Let's talk about what the Braves' might do in the upcoming MLB Draft. I give an overview of the Braves' farm system and give some names of who the Braves might target with their first pick. Will they continue their trend of going underslot with their first pick, or will a bigger name fall to them at 24? Your guess is as good as mine.
While thrashing the Marlins in a dominating three game sweep, an amazing eight Braves are named to the NL all-star team. That is the most in franchise history. What makes this team so special? Charlie Morton knows why. I break down some of his comments, give some credit to the Braves coaching staff, and show some more love to the brilliance of Ronald Acuna, Jr.
The Braves had an historic June, going 21-4 and crushing an NL record 61 homers. Even as the Braves still await the return of Max Fried, they appear to be the class of the National League and perhaps all of baseball. In this episode we break down the reasons the Braves found another gear offensively including the reemergence of Michael Harris and Eddie Rosario, as well as the monster run that Matt Olson is on.
Michael Harris struggled through the first two plus months of the season, but now seems to be coming out of it in a big way. Meanwhile Spencer Strider has experienced his own trials on the mound as he searches for answers. Should we be concerned about Strider?
Despite dropping their final game against the Nationals, the Braves are riding high, having won 8 of their last 10 games. One area that could improve is the starting pitching. Facing the weak Tigers' offense might be just what the doctor ordered. Also, have you listened to the Braves' radio broadcast lately? Joe Simpson and Ben Ingram should be appreciated. Meanwhile, should we rethink how we view Marcell Ozuna? Not only has he been one of the best hitters in baseball for more than a month, but ...
Coming into this series riding high after a Rosario game winning grand slam in Arizona, the Braves find another level against the Mets, sweeping them in three straight comeback wins. It really was a team effort, as every position player had huge moments to help them sweep their division rivals.
After a bad series in Oakland and dropping the first game in Arizona in disappointing fashion, the Braves bounced back in impressive form. Acuna continues to dazzle while Eddie Rosario came to life in a big way, punctuated by a go ahead grand slam in the 9th inning to clinch the series win. Meanwhile, the starting staff continues to shift as Soroka goes back to AAA while A.J. Smith-Shawver looks to be in line for a start this weekend.
The Braves continued their less than stellar stretch of baseball, losing two out of three games to the lowly Oakland A's. Despite continued bullpen struggles and inconsistent offense, some positive developments are happening. Michael Soroka made his much anticipated return and top prospect A.J. Smith-Shawver was called up to bolster the bullpen. As the Braves get an off day and turn around to play the surging D'Backs, perhaps this is the moment for a nice Braves run of good baseball.
Despite being 7-10 over their last 17 games, their are several positive developments that have me feeling optimistic about the next stretch of games for the Braves. One of those is the long awaited return of Michael Soroka. We should all be pulling for him and appreciate the journey he has taken to get back to the big leagues.
The Braves continue to struggle mightily against the Toronto Blue Jays, losing three straight winnable games. The impact of the losses of Fried and Wright is already evident as the bullpen is overexposed. The offense must get going as the Braves will need to lean on it more for sustained success.
The Braves are blessed with the two most valuable players in baseball as we speak. Sean Murphy and Ronald Acuna have been nothing short of awesome. Despite multiple injuries continuing to plague the Braves, these two along with key contributions from the rest of the team have helped the Braves to the best record in the National League. However, concerns still linger especially over the health of the starting rotation.
After winning eight straight, the Braves hit their worst losing streak since 2021. Losers of four straight, the bullpen has begun to falter and several in the lineup have gone cold. But it's not all bad. Acuna and Murphy have been terrific while the starting rotation has rounded into form nicely. Here's hoping another winning streak is right around the corner.
Despite a rash of injuries and key players on the IL the Braves have played well in the first few weeks of the season. Some unlikely players including Bryce Elder, Sam Hilliard, and Jesse Chavez have stepped up and proven to give the Braves great depth that should lead to success for the long season to come.
There are a ton of positives from the first week of the season for the Braves, but none bigger than the play of Ronald Acuna, Jr. He looks faster and more explosive than ever, showing all five tools at an elite level. Braves fans have a lot to be excited about this season.
Take a listen to several brave predictions of what I expect from the Braves this year. Beyond some individual player predictions, I also give you my playoff predictions. Then I give you my take on the opening series against the Nationals. Yes, there were some disappointments, but it largely left me encouraged.
Let's dive into player predictions for the upcoming season. Will Acuna be back to his dominant self? Will Michael Harris have a sophomore slump or continue to be a beast? Will time finally run out on Charlie Morton's arm or will he turn back the clock one more time? I break down every key player for the Braves and give an over/under prediction on Fangraphs projections.
Everyone was a mix of shocked and confused by the Braves' shortstop decision. What went into it? Is it all about 40 man roster depth or is there something else to it? Also, beyond the shortstop issue, there are a lot of good things going for the Braves. We'll talk about those too.
As we get closer to opening day the position battles are coming into focus with several surprises. Ian Anderson and Bryce Elder were underwhelming in their spring performances and were unceremoniously sent down to minors camp, putting Jared Shuster and Dylan Dodd competing for the 5th starter spot. Meanwhile the 4th outfielder battle has gotten interesting as Sam Hilliard and Eli White have outperformed expectations. And finally, Braden Shewmake has performed well and caused some to wonder if he...
Let's talk about the new pitch clock rule. I give my thoughts on the pros and cons of the rule and especially the potential downsides. Meanwhile, the fifth starter competition hasn't gotten off to the best of starts but that doesn't mean you should be worried. And finally, Vaughn Grissom looks good in the early goings of spring training. Will he be Dansby Swanson? No, but he doesn't need to be. He may never be Dansby with the glove, but he could be the better overall player if given a chance to ...
On the eve of spring training, we take a break from baseball news to talk about the best baseball movies of all time. Do you agree with my list?
In this weeks episodes we cover the departure of Chip Caray to the Cardinals. Are you going to miss Chip or are you excited about who might replace him? We also update how Vaughn Grissom's workouts have been going with Wash, who got an invite to spring training, and what the ZIPs projections think about the Braves chances this year.
The Astros hire away Braves' scouting director Dana Brown. We take a look at his impressive tenure with the Braves. Meanwhile, Brian Snitker deservingly gets an extension, signing through 2025. Join as we discuss these developments and other recent news.
First we discuss the complicated legacy of John Coppolella after MLB lifted the ex-Braves GM's lifetime ban. Many of the Braves' core players were added by Coppy, yet his tenure was still a stain on the organization. Next, we analyze why Vaughn Grissom should be given a chance to be starting shortstop for the Braves this season. The Braves keep saying they believe in him, and it will be interesting to see how he responds.
The Braves have done a great job over the last few seasons to lock up some of their best players, mostly position players. Left Field is obvious area of immediate need, while Shortstop is a big question mark, with the Braves seemingly placing their hopes in the promise of Vaughn Grissom. But looking a little deeper, the biggest area of concern long-term may be at starting pitcher. Join me as I dive into how this season could define the Braves' direction at these positions.
The Braves extend yet another member of their young core, locking up newly acquired catcher Sean Murphy to a 6 year $73 million dollar contract. We discuss the value of the move and how the Braves continue to be able to lock up players on "team friendly deals."
With the signing of Carlos Correa (we think) the Mets may be the favorites on paper to win the NL East. Of course, baseball isn't played on paper, so we dive into the strengths and weaknesses of each team. We discuss where the Braves can get better and what weaknesses may be lurking for the Mets.
Dansby Swanson leaves Atlanta for Chicago as he accepts a 7 year $177 million deal from the Cubs. The Braves likely never made a competitive offer for the long time Braves shortstop. We discuss why and talk about about the ramifications of the holes left by Dansby's departure. He leaves with 1 world series ring, a gold glove, an all-star appearance, and 5 NL East division titles.
The Braves make a surprising trade for Oakland catcher Sean Murphy. While Murphy is a great player, this move deserves some scrutiny as the Braves part ways with the talented, young, and controllable William Contreras. We analyze the move and discuss how it could shape the rest of the offseason for the Braves.
The Braves weren't very active during the winter meetings, but that doesn't mean there aren't any take-aways. It's becoming increasingly likely that the Braves don't resign Dansby Swanson, and if that happens then what do the Braves do to replace his production? Several free agent targets are off the board. Do the Braves turn to the trade market? We'll look at their options.
Beyond the shortstop question (Dansby) what else might be Braves do this offseason. Could they go big to improve left field or will they go with internal options? Will they venture into the waters of the massive free agent pitching options like DeGrom and Verlander or do they like what they have already?
