Around Baseball 2024 edition

[zbhargrove]

He has another 18 million left on on his contract after this year. He's never really been better than a middle of the rotation pitcher, and his K-rate has fallen off a cliff so far this season. The Rays will have a rotation crunch over the next month or so as McClanahan, Springs, Rasmussen, and Bradley all return from injury.

I wouldn't imagine Eflin would cost too terribly much.

Last year he was certainly better than a middle of the rotation pitcher with a 4.8 fWAR and 3.12 xFIP... granted that's obviously been the outlier year. Still he's already at 0.9 fWAR this year... not sure if I'd freak out about the K-rate after just 59 innings although he's never been a huge strikeout pitcher. The thing that interests me more is that he never walks anyone.

[Carp]

Last year he was certainly better than a middle of the rotation pitcher with a 4.8 fWAR and 3.12 xFIP... granted that's obviously been the outlier year. Still he's already at 0.9 fWAR this year... not sure if I'd freak out about the K-rate after just 59 innings although he's never been a huge strikeout pitcher. The thing that interests me more is that he never walks anyone.

I was speaking more towards his trade value. He obviously would be a big upgrade to the 5th spot for us.

I don't think teams will be too heavily swayed by his 2023 numbers. In the end, he's a 30 year old career middle to back of the rotation pitcher with an 18 million dollar hit in 2025. Reliable yes, but certainly doesn't appear to be a huge difference maker. In all likelihood, he won't be a probable option to start a playoff game for most teams with interest in him.

Obviously we don't yet know what demand for pitching will be this deadline, but so far, almost every top team seems to be pretty set at pitching, aside from the Brewers.

[zbhargrove]

I was speaking more towards his trade value. He obviously would be a big upgrade to the 5th spot for us.

I don't think teams will be too heavily swayed by his 2023 numbers. In the end, he's a 30 year old career middle to back of the rotation pitcher with an 18 million dollar hit in 2025. Reliable yes, but certainly doesn't appear to be a huge difference maker. In all likelihood, he won't be a probable option to start a playoff game for most teams with interest in him.

Obviously we don't yet know what demand for pitching will be this deadline, but so far, almost every top team seems to be pretty set at pitching, aside from the Brewers.

That and Tampa Bay are just wizards when it comes to getting the most out of starters

[WaitingFor2017]

Here is a 6 day old article about MLB teams looking at load management in the modern era. You can only assume they didn't anonymously interview anyone on the Braves coaching staff.

It looks like Dansby is coming around on this as he was one of the players interviewed.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...-rock-baseball

[50PoundHead]

Here is a 6 day old article about MLB teams looking at load management in the modern era. You can only assume they didn't anonymously interview anyone on the Braves coaching staff.

It looks like Dansby is coming around on this as he was one of the players interviewed.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...-rock-baseball

Agree, but what the DH gives (providing your DH is a full-time DH) the DH takes away with less need for a five-man bench. Biggest changes I have witnessed in my 60+ years of fandom are longer bullpens, which when combined with the DH, leads to shorter benches.

[bravesfanMatt]

it is scary to sit a regular because that guy might go 4-4 with 5 rbi's..

The problem is that is most likely not the case.. just the laws of Stats will tell you that he is more than likely to get no hits or just one hit. One could also look at team records when a regular misses a small amount of time versus when he doesn't. I would bet most of the time a good team covers for that player more than not. Take Ozzie.. he went out and the Braves probably had their best stretch.
Even Riley.. If you throw out the game he went down (may 12th a loss) and look at the previous 10 games and the following 7 games.. the Braves were 5-5 with Riley and 3-4 without.. or roughly the same.

there is just no argument that can be used to counter doing load management versus the many arguments that favor it. Other than being a dinosaur manager who is too lazy and/or dumb to do the work or thinks the players will hate him if they don't get what they want.

[WaitingFor2017]

The Cardinals failing to trade Goldschmidt last year and then doubling down with a 4 year contract was certainly a choice.

[CrimsonCowboy]

The Cardinals failing to trade Goldschmidt last year and then doubling down with a 4 year contract was certainly a choice.

If they don’t turn it around quickly, Cards could very well be sellers again come July.

[thewupk]

The Cardinals failing to trade Goldschmidt last year and then doubling down with a 4 year contract was certainly a choice.

Reminds me of the end of the suspenders era here. That team has been so good for so long that the idea of being sellers and rebuilders just seems foreign.

[CyYoung31]

[thewupk]

That's worse than the infield fly call agaisnt the Braves in the playoffs

[Carp]

I just noticed Andrew McCutchen is not only still playing, but he's still playing relatively well.

Good for him. Probably too late to pad his case for the HOF, but I suppose in the unlikely event he can make it to milestones like 2500 hits, 1500 runs, and 1500 RBIs, he would have a decent shot considering that he is also a former MVP. What's going against him is that Torri Hunter is his top comparable, and Hunter is struggling to stay on the ballot.

[zitothebrave]

Jeez that's rough. You'd think Infield fly would supercede any potential for interference. I guess the issue was that the interference call was made before the infield fly call? But I mean either should essentially just be dead balls and end the play.

[zitothebrave]

That's worse than the infield fly call agaisnt the Braves in the playoffs

Still pissed off about that. Not because they made the call but because the ump that made it made it after the infielder bailed on it.

[Carp]

Jeez that's rough. You'd think Infield fly would supercede any potential for interference. I guess the issue was that the interference call was made before the infield fly call? But I mean either should essentially just be dead balls and end the play.

Yup. You can't have both. Either the runner at 2nd is out or the runner at 1st is out.

[thewupk]

Jeez that's rough. You'd think Infield fly would supercede any potential for interference. I guess the issue was that the interference call was made before the infield fly call? But I mean either should essentially just be dead balls and end the play.

The worst part is the runner didn't even know where the SS was. His back was turned to him and he was simply going back to 2nd like he was supposed to. I mean that may be the worst call I've ever seen and I've been a live for most of Angel Hernandez's career.

[Carp]

While it is still relatively early, it would seem Freddie's decline phase has started. Current slash line of .286/.395/.444, good for an .839 OPS. His underlying stats support that as well, with his Avg EV and ISO at career lows, and very far off from recent years.

It remains to be seen what that decline will actually look however. Will he age like Votto and continue to be a useful hitter throughout the remainder of his contract, or will he basically be done as an everyday player by age 36, like Teixeira? I certainly wouldn't want to be paying 27 million per year over the next 3 years to find out.

[cajunrevenge]

I would take that chance. He is an elite OBP hitter. His power falling off wouldn't concern me

[cajunrevenge]

That's absolute BS. Normally I don't expect the benefitting team that do anything but if I were the Orioles manager I would tell the ump he is wrong and to get his ass back out there to finish the game. If I was the White Sox I would ban that umpire from the stadium citing it as dangerous for him to be there because he might be bludgeoned to death. I assume the Sox filed a formal protest and if MLB doesn't order the game to restart at a later date then they might as well end the protest ability because nothing will ever be this clear cut. The only thing that comes to mind is the pine tar incident.

[cajunrevenge]

Still pissed off about that. Not because they made the call but because the ump that made it made it after the infielder bailed on it.

I am too but because it was Chippers last year. Infield flys don't take 15 seconds to call. If it takes an infielder 15 seconds to get under it then it's not ordinary effort. And the rule is designed to protect the runners but instead was used to protect the defense. I also believe by rule it's supposed to be called when it's at its peak in the air not a split second before it hits the ground. They really even acknowledged they screwed up y allowing the runners to go back to the bag. They should have been out for trying to advance.