Show #189: Ups and Downs On the Road in the AL East
Heyward and Simmons killing it. Minor and Venters killing the team. And the triumphant return of JJ.
127 Responses to “Show #189: Ups and Downs On the Road in the AL East”
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Pages: « 1 [2] 3 4 5 6 » Show All
June 27th, 2012 at 12:10 pm
I hate the thought of epanded replay. I’m an ole fuddy duddy…known fact. I don’t think that call needs automatic umpiring. Check the guy’s glove. Make him show you the ball. Don’t be a complete idiot!
June 27th, 2012 at 12:21 pm
Yeah, of course you don’t need replay to make that call, just don’t be a complete idiot. But they keep being complete idiots, therefore you need replay to make that call. Ya know what I mean? Just cuz it’s physically possible to umpire pretty well doesn’t mean they’re going to. They’re getting worse.
Don’t fret, though, baseball won’t go to automated refs. Too many fuddy duddys.
June 27th, 2012 at 12:25 pm
But, Leah, keep in mind I would make the following changes to baseball if I was in charge (yes, I’m being dead serious).
1. Pitchers would throw underhanded, fast-pitch style.
2. Spit balls, scratched balls (heh), and all manner of other manipulations of the baseball would be permitted.
3. Not only would there be a DH, but the entire batting order would be DH’s, and the fielders would be designated fielders, the slickest, fastest fielders in the world and the biggest, baddest sluggers in the line up.
4. I’m not sure I wouldn’t pad the walls more and put a bunch of trampolines on the warning track.
June 27th, 2012 at 12:39 pm
I’d watch that ^
June 27th, 2012 at 4:35 pm
Played the show, finally. Good show.
The “you know it’s coming” part of Minor and Delgado’s failures are arguments for keeping them up. It points to mental struggles, i.e. youth. I’m for Medlen in the rotation, but I do believe running these kids out there is the way to get them over the hump. In short, I agree (blech) with Fredi.
Agree with Steve that Delgado is within range of just ordinary rookie-with-promise struggles. Minor is falling out of that range superfast. But it wouldn’t surprise me if suddenly both of these pitchers put up a batch of good games. We’re just gonna have to hit our way through the bad pitching.
Heyward’s connecting with the inside pitch. Seems like he’s very likely to be coming out of it, maybe permanently. Good feelings there.
I thought it was a jerk move to stretch Meds out and then pull him back, but now that he’s in the BP, I’m not anxious for him to leave it. Especially if we’re going to commit to even two of JJ/Minor/Delgado in the rotation. The reason being that we’ll be hoping for their starts to be sporatically good, so we’ll need Meds in the pen when they’re bad. It’s a gamble, but you gotta gamble somewhere and that model seems to offer the most hope. But if they DO promote Medlen, he ought to be a starting pitcher for the Braves for at least a year before – barring a total disaster – before they consider moving him again. Meds could be a real starter; I don’t know why the Braves don’t think so.
June 27th, 2012 at 4:36 pm
#30, contradicted self on Meds. Oh well. Take whichever of the opinions you agree with and compliment me on my point.
June 27th, 2012 at 4:42 pm
Well if there are trampolines can we add random water ballon fights? It’ll help with super hot summer day games. Win win!
June 27th, 2012 at 7:23 pm
I’m glad ballpark Frank wasn’t our GM. Trading a struggling 22 year old with limitless potential. Yeah that would be a great move (sarcasm).
June 27th, 2012 at 7:24 pm
Time to sell high on this Heyward guy?
June 27th, 2012 at 7:25 pm
I say trade Heyward for Francouer. Straight up.
June 27th, 2012 at 8:50 pm
Jones!
June 27th, 2012 at 9:47 pm
Nice to (pretty much) dominate games you’re supposed to, a difference from playing down the competition.
June 27th, 2012 at 11:42 pm
Another good one tonight. And Heyward continues to hit. Two straight decent to excellent starting pitching performances. Like you said, Bub – good to win the ones you should.
June 28th, 2012 at 12:28 am
@37, this all day. The Braves are playing like a playoff team again. I’ll hold off my excitement until we make it through the oncoming JJ/Minor/Delgado portion of the rotation.
It’s so great, as a Braves fan, which we all are, to see Heyward playing at a very high level. The wait has been worth it if it continues. Yeah he’s young, but it’s time for him to be doing what he’s been doing in June. Now let’s see it in July, August, September, and even more so in October. That is what is expected from players with his talent. That’s not to say he’s tradable, that’s to point out that he has as much talent and ability as any outfielder in the game, now let’s see the production. That’s why I hate the view of “he has unbelievable talent so we shouldn’t knock him.” Hell no. It’s a job. We all have them, and your performance is probably determined by production in terms of ability. In that regard, he has underperformed for the majority of his career. Some people just have to get over that, and that is why some of us still give Heyward criticism when he goes through his LONG slumps. My gosh, yeah, he’s hitting. Great. Let’s see him do it for the rest of the year before he’s crowned the golden god of baseball again, please. A player with his athletic ability should be stealing bases and playing great defense. The hitting is where he earns his money in future contracts, imo. Anyone with his athletic gifts should be an amazing defender/baserunner. Those are probably the easiest parts of the game given his physical tools. Do we need to keep crowning him because he has better DNA than everyone else. Do it at the plate, then you will get praise from everyone, not just the stat nerds.
June 28th, 2012 at 12:53 am
The stuff on Teheran not being as good as advertised is hilarious. He’s a 21 year old kid ready to be challenged against MLB hitters. He put up video game numbers in AAA, why does he need to do it again? Ever been 21, I’d be pissed if I were him, too. Give him as many starts as Minor has had so far and you’d get more production and a kid competing for a front of the rotation spot in the next year or so. The guys calling the shots are looking bad right now.
June 28th, 2012 at 1:16 am
I think a skeptical perspective on Teheran is practical. However, I think he could be doing what Delgado and Minor are doing, and his upside is much higher. Last year I felt some of our AAA pitchers would outperform Lowe, and late in the year they did. Baseball is just so afraid of change in every aspect from rules to personnel. I guess what Julio did last year is complete hogwash now given Redmond and Carlyle’s great almost 1/2 season in Gwinnett. I’m not sold on the journeymen over blue chip prospects for a starting spot argument, which means nothing, it’s just my opinion. I think you make the journeymen long relievers.
Sorry just catching up on the show and some Braves.
June 28th, 2012 at 1:23 am
Nothing fills my heart more than to watch the Phillies struggle. HA HA
Anyway, lets finish this sweep.
June 28th, 2012 at 8:04 am
Math is hard, but I think if we win 2 of the next 3 games (i.e., the games remaining this month), we’ll have won 14 games/month so far this season. Which makes…regularity. Sorta.
June 28th, 2012 at 10:24 am
If you think watching Craig Kimbrel end games is akin to hearing Beethoven’s 5th for the first time each night, your senses ain’t fooling.
“He’s faced 106 batters this season, and of the 49 that managed to put the ball in play, only 7 were hit hard enough to be considered a “line drive”. That means batters square up Craig Kimbrel about 6% of the time.
In 28 appearances this season, he hasn’t allowed more than one run in any appearance.
He hasn’t allowed more than one HIT in a single appearance.
He has yet to give up a home run.
He’s only failed to strike out at least one batter in 4 appearances.
He’s K’d 2 batters in 11 appearances
He’s K’d 3 batters in 6 appearances …which means he’s more likely to strike out the side than allow a run.”
(Stats courtesy of Not_so_sure at mlb.com)
June 28th, 2012 at 11:33 am
#44 gives me one of those open toothed grins that makes me drool. Sort of like when you come back from the dentist after oral surgery . . . except that in this case, it’s awesome.
June 28th, 2012 at 11:57 am
Kimbrel is just so sick. If we make the playoffs I just hope Fredi doesn’t hold back and unleashes that kind of weapon before the 9th. I mean seriously Wren and Schuerholz need to sit Fredi down and explain. I dont care if its on the table or not. What we have in our Bullpen with a guy like Kimbrel is a automatic stopper. I just want somebody with the balls to say how this guy should be used. I wont talk about it anymore.
June 28th, 2012 at 7:36 pm
That outfield assist by Heyward got me more excited than a lot of his homeruns. I love seeing amazing defense that saves runs.
June 28th, 2012 at 7:37 pm
47 was me
June 28th, 2012 at 8:30 pm
#47, agreed, Adam. Homers are awesome, but that was so exciting. It’s a highlight on gameday and I watched it five times. Love the last few feet of it in slow motion. Baseball players are pretty amazing sometimes.
June 28th, 2012 at 9:09 pm
I’ll say this much for Jair’s 6th inning:
The 6 pitch walk to Upton, he just barely missed the zone, and appeared to be putting the ball right where he wanted, but missing by an inch.
Then the double.
The four pitch walk to Montero was bullsh**. Two of those were strikes.