Frayed Knot

Just like the bad old days: just shy of two hours to get through 5 innings.

And during the World Cup

Nothing to worry doubt, just Matt Olson as the tying run.

It was ball four anyway.

Alvarez had two early chances to challenge a pitch earlier in the inning but wisely didn't as both were borderline at best. He saved his challenge for the perfect spot and got the reversal which may have kept Scott in the game. Maybe Francisco is starting to get this challenge thing.

We may want to split this discussion off. I wasn't intending on it being a challenge to top the Freeman/Olson pairing but that's what it's become (and that's fine) but it probably shouldn't be taking up IGT space.

Good duo. But DeCinces played parts of nine seasons with the O's five of which overlapped with Brooks so he played other positions in addition to 3B and did so occasionally even after Brooks retired. He also didn't play the same string of complete/near-complete seasons. Brooks was maybe the closest thing to Gehrig/Ripken as a one-man crew for one team/one spot* averaging 156 games/year for 16 straight seasons (1960 - 1975) before finishing with 77 and 44 GP in his last two years. The big difference with Freeman/Olson over just about any other duo one could come up with is that FF appeared in 92% of all ATL games from his call-up to his departure, almost of them at 1B, and Olson has appeared in 100% of games in his Braves tenure and 100% of them at 1B. And also that one directly replaced the other with no gaps and no overlaps. * credited with 25 G at 2B and 5 at SS, probably most of which were partial games

Little side note on the Braves: Since September 1st, 2010 the Braves have played 2,473 games* and two people have been their starting 1B-man in 93.2% of them (2,304). As you might have guessed, 9/1/10 is the day of FFF's ML debut**, he was 11 days shy of turning 21. Now Frederick did get his days off, particularly early on, and appeared often as a PH only that September. He also was the starting 3rd baseman 16 times in his career and had his share of missed time due to injuries (118 games played in '15, 117 games played in '17, etc.). So all of the missed 1B games are his since his direct replacement, Matt Olson, quite famously has a consecutive games played streak which started before he ever got to Atlanta and continues to date. Tonight will be his 767th consecutive game as a Brave, all of them starts at 1B (played a few innings in RF). It would be tough, particularly in today's game, to find two guys covering that high a percentage of starts at one position with no gap in between them. And it would be especially tough to top their combined (just w/Atlanta) 451 HRs and 645 doubles. Olson is 32 (turns 33 in March) and is signed through 2029 with a team option for 2030 so the legacy of this tandem has a ways to go yet. * actually, I calculated this a couple days ago and I'm not going to do it again ... and, besides, it changes the math just a minuscule amount and the point not at all ** Against the Mets!!! He went 0/3 with a GiDP and was PH'd for late in the game. Braves won 4 - 1. Not a single other person who played in that game is still active although it was Craig Kimbrel's rookie season so he pitched both that year and this one just not in that game. One from that game is in the HoF (Billy Wagner, Chipper was injured and didn't play), one has managed (David Ross), and at least one is deceased (Pedro Feliciano). The pitching matchup was Mike Pelfrey vs Tommy Hanson

Seven games at AA Binghamton since the deal for Amick: 5 HRs / 13 RBIs No record seen yet for Bruin Agbayani

Also doesn't help that not a single regular in the Jays lineup has an OPS+ of over 100. Much of their roster has taken as big a dive from last season as those on the '26 Mets. A. Kirk: 110 in 2025 / 88 this season (and has missed much of the season) Vlad: 132 / 91 Daulton Varsho (traded at the deadline): 120 / 86 Nathan Lukes: 98 / 91 Springer: 159 / 95 Miles Straw: 86 / 65 And, of course, no mo' Bo: 127 in '25

Yes Alvarez is particularly weaker with runners on (although I don't remember citing him for it specifically). But the team in general, at least as far as HRs go, hit theirs with runners-on/bases-empty in ratios consistent with the percentage of PAs of each. There was a stretch recently where a ridiculous share of HRs came with no one on -- 17 of 18 and 30 of 35 or something along those lines -- which I was tracking at the time.

Braves pull out the finale in the Bronx. All were one run games, this one 2 - 1 in 10 I didn't see it yesterday, but Chris Sale got called for a balk with the go-ahead runner on 3rd in the 5th inning. The Braves and Walt Weiss went ballistic with Weiss getting tossed over it. So prior to the first pitch today Sale picked up the argument from the dugout and he got tossed before the game ever started.

The problem isn't that Alvarez hits too many solo HRs (although he does) the problem is that the entire team does. But that's just a factor of not having enough base runners in the first place. MLB as a whole, this season to date, have had 43.7% of their PAs occur w/runners on and have right about the same percentage of HRs with men on: 42.2% The Mets are consistent also, but they've had just 35.9% of their PAs w/runners on with right about the same pct of HRs: 36.2%

#2 = Rick Reed

When I look at those bullpen names I feel like Butch and Sundance

Back to back road series in Pittsburgh and then Cincinnati at the end of July/early August. Hmmmmmm

I'm taking this personally that the team is so disrespecting my IGT streak.

Stock got unlucky in the 1st inning* (after the leadoff rocket 2B anyway) but he's earned every run he's given up since. * Double off wall - K - Infield single (Bichette's fault) - HBP - Weak GO to P (only play to 1st despite bases loaded) - Squirt of a double over 3rd (just/maybe cutting the edge of the bag) - BB - FO

4: Chan Ho Park

Braves decide to wait until getting to the Bronx to start sucking. Actually they've lost two close games: 3 - 2 in 10 last night after Raisel Iglesias blew a save in the 9th. Today Sale and Cole hooked up (allowing 3 and 2 runs) and the Braves wound up stranding the tying run on base in the 9th in a 5 - 4 final.

And, yes, had he wound up here and immediately put up that kind of season the, 'See, he can't handle NYC', calls would currently be echoing from the Bowery to the Bronx and from South Orange to Southampton.

OPS/OPS+ for Vladdy Jr since his rookie year in 2019 2019: 772 / 106 2020: 791 / 115 2021: 1002 / 167 [2nd MVP] 2022: 818 / 133 2023: 788 / 116 2024: 940 / 164 [6th MVP] 2025: 848 / 131 2026: 687 / 90 So while it's not like he hasn't had his ups and downs during his career (who hasn't?) this season is way out of whack particularly since he's now 27 y/o and theoretically at the peak of his skills. He's slimmed down in recent years, plays virtually every game, and has made himself a pretty good fielder after being heavier and less mobile when younger. His average 162 game season coming into this year is: 861 OPS / 136 OPS+, with 35 2Bs and 30 HRs. Now, with just over 1/4 season to go, he's on pace for around 24 2Bs and 8 HRs Baffling. Do you think he misses Bo that much?!?

Dodgers held a 14 Game lead in the NL West following the games of July 8th exactly one month ago. And while still large and in charge, that lead is currently down to 7.5 (over ARZ, and 9.5 over SDP). Just sayin'

Sure, but at 12 at least they'd match our low-water mark.

So Ben likes 'em with big butts And with big heads apparently.