We have done so much hand wringing and teeth gnashing about what AA did and didn't do with respect to the starting rotation last off-season and at this year's trade deadline, that we seem to forget that if we don't hit, and recent history would indicate that we have struggled vs playoff caliber type pitching, that it doesn't matter whose pitching if you can't score runs.
Everyone "remembers" when Elder got lit up in the playoffs. What we seem to have a hard time remembering is that the Phillies starters just shoved against us.
I learned a very long time ago that it is impossible to win baseball games if you don't score runs. And it's impossible to score runs if you don't hit.
Bruce: Acuna is now .240, gets picked off/thrown out more than he steals, zero hustle (the one ball he hit tonight was fumbled by Arenado, but Acuna's normal jog to 1st base allowed it to be a no contest out), 12 homeruns and 30 RBI's: yet he is calling the shots. He gets the "easy" DH (why not just cut Dom?). Not mandatory he back up anything. Not mandatory he run out anything. Not mandatory he hussle. His career is "injured to death", yet he "manages" the Braves. He will not steal 73 bases in the rest of his career, nor hit 40 homeruns. Too fragile.
I left Pfaadt out of my fantasy baseball lineup which settled the moral dilemma of "starting an opposing player against my team" but I also thought we were going to hammer him. Sure enough, he ends up ringing up 60 pts on my bench!
I'd like to know what Pfaadt did to turn his season completely around. From pitching in AAA Reno two months ago to looking like a Cy Young guy tonight is incredible. He was the epitome of what COMMAND can produce - fast ball at 93mph mostly but never allowing a ball to wander into the center of the strike zone. None of the Brave's hitters looked good but Acuna looked overmatched.
We have done so much hand wringing and teeth gnashing about what AA did and didn't do with respect to the starting rotation last off-season and at this year's trade deadline, that we seem to forget that if we don't hit, and recent history would indicate that we have struggled vs playoff caliber type pitching, that it doesn't matter whose pitching if you can't score runs.
Everyone "remembers" when Elder got lit up in the playoffs. What we seem to have a hard time remembering is that the Phillies starters just shoved against us.
I learned a very long time ago that it is impossible to win baseball games if you don't score runs. And it's impossible to score runs if you don't hit.
Bruce: Acuna is now .240, gets picked off/thrown out more than he steals, zero hustle (the one ball he hit tonight was fumbled by Arenado, but Acuna's normal jog to 1st base allowed it to be a no contest out), 12 homeruns and 30 RBI's: yet he is calling the shots. He gets the "easy" DH (why not just cut Dom?). Not mandatory he back up anything. Not mandatory he run out anything. Not mandatory he hussle. His career is "injured to death", yet he "manages" the Braves. He will not steal 73 bases in the rest of his career, nor hit 40 homeruns. Too fragile.
I left Pfaadt out of my fantasy baseball lineup which settled the moral dilemma of "starting an opposing player against my team" but I also thought we were going to hammer him. Sure enough, he ends up ringing up 60 pts on my bench!
I'd like to know what Pfaadt did to turn his season completely around. From pitching in AAA Reno two months ago to looking like a Cy Young guy tonight is incredible. He was the epitome of what COMMAND can produce - fast ball at 93mph mostly but never allowing a ball to wander into the center of the strike zone. None of the Brave's hitters looked good but Acuna looked overmatched.