The North Port Report: Braves Players Preparing to Capitalize on Automated Balls and Strikes

Here's everything you need to know from Braves Spring Training in North Port, FL from Monday

Welcome to The North Port Report, your nightly notebook from Braves spring training. Each evening, we’ll run through the biggest developments from camp: roster battles, injury updates, standout performances, and the small details that matter more than they seem in February. The games may not count yet, but the information does.

Here’s what stood out today

The newest beat writer for the Braves, Chad Bishop of the AJC, published an interesting piece on Monday with the roster’s thoughts on the automated balls and strikes system.¹

For those of you unaware of what I’m talking about, MLB has been testing a system in Triple-A where incorrect ball or strike calls can be challenged using the installed Statcast data system at each ballpark. Within roughly two seconds of the pitch being received, either the hitter, the catcher, or the pitcher can challenge what they believe is an incorrect call by tapping their helmet. The reviews are played on the videoboard almost immediately and each team is allowed two incorrect challenges per game. We’re going to go more in-depth on this in a coming episode of the Braves Today podcast.

Chris Sale made the most news over the weekend with his revelation that he absolutely would not be challenging what he thinks is an incorrect call, for multiple reasons. The first was delivered in the usual Chris Sale deadpan fashion: “I’m not an umpire. I’m a starting pitcher. I’ve never called balls and strikes in my life. Plus I’m greedy. And I know that. I think they’re all strikes". He went on to explain that modern catchers framed so well that often they look like strikes even when they’re not, so he’d be deferring to the catchers to make the challenge calls for him.

One of those catchers, Sean Murphy, admitted that he didn’t get any challenges correct when the system was undergoing limited testing in spring training last season. Chadwick Tromp, who has used the system in the minors, was much better with his challenges, which Murphy attributes to familiarity with the system. The veteran backstop’s hopeful that they catch on quickly, though. “I think there’s gonna be a skill to it and I think being good at challenging pitches is going to be something we can control.” Murphy let on that the catching coaches and analytics team are working on a strategy to make sure the team is improving their chances at winning through how they approach it.

While a lot of players were taking a wait-and-see approach, hoping to get comfortable with the system and figure out their strategy to the challenges organically, one position player that Bishop spoke to was outwardly enthusiastic about what the system could do for him. “I heard, because I’m a short guy, it’s gonna help me with the pitches on top,” said second baseman Ozzie Albies, who is listed at 5’7. “I’m excited about that part, for sure.”

The entire piece, with quotes from over a half-dozen players, is definitely worth your time and can be found over at AJC.com.

Quick Hits

• Manager Walt Weiss sat down with Nick Cellini and Chris Dimino of 680 The Fan, who began a week of broadcasts from North Port as part of the station’s spring training coverage. The conversation’s over 20 minutes long, but the biggest takeaway for me was Weiss’s message to the accumulated pitchers in camp: “You’re in play.” Weiss explained that the organization used 19 starters and 44 total arms last year, so any single player currently in camp has a path to pitching in the majors this year and their objective should be to keep that goal in mind and do what you need to do to give them the comfort to call your name when it’s time.

  • I’d be remiss if I didn’t also point out that he continues to say all the right things when it comes to the ‘modern way’ of doing things with data. In response to a comment about how modern pitchers get hurt a lot more than in the old days, Weiss again brought up how he’s attempting to merge the two viewpoints. “The sweet spot is blending our experience with the technology and the information that we have […] we’ve been pretty good at finding that sweet spot.”

• Austin Riley discussed his injury-fueled dip in performance over the last two seasons, saying that “I love where I’m at right now” when it comes to his health. He revealed that his annual goal is 30 homers and 100 RBI, with the season being “a wash” if he doesn’t reach those numbers by the end of September. “That’s what they’re paying me to do and those are my goals. So, I expect it every year. I expect it every year for however many years I have left on my contract.”

  • MLB.com named Riley as their very first “x-factor” that could get his team back to the playoffs when choosing ten players to highlight that needed to lift their team back to October baseball.

Roster Battle Tracker

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Observation of the Day

While I’ve spent more time talking about new pitching coach Jeremy Hefner this offseason than is probably healthy, Tim Hyers continues to make news for the lengths he’s gone to get his guys ‘right’. Hyers spent time in Austin Riley’s hometown of Southaven, Mississippi this winter and has been hands-on with several of Atlanta’s hitters this winter, including Riley and Michael Harris II.

An unspoken piece in the starting pitcher conversation is how tough of a time they had last year without run support from the offense. The projected improvements from the lineup, even one currently without Sean Murphy and Ha-Seong Kim for the season’s first month or six weeks, should allow more breathing room for the pitching staff to get their feet underneath them. Look for more on that from me this week.

Tomorrow’s watch list

Do the Braves bring in another pitcher in response to Waldrep’s injury, or do they ride with the guys they have? I talked on Monday morning about how the Braves haven’t signed a free agent starter in five offseasons now, and it doesn’t really feel like there’s a player available that substantially moves the needle as Anthopoulos has described. Do they lower their standards or stand pat?

1. Also, I’m learning that Bishop’s like me in that he likes to post long quotes in his articles. I prefer this for context, but it’s not very common, I’ve noticed. Not saying it’s good nor bad, just different from both his predecessor and how the rest of the beat has done things recently.