GDT: 5/5/17 Cards vs Braves in Celebration of thethe's analytical skills

[nsacpi]

expecting a yuge game from Phillips

[msstate7]

KEMvP DRS

[nsacpi]

great play Kemp

[Garmel]

Is it mandatory that we start off down at least 1-0 before the bottom of the first?

[nsacpi]

on the preceding play that was a ball Heyward probably gets to in right and saves a run

[thethe]

Come on folty. Need a shut down game from.one of these starters eventually.

[msstate7]

on the preceding play that was a ball Heyward probably gets to in right and saves a run

There's no question jhey gets that ball

[msstate7]

Beat this ole miss pitcher up

[nsacpi]

Card announcers big believers in Kemp protection

[msstate7]

Kemp murdered that ball. Dang

[nsacpi]

Muk swings at ball 4. Strikeout rate up this year. So far BABIP has compensated.

[Garmel]

Damn, Nick.

[nsacpi]

Simba gobles that up

[msstate7]

Smoltz strikes him out

[nsacpi]

great deke by ender

[thethe]

Folty is still a season away.

[msstate7]

great deke by ender

Who has the presence of mind to stop short and do that? That's awesome he thought of that chasing after the ball

[CyYoung31]

This is my first time watching Folty this year. Did he tinker his delivery a little bit?

[CyYoung31]

Who has the presence of mind to stop short and do that? That's awesome he thought of that chasing after the ball

That's Not Not Simmons-like right there.

[CyYoung31]

Folty is still a season away.

But it's 2017.

[msstate7]

But it's 2017.

Season away from cy young. He'll just finish 2nd this year

[cajunrevenge]

Is it mandatory that we start off down at least 1-0 before the bottom of the first?

No, sometimes we start down 2-0.

[CyYoung31]

Gyorko looks like my lawyer.

My real name is Avon Barksdale.

[nsacpi]

High hard ones seem to give Swanson trouble too. Not just sliders.

[cajunrevenge]

I kind of wish we would just send the pitcher out there and tell them just watch every pitch. Don't want him bunting or swinging.

[msstate7]

High hard ones seem to give Swanson trouble too. Not just sliders.

Probably expecting slider with 2 strikes

[nsacpi]

good job Folty

[Garmel]

Ton of baserunners and can't get them home.

[msstate7]

Would the real folty please stand up. Please stand up.

[msstate7]

Same ol' folty

[thewupk]

Well this one is over. Maybe Folty busts too.

[USMA76]

This is getting old...seriously.

[Garmel]

The hiring of Chuck Hernanez is really paying off.

[thewupk]

I think being a flyball pitcher is going to be really tough in Atlanta.

[nsacpi]

Why was McDowell let go? I have some vague recollection he took the fall for Wisler and Blair not progressing.

[thewupk]

Why was McDowell let go? I have some vague recollection he took the fall for Wisler and Blair not progressing.

Probably the same reason Leo was let go.

[CyYoung31]

Why was McDowell let go? I have some vague recollection he took the fall for Wisler and Blair not progressing.

Leo Mazzone-syndrome.

[Julio3000]

I think being a flyball pitcher is going to be really tough in Atlanta.

Sure looks like it. Short alleys and the ball seems to carry.

[thewupk]

Sure looks like it. Short alleys and the ball seems to carry.

It's early and not a true indication of everything that is happening. But Julio's FIP/ERA are loads better on the road so far. All of his homers allowed are at home.

[nsacpi]

why run freddie here

[nsacpi]

Gohara seems to be a groundball pitcher...maybe he'll be our ace

[msstate7]

It'll probably be till July before folty recovers from this start with lack of mental fortitude

[msstate7]

My God, put him out of his misery

[msstate7]

With every ball that carries out of suntrust, I wonder does the FO say oh sh*t, why did we build with pitching?

[nsacpi]

With every ball that carries out of suntrust, I wonder does the FO say oh sh*t, why did we build with pitching?

it'll be like colorado...no one wants to pitch there...so you have to grow your own

[msstate7]

it'll be like colorado...no one wants to pitch there...so you have to grow your own

We seriously need to move the fences back in the offseason and figure out the corner OF spots to cover more ground. This place will wreck our young pitchers imo

[msstate7]

Dansby, Im being patient with you, but jeez...

[UNCBlue012]

It's so hard to even contemplate how dumb our pitchers are.

[buck75]

Time for Dansby to go down and for Carmargo to come back up

[TheBravos]

I go out to eat and.....whhaaaaaat happened ?!?!

[nsacpi]

I go out to eat and.....whhaaaaaat happened ?!?!

how was the food

[TheBravos]

how was the food

It was very good...

[nsacpi]

Carpenter didn't touch third

[TheBravos]

So we're the home runs Suntrust or legit?

[USMA76]

Suntrust. Too bad they can hit them and we can't.

[CrimsonCowboy]

Even trying to post a gif is not working

[thewupk]

Kemp helping his dwar tonight it seems

[thewupk]

In other news Ender is hitting up. Already at 1fWAR coming into tonight too due to baserunning and great defense.

[The Chosen One]

Smart move by the FO.

Build a hitter's park for the fans, so when we suck at least they can be entertained by watching homeruns whether by the other team or by us.

[thethe]

Not a good sign to lose by 10 or more runs in consecutive games. This could go downhill quickly.

[CyYoung31]

Not a good sign to lose by 10 or more runs in consecutive games. This could go downhill quickly.

thethe's analytical skills hard at work.

[thewupk]

Not a good sign to lose by 10 or more runs in consecutive games. This could go downhill quickly.

but how was the attendance?

[nsacpi]

Well this one is over. Maybe Folty busts too.

certainly not outside the realm of possibility...we have threads dedicated to the overabundance of pitchers in our system...but the reality is...we just had to acquire 3 starting pitchers at market rates for 2017...and chances are we are going to have to acquire at least one at market rates for 2018....what does that say

[Julio3000]

but how was the attendance?

Cards are a yuge road draw in Atlanta.

[nsacpi]

Cards are a yuge road draw in Atlanta.

they went home happy...maybe that is part of the plan...increase attendance by fans of visiting teams...make it a special experience for them...other team's fans certainly think of our team as being fun to dance with

[thewupk]

certainly not outside the realm of possibility...we have threads dedicated to the overabundance of pitchers in our system...but the reality is...we just had to acquire 3 starting pitchers at market rates for 2017...and chances are we are going to have to acquire at least one at market rates for 2018....what does that say

That round 1 of our pitching wave didn't go so well.

[nsacpi]

That round 1 of our pitching wave didn't go so well.

yup...the other issue to consider is whether we want to sign or trade for a series of one-year rentals as we wait for the cavalry to arrive...i think we are better off going for fewer but higher quality when we go outside the system to acquire a starting pitcher...

[Enscheff]

yup...the other issue to consider is whether we want to sign or trade for a series of one-year rentals as we wait for the cavalry to arrive...i think we are better off going for fewer but higher quality when we go outside the system to acquire a starting pitcher...

For a team that has spent the majority if their player acquisition resources over the last 3 years turning themselves into a self proclaimed "pitching factory", any large FA signing of a pitcher is almost inexcusable. I think it is a given that they will have to patch 1-2 holes in the rotation every year, it would be an extreme failure in the overall process if they were forced to pay a premium for an impact arm.

All 3 of the Dickey, Colon and Garcia acquisitions were fine on their own, and any of the 3 would be an acceptable move to temporarily patch a hole or two in the rotation. But if it becomes common practice to spend $30M+ per year plus trade assets to patch 2-3 holes in the rotation...then what the hell was the point in stockpiling all this pitching?

[Julio3000]

I guess the easy answer is that most of the stockpiled pitching isn't ready yet, but there's a stinker in that answer, which is that Blair and Wisler should be but obviously aren't.

The flipside is that Coppy has done really well (IMO) at trading veteran rentals and spare parts for a decent return, so I guess we cross our fingers and hope that trend continues.

[nsacpi]

For a team that has spent the majority if their player acquisition resources over the last 3 years turning themselves into a self proclaimed "pitching factory", any large FA signing of a pitcher is almost inexcusable. I think it is a given that they will have to patch 1-2 holes in the rotation every year, it would be an extreme failure in the overall process if they were forced to pay a premium for an impact arm.

All 3 of the Dickey, Colon and Garcia acquisitions were fine on their own, and any of the 3 would be an acceptable move to temporarily patch a hole or two in the rotation. But if it becomes common practice to spend $30M+ per year plus trade assets to patch 2-3 holes in the rotation...then what the hell was the point in stockpiling all this pitching?

Looking at 2018, it seems to me we have these broad options for the starting rotation:

1) Go entirely in-house while filling the spots currently occupied by Colon and Jaime

2) Fill one of those spot with a 3 win pitcher and the other in-house

3) Fill both spots with more of the same (one year guys of the caliber of Colon and Jaime Garcia)

I think the third option is the worst. Between options 1 and 2 there is a debate worth having. And the right move probably turns on the acquisition cost of my hypothetical 3 win pitcher.

[Oklahomabrave]

I'd think we trade for a top shelf arm if the aquistion price is down based on midsession and offseason availability. Could see Quintana/Archer/Stroman/Gray/etc all available.

[Enscheff]

Looking at 2018, it seems to me we have these broad options for the starting rotation:

1) Go entirely in-house while filling the spots currently occupied by Colon and Jaime

2) Fill one of those spot with a 3 win pitcher and the other in-house

3) Fill both spots with more of the same (one year guys of the caliber of Colon and Jaime Garcia)

I think the third option is the worst. Between options 1 and 2 there is a debate worth having. And the right move probably turns on the acquisition cost of my hypothetical 3 win pitcher.

Almost all valuable position prospects currently in the organization are needed in order for the Braves to even have a chance at being competitive any time soon. The Braves have zero position talent available to trade for pitching upgrades.

Therefore, any trade for a 3 win pitcher will have to include pitching prospects that are so valuable a non-contending team would be unwise to trade them. No matter what the Posi-Braves fantasize about, this team has shown beyond all doubt they won't be competing for a playoff spot in 2018 either, so I think the best course of action will be to sign more rotation filler to give the Allard wave time to develop.

The Braves hitched their wagon to being able to develop impact starting pitching. The worst thing they could do is jump horse mid stream and try to start flipping those prospects for MLB pitchers.

[nsacpi]

Almost all valuable position prospects currently in the organization are needed in order for the Braves to even have a chance at being competitive any time soon. The Braves have zero position talent available to trade for pitching upgrades.

Therefore, any trade for a 3 win pitcher will have to include pitching prospects that are so valuable a non-contending team would be unwise to trade them. No matter what the Posi-Braves fantasize about, this team has shown beyond all doubt they won't be competing for a playoff spot in 2018 either, so I think the best course of action will be to sign more rotation filler to give the Allard wave time to develop.

The Braves hitched their wagon to being able to develop impact starting pitching. The worst thing they could do is jump horse mid stream and try to start flipping those prospects for MLB pitchers.

I think there might be some pitchers on bad contracts we could pick up without giving up a choice position prospect...Greinke being a prime example

[auyushu]

Greinke being a prime example

Why on earth would the Dbacks move Grienke period when they are winning and even moreso when he is playing well?

[zbhargrove]

Diamondbacks are doing great right now. No chance in trading their best pitcher

[TheBravos]

To me Blair was always a throw in (deal sweetener). I never expected him to be anything more than a 5th starter. Wisler, on the other hand....was a huge bust. Especially the way he started.

[nsacpi]

Diamondbacks are doing great right now. No chance in trading their best pitcher

No chance right now. I'm not talking about right now.

[NinersSBChamps]

To me Blair was always a throw in (deal sweetener). I never expected him to be anything more than a 5th starter. Wisler, on the other hand....was a huge bust. Especially the way he started.



Blair is terrible. The guy should never be on a major league roster.

[Enscheff]

To me Blair was always a throw in (deal sweetener). I never expected him to be anything more than a 5th starter. Wisler, on the other hand....was a huge bust. Especially the way he started.

I would love to see you start making "predictions" that aren't after the fact. I haven't seen you claim to have made anything other than perfectly spot-on predictions. Weird, I know.

I didn't see a single poster here claim Blair was sweetener. In fact, the narrative was that Blair was possibly ready to step into the MLB rotation at the time he was acquired, and maybe even produce more than Miller was projected to produce.

Blair was the #40 BA prospect in 2014. He is the definition of a busted non-elite (meaning outside the Top 10) pitching prospect. But hey, I'm sure this current group of pitchers ranked 50-100 is much different.

[Oklahomabrave]

I would love to see you start making "predictions" that aren't after the fact. I haven't seen you claim to have made anything other than perfectly spot-on predictions. Weird, I know.

I didn't see a single poster here claim Blair was sweetener. In fact, the narrative was that Blair was possibly ready to step into the MLB rotation at the time he was acquired, and maybe even produce more than Miller was projected to produce.

Blair was the #40 BA prospect in 2014. He is the definition of a busted non-elite (meaning outside the Top 10) pitching prospect. But hey, I'm sure this current group of pitchers ranked 50-100 is much different.

Maybe this isn't important but the unfortunate part of Blair busting is his ranking was due to his level of "safety". Our other current guys are ranked as highly as they are based on ceiling, but having their own risks. I think our bust rate could be higher than normal with out prospects, but think the ones that do pan out could be much better than others similarly ranked. Fried and Blair are similar in ranking with BA and Klaw but I feel as though Fried making it would be way more of a coup.

[nsacpi]

Maybe this isn't important but the unfortunate part of Blair busting is his ranking was due to his level of "safety". Our other current guys are ranked as highly as they are based on ceiling, but having their own risks. I think our bust rate could be higher than normal with out prospects, but think the ones that do pan out could be much better than others similarly ranked. Fried and Blair are similar in ranking with BA and Klaw but I feel as though Fried making it would be way more of a coup.

You may be right. Certainly your point is more intuitive than the one others have been making that higher ceiling equals less bust risk.