The most difficult thing about following the 2025 Braves is that it is only 4 years from 2021 with many of the same players. In the Superman comics, the writers would sometimes go off to “bizarro world” where the same characters existed, but with distorted values and features. Contemplate (though such is painful) the likelihood that the 2021 Braves would have led a game 6 to 1, then allowed it to be tied, then lost in extra innings. You can’t see it, can you?
The naming convention for English kings has long included “Arthur” in the name. And everyone has heard of the legendary “King Arthur.” Many historical characters have been ascribed to be Arthur. But if you don’t know it, there is a good chance the real Arthur has been found. In a surviving chronicle of Wales, a great warrior ruler is mentioned. He has one of those really long Welsh names, like ptomballyromballyuh (or whatever) followed by “known as Arth Ur.” In Welsh “Arth Ur” means “the bear.”
Spencer Strider still isn’t Spencer Strider, but he appears to at least not be “bad oscillation Bryce Elder.” 1 K in 5 innings? 3 BB’s? meanwhile the 2025 bullpen remembered it was 2025 and squandered the lead.
And, when it goes to extra innings in 2025, who wins? And when the difference is only 1 run, who wins? Right, it’s 2025 or maybe more appropriately, Bizarro 2021.
I knew he was maybe Welsh, I didn’t know that what what his name meant!
A lot of Braves fans on the Twitters think that Kim may not opt-in on his PO. Uhhh, in what universe? There’s one month left in the season, he’s got a .612 OPS, and he would have to absolutely rake the entire month of September to pass up $16M guaranteed to take his chances in FA. Or am I under-selling the market that pretty much only consists of Bichette and Story?
With that said, some people also hate this deal, and I think it highlights why we took so many SS in the draft. Teams just don’t seem to be willing to give up a good SS via trade, and very few are hitting FA. And the ones that are, they’re getting $25-30M per year. So I like the idea of using Kim as a one-year bridge while we continue to wait for a SS to emerge out of the system.
I also wonder if Kim would re-negotiate and take a 2-year deal with Atlanta vs. having to go into FA again next year after just going into FA this past offseason.