Braves

[msstate7]

What will it take to convince you guys we can actually contend this year?

[Really Clark?]

The front office not trading a significant piece at the deadline with only prospects in the return. Until the front office believes we are contending this year then we are not. Everything this first half of the season is either putting us in contention or is a showcase to trade certain players. Personally, it will take the middle of June and seeing where we are to determine if we have a chance of being solid throughout the year. That's where you need to project the best you can if the team will stay similar in output or if I can expect a second half decline that makes us borderline. I do believe in this day you are either in the race or out and stockpiling talent for a run. Finishing 84-78 really does us not good unless we are able to do that while trading to add young talent. Then you may be at the beginning of a really good build for an extended run.

[msstate7]

The front office not trading a significant piece at the deadline with only prospects in the return. Until the front office believes we are contending this year then we are not. Everything this first half of the season is either putting us in contention or is a showcase to trade certain players. Personally, it will take the middle of June and seeing where we are to determine if we have a chance of being solid throughout the year. That's where you need to project the best you can if the team will stay similar in output or if I can expect a second half decline that makes us borderline. I do believe in this day you are either in the race or out and stockpiling talent for a run. Finishing 84-78 really does us not good unless we are able to do that while trading to add young talent. Then you may be at the beginning of a really good build for an extended run.

I agree with all that.

In the short term, I wanna see these things happen:

1. Cahill pitch well
2. Minor get healthy
3. Nats continue to struggle scoring
4. K rate stay low
5. Beat the jays this weekend

[RocketCityDawg]

It's not sounding good for Minor. Another set back.

[msstate7]

It's not sounding good for Minor. Another set back.

Yeah, I was hoping he'd bounce back so we can get better or at least trade him. Not looking good

[RocketCityDawg]

I think surgery is in his not too distant future. Hopefully, it's just exploratory, and they find something "minor"

[Really Clark?]

My hope is he can at least throw 5-7 starts before trade deadline and we can unload him for a box of balls and a case of faygo's. I'll even eat half his salary and send a case of Tylenol for the headache of trying to find out if he is worth what he thinks he is. Hate for any player to have injuries but I think he is the last piece that needs to be gone from the organization. If he actually had some quality starts we may get a batboy back in the return.

[shoeless joe]

What will it take to convince you guys we can actually contend this year?

I just don't think it will happen. But I will gladly take my crow cooked medium well.

If we can sustain our K rate however I think we will be a pesky competitive team all season. A .500 record and a trade at the deadline to bring in some guys who may be a year or two away would be a successful year to me.

[msstate7]

And the first series loss is here. For us to win this year, we have to have outstanding starting pitching. We're getting it from wood, Teheran, and miller, but stults and Cahill haven't got it done yet. Hopefully they'll pick it up.

I hated the lineup up today. We have a day off tomorrow and fredi has already stated markakis will dh at least once this weekend. Why sit him today? I don't wanna see a lineup without markakis, callapso, and CJ right now.

Hopefully we can bounce back this weekend

[BoomBoom]

And the first series loss is here. For us to win this year, we have to have outstanding starting pitching. We're getting it from wood, Teheran, and miller, but stults and Cahill haven't got it done yet. Hopefully they'll pick it up.

I hated the lineup up today. We have a day off tomorrow and fredi has already stated markakis will dh at least once this weekend. Why sit him today? I don't wanna see a lineup without markakis, callapso, and CJ right now.

Hopefully we can bounce back this weekend

stults looks like poop. looks like we made a huge mistake there. Cahill sure wasn't helped by the D in his start, i think he can rebound.

[msstate7]

stults looks like poop. looks like we made a huge mistake there. Cahill sure wasn't helped by the D in his start, i think he can rebound.

I wish folty or wisler would take off in AAA. If one proves ready, we could perhaps move stults to pen. Stults does fairly well first time thru lineup

[War Machine Dawg]

Stults and Cahill are garbage. We'd be better off rolling with 2 of Wisler, Folty, and Banuelos than those two. Let them take their lumps now. The only way you learn to pitch in The Show is to actually pitch in The Show. Get 'em up yesterday.

[shoeless joe]

I take nothing out of the Cahill start. Sinker ballers are a different animal all together. Fire start for new team when he had t pitched in two weeks isn't a recipe for success. I give him 3 starts and if it ain't workin then you make a change if possible. As we know the MLB season is by no means a sprint.

[BoomBoom]

Stults and Cahill are garbage. We'd be better off rolling with 2 of Wisler, Folty, and Banuelos than those two. Let them take their lumps now. The only way you learn to pitch in The Show is to actually pitch in The Show. Get 'em up yesterday.

yeah, call them up now and blow a year of team control. wisler needs to learn to fool lefties with his breaking stuff. if he can't figure that out, keep in AAA till he does. Folty will probably get a callup in June. some warm body from AAA will probably replace Stults soon. maybe Wang.

[Really Clark?]

Stults and Cahill are garbage. We'd be better off rolling with 2 of Wisler, Folty, and Banuelos than those two. Let them take their lumps now. The only way you learn to pitch in The Show is to actually pitch in The Show. Get 'em up yesterday.

I think that will be or was the plan at some point this season but I do think you still want to monitor their innings at this age, the mental grind a beating will take on them, and their service time. I think they were hoping that one of them was ready this spring but they really were not.

[War Machine Dawg]

yeah, call them up now and blow a year of team control. wisler needs to learn to fool lefties with his breaking stuff. if he can't figure that out, keep in AAA till he does. Folty will probably get a callup in June. some warm body from AAA will probably replace Stults soon. maybe Wang.

Yeah, because it's not like we gave Folty and Banuelos every chance to win a spot in Spring Training. So team control is really a big concern with them right now.***

[smootness]

What will it take to convince you guys we can actually contend this year?

Honestly, it would take us being within one game at the start of September probably. Even if we're leading the division at the ASB, I'll assume a collapse is coming. I just don't think the team is good enough. I still see about a 75-win team.

[msstate7]

Honestly, it would take us being within one game at the start of September probably. Even if we're leading the division at the ASB, I'll assume a collapse is coming. I just don't think the team is good enough. I still see about a 75-win team.

Yeah, the back of the rotation is too weak and really need rh power bat to put between freeman and markakis.

I wanna keep pitching Cahill bc I think he can be fixed. Hopefully he can become a solid 5 for us this year and next.

Really interested in what we'll do with terdo when he comes off dl. I want him on the 25-man roster. Not sure who we'd cut or send down though.

[msstate7]

Banuelos - 5 IP, 1R, 7K

Last outing

[msstate7]

Folty -- 8.2 ip 2.08 era 12 k 6 bb 8 h

Wisler -- 5.0 ip 0.00 era 5 k 2 bb 4 h

Banuelos -- 8.2 ip 2.08 era 10 k 6 bb 7 h

Nice starts. I'd like to see folty and Banuelos get the walk rate down