Tomahawk Tuesday: Atlanta Braves Reactions
Photo: bleacherreport.com
Thoughts and reactions to the Atlanta Braves from the past week
I Told Everyone Not to Panic
Last Tuesday one of my main topics was to encourage Braves fans not to panic. The Braves were coming off a sweep to the Philadelphia Phillies, but a lot of fans seemed to forget the season is 162 games long. One week later the Braves are 6-4, just a 1.5 out of first place. They’re also 1.5 games better than the highly touted Washington Nationals, who were picked by many to win the division. Other than Miami, this division is up for grabs and I’m confident that at least 157 games will need to be played before we find out who gets it. Fans tend to overreact and that’s exactly what happened.
Not only is it great to see the Braves bounce back from the season-opening series sweep with six wins in seven games, but they’ve beaten some quality opponents. They swept the Cubs, who have a talented lineup and the potential to win the NL Central. They won the first game of the series in Colorado last night against a very good Rockies team. And they won the series against the Marlins, a team that they need to win the series against all season long. They have two more against the Rockies, so if they can win just one of them to win the series, that would be big before coming home to play the much-improved Mets.
Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Round of Applause for Dansby
The season is still very, very young, but it’s hard not to get excited about the start that Dansby has gotten off to at the plate. The lineup is already a good one, even if he has the type of season he’s had the last couple of years at the plate. But if he shows that he can consistently be a factor in the batter’s box, it would make the Braves that much more dangerous. Through ten games, he’s 10 for 30 with three home runs, 12 RBI, and a 1.169 OPS. He also had a walkoff hit in the series finale against the Marlins. He seems much more confident this season at the plate. I also think the last few seasons he felt the pressure from getting off to slow starts, combined with the fact he had a lot of expectations placed on him as a former number one draft pick. I’m hoping that since he’s off to a good start, it will allow him to just go out and play his game rather than feeling any type of pressure.
Other Thoughts
You also have to feel pretty good about the Braves’ 6-4 record so far with the lack of success from top of the lineup hitters in Ronald Acuna, Josh Donaldson, and Ender Inciarte. Inciarte is hitting just .206, Acuna at .176, and Donaldson at .182. You have to think those guys will come around soon, and if not, it’s going to be a long season because it will catch up to them. But with the talent those guys have, they will improve. And when they do, this lineup really will be scary. I do want to say that I REALLY want to see Acuna back in the leadoff spot. I wanted him to begin the season there. He was absolutely crushing it in that spot last year and has commented several times how comfortable he feels hitting leadoff. I like the logic, “if something’s not broke, don’t fix it.” I think he is pressing too much so far and I think some of that is due to him in the cleanup spot. It’s past time for Snitker to put him back in the leadoff spot because he can’t hit worse than .176. If that doesn’t work, then you can move him down the lineup a little until he gets going.
Tonight’s lineup has him back in the cleanup, with Ender back in the leadoff spot. I honestly don’t know why Ender is up there. If anything, put Albies in the leadoff spot. He’s got the speed and he’s hitting .350. It doesn’t make any sense why he is hitting 7th and getting less at-bats than the .206 hitting Ender. I like Ender, but he has struggled with the bat for a while now. And I like Snitker, but I just can’t figure out what he’s thinking here.
What’s Ahead
The Braves will finish up the quick road trip to Colorado tomorrow and come back home to face the Mets for four games, get the day off next Monday, and wrap up the homestand with a 3-game series against the Diamondbacks.
Awards
Bringing the Lumber
Dansby Swanson. I could have gone with Nick just as easily, but I’m going with Swanson for hitting .389 in the last seven days with two home runs and nine RBI.
Bringing the Cheese
Like last week, I’m going with Max Fried. In his first start of the season, he picked up the win going six innings of one-hit ball, with five K’s and zero walks against the Cubs. He’s back on the mound tonight in Colorado, which will be a big test for him.
Katy Perry Award
This award goes to the Colorado Rockies. Katy Perry has the song titled, “Hot N Cold.” The temperature for tonight’s first pitch will be 75 degrees at Coors Field. The temperature for tomorrow’s daytime first pitch will be 47 degrees, feeling like 40 with the wind. By the time the game will end, it will be around 32 degrees (feel-like temperature) and soon after the blizzards will start. The temperature can’t make up its mind in Denver.
Garett