2018 Atlanta Braves thread
- Thread starter TarHeelNation11
- Start date
Vizcaino: not super good at closing.
Also, @coolwaterunc -- something is building in Atlanta. A noon getaway weekday start and we have 32,000 fans there. The city is buying in.
Also, @coolwaterunc -- something is building in Atlanta. A noon getaway weekday start and we have 32,000 fans there. The city is buying in.
That's awesome to hear. I didnt watch so I had no idea what the attendance was. No chance in hell that happens in Turner Field.
Should we keep Dansby hitting second when Acuña comes back? Seems to be working for him. Acuña hitting 5th or something makes the lineup deeper, but having the dynamic pairing of Albies and Acuña at the top of the order in front of Freddie is kinda hard to turn away from. I'm torn.
Watching the replay of the game. Soroka is a surgeon. I like the way the rotation is shaping up. Got nasty breaking stuff and just good overall makeup with Newcomb, straight power with Folty, precision and efficiency with Soroka, and top it off with a couple of vets. They are settling in.
I’ll talk shit then too.
There's no reason to have Brandon McCarthy in this rotation anymore. The dude is an automatic L.
Newcomb
Folty
Soroka
Teheran
Sanchez
That should be it until further notice.
Newcomb
Folty
Soroka
Teheran
Sanchez
That should be it until further notice.
Freddie was safe. Jesus Christ the ****ed up replay system. GET. IT. OUT.
Johnny Lasagna wins his debut start. Kid looked good. Obviously there are areas for improvement but perhaps he can be a suitable replacement until Tanaka gets back.
@TarHeelNation11
The AL looks like a three way race between the Yankees, Astros, and Red Sox. But I’m looking at the NL and I have no idea who among that group should be considered the favorite to make the World Series. Any thoughts?
The AL looks like a three way race between the Yankees, Astros, and Red Sox. But I’m looking at the NL and I have no idea who among that group should be considered the favorite to make the World Series. Any thoughts?
Ugh, they're talking on the Braves broadcast about Manfred wanting to put the DH in both leagues. I swear if that bastard does that, put a bounty on him. The day that joke of a "position" comes to the National League will be the darkest day in American sports history.
Why the hell did we take Newcomb out after only a 25 minute rain delay? There are innings that last longer than that.
Okay just now having time to respond to this thread @coolwaterunc @carolinablue34
So there keeps being a need for a guy, and Snitker / the FO decide that McCarthy is that guy. My only hope is that we are putting him in the display window for someone with pitching issues to go after him (cough, Dodgers). I do not want McCarthy to go the pen... he would be useless except as a long-relief man when we are already winning or losing by 7 runs. I would prefer it be Fried. He has looked decent when given the opportunity, and it would kill two birds with one stone because it would also give other MLB clubs more chances to see him pitch so we can trade him.
That brings us to the bullpen. The bullpen is 1 part awesome and 1 equal part house of cards. Winkler is a beast 99% of the time. Minter is a beast 80% of the time (my God, last night he was effing filthy. If he's that "on" he's unhittable.). Vizzy is horrifying and scary and heart attack-inducing, but still, 80% of the time, he ultimately gets the job done. Carle is effective ~65% of the time. Sam Freeman.... he's not getting it done. From what I read from people who know baseball better than me, he could be effective still, but he needs to be managed the right way........... i.e., stop letting him face righties lol. Other than that, though, our bullpen is awfulllllllllllllll. Awful. We need help there bad.
I agree that I really do not want McCarthy in the starting rotation anymore. The problem is our pitching health is on very shaky ground. Said another way, one of our regular starters keeps getting injured and thus the need for McCarthy continues. First Soroka had the shoulder issues (does air quotes), now Folty will probably miss a start or two. And Newcomb requires an extra day's rest, per the front office, so we are still making that happen. And, of course, Teheran has his issues.
So there keeps being a need for a guy, and Snitker / the FO decide that McCarthy is that guy. My only hope is that we are putting him in the display window for someone with pitching issues to go after him (cough, Dodgers). I do not want McCarthy to go the pen... he would be useless except as a long-relief man when we are already winning or losing by 7 runs. I would prefer it be Fried. He has looked decent when given the opportunity, and it would kill two birds with one stone because it would also give other MLB clubs more chances to see him pitch so we can trade him.
That brings us to the bullpen. The bullpen is 1 part awesome and 1 equal part house of cards. Winkler is a beast 99% of the time. Minter is a beast 80% of the time (my God, last night he was effing filthy. If he's that "on" he's unhittable.). Vizzy is horrifying and scary and heart attack-inducing, but still, 80% of the time, he ultimately gets the job done. Carle is effective ~65% of the time. Sam Freeman.... he's not getting it done. From what I read from people who know baseball better than me, he could be effective still, but he needs to be managed the right way........... i.e., stop letting him face righties lol. Other than that, though, our bullpen is awfulllllllllllllll. Awful. We need help there bad.
I'm not sure what Dansby's optimal spot in the lineup should be, but I do know it should not and cannot be the 8th spot. There's data out there that shows that Dansby's numbers when hitting in the 8th spot are Johan Camargo-in-the-dregs-of-a-two-month-slump level bad; whereas his numbers when hitting in spots 1-7 are respectable and certainly near league average. So as long as he doesn't hit 8th, I'm good with it. Ender, on the other hand, needs to hit 8th. If Snitker is dead set opposed to batting the pitcher 8th, then hit Ender 8th. That way he acts as a de facto lead off guy to set the table for Ozzie / Acuña / Dansby / Freeman, etc.
Here's my stab at a lineup when Acuña comes back:
Ozzie
Acuña
Freeman
Markakis
Flowzuki
Swanson
Culberson (3B)
Ender
pitcher
I do not want Camargo playing every day. As long as Culberson continues this decent run of form, he needs to start. Use Camargo as a defensive replacement after 6 or 7, a la the Peter Bourjos treatment.
It's anybody's guess at this point man. It's still assumed by 'experts' and by me that the Nationals will eventually get right and win the East by 4-8 games. But like, it's midway through June and they still haven't gotten right yet. If they're still scuffling (by their standards) by the ASG, I may start to allow myself to think they may not be a lock to win the East. Until then, I think they're a lock. But as far as World Series hopes, it just feels like the Nationals are missing something. I can't identify what it is, but it feels like they're missing something. Perhaps they're missing an optimal Bryce Harper, since he's having a down year by his standards. The never-ending injuries to Murphy, Eaton, and Zimmerman don't help them either.
I gotta think the Dodgers will eventually be the World Series favorite from the NL though. They've got the lineup to get it done, and the NL West is quickly turning into the worst division in the majors (except the AL Central). Colorado is free-falling, Arizona did their free-falling but have recovered a bit recently. But they're not good enough anyway. The Dodgers will win that division by 10+ games. If the Dodgers can figure out a consistent rotation, they'll be World Series contenders for sure. Cubs? Ehh, feels like something is missing from them too.
I think it's all a moot point about who comes out of the NL, though. Houston, NYY, and the Red Sox just look way, way too good. They look unbeatable. I think it will be a replay of last post-season where the ALCS is the de facto World Series.
I like that okay, but the only thing about hitting Ender eighth is that he's our best and most efficient base stealer and he's hitting in front of the pitcher. I just don't think that's the best spot for someone like him. I actually liked him hitting 9th and kinda wish Snit would try that again.
I will be shocked but pleasantly surprised if the pen holds this lead. We know we aren't scoring again today.
We may have just found the second manager worse than Snit, after Gabe Kapler. Dude decides to pitch to Flowers with a struggling Ender on deck. Idiot.
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