Atlanta Braves News

[YellowJacketFan2018]

They need to exorcise the ground out in the Braves Bullpen area. Cursed!

Since Atlanta reached a seasons high of 21 games above .500, we have lost 2 of those and regressed to 19 above.

Yeah i agree

 

[Buzzbomb]

Atlanta at Minn.:

Monday, 08-05
Mike Soroka
RHP
10-2, 2.37 ERA, 94 SO
Soroka revived his National League Cy Young Award candidacy by limiting the Nationals to three hits and one run over seven innings on Wednesday. Opponents had hit .340 and produced a .380 on-base percentage during his previous four July starts.
Jake Odorizzi
RHP
12-5, 3.73 ERA, 113 SO

Tuesday, 08-06
Max Fried
LHP
12-4, 4.07 ERA, 112 SO
Fried recorded a strike with nearly 70 percent of the 76 pitches he threw over six strong innings against the Reds on Thursday. His curveball induced a 33.3 percent (7 of 21) swing-and-miss rate during this rain-shortened complete game effort.
Jose Berrios
RHP
10-5, 2.80 ERA, 133 SO

Wednesday, 08-07
Kevin Gausman
RHP
3-7, 6.19 ERA, 85 SO
Having allowed at least five earned runs in each of his past two starts and four of his last six, Gausman could be pitching to stay in the rotation. He has realized minimal movement with the cutter he has recently introduced to his two-pitch arsenal.
Martin Perez
LHP
8-4, 4.58 ERA, 100 SO

 

[YellowJacketFan2018]

Atlanta at Minn.:

Monday, 08-05
Mike Soroka
RHP
10-2, 2.37 ERA, 94 SO
Soroka revived his National League Cy Young Award candidacy by limiting the Nationals to three hits and one run over seven innings on Wednesday. Opponents had hit .340 and produced a .380 on-base percentage during his previous four July starts.
Jake Odorizzi
RHP
12-5, 3.73 ERA, 113 SO

Tuesday, 08-06
Max Fried
LHP
12-4, 4.07 ERA, 112 SO
Fried recorded a strike with nearly 70 percent of the 76 pitches he threw over six strong innings against the Reds on Thursday. His curveball induced a 33.3 percent (7 of 21) swing-and-miss rate during this rain-shortened complete game effort.
Jose Berrios
RHP
10-5, 2.80 ERA, 133 SO

Wednesday, 08-07
Kevin Gausman
RHP
3-7, 6.19 ERA, 85 SO
Having allowed at least five earned runs in each of his past two starts and four of his last six, Gausman could be pitching to stay in the rotation. He has realized minimal movement with the cutter he has recently introduced to his two-pitch arsenal.
Martin Perez
LHP
8-4, 4.58 ERA, 100 SO

I think the Braves win 2-3 from the Twins with the loss being the 3rd game with Two Pitch Kevin Gausman I think Kevin Gausman will finish his last season with the Braves 4-11

 

[GTJake]

Terrible loss yesterday ! In the ninth 2nd and 3rd with one out and Adam Duvall at bat. He's been slamming the ball and all he needs to do is make contact and there is a good chance we score ... he "K's" !! The Braves have been terrible with RISP.
When I saw the line-up yesterday I knew Julio was going to be on his own, Snitker has Austin Riley in the starting line-up against an off-speed pitcher with a great slider ... and he can't hit sliders !!
Also in the line-up is Tyler Flowers batting right behind Riley, bases loaded in the 6th with these two guys coming up with one out ... Braves score 0 !!
IMO on Friday night Snitker also left Gausman in the game too long, waiting until we were down 5-0 !!!
Hope I'm wrong but IMO Austin Riley = Jeff Francouer ...
Sorry for the rant, but Snitker is really pi**ing me off !

 

[kg01]

Terrible loss yesterday ! In the ninth 2nd and 3rd with one out and Adam Duvall at bat. He's been slamming the ball and all he needs to do is make contact and there is a good chance we score ... he "K's" !! The Braves have been terrible with RISP.
When I saw the line-up yesterday I knew Julio was going to be on his own, Snitker has Austin Riley in the starting line-up against an off-speed pitcher with a great slider ... and he can't hit sliders !!
Also in the line-up is Tyler Flowers batting right behind Riley, bases loaded in the 6th with these two guys coming up with one out ... Braves score 0 !!
IMO on Friday night Snitker also left Gausman in the game too long, waiting until we were down 5-0 !!!
Hope I'm wrong but IMO Austin Riley = Jeff Francouer ...
Sorry for the rant, but Snitker is really pi**ing me off !

You do raise an interesting question which I hope our baseball dudes will weigh in on. Seems the young Riley hit a wall hard once the "book" got out on him. When a guy reaches this point, how do they determine if he's capable of pushing through it? Or could he be another flash in the pan guy?

A couple weeks ago folks were installing him in as the 3b of the future/can't miss guy. But now it's looking, to my untrained eye, like he's not quite ready. Meanwhile folks wanna get rid of the Donaldson guy. Tell me what I'm missing.

Oh and I'm done with "Flow". A catcher that struggles to catch. Doesn't seem an ideal combination.

 

[GTJake]

IMO ... Donaldson = Braves MVP ... Riley Needs to be sent down to the instructional league to learn how to hit off-speed pitches ... Flowers just needs to retire !!
And Snitker ... well I'm just not sure a pure players coach is such a good thing ??

 

[kg01]

IMO ... Donaldson = Braves MVP ... Riley Needs to be sent down to the instructional league to learn how to hit off-speed pitches ... Flowers just needs to retire !!
And Snitker ... well I'm just not sure a pure players coach is such a good thing ??

I've grown to really like Donaldson.

I know it's hard to hit offspeed pitches but Riley looks noticeably bad at it. Did they only throw him fastballs while he was feasting on AAA? Surely this isn't a new thing.

And I don't want to totally crap on the guy. There was a stretch where he was really, really good for them. But this snap-back has been daunting.

 

[Southpawmac]

Terrible loss yesterday ! In the ninth 2nd and 3rd with one out and Adam Duvall at bat. He's been slamming the ball and all he needs to do is make contact and there is a good chance we score ... he "K's" !! The Braves have been terrible with RISP.
When I saw the line-up yesterday I knew Julio was going to be on his own, Snitker has Austin Riley in the starting line-up against an off-speed pitcher with a great slider ... and he can't hit sliders !!
Also in the line-up is Tyler Flowers batting right behind Riley, bases loaded in the 6th with these two guys coming up with one out ... Braves score 0 !!
IMO on Friday night Snitker also left Gausman in the game too long, waiting until we were down 5-0 !!!
Hope I'm wrong but IMO Austin Riley = Jeff Francouer ...
Sorry for the rant, but Snitker is really pi**ing me off !

Calling Riley a Jeff Francouer when he has had three months in the majors. I recall Dansby Swanson not being able to lay off the slider at first, but time and coaching has cured that. It's clear that Riley has struggled, but having watched every game, it's clear to see he is already getting better at recognizing the slider. These last few games, he's been working the count and getting into much more favorable (1-0/2-1/etc) counts and fouling off sliders on the black.

 

[Buzzbomb]

My admission of guilt. I was anti-Donaldson up until June. Based on his previous injury, the fact we overpaid to get him here and didn’t put that 23 m. into a pitcher. With his age, he’s going to have to come down to that 18m. threshold and accept a yearly deal to stay. Just my opinion. I think the Braves messed Camargo up, as he’s not a bench guy substitute type. Riley will be fine. I have to agree with Snitker on “he won’t get better with the pitchers in AAA.” With a non-contender, he would be playing everyday. The pratfalls of the second best record in the N.L.-pennant contending team, actual third baseman. Teams wanted to draft him as a pitcher!!

Snitker=Cox. Players manager. You are right about him.

Guys, I played at Ga. State. I had a pro. contract offered at 16 from a tryout camp. That organization wanted me to get a GED and head to rookie ball in the Midwest. Switch from CF to SS. Opposite, kind of from Riley. I said “no thanks.” My only offer from GT was as a walk-on in hoops. Coach Luck offered a tryout. Mainly because my family was so tight with Al(he credited my step-dad in bringing him here)and Coach Gilbreath. I’ll never forget spending an entire day with Coach Hyder and witnessing him teach P.E., giving me the royal tour. Baseball is a true passion, however it’s still a game where you can get to the Hall of Fame by being successful with making outs 70% of the time. I still go to the batting cages at 60, hitting fastballs. It’s in the blood.

Try to enjoy the race. I had to take aspirin after the game yesterday. It was frustrating!

 

[YellowJacketFan2018]

I've grown to really like Donaldson.

I know it's hard to hit offspeed pitches but Riley looks noticeably bad at it. Did they only throw him fastballs while he was feasting on AAA? Surely this isn't a new thing.

And I don't want to totally crap on the guy. There was a stretch where he was really, really good for them. But this snap-back has been daunting.

I hope the Braves sign Josh Donaldson for another year so he can play for the Braves in 2020

 

[kg01]

My admission of guilt. I was anti-Donaldson up until June. Based on his previous injury, the fact we overpaid to get him here and didn’t put that 23 m. into a pitcher. With his age, he’s going to have to come down to that 18m. threshold and accept a yearly deal to stay. Just my opinion. I think the Braves messed Camargo up, as he’s not a bench guy substitute type. Riley will be fine. I have to agree with Snitker on “he won’t get better with the pitchers in AAA.” With a non-contender, he would be playing everyday. The pratfalls of the second best record in the N.L.-pennant contending team, actual third baseman. Teams wanted to draft him as a pitcher!!

Snitker=Cox. Players manager. You are right about him.

Guys, I played at Ga. State. I had a pro. contract offered at 16 from a tryout camp. That organization wanted me to get a GED and head to rookie ball in the Midwest. Switch from CF to SS. Opposite, kind of from Riley. I said “no thanks.” My only offer from GT was as a walk-on in hoops. Coach Luck offered a tryout. Mainly because my family was so tight with Al(he credited my step-dad in bringing him here)and Coach Gilbreath. I’ll never forget spending an entire day with Coach Hyder and witnessing him teach P.E., giving me the royal tour. Baseball is a true passion, however it’s still a game where you can get to the Hall of Fame by being successful with making outs 70% of the time. I still go to the batting cages at 60, hitting fastballs. It’s in the blood.

Try to enjoy the race. I had to take aspirin after the game yesterday. It was frustrating!

Thanks for this. I genuinely learn from you guys' perspective since, as I've said ad nauseum, I'm not a baseball guy.

You and @Southpawmac make some good points. Especially w.r.t. Dansby (who I can't help but call 'Dansberry' for some reason). He's improved significantly over last year. Hopefully Riley will do the same. Still, it doesn't seem out of line to question him right now.

 

[kg01]

Oh and tell me more about the Camargo comment. He seems really talented but struggling with his role.

 

[YellowJacketFan2018]

Oh and tell me more about the Camargo comment. He seems really talented but struggling with his role.

I'd rather have the Braves trade Johan Camargo in the offseason because of his inability to hit. There are shortstops in the Braves minor league system who could backup Dansby Swanson.

 

[Buzzbomb]

KG, you raise excellent points. Great questions. If I had the answers...well they would be paying big bucks for Extra Sensory Perception. I only have ESPN. Lol!

Seriously it is based on theories, metrics. Cross-checking. Trying to make adjustments. I disliked drop pitches or forkballs in my day. When I saw the stitches literally drop off the pitch, I’d let it go. Lay-off. Couldn’t do much with them anyway if you do rip on ‘em.

I remember Koufax struggling until 27 y.o. Almost released. Smoltz couldn’t succeed at AA. Struggled here. Glavine got beat up, until he put it together with the change up away. LaCorte couldn’t throw strikes consistently and had the best stuff I’ve ever seen. Out of the game, with only a few cups of coffee.

 

[kg01]

I'd rather have the Braves trade Johan Camargo in the offseason because of his inability to hit. There are shortstops in the Braves minor league system who could backup Dansby Swanson.

I think his hitting is impacted by his uncertain role. No rhythm. Seems like they want him in a utility role because he's talented enough to play just about anywhere. But he'd probably benefit from constant AB's. Just my $0.02.

For his own sake, he should want to be traded so he can actually play consistently.

 

[Buzzbomb]

Oh and tell me more about the Camargo comment. He seems really talented but struggling with his role.

Some guys are head cases. Not always a terrible thing. Look at Smoltz, Folty. Those power guys, almost need a shrink. I’m a Camargo fan. He has shown what he can do playing constantly in the past. Off the bench, he is a young guy wanting to play badly sitting until the late innings. He might accept that role as a 35 yo. Maybe not. It’s clear to me, as much as he wants to help, his heart seems lost as an individual. As you know in sports, it can be mental. Will he straighten it out before Dansby comes back?

 

[jayparr]

Gausman is gone to the reds and folley is brought back!!

 

[YellowJacketFan2018]

Gausman is gone to the reds and folley is brought back!!

Send Kevin Gausman back to the Orioles along with Darren O'Day I wouldn't mind the Braves getting Lucas Sims back from the Reds for next to nothing

 

[Buzzbomb]

I hope Duvall and Inciarte can hold it together, at least until Kakes can get back. Then we still need one of those two or Austin Riley to keep it together as the 3rd OF.

Serious question to all of you gents.:
They seem to want to keep Johan in the IF....what about Culberson going to LF in permanence/play each day, allowing Swanson at SS and Camargo as the back up?

 

[YellowJacketFan2018]

I hope Duvall and Inciarte can hold it together, at least until Kakes can get back. Then we still need one of those two or Austin Riley to keep it together as the 3rd OF.

Serious question to all of you gents.:
They seem to want to keep Johan in the IF....what about Culberson going to LF in permanence/play each day, allowing Swanson at SS and Camargo as the back up.

I think Charlie could play well in the OF