Today’s Braves and Rockies game will start at 8:40 ET and will feature a hot Charlie Morton facing off against RHP Peter Lambert. Lambert has been a swingman for the Rockies this year, appearing in 22 games and starting 8. It’s odd when a pitcher has reverse splits, and Lambert’s reverse splits oddities aren’t of the LHB/RHB varieties, but in the role. He has a 4.92 ERA on the year, but he’s been lightyears better in the starting role, carrying a 3.38 ERA in 40 IP compared to a 6.89 ERA in 31.1 IP as a reliever.
August 29th is Apparently Waiver Day
In a shocking move today the L.A. Angels placed 5 guys on waivers and, if claimed, the only thing the Angels will receive back is cold hard cash. The Angels, in return, will receive shitty attendance for the rest of the 2023 season. Here’s the lot:
That’s quite a shopping list, but it’s not likely that any of those guys make it to the Braves considering waiver claims go in order of record. But there’s more…
It’s quite remarkable that talent of this quality is available to any team that can pay. What a world. And while it’s not waivers, another player, a former Brave, was released.
Earlier today, in my off period at school, I looked up Josh Donaldson‘s Fangraphs page and I was dumbfounded by what I saw. Over 106 PAs in 2023, Donaldson carried a .076 BABIP. I’ve never seen anything remotely close to that and it’s not like he’s a 3 true outcome player. Will AA reunite with him again? I doubt it, but crazier things have happened.
Some Interesting Promotions
I haven’t been doing it as much on Braves Journal as I have on Twitter, but there’s a pitcher that was drafted this year that is catching some serious eyes in the org. We all know AA has been aggressive with promotions in the past few years and he continues that trend today.
Hurston Waldrep and Drake Baldwin are headed to Pearl and for Waldrep, I believe it could be more in a few days. I’ve been harping on it, but Pearl is where the Braves test their players and AAA is where they keep their cusp guys (for the most part). Waldrep has only pitched in 15 innings, but they’ve been lights out innings: 1.20 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 6BB, 25K. It’s my belief that he’ll get bullpen innings these next few days and if he continues to show out, he’ll be showing out in Atlanta come September.
Braves Lineup
Let’s do this thing.
JC’d
Pat Corrales, RIP
This Braves offense is fun to watch.
Where is everybody?
15 hits and … 3 runs? You get unlucky sometimes. Fortunately it was against the Rocks. Ozuna continues to look like a player.
Looked at the box score once late in the game and cringed, thinking the team might lose despite outhitting the Rockies by 10. In the end they won, but 18 baserunners (including two doubles, a triple, & a HR) seems like it should add up to more than three runs even if a DP, a pickoff, and an outfield assist took care of three of them.
Hurston Waldrep promoted to AA already. I propose calling him either, “the Millionaire” or “Bacchus” once he gets to the show. Any chance he sees the bullpen this year?
Also posting to the bar
Recap is up! Sorry for the delay.