IGT 06/18 - Braves at Mets

[Guest d'Kong76]

Atlanta at NY Mets
When: 8:15 PM ET, Saturday, June 18, 2016
Where: Citi Field, New York City, New York
SportsDirect Inc.

The Atlanta Braves have enjoyed sustained success on limited occasions this season but will attempt to match a season-high four-game winning streak on Saturday when they continue their series versus the host New York Mets. Atlanta, which won four in a row under former manager Fredi Gonzalez from April 15-19, recorded its third consecutive victory with a 5-1 triumph in the opener of a three-game set on Friday.

Freddie Freeman has been pivotal in each of those three wins, going 10-for-16 with two homers, four RBIs and as many runs scored. The 26-year-old looks to continue his good fortune versus the Mets, against whom he is 10-for-29 in seven contests this season and 3-for-7 in his career when facing Saturday starter Steven Matz. New York, which has dropped four of its last six, saw its offense struggle once again after erupting for 17 runs on 30 hits in two victories over Pittsburgh. Curtis Granderson scored the Mets' lone run on Friday and has crossed the plate eight times during his eight-game hitting streak.

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, Fox

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Aaron Blair (0-4, 7.59 ERA) vs. Mets LH Steven Matz (7-3, 2.71)

Atlanta has expected much more out of Blair, as the 24-year-old rookie continued his struggles at the major-league level by allowing at least six runs for the third time in his last five starts during a no-decision versus Cincinnati on Monday. Blair's command issues have been evident with 11 walks in his last three outings (13 1/3 innings). He did turn in an acceptable performance versus the Mets on April 24, taking the loss despite yielding three runs on six hits with only two walks in a 3-2 setback.

Matz fell to 0-2 in his last three starts (16 2/3 innings) after allowing five runs on nine hits of a 5-3 setback to Milwaukee on Sunday. The 25-year-old looks to rebound versus Atlanta, against which he won both starts this season to improve to 3-0 with a 1.42 ERA. Matz struck out eight Braves on both April 23 and May 4, allowing two runs in the first outing before scattering just two hits over 7 2/3 scoreless innings in the other.

WALK-OFFS:
1. New York SS Asdrubal Cabrera is 10-for-27 with two homers, four RBIs and as many runs scored in the seven contests versus Atlanta this season.
2. Braves RF Nick Markakis has three RBIs and as many runs scored during his four-game hitting streak.
3. Mets LF Michael Conforto's June swoon continued as he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in the series opener to drop to 6-for-45 this month.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Didn't realize until now that this is a late-start FOX game. Also, can
we please join hands and rejoice that all Andy Grammer references,
ads and propaganda will end today!

[Frayed Knot]

Braves RH Aaron Blair, 0-4, 7.59 ERA)

In other words, WE'RE DOOMED!!



I knew it was an 8:15 start (see the KTE update) but it only occurred to me today why: it's because FOX is carrying the U.S. Open and they want to run with that as long as there's daylight in the Pittsburgh area.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

A little surfeit from Cabrera and Cespedes, a little heat on Blair, and we've got a one-out first-inning stew going.

Let's channel that inner Murphy, Walker.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Let's channel that inner Conforto, Conforto.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Well, then. Let's channel something later, then, yes?

[Guest Mets Guy in Michigan]

He's intentionally walking the guy batting .207?

[ashie62]

Any lineups?

[Lefty Specialist]

CesBOOM!

[Zvon]

I got some new ones on ice

[Frayed Knot]

Somebody needs to remind Loney that he's slow.

And, Wow!, a Sac Fly. I didn't think we had any of those arrows in our quiver.
We usually save our long fly balls for after there are already two outs.

Edited June 18, 2016 by Guest

[Guest Mets Guy in Michigan]

A Wilmer-kaboom, too!

[Frayed Knot]

Chase d'Arnaud plates the Braves first run with one of those 'two-strike, cut-down swings' we were recently saying that we rarely see these days.

[Guest Mets Guy in Michigan]

And Henderson allows the game to get tied.

It seems like Henderson has not been nearly effective as he was early on. Matz just got hosed out of a win.

[Frayed Knot]

Matz also served up a first-pitch meatball HR and got himself out of the game by needing 7-1/2 innings worth of pitches just to get through 6, so much of his hosing was self-inflicted.


And, look, what a surprise, get a guy into scoring position and follow that with: K - weak pop-out

[Frayed Knot]

In the meantime, we're getting out-hit and out-slugged by the worst hitting team in the majors, and Matz got out-pitched by a guy with an ERA near 8.00

[Lefty Specialist]

Flargh.

[Guest Mets Guy in Michigan]

Boooooooooo!

[Frayed Knot]

Frayed Knot wrote: In the meantime, we're getting out-hit and out-slugged by the worst hitting team in the majors, and Matz got out-pitched by a guy with an ERA near 8.00

And out-run/out-hustled.

[Guest d'Kong76]

I'm on tape delay, maybe I should FF and catch up to join the agony.

[Frayed Knot]

d'Kong76 wrote: I'm on tape delay, maybe I should FF and catch up to join the agony.

No, you should erase the game NOW!!!! and turn on something else.

[Frayed Knot]

Now all we need is for the team that's scored 3 runs in the last 16 innings off the worst staff in baseball to score at least twice in the next two.
And this is the only team where getting the leadoff hitter on decreases the odds of scoring.

[Frayed Knot]

In the 7th inning it was K then pop-up after getting a man on.
Here in the 8th they've changed things up to K then pop-up after getting a man on.

[Centerfield]

I think when we look back on this season, this might be the game where we realized that these 2016 Mets are not very good.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Mets Guy in Michigan wrote: And Henderson allows the game to get tied. It seems like Henderson has not been nearly effective as he was early on. Matz just got hosed out of a win.

It's happened so often of late with him, the back of his uniform should read, "HendersonAllowsTheTyingHomeRun."

On the Braves' eighth-inning run? Inciarte outhustled/the Mets lallygagged on three separate occasions-- turning the initial hit into a double; the tag-up play (the most inexcusable); and the three-feet-away passed ball (on which he was allowed to get halfway down the line before the pitch crossed the plate, Wilmer was playing so deep).

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Nice inning from Familia, for what it's worth.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Aybar Wilmers a Flores grounder to start the ninth.

A sinkerballer with some past control issues, Jim Johnson is very touchable. For a team with an offense, this would be very doable.

Edited June 18, 2016 by Guest

[Frayed Knot]

Another leadoff batter on.
This is now the third inning in a row and so far the subsequent six hitters have yet to get a ball out of the infield.

[Frayed Knot]

INEXCUSABLE with no outs!!!!!

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Oh, yes, oh, yes, oh FOR FUCK'S SAKE, TEUFEL.

Tonight's MVP so far: Inciarte, whose quick get/throw there made that relay play happen.

Edited June 18, 2016 by Guest