00:00Athletics and the Braves are going to kick off a series here, the second series for each team to start
00:04the Major League Baseball season.
00:06One thing I love about the A's, Craig, is the fact that they play in Sacramento, and that is a
00:10launch pad, and it's fun to watch,
00:12but they're not going to be back there just in time yet. How about the Braves, though?
00:16Last year, Craig, through no fault of the run, I'd like to say that.
00:19High expectations coming in. Roster looked fantastic. Did everybody in that lineup get injured?
00:24Now, granted, to start the season, some of those pitchers are still injured,
00:27and they're going to go with Elder, Suarez, and Sale here, as Chris Sale obviously being that linchpin to that
00:33roster,
00:33Cy Young Award winner here, and also gets that extension for an extra year, close to $30 million.
00:38Savali, Lopez, and Severin, as we said here, for the A's. I like the A's. They'll be fun.
00:43I don't know if they can make a playoff push, but I'm more interested in how the Atlanta Braves, Craig,
00:47start this season.
00:49Yeah, I would tell you, Donnie, that I did not have Dominic Smith hitting a walk-off on Saturday.
00:56How about that?
00:57On the bingo card for opening weekend for the Atlanta Braves.
01:00Yeah, like, that was why I thought Dominic Smith was not going to play anymore after last season,
01:05let alone hit a walk-off for him.
01:07So, good moment for him this weekend.
01:09And, look, the Braves, Donnie, there's no question that they have focused on getting off to a better start this
01:16year.
01:16You can lose the season in April.
01:20They were so far behind to start after that tough start.
01:23The Braves, if you look at their run differential last year, it was actually okay.
01:26They looked like a playoff team.
01:29But, man, I mean, I don't know what to equate that.
01:32It's like an NFL team maybe going 0-2 or 0-3.
01:35I don't even know what it would be, but I thought the Braves were derailed earlier last year.
01:39You mentioned the injuries.
01:40Not a great scenario going into the season this year with injuries for them as well.
01:44So, their starters, Elder Suarez, have to go.
01:47Sale, of course, will be in the rotation.
01:48So, for the A's, it's Tuesday.
01:50That's the kid Tuesday.
01:51It's Jacob Lopez who's going to pitch for them.
01:55And maybe the best pitcher in their rotation.
01:58Came over in a deal.
01:59Pitched very well last year in spots.
02:02Left-handed pitcher strikes out a lot of batters, Donnie.
02:06And the Braves do strike out a lot.
02:08So, that would be the matchup to circle for me because, if I'm going to guess, the A's would love
02:14Lopez to start for them game one next season because he has that kind of talent.
02:20So, look, long way to go here, but that would be the name that I'm watching this week.
02:24Severino certainly will throw a party anytime he's not pitching in Sacramento.
02:28And certainly that won't be the case for when they line up against the A.
02:31Look at that.
02:31The A versus the A.
02:32Take little logos there as we watch that.
02:34Take a look at it.
