Three Weeks Left In A Lost Season (with Grant McAuley)

00:00:21
Speaker 1: Hello, everyone, Welcome back to the Hammer Territory podcast. This is episode two six'. THREE i am your, Host Brad, roland coming to you on A sunday, Evening september the, seventh And i'll be join in just a few. Moments a good friend of the podcast a special guest on today's. Show his name Is grant. McCauley grant is A braves insider for nine two nine in The game as well as The from The diamond. Podcast he does a fantastic job covering The braves all year. Round grant's a friend of the show that'll be with me in a. Moment first of some nuts and bolts and maybe a little bit of a rant coming. Up BUT i do encourage you if this is your first time on the. Podcast usually it is a couple of. Us there are four hosts Of Hammer, territory, Myself Scott, Coleman Sean, Coleman Stephen. Tolbert usually it is a combination of two of us or three of, us but today it's just me and then it'll Be grant in a. Second but please subscribe To Hammer territory anywhere you get your, Podcasts, Apple. Spotify we're also on, YouTube so please like this video as you were watching, it tell your friends about the. Show we definitely appreciate everyone's sticking with us through basically what has been the season from hell for The, braves and that is still going on right. Now they have now lost three consecutive. Series they were absolutely blasted the last two days by The Seattle. Mariners not much on the positive side to discuss from this weekend in, particular couple of, things Maybe Matt olsen in his longest home run the, season a four hundred and fifty nine foot absolute tank of a. Blast Jason Profi homer, again he's still been pretty. Good of, Course Chris sale has been just absolutely lights out for a long time. Now not a lot else going, on But sale now has a one point two SIX era in his last twelve. Starts just ludicrous stuff From Chris. Sale but, look The braves allowed eighteen runs On, sunday eighteen. Runs that's the second time and about ten days that they've allowed eighteen runs or, more because they allowed nineteen runs about ten days ago to The. Phillies in the last fifty five, years dating back in nineteen, seventy The braves have allowed eighteen runs are more only fifteen times in fifty five. Years two of those fifteen have been in the last ten. Days they have not allowed eighteen runs in a game since twenty. Fifteen before, then so they went basically ten years without allowing eighteen runs or, more and they did it twice in ten. Days and, then of course speaks to the, season of, course but also to the state of the pitching staff right. Now while some of the bullpen guys have been good, Lately Russell iglesias has been awesome for a, while for, example the state of the pitching staff top to bottom is not very. Good and then the lack of competitiveness right now with where The raves, are their lack of incentive to push hard sometimes on guys who might need an extra break or, whatever because the games don't matter right. Now all that, said it was a disaster the last two. Days after a win Against seattle On, friday it's been rough and The braves just lost two games in two days by a total score of twenty eight to. Four twenty eight to. Four that is obviously pretty dire on the news. Front Cal quantrell got released by The braves a few days. Ago that was the end of a saga that was covered at nauseum on this, show but that's not officially over since our last episode on the. Podcast and, also The braves claimed twenty eight year old Reliever Alexis diaz off of waivers from The dodgers On. Sunday he was legitimately good in twenty twenty two and twenty twenty three with The, reds even been An All star team With cincinnati a couple of years. Ago he was pretty solidish last year as, well having a rough twenty twenty five across two different. Teams but The braves fans to take another free shot at a potential reliever that can fix. Them kind of in the, mold not exactly the same, thing but kind of in the mold with The Tyler kinley By low you, Know, scoop a guy who has a chance to make the team next, year be around for a, while we'll. See, also he is the brother Of mets Closer Edwin, diaz so a familiar name if you're a diehard baseball, fan but certainly a low, cost basically no cost flyer in the, bullpen and we'll see how that. Goes, now BEFORE i bring In, GRANT i did not want to trouble Him grant as a respected, Reporter he's in the clubhouse regularly with The, braves AND i wanted to deliver A i would, say pretty rare kind of rant about a. Subject so if you're a new, listener this is not the. Norm if you're a recurring, listener you will know that. Already BUT i feel obliged to offer something of a rant about a. Topic AND i want to preface this by saying something very important THAT i think would probably be obvious if you were thinking about this. Clearly But i've already seen people misinterpreting my thoughts and the thoughts of others on social. MEDIA i am well aware that this season twenty twenty five is effectively over for The. Braves it's been over for a. WHILE i get that you're playing out the. String you're looking for things to talk about for next. Year it's all about informing the, future not the. Present and Nothing i'm going to say is ignoring. THAT i promise YOU i understand that the games don't, matter and that it's not Why i'm bothered by. This be very clear about. That at the same, time nothing drives me crazier as the person who founded this podcast in another form almost ten years. Ago. Now nothing grives me crazier the decisions that make no sense to me and. Others and this is one of those. Things and that is that Ron nkunya hit sixth in the lineup On saturday and then hit seventh in the lineup On. Sunday now, AGAIN i am not telling you that batting order matters that. Much it. Doesn't i'm not telling you THAT i am going over the lineup card every night with a fine tooth comb right. NOW i am not because it doesn't, matter AND i get. That but for, Context Ronald Acun junior has not hit below fourth in the lineup any time since twenty. Eighteen that is the norm for a superstar. Player but when asked about the decision On, Saturday Brian sicker said that he quote just wanted to change the view a little, bit and also, said quote sometimes you move guys up and down just to change the vantage point end. Quote that's all fine and, good except that that's not really. True this does not happen with superstar, players nor should. It, also the weird, Thing, ronald it's been, bad as we'll come back to in a. Second he reached base in half of his play. Appearances On, saturday batting, six he walked twice in four play, appearances which is good, Obviously then he moved down a spot On. Sunday. Curious now, AGAIN i get. It there is a school of thought That i've already been greeted with on social media that, Says wellcune is not playing, well so he should move down the. Order that's just not how this. WORKS i, mean you can disagree with, THAT i, guess but for a player of his, stature and, yes that matters to, me it should matter to you as, well his track record all those. Things, ALSO i would generally avoid small samples in baseball because it's a it's the ultimate large sample size. Sport but, Yes ronald is actually having a bad. Stretch he had a terrible eight, game nine game stretch last week and a half or. So he has not been very good overall since returning from the injury in Mid. AUGUST i am granting, That i'm not arguing with. It it's absolutely, true but it's also quite literally eighty eight plate appearances as he came back from the injury about three weeks. Ago for, reference in the entire month Of august one, Month jerkson profile had one hundred and thirty eight plate appearances by, himself fifty more plate appearances that we're talking about For Ronald Quen. Junior and the supposed apparent freak out about this slump that he's. Having this is less than a month of results for a player with a superstar record of performance in his. Prime also for the, season he has a one forty SEVEN wrc plus and an eight eighty six ops seventeen percent walk right bat the ball. Profile it's all there for. You he has Been RONALD. A Cuen. Jr this, season again not playing more. RECENTLY i get that it's his worst slump in a long. TIME i get that that does not mean you move the best player in your team and a top ten player in the universe down to six or seventh in the lad, up even when the games don't. Matter for more, Evidence Ronic cunyon is eighth In Major League baseball IN wrc plus since the moment he debuted in twenty. Eighteen so WHEN i said this, today people were, like, well he's more of an all round, player not a great. Hitter that's not. True Ronal Cue junior is a great, hitter is he the best hitter in. Baseball no is he to a top ten hit in. Baseball, yes these are the guys who have a BETTER wrc, plus which is a catch all offensive only, metric just at the, plate not, running not, defense just at the. Plate there are seven guys who have been better than him cumulatively since twenty. Eighteen Aaron, Judge Jordan, Alvarez Mike, Trout Juan, Soto, Shohatani Fredick, freeman And Mookie. Betts that's. It and by the, way none of those guys drop to sixth or seventh in the order, ever nor should they if you want to bring it closer to home for and use some relatively analogous. Players and by the, WAY i use relatively because there's no one on the team that is the same As Ronald Quan. Jr the bracep other guys who have been starlevel. Players no one on the current roster has ever been Where akunya has been as THE mvp of the. League But Austin, riley who is not as good as rolland To Kuenon. Jr has not hit below fifth in the lineup since twenty twenty. Two Austin riley's not as good as rolland co, engineer and he's had some well documented slumps over that. Time he's never fallen below fifth in lineup, ever not once in that time in three. Years for Another Matt, olsen who everyone KNOWS i, LOVE i Love, Middelson he's never once hit seventh in the order as A, brave never, once nor should he for the, record but still Non. Braves Aaron, judge who is a better here Than RONNIE i understand that since twenty, seventeen has never hit below like fourth and fifth in the. Lineup and that's before he was Actually Aaron. Judge he wasn't Actually Aaron. Judge Then Mookie. Betts last time he hit this six or lower in the order twenty fi. Fifteen Freddy freeman has not hit seventh or lower since twenty, twelve and that includes his time with The. Braves keep that in, mind same, Manager Freddy freeman never ever ever felt anything like this in the, order even when he was. Slumping if you want to go off the off the beaten path through a more recent, Player lin d'Or of The mets superstar player has never hit this low in his entire. CAREER i could go on and, on AND i promise you have more of. These i'll. Stop but there's just no reason for. This and AGAIN i am not saying this impacts anything for this year results. Wise it could not be less about. That it is not about. That it's a process failure for no. Reason AND i get. STEP i believe that it's like gonna shaken up or. Whatever that's not what you do to established superstar. Players AND i show us On twitter And i'll move on to. PROMISE i had three different people who are in the, media but they are people who professionally cover other, teams not The. Braves they don't Cover they don't cover The. Braves they cover other. Teams AND i know them either for basketball, stuff spost for. Whatever people That i'm friendly, with but who are professional media people reached out to me on their own without me asking at, all over twenty four, hours three of them to ask what was going on With ronald And Human? Junior because why would he be batting six or seventh in the. Lineup that's how weird this. Is that's a good it's maybe, anecdotal but people with zero investment in The braves are baffled by this and thinking that there has to be some weird reason for, this like what is going?

00:11:28
Speaker 2: On is he being?

00:11:28
Speaker 1: Punished, like what's going on? Here, no it's just a weird, Thing like no one does, this no one at this. Level and, again guys who are worse than. Him, sure if he was over one, HUNDRED i would understand it a little bit, more AND i still wouldn't do this for the, Record but he's not over for one, Hundred, like it's not what it's not what it's happening. Here if he had been having a terrible season and It's september and it's and it's been six months of, This i'd understand this. More but that's not where we. Are he's having a bad three weeks and it's if it's a health, thing he shouldn't be. Playing so it's if it's a health, thing and that's your, explanation which is the breath up said, That but if that's what the, excuse at the actual excuse, is then you don't play. It you don't Bet i'm blower in the lineup if we worried about. That so my co Host Sean, COLEMAN i will offer this And i'll sign off on this segment of the. Podcast sean offered a tongue in cheek idea On twitter THAT i thought was. Funny he suggested That snedd is perhaps quote cherishing his final month As braves manager by batting his best hitter in the batting spot the corresponds with the day of the, month Because ronnie hit sixth on the sixth and seventh on the, seventh and Then sean, SAID i wonder what the surprise will be when it's the actual tenth Of september and. Beyond obviously that's a, joke but it is just, very very. ODD i don't know what's gonna happen On. Monday maybe he'll go back to hitting in the top four. Lineup he should probably hit a lead, off if not lead, off certainly in top three or four of a. Lineup but here we. Are i'll probably get emails about, this comments about. THIS i, understand but, man it's weird AND i don't really understand what was going on here and why this would. Happen and it's more bizarre if you leave it to yourselves to decide why this is. HAPPENING i don't really have an, idea but, uh it's. Silly it shouldn't happen and you probably want to treat your best player with a little bit more deference than. This it's just kind of, silly all. Right before we come back with, grant we would be joining me in a. SECOND a word from a partner's on the. Podcast football is, back and so is your shot at big. Wins But DraftKings pick, six the official daily fantasy partner of THE nfl your game day. Instinct they score you real money. Fast here's the. Play just pick more or less on two or more stats from breakout rookies to elite. Qbs unlock the upside every snap. Brings the better your call, is the bigger your. Payout and here's a kickoff. Bonus New DraftKings customers give fifty dollars in bonus picks with just a five dollars entry on your first pick set this. Season play your player instincts down with The Draft Kings pick six app now and use code. Foul that's code. Foul play just five dollars fifty dollars and pick six bonus. Picks make the, call ride the. Upside in partnership With Draft Kings pick. Six the crown is yours gamling problem called one eight Hundred gambler Help us available for problem gambling called eight eight eight seven eight nine seven seven seven seven VISIT ccbg dot org In. Connecticut must be eighteen. Plus agent eligibility restrictions vary by. Jurisdiction pick six not available, everywhere Including New york And. Ontario void where. Prohibited one per new customer bonus awarded as non. Withdrawable pick six bonus picks that expired in fourteen days limited time offer to terms At pick six dot DraftKings dot com slash. Promos i'm joined now by a great friend of the, podcast fresh off his duties doing postgame For Atlanta. Falcons great, colleagues here are.

00:14:33
Speaker 3: You i'm doing. WELL i haven't even gotten a chance to change uniforms. Yet glad it sounds Like. Sunday the weekend for both. Teams unfortunately didn't go the way that folks wanted to.

00:14:43
Speaker 1: Go, YEAH i know our listenership is not All falcons, fans SO i won't do my Prepared falcons. RANT i already one round on this podcast BEFORE i brought you. In no More falcons stuff for. Today it was not a not a lot of fun Typical falcons in some, ways but, ANYWAY i appreciate you doing, This. Grant, look there's a lot to talk. About we all know the deal. Here this is not a good baseball team this. Season they're playing out the. String we all we kind of get. That BUT i haven't had you on this. Show you have talked a little bit in other. PLACES i want to, know like what you're feeling like with this team right. NOW i know it's the, situation is what it. Is but are You are you in the camp, of, like you know, what throw us one away and we'll get it next. Year are you feeling down on the? DUMPS i, know whenever we talk to, anybody you, know could be regular fans, people it's LIKE i get a pretty big range on how people are feeling about the Overall brieves. Experience where are you at on this thing in Early? SEPTEMBER i don't.

00:15:38
Speaker 3: KNOW i think you can kind of split the difference or maybe it's equal parts like disappointment but also just trying to be, real realistic or. PRAGMATIC i mean that's the word THAT i really strive. FOR i, mean it is what it is in terms of like what the record is and, ultimately and we talked about this early in the year where it was, okay, well maybe some of these things will, change but at some point you are who you are and record tells you what you. Are and we know that The braves this year have suffered through a challenging season that has turned into a lost. Season now some people were ready to say that after the first road. TRIP i wanted to wait a little bit longer to see if maybe some things were going to come together for this club and that they were going to have health on their, side maybe more so this year than last. Year that turned out not to be the. Case but that's just one of the many stories and one of the many disappointments for this, team because they spent three months basically not, hitting and then in the second half they've started. Hitting WHAT i would say definitely is enough to be a competitive, team but it still comes in. Waves it's still not as consistent as you'd like it to. Be it's not all the familiar, names it's certainly not the familiar. Lineup so there's, that WHICH i know we'll get into later in terms of leadoff and the middle of the, lineup and NOW i guess the bottom of the. Lineup everything's being affected by this but long story, SHORT i just think you kind of have to come to terms with, it accept. IT i, mean you, know grief is not a straight. Line it's a, process and sometimes we go backwards to go forwards or. Whatever but, YEAH i think that ultimately it's a disappointment for The. Braves, SO i, mean nobody knows it more than they. DO i talk to some of these guys's past home stand against The. MARINERS i get a chance to spend a lot of time With Austin, riley AND i will have that interview on my show coming up this coming. Week and, LOOK i, mean everybody understands what didn't go right this, year and everybody is ready TO i think turn the page and move on once you are contractually obligated to play the month Of. September and unfortunately that's not going to move the needle very much for The. Braves but are there some things inside of these games that we can mark some progress and maybe take away some question marks for what the winner looks like and the ultimately what next year looks. Like.

00:17:36
Speaker 1: Absolutely and one of the many reasons why it's great to talk to you is that you are in the clubhouse and you do talk to these guys and you can dispel some of THE i don't want to call them, lazy but some of the things you see out there about how guys don't care and they're just AND i get, It like it has to be challenging even as a professional athlete to go out there in some ways when you know the game miss really mean you think that has to be a. Challenge but these guys are still prefer special athletes and they're playing for all kinds of different. Things don't give away your whole thing With, austin but, like do you get the feeling that they absously know what's? Happened but every day going to the, park, like for, instance they have six more games at, home seven games were at home this. Week how do these guys go into, This like what are they how are they approaching the last three weeks of the season knowing that it's it's the dead. Zone but also guys ARE i mean some guys are playing for. CONTRACTS i Mean Morsel zuna is gonna be a free, agent you, know guys like, That, LIKE i know a lot of guys are locked. Up it's more than narratives, Too it's like obvious guys some care because they're all paid in the, future they still. Care Man, LIKE i know you're, There you're there all the. Time but AM i AM i? Crazy it feels like that narrative is always out, there AND i have a hard time getting people to realize that these guys do want to, win they do want to have things go.

00:18:43
Speaker 3: Well, YEAH i mean that's misplaced at, best and it's kind OF i don't know if it's a lazy, narrative it's just it doesn't.

00:18:49
Speaker 2: FIT i, mean can you be disappointed about the? Results? Absolutely can you want some accountability for the? Results?

00:18:54
Speaker 3: Absolutely can you want change and? Improvement and there's the other. Thing AND i always think about this quote WHEN i think about really baseball or life is people don't like, change they like. Improvement and they haven't seen that from the. Braves they didn't see it Last Winter, day certainly didn't see it in the play this. Year and there is a degree of accountability that you want to have for that that everybody will not just look at it and to use the other, phrase joys here like art the praise just gonna run it back and think that's gonna. Work because it didn't work this. YEAR i think that a large percentage of the roster because you know who you. Have that should be a good. Thing it shouldn't be a. Detriment AND i certainly don't think that guys got paid and, decided, hey we're not you, know we have no personal pride in what we do, now and we're just here for a paycheck and it doesn't matter if we do, good, bad or. Indifferent i've never gotten that impression from, anybody and it's a good way to get yourself off The braves or any other. Team if people start to get that, idea especially the other twenty five guys that you're playing with at the coaching staff or the fan, base that, HEY i just don't care what. Happens i've not experienced that at, ALL i, think AND i talked about this on social media. Yesterday so now we can just go fully down the rabbit hole describe a lot of things based on what the perceived, move food is or the results dictate the, mood and vice. Versa it really depends on which angle you come. From but these are professionals who are, competitive but that doesn't mean it's always going to go their way and the other the opposing picture has to say in, it the opposing team has to say in it sometimes it ain't your. Year AND i think that we can all sit here at this point in the first week Of september and recognize and probably recognize for a while it ain't The braves. Year But i'd still think that there is an, optimism guarded or otherwise that they are going, to with a lot of the cast of characters that we, know figure out a way moving into twenty twenty six to get back to what they're. Doing they're going to have to have some health go, Right they're going to have to make some. TRANSACTIONS i believe that will help energize this lineup and maybe to cover for some areas and improve some areas that haven't been able to perform up to the standard that they need to to be the club that they want to. Be but, NO i, MEAN i don't think it's, crazy AND i understand the. Frustration don't get me. WRONG i, mean, sure nobody enjoys. Losing they're not enjoying. Losing it's not a good. Time like nobody wants to have to have that conversation About, okay well we thought you guys were going to be. Good why aren't you? GOOD i, mean who has an answer for? That usually, Nobody and whether it's in my, job your, job or their, job it's not fun to know that you're not performing to the level that you expected to and the level that, ULTIMATELY i, mean nobody's. WELL i guess maybe some people might be rooting for you or for me to have a good day or a good, broadcast or write a good article or. Whatever but obviously the stakes are a lot higher for these, guys and commensurate with what they're being. Paid but BEFORE i get completely lost in a philosophical man probably leads us, NOWHERE i can't tell you that they do care and that the overall attitude, Is, look we've got to come in today and try to win a baseball, game and then we're going to come in tomorrow and try to win another baseball. Game i've heard that, from you, know guys that have been here all, season guys that have been here for, Years guys that have been managing or coaching in the organization for forty nine, years Or Hassan kim who's been here for a week and was, asked, okay well down the, stretch even though it's the last year are you looking forward to ruin the season for some other teams, Potentially and he, said you, know, no we're not necessarily focused on. That we've got an opportunity to win a game every day and that's what we're going to go try to. Do so as, boring as, cliche as cookie cutter or whatever as it, is that's still what they're looking to. Do and it may not move this season from the category of a disappointment to a, success BUT i do think that there is a certain amount of personal pride that still has them out there attempting to do the best that they. Can it's just some years where your best just isn't good, enough and that's just kind of how sports.

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00:23:33
Speaker 1: Foul you mentioned Huss On kim AND i wanted to ask you about. Him, anyways we'll do that, now and they're not going to talk about obviously he's the new. Guy it's been a week. Now it's been a whole, Week grant since he was brought, in so it feels like it's just. YESTERDAY i wanted to ask. You it's not too late to do. THIS i think what you thought about the process behind, it because it was one of those VERY i mean it's a negative, way but it was a strange. Transaction no one knew he was. Available it's a guy we kind of. FLOATED i know you probably did as. Well this winter is a potential. Target it didn't. Happen now that we know he's here at least for the rest of the, season and that's all they. KNOW i, mean it's a player option that he can knock out if he wants. To but what did you think of that whole? Thing and obviously he started out fairly well five or seventeen this week with a homer, Like he's looked, good looked the part to what you hope he would be after some. Injuries but, uh going back a week and obviously what you've, seen, now what did you make of that whole? Thing because it was obviously not what you would have expected to happen On september, First.

00:24:25
Speaker 3: No and WHEN i wrote about it this, week it was more of a you don't typically see a club in the position that The braves are in looking to add players as you move into the month Of. September, typically who you've got is who you've. Got obviously the winter will afford you some. Opportunities the trade deadline didn't really change much as far as personnel is concerned for The. Braves whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, ultimately who. Knows BUT i don't think that they were going to get a whole lot for anything that they were. Shopping But alex did, say and this was the question THAT i asked him in, particular which, was you, know when you look at this, winner how important is? It and you, know how are you approaching? It and he brought up the fact, that, look we pursued some different things of the deadline that even knowing where we, were or more, importantly maybe where they're not this, year that could help them beyond twenty twenty. Five Hat Song kim sounds like a discussion that could have been had around that time that then you got Into september that The rays basically, said, look you, know we can't cut, him he's got a player, option but we can put him on waivers and if somebody just wants to take him off our, hands we can do. That so it kind of felt like a throwback move because now that the waiver deals are no longer a thing and you can't do that kind of stuff. Anymore you, know you got to trade the one trade deadline and that's. IT i just felt like it was in outside the, box but a calculated risk and quite possibly something that could at least provide The braves with some upside At shortstop for the first. Time AND i feel, like you know what three SEASONS i, mean all respect To Orlando arcia in twenty twenty, three he was perfectly. Fine the last two years have been a black. Hole, Offensively Nick allen has been a tremendous. DEFENDER i don't know THAT i can say that enough that he has been a net positive, there but you know what he is and you know what he's. Not and then There's Hassan kim who does a little bit of both and does it extremely. Well he can run the, bases he does all kinds of. Stuff so if he does decide that he wants to be here next, year that's a box you can check for the winter where it's kind Of bobashet or nothing is what the shortstop market looks like to me unless you want to go make a trade and get a guy like A Hassan. Kim and SO i think they just kind of got to jump on. That and so that was my read on where The braves came, from kind of out of left field or out of nowhere to claim a player that you wouldn't necessarily think is going to help out this year because he's. Not but they wanted to sell him On. Atlanta that was the other point That alex made, Was, hey we get him under our roof here to see the, team to see the, city and kind of get them in the mindset, of, hey if we're going to pursue you in free agency, anyway maybe this is like an. Orientation that was my read on all of. That AND i think That Hassan kim is exactly the kind of move That alex was talking about back on the thirty first Of july when not really much. Happened but now you can kind of consider this a fallout of that if you, will for.

00:27:02
Speaker 1: Sure AND i think it is interesting in his nuance you. Brought you bring up The bobachhett thing we've always says on the, show like it's so hard to get, shortstops like teams if they have, one they don't want to trade you. One like IT'S i, know it's easy to, PLAY i mean we all do, it hot stove, fantasy. Whatever it's really hard to get a guy who you want that other teams are willing to let go and if they hit for. Agency you, know you have to look at front The Nasby. Swanson if you hit free, agency you get paid a pile of, money and probably a pile of money that's too much by the end of the. Contract that's kind of the nature of free agency at that. Level Boba schett good, player not a great defender at. Shortstop alex at least in my, experience tends to lean to defense at. SHORTSTOP i mean that's kind of in the history of what he's done with The. Braves so you look at all, that you get kind of a it's not a free. Shot there's some risk to it. Too we've all discussed like that player actually just looming out. There he can knop out of, it even if he has an okay end of the, Season like there's no guarantees even back on that. Contract, yeah but to your, point like you you're taking a, real a real chance at a start at a quality starting shortstop in a way that's like very resourceful as maybe the Word i'll Use. Alex's alex is a creative. Executive he's not afraid to do some interesting things that you're not seeing. COMING i, mean go back to CHRISALE i THOUGHT i was the most prominent, Example like who Had Chris sale on the board that? Winner? Nobody it was like, Nobody and that obviously worked out as good as they could possibly. Go so they're not all gonna go that. Way but he's not afraid to go in some strange, places and this is this is a strange. Place but also you go back seven eight months, ago grant if The braves had Saihas On kem had been, like, okay sure that makes.

00:28:34
Speaker 3: Sense, yeah, no it certainly would. Have BUT i think that and this is the case for his entire, market was you're gonna miss half the year with the shoulder. Issue where are you're gonna be the second half of the. Year and clearly he played what twenty four to twenty five games whatever it was with The rays for thirteen million, dollars and The braves will take on the final two of. That but The rays typically don't spend, eleven, twelve thirteen million dollars or twenty nine million dollars on pieces that they don't see fitting for. Them that's not an indictment On Hassan. KIM i think that their shortstop situation behind him is developing in a, way maybe faster than they expected it, to so they decided to. Pivot and by, pivoting they're, creative they're, resourceful they're looking to move that money the braves as we. KNOW i don't know if you've heard about this or, not BUT i believe they've reset the luxury, tax, which whether or not you looked at that as a deterrent to making, MOVES i don't. NECESSARILY i feel like there is some double speak of you, know we expected to spend, more we didn't spend. More how do you reconcile all of that when you publicly say payroll has gone up every. Year now it doesn't go up this, year and we don't have to spend a ton of time on. This but, LOOK i understand the frustration of BECAUSE i, mean we're the ones who asked the questions in a lot of, cases The royal we and the, media which certainly can make some people, happy and we don't always make everybody, happy but we are trying to do our jobs and ask questions and get answers to. It but you can't make them say what you want them to say if they're not going to tell you, that and you can't just keep asking them until they Break this is not asking your parent for cookies until they finally break. Down their, fine you can have. Them it just doesn't work that. Way so, anyway with that rant out out of my, system you, KNOW i do feel like that there was a certain degree of, expectation maybe even For alex at the start of The winner last, year and it just didn't develop that. Way AND i think there were some moves they would have made that they couldn't and didn't make because other teams swooped in and made those. Moves then they made the profile move at the end to, say, hey well we got into something and it's working. Now but clearly an eighty game suspension wasn't anything you had on Your bengo. Car but to go all the way back To Hasan kim if he had been, HEALTHY i would have been interested to see how aggressive The braze were in trying to sign. HIM i also would probably freely admit that, three four or five other clubs could have gotten in that mix and the next thing you, know he's getting one hundred and twenty million dollars or. Whatever he's a little bit older than obviously a dance By swanson or A Trevor story or A Hobby baiaz or A Corey seeger Or Marcus simi and all these middle infielders have got huge. Contracts he may not have gotten one of, those BUT i think he would have put together a pretty large deal regardless of how it all played. Out so, yeah it's a guy that made sense for The braves previous and they found a way to get him. In now they're hoping that he, decides, HEY i want to stick around here and kind of explore this option at least for a, year both figuratively and.

00:31:21
Speaker 2: Literally, yes for.

00:31:22
Speaker 1: Sure AND i THINK i said this once, before but he was a guy some of those mainstream, projections whether IT'S mlb trade rumors or, fangrafts hadn't been like that twenty million dollars a year range early in the winter last. Year and that's that's the kind of player he. Is as long as he get previous, healthy he's that level of. Players so it's a lot of money that they would owe him potentially next. Year and when you do, this you got to be able to be willing and prepared to pay him that money because he obviously can opt into. It but he's that kind of. Player this is the guy who averaged three and a Half fangrafts war per season for three. Years, like that's well above the production that you would need to justify the contract that he would be on potentially for next year and also on YOUR i won't go back to the to the mini rat you just, did BUT i ALWAYS i always find it funny that people Want alex and really any. Executive you, KNOW i covered, basketball similar thing. There executives are never gonna throw their own bosses under the bus on spending because think about just think about it, logically if you were in a, meeting would you throw your own boss under the bus knowing that they're gonna hear you throw them under the. Bus, like that's not how that, works, Right like If alex thought there was a payroll number and it was came in lower than what he, thought he would not come out and, say you know What terry, SAID i get less. Money, now that's not what he would. Say it's just, no it's very logical if you think about it that. Way, Sorry i'm not gonna try to get anybody in. Trouble it's just what it.

00:32:42
Speaker 2: Is AND i understand that and, again we don't have to go over this.

00:32:45
Speaker 3: Ground and, look the expectation that folks have for The braves should be sky high because The braves are an organization that was built to win right now and that's what people should be. Expecting it's a lot of things have gone wrong this, year somehow more so than went wrong last, year WHICH i really didn't think was. Possible but yet here we are In. September BUT i will say, this And i'm prepared, to you, know carry the burden of this. Prediction but they should be spending money this. Offseason they should have money to, spend both from the avoidance of having to worry about the heightened luxury tax because they have reset, that but also they have money coming off the. Books putting has on kim in and say the place of Where Marcelo zunas sixteen million dollars was this year might be kind of part of the calculus that they're looking. At but what other moves could there, Be what other trades could there? Be BECAUSE i think that The braves have shown in the past they can get really, creative and The Chris sale one's a great example of. IT i, mean it may not be a guy who wins to say young the next, year but you know who else didn't Have Chris sale on the trade block when he went into The winner that particular, year year before Last Chris, sale he wasn't expecting to go. Anywhere he didn't think anybody's going to call The Red sox and, say you know what we need Is Chris. Sale because he knew what he'd been through the previous four or five. Years he wasn't expecting to go. Anywhere but sometimes you're just able to find that value and sometimes it pays. Off other, times you, know it can be a little bit more. Difficult it's a different, story different outcome at different. Times but, again before we get lost into all of, THIS i just feel like there's a lot riding on this.

00:34:15
Speaker 2: WINNER i think.

00:34:15
Speaker 3: It's fair to say that The braves have a lot of questions to answer. Internally i've said this And i'll continue to say. It everything needs to be out on the table to figure. Out and that don't mean like trade, everyone fire everyone on the. TABLE i mean they need to discuss every aspect of the team and say how are we getting the best out of this? Aspect if they figure it, out move on to the next. One if you can bring somebody, in do. It if you have a move that makes, sense you, know consider.

00:34:39
Speaker 2: It do.

00:34:39
Speaker 3: It if there are multiple different options out, there try to find the best one and move. Forward but it's simply not going to BE i can't imagine a world where they're just, like, yeah what we've got in house is. Fine we're just going to move, forward BECAUSE i think they learned this year that it can be very, difficult even if you've got a great, roster to get everything out of it that you need, to because once you play the, games even the best laid plan can go.

00:35:00
Speaker 2: Sideways and they have.

00:35:03
Speaker 1: Purposely to not ask you about this at the beginning of our, conversation but a couple of guys are struggling AND i wanted to ask you about what you think of, it the most prominent Being Ronald. ACUNYA i warned you about. This it's a little bit of a rant BEFORE i brought you, in WHICH i won't make you listen to or rehash it. All i'm gonna Let grant talk about it. Independently he did not hear. It he Didn't he doesn't know WHAT i. Said BUT i was not a huge fan of them sliding him down the lap of six or seventh this, weekend but beyond, that and you can wait on on that if you want. To you, know since he came back from, injury he's not been. Himself he just hasn't been very. Good it's only eighty eight account it's eighty eight played. Appearances that's he came. Back that isn't that. Many, grant it's not that. Many it's like that's like three weeks worth. It it's not. Nothing he's been in a funk that he's not used to be. In but that's a long tea have to, say what do you make of? That what are you seeing From? Ronnie and is there any concern about him moving forward because obviously we know what he is when he's.

00:35:54
Speaker 3: Right, YEAH i MEAN i have no concern about him moving. FORWARD i have no concern about him being out there, Playing And i'm not really overly concerned about the fact that he's going through a down, spell which most players over the course of the season are going to find their way. Into you hope it doesn't last for months and months like Say Michael harris or And Azzie, alby's but, everybody nobody's immune to this kind of. STUFF i, MEAN i think we have seen, it you, know for long enough to understand. That but For, RONALD i have a few different. Thoughts Number, ONE i would probably have never moved him out of the lead on, spot and you can remove the. Probably it's just not a thing THAT i would have. Done, HOWEVER i understand that at that time The braves had to try something and they felt, Like, okay this guy is a run, producing you, know superstar, player maybe it makes sense to just try. This AND i have no issues with the fact that they tried. IT i don't think it did a lot other Than profar has been very good and he's leading off and that makes. Sense but it hasn't done a lot For. Ronald it hasn't done a. Ton in the middle of the, order there's still a lot of moving, parts whether that's Losing Austin riley and Then acuna goes on THE il and then Bald ones in another, Lineup Hassan kim comes, In Michael harris gets, Hot Michael harris cools. OFF i, mean it's like the dials of this thing just keep moving up and down in different areas and you can't really get just like a baseline of expectation for what they're going to. Be that, said the offense has been better than it was in the first half here in the second. HALF i feel like it was the first maybe seven or ten games That ronald was back from the calf, injury IF i remember, right AND i may be wrong on, this he reached base a lot in those first seven to ten. Games wasn't a ton of. Power it's only the one home run since he's come, back but he was walking a. TON i think he walked four times in one, game maybe against The mets on that road, trip and then since then it's just been lights, out like one for thirty or whatever it. Is with one. Walk he's not punching out a, ton but he's striking out a little. Bit it's just it hadn't looked. Great But i've also seen him scald the ball a few times and it get run, Down and, AGAIN i don't look at it as anything other than players go through this. STUFF i just want to see him play baseball close out this year and move into twenty twenty six and be back hitting at the top of the order where he. Belongs as far as they're hitting, six hitting seventh that kind of. STUFF i don't really know when we're going through that, exercise other than if he is feeling like he's got a lot of pressure on, him that is a way to take some of the pressure. OFF i, MEAN i Know Austin riley got dropped down in the lineup. SOME i don't know if it was all the way down to seventh that's. Happened Matt olsen has been dropped some in the, lineup and you know that's maybe not all the way down to. Seventh, AGAIN i don't know exactly we're doing that other than it's Just september of a year in which The braves have never Experienced In Ronald Cooney junior's, Career they've never been this. Bad they. Haven't, statistically this team or at least one win loss, record hasn't been in this position since the year before he came. Up so it's a much charted. Territory, AGAIN i think we're kind of rearranging deck chairs as far as the lineup is. Concerned the ship is already sinking as far as The braves playoff, hopes they're already heading to the bottom of the. Ocean but, AGAIN i just want to see him. HEALTHY i want to see him out there. PLAYING i know he's been tentative in the outfield. TOO i Think Mark bowman posted something about that On. Sunday i've been watching that pretty closely and thinking that's a ball THAT i would love to see if he felt healthy, enough like what that would look, like BECAUSE i still think that there is that thought in the back of his, mind whether it's the calf or the knee or just good old fashioned self preservation after having to go through a couple of major injuries and miss a ton of playing time where you just don't feel like yourself and you just don't feel confident about. That you don't want to make a bad play. Worse SO i can understand. That but, yeah there's just a few aspects of his game right now that are not up to that peak level Of Ronald Lacuna. Junior BUT i think there's more to be gained from him. Playing there's a case to be made that he could hit higher in the order and just slump there rather than moving him. Around but, AGAIN i don't know that it really matters in the, end BUT i just want to see him finish the, season get in next, year get that healthy offseason where he's not, rehabbing AND i think you're going to see a more are fully formed and functional version Of Ron Lacuney junior in twenty twenty.

00:40:03
Speaker 1: Six it's so funny, too because you look up even even after this, downturn and he has a one forty SEVEN wrc plus for the. Season it's, like that guy's pretty that guy's pretty. Good, Okay just this is honestly almost more about our show than. You grant we are probably rightly accused of BEING i don't know if IT'S i don't know IF i don't know if apologist is the right, term but maybe the high guys On Sean, murphy AND i think it's not. REALLY i think it's just being realistic about What Sean murphy. Is that's just. Me But Sean murphy has been a punching back for a lot of, fans you know this for a couple of. Years, uh and lightly he has been quite bad at the. PLATE i, mean just that's just the long and short of. It his season long numbers look actually still kind of, fine like he's been a two win, Player like it looks, Fine but most of that damage was done early in the, season And i'm not gonna go down the whole, roster but he's a guy that you, know it's worth talking about how kind of in a funk he has been. TOO i wonder what you made of that and now that we had last year which was much more injury, BASED i, think but maybe you, disagree like now we've seen this for a year and a, half it's not been the same as it was before, that so it is like a in your, mind it's impossible to. PREDICT i, know is he gonna come back to being that? Guy what is this the new normal For Sean? Murphy like where are you at with? That as far as uh at this point in the.

00:41:21
Speaker 3: Season, YEAH i MEAN i would say this in terms of the twenty twenty Three Sewn murphy that we, SAW i think that for a lot of, guys maybe that's the outlier year or the highest of highs that it's going to be for a, player whether That's Ronald Laguney, junior Or Matt olsen Or Sean murphy or Certainly Orlando rco while he was. Here he never got back to that level. Again AND i don't foresee that, happening and The brads don't have to worry about that, now but more so With. MURPHY i know when we talked to him in spring training he, said look at the oblique didn't bother me in my return from the. Injury but all the miss TIME i never felt LIKE i got my swing. RIGHT i do feel like at times this year he's had his swing, right but he is sharing With Drake baldwin for very good. Reason there are also good reasons why he does, start especially For Hurston waldrop and other. TIMES i, MEAN I i know a lot of folks want to See Drake balden play every. Day i've kind of thought going all along that, hey, look this is a two persons to brace have said, this AND i think we can understand that catching is pretty much a two person. Job the guys where it's. Not it's kind of an, outlier but that's the way The braves look at. It Why Marcelo zuna gets extra starts at D, H i don't really, know and again.

00:42:30
Speaker 1: That's my thing To marcel's like, anyway.

00:42:34
Speaker 3: That's what makes it confusing, though if we're really kind of breaking it all, down and it's nothing Against, marcel who's been all accounts And i've been there to see. It a great respected. Teammate he's had his problems on the, field he's had his problems off the, field but when you kind of break down how he is viewed by the team and by his, teammates he is somebody of value in that. Clubhouse so it's not shocking for me to see him get playing. Time it's just been that the playing time has been seemingly at the expense Of Drake. Baldwin but they're also not trying to beat the brakes off Of Drake baldwin down the stretch and break him all the way down In september is as much as you want to see him win The rookie of The year, award AND i think that he is the front runner in my mind. STILL i know he's got some competition at this, point BUT i still feel Like drake is the leader when you really break it all down and taking the positional value of him being a catcher and all the stuff he's done this, year but they're not going to break him down in the search of individual. ACCOLADE i know a draft picks attached to. IT i know they like that draft, pick but they're i think just trying to manage through it the best that they. Can it's The Marcelo zuna of it that's a little bit, confusing because Obviously murphy had been swinging the bat, well so you can understand Why marcel might be getting more at bats in that particular. Place but What Sean murphy does behind the plate also has. Value so it makes this a rather convoluted and sometimes confusing time share between three guys for two.

00:43:57
Speaker 1: Spots, yeah it definitely. Does AND I i do think the baseline For Sean murphy's bat is higher than it's been the last couple of. MONTHS i also don't know if it's to your, point if it's going to be twenty twenty. Three For Shawn, murphy we had a one to thirty dob rcy PLUS i take the under on that being the real.

00:44:12
Speaker 3: Baseline but, yeah And i'd say, THIS i, mean If i'm looking at, him like not even getting into like advanced lines and different metrics or. WHATEVER i kind of always Viewed Sean murphy as a guy that's going to hit somewhere between two forty and two fifty with fifteen to twenty home, runs a chance to drive in fifty sixty seventy runs depending on his playing time and, ops maybe somewhere around seven fifty to eight. Hundred that's kind of WHAT i Thought Sean murphy is at his, height and if it's a little bit lower than, that maybe he's a two to twenty hitter with the same amount of. Power RBI's a little bit lower because he's not getting as many. HITS i, mean just if you're looking at the, old good old fashioned triple crown. Categories but what he does beyond that is still of. Value how he handles that, staff how he has Helped Drake baldwin with the game calling and preparation this. YEAR i don't know if enough's been said about, this and it's not all just On Sean. Murphy the team obviously has everybody kind of meeting and doing these, things and they've been big on this for a. While but he is a net positive to this club now what they do with his time share beyond twenty twenty, five those are again the discussions that The braves have to have about how we are utilizing our, funds how we are deploying the players that we have in the best possible, way and they can figure, out you know, what if anything they need to do as far as transactions to Give Drake baldwin more playing time when they get into the off. Season But Marcelo zuna being out of the, PICTURE i feel like kind of already creates the necessary at bats if you, will Between Sean murphy And Drake, baldwin and maybe you Give Ronal Lakunya junior a little bit OF dh here and, there maybe you give somebody else a LITTLE dh time here and, there and just kind of use that as a way to keep somebody's bat in the lineup and not necessarily feel like you have to have one guy locked. In but When marcell started hitting forty homers and driving in one hundred, runs you knew he was going to get those at. Bats so The braves have kind of been in a good. Place but it's in some, ways and this is probably a gross exaggeration of twenty three and twenty. Four it's a blessing and a curse because you have a GREAT dh who needs to play every. Day but the downside is you can't take your other guys and just start him AT dh because you don't want to take the other guy of the lineup because he's one of your best.

00:46:11
Speaker 1: Hitters it does make it. Harder and the baseline of how good that player has to be to be a full TIME dh is really. High And, marcel to your, point cleared it for a. While, yeah but that it's a really high. Baseline you have to have to have an old to have A dh only player on this kind of. Team when you have guys to your, Point, ronnie who might need to not a day, off but a. Break everyone's even even profar not a great. Defender maybe maybe you know that there's several guys in this lab that could use that kind of. Flexibility but, YEAH i mean we actually agree as much as people are probably gonna be surprised by, this we agree On murphy's. Baseline like even in the last three years that he had In oakland before he came, over he was opsing in like seven. Fifty, yeah and that's all he by the, way seven fifty for a for a catcher who defends the what he does is, Great like that's a. Star he's not. Ball what's a better hitter than? HIM i will grant, THAT i will openly talk about, that but, uh you, know it is what it. IS i am gonna get you out of. HERE i promise you. Grant one thing that popped up today THAT i want to make SURE i asked you about before we sign off is that they Gave Spencer strider a couple more. Days, uh and that was in a vacuum. FINE i think the way it was delivered was kind of. Odd they waited till today to announce, it even though Apparently sid said it was decided four days ago and they just didn't tell anybody. Whatever but that of course prompts questions About. Spencer is he? Okay is he heard? That they immediately said, No but he's stopping, him he'stop being the same. GUY i should, say he's not. Himself maybe this is kind of a new, normal not this not this. Production but he's pitching differently out of necessity and as a, GUY i, know they know you've talked too many. Times i'm sure he's going through a lot right, now like figuring out what he can what he can and can't. Do but this is A i've kind of asked this variety of questions with a lot of different. Guys, ESPECIALLY i think it's almost maybe the most interesting of all of, them because, like if he's a different, pitcher it doesn't necessarily mean a bad. Picture he still might be really, good but he's like clearly figuring it. Out what have you seen as far as as he's figuring it?

00:48:07
Speaker 3: Out he's had a really weird season to me because like he comes back and then he has to go on the il for a month because of the. Hamstring but in this first five starts there were flashes of, it but he lost all five of them and had an the era OF i think five point forty at that, point and you're kind of, wondering all, right what is this year going to be like For Spencer's? Strider and then he rips off like this eight or nine start run it felt like Of Spencer strider esque. Performance there's a lot of swing and, miss tons of punch. Outs everything started to normalize a little. BIT i, mean it's still when you look at the as they would say The braves will, say especially the back of the baseball, card it's gonna look like a down year because it was a down. YEAR i think that a couple of things are to play at least for, me is how much do you expect out of a guy coming off of the procedure that he's coming off of and if you're really being honest about, IT i think that in some ways he's done the things that he needs to. Do the important thing to me, was you, know when people are, like, well he should not pitch again this, Year Chris sale should not pitch again this, year or coon you should not play again this, YEAR i think that's just extremely misguided at, Best it would be my way of putting, that because those reps matter more than just sitting around trying to manage yourself away from an, injury, which by the, way you. Can't that does not work that, way has never worked that, way will never work that. Way and if you start allowing guys to just not play because the games don't, matter you are on the slipperiest of slopes that you are never going to find your footing on. Again so putting that aside and kind of getting really dialed in On, SPENCER i haven't gotten to talk to him since he went to The maven facility to really start to kind, OF i, think reconstruct his fastball a little, bit or at least any incremental improvement that he could, make because he wasn't getting as much run on his fastball as he has been in the, past and that's to me a bigger deal than is he not throwing a ninety nine or one hundred miles an. Hour it's can he put it where he wants to with the movement that he needs to to differentiate from his, slider and then pitch in wherever he wants to or fit in his other pitches to give him that complete. Arsenal and his slider really had been problematic this year more so than any other. Year if you go look at his savant page and look at his slider year over year over, year and obviously the, fastball the breakdown of the damage that's been done on each one of those, pitches you could kind of see that his dominant pitch, was which is a swing and miss slider was just not the swing and miss pitch that he needs it to. Be so if you're a fastball slider pitcher and your fastball's not working and your slider's not, working you're going to be very very. CONFUSED i would say that's an identity crisis right, there because even if he is thrown ninety, five ninety, six ninety seven miles an, hour which he has been pretty routinely in most of these. STARTS i think his average fastball velocity in his last two starts were a couple of his highest of the, season but not as much swing and miss. Yet BUT i also feel like every time that he can go out there and continue to work on it is. MEANINGFUL i think he said after this last, start it is hard with only four or five days in between to make a big time change THAT i feel like is going to sink in. Immediately it's a fluid, process and the winter is a time for a lot of this. Work spring training is obviously a time for a lot of this. Work BUT i think getting him through this, year with whether it's three more starts four more, STARTS i think it'd probably be closer to three starts remaining in the. Season if we're kind of breaking it all down For Spencer strider get into the, winner not on a rehab, program be able to strength, train be able to work in the any facility he needs to or with the club on execution of his pitches and refining his arsenal without the specter of oh, yeah AND i got to start AND i don't feel like. Myself but he's going out there to compete because He's Spencer strider and he wants to, compete and what he has to work, with more times than not is probably going to put you in a place to win a ball. Game but at the start Of, august there were some definite questions about one in the world has gone wrong and how can you do some damage? Control and that's WHY i ended up at that pitching lab to try to figure out. Something because necessity is the mother of all, INVENTION i think is Why Ronaldlacuney junior is betting seventh right. Now you're just trying to move some things, around just hoping that change will spark, something and THAT i think is For Spencer strider as much as anything. Was all, Right i'm trying to do EVERYTHING i can, now let me see WHAT i can, change let me see WHAT i can adjust to get through, this BECAUSE i still THINK i still think another mile an, hour maybe two miles an hour is still possible for. Him if he's able to string train the way that he has in the past over the winter and come back in the, SPRING i think we could see a tick up in that. Velocity is he going to be the one hundred and one hundred two guy? Anymore maybe? Not maybe it doesn't. Matter but he's got good enough pitches to not have to throw one hundred miles an hour to be a successful big.

00:52:39
Speaker 1: Leader, yeah and you mentioned, it BUT i want to give the number the kind of proof of concept almost that's probably a little too. Strong but he had this nine start stretch that you mentioned FROM i think it was like through Early, august so like Mid june through The august where he had it was nine. Starts he struck out sixty eight in nine starts and era in the. Twoes and it wasn't fluky, like it wasn't like he was getting bad bit, block like he was pushing guys, out to your, point like pitching up without them without the one hundred and one. Festival this is this is the post injury. Strider so we saw it for a flash six weeks or whatever it was lost it. Again but, YEAH i mean for, ME i mean you know him better THAN i, do of, course but like he's such as A rebrol, GUY i have maybe outsized faith that he'll just figure it. Out he's going to figure out the what what he has to do to get. Out now there is a baseline of stuff you have to. Have BUT i think he still has it like he's not throwing eighty nine like he's you, know he's he's not suddenly Great, maddox he's and he's got he's soft tossing up there LIKE i think he's going to figure it. Out that's that's my broad. Hypothesis BUT i kind of believe that that he's the kind of guy who's going to just be in the lab and take ring until he figures it.

00:53:43
Speaker 3: Out and you know what was interesting, too because here's all that conversation About Walker bueller getting cut loose by The Red sox and you, know with the brains go after, him AND i kind of, thought, well if he's out there and they can get, him maybe they. Will BECAUSE i was immediately thinking about What alex said about the whole, huh maybe we should bring some people in and see if they like it here and see if they want to stay here. Longer and then The phillies ended up getting, in which you, know is. FINE i don't think you're missing out on anything, particularly but you look At Walker bueller when he came, up much Like Spencer. STRIDER i, mean this is a guy who's doing ninety eight miles an, hour. Routinely now you look at, him he's still in ninety four miles an, hour so he's lost a, full you, know chunk of. VELOCITY i don't Think strider's loss has been as marked As bueller's has he, ALSO i mean that both of them have gone through the arm. Injuries no two guys are the. Same SO i mean it could be apples and. Oranges it could be apples and. POMEGRANATES i don't, know but either, WAY i think you can kind of see by maybe judging where other people are on, this you, know spectrum of what you need to be successful as a big league. Player Spencer strider still got a lot of those. Tools some of THEM i think just needed sharpening or they needed to be a little bit, recalibrated and it is very difficult to do that between. STARTS i don't think that there's enough appreciation for how hard it can be to be able to end with the expectation of not only AM i going to make these changes it will help me, out.

00:55:06
Speaker 2: But i've got to go be a.

00:55:08
Speaker 3: Dominator you think he doesn't know that because that's pretty much what he's been and so it's hard for. Him i'm sure to reconcile in some ways and these are my, words not, his by the way that it's no fun being in the boat that he was in and not having the answers and not knowing what to be able to do to immediately fix. It in course, correct.

00:55:27
Speaker 1: It makes total sense to me and just a guy that's not exactly a perfect synopsis of the, team but you, know down year figuring it, out but has the talent to be the guy that still is a top, line front of the rotation kind of. Picture that's like kind of a in the box of what the team is trying to do in. General it's, like, hey not to break full, circle not throw it, out like you're still looking at what happened this, year figuring out what happened and all those. Things but also there's room for optimism With spencer in a way that there might be for the whole. Club so maybe trying to put this in to clean up a. B but it was a nice full circle.

00:56:01
Speaker 3: Moment they're, GREAT i, mean we do, it we, can, right AND i do think, that you, KNOW i would be surprised to see them chalk this one up To, ah there's just some injury and some bad. LUCK i think that there are some areas and inefficiencies for this, club whether it was from roster construction to just trying some things that didn't work, out and then, yes injury was an. Issue how long does it take to make, adjustments because AGAIN i can just promise you they don't happen. Overnight it's not as easy as just, yeah so and so told me.

00:56:28
Speaker 2: To raise my. Hands now all of a, Sudden i'm fixed.

00:56:31
Speaker 3: FOREVER i, mean if look at what happened To Michael, harris he, thought, hey figured it all. Out, Yeah Michael harris going to hit four hundred for the rest of the. YEAR i don't think that was the. Expectation but now maybe he's just feels a little bit more equipped to be what he needs to be going. Forward but it took a long time to get to that adjustment and not to go. Off AND i ran about, that but he said the same, thing which Was Tim hyers had been working with, him wanting him to change where his hands. Were he wasn't comfortable making that. Change and this is not a coach's edict of you're going to start doing. This you're not gonna throw this. Pitch you're gonna throw that, pitch you're going to swing the bat this way and not that. Way this is a collaborative, process and it's not easy for players to ditch things that have worked for a longer period of time to just get a quick gain and a quick turnaround that may not be. Sustainable it's a very difficult, process AND i know this is probably not gonna make anybody feel any better about The braves have played this, year but just understand these are all human beings trying to solve these problems in real time against real, competition and when you're going through, it SOMETIMES i feel like it has to feel like you're never gonna find your way out of. It but typically over the course of a marathon of a, season you usually. Do but there are definitely highs and definitely. Lows, unfortunately this is one of those years where we felt a lot more of the latter than we would have liked.

00:57:43
Speaker 1: To that's, right, Well, GRANT i have taken way too much of your time after you put in a full day of. FALCONING i appreciate you doing this before before we sign, off tell folks THAT i can't imagine people not following. You but if they're not they're making a mistake number. One but where can they find all of your musings and written things and spoken things of all the things about The.

00:58:05
Speaker 3: Braves, WELL i appreciate that you can find me On Sports radio ninety two.

00:58:09
Speaker 2: Nine in The.

00:58:09
Speaker 3: GAME i do cover The braves. THERE i have my show it's called from The. Diamond it airs on weekends now that we're in football, season, Though i'm going to kind of get moved around just a bit not having a show this, weekend but next week we'll be back at it On. Saturday you'll hear that CONVERSATION i had With Austin, riley as well as some other compos THAT i, had including a good one With Nick allen that was a lot of fun to just kind of pick his brain on the season and the opportunity that was for him to be an everyday player In, atlanta even if that was certainly not on his bingo card or anybody else's to start the. Year so a couple of THINGS i got coming. UP i also write for The Marriata Daily. Journal you can find my links to most all of these things on my, socials which is At grant McCauley on x or On. Instagram and you can also subscribe To from The diamond wherever you get your. PODCAST i appreciate that as, always and, YEAH i like to be. AROUND i enjoy talking. Baseball even IF i don't get to choose the way that the season is going to, go it's still a lot of fun to be able to sit down and do this. Stuff SO i appreciate you having on no.

00:59:04
Speaker 1: Thank you for doing, This. GRANT i appreciate, it and let me know IF i can have a return the. Favor, well we you, know do some home and homes every once in a, while AND i very much appreciate you taking the time as everybody else Follow grant's. Work as you just, said all those, places subscribe To Hammer territory and we'll see you all next.

00:59:20
Speaker 2: Time