House That Hank Built
Fansided

Atlanta Braves: what is Brian Snitker worrying about?

By Alan Carpenter

FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - MARCH 01: Tyler Matzek #59 of the Atlanta Braves delivers a pitch against the Boston Red Sox during the third inning of a Grapefruit League spring training game at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on March 01, 2020 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - MARCH 01: Tyler Matzek #59 of the Atlanta Braves delivers a pitch against the Boston Red Sox during the third inning of a Grapefruit League spring training game at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on March 01, 2020 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 3
Next
NORTH PORT, FL – FEBRUARY 22: Felix Hernandez #34 of the Atlanta Braves. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
NORTH PORT, FL – FEBRUARY 22: Felix Hernandez #34 of the Atlanta Braves. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

For a team that didn’t seem to have a lot of open roster spots… the Atlanta Braves are looking like a team that may have some spots wrenched open.

Spring training stats are meaningless.  Repeat that mantra a few times.  Now realize that it’s those ‘meaningless’ Spring stats – and coach observations – that may soon drive some changes for the Atlanta Braves.

We’ve already talked at some length about third base… that’s clearly still in play… but it’s not the only position where surprises might happen.

Brian Snitker effectively admitted as much in statements to the media on Sunday, saying:

"“I think at the end of this camp I’m going to have a rough couple days, quite honestly,” Snitker said Sunday. “Which I think is all good, really. Not fun, but it’s good, so we’ll see. A lot can happen in two weeks.”"

In this case, the ‘good’ part is the suggestion that some of his young charges may be playing themselves into the roster… better than seeing others play themselves out of a spot.

To that end, who is he referring to?

ROTATION

Thanks to Cole Hamels‘ injury, it’s apparently down to 3 pitchers and 2 slots.  In no particular order…

Their stats… since we can’t get inside the heads of the coaches any further… read very well.  Their ERAs are all between 1.98 and 2.16.  They are in the midst of getting into their 4th games overall, and other than Touki Toussaint, they lead the team in innings pitched so far.

Think Wright might not be a serious candidate?  Think again, for the Braves sent Max Fried to a back field game in order to give Wright a ‘real’ start in his stead.  Up to that point, he’d just been coming in later… without facing many ‘true’ major league hitters.

Possible decision points:

  • For King Felix to make the team, the Atlanta Braves would have to create a roster spot for him… i.e., they would have to DFA (and possibly lose) another player.
  • For Hernandez to make the team, the Braves will also need a plan that includes him after Hamels returns.  You just don’t tease a guy like this by retaining him… only for a month.
  • For Newcomb to make the team, Atlanta has to be convinced that his propensity to issue walks in clusters is gone.  So far, he’s not pitched enough innings for that argument to overwhelm his otherwise good performance (2 walks in 9 innings).

All of these reasons point to Kyle Wright’s inclusion in the process.  Right now… it’s the first and second reasons that might lean the team toward cutting Hernandez loose.

Late add-on:  Hernandez is still trying to make this as tough as possible:  Monday night?  5 innings, 6 hits, 2 walks, six strikeouts.

Home/Braves News