GDT: 5/16/17 Braves vs Blue Jays

[CyYoung31]

When the Braves play at home again.

Damn it, I ****ed up my own joke.

[thethe]

Freeman is killing lefties. It's an automatic free pass 100% of the time for obvious reasons. The whole idea of protection is that Freeman gets pitched in those situations.

And every other scenario that comes up during a game.

[CrimsonCowboy]

[thewupk]

So should we discount teams in the west then? You either believe in the stats or not.

What stats are you talking about? Coming into today the Braves ranked 10th in BB%, 14th in ISO, 8th in BABIP, 10th in WRC+, and 10th in runs scored per game. The Braves do not have a good offense.

[msstate7]

I mean if you want to count games in the AL version of Coors then sure as being a sign of our great offense then have it. But yes the Braves BABIP has dropped like most said it would and put the Braves in the bottom 3rd of the NL in scoring and all major offensive categories. The last 2 games may have pushed them up to 9th though.

I didn't realize stats only count in certain stadiums

[thewupk]

And every other scenario that comes up during a game.

So why does Freeman have a career high BB%? I thought having Kemp behind him meant he got more pitches to hit and not get pitched around?

[thewupk]

I didn't realize stats only count in certain stadiums

They all count. But using 2 high scoring games in Toronto to argue the Braves don't have a poor offense isn't the best of ideas.

[chopdrew]

If I were Freeman, I'd be really pissed the Braves extended me and a bunch of others only to tear it all to the ground the next year and give me 5 losing seasons.

But that's just me

Yeah, I'd be inconsolable all the way to depositing my check....

[thethe]

So why does Freeman have a career high BB%? I thought having Kemp behind him meant he got more pitches to hit and not get pitched around?

And that walk percentage would be even higher if Kemp wasn't around.

Again...you and everyone else said that Dansby gets more walks because he is batting in front of the pitcher. Protection either exists or it doesn't.

[The Chosen One]

Freddie is actually protecting Kemp.

[thethe]

Freddie is actually protecting Kemp.

Fredddie is absolutely ridiculous. Even in my wildest of Posi-Braves fantasy I could never have predicted Freeman to be this good.

[chop2chip]

If I were Freeman, I'd be really pissed the Braves extended me and a bunch of others only to tear it all to the ground the next year and give me 5 losing seasons.

But that's just me

I would be mad too but from all reports Freeman is really content. I think it helps the Braves a lot that Freddie and Chipper (and their wives) are best friends.

[thewupk]

And that walk percentage would be even higher if Kemp wasn't around.

Again...you and everyone else said that Dansby gets more walks because he is batting in front of the pitcher. Protection either exists or it doesn't.

But it wasn't higher when Kemp wasn't around.

Dansby getting walked when the pitcher is behind him is not protection. It's the exact opposite.

[jsebe10]

Beyond excited for Kemp

[thethe]

But it wasn't higher when Kemp wasn't around.

Dansby getting walked when the pitcher is behind him is not protection. It's the exact opposite.

No - Its the same concept. The idea that the hitter next in the order impacts the way you pitch.

[jsebe10]

They all count. But using 2 high scoring games in Toronto to argue the Braves don't have a poor offense isn't the best of ideas.

They don't have a poor offense. Pitching isn't worth a piss

[thethe]

Beyond excited for Kemp

He's a stud. I honestly hope the Braves don't trade him. With the players we have coming up having two mashers like that in hte middle of the lineup can result in a lot of winning baseball.

The team has had some unfortunate breaks so far this year and the starting pitching has been brutal. Luckily starting pitching is the strength of the organization.

As long as Kemp commits to keeping himself healthy and in shape he should be a great hitter for another 2-3 years.

[thewupk]

No - Its the same concept. The idea that the hitter next in the order impacts the way you pitch.

Really? I thought protection was getting more fast balls in fear of walking him to face a good hitter on deck. At least that's what you and everyone else always said it was. And it's less to do with who is behind you and more to do with the people on base. In that situation Freeman gets pitched to with the bases empty. Just as Swanson gets pitched to with the bases empty even with the pitcher behind him.

[thewupk]

They don't have a poor offense. Pitching isn't worth a piss

You are right that our pitching is gross. I'd still consider 11 or so out of 15 teams to be poor.

[thethe]

Really? I thought protection was getting more fast balls in fear of walking him to face a good hitter on deck. At least that's what you and everyone else always said it was. And it's less to do with who is behind you and more to do with the people on base. In that situation Freeman gets pitched to with the bases empty. Just as Swanson gets pitched to with the bases empty even with the pitcher behind him.

No protection is positive in the Freeman/Kemp situation because Freeman is good. Protection is negative because the pitcher can't hit.

And I agree - That runners on base impacts how the pitchers pitches. Thats why the game is played by humans.