Quote: d'Arnaud is now hitting .333 (25-for-75) with seven doubles, four homers and 20 RBIs in the 22 games he's played against the Mets since they released him in 2019 https://t.co/bX4sc7mfPK
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) October 3, 2022
wow...no coachspeak here...or playerspeak, but I appreciate the candor. Our team having been on the wrong side of too many of these situations, I knows it stings like a mutha'...
Quote:Michael Harris II, what can you say? He doesn’t appear in official stat rankings because he wasn’t summoned until Memorial Day weekend. With enough plate appearances to qualify, he’d be fourth in the NL in batting average, seventh in OPS and ninth in wRC+ at 142. The Braves were 22-24 when he was promoted. They’re 75-35 since.
Harris changed this Braves team. The outfield again was short-staffed: Adam Duvall and Marcell Ozuna weren’t hitting; Eddie Rosario was on the injured list and Acuña, Jr. was coming off ACL repair. Harris stepped into center field as if he owned it. Now he does.
In four months, he has compiled a 5.2 WAR. Acuna’s best full season was 2019, when he played 156 games and had a 5.1 WAR. Harris is the NL’s second-youngest player. He’s also this team’s MVP. Saw that coming, did you?
Acuña, Jr. hasn't been Acuña, Jr. but Harris the Second 9not the first) has been.
Honorable mention to:
Quote:(Awesome) Austin Riley: He wasn’t quite a prospect on the level of Albies and Swanson, but he’s the new infield cornerstone. His WAR is 6.0. By way of comparison, Freeman has had one 6-WAR season. (He might get there this year, though.) Riley ranks second in the NL in total bases, third in home runs, fifth in OPS, seventh in wRC+ at 143. He’ll draw the most support among Braves in the official voting.
Let's win one tonight, Braves and lock this thing up, already. Wash won't beat Metz for us...
That was an unexpected Division Title for sure. last night, it sure looked like the Braves might even blow it. Give credit to the Marlins for playing great all week against their opponents even though they'd long since been knocked out. Tonight's 2-1 Braves win felt every bit a playoff game after last night's hangover.
Congrats to the Braves, condolences to the Metz who stepped up in their DH today against the Nutz, but too little too late.
The playoff-bound Mets led the division for 175 days, held a 10 1/2-game lead on June 1 and led by seven games on Aug. 10 — three days after taking four of five from Atlanta at home.
They will have a tough playoff gauntlet to run, but who knows? perhaps they'll get another chance to play the Braves this season? Any of the teams can get hot and this year's playoffs will be compelling with lots of storylines.
What a great baseball season. Hockey's almost ready to start, and I can't wait for the best fall/winter sport, but for now, enjoying America's Greatest pastime and sport! Hope Braves get some good rest, healing and come out ready, because the Cardinals/Phillies and Dogs sure will be ready.
(This post was last modified: 10-04-2022 09:40 PM by GoodOwl.)
(10-04-2022 09:17 PM)stever20 Wrote: I think the biggest difference in why I think Braves are better than Dodgers is Braves have Jansen and Dodgers don't.
OK, that was funny. Everyone knows Kimbrel's way beterr, and Freeman, and Bueller and Bellinger...et ecetra...et cetera.
There's a new season home run king, and his name is Mike Judge. I don't often congratulate a Yankee, but big congratulations for breaking the all-time mlb single season home run record. You deserve it, Mr. Judge. Now, back to disliking the Yankees.
(This post was last modified: 10-04-2022 09:52 PM by GoodOwl.)
(10-04-2022 09:17 PM)stever20 Wrote: I think the biggest difference in why I think Braves are better than Dodgers is Braves have Jansen and Dodgers don't.
OK, that was funny. Everyone knows Kimbrel's way beterr, and Freeman, and Bueller and Bellinger...et ecetra...et cetera.
I think the Dodgers 9th inning situation is something to watch for sure. Kimbrel has been awful.
(10-05-2022 09:43 AM)stever20 Wrote: thought this was really amazing
Yeah, I was surprised too. Without looking it up I would have assumed Fernando led at least once. The list of elite MLB pitchers from Mexico isn't as long as I thought.
(10-04-2022 09:17 PM)stever20 Wrote: I think the biggest difference in why I think Braves are better than Dodgers is Braves have Jansen and Dodgers don't.
Satire? If so, bravo. If not...
There's a very good argument that you wrote this in reverse of the truth, i.e. the reason Team X is better than the Braves is because the Braves have Jansen and Team X does not.
(10-04-2022 10:45 PM)stever20 Wrote: I think the Dodgers 9th inning situation is something to watch for sure. Kimbrel has been awful.
I don't blame you for not following the Dodgers but FYI: Kimbrel was officially (and kind of loudly) demoted from closer on 9/23. The odds of him appearing in a high leverage situation in the playoffs are very close to zero. If he's pitching the 9th it's because there's no one left or because it's low leverage (i.e. not a close situation). Kimbrel was arguably the worst reliever on the roster at the close of the season and I've seen credible writing that has Kimbrel not even making the post season roster.
There are at least three Dodgers relievers better suited to high leverage late innings than Kimbrel or Jansen (and for sure several more in the case of Kimbrel): Evan Phillips, Chris Martin, and Alex Vesia. And I'd be pretty comfortable seeing Kahnle, Almonte, or Ferguson as well. Since August, the Dodgers bullpen, WITH Kimbrel, has an ERA of 2.23 and WHIP of 0.94. I can think of reasons the Braves might have an advantage (e.g. Dodgers slumping offense), but anything to do with the bullpen is well down the list.
ETA, re Kimbrel:
Jeff Snider at SI dot com Wrote:Roberts was asked if, in a bullpen that prides itself on being able to get both lefties and righties out, Kimbrel's struggles against lefties specifically might be what ends up keeping him off the playoff roster. After some contemplation, Roberts gave a pretty blunt answer:
"Craig's just gotta be better. I can put him in the best, the optimal positions — and to his credit, he's been more open to pitching in a different role — but you just can't walk guys and you've gotta get them out. And he knows that. So we're going to have some decisions to make. And certainly, guys that show that they can get left and right out, that are platoon neutral, as you look out into the postseason, where lineups are staggered, there's pinch-hitting more than there is in the regular season ... that's certainly a factor."
It's pretty remarkable that Dave Roberts, a guy who isn't usually very direct when it comes to specific player performance, has been willing to speak this plainly about Kimbrel. Speaks volumes.
(This post was last modified: 10-05-2022 12:37 PM by Brookes Owl.)
There's a new season home run king, and his name is Mike Judge. I don't often congratulate a Yankee, but big congratulations for breaking the all-time mlb single season home run record. You deserve it, Mr. Judge. Now, back to disliking the Yankees.
(10-04-2022 10:45 PM)stever20 Wrote: I think the Dodgers 9th inning situation is something to watch for sure. Kimbrel has been awful.
I don't blame you for not following the Dodgers but FYI: Kimbrel was officially (and kind of loudly) demoted from closer on 9/23. The odds of him appearing in a high leverage situation in the playoffs are very close to zero. If he's pitching the 9th it's because there's no one left or because it's low leverage (i.e. not a close situation). Kimbrel was arguably the worst reliever on the roster at the close of the season and I've seen credible writing that has Kimbrel not even making the post season roster.
Kimbrel left off the 26 man playoff roster.
ETA:
ETA2: I don't understand the journalistic hand-wringing over the Dodgers' lack of a true closer. I thought we were beyond that sort of "we've always done it this way" kind of thinking. LA's bullpen is exceptional, and they've got several high leverage-capable relievers. As mentioned elsewhere, there are things to worry about (slumping offense) but bullpen isn't one of 'em.
(This post was last modified: 10-11-2022 02:46 PM by Brookes Owl.)
Verlander in 7 starts against the Mariners this year has had 5 really good outings and his two worst starts of the whole season. Good news is the bats picked him up.