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Atlanta Braves Morning Chop: 1st 2 weeks exactly as expected, right?

By Alan Carpenter

DENVER, CO - APRIL 8: Atlanta Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson #7 dives into third base with a 2-RBI triple in the fifth inning of a game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on April 8, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - APRIL 8: Atlanta Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson #7 dives into third base with a 2-RBI triple in the fifth inning of a game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on April 8, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 07: Starting pitcher Max Fried #54 of the Atlanta Braves reacts after being hit by a line drive by Spencer Kieboom #64 of the Washington Nationals (not pictured) in the second inning at Nationals Park on August 7, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 07: Starting pitcher Max Fried #54 of the Atlanta Braves reacts after being hit by a line drive by Spencer Kieboom #64 of the Washington Nationals (not pictured) in the second inning at Nationals Park on August 7, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /

As of today we’re exactly 2 weeks into the 2019 MLB season and there’s already a lot that we’ve seen that hasn’t gone as expected for the Atlanta Braves.  But we aren’t complaining.

The opening weekend to the season was eye-opening for the Atlanta Braves… perhaps a ‘deer-in-the-headlights’ level of eye-opening.  They were swept by the Phillies in a fashion that made many of us draw a quick breath.

It was that weekend that had many of us demanding change:  change to the bullpen, changes to the lineup… and essentially demands that favorite punching bag Luke Jackson never come near a baseball ever again (I won’t cite the links… this is a family show we run here).

I won’t say that all is now right with the world of the Atlanta Braves as this point, but I will point out that they are now tied for 1st place.

Did you expect that yet?

A Funny Thing Happened…

If you look at full-season numbers (accurate to Tuesday evening), the Braves bullpen held these stats:

  • 9th worst ERA (5.54)
  • 7th worst walk rate (5.06 per 9 IP)
  • 2nd worst HR rate (2.41 per 9 IP)
  • 18th most innings (in other words: not being over-used by a longshot)

If you isolate the stats to just the past 7 days, however, this is what you get:

  • 15th best ERA (4.29)
  • 8th worst walk rate (still up there at 5.14)
  • 8th worst HR rate (2.14)
  • 17th most innings

There’s some significant overlap in those numbers, too, but if I were to isolate the 1st and 2nd weeks you’d see a fairly dramatic change in ERA and Homer numbers.  Walks? Eh…. still some work still to do there.

In the past week, the bullpen members are striking out more hitters:  the 4th best overall rate while stranding almost 90% of runners allowed or otherwise inherited (3rd overall).  That’s the real noticeable difference.

All this is happening without some members of the pen still not yet really getting going like we know they are capable of:  Jonny Venters, A.J. Minter, and Arodys Vizcaino to name 3.  So there is definitely some upside room available.

Luke Jackson does deserve special mention, though.  Sure – he gave up 4 in that Philly opener thanks to 2 walks, and 2 hits (a grand slam included).

Since then?

  • 2 innings:  2 hits, 0 walks, 0 runs, 4K
  • 1 inning:  1 hit, 0 walks, 0 runs, 1K
  • 0.2 innings:  no base-runner, 1K
  • 1 inning:  1 hit, 0 walks, 0 runs, 1K
  • 1 inning:  1 hit 1 walk, 0 runs, 3K

I’ll summarize that:  5-2/3rds innings:  0 runs allows, 5 hits, 1 walk, 10 strikeouts.  That’s a turn-around on a dime…. and good on him for hanging in despite the adversity.

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