baseball games – Page 4 – Braves Chop Chat

Takeaways From Braves’ First Road Trip:

After all the World Series celebrations came to a close, the Braves took their first road trip of the season. It was against two very good teams: the San Diego Padres and the Los Angelas Dodgers. Obviously, the most anxiously awaited series was the Braves and Dodgers because Atlanta would see Freddie Freeman for the first time in a different jersey. Watching the games, you could definitely tell there were emotions from both sides, but at the end of the day it’s baseball and things like this happen. Freddie Freeman hit two home runs against the Braves, and we got to feel the impact of having him on another team… he is definitely one tough batter to get out!

Atlanta split the series with the Padres 2-2 and lost the series 2-1 against the Dodgers. The Braves showed some improvement in areas, but they still need to figure out consistent hitting and get the starting rotation completely under control.

MY TAKEAWAYS:

Ian Anderson and Max Fried both showed significant improvement in their second starts. Ian pitched 5.2 innings, only allowed 2 hits, one run, had one walk, seven strikeouts, and he threw 89 pitches. This was an amazing bounce-back from his first outing. He was dominate on the mound and seemed much more comfortable out there.

Same goes for Max Fried. He looked completely different on the mound compared to his previous starts. He pitched seven SCORELESS innings, allowed only two hits, zero walks, and had seven strikeouts! His command of all his pitches was so much better and he looked more comfortable on the mound and was in control of the baseball, being able make his pitches and get the ball on the ground. It was very nice to see him AND Ian Anderson pitch like we know they are capable of doing!

Charle Morton. He did SO well in his first start of the season, but he got beat up big time on this road trip. Once by the Padres and by the Dodgers. It looks like he doesn’t have command of his pitches right now, and he’s trying to re-figure them out. Last season we got so used to the ace Charlie Morton, but if you remember… at the start of the last season he didn’t pitch fantastic. So maybe it just takes him some time to fully regain his mound presence and pitches.

The Atlanta Braves are a very powerful team and we know for a FACT that they can hit…they just can’t seem to get consecutive hits right now!!! Matt Olson is the only Braves player who can seem to get on base multiple at-bats in a row. Ozzie Albies has started to break through, he hit four home runs on the road trip and had multiple base hits, but other than him and Olson, everyone else is hit-or-miss (literally). The Braves can’t seem to get more than two wins in a row either, and now that pitching is starting to come together more…it’s going to be up to the offense to come through.

You might be saying to yourself, “The Braves have hit a lot of home runs this year…so why don’t they have a better record than 6-8?” Well, that’s because 15 out of the 16 home runs the Atlanta hitters have hit have been solo shots. The only home run hit with baserunners was a 2-run shot on opening day by Austin Riley. Other than that, the Braves are having a hard time hitting these home runs with people on base. And trust me, they have had plenty of times to score more runners, but in those moments, we seem to either strike out or hit into a double play.

I’d say the Braves biggest priority is hitting with runners on base. You can’t win ballgames without scoring, and it’s going to take more than a couple solo home runs to win a baseball game. All the teams in and out of the National League East have gotten better this year, and it is going to be a long ride if Atlanta can’t figure their hitting situation out.

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Although they still have some things to work out, I’m sure it won’t be too too long until they start being the Atlanta Braves team we are so used to seeing!

GO BRAVES!!

My Takeaways From Opening Day Weekend:

This was a great Opening Day Weekend, especially for the Atlanta Braves! They got to start the season at home, which included even more World Series events: the pennant unveiling, the award ceremony, and of course, the World Series Ring presentation. The Braves and the Cincinnati Reds split the four-game series 2-2. Overall it was a good weekend, but like anything, there are still a few questions to be answered and things to be worked on.

THE POSITIVES:

Charlie Morton pitched very well in his return from fracturing his leg last year in Game One of the World Series. He pitched 5.1 innings, allowed only two hits, two runs, one walk, and he had five strikeouts. He also threw a total of 78 pitches. It was very good to see Morton come back the way he did. It was as if he didn’t miss a beat. He was still the same old calm, cool, and collective Charlie Morton out there on the mound. Him being in the rotation is something the Braves are going to need.

Kyle Wright had an impressive start. There have been a lot of questions regarding the Braves starting rotation, but I believe Wright showed that he is capable of being the fourth man in the rotation. He threw six scoreless innings, only allowing two hits and one walk. He also struck out six Reds batters. Overall he had a very impressive start, and proved he can be something that the Braves can use.

Matt Olson really came into his role as a Brave in this series. With it being Opening Day Weekend, I’m sure he had some nerves coming into the first game. Not only with him being the first new first baseman that the Braves fanbase had seen in over 10 years, but also that he was playing in his hometown – FOR his hometown. It’s safe to say he is fitting in very well. In 14 at-bats, Olson has had eight hits, one of which was a home run, and he walked three times. He has also made some very nice plays at first base.

THE NEGATIVES:

Although Charlie Morton and Kyle Wright pitched well in their appearances, Max Fried and Ian Anderson didn’t do so well. On Opening Day, Fried was the starter. He pitched 5.2 innings, allowed eight hits, five runs, one walk, and five strikeouts. These are not the figures we are used to seeing from Max Fried. He pitched a good first inning, but after that, it was like he lost control of the baseball and couldn’t find his release point. And then, when he finally found it, the Cincinnati hitter were all over that baseball.

Ian Anderson was a similar story. He threw only 2.2 innings, allowed three hits, five runs, five walks, had only one strikeout, and he threw 74 pitches. 74 pitches in 2.2 innings is NOT what you want from a starting pitcher. For his first outing, he had no command of the strike zone, he couldn’t hit his spots, and ended up with more walks than hits. Anderson has good stuff, he just throws too many balls, and that is what gets him in trouble. To me, what he needs to work on this season is having a better command of the strike zone, and limiting the amount of pitches he throws.

Hitting. Something we know the Atlanta Braves can do very well. But, for whatever reason, they cannot seem to get many hits together so far this season. Yes, they’ll get multiple hits a game, but they are never with runners on base. Last season, the Braves were SO good at scoring with two outs. So far this season that has not been the case. Maybe they are just on an all-time high right now with all the World Series festivities, but sooner or later they are going to have to start coming through in run-scoring opportunities.

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With all this to be said, the Atlanta Braves are still a very good team with very good potential this season. Once they get everything going, they are going to be very hard to stop!

GO BRAVES!

My Atlanta Braves Lineup Predictions

With Opening day just a couple of weeks away, it’s time to start thinking about lineups, rotations, and rosters. The Atlanta Braves are going to have a very fun lineup this year. It will start without Ronald Acuña Jr. given that he is still healing from a torn ACL, but once he is completely healthy and ready to play it is going to be a SOLID lineup. But hey…we won a World Series without Acuña, so I think we can manage without him until he is healthy enough to play. 😉

LINEUP WITHOUT ACUÑA:

Eddie Rosario (Left Field)
Ozzie Albies (Second Base)
Matt Olson (First Base)
Austin Riley (Third Base)
Marcell Ozuna (Designated Hitter)
Dansby Swanson (Shortstop)
Adam Duvall (Right Field)
Travis d’Arnaud (Catcher)
Guillermo Heredia (Center Field)

Having the lineup like this makes sense to me. Eddie Rosario has proven to us that he can get on base. In the 2021 postseason, he was hitting singles, doubles, triples, home runs, and drawing walks… everything that you would want a lead-off hitter to do. To be a lead-off hitter, you don’t have to have crazy power and hit a homer with every swing. You just need to be able to get on base so the players behind you can drive you in and score runs for your team.

LINEUP WITH ACUÑA:

Ronald Acuña Jr. (Right Field)
Ozzie Albies (Second Base)
Matt Olson (First Base)
Austin Riley (Third Base)
Marcell Ozuna (Designated Hitter)
Eddie Rosario (Left Field)
Travis d’Arnaud (Catcher)
Dansby Swanson (Shortstop)
Adam Duvall (Center Field)

We pretty much already know that once Acuña is back, he will probably be hitting lead-off. My opinion, however, is this: with Acuña’s homer-heavy power, wouldn’t it make sense for him to hit clean-up? I think Ronald Acuña Jr. would make such a good clean-up hitter. If he had Eddie Rosario, Ozzie Albies, and Matt Olson in front of him in the lineup, and then he was hitting fourth, he would have the opportunity to drive in so many runners. Not only would that give him a ton of RBI’s, it would also give the Braves more runs on the board and potentially lead to more wins. Although this seems like such a solid idea, I don’t think Acuña would give up hitting first. He likes hitting first and getting those first-pitch, attention-grabbing home runs. Sometimes I feel he needs a reminder that the game and the lineup isn’t about him…ahem. Maybe his time on the injured-list will remind him that baseball is about getting wins for your team, getting to the postseason, and having another shot at winning the World Series.

NOTE:

I have stacked up the bottom of each lineup differently. All of those players (Rosario, d’Arnaud, Swanson, and Duvall – plus Heredia) are very good. They can hit anywhere in the lineup, which is why I have placed them differently in each one. Looking at both lineups next to each other, they are both very deep and none of those players are considered an easy out.

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This is going to be a very exciting season for the Atlanta Braves and I cannot wait to see how it all plays out!

GO BRAVES!

My Thoughts On The Braves Post-Lockout Acquisitions

This offseason was anything but normal. With the lockout, any and all deals with players and clubs got put on pause. This made things challenging. But now with the lockout over, and Spring Training in full swing, the Atlanta Braves have made some deals, trades, and significant changes.

The most significant of these deals came on March 14th, when the Braves traded four of their top prospects for first baseman, Matt Olson. This deal with the Oakland Athletics brought a close to the Freddie Freeman era with Atlanta. It came with a pretty cost, too. The four minor league prospects that the Braves organization traded were: Christian Pache, outfielder and the Braves number one prospect; Shea Langeliers, catcher and Braves number two prospect; Joey Estes, pitcher and Braves number thirteen prospect; and Ryan Cusick, pitcher and 24th pick out of the 2021 draft. All in all, it was a costly deal for the Braves, but they got their first baseman.

And, the very next day, March 15th, the Braves signed Matt Olson to an eight-year $168 million contract through the 2029 season, with a $20 million option for 2030. Like it or not Braves country, Matt Olson is going to be our first baseman for the foreseeable future. He has very good career stats and had an impressive 2021 season. Last year, his average was .271, he hit 39 home runs, and had 111 RBI’s with Oakland. He also made just six errors. Let’s hope he will have the same kind of season with the Braves.

The Braves also signed right-handed pitcher Collin McHugh to a two-year $10 million deal on March 15th. This signing will help bolster the already impressive Atlanta bullpen.

On March 16th, the Braves signed Eddie Rosario to a two-year $18 million deal with a 2024 option. Rosario played a huge role for Atlanta last postseason. He was NLCS MVP and had some huge hits. Not to mention, he made some crazy impressive plays…wether he meant to or not! Eddie will most likely play left-field for Atlanta, and with more practice, I think he could be a really good outfielder. It will just take time for him to get more comfortable out there. It will also be nice to have Rosario’s bat back in the lineup. It is safe to say that last season the baseball was FLYING off his bat. The teams that the Braves were facing couldn’t seem to get him out! This deal brings added depth and energy to the Atlanta Braves’ lineup, and makes them even stronger.

Also on March 16th, the Braves signed relief pitcher Tyler Thornburg to a one-year, $900,000 deal. Thornburg did not play in 2021 due to Tommy John surgery. With this deal from the Braves, it is safe to say he will try and prove that he can still be a good pitcher like he once was before surgery. His best season came six years ago in 2016 with the Milwaukee Brewers. He is 33 years old, and has a lot to prove this season with Atlanta.

And finally, On March 18th, the Braves signed relief pitcher Kenley Jansen to a one-year $16 million deal. In all honesty, this deal surprised me. Don’t get me wrong – Kenley Jansen is a very good closer. He came through time and time again for the L.A. Dodgers. But, before the Braves came to this deal with him, they were in talks with World Series MVP, Jorge Soler. That is what made the Jansen deal more surprising. Instead of signing Kenley Jansen, they could’ve signed Soler and made him their DH. But now Soler is now a Miami Marlin. All this to say, the signing of Kenley Jansen makes the Atlanta bullpen even deeper and more powerful than before.

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It is safe to say that there are quite a few new faces for the Atlanta Braves this year. But the crazy thing is that Matt Olson, Collin McHugh, and Tyler Thornburg all grew up in Georgia. They were also all Braves fans growing up, so this is most likely a treat for them to be able to play for their hometown team. Eddie Rosario quickly became a fan-favorite last season, so I’m sure he is happy to be back. And for Kenley Jansen, he is joining an amazing team with an amazing fan-base. Let’s just hope all these men will be as good as their careers say they can be, and that we know they are!

GO BRAVES!!

BASEBALL IS BACK, BABY!!!!!

Woohoo! This is the news us baseball fans have been waiting a LONG time for. Baseball. Is. Back. It still seems unreal. Just a couple days ago, they were talking about the season being delayed until June and that they were quite far from a CBA deal. And now, all of our fears of no baseball are out the window. Opening Day 2022 is Thursday, April 7th, AND there is going to be a full 162 game season!!!

This new, five-year CBA was ratified with a 30-0 vote on Thursday, March 10th. With that vote, the 99 day lockout was officially brought to a close. Spring Training will begin Sunday, March 13, and exhibition games will start sometime around March 18th.

The new CBA includes quite a few changes. For starters, it includes a new pre-arbitration bonus pool. This will “reward” the younger players in the sport with a higher paycheck. It also includes increased minimum salaries, the largest draft lottery in all of professional sports history, and a raise in the competitive tax balance. These decisions contribute to more money for players and more young players being drafted into the sport. Among these things, they also introduced the universal DH and a 12 team postseason, which is two more teams than the 2021 postseason.

With all this being introduced, it might seem like the game is going to be different. But in fact, the only things that are going to be noticeably different are: a designated hitter in the National League and two more teams in the postseason race. Everything else they have added simply means more money for the players, and more money for the owners.

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Now that the lockout is over, you could say it’s crunch time! Opening day is in twenty-seven days, and there are a lot of high-quality players still in the free agent market. One of the biggest names on that list, especially for the Atlanta Braves, is first baseman, Fredde Freeman. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again — I cannot imagine a Braves team without Freddie. He has been with the club since he made his Major League debut and has become the face of the franchise. It would truly be sad to see Freddie Freeman in another uniform, on another team, having to play against the Atlanta Braves. I would say that signing Freddie Freeman should be the Atlanta Braves’ top priority now that the lockout is over.

Along with Freddie Freeman, two other players who made a significant impression with the club and the fanbase are Eddie Rosario and Jorge Soler. Since there is going to be a DH in the National League for this season, it makes total sense to me for the Braves to use Soler for this role. When he was with the Kansas City Royals, he was their DH, and while he was with the Braves, his biggest strength was his bat. He came through time and time again with his major power from the plate. While he did a decent job in right field for the Braves, you could tell he was a little uncomfortable. It just makes sense for the Braves to pursue him to be their Designated Hitter, and he would add that depth back to their everyday lineup.

Eddie Rosario – NLCS MVP Eddie Rosario. This is a guy who the Atlanta Braves’ front office signed while he was injured… injured!!! It definitely was an interesting move, but boy did it pay off. He came into the season at the perfect time in mid August, and he was on fire from his first game with the Braves. From his enthusiasm in the dugout and running the bases, to his huge hits and insane catches in left field, Rosario definitely played a significant role in the Braves 2021 World Series win. Now, I know, it seems as though most of those spectacular catches he made during the postseason were total luck, but I could potentially see the Braves using him as their every day left fielder. Luck only gets a player so far, and he proved that he has more than luck on his side! The Braves could potentially swap him out with Adam Duvall or Guillermo Heredia so he doesn’t play every single day, but I could easily see Eddie filling the role of left fielder and becoming better in that position.

That would allow the Braves outfield to line up like this:

Eddie Rosario in left field, Adam Duvall in center field, and Ronald Acuña Jr. in right field.

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There are still a lot of questions to be answered and roles to be filled before Opening Day, but in the end, it is nice to have baseball back.

GO BRAVES!

My Thoughts on the MLB Lockout and CBA Negotiations

Let’s face it: this stinks. It really, really stinks. The thought of having no baseball is devastating. This is the first lockout since the 1995 season. The League and the Union (managers and players) thus far, have been unable to come to an agreement regarding the CBA. Both sides have certain areas/propositions that they seem necessary in order to make a deal.

What exactly is the CBA?

The CBA stands for Collective Bargaining Agreement, and it is the agreement between an employer and the union. In this case, it is between the League and the Players Union. Neither the Players nor the League wanted this to happen. It is a very sad thing for the sport. Now that the CBA has expired, MLB placed the players under lockout. This means that no deals can be made between clubs regarding the signing of players. You cannot show interest in a Free Agent or talk to them, because they are essentially “locked out” of the sport.

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Last week the MLB requested assistance from a Federal Mediator to help communication flow between the MLB and the MLBPA. 24 hours later, the MLBPA refused the request for a mediator, so both sides are right back where they started. The ONLY way that we are going to get a 2022 baseball season is by these two sides sitting down at the negotiations table and sorting things out. That means communicating with each other! I’m not quite sure why the Players Union denied the request for a mediator, other than the fact they think they can work things out for themselves…but if both the League and the Players are going to be stubborn about the whole situation, we aren’t going to get anywhere and would most likely end up saying “goodbye” to a 2022 season.

It is my understanding that the two main wants from either side are what is holding back an agreement. The MLB wants an expanded postseason. This would mean 14 teams get to compete in the playoffs, rather than the normal 8. In all honesty, I do not like the idea of a 14-team postseason. Yes, I understand that it would give more teams a chance and for their players to get to experience the magic of the postseason, but it takes away a lot of the competitiveness.

14 teams. That is one team away from half of the MLB! There is one goal on every team and every players mind at the start of the season, “make it to the World Series and bring home the trophy and title of World Series Champions.” That is what drives a team through the entire season – one goal. However, if you have 14 spots that guarantees 14 teams to make it to the postseason, it takes away all the chase between each division and the competitiveness from each side of the field. With 14 teams in the postseason, that would mean that not only the team that finishes first in their division would make it to the postseason, but so would the team that finishes second. That’s basically giving out trophies to the second place team. Baseball is not a sport of “we are all winners.” Yes, each team wins their fair share of games within the season, but in the end, only one team comes out on top.

So, with all that being said, I personally do not like the idea of a 14-team postseason. I think that the MLB should stick with what has been working for the past 40+ years: an 8-team postseason. That keeps the competitiveness in the sport, and the momentum of striving to be the best between each club.

The MLBPA key want/issue is: Super Two Eligibility. This means that the Union wants all players with two years of playing time to be eligible for arbitration. This would mean younger players would get paid more without having been signed to a long-term contract. It also means that MLB would have to invest more money into the arbitration pool.

To me, it seems like the MLB doesn’t want to spend any more money than necessary, which is why they don’t want to agree to this. Per sources, the MLBPA offered to reduce their proposal figure for a pre-arbitration pool from $105 million to $100 million. The League and owners still did not agree to this proposition, but came up with a counterproposal- they proposed a $10 million pool which would reward the top players of pre-arbitration with extended pay. It is my understanding that the Union did not like this idea because it didn’t mean extended pay for all younger players.

In the end, for us to have a 2022 season, it is going to take communication and negotiations between the two sides. Both need to realize they aren’t both going to get exactly what they want and come up with a compromise.

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What does the lockout mean for the Braves?

The reigning 2021 World Series Champions had a lot of unanswered questions. The Braves had a great team in 2021, but now a lot of their key players face Free Agency. The most significant of those being Freddie Freeman, Jorge Soler and Eddie Rosario. I speak for all Braves fans – we cannot imagine an Atlanta Braves team without Freddie Freeman. He has played his ENTIRE career in Atlanta, and he doesn’t want to play anywhere else. The team and the Atlanta fans don’t want him to go anywhere else either! Jorge Soler and Eddie Rosario played HUGE parts for the Braves coming down the stretch and easily became fan-favorites.

Re-signing Freddie is obviously the top priority for the Braves, but they will also have to look at how they are going to structure their outfield. With Ronald Acuña Jr. set to return in 2022, that automatically fills right field. Adam Duvall stayed with the Braves so he would most likely fill center field. That leaves left field up for question. Eddie Rosario played left field for the Braves. He did a decent job considering he had never played left field before. Although he did make a couple jaw-dropping plays, they were more luck than skill. With more training he could fill that position for the Braves. Marcell Ozuna will most likely not play another game for the Atlanta Braves, so we can almost completely rule him out as a contender for left field.

That leaves us with Jorge Soler. He is a gigantic man with gigantic power and came through clutch for the Braves on several occasions. He did play right field for the Braves and did a decent job, but even he admitted he wasn’t too to comfortable. Soler came from the Kansas City Royals as their Designated Hitter. If the DH were to come to the National League in 2022, that would give the Braves a perfect reason to resign him – he would be a perfect Designated Hitter. After all, that’s the position he is the most used to playing.

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There are still SO many questions to be answered. With Spring Training scheduled to start next week, negotiations and deals are going to be made quickly so that there can be a 2022 season. Time is needed for teams to sign players and make the moves needed before the start of the season in April.

Only time will tell what’s going to happen. All we can do now is hope and pray for a 2022 season.

My Offseason Predictions: Who I Think the Braves Should Re-Sign

Now that the World Series is over, it’s now time to start looking into the offseason. 2021 was a very exciting season, especially for the Atlanta Braves! #worldchamps They had a rough start but came through big-time at the trade-deadline. That being so, a lot of the players they acquired are now going to be free agents.

Here’s a look at the Braves 2021-22 free agents:

Ehire Adrianza (SS), Jesse Chavez (RHP), Freddie Freeman (1B), Chris Martin (RHP), Joc Pederson (OF), Tanner Roark (RHP), Eddie Rosario (OF), Jorge Soler (OF), Drew Smyly (LHP), Josh Tomlin- he has a club option (RHP), and Stephen Vogt (C).

There are a lot of names on this list, obviously some stick out more than others. Every single one of these guys on this list helped the Braves get to their World Series title in some way or another, and you would want to keep every single one. But realistically, that won’t happen.

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Freddie Freeman. He is BY FAR the biggest name on this list. It is crazy to think about a Braves team without Freddie. Freeman has been with Atlanta for his entire career, and he has been the face of the team for many years now.. Through the highs and lows, Freddie Freeman has always been here, giving everything he’s got in him to help his team win. Personally, I don’t think the Braves will let Freeman go. Millions of Braves fans would be very disappointed if they did!

The Braves front office has offered Freeman a qualifying offer of 18.4 million dollars for one year. This isn’t another long-term offer like the one Freeman signed back in 2014, so he will most likely reject the offer. However, Freddie has made it very clear he wants to remain with the Braves for the rest of his life, and the front office and the whole team wants that as well. It’s just a matter of time, money, and negotiations.

Joc Pederson, Eddie Rosario, Jorge Soler, and Adam Duvall are all outfielders. With Ronald Acuña Jr. expected to come back and play outfield full time in 2022, it wouldn’t make much sense for the Braves to resign all of these players and let them sit on the bench and have an occasional pinch-hit appearance. It wouldn’t be fair to these very talented players, and it would not make the most sense for the team as a whole.

Joc Pederson. Pederson has declined his mutual option with the the Braves and has now become a free agent. Because of this, in my opinion, resigning Pederson is completely off the table for Atlanta.

Adam Duvall. Like Pederson, Duvall also declined his mutual option, but he is still Arbitration-Eligible. With the strong possibility of there being a universal DH in 2022, Duvall, a very powerful hitter, could fill that role for Atlanta. However, he is quite a good defender. He played every single position in the outfield for the Braves, and sometimes he would switch positions during games. He also won his first Gold Glove this year, proving his defense is better than most give him credit for. Duvall has come through for the Braves in the three seasons he has played for them. I think it would make sense for Atlanta to bring him back as an outfielder.

Jorge Soler. This man not only has a big stature, but BIG power. Soler came over to Atlanta after the trade deadline and was huge for the Braves. He brought big-time power to their offense and filled their leadoff spot. He also came through huge in the postseason. He hit a home run that left the Houston Astros ballpark in game six!!! To me, it would make sense for the Braves to resign Soler. Once again, with the strong possibility of the DH, it makes a lot of sense to bring him back to fill that roll. After all, when he was with the Kansas City Royals, he was their DH. And, he isn’t the greatest defender, but he has a very good eye at the plate and a lot of power. I think it would be a great decision for Atlanta to bring Soler on as our DH (should we have one).

Eddie Rosario. Talk about an exciting player! Not only was he the NLCS MVP, he had some other huge moments for the Braves in the short time that he played. After all, the Atlanta Braves front office signed him while he was injured, because they saw his possibility. Yes, he wasn’t known to be a great defender, but he made some very good plays for Atlanta while he was in left field. So, I think it would make sense to resign him with Marcell Ozuna’s legal affairs still up in the air, and not anticipating the Braves to resign him.

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After going through the bigger names on this list, there are still some others on here that proved useful for the Braves: Jesse Chavez and Ehire Adrianza, especially.

Adrianza came through being on the Braves’ bench. He proved he could come off the bench and come up with a clutch hit…which is what your bench players are supposed to do. Johann Camargo was the Braves bench man, but he did not have a single hit for Atlanta this year, so he will start next year in Triple-A Gwinnett. It makes sense for the Braves to resign Ehire to add extra depth to their bench, but if the DH does come to the National League, a bench player wouldn’t necessarily be needed.

Jesse Chavez pitched very well for the Braves in his appearances. He was their opener for a couple games, and got Atlanta out of some tough spots in close games. While a player like Chris Martin is also a free agent and has pitched for Atlanta, Chavez was overall more constant. To me, that gives him the edge on being resigned.

After a review on these players, here is who I think the Atlanta Braves should bring back: Freddie Freeman, Adam Duvall, Jorge Soler, Eddie Rosario, Ehire Adrianza, and Jesse Chavez.

These are just my picks, and of course, I don’t have any say in who the Atlanta Braves bring back. It will be an interesting offseason for the Braves, and hopefully the decisions they make won’t hurt them in the long run!

THE ATLANTA BRAVES: WORLD SERIES CHAMPS!!!

Ahh. This is really happening!!! The Atlanta Braves, despite all the doubters, injuries, and rough times they went through, are the 2021 World Series Champions. It definitely did not come easily for the Braves, but the fight they went through every single game, to get to where they were and to be World Champs, makes this end result even sweeter.

Think about it. The Atlanta Braves were under .500 until after the All-Star Break. They learned they weren’t getting Soroka back, they lost Acuña to a torn ACL, lost Marcell Ozuna due to legal matters, and had Travis d’Arnaud and Huascar Ynoa on the injured list for who knew how long. Did the Braves take that punch in the gut as a defeat? Absolutely not.

Atlanta played even better, stronger, more determined baseball than they had in a long time. Not to mention, the Braves front office went and gained Joc Pederson, Jorge Soler, Adam Duvall, and Eddie Rosario to rebuild their outfield and their offense. I cannot say it enough: EVERY SINGLE ONE of those guys came through in a HUGE way for the Braves. Not only during the second half of the regular season, but into and throughout the postseason. From Joc Pederson coming up clutch in the NLDS, Eddie Rosario being the NLCS MVP, Adam Duvall’s great defense and grand slam, to Jorge Soler’s power – earning him the World Series MVP – they all provided exactly what the Braves needed and so much more.

Two Key Factors From the World Series For the Braves:

Relief Pitching:

This Braves relief staff played a HUGE role in this postseason, and, especially, in the World Series. The only Atlanta starter to go more than five innings, was Max Fried in game six. That was the last game they played! That means the bullpen had to cover a lot of middle innings. And those bullpen arms did a fantastic job. Tyler Matzek most notably was very impressive. In the World Series he pitched over five innings, only allowed one run, six hits and ZERO walks. Those are some impressive numbers! Will Smith was also great for the Braves in the World Series. Smith pitched eleven innings, and had an ERA of ZERO. ZERO!! He was lights out for the Braves and that is exactly what Brian Snitker needed out of him. Overall the whole bullpen was good for Atlanta, but these two really stepped up and it played a huge role for the Braves.

Offensive Rallies:

Throughout the 2021 regular season, we would see over and over again the struggles the Atlanta Braves would have trying to get runners in scoring position and actually scoring them. But, as it came October and into the postseason things started clicking for the Braves’ offense. Yes, in the NLDS and into the NLCS, and even some in the World Series, they still had some trouble scoring. However, it was no where near like the troubles they had back in the regular season. The Atlanta Braves scored a total of 25 runs in the World Series. Not to mention, they hit eleven home runs. So yes, we can say that offensively they were quite put together.

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In the end, all of that bullpen pitching and offensive spark led the Braves to a World Series title. But what helped the most to get them there was determination. Knowing how good of a team they are and feeding off of that energy. They chose not to let all of the bad that had happened and the discouraging stats get into their head. They played every game like it was their last, and it paid off tremendously.

Can’t wait for next season!

Atlanta Braves forever and ever!

Go Ozzie! #1

WORLD SERIES GAME ONE: BRAVES WIN

In an amazing start, the Atlanta Braves prove themselves worthy to be in the World Series amidst many naysayers.

Making MLB history, Jorge Soler became the first player in a World Series game to hit a leadoff home run in the first inning. His homer gave the Braves the jumpstart they needed on the Astros.

Who wants a free taco? I know I do! Well, thank to Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies, all of America gets a free taco. Because it is the World Series, and Taco Bell is partnered with MLB they came out with a statement saying “steal a base, steal a taco.” This has been going on for the past four years, and this year, Ozzie Albies stole second base in the first inning of game one against the Houston Astros to give us free tacos on November 4th.

To add onto his stolen base, Ozzie Albies had an all around great game. He reached base a total of three time. Twice via the single and then he reached on an error. Albies also made two great defensive plays. The biggest of those being in the bottom of the first inning. The Astros had bases loaded with two out. Ozzie covered a good amount of ground, made a 360 spin, and threw the runner out at first base to save Atlanta from any more trouble. Ozzie Albies is an all-around great young player, and he definitely showed his worth in game one of this World Series.

Charlie Morton. You can’t say enough about how good he has been for Atlanta this year. He pitched 2.1 scoreless innings for the Braves and then, he had to leave the game. In the third inning, Morton stumbled off the pitchers mound after striking Jose Altuve out. You had to wonder what provoked his pain. In the bottom of the second inning, Yuli Gurriel hit a comebacker off of Charlie’s leg to make the first out of the inning. It looked like no big deal because Morton did not give off any signs that he was in pain. But after that third inning and you could see he truly was in pain, manager Brian Snitker took Morton out of the game to get examined. Charlie Morton will miss the rest of the World Series due to a fractured leg. It’s just awful, that after all the Braves have gone through this season, they can’t get a break from it. However, Atlanta did not let Morton’s early exit keep them from winning, they kept on playing as good as they always do…and that is what’s most important.

This game proved that the Atlanta Braves have what it takes. Even through all the struggles and injuries that they have gone through, they do not give up. When they lost Acuña, they revamped their outfield; when starting pitching wasn’t the greatest, the bullpen stepped up. Over and over this season, and into the postseason, Atlanta has shown its resilience. On the mound, offensively, and defensively the Braves are a great team, and they deserve this spot in the World Series…and they deserve to win.

Game Two of the World Series is tonight at 8:09 ET on Fox.

GO BRAVES!!

BRAVES ARE NL CHAMPIONS!!

Wow. This is really happening!!!! The Atlanta Braves are in the World Series!! Words cannot begin to describe how exciting this is, and I can’t even imagine how pumped the entire Braves team and coaching staff is. The staff has every reason to be this excited because this is Atlanta’s first World Series appearance since 1999. That was 22 years ago! It was HUGE for the Braves to make it to the World Series, but now that they have made it…they have a bigger goal on their minds. 🙂

Where in the world would this team be without Eddie Rosario?!? It’s safe to say that Atlanta would not have had the success in the NLCS that they had without Rosario. He had a total of 14 hits, three home runs, a walk off, and nine RBI’s. That is insane! Rosario came to the Braves as an injured player…he was unable to play. However, this acquisition for the Atlanta Braves came through big time, even if they had to wait a little while before Eddie could actually play. But when he could play for this Braves team, we quickly realized he was worth the wait. Not only could he make some good plays in left field, but man…he can hit! His bat provided some series pop for Atlanta’s offense.

This entire NLCS was huge for the Braves. They were playing the LA Dodgers, who beat them in last year’s NLCS with a disappointing game seven. LA went on to win the World Series in 2020. Brian Snitker’s Braves wanted NONE of that this year. Yes, the Dodgers had gotten Max Scherzer and Trea Turner from the Nationals, and arguably they had one of the best pitching staffs in all of MLB. BUT that did not scare Atlanta. In fact, the Braves’ hitters beat up on all three of LA’s aces –Max Scherzer, Julio Urías, and Walker Buehler. That is very impressive because usually those guys are un-hittable. *Clayton Kershaw was not on the postseason roster due to injury.

The Atlanta Braves had two walk-offs; one in game one by Austin Riley, and the other in game two, by Eddie Rosario. Both walk-off singles came in the bottom of the ninth inning and sent Truist Park into a frenzy! Those were just two of the incredible hits the Braves had in moments where they needed them most.

Starting pitching wasn’t as great as expected, but the bullpen was beyond impressive. Except for the one home run that Luke Jackson gave up to Cody Bellinger in game three, Atlanta’s bullpen was, pretty much lights-out. We have to give SO much credit to Tyler Matzek. Every single time he came out of that bullpen for the Braves, he was on point. You could tell from his expression on the mound and the accuracy of his pitches that he was zoned in. Another pitcher who was great from the bullpen was closer Will Smith. Smith had a rollercoaster regular season as the Braves closer. It seemed that every time he was on the mound, he got himself into a situation that did not look good. He was TOTALLY different in the postseaon. In almost every appearance he was three up, three down. He did give up an occasional walk or single, but nothing too serious or nerve-wracking. Bullpen pitching was crucial to the Atlanta Braves in this series, and the pitchers coming out of our bullpen, did not disappoint.

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It is still hard to grasp that after everything that this Braves team has gone through in 2021 (losing Acuña not getting Soroka back, staying at .500 for the longest time) they did not give up for one second. And now, all that hard work and perseverance has paid off. Atlanta is the National League Champs! They beat the Los Angelas Dodgers in six games, at home in Truist Park, and are now headed to the World Series where they will face the Houston Astros to see who will win the title of World Series Champs.

GO BRAVES!