GDT: 8-3-13 Braves at Phillies (BJ Activated, Jason Sits)

[VirginiaBrave]

I hope to God we clinch early, but I would love to do it with a win over them.

[bravesnumberone]

It would be particularly satisfying to clinch in Washington.

[Heyward]

When its August and your below .500 there really is no reason to discuss the division. They are barely in the wild card race much less the division right now.

Yep, they do.

Said before, they probably have to sweep. Taking two of three doesn't really do much but gain one game and knock out three games from the schedule.

[Heyward]

BJ was on base 2 of 5 times.

Stole a base, got the count full three times or just two.

If this was any other player, that's a solid game.

But since it's BJ, he gets hated on, rightfully so.

Btw, if he was gonna be benched for anyone, I'd want Schafer playing over him.

[chopdrew]

Nah, most days, I like Gattis/Heyward/JUp. I know Gattis had a rough week, but he needs the AB's. He's gonna be the everyday catcher next year...

[Heyward]

Nah, most days, I like Gattis/Heyward/JUp. I know Gattis had a rough week, but he needs the AB's. He's gonna be the everyday catcher next year...

Gattis' defense isn't great in LF.

I agree he needs the at bats though, but BJ needs to be playing. Heyward can't keep playing CF too much, it will wear him down. Maybe why he was out today for most of the game.

[Heyward]

And I thought Beachy threw a pretty good game today.

Outside of the hanger to Mayberry, he pitched a really good game. Would of pulled him after 6 but what can you do.

Hopefully he can keep it up and build off it.

[bravesnumberone]

Yeah, Beachy did very good work after a tough start. I really didn't mind him starting the 7th at all. He was rolling and was under 100 pitches. If he had gotten Mayberry out, he probably would have finished the inning. Where I got lost was the decision to bring Ayala in and then the decision to pitch to Rollins.

[skidlee]

It was more the decision to pitch to rollins IMO. No reason to do so. OK yes you don't want to put the go ahead run on base but you don't face rollins over Young.

[tvsportscaster]

Yeah, Beachy did very good work after a tough start. I really didn't mind him starting the 7th at all. He was rolling and was under 100 pitches. If he had gotten Mayberry out, he probably would have finished the inning. Where I got lost was the decision to bring Ayala in and then the decision to pitch to Rollins.

Fredi said after the game they were trying not to use Avilan today, so that's why he didn't come in in the 7th. But when the game went extra innings they had to change their plans and use Avilan.

[bravesnumberone]

Fredi said after the game they were trying not to use Avilan today, so that's why he didn't come in in the 7th. But when the game went extra innings they had to change their plans and use Avilan.

There were still other options. I thought they wouldn't use Carpenter because of his heavy workload recently and wound up using him anyway. Regardless, if they had gone with a better reliever, they could have won the game in nine without using up nearly the entire group.

Anyways, we won the game. Hopefully Wood can go deep into the game tomorrow.

[tvsportscaster]

There were still other options. I thought they wouldn't use Carpenter because of his heavy workload recently and wound up using him anyway. Regardless, if they had gone with a better reliever, they could have won the game in nine without using up nearly the entire group.

Anyways, we won the game. Hopefully Wood can go deep into the game tomorrow.

Again you guys are being a bit hard on Ayala. He made a good pitch to Rollins and Rollins just reached out and got a lucky double to leftfield. Let's try to be fair when we make these assessments.

[Heyward]

Carpenter and Walden may be unavailable.

Walden could pitch but it's his third in a row, same with Kimbrel.

Downs, Avilan, Varvaro, Ayala are for sure available.

Carpenter is probably unavailable.

We could use Walden and or Kimbrel if it comes down to it.

[Braves1976]

The book on Ayala is that he's OK to pitch a clean inning. But if you pitch him with runners on base you're asking for trouble. That's what Fredi did and it was a really stupid move. He was overmanaging playing with fire, not only did it not save Avilan it almost cost us the game (and made us have to use almost the entire bullpen). The move to pinch run for CJ with Constanza was just as bad, if not worse. If not for Philly choking and walking Janish we'd be talking more about that too.

That said, thankfully the Braves won despite bad managing (including Fredi batting Uggla and BJ back-to-back).

[skidlee]

Carpenter and Walden may be unavailable.

Walden could pitch but it's his third in a row, same with Kimbrel.

Downs, Avilan, Varvaro, Ayala are for sure available.

Carpenter is probably unavailable.

We could use Walden and or Kimbrel if it comes down to it.

If they were trying to give Avilan an off day and then still ended up using him I would put him on the unavailable list.

[tvsportscaster]

The book on Ayala is that he's OK to pitch a clean inning. But if you pitch him with runners on base you're asking for trouble. That's what Fredi did and it was a really stupid move. He was overmanaging playing with fire, not only did it not save Avilan it almost cost us the game (and made us have to use almost the entire bullpen). The move to pinch run for CJ with Constanza was just as bad, if not worse. If not for Philly choking and walking Janish we'd be talking more about that too.

That said, thankfully the Braves won despite bad managing (including Fredi batting Uggla and BJ back-to-back).

The pinch running decision with Constanza over Johnson I would agree with, especially since Constanza did not steal a base. The NL's leading hitter has to stay in the game there. But hey, what are we really griping about, the Braves have won 9 straight.

[Heyward]

If they were trying to give Avilan an off day and then still ended up using him I would put him on the unavailable list.

He was off on Friday.

He could probably pitch if it comes down to it. But I'd rest him, Walden and Kimbrel tommorow.

[Braves1976]

The pinch running decision with Constanza over Johnson I would agree with, especially since Constanza did not steal a base. The NL's leading hitter has to stay in the game there. But hey, what are we really griping about, the Braves have won 9 straight.

Plus Uggla being up made the move really odd too. Also, it wasn't intended as a complaint, just my own observation. I'm not going to spin a bad move into being good just because we still won.

[skidlee]

He was off on Friday.

He could probably pitch if it comes down to it. But I'd rest him, Walden and Kimbrel tommorow.

I am just saying he was used thursday and they were still trying to give him the day off today but ended up using him anyway. I would guess they try to give him the night off tomorrow. The only way Walden and Kimbrel pitch is if its close. Kimbrel did go 3 straight last weekend.