroyed by what happened after Charlie was hit in the face….and Dave decided to make hay out of a strike call…DOB made several good points afterwards….not only was that a crap move, but why did he leave Fernando Rodney(who I assume is the oldest active player in baseball at 42) out there , when he was upset at hitting a guy in the face? Then said pitcher got to stand around forever… just stupid…but, hey Davey you got that super important strike call right? Hopefully the Dodgers (or Cubs/Brewers) wipe them out in 3 games…wait, no, we want whoever beats them to have to go 5 games….perhaps the Mutts will go on a big run to knock the Nats out and Davey can be fired after a total collapse….
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In a pinch, they could always move Dansby to 2nd and plug Heck in at shortstop.
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I see DAVE MARTINEZ was pulled off-line and sent to the hospital for a cardiac catherization.
Had 11 “procedures” myself, in addition to three more complicated cardiac surgeries.
No big deal.
He should be back in the saddle MONDAY barring any complications.
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I was not very happy with his actions on Saturday, but I would never wish ill health upon him. Prayers are up for Davey Martinez that he can be restored to full health.
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Braves magic number:
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Sooooo… looking at the standings this morning in the NL, Washington is indeed hanging onto a wild card slot by their proverbial finger nails. I think Phillie, New York and Arizona can all pack it in for the season. All three are five games back in the wild card.
I look for the Braves to clinch the division Wed night or by Thur for sure.
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They should certainly clinch it at home, which I’m happy about for them. It’d be doubly sweet to do it against the Phils over the next 3, and most sweet tomorrow night on ESPN where once again the Braves were snubbed in preseason in favor of the darling Nats and aforementioned Phils.
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The Braves have made it official and placed Charlie on the 60-day IL, offically ending his 2019 season early. They did it so that they could select the contract of C John Ryan Murphy. According to Bowman, they are bringing up Murphy to provide “some depth until [Francisco] Cervelli’s lacerated finger heals. As of yesterday, they were thinking Cervelli might return by the end of this week.”
Somewhere along the line I missed the Cervelli finger thing.
I think, too, they may be looking at Ryan from a defensive standpoint in the event they choose to carry 3 catchers. With both Johan and Charlie being down, they may be forced to use whichever of BMac or Flow isn’t starting to PH. Either would be a better choice to come off the bench and hit than Hechy, who should be a defensive backup only. A third catcher allows for that scenario.
Oh Charlie… we miss you already. Maybe there is still some hope for Johan to return at some point in October, although it has to be slim.
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Holy guacamole. What is it with people? I hope we never see him on a MLB mound again. (If he’s found guilty, of course.)
On the baseball side, the Pirates’ bullpen has taken some huge hits following fistfights by a couple other relievers earlier this month and now this. At some point, the PIT execs have to look down at the underachieving dumpster fire and send manager Clint Hurdle on his way. I’m not sure if there has been a worse job done in 2019, and that’s saying alot having seen Gabe Kapler, Mickey Callaway and Dave Martinez up close and personal so many times this season. At least those clubhouses seem to still be intact.
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who???
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oh wow, the closer of the Pirates!!!! perhaps the best closer in the game…well, was….enjoy being locked up with prisoners that do NOT like Child molesters!
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That would change alot of things, now wouldn’t it?
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Matt Joyce has been good, but the best OF the Braves could deploy would be Ender in CF, with Nicky in LF and RAJ in RF (which is why Nick has already been in LF). That allows Matt Joyce to go back to a seriously depleted bench. And it would all but assure that Rafael Ortega will not make the post-season roster. He wasn’t a lock anyway.
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V, is that a tweet you posted at 5:30? Not sure why, but some tweets just don’t show up of late…sigh….
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Well poo. The meat of our potent order couldn’t get the tying run across from 90′ in the 9th, and the Natios defeated the Cardis the battle of the “nals”.
Magic number still at:
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At least it’s Dale Murphy I got to re-post…
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So close…so close…
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If anyone is wondering, the Cards are up on the Nats 2-0 in the top of the 6th inning in STL.
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Now up 5-1 in the bottom of the seventh
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RON ACUNA came up a collective 15 feet short of three HR’s in the last gNATS series.
The last one was a HR as it would have hit the top of the fence and bounced over, but for the OF’ers glove who brought it in to save a run.
At least he salvaged a stolen base out of the three games.
Now at 39-37 with 10 to play.
I feel almost certain of the HR, but less so of the needed stolen bases.
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You have to get on base to steal a base, just ask Billy Hamilton.
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I’ll bet once the division is in hand, he’ll have the green light to run at will. Expect him to run wild in NY against the Mutts. Of course, you do have to get on to run, right Gil?
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And the Cards take the afternoon tilt vs. the Nationals.
Braves magic number is now:
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Time for the Braves to take the game tonight, get the magic number down to one…
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It’s been a long time coming, hasn’t it? Waiting for another Div. Title, that is.
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And boy does it feel good!
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Let’s win tomorrow and see the gNATS lose.
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Don’t want to back into anything while driving!
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Okay, my prediction of having this thing wrapped up by Wed has fallen short. Early game today. Time to end this foolishness guys and put a cap on it.
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Sadly, the Nats are off today. Cannot clinch until tomorrow at the earliest.
I’m not really happy with this current slide. This potent offense has turned sluggish all of a sudden. Freddie is certainly in a funk. Elbow? Maybe. All I know is I hope they break out of it before October starts. IMO, if they cannot get a win in the first round NLDS, this season will be disappointing. I realize they are still rounding into their final form, but failing to win a playoff series will just be a repeat of every season since 2001.
And it would also appear that both Julio Teheran and Max Fried are making a strong case for a 3-man playoff rotation.
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General Jerry Blevins is gold. And I agree that it has JJS’s fingerprints all over it.
Kinda makes me want pie.
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Nick is also out of the lineup.
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Oops… accidentally double-clutched.
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Not only do I pay 1/3 of my old satellite TV service for my new streaming service (Hulu+), I can pull it up on my side computer and have today’s game in HD playing on my desk as I continue to work.
Sometimes it’s good for an old dog to learn a new trick…
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thats great V! Wish this ol’ Dog of a computer would explain to me why if I go to twitter, no issues seeing tweets… but embedded tweets? show up sometimes for 1 sec, other times, 5 seconds, then poof! gone. My not be ol’ Compaq Presario , may be bitdefender which may overprotecting ….something…
ok, baseball. I was going to look sooooo smart and say, why o why hasn’t JD been rested? I even looked it up a few days ago (perhaps I mentioned it here?) that he hadn’t been rested since May…and after FF and Nick were so useless during the playoffs last year, I would have thought Snit would have learned that lesson.Vets like those pros will always want to play, but you have to think for them. ..glad he rested him before the clincher… and the others…I also meant to mention I wonder if Riley could play 2nd, or SS in a pinch? SS would likely be easier, but obviously, not the classic body type….
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Mammo for Ronnie! #40 on the HR count!
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This has been a bit of a slugfest. I gotta say, this Phillies team looks better than the ones we’ve seen recently. It’s nice to see our boys rise to the challenge.
5-4 good guys heading to the home half of the 8th…
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Melancon slams the door! Braves win 5-4.
Magic number:
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LOL Gotta love it!!
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Is it just me or does Mark Melancon look rejuvenated in Atlanta? His stuff has been nasty lately, and was certainly so today. Hard breaking balls to both sides of the plate, fastballs buzzing RH’s, and cutters biting in on LH’s. Tough! It’s nice to have confidence in the 9th inning again.
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I still think even the “new” guys are feeding off the excitement and plain ol’ fun the overall team is generating and experiencing. Rejuvenated is the right word to use, I agree. How could they not be having the time of their lives in that environment? Even Kakes. lol ( I think I saw him smile. Well, it was a little one, but still…..)
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I am really digging that catcher’s framing skills. Look how he holds it up there for the ump to get a good look at!
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For such a toddler, that kid has remarkable control already! His brother is doing an amazing job with him, as well! SIGN THEM UP!
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We win or gNats lose…….whichever.
I want to see ACUNA steal a base tomorrow, maybe two.
Get this 40-40 crap behind, and exhale.
Come on RONNIE do your thing.
“It’s your thing, do what you want to do.
I can’t tell you who to sock it to.”
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I want to see a clean member of the “roid” club.
Assuming ACUNA is clean of PED’s that is.
Everybody else in that club is a self-confessed, or strongly suspected heavy user of banned substances.
CANSECO, BONDS, SORIANO, RODRIGUEZ, phew, the air in that club reeks of cheat……..
And I look forward to ACUNA becoming the charter member of a 50-50 club, once he cuts down on his whiffs.
20 year-old MEL OTT was the only player in ML history to hit 40 HR’s that was younger than ACUNA.
And the only other 21 year-old to do it was the player that made me a life-long BRAVES fan starting in 1952.
EDDIE MATHEWS Jr. hit 47 in 1953.
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Good morning Stuffville, today should be the day the Brave clinch the East…. The bubbly should be on ice and the goggles should be prepped and ready for the big splash. Besides, next week begins the new season for most of my TV shows. Thank goodness for DVRs.
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Today is the day. Folty was the game starter when we clinched last season, and he’s toeing the rubber tonight. It’s all falling into place for a Friday Braves red-out celebration. I am currently wearing my road blue Braves jersey and sipping coffee from my Braves Tervis this morning. (I would have on my red Braves t-shirt for red-out, but it was dirty. I have washed it this morning though. It’s tumbling innocently in the dryer right now and will be on my back in another hour.)
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Boo-Yah!
GO BRAVES
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https://twitter.com/GenJerryBlevins/status/1175054956921020416
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Break out the red!!
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Watching Russo on MLB rant about Craig Kimbrel giving up the go ahead home run to the Cards last night in tenth inning, I don’t know why I watch him other than the TV was on the station. To me, he is the typical loud mouth Yankee from New York…. bah…
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This has been such a FUN season as it has developed. At the beginning, I just sorta sighed and vaguely hoped for the best – then they began actually playing. Couldn’t see much of it but I’ve read and followed carefully. That first sigh turned into a smile that gradually became hope, then belief that they just might pull it off this time.
Even if they don’t, it hasn’t been for lack of trying – and entertaining us along the way!
Go, Braves!
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Gil, as for Russo…blech…..he talks like a super tough guy, but his build, and hand movements tell me, he is overcompensating for something 😛
Read DOB on the Athletic (I really don’t read there much, but for $2.25 a month, I feel reading 4-5 articles a month is worth it to not be denied said articles 😉 ) about how much Dansby has been slumping, even before the all star break. .185 in 108 post all star break AB’s. and I just saw, .237 against Righties…so…IF he doesn’t pick it up in the next week, do you consider “resting” DS against certain pitchers, say the Cards Jack Flaherty (1.05 ERA post all-star game) and go with Adeiny Hechavarria? Sure not losing anything glovewise… A.H. was terrible, batwise with the mutts, but now, in 48 AB’s .271 .345 2 HR’s and 10 RBI’s. I just feel we have to go with the hot bat, especially in a 5 game series.
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Folty’s dealing and Ronald’s wheeling. And I’m feeling.
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WOO-HOO!!!!!!
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What a great game last night. A fitting clincher…
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“It’s been awesome,” Foltynewicz said of his first year as a teammate of McCann’s. “Since Day 1, I hadn’t even met him yet, and he was texting me (last winter) saying what a fun year we’re gonna have. He’s one of the greatest — not just on the field, but he’s been a big step to help me get where I am today. Just from a pitching standpoint, a mental standpoint, he’s one of the greatest, and you can see why.
“I’m really happy for him to hit that home run tonight in front of all those fans in his hometown. It’s pretty special for him, too, so I’m really happy for him.” The Athletic DOB 9/21/19
Last night’s performance was the best I have seen by Folty since his near no hitter against Oakland last season. I still think about how unfortunate it was for Frenchy to not have taken advantage of returning to the minors to get his head on straight following his slump which ultimately resulted on his career long trek from team to team. The mental part of the game is every bit as important as having the physical tools to do a job.
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Some folks get it, others don’t.
Self-awareness is a tricky thing.
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So, two teams that had the look of spring training travel teams played each other last night and the Braves romped. 96 wins!!! Who’d have thunk it? 6 more games and a real shot at 100 wins.
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Over on the chop-house blog, GIL may remember the pre-season prognostication thread.
NV049 and I picked 95 wins before the season began.
Only MURPH at 98 stands in the way of a BRAVES-club clean sweep wipe-out of the dedicated followers.
Chop on BRAVES fans.
We’re five games out of winning complete home-field advantage with six games to play.
Only down three however against the DODGERS.
But we can’t tie because head-to-head goes the the West Coasters.
Looks like that’s out the window too.
But the BRAVES play almost as well on the road as they do at home anyway.
Right now, they’re 30 losses on the road and 30 losses at home.
So there’s that………….
RON ACUNA needs a week off.
The conundrum is he won’t make the 40-40 club if he doesn’t play all six times in the next week.
Being as spent as it appears he is however, makes it highly improbably he will steal three more bases.
He might catch MOOKIE BETTS for the lead in runs scored however.
He already has 101 RBI.
Altogether a most remarkable season.
I can’t wait for him to become the charter member of the 50-50 club.
Only needs to cut down on his considerable strike-outs.
Turning whiffs into safeties is the key to a heralded career in baseball.
As he matures as a hitter, and continues to achieve historic milestones along the way that will come.
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A confession, I picked the Braves to finish second behind the Phillies this spring with 94 wins which was very optimistic but thought 92 wins was a more realist number. So, there goes my faith in the pundits as being the gurus of baseball. They are about as good at picking winners and losers as we are.
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Which brings me to the play-offs, It is my belief that if the Braves can get by the Cardinals, they will play the Astros in the World Series.
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gNATS finish the DODGERS while we struggle past the CARDS?
Then we win the seven game series against WASHINGTON 4-3?
I could live with that scenario.
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Acuna won’t get to 40 steals when Ozzie swings on the first pitch (some pal!) and when Frenchy said, and Snit apparently agreed Saturday that it would be in terribly bad taste to Acuna to run a Giants catcher with a poor arm cuz…it was 6-0 in the 7th. In this day and age??? when teams often come back against weak bullpens, and a juiced ball? so, if he is stopped at 39, a few reasons why…
Gil, I could see the Cards being a real threat since they have often been to the playoffs, and their really mediocre hitters, come alive with RISP. But, I can see them beating them…it’s the Dodgers that scare the bleep out of me. Really only think one of their starters is trouble (Walker Beuller (SP) ) but, in LA LA land, the team that has won 7 straight divisional titles, is deadly in their last 3,4 innings at home. We are very good too, and their closer isn’t lock down at all anymore….it’s just that homer happy team also destroys fast fastballs (was just reading about that) and have seen a lot of Mark M. the last several years….but, who knows? that’s why the teams play the games, right?
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For anyone who doesn’t know, the ARIZONA FALL League is underway.
All teams have played five games to date.
RHRP’s BRAD RONEY and BRANDON S. WHITE had an outing each in relief, and finished with zero’s for era’s.
However, in this afternoon’s action, two of our representatives on the bump were savaged by opposing bats.
RHSP CONNER JOHNSTONE [L 0-1, 18.00 ERA] took the loss after only two innings of work.
RHRP DAYSBEL HERNANDEZ [15.43 ERA] had a rough outing as well.
He performed excellently in his first relief stent on Friday.
The bats have performed well to date, both are corner outfielders.
LF JUSTIN DEAN [.286 BA/ .686 OPS] performed well in the lead-off slot.
He had a 1-4 day, BB, and SO while scoring twice with a 2g, 7 AB’s, 2 H, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 2 SO.
RF TREY HARRIS [.400 BA] 2-2 day with a run scored, 2 RBI, and a walk.
Totals 3g, 10 AB, 4 H, 2 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 2 SO.
LF GARRISON SCHWARTZ had a 1-3 outing in the fourth game of the season Saturday.
1B GREYSON JENISTA [.250 BA/.583 OPS] 3g, 12 AB, 3 H, 2 R, 1 2B, 0 RBI, 0 BB, 6 SO.
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JENISTA may have played his way onto the bench.
12 AB, 0 BB, 6 SO………..ouch!
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Jenista has hit his wall. He was a promising OF coming from a winning college program, but he’s reached his limit. He might want to consider coaching.
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Gordon, I know it’s called the fall leagues, but isn’t this a bit early this year? I swore this happened in like November in the past?
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Troubling news, Freddie will sit out the upcoming series with Kansas City because of a troubling bone spur. It seems to me it has been bothering him more than he has been letting on. I suggest he talk to Folty about what is entailed on having it removed in the off season. To me, it is a little like flinching before you get a shock. You don’t want to flinch but you cannot help yourself.
His absence from the line up is troubling not so much for his offense but also for his stellar defense. Just saying…
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I will not be surprise to see Adeiny Hechavarria take a few turns at first. Most likely Austin Riley will play there this week.
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Austin Riley is probably the primary backup at 1B with Charlie and Johan both out. Adam Duvall also has ML experience at 1B, playing 37 games there including 9 last season. Francisco Cervelli took over for Freddie yesterday and has 14 ML games there himself. I continue to believe they’ll carry Cervelli on the post-season roster, and his experience at 1B doesn’t hurt those chances.
It wouldn’t surprise me at all if each 1 of those 3 gets a start at 1B in the Royals series.
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Then again, since it’s only a 2-gamer at KC, it’d be hard for 3 guys to each get a start.
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For what it’s worth, Bowman believes Austin Riley is K’ing his way off the playoff roster.
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https://twitter.com/GenJerryBlevins/status/1176155765549215744
Gold.
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The way I understand it with respect to Freddie’s bone spur…
This bone spur is what is sometimes referred to as a “loose body”. In other words it hangs around in there and moves around. He has had this thing for a while, but it lays dormant more than not… meaning the thing is hanging out in a place that it doesn’t make its presence known.
But…
A few weeks ago there was a play on defense when he had to snap a tag on a throw slightly into the runner. On the snap, the elbow barked… meaning the “loose body” moved to a spot where it was now making its presence known. And it’s still there.
The hope is that with some rest and treatment, they can get this thing to either move out of the hot spot or at least to calm down. IMO, there’s a decent shot for that to happen. The Braves employ a top medical staff who will be working with him. These guys do know what they’re doing and they get paid to do one thing: get highly paid athletes back on the field.
From my own personal experience, I have a bone spur in my right wrist. Same kind of thing… it will lay dormant for months, then start barking with no warning. There’s not much I can do about it but slide a neoprene brace on it and avoid too much aggravating movement. It usually goes away within a week. But while I’m waiting even typing something like this is somewhat painful. Not debilitating by any stretch… more annoying than anything. You just know it’s there and it’s bothersome.
Snit says if the playoffs were to start today, Freddie would be in the lineup. But the numbers don’t lie. As Bowman shared yesterday, “Freeman has hit .103/.298/.138 over 38 plate appearances (10 games) since recording consecutive 3-hit games on Sept. 10 and 11. He has not homered and has tallied just three extra-base hits since notching his 38th HR during a two-homer game on Sept. 1.”
Yep, the bone spur is not debilitating to him, but it is bothersome. I’m glad we’ve clinched in time for him to get 3 straight days rest. My feelings won’t be hurt of he takes a couple more.
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Wow!!
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Listened to a radio interview with Thoppy from earlier this morning. Very good interview, and a very candid look at what he’s thinking about right now. Takeaways:
Wants to continue to win games during the last week, but places greater priority on getting ready for the post-season… meaning planning ahead of time for certain guys to get playing time and ABs, and for certain pitchers to get innings in games. He said they all want to win, but that being ready for the post-season is more important than winning once the division was clinched.
Riley will get alot of playing time over the final 5 games, much of it at 1B.
Cervelli could also get some time at 1B. He likes Cervelli alot as a 3rd catcher and as a RH bat. Wouldn’t commit to playoff roster spot, but hinted at 3 catchers.
O’Day will get innings.
Wants to see Billy Hamilton getting down bunts. That will be an intentional thing.
The playoff roster will be built to match up best with the team they’ll face. That’s why they won’t even meet on the roster until next Monday when they know who the opponent will be.
They will simply carry the best 25 players on the playoff roster even if it means the bench is RH heavy, which it could be. Admits there are not alot of LH options with Joyce starting.
Just realized, Ender’s name was not mentioned one time in the entire 30 minute interview.
Emphasized that Freddie will not play until the first game in NY. He will get 4 straight days off to rest the elbow, and that’s not negotiable. It is obviously a call from the front office.
Wants to bring Donaldson back next season. Talked alot about how much he loves JDon as a ballplayer, and about how well he fits in the lineup and the clubhouse. No other details, by intent. Would not say if they have already been talking… in fact said specifically he wouldn’t admit to it even if there were already substantive conversations.
Really wants to bring his whole coaching staff back. Loves and respects them all.
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thanks for that info V! I have gained more respect for Thoppy, as the season has progressed. I have to admit, it turned out great that the team didn’t sign Kimbrel. Teams were wrong to not sign Dallas K. this off season, but Kimbrel has lost something. Not much, still hitting 97 MPH, not sure how Yadier Molina hit 97 up and away, out of Wrigley. but he did, as did the next Cards hitter. 2 pitches, 2 homers…hope he can figure something out next year.
Glad Thoppy has mentioned bringing back J.D. I really had no idea he was this good. Walks a ton, hits homers, protects F.F. and plays some of the best 3rd base I’ve seen on a day to day basis in quite some time (no doubt defensive metrics rate him as average, or below average 🙄
The only team with more key player losses this year? the Yankees….fortunately, they haven’t been for as long as the Yankees losses…
Never heard of a loose bone spur before, sounds more like a bone chip (a friend of mine had bone chip move a certain way in his knee, completely locking up his Knee) but…whatever, it must really hurt FF to go into such a slump. got to find a way to get him back semi-healthy, or we are going to have a tough road ahead of us in the playoffs….
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Have spurs in my back, and chips in both big toe joints.
Antidote, swallow a lot of Naproxin.
When doc says that’s not good for me, I immediately ask for a weed medical prescription.
They shut up, and tell me to take the Naproxin……..
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Antidote, swallow a lot of Naproxin.
When I was in the process of being diagnosed for constant and acute shoulder pain (1990), I had 2 doctors misdiagnose it over a period of 2+ months. The false diagnoses went from tendinitis to pinched nerve before properly being diagnosed as a torn rotator cuff by a 3rd doctor. While that process was going on, they had me taking 600mg of Naproxin a day. (Maybe I should have stopped playing on 2 softball teams while that was going on? Yeah, probably…)
Anyway, after about 9 weeks of 600mg of Naproxin a day, I started having stomach pain and began passing blood. I had to get off the Naproxin train.
Caution, my friend. Caution…
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I know what you’re saying.
That’s why my weed alternative looks so good.
From here at any rate.
I have been advised to try CBC, an oil extract from hemp.
But not advice from any of my docs.
Don’t want to cut down on those office visits I guess.
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Yes Gordon, until they government can figure out hot to tap into the medicinal weed market, we are doomed. Josie cannot take anything for the pain she has because it causes he BP to drop dangerously low. CBC would likely work but how much and when, well, you know… In the meantime, it is snake oil…
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Personal take on REDSKINS management:
In regard to ALLEN’s removal, one sycophant out, another sycophant in.
Like others around WASHINGTON, SNYDER will brook no one telling him the truth.
The only truth DANO knows is what he perceives.
In relation to football, that is obviously fallacious.
That said, ALLEN is a weasel.
I think he’s been poisoning GRUDEN’s well for some time.
Where perceived slights are concerned, ALLEN doesn’t forgive or forget.
Now when it comes to GRUDEN, I think he’s over matched as a head coach.
As an offensive assistant, I think he is well suited.
So we’ll soon have a new head coach.
Possibly even a new general manager.
Then the cycle of ineptitude will develop again.
The person making the top leadership selections will continually undermine the abilities of whomever resides in the GM’s and HC’s offices.
The SNYDER-Star is the brightest star that shines in REDSKINS-Land.
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Want Dan Quinn? You can have him…
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As long as DAN SNYDER doesn’t, he’s O.K. by me.
That moron doesn’t have the sense to pour —- out of a boot, football-wise.
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Ditto… Even more than Kapernick, Snyder soured me towards pro football. At one point in my life, you could have not found anyone more rabid about Redskins football than me. My kids are still Skins fans but I have not watched more than 5 minutes of any pro football game in years.
I still love the sport but only semi-pro college and high school.
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Got into high school football when the younger played for Powhatan.
Richmond Times-Dispatch named him Metro offensive player of the year in 2014
All-Metro Banquet Honors Year’s Best
posted Feb 5, 2015, 8:01 AM by tdclub of richmond [ updated Feb 5, 2015, 8:42 AM ]
The 52nd Annual All-Metro Banquet was held on Thursday, January 22nd at the Hilton Richmond in Short Pump. It was hosted by the Touchdown Club of Richmond and the Richmond Times-Dispatch and honored the players from the 2014 All-Metro team, coaches of the year and other award winners.
In addition to recognizing the All-Metro team, Scott Bracey of Benedictine of honored as the player of the year. Also the Offensive and Defensive players of the year were named, going to Logan Allen from Powhatan and Sulaiman Kamara of Hermitage.
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Sigh, it appears that Teharan and Swarzak are both pitching their way off the post season roster.
A little scary with both Freddie and RAJ nursing injuries/ailments…
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Yep. Julio made a statement last night alright. And that statement was, “Leave me off the NLDS roster.”
Swarzak is in fact the guy that a pitching starved SEA team decided wasn’t good enough for their staff earlier this year. What we had for a month or so was the anomaly. And I’m glad for what he contributed. But even the bible says there is a season for everything. Swarzak’s is about to end in 5 more days.
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Julio is an interesting case study. For most of the season, he made us all revisit the notion of picking up his relatively affordable $12M team option for 2020. Then September arrived, and the likelihood of the Braves instead paying him a $1M buyout is looking more likely. It has become much more clear that remaining $11M can be applied more effectively elsewhere. I think it’s even conceivable that once the regular season is over we may not see Julio in a Braves uni again.
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Now… Braves post-season chatter…
The latest speculation says that Mike Soroka will not be the game 1 starter at home vs. the Cards. That distinction will instead go to playoff veteran Dallas Keuchel. Quite honestly, that comes as no surprise. But the rest of the order is a little surprising, yet perfectly logical.
The rumor is that the Braves are leaning toward Keuchel in game 1, followed by Folty in game 2. Why Folty over Soroka? Well, first… Folty has been pitching like his 2018 All-Star self since returning from his banishment to AAA in mid-season, and the Braves have won the last 8 games he has started. But more in play here is that they want Soroka to pitch on the road in St. Louis. His road record is ridiculous and tops in all of MLB. This year Soroka is 7-1 on the road with a 1.35 ERA and microscopic 0.918 WHIP. Also on the road, opposing batters are hitting just .195 against him.
And in the event there is a game 4, they can come back to Atlanta and give Max Fried the ball to spin that sick curveball on his home mound. And in the even more unlikely game 5 scenario, they can go back to the playoff pressure experienced Keuchel for the elimination game.
It all makes perfect sense to me.
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Speaking of making a statement for the playoff roster last night, Francisco Cervelli may have cemented his spot on the bench.
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I don’t know what to make of Ender Inciarte. The official word is that he’ll join the team in NY to see if his hamstring is healed enough for game action. But can you assess that in just 3 games? He was originally slated to join the team yesterday for game 1 of the KC series, but that was pushed back 3 more days to the NY season capping 3-gamer. I wonder if they’ll bat him leadoff to get him more AB’s? Too bad they can’t get him to KC tonight since Ronald will surely be resting his sore hip. But there certainly doesn’t seem to be any sense of urgency on anyone’s account.
And I’m still a little befuddled that he wasn’t even mentioned by his GM in a 30 minute interview this week. Maybe I just missed it. But if I did, that means any mention was brief and nondescript. I’ve read rumblings that Ender is not the greatest clubhouse guy, pouty and such when things don’t go his way… and I wonder if that’s true and plays into the equation. Maybe they’re just as happy he’s not around.
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The end for ENDER?
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Say good-bye to JULIO, and DANSBY better be thinking about his bad-self too.
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Jeff Francouer noted on radio yesterday about this topic and opined from a player’s perspective that there would be a clubhouse revolt if Dansby was not a part of the regular lineup. I concur with Frenchy.
IMO, I think Dansby is a lock for the roster and the starting lineup batting #8 and providing all the defense and other intangibles he possesses. Perfect example… Dansby hustled over to cover 3B when JDon made a play to his left, thus preventing the runner on 2B from advancing behind JDon. It doesn’t show in the box score, and wasn’t even noted in the broadcast to my knowledge. But JDon noticed it and gave his teammate a bump over it. Dansby does all the little things right that aren’t necessarily noticed when they happen but are missed when they aren’t. I know he’s not hitting like he was early in the season, but he is part of the future in Atlanta, unlike Julio. He means more to this team than just his offensive contributions.
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Reading DOB’s take in the Athletic this morning, he indicated the team may opt to send Ender to the Florida Instructional league so he can get more live pitching at bats. We will all know when the Braves come to a decision.
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I think this is what they’ve done rather than play him in KC? If he’s not in the lineup vs. the Mutts on Friday I cannot imagine he’s in the post-season plans… not without some innings in a real game environment to get his timing back.
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I heard another beat reporter echo that this afternoon with more detail. Ender is in KC and went through batting practice and fielding drills yesterday. He’ll do that again today but will add full speed baserunning drills to the package. If said baserunning go well, they may send him to the “Instructs” (as Gil mentioned) to play in games and have him leadoff every inning. Apparently that’s what Kakes did, and well… he hit the ground running as though he’d not had any layoff. The suits feel Ender might get the same accelerated benefit from the additional AB’s.
I doubt the Mutts would capitulate to that request. 😀
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well…that’s odd (the Ender stuff) also odd? Last night’s game! I really wasn’t enjoying the braves wasting opportunity after opportunity to score, early on. Now, missing 2 big bats is a big deal, of course, and no matter how bad the KC team is win-loss wise, they still play tough…just couldn’t figure out how they were down 2-0..so, flipped away, and then…2-2, 5-2, 10-2! Ahh, that’s better 🙂 It is truly amazing how flat a team can seem one game to another, even one inning to another….
Swanson NEEDED this game big time. 4 hits, now hitting .249. Cuz, I don’t care what Frenchy says, you have to play the guys who are hitting, in the playoffs….we all know a few key injuries next year, and the Mutts, Nats or Phils could win and the braves lose. You have to run out the guys who are hitting now….
Riley at least got 1 hit (5 for 35 for Sept) Nick is now hitting .290 (and durn fool igit writers try to say he provides league average “value” and it’s a good defender, ugh!) and next to Swanson’s big day, Luke Jackson striking out 4 out of 4 hitters, had to have been the best news of the day. He looked once again like that unhittable pitcher….
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They did seem to come alive after the third inning. And you are right, Luke looked as go as I have ever seen him pitch.
The kid playing center field for the Royals made two amazing catches to rob even more hits.
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There is always more than initially meets the eye. Apparently the hip has been tight and giving him some pain, but the groin is why he’s being shut down until the playoffs. They team docs reportedly have said he could worsen it by trying to play through it.
The Braves are so lock-down quiet as an organization no one knew RAJ has been dealing with these issues for a few weeks. Kind of helps explain the recent slide in offense, doesn’t it?
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Maybe they should consider sitting the whole starting 8 until the playoffs… 😉
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They haven’t? :=)
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I think you could look at a lot of players who have gone into slumps and believe they are dealing with some type of ailment which affects their performance. Examples given: Folty the first half of the season, Freddie the past month (when was the last time he was hit by pitch to his right elbow?, Donalson the first month of the season, Dansby dealing with a wrist issue, Acuna’s recent slide in performance.
So, pro players will not usually complain or blame an injury for a slide in performance because it is considered to be in bad form. After all, everyone is tired and hurting after playing ball since February.
Look at the difference in a normally reliable bullpen arm after being over used. My one real knock against Bobby Cox as a manager.
So, that brings me to Julio Teheran… He clearly is trying to pitch through some type of shoulder/arm ailment. When he starts dropping down his arm slot, he is looking for something that does not aggravate an injury or cause pain when he throws the ball. I know when my elbow tendinitis acted up, throwing side arm did not hurt as much but the ball would die 3 feet from where it should go.
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Speaking of Julio, given the last 3 games vs. the Mutts have Folty, Fried and Soroka scheduled to start, have we seen the last of Julio in an ATL uni?
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I think we said the same thing about Julio last season. Who knows, the current GM is incredible tight lipped about what his thinking is. I think it also depends on Julio’s physical condition. Is it something that required surgery or something that will heal with a few steroids injections and rest?
Julio has shown he can be a innings eater when healthy. The question becomes one if there is a better alternative and affordability of said alternative. I know a lot of Atlanta fans are frustrated about Teherans roller coaster performance but what is the reasons behind it? Just saying.
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But the difference this year is that it’s a contract year, and the team holds the option for 2020 at $11M. Is he worth $11M? Maybe. But can that $11M be better used elsewhere… like to help offset the sum it will cost to bring Keuchel back? I’d take Bid D over Julio all day every day. (Technically it would be a $10M savings since there is a $1M buyout.)
Also, Folty’s resurgence plays into it a little bit. You now have some assurance that Folty can actually be a part of your rotation (the power arm part) for a few years to come now that he has seemingly conquered his own mental demons. Add him to Soroka and Fried and you have a young 3/5 of your rotation. Bring back the veteran Keuchel, or another veteran, and there’s only 1 spot left… said spot to be fought over by Kyle Wright, Bryse Wilson, and eventually Ian Anderson.
In essence, you either choose Julio to be the veteran presence, or you choose someone else. My vote goes to someone else (preferably Keuchel). Don’t forget that Madison Bumgarner, Zack Wheeler and big fish Gerrit Cole will all be available in FA too. And maybe even Steven Strasburg, who can opt-out of his deal with the Nats.
I doubt the Braves would pony up the $$ it would take to sign Cole or Strasburg, and maybe not for Wheeler. But MadBum? Maybe so. Still, I believe there will be mutual interest between Keuchel and the Braves for a longer association. I think Julio’s a goner regardless.
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Also, on the three starters slated this weekend vs the Mutts, I will be very surprised if any of the three exceed 75 pitches in a game.
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I believe the limit has already been set at around 60.
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Congrats Free-bomb!
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As good as he is on the field, how important is he to the team chemistry? I want him back too..
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Gil, good point about Julio, the arm slot….shame…I’d have to say I’d agree about spending the money to keep Dallas (unless he’s just beaten up in the playoffs, as you have to have guys that can win in the homer happy world we sadly live in these days) or JD as he is going to require as least as much as he got this year….
As for Folty, I’d love to see a before and after of his windup..I can’t quite put my finger on it, but something is different, either because of injury, or purely mechanics, but check it out the next time….motion is super smooth, very , very simple, but boy does it work!
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One thing you can count on, if I, the occasional fan can spot these defects, you can be assure guys who get paid a lot of money to notice these things have spotted it long ago. I’m pretty sure AA and company have until next spring to make a definitive decision on Julio. They will make there due diligence I am sure on who and if someone outside of the organization makes sense to be acquired to fill the 5th starter’s slot or if they will want to (pretty sure they want to) or feel it is prudent to bring up another of their young starters from the minors. They have at least three good prospects available to choose from.
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They are pretty much at a tipping point with both #2 prospect Kyle Wright and #9 prospect Bryse Wilson, each of whom has spent part of 2018 and all of 2019 at the AAA level or higher. Neither can spend more time at AAA and retain their prospect capital. I fully expect one of them to seize the #5 starter job next season, and for the other to be a trade piece. Ian Anderson will surely start 2020 at AAA and have every opportunity to bully his way to The Show at some point in the season and/or arrive as the unfortunate yet inevitable pitching injury affords.
I’ll be shocked if Julio returns. A 29 year old pitcher who has never shown consistency is simply not a good investment. I absolutely expect his $$ to be redirected to a different veteran anchor… “anchor” never being associated with Julio.
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Despite repeated attempts to do so on blogs around the country.
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Wow, the gNats swept a 5 game series from the Fillies. Who would have thunk it?
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I know we haven’t even reached the end of the regular season, but it’s never too early to begin speculating on what next year’s team will look like… at least in a general sense.
NOTE: My opinion only…
As we’ve discussed, I believe we have 3 rotation certainties: Soroka, Folty, and Fried, plus an unknown veteran anchor and a rookie to win the 5th slot.
The bullpen is always a mystery, but there are a few you know will be here: Melancon is still under contract and should return as closer, and Shane Greene still has an arb year remaining. So you have 2/3 of your late inning door slammers coming back. Jackson, Dayton, and Newk are all pre-arb and should each have a spot to lose, so to speak. That leaves 3 spots to fill. Will Minter regain his stuff? Can Sobotka ever control his? And what happened to Touki? Walker has been pretty good and will certainly be in the mix. And would the Braves consider making a reliever out of Wilson? He certainly fits the profile, and could “study” under Melancon for a year. I say all that to say this: there are alot of internal options for the ‘pen, not to mention the multitude of arms that will be available on the secondary FA market.
As for the field, the anchors are all there. In the infield, Freddie, Ozzie and Dansby all return. I think they will make a very strong effort to bring Bringer of Rain back on a 3 year deal. In fact, at this point ,I’ll almost be surprised if that doesn’t happen. And the result is that Riley will not take over at 3B in 2020. But that’s not a bad thing because he has shown he is quite capable of playing LF… which is where I expect him to play in 2020. And that’s a perfect segue to the OF. Ronnie will be the team’s primary RF for years to come. That doesn’t mean he can’t slide over to CF on occasion, but that isn’t his long term home. He’s best suited for the RF corner. But who will be in CF? Will it be Ender? He’s still under contract for 2020 & 2021. Cristian Pace will not be held off for 2 more years, but in all likelihood won’t start next season in Atlanta. So I think barring a trade, Ender will in fact be in CF next season. That makes Nick the odd man out. Nick continues to be as steady as he’s ever been, and is one of the most underappreciated players I’ve ever seen. But I’m not sure the team will pick up his $6M option in 2020, especially if they can pay Riley closer to the league minimum and redirect that $6M toward JDon’s new deal.
Here is where it gets more uncertain… at catcher. IF the Braves do the unspeakable and bring home the big trophy, I think Mac will retire. The script will be perfect. And honestly, he might retire anyway. Does he have another season in him? He has exceeded my expectation this year, but I don’t know if he can do it another year. And Flowers? The pitchers continue to praise his work behind the plate, and between him and Mac they are perfectly handling our young pitchers. But here’s a “hot take”… I think this is the year the Braves trade for a more solid everyday backstop. Just a gut feeling with nothing to base it on, but I think that will be a big part of the front office’s work this offseason.
As for the bench, Flow has $6M team option for 2020, and could return as the backup. Or would Mac come back as a backup? Maybe one or the other. Johan will be back, as will Charlie. And that leaves one more spot for a 4th OF. Adan Duvall is unbelievably just in his 2nd arb year, and is thus a good candidate… except that he bats from the right side of the plate. That will be his undoing since he shares that with Riley. I’d love to see the team bring Joyce back to possibly platoon with Riley in LF. Regardless, it will need to be a LH stick.
Well… there it is. It’s not rocket surgery as most of the key pieces will be back. In summary, I think the Braves will make 3 splashes in the offseason. I think they’ll re-sign Donaldson, and I think they’ll either re-sign Keuchel, or sign a similar veteran anchor. And I think they’ll trade for a catcher.
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My thoughts on JULIO:
Currently, he is a weak back of the rotation arm in a great pitching organization.
JULIO pitched with urgency this season, and had some good moments even some great ones here and there.
I feels sure he understood full well where he stood going forward in this organization.
He was auditioning for another contract with the BRAVES, or some other organization, whichever.
Like MIKE MINOR and SEAN GILMARTIN, he will succeed.
He will hang on in organizations like TEXAS or BALTIMORE for a few more years.
However, you’ve seen the last of TEHERAN is this one.
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My thoughts on DANSBY:
I notice it takes a long-time for DANSBY to reset offensively after an injury.
I’m wondering out loud if the BRAVES are willing to wait patiently for offensive stability.
When he’s on, he’s killer at the plate.
I don’t mean short-term in this contract.
I’m implying long-term with his next contract.
But I see how things have gone with INCIARTE once ENDER became offensively challenged.
First his offense, then his defense tailed off.
I hope SWANSON is able to overcome those swings in offensive productivity.
His defense continues to hold up at this point.
Here’s hoping that doesn’t follow the ENDER path.
The BRAVES are focused on creating an offensive juggernaut similar to the DODGERS and YANKEES.
I want to see DANSBY become a full participant in that line-up.
AA is the GM that will mold them for the future.
I give full credit to a management team that has made the mid-season adjustments necessary for ATLANTA to win out over the rest of the N.L. East this season.
I have faith that that relentless will to win continues next season, and beyond.
We have the tools to compete with the top teams in MLB for a decade to come.
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Some info on Winter League start dates.
AUSTRALIAN Baseball league – November 15
DOMINICAN Winter League – October 13
MEXICAN Pacific League – October 12
PUERTO RICO Winter league – November 15
VENEZUELA Winter league October 12
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Of course, MLB has banned its players (both major league and minor league) from participating in the Venezuelan Winter League due to a recently imposed economic embargo against the dumpster fire Socialist nation… most likely in an effort to keep said players from being kidnapped or killed like other high profile members of said “society”. Gotta protect the assets, ya know. Remember back in 2011 when Wilson Ramos was kidnapped near his home there and wasn’t rescued for 2 days? Such activities have escalated 100-fold since then as that country’s economy has now passed through the J-pipe heading out of the toilet.
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So, as it was in the Braves heyday, opening on the team are becoming fewer. We will continue to see young players work their way up the ladder but fewer 20 year old phenoms getting pressed into service. Pitchers toiling away in the minors until they are 25 or 26 will be more common than not.
Regardless of what folks think about Coppy, he left the larder pretty well stocked. The Braves better get use to picking nearer the bottom of order going forward. What really hurts though is getting cut out of the International market. No more Albies or Acunas for a while.
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According to a cacophony of beat writers, Ender’s running today did not go well and he has been sent back to Atlanta for further evaluation. He has been ruled out of the NLDS. There is still some hope by the organization that he could be available if the team advances to the NLCS, but I’m personally not holding out such hope.
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From bad news to good:
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Gabe Kapler has been totally overmatched from game #1. Every Phillies fan I know will celebrate as if they won the division if Kapler is canned.
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Snitkerisms, courtesy of DO’B:
On Inciarte’s still-sore hammy: * “Not good. All the work he’s put in and the time that we’ve taken, it’s just not gonna happen. We’re just going to shut him down and give him some time, and then try to ramp him up again. You know, if we’re fortunate enough to get to the second round, I mean, there’s a chance he could be ready for that. But it’s just not going to happen for the next week or so.”*
On Acuna: “Looks like he feels good. He’s probably going to feel good. He’ll probably feel like he could play on Sunday. He’s not going to. And hopefully he does feel that way, because that means he’ll feel really good on Thursday.”
On Dansby: When asked today who’d be starting at shortstop in playoffs for Braves, Swanson or Hechavarría. After giving a bit of an incredulous look and asking to repeat question, he said, “Dansby Swanson.”
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Dang. Format error on me.
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The home plate umpire must have caught Dallas kicking his dog, really missing some obvious calls. Oh well, tied 2-2 in the third.
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ARIZONA Fall League
Braves participants;
Arms:
RHSP CONNER JOHNSTONE
1g, 0-1 W/L, 18.00 ERA, 2.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R/ER, 1 HR, 0 BB, 2 SO, .636 AvAg.
RHRP BRAD RONEY
2g 1-0 W/L 4.91 ERA, 3.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R/ER, 1 HR, 3 BB, 4 SO, .250 AvAg.
RHRP BRANDON S. WHITE
2g 0-0 W/L, 5.40 ERA, 3.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R/ER, 3 BB, 4 SO, .357 AvAg.
RHRP DAYSBEL HERNANDEZ
2g 0-0 W/L 1 Sv, 15.43 ERA, 2.1 IP, 2 H, 4 R/ER, 3 BB, 0 SO, .250 AvAg.
Bats:
CF JUSTIN DEAN
3g .273 BA/.673 OPS, 11 AB, 2 R, 3 H, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 4 SO, 1 SB, 0 CS.
1B GREYSON JENISTA
5g .222 BA/.578 OPS. 18 AB, 3 R, 4 H, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 2 BB, 9 SO, 0 SB, 0 CS.
RF TREY HARRIS
5g .412 BA/1.274 OPS, 17 AB, 5 R, 7 H, 1 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 5 SO, 0 SB, 1 CS.
RF GARRISON SCHWARTZ
2g .167 BA/.452 OPS, 6 AB, 0 R, 1 H, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0 SB, 0 CS.
So far, TREY HARRIS seems to be having the most fun amongst the eight BRAVES hopefuls.
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Last regular season game this afternoon… let’s get a win today guys….
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Berigan before game…well, no way Raphel Ortega makes the post season roster…after 2 run homer off of Thor, well…he does play cf….
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So, if anyone cares to re-read what I posted about the gNats tough road to the play-offs, I must give credit where it is due, they went on a terrific run to secure the Wild card home field against the Brewers.
So, how is it that Jerry Blevins in to save the game? Oh yeah. the Braves have clinched…
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Uh Oh … Swarzak sighting… I can’t watch….
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I peeked… UGH!….
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https://scontent.fric1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/71280376_10214984803229345_7063607947779112960_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&_nc_oc=AQko5I-JWevpFzNdVIlKJb9KRpePbEez0eTuA6aCXkdGFrbhOJbY9BHCsW2AIuKg8wZi0m6TpFkdlrf8YJl8VU1p&_nc_ht=scontent.fric1-2.fna&oh=155746a0f845579d2a96eacc49be43a5&oe=5E2CEDBB
What happens when plywood is used extensively…
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Very nicely done. Man, there must be some dust floating around in here… got in my eye…
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On Dansby: When asked today who’d be starting at shortstop in playoffs for Braves, Swanson or Hechavarría. After giving a bit of an incredulous look and asking to repeat question, he said, “Dansby Swanson.”
Granted this was said the day before the last game of the season…but, did ya know…Dansby hasn’t homered since….July 4th! .204 BA and 8 RBI’s in the 142 AB’s he had in the 2nd half of the season.
meanwhile, Adeiny, in 61 AB’s 4 Hr’s 15 RBI’s, .328 BA.
yeah, I know loyalty, players love playing for him, etc….how would everyone feel if the longest tenured pitcher (thought he was the longest tenured player, but FF came up briefly in 2010) Julio T was just handed a start? I mean, his ERA was 3.84 for the year, best since 2016! Come on, he DESERVES a start!
I do feel a bit better about Dansby , as he had a couple of good games, but….I hope if he would go 0-8 in the first 2 games, he would sit in game 3…
I just have an icky feeling about the team right now. Best player on the team has 2 injuries and hasn’t been playing well of late. 2nd best player at least says his elbow is better, but…still isn’t really hitting. If those 2 don’t hit,(plus Dansby) I don’t see how we bet the Cards….I know it was after the division was won, but , getting swept by the Mutts just didn’t feel good at all….I mean, with that bullpen????
Hoping 3 days off is huge, and everyone starts to tear the cover off the ball come Thursday…then all will be forgiven 😉
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I think it’s advisable not to look at Major League Baseball the way we look at the NFL, where 1 game performance can swing playing time wildly. Dansby Swanson is the team’s starting shortstop, and that’s how Snit (and reportedly the clubhouse) sees it. To make major changes to a team that has achieved much over 162 games because of results measured over a handful is simply not wise. It can affect the mysterious team chemistry… that thing that cannot be quantified on a spreadsheet and is poo-pooed by the stat wonks but that always bears itself out in pressure situations.
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I just have an icky feeling about the team right now.
I’m picking them to bring home the big trophy. 😉
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Hope ur feelings r more correct than mine. I can see Nick m. Being fresh and hitting a homer or 2 just cuz. I think I it going to be a homer crazy playoff this year. Even more than season. Velo will be up
Glad the club doesn’t care about Julio t s feelings 😁
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Glad the club doesn’t care about Julio t s feelings
Julio? You mean the guy who’s contract is up? He’s not in the future plans. Dansby enters his first year of arb after this season and is here for at least 3 more following. Plus, it’s difficult to compare pitchers vs. position players. Apples vs. oranges. A pitcher gets 30 starts, if we’re lucky. A position guy gets 150+ or more.
Nothing personal in this statement at all, but I hope Julio is doesn’t wear the tomahawk again. He doesn’t have good enough stuff to overcome his inconsistencies. There are some pitchers you can at least see see the raw talent and are willing to have patience. Julio tosses a salad off the mound and has to pray the home plate umpire doesn’t squeeze him. We’ve seen it since 2011. I don’t think he’s going to get any better.
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New phone = easier to post here . and emoticons not on WordPress?😁😜😳
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I was really disappointed by yesterday’s loss but in the broad scheme of things, it was more like a spring training game for the Braves. So, looks like Dayton won’t be on the post season roster, not that sure about Swarzak either. I am happy to see Jake getting his confidence however.
With both Clutch and Johan out of the picture, you know Heck will be on the team, also look for Hamilton to be a possibility but surely not a lock. Duvall likely on the roster too.
I hope Riley can get his act together this off season. He should have a good idea on what he needs to work on.
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Bowman’s final roster prediction:
Catchers (3): Brian McCann, Tyler Flowers, Francisco Cervelli
Infielders (5): Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies, Dansby Swanson, Josh Donaldson, Adieny Hechavarria
Outfielders (5): Ronald Acuña Jr., Nick Markakis, Matt Joyce, Billy Hamilton, Adam Duvall
Rotation (3): Mike Soroka, Dallas Keuchel, Mike Foltynewicz
Bullpen (8): Mark Melancon, Shane Greene, Chris Martin, Sean Newcomb, Jerry Blevins, Darren O’Day, Max Fried, Josh Tomlin, Luke Jackson
He noted that Fried could start a game 4, but might be more valuable out of the pen. Might be a case of planning for a game 4 start, but willing to go to him in relief if needed.
Notable absences: Julio Teheran and Austin Riley. Means Hechy is the only backup IF for all 4 spots. Bow thinks Josh Tomlin is a better pick for long relief than Julio.
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Start times have been announced.
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Julio? You mean the guy who’s contract is up? He’s not in the future plans. Dansby enters his first year of arb after this season and is here for at least 3 more following.
True…but, Dansby is not really a long time brave, Julio is….and IF the clubhouse would go nuts if Dansby wouldn’t be starting, I don’t get them being meh on Julio starting or not, or even being left off the roster completely for the playoffs…
anyways, we know Julio, but….I am sure many teams will see his sub 4.00 era and being still somehow 28 (29 at the start of 2020) and I am sure some team will give him 3-4 years….and will we all breathe a sigh of relief when he goes…shame….it will be much harder on Julio to leave the team after 12 years, than the braves or braves fans….
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Trey Harris
Weekly Stats: 3 G, 4-11, 1 HR, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 RBI, 4 K
AZL Season Stats: 6 G, .381/.417/.714, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 0 SB
Trey Harris was an offensive weapon again for the Scorpions and was by far the best performer of Braves hitters this week.
The 5’8″ 215 spark-plug continues to pound arms of all shapes and sizes.
The 2018 32nd round pick is a legitimate prospect in my book.
We’ll see how he fairs with the “juiced” rock in AAA next season.
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Reporting from my S FL branch, dealing with family issues…
Braves have not formally announced the playoff roster yet, but this much is known: opting to carry an extra LH bat over an extra arm, Ortega makes the roster; Julio does not. Keuchel gets game 1, followed by Folty, Soroka starts game 3 on the road. Fried will get game 4 if he’s not needed in the pen earlier. It’s that flexibility that allows them to carry the extra bat.
Both Freddie and Ronnie were 100% with no limitations in today’s workout.
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Snit said Julio could still be on a NLCS roster should the Braves advance.
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Riley is off.
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NLDS roster:
Catchers (3): Brian McCann, Tyler Flowers, Francisco Cervelli
Infielders (5): Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies, Dansby Swanson, Josh Donaldson, Adieny Hechavarria
Outfielders (6): Ronald Acuña Jr., Nick Markakis, Matt Joyce, Billy Hamilton, Adam Duvall, Rafael Ortega
Rotation (3): Dallas Keuchel, Mike Foltynewicz, Mike Soroka
Bullpen (8): Mark Melancon, Shane Greene, Chris Martin, Sean Newcomb, Luke Jackson, Anthony Swarzak, Josh Tomlin, Max Fried [possible game 4 starter]
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https://twitter.com/GenJerryBlevins/status/1179513799923179522?s=19
Ha ha ha ha
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V, praying for you and your family!
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Thanks!!
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and was just going to post this via the athletic….
….This would be a good point to divulge why Kranitz left the team in April, in the first month of his first season with the Braves. He returned home to Arizona to be with his wife, Kelly, who was undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments for cancer and was in the roughest stages of treatment from April 12 through April 28.
“It was a place where she had to have six weeks of both chemo and radiation,” Kranitz said. “I needed to be at home with her at that time.”
He didn’t want the team to announce anything because he didn’t want to be a distraction, didn’t want anyone to worry. And when he returned in late April, many players still didn’t know where he had been other than at home for a family matter. Those who did find out were blown away by how he was able to pick up where he left off with them and show the same diligence and pleasant demeanor coaching them.
“Unbelievable,” Foltynewicz said. “Puts things in perspective. The sh*t we’re dealing with ain’t nothing.”
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Looks like I misread Bowman yesterday. Apparently that was not the final roster I posted. The official roster is out today, and is the same except subtract Anthony Swarzak and add Darren O’Day.
I was puzzled by Swarzak anyway. Makes more sense now.
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Yeah…. Swarzak scared the heck out of me. the Braves got their money’s worth out of him. Let him heal up (shoulder) and get an invite to spring training…
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Molina sure has lost that rocket arm, eh? 🙄
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and Chris Martin has a left oblique injury…. so, Bleven? Julio T????
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Sigh!!!!
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sigh indeed…..soft tossing starters, and closers, just don’t win ya playoff games….
we are in trouble folks…Mark has thrown a ton of pitches, and wasn’t good….Martin I assume is out the rest of this round of the playoffs…Luke Jackson still has an awesome slider, and a 97 MPH heater that doesn’t fool anyone. so, Shane Greene, Newt, and???? Cards have a better bullpen, didn’t know that…
gotta win tomorrow (kinda obvious, eh?) 64% of teams that win the first game, win the series….
EDIT…wrote this when I was about to turn away from the game….but, I remembered this team doesn’t quit, so I shouldn’t quit on them….nice comeback….and we have now hurt/scared their closer…..but, their best starter, and the best starter in baseball the 2nd half is on the mound tomorrow…got their work cut out for them for sure
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I firmly believe the CHRIS MARTIN injury to be most grievous.
The last nail in the BRAVES’ coffin as it were.
They lose to the CARDS in four games.
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well, watched the MLBTV folks , and was so glad Harold Reynolds and Cliff Floyd raked Acuna over the coals for once again doggin’ it on a fly ball off the wall, getting only to 1st…they showed he wouldn’t have likely been doubled up at 2nd as he would have been on 3rd on Ozzie grounder…sigh…and they didn’t like(Cliff Floyd) that through the translator, he just said, it happens. No Acuna, it doesn’t! Even FF touched on it briefly, saying it’s already been discussed in the past….he had to be careful.
and the cards have a great defensive team, and for them to make so many mistakes and only get one run…that hurts..
I still have faith in this team, they could very well beat the best 2nd half starter, or get to their bullpen…and Mark M may discover that killer kutter that is so hard to hit…but, if they lose today….then going into Busch stadium…yuck….
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Folty showing he is a real big league pitcher…
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berigan at 6:41, nooooo! Snit, Don’t Folty out after 7 shutout innings! Don’t like this, don’t like this at all in a 1-0 game!
6:42 , YES! Way to go Duvall! Snit, great move! 😛
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piec o’ cake, easy peasy 😛 😛 😛
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Folks were so down on Melancon after last night’s game. The Vitriol I read was staggering. It was even worse when Snit called on him again tonight.
Prior to last night’s outing, Melancon was a perfect 11 for 11 in save opportunities in a Braves uniform, yet folks only saw the loss from last night. And interestingly enough, did y’all see the pitches that were hit? Hard diving curves that were moving out of the zone, yet were plunked over the bag on each side. At some point, someone needs to give credit to the Cards hitters for going down and getting those pitches that were far from sitting on a tee.
Oh, and the 2 guys that hit those pitches last night? Both were strikeout victims in the 9th tonight as Melancon picked up the save. Will he get praise for his work tonight? Probably not. Nor will Snit for going back to his closer in a must win game.
Truth be told, Snit pulled all the right strings tonight… pinch hitting for Folty, using Fried in the 8th, and setting his much needed closer back up on the horse to get a big save.
There is so much more to managing a MLB team than just looking at last night’s box score. It’s amazing to me the number of armchair managers that feel like they can do a better job than a guy that actually holds one of only 30 such positions in the world.
I literally had to stop keeping up with the game score on Twitter (as I was traveling home from S FL) because the surrounding chatter was just too disturbing. What is wrong with people? Fortunately I was able to go back and look at the 9th inning.
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Vee, you missed one for the ages… Folty was magnifico and Duvall the bomb. The Braves have restored my will to live.
Fried looked like John Smotz and Melancon looked like any old soft tossing closer with a 12-6 curve ball… I knew Snit was going to call on Mark because he has done it before. He’ll use Luke Jackson again too.
I also watched the gNats take down the Doggies last night. If anyone should worry about having a closer, it is the gNats… However, LA struck out 17 times and still made a game of it.
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ever wonder if it was a mistake to trade Wainwright?
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“Swansby”? Thank you professional announcer…
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Wasn’t that some game? Did MLB make good on their plan to return to the old (pre 2018) baseballs? Asking for a friend…
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Y’all, I keep saying it. Dansby just has “it”. He’s a winner, plain and simple. Perfect? Hardly. Perfect for this team? That’s another thing altogether.
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BLOG STATS:
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Well, blow me down.
I was wrong.
I said the BRAVES were done in four.
I here to eat humble pie.
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Let’s keep CAROLINA LADY’s counter clicking.
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VOX:
“what’s wrong with everybody these days?”……
Almost everybody is into shallow thinking and instant response, conditioned by t.v. ads interrupting chain of thought, and social media providing simple nonthinking answers to events in daily life.
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I freely admit to being P.O’ed after that first loss. Just didn’t feel good about the level of play from the guys….and I was truly worried that if everyone was was going to hit Mark M’s curve, that he wasn’t going to help us win….Just coming back in that game took the steam out of my anger. I knew then that their closer was in trouble too. Seems Carlos is a starter, not a closer, good thing for us!
I saw comments on the Athletic that were by far the worst I have ever seen there by braves fans, and that was sad. Folks were b*tching about McCann being taken out (no one seemed to realize it was 95!!!!) I knew he was likely to start the next game so lets not wear him down…
Snit has managed spectacularly! Sure, some luck went his way, but I had the feeling the way every other manager was being fired, the team would fire him, if the team was swept in 3 (can you imagine Maddon, or the next Gabe Kapler clone managing this team?)
guys Love him, play their butts off for him….I can think of no better manager than he to manage this team…
and how about Adam Duval??? Guy couldn’t even drive in 1 RBI in 2018, now a playoff hero! So happy for him, and Swansby too! 😛
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Snit has managed spectacularly!
Agree 100%. He may not have been a ML manager for 30+ years, but he has so much more experience in this game than any of the other managers still in the post-season. And he’s not constrained by some set of boutique numbers to dictate his every move. Plus, and interestingly, he also doesn’t seem constrained by “the book”, to which his mentor Bobby Cox was sometimes tethered to a fault.
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The Braves still have not announced their starter for today’s Game 4. I’m expecting it to be Keuchel, and I’m expecting them to pull out all the stops to end it here and not go to Game 5.
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That would be well advised.
Thinking FOLTY has a game five in the bag is prolly wishful thinking.
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I’m hoping Folty will start Game 1 of the NLCS. 😀
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How about Adam Wainwright ???? Was that not a masterful pitching performance at 38? Or any age???? You could just see the frustration on the faces of FF and others, there was literally no way to hit that 12 to 6 curve.
good thing for us he was 38, cuz the 28 year old version of Wainwright goes 9. Probably won’t make it to the HOF, but a tremendous big game pitcher. Still seems to have the best breaking ball in the game.
And Yadier Molina, at 37 is still the best catcher in the game. at 35, BMac looks older than him….IF BMac comes back, I and I hope he does, he needs to work out with Yadier this winter! 😉
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V, yeah, it’s gotta be Dallas, then like you said, everyone , save Folty (maybe)
Don’t want to come back here for game 5 against their best pitcher…I can’t handle that kind of stress 😉
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Game time 3:07pm this afternoon.
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Yes, even CL can watch the game as it is on TBS… I watched parts of the gNats game last night. The Nits had everything under control, had the crowd into the game and then BLAM… The 6th inning happened when Corbin blew it…. Just sad for the Washington fans… I was hoping they would extend the Doggies to 5 games and they still might but Max can’t carry that team on his ailing back.
Now the Braves… If Julio does’t have to pitch the first inning, he might have a shot. Perhaps Snit will both Dallas and Julio throw in the pen to see who has the best stuff… Maybe he is waiting to see the size of the “strike zone” .. A small zone is death to Julio.
Needless to say, I was VERY HAPPY when Dansby hit that double off the wall to tie the game. I honestly thought he had hit it out when it left the bat.
Anyone else notice how psyched Donaldson was when Lt. Dans drove it that run? I expect the “Bringer of Rain” to have a big game today. Hitting is contagious…
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Anyone else notice how psyched Donaldson was when Lt. Dans drove it that run?
You mean this?
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I love JDon!
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Ha ha ha ha ha ha!
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TREY HARRIS
Weekly Stats: 3 G, 1-9, 3 BB, 1 K, 1 SB
Season Stats: 9 G, .300/.389/.533, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 1 SB
Trey Harris had his roughest week at the plate and only eked out one hit on the week, and though he continued to get on base but could not contribute any runs. For just the second time this fall Harris failed to reach base in the opening game of the week, going 0-4 with a strikeout. Harris then ended his week without a strikeout in his last eleven plate appearances, and though he only had one hit he did reach base with three walks. Trey singled in the top of the first inning in the Wednesday game for the Scorpions, and the bases ended up being loaded but he and the other two runners were stranded on base. Harris grounded into a double play in the third inning and then was stranded on base after drawing a walk in the sixth. Two of the walks came in the Saturday loss to the Mayos de Navojoa, and the Scorpions made themselves the only AFL team to lose a game to a Mexican Pacific League opponent thus far this fall.
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Officially official.
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Maybe the offense can give us some breathing room early, DK can give us 5 strong, and Julio can come in to bridge to the 9th, where Greene could close it out. That would be ideal to me. Such a scenario would set us up well moving into the next round.
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Almost wish Duvall was in the lineup today over Joyce. Maybe we need him late though, right?
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Interesting tidbit noted on the radio pregame show today…
We all know unlikely playoff hero Adam Duvall had to endure being sent down to AAA for most of the 2019 season. It’s not always noted that the Braves, accused of being cheap by many around the game until the Keuchel singing and mid-season trades, chose to pay a guy $3M to hit at their AAA affiliate. Even lesser known is that many teams were calling Thoppy in July wanting to trade for Duvall, but were rebuffed by the GM who felt he’d need that bat on his team as a “hole card” late in the season.
Man oh man has Thoppy had a heckuva year.
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Need to get one more good inning out of DK, then maybe a change of pace with a hard throwing righty before these guys see Keuchy a 3rd time? Does Julio throw hard enough?
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Naturally, as soon as I type and post that…
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Swanson and Duvall again!!
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Ozzie!!!
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Man I wish they could have cashed in some runs in that 6th inning. A slim 1-run lead makes me too nervous.
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Unlady-like thoughts……
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Happy Birthday CL!!!
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Like I said…
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Can Freddie’s bat finally show up in the 9th inning? It has been very conspicuously absent. Man we need it now more than ever.
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Why didn’t Ozzie bunt Ronnie over to 3B? I know he has a potent bat, but we need that runner on 2B to get home.
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Ugh. Freddie! We cannot afford to leave Ronnie on 3B. I just don’t like the idea of extra innings in this game.
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It is a true wonder that the Braves are even leading this series 2-1 given that Freddie and Nick have been mostly absent.
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Will the Cards bunt their leadoff double guy over to 3B?
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Julio!?!?!? What are you doing? Gotta get that leading runner at 3B! Now a fly ball wins them the game.
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Just like that. 😡
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Happy Birthday CL… too bad the Braves could not pull out a win for you.
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Happy Birthday CL! 🙂
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Been too bummed to think of anything BRAVES until now.
Hope your Birthday was a good one CAROLINA LADY.
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I took a left-handed swipe at the venerable ol’ “book” yesterday, saying Snit wasn’t as tethered to it as Bobby was. But as soon as I said that, we failed to go by one of the most basic of “book” edicts… moving the runner to 3B after a leadoff double. Ozzie has to be bunting in that situation. Instead, we get a weak fly ball to LF followed by a suddenly familiar Freddie Freeman strikeout. And just like that, they get out of the inning and we waste a prime opportunity.
Those are the kind of things that get you bounced out of the playoffs.
Just sayin’…
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“When there’s a man on third and one out, there’s not much you can do,” Teheran said. “I tried to go in there, and it wasn’t enough. He got the fly ball they were looking for,” via Bowman.
What? Not much you can do? How about pitch out of it? How about keep the ball down? How about decide you are in control and not the batter? That’s a loser answer and reflects a loser attitude.
I’m done with Julio. Give him his $1M buyout and send him on his way. If we advance, add a pitcher to the roster that thinks they can win. I’ll take a green Bryse Wilson or Kyle Wright over a loser attitude.
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On another topic…
I would like to think he can stay here until he retires, but that’s not realistic. He’s a brilliant baseball man and deserves another shot at a manager’s job. He’ll no doubt do well wherever he might land. Still, selfishly I’d like to keep him here in the A.
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Well….crud….a friend that I do tacos tuesday with, and watch games there, suggested watching at a pizza place, good idea! Had no idea game would go so long, buddy was tired and had to drive up north, so when 10th came up…we heard the loss….knew with the bases loaded twice, and not scoring, just wasn’t going to win game….
More in a sec, but…V, I summoned some courage and watched the highlights…here is a crappy pic I took to show that Julio had no choice but to go to 2nd…have no idea why J.D. was running towards 2nd, instead of 3rd, why would you do that?
http://www.imagebam.com/image/ce66401322380374
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ignore that image…sigh….
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ok turned it around,
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wow….it used to be so simple to upload a pic to a website….last link didn’t even show up!
this one should be right side up
http://www.imagebam.com/image/fced221322382175
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Oh yeah, forgot to mention, had to go with buddy as I had a dead battery in my car (new battery was in his trunk) and besides, I have back issues, and at nearly 4 hours, sitting in broken down booth was my limit…
I have had bad feelings in other games before, but the braves came back, so I cannot know for sure what will happen, but….what I do know is that the braves were playing like it was an elimination game, not the Cards! Why?????
sooo afraid of coming back and having to win game 5 , at home? that should not scare the you know what out of you.
MLBTV guys were talking about how the cards, esp. Molina forever give themselves up to move runners over. showed all the times Molina had done it in the series, and even when he got big hits, like the one that ticked off of F.F.’s glove, not over swinging…and barreling the ball….shows Julio trying to jam Molina, and even though the ball was inside, pulled arm, slides his arm as Sean Casey is saying, opening hips to drive ball to to outfield…of course he was able to do what was necessary to help his team win, while the bravos were all trying to hit 5 run homers, white knuckling it …
gets back to guys looking uncomfortable at the plate. Did Wainwright make it worse? are all the cards throwing more and more breaking balls that apparently the braves can’t hit at all, but still insist on swinging at?
I forget what inning it was, but some Cards reliever I never heard of (but had great stats) struck out the side, and I think all swinging….no one seems to have a game plan. Where are the grinding out of at bats?
Most of the guys were there last season, so it’s not like they are in their first playoff atmosphere.
but, one of the things that PO’s me, and I am sure every other braves fan is getting runners on (Acuna on 3rd no outs, bases loaded twice) and it doesn’t matter if it was the 90s, 2000’s or 2010’s…braves teams haven’t a clue on how to score a run! said to my friend, watch, strike out, ground out, then the drive to the outfield….not sure if the first 2 happened just like that, but I do know the 3rd out was the flyout, and of course, no run scored….
sigh…..
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you look at the cards, who would you say had the better offensive players? Braves right? I mean, 1st is basically a draw, but you’d take Ozzie at 2nd, SS offensively speaking, you’d take their guy (but he hasn’t hit in the playoffs either) you’d take JD at 3rd, no doubt. Catcher, you have to go with Yadier , even though I am sure McCann and Flowers have better overall stats…Their LF’er would get the nod, but Acuna, and even Nick would be the picks….but, their guys feel more , scappy, up and down the lineup….
Didn’t know that their bullpen was so much better than ours, but it is. And that’s with the 3 guys we got, imagine if Thoppy had held pat? And I know Chris Martin getting injured has hurt the club, no doubt….
I would have thought our rotation had a real edge, but apparently I was wrong. I figured Dallas K would be able to give us 5 innings at least, I figured he’d be more rested than most starters, getting the late start on the season…but,. he’s still a soft tosser, and soft tossers just don’t go deep in the playoffs anymore…
I think we can save a LOT of money not re-signing Dallas and paying Julio to not pitch here anymore…
get a Garrit Cole, and ….well…a lot of teams are going to want him, though few can pay 30 + mil a year…
well, we will have plenty of time to talk about what to do in 2020, after the season ends, really hope it doesn’t end weds…
What if the Nats beat the Dodgers, and Cards beat us….Nats or Cards to go to W.S???? that’s just too crazy, Nats, Braves . as my buddy David says, he would love to face Nats, as we know we can beat them….come on Braves, come on!!!!
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you look at the cards, who would you say had the better offensive players? Braves right?
Yes. But that qualification requires that Freddie Freeman and Nick Markakis not be completely impotent offensively. And what about Matt Joyce? Complete disappearing act. (For the record, I’ll keep our SS over theirs.)
Didn’t know that their bullpen was so much better than ours, but it is. And that’s with the 3 guys we got
I don’t know… ours has been pretty good. They were really good for 6 innings yesterday until Julio came into the 10th inning. This series has been very well pitched on both sides, That’s why the games have been so close and exciting. The difference yesterday, Julio’s loser mentality aside, was DK giving up those 2 jacks in the 1st inning. That was a hard way to start the game.
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Good morning fellow Stuffians… Well, I too am a bit bummed the Braves did not finish off the Cards when they had the opportunity yesterday but when I saw Julio throw his first pitch and it was that 3/4 down arm slot, I knew it was over. The stretch this summer when he was amazing, he was coning over the top but that ship sailed in September. He is done.
Man on 3rd with one out? The Cards repeatedly worked out of that jam yesterday. Pretty lame excuse on Julio’s part but it is what it is. Teheran gets the loss but it was the lack of coming thru in the clutch that doomed the Braves yesterday.
Move on, Tough assignment beating Flaherty twice but Folty has a chance to become the new cult hero in Atlanta. Get ‘er done guys…
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OK… I am trying to let some of my ill mood go toward this team and think more rationally than emotionally.
I’ve decide to lay off the pitching, because the pitching – whatever mistakes may have been made – has still been good (Julio excepted). It’s the offense that’s not taking advantage of scoring opportunities.
Reason #1, #3 hitter:
Freddie Freeman – 18 PA’s, 2 H’s, 1 BB’s, 5 K’s, 1 RBI
Reason #2, #4 hitter:
Josh Donaldson – 18 PA’s, 2 H’s, 2 BB’s, 3 K’s, 2 RBI
Reason #3, #5 hitter:
Nick Markakis – 18 PA’s, 3 H’s, 1 BB’s, 4 K’s, 0 RBI
Reason #4, #6 hitter:
Brian McCann – 14 PA’s, 2 H’s, 1 BB’s, 2 K’s, 0 RBI
Just 3 RBI’s collectively from the meat of the order with RAJ and Ozzie getting on base at a .579 and .316 clip respectively in front of them. Those gaudy 14 K’s don’t help anything.
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The team was 0-9 with RISP in that uber-important game yesterday. How does that happen? Do we give credit to the Cards’ pitching? Maybe. But that’s not the whole story. I’ve seen some pretty bad swings from some guys that you expect alot more from.
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Perfect.
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V, looking at your stats, I am in a way surprised there weren’t even more strikeouts….I guess they were all with runners on….just beating a dead horse, but why are they not more loose? Why are they not doing what they have done all year? I could see feeling pressure more against the Dodgers, but the Cardinals? Few walks, where is J.D’s eye?
I really thought Nick M was going to have a huge series, being rested, so to speak, verses last year….same thing with F.F. and instead, they have looked so very flat.
and, usually it’s the 1 2 guys not getting on that creates that trickledown effect, of guys not hitting as well with now one on, but….not the case this year.
They have one more chance to make us forget all about the failings in game 4. but, they have to act like this is any other game, at least at the plate. Relax…grind out A.B’s so even if Jack Flaherty has a good game, that he’s at 100 pitches in the 5th or 6th, and get in their very good bullpen…at least then you have a chance. And get another shot at Carlos Martinez…
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where is J.D’s eye?
It’s just an opinion, but I believe the Cards feel zero threat from Nick and aren’t giving JD anything at all to hit. No center cut; everything is on the fringes. And as we’ve seen throughout the series – and it has been consistently both ways – the umps are giving the pitchers all the edges.
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https://twitter.com/GenJerryBlevins/status/1181892997937598465
😆 😆 😆 😆
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I love to see a guy come from nowhere and work his way into real prospect potential.
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Speaking of prospects, I wonder when they’ll update the prospect list? Our Top 30 currently sports 3 guys who have spent much of the year in Atlanta and 5 guys no longer in the organization. There will be some slippage for sure from a few of the holdovers as well, including a couple who could fall out of the rankings.
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And here we go. Duvall starts in LF and bats 6th, moving Mac down a notch. 5:02pm first pitch.
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Flashback to October 5, 2012.
Left field umpire Sam Holbrook ruled Andrelton Simmons out on the infamous “infield fly rule” call on a ball blooped well into the outfield in the bottom of the 8th inning of the Braves vs. Cards Wild Card game, killing a Braves rally and leading to them being bounced from the playoffs.
Guess who the LF umpire is for tonight’s deciding NLDS Game 5 vs. the Cards?
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Well guys, 15 minutes before first pitch and to be honest, every time I think about this game, I get butterflies. It is only a baseball game but for once I would like to be on the winning side. Losing is getting pretty old.
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Yes, the infamous infield fly game… ranks above the Brooks Conrad meltdown and the Chipper Jones errant throw into right field on a DP ball….
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Speaking of meltdowns…
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Goodnight Gracie.
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Oh well…
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wow…I was in the shower, figured out I could miss the beginning of the first…I truly can’t believe this…..I will hold my tongue for now…Maybe they can scratch and claw a few runs here and there, and then come the 9th….I can dream, right????
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Ber, coming back from 12 runs down is a fantasy, not a dream. Hopefully, AA knows what he has to do to get back next season. It is not going to be cheap but the Braves have to have two seasoned top of the line starters.
It was a magical season, just know 29 teams will not win the World Series.
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such an odd situation…..I didn’t like the thought of a game 5, but….but….I could have almost seen what happened to the braves, happen to the Cards….not to this extent, but say, 4-0, 5-0 by the 3rd….this was without a doubt, the last thing I ever thought we would see….I could see being down 3-0, then 5-0 in the 6th…but this was probably the worst blowout in the playoffs, ever. Certainly for a deciding game. that’s just a fact.
Braves are going to be a punchline, for some time to come because of this….to lose this badly, at home….it fulfills the thoughts of folks that are fair weather fans, or those that only talk about the braves to denigrate them. I am sure you know the type, they talk about all the times they won the division, only to collapse come playoff time. This just makes them more smug in their thought process….sigh… I know, who cares….but, it would been nice to, you know….get beyond the first round….but alas, it was not to be….
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And DOB tweeting McCann is retiring, decided a month and a half ago . What a way to go out 😦
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well, I was wrong, not the first time…
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I had a bad feeling about a game five all along.
Expecting FOLTY to repeat was just a pipe dream.
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Well, the Dodgers, perhaps the best team in baseball, were bested by the Nats, the team with probably the worst bullpen in baseball (at least of teams in the playoffs) ….so, there’s that…..
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For the Braves, it was a series with a game to far. Not like it hasn’t happened before. It is why the games are played on the field. Just ask the Dodgers about that… Anyway, the Cards managed to play the Braves as their bitch. How? by letting some second rate reliever goad them into dropping their iconic “Tommy hawk Chop” brand because it hurt his feelings because of his sketchy native American heritage. What said pitcher was pissed about was his team getting beat.
So, the Braves capitulated big time…. and that is all I have to say about that….
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I cannot speak of this. Maybe later. Too soon.
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The pain will pass, it always does. Heck, as a Braves fan the one thing you have to be is resilient.
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I don’t know. This was different somehow. The organization caved to political correctness, the team caved to all sorts of pressures, and then they allowed themselves to be the Cards’ byatch when they passively watched their star get intentionally plunked with no answer. They might as well have just all bent over and said, “Thank you sir, may I have another?” That was worse than just losing a series. They lost their dignity in the process.
This one was more than painful. It was disgusting. For the first time in my entire life I was ashamed to be associated with the Braves.
As for the political correctness angle, this former lifelong Atlanta Falcons fan kicked that entire league to the curb when they infringed on my simple leisure time with their imperious and despotic actions, presuming to impose upon me their arrogant will. I have far too little free time to try to escape the strains and stresses of life as it is. The last thing I want is for the very thing from which I seek to escape to steal away my refuge. I won’t have it. I’ll find something else. Life’s too short.
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After all, the Twins and the Dodger fans feel every bit a bad, the Cubbies worse… See what I did there? So, pick yourself up and be happy for a wonderful season. If you don’t appreciate the great season we all experienced then you just don’t know how hard it really is to be the best of 30 teams when all is said and done but I think y’all do….
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I still can’t quite verbalize(well, type) my feelings on this….I mean, it was so shocking, who could have imagined we had basically no chance to come back….after the 1st? My friend David was on the way over to watch the big game, was running a little late and said…wanna watch a movie??? We all talked, just some about baseball, with the Tv on, but muted….I was at first thinking, well, Snit will join the now 8 managers being fired…(really hope that doesn’t happen) Folty will be traded , JD might not even want to come back after such an embarrassing loss….
well, like Gil said, the pain does pass….I was just numbed by this after the acute embarrassment/anger over his silly, stupid game…only when I write about it, do I feel some of the anger back…
How does a team learn to win in the playoffs? How does a team, no matter the manager or players, make the same exact mistakes nearly every time the playoffs come to the ATL??? I mean, when teams like the Braves, and twins (they have lost what, 12, 14 straight playoff games?) no matter how good they are during the season, get stressed out/scared/choke , how do you change this problem? Therapists? positive thoughts 24/7? Yoga???
I am sure we are going to hear how embarrassed the players were, and will come to Spring Training angrier, and more focused than ever…great, swell! Thing is, the regular season is NOT the problem!!! I heard a reporter telling a nats player that it seemed like they were playing playoff atmosphere games since May….well, so have the Braves! No one expected them to win the division again, but they did. Beat up all the teams that needed beating up….but the the big bad Cards showed up…did they look past the Cards, like we fans did, planning on the Dodgers, and how to beat them? This Cardinal team looked so bad mid season, not gonna waste time looking up the stats, but they were not hitting a lick. the “experts’ at MLBTR, etc thought Paul Goldschimdt had suddenly gotten old, old catcher….so-so rotation….they had only 2 really scary hitters, the braves had 4, and all in a row! Then Nick M, professional hitter! Should have walked there 2 guys half the time they came up….
so, long story short….I don’t know what the braves really need. Oh sure, Garrit Cole would be awesome! But, The Angels, Phils, CHIsox, Yankees (if they don’t win the W.S., I half expect the Astros to screw up tonight, and the Yanks, that did NOTHING at the trade deadline , and lost 2 top outfielders, and their 3rd basemen, and SS for much of the season, and still magically won over 100 games, will go and beat the Cards, or Nats like a drum in the W.S.) even his Astros will want him too….but, was it our rotation that caused this problem? Or was it the same ol’ song of not getting a key hit, after getting nothing but key hits late all season long? 1 hit there, and Folty would be starting game 1 against the Nats….
but, if we had Garrit, we wouldn’t have lost game 5, at least not 13-1….
we have all these studs soon to be ready, do we trade them away (and for who?) instead of letting them develop for us?
I could go on, but….we have a nice, loooooong offseason to ponder this crud, right?
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Remember in 1982, when the Braves were in 1st place with a seemingly insurmountable lead. Because they wanted the additional seating in the outfield stands, the Braves removed Chief Knock-a-Homa’s teepee and sold tickets for the seats normally supporting it. The Braves promptly lost 19 of their next 21 games and fell to 2nd place. Only when Braves management put the teepee back in place, the Braves stopped the slide and got back to 1st place (and ultimately won the Western division that year). But that incident was profit motivated.
This year they squelched their own battle cry, and the battle that went along with it in an effort to appease the over-sensitive victimhood-seeking PC crowd. So we hurt the wittle feewings of a middle relief pitcher. Who cares? Go out and batter his pitches and send him back to St. Louis crying like a snot-nosed little sister… because that’s how he acted. “Mommy! He hurt my feelings!” Grow a pair, would ya?
Just stupid. They deserve everything that came with that knee-jerk reaction. They lost way more than a baseball game or playoff series yesterday.
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I would agree, but I’m just done .
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… and if that’s the course this organization wants to take, they might as well go ahead and take the tomahawks off the uniforms too. In fact, why even stop there? The name is offensive to somebody out there too. (Somebody who just wants their 15 minutes of fame, that is. After all, the Cards pitcher, of whom I can’t even recall his name, is known more for his sensitivity than for his performance on the mound. He certainly played his victimhood to his favor, didn’t he? Everyone knows who he is now. I still can’t recall his name.)
So just change the name and be done with it. But make sure it’s as bland and non-offensive as possible.
All the animal names are out, because it’s just a matter of time before PETA insists those be changed. After all, somewhere there is an oriole that can’t even bring itself to build a nest because of the stigma associated with the baseball team in Baltimore. The Rays were on the cutting edge of this movement by disassociating itself with the Devil Ray and choosing instead rays from the sun. As of the time of this commentary, there has been no comment by the sun itself as to it’s feelings on the switch.
Why hasn’t some millennial sword-bearing boat-raiding marauder complained about the Pirates yet? It’s only a matter of time. That caricature is so hurtful to the nautical rapers and pillagers among us. It must be changed.
But what the Atlanta baseball club name? Must be something benign and vanilla. Maybe Vanilla? The Atlanta Vanilla… nope. That could possibly carry racial overtones.
Heck, I can’t think of a single thing that might not offend somebody in some fashion. How about the Atlanta Apologies? At least there is alliteration.
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Or the Atlanta Bloopers. It seems fitting somehow… and they already have the mascot.
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Amen sir…. What I said….
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Pitching’s gonna improve next year.
Relying on KEUCHEL, TEHERAN and FOLTYNEWICZ just ain’t cuttin’ it.
JOSH DONALDSON and NICK MARKAKIS, the middle of the order needs renewal or replacement.
Releifer CHRIS MARTIN needs to be re’d up.
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I may talk baseball again sometime soon. I need time.
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I have read that Fredi Gonzalez has left the Marlins and would like to be considered for this vacancy. Apparently he lives just outside Philly.
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Bye bye Mac. Much respect dude. No one should wear #16 in Atlanta again.
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Agree on all of the above… My biggest fear will be to lose either Ron Washington or Walt Weiss or both. Either could go to San Diego or Philly or New York or LA… Lots of openings for two very astute baseball minds.
Yes, the Braves should retire B-Macs number next year after they induct him in to the Atlanta Braves HOF.
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I’m thawing a little…
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Team League AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP SLG OPS
SCO AFL .282 11 39 5 11 2 0 2 4 19 5 10 1 1 .356 .487 .843
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TREY HARRIS
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I am at least drinking my coffee from my Atlanta Braves travel mug this morning. That’s a big step.
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One comment on a non-Braves baseball topic (edit, I realized it is actually Braves related), and I’ll continue my thawing.
Cards manager Mike Shildt sort of apologized for his totally classless profanity laced rant from the team celebration in Atlanta on Wednesday. Well, he positioned it as an apology. In reality, it was no apology at all… revealing the man’s true character.
He said: “It’s regretful that that was able to get out. I will not apologize for having passion about how I feel about our team and the accomplishments of our team.”
In other words, the only thing he really regrets is that it went public.
Further: “I apologize if my language offended anyone.”
Again, not really an apology if it has to be qualified. And it’s clear he’s not sorry for the language, only that anyone would take exception to it.
Last one: “It is not something I like to represent. It’s not to be excused. I will say that I’m flawed. I have my moments. I grew up in a clubhouse and one of the crosses I bear is my language. I’ve done a nice job over the many years of curbing that. Trying to represent always myself and this organization in a positive light with class and dignity. It’s regretful that that was able to get out.”
False. It’s obvious he doesn’t mind representing that at all, making excuses for it rather than showing remorse. And if he’s done a nice job of curbing it, I shudder to think what he may have said otherwise. Class and dignity? Please. The man is trying to convince himself with those statements. The only truth in that entire statement is the he regrets it went public.
The Cards had been my 2nd favorite NL team behind my beloved (still) hometown Atlanta Braves. No more, as long as this is the face of their organization. I had actually turned a blind eye toward their veteran leader Yadier Molina. There is no doubting his baseball talent, but high moral character is hardly a trait he possesses. No better example can be found than his complaining about Ronald’s showboating, yet doing the very same thing himself every time he does something good on the field. How about axe-throwing his bat practically into LF following his game winning hit in Game 4? How about the throat slash directed toward Ronald? Classless… just like his manager so why would we expect anything else?
I’ll tell you what. I’ll take our team and it’s manager making an early exit from the playoffs, but being men of character over advancing and showing zero class in the process. In my book, the Braves win the more important battle.
This rant is actually therapeutic.
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It will be fun when the Braves play the Cards next season…. Bulletin board material….
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2020 prospects
Starting Pitching
RH
IAN ANDERSON [AAA]
KYLE WRIGHT [ML-AAA]
BRYSE WILSON [ML-AAA]
HUASCAR YNOA [ML-AAA]
PATRICK WEIGEL [AAA]
JASSEEL De La CRUZ [AA]
NOLAN KINGHAM [AA]
FREDDY TARNOK [A+]
KASEY KALICH [A]
LH
TUCKER DAVIDSON [AAA]
KYLE MULLER [AA]
I see a distinct paucity of LH’ers in this group due primarily to trades.
The one mistake I think AA made last two seasons was letting two LH’ers go in trades
KOLBY ALLARD is in TEXAS MLB [MARTIN rental]
BRUCE ZIMMERMANN is in NORFOLK O’s AAA [GAUSMAN trade].
Frankly I think we were taken in both trades, but what do I know?
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testify brother V, testify! Yeah….really, really disappointed with the Cards…I mean, I know if you are considered the underdog, you do things to pump you up, but this was just low class, plane and simple….and as you all probably know, from the STL, was a die hard Card fan, til the evil Whitey Herzog traded everyone away that I grew up watching…somehow they got to a few world series (Man, teams just weren’t very good in the 80’s were they?)
anyways, I learned to like them again when they got Mark McGuire (I didn’t know what it was like to even see a guy hit 30 Hr’s before McGuire) and while I haven’t followed them like the Braves and Cubs (TBS and WGN are why I am still a baseball fan, cuz no interest in baseball where I lived in Florida, and no teams nearby then either)
Always respected their system that seemed to produce winning players year after year…then, after LaRussa left, and Mike Matheny took over, heard about some of the stupid things that he allowed to happen to Rookies via other players….started to lose interest in them again…and like you V, in spite of looking like he is fresh from Prison, Molina has had an amazing career….but, how can you be that good at 37??? Steroids? Nah, no one would do that today 😛
No doubt with the screwy schedules we won’t face the Cards til August or September, but I can’t wait to watch the braves sweep them twice and keep them out of the playoffs in 2020!
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One note: I did not take into account the pre-arb and arb raises for guys who fall into that category when I noted the Braves 2020 salary commitment at just over $56M. RosterResource estimates the total payroll before any new additions to be in the neighborhood of $73M. Still, that leaves alot of flexibility to add quality players to this team for 2020.
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I would like to personally thank the LA Dodgers for taking the national heat off the Braves. Appreciate that much.
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Oh, and I am temporarily a fan of the Nats. I want them to crush the Cards in such a manner that most of them go home with their tails tucked between their legs. That is all.
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My favorite AL team, the Astros, of course hold my rooting interest overall. I don’t foresee myself giving too much energy and time to the rest of the playoffs though. The wounds are still fresh. Mine is a measured rooting interest.
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Sorry, V, but you’ve been hijacked. Excellent opine! (See next page….)
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Sorry, V, but your excellent earlier opine has been hijacked by the site janitor/caretaker/Mama/WhateverIAm. grin
NEW LEAD IS UP, GUYS!
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Interesting factoid: LHRP Grant Dayton will turn 32 next month, yet is poised to enter arb this offseason for the first time in his career. Being he’s a LH, the Braves will probably tender him an offer.
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