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Meat and Potatoes: Atlanta Braves Weekly Recap 3/5/16

By Philip Tapley Jr. |
Nov 7, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Lucas Sims during the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars game at Salt River Fields. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 7, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Lucas Sims during the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars game at Salt River Fields. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Welcome to the first edition of “Meat and Potatoes,” your new go-to for a weekly recap of Atlanta Braves baseball news, notes and links, posted every weekend.

Two outs, top of the ninth, bases loaded, down by 2, 3-2 count. Braves catcher Matt Kennelly at the plate…

This was the situation Friday afternoon in a tilt between the Braves and rival Phillies. Ok, so most of us have no idea who the hell Matt Kennelly is. Ok, so the Phillies Cedric Hunter crushed a walk off homer in the 10th to sink our battleship. Still, Braves Baseball is back, folks!!!

More from Tomahawk Take

Each week, I’ll be here for you with Meat and Potatoes to recap the last seven days in Braves Country. My plan is to lead with what I think is the most compelling story of the week, and then list some notes and links, including stories from around the league that I think you’ll enjoy. If this format works, great! If it doesn’t, I trust you to tell me so in the comments.

This week, our up-the-middle future of Mallex Smith, Ozzie Albies, and Dansby Swanson was compelling to follow. On Wednesday against the Orioles, Mallex managed 2 triples in the first inning (!), and he and Ozzie both went yard during the game, as well. Holy slugging percentage, Batman! Jeff wrote a summary of that game here, but suffice it say that it was a great offensive showing from the two speedsters that we should enjoy and not get used to. Swanson had a less electric offensive week, but we did get so see him smoke a double to left late in the game on Friday. Let’s remember that Spring Training stats are to be taken with enormities of salt, but for all of the lamenting in Braves Country about our lack of hitting prospects, what we do have looks pretty swell so far.

Credit Philip Tapley Jr. Stats from Baseball Reference.
Credit Philip Tapley Jr. Stats from Baseball Reference. /

We had youth galore on the bump, as well. Prospects Sean Newcomb, Lucas Sims, Aaron Blair, Jason Hursh and Chris Ellis made less glorious appearances than their bat-wielding counterparts this week. Here are their numbers:

Credit: Philip Tapley Jr. Stats from MLB.com.
Credit: Philip Tapley Jr. Stats from MLB.com. /

Newcomb and Sims lived up to their billing as having MLB ready stuff, but struggles with command. As a matter of fact, all of these young pitchers had command issues. They issued 9 free passes in 7.2 innings. That aint good.

Sims, who pitched in the only televised game of the week on Friday, consistently left his fastball and curve up in the zone and was tagged with hard hit balls and walks as you’d expect. He seemed to be having trouble with his arm catching up with his lower half. Sims didn’t establish a consistent release point, and the inconsistency of the movement on both his fastball and breaking stuff suggests that he was struggling to stay on top of his pitches.

That said, his fastball sat around 93-94 and had excellent arm side run at its best. His breaking stuff was sharp when it was executed. Hopefully we’ll see results more like what Sims posted in the Arizona Fall League this offseason as the spring progresses.

For what it’s worth, Chris Ellis, a comparatively unheralded prospect who came from the Angles in the Andrelton Simmons trade, had the best outing among our starting pitching prospects this week. None of the performances inspire confidence, buy hey, it’s only Spring Training! Let’s hope these guys have better luck in the next few weeks.

News and Notes:

More from Braves News

It was very interesting to see the Braves swap the positions of Dansby Swanson and Ozzie Albies Wednesday. There is speculation as to who will play which position in the future, and this suggests the Braves are still trying to figure it out too.

Andrew McKirahan left the game Wednesday with what appeared to be a forearm injury. That’s what UCL injuries look like. Let’s hope it’s not serious. McKirahan is (was?) a hopeful for a bullpen spot on the Opening Day roster. The AJC has more. 

[UPDATE…] 

Both of the Braves recent Rule 5 Draft picks had encouraging first outings. Daniel Winkler and Evan Rutckyj went 1 inning with 1 strike out, no hits and no runs. The Braves must decide if they will keep both pitchers on the roster or risk losing one or both back to their previous club. I discussed the Braves spring bullpen decisions here.

Freddie Freeman’s wrist looks dominant. His line this week as he eases into form: 4 plate appearances, with a double, a homer and a walk. Hopefully this continues and our worries about Freddie’s health, which Jeff outlined here, will become a thing of the past. I outlined the Braves bench competitions here.

Emilio Bonifacio has only played in CF. As we sort out who will fill the bench spots in the outfield and infield, it will be interested to monitor how the Braves utilize the versatile veteran. Is Bonifacio primarily an outfielder in the club’s eyes?

Hector Olivera has started solidly, hitting 4 for 10 with no walks in his first 10 Abs. Hopefully, we can move away from fears of a total bust on this front and get back to splitting hairs over who got more value in the big trade with the Dodgers.

Braves Links:

The Orioles are rumored to have pursued a reunion with Nick Markakis after the Dextor Fowler thing fell through. Coppolella said “get back to me when you have some prospects for me to devour.” Or something like that. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/03/duquette-orioles-fowler-markakis-trade-interest.html 

Nick Swisher on being a trade chip: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/03/braves-nick-swisher-trade-indians.html

The Braves are not the favorites to sign Cuban star outfielder Lazarito: https://tomahawktake.com/2016/03/02/atlanta-braves-morning-chop-markakis-lazarito-speed/2/ 

Andruw Jones is back in the ATL as a special assistant in the baseball operations department. Mallex Smith will be climbing walls to make historic catches in no time. https://tomahawktake.com/2016/02/29/atlanta-braves-bring-back-andruw-jones/ 

Around the League:

Grant Brisbee of SB Nation tried to determine which of what he characterizes as the “garbage teams” of the National League will be the most watchable. The Braves unfortunately qualified as “garbage” by his estimation. Come on, Grant. http://www.sbnation.com/2016/2/29/11134688/2016-mlb-reds-phillies-brewers-braves

Robinson Cano finally responded to Andy Van Slyke’s weirdly hateful comments during the offseason: http://www.si.com/mlb/2015/11/19/seattle-mariners-robinson-cano-ripped-ex-coach

Yoenis Cespedes bought a prize-winning hog at a 4-H fair in Florida, but a law there says he now has to have it slaughtered. Cespedes is never connected to normal baseball stories, is he? http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/14887994/new-york-mets-yoenis-cespedes-grand-champion-hog-sent-butcher

The Royals finally extended Salvador Perez, who was on a ridiculously team-friendly contract. Not everyone thinks that they should have. http://www.mlbdailydish.com/2016/3/2/11146464/royals-salvador-perez-extension-risky

Next: Leaving Fulton County: McGriff Catches Fire

That’s all for this week, dear reader. Drop back by next weekend’s Meat and Potatoes for a recap of the upcoming week in Braves Country! 

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