Braves News
Talking Chop Podcast Episode 50: A Candid Braves Conversation, with Kevin McAlpin
Braves Radio Network and 680 The Fan reporter Kevin McAlpin joins the show! Kevin breaks down what it's like being a Braves reporter in the offseason, gives us his thoughts on the team's winter moves and talks about what he's looking forward to in Spring Training. Finally, there's talk of a tandem bike ride with Mark Bowman.
An Interview with Braves catching prospect Tanner Murphy
Talking Chop’s Eric Cole talks with Braves catching prospect Tanner Murphy about getting drafted, catching at the highest level and why it is so difficult to excel at the position.
Veteran arms stabilize reconstructed rotation
MLB.com’s Mark Bowman takes a closer look at the Braves’ starting rotation and how three veteran additions can provide some stability for the 2017 season.
Yeah, Garcia has a concerning healthy history, and both Colon and Dickey stand as a pair of 40-plus veterans who are writing the final chapters of their respective careers. But this trio is certainly capable of providing the Braves more stability than they had last year as they used 16 starting pitchers, just four of which made at least 12 starts.
MLB News
MLB proposes changes to intentional walks, strike zone
ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark reports that Major League Baseball has made a formal proposals to the player’s union for changes to the strike zone and the intentional walks are carried out.
MLB's proposal would raise the lower part of the strike zone to the top of the hitter's knees. Since 1996, the bottom of the zone has been defined as "the hollow beneath the kneecap." But data shows that umpires have been increasingly calling strikes on so many pitches below the knees that, if umpires enforce the redefined strike zone, it would effectively raise the zone by an estimated 2 inches.
The change in the intentional-walk rule would end the long-standing practice of requiring the pitcher to toss four soft pitches outside the strike zone. Instead, a team could just signify it wants to issue an intentional walk, and the hitter would be sent directly to first base.
Dodgers sign Sergio Romo to 1-year deal
The Los Angeles Dodgers reached an agreement with reliever Sergio Romo on a one-year, $3 million deal according to FanRag’s Jon Heyman.