Braves Journal Nation:
I’m here to announce a change that, if all goes right, you wouldn’t have noticed if I hadn’t announced it. Ryan is stepping down as chief-bottle-washer here at Braves Journal and I will be assuming his position, bottle brush in hand. He’s not going anywhere, so if you hate his content you will be able to continue to do so. If you follow him on X, I suspect his informative hot takes will continue unabated as well. If you hate me, well, I commend your savvy taste. There aren’t enough of you, though, so I keep doing it. And I’m not going to be posting on X, so I don’t think you’re going to have to put up with a lot more of me.
There are no real changes planned here — we may get a few fewer game threads, so that live comments on a Wednesday game will probably be awkwardly stuck at the bottom of the Tuesday recap, And The Bar may be retired to simply return to a long string of comments attached to the regular posts; I’m not completely sure about that yet. We will continue to post as long as we have stuff to post, and the posters: Ryan, Alex, Tfloyd, Rob, Snowshine, etc. are unchanged so far as I know. If you, sainted reader, would like to join the roster of aging Braves Journal immortals and contribute frequently or infrequently, let me know.
I have reached into the past to make some important staffing changes to reduce the burden on me. blazon has been made poetry editor and iheartemmastone is now in charge of website security. I haven’t told either of them (or indeed know where to find either of them) so you shouldn’t either. All of this is to say that all old grudges have been reset. Anybody can come back who wants to, and you can stay until you piss me off. And I’ve got a pretty high boiling point. That said, this is still Mac’s Joint, and the Prime Thomason Directive will be enforced ruthlessly: no political discussion, and arch baseball comments whose main thrust is indirectly political will be tolerated, but in extremely small doses. Pure baseball disagreements are not only tolerated but celebrated, at least until an invisible line is crossed from light to heat.
I’d like to announce another change that isn’t really a change — it’s just something we’re trying to make happen that we’ve tried to make happen before without success — we’re still going to try to have a Braves Journal get-together at Truist Park on some languid weekend evening this year. The logistics of this are complicated, but the desire to make it happen continues unabated. Neither Alex nor I have even been to a game at Truist, but we’re going to try and make this happen anyway.
Ryan is giving up his majordomo role because he has discovered, as did Alex and Rob before him, that this job is too damn much work. I’m too stupid to understand that, but now in the absence of both meaningful employment and nuptial companionship, I’ve got no excuses for not taking my turn. I tried to get my dog to object, but she likes watching baseball. The season starts next week. Play Ball.
I love your writing (and your name) Thanks for stepping up. I look forward to another great season.
Any true baseball fan is superstitious, so I will assume this changing of the guard will come with a changing of our Braves postseason luck. Ryan’s sacrifice will not go unnoticed or unappreciated. Way to take one for the team mate! The only thing I ask is nobody change his underwear until we get a ring. It’s a trivial request of nontrivial importance.
When I volunteered to take over the blog, I had 2 young kids and a wife with a local job. Fast forward to the present, and I now have 3 kids and a wife that travels for work at least 3 days a week. It became apparent that I just couldn’t keep up with the workload as it was putting real stress on our family.
I’ll still be here as a recapper, scoop provider, and commenter, so don’t forget about me just yet!
On a side note, I was really nervous that this wonderful blog would collapse if I left and I am so happy that Jonathan, who’s long been one of my favorite writers here, decided to be the next in line.
Thank you, Braves Journalers for allowing me the privilege of carrying on Mac’s legacy and I look forward to seeing what Jonathan can do for our wonderful little nook on this World Wide Web!
Thanks you once again Ryan, and thank you JonathanF.
I am glad Drake made the team. Anybody know anything about Enyel de los Santos?
First time I have watched more than a 1/2 inning of spring training ball. First chance to see Drake Baldwin throw out a runner and it was a miserable failure – cost us a run. We were down 3-0 in the 8th and Smith-Shawver didn’t look great, but Atlanta scored 7 in the 9th and someone named Ingaram came in to close it out for us. Braves win! Braves win! My main takeaway is I’m thankful we have better announcers than Tampa Bay. Who said spring training doesn’t mean anything?
Btw, thanks for all you have done to keep things going Ryan. Agreed that JonathanF has some potential. On a different note, I remember a new pitcher coming into spring training many years ago and people on this blog talking about how he just did not have it. It was so bad that he got the nickname O’Failurety. Fortunately for Atlanta the name didn’t stick and Eric O’Flaherty had some pretty decent seasons for us. (-:
Of EOF’s 3.8 career WAR, 6.8 was earned for the Braves 🙂
Thanks for keeping the best place in the internet running, JonathanF and thank you Ryan. You did a truly great job with Braves Journal and developed the site so much. Happy that you continue to be around regardless.
I bought tickets to the Dodgers series, Sat and Sun in early May if anyone is around that weekend. I hope Strider and RAJ are, too.
Go Braves!
We all owe a big debt of gratitude to you, Ryan, not just for keeping this place alive, but also moving it forward in many ways. I know it’s been a labor of love. And also to Alex and to Rob before you for the same. Mac did indeed build this house. It’s wonderful how it still bears his unmistakeable and brilliant stamp, and the dedication of you guys is the main reason for that.
Scouting reports on the new guy JonathanF are all positive. I know that prospects will break your heart, but I’m convinced this kid has what it takes.
I’m personally thrilled that the blog will be in your hands, JonathanF.
And it looks like Bryce Elder might be our new long man. Good luck to you both!
I just read about the possible change and that would mean losing Ian Anderson which I think would be unacceptable. Elder still has options so I bet he’ll be used as a starter for doubleheaders and Anderson will be given the chance to be long reliever. How much difference is there really between the two? I also have to think Daysbel will go down for Kimbrel and AJSS will go down for Strider unless the Braves plan to lose someone (or, God forbid, an injury happens).
Oh, and Kelenic vs. Verdugo and de la Cruz vs. Acuna.
Congrats, Jonathan. Thank you Ryan, Alex, and everyone else who keeps this place going.
Speaking of negative WAR outside of Atlanta. Jesse Chavez was just released by the Rangers. I wonder if/ when he makes it back to Atlanta.
Big thanks to Ryan… sincerely appreciate all your time & efforts to keep Mac’s joint up & running.
Jon F, you’re up…
BTW, Braves in Flushing 6/23-26. C’mon down.
(Hopefully, I’ll have more time this season to contribute a wrap-up here & there.)
I am so curious for this season, so many ifs, that IF half break right we will be tough, but man, so many IFs.
Aw, c’mon with Uncle Jesse back in the fold, how could things go wrong????
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/03/braves-sign-jesse-chavez-to-minor-league-deal.html
Amazing!!!!
So good to see Strider back on the mound.
a lot of good depth pieces on the market now. Anyone want Mitch Haniger or Adam Ottavino?
Ian Anderson traded to the Angels for LHP Jose Suarez. Suarez was an ok swingman in 21-22 but has been bad since. I think he’s also out of options.
Don’t think that changes much except LH for RH. It likely solidifies Holmes place in the rotation. I still suspect AJSS will go out when Strider becomes available since he has an option. Suarez, like Anderson, does not have an option. I do think we will regret losing Anderson.
If AJSS is brilliant then it’s possible de los Santos will go but we would lose him if so.
Anderson is cheaper and controllable longer then Suarez.
That is super-disappointing. I don’t see too much to like in Suarez. Anderson is definitely not ready, but I could see him becoming valuable again and find his control in 3 or 4 months. I guess this is better than releasing Anderson, but not much.
I desperately want Atlanta to sign Mitch Haniger – The 6.5 WAR Mitch Haniger of 2018. Unfortunately that Mitch Haniger is not available and the one that was just released has provided negative WAR for the last 2 years in a row. Stranger things have happened, but I don’t see Haniger improving much in his age 34 season.
I guess Ottavino could compete with Uncle Jesse or AJSS for the final bullpen spot but I don’t really see the point. In all honesty, I don’t see us needing any more depth pieces. I would, however, like to get someone other than a 4th shortstop in Arcia or a 3rd SS in Nick Allen. Tragically, I expect Allen’s projected line of .222/.274/.322/.596 is probably more realistic than his current spring training line of .344/.389/.500/.889
Looks like the roster is pretty much finalized. Elder optioned. Kimbrel, Chavez, and James McCann sent to minor league camp.
AJSS is on the team as the 5th starter and Suarez as the long relief guy. As Roger said above, barring injuries AJSS will likely be optioned when Strider returns. Suarez is a placeholder until Kimbrel is ready.
Farewell, Ian Anderson. We will always remember game 3. His epitaph: “There is a fine line between effectively wild and wildly ineffective”
Zero chance that Anderson wouldn’t have been DFA’d at some point this season, and trading him is at least a step above a DFA, especially if the organization is concerned about the optics of DFA’ing a 1-3 pick. If he made the team, it would have been solely because of his options situation, and that’s not really a way to do business.
I’m sorry about Anderson, but I kind of have to file him in the same drawer as Kyle Wright: they had some fabulous moments in the majors that vindicated the Braves’ faith in taking them as high in the first round as they did, then they were utterly ruined by injuries. I’d love it if both of them could have a Mike Minor-esque second act to their careers.
For Anderson to walk a man an inning with a major league spot on the line… I genuinely have to wonder if he’s actually healthy. I’m sorry it ended this way, but I’m glad that AJSS won the job fair and square. Lord knows Elder and Anderson did nothing of the sort.
We are gonna need more and younger pitchers. Sale and Lopez are great but they will not last forever. I think Anderson has a better chance then Suarez of being that. I hope guys like AJSS and ones even farther down (Hackenburg, Waldrop, Caminiti, Ritchie, etc…) can develop fast enough to take their place without having to add expensive FAs. Although, Cease would be nice…..
Yeah, there are plenty of examples of guys figuring it out. Hell, Michael Soroka got drafted in the last round of my fantasy draft last night. I figured they’d trade Ian to a team that can give him an extra 10 starts at the ML level to try to figure it out.
Speaking of Kyle Wright, he faced live hitters on a back field for the first time in 2 years:
https://www.mlb.com/news/kyle-wright-alec-marsh-take-next-steps-in-rehab-for-royals
It’d be neat if Wright, Anderson, and Soroka all re-found effectiveness. Soroka is almost there, Ian’s not too far off, and Wright still has plenty of time and is finally healthy again.
I never understood dumping Kyle Wright. Maybe someone can explain it to me. It seemed like a no-brainer to hold onto him and see if he could return to form. AA knows how expensive pitching is and if there’s a chance you can get/keep an ace for cheap, seems like you’d take it
Yeah, Wright was traded for a useless stiff, maybe it was a roster crunch decision?
He was getting more expensive and I’m guessing they were skeptical that he would ever be effective again after shoulder surgery.
Thanks to Ryan for a whole lot of work.
Thank you, Ryan. You did well.
Give it heck, JonathanF. You’ve got this.
I am very thankful that Ryan did all he did to keep things going and I am very happy JonathanF is agreed to keep this place rolling in the future. This has been the best place for Braves chat since the days of Mac and I am excited for the future. Go Braves!
I looked at Anderson’s BRef page to get a better appreciation of his postseason results. 35.2 postseason innings, 8 starts, 4-0 (team was 7-1), 1.26 ERA (2.90 FIP, so he was lucky but still did well), and a 19.7% championship WPA. If I understand WPA, his 1.48 basically means that in almost exactly 4 full games’ worth of innings, he did the equivalent of winning 3 full games singlehandedly – going from 50% win probability to 100%. Snitker’s very early hooks certainly helped a lot, but in the end you are what the scoreboard shows, and he earned a ring.
Can’t wait for tomorrow. I’m particularly excited to see how Profar performs in his first year in Atlanta. I don’t think he’ll exactly replicate his 2024 season, but he could easily be a 2.5-3.0 fWAR player with above-average offensive production. I really believe in the swing changes that he’s made — increasing your average EV by 5 mph and posting career bests in hard hit rate, barrel rate, and xSLG don’t just happen overnight — and it’s clear that the Braves believe in it too. And although I appreciate the Braves’ homer-centric approach at the plate, I also have a soft spot for players who can draw walks, avoid Ks, and get on base at a high clip, and Profar’s been solid-to-great in that regard.