GDT: 3/29/18 - Atlanta Braves vs. Philthies (ITS OPENING DAYYYYY)

[The Chosen One]

At least Freddie got a hit for me in Beat the Streak.

[Braves1976]

I suspect Nola would have been left in to face Freeman if he had gotten both Inciarte and Albies. Having given up the double to Inciarte I think this is one of those close calls that a manager can go either way on.

Yea, the leadoff double by Inciarte was key there or else Nola is still pitching.

[Dalyn]

Made it home in time to see Freeman smack that one.

[jpx7]

That and the last four innings of games are going take two hours to play.

I watch, maybe, ten complete games a year these days, so I personally don't really mind if they take five hours to play. But yea, pitching changes add to the pace-of-play issue a lot more than strategic mound visits, that's for sure.

[nsacpi]

One double tells you that? Do the previous 5 innings mean anything?

It is a piece of data. I think the decision Gross was faced with is one of those close calls a manager could either way with.

[chop2chip]

One double tells you that? Do the previous 5 innings mean anything?

For me it’s the equivalent of an NBA coach being allowed to call a timeout and call a play on each possession. Yes it would improve efficiency, but it completely kills the flow of the game.

[mossy]

Yay, same old Braves. Is it 2019 yet?

[jsebe10]

Again, not watching, but I assume that was an extraordinarily professional ground-out from Markakis.

Oh yea definitely...

They had the shift on and the 3B was literally playing 5/6 hole...and he hit it right to him.

[thewupk]

Yea, I understand the numbers behind the whole "third time through" thing; but if you never let a pitcher try, you'll never know which pitchers are the exceptions you can count on to save your bullpen.

This is true and the Phillies did try that last year. In 2017 Nola had 44 innings of the 3rd time through the order with a 5.32 era. Compared to 60 innings through the order 1 and 2 times with a 2.85 and 2.34 respectively.

[Braves1976]

It is a piece of data. I think the decision Gross was faced with is one of those close calls a manager could either way with.

I'd left him in regardless the way he was pitching, but I agree with you on why he made that move.

[jsebe10]

This is true and the Phillies did try that last year. In 2017 Nola had 44 innings of the 3rd time through the order with a 5.32 era. Compared to 60 innings through the order 1 and 2 times with a 2.85 and 2.34 respectively.

Yea buts it’s opening day and he’s arguably your ace...let him work...

[jpx7]

For me it’s the equivalent of an NBA coach being allowed to call a timeout and call a play on each possession. Yes it would improve efficiency, but it completely kills the flow of the game.

That's why teams are given a limited allotment of timeouts. The question is whether MLB is willing to similarly circumscribe the number of non-injury pitching changes within a given nine innings. Personally, I find that idea a lot more palatable than this proposed scheme of starting extra innings with runners on second-base.

[nsacpi]

It really was inexcusable to let Brothers face Franco. That situation was tailor-made for bringing in Moylan.

[nsacpi]

Yea buts it’s opening day and he’s arguably your ace...let him work...

Actually I think it being opening day and starters maybe not fully being stretched out is an argument against letting him continue.

[Braves1976]

It really was inexcusable to let Brothers face Franco. That situation was tailor-made for bringing in Moylan.

Agreed.

[thewupk]

Yea buts it’s opening day and he’s arguably your ace...let him work...

Or don't let your future 24 year old ace go a crazy amount of innings and blow his arm out.

[jpx7]

This is true and the Phillies did try that last year. In 2017 Nola had 44 innings of the 3rd time through the order with a 5.32 era. Compared to 60 innings through the order 1 and 2 times with a 2.85 and 2.34 respectively.

Fair—though I guess I would rebut by saying that they're not winning anything this year, either, so they may as well use this season to enlarge that data-set beyond 100 IP. But, given their FA activity, they may believe this season's games have greater import than I'm predicting.

[thewupk]

That's why teams are given a limited allotment of timeouts. The question is whether MLB is willing to similarly circumscribe the number of non-injury pitching changes within a given nine innings. Personally, I find that idea a lot more palatable than this proposed scheme of starting extra innings with runners on second-base.

I hope not. The name of the game is to win games. And teams will utilize whatever they can to accomplish. Purists who complain about the pace of the game and the amount of strikeouts need to get over themselves. Teams figure out what wins and that's what matters.

[nsacpi]

Fair—though I guess I would rebut by saying that they're not winning anything this year, either, so they may as well use this season to enlarge that data-set beyond 100 IP. But, given their FA activity, they may believe this season's games have greater import than I'm predicting.

I think the data generally on third time through the order is sufficiently compelling that there is not much point letting a starter continue unless it is a low leverage situation or you have a horse who has proven himself to be an exception.

[jsebe10]

Actually I think it being opening day and starters maybe not fully being stretched out is an argument against letting him continue.

Yea but damn he’s not scheduled to go again until the 4th...let him go.