GDT 4-21 : The Night of The Max Easter Massacre

When you have FOUR pitchers (Guasman, Folty, Fried, Soroka) that throws 94+ and can hit 98 when needed, that is awesome and they really don't have any issues with major control. Newk would be 5, Touki 6 that throws that hard.

Somehow we need them all to harness it. Gausman can as he knows how to pitch being a somewhat young veteran. Julio is not on the list but I think he could do it but he is crafty and don't think he needs it.

They are young, we are blessed.

And I did not even mentioned Wright, Wilson, Anderson or Weigel. If they let it all out in the bullpen, the better.

Just wow in what we have.
 
Hopefully he can add one, but even with his current arsenal I think he can be a 2 if he can maintain a respectable walk rate. Him and Soroka give me a lot of hope for the current rotation to fill out nicely.

A low 3s FIP over 180 IP is about 4 fWAR, so I can buy that if the control remains plus. That's basically Folty last year.

Will the control stay that good? Hard to say, and he doesn't exactly have a long track record of 2.5 BB/9 type control, but it's possible I suppose.

More likely I suspect the HR/FB, BABIP and LOB rates all normalize, the control inches up closer to 4 BB/9, and the FIP settles in around the high 3s. That's still a nice 2-3 win SP. The addition of the SL was a pretty big deal, and transformed him from a Mike Montgomery to a solid #3.
 
If he adds an above average SI (which I think his low spin rate supports) and the control remains plus, he is an Ace...no question in my mind.

That SI/CU/SL/CH arsenal with some spotted up FAs and plus control would be deadly from a LHP. The potential to add other impact pitches is why I was always hesitant to trade Fried.

This kind of talk... 8========================================================D
 
Who was the last true ace we had? Maddux? Huddy maybe? It seems like we’re always talking about how this guy’s a 2 or 3/4 but we can never find an ace.

Smoltz was pretty damn good when he came back to start. Definite ace IMO

Medlen was an ace when he wasn't getting tommy john.
 
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Smoltz was putting up 5+ win Ace seasons when he came back to the rotation after his stint as a closer.

Medlen had a 3 win half season and a 2 win full season. I don't think anyone considers that an Ace...
 
Smoltz was putting up 5+ win Ace seasons when he came back to the rotation after his stint as a closer.

Medlen had a 3 win half season and a 2 win full season. I don't think anyone considers that an Ace...

That 3 win half season would have been a 5-6 win full season if not for the tommy john recovery. :Bowman:
 
Vaz was very dominating that year. I feel you need to clear 5 war to be considered an ace. Huddy was our #1 for awhile but I wouldn't call him an ace.

He retired because he finally got to be an ace and Bobby finally got his guy then we flipped him in the offseason. He was so at home in Atlanta that one season and the way he carried himself it was as if he had been a Brave for a long time. Goes back to NY where he didn't like it the first time then retires.
 
Hopefully he can add one, but even with his current arsenal I think he can be a 2 if he can maintain a respectable walk rate. Him and Soroka give me a lot of hope for the current rotation to fill out nicely.

@Buster_ESPN
Some rival evaluators watched Max Fried’s performance Sunday night and were extremely impressed; see him as a frontline talent, No.1/No.2 type starter.
 
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