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Post by Fumbduckery on Aug 28, 2021 8:47:06 GMT -5
Hey remember that time Will Smith closed out a game with three straight outs and no drama? Yeah, me neither.
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Post by PABraveFan on Aug 28, 2021 9:18:56 GMT -5
Can you imagine how many blown saves Smith would have if we just had a one run lead? We brought him in 3 or 4 times earlier in the season in a tie game and he gave up the lead. He may have 29 saves but also has 4 blown saves and 6 LOSSES some of which he gave up runs in the 8th inning or later in a tie game. He's a perfect example of not passing the eye test even though the stats don't look terrible. How may contending teams have a closer with an ERA approaching 4?
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Post by keystone61 on Aug 28, 2021 9:34:20 GMT -5
If any other hitter in their lineup had been at the plate in the 9th besides LaStella, that ball would have been gone, too. You couldn't set the ball on a tee and make it easier to hit. His fastball is horrible. We can't keep sending Smith out there, we just can't.
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Post by Fumbduckery on Aug 28, 2021 12:39:17 GMT -5
I’d like to know where he ranks among closers in average exit velocity because he gets a lot of balls hit so hard against him. When LaStella hit that ball last night I was sure it was gone. Aside from having a 93mph fastball that is straight as an arrow he hangs half of his breaking balls too.
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Post by TomlinFoolery on Aug 28, 2021 13:23:43 GMT -5
Anybody besides LaStella and that ball is gone, and probably plum over the chophouse. LaStella is a decent player, but hes got just above Ender power.
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Post by Hart's Middle Finger on Aug 28, 2021 13:39:48 GMT -5
Probably true...
I've watched the play about 30 times now and that was a center-cut, belt-high meatball pitch that most of their lineup would have deposited about 12 rows deep.
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Post by Fumbduckery on Aug 28, 2021 13:44:47 GMT -5
He throws a minimum of one and sometimes as many as three center cut pitches to every hitter.
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Post by TomlinFoolery on Aug 28, 2021 13:54:41 GMT -5
It is probably what, 360 or so to that portion of the wall? Tommy LaStella probably hit it 358.
Snitwit needs to watch the film of all the recent bombs given up(5 in 12.1 ip ...yiiiikes) and look at where the pitch wasclocated and what it was-- bunch of flat, straight fastballs either dead middle of the plate, belt high. And on the rare occasions hes got grounders, theyveen sharply hit, 100+ mph, destined for run scoring doubles if not for stellar defense by the infield. That just cannot be alloweed to keep playing in a closer or even set up role.
This dude is a classic case of his ERA being WAY better than what he is(and its still bad for a closer imo). I gotta imagine his FIP, xFIP, and xBA are absolutely atrocious.
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Post by TomlinFoolery on Aug 28, 2021 14:07:55 GMT -5
#Braves closer Will Smith's past 11 appearances: 6.97 ERA, .400 oppOBP, 1.100 oppOPS, 10 1/3 IP, 10 H, 8 R (8 ER), 8 BB, 15 K, 5 HR, 2 HBP. He's converted 7 of 9 saves in that span, team won 9 of the 11 games. But this really doesn't seem sustainable with him as primary closer.
Gee, ya think DOB?
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Post by Fumbduckery on Aug 28, 2021 14:12:46 GMT -5
#Braves closer Will Smith's past 11 appearances: 6.97 ERA, .400 oppOBP, 1.100 oppOPS, 10 1/3 IP, 10 H, 8 R (8 ER), 8 BB, 15 K, 5 HR, 2 HBP. He's converted 7 of 9 saves in that span, team won 9 of the 11 games. But this really doesn't seem sustainable with him as primary closer. Gee, ya think DOB? The funny thing about that ERA is that he’s actually been very lucky several times that things didn’t end up even worse.
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Post by TomlinFoolery on Aug 28, 2021 14:29:53 GMT -5
#Braves closer Will Smith's past 11 appearances: 6.97 ERA, .400 oppOBP, 1.100 oppOPS, 10 1/3 IP, 10 H, 8 R (8 ER), 8 BB, 15 K, 5 HR, 2 HBP. He's converted 7 of 9 saves in that span, team won 9 of the 11 games. But this really doesn't seem sustainable with him as primary closer. Gee, ya think DOB? The funny thing about that ERA is that he’s actually been very lucky several times that things didn’t end up even worse. exactly he's pitching more like a 5-6 ERA guy. So many hard hit balls right at people, and fortunate to have had a bunch of 3 run leads.
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