Braves @ Marlins, 4/6 - 4/8

[McNulty 287]

I wonder when all those people who were "done with the Braves" are gonna come back? I wish people wouldn't overreact and just wait and see. I had a gut feeling things werent gonna be as bad as people thought.

It's only two games in. Braves started 12-1 in 2013 and according to posters here, Frank Wren built a bad team

[Unknøwn 13,293]

Not really a bad team but Wren built a flawed team. If they werent hitting HR they couldnt score. At least this team can put up quality ABs and make things happen.

[K26dp 5,122]

Not really a bad team but Wren built a flawed team. If they werent hitting HR they couldnt score. At least this team can put up quality ABs and make things happen.

I know this is the narrative, but it's really not true. The Braves stopped scoring because they stopped getting on base. They lost twenty points in OBP from 2013 to 2014, which has nothing to do with HRs. The Braves stopped scoring because they stopped giving themselves opportunities to score.

And that has very little to do with HRs or strikeouts.

[Psychic Gibbon 46,836]

I know this is the narrative, but it's really not true. The Braves stopped scoring because they stopped getting on base. They lost twenty points in OBP from 2013 to 2014, which has nothing to do with HRs. The Braves stopped scoring because they stopped giving themselves opportunities to score.

And that has very little to do with HRs or strikeouts.

The lineup always looked like they were trying to kill the ball at every opportunity instead of being patient at the plate.

[K26dp 5,122]

The lineup always looked like they were trying to kill the ball at every opportunity instead of being patient at the plate.

Overgeneralizing. Simmons for example looked like he was desperately trying to go opposite field every PA and found himself grounding out after two or three pitches.

Chris Johnson, Dan Uggla, and Melvin Upton were just complete messes. Upton was horrible both years, but in 2013 Johnson would at least go with the pitch on occassion and get some bloop hits, and Uggla would still draw walks to make himself not the complete hole in the line-up Melvin was.

And while Gattis was a strong hitter, he just wasn't the overall contributor that McCann was.

Finally, the bench was just gawd awful in 2014. I doubt any of us have any great Reed Johnson memories, but he was at least a credible bench threat in a way that Ryan Doumit never was.

Justin Upton was arguably better (and more consistant) in 2014, Heyward was overall better (and was in the line-up more - RF was the only position to post an improved OBP from 2013 to 2014), and Freeman was essentially the same year-over-year.

[K26dp 5,122]

This was encouraging last night as well:

3.29 pitches/PA 4/6

4.34 pitches/PA 4/7

And since we're comparing the two years of the Upton Era:

3.83 pitches/PA 2013

3.77 pitches/PA 2014

[CrimsonFalcon 4,095]

I have to say it was the first spring in a long time that I didn't really pay attention to the Braves as I had a wait and see attitude. So far so good for the Braves campaign in 2015.

I've had the same "wait and see" attitude as you. I was surprised at the Kimbrel/Upton deal. I knew that Markakis was a decent ball player and that he was probably going to be our main "threat" as far as power goes.

Martin was very sharp tonight. Great command and movement.

Kid was throwing darts. For the right team in a couple years he could be an ace.

[Unknøwn 13,293]

I can agree that lack of getting on base was the main culprit. As stated already it did look like everyone was just focused on hitting it 600 feet. They talked about that last night when they said Seitzer is just trying to calm everyone down. They said during Spring he drilled into their heads that when theres 2 or 3 runners on base with less than 2 outs just get 1. Not to worry about the others just get that one in.

[K26dp 5,122]

I can agree that lack of getting on base was the main culprit. As stated already it did look like everyone was just focused on hitting it 600 feet. They talked about that last night when they said Seitzer is just trying to calm everyone down. They said during Spring he drilled into their heads that when theres 2 or 3 runners on base with less than 2 outs just get 1. Not to worry about the others just get that one in.

And that's fine. In the majors, the hitting coach is as much psychologist as instructor. But this is turning into some bizarre narrative that all of the Braves problems last year was "too many homers" and "too many strikeouts". That narrative is too simplistic. The problems were much more nuanced, and varied by hitter.

I like the approaches I saw last night. Hitters were going deeper into counts, spitting at pitches off the plate, going the other way on tough outside pitches, and punishing mistakes. These are the same things that the 2013 team did when it was going well.

[Unknøwn 13,293]

Very small sample but still fun to say. Braves lead the majors at hitting with runners on.

[g-dawg 42,704]

I think AJC beatwriter Dave O'Brein said it best (before season started) - "no matter what, this new version of Braves team will be more fun to watch".

Braves will struggle and it will be harder for them to come back when they get down in a game big w/o the ability to hit the three run homer - but we are less likely to go into long slumps as well.

I'm excited by this new team - doubtful we make playoffs but it will be a fun style of baseball.

[K26dp 5,122]

I think AJC beatwriter Dave O'Brein said it best...

I guess there's a first time for everything.

[jidady 9,462]

I'm just watching the game now. A college team would have lit up Latos last night. He had NOTHING on his pitches. If I'm with the Marlins, I'm getting him an MRI right now.

[Falconsfan567 35,212]

I know this is the narrative, but it's really not true. The Braves stopped scoring because they stopped getting on base. They lost twenty points in OBP from 2013 to 2014, which has nothing to do with HRs. The Braves stopped scoring because they stopped giving themselves opportunities to score.

And that has very little to do with HRs or strikeouts.

People will use whatever excuse they want to "prove" that 2013 was a total fluke.

[Falconsfan567 35,212]

And that's fine. In the majors, the hitting coach is as much psychologist as instructor. But this is turning into some bizarre narrative that all of the Braves problems last year was "too many homers" and "too many strikeouts". That narrative is too simplistic. The problems were much more nuanced, and varied by hitter.

I like the approaches I saw last night. Hitters were going deeper into counts, spitting at pitches off the plate, going the other way on tough outside pitches, and punishing mistakes. These are the same things that the 2013 team did when it was going well.

Exactly.

[K26dp 5,122]

Braves line-up:

1. Peterson 2B

2. Simmons SS

3. Markakis RF

4. Freeman 1B

5. Pierzynski C

6. Gomes LF

7. Callaspo 3B,

8. Maybin CF

9. Miller P

[K26dp 5,122]

Hopefully the Braves brought some of these.

[K26dp 5,122]

Marlins line-up:

1. Gordon 2B

2. Yelich LF

3. Stanton RF

4. Morse 1B

5. Prado 3B

6. Ozuna CF

7. Hechavarria SS

8. Mathis C

9. Koehler P

[Black Francis 6,903]

Chris Johnson platooning I see.

[K26dp 5,122]

Chris Johnson platooning I see.

Sort of. If it were a true platoon, CJ2.0 would have sat last night too.

[Unknøwn 13,293]

Fredi said he planned on playing CJ twice but changed his mind. He did say CJ will get Neise on Friday.

[AF89 46,854]

I see it's have your own section night in Miami

[AF89 46,854]

Lol Marlins are having a Zombie night coming up where "The Walking Dead's T-Dog will be throwing out the 1st pitch and signing T-Shirts".

The Marlins would bring in somebody whose been dead like 3 seasons. (spoiler)

[Falconsfan567 35,212]

I remember last year the Braves had trouble hitting Tom Koehler too.

[Falconsfan567 35,212]

Bad luck there for Cameron Maybin. Should have been a hit and a run.