Home Grown
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
When my wife and I moved to Glynn County back in 2003 we didn’t know much about the area at all.
Over the three years we spent in the “Marshes of Glynn” we learned all about Willie’s Wee-Nee Wagon and 25 cent oysters during Happy Hour over on St. Simon’s.
We also became very aware of the importance and pride among all the high school athletic programs; a knowledge, along with an immense amount of respect, that has only grown over the years.
Most counties the size of Glynn are lucky if they have one or two athletes that make it to the professional level.
As comparison, the county in I live in now has roughly half the population and the biggest athlete they’ve produced has been St. Louis Cardinals reliever, Greg Holland. Granted, being the hometown of a three time All-Star certainly isn’t anything to scoff at, but it pales in comparison to Glynn County.
The first athlete I was aware of was Davis Love III. I couldn’t go anywhere without hearing someone talk about him; he was like the human embodiment of Starbucks.
Next, was Kwame Brown. Now obviously, I knew of Brown beforehand, but I didn’t realize he was from Brunswick until moving. I know his career didn’t wind up exactly like the locals wanted it to but being the number one overall draft pick is impressive, nonetheless.
Now, most communities have their own version of the “white whale”. And by that, I mean there’s always an athlete that is just mediocre, but over time the stories have taken on a life of their own, to point where he or she is the greatest athlete to have ever been born.
During our time in Brunswick, Adam Wainwright was that guy. I heard stories of what a tremendous pitcher he was and that he was destined to be an All-Star; all stories that I believed to be told in an attempt to hype up a local legend.
It’s rare that someone can live up to the reputation, but Wainwright has done that and more. Being a 2-time World Series Champion, to go along with 3 All-Star appearances, has a way of showing people the light.
If that list of players isn’t impressive enough, I did a double take, Bugs Bunny style, while watching the Women’s World Cup a few years ago. As I’m watching I swear I hear that one of the women is from St. Simon’s.
So naturally. I hop online and take a look. Of course, that player was Morgan Brian. For my money what Brian has accomplished is the most impressive, when you consider she is playing for our country in the World Cup.
You’ll notice I haven’t even mentioned a player like Darius Slay Jr., someone whom if he came from 95 percent of the towns across the country would have a key to the city and his own holiday.
Unfortunately, for him he’s up against a #1 draft pick, an All-Star, and a World Cup participant. Oh, and the human version of Subway (seriously, I couldn’t go anywhere without Love’s name being brought up).
The point is, there are a lot of things to like about Glynn County and a lot the residents of that area should take pride in.
Sure, it’s not nearly as big as Atlanta, Miami, or those other big cities, but when it comes to big time athletes, they take a back seat to no one.
Giving Back
By: Josh Aubrey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Once again, one of the top football players in the NFL was in Bulloch County, giving back to the community where he grew up, as Kansas City All-Pro linebacker Justin Houston held his annual Faith Before Fame weekend.
Over the past four years Houston’s event has grown, from a free youth football camp, to adding a celebrity basketball game, and now this year the addition of a cheerleading and dance clinic, a three on three basketball tournament, and a kickball tournament.
“This is about trying to reach as many people as we can,” Houston said. “Trying to get everyone to come together as one community. We continue to expand what we are doing in order to reach more kids.”
“As a kid I dreamed one day of being able to play in the NFL,” Houston said. “Now that I have reached that goal, anything I can do to help another kid reach their goal, or just put a smile on a kid’s face, I’m happy to do it.”
The football camp saw a few hundred kids turn out and once again there were many current and former NFL players on hand to give them instruction.
“A lot of these guys played at Georgia or have ties to the state of Georgia,” Houston said. “I try and help a lot of these guys when they have their camps and they are happy to help me out. The NFL players are good about giving back and helping one another.”
Among the former University of Georgia NFL players that have helped Justin the past four years is Akeem Dent, who played for the Falcons and the Houston Texans.
“It’s so important to try and give back to the communities where we grew up,” Dent said. “You can tell when we talk to these kids they really listen to what we are saying. Just getting them to come out of their houses – in this kind of heat – where a lot of them are playing video games, shows they at least want to try, and there’s a great turn out here.”
Some of the kids at the camp will also want to follow in Houston’s steps and play at Statesboro High. Many of the younger current Blue Devil players participated in the camp, while many of the older ones helped work.
“It’s such a fantastic opportunity for our kids,” said Statesboro High football coach Jeff Kaiser. “Our kids love being around Justin and the other NFL players he brings here. He emphasizes the importance of hard work and pushing through the tough times. He also brings his message of faith before fame, and that is the same type of message we try and bring to our players as well.”
Houston’s volunteer staff is full of former University of Georgia players and with the Bulldogs nearly winning the national championship last year Houston and his former teammates have high hopes for this year’s team.
“It was amazing to watch how close they got to winning it all this year,” Houston said. “They have a lot of talent coming back. I went down and watched a practice session and I’m really impressed by the coaching staff. They really pay attention to detail during practice and I’d be surprised if they don’t make another run this year.”
Mortgage The Farm
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
A few weeks back I wrote an article assessing the merits of two potential trade targets for the Atlanta Braves: Cole Hamels and Mike Moustakas.
I went over what they might bring to the team, the kinds of packages the Braves might send over in return for these two particular players and whether or not I thought such a trade would be worth it for Alex Anthopolous to make (to sum up: I did not think so).
I wrote about these two because they were the two names bandied about that actually made sense that Atlanta could possibly go out and get them. You know who I did not mention in that article? Manny Machado.
Machado, who is in a walk year and who is having arguably the best year of his already stellar career for the Baltimore Orioles.
I didn’t bring him up because trading for the guy didn’t seem particularly feasible. The price would be too high for a two-month rental.
But now, as June has turned to July and the trade deadline fast approaches, Machado – who is almost certainly going to be traded somewhere – is being linked to a number teams.
One of those teams in the Atlanta Braves.
Now no one is sure what kind of return Baltimore is expecting, but Machado is a fortunes-changing talent, even for just two months, so the asking price is sure to be high.
I ask you – is there anything the Braves could conceivably give up for Machado that the Orioles would accept that would also be worth trading away for two months of an elite talent?
I say two months because the argument that getting a player to play in your city helps sell your city to that player is nonsense. The notion that Machado would come to Atlanta and sign an extension is fantasy.
Machado, for some stupid reason, seems to be second fiddle to Bryce Harper for the coming offseason (Machado has a higher career batting average, three seasons of 30+ homeruns to Bryce’s one, two Gold Gloves to Bryce’s zero, and is having a much better 2018); but he’s going to make ungodly sums of money next year and for years to come.
There is not a snowball’s chance in hell that he doesn’t reach free agency. And then what? Are the Braves going to get into a bidding war? Of course not. They will have money to play with during this offseason, but not that kind of money.
There is very little chance Machado is playing with a tomahawk on his chest come Opening Day 2019, so whatever the Braves hypothetically give up to get him in 2018 will be for less than half a season’s worth of Manny.
In a vacuum I would, of course, love to see Manny in the Braves lineup, but there would be a cost to make that happen. And the Orioles will want too much.
I know the Braves have incredible depth in pitching, but any of their top 10 pitching prospects are worth hanging onto for something more sustainable. Is trading away five more years of what Max Fried could be equitable to two months of what we know Manny Machado is? I just don’t think so.
Don’t I Know You?
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Have you ever sat down and tried to come up with top 5 lists? I got the thinking as I write for the Georgia Sports Edition as of July 1st (changed from Southern Sports Edition) who are the top 5 current sports figures in the State of Georgia. Here goes my totally subjective list:
- Jake Fromm QB UGA: The starting QB for the flagship university always makes an updated list of top sports figures in the State.
Fromm goes into his sophomore season at the University of Georgia as the starting QB after leading UGA to a 13-2 record, Rose Bowl win, and national title game appearance as a freshman in 2017.
Fromm is loved throughout the State and the Dawgs are loaded going into 2018 on offense. Fromm looked a little rusty during the spring game, but this kid has something you can’t coach and it is called the WOW factor.
Nothing seems to bother him and that is a good thing because Justin Fields is nipping at his heels now in Athens. UGA is set at the QB position for the next few years, and Jake is the golden boy around the State right now.
- Ozzie Albies 2B Atlanta Braves: Albies is taking not just the State of Georgia by storm, but the nation by storm as he is the front runner for the National League Rookie of the year.
The kid is around 20 homeruns and his enthusiasm for the game has helped ignite the Braves nation in 2018.
Albies will likely be the starting second baseman for the National League All Stars in this year’s game in Washington DC. At 5’8 and 155 lbs. the power numbers are off the charts and the excitement is back in the State for Braves baseball.
- Matt Ryan QB Atlanta Falcons: Matty Ice is the highest paid player in the NFL. Ryan just became the NFL’s first 30 million per year player and his current deal guarantees him $100 million.
Football is king in the State of Georgia and Ryan will lead the Falcons to the playoffs in 2018. Possibly, back to the Super Bowl and redemption from blowing the 25-point third quarter SB lead two years ago. Ryan is putting together a potential Hall of Fame career in Atlanta that could be cemented with a Super Bowl ring.
- Freddie Freeman 1B Atlanta Braves: Freeman is currently batting .311 with 16 HR and 56 RBI for the division leading Atlanta Braves and is the face of the franchise.
The Freeman led Braves are in first place in July for the first time since 2014 and Freeman is having an MVP season in 2018. If the season ended today Freeman would probably be named National League MVP.
Freeman has been a regular in Atlanta now since 2010 and is one of the most recognizable sports figures in the state. If Freddie leads the Braves back to the World Series he might have a future in Georgia politics one day.
And the most recognizable sport figure in the state of Georgia currently is: Kirby Smart Head Football Coach University of Georgia: Smart is the face of UGA Football.
Born and raised in Georgia, played and earned All-SEC honors at UGA, and now has UGA competing for national championships in a State that is football crazy and championship deprived.
The 2017 UGA football season was magical and Smart had the Dawgs a blown coverage away from its first National Championship since 1980.
Smart is the best recruiter in the business and now has UGA reloading every year. Georgia season football tickets are the most treasured possession in the Peach State currently all because of the monster Kirby is building in Athens.
Kirby Smart is the most popular and most recognizable sports figure in the State of Georgia and if he wins a national title in the near future your future Governor when he retires from coaching football.
To The Plains
By: Alex Mathis
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Jashawn Sheffield, 4-star athlete from Frederica Academy, has made his college decision.
In a video that has been watched over 100,000 times, Sheffield announced his decision to further his academic and athletic career at Auburn University.
His final decision came down between Auburn and South Carolina and both schools made it very difficult for him.
Sheffield has been on the recruiting scene since his freshman year at Frederica Academy. He received over 10 offers from colleges from across the country before starting his sophomore season.
For a while everyone thought he was destined to be a Florida State Seminole. If you ask him he would tell you that he always thought he would wear the garnet and gold as well. What a lot of people do not know is that Sheffield was once committed to Florida State.
He committed to Jimbo Fisher the spring of 2017. A lot changed at FSU in the fall that led to Jimbo Fisher taking a job at Texas A&M. The move of Fisher allowed Sheffield to open things up and give other schools a closer look. He was able to take several visits to different colleges and ultimately, he decided that Auburn was the best fit for him.
Sheffield will join his teammate, Jaylin Simpson, at Auburn. These two have been teammates since the 6th grade. Simpson will suit up on the defensive side of the ball and there is a chance that Sheffield could join him.
Sheffield is ranked the 10th ranked athlete in the country. This was appealing for Auburn. They feel as if he can play the offensive side of the ball or the defensive side. He is not sure which side he prefers. One day he will tell you wide receiver and the next day he will tell you safety. This will be something that Gus Malzhan and his staff will figure out when he arrives in the Plains.
The recruiting process has not been one that Sheffield has been a fan of. A lot of fans do not really get what some of these recruits go through during the process.
Recruits have to try and figure out who is telling the truth and who is flat out lying. This decision is the first real adult decision some of these prospects will make in their lives.
Sheffield will join some of his Cam Newton 7v7 teammates on the Auburn commitment list. Quarterback Bo Nix, WR George Pickens, CB Jaylin Simpson and TE Tyler Fromm.
He will also join his longtime friend, Owen Pappoe. Auburn is not finished on the recruiting trail. They have their eyes on several other Georgia Prospects.
Frederica now has two prospects committed in their 2019 class. These two will not be the last. Harry Veal, Patrick Brunson, Michael Tindle, Cameron Gardner, JT Elliott, and Cole Hinson will all look to add their name to a college’s commitment list this year.
The 2020 class has some players that will play on Saturdays as well. Denver Anthony and Deke Jernigan will have the opportunity to play as well.
Brandon Derrick’s program has 3 student athletes playing football on Saturdays. Tony Heyward is at Rhodes College, Austin Skelton is at Samford, and Santana Clark will attend Jacksonville University.
Frederica Academy is at the top of GISA when it comes to sending its players to the next level to play football.
Flying Back To Old Heights
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The comparison is often made that good teams – like wild animals – can be most dangerous when backed into a corner. There is obviously some truth to that for the saying to have become cliche, but there is more than one law to both nature and sports.
Sometimes, the most danger stems from guard being let down with a known threat that has become so commonplace that people have taken it for granted.
For nearly its entire modern existence, the Georgia Southern football program has been a powerhouse.
In just their second season of Division I-AA (now Football Championship Subdivision) competition, the Eagles claimed a national title. One year later, they became the first team ever to win consecutive championships at that level.
The next quarter century saw Georgia Southern rise as the unquestioned dynasty atop its level of competition, with ‘bad years’ being more commonly recognized as early playoff exits than losing records.
And when the time finally came to move up to the Football Bowl Subdivision, it was like a refresher course in GS Football history.
The Eagles’ first season in FBS resulted in a 9-3 record with two very-near upsets against ACC opponents. And it would have ended with a bowl if not for a useless NCAA bylaw that kept them out of consideration.
2015 brought about another stellar season and a game against Georgia that went into overtime and has kept the Bulldogs from releasing any comment on future dates for what had been a renewing rivalry series.
That season culminated in the first-ever bowl for Georgia Southern – a date with Bowling Green in the Go Daddy Bowl. The Eagles thoroughly disassembled the Mid-American Conference champs in that game and seemed poised to become an immediate player in the perennial ‘G5’ discussion.
But a funny thing happened on the way to more Georgia Southern dominance.
The 2016 season seemed to be set up for even more success than the previous year’s bowl-winner. Newly-hired head coach Tyson Summers got off to a 3-0 start in his tenure, but then the wheels fell off.
And then those wheels careened off of a cliff… And then the truck itself slammed into a mountain… and then the remains of that truck also fell off of the cliff.
The 2016 campaign ended with a 5-7 record and no return to a bowl. The next season began with a losing streak that nearly doubled the previous school record and Summers had been relieved before the Eagles saw their first win.
But the good thing about a program that can barely comprehend such a bad run of results is that it doesn’t take much to build up optimism for the next go-round.
Chad Lunsford was named the interim head coach midway through 2017. And while Georgia Southern won just two of the six games during that stint, a change in mood and culture was palpable and led to Lunsford being named the official head coach before the season concluded.
Some firings and hirings took place, while other members of the existing staff remained.
The first ‘early signing day’ of the new NCAA recruiting rules saw GS fall behind Sun Belt rivals, but the staff made more hires, ramped up the recruiting efforts, and by February ended up with the top-rated recruiting class in the conference.
The ultimate judgment on whether or not the Eagles have turned things around won’t come until the fall, but it’s hard to argue that Georgia Southern hasn’t had a great offseason that is quickly erasing a disastrous 2017.
Wolves On The Hunt
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Buford High School has been a football powerhouse since the turn of the century. The Wolves have won 11 state championships, 10 of them from 2001 to 2014. During that stretch, there were three different three-peats.
For a program of this caliber, not winning a championship since 2014 is a long drought. In 2017 they went 11-2 and lost to Rome in the AAAAA state semifinals 45-7.
Buford has produced several Division 1 prospects over the years and this season will be no different. Center Harry Miller is the No. 8 ranked player in the state of Georgia. He’s 6’4, 310 pounds so he has great size and he verbally committed to Ohio State.
Running back Derrian Brown is a four-star recruit and the 24th ranked player in the state. He received 34 offers from major programs like Alabama, Florida State, Ohio State, LSU, Notre Dame, Georgia, Arkansas, Penn State and Florida.
Last year as a junior, he shared carries with Anthony Grant (Florida State) and Christian Turner (Michigan), who have both graduated and gone to the next level. Brown ran for 844 yards on 94 carries, which translates to 8.9 yards per carry. He will be the featured back this season so expect his numbers to be drastically better.
“He’s just becoming a complete back,” head coach John Ford said at the Corky Kell 7-on-7 tournament. “He can run with power, he can run with vision. He can run with patience. He’s doing some things in the passing game where he’ll be a threat in that too.”
The Wolves lost to Corky Kell champion Marietta in the quarterfinals of the tournament.
Buford features another top 50 state recruit, guard Riley Simonds. He’s a three-star recruit and verbally committed to Florida.
They typically play a very difficult schedule and this year is no different. The season kicks off August 17th against Tucker in the Corky Kell Classic. The game will be played at Georgia State Stadium, formerly Turner Field. The Tigers are an elite 6A program so this should be a very competitive game. Tucker also has a star player, defensive end Derrick McLendon has committed to Florida State.
The following week is at home against Jonesboro. This will be an easy win.
Deerfield Beach (FL) comes to town August 31st. The Bucks were 8-3 last season so they should be pretty good in 2018. I still give the advantage to the Wolves.
After a bye week they face Newton at home. The Wolves will destroy Newton by 40-50 points.
September 21st is a huge match up in Lawrenceville at Archer. The Tigers are a 7A school with a ton of talent. They have stars like Andrew Booth, he’s a five-star corner back and the No. 6 player in the state.
They also have three-star players like Safety Jalyn Phillips and wide receiver Braylen Weems. I expect Archer to win but the game should be close.
Johnson (Gainesville) comes to Buford after that and region play begins. Buford beat the Knights 70-0 last season and I expect a similar result.
The Wolves then travel to Athens to play Cedar Shoals. They beat them 56-0 in 2017 and we can expect more of the same.
The final three games are at Loganville, Walnut Grove and Clarke Central. The combined scores against these 3 opponents last year was 136-7. These will all be huge blowouts again.
Buford will make the playoffs and compete for another state title. I’m not sure if they have what it takes to overtake Rome but we will see.
Life Without Matty Ice
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
When Atlanta drafted Michael Vick with the number pick in 2001, most Falcons fans were convinced they had their franchise quarterback. And after multiple Pro Bowls and a playoff win at Lambeau Field, they had to feel like they were set at quarterback for the foreseeable future.
The sentiment was correct, it just wasn’t the player they thought it would be.
Matt Ryan has accomplished quite a bit since entering the NFL in 2008 and is well deserving of all the accolades and money that has been thrown his way.
Over the course of his career the most important thing he has achieved, or at least it should be in the mind of Falcons’ fans, is that he has kept the franchise from becoming the Miami Dolphins.
Since Dan Marino retired almost twenty years ago, the Dolphins have been mired in mediocrity, like quicksand; the more they struggle to get out, the deeper they get sucked in.
There are a few different reasons why that’s happened, but the main one is their lack of a franchise quarterback. Miami has had so many different quarterbacks since Marino I’m starting to believe they’re modeling their franchise after the Cleveland Browns.
The point is, with what happened to Vick and the dogfighting, Atlanta didn’t have a viable contingency plan in place for unexpectedly losing- up to that point- the best quarterback in franchise history.
(If you remember, Atlanta entered the 2007 season- or as I refer to it, the “season that explains why Bobby Petrino isn’t allowed in the state of Georgia”- with Joey Harrington at quarterback.)
It’s difficult enough to find one top tier quarterback in the draft, but to do it again seven years later is almost impossible.
Yet that was what Atlanta was tasked with doing. Had they missed on Ryan it could have set the franchise back 4-5 years; something that would’ve been almost unthinkable 12 months prior.
This is why I think that selection is the most important football decision the franchise has ever made and while you can argue there have been better players, I don’t think there’s been a more vital one than Ryan.
The Falcons were about to dive head first into six inches of water but the addition of Ryan changed their trajectory.
I realize with his new 5 year/$150 million contract to go along with the amount of talent on Atlanta’s roster, there is a lot of pressure for Ryan to bring home a Lombardi Trophy to the “Dirty South”; and there should be.
I just don’t think whatever winds up happening over his remaining years that it should diminish what he has meant to the Falcons organization and the city of Atlanta.
All I’m saying is that 10 years ago Atlanta was coming off the most difficult 12 months in their franchise’s history. Vick, Petrino, 4-12 season; they could have easily bottomed out. But they didn’t and a big reason is because of Matt Ryan.
Like I said, Atlanta always planned to go through with a franchise changing quarterback. The only difference is the name on the back jersey.
In a weird way, they can thank Michael Vick for that.
Full Schedule
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Despite dropping a big one in their homestand against the Baltimore Orioles and the Cincinnati Reds, the Braves have maintained a steady lead in the NL East over the Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Nationals.
It’s a bit a miracle, to be quite frank, because the baseball gods should have made Atlanta pay for losing consecutive series against two last place teams. One of which, the O’s, is the worst team in all of baseball (and outside of Kansas City, it’s not even close).
But the Braves escaped from that abysmal stretch pretty much unscathed and have been plenty appreciative thus far on their current road trip, putting up big numbers in the first two games against St. Louis.
It’s a good sign that the Bravos can still beat good teams, because July is going to be a hell of test for Atlanta. Arguably this is a month that can prove that the Braves are for real or humble them in a big way.
Why? Because of who they are playing. The best records in the National League belong to the Milwaukee Brewers, the Atlanta Braves, the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Chicago Cubs, the Philadelphia Phillies, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the St. Louis Cardinals and the Washington Nationals.
Beginning with the current series against St. Louis and excluding Atlanta itself because, duh, the Braves play every one of those teams except for Chicago and Philadelphia.
Not that missing the Cubs is much of a relief, because instead of that club the Braves are traveling to the Bronx for a three-game set against the Yankees, who have a significantly better record than anyone in the entire National League anyway.
There’s a two-game set against Toronto in the mix as well, but even they managed a split against Atlanta earlier in the season.
So, when I tell you that July is an important month, you can take that to the bank. The Braves have to win these series. Especially, because the Nationals play Miami EIGHT times during the month in addition to a six-game road trip against Pittsburgh and the Mets.
Plus, Philadelphia gets treated to series against those same Reds and Orioles that Atlanta should have stomped. The Phillies get a home series versus the Padres and play the Marlins and Pirates as well.
This would be the time, if I were a writer for a publication in Pennsylvania, I would suggest that Philly needs to take advantage of the schedule discrepancy and put pressure on Atlanta. Especially, considering that the Phillies and Braves won’t play each other until two of the last three series of the season.
On the flip side, that is what makes it so important that the Braves come out of this month not having lost any ground to the teams below them, Philadelphia in particular.
Just as they won’t be able to control their own fate if they are behind, so too will the Braves lack the ability to widen the standings (or worse, make a comeback) in head-to-head matchups until the campaign is almost over.
Atlanta will play Washington in one series per month for the rest of the year, including in July. I would argue it’s actually more important that they keep Washington down by playing well during these dog days of summer.
The Nationals still feel like a sleeping dragon. If they manage to climb to the top of the standings and subsequently start playing at the level at which they are capable, they will be very difficult to unseat as division leaders.
Make no mistake, this is going to be a very tough month for Atlanta and me saying ‘they need to play well’ seems obvious and easy.
However, come October, this may prove to be the most important month of the season for the National League East.
Bullpen Needs Horses
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Sam Freeman came in with a 5-3 lead to start the seventh inning Wednesday and gave up a leadoff walk and a pair of two-out singles, all those runners eventually scored and sent the Reds to a series-clinching win at SunTrust Park.
This all of a sudden is becoming a recurring theme for the Atlanta Braves. The starter gives you 6-7 quality innings and the bullpen comes in to blow it.
The Nationals went out and got Kelvin Herrera from the Royals and looked poised to make a run now in the NL East with that starting pitching they have.
Sam Freeman had a 2.94 ERA through May. Since then he has an 8.16 ERA with 13 earned runs and 6 walks allowed in 14-1/3 innings. The Braves are 4-11 in those games and he got three of the losses.
It appears I am piling on Sam Freeman, but the entire bullpen is struggling right now. The Braves still lead the NL East going into July so what will they do to address the issue?
Doing nothing is not an option at this point. Freddie Freeman is having an MVP season, Ozzie Albies is having a ROY season and the rotation is providing quality start after quality start. Braves have lost back to back series against the Orioles the worst team in baseball and the last place Reds who are hot currently but still in last place.
Look at these ERA’s over the past 7 appearances by these bullpen members:
Dan Winker: 8.10
Sam Freeman: 10.57
Peter Moylan: 12.46
This Braves team is good enough to contend but has to get better production out of the middle relievers. Yes, I know pitching staffs struggle from time to time but this is becoming a trend that needs to be addressed.
So, what do the Braves do before the deadline for bullpen help? Arodys Vizcaino is on the DL and he worries me every time he pitches. With no true closer available the woes of the bullpen are magnified.
I was in San Diego last week and caught a Padres game while in town. San Diego is in last place but has one of the best bullpens in baseball. Braves need arms in the pen. Why not call the Padres and ask for Craig Stammen, Kirby Yates or both?
How about Joe Jimenez from the Tigers? Jimenez has 43 strikeouts in 38 innings this year for the Tigers who are not going anywhere fast. The Tigers also have Shane Greene, who is their closer currently, but could step in as a setup or middle relief man in Atlanta.
Yates has a 0.82 ERA in 33 games for the Padres this year. Stammen has a 2.65 ERA in 34 games this year in San Diego.
These are all options for the Braves to pursue. Not to pursue bullpen options to match what Washington did with Herrera would infuriate the Braves fan base after such a great start to 2018.
Braves front office please go out and get some pitching help for the stretch run. Don’t waste this great start.
