The Ronnie Factor

 

I think the idea the Braves are trying to sell you is that this team is different without Ronald Acuna Jr. Before he came back they were listless, since his return they've been better, he could lead them back to glory. That would be the preferable sell at least. But A.) the Braves famously won a World Series without Acuna, and B.) even since Acuna's return they've gotten caught in losing stretches. They just want you to forget that cause they've been better since the 9th. But...even if the 2021 team could win without Acuna, this isn't that team.

Firstly, let's at least acknowledge that this is peak Acuna once again, as expected. Last season before the injury he was muted and lesser, now he's very much his old self. In 28 games he's hitting .396 with 9 homers and 16 RBIs. That is Ronald Aucna. This is what he does. It is concerning that he's accumulated that few RBIs given the homer totals, as even Sean Murphy, who's hit 9 homers in 47 games, still has 22 RBIs. Is it just that hard to bat runs in on this team? Is having Nick Allen, Alex Verdugo, Eli White and Bryan de la Cruz as late lineup options really gonna make sure Acuna and Olson can bat runs in? Come on now. 

As much as this team has lost already, they're now losing even more. Chris Sale's likely out for a month or so. Smith-Shawver is out just after getting the hang of things. So much of the team they thought they'd have in March [Lopez, Profar, Kelenic, Arcia] has let them down, and now they're doing their best to keep up. Alex Verdugo is still proving why people put way too much stock in him before, he's yet to hit a home run this season. Austin Riley has 12 homers but is more 'fine' than anything this year. Ozzie Albies is also pretty mediocre. Sean Murphy has improved but now that Drake Baldwin has appeared he's suddenly become Travis D'Arnaud, scaring up a good pace as a backup. Baldwin's hitting .293 with 8 homers, and people are already crying Rookie of the Year but can we at least pick someone who has a good chance of sustaining this success over a career? 

Even still, the Braves have won some nice series' recently, dominating the Brewers, Rockies, Mets and Marlins. This week gives them two more division matchups, the Mets and Phils, and so far they seem to be on a similar run. Eventually either their lack of depth is gonna catch up to them or they're just gonna cement themselves as a minimalistic, more one-dimensional good team and see if that gets them a further playoff spot. And if that works I'll probably chuck my TV out the window.

Coming Tonight (?)- We talk about the Mets wasting a lot of players, but this guy has a definite case that they ate up too much of his career on silly shit. 

Uncustomed Heroes of 2024: Braves

 

In a different blink of an eye, the 2024 Braves might not have even made the playoffs. Which is a wild sentence considering that the Braves have been one of the best teams of the 2020s, and have a World Series title, which they won without many of the players that made the current incarnation truly great. And honestly, it wouldn't have been unheard of for them to take another ring this year, despite being without Ronald Acuna, Spencer Strider and Austin Riley for the stretch run. But ultimately, the magic that unfolded in late 2021 was not to be repeated, and the Braves were bounced from the playoffs almost immediately, thanks to a run-in with the San Diego Padres.

Being without Acuna for the majority of the year is one of the main factors in why this Braves team wasn't  as lethal as before. Not only was Acuna a wash after May, he wasn't exactly playing his best ball during his healthy two months. In 49 games he hit .250 with 4 home runs, 15 RBIs and, thankfully, 16 stolen bases. The idea is that Acuna's incredible 2023 may have overworked him and left him without much for an immediate follow-up. That's not to say he's completely cooked, as he is still Ronald Acuna Jr., but it's another setback for a career that still could be great.

2025 Prediction: Well at the very least he'll hit 30 home runs. I'm just not sure how many games he'll make but he'll make up for lost time.

Speaking of lost time, Spencer Strider, after two absolutely incredible seasons of 200 strikeouts or more, felt the drawback to hurling at an MLB level so consistently. He was rough in his first two starts of 2024, with a 7 ERA in 9 innings, despite 12 strikeouts. Upon examination, Strider needed another Tommy John surgery, and thus was lost for the rest of the year. Ultimately the Braves would be able to string together a rotation, but this happening a week and a half into a season which began with the Braves dealing away excess arms [Kyle Wright, Marco Gonzales, Jackson Kowar, all of whom would be hurt anyway in 2024] was a sign of things to come.

2025 Prediction: Like Acuna, Strider will make up for lost time with another 200 K year, it's just a matter of how many games he's able to get to the mark in.

A year after his first All-Star Game, Sean Murphy found himself struggling with injuries and ultimately playing second fiddle to Travis d'Arnaud. In 72 games, Murphy hit .193 with 25 RBIs and 10 homers, which means it was only his defensive catching abilities that gave him an edge this year. With d'Arnaud gone to Anaheim and no immediate competition at the moment, Murphy needs to reestablish his dominance or else he'll be a high-priced backup for a few years.

2025 Prediction: An improvement over 2024, no doubt, but I don't think he'll reach the heights of 2023.

Like Murphy, Orlando Arcia started an All-Star Game last year, and also like Murphy, Arcia was the victim of diminishing returns, despite a full season of play. Arcia hit .218 this year with 17 home runs and 46 RBIs, with no real fielding perks. After trading away Brayden Shewmake and Vaughn Grissom, the Braves were left with a subpar-hitting infielder. We'll see if they made the right choice, or if Grissom turns into anything in Boston after all.

2025 Prediction: Sees some competition for SS and can't quite stave it off.

Adam Duvall was back in Atlanta for a third stint. If you recall, his first stint was tumultuous but charming, his second was a needed offensive lift for the 2021 postseason, and he was coming off a strong-but-shortened year in Boston. Needless to say, we were back to 2018 levels of futility for Duvall this year, as with Harris and Acuna's injuries he got a lot of playing time, and blew a lot of opportunities. Not only did he only hit .182 this year, despite 11 homers, but he was dreadful in the outfield. The Braves brought a lot of people back to recapture the 2021 vibes, like Eddie Rosario and Jorge Soler, but Duvall couldn't even muster much excitement this season.

2025 Prediction: If anyone signs him, it'll be in a DH type role for a rebuilding team, and he might not make it to September in that case.

The Braves' bullpen was honestly pretty sharp this year, with a lot of strong options having excellent years backing up Raisel Iglesias in the ninth. Joe Jimenez, in his second year since coming over from Detroit, continued his reign as one of the most underrated relief pitchers in the game. In undeniably his best season yet, he had a 2.62 ERA in 69 innings, as well as a 0.990 WHIP and a 1.8 WAR. Jimenez also went scoreless in his sole postseason appearance this year.

2025 Prediction: Same amount of innings, perhaps not quite as consistent but still very reliable. 

Dylan Lee, a former proposed starting prospect for the Braves, had a full season of relief similar to his 2022, only this time he flexed his longer relief skills and proved his worth as a versatile relief pick. In 52 games, Lee had a 2.11 ERA with 76 Ks and a 1.106 WHIP. He was also a suitable mop-up man in his sole postseason appearance, leaving without any earned runs.

2025 Prediction: Will lead the bullpen in wins.

Late in the season, with their own options wearing thin, the Braves relied upon waiver deals and free agent signings to beef up the roster, including three different players who'd been cut throughout the year. Ramon Laureano was cut by the Guardians on their way to an ALCS [in favor of Jhonkensy Noel, mostly], and the Braves, knowing Laureano's CF prowess, jumped at the opportunity. Laureano was a surprise hit in Atlanta, hitting .296 in 67 games with 10 home runs and 29 RBIs. Unfortunately his outfield skills have slid to 'average', meaning the guy they got for his arm was mostly used for his bat.

2025 Prediction: I think his whole thing now is just being a replacement OF type when a big star gets hurt, so...look for him to not pop up til then.

Whit Merrifield was seen as a great pickup for the Phillies, but his year in red pinstripes was a disappointment, and he was cut shortly after the deadline. The Braves, after just losing Riley, jumped at the chance to add the gold-glove talent. In 42 games, Merrifield hit .248 with 34 hits. His defense is alright but not at Royals/Jays levels.

2025 Prediction: Does decently in a backup role somewhere small.

And after the Tigers released him to make room for Trey Sweeney and Jace Jung, Gio Urshela quickly found his way to Atlanta, where he platooned with Merrifield to cover third. Urshela hit .265 in 36 games, with 15 RBIs and 4 homers, plus two starts in the Wild Card series [which were unfortunately non-noteworthy]. This was Urshela's most relevant moment since his year with the Twins, and it may lead to a slightly more active free agency case.

2025 Prediction: You're gonna think I'm crazy but someplace like Pittsburgh would be really good for him. Plays everyday til July, maybe platoons with Triolo or somebody, phased out over time? Somebody like that gives him a chance to be above-replacement-level for a bit.

Coming Tomorrow- Picks from yet another Brewers team that couldn't get past the first rung.

MVPs: The Faces of the 2020s

 

 

Ohtani and Ronnie. Why not?

No matter how things got sliced this year, this is a good pair of MVPs for 2023. There's no surprise villain, no flash in the pan flukey guy stealing the spotlight, no reparation picks...to a degree. Genuinely two of the best hitters in baseball right now, they're the MVPs. Fantastic. It claims the moment without talking over it with one's own narrative. 

If somebody other than Acuña won in the NL I would have rioted. Nobody had ever done what he did this year, with his 73 steals and 41 homers, in addition to 100 RBIs and a .337 average. From almost the beginning of the year, it was clear that Ronald Acuña Jr. was working on a completely different level. I was very worried that the September narrative of 'yeah that's nice and all, but look at what Mookie Betts is doing' would kill this, but thankfully it did not. Acuna's deserved an MVP for the past few years, and I'm glad he's finally gotten one. May he get many more.

As for Shohei Ohtani...I feel like when September didn't kill Acuna, it should have killed Ohtani. He only played 135 games this year, got hurt in late August and missed several starts due to that, along with the last month of the season. Meanwhile, Corey Seager used September to jump into high gear and tie his excellent, mega-WAR season with a nice bow. It also was followed by an equally impressive October run, something Ohtani hasn't exactly mastered yet. To me, Seager had the fuller, and more MVP-worthy season, but the sportswriters are so blinded by Ohtani, and honestly rightfully, that they turned Ohtani's shortened season into 'LOOK AT WHAT HE COULD DO IN THIS FEW GAMES', and that still managed to work.

I think it's still a good move, as it's also a capper on Ohtani's legendary Angels run, and his last accolade before the uncertainty of his next stage of MLB work. I just think that injury should have cost him the gold. But alas, here we are.

May both players prosper and build on this season. Hopefully I'll talk about them again next November.

Let Ronnie Wear the Hat

 

Are we really at the point where baseball sees a fun thing happening and immediately thinks of a reason to kill it?

There's been a lot of that recently. After position players pitching became a quirky event, MLB limited teams to only using designated two-way players for this. The 2017-2019 Players' Weekend tradition was axed because Nike didn't wanna do it. Even the Freeze at Truist Park is beatable now. All these things, either from intervention or just somebody making a decision, end up changing and making the game more serious.

And that's where we're at with this oversized hat ban. Because of rules and decorum, the celebrations must end in Atlanta.

It's odd, because home run celebration items have become a staple of MLB dugouts in the past few years. Boston started it off with the cart, then the Blue Jays came up with their jacket, and now it seems like everybody has their own, from logical [a trident in Seattle] to inspired [a cheesehead in Milwaukee] to absolutely awesome [a sword in Pittsburgh and a viking helmet in Cincinnati]. And yes, some change and get phased out, like the jacket and the cart [Boston now has Masataka Yoshida's dumbbells], but mostly just because of changing whims and opinions. The Jays have basically said that they don't see themselves as flashy as they were when they had the jacket, and that's honestly fair.

But then there's the oversized Braves hat. Who is this harming? No one. It's a big goofy hat, Braves players look goofy in the big goofy hat. It's honestly the least inspired of all the home run celebrations. No ancient mythos, no Party City budget, none of that, just a really big hat. And yet that's the one that's breaking the rules. New Era basically came down and said that the Braves were only supposed to wear the smaller hats that they make rather than the big goofy one they wear whenever someone hits a home run. 

How sensitive do you have to be to say no whenever someone wears a hat that isn't yours? Even for like, a minute. It's not like Matt Olson's denouncing the Braves by not wearing a New Era Braves cap for, like, a couple seconds. "Hahaaa, I no longer play for the Braves, I now play for the Atlanta COWARDS...with a hat by OLD ERA." Who frigging cares? And it's not like the Braves are rupturing brand loyalty. Nobody's going onto the field wearing the big hat. Nobody's signing autographs in the big hat. They're only wearing it in the dugout, which has always been the safe area where you can be off-duty, take your hat off, chew gum, curse, and not have to be Captain America for all the kids watching. Who cares if you put on a big hat that isn't the company in question's when somebody hits a home run? 

The Braves should retaliate by getting an even bigger hat with a giant NEW ERA type on the back. Just to stick it to 'em. 

All this to say that the Braves are still doing extremely well, and hitting a lot of home runs. If they weren't, this wouldn't have been an issue for New Era. Why couldn't the Tigers have done this? To give you an idea, Ozzie Albies has 7 homers right now. SEVEN. And he's usually a contact guy. He's hit 30 before, yeah, but he's not known for his long balls. No wonder New Era complained. If the second baseman's gonna have celebrations with the oversized hat, THEN we have to step in.

And Ronald Acuna's having another awesome season as well, hitting .352 with 14 RBIs, 4 homers and a 1.7 WAR. He's on the road to another excellent career year, and possibly his first ever MVP. I sincerely hope he keeps it up. But if there's any player right now who is tailor-made to smile widely in an oversized hat, it is, by far, Ronald Acuna Jr. Come on now. He was enjoying himself! Are you saying you don't like Ronald Acuna's JOY, New Era?? I guess you hate the Braves, then. Maybe you should do a contract for the other 29 teams, and get another company to do the Braves, and they can wear whatever oversized hat they please. 

If this means Harper's Phanatic headband is next, I'm switching to the NBA.

Coming Tomorrow- Last year he was one of the best pitchers in the AL, and this year he is struggling along with the rest of his team.

Predicting the Home Run Derby: 2022

 Yeah, still doing terrible predictions. It's like my brand at this point. 

The Home Run Derby is tonight. I always like watching that for a bit, it's a fun time, you get a lot of personality from the competitors, there's stories from year to year, and right now there's a 2 time champ trying to become a three-time champ. Last year's was pretty fun. This year's looks pretty fun too, with some great comeback players and some interesting inclusions. The matchups have been announced, and I'm gonna analyze them and try and predict how it's all gonna go. 

Albert Pujols v. Kyle Schwarber

Who Should Win: Well, like in the All-Star Game, Albert Pujols is here not for his 2022 merits but for his career merits, and so in the grand scheme of baseball it's probably gonna make more sense if Pujols wins.

Who Will Win: The guy with 29 homers at the first half will win. It'll be nice to see Albert though.

Juan Soto v. Jose Ramirez

Who Should Win: Juan Soto has more HRD experience and is looking to use this week as a showcase for teams to trade for him now that he's made it clear that he doesn't want to stay in Washington, so he's the perceived favorite.

Who Will Win: Jose Ramirez has been having the better season, and has more momentum...but Soto also used the HRD to get hot last year, so maybe he just thrives best in this situation. Uh...hell, I'm going Soto. I could be wrong, but I think he'll crack it here.

Pete Alonso v. Ronald Acuna

Who Should Win: Alonso has won two of these.

Who Will Win: As good as Acuna has been, and as strong as he can be in these, I just don't see Alonso letting up here. It'll be close, might go to sudden death, but Alonso takes it.

Corey Seager v. Julio Rodriguez

Who Should Win: Corey Seager has been very hot recently, and with more MLB experience, knows how to condition himself properly at the ASG break.

Who Will Win: ...but also Seager comes off like first-round fodder here, and Julio Rodriguez is looking incredible right now. I honestly think Julio will take it and do something insane like the rookies did in 2019.

Round Two: Soto v. Schwarber

Who Should Win: Juan Soto is Juan Soto and has more HRD experience

Who Will Win: I honestly don't think anybody will be able to stop Kyle Schwarber at this point in the season, and even if Soto goes on a roll here, of the two, Schwarber has more seasonal momentum. It'll be an upset to casual MLB fans, but I think Schwarber goes for it.

Alonso v. Rodriguez

Who Should Win: Alonso's having the better season, and, again, has won two of these.

Who Will Win: ....yeah, I'm calling an upset. Julio Rodriguez is gonna outhit Pete Alonso and nobody's gonna see it coming because they're gonna forget that rookies have done really well in the HRD lately. Alonso's gonna put up a lot, but he's gonna have to give up his crown this year.

Final Round: Rodriguez v. Schwarber

Who Should Win: Schwarber has more experience and the bigger power season.

Who Will Win: ...guys, it's gonna be Julio. I'm just gonna warn you, it could go some predictable ways, but I honestly think Julio Rodriguez is gonna take this whole thing. Everything he's been doing lately has been giving me the idea that he's just got the momentum for it right now. And the M's are coming off a big streak, mostly thanks in part to him. Schwarber's gonna try his best, but I feel like me predicting Schwarber to win it is just wishful thinking.

So yeah, I'm picking Julio. Whatever, I'm not putting money on it, let's be ballsy.

Run Ronnie Run

 

Even with a month and a half of injury recon, Ronald Acuna Jr. was still the top vote getter for the All Star Game voting. Just on presence alone, people. Yes, he's been hitting well this year, but I think people just wanted to see Acuna in the ASG because they couldn't imagine him not being there, especially after the end of last season. Even as Acuna missed some games in the leadup to the end of voting, the votes still came in. 

And that says all you need to know about Ronald Acuna Jr. You can give everyone else a head start and he'll still be there, playing better than you.

The thing is, his stats aren't even too immense this year. He's in the .270s, he has 8 homers, 22 RBIs and has sort of normal stats, but this is because he's only played 51 games and he's still doing some of the ramp up that people like Austin Riley, Matt Olson and Dansby Swanson have already done. At the same time...Acuna gets to be healthy in one of these stacked Braves teams. He gets to play alongside Eddie Rosario, Matt Olson and Guillermo Heredia, the latter of which helped replace him during the injury-prone 2021. Instead of waiting on the sideline, Acuna gets to help a team like this compete, and that's gotta be pretty cool, even if this team doesn't get as far as the last one

The thing is, the new elements are the ones that are intriguing me. Spencer Strider has come up BIG TIME, and has become a major starting weapon, with an amazing start the other day, and even with only 6 starts he leads the team in strikeouts. William Contreras has been a surprisingly great DH and is hitting just like his brother. Michael Harris II is a really fun contact hitter, and having seen him in Philly, I like what he adds to the team. There's elements that make this team really interesting, and competitive.

And then...there's still the Mets. The Mets still look good, the Mets have an incredible lineup, and they're only going to get stronger as more starters come back. The Braves have to figure out how to catch the momentum they caught last year, and how to outrun the Mets, whose ascent is looking pretty inevitable. 

Coming Tonight: One of two former Mets who's really come into his own in Cleveland.

Ron and On

 I think Ronald Acuna Jr. might be the modern answer to Manny Ramirez. One of those guys who always leaps onto the scene with an exclamation point. The difference is I like Acuna.

And I also like the Braves. They may share a division with one of my teams, but I'm certainly not gonna root against them like I sooner would the Mets. The Braves I expected to win the division this year, and they may soon ascend and take it from the Mets or Phillies. The Mets don't have a difference-maker like Acuna because Lindor isn't playing like himself, and the Phillies have Harper, Realmuto and Hoskins, but they also have shitty luck.

Right now, so do the Braves, actually. Acuna is day-today with an ankle injury, Heredia and d'Arnaud are injured, Soroka might be out for longer than expected, Fried, Smyly and Morton are all having letdown starts, and Freddie Freeman stopped hitting again. They're 3rd in the East, behind the Mets and Phils. And they just got trounced by the Blue Jays, one loss of which was witnessed by a Braves fan who only deserves good things in life. 

And yet, because they're the Braves, and because this team has Acuna, Panda off the bench and the SCARLILY- ERRANT HUASCAR YNOA AT THE PLATE AND ON THE MOUND, I can't count them out yet.

First of all, the gaggle of replacement players they've been piping in haven't been half bad. William Contreras has been a decent fill-in at catcher for D'Arnaud, Ehire Adrianza has been a really strong backup infielder, the aforementioned Heredia and Sandoval, and Austin Riley has finally evolved to a strong starting third baseman with a .282 average and actual non-slanted contact numbers. This is the season people were hoping for when he came up in 2019, and it's actually happening. The rest of the lineup really needs to start hitting, but there has been some semblance of offensive production from Dansby Swanson, Freddie Freeman and Marcell Ozuna. And you also have to remember that Ynoa and Anderson are two very nice starting options, and I hope they stay healthy for as long as possible.

So the Braves, while not perfect right now, are good enough to still potentially lap the teams in control of the division. Again, they could catch fire like they did last September again. They're fully capable of it. So I'm not allowing myself to be shocked by it this year.

Coming Tonight: Why does a team with a 40-year-old home run hitter have to be a last team in this economy?

2020 Topps Final Edition: Cards #91-99

With a new week, comes a new 2020 Final Edition post. I guess I forgot today was monday, and didn't realize til like noon, after I'd already done the custom post for today. No worries. I guess I'll just do these 9 as the overnight post tonight. 

Anyway. Next 9 cards. Honestly, some pretty big guns as far as the 2020 season are concerned are in here. 

Card #091- Noe Ramirez, Los Angeles Angels

Since 2018, Noe Ramirez has been one of the most consistent, reliable relief options in Anaheim. Where Parker, Robles and Middleton have fallen apart, Ramirez has stayed strong. 2020 was no exception, with a 3.00 ERA in 21 games, including 14 Ks. Ramirez is hoping for a similar role with the Reds in 2021.

Card #092- Johan Oviedo, St. Louis Cardinals

As hazy as the starting pitching, at least the back half, seemed to be in St. Louis last year, a rookie start from Johan Oviedo did seem to put things into more perspective. Oviedo wasn't perfect, as evidenced by his 5.47 ERA over 5 starts, but he does seem to have some good mechanics and strikeout material that would probably benefit for a more comfortable year at it. It's not certain that he'll have a role in the 2021 rotation, but he could sneak in and make another case for himself very soon.

Card #093- Ronald Acuna Jr. ASG, Atlanta Braves

Due to a minimized role in the outfit schematic, Ronald Acuna Jr. would not notch a starting outfield spot [we'll get to the surprising keeper of the CF spot in a bit]. But he would still make the team, because...I mean, Acuna's still one of the best players in the game, and even 8/10 Acuna is still worthy of being on a potential ASG roster. 

Card #094- Josh Fleming, Tampa Bay Rays

After the injury to Yonny Chirinos, the Rays tried several things in order to fill his roster spot. The latest and, arguably, most successful fix to it was rookie hurler Josh Fleming. In 7 games, he hit a 2.78 ERA with 5 wins and 25 Ks, a pretty impressive run at things. Despite this, he was only used in relief during the postseason, and his ERA ballooned while facing better lineups like Houston and LA. Not sure if the Rays will need him as a rotation piece this year. 

Card #095- Kevin Pillar, Colorado Rockies

After a pretty good start for the Red Sox, Kevin Pillar was traded to the Rockies at the deadline. I'm still not quite sure why the Rox had so many deadline deals, especially considering their drop-off that had begun even before the deadline. The Denver air did help his pop a bit, as his average grew to .308 in 24 games, with 13 RBIs and 28 hits. If anything, he was a refreshing addition to a team whose productivity was winding down. He's slated to play for the Mets this season in their overloaded roster, so hopefully his contact abilities continue.

Card #096- Corbin Burnes, Milwaukee Brewers

This is probably the most shameful exclusion from the Topps sets in 2020. Corbin Burnes could have been in flagship, but Topps was too fixated on Adrian Houser. While they weren't looking, Burnes had a mightily impressive breakout last year, with a 4-1 record, a 2.11 ERA and 88 Ks in 12 games. This was a rotation presence that didn't become too apparent until late in the season, moving the Brewers towards the playoffs just when the eyes of baseball weren't paying attention. Shamefully, Burnes wouldn't get his chance to start during the postseason, as the Dodgers didn't give the Brewers a chance to.

Card #097- Bryan Garcia, Detroit Tigers

After a miserable seven game debut in 2019, Bryan Garcia became the relief asset the Tigers needed right as Joe Jimenez began to lose his luster. Garcia came alive in 26 games, with a 1.66 ERA and 4 saves, giving the Tigers ninth inning security for the first time since Shane Greene left, and being the next step towards competing in maybe 4 years. Garcia is looking at the closing gig in 2021, and hopefully he has similar luck this year.

Card #098- Ty France, Seattle Mariners

One of the biggest pieces of the Austin Nola trade, Ty France was an infield prospect that had been blocked twice, first by the arrival of Manny Machado and then by the signing of Jurickson Profar [and subsequent call-up of Jake Cronenworth]. There was no room for him in San Diego, so he made it to a team that had plenty of room and started hitting beautifully. In 23 games, he hit .302 with 13 RBIs and 26 hits, plus a 0.5 WAR that made him the fifth-best Mariners hitter to still be on the team by the end of the season. France may have the DH position this year, and will turn this into a campaign to keep playing as well as he did last year. 

Card #099- Lucas Giolito ASG, Chicago White Sox

In a season where he would throw a no-hitter and have an unforgettable postseason start, it's only fitting that Lucas Giolito would be welcome on a potential 2020 All Star team. Gio's stuff has only improved in the last 3 years, and has become one of the premier arms in one of the most burgeoning rosters in baseball. With Lance Lynn and Dallas Keuchel bolstering him this year, hopefully he'll continue his dominance and maybe make another ASG team.

We start the 100s on Friday. One very big rookie to start and some interesting ones follow.

Acuna Matata

Come on, it was only a matter of time...

Yes, so...the thing about covering consecutive years of baseball is you become to grow accustomed to specific trends and things happening in different places every year. What tends to happen in month one of baseball is that at least one division will divide into a blockade of three or four teams all trying to compete, and one sole team that didn't really get that memo.

...Marlins didn't get the memo.

Like last year's AL Central, this year's NL East has sort of divided into a four-man war for first, with all four competing teams having close, similar records, and the only supreme separation between a 9-5 record and a 7-6 record being the amount of games being rained out. The Mets are currently in first place, which...I mean, good for them. Right behind are the Phillies, followed by the Braves, and then the Nationals. All four want this division badly, and all four are right there in it, even if the Nationals have the least to gain from a winning season (they just have a few more contracts to let loose).

The Braves, despite winning a NL East title last year, aren't heavy favorites. It's not like any huge pieces of this team have left, and Ronald Acuna is arguably better than he was last year. It's really just the way games have shaken out thus far. The Braves have been doing better than they were at the start, and it's helped that Josh Donaldson and Nick Markakis have started playing a ton better than they were during week one.

But...being really good at baseball may only give the Braves so much. They're gonna need some more insane luck on their side, because that's what the Mets have been working with. The Mets have a great pitching staff with only one real weak link; so do the Braves. The Mets have a youth-led lineup with a few veterans mixed in; so do the Braves. It's literally just luck and momentum that the Mets are using, and the Braves could easily catch some.

Interesting to see how it shakes out.

Coming Tomorrow- We all kind of thought his team would be tanking this year, but he's finally stepping up as a leader and bringing them to a decent start.

Rookies of the Year: An Inoffensive Pair

The odd part about Acuna and Ohtani is that there were, if I recall correctly, some prolonged lulls in their rookie seasons, around May or June, where they either were injured or just weren't playing up in the majors, that I thought would be taken into account by voters. However, enough of a case couldn't be made for either Andujar or Torres, which is fair, and apparently not enough people voted for Juan Soto, who would have been my ROY pick in the NL.

Still, looking at these two, I'm not seeing a ton of fluke-ish quality from either. I measure that by simply looking at Chris Coghlan's Rookie season, and going 'did they do better than that?' This game can be played with Bob Hamelin or Joe Charboneau as well, depending on age. You just look at everything they accomplished, and go 'are they just lucky? Or can they do some more of that next year?' And I look at both Ronald Acuna and Shohei Ohtani, and I think 'yeah, they can stick around for a bit'. I do think the Angels are going to figure out that keeping Ohtani at DH might be the better idea than having him pitch and risk injury (and this will have to be the case for 2019), but Acuna, along with Albies, could be a perennial star in Atlanta.

Overall, no complaints. These are the rookies of the year.

Tomorrow...we break for Manager awards, and then Wednesday we get our Cy Youngs.

Playoffs Day 4 Update: Morning and Mourning

Since I'm a fool and didn't make a Gary Sanchez custom, I'll instead showcase this guy, who I'd never thought I'd see in a Yankee uniform, but has been doing pretty alright in the leadoff spot. Cutch, along with Voit and Sanchez, made things pretty difficult for David Price, and tied their series with the Red Sox Saturday night. Tonight, they're home, and go against Nate Eovaldi with some recharged momentum.

Meanwhile, how about THIS GUY having a career day? Yes, he's been hit-miss in the playoffs so far, but this is 2018 Gerrit Cole. He had 12 strikeouts against the Indians, some amazing firepower, and zero walks. His stuff was more than enough to secure a 2-0 lead over Cleveland, heading to Progressive Field.

And speaking of record-breakers, this guy became the youngest player ever with a postseason grand slam, edging out Mickey Mantle. This Game 3 was proof that the Braves aren't lying down just yet, and are willing to keep LA at bay, despite their power. Tonight's Game 4 will be even bigger considering this win.

And this guy, after a disappointing statistical year, had an impressive knock last night, along with Keon Broxton, to seal their series win over Colorado. The Brewers have been on fire as of late, and deserve the heck out of an NLCS entry. It'll be fun to see them compete for their first World Series in over 35 years.

And sadly, that means we have to eulogize this Rockies team, who were a ton of fun, and outdid the odds several times this year, even in a Wild Card game with postseason giants like the Cubs. This team had so many little players, like Tony Wolters, who could squeeze through and make something great. They'll hopefully retain more than enough of this team to build on it. 

Tonight, we get a Game 4, a crucial Game 3, and an anyone-can-take-the-lead Game 3. Fun stuff ahead. 

Only the Braves

Alright, I've prolonged it long enough- my, Ronald Acuna is great at baseball.

Yes, Ozzie Albies has been more consistent throughout the season, but Acuna just came back from a brief trip away, and started owning the ball again, plowing through August and taking the team by storm...which is what we all thought he'd do in, like, May or something.

And he picked the best season for his come-up: not only are the Braves in first, but they have outlasted the Phillies, and are in a relatively good position in the NL. Right now, they're seeded second, and look to play whoever wins the NL West in the playoffs, which could be...again, any of the big three in that division, to be honest. The Braves have the high ground because they have the bigger division lead, and are deferring to the Cubs only by a few games.

Also...the Braves are surprisingly October-ready. I don't know how this team got into shape so quickly, but they've got a well-stocked lineup, with only Dansby Swanson hitting below .250, a nice bench, with Charlie Culberson making up for Adam Duvall's inadequacies, and a strong rotation, with Kevin Gausman earning his place among the Newcomb-Folty-Teheran-Anibal arrangement. The bullpen isn't perfect, with AJ Minter taking over for oft-injured Arodys Vizcaino as closer, but the O's additions have definitely made things work.

And plus, this team is proof that a squad can exist with both a youth movement and a steady veteran presence. Freddie Freeman and Nick Markakis can work alongside Albies, Acuna and Swanson, without there seeming like there's dissonance. It's a nice, cohesive unit, which is more than I can say for Philly right now (who's excited for my This Trade Makes No Sense post on Joey Bats tomorrow??)

Coming Tomorrow- We've got a month left, and already the Twins' German delegate is surrendering.

Albies & Acuna's Amazing Atlanta Alliance

So, suffice to say, this has been a pretty great week to be a Braves fan. Ronald Acuna has been off to a dangerous start, Ozzie Albies has 9 home runs, Freeman and Markakis are on fire, Dansby Swanson's finally playing like we all thought he would, and OH MY GOSH WHAT'S THIS MIKE SOROKA PITCHED TONIGHT??? DEAR GOD, HOW MUCH BRAVES CAN WE WITHSTAND?

Okay, at press time, I don't really know how will Soroka did (Update: he did pretty well), but...everybody else? The Phillies are in THIRD, and the Mets will probably be heading to second soon if they don't watch out. There is just something infectious, and dangerous, about this Braves team. Maybe it's the intense power of the youth movement, or maybe it's the fact that a lot of plans set in motion 4 years ago are finally paying off, but...the payoff has been magnificent.

Perhaps the only thing holding this team back is an uneven starting rotation. As nice as Mike Foltynewicz and Brandon McCarthy have been, Julio Teheran has lost some of his footing, Anibal Sanchez is hurt, and Sean Newcomb has a bit of a ways to go. Yes, perhaps Mike Soroka will be the savior this rotation needs (especially considering his decent debut tonight), but...because it's not as perfect as the lineup is right now, I worry.

This team could be huge this season, and could be the newsmaker in a division that also features the Mets and Phillies....and, oh yeah, the Nationals. Forgot about them for a moment. Perhaps...that's what they'd like me to do...for now.

Coming Tomorrow- Young, hard-hitting rookie for a team that desperately needs youth right now.