Marcell Ozuna removed for not hustling in Braves’ 8-5 victory

Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna was removed from Sunday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks for not hustling after hitting a drive to deep center field, manager Brian Snitker confirmed after the game.

In the fourth inning of the Braves’ 8-5 victory, Ozuna smashed a Zac Gallen offering to deep center. He ended up on first base, settling for a 415-foot single because Ozuna stood at home plate and watched the ball reach its destination instead of running right after contact.

Instead of hitting the seats, the ball hit an overhang just below the line that marks a home run. Snitker then replaced him with Sean Murphy in the sixth inning. Murphy went 0-for-3 after entering.

“I guarantee he feels worse than I do for having to take him out,” Snitker said of Ozuna.

Ian Anderson to undergo Tommy John surgery, per report

Atlanta Braves right-hander Ian Anderson will undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the remainder of the 2023 season according to a report by ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Anderson made just one start at Gwinnett, before going on the injured list.

Anderson was expected to compete for the Braves’ fifth starter spot during the spring, but was optioned to Gwinnett early after an up and down performance. He lasted just two thirds of an inning in his debut at Triple A where he allowed four hits, including three home runs. He was placed on the injured list shortly after with an elbow injury.

It appears that it will be the worst case scenario and Anderson will miss the remainder of the season. Passan’s report states that he is expected to return to action in 2024.

Braves to retire No. 25 in honor of Andruw on Sept. 9

The Atlanta Braves will retire number 25, worn by legendary Braves outfielder Andruw Jones. Jones will be honored in a special number retirement ceremony on Saturday, September 9, before the Braves take on the Pittsburgh Pirates at 7:20 p.m.

“It’s a great honor getting your number retired. You don’t think about things like that while you’re playing. You just play the game you love,” said Jones. “I’m thankful to the Braves for giving me the opportunity to play the game I love. Being the first kid from Curaçao to have his jersey retired is also an honor. So many kids who grew up there watching me play and this will give them hope on what they can do in their careers.”

Atlanta Braves retired numbers include:

3 – Dale Murphy
6 – Bobby Cox
10 – Chipper Jones
21 – Warren Spahn
29 – John Smoltz
31 – Greg Maddux
35 – Phil Niekro
41 – Eddie Mathews
42 – Jackie Robinson*
44 – Hank Aaron
47 – Tom Glavine

Braves’ Orlando Arcia signs 3-year, $7.3 million contract

Atlanta Braves infielder Orlando Arcia has signed a three-year contract that includes a team option for 2026, the team announced Thursday before their season opener.

The Braves did not disclose financial terms, but sources confirmed to ESPN’s Buster Olney that the three base years of deal are worth $7.3 million, and the team option is worth $2 million with a $1 million buyout.

Arcia had been entering the final year of his previous deal with the Braves and was set to make $1.3 million this season. He was batting ninth in Atlanta’s Opening Day lineup and starting at shortstop Thursday against the Washington Nationals.

Braves option Grissom to minors, clearing Arcia to start at SS

The Atlanta Braves have apparently decided who will replace the departed Dansby Swanson as their starting shortstop. It’s not who most people expected it to be.

Vaughn Grissom and Braden Shewmake were optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday. That leaves utility infielder Orlando Arcia as the likely replacement for Swanson, who left the Braves in free agency during the offseason for a $177 million, seven-year deal with the Chicago Cubs.

Liberty Media Releases Braves’ Financials For 2022 | MLBTR

Liberty Media, the corporation which owns the Braves, is a publicly traded company. As a result, they’re one of two teams (the Blue Jays being the other) whose books are opened to the public. This morning, Liberty Media released 2022 financials. The full report is available courtesy of Investors Observer and chronicled by Doug Roberson of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

According to the report, Liberty Media collected a franchise-record $588MM in Braves-related revenue last year. That’s a $20MM jump over 2021’s previous franchise-record figure, which the corporation attributed to increased ticket demand and additional retail on the heels of Atlanta’s World Series championship.

Brandon Gaudin is the new Braves play by play announcer

On Thursday, Bally Sports announced the hiring of Brandon Gaudin as the next play by play announcer for the Atlanta Braves.

Gaudin replaces Chip Caray, who left for the St. Louis Cardinals job earlier this offseason.

Nationally, Gaudin is most known for his work with Fox and Big Ten Network, though he usually calls football and basketball. However, he has called national MLB games for Fox in recent years.

Braves extend manager Brian Snitker

The Atlanta Braves today signed manager Brian Snitker to a contract extension through the 2025 season.

Snitker, 67, guided the Braves to 101 wins and the club’s fifth consecutive NL East division crown last season, one year after helping the organization win the fourth World Series title in franchise history. He finished third in the Manager of the Year voting in 2022, after winning the award in 2018. He also was a finalist for the honor in 2019, and finished fourth in 2020 and 2021. 

Snitker completed his 46th season in the Braves organization in 2022, and his sixth full campaign as the Braves manager. He took over on an interim basis on May 17, 2016, before being named Atlanta’s manager on October 11, 2016. The native of Decatur, IL, joined the organization as a non-drafted free agent in 1977.

MLB reinstates former Braves GM after ‘lifetime ban’: Everything to know

John Coppolella will likely have to seek new employment elsewhere given the Braves currently have Alex Anthopoulos as their general manager, but new opportunity awaits.

The former Atlanta general manager was well known for his exploits in international markets, but it was that same flirtation which eventually led to his undoing. Coppolella broke MLB rules by offering players a higher signing bonus to sign in Atlanta. Rob Manfred himself suspended Coppolella for “circumvented international signing rules from 2015 through 2017.”

“We can confirm that Mr. Coppolella has been reinstated, given the more than five years he spent on the ineligible list, the contrition he expressed and the other steps he took in response to this matter,” MLB said in a statement, via The Athletic (subscription required).

Sean Murphy hops on Braves’ long-term extension train, with Alex Anthopoulos as engineer - The Athletic

Sustainability starts with ownership. The front office needs stability so that GMs can think long-term. Only the owner can provide the culture and stability required to create sustained success.

“I just think as I’ve become more comfortable in Atlanta, I understand the marketplace, the division, everything else — you have to be fluid in these jobs,” Anthopoulos said of using long-term extensions. “These guys, we think they’re going to be very good players. Yeah, there’s no guarantees and they certainly need to go out and perform and stay healthy. But I’ve said this before, too: I think it’s important for a fan base, as well.

“You (reporters) ask what I worry about the most, and it’s the sustainability piece. I see how well the organization is being run, from (Braves presidents) Derek Schiller and Mike Plant and obviously (chairman) Terry McGuirk overseeing all of us, what they have going on on the business side of the operation. And I feel like, from a baseball operations standpoint, we have to pull our weight. We have to put a good product on the field every year, no matter what. And part of that is the sustainability piece. We don’t want to be in a position where we’re talking about having to trade guys away because they’re getting close to free agency, or that we can’t sign them.”

Braves’ Sean Murphy: Inks extension with Atlanta

Murphy agreed to a six-year, $73 million extension with Atlanta on Tuesday, which includes a $15 million club option for 2029.

The contract buys out three years of arbitration eligibility and could keep Murphy in Atlanta until the 2030 campaign. The 28-year-old was acquired from Oakland in mid-December after he posted a .250/.332/.426 slash line with 18 home runs and 66 RBI for the Athletics last season, and he also won a Gold Glove in 2021.

Braves sign veteran OF Jordan Luplow to 1-year, $1.4M deal

The Atlanta Braves signed veteran outfielder Jordan Luplow to a $1.4 million, one-year contract on Monday.

The 29-year-old Luplow hit .176 with 11 homers and drove in 28 runs in 83 games with Arizona in 2022. The right-handed hitter had eight homers against left-handers last season.

Sean Murphy heading to Braves

The A’s are sending catcher Sean Murphy to the Braves, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. After multiple teams showed interest in the 2021 Gold Glove-winning backstop, Atlanta came out on top to add another catcher to its roster.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan was first to report the move, and a source told MLB.com’s Martín Gallegos that it will be a three-team deal also involving the Brewers. Milwaukee is reportedly landing catcher William Contreras, per Passan.

Tigers trade Jiménez to Braves for pair of prospects

On the last day of Winter Meetings, the Tigers and Braves made a deal that will send reliever Joe Jiménez and cash considerations to Atlanta for OF Justyn-Henry Malloy and LHP Jake Higginbotham, the clubs announced on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old Jiménez appeared in 62 games for the Tigers and was 3-2 with a 3.49 ERA and two saves. His 12.23 strikeouts per 9.0 innings ranked fifth in the American League among pitchers with at least 50.0 innings, and his 1.4 WAR for the season matched his career high. He gives the Braves a veteran arm at the back end of their bullpen after closer Kenley Jansen agreed to a deal with the Red Sox earlier in the day.

Moore: Age is just a number for Niekro and Moyer

Phil Niekro: The sparks is still there!

“Oh, yeah. I threw my last [Major League] pitch when I was 48, but I could have gone another year or two,” Niekro said, recalling his final season in 1987. It began with the Cleveland Indians, but he was traded near the end of the season to the pennant-hopeful Toronto Blue Jays.

After two rough starts, then-Blue Jays general manager Pat Gillick released Niekro and told Toronto reporters that he thought Niekro’s career was over.

“Since I have total respect for [Gillick], and also out of fairness to myself, I just took his word and decided that maybe he knew more about myself than I did, and that maybe he sees something that I don’t see, so I went by his words,” said Niekro, who made one final start with Atlanta that season. “After I retired, the next Spring Training, I got the fever. Then the next Spring Training after that, I got the fever.”

In fact, Niekro still has the fever.

Said Niekro, chuckling, but only a little, “I still feel like I can get guys out in the big leagues right now. My arm feels as good now as it did when I retired.”

...“I’ll throw some BP down there, so my arm is no problem,” Niekro said. “To stick around a long time, it’s a discipline thing for a player, where you have to stay healthy. You also have to be fortunate, just to spend any time in the big leagues. I’ve got no squabbles about anything. I just kick myself in the butt for not hanging around for another year or two.”

MLB Trade Rumors: Bartolo Colon Agrees to Sign With Unknown Team

Bartolo Colon has agreed to a deal with an unknown club reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today (on Twitter). The right-hander wouldn’t divulge the team because he has not yet passed his physical.

Pretty sure it’s either the All-Stars or the Champs.

Braves re-sign infielder Jack Wilson

As an old pequod sod in the bar used to say to anybody named Jack…“#### you, Jack, I’m all right!!”

The Atlanta Braves have re-signed veteran infielder Jack Wilson to a one-year deal, the team’s website reports.

Wilson, 34, hit .243 with no homers, 11 RBIs in part-time duty with the Braves and Seattle Mariners in 2011. He was dealt to Atlanta on Aug. 31.

His biggest impact this season might be as a mentor/insurance policy.

Barring another acquisition, the Braves will start rookie Tyler Pastornicky at shortstop on opening day. The 22-year-old hit .314 with seven homers, 45 RBIs and 27 stolen bases between the Class AA and Class AAA levels in 2011, but he never has played in the majors.

BBPro:  Heartburn Hardball - Jack Morris in Motion

Morris, who was the face of the Detroit Tigers’ pitching staff for the entirety of the eighties before spending the early nineties hopping between the Twins, Blue Jays, and Indians, has every right to be thrilled at the news. And the rest of us, especially those who were too young to see him pitch, have every right to ask…why Jack Morris? Why now?

To answer that question, I decide to watch the most famous performance of his career, the game that proved once and for all that he was a true ace and a true winner.

....

The Twins will win 1-0 in the bottom of the 10th, winning the second World Series title in franchise history and solidifying Jack Morris’s place in baseball history.

And when it’s over, I will be more convinced than ever that Jack Morris is not a Hall of Fame pitcher.

Blasts from the Past

With the Hall of Fame results being announced today, we decided to take a trip down memory lane and dig up some old scouting reports from the Baseball America archives on some of the ballot’s notable candidates. . .

8. Barry Larkin, ss, 21, 5-11, 175, R-R
Larkin looked right at home in AA, hitting .267 for Vermont. He didn’t show power (one home run in 255 at-bats), but that will come. The key for him was just getting his feet on the ground, and he was not overpowered by the high level of competition (21 strikeouts in 255 at-bats). He will have good power for a shortstop.

6. Edgar Martinez, 3b, 25, 5-11, 175, R-R
Martinez’s discipline will produce runs. He’s averaged 70 RBIs the last four years. In the field, he’s solid, with good reactions and the soft hands of a middle infielder.

Cameron: Adam Jones, Unfinished Product

I can’t imagine why the Braves would balk about trading their starting LF, a #3 starter AND “prime” pitching prospects for a new Jeff Francoeur…

ajc: “Murph” surprised by low Hall of Fame votes, still hopeful

Kicking TBS: Live in Atlanta…with Dale Murphy.

Q: Probably not a lot of 50-something former MVPs can say they’ve been getting into Wilco and other bands, huh?

A: Well it’s been fun, and I think that’s the fun of Twitter – this intersection or cross-section of diverse people and interests, and you connect in ways … it’s been fun. In fact, I did a [online interview] with Peter Moylan, and he was asking me about music I listen to. And he and Chipper [Jones] were wondering who half the bands were that I named…. [Laughter.] I’m going to have a contest on Twitter and say the first hitter that walks up to [to the plate] with Wilco or something like that playing, I’m going to get him [a prize].

Q: OK, let’s change gears a bit. Murph, has this time of year become frustrating for you because of the annual Hall of Fame voting announcement? Or do you still allow yourself to be optimistic about your chances?

A: I’m always kind of optimistic. Not really frustrated, I think because my percentage [of votes] hasn’t really been knocking on the door, you know? I think if it’d been at 60 percent or something for five years, it might be different. I mean, I always try to be optimistic. I know my percentage is pretty low and you need 75. And I’m not really close. So in that way I’m not really frustrated.

To be honest, I thought my percentage would be higher over the years. It hasn’t been high. I tend to feel like I’ll get a bump this year. We’ll see. There’s been some talk about guys that played in the ‘70s and ‘80s, that there might be some revisiting of their careers [by voters], and I have some people that have been supportive. So we’ll see. I appreciate the support and I try to stay optimistic.

The Greatest Animated Sports .GIFs of 2011

32. Cliff Lee declines to run out his own grounder

I’m a firm opponent of the designated hitter rule, because just as I love to watch a punter try to scoop up a bad snap and try to throw it, or see a 7’1” center with no range try to chuck up a last-second three, I love watching pitchers hit.

Never will I come closer to seeing what it would be like if someone with my skill set tried to perform on a professional level. I mean, how nuts is this: in the National League, five to 10 percent of all at-bats are taken by men who, by everyone’s admission, are profoundly bad at it! It’s Dada performance art, and the ubiquity of such comical nonsense—over the course of a game, a season, and the history of baseball—is unrivaled by anything in any other sport.

This GIF features a delightful bonus: the catcher starts jogging to the dugout well before the play ends. It’s beautiful.

The Kick Is Good!

Jack Wilson seems to be having fun on vacation.

Wife of Braves trainer killed in crash

According to Wright, the patrol car collided with the Ford Expedition that was northbound on Capitol Avenue, hitting the SUV on the passenger’s side. The statement said the SUV then struck a utility pole.

Kathy Porter, 54, of Loganville, a passenger in the SUV, died in the crash, Wright’s statement to The Associated Press said. It added that Jeff Porter and two other passengers in the SUV- the couple’s 19-year-old son David and a friend, Courtney Ann Williams, 18, of Grayson—were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for treatment of injuries. All three were released later Saturday.

Atlanta Braves in trademark dispute with Pixar over “Brave”

While I will not claim to be an expert in trademark law, this feels extremely frivolous on the part of the Braves. To my knowledge (and following a quick search on Google), the New York Mets have never sued either the Metropolitan Museum of Art, commonly referred to as “The Met,” or the Metropolitan Opera House, which is also commonly referred to as “The Met.” And all three of these well-known establishments are based in New York. But now the Atlanta Braves (who, coincidentally, are a major rival of the NY Mets) have not only chosen to go after a globally-known organization, but a globally-known organization that is famous for their lawyers.

They don’t call it the Mickey Mouse Act for nothing.