• Welcome to OGBoards 10.0, keep in mind that we will be making LOTS of changes to smooth out the experience here and make it as close as possible functionally to the old software, but feel free to drop suggestions or requests in the Tech Support subforum!

2022 Atlanta Braves Season Thread: off season decisions loom

Thought I was too old and jaded to care that much anymore, but I am nervous as a donkey for this one. Just want to win a series. Jeebus, take the wheel.
 
deacon14 said:
I think Shildt is dumb enough to use Martinez in a close game situation again, so in that case I’d actually say us. Although what I’m honestly more scared of is Flaherty going 6 then Wainwright pitching 3. I really hope Soroka is available but haven’t seen anything about it.
Click to expand...

Normally I think that would be scary but I just can't see Wainwright being that effective after only 2 days rest and him pitching some 120 pitches Sunday. I probably shouldn't say that knowing his stellar postseason history, but you see so many times stud pitchers come out as duds when used on short rest. SEe Verlander. Plus only 2 days which is really short is asking too much for the old man.

I think SunTrust park is the diff. and 2 of Freeman, Donaldson, Markakis, or McCann will finally start to get hits along with the usual production from Acuna and Albies. Won't happen early as Flaherty will be strong again for 5-6, but at some point we will break through and just hold on. Wouldn't be surprised if comes down to bottom of 9th or 10th run either to pull it off.
 
saltydeac said:
Normally I think that would be scary but I just can't see Wainwright being that effective after only 2 days rest and him pitching some 120 pitches Sunday. I probably shouldn't say that knowing his stellar postseason history, but you see so many times stud pitchers come out as duds when used on short rest. SEe Verlander. Plus only 2 days which is really short is asking too much for the old man.

I think SunTrust park is the diff. and 2 of Freeman, Donaldson, Markakis, or McCann will finally start to get hits along with the usual production from Acuna and Albies. Won't happen early as Flaherty will be strong again for 5-6, but at some point we will break through and just hold on. Wouldn't be surprised if comes down to bottom of 9th or 10th run either to pull it off.
Click to expand...


Cervelli becomes the Frankie Cabrerra of this millennium?
 
saltydeac said:
Normally I think that would be scary but I just can't see Wainwright being that effective after only 2 days rest and him pitching some 120 pitches Sunday. I probably shouldn't say that knowing his stellar postseason history, but you see so many times stud pitchers come out as duds when used on short rest. SEe Verlander. Plus only 2 days which is really short is asking too much for the old man.

I think SunTrust park is the diff. and 2 of Freeman, Donaldson, Markakis, or McCann will finally start to get hits along with the usual production from Acuna and Albies. Won't happen early as Flaherty will be strong again for 5-6, but at some point we will break through and just hold on. Wouldn't be surprised if comes down to bottom of 9th or 10th run either to pull it off.
Click to expand...

I hope you are right about him struggling, because they are 100% going to pitch him unless Flaherty goes CG.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/27802220/adam-wainwright-available-bullpen-cardinals-game-5
 
I already have bubble guts. Gonna need to open up my single barrel bourbon to get through this game tonight.
 
As I mentioned in an earlier post, the Braves screwed up big-time by starting Keuchel in Game 4....when Flaherty wasn't available. Flaherty may be the hottest pitcher in baseball right now, so the Braves should have done everything possible to win the series then....and starting Keuchel, who has been getting beaten up on a regular basis for the last month, was a huge mistake.

The Braves can still win it today, but beating Flaherty...even at home...is a tougher assignment than they had in Game 4. With the Braves having the home field advantage, the game is basically a tossup. Starting Keuchel in Game 4 still blows my mind, though.
 
PostalDeac said:
As I mentioned in an earlier post, the Braves screwed up big-time by starting Keuchel in Game 4....when Flaherty wasn't available. Flaherty may be the hottest pitcher in baseball right now, so the Braves should have done everything possible to win the series then....and starting Keuchel, who has been getting beaten up on a regular basis for the last month, was a huge mistake.

The Braves can still win it today, but beating Flaherty...even at home...is a tougher assignment than they had in Game 4. With the Braves having the home field advantage, the game is basically a tossup. Starting Keuchel in Game 4 still blows my mind, though.
Click to expand...

What would you have preferred? Starting Teheran? He made it 1/3 of an inning without giving up a run. Fried in the bullpen made sense once Martin went down, so somebody had to start game 4, and I'd stand by Keuchal being the best option Snitker had.

Keuchal didn't lose that baseball game for us, the offense did. Blaming management/coaching for losing that game because they started Keuchal is crazy. Blame the players that left 7 men on base in the last 4 innings of regular innings.
 
deacon14 said:
What would you have preferred? Starting Teheran? He made it 1/3 of an inning without giving up a run. Fried in the bullpen made sense once Martin went down, so somebody had to start game 4, and I'd stand by Keuchal being the best option Snitker had.

Keuchal didn't lose that baseball game for us, the offense did. Blaming management/coaching for losing that game because they started Keuchal is crazy. Blame the players that left 7 men on base in the last 4 innings of regular innings.
Click to expand...

Fried has been misused thru the entire series. He should have been in the starting rotation instead of Keuchel. It really doesn't matter, though. Neither one of these teams is going to beat either the Dodgers or the Nationals.
 
Last edited:
PostalDeac said:
Fried has been misused thru the entire series.
Click to expand...

Losing Martin and replacing him with Teheran dropped us from 3 reliable high leverage bullpen inning arms to 2 (Melancon and Greene). At that point we needed somebody that we could trust to give us shutdown innings in relief, and Fried has done that. Unless you wanted to see Luke Jackson walking 2 guys in the seventh innings of these games, moving him to the bullpen was the correct call.
 
As good a starter as Fried is, remember he started the year in the bullpen and, given the Braves bullpen needs this series after Martin went down, he was a natural to fit to fill that role. And he has filled it perfectly. Given that, the only options for game 4 were Keuchel or Teheran. The question is who do you have more faith in? Keuchel was the better option in my opinion and was not the cause of a loss that was decided in the 10th inning after 8 batters were left on base after he left the game.
 
deacon14 said:
Losing Martin and replacing him with Teheran dropped us from 3 reliable high leverage bullpen inning arms to 2 (Melancon and Greene). At that point we needed somebody that we could trust to give us shutdown innings in relief, and Fried has done that. Unless you wanted to see Luke Jackson walking 2 guys in the seventh innings of these games, moving him to the bullpen was the correct call.
Click to expand...

I was editing my post in reply to your earlier question as you were posting. Keuchel should have been in the bullpen, not Fried. Keuchel has been getting lit up for a full month now.
 
PostalDeac said:
Keuchel should have been in the bullpen, not Fried.
Click to expand...

You don't sign the perceived best FA starting pitcher (with pretty good postseason success) at the trade deadline to move him to the bullpen for the playoffs; that's just never happening in major league baseball.
 
Worst game I've ever seen Freeman play a the most critical time. 3 strikeouts without even looking competitive - 2 with men in scoring position and less than 2 outs. Grounded into a double play and another ground out. Why Snitker didn't bunt Acuna over to 3rd in 10th is beyond me. Freeman misplayed the throw from right field by Markakis. If he takes the inside track in front of the runner he's most likely out and inning over. Too many scoring chances botched by poor hitting and too much playing for the home run. When teams struggle to score basic baseball is best. Sacrificing the get runner to third in close game makes sense to me particularly when your studs are struggling. Make it as easy on them to produce as possible. Once you are in extra inning sit's one and done so you must maximize every opportunity. Snitker very rarely uses the bunt to his detriment.
 
PostalDeac said:
Fried has been misused thru the entire series. He should have been in the starting rotation instead of Keuchel. It really doesn't matter, though. Neither one of these teams is going to beat either the Dodgers or the Nationals.
Click to expand...

Fried’s stuff actually makes sense in the bullpen. 95-97 mph and a nasty curve. Keuchel in the bullpen wouldn’t work at all based on the stuff he uses.

Also, let’s not pretend the sky is falling here. This is a 97 win team, and the Braves won the NL East by several games over the nats. We could beat either in a series, and I think may be slight favorites over the nats given home field advantage.
 
deacon14 said:
Fried’s stuff actually makes sense in the bullpen. 95-97 mph and a nasty curve. Keuchel in the bullpen wouldn’t work at all based on the stuff he uses.
.
Click to expand...

To further expound on that, the reason being is that there is less room for error as a one inning bullpen arm. Keuchel theoretically can misplace an 89 mph fastball, give up a homer, and still go 6 innings and have a good inning. Give up a single homer like that in the bullpen and you had a terrible outing.
 
Keuchel has lasted 24 innings in his last 5 starts, giving up 7 HRs with a 5.63 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP. I don't care what his previous reputation is, those are lousy numbers.
 
deacon14 said:
Fried’s stuff actually makes sense in the bullpen. 95-97 mph and a nasty curve. Keuchel in the bullpen wouldn’t work at all based on the stuff he uses.

Also, let’s not pretend the sky is falling here. This is a 97 win team, and the Braves won the NL East by several games over the nats. We could beat either in a series, and I think may be slight favorites over the nats given home field advantage.
Click to expand...

Atlanta has no answer for either Buehler/Kershaw/Ryu or Scherzer/Strasburg/Corbin. Somehow the Nationals began the season 19-31. This a far different Washington club now.
 
Can’t wait till the Braves have a 1 run lead thru 8 and heeere comes Melancon to close it out! Ugh I don’t think I can even watch tonight as I’ll be out of pocket, really hope they can close the deal so I don’t have to be done with baseball for the year.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top