Willkommen! » I’m not a professional hitting coach. I just play one

in my mind."In the grand American tradition of doing things you are unqualified to do http://www.stlouiscardinalsteamshop.com/authentic-marcell-ozuna-jersey , I have a piece of advice for Indians’ hitters. I’m not a hitting coach, as you likely know, but here is my profound, thought-out advice: Don’t swing.Hitting off an MLB pitcher is certainly one of the (if not the singular) most difficult feats in all of sports. I mean, dudes are out there in spring training getting nutmegged on the third strike. In that context, not swinging seems the safest bet. However, I also base my advice on two things that came across my Twitter feed this week.The first piece that helped me create this brilliant piece of coaching was insightful work by Gage Will at Everybody Hates Cleveland. In his article, Will detailed how the Indians have emphasized those Moneyball-era A’s skills, on-base percentage and walk rate, in their acquisitions this season. His bold prediction:Of course, this prediction is not just a casually thrown out number. Sure, his number is ~150 walks higher than the Indians drew last year and 50 higher than the league-leading Dodgers, but it’s not crazy. Will breaks down the careers of the new (and old but new again) Indians and bases this conclusion on track records — not unlike from the projection systems we love to study this time of year (and the Cubs love to hate).Another thing that supports Will’s conclusion is, conveniently Lou Brock Jersey , the second article that piqued my interest, this from Mike Petriello of MLB.com. In identifying trends to watch in 2019, Petriello is confident that fewer pitches will be in the zone this season and, perhaps as a result, wild pitches and passed balls will continue to be a big part of the game.In his research, Petriello found that the number of balls out of the strikezone as well as the number of passed balls and wild pitches were at all-time highs in 2018. As the game is played today, he sees no reason to expect that trend to change, either.Of course, with the demands on catchers being extreme when balls were being thrown in the strikezone, that leads to more chaos behind the plate.Thus, it’s not crazy to expect walks to rise this season, especially for a team with proven patience, like the Indians. These are, after all Ken Boyer Jersey , professional hitters, and they possess an ability to see the ball and make a decision about swinging in milliseconds in a way neither you nor I could possibly do. But that doesn’t mean they don’t need advice, coach is just another word for advisor, after all.Which brings me back to my (unwarranted, ill-advised, uncalled for) advice: Don’t swing. If the numbers say the ball is not going to be over the plate, just let it go. Let the walks pile up by the dozens and don’t be the guy falling out of his shoes in @PitchingNinja tweets. Not swinging is certainly not the best advice when it comes to pace of play, and maybe putting forward such a suggestion highlights why no team has asked me to come tutor their players. But expecting the Indians not to swing, or at least not swing as often, could be good wisdom for fans. Patience has been the theme of this offseason: Wait and see what the front office does; wait and see if these young guys can compete in the big leagues; wait and see if the AL Central is abysmal again. When games finally start to mean something again, we may have to wait and see how a rally develops, one ball at a time. WASHINGTON (AP) — The Atlanta Braves have had enough rallies to know they are rarely out of a game. The Washington Nationals‘ beleaguered bullpen has struggled enough that few leads seem safe.A combination of the two led to the Braves’ latest win Saturday.Atlanta used a tie-breaking three-run homer by Dansby Swanson in the eighth inning for a 13-9, come-from-behind win over Washington.Article continues below ...Freddie Freeman drove in five runs as the Braves erased a four-run deficit to win for the 12th time in 15 games and avoided dropping consecutive games for the first time since June 5-6. Atlanta has won eight games this season when trailing after seven innings.“It just doesn’t matter what inning it is, what score it is http://www.stlouiscardinalsteamshop.com/authentic-marcell-ozuna-jersey , we’re coming,” Freeman said. “We’re relentless. I think we’ve proven that over and over again.”Freeman delivered in two crucial spots Saturday, including a two-out, two-run single in the fifth and a three-run double in the seventh.Freeman tied the Braves’ franchise record of 10 consecutive games with an RBI. Sid Gordon also accomplished the feat for the then-Boston Braves in 1951. Freeman has 18 RBIs over the last 10 games and 29 this month, the most in the majors.“He’s on another planet,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “What he does is unbelievable.”Washington, which had won a season-high five in a row and 18 of 25, failed to get back to .500 for the first time since April 23.The Braves hammered Joe Ross (0-1), who was called up from Triple-A Fresno on Friday and was a candidate to start Sunday, when he entered in the eighth inning. Ross gave up three consecutive hits, squandering a 9-8 lead before inducing a groundout. Swanson then homered into the Atlanta bullpen in left to make it 12-9.The game was a continuation of Washington’s season-long relief woes. Though the Nationals’ bullpen had posted a 2.75 ERA in its previous 19 games, it entered the game with 6.04 ERA for the season — worse than every team in the majors except Baltimore.Washington led 8-4 when starter Anibal Sanchez exited after six innings. Trevor Rosenthal, pitching on consecutive days in the majors for the first time since March, walked all three hitters he faced opening the seventh inning Whitey Herzog Jersey , and Tanner Rainey then walked Swanson, forcing in a run before Freeman’s bases-clearing double — the only hit of the inning — tied it.“We’ve got eight guys down there, and they gotta pitch,” Washington manager Dave Martinez said. “I really felt good about putting (Rosenthal) in there.”A.J. Minter (1-4) pitched the seventh and earned the victory.The top of Washington’s order did damage against Atlanta starter Mike Foltynewicz. Matt Adams capped a three-run first inning with a two-run homer, Juan Soto had a two-run triple in the third, and the Nationals opened the fifth with three consecutive singles, chasing the right-hander. All three runners eventually scored.“We got down four or five or whatever it was and I’m just sitting there thinking to myself, ‘I feel like we have a chance here,'” Snitker said. “There was just way too much game left. It was just a string of really good at bats.”TRAINER’S ROOMBraves: LHP Sean Newcomb (concussion) pitched two scoreless innings in a rehabilitation appearance at Triple-A Gwinnett on Saturday, allowing a hit and a walk while striking out five. Newcomb is eligible to be activated Tuesday.Nationals: OF Victor Robles left in the second inning with dehydration, the team said. Michael A. Taylor replaced him in center. … 1B Ryan Zimmerman (plantar fasciitis) played for Double-A Harrisburg for the second consecutive night, going 0 for 3 while logging seven innings at first base. Zimmerman has missed Washington’s last 49 games.UP NEXTBraves: Rookie RHP Mike Soroka (8-1, 2.12 ERA) faces Washington for the first time in his career in the finale of the three-game series.Nationals: Washington plans to recall RHP Austin Voth to start Sunday. Voth is 3-5 with a 4.40 ERA for Triple-A Fresno and has yet to pitch in the majors this season.