Yesterday, Alex Anthopolous optioned a whole lot of Braves to the MILB camp. Here’s the list:
There are a few semi-surprising names here that likely deserved shots at the Opening Day Roster: Jordan Luplow, Eli White, Nick Anderson. These 3 are cusp players that have options and AA likes his depth, but…(I’ll answer this but later)…
Then there are 2 that have blown up every single Braves social media outlet that exists. The Braves, in an apparent scheme to “keep depth”, decided to option both Vaughm Grissom and Braden Shewmake to AAA after already saying 1 would start at SS in the majors and the other would start at SS in AAA because it was important for both to get reps. Oh…and the proverbial cherry on top is that the Braves are going to start Orlando Arcia at SS and the “depth” they were referring to keeping, Ehire Adrianza, will be Arcia’s backup.
No. Alex. I don’t believe you. There’s simply no way that you can convince me, a 44 year old human that has watched the Braves since birth, that you’re sending Grissom and Shewmake to AAA because you want to keep Ehire Adrianza for depth. This is the same human that was acquired on August 1st of last year and got a grand total of 16 plate appearances in more than 2 months of baseball games. This is the same guy that carried a .470 OPS in 2022. This is the same guy that could not find a MLB deal and had to settle for a MiLB deal with a ST invite. Seriously? Come on, man. If you have to lie because you got some things in the works, at least make up a better lie than that because everyone knows that you’ve already got depth at AAA in the form of Adeiny Hechavarria.
And let’s get back to Orlando Arcia. From the 2020 through the 2022 season, Orlando Arcia has collected 496.1 innings at SS and 439 of that was in 2020. And while I won’t deny that he likely has the ability to play the position at an average level, I cannot for the life of me believe that he’s going to be the Opening Day roster.
Look…we get it. You’re secretive and truly, I think you’re one of, if not the best, GMs in baseball, but I wouldn’t say the same about your lying skills. They kinda suck.
So…Alex? Who are you trying to acquire? Blink once for Amed Rosario. Blink twice for Jorge Mateo. Blink 3 times for Santiago Espinal.
Roger, I truly think they want to see Soroka against MLB hitters one time before optioning him. I think he’s optioned after tomorrow.
Ozuna for Swanson. (I’m trying to stay serious, but it just won’t happen.) Has any free agent ever been traded before playing for the team that signed him?
I agree, the explanation insults our intelligence – or theirs.
It is possible that they just got to camp and concluded oh, crap Grissom really and truly cannot play shortstop, and Shewmake is Shewmake. I don’t know that some master plan is yet to be revealed, but no, I don’t buy this explanation.
@2 ? It?s against the CBA. I think it?s like mid-June before a major league FA can be traded?
I?m am deeply skeptical of the idea that AA has a grand plan and is just waiting for the opportune moment to yell ?Spring forth, burly protector, and save me!? before acquiring a real shortstop. A less generous interpretation might be that they just assumed something would turn up until, suddenly, it didn?t. Which is what happens when you don?t have the ability to wait out the market and make a deal on your terms.
I guess we just have to wait for the other shoe to drop. Especially on the pitching. I do hope that AA is telling bad lies because he’s got a plan he doesn’t want to reveal.
Greetings from Miami Beach…
Well, I hope AA has a plan… like a new one. It never occurred to me that Arcia would really be the starting SS.
Headed to LoanDepot Park for the WBC final. Saw some very upset Mexicans on South Beach last night. Tough loss, for sure.
I’m not too wound up one way or the other about WBC. I just happen to be here on business & it’s the only thing that’s really going on tonight. Tickets weren’t too bad either. Hope it’s fun.
I wonder if something happened in the clubhouse. It appeared to be Grissom?s job until suddenly he was benched several days in a row without explanation for Shoemake, who evidently didn?t impress them enough to be given the job. Did Grissom piss off Snitker?
@7, I’m thinking that’s a possibility for sure. The baseball part makes no sense, so maybes it’s non-baseball-related. Who knows. Right now I’d like to ask for some money back on my tickets if I have to watch Arcia play SS.
@7&8 Apparently he has a hernia according to Mr. Gammons.
I recall a story (from EOF, I think) about Chipper Jones dressing down a young Jo-Jo Reyes for sitting in the clubhouse on a couch with his feet up on the table eating nachos. If there are some maturity issues with Grissom, I don’t think we’ll know, but I’m skeptical.
9 ? Bowman refuted that.
So Brad is the new Google version of ChatGPT. In my first request, I asked it the following:
Write a blog post on why shortstops aren’t as important as people think
Herewith, my first response from Bard… I think it’s safe to say that I’m not yet afraid that AI will take my nonpaying job here:
In baseball, the shortstop is often considered to be one of the most important positions. They are responsible for fielding ground balls and making throws to first base, as well as covering second base on double plays. However, there is evidence to suggest that shortstops are not as important as people think.
One study found that there is no correlation between a team’s success and the quality of their shortstop. Another study found that teams with good shortstops are actually more likely to lose games than teams with bad shortstops.
There are several reasons why shortstops may not be as important as people think. First, they only play one position. Second, they are not directly involved in scoring runs. Third, they are not as involved in pitching as other positions, such as the catcher.
Despite these reasons, shortstop is still an important position in baseball. A good shortstop can make a team better by preventing runs and making plays that other positions cannot. However, it is important to remember that shortstops are not the only position that matters in baseball.
Here are some additional reasons why shortstops may not be as important as people think:
Shortstops are not as involved in batting as other positions. They only bat once every nine innings, and they typically bat in the bottom third of the lineup.
Shortstops are not as involved in baserunning as other positions. They typically only steal bases when they are already on base, and they are not as likely to score runs as other positions.
Shortstops are not as involved in pitching as other positions. They do not pitch, and they are not as involved in fielding ground balls from other positions.
Overall, shortstop is an important position in baseball, but it is not the only position that matters. A good team needs to have good players at all positions in order to be successful.
Ummmm… It’s Bard, not Brad. Brad is Bard’s buddy from high school.
I like Brad better. Or Chad. “They typically only steal bases when they are already on base”. I feel better already.
They only bat once every 9 innings? Do we get to skip Arcia every time but once?
Thanks, JF. We’re out of coffee in coop’s coop, and I needed a pick-me-up.
JonathanF, can you ask Bard if good pitching beats good hitting, and vice versa?
Kinda boring, actually….
The answer to this question is both yes and no.
Yes, good pitching can beat good hitting. A pitcher who is able to consistently strike out hitters or get them to ground out is going to have a good chance of winning a game, even if the opposing team has a good lineup.
However, good hitting can also beat good pitching. A team with a lineup of hitters who are able to consistently hit the ball hard is going to have a good chance of scoring runs, even if they are facing a good pitcher.
Ultimately, the outcome of a game is determined by a variety of factors, including the pitching, hitting, and defense of both teams. However, good pitching and good hitting are both essential ingredients for success.
That chatbot’s got all five tools of boring, for me. It’s as boring as a 10-year veteran on a Walter Alston team. A lot of young kids growing up watching the game could learn something from this chatbot ??it’s not trying to do too much, just staying on an even keel, slowing things down, sticking to its game, just taking it one day at a time, effortlessly giving one of the most boring answers I have ever seen from a generative AI.
@12 – Next ask it to link to its “studies.”
I use it to write articles about my players in online baseball leagues and no one notices, LOL.
Speaking of… if you’re remotely interested, OOTP 24 came out yesterday and it’s fantastic…
Went to WBC final in Little Havana last night. Gotta say, it was a pretty fun atmosphere with all the international flavor.
Obviously, plenty of USA & Japan supporters, but lotsa people repping most of the Latin American countries, as well. Seems like the people around me bought tickets before they knew which teams would be in the finals. Just in my section, there were fans repping the DR, Mexico, Cuba (of course) & Venezuela. And the people were really into the game.
Of course, just my luck… I sat right next to a Phillies fan. We got along just fine. (Hey, the middle of the lineup was all Phightin’ Phils.)
During Jeff McNeil’s 2 late-inning ABs (resulting in 2 walks), this game also afforded me the only times in my life that I’ve ever publicly hollered, “Let’s go, Mets!” I chuckled at the irony & looked at the Phils fan for support. But he shook his head & said that he couldn’t go that far.
Still, apart from a couple of cringey jingoistic moments, the USA fans behaved themselves & we got a pretty good ballgame with a memorable ending. (And nobody got hurt.)
#12
It reads like one of those 1960s instructional books like, “Better Baseball for Boys.” Yup, basic & boring.
Bravda couldn’t have written that last paragraph any better.
“Overall, shortstop is an important position in baseball, but it is not the only position that matters.”
So out of respect for the SS garbage Snit starts the epic combo of Arcia at SS and the indispensable Adrianza at 2B who promptly celebrates his start with an error that leads to a run? bravo!
Mike Soroka’s on the bump where he belongs, and I can’t complain about that. I hope he toes the rubber five hundred more times for us.
Soroka was better than his line will show, but the most important thing is that he had good velo (up to 95-96) and didn’t get hurt. Also scampered off the mound to field a dribbler in a “hold your breath” moment.
@26: yep. Mike Soroka, the Once and Future Ace.
Walt Alston’s Dodgers were my team until the Braves came south. Then my “cringey jingoistic” tendencies took root. I can applaud superior performance by even a Phillies or Mets player, but my heart and soul belong to the Bravos. My team, good or sorry.
@26, 27, and 28–I don’t want to make any predictions about his future, but man it is great to see Soroka back on the mound, throwing 95 and fielding his position.
So if Soroka gets one more start in ST, I still think there’s a chance he sticks and both Shuster and Dodd go to AAA. That way they use three of the four potential 40-man slots on Adrianza, Pillar, and Chavez. If Wright goes to the IL then one of Shuster or Dodd can be added.
Of course, one can still hope to see the rabbit AA has in his hat.
Soroka did not throw 40 pitches today. He is not going to be ready for the start of the season.
@31 Neither is Wright. What’s the difference between using Soroka as an opener and Chavez as an opener?
I don’t know who Kevin Kilpatrick Jr. is, but he’s in left field just now, he just drew a nice walk, and he’s a 22-year-old kid we drafted in the 17th round last year out of Stockbridge, GA. (He went to Redan High School.) I don’t know if he’s anything at all, but I love seeing kids from the Atlanta area go from rooting for the Braves to suiting up for the Braves. Pretty cool.
We have a new thread.