Atlanta Braves’ Future Starting To Flash In The Present
By W. M. Lawson
Don’t look now, but the Atlanta Braves are an even (6-6) in Spring Training, thus far. Part of the reason for the uptrend is the play of the young bloods.
Everybody knows, or should know, or will know soon, about Ronald Acuña. Atlanta Braves fans certainly do (Mark April 13th down on your Braves calendar, by the way). But Atlanta’s fortune doesn’t just rest with the 5-tool phenom. This is looked to as the first year of harvest after years of plowing and seed sowing. There are multiple dudes who are needed for overall club improvement. Some of them are already flashing.
It’s not coincidence that the Braves have won 4 of their last 5. That will happen when dudes play well. And while veterans like Freeman, Markakis, Inciarte, and Teheran have had a good Spring, it’s the young bloods that have flashed and started contributing to wins.
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You’ve probably read a bunch of material about Mike Soroka in the last couple of days. It’s deserved. I spoke to a colleague and friend of mine down there covering the team, and he said unequivocally, Soroka has turned heads and changed plans. In 3 Games and 5 innings pitched, Soroka’s numbers read: 1.80 ERA, 2 Hits, 5 Strike Outs, and an opposing BA of .125. That’s country strong. Well, in his case, Canadian strong.
The thing about Soroka is that it isn’t just is numbers, but how he looks. He looks like he’s ready. Management will make that decision, naturally, but there is a consensus forming that he might be needed now.
Austin Riley, the 3rd Base prospect where many hopes rest, has busted out for 2 HR in 6 days, and looks natural at that corner. If that guy gets ready ahead of schedule, and is truly ready, it will send ripples throughout the lineup. That’s not an overstatement.
Kyle Wright is apparently hitting 95 MPH regularly. You’ve got other Pitchers like Fried, Allard, and Newcomb who seem to be pregressing. Albies is hitting .360 in 25 AB and has 3 SB.
And then you have Acuña. Dude has 10 hits in his last 15 AB. He’s legit.
If you are an Atlanta Braves fan, you have to have a guarded optimism looking at how these young players have seemingly begun to show that they can play at the highest level. You can’t rush it. And nothing is guaranteed.
These guys are the future and promise of the entire Atlanta Braves franchise. If they fail, then the franchise will be a failure. Their success will be our success. Their failure is our failure.
Next: A Big Year For Our Atlanta Braves And Our Mike Foltynewicz
Knowing that, and seeing these young bloods show out the way they have recently, Braves Nation can truly be optimistic for the first time in a while.