I was under the impression that he was totally beating the ball into the ground, but looking at his advanced stats, it hasn't been that pronounced. If he can extend and stay inside the ball, he has the strength to put up big HR numbers. I go back-and-forth as to whether it was the beaning, the possibility opponents had solved him, or his constant tinkering with his stance that has led to his relative offensive downturn. Probably a combination of the three. Premier athlete, but sometimes that doesn't always transfer as readily and consistently as one thinks it should.
jpx7 (04-07-2019)
Bench clearing incident between the Reds and Pirates
Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
Cody Bellinger making an early case for NL MVP.
That and after the beaning, I thought he backed too far off the plate and couldn't handle pitches on the outer half. While he's never been a dead pull hitter, a healthy majority of his home runs are to right field (which is logical) and I always thought he was pulling off the ball when trying to pull pitches on the outer half.
Interesting---
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David O'Brien
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#Braves' 6.82 bullpen ERA is fourth-highest in NL, ahead of only Arizona (7.32), Chicago (8.37) and league-worst Washington Nationals' 10.80. ATL relievers have allowed 10 homers, tied with Arizona for 2nd-most in majors behind Baltimore bullpen's staggering 15 homers allowed.
Unfortunately it's the only sample cheese to look at presently.
While it's probably not indicative of much, it certainly does little to quiet those who felt the fact that the pen wasn't addressed with a little more urgency this winter was a mistake.
With Folty back soon and Soroka's strong start, maybe we'll finally see some of the really good young arms utilized in the pen if they're not going to be traded.
Sure it's early, but if you're not at least somewhat concerned about this pen as currently constructed you have to be kidding yourself a bit.
Has there EVER been a statement and question a certain someone should absolutely never have made and asked publicly more than...
Kinda pathetic to see yourself as a message board knight in shining armor. How impotent does someone have to be in real life to resort to playing hero on a message board?
Dalyn (04-08-2019)
I don’t think the issue is binary—whether to be concerned or not—but how concerned to be. I am, for instance, not yet concerned enough that I think the Braves should surrender the requisite draft pool money, plus ~$15-million-plus in 2019 payroll, to sign a 30-year-old reliever who missed spring training (or any similarly drastic moves).
"For all his tattooings he was on the whole a clean, comely looking cannibal."
Jaw (04-08-2019)
Joe W
3:11 Do you think the Mets are legitimately interested in Keuchel or Kimbrel? Or is that just noise?
Steve Adams
3:13 I'm sure they're interested at a low price; Rosenthal said over the weekend he's looking for either a year at north of $17.9MM or a multi-year deal at a lower (but I'm sure still a strong) rate -- that seems beyond what the Mets would have interest in spending. But the longer he's out there the more he might be willing to give in.
If the price for Kimbrel is ~$18M, and he holds out until early June after the draft, that's a prorated salary of ~$12M.
I just don't see how the Braves can justify not jumping at that when the time comes.
It took Minter ~1 week from the time he was shut down in ST to making his MLB debut.
Assuming CK is keeping himself in ST-like shape (which a professional pitcher should be able to do on his own), I see no reason it would take even a week to get ready. Maybe a few days at extended ST in simulation games, then 1-2 tune up appearances at AAA, then a day off, then ready to go.
They would likely have to start him off a bit slowly, meaning no back to back games for a week or so, but he should be able to step right in pretty quickly.
Dalyn (04-08-2019)
Last edited by jpx7; 04-08-2019 at 04:46 PM.
"For all his tattooings he was on the whole a clean, comely looking cannibal."