Atlanta Braves’ Questionable Defensive Positioning, Bullpen Use Concerning?

After a great 6 innings from Julio Teheran, the Atlanta Braves dropped game one to the Mets. However, a questionable decision on the part of Tyler Flowers and company, changed the dynamic of the game.

It’s difficult to pin a loss on one specific person or play. The bang-bang play at the plate involving Tyler Flowers, Wilmer Flores, and Ender Inciarte, no question, changed the dynamic in the Atlanta Braves opening day loss.

Tyler Flowers BEHIND Plate

In the bottom of the 7th inning, the score knotted at zero, and runners on 1st and 2nd, Braves reliever Ian Krol (more on that decision later), served up a flat four-seamer to Asdrubal Cabrera.

Cabrera sent it back where it came from to Ender Inciarte. Inciarte fielded the baseball cleanly and came up firing to the plate. Flowers was set to receive the throw and did so on one hop.

Flowers caught the throw clean and applied the tag on Wilmer Flores trying to score from 2nd. Flores was called out! Great play, right? Typical Gold Glove play from Inciarte.

Not so fast. After review, the call was overturned. What would have been the second out of the inning, now stood as a 1-0 lead for the Mets.

Calls get overturned, it happens. But, should it have even been needed? As was discussed ad nausea yesterday, the focus was on the positioning of Flowers as he set up to receive the throw.

As such, Braves fans weren’t the only ones wondering why Flowers was BEHIND the plate, instead of IN FRONT of the plate.

Inciarte was also a little curious. In the video, you can clearly see Inciarte mouthing, “I don’t know why he’s behind the plate.”

Ironically, Inciarte himself, later could say similarly the same thing about his (or more accurately, the coach’s decision) decision to play so shallow, that later in the inning, allowed three runs to score.

The Lucas Duda Double

Again, in the 7th inning, and Eric O’Flaherty on the mound, the Mets added 3 more runs. Lucas Duda took a decent pitch from EOF deep to center field. Normally, that ball is caught. Not today.

I may be nit-picking here, but why, with two out and the bases loaded, would the outfield be playing shallow? So shallow, that a booming double like the one Duda hit, would get over the heads?

Lucas Duda isn’t typically known for hitting weak dribblers past the infield, he’s a pretty good thumper at the plate.

What happen to the “no-doubles” defense? It’s easier to adjust to a fly ball coming in. Even if the ball lands in front of you, you can limit the runs scored by having the play in front of you.

That ball didn’t even land on the warning track and was a good 15 feet from the track when it landed.

I don’t blame Ender on that. Whoever positioned the defense there should be. However, none of this happens, if Brian Snitker utilizes the bullpen in a completely different way.

Uh, Was Arodys Vizcaino Not Available?

Ian Krol was the first man out of the bullpen in the 7th inning of a 0-0 game. The 7th inning. Why not go to Arodys Vizcaino here?

One reason why conventional wisdom shouldn’t always be conventional. Just because you CAN play the lefty-righty match-up, DOESN’T mean you should.

The games count now. You’re trying to win. Put your best arm in and then deal with the results (see 2013 NLDS).

Look, Krol was one of the more consistent lefty’s out of the pen last year, so I understand the confidence there. However, on opening day, you want to do all you can to win that game, on the road or at home.

I don’t care that we aren’t “expected to contend”, again. Wins were far and few between last year in the first half.

This team has the make-up to actually be decent. Being put in positions, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, is a pattern going back to Fredi G.

It’s Just Game 1 of 162

This was just one game. There are 161 games left to play. The play at the plate with Flowers was one run. It lead to a big inning, but if the pitching executes, we’re probably not making such a big deal out it.

At this point, move on and get them Wednesday. It’s not the end of the season. The over reaction right now is far from justified. Snitker doesn’t need to be fired. Flowers doesn’t need to be benched.

Next: Picth Count, Bullpen Makes Josh Sad

The bullpen was rough yesterday, there’s no doubt about that. But opening day jitters, it that’s what it was, should be gone now.

There’s no “one” person to blame for all of this. Now, it’s just time to get ready for game two. The Braves just need to buckle down and play baseball.