KTE: Mets vs. Braves 7/22 - 7/25/13

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Yet another Braves series. Why did I pick a team they'd be playing six times?

Lots of swell KTE info in this link, as well as the link within the link.

Here is Rubin's series preview in which he covers all the hot topics, more thoroughly and less snarkily than I would. Key items are the return of Jason Heyward from the DL, and the absence of B.J. Upton on said list. Let's put the starters here so you save a click:

Monday: RHP Dillon Gee (7-7, 4.32) vs. RHP Julio Teheran (7-5, 3.35), 7:10 p.m. ET
Tuesday: RHP Carlos Torres (0-1, 0.79) vs. RHP Kris Medlen (6-9, 3.64), 7:10 p.m. ET
Wednesday: RHP Jeremy Hefner (4-7, 3.93) vs. RHP Tim Hudson (7-7, 4.08), 7:10 p.m. ET
Thursday: RHP Zack Wheeler (3-1, 3.58) vs. LHP Paul Maholm (9-9, 4.41), 12:10 p.m. ET

Yes, this sucks. Next year I'm picking an interleague opponent and I'll be one and done.

[Frayed Knot]

What I know of the Braves lately is that all three of their OFs got hurt at virtually the same time just prior to the ASB
BJ Upton was DL'd
Justin was not and is already back playing
Heyward was not DL'd but still wasn't back playing as of yesterday

And McCann has been hot lately, IOW hitting more like his old self as opposed to what had been looking like his older self.

Chipper is still retired

So is Bobby Cox

[Edgy MD]

The Braves have seven or eight guys vying for their five starting rotation spots, with Brandon Beachy and Alex Wood pitching their way into the mix at Gwinnett. Paul Maholm, both injured (wrist) and declining in effectiveness, may be the odd man out, despite tying for the team lead in victories. So don't count on him for Thursday just yet.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Edgy MD wrote: The Braves have seven or eight guys vying for their five starting rotation spots, with Brandon Beachy and Alex Wood pitching their way into the mix at Gwinnett. Paul Maholm, both injured (wrist) and declining in effectiveness, may be the odd man out, despite tying for the team lead in victories. So don't count on him for Thursday just yet.

Beachy seems to be getting the most chatter, and the Mets lineup as currently constituted might favor choosing the RHP Beachy over the LHP Wood.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

And, of course, the minute I write that Maholm gets put on the DL and Wood is announced as the starter for Thursday. Maybe I should go to Las Vegas with Burke.

[Edgy MD]

Go to get to these guys early. The bullpen depth chart is... deep.

Rank	Guy	W	L	ERA	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	SVO	IP	H	R	ER	HR	HB	BB	IBB	SO	AVG	WHIP	GO/AO
1	Craig Kimbrell	2	2	1.49	37	0	0	0	27	30	36.1	23	6	6	3	2	13	2	57	.181	0.99	0.81
2	Luis Avilan	2	0	1.38	44	0	0	0	0	0	39	20	7	6	0	2	16	1	20	.152	0.92	1.27
3	Jordan Walden	3	1	2.32	33	0	0	0	0	0	31	25	9	8	1	1	9	3	36	.214	1.10	0.56
4	Luis Ayala	1	1	4.91	12	0	0	0	0	1	11	14	6	6	1	0	5	1	9	.298	1.73	2.00
5	Anthony Varvaro	3	1	3.35	41	0	0	0	0	2	45.2	39	18	17	2	0	18	2	27	.227	1.25	1.23
6	David Carpenter	2	0	2.18	23	0	0	0	0	0	33	26	8	8	2	2	13	2	36	.222	1.18	0.71
7	Kameron Loe	1	1	7.8	11	0	0	0	0	0	15	23	13	13	9	0	5	0	7	.354	1.87	1.50

Loe in is there only because they farmed out the far-more-effective (2.16 ERA in 22 innings) Alex Wood so he could get more work starting in AAA.

Also farmed out is that plucky Tim Pastornicky, who has given way to Andrelton Simmons. Punchless Paul Janish (his actual name) is elevated to the backup.

Seems like I recall twice in the last two years the Braves have run out of shortstops against and ended up with Chipper Jones or Martin Prado out there. In my mind, they beat us anyway both times.

[batmagadanleadoff]

They just picked up Orlando Cepeda for Joe Torre. I'm not sure I would've made that trade. Torre's a vicious line-drive hitter just about to enter his prime. He looks like he'll be an MVP candidate throughout this Nixon administration. Cepeda's on the wrong side of 30, his best years probably behind him.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: They just picked up Orlando Cepeda for Joe Torre. I'm not sure I would've made that trade. Torre's a vicious line-drive hitter just about to enter his prime. He looks like he'll be an MVP candidate throughout this Nixon administration. Cepeda's on the wrong side of 30, his best years probably behind him.

Yeah, but they're hoping to groom Cepeda for a long career as a manager.