I was in favor of Chris Sale pitching Thursday night. The man said he wanted to, and I get it.
There is NO reason for him not to pitch tonight - unless he's told Walt he cannot go - which, in turn, makes using him Thursday night NOW seem stupid, especially since the Braves were up by 4 runs. Sale threw 21 pitches Thursday. Since he pitched Tuesday, that could have been his day to throw anyway.
If he had pitched today, he would have four days off to pitch IF there is a game 5 on Friday. Now, how can we believe they'll get a Game 5 not using Sale down 1-0 in Game 2.
So, if the Braves lose tonight, they'll have Sale and Mahle going in 3 and 4 and just roll the dice on Friday?
Game 2 is THE most important game in a two-game series, when you're the road team. If you're down 1-0, you MUST win. If you're up 1-0, you have a chance to go back home with a 2-0 lead.
So, this is the THIRD straight game in the month of October the #Braves have to throw a bullpen game. This shows even more how outrageous it was for Anthopoulos to not get another starting pitcher before the trade deadline.
If Kerr pitches well tonight, great. But the bind this hamstrung staff is in because of the injuries and the horrific roster construction is front and center.
Were there others for Alex to get after deGrom turned him down? Sure. And if you say that some of the others (Ray, Mize, etc.) did not do well, how do you know they would have done poorly in Atlanta. Mahle did better in Atlanta after he came here, so why couldn't others have also done well in an Atlanta uniform?
Just think: if Dodd had not had to start Saturday, I wonder if he could have faced lefty hitters Tucker or Muncy late in the game instead of them AJ Smith-Shawver. But Dodd had to start because the Atlanta Braves do not have a rotation.
Why not start Holmes tonight? He had a better ERA on the road than at Truist Park. Worried he'll melt facing the team that drafted him, perhaps? He made only 28 pitches on Thursday.
I hope this works out, but having three straight bullpen games in the postseason is embarrassing.
This all goes back to Alex saying he was going to go after a playoff-caliber starter last November, only to fail to get one then. He also erred in thinking one of his sore-armed pitchers would return. They didn't. Two more got hurt, instead, to create a big fat mess.
It doesn’t go unnoticed that the braves broadcast team provides the best coverage league wide. It’s like I’m sitting down watching with old friends. Brandon, CJ, and Wiley deserve lifetime contracts @BrandonGaudin@CJNitkowski@wileyballard_
Takeaways from the #Broncos loss to the Patriots:
* With Bo Nix under center, the Broncos cruise to the Super Bowl. Zero doubt in my mind. If nothing else, this game showed how valuable he is to the organization. Nix proved even indirectly that he's a franchise QB and will be for the next decade. Get better soon.
* This game also exposed a major weakness I've harped since September: Sean Payton's habit of outsmarting himself in crucial moments. He's a good coach and a terrific offensive mind, but that's his biggest bugaboo as a playcaller: Ego. And sometimes it works to Denver's detriment.
* Payton, too, has a tendency to amp up the pressure with his own players. Stidham already had a lot on his plate; Payton's overly confident posture about him starting didn't help matters. It only serves to provide more disappointment when things don't go according to plan.
* Beyond the coaching, it is (and has been) painfully obvious the Broncos MUST allocate their resources this offseason to upgrading Nix's supporting cast. Love Sutton, but he's not an elite WR1. Love Harvey, but he's not a true RB1. They desperately need a few blue-chip studs. No compromising.
* Credit to the defense for fighting their asses off. VJ's side of the ball has taken a lot of heat (rightfully so), and they came ready to play today. Too bad it was in a losing effort.
* We can dog on Payton's coaching, Lutz for missing those kicks, or Stidham for the fumble, but this was a team that survived on magic for the entire season -- and today, without their best player, the magic ran out.
* There's hardly a guarantee the Broncos get back to this point next year, which makes this result all the more painful. But as long as 10 stays healthy, this team will be yearly title contenders. The window is still wide open.
* Finally, let's not lose sight of the fact that this season was an overwhelmingly massive success for the Broncos. Nobody had them making it to the AFC Championship, with or without Nix. And while they fell short of their ultimate goal, Denver is now established as a legit AFC superpower. Give them their flowers for that much.
When Georgia got left out of the Playoff, they went to Miami and put BELT TO ASS against Florida State.
When Notre Dame got left out, they quit playing football.
Privilege is a hell of a drug. At Georgia, them boys eat off the floor.
#GoDawgs
Jurickson Profar was banned from the clubhouse during his suspension so it makes total sense he’s homered twice in two games. He hasn’t been around Tim Hyers
2017: Texas loses to Georgia Basketball
2019: Texas loses to Georgia Basketball
2024: Texas loses to Georgia Football TWICE
2025: Texas loses to Georgia Basketball in March in a pivotal game
TEXAS. OWNED.