Braves 5, Natspos 2
This game will long be remembered as the no-rain delay game. As you have probably heard or read elsewhere, our friends the Nats held up the start of this game for over 3 hours because there was a threat of rain to arrive two hours after the scheduled start. I’ve been following baseball for over 50 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this. Why the Nats’ management pulled such a stunt is a mystery, but it was most likely a ploy to protect themselves from their terrible bullpen.
But–every now and then in this broken world, justice prevails. You see, the rains never came, and fortunately for the Braves, the game was finally played. Thanks in part to the Nats’ execrable bullpen, the Braves prevailed 5-2. Folty, while not as dominant as in his last near-no-hitter outing, had yet another solid start, giving up 2 in 6 innings. Gio Gonzales gave up 3 in his 6 innings of work. Our Braves jumped on the Nats for 2 in the 7th and the Braves’ own bullpen held the Nats scoreless the rest of the way.
Offensively, Freddie Freeman! It feels good to type those words. Freddie had 2 doubles, including career hit number 1000. All Star Ender, Johan Camargo, and Kurt Suzuki also had 2 hits apiece. Kurt hit the go ahead homer in the 6th, his third dinger in his last 8 at bats. You know, the Braves’ catching duo is a large part of the team’s surprising success so far.
As I said, we’ll be talking about the rainless delay for a long time to come. Will this game also be remembered as the game in which the 2017 Miracle Braves began their unlikely chase of the dominant Natspos? Well, probably not, but if the Braves take at least 2 of the next 3 in this series, they will go into the break only 1 game under .500 and within 7 and a half of the division lead. Both the 1991 the 1914 Braves were in worse positions at the mid-point. Of course, both of those teams bear the “Miracle” label for a reason.
What the hell, let’s go ahead and sweep these jerks. As ‘Rissa always reminds us, Natspos Delenda Est!
Enjoyable post. Would have enjoyed the game had the Nats played in the Eastern time zone.
Thanks, tfloyd.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:27 amJC’ed!
I went to the first two hours of the non-game last night. By the time I got home, they finally announced that they were about to start. If I was still in my 20s, I’d have been angry I left. But I’m an ancient 33-year-old and I was happy just to be home before midnight.
Foltynewicz’s FIP is atrocious this year, but to my eye, he’s showing consistent improvement over previous years — his good starts are better and his bad starts aren’t as bad. He’s basically had three absolute stinkers this year: May 5, when the Cards scored seven earned in four innings off him; May 27, when the Giants scored five runs in four innings; and June 12, when the Nats hung eight earned on him in 3 1/3, including three taters.
The biggest problem is the homers, obviously. Here are his stats in his last 11 starts, all after that May 5 slaughter:
63 1/3 IP, 54 K, 20 BB (2.7 K/BB), 10 HR, 3.41 ERA, 1.33 WHIP
He’s a flyball pitcher with a juiced ball, and homers hurt him a whole lot. He still walks too many people, and his 4.50ish FIP makes him look like a fringy #4/#5 starter, when in reality I think he could be a #3. But even if he is only a back-end starter in a future Braves rotation anchored by studs like Allard, I think that’s a more than acceptable outcome.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:27 amRegarding the BA list posted in the last thread (http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/2017-midseason-top-100-prospects-july-7/), the Braves have 9 prospects in the top 100; no one else haas more than 7. (The Phillies and Yankees have 7, the Padres have 6, the Astros and Rays have 5, and no one else in baseball has more than 4.) Here are the counts by team:
This team isn’t too bad so long as we’re not playing the Astros.
Folty is growing on me. I think he has good potential to improve and be a solid piece in the rotation.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:42 amIt’s cool to see Folty growing right before our eyes. This team is fun when Freddie is hitting and Folty is pitching. I patiently waited for the game to start to be able to see Folty pitching, and I think that says something.
Albies took a dip on the prospect ranking. I guess that’s a “what have you done for me lately” kinda thing. He was still recovering from his injury in the first 30 games or so, and that’s skewed his first half stats. He’s been raking over the last month, and I’d bet he’d be a 2-3 WAR player over a full season right now if you called him up.
July 7th, 2017 at 11:16 amIt’s Ozzie time in my house. Dat Dude delenda est. Take what you can get while you can get it. Throw in Jaime, though I was delighted when we signed him.
July 7th, 2017 at 11:46 amFreddie is now 9th in Atlanta hits. Brian McCann is 6th at 1,070 hits, so he’ll probably end up 6th by the end of this year by passing Ralph Garr, Jeff Blauser, and McCann on the way. He’d have Javy ahead at 1,148.
July 7th, 2017 at 12:04 pmThe demagogue in each of us
July 7th, 2017 at 1:33 pmwould love to load the Gwinnett bus
(and thence more modest stations)
with some of these and that guy there
with whom we’ve labored to compare
those now in situ at the Park
on some of whom our thoughts turn dark.
Forgive us if we sound entitled
those overthrown can be recycled.
From Klaw chat:
Paul
1:35 I’ve been really excited reading the box scores for Gohara this year. I watched him for the first time last night, and I’d read that he was large, but he’s even bigger than I thought. Can that body work and hold up as a big league starter?
Keith Law
1:36 I’m not concerned about the body as much as the fact that he’s been throwing so hard at such a young age. I guess eventually he could have knee and back issues from his size – he looks like CC Sabathia already – but for now it’s just arm health and command that I’d focus on .
July 7th, 2017 at 1:37 pmIn more today’s prospect news beyond the Top 100, up and comer Joey Wentz made the latest BA Prospect HotSheet and Yunior Severino is the guy on their Helium Watch.
July 7th, 2017 at 1:58 pm@9
July 7th, 2017 at 2:07 pmYunior Severino is slated for the big club next year..in April, May or Yune.
Entertain yourself later today by paying close attention to the bunch of rich Gnats rednecks sitting in the best seats immediately behind home plate and a little off to the right. They are obviously all in therapy for BullPen Mania, a nasty disease but well earned in their case.
One fellow in particular can pay you particularly rich dividends as he starts to shake uncontrollably as soon as the starter departs. He’s about 7 rows back and often has a – different- lady with him who will be looking wildly about for a means of escape. It is not a pretty sight but delendaling never was – ask ‘Rissa, ask the Romans.
July 7th, 2017 at 2:24 pmWhere did Matt Grace spring from last night? Not their bullpen, surely. Struck out all 4 Braves he faced including a particularly emphatic one for Freddie. We don’t need any more of that the next three days.
Dusty of course still managed to remove him for our last out so that he could once again adhere to his dry R/L mantra.
July 7th, 2017 at 3:51 pmCan’t.
Pull.
Fat.
July 7th, 2017 at 3:51 pm@2 In reality, Foltynewicz sometimes looks like he could be better than a #3. That is when he isn’t pitching like #2, of course.
July 7th, 2017 at 4:15 pmI haven’t been able to check… does anyone know if any of the sports networks are talking about the faux rain delay BS the Nats pulled last night? I’m curious if there is any kind of fallout or repercussions from what to me amounts to basically trying to gain an unfair advantage.
July 7th, 2017 at 4:16 pmDansby is in the lineup tonight against Cy Scherzer. I predict little success for the wunderkind.
July 7th, 2017 at 4:20 pmSantana to the DL (bacterial infection) with Jace set to return
July 7th, 2017 at 4:22 pmRinse and repeat.
July 7th, 2017 at 4:23 pmSpeaking of the Nats’ reaction, Gio wasn’t happy about it: http://www.heraldmailmedia.com/sports/after-loss-gonzalez-angry-about-rainless-rain-delay/article_e7cb18a6-62d8-11e7-a401-03cbd44ddbd8.html
July 7th, 2017 at 7:09 pmThe Washington Post had a few less than complimentary articles about l’affaire Délai.
July 7th, 2017 at 7:38 pmThe choice was Danby or R.A.
The decision was not difficult.
July 7th, 2017 at 8:17 pmStephen Drew?
Wieters?
Darn.
July 7th, 2017 at 8:35 pmI noticed a Carlos Baerga playing for our GCL Braves, and as far as I can tell, this is the son of the former Indians second baseman. Sorry if this is old news.
July 7th, 2017 at 8:39 pmWhat great pitching! Good job, R. A.
Freddie!
July 7th, 2017 at 8:43 pmIs he supposed to do that just weeks after a broken wrist?
July 7th, 2017 at 8:46 pmDickey has really turned it around lately.
July 7th, 2017 at 9:10 pm@25 – Agreed
Question for the board: you guys believe the anecdotes that the reliever following or next day starter benefits from pitching after a knuckleballer?
When Dickey was with the Mets, after we faced him, I always felt like the hitters were “off” for a few days after (though those teams struck out so much it could be a coincidence), but haven’t really noticed anything either way with Dickey this year.
July 7th, 2017 at 9:23 pm@26, yes I believe it, but as always, I can be easily persuaded with actual evidence. It shouldn’t be difficult to study. There’s loads of data
PS, Joey Wentz 7 ip, 4 h, 1 run, 0 bb, 6 k
He has been a bit overshadowed in our system, but the guy is having a remarkable season at 19 years old.
July 7th, 2017 at 9:25 pmFreddie!!
July 7th, 2017 at 9:26 pmHaving Freddie back is so nice. He’s picked up right where he left off.
July 7th, 2017 at 9:32 pmCome on, Dorn.
July 7th, 2017 at 9:51 pmAlways drama when JJ pitches lately.
July 7th, 2017 at 9:53 pmThree runs is not enough Reitsma Room for Johnson. There isn’t enough Reitsma Room for Johnson. He can’t do anything easily.
July 7th, 2017 at 9:53 pmJim Johnson, drama queen. I am not pleased but despair.
July 7th, 2017 at 9:55 pmHe is going to blow this. Not a Jim Johnson fan
July 7th, 2017 at 9:55 pmJohnson is demonstrably worse pitching on no days rest
July 7th, 2017 at 9:56 pmJust awful
July 7th, 2017 at 9:58 pmTying run at 3rd with no out.
July 7th, 2017 at 9:58 pmTime for Kimbrel to return home?
July 7th, 2017 at 9:59 pm35 — May be something to that.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:00 pmWhat happened to Snitker?
July 7th, 2017 at 10:04 pmSnitker should be ejected for using Johnson
July 7th, 2017 at 10:06 pmHe got ejected arguing a checked swing on Wieters. The replay confirmed he went.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:06 pm@40 – Arguing whether wieters went around on a 1-1 count
July 7th, 2017 at 10:07 pmIf Viz wasn’t on the DL, JJ would be taken out of the closer’s role tonight.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:07 pmI hear there’a a market for proven closers. Come on, Freemen. That’s the plural, right?
July 7th, 2017 at 10:08 pm@44 rightly so
July 7th, 2017 at 10:08 pmGoodness…pull him already
July 7th, 2017 at 10:08 pmOzzie would have had that.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:09 pmJim Johnson ain’t got nothing tonight.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:09 pm#bullpenisbad
July 7th, 2017 at 10:11 pmSam Freeman= new closer
July 7th, 2017 at 10:12 pmAlbies…Albies…Albies…Albies…Albies…Albies
July 7th, 2017 at 10:13 pm#bullpenisflaccid
July 7th, 2017 at 10:14 pmThe good news is that Jim Johnson can’t blow two saves in one game.
I’m surprised they Nats didn’t win there. I didn’t think the Braves had a chance to get out of it only tied.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:14 pmDoes it make any sense to bunt with Phillips knowing they will intentionally walk Freeman if it’s successful? A runner on first is still scoring position for Freddie
July 7th, 2017 at 10:18 pm@55 – was just thinking the same. Of course they’re going to walk him. Kemp has been a corpse lately on top of it.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:21 pmPut Kemp on the DL already
July 7th, 2017 at 10:23 pmSnicker can fuck right off.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:24 pmAnd the corpse predictably hits into a double play
July 7th, 2017 at 10:24 pm@58 yep
July 7th, 2017 at 10:24 pmTerrible game :/
why’d they take out sam freeman for the friggin’ Krol show?
July 7th, 2017 at 10:25 pmInciarte should have been given a green light to run there. Let Philips and Freeman swing the bats against that bullpen
July 7th, 2017 at 10:30 pmSnitker isn’t much better than Frediot at in-game strategy. Fortunately he should be gone by the time we start playing games that matter.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:30 pmBreaking balls into hitters is a quick way to lose a ballgame here
July 7th, 2017 at 10:31 pmBring up kids from AAA… they couldn’t be worse than these bullpen clowns
July 7th, 2017 at 10:32 pm61 — I was thinking the same.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:32 pm@61
Freeman was pitching his 3rd straight day; I can respect them not pushing him into another inning.
That’s something Fredi would’ve done to Venters.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:32 pmBad loss.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:32 pmAcuna 3-4 with a homer for Miss
July 7th, 2017 at 10:33 pmThis one could very well cost us the next 2 games and suddenly we are going to be buried. Just a predictably awful loss
July 7th, 2017 at 10:33 pmWhat’s was the advantage of bringing in Krol there. Why not just bring Freeman back out?
July 7th, 2017 at 10:33 pmLoss squarely on Snitker. This is not a smart organization.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:34 pmdoomed? doomed.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:35 pmAwful loss. Feel bad for Dickey. He was great tonight and showed some heart staying in to take out Drew after Snitker came out.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:36 pmAbsolutely awful loss that shouldn’t have happened. Nothing gets you in my doghouse faster than giving the Nats a win when they were well on their way to a loss.
Johnson delenda est.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:36 pmReally needed this one to get back in the race.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:38 pmWe still need a few pieces, but what we have to market won’t buy them.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:40 pmI admit I had gotten my hopes up a tiny bit. This loss is a good reminder that we are still just as bad as we had planned to be going into the season. Sell the vets and call up the farm.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:41 pmThis team doesn’t have the pitching to stay in any race. The 3 decent arms in the pen have already been overused. We don’t need to fool ourselves and be buyers at the deadline. Look to trade Phillips, Adams, Dickey, Teheran, and the bullpen
July 7th, 2017 at 10:41 pmI’d flip AJ Minter and Caleb Dirks for Krol and Motte right now.
Edit: Rhiner Cruz is having a good year in Gwinnett as well
July 7th, 2017 at 10:43 pmThis is the 2nd bad loss I remember. How many am I forgetting?
July 7th, 2017 at 10:47 pmYesterday morning the point was made on this Board that Albies and Acuna should both be in Washington for this crucial series. Albies for Phillips, Acuna for Kemp.I assume this would have been a FO decision to keep them back so i say FU to the FO.
How scared and/or stupid can you be not to make the changes that all our eyes have witnessed were needed over these last few weeks? Phillips’ defense, to right or left and now center, is brutal. He made effectively the 2 mistakes that picked up Washington out of the mire in the 9th. Jim was poor but with Albies at second we win the game in regulation.
Matt Kemp has made some pretty heroic and successful defensive plays in these 2 games which i admire. But his bat has been totally pathetic these last 2 weeks for whatever reason and continued tonight throughout the evening with runners on base culminating, of all things, when Dusty had made the lunatic decision to take out Grace for Albers, in another ground ball double to waste the runners on board.
How can Management justify this loss when we were poised for the kill against the best pitcher in Baseball and Freddie and RA had been magnificent.There is no excuse.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:48 pm@ 80
agreed…flip away.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:55 pm@ 77
coop, they were back in Georgia. Get a good night’s sleep, cheers!
July 7th, 2017 at 10:57 pm@82- I’m in for Albies, but I’d leave Acuna alone. Prior to this year, he’s never played more than 55 games in a season. More importantly, if you bring him up, you don’t want to send him back down unless you have to, and contractually, they’ve got to be committed to their starting OF for at least the rest of this year.
I would DL Kemp though and kick the tires on Dustin Peterson until Kemp was 100% healthy again.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:59 pm@79
Why on earth would you trade Adams for whom major changes -off to a good start- have just been made, and Dickey who has got it all together and was terrific tonight against that awesome offense?
July 7th, 2017 at 11:00 pmAcuna is next year. Albies should be right freakin now.
July 7th, 2017 at 11:01 pmI was back and forth. Sell everyone of value over 30. Bring up the kids.
July 7th, 2017 at 11:01 pmEthan
You are showing a similar conservative, take-no-risk bent with Acuna. We are trying to win aren’t we? And he is ready without question. And, with him, we get a darn good look at him for at least a month and i would guess indefinitely. The difference at the plate between Kemp’s bat as it is now and Acuna over 80 games could be 4 wins. What will help make up that total is his base running.
July 7th, 2017 at 11:06 pmGood evening, krussell. I will use one of your own words against you. He is a savant. Wise beyond his years. And ready. You must be hung up on Service Time, correct?
July 7th, 2017 at 11:11 pmBunch of knee jerkers.
July 7th, 2017 at 11:12 pmChief..
A detailed and perceptive analysis.
July 7th, 2017 at 11:12 pmAdams value is high and Freeman isn’t a 3B
July 7th, 2017 at 11:28 pmBlazon,
I love Acuna, but yeah, I have questions on whether a 19 year old who has played a total 55 games above A/+ Ball is unquestionably ready. His K% this year is above 25%, with a BB% of below 10%, and he’s riding a Babip of .400. Past that, while I don’t know where the kid is psychologically, I’ve seen many talented prospects crash and burn in the big leagues and never make it back.
If there’s even a small chance you mess with the long term development of someone we all hope will be a future superstar, I question whether it’s worth it to maaaybe sniff the second wildcard.
That doesn’t even get into what you do with Kemp when you’re on the hook for him to the tune of 50 million over the next two and a half years and he’s publicly not hiding the fact he’s pissed off about being turned into a pinch hitter.
I respect your opinion, but just don’t think the juice is worth the squeeze at the moment.
July 7th, 2017 at 11:34 pmcsg…OK, maybe, but look at the advantages we got out of it tonight…real flexibility with Freddie moving from 3rd to first, 2 doubles from Matt, 5 bases total for Freddie.Impressive.
July 7th, 2017 at 11:39 pmI’d keep Adams unless someone overpays. He’s under control for cheap next year, and even if Freddie at 3rd doesn’t work out, there are worse things than having actual quality bench players.
July 7th, 2017 at 11:42 pmSadly, we’ll be reading a lot of “call ’em up” for the next couple years. When you have 9 of the top 100 prospects at any one time, there’s always going to be a failing position and a potential improvement on the farm. As sure as there will be a weakness to the roster, there will be people ready to start clocks to solve ’em.
I think the only prospects we will see in Atlanta before the end of the year that will definitely help the team are Albies and Minter, and maybe some of the bullpen pieces. I think we should probably get used to blown saves since we won’t trade for a closer (nor should we), and there’s no one on the farm that you can trust to come in and save 98% of games. There’s just no one in the entire organization that fits that description.
July 7th, 2017 at 11:53 pm@94
Ethan
And i respect yours.
There was a poster on TC earlier today who had been at the Acuna game yesterday and i believe used the well worn cliche ‘a man among boys’ which still sounds good to me.
The world is changing, sport is trying to change with it. Bodies and minds are developing faster. 19 per se means nothing now, one way or the other, character beyond talent is all. Maturity. Don’t know him obviously but i would
hazard a guess he would be at least the equal today in that department to an 18 year old we both know who performed so well on the biggest stage.
Yes it’s risky. Every decision of consequence is. But the world is full of CMA types who look over their shoulders and risk the least exposure. I don’t want our FO to be that with all young exceptional talent, across the board. Change is happening, embrace it. Tonight was a horrible waste of great performances by others. Cheers.
July 7th, 2017 at 11:54 pmI didn’t watch the game. Is there an issue with Freddie’s 3B defense?
July 7th, 2017 at 11:54 pmSadly??
No, the word is judgment, the ability to tell A from B and not generalize.
July 7th, 2017 at 11:56 pm@ 99
no…he had virtually nothing to do at 3rd and he switched mid game for tactical reasons. Which i now forget!
July 7th, 2017 at 11:58 pm#99
None, so far. He fielded a pop-up, and that was it.
July 8th, 2017 at 12:01 amGoodnight to all.
July 8th, 2017 at 12:05 amNo closer with more than 17 opportunities has blown a higher percentage of save chances this year than Johnson. His WHIP is 20th of the 24 pitchers with at least 11 saves (although his FIP number was kinder, at least before tonight). His WHIP since June 1 is 1.57. Of this pitcher, the organization’s major-league manager said this tonight:
“The guy’s a horse, he takes the ball all the time. I’ve got no problem with Jim Johnson. He’s saved our rear so much.”
There’s standing up for your guy, and there’s being detached from reality.
Three more months of the caretaker manager.
July 8th, 2017 at 12:19 amWell, he isnt going to bad mouth him to the press.
July 8th, 2017 at 1:05 am@105
He isn’t, but an acknowledgement that JJ has been suboptimal and must improve would make more sense than the word salad he offered.
July 8th, 2017 at 1:23 amI take it with a grain of salt. Remember, Snitker is a Bobby Cox disciple.
July 8th, 2017 at 1:26 amRecapped.
July 8th, 2017 at 7:49 am