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Buzzbomb

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4 good relief options:
1) Tony Watson, left-handed, San Francisco Giants

2019 stats: 40 games, 2-0 record, 3.19 ERA, 37.2 IP, 29K, 5 BB
Contract situation: Makes $3.5 million this season, under team control through 2020 with a salary of $2.5 million. He’s 34 yo.
2) Mychal Givens, right-handed, Baltimore Orioles
2019 stats: 31 games, 1-4 record, 4.50 ERA, 36.0 IP, 51K, 16 BB
Contract situation: Makes $2.15 million this season, under team control through arbitration through 2021.
3) Austin Brice, right-handed, Miami Marlins
2019 stats: 29 games, 1-0 record, 1.88 ERA, 38.1 IP, 38K, 14 BB
Contract situation: Makes $555,000 this season, under team control through arbitration through 2022.
4. Alex Colome, right-handed, Chicago White Sox
2019 stats: 37 games, 3-1 record, 2.21 ERA, 36.1 IP, 28 K, 11 BB, 20 saves
Contract situation: Makes $7.325 million this season, under team control through arbitration through 2020.
 

YellowJacketFan2018

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4 good relief options:
1) Tony Watson, left-handed, San Francisco Giants

2019 stats: 40 games, 2-0 record, 3.19 ERA, 37.2 IP, 29K, 5 BB
Contract situation: Makes $3.5 million this season, under team control through 2020 with a salary of $2.5 million. He’s 34 yo.
2) Mychal Givens, right-handed, Baltimore Orioles
2019 stats: 31 games, 1-4 record, 4.50 ERA, 36.0 IP, 51K, 16 BB
Contract situation: Makes $2.15 million this season, under team control through arbitration through 2021.
3) Austin Brice, right-handed, Miami Marlins
2019 stats: 29 games, 1-0 record, 1.88 ERA, 38.1 IP, 38K, 14 BB
Contract situation: Makes $555,000 this season, under team control through arbitration through 2022.
4. Alex Colome, right-handed, Chicago White Sox
2019 stats: 37 games, 3-1 record, 2.21 ERA, 36.1 IP, 28 K, 11 BB, 20 saves
Contract situation: Makes $7.325 million this season, under team control through arbitration through 2020.
What do you think about these relievers-closers?

Shawn Kelley Texas Rangers 11 saves 3.00 ERA
Brian Schlitter Oakland A's 10 saves 3.86 ERA
John Gant St Louis Cardinals 3 saves 2,54 ERA
Michael Lorenzen Cincinnati Reds 3 saves 3.51 ERA
Craig Stammen San Diego Padres 4 saves 3.83 ERA
 

Buzzbomb

Mello Yellow-Jacket
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What do you think about these relievers-closers?

Shawn Kelley Texas Rangers 11 saves 3.00 ERA
Brian Schlitter Oakland A's 10 saves 3.86 ERA
John Gant St Louis Cardinals 3 saves 2,54 ERA
Michael Lorenzen Cincinnati Reds 3 saves 3.51 ERA
Craig Stammen San Diego Padres 4 saves 3.83 ERA
We had Gant a few years back. Stammen, I’m not a big fan of. The other three would be o.k., if we give up a marginal prospect and/or some international pool money.

I left out Will Smith and Ken Giles because the Giants and Jays are packaging them. Bundling is tough, reminds me of the American Pickers, Mike Wolfe & Frankie Fritz.
 

YellowJacketFan2018

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We had Gant a few years back. Stammen, I’m not a big fan of. The other three would be o.k., if we give up a marginal prospect and/or some international pool money.

I left out Will Smith and Ken Giles because the Giants and Jays are packaging them. Bundling is tough, reminds me of the American Pickers, Mike Wolfe & Frankie Fritz.
I think the Braves big target is Will Smith:cigar:
 

GTJake

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Pretty ugly last night, and I'm not referring to pitching, Brewers pitching issued seven walks and if it wasn't for McCann and Donaldson I think we would have been shut-out !
Acuna has looked bad lately, except for the two 3-run dingers Freddie hasn't looked good and Austin Riley needs to go back to Gwinnett and figure out how to deal with sliders.
As we all know it's a long season with ups and downs, and unfortunately I feel a down coming at a bad time with the Nats coming to town for a four game series.
Strausburg tonight, yikes !! ...
 

YellowJacketFan2018

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Pretty ugly last night, and I'm not referring to pitching, Brewers pitching issued seven walks and if it wasn't for McCann and Donaldson I think we would have been shut-out !
Acuna has looked bad lately, except for the two 3-run dingers Freddie hasn't looked good and Austin Riley needs to go back to Gwinnett and figure out how to deal with sliders.
As we all know it's a long season with ups and downs, and unfortunately I feel a down coming at a bad time with the Nats coming to town for a four game series.
Strausburg tonight, yikes !! ...
At least the Braves still have a 6.5 game lead in the NL East;)
 

GTJake

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At least the Braves still have a 6.5 game lead in the NL East;)

This is going to sound pretty pessimistic Mike, but a split would be great and even taking one of the four we would only lose two games from our lead.
I think things are going to tighten-up, but believe the Braves will get back to form and hold onto the NL East and make a post-season run.
 

Buzzbomb

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He will be traded in the next two weeks:
Ken Giles will be a free agent after the 2020 season. He is owed approximately $2.6 million for the remainder of the 2019 season and has one more year of arbitration left.
32 innings. 13/14 saves, 1.59 era, 42.2 k%, 7.8 bb%, 1.4 war.
 

FredJacket

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Hey Braves Fans! I'm here... a Nat's fan... & I feel compelled to actually calm you "mildly" panicking guys down. While I'd love there to be a "race" in the NL EAST, there is not one right now and I'm pretty sure there won't be one, either. As much as it pains me to say that. This year will go down as Exhibit A on reinforcing the old cliche... you can't win your division in April and May; but you sure can lose it. That's what the Nationals have done in 2019. In order for the Nationals to win (or even make it interesting) in the division, it will take them not only continuing what's been a historic June/July for them (unlikely)... but also, the Braves dropping back to basically a .500 team in the process (also unlikely).

For emphasis... on May 24th, the Nationals were 19-31 and 8.5 games behind the Braves (Braves were 1.5 games behind Phillies that day..btw). Since then, the Nationals have the best record in the MLB (31-13); but have managed to only make up 2 games on the Braves. At those rates, the Nationals need the season to have literally ~150 more games remaining to get past the Braves.

Now... having said that, this is baseball. There are ~70 games remaining and crazy things happen. I am looking forward to this 4-game series in Atlanta. I already have plans to attend 2 of the the 3 games in DC when the Braves come up here at the end of July.

I have not followed other teams too much; but reading through this thread the last few weeks, it seems the Nationals and Braves are very similar in how they win (and how they lose) games. My expectation is this series ends up 2-2 and we've kissed our respective sisters come Sunday. I would say a 4 game sweep either way is "nearly" an impossibility.. anybody really concerned (or optimistic) about a sweep either way? 3-1 series one way or other is possible, for sure. Bottom line.. I expect/hope for quality baseball and at least 2 bullpen collapses (not saying which bullpen...probably 1 each). The Nats starters have been lights out lately (all of them). If the Braves can keep the score close into the 7th inning... and turn these into 2-3 inning games v the bullpen, you'll win more often than not. If you give the Nationals a 4+ run cushion going into late innings, there are enough options and safety nets in the pen to "maybe" hold off the inevitably pressure the Braves will apply. Hell.. last night against the O's, Nats starter went 6 innings gave up 1ER. Then the bullpen surrenders the lead while allowing 8 runs over the final 3 innings. The pen had shown signs of improvement... and last night was 1st time in awhile we saw that big of a letdown.

Strasburg needs to get the series off to a good start tonight. He's been excellent all year and particularly strong of late. Although it has not happened much this year... my only criticism of him is how delicate he can be at times. One of those guys who seems to need/want routine and at least 2 minor things have him off the routine for today.... 1) He was given an extra day of rest in order to get him an appearance in this series, and 2) the Nats were held up in Baltimore late last night due to late start to game.

@Buzzbomb asked about Scherzer. I have a bad feeling he won't pitch this weekend. That is an emotional fan trying to mentally prepare for the worst... so take it FWIW. The Nationals have been very non-committal (publicly) about his back issues. He's been throwing all week; but when asked...for several days in a row now, the answer has been "we'll just have to wait and see" ...honestly, I do not know what to make of that; but it is quite possible he's dealing with something they do not want to risk aggravating now (in July) when the Nationals will need him for the obvious impending battle with several teams for that top wildcard spot (home field for that WC game). BTW... I could go on forever on how great Scherzer is. He is so much fun to watch compete... just awesome.

Go JACKETS!... and here's to a great series in Atlanta. Best of luck to the Braves.

[sorry for the length... appreciate you guys letting me play along without complaining]
 

GTJake

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Fred, my biggest concern is timing, as you said the Nats have the best record in MLB since May and only picked up two games, so the Braves have been equally as hot.
Knowing that probably can't continue through the remainder of the season, I think you guys are catching us at the right time (for you) ...
And also, as you said your starting pitching has been excellent. As good as we have been offensively, our young hitters have struggled (at times) when facing good veteran pitching.
I think all this series games will be extremely competitive and come down to an at-bat here or there, and here again timing-wise, we have been struggling of late with RISP ...
 

GTJake

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From the AJC ...

The Braves made the pair of roster moves on Thursday. They recalled Inciarte from his rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett and re-instated him from the 10-day injured after he has been out since mid-May with a back injury. They also recalled Wright and he will start Thursday’s game against the Nationals in place of Julio Teheran.

To make room on the roster, the Braves optioned right-hander pitchers Bryse Wilson and Huascar Ynoa to Triple-A Gwinnett.
 

Buzzbomb

Mello Yellow-Jacket
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Hi Fred;
Appreciate all the detailed information you took the time to give us. You are one of us, period! What a super fan you are going up to DC for two of those games. I’m glad we both have competitive teams coming down the stretch.

If the Nationals don’t win the division by chance, think back to the Marlins Wild Card runs in two different WS events. They did take the grand prize one time and your team is very capable, especially after righting the ship from the early season.

Max Scherzer is the first half Cy Young winner in my book. We only have one guy in his hemisphere this year, and he’s inexperienced(Soroka)in comparison. I’d take your starters over any other team in baseball, including L.A. I said all off season Pat Corbin had priced himself out of most clubs ballpark, by what he had been doing the last few annums.

Can’t see either team sweeping in Atlanta!
 
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