Atlanta's Pitching Chaos and Braves-Padres Preview

00:00:22
Speaker 1: Hello everyone, one episode ninety two of the Every Territory podcast. I am your host, Brad Rowland, coming to you deep into the night here and in Monday into Tuesday. It is not October as were recording this, but it'll be October as you're listening to it. And I'm joined by Scott Coleman. Scott, it is been quite a day our colleagues recording a podcast already that should be in the same podcast feed, doing more of a rapid reaction to the madness that happened. The Rays and Potters are going to play a playoff series that begins in only a few hours. How are you How are you holding up? Hey, Brad?

00:00:54
Speaker 2: I am exhausted. Like mentally, I am a little drained. It was high stress baseball today and man, I mean there are so many things probably running through my head right now that we are going to talk about on this show. At the risk of just blabbering for like ten minutes, we'll try to break it down so people can maybe digest everything that we have to talk about tonight. But it was at the end of the day, the Atlanta Braves, somehow, some way have made the playoffs despite everything that has gone wrong for this team since day one pretty much.

00:01:33
Speaker 1: And that's a lot, and.

00:01:35
Speaker 2: That's a true testament to this team. I don't think anybody would have necessarily blamed them for just kind of saying, you know what, this just isn't our year. Half the team is hurt. Our two best players are arguably are out for the season. Now three best players are arguably out. Maybe four best players are out for the season. And here they are. Now you have a chance to see what happens in October. Yeah, the Breeders are making their seventh straight trip to the playoffs. They did win the division this time, but they've been in the postseason now seven consecutive seasons. We should stay at the top of the podcast. If you're a new listener or recurring listener, we are Hammer Territory. We are part of the Foul Territory Network podcasts. Please please please go ahead and subscribe to the show anywhere you listen to podcasts or watch podcasts. We are also on YouTube. You can see Scott and I in shining HD fashion and I plugged it already, but we will Scott, I will try to be brief all about Monday, in particular because in part Steven and Seawan our colleagues did a full wrap up show focused heavily on that, but we should always begin with that. We'll attempt to be concise before we kind of preview. Our main task on this part two basically is to preview the series coming up against San Diego in a very fast turnaround. But we alluded to it, Scott.

00:02:46
Speaker 1: I mean, I won't give away what you wrote in our document, but it seems like we are in agreement about just how absolutely nuts Monday was from Game one being just in itself crazy and then all of the dynamics in play for game two. How much the Mets tried it came to is up for debate on some level. But uh, I mean, you teased it, but I mean, what else is there to say about Monday? And of course, just for the sick os, we will talk about Ozzie Alby's because that was the funniest thing imaginable and now we can laugh. If the Braves had lost, it would not have been so funny. Now it's back to being funny.

00:03:19
Speaker 2: Yeah, I did, like genuinely laugh my ass off for like five minutes after Ozzy Alby said in your face, Brad and Scott that was great. A lot of people reached out that was even better.

00:03:36
Speaker 1: But yeah, I.

00:03:37
Speaker 2: Mean that was as far as regular season baseball games go. And I know today was technically like a playoff game, but it was still the regular season in the record books. That was probably the craziest regular season baseball game that I have ever watched, especially when you consider the circumstance and what was at stake. I mean, Game one was just nuts. For I mean, honestly, the first like six innings were for pretty breezy and maybe not super high drama and stress, and then the last three innings, I mean, dear God, what a roller coaster that was. But it's funny that we just sat through eighteen innings of this crazy stress baseball and at the end of the day, if the Braves and Mets would have just shook hands virtually on a conference call and said let's each win one game and we'll forfeit the other, it's the exact same outcome as the grueling day they just put together on the field. But I guess that is part of why you play the game. You get moments like today, and it was certainly not for the week of heart for all of the chaos, especially in Game one.

00:04:43
Speaker 1: Yeah, I know a lot of Mets fans they had fun today, which saddens me. I don't enjoy when they have fun, even though they're my friends. I don't want them to have fun. But yeah, we won't reletigate it because Steve and Sean did that already. But obviously Game one was just preposterous in every way, the blown lead, the recovery, the second blown lead, all the things that happened on the Aussie front, and people won't fully grasp this. Then once they listened to our show. You and I did a show Sunday night, our traditional time slot, kind of previewing setting the table for Monday, and we talked heavily about Ozzie Albi's and how he'd been struggling with the bad leads as he came back, you know, not switching anymore, all those things. Batting second. The one thing we definitely agreed on was that he shouldn't bat second against a writy and you know, lo and behold he bats second against a righty. We made fun of this, We even said it on the show. I think at least twice. It was like we were calling our shot, like after all this, Ozzie's definitely going to have a homer in this game, right, yep. And not only did he have a homer, he had like a just an insane game. I can't remember who gave a stat to be so I apologize somebody on Twitter. I should have written it down. But here's here's my favorite one, and I'll let you react to this. Ozzie's played more than nine hundred career games as a major leaguer, including the playoffs, nine hundred games. Game one today was the second time in his entire career that he hit a home run and walked multiple times in the same game. Yep. Two out of nine hundred, Scott, and we pretty much called it last night. And then that's before you get into was he played good defense today, which is the one thing that we were in agreement he wasn't going to be able to do. It was just perfect. I love Ozzy, so it made it even more fun. But I was truly dying. It was so funny. We were all reacting in real time. And you mentioned it, but people are already people reaching out to us immediately, and I love that kind of interaction stuff where we know people are listening. You know, you and I are just talking. We know people are going to listen to the podcasts. We see the numbers and things, but it's just different to have that, like, oh, people are really paying attention to the podcast when it was like an immediate deluge in our mentions tagging both of us and all that. So it was a lot fun.

00:06:41
Speaker 2: Yeah yeah, I mean, look, man, longtime listeners know we are huge Ozzie, all these fans, but we also like to keep it real on the show and yep, call things out for what they are. And the fact was coming into today, since coming off the injured list, Ozzie had really struggled and we talked about it for maybe ten minutes on Sunday night, and lo and behold, he has a game. As you just said, for the second time in his very long career, did he do something again, very on brand for the show's history. Would love for Ozzie to stick it to us, stick it to the pod, and have a great month of October. He already had a great day today and if he can get hot, I mean that means the world to this team, because as we talked about for ten minutes last night, he is going to have a million opportunities to drive in runs, especially batting second, And what did he do today in Game one? But I think he had what six rbi or something crazy, maybe five. It goes to show the importance of Ozzie Alby's in the team, especially if he's batting second, and if today was just a sign of things to come. It really did seem like it was maybe his I mean not maybe it was his best moment and best game without any shadow of a doubt, not only since the broken wrist, but really on the season as a whole.

00:08:00
Speaker 1: Yeah, and you know it was. I wish we could have celebrated it in the game one win versus having to stick out Game two. But certainly that was a fun moment and now in retrospect, Game two was fortunately largely uneventful. What happened between Game one and Game two was eventful as well, kind of preview. We're to get into this a lot deeper later on in the podcast, but the Chris sale bomb that drops that because of the logistics, Alexandthoppless gives a press conference between game and one and Game two, which would never happen, and he even said that he like usually this would be snit. There was no way, but because had to prepare his team to play in thirty thirty minutes whatever it was. He got Alex up there answering questions between games, and he's like, by the way, Chris Saale camp pitch today, and yeah, so we'll come back to that as far as like what's going to happen now, but that obviously, I mean, we will talk about the Betty market a ton, but like the brands were like minus five hundred favorites, which is massive if you follow betting spreads. Once Sale was gonna pitch becuse everybody kne deal the Mets aren't gonna have to try the brave step Sale and as soon as Sale is out, everybody I know, I know this includes me. I'm assuming he concludes you was like, oh my god, they're really gonna do this. They're really going to lose this game. I guess the team is not trying. Shotsta Grant Holmes. That's the last thing we have to talk about about Monday. Grant Holmes, who pitched the day before and Matt drove me nuts. And by the way, did you catch this, Alex said in his press conference. His mini press conversis that there was no way they would have thrown Grand Holmes yesterday had they known that Chris Sale was going to pitch. I'm not gonna pitch because Grant Holmes was obviously the long man, slash bolt guy and the last thing you want. And this is something in people you all get me yesterday. This is what I'm not saying that I foresaw Chris Sale having back spasms. I had no idea about that. But one of the reasons I wanted Grant Holmes to not pitch yesterday was in case of something crazy on Monday and lo and behold, he's still through four innings and he was awesome. So shotsta Grandholmes.

00:09:50
Speaker 2: Yeah, man, Grand Holmes. For a player who I think rightfully has gotten a lot of credit for what he has given this team this season, well, I mean, what a.

00:09:58
Speaker 1: Cool moment for him.

00:09:59
Speaker 2: Yeah, a player who was a first round pick but then spent a decade in the minor leagues. I'm sure there was a lot of moments where Grant, laying in bed in some small town hotel, was thinking, you know, is it time, right? I still haven't made the majors? Is time to move on to something? Else and he stuck with it, and he's thrown some huge innings for the team this year, and especially on a day where the Braves suddenly did not have the cy young winner.

00:10:27
Speaker 1: Man.

00:10:27
Speaker 2: I mean, you talk about a player who needed to step up, and I know the Mets were maybe not not trying, but it was pretty clear. I mean, there was the one play from Brandon Nemo on a double play ball. Let me say this, if it was a game that mattered, something tells me Brandon Neimo would have beaten out the double play. But because clearly the Mets, I mean the Mets literally must have had like their bags packed ready to hop on the team bus to go to the airport as they should, and nothing really changed in their view. You know, for many reasons. The Braves were kind of playing a team that was drawing dead in game two, and hey, Grant Holmes, credit to him. He went out there, he threw strikes, he was efficient and really ran into no trouble until the fifth inning, where he seemed to run out of gas a little bit.

00:11:16
Speaker 1: Yeah, and we won't get breacked up in the whole game, but it was it was not comfortable, even though we understood the Braves were had the advantage. You can see that it wasn't necessarily trying. You know, there was three nothing again, which is the scary score from the previous game. Like it was not comfortable at all. But in the end, look we started here in this segment here, the Braves got into the playoffs. And every time we talked about this, whether it was us or Steven or Shawan the last couple of weeks, it's all about getting in. And there was all these competing dynamics, especially the last few days with the pitching stuff and who's going to go win and be ready for the walk Caart Series. But Alex said us today too, very plainly, like nothing mattered after today unless they got in the playoffs. And they got in the playoffs. It took him all the way to the very end. It was Shenanigans all the way through. But they got in and new season begins on Tuesday. I guess.

00:12:07
Speaker 2: I know that people don't love it when they hear it, but it is so true. Just get into the playoffs and see what happens. Truly, I mean again, I always bring up the Diamondbacks from last year. The Diamondbacks were miserable down the stretch last season, they were awful. They couldn't score runs, the bullpen was crumbling, and what do they do? But they sneak into the postseason on I believe, what was Game one sixty one for them, and all of a sudden, you blinked and they were in the World Series. And I'm not necessarily predicting that or projecting it for the Braves, but you cannot win a World Series if you don't get in. And at the end of the day, the Braves now had at least a fighting chance against a good Padres club. If they advance, it would be against the Dodgers, and then who knows who they would face beyond that, But they at least have a chance. And even if I think at the end of the day we all want a World Series, getting into the playoffs is a huge accomplishment.

00:13:02
Speaker 1: For this team.

00:13:03
Speaker 2: And now we're going to have to see how the next couple of days and.

00:13:06
Speaker 1: Maybe even weeks go. We are on the same page there, and in a second we're talking about a lot of different angles for the coming series. It's a three gamer, the Braves and the Padres. It begins on Tuesday. We'll touch on all of that and more in a second, but first it worked more for friends at foul Territory. We get it.

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00:14:21
Speaker 1: Okay, Scott, I'm gonna throw you a curveball right out of the gate here because we got a question as we were talking on Twitter, and it has to do with the infamous discussion from the last couple of years about the rest versus rust debate, and I figured we should just talk about it now. It's a good kind of bridge and to talk about the six of the series because Gil, look, we talked about this last year. If people are new listeners, you of course want the buy. There was a silly discussion about whether you want to keep playing or advance to the NLDS, and I think it's pretty clear you want to have the buy, and everyone at Baseball would agree on that. But you want to talk about the lack of rest. This is as close to as it possibly could be. We're talking late night Monday into Tuesday. The Braves are in the air right now, flying to San Diego for a game that's going to be happening tomorrow. So how do you feel about this? Is there any possibility that like you could just kind of catch look and all this stuff's narratively, so I'll just say that out front, But I mean, just vibes wise. After all, this is there any sort of catch fire aspect because you tease it with the d Backs, there isn't a lot And this is one of Stevens hobby orts is too. There's not a lot of data that says the way you finished the season really impacts the way you play in the playoffs. In fact, that kind says the opposite. So maybe that's a good thing that Brains didn't play there. I mean, they were playing really well to be fair before today, but no rest is that just better change it up than we'll see. Can I get back to you in like seventy two hours?

00:15:44
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's big it on Thursday, right exactly, definitively, I can tell you the answer to your question. I think a lot of it is narrative driven. Is there a science behind it? Probably not. You know, you look at the Braves and even the Dodgers, and they had great regular seasons the past couple of years, they had four or five days off and they came out flat and they lost. And then you look at a team on the other hand, like the Houston Astros, who before this year have had I believe the first round by every year since the playoffs expanded, and the Astros have just dog walked their opponents for the most part. They won a World Series a couple of years ago, and they went to Game seven of the ALCS against the Rangers and probably should have won the series. So you know, the fact is, we don't know. I think in general, I would well not in general, I would always rather have the first round by because you have a one hundred percent chance of advancing to the NLDS. Braves do not have that opportunity this year. But if they happen to go on a run, now, who knows, maybe I'll fill differently in seventy two hours.

00:16:51
Speaker 1: If they just come out of gun Lazy this week, there is I understand, but there is no way that I will ever risk my course on one of the bibers is not wanted to buy. The thing that you maybe could argue is the not when to have the long layoff as far as like, okay, if you were, for instance, talk talking talk about the potteris a little bit. The Potterys have known for a few days that they were going to be in this position as the number one wildcard team. They kind of clinched that they could set their pitching staff. That's where you have the debate about like pedal to the medal all the way to the end or pedal off instead of your pitching. And these are two teams who are diametrically opposed in that because the Braves have about as little rotation stability as a team could possibly have going into the playoffs, as we'll talk about in a second, whereas the Potterys have lined up the way that they wanted to line it up. Now there's some controversy there too. They did not pitch their best well, they announced that they're not going to throw their best pitcher, Dylan season Game one, which is kind of a surprise, but they had that choice. That was their call on that. The Brads are not choosing anything at this point. It's just piece it together basically. So I wouldn't orderly with that. But look, I know we have a lot of listeners that kind of to watch the briefs and I'm not that's not a christicism, that's just what it is.

00:18:03
Speaker 2: Uh.

00:18:03
Speaker 1: The Padres have been playing incredibly well and that's part of this discussion. Is gonna be kind of just one are the Padres as we prepare for Tuesday and it's not it's not an exaggeration by winning percentage that they have been the best team in baseball since the All Star break. Now, great, and that's an arbitrary endpoint. The full season matters, But they were pretty middling before the All Star break. And they've been, again, not kidding, the best team in baseball, better than the Dodgers, better than the Yankees. Pick picked your team. They've been the best team in baseball since the break. And this is a real scary opponent. It's not the Dodgers like that. We all you know that famous showdown where it's Braves Dodgers, and we all will know. The Pottery's are really good though, and they should not be taken lightly by any stretch of the imagination.

00:18:46
Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, I think the great Tim Kirkchin of ESPN, very very long time baseball writer was talking that this might be the most open and balanced and even at least going into the playoff that he can recall, and I'm inclined to agree. I mean, if you tell me a month from now that the Padres are the World Series champions, I would believe it. They are forty three and nineteen since the All Star break, so they started the year fifty and fifty, so exactly five hundred after one hundred games, and then forty three and nineteen the rest of the way. And they did it in a good division in the NLST. They are good offensively, they are good in the pitching staff, they have a solid bullpen, they play pretty good defense. They have a great home field. I know a lot of Braves fans may not catch a ton of games at Peco Park, but the Padres and San Diego, it is a fantastic baseball town. So that stadium is going to be jacked up on Tuesday night and really throughout the week. So it is a real challenge for the Braves. If you would have asked me to pick, I probably would have taken the Milwaukee Brewer instead of San Diego. But you know, it is what it is. You have to play the team in front of you. And in my mind, is there a chance that the Braves win the series?

00:20:10
Speaker 1: Yes? Absolutely.

00:20:12
Speaker 2: You know, if let me ask you this, Brad, what percent chance do you give the Braves to win the series? Knowing everything we know right now, which is not everything because we still don't know who's starting Game one. But if I were to say, Brad Rowland, your official prediction, what percent chance do you give the Braves of winning the series? And again your analyst hat and not your fan hat.

00:20:33
Speaker 1: Yeah, what would you put it at? Well, why people notice to listen to the show regularly? My analyst hat goes to what's the betty market? Say, not that that's always perfect, but it's a good indicator usually, And right now, the implied odds, So basically, the Potters are favored in the series, which makes total sense. I know, Braves, I don't want to hear that, but it's a three game series entirely in San Diego, and the Potters are well rested, and they had their three stars that they have picked, and but still I say all that, and the implied odds in the series are like thirty five or forty of the Bravees. So like that feels right to me, even with a game one potential chaos situation that we'll talk about more in depth in a second. Yeah, I mean it's a three game series in baseball. I mean, we've done this bit for years, but the best team in baseball in a three game series against the worst team in baseball is like eighty twenty to win it. It's not like they're not. It's not basketball where there's like a thirty point gap between these two teams. Maybe the White Sox this year an outlier, but the Braves lost to the White Sox this year with Chris Sale in the mound. That happened. It's baseball. Baseball is crazy, So yeah, I think, you know, objectively speaking, I think I'd probably go with like forty percent, And that might sound too low to you. That might sound too high to you if you want to view it through the most negative lens possible. But I think my baseline and playoff series, if the teams are relatively similar, is quin flippy with one side taking a little bit of a lead it and in a short series that's even more the case. The only reason why it's not fifty to fifty for me is because of the pitchy situation and the games are in San Diego like with this new format. The Brain's not been in the series yet with a three gamer like this. As far as like in the new format, I know that was the COVID season and weirdness there, but all being in the same park is strange. No day off in between all this stuff is all these factors are limiting. So I'm rambling, but I think I think forty percent something like that sounds right to me. And I'm not trying to be pessimistic, because look, we're going to be hopefully rooting through a positive situation this week. But that feels reasonable and also not pessimistic given all the things that are going against the Braves.

00:22:38
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I think people who have sat through one hundred and sixty two Braves games this season, I mean maybe there are some fans who would come on and go, no, the Braves have a ninety nine percent chance of winning or one hundred percent.

00:22:51
Speaker 1: You know, is though like that. So there's always the crowd that's there's always the crowd that's like, you can't pick against the Braves, you guys are not real fans. There's that crowd, and then there's the other crowd. It's like it's one percent, and it's I get it on both sides right now. I understand, especially the pessimistic crown. I always lean that way personally. That's what my brain, my brain works. But take three steps back, Yeah, you could certainly argue the Padres are the favorites the market degrees. I don't think anybody's gonna be picking the Braves. That's like trying to be like safe in their projections. But in baseball that still means forty percent. It's just what it is. Yeah, yeah, I would agree with all of that.

00:23:26
Speaker 2: And I mean the Braves does it feel like they are underdogs going in?

00:23:31
Speaker 1: Yes, I think so. They have to travel, they.

00:23:33
Speaker 2: Don't have their pitching lined up at all. Again, we should say we don't believe that Chris Sale is going to be able to pitch in the series. That's a big babo Spencer Schwellenbach is not going to be able to pitch in the series. Maybe now we'll start talking about the Braves's pitching plans a little bit, brad, But no sale for Well, not for Shpoort.

00:23:53
Speaker 1: It seems, boy, we don't not for sure. You don't give the time stamp. It's ten pm Eastern on Monday as we're talking. The brains are on the plane, So we're in this dead zone right now. The only thing that's been said on the record is Brian Snicker basically telling the media that he doesn't believe Sales to be available. Not he's definitely out, but there was even talk about the potential that he might stay in Atlanta to like, you know, obviously the worst thing you could possibly do for back spasms down on a plane. That's part. I know it's private. I know it's private travel. But still, and if they think that he can't pitch in the series or probably get pitch in the series, you could argue keeping him in Atlanta, having him be cared for for the potential of the NLDS would make some sense. But given all that, I think we have to assume he's out, even acknowledging that there is a chance he's not. But is that a ten percent chance? I don't know. I'm gonna put a number on it, But for the rest of this conversation, I think we probably should just assue me stop pitch. Yeah, I think that's fair.

00:24:55
Speaker 2: And I mean, not only did Brian Snicker say it, but there has been no reporting on like leaving the door open even I mean, it feels like most people are operating with the idea that the Braves will not have sale this week, and that's how we're gonna have the conversation. And hey, if it comes out tomorrow morning that Chris Sael's back feels one hundred percent and he's starting game one. Awesome, amazing, We'll jump up and down. If you're watching this midday on was it Tuesday? You can skip the next five minutes. But yeah, it doesn't seem likely they're gonna have Sale. They will not have Schwalenbach. I guess he could pitch out of the bullpen for an inning or two on Wednesday or Thursday. But game one very much in the air. Presumably Max Freed is lined up for a regular start in Game two, and then Game three is also very much in the air if they get there. So many many moving pieces now compared to San Diego, which is basically locked in their pitching staff for days now at this point.

00:25:59
Speaker 1: So let's just take a practical approach. Let's talk about game one first in some respects, and honestly, all this kind of folding on each other because there are roster considerations that kind of lay on top of this, and a lot of them have to do with Game one in particular, because they don't. The reality is that, barring Chris Saale and a miracle, the Braves do not have a starting pitcher on full rest to deploy on Tuesday unless they go to the minor leagues and grab one of the four guys that have been listed by beat writers as options. And those four guys are just for you know, play the Benny Hill music, Ian Anderson, a Dispiss Shawber, Bryce Elder, and Hirston Waldrop. All of well three of the four of them are pitched in the majors this year. Ian has not pitched in the major leagues since drum roll August thirteenth, twenty twenty two. So the craziest possible scenario is Ian Anderson pitching in the playoffs after not pitching in the majors for two years. That could happen. That's where we are, Scott. So we don't know the plan. There is a roster scenario that we should at least mention out loud, and that the Bradys have been carrying twenty eight players for a month because September is expanded rosters. Even if they had Chris Sale and everything was normal, they have to pare it down to twenty six. It goes back to twenty six starting tomorrow, and only thirteen of those guys can be pitchers. So there's there's that consideration. Do you put I mean if sale, they have to decide if sal is gonna be on the roster at all by tomorrow. That's that's part of the question too too. It's like it's not like, oh, maybe he could pitch a game on Thursday. If he's not traveling or pitching, he's not going to be on the roster. That's one spot. Do you carry? I'm just gonna ask much a question that we're gonna answer. Do you carry Charlie Morton knowing that he's not going to be able to pitch a full regular start in the series? Schuell Block, I think you're gonna carry it because they could use him in the bullpen, and he's been so good all those things you got to rain out he you know, that kind of thing. But there are bothen decisions to make. Grant Holmes, God bless him. He pitched four innings today. He can't pitch tomorrow. There's no chance to pitching tomorrow. Do you carry Grant Holmes? I think they probably do, But just saying that out loud, all that stuff comes in. But the big thing, I guess is just what's the plan for Game one? And okay, let's just let's just cross one thing off first, right, I guess we shouldn't cross it off, But I don't know about you. My mentions have been full of people insisting that Max Free can pitch on three days rest on Tuesday. My reaction is my reaction is twofold right. Number one, We've been following this for a long time. We've been falling Max for a long time. The Braves do not like to pitch Max Freed, even on regular rest. Sometimes like they like to give Max an extra day, sometimes not a ton of extra days, but like not a guy they want to push. He'll be a free agent at the end of the year, probably consideration if you're Max. And number two, which is I think even more than that, because I get that there's this thought that like it's the playoffs, rubs a dirt on it, pitch, I get it. Number two is that doesn't solve your problem because if you pitched on three days rest on Tuesday, you have the same problem on Wednesday. You don't have anybody to pitch Wednesday either. And on Wednesday, Ornaldo Lopez was was your starting pitcher of the day after Max Freed. He pitched in relief today and spent two and a half weeks on the il with a shoulder. I can guarantee you he's not starting on three days rest. We'll actually be two days rest after you pitched today, or one day rest or whatever. It would be. So like, no matter what, even if you were just the toughest guy in the world and you think Max Free just has to go out there in three days rest and tough it out, your problem is still there in game two, so I don't I mean by And also, last thing, I'm sorry for Ramlin Scott. There is no indication or reporting that they've even considered Max Freed. No one has mentioned in the words Max Free for Tuesday zero, So I just want to get that out there. It's not happening. I don't think I'll be shocked me too.

00:30:00
Speaker 2: I don't think it's an option, especially because it doesn't solve any problem. It fixes a problem one day, but then you have the exact same problem the next. So no, I think they will pitch Max Freed in game two. Again, this is the best of three, so you can almost argue that game two, I mean, game two.

00:30:20
Speaker 1: Is just as important as game one in a best of three, they're all in the same venue. Like there's no travel, Like it's not like you have a Game three at home waiting for you or Game one, like they're all in the same place, like they all mean the same. They just I mean, obviously you want to get to Game three by the end if you want to. But I agree, Yeah.

00:30:38
Speaker 2: So it doesn't really solve any problem by pitching Max. And then as we know, well as we presume no sale, we presume well no Schwalenbach. For sure, Charlie Morton pitched Sunday. He's not an option where an although pitched Saturday, and as you just laid out, is not really an option for game one.

00:30:58
Speaker 1: As a starter anyway, Like he could be in the open like it was today, Like there is a world like for instance, using today as the example with Ronaldo, they can and this tipens a lot in the playoffs. You can throw a starter on their throw day as a reliever. Today was Ronaldo's throw day, so he threw fifteen pitch or something like that today. Yeah, I mean, maybe they would try that with Charlie, maybe they would try that with schwalla Bach, but like that might be an ending or two like that that they're not starting on two days rest or one day rest. That's just like a it's a little bit of a twinkle in your eye kind of thing. Renaldo has been a reliever many times before, so he's used to doing that. That doesn't fix your problem, eater.

00:31:32
Speaker 2: No. So I think based on kind of folks around the team, and it makes sense, the Braves are going to have to call upon one of the Triple A arms, presumably Ian Anderson or A. J. Smith Shaver. I don't think they're gonna do Bryce Elder.

00:31:52
Speaker 1: If we have.

00:31:54
Speaker 2: If I have to do a podcast on another Bryce Elder postseason start, it's gonna be like a seven in a show.

00:32:01
Speaker 1: Well, we could try the reverse jinks. We could try to use our odd the Abbe's powers on Bryce Elder for tomorrow and just be like, oh man, don't give you Bryce Elder and he'll throw out He'll uh No, I think we're on the same page. I don't know. And by the way, no one on the beat that I have seen has really given a guess. They're all just listing the names, and I understand why I don't have a guess either. People were asking me what I would do, and honestly, I feel like people that cover Guenette have more of an idea how these guys look than I do. I won't tell you that I really know how these guys have been pitching that well in the last couple of months. I know that Ian didn't have a really great year in Gwinnette. The numbers were not great. I know A J. Smiths Schavrett is a higher upside guy who we all kind of like, but he's been gone for a while. From my view, I'm I always admit this. I don't watch a lot of Guinnette, so I don't often just like defer to what the team says. But I have to believe that they have their guy that they like out of this cohort. And even if those guys don't start like because look, do you with this? My thought is Game one is a bullpen game no matter what. Yeah, even if they even if they bring up a starter from a quote unquote starter from Triple A, that guy is not going to be in a traditional starting role unless he's just like throwing a no hitter the first sign of trouble. They're not going to keep going with Ryce Elder into the into the fifth inning if he's going to be free runs like, it's not going to be a traditional. To me, it's a bullpen game, but you want to have someone who could throw some bulk on the roster. Basically, Yeah, yeah, I would agree. I think it's you call up a starter and Rick Kranitz has his hand on the bullpen phone whenever there's the first sign of trouble, you know, looking at it today, right, So like Laciers pitch both games, joej Mez pitch both games the one innings.

00:33:45
Speaker 2: Yeah right, you know, no, Grand Holmes. I mean you could go to Jesse Chavez for some innings, although that would be my I mean, man, I love Jesse Chavez, but I hold my breath when he comes in. His underlying numbers have an awful for a couple of months. Now you know, there's there's Chavez. Dylan Lee can go multiple innings. He only threw two pitches today. Yeah, that's something to consider. I mean, Dylan world series starters.

00:34:15
Speaker 1: I was saying, if you didn't world series starter, Dylan Lee has been done it before. While we're here again, they have to make some decisions about the roster and who they're gonna carry independent of this, so like we don't have to name all of it because they'll take forever. But there's only like seven or eight total locks to be on the staff out of thirteen, and it's like, okay, yeah, you probably carry at least one of these fringe starters. You probably carry Grant Holmes because they'll probably be able to go by game two or three, and they like him as they show he's been pitching all this year. I don't know if you can carry Jesse and Luke, like with thirteen guys available, maybe maybe they can. I'm just missing something. I think. I think they seem to trust Daves, Bill Hernandez more than those guys. He's been pitching a high leverge situation. I mean, it was the last time that Chavez or Luke threw a meaningful inning. I actually looked this up.

00:35:06
Speaker 2: Luke Jackson pitched, oh man, it's gonna it's away for me, I think a week ago. But like basically over the last two weeks, I think Luke Jackson has thrown like one in a third innings or something like that.

00:35:17
Speaker 1: Which is appropriate, but that's also means that you probably shouldn't be carrying that ground the playoff.

00:35:21
Speaker 2: Right, right, And you know, I think they will carry Jesse Chavez for a couple of reasons. He does have like a rubber arm. So you know that if I mean, let's let's assume the absolute worst, the Braves are losing eight to nothing in the second inning tomorrow, Uh, you could call in Jesse Javaz.

00:35:37
Speaker 1: And he could eat it for four innings. I mean, he can't.

00:35:40
Speaker 2: That's what he does at this point in his career. It's probably he's probably retiring the day after the Braves are eliminated, whether that's three days from now, or three weeks from now or a month and a half from now. So you know, Jesse Chavez would go out there and throw the baseball. I think you carry him, you know, I on the left side, you have Dylan Lee, you have Aaron Bummer. You know, you have your I mean, you feel good about rayce eell Iglesias and Joe Jimenez. Other than Game one today, we should probably quickly talk about Pierce Johnson.

00:36:14
Speaker 1: Brad we here's you're not you not you? And I did it the other day and I felt bad because we kind of signaled it. But it's been bad for like two months and it's and he was awesome before that. And of course today he had the beltown that we will talk about, and well he wasn't alone, obviously. The two guys who have been unquestionably elie. I saw some Joejmanez slander on Twitter today. Relax, he's been great this year. He was bad today. Come on, what are we talking? What we're talking about? Piers Johnson. Peers Johnson has been bad for a while and that's unfortunate. I think that they clearly still trust him on some level. He's been pitching high lever Geennings. There was a debate that we won't have now about whether Dylan Lee should have just stayed in the game, and I thought he probably should have. But when they want to Pierce today, but yeah, yeah, it's a question mark. I still I still think I trust him more than Jesse and Luke, so oh yeah, yeah I do too. He just met. I mean, I think we agree that Dylan Lee is a guy that I would have higher on my pecking order in a vacuum than Piers Johnson. But uh, that's maybe the only switch that I would make that Snit doesn't seem to always want to make. I think Snitt doesn't trust THEE as much as we do.

00:37:21
Speaker 2: But other than that, and at the risk of turning this into a two hour podcast, you know that there are some there are some real roster decisions to be made because of the state of the pitching. On offense, it's pretty straightforward. There might be one spot up for grabs, but you.

00:37:38
Speaker 1: Want to what it is, let's just talk about it now for two seconds. Yeah, I was gonna say it's basically the outfield. There's there's one outfauld spot that they have to cut. It's between Duval Kellnick and Eli White, and I think it's gonna be Duval.

00:37:51
Speaker 2: That's yeah.

00:37:53
Speaker 1: We love we love at him, but utility wise, like he doesn't give you anything but nobody else gives you. Is that that's my thought?

00:38:00
Speaker 2: Yes, And I mean he doesn't. I mean, you're right, he doesn't really give you speed. Defensively, he's worse than kel Nick on the base pass, He's slower than White offense.

00:38:09
Speaker 1: It is a right it is a righty ye, like, yeah, you kind of have that already. Uh, that's the only just I mean, I won't name all the players, but the if you have to carry thirteen position players and they have fourteen and basically it's one of those because you have to carry a wit for backup infielder. That's an easy choice. The two catchers, all the starters, including Loreano, and then that just leaves you with those three guys for two spots. I mean, it wouldn't stun me if they went Kelnick, I guess off the roster, but I think it's gonna be doable.

00:38:39
Speaker 2: Yeah, And I mean kel Nick has the added benefit of being a lefty, and that's I mean, hey, good for Kelnick. We you know, we tried not to talk too much about Game one, but you know, kel Nick has been riding the bench for a solid two weeks now, basically hasn't played. I think the broadcast said he has like one played appearance the last fourteen games or something crazy like that. You know, Kelnick came in and got a big hit today to keep the eighth inning rally going. So I think kel Nick brings enough. He's versatile, he can cover every outfield spot, he has a little bit of power. I mean, it's been a disappointing year overall for Kelnick, but I think he gives you just enough. And he's left handed in case you want to take down Ramon Loreano or you want to pinch hit for so lair or you know, whatever the situation might be. So I think that's really the only question offensively, But on the pitching side, there are some legitimate questions, especially because we just don't know who is going to be available, whether in a starting capacity or a bullpen capacity. And like you mentioned earlier, you know, do they want to potentially have Charlie Morton throw an inning out.

00:39:43
Speaker 1: Of the bullpen?

00:39:45
Speaker 2: They might have to out of just here necessity, depending on how the next couple of days go.

00:39:52
Speaker 1: Yeah, So there's, as always, there are questions that we can't answer with the same information that Braves have. One of those is the capability of Charge and even Spencer to give you Bolt to pitch in non starting roles, because neither one of those guys can pitch on full rest in this series as a starter. That's the reality of today. So that's a question we can't answer. We don't know who they're gonna call up. I do think we expect them to call up Ethos. Guys don't start the game quote unquote, would it shock you if they did not call up one of the starting level arm from Gwinnett just for bulk, Because it would shock me they didn't do that if sails out obviously, if sales out every caveat sure, Yeah, I would agree. I think you have to probably call up one of Anderson Smith, Shover Elder. I mean, I don't think there's a world they would They would go to Hurston Waldrip, but I mean, well, maybe just because of the of the arm. But I think he's definitely fourth and fourth. Maybe maybe we'll be wrong about that. I think he's fourth on that list.

00:40:51
Speaker 2: Yeah, no, I would agree. So I think you do have to call up one of those three young arms. You presumably have the space in the pitching half of your thirteen, and there's a chance, I mean, one of those three names we just listed might be your game one starter, even if they are not expected to go ninety innings or ninety innings ninety pitches instead of innings. Yeah, I think you just throw them out there and you see where the game is at.

00:41:17
Speaker 1: I might, and we don't spend time on this, but I might go with Dylan Lee as the opener and then have one of those guys behind him versus starting them. But maybe that's a comfort thing. I don't I don't know. We're all guessing and Matt, I wish we have more time, more information to talk about with stuff we we just don't. So that's in short, the plan again Max Freedom. Game two will be lying up on full rest. That's the easy one to plug in. Game three would be Ronaldo on full rest. If you take into account that today was his throat ay, he would be on regular rest in game three. So that presumably will be the plan for game three. So after game one, I mean, the the upside is Scott if they could somehow steal game one, it looks really good. But if you lose game one, obviously the vibes you're bad. You're underdogs even more. But there's a path to win the series if it was game one. So I don't know about you. We can start wrap up a little bit. But this is a pottery scene that we talked about being great earlier, and they really are. They don't one thing out we should always talk about. They don't strike out. It's a weird profile, but they led the majors this year and strike out right on offense, they don't strike out. They don't walk either, so they that combination of no walks and no strikeouts they led the league in hits this year. This is kind of an old school profile. Not a lot of loss, not a lot of strikeouts, a lot of hits, a lot of singles. Weird profile. But they also have a platoon split. They're good against righty's, which is not great for the race. But maybe Max Freed, Max Freed, Game two, Max Freed would be good, So I mean we should say that. And also, do you have an opinion on their pitching staff, going Michael King in game one, we should always talk about game one more than the game two. In game three. The game one is coming Tuesday, and they're not throwing dil and Cease, which I know surprise you me because we prepped for for Dylan Ceas and then we got the curve ball from the Padres. And by the way, it's Michael King instead.

00:43:08
Speaker 2: Yeah, and if the name Michael King is not familiar, he was very good for the Padres this season. He was not as good as Dylan Sees, who just mowed the Braves down in his most recent start against them in July at eleven strikeouts. I think he had a no hitter for a good chunk of that game. So I texted a buddy of mine who's a Padres fan, and his thinking was this, the Padres know that. I mean, they're not oblivious to what's currently going on with the Braves in the state of Atlanta's rotation. So the Padres are effectively starting their number two in Michael King in game one. Game two is at least right now supposed to be Joe Muskgrove, and game three is Dylan Sie's and caes is gonna finish top five and Cy Young voting he was terrific.

00:43:57
Speaker 1: He was a player. Over the winter.

00:43:59
Speaker 2: We talked about the Braves to try to go get I think the Padres thinking is, because the Braves are so shorthanded and having to fly across the country and everything going on, they're going to try to win game one without using their very best arm in Dylan SE's. And then you set it up like this game two. Let's say San Diego wins, then you give the ball to Joe Musgrove, who's very good himself. And if Atlanta would win game one, then I think the Padres would give the ball to Dylan SE's in a what suddenly becomes an elimination game for them. And if you're San Diego and you win the series in two games.

00:44:38
Speaker 1: Then you have Dylan.

00:44:39
Speaker 2: SE's ready to go extra rest Game one against the Dodgers a couple of days later. So in some ways, the Padres are kind of doing what the Braves were doing, just going maybe not Big braining it or Galaxy braining it, but they are taking a bit of a risk by not pitching their very best pitcher in game one. But I also kind of understand the logic behind it, and frankly, I think it's probably the right decision for San Diego knowing everything that we know.

00:45:09
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's a great exquestion of what it's gonna be. And just so you know, one, Michael King, his change up is his huge weapon has elite numbers on it. Like that's something to keep an eye on for Tuesday. He's really been good at avoiding hard contact. His like off speed stackcast data is like like literally nine to nine percentile. So he's not a big power guy, but his all speed stuff is apparently disgusting. So that's the Sky Report in mini form on Tuesday. But look a guy that is obviously not unhittable. He's not he's not a you know, uber e an uber, A Sky like he's good, but he's not unhittable. We'll see how that goes. Obviously advantage San Diego pitching wise, unless Chris Sales Morexley healed. We could be objective and say the pitching advantaging Game one is the Padres, but anything can happen. It's one baseball game. Uh, anything else you want to hit on with regard to San Diego because like they have a they have a good bullpen. I saw I actually read I Lose the Athletics preview of the series, and just to speaking as a sports writer, this is bad for sports writers. It's like you can't preview stuff that you don't know about until right before. It's really hard, but I believe was Eno Saras wrote that he thinks the Padres pitching staff is the best in the playoffs. Wow. Now I had an eyebrow raise at that. But it might be true if Chris Sale is not pitching, because I would argue the Braves that best pitcher pitching staff in the playoffs. But if Chris Sale doesn't exist, then that would not be the case. But that's just a statement. I'm not say he's right or wrong, but for a respected national writer, to be like best staff in the playoffs, Padre. That's a pretty notable thing. And I think the way he framed it was basically their starters that they will have to use in the playoffs, and they're like best four or five bullpen arms. That combination of like nine guys is really good. And he's I think he's right about that. Yeah, right in the playoffs.

00:46:53
Speaker 2: I know people know this, but it's not what is the best twenty six man roster, it's what's the best eight to ten man pitching staff? And what's I mean, obviously you want your whole lineup firing, But we've seen just a couple of players can single handedly carry a team. I mean we saw firsthand with Solaire and Rosario and Duval and Jock. I mean, right, like players step up in the postseason who maybe don't expect. But no, I mean the Padres avery really solid ball club. We mentioned the record they have since the All Star break, They've been very, very good.

00:47:27
Speaker 1: It's a team that's been to.

00:47:28
Speaker 2: The playoffs the past couple of years, and you know they're a dangerous team. I mean, i'd be curious. I don't know, Brad, you're more keyed into the odds and futures than I am, but without knowing, I would assume the Padres have pretty decent World Series odds For being the four seed in the National League. This is a dangerous team. But honestly, across the board, I think all six playoff teams are quite good in the National League. The American League is not that. I really don't. I kind of think the Yankees are gonna finally there again to the World Series in the American League because they just don't see a lot of resistance on that end. But let me say this, I think any of the six teams in the National League could make the World Series and it would not be like some mega shocker.

00:48:16
Speaker 1: Maybe not the Mets.

00:48:17
Speaker 2: I don't know if the Mets have the top end pitching to get them there. I would definitely have New York six on the list. But if you're telling me the Mets with a really good lineup and a pretty good bullpen and they just get hot for a couple weeks, I could see any of the six National League teams getting there. I could see Milwaukee doing it, I could see la I could see Philly, and I could see the Braves. I do think they need Chris Saale healthy if they're going to go all the way. They don't necessarily have to have Saale healthy for a best of three, because stuff happens in a best of three. But the National League has very good teams across the board, and it should be a fantastic playoff regardless of how far the Braves ultimately go.

00:48:58
Speaker 1: We totally agree there your point. The Potteris are actually the third favorite in the betty market in the National League, behind the Dodgers and Phillies. Obviously, Dodgers a Phillies those advantages they are they have to buy all those things. But the Potterys are considered to be the team most likely to win the National League that is playing in the wildcard round. So that says something I would I would.

00:49:17
Speaker 2: Guess that if San Diego advances, their odds would be pretty similar to LA and Philadelphia because there was a Again, it's a good team. Now, don't don't mistake us. We're not saying the Braves are drawing dead and they have no chance.

00:49:29
Speaker 1: No, this is not even like the dodd You know, we we pre you know, I'm talking about Braves baseball. For a long time, there were some Dodgers teams that I thought were like prohibitive favorites at times. This is not that they're not that good. They're not that level of team. There was no juggernaut team this year, which is what you said that earlier, beautifully like there's not in Tim Kurtis said at too. I know you said that, but there's not a juggernaut this year on either side. But they're good, and that's it's a nice test for the Braves. We could do the thing that we I know people have been talking about of vibes and we've kind of run the whole gamut here, but in the end we'll wrap it up and just say, yeah, that might be underdogs situations tough. It's we could be doomsday ers and say, man, another pitching calamity right on the eve of the playoffs. We didn't talk about that on this podcast, goot, But like the synergy of the last couple of years in a bad way of just like the rotation falling apart at the absolute worst time. It's actually uncanny. It blows my mind that this is the timing of it every year right now with the Braves. But to avoid that doomsday realm, like they're still alive here and there's no reason to believe the Braves can't make run well. And on that positive note, I would say, like optimism is something sometimes hard to find, but it sets up if they lose game one. Yeah, like it's gonna lessen their odds. But you have a stopper level guy in game two, Max Free, who just threw a freaking gem the other day in a huge spot, Like there's life here for the Braves. We'll see all all it last. Maybe we'll come on in two days and it'll be over. That will not be great for anybody involved, but we also come on two days and that could be a best in NLDS in the two games many sweep. So keep the faith if you want to. I think the biggest thing before we started this podcast, the Braves got in the playoffs. We preview the series, but the Braves got in the playoffs, and it's a fresh start for everybody. That's right.

00:51:24
Speaker 2: Yeah, I thought Matt Olsen said it well in the post game. Everybody is zero and zero when October world is around. And sure, maybe the betting markets, the computers, whoever it might be, the I'm sure when you see the pundits across the board at ESPN make their prediction predictions.

00:51:40
Speaker 1: If I can talk, it's gonna be San Diego.

00:51:43
Speaker 2: I really think that maybe a personal or two will pick the Braves. But you know, the Braves are underdogs, but that doesn't mean anything.

00:51:50
Speaker 1: Sure. I mean, in a.

00:51:52
Speaker 2: Perfect world, the Braves would be this mega favorite and they'd be playing some crappy sixth seed who just rolled into the playoffs on the final day. But that didn't have happen. But especially with Game one, knowing that you're going to be probably the biggest underdog of the series because of the current situation with the pitching staff, if the Braves can somehow steal Game one, like Game on right like that, then it's really like an entirely different feeling. It's going to be difficult because of how everything is setting up. But again, man baseball, the best team does not always win. I think it's fair to say objectively that this is not the best Braves team that we have seen over the past seven years. With all the injuries, it's probably the worst. But October baseball is a funny thing. The Braves have had the best roster in baseball the last two years. And they have won two collective playoff games because of it.

00:52:46
Speaker 1: Who knows, maybe.

00:52:47
Speaker 2: This is going to be some twenty twenty one vibes and they get hot for a couple of weeks and going to run, let's hope.

00:52:52
Speaker 1: So.

00:52:53
Speaker 2: But either way, we'll be here, we'll be tuning in, we'll be doing our daily podcast, which we do come playoff time, and let's hope a lot of fun. And the Braves have a lot of baseball ahead of them. You said it perfectly there. The last time we were talking about the Braves not having their best roster was when they won the World Series. So this it's gonna happen again.

00:53:11
Speaker 1: But playoff baseball is a different animal, and your team quality certainly helps you, but it is not always indicative of who wins every series in baseball. That's always the case when it comes to the time of year. I mean, even when the best team does win, usually the other side of the of the bracket is like total carnage or whatever. Like rarely is it just like the top seed advancing on all sides. It's not what happens at baseball. And there's a reason for that, all right, Scott, We've done fifty minutes without even going deep on the Monday. Because you and I are sikos, we should also plug one more time. If you want to relive even more of Monday's games and the madness, we recommend listening to our colleagues Steven Tolbert and Shawn Coleman, who did a good job reacting in quick time to that. I'd say, must listen. I already heard it was as I was trying to edit and post it and all that stuff. But they did a great job. Listen to that episode in addition to this one, and then, as Scott said, be here pretty much every single day until they're done playing, if not every single day until they're done playing, and hopefully beyond that. So Scott, anything to plug on the way out? So or should we just get out of here on Monday evening?

00:54:10
Speaker 2: Let's get out of here. It was a very taxing day. It was a lot of baseball, but hey, the Braves are in the playoffs at the end of the day. Even if Game one was infuriating and took five years off all of our lives, even if there was all kinds of drama between the games with Chris Sale and then afterwards and all that, Yes, it was a very long taxing day, but the Braves are in the playoffs and let's hope this team has a magic run left in them. It would be a pretty special way to wrap up a year where so many things have kind of gone against them, and who knows, maybe they'll rally around that and win a couple of games.

00:54:46
Speaker 1: And that starts Tuesday night with the Padres. That's right, So the schedule is as follows. Tuesday eight thirty eight pm Eastern time, first pitch on ESPN for game one. Wednesday same time eight thirty eight pm Eastern time. For Game two, it's ESPN two, and then, if necessary, Thursday, game three at seven o eight pm Eastern on ESPN, So stay tuned for that, and then after those games we'll be here in some combination of the four of us talking about whatever transpires. So please go ahead and subscribe to the podcast. Follow Scott on Twitter at Scott Polling fifty five, follow me if you'd like to at bt roll, and follow our show on social media at Hammer Territory on Twitter, Slash, Instagram, Facebook, all those places, and once again, please please please subscribe to the show Apple, Spotify, Overcast, Amazon Music, We're also on YouTube, where you can like the video and subscribe on that platform. Two. Thanks to everybody for the support. It's been really, really fun the last couple of weeks as people are getting back on board even more and more, and we definitely appreciate. Let's keep it rolling, Tell your friends, and we'll see you all after game one.