Atlanta Braves
Jason Bishop Show w Kipp Branch April 20
Jason Bishop Show w Kipp Branch April 13
Jason Bishop Show w Kipp Branch April 6
Jason Bishop Show with Kipp Branch March 30
Fake Ace
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Pay attention, because this one is going to have a twist ending.
Julio Teheran, the right-handed pitcher whom the Braves once thought could be their stud, is sadly kind of an afterthought in Atlanta these days.
Mike Foltynewicz is the young, flame throwing ace and he’s backed up by Kevin Gausman and a slew of homegrown prospects like Sean Newcomb, Mike Soroka, Touki Toussaint, and what feels like dozens of others.
There was a time when Julio was the next big thing and he’s got a pretty nice paycheck to prove it. He’s got two All Star appearances to his credit, and three out of his first four seasons he managed an ERA of 3.21 or less.
But something has just failed to click. He hasn’t been awful in the two seasons since that run, but he hasn’t been able to rack up wins. He went 7-10 in 2016, 11-13 in 2017, and dead-even 9-9 despite an ERA under 4.00 last season. For whatever reason, he just hasn’t been the guy that Braves Country wanted him to be.
Teheran has slipped from being a top-of-the-rotation piece to being the guy everyone was positive would get moved at the trade deadline. That did not happen but everyone knew he would get traded in the offseason. However, that didn’t happen either.
And now, instead of being traded, Julio Teheran is going to make his sixth consecutive Opening Day start next week.
Why not the ace of the staff? Where is Folty? Folty is hurt; maybe for all of April. Gausman has only made two appearances this Spring due to injury. Soroka has been sent down to the minors to begin the season. Newcomb’s second half struggles from last season seem to be following him into the new year.
So, Julio Teheran will make his sixth straight Opening Day start; not because he deserves it, but because he is the only option.
By hitting six in a row, Julio joins the illustrious ranks of legendary Braves pitchers like Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine. Except, here’s the thing: no, he doesn’t.
He’s already surpassed them. Maddux never made six in a row. Neither did Glavine. Nor John Smoltz or Phil Niekro or Johnny Sain.
In fact, the only other pitcher in Braves history to start six consecutive Opening Days is Hall of Famer Warren Spahn.
In fact, Julio will be fourth all-time in overall Opening Day starts by the end of the week, trailing only Spahn, Niekro, and Maddux.
I don’t mean to crap on Julio. He seems like a nice guy and I like him. He’s been remarkably healthy for a pitcher in the 21st century: he started 30 games his rookie year and has never started fewer in the five seasons since then.
He’s never had an ERA above 4.49, and his next highest is 4.04. That’s far from awful.
But the guy whose rookie season set Dixie on fire didn’t evolve into an ace. He didn’t become a guy who should be pitching the first game of the season for a sixth year in a row. And yet, here we go.
Jason Bishop Show with Kipp Branch March 2
Jason Bishop Show With Kipp Branch February 23
Jason Bishop Show With Kipp Branch February 16
Beast Of The East
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The teams of the NL East have been busy this off season trying to get better quickly.
The National League East hasn’t been decided by fewer than seven games since 2012 and the division race hasn’t come down to the season’s final weekend since 2008.
The Atlanta Braves won the division in 2018 by 8 games and pulled away from the Phillies down the stretch.
How did the NL East teams get better this off-season?
Let’s take a look:
Atlanta Braves: GM Alex Anthopoulos went out and signed Josh Donaldson and Brian McCann. The Braves also brought back Nick Markakis. They have the youngest talent in the division, but need a number 1 starter, and closer help.
They won 90 games in 2018. It may be tough to match that win total in 2019. I think the Braves haven’t done enough to address starting pitching concerns this off-season. Will that hurt them? Probably and will have to be addressed at the trade deadline.
NY Mets: New general manager Brodie Van Wagenen has come in making moves.
Van Wagenen already has traded for perennial All-Star second baseman Robinson Canó and elite closer Edwin Díaz.
He also brought fellow late-inning reliever Jeurys Familia back to New York. Wilson Ramos was signed for $19M to come in and catch. Great move by Mets. The Mets have the best starting pitching in the division. Don’t be shocked if the Mets win this division. I like the moves they are making.
Philadelphia Phillies: The Phillies in their own words want to spend stupid money.
They signed Andrew McCutchen for three years and $50 million during the Winter Meetings and acquired shortstop Jean Segura from Seattle.
They traded for catcher JT Realmuto and think they will sign either Manny Machado or Bryce Harper. That could be scary in that hitter friendly ballpark in Philadelphia. The Phillies have been bold and aggressive during the winter and I think it will pay off this season.
Washington Nationals: The Nats brought in elite starter, Patrick Corbin, catchers Kurt Suzuki and Yan Gomes, and re-signed a big bat in Matt Adams.
The Nats need bullpen help and potentially an outfielder to replace Harper. I don’t think Washington did enough to offset the pending loss of Harper.
Miami Marlins: The Marlins at this point, only develop talent and trade it away. They are no immediate threat in the division. I don’t understand this organization. The Marlins can spot, draft, and develop talent as good as any club in baseball, but will not pay to keep it.
NL East Predictions:
- Phillies
- Braves
- Mets
- Nationals
- Marlins
Don’t be surprised if the NL East produces a Wild Card Team in 2019. This division is on the rise. I love the start of baseball season. Spring, warm weather, sand gnats, shorts, flip flops, and eventually the beach gear gets pulled out of the boxes.
Ronald Acuna Jr. is the best young player in baseball, and will win the NL MVP within the next three years.
Jason Bishop Show With Kipp Branch January 26
