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Atlanta Braves Spring Chop: of rosters and rotations

By Alan Carpenter |
ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 10: Matt Wisler #45 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the third inning against the New York Mets at SunTrust Park on June 10, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 10: Matt Wisler #45 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the third inning against the New York Mets at SunTrust Park on June 10, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)
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We’re roughly halfway through the Grapefruit League schedule for 2018 now and some roster issues are becoming clear… with a couple just as murky as before.

The Atlanta Braves are now at 7-7-1 in Spring play.  The pitching is looking better than the hitting right now, and that’s a hopeful sign.  However, there is an aspect of that part of the game that the team will have to dig a bit deeper than hoped as the season gets underway.

Mark Bowman just tweeted that he’s even in a walking boot… so this probably isn’t your run-of-the-mill playground sprain.

PFP is “Pitcher’s Fielding Practice”. The pitchers generally loathe this, but it’s frankly necessary because… well, for several reasons, including the most basic:  being able to defend yourself on balls hit right back at you.

But from one who isn’t exactly a specimen of robust athleticism either, I’ll go ahead and say it:  I think Gohara is struggling with his own conditioning.  First, he has a mild groin strain.  Now an ankle turn – possibly because of extra weight, possibly just because he isn’t the most nimble athlete on the field, period.

Gohara is just over 21½ years old.  We’ve seen players recently figure out what they need to do to get into shape.  Aaron Blair has come in looking more fit.  We heard that Matt Kemp shed about 40 pounds and now looks like he’ll make the Dodgers’ starting 25.  Johan Camargo and even Freddie Freeman have gotten after it this Winter, too.

At some point – usually it’s under the threat of losing a job or health or otherwise failing to reach a significant goal – people will take the necessary steps to get done whatever needs to be done for their own fitness.

That hasn’t yet clicked for Gohara.  This opening line from a story back in September by Nubyjas Wilborn makes it clear that there are other priorities as times:

In many ways, Luiz Gohara is just like any other 21-year-old. He enjoys hanging out with his friends, playing video games and cracking jokes. He loves a good time and a good meal.

There have also been some persistent rumors that alcohol is also part of that ‘good time.’  Not a good start for an athlete still barely legal to go there (in this country).

Now… as part of the effort that will have to happen to get him back on a mound with all appropriate cautious deliberation, Gohara may have to lose some time:

As another on twitter commented, I agree:  this is probably a no-brainer. If it’s roughly 2 weeks before he’s even re-evaluated, then that’s more time before he finds a mound again… and that’s when the regular season begins.

So perhaps it will take some adversity – even if it’s self-induced – to change a few habits.

ATLANTA, GA – JUNE 10: Matt Wisler #45 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the third inning against the New York Mets at SunTrust Park on June 10, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – JUNE 10: Matt Wisler #45 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the third inning against the New York Mets at SunTrust Park on June 10, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images) /

The Fallout Shelter

With Luiz Gohara now on the shelf for a while, that does change things in the rotation.  That, and some 25-man roster moves highlighted the past couple of days:

He’s right – these are the more-or-less routine and expected cuts.  The only one in this group that might raise an eyebrow involves Mike Soroka.  Here’s why:

Things can still change – pulling Soroka back from the minor league camp would not be an unprecedented move – but as the primary pitchers in the rotation battle seek more innings, there’s only so much mound time to go around, and thus somebody has to go to the minors in order to get their own work in… and unfortunately Soroka (who is not on the 40-man roster) is among those who will be pitching against some lesser competition.

So that very likely will secure rotation spots for Teheran, McCarthy, Foltynewicz, and Newcomb… and they’ve been well-earned, too.

But let’s look at those numbers real quick for the 5th spot candidates:

  • Matt Wisler – 0.00 ERA in 3 outings (7 innings) with zero walks and 5K. 0.71 WHIP.
  • Max Fried – 7.71 ERA in 3 games/4.2 innings.  2BB/6K.*
  • Lucas Sims – 9.00 ERA in 3 games/5 innings.  4BB/3K.*
  • Mike Soroka – 1.80 ERA in 3 games/5 innings.  Zero walks, 5K.  0.40 WHIP.

* WHIP withheld for Fried/Sims since this is a family-friendly publication.

Aaron Blair has had 2 outings with the major league club – 0.00 ERA in just 3 innings (1BB, 0K, 3 hits).

So while there are still a couple of weeks for things to sort themselves out, Matt Wisler is looking like a new pitcher this Spring, and since injuries do happen, his efforts to get ready could pay off into some April starts.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL – FEBRUARY 22: Pitcher Rex Brothers #57 of the Atlanta Braves poses for a photo during photo days at Champion Stadium on February 22, 2018 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL – FEBRUARY 22: Pitcher Rex Brothers #57 of the Atlanta Braves poses for a photo during photo days at Champion Stadium on February 22, 2018 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

Bullpen Improvement?

In case you missed it – and unless you were really diligent, you probably did – the Braves beat some form of the Yankees at Disney’s Champion Stadium last night.

They didn’t beat Sonny Gray, the Yankees starter who went almost 4 innings, but then the traveling troupe in the traditional greys didn’t beat Julio Teheran, either.

Teheran had a nice outing of 4 innings (2 hits, 2 strikeouts).  His Spring ERA is 0.00.

The bullpen  band following him all went a inning apiece, giving up a total of 1 hit and 1 run (both on a homer allowed by Arodys Vizcaino to Gary Sanchez.  There were some rough bits here and there, though:

  • Sam Freeman:  no hits and no runs, but walked the bases loaded with a wild pitch mixed in.  A strikeout (his 2nd) ended the threat he caused.
  • Anyelo Gomez continues to impress, but walked his own tightrope against his former mates:  2 walks in his inning, but also K’d a pair.

The best news? Rex Brothers had a 1-2-3 outing, which got his ERA down under double-digits… to 9.64.

HITTING

  • Ryan Schimpf.  5 official Atlanta AB’s… 5 Ks.  He did take a walk last night, though.
  • Ender Inciarte – 2 walks last night.
  • Preston Tucker – 2 for 3 and batting .333 overall.  Played the whole game.
  • Lane Adams – still scuffling, which when combined with Tucker’s play, doesn’t bode well for him.
  • Freddie Freeman – 0 for 3(!) last night to lower his Spring average to… .300.
  • Nick Markakis – 1 for 3, lowering his average to .533.
  • Christian Colon – another strong outing:  0 for 2, but walked and scored.  Hitting .300.

So the battles for those last bench and bullpen spots?  Alive and well.

Next: We need more Riley

That’s a wrap for this morning.  Chop on.

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