Each New Yr’s Eve, my spouse and I’ve a dialog in regards to the previous 12 months – identify the highest three and the worst three issues from the previous 12 months. We had loads of good issues this previous 12 months, however I had bother developing with what my prime three have been. My gallbladder exploding, nevertheless … nicely, that was prime worst factor of the 12 months (I’m clearly advantageous now).
Together with these, we speak about what we need to do the following 12 months. It’s not precisely setting resolutions often, per se. It’s often way more normal – remove some debt, grill extra, eat more healthy – however it helps to concentrate on what we each need to do as a measure of assist for one another.
This 12 months, she had a separate concept. “Let’s attempt a Bingo card of ‘resolutions’”, she stated. This time, we’re making extra particular targets, every placing them in a hat, and randomly drawing them out. It took … much more time than you’d suppose to make 24 separate targets, however in the long run, I assumed it was a worthy train. Now, we’ll see if I can do a chin-up by the tip of the 12 months.
Anyway, oh sure, Atlanta. The Atlanta Braves must make an inventory of reservations, so right here we go.
(in no specific order)
Steal Extra Bases …
From 2020-2023, Atlanta was just about league-average in stolen bases with 301. In 2024, they’d 69, which was adequate for twenty eighth in MLB. Now, however how a lot of that was Acuña? He stole 127 bases from 2020-2023 (greatest in MLB).
And Be Higher As soon as You’re on There
In the course of the earlier 4 seasons, the Braves have been seventh in MLB in FanGraphs’ baserunning metric (BsR), however final 12 months … they have been twenty fifth. Ick.
Cease Popping It Up
From 2020-2023, Atlanta hit infield pop-ups 8.4% of the time, good for 2nd fewest in MLB. In 2024, it was 10.7%, 14th worst in MLB.
And Additionally, Cease Hitting It at Individuals?
In the identical time interval, Atlanta’s crew BABIP was .301. In 2024, it was .291. Narrative-wise, you’d suppose that they wanted to hit it tougher, within the air much less, or no matter, however you’d be flawed. The remainder of the batted ball metrics are fairly near what they’d achieved in earlier seasons. It simply didn’t appear to fall or go over the fence as a lot. Aaaand, all the pop-ups didn’t assist.
However Additionally Get Them to Hit It at Ours?
You possibly can mainly flip the earlier part virtually precisely. They went from turning loads of balls in play to … nicely, not. And predictably, going the flawed path in each of those instructions was not useful.
By Getting Them to Hit It within the Air Extra
A part of the BABIP problem for Braves’ pitchers was seemingly groundball charge. After being 43.3% (tenth highest in MLB), they went to 45.4% (third highest). Extra groundballs usually isn’t good for the ole BABIP, and should you’re going to get extra groundballs, you want a greater defensive infield.
Reduce Again on the Strikeouts
I’m not huge on the “strikeouts are horrible” bandwagon, however whereas the crew walked a reasonably comparable quantity to earlier years, their offensive strikeout charge went up a proportion level. They went from a league-average Ok% (23.2%) to a backside 10 (24.1%). They’ve all the time whiffed rather a lot, however it changed into extra outs in 2024.
However Stroll Fewer Hitters
Atlanta went from sixth in MLB in BB/9 from 2020-2023 (2.80) to sixteenth (3.30). You possibly can’t hand over free baserunners, and it reaaallly doesn’t assist to surrender extra free passes and extra hits on balls in play. You is likely to be stunned to study they led MLB in Ok charge, although.
Get Extra from Catchers
Sean Murphy will not be 1 WAR caliber, however at age 29, his walks went down, strikeouts went up, and energy bottomed out. His bat pace was nonetheless there, however his judgement of the strike zone utterly evaporated. Will that come again? Then there’s the lack of Travis d’Arnaud. Chadwick Tromp isn’t the reply, and Drake Baldwin, enjoyable as he could also be, isn’t one thing we are able to depend on. With an extended leash, the hope is that Murphy comes again sturdy and is nearer to the 4-5 win participant we’ve seen earlier than as a result of I don’t suppose there’s a transfer that’s being made to enhance right here (nor ought to or not it’s, at this level).
Get Extra from Shortstop
Orlando Arcia was additionally a 1 WAR participant final 12 months. His offensive Statcast numbers are turrible, however his defensive numbers have been advantageous. 1 win from one place isn’t terrible, however with left discipline and catcher as uncertainties, it might assist to enhance right here. Sadly, there aren’t a ton of at present accessible choices. We’ve seen higher from Arcia, however protection doesn’t usually age nicely and his offense was legitimately dangerous final 12 months.
Get Extra from Left Discipline
These previous few can’t be stunning. Jarred Kelenic was mainly purchased from Seattle final offseason, however 0.5 wins wasn’t the hope. There are some issues to love about his Statcast numbers – Barrel%, Bat Velocity, Arduous Hit% – however there are clearly some dangerous – Whiff%, Ok%. He’ll flip 26 in July, so there’s nonetheless a while. But it surely wouldn’t damage to have another choice. It additionally turns into much less of a difficulty if everybody else is wholesome and productive, and he’s hitting eighth as a substitute of randomly hitting 1st often.
Cease the Bleeding
Atlanta misplaced 6 video games in a row twice final season. 4 video games was the longest shedding streak in 2023, 3 in 2022, and 4 in 2021. Not solely did they’ve an extended streak final 12 months. They did it twice.
And Maintain the Good Occasions Rolling
After profitable streaks of 9, 14, and 9 in earlier seasons, the most effective Atlanta may do in 2024 was 6.
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In doing the analysis for this, I used to be stunned at how … not dangerous? … the crew was final 12 months compared to earlier years. They nonetheless hit the heck out of the ball, struck out a ton of batters, and so they did it with out loads of their greatest gamers. Past taking part in with some inferior gamers, I used to be stunned at how dangerous the Variation Gods went in opposition to the crew final 12 months, and I anticipated various totally different resolutions to come back up that simply didn’t if you actually have a look at it.
Anyway, you’ll be aware that’s not 24 particular resolutions, however I did add a number of to the Bingo board beneath. We’ll test again in October.
