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Speaker 1: Welcome one and all to another edition of the Hammer

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Speaker 1: Territory podcast. Sean Coleman and Steven Tober with you, of course, ammoratory.

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Speaker 1: You've found all over all forms of social media myself

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Speaker 1: at stats say see Steven at b Underscore outliers on

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Speaker 1: x as well all on x Twitter, whatever you call

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Speaker 1: it nowadays. Hammer Territory again across all forms of social media,

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Speaker 1: part of the Foul Territory family of podcasts. Stephen, you know,

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Speaker 1: we recently talked about some of the comments that were

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Speaker 1: made by Alex and Thoughtless. We've talked all off season

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Speaker 1: about the moves that the Braves should be making that

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Speaker 1: they're not making, and things like that. But we can

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Speaker 1: give back to talk in baseball because spring training is

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Speaker 1: here and we're going to talk about pro probably one

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Speaker 1: of the most pivotal parts of this twenty twenty five

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Speaker 1: season because he'll be back on the field, Ronald Acunya Junior.

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Speaker 1: Before we get started, Steven Howard, you, sir, hope all

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Speaker 1: is well to you.

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Speaker 2: Sean, what's up, buddy. It's good to talk actual baseball

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Speaker 2: on the field. You know, we've obviously on the offseason

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Speaker 2: we talk a lot about the roster and payroll and

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Speaker 2: the GM and free agents and contracts, and you know

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Speaker 2: that stuff is fun and interesting, but at some point

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Speaker 2: it's all about what happens on the field. It's so

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Speaker 2: much more fun to talk about stuff that's on the field.

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Speaker 2: And obviously, with Akunya, we talk about an MVP level player.

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Speaker 2: He was the MVP in twenty twenty three unanimously, obviously

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Speaker 2: towards Aco last year. He's coming back, and this is

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Speaker 2: one of the biggest storylines for the Braves in twenty

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Speaker 2: twenty five is when does Acuna come back? What does

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Speaker 2: he look like when he comes back? Are we gonna

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Speaker 2: get twenty twenty two? Ronald? Are we gonna get twenty

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Speaker 2: twenty three? Ronald? Are we gonna get some you know

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Speaker 2: in between? Can he stay healthy is a massive question.

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Speaker 2: You know, he's now lost a year and a half

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Speaker 2: to an ACL or really like two or you know,

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Speaker 2: he's lost the twenty in the half of the twenty

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Speaker 2: one season, he lost, you know, the basically half of

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Speaker 2: the twenty two season. If you think about when he

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Speaker 2: came back, he was good in twenty three, and then

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Speaker 2: he lost half of the twenty four season, So he's

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Speaker 2: lost a lot of time to injury, can he stay healthy?

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Speaker 2: What is he going to look like when he's healthy

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Speaker 2: or when he's back. These are all massive questions for

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Speaker 2: the Braves as we start twenty twenty five.

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Speaker 1: And that I think is the biggest thing to discuss about.

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Speaker 1: You know, kana is going to be the theme of

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Speaker 1: this show when it comes to Ronald Acuna Junior as

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Speaker 1: much as we know when it comes to the type

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Speaker 1: of player he has been and he can be again,

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Speaker 1: I think also in the near term. The best way

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Speaker 1: to describe it is it's not only the fact that

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Speaker 1: what version Ronald, what version of Ronald Kakuna Junior we're

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Speaker 1: going to get is an unknown. It's the fact that

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Speaker 1: it could be a wide range of possibilities, and we'll

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Speaker 1: get a bit into that as we kind of look

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Speaker 1: at his season coming up. But of course, Ronald Accoona

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Speaker 1: Junior fined did give us some things to know. He

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Speaker 1: did add a bit of certainty when it came to

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Speaker 1: where he is in his progress. And overall, it wasn't

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Speaker 1: just you know, a player speaking as you naturally would

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Speaker 1: expect to be all positive and have, you know, just

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Speaker 1: a rosy outlook and all this different stuff. It definitely

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Speaker 1: seems as if Ronald is in a better place, not

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Speaker 1: just physically but mentally now. When I want to say that,

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Speaker 1: what I'm meaning is is that we've seen this before.

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Speaker 1: Coming off the twenty twenty one season, going into the

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Speaker 1: twenty and twenty two season, Ronald was dealing with his

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Speaker 1: first ACL tear. He came back in twenty and twenty

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Speaker 1: two did not perform up to the expectations when he

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Speaker 1: had hoped, But one of the big reasons why was

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Speaker 1: because he was coming back from that major injury, but

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Speaker 1: also mentally just trying to trust his body again in

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Speaker 1: the outfield, at the plate, on the base pass. That

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Speaker 1: is something that definitely was clear when he was playing

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Speaker 1: in twenty twenty two. This time around, physically, Ronald says

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Speaker 1: that things are much more stable going into spring training

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Speaker 1: than they were that year, and I think it's also

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Speaker 1: just trusting himself now. What that means what's going to

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Speaker 1: be the end result of that will remain to be seen.

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Speaker 1: But a big question that I think was answered with

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Speaker 1: his comments or earlier this week was that mentally he

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Speaker 1: seems to be in a much better place going into

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Speaker 1: this year than when he previously took previously tour his

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Speaker 1: ACL three years ago.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean he's been through it. Like he knew

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Speaker 2: what to expect in terms of the rehab, he knew

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Speaker 2: what to expect in terms of the sensation once he

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Speaker 2: got started. It's probably a little less scary this time around,

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Speaker 2: just because it's not all so brand new. He did

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Speaker 2: tear the ACL a month earlier in the season this

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Speaker 2: time than he did last time, which helps a lot.

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Speaker 2: He had a full extra like six weeks to recover,

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Speaker 2: you know, versus what he did in twenty twenty two.

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Speaker 2: He's already running, you know, he was. He gave that interview, Butch,

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Speaker 2: by the way, he gave in like ninety percent English,

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Speaker 2: which is unbelievable. I have such respect for people who

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Speaker 2: can speak two languages, but especially when the second language

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Speaker 2: they have to learn is English, which is a crazy

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Speaker 2: language to learn. We take it for granted because it's

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Speaker 2: the language we grew up with, but it's like, if

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Speaker 2: you look at the rules of English, they don't make

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Speaker 2: any sense any personality.

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Speaker 1: Like I think that that's something also that shows when

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Speaker 1: as he continues to give more and more of these

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Speaker 1: interviews in English. He has a great personality, just an

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Speaker 1: awesome personality and you see more of that come out,

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Speaker 1: So I think that that also adds to to the

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Speaker 1: point that you're making. Yeah, it was it was awesome

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Speaker 1: to see that, but also his personality coming out more.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, and he said he said Franco lost his job

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Speaker 2: because because Ronald learn how to speak English, which was funny.

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Speaker 2: So that was cool to see. But yeah, he just talked.

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Speaker 2: You know, he was just so much more confident. He's

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Speaker 2: already running. He said, he's running at like ninety ninety

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Speaker 2: five percent. I don't know how you measure that or

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Speaker 2: quantify that, but you know, he said, you know, the

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Speaker 2: big thing for now is cutting. He's not cutting yet,

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Speaker 2: and obviously that's a big part of base running and

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Speaker 2: playing in the outfield is being able to stop and start.

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Speaker 2: You know, that's kind of be the kind of the

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Speaker 2: thing in terms of being able to play baseball. So

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Speaker 2: that's what they're waiting to do, is is to allow

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Speaker 2: him to get to the point where he's cutting. But

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Speaker 2: he's already hitting. You know, if you if you listen

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Speaker 2: to his interview, like that sounded like a dude that

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Speaker 2: could play tomorrow. He's not gonna play tomorrow, but it's

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Speaker 2: very good that physically him and Strider both seem like

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Speaker 2: they're ahead of schedule, and now it's just about getting

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Speaker 2: them cleared for baseball, because if they were behind schedule physically,

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Speaker 2: this would be a different conversation. But both of those

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Speaker 2: guys seem like and obviously this is going to be

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Speaker 2: in a Cooney episode, but you know, to be where

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Speaker 2: they both are physically is a big deal. And I

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Speaker 2: just this kid deserves like like ten years of health.

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Speaker 2: Like if anyone deserves some health, it's this kid, because

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Speaker 2: he's dealt with more injuries. I mean, he's been hurt

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Speaker 2: so much. I just I need to see like ten

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Speaker 2: years of Ronald the Cooe Junior healthy, to see what

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Speaker 2: the numbers he can put up, the awards he could win,

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Speaker 2: Could he get to the Hall of Fame, Like that's

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Speaker 2: the level of talent we're talking about. You know, Baseball

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Speaker 2: is an unfair can be a cruel, cruel sport sometimes,

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Speaker 2: so you're not guaranteed anything, you know, Michael Soroko, everybody

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Speaker 2: remembers all that happened with him, so we'll see. But

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Speaker 2: it was really good to see him. It was really

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Speaker 2: good to hear from him. He seems very positive. He

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Speaker 2: seems very encouraged, which makes me feel very positive and

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Speaker 2: very encouraged. So yeah, I'm I know it's gonna be May,

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Speaker 2: but I'm already getting very excited for Ronald Cunr Junior Returney.

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Speaker 1: And that's the thing, right we all want to see

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Speaker 1: Ronald Acune Junior back on the field, and nobody wants

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Speaker 1: to see that more than number one Runnald Acunye Junior himself,

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Speaker 1: but also Alexanthopolis and the team. But something that I'll

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Speaker 1: say to that is this. We talked about, you know

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Speaker 1: how Alexanthopolis's comments on Acunya. You know, in the show

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Speaker 1: that we did about Alexanthopoulos's start of the spring trading

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Speaker 1: immedia gathering, and he alluded to the fact that Ronald's

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Speaker 1: not going to play in any spring training games. He's

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Speaker 1: going to do a lot of work on the backfields,

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Speaker 1: will have a better idea of when he may come

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Speaker 1: back towards the end of spring training start of the season.

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Speaker 1: I for one, will go on record saying this, I

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Speaker 1: am fine if Ronald Acuna Junior doesn't come back, even

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Speaker 1: till mid or light man. Here's the reason that I

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Speaker 1: say that. The reason why I say that is because

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Speaker 1: I don't feel that they rushed him back the last

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Speaker 1: time that he had the ACL tear. I just feel

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Speaker 1: like that Ronald and the team are putting value on

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Speaker 1: where is Ronald going to be trusting himself once again.

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Speaker 1: I don't think it's going to take as long for

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Speaker 1: him to do that. I'm not questioning that he will

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Speaker 1: be able to do that. I think that he's going

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Speaker 1: to be able to do that and do that with confidence.

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Speaker 1: But I feel like that this team is going to

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Speaker 1: put value on Ronald not just being out on the field,

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Speaker 1: but him being as close to one hundred percent as

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Speaker 1: possible once he does return. I know he's naturally going

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Speaker 1: to have a buffering period where he's got to get

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Speaker 1: reacclimated when he's out there, But my point that I'm

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Speaker 1: getting at is is that if it takes an extra

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Speaker 1: two weeks to a month for Ronald to get to

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Speaker 1: that point, I am fine with him waiting to do

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Speaker 1: that because I feel that that's going to be best

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Speaker 1: for Ronald, him having the most trust that he can

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Speaker 1: once he starts playing, versus building up that trust too

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Speaker 1: through playing. I feel that that's going to put him

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Speaker 1: in a better position to succeed. So if he's not

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Speaker 1: going to be back until mid May or late May,

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Speaker 1: but we do feel much more confident he's going to

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Speaker 1: be back to be in the run with Acuna Junior.

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Speaker 1: We all know and love. I am perfectly fine with that,

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Speaker 1: and I hope that's the route they go.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't know how much, you know, having him

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Speaker 2: come back and then asking asking him to play it

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Speaker 2: like eighty five percent is going to work. And I

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Speaker 2: think that's kind of what they did last time, is

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Speaker 2: they brought him back pretty early and then they said,

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Speaker 2: you know, let's just take it easy. And Ronald just

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Speaker 2: doesn't play like that, and he's never played like that.

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Speaker 2: And that's what Alex said. Somebody asked Alex the other

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Speaker 2: day about you know, Ronald said he's not going to

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Speaker 2: run as much, and Alex is like, well, once those

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Speaker 2: competitive juice to start flowing, I have a hard time

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Speaker 2: believing that. And that's I agree with that. You're much

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Speaker 2: better off waiting a little extra time so that he's

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Speaker 2: playing in one hundred percent. Then you are having him

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Speaker 2: come back early and telling him to play at eighty

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Speaker 2: five percent, And so I agree with you. I would

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Speaker 2: much rather see him if it's not the beginning of May,

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Speaker 2: middle of May, late May, and be one hundred percent

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Speaker 2: and be able to just be Ronal mccuna junior. Then

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Speaker 2: try to bring him back early and tell him to

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Speaker 2: throttle it back half the time he's on the field

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Speaker 2: because that's not gonna work. So he's just too damn important,

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Speaker 2: and not just for twenty twenty five, but twenty twenty six,

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Speaker 2: twenty twenty seven. Like, I think they got a little

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Speaker 2: aggressive last time. You know, remember last time, he was

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Speaker 2: gonna play in Gwinet for like a month, and he

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Speaker 2: wasn't gonna play the outfield. He was gonna dh and

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Speaker 2: they had all these like little rules that they were

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Speaker 2: gonna do. And then like the second game back on Gwinnet,

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Speaker 2: he was in right field, and then like two weeks

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Speaker 2: later he was in Atlanta, And so I just think

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Speaker 2: they I think they got over aggressive with it last time.

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Speaker 2: And I think I think that's one of the reasons

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Speaker 2: Alex said just off jump. He's not playing in any

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Speaker 2: spring training games. Now. I need them to actually do that.

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Speaker 2: You know, I think they're gonna I think they're gonna

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Speaker 2: be tempted by watching him work out to play him.

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Speaker 2: But let's just take it slow. There's no reason to

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Speaker 2: rush this thing. The offense should be plenty good to

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Speaker 2: at least hold down the fort while he's gone. Profar

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Speaker 2: being at a hit Profar at the top of the

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Speaker 2: lineup helps a ton. There's no reason to rush this,

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Speaker 2: and I think they rushed it a little bit last

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Speaker 2: year our last time. If it's May, that's fine. If

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Speaker 2: it's late May, if it's you know, even if it's

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Speaker 2: like early June, it's not. How he comes back is

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Speaker 2: more important than when he comes back, in my opinion,

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Speaker 2: and I would much rather see one hundred percent Ronald

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Speaker 2: Kunye Junior in June than seventy percent Ronald Kune Junior

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Speaker 2: in May. So I think that's what they're gonna do.

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Speaker 2: I think that's why they've kind of taken the steps.

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Speaker 2: They announced very early that he was not going to

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Speaker 2: be ready for opening Day. They announced very early that

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Speaker 2: he's not going to play in any spring training games.

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Speaker 2: So I think they're taking a more cautious approach. And

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Speaker 2: I one hundred percent approve that approach.

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Speaker 1: So then let's get into when he comes back what's

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Speaker 1: kind of to be expected, because you know, we talk

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Speaker 1: about you know, twenty and twenty two, and we talk

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Speaker 1: about when he got hurt last year, talking about the

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Speaker 1: approaches that happened in those two and when those were

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Speaker 1: two years apart, But what about the time in between

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Speaker 1: and the range of outcomes that we've seen have been

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Speaker 1: absolutely spectacular and also a bit head scratching. Absolutely spectacular.

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Speaker 1: Was twenty twenty or it was a twenty twenty three, right,

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Speaker 1: that's when he had his MVP season, his forty seventy year,

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Speaker 1: a year we literally had not seen from anybody else

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Speaker 1: in baseball history. But twenty twenty two when he did

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Speaker 1: come back. Obviously, as we discussed, he struggled a bit,

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Speaker 1: and a lot of it had to do with the

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Speaker 1: fact that he was just trying to trust his body

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Speaker 1: getting to the right spot mentally. That's understood, But I

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Speaker 1: don't want to ignore the fifty sampled that we got

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Speaker 1: last year, which in terms of a season was actually

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Speaker 1: statistically ronald' counyea junior's worst output. Now, Steven, I'm gonna

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Speaker 1: sho you allude to a very good point that you

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Speaker 1: that you mentioned before the podcast. But last year, ronald'

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Speaker 1: counye junior a three twenty two wOBA. His expected wOBA

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Speaker 1: was three fifty, So he did have a little bit

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Speaker 1: of underperformance or a better expected performance than he actually produced,

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Speaker 1: but overall a one oh five w RC plus for reference.

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Speaker 1: In twenty twenty two, he had a one fifteen. He

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Speaker 1: struggled last year in many of the same ways that

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Speaker 1: many players in our lineup struggled. She was striking out

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Speaker 1: at a much higher rate, was not performing well with

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Speaker 1: runners in scoring position. He did not get off to

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Speaker 1: a good start to start last season. But I think

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Speaker 1: that there was a reason why. And it goes back

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Speaker 1: to once he comes back, if he can put his

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Speaker 1: injury occurrent concerns behind him, when ronald' Counyey Junior can

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Speaker 1: just focus on playing baseball, I think that's when he's

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Speaker 1: at his best, which is among the best in the game.

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Speaker 2: Yeah. So I had Mark Bowman on the show last

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Speaker 2: year around this time. It might have been in April

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Speaker 2: last year, but and Bowman and I were just talking

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Speaker 2: and he said when Ronald Cuney Junior came to camp

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Speaker 2: last year and he was doing live vps, that he

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Speaker 2: didn't miss a single pitch, that he looked like twenty

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Speaker 2: twenty three, Ronald the Cuney junr all over again, that

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Speaker 2: he was hitting missiles. And I'm not talking about BP.

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Speaker 2: I'm talking about live VP against live pitching, and he

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Speaker 2: looked incredible. And then if people remember about two weeks

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Speaker 2: into spring training last year, he had he had a

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Speaker 2: knee scare and he heard his knee running and they

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Speaker 2: sat him down for like three weeks. And what Bowman

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Speaker 2: said was when he came back, he just wasn't the

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Speaker 2: same and we and that's what we saw last year

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Speaker 2: for the six weeks that he played last year before

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Speaker 2: he got before he tore his acl was it wasn't

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Speaker 2: the same guy as it was in twenty three. And

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Speaker 2: I think Ronald is such a lower half hitter. You know,

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Speaker 2: he's not a big guy. He's two hundred bucks soak

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Speaker 2: and wet or two hundred pounds soak and wet, but

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Speaker 2: he hits the ball four hundred and eighty feet And

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Speaker 2: the way he does that is he he is an

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Speaker 2: incredible bottom half hitter. He uses his legs, he uses

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Speaker 2: his knees to hit and anytime he's not had full

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Speaker 2: confidence in those knees is when you've seen him struggle

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Speaker 2: and he gets very he gets very upper body with

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Speaker 2: a swing, he gets very handsy with his swing. He

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Speaker 2: changes his mechanics and I think we've seen him. I

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Speaker 2: think that's why we see such variance in his play

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Speaker 2: relative to how he feels about his knees, and so

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Speaker 2: I think that contributed to last year after he had

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Speaker 2: the knee scarre in spring training. I think it's definitely

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Speaker 2: part of what happened in twenty twenty two after he

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Speaker 2: came back from the first ACL And again it's why

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Speaker 2: I would much rather just take it slow with him

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Speaker 2: this time. Let him get fully one hundred percent comfortable

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Speaker 2: being able to bend that back knee when he's hitting.

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Speaker 2: You know, he gets so much torque off his bottom

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Speaker 2: half when he's hitting. That's where his power comes from.

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Speaker 2: You know. That's I think that's why we see the

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Speaker 2: variance in his game the way we see, And I

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Speaker 2: for one, would much rather I'm just I want him

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Speaker 2: to be confident. I want him to be confident in

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Speaker 2: the knee. I think he will be more confident this

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Speaker 2: time because he's already done it once. You know, there's

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Speaker 2: a difference between the back knee and the front knee

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Speaker 2: in terms of hitting, so that you know that's gonna

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Speaker 2: that's gonna make a difference as well. But yeah, it's

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Speaker 2: gonna be interesting to see what they do. I think

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Speaker 2: they'll be very I think they'll be very conservative, and

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Speaker 2: I think he will. I think he will have a

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Speaker 2: much easier time coming back this time around than he

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Speaker 2: did last time. And here's to it. I mean, God,

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Speaker 2: I hope so, because when that kid is healthy and producing,

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Speaker 2: he's maybe the best player on the planet. You know.

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Speaker 2: I know there's other guys that you can talk about,

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Speaker 2: but when he's healthy and right, there's not a better

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Speaker 2: baseball player on the planet. So that's what I want,

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Speaker 2: you know, like you said, take all the time you need,

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Speaker 2: let's be conservative about it this time around, and let's

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Speaker 2: hopefully when we get to the point where he's playing,

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Speaker 2: he looks more like the best player on the planet.

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Speaker 1: Absolutely, and it put shine to spotlight on why players

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Speaker 1: at his level of production. When we talk about level

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Speaker 1: of production, we're talking about the guy who annually is

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Speaker 1: a forty plus stolen based thread. He's gotten up to seventy,

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Speaker 1: as we mentioned, but also you take the twenty twenty

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Speaker 1: twenty one season before his injury, in twenty twenty three

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Speaker 1: seasons steven in those three years, he averaged he averaged

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Speaker 1: a one to sixty five WRC plus that is top

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Speaker 1: two or that is top point five percentile in the

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Speaker 1: game in terms of his production at the plate. So

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Speaker 1: I've asked a question all off season, and I know

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Speaker 1: that you have as well. I think many have. What

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Speaker 1: version of Ronald are we going to get? It's not

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Speaker 1: just having him back. The Braves need for Ronald to

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Speaker 1: be back at the difference maker that he's been. I'm

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Speaker 1: going to go ahead and say I don't think that

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Speaker 1: we're going to get the twenty twenty three level of

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Speaker 1: Ronald Acune just this year, especially on the base pass.

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Speaker 1: I just think that they're to kind of, you know,

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Speaker 1: they're going to hold him back a bit, and I

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Speaker 1: think that they should. I definitely think that they should.

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Speaker 1: In other words, if I were to put it into

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Speaker 1: a numerical expectation, fifteen to twenty steels is what I

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Speaker 1: would predict for this season, and I don't feel that

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Speaker 1: that is in any way, shape or form outlandish. I

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Speaker 1: also feel though, that when he comes back, we're going

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Speaker 1: to see his production be at a good level. It's

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Speaker 1: going to kind of raise eyebrows. I feel that when

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Speaker 1: he comes back, he's going to get back to be

396
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Speaker 1: in the offensive forest that he has been. I don't

397
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Speaker 1: think that's a one sixty or higher WRC plus. I

398
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Speaker 1: feel that you're probably going to see him kind of

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Speaker 1: land in that one twenty five to one thirty five range.

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Speaker 1: But if he can be going good, if he can

401
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Speaker 1: continue to get better as we get to the end

402
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Speaker 1: of the season in the playoffs, that to me is

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Speaker 1: what's going to make this the most successful season for

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Speaker 1: Ronald Kunya Junior. We can see can he be as

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Speaker 1: close to the old version of himself once the end

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Speaker 1: of the season, the stretch run for the season, and

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Speaker 1: the playoffs come around. If that's the case, and I

408
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Speaker 1: think there's a good chance we could see that, that

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Speaker 1: is what I think will be the best overall outcomes

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Speaker 1: for the season for the Braves. And again, I think

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Speaker 1: if they give him the time to have his competence

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Speaker 1: in the right place when he comes back, there's a

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Speaker 1: good chance we see that version of run.

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Speaker 2: I want to see how big the bad is versus

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Speaker 2: twenty twenty two. That's the big question, because if he's

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Speaker 2: running like a one forty WRC plus, which is kind

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Speaker 2: of his career average, then you don't care. I don't

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Speaker 2: care how much he steals. If he's that level of hitter.

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Speaker 2: I don't care how I like. Stolen bases are a

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Speaker 2: little overrated in my opinion anyways, and especially when you're

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Speaker 2: factoring cought stealings. His bad is way more important than

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Speaker 2: his stolen bases. So let's say that his bad is

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Speaker 2: way more important than stolen bases are. So if they

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Speaker 2: have to say, listen, Ronald, you get twenty steals a

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Speaker 2: year and that's all you get. Fine, that's following me.

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Speaker 2: The bad is way more important. The interesting thing to

427
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Speaker 2: me is gonna be defense, because Ronald's never been a

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Speaker 2: great I mean Ronald, even in twenty three when he

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Speaker 2: won the MVP. It's not like Ronald was like a

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Speaker 2: gold Glove caliber right fielder. He's not a natural. I

431
00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:09,720
Speaker 2: actually think Ronald's actually more natural in center field than

432
00:21:09,760 --> 00:21:11,520
Speaker 2: he is in right field. Ever since he's moved to

433
00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:14,399
Speaker 2: right field, he's always been a little awkward. He doesn't

434
00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:17,680
Speaker 2: get the best jumps on balls. He's obviously a freak athlete,

435
00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:20,439
Speaker 2: and he runs very fast, but he doesn't get the

436
00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:24,160
Speaker 2: best reads, doesn't get the best jumps. So I'm curious

437
00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:27,560
Speaker 2: to see what the defense looks like because if it

438
00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:30,920
Speaker 2: already wasn't good when he had one ACL surgery, then

439
00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:33,800
Speaker 2: how's it gonna look after two a CL surgeries. We

440
00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:37,159
Speaker 2: know that profar and Left is not a Gold Glove

441
00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:41,520
Speaker 2: caliber outfielder either. You know, Michael Harris of course is

442
00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:44,719
Speaker 2: an elite centerfielder, so that helps. But yeah, the defense

443
00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:48,119
Speaker 2: is gonna be interesting. I would guess that he's probably

444
00:21:48,119 --> 00:21:50,959
Speaker 2: gonna be pretty bad out there, if we're just being honest.

445
00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:54,360
Speaker 2: But we'll see the bad is more important than defense though,

446
00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:57,400
Speaker 2: and that again, it's more important than stolen bases. It's

447
00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:01,400
Speaker 2: more important in defense. What's that bat looks like? Is

448
00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:05,880
Speaker 2: it's not everything, but it's almost everything. And if he's

449
00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:08,560
Speaker 2: back up to a one forty guy one forty one

450
00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:10,600
Speaker 2: to fifty guy, I don't care. I don't care about

451
00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:13,680
Speaker 2: the defense. I don't care about the stolen bases. Give

452
00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:17,360
Speaker 2: me that offensive Ronald again, where he's cracking forty homers

453
00:22:17,359 --> 00:22:20,919
Speaker 2: and twenty doubles and you know, just a monster of

454
00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:24,080
Speaker 2: fifteen percent walk rate. That's another thing that they missed

455
00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:27,119
Speaker 2: desperately last year was his on base percentage. He's an

456
00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:29,679
Speaker 2: on base monster even when he's not going good, like

457
00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:33,080
Speaker 2: you know, twenty twenty four before he hurt the knee,

458
00:22:33,119 --> 00:22:34,800
Speaker 2: he wasn't hitting great, but he was still taking a

459
00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:37,520
Speaker 2: lot of walks. He was on base a ton, and

460
00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:41,200
Speaker 2: that helps. And so that on getting that on base

461
00:22:41,240 --> 00:22:43,760
Speaker 2: percentage back in the lineup, getting that power back in

462
00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:46,840
Speaker 2: the lineup, that's mainly what I care about. The defense

463
00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:49,240
Speaker 2: in the stolen bases are probably gonna not be great.

464
00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:52,439
Speaker 2: We're probably just gonna have to accept that. But if

465
00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:54,480
Speaker 2: he's hitting the way he can hit, it's not gonna matter.

466
00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:58,119
Speaker 2: So that bat, how big is that bat in twenty

467
00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:02,520
Speaker 2: twenty five is a massive the biggest part of this

468
00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:05,120
Speaker 2: story by far. Yeah.

469
00:23:05,119 --> 00:23:07,199
Speaker 1: And I also think another factor that plays into that

470
00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:09,679
Speaker 1: is is that you know, I know the defense is

471
00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:12,080
Speaker 1: a big question, and I know that more than likely

472
00:23:12,080 --> 00:23:14,520
Speaker 1: in terms of it being an outcome, it may be negative.

473
00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:16,760
Speaker 1: I agree with that, But to your point about it

474
00:23:16,800 --> 00:23:19,000
Speaker 1: all coming down to the bat, I think for Ronald

475
00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:23,520
Speaker 1: the other thing is is him being in as normal

476
00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:26,040
Speaker 1: of a routine as an everyday player as he can

477
00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:28,440
Speaker 1: be once he does come back, you know, not having

478
00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:30,800
Speaker 1: him you know, take off you know, five off days

479
00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:32,359
Speaker 1: in the first month, or take off and off day

480
00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:34,760
Speaker 1: every week, or you know, DH and every third game.

481
00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:36,760
Speaker 1: I think that the brains do that type of juggling.

482
00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:40,760
Speaker 1: It probably increases the chances that you know, Ronald, you know,

483
00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:43,159
Speaker 1: his his mentality may not be as strong as we

484
00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:45,840
Speaker 1: want for it to be. When he comes back. Let

485
00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:49,760
Speaker 1: him be like he normally has been, your starting fielder,

486
00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:52,880
Speaker 1: your leadoff hitter, and have him know that you're going

487
00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:54,920
Speaker 1: in that spot every day. And I think that kind

488
00:23:54,920 --> 00:23:58,320
Speaker 1: of like we just go with Sean Murphy. That knowledge

489
00:23:58,320 --> 00:23:59,800
Speaker 1: that he has that he's going to be in the

490
00:23:59,840 --> 00:24:02,560
Speaker 1: same spot where he has produced so well throughout his career.

491
00:24:02,680 --> 00:24:05,080
Speaker 1: I think that's going to be a big contributing factor

492
00:24:05,119 --> 00:24:07,560
Speaker 1: as well, making sure that he's in the same routine

493
00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:09,320
Speaker 1: that he's always been and always thrived in.

494
00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:13,960
Speaker 2: Yeah, let's be honest, the Braves have a dedicated DH anyways,

495
00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:17,680
Speaker 2: like Marcella Zune is not coming out in the lineup, so.

496
00:24:17,840 --> 00:24:19,720
Speaker 1: Yeah, you can't replace your best hitter over the past

497
00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:20,320
Speaker 1: year and a half.

498
00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:23,000
Speaker 2: Yea, So he's not it. They're not even gonna have

499
00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:25,359
Speaker 2: that option, and that's an I think that's another reason

500
00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:27,000
Speaker 2: why they're gonna take it slow with him, is because

501
00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:29,359
Speaker 2: they know when they put him back, he's got to

502
00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:31,600
Speaker 2: be in right field. Because they're not taking Marcel out

503
00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:33,679
Speaker 2: of that, out of the lineup, nor should they so

504
00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:37,960
Speaker 2: that will actually help Ronald. I think in some regards

505
00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:40,080
Speaker 2: the fact that he's gonna have to play in right field,

506
00:24:40,080 --> 00:24:42,120
Speaker 2: that he's gonna be in there pretty much every day.

507
00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:45,920
Speaker 2: I agree with you. I think sometimes taking days off

508
00:24:46,040 --> 00:24:50,840
Speaker 2: is can be a detriment, especially when you're trying to

509
00:24:50,840 --> 00:24:53,399
Speaker 2: get timing back. This was the argument about Sean Murphy

510
00:24:53,480 --> 00:24:57,040
Speaker 2: last year. We kept saying over and over again, you know,

511
00:24:57,160 --> 00:24:59,400
Speaker 2: Murphy missed two months and then every time he came,

512
00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:01,560
Speaker 2: you know, he play a game and then set a game,

513
00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:03,000
Speaker 2: and then play a game, and then set a game

514
00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:05,000
Speaker 2: and then play. You know, trying to get your time

515
00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:07,400
Speaker 2: in back like that is brutal. So yeah, I think

516
00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:09,439
Speaker 2: he'll be out there whenever he does come back. I

517
00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:13,040
Speaker 2: think he'll be out there every day and that will

518
00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:18,240
Speaker 2: help him. But it's all about the bat in my opinion.

519
00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:20,480
Speaker 2: I mean, if if he does steal a little bit,

520
00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:22,880
Speaker 2: I think anything you get out of that department is gravy.

521
00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:25,760
Speaker 2: If he doesn't look like terrible in the outfield, then

522
00:25:26,119 --> 00:25:27,639
Speaker 2: you take it. You know, that's a little bit of

523
00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:31,280
Speaker 2: gravy as well. But how he hits, how he looks

524
00:25:31,320 --> 00:25:35,240
Speaker 2: at the plate. That bat, that's everything, and that's gonna

525
00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:37,240
Speaker 2: be a big part of the second half of his career,

526
00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:42,080
Speaker 2: especially post two acls. Is the bat, How it looks,

527
00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:44,119
Speaker 2: how it you know, is he back to the one

528
00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:46,960
Speaker 2: forty fifty guy. And that's what we'll learn together.

529
00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:51,160
Speaker 1: And the other thing to me that that stands out

530
00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:53,440
Speaker 1: about it is is that it's high octane as Ronald

531
00:25:53,480 --> 00:25:55,879
Speaker 1: Acuni is, just in terms of how he plays, just

532
00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:59,600
Speaker 1: at such a high energy, high output, high level all

533
00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:02,320
Speaker 1: the time, injuries are going to consistently be a scare.

534
00:26:02,359 --> 00:26:04,800
Speaker 1: That's been the case throughout his whole season, not only

535
00:26:04,840 --> 00:26:07,280
Speaker 1: in terms of the fact that he's had two ACL surgeries,

536
00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:09,640
Speaker 1: but it always seems five to seven times a year

537
00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:11,520
Speaker 1: he's out for the next game or so because of

538
00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:13,760
Speaker 1: an injury scare. That's just a natural product of just

539
00:26:13,760 --> 00:26:17,600
Speaker 1: how active he is. Why you want to be cautious

540
00:26:17,640 --> 00:26:21,160
Speaker 1: with that. You don't want to change his approach. I've

541
00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:23,959
Speaker 1: talked mentally, I've taught physically. You still want to make

542
00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:26,840
Speaker 1: sure that he's being smart with how he approaches the game,

543
00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:29,159
Speaker 1: but you don't want to change who he is. And

544
00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:31,280
Speaker 1: I feel like the Braves have that in mind above

545
00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:33,240
Speaker 1: all else, and I feel like that we're going to

546
00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:35,760
Speaker 1: get that version of Ronald when he comes back. So

547
00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:38,959
Speaker 1: Steven Talbert, let's put you on the spot for as

548
00:26:38,960 --> 00:26:44,240
Speaker 1: close to him and as possible. Here are five questions

549
00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:47,320
Speaker 1: to quantify what a successful season from ronald' kunda junior

550
00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:51,480
Speaker 1: looks like. First question, Stephen, Well, Ronald Acunda Junior have

551
00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:54,200
Speaker 1: more home runs or steals in twenty twenty five.

552
00:26:56,400 --> 00:26:58,520
Speaker 2: That's a good question because I could definitely see like

553
00:26:58,560 --> 00:27:07,480
Speaker 2: a twenty twenty year. I'm gonna go with homers. I

554
00:27:07,520 --> 00:27:10,000
Speaker 2: think the back, I think the fact that he's done

555
00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:12,439
Speaker 2: this before. I think his power will come back, and

556
00:27:12,520 --> 00:27:15,320
Speaker 2: I do think they might limit his stolen base opportunities.

557
00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:19,080
Speaker 2: So I'm gonna say he's more likely to have like

558
00:27:19,119 --> 00:27:23,320
Speaker 2: a twenty five fifteen year, So I'll say homers, But

559
00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:24,639
Speaker 2: I think it will be close.

560
00:27:25,960 --> 00:27:28,119
Speaker 1: In twenty twenty two, when he came back from injury

561
00:27:28,119 --> 00:27:30,560
Speaker 1: and at one fifteen WRC plus and a two point

562
00:27:30,560 --> 00:27:33,159
Speaker 1: four f hard does he eclipse both of those numbers

563
00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:33,600
Speaker 1: this year?

564
00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:39,760
Speaker 2: How many games was it? One fifteen, one, nineteen, one, nineteen.

565
00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:43,960
Speaker 2: It will be close because he's gonna come back later

566
00:27:44,359 --> 00:27:47,000
Speaker 2: than he did the last time. I'm gonna say he's

567
00:27:47,119 --> 00:27:49,520
Speaker 2: under one hundred and nineteen games, but I'm gonna say

568
00:27:49,520 --> 00:27:52,040
Speaker 2: he's over two point two war. I think he will

569
00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:55,359
Speaker 2: play better, but play and less get because I think

570
00:27:55,359 --> 00:27:57,040
Speaker 2: there's a chance he might not come back till middle

571
00:27:57,080 --> 00:28:00,560
Speaker 2: of May or even late May. So I'll say he

572
00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:02,160
Speaker 2: plays less but he plays better.

573
00:28:03,160 --> 00:28:05,040
Speaker 1: That's that's a that's a that's a that's a very

574
00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:07,639
Speaker 1: good way of putting it. Another quick question for you.

575
00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:11,480
Speaker 1: A career strikeout rate of twenty two he's been at

576
00:28:11,520 --> 00:28:15,440
Speaker 1: twenty three. Twenty two is at twenty three percent. Twenty

577
00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:17,560
Speaker 1: twenty four he was at twenty three percent. Twenty to

578
00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:21,240
Speaker 1: twenty one, he was at twenty three percent. His MVP season,

579
00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:24,639
Speaker 1: he was at eleven percent. When he comes back steven

580
00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:29,280
Speaker 1: that strikeout percentage below or below or above twenty percent.

581
00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:33,320
Speaker 2: I think it'll be above what he did in twenty

582
00:28:33,320 --> 00:28:36,040
Speaker 2: three doesn't make sense, Like, no, yeah, it doesn't make

583
00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:38,480
Speaker 2: any sense to hint his for much power as he

584
00:28:38,520 --> 00:28:41,800
Speaker 2: did with an eleven percent strikeout rate. That's like, it's

585
00:28:41,840 --> 00:28:44,320
Speaker 2: like Barry Bond stuff. That doesn't make any sense. So

586
00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:47,560
Speaker 2: I'm gonna say he's above. I'll say he's at career

587
00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:50,160
Speaker 2: average twenty one twenty two. That's the other thing is

588
00:28:50,200 --> 00:28:53,440
Speaker 2: that the strikeouts jumped up last year in part because

589
00:28:53,440 --> 00:28:55,280
Speaker 2: I don't think he was trusting the knee enough. I

590
00:28:55,280 --> 00:28:57,680
Speaker 2: think he was trying to get started early, swung at

591
00:28:57,720 --> 00:29:00,520
Speaker 2: some bad pitches. I do think this I got readble

592
00:29:00,520 --> 00:29:02,080
Speaker 2: to come down from where it was last year. But

593
00:29:02,120 --> 00:29:04,560
Speaker 2: I think eleven percent is not something you can ever

594
00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:07,080
Speaker 2: predict again. So I'm gonna say it's gonna be twenty

595
00:29:07,120 --> 00:29:08,080
Speaker 2: one two.

596
00:29:09,280 --> 00:29:11,600
Speaker 1: Steven Tolbert. On a scale, we'll go four questions on

597
00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:14,240
Speaker 1: the scale of zero two one hundred in terms of percent.

598
00:29:14,680 --> 00:29:18,120
Speaker 1: How confident are you Ronald Acunya Junior will be as

599
00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:22,480
Speaker 1: close to the normal run normal Ronald Acunya Junior were

600
00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:25,280
Speaker 1: used to seeing once the playoffs come around this year.

601
00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:29,280
Speaker 1: And will he be a big contributing factor to the

602
00:29:29,320 --> 00:29:31,040
Speaker 1: Braves winning the playoff series this year?

603
00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:35,720
Speaker 2: Well, I think Ronald will be back to Ronald. He

604
00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:38,000
Speaker 2: won't be twenty twenty three Ronald. I don't know we'll

605
00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:41,000
Speaker 2: ever see that again, but I think he'll be in

606
00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:45,800
Speaker 2: the one forty five WRC plus range, which is his

607
00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:48,720
Speaker 2: career number. That's kind of where he lives. That's where

608
00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:52,040
Speaker 2: that's where I expect him in twenty twenty five. As

609
00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:54,560
Speaker 2: far as will he helped the Braves win a playoff series,

610
00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:56,040
Speaker 2: A lot of that's gonna come down to the pitching

611
00:29:56,160 --> 00:29:59,160
Speaker 2: and how healthy their pitching is. I don't remember. I

612
00:29:59,160 --> 00:30:00,520
Speaker 2: don't remember the last time they made it to the

613
00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:07,360
Speaker 2: playoffs with they're pitching intact. So but if he's Ronald

614
00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:09,720
Speaker 2: Acunon Junior, if he's won forty one forty five Ronald

615
00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:14,680
Speaker 2: Coon Junior, then that's obviously gonna help. But yeah, the

616
00:30:14,680 --> 00:30:16,560
Speaker 2: pitching is gonna determine just as much of that as

617
00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:17,400
Speaker 2: as Ronald will.

618
00:30:18,080 --> 00:30:20,360
Speaker 1: Yeah, I agree. I think Ronald is going to be

619
00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:22,480
Speaker 1: as close to being the old version of Ronald as

620
00:30:22,520 --> 00:30:25,360
Speaker 1: we've seen once the playoffs come around. And I'll go

621
00:30:25,440 --> 00:30:27,440
Speaker 1: on record to say as well, Ronald o' kune Junior

622
00:30:27,520 --> 00:30:30,160
Speaker 1: will be the best offensive force in either the wild

623
00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:33,320
Speaker 1: Card or Divisional series as the Braves continue to progress,

624
00:30:33,600 --> 00:30:36,080
Speaker 1: hopefully towards the National League Championship Series on their way

625
00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:38,480
Speaker 1: to a World Series. I'm gonna stop saying the World

626
00:30:38,600 --> 00:30:41,760
Speaker 1: Series and we are going to end this edition of

627
00:30:41,760 --> 00:30:44,400
Speaker 1: the Hammer Territory Podcast. Been a lot of fun talk

628
00:30:44,440 --> 00:30:46,400
Speaker 1: anytime you get to talk about Ronald A. Kuoney junior,

629
00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:49,560
Speaker 1: but we're importantly getting to talk about him once again

630
00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:51,760
Speaker 1: playing one of the best of the topics we can

631
00:30:51,800 --> 00:30:53,960
Speaker 1: talk about when it comes to a Braves podcast. Steven,

632
00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:56,080
Speaker 1: anything else from you as we wrap up this edition

633
00:30:56,120 --> 00:30:57,480
Speaker 1: of the Hammer Territory Podcast.

634
00:30:58,120 --> 00:31:01,640
Speaker 2: No, I mean, I'm just can't wait. I'm so excited

635
00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:04,200
Speaker 2: for baseball. I can't wait. I love This is my

636
00:31:04,280 --> 00:31:07,360
Speaker 2: favorite sport by far, college basketball is probably second. So

637
00:31:07,400 --> 00:31:09,520
Speaker 2: this time of year is just the best time of year.

638
00:31:10,240 --> 00:31:12,880
Speaker 2: So it's gonna be fun. We're gonna be here to

639
00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:16,000
Speaker 2: cover it. Of course, whatever happens in spring training, you know,

640
00:31:16,080 --> 00:31:18,680
Speaker 2: with Ronald, or with the pitching, or with the roster spots,

641
00:31:18,760 --> 00:31:21,200
Speaker 2: or if they make another move of any sort, we'll

642
00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:23,400
Speaker 2: be here to cover it. And we appreciate the support

643
00:31:23,440 --> 00:31:24,000
Speaker 2: as always.

644
00:31:24,440 --> 00:31:26,360
Speaker 1: Yeah, and the last thing that I'm in with is

645
00:31:26,400 --> 00:31:30,600
Speaker 1: this is that cherish it, right, like, cherish the opportunity

646
00:31:30,640 --> 00:31:33,560
Speaker 1: to see Ronald Acuna Junior play baseball. I'm not saying

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Speaker 1: that because I don't think that many of us do.

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00:31:35,320 --> 00:31:37,640
Speaker 1: I think all of us in Braves Country cherish the

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Speaker 1: opportunity to see him on the baseball field. It's just

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00:31:40,840 --> 00:31:42,920
Speaker 1: that we have not seen as much of it as

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00:31:42,920 --> 00:31:45,280
Speaker 1: I feel we should have seen because of the major

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Speaker 1: injuries he's had. So when he comes back, when he's

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00:31:47,920 --> 00:31:50,360
Speaker 1: performing at the elite level that he does, and how

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00:31:50,480 --> 00:31:53,040
Speaker 1: much fun he plays baseball or how much fun in

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Speaker 1: passion he plays baseball with making it fun for us,

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Speaker 1: I think it's gonna be great to see that once again.

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00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:01,040
Speaker 1: So come back strong, Ronald, hopefully back to the Runeld

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00:32:01,040 --> 00:32:02,840
Speaker 1: that we all know and love and the difference maker

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00:32:02,880 --> 00:32:04,680
Speaker 1: that we know you can be the difference maker that

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00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:07,400
Speaker 1: clearly makes the Braves Ye're in and year out a

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00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:10,520
Speaker 1: World Series title contender for Steven Talbort again at be

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00:32:10,680 --> 00:32:14,120
Speaker 1: Underscore Outliers on Twitter, Sean Comin at Stat's sec Hammer

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00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:16,960
Speaker 1: Territory part of the Fountry family of podcasts, both of

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00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:20,120
Speaker 1: those brands across all fours of social media. Make sure

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00:32:20,160 --> 00:32:22,240
Speaker 1: you check it all out. Until next time, Go Braves,

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00:32:22,360 --> 00:32:24,000
Speaker 1: We'll talk to you again here soon on the Hammer

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00:32:24,120 --> 00:32:25,080
Speaker 1: Territory podcast