Braves

[msstate7]

Unless the cubs perform a minor miracle, the braves will be facing the dodgers Thursday. Should the braves pitch maholm against kershaw? I think they should. Pretty much concede it and go medlen in game 2.

[Todd4State]

The Cardinals are very lucky that they didn't get burned today. They started Westbrook- like he's Bob Gibson or Chris Carpenter or something- and then rested or pulled their starters early. Even though Westbrook only pitched an inning- that was still risky to me.

[Todd4State]

And to answer your question- no- you don't "concede" game one in a playoff situation ever. You're much better off starting your ace if at all possible. The only reason you wouldn't would be if your ace had just pitched 2-3 days before the game and isn't ready to go from a rest standpoint.

[HereComesTheSpiral]

I would rather get the dodgers instead of the Pirates or Reds, seems like the wild card teams are always the most dangerous team in the playoffs

[Todd4State]

The difference now is that the wild card team will burn their ace in the wild card play in game- meaning we will match Wainwright vs. the Pirates or Reds number 2.

[trob115]

I think Mahlom will be left off of the roster actually. Minor, medlen , Tehran, and Garcia are your post season starters.

Wood, Avilan, and Downs LhRP
Kimbrel, Ayala, Carpenter, Hale, and Walden( if healthy) RhRP

Mahlom will not be on the active roster unless walden is not able to go.

[starkvegasdawg]

I think Mahlom will be left off of the roster actually. Minor, medlen , Tehran, and Garcia are your post season starters.

Wood, Avilan, and Downs LhRP
Kimbrel, Ayala, Carpenter, Hale, and Walden( if healthy) RhRP

Mahlom will not be on the active roster unless walden is not able to go.

Really hate Huddy is out. I saw him on tv opening day of college football at the auburn game and he was tailgating wearing a pair of flip flops. Looked to be getting around fine. Almost think if he could do that he would be able to pitch at least out of the pen.

[dawgs]

Really hate Huddy is out. I saw him on tv opening day of college football at the auburn game and he was tailgating wearing a pair of flip flops. Looked to be getting around fine. Almost think if he could do that he would be able to pitch at least out of the pen.

because hanging out drinking a beer and eating a hot dog is almost the same thing as pushing off on your ankle to throw 90 mph.

[Will James]

Wood, Medlen, Tehran, and Minor.

These SHOULD be the four starters. Like Todd said, you can't concede shit.

[Todd4State]

because hanging out drinking a beer and eating a hot dog is almost the same thing as pushing off on your ankle to throw 90 mph.

Well, if he gets pissed off at an official and throws a hot dog at him at 90 MPH- you could make a case.

[BoomBoom]

Wood, Medlen, Tehran, and Minor.

These SHOULD be the four starters. Like Todd said, you can't concede shit.

Wood has a tired arm. He's never thrown this many innings I believe. Looked good out of the pen so far though. And Avilan and downs have been pitching like shit, so he'll be needed as the pen's lefty.

[trob115]

I would love to have wood in the rotation, but like boom boom mentioned, he is on an innings limit. He will be valuable as the 3rd lefty in the pen. Most people have not faced him and that funky delivery is very deceiving.

[starkvegasdawg]

because hanging out drinking a beer and eating a hot dog is almost the same thing as pushing off on your ankle to throw 90 mph.

If his ass can walk all over creation in a pair of flip flops a month ago I think it is at least reasonable to question whether or not he might could pitch a few innings here or there in relief.

[msstate7]

Wood has a tired arm. He's never thrown this many innings I believe. Looked good out of the pen so far though. And Avilan and downs have been pitching like shit, so he'll be needed as the pen's lefty.

Wood will be in the pen. He's pitched out of the pen this week already

[camsu]

Doesn't matter --- Cards and A's in the WS --- Go A's

[dawgs]

I would love to have wood in the rotation, but like boom boom mentioned, he is on an innings limit. He will be valuable as the 3rd lefty in the pen. Most people have not faced him and that funky delivery is very deceiving.

yeah i've broguht this up regarding the braves before too. minor, medlen, and teheran are also well over the previous career high IP already and without long track records of pitching 200 IP*. it doesn't mean the braves won't win it all or make the WS, but it'd enough that i wouldn't predict them to do so, regardless of their opponents.

*huge difference between a guy with multiple years at 200+ IP reaching a career high and young guys none of which have ever thrown 180 IP in a season all going significantly over their previous career highs.

[dawgs]

Doesn't matter --- Cards and A's in the WS --- Go A's

imo a baseball fan without a horse in the race has to cheer for the A's, rays, pirates, or indians to win it all.

[smootness]

Should the braves pitch maholm against kershaw? I think they should. Pretty much concede it and go medlen in game 2.

Heck no.

1) It sends a terrible message to your team.
2) The Braves will undoubtedly lose and be down 0-1 in a best of 5; there's a decent chance, given the way Medlen's pitched recently, that Kershaw gives up, say, 2 in 8 innings, Medlen gives up 1 in 7, and our bullpen shuts them down for 2. You can't concede a game in a series like this, no matter what. It's baseball, anything can and does happen. Kershaw has 9 losses, he hasn't ended up with a win in even 2/3 of his starts.

[msstate7]

Heck no.

1) It sends a terrible message to your team.
2) The Braves will undoubtedly lose and be down 0-1 in a best of 5; there's a decent chance, given the way Medlen's pitched recently, that Kershaw gives up, say, 2 in 8 innings, Medlen gives up 1 in 7, and our bullpen shuts them down for 2. You can't concede a game in a series like this, no matter what. It's baseball, anything can and does happen. Kershaw has 9 losses, he hasn't ended up with a win in even 2/3 of his starts.

When I say concede, I don't mean forfeit. I'm not saying pitch a pitcher that won't pitch anyway during the series, but change the order to give us a better chance. If medlen goes game 1 and loses to kershaw, we're effectively done.

[BoomBoom]

When I say concede, I don't mean forfeit. I'm not saying pitch a pitcher that won't pitch anyway during the series, but change the order to give us a better chance. If medlen goes game 1 and loses to kershaw, we're effectively done.

Then what do you do for game 4? Concede 2 and try to sweep the rest?

[Dawg61]

There's no strategy here that will magically work. It's just your guys vs their guys. Be thankful you get the Dodgers at home. Out there and it's lights out.

[msstate7]

Then what do you do for game 4? Concede 2 and try to sweep the rest?
I'd go minor (thurs), medlen (Friday), Teheran (sun), minor* (mon), medlen (wed)

* if minor unable to go that quick, I'd go Garcia

[Todd4State]

When I say concede, I don't mean forfeit. I'm not saying pitch a pitcher that won't pitch anyway during the series, but change the order to give us a better chance. If medlen goes game 1 and loses to kershaw, we're effectively done.

If you have to do that at the MLB level, you're not going to last long anyway. Not to mention it will mess your rotation up throughout the playoffs should it actually work.

What you are suggesting might work in high school baseball- but that's only if you are sure your ace and number two starter are better than the other teams number two and three. And even then it's extremely risky. The players also all get about a week off in between playoff rounds to rest up.

In MLB- doing what you are suggesting you would have former Cy Young Award winner Zack Grienke going up against Medlen likely down 1-0 in a five game series. And also by doing that- you're basically guaranteeing yourself that Medlen would only pitch once in the five game series.

Making that move would:

1. Likely be labeled as one of the worst moves in postseason baseball history EVER this side of Otis Nixon bunting himself out to end the 1992 World Series.

2. Probably get your manager fired.

[msstate7]

If you have to do that at the MLB level, you're not going to last long anyway. Not to mention it will mess your rotation up throughout the playoffs should it actually work.

What you are suggesting might work in high school baseball- but that's only if you are sure your ace and number two starter are better than the other teams number two and three. And even then it's extremely risky. The players also all get about a week off in between playoff rounds to rest up.

In MLB- doing what you are suggesting you would have former Cy Young Award winner Zack Grienke going up against Medlen likely down 1-0 in a five game series. And also by doing that- you're basically guaranteeing yourself that Medlen would only pitch once in the five game series.

Making that move would:

1. Likely be labeled as one of the worst moves in postseason baseball history EVER this side of Otis Nixon bunting himself out to end the 1992 World Series.

2. Probably get your manager fired.

The series goes thurs, fri, sun, mon, and wed. He could pitch 2 games if he pitches game 1 or 2 assuming the braves are alive.

Also minor beat the dodgers with 6 ip 1 er

[Todd4State]

There's no strategy here that will magically work. It's just your guys vs their guys. Be thankful you get the Dodgers at home. Out there and it's lights out.

Exactly. At this point there's not really much difference between whomever is considered the best team and whomever is considered the worst team in the playoffs. The best strategy is to just play it straight up and not over-manage and get cute.

[Todd4State]

The series goes thurs, fri, sun, mon, and wed. He could pitch 2 games if he pitches game 1 or 2 assuming the braves are alive

I stand corrected on that point, but you're still putting yourself where if he pitched on Friday, he would be going on short rest likely against Kershaw on full rest.

[dawgs]

Then what do you do for game 4? Concede 2 and try to sweep the rest?

yep i think that's the realy problem, you are setting up your worst playoff SP to start twice in series.

kershaw has been incredible, but he's still loss 9 games, due to run support. so go out with your best arm, hope you hold them to <2 runs and hope you can scrape together a run or 2 off kershaw.

[Dawg61]

Haha I don't remember Nixon doing that but damn is that dumb

[msstate7]

Medlen starting Thursday.