Bold Predictions for the 2026 Braves Season

00:00:21
Speaker 1: Welcome on and all to the Hammer Territory Podcast. My name is Sean Coleman. Hope, wherever you are and wherever you are listening, Hey, you are right now. No matter what's going on, Hope, Paul. It's good to a friends and family. But wherever you are right now, I want to let you that you, yourself, plus the rest of the world, we are in the midst of one of the best stretches of the sports calendar, two of the best days on the sports calendar. We're less than ten days away from Braves Baseball. March Madness is starting, so many other sports are on the horizon to enjoy, and we are glad to be with you once again here on the Hammer Territory Podcast because regardless of what's going on around the sports world and the world in general, Braves Baseball is about to be here to make it all better, and of course, with me is always one of the best when it comes to breaking down the Braves. My podcast partner Steven Tolbert. Hello, Stephen, Listen, I'm gonna tell you this from the heart. If there is one person, and one person only whose bracket I hope is busted, it is yours. It is yours that that's just a simple truth. That that just I hope your rackets tested.

00:01:25
Speaker 2: Yeah, that tracks, that tracks. I hear that a lot.

00:01:28
Speaker 1: Yep.

00:01:29
Speaker 2: What's up, buddy? So one week away. Spring training has moved at a glacial pace, and I know the WBC because of the WBCs here it's longer. And but my god, the last like two weeks. And it doesn't help that like as nothing is happened, that the Braves haven't made any moves other than just cutting guys from camp, you know. And we just reached the dog days of spring training very early, and it feels like we've been there for two weeks. So I'm happy to say we are in the last week of spring training. There's only like three Moore spring training games. I think I think Sunday or Monday is the last one and then they go up to the head North. So we're very close. It's the Today is one of the greatest days of the year. Today's the first day of the tournament March madness of course watching games as we speak. But we are almost there, my friend.

00:02:19
Speaker 1: At a glacier pace. So you're a Devilware's Product fan.

00:02:24
Speaker 2: I have never seen that movie that's.

00:02:26
Speaker 1: That's the most famous source that it uses. That reference.

00:02:31
Speaker 2: I'm familiar with. I'm familiar with glaciers outside of Devil's product.

00:02:35
Speaker 1: What's it called devil product? Well Street and Hathaway Evan wonderful the.

00:02:41
Speaker 2: Ones that are out in the ocean when you.

00:02:43
Speaker 1: Have two hours where you just want to do absolutely nothing but torture your stelff Ware that watch the devil Wears product because Devilware's product too comes out later this year. Steven Tolbert did not anticipate three minutes into this show we would be discussing the Devilwaar's product.

00:02:59
Speaker 2: Any who, we are already off the rid. We are two minutes in and we are.

00:03:02
Speaker 1: Off absolutely crazy training honorar of Chiver Jones. But let's get back on track and let's discuss obviously what's going on. So some notable news from Thursday. The good thing is is that, unlike many other times over the spring training, this news was just simply confirming what we already knew. This did not come out of left field, no pun intended, But the news was was that it was made official by Jeff Passing of ESPN and others as well, that Jerrickson Profar is suspended for one hundred and sixty two games, so a bit to you know, kind of set the stage, you know, back to what all that means. Jerickson Profar has nothing to do with baseball for the twenty twenty six season. He didn't play in the WBC, he's not going to play for the Braves. He's not going to get paid, he's not going to play in the playoffs. He's not in the plans for twenty twenty six for the Braves. He may not be again, that's a story for another time. So this was just confirming what we already knew. The big thing though, that I think comes from this is that what this does mean is that Ken ros th On some others speculated that it could go several weeks into the season before this would be made official. But because this is now official, one thing that is a you know silver lining for the brais even though they're going to be without Jerkson Profar, they are going to recoup the money that he was owed somewhere between fifteen and eighty me and Obuster Only of ESPN has said that it was upwards of eight ME and that the Braids would get back. So the Braves will have additional financial resources to perhaps go find a replacement for jerks and profile on the coming days, in the coming months, what have you, maybe most of the pitching staff in time. Listen, we're not going to get into all that. We've covered all that, but it's always a good thing to have additional financial resources when you can likely anticipate your team is going to need multiple is going to have to fill multiple needs moving forward into a very critical season.

00:04:47
Speaker 2: Yeah, so we knew this was coming. Listen, the odds of any sort of you know, of this suspicion being turned over in any sort of way, it was very, very low though. I think the last I'm one of these suspensions got even shortened was like ten years ago. Yeah, these appeals are just I mean, they're procedural basically, I mean, the union has to do them because they represent the player. But almost always they just get upheld. And I don't think Profar was looking for like full clemency here. I think he was looking for a just a shortened suspension. You know, I'm guessing in his mind there was some extenuating circumstance about this test. Whatever he had to say. MLB obviously had very little interest in listening and certainly had zero interest in changing anything. So yeah, I mean, we knew this was coming, and it's just at least we have finality. I really didn't want to go into the season not knowing the answer to this, and I really didn't think we would. I thought for sure the league would get through this before the season started, And now we have the answer. He's gone. He's gone for all year. He's gone for the postseason, like he's just out. You know, he's just gone till next spring and then we'll see what happens. So the good news is, you know, this is better than an injury, because with an injury, you still got to pay the guy. Obviously, with this, the money's freed up, right, And I do want to talk about the money for a second, because I've seen a lot of people like disappointed about the Brads probably aren't gonna spend this money or or certainly have it yet and are potentially saving for the trade deadline. When you talk about fifteen million bucks, that's a lot of money to spend at the trade deadline. Like, it's almost hard to spend that much money at the trade deadline because one thing you gotta remember is that when you get to August first or second, whatever the deadline is, players have already been paid two thirds of their contracts, right so if a guy makes fifteen million bucks, you're only trading for five million, So you you kind of got a trade for three of those guys, or trade for somebody making like forty five million bucks, which obviously there's like two or three guys that make that much money. So it's a tough amount of money to spend at the trade deadline. And since they have zero interest in Lucasjulita, or what appears to be zero interest in Lucas Julito, there's not reallybody on the market right now that you are just gonna hand fifteen million bucks too. So you know, we talked when this first stuff first came out that we, you know, we really wanted the Braves to use this money. I don't know how they're gonna use it, honestly. Now unless they make a trade soon where they where they're still responsible for somebody's entire salary for the twenty twenty six season, it's gonna be tough to spend this. And I'm you know, I am curious to see if Alex is gonna speak now that this is official. I think that's what he's been waiting for. I wouldn't be surprised if we heard from the next couple days, because he hasn't spoken since this broke like a couple of weeks ago. So I am very curious to see if Alex has anything to say now that it's kind of at the end of the process.

00:07:50
Speaker 1: Absolutely, And the other thing that I think comes from this is that, you know, kind of, again going back to Jerks and Profar, it was announced, you know by Why's basically but well not announced, but he made it pretty clear Jerkson Profar was going to be the primary DH for this team entering the season, and so now that he is not in the picture, you know, the Braves don't necessarily have a glaring hole at DH, but they certainly are without a primary option and an option that you had to feel was going to be productive in that spot. You know, regardless of what you feel about Jerkson Profar still has a pretty productive back. So what becomes of DH, what becomes of who plays left field when the Braves play against left handed pitchers, And right now I think that you know it kind of you know I correct me if I'm wrong, Stephen, but you know, all three of Kyle Farmer, Ben Gamble as well as Dominic Smith remain in camp with the Braves. I do think that the Braves have at least one or two more roster cuts to make before they're probably down to who you would imagine would be their forty man roster or you can kind of speculate who would make opening day. So in the next few days, I do feel that of those three Kyle Farmer, Ben Gamble and Dominic's whoever gets cut from that trio, the other two are likely going to make the roster. And then that's going to give you an idea of kind of how DH may be aligned, and from there also how versus left handed pitching left field may be aligned. What are your thoughts on that. I'll give you what I feel, but I want to I feel that you, you know, have a pretty good idea of how this might go. How do you see that alignment?

00:09:26
Speaker 2: So I feel like it's I think Profar was going to be the full time DH. I think that's what they were going to do. I think Strimpsey was going to play left field against right handed pitching and Eli White was going to play left field against left handed pitching, and Profar was just going to DH the whole time. They never came out and said that directly. I think they were just trying to protect Profar's feelings a little bit because he wasn't all about that at the at the beginning. It seems like forever ago that that came out, But I think that was the plan. So really the question has become who is going to dach against left handed pitching and who's going to dch against right handed pitching? Because I still I think they're going to run a platoon of Yustremsky and Eli White in left field, you know, just based on who's pitching that night. So as we sit here today, who's who's on the team. When there's a righty on the mound. I'm assuming Dominic Smith is gonna be the DH. I mean, Brett Wisely has had a really good camp and he's out of options. But you know, Dominic Smith, I guess he's on a minor league deal. I guess he could go down to Gwinnett. I mean, I guess if they wanted to protect their depth, they could do that. Who the DH is against When there's a lefty on the mound, I have no idea. I guess right now would be like jonah Heim or Kyle Farmer. I guess they could carry Kyle Farmer and he would be him. I really thought they would add somebody, and I said they still might. I mean they still might pick somebody up at the end of the camp. I think they need to. I think they need to add another right handed hitter, if nothing else, to DH when there's a lefty on the mound, because right now, I don't know who it would be unless you're gonna carry three catchers and let Jonaheim do it. I don't know. Do you have an opinion to who if you had to pick right now, who's DA If there's a I think I think on opening day the Braids are gonna face a lefty. So let's just ask that way. On opening day there's a lefty on the mound, Let's assume Eli whitson left field. Who's the DH.

00:11:19
Speaker 1: I think it's someone who's not in the Braves organization right now. And I don't want to get people. I don't want to. I know that's a bit of a compound answer, and I don't want to get people excited on who that might be. I don't think it's anything significant, but I do think that the Braves are I mean, you know what they have made. What gives me a bit of confidence in that answer is the fact that Alex and Thopless has not been shy of making late spring, even very early started the season moves for guys that he likes. He went out and got Alex Rdugo last year. It didn't work out. Obviously, a couple of years back, he traded a couple of relievers for Orlando Arcia. I think what one or two games into the season. So I think that Alex and Thopless is looking externally to add to it because I think that we hit on the point right, is that when you talk about Jerkson Profar being gone no longer being in the plans for twenty twenty six, against right handers, you have to replace him. So that's one person that you've got to replace. But against left handers, you've now got two spots that you're going to replace because you don't want Yustrmsky, you don't want Dominic Smith to be the guy out there against left handed pitching. So I think that What probably makes sense is that if we're talking about it comes down to Kyle Farmer, Ben Gammo and Dominic Smith, and of those three to make the team. I actually think that you cut to you keep Dominic Smith. You go find the best offensive option against left handed pitching that's out there among reasonable trade candidates or you know, players who are cut from their rosters or basically released or who have opt out dates or whatever. I think you do that. Then you've got Dominic Smith and mike Y Stremsky against right handed pitching. You've got Eli White when what ever external ad you make for the first month or so of the season, and then once you get Hassan kimback, once you get Sean Murphy back, you're able to have better options against left handed pitching. You can move Mauricio Debond around the lineup and around the diamond. So I think that's what you do. I think that you go with what makes the most sense offensively, and that's yeas as well as Dominic Smith against right handed pitching, go add a good platoon option that hits left handed pitching. Will to go with Eli White and platoon at both of the d H and left fielder for the first month or six weeks of the season.

00:13:31
Speaker 2: Yeah, and all of the changes if they add somebody like tomorrow, and they could add multiple guys. I mean, you know, we're we're so we're at the point. Bowman mentioned this today MLB dot Com be and Beat writer Mark Bowman that a lot of these veteran guys have opt outs and I think Saturday is to day and I think that's all over the league. So I think you're going to see a bunch of people cut or opting out in the next two days, and that could change the equation. So you know, we'll see I I don't think I know people like Dominic Smith against right handed pitching, and I could see a world where that works. I don't love I still don't love it, Like I would love to just go get a DH, just a regular DH or somebody that's good enough that can you know. I mean Profarb was gonna project it like a one twenty WRC plus that's a pretty significant bat that you just lost, Like, I don't know that Dominic Smith, then pick your random, you know guy off the scrap heap is gonna be sufficient for that kind of production. But you know, we'll find out.

00:14:39
Speaker 1: Yeah, Hey, your whole point about going to get YONDI Diaz, you know, trading for Ryan Mount. So I think all those have sailed. But you know, but again, I think what the Braves are kind of trying to do if they haven't made a move yet, I think they're gonna try to piece it together for the first six weeks, see if Kim and Murphy can come back healthy and be their old offensive sales. What's going to answer a lot of questions. And then from there they'll deep into that additional financial resources further into the season to see what might work out. But you know, we just did a lot of predictions right there on a smaller scale when it comes to how the Braves may manage DH, how they may manage left Field, I don't necessarily know if you would define them as bold, But around the corner we're gonna have plenty of bold predictions, some bold predictions from me as well as some very very spicy Tobert takeaways. Right after this word from our partners. This one's for the dudes looking for peak bedroom performance.

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00:16:35
Speaker 1: So, Steven, are you ready to get bold?

00:16:37
Speaker 2: Let's get bold?

00:16:37
Speaker 1: How bold are you feeling?

00:16:39
Speaker 2: Tone, I'm feeling glacially bold. I don't know what that means. Actually, I just wanted to get the word glacially back into the podcast.

00:16:50
Speaker 1: You slowly work your way to be in bold. Meryl Streep you give that two thumbs up. Back to baseball, though, Let's go with it like this. So here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna give a pitching bolt prediction. We're gonna give a hitting bolt prediction. We're gonna give a transaction bold prediction, a move that the Braves could make in season, and then a baseball in general bold prediction. Over the next two segments. Let's start with the pitching bold prediction and again everybody's favorite segment of Hammer Territory, the Tobart Takeaways right up there with mix it up the Tobert Takeaways. Steven Tobert, your first takeaway, what is your pitching bold prediction for the twenty twenty sixth season.

00:17:31
Speaker 2: Yeah, so I thought about going with just one of the Braves pitchers is gonna stay healthy, because I feel like that's like a bold prediction these days. I felt like that was a little too cynical, though, So we're gonna go with something a little more on the button. I'm gonna say that Dideo Fuintez is as high as third on the team and innings pitched in twenty twenty six I think, so this is one of those bold predictions that could be a good thing, or it could be a very bad thing.

00:18:07
Speaker 1: I agree.

00:18:09
Speaker 2: If it's because Didier is just so good, then you know it. It could very easy because you know, he threw one hundred and thirty innings and that ended up being like third on the team because a couple guys had fifteen diils and everything still went relatively well. It can also be because everybody else got hurt, or at least most of everybody else got hurt, and Didier was just the first guy up. And I think both of those scenarios are so plausible that if you just combine them, I see it happening. And I mean it's a bold prediction, so it's I guess in the spirit of it, it's something that's unexpected to happen. But if I told you right now that like Diddy or Flinton has got caught up in May because somebody went on the fifteen dil and just never went back down the way that kid has looked in spring, I don't know that I would be like all that. It would definitely mean the season went in a different direction than I thought it would, But I don't know that that's off the table. So Didier flints third on the team, an innings pitched. Remember last year Bryce Elder led the team an innings pitched. Don't forget that little nugget. So yeah, I think I'm gonna I had a couple in my head that I could have gone with, but I think I'm gonna go with that one. Did Dear flint does By the time we get to the end of the year, Didear Flintes is third on the team and innings pitched.

00:19:32
Speaker 1: So similar but different. Bold prediction on my end. Jr. Richie wins in l Rookie.

00:19:38
Speaker 2: Of the Year, So that's a bold that's a true bull.

00:19:41
Speaker 1: I'm going to go with that as a bold prediction because think about it, and I'm thinking Richie potentially taking the cad Horton route from last year. Right, Rays are definitely wanting to be in contention. Jr. Richie seems to be in mind to start the season with the Braves, and besides Sell and you hope Spencer Strider, there's plenty of opportunity. If Jr. Richie is going to make the opening day roster and he impresses, the Braves have every reason to go ahead and keep him in the rotation. I would love would still love they went out and got a guy to where he could start the year in the minors. I think that would make more sense. But to the point of DIDDI ar for Winces and Jay, are Richie kind of knocking on that door where they may force their way into the majors sooner than some may think. I think Richie probably is priority number one of the two rookies to be the guy that they go with, and I think he could impress. I don't necessarily know if he's going to have a second half like Horton did last year, but just think Drake Baldwin had to have a one twenty five w RC plus as a rookie to hold off Horton for Rookie of the Year. Connor Griffin, JJ Weatherholt, I know, Nolan McLain, South Stewart, others are up there. You're going to have more offensive options in the Rookie of the Year conversation this year than you did last year. But if those guys struggle and Jr. Richie is pitching good for a contender, you could possibly see it happen. I gave this is a bold prediction. I don't think that it's going to happen. But I definitely can see Jr. Richie having that type of makeup to where when we get if he starts the season earlier, starts the year with the team, we get into July, we get into August, and I know at that time his innings could be a bitting question. But you could find yourself to where if this guy has thrown seventy five to one hundred innings come late July early August and he's looked good, he could be right in there in that conversation.

00:21:36
Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't know that he's gonna make the opening day roster. I do think they're gonna go with the guys that don't have options and Elder and Squarez or maybe even Martin Perez. I think the fact that obviously Richie and Flints can both be sent to Guinnette, it's gonna really hurt them to start the year. So I would be surprised if he was like a wire to wire guy like Baldwin was last year. But on talent, yeah, I mean I could see it, like pitching guys come out of like it. I don't want to say out of nowhere. Because Richie has been a top prospect for a while, but like you know, there wasn't that long ago that I'd kind of forgotten about g R. Richie because he was kind of an injury purgatory and kind of down in the miners. It's just easy to forget about. So you know, he's had a really strong resurgence. It wouldn't surprise me at all, I don't. I mean, it's gonna come down that he's gonna have enough innings, and some of that is gonna come down to how healthy the rotation stays. Again, if Didy, if Wintez and Jerr Richie are both pitching a lot of innings, it's very possible the season is is going the wrong direction unfortunately. So you know, again like Drake Baldwin won the Rookie of the Year last year, but the season win it up a really poor direction. So these aren't necessarily bold predictions that are predicting the team is going to be awesome. Although I do think the team is going to be very good this year. I'm just with yours and mine. It's more about I don't really trust the health of the rotation, and I think at some point these kids are gonna play a big role. You picked Richie, I picked Fintes. I could see both having a major role, And if they do have a major role, I'm very curious to see what happens in terms of the win loss record, because typically speaking, generally speaking, young pitching is not the way to win a lot of games. Usually you need more season pitching to win games. You know, if the Braves can at the very least keep Sale healthy and maybe one other guy, I wouldn't I wouldn't be as worried. But yeah, if those two guys end up picked it throwing a lot of innings, I'm very curious to see how the how the overall season is going.

00:23:45
Speaker 1: Absolutely, and and and and again we're kind of predicting one or we're we our predictions are based off both those rookies. There's also the world to where at least one of them makes an impact, and I think if that's the case, that's a bit or indicator that things are going as they need to go. But the good thing is we're talking about two rookies who can make an impact this year for the Braves. You don't want them to make a big impact because you want to have your veterans starters out there healthy, and making their own impact. But at the end of the day, it'll be very interesting to see what role for Windys and j R. Richie could play this year, and they could very much impress in whatever role they take on. Now, on the hitting side of things, Steven, what is a bolt prediction hitting wise when it comes to the Atlanta Brads in twenty twenty six.

00:24:30
Speaker 2: Yeah, I thought about this one too quite a bit. So I don't know if I I don't know if I truly believe it, but I'm going to say it because I think I think it's possible enough. It's certainly unlikely, but I think it's possible enough that I'm gonna put it out into the I'm gonna put it out into the ether and just see what happens. I think Drake Baldwin could be a top three MVP finish year this year. You know, I have tried. I had to be very reserved and responsible about the Drake Baldwin love because I've and I've said it multiple times on the show that I you know, sophomore slumps happen and I want to see him repeat it. But everything that kid has done this spring has said oh no, no, everything that happened last year was very real. I mean, he is crushing the ball every time he's in a game. He's got like three balls over one hundred and five miles an hour, usually in the gap or over the fence. I I do need to see it against left handed pitching again to believe that that side is real. But the dude just looks like an elite hitter. And if he if you do that as a catcher, I mean, look at what cal Rawly did last year. You can stack up value so quickly because it's i mean, obviously a catchers is an insanely valuable defensive position. So that is the crazy that's you know, that's a crazy one because obviously with Ronald and Matt Olsen, if those guys have you know, any kind of halfway decent year, they could they could split votes. And you know, we're probably talking about a less than two percent outcome here for Drake Baldwin. But I think he's got it in him. And if he repeats what he did, what he did against left handed pitching, specific I think he's gonna hit righty's. I'm fairly compid he's gonna hit rightys, but he's gonna I think he's gonna play every day. I think if he's not, I think if he's not catching, he's gonna dhe or he's not gonna play every day, but he's gonna play one hundred and fifty games, one hundred and forty five games at least, and if he hits the way he did against lefties last year, I think that guy could be an MVP candidate.

00:26:42
Speaker 1: Now that's a bold prediction. That's mine. Mine's would be a bit of a level lower, but I am going with Austin Riley starts the All Star Game for the for the n L at third base. That is going to be my bold prediction. A bit broader skill is that, of course you expect for Ronald Acune Junior, who typically is among the voting leaders in the All Star Game, he'll be in that game. I think the Braves will have multiple persition player offensive starters and it will either be potentially Olsen, but also Riley as well as Baldwin could be in that mix. But I think that Austin Riley. I am buying Austin Riley stock for twenty twenty six. The let us is flowing in spring training.

00:27:20
Speaker 2: Maybe it's kind of it's a nice haircut.

00:27:23
Speaker 1: Maybe it's kind of like Samson, you know, that haircut that you know that that long flowing the long flowing locks, or a source of strength. I don't know, but I do think that all joking aside, there also is just a work ethic and just an absolute desire to get back to being dominated again at the plate that we all know Austin Riley is capable of doing again. We it's well documented how good he gets in July and August. You know, he wants to get off to better starts moving forward. But my boat prediction he starts the All Star Game for the National League. I think there's a potential he can have twenty plus home runs in the first half of the season. And another reason I think that's the case is because there's just not you know, too many, you know, other candidates who could make sense to start third base. I think, you know, you got Alex Bregman, you got Manny Machado. You know, maybe someone surprises you know when it comes, you know, out of the gate this year. But Alex Riley starting the All Star Game, I feel is my goold prediction, and I do put some faith I know I said Michael Harris would start center field for the All Star Game in Atlanta last year. I'm a bit more confident in Austin Riley because I feel he can get back to the level that we've seen him in the past.

00:28:29
Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, the overall third base in the National League has really declined in terms of overall talent. I mean we saw last year because Bregman was in the American League, Machado didn't have the year, Aeronato didn't have the year that he wanted. Obviously Riley was hurt and it wasn't having the year he wanted. Like, third base in the National League has all of a sudden become pretty wide open. So you know, Riley doesn't have to have some incredible year to accomplish that. So I think that's I think that's perfectly fair. I actually think Austin is gonna have a good year. He's another guy that's look fantastic in spring training. So I'm trying to think of, like, I think Bregman would probably be the odds on, Like you're betting on this. I think Bregman's probably the favorite right now. I think he's had a good spring in Chica for Chicago as well.

00:29:18
Speaker 1: Their fan base always.

00:29:19
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's the thing. Is a lot of it is voting base versus performance bas But I do think the fans have gotten better over the years. But yeah, I think I think Riley would at least be a reserve. I don't know if he'll start, but I think he'll be on the team again. I mean, Michiada could have a big year, and Aaron Otto could have a big He got traded to the Diamondbacks, so he could have a big year. But yeah, I think I don't I don't hate that, all right, So we got one more AD to get to and then at the end, when we get back from this AD, I think we've got a couple more bold predictions that we're gonna do, and then we'll get out of here. Data Center's run twenty four to seven, and so do the demands placed on your teams. Fasten All helps keep your facility running with mission critical parts, safety supplies, and fast access to the products that prevent downtime, from cabling and electrical components to maintenance tools and ppe. Fastenall's local support and automated supply solutions give you the uptime advantage. Fasten All the partner behind Always on Performance. Want to learn more, visit fastenal dot com for industrial supplies and innovative solutions. That's f A S T E n A L dot com.

00:30:31
Speaker 1: So, Stephen, now let's talk about transactions, a move that we feel the Braves could potentially make, and it doesn't have to necessarily be a trade, right like it could be you know, hey, you feel that you know, the Braves go withf Wintes and Richie to both start the season, you know, in the rotation. Steven Tolbert's bold transaction prediction for the twenty twenty six season for the Braves.

00:30:56
Speaker 2: So these are always tough because there's been plenty time, especially the last couple of years, where I thought the Braves should do something. I thought the Braves certainly would do something, and then they don't do it. And starting pitching this offseason is kind of the latest example. Bullpen last offseason was kind of the latest example. Like, so this one's this one's tougher. I think I'm gonna go I think the Braves are going to acquire Yeah, I'm gonna say so. I think I think somebody in the Strider Lopez Grant Holmes group is gonna get hurt again. I hate saying that, but I just if you just just the odds of all three of those guys staying healthy for one hundred and sixty games just feels very low. And I think the Braves are gonna see the need to not only go at a starter at some point this season, but ad I started that's got a upside, can be a two or three or one two or three in the rotation. B has team control, so somebody that can be a multi year solution. I think I think the Braves are gonna trade for Joe Ryan before the season is over, is I guess you know. If we're gonna do predictions, let's put names on it. I think the Braids are gonna trade for Joe Ryan at some point.

00:32:15
Speaker 3: Now.

00:32:15
Speaker 2: Joe Ryan's got to stay healthy as well, of course, and anybody we talk about here has got to stay healthy. But I think the Brains are gonna trade for Joe Ryan and then try to extend him because I think somebody in that group that they have right now is gonna get hurt again, and I don't want that to happen. I do want the Braves to trade for Joe Ryan. I don't want anybody to get hurt. But I mean, if you told me to set the odds that the the that trio if Pitchers stays healthy all year, I don't know what I put it at, but it'd be very low. So I think the brains are gonna see a need. I think they've always seen the need, but I think they're gonna be extra aggressive, especially knowing they can replenish their system come July with you know, the highest draft order they've had in a long time. I think at some point in the season, the Braves are going to see they need to go acquire a multi year solution in their rotation, and I think they're gonna go get it. And for today's purposes, I'm gonna say that's gonna be Jill Ryan.

00:33:11
Speaker 1: So I've actually got a two fasceted Bowl prediction when it comes to transactions, and I think that it's significant moves of the trade deadline. The first one is that I feel that the Braves are again we've all talked about, we think that the back end of the bullpen is the true strength of this Braves team right now, at least in terms of an aspect of this. I think the Brave. It's to add to that, and I think it's a left hander. Both Dyllan Lee and Aaron Bummer both may be very good this year, but I think the Braves probably will look to go out and add a proven option out there. Jojo Ramiro of the Cardinals, I believe has one year left on his contract. He was very good last year. The Cardinals are going nowhere. A lefty who basically is an e lefty reliever who's basically an expiring contract is not someone they're going to look to invest in, so they'll probably look to get good return from him. With the trade deadline, I think the Braves will pay up. We know that Alex and Thovlas always goes out and try to add relief for the trade deadline, but I think that's going to be the second biggest move the Braves maybe get the trade deadline because I agree with Steven. I think they're going to go out and try to make a move for a player that they can control beyond twenty twenty six. That could be a significant addition to either the lineup or the rotation. The picture that I like if Joe Ryan's on the board, is he someone that I think many teams could go after Angels starting pitcher Jose Soriano. I love how he works at the bottom of the zone with excellent velocity, and we know the Braves connection with the Angels. I do also think that if shortstop for some reason is still a question mark, Alexanthopolis may just say let's go out and let's get a long term option. Ezekiel Tovar of the Colorado Rockies I think could make sense. His power depense, his connection with Ronald Accooney Junior, all that could make sense, I feel. And then you could always use Hassan Kim and is Durant Mill can't even talk. You can use Maricio Debon elsewhere as well. I also I don't think it's likely, but with Profar out of the equation the money, I don't think the Braves are done chicking in on Byron Buckston. He can make a lot of sense for them to go after, especially as kind of that all in move, even if the offense is doing well. So a multi year guy that could really add value to the team, plus a lefty reliever. I think they made multiple moves at the trade deadline with those details in place.

00:35:19
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, you know, with shortstop. It's gonna come down to how Debond looks. It's gonna come down to how Kim looks. I do think the Bond's potentially got some long term value if the Braves like him enough, but he's gonna have to have a good year. And the bottom line is, as it stands right now, the Braves don't have a shortstop for twenty twenty seven. They've got two guys on one year deals until and Kim and obviously Dubond, so I could see that the Braves. I do think the Brids is gonnadd a left handed reliever at some point. I do think they're gonna want somebody of the level of a Glacias and Suarez on the left side. Something that's gonna ppend on what kind of year Aaron Bumer Dillon Lee has. But yeah, I think a starter is going to end up being I mean, it's the most expensive thing to go get at the deadline, so you know, there's a reason these are bold predictions. But I do think it's going to get to the point, and I would love to be wrong. I would love for Strider, Lopez and Green Holmes to just make it all the way through the season. Healthy. I just I can't say that I expect that at this point. And I do think the Brids are going to at some point get to the point where that starter is is a big enough need where they just can't push it down the road. They can't kick that can down the road any long.

00:36:36
Speaker 1: Yeah, they need to do it. This is the time to do it, especially going into the lockout. You may find some good deals out there from teams that would rather just take on the prospects long term and that level of control than some guy who they may control for one or two more years, but they're not really contending in that timeframe, so they may not really want to really go into trying to extend them. Especially with the uncertainty around the law out. That may give you some deals out there that could make a bit more sense than you may have anticipated right now. And again, the Brakes have every reason to go all in, I feel, for this season and beyond. So Steven, let's brought them the scope a little bit. Let's look at baseball as a whole. What's your bold prediction for baseball?

00:37:18
Speaker 2: So I want to say, here's what I want to say. I want to say the Pittsburgh Pirates are going to make the playoffs. That's what I want to say, because I want to see Paul Skins and Bubba Chandler and Connor Griffin in the postseason. That would be awesome. I don't know they're very top heavy. I hope they I hope they put Griffin. I hope they put their top prospect on the roster for opening Day. I have a feeling we're going to see some service time manipulation. But I don't know they have enough on the back end of that roster to make it one hundred and sixty two games.

00:37:55
Speaker 1: Or maybe I do.

00:37:56
Speaker 2: Central is I don't trust anybody in the Central I never trust the Brewers, and the Brewers are always good, so maybe that's me. I do think the Cubs got better with Bregman. The NL East is gonna be so good, though it's tough to see like more than one team. Come on, you know what, what the hell, it's bold predictions. I'm gonna say the Pittsburgh Pirates sneak into the last wild card spot with a caveat that they need to put their top prospect. They put count Gret They need to put what is going to be an unbelievable shortstop on the opening day roster. If they do that, I think the Pittsburgh Parts can sneak into the last spot of the National League walk card.

00:38:38
Speaker 1: So my prediction is that the twenty twenty six World Series will not have a participant from either the NL West or the AL East. That's my bold prediction.

00:38:52
Speaker 2: And that is because that's show that show Hay in Company.

00:38:55
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's that's no Dodgers. That's no that's no Orioles, that's no Red Sox. And when you think about it, that's what we've seen consistently the last two of Blue Jays Dodgers in twenty five, Yankees Dodgers in twenty four, and the Diamondbacks versus the Rangers. So you know, five out of the last six participants over the last three years in the World Series have come from either the NLS or the AL East. My bold prediction is that the two teams that make the World Series this year will be neither from the AOS or the East. And of course you have to hope that one of those two are the Atlanta Braves. Stephen, anything else from you as we wrap up this edition of the Hammer Territory Podcast.

00:39:33
Speaker 2: No, just making sure my bracket doesn't get busted on day one. We got three more days of the tournament before next weekend. But more importantly, Opening Day is next week. Next week, when we get to Monday, we are in a game week where regular season games will be played. I think starting next week we're gonna go back to like full time, like four shows a week, like we do in season, because guess what we will be in season, And I can't wait. I am still curious to see what the Braves do roster wise. Obviously they're going have to make decisions about guys that have in camp. Are they gonna make any decisions about guys who are currently in camp. We'll find out in the next few days. But Opening Day, which is in Atlanta in Truest Park this year, which is not normal for them, is like a week away, and I can't.

00:40:19
Speaker 1: Wait, Absolutely can't wait. It's gonna be awesome start to the season. We'll talk about some things. One thing that we haven't talked about enough is the fact that the Braves just don't need to start zero to seven this year, and that'll be in schedule. Yeah, yes, that'll be in and of itself. A really good thing for Steven Tober. You can find it, but be undersquare outliers on Twitter, Slasheckt Sean Comin at stats Sac. Until next time, we'll talk to you again soon. Go braves, have a great one. We'll talk to you soon here in the Hamber Territory Podcast