The Atlanta Braves - Hello darkness my old friend

All these excuses for Heyward. Maybe he just isn't as good as some of you want him to be.

Let’s take a list here. Since 1920, I made a list of players that have had a wRC+ of 130 as a rookie in their age 20 season or younger (min 300 PA, half a season or less). It’s happened 18 times, 16 players.

Here is the list:

Mike Trout
Mel Ott (twice)
Alex Rodriguez
Mickey Mantle
Ted Williams
Al Kaline
Ronald Acuña Jr
Juan Soto
Ken Griffey Jr
Frank Robinson
Jimmie Foxx
Tony Conigliaro (twice)
Bryce Harper
Jason Heyward
Carlos Correa
Vada Pinson

HOF- 7
Future HOF (or should be)- 2 (Trout and A-Rod)
Active- 5
Non HOF- 2

The two non HOF: Tony Conigliaro would have been a HOF if not for a baseball hitting him ruining his vision. Pinson is the only non HOF of that group and still had a really good career (47 fWAR).

The five active: Harper (could make the HOF), Correa (5 win player in 16 and 17, just needs to stay healthy), Acuna and Soto are too young to make any judgment, and Heyward.

So right now Heyward is the outlier. At age 20, when he did what he did he basically had a 90% chance to be a HOF after 2010. The list was nine players long and Cognilairo was injured. Pinson was the only one. Now I guess you could say Heyward was just never that good, but I disagree. I think the Braves management of him really hurt him.
 
Now I guess you could say Heyward was just never that good, but I disagree. I think the Braves management of him really hurt him.
When did they screw him up? He was pretty good in year 3 too. And why does Freddie Freeman rake even though he had the same coaching?
 
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I'd rather you hit leadoff than Ozzie batting from the left side.

I did lead the team in walks in high school 🤣🤣🤣

But seriously, at least Ozzie gives up pop (Monday not withstanding). Ender doesn’t bring anything. He doesn’t walk much, he doesn’t work counts, he doesn’t bring power. His only qualification is speed.

Also, Ozzie is 22. Rather let the young guy get a chance there. I know what Ender is and it’s not a guy who should be hitting leadoff. If Ronald has to bat 4th.
 
I did lead the team in walks in high school 🤣🤣🤣

But seriously, at least Ozzie gives up pop (Monday not withstanding). Ender doesn’t bring anything. He doesn’t walk much, he doesn’t work counts, he doesn’t bring power. His only qualification is speed.

Also, Ozzie is 22. Rather let the young guy get a chance there. I know what Ender is and it’s not a guy who should be hitting leadoff. If Ronald has to bat 4th.

Ender isnt fast tbh
 
Honestly switching Ronald and Donaldson would make a big difference. The Acuna would have Freddie's protection and Freddie would have Donaldson behind him. That would give our 2 best hitters better protection
 
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Honestly switching Ronald and Donaldson would make a big difference. The Acuna would have Freddie's protection and Freddie would have Donaldson behind him. That would give our 2 best hitters better protection
I’m old school. I’d tell Donaldson he’s batting 4th and he needs to deal with it. I’m the manager, not you. But that’s me.
 
Ozzie is a switch hitter who’s batting .357 against righties so far this year.
....in a sample size of about 15 ab's. Probably hit about .200 left-handed in the 2nd half of last year. I'm sure they'd love for Ozzie to take the leadoff role. He just needs to have some more left-handed success before they put the pressure on him everyday.
 
....in a sample size of about 15 ab's. Probably hit about .200 left-handed in the 2nd half of last year. I'm sure they'd love for Ozzie to take the leadoff role. He just needs to have some more left-handed success before they put the pressure on him everyday.
Sure, small sample size, but we know what Ender is: a very poor hitter overall who has no business batting leadoff.
 
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