GDT: 07/21 Braves @ True Blue Brew Crew

The 2023 Soroka experiment is going to be extremely frustrating, it just is what it is. I think we see a much better version in 2024.
 
The 2023 Soroka experiment is going to be extremely frustrating, it just is what it is. I think we see a much better version in 2024.

I see a lot to be encouraged by. He hasn't gotten shelled. Even the HR wouldn't have been out in many parks. He's been efficient, pounded the zone, so not terrible.
 
How many of you think the Braves should try to trade for Cody Bellinger? His eyes don’t look as glassy as over the past three years. He can play all three OF spots & 1B. Then swap out Rosario & Ozuna at DH for a while.
 
Soroka experiment is interesting.

So the Cards GM a few weeks ago said the Cards defense has underperformed. And he feels they weren't really prepared to adapt their defense to the new shift rules, and the pitching staff as well. So now during this year's draft they would be looking to draft more swing and miss guys, as opposed to what the Cardinal Way strategy usually is which is find these pitch to contact finesse guys.

Meanwhile, AA said they were trying to change Soroka's repertoire to get more strikeouts, and that they were trying to push Shuster and Dodd into getting more swing and whiffs while working down in AAA.

Watching Soroka, you can see he teeters out there like a seesaw. One minute he is the pitch to contact 2019 Soroka that gets efficient innings, and uses the defense. Then you see him wild out there trying to strikeout guys, knowing that's not how he got to the bigs. That's when he starts leaving pitches up in the zone on a plate and gets hit hard.

So you can see this learning curve for him in real time. It seems with the new shifting rules, the Braves already knew that they would have to get more strikeouts with pitching. IIRC last year weren't the Braves the highest shifting team in the majors? Or was it they were second highest rate of defensive shifts after the Dodgers? We know in 2021 the second half, they shifted the most of anyone in MLB.
 
How many of you think the Braves should try to trade for Cody Bellinger? His eyes don’t look as glassy as over the past three years. He can play all three OF spots & 1B. Then swap out Rosario & Ozuna at DH for a while.

What are we going to have to give up? I see him going back into that massive slump he had at the end in LA.
 
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