Braves Talk

[KB21]

OK. I think my head just exploded.

Fredi has finally moved BJ Upton out of the 2 hole.

Yep. He's got BJ hitting LEADOFF tonight.

The Braves have a moron as a manager.

[smootness]

I'm through with talking about Fredi. The longer we keep him, the more I put it on upper management.

He's either indefensibly stupid or indefensibly stubborn.

[KB21]

I'm through with talking about Fredi. The longer we keep him, the more I put it on upper management.

He's either indefensibly stupid or indefensibly stubborn.

Considering the contract that Dan Uggla has, and the contract that BJ Upton has that will be an albatross for this team, I think Frank Wren needs to have a hot seat as well.

[msstate7]

Think the Red Sox would be dumb enough to take both uptons in a deal? They need some outfield help so I'm sure jup would be appealing. Bj had success in al east before too. I know whatever value jup has would be cancelled out by bj so we couldn't get much. I'd do it anyway so we'd have some money for the future and I don't wanna sign jup anyway

[Political Hack]

Wren is the only reason this season isn't swirling in the can. Pitching was an issue and he fixed it with little to no time. it's only 2 bad contracts... those two are just really, really bad.

[smootness]

Wren has done a very good job overall. He's made some FA signings that turned out badly, but that will happen to everyone. I like the way he's stuck with our young talent.

But Fredi has to go. It's time.

[msstate7]

Wren is the only reason this season isn't swirling in the can. Pitching was an issue and he fixed it with little to no time. it's only 2 bad contracts... those two are just really, really bad.

They're also really big contracts on a small market team. Why we let bourn go in favor of bj, I'll never know. If we had bourn last year, we might have gotten by dodgers

[smootness]

I was fine with the BJ signing at the time. He's younger, and if we'd just gotten the Tampa BJ, we'd be fine. Bourne hasn't been good, either.

We didn't know we were getting THIS BJ. But now that we know, hitting him at the top of the order while hitting Heyward and Justin 5/6 is beyond indefensible and shows a complete lack of intelligence or even common sense.

[dawgs]

The braves aren't a small market team.

[msstate7]

The braves aren't a small market team.
Some one should tell liberty media

[dawgs]

Some one should tell liberty media

Not saying they don't act like it, but they aren't. Royals, brewers, rays, Indians, etc. are small market teams. Braves are in the south's largest metro area and have a huge regional following as the south's overwhelming fav mlb team. That's not a small market. The ownership has duped y'all into thinking they're fighting an uphill battle against the big markets, when the reality is they are making money like crazy and wanna keep it instead of spending it.

[msstate7]

Not saying they don't act like it, but they aren't. Royals, brewers, rays, Indians, etc. are small market teams. Braves are in the south's largest metro area and have a huge regional following as the south's overwhelming fav mlb team. That's not a small market. The ownership has duped y'all into thinking they're fighting an uphill battle against the big markets, when the reality is they are making money like crazy and wanna keep it instead of spending it.

I'm not disagreeing. As long as liberty is owner, we're small market though.

[smootness]

Not saying they don't act like it, but they aren't. Royals, brewers, rays, Indians, etc. are small market teams. Braves are in the south's largest metro area and have a huge regional following as the south's overwhelming fav mlb team. That's not a small market. The ownership has duped y'all into thinking they're fighting an uphill battle against the big markets, when the reality is they are making money like crazy and wanna keep it instead of spending it.

Doesn't matter. Based on our budget, we are on the smaller end. And budget is all that matters when discussing potential roster moves.

[dawgs]

http://deadspin.com/2014-payrolls-and-salaries-for-every-mlb-team-1551868969

Fwiw, braves are 14th in payroll this year. Squarely in the middle of the pack.

[dawgs]

Doesn't matter. Based on our budget, we are on the smaller end. And budget is all that matters when discussing potential roster moves.

I disagree. When a team is clearly capable of spending money, but chooses not to, that doesn't make then small market. That's my only point.

[smootness]

I disagree. When a team is clearly capable of spending money, but chooses not to, that doesn't make then small market. That's my only point.

But we're talking about Frank Wren, and he can only be evaluated on the available budget. You don't fire the GM because the owner won't spend.

[dawgs]

But we're talking about Frank Wren, and he can only be evaluated on the available budget. You don't fire the GM because the owner won't spend.

Then just don't call it small market. Bitch about the owner and the unnecessary budget constraints, but don't pull the small market term out.

[War Machine Dawg]

Considering the contract that Dan Uggla has, and the contract that BJ Upton has that will be an albatross for this team, I think Frank Wren needs to have a hot seat as well.

Been saying this for years. Glad others are finally catching up. Wren has been a terrible GM and every bit as big a problem as Fredi.

[KB21]

IMO, the line up should look like this:

1. Tommy La Stella
2. Freddie Freeman
3. Justin Upton
4. Evan Gattis
5. Jason Heyward
6. BJ Upton
7. Chris Johnson
8. Andrelton Simmons
9. Pitcher

And I would actually consider hitting the pitcher 8th and Simmons 9th simply because he is more likely to get on base for the top of the order than the pitcher is. I'd hit BJ Upton 6th because he is a base stealing threat when he does get on, and with Johnson and Simmons behind him, you essentially have singles hitters.

The concept is simple. You want your best hitters to get the most at bats. When you dole it out, your best on base guy hits first, best overall hitter 2nd, best hitter with power 3rd, and the next best two hitters #5 and #3 respectively.

[KB21]

Been saying this for years. Glad others are finally catching up. Wren has been a terrible GM and every bit as big a problem as Fredi.

I also think our farm system has eroded since Tony DeMacio became the scouting director. We don't draft as many high upside high school guys, and while we do have a lot of guys that move up to AAA ball, we haven't gotten a lot of truly outstanding prospects in the draft. Think about it this way. Two of our top three prospects right now were international signees, not draft picks. Lucas Sims is in the top 3, and he is a high upside high school arm. Mauricio Cabrera is another international signee. Basically, our system is loaded with system guys and very few headliners.

Now, we have had some luck with some. Evan Gattis stands out as a very lucky 23rd round pick and is a guy that was underrated by the pundits due to his age.

Look at Rome's pitching staff right now. This organization is very thin when it comes to arms at the lower levels, and they are relying on guys like Felix Falcon, Alec Grosser, Carlos Salazar, and Luis Merejo to take a step forward, but most of these guys are in short season ball.

[War Machine Dawg]

As for BJ hitting leadoff, yes, it's one of the most ridiculous things Fredi has done. But in a weird way, I'm kinda ok with it. Let's just go ahead and get the automatic out over with and then let our real hitters take their cuts.

[BoomBoom]

I wonder if the BJ love comes from Fredi or the front office. I can picture them telling Fredi that BJ is signed for 3.5 more years, so keep playing him and let's hope he hits his way out of it. It's typical executive behavior of refusing to accept a mistake.

[BoomBoom]

Wren has done a very good job overall. He's made some FA signings that turned out badly, but that will happen to everyone. I like the way he's stuck with our young talent.

But Fredi has to go. It's time.

It's not just the signings that turned bad. But he almost signed several players that also would have been awful signings. He's dodged several bullets just because someone else was stupid enough to offer even more, and that gets forgotten. And then you add the FA SPs: KK, Derek Lowe, etc. Their assessment of FAs is just god awful.

But you never know what's going on behind the scenes. After BJ (which was repeating the same mistake they made with Uggla: aging RH low-contact hitter), someone's head had to roll. did it?

[msstate7]

Nice win tonight. Good to see harang and kimbrel bounce back. Both uptons go deep. Hopefully jup is about to blow up again. Ready to see wood tomorrow night

[msstate7]

Bj got another extra base hit (double) tonight. Maybe he can keep it up. I'd love for him to get it going like he did in TB

[msstate7]

Bj leads off game with single, sb, and advances on bad throw. Lastella drives him in 2nd straight night. Bj and lastella doing good job even without many (none for lastella) hits. Looks like fredi made a decent move

[trob115]

I hope that BJ just regains some sort of resemblance to the Tampa Bay BJ. That would help out tremendously. Also, Wood looked excellent last night.

[msstate7]

I hope that BJ just regains some sort of resemblance to the Tampa Bay BJ. That would help out tremendously. Also, Wood looked excellent last night.

Woods been outstanding as a starter all year.

[Dawg61]

Doesn't BJ ever look at his stance/swing on video? He looks like Charles Barkley swinging a golf club right now. BJ has gone full mental. He should try hitting left handed for a bit till he forgets everything right handed. Then he can switch back. He needs his brain swiped clean Total Recall style or something. It's so obvious he is way over thinking everything when he is in the box. He has speed and he's a plus defender but man is it tough to watch him hit these last 2 years plus. He was pretty bad his last year in TB too.

[msstate7]

Doesn't BJ ever look at his stance/swing on video? He looks like Charles Barkley swinging a golf club right now. BJ has gone full mental. He should try hitting left handed for a bit till he forgets everything right handed. Then he can switch back. He needs his brain swiped clean Total Recall style or something. It's so obvious he is way over thinking everything when he is in the box. He has speed and he's a plus defender but man is it tough to watch him hit these last 2 years plus. He was pretty bad his last year in TB too.

.246 28 hr's 31 sb's (last year in tb) ...if he can give us these numbers, we'll win the east going away IMO

[Dawg61]

He can get close to 31 SB again but no way he's sniffing 28 hrs

[msstate7]

He can get close to 31 SB again but no way he's sniffing 28 hrs

I'd rather have .246. We have enough power

[msstate7]

Mike minor is a weakness in our rotation. For all the hell harang catches, his era is 3.78. Mike minor's is 4.57.

[dawgs]

.246 28 hr's 31 sb's (last year in tb) ...if he can give us these numbers, we'll win the east going away IMO

Big if. And even if he matched those numbers, I don't think y'all win the eat going away. Nats are just hitting their stride with everyone but Harper back from injury, and Harper is due back in a week or so.

[msstate7]

Big if. And even if he matched those numbers, I don't think y'all win the eat going away. Nats are just hitting their stride with everyone but Harper back from injury, and Harper is due back in a week or so.

Certainly not with minor getting ripped.

[smootness]

Minor will be fine. Harang is going to tank at some point.

[msstate7]

Minor will be fine. Harang is going to tank at some point.

I think so too, but he just can't quit serving up homeruns. It's usually just solo shots, but they got em for a 3-run job today. This was his 11th start today. He's given up 11 hr's, .291 opp batting avg, and an era of 4.50. He needs to get right soon...

[dawgs]

I think so too, but he just can't quit serving up homeruns. It's usually just solo shots, but they got em for a 3-run job today. This was his 11th start today. He's given up 11 hr's, .291 opp batting avg, and an era of 4.50. He needs to get right soon...

Sometimes a guy just has a weird off year. Right now minor's K rate is 9 K/9 IP and BB rate of 2.70 BB/9 IP. So that's obviously very good. His LOB% is actually good at 81.6%, but his BABIP is high at .345 and his HR/FB rate is high 16.4%, so those more than cancel out the good LOB%. GB% is higher than his career avg too at 39.4%. His FIP (which I don't think normalizes HR rates) is actually right at his current era, but his xFIP (which I think does assume HR rates to be normalized) is 3.36.

Long way of saying, I think he will be a bit better, but I doubt he gets back to his 2013 numbers (when his era was about 0.50 above his FIP and xFIP).

[Dawg61]

Harper supposedly back on Monday but your Nats are choke artists till they aren't anymore

[msstate7]

Hale was impressive tonight. Should the braves trade harang and bring hale back to rotation? Hale's era now 3.02

[Pioneer Dawg]

Harper supposedly back on Monday but your Nats are choke artists till they aren't anymore

The Nats are about to run away with the East.

[msstate7]

The Nats are about to run away with the East.

What you basing that on?

[Pioneer Dawg]

What you basing that on?

Run differential for one.

[BoomBoom]

Hale was impressive tonight. Should the braves trade harang and bring hale back to rotation? Hale's era now 3.02

nope, hale is the only backup now.

[dawgs]

Harper supposedly back on Monday but your Nats are choke artists till they aren't anymore

Quick to label a team choke artists because they missed the playoffs 1 season out of the 2 seasons they were reasonably expected to compete for playoff spots.

And spare me bullshit drivel about the expos and the first years in DC, when they were basically an expansion team no one expected to win.

Also, the best way to build home grown talent is to suck. Bad. It's what the nats did. It's what the rays did. It's what the pirates have done. It's what the royals are trying to do. It's what the cubs and Astros have been doing. You trade vets for prospects in smart deals, you get top draft picks, you sign vets to cheap 1 year deals just to turn them into a prospect or 2 at the trade deadline. But it's not an overnight process, it takes years to rack up the talent, then you have to let them develop thru the minors. So if you want to hold the nats pre-2012 against them as proof of choking, you are missing the point. You can't choke when the franchise was legitimately not trying to win those years and were entirely working to build a roster for 2012 and beyond. In 2018 when the cubs or Astros are expected to compete for pennants, the fact that they sucked in 2013 won't mean they are chokers.

[Dawg61]

I didn't mind the Nats pre-2012. Back then they sat in the back and kept quiet. Ever since Strasburg and Harper arrived though they can't shut up about how awesome they are. Till they win a World Series I don't want to hear it. Win a World Series and then talk. Till then shut the fu<k up PLEASE. Hilarious all the teams you just listed. Washington, Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Chicago and Houston. What a collection of losers. Not one single World Series win in the last 29 years. Those teams suck and will continue to suck and in 2018 the Cubs and Astros will not make the playoffs just like always. Winning organizations know how to do just that, win and the Yankees, Red Sox, Tigers, A's, Rangers, Braves, Cardinals, Reds, Dodgers and Giants will dominate the other twenty teams for the next ten years. There is no changing of the guard. That won't happen till the loser teams get new owners and general managers and spend money on free agents instead of stockpiling their farm system. A lot of damn money. The Marlins won two WS in their first ten years of existence. What's the Nats problem? You don't see the Marlins talking a bunch of shit about how awesome they are and yet they have every right to compared to the Nats. People joke on the Marlins but that organization has two rings and look at just how much better they are in one year. The Rays are about to trade away a pitcher in David Price that they won't be able to develop another considered his equal for the next decade. By the time the Rays develop another David Price the team that bought him will have bought ten more just like him. Losing teams lose and winning teams win. Nats should shut up till they win a World Series but that won't stop you from telling me how awesome you're going to be from here on cause you sucked the right way.

[Pioneer Dawg]

I don't see how you Brave fans stand it.

Today your 1-2 hitters both have on-base percentages in the .260's.

Hahahaha

[msstate7]

I don't see how you Brave fans stand it.

Today your 1-2 hitters both have on-base percentages in the .260's.

Hahahaha

4-1 this week looking to go 5-1. FF has 4 rbi's this series hitting 3rd so he's had runners on in front of him

[msstate7]

I don't see how you Brave fans stand it.

Today your 1-2 hitters both have on-base percentages in the .260's.

Hahahaha

Right on cue... Bj gets 2 out triple for 2 rbi's.

[Pioneer Dawg]

4-1 this week looking to go 5-1. FF has 4 rbi's this series hitting 3rd so he's had runners on in front of him

Ramiro Pena and BJ Upton should be 7-8 not 1-2. Fredi is incompetent.

[msstate7]

Ramiro Pena and BJ Upton should be 7-8 not 1-2. Fredi is incompetent.

Fredi is terrible, but bj now has 6-game hit streak since going to leadoff. Oh and Pena gets walk. Please keep ripping them... Haha

[Pioneer Dawg]

Right on cue... Bj gets 2 out triple for 2 rbi's.

So? Go with that lineup till October and end up 77-85

[msstate7]

So? Go with that lineup till October and end up 77-85

Keep telling yourself that. The braves are gonna keep winning as long as their pitching staff holds up. Since bj went to leadoff, the braves are 4-1 (didnt play last night) and leading in this game. Bj has played well since leading off. It's not like bj has never had success in mlb.

[dawgs]

examples of the nats talking about how awesome they are? Or are you projecting that based on media talking about them being contenders? You know you can talk about a team contending before they actually win a ring right? It's called projections and looking at the talent and predicting the results instead of saying the same team will win next year because they won last year.

Also, in 2014, you don't build with free agency. Of the teams you listed, they are:
1) almost all huge market teams

2) all but the yanks, sox, and dodgers are actually largely home grown with smart supplemental players added thru free agency. And dodgers best 2 players (kershaw and puig) are home grown.

3) none of them can hold on forever, if you spend big money on 30+ free agents, it eventually going to catch up with you, the Yankees aren't going to win anything soon and are likely to never compete for a ring again until the core of their team is on the younger side of 30

4) the rays had a great run and nearly won a WS, but their window is pretty much closed now. Why? Because once they got to be good, they weren't able to swing cheap vets for prospects or rack up high draft picks. That's how it goes.

5) are you seriously putting the rangers in the "winners" list? Lulz, there's more to baseball history than the last 5 years. Tigers were awful for nearly 20 years before they developed verlander and landed Cabrera. The reds have been ok the last few years (on mostly home grown talent I might point out), but haven't made noise in the post season in 25 years. Before the giants 2 recent WS, they hadn't sniffed anything of substance since the earthquake series. In other words, you seem to selectively forget about a lot of these teams being bad for large time periods over the last 25 years.

6) yeah that theo Epstein is a bum of a GM. Cubs should totally go out and get a winner. ::eye roll:: he's not making dumb signings of aging vets to win 80 games and is instead thinking long term so they will be in better shape to win 90+ games in a few years.

[dawgs]

Keep telling yourself that. The braves are gonna keep winning as long as their pitching staff holds up. Since bj went to leadoff, the braves are 4-1 (didnt play last night) and leading in this game. Bj has played well since leading off. It's not like bj has never had success in mlb.

Small samples sizes....

[msstate7]

Small samples sizes....

How many losing seasons do the braves have in the last 15 years? The braves are a winner and they'll continue to win with their pitching. Is our record since 1990 too small a sample size?

[Pioneer Dawg]

Athletics only have like 2 home grown talents. Home grown is good when its good but you can't expect to fill a whole roster through the draft. 30 teams worth of players to pick and choose from > 1.

[Pioneer Dawg]

How many losing seasons do the braves have in the last 15 years? The braves are a winner and they'll continue to win with their pitching. Is our record since 1990 too small a sample size?

What does that have to do with Fredi severely de-optimizing the lineup

[Dawg61]

Rangers and Tigers aren't afraid to spend money. They will be relevant for awhile. Did you forget about the Barry Bonds, Matt Williams, Jeff Kent era of Giants baseball? Remember when they played the Angels in the World Series and lost in game 7? Nats don't get to sit at the big boy table. I'll let you know when they can.

[msstate7]

What does that have to do with Fredi severely de-optimizing the lineup

Well the braves offensive production has gone up since bj went to leadoff. I realize it's not been a big sample size, but the move has been effective so far.


Oh and fredi has the most wins among mlb managers since 2011. Didnt realize this till yesterday.

[Pioneer Dawg]

Oh and fredi has the most wins among mlb managers since 2011. Didnt realize this till yesterday.

Again, what does that have to do with Fredi severely de-optimizing the lineup?

"Fredi Magic" doesn't mean than .260 OBP will become the optimal offensive output for the leadoff spot.

[msstate7]

Again, what does that have to do with Fredi severely de-optimizing the lineup?

"Fredi Magic" doesn't mean than .260 OBP will become the optimal offensive output for the leadoff spot.

The braves are winning and scoring runs since bj went to leadoff. Why would he change it when it's working?

[Pioneer Dawg]

Why would he change it when it's working?

It's not debatable as to what maximizes the chances of winning. He is not giving the Braves he best chance of success. NOT DEBATABLE.

[msstate7]

It's not debatable as to what maximizes the chances of winning. He is not giving the Braves he best chance of success. NOT DEBATABLE.

Except the actual production and record since making the move. So you think fredi should should say 17 what's working let me fix this? Will, sometimes the best move is to stick with what's working.

[Pioneer Dawg]

Except the actual production and record since making the move. So you think fredi should should say 17 what's working let me fix this? Will, sometimes the best move is to stick with what's working.

If you hit the pitcher cleanup for a couple games and were 2-0 would you continue to do it?

B.J. at leadoff is ludicrous.

[dawgs]

Athletics only have like 2 home grown talents. Home grown is good when its good but you can't expect to fill a whole roster through the draft. 30 teams worth of players to pick and choose from > 1.

A's aren't spending big money on free agents though. They maximize production through the use of righty/lefty splits and solid pitching benefiting from an extreme pitcher's park. Kinda counter to bringing up the sox and yanks and dodgers as winners because they aren't scared to spend money.

[dawgs]

Rangers and Tigers aren't afraid to spend money. They will be relevant for awhile. Did you forget about the Barry Bonds, Matt Williams, Jeff Kent era of Giants baseball? Remember when they played the Angels in the World Series and lost in game 7? Nats don't get to sit at the big boy table. I'll let you know when they can.

And the nationals are scared to spend? It's about being smart, not signing 30 year olds to 10 year, $250M contracts. You can't purely build a team out of big dollar free agents anymore and expect to win, you can go get supplemental guys to work around your core. And yes I forgot about the angels beating the giants in the WS. The giants have still had a lot of bad years.

I'm still waiting on 1 example of the nats talking like they're god's gift the baseball though. I think you heard an announcer fluffing them and decided it's the nats fluffing themselves.

[msstate7]

I was critical of moving bj to leadoff, but we went 6-1 this week and took back 1st place. The offense has came alive. I'm always on fredi's back, but he's done a good job this week. Hopefully it continues this week

[starkvegasdawg]

Should we all relax on Kimbrel or does he still make you nervous? He just hasn't seem himself lately. Seems all of our closers lose that mental edge for some reason. Workers, Rocker...hope Kimbrel is not next. Don't think Smoltz was mental. Just think age finally caught up to him.

[Pioneer Dawg]

I was critical of moving bj to leadoff, but we went 5-1 this week and took back 1st place. The offense has came alive. I'm always on fredi's back, but he's done a good job this week. Hopefully it continues this week

Why why why do people give the manager "credit". You mentioned his hit streak.. great.. they've all been 1 hit games. Today was BJ's 1st BB in 8 games. He's now 6-30 this week (.200) with an OBP of .226… But he's THE REASON they are 5-1… right. Thats almost as bad as attributing sweeping Missouri to a meeting.

I just wish everyone else looked at things as correlation-causation as me and a small few others on here.

[KB21]

I was critical of moving bj to leadoff, but we went 5-1 this week and took back 1st place. The offense has came alive. I'm always on fredi's back, but he's done a good job this week. Hopefully it continues this week

There is only so long this success can be sustained with a guy leading off that has a 0.227 OBP while leading off.

[msstate7]

Why why why do people give the manager "credit". You mentioned his hit streak.. great.. they've all been 1 hit games. Today was BJ's 1st BB in 8 games. He's now 6-30 this week (.200) with an OBP of .226… But he's THE REASON they are 5-1… right. Thats almost as bad as attributing sweeping Missouri to a meeting.

I just wish everyone else looked at things as correlation-causation as me and a small few others on here.

Bj had hr in 1 run win tues, 2-run 2-out triple today, scored 4 runs this week, got 3 rbi's this week, sb, and played great defense. Bj isn't the main reason for winning streak, but he's certainly helped

[Dawg61]

F.P. Santangelo/Brian Kenny/MLBNetwork/ESPN the last three years have been unbearable to listen to when it comes to the Nats. Sorry I don't have conversations with the players. I'd rather listen to Godzilla f@cking then 1 more second of F.P. Santangelo. That guy is the WORST. :)

[msstate7]

There is only so long this success can be sustained with a guy leading off that has a 0.227 OBP while leading off.

Maybe not. Maybe bj picks it up even more. He's had good years before.

Gattis coming back most likely will result in:

Bj
Lastella
Ff
Gattis
Jup
Heyward
Cj
Simmons

I think this can be a good offensive lineup. This club will score much better the 2nd half than the firsf imo

[dawgs]

F.P. Santangelo/Brian Kenny/MLBNetwork/ESPN the last three years have been unbearable to listen to when it comes to the Nats. Sorry I don't have conversations with the players. I'd rather listen to Godzilla f@cking then 1 more second of F.P. Santangelo. That guy is the WORST. :)

oh shit, groundbreaking. hometown announcers are homers!!1111!!!!!!11!11!!1! if i hated every team whose announcers where homers, there wouldn't be many that i didn't hate.

[Dawg61]

No that guy is on par with only Hawk Haralson. By far the two worst announcers in all of baseball. He's so bad even you hate listening to him and I know it.

[KB21]

Maybe not. Maybe bj picks it up even more. He's had good years before.

Gattis coming back most likely will result in:

Bj
Lastella
Ff
Gattis
Jup
Heyward
Cj
Simmons

I think this can be a good offensive lineup. This club will score much better the 2nd half than the firsf imo

The line up that would produce the most is

La Stella
Freeman
JUpton
Gattis
Heyward
BUpton
Johnson
Pitcher
Simmons

[shoeless joe]

The line up that would produce the most is

La Stella
Freeman
JUpton
Gattis
Heyward
BUpton
Johnson
Pitcher
Simmons

Produce what? The only thing I want them to produce is wins and it seems to be working rite now.

I almost agree with you on FF in the 2 hole but he such a clutch RBI guy that I would hate to make that move. This teams offense is what it is...streaky. If pitching holds up they could be there at the end.

[KB21]

Produce what? The only thing I want them to produce is wins and it seems to be working rite now.

I almost agree with you on FF in the 2 hole but he such a clutch RBI guy that I would hate to make that move. This teams offense is what it is...streaky. If pitching holds up they could be there at the end.

Produce an increase in run expectancy.

[BoomBoom]

There is only so long this success can be sustained with a guy leading off that has a 0.227 OBP while leading off.

the problem is, both Heyward and LaStella were pressing while in the lead-off spot. there is good reason to believe their overall production will be lower if you slot them at leadoff, and sabermetrics does not account for that. (that probably applies less to Heyward against RHs than LHs).

[msstate7]

Kevin McAlpin ?@KevinMcAlpin
Evan Gattis' MRI revelaed a bulging thoracic disk. He'll need an epidural. Atlanta will make a roster move tomorrow. #Braves

Great

[KB21]

Hello Christian Bethancourt. Your time is now.

I hate this for Evan. Bulging discs are difficult to get rid of. Hopefully Fredi will play Bethancourt instead of the hole that Gerald Laird is.

[msstate7]

Hello Christian Bethancourt. Your time is now.

I hate this for Evan. Bulging discs are difficult to get rid of. Hopefully Fredi will play Bethancourt instead of the hole that Gerald Laird is.

Christian starting again tonight.

[msstate7]

Minor 2 runs 5 hits thru 3. He gave up another hr. Lefties hitting over .350 against him. My patience with minor has worn thin.

[msstate7]

Bj continues to play well. 2 out hit to keep inning going. Then steals and scores on Simmons 2 out hit. Bj now has 8 game hit streak. Bj now hitting .210. I know .210 isn't great, but it's on the way up.

[msstate7]

Minor 2 runs 5 hits thru 3. He gave up another hr. Lefties hitting over .350 against him. My patience with minor has worn thin.

Gave minor 3 run lead and he responds by walking a guy and giving up another hr to a lefty. Then another hit. I'm sick of mike minor