SP options

B

bravesfanforlife88

Well-known member
Obviously some serious concern in our rotation going forward.

Soroka and Max have us covered in the first two spots. After that Newk is our next most reliable options. And that scares the hell out of me. How would you fill the final spots?

IMO id take a good look at Tomlin for one of them.
 
Considering I consider Fried a 3 (at best), I'd be looking for an outside option on a 1 or 2 first and foremost, and use a revolving door for 4 and 5 until someone steps up and starts taking them. Which is probably more general than what you're looking for, but it's hard to know what is even a realistic outside option in this crazy season.
 
Snowman said:
Considering I consider Fried a 3 (at best), I'd be looking for an outside option on a 1 or 2 first and foremost, and use a revolving door for 4 and 5 until someone steps up and starts taking them. Which is probably more general than what you're looking for, but it's hard to know what is even a realistic outside option in this crazy season.
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I don't know that I'd be willing to spend too much this season. This thing could be called off any day.
 
msstate7 said:
I don't know that I'd be willing to spend too much this season. This thing could be called off any day.
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Yep, if we see Philly players testing positive, it'll most likely be called off.

But for future reference, we've likely gotten into so much of a hole with SP that for 2021, if at all possible, we're likely going to have to do our best to acquire 2 starting pitchers. Maybe kick the tires on a Minor return, and then attempt to do a trade but keep our best prospects for another pitcher. 4 potentially reliable pitchers and then revolving through guys in #5 until one hits would be much better than what's going on right now, and even doing 3 potentially reliable and 2 revolving door spots.

Sure would've helped if Folty didn't **** the bed somewhere with what was going on there and Newcomb can actually do the "he looks like a potential tank ace" deal. If we didn't have that going on, then maybe we could've done 1 SP. Instead, we'll likely need 2.
 
I'd suggest piggybacking the kids. Use this ridiculous year to figure out what they've got. Service time seems like a joke at this point for pitchers. Most are used up by year 6. Hope Mike and Max are exceptions, but odds seem to be against.
 
I don't see any trades this season. With the expanded playoffs, prices will be through the roof, and most won't be available.

So the only option is internal candidates such as Touki, Chacin, Tomlin,etc.
 
bravesfanforlife88 said:
I don't see any trades this season. With the expanded playoffs, prices will be through the roof, and most won't be available.

So the only option is internal candidates such as Touki, Chacin, Tomlin,etc.
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There should still be a market. Bad teams will still want to shed expiring and expensive contracts.

I'm curious where the financial incentives for owners are this year. Does making the playoffs really help you that much when you have no gate? Would you want to spend just to make the first round and see what happens?
 
Tapate50 said:
I'm probably going to use Chacin and Tomlin until we think Ian Anderson can take over. Wright should get a LONG leash too.
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Trading for someone in 2020 would be a little stupid IMO. Play it out with what you have and keep your prospect powder dry in the event an unexpected trade opportunity presents itself this winter.

With the expanded playoffs, you've got a chance to back in to begin with - if they finish the "season". Put the group of Chacin/Wright/Touki/Wilson/Davidson/De La Cruz/Anderson/Muller in whatever order you rank them as an organization, and keep rolling them out in the last two slots until someone takes a job. Once you've ranked them though, you HAVE TO stop the up-and-down every other start *hit. Tell Wright the spot is his and to stop looking over his shoulder and pitching scared. There's no reason for him to be in Gwinnett throwing to guys that can't hit him unless he proves to you he's incapable of learning and making adjustments at this level. Watch him for the next 5-6 starts, then re-evaluate things. If he's still pitching like he did in the 3rd inning last night it's time to move on to the next guy.

I'm convinced our problems with Folty/Newk/Touki/Wright/Wilson is an organizational flaw at the upper levels. Stop coddling these kids and commit to them. How do you expect them to develop an edge and the confidence they can get hitters out at this level if Snitker's watching over their shoulders with a 6 inch hook? Stop going out there at the first sign of trouble and filling their heads with even more things to think about other than mechanics and game situations - your Catcher can typically handle helping them with those adjustments. Give them the chance to learn how to get themselves out of trouble and keep from embarrassing themselves. If you look as good as Wright did in the first two innings last night, it's likely something as simple as losing his release point (I realize that's not the simplest thing in the world for us humans, but you get the point). Don't go out and get him after he's given up 3 runs in the 3rd, leave him out there to learn to think for himself and stop the bleeding. He's not going to improve if you don't do that - he'll always be waiting for you to come get him. Then let the Pitching Coach talk to him between innings and send him back out there if the pitch count allows.
 
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Tapate50 said:
I'm probably going to use Chacin and Tomlin until we think Ian Anderson can take over. Wright should get a LONG leash too.
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The pickle we are in really shows how much the Braves knew Folty was done. No way they do this unless they knew literally anyone would be better in that spot.

That sounds good...just have some guys to hold down spots. Chacin and Tomlin will probably do fine for the short term. There is still a chance Cole comes back. I also keep thinking the combination of Touki, Weigel, Wright, Wilson...one of those guys should step up at some point soon. We have a crop behind those guys like Anderson, Muller, Davidson, Ynoa. We have another lesser crop behind those guys, but should produce a good lower rotation guy.

It’s not the Braves fault that Cole has been a no show, and that Folty went from starting in the playoffs to looking like a soft tosser. That’s two really good pitchers. Felix also opted out. They set themselves up to not need ANY young pitchers at first. They were going to give these guys time in the minors to develop.

Remember these young guys haven’t gotten the time they are used to and desperately need. I’m not surprised they do not look very hot. They need Pitching time that they aren’t getting.

So, it’s really early to call all these guys busts and trade them away for a tad above average pitcher. Three of our top five prospects are NOT pitchers, so it’s not like we our rebuild depends on our pitchers. It has more to do with Covid and really, really, bad luck...which as a Brave fan...I’m pretty used to.

I might also add that we have two minor league catchers right now that probably doesn’t help things.
 
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Super said:
this is the perfect year to let the kids pitch and see what they've got. who really cares about this season
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This is pretty true. If you lose, no one will notice much, and, even if you win it all, it will be minimized.
 
Dalyn said:
This is pretty true. If you lose, no one will notice much, and, even if you win it all, it will be minimized.
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Disagree.

2020 will be remembered greatly because of the uniqueness.

Flags fly forever. Any franchise and city worth their salt wants to win . . . badly.
 
This season seems the perfect year to test the youngsters. All you need to do is be average and make the playoffs. You don't run into that issue of having to watch seasonal innings buildup numbers. We have a very strong bullpen so we can better cover many of the issues that come with young pitchers. Then we have a veteran we paid big money that should be back by the playoffs.

This season now hinges even more on Soroka and Fried than before. I thought the Chacin signing was goofy but now he slides right in as our current 5th starter. I'd keep using Touki and Tomlin in the bullpen and give Wilson the next needed starts. I actually think I'd trust a Weigel, Davidson, or Anderson start practically more than I currently trust anyone after Soroka, Fried, or Chacin.
 
With no Folty trading for a moderately priced mid rotation arm with control extending beyond this year makes sense.

One of the Detroit dudes maybe.
 
Southcack77 said:
With no Folty trading for a moderately priced mid rotation arm with control extending beyond this year makes sense.

One of the Detroit dudes maybe.
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Yeah, I've been making the assumption, and apparently I'm in the minority on this, that guys with no control past this year would come very cheap in terms of prospect capital because of the shortness and uncertainty of the season. Obviously we'll have to wait to see a deal or two to know if my thinking was correct, or theirs.
 
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