The Atlanta Braves (thread 1)

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#10,652
#10,652
It always seems like the Braves go on a nice little roll and then Lowe's turn in the rotation comes, and ruins it.

Although its far from over.
 
#10,659
#10,659
OrangeWilly said:
It always seems like the Braves go on a nice little roll and then Lowe's turn in the rotation comes, and ruins it.

Although its far from over.
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It's hard to get excited at the idea of Lowe starting playoff games, isn't it?

I guess Wren had to do it, considering what the Braves' rotation looked like at the time, but man. That signing just hasn't really worked out.
 
#10,660
#10,660
Bunting with Prado here is idiocy. I am not exactly going to miss Bobby's tactical prowess.

EDIT: And it turned out that attempting the bunt blew up the inning. I'm sure VolintheATL would have loved the move, though.
 
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#10,665
#10,665
It would have been a dumb move even if it had worked. Instead, Prado bunted it right at the 3B, who stepped on the bag to get the lead runner and came pretty close to doubling up Prado at first. So Bobby gave Prado up for nothing. Out, out, inning over.
 
#10,666
#10,666
Vercingetorix said:
It would have been a dumb move even if it had worked. Instead, Prado bunted it right at the 3B, who stepped on the bag to get the lead runner and came pretty close to doubling up Prado at first. So Bobby gave Prado up for nothing. Out, out, inning over.
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Yep, it's all Bobby's fault Prado can't get a sacrifice bunt down.

Would you have felt better if Prado had K'd? How about if hit into a double play? What about hit a fly ball to the outfield?
 
#10,667
#10,667
VOLinthaATL said:
Yep, it's all Bobby's fault Prado can't get a sacrifice bunt down.

Would you have felt better if Prado had K'd? How about if hit into a double play? What about hit a fly ball to the outfield?
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That's the thing about small ball fetishists -- they ignore the fact that sacrifices only work about what, 75 percent of the time? A quarter of the time you just give up the out for nothing. And then instead of acknowledging that the failure rate should be part of the calculus in whether to make the move or not, they just act like it's a moral failing on the part of the batter. It's laughable.

And even if the bunt had worked, then you've taken away any chance that Prado -- whom everybody in this forum thinks is the Braves' best hitter -- could plate the runs himself. Prado hits a ton of doubles; Heyward had good speed at first. The Braves' best chance to score in that inning was to let Prado swing away and try to drive in the runs himself. Why would anybody think that it would be smart to hand the job over to Mat Diaz?
 
#10,668
#10,668
Vercingetorix said:
That's the thing about small ball fetishists -- they ignore the fact that sacrifices only work about what, 75 percent of the time? A quarter of the time you just give up the out for nothing. And then instead of acknowledging that the failure rate should be part of the calculus in whether to make the move or not, they just act like it's a moral failing on the part of the batter. It's laughable.

And even if the bunt had worked, then you've taken away any chance that Prado -- whom everybody in this forum thinks is the Braves' best hitter -- could plate the runs himself. Prado hits a ton of doubles; Heyward had good speed at first. The Braves' best chance to score in that inning was to let Prado swing away and try to drive in the runs himself. Why would anybody think that it would be smart to hand the job over to Mat Diaz?
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It's fascinating that you value Prado's power in this situation...and also that although I'm a proponent of small ball, I agree with you here.

I missed the game, but you don't make a .320 guy bunt unless you desperately need a single run. Baseball is about the numbers - we agree on that too. And I'd rather let three good hitters (I don't care what Diaz's avg is this year - he can hit) take a bite of the sizzling steak while they're drooling than ask them to pass the plate.
 
#10,669
#10,669
Vercingetorix said:
... they just act like it's a moral failing on the part of the batter. It's laughable.
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Given my previous post, I will say, however, that a major league player should be able to get a bunt down 9 times out of ten. It's not a difficult skill for them to master. I bet some of them (not saying Prado) screw it up on purpose so they aren't asked to do it again - much like dropping and breaking the expensive china so your wife doesn't ask you to do the dishes again.
 
#10,670
#10,670
TennNC said:
It's fascinating that you value Prado's power in this situation...and also that although I'm a proponent of small ball, I agree with you here.

I missed the game, but you don't make a .320 guy bunt unless you desperately need a single run. Baseball is about the numbers - we agree on that too. And I'd rather let three good hitters (I don't care what Diaz's avg is this year - he can hit) take a bite of the sizzling steak while they're drooling than ask them to pass the plate.
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I've said all along that he's a good hitter. He's just not a real #3 hitter. Apparently Cox doesn't think so either, because he never would have asked Chipper to lay one down in that situation.
 
#10,672
#10,672
TennNC said:
Given my previous post, I will say, however, that a major league player should be able to get a bunt down 9 times out of ten. It's not a difficult skill for them to master. I bet some of them (not saying Prado) screw it up on purpose so they aren't asked to do it again - much like dropping and breaking the expensive china so your wife doesn't ask you to do the dishes again.
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That's what everyone says, but the only player I've ever seen who actually could get a bunt down just about every single time was Greg Maddux, and that was probably because he went ahead and squared up before the pitcher even started his motion. He was up there to bunt; everyone knew it; and he got it down basically every time. I've never seen another player for whom it's as automatic as it's supposed to be.

It's just funny to hear the announcers always act like the guy's guilty of some major moral failing, when NOBODY gets a bunt down 9 times out of 10. Whether they "should" be able to or not.
 
#10,673
#10,673
Vercingetorix said:
That's what everyone says, but the only player I've ever seen who actually could get a bunt down just about every single time was Greg Maddux, and that was probably because he went ahead and squared up before the pitcher even started his motion. He was up there to bunt; everyone knew it; and he got it down basically every time. I've never seen another player for whom it's as automatic as it's supposed to be.

It's just funny to hear the announcers always act like the guy's guilty of some major moral failing, when NOBODY gets a bunt down 9 times out of 10.
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From my perspective, the moral failing is that guys who are paid millions of dollars don't KNOW HOW to bunt - blame them for not learning, and blame the coaches for not forcing them to learn. If they did know how, they wouldn't stab at the ball...and their numbers would go up big time.

Greg Maddux ain't the only guy who can handle the bat either - I think you miss a lot of good bunting b/c you're busy vomiting in your mouth when you see a player square around.
 
#10,675
#10,675
VOLinthaATL said:
Yep, it's all Bobby's fault Prado can't get a sacrifice bunt down.

Would you have felt better if Prado had K'd? How about if hit into a double play? What about hit a fly ball to the outfield?
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Or maybe it would have been better if Bobby had let the league leader in hits swing away.

I don't usually second guess, but that was just a complete waste of an AB whether the sacrifice worked or not. With 2 on and no outs, you have to give a guy hitting .320 a shot at starting a big inning.
 
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