1 00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:04,720 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to an emergency edition of the Hammer 2 00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:08,319 Speaker 1: Territory podcast. I am Scott Coleman, and I am doing 3 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:12,000 Speaker 1: something I have never done before, a solo show. I 4 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:14,960 Speaker 1: am usually joined by the great Brad Rowland or Sean 5 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:18,560 Speaker 1: Coleman or Steven Tolbert, but it's just me today, So 6 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 1: say a little prayer and let's jump in. We have 7 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 1: some exciting news this Saturday afternoon for an emergency edition 8 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 1: of the show. The Braves have called up arguably their 9 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:32,560 Speaker 1: top prospect in the system, Hirston Waldrip, to start Sunday 10 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:37,480 Speaker 1: afternoon's series finale against the Washington Nationals. And we've talked 11 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:40,239 Speaker 1: about Waldrip quite a bit on the show and that 12 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 1: he has been knocking on the door for some time now, 13 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:46,400 Speaker 1: especially with the way he has pitched over the last 14 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 1: month or so in the minor leagues. And as the 15 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 1: Braves have done for years now, they have shown they 16 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 1: are not afraid to aggressively push and promote their top 17 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 1: prospects if they feel like they're ready to contribute. Now, 18 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:04,399 Speaker 1: for some background, Waldrop was the twenty fourth overall pick 19 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 1: in the twenty twenty three MLB draft out of the 20 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:12,400 Speaker 1: University of Florida, and Waldrop really gained steam nationally about 21 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:15,960 Speaker 1: a year ago. Pitching in the College World Series. He 22 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:19,400 Speaker 1: racked up a ton of strikeouts, especially with a nasty 23 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 1: split finger pitch, and that splitter is a big reason 24 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 1: why Waldrop was able to move so quickly through the 25 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:30,560 Speaker 1: miners and ultimately become a first round pick. Outside of 26 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 1: Paul Skeenes, who was the number one pick in last 27 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:38,240 Speaker 1: summer's draft, Waldrop arguably had the best pure stuff of 28 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:41,319 Speaker 1: anyone in the draft, and to me, it felt like 29 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:44,360 Speaker 1: somewhat of a steal when he fell into the Braves' 30 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:48,559 Speaker 1: lap towards the end of the first round. So it's 31 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:51,320 Speaker 1: going to be really exciting to see what this kid 32 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 1: can do on the season. As a whole. Waldrop has 33 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 1: made ten starts in the minor leagues, nine of them 34 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 1: with Mississippi and Double L and then last weekend he 35 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:06,120 Speaker 1: made his debut in TRIPAA with Gwinnett, and I think 36 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 1: that start in Gwinett is really what poured fuel onto 37 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 1: the fire here because he had eleven strikeouts in his 38 00:02:12,919 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 1: debut with the Stripers last weekend, which surely opened some 39 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:19,919 Speaker 1: eyes in the organization. He had a ton of swing 40 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 1: and miss in that start. Waldrop started out the season 41 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:27,960 Speaker 1: fairly slowly and had some command issues right out of 42 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 1: the gate with Mississippi, but he really settled in and 43 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:35,079 Speaker 1: began to throw more strikes more consistently after he was 44 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:38,359 Speaker 1: able to make a couple of starts, and really command 45 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:41,960 Speaker 1: is going to be the key thing for Hurston. The 46 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:45,160 Speaker 1: command is going to be what ultimately decides what his 47 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 1: long term outlook is going to be. Because the stuff 48 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 1: is nasty. He is going to get a lot of 49 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:53,920 Speaker 1: swing and miss, but at times, both in college and 50 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:56,639 Speaker 1: in the minors, his command would get away from him 51 00:02:56,639 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 1: a little bit and he would issue a few too 52 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 1: many walks. Corse is something that we're going to keep 53 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 1: an eye on in his debut and hopefully for months 54 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:07,560 Speaker 1: to come. If he can keep those walks down, he's 55 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 1: going to be successful outside of the splitter, which could 56 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 1: very well be one of the better pitchers in the 57 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:18,360 Speaker 1: major leagues once he gets a chance to show it 58 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 1: tomorrow afternoon. Waldrop also throws a mid nineties fastball that 59 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:26,240 Speaker 1: can get into the upper nineties. He also throws a 60 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:29,600 Speaker 1: couple of breaking pitches, including a slider and a curveball 61 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:33,520 Speaker 1: now based on everything I've read and heard and seen 62 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:37,200 Speaker 1: from those who cover the Braves's minor league affiliates, the closest, 63 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:39,920 Speaker 1: I think it's fair to say this splitter is by 64 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:43,400 Speaker 1: far his most advanced of the offerings, and then the 65 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:47,120 Speaker 1: fastball and then those secondary pitches are really going to 66 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 1: be what helped determine his long term sticking ability in 67 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 1: the rotation. In terms of his long term outlook, it 68 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 1: feels like Waldrop has at bare minimum a really safe 69 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:04,440 Speaker 1: lore as a top tier reliever with that fastball and 70 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 1: split finger, but quite obviously his ability to be a 71 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:11,640 Speaker 1: starting pitcher in the rotation is far more valuable in 72 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: something the Braves are hoping for, especially if he is 73 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 1: able to bring along those secondary pitches and have more 74 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:22,280 Speaker 1: than just the split finger to get big leaguers out with. 75 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 1: With the move today on Saturday, the Braves will push 76 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 1: everyone back in the rotation a day. Originally, Max Freed 77 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:33,920 Speaker 1: was going to start Sunday afternoon's finale against the Nationals, 78 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:36,480 Speaker 1: but with the off day on Monday, the Brave will 79 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 1: push him back to Tuesday. As recording, the team has 80 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 1: not announced the corresponding roster move to make room for Waldrip. Now, 81 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:48,159 Speaker 1: I would guess it would be Spencer Schwellenbach, who was 82 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:52,039 Speaker 1: originally scheduled to pitch on Tuesday in Baltimore, but it 83 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 1: could also be one of the relievers. If the Braves 84 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:57,840 Speaker 1: want to go down to just seven relievers in the bullpen, 85 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:00,679 Speaker 1: we will see on that. I am guessing Sunday morning 86 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:04,479 Speaker 1: we will get the definitive answer. Now looking ahead a 87 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:07,479 Speaker 1: little bit, as we know well, the fifth spot in 88 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:11,719 Speaker 1: the rotation has been this never ending carousel of starters 89 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:14,680 Speaker 1: since Spencer Streider went down with an injury a week 90 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 1: into the season, and to be blunt, it has not 91 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 1: been great. The Braves have lost most of those starts, 92 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:23,920 Speaker 1: regardless of who made them. And we're going to see 93 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:27,480 Speaker 1: now if Waldrop can bring some stability, and if Waldrop 94 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:30,920 Speaker 1: can establish himself, not only will it help the Braves 95 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 1: every fifth day, but it would also give them some 96 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 1: latitude and flexibility should they want to start limiting innings 97 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:41,720 Speaker 1: for someone like Ronaldo Lopez in an effort to keep 98 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 1: him health and hopefully healthy and fresh through August and 99 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:51,279 Speaker 1: September and October. Overall, a very exciting day for the 100 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:54,919 Speaker 1: Braves anytime you can bring up a talent like Waldrop. 101 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 1: It brings a lot of hype and hopefully it rejuvenates 102 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:02,320 Speaker 1: this team a little bit. Obviously, Waldrop is not going 103 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:05,680 Speaker 1: to help the lineup situation, but there should be a 104 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:08,720 Speaker 1: nice little buzz with his debut tomorrow, and of course 105 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 1: all eyes locally and nationally will see what the kid 106 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:14,680 Speaker 1: can do. That's going to do it. For this very 107 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:17,560 Speaker 1: brief edition of the podcast, we wanted to do a 108 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:20,520 Speaker 1: mini emergency episode with Waldrip being called up on this 109 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 1: Saturday in My true debut is a SOHO pod. We 110 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 1: hope we covered everything, and of course Brad and I 111 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:30,560 Speaker 1: will be back on this Sunday in our usual time 112 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 1: slot with a full show which will of course have 113 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 1: a full breakdown of Waldrop's debut and much more. So 114 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:38,840 Speaker 1: be sure to keep an eye out for that. Have 115 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:41,239 Speaker 1: a great weekend everybody, and we will see you all 116 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 1: next time.