- 6 days ago
Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss joined The Steakhouse on Thursday morning ahead of Opening Day to discuss the outlook of his club for 2026. They also reacted to the rash of injuries that hit the team this spring, but Weiss insisted it won't slow this team down.
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00:00I just want to be living with the new manager of the Atlanta Braves and get a chance to speak
00:03with him
00:03for the first time in that role. He's Walt Weiss and he joins Steak and Sandra on the Steakhouse.
00:08Thanks so much for being with us, Walt. We appreciate it.
00:12Yeah, Steak, Sandra. How you doing?
00:14Awesome. Excited. Huge sports time for us. Great to get you guys up north.
00:19Let me go back to your younger days for a second.
00:23Growing up in the Northeast like I did and you did, it just feels a little different when baseball is
00:29here.
00:29What are your earliest memories growing up? What did opening day mean?
00:32Who were you rooting for? What was the vibe like back in the Weiss household?
00:38Yeah. Well, look, I grew up about 35, 40 minutes from Yankee Stadium.
00:45So that was the team we followed in my house and how it is back there at Steak.
00:51I mean, that stuff gets passed on from generation to generation.
00:54So opening day has always been special.
00:56Whether you're a fan, you're a player, a manager, it doesn't matter.
01:00You know, it's crazy when you think about it.
01:02It's only one of 162, but there's something special about opening day, no question.
01:06Yeah, and you've been through 18 as a player and as a manager, not to mention countless as a bench
01:12coach in other areas.
01:14Are the butterflies, just like you said, different from any of the other 161?
01:20And what are your memories of some of those 18 that you've been through on both sides of it?
01:24Yeah, you know, my first one, probably the most memorable.
01:28It seems to always be that way.
01:30I mean, when you make a big league club and you experience your first opening day, that's pretty special.
01:37That was with Oakland in the, what was it, 80s?
01:42Remember where it was?
01:43Yeah, Oakland, 1988.
01:47So, yeah, it's always special, man.
01:51Opening day.
01:52But, yeah, there's been some good ones along the way.
01:55And we had, I played in Colorado.
01:56We had a walk-off win, and I think it was about 15 or 16 innings.
02:01It was about four degrees out by the time that game was over.
02:07So, yeah, no, it's a special day.
02:11And, yeah, I still get butterflies.
02:13I played for 14 years.
02:15I think I had butterflies every game I played.
02:17You know, I just think it means you care.
02:21That's what an old wise coach told me.
02:23I totally agree.
02:24Nervous energy around a game means it's a game that means something to you.
02:29And when you don't have that, you know, in any competitive level,
02:33anybody who's an athlete can know the difference of what that feels like,
02:36of those nerves, and that's usually a good thing.
02:39It sure is, yeah.
02:40No, I think it's just the anticipation.
02:44You know, you can always feel the magnitude of the moment
02:46when that game's getting ready to start.
02:48So it's what we live for.
02:50You know, it's probably the thing that's a void in an athlete's life when it's gone,
02:56that nervous energy that you're used to having.
02:59Walt Weiss, whether it's manager or the Braves,
03:01what do you realize over the last 30-something days you missed the most
03:05about being a major league manager?
03:09I think it's the leadership more than anything.
03:13I do enjoy trying to get a group of men to, you know, chase the same thing
03:19and have the same goals and do it a certain way.
03:23And I think this job is more or less about leadership.
03:27I mean, we get judged for our bullpen moves.
03:30That's always how it's going to be.
03:33And, you know, sometimes they work, hopefully more times than not.
03:37But at the end of the day, it's about leadership.
03:40It's about getting guys to buy in and getting the best out of your team,
03:46putting them in positions to, you know, to succeed and all those things.
03:49But they've got to believe what you say, you know,
03:52and when they do, you get the best out of them.
03:57So we've got a good group, man.
03:59I mean, spring training was really good.
04:01It was a great vibe.
04:02You know, we'll see.
04:04I think we can carry it over to the season.
04:07But it was – you know, I'm not talking about our spring training record.
04:10I don't put a whole lot of stock in those things.
04:13I've been around too long for that.
04:14But I do think it was a little different.
04:18The camp was different this year.
04:20It was – the attention to detail, the focus, the energy was really good.
04:25So we're about as ready as we could be to start this thing.
04:28I love that you said the wins and stuff doesn't matter.
04:30I always threw the years, Walt, was like, okay,
04:32what numbers do you look at at spring?
04:34What matters?
04:37Yeah, look, Sandra, I mean, when they turn the scoreboard on,
04:41you want to win.
04:43So that's always the case.
04:45But there's just so many variables in spring training where, you know,
04:48your actual team is playing half the game a lot of times to the last week or so.
04:54It's more – spring training really is for pitchers.
04:57It's for the starting pitchers to get built up.
05:00Everybody else is ready in about four weeks,
05:02but the starting pitchers need every minute of the six or seven weeks
05:07that they're down there because it just takes time to get built up.
05:11So, you know, you just want guys – I mean, like the bottom line is the guys
05:15are swinging the bats really well, and that's a good thing.
05:18And, you know, that can carry over for sure.
05:22But, yeah, it's about getting your pitchers ready
05:25and getting everybody out of their healthy.
05:28Obviously, you know, we had – we got some tough news along the way,
05:32and especially early in spring we lost a couple pitchers
05:34and lost a few guys along the way.
05:37But I got to tell you, the guys didn't miss a beat.
05:39Focus has been really good.
05:41Yeah, I was going to ask you about how you process bad news.
05:44I think I know the answer because most guys, especially like you,
05:47around professional sports, it's like, you know,
05:49I don't have three seconds to wallow in it.
05:51But it was some tough hits along the way in the front end of the rotation
05:54and Spencer Strider news.
05:56So how do you process that news when it happens?
05:59And what is the mindset of you and the team in terms of, you know,
06:04being strong enough in a competitive league to have a starting rotation
06:09that you feel good about with all those guys that are out right now?
06:14Yeah, and my message to the team was, look, we wouldn't choose this,
06:20but you never know what it's going to lead to.
06:22You know, in 21, we wouldn't have chose, this was my message to the guys,
06:27in 21, we wouldn't have chose being under 500 the first of August
06:31and then losing our best player.
06:34But it led to us winning the World Series.
06:37So sometimes you can't figure these things out.
06:39They don't make sense.
06:40But, you know, my guess is a couple guys are going to step up and perform.
06:48And then when we do start getting guys back,
06:50we're going to be that much stronger.
06:52It creates opportunities, right?
06:54And speaking of opportunities, is Fuentes, talk about that young pitcher,
06:59the spectacular spring that he had.
07:02And may we find him now, based on the Strider news,
07:05somewhere in the next five or six days getting a start here in Atlanta.
07:09Yeah, look, he's not quite built up enough to just insert him into the rotation.
07:15That's why we're breaking with him in the bullpen to cover us.
07:20The first couple weeks of the season is going to be a meat grinder.
07:24We've got 13 straight, no days off.
07:26So the bullpen is going to feel the brunt of it.
07:29So Fuentes is going to help us out in the bullpen because he can go multiple innings.
07:34He can go four or five innings.
07:36But he's not quite – he needs another starter, too, to get built up as a true starter.
07:42So, look, we're going to see the kid.
07:44I mean, he was dominant this spring.
07:46The most impressive thing about Fuentes is, I mean, he came up at a really young age last year
07:51and took a beating, and –
07:54He did.
07:54He did.
07:55That was baptism by fire last year.
07:59For sure.
08:01Probably wasn't ready for this fight, but sometimes guys get called up at a need, you know.
08:09And there was a need there, and he was performing.
08:12He was really talented, so he got a crack at it.
08:15But he wasn't ready for that.
08:17But unflappable, man.
08:20I mean, the kid took great lessons from that.
08:23What he did was, you know, he refined his secondary stuff, changed his breaking ball,
08:31changed his change-up, and used it as an opportunity to get better.
08:37So – and he even says, if I didn't get called up last year and didn't take a beating,
08:43I'd still be doing the same stuff.
08:45So, great perspective for a young kid, but he's going to help us.
08:49Yeah, bullpen looks tough.
08:51Obviously, it's a great offseason moves, not the least of which is adding Suarez to the mix as well
08:55and some guys from last year.
08:56What can you tell us about Isvaldo Beto, who also now a rotation guy for us here in the first
09:02couple of weeks?
09:03Yeah, no, another guy that's going to help our bullpen.
09:06You know, the guy's been a starter, can go multiple innings.
09:12And that's what we're looking at this first couple of weeks, quite frankly,
09:16is we're looking to get through this, get our bullpen through this without taking too much of a hit.
09:24But, you know, there's –
09:25That's a wild start.
09:27You said 13 straight, no day off.
09:29Almost wanted to play today, get a day.
09:31But you're going 13 in a row.
09:34Exactly.
09:34Yeah, I've never – I don't think I've ever – I mean, it's my –
09:38I've been in this league on, I don't know, 35, 40 years.
09:41I don't think I've ever been on a team that came out of the gate with 13 straight.
09:45But, you know, we'll deal with it.
09:49But, you know, during this first couple of weeks,
09:51there's going to be a couple of guys down in the bullpen virtually every night
09:54that aren't going to be available, especially this early in the season.
09:58And at the same time, you factor in that starters aren't –
10:02you know, they're not built up to go 110, 115 pitches yet.
10:06So the bullpen's going to have to pitch.
10:08And, you know, so there's going to be – there's going to be guys off,
10:12multiple guys off probably every night for the first couple of weeks.
10:15Walt Weiss with us, manager of the Braves.
10:19Mike Yastrzemski, new addition, part of our outfield rotation.
10:23Two things, how much are the fans going to love watching Yaz
10:25and how much are you going to be alternating and moving guys around,
10:29get guys' nights off, maybe more so than last few years?
10:34Yeah, Yaz is one of those guys that's found some things later in his career.
10:39And he's in a really good place, had a tremendous spring.
10:42I think he hit six homers in 40-some at-bats.
10:47So he's a really good place, good defender.
10:50And I'm going to start out – Eli had a tremendous –
10:53Eli White had a tremendous spring through.
10:54And Eli's – he's another one that's in a good place.
10:58So, you know, I'll mix and match with those guys in left field to start with.
11:02And these things kind of play themselves out based on performance
11:06and match-ups and that type of thing.
11:10But, you know, Yaz will get the lion's share of it in left field.
11:15But, yeah, look, our guys are going to play.
11:17You know, I've seen some things.
11:19Well, then I'm into load management and all this stuff.
11:21That's not it at all.
11:22I mean, load management is kind of premeditated.
11:24That's not the case at all.
11:25So, I just watch these guys, and when I feel like they might need a day,
11:31then I'll give them a day.
11:32You know, but most of the time, those guys are going to end up playing
11:35at some point during the game anyway.
11:37But, you know, with the versatility of our roster, the fluid DH situation,
11:44got some opportunities to do some things.
11:46But early on, you're going to see Blake, Drake Baldwin, DH-ing quite a bit.
11:52I'm trying to keep his bat in the lineup.
11:54No doubt.
11:54But he can't catch every night.
11:56So, he'll be getting a bulk of the DH at bats early on.
12:01Is it safe to say you won't be the one to tell Matt Olsen to take a night off?
12:05Yeah.
12:06Yeah, look, that's a conversation.
12:08I want to respect that streak because it's really impressive.
12:14I think if I could speak for Matt, it probably means more to other people
12:19than it does to him.
12:20At least I've heard him, you know, talk in those terms in the past.
12:23But at the same time, we'll certainly respect that streak.
12:27And Olsen's going to play.
12:28I mean, like I said, even if there's a day where, you know, he might not start a game,
12:33he's going to be in the game at some point.
12:37So, yeah, it's just, you know, these guys aren't 24 anymore.
12:40They're not old, but they're not 24 either.
12:44And most of them, you know, Olsen being the outlier, the injury history is starting to mount
12:50up a little bit on these guys.
12:52You go around the diamond.
12:52And so just trying to stay out in front of stuff like that doesn't mean they're not going
12:56to get injuries.
12:57But try to do the best we can to keep our guys healthy.
13:00Walt Weiss, Weathers, manager of the Braves, getting ready for opening night tomorrow night.
13:04Ronald Acuna in the World Baseball Classic.
13:06Two things.
13:07How much did you watch?
13:09And do you get nervous like we do a little bit, even though the joyfulness of watching
13:13him was awesome?
13:15I don't know how you feel.
13:16The team seemed to get a little paranoid with that.
13:18Guys in there, certainly pitchers.
13:20Take us through your mindset on that.
13:22Yeah, you know, I got to be honest.
13:24I actually like the position players playing in WBC because nothing is going to prepare
13:30them for a season more than that.
13:31That competitive atmosphere, they're going to get a lot more accomplished in that atmosphere
13:36than they will in the Grapefruit League.
13:38Yeah, real at-bats that matter with live pitching that is really trying to do something,
13:44you're saying is a great advantage.
13:47Yeah, in a competitive environment with the stands full and a lot on the line, it's a
13:55post-season atmosphere.
13:57So, you got to be locked in, man.
14:00So, you know, that's not the case in the Grapefruit League, obviously.
14:04The guys are getting their work in and they're trying to get ready.
14:07But, look, if I had my choice, I wouldn't have any of our pitchers pitching in that thing
14:13for sure.
14:13I think it's too early to get ramped up.
14:15But they did a good job taking care of the pitchers in that WBC.
14:19There's a lot of limits that are in place before that thing starts with the pitchers.
14:24So, but I do like the position players playing.
14:27I know there's always a risk of injury, but they get hurt in the Grapefruit League too.
14:32So, I encourage our position players to do that.
14:37A couple of quick things before we let you go.
14:39Kyle Farmer, Maris' very own.
14:41What did he do as a non-roster invitee to end up on opening day?
14:45Well, a lot of it comes down to, you know, how the pieces fit together when we break camp.
14:52You know, how do those bench spots complement the other spots on the roster?
14:57And, you know, Farmer has been good against left-handed pitching.
15:02And, you know, he's one of the guys, he's got one of the best reputations in the game.
15:08Just a great teammate, a leader in the clubhouse.
15:11He's worth his weight in gold and what he brings in that aspect.
15:15Did you realize he played quarterback at Marist about, I don't know, 16, 18 years ago?
15:22Yeah, no, I did hear that.
15:23I did hear that.
15:24But, and a really good athlete, he's caught in the big leagues and he's played shortstop.
15:28There's a short list there.
15:29Yeah.
15:30The guys that have played short and caught in the major leagues.
15:34So, obviously a tremendous athlete.
15:38Two or three guys.
15:40I mean, Drake's been raking it.
15:41Obviously, we know what Chris Sale's all about.
15:44You know, you've got a lineup we're super familiar with.
15:46Guys have had massive years.
15:47But, who do you think is primed to say, either on the pitching end or an everyday guy, that watch
15:56out.
15:56You've got a feeling he's going to have a big year or a big first start to the year, unlike
16:01what happened last year.
16:02Any guys kind of floating around in your head?
16:07Yeah, I mean, there's a few.
16:08I think Riley is in a good place, man.
16:12He's got a really good spring.
16:14Mentally, he's in a good place.
16:16He's coming off a couple years where he's been nicked up pretty good and missed a lot of time.
16:21So, he's really hungry.
16:23And I think you're going to see good things from him.
16:28I think Michael Harris has made some adjustments.
16:30Don't let Austin cut his hair.
16:32That's got to be the difference, right?
16:34I mean, the spring with the hair.
16:36Yeah, he keeps swinging it like he is.
16:39I think, you know, his hair might look like Grant Holmes' by the end of it.
16:43Good, good.
16:44Anybody we're going to fall in love with out of that bullpen or starter you think is in a great
16:49place?
16:50I know, big year for Bryce Elder and some other guys.
16:55Yeah, look, Bryce is a kid that's been through it.
16:59And he's got really thick skin.
17:02And he's learned a lot of lessons in his time in the big leagues.
17:06And he's thrown the ball really well.
17:07We're going to need him to be good.
17:09And I think he will be.
17:12You know, the kids.
17:13I mean, there's a lot of hype around Fuentes and J.R. Ritchie.
17:17You know, we'll probably see both of them at some point in that rotation or making starts for us.
17:23So, yeah, it's always exciting.
17:26You know, the shiny new toys, people like that.
17:28But for good reason with these two young kids, they've showed a moxie beyond their years.
17:36So, and they're going to have to help us.
17:40And I think they will.
17:42Well, it's real exciting.
17:45I know Atlanta is waiting with bated breath to get you guys on the field.
17:49I love that we have this six-game homestand to start.
17:52I don't know how you feel about it.
17:53But, I mean, that place is going to be absolutely jacked up the first three nights.
17:57So, that's not always the case with a team from the American League that you don't know that well.
18:01But it certainly is going to help.
18:02And I know you're probably telling your guys, let's get off after it from day one.
18:09Yeah, no, we've talked a lot about our mentality.
18:11And that's usually what the theme is when I get in front of these guys and how we approach every
18:17day.
18:17And these guys are all well aware of what happened last year coming out of the gate.
18:23Like I said, they're as ready as they could be.
18:26It's about as good a camp as I've been involved in.
18:29Just as far as attention to detail, energy, focus.
18:34These guys are in a really good place.
18:35Now, we've got to carry it over to the season because it doesn't mean anything if we don't.
18:41But I think they will.
18:44And I think the people are going to enjoy how we play the game.
18:48We're going to get after people.
18:50And I think it's going to be exciting to watch.
18:53Congratulations on a big day for you coming up.
18:55And I look forward to chatting with you this season.
18:57Thanks for spending time with us.
19:00Okay.
19:01Appreciate your stay, Xander.
19:02Take care.
19:03Take care.
19:03There he is, Walt Weiss, manager of the Braves.
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