GDT 7/18/21: Braves @ Rays - New look lineup

Chip, the Braves are playing the AL Central in interleague next year. This comes after him talking about gardening weather in the bottom of the 9th.

Is this the best we can do?
 
Not going to try to defend Snit for continuing to use Minter but Matzek has similarly melted down in those spots this year, just a little less. Fact is you’ve got two reliable to semi reliable arms in the pen. Maybe three if you really want to count Matzek. So if moves aren’t made by tomorrow’s game, AA should fire himself. Doesn’t even have to be a frontline closer at this point.
 
Not going to try to defend Snit for continuing to use Minter but Matzek has similarly melted down in those spots this year, just a little less. Fact is you’ve got two reliable to semi reliable arms in the pen. Maybe three if you really want to count Matzek. So if moves aren’t made by tomorrow’s game, AA should fire himself. Doesn’t even have to be a frontline closer at this point.

Matzek always seems to get himself into trouble somehow but does a much better job of extricating himself from the damage. Minter looks to be on his every-other-year pattern that has defined his career to this point. Not counting his late-season performances in 2017, it's run like this in the full seasons. 2018--Good/2019--Terrible/2020--Golden/2021--Dreck.

Snitker seems to have difficulty finding which button to push and too often neglects to push any button at all. But I don't know if it matters which button he pushes with this bullpen. Really uneven performances all season long.
 
We all know what the problem is..,you can blame the manager, bad luck, or some other limiting circumstances…it’s pitching. Period. Snits bonehead moves are negated by how awful this bullpen is…until it’s addressed it will continue to be like this…pitiful.

Sad part is…the ****ty pitching literally erases all of the mistakes that Snit makes…having reason is blinded by complete inability top to bottom.
 
Matzek always seems to get himself into trouble somehow but does a much better job of extricating himself from the damage. Minter looks to be on his every-other-year pattern that has defined his career to this point. Not counting his late-season performances in 2017, it's run like this in the full seasons. 2018--Good/2019--Terrible/2020--Golden/2021--Dreck.

Snitker seems to have difficulty finding which button to push and too often neglects to push any button at all. But I don't know if it matters which button he pushes with this bullpen. Really uneven performances all season long.

Hard to believe this is the same guy who dominated the Dodgers for three innings in Game 5.
 
FWIW, everyone’s favorite reporter, William Shanks, says a trade for bullpen help is coming as soon as tomorrow
 
That's not soon enough

Shanks' dream is Kimbrel and David Bednar (Pittsburgh). I'm not sure either would cost a whole lot in terms of prospects -- especially if you took on most, if not all, of Kimbrel's contract. If you took on Kimbrel's contract, you'd need to either unload a bad contract here (and add a decent prospect to the pot) or try to get Will Smith traded. You cannot have two relievers make roughly 30 million on next year's payroll.
 
Shanks' dream is Kimbrel and David Bednar (Pittsburgh). I'm not sure either would cost a whole lot in terms of prospects -- especially if you took on most, if not all, of Kimbrel's contract. If you took on Kimbrel's contract, you'd need to either unload a bad contract here (and add a decent prospect to the pot) or try to get Will Smith traded. You cannot have two relievers make roughly 30 million on next year's payroll.

Exactly.
 
Shanks' dream is Kimbrel and David Bednar (Pittsburgh). I'm not sure either would cost a whole lot in terms of prospects -- especially if you took on most, if not all, of Kimbrel's contract. If you took on Kimbrel's contract, you'd need to either unload a bad contract here (and add a decent prospect to the pot) or try to get Will Smith traded. You cannot have two relievers make roughly 30 million on next year's payroll.

I would imagine if we did come away with Kimbrel, Smith could be used to get a big bat in the offseason or to reload the farm a little.
 
In the next 12 games, what record do the Braves need to set a goal to obtain? This will take them up to the trade deadline.

8-4 at worst? 7-5 would only place them at .500.

Philadelphia sees the Yankees and Nats in that frame while the Mets face the Reds and Jays.
 
I would imagine if we did come away with Kimbrel, Smith could be used to get a big bat in the offseason or to reload the farm a little.

I think to move Smith, the Braves would have to send some money along with him. I don't know if that is Anthopoulos' MO, but I know previous Braves' regimes tried to avoid that.

I'd be fine with Kimbrel at the right price, but he doesn't fully solve the problem unless he can pitch three innings almost every night.

Guy to keep an eye on is Taylor Rogers from the Twins. Arbitration eligible but has one more year of control. Twins are miserable this year and are rumored to be looking to unload a lot of guys. Rogers has slipped a bit the last couple of years, but he's got great K numbers and an impressive K/BB.
 
In the next 12 games, what record do the Braves need to set a goal to obtain? This will take them up to the trade deadline.

8-4 at worst? 7-5 would only place them at .500.

Philadelphia sees the Yankees and Nats in that frame while the Mets face the Reds and Jays.

Cut lead in half, back 2 games or less and only trail 1 team
 
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