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Speaker 1: Welcome one and all to the Humor Territory Podcast. My

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Speaker 1: name is Sean Coleman. I hope wherever you are and

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Speaker 1: wherever you are listening, and hey, it's good to talk

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Speaker 1: with you once again. The holidays. We're right in the

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Speaker 1: midst of the holiday season. And I'll tell you this,

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Speaker 1: while many of us I'm sure, I'm sure have finished

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Speaker 1: our Christmas shopping on my end, and some of us

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Speaker 1: have not started, stevens In I can tell you one

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Speaker 1: entity that has certainly been doing plenty of holiday shopping.

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Speaker 1: That would be the Atlanta Braves. But we know it's

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Speaker 1: still a work in progress. We know it's been a

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Speaker 1: successful offseason so far. But were does that leave the

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Speaker 1: Braves roster right now? That's what we're going to get

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Speaker 1: into in this episode, the State of the Braves Roster.

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Speaker 1: We know that this likely is not the final version

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Speaker 1: of it for this offseason, but at the very least,

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Speaker 1: where does it stand, Where does it stack up? Where

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Speaker 1: are there's still some question marks. We're gonna look at

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Speaker 1: it from a line up, a bullpen, and the rotation.

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Speaker 1: But before we do that, as always my podcast partner,

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Speaker 1: one of the best when it comes to breaking down

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Speaker 1: the Braves. Steven Tobert Stephen could talk with you, sir.

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Speaker 1: Happy holidays again to.

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Speaker 2: You, so buddy. Yeah, man, very close Christmas rider on

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Speaker 2: the corner of Christmases next week. I have done my

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Speaker 2: holiday shopping, by the way, I don't know. I don't

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Speaker 2: know why we're throwing shade. Shout out to the internet

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Speaker 2: for shout out to the Internet for helping out with

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Speaker 2: holiday show. I don't think I ever left my couch.

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Speaker 2: So yeah, Alex has been a busy man, There's no doubt.

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Speaker 2: I mean, you just I think maybe the Braves have

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Speaker 2: been the busiest team in baseball so far. I'm trying

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Speaker 2: to think of a team that's had a busier off

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Speaker 2: season so far. I think the Braves are number one

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Speaker 2: in terms of just number of impact moves. Now, have

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Speaker 2: they all been massive moves? No, they've been you know,

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Speaker 2: a collection of you know, I don't know if there's

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Speaker 2: any been one any home run move, but kind of

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Speaker 2: a collection of singles and doubles is how I would

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Speaker 2: probably frame it. But still very busy, and the roster

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Speaker 2: is kind of coming into form, right like we kind

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Speaker 2: of see the you start to kind of see the

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Speaker 2: idea that they're going for here, and I do think

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Speaker 2: there's you know, we've heard behind the scenes that there's

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Speaker 2: still some smoke for this off season. They might not

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Speaker 2: quite be done yet. They might even still have another

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Speaker 2: big move in them is something we've heard kind of privately.

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Speaker 2: And we'll see if they get to the finish line

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Speaker 2: on that. But you know, as you look, and we're

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Speaker 2: gonna go through the whole roster tonight, you know, lineup, rotation, bullpen,

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Speaker 2: and we're gonna kind of see where they stand. But

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Speaker 2: if you know, you can really start to kind of

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Speaker 2: see this team coming together for twenty twenty six, and

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Speaker 2: it's because Alex has been a very busy man over

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Speaker 2: the last few weeks.

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Speaker 1: Absolutely, and that was the thing, you know again coming

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Speaker 1: off last offseason, you know, made those moves at the

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Speaker 1: start of the off season where we did not you know,

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Speaker 1: agree to you know, keep Tyler Kinley as well as

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Speaker 1: Pierce Johnson. And so you're thinking, oh, no, you know,

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Speaker 1: are we seeing this again where we're trying to cut costs.

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Speaker 1: But you know, that's one question that no longer is there. Thankfully.

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Speaker 1: The Braves said they were looking to go to be

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Speaker 1: a top five spinning our top five team in terms

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Speaker 1: of payroll this year, and that's exactly where they are.

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Speaker 1: But to Steven's point, with that being said, let's talk

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Speaker 1: about kind of where things are from a lineup perspective.

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Speaker 1: And you know, Stephen and I, you know, we both

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Speaker 1: gave our opinions on social media over the past few days,

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Speaker 1: especially after the signing of Hasan Kim, and I definitely

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Speaker 1: agree with Steven and that the home run has not

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Speaker 1: been hit so far this season. And if you've listened

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Speaker 1: to our episodes here recently, you know that Stephen and

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Speaker 1: I both felt that the place where a home run

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Speaker 1: needed to be hit was a true offensive difference maker.

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Speaker 1: But it is extremely hard to be able to find

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Speaker 1: that level of player, and the Braves, I'm sure did

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Speaker 1: their due diligence in trying to find that just didn't

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Speaker 1: work out more than likely, But I do applaud the

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Speaker 1: Braves for pivoting to not only feeling the shortstop need,

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Speaker 1: but in general feeling multiple needs in which they've added depth,

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Speaker 1: they gained versatility, and they more than likely have also

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Speaker 1: put themselves in a position to more consistently be closer

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Speaker 1: to the ceiling that we're all that we all know

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Speaker 1: they're capable of. So I think that they've certainly raised

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Speaker 1: the floor of how good this of how consistent this

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Speaker 1: lineup can be, and naturally that will raise the ceiling

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Speaker 1: to where Steven I certainly think we can have a

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Speaker 1: top ten offense once again.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, so listen, we're about to go through the whole

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Speaker 2: line up here. But when they added yeah, as kind

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Speaker 2: of their left field DH option instead of like a

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Speaker 2: really big bopper, then you know, we had talked about

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Speaker 2: if they go out and add a really big bat,

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Speaker 2: then maybe you can live with Dubon at shortstop, right

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Speaker 2: and one they didn't do that when they signed Yazz.

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Speaker 2: Then we kind of all pivot and said, all right,

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Speaker 2: if Yaz is gonna be the kind of big bat,

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Speaker 2: then you need to go up great shortstop, because you

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Speaker 2: didn't get a big enough bat in that signing to

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Speaker 2: justify Dubon being the shortstop. And so, you know, very quickly,

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Speaker 2: very quickly, the you know, the entire fan base kind

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Speaker 2: of pivoted to shortstop, like what are they gonna do?

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Speaker 2: What are they gonna do? And then bam, like forty

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Speaker 2: eight to seventy two hours later or something like that,

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Speaker 2: on Monday night, you know, we got the we got

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Speaker 2: the alert that Hassan Kim was signing the one year

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Speaker 2: deal for twenty million. It came out later that Hassan

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Speaker 2: Kim turned down a four year deal from from Oakland

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Speaker 2: or not Oakland, Sacramento or whatever the hell they play

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Speaker 2: from the A's. I saw that they they were gonna

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Speaker 2: ask him to play second base mostly, but it still

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Speaker 2: was a four year deal. I think it was like

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Speaker 2: forty eight to fifty million bucks somebody. It was not

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Speaker 2: a small amount of money. I think. I think he

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Speaker 2: wanted to play short I think the Braves met his

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Speaker 2: one year dollar number. You know, obviously it's a one

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Speaker 2: year deal, so the number is gonna be higher than

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Speaker 2: a four year deal in terms of aav and he

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Speaker 2: gets to play shortstop and then get back on the

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Speaker 2: market next year. So you know, Scott Boris has done

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Speaker 2: that a lot with guys, try to get him back

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Speaker 2: onto the market as fast as possible. So you know,

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Speaker 2: the Braves have their guy. And again, if you're not

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Speaker 2: gonna go sign in the big bopper for your left

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Speaker 2: field DH rotation, then you had to address shortstop as well.

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Speaker 2: And that's why our applaud them. Did they go hit

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Speaker 2: a home run with either one of these moves, probably not,

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Speaker 2: but again, these are just solid upgrades that help. When

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Speaker 2: you add in, you know, getting Acuonu back, eating Profar

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Speaker 2: hopefully for a full year, maybe getting Riley for the

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Speaker 2: full year. You know, we'll see what we get from

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Speaker 2: Ozzie and Harris. You can start to see the vision.

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Speaker 2: It's not crystal clear, but it is clearer. It's not

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Speaker 2: as murky as it was when the offseason started.

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Speaker 1: Absolutely, And I think the other thing that stands out

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Speaker 1: is that when it comes to this team right now

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Speaker 1: is you have to be excited to get about that

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Speaker 1: versatility protecting against injuries. You can match up, you know,

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Speaker 1: platoon wise against left handers and right handers. I definitely

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Speaker 1: think that helps the Braves. And the big thing to me,

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Speaker 1: Stephen that stands out is for a lineup that we

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Speaker 1: saw have such huge variants from being really hot to

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Speaker 1: really cold, I think one big thing that's come from

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Speaker 1: the type of players that they that they've acquired for

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Speaker 1: the team, guys who could put together really good at bats.

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Speaker 1: That the thing that stands out to me is the

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Speaker 1: ability to stay consistent. I feel that we're going to

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Speaker 1: see a more consistent offense, which can make all the

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Speaker 1: difference in the world.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, so let's go through the lineup real quick. So

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Speaker 2: you know, obviously a catcher, you're gonna have Drake Baldwin,

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Speaker 2: and you're gonna have Sean Murphy at some point. Now,

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Speaker 2: I remember Sean Murphy had major hip surgery and Alice

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Speaker 2: came out, I think yesterday or the day of and said,

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Speaker 2: it's unlikely that Sean's gonna be ready for opening day.

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Speaker 2: Don't be surprised if they add a veteran. They did

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Speaker 2: add Martin Maltonado to the organization the other day. They

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Speaker 2: said he was mainly gonna be in a an assistant

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Speaker 2: advisory role. Technically, they could throw a uniform on him

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Speaker 2: and have him be the backup catcher for a few

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Speaker 2: months or a few weeks until Sean Murphy comes back.

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Speaker 2: But it's gonna be Baldwin and a second catcher for

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Speaker 2: some period of time, and then Sean Murphy at first

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Speaker 2: base obviously is Matt Olson's. Second base is gonna be Auzzie. Shortstop,

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Speaker 2: is gonna be Hasan Kim, third based, Austin Riley, right field, Acunya, centerfield, Harris,

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Speaker 2: and then left field so Alex did mention this, I

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Speaker 2: think today when he did a radio spot. Leftfield is

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Speaker 2: probably gonna be a lot of Yeazz Mike Yustriumsky against

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Speaker 2: right handed pitching, and then a right handed platoon partner

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Speaker 2: against left handed pitching. That could be Mauricio Debon, that

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Speaker 2: could be Eli White, that could be a player to

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Speaker 2: be named later. We'll see, But it sounds like pro

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Speaker 2: is going to be the DH most of the time.

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Speaker 2: I'm sure Ronnie will get spells at DH. I'm sure

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Speaker 2: Baldwin and Murphy will do their kind of back and

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Speaker 2: forth thing at DH. But what the way Alex was

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Speaker 2: talking today, it sounded like Profar is gonna be DH

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Speaker 2: in quite a bit. And that's probably about right. I mean,

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Speaker 2: Yeas is a much better defender and left than Profar is.

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Speaker 2: Pretty much everybody is a better defender than Profar is,

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Speaker 2: So Profar is probably a DH at this point. And

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Speaker 2: so those are your lineup regulars. And then on the bench,

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Speaker 2: obviously you're gonna have the second catcher, whoever that is,

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Speaker 2: either Murphy or whoever it is until Murphy gets back.

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Speaker 2: Then you're gonna have Martin Mauriso Dubond. Who's your super utility,

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Speaker 2: just an absolute perfect role for him. He can literally

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Speaker 2: play the entire field. Then you have Eli White, who's

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Speaker 2: gonna be your main center field option if Mike goes down,

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Speaker 2: or if they need a right handed bat in the

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Speaker 2: lineup somewhere, and then you have kind of that fourth

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Speaker 2: bench spot that's kind of a it's kind of a

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Speaker 2: black hole in a DH lineup. You don't use it

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Speaker 2: a lot. Right now, the Braves could go with somebody

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Speaker 2: like Nacho Alvarez if they wanted to, or Brett Wisely

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Speaker 2: if they wanted to. I was tweeting about this the

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Speaker 2: other day. I think the Braves could take that fourth

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Speaker 2: bench spot and go sign a right handed kind of bopper,

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Speaker 2: kind of like a Rob Riivesdorf or something like that,

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Speaker 2: or Rob Schnyder, Rob Rethschneider. I don't want to screw

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Speaker 2: up his name, and not specifically him. It's just somebody

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Speaker 2: like him. Somebody could be a right handed power bat

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Speaker 2: off the bench, which I do think is a little bit.

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Speaker 2: I mean, Sean Murphy's gonna be that at some point,

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Speaker 2: but you know, managers are worried about using their catchers

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Speaker 2: in those spots. I think another right handed power bat.

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Speaker 2: And also if you're gonna platoon Yeas and left field

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Speaker 2: and you want to get him like a legit platoon partner,

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Speaker 2: that's a really good way to do it. So I

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Speaker 2: think that fourth bench spot is could be interesting. I

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Speaker 2: think they could add something there. But listen, that's thirteen.

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Speaker 2: That's pretty much. I mean, other than that last bench spot,

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Speaker 2: everybody I mentioned is pretty much I would say guaranteed

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Speaker 2: a spot at this point. You know, Eli White played

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Speaker 2: so well I can't see anybody taking that spot from him.

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Speaker 2: Marisa Demon makes too much money to not be on

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Speaker 2: the roster. Plus he's very good, So you know, I

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Speaker 2: think it comes down to that last bench spot. But

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Speaker 2: the everyday lineup, the every day kind of thirteen man

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Speaker 2: position players are pretty set.

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Speaker 1: That's the thing that I'll say that that sticks out

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Speaker 1: to me is that you know, there's a lot of

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Speaker 1: good right now when it comes to this roster. Right,

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Speaker 1: you've got versatility that you've got a bit more insurance

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Speaker 1: to allow for you to protect yourself against injury. You've

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Speaker 1: also got the ability for you to be able to

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Speaker 1: match up against pitching right, and you've got a deeper

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Speaker 1: bitch where it's not just about platoon. You know, you

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Speaker 1: putting the other lineup based off platoons to start the game,

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Speaker 1: You're probably going to have more options later in the

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Speaker 1: game to really take advantage of matchups. That's what you're hoping.

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Speaker 1: Walt Weiss maybe a step up above Brian snicker In. However, however,

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Speaker 1: you know I mentioned on social media, you know, I again,

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Speaker 1: I feel like our floor is certainly raised, and I think,

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Speaker 1: you know, I'm becoming a bit more convinced that we

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Speaker 1: can play closer to our ceiling more consistently, which obviously

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Speaker 1: raises our ceiling. The one thing that stands out to me, though,

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Speaker 1: and is still a bit lacking, is power. I think

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Speaker 1: that power is still something on this roster that we

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Speaker 1: could potentially have plenty of it, but I don't know

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Speaker 1: if it's to a difference making level. I'm not talking

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Speaker 1: about two thousand and three level. I'm talking near the

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Speaker 1: top of the league level, to where if we were

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Speaker 1: to stay healthy and we were to make playoffs, could

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Speaker 1: you clearly see us in matchups having the advantage against

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Speaker 1: most teams in those type of playoff matchups. I don't

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Speaker 1: know if I can confidently say that that this team

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Speaker 1: certainly could be capable of that. But when you talk

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Speaker 1: about adding Kim, when you talk about adding Yas, when

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Speaker 1: you talk about adding to Dubon, it's more about how

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Speaker 1: they are either in the field, their versatility, or how

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Speaker 1: they have a good approach at the plate than it

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Speaker 1: is their pure power. And so maybe adding another power

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Speaker 1: source in that last bench spot could make sense. But

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Speaker 1: I still do think that the power upside is consistently

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Speaker 1: being there the top of the league power wise. That

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Speaker 1: was something I was hoping that would come out of

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Speaker 1: this offseason, and I'm not quite convinced that this lineup

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Speaker 1: will be there. It can be, I'm just not fully

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Speaker 1: convinced it will be.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I think that's fair. I do want to see

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Speaker 2: them add another right handed power option at the end

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Speaker 2: of the bench to really kind of put the final

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Speaker 2: touches on the roster. But listen, a lot of it's

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Speaker 2: gonna come down to Austin Riley, Like what Austin Riley

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Speaker 2: do we get? I mean, if it's the guy from

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Speaker 2: twenty twenty two, who is one of the best hitters

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Speaker 2: on the planet, then you know it's really not a concern,

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Speaker 2: especially if you get a healthy season from Acunya you

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Speaker 2: should get a whole season for Profar. You know, I

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Speaker 2: do want to see what Balden looks like in year two.

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Speaker 2: I'm not ready to just say this is who he is.

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Speaker 2: Like sophomore slumps happened, but if he get a consistent,

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Speaker 2: you know, at least something similar to what he did

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Speaker 2: last year from Baldwin, and then you add in having

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Speaker 2: a full year of Hastan Kim, we'll see how he

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Speaker 2: does a four year removed from the injury. I think

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Speaker 2: Yaz is really gonna help against right handed pitching, but listen,

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Speaker 2: against left handed pitching, you could still see some issues.

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Speaker 2: And two guys that could solve that is Austin Riley

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Speaker 2: being Austin Riley and then Ozzi Albi's being Ozzie Alby's

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Speaker 2: at the very least against left handed pitching. Because against righty's,

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Speaker 2: you've got a Kunya, you got Profar, you got Olsen,

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Speaker 2: you got Baldwin, you got yazz like you got you

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Speaker 2: got a decent amount of pop against righty's. But against lefties,

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Speaker 2: you know, you get the worst version of Michael Harris,

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Speaker 2: you get the probably the worst version of Ozzi Albi's.

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Speaker 2: You get the worst you know, you need somebody to

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Speaker 2: step up against left handed pitching. And the two guys

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Speaker 2: who you're gonna step up are Ozzie and Riley. That's

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Speaker 2: who you need to step up against. Because again, you know,

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Speaker 2: matt Olsen is great, but you know matt Olsen's human too.

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Speaker 2: He's not gonna just you know, he can't crush lefty's

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Speaker 2: to the same he crushes righty's. You need somebody else

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Speaker 2: to step up in those spots. Acuna is gonna hit everybody,

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Speaker 2: but you need Riley. That is the most critical name

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Speaker 2: Austin Riley's slugging percentage. If you want to boil down

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Speaker 2: the Braves like twenty twenty six to one name and

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Speaker 2: one number, Austin Riley's slugging percentage or ISO or however

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Speaker 2: you want to measure power might be the most important

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Speaker 2: stat for the Braves entire team next.

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Speaker 1: Year needs to be five hundred, absolutely needs to be

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Speaker 1: five hundred.

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Speaker 2: Yeah.

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Speaker 1: And here's the thing though, that the questions that I

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Speaker 1: have about the power, obviously the core that we already

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Speaker 1: had in place is going to be the main source

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Speaker 1: of our power. If this added depth, if this added versatility,

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Speaker 1: if the matchups being easier to put to our advantage.

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Speaker 1: If all that comes from the pieces that we added,

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Speaker 1: and it allows for our core players to have a

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Speaker 1: better chance of being closer to their normal sales or

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Speaker 1: their expected sales, that's where we get the power from.

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Speaker 1: So I will say I feel better at least about

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Speaker 1: that aspect of things. It'll just take time. But in

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Speaker 1: general from a lineup perspective, very happy with the off season,

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Speaker 1: very happy that we were able to take care of

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Speaker 1: so many obvious plus underlying needs with just a few signings.

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Speaker 1: But of course, the one area of the team where

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Speaker 1: we've not seen any major moves occur but that could

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Speaker 1: still be addressed is the starting rotation. Wills us that

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Speaker 1: more in just a moment. So, Stephen, at the first

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Speaker 1: of the off season, you know, we heard about shortstop,

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Speaker 1: We obviously heard about the bullpen. Those were parts of

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Speaker 1: the team where we knew stuff needed to be at

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Speaker 1: it because those were clear weaknesses. But from the start

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Speaker 1: of the off season, just like it's been nearly every

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Speaker 1: off season, Alex and Thoplss also talked about the starting

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Speaker 1: rotation even with being a clear strength of this team,

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Speaker 1: the ability to see it consistently be a strength. It's

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Speaker 1: just such a question mark with all the injuries and

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Speaker 1: Alex and Thopless has made it clear he wants to

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Speaker 1: to add to the starting rotation. He hasn't done it yet,

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Speaker 1: but he's made it clear that certainly remains a focus

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Speaker 1: and it could wind up being potentially the biggest movie

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Speaker 1: we've seen all off season.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, so obviously we haven't seen anything yet. We did

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Speaker 2: get updates on Grant Holmes and Ronaldo Lopez about midway

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Speaker 2: through December, where both guys look good. Both You know,

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Speaker 2: the team feels good about both guys, but you do

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Speaker 2: have just lingering questions over everybody. Right. You've got Sale

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Speaker 2: who missed most of last year. You know it was

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Speaker 2: a freak injury, but you know Sales always got freak

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Speaker 2: injuries popping up. You got Stryder who has had two

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Speaker 2: major elbow surgeries now in his career. What are you

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Speaker 2: going to get from Spencer Strider, even if he's healthy.

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Speaker 2: What are you going to get from Spencer Strider? We

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Speaker 2: don't know the answer to that quite honestly. You know,

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Speaker 2: Spencer Swallenbach had a broken elbow last year. You know,

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Speaker 2: who the hell knows how he's gonna bounce back from that.

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Speaker 2: Is the velocity still the same that you need to

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Speaker 2: dial it back to keep the elbow healthy. Well, see

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Speaker 2: Ronaldo Lopez missed all of last year basically with a shoulder,

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Speaker 2: and then Grant Holmes has this like Tommy John not

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Speaker 2: Tommy John kind of rehab not rehab thing just like

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Speaker 2: a cloud over him. And so you just have these questions.

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Speaker 2: And that's that is the entire you know, that is

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Speaker 2: the entire reason why this in this podcast has been

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Speaker 2: saying from day one, go get a starter, even though

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Speaker 2: you got enough names, right, go get a starter because

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Speaker 2: you've got so many questions. You got enough versatility and

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Speaker 2: Ronaldo Lopez and Grant Holmes that could be in the bullpen.

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Speaker 2: Go at a starter. You're probably gonna lose one at

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Speaker 2: some point, you might lose multiple. A. J. Smith Schalver

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Speaker 2: is probably not due back till middle of the year.

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Speaker 2: You do have hersl waldrip waiting in the wings, but

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Speaker 2: go get one more. And that's been kind of what

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Speaker 2: we've we've been preaching. And I'll say this, I'm not

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Speaker 2: gonna go into detail, but things we've heard on the

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Speaker 2: private side over the last forty eight hours and Sean

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Speaker 2: knows what I'm talking about I do think they're big

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Speaker 2: game hunting. I think they're big game hunting. I think

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Speaker 2: Alex has said I'm only gonna do this if it's

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Speaker 2: somebody that impacts the top of the rotation and impacts

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Speaker 2: a playoff series. I think he's okay with the depth,

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Speaker 2: but I do think he wants a big name, kind

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Speaker 2: of front line starter if he can make it work. Listen,

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Speaker 2: it's extremely expensive. I mean you can go on MLB

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Speaker 2: trade rumors or fangrafts and look at what these projections

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Speaker 2: are for all these big starters. It's not cheap. And

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Speaker 2: we've never seen Alex swim in those waters. So you know,

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Speaker 2: I'm gonna I'm gonna wait to I'm gonna wait to

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Speaker 2: believe it until I see it. But there has been

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Speaker 2: some smoke around the Braves and a couple of these

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Speaker 2: kind of big name starters that are still out there,

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Speaker 2: and we'll see. I wouldn't do not be surprised at

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Speaker 2: all if they do it. They'll be surprised if they

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Speaker 2: don't do it. Getting these deals to the finish line

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Speaker 2: is incredibly hard, but we have it on good enough authorities.

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Speaker 2: I can confidently say the Braves are still the Braves

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Speaker 2: are not done, I'll say that, and it makes.

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Speaker 1: Sense for them not to be done and to go

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Speaker 1: big game hunting, right Like they again said, they've wanted

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Speaker 1: to be a top five payroll. They made some major contributions,

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Speaker 1: but it's been more feeling holes and things like that.

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Speaker 1: You may not get that just absolute home run move

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Speaker 1: in the minds of everyone, but one move that would

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Speaker 1: qualify for that, I feel is getting one of the

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Speaker 1: top arms left in free agency. That then would make

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Speaker 1: your pitching staff clearly one of the best in baseball,

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Speaker 1: one of the deepest in baseball. The Braves. That that's

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Speaker 1: one thing that I will say. As much as we

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Speaker 1: talk about the offense, we were hoping the offense would

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Speaker 1: be the focus. We were hoping that the offense would

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Speaker 1: get that true difference maker that we really fel could

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Speaker 1: help it get back to maintaining being a top ten offense. Instead,

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Speaker 1: the Braves have positioned themselves were with one more significant addition,

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Speaker 1: they clearly are a top five staff in baseball. I

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Speaker 1: will debate that all day long with anyone. If they

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Speaker 1: add this another significant arm, especially to the rotation, so

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Speaker 1: they have plenty incentive of and do it to do

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Speaker 1: it could the possibility still be out there. Will they

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Speaker 1: give up the draft pick or do they feel that

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Speaker 1: there's an arm out there that maybe hasn't performed that

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Speaker 1: well elsewhere that they could turn into a two or

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Speaker 1: three level starter. That remains to be seen. But when

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Speaker 1: we talk about them going big game hunting, when we

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Speaker 1: talk about them adding another significant arm, it's not just

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Speaker 1: hopes and dreams, it's not just speculation. Everything adds up.

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Speaker 1: All that Alexanthopolis has said, how he's spent his money,

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Speaker 1: and how much money they've revealed that they feel they

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Speaker 1: have to spend. All of it lines up. And the

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Speaker 1: last thing that I'll say, the one other thing that

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Speaker 1: lines up. We know in the past, as you mentioned,

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Speaker 1: he's not been willing to spend this level to add

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Speaker 1: an on. Well, we talked all off season. You're gonna

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Speaker 1: have to start doing things that you haven't done before.

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Speaker 1: This would be this would define that move. This would

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Speaker 1: be something you haven't done before, but that could be

430
00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:15,240
Speaker 1: the right move to really put you over the top

431
00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:16,760
Speaker 1: to be the true contender you want to be.

432
00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:20,439
Speaker 2: Yeah, and listen, the core, I mean, the core of

433
00:22:20,440 --> 00:22:23,439
Speaker 2: this team is not getting any younger. Like this is

434
00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:26,240
Speaker 2: like if you're gonna have an off season like this.

435
00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:30,639
Speaker 2: And you know, something else that we've heard on the

436
00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:33,359
Speaker 2: private side is that the Braves still have money to spend, Like,

437
00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:35,399
Speaker 2: you know, one thing we're not sure of is where's

438
00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:37,400
Speaker 2: the bottom of this war chest? Like at what point

439
00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:39,480
Speaker 2: do we get to the bottom. And we thought after

440
00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:42,120
Speaker 2: maybe the ha Hassan Kim deal where you got twenty

441
00:22:42,119 --> 00:22:44,640
Speaker 2: million bucks, like all right, that might be the bottom,

442
00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:46,800
Speaker 2: Like we might be at the bottom now, But what

443
00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:48,439
Speaker 2: we've heard is they're not. They're not at the day,

444
00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:51,560
Speaker 2: still have money to spend, so and the core is

445
00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:55,440
Speaker 2: not getting any younger. This is kind of your window. Yeah,

446
00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:58,080
Speaker 2: and listen, we talked about the short term questions of

447
00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:02,160
Speaker 2: the rotation, there's also long term questions on the rotation.

448
00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:05,240
Speaker 2: Like Chris Sale is this is his last year of

449
00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:08,440
Speaker 2: team control now. I wouldn't be surprised if at some

450
00:23:08,480 --> 00:23:10,240
Speaker 2: point between now it's print training. We got a blue

451
00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:12,679
Speaker 2: box that said he signed an extension. But as we

452
00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:15,520
Speaker 2: sit here today, he's coming, He's going into his walk

453
00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:20,040
Speaker 2: ear is Spencer Streider and Ace for you going forward?

454
00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:22,679
Speaker 2: I don't know, is Spencer swallowback in Ace? Can he

455
00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:25,040
Speaker 2: stay healthy? You know? This this year will tell us

456
00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:27,639
Speaker 2: a lot coming back from the elbow. Ronaldo is certainly

457
00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:30,160
Speaker 2: not a long term piece. He's thirty five years old.

458
00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:34,320
Speaker 2: You know what is great, Like you have short term

459
00:23:34,359 --> 00:23:36,480
Speaker 2: questions in the rotation, but you also have some long

460
00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:39,159
Speaker 2: term questions in the rotation. If you do want to

461
00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:41,159
Speaker 2: go sign it like a guy for like four or

462
00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:45,000
Speaker 2: five years to help answer some of those questions, it

463
00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:49,840
Speaker 2: does make some sense, like I can if we get

464
00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:51,840
Speaker 2: the news that the Braves will sign one of these guys,

465
00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:55,080
Speaker 2: I will certainly be able to justify it looking at

466
00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:57,840
Speaker 2: both short term and long term answers or short term

467
00:23:57,880 --> 00:24:01,760
Speaker 2: long term questions in the rotation right now, and again,

468
00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:06,919
Speaker 2: this is what they should be doing with this cores

469
00:24:07,359 --> 00:24:10,560
Speaker 2: at this point in their careers, not getting any younger.

470
00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:13,919
Speaker 2: This is their window. You know, they don't have a

471
00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:17,120
Speaker 2: great farm system right now, Like you got to try

472
00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:19,200
Speaker 2: to win with this group, like that's what you should

473
00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:21,680
Speaker 2: be doing. And seeing them spend the way they've spent

474
00:24:21,760 --> 00:24:25,040
Speaker 2: so far and hearing what we've heard about how they

475
00:24:25,119 --> 00:24:28,120
Speaker 2: could still spend more, this is what I wanted to see.

476
00:24:28,119 --> 00:24:31,000
Speaker 2: This is why last off season was so frustrating, because

477
00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:33,600
Speaker 2: they literally signed pro forar and did nothing else. They

478
00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:36,239
Speaker 2: actually cut payroll last year and it was just it

479
00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:41,000
Speaker 2: was so infuriating because this is your window. This is

480
00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:43,040
Speaker 2: what you went through the rebuild for to have the

481
00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:45,760
Speaker 2: window to see if you can see how much you

482
00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:48,800
Speaker 2: can win. And we you know, we had to wait

483
00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:50,560
Speaker 2: a whole off season, but we finally got at this

484
00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:53,760
Speaker 2: off season where they've spent and do not be surprised

485
00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:57,200
Speaker 2: if they if they keep spending, and.

486
00:24:57,160 --> 00:25:00,600
Speaker 1: The last point did I'll make that kind of adds

487
00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:03,480
Speaker 1: to the reasoning to go out and add that significant arm.

488
00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:05,400
Speaker 1: Is that even think with the way that they've spent

489
00:25:05,480 --> 00:25:09,480
Speaker 1: this offseason, Okay, they're locked in with their fifteen to

490
00:25:09,520 --> 00:25:12,959
Speaker 1: twenty main guys between the rotation and the lineup, you know,

491
00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:16,040
Speaker 1: moving forward for three or four years, that's not necessarily

492
00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:18,720
Speaker 1: the case. They'll still have the majority of those guys.

493
00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:21,639
Speaker 1: But while they've spent a lot this offseason, and if

494
00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:23,920
Speaker 1: they go get a top arm, they'll be locked into

495
00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:26,960
Speaker 1: that toped arm long term. They also have a lot

496
00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:30,080
Speaker 1: of money coming off the books next year, and that

497
00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:32,760
Speaker 1: matters because when you make the investments that you have

498
00:25:32,920 --> 00:25:35,640
Speaker 1: this year, being able to say, well, next year, I'm

499
00:25:35,720 --> 00:25:38,080
Speaker 1: making the investments this year, knowing I'm going to have

500
00:25:38,119 --> 00:25:40,800
Speaker 1: some flexibility next year as well, I can always pivot.

501
00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:43,000
Speaker 1: I know some may not want to hear that, but

502
00:25:43,119 --> 00:25:45,040
Speaker 1: that's a good position to be in. You have not

503
00:25:45,160 --> 00:25:47,600
Speaker 1: given up any prospects to improve the team as you have.

504
00:25:47,920 --> 00:25:50,520
Speaker 1: You won't give up you know, may give up a pick,

505
00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:52,680
Speaker 1: you know, if you go sign a good enough arm.

506
00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:56,240
Speaker 1: But not only are you spending money, you're not giving

507
00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:58,320
Speaker 1: up prospects, and you're going to have a lot of

508
00:25:58,359 --> 00:26:00,639
Speaker 1: money coming off the books next year where you can

509
00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:03,600
Speaker 1: always retool once again if for some reason this doesn't

510
00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:06,679
Speaker 1: work out. It's a good position to be in, and

511
00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:08,640
Speaker 1: it's a much better one than I think many would

512
00:26:08,640 --> 00:26:12,800
Speaker 1: have anticipated a few months ago. However, we're not done,

513
00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:16,800
Speaker 1: and it's the focus now comes on probably the aspect

514
00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:19,720
Speaker 1: of the roster that Alexantopolis seems to love the most.

515
00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:22,840
Speaker 1: That is a bullpen. And if there's one part of

516
00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:26,040
Speaker 1: this team that has gone from a weakness to maybe

517
00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:29,280
Speaker 1: be in a real good strength, it's that bullpen. After

518
00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:33,160
Speaker 1: some strong, strong signing so far this off season. More

519
00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:37,199
Speaker 1: on that in just a moment. So Stephen, when we

520
00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:39,720
Speaker 1: you know, talked earlier this offseason about you know, kind

521
00:26:39,720 --> 00:26:42,560
Speaker 1: of what the first move would be, the first you know,

522
00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:46,320
Speaker 1: major moves would be when it came to this Braves

523
00:26:46,400 --> 00:26:48,479
Speaker 1: roster and how they were going to look to improve

524
00:26:48,480 --> 00:26:51,760
Speaker 1: the roster. We probably mean you both felt that closer

525
00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:55,480
Speaker 1: could make sense, but Lo and Behold it was two closers, right,

526
00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:58,440
Speaker 1: Soel Iglesias, you know what Robert swore is. We've broke

527
00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:02,040
Speaker 1: down on emergency pod cast how both of those guys fit.

528
00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:04,240
Speaker 1: But when you look at the rest of this roster,

529
00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:07,760
Speaker 1: you've got Iglesias, You've got Suarez in the back end

530
00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:10,120
Speaker 1: of your bullpen, but then you've also got Dylan Lee,

531
00:27:10,160 --> 00:27:13,280
Speaker 1: You've got Aaron You've got Aaron Bummer as your left handers,

532
00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:16,439
Speaker 1: and you got some intriguing right handed depth options as well.

533
00:27:16,680 --> 00:27:21,199
Speaker 1: Another notable piece probably needs to be added. But in house,

534
00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:24,640
Speaker 1: I think that this breaks bullpen may be a bit

535
00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:28,639
Speaker 1: deeper and better than some may anticipate, especially if adding

536
00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:32,240
Speaker 1: another starter means that you utilize Ronaldo Lopez and Grant

537
00:27:32,240 --> 00:27:33,280
Speaker 1: Holmes out of that bullpen.

538
00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:37,840
Speaker 2: Yeah, so that's that. I mean the bullpen, it obviously

539
00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:40,480
Speaker 2: starts with a Glesias and Robert Suarez, right, the two

540
00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:43,240
Speaker 2: big signings gonna be your eighth and ninth inning guys.

541
00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:47,159
Speaker 2: They said that Iglesias is gonna be the closer, that

542
00:27:47,400 --> 00:27:49,480
Speaker 2: Suarez is gonna be the eighth any guy. I would

543
00:27:49,480 --> 00:27:51,159
Speaker 2: not be surprised at all if at some point in

544
00:27:51,160 --> 00:27:55,520
Speaker 2: the season that those flipped. You know, we'll see how

545
00:27:55,600 --> 00:27:59,840
Speaker 2: age effects both of these guys. Quite honestly, the gle

546
00:28:00,280 --> 00:28:04,119
Speaker 2: this is thirty six and Soarez is thirty four. I

547
00:28:04,119 --> 00:28:05,280
Speaker 2: think maybe thirty five.

548
00:28:05,600 --> 00:28:09,640
Speaker 1: So thirty five, but a young thirty five in terms

549
00:28:09,680 --> 00:28:11,080
Speaker 1: of our mileage.

550
00:28:10,720 --> 00:28:13,240
Speaker 2: Right, Yeah, it doesn't have the mileage that Iglesias does.

551
00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:17,320
Speaker 2: So so that's where it starts, right So the question

552
00:28:17,440 --> 00:28:21,560
Speaker 2: is going to be what comes next. And you know

553
00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:23,560
Speaker 2: Dylan Lee is going to be in there somewhere. We

554
00:28:23,640 --> 00:28:27,680
Speaker 2: know that Aaron Bummer is currently slotted to be there.

555
00:28:29,119 --> 00:28:31,480
Speaker 2: Another thing that we have heard kind of through the

556
00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:34,520
Speaker 2: grapevine is that they might be shopping Aaron Bummer, especially

557
00:28:34,520 --> 00:28:37,160
Speaker 2: if they're going to sign one of these big name starters.

558
00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:40,720
Speaker 2: They might want that ten million bucks that Bummer is

559
00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:43,960
Speaker 2: owed next year to reallocate somewhere else on the team,

560
00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:46,760
Speaker 2: which I would highly recommend. I think the Praves are

561
00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:49,440
Speaker 2: at the kind of upper level of the amount of

562
00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:51,800
Speaker 2: or percentage of payroll that they spend on their bullpen.

563
00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:55,800
Speaker 2: So you know, that would be great if they could

564
00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:57,520
Speaker 2: do that and then and move the money to the

565
00:28:57,600 --> 00:29:00,760
Speaker 2: rotation if possible. But yeah, you know, I still wouldn't

566
00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:02,640
Speaker 2: be surprised if they went out and signed you know,

567
00:29:02,720 --> 00:29:05,040
Speaker 2: some smaller guys. I wouldn't be surprised if they signed

568
00:29:05,040 --> 00:29:08,880
Speaker 2: Pierce Johnson back or Tyler Kinley quite honestly, depending on

569
00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:11,760
Speaker 2: what they get, or somebody you know in that like

570
00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:15,560
Speaker 2: one year, four or five million dollar range. You know,

571
00:29:15,640 --> 00:29:18,120
Speaker 2: there's a bunch of believers that sign late. But the

572
00:29:18,160 --> 00:29:21,200
Speaker 2: Braves also have some internal options. You know, what is

573
00:29:21,280 --> 00:29:25,600
Speaker 2: Joejmanaz going to give you next year? That is you know,

574
00:29:25,680 --> 00:29:28,240
Speaker 2: that is the massive question over this bullpen is what

575
00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:31,200
Speaker 2: is Joejamanaz going to give you next year? If you

576
00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:34,760
Speaker 2: go get a starter. If some of these rumors do

577
00:29:34,880 --> 00:29:36,680
Speaker 2: turn out to be true that they are and they

578
00:29:36,680 --> 00:29:39,800
Speaker 2: do go get a starter, where does that put Ronaldo Lopez?

579
00:29:40,640 --> 00:29:42,200
Speaker 2: I think it should put him back in the bullpen,

580
00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:45,920
Speaker 2: because I think Ronaldo Lopez, Robert Suarez and rosseill Iglesias

581
00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:49,400
Speaker 2: would be the nastiest seventh eight, that ninth inning trio

582
00:29:49,480 --> 00:29:50,080
Speaker 2: in baseball.

583
00:29:50,280 --> 00:29:52,120
Speaker 1: And if you got Joe Jamanez to be your sixth

584
00:29:52,120 --> 00:29:54,520
Speaker 1: inning guy, I'll stack him all day.

585
00:29:54,920 --> 00:29:57,040
Speaker 2: You got Dylan Lee and then you know, you just

586
00:29:57,080 --> 00:30:00,280
Speaker 2: got a you got a monster bullpen. Then you got

587
00:30:00,280 --> 00:30:02,880
Speaker 2: these young guys you know that are in Triple A.

588
00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:05,720
Speaker 2: You got the auto option guys which are like Joy

589
00:30:05,720 --> 00:30:09,520
Speaker 2: Winz and Dylan Dodd and Bryce Elder. What's gonna happen

590
00:30:09,560 --> 00:30:11,680
Speaker 2: with those three guys because they can't go to Triple

591
00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:13,840
Speaker 2: A They either got to go to the rotation, they

592
00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:15,720
Speaker 2: got to go to the bullpen, or they get DFAD.

593
00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:18,360
Speaker 2: So what's gonna happen with them? Right? And then you

594
00:30:18,440 --> 00:30:24,760
Speaker 2: got the guy that they signed that's been hurt, that was.

595
00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:26,840
Speaker 1: In Cleveland, James Rincheck.

596
00:30:27,120 --> 00:30:30,280
Speaker 2: Krincheck, Yeah, who is was one of the nastiest pitchers

597
00:30:30,280 --> 00:30:33,120
Speaker 2: in baseball, like three or four years ago, has been

598
00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:35,480
Speaker 2: dealing with injuries. They brought him in I think on

599
00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:37,959
Speaker 2: an nri I deal, but he got a spring training invite,

600
00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:40,560
Speaker 2: so we'll see what he does. And then again you

601
00:30:40,640 --> 00:30:44,600
Speaker 2: got these like you got these young prospects that are starters,

602
00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:48,520
Speaker 2: slash relievers, you know who all could come up at

603
00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:51,560
Speaker 2: some point and contribute. So there's a bunch of names

604
00:30:52,280 --> 00:30:56,480
Speaker 2: and you got the back end solidified, so you can

605
00:30:56,520 --> 00:30:58,240
Speaker 2: do a lot. I really want them to go sign

606
00:30:58,240 --> 00:31:00,240
Speaker 2: a starter one because I think they need to start too,

607
00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:02,160
Speaker 2: because I want them to put Ronaldo in the bullpen

608
00:31:02,640 --> 00:31:06,240
Speaker 2: and just have the nastiest, you know, trio relievers at

609
00:31:06,240 --> 00:31:08,240
Speaker 2: the end of game in baseball. But we'll see what

610
00:31:08,280 --> 00:31:12,440
Speaker 2: they do. There is upside. There is a certain amount

611
00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:15,560
Speaker 2: of you know, floor protection. Suarez has been very durable,

612
00:31:15,560 --> 00:31:19,000
Speaker 2: Iglacia's has been very durable. You know, relievers are relievers.

613
00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:21,440
Speaker 2: Anything could happen. But as we say here today, I

614
00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:24,640
Speaker 2: feel pretty good about the bullpen. I'm curious to see

615
00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:27,320
Speaker 2: how they fill it out, if they go with internal guys,

616
00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:30,360
Speaker 2: if they add any more external guys, and I'm curious

617
00:31:30,360 --> 00:31:33,760
Speaker 2: to see what happens with the Ronaldo and Grant Holmes

618
00:31:33,800 --> 00:31:35,440
Speaker 2: if they add any more to the rotation.

619
00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:40,720
Speaker 1: See, we could save this for another conversation. I for personally,

620
00:31:41,040 --> 00:31:43,880
Speaker 1: I definitely would at least put rinaldo. If you if

621
00:31:43,880 --> 00:31:47,120
Speaker 1: you go out and you sign a significant starter, that

622
00:31:47,280 --> 00:31:50,640
Speaker 1: means that you definitely have that significant starter. Sales strider

623
00:31:50,680 --> 00:31:53,040
Speaker 1: at Swellow bok As you're four of your five starters,

624
00:31:53,440 --> 00:31:56,760
Speaker 1: I would go into spring trading giving Rinaldo Lopez, stretching

625
00:31:56,840 --> 00:31:58,480
Speaker 1: him out at having to him kind of be the

626
00:31:58,480 --> 00:32:00,960
Speaker 1: favorite for the fifth spot because you'd always put Hirston

627
00:32:01,040 --> 00:32:04,040
Speaker 1: Waldrop in the buyers. You know, at the start of

628
00:32:04,080 --> 00:32:07,760
Speaker 1: the season, if Ronald Lopez is healthy and he's effective,

629
00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:10,600
Speaker 1: he's more valuable as a starter than a reliever. But

630
00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:14,360
Speaker 1: to your point, to your point, it's all about that versatility,

631
00:32:14,440 --> 00:32:16,920
Speaker 1: right you go out inside that other starter, you could

632
00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:19,720
Speaker 1: always put Renald Lopez back in the bullpen. And one

633
00:32:19,760 --> 00:32:24,360
Speaker 1: other thing to remember, with the back end solidified, with

634
00:32:24,480 --> 00:32:27,200
Speaker 1: some intriguing depth that they have and with the swing

635
00:32:27,320 --> 00:32:30,520
Speaker 1: options and homes as well as Renald Lopez, even if

636
00:32:30,520 --> 00:32:33,440
Speaker 1: Alexidopolis doesn't go make another you know, notable move for

637
00:32:33,520 --> 00:32:36,880
Speaker 1: the bullpen, that is the one area where he consistently

638
00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:40,840
Speaker 1: has found difference makers, where he consistently has gotten positive

639
00:32:40,840 --> 00:32:44,840
Speaker 1: returns in in season moves. That means something to remember.

640
00:32:45,080 --> 00:32:48,360
Speaker 1: And when we talk about these potential additions that they're

641
00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:50,560
Speaker 1: going to make to the roster, it also has been

642
00:32:50,600 --> 00:32:53,120
Speaker 1: discussed and we know how important this is to Alex

643
00:32:53,160 --> 00:32:57,760
Speaker 1: and topless to have financial resources available to pivot or

644
00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:00,440
Speaker 1: or you know, retool during the season if he needs to.

645
00:33:00,680 --> 00:33:03,000
Speaker 1: So that's gonna be there as well. So while we're

646
00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:05,880
Speaker 1: talking about the bullpen, it's the main thing is they

647
00:33:05,880 --> 00:33:09,480
Speaker 1: got the back end solidified. If they need to retool

648
00:33:09,520 --> 00:33:12,680
Speaker 1: the path from the starter to that back end in

649
00:33:12,760 --> 00:33:15,520
Speaker 1: the season, they not only have the financial resources, but

650
00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:17,040
Speaker 1: they got one the best in the game, maybe the

651
00:33:17,080 --> 00:33:18,680
Speaker 1: best in the game when it comes to a general

652
00:33:18,720 --> 00:33:23,200
Speaker 1: manager being able to extract value from acquired relievers in

653
00:33:23,240 --> 00:33:23,719
Speaker 1: the season.

654
00:33:24,720 --> 00:33:27,720
Speaker 2: Yeah, And the other thing I would say about Ronaldo

655
00:33:27,760 --> 00:33:30,560
Speaker 2: is I'm a little worried about the shoulder. I think

656
00:33:30,600 --> 00:33:34,560
Speaker 2: the shoulder. I think the shoulder started barking in a

657
00:33:34,600 --> 00:33:36,880
Speaker 2: response to the number of innings he threw in twenty

658
00:33:36,920 --> 00:33:40,800
Speaker 2: twenty four, because people remember when the Braves signed him,

659
00:33:40,840 --> 00:33:44,000
Speaker 2: he'd been a reliever for three years, four years, whatever

660
00:33:44,040 --> 00:33:46,000
Speaker 2: it was, and then he threw like one hundred and

661
00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:48,320
Speaker 2: fifty innings in twenty twenty fours first year with the Braves,

662
00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:51,120
Speaker 2: and then boom, twenty twenty five comes around, and his shoulder,

663
00:33:51,360 --> 00:33:53,880
Speaker 2: you know, he basically misses the whole year. So I'm

664
00:33:53,880 --> 00:33:56,680
Speaker 2: a little worried about the workload with the Ronaldo. That's

665
00:33:56,720 --> 00:33:59,840
Speaker 2: another reason I might stick him in the bullpen. But obviously,

666
00:33:59,840 --> 00:34:02,560
Speaker 2: if if he's healthy, they're gonna give him a chance

667
00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:05,000
Speaker 2: to start first. And Grant Holmes is the wild card

668
00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:08,360
Speaker 2: at all this because if they're both healthy and Waldroup

669
00:34:08,400 --> 00:34:11,200
Speaker 2: looks good in spring training, you know, you can put

670
00:34:11,200 --> 00:34:12,880
Speaker 2: one in the rotation. You can put one of the miners,

671
00:34:12,880 --> 00:34:15,319
Speaker 2: you put one in the bullpen. We'll see what they do.

672
00:34:15,880 --> 00:34:19,080
Speaker 2: Odds are somebody's gonna get hurt between now and then. Anyways,

673
00:34:20,440 --> 00:34:22,640
Speaker 2: the odds of the Braves getting through a whole season

674
00:34:23,080 --> 00:34:26,880
Speaker 2: with Chris Sales, spit Strider, s Pitcher, Schwalloback, Ornaldo, Lopez,

675
00:34:27,080 --> 00:34:31,360
Speaker 2: and Grant Holmes all healthy is very low. I would

676
00:34:31,360 --> 00:34:34,680
Speaker 2: say almost damn near impossible when you look at each

677
00:34:34,680 --> 00:34:39,920
Speaker 2: of their individual histories. You know Sales age, Strider's shoulder,

678
00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:43,840
Speaker 2: I'm sorry, his elbow. Plus you know what is Strider

679
00:34:43,920 --> 00:34:46,440
Speaker 2: gonna be even if he is healthy. That's why I

680
00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:50,480
Speaker 2: want another starter. But any of those guys get hurt,

681
00:34:50,480 --> 00:34:52,520
Speaker 2: it changes the equation now for the rotation, but it

682
00:34:52,600 --> 00:34:54,879
Speaker 2: changes it for the bullpen as well. So it's all

683
00:34:54,880 --> 00:34:58,520
Speaker 2: connected and we'll see what other external options they add,

684
00:34:58,800 --> 00:35:01,279
Speaker 2: because that will affect everything as well. But at the

685
00:35:01,400 --> 00:35:05,600
Speaker 2: very least they have high quality, high level talent names

686
00:35:06,120 --> 00:35:10,120
Speaker 2: that are available in some fashion however they want to

687
00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:13,880
Speaker 2: arrange it. They have the talent. We'll see if they

688
00:35:13,880 --> 00:35:17,480
Speaker 2: add more talent, but the bullpen and the rotation and

689
00:35:17,480 --> 00:35:21,399
Speaker 2: from a talent perspective, aren't a pretty good spot. Right. See.

690
00:35:21,440 --> 00:35:24,400
Speaker 1: This is why I like doing the podcast, specifically with you, Steven,

691
00:35:24,760 --> 00:35:27,719
Speaker 1: is because when I have these when I try to

692
00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:30,480
Speaker 1: say a bit reserved with not getting too excited about

693
00:35:30,480 --> 00:35:34,160
Speaker 1: what I've seen, the Braves do beat all these podcasts

694
00:35:34,200 --> 00:35:37,799
Speaker 1: having these conversations, which is basically just two friends talking ball.

695
00:35:37,880 --> 00:35:40,520
Speaker 1: That's what makes this so fun. It kind of makes

696
00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:42,120
Speaker 1: you feel better, right, And what I mean with that

697
00:35:42,239 --> 00:35:45,279
Speaker 1: is this is that even with all these signings, even

698
00:35:45,320 --> 00:35:48,440
Speaker 1: after the Hasung Kim signing, I still felt that the

699
00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:51,600
Speaker 1: two big questions entering this offseason, how do you address

700
00:35:51,800 --> 00:35:54,280
Speaker 1: quality depth to the starting rotation with all the injuries

701
00:35:54,280 --> 00:35:57,319
Speaker 1: that you've experienced over the past two years, and how

702
00:35:57,360 --> 00:35:59,839
Speaker 1: do you get an offensive difference maker to really put

703
00:35:59,880 --> 00:36:02,720
Speaker 1: you offense over the top. I felt those questions still

704
00:36:02,960 --> 00:36:05,920
Speaker 1: had not been addressed. But what I am saying is

705
00:36:05,920 --> 00:36:08,279
Speaker 1: I'm becoming more convinced that with the depth now that

706
00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:12,840
Speaker 1: we have offensively, that gives your best players more of

707
00:36:12,840 --> 00:36:15,800
Speaker 1: a chance to be at their best, which is difference

708
00:36:15,800 --> 00:36:18,880
Speaker 1: making capability, and not only that, them being available when

709
00:36:18,920 --> 00:36:21,680
Speaker 1: it matters much most, which is the playoffs. And if

710
00:36:21,719 --> 00:36:24,080
Speaker 1: we go out and sign another starter, you can say

711
00:36:24,120 --> 00:36:26,319
Speaker 1: the same thing about the starting rotation. I agree with you,

712
00:36:26,840 --> 00:36:31,480
Speaker 1: Swelly Lopez Strider sell All staying healthy through the season

713
00:36:31,840 --> 00:36:33,960
Speaker 1: probably not going to happen. But if you had another

714
00:36:34,000 --> 00:36:36,800
Speaker 1: starter and you give the ability for them to be healthy,

715
00:36:36,880 --> 00:36:39,120
Speaker 1: most of them healthy at the right time, which is

716
00:36:39,120 --> 00:36:43,040
Speaker 1: the playoffs, then it's worth it. So from that perspective,

717
00:36:43,280 --> 00:36:45,600
Speaker 1: that makes me feel better. I was already feeling pretty

718
00:36:45,600 --> 00:36:47,719
Speaker 1: good about the breaks off season. That makes me feel better.

719
00:36:48,400 --> 00:36:50,720
Speaker 2: Well, that's what the Dodgers did last year. They signed

720
00:36:50,719 --> 00:36:53,279
Speaker 2: they had like twelve starters at one point. Play really like,

721
00:36:53,320 --> 00:36:55,399
Speaker 2: what the hell are they going to put all these pitchers? Well,

722
00:36:55,440 --> 00:36:58,080
Speaker 2: half of them got hurt, you know, and missed most

723
00:36:58,080 --> 00:37:01,160
Speaker 2: of the season, but they had many they weathered it

724
00:37:01,360 --> 00:37:05,040
Speaker 2: and they were all healthy when the postseasons came around,

725
00:37:05,040 --> 00:37:06,440
Speaker 2: and so they put you know, half of them in

726
00:37:06,480 --> 00:37:09,600
Speaker 2: the bullpen. Sasaki and Glass now both pitched out of

727
00:37:09,600 --> 00:37:13,040
Speaker 2: the bullpen. A Tani pitch sparingly, but when he did pitch,

728
00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:16,759
Speaker 2: he was awesome. Like, yeah, just having depth allows you

729
00:37:16,880 --> 00:37:20,320
Speaker 2: to be able to get through the season without having

730
00:37:20,360 --> 00:37:23,760
Speaker 2: to have all of these guys be healthy all six months.

731
00:37:24,080 --> 00:37:26,120
Speaker 2: And that's what I want. I want the ability for

732
00:37:26,239 --> 00:37:29,319
Speaker 2: Chris Sale to miss a month of the season and

733
00:37:29,360 --> 00:37:31,279
Speaker 2: not be like, all right, well, the season's over, like

734
00:37:31,320 --> 00:37:35,320
Speaker 2: it felt like last year. You know where Schwellenbach can

735
00:37:35,480 --> 00:37:37,840
Speaker 2: or Strider can miss a month and you know the

736
00:37:37,840 --> 00:37:40,320
Speaker 2: season is not over. But you got to have depth.

737
00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:43,239
Speaker 2: And the fact that you have Ronaldo Lopez and Grant

738
00:37:43,239 --> 00:37:44,960
Speaker 2: Holmes who can both pitch out the bullpen, you have

739
00:37:45,000 --> 00:37:47,960
Speaker 2: Herston Walder who can pitch in the miners, gives you

740
00:37:48,040 --> 00:37:50,440
Speaker 2: a level of versatility that you need to take advantage

741
00:37:50,480 --> 00:37:54,200
Speaker 2: of by adding another starter and potentially adding another reliever

742
00:37:54,719 --> 00:37:58,400
Speaker 2: because you can't have too much pitching. So you know,

743
00:37:58,480 --> 00:38:01,160
Speaker 2: that's that's the thesis of why we've said for the

744
00:38:01,239 --> 00:38:03,440
Speaker 2: last three months that we want the Braves out another starter.

745
00:38:04,080 --> 00:38:06,480
Speaker 2: We have definitely heard that they are exploring that. I

746
00:38:06,520 --> 00:38:09,080
Speaker 2: do understand the logic of going big game hunting and

747
00:38:09,200 --> 00:38:13,920
Speaker 2: maybe big game hunting only you know, I do think

748
00:38:13,920 --> 00:38:16,040
Speaker 2: there's a world where they still maybe sign a mid

749
00:38:16,120 --> 00:38:20,920
Speaker 2: rotation guy like a Bassett. But I would not be

750
00:38:20,960 --> 00:38:23,359
Speaker 2: surprised if they are like, all right, we feel good

751
00:38:23,360 --> 00:38:25,680
Speaker 2: with our depth. We do want another top guy. But

752
00:38:25,719 --> 00:38:27,799
Speaker 2: if we don't get the top guy, we're just gonna

753
00:38:27,880 --> 00:38:29,880
Speaker 2: roll with what we have. We'll see what they do.

754
00:38:31,200 --> 00:38:32,799
Speaker 1: Heck, if you don't sit there and you're not able

755
00:38:32,800 --> 00:38:34,319
Speaker 1: to get the top guy that you want, go out

756
00:38:34,360 --> 00:38:36,640
Speaker 1: and get a basket and sign Pete Fairbanks. Just go

757
00:38:36,640 --> 00:38:39,040
Speaker 1: ahead and put three co hoosers back into.

758
00:38:39,120 --> 00:38:40,640
Speaker 2: So sign everybody.

759
00:38:40,840 --> 00:38:43,120
Speaker 1: Hey, you know what, it's good to speculate when you

760
00:38:43,239 --> 00:38:44,160
Speaker 1: have Monday.

761
00:38:44,960 --> 00:38:48,560
Speaker 2: Monday and again, Sean and I Sean knows what I'm

762
00:38:48,560 --> 00:38:51,880
Speaker 2: talking about. We've heard they have money. We've we've definitely

763
00:38:51,960 --> 00:38:54,799
Speaker 2: heard that. So we'll see. I mean, clearly they have more.

764
00:38:55,120 --> 00:38:57,600
Speaker 2: The Braves already, we were gonna do a payroll show,

765
00:38:58,120 --> 00:39:01,799
Speaker 2: but because there is a likelihood or at least a possibility,

766
00:39:01,800 --> 00:39:04,319
Speaker 2: they're going to make another move, we're gonna hold off

767
00:39:04,320 --> 00:39:06,040
Speaker 2: on the payroll shoulder so we don't have to do

768
00:39:06,080 --> 00:39:09,040
Speaker 2: another one after that. But the Braves already have the

769
00:39:09,440 --> 00:39:11,239
Speaker 2: basically the I think I have to go back a

770
00:39:11,280 --> 00:39:12,960
Speaker 2: double check. I think the Braves already have the highest

771
00:39:12,960 --> 00:39:17,120
Speaker 2: payroll in franchise history. Yeah, so, like right now, I

772
00:39:17,120 --> 00:39:19,919
Speaker 2: think it's at like two fifty five or something like that,

773
00:39:20,200 --> 00:39:22,360
Speaker 2: which is the highest payroll the Braves have ever carried

774
00:39:22,520 --> 00:39:26,080
Speaker 2: in their entire history. So they clearly have money. We

775
00:39:26,160 --> 00:39:28,040
Speaker 2: know they have money because they have to send out

776
00:39:28,040 --> 00:39:30,840
Speaker 2: a financial report every three months because they're a publica

777
00:39:30,880 --> 00:39:33,560
Speaker 2: trading company, and they're finally spending it on the team

778
00:39:33,680 --> 00:39:36,640
Speaker 2: at a level that I think is appropriate for the

779
00:39:36,680 --> 00:39:39,600
Speaker 2: size franchise that the Atlanta Braves are, which is one

780
00:39:39,600 --> 00:39:42,400
Speaker 2: of the biggest franchises in the sport, and their payroll

781
00:39:42,440 --> 00:39:45,200
Speaker 2: reflects that, and that's exactly where it should be, and

782
00:39:45,480 --> 00:39:48,480
Speaker 2: apparently it could go even higher, so we'll see.

783
00:39:49,400 --> 00:39:52,759
Speaker 1: Absolutely. The fun thing he is is that if you

784
00:39:52,800 --> 00:39:55,319
Speaker 1: feel that the off season's over, I'm here to tell

785
00:39:55,320 --> 00:39:58,240
Speaker 1: you an honor early corso when the college football playoffs starting,

786
00:39:58,320 --> 00:40:01,319
Speaker 1: not so fast, my friend, you.

787
00:40:01,360 --> 00:40:04,879
Speaker 2: Like that, Steven, don't know, beautiful, beautiful, you like that.

788
00:40:05,200 --> 00:40:07,320
Speaker 1: The point that I'm getting at is is not only

789
00:40:08,440 --> 00:40:13,360
Speaker 1: could more moves be made, but perhaps the most impactful move. Yes, possibly,

790
00:40:13,680 --> 00:40:17,200
Speaker 1: we shall wait and see. For Steven Talbert, you can

791
00:40:17,239 --> 00:40:20,040
Speaker 1: find him a be Undersquare Outliers on Twitter, slash x,

792
00:40:20,040 --> 00:40:22,920
Speaker 1: my Names, Sean Cominett, stats sec in the same place.

793
00:40:23,239 --> 00:40:25,840
Speaker 1: Hammer Territory across all forms of social media, part of

794
00:40:25,840 --> 00:40:29,399
Speaker 1: the foul Territory family of podcasts. You know what, Hey,

795
00:40:29,640 --> 00:40:32,120
Speaker 1: until next time. There will be next time and maybe

796
00:40:32,160 --> 00:40:35,080
Speaker 1: in between now and then you'll get that other notification

797
00:40:35,520 --> 00:40:38,319
Speaker 1: on an emergency podcast. Until next time, go braves. We'll

798
00:40:38,360 --> 00:40:40,840
Speaker 1: talk to you again soon here on the Hammer Territory

799
00:40:40,840 --> 00:40:41,320
Speaker 1: podcast