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Newcombe Gets Sent Down

donm

Shipped to Gwinnett to work on being "consistently aggressive".Sounds like a sport psychology type problem. Hope he can figure it out. Great arm but just not getting it done. Meanwhile, I'm liking the Braves offense more and more as the year goes on. Hopefully Donaldson can keep his resurgence going for a minute.

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CZCashvilleDawg

Need to go down, needs to get out of his own way.

Teddy

I think he'll be ok. Just needs to find the strike zone a little more. Especially when he's spotted a 4 run lead.

WCDawg

Newcombe clearly lost confidence over the course of the 2018 season. You may laugh at the idea of sports psychology but every great coach is a bit of one.

Most fans don't know that John Smoltz had confidence issues very early in his career and used a psychologist. John of course got past it and became as unflappable as any pitcher in the game.

DvilleDawg

I don't care for baseball but I've always been of the belief that all professional athletes need to talk to a psychologist. A lot of these kids come into all of that money and fame and have no clue what to do with it and no way of knowing what comes with being a professional athlete. They need professional guidance.

Bankwalker

Excited to see what Toussaint can do with the opportunity. Next man up!

Now go sign Kimbrel. Reportedly willing to accept 3 years now.

Muffingod

https://forum.dawgnation.com/discussion/comment/233655#Comment_233655

If Kimbrel is willing to do that they need to sign him immediately.

WCDawg

Muffingod. Kimbrel has only been dominant 1 season out of 4 since leaving The Braves. His ERAs, 2.58, 3.40, 1.43 and 2.74 from 2015 thru last season does not give me great confidence in what he'll do from age 30 thru 33.

He wants 12 million a season, I don't think he's worth either the per season rate or a 3 year deal.

Teddy

https://forum.dawgnation.com/discussion/comment/233705#Comment_233705

He's also averaged 37 saves a season since leaving the Braves. Braves closers over those 4 years had 24 saves as their highest save total for any closer (their average is much lower). Kimbrel's ERA average over those 4 years was 2.54, and the Braves' average 3.42 ERA. Mind you Kimbrell was playing 3 of those 4 years in the AL and hitter friendly park, Fenway.

DawginSC

https://forum.dawgnation.com/discussion/comment/233705#Comment_233705

Last year the braves had only 2 relievers with an ERA lower than 3 with 30+ innings (3 if you call Fried a reliever). None have finished with arbitration yet.

Kevin Gausman is past arbitration and is making nearly 10 million a season (for just 1 year though). He's a starter who's ERA's were 3.92, 4.68, 3.51 and 4.25 the last 4 full seasons.

I think Kimbrall is worth a few million more than Gausman. Don't you?

Acrum21

https://forum.dawgnation.com/discussion/comment/233641#Comment_233641

I had a coach who was a bullpen catcher for the Braves sometime during the 90's. Said either Maddox or Glavine maybe Smoltz? apparently read a book titled "The Mental Game of Baseball" going into every season. He let me borrow it and you'd almost think it's silly at first how simple it is just to think positively and envisioning yourself doing everything correctly. Reinforcing that thought process. But it works.

WCDawg

If you're projecting forward Kimbrel is a soon to turn 31 year old closer who has already lost a bit of velocity on his fastball and action off his curveball. If I was paying him for his deteriorated but still quality performances over the past 4 years, sure I'd pay a reasonably high price. The trick is to project what he'll do going forward though. Will the trend of diminishing velocity on the fastball and loss of movement on other pitches continue ?

Teddy

https://forum.dawgnation.com/discussion/comment/233764#Comment_233764

He's basically throwing 97ish now versus 99ish (going off averages). Not a huge difference. Either way, his second pitch is just as important as a 102 MPH fastball. Also, do you believe the Braves' bullpen needs help? If so, you don't seem to like Kimbrel as an option, who out there would you take otherwise? Would you rather trade away key pieces in the farm system to get someone else? Liberty has cash to spend, so I'd rather them spend than trade future pieces away, or potentially someone on the 25 man roster. A little write up about him below, 96 Ks in 62 innings last year is nothing to sneeze at.

Representing one of the elite closer options, Craig Kimbrel recorded 42 saves in 2018 with 96 strikeouts in 62.1 innings. Beneath this, Kimbrel’s walk rate rose to 13.6 percent. He did reduce hard contact last year despite his contact rate slightly increasing. Armed with a fastball and knee buckling curve, Kimbrel will remain among the top five closers in 2019. Key on Kimbrel’s 17.5 swinging strike percentage with a 2.43 FIP and 0.91 WHIP over the last three years representing one of the most stable skill sets at closer.

GeorgiaGirl

The pen was a problem but it was not as big of a problem as you'd believe last year. The biggest problem last year was the last man in the pen, which was rotating until the deadline, somehow ended up being a problem a few times. Guys like Socolovich for example.

Yes, there were few below 3 ERA pitchers. That was because the guys that became unsung heroes for stretches (Biddle, Winkler threw the most innings he had in years, even Minter but his was further back), also had a history of injury that they were coming back from and were fatigued by the end of the season due to usage. Biddle has come out well so far this season, throwing 8.2 IP and giving up just 2 earned runs, maybe it's a small sample size, but it shows that he was likely tired in the end last year.

WCDawg

Teddy. I don't think paying Kimbrel more than market value would be wise. I think it's likely he'll decline more so a long term contract seems unwise to me as well.

I'm not against signing him if it makes sense, but it's a business, don't overpay.

Everything Craig does is set up by the fastball. The more he loses off the fastball, the less affective he'll be.

Teddy

https://forum.dawgnation.com/discussion/comment/233778#Comment_233778

It was reported back in December he dropped his asking price from $20 mil/year to around $14-15/year. I think 3 years at $14/yr is fair. What would you pay him? Of course, number of years he wants is a concern as well. He's 30, soon to be 31, so 6 years is a little much. I'd give him 6 years if he brought the yearly price down a little more though. This will be his last big contract, so don't blame him for trying to get what he can.