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Speaker 1: How come one and all to the Hammer Territory Podcast.

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Speaker 1: My name is Sean Covin Hope. Wherever you are and

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Speaker 1: wherever you are listening, Hey, it's another exciting episode of

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Speaker 1: the Hammer Territory Podcast. Lots to get into as lots

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Speaker 1: has happened when it comes to the Braves, both on

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Speaker 1: the field and off the field in recent days, and

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Speaker 1: in my opinion, there are very few of any better

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Speaker 1: to break it down than my podcast partner, Stephen Tolbert. Stephen,

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Speaker 1: always a pleasure to talk with you, sir. I hope

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Speaker 1: you've been well.

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Speaker 2: What's up, buddy, Yeah, it's been a little bit so,

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Speaker 2: I mean, I thank you and I did a show

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Speaker 2: on Friday, and I guess because so much has happened

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Speaker 2: since then, it seems like we haven't talked in a while.

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Speaker 2: But yeah, some stuff to get to tonight. Obviously, the

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Speaker 2: winning streak comes to an end. Tough game tonight against

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Speaker 2: Saint Louis. We're recording immediately after the game, so yeah,

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Speaker 2: it was a it was a tough end to the streak.

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Speaker 2: It was nice to finally get a winning streak, to

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Speaker 2: get some momentum. We've seen some positive signs. We've also

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Speaker 2: seen some negative signs. We're gonna talk about it all tonight,

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Speaker 2: but they did get a winning streak, finally finally won

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Speaker 2: multiple games in a row for the first time. So

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Speaker 2: those are you know, those are good hurdles to clear

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Speaker 2: at least, But now we got to sustain. Now we

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Speaker 2: got to sustain, and we got some issues coming up

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Speaker 2: that the brains are gonna have to figure out and

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Speaker 2: kind of some hurdles that they're gonna have to clear,

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Speaker 2: I mean these next couple of weeks at least. So

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Speaker 2: but yeah, but it's always good to do these with you.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, it lets you know, go go right to it.

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Speaker 1: You know, no, no, no spoilers here. The big thing

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Speaker 1: that's kind of being revealed over the PA over the weekend,

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Speaker 1: you know, the brain is winning four in a row

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Speaker 1: to not unfortunately dropping the sect game of the series

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Speaker 1: to the Cardinals, is the fact that some of the

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Speaker 1: concerns when it comes to this Braves team has been

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Speaker 1: you know, how good would this starting staff be coming

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Speaker 1: from last year in which it was arguably the best

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Speaker 1: in baseball to this year where we've had some injury concerns,

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Speaker 1: and also coming from an off season where one key factor,

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Speaker 1: one key ingredient of the success in the Alexandapolis era

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Speaker 1: has always been a deep and talented bullpen. This bullpen

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Speaker 1: significantly less deep, significantly less talented than we've seen in

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Speaker 1: previous years. We'll get to the good things that we've

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Speaker 1: seen over the past couple of games when it comes

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Speaker 1: to the Braves offense, But Stephen, one thing that I

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Speaker 1: will say is is that even though we've had this

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Speaker 1: four game winning streak, tonight also showed there are still

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Speaker 1: plenty of concerns when it comes to this pitching staff,

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Speaker 1: but the starting staff as well as the bullpen.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, it's funny because there's there's kind of been a shift.

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Speaker 2: You know, the offense was kind of the problem, not

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Speaker 2: kind of the problem. There was the problem for the

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Speaker 2: first three weeks of the season. It was just can

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Speaker 2: they score runs? And slowly, you know, the Braves' best hitters,

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Speaker 2: we're gonna talk about them here in a minute, but Riley, Olsen, Azuna, Murphy,

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Speaker 2: you know, even Verdugo to some extent have kind of

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Speaker 2: picked it up. And you know, they're scoring now and

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Speaker 2: they're hitting homers again, and it feels a little bit

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Speaker 2: normal to see them score runs. And so there's kind

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Speaker 2: of been a shift where run prevention now I think

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Speaker 2: it is becoming more of an issue. And you know,

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Speaker 2: Chris Sale has not been good. There's no sugarcoating that

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Speaker 2: he hasn't and you know, he says he's healthy. His

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Speaker 2: velocity still looks good, but he hasn't been good. And

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Speaker 2: some of it is luck. You know, the babbit stuff

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Speaker 2: is real. Spitcher Swallenbach, the last couple of starts has

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Speaker 2: not been normal. Spitcher SWAMBACKX. His strikeouts are down for

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Speaker 2: the year. He hasn't really been striking. A lot of

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Speaker 2: guys out been giving up a lot of contact, a

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Speaker 2: lot of hard contact. Obviously, now with the you know

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Speaker 2: we learned about Spencer Strider, Grant Holmes has probably been

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Speaker 2: the most consistent starter on the in the rotation, quite honestly.

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Speaker 2: And that's both a credit to Grant Holmes but also

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Speaker 2: kind of terrifying if I'm being honest, And then you

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Speaker 2: get to the bullpen and the bullpen is just a

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Speaker 2: mess right now, and it's a it's a concern I am.

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Speaker 2: I have kind of fully shift where Okay, the offense,

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Speaker 2: the guys I expect to be good on offense are

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Speaker 2: being are good right now, like they're doing their job,

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Speaker 2: hitting homers, getting on base. You know, the guys who

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Speaker 2: are not supposed to be as good are not being

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Speaker 2: very good right now, but you know that's going to happen.

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Speaker 2: At least the best guys on the offensive side of

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Speaker 2: the ball are doing their job. So my shift, my

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Speaker 2: focus is kind of shift to the run prevention and

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Speaker 2: it's it's a it's a big concern right now now.

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Speaker 1: And the reason why we say it's a concern is because, yes,

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Speaker 1: the big four when we're talking about Austin as right now,

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Speaker 1: Austin Briley, Matt Olsen, Marcelo's, Sean Murphy, they're doing very well.

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Speaker 1: Sean Murphy and Austra rally had big hits over the

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Speaker 1: past couple of nights. They you can't ask more of them.

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Speaker 1: They're doing their jobs. But it goes to show that

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Speaker 1: the reason why teams win in baseball, they would consistently

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Speaker 1: is because they're so good in several different areas. And

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Speaker 1: it's good to see. You know, we've talked multiple times

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Speaker 1: this year about our best need to be at their

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Speaker 1: best in the biggest moments. We're starting to see the Braves'

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Speaker 1: best hitters do that. That's why we won four in

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Speaker 1: a row. But then you look at the overall statistics

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Speaker 1: so far this year and you look at things such as,

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Speaker 1: you know, how does the Braves offense do at the

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Speaker 1: beginning of games? Well, you know, through the first five

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Speaker 1: innings of games combined this year, they are twentieth in

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Speaker 1: WRC plus, they're twentieth in w FIP. When it comes

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Speaker 1: to a starting rotation, I believe they're around twentieth. When

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Speaker 1: it comes to the bullpen, I believe that they are

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Speaker 1: eighteenth when it comes to runners in scoring position. It's

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Speaker 1: great to see our best hitters doing their job, but

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Speaker 1: the rest of this team, steven is below average in

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Speaker 1: areas where we can't be below average. The reason why

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Speaker 1: we were able to survive and make the playoffs last

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Speaker 1: year despite all our offensive struggles is because of elite pitching.

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Speaker 1: We had among the best pitcher in among the best

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Speaker 1: pitching staffs in baseball. There's not really an elite element

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Speaker 1: of this team right now, and there has to be.

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Speaker 1: Something has to emerge to be elite for us to

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Speaker 1: get out of this hole that we're in currently at

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Speaker 1: nine to fourteen. Even with the recent winning streak.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, and you look at the names, right, like which

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Speaker 2: unit on the team has the best chance to be

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Speaker 2: elite at some point, And we thought it might be

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Speaker 2: the rotation because Stryder was coming back. You had Sale

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Speaker 2: and Schwallenbloch, you know, you had Grant Holmes, like there

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Speaker 2: was a world where if everybody stays health and everybody

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Speaker 2: pitches to their level, that unit could be elite. Well,

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Speaker 2: now Strider's out and Chris Salestill hasn't look good, and

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Speaker 2: so you know, Bryce Elder is gonna have to pitch

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Speaker 2: a lot more, which is always terrifying. And so now

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Speaker 2: you're gonna have to look at the offense, and you know,

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Speaker 2: until Akunya comes back, I don't think they're gonna be elite.

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Speaker 2: I think they could be very good as long as

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Speaker 2: these top four guys, you know, I'll add Dugal, I'll

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Speaker 2: say the top five spots in the order. As long

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Speaker 2: as the top five spots in the order can keep producing.

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Speaker 2: You know, they're doing a good job every night of

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Speaker 2: putting threats on the board, of having rallies. They're not

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Speaker 2: always you know, they're still struggling with runners at score

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Speaker 2: Vision a little bit, but at least there are constant threats,

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Speaker 2: which is not something we were getting at all the

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Speaker 2: first three weeks. But you're right, I think the biggest

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Speaker 2: difference is every single year under Alex. There have been

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Speaker 2: years where we've had not a great rotation, and there

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Speaker 2: have been years where we had not a great offense,

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Speaker 2: but there's never really been a time where the Braves

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Speaker 2: didn't have a great bullpen. And as we sit here today,

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Speaker 2: the Braves I think r like twenty eighth in baseball

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Speaker 2: and bullpen war, they're like twenty second in eer. You know,

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Speaker 2: they're they're basically in the bottom third in every category

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Speaker 2: around the bullpen. And it's not you know, that's not shocking.

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Speaker 2: I mean, Rossi Iglesias has gotten off to a terrible start,

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Speaker 2: Dela Santos has really fallen off after a solid start.

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Speaker 2: You know, they've been just rotating these minor league you know,

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Speaker 2: DFA signings and minor league signings in the last couple

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Speaker 2: of spots. Aaron Bummer's been good, Day's Bell's been good,

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Speaker 2: but just about everybody else has been shaky. Even Dylan

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Speaker 2: Lee has been a little shaky. And that's not something

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Speaker 2: the Braves can really afford. So, you know, We said

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Speaker 2: it all off season that we they desperately needed more

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Speaker 2: pitching on this team. They needed more relievers, they probably

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Speaker 2: needed another starter, and they didn't do it, and so

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Speaker 2: now you're paying for it because not only have you

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Speaker 2: had guys not pitching well, but you've also had injuries.

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Speaker 2: And that always happens, and that's why you need more

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Speaker 2: depth going into the season because there's always gonna be

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Speaker 2: guys who get hurt, and there's always gonna be guys

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Speaker 2: who don't have the kind of year you're expecting them

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Speaker 2: to have, and you gotta have depth to cover that up.

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Speaker 2: And the Braves just didn't do that in the offseason.

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Speaker 2: They did not protect their depth on the pitching staff,

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Speaker 2: and so now they're paying for it, and it's gonna

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Speaker 2: be fascinating to watch. It's gonna be fascinating to watch

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Speaker 2: how this pitching staff evolves. Listen, the Braves are gonna

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Speaker 2: keep rotating these guys in the back of the bullpen.

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Speaker 2: Craig Kimberl's gonna come up soon. I wouldn't expect a lot,

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Speaker 2: but it's gonna happen. They're probably gonna keep you know,

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Speaker 2: other teams will dfa somebody the Braves will bring them

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Speaker 2: in for a week, you know, that's just what they're

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Speaker 2: gonna have to do until it actually gets the trade

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Speaker 2: deadline season and they can add somebody. But it's not good.

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Speaker 2: And this is the like you said, this is the

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Speaker 2: first time in a long time the Braves have not

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Speaker 2: had a really good bullpen, and they might have a

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Speaker 2: bad bullpen. And that's a tough way to try to

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Speaker 2: win a World Series is with a bad bullpen, and

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Speaker 2: it's a tough way to win a pennant or a division,

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Speaker 2: will win anything, quite honestly. So I'm pretty down on it.

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Speaker 2: And I've been down on the bullpen all, you know,

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Speaker 2: the whole offseason, but right now I'm not feeling great

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Speaker 2: about this bullpen.

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Speaker 1: We'll get to the bullpen more in just a second,

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Speaker 1: but we do want to put the spotlight on someone

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Speaker 1: that certainly deserves it. And the thing that heads out

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Speaker 1: to me is I want to put the spotlight on

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Speaker 1: the fact that we talk about these four guys Matt

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Speaker 1: Olsen's Sean Murphy as well as Barcelo Zuda and Austin Brightley.

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Speaker 1: I want to talk about you know, we talked about

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Speaker 1: Sead Murphy pliny, but in the same light as Sean

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Speaker 1: Murphy matt Olsen. The thing about it is is that

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Speaker 1: matt Olsen has had a very good start to the season,

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Speaker 1: just like the other three guys, but he could be

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Speaker 1: even better. You know, he has a three fifty five

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Speaker 1: wOBA coming into tonight's game. His expected wOBA is four

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Speaker 1: twenty one. Another home run tonight. But the thing about

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Speaker 1: matt Olsen is this is that he could be a

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Speaker 1: very streaky hitter. But typically if he gets going early

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Speaker 1: in the season, you're in for a potential top tier

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Speaker 1: EVP season like we saw in twenty twenty three the

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Speaker 1: Braves Deed Hoverers. He's providing plenty of power and he

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Speaker 1: potentially has room to grow with the fact that his

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Speaker 1: expected results are even better, and hopefully we're starting to

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Speaker 1: see more and more of the expected results become reality

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Speaker 1: matt Olsen. You know, again, there are times when he

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Speaker 1: could be ice cold, there are times that he can

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Speaker 1: be red hot. He's coming through in the moment, has

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Speaker 1: been a big catalyst over the past five games to

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Speaker 1: really help out this offense. I think that we have

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Speaker 1: to see more of that from him. We need a

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Speaker 1: top ten the MVP season for Matt Olsen, and he

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Speaker 1: at least is getting off to that type of a start.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, like we just said, this is the

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Speaker 2: this is the group where the Braves still have elite players,

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Speaker 2: these kind of the top of their lineup, and this

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Speaker 2: is the group that if they want to go on

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Speaker 2: a run right now, is probably gonna be the group

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Speaker 2: that's gonna have to lead them. And it's in a

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Speaker 2: lot of ways, it starts with Matt Olsen. Right he's

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Speaker 2: the only lefty of the group of the big four

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Speaker 2: that we're talking about, And so we've talked about this

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Speaker 2: before about how he kind of as he goes, the

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Speaker 2: Braves go, And I'm I'm still a firm believer in that,

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Speaker 2: even though the Braves have done a much better job

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Speaker 2: balancing out their lineup putting more lefties in the lineup,

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Speaker 2: I'm still a firm believer that as Matt Olson goes,

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Speaker 2: the Braves go, especially offensively. And yeah, he's had a

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Speaker 2: really strong start. I know the results haven't fully been there.

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Speaker 2: I know the expected results are still you know, out

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Speaker 2: pacing the actual results, but even his actual results have

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Speaker 2: really started coming up. You know, I think he's at

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Speaker 2: like a one thirty five WRC plus after tonight. You know,

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Speaker 2: he lives in like one forty one fifty range when

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Speaker 2: he's going well, so like he's he's close to where

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Speaker 2: he's he's usually sitting, and he's It's gonna be massive,

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Speaker 2: I mean, especially especially this stretch without Spencer Strider, and

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Speaker 2: especially until we get Jerks and pro far back and

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Speaker 2: Ronald Acuna Junior back, and until they can get to

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Speaker 2: the trade deadline and pick up some real action, talented relievers.

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Speaker 2: The Braves are gonna need their offense to carry them

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Speaker 2: in a way that they never had to. Last year.

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Speaker 2: They had the best rotation in baseball. Last year. They

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Speaker 2: had the number one ERA in baseball last year because

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Speaker 2: Chris Sale was awesome, Ronaldo Lopez was also, Max Freed

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Speaker 2: was awesome, Specier Swallenbaugh came out of nowhere to be awesome,

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Speaker 2: and so they didn't have to hit. And they had

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Speaker 2: a really good bullpen last year, Rossioglesias and Joey Minez

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Speaker 2: two of the best seasons by any relievers, you know

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Speaker 2: last year to the best relievers in baseball last year.

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Speaker 2: They don't have that.

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Speaker 3: This year.

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Speaker 2: They don't have the best bullpen in baseball. They don't

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Speaker 2: have the best starters era in baseball. They're gonna have

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Speaker 2: to beat you know, last night they won a game

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Speaker 2: seven to six. That's what they're gonna have to do.

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Speaker 2: They're gonna have to win games seven to six or

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Speaker 2: six to five or eight to six. They're not gonna

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Speaker 2: have a lot of two to one wins like they

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Speaker 2: had last year. And so that's gonna be the question.

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Speaker 2: Can this offense step up and actually not just do

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Speaker 2: their job but go above and beyond, And it's Matt

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Speaker 2: Olsen is one of the main catalysts for it, and

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Speaker 2: so that's probably gonna determine how the next month goes.

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Speaker 2: Is can the offense carry the weight? And if Matt

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Speaker 2: Allison is doing what he's been doing so far and

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Speaker 2: Austin Riley and Sean Murphy and Marcelo Zuna, then they

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Speaker 2: have a good shot. They have a chance at it.

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Speaker 2: I wouldn't have said that three weeks ago or two

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Speaker 2: weeks ago even, but they've really picked it up, and

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Speaker 2: credit to them for doing that. But this next month

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Speaker 2: is going to be determined a lot by this offense

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Speaker 2: and specifically these four guys, and maybe more than anybody,

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Speaker 2: Matdilson and so yeah, it's critical. It's a critical part

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Speaker 2: of the next month of the season.

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Speaker 1: And I can tell you this, a critical component of

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Speaker 1: you being able to catch the braids in the early

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Speaker 1: season is from fandle. This is the fandal Sports Network

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Speaker 1: player spotlight talking about Matt Olson and all these other

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Speaker 1: Braves who have been hitting wills so far this year.

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Speaker 1: Make sure you use code Baseball thirty at Fandelsportsnetwork dot

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Speaker 1: com slash packages and you'll be able to see all

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Speaker 1: the weight just when it comes to the braves. Hey,

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Speaker 1: some good, some bad, but when this offense is rolling,

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Speaker 1: it's a lot of fun to see. Make sure you

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Speaker 1: check it out through FanDuel.

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Speaker 4: network dot com fort the tips, so Stephen.

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Speaker 1: As good as it is to see the top of

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Speaker 1: those four players that we mention be as good as

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Speaker 1: they are, it's great to see. Obviously, it's good to

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Speaker 1: see Alex Berdugo get going so far this year as well.

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Speaker 1: He's been really really good. There's there's no doubt that

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Speaker 1: him taking over that leadoff spot has helped out when

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Speaker 1: it comes to the four game winning streak that we have.

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Speaker 1: But the other thing that I will say is this

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Speaker 1: is that you look at the flip side of things,

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Speaker 1: and as good as that four has been, the last

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Speaker 1: four spots in the lineup have nearly been just as bad.

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Speaker 1: And that's where I kind of want to put the

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Speaker 1: focus on, you know, these opportunities. You know, we had

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Speaker 1: an opportunity tonight where the score was tied four to

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Speaker 1: four runners on first and third, one out Ozzy Albi's

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Speaker 1: and Michael Harris coming to the plate and both of

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Speaker 1: them put together you know, pretty you know, lackluster at bats.

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Speaker 1: The thing that I'm saying is this is that as

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Speaker 1: good as those four that we mentioned are, it's amazing

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Speaker 1: to see how good they can be. They're going to

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Speaker 1: have to be amazing. You hope for Dougo can continue.

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Speaker 1: He's not gonna be as good as he's been, but

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Speaker 1: you hope that he can at least be a capable

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Speaker 1: lead off hitter. Michael Harris the second and Ozzy Alby's

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Speaker 1: they have got to get better at putting together productive

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Speaker 1: at bats. I'm not saying that they all of the sudden,

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Speaker 1: you would love for them. They have the potential to

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Speaker 1: be among the best in their position. I'm not even

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Speaker 1: saying that they need to be there, but they just

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Speaker 1: cannot go through these stretches where they put together bad.

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Speaker 5: At bat after bad after bad at bat because of

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Speaker 5: the fact that you already have two nearly automatic outs

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Speaker 5: in Jared Kelnick spot or whoever's playing, you know, instead

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Speaker 5: of Kelnick in the outfield in the shortstop position.

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Speaker 1: As good as our four best hitters are, we cannot

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Speaker 1: have the bottom of our order among the worst in

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Speaker 1: baseball if it's our offense that's going to have to

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Speaker 1: carry us for the foreseeable future.

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Speaker 2: No, it's a fair point. I mean, I'm worried about Ozzy,

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Speaker 2: I really am. You know, he doesn't make a lot

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Speaker 2: of money so like the bar he has to clear

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Speaker 2: to be worth what they pay him is very low.

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Speaker 2: But just in terms of what you're talking about about

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Speaker 2: having a deep lineup that's going to have to support

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Speaker 2: a much less talented pitching staff. Like every single bit

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Speaker 2: of Ozzie's profile, all of his like raw data, all

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Speaker 2: of his raw skills, all of his batted ball stuff

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Speaker 2: is in the toilet. I mean, like his just his

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Speaker 2: skill set. Like he's got one of the slowest bats

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Speaker 2: in the league. He's in like the bottom five percentile

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Speaker 2: in bat speed. He doesn't hit the ball hard, he

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Speaker 2: doesn't get on base. You know, he's not a great

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Speaker 2: defender anymore. He's not really any kind of impact player

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Speaker 2: on the basis he doesn't run the way he used to.

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Speaker 2: His whole thing is power. He's got to hit. You know,

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Speaker 2: he's got a slug. He's not an on base guy.

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Speaker 2: He's not a defensive guy. He's not a base running guy.

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Speaker 2: So he's got a slug. That's the only thing left.

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Speaker 2: And so if he's not slugging, he's not helping you.

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Speaker 2: And we've just we haven't seen it. And the bad

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Speaker 2: speed stuff scares me. A lot of the bad at

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Speaker 2: ball profile. Stuff scares me. You know, one weird thing.

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Speaker 2: I don't even know why I know this, but like

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Speaker 2: his pop up rate has like tripled in the last

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Speaker 2: three years. Like it used to be at like seven percent,

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Speaker 2: and that's how many what percentage of your bad at

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Speaker 2: balls or pop ups? Well now it's like twenty percent.

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Speaker 2: Like he's around like twenty percent pop up rate, which

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Speaker 2: is weird. And it usually because your bat slows down

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Speaker 2: and you're not being able to get on top of

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Speaker 2: balls the way he used to, and he's popping everything.

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Speaker 2: We saw tonight there was a runner on third with

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Speaker 2: one out, he's up, he gets a fastball right down

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Speaker 2: the middle and he pops it up the right field

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Speaker 2: and they don't get the run. So yeah, Ozzie worries me.

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Speaker 2: And we know we've talked about Michael and you know

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Speaker 2: his inability to take walks and be selective at the

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Speaker 2: plate and swing at good pitches. When he does swing

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Speaker 2: at good pitches, the results are incredible. It just doesn't

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Speaker 2: happen enough. Shortstop is another position that I want to

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Speaker 2: talk about Orlandoarcia for a second. There was a point

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Speaker 2: where Orlandosia was a legitimately good defender and you could

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Speaker 2: justify him being out there even if he gave you

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Speaker 2: nothing offensively, which he normally does. But that time has

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Speaker 2: passed like Orlando's just not even a good defender, Like

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Speaker 2: there was a there was a play tonight, where as

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Speaker 2: soon as it happened, everybody on Twitter was like Nick

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Speaker 2: Allen would have made that play, Like his range is

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Speaker 2: just gone. And if Orlando C is not even gonna

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Speaker 2: give you defense, then I don't know how he even

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Speaker 2: stays on a roster. I forget the lineup. I don't

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Speaker 2: know how he stays on a roster. I don't know

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Speaker 2: if he's on the twenty six or forty man roster.

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Speaker 2: He literally can do nothing else. He can't Ronnie can't hit,

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Speaker 2: if he can't field, now, I mean, he's a mascot

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Speaker 2: at this point, what are we doing? So yeah, short

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Speaker 2: stop is a problem. Kelnick. I think kel Nick's gonna

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Speaker 2: get options. I mean, the only reason Kelnicks still on

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Speaker 2: the team is because profar cheated, And if pro Far

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Speaker 2: hadn't been suspended, kel Nick would already be off this team.

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Speaker 2: So yeah, the last four spots in the lineup or

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Speaker 2: a problem. That's true, And I don't have a lot

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Speaker 2: of hope for two of them, but Ozzy and Michael

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Speaker 2: need to wake up, and Ozzy specifically. I'm worried about

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Speaker 2: Ozzie long term because just the skill set has just

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Speaker 2: fallen so far, and all the measurable stuff has fallen

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Speaker 2: so far, and I don't know what to make of that,

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Speaker 2: to be honest.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, And the thing that I'll say is this is

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Speaker 1: that you know, I agree with you, fellow podcaster Scott Coleman.

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Speaker 1: You got to remove Ozzie from that fifth spot. You know,

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Speaker 1: if you look at our runners in scoring position from

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Speaker 1: the fifth three eight spots, it goes sixty eight WRC

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Speaker 1: plus in the fifth spot, fourteen in the sixth spot,

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Speaker 1: and to a one twenty six in their negative fourteen

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Speaker 1: in the sixth spot I believe, to a one twenty

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Speaker 1: six and the seventh spot, and then like a twenty

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Speaker 1: six or something in the eighth spot. The point that

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Speaker 1: I'm getting at is is that it's not just about

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Speaker 1: I'm not asking the bottom of our order all of

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Speaker 1: a sudden to become to the equivalent of most lineups.

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Speaker 1: Middle of the orders. Just have productive at bats. That's

426
00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:34,639
Speaker 1: the whole point about it.

427
00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:36,280
Speaker 2: And give us, give us something.

428
00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:39,520
Speaker 1: Yeah, And that's where it struggles, is that they're just

429
00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:44,080
Speaker 1: the skill sets. The areas where Michael Harrison Azzie Albi

430
00:21:44,119 --> 00:21:47,520
Speaker 1: struggles where as on Lando RCO when he plays, is

431
00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:49,480
Speaker 1: that they don't get on base, they don't put together

432
00:21:49,520 --> 00:21:52,199
Speaker 1: good pitches in terms of not swinging at bad strikes,

433
00:21:52,200 --> 00:21:55,199
Speaker 1: all that different stuff. There's very few productive outs and

434
00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:57,639
Speaker 1: that's got to change if our offense is what is

435
00:21:57,680 --> 00:21:59,720
Speaker 1: going to carry us, because the reason why we talk

436
00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:02,359
Speaker 1: about our offense carrying us is because of the impact

437
00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:04,800
Speaker 1: that you're going to get from the Spencer Strider injury.

438
00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:08,520
Speaker 1: Of course, Spencer Strider, he talked about the injury in

439
00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:11,240
Speaker 1: case you did not hear about it yesterday. Basically in

440
00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:13,760
Speaker 1: pregame more than what Spencer Strider was doing his long

441
00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:16,320
Speaker 1: toss like he usually does, and he said that he felt,

442
00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:18,920
Speaker 1: I guess a pull a stem, what have you? Went

443
00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:20,840
Speaker 1: into the dugout, talked with the team, told to me

444
00:22:20,880 --> 00:22:22,479
Speaker 1: he probably wasn't going to be able to make his

445
00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:25,240
Speaker 1: next start, which was scheduled for today, until he was

446
00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:27,840
Speaker 1: put on the fifteen day IL. It seems like that

447
00:22:27,960 --> 00:22:31,600
Speaker 1: it could be multiple weeks to even a month before

448
00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:35,600
Speaker 1: Spencer Strider is back. So now, Stephen, what that does

449
00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:41,520
Speaker 1: is that it puts even more pressure on your pitching staff,

450
00:22:41,640 --> 00:22:45,240
Speaker 1: especially your starters, to be able to perform well. And

451
00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:48,720
Speaker 1: we looked it up before we started this podcast. Right now,

452
00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:51,320
Speaker 1: so far through twenty three games this season, the Brave

453
00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:56,600
Speaker 1: starters are averaging five innings per start. So now you

454
00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:59,480
Speaker 1: take Spencer Strider out of the equation. So let's look

455
00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:02,840
Speaker 1: at it. You've got Chris Sale who has struggled to

456
00:23:02,840 --> 00:23:05,159
Speaker 1: get to five innings all year long. You expect at

457
00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:06,959
Speaker 1: some point he'll get to five or six innings, but

458
00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:09,399
Speaker 1: it's no longer as much of a guarantee. Can you

459
00:23:09,480 --> 00:23:12,560
Speaker 1: survive five innings of Bryce Elder going out there every

460
00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:14,800
Speaker 1: fifth day? That is a big question.

461
00:23:15,320 --> 00:23:15,800
Speaker 4: Say a J.

462
00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:19,000
Speaker 1: Smith Schaufer comes back up and replaces Spencer Strider, he

463
00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:22,120
Speaker 1: has been a struggle to get to five innings. The

464
00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:26,880
Speaker 1: only real guarantee that you have is Spencer Schwellebach, and

465
00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:30,520
Speaker 1: he has struggled over his past few starts. So I

466
00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:33,800
Speaker 1: say all that to say this, not only are you

467
00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:37,400
Speaker 1: losing the obviously quality of Spencer Schrider when it comes

468
00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:40,560
Speaker 1: to him not being available due to injury. Now it

469
00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:43,960
Speaker 1: exposes your starting staff's lack of ability to go further

470
00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:46,240
Speaker 1: into games even more so, now you've got to rely

471
00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:49,040
Speaker 1: on the bullpen, which we're all concerned about, to pitch

472
00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:52,119
Speaker 1: even more innings than it already has, which means that

473
00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:53,840
Speaker 1: you possibly are going to see more results like we

474
00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:56,280
Speaker 1: did tonight. You're in a bullpen game. It's just that

475
00:23:56,680 --> 00:24:00,199
Speaker 1: snowballing effect, that ripple effects, Stephen, and it does not

476
00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:02,400
Speaker 1: put this in a good position. That's the reason why

477
00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:04,840
Speaker 1: we're so concerned about run prevention in the pitching staff.

478
00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:09,560
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, listen, we talked about the guys on

479
00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:12,760
Speaker 2: the main guys on the offense that needed to step up. Well,

480
00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:14,680
Speaker 2: I mean now it's time to have the same conversation.

481
00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:17,720
Speaker 2: The Braves need Chris Sale and spinscher Swallenbach to be

482
00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:23,359
Speaker 2: awesome because when Bryce Selder pitches, if you get five

483
00:24:23,400 --> 00:24:27,720
Speaker 2: innings of four run ball, you're lucky. When A J.

484
00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:30,000
Speaker 2: Smith Shaalber pitches, and I'm guessing that's who's gonna take

485
00:24:30,040 --> 00:24:33,120
Speaker 2: over for Spencer Strider. You know, if you get five

486
00:24:33,160 --> 00:24:36,440
Speaker 2: innings of full run ball, you feel like that's kind

487
00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:38,760
Speaker 2: of what you expect. Even with the Grant Holmes pitching

488
00:24:38,800 --> 00:24:41,480
Speaker 2: as well as he's pitched, he gives up so many walks,

489
00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:43,760
Speaker 2: he's he's not gonna pitch deep in the game. I

490
00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:45,160
Speaker 2: know he had that one game in Toronto he pitched

491
00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:48,120
Speaker 2: in like the eighth inning. That's rare for him. He's

492
00:24:48,160 --> 00:24:50,760
Speaker 2: normally gonna be a five to five and dive guy,

493
00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:54,080
Speaker 2: maybe six. Right, And we've already talked about how the

494
00:24:54,119 --> 00:24:56,520
Speaker 2: bullpen is nowhere near the quality it's been the last

495
00:24:56,520 --> 00:25:00,040
Speaker 2: few years. So if you already have three guys in

496
00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:04,480
Speaker 2: rotation who are five and five guys at best, Grant

497
00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:07,399
Speaker 2: Holmes is probably a little more than that, and you

498
00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:09,760
Speaker 2: have a bullpen that is not nearly as good as

499
00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:13,440
Speaker 2: it used to be. That means those first two guys

500
00:25:13,440 --> 00:25:16,159
Speaker 2: in the rotation you desperately not only need quality, but

501
00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:19,800
Speaker 2: you need you need length, You need you need innings.

502
00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:22,879
Speaker 2: And like Chris Sale is averaging less than five innings

503
00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:26,560
Speaker 2: per start through like five starts. He hasn't made it

504
00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:29,000
Speaker 2: to the sixth inning yet in a start, I mean,

505
00:25:29,840 --> 00:25:33,080
Speaker 2: the brains cannot survive like that. Spencer Swallenbach got off

506
00:25:33,080 --> 00:25:35,040
Speaker 2: to a really good start, but you know he's dropped

507
00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:37,600
Speaker 2: off the last couple of games. Strikeouts have come down

508
00:25:37,600 --> 00:25:39,879
Speaker 2: a lot since last year, which is kind of weird.

509
00:25:41,560 --> 00:25:44,000
Speaker 2: They need those two guys to be awesome that they

510
00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:48,720
Speaker 2: don't have any choice. You know. Sometimes that's what's Sometimes

511
00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:52,200
Speaker 2: that's a catalyst, right, you need it more than ever,

512
00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:55,000
Speaker 2: and so the guy starts delivering. That's what I'm hoping

513
00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:59,679
Speaker 2: happens with Sale and Schwallenbach because without Strider, without Lopez,

514
00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:02,080
Speaker 2: we're still too far away from the trade deadline for

515
00:26:02,080 --> 00:26:06,880
Speaker 2: anybody significant to be added. They don't have any help.

516
00:26:07,040 --> 00:26:08,760
Speaker 2: And like we said a million times, they did not

517
00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:12,240
Speaker 2: add anybody in the off season. So you got Spencer Strider,

518
00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:14,639
Speaker 2: are you I'm sorry. You got Bryce Elder, you got

519
00:26:14,680 --> 00:26:17,439
Speaker 2: aj Smith, Shovern, You've got Grant Holmes on three of

520
00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:19,720
Speaker 2: the five spots. That means you need Chris Sale and

521
00:26:19,720 --> 00:26:24,280
Speaker 2: Spencer swallow Back to be ace level pitchers. And we

522
00:26:24,359 --> 00:26:26,160
Speaker 2: haven't seen it from Chris Sale this year. We've seen

523
00:26:26,200 --> 00:26:28,359
Speaker 2: it a couple of times for swollen Back. But the

524
00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:30,920
Speaker 2: Braves need this more than ever now because the bullpen

525
00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:32,800
Speaker 2: is not going to be able to hold up with

526
00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:36,159
Speaker 2: the starters pitching five innings every night. They need some

527
00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:38,040
Speaker 2: you know, we gotta get some, We gotta get some

528
00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:41,080
Speaker 2: length out of the rotation, and it starts with the

529
00:26:41,119 --> 00:26:43,760
Speaker 2: two horses up front, and the Braves more than ever

530
00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:47,320
Speaker 2: need those two guys to step up. Now that Strider's

531
00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:49,920
Speaker 2: gonna be out for probably you know, it's probably gonna

532
00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:53,600
Speaker 2: be at least a month, so it's time for Saling

533
00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:57,480
Speaker 2: Swallow back to reassert themselves as ace level pitchers.

534
00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:01,920
Speaker 1: Absolutely, because at this point, you really that's the whole thing,

535
00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:05,000
Speaker 1: that's the theme of this podcast, is that with each

536
00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:08,800
Speaker 1: loss like this that we experience, with each opportunity that

537
00:27:08,840 --> 00:27:12,080
Speaker 1: we have of losing a winnable game, it just makes

538
00:27:12,119 --> 00:27:16,120
Speaker 1: our margin for error even smaller, even smaller, because then

539
00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:18,200
Speaker 1: that means for the rest of the year, we've got

540
00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:21,200
Speaker 1: to be on a ninety plus win pace. And right now,

541
00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:23,080
Speaker 1: just to be honest with you, there are not many

542
00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:26,320
Speaker 1: characteristics of this team that support being at a ninety

543
00:27:26,560 --> 00:27:29,000
Speaker 1: win pace. More to come in just a moment after

544
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545
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566
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567
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568
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Speaker 2: I'm just god they have and they don't win.

569
00:28:52,120 --> 00:28:52,880
Speaker 3: It's a shame.

570
00:28:53,680 --> 00:29:09,080
Speaker 2: Brass Gun.

571
00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:07,080
Speaker 1: Welcome back to the Hammer Territory podcast. So Stephen, the

572
00:29:07,120 --> 00:29:09,840
Speaker 1: other thing that stands out to me is that when

573
00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:12,160
Speaker 1: we talk about this bullpen, is that you know, you

574
00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:14,640
Speaker 1: got word that you know, Craig Kimberl has started to

575
00:29:14,680 --> 00:29:16,920
Speaker 1: get you know, some activity going in the minors. He

576
00:29:17,040 --> 00:29:20,280
Speaker 1: looked good in Columbus. He's on his way to Gwinnett.

577
00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:22,200
Speaker 1: I think there's probably a chance, you know, hey, if

578
00:29:22,240 --> 00:29:23,960
Speaker 1: he has a good rest of the week in Gwinnette,

579
00:29:24,160 --> 00:29:26,320
Speaker 1: you may even be able to see him before April

580
00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:29,840
Speaker 1: in the Braves bullpen. But the thing that stands out

581
00:29:29,840 --> 00:29:32,240
Speaker 1: to me is that again we talk about who potentially

582
00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:35,400
Speaker 1: could take Spencer Schrider's spot in the rotation. The point

583
00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:37,480
Speaker 1: that I'm getting at is is that we've already seen

584
00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:39,800
Speaker 1: kind of a game of musical chairs when it comes

585
00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:43,040
Speaker 1: to the back the rotation as well as the back

586
00:29:43,120 --> 00:29:44,880
Speaker 1: end of the bullpen. Not the back end, but the

587
00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:47,800
Speaker 1: you know, basically the middle innings guys of this bullpen.

588
00:29:48,040 --> 00:29:51,040
Speaker 1: That's only going to continue to happen, and you hope

589
00:29:51,040 --> 00:29:53,480
Speaker 1: at some point we find the right formula of guys

590
00:29:53,520 --> 00:29:55,920
Speaker 1: that will stick. We talk about Spencer or Swellowbok as

591
00:29:55,920 --> 00:29:59,160
Speaker 1: well as Chris Sale right, so Iglesias, those guys needing

592
00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:01,600
Speaker 1: to step up at the level that we expect him

593
00:30:01,640 --> 00:30:03,880
Speaker 1: to be. You hope that A. J. Smith Shouper as

594
00:30:03,920 --> 00:30:06,120
Speaker 1: well as Craig Kimberl, two guys who are gonna come on.

595
00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:08,320
Speaker 1: They can stick as well. But the brain just needs

596
00:30:08,360 --> 00:30:11,480
Speaker 1: some of these moves to start sticking and hopefully contributing.

597
00:30:14,680 --> 00:30:22,440
Speaker 2: Yeah, so with Kimberl, I've heard mixed I've heard mixed things.

598
00:30:22,800 --> 00:30:26,320
Speaker 2: He looks he's getting guys out, you know in the miners.

599
00:30:27,120 --> 00:30:29,560
Speaker 2: I heard the velocity is not great. I've heard it's

600
00:30:29,560 --> 00:30:33,640
Speaker 2: like ninety two ninety three. You know, Craigs have been

601
00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:35,719
Speaker 2: around for a long time. There's a lot of miles

602
00:30:35,760 --> 00:30:37,440
Speaker 2: on that arm. So like the guy who used to

603
00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:40,160
Speaker 2: throw ninety nine one hundred is long, long, long gone.

604
00:30:41,880 --> 00:30:44,280
Speaker 2: And so the question is going to be, you know,

605
00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:49,720
Speaker 2: how much effectiveness is that fastball gonna have at the

606
00:30:49,720 --> 00:30:52,880
Speaker 2: major league level. There was some talk that he might

607
00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:56,400
Speaker 2: become more of an off speed guy. That knuckle curve

608
00:30:56,440 --> 00:30:58,880
Speaker 2: that he throws that is so effective, you know, there

609
00:30:58,920 --> 00:31:00,840
Speaker 2: was some talk that maybe the are going to try

610
00:31:00,880 --> 00:31:04,320
Speaker 2: to get him to throw that more because the fastball

611
00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:06,000
Speaker 2: just isn't what it used to be. I don't know,

612
00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:09,520
Speaker 2: no one knows. I would just have I would just

613
00:31:09,560 --> 00:31:13,520
Speaker 2: temper your expectations. If you're expecting Craig kimberl to come

614
00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:17,600
Speaker 2: in and save this bullpen, because there's a reason he

615
00:31:17,640 --> 00:31:21,560
Speaker 2: was available in late March on a minor league deal. Well,

616
00:31:21,560 --> 00:31:23,840
Speaker 2: I guess he got a split was it a split

617
00:31:23,840 --> 00:31:26,880
Speaker 2: contract or I can't remember what it was, but it

618
00:31:26,920 --> 00:31:29,680
Speaker 2: wasn't a lot of money, and it was in late

619
00:31:29,800 --> 00:31:32,360
Speaker 2: March and so and he was not He was one

620
00:31:32,360 --> 00:31:33,960
Speaker 2: of the worst pitchers in baseball in the second half

621
00:31:34,040 --> 00:31:37,080
Speaker 2: last year. So I would just temper expectation. I really

622
00:31:37,120 --> 00:31:38,840
Speaker 2: hope people don't expect Craig kimber to come up and

623
00:31:38,840 --> 00:31:42,120
Speaker 2: save this bullpen. There's no good answer to the bullpen.

624
00:31:42,240 --> 00:31:44,000
Speaker 2: There just isn't. Like, not until we get to trade

625
00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:48,120
Speaker 2: deadline season, the Brakes can go out and add actual,

626
00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:51,480
Speaker 2: real quality relievers what they should have done in the offseason,

627
00:31:52,040 --> 00:31:56,280
Speaker 2: and for reasons I'll never understand they didn't do. Until

628
00:31:56,320 --> 00:31:58,160
Speaker 2: that happens, the bullpen is just going to be a

629
00:31:58,160 --> 00:32:02,760
Speaker 2: massive question. And I don't know there's only one or

630
00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:04,719
Speaker 2: two guys down there at trust you know. I know

631
00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:07,200
Speaker 2: we talked about the fact that Rossio Iglesias was probably

632
00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:09,840
Speaker 2: gonna regress this year. I'll be honest, I did not

633
00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:13,160
Speaker 2: expect the regression that we've seen to this level. I

634
00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:16,520
Speaker 2: didn't expect it to come this fast, this hard, like

635
00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:19,720
Speaker 2: I was expecting more of a gradual regression. So that's

636
00:32:19,760 --> 00:32:21,520
Speaker 2: been kind of a kick in the nuts, to be honest,

637
00:32:21,640 --> 00:32:24,160
Speaker 2: as bad as he's been. So there's only a couple

638
00:32:24,160 --> 00:32:25,600
Speaker 2: of guys in the bullpen that I trust right now,

639
00:32:25,640 --> 00:32:27,600
Speaker 2: and that's a tough way to live, especially as we

640
00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:30,080
Speaker 2: were talking about earlier, when the rotation is not giving

641
00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:31,680
Speaker 2: you very many innings and you've got to cover four

642
00:32:31,720 --> 00:32:34,600
Speaker 2: innings every now and at the bullpen. So that's you know,

643
00:32:34,680 --> 00:32:38,360
Speaker 2: that's why we've opened the show with how my my

644
00:32:38,360 --> 00:32:41,320
Speaker 2: my concern is kind of shifted to run prevention when

645
00:32:41,320 --> 00:32:43,360
Speaker 2: you add in some of the defensive stuff with with

646
00:32:43,560 --> 00:32:47,080
Speaker 2: Arcia and and even Ozzie, Like, run prevention is now

647
00:32:47,120 --> 00:32:48,880
Speaker 2: more of a problem to me than it was before,

648
00:32:49,840 --> 00:32:51,320
Speaker 2: and the bullpen is a big part of it. And

649
00:32:51,320 --> 00:32:53,240
Speaker 2: I don't have a good an nobody, I mean, there's

650
00:32:53,240 --> 00:32:55,680
Speaker 2: no good answers right now. You know, this is why

651
00:32:55,680 --> 00:32:59,560
Speaker 2: you're supposed to go add people in in November, December, January,

652
00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:02,560
Speaker 2: because right now, in April and May, there's no really

653
00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:05,520
Speaker 2: good way to do anything. So this is the group

654
00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:10,000
Speaker 2: they have and we'll see, We'll see.

655
00:33:10,560 --> 00:33:13,720
Speaker 1: And it all comes full circle back to the Braves

656
00:33:13,720 --> 00:33:15,400
Speaker 1: have got to take care of business when they can

657
00:33:15,520 --> 00:33:17,640
Speaker 1: take care of business. And again we shift back to

658
00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:21,800
Speaker 1: our best Ford and on Wednesday, that's what they've got

659
00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:26,320
Speaker 1: to do. We're looking at Miles Michlss versus Bryce Elder.

660
00:33:26,560 --> 00:33:29,040
Speaker 1: Michlas and Elder have been two of the worst starters

661
00:33:29,080 --> 00:33:31,920
Speaker 1: in baseball since the beginning of last year. Both of

662
00:33:31,960 --> 00:33:34,320
Speaker 1: them are very, very hittable. Both of them give up

663
00:33:34,360 --> 00:33:37,080
Speaker 1: a ton of hits, a ton of contact. The Braves

664
00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:39,520
Speaker 1: have got to show why they are a better offense

665
00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:43,080
Speaker 1: in this game. Neither team really has the advantage when

666
00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:46,160
Speaker 1: it comes to starting pitching. The Braves have the advantage

667
00:33:46,360 --> 00:33:48,760
Speaker 1: when it comes to the offense. That's what's got to

668
00:33:48,800 --> 00:33:51,280
Speaker 1: step up to get this done. Because because I know

669
00:33:51,360 --> 00:33:53,360
Speaker 1: that I've kind of harped on this in the past,

670
00:33:53,480 --> 00:33:56,360
Speaker 1: but I'm gonna bring it up again. You win tomorrow,

671
00:33:56,480 --> 00:33:59,680
Speaker 1: you're ten and fourteen. That to me is a lot

672
00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:03,880
Speaker 1: better than being nine and fifteen going into the next

673
00:34:04,160 --> 00:34:06,240
Speaker 1: nine or ten games, because in the next nine or

674
00:34:06,320 --> 00:34:08,920
Speaker 1: ten games, you've got the Diamondbacks to Rockies. Then you've

675
00:34:08,920 --> 00:34:12,960
Speaker 1: got the Dodgers again. This Brames team badly needs to

676
00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:16,440
Speaker 1: be within three games or better of five hundred to

677
00:34:16,719 --> 00:34:19,359
Speaker 1: end this month. They really can't afford to be five

678
00:34:19,360 --> 00:34:21,839
Speaker 1: games or worse. And tomorrow is one of your more

679
00:34:21,880 --> 00:34:25,399
Speaker 1: winnable games over your next ten. You got to get

680
00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:28,560
Speaker 1: the job done tomorrow. It starts with those four main

681
00:34:28,600 --> 00:34:31,880
Speaker 1: guys in the offense. But also it would really really

682
00:34:31,920 --> 00:34:35,319
Speaker 1: be encouraging to see an Ozzie or perhaps a Nick

683
00:34:35,360 --> 00:34:37,920
Speaker 1: Allen or somebody like that. It would be to see

684
00:34:37,960 --> 00:34:40,800
Speaker 1: it. It would be awesome to see an unexpected guy do well.

685
00:34:40,880 --> 00:34:43,000
Speaker 1: And hey, if Bryce Selller wants to throw a quality

686
00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:45,359
Speaker 1: start tomorrow, that'll work out as well. I will say this,

687
00:34:45,560 --> 00:34:48,480
Speaker 1: the Braves badly need him to go five six innings

688
00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:51,800
Speaker 1: at least tomorrow. Take him to pressure off this bullpen again.

689
00:34:51,960 --> 00:34:54,480
Speaker 1: I know I've said this before. I'm not saying tomorrow

690
00:34:54,520 --> 00:34:56,480
Speaker 1: as it must win. The Braves have got to get

691
00:34:56,520 --> 00:34:58,200
Speaker 1: the job done tomorrow. They just have to.

692
00:35:01,440 --> 00:35:04,799
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, listen, it's tough. Anytime you really really

693
00:35:04,840 --> 00:35:06,680
Speaker 2: need to win a game that Bryce Elder is pitching,

694
00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:12,680
Speaker 2: it's gonna be the offense. It's just it just is

695
00:35:12,840 --> 00:35:16,280
Speaker 2: it's just gonna be the offense. I mean, I expect

696
00:35:16,280 --> 00:35:20,480
Speaker 2: the Cardinals to score five runs at least tomorrow. Can

697
00:35:20,520 --> 00:35:24,359
Speaker 2: the Braves cover that up? Is the question. Like you said,

698
00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:27,120
Speaker 2: it would be very nice if like a Michael Harris

699
00:35:27,560 --> 00:35:30,320
Speaker 2: or even a Jared Kilnick would pop a homer, somebody

700
00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:33,520
Speaker 2: unexpected to come in, maybe Drake Baldwin gets to start tomorrow.

701
00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:37,440
Speaker 2: It gets to righty, it'd be nice if somebody kind

702
00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:40,160
Speaker 2: of other than these four guys that have kind of

703
00:35:40,200 --> 00:35:47,080
Speaker 2: been doing everything could contribute to that. But yeah, I

704
00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:49,080
Speaker 2: mean the Braves, like I was just sitting here thinking, man,

705
00:35:49,120 --> 00:35:51,319
Speaker 2: the Braves need like they're like, if you think of

706
00:35:51,360 --> 00:35:55,120
Speaker 2: like the the seven best players on the team right now,

707
00:35:55,160 --> 00:35:59,040
Speaker 2: you got Olson, Riley, Ozuna, Murphy, you got Chris Sale,

708
00:35:59,280 --> 00:36:02,319
Speaker 2: you got Specer Swalla back, and you got Rossiel Iglesias.

709
00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:06,360
Speaker 2: Right you got your big seven right now. The Braves

710
00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:09,040
Speaker 2: need those seven guys to be elite for the next

711
00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:14,360
Speaker 2: month because there's just not enough on the bottom. The

712
00:36:14,400 --> 00:36:16,359
Speaker 2: back half of this roster right now. The back half

713
00:36:16,400 --> 00:36:19,279
Speaker 2: of this roster is not a playoff team. It's not.

714
00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:22,000
Speaker 2: It's the back half of this roster right now is closer.

715
00:36:22,200 --> 00:36:25,080
Speaker 2: It is probably closer to a team near the top

716
00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:28,520
Speaker 2: of the draft next year than it is a playoff team.

717
00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:30,440
Speaker 2: Like the back half of this right you just go

718
00:36:30,440 --> 00:36:33,040
Speaker 2: look at the names. It's like, who is this team?

719
00:36:33,320 --> 00:36:37,000
Speaker 2: Go look at the bullpen, you know, the bench. The

720
00:36:37,040 --> 00:36:39,520
Speaker 2: back half of this roster is not good, which means

721
00:36:39,560 --> 00:36:42,640
Speaker 2: the top half of the roster and and specifically those

722
00:36:42,680 --> 00:36:45,560
Speaker 2: top seven guys. The Braves need those guys to be

723
00:36:45,600 --> 00:36:48,520
Speaker 2: elite for the next month, until they get some reinforcements,

724
00:36:48,560 --> 00:36:51,680
Speaker 2: till they get Strider Akunya pro for is not too

725
00:36:51,719 --> 00:36:56,240
Speaker 2: far away, Like until those guys get back. The Braves

726
00:36:56,280 --> 00:36:59,000
Speaker 2: need their best players to be elite because the depth

727
00:36:59,000 --> 00:37:01,120
Speaker 2: of the roster is not gonna do anything right now,

728
00:37:02,200 --> 00:37:06,359
Speaker 2: especially with teams like Arizona and La coming. They need

729
00:37:06,400 --> 00:37:08,959
Speaker 2: their they need their best to be the best. And

730
00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:10,200
Speaker 2: that's what I'm gonna be looking for.

731
00:37:11,560 --> 00:37:13,200
Speaker 1: Yeah, And the thing that I'll end with that is

732
00:37:13,239 --> 00:37:15,440
Speaker 1: this is that they've got no choice, right, Like that

733
00:37:15,920 --> 00:37:18,759
Speaker 1: doesn't happen soon. We're eventually gonna come to the point,

734
00:37:18,760 --> 00:37:21,839
Speaker 1: and he can even come before those guys come back,

735
00:37:21,880 --> 00:37:25,359
Speaker 1: Like there is a there is a realistic chance that

736
00:37:25,400 --> 00:37:29,359
Speaker 1: if the offense or the Braves don't continue to put

737
00:37:29,360 --> 00:37:32,799
Speaker 1: some wins together even in May, again not saying that

738
00:37:32,800 --> 00:37:35,560
Speaker 1: the season's over. And I know that there have been

739
00:37:35,560 --> 00:37:38,720
Speaker 1: many seasons in the topless era where May and June

740
00:37:38,719 --> 00:37:41,879
Speaker 1: we've struggled and then we just take off as well

741
00:37:43,360 --> 00:37:47,239
Speaker 1: in June for the rest of the season. But the

742
00:37:47,280 --> 00:37:50,399
Speaker 1: last time that happened was in twenty twenty three. We're

743
00:37:50,440 --> 00:37:52,839
Speaker 1: now coming up on a year where if you look

744
00:37:52,880 --> 00:37:56,160
Speaker 1: at this team from the start of twenty and twenty

745
00:37:56,160 --> 00:37:58,960
Speaker 1: two through April twenty fifth or twenty sixth of twenty

746
00:37:59,040 --> 00:38:01,440
Speaker 1: and twenty four, you see why they were elite. You

747
00:38:01,600 --> 00:38:03,879
Speaker 1: see why they were so damn good. But now we're

748
00:38:03,920 --> 00:38:07,040
Speaker 1: coming up on a year where, okay, this team is

749
00:38:07,080 --> 00:38:09,400
Speaker 1: not the same level that it was. So that's what

750
00:38:09,440 --> 00:38:12,120
Speaker 1: I'm giddy, Daddy, is they have got to figure out

751
00:38:12,280 --> 00:38:14,480
Speaker 1: either the best have got to be the best, or

752
00:38:14,600 --> 00:38:17,080
Speaker 1: some others need to step up and play at their level.

753
00:38:17,320 --> 00:38:19,600
Speaker 1: They got no choice but to do it now because

754
00:38:19,640 --> 00:38:22,600
Speaker 1: if they don't do it now, they get into a

755
00:38:22,640 --> 00:38:24,480
Speaker 1: point to where it's kind of out of their control

756
00:38:24,719 --> 00:38:27,359
Speaker 1: and it's going to be very hard to make this up.

757
00:38:27,520 --> 00:38:31,160
Speaker 1: If we find ourselves six seven games below five hundred

758
00:38:31,400 --> 00:38:33,400
Speaker 1: a month from now, Stephen, anything else from you as

759
00:38:33,400 --> 00:38:36,560
Speaker 1: we wrap up this edition of the Hammer Territory podcast.

760
00:38:37,600 --> 00:38:39,480
Speaker 2: And I'll just add this listen to Mets have the

761
00:38:39,480 --> 00:38:41,640
Speaker 2: best record in baseball. I don't know how many people

762
00:38:41,719 --> 00:38:43,799
Speaker 2: know that, but like quietly, the Mets have the best

763
00:38:43,800 --> 00:38:46,120
Speaker 2: record in baseball. They've passed the Padres and the Dodgers

764
00:38:46,160 --> 00:38:48,160
Speaker 2: and all those So right now in the brains, I

765
00:38:48,160 --> 00:38:52,040
Speaker 2: think are eight games back. That's a lot. That's a

766
00:38:52,080 --> 00:38:54,839
Speaker 2: lot for not even being in May yet. I think

767
00:38:54,880 --> 00:38:56,520
Speaker 2: the only two teams that are further back in their

768
00:38:56,560 --> 00:38:59,560
Speaker 2: division right now are the Rockies and the White Sox.

769
00:39:01,160 --> 00:39:05,040
Speaker 2: And so to your point, the Braves cannot afford listen.

770
00:39:05,120 --> 00:39:07,080
Speaker 2: I know they came back from a ten game deficit

771
00:39:07,120 --> 00:39:10,120
Speaker 2: a couple of years ago, but that team was much

772
00:39:10,160 --> 00:39:13,439
Speaker 2: more talented than this current team is. This current team

773
00:39:13,680 --> 00:39:17,160
Speaker 2: has a talent problem, specifically in the bullpens, specifically in

774
00:39:17,200 --> 00:39:20,160
Speaker 2: the back half of the rotation, and specifically in the

775
00:39:20,880 --> 00:39:23,160
Speaker 2: non top four parts of the lineup. There's just not

776
00:39:23,200 --> 00:39:26,120
Speaker 2: as much talent and coming back from multiple ten game

777
00:39:26,200 --> 00:39:29,920
Speaker 2: leads is unlikely anyways. So like the Braves are only

778
00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:33,720
Speaker 2: a few weeks away from being twelve fourteen games back.

779
00:39:34,480 --> 00:39:36,319
Speaker 2: If they don't pick it up, and if they don't

780
00:39:36,360 --> 00:39:39,560
Speaker 2: have these guys play the way they can play, specifically

781
00:39:39,600 --> 00:39:46,040
Speaker 2: the best players in the roster, it's gonna be very interesting.

782
00:39:46,120 --> 00:39:49,680
Speaker 2: I'm gonna be very interesting to see if specifically Chris

783
00:39:49,719 --> 00:39:54,680
Speaker 2: Sailing and Spitzer Swallenbach more than ever, the Braves need

784
00:39:54,719 --> 00:39:57,799
Speaker 2: those two guys to find it and start contributing to

785
00:39:57,840 --> 00:40:01,760
Speaker 2: wins instead of having to be carried in their starts.

786
00:40:03,040 --> 00:40:05,919
Speaker 2: They need those guys to be elite. With Spencer Strider out,

787
00:40:06,280 --> 00:40:08,879
Speaker 2: acun is still probably a month away, not a month,

788
00:40:08,920 --> 00:40:11,919
Speaker 2: probably less than a month at this point. But yeah,

789
00:40:11,960 --> 00:40:13,839
Speaker 2: they need their best players to be awesome, and we'll

790
00:40:13,840 --> 00:40:15,680
Speaker 2: see if they can. We'll see if they can do it.

791
00:40:16,120 --> 00:40:18,840
Speaker 1: Yeah, Because the simple truth is this. If you consider

792
00:40:19,000 --> 00:40:21,600
Speaker 1: the six best teams in the National League to be

793
00:40:21,680 --> 00:40:26,680
Speaker 1: the Dodgers, the Padres, the Diamondbacks, the Braves, the Mets,

794
00:40:26,840 --> 00:40:28,799
Speaker 1: as well as the Phillies. If you thought those were

795
00:40:28,840 --> 00:40:32,680
Speaker 1: the six best teams in the National League coming into

796
00:40:32,840 --> 00:40:36,040
Speaker 1: the season, well there was one guaranteed fact about that

797
00:40:36,080 --> 00:40:39,279
Speaker 1: thought process, Steven, one of those teams wasn't making the

798
00:40:39,280 --> 00:40:41,839
Speaker 1: playoffs because they're all in the West and they're on

799
00:40:41,920 --> 00:40:44,320
Speaker 1: the East. Yeah, so not only now to the point

800
00:40:44,520 --> 00:40:46,799
Speaker 1: to where the Braves clearly are the team of those

801
00:40:46,840 --> 00:40:49,239
Speaker 1: six that's not turning right now to make the playoffs.

802
00:40:49,640 --> 00:40:51,359
Speaker 1: But you've also got to hope that one of those

803
00:40:51,400 --> 00:40:55,319
Speaker 1: other teams performs bad enough not to make the playoffs.

804
00:40:55,600 --> 00:40:58,560
Speaker 1: That's why it's so important. You've got to control what

805
00:40:58,640 --> 00:41:00,799
Speaker 1: you can control right now, make the most of it.

806
00:41:00,840 --> 00:41:03,040
Speaker 1: But I'm getting into a bit of a rant, I know,

807
00:41:03,680 --> 00:41:06,280
Speaker 1: don't want to get too negative anything along those lines.

808
00:41:06,600 --> 00:41:08,520
Speaker 1: The point that I'm dealing with just right now, Steven,

809
00:41:08,560 --> 00:41:12,040
Speaker 1: we talk about shifting from the concern from this team

810
00:41:12,120 --> 00:41:14,920
Speaker 1: is offense to the concern for this team is run prevention.

811
00:41:15,280 --> 00:41:17,279
Speaker 1: I also think that one another thing that we're dealing with,

812
00:41:17,920 --> 00:41:20,200
Speaker 1: we are who we are. That's kind of what we're

813
00:41:20,200 --> 00:41:22,440
Speaker 1: dealing with. We are who we are. You hope that

814
00:41:22,480 --> 00:41:25,239
Speaker 1: we get better, but it's gonna take guys stepping up

815
00:41:25,320 --> 00:41:26,680
Speaker 1: who have not stepped up in a while.

816
00:41:27,520 --> 00:41:31,000
Speaker 2: Yeah, and Mike, you know, Michael Harris and Ozzy Avis

817
00:41:31,000 --> 00:41:35,160
Speaker 2: can make things a lot easier. Absolutely, they just wake up. Absolutely,

818
00:41:35,360 --> 00:41:37,680
Speaker 2: But yeah, it starts with it starts with selling Swallenbach.

819
00:41:37,840 --> 00:41:39,719
Speaker 2: Those are the guys that the Braves need to be

820
00:41:39,800 --> 00:41:42,960
Speaker 2: aces again, and things get a lot easier if they

821
00:41:43,120 --> 00:41:45,120
Speaker 2: if they handle their business every five days.

822
00:41:45,760 --> 00:41:49,080
Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, and hey, you know what, the off season

823
00:41:49,160 --> 00:41:50,800
Speaker 1: and the rest of the week podcast will be a

824
00:41:50,800 --> 00:41:53,359
Speaker 1: lot easier if the Braves can get the job done.

825
00:41:53,400 --> 00:41:57,080
Speaker 1: But regardless of rain or shine, wins or losses, struggles

826
00:41:57,160 --> 00:42:00,319
Speaker 1: or success, we're gonna be here covering everything with you

827
00:42:00,520 --> 00:42:02,760
Speaker 1: when it comes to the Brazen. The Hammer Territory podcast

828
00:42:02,760 --> 00:42:06,000
Speaker 1: called the Foul Territory family of podcasts. You can find

829
00:42:06,000 --> 00:42:08,200
Speaker 1: me at stats sac on Twitter, Steven to be under

830
00:42:08,239 --> 00:42:11,240
Speaker 1: Square Outliers, Hammer Territory across all forms of social media.

831
00:42:11,360 --> 00:42:14,600
Speaker 1: Foul Territory across all forms of social media. Scott and

832
00:42:14,680 --> 00:42:17,040
Speaker 1: Brad will be back with you wrapping up the Cardinals series.

833
00:42:17,080 --> 00:42:18,719
Speaker 1: B and Stephen, we'll be back with you later this

834
00:42:18,760 --> 00:42:21,799
Speaker 1: week looking at the West Coast road trip. Until then,

835
00:42:22,040 --> 00:42:24,840
Speaker 1: go Braids. We'll talk to you again soon. Here my

836
00:42:24,880 --> 00:42:26,240
Speaker 1: Hammer Territory podcast