The Atlanta Braves’ kids are growing up before our eyes
Starting to feel a little better about the future? Things are a’changin’ … and the new kids on the block are leading the way.
It isn’t “winning”… yet… but it is definitely a step up, and if the Atlanta Braves are looking ahead to the next phase of their construction, then they have to be thrilled with what they are seeing.
Let’s just look at the best offensive contributors that the team has had over the past 30 days:
- Ender Inciarte: .360/.385/.468/.853, 125 wRC+
- Dansby Swanson: .329/.429/.447/.876, 133 wRC+
- Ozzie Albies: .300/.355/.469/.815, 112 wRC+
- Freddie Freeman: .298/.383/.538/.922, 136 wRC+
- Lane Adams: .286/.400/.476/.876, 134 wRC+
This weekend also saw the return of Rio Ruiz, who immediately looked like someone who wants a major league job: 5 for 11 (.455/.455/.818/1.273, 233 wRC+).
The only downer for Ruiz: 4 strikeouts in those 11 ABs. So whether this is his tendency toward streakiness or if he suddenly ‘gets it’ remains to be seen. Obviously this represents a ‘small sample size’, though past performance suggests that we need to see a lot more.
(Oh, and Johan Camargo is coming back shortly).
As for the rest? The only member of the “over 30” crowd hitting over 100 wRC+ in August was Kurt Suzuki at 103. The only elderly hitter above .300 was Brandon Phillips (.302), and he’s now an Angel.
All that’s great, but…
There is a flip side to consider. First off, I won’t worry about the catchers: Flowers will be fine once he’s healed up, and Suzuki is still hitting pretty well in the meantime.
But there are three names that all seem to be wilting a bit in the Summer heat: Kemp, Markakis, and Adams. All of them have looked kind of tired in August. Unfortunately, the Braves really need them to rally in September to give Atlanta even a chance of moving them in the off-season… and make no mistake – if there are deals available for all of them, the Braves would certainly move all three.
Before you start thinking ‘Markakis and Kemp??’, realize that there should be a surplus of young outfielders being marketed this Fall and Winter… which, of course, will just make it that much more difficult to trade these veterans anywhere.
The Braves must make a space for Ronald Acuna. That much is certain. Even if it means eating cash to move an outfielder. Nick Markakis will be the easiest to move – with 1 year left on his deal and ‘only’ $11 million committed.
Still, having both of these players exit with a robust September represents the best-case scenario for Atlanta.
Pitching Auditions Continue
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If you were to rank the up-and-coming starting pitching for the Braves, you might come up with something like this (subject to some debate, yes):
- Tier 1: Mike Soroka, Luiz Gohara, Joey Wentz
- Tier 1A: Kyle Wright, Kolby Allard, Bryse Wilson
- Tier 2: Sean Newcomb, Lucas Sims, Touki Toussaint, Tyler Pike, Ian Anderson, Max Fried, Patrick Weigel
- Tier 2A: Kyle Muller, Bruce Zimmermann, Dilmer Mejia
It is believed that Luiz Gohara will get a shot in the majors this week. In three levels of the minors this season, he’s thrown to a 2.62 ERA with 147K and just 44BB in 123.2 innings (1.21 WHIP, .228 BAA). That’s a good way to get promoted quickly.
If that happens, Gohara will be the 4th rookie getting a shot to pitch this Summer… and really only Gohara seems to be a consensus pick in that ‘top tier’.
That continues to bode well for the future of the Braves talent pipeline – there is excellent talent already at the majors, and the best may not even be here yet.
Next: The Kids Dominated the Cubs on Sunday
So the youth movement is happening – quickly. And with results like we’ve seen lately, the Braves can’t do without these kids right now, either.