This time of year, as winter’s chill is replaced by spring warmth, it’s not hard to start thinking about Atlanta Braves baseball.
In fact, it’s very easy for Braves fans.
“World Series or bust” – Braves pitcher A.J. Minter
The early start to the Braves season known as spring training is routine. The Braves always head to Florida to train for the upcoming season, while local press in tow beam back early baseball porn and tentative team predictions of a championship to fans a couple of hundred miles north up I-75. Nothing new.
But this year felt different.
If you missed the sound of @austinriley1308 dingers then this is a video for you.#BravesST pic.twitter.com/tWhAV2gzdJ
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) February 15, 2024
Coming from a huge, record-setting 2023 filled with accomplishments and landmarks that ended in a heartbreaking and unsettling early demise in the postseason, the Braves showed no signs of restlessness or hand-wringing over last season.
In fact, there was a relaxed, happy-to-be back-on-the-field attitude that was palpable in CoolToday Park since spring training started late last week. There was little in the way of news coming out of North Point, Florida that would cast a pail on the coming season, but the reassuring sounds of bats meeting balls and balls slamming into gloves.
That sound 🙌#BravesST pic.twitter.com/9yZX5wAEkz
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) February 14, 2024
Or as 11 Alive sports reporter Maria Martin put it in an X/Twitter post: “Vibes are at an all time high.”
Braves fans back home should be encouraged that the team is having this kind of nirvana as baseball season dawns. It does not mean that the Bravos are taking the upcoming season lightly. Far from it.
Pitcher Chris Sale, the newest Brave, sure isn’t.
He told the press he plans to show up and show out on the mound this season.
“I do get intense,” he said, brimming with confidence as he spoke to the assembly of reporters. “I like to compete and I hate to lose.” He said he considers himself a “laid back” guy when he’s off the mound.
Sale is now a part of what the team says is a more improved bench. Braves catcher Travis d’Arnaud said he thought the pitching, which many critics say fell off last season and contributed to their early post-season elimination, is much stronger this year.
“I feel like our pitching got better and that’s what wins later in season,” he said. “Last year unfortunately we didn’t execute when we needed to. Now that our staff and bullpen got even stronger I like our chances even more than last year.”
The improved pitching may explain the noticeable optimism among the team. There’s also a determination not to repeat last season’s mistakes. Maybe that’s why many players had no problems telling reporters “World Series or bust.”
.@SpencerSTRIDer getting after it 🔥#BravesST pic.twitter.com/ESykTF3l2Q
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) February 16, 2024
Pitcher A.J. Minter was the first to make that proclamation. “We hold ourselves to a different standard than most organizations and that’s what separates us,” he said. “We need to get everyone focused coming to spring training like this is World Series or bust.”
“The World Series is a special thing,” said second baseman Ozzie Albies, when asked why the team is collectively making such a confident stand. “We accomplished that before, but I think one is not enough. We want to do it again.”
Masters at work 🙌#BravesST pic.twitter.com/5mw52m91oB
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) February 17, 2024
“There’s no doubt in our minds that’s something that’s well within our reach.” adds catcher Sean Murphy “We have the team, we have the depth, we have the lineup. Overall it’s just well-rounded, very deep.”
The hitting and outfielding weren’t too shabby either.
La Bestia is back 🫡@ronaldacunajr24 | #BravesST pic.twitter.com/V7tzKhrzP9
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) February 18, 2024
In one case, Fox 5 sports reporter Miles Garrett reported Ronald Acuna Jr., who made what few headlines would come from this Braves training season saying he wanted to be a “Brave for life” and leaving it up to commentators to decide what that statement meant. (‘I want more money’, to some apparently), is back to his ball-smashing ways, hitting “just about every batting practice ball well out of the park.” That included one that hit a large scoreboard on the property.
“I’m back,” he said after making one of his vaulted blasts.
Moments like this and the confidence the Braves are showing at spring training are enough to make a fan believe the championship talk is not premature hucksterism. These guys truly believe they can go where they were unable to go last season and win a championship (again.) Having that degree of faith in themselves and the team as a whole can’t hurt that cause.
Now they just need Atlanta fans, many of whom were back home contemplating the Atlanta Falcons quarterback prospects and Trae Young‘s performance in a forgettable NBA All-Star game at the time the Braves set up camp (there was little conversation about Braves spring training on sports talk radio over the past weekend, mostly Falcons talk), to believe as well.
They also must figure out what to do with pitcher Max Fried‘s contract renewal, growing questions about Acuna’s team-friendly but below-the-norm salary, and much stronger competition from other teams in MLB, like the L. A. Dodgers and their much-improved pitching rotation.
I count 6 🐐s in this photo https://t.co/J0Lfwi4Wk1
— Chris Cole (@mrchriscole) February 19, 2024
The fans will surely come along for the ride in the regular season to postseason to (maybe) the World Series if the effort, drive, and confidence they are seeing in spring training social media and video reports lead to victories at Truist Park.
Just as pollen will soon fill the Atlanta air, excited fans will soon fill that stadium, starting April 5th and all season long, waiting to see the Braves live up to their World Series or Bust philosophy.
By Brian Allen, Editor and Publisher, Sports In The ATL
Social media credits: X (Twitter), Atlanta Braves, Chris Cole/WXIA, WATL