Atlanta Falcons are in midseason form

Two more weeks until football season begins! Photo credit: Adobe Stock

            Most Falcons seasons in recent memory have been defined by the team’s anemic pass rushes that can’t get to the quarterback, an uncanny ability to blow all possible leads, and solid offenses that are often hampered by inconsistent offensive line play & lots of holding penalties. Their 24-16 preseason loss to the Jets featured all of these concepts wrapped up into one game. That’s why I said that it looked like the team was already in midseason form on Monday night.

Pass rush is lacking

            The Falcons managed exactly zero sacks this week after earning just one the week prior. This is a serious cause for concern, and yet it’s nothing new for the Falcons, who have consistently ranked amongst the league’s worst in terms of sacking the QB for over a decade. They also failed to get much pressure on the quarterback at all this week, generating just three quarterback hits in the game compared to last week’s five quarterback hits against the Lions. Putting pressure on the quarterback is now more important than ever with the emphasis being placed on building dynamic offenses, and the rules catering towards offensive-centric teams. Sacking the QB also detracts teams from blowing leads, which leads me to my next point…

Blew a 16-0 lead to the Jets

            Granted, it’s the preseason, but could blowing a 16-0 lead to the Jets be an ominous sign of bad things yet to come? After all, this franchise has famously struggled in holding onto leads. The caveat here is that the Jets only scored with their backups on the field against our backups. Our starters actually played fairly well. Still though, the depth of this team is surely to be battle-tested regularly over the course of this lengthy 17-game season. We’ll need to beat the teams that we’re supposed to beat this year if we’re to have any hopes of overachieving during the season.

Offense looks good (mostly)

            The good news: both Marcus Mariota & Desmond Ridder looked great against the Jets. The bad news: the team committed 13 penalties for a net loss of 121 yards, and many of these flags were thrown for holding calls on the offensive line during pivotal moments of the game. Desmond Ridder led the Falcons offense to one drive in particular where they approached the Jets 1-yard line twice in the second quarter, only to be pushed back both times due to a holding call & a false-start penalty. Arthur Smith was fed up with these penalties during that sequence.

The bottom line

            I’ve said all along that this looks like a long upcoming season for our beloved Falcons. These preseason games haven’t really given me enough optimism to change my biased opinion. We’ve been playing close games against similar competition (Lions, Jets) during the preseason. I’m not sure really what to make of that, and evaluating this team won’t get any easier during this week’s game against the Jaguars when all of the starters are likely to rest on the sidelines. Time will tell whether or not these troubling trends are actually worth being concerned over.

My favorite sports podcasts

I’m a huge podcast listener & so I have several sports-related podcasts I frequently listen to.

Here is my list of favorite sports-related podcasts. Enjoy! Photo credit: Adobe Stock

755 is Real (Braves): https://spoti.fi/3Kd14fF

The GM Shuffle (NFL): https://spoti.fi/3K5gp1E

Move the Sticks (NFL): https://spoti.fi/3QzewNt

The Falcoholic (Falcons): https://spoti.fi/3A8hn8T

NotJoeFlacco (NFL humor): https://spoti.fi/3PAHlYj

Packast (NFL humor): https://spoti.fi/3T2bPpi

Locked on Braves (Braves): https://spoti.fi/3QLnFSG

SportsTalkATL (Braves, Falcons): https://spoti.fi/3T4bNgk

Behind the Braves (Braves): https://spoti.fi/3T4eD5h

Chatting Average (Braves): https://spoti.fi/3PwBDXr

Adam Schefter (NFL): https://spoti.fi/3A9OMQt

Welcome to Mattlanta (ATL sports): https://spoti.fi/3c0XHvS

From the Braves Booth (Braves): https://spoti.fi/3PyEE9S

Fantasy Focus (Fantasy): https://spoti.fi/3prn7ps

NFL Preseason Week 1 Storylines

I’ve missed football season. Oh, so much… Photo credit: Adobe Stock

            Football fans rejoice! The NFL is back in our daily lives, and it will stay that way until February 2023. Preseason action is obviously much less entertaining than regular season games, but it’s a sign that bigger things are on the horizon for us as the regular season begins in 3 weeks. There were several interesting developments from this past week’s slate of live preseason games. Let’s take a closer look at all of the happenings from around the league in the middle of August.

Panthers QB battle decided?

            It sure seems that the Panthers have unofficially decided to hand the reigns over to Baker Mayfield as their new starting quarterback for 2022. After all, why else would Mayfield emerge as the team’s preseason game one starter after arriving to the team only three weeks ago? Head coach Matt Rhule has said all the right things to indicate that the competition is still open, but I find that hard to believe based on the team’s last-second trade for Mayfield & playing him in front of the incumbent Sam Darnold. Regardless, both Mayfield & Darnold should get to play this year as these guys are injury prone & playing behind a bad offensive line on an awful team.

Geno Smith time in Seattle

            Geno Smith has seemingly outdueled Drew Lock to become the Seahawks starting QB. He started the first preseason game & looked good in limited action, and head coach Pete Carroll said of Smith, “[he] should have been 10 for 10, you know with two drops and the ball on the sideline that should have been a completed pass too. So he did everything we asked him to…” Meanwhile, Drew Lock was slated to start the team’s second preseason game against the Bears; however, a positive COVID-19 test for the young quarterback will cause him to miss the start. Pete Carroll indicated that Geno Smith is their starter, and Lock has run out of time to catch up.

George Pickens is a baller

            The Steelers have a history of drafting stud receivers after the first round, with the likes of Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders, & Diontae Johnson headlining such an impressive list. We’ll add George Pickens’ name to that list soon enough if he continues making plays like this. Georgia fans already knew that Pickens was going to be the next great NFL wide receiver, but Pickens officially put the league on notice after his impressive debut performance on Saturday.

New RB1 in Washington?

            Antonio Gibson was penciled in as the Commanders’ starting running back this year. After all, Gibson led his team with over 1,300 all-purpose yards & 10 total touchdowns last year. Sure, he missed a couple games & averaged just 4.0 yards per carry on the year, but who cares? The Commanders seem to care, as they drafted Alabama RB Brian Robinson in the third round. That’s not all, as Gibson seems to be in the coaching staff’s doghouse now after a preseason fumble, with offensive coordinator Scott Turner sharing the following message after reviewing the play, “you can’t waste a possession; if you fumble the ball that’s a waste of a possession.” This news indicates to me that we could see a changing of the guard amongst Commanders RBs.

Desmond Ridder shows moxie

            It wasn’t pretty, but Desmond Ridder got the job done in leading the Falcons to a week one preseason win over the Lions. His accuracy was a bit sporadic as he completed just 10 of 22 passes for 102 yards; however, he threw for 2 touchdowns & rushed 6 times for 59 yards as well. The play of the game occurred with Ridder facing a 4th & 9 situation with the game on the line from the Lions’ 21-yard line. He surveyed the pocket, found no one open, deftly avoided a defender while rolling to his right, & threw the game-winning touchdown while getting drilled! This was quite an impressive feat from the Falcons rookie quarterback drafted out of Cincinnati.

Takeaways from Falcons preseason win over the Lions

It was so nice having football back in my life last night, even if it was the preseason. Photo credit: Adobe Stock

            Last night was a wonderful one for sports fans, as both the Atlanta Braves & the Atlanta Falcons were on TV at the same time, as well as a handful of other MLB & NFL games to watch. I flipped between watching the Braves & the Falcons, & was rarely interrupted by commercials. I’ve since watched the highlights of both games & caught up on all of the action that I’ve missed. Both teams won in dramatic fashion against crappy teams that played great games against them. Enough about the Braves though, let’s focus on what we learned in last night’s Falcons victory.

Desmond Ridder’s “got that dog in him”

            This play from Desmond Ridder, a 4th & 9 situation with the game on the line from the Lions’ 21-yard line, perfectly illustrated Ridder’s competitive spirit & compelling game sense. He processed the situation beautifully, knowing that the Falcons crappy offensive line wouldn’t give him enough time to set his feet, so he decided to roll out, run, & throw before taking a sack. Could he have thrown to a receiver who wasn’t blanketed by coverage from a defender? Perhaps. Could he have thrown a more perfect jump-ball that let his receiver go & get it? Absolutely not. He had another passing TD in the second quarter, & a key field-goal drive to tie it up at halftime.

Strong finish against similar competition

            The Lions, much like the Falcons, are seemingly destined to be a bottom-five NFL team. That said, we managed to close out a competitive game against them, albeit still in the preseason. The game itself was close throughout, with each team trading scores & lead changes constantly. This one felt like a regular season NFL game, and not much like the first week of the preseason. Continuing this trend into the regular season (i.e. beating the teams you’re supposed to beat) would be welcome news for a Falcons team that seems like they have a long road ahead of them.

Defense is still a work in progress

            There’s good news & bad news here, with the good news being that the Falcons forced two turnovers (including one late) that proved to be instrumental in the outcome of this game. The bad news here is that the Falcons managed just one sack, which continues a growing trend. They also allowed nearly 400 yards of offense, two touchdowns, & two field goal drives as well. Needless to say, it was an uneven performance from the defensive unit, featuring more of a “bend but don’t break” type of mentality that can be successful in the NFL with a good offense.  

The bottom line

            Let’s not get too worked up here, because at the end of the day we just won a meaningless preseason game against the Lions. That said, the previous regime seemingly didn’t care about the preseason much at all, and a win’s a win regardless of the circumstances behind it. There were certainly highlights & lowlights, with the offense as the former & defense the latter. Our starting offensive unit looked good, with Marcus Mariota capping off his first drive in a TD. Rookie WR Drake London also showed flashes last night, converting a first-&-twenty situation. All in all, we’re one step closer to this football season that all NFL fans are looking forward to.

The Atlanta Braves have hit rock bottom

The Braves looked like hot garbage against the Mets over the weekend. Photo credit: Adobe Stock

            We’ve been here before. Last year, our team didn’t even hit the .500 mark until August. This year, the team was hanging around .500 all season until a scorching hot month of June propelled us to within a half game of catching the Mets in the NL East division race at one point. Those days seem like such a long time ago though, as the Braves looked lifeless in a must-win, lengthy series against the Mets at Citi-Field. They dropped four out of five of those games, including both games of a doubleheader on Saturday. Our team is now 64-46 & 6 ½ games back of the Mets in the NL East division race. Thank goodness we have an off day to regroup today…

Impressive streak snapped

            Yesterday, the Braves suffered a 3-game losing streak for the first time since September 2021. This was an impressive stretch in which the team played solid baseball, highlighted by a 14-game winning streak in June. We’ve lost all momentum as the Mets snapped our hot streak. In terms of this streak, there’s literally nowhere to go but up as we’ll have to start a new streak. Compounding this issue is the fact that we just lost to a division rival who controls our division. Speaking of which, the Mets lead in the division is another reason why we’ve hit rock bottom.

Mets strengthen division lead

            We’re still within striking distance, but the Mets 6 ½ game lead in the division seems daunting. This is especially true when you consider that we play them again next week at home, which is not nearly enough time to lick our wounds & rebound after last weekend’s tough losses. Also, we play them only 7 more times the rest of the season, which means it’s absolutely critical that we take care of business & win most (if not all) of those home matchups going forward. I was of the opinion that the Mets would eventually slip up & we would catch them in the East. Of course, that opinion was based on my observations of the team before their recent struggles…

Injuries & underperformance

            Ronald Acuna, Jr. revealed that he still doesn’t have full confidence in his knee after tearing his ACL in a game against the Marlins last year. Travis d’Arnaud was spotted in a walking boot after taking a hit on a bang-bang play at the plate in Saturday’s game. It’s very well possible that Max Fried has a concussion after slamming his head on the turf while attempting to make a throw to home plate on Saturday. Trade deadline acquisition Jake Odorizzi had to get an IV after making an abbreviated start in Saturday’s doubleheader. None of this bodes well for the Braves playoff chances in terms of playing the Mets again next week. But wait, there’s more…

            None of our starters were effective against the Mets, as they were shelled hard & often. Ian Anderson’s been pitching so badly that the team optioned him to AAA in hopes of a rebound. Odorizzi, who will temporarily replace Anderson, didn’t fare much better in his Braves debut. Spencer Strider made some noise with his comments about the Mets today, but his play on the field yesterday didn’t exactly inspire a lot of confidence. Meanwhile, the offense has been maddeningly inconsistent. Marcell Ozuna’s hitting .215 with a .659 OPS & terrible defensive chops. Matt Olson’s batting average has cooled to .248 with too many strikeouts to speak of. Orlando Arcia just hasn’t done enough offensively in terms of replacing Albies in the lineup. Even the bullpen has shown some chinks in the armor by allowing some runs to score lately.

The bottom line

            Our team needs to show a sense of urgency by playing better baseball & catching fire. Otherwise, there could be trouble on the horizon as they approach the second week of August. It should be noted that we’ve certainly been here before, and things have definitely looked worse. That said, we can’t sit idly by & keep letting these opportunities to win the division pass us by. We desperately need a quick turnaround in order to try & win our fifth consecutive division title.

Why Andrew Luck belongs in the Colts Ring of Honor

Andrew Luck was the definition of a superstar during his career from 2012-2019. Photo credit: Adobe Stock

My inspiration for writing this piece comes from an article by Bob Kravitz at The Athletic. You can read the article (subs. required) & discover more about this trending NFL topic here.

            I’ve always been a huge fan of Andrew Luck’s since he was drafted by the Colts in 2012. The Colts seamlessly went from having one franchise QB in Peyton Manning to another in Luck.  Luck took the Colts to the playoffs in his very first year at the helm, finishing with a 11-5 record. He was remarkably consistent in subsequent seasons as well, earning 11-5 records consecutively. People talked about him in the same way they talk about Patrick Mahomes now, an elite talent who put the team on his back and made everything on the football field look like it was so easy. His career was obviously short-lived, but that shouldn’t impact his huge impact on the franchise. Here are a few reasons why I believe Andrew Luck deserves a spot in the Colts Ring of Honor.

By the numbers

            This graphic illustrates the point quite well that Luck was simply an elite NFL player. The four-time Pro Bowler & 2018 Comeback Player of the Year award winner broke Peyton Manning’s single season passing yards mark of 4,700 yards by throwing for 4,761 yards in 2014. He ranked second & third respectively all-time in TD passes & passing yards thrown by any NFL player in their first six seasons in the league. His career was littered with fourth quarter comebacks and game winning drives, highlighted by his 6 such victories during the 2012 season. Overall, Luck led his Colts teams to 17 fourth quarter comebacks and 21 game winning drives! These numbers paint the picture that despite his career being short-lived, Luck played an integral role in not only the history of the Indianapolis Colts franchise, but in the history of the NFL.

Comeback king

            Andrew Luck’s highlight reel features plenty of his fourth quarter comebacks & game-winning drives. His most infamous one occurred during the 2013 AFC Wild Card game against the Kansas City Chiefs. With his team facing a 38-10 deficit with 1:16 left in the third quarter, Luck rallied his troops together & led them to a 45-44 upset victory in the game’s final seconds! I remember watching this game on a lazy Saturday afternoon in January without much else to do. I was starting to get very sleepy at that point, and I remember seeing the uneven score of the game late in the 3rd quarter and asking myself the question, “why am I still watching this game?” Just as I was about to turn the TV off and take a nap, I instead witnessed the NFL’s second-largest postseason comeback victory in league history! My sleepy eyes could hardly believe what they saw.

Larger than life persona

            Andrew Luck really became the face of the NFL after being drafted 1st overall in 2012. There is an entire highlight reel where he is described as being The NFL’s “Most Polite Athlete.” Shoot, the media has been wondering if he’ll come back to the game for the past four offseasons! It’s fitting that the Colts have failed to find a replacement for Luck since his retirement in 2019. What’s sad is that they’ve finally built the right team to win with Luck, but he’s no longer there. Patrick Mahomes has since become the face of the NFL, but do our best to not forget about the iconic figure that came before him.

The bottom line

            I have a unique perspective on Andrew Luck’s career, watching from afar as a lifelong Falcons fan. I believe that he deserved better than the crappy offensive lines & bad defenses that the Colts franchise continually trotted out during his tenure, much in the way that Matt Ryan did for the Falcons. The difference is that Luck was a better player than Ryan in terms of willing his team to victory.  Obviously Ryan has done it for far longer than Luck at this point, but rarely at that elite level. Matt Ryan will no doubt be inducted into the Falcons Ring of Honor shortly after his retirement, and I believe that Andrew Luck should ultimately receive similar treatment from the Indianapolis Colts franchise in terms of celebrating his iconic career in the big blue horseshoe.

How are the Braves faring at the MLB All Star Break?

No more baseball until Friday, but let’s look forward to the rest of the season ahead. Photo credit: Adobe Stock

            The MLB All-Star break provides opportunities for players to be recognized via the All Star Game & Home Run Derby, while also awarding rest for the players who do not participate.  This half-way point of the season serves as a time of assessment & reflection for MLB teams too. That’s exactly why I will be evaluating the Braves performance to date within the 2022 season. What’s been going well for them this year? Where are some areas the team could improve upon? How could they possibly improve in these areas? I will answer this & much more in this column.

Overall performance

            These Braves have a 56-38 record at the AS break, which is the 5th best record in MLB. Unfortunately, the Mets lead the division with a 56-35 mark, which is the 4th best record in MLB. This means that we are 2 ½ games out of first place in the division as August approaches. We’ve been one of the hottest teams in the league since June 1, with a 33-11 record since then. Our divisional record of 22-14 is pretty stellar, as is our 25-18 record in road games this year. Simply put, it’s just a matter of our team staying competitive with the Mets, catching them, and conquering them in 2022.

Starting rotation

            I’m of the opinion that the starting rotation could use some support at the trade deadline. Max Fried, Kyle Wright, and Spencer Strider have been stellar all season long; however, Charlie Morton & Ian Anderson have been consistently inconsistent in their pitching performances to date. How long can we afford to wait around for them to finally find their groove & perform? Also, will Strider reach an innings limit at some point? We’re in unfamiliar territory with him. Mike Soroka will be in a similar position, if he makes it back to an MLB mound at all this year. That’s why I believe that it’s imperative that we acquire at least one starter at the trade deadline.

Bullpen

            The group formerly known as The Night Shift has performed quite well so far this season. They rank top-5 in bullpen ERA (3.14), saves (34), strikeouts (379), and walks (113) on the year. Kenley Jansen, Will Smith, and crew still give Braves fans heart palpitations despite these stats. Maybe Kirby Yates provides us with some relief once he makes his return from the 60-day IL? Darren O’Day could return in a couple weeks too, though I doubt he’ll be prove very effective. That said, we could certainly use another right-handed reliever to bolster our bullpen for the upcoming stretch run.

Infield

            Duct-tape and glue have become the preferred methods for piecing it together at 2nd base, as 39-year old Robinson Cano & utility infielder Orlando Arcia have held down the fort there. Ozzie Albies should make his return at some point in September, we’ve just got to make it there. The rest of the infield is solid, with Matt Olson, Dansby Swanson, & Austin Riley playing daily. That trio has been great at the plate and in the field, and their availability has been top notch too. Depth has been scarce though, and so I wouldn’t rule out us making a trade from outside the organization here.

Outfield

            Michael Harris II’s arrival to the club has improved our outfield defense considerably. Having him, Acuna Jr, and either Duvall or Rosario in the lineup most days has been fantastic. Ozuna has been able to play at DH only on those days, which is where he should be slotted in at. Rosario’s return has created a platoon situation with him & Duvall, which could be a good thing. Let’s not forget about Heredia, who energizes the clubhouse & plays great defense in the field. Finding a trade partner for Ozuna & upgrading at DH would also represent idealistic scenarios going forward.

Catching

            The Braves continue to have one of the best catching tandems in baseball, with d’Arnaud & Contreras both representing the NL squad at this year’s All Star Game in Los Angeles, CA. This dynamic duo has a combined 63 RBIs, which represents an NL-best mark at the position. Both guys have done well in terms of hitting, catching, DH’ing, and calling games all year long. They’ve been incredible this season, and they will continue thriving so long as they stay healthy. Cheers to them doing just that this year.

Bench

            We are well equipped to handle any injuries in the outfield, with a total of 7 players who could play there either as a lineup regular or in a pinch. Catcher is also a position of strength for the team, although Manny Pina’s early season injury has taken away some depth at the position. Our infield depth is sorely lacking, and we could use more quality left-handed bats on the bench. Relying on Robinson Cano as our primary 2nd-baseman is likely a recipe for disaster long-term. Ozzie Albies’ return would provide a huge boost to the club here, but he’s not close at this point. This analysis has shown us that while we’ve got a great team here, there’s still room for improvement across the board. Let’s make some trades, catch the Mets, and make a playoff run!

Amazon Prime is building a great broadcasting crew

I can hardly wait for another exciting football season! Photo credit: Adobe Stock

Thursday Night Football will undergo quite the makeover this year, as the NFL has teamed up with Amazon Prime Video to stream these games exclusively on their platform in ’22. Previously, these games were frequently available on NFL Network and sometimes aired on Fox. Traditionalists may cringe at this news as the NFL moves away from regular cable TV networks.  That said, everyone should rejoice in knowing that the Prime broadcast crew has massive upside. They could quickly become the NFL’s best broadcasting crew, and certainly a fan favorited one. So, who are the announcers on this broadcasting crew anyways, and why is this such a big deal?

            Tony Gonzalez joins Kirk Herbstreit & Al Michaels in Prime’s 2022 broadcast booth. Richard Sherman & Ryan Fitzpatrick will join their team for pre- and post-game productions. I’m not a fan of Herbstreit, but watching Gonzalez & Michaels work together will be fascinating. Also, the trio of Gonzalez, Sherman, and Fitzpatrick have 44 years of combined NFL experience. They have played in two Super Bowls (one ring), 19 Pro Bowls, and for 15 different NFL teams. Most importantly, they’ve all played in the league recently & so they will discuss current events.

            All of these guys have distinct personalities that should mesh well together on camera. Gonzalez is the jovial guy that everyone likes being around, the real life of the party so to speak. Michaels is the true professional of the crew, with 30+ years of sports broadcasting experience. Herbstreit’s also been around the block for a while, and although I’m not a big fan of his, my impression is that he’s well-liked by most people in the industry and by those watching at home. I’ll be most interested to see how Sherman & Fitzpatrick work together for their pregame show. Those two have quirky personalities that may cause some fans to have a love-hate relationship with them. “Prime”time football will certainly be entertaining to watch for NFL fans this year.

Michael Harris II makes immediate impact for the Atlanta Braves

The sky is the limit for the Braves newest outfielder. Photo credit: Adobe Stock

For those who haven’t yet heard, top prospect Michael Harris II was called up by the Braves to make his MLB debut during the team’s series against the Marlins this past weekend. He’s been the most hyped up prospect since Ronald Acuna Jr, and that’s clearly for good reason.  He was batting .305/.372/.506 with 5 HR & 11 stolen bases in 43 minor league games this year. Couple his hitting ability with fantastic outfield defense, and it’s easy to see why he got the call. Let’s discuss the flashes of playmaking ability the 21-year old outfielder showed over this weekend’s series.

Excellent defender

            The Braves outfield defense has been an issue all season long, as the team has rotated several candidates in left field while relying primarily on Adam Duvall as our centerfielder. Enter Harris, who started in centerfield & made a fantastic diving catch during Sunday’s game. His presence in the lineup shuffles the outfield & puts everyone in favorable defensive positions. Most days, our outfield will consist of Duvall in left, Harris II in center, and Acuna Jr. in right. Marcell Ozuna, who started most of the team’s games in left, slots back in as our primary DH. Duvall returns to his corner outfield position, where he earned a Gold Glove award last season. The Braves featured one of the worst MLB defensive outfields before Harris’ debut, and they now have one of the best in MLB with him in the lineup. Talk about making an instant impact!

Dependable hitter

            Harris II has a career slash line of .291/.359/.439 across his three minor league seasons. He’s currently batting 9th in the lineup, but I believe that could change once he starts hitting well. Michael notched his first hit in his MLB debut and scored the team’s only run in Saturday’s loss. The Braves lineup has struggled to hit for average all year, so Harris’ ability to get on base consistently is a skillset that this team needs to utilize in order to strengthen their offensive firepower. He’s also fast enough to utilize that speed on the bases, a point that I’ll illustrate further below.

Fleet footed runner

            The young outfielder hasn’t yet flashed his speed at the MLB level, but it’s coming soon. He had 46 stolen bases in 197 minor league games, which shows that his game is built on speed. Can you imagine having him, Acuna Jr, & Albies terrorizing defenses together on the basepaths? We might not have to imagine it for too much longer, once Harris II starts to heat up at the plate. He’s probably not as fast as Acuna or Albies, but he’s likely a little faster than someone like Dansby Swanson.

The bottom line

            Michael Harris II clearly possesses three of the “five tool” traits coveted by MLB teams. His ability to run, hit, and field at elite levels in the minors have been well documented, and Harris will continue developing these traits so that they translate to production at the MLB level. I’m not sure that throwing and hitting for power are in his game, but we’ll find out soon enough. Regardless, the Braves just got a whole lot better on offense & defense with him on their roster. Braves fans will certainly be tuning in to watch the former Stockbridge High School superstar in action.

Braves 5th starter problem

We might need to sign this random guy to fix our struggling rotation. Photo credit: Adobe Stock

I received my (honorary) Braves World Series championship ring at last night’s game against the Phillies. Johan Camargo later received his (real) WS ring in a pregame ceremony. The game quickly spiraled out of control from there, as starter Tucker Davidson was charged with 5 earned runs in only 2 2/3 innings pitched. Granted, Jesse Chavez surrendered some of those runs in relief of Tucker in the 3rd inning, but Davidson simply “didn’t have it” last night. He also walked four batters, and threw only 45 strikes on 76 total pitches in this rough outing. I’m not going to keep slandering Tucker, as Braves 5th starters have had similar issues all year.

What is the problem?

            The front four of our rotation is pretty well set in stone, with Max Fried, Charlie Morton, Kyle Wright, and Ian Anderson leading our pitching staff throughout the early season thus far. Morton & Anderson have been shaky at times, while Fried & Wright have been excellent. Meanwhile, the 5th spot in our starting rotation has been a black hole of sorts, with none of the candidates really capable of locking this spot down for more than a spot start or two at a time. This issue, coupled with an offense that is incapable of scoring late, is costing the team some games.

Who are the culprits?

            Tucker Davidson, Bryce Elder, Huascar Ynoa, and Kyle Muller have all gotten opportunities as the 5th starter for your Atlanta Braves this year. None of them have really stuck around for very long, with Elder receiving the most run out of the bunch in his 4 appearances. Elder also has the lowest ERA out of the bunch with a 4.74 figure, but his problem is that he walks too many batters (14 in 19 innings pitched) to justify keeping him in games for long.  Meanwhile, Muller carries a bloated 23.63 ERA thus far in just 1 appearance on the season. Davidson has shown flashes, like his May 17th start against the Brewers where he earned his first career MLB win, but far too often he has been unable to escape his dreaded third inning woes. Ynoa just hasn’t been the same guy since breaking his hand after a 2021 start versus the Brewers.  

Why is this a problem?

            As Captain Jack Sparrow famously said in Pirates of the Caribbean, “the problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem.” My attitude towards this problem is that when it’s combined with other problems (an inconsistent offense & bullpen, for example), it can lead to disastrous results such as last night’s brutal 7-3 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. That is to say, mainly this problem is problematic because it can lead to other problems arising. Our No. 5s average around 4 innings per start, which makes the ‘pen have to cover 5+ innings.  They’re also coughing up at a rapid pace, which makes the offense shoulder their heavy load. Considering that neither of those units are working well for the Braves thus far, this is a problem.

How can it be resolved?

            I believe we have two options in terms of a potential solution to this interesting issue. Option A would be to stick with one of Davidson, Ynoa, Muller, or Elder & let them figure things out over the long term instead of continuously shuffling them between AAA & MLB. Option B would be to trade for or sign a veteran starting pitcher to hold down the fort at No. 5. Obviously that’s easier said than done considering there aren’t any good starters hanging around in free agency right now & teams are seemingly unwilling to trade since it’s so early in the year. That said, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over & over & expecting a different result, a definition that I believe describes the Braves situation quite well as we approach the season’s quarter mark. Let’s see if the Braves decide to shake up the No. 5 spot in the rotation.