re: ATL Thread: 7/13 vs Metropolitans

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Braves wipe these frick tards like a flushable wipe in the playoffs

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Same thing that was said on Monday about this series.

A few thoughts:

1) losing 2/3 in July to a good Mets team is not the end of the world. And make no mistake, the Mets are a good team and should get better with the guys they have coming back. But some of their hitters are playing a mottle above their heads right now and should even out to their mean.

2) Clearly, we are suffering from a little fatigue, and the All-Star break is coming at a good time

3) Olson looks like he might finally be starting to come around (which is kind of a weird thing to say, considering how many XBHs he’s already got. 2 home runs in consecutive games and 2 more that he crushed that went just foul. I think though he handled it super professionally externally, internally the whole Freddie deal was weird and probably difficult to deal with. Knowing he was replacing a fan favorite and the face of the team the last decade, got a huge contract extension, and was playing in his home town probably made him put a lot of pressure on himself that should finally be alleviated. I expect him to have a much better 2nd half, specifically in regards to hitting more balls over the fence.

4) Riley is a fricking stud and is gonna wind up hitting close to .300 with 40+ home runs and 100+ RBI and be an MVP candidate.

5) Duvall has finally started hitting with power after moving over from CF

6) Rosario literally just got back from eye surgery, and if today is any indication, looks to be regaining his form. He crushed 3 balls today.

7) We get Ozzie back, and that will drastically change not only the lineup, but chemistry of the team. He brings a joy to the game that is infectious and rubs off on everyone, especially Ronnie.

8) Ronnie is a top 5 player in baseball still playing his way back into form. He’s had a couple encouraging line drives up the middle and to right center the last 2 days. He’s just gonna keep getting closer to who he really is the more he plays, and I think when you add that to the joy he plays with when Ozzie is there, he should be close to rounding in to that top 5 player by the time the playoffs come around.

9) Robinson Cano was a huge pickup. His EV are very encouraging, but more than that, his greatest value may come in his clubhouse presence. I was super encouraged by that Ron Washington article on him. With Freddie gone, we don’t really have a veteran defensive guy to show guys how to prepare, to share the little tidbits of knowledge he’s gained by playing not only so long, but on so many championship teams. And Ron said he thought he’d have a really good influence on Ronnie, who gets easily frustrated—Wash even said he could be a baby at times. So he’s gonna give us value beyond his production, but his production might well be pretty valuable too as long as he keeps hitting the ball hard.

I’ll leave it at that on just some encouraging bright spots on offense that, barring injury, should be really good again after the dog days of summer are over, it cools off, and everybody gets their 2nd winds.

One last thing on the starting pitchers, and I’ve said this for a year. AA cannot count on Soroka giving us anything at all, much less returning to his pre-injury form. He’s gotta pretend like he won’t throw a pitch this year, and address SP at the break accordingly. If he does come back and gives us anything, that should be considered lagniappe. But there’s no way you can assume it.

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I'll take him over Bassitt

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You'd take Charlie Morton over Chris Bassitt?

I mean, ok. Morton is always underrated but Bassitt is going to get paid this off-season and Morton will age out eventually (and he's not immortal like Scherzer).

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1) losing 2/3 in July to a good Mets team is not the end of the world. And make no mistake, the Mets are a good team and should get better with the guys they have coming back. But some of their hitters are playing a mottle above their heads right now and should even out to their mean.

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Overall -- good post. But quick question: which Mets hitters are playing over their heads?

Luis Guillorme is one. Who else? Everyone is either around or below career norms in the cases of Escobar, Smith, and Davis

I personally would take our pitchers over your pitchers