WEBVTT - Braves Recent Struggles and Season Overview with SB Nation's Kris Willis 0:00:21.600 --> 0:00:23.720 Welcome one and all to the hemb A Territory Podcast. 0:00:23.760 --> 0:00:25.720 My name is Sean Coleman. Hope, wherever you are and 0:00:25.760 --> 0:00:28.400 wherever you are listening, you are having a great night 0:00:28.440 --> 0:00:31.000 and a great week. Hopefully it's not involving watching the 0:00:31.000 --> 0:00:33.760 Braves so far this week, but you know that's where 0:00:33.800 --> 0:00:35.959 we are. For some of us, like Stephen, we could 0:00:36.000 --> 0:00:39.320 be anxiously awaiting the upcoming documentary on Travis Kelsey and 0:00:39.360 --> 0:00:42.640 Taylor Swift's wedding now that they are officially with. For 0:00:42.720 --> 0:00:45.320 others it may be something else. But we are excited 0:00:45.360 --> 0:00:47.599 tonight because yes, I'm with one of the best when 0:00:47.640 --> 0:00:49.680 it comes to breaking down the Braves. I'm a podcast partner, 0:00:49.680 --> 0:00:52.560 Stephen Tolbert. But we also have a legend in the house, 0:00:52.800 --> 0:00:54.120 one of the best when it comes to breaking down 0:00:54.160 --> 0:00:57.360 the Braves for two decades now, and that is Chris Willis. 0:00:57.360 --> 0:00:59.000 Don't mean to make you old, but the point you 0:00:59.040 --> 0:01:01.760 feel old, But the point is how long you've been 0:01:01.800 --> 0:01:04.800 impacting those of us who enjoys Braves content. Chris is 0:01:04.840 --> 0:01:08.720 the editorial manager for ESB Nations baseball coverage with Vox Media, 0:01:08.800 --> 0:01:12.319 and also, just to be completely honest, he played an 0:01:12.319 --> 0:01:14.680 integral role in all four of the members of a 0:01:14.720 --> 0:01:17.480 Hammer Territory coming into Braves content at some point in 0:01:17.520 --> 0:01:21.039 time over the past decade plus, so we're always very 0:01:21.040 --> 0:01:23.759 happy to welcome him to the show and interact with him. Chris, 0:01:23.800 --> 0:01:25.880 pleasure to have you, sir man. 0:01:25.959 --> 0:01:28.720 That's a heck of an intro. No, it's good to 0:01:28.760 --> 0:01:31.400 see you, guys. I appreciate you to having me on. 0:01:31.600 --> 0:01:34.080 It's been a long time, you know, so I'm really 0:01:34.120 --> 0:01:35.039 excited for this. 0:01:36.560 --> 0:01:38.520 And we're glad to have you. Wish it was under 0:01:38.560 --> 0:01:42.280 better circumstances to talk Braves baseball, you know, that's the 0:01:42.280 --> 0:01:44.520 great part of Hammer Territory. We're to cover it, you know, 0:01:45.120 --> 0:01:49.040 no matter how bad, are good. But the Braves unfortunately 0:01:49.360 --> 0:01:52.320 have been mixing it up when it comes to losses, 0:01:52.440 --> 0:01:55.720 losing different ways, and the latest is they've just decided 0:01:55.760 --> 0:01:57.960 to get blown out a time or two, you know, 0:01:58.000 --> 0:02:00.160 within a week's time frame, and that's what happened on 0:02:00.240 --> 0:02:03.120 Tuesday night, And unfortunately, we're gonna cover the past two 0:02:03.120 --> 0:02:05.200 games where they've lost in different fashions. But that's what 0:02:05.200 --> 0:02:07.360 we're here to do, is we mix it up. Engineered 0:02:07.360 --> 0:02:17.520 by Fastenov. So unfortunately this is the point that we 0:02:17.560 --> 0:02:20.400 are at, Steven, is that, yes, the Braves won the 0:02:20.440 --> 0:02:22.560 two first games of the series against the Mets on 0:02:22.600 --> 0:02:25.080 Friday and Saturday, but then in two of the past 0:02:25.120 --> 0:02:28.080 three games they suffered blowouts and then one of the 0:02:28.080 --> 0:02:32.360 more frustrating losses of the year on Monday night. Yeah, 0:02:32.360 --> 0:02:34.880 Sunday they've got blown out. Monday Night really frustrating. They 0:02:34.919 --> 0:02:38.079 didn't lost, and then tonight just had no chance. Let's 0:02:38.200 --> 0:02:40.560 look at both of the recent games that were lost 0:02:40.560 --> 0:02:42.400 as the series finale against the Mets as well as 0:02:42.440 --> 0:02:45.200 tonight against Pittsburgh, and let's start with tonight against Pittsburgh. 0:02:45.240 --> 0:02:47.960 Brace just did not have a chance. Ryan O'Hearn decided 0:02:48.000 --> 0:02:52.360 to turn into the enhanced version of Shoheo Tani and 0:02:52.360 --> 0:02:55.000 for one night only, and Hirst and Waldrup just did 0:02:55.040 --> 0:02:57.760 not have an answer, but all kidding to sign. One 0:02:57.800 --> 0:03:02.000 takeaway from this is that the Braves hoped that hirston 0:03:02.080 --> 0:03:05.239 Waldrop will be their latest band aid for a better 0:03:05.280 --> 0:03:07.600 way to you know put it, to potentially try to 0:03:07.680 --> 0:03:09.639 keep this staff together until they might be able to 0:03:09.680 --> 0:03:12.640 add external help over the next month. But it's proven 0:03:12.680 --> 0:03:15.320 to not be the case. Unfortunately, Hirst Waldrup is the 0:03:15.400 --> 0:03:18.640 latest example of an unreliable internal option for a team 0:03:18.680 --> 0:03:19.200 trying to win. 0:03:21.000 --> 0:03:26.359 Yeah, so, you know, I think Alex Adoplis would tell 0:03:26.400 --> 0:03:29.760 you in an honest moment that Heirston Waldrip came up 0:03:29.800 --> 0:03:31.799 at the speed he did out of necessity. I don't 0:03:31.800 --> 0:03:35.000 think he came up out of That's exactly the track 0:03:35.080 --> 0:03:37.720 they wanted him to take. I think anybody who's paying 0:03:37.720 --> 0:03:42.280 attention to his rehab assignments saw a pretty, you know, 0:03:42.440 --> 0:03:46.680 questionable amount of shaky command. You know, he had something 0:03:46.800 --> 0:03:49.520 like twelve walks in fifteen innings or something like that 0:03:49.560 --> 0:03:53.000 in his rehab assignments, and unfortunately we've seen that carry 0:03:53.000 --> 0:03:53.640 over into the. 0:03:53.600 --> 0:03:55.160 Major league club. 0:03:55.200 --> 0:03:57.800 He's got like eight walks and ten innings, a couple 0:03:57.880 --> 0:03:59.320 hit by putt. No, I think it's ten walks and 0:03:59.320 --> 0:04:02.600 ten innings and a couple hit by pitches. Obviously tonight was. 0:04:02.600 --> 0:04:03.400 The home run ball. 0:04:05.600 --> 0:04:08.560 It is just another example of the Braves are kind 0:04:08.600 --> 0:04:11.560 of scraping the bottom of the barrel right now of 0:04:12.640 --> 0:04:15.920 starting pitching options and chriss where I'm gonna get your opinion, 0:04:16.720 --> 0:04:19.360 It does seem like, you know, this something we talked 0:04:19.400 --> 0:04:21.039 about a lot on the show. Of the summer or 0:04:21.040 --> 0:04:22.160 I'm sorry, over the winter. 0:04:22.200 --> 0:04:23.520 Was the Braves. 0:04:23.600 --> 0:04:26.080 Even though they have a lot of names, potential starters, 0:04:26.080 --> 0:04:27.440 they had a lot of question marks. They had a 0:04:27.440 --> 0:04:29.160 lot of injury question marks, they had a lot of 0:04:29.400 --> 0:04:33.159 production question marks. And unfortunately, as the season has progressed, 0:04:33.800 --> 0:04:36.720 those questions have just gotten bigger and bigger, bigger. And 0:04:36.960 --> 0:04:38.440 it seems to me, and I want to get your 0:04:38.440 --> 0:04:41.240 opinion that herston waldrip is just kind of another example 0:04:41.279 --> 0:04:44.440 of where the Braves have been operating out of necessity 0:04:44.600 --> 0:04:48.200 more than operating out of desire, and we've kind of 0:04:48.240 --> 0:04:51.120 run into a point where they probably have somebody in 0:04:51.160 --> 0:04:53.880 a pitching in a pitching spot in the rotation that 0:04:53.880 --> 0:04:55.360 probably needs to be in Triple A that they really 0:04:55.400 --> 0:04:57.880 can't afford to have them in Triple A at the moment. 0:04:59.560 --> 0:05:01.880 Yeah, agree with you one hundred percent. I think in 0:05:01.920 --> 0:05:05.240 a perfect world, Walter would have got more more lead 0:05:05.320 --> 0:05:07.120 time at Triple A to try to get home this 0:05:07.320 --> 0:05:10.160 uh you know, dial in the command and stuff. And 0:05:10.400 --> 0:05:13.160 I mean, I think you're right. I mean, Brad's got 0:05:13.160 --> 0:05:15.400 off to this great start this season. I think they 0:05:15.440 --> 0:05:18.120 exceeded I mean they were kind of an afterthought. You know, 0:05:18.279 --> 0:05:21.640 coming in, if you looked at all the predictions and 0:05:21.960 --> 0:05:24.520 playoff odds and stuff like that, you know, it seemed 0:05:24.520 --> 0:05:27.039 like they might be fighting with the Marlins for third 0:05:27.040 --> 0:05:29.599 place in the in the Mets and the Phillies running 0:05:29.600 --> 0:05:31.880 away from with the division. But you know, they came 0:05:31.920 --> 0:05:34.200 out of the gate smoking and a lot of it 0:05:34.279 --> 0:05:37.960 was the pitching staff that had so many questions marks 0:05:38.000 --> 0:05:42.320 it seemed Bryce Elder was excellent. Uh, you know, Spencer 0:05:42.360 --> 0:05:46.080 Strider was coming back. We were hoping to see Spencer 0:05:46.080 --> 0:05:48.679 swelling Bach and then you know he he still hasn't 0:05:48.680 --> 0:05:50.960 throw a pitch this year. But you had guys like 0:05:51.200 --> 0:05:55.520 Bryce Elder and Martine Perez that really just you know, 0:05:55.760 --> 0:05:59.400 filled the gap in there. And now you know, as 0:05:59.440 --> 0:06:01.240 the season it was, it was always going to be 0:06:01.279 --> 0:06:05.080 hard for them to maintain that through a full season, 0:06:05.120 --> 0:06:07.000 I think, And this is just one of those bumps 0:06:07.000 --> 0:06:10.000 in the roads right now where you know, it's not 0:06:10.279 --> 0:06:13.160 just a pitching but the injuries feel like they are 0:06:13.200 --> 0:06:15.440 starting to catch up with this roster a little bit. 0:06:15.560 --> 0:06:18.760 And I think you know, Waldroup, out of necessity, pitched 0:06:18.760 --> 0:06:21.240 really well down the stretch last year. You know, I 0:06:21.279 --> 0:06:23.880 think not ready to close the door on him being 0:06:24.240 --> 0:06:26.760 a solid contributor. But you know, I just think you're 0:06:26.800 --> 0:06:29.840 going to have knights like tonight where you know, you 0:06:30.600 --> 0:06:33.719 you're facing Paul schemes. You you know, you score scratch 0:06:33.760 --> 0:06:35.840 a run across early and then you turn around and 0:06:35.880 --> 0:06:38.160 give up a grand slam, and you know, and it 0:06:38.279 --> 0:06:40.200 just kind of snowballs from there. And I think you're 0:06:40.240 --> 0:06:42.160 just where their braids are at right now. They're just 0:06:42.160 --> 0:06:44.640 going to have to live with it until they can 0:06:44.720 --> 0:06:46.000 get some more options in here. 0:06:47.920 --> 0:06:50.080 I think that's something that stands out, Chris, because you 0:06:50.080 --> 0:06:52.039 bring up a good point. They're going to have to 0:06:52.080 --> 0:06:54.240 live with it. In other words, they're going to have 0:06:54.400 --> 0:06:58.640 to improve internally because external options are not coming tomorrow 0:06:58.960 --> 0:07:02.040 next week. Before the start breaking like that, it's still 0:07:02.080 --> 0:07:04.560 two to three eight weeks it least out. And at 0:07:04.560 --> 0:07:06.760 that point you don't even know what it's going to 0:07:06.800 --> 0:07:08.800 look like because you don't know who's available right now, 0:07:08.880 --> 0:07:10.520 and you don't know the cost at which it's going 0:07:10.600 --> 0:07:13.320 to take to get them. But the other thing I 0:07:13.320 --> 0:07:15.400 think that you hit on is is that this team 0:07:15.560 --> 0:07:18.680 has to figure out some type of constant to help 0:07:18.720 --> 0:07:20.680 them win games. You know, a couple of things that 0:07:20.720 --> 0:07:23.239 come away from Monday Night's game is that Ronaldo Lopez 0:07:23.280 --> 0:07:27.200 thankfully looked good. That's three straight appearances where he's manageable 0:07:27.360 --> 0:07:30.200 to good to actually really good. But I think that 0:07:30.280 --> 0:07:34.000 speaks to the fact of just how influx this rotation is, 0:07:34.000 --> 0:07:35.800 because it seems like every two weeks. Is that if 0:07:35.800 --> 0:07:38.160 the playoffs were to start today, you would have a 0:07:38.160 --> 0:07:40.680 different opinion of who the Braves number two starter would be. 0:07:40.920 --> 0:07:43.280 It would be from Elder to Martin Perez. Now the 0:07:43.360 --> 0:07:46.080 Ronaldo Lopez, that and of itself is an issue. The 0:07:46.160 --> 0:07:49.520 problem also is is last night we've had to have 0:07:49.600 --> 0:07:52.440 more than one aspect of this team in a good 0:07:52.440 --> 0:07:56.360 spot during games last night, the power showed up, but 0:07:56.480 --> 0:07:59.480 the inability to hit with Runnerson's scoring position, the bullpen, 0:07:59.680 --> 0:08:02.920 especially Bryce i Leglecy, is a very rare blow up, 0:08:03.040 --> 0:08:05.080 and I think why struggled when it came to his 0:08:05.120 --> 0:08:07.440 decision making. We've got to have more than one aspect 0:08:07.440 --> 0:08:09.920 of this team in a winnable spot to be able 0:08:09.920 --> 0:08:12.840 to win games consistently. And that leads me to my 0:08:12.880 --> 0:08:15.680 overall big point that's coming up once again about this 0:08:15.760 --> 0:08:17.840 team that hindered to so much in twenty four and 0:08:17.880 --> 0:08:21.560 twenty five since June first, we are twenty seventh in 0:08:21.640 --> 0:08:24.320 runners in scoring position in terms of WRC plus, and 0:08:24.320 --> 0:08:27.960 we're twenty eighth in total opportunities. We're not creating run 0:08:28.040 --> 0:08:30.960 scoring opportunities and we're not converting. And that's a big, 0:08:31.040 --> 0:08:34.400 big thing that leads to more inconsistency than the ability 0:08:34.400 --> 0:08:34.679 to win. 0:08:36.640 --> 0:08:40.240 Yeah, and listen, Monday night, it got lost because of 0:08:40.240 --> 0:08:41.080 the way the game ended. 0:08:41.240 --> 0:08:42.600 But Ronaldo looked really good. 0:08:43.440 --> 0:08:45.719 Yes, and this is a big deal, Like I'm talking 0:08:45.760 --> 0:08:48.360 about this on Twitter with somebody to day. You know, 0:08:48.559 --> 0:08:51.760 Ronaldo's showing any sign of life. And I looked it up, 0:08:51.800 --> 0:08:54.280 like over the last month and a half, Ronaldo's got 0:08:54.280 --> 0:08:58.440 like a fip in the twos. The strikeout has come back, 0:08:58.720 --> 0:09:01.600 the whiffs have come back. He was sitting pretty regularly 0:09:01.679 --> 0:09:05.240 like ninety six ninety seven on Monday. Again, the game 0:09:05.280 --> 0:09:08.760 didn't end well, and yes, I was not happy the 0:09:08.800 --> 0:09:10.600 fact that they decided to let the pitch to Soto 0:09:10.640 --> 0:09:12.760 and let Sodo beat them in a lineup where he's 0:09:12.800 --> 0:09:17.000 pretty much the only threat. But you know that was 0:09:17.040 --> 0:09:19.319 a kind of a zoomed in takeaway. I think the 0:09:19.400 --> 0:09:21.800 zoomed out takeaway the main takeaway from Monday is that 0:09:21.920 --> 0:09:24.880 Ronaldo has established himself again, is at least somebody who 0:09:25.240 --> 0:09:27.720 has deserved a shot to pitch in the rotation. I 0:09:27.760 --> 0:09:30.200 think you're right. I think if the and this is 0:09:30.240 --> 0:09:33.360 where I want to get Chris's thoughts. Chris, let's just say, 0:09:34.840 --> 0:09:38.240 let's say the playoffs start tomorrow and the Braves are 0:09:38.240 --> 0:09:40.760 in and we and we sometimes lose sight of that. 0:09:40.800 --> 0:09:43.080 I'll admit, like, the Braves are still a playoff team 0:09:43.160 --> 0:09:45.040 right now. They would still win the division. They would 0:09:45.040 --> 0:09:46.760 be in the wildcard round because the Brewers and the 0:09:46.760 --> 0:09:50.120 Dodgers have both passed him. But we've talked about this 0:09:50.200 --> 0:09:50.439 a lot. 0:09:50.480 --> 0:09:51.560 I want to get your opinion. 0:09:51.960 --> 0:09:55.720 If the playoffs started tomorrow, give me your playoff rotation. 0:09:58.120 --> 0:10:01.600 It's kind of I mean, I think right now it 0:10:01.679 --> 0:10:07.240 would be Chrisselle Lopez and probably Bryce Elder if if 0:10:07.240 --> 0:10:09.520 it's Velo comes back, I mean, I think that's your 0:10:10.040 --> 0:10:13.440 that's your options right now. You know, hopefully it doesn't 0:10:13.440 --> 0:10:18.240 look that way, you know, a month from now or whatever. 0:10:18.320 --> 0:10:19.920 I mean, I feel like they've got to go out 0:10:20.080 --> 0:10:22.880 and I think, more than anything, this is a season 0:10:22.920 --> 0:10:25.640 where they're going to have to change that was very 0:10:25.760 --> 0:10:29.120 encouraged by what I saw from Lopez in the in 0:10:29.160 --> 0:10:32.040 the loss of the Mets. Thought he looked good. I 0:10:32.080 --> 0:10:35.160 was skeptical about bringing him out of the bullpen back 0:10:35.160 --> 0:10:39.520 into the rotations just because he just never looked right 0:10:40.400 --> 0:10:43.920 to me prior to going into the bullpen. But he 0:10:44.080 --> 0:10:46.719 looked you know, he kind of looked the way he 0:10:46.760 --> 0:10:50.120 did when before the injury, I thought the other or not. So, 0:10:50.520 --> 0:10:52.160 you know, I'm still kind of holding my breath a 0:10:52.200 --> 0:10:56.360 little bit every time, you know, shoulders, It's just it 0:10:56.400 --> 0:10:58.880 feels like they can fix elbows a lot of times now, 0:10:59.000 --> 0:11:05.199 but shoulders sometimes those problems come back and stuff. But uh, 0:11:05.280 --> 0:11:07.320 you know, I was, I mean, he's a huge shot 0:11:07.320 --> 0:11:08.959 in the arm right now if they can get him, 0:11:08.960 --> 0:11:11.760 and I kind of feel like maybe the plan was 0:11:11.800 --> 0:11:14.040 always for them to bring him back into the rotation. 0:11:15.200 --> 0:11:17.480 But I also think it's just kind of the same 0:11:17.800 --> 0:11:20.640 thing with Waldrop. It's a little bit of necessity too, 0:11:20.960 --> 0:11:23.640 you know, and they just didn't have any he was 0:11:23.679 --> 0:11:26.880 the best, next, best available option, and uh, you know, 0:11:26.960 --> 0:11:29.520 I think that we've seen j R. Ritchie and we've 0:11:29.640 --> 0:11:32.880 you know, we've seen Owen Murphy. Now, you know, I 0:11:32.920 --> 0:11:35.840 think that's getting their their feet wet and just in 0:11:35.880 --> 0:11:38.520 case this team needs them to start down the down 0:11:38.520 --> 0:11:39.040 the stretch. 0:11:41.000 --> 0:11:43.679 Yeah, and I think that that that's something that is 0:11:43.720 --> 0:11:47.000 becoming clear, is that you know, we talked about it, Chris. 0:11:47.040 --> 0:11:49.160 I know you you held a similar opinion. You know, 0:11:49.320 --> 0:11:51.640 the brains have been trying for years to add external 0:11:52.040 --> 0:11:54.800 pitching help and they didn't and they probably felt a 0:11:54.800 --> 0:11:58.080 big reason why maybe the depth was more reliable this year. 0:11:58.120 --> 0:12:01.160 But you you you've looked at Strider coming back, you 0:12:01.200 --> 0:12:04.000 looked at Richie coming back, You've looked at Waldrick coming back. 0:12:04.080 --> 0:12:06.160 You tried to rely on Lopez coming back, and you 0:12:06.240 --> 0:12:10.040 had Murphy last night. Nobody's coming in and been reliable. 0:12:10.040 --> 0:12:13.160 Maybe Lopez can, But that just goes to show that 0:12:13.200 --> 0:12:15.000 at some point you're going to have to go external. 0:12:15.080 --> 0:12:18.400 But talk more with Chris about the season as a 0:12:18.440 --> 0:12:21.559 whole and also what could be coming in your future. 0:12:22.040 --> 0:12:24.560 After a word from the fantastic folks at. 0:12:24.400 --> 0:12:30.040 Fastenal Fastenal Industrial Supplies Innovative Solutions. Want to learn more, 0:12:30.360 --> 0:12:32.800 visit Fastenal dot com. 0:12:33.679 --> 0:12:36.680 This episode is brought to you by FanDuel Baseball Fans. 0:12:36.720 --> 0:12:39.560 The MLB season is in full Swing and Fan Duel 0:12:39.679 --> 0:12:41.840 is giving you a chance to call your shot with 0:12:41.960 --> 0:12:45.000 Daily Dingers. Joining the action is easy. 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Bonus issued as non withdrawable profit boost tokens. 0:13:21.120 --> 0:13:26.000 Restrictions apply, including any token expiration and max wager amount 0:13:26.200 --> 0:13:30.040 see terms at sportsbook dot FanDuel dot com gambling problem 0:13:30.240 --> 0:13:32.960 call or text one eight hundred gambler. 0:13:36.200 --> 0:13:38.319 So for those who may be new to the Hammer 0:13:38.400 --> 0:13:42.160 Territory podcast game. Before Hammer Territory in the early part 0:13:42.160 --> 0:13:45.080 of this decade, there were a Trio podcast. There was 0:13:45.120 --> 0:13:48.040 once a Trio a podcast. It was the Battery Power 0:13:48.120 --> 0:13:52.479 podcast Network, and one of those podcasts was the famous 0:13:53.240 --> 0:13:57.880 PTB Nail podcast quote unquote the podcast to be named 0:13:57.960 --> 0:14:01.640 later multiple years worth the podcast, but also multiple years 0:14:01.679 --> 0:14:04.640 worth plenty of discussions about what the podcast should be named. 0:14:04.640 --> 0:14:09.160 I personally made little suggestions. None of them ever got 0:14:09.200 --> 0:14:12.600 past the cutting room floor because Chris and Stephen hated 0:14:12.640 --> 0:14:16.839 them all. But for those who know, and Chris were 0:14:16.880 --> 0:14:21.200 wonderful podcast partners for multiple years, and so their takes 0:14:21.360 --> 0:14:23.480 were always awesome to listen to. And we get to 0:14:23.480 --> 0:14:26.120 do it once again, and let's get right into the 0:14:26.120 --> 0:14:28.880 assessment of the season now, Steven, I don't want to 0:14:28.960 --> 0:14:31.080 quote you too much, but I think that you brought 0:14:31.160 --> 0:14:34.080 up an excellent point about this Braves team. There's not 0:14:34.200 --> 0:14:36.920 as good as the first sixty games as they as 0:14:36.920 --> 0:14:38.800 we thought we were the first sixty games of the year. 0:14:39.080 --> 0:14:41.160 They're not as bad as what we've seen over the 0:14:41.200 --> 0:14:45.040 past month. There's somewhere in between. But the thing that 0:14:45.080 --> 0:14:47.280 I'll add to that is if that is who we are, 0:14:47.680 --> 0:14:49.880 we're nowhere near as close to being the contender we 0:14:49.920 --> 0:14:50.280 want to be. 0:14:51.880 --> 0:14:54.680 Yeah, I mean, I had somebody asked today because so 0:14:54.760 --> 0:14:58.880 the Braves have had two very distinct periods of the year. Obviously, 0:14:58.960 --> 0:15:02.240 the first I think it was sixty nine games. There 0:15:02.280 --> 0:15:05.160 was no sixty six games. They were forty five and 0:15:05.200 --> 0:15:09.200 twenty one. So that's a like almost seven hundred winning percentage. 0:15:09.200 --> 0:15:11.640 That's one hundred and ten win pace, which is absurd. 0:15:11.720 --> 0:15:15.440 I mean, that's sub Banana's level season, and I think 0:15:15.440 --> 0:15:18.480 most people understood talent level wise, the Braves were playing 0:15:18.480 --> 0:15:22.400 above their head. Bryce Elder and Martine Brez both at 0:15:22.400 --> 0:15:26.600 eras and the ones. Dom Smith was hitting like you know, 0:15:26.680 --> 0:15:29.600 Babe Bruth. Hory Matteo came up with big hits every night. 0:15:29.800 --> 0:15:31.920 Richard Debonn had like a nine hundred ops for like 0:15:31.920 --> 0:15:35.560 the first six weeks. I think most people understood, you know, 0:15:35.600 --> 0:15:37.840 this is above our head, and. 0:15:37.840 --> 0:15:38.960 So regression was coming. 0:15:39.000 --> 0:15:39.120 Now. 0:15:39.200 --> 0:15:43.680 Unfortunately, the second stint has been basically. 0:15:43.280 --> 0:15:44.240 The wheels coming off. 0:15:44.360 --> 0:15:50.240 They've gone seven and seventeen in their last twenty three games, 0:15:50.240 --> 0:15:52.720 which is a sub three hundred winning percentage, which is 0:15:52.760 --> 0:15:54.360 like a forty. 0:15:54.000 --> 0:15:54.880 Five win pace. 0:15:55.320 --> 0:15:57.400 So the Braves, you know, the Braves are not one 0:15:57.440 --> 0:15:58.920 hundred and ten win team and they're not a forty 0:15:58.920 --> 0:16:01.520 five win team. The question somebody asked me on Twitter. 0:16:01.520 --> 0:16:03.280 And the question that I'm going to ask Chris is 0:16:05.120 --> 0:16:08.360 where what's real? Where's the reel? Because we've seen two 0:16:08.440 --> 0:16:11.680 things that are very clearly not real. And baseball seasons 0:16:11.680 --> 0:16:13.680 are long and the variance is high, and you and 0:16:13.680 --> 0:16:15.360 I used to talk about this all the time about 0:16:15.440 --> 0:16:18.600 one one baseball season could just be insanely the variance 0:16:18.640 --> 0:16:20.600 in one baseball season can just be insane, like you 0:16:20.640 --> 0:16:24.520 can just reach incredible highs, incredible lows. So one thing 0:16:24.560 --> 0:16:25.760 we try to talk about in the show is what 0:16:25.800 --> 0:16:27.800 is actually real? And so I want to get your opinion, Chris, 0:16:27.840 --> 0:16:29.960 what do you Where do you think the reel is 0:16:30.480 --> 0:16:33.320 with this team? 0:16:33.440 --> 0:16:36.120 I mean, it's a good question. You know, I didn't 0:16:36.200 --> 0:16:40.160 never think that they were as good as as they 0:16:40.200 --> 0:16:42.600 were coming out of the gate, and you know, but 0:16:44.320 --> 0:16:46.760 you know, they won those games and that's just baseball 0:16:46.800 --> 0:16:48.840 at some point, and you know, it's kind of like 0:16:49.080 --> 0:16:51.760 now I don't feel like they're as bad as they are, 0:16:52.360 --> 0:16:54.440 but it is a little alarming that it seems like, 0:16:55.120 --> 0:16:58.600 you know, every facet of the game has been bad 0:16:58.840 --> 0:17:02.640 of late, especially in June. I won't say that every 0:17:03.040 --> 0:17:05.440 every aspect has been bad in July. I mean it 0:17:05.480 --> 0:17:08.080 the other night against the match. You know, great defense 0:17:08.680 --> 0:17:12.560 most of the night, you know, and Aglasia is thirty 0:17:12.560 --> 0:17:15.200 five straight saves. You know, it gets blown there. I 0:17:15.280 --> 0:17:17.000 agree with you. I mean, you know, you make the 0:17:17.040 --> 0:17:20.520 decision to pitch the Soto there. Let make you know, 0:17:20.840 --> 0:17:24.439 hindsight's twenty twenty. But you know, mate, Machette beat you 0:17:24.600 --> 0:17:27.040 make somebody other than Soto beat you. And that's in 0:17:27.080 --> 0:17:29.199 that spot. Maybe we don't feel as bad, maybe we do. 0:17:29.320 --> 0:17:33.080 But again, they came back and tied the game. I 0:17:33.119 --> 0:17:35.760 thought one of the things that really shocked me about 0:17:36.520 --> 0:17:39.160 June and July is we've started to see around major 0:17:39.200 --> 0:17:41.639 League Baseball the ball is flying out of the ballpark again. 0:17:42.200 --> 0:17:43.960 But the Braves were one of the few teams that 0:17:44.000 --> 0:17:46.720 weren't hitting home runs. Now it seems like that's starting 0:17:46.760 --> 0:17:50.480 to come back. And but you know, it's like like 0:17:50.560 --> 0:17:54.560 Sean mentioned earlier, they've had trouble scoring runs. You know, 0:17:54.640 --> 0:17:57.399 we've seen at times, you know, the runners in scoring 0:17:57.480 --> 0:18:01.199 position they've struggled over the last several seasons. At that 0:18:02.400 --> 0:18:03.919 you know, they've covered a lot of it up with 0:18:03.960 --> 0:18:07.679 a three run homer. I feel like Ronald coming back 0:18:08.280 --> 0:18:11.000 is a huge key for this team at the top 0:18:11.040 --> 0:18:14.000 of the order. You know, we've not seen vintage Ronald 0:18:14.040 --> 0:18:17.800 Acunya yet, we may not at all, but his own 0:18:17.840 --> 0:18:23.920 base skills in his base running is a huge asset 0:18:24.040 --> 0:18:26.560 and it just lengthens this lineup. And I think that's 0:18:26.560 --> 0:18:30.560 something they're dealing with right now. Rush Drake ball went back. 0:18:30.720 --> 0:18:32.600 You know, Cunya gets hurt, they have to rush straight 0:18:32.640 --> 0:18:36.399 ball win back. The first time Acuna went out, we 0:18:36.440 --> 0:18:39.280 didn't really notice it that much because Baldwin was doing 0:18:39.520 --> 0:18:43.679 Acunya like things. So you know, I mean when you 0:18:43.720 --> 0:18:45.800 look at where the offense was and then look at 0:18:45.840 --> 0:18:48.879 Austin Riley's numbers, I mean, you gotta be you've got 0:18:48.920 --> 0:18:51.560 to be excited for that. But you know, you're like, wow, 0:18:51.680 --> 0:18:53.240 you know, I mean, those are those are good. But 0:18:53.280 --> 0:18:56.360 it's like you pointed out, they've gotten a ton out 0:18:56.400 --> 0:18:59.119 of people like Dubon dom Smith. 0:18:59.840 --> 0:18:59.959 Uh. 0:19:00.400 --> 0:19:03.240 You know, the role players at the bench, which is 0:19:03.240 --> 0:19:05.400 something you and I used to talk about all the time. 0:19:05.520 --> 0:19:09.200 There was basically no bench ye there for several seasons 0:19:09.240 --> 0:19:12.440 and now you know, they've they've been able to do 0:19:12.800 --> 0:19:16.240 they've been able to add to the depth. But it 0:19:16.359 --> 0:19:18.440 just feels like you know, at some point you get 0:19:18.480 --> 0:19:21.240 in the season, they've got to get guys healthy, they've 0:19:21.240 --> 0:19:24.439 got to get guys headed in the right direction, and 0:19:24.480 --> 0:19:26.200 they've got to start hitting some I feel like they've 0:19:26.240 --> 0:19:28.399 still got to start hitting some home runs, and you know, 0:19:28.440 --> 0:19:31.000 they've got to have power up and down the lineup, 0:19:31.000 --> 0:19:32.920 because I just feel like that's the way they've been 0:19:33.000 --> 0:19:37.760 built since twenty twenty three. And whether it's you know, 0:19:37.800 --> 0:19:42.000 a hitting style change, changing the coaching staff, or dead 0:19:42.040 --> 0:19:45.399 baseball's I'm not really sure. I'm not really sure what's 0:19:45.440 --> 0:19:47.639 happened over the last couple of years with that. But 0:19:48.160 --> 0:19:51.280 you know, I still think this team's built slug and 0:19:51.359 --> 0:19:53.480 if they don't, then I think they're gonna have a 0:19:53.480 --> 0:19:56.400 hard time score of scoring runs. So you know, it's 0:19:56.440 --> 0:19:58.640 gonna be interesting to see how they go down the stretch. 0:20:00.119 --> 0:20:02.240 But you know, I mean, that's a long winded answered 0:20:02.320 --> 0:20:04.520 to that's just kind of where I fell out there at. 0:20:04.600 --> 0:20:07.960