Game Thread: 4/9

[msstate7]

I think it's been like watching a jv baseball team. All the errors.

The team isn't young either. Kemp, Markakis, Garcia, Phillips, catchers are all old

Takes the older guys longer to get stretched out. They'll be vacuuming and pounding everything come the San Diego series. #wildcardin17

[msstate7]

Miami SS on DL. Not even gonna try to spell it

[bravesfanMatt]

I think it's been like watching a jv baseball team. All the errors.

The team isn't young either. Kemp, Markakis, Garcia, Phillips, catchers are all old

Then watch the real JV guys. The minor leagues are a blast. These guys play because they have something to prove. Never got into the minors until going to a few bham games last season. Now I am all in. Our 4 teams will be contending this year. Will be fun to follow.

[sturg33]

Then watch the real JV guys. The minor leagues are a blast. These guys play because they have something to prove. Never got into the minors until going to a few bham games last season. Now I am all in. Our 4 teams will be contending this year. Will be fun to follow.

I agree it would be nice but I have to watch the big league club... as torturous as it is.

[msstate7]

I agree it would be nice but I have to watch the big league club... as torturous as it is.

I'm the same way... glutton for punishment

[Julio3000]

I don't have any illusions about this being a contending team, but the poor showing this opening week isn't really representative of what they are, either. Some of the flaws are real: anemic bench and shaky bullpen. Some of it was uncharacteristic defensive lapses and bad luck on balls in play. Those will even out, and the bench and bullpen are issues that are addressable (at least incrementally) if we choose to do so.

[nsacpi]

I don't have any illusions about this being a contending team, but the poor showing this opening week isn't really representative of what they are, either. Some of the flaws are real: anemic bench and shaky bullpen. Some of it was uncharacteristic defensive lapses and bad luck on balls in play. Those will even out, and the bench and bullpen are issues that are addressable (at least incrementally) if we choose to do so.

Bench and bullpen are relatively easy to address. Which raises the question of why they haven't been. The FO has had the entire off-season and spring training to do something about it.

[The Chosen One]

Bench I can understand.

If Mauricio wasn't out our bullpen is probably a little better. I mean JJ blowing a save was inexcusable.

[Tapate50]

I don't have any illusions about this being a contending team, but the poor showing this opening week isn't really representative of what they are, either. Some of the flaws are real: anemic bench and shaky bullpen. Some of it was uncharacteristic defensive lapses and bad luck on balls in play. Those will even out, and the bench and bullpen are issues that are addressable (at least incrementally) if we choose to do so.

I am a little bit surprised by the pen having a bad go of it, but getting Cabrera back goes a long way for that and I'd think we would have some help coming from the minors to solidify that as well.

The bench? Yeah, yuck.

[thewupk]

Bench and bullpen are relatively easy to address. Which raises the question of why they haven't been. The FO has had the entire off-season and spring training to do something about it.

Took just a couple of games to sign Ryan Howard though!

[bravesfanMatt]

The Bull pen is not as bad as it has started. Viz's runs were on the defense.. even JJ did his job and the defense let him down. He also made quality pitches that just missed low. Jo. Rameriz had a bad game. I hope he is better, but I would expect inconsistency from him. He was lights out the other night.

[thewupk]

The Bull pen is not as bad as it has started. Viz's runs were on the defense.. even JJ did his job and the defense let him down. He also made quality pitches that just missed low. Jo. Rameriz had a bad game. I hope he is better, but I would expect inconsistency from him. He was lights out the other night.

Then pen is pretty brutal right now even with the defense being awful.
Braves bullpen has a 4.82 K/9 and a 4.82 BB/9. Just awful numbers.

[Julio3000]

Losing one key arm in the bullpen can be brutal if you're not super-deep. Cabrera returning will shore things up a lot. We still need a lefty and another trustworthy RHP.

[bravesfanMatt]

Then pen is pretty brutal right now even with the defense being awful.
Braves bullpen has a 4.82 K/9 and a 4.82 BB/9. Just awful numbers.

Agreed.. I wasn't trying to paint the pen as being great. I know they are better than they are... But we will have to wait for relief from within before we could be good.

I was hoping more from Roe this year.. I still think Krol will rebound.. JJ and Viz will be solid and Mo and Jose will be inconsistent.. EOF is fools gold.. Colly is just there to mop up or take the beating.

[msstate7]

Agreed.. I wasn't trying to paint the pen as being great. I know they are better than they are... But we will have to wait for relief from within before we could be good.

I was hoping more from Roe this year.. I still think Krol will rebound.. JJ and Viz will be solid and Mo and Jose will be inconsistent.. EOF is fools gold.. Colly is just there to mop up or take the beating.

The Paco (MLB career era in the 2.50 range) release still baffles me

[bravesfanMatt]

The Paco (MLB career era in the 2.50 range) release still baffles me

me too.

[UNCBlue012]

This team isn't half bad, they just have to improve. We keep barely losing games lol but dumb losses like yesterday define season. Freeman was awesome.

[UNCBlue012]

On that note, our starting pitching hasn't been too bad. Ender needs to man the hell up though.

[Tapate50]

On that note, our starting pitching hasn't been too bad. Ender needs to man the hell up though.

He may be one of those really slow starters...ala Adam "is it June yet" Laroche.

[nsacpi]

Losing one key arm in the bullpen can be brutal if you're not super-deep. Cabrera returning will shore things up a lot. We still need a lefty and another trustworthy RHP.

Throughout most of the off-season we were sitting on a bullpen that really had only two guys who had shown the talent and/or track record to be reliable bullpen guys. Viz and JJ and both came with some question marks. Then you had Krol, who I thought had shown enough to count on. That's 3. Optimistically. Not really enough.

The others had issues. I was skeptical about Cabrera, given his control issues and lack of AAA seasoning. Others (including Paco, EOF, Collmenter, Ramirez, Roe) had injury issues or a lack of successful track record. You take a chance on 1 or 2 like that. But we have too many of them. Ideally our pen should consist of 5 fairly reliable guys and 2 that we take a flyer on.

I have similar thoughts on the bench. It's ok to have a guy like Bonifacio or D'Arnaud who can fill in at just about every position. But 2 of them? That's like an unforced error. JC seems to have skipped Roster Construction 101.