2014 MLB Season Thread

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Shelby Miller pitched a 3 hit CG shut out yesterday... Jaime Garcia went 7 and collectively the pitching staff shutout the Jays again on 4 hits. Nice blend of offense and pitching for the Cardinals to take the series -- which honestly kind of shocked me seeing as the Jays escaped our two best pitchers.

I will take it, but hopefully we can see a lot more of this. Consistency (relative to the ebbs and flows of baseball anyway) would be nice.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

I still have some hope that we're the least shitty of our shitty division. Probably shouldn't but I do.

[Sarge+ 3,436]

Nats are gonna be hard to beat in the 2nd half. Gio just had his first rehab start.

[Bay 2,003]

Astros put Tony Sipp in the outfield so he could remain in the game to get the other lefty out. Righty was in-between the two left-handed hitters. Love when teams do that.

Edited June 10, 2014 by Bay

[Sarge+ 3,436]

Pirates called up Polanco. He makes his debut tomorrow night.

[JetsFan4Life 542]

So Lonnie Chisenhall had one of the best games you will ever see last night. 5 hits, 3 HR, and 9 RBI (first player to do all that since 1975). Dude has been hitting well all year, never thought he had it in him.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Three straight shutouts!! Woo. Although it's much more impressive shutting out the jays compared to the rays.. Lol

[southgadawg 52]

I know there is still a ton of season left but I am wondering if all those 'experts' who said that Gattis was basically going to be a one year wonder and that the braves were sorely going to miss McCann at catcher have noticed what he is doing this season.

 

Gattis 48 games, 168 ab, 22 runs, 7 2b, 1 3b, 13 homers (most of all catchers), 31 rbi (2nd most), 11 walks, 41 k's, .280 avg, .330 obp, 565 slg, and 895 ops

 

McCann 58g, 204 ab, 22 runs, 7 2b, 0 3b, 7 hr, 28 rbi's, 13 walks, 29 k's, 225 avg, 282 obp, 363 slg, 645 ops

 

At this point I'd go on to say that imho the only catchers performing clearly better overall all stats offensively would be Jonathan Lucroy and Devon Mesorosco (although like Gattis he hasn't had as many at-bats to qualify offensively for things like avg, obp and ops--- you need 3.1 plate appearances per team game). So the Braves saved money and Gattis has stepped up.

 

With that said the Braves offense still stinks for the most part and I am shocked that McCann isn't having a better year than he has in Yankee stadium. I never thought he'd regress this much but just felt like he wasn't worth all the money he was offered by the yanks (for the braves to sign him that is) when I felt Gattis having consistent playing time at one position would benefit him.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

Gattis has struggled big time behind the dish, though. Had a hard time throwing guys out with a lot of passed balls. Still better than the left field experiment, though.

[southgadawg 52]

Gattis has struggled big time behind the dish, though. Had a hard time throwing guys out with a lot of passed balls. Still better than the left field experiment, though.

I couldn't find the link but basically Gonzalez had already said one time the main reason they used him in leftfield last season was trying to keep his bat in the line-up while McCann was also in the line-up. Gattis only has 2 pass balls this season, but I will admit that his d-war (defensive wins over replacement) isn't good right this second...it is -0.2. That is the same or better as other catchers such as Saltalamacchia, d'Arnauld, Montero, Arencibia, Grandal, Pinto, Nieto, Jaso, and Pachecho. McCann only has a 0.4 and only one player Alex Avila has a d-war of over 1.0 at catcher. 12 different catchers have allowed more steals than he has but I will admit that his caught stealing rate is slightly behind league average (but how much of that is pitcher and how much is catcher is debatable). Gattis also has the 4th best range factor of all catchers and has had several analysts recently saying that he has been much better at framing pitches and calling games than was expected. I think to say he has struggled big time behind the dish is totally inaccurate but to say that he has been slightly below league average behind the plate would be more accurate. Only time will tell how his final numbers will come out but to me at this point I am very glad the Braves have him in the line-up.

 

BTW I know that some of these measurements are subjective. Case in point Freddie Freeman has the worst d-war of any firstbaseman with over 22 games with an outstandlngly poor -1.1 d-war.

[Bay 2,003]

Love watching Cueto the gawd

[southgadawg 52]

Gattis didn't start the game in Denver today but after Laird got hurt on a backswing he got into the game for the end of the 8th and the Braves half of the 9th. He got up to the plate and promptly got plunked in the ribs (in retaliation for a beanball that Carpenter dished out after Laird got hurt on the backswing of Corey Dickerson). At least Gattis didn't have to worry about trying to extend his hitstreak to 13 games (HBP today in only at-bat didn't count against him). BTW not sure if Carpenter felt like he need to protect Laird (so he hit Dickerson) or if Dickerson failed at all to apologize for hitting Laird accidently (because it didn't look at all as on purpose to me). Overall I think the umps handled it pretty well. I don't think Dickerson really wanted to charge the mound because El Oso Blanco got out their to 'protect' his pitcher fairly quick.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if Laird didn't make the flight home with the rest of the Braves tonight. I could be wrong but I was thinking after a head injury that it isn't recommended to fly. If he couldn't make it back in time for the game on Friday or if it looks likely that he has a concussion then I would expect for Bethancourt to get called up.

 

The announcers made the observation earlier today that the Braves haven't done well at all in day games and average about a 1/2 run less in those games (not like they score enough in night games either lol). My opinion without me researching it too much is that GENERALLY Gonzalez likes to sit Gattis on a day game after a night game. Also especially on Sundays (which is almost always a day game) Gonzalez has a history of letting some of his other regulars sit as well. Duh! Of course you aren't going to score as many runs on average if your better hitters are not in the line-up.

Edited June 12, 2014 by southgadawg

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

Hopefully Carpenter gets suspended so Fredi stops using him. But yeah, our two best hitters right now are Justin and Gattis and they were both sat today. Essentially a forfeit in my view.

[southgadawg 52]

Looks like Laird is okay.

 

http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/baseball/laird-ok-after-scary-incident-that-preceded-ejecti/ngKbj/

 

 

[Sarge+ 3,436]

Polanco went 5-7 tonight with his first career HR in the 13th inning to give us the win. The Pirates are now just 1 game under .500.

 

Also...

 

 

 

Pirates through 800 career games A. McCutchen .298/.385/.493 R. Clemente .290/.322/.410 W. Stargell .272/.336/.493 B. Bonds .266/.362/.482

 

McCutchen da gawd.

[southgadawg 52]

I wouldn't mind seeing the other career stats of those four great pirates. Stargell and Clemente started when the pitching was just absolutely terrific and the hitting league wide was much lower. Bonds was speed and power (going strickly by my memory and not looking up the stats on any of them) and never was much of an average guy. All four were great players though. I used to love to watch 'Pops" hit when I was young and I even remember where I was when Bonds hit his first homer (I was in the office of a Putt-Putt course with a buddy of mine). Unfortunately I don't recall ever watching Clemente playing when he was alive although I have seen some great replays of him.

 

On a Braves note:

El Oso Blanco ambushed a 3-0 fastball in the first inning to give the Braves a 3-0 first inning lead yesterday before adding a single later in the game. He extended his hitstreak to 13 games on Friday the 13th!

Edited June 14, 2014 by southgadawg

[Sarge+ 3,436]

Pirates back to .500.

[southgadawg 52]

El Oso Blanco stayed hot for the Braves and they came back from deficits to tie the game a couple of times BUT they couldn't seal the deal and the Angels came back. Overall a good game to watch but that last inning really stunk if you were a Braves fan. Gonzalez got out managed by the Angels' bench coach too.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

So I was at that game and I have one thing to say:

 

Fuck.

 

Also, shit bastard whore.

 

And now that I'm home I can post the whole story of my day as a whole.

 

We leave the house around 4:15, I'm driving my Jeep because my brother wants to drink at the game. So we get about 25 miles and I realize something, and this may or may not shock you: I am pants-on-head retarded. I LEFT THE GOD DAMN TICKETS IN MY NIGHTSTAND. So we turn back and on the way my Jeep starts making this awful grinding noise from Hell. We decide that he's going to drive up in his car, which is a stick so I can't drive home (came home and Dad says the transmission is fucked up so it's fun stuff). We get to Atlanta and get stuck in stop, stop, and stop some more traffic. I don't get to my seat until the TOP OF THE 4TH INNING.

 

So I get in and we suck. Trout and Pujols go back to back and we fall behind 5-0 and I want a god damn refund. Then we came back and tied it in the 9th with no one out. We win! Right? Nope, Barves. So they score in the 10th and I want my god damn money back again. We score and tie it, we'll win this time! Right? Nope, Barves. 11th inning, bases loaded for Upton. We'll win THIS time, right? Nope, Kole Calhoun. Then we lost big time and I want my money back.

 

So my brother had two beers and has to drive home. I figure my life is forfeit at this point. I'll never eat pizza again. I'll never watch baseball again. I'll never find out how Game of Thrones ends. On top of this, have any of you ever ridden in a car with a man who listens pretty much exclusively Disturbed and Hollywood Undead? Have any of you ever stared at a hat and wondered if you could commit suicide with it? I did both of those things tonight.

 

 

TL;DR: I am a dumbass, the fact that I've gone nearly 20 years without dying can only be regarded as a miracle, Braves are good, Barves are not, I want a refund, Hollywood Undead sucks balls.

Edited June 15, 2014 by Tridentdawgpound

[BC 331]

 

Also, we had a really good run. Swept the Yankees and made it to 5 games over .500. Looks like the run may be over but it was nice to see us be opportunistic and get young hitters and starting pitching show that they belong up here. Future is bright, just like it has been for 15 years, haha.

Edited June 15, 2014 by BC

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

The pitchers are pitching and the hitters are hitting! It's been a good week or so for Cardinal baseball. Probably another week or less before we start to sink again.

[southgadawg 52]

Shocker....the Braves actually won a series. I thought the game was lost after they way they looked the first 5 innings. Heyward homered, La Stella keeps hitting and Gattis got two hits to get his streak to 15 (although he did bloop one---luck counts lol). Game up now.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

I bought tickets to the wrong game. God dammit.

 

So rumors are swirling that we'll be bringing up Christian Bethancourt soon. Does that mean Gattis back to LF and BJ to the bench or what?

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

This series against the Nats was only the 2nd sweep of the year for us...

At least Big City is back in action!

EDIT: I just realized Carlos Martinez is starting tomorrow. May the Lord save us all.

Edited June 16, 2014 by Favre4Ever

[southgadawg 52]

I bought tickets to the wrong game. God dammit.

 

So rumors are swirling that we'll be bringing up Christian Bethancourt soon. Does that mean Gattis back to LF and BJ to the bench or what?

IF Bethancourt is brought up then yeah it would mean that at least part of the time that Gattis would be in LF with BJ to the bench and Heyward moving over to center. You'd have to expect that either Uggla, Schafer or Doumit would have to go (either DFA or traded). My guess and prayer would DFA Uggla and for a time at least they would only have Pena as the back-up infielder ---with BJ Upton as the emergency back-up infielder. Schafer and Doumit both have more value to other teams though than Uggla does.

 

I don't think the plan would be to start Bethancourt everyday to begin with. Would be more likely that they'd start him a few games with Gattis in the OF then let Bethancourt sit and Gattis catch a game or two before starting the process over. NOW if for some reason Bethancourt does provide .a 250 average or higher in the major then yeah you might see him playing more and more while Gattis gets even more play time in left (where he doesn't have the best defense at all). I think BJ playing worse and worse defense (combined with Bethancourt getting hot in AAA) is one of the predicators of this possibility. BJ has misplayed some balls of late and they were costly (imho it wasn't that he just missed them it appeared as he just wasn't paying attention and got lazy and nonchalant in his approach). Dang too bad the Braves don't get to play with a DH! (I am old school but I am more and more leaning toward a DH in both leagues and I definitely think the majors would be better off with balls and strikes determined by a robot--never thought i'd say that).

 

I know that the moves as I suggested them would make the Braves thin at infield depth but it isn't like there haven't been teams that went with only one back up infielder in the past successfully for months at a time even. Doumit would basically fall to the FOURTH catcher if that was to happen but he has been very successful of late coming off the bench as a PH (8 for 30, .267 with a homer and 5 rbi's). Schafer has hit .222 which isn't too bad either for a PH and he has speed. Uggla is hitless as a pinch hitter and what does he offer ya?.....still waiting...yeah nothing.

 

It could be too that IF they call up Bethancourt for a bit and he performs well then he could be used for trade bait (the Braves have historically used veteran catchers over the last two decades as back-ups) and used to pick up another piece at the trade deadline. That wouldn't be too far different with what was done with Jarrod Saltalamacchia a few years ago with the Rangers. For that matter Doumit or Schafer or even Gattis (Lord forbid!) might become trade bait. I just pray that Uggla gets designated for assignment and out of Atlanta soon. Just eat the contract wave goodbye and thank him for his hustle and being a team player, but he has GOT to go.

Edited June 16, 2014 by southgadawg