Atlanta Braves postseason: How do they spell relief?
By Fred Owens
Closing
The Atlanta Braves opened the season with Vizcaino as their closer. When his shoulder began to ache and he went on the DL, the Braves used the law firm of Minter, Winkler, and Brach with varying levels of success.
Minter always seems to be in trouble. His no-hit innings pitcher rate sits at 44% but the majority of those came before the calendar turned to August. In 58 1/3 innings before Friday’s game, Minter allowed 53 hits and 21 walks. Coincidentally (maybe) Minter’s allowed the same number of runs as walks (21).
Early in the year, Winkler was unhittable. Like Minter, Biddle, and Jackson, Winkler’s way past his high in innings pitched since his TJ surgery and he’s been pitching like he’s tired.
Those things made Vizcaino’s clean inning on Thursday important. Two of his three appearances so far were clean innings. Even his one bad inning saw him strike out the side without issuing a walk. He made the batters swing their bats. Unfortunately, one swing was a single and another a home run, but he threw strikes.
That’s a wrap
That’s the way the pitching looks today.
The Braves skipped Newcomb’s start because he looked like a tired pitcher during his last few starts. He’ll get a start after we clinch just to see where he is but I don’t expect him to be on the NLDS roster.
Teheran pitched himself back into consideration for a postseason start in the last two starts. If his next start is that good he’ll certainly be on the roster and get a start. Using Toussaint from the bullpen isn’t ideal.
His one relief appearance wasn’t good and he’s never done it before. I’d be much more inclined to have Kyle Wright as the long man but that’s not on their radar. In playoff games, the starter is subject to an earlier exit if he comes up in the fifth with a chance to score. That’s what we saw in last year’s postseason and this year will replicate that.
That makes the bullpen more important than it’s ever been and most of our relievers are already tired. Vizcaino’s injury and the time Carle missed make them the best-rested arms out there… even Sobotka has over 60 innings. If Vizcaino continues to throw well I expect him to get the ninth inning call.
Next. Ten reasons why. dark
Seeing how the pitching shakes out over the next week will be very interesting indeed.