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2022 Atlanta Braves Season Thread: off season decisions loom

The Braves manager blew this game. Yadi is one of the most clutch players in baseball. He swings at 48% of first pitches. In the eighth, they didn't think about wasting that pitch. So, he plopped in for the game tying run. In the tenths, there was a guy on third for Yadi. Of course, they didn't waste a pitch. And of course, he hit a SF to win the game.

In what world would you give Yadi a pitch to hit on a first pitch?

Whether you are blaming Freddie or Snit, it is comical to try to blame that loss on one person. That was as much a team loss as you will see. It wasn't Snit who couldn't get Acuna in from third, it was the 2 and 3 hitters. It wasn't Snit who failed to get Acuna from second to third, it was the 2 hitter. Even the throw by Markakis in the 9th, which didn't lead to a run, but allowed the potential winning run to reach second base, was ill-advised. And it wasn't Snit who was out there swinging at first pitches against a starting pitcher who led the Majors in walks this year. The Braves simply didn't play a good game.
 
I feel like since the early 90's the Braves have been incredibly lucky/clutch against the Rust Belt (Pittsburgh/Cleveland/Cincy) and incredibly unlucky/unclutch against everyone else
 
Whether you are blaming Freddie or Snit, it is comical to try to blame that loss on one person. That was as much a team loss as you will see. It wasn't Snit who couldn't get Acuna in from third, it was the 2 and 3 hitters. It wasn't Snit who failed to get Acuna from second to third, it was the 2 hitter. Even the throw by Markakis in the 9th, which didn't lead to a run, but allowed the potential winning run to reach second base, was ill-advised. And it wasn't Snit who was out there swinging at first pitches against a starting pitcher who led the Majors in walks this year. The Braves simply didn't play a good game.



Agree that blaming Schitker in this game is not warranted. 0-9 with runners in scoring position was the culprit. Based loaded in 6th AND 7th with nothing to show for it. This team has been clutch all season long, to not come through with even one run in those spots was devastating. The guys to blame are the very guys that got us here:

Albies 4/16 .250
Freeman 2/16 .125
Donaldson 2/15 .133
Markakis 3/17 .176


So the 2,3,4,5, hitters are batting 11/64 for a .172 clip. The heart of the order has to do better.
 
Only had one pitcher left in the bullpen. If you pull Teheran there and Melancon gets out of it you have to score in the top of the inning or the games basically over, because Mark isnt going 2 2/3 innings. Smarter play would have been Melancon in the tenth to get goldy and ozuna, then teheran till the game ends.

I would have put Teheran in after Keuchel (who I wouldn’t have started) to eat up more innings when the stakes were lower and save the bullpen for later.
 
I get what you're saying, but we were losing at that point in the game. I have more faith in the bullpen combo we used to drag us to the ninth still in contention than i do in Teheran going the 5th-7th innings without giving up multiple runs. Regardless of this debate, Snit's bullpen usage is absolutely not what lost the game, he did fine with it. What lost the game is stranding 8 runners on base in the final few innings without scoring, which is absolutely unfathomable for one of the top offenses in the league. That's not a coaching mistake, it's an execution problem, specifically with Freddie, Nick, Joyce, McCann, and Josh.

Dansby and Acuna alone aren't getting the job done tomorrow, even if they essentially almost did yesterday. If one of the other guys I listed doesn't step up, we will lose regardless of what Folty does.
 
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So who are you guys comfortable with pitching tomorrow? I have it in tiers:

Will definitely (and should) get the ball at some point: Folty, Fried, Melancon
If Folty only goes 4-5 innings: Jackson, Greene, Soroka (If his arm can handle it, I'd give him an inning over the other two guys in this tier)
Situationally, to no more than a batter or two: O'Day, Newcomb
If extra innings: Let Newcomb go extended maybe, Tomlin
My head will explode if they touch the ball: Keuchal, Teheran
 
Adding on to my last post, any thoughts on the lineup? I'd like to move Dansby up in the order and start Duvall over Joyce. Joyce is just as good as a PH as Duvall, and he just hasn't gotten it done this series. Additionally, take an AB away from McCann in the 5th-7th inning and give it Cervelli, and if he really can't catch then put Flowers in and pray he doesn't get hurt. We have 3 catchers, let's use them.

1. Ronald
2. Ozzie
3. Freddie (He said postgame his wrist isn't the problem, and I'll believe him. Based on performance moving him down makes sense but he's earned the benefit of the doubt)
4. Josh
5. Markakis
6. Swanson
7. Duvall
8. McCann
9. Folty
 
Adding on to my last post, any thoughts on the lineup? I'd like to move Dansby up in the order and start Duvall over Joyce. Joyce is just as good as a PH as Duvall, and he just hasn't gotten it done this series. Additionally, take an AB away from McCann in the 5th-7th inning and give it Cervelli, and if he really can't catch then put Flowers in and pray he doesn't get hurt. We have 3 catchers, let's use them.

1. Ronald
2. Ozzie
3. Freddie (He said postgame his wrist isn't the problem, and I'll believe him. Based on performance moving him down makes sense but he's earned the benefit of the doubt)
4. Josh
5. Markakis
6. Swanson
7. Duvall
8. McCann
9. Folty

There would also be merit to separating Nick and Freddie more in the lineup specifically to negate the effect of Andrew Miller, who has killed both those guys all series.
 
Folty should get the start and you ride him until you can't
Max Fried should be next. He has been pretty sharp until Sunday when he walked 2 batters. He has only thrown 13 pitches in the last 5 days so he should be pretty fresh and could be used in long relief.
Greene is next.

I might also think about moving Markakis down in the lineup, just too many cold bats all bunched up together with Markakis, Freeman and Donaldson.

I say move Swanson up because he is swinging well. If not, I might even try and bat the pitcher in the 8 hole and let Swanson bat ninth. Kind of bunch the hotter stick together. When Folty gets pulled it will probably be a double switch anyway. So Swanson, Acuna, Albies and Duvall should all be close together leaving Freeman and Donaldson in the three and 4 holes.

Duvall should start over Joyce, better bat and stronger defensive alignment.
 
The Braves hitters that are struggling, (Freeman, Donaldson, Markakis and McCann) have to see more pitches. The formula that has worked for the Braves all year is working deep counts. Work your counts and force the pitcher to make quality pitches. If the hits aren't falling, get on base with a walk.

1 Acuna
2 Albies
3 Freeman
4 Donaldson
5 McCann
6 Markakis
7 Duvall
8 Folty
9 Swanson
 
The Braves hitters that are struggling, (Freeman, Donaldson, Markakis and McCann) have to see more pitches. The formula that has worked for the Braves all year is working deep counts. Work your counts and force the pitcher to make quality pitches. If the hits aren't falling, get on base with a walk.

1 Acuna
2 Albies
3 Freeman
4 Donaldson
5 McCann
6 Markakis
7 Duvall
8 Folty
9 Swanson

What's the logic in giving Dansby the least amount of ABs of anyone? He's hitting 0.500 the first 4 games of this series. Meanwhile Freeman is 0.125, Donaldson is 0.133, Markakis is 0.176, and McCann is 0.154. Small sample size and all, but starting your hottest hitter in the nine hole in a game you have to win would be nuts.
 
The only logic I've ever understood in starting a hitter in the nine hole is if you have a guy that's fast, walks a lot, and doesn't get a lot of hits. That way the likely outcome is either an out or a runner on first for the top of the lineup. I don't want to waste doubles/triples and homers, or even singles that could score a runner from second or move a runner from first to third, in the nine hole when there's less likelihood anyone is on base.
 
My thinking is, if you aren't going to upend the first 4 hitters, which Shitker isn't likely to do, Batting Swanson in the 9 hole gets him next to Acuna and Albies. Folty is an out no matter what so why separate Swanson and Acuna. I am all about moving Swanson to the 2 or three hole but he won't do that. It would seem seem desperate and say that he has no confidence in the lineup that has produced all year. You could move Swanson to the 5 hole but that probably puts him leading off a lot of innings.
 
I'm hoping that Freeman and Donaldson come up huge when it really counts and all our talk is moot
. .
 
I'm hoping that Freeman and Donaldson come up huge when it really counts and all our talk is moot
. .

This is really what matters, if one of those two or Markakis/McCann don’t have a solid day at the plate today the only way I see us winning is if Folty repeats his game 2 performance.
 
So here is your game 5 lineup for your Atlanta Braves:

1 Acuna
2 Albies
3 Freeman
4 Donaldson
5 Markakis
6 McCann
7 Duvall
8 Swanson
9 Folty
 
Cardinals going with the same lineup as Games 3 and 4, but different than the first time against Folty:

1. Fowler
2. Wong
3. Goldy
4. Ozuna
5. Molina
6. Carpenter
7. Edman
8. DeJong
9. Flaherty

So, if the game is tied after 7 with both starters exiting, who has the edge? Going into the series it was thought to be the Cardinals, but both bullpens have had problems holding leads.
 
Cardinals going with the same lineup as Games 3 and 4, but different than the first time against Folty:

1. Fowler
2. Wong
3. Goldy
4. Ozuna
5. Molina
6. Carpenter
7. Edman
8. DeJong
9. Flaherty

So, if the game is tied after 7 with both starters exiting, who has the edge? Going into the series it was thought to be the Cardinals, but both bullpens have had problems holding leads.

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.
 
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