GDT: March 10 ATLANTA vs MIAMI

[rico43]

ATLANTA (2-6-1)

Enciarte DH 1-4,R
D'arnaud DH 1-1, RBI, 2B
Aybar SS 1-3
Swanson SS 0-1
Swisher 1B 0-3, BB
Garcia 3B 2-3, RBI, 2B
Olivera LF 1-3, R, 2B
Castro 3B 0-1
Beckham 2B 0-3
Brignac RF 1-1, R, 2B
Francoeur RF 1-2, R, 2 RBI, HR, HBP
Albies 2B 0-1
Bonafacio CF 1-4, R, RBI
Lavarnway C 0-4

Bud Norris RHP 3 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
C. Kelly 2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Sims 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
Winkler 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Holmber 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K


VS



MIAMI (3-4)

RHP Jose Urena

[nsacpi]

Expecting a yuge game from Bonifacio

[rico43]

Early spring gut feeling: Norris will be one of the major steals of the season.

[striker42]

Early spring gut feeling: Norris will be one of the major steals of the season.

Quite possibly. However I hope he wont be one of the steals of the trade deadline. I hope some team pays dearly.

[striker42]

Olivera's first XBH of the season. Good to see.

[mossy]

HR for Frenchy!

[striker42]

That last bench spot will be an interesting competition. You have Swisher, Bonifacio, and Francoeur all fighting for it. Swisher has the big contract that we'd hate to just cut. So if we can't trade him I have to think that will be a consideration. Bonifacio has versatility and is here on a major league deal but needs to prove he's going to rebound from last year. Francoeur is the fan favorite who provides something we don't have much of, right handed power. As a power bat coming off the bench his OBP limitations aren't as big. You're going to bring him into a lot of situations where you want him swinging. However, he's here on a minor league deal and would cost nothing if choose someone else. We'd likely lose him to opting out though.

Personally, I'd give the last spot to Francoeur. He has a .782 career OPS against lefties and our lefty heavy lineup could use that bat on the bench.

[striker42]

Sims is pitching now. K's the first batter he faces and then Mathis lays down a bunt. Swisher broke in on it and then tried to get back to the bag making it a tough play.

Next batter flies out to center.

Sims finishes it off with another K.

[striker42]

Sims starts his second inning with a K of Perez.

Sims then walks Ichiro on 4 pitches. I wonder if he was a little over excited.

Sims then gets a strike em out throw em out DP.

4 Ks in 2 IP for Sims.

[UNCBlue012]

Great day for Sims. He looked WAY better than his last outing.

[striker42]

Bonifacio drives in an insurance run with a "gift triple." Right fielder badly misplayed the ball.

[nsacpi]

Bonifacio drives in an insurance run with a "gift triple." Right fielder badly misplayed the ball.

yuge triple

[UNCBlue012]

Winnnnn!

I REALLY like the young position players coming through the pipe. Like a lot.

Smith, Albies and Swanson all have a lot of upside.

Sims looked great and the BP continued their great streak. We need Newcomb to get his head (or command issues) out of his butthole.

[nsacpi]

Winkler has had a strong spring training so far.

[UNCBlue012]

Winkler has had a strong spring training so far.

Until we started making all the trades, he was my favorite pickup.

[mossy]

[50PoundHead]

That last bench spot will be an interesting competition. You have Swisher, Bonifacio, and Francoeur all fighting for it. Swisher has the big contract that we'd hate to just cut. So if we can't trade him I have to think that will be a consideration. Bonifacio has versatility and is here on a major league deal but needs to prove he's going to rebound from last year. Francoeur is the fan favorite who provides something we don't have much of, right handed power. As a power bat coming off the bench his OBP limitations aren't as big. You're going to bring him into a lot of situations where you want him swinging. However, he's here on a minor league deal and would cost nothing if choose someone else. We'd likely lose him to opting out though.

Personally, I'd give the last spot to Francoeur. He has a .782 career OPS against lefties and our lefty heavy lineup could use that bat on the bench.

I can't see the value of having Swisher on the team. I think Francoeur's time has come and gone, so my guess is the final spot will go to Bonifacio. But you're right that Francoeur would provide something on the bench they currently don't have and that is right-handed power. Problem for Francoeur is that he's pretty much relegated to LF at this point in his career. Maybe the rest of the bench mix would provide enough versatility to accommodate Francoeur's limitations, but he alone doesn't add that much.

[rico43]

Tell me is this a definition of true horror?

Today's umpiring crew had C.B. Bucknor and Angel Hernandez BOTH.

[striker42]

I can't see the value of having Swisher on the team. I think Francoeur's time has come and gone, so my guess is the final spot will go to Bonifacio. But you're right that Francoeur would provide something on the bench they currently don't have and that is right-handed power. Problem for Francoeur is that he's pretty much relegated to LF at this point in his career. Maybe the rest of the bench mix would provide enough versatility to accommodate Francoeur's limitations, but he alone doesn't add that much.

Francoeur lacks versatility but there's no position Bonifacio plays that the Braves aren't at least two deep at. With guys like KJ, Beckham, and Peterson on the roster, we have plenty of options most places.

[Braves1976]

Francoeur lacks versatility but there's no position Bonifacio plays that the Braves aren't at least two deep at. With guys like KJ, Beckham, and Peterson on the roster, we have plenty of options most places.

I expect Frenchy to find a spot if he keeps hitting, but I'd guess that Swisher will be the one to go either by release or trade. While I didn't agree with bringing back Boni, he is having a strong spring so far and his track record is hitting lefties while being solid defensively in CF, that makes him an ideal back-up in CF to Inciarte. Further, I expect they'd like to move Bourn too towards the end of ST if they can find a taker for him. If they can get someone to take on even part of Swisher and Bourn's contracts, then they both should be moved. But in Bourn's case I'd keep him rather than just release him with the hope he can be moved later. Swisher seems the more likely to be released of the two.