3 Braves spring training overreactions after first week of action

There are some hot takes flying around already from the Braves' spring training games.

Tampa Bay Rays v Atlanta Braves
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Michael Harris II isn't going to stay this good, but expect a strong season

There is a lot to like about Michael Harris II's game. Harris took home the NL Rookie of the Year title and has quickly become one of the Braves brightest young stars due to a well-rounded tool kit and production in nearly every aspect of the game. If he could just draw more walks, he would be a dark horse MVP pick type of player and he may very well get to that point soon.

However, he isn't going to be quite as good as he has shown in spring training so far. In his three games so far, Harris has posted a nutty 1.625 OPS with a pair of homers that were both absolute tanks. All of a sudden, everyone thinks that he is going to be Barry Bonds in 2024.

Expecting that much out of him is probably unwise as Harris has yet to eclipse 20 homers in a season as a big leaguer. However, he does have some real pop in his bat and given how well he runs, Harris putting together a 25/25 season or better while playing Gold Glove caliber defense in center is very much in the realm of possibility.

This is the danger with evaluating baseball players within a small sample. Baseball is not like other sports where you can see one or two plays and calculate a guy's potential. The MLB season is long and games are more marathons than sprints. Harris isn't going to blast 50+ home runs this year, but he is poised to have a strong season and that should have Braves fans jacked up regardless.

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