Postseason Roster Thoughts

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Slippyjms

Well-known member
I’ve been thinking about what our post season roster may look like over the last several days. There have been lots of interesting tea leaves to read concerning what the Braves are doing with roster moves and playing time. Here’s where I’m at right now.

Position Player Locks

Acuña RF/DH
Swanson SS
Riley 3B
Olson 1B
Contreras DH/C
d’Arnaud C
Grissom LF/RF
Harris ll CF
Albies 2B

Arcia IF
Heredia CF

On The Bubble

Ozuna LF
Tromp C
Grossman cOF
Rosario cOF

Pitching Locks

Fried
Strider
Morton
Wright

Jansen
Inglsias
Minter
McHugh
Chavez

On the bubble

Matzek LHP
Lee LHP

Odorizzi Bulk RHP
Anderson Bulk RHP
Muller Bulk LHP
Elder Bulk RHP

Yates RHP
Stephens RHP
O’Day RHP


So the position players are pretty well set. The questions at this point are will Ozuna be usable, do we feel we need a lefty bat off the bench, and do we feel we need a 3rd catcher? If Ozuna continues to perform like has since returning to the lineup I think the best move is to go full steam ahead with the lineup we have and go with Ozuna and Tromp. I’d hate to have to remove a catcher from the roster for a minor injury.

As for the pitching staff a lot more questions. I only have 9 locks. That said they need to at least take 1 of the 2 lefties on the bubble if not both as well as 1 bulk guy. I’d project they take Matzek Lee Odorizzi and either 1 of Yates or O’Day depending on their progress. I’d project the Yates/O’Day spot as the one most likely to go to a second bulk pitcher as well.
 
I think Grossman will be in the mix, being a switch hitter. But the third catcher idea is not a bad one that would allow Contreras and TdA to both be in the lineup.

Acuna RF
Swanson SS
Riley 3B
Olson 1B
TdA C
Albies 2B
Contreras DH
Grissom LF
Harris CF

They did say on the radio the other day that BOTH Contreras and Grissom have been getting work in pre-game in LF.
 
The more I look at it, the more interesting the roster set up will be.

Ozuna has been hot the past week or so at the plate, but provides limited to no value in LF. Heredia is your only true "defensive" replacement player on the field and is also head cheerleader, providing little to nothing with the bat.

Grossman is probably a negative value on defensive, but can provide you at bats from both sides of the plate, mashing lefties.

The only reason I don't see the 3 catchers happening is that Acuna seems to need to be in the DH role going forward.
 
bravesfanforlife88 said:
I think Grossman will be in the mix, being a switch hitter. But the third catcher idea is not a bad one that would allow Contreras and TdA to both be in the lineup.

Acuna RF
Swanson SS
Riley 3B
Olson 1B
TdA C
Albies 2B
Contreras DH
Grissom LF
Harris CF

They did say on the radio the other day that BOTH Contreras and Grissom have been getting work in pre-game in LF.
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Getting Grissom, TDA, and Contreras all in the lineup at the same time would be excellent. I have to imagine they are going for the most offensive potential in the playoffs.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if they rotated DHs between Acuna, Contreras, and Grissom (and maybe Albies). Ozuna has been hitting better, but if he can't DH, he's not that valuable. It will be a bit surprising if Rosario goes from NLCS MVP to off the playoff roster.

As for pitchers, I'm guessing both Lee and Matzek. For good or ill, Snitker does the by-the-book match-up thing so I expect 3 LHPs in the bullpen.
 
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thewupk said:
Getting Grissom, TDA, and Contreras all in the lineup at the same time would be excellent. I have to imagine they are going for the most offensive potential in the playoffs.
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I think they'll want to carry 3 catchers given Contreras DH and the DH in general.

I do not see what value Arcia provides. If Swanson or Albies goes down you play Grissom.

I think they'll Keep Heredia b/c of Ronald's knee as a back up at CF.

I think the last spot will come down to Rosario and Grossman. Rosario hits the dodgers even when he can't see. So maybe it depends on if we win the division. I like Grossman for what he is. Dodgers are the only team with a lot of LH pitchers, I think. So it could be a tough decision.

I do not think Chavez is a lock. They like him, but not sure he's a lock. I also think Soroka could be a person they add as a guy planned to do two innings after the starter goes out in the 4th or 5th because of playoff strategy or poor performance. I'd think really hard about having some guys I thought could do 2-3 innings in the pen if we get to a 7 game series.

If we are in the wildcard round with 3 game series I think we'll have all one inning relievers.
 
Russ2dollas said:
I think they'll want to carry 3 catchers given Contreras DH and the DH in general.

I do not see what value Arcia provides. If Swanson or Albies goes down you play Grissom.

I think they'll Keep Heredia b/c of Ronald's knee as a back up at CF.

I think the last spot will come down to Rosario and Grossman. Rosario hits the dodgers even when he can't see. So maybe it depends on if we win the division. I like Grossman for what he is. Dodgers are the only team with a lot of LH pitchers, I think. So it could be a tough decision.

I do not think Chavez is a lock. They like him, but not sure he's a lock. I also think Soroka could be a person they add as a guy planned to do two innings after the starter goes out in the 4th or 5th because of playoff strategy or poor performance. I'd think really hard about having some guys I thought could do 2-3 innings in the pen if we get to a 7 game series.

If we are in the wildcard round with 3 game series I think we'll have all one inning relievers.
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Now that is an interesting point about Arcia. Grissom covering the super sub role could push him off the roster. That being said he’s also played the best of the group looking for post season roster spots but perhaps being an IF hurts his case instead of helps it.

As for Soroka it doesn’t seem like he’s in the playoff plans. The Achilles currently requires a long prep time before a start. It does not sound as if he would be suited to the bullpen for the playoffs and the rotation is taken care of. Now that being said I think if a hole or 2 opened up in the rotation they would break the glass on Soroka.
 
It would seem to me that Rosario better start producing or he won't be on the roster. Seems like they'd go with the switch hitter Grossman over Rosario unless they're thinking an Ozuna/Rosario platoon. Whether or not there's a third catcher depends entirely on whether Acuña can play in the field. If he can't, then Grossman definitely needs to be on the roster because we can't have Ozuna or Rosario playing RF.

I think Arcia makes it because he's probably a better emergency SS than Grissom at this point.

Nine available pitching spots outside of Fried/Strider/Wright/Morton. Jansen, Minter, Iglesias, McHugh are definite. Unless Chavez just falls off a cliff, he'll be on there. At least one of Matzek/Lee (or Muller if both those guys suck massively down the stretch) will be on there. We can't go into a postseason with only one lefty reliever. My hope is Soroka will be activated soon and that they'll shelve Lee for a couple weeks to see if that helps any. Yates has looked a bit better recently, so if he continues that trend, he'll be on there. O'Day I thought was done for the year after they transferred him to the 60-day IL, but can that be retroactive? Odorizzi or Stephens (if he's not DFA following a Soroka activation) probably on there in the Drew Smyly role.

I don't see a place for Soroka unless there's an injury to one of the four starters.
 
With Ozzie back it seems like as good of time as any to review the Postseason roster picture and see where things have changed.

Position Player Locks

Acuña RF/DH
Swanson SS
Riley 3B
Olson 1B
d’Arnaud C
Contreras C/DH
Harris ll CF
Albies 2B
Grossman LF

Grissom IF
Heredia OF

On The Bubble

Rosario cOF
Tromp C
Arcia IF

Outside Looking In

Ozuna DH
Adrianza UTIL


Pitching Locks

Fried SP
Strider SP
Morton SP
Wright SP

Inglsias RHP
Minter LHP
McHugh RHP
Jansen RHP
Chavez RHP
Matzek LHP
Lee LHP

On The Bubble

Odorizzi BULK RHP
Muller BULK LHP
Stephens RHP
O’Day RHP
Elder BULK RHP



I expect the Braves to go Tromp and Rosario on the position player side and Odorizzi and O’Day on the pitching side. Arcia can always be called up to cover a long term injury and Grissom can cover anything day to day. We wouldn’t want to have to lose Contreras or TDA for the playoffs due to a minor injury though making having Tromp on board important.
 
Slippyjms said:
With Ozzie back it seems like as good of time as any to review the Postseason roster picture and see where things have changed.

Position Player Locks

Acuña RF/DH
Swanson SS
Riley 3B
Olson 1B
d’Arnaud C
Contreras C/DH
Harris ll CF
Albies 2B
Grossman LF

Grissom IF
Heredia OF

On The Bubble

Rosario cOF
Tromp C
Arcia IF

Outside Looking In

Ozuna DH
Adrianza UTIL


Pitching Locks

Fried SP
Strider SP
Morton SP
Wright SP

Inglsias RHP
Minter LHP
McHugh RHP
Jansen RHP
Chavez RHP
Matzek LHP
Lee LHP

On The Bubble

Odorizzi BULK RHP
Muller BULK LHP
Stephens RHP
O’Day RHP
Elder BULK RHP



I expect the Braves to go Tromp and Rosario on the position player side and Odorizzi and O’Day on the pitching side. Arcia can always be called up to cover a long term injury and Grissom can cover anything day to day. We wouldn’t want to have to lose Contreras or TDA for the playoffs due to a minor injury though making having Tromp on board important.
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I blame you for this....
 
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