House That Hank Built
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Atlanta Braves could “look at anybody” to win

By Alan Carpenter

OKINAWA, JAPAN - APRIL 25: Tourists look at a whale shark through the world's largest acrylic panoramic window at the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium April 25, 2003 in Okinawa, Japan. The aquarium is Japan's largest and is the second largest in the world. (Photo by Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images)
OKINAWA, JAPAN - APRIL 25: Tourists look at a whale shark through the world's largest acrylic panoramic window at the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium April 25, 2003 in Okinawa, Japan. The aquarium is Japan's largest and is the second largest in the world. (Photo by Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images) /
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TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 14: General manager Alex Anthopoulos and Jose Bautista #19 of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrate the 6-3 win against the Texas Rangers as Ben Revere #7 jumps on top of the pile in game five of the American League Division Series at Rogers Centre on October 14, 2015 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 14: General manager Alex Anthopoulos and Jose Bautista #19 of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrate the 6-3 win against the Texas Rangers as Ben Revere #7 jumps on top of the pile in game five of the American League Division Series at Rogers Centre on October 14, 2015 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /

Alex Anthopoulos was invited to a wide ranging interview on 680TheFan on Friday with John Kincade.  There are never detailed specifics in these sessions… but there are hints.

The Atlanta Braves are doing well, but the real question is “what next?”  It’s been a great start, but how will this start translate in the coming weeks and months… and how will the Baseball Operations Department respond?

John Kincade talked with the Braves’ General Manager in studio on Friday afternoon, and let’s break down some of that Q&A from the audio accounted that @680TheFan tweeted out:

JK:  Discussion on losing off-days later in the year (August 30 – the newest make-up date with the Cubs), having already lost an off-day from the past Monday (May 14).  “It seems like a glamorous life… [but] it’s a grind.”

AA:  “It is.  That date for us is not a terrible one… you’re going into September, so expanded rosters, so you get a little help there… it would turn into 16 games in a row for us… it’s a lot, but we can handle it, especially with expanded rosters and an off-day prior.  So it’s not a terrible date.  Look, you never want to lose off-days, but last night – for all intents and purposes – was kind of an off-day … guys still got ready and so on, but guys didn’t pitch. [snip] The fact that bullpen got a night off is certainly good.”

  • Kincaid was worried about the schedule downstream, but it’s really not bad:  off-day on the 27th, 2 games with Tampa Bay at home, the new make-up game at home, then 6 more home games vs. Pittsburgh and Boston.
  • The downer would be the last West Coast trip coming after that (Arizona, San Francisco), but it’s a week removed from that make-up game.
  • What Anthopoulos didn’t mention was the 20 games in a row stretch before the August 27 off-day.  They will have the Pirates and Marlins on the road to end it.
  • Something to notice:  how did he finish?  Noting that an off-day for the bullpen was a good thing.  No concern about the rotation or position players – just the bullpen.

JK:  Alex…give me an idea – when I first met you in March – and you’re sitting there and you have a vision in your head of what the 2018 Braves could be… how much have they [met/exceeded your expectations]?”

AA:  “I didn’t have expectations in terms of win total – yeah, I just didn’t know… I just look at it more player to player, so … I’ve said it many times:  it’s a really talented group, when are they gonna come together?  When are the other players gonna emerge?

The way a guy like Albies is playing right now; did I think in time that he could be an outstanding player?  Yes.  Would I have predicted that it would happen at 21 years old [or] 22 years old?  I wouldn’t know that.  But … if any of these guys have a really good seasons or emerge, we really wouldn’t be surprised because the talent’s there.”  [more on audio]

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