Kevin Seitzer named Baseball America’s Coach of the Year
Usually, it’s managers or players getting honored at the end of the year, so it’s pleasant to see one of the lesser-known individuals within the organization get recognized.
The 2023 Braves will go down as one of the greatest offenses of all time. They became the first team in MLB history to record a slugging percentage over .500. They tied the record for most home runs in a single season with 307. However, the team that they tied — the 2019 Twins — had the advantage of playing in the juiced ball era. The 2023 Braves are the real home run kings, and nobody can argue that. They also had a wRC+ and OPS+ up there with the 1927 Yankees. 2023 was a season Braves fans will never forget, and Kevin Seitzer was a critical reason why, but this has really been a long time coming.
Seitzer has been instrumental to the Braves success since joining the organization in 2015. He’s helped develop all of the young talent that graces the field at Truist Park, and he’s also turned around a number of careers, like Orlando Arcia, Jorge Soler, Travis d’Arnaud, and countless others. There are few hitting coaches as good at what they do as Kevin Seitzer, and it’s why most people have come to expect struggling players that join the Braves to figure it out.
Up next is the newly acquired Jarred Kelenic. The former sixth overall pick has all the tools in the world to be successful, and the Braves are betting that once Kevin Seitzer gets his hands on him, he’ll begin to realize more of that immense potential.
Photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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Braves: Climbing out of the rebuild had a lot to do with Kevin Seitzer
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Arthur Smith references Titans loss to 0-13 Colts ahead of Week 15
Leave a Comment / Falcons / By Alex Lord / December 14, 2023
NFL: OCT 15 Commanders at Falcons
The Falcons are set to travel to Charlotte this weekend to take on the 1-12 Panthers in what has become a must-win if Arthur Smith’s club wants to keep its playoff hopes alive.
For many teams, Carolina would be considered a second bye week. Hell, the Saints aren’t a very good team and boat raced them last week while only accruing 206 yards of total offense. Bryce Young and the Cats are arguably the worst team in the league; it’s why they’re in the line to own the 1st overall pick in the 2024 draft, only for it to go to the Bears.
Carolina is a franchise without a pulse right now, and somehow, the Falcons are only three-point favorites. It’s because Vegas and the betting market don’t know which of the many personalities is going to show up.
Moreover, the NFL is a very special league. It’s not like college football. ‘Any Given Sunday’ is a popular phrase for a reason, and it’s why I never buy into the notion of an ‘easy schedule’ because there is no such thing.
The talent discrepancy between the worst team and the best team isn’t as great as many fans believe. It’s certainly not as great between the worst (Panthers) and a below average team like the Falcons. It’s why Arthur Smith referenced the Titans loss to the 0-13 Colts in 2011 today at his press conference.
It’s a stark reminder that any team can lose on any given day in this league, especially the Falcons, who have consistently been the most inconsistent team in 2023.
The 2-14 Colts ended up with the 1st overall pick that landed them Andrew Luck, but they were still able to notch a pair of wins, including one over the Titans, who finished with a 9-7 record and in second place in the AFC South.
If the Falcons aren’t focused on the task at hand, this could spell the end of their postseason aspirations.
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Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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Falcons UDFA breaks into Pro Bowl voting top 10
Leave a Comment / Falcons / By Alex Lord / December 13, 2023
NFL: OCT 15 Commanders at Falcons
The Falcons have multiple players who could be voted into the 2023 Pro Bowl after just one made it last year.
Chris Lindstrom was the only representative from Atlanta, and it was the first of his career. Some (me) might argue that Grady Jarrett was deserving, but at a position as loaded as the interior defensive line, it’s a difficult one to make.
This season the Falcons have a handful of players that were voted inside the top of the fan portion of the voting — Keith Smith (4th), Jessie Bates (2nd), Younghoe Koo (5th), and Bijan Robinson (6th) — and some have improved their standing in the updated voting.
Smith is the only one who regressed, who is now the 5th ranked fullback, but Bates is now the top-voted safety in the NFC. Koo slots in as the 4th highest kicker, and Robinson is now the 5th ranked running back.
Moreover, the Falcons have a new face in the top 10 of the fan voting period, and it’s undrafted free agent Nate Landman.
Koo overtook Justin Tucker a couple of weeks ago for the best field goal percentage in league history. Though he’s coming off an uncharacteristic performance last week where he missed two field goals, nobody in Atlanta is worried about Koo.
Whenever Robinson gets enough touches, he’s shown why the Falcons made him the highest-drafted running back since Saquon Barkley. He’s in the top 10 for yards from scrimmage among all running backs. He is an extremely popular player and the face of Atlanta, so he has a decent shot of earning his first Pro Bowl honor in as many years in the league.
Landman’s story has been one of the best this season. The UDFA ranks fourth in tackles, third in tackles for loss, fifth in passes defended, and second in interceptions, despite only starting 10 of the club’s 13 games.
The Falcons lost Troy Andersen during the early parts of the season, and many, including myself, thought the worst of the situation. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Nate Landman has been a diamond in the rough.
Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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Jarred Kelinic is saying all the right things as he prepares to join Braves
Leave a Comment / Braves / By Chase Irle / December 13, 2023
MLB: JUN 09 Mariners at Angels
The Braves haven’t made any blockbuster moves to this point in the offseason, much to the dismay of many. They’ve focused on the margins, re-signing some of their own and bringing in two somewhat under-the-radar acquisitions that could add a lot more to the club than many people anticipate.
Reynaldo Lopez inked a three-year deal with the Braves about a month ago. He adds some much-needed velocity and versatility to Atlanta’s bullpen, which now looks like one of the best in the league after a very good season this year. But it’s former 6th overall selection Jarred Kelenic that really seems like a player that could have the most substantial impact among this winter’s acquisitions.
Kelenic was originally drafted sixth overall by the Mets. Being selected that high in a city like New York comes with a lot of pressure, and that pressure only multiplied when he was included in a trade to the Mariners for star closer Edwin Diaz. Seattle is nothing like New York in terms of market size, but anytime you’re the centerpiece of a trade for an All-Star, there usually comes unrealistic expectations, which Kelenic hasn’t always handled the right way early on in his career.
In his first two seasons with the Mariners, Kelenic fell well short of living up to his lofty status as a prospect. He hit just .168 with 21 homers over 147 games, but things started to turn for him in year three, or so it seemed.
Jarred Kelenic hit .309 with seven homers and a .979 OPS in his first 28 games this season. However, that success wouldn’t last for much longer. He started reverting back to his old ways, and it all culminated with an incident in which he kicked a water cool out of frustration, resulting in a broken foot. It was at that point Kelenic realized things really needed to change if he wanted to continue his major-league dream.
Sometimes a change of scenery is necessary for a player to realize his full potential. Kelenic’s actions may have grown old in Seattle, but expectations will be different in Atlanta. He’ll be surrounded by All-Star talent, and he’s excited for the opportunity.
