This season, I am the Aaron Bummer of Braves Journal recappers. I’ve got decent stuff, I put in the work without complaining, and my peripherals look pretty good. Yet every Wednesday when it’s my turn to recap, the results aren’t there.
The Braves’ record on Wednesdays is now 1-6, thanks to a frustrating 5-4 loss on Wednesday to the lowly Washington gNats. If you happen to be counting (I realize you’re probably not), that is 5 one-run losses among the 6 Wednesday setbacks—and the other was by just 2 runs. Still, every loss counts the same in the standings, and I will admit that a .142 winning percentage is not ideal.
There were several good things that happened in Wednesday’s game. First and foremost, Bryce Elder continued his very good recent run of starts, going 6 innings while surrendering just 1 run on 5 hits. After the bullpen surrendered the lead Elder left them, Montero came on to hold the Nats and give the Braves a chance. The offense scored 4 runs, which is not good, exactly, but slightly more than the season average so far of 3.95 runs per game. MHII hit a home run, which thanks to a very odd bounce turned out to be a triple instead. Sam Fairchild drove him in anyway with a double; Fairchild (just who is he, anyway?) had two hits on the night and a walk. Drake Baldwin did his part with a 9th inning leadoff pinch hit single to put the tying run on base. But the top of the order could not drive him in to tie the game.
In any event, when your starter gives up 1 run in 6 innings, 4 runs ought to be sufficient to garner a win. That leads to the bad. The bullpen melted down, coughing up 2 runs in each of the 7th and 8th innings. Aaron Bummer lived up to his name, surrendering the two 7th inning runs on three hits. On the bright side, he did lower his ERA to a very respectable 3.06, since both of his runs were of the unearned variety (thanks to a Riley error). There, don’t you now feel a lot better about Mr. Bummer? Enyel de los Santos gave up the two 8th inning runs, which were due in large part to his own throwing error. So, all in all, one of those games that they certainly should have won, and there is no good excuse for not doing so.
I have not been as down on Bummer as many on this board. Partly it’s his name; you’ve got to have some sympathy for a guy with that surname, and his given name evokes the greatest player and person in Braves history. But the results are what they are. I just hope our manager JonathanF has more sympathy for my underwhelming results on Wednesday games than folks have for Bummer. Like Snit with Bummer, I think he has no choice but to keep trotting me out there and hope for better outcomes.
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The good news is that the sour taste of last night’s defeat doesn’t have to linger. As Earl Weaver said, we play every day—and the next game is starting even as I’m posting this. Win today and it’s 3 of 4 for the series, and back to the magical .500 pace. It’s AJ S-S against the journeyman Trevor Williams. Let’s not only win, but let’s also spare Cliff and me another of these nail-biting one run games. Is that too much to ask?
Tfloyd, if Aaron Bummer had your stuff, he’d be a one-man O’Ventbrel.
JC’d.
If we’re being honest with ourselves, Olson’s great 2023 season was likely the byproduct of juiced balls. I also don’t think it helps that he plays every single game and that’s something the team should try to address in the off-season.
The numbers are absolutely damning. Olson isn’t remotely on the same level as Freeman:
I think Alex made a terrible mistake by not re-signing Freddie, but I also don’t think replacing Freddie with Olson makes this roster THAT much better. Our farm system would still be pretty bare; our bullpen would still be patched together; Ozzie would still be in decline; we’d still have poor-hitting shortstop; Michael Harris would still be swinging at balls headed toward the opposing dugout; we’d still have an injured Acuna; and we’d still have the same rotation.
I think this team would still be in a slight decline phase regardless of who is playing first. In my opinion, the team needs to stop trying to execute deals that perfectly achieve surplus value and start doing what needs to be done to acquire free agents. Is it really that big a deal if Tanner Scott is in the bullpen now but the last year of his contract is underwater? You can’t do that for every player, but Alex has an aversion to overpaying for anyone, regardless of how much they could help the current roster.
Alex is really following the John Schuerholz trajectory: inherit a great core, add quality pieces to it, win the World Series, and follow up moves are really, really questionable.
The time is coming — quite soon — to ask the question of whether AA is the person to supervise what is not going to be a rebuild, but better described as a retooling/readjustment.
The thing I haven’t had a chance to do is go through the moves post-2021 and evaluate them — hit or miss. It’s worth doing to truly see where he stacks up and ask, “Can the club do better?”
Assuming the club moves on from Snitker — which it should have done already; that said, for all we know, perhaps Walt Weiss is doing the actual managing now or at least keeping the finger on the pulse of things, but that’s beside the point — there may be a chance for a philosophical freshening or at least at least some self-scouting as to what’s worked, what hasn’t and why. And also asking the question, “Have we maximized this window?”
Because while the “Braves Way” has won a great many games, one could argue that it has fallen short in terms of big trophies in the lobby … unless those are simply regarded as the products of postseason randomness, at which management simply smiles and shrugs and then walks to the field, points to the metal replications of pennants to proclaim postseason appearances and says, “We’re doing super,” and then this is what we are, and we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.
Everything looks a lot better if you make a splash signing like Bo Bichette for a lot for a long time to lock down 2B or SS. I’m a big believer in the kid, and I don’t buy that he’s declining. He has been unlucky with his power this season but he is hitting the ball on the screws. You could also go for Bregman who will surely opt out if he keeps threatening Aaron Judge for MVP
Francoeur: “You’re swinging at stuff that’s not strikes” right after Ozzie swings at a pitch that is in comfortably the strike zone.
Frenchy, as ever, is a complete moron.
I wish Frenchy had been able to prevent himself from swinging at stuff that was not strikes.
I’m sticking with you, tfloyd, for a few reasons.
1. You’re hitting ahead of Ryan, who has been on the DL since the start of the season, so they aren’t giving you anything to hit. Having completed his rehab stint, Ryan is pencilled in the lineup today, though, so there’s hope.
2. The back of your card is very impressive. The front, not so much, but the back is excellent.
3. You’re still an inspiration to the youngsters, so you provide some of that locker room presence we need so badly here at Braves Journal.
4. You have the pictures.
So I’ve long felt I had a good eye for pitching talent. I was on Fried, Soroka, and Schwelly right away. So obviously I was not impressed with AJSS who will be better than all of them just to spite me.
I’m with you. I was not impressed with AJSS either. But he is proving us wrong.
No way he can be the odd one out when Strider returns.
Yup, more terrific performances from AJSS & Baldwin today.
On to Fenway for the .500 Bowl…
Snitker said that the team will stay with a 5 man rotation when Strider returns because of off-days.
That leads one to believe it will be either Elder or AJSS being optioned. AJSS is pitching like an ace right now, so even though Elder has put together 5 straight good starts, he would probably be the odd man out. (Unless of course someone gets hurt between now and then.)
I guess the other option would be moving someone to the bullpen and DFAing Montero or someone. (Or optioning Daysbel) I think they need to keep everyone stretched out though.
Drake and A.J. are just extraordinary right now. I don’t see how you play Drake less than three days a week if he’s going to hit like this.
I’ve complained about the Braves not spending enough money, but we might have dodged a bullet with Nola.
https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/aaron-nola-605400?stats=statcast-r-pitching-mlb
The Braves already optioned Elder. I guess a reliever will be up until Strider is activated.
Why not give Austin Cox a chance? He’s the only potential lefty and he still has an option. You can see how he does until Strider is available and then choose between him (option), de los Santos, and Montero. Are we really worried about losing de los Santos or Montero? Montero would cost us more money but we have lots of retreads that could replace de los Santos if need really be (including Kimbrel).
Two of the three best Sox hitters are lefties.
I don’t even understand why we acquired Montero. Aren’t we basically paying him several million to be replacement level while fretting about signing a good reliever because they might be replacement level in 3 years.
De Los Santos has actually been decent. And yes, Montero was wasted money. Don’t know if ownership will let them DFA him either.
https://x.com/dynastyinfo411/status/1923133078140002421?s=46&t=WSNPrB2JyUoeKSn2PZsXZg
Our best position player prospect doesn’t even make the top 10 for his position.