re: 2019 Atlanta Braves season long in-game thread

The word is Folty became too overheated and couldn’t return

It was hot but not very humid

By the time I was able to cut the game on, Newk was already pitching and Chip had said something about Folty being pulled with a low pitch count and no one up in the pen.

Glad it was just that and not Folty having some mental breakdown or blowup with someone on the team or staff.

Playoff hypothetical just because it's getting to be that time. I know the Braves still have work to do to win the division but I feel pretty good about it. Split with the Nats at a minimum this weekend and I'll feel really good. Anyway, the Braves are 4.5 games behind the Dodgers so there is still an outside shot at best NL record. If that happens there is a good chance of facing the Nationals in the NLDS which could mean Scherzer and Strasburg twice each in a five game series (if they decided to bring back Game 1 starter on short rest). Sounds like a more difficult division series than facing the NL Central winner whoever that is.

Which hypothetical path would you rather have:

Option 1:

Overtake the Dodgers and end up with

NLDS v. Nationals (Braves homefield)
NLCS v. Dodgers (Braves homefield)

Option 2:

Finish behind Dodgers and end up with

NLDS v. Cardinals (Braves homefield)
NLCS v. Dodgers (Dodgers homefield) or possibly Nationals (Braves homefield)

I always feel like the Cardinals have some weird baseball Gods voodoo on their opponents where they come up clutch in the postseason even with mediocre teams.

if the goal is the win one playoff series to finally get that monkey off our back, then you go with option 1.

if the goal is to make it to the world series THIS year, then I think you have to go option 2.

We'll end up playing the Nats 19 or so times. So far we have a winning record. Assuming this scenario takes place, that means we likely won a lot of games to finish the year to overtake the dodgers, which means we likely handled the nats easily.

you gotta feel confident that the braves can carry that over. plus, their bullpen is still hot garbage (haven't looked at the stats so I assume this to be the case anyways), so I'd like our chances to work their starters into high pitch counts and get to the pens early.

yes, the Braves play well on the road, but the Dodgers are insane at home. I want 4 games at home where we get the final at bat. I also want Soroka getting a start in game 1 or game 2 at home in both series instead of on the road in the NLCS.

Also, if we overtake the Dodgers then there's a SLIGHT chance that maybe we overtake the Yankees or Astros and get homefield for the WS as well...

quote:

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Always loved Klesko

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Not to derail the thread, but a cool Klesko story passed on to me by a friend who knew him...

When he was still in AAA, the opposing pitcher plunked him on his first at bat. Next at bat, same pitcher comes in high and tight on him but doesn't hit him. Next pitch, Klesko swings and misses, but lets the bat go - it goes flying out and lands right in front of the mound.

Pitcher comes flying off the mound at Klesko, who is coming out to meet him halfway. Benches clear, pitcher and Klesko both get tossed.

After the game, a reporter asks Klesko about the bat toss and if he was trying to hit the pitcher. His response was "No. If I'd wanted to hit him with the bat, the bat would have hit him. I just wanted him to know I was pissed off at him."

With no baseball tonight here is a the game recap of Donaldson blasting a homer in the 10th to beat that nats earlier this year.

With the magic number currently at Glenn Hubbard, here is what could happen this weekend (Braves will have 18 games left to play after this series, Nats will have 20). It's all simple math but I find it convenient to have it all written down so that I can refer to it later.

Braves win 1 of 4 games:
Magic Number = 15
Division lead = 5
If Braves go 9-9, Nats would have to go 15-5 to tie.


Braves win 2 of 4 games:
Magic Number = 13
Division lead = 7
If Braves go 9-9, Nats would have to go 17-3 to tie.


Braves win 3 of 4 games: Magic Number is 11
Magic Number = 11
Division lead = 9
If Braves go 9-9, Nats would have to go 19-1 to tie.


Braves Sweep:
Magic Number = 9
Division lead = 11
If Braves go 9-9, Nats would be eliminated

Braves get Swept:
Magic Number = 17
Division lead = 3
If Braves go 9-9, Nats would have to go 13-7 to tie.

Not too long ago, I believe their road record was better than their home record

Have you seen the Cubs' road record? It's awful. And in spite of their good home record, they let the effing Nats sweep them.