1 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 1: Welcome one and all to the Hemmer Territory Podcast. My 2 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:28,640 Speaker 1: name is Sean Coleman. Hope, wherever you are and wherever 3 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 1: you are listening, you have had a great week so far, 4 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:33,959 Speaker 1: and you know what, it wasn't the best of weekends 5 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 1: of your Braves fan, but it's been a pretty good 6 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:40,159 Speaker 1: weekend on the field. Some really fun news to follow 7 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:42,519 Speaker 1: off the field over the past couple of days, with 8 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:45,959 Speaker 1: updates on Ronald Acunye Junior and Spencer Strider, which we'll 9 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:48,519 Speaker 1: get to in just a moment. But Steven, we've got 10 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 1: another series win to talk about as always here with 11 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:53,480 Speaker 1: my podcast partner, one of the best of the game, 12 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:57,640 Speaker 1: covering the Braves, Steven Tolbert. Hey, it was awesome to 13 00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 1: see the Braves win this series. But what really stood 14 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:02,040 Speaker 1: out in this series, and we're going to do it 15 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:04,040 Speaker 1: in just a moment, is it was the youngins that 16 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 1: helped us out. The youngins stepped up big time this week, 17 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 1: especially a James Smith shav on Thursday. 18 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, what's up, buddy. It was a good series when 19 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:16,679 Speaker 2: they won three out of four against Washington, which they 20 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 2: needed to do at the at the bare minimum. The 21 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 2: offense is still not completely there, and we're going to 22 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:27,559 Speaker 2: talk about some some key parts, specifically Riley and Olsen 23 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:32,200 Speaker 2: here in a minute. But when one part of your 24 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 2: team is not going as well as you would hope, 25 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:36,479 Speaker 2: you need other parts to step up. And the starting 26 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 2: pitching has been unbelievable and today was no different with 27 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:46,759 Speaker 2: aj Smith Shaver, and you know they're doing they're doing 28 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 2: their job and giving the offense a chance to score 29 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:53,560 Speaker 2: enough runs lad in games. And the bullpen had one 30 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 2: blow up in this series on Wednesday, but other than that, 31 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 2: the bullpen has been pretty solid. So we're still winning. 32 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 2: On the offense, We're still not fully there, but it's 33 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 2: nice to be winning without that part of the team 34 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:12,240 Speaker 2: right now because we know that once it comes, and 35 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 2: there might be some help coming pretty soon, that this 36 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:20,480 Speaker 2: team could really go in a role and win ten 37 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 2: out of twelve or twelve out of fourteen or fifteen 38 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 2: out of twenty or something like that. So it is 39 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 2: a weird feeling. The Braves have been winning three out 40 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 2: of four is no joke. That helps a lot going 41 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 2: into Boston, But we're still kind of waiting on the 42 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,840 Speaker 2: offense to really look like the offense that we expect 43 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:39,639 Speaker 2: them to look like so, but three out of four 44 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 2: is three out of four, so you take it. We're 45 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:43,399 Speaker 2: on to Boston. Yeah. 46 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: The thing that I'll say is this is that we 47 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 1: kind of been playing the waiting game, right. We were 48 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:49,519 Speaker 1: waiting on a Coon, you were waiting on Strider. We're 49 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:52,239 Speaker 1: waiting on multiple aspects of this team to get hot 50 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:55,080 Speaker 1: at the same time. Well, the thing that we didn't 51 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:57,520 Speaker 1: necessarily know that was going to be worth waiting on 52 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:00,800 Speaker 1: it but has clearly emerged, especially this and it's wonderful 53 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:04,040 Speaker 1: to see is the contributions from Drake Baldwin as well 54 00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 1: as A. J. Smith Schauber, And it very much feels 55 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:09,120 Speaker 1: like two thousand and two all over again, where we 56 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 1: saw what you know, hey, Spencer Strider, he came into 57 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:16,079 Speaker 1: the rotation around Memorial Day, Michael Harrison the second got 58 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:18,960 Speaker 1: called up and it was bananas from that point on 59 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 1: with them win. He won two in the Rookie of 60 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:24,080 Speaker 1: the Year vote in twenty twenty two. I'm not getting 61 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:26,239 Speaker 1: ahead of myself. I'm not saying that's going to be 62 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 1: the case this year. When it comes to Baldwin and 63 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:31,920 Speaker 1: and A. J. Smith Shauber, I am saying that they 64 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 1: are clearly putting themselves in contention for the NL Rookie 65 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 1: of the Year, which is a wide open race right now. 66 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 1: But both of them are contributing, and not just with 67 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:43,480 Speaker 1: the you know, hey, good start here, good start there. 68 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 1: It's they're putting together multiple weeks of contributions like, for instance, A. J. 69 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: Smith Schauber over his past five starts, thirty innings pitched 70 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 1: thirty strike thirty strikeouts at one point five ERA. The 71 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 1: last rookie to do that was Paul Skemes. Before him, 72 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 1: it was Jose Bernandez. You look at the names of 73 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:04,920 Speaker 1: what ag Smith Chauber, you look at the names that 74 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 1: have done in the past, what AJ Smith Schauber has 75 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: done over his past five starts, it's some pretty awesome 76 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 1: starting pitching. You look at names that have done what 77 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 1: Drake Baldwin has done as a catcher through his first 78 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:18,920 Speaker 1: twenty five games, it's some pretty awesome names. The point 79 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 1: that I'm getting at is the contributions that you're seeing 80 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 1: from our young rookies. It's notable, not because of how 81 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:28,160 Speaker 1: much it's helping the braves, but also because other players 82 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 1: that have come before them who have done the same 83 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:33,279 Speaker 1: thing are pretty awesome talents in baseball, and it's really 84 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 1: good to see that once again, some youngins are stepping 85 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: up and they're performing big time when the Braves need 86 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:40,600 Speaker 1: it most. 87 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:44,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, I didn't. I really didn't have on my Bengo 88 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:47,440 Speaker 2: card at any point saying, man, I wish Mattalson and 89 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 2: Austin Riley were doing their job as well as Bryce 90 00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:53,000 Speaker 2: Elder and aj Smith Schalder have been doing their job. 91 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 2: And you could extend that to Drake Baldwin as well. 92 00:04:55,720 --> 00:05:00,040 Speaker 2: Drake Baldwin is he is so much better than I 93 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:02,440 Speaker 2: I thought he was. I you know, the prospect guys 94 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 2: have been talking him up the last year or so 95 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:08,360 Speaker 2: and he had really good numbers of TRIAA. But until 96 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:10,600 Speaker 2: you see a guy performing the majors, you really don't know. 97 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:16,239 Speaker 2: And every literally every single time he gets into a game, 98 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 2: he does something to help the team every single time. 99 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:23,760 Speaker 2: It's incredible. And listen Snit talked about it a couple 100 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 2: of nights ago, were like he has been. He has 101 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:30,599 Speaker 2: been so good that he has actually worked his way 102 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 2: into more playing time despite the fact that Sean Murphy 103 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:37,440 Speaker 2: has also been extremely good. Uh, both these guys have 104 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 2: I think like an eight Murphy has like an eight 105 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:44,360 Speaker 2: forty ops like something like that, which is out outstanding 106 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 2: for a catcher, and it's outstanding offensive production out of 107 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 2: a catcher. And even with that, Drake has been so 108 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:52,160 Speaker 2: good that he has actually fought his way into more 109 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:56,360 Speaker 2: playing time, which is completely understandable if you're snit. That's 110 00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:58,479 Speaker 2: how good this kid looks every single time. And so 111 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:01,920 Speaker 2: and then Aj, I mean we said it. I think 112 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 2: we said it a couple times in the offseason because 113 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:08,040 Speaker 2: the Braves did not go and add a starter. They 114 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 2: needed either Smith, Shov or Waldrope to take a step forward, 115 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 2: and the Braves were clearly banking on one of these 116 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 2: guys taking a step forward. And listen, when the pitching 117 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:23,040 Speaker 2: was kind of out of whack last year and they 118 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 2: needed a starter for a game one of the playoffs, 119 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:29,280 Speaker 2: they picked aj Smith Schover. So they clearly think extremely 120 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:31,520 Speaker 2: highly of this kid. And he's still only a kid. 121 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:34,120 Speaker 2: He's twenty two years old, and people forget that how 122 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 2: yunk he is. But man, easy look good. The strikeouts 123 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:39,479 Speaker 2: are up, the locks are down, the command is better. 124 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:43,000 Speaker 2: I understand the competition he's faced the last few weeks 125 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 2: have not been the greatest, but they're still major league hitterers. 126 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:47,720 Speaker 2: You still gotta throw strikes. You still can't walk them. 127 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:50,480 Speaker 2: They can still beat you. Washington's got a plenty good 128 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:52,599 Speaker 2: offense to beat you. They've got some really good hitters 129 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:56,600 Speaker 2: in that offense. And he's just looked awesome. Man, he's 130 00:06:56,640 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 2: just looked awesome. And I'm so happy for him. You know, 131 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:02,320 Speaker 2: obviously they made the decision a day to keep him. 132 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:04,600 Speaker 2: We'll talk about that in a second. Now the Strider's 133 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 2: coming back. But what a what an unbelievable boost it's 134 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:10,000 Speaker 2: been for these two kids to come up and play 135 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:12,080 Speaker 2: the way they have while we're waiting on some of 136 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:14,240 Speaker 2: the more proven vets to do their job. These young 137 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:17,640 Speaker 2: kids have really gone above and beyond what we expected. 138 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:21,360 Speaker 1: So it's been unbelievable, And I feel like the big 139 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:24,360 Speaker 1: thing for me is that I think the Braves have 140 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 1: recognized something that sometimes teams make much more complicated than 141 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 1: they need to, and that's just keeping things simple, go 142 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:36,200 Speaker 1: with what right now is allowed for them to be successful. 143 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 1: What I mean by that is is that, listen, I 144 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 1: know that it would be great if at Lanta would 145 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:46,120 Speaker 1: potentially experiment with or you know, further look into the 146 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:49,560 Speaker 1: idea of played of Sean Murphy as well as Drake 147 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:52,600 Speaker 1: Baldwin more often, but that could potentially take the kid 148 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 1: out of his comfort zone because you're not removing Shew 149 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:56,920 Speaker 1: Murphy for play catcher. The big thing for the Braves 150 00:07:57,000 --> 00:07:58,960 Speaker 1: right now is they're taking advantage of the best catching 151 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:03,680 Speaker 1: situation in the game. When what starts, you utilize the 152 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 1: other in a smart situation like in the game. Yeah, 153 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 1: it's not as good as both of them starting, but 154 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 1: it still is probably the most effective way to use 155 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:12,840 Speaker 1: them right now. And then with aj Smith Shauber, they 156 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 1: bumped him up, bumped him down, bumped him up, bumped 157 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 1: him down in the past. Right now, his upside is 158 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:21,440 Speaker 1: worth more banking on than what you're getting from Bryce Selder. 159 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 1: We'll get to that in a bit just a minute, 160 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:25,560 Speaker 1: but I do think that it's key for the Braves. 161 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:28,320 Speaker 1: They're seeing them be successful. They have them both in 162 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 1: defined roles right now. So the fact that the Braves 163 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:35,199 Speaker 1: are showing confidence in both youngsters by by telling them, hey, 164 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:38,120 Speaker 1: here's your role. You keep playing well, We're gonna keep 165 00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:40,440 Speaker 1: putting more on your plate because we trust you more. 166 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:43,800 Speaker 1: That confidence, I think is fueling the consistency of both 167 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:45,600 Speaker 1: being big contributors. 168 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:49,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean I think the Braves have yo yowed 169 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 2: some pictures in the past to their detriment. Kyle Wright 170 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:55,600 Speaker 2: is the first name that comes to mind, and listen, 171 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:57,600 Speaker 2: I get it. It's tough when you're trying to win 172 00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:01,080 Speaker 2: a World Series. That is not a good environment to 173 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:05,880 Speaker 2: develop young players. Typically, the best situation for a young 174 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 2: player is to play on a bad team because it 175 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 2: doesn't the results don't matter, You're just trying to develop 176 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:13,680 Speaker 2: your best players. Well, the Braves haven't been a bad 177 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:17,199 Speaker 2: team in eight years. I mean they've been in the 178 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:19,200 Speaker 2: playoffs literally every year for the last seven years. So 179 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:22,440 Speaker 2: it's not a great environment typically for young players, and 180 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:25,000 Speaker 2: so they the Braves. Young players have to come up 181 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:28,800 Speaker 2: and have to immediately contribute to winning or they don't stay. 182 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 2: And that's what makes what Ajs, Michalvern Drake Baldwin doing 183 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:36,719 Speaker 2: are so special because these guys are immediately in substantially 184 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:41,560 Speaker 2: impacting winning on a nightly basis. I mean, these are 185 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:45,000 Speaker 2: bats that Drake Baldwin are having and clutch late clutch 186 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 2: situations against left handed relievers, against tough pitching. I can't 187 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 2: even begin to describe to you some of these bats 188 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 2: he's having as a rookie, and I get he's an 189 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:58,600 Speaker 2: older rookie, he is twenty four, but still he's a rookie. 190 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:01,600 Speaker 2: Seeing most of these pitchers for the time and the 191 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:04,440 Speaker 2: abatsies putting up are like a ten year vet. It's incredible. 192 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:08,600 Speaker 2: And that's really what's special about this is again with 193 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 2: Braves prospects specifically, or any good team, if you're not 194 00:10:12,040 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 2: contributing to winning, you're not standing up here. Because the 195 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:17,120 Speaker 2: Braids are trying to win a World Series and these 196 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 2: guys are, I mean, they have been godsends for the Braves, 197 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:24,800 Speaker 2: Drake Baldwin probably specifically with how much the offense has 198 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:28,400 Speaker 2: been the problem this year, and so yeah, that's been 199 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 2: the special part is that they're not just in a 200 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:34,880 Speaker 2: vacuum on a bad team having good seasons. They are 201 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 2: contributing to winning for a team that is trying to win, 202 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:40,559 Speaker 2: and that's on another level of performance. 203 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:44,319 Speaker 1: Absolutely, And at the end of the day, this Braves 204 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:48,800 Speaker 1: team needs as much trustworthy sources as they can have 205 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 1: to contribute to winning. And if that's coming from from, 206 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:55,840 Speaker 1: you know, sources that are also becoming more and more 207 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:57,960 Speaker 1: evident to be big parts of your future. That makes 208 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:01,120 Speaker 1: it even better. 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You know, again, it's just good 234 00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:16,839 Speaker 1: to be able to sit here and have conversations with 235 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:19,720 Speaker 1: the Braves are back too witty now again. Seven games 236 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:22,560 Speaker 1: above five hundred since that road trip started. You know, 237 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:24,599 Speaker 1: one of the best records in baseball. What are the 238 00:12:24,679 --> 00:12:27,720 Speaker 1: best pitching staffs in baseball? And the big thing, Steven, 239 00:12:27,840 --> 00:12:30,800 Speaker 1: is that it's likely going to get even better, very 240 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:33,559 Speaker 1: very soon, because we've finally I know that we've already 241 00:12:33,559 --> 00:12:35,760 Speaker 1: been through this once this season, but we do have 242 00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:38,600 Speaker 1: in mind when Spencer Strider is going to be returning 243 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 1: from his hamstring injury. You know, we'd heard over the 244 00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:43,240 Speaker 1: past seven to ten days him ramping up a bit. 245 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 1: Was he going to get a rehab start, what have you? 246 00:12:45,120 --> 00:12:46,959 Speaker 1: It looks like that's not the case. Next week, when 247 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:50,720 Speaker 1: the Braves are in Washington on the road, Spencer Strider 248 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 1: will make a start for the Braves. Dagsact date is 249 00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:55,680 Speaker 1: not known, but what is known is that it is 250 00:12:55,760 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 1: going to happen because Bryce Elder, despite pitching very well here, recently, 251 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:03,640 Speaker 1: Bryce Elder was optioned down to the minor leagues. Now 252 00:13:03,679 --> 00:13:06,040 Speaker 1: the corresponding move is not going to necessarily be Strider. 253 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:08,080 Speaker 1: Likely he's going to be a bullpen arm for the 254 00:13:08,120 --> 00:13:10,480 Speaker 1: next few days. But I do think that it's big 255 00:13:10,559 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 1: to know. Hey, we now know we talked about it 256 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:15,959 Speaker 1: being imminent. Yes, we know Spincer Strider is right around 257 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:18,080 Speaker 1: the quarner. But the other thing that I think's interesting 258 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:20,319 Speaker 1: to discuss is that we talked about it. Grant Holmes, 259 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:23,520 Speaker 1: Ag Smith Schaber, and Bryce Elder have all been very 260 00:13:23,559 --> 00:13:25,600 Speaker 1: good as a late but what it simply comes down 261 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:28,440 Speaker 1: to is where do you get your most value. Grant 262 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:30,800 Speaker 1: Holmes going to the bullpen because the Braids don't seem 263 00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:33,240 Speaker 1: to be using a six man rotation. He's more lined 264 00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:34,640 Speaker 1: up for that. That's why he's staying. 265 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:34,959 Speaker 2: A J. 266 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 1: Smith Schauber, He's simply a more upside play and a 267 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:40,840 Speaker 1: bigger part of your future in prison. That's why he's staying. 268 00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:43,600 Speaker 1: Bryce Elder unfortunately was the odd man out, but that 269 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:46,480 Speaker 1: doesn't mean he doesn't have a good chance of contributing 270 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:47,440 Speaker 1: later this year. 271 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:52,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, this was interesting, So we knew this was coming. 272 00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:55,240 Speaker 2: At some point, we knew Strider was coming back, and 273 00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 2: we've been talking about this for like two weeks now 274 00:13:56,960 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 2: about what the corresponding move would be. Now, obviously, in 275 00:13:59,559 --> 00:14:02,800 Speaker 2: the short term, the Braves option Elder today because they're 276 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 2: going to bring up a reliever to have an extra 277 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:08,240 Speaker 2: reliever in Boston, and then when Strider comes up on 278 00:14:08,320 --> 00:14:12,520 Speaker 2: probably Tuesday, that reliever will be optioned. So but for 279 00:14:12,559 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 2: all intentsive purposes, Elder was the corresponding move for Strider. 280 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:21,000 Speaker 2: And this was interesting because it really could have gone 281 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:25,080 Speaker 2: multiple ways. The fact that they chose to do it 282 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:30,120 Speaker 2: in Washington obviously meant that they wanted, you know, Grant 283 00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:32,360 Speaker 2: Holmes the schedule to pitch in Boston. So if they 284 00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:34,800 Speaker 2: wanted Strider to if they wanted Holmes to be the 285 00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:38,000 Speaker 2: corresponding move, Strider would have probably come back for the 286 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:41,400 Speaker 2: Boston series. But because they waited until the Washington series 287 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:43,960 Speaker 2: when Elder was scheduled to pitch, they clearly wanted Elder. 288 00:14:44,920 --> 00:14:48,040 Speaker 2: I understand it. That's the move I would have made. 289 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 2: I did think there was an argument for moving Grant 290 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:55,640 Speaker 2: Holmes to the bullpen and DFA either Montero de los Santos, 291 00:14:56,360 --> 00:14:58,440 Speaker 2: somebody that I don't trust a lot, because I think 292 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:02,960 Speaker 2: Grant Holmes is I think Grant Holmes is a better 293 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:07,000 Speaker 2: reliever than either of those guys. Brad did make the 294 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:08,800 Speaker 2: point today in our group chat, and I thought it 295 00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:11,080 Speaker 2: was a good point that there is some danger and 296 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:14,040 Speaker 2: shortening up Grant Holmes and not having him as an 297 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:16,960 Speaker 2: option to start. You know, if Bryce Elder goes out 298 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 2: and gets lit up his next time, then are you 299 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:21,600 Speaker 2: kind of right back to where you would have been 300 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:23,080 Speaker 2: where you're like, well, I kind of wish we'd kept 301 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:25,720 Speaker 2: Grant Holmes in the rotation and just option Bryce Elder. 302 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:29,040 Speaker 2: So I get it. I certainly get it. I definitely 303 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:31,360 Speaker 2: would have kept A. J. Smith Schaalber above everybody else 304 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:35,000 Speaker 2: because you got more upside. The guy was throwing, you know, 305 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:38,480 Speaker 2: ninety seven, ninety eight, ninety nine today, So I get 306 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:40,880 Speaker 2: I mean, this is the move I would have probably done. 307 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:43,680 Speaker 2: It sucks for Bryce Elder. He does not deserve to 308 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:46,720 Speaker 2: be optioned. You know, I was thinking today if Grant 309 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:51,280 Speaker 2: Holmes had options and Bryce Elder didn't, I do wonder 310 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:54,560 Speaker 2: if that would have been the reverse today. You know, 311 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 2: sometimes it is you have options and the other guy doesn't. 312 00:15:57,120 --> 00:16:01,000 Speaker 2: Grant Holmes doesn't have options, so and aj Smithshauber is 313 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:04,040 Speaker 2: one of the best prospects on the team. You know, 314 00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:06,400 Speaker 2: Elder just kind of got the short straw there, and 315 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:10,200 Speaker 2: it sucks for him because he's been awesome, full capital 316 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:13,080 Speaker 2: letter a awesome for the last like five starts, four 317 00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 2: or five starts. So I'm guessing Elder will be back 318 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:19,640 Speaker 2: up at some point. He's earned another chance. I do 319 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:22,400 Speaker 2: not trust Bryce Elder, to be perfectly clear, I don't 320 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:24,840 Speaker 2: think Bryce Elder is a long term answer in the rotation. 321 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 2: I think he's more of a triple A maybe quad 322 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:31,960 Speaker 2: a starter, more of a depth piece than a significant contributor. 323 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:35,360 Speaker 2: But even I have to admit the last three weeks 324 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:38,440 Speaker 2: he's been awesome, so he did not deserve to be option. 325 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:41,440 Speaker 2: He just he you know, he can't have twenty seven 326 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:44,800 Speaker 2: guys on the roster, so sucks for him. I do 327 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:46,840 Speaker 2: understand the move. It is the move I would have made. 328 00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 2: And now we get to see Smitch of Strider back 329 00:16:49,560 --> 00:16:53,320 Speaker 2: against Washington probably on Tuesday, as my guess, and that's 330 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:55,360 Speaker 2: gonna be unbelievable. I mean, even though the pitching has 331 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:58,800 Speaker 2: already been really good in the starting pitching, specifically, getting 332 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 2: Strider back is just you know, I have this opinion 333 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:05,439 Speaker 2: that Streider and Acunya both have this kind of f 334 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:08,520 Speaker 2: you attitude that I love that I think the Braves 335 00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:11,520 Speaker 2: miss when neither guy is there, because the Braves have 336 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:15,120 Speaker 2: a lot of all shucks guys, and I think they 337 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:18,000 Speaker 2: miss a little attitude quite honestly, especially when things aren't 338 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:20,760 Speaker 2: going great. And so that, you know, on top of 339 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:23,399 Speaker 2: the talent of getting Striider and a Cunya back, getting 340 00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:25,960 Speaker 2: the attitude that Strider and Acunya brings to the clubhouse 341 00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:29,600 Speaker 2: I think is not a small thing. And so having 342 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:34,480 Speaker 2: those guys both back pretty soon unbelievable. Can't wait. 343 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:39,120 Speaker 1: Couldn't be more excited. Absolutely, I don't think many would 344 00:17:39,119 --> 00:17:41,920 Speaker 1: debate it. Your best overall offensive talent on the team 345 00:17:42,040 --> 00:17:44,879 Speaker 1: is ronald' Kunyu Junior went healthy. Your best overall pitching 346 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:47,639 Speaker 1: talent on the team is Spencer Schreider went healthy. But listen, 347 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:49,280 Speaker 1: a person can have to have all the talent in 348 00:17:49,280 --> 00:17:51,600 Speaker 1: the world. What makes it even better is when they 349 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:53,880 Speaker 1: know it and not to the point of being arrogant, 350 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:56,240 Speaker 1: but know that it changes a culture and it's what 351 00:17:56,359 --> 00:17:59,080 Speaker 1: sets the tone for them realizing that they're the main 352 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:02,720 Speaker 1: reasons why you can win and win big because of them, 353 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:04,959 Speaker 1: and they want to act like Both of those guys 354 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:06,760 Speaker 1: not only know that, but they want to get back 355 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:08,480 Speaker 1: to doing it. So it's going to be great to 356 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:11,919 Speaker 1: have them back. But again again we go back to 357 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:14,440 Speaker 1: as awesome as Baldwin and Smith schav for a Ben 358 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:17,520 Speaker 1: as well as others have been here recently. Marcelo Zuna 359 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:19,919 Speaker 1: had a very good series. He got back to his 360 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:23,520 Speaker 1: run producing skills that we're all used to seeing. Two names, though, 361 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:26,480 Speaker 1: stand out when it comes to this Brave's team. And 362 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:29,399 Speaker 1: I mentioned this because the Braves scored five runs today. 363 00:18:29,560 --> 00:18:32,480 Speaker 1: They are fourteen and one when they score five runs 364 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:35,879 Speaker 1: this season. They've actually won fourteen straight games when they 365 00:18:35,920 --> 00:18:39,080 Speaker 1: score five runs this season this season. The problem is 366 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:42,040 Speaker 1: they're twenty fifth in the majors in scoring five plus 367 00:18:42,119 --> 00:18:44,879 Speaker 1: runs in games this season. I'm not saying all that 368 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:47,320 Speaker 1: to say that the number five is really important. What's 369 00:18:47,359 --> 00:18:49,679 Speaker 1: really important is how we get to five plus runs 370 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:52,200 Speaker 1: more frequently, and two names can be a big part 371 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:55,399 Speaker 1: of that. Austin Riley as well as Matt Olsen. Now, 372 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:57,720 Speaker 1: matt Olsen, we're used to the streakiness. It happens for 373 00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:00,240 Speaker 1: multiple weeks at the time. Right now, he's going through 374 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:02,920 Speaker 1: a cold streak. Austin Riley, he's getting on base, I 375 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:05,640 Speaker 1: think eighteen straight games now getting on base, but he's 376 00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:08,679 Speaker 1: not doing much at the plate, and he's not also 377 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:11,840 Speaker 1: doing much in big moments. That high strikeout rate, especially 378 00:19:11,880 --> 00:19:15,359 Speaker 1: with runners on, still stands out. The Braves need both 379 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:18,320 Speaker 1: of those guys to get going. They gotten going earlier 380 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:20,920 Speaker 1: this year. If they can get back, coupled with Akunya 381 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:24,640 Speaker 1: coming back, that's really what can fuel that ten, maybe twelve, 382 00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:27,640 Speaker 1: you know game stretch where we're above eight hundred winning percentage. 383 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:28,840 Speaker 1: If those guys can get. 384 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:34,680 Speaker 2: Going, yeah, listen. I mean, these guys hold the two 385 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:37,919 Speaker 2: biggest contracts the Atlanta Braves have ever handed out to 386 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:42,200 Speaker 2: any player ever. Austin Riley is one, Matt Olsen is two, 387 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:48,199 Speaker 2: the two biggest contracts in franchise history. So it is 388 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:51,400 Speaker 2: completely fair to hold them to a higher standard than 389 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:56,720 Speaker 2: just being good or a plow average, Especially when Ronald 390 00:19:56,760 --> 00:19:59,960 Speaker 2: Lacuna juniors out. You need those dudes to be stuck 391 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:05,359 Speaker 2: like all star, elite level studs, and they have not 392 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:07,280 Speaker 2: gotten that this year. And it's fair to say that. 393 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:10,000 Speaker 2: And I think Austin Riley and Matt Olsen would be 394 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:13,280 Speaker 2: the first to tell you that they have not lived 395 00:20:13,359 --> 00:20:15,920 Speaker 2: up to their end of the bargain this year. Now, 396 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:19,120 Speaker 2: they've each had moments. Austin's had a couple of hot streaks, 397 00:20:19,359 --> 00:20:22,720 Speaker 2: but also Austin's also had a couple of unbelievable cold streaks. 398 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:25,959 Speaker 2: Both of these guys are streaky as hell. You know, 399 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:27,639 Speaker 2: we've seen it the last couple of years. When the 400 00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:32,080 Speaker 2: summer months come, Austin Riley turns into Barry Bonds. You know. 401 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:35,600 Speaker 2: We've seen Matt Olsen get on absolute red hot tears. 402 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:39,560 Speaker 2: And we've also seen both guys look like they're lost 403 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:43,000 Speaker 2: in the sauce. Both of those guys, at different times 404 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:45,240 Speaker 2: in the last two or three weeks have looked like 405 00:20:45,280 --> 00:20:48,840 Speaker 2: they're completely in the weeds. Austin's strikeout numbers have gone 406 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:52,080 Speaker 2: way way up this year, his walk numbers have gone down. 407 00:20:52,359 --> 00:20:54,480 Speaker 2: He's kind of swinging at those sliders off the plate 408 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:56,119 Speaker 2: that we saw in his rookie year that he had 409 00:20:56,160 --> 00:21:00,320 Speaker 2: really corrected. So I don't know what to make that. 410 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:02,760 Speaker 2: I think he is pressing. I think both these guys 411 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:05,560 Speaker 2: are pressing. I think it's mental on a lot of levels. 412 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:09,080 Speaker 2: We were watching Matt Olson just swing through every single fastball. 413 00:21:09,080 --> 00:21:11,160 Speaker 2: It doesn't matter. It could be ninety nine, it could 414 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:13,879 Speaker 2: be eighty nine. He's swinging through it, which tells you 415 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:17,520 Speaker 2: it's mechanical, it's mental. It's not like this dude doesn't 416 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:19,119 Speaker 2: have the ability to hit an eighty nine mile on 417 00:21:19,119 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 2: our fastball. It's all on his head right now, and 418 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:25,320 Speaker 2: the Braves need more. And I think those two dudes 419 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:28,840 Speaker 2: specifically might help, might benefit most from having Ronald back. 420 00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:31,440 Speaker 2: I think having an alpha on the team and allowing 421 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:34,080 Speaker 2: those two guys to be, you know, kind of the 422 00:21:34,119 --> 00:21:38,159 Speaker 2: next best guys, I think I think will help. I 423 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:39,960 Speaker 2: don't think it's coincidence. Two of the best years we 424 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:42,760 Speaker 2: ever saw from those guys, you know, with Austin Riley 425 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:45,639 Speaker 2: was with Freddie Freeman as the best hitter with Matt Olson, 426 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:49,480 Speaker 2: when Ronald Acuna Junia was the best hitter. So I'm 427 00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:51,720 Speaker 2: very curious to see what happens when Ronald comes back. 428 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:54,159 Speaker 2: If those guys pick up their game, it will be 429 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:56,920 Speaker 2: the summer months, So maybe that will be the key. 430 00:21:57,119 --> 00:21:59,200 Speaker 2: But listen, it is absolutely fair to say the Braves 431 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 2: need more from Austin right medals. That's one hundred percent fair. 432 00:22:02,240 --> 00:22:06,359 Speaker 2: Two biggest contracts in franchise history. They need more out 433 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:07,280 Speaker 2: of those guys. 434 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:09,640 Speaker 1: And we've seen plenty of proof as to why they 435 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:12,560 Speaker 1: have the two biggest contracts in franchise history, and one 436 00:22:12,560 --> 00:22:14,440 Speaker 1: of the big reasons why is both of them have 437 00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:17,920 Speaker 1: performed quite well against quality competition. Well, that's what's about 438 00:22:17,960 --> 00:22:21,119 Speaker 1: to happen. You're about to see an uptick in competition, 439 00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:24,080 Speaker 1: especially the quality of pitching that this team will be 440 00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:26,879 Speaker 1: facing over the next several weeks. So those two getting 441 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:30,240 Speaker 1: going will be huge. But perhaps the biggest news of all, 442 00:22:30,880 --> 00:22:33,760 Speaker 1: and perhaps the biggest appearance of all when it came 443 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:37,200 Speaker 1: to baseball today was not at Truest Park. It's going 444 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:40,359 Speaker 1: on right now as we record for the Gwynet Stripers, 445 00:22:40,359 --> 00:22:42,040 Speaker 1: and Steven, I think you may have an update or 446 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:46,680 Speaker 1: two on a certain outfielder making his twenty twenty five 447 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:49,360 Speaker 1: organizational debut on a rehab assignment. 448 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, so he played in the Complex League on what 449 00:22:56,520 --> 00:22:59,480 Speaker 2: night was that Tuesday night? And he had a home 450 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:03,119 Speaker 2: run in a bomb Everybody if you've if you're on Twitter, 451 00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:05,480 Speaker 2: you're online at all, you probably saw it. There was 452 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:08,960 Speaker 2: about twenty different camera angles of people recording and hit 453 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:10,760 Speaker 2: a ball. We'll talk about Ronald Kingy Junior, of course. 454 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:14,840 Speaker 2: And so immediately after that game, he told one of 455 00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:18,360 Speaker 2: the Spanish reporters that he's flying to Atlanta that night 456 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:22,000 Speaker 2: and then gonna be playing with Gwinnett. I don't fully 457 00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:24,240 Speaker 2: understand why they had him played the complex game for 458 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:29,520 Speaker 2: complexly for one game. Maybe just because maybe the homer 459 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:31,359 Speaker 2: where they were like, all right, he doesn't need to 460 00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 2: be here anymore. Maybe that's what it was. But he 461 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:36,920 Speaker 2: got on a plane flewid media to Atlanta. I actually 462 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:40,399 Speaker 2: met with the media yesterday, met with Snit, met with 463 00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:44,440 Speaker 2: the team. He actually apologized for the the social media 464 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:46,800 Speaker 2: stuff earlier in the year. Him and Snit got into 465 00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:51,320 Speaker 2: it online. And then he went to Gwinnett and first 466 00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:53,199 Speaker 2: at bat tonight, And I'm actually tracking in on my 467 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:55,119 Speaker 2: phone as a recording because the game literally started right 468 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:58,520 Speaker 2: when we started recording one hundred and six mine hour single. Uh, 469 00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:00,720 Speaker 2: first first at bat of the game, he's leading off 470 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:04,520 Speaker 2: for Gwinette. So we're in it now, I mean, we're 471 00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:06,960 Speaker 2: full in rehab assignment. You know, you and I talked 472 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:09,840 Speaker 2: on our last show about once he officially starts a 473 00:24:09,840 --> 00:24:11,959 Speaker 2: rehab assignment, he can only be down for twenty days. 474 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:15,120 Speaker 2: That clock has officially started. I doubt he'll be down 475 00:24:15,119 --> 00:24:18,439 Speaker 2: for twenty days at this point. He looks fantastic. He 476 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:21,639 Speaker 2: told the reporters yesterday he feels one hundred percent, which 477 00:24:22,359 --> 00:24:26,720 Speaker 2: was music to my ears. I was not expecting to 478 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:30,080 Speaker 2: see the one hundred percent. I was expecting like ninety 479 00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:34,679 Speaker 2: eighty five, ninety will work up to one hundred. And 480 00:24:34,720 --> 00:24:38,199 Speaker 2: the dude's already hitting missiles, I mean absolute missiles. So 481 00:24:40,359 --> 00:24:43,120 Speaker 2: here we go. It's gonna be inter see how long 482 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:47,240 Speaker 2: they go again. There's a twenty day max. I don't 483 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:49,800 Speaker 2: think he'll get anywhere close to that twenty days. I 484 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:53,840 Speaker 2: mean there's talk justin Tiscano yesterday. I mean he was guessing, 485 00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:57,480 Speaker 2: but he talked about the Braves' next homestand as soon 486 00:24:57,560 --> 00:25:01,560 Speaker 2: as the Braves next homestand Ronald could be back, we'll see. 487 00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:04,120 Speaker 2: I can't wait. I mean, I'm so ready to see 488 00:25:04,160 --> 00:25:06,800 Speaker 2: Ronald Coonson going to play baseball again. And the fact 489 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:08,880 Speaker 2: that he's already hitting the ball this well in the miners. 490 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:11,240 Speaker 2: He looks like he's running around. They're gonna obviously let 491 00:25:11,320 --> 00:25:14,120 Speaker 2: him play, take a day off, play in the outfield, 492 00:25:14,119 --> 00:25:15,879 Speaker 2: take a day off, see how he feels all that stuff. 493 00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:19,199 Speaker 2: But I mean he's close. He's very close. 494 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:24,640 Speaker 1: Absolutely, And as everybody knows, Ronald mccoon junior comes back 495 00:25:24,640 --> 00:25:27,440 Speaker 1: into the fold, he's going to make a big impact. 496 00:25:27,480 --> 00:25:29,119 Speaker 1: But after a word from our partners, I'm going to 497 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:31,760 Speaker 1: talk with Stephen about a particular area where I think 498 00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:33,879 Speaker 1: that if he could just get right back to contributing 499 00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:36,040 Speaker 1: like he always has in this aspect of the game, 500 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:39,639 Speaker 1: it will really really help the Braves offense get more consistent. 501 00:25:40,359 --> 00:25:42,280 Speaker 3: This is a straightforward show, so I'm going to be 502 00:25:42,359 --> 00:25:47,080 Speaker 3: very straightforward with everyone about PXG. Fastest way to improve 503 00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:49,920 Speaker 3: your performance on the golf course is to get yourself 504 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:54,040 Speaker 3: a PXG golf fitting. Go in there and let the 505 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:55,000 Speaker 3: experts help you. 506 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:58,280 Speaker 5: I've been using PXG for a few years now. Scotti. 507 00:25:58,560 --> 00:26:00,720 Speaker 5: They're perfect. I love the way they feel. They fit 508 00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:03,440 Speaker 5: them perfectly to my swing. They waited at them, they 509 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:05,320 Speaker 5: put grips in them, they put shafts in them, they 510 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:07,800 Speaker 5: used their heads and they fit my swing beautifully. They 511 00:26:07,840 --> 00:26:10,320 Speaker 5: have definitely improved my game. They just recently hooked me 512 00:26:10,359 --> 00:26:13,080 Speaker 5: up with their new Alan putter, which is off the chain. 513 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:15,880 Speaker 5: I was draining putts the other day left and right, 514 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:18,760 Speaker 5: So I definitely say go get your fitting at PXG. 515 00:26:19,280 --> 00:26:21,480 Speaker 5: Nobody goes golf the way PXG does. 516 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:23,959 Speaker 3: Yes, and for a limited time you could save up 517 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:26,919 Speaker 3: to twenty percent on your entire order. Head over to 518 00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:30,320 Speaker 3: PXG dot com slash foul. That's p XG dot com 519 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:32,959 Speaker 3: slash foul to save up to twenty percent on your 520 00:26:33,080 --> 00:26:37,879 Speaker 3: entire order. P XG dot com slash foul restrictions apply 521 00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:42,000 Speaker 3: see site for details. 522 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:47,320 Speaker 2: You meanicha, oh, I hate. 523 00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:49,800 Speaker 1: I hate when you go right into a good thought 524 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:51,879 Speaker 1: and then it just MutS you. Steven, If you go 525 00:26:51,960 --> 00:26:55,040 Speaker 1: back to twenty twenty three, you obviously remember how historical 526 00:26:55,119 --> 00:26:57,760 Speaker 1: this offense was. Many were writing, you know, thought pieces 527 00:26:57,760 --> 00:26:59,679 Speaker 1: about how the Bradys offense that year could have been 528 00:26:59,720 --> 00:27:02,800 Speaker 1: a Time five offense of all time, and one of 529 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:05,800 Speaker 1: the biggest reasons why was because of the home run. 530 00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:09,040 Speaker 1: But Stephen Dee, you remember how often we got off 531 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:12,480 Speaker 1: to good starts, how often we got the lead in games, 532 00:27:12,520 --> 00:27:16,720 Speaker 1: how historically good we were in the first inning, did 533 00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:19,240 Speaker 1: it not just build your confidence each game when we 534 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:20,359 Speaker 1: got those leads are lead. 535 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:24,080 Speaker 2: Stephen, Yeah, I know exactly what you're telling you talking 536 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:26,280 Speaker 2: about leader, You talking about lead off first inning, That's 537 00:27:26,280 --> 00:27:27,160 Speaker 2: what you're talking about. 538 00:27:27,480 --> 00:27:31,119 Speaker 1: Yeah, exactly, And that to me, we talk about listen 539 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:32,920 Speaker 1: at the end of the day, keeping it high level. 540 00:27:33,080 --> 00:27:35,760 Speaker 1: Ronalcune Junior is going to help out in so many 541 00:27:35,800 --> 00:27:38,960 Speaker 1: different areas. But again I go back to this phrase 542 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:41,720 Speaker 1: team being able to score five or more runs more often, 543 00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:44,240 Speaker 1: and when they do, they're going to be very, very 544 00:27:44,240 --> 00:27:47,400 Speaker 1: successful and they're fully capable of doing it. But since 545 00:27:47,400 --> 00:27:50,600 Speaker 1: twenty nineteen, there are four teams that have an eight 546 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:53,320 Speaker 1: hundred or higher ops in the first inning. That is 547 00:27:53,400 --> 00:27:56,040 Speaker 1: the Dodgers, that is the Yankees, that is the Astros, 548 00:27:56,160 --> 00:27:58,520 Speaker 1: and that is the Braves. The reason why those four 549 00:27:58,560 --> 00:28:02,160 Speaker 1: teams are that high are the best in first inning 550 00:28:02,440 --> 00:28:04,679 Speaker 1: over that stretch of time is because eight of the 551 00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:07,840 Speaker 1: fifteen players with the highest single ops's in the first 552 00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:10,880 Speaker 1: inning over that time play for those teams. Aaron Judge, 553 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:15,440 Speaker 1: Shohei Mookie, Freddy, Austin Kunya, as well as Jose Altuve 554 00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:18,840 Speaker 1: and your Nolvarez. I name all those players to say this, 555 00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:22,639 Speaker 1: when Ronald Acunya Junior comes back, he's going to make 556 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:24,840 Speaker 1: a big impact out of that first spot. Number one 557 00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:27,160 Speaker 1: because of his offensive potential. Number two because he's going 558 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:29,880 Speaker 1: to be getting more plant appearances than anymore. But being 559 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:33,800 Speaker 1: able to get the ball rolling against qualitague pitching competition 560 00:28:34,040 --> 00:28:36,439 Speaker 1: when they're at their best and giving our pitchers leads, 561 00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:39,200 Speaker 1: that is going to be a huge difference. The Braves 562 00:28:39,280 --> 00:28:42,560 Speaker 1: right now are twenty sixth and first inning ops and 563 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:45,840 Speaker 1: twenty sixth and first any runs in twenty twenty five. 564 00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:48,160 Speaker 1: If they can at least get back to league average 565 00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:50,320 Speaker 1: when it comes to first inning production, I think that 566 00:28:50,360 --> 00:28:52,320 Speaker 1: can make all the difference in the world. And again, 567 00:28:52,440 --> 00:28:55,200 Speaker 1: Stephen can get back to being a reason why we 568 00:28:55,280 --> 00:28:58,360 Speaker 1: can fuel that tend to tell twelve game stretch where 569 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:00,000 Speaker 1: we win eight to nine years. 570 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:06,200 Speaker 2: Yeah. I mean listen, everybody talks about when Ronald came 571 00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:10,640 Speaker 2: back in twenty two after the first ACL, he was 572 00:29:10,680 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 2: a shell of himself. And the one thing I would 573 00:29:14,240 --> 00:29:17,959 Speaker 2: point out there is that shell of himself Ronald Acuna 574 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:21,200 Speaker 2: Junior in twenty twenty two still had a three point 575 00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:24,320 Speaker 2: fifty one on base percentage. That's what shell of a 576 00:29:24,840 --> 00:29:27,480 Speaker 2: shell of himself. Ronald Cuna Junior did still had a 577 00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:29,920 Speaker 2: three fifty one on base percentage, which would be like 578 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:34,120 Speaker 2: the second highest on the team right now. So even 579 00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:40,520 Speaker 2: if Ronald isn't like Capital a Acunya, just having that 580 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:42,880 Speaker 2: on base percentage in the leadoff spot is gonna be 581 00:29:42,880 --> 00:29:46,800 Speaker 2: so val He just takes so many walks. And you know, 582 00:29:46,840 --> 00:29:49,840 Speaker 2: we talk about walks a lot, you know, with Michael 583 00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:52,320 Speaker 2: Harris or Ozzie Albi's or Jered Kelnick about the lack 584 00:29:52,360 --> 00:29:57,080 Speaker 2: of walks. Walks are so incredibly valuable to offensive production. People. 585 00:29:57,440 --> 00:30:00,280 Speaker 2: I think the general fan base are you know, just 586 00:30:00,280 --> 00:30:03,480 Speaker 2: baseball fans in general don't fully get how important walks are. 587 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:08,000 Speaker 2: And Ronald always runs like a fourteen fifteen percent walk rate, 588 00:30:08,320 --> 00:30:11,320 Speaker 2: And even when you're not that's why they're so important, 589 00:30:11,320 --> 00:30:13,560 Speaker 2: because even when you're not doing great offensively in terms 590 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:16,480 Speaker 2: of your batting average or your hits, when you're on 591 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:19,200 Speaker 2: base that much, you know, your floor is just so 592 00:30:19,320 --> 00:30:21,640 Speaker 2: much higher. And that's what I'm looking forward to with 593 00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:23,959 Speaker 2: ron Even if he's not like all star level run 594 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:26,640 Speaker 2: on the Canyon Junior, I know for a fact that 595 00:30:26,720 --> 00:30:28,520 Speaker 2: he's probably gonna run at least a three to fifty 596 00:30:28,520 --> 00:30:31,160 Speaker 2: on base percentage out of that leadoff spot, which means 597 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:35,160 Speaker 2: the Braves are gonna have much more opportunities. Like you're 598 00:30:35,160 --> 00:30:37,520 Speaker 2: talking about scoring in the first inning, it seems like 599 00:30:37,560 --> 00:30:40,440 Speaker 2: every game through the first three innings they get no hit, 600 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:43,240 Speaker 2: and then at some point around the fourth or fifth inning, 601 00:30:43,320 --> 00:30:45,600 Speaker 2: maybe they score a couple of runs. Usually they wait 602 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:49,440 Speaker 2: until about the eighth inning just do anything. I'm kind 603 00:30:49,440 --> 00:30:51,480 Speaker 2: of sick of that. I'm ready for some first inning 604 00:30:51,560 --> 00:30:53,920 Speaker 2: runs again. I'm ready to jump out ahead of teams 605 00:30:54,280 --> 00:30:56,200 Speaker 2: instead of always having to come back or hope the 606 00:30:56,240 --> 00:30:58,440 Speaker 2: pitching staff can throw a no hitter for five innings 607 00:30:58,520 --> 00:31:02,120 Speaker 2: because the offense hasn't done anything. That's what I can't 608 00:31:02,160 --> 00:31:04,600 Speaker 2: wait for. And yes, of course Acunya can also just 609 00:31:04,680 --> 00:31:07,680 Speaker 2: make the game one nothing on the first pitch, which 610 00:31:07,720 --> 00:31:10,000 Speaker 2: we have barely seen at all this year out of 611 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:12,280 Speaker 2: the leadoffs spot. I think Michael Harris has like one 612 00:31:12,320 --> 00:31:14,760 Speaker 2: home run out of the leadoff spot, and I don't 613 00:31:14,760 --> 00:31:16,440 Speaker 2: think any of the other leadoff options I've hit a 614 00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:19,320 Speaker 2: home run. I know Verdugo hasn't, so I think the 615 00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:21,040 Speaker 2: rest I have one homer this year out of the leadoffs, 616 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:23,440 Speaker 2: but it might be two. I might be forgetting one, 617 00:31:23,600 --> 00:31:26,160 Speaker 2: but that's what I'm ready for. I'm ready for a 618 00:31:26,160 --> 00:31:28,360 Speaker 2: guy who can make it one nothing on the first pitch, 619 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:30,560 Speaker 2: who can get on base at a high clip, can 620 00:31:30,600 --> 00:31:35,080 Speaker 2: steal a bag. I can't wait, can't wait, cannot wait 621 00:31:35,120 --> 00:31:37,520 Speaker 2: for Ronald Acun Junior to be back in a Bridge uniform. 622 00:31:37,600 --> 00:31:38,920 Speaker 1: And then just think about it. You know, we saw 623 00:31:39,040 --> 00:31:41,760 Speaker 1: Drake Baldwin hitting in the second spot today, which I 624 00:31:41,760 --> 00:31:44,280 Speaker 1: think was actually I'll give credit to Brian Sticker, it 625 00:31:44,320 --> 00:31:46,480 Speaker 1: was a smart move. But you know, again I mentioned 626 00:31:46,520 --> 00:31:49,680 Speaker 1: Austin Riley was one of the best in recent baseball 627 00:31:49,720 --> 00:31:52,200 Speaker 1: history when it came to first need production. As well. 628 00:31:52,560 --> 00:31:56,080 Speaker 1: Having Ronald Baher just also sets everybody else in such 629 00:31:56,080 --> 00:31:59,000 Speaker 1: a good spot. It just deepens this lineup so much more, 630 00:31:59,160 --> 00:32:01,560 Speaker 1: and it's gonna be really easy to see well to 631 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:04,760 Speaker 1: turn a complete one eighty. If you're a fan of offense, 632 00:32:05,120 --> 00:32:08,920 Speaker 1: tomorrow night's pitching matchup in the Braves versus Red Sox 633 00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:12,400 Speaker 1: at Fenway Park is not the game for you, but 634 00:32:12,520 --> 00:32:15,080 Speaker 1: it's going to be a really, really fun game to 635 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:18,400 Speaker 1: see Tomorrow night. It's going to be Chris Sale against 636 00:32:18,400 --> 00:32:22,240 Speaker 1: Garrett Crochet. Chris Sale's return to Boston and Stephen. The 637 00:32:22,280 --> 00:32:24,160 Speaker 1: thing that I'll say is this is that it's not 638 00:32:24,200 --> 00:32:27,400 Speaker 1: only just an awesome pitching matchup between last year Cy 639 00:32:27,440 --> 00:32:29,880 Speaker 1: Young winner and one of the best pitchers currently in 640 00:32:29,920 --> 00:32:31,880 Speaker 1: the game a contender for the al Cy Young this 641 00:32:32,000 --> 00:32:35,360 Speaker 1: year in Crochet. But it also needs to be said 642 00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:39,960 Speaker 1: just how much Sale and Crochet's careers have kind of 643 00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:43,040 Speaker 1: followed each other. Both started off as dominant lefties when 644 00:32:43,040 --> 00:32:45,280 Speaker 1: it came to both started off as dominant leftings who 645 00:32:45,280 --> 00:32:48,280 Speaker 1: potentially could have projected as relievers for the White Sox. 646 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:51,520 Speaker 1: They turn into pitchers. Both of them I have similar 647 00:32:51,560 --> 00:32:54,360 Speaker 1: repertoires when it comes to what makes them effective, what 648 00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:57,560 Speaker 1: makes them dominant, and both eventually left the Reds White 649 00:32:57,600 --> 00:32:59,680 Speaker 1: Sox and we're traded to the Red Sox. It's pretty 650 00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:02,640 Speaker 1: crazy how similar their careers are. But it's gonna be 651 00:33:02,640 --> 00:33:05,120 Speaker 1: a lot of fun to see that pitching matchup. To me, 652 00:33:05,360 --> 00:33:08,360 Speaker 1: the key for the Braves against Crochet and in order 653 00:33:08,400 --> 00:33:10,320 Speaker 1: to support Sale, who's been very good as a late 654 00:33:10,680 --> 00:33:13,800 Speaker 1: is again that early success. There was a better approach 655 00:33:13,880 --> 00:33:16,640 Speaker 1: at the plate overall for this team this week against 656 00:33:16,680 --> 00:33:19,200 Speaker 1: the Nationals. If they can carry that over to tomorrow, night, 657 00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:21,440 Speaker 1: those runs will be at a premium. They could find 658 00:33:21,440 --> 00:33:23,360 Speaker 1: themselves in a close game and could get the job done. 659 00:33:23,440 --> 00:33:25,880 Speaker 1: But it's gonna be a really exciting pitching matchup to watch. 660 00:33:27,080 --> 00:33:29,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, how about that? How about Chris Sale versus Garrett Crochet, 661 00:33:29,880 --> 00:33:32,520 Speaker 2: Like you just said, the similarities of the of them 662 00:33:32,520 --> 00:33:35,920 Speaker 2: are are actually pretty wild. On top of them both 663 00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:39,080 Speaker 2: being these kind of funky left handed starters, they started 664 00:33:39,080 --> 00:33:40,920 Speaker 2: with the same team, got traded to the same team. 665 00:33:41,240 --> 00:33:42,959 Speaker 2: I guess Garrett Corochet is gonna be a brave at 666 00:33:42,960 --> 00:33:46,240 Speaker 2: some point. And by the way, we've heard, I've heard 667 00:33:46,240 --> 00:33:48,520 Speaker 2: from people that Garrett Crochet was almost a brave in 668 00:33:48,560 --> 00:33:51,200 Speaker 2: the off season. The brads just didn't want to give 669 00:33:51,280 --> 00:33:54,480 Speaker 2: up a guy who's currently on the team's who's hitting 670 00:33:54,520 --> 00:33:59,840 Speaker 2: pretty well. But yeah, there's there's probably not gonna be 671 00:33:59,880 --> 00:34:05,760 Speaker 2: a lot of offense on Friday Night. At least, I 672 00:34:05,760 --> 00:34:08,080 Speaker 2: think Sale has come. I think I think we're to 673 00:34:08,120 --> 00:34:10,040 Speaker 2: the point now where we can say Sale it's completely 674 00:34:10,040 --> 00:34:13,399 Speaker 2: turned around. Kind of back to twenty twenty four, Sail, 675 00:34:14,400 --> 00:34:16,080 Speaker 2: he had that weird start. A lot of it was 676 00:34:16,120 --> 00:34:18,640 Speaker 2: bat at ball stuff, and we try to tell people 677 00:34:18,719 --> 00:34:20,759 Speaker 2: don't freak out too much about this batted ball stuff. 678 00:34:20,800 --> 00:34:23,600 Speaker 2: There's no way it's gonna last, and it really hasn't lasted. 679 00:34:24,160 --> 00:34:27,720 Speaker 2: The Red Sox are a weird team. I've actually followed 680 00:34:27,719 --> 00:34:30,280 Speaker 2: the Red Sox quite a bit this year, just because 681 00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:34,879 Speaker 2: the Rafael Dever stuff was weirdly fascinating to me. They 682 00:34:34,920 --> 00:34:39,239 Speaker 2: have like two uber elite prospects, like two of the 683 00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:43,360 Speaker 2: top five prospects in baseball in Roman Anthony and Marcella 684 00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:45,960 Speaker 2: Meyer and Triple A and like could be caught up 685 00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:48,520 Speaker 2: any day. I actually thought maybe they might get caught 686 00:34:48,560 --> 00:34:50,640 Speaker 2: up for this series because the Red Sox have been 687 00:34:50,680 --> 00:34:55,240 Speaker 2: kind of floundering lately. No indication that that's happening, but yeah, 688 00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:58,520 Speaker 2: the Red Sox are a weird team. The Braves. I 689 00:34:58,560 --> 00:35:00,920 Speaker 2: feel like the Braves don't play great in Boston. I 690 00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:02,960 Speaker 2: was actually in Boston a couple of years ago when 691 00:35:03,000 --> 00:35:05,719 Speaker 2: the Braves were up there, and I think they got 692 00:35:05,719 --> 00:35:09,360 Speaker 2: swept in that series, and so maybe that's anecdotal. I 693 00:35:09,400 --> 00:35:11,720 Speaker 2: haven't actually looked it up. I know in twenty twenty 694 00:35:11,719 --> 00:35:13,680 Speaker 2: they had a pretty good series in Boston, but. 695 00:35:14,239 --> 00:35:17,000 Speaker 1: Two straight games with the guy hitting three home runs. 696 00:35:16,920 --> 00:35:19,719 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right. Adam Devaal and Marcello Ozunu did it 697 00:35:19,800 --> 00:35:23,920 Speaker 2: back to back games and I think they scored like 698 00:35:23,960 --> 00:35:26,719 Speaker 2: twenty runs in that game or something like that. So 699 00:35:26,719 --> 00:35:28,680 Speaker 2: so yeah, it's been kind of you know, hit and 700 00:35:28,680 --> 00:35:31,360 Speaker 2: miss in Boston, but it's gonna be a fun series. 701 00:35:33,719 --> 00:35:37,800 Speaker 2: I think the Braves have more talent than the Red Sox. 702 00:35:37,840 --> 00:35:40,799 Speaker 2: I think that's fair to say. Some Boston fans might 703 00:35:40,800 --> 00:35:42,880 Speaker 2: push back on that. I don't know, maybe that's not fair. 704 00:35:43,040 --> 00:35:44,840 Speaker 2: I think it's fair. I think they have more talent. 705 00:35:45,280 --> 00:35:48,239 Speaker 2: I would say you should probably expect to win two 706 00:35:48,280 --> 00:35:50,759 Speaker 2: out of three. Boston is not the greatest team, but 707 00:35:51,200 --> 00:35:54,360 Speaker 2: it's on the road you're facing Garrett Crochet. Listen, Garrett 708 00:35:54,360 --> 00:35:56,960 Speaker 2: Crochet absolutely shut the Braves down last year when he 709 00:35:57,040 --> 00:35:58,640 Speaker 2: was with the White Sox. They I think the White 710 00:35:58,680 --> 00:36:00,319 Speaker 2: Sox won like a two to one game with him 711 00:36:00,320 --> 00:36:03,799 Speaker 2: on the mound against the Braves, So you know, they 712 00:36:03,840 --> 00:36:07,520 Speaker 2: could get dominated tomorrow. We'll see, but yeah, it'll be 713 00:36:07,520 --> 00:36:10,320 Speaker 2: a fun matchup. Sale versus Crochet is big time stuff. 714 00:36:10,719 --> 00:36:13,040 Speaker 2: Nobody would be surprised if Crochet won a cy Young 715 00:36:13,080 --> 00:36:15,200 Speaker 2: At some point he signed that big contract with Boston. 716 00:36:15,600 --> 00:36:17,239 Speaker 2: I think he sound like one hundred and seventy million 717 00:36:17,239 --> 00:36:20,480 Speaker 2: dollars contract with Boston, so he's gonna be there for 718 00:36:20,520 --> 00:36:23,520 Speaker 2: a while. But yeah, he could very well be you know, 719 00:36:23,840 --> 00:36:26,120 Speaker 2: the twenty twenty four so young against the twenty twenty 720 00:36:26,120 --> 00:36:27,879 Speaker 2: five so young if his season keeps going the way 721 00:36:27,880 --> 00:36:30,759 Speaker 2: it has, and it'll be a good game. I hope 722 00:36:30,800 --> 00:36:32,879 Speaker 2: the Braves can win up, you know, a low scoring game. 723 00:36:34,120 --> 00:36:36,719 Speaker 2: They've saved Rossioglacias the last couple of games, so he'll 724 00:36:36,760 --> 00:36:39,839 Speaker 2: be available in that game or No. The heat pitched today, 725 00:36:39,840 --> 00:36:41,480 Speaker 2: I'm sorry he didn't a pitching a day because the 726 00:36:41,480 --> 00:36:45,160 Speaker 2: Braves gave up a run there. But the bullpen is 727 00:36:45,160 --> 00:36:47,960 Speaker 2: is is in decent shape. They should be able to 728 00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:53,800 Speaker 2: hold a small lead tomorrow if they need to, because 729 00:36:53,800 --> 00:36:55,400 Speaker 2: I think it's gonna be a low scoring game if 730 00:36:55,400 --> 00:36:58,440 Speaker 2: I'm honest, So we'll see. It could be really, it 731 00:36:58,560 --> 00:37:00,960 Speaker 2: should be a good It should be a good I'm hoping. 732 00:37:01,480 --> 00:37:03,399 Speaker 2: I really would love to see the bracet two or three, 733 00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:05,359 Speaker 2: but I don't know if that's a fair expectation at 734 00:37:05,360 --> 00:37:06,000 Speaker 2: this point. 735 00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:08,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, and the other thing that stands out to me 736 00:37:08,719 --> 00:37:10,319 Speaker 1: is that, you know, if you were to split May 737 00:37:10,360 --> 00:37:12,960 Speaker 1: and half, which we're about to the other big thing 738 00:37:13,000 --> 00:37:14,960 Speaker 1: that's going to stand out is this when you're talking 739 00:37:15,000 --> 00:37:17,920 Speaker 1: about in them facing Washington or Colorado at the end 740 00:37:17,960 --> 00:37:20,960 Speaker 1: of April or Cincinnati, those are three of the worst 741 00:37:20,960 --> 00:37:24,720 Speaker 1: bullpens in baseball going through the rest of May into 742 00:37:24,880 --> 00:37:28,080 Speaker 1: early June, that script flips. You're going to be facing 743 00:37:28,120 --> 00:37:30,359 Speaker 1: some of the best bullpens in baseball. Boston right now, 744 00:37:30,560 --> 00:37:33,640 Speaker 1: their bullpendra is fifth in the majors. So the whole 745 00:37:33,719 --> 00:37:36,959 Speaker 1: formula of winning late is going to have to be 746 00:37:37,400 --> 00:37:40,880 Speaker 1: either continued with us doing it against some of the 747 00:37:40,920 --> 00:37:42,960 Speaker 1: best bullpens in baseball, or again, we're going to have 748 00:37:43,000 --> 00:37:45,000 Speaker 1: to score early. So that's the big part about it. 749 00:37:45,000 --> 00:37:48,120 Speaker 1: If we want to start winning, scoring early is going 750 00:37:48,160 --> 00:37:50,680 Speaker 1: to have to be part of that formula because it's 751 00:37:50,719 --> 00:37:52,480 Speaker 1: just going to get tougher against some of these teams 752 00:37:52,600 --> 00:37:54,640 Speaker 1: that we're going to be facing. And I think that 753 00:37:54,640 --> 00:37:57,280 Speaker 1: that is what stands out. The other thing that stands 754 00:37:57,280 --> 00:37:59,960 Speaker 1: out to me in this series is I'm going to 755 00:38:00,080 --> 00:38:02,840 Speaker 1: be very interesting to see how the batting lineup is 756 00:38:02,880 --> 00:38:05,360 Speaker 1: going to continue to potentially evolve. We're not going to 757 00:38:05,400 --> 00:38:07,160 Speaker 1: get a Counya back, I don't think for another seven 758 00:38:07,200 --> 00:38:09,560 Speaker 1: to ten days at least. The thing that stands out 759 00:38:09,600 --> 00:38:12,560 Speaker 1: to me is this is that you've batted Alex Berdugo 760 00:38:12,640 --> 00:38:15,200 Speaker 1: and you've batted Eli White there over the past few days. 761 00:38:15,440 --> 00:38:19,279 Speaker 1: At this point, I know Austin Riley is struggling, but 762 00:38:19,400 --> 00:38:22,400 Speaker 1: I still would just go with your four top hitters. 763 00:38:22,640 --> 00:38:25,520 Speaker 1: I don't necessarily know if that means putting Marcelo Zoon 764 00:38:25,600 --> 00:38:28,279 Speaker 1: in the leadoff spot. I'm not going to get perhaps that, 765 00:38:29,040 --> 00:38:31,880 Speaker 1: you know, creative. I know that the idea of like 766 00:38:31,920 --> 00:38:34,600 Speaker 1: a Verdugo or somebody like that before your big hitters 767 00:38:34,640 --> 00:38:37,920 Speaker 1: make sense. But in my opinion, if Dugo is struggling 768 00:38:37,960 --> 00:38:40,759 Speaker 1: like he is Eli White, you know, has been good, 769 00:38:40,800 --> 00:38:43,120 Speaker 1: but he's still you know, kind of falling off, it's 770 00:38:43,120 --> 00:38:45,400 Speaker 1: going to be interesting. I don't really have an answer 771 00:38:45,440 --> 00:38:47,520 Speaker 1: to what the batting order should look like. I just 772 00:38:47,520 --> 00:38:49,440 Speaker 1: think that it's going to continue to be an interesting 773 00:38:49,480 --> 00:38:52,640 Speaker 1: evolution until we get Ronald Akunya Junior back. But I 774 00:38:52,680 --> 00:38:55,840 Speaker 1: do like, I do like the idea of Drake Baldwin 775 00:38:56,040 --> 00:38:57,760 Speaker 1: batting near the top than the bottom. 776 00:39:00,320 --> 00:39:02,879 Speaker 2: Yeah, especially on Friday when Crochet is on the mount 777 00:39:02,880 --> 00:39:06,360 Speaker 2: of lefty like typically you could put Ozzy there because 778 00:39:06,360 --> 00:39:11,600 Speaker 2: Ozzie typically kills lefties. But Ozzie's having the weirdest season 779 00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:14,279 Speaker 2: and one of the weirdest and probably the weirdest part 780 00:39:14,320 --> 00:39:17,560 Speaker 2: of his season is that he has been god awful 781 00:39:18,239 --> 00:39:20,759 Speaker 2: as a right handed hitter against left handed pitching this year. 782 00:39:21,280 --> 00:39:23,080 Speaker 2: He's got like a I mean it's literally like a 783 00:39:23,880 --> 00:39:26,319 Speaker 2: ten WRC plus as a left handed hitter or as 784 00:39:26,360 --> 00:39:28,719 Speaker 2: a right handed hitter. So I don't know. I mean, 785 00:39:28,760 --> 00:39:30,279 Speaker 2: normally that's what I would say. I would say, put 786 00:39:30,320 --> 00:39:35,600 Speaker 2: Ozzie there against Crochet, But you know, maybe you trust 787 00:39:35,640 --> 00:39:38,640 Speaker 2: the long term splits versus the short term splits. I 788 00:39:38,680 --> 00:39:40,799 Speaker 2: don't know. We'll see what snit does. There's not a 789 00:39:40,800 --> 00:39:44,200 Speaker 2: great answer, is the long and short of it, you know, 790 00:39:44,239 --> 00:39:48,680 Speaker 2: against right handed pitching. You know, I'd probably still stick 791 00:39:48,719 --> 00:39:52,600 Speaker 2: with Radugo. But I could see Drake Baldwin being there 792 00:39:52,640 --> 00:39:56,360 Speaker 2: if he's catching that night, I would I kind of 793 00:39:56,400 --> 00:39:56,920 Speaker 2: agree with you. 794 00:39:57,000 --> 00:39:57,520 Speaker 3: I might just. 795 00:39:57,480 --> 00:40:02,000 Speaker 2: Stack Austin Riley, Marcelo Zuna, Matt and Sean Murphy at 796 00:40:02,040 --> 00:40:04,600 Speaker 2: the top and just hope for the best. But it's 797 00:40:04,600 --> 00:40:06,879 Speaker 2: not like those guys are hitting Gray at the moment either, 798 00:40:06,920 --> 00:40:08,839 Speaker 2: So I don't know. There's not a great answer. There 799 00:40:08,840 --> 00:40:11,719 Speaker 2: really is. The great answer is in Gwinnett right now. 800 00:40:11,760 --> 00:40:15,360 Speaker 2: That's where the great answer is so or he's you know, 801 00:40:15,440 --> 00:40:19,440 Speaker 2: the other good answer is on an eighty game suspension 802 00:40:20,239 --> 00:40:24,399 Speaker 2: for peds. That's where the other good answer is. So Yes, 803 00:40:24,520 --> 00:40:26,120 Speaker 2: n it's just gonna have to pieces together. I am. 804 00:40:26,239 --> 00:40:28,080 Speaker 2: I'm with you. I'm very curious to see how the 805 00:40:28,080 --> 00:40:31,560 Speaker 2: lineup looks for this all three games in Boston, because 806 00:40:31,560 --> 00:40:33,920 Speaker 2: it really feels like on a daily basis, he just 807 00:40:34,600 --> 00:40:37,160 Speaker 2: kind of goes with his gut and I have no 808 00:40:37,160 --> 00:40:39,280 Speaker 2: clue what it's gonna look like any of these three games. 809 00:40:41,480 --> 00:40:43,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, at the end of day, just keep it simple. 810 00:40:43,040 --> 00:40:45,080 Speaker 1: I mean, if A. J. Smith, Shauber and and Drake 811 00:40:45,120 --> 00:40:47,920 Speaker 1: Baldwin are doing what they're doing, feature them, go with them, 812 00:40:47,960 --> 00:40:53,400 Speaker 1: see what happens. Choose if Baldwin is starting or or 813 00:40:53,840 --> 00:40:56,799 Speaker 1: Murphy is starting, Choose them in a big at bat 814 00:40:56,880 --> 00:40:59,960 Speaker 1: late in the game over others. Stack your best hitters 815 00:41:00,160 --> 00:41:02,239 Speaker 1: up at the top of the order. Just go with 816 00:41:02,320 --> 00:41:05,040 Speaker 1: what makes sense. You're in a position now to where 817 00:41:05,080 --> 00:41:08,000 Speaker 1: you are playing winning baseball at the end of the day. 818 00:41:08,320 --> 00:41:09,919 Speaker 1: Just trust the talent that you have, and I think 819 00:41:09,920 --> 00:41:12,200 Speaker 1: that's going to make the key difference. Steven, do you 820 00:41:12,200 --> 00:41:15,200 Speaker 1: have anything else for us? And hey, listen a content 821 00:41:15,440 --> 00:41:19,880 Speaker 1: full edition oh the Hammer Territory Podcast. Winning certainly helps 822 00:41:19,880 --> 00:41:22,719 Speaker 1: with that. The idea though, of not only winning but 823 00:41:22,880 --> 00:41:26,440 Speaker 1: also getting even better talent back that's going to help 824 00:41:26,480 --> 00:41:29,359 Speaker 1: you win more frequently. That's really what makes these podcasts fun. 825 00:41:29,480 --> 00:41:31,440 Speaker 1: Anything else from you as we wrap up this edition 826 00:41:31,640 --> 00:41:33,560 Speaker 1: of The Hammer Territory Podcast. 827 00:41:34,520 --> 00:41:36,160 Speaker 2: No, I would just say this, now that they're back 828 00:41:36,160 --> 00:41:39,040 Speaker 2: to five hundred, and obviously they're back to five hundred 829 00:41:39,200 --> 00:41:41,440 Speaker 2: again because they were back to five hundred on Tuesday, 830 00:41:41,440 --> 00:41:44,560 Speaker 2: and now they're back to five hundred again. Now that 831 00:41:44,600 --> 00:41:46,319 Speaker 2: we've kind of cleared that hurdle, we need to go 832 00:41:46,400 --> 00:41:48,680 Speaker 2: on like a streak. We need to go on like 833 00:41:48,719 --> 00:41:52,759 Speaker 2: an eight to ten streak to get get clear of 834 00:41:52,760 --> 00:41:54,719 Speaker 2: five hundred by a little bit. So it's not like 835 00:41:54,840 --> 00:41:57,839 Speaker 2: every couple of days we're dropping back below, we're going 836 00:41:57,880 --> 00:42:00,800 Speaker 2: back above. We're dropping back like, now that you've cleared 837 00:42:00,800 --> 00:42:04,040 Speaker 2: this hurdle, you know, they need to go in a 838 00:42:04,040 --> 00:42:06,879 Speaker 2: little bit of streaking. And listen, Boston and Washington aren't 839 00:42:06,920 --> 00:42:09,960 Speaker 2: like the two greatest opponents you're ever gonna face. Boston's 840 00:42:09,960 --> 00:42:13,520 Speaker 2: certainly better than Washington, but like, it's not unreasonable to 841 00:42:13,600 --> 00:42:17,040 Speaker 2: hope for I think it's a six game road trip. Like, 842 00:42:17,920 --> 00:42:20,400 Speaker 2: I don't think four and two is crazy. I mean, 843 00:42:20,440 --> 00:42:22,600 Speaker 2: obviously everybody's gonna say three and three is probably the 844 00:42:22,640 --> 00:42:25,720 Speaker 2: fair expectation, but I don't think four and two's crazy. 845 00:42:25,719 --> 00:42:27,040 Speaker 2: And I would love to go four and two to 846 00:42:27,080 --> 00:42:28,719 Speaker 2: get a couple of games clear of five hundred. So 847 00:42:28,760 --> 00:42:31,960 Speaker 2: you're not doing this dance every day. But they are 848 00:42:32,040 --> 00:42:37,120 Speaker 2: back to five hundred again. They got to start scoring runs. 849 00:42:38,040 --> 00:42:40,040 Speaker 2: They need Matt Olson and Austin Riley to be great. 850 00:42:40,320 --> 00:42:44,359 Speaker 2: The pitching is not going I mean, the pitching can't 851 00:42:44,440 --> 00:42:46,279 Speaker 2: keep doing this every single game where they throw a 852 00:42:46,320 --> 00:42:48,319 Speaker 2: shutout basically the first five innings at the game. They 853 00:42:48,320 --> 00:42:50,640 Speaker 2: need the offense. They need Austin Riley, they need Matt Olsen, 854 00:42:50,680 --> 00:42:54,319 Speaker 2: they need Sean Murphy, they need Marcel Azuna. Let's start 855 00:42:54,320 --> 00:42:58,040 Speaker 2: in Boston because you know the right fielder that wears 856 00:42:58,080 --> 00:43:01,160 Speaker 2: number thirteen is going to be back soon. Let's start 857 00:43:01,160 --> 00:43:03,640 Speaker 2: scoring some runs. Let's get a Couona back, Let's get 858 00:43:03,640 --> 00:43:04,000 Speaker 2: on a roll. 859 00:43:04,800 --> 00:43:06,440 Speaker 1: And the other thing that I'll say is this one 860 00:43:06,440 --> 00:43:09,920 Speaker 1: final point is that we talked about back on April fifteenth, 861 00:43:10,000 --> 00:43:11,920 Speaker 1: coming up to May fifteenth, which We're now at the 862 00:43:12,000 --> 00:43:14,320 Speaker 1: end of that month stretch of the schedule. We really 863 00:43:14,360 --> 00:43:16,320 Speaker 1: needed to find a hot streak. We really needed to 864 00:43:16,360 --> 00:43:19,040 Speaker 1: get going in an easier part of the schedule. We 865 00:43:19,080 --> 00:43:20,680 Speaker 1: got back to five hundred, which we would have been 866 00:43:20,680 --> 00:43:22,279 Speaker 1: a little bit above, but I'll take me in at 867 00:43:22,320 --> 00:43:27,000 Speaker 1: five hundred. This next stretch May fifteenth through June fifteenth, 868 00:43:27,160 --> 00:43:29,480 Speaker 1: you get Strider back, you get a COONa back. But 869 00:43:29,560 --> 00:43:33,560 Speaker 1: let's also look at the content of the our competition. 870 00:43:33,800 --> 00:43:36,440 Speaker 1: We played the Nationals again, We're gonna play Boston twice. 871 00:43:36,520 --> 00:43:39,160 Speaker 1: That's fine, those are winnable series. But you've also got 872 00:43:39,200 --> 00:43:42,520 Speaker 1: the Phillies, the Padres, the Diamondbacks, the Brewers, as well 873 00:43:42,560 --> 00:43:45,600 Speaker 1: as the Giants. Those are five of the eight teams 874 00:43:45,600 --> 00:43:47,600 Speaker 1: in the National League right now that I think are 875 00:43:47,640 --> 00:43:50,799 Speaker 1: seriously vying for a playoff spot. You could look back 876 00:43:50,800 --> 00:43:53,040 Speaker 1: on this stretch and if you have good success against 877 00:43:53,080 --> 00:43:55,640 Speaker 1: those teams head to head, that could really be what 878 00:43:55,680 --> 00:43:58,320 Speaker 1: helps you truly overcome that cold start to the season. 879 00:43:58,480 --> 00:44:01,160 Speaker 1: Or if you stay around five hundred, you could see 880 00:44:01,160 --> 00:44:04,160 Speaker 1: this stretch of the season being where it was kind 881 00:44:04,160 --> 00:44:05,879 Speaker 1: of put the riding on the wall that maybe it's 882 00:44:05,920 --> 00:44:06,719 Speaker 1: not the playoffs. 883 00:44:06,719 --> 00:44:07,080 Speaker 3: This year. 884 00:44:07,440 --> 00:44:09,480 Speaker 1: I think the playoffs are so obviously in play, don't 885 00:44:09,480 --> 00:44:11,200 Speaker 1: get me wrong there, but this is the time to 886 00:44:11,239 --> 00:44:15,000 Speaker 1: make the move directly against your competition for those playoffs. 887 00:44:15,040 --> 00:44:16,879 Speaker 1: It's going to be really fun to see how good 888 00:44:16,920 --> 00:44:19,960 Speaker 1: the Braves can be against quality competition. You can find 889 00:44:20,000 --> 00:44:22,360 Speaker 1: myself in stats Sac on Twitter. You can find Stephen 890 00:44:22,400 --> 00:44:25,400 Speaker 1: at b Underscore Outliers. Find all of our great content 891 00:44:25,400 --> 00:44:28,600 Speaker 1: across all forms of social media at Hammer Territory, part 892 00:44:28,640 --> 00:44:32,359 Speaker 1: of the Foul Territory family of podcasts. And until next time, 893 00:44:32,800 --> 00:44:35,520 Speaker 1: go Braids. We'll talk to you again soon here on 894 00:44:35,600 --> 00:44:36,640 Speaker 1: the Hammer Territory Pop