1
00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:23,759
Speaker 1: Welcome one and all to the Hammer Territory Podcast. My

2
00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:26,439
Speaker 1: name is Sean Coleman. Hope wherever you are and wherever

3
00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:29,280
Speaker 1: you are listening, you are having an excellent start to

4
00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:31,520
Speaker 1: your week. Of course, it's a pleasure to be with

5
00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:34,159
Speaker 1: you here on the Hammer Territory Podcast, part of the

6
00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:38,800
Speaker 1: Foul Territory family of podcasts. Plenty to get to from

7
00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:42,640
Speaker 1: over the weekend. Obviously some news that happened during the

8
00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:45,800
Speaker 1: Braves off day on Monday, but we'll start the show. Unfortunately,

9
00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:48,640
Speaker 1: Stephen a podcast partners always Stephen Tolver here with me.

10
00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:52,159
Speaker 1: Stephen will start with Moore, the same struggles from Spencer Strider.

11
00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:56,640
Speaker 1: The offense looked capable at times tonight, but still only

12
00:00:56,720 --> 00:00:59,720
Speaker 1: three runs. They suffered an eight three loss to the Diamondbacks.

13
00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:04,640
Speaker 1: And it's just rints wash repeat with this team, and

14
00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:08,319
Speaker 1: with now the pitching staff starting to become as inconsistent

15
00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:10,920
Speaker 1: as our offense. It's just not a remedy that's going

16
00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:13,479
Speaker 1: to lead to a lot of wins, and unfortunately we're

17
00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:15,000
Speaker 1: seeing a lot of losses currently.

18
00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:18,760
Speaker 2: Yeah, what's up, buddy. I've been trying to I've been

19
00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:20,800
Speaker 2: sitting here trying to decide, like what kind of mood,

20
00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:23,720
Speaker 2: what kind of tone I want this show to have.

21
00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:28,320
Speaker 2: Like we've done the pissed off, We've done the annoyed,

22
00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:33,200
Speaker 2: done the frustrated. You know, I don't want to reach

23
00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:37,600
Speaker 2: I don't want to reach apathetic levels, but like it's

24
00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:39,920
Speaker 2: getting very close to just like this is kind of

25
00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:42,960
Speaker 2: what you expect. I mean, I hate to say that,

26
00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:46,039
Speaker 2: but like when the game started tonight, I did not

27
00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:50,600
Speaker 2: expect the Braves to win. You know, I hope the

28
00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:53,080
Speaker 2: Braves would win. I hope Strider would build on his

29
00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:55,800
Speaker 2: last start in Philly, which was his best start since

30
00:01:55,840 --> 00:02:01,440
Speaker 2: he's been back, and imediately. I think on the fourth

31
00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:04,120
Speaker 2: pitch of the game, Kettle Marte hit a ball like

32
00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:07,000
Speaker 2: four hundred and fifty feet and it was like, Okay,

33
00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:12,000
Speaker 2: so this this is how this game's gonna go. I think.

34
00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:15,120
Speaker 2: I think Zach Gallon got through the first three innings

35
00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:18,960
Speaker 2: on like twenty three pitches. I know Ronnie hit one

36
00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:20,440
Speaker 2: to the wall that could have been a double or

37
00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:22,920
Speaker 2: even a homer, but other than that, the first time

38
00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:27,960
Speaker 2: to the lineup was basically just nothing. And it's just

39
00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:30,080
Speaker 2: if it really does feel like we watched the same

40
00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:34,239
Speaker 2: game and I don't know, man, I don't. I don't

41
00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:38,720
Speaker 2: know where I'm at right now. It's I have I

42
00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:41,000
Speaker 2: really thought by now this team would have turned it around.

43
00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:44,840
Speaker 2: And we're gonna get into Spencer Strider, you know, long

44
00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:48,760
Speaker 2: term questions about Spencer Strider, which are probably more important

45
00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:52,920
Speaker 2: than what's happening this year, But like, what is Spencer

46
00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:55,960
Speaker 2: Strider going to look like? You know, the Braves owe

47
00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:58,000
Speaker 2: him a lot of money over the next few years.

48
00:02:58,040 --> 00:02:59,240
Speaker 2: What is it going to look like? And that's a

49
00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:03,160
Speaker 2: fair question. We're gonna get into all of it. But yeah,

50
00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:05,359
Speaker 2: I'm in a weird mood tonight. I just I don't

51
00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:07,960
Speaker 2: really know what's left to say about this team.

52
00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:12,320
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I mean, you know, from an offensive standpoint,

53
00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:14,320
Speaker 1: when I said that they were capable, they put a

54
00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:16,560
Speaker 1: lot of hard hit balls in play, as everybody knows

55
00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:19,520
Speaker 1: they do quite often. They did have an offensive surge.

56
00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:21,280
Speaker 1: I believe it was in the fourth inning, and then,

57
00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:23,280
Speaker 1: of course I believe it was bottom of the seventh

58
00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:27,280
Speaker 1: actually the bottom of the seventh inning. No, it was

59
00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:29,480
Speaker 1: bottom of the eighth, bottom of the eighth inning. The

60
00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:32,720
Speaker 1: Braves had two runners on. Marcellozuna up the plate and

61
00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:36,160
Speaker 1: he hits one hundred and six mile per hour ball

62
00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:38,600
Speaker 1: into the outfield that travels four hundred and six feet

63
00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:41,760
Speaker 1: right into the glove of Alec Thomas. So again, you know,

64
00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:44,240
Speaker 1: just did it doesn't mode well when we can't hit

65
00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:46,600
Speaker 1: with runners in scoring position, but then when we do

66
00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:50,040
Speaker 1: we're unlucky when it comes to the results. But let's

67
00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:54,080
Speaker 1: flip it to Spencer Strider, and you know, I feel

68
00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:58,240
Speaker 1: like that, you know, it needs to be kept in context. Obviously,

69
00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:00,480
Speaker 1: we're talking about a pitcher who since the start of

70
00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:03,320
Speaker 1: two thousand and four has still pitched less than what

71
00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:05,080
Speaker 1: thirty five total innings.

72
00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:06,120
Speaker 2: I think this is his.

73
00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:09,320
Speaker 1: Sixth seventh start since the start of twenty twenty four,

74
00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:12,000
Speaker 1: So that needs to be kept in context. He's worked

75
00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:15,440
Speaker 1: back from having you know, a version of Tommy John surgery.

76
00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:17,920
Speaker 1: He's also worked through being out a month with a

77
00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:22,080
Speaker 1: hamstring injury. But where Stephen is getting at when it

78
00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:26,839
Speaker 1: comes to okay, maybe not necessarily sounding an alarm or

79
00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:29,839
Speaker 1: panicked or anything like that, but a bit of concern

80
00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:32,440
Speaker 1: is the fact. And again the context that I just

81
00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:35,760
Speaker 1: mentioned should be considered. But when you look at Spincher

82
00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:37,760
Speaker 1: Strider and you look at the average velocity on his

83
00:04:37,839 --> 00:04:41,520
Speaker 1: fastball over the past four years. In twenty twenty two,

84
00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:43,360
Speaker 1: it was at ninety eight point two miles per hour,

85
00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:47,240
Speaker 1: twenty twenty three, ninety seven point two, twenty twenty four,

86
00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,160
Speaker 1: ninety six point three, coming into this game this year,

87
00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:54,839
Speaker 1: ninety five point two, And we saw tonight how much

88
00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:58,240
Speaker 1: of a difference three miles power on your fastball can make.

89
00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:01,360
Speaker 1: Thousand and two twenty twenty, he can throw the ball

90
00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:03,880
Speaker 1: right down the middle and get high wiff rates with

91
00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:06,320
Speaker 1: that fastball. He throws the ball down the middle ninety

92
00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:08,440
Speaker 1: five miles per hour, Now there's a good chance it's

93
00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:10,800
Speaker 1: going to be hit hard, especially when it comes to

94
00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:14,720
Speaker 1: MVP are all star level hitters. I do think that

95
00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:18,840
Speaker 1: we're starting to see the secondary stuff, the breaking stuff, mispats.

96
00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:22,680
Speaker 1: That's kind of normalizing in a positive way. But Steven,

97
00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:25,360
Speaker 1: it's about the fastball, and again, I know that there's

98
00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:28,080
Speaker 1: still plenty of time for that velocity to come back,

99
00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:32,279
Speaker 1: but it's going to be more of a watching point,

100
00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:34,719
Speaker 1: I think when it comes to his velocity, because if

101
00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:38,080
Speaker 1: it's not there, you're talking about a spencer strider who's

102
00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:41,039
Speaker 1: significantly less effective than he was pre surgery.

103
00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:46,320
Speaker 2: Yeah, So he was talking after the game and I'm

104
00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:48,479
Speaker 2: always curious to listen to Spencer talk because he's so

105
00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:52,920
Speaker 2: incredibly honest about what he's feeling where he's at. And

106
00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:56,560
Speaker 2: obviously a lot of the questions are about velocity, because

107
00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:00,240
Speaker 2: you cannot pitch the same at ninety five that you

108
00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:05,120
Speaker 2: did at ninety nine. Like that's just the fact velocity matters.

109
00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:07,800
Speaker 2: There's a reason why everybody in the game chases velocity,

110
00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:10,359
Speaker 2: because velocity matters. You can do things at ninety eight

111
00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:13,040
Speaker 2: ninety nine that you can't do it ninety five. And

112
00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:17,719
Speaker 2: tonight Spencer average ninety five miles an hour in his fastball.

113
00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:20,680
Speaker 2: He threw thirty nine fastballs and he got one swinging

114
00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:24,400
Speaker 2: miss all night, got one swinging miss. And not only

115
00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:26,320
Speaker 2: do you get one swinging miss, but when they hit it,

116
00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:30,279
Speaker 2: they hit it a long waist, they hit it hard.

117
00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:33,479
Speaker 2: And so I was curious to listen to him talk,

118
00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:37,719
Speaker 2: and what he was saying was the way he's built,

119
00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:39,799
Speaker 2: the way he pitches, that a lot of his velocity

120
00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:44,200
Speaker 2: comes from his body, comes from his lower half, not

121
00:06:44,279 --> 00:06:46,480
Speaker 2: necessarily just from the health of his arm. And he

122
00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:50,279
Speaker 2: said he feels like that's the part that he hasn't

123
00:06:50,279 --> 00:06:54,640
Speaker 2: gotten back in sync because of how many low stress

124
00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:57,560
Speaker 2: pitches they expect you to throw during your rehab. They

125
00:06:57,560 --> 00:06:59,280
Speaker 2: don't let you throw a lot of high stress pitches.

126
00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:01,960
Speaker 2: So when you get back into the games and you're

127
00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:07,160
Speaker 2: now throwing high velocity, high intensity pitches, you're not your

128
00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:11,440
Speaker 2: body's not ready to do it. And that did give

129
00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:14,400
Speaker 2: me some confidence that it's not just specifically about the

130
00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:18,920
Speaker 2: arm and the elbow. Now maybe that's fool's gold, but

131
00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:22,840
Speaker 2: I trust Spencer with this stuff. He's just incredibly honest

132
00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:26,680
Speaker 2: about it. So I'm not panic yet about the velocity.

133
00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:31,160
Speaker 2: But let's be crystal clear about something. Spencer's gonna have

134
00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:35,440
Speaker 2: to pitch differently this year because he's not gonna you know,

135
00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:38,240
Speaker 2: you can't work on this stuff in season, Like that's

136
00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:40,880
Speaker 2: the stuff he's talking about mechanically, is stuff that he's

137
00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:42,280
Speaker 2: probably gonna have to wait till he gets to the

138
00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:46,080
Speaker 2: offseason to get hammered out in season. It's very tough

139
00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:48,120
Speaker 2: because you just don't throw a lot in season when

140
00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:49,840
Speaker 2: it's not your throat day, when it's not the day

141
00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:52,920
Speaker 2: you pitch. So for this season, for twenty twenty five,

142
00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:56,360
Speaker 2: he's gonna have to pitch differently. He's gonna have to

143
00:07:56,600 --> 00:08:00,360
Speaker 2: become more slighter, curveball change up. You know, those pitches

144
00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:02,880
Speaker 2: are getting with rates at a much higher rate. The

145
00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:07,680
Speaker 2: slider specifically has been very good for him, and he

146
00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:11,360
Speaker 2: might just have to pitch off the slider more, pitch

147
00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:13,640
Speaker 2: off the curveball more, you know, pitch off the you know,

148
00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:15,480
Speaker 2: the change up he threw to Kettle Marte in the

149
00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:17,560
Speaker 2: first inning was horrible. There's an O two change up

150
00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:19,080
Speaker 2: he left in the middle of plate. Dude hit a

151
00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:21,120
Speaker 2: four hundred and fifty feet But other than that, I

152
00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:24,080
Speaker 2: thought he threw some good change ups tonight. He's just

153
00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:25,960
Speaker 2: gonna have to learn to pitch differently with ninety five

154
00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:29,080
Speaker 2: until he can get to a full offseason, a normal offseason,

155
00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:31,840
Speaker 2: a normal offseason workout program where he can come in

156
00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:36,240
Speaker 2: next year and maybe be more normal. But for the

157
00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:40,480
Speaker 2: twenty twenty five team, they need Spencer Strider to be

158
00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:42,600
Speaker 2: at least decent, and for him to be decent, he's

159
00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:44,480
Speaker 2: gonna have to pitch differently than he did before he

160
00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:48,200
Speaker 2: got hurt. And you know, we can have the long

161
00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:51,400
Speaker 2: term conversation about about Spencer at some point, but for

162
00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:53,959
Speaker 2: the twenty twenty five version, he's gonna have to kind

163
00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:56,880
Speaker 2: of reinvent himself, and quite frankly, the Braves need him

164
00:08:56,920 --> 00:08:59,720
Speaker 2: to because they don't have anybody else behind him. You know,

165
00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:02,959
Speaker 2: there's no one else in Triple A that's like ready

166
00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:04,880
Speaker 2: to come up where his Spencer can go down for

167
00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:07,520
Speaker 2: a month and work on stuff, and the Braves aren't

168
00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:09,160
Speaker 2: in a position in the standings where they can allow

169
00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:12,319
Speaker 2: that anyways. So it's a rough spot to be in

170
00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:14,240
Speaker 2: right now because the Braves needs Spencer to be good,

171
00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:16,520
Speaker 2: and I'm not sure Spencer is quite ready to be good.

172
00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:19,520
Speaker 1: I think that's a great take, and I think that

173
00:09:19,559 --> 00:09:22,920
Speaker 1: there's that's why I think that it's it's not just

174
00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:25,800
Speaker 1: a I won't say straightforward, but it's not just as

175
00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:27,960
Speaker 1: simple as oh you should be concerned or oh you

176
00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:30,640
Speaker 1: should panic. I don't think we're to that point yet,

177
00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:34,800
Speaker 1: because not only do I feel that Spencer is going

178
00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:37,440
Speaker 1: to do everything that he can to ensure that he

179
00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:39,640
Speaker 1: figures out how to get that velocity back, but I

180
00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:41,719
Speaker 1: also put a lot of faith in Spencer Strider that

181
00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:44,800
Speaker 1: he knows himself better than anyone. So anybody, and there's

182
00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:48,080
Speaker 1: a lot of people out there who have very valid opinions,

183
00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:51,240
Speaker 1: but when it comes to Spencer, strider. As transparent as

184
00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:53,640
Speaker 1: he is and as much hard work as he puts

185
00:09:53,679 --> 00:09:55,959
Speaker 1: in to be among the best in the game. I

186
00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:58,800
Speaker 1: trust his opinion more than anyone, and hopefully in time

187
00:09:59,080 --> 00:10:02,080
Speaker 1: we'll certainly see that he will wind up getting back

188
00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:04,679
Speaker 1: to the level that we all expect to. Unfortunately, it

189
00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:07,240
Speaker 1: may just take a while, or it may be a

190
00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:09,880
Speaker 1: different version of Spencer Stritter until he gets that velocity

191
00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:15,000
Speaker 1: back in time. But hey, another disappointing loss, and of

192
00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:17,880
Speaker 1: course with each loss. Now that we see the Braves

193
00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:22,240
Speaker 1: now five games under five hundred, now several games back

194
00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:23,600
Speaker 1: in the black card. We'll get into this in just

195
00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:27,400
Speaker 1: a moment, as well as some interesting pieces that have

196
00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:29,960
Speaker 1: been written when it comes to looking at the trade

197
00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:32,280
Speaker 1: deadline now that we're in June. A bit more on

198
00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:34,559
Speaker 1: that after a word from our partners.

199
00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:38,600
Speaker 3: FT fan By. Now you know, if you're buying, selling,

200
00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:41,760
Speaker 3: trading collecting cards, Arena Club is the spot. We've been

201
00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:44,360
Speaker 3: talking about them all season long. But I do want

202
00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:47,800
Speaker 3: to focus on the slab pack experience, Crats, since you've

203
00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:50,800
Speaker 3: been ripping some slab packs digitally and what happens.

204
00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:53,640
Speaker 4: I mean, as a kid, you wanted to rip open

205
00:10:53,679 --> 00:10:56,760
Speaker 4: the packs how can they do this digitally? Oh baby,

206
00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:00,200
Speaker 4: this is exciting. How the graphics come out and everything.

207
00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:03,360
Speaker 4: Oh yeah, the card that you pull you can actually

208
00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:07,120
Speaker 4: get that John physically, so it's perfect. It's all in

209
00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:09,719
Speaker 4: one place and it's a super exciting experience.

210
00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:12,240
Speaker 3: Yeah, they send that to you from the vault if

211
00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:13,760
Speaker 3: you want it. But if you look at it and

212
00:11:13,760 --> 00:11:15,840
Speaker 3: you're like, it's not the card for me, I want

213
00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:17,680
Speaker 3: to sell back, go for it. You can do any

214
00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:20,160
Speaker 3: of that on Arena Club, and you can acquire the

215
00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:23,560
Speaker 3: best value for your money with those slab packs, transparent checklists,

216
00:11:23,559 --> 00:11:26,800
Speaker 3: and Arena Club's slab Safe program. Right now, you can

217
00:11:26,880 --> 00:11:29,280
Speaker 3: get twenty percent off your first slab pack or card

218
00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:32,040
Speaker 3: purchase by going to arenaclub dot com slash foul and

219
00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:35,079
Speaker 3: use code foul arenaclub dot com slash foul, use code foul.

220
00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:39,680
Speaker 1: So, Stephen, here's the best way that I can describe

221
00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:41,800
Speaker 1: about where the Braves currently stand when it comes to

222
00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:45,559
Speaker 1: the standings, I think that it's clear for everybody that

223
00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:47,880
Speaker 1: the three worst teams in the National League right now

224
00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:52,720
Speaker 1: are the Rockies, as well as the Pirates and the Marlins. Well,

225
00:11:52,760 --> 00:11:54,719
Speaker 1: after the you clear those three at the bottom of

226
00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:58,000
Speaker 1: the standings, the team with the fourth worst record in

227
00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:01,240
Speaker 1: the National League right now is the Atlanta Braves. Currently,

228
00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:05,160
Speaker 1: the Braves now find themselves six games back in the

229
00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:07,680
Speaker 1: wild card and they're also ten and a half back

230
00:12:07,679 --> 00:12:10,080
Speaker 1: when it comes to the division. But let's focus on

231
00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:12,400
Speaker 1: the wildcard because again, I know the Braves have overcome

232
00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:14,960
Speaker 1: this type of deficit before, but doing it again is

233
00:12:14,960 --> 00:12:16,880
Speaker 1: going to be pretty hard to do. But it's not

234
00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:19,280
Speaker 1: just about the Braves being six games back in the

235
00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:21,719
Speaker 1: wild card. It's right now the fact that they need

236
00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:25,720
Speaker 1: to overcome five other actually six other teams to be

237
00:12:25,840 --> 00:12:28,360
Speaker 1: able to make the playoffs as a wild card team.

238
00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:31,880
Speaker 1: It's certainly too early to panic. It definitely is. This

239
00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:34,560
Speaker 1: Braves team is more than capable, and we've seen them

240
00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:36,880
Speaker 1: do what they need to do before to be able

241
00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:39,320
Speaker 1: to make up this type of deficit to really be

242
00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:41,640
Speaker 1: in a good position for the playoffs. But the reason

243
00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:44,760
Speaker 1: that I mention all this is because with each loss,

244
00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:48,560
Speaker 1: it seems like it becomes a more realistic possibility that

245
00:12:49,040 --> 00:12:51,480
Speaker 1: two weeks to four weeks to a month from now

246
00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:54,280
Speaker 1: we really could be looking at what the Braves are

247
00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:56,920
Speaker 1: doing that the trade deadline from the perspective of a

248
00:12:57,120 --> 00:13:00,200
Speaker 1: seller and some pieces were written today across space Fall

249
00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:01,520
Speaker 1: with it now being June when it comes to the

250
00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:04,959
Speaker 1: trade deadline, and Jeff Poissan gave some interesting thoughts. Right now,

251
00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:07,640
Speaker 1: he fills the Braves are more of a team that holds,

252
00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:11,360
Speaker 1: but it becomes an interesting conversation if they do become sellers.

253
00:13:11,559 --> 00:13:13,400
Speaker 1: He pointed out some names. He pointed out a few

254
00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:16,880
Speaker 1: names Marcelo Zuna as well as Rice sell Iglesias that

255
00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:20,840
Speaker 1: could be available if things don't improve for the Braves.

256
00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:23,400
Speaker 1: Where are you at kind of on that conversation. I

257
00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:25,160
Speaker 1: don't want to sit here and get too deep into

258
00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:27,400
Speaker 1: it because again, it's too early to really start delving

259
00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:29,719
Speaker 1: into a lot of these conversations, but I think it's

260
00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:33,040
Speaker 1: worth mentioning because unfortunately, it's more of a reality than

261
00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:35,000
Speaker 1: many of us had thought it would be at this

262
00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:35,880
Speaker 1: point of the season.

263
00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:40,720
Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't think the Brains would sell for a

264
00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:44,040
Speaker 2: couple of reasons. One, I mean, unless they just bottomed

265
00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:47,440
Speaker 2: out to the point where they're like, you know, fifteen

266
00:13:47,480 --> 00:13:50,200
Speaker 2: games back and ten games back in the loud card.

267
00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:53,040
Speaker 2: Other than that, I really don't see the Braves selling

268
00:13:53,120 --> 00:13:56,959
Speaker 2: for a couple of reasons. One the Braves don't really

269
00:13:57,040 --> 00:14:00,559
Speaker 2: have a ton of great pieces to sell. Everybody says

270
00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:02,760
Speaker 2: Marcelo Zuna because he's on the last year of his deal.

271
00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:06,800
Speaker 2: But a thirty four year old DH with hip problems,

272
00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:12,040
Speaker 2: who you're gonna only control for two months, is not

273
00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:13,839
Speaker 2: gonna bring back a ton in a tu I mean,

274
00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:19,680
Speaker 2: it's just not that valuable, Like the Braves could get something.

275
00:14:19,840 --> 00:14:22,520
Speaker 2: But if you trade Marcelo Zuno, you were sending up

276
00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:25,120
Speaker 2: the white flag that this season is over and Truest

277
00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:28,240
Speaker 2: Park will be empty for the next two months. And

278
00:14:28,280 --> 00:14:30,200
Speaker 2: that's the other reason the Braves aren't gonna sell, in

279
00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:33,440
Speaker 2: my opinion, is because they need that stadium to be full,

280
00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:37,440
Speaker 2: like they The Braves don't have this incredible TV deal

281
00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:40,360
Speaker 2: that pays for everything they do. They have a very

282
00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:42,160
Speaker 2: average TV deal. Used to be one of the worst

283
00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:44,680
Speaker 2: in the sport. It was renegotiated a few years back,

284
00:14:44,920 --> 00:14:47,560
Speaker 2: but it's a very average TV deal. They pay for

285
00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:50,720
Speaker 2: a lot of what they do through that battery and

286
00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:54,960
Speaker 2: the stadium being full eighty one times a year. And

287
00:14:56,920 --> 00:14:59,280
Speaker 2: you know, in the entoppless era, they the close to

288
00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:01,640
Speaker 2: the Ironically, the closest they've ever come to selling was

289
00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:04,080
Speaker 2: twenty twenty one. Alex Adopolis has actually talked about this,

290
00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:07,600
Speaker 2: about how unbelievably close they were to trading off Charlie

291
00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:11,720
Speaker 2: Morton and some of those relievers in twenty one because

292
00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:13,480
Speaker 2: they just weren't good enough and they didn't really turn

293
00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:16,040
Speaker 2: it on until August, and they had like a really

294
00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:18,440
Speaker 2: good series against the Mets right before the trade deadline,

295
00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:20,880
Speaker 2: and that's that was the reason Alex bought instead of

296
00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:22,920
Speaker 2: sold in twenty one, and obviously they went on won

297
00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:26,640
Speaker 2: the World Series. But yeah, with this team, I don't

298
00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:30,360
Speaker 2: know what you would sell. I mean, Gleasis is not

299
00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:32,160
Speaker 2: having a good year. He makes a lot of money.

300
00:15:32,680 --> 00:15:34,640
Speaker 2: Marcel is having a good year, but he's got this

301
00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:36,600
Speaker 2: hip stuff, he's a DH he's only got a half

302
00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:40,480
Speaker 2: a year of team control. I can't I mean, I

303
00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:43,200
Speaker 2: just can't imagine they would listen on Chris Sale, especially

304
00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:46,120
Speaker 2: with this uncertainty with Spencer Strider going forward. They sure

305
00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:48,280
Speaker 2: as hell want to compete next year and they're gonna

306
00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:50,200
Speaker 2: need Chris Sale to do that. So I don't know,

307
00:15:50,640 --> 00:15:52,000
Speaker 2: I don't, I mean, I just don't know what they

308
00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:54,680
Speaker 2: would sell unless they unless they start getting into some

309
00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:57,440
Speaker 2: of these long term extension guys. You know, we can

310
00:15:57,520 --> 00:16:00,480
Speaker 2: have a conversation about Sean Murphy versus Drake Baldwin. The

311
00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:02,760
Speaker 2: team probably is gonna have to have that conversation at

312
00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:07,040
Speaker 2: some point, probably a better offseason question, because it's tough

313
00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:09,680
Speaker 2: to trade catchers in season. Catching is the hardest position

314
00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:11,320
Speaker 2: to trade for end season because you have to learn

315
00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:13,920
Speaker 2: a whole new pitching staff on the fly, and that

316
00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:17,080
Speaker 2: doesn't really happen a lot. Catchers just don't get traded

317
00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:20,680
Speaker 2: a lot in season. So yeah, I just don't know

318
00:16:20,680 --> 00:16:23,359
Speaker 2: what they would trade, to be honest, agreed.

319
00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:25,720
Speaker 1: And you know that the Sean Murphy conversation, I think,

320
00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:27,800
Speaker 1: you know, kind of like the whole idea of what

321
00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:29,800
Speaker 1: will the Braves do with the trade line and trade

322
00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:32,600
Speaker 1: deadline if they're not obvious fires that may become a

323
00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:35,720
Speaker 1: bit louder as we get closer to the trade deadline,

324
00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:38,520
Speaker 1: because of course, let's talk about the reason why that's

325
00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:41,200
Speaker 1: the case. Right now, the biggest part of this team

326
00:16:41,200 --> 00:16:44,960
Speaker 1: that's struggling is the offense, and it's hard to argue

327
00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:49,080
Speaker 1: against the fact that Drake Baldwin has been really since

328
00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:51,200
Speaker 1: the beginning of May on. Are the top three hitters

329
00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:54,000
Speaker 1: for this Brave squad every time he starts, and that's

330
00:16:54,000 --> 00:16:57,280
Speaker 1: why he's battied second. He makes an impact tonight. He

331
00:16:57,400 --> 00:16:59,440
Speaker 1: was able to hit a home run and get that

332
00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:02,520
Speaker 1: rally in the fourth when the Braves basically had no

333
00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:06,080
Speaker 1: answer for zat Gallian through the first time through the order.

334
00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:08,880
Speaker 1: Drake Baldwin just for un rookie of the month, Drake

335
00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:10,640
Speaker 1: Baldwin comes back and hits a home run in his

336
00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:12,840
Speaker 1: first start. It seems like he hasn't played that much

337
00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:15,320
Speaker 1: here recently over the past seven to ten days. You've

338
00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:18,040
Speaker 1: got to have his bat in the lineup. So before

339
00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:20,240
Speaker 1: we get into all the conversation about what potentially could

340
00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:23,040
Speaker 1: happen with Sean Murphy in time, who obviously has been

341
00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:25,800
Speaker 1: one of the braves better bats as well, Drake Baldwin

342
00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:29,280
Speaker 1: in the lineup makes sense. But here's the concerning part

343
00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:32,000
Speaker 1: for me, Steven, is that I'm all for Drake Baldwin

344
00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:38,520
Speaker 1: batting second. Ronald Drake, Riley, Olsen Ozuna, whatever version of

345
00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:41,440
Speaker 1: that three verses five you want to be, that's perfectly fine.

346
00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:44,480
Speaker 1: My concern though, is that if you do that, then

347
00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:48,800
Speaker 1: the bottom six through nine for the Braves is numerically

348
00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:51,159
Speaker 1: one of the worst in baseball. And it showed again tonight.

349
00:17:51,520 --> 00:17:54,480
Speaker 1: That is scary bad our six through nine hitters and

350
00:17:54,600 --> 00:17:56,720
Speaker 1: teams are going to work their way through our lineup

351
00:17:56,880 --> 00:17:59,560
Speaker 1: to get to that spot in the order as much

352
00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:03,040
Speaker 1: as pospt are in ability to hit with runners in

353
00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:05,919
Speaker 1: scoring positions two through five to go with that bottom

354
00:18:05,960 --> 00:18:08,520
Speaker 1: of the order. That really means that the only true

355
00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:11,639
Speaker 1: strength of this team is Ronald Dacody Junior. That is

356
00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:14,240
Speaker 1: highly unfortunate to say this part of the season when

357
00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:15,439
Speaker 1: it comes to the Braves lineup.

358
00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:22,199
Speaker 2: Yeah, listen, I mean even tonight the Braves had a

359
00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:26,120
Speaker 2: solo homer from Drake Baldwin, they got two gift runs.

360
00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:30,679
Speaker 2: I mean, if h in he and Osarez fills that

361
00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:34,040
Speaker 2: ground ball from Azuna cleanly, there's two out in the inning.

362
00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:37,080
Speaker 2: He just fills that ground Azuna can't run, So if

363
00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:39,560
Speaker 2: he just feels that ground ball, if the inning's over,

364
00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:43,200
Speaker 2: it goes underneath his glove. Olsen scores from first, which

365
00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:48,040
Speaker 2: was hilarious by the way, Ozzie knocks in Ozuna with

366
00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:50,280
Speaker 2: a single. That's two runs right there, you just got

367
00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:53,479
Speaker 2: from an air. But like if if Arizona's defense just

368
00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:56,359
Speaker 2: fields a pretty routine ground ball, the inning's over. The

369
00:18:56,359 --> 00:18:59,320
Speaker 2: Breids would have scored one run tonight. I know Azuna

370
00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:02,560
Speaker 2: hit the fly ball later that could have been a

371
00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:05,439
Speaker 2: three run homer, but you know that might have been

372
00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:07,440
Speaker 2: an evening out from the two free runs they got

373
00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:13,200
Speaker 2: earlier in the game. So this offense is just infuriating,

374
00:19:13,320 --> 00:19:19,000
Speaker 2: and you know the stuff with Baldwin. I love Sean Murphy.

375
00:19:19,119 --> 00:19:22,240
Speaker 2: I have defended Sean Murphy on this podcast for two

376
00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:24,040
Speaker 2: years now. I think Sean Murphy is one of the

377
00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:25,840
Speaker 2: best players in baseball. Think he's one of the best

378
00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:27,960
Speaker 2: catchers in baseball. He's got a one to twenty five

379
00:19:28,119 --> 00:19:32,120
Speaker 2: WRC plus along with being an elite defensive catcher. He's

380
00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:35,640
Speaker 2: having a fantastic year. I say all that to say,

381
00:19:35,680 --> 00:19:37,560
Speaker 2: I don't know that you can take Drake Baldwin now

382
00:19:37,640 --> 00:19:40,159
Speaker 2: the lineup. I just don't know. Drake Baldwin is just

383
00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:43,399
Speaker 2: so damn good and having Acuna one and Drake Baldwin

384
00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:45,400
Speaker 2: two just feels like something you have to do every

385
00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:49,560
Speaker 2: night because right now, those are the only two things

386
00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:53,920
Speaker 2: that I I count on. Is Acunya one Drake Baldwin too,

387
00:19:56,640 --> 00:19:58,720
Speaker 2: I don't really. I mean, I know Marcel is having

388
00:19:58,760 --> 00:20:01,880
Speaker 2: a solid year, but like with runners, on base. It's

389
00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:04,640
Speaker 2: been much less with the hip stuff. Now. I don't

390
00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:06,280
Speaker 2: know how much I trusted he just got bumped to

391
00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:09,800
Speaker 2: the five hole for Riley. Olsen and Riley are still

392
00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:15,280
Speaker 2: having these weird years. I don't know. I just I

393
00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:16,600
Speaker 2: think at some point you're gonna have to have the

394
00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:18,960
Speaker 2: conversation where maybe do you try to put Drake Baldwin

395
00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:22,040
Speaker 2: on the left. You just might have to sacrifice defense

396
00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:24,520
Speaker 2: for all, Like the offense has been so unbelievably be

397
00:20:24,600 --> 00:20:26,960
Speaker 2: bad that at some point you might just have to

398
00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:30,640
Speaker 2: sacrifice defense for offense and put both catches in the lineup.

399
00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:33,480
Speaker 2: You might have to put Eli White at shortstop. He's

400
00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:38,080
Speaker 2: gonna be substantially worse. He's gonna be substantially worse defensively.

401
00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:41,600
Speaker 2: But you gotta score runs at some point. You just

402
00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:46,159
Speaker 2: gotta sacrifice some defense, some speed and left field, whatever

403
00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:48,320
Speaker 2: you gotta do. You gotta score runs. Now. You're gonna

404
00:20:48,359 --> 00:20:51,280
Speaker 2: get Profar back at some point, and hopefully that will

405
00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:54,000
Speaker 2: help the part of the lineup that you're talking about,

406
00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:59,360
Speaker 2: which is the other three or four guys. But Jesus Christ,

407
00:20:59,359 --> 00:21:01,360
Speaker 2: I mean they got us score runs. If they don't

408
00:21:01,359 --> 00:21:04,160
Speaker 2: score runs, Listen, we said all last year. Where would

409
00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:05,840
Speaker 2: the Braves be if the Braves didn't have the number

410
00:21:05,840 --> 00:21:08,919
Speaker 2: one ERA in baseball last year? Well, the answer is

411
00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:11,600
Speaker 2: this year, this is where they would be. They would

412
00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:14,320
Speaker 2: be because right now they have like the I think

413
00:21:14,560 --> 00:21:17,240
Speaker 2: eleventh or twelfth best ERA in baseball, and they're five

414
00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:20,320
Speaker 2: games under five hundred. So now we have our answer.

415
00:21:20,359 --> 00:21:21,919
Speaker 2: Now we know what would have happened last year. If

416
00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:24,159
Speaker 2: the Braves didn't have the best ERA in baseball, they

417
00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:26,760
Speaker 2: would have been a sub five hundred team because they

418
00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:30,879
Speaker 2: can't score, and it just it pisces me off to

419
00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:34,000
Speaker 2: no end. I don't understand it. Even with a Coonya back,

420
00:21:34,040 --> 00:21:37,359
Speaker 2: even with a Coonia back being Ronald Acuna Junior with

421
00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:40,760
Speaker 2: an OPS over one thousand, even with a rookie catcher

422
00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:44,600
Speaker 2: coming up and hitting substantially better than anybody ever thought

423
00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:47,040
Speaker 2: he could hit, Even with both of those things happening,

424
00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:51,480
Speaker 2: the Braves still cannot score a damn run. It's crazy,

425
00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:56,119
Speaker 2: It doesn't make sense. I don't understand. They scored three

426
00:21:56,160 --> 00:21:58,520
Speaker 2: runs to night, and two of them were gifts off

427
00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:02,840
Speaker 2: an error. It just piss meal until they score. I'm

428
00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:04,400
Speaker 2: not really sure anything else minors.

429
00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:09,159
Speaker 1: Yeah, unless they score more than that. Basically, it feels

430
00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:12,240
Speaker 1: like they have averaged four runs a game since the

431
00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:15,560
Speaker 1: very end of April, and if that doesn't improve that,

432
00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:18,240
Speaker 1: it's very unlikely we're going to make the playoffs with

433
00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:21,160
Speaker 1: where we are right now. And that's the thing about

434
00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:24,440
Speaker 1: it is that it's not just one fix that's going

435
00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:27,920
Speaker 1: to make this team better, because again, as we mentioned before,

436
00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:30,119
Speaker 1: the heart of the lineup is one of the worst

437
00:22:30,119 --> 00:22:32,919
Speaker 1: in baseball when it comes to production with runners in

438
00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:36,879
Speaker 1: scoring position. So many of our players who you would

439
00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:39,920
Speaker 1: expect to be in a good position or who you

440
00:22:39,920 --> 00:22:42,160
Speaker 1: would expect to be the among the best at their

441
00:22:42,200 --> 00:22:45,760
Speaker 1: position in the game are underperforming right now. Really, only

442
00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:50,040
Speaker 1: Ronald Acuna Junior, Drake Baldwin, Marcella Zuna close to it,

443
00:22:50,200 --> 00:22:53,680
Speaker 1: and Sean Murphy are performing at or above the level

444
00:22:53,680 --> 00:22:56,119
Speaker 1: that you would expect them to, and everybody else is

445
00:22:56,200 --> 00:23:00,560
Speaker 1: significantly worse. And then on top of that, I know

446
00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:02,320
Speaker 1: we've heard this story before, but it looked it up

447
00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:04,760
Speaker 1: before the show. The Braves are the only team in

448
00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:09,560
Speaker 1: baseball that are top five in the league in amount

449
00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:12,679
Speaker 1: of balls put in play at ninety eight miles per

450
00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:14,960
Speaker 1: hour or higher exit losity, So they are one of

451
00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:17,639
Speaker 1: the five best teams at baseball at putting balls in

452
00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:20,639
Speaker 1: play at ninety eight miles per hour are better. That's

453
00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:23,879
Speaker 1: supposed to be the sign of a good offense, but

454
00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:26,600
Speaker 1: they're also the only team who's top five in that category,

455
00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:30,280
Speaker 1: but also is one of the five unluckiest teams in

456
00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:33,040
Speaker 1: terms of they get the most outs or they don't

457
00:23:33,080 --> 00:23:35,280
Speaker 1: get are there the five them, They had the five

458
00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:38,920
Speaker 1: biggest differences between actual slugging and expected slugging on those

459
00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:41,480
Speaker 1: balls in play, So a lack of luck also plays

460
00:23:41,480 --> 00:23:43,159
Speaker 1: a part in it. Not only are do you not

461
00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:44,359
Speaker 1: put the ball in play that much when you have

462
00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:47,200
Speaker 1: runners in scoring position, but when you do, you're unlucky.

463
00:23:47,280 --> 00:23:49,960
Speaker 1: So it's not just one fix. There's a lot going

464
00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:52,680
Speaker 1: on with this offense that's not going to be easy

465
00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:55,159
Speaker 1: to fix overnight, and it has to be for us

466
00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:57,320
Speaker 1: to win at the level that we need to to

467
00:23:57,440 --> 00:23:59,720
Speaker 1: make the playoffs. But this is a story. We've said

468
00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:02,920
Speaker 1: time and time again, it's got to be figured out,

469
00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:05,840
Speaker 1: and hopefully at some point in time they'll figure it

470
00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:07,600
Speaker 1: out to win at the level that they need to.

471
00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:12,360
Speaker 1: But more to discuss, including welcoming a familiar face back

472
00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:15,000
Speaker 1: to Atlanta. More of that just a moment after another

473
00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:16,679
Speaker 1: word from our sponsors.

474
00:24:16,280 --> 00:24:18,479
Speaker 5: Scott, you need to check out this Roeback hoodie I have.

475
00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:21,639
Speaker 5: It's eighty five plus degrees here in Florida. Look lightweight,

476
00:24:22,119 --> 00:24:26,280
Speaker 5: feels great, cool colors perfect for those hot Florida days.

477
00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:29,280
Speaker 3: I agree, aj color looks fire and you can get

478
00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:34,120
Speaker 3: your own sweatshirt polo hoodie. Go check out Roeback and

479
00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:37,400
Speaker 3: if you do, and you're a first time customer, rowback

480
00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:40,679
Speaker 3: dot com using the code foul gets you twenty percent

481
00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:44,840
Speaker 3: off your first purchase RHO BA c K dot com

482
00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:47,880
Speaker 3: code fo u L get after at FTFAM.

483
00:24:49,480 --> 00:24:51,760
Speaker 1: So Stephen, of course we make it through Monday, and

484
00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:53,320
Speaker 1: then a lot of us are coming off the weekend

485
00:24:53,359 --> 00:24:56,119
Speaker 1: in which was another disappointing performance for the Red Sox.

486
00:24:56,480 --> 00:25:00,080
Speaker 1: And then lo and behold, just out of the blue,

487
00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:02,560
Speaker 1: some news that I don't think anybody could have predicted.

488
00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:08,280
Speaker 1: It was announced that Freddie Gonzalez would be returning. That's right,

489
00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:12,919
Speaker 1: former Braves manager Freddy Gonzalez would be returning to the

490
00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:16,439
Speaker 1: Braves as their third base coach. To put it into perspective,

491
00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:18,800
Speaker 1: when Bobby Cox, I believe retired it was the end

492
00:25:18,840 --> 00:25:22,920
Speaker 1: of the two thousand and eleven season, Freddy Gonzalez before

493
00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:25,320
Speaker 1: that was Bobby Cox's third base coach, and then, of

494
00:25:25,359 --> 00:25:28,200
Speaker 1: course Freddy Gonzalez was the Braves manager I believe through

495
00:25:28,760 --> 00:25:31,760
Speaker 1: May of twenty sixteen, basically up until about this point

496
00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:34,720
Speaker 1: of the season nine years ago. His third base coach

497
00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:37,800
Speaker 1: at the time was Brian Sticker. Brian Sticker took over

498
00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:40,800
Speaker 1: for Freddy Gonzalez after he was fired. So the point

499
00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:42,840
Speaker 1: that I'm getting at is that it's kind of crazy

500
00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:45,840
Speaker 1: just to think about kind of the lineage of Braves managers,

501
00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:49,000
Speaker 1: and everybody knows kind of it was an unceremonious departure

502
00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:51,960
Speaker 1: for Freddy Gonzalez from the Braves organization. All that to

503
00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:55,920
Speaker 1: say he's back with the franchise now, I say that

504
00:25:56,359 --> 00:25:59,119
Speaker 1: dynamic is fun to talk about. But the other thing

505
00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:02,320
Speaker 1: that I'll say is is that I feel like, despite

506
00:26:02,359 --> 00:26:05,399
Speaker 1: all that I'm a fan of the move, something needed

507
00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:09,480
Speaker 1: to change. Matt Tuiasa Sopo nothing against him at all,

508
00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:12,040
Speaker 1: but there had been just too many occurrences in which

509
00:26:12,040 --> 00:26:14,639
Speaker 1: he had taken value away from the Braves when they

510
00:26:14,640 --> 00:26:16,560
Speaker 1: can't get value taken away at all. There have been

511
00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:18,520
Speaker 1: too many mistakes from him as a third base coach.

512
00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:22,320
Speaker 1: So I'm a fan of Freddy's experience and in that

513
00:26:22,359 --> 00:26:24,840
Speaker 1: third base box for the Braves. I know it may

514
00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:26,840
Speaker 1: not mean much in the long run, but count me

515
00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:28,879
Speaker 1: as a fan of this change. And hey, it's good

516
00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:30,960
Speaker 1: to see her familiar face back of the Braves organization.

517
00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:34,400
Speaker 2: Yeah, what a weird I mean, you're talking about out

518
00:26:34,400 --> 00:26:36,320
Speaker 2: of nowhere. Just on the off day, yesday, just get

519
00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:40,399
Speaker 2: the notification that Freddy Gonzalez has been hired back. So

520
00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:43,120
Speaker 2: I can't remember who. I wish I could, I could,

521
00:26:43,119 --> 00:26:45,359
Speaker 2: I would give him credit. Somebody tweeted, I wonder if

522
00:26:45,359 --> 00:26:49,800
Speaker 2: the Braves sent Freddy a Delta email to hire him back.

523
00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:54,200
Speaker 2: For those of you who weren't around during the lean

524
00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:59,119
Speaker 2: years of the rebuild, you know the Braves in twenty sixteen.

525
00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:04,080
Speaker 2: I think it was started like nine and or five

526
00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:06,280
Speaker 2: and sixteen or something. I can't remember what it was.

527
00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:08,000
Speaker 2: It was not good. They were I mean, obviously they're

528
00:27:08,040 --> 00:27:09,760
Speaker 2: in the rebuild. They were the worst teams of baseball.

529
00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:11,639
Speaker 2: But it started to I think they lost like the

530
00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:14,400
Speaker 2: first seven games or something like that. Anyways, they were

531
00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:16,560
Speaker 2: on the road and Freddie got an email from Delta

532
00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:20,840
Speaker 2: notifying him that he's been bought a ticket for on

533
00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:22,680
Speaker 2: a plane back to Atlanta in the middle of a

534
00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:25,080
Speaker 2: road trip, and that's how he found out that he

535
00:27:25,119 --> 00:27:29,800
Speaker 2: was being fired. And so, you know, life has a

536
00:27:29,800 --> 00:27:34,080
Speaker 2: way of coming full circle. Here we are eight years later,

537
00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:37,400
Speaker 2: nine years later under a new management and he gets

538
00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:40,000
Speaker 2: hired back by the same organization. Him and snitk are

539
00:27:40,040 --> 00:27:43,640
Speaker 2: apparently really good friends. I imagine that was a pretty

540
00:27:43,640 --> 00:27:46,800
Speaker 2: awkward time for Snit taking over for Freddy in such

541
00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:52,359
Speaker 2: a way, but apparently they've remained close. I have no

542
00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:54,720
Speaker 2: idea what to make it the move. I know people

543
00:27:54,720 --> 00:27:58,760
Speaker 2: were speculating about snit long term. You know Snit is,

544
00:27:59,119 --> 00:28:01,200
Speaker 2: this is Snit's last you're under contract. I think most

545
00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:05,000
Speaker 2: people know that the consensus has been he's going to

546
00:28:05,080 --> 00:28:07,880
Speaker 2: retire at the end of the year. There were people

547
00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:10,480
Speaker 2: trying to connect dots between Freddy Gonzalez and the future

548
00:28:10,480 --> 00:28:13,320
Speaker 2: of the managerial job. I really wouldn't read a lot

549
00:28:13,359 --> 00:28:15,840
Speaker 2: into that. I saw some of that online today. I

550
00:28:15,880 --> 00:28:17,760
Speaker 2: thought most of it was nonsense. To be honest with you,

551
00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:21,040
Speaker 2: I think this comes down to the Braves had a

552
00:28:21,240 --> 00:28:24,680
Speaker 2: very big problem at third base for their third base coach,

553
00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:28,960
Speaker 2: Freddy Gonzalez has a million years of experience as a

554
00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:32,560
Speaker 2: third base coach. If you have a problem with your

555
00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:34,280
Speaker 2: third base coach and you have a guy who has

556
00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:37,920
Speaker 2: a history with your organization and also has so much

557
00:28:37,960 --> 00:28:40,239
Speaker 2: experience as a third base coach, and he's willing to

558
00:28:40,280 --> 00:28:43,640
Speaker 2: take the job, you know, it's not easy to fix

559
00:28:43,680 --> 00:28:45,600
Speaker 2: all the Braves problems, but it's pretty easy to fix

560
00:28:45,640 --> 00:28:49,240
Speaker 2: that one where you just Matt too yos Sobo was

561
00:28:49,280 --> 00:28:51,640
Speaker 2: just clearly overwhelmed. Now he was just kind of lost

562
00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:53,240
Speaker 2: as a third base coach. And the Braves are like,

563
00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:55,800
Speaker 2: all right, we can't fix everything, but I'll be damned

564
00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:58,320
Speaker 2: if we can't fix this third base coach problem. And

565
00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:02,120
Speaker 2: so they reassigned to Yo Sopo to minor leagues. You know,

566
00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:05,120
Speaker 2: put Freddy in there tonight. He just got way more

567
00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:07,720
Speaker 2: experience at that job. And it's kind of an experienced job.

568
00:29:07,760 --> 00:29:09,160
Speaker 2: You just kind of have to know. You have to

569
00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:12,480
Speaker 2: have a feel or when you send runners when you don't.

570
00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:15,320
Speaker 2: Tuyoso Sopo clearly did not have that feel. I think

571
00:29:15,360 --> 00:29:17,760
Speaker 2: we had enough evidence of that, and so they made

572
00:29:17,800 --> 00:29:20,320
Speaker 2: the move. There's people that were like outraged by it.

573
00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:23,560
Speaker 2: I didn't quite understand I understand people think there's more

574
00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:25,920
Speaker 2: that needs to be done. I don't think this was

575
00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:28,360
Speaker 2: the beginning and the end of the bravest fixes for

576
00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:31,120
Speaker 2: these problems. This was just the first thing and by

577
00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:34,960
Speaker 2: far the easiest thing to fix, and so I had

578
00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:37,280
Speaker 2: no problem with it. I don't think this is like

579
00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:38,920
Speaker 2: a sign that this is going to be the next

580
00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:40,760
Speaker 2: bravest manager that people are just saying that. I think

581
00:29:40,800 --> 00:29:45,120
Speaker 2: it's just grasping for straws, looking for you know, uh,

582
00:29:46,200 --> 00:29:49,800
Speaker 2: looking for engagement. But yeah, they had a third base

583
00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:51,440
Speaker 2: problem and they fixed it, and that's kind of the

584
00:29:52,120 --> 00:29:53,800
Speaker 2: beginning and end of it in my opinion.

585
00:29:54,560 --> 00:29:57,280
Speaker 1: Agreed, And you know, we could go into further conversations

586
00:29:57,320 --> 00:30:00,200
Speaker 1: about what this potentially could mean. I agree with you, Yeah,

587
00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:03,680
Speaker 1: I don't think. I simply think that the Braves found

588
00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:06,720
Speaker 1: an opportunity to bring in a name that the organization

589
00:30:06,880 --> 00:30:09,720
Speaker 1: was familiar with and that they felt strongly in the

590
00:30:09,840 --> 00:30:13,000
Speaker 1: very least could provide more awareness of how to add

591
00:30:13,080 --> 00:30:16,200
Speaker 1: value from that third base box. And so to your point,

592
00:30:16,360 --> 00:30:19,720
Speaker 1: it doesn't fix any of the major problems, but this

593
00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:23,400
Speaker 1: team right now needs to improve in any way possible,

594
00:30:23,440 --> 00:30:26,280
Speaker 1: no matter how minor or major than it is, and this,

595
00:30:26,360 --> 00:30:28,320
Speaker 1: to me was an obvious opportunity to do that.

596
00:30:29,560 --> 00:30:31,840
Speaker 2: Let me add this. Let me add this. I do

597
00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:35,640
Speaker 2: have a take about this every single day in mine mentions.

598
00:30:35,680 --> 00:30:37,720
Speaker 2: People tell me that Brian Snicker needs to be fired.

599
00:30:38,680 --> 00:30:42,480
Speaker 2: And listen. In most situations, when you have a team

600
00:30:42,520 --> 00:30:46,080
Speaker 2: that has played to this level, listen. The only team

601
00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:48,080
Speaker 2: other than the Braves that have lost more off of

602
00:30:48,120 --> 00:30:50,760
Speaker 2: their World Series in playoff odds to this point in

603
00:30:50,760 --> 00:30:54,360
Speaker 2: the season is the Baltimore Oils, who fired their manager.

604
00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:58,640
Speaker 2: So it is normal in this situation to talk about

605
00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:03,240
Speaker 2: how secure a manager's job is. That's normal. Managers get

606
00:31:03,280 --> 00:31:05,960
Speaker 2: fired all the time, especially when you have a team

607
00:31:06,040 --> 00:31:09,640
Speaker 2: underperforming to this level. The difference is most managers have

608
00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:12,440
Speaker 2: not been in the organization for fifty years. And I

609
00:31:12,440 --> 00:31:15,120
Speaker 2: don't really care if you at home think that's important.

610
00:31:15,400 --> 00:31:19,000
Speaker 2: The Braves think that's important. Most managers don't have a

611
00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:22,520
Speaker 2: World Series ring with their current team. And when you

612
00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:26,640
Speaker 2: fire somebody at that level, like you know, if Alexon

613
00:31:26,680 --> 00:31:29,760
Speaker 2: Doopplas is like the top of the Braves baseball organization,

614
00:31:29,920 --> 00:31:33,480
Speaker 2: the next most visible name is Brian Snicker. So when

615
00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:37,960
Speaker 2: you fire somebody at that level, pr and Optics play

616
00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:41,360
Speaker 2: into it, And you're not gonna fire a guy who's

617
00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:42,960
Speaker 2: won a World Series for you, who's been in the

618
00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:45,480
Speaker 2: playoffs every single year, he's been a manager for you,

619
00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:49,240
Speaker 2: who has been in the organization for this long World Series.

620
00:31:49,280 --> 00:31:51,040
Speaker 2: All that's You're not gonna fire him because of two

621
00:31:51,040 --> 00:31:54,800
Speaker 2: bad months. You're just not. The optics of that just

622
00:31:54,840 --> 00:31:57,760
Speaker 2: look horrible. It just looks like your your organization is

623
00:31:57,840 --> 00:32:02,480
Speaker 2: just directionless, and it just sends a horrible message. And

624
00:32:02,600 --> 00:32:04,440
Speaker 2: Alex said in the press conference, just said that he

625
00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:07,160
Speaker 2: does that firing this third base coach was the first

626
00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:10,080
Speaker 2: time he has ever fired a coach in season in

627
00:32:10,120 --> 00:32:12,720
Speaker 2: like fourteen years of doing this as GM. But like

628
00:32:12,760 --> 00:32:15,680
Speaker 2: these people who want to Snicker fired, Like do you

629
00:32:15,720 --> 00:32:18,880
Speaker 2: think firing Brian Snicker is gonna make Austin Riley remember

630
00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:21,640
Speaker 2: how to hit fastballs? Like I don't, I just don't.

631
00:32:21,840 --> 00:32:24,600
Speaker 2: I understand the conversation because manager gets fired all the time.

632
00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:27,720
Speaker 2: But like in this specific instance, there are guys on

633
00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:30,920
Speaker 2: the team that are being paid twenty plus million dollars

634
00:32:31,080 --> 00:32:35,600
Speaker 2: who are not doing their job, And like I just

635
00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:37,840
Speaker 2: I don't know, I just don't know if firing Brian

636
00:32:37,880 --> 00:32:39,640
Speaker 2: Snicker is going to solve that now. If you want

637
00:32:39,640 --> 00:32:41,240
Speaker 2: to fire the hitting coach, I don't give it. I

638
00:32:41,240 --> 00:32:43,200
Speaker 2: don't care. I mean, he's been with the Brads for

639
00:32:43,680 --> 00:32:46,080
Speaker 2: three weeks. I don't I don't know. I could care

640
00:32:46,160 --> 00:32:48,840
Speaker 2: less about Tim Hyres. You want to bring somebody else in, fine,

641
00:32:49,160 --> 00:32:50,880
Speaker 2: but they're not going to fire a guy who's been

642
00:32:50,880 --> 00:32:54,200
Speaker 2: literally been in the orgization fifty years because they had

643
00:32:54,200 --> 00:32:55,880
Speaker 2: a bad two months to start a season. I mean,

644
00:32:55,920 --> 00:32:58,240
Speaker 2: that's just crazy. I mean, people who think that you're

645
00:32:58,280 --> 00:32:59,240
Speaker 2: just crazy.

646
00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:03,080
Speaker 1: Actually when you know he's built equity. You know, as

647
00:33:03,080 --> 00:33:05,800
Speaker 1: we mentioned, he's made the playoffs every year that he's

648
00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:08,479
Speaker 1: been with alex Sanhopolis. They've won the division six out

649
00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:11,240
Speaker 1: of those seven years. And they've been here before, right,

650
00:33:11,440 --> 00:33:14,160
Speaker 1: you know, we constantly talk about this turnaround that we

651
00:33:14,200 --> 00:33:17,080
Speaker 1: want to see the Braves do. Brian Sticker literally has

652
00:33:17,160 --> 00:33:20,400
Speaker 1: been at the helm of multiple turnarounds like we've seen

653
00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:24,360
Speaker 1: like happened now. He's done that multiple times in the past.

654
00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:26,800
Speaker 1: So to your point, no, it doesn't make any sense

655
00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:29,360
Speaker 1: to fire Brian Sticker. He's going to be here through

656
00:33:29,400 --> 00:33:31,760
Speaker 1: the end of the season. Now, once the season is over,

657
00:33:32,040 --> 00:33:34,120
Speaker 1: we'll see what occurs. But the big thing for the

658
00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:36,920
Speaker 1: Braves right now is making the most of what they've

659
00:33:36,960 --> 00:33:40,000
Speaker 1: got in front of them, and thankfully, thankfully, as we

660
00:33:40,040 --> 00:33:42,920
Speaker 1: wrap up this edition of the Hammer Territory podcast, Chris

661
00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:45,800
Speaker 1: Sale's on the mound tomorrow. Chris Sale. I'm not seeing

662
00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:47,920
Speaker 1: he's back to the level where he was last year,

663
00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:51,800
Speaker 1: but he's getting close. His production is really matching his

664
00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:55,440
Speaker 1: peripherals now and he's back to being the dominant Chrissel

665
00:33:55,480 --> 00:33:57,560
Speaker 1: that we all love to see. We need that Chris

666
00:33:57,600 --> 00:34:00,000
Speaker 1: Sale on the mound tomorrow. Make no mistake about it.

667
00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:01,880
Speaker 1: I've hinted at it a few times over the past

668
00:34:01,880 --> 00:34:04,880
Speaker 1: couple of weeks. Tomorrow is a must win for this

669
00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:07,400
Speaker 1: Braves team because right now they're facing another team in

670
00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:09,920
Speaker 1: the Diamondbacks, who are underperforming, who certainly are wanting to

671
00:34:09,920 --> 00:34:12,240
Speaker 1: get their season back on the right track. The Braves

672
00:34:12,560 --> 00:34:15,480
Speaker 1: need to win this series, and they have to win

673
00:34:15,520 --> 00:34:17,839
Speaker 1: as many games where Chris Sale is on the mound

674
00:34:17,840 --> 00:34:20,799
Speaker 1: as possible, and that starts tomorrow. And Steven, what it

675
00:34:20,840 --> 00:34:23,800
Speaker 1: simply comes down to for me is this, just don't

676
00:34:23,840 --> 00:34:25,400
Speaker 1: put the ball in the middle of the plate against

677
00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:28,000
Speaker 1: the diamondbacks best hitters. I trust Chris Sale not to

678
00:34:28,080 --> 00:34:30,080
Speaker 1: do that and perhaps the offense can get going a

679
00:34:30,080 --> 00:34:30,600
Speaker 1: bit as well.

680
00:34:31,400 --> 00:34:33,080
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean these are the starts I look forward

681
00:34:33,120 --> 00:34:37,520
Speaker 2: to now. I mean, quite honestly, Chris Sale probably, I

682
00:34:37,520 --> 00:34:39,920
Speaker 2: mean honestly, Spencer Swallenbach too. Now, the way he's been

683
00:34:39,920 --> 00:34:42,360
Speaker 2: throwing the last couple of times, Like these are the

684
00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:43,839
Speaker 2: ones I look forward to where I think, all right,

685
00:34:43,840 --> 00:34:45,759
Speaker 2: the Braves have a legitimate chance to win this game.

686
00:34:45,840 --> 00:34:48,480
Speaker 2: Like tomorrow, I expect the Braves to win because Chris

687
00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:51,040
Speaker 2: Sale versus Merrill Kelly, I think it is it was

688
00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:53,160
Speaker 2: a good pitcher, but I think he's got like a

689
00:34:53,200 --> 00:34:55,120
Speaker 2: three eighty are Like, I expect the Braves to win

690
00:34:55,160 --> 00:34:58,040
Speaker 2: that game. And if they don't win, if they lose tomorrow,

691
00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:03,279
Speaker 2: they lose a Chris Sales art. I mean, then you

692
00:35:03,360 --> 00:35:06,840
Speaker 2: really start getting into because I think they go correct

693
00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:09,560
Speaker 2: me if I'm wrong, Sean. I think this weekend they're

694
00:35:09,560 --> 00:35:11,720
Speaker 2: back on the West Coast. They go to the Giants

695
00:35:11,719 --> 00:35:12,120
Speaker 2: after this.

696
00:35:12,560 --> 00:35:15,720
Speaker 1: Yeah, this is a stretch right now where they're playing

697
00:35:16,480 --> 00:35:20,160
Speaker 1: other teams with legitimate playoff hopes, the Diamondbacks the Giants

698
00:35:20,200 --> 00:35:22,440
Speaker 1: as well as the Brewers. Those are two teams right

699
00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:25,200
Speaker 1: now that are surging in the Giants and the Brewers,

700
00:35:25,600 --> 00:35:28,080
Speaker 1: and they're clearly ahead of the Braves when it comes

701
00:35:28,080 --> 00:35:31,280
Speaker 1: to the wildcard. So if you right now having success

702
00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:34,319
Speaker 1: or struggling kind of is even more sign if each

703
00:35:34,360 --> 00:35:37,000
Speaker 1: game basically kind of is double in value when it

704
00:35:37,040 --> 00:35:39,640
Speaker 1: comes to the standing. So right now, the Braves can't

705
00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:41,520
Speaker 1: afford to sit here and lose too many more games

706
00:35:41,600 --> 00:35:42,160
Speaker 1: in this strip.

707
00:35:44,160 --> 00:35:47,640
Speaker 2: Yeah, so after this series they go to San Francisco

708
00:35:47,840 --> 00:35:49,920
Speaker 2: and then they go to Milwaukee for I think it's

709
00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:52,439
Speaker 2: a seven game road trip, and like Shawn just said,

710
00:35:52,480 --> 00:35:55,440
Speaker 2: both of those teams are playing substantially better. I think

711
00:35:55,480 --> 00:35:57,480
Speaker 2: the Brewers just came off winning seven in a row.

712
00:35:57,520 --> 00:36:00,000
Speaker 2: I think they finally lost a game, but they blow

713
00:36:00,440 --> 00:36:03,400
Speaker 2: the Phillies in Philadelphia for a couple of games. So like,

714
00:36:03,400 --> 00:36:04,960
Speaker 2: and the Giants have been playing way better than the

715
00:36:04,960 --> 00:36:07,480
Speaker 2: brad I mean, damn, near everybody's been playing better than

716
00:36:07,480 --> 00:36:11,400
Speaker 2: the Braves, let's be honest. But so, yeah, if you

717
00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:15,120
Speaker 2: lose this, sales start tomorrow and you've already lost this series,

718
00:36:15,160 --> 00:36:18,560
Speaker 2: and now you need to salvage the third game just

719
00:36:18,600 --> 00:36:20,799
Speaker 2: to avoid being swept, and then you're going on to

720
00:36:20,880 --> 00:36:25,480
Speaker 2: the West Coast. I mean, good lord, it is a.

721
00:36:25,640 --> 00:36:27,759
Speaker 2: I mean for a game in early June tomorrow is

722
00:36:27,760 --> 00:36:30,400
Speaker 2: about as big a game as you can have. Quite honestly,

723
00:36:30,400 --> 00:36:33,040
Speaker 2: the Braids are already ten and a half games back

724
00:36:33,120 --> 00:36:35,759
Speaker 2: of the Mets. The Mets are playing the Dodge right now.

725
00:36:35,800 --> 00:36:37,359
Speaker 2: If the Mets win that game, I think the Braids

726
00:36:37,400 --> 00:36:39,800
Speaker 2: are eleven games back. I think the Dodgers are currently

727
00:36:39,800 --> 00:36:43,360
Speaker 2: winning it. But yeah, six games back of the wild

728
00:36:43,400 --> 00:36:47,359
Speaker 2: card with six plus teams ahead of you. Honestly, having

729
00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:49,200
Speaker 2: the six plus teams ahead of you is probably more

730
00:36:49,200 --> 00:36:52,279
Speaker 2: important than the six games back, because that's a lot

731
00:36:52,280 --> 00:36:54,480
Speaker 2: of teams you've got to pass, and you gotta hope

732
00:36:54,520 --> 00:36:58,440
Speaker 2: all of them go cold, or you know, one of

733
00:36:58,520 --> 00:37:00,719
Speaker 2: them is gonna win damn near every night. So I mean,

734
00:37:00,960 --> 00:37:03,000
Speaker 2: making up that much ground against that many teams is

735
00:37:03,040 --> 00:37:07,600
Speaker 2: not easy. It's getting late early. It really is like

736
00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:10,960
Speaker 2: it is getting late early that we are already in

737
00:37:11,040 --> 00:37:14,160
Speaker 2: early June. We kept saying, well, well, we'll see when

738
00:37:14,200 --> 00:37:17,600
Speaker 2: we get to June, this team gets hot. Still hasn't happened.

739
00:37:17,640 --> 00:37:20,040
Speaker 2: When when Akunya comes back, this team will get hot.

740
00:37:20,120 --> 00:37:23,480
Speaker 2: Hasn't happened Stryder comes back. I think Strider's I think

741
00:37:23,520 --> 00:37:25,200
Speaker 2: the Braves are oh to four and all four Spitcher

742
00:37:25,200 --> 00:37:30,640
Speaker 2: Strider starts this year. I mean, it's just getting late

743
00:37:31,320 --> 00:37:36,000
Speaker 2: and sales on the mound tomorrow your best picture. There's

744
00:37:36,040 --> 00:37:39,360
Speaker 2: no day like tomorrow to start turning this thing around.

745
00:37:39,719 --> 00:37:42,840
Speaker 2: And with stale on the mound, I am confident. I

746
00:37:42,880 --> 00:37:44,879
Speaker 2: do expect the Braves to win when sales on the mount.

747
00:37:44,920 --> 00:37:46,439
Speaker 2: I can't say that about a lot of other guys,

748
00:37:46,440 --> 00:37:48,120
Speaker 2: but when sales on the mound, I expect the Braves

749
00:37:48,120 --> 00:37:52,160
Speaker 2: to win. So I pray to God they win tomorrow.

750
00:37:52,680 --> 00:37:54,320
Speaker 2: You and I are actually going to do a podcast

751
00:37:54,360 --> 00:37:57,200
Speaker 2: again tomorrow night, so we're gonna talk about this again.

752
00:37:59,160 --> 00:38:02,560
Speaker 2: If they lose tomorrow, Tomorrow's show is is gonna be

753
00:38:04,480 --> 00:38:06,920
Speaker 2: Tomorrow's show is gonna be tough like I'm gonna be.

754
00:38:07,239 --> 00:38:08,800
Speaker 2: I'm gonna be as pissed as I've been in a

755
00:38:08,840 --> 00:38:11,040
Speaker 2: long time if they lose tomorrow, But I'm gonna I'm

756
00:38:11,040 --> 00:38:12,759
Speaker 2: gonna ASSU they're gonna win tomorrow. We're gonna end on

757
00:38:12,800 --> 00:38:14,440
Speaker 2: a positive note. I think they're gonna win tomorrow.

758
00:38:15,680 --> 00:38:18,560
Speaker 1: Well. And then here's the other part about it. I've

759
00:38:18,560 --> 00:38:21,520
Speaker 1: been as we've been doing this podcast, I've been keep

760
00:38:21,520 --> 00:38:23,799
Speaker 1: it up with the Dodgers and Giants game, and the

761
00:38:23,800 --> 00:38:26,680
Speaker 1: Giants right now are beating the Podras. You want for

762
00:38:26,960 --> 00:38:29,560
Speaker 1: those top five teams in the National League to beat

763
00:38:29,560 --> 00:38:31,759
Speaker 1: as many of the other teams as possible because that

764
00:38:31,960 --> 00:38:34,640
Speaker 1: helps the Braves. The point that I'm getting at is

765
00:38:34,680 --> 00:38:37,960
Speaker 1: this is that now with ag Smith Shaver out of

766
00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:40,200
Speaker 1: the equation unfortunately likely for the rest of the season.

767
00:38:40,440 --> 00:38:43,080
Speaker 1: The other part of this that plays into it is

768
00:38:43,080 --> 00:38:48,280
Speaker 1: is that your pitching is what it is. Your offense

769
00:38:48,840 --> 00:38:51,480
Speaker 1: is what it is. The pitching getting back to being

770
00:38:51,560 --> 00:38:54,719
Speaker 1: the best in baseball that may not necessarily be a

771
00:38:54,760 --> 00:38:57,920
Speaker 1: reality like it was last year. So it goes all

772
00:38:57,960 --> 00:39:00,800
Speaker 1: the way back. We talk about all the different points

773
00:39:00,800 --> 00:39:03,840
Speaker 1: in the same circle, but that circle always comes back

774
00:39:04,120 --> 00:39:06,359
Speaker 1: to the offense. Not gonna get into it again. We've

775
00:39:06,360 --> 00:39:09,400
Speaker 1: talked about it time and time again from every perspective

776
00:39:09,440 --> 00:39:13,080
Speaker 1: that you possibly can. The guys in lineup need to

777
00:39:13,120 --> 00:39:16,160
Speaker 1: play to the level that they should be expected to

778
00:39:16,239 --> 00:39:19,080
Speaker 1: play at, and that's got to start tomorrow. Stephen, anything

779
00:39:19,120 --> 00:39:20,800
Speaker 1: else from you as we wrape up this edition of

780
00:39:20,840 --> 00:39:22,560
Speaker 1: the Hammer Territory podcast.

781
00:39:23,000 --> 00:39:26,000
Speaker 2: No, Scott's in Hawaii and I thought about calling him

782
00:39:26,040 --> 00:39:28,800
Speaker 2: and just seeing if I could get a room. Come

783
00:39:29,040 --> 00:39:33,640
Speaker 2: come crash his vacation, because covering this team is the

784
00:39:33,640 --> 00:39:36,560
Speaker 2: opposite of a vacation these days. But no, I don't

785
00:39:36,560 --> 00:39:39,800
Speaker 2: have anything. We'll be back tomorrow with another show, regardless

786
00:39:39,840 --> 00:39:43,360
Speaker 2: of whin or I'll lose if they lose. It's gonna

787
00:39:43,360 --> 00:39:46,439
Speaker 2: be a it's gonna be a tough show, but we're

788
00:39:46,480 --> 00:39:51,239
Speaker 2: gonna do it either way. But let's win tomorrow. You

789
00:39:51,280 --> 00:39:52,719
Speaker 2: can't win TO in a row until you win one

790
00:39:52,800 --> 00:39:54,239
Speaker 2: in a row. The Brads haven't won two games in

791
00:39:54,280 --> 00:39:57,080
Speaker 2: a row in like three weeks, by the way. You

792
00:39:57,080 --> 00:39:58,600
Speaker 2: can't win TO in a row till you win one

793
00:39:58,640 --> 00:40:00,520
Speaker 2: in a row. So let's win one game in a

794
00:40:00,600 --> 00:40:04,279
Speaker 2: row tomorrow with Chris Sale in the mound, and then

795
00:40:04,600 --> 00:40:06,359
Speaker 2: let's win two games in a row and then three

796
00:40:06,520 --> 00:40:10,960
Speaker 2: and then get this MFN season off the ground, which

797
00:40:10,960 --> 00:40:13,319
Speaker 2: it still has not gotten off the ground since day one,

798
00:40:14,360 --> 00:40:17,840
Speaker 2: and maybe we can start playing to the level of

799
00:40:17,880 --> 00:40:19,879
Speaker 2: the talent that's actually on this team.

800
00:40:20,360 --> 00:40:22,279
Speaker 1: Agreed, and life will just be more fun. I'm just

801
00:40:22,320 --> 00:40:25,520
Speaker 1: ready to have fun being able to watch cover Talk

802
00:40:25,600 --> 00:40:26,560
Speaker 1: Braves Baseball again.

803
00:40:26,680 --> 00:40:27,000
Speaker 4: Steven.

804
00:40:27,040 --> 00:40:29,200
Speaker 1: It's always obviously fun to talk with you about this.

805
00:40:29,600 --> 00:40:32,480
Speaker 1: It's always fun to interact with with our supporters and

806
00:40:32,520 --> 00:40:35,800
Speaker 1: can't thank those enough who continue to support the podcast

807
00:40:35,880 --> 00:40:38,040
Speaker 1: listening to the podcast despite the fact that the team

808
00:40:38,080 --> 00:40:40,320
Speaker 1: itself is not playing to the level that we expect

809
00:40:40,360 --> 00:40:46,880
Speaker 1: them to. Again, I'm not pushing any panic buttons or

810
00:40:46,880 --> 00:40:49,759
Speaker 1: anything like that. I'm just simply, you know, saying, you know,

811
00:40:49,840 --> 00:40:52,120
Speaker 1: some of the topics that we've discussed, I know may

812
00:40:52,120 --> 00:40:53,879
Speaker 1: seem like we are That's not the case at all.

813
00:40:53,920 --> 00:40:56,840
Speaker 1: We're just talking about what our realistic outcomes for this

814
00:40:56,960 --> 00:40:59,880
Speaker 1: season as we move forward. But one reality that remains

815
00:40:59,880 --> 00:41:03,480
Speaker 1: the case, this team very much is just one win

816
00:41:03,520 --> 00:41:06,160
Speaker 1: away from really hitting that button to where they can

817
00:41:06,239 --> 00:41:08,520
Speaker 1: take off. We've seen it happen before, it needs to

818
00:41:08,560 --> 00:41:10,680
Speaker 1: happen again. For Steventober. You can find him a b

819
00:41:10,760 --> 00:41:13,799
Speaker 1: underscore outliers on Twitter at slash x. You can find

820
00:41:13,800 --> 00:41:16,960
Speaker 1: myself at statsac on Twitter slash x as well. Hammer

821
00:41:17,080 --> 00:41:19,239
Speaker 1: Territory across all forms of social media, part of the

822
00:41:19,239 --> 00:41:23,640
Speaker 1: Foul Territory family of podcasts. Until next time, go Phraise.

823
00:41:23,840 --> 00:41:25,919
Speaker 1: We'll talk to you again soon here on the Hammer

824
00:41:26,040 --> 00:41:27,000
Speaker 1: Territory podcast.