Braves

[msstate7]

Really nice weekend. After losing our first place lead, the team responds to stretch lead out to 3 against a very good home team. Bj continues to improve and lastella is looking better and better. I like this team's chances in the east

[Political Hack]

I can't see them not finishing 1st in the east, but they'll need to be clicking come playoff time to make any serious noise (as do most teams).

If BJ puts up offensive numbers, it's a whole different ball game for them though. If he and Lastella can be solid it's got to be one of the best line ups in the majors.

[Pioneer Dawg]

Their problem is that while they KILL left handed pitching, they are right at the bottom of the league versus righties. In a playoff setting this can be exploited much more than in-season where everyone is on the strict rotation.

I'm talking they are the BEST hitting team against LHP and the WORST against RHP... Statistically.

[smootness]

Their problem is that while they KILL left handed pitching, they are right at the bottom of the league versus righties. In a playoff setting this can be exploited much more than in-season where everyone is on the strict rotation.

I'm talking they are the BEST hitting team against LHP and the WORST against RHP... Statistically.

This is true, but I expect the numbers to even out some. Justin Upton and Gattis will always kill LHP and BJ should be able to at least look like a major-league player against lefties, but Heyward will continue to pick up his numbers, and Freeman should also hit righties well.

Add La Stella in as a lefty, and it won't be quite as easy as it seems to shut them down with a righty, I don't think.

[dawgs]

I can't see them not finishing 1st in the east, but they'll need to be clicking come playoff time to make any serious noise (as do most teams).

If BJ puts up offensive numbers, it's a whole different ball game for them though. If he and Lastella can be solid it's got to be one of the best line ups in the majors.

I can. When the nats get healthy, they'll make a run. Laroche just got back. Ramos is just getting into the groove of things after going on the DL on opening day. Still waiting on Zimmerman, Harper, and gio to get back in the next month or so. So long as the nats are within 5 games at the all star break and don't have anymore injuries to key pieces, it'll be a dogfight. (I know the braves lost medlen and beachy, but losing guys before the season allows you to sign replacements, like Santana who is as good as or better than medlen minus medlen's freakish 2012, and it's foolish to place your bets on a guy in the process of returning from TJ surgery)

[smootness]

I can. When the nats get healthy, they'll make a run. Laroche just got back. Ramos is just getting into the groove of things after going on the DL on opening day. Still waiting on Zimmerman, Harper, and gio to get back in the next month or so. So long as the nats are within 5 games at the all star break and don't have anymore injuries to key pieces, it'll be a dogfight. (I know the braves lost medlen and beachy, but losing guys before the season allows you to sign replacements, like Santana who is as good as or better than medlen minus medlen's freakish 2012, and it's foolish to place your bets on a guy in the process of returning from TJ surgery)

I heard the exact same thing about the Nats all year last year, and it never happened. They're a decent team, nothing more.

And no, Santana is not better than Medlen. I expect him to settle down and be a good pitcher for us this year, but I was definitely wrong on what I thought he'd be for us. He's a good SP, a solid #2 or #3 on a good staff. Medlen was similar but I'd take him over Santana. It obviously doesn't matter, Medlen's not coming back this year...but Wood will return to the rotation eventually, and Teheran/Minor/Wood/Santana will be good enough to win the division.

[FISHDAWG]

I don't see the Marlins going quietly into that gentle night

[smootness]

I don't see the Marlins going quietly into that gentle night

With Fernandez gone? I do.

[dawgs]

I heard the exact same thing about the Nats all year last year, and it never happened. They're a decent team, nothing more.

And no, Santana is not better than Medlen. I expect him to settle down and be a good pitcher for us this year, but I was definitely wrong on what I thought he'd be for us. He's a good SP, a solid #2 or #3 on a good staff. Medlen was similar but I'd take him over Santana. It obviously doesn't matter, Medlen's not coming back this year...but Wood will return to the rotation eventually, and Teheran/Minor/Wood/Santana will be good enough to win the division.

The nats have actually been good enough to compete for exactly 2 full seasons. They won 98 games and the east the first season they had high end talent and they slid last season. This season is to be determined.

Franchises can have ups and downs season to season with the same core. Just look at the giants who seem to win a WS every even year and miss the playoffs every odd year, even though the core is essentially the same.

Finally, if you expected Ervin Santana to be anything more than a middle of the rotation guy, then you obviously don't watch much baseball. He's been a middle of the rotation guy his whole career. He's a good, not great SP. Medlen is the same thing. His 2013 was closer to his true skill level than his 2012.

[dawgs]

The Red Sox are 6 games back of the blue jays. Are they out of it?

The angels are 4.5 games back of the A's. Are they out of it?

The cardinals are 4 games back of the brewers. Are they out of it?

The dodgers are 7.5 games back if the giants. Are they out of it?

The nats are only 3.5 games back of the braves. Plenty of time left and the nats undoubtedly get better in the next month.

Guys like Aaron harang aren't gonna to keep dominating, he had a long history of mediocrity. We'll see if bouncing wood between the rotation and bullpen hurts him when they try to start him again. The braves lineup Ks way to much to be a consistent run producing lineup. It's either boom or bust.

[Political Hack]

I see what you're saying and certainly understand that it's not a given, but the Nats have been underwhelming over and over and over. It's always an injury or contract issue or immaturity or something. Until they turn that corner, I think the Braves have a clear edge.

[Dawg61]

Hindsight on the biggest reasons the Giants missed the playoffs in those years were the Buster Posey broken ankle, the Angel Pagan hamstring surgery and the in effectiveness of Cain, Lincecum and Zito.

[dawgs]

By over and over, you mean in 2013? Shit, look at the blue jays. 2 weeks ago they were jumbled in the middle of the AL east. Then they run off a huge run the last couple weeks and jumped to the lead in the division. It's 6/2 and the nats haven't had a run yet this season and no individual player has had a big run yet. It'll happen inevitably, because that's just how baseball works EVERY YEAR with talented teams. I'm going out on a limb and saying the nats big run this year happens before the last 6 weeks of the season like in 2013.

[dawgs]

Hindsight on the biggest reasons the Giants missed the playoffs in those years were the Buster Posey broken ankle, the Angel Pagan hamstring surgery and the in effectiveness of Cain, Lincecum and Zito.

So you are saying ups and downs from players and injuries can derail or make a season? Whoa. That's mindblowing. And essentially exactly what I'm saying about the nats and the fact that the nats get 3 key pieces back in the next month along with guys like Ramos, fister, and laroche all just getting back from DL stints. If you think the nats the 1st 2 months of the season look like what they'll look like the 2nd half of the season, then you have blinders on.

[msstate7]

The braves are just getting minor going, Teheran is becoming one of the best in mlb, and Floyd will only get better. Harang isn't someone we're gonna depend on too much. If no injury occurs there, we'll be just fine. Oh and walden coming back will help the bullpen.

Jhey, bj, and lastella hitting will improve the offense that's been terrible so far.

The braves haven't hit their stride yet by far

[dawgs]

Lulz at Gavin Floyd only getting better. Dude has been as mediocre over his career as harang. He's 32 and has 1 season of an era under 4.00. When y'all talk about the "talent" getting better, it helps if they have the track record, or at least the pedigree, to support an assumption of being above average contributors.

Upton has talent, but he's not going to hit above .240 (I'd be mildly shocked if he tops .225), and he's not showing the 20+ HR power or the 40+ SB speed he used to have (maybe because he's not on base enough?).

La Stella is a low ceiling prospect whose best attribute is he's not dan uggla. He'll be an empty OBP guy that doesn't give much in the way of run producing or speed.

And I never said a anything negative about Teheran or minor, but it's not like they aren't basically canceled out by strasburg, Zimmermann, and gio (once he's back).

[msstate7]

Guess we'll see. When's the last time the Nats have seen first place in the east BTW?

[smootness]

La Stella gives us exactly what we need in the lineup, someone to consistently get on base. Yeah, I guess he has an 'empty OBP' but it doesn't matter. We have plenty of guys with pop, we need somebody to just get on base.

And no, Harang nor Floyd will be anything special. But we only need one of them to just be halfway decent as a 5th starter. Our rotation will be just fine. I didn't expect Santana to dominate, but I thought he could have an anomaly of a season in his first year in the NL, much like Gio did in 2012.

Gio Gonzalez is a good SP, he also isn't a great one. He can be hit. Strasburg, we'll see. It isn't a coincidence that the year the Nats won 98 games, Strasburg was healthy and dominating and Gio pitched above his head. Neither of those guys is going to give them that this year.

The Nats lineup is pretty good, but it isn't anything special. And they are terrible on D, which is the primary reason their record again will end up being below what everyone predicted.

[FISHDAWG]

that's probably what they thought about the Braves when we lost 2 starters in the spring .... at least THEY are hitting consistently

[Dawg61]

So you are saying ups and downs from players and injuries can derail or make a season? Whoa. That's mindblowing. And essentially exactly what I'm saying about the nats and the fact that the nats get 3 key pieces back in the next month along with guys like Ramos, fister, and laroche all just getting back from DL stints. If you think the nats the 1st 2 months of the season look like what they'll look like the 2nd half of the season, then you have blinders on.

Wasn't offering anything mind-blowing. I'm a Giants fan and just giving my opinion as to why the Giants won 2 WS and missed 2 playoffs in a 4 year span. I guess you missed the part about the 3 SP struggling too. Me personally I think the Nats live and die with Bryce Harper. He is the pulse of that team. If he doesn't come back and give them a new energy and also play to his potential then the Nats won't make the playoffs. He gave that team a season's worth of juice his first season when he won ROY and it's no coincidence they made the playoffs that year. Nats need the ROY Harper or they are done.

[Political Hack]

By over and over, you mean in 2013? Shit, look at the blue jays. 2 weeks ago they were jumbled in the middle of the AL east. Then they run off a huge run the last couple weeks and jumped to the lead in the division. It's 6/2 and the nats haven't had a run yet this season and no individual player has had a big run yet. It'll happen inevitably, because that's just how baseball works EVERY YEAR with talented teams. I'm going out on a limb and saying the nats big run this year happens before the last 6 weeks of the season like in 2013.

by over and over and over, I mean that the franchise we're discuss in has won two division titles since the 60's. the Phillies are a bigger threat than the Nats 99% of the time.

[dawgs]

by over and over and over, I mean that the franchise we're discuss in has won two division titles since the 60's. the Phillies are a bigger threat than the Nats 99% of the time.

What a ludicrous argument. What does the current nats franchise have to do with anything from the expos other than the franchise was sold and moved to DC. Different owner, different front office, different players, dofferent city, different different different. They might as well have contracted the expos and then expanded into dc. That's how little relevance there is between then and now, and suddenly that would change you mind about the "over and over and over" bullshit? Come on, you're smarter than to force that argument.

[dawgs]

La Stella gives us exactly what we need in the lineup, someone to consistently get on base. Yeah, I guess he has an 'empty OBP' but it doesn't matter. We have plenty of guys with pop, we need somebody to just get on base.

And no, Harang nor Floyd will be anything special. But we only need one of them to just be halfway decent as a 5th starter. Our rotation will be just fine. I didn't expect Santana to dominate, but I thought he could have an anomaly of a season in his first year in the NL, much like Gio did in 2012.

Gio Gonzalez is a good SP, he also isn't a great one. He can be hit. Strasburg, we'll see. It isn't a coincidence that the year the Nats won 98 games, Strasburg was healthy and dominating and Gio pitched above his head. Neither of those guys is going to give them that this year.

The Nats lineup is pretty good, but it isn't anything special. And they are terrible on D, which is the primary reason their record again will end up being below what everyone predicted.

You've said that about gio before, but gio has been hovering in the low 3.00 era for 4 seasons now. Basically his rookie year he struggled and since then, he's been damn good. 2012 was his best year, but 2010 he had a 3.23 era, 2011 had a 3.12, and 2013 had a 3.36. That's a lot of consistent good pitching, not an ok pitcher on Ervin Santana's level that had 1 elite season.

Ervin Santana's best season era is 3.24, which is good for gio's 4th best season era. So can you please stop grouping them together like they are comparable SPs? Cause track record says they aren't.

I know gio's era right now is ugly, but he's been in the DL for a few weeks now and his 2 starts before hitting the DL saw his era go from 2.91 to 4.62. Think that maybe he was hurting a bit that led to the poor outings? He'll be back soon and hopefully feeling good after a few weeks off.