Braves Clubhouse Report (3-25-26)

0:00The Braves Radio Network channel on the podcast park is brought to you by TrueisBank. When you start with care, you get a different kind of bank. This is your home for Atlanta Braves Space Ball, bringing you the latest on the Braves all year. This is the Atlanta Braves Clubhouse report with all the breaking news on the Braves and insiders from Atlanta to across the world of baseball on one to Olsen. He drives one to deep center field back at the wall that is pulverized out of the ballpark. Presented by Arrow Exterminators call e-way-gate-go-arrow or visit arrowexterminators.com. Swung on, belted deep bright fields. The Braves Clubhouse report on the Atlanta Braves Radio Network. Welcome in to the Braves Clubhouse for report on a game week in Atlanta, unbearably. Here on the Braves Clubhouse report breaking down everything going on with the Atlanta Braves and we are steps away from the right field gate of Trueis Park where in just two days

1:03that's right two days away the Braves and Royals will kick things off for real as the Royals come in for a three game set. We'll talk about those Royals. Do you know anything about Kansas City? Well, it's rare that we actually get a home series to start things off but it's also with an American league team that's not necessarily a big market American league team. So who are the Royals? We will introduce you to them a little bit later in the show. We'll also talk about what to expect at Trueis Park. They gave us the tour yesterday at Trueis Park and I'll tell you between the food and the amenities and everything that we were introduced to and everything that we saw you are definitely going to enjoy a day out at the park. There will be a lot of things that you can do things that you have not seen before but first let's talk about this roster and specifically the most important players on this roster. We're going to go one hitter and we're going to go one pitcher

2:03and I've said this consistently Michael Harris the second is the most important player that the Braves have on either side to be honest with you because he is the star the straw that stirs the drink. He likes batting at the bottom of the water. He probably will start in that number eight spot and if Michael Harris has just a little bit of a more patient approach this season then he's going to set it set the table. DuBon will get him over and Ronald Acunia at the top of the lineup will get him in. The reason Ronald had that season back in 2023 that 4070 season is because he consistently found himself in a position to drive runs in not just himself but other people as well. They didn't have that last year with the Braves. Nick Allen batted in the ninth spot and it just it didn't work out for the jump. He's not a hitter. Great defender but he's not a hitter and ultimately that led to Ronald getting pushed back a couple spots in the lineup and really the whole lineup at that point was was all sorts of messed up due to injury but also

3:07ineffectiveness by a lot of different people but there's one important stat the most important stat from this spring and I know it's spring training and you can't take a lot from it but I think this particular stat you can because Michael Harris had four walks in 45 played appearances. That might not sound like much four walks in 45 played appearances. He had 16 in 641 played appearances last year. So what that tells me is that Michael Harris's approach is a lot different. He's going to be more patient. He's going to try to set the table and look that's all that needs to happen for the lineup to turn over. You got to get Ronald five at bats per game. Well how do you do that? You make sure that Harris, Dubon and whoever else is in that number seven spot set the table form and I think on top of that what what also needs to happen I think what

4:10will happen with Michael Harris the second is that he's going to run more. I'm predicting 30 steals from Michael Harris the second this year. We've we've gone over the the staff for the Braves and Antoine Richardson in particular how different this team will look and it's going to look way different. There's going to be much more situational awareness on the base paths. I think you're going to see Ronald run more. I think you're going to see Austin Riley run more. I think you're definitely going to see Harris run as well. And if that happens I'm not saying you're going to have 2023 type success offensively. That's way too much to ask and nobody should expect that. It'd be great if we got it but nobody should expect that. But if Ronald walks a little bit more and becomes a threat on the base path just a little bit more think about what that could do for this entire lineup. Think about that what that can do for right now Dubon whether it's Hassan Kim when he comes back or whoever

5:11it just it makes everything click. So he is the straw that will stir the drink and I can't wait to see it. I think that Ronald that that Michael Harris does have that in him. I think Michael Harris can be a guy. I wouldn't not the MVP of the league but in terms of value to the team the most important player. It's not Ronald. It's Michael Harris the second because if he's successful then Ronald can do not necessarily what he did in 2023 but he can put up MVP numbers for the entire league. But there are a lot of guys to choose from for this. I look I'm picking Michael Harris but there are a lot of other guys to choose from. Look last year a lot of the injuries led to a lot of players not living up to their their contracts and that's that's just the reality of of where the braves are. I think it's Harris but Jesse Rogers was on the flagship six eighty the fan

6:13on wednesday morning Jesse Rogers of course from ESPN and he thinks it's Austin Riley. I do think it starts with Riley though you could include Olsen for sure. Her last year I mean peak Riley is thirty and a hundred without breaking a sweat you know MVP caliber Riley is forty and one twenty so I think it does start with Austin Riley had a good spring there. I mean no doubt I mean we know what Matt Olsen has has the capabilities and now that Drake Baldwin has established himself like I said it's a good lineup but I would put Austin Riley at the top of the list after Ronald the CUNY junior. Could definitely see an argument for Austin Riley because you know the injuries the last couple of seasons has has really impacted him new flow new Austin maybe he stays healthy but if he does stay healthy I agree with with Jesse Austin Riley should be a thirty one hundred kind of guy and I say thirty one hundred because I do think the offense is gonna click and he's gonna have a chance to drive in a lot of runs especially if Drake does what we think Drake can

7:14do in that number two spot thirty one hundred Austin Riley is the expectation not just from me and maybe from you out there in brave country but the contract suggests I would say demands that Austin be a thirty one hundred type guy and if he goes forty then that's that's just an absolute bonus should be expect should be expect thirty thirty one hundred from Austin I think we should I think that's the expectation and if that happens then again most valuable player on the roster I you could make an argument for him I certainly understand it I still argue hairs but that is he's another guy Austin who needs to live up to his contract and look that's it might just be him being healthy this year because he was pretty solid the last couple of seasons before he got hurt really two years ago he was fine till he got hurt but Jesse's right that Austin Riley needs to be one of those guys as well on the mound

8:17this has been a point of consternation for all of brave's country injury after injury after injury after injury in fact the brave's officially put players on the injured list today and in many does not look good now a lot of that's it all of it's administrative but you saw a Waldrip you saw Smith Shaw or you saw Strider it's like oh god here's where we are but because all of that has gone on the most important picture this year is grand homes because right now you're asking grand homes to be the number two and you can say okay maybe Ronaldo Lopez is the number two I know I think with what grant has done and the fact that basically by the end of November beginning of December Alex Anthopolis said that yeah he's going through a normal offseason now you don't have to worry about the arm his offseason is normal and the therapy worked and with Ronaldo the velocity being what it was a couple days ago should there be some concern there you know maybe maybe not but I think it's fair to say that he's not the number two it is grand homes had a 102 ERA and 096 whip

9:1918 strikeouts in 15 and 2 thirds innings this spring I will take even if he even if that's inflated by spring training players and minor league players that's that's a phenomenal foundation and he was good I think was yesterday I think he was he was pretty solid as well in his last start now he did struggle in his last four starts of last season before the injury okay that's fine but you learn from your mistakes grant was I'm sure he's going to look back and say okay here's the things I need to adjust and it looks like he has this spring and again 102 ERA no if he's three times that if it's a 306 ERA yes 100 percent yes so grant homes is the most important player because look up we've said this on this show if price elders a five fine but now price elders a four and maybe even more than that if Ronaldo's issues if that is something serious I don't think they

10:23are from all indications they aren't but you got to have a solid number two and it is grand homes at least right now could it be Lucas G. Alito now after all of the injuries it seemed like there was a sense of urgency to go find a replacement out there get a free agent whether it is Lucas G. Alito or before Bassett signed or whoever you could get one of those guys well the braves didn't and G. Alito's still out there here is Jesse Roberts Jesse Rogers from ESPN from 680 the fan to flagship earlier this morning on maybe if G. Alito could become a member of the Atlanta Braves maybe if they get more information on on this oblique with strider I mean obliques can be anywhere from two weeks to two months sometimes pitcher or hitter so if they get a worse worst case scenario maybe that that call the G. Alito happens if they do think it's short term maybe it's a different story I don't know exactly what their path is going to be but it does feel like they could use a pitcher and that Lucas G. Alito is the one guy out there if you

11:28need a hitter Tommy fans out there but that that's not really a fit for you guys but you know he's still out there there's a few guys out there but G. Alito probably tops that list and certainly on paper it looks there looks like there's a fit I haven't talked to Alex lately but if he says he's waiting to see how it shakes out he's waiting but again if bad news comes in on strider that could change the calculus it definitely could but I think there's more to it in that okay let's just go let's just hypothetically sign Lucas G. Alito today at 212 eastern time on wednesday march 25th two days before opening day let's just say the brave sign him right this very second he's not going to be ready to pitch for at least three I don't care if he's been doing some some work at a local high school or one of these places like maven where there's like this all this high tech stuff for for players to learn about arm angle and all this other stuff I don't care because you're not facing real hitters you're not stretched out against real hitters so

12:34right now let's again let's just sign Lucas G. Alito right now what does that do for the roster what does that do in the Spencer stride the absence of Spencer strider it wouldn't do anything for a month and okay Spencer striders on the 15 day aisle it is an oblique you you never know what's going to happen with the muscle like the oblique especially for in baseball for hitters or pitchers with all the torque they put on their core so is is that a is that an actual solution no and it wouldn't be a solution until may probably at the earliest so if the brave sign anybody what Lucas G. Alito or anybody any free agent out there that is is still on the market I think it's really bad for Spencer strider or the news about Spencer strider and what happened to him and how long it's going to be until he comes back but all of that combined leads me back to this

13:36the grand homes is the most important guy because if you get grand homes from the first couple of months last year you're not no you're not in the world to hurt but if you get grand homes from the last four starts of last season then there could be some issues but from like I said what we seen this spring grant is off to a good start the braves did announce their roster today and not a real surprise actually not really any surprise at all Osvaldo Bito being like the guy that you know maybe because of lack of options he's on there for now and it's going to be a guy that you know gets df8 and comes back hopefully and gets df8 and then gets claimed and then he takes the Jesse Chavez route and goes out to the angels for two days and then comes back magically but no real surprise here and Cole and I were talking about this out in the bullpen before before we came in for the braves clubhouse report I look at this bullpen and man it looks good

14:37it's the strength of this team when you have Dylan Lee as a seventh inning guy and Aaron Bummer as a seventh inning guy and Tyler Kinley after what he did last year in front of Robert Suarez and Ricella Glacias and on top of that Dettier Fuentes who obviously we've heard all about over the course of spring training you it's a luxury and the bullpen it seems like everybody hates their bullpen every year every fan base hates their bullpen every single year because they get put in the situations where they lose the game even in reality though in reality that usually isn't the case but this bullpen can be a strength can be an it can be an absolute monster and look Jose Suarez is going to jump in the in the rotation and maybe he moves back if somebody else comes in but I just can't wait to see it if the offense just gets you to the seventh inning maybe even the sixth inning can put things on cruise control more times than not and then I got me thinking about the with the with the roster

15:45looking at where Mauricio did want like first of all the depth is great Kyle Farmer or Hey Mateo Dominic Smith Dominic Smith was pretty good last year Dominic Smith can do some damage on the base pass I love the fact that he's going to be part of this plan but Mauricio Dubon I think is a a guy that maybe we're not going to appreciate enough looking back at Hassan Kim when he got here he was under 260 he really didn't do an awful lot with the bat Mauricio Dubon had a better year than him and in terms of defense Mauricio's won a gold glove now granted it was as a utility guy but is the drop off that massive no in fact it might just cancel each other might just cancel out so who is the better offensive plan it might be Mauricio Dubon so I think in terms of this offense you have to be really happy as a braves fan because you you you kind of stumbled in to some really good bench guys certainly better than we had last year and what Wises has discussed that a lot as we've talked to him and Alex Anthopolis or of course the offseason that one of the

16:49big issues last year was that when things went south either from production standpoint or from an injury standpoint the braves just had to patch things together I don't think that's going to be the case this year we'll take a break when we come back we'll introduce you to the Kansas City Royals what will you see this weekend on the third base dugout we'll tell you next at the Braves Clubhouse report on the Atlanta Braves radio network now here's more braves talk from inside the clubhouse this is the Atlanta Braves Clubhouse report presented by arrow exterminators on the Atlanta Braves radio network welcome back Barrett Sully here in the Braves radio network studios we're in the battery Atlanta just across the street from truest park royals and braves a rare home series to kick things off for the braves very rare in fact so you know I said earlier in the show okay this is not the Yankees this is not the Red Sox these are the Kansas City Royals it we don't know a lot about the royals around here nor should we not only you know being in the American League but they're

17:49not a high high profile team you don't see them all that much on national TV you don't hear much about them on the the MLB network you just don't I know they're supposed to be objective and you know give teams close to equal air time they don't so who are the Kansas City Royals well looking at this royals team I looked at the odds and they're second in the AL Central but they're pretty far behind the Detroit Tigers and if you listen to the flagship 680 the fan on Saturday morning we did our majorly baseball preview show and I talked to C.J. Nikowski of course who does a great job on Braves vision and I said hey look am I am I crazy to think the royals might actually make a run in the postseason and he said I wasn't crazy and for a lot of different reasons we're gonna see three really good pictures this weekend Cole Reagan's Michael walk on Seth Lugo we all know about Seth Lugo he'll start Sunday you know he's been with the meds for a long time he's been in all

18:49star he's he's a unknown commodity Cole Reagan's maybe not now Cole has not had a a very impressive career at a 467 ERA in 13 starts last year he's pretty good in 2023 but again looking at odds he's fourth in the American League in Si Young Odds fourth so yes last year not a great year but the royals have faith in him more importantly the boys out in Las Vegas have faith in him which tells you a lot about the future of this royals roster because he was named the opening day starter what about a week ago they didn't have to think about it and they've got Michael Walker and Seth Lugo they didn't have to think about it Cole Reagan's is the guy we'll see him Friday night and then Walker and Seth Lugo were both in the world baseball classic I think we all know how consistent they've been now are either is Michael Walker gonna win a Si Young no

19:52but he's been effective for a very long time so we're gonna see three really good pitchers we're also gonna see one of the more underrated infields in Major League baseball Bobby Witt for team USA and the WBC he was sort of the the the darling especially early in pool play we know he's a stud if you play fantasy baseball he's the top player in pretty much every fantasy league but because he can run he can field he can hit he can hit for power he's got an arm and we're gonna see him up close and personal and the rest of the world got to see him even if you weren't necessarily tuned in all of the time to Kansas City Royals games and they're why would you but he's the best player in baseball he he is legitimately the best player in baseball and then he passed katino for team Italy we saw with that kind of what their magical run was he put that team together he was we talked about the straw that stirs the drink he was that for team Italy when nobody expected Italy to do anything in the WBC then Michael Garcia at third base

21:00MVP of the WBC and all star last year a gold Glover you put those three together and you you see that they have a phenomenal infield the only hole and I don't even know if it's that much of a hole is Jonathan india at second he has not had the career that I think a lot of people expected when he came up with the reds but the upside theoretically is there but even if he's just average even if he's just an okay second baseman he is he can still be a solid piece and then we saw jack haggley on as a as a member of team Italy as well rising star so this is a really good royals team it's not the royals of old and I'm not talking about the 2015 royals when they won the world series I'm talking about the one where nobody even pays attention at all should the braves win the series yes I think they should but this is a team that I think this season I think they will make the

22:01playoffs could they make a run in the playoffs yeah I think they're that good they could be the Cinderella in this new era where almost half the league makes the playoffs so do not sleep on this team they are really really good we'll take a break when we come back we'll tell you a little bit about what to expect it true as part they were nice enough to open the doors to me and some other folks around the media on Tuesday afternoon what will you eat where will you sit what kind of fun will you have will tell you about it next is the braves clubhouse report on the Atlanta radio no all the latest on the braves live from truest park in the heart of Atlanta this is the braves clubhouse reports presented by arrow exterminators on the Atlanta braves radio network wrapping things up here on the braves radio network this is the braves clubhouse report two days away from opening day at truest park and when you get to truest park you're going to have a lot of unique ways to experience baseball food experience is seating areas there are a lot of different

23:04things that you will see specifically the one thing that will stand out more than anything else is the launching pad underneath the left field bleachers there's a new area called the launching pad it's a it's an area group area kind of like below the chop where you can get a big group of people 20 to 25 fans each there are six private open air boxes with TVs there's a bar there are a couple of of wraps around support post that say 490 because it's 490 feet away from home plate so if you're a group if you're looking for a good experience a fun experience unique experience at truest park that is the way to go the south end trading company I'm a I'm a collector I think anybody who has a man cave probably has a just accountless amounts of brave merchant braves merchandise well the braves are going to try to drain your bank account because if you go in to the south end trading company in right field it's going to be hard not to drop about five honey because they have all kinds

24:07of game you stuff they're selling games bases they're selling placards from the top the players lockers dirt from the world series all kinds of autographed memory memory bill you used bats I mean you name it it is all available in a cool thing about this as well is that in the back of the south end trading company there's a place called the vault and you can't buy things back there but it's a historical tour down memory lane of the Atlanta braves not just the Atlanta braves but also the Boston braves Milwaukee braves all kinds of cool stuff so if you're a collector you are absolutely going to fall in love with the south end trading company in left field on right field I should say across from the braves clubhouse store a lot of good food as well talked about this with Chris Domingo earlier today there are Austin Riley collaborative beer there's the A town melt which is a cheesy spicy chicken melt with creamy pepper jack fondue and muffled a lot of bread fantastic I had the blue burrito yesterday at the open house and it's a deep fried burrito to poultry spiced beef kajita cheese I don't even know what kind of cheese that is but it was delicious

25:10fresh pico de gallo in a signature house made sauce a lot of good things there's just a few of the things you can find at truest park and of course the doors will open this weekend when the royals come to town we'll have everything covered right here on the braves radio net work 715 first pitch on friday night we will talk to you then when things matter for real