The Braves series, June 11-13

[eddie83]

4 minutes ago, SteveA said:

I don't go into games with a negative attitude, not when our team is as good as the O's have been for the last 2+ years.

But situationally there can't be a much worse situation than tonight:

• Teams that play a night game and then travel and play the next day only win about 40% of their games.   I imagine the flight git in around 2 or 3 am, add an hour for deplaning and getting home and to bed.  Not only that, we are playing an opponent who has had about 50 hours off since their last series and they have essentially had no travel in that period.
• We just put our best reliever on the IL
• We are giving our best hitter the day off.
• Atlanta is starting their best pitcher and we are starting the guy who came into the season about #8 on our starting rotation depth chart.

A win tonight would be fantastic, but I am not going to sweat it if we lose this one.

It was odd last night was a night game. Briefly had game on radio Sunday or yesterday and Hollander thought may have been some gamesmanship. TB is home again today. 

[ORIOLE33]

I just want to see them beat a good NL team. 

[RZNJ]

1. Albert Suarez, who gutted it out the last couple of times against Max Fried who’s been on a roll.  

2. Mateo replaces Gunnar in the lineup.

3. Baker replaces Coulombe in the bullpen.

Why do I feel like doing a Firestone riff on tonight’s game?    I sense a loss and maybe an ugly loss.  If you see Bryan Baker on the mound it’s probably because the game is, essentially, already over.

[Moshagge3]

7 minutes ago, SteveA said:

Two?

Did Austin Hays bat in the Tampa series? I know he was a defensive replacement at some point but I didn't think he ever hit.

[RZNJ]

There is a silver lining in Baker’s 6.55 ERA at Norfolk.  Last 5 games.

5 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 6 K’s, 0 runs.    Maybe he won’t be awful.

Edited June 11 by RZNJ

[Frobby]

I feel like whenever we field one of our weakest lineups, that’s the night we score 7 runs.  I’m certainly not counting on that, but I won’t assume poor results, either, despite the logic of it.  

[Moshagge3]

13 minutes ago, Moshagge3 said:

Did Austin Hays bat in the Tampa series? I know he was a defensive replacement at some point but I didn't think he ever hit.

Ah, OK, I see he got one AB in the Saturday game and doubled. Still, one plate appearance since last Thursday. 

[DirtyBird]

It’s a shame we have conceded this game. It will make the 2 of 3 goal more difficult to accomplish.

[Frobby]

50 minutes ago, DirtyBird said:

It’s a shame we have conceded this game. It will make the 2 of 3 goal more difficult to accomplish.

Apparently Mateo didn’t get the memo. 

[dystopia]

2 hours ago, DirtyBird said:

It’s a shame we have conceded this game. It will make the 2 of 3 goal more difficult to accomplish.

Yeah really wish the O’s had tried to win today. 

[HbgOsFan]

I need to add sophisticated, trenchant analysis, using sophisticated analytic tools.

having done so, my conclusion is that this was a great win, and I love this team.

[dystopia]

Gotta feel for the Braves a bit. Losing Strider and Acuña is a double kick to the nuts. 

[RZNJ]

4 hours ago, RZNJ said:

1. Albert Suarez, who gutted it out the last couple of times against Max Fried who’s been on a roll.  

2. Mateo replaces Gunnar in the lineup.

3. Baker replaces Coulombe in the bullpen.

Why do I feel like doing a Firestone riff on tonight’s game?    I sense a loss and maybe an ugly loss.  If you see Bryan Baker on the mound it’s probably because the game is, essentially, already over.

Baseball is a very funny game.   How did we win that game?

[RZNJ]

16 minutes ago, dystopia said:

Gotta feel for the Braves a bit. Losing Strider and Acuña is a double kick to the nuts. 

I’m almost crying.   

[interloper]

That was an absolute meatball cement mixer to Mateo. What a terrible pitch from an excellent pitcher. Kudos to Jorge for not missing it.