GDT 5/2- The Return of the Mighty Nuke; No Carmargo....

[50PoundHead]

If he gets his walk rate to 3.5/9 he's going to be just fine. Trending in the right direction.

I know Enscheff says it's likely too late to expect any appreciable gain, but the successful teams have outliers and seem to make their own luck. The fact that Newcomb started late makes me think this improvement could stick.

My long experience watching the game tends to give pitchers--especially "stuff" guys--every chance to fail before pigeonholing them. I think Enscheff is right in that Newcomb has some obvious warts that need to be removed, but it's too early to dismiss the notion that these warts can be fixed.

 

[clvclv]

Until Newcomb fixes that mechanical issue that has him suddenly start missing, badly, he's likely a back end starter that is going to tease you...just like Foltynewicz. And because of that, people are going to continue to moan about no Andrelton.

Honestly, unless he becomes a legit ace it's going to continue even if he has fixed his walk rate to where it's around 3.5 BB/9.

If he gets it to 3.5, they're just being difficult - if he somehow unbelievably got it down around 3, they're nuts.

 

[clvclv]

LOL at Todd Frazier bitching about the umpire's strike zone last night. Yeah it was big but it was consistent for both teams all night. Didn't stop the Braves from scoring 7 runs.

He's been whining about it for a while now - has even asked for a meeting with the Commish.

 

[bravesfanMatt]

It doesn't explain swinging at sliders low and off the plate. It doesn't explain swinging at fastballs high and tight. An injured wrist doesn't explain pitch recognition and swinging at pitches out of zone as he did all last year. He's slip[ping back into that mode.

No. But if he is hurting then he is not making contact. When healthy he could foul off those pitches or hit something earlier in the count. You are also discount the physiological effects it could have.

 

[50PoundHead]

I'm not saying this is a valid comparison (and I don't know how Nolan Ryan would fare in the modern game), but Nolan Ryan didn't get his BB/9 below 4 until his 13th season. I think Newcomb's problem is "control in the strike zone" as much as his overall control. Too many of his strikes get tattooed.

 

[Enscheff]

Newk is certainly a big part of the "if everything goes right" scenario we are currently witnessing.

I think the number I came up with was something along the lines of a 25% chance for Newk to markedly improve his control at the age of 25. So far, it looks like the Braves may have hit on that 25% chance. Newk at 3.5 BB/9 is a very valuable pitcher. I keep comparing Newk to Oliver Perez, who had a 4.5 win season in 2004 when he had a 10.97 K rate and a 3.72 BB rate...all very close to what Newk is doing now. I still like the comp.

Also, claiming someone is "just another Gio" is a little...I don't know the exact word for it. If that's what Newk turns into, the Braves should be over the moon happy with the trade.

 

[Nerfherders]

Wow, I'm digging this 1st place thing.

The last time the Braves were in first place after April was July 20th, 2014.