Did they have the option to send him to the minors? Seems pertinent. If not, then I guess it could really be a roster concern.
I have to think that if this was even in their minds as a possibility that they must have gauged his trade value. And found it lacking?
Feels like a good move by the Reds. They can get a good look at him and decide whether he might be a rotation piece next year to replace the departing. He's obviously been a solid performer in the past so lining him up as a 4 or 5 would work.
Jaw (08-05-2019)
Peripherals suggest he has mainly been unlucky. This is a good move by the Reds.
As for los Bravos, they couldn't option him (he has options remaining) because he has reached 5 years service time. I think they should have held on to him and then moved Folty in the rotation in September and moved Gausman to the pen.
"I am a victim, I will tell you. I am a victim."
"I am your retribution."
Dear Folty,
You have less than a month to prove you belong in the rotation for a playoff contender before you are replaced by Ian Anderson.
Sincerely,
AA
jpx7 (08-05-2019)
I guess the choices were essentially Gausman or Blevins/Tomlin if they had done that. No other pitchers to send down. I guess they could have sent down Riley and carried a shorter bench for a month. But they just ran out of bats yesterday in a game so that wasn't happening.
Jaw (08-05-2019)
I agree—but I do wonder if he was resistant to such a move, or if there were any other mitigating factors of that nature.
Edit: Just saw the Anthopoulos quote in the above-cited tweet, which confirms the significance of roster flexibility in this otherwise-surprising move. Quick hook, for sure, but I guess they really didn’t think he’d contribute to the rotation more than the other options.
Last edited by jpx7; 08-05-2019 at 01:26 PM.
"For all his tattooings he was on the whole a clean, comely looking cannibal."
If the Braves have any chance of winning the WS they will need Folty back to his level last year. Gausman doesnt seem healthy so the move makes sense.
1. How do you embed tweets?
2. It's another ground on which to question the addition of Melancon. Adding that third reliever without options reduced the flexibility of the roster. Was it necessary? Who knows. They could have tried Gausman in the role Melancon is filling. Probably a lower confidence of success in that though.
Not saying it was wrong move, just saying it's a tactical drawback.
Jaw (08-05-2019)
I'm not sure leaving Gausman in to be shelled for a month was something they felt comfortable with.
Also, Folty has done about all he can do in the minors, so that's not exactly ideal to keep him down there exposed to injury, rust, disinterest. Probably want to have as much time as possible to flesh out what that rotation looks like.
AerchAngel (08-05-2019), gcbraves (08-05-2019)
Here's my conspiracy theory:
The Melancon trade originally called for Gausman to go the Giants. Farhan Zaidi has this idea. Why don't you waive him and we'll see what happens. If another team claims him great. If not we will. The detail I'm wondering about: are the Reds ahead of the Giants in claiming order. I know they have a worse record, but I believe claiming order has to do with record over the past 162 games.
"I am a victim, I will tell you. I am a victim."
"I am your retribution."