Braves update.

[boomboommsu]

Bobby Cox loses another one (Rick Ankiel gets the start? really? he of the 40Ks in last 100 ABs, .200 average? did Matty Diaz AND Melky Cabrera both contract 24hr vaginitis, because even a waterhead could see either is a better choice). But the Rockies drop one (with SF and SD winning), so the Braves' Magic-ish Number drops to 9, with 10 to play.

It could change, but as of today root for the Rockies when they play the Giants.

 

[missouridawg]

that if Rick Ankiel is going to want to continue to play Major League Baseball, he's gonna have to get his arm ready. It's a cute story and all about his comeback... but he's just not a major league, everyday hitter. If he dropped bombs like Mark Reynolds, no one would care aobut his strikeouts... but he's not that good of a power hitter.

 

[FISHDAWG]

the trades have hurt the braves instead of helping them to the playoffs...Derrick Lee has been the only one that has paid off...at this rate they won't make it

 

[llmsudawg]

doesn't matter who is on the mound if you can't hit or score runs though.

 

[fieldman]

Why mess up your starters rotation for one series when they still have 10 games to play after this? It's not like Cox planned on Jurrjens getting hurt either.

 

[boomboommsu]

The Phils utilized theirs to skip someone and line up their top starters to face the Braves on their regular days of rest. The Braves did it the Bobby Cox way.

I said in late August the Braves should trade for a veteran mediocre starter, for just this situation. There were plenty available for anyone who wanted to pick up 1 month of their salary. It didn't take much mental power to see that the Braves had already called up their only viable injury replacement (Minor). For whatever reason (idiocy), the Braves did not do so.

 

[saltslugs]

Since we are in direct competition with the Phillies, the game is essentially twice as important--we have the opportunity to win a game (as usual) but also the opportunity to hand the Phillies a loss that we don't get while playing the Marlins.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

The only thing the Phillies did was use their off to switch Oswalt and Kendrick. Hamels, Halladay, Oswalt and Blanton have pitched on regular rest for better than a month. By switching Oswalt and Kendrick, Oswalt pitched on his regular rest and Kendrick got an extra day. They're going to skip Kendrick tomorrow, then pitch Blanton, Halladay and Hamels on four DAYS rest, not four GAMES rest. Oswalt will follow him, and presuming they have clinched by then, they will have an off day next Thursday and the closing three with the Braves to do whatever they want to do to set things up for the postseason.

They are going to be one hellacious out for anyone (NL or AL) if their big three keep rolling, and more importantly, if Lidge keeps it up. Just imagine how good they will be if they get Rollins back next week.

 

[fieldman]

Say Bobby Cox messed with the rotation and pitched Hudson on short rest so he could have gone today and Hanson had gone against Halladay, the same outcome in the series likely would have happened, then you have a struggling Minor well over his innings limit pitching @Nats, which could have resulted in a loss as well.

While Bobby Cox hates the wild card, he is doing the right thing by keeping his rotation set vs the nats and fish instead of burning up his quality starters this far away from the post season.

 

[fieldman]

Teams just don't "pick up" veteran arms off of the waiver wire. It just doesn't happen. And it would have cost the Braves to get one, and they didn't really need another arm anyways. They already have Hudson, JJ, Hanson, Lowe, Minor, KK, and Martinez as a spot starter.

Braves only had 1 off day in the month prior to this series so shuffling the rotation really wasn't an option when the Braves needed to take 2 out of 3 against the Mets just as much as they needed 2 out of 3 from the Phillies.

 

[boomboommsu]

they do look good right now. the Braves have the best bullpen to use against their lefty-heavy lineup......but their starters are all righties. but anything can happen in a 5-game series, and the Phils are probably going to be matched up against whoever comes out of the West the hottest.

 

[boomboommsu]

There were many available, nothingrequested in return, just salary dumps. Almost no teams have a need to pick up a starter with a high salary and a 5 or more ERA. The non-contenders can just call up somebody, the outcome doesn't matter anyway to them, and most contenders aren't in such dire need of a starter.When they are, when they've already resorted to their backup plan (Minor) they grab some has-been as an insurance policy. The Braves neglected to, so they were forced to resort to the Beachy debacle.

You actually listed KK?

"Braves only had 1 off day in the month prior to this series so shuffling the rotation really wasn't an option when the Braves needed to take 2 out of 3 against the Mets just as much as they needed 2 out of 3 from the Phillies."

After checking the schedule, i do agree with that. They were kind of screwed on that one. But they have 2 off days to work around now, will they use them to properlymanage the rotation? Will they skip Beachy/Minor, pitching the starting 4 on 4 days rest all?

 

[saltslugs]

Games against Phillies and wildcard rivals gives us an opportunity to help our record andhurt their record. When we beat the pirates, we get the win but do not get the benefit of beating a team with which we are in direct competition.<div>
</div><div>Change 3 of our losses against the phillies to wins: We are currently 86-66, so we move to 89-63. The Phillies would move from 88-64. So, by just changing 3 of our wins against the Phlilies we take the lead in the race, in which we are currently 5 games behing.</div><div>
</div><div>On the other hand, add 3 more wins against Marlins, we move to 89-63, but we no longer gain a lead in the NL East.We would still be 2 games back.</div><div>
</div><div>So games against the Phillies have twice as much impact in the NL East race than games against Marlins this year.</div><div>
</div><div>But in terms of the wild card race, you are right. Games against the Phillies are equivalent to games against the Marlins.</div>

 

[821505]

He has done his best to made us the Orioles of the NL. Except for the Escobar trade each one has been a disaster. We could've had Adrian Gonzales cheap. But NOOOO lets get a crippled Glaus. Traded away Vasquez for Melky and Hinske. That worked out well. Ankiel and Farnsworth;won't even touch that one. Adam Dunn was available, but so was Derrik Lee. Go figure. And of course there's Bobby ruining Meldin and trying his best to throw Venters arm off. Wait Sorry Orioles fans they actually went out and got Bucky.

 

[fieldman]

Could have had AGon for cheap? Are you kidding? We would have had to give up Hanson, Heyward or Freeman along with one or two of our top pitching prospects for him. That is far from cheap.

Melky Cabrera wasn't the centerpiece of the Vazquez deal. Arodys vizcaino, on of the top pitching prospects in baseball until he needed surgery, was. What has Vazquez done for the Yankees this year?

We got Ankiel and Farnsworth for free pretty much... Same with D. Lee. And I can't help but laugh at you blaming Bobby Cox for Medlen getting hurt.

 

[fieldman]

After the nats series, they will probably go with 4 man for the rest of the year I would guess. The whole beauty of MLB is that at this point, the Braves need to win to get to the playoffs, but also position Hudson, Hanson/JJ and Lowe for their playoff starts at the same time. It's gonna be a fun last two weeks to watch for sure

 

[boomboommsu]

I don't thinkhe starts again. The Braves writer today was suggesting he's got a tired arm. With an off day tomorrow and next Thursday, 4 man rotation from here out on 4 days rest works out perfect. Assuming Jurrjens makes his starts. Gives you the last game to start Hudson if you need to, or can use Beachy if they've already clinched.