<img alt="MLB: Miami Marlins at Atlanta Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Vx0qffNkuTGvgr6miobUZFH2GI8=/0x0:5051x3367/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74005583/usa_today_25848777.0.jpg">
Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The approach was different, as so was the result Going 0-7 in a six-month season isn’t a death sentence. No tweet will convince of that. A poor offensive mindset might take your season, though. The Braves were super passive on the West Coast, watching more pitches and drawing more walks. Walks aren’t bad (like at all) but the passiveness did appear to rob the Braves of some power.
However, the Braves swung at 16 first pitches in Friday’s game, versus an average of 6.8 a game the first week. Their z-swing on first pitches was 14/20 (.700) last night versus .375 on the road, which z-rate means how often they swung at pitches in the zone. They swung at 19 second pitches Friday versus 8.8 a night on the West Coast. But it wasn’t so much the heavy hitters Marcell Ozuna, Matt Olson, and Austin Riley, it was more Michael Harris, Nick Allen and the rest that changed their approach. And it worked: while Spencer was excellent, Max Meyer gave up 3 runs and 8 hits in 6 innings, exposing the fleshy underside of the Marlins’ bullpen on which the Braves have feasted on many a time.
So what gives here? Did we just come out swinging last night? Or were they given the green light by Hyers and company? And why were we doing before that in the first place?
<img alt="MLB: Miami Marlins at Atlanta Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Vx0qffNkuTGvgr6miobUZFH2GI8=/0x0:5051x3367/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74005583/usa_today_25848777.0.jpg">
Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The approach was different, as so was the result Going 0-7 in a six-month season isn’t a death sentence. No tweet will convince of that. A poor offensive mindset might take your season, though. The Braves were super passive on the West Coast, watching more pitches and drawing more walks. Walks aren’t bad (like at all) but the passiveness did appear to rob the Braves of some power.
However, the Braves swung at 16 first pitches in Friday’s game, versus an average of 6.8 a game the first week. Their z-swing on first pitches was 14/20 (.700) last night versus .375 on the road, which z-rate means how often they swung at pitches in the zone. They swung at 19 second pitches Friday versus 8.8 a night on the West Coast. But it wasn’t so much the heavy hitters Marcell Ozuna, Matt Olson, and Austin Riley, it was more Michael Harris, Nick Allen and the rest that changed their approach. And it worked: while Spencer was excellent, Max Meyer gave up 3 runs and 8 hits in 6 innings, exposing the fleshy underside of the Marlins’ bullpen on which the Braves have feasted on many a time.
So what gives here? Did we just come out swinging last night? Or were they given the green light by Hyers and company? And why were we doing before that in the first place?
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