MLB Spring Training Recap: March 1
Loser: Atlanta Braves offense
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If you are a Braves fan, are you beginning to worry?
The Braves lost again 4-2 Sunday, this time to Boston, producing just four hits. Ozzie Albies, who got one of those four hits, looks fine. But beyond Albies, the core of the Braves offense continued an anemic spring performance.
Ronald Acuna Jr. went hitless in three at-bats, fanned once and is staring at a .125 spring average. Ender Inciarte, who also struck out Sunday, is at .182. Marcel Ozuna, the muscle replacing Josh Donaldson, is hitless.
As a team, the Braves rank 26th in batting average,24th in on-base average and 27th in slugging average.
Loser: Wade Miley, Cincinnati Reds pitcher
The whole off-season buzzer around the Reds is founded on the premise that they had enough starting pitching, so the beef-job they did on their offense met their obvious need.
But that presumes Wade Miley can hold down one of those rotation spots. There was no evidence to that effect Sunday when the Milwaukee Brewers subjected Miley to eight batters worth of torture.
The worst of it was administered in a fast first inning flurry. With one out, Justin Smoak grounded a base hit, Lorenzo Cain one-hopped the right-field wall for a ground-rule double, and Logan Morrison sent them both home with a three-run home run.
The appearance was Miley’s first of the spring and left him with a 20.25 ERA as a souvenir.