The Braves announced they’ve reinstated catcher Alex Jackson from the 60-day injured list and optioned him to Triple-A Gwinnett. Space on the 40-man roster was created when Atlanta placed outfielder Ender Inciarte on the COVID-19 injured list earlier this week. A corresponding 40-man transaction will be necessary once Inciarte returns.
Jackson has picked up 50 MLB plate appearances over the last two seasons. He hasn’t played well, but the right-handed hitter has a massive .269/.337/.667 line over 104 trips to the dish with the Stripers this year. For now, Jackson will serve as high minors’ depth behind the veteran catching duo of Stephen Vogt and Kevan Smith. He had been out since early May due to a left hamstring strain.
Atlanta placed Inciarte on the IL on Monday. The team announced at the time that he’d tested negative for the virus, suggesting he’d either been a close contact of a person who’d tested positive or had been experiencing viral symptoms.
Oh…great.
Unfortunately Kevan Smith and Vogt are both better than Alex right now. Alex has had limited opportunities in MLB but has not shown much of anything with the bat so far. He can use some more time in AAA.
Jackson is WAY better defensively and calls better game then kevan smith. Jackson has had how many great pitching staffs in AAA that he’s managed and made those pitchers better. Jackson should be starting right now period.
A month or two ago when Jackson was playing and I remarked here that he was handling the staff and playing far better defense than d’Arnaud had, I was attacked by posters telling me how bad he was.
For years on here Braves fans do nothing but complain about the ownership, the FO, the Manager and coaches, and all the players except for Freeman and Acuna Jr…..even when Ronald does stupid hot dog things on the field that costs his team games.
Years ago I spent some time in Atlanta working on contracts. Found none of the “southern charm” I expected. Rather it was New York South (got cut off constantly driving out of the airport and on the freeways – and I thought LA traffic was bad). It appears that entitled NYC attitudes now apply to baseball as well in “The Capital City of the American South”……”Hotlanta”…..whatever.
If you think Braves fans weren’t calling out Acuna for being a hotdog, then you haven’t been paying attention. If you don’t like being in Atlanta, you’re welcome to never come back.
Whatever.
He managed to accumulate -.3 fWAR in 28 plate appearances and had a wRC+ of -19. He could be handling the pitching staff well and be better defensively and still be very bad.
While targeted injuries have beaten the Braves down – they lost their best position player and best pitcher – the fact that they’ve not had a Catcher all year that could handle a pitching staff and call a decent game has killed their starting staff and bullpen.
Even though Kurt Suzuki and Tyler Flowers had some defensive issues at times, they had the confidence of the Braves pitchers.
It stinks losing d’Arnaud, but calling him decent as the starting catcher behind the plate is hyperbole. I don’t even think his mom would call him “decent” behind the plate on his birthday. Like Ozuna (of yesteryear), they deal with his glove because of his bat. He was fine with a decent backup in 2020, but the lack of backup catcher coming into the season was a glaring omission going into Opening Day, and even more so when d’Arnaud was lost.
The idea though that the bullpen shouldn’t be blamed for their misgivings because of a decent catcher calling their inning — and NOT relief pitchers (lookin’ at you, Minter, Newcomb) who haven’t been able to hit their locations consistently — is ridiculous. You could have Benito Santiago catching AJ Minter and the results would be the same — Benito watching the ball sale over the wall or watching the guy take 1B.
I’ve never liked d’Arnaud as a Catcher. Runs games and Pitchers poorly; awful defensive fundamentals (stabs at the ball like an infielder instead of cradling the ball in). Offensive Catchers are like playing an NFL QB because he can run with the ball. That’s nice as maybe other teams QB’s can’t – but that’s not the reason a QB plays the position.
For decades frustrated fans of underperforming MLB teams seem to zero in on one or two set-up relievers or a #4 or #5 starter that are “killing the team”. Fact is that all teams – even the winning ones – have guys like that.
I was watching a Braves game a week or so ago listening to Don Sutton on the radio feed. At a critical point in the game with opposing runners in scoring position, the Catcher got crossed up on a pitch – looking for a curveball when the Pitcher threw a fastball that sailed. A wonder it didn’t go to the backstop allowing 2 runs to score. Three pitches later after there was more confusion with each pitch, the Catcher had to jog out to talk to the Pitcher. Sutton remarked that the task at hand was for the battery to work together to get out of the inning with no damage; but how were they supposed to do that when they couldn’t even agree on the signs?
The Braves badly need 2 experienced Catchers. They could hit .035 but if they could call a game, run a staff, and play decent D……….
Hence the need for Jackson.
Agreed, which is why I like the Vogt pick-up. I don’t know how he’ll work out long-term, but he looks like a much better fit with the pitchers (in a small sample size) than some of the other vets they’ve been trotting out on their Reclamation Tour.
Vogt is what he is at this point in his career not much upside. Decent at the plate for a catcher (not good for average mlb) and very mediocre with the glove. He should be fine covering part time until daurnod is back
Eh, HOF’r Don Sutton? The man has been dead for a while now.
Probably Curmudgeon Joe Simpson.
If you were listening to Sutton…I’ll be danged.
Don Sutton is dead.
Good to see MLBTR report this. They kinda whiffed on some other Braves activity recently.
The White Sox will still be our World Series victim in 2022. Then the Padres will be their World Series victim in 2024.
Just cought the final score for the Braves and Padres first game of the doubt header. I didn’t see it but seeing that Snit pulled Muller after just 4 innings just so we can watch Greene come in and promptly surrender 2 runs is the same old movie we’ve been watching all season long. I get that Muller probably looked shaky with 5 base runners allowed in 4 innings but after what we have seen from this bullpen, I would prefer a shaky Kyle Muller for a fifth inning.
I know the Braves have to score more than 3 runs a game to win but they also have to be able to win games where they score 3 runs as well because their will always be close games.
If the Braves lose the second of this double header, I’ll join the Braves should sell band wagon. That will mean they lost back to back series 2/3 games as close as we are from the deadline. It’s not like the Braves have been all that much up and down. They have been consistently mediocre to bad.
I know someone will probably tell me “but those two series were against the Devil Rays and Padres. Isn’t that an unfair place to decide the Braves should sell?”
No, not at all because it’s not like the Braves got where they were by playing only over .500 teams. Also, they have to be able to beat over .500 teams or what’s the point? The Braves dug this hole they are in themselves so if they can’t beat good teams this far in the season and this deep in the hole than it’s time to get what you can out of the season and sell your depth, 1 year contracts and relievers.
lol the devil rays
Personally idc how the next few games go I think we should buy. We need pieces with multiple years of control. I was on here all last deadline and off-season saying we should have gotten Gallo while he was cheap now he’s one of the top trade targets and will bring a haul. We need something similar but with last years Gallo price tag and upside
What’s your laughter about the Devil Rays? They’re 18 games above .500 and they have the third best run differential in the AL. They’re even over .500 against winning teams. Maybe you should have taken a look at them before you laughed.
I think the point is that they haven’t been known as the “Devil Rays” since 2007.
Losing both series on this homestand would be rough but I think the upcoming NINE-GAME road trip against the Phillies and Mets will tell them much more about where they are. If they somehow go 6-3 or 7-2 then they’re definitely in it. If they go 5-4 or worse then they’d still be playing right around .500 baseball at best with no signs of progress.
Maybe that’s what he meant or maybe it isn’t. It simply doesn’t fit well with how I was using the Devil Rays; that they are a tough team that the Braves have to be able to beat.
I know the Braves COULD do what you are saying. I just don’t think they will. They have been showing for more than half the season now that they won’t.
That’s what he meant SalaryCapMyth. Take the L or go watch the Washington Senators.
That’s what he meant SalaryCapMyth. Take the L or go watch the Washington Senators.