Baffled. When a heavy set “old skills” player shows a decline in his late 20’s or early 30’s he’s done, right? right!!!! That is what all of the statistics say. So, as 2020 ended, Marcell Ozuna is having his best year at age 29. Then, in 2021, his offense essentially collapses and his defense ticks down a little more. Then throughout 2022 almost the same thing (now ending 31). So, some moron took the 100-to-1 bet that he would never be a productive major leaguer again. Then, that moron saw production in early 2023 just like all of 2021 and all of 2022. Well, that moron could be a rich moron depending on how much money that moron put down.
Baffled. Charlie Morton was in the big leagues for 8 years of middling, barely above replacement level, ability. Then, Big Game Chuck was born. But Father Time always catches up to players, right. 2021 World Series Morton pitches to 2 batters (effectively) AFTER a broken leg. Then he has trouble getting going in 2022, but he keeps having trouble. Nevertheless, AA elects the option, and adds another at $20 million. Then, he spends half of a season oscillating between “pretty good” and “not too good.” A “playoff 4,” if you will. Now, “you get the feeling that Charlie Morton isn’t pitching against left handers, he isn’t pitching against pinch hitters, he isn’t pitching against the Mets or Yankees. He’s pitching against time. He’s pitching against the future, against age, and even when you think about his career, against ending. And tonight, I think he might be able to use that aching old arm one more time to push the sun back up in the sky and give us one more day of summer.” October is coming. Aren’t we glad we have Big Game Chuck?
Baffled. How $430 million (counting the “tax”) generates this awful collection of middling to poor talent known as the New York Mess, I mean Mets. Really? Really!!!? Yes, I am happy that my team beat them down. And yes, my team is good enough to beat people down. But this is actually a pathetic assemblage. We just sense the Flushing sound.
Baffled. At how a club can continue to dominate scoring in the first inning. Everything else that happens in a game is influenced to a team’s benefit when it gets on the board in inning 1. This team is historic as to that feature. And, in last night’s first inning, it was not a basher thing. 2 outs. Then, 3 singles and a run in. Then, a walk and a line out with the bases loaded. For almost my entire Braves fandom, that was an “oh, crap” moment. You just knew that failing to capitalize a little more would bite you in the butt. This team has largely cleansed my soul of that stain.
Baffled. At how AA can continue to swap broken marbles for chipped marbles for discolored marbles and after about 10 transactions ends up with a lot of pretty damn good marbles. Michael Tonkin and Kirby Yates each got a scoreless inning. You go get Nicky Lopez and he can field with the best and even as of last night still had a 1.000 OPS as a Brave. No, he won’t keep that, but how does this AA do this stuff? The Branch Rickey of the 21st Century.
Baffled. At how a virtual community of people how have interest in laundry with a big A on it have coalesced around this little spot on the web.
“The Branch Rickey of the 21st Century” – I like that. Alex hasn’t done anything to permanently change the game, like integrating baseball or inventing the farm system. But he is very possibly (probably?) the best GM in baseball. Just as they were in the 1990s, Atlanta is the envy of baseball; from baseball operations to player development to scouting to coaching to the talent on the field, every aspect of the club is quality, and built for long-term success.
The contrast with the Mets, from top to bottom, could not be more clear.
Indeed a wonderfully good recap. Thanks Cliff! Let’s not forget that the business side of the organization has to be good so it can support all the baseball side aspects Alex mentioned.
Wonderful recap. I’ve seen a lot of positive buzz on Jhancarlos Lara lately. My suspicion is our system won’t be at the bottom of the league very long.
Has there been any more news on the TV deal? The last I read suggested Bally wouldn’t miss payments to the Braves but if they do our rights would revert to streaming like the Padres, right?
Man, Charlie was so good last night. His Game Score (v2) of 88 is his best of the season so far, and his 11 Ks are a season high as well.
And yes, AA really is remarkable. Getting Nicky Lopez in exchange for a Quad-A reliever was a stroke of genius (but also, what on earth are they doing over there in Kansas City?).
FANTASTIC recap, cliff, thank you! Did I recognize some “For the Love of the Game” in there?
Absolutely. I realized after posting that I did not have the lead or beginning quotation mark. Then, edit to put in Charlie Morton (for Billy Chapel) and to put “Mets and Yankees” where it was just Yankees in the original.
Vin Scully as Vin Scully in that movie is absolutely incredible.
Thank you, Alex. Typically stellar recap. Kudos.
All credit should go to Cliff!
Still typically stellar, cliff. Thanks.
I loved this recap Cliff. I know they had injuries and things didn’t fall into place, but the Mets’ opening day lineup did not look like the most expensive in baseball. The track records of McNeil, Canha, Vogelback, Escobar, and Nervaez did not exactly scream success.