12 IP, 15 H, 1 1R, 6 BB, 13 K, 8.25 ERA.
Spring training stats mean nothing. This is a true statement. No matter how good or bad you are during practice games, there will be 0 effect on a team’s wins or losses in a regular season game. There’s no trophy for finishing first in practice games. However, to say spring means nothing, would be both correct and also terribely incorrect.
When Jarred Kelenic entered spring training, he was penciled in as the everyday starter in left field. 42 ABs and a pitiful .233 OPS later, he is now in a platoon with newly signed Adam Duvall.
Bryce Elder was a staple in the rotation in 2023, but the league adjusted to him and he was pretty awful from early July through the end of the season. Fatigue was the primary conversational starting point because we all wanted to believe he was as good as his first 3 months and his 2.45 ERA (while completely ignoring the 3.76 FIP). Spring brings a fresh start and optimism reigns supreme. Coming off of offseason workouts, players are out to show their new toys. Unfortunately for Elder, the toys were on back order and regrettably, the bad news came:
While I thought the Braves would go the 6-man route for the first few weeks, this all but removes that possibility. At this point, barring injury, the rotation is set with Spencer Strider, Max Fried, Chris Sale, Charlie Morton, and Reynaldo Lopez.
The bullpen looks to also be set with Raisel Iglesias, Joe Jimenez, Pierce Johnson, A.J. Minter, Tyler Matzek, Aaron Bummer, Dylan Lee, and Jackson Stephens.
We don’t have to go through the lineup, but it looks like it’s pretty much set for 7 positions with Sean Murphy and Travis D’Arnaud splitting catching duties (I’m guessing 100 games for Sean, 60 for Travis), and Adam Duvall and Jarred Kelenic platooning in LF.
With one of the catchers and left fielders on the bench, that leaves 2 open spots on the offense, and one of which will go to Luis Guillorme. AA works in shadows and while there’s whispers that Luke Williams will get one of the spots, there’s still so much in the air that it’s hard to say.
Or they go with someone outside the org again.
I’m not surprised or disappointed about Elder, but it’s gonna sting if Kelenic doesn’t at least match last year’s mediocre production.
I think we need to give Kelenic some room. Anyone remember what Duvall’s batting line was in 2018 when we picked him up at the deadline? .132/.153/.151 for a .344 OPS and a -5 OPS+. He spent most of the next season in AAA beginning to mash again before he was called up for 41 games and was outstanding and has been the same ever since. And Duvall had a better past history than Kelenic. Kelenic will come around.
Braves just reassigned a ton to MiLB camp and only 28 remain. However, 2 of those are Perdomo and Murphy so the roster is set and Forrest Wall made the team.
Only mistake for me was Williams for Wall.
New thread.