9/11/2015: GDT Never, ever forget this day in infamy

[rico43]

LINEUPS

LETS GOES

1. Curtis Granderson (L) RF
2. Yoenis Cespedes (R) CF
3. Daniel Murphy (L) 2B
4. David Wright (R) 3B
5. Lucas Duda (L) 1B
6. Travis d'Arnaud (R) C
7. Michael Conforto (L) LF
8. Ruben Tejada (R) SS
9. Steven Matz (R) P

OH NOS

1. Nick Markakis (L) RF
2. Daniel Castro (R) 2B
3. Freddie Freeman (L) 1B
4. Adonis Garcia (R) 3B
5. Nick Swisher (S) LF
6. Andrelton Simmons (R) SS
7. Christian Bethancourt (R) C
8. Michael Bourn (L) CF
9. Matt Wisler (R) P

[nsacpi]

Expecting a huge game from the Andreltonian.

[Runnin]

Keep chipping away and we'll break through.

[KB21]

Bethancourt did a very good job of guiding Wisler through that 5th inning. Blocked well on some balls in the dirt. Gave Wisler some good targets. Good pitch calls when Wisler was ahead in the count.

[Runnin]

Viva la Castro!

[Julio3000]

I really like Daniel Castro. He's probably not going to amount to much, but I've definitely taken a shine to him.

[Runnin]

I really like Daniel Castro. He's probably not going to amount to much, but I've definitely taken a shine to him.

He's looks like an old school infielder, a solid player.

[msstate7]

I really like Daniel Castro. He's probably not going to amount to much, but I've definitely taken a shine to him.

I want to see a Castro/Peterson platoon next season

[Julio3000]

I want to see a Castro/Peterson platoon next season

I wouldn't mind test driving that and seeing if Castro gets too exposed. Jace hasn't really earned a full-time spot, IMO.

[jsebe10]

Swisher sucks. Stop playing him

[msstate7]

Swisher sucks. Stop playing him

They all suck. Gotta play someone

[Braves1976]

So are we starting the new KJ vs Prado debate with Peterson playing the part of KJ and Castro the part of Prado? JK. :)

That said, I would stick with Peterson vs righties for the most part. However, I am open to platooning Castro with Peterson and deciding further later based off the play of both players.

[jsebe10]

They all suck. Gotta play someone

But not all of them take 20 min to get into the fckn box to just go 1 for their last 16

[msstate7]

But not all of them take 20 min to get into the fckn box to just go 1 for their last 16

I would like to see some Garcia in LF. I'd like to see some Garcia at 2b too. This season is an abomination anyway, so experiment some

[jsebe10]

That's the 2nd furthest ball I've ever seen hit in Turner Field.

[Runnin]

At least we helped the Nats miss the playoffs.

[msstate7]

At least we helped the Nats miss the playoffs.

This shouldn't make me so happy

[goldfly]

14-38 since the extension

[thewupk]

14-38 since the extension

Fredi is a winner

[clvclv]

14-38 since the extension

FWIW...

Over that span, the team has scored 2 or fewer runs in 26 of those games and has been outscored 296-155.

It would take two more Shelby Millers or Maddux, Glavine, and Smoltz in the rotation to make this team competitive with the lack of offense, so (like him or not) it's not completely Fredi's fault. I think the obvious statement Hart & Company have made with the extension is that bringing in another Manager wouldn't make much of a difference. There's little reason to bring in one of those "master tacticians" until you've developed enough pitching to keep you in games when you're being built on pitching and defense - there aren't many chances for Manager's decisions to have any effect on the games. In general, he is running the correct side of the platoons out there against the right Pitchers (Castro instead of Peterson, Bethancourt instead of A. J., Garcia against Matz last night for example). Beyond that, there's not much he can do - he's not got a bat in his hands, and he's not the one who still can't learn to stay out of the middle of the plate and stop grooving pitches. The players kinda have to make those adjustments themselves when they've been embarassed enough.

Much like before, I'm not saying Fredi's good (by any stretch) - just that until there are a couple more signings, development from Peterson/Wisler/Folty/etc., and some of the talent that's been acquired gets closer - changing Managers seems pretty pointless unless he actually HAS lost the clubhouse. Whispers to a reporter without names and specifics attached don't qualify as evidence - for all we know Bethancourt might've been the "source", and he's just *issed (and rightly so IMO) because he's not getting to play enough.