NL East Enemies: 2017 Atlanta Braves

[Edgy MD]

Two hands, Florrie.

[Edgy MD]

A good game #1000, Terry.

[Frayed Knot]

seawolf17 wrote: Flicked over to the Braves/Cards game between innings (Braves are getting kill't) and when StL's Randall Grichik came up the organist played the 'Odd Couple' theme song. He/she has come up with some clever ones in the early going so far. The organist is on Twitter, and he's a fantastic follow because he'll actually crowdsource what songs to play for the visiting teams. It's excellent. [tweet] [/tweet]

He had me stumped for a moment because I was thinking that Grichuk's name was Russell and so it took me a minute to figure out the connection.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Freddy Freeman breaks his wrist, out 8 weeks.

This could be Washington's easiest division championship yet.

Oh it was on a HBP last night.

[tweet:38srjar0]

[/tweet:38srjar0]

[Frayed Knot]

The Braves & Jays almost went at it last night.
After the Freeman HBP there were a couple of close ones all of which triggered a classic Joey Bats bat-flip special after he clubbed one to deep LF. Several of the Atlanta infielders were yapping at him as
he rounded the bases, then Suzuki got in his face as he crossed the plate. That discussion emptied the dugouts but things quieted down quickly.
Probably wouldn't take much to ignite something tonight. It's the finale of their four game series.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I also read where Pillar called Jason Motte a bad word that rhymes with "maggot" or "slow-mo" even though Motte is probably not gay.

[Frayed Knot]

That, I believe, was over some "quick pitch" incident.

These hitters have to get over this. Between that deal with the Phillies and Robles two years back, to Neil Walker just the other day complaining about it to the HP ump, to Pillar last night; if you're in
the box you need to be ready for the pitch. I saw the film on Pillar and he had no one to blame but himself. Same with Walker.
It's like they not only expect everyone to wait while they take their strolls (once again the 'stay in the box' rule is being ignored) and adjust their batting gloves (even after pitches they didn't swing at)
and whatever, but they then seem to believe that the pitcher is required to ask "Mother May I?' before they go ahead and deal. No wonder that 9-inning games over 3:20 are as common this year as
ones under 2:50

[Edgy MD]

I saw Gar the Batting Stance Guy paying "tribute" to Derek Jeter the other day, and I surprised myself by feeling angry, remembering how Jeter's entire routine was a form of gamesmanship, claiming an upper hand over the situation, telling the pitcher and ump in all his body language that the play cannot begin until he gives his permission.

[Frayed Knot]

And stuff like that will continue as long as it's indulged. Odubel Herrera might be the biggest abuser playing now.
Jeter at least always made sure he asked for time with his right hand up in the direction of the ump even though he rarely bothered to turn towards the ump when doing so. Now granted he didn't need to
do it prior to Every - Fucking - Pitch but it's like batters now make the assumption that 'Time Out' is the default setting and that it's only 'In' if and when they decide it is and then act as if they've been
tricked when that's not the case.

[Edgy MD]

Frayed Knot wrote: Jeter at least always made sure he asked for time with his right hand up in the direction of the ump even though he rarely bothered to turn towards the ump when doing so.

Well, the arm was up. The hand would always dangle loosely like he was ordering another round of fruity cocktails from a wait staff too far beneath him to warrant eye contact.


^ Not in full dangle. ^

[Frayed Knot]

Back to the Freddie injury for a sec, it comes some 10 days after the Braves had released Ryan Howard who was attempting a comeback via their AAA team, so bad timing there although it's certainly
not a given that Howard and his .150 BA w/1 HR would have been the replacement. Although all I could think of was the angst of Met fans if, during our series in Atlanta three weeks from now, we
had gotten beat by a Howard HR while he was subbing in for Freeman.
Jace Peterson played there last night but the Braves are said now to be close to signing ... James Loney.


As for the other shit:

- Bautista predictably got plunked in his first AB although Teheran missed him with the first attempt and so had to go back for a second try. Joey Bats clearly expected it and strolled quietly down to
1st after taking one in the thigh. The strategy wound up backfiring as the Jays followed with three straight hits and led 3-0 after 1 en route to a 9-0 rout. Teheran is getting thumped early on in his
new home ballpark: 10.50 ERA in 5 home starts so far vs 0.71 in 4 road games this year. Yeah I know it's a hitters' park but the other guy has to pitch there too and it didn't seem to bother Marcus
Stroman who not only tossed 5.2 scoreless but also took Teheran deep to the opposite field for his 2nd ever hit and 1st ever HR.

- Kevin Pillar was suspended for two games over whatever it was he yelled at Jason Motte for quick-pitching him. To replace him the Jays called up brief-NYM Darrell Ceciliani and stuck him right in the
clean-up spot despite him hitting a homer-less .145 in AAA Buffalo this year. He went 3-for-5

[Edgy MD]

The Loney deal is a fait accompli. He had been released about 10 days prior by Detroit, with whom he'd been laboring in AAA. I wonder if he had a similar deal as last year, where he'd sign a minor league contract with the stipulation that he'd get a release if anybody came sniffing.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Ceciliani also injured himself on that homer though, and went directly to the DL

[Edgy MD]

How did Teheran get two throws at a guy and not get kick'd out? Suddenly it's 1975?

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy MD wrote: How did Teheran get two throws at a guy and not get kick'd out? Suddenly it's 1975?

That was the one part of the game I actually watched, just to see what was going to happen.
Basically everyone on both sides and the boys in blue knew what was going to happen. So after Bautista dodged the first attempt, he strolled quietly down to 1st after #2 plunked him.
The ump then issued his warnings and everyone went on with the game. If the Jays were tempted to retaliate I think the warnings and the 3-0 early lead made that a bad idea.
It was the 2nd batter of the game and so they got it all out of the way early. Self-policing and no one got hurt.

[Edgy MD]

Hey, everyone knew what was going to happen in the Roger Clemens game too, but the warnings came after the Estes miss.

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy MD wrote: The Loney deal is a fait accompli. He had been released about 10 days prior by Detroit, with whom he'd been laboring in AAA. I wonder if he had a similar deal as last year, where he'd sign a minor league contract with the stipulation that he'd get a release if anybody came sniffing.

And the Braves go out today and deal for Matt Adams from the Cards (for a minor league IF + cash).
That doesn't look good for the just-signed James Loney. Also not good for Anthony Recker who gets DFA'd to make room.

[Frayed Knot]

Colon to the DL with a strained oblique.
How does one even find Bartolo's oblique?

Of course his 7.78 ERA might have something to do with it.

Edited June 7, 2017 by Guest

[Edgy MD]

It's 2017. That's not the highest and ERA can get.

[Edgy MD]

Braves prospect Sean Newcomb has been scratched from his start with Gwinnett and will be making his MLB debut Saturday in one of the doubleheader games against the Mets.

Newc is 20-14 with a 3.23 ERA over 71 minor league starts, but has only pitched a half season in AAA. John Sickles has him as their fifth-ranked prospect, giving him a B+, which strikes me as high for a #5.

[Benjamin Grimm]

How do you get a name like "Newcomb"? I can see it being notable if you have a new car, or a new house, or a new wife, but if the only thing interesting about you is that you got a new comb, you've got to be the most boring person alive.

[Edgy MD]

Derived from "Newcomer," I believe, which will make it particularly a propos on Saturday.

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy MD wrote: John Sickles has him as their fifth-ranked prospect, giving him a B+, which strikes me as high for a #5.

Mostly a case of a stacked Atlanta system.
Sickels had him at #62 overall pretty much right smack in the middle of the rest of the B+ gang

Was originally a 1st round (15th overall) pick of the Angels (2014) out of the baseball hotbed of the Univ of Hartford, dealt to the Braves in the Andrelton Simmons deal.
Sunday is the day we would have seen Bartolo

[Frayed Knot]

Frayed Knot wrote: Edgy MD wrote: The Loney deal is a fait accompli. He had been released about 10 days prior by Detroit, with whom he'd been laboring in AAA. I wonder if he had a similar deal as last year, where he'd sign a minor league contract with the stipulation that he'd get a release if anybody came sniffing. And the Braves go out today and deal for Matt Adams from the Cards (for a minor league IF + cash).

So Freddie came back today from his broken hand. But seeing as how Matt Adams is OPS'ing 923 as a Brave as FFF's replacement (769 over parts of 6 seasons w/StL) Freddie is returning
as a 3rd baseman. That was supposedly his position in HS plus in a handful of games in the lowest minors but not since.
There seems to be some question as to whether this was suggested by Freeman or by the club but I applaud their efforts to keep both bats in the lineup. The worst that can happen is that it fails
and they'll be forced to make the same decision they're be facing now if they didn't want to try the switch.

Braves are getting smoked 10-0 by Houston as I type, but that has little or nothing to do with Freddie's position switch as far as I know.

[HahnSolo]

Not for nothing, but despite Colon being a shitshow and Freeman being out most of the first half, 41-43 right now is not too bad for the Braves.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I asked you guys to help me stop worrying about them in January, but nothing doing.

With Freeman back watch them be just good enough to hold us off on the better second half we'll probably have.

[Frayed Knot]

So the Braves signed Sean Rodriguez -- ex of the Pirates -- to a 2-year deal last winter, but he almost immediately got into a fairly serious car wreck leading the Braves to make a deal
for Brandon Phillips as Rodriguez was expected to miss a big hunk of the season [several posts about this on Page 1 of this thread]
Rodriguez got back ahead of schedule right after the ASB ... but now 37 ABs into his Braves career they deal him back to the Pirates in exchange for a minor league prospect.

This can be a cruel game sometimes.

[Edgy MD]

Particularly cruel if you were banking on the Pirates trading to re-acquire Neil Walker.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Braves GM resigns amid signing bonus scandal:

[tweet:h1klkfhd]

[/tweet:h1klkfhd]

[Edgy MD]

This better not be another kickback deal like the Washington team got mixed up in.