Braves Regular Season

[stinger78]

If everyone could locate their pitches and have them move like Maddox, then 90/91 would probably be sufficient. Glavine did the same thing. They could muscle up to 92/93, but it tended to straighten out their pitch and made it more hittable.

More could if they were trained that way from their youth, but the heater is the fastest way to success in HS, college, and MiLB. You cannot get by for long in MLB with just a 4-seamer and a slider though. You're going to have games where one or the other isn't working, then what do you do? You got one pitch.

I vacillate between the conspiracy that MLB owners are trying to lower the price of starting pitchers by changing how quickly they can be replaced (heater for heater), and, on the other hand, the notion that lower leagues are promoting pitchers based on what they can master most quickly - a relatively straight pitch that is 95+ mph. That pitch will likely make you a star in any league lower than MLB, and that's their ticket. I just don't think young guys these days are being taught to pitch, they are being taught to rear back and throw it as hard as they can - over and over and over. But why? It's ultimately destructive... but is that what MLB owners want? A large supply of less expensive, more disposable pitchers.

 

[stinger78]

Looking over some stats this afternoon, and it appears a small handful of Braves are heating up at the plate. Arcia, Olson, and d’Arnauld are getting hits now, with Arcia over .300 and TD over .400 for their last 7 games. Olson is hitting about .260 and even Duvall is over .200 for that time span. If those four can keep on, and if Riley can get his swing back along with Ozuna, the Braves can maybe hold on to a wild card slot. It’s a lotta ifs, but that’s about all we have this season.

 

[THWG]

Looking over some stats this afternoon, and it appears a small handful of Braves are heating up at the plate. Arcia, Olson, and d’Arnauld are getting hits now, with Arcia over .300 and TD over .400 for their last 7 games. Olson is hitting about .260 and even Duvall is over .200 for that time span. If those four can keep on, and if Riley can get his swing back along with Ozuna, the Braves can maybe hold on to a wild card slot. It’s a lotta ifs, but that’s about all we have this season.

Arcia has looked so much better at the plate since the all star break. He's not chasing sliders off the corner anymore.

 

[stinger78]

Arcia has looked so much better at the plate since the all star break. He's not chasing sliders off the corner anymore.

Yes! He’s barreling the ball a lot, too.

 

[forensicbuzz]

More could if they were trained that way from their youth, but the heater is the fastest way to success in HS, college, and MiLB. You cannot get by for long in MLB with just a 4-seamer and a slider though. You're going to have games where one or the other isn't working, then what do you do? You got one pitch.

I vacillate between the conspiracy that MLB owners are trying to lower the price of starting pitchers by changing how quickly they can be replaced (heater for heater), and, on the other hand, the notion that lower leagues are promoting pitchers based on what they can master most quickly - a relatively straight pitch that is 95+ mph. That pitch will likely make you a star in any league lower than MLB, and that's their ticket. I just don't think young guys these days are being taught to pitch, they are being taught to rear back and throw it as hard as they can - over and over and over. But why? It's ultimately destructive... but is that what MLB owners want? A large supply of less expensive, more disposable pitchers.

I can only speak from my own experience regarding pitchers. My brother pitched in college. He threw the ball in the low 90's, but his best pitch was a knuckle-curve that would wobble your knees. He eventually gave it up because of shoulder pain (most pitchers give up because it's no longer fun and the pain is too much). My 15 year-old son also pitches. He's throwing in the low 80s, but he and his teammates are being taught how to pitch by changing speeds and moving the ball around. Everyone knows that if you sit dead-red fastball, any batter will eventually catch up to it and that as the innings accumulate, the top speed will drop off a little, becoming even more hittable. This has been my experience with current HS and Elite Travel baseball.

 

[stinger78]

I can only speak from my own experience regarding pitchers. My brother pitched in college. He threw the ball in the low 90's, but his best pitch was a knuckle-curve that would wobble your knees. He eventually gave it up because of shoulder pain (most pitchers give up because it's no longer fun and the pain is too much). My 15 year-old son also pitches. He's throwing in the low 80s, but he and his teammates are being taught how to pitch by changing speeds and moving the ball around. Everyone knows that if you sit dead-red fastball, any batter will eventually catch up to it and that as the innings accumulate, the top speed will drop off a little, becoming even more hittable. This has been my experience with current HS and Elite Travel baseball.

That's good to hear. It will be interesting to watch how he fares as he gets up in age a few more years and his coaches either have to mature him as a pitcher or opt for the flame thrower who is "game ready."

 

[forensicbuzz]

That's good to hear. It will be interesting to watch how he fares as he gets up in age a few more years and his coaches either have to mature him as a pitcher or opt for the flame thrower who is "game ready."

He'll be a catcher only by the end of his sophomore year. Nowadays, most pitchers are pitchers-only and they don't hit. I think it's a travesty to pigeonhole a 16/17-year-old kid, but that's how they roll in today's era of specialization. I think it has led to an increase in injuries due to overwork and lack of development of other muscle groups.

 

[stinger78]

He'll be a catcher only by the end of his sophomore year. Nowadays, most pitchers are pitchers-only and they don't hit. I think it's a travesty to pigeonhole a 16/17-year-old kid, but that's how they roll in today's era of specialization. I think it has led to an increase in injuries due to overwork and lack of development of other muscle groups.

Did you happen to hear Fran Healey’s interview of Tom Glavine after the game Saturday? Amazing! FH asked him about hitting and if his hockey helped him. Glav agreed, but said he also played other positions when he wasn’t on the mound all the way up to MiLB. He felt locking pitchers into just that position has killed their hitting.

 

[Poodletop]

Some good news. MRI for Lopez showed no damage.

 

[stinger78]

Braves acquire Luke Jackson and Jorge Soler from the Giants for Tyler Matzek and Sabin Ceballos (3B).

 

[Golden Tornadoes]

Braves acquire Luke Jackson and Jorge Soler from the Giants for Tyler Matzek and Sabin Ceballos (3B).

Sabin was raking in Single A so far and Matzek was on the verge of coming off the IL. Luke has been generally underwhelming this year and so has Soler. I'm not sure if this is the trade we needed, but in AA I trust!

 

[LargeFO]

Sabin was raking in Single A so far and Matzek was on the verge of coming off the IL. Luke has been generally underwhelming this year and so has Soler. I'm not sure if this is the trade we needed, but in AA I trust!

I love what Matsek did for us a couple years ago but I think he's toast.

 

[kg01]

Sabin was raking in Single A so far and Matzek was on the verge of coming off the IL. Luke has been generally underwhelming this year and so has Soler. I'm not sure if this is the trade we needed, but in AA I trust!

Yeah, like @LargeFO said, I'm thinking Matzek is washed. I still have nightmares about Luke Jackson. Eek, he was bad at times. Soler? Ok but I hope this is just a precursor to more deals.

 

[stinger78]

Yeah, like @LargeFO said, I'm thinking Matzek is washed. I still have nightmares about Luke Jackson. Eek, he was bad at times. Soler? Ok but I hope this is just a precursor to more deals.

My first thought on Soler was where does he play? He's better than Ozuna in the field, but not by a whole lot. You're not sitting MO for anyone right now. Are you putting him on the field? If so, who sits? IS it Kelenic, Duvall, or Rosario? All are better defensive OF than Soler. Is his hitting good enough to make that exchange.

 

[kg01]

My first thought on Soler was where does he play? He's better than Ozuna in the field, but not by a whole lot. You're not sitting MO for anyone right now. Are you putting him on the field? If so, who sits? IS it Kelenic, Duvall, or Rosario? All are better defensive OF than Soler. Is his hitting good enough to make that exchange.

My thoughts exactly. But I can't lie, I've seen all those defensive aces play some poor outfield lately. They all seem to be in their own heads. Kelenic looks like he needs several games off. But we can't afford to sit him.

 

[Golden Tornadoes]

My first thought on Soler was where does he play? He's better than Ozuna in the field, but not by a whole lot. You're not sitting MO for anyone right now. Are you putting him on the field? If so, who sits? IS it Kelenic, Duvall, or Rosario? All are better defensive OF than Soler. Is his hitting good enough to make that exchange.

I read that the Braves do intend on playing him in the field. Like you said, Ozuna is our DH which is where Soler has been playing this entire year. I would venture to guess they will sit Rosario, but who knows.

 

[stinger78]

My thoughts exactly. But I can't lie, I've seen all those defensive aces play some poor outfield lately. They all seem to be in their own heads. Kelenic looks like he needs several games off. But we can't afford to sit him.

Sure. I hear you. However, a caveat.... Riley recently had time off for family leave. He made a couple of throwing errors Friday night. He's a good defensive 3B. Errors happen. We do know that Eddie can sometimes "get lost" in LF. Kelenic and Duvall both make relatively few errors.

ETA: Since Soler is RH, maybe a platoon with Rosario against LH pitchers? I dunno.

 

[THWG]

Sure. I hear you. However, a caveat.... Riley recently had time off for family leave. He made a couple of throwing errors Friday night. He's a good defensive 3B. Errors happen. We do know that Eddie can sometimes "get lost" in LF. Kelenic and Duvall both make relatively few errors.

ETA: Since Soler is RH, maybe a platoon with Rosario against LH pitchers? I dunno.

I'm thinking Soler plays every day and Rosario and Duvall platoon.

 

[stinger78]

I'm thinking Soler plays every day and Rosario and Duvall platoon.

Could be. He's certainly an improvement at the plate, currently hitting .240 BA/ .330 OBP/ .419 SLG, with 12 HR in 392 PA. However, he's not played a minute in the field this season. He hasn';t made an E since 2021 in 89 games in the field. Not a liability, by any means not a strong fielder.

 

[Golden Tornadoes]

I read today that the Soler/Jackson reunion was too good for AA to pass up on. Once it became available, he decided to pull the trigger, but it was expected to be a quiet deadline for us. So far that is proving to be true. Seems like AA wanted to kind of punt on this year and bank on returning to real contention next year.