After what has been a turbulent start to summer camp for the Atlanta Braves, Tuesday the focus was on the field and getting ready for the 2020 regular season. Brian Snitker said that Tuesday was the team’s first normal feeling day since the restart.
“This has been our first normal feeling day since we got back,” Snitker said. “We have the whole group out there at once. It feels like spring training. I finally got the chance to get in front of the team. I told the guys, I’ve never felt so far detached from a team in my life. Actually, I feel like today is the start of something. We are getting back into the swing of things.”
You can’t fault the team for being a little bit distracted over the first few days of camp. Four players, including All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman and reliever Will Smith tested positive for COVID-19. In the aftermath, first base coach Eric Young and veterans Felix Hernandez and Nick Markakis opted out of the 2020 season.
With no more bad news to report on Tuesday, Snitker indicated that the team is getting ready to ramp up their activity. The coaching staff spent the first few days getting their first looks at pitchers to determine where they are in their preparation. The activity will ramp up starting on Wednesday when the team plays their first “controlled scrimmage” with Mike Soroka, Max Fried, Josh Tomlin and Shane Greene all scheduled to pitch.
“We have a bunch of guys throwing the next two days,” Snitker said. “We will push them to three innings, 50 pitches. We will come out Wednesday, stretch, run, throw, do our defensive work, hit, take a break and then play at 1:10 p.m. Try to keep it as close to that.”
They will go a step further next week as scrimmages will include assigned umpires in game like conditions. By that time, Snitker expects to see pitchers progressing towards 60-65 pitches.
Braves confident in their outfield group
When the Braves opened spring training back in February, much of the talk was how they would juggle what appeared to be a crowded outfield situation with the addition of Marcell Ozuna who agreed to a one-year contract during the offseason. With the adoption of the DH in the National League and Markakis’ decision to opt out, the situation is looking much less crowded.
Against right-handed pitchers, the Braves will likely roll out Ozuna in left, Ender Inciarte and center and Ronald Acuña Jr. in right. Against lefties, the team would have the option to slide Acuña over to center and start Adam Duvall in place of Inciarte. Cristian Pache would also be waiting in the wings if needed. Austin Riley, Johan Camargo and Charlie Culberson have all played in the corners and would also be options. However, with Freddie Freeman’s status up in the air, Riley and Camargo are likely to be deployed at the infield corners. Despite Markakis’ departure, Snitker said that the team will stick with the outfielders that they have at this point.
Workouts begin in Gwinnett
The group of players working out in Gwinnett began their workouts after the camp at Truist Park due to COVID-19 testing. Minor league coordinator Doug Mansolino is overseeing the second camp.