GDT 5/9/21: Philthies vs Braves - Acuña in the lineup

[Slippyjms]

If you impregnated your finance, you certainly have practiced load management.

I wish I could impregnate my finances lol. Would be a great way to increase the cash flow at home.

As for my fiancée I’ve had her pregnant in each of the last 4 years so I guess I have practiced a lot of load management lol.

[goldfly]

was good to be back and have a bunch of fans last night:

[Enscheff]

ben: if you worked at mlb, how would you solve the rising K problems and other on-field issues in the game?
12:03
Kevin Goldstein: I don’t have an answer. I don’t like the current proposals, and while I’d like to see it change organically, I do think we’re on a path of this continuing and five years from now, we’ll be looking at 15+ K/9. I think on a PR level (different subject) baseball would be best served by not having broadcasters spend three hours bitching about baseball every time you tune into a game.

I will say it was refreshing to wqatch the statcast broadcast on ESPN2 last night and not hear a single negative comment about the sport from the announcers. Instead, they spent their time explaining why teams were shifting, and why players were showing good skills despite the results not always matching. It was the best production of MLB baseball I can remember.

It sounds like this problem is prevalent though.

[DirkPiggler]

ben: if you worked at mlb, how would you solve the rising K problems and other on-field issues in the game?
12:03
Kevin Goldstein: I don’t have an answer. I don’t like the current proposals, and while I’d like to see it change organically, I do think we’re on a path of this continuing and five years from now, we’ll be looking at 15+ K/9. I think on a PR level (different subject) baseball would be best served by not having broadcasters spend three hours bitching about baseball every time you tune into a game.

I will say it was refreshing to wqatch the statcast broadcast on ESPN2 last night and not hear a single negative comment about the sport from the announcers. Instead, they spent their time explaining why teams were shifting, and why players were showing good skills despite the results not always matching. It was the best production of MLB baseball I can remember.

It sounds like this problem is prevalent though.

Damn it. I saw Petriello mention that online, and forgot to tune in to that version. Do they do that for every Sunday night game?

Instead I ended up with an hour or so (tuned in late) of ARod and Vasgersian.

[thewupk]

ben: if you worked at mlb, how would you solve the rising K problems and other on-field issues in the game?
12:03
Kevin Goldstein: I don’t have an answer. I don’t like the current proposals, and while I’d like to see it change organically, I do think we’re on a path of this continuing and five years from now, we’ll be looking at 15+ K/9. I think on a PR level (different subject) baseball would be best served by not having broadcasters spend three hours bitching about baseball every time you tune into a game.

I will say it was refreshing to wqatch the statcast broadcast on ESPN2 last night and not hear a single negative comment about the sport from the announcers. Instead, they spent their time explaining why teams were shifting, and why players were showing good skills despite the results not always matching. It was the best production of MLB baseball I can remember.

It sounds like this problem is prevalent though.

The problem is the broadcast booths are filled with color commentators who were players of past era's where strikeouts were considered horrible. It's engrained into them. And the same can be said of most play by play guys who have covered the game forever so that's all they know.

What most people like ARod (because he was was the color guy on last nights game) don't want to realize (probably due to ego) is that in today's game he would likely have a career K% in the mid 20's compared to the 18% he ended with. Pitchers are just that much better at getting strikeouts.

[clvclv]

ben: if you worked at mlb, how would you solve the rising K problems and other on-field issues in the game?
12:03
Kevin Goldstein: I don’t have an answer. I don’t like the current proposals, and while I’d like to see it change organically, I do think we’re on a path of this continuing and five years from now, we’ll be looking at 15+ K/9. I think on a PR level (different subject) baseball would be best served by not having broadcasters spend three hours bitching about baseball every time you tune into a game.

I will say it was refreshing to wqatch the statcast broadcast on ESPN2 last night and not hear a single negative comment about the sport from the announcers. Instead, they spent their time explaining why teams were shifting, and why players were showing good skills despite the results not always matching. It was the best production of MLB baseball I can remember.

It sounds like this problem is prevalent though.

As much as I hate defending some of the announcers, it's not just THEM.

I understand - and actually appreciate - the "new game" and enjoy learning the new metrics and approaches, and my complaints aren't just about getting people off my lawn. As someone who started playing the game over 45 years ago and who watches the Braves every night, I won't disagree with those old-timers who think today's game is boring compared to what it was in the past on the surface. Most people don't have or want to spend the time learning about a game they knew enough about to enjoy watching without the changes. It doesn't help that many of the people that represent the new blood in the game talk down to them rather than trying to be friendly and help them learn something about it instead of calling them "idiots".

Wrong place for all this, but it's much the same problem our entire society is dealing with in other aspects - there are plenty of people ON BOTH SIDES of most differences that are willing to adjust the way they look at things if things weren't laid out as "this is the way it is and you're a moron for not seeing it my way". For all his faults (the biggest one one of which is not knowing more about the entire organization than posters here do), I think even Chip could learn enough about the new game that he wouldn't be so polarizing if he took the time to ask someone to explain it to him.

[Enscheff]

I don’t have any issue with folks whose opinion is that there are too many Ks in the game, or that Cardinal baseball from the 70s was more entertaining. In fact, part of sports is listening to folks tell their “back in my day” stories.

My issue is with the commentators who are paid to be the voice of the sport constantly saying how terrible it is. I can’t think of a more effective way of ruining interest in a sport than to have the announcers spend an hour during every single broadcast telling viewers why the sport sucks. It is unfathomable to me that MLB allows it to persist.

[thewupk]

As much as I hate defending some of the announcers, it's not just THEM.

I understand - and actually appreciate - the "new game" and enjoy learning the new metrics and approaches, and my complaints aren't just about getting people off my lawn. As someone who started playing the game over 45 years ago and who watches the Braves every night, I won't disagree with those old-timers who think today's game is boring compared to what it was in the past on the surface. Most people don't have or want to spend the time learning about a game they knew enough about to enjoy watching without the changes. It doesn't help that many of the people that represent the new blood in the game talk down to them rather than trying to be friendly and help them learn something about it instead of calling them "idiots".

Wrong place for all this, but it's much the same problem our entire society is dealing with in other aspects - there are plenty of people ON BOTH SIDES of most differences that are willing to adjust the way they look at things if things weren't laid out as "this is the way it is and you're a moron for not seeing it my way". For all his faults (the biggest one one of which is not knowing more about the entire organization than posters here do), I think even Chip could learn enough about the new game that he wouldn't be so polarizing if he took the time to ask someone to explain it to him.

I get that. But here is something to ponder. Did fans think that Nolan Ryan was boring?

His games were basically what you see on a nightly basis in baseball. 39% of plate appearances ended in a walk, strikeout, or homer against Ryan. Currently that sits at 35% across the league.

Pitching is close to reaching it's peak where literally everyone is 95+ in the rotation and out of the pen to go along with the most spin on breaking pitches anybody has seen. Hitting is going to suffer greatly with or without hitters selling out for launch angle and the long ball.

[thewupk]

I don’t have any issue with folks whose opinion is that there are too many Ks in the game, or that Cardinal baseball from the 70s was more entertaining. In fact, part of sports is listening to folks tell their “back in my day” stories.

My issue is with the commentators who are paid to be the voice of the sport constantly saying how terrible it is. I can’t think of a more effective way of ruining interest in a sport than to have the announcers spend an hour during every single broadcast telling viewers why the sport sucks. It is unfathomable to me that MLB allows it to persist.

Well the commissioner also hates baseball so there is that

[50PoundHead]

I get that. But here is something to ponder. Did fans think that Nolan Ryan was boring?

His games were basically what you see on a nightly basis in baseball. 39% of plate appearances ended in a walk, strikeout, or homer against Ryan. Currently that sits at 35% across the league.

Pitching is close to reaching it's peak where literally everyone is 95+ in the rotation and out of the pen to go along with the most spin on breaking pitches anybody has seen. Hitting is going to suffer greatly with or without hitters selling out for launch angle and the long ball.

Having seen Ryan pitch in person, he was a unicorn in that era. He was the exception to the rule. You'd pay to watch Ryan pitch whenever he came to town because it was so much different than what you'd normally see.

My only gripe (and it is relatively minor) is that I get frustrated with players not making adjustments, especially the hitters. This will sound counterintuitive, but the players are much more physically talented these days. They are bigger. They are faster. Their arms are better, both in the field and on the mound. That said, players don't seem to make adjustments within games or game-to-game the way it was done earlier eras. Just my somewhat informed observation. I think launch angle is great. Ted Williams talked about that in different terms way back in The Science of Hitting. But there are a lot of players who should be thinking about successfully hitting the ball before they start to worry about launch angle.

[clvclv]

I get that. But here is something to ponder. Did fans think that Nolan Ryan was boring?

His games were basically what you see on a nightly basis in baseball. 39% of plate appearances ended in a walk, strikeout, or homer against Ryan. Currently that sits at 35% across the league.

Pitching is close to reaching it's peak where literally everyone is 95+ in the rotation and out of the pen to go along with the most spin on breaking pitches anybody has seen. Hitting is going to suffer greatly with or without hitters selling out for launch angle and the long ball.

I wouldn't disagree with a word of that - that doesn't mean it isn't boring to the common fan.

The game will adjust - it always has. When significant numbers of people start turning the channel and stop going to the parks, the powers that be will implement changes that make the game more exciting to try to bring them back. Those that don't want to watch something else are going to *itch on their way out the door because they don't want to leave OR they'll go out of their way to learn enough about why things have changed so the game remains exciting - that's just human nature.

[Enscheff]

Sometimes it's better to be luck than smart. So much for the moronic tehteh idea that Garcia's value increased after that extra start.

Another Braves/Twins link is explored by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, regarding how Atlanta acquired breakout star Huascar Ynoa from Minnesota back in 2017. The Braves wanted to move Jaime Garcia at the trade deadline, and initially discussed a trade with the Yankees that would have sent Garcia to the Bronx for then-Yankees prospect Nick Solak. Once those talks fell through, Atlanta pivoted and sent Garcia to Minnesota, and the Braves “did not do as much diligence on Ynoa as they normally would on a prospect” since their top priority was just to dump the rest of Garcia’s salary. In fact, Ynoa wasn’t even Atlanta’s first ask from the Twins’ farm system, as Nick Burdi was initially part of the proposed trade. From being a rather anonymous rookie ball pitcher and an apparent “plan C” type of pickup for the Braves, Ynoa has become an unexpected stalwart of the Atlanta rotation in 2021. The righty has a 2.23 ERA/3.19 SIERA and an above-average 28.4% strikeout rate and 5.8% walk rate over 40 1/3 innings, plus Ynoa has augmented that pitching production with two home runs and a 1.267 OPS over 15 plate appearances.

[Robyn1967]

Bill Skanks is reporting on Twitter, that there have been extension talks for Freddie, but he is asking for Goldschmidt money, which ended the discussions. Skanks insinuated that it has had a negative impact on Freddie and he is not happy. Take it with a grain of salt.

[salmagundy]

Bill Skanks is reporting on Twitter, that there have been extension talks for Freddie, but he is asking for Goldschmidt money, which ended the discussions. Skanks insinuated that it has had a negative impact on Freddie and he is not happy. Take it with a grain of salt.

Is there a link available for this report??

[thewupk]

Bill Skanks is reporting on Twitter, that there have been extension talks for Freddie, but he is asking for Goldschmidt money, which ended the discussions. Skanks insinuated that it has had a negative impact on Freddie and he is not happy. Take it with a grain of salt.

Are you bill?

[bravesfanMatt]

First post with FF news seems a bit fishy to me guys. Should we form the lynch mob yet or wait for more evidence??

[CyYoung31]

Is there a link available for this report??

I can’t find it anywhere. Unless he just reported on his radio show only. But, who listens to that tripe?

[bravesfanMatt]

I can’t find it anywhere. Unless he just reported on his radio show only. But, who listens to that tripe?

I think he might be trolling. Dudes first post to this board and drops a FF bomb like that. Come on.

[thewupk]

I think he might be trolling. Dudes first post to this board and drops a FF bomb like that. Come on.

It's Bill....

He did tweet that apparently he wants Goldy money though...but it's Bill so...

[CyYoung31]

I think he might be trolling. Dudes first post to this board and drops a FF bomb like that. Come on.

Well, he’s already lied in saying Shanks reported it on Twitter. There is no such report on Twitter.

I think he deserves the benefit of the doubt.