I hate using this phrase but I think we needed to see what we had in Riley and used Duvall as an insurance policy in case Riley pulled a Riley.
Coppy
Carp (08-05-2019), jpx7 (08-05-2019), UNCBlue012 (08-05-2019)
There's 2 months to go, so the pitching staff could shake out any number of ways. Trying to project it now is pointless.
We do know there will be a hole in the OF, and not adding a RHH OFer as I discussed over and over is probably going to be an issue.
Riley was doing a little better at the time and had more position flexibility. Also came with the added bonus of potentially bringing more interest to the fanbase with a hot hitting rookie. I'm sure that gaining an extra year of control over Duvall wasn't lost on AA either.
I don't know for certain, but service time is again a consideration here. I would assume we are close to gaining another year of control on Folty as this point.
Edit: Looks like this isn't a factor. He's already at 4 year and 72 days and still on track to reach FA at the end of 2021.
Last edited by Carp; 08-05-2019 at 12:29 PM.
jpx7 (08-05-2019)
If I’m AA, I thank Snitker for his important managing of the clubhouse during the regular season, but tell him that it’s my way or the highway if/when the postseason comes.
Problem with that is it's not exactly easy to suddenly switch roles of players in the playoffs. That's why last year I was hoping the Braves would play the last ~1 week like they were practice playoff games, complete with platoon match ups and aggressively deploying the BP. Suggested here:
http://www.chopcountry.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8684
That didn't happen, and the Braves were thoroughly outmaneuvered by the Dodgers in the NLDS.
I don't think it would be wise to suddenly change the way these guys are used as soon as the playoffs start. They will likely need some time to adjust to the mental side of these strategies.
jpx7 (08-05-2019)
If the Braves win in the playoffs, it will be in spite of Snit's terrible game-to-game management and likely more due to talent.
The frustrating thing is that there are like 10-15 scenarios that are most likely to play out in any given game that remains competitive, so it should be relatively straightforward to script the moves for that small list of scenarios. Almost all late game high leverage situations should be accounted for ahead of time, so there should be nearly zero reason for Snit to make any decision in the heat of the moment.
When to pull the SP. What to do if he gets in trouble early. What part of the lineup each BP arm faces. Who PHs for who based on the opposing BP arm currently pitching. When does a defensive sub come in. When does Culberson pinch run for Mac, and how does that double/triple switch happen.
All of these things should be anticipated and planned for prior to the game. It may not be sustainable for 162 games, but for the playoffs it can certainly be done.
jpx7 (08-05-2019), UNCBlue012 (08-05-2019)