The Atlanta Braves are in the thick of their preparations for the 2024 season down in North Port, Florida. Fans are treated to duels between Matt Olson and Spencer Strider or Max Fried and Ronald Acuña on social media, but what really matters most as the players gather for another run at the World Series?
CJ Nitkowski joined The Steakhouse to discuss what the focus will be for the players and what matters most as they get ready for the upcoming season.
"Health, especially for this roster," Nitkowski said about the most important. "There's so many solidified spots and there are very few roster battles going on that are unsettled."
Health, of course, is paramount. That should go without saying, but it is the first and foremost thing for the Braves with how talented they are on paper after winning 104 games last season.
Besides that, there is a battle for the fifth spot in the starting rotation behind Spencer Strider, Max Fried, Chris Sale, and Charlie Morton -- that's about it. The addition in left field, Jarred Kelenic, is slated to be an everyday starter and every other position is a returning player.
Nitkowski dove into another important aspect of spring training for returning players, like Spencer Strider. Last season was his first as a big leaguer with a solidified place in the rotation and that was a new experience for him, according to the newly minted Braves broadcaster.
"He was playing around with some different ideas in spring and almost felt like -- he didn't say this exactly, but I got this impression -- he was pacing himself," Nitkowski said. "Then he realized he wasn't actually where he needed to be to start the season."
This has become a focus for the 25-year-old starter this time around, says Nitkowski.
"Now he's cranking it up almost immediately [with] live batting practice against Austin Riley and Matt Olson before position players even report," he said. "He's learning from what his experiences were a year ago to make sure that he's ready to go from day one."
