Braves News:
Should Manny Banuelos be bullpen-bound in 2016?
The Braves roster is in a bit of a flux state right now. Is a total rebuild and tear down on it's away, or will they build off of what they have now? While we're just a few weeks into the off-season, there are already moves to me made and looked at. One of them is centered around 24-year old Manny Banuelos. The lefty pitched just 26.1 innings in 2015, recording a less-than-stellar ERA of 5.13. Despite a dismal, injury riddled 2015, Banuelos is still young and can certainly find a spot on a struggling Braves squad. The question remains; bullpen, or rotation?
The Braves need an effective lefty out of the bullpen, and Banuelos possesses four above-average offerings (fastball, curveball, cutter, and change-up). John Hartwants to focus on improving the bullpen this offseason; however, some of his answers may lie in-house. Banuelos’ value likely takes a hit if the Braves decide to transition him from a starter to a reliever, but value is a moot point if he is injured. By coming out of the bullpen, the Braves can limit Manny Banuelos’ innings, likely resulting in less injuries.
THROWBACK WEDNESDAY: Game one of the 1995 World Series
Let's think back to a better time, shall we? 20 years ago to the date, the Atlanta Braves hosted the Cleveland Indians for game one of the 1995 World Series. Tom Glavine (ever heard of him?)picked up the win in a 3-2 Braves victory in front of 51,876 fans at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. But hey, missing the playoffs and being one of the worst teams in all of baseball is just as fun, right?
MLB News:
Mets defeat Cubs, take 3-0 lead in NLCS
The New York Mets are one game away from the World Series, and they just have to beat the Chicago Cubs once more to advance. Daniel Murphy is having one of the greatest postseasons of all time.
Wait, repeat all of that one more time?
That's right, the Mets - the usual laughing stock of major league baseball - are just nine innings away from the Wold Series. Daniel Murphy has homered in five consecutive games. To top that all off, this is all happening against the Cubs, quite possibly the unluckiest team in the league. It's been a weird season to say the least.
Royals make the Blue Jays look silly in 14-2 win
In the American League, things aren't looking good for the boys across the border. The defending AL champion Kansas City Royals look like they'd like to return to the Fall Classic, and with a 3-1 series advantage, the odds are in their favor. The Royals got to former National League Cy Young Award winner R.A Dickey early in Tuesday's game, as they scored four runs in the top of the first inning. Put it this way: the Jays had a position player pitching at one point - in a playoff game. That's not what you want to see if you're looking to make your way to the World Series.