re: ATL Thread | 2023 Spring Training discussion + hot takes

Elder with 3 scoreless innings, 3 K, 1 H, 0 BB against what was largely the Astros first-choice lineup.

quote:

---

Ozuna went 3-4 today and is up to .308

---

This is good to see. He’s gonna make the team. Snit said as much the other day. I’m sure AA tried to attach him in some potential trades this off-season, but no buyers. And if we were gonna straight up release him, we would have by now. The fact is he just makes too much money to simply eat. At worst, he’s a RH PH option off the bench that’s a threat to run into a late inning 3-run homer to tie it up. We’ve seen what he can do when he’s at his best like in 2020.

I hated him last year—and probably will this year—because he still pulls off of everything and runs out of bat on fastballs away or anything off speed. And refuses to adjust. Pisses me off to no end. But he can punish mistakes and still makes really hard contact when he connects. If we could just get something in between ‘22 and ‘20, he’s a decent piece to have, overpaid as he may be. But we’re paying it anyway, so may as well give him a chance.

I was just watching MLBN’s 2023 Braves preview. They start talking about Sean Murphy at 22:09. I’ll link it.

MLBN’s Braves Preview

They talk a lot about his defense, especially his arm and how big that will be this year with the new rule changes (bigger bases and pickoff limits). Shows a bunch of highlights of him not only throwing runners out at 2nd, but throwing behind them and picking them off of 1st. Say just the threat of that will keep runners close. They asked Buck Showalter to talk about the NL East, and he mentioned the Murphy trade as something that’s going to affect the entire division.

I know a lot of y’all hated the trade because you think we either game up too much or because it didn’t address our 2 biggest needs of SS and LF, but I’ve maintained that 1) we couldn’t pick the year he was going to be available—the A’s were trading him this off-season—and 2) he’s a good bit better than people think. Not just his defense, but I think he’s gonna really hit in the Braves’ lineup. He had really good numbers in a AAAA Oakland lineup when he had even the slightest protection. Surround him by the guys he’ll be surrounded by, and I think he puts up significantly better numbers than Contreras did last year or will in Milwaukee.

One other thing caught my ear. They were talking about Riley being one of the 2 best 3B in MLB and one of the best overall hitters in the game the last few years, and a guy on there—Bo Porter—said he was working in the Braves’ front office in summer of ‘17 and John Hart had him go sit on Sonny Gray in Oakland and watch some of his starts. They almost traded for him. The A’s wanted Riley and Ozzie. This guy was in the camp that it was too much to give up, but it made it sound like Hart may have had to be talked down (I may be reading too much into it, though). But holy shite did we dodge a bullet if was even close to happening.

Sometimes the best trades are the ones you don't make.

Think how much different the team would look if both of them ended up in Oakland.

During the game last night, Ben dropped the news that Darren O'Day is going to be part of the broadcast team this year.

Hopefully BJ. I can tolerate Nick. Brian is just plain awful. DOD was supposedly the comedian in the bullpen so should be good a good watch.

Fried allowed just two infield hits today, both were to Grissom at SS.

His range just isn't there. At least one of those infield hits should've been an out.

quote:

---

2 double plays and a strikeout with the bases loaded

---

Sounds like the usual for him