Spring is in the air and positivity reigns supreme at Cool Today park, with exception of one story at Atlanta Braves Spring Training. Let’s check out what’s going on in Northport, Florida.
Cole Hamels Injury
Obviously this isn’t ideal, but if not a serious injury, this could be a good thing for the Braves as they’ll get to test a few arms out in the first few weeks of the season to see who can stick for the season.
Austin Riley‘s Swing Adjustments
David Lee quickly breaks down swing adjustment of Austin Riley.
Johan Camargo looks like a BEAST!
He really is in in the BSOHL.
Jacob Webb Healthy
According to Bowman below and this piece from the AJC, Jacob Webb’s shoulder problems are behind him for now.
Bryce Ball is LARGE!
Bryce Ball impresses in BP and gets coined the nickname “Drago”. From DOB in his latest over at the Athletic:
“He’s 6-foot-6 and listed at 235 pounds, although he appears to have added at least 10 more pounds of muscle since that weight was recorded. His massive physique and blonde crewcut already have gained him a nickname after the fictional Russian boxer Ivan Drago in “Rocky IV.â€
DOB
Felix Hernandez Healthy…and Still Stubborn
Felix Hernandez declares he’s healthy for first time in 2 years.
While saying he’s healthy, is an encouraging sign, what’s not as encouraging is the statement that he’s not changing anything about his pitch selection despite not having a successful fastball in 1/2 a decade.
Thanks for reading our Atlanta Braves Spring Training notes. If you enjoyed this piece, check out our Atlanta Braves Top-30 Prospect Lists here.
I already had an unhealthy fascination with Bryce Ball but the Drago bit is gold. He better start the year at Rome so I get some good views!
I honestly can’t see Felix making the team if he a) doesn’t break 90 with the fastball and b) shift to a junkball assortment rather than 65% 4-seam. Perhaps he could learn something from Tomlin…
You tell me Claude and Riley (who really needs a nickname, get with it people!) are in TBSOHL? We need that to be true.
Looking it up on the intertoobbs, it seems Riley went with “Ocho” on his player’s weekend jersey because the rest of the team started calling him that due to all the 8th innings defensive replacements early in the year.
We got no new entries yesterday in the Spring Training Contest, so here are the entrants, ordered by #1 hitter. (HTML? I don’t need no stinkin’ HTML.)
Kirk H. Acuna Freeman Ozuna
Tyler Garner Albies Ozuna Acuna
Matt P Alonso Acuna Freeman
Karl Ehrsam Alonso Solarte Ortega
Putter D’Arnaud Albies Swanson
LargeLar Duvall Riley Albies
Dusty Flowers Freeman Camargo
Bebo Stone Freeman Acuna Dansby
Clay Freeman Ozuna Acuna
Smitty Inciarte Camargo Flowers
joel Jackson Riley Acuna
Cindy J Markakis Acuna Riley
Mathew Collier Ozuna Acuna Swanson
Timo Ozuna Riley D’Arnaud
Jan Foster Pache Waters Albies
Rusty S. Riley Camargo Acuna
AAR Riley Ozuna Flowers
Roger Riley Acuna Camargo
Bob S Riley Swanson Acuna
td Riley Duvall Camargo
blazon Swanson Hechevarria Ozuna
Honestly, it would make me feel better if Felix went to Driveline, Extended Spring Training, the whole bit. He’s going to need to learn another pitch, or he’s going to need some Bartolo-level fastball command. I just don’t see that happening in a single Sprint Training and month at Gwinnett.
The bigger issue is makeup. The reports were that Felix refused to change his approach as his stuff was going. Will he truly be able to remake his approach? He’ll never again be the pitcher he was. Can he accept the guy that he is?
Among fireballers who lost their fastball, the Tim Lincecum career path is a whole lot more likely than the Bartolo Colon career path.
This is great service. Thank you.
@ 1: Chester?
I think the Nats will win the division. They have a very strong lineup and the best starting rotation. I expect them to win 90+.
I’m going to need convincing on “Chester”. What does it refer to?
Old tv series The Life of Riley starting William Bendix as Chester A. Riley.
@1 Weren’t we calling him Boom-Boom for a while or something like that…. When he was hitting so hot at first?
Camargo’s legs look so skinny. He could still use some muscle….
@7 I don’t get it. The gNats lose Rendon and don’t make any significant additions and you think they are going to do better? They were second last year with Rendon. We, at least, picked up Ozuna to replace Donaldson and Hamels to replace Keuchel. And Riley/Camargo have a lot more possibility of out-producing Kieboom than vice versa. And our bullpen. C’mon.
OK, got an important question about the contest tiebreaker that should be resolved now before controversy strikes. Suppose the first homer is hit by someone who is not a first choice (say Camargo). Then the next homer is hit by Riley. Would that make Rusty S. the winner, or do we only care about who homers next after Riley?
Anyone?
@11: Your scenario then goes to the second choice of the five who have Riley; whichever of Camargo, Ozuna, Acuna, Swanson or Duvall homered next would determine the winner.
Since no entry has the same batters at #1 and #2, #3 is irrelevant.
@13 So Camargo’s homer does not count towards resolving the tie since it came before Riley’s. That was my question. Thanks.
@12, my mailbag question is the same one I’ve been privately advocating for the last year and change in the comments here:
Any chance the Braves try an occasional opener/bullpen game strategy in their 5th/6th starter slot? That’s how I’d like to see Toussaint, Wilson, and Wright break their way in: more than one inning, fewer than six.
Or is that something that AA and Snit simply have no interest in?
I’m usually a defender of sports commissioners because they have a lot of different types of people and interests to accommodate at all times, but man, Manfred is screwing the pooch on the regular. The minor league stuff, the playoff stuff, the Astros stuff. He’s just taking L’s after L’s on the way he’s handling everything lately.
If Riley or Camargo tears the cover off the ball in Spring Training, will you guys feel better about losing Donaldson? Or will you just chalk it up to Spring Training flukeyness?
With a revamped swing from Riley and Camargo in remarkable shape, I think if either kills ST, we should be excited until they give us reason not to be.
I don’t buy BSOHL stories as a rule, so I’m going to adopt a what have you done for me lately approach to both, but I’m willing to be impressed. If they carry a hot bat from March to May, I’ll be cautiously excited.
New thread.
https://bravesjournal.mystagingwebsite.com/2020/02/17/atlanta-braves-roster-talk-2-opening-day/