When reporters entered the Braves’ clubhouse Tuesday afternoon, there were more players gathered than usual. And around 4 p.m., the clubhouse emptied as they went elsewhere.
They had a team meeting.
Asked about it, manager Brian Snitker said: “I didn’t have a meeting.” Which was actually was true.
It appears this was a player-led meeting.
On Monday, the Braves lost the series opener to the Reds. The Braves entered Tuesday on a three-game losing streak – their fourth skid of at least three games this season.
The Braves went into Tuesday with a record of 35-38 since the start of play April 29.
Team meetings often create buzz and headlines – like the one you’re reading. But fans probably shouldn’t put too much stock into them. (Then again, the Braves went on an insane heater after Snitker called a meeting in Arizona two years ago.) That the Braves held a team meeting isn’t much of a surprise at this point.
The Braves have a lot of veterans, from Travis d’Arnaud to Matt Olson to Max Fried. You can include Austin Riley in this group, but he’s on the paternity list and away from the team.
The Braves have struggled to gain momentum. They haven’t gotten hot for an extended period of time.
“Team meetings happen throughout the course of the year,” new Brave Whit Merrifield said. “When you get somewhere, you feel a vibe, and I feel the vibe’s just fine here. Just over the course of the season, going through some things – and everybody does. What are we, 10 games over .500? So, the fact that we’re going through it 10 games over .500 is a pretty good thing. We’ll get through it.”
The Braves entered Tuesday nine games above .500. They’ve stayed afloat despite the injuries and multiple underperforming stars.
The Braves didn’t play after their meeting, as inclement weather forced a postponement. The game will be made up as part of a split-doubleheader.
A special guest at Truist Park
Cam Caminiti, the Braves’ first-round pick, was at Truist Park.
“It’s been a wild ride these past few weeks, just everything falling into place,” Caminiti said. “It gets real (Wednesday), when I head off to Florida.”
The left-hander will travel down to the Braves’ complex to begin building up before he pitches for one of the Braves’ minor-league affiliates.
Caminiti is only 17 years old. He completed high school in three years – at Saguaro High in Scottsdale, Arizona – after reclassifying to the class of 2024. He made the decision in June 2023.
He’s living a different life than his friends. They’re still in high school or are thinking about college, and he signed with a professional organization.
“They’re all super excited for me, and I tell them to just keep working hard and staying consistent, and they’ll be right behind me,” Caminiti said. “I like to push my friends just as hard as I push myself. Got a good group of guys.”
Caminiti said he made the decision to reclassify because he wanted to face better competition sooner, whether that be in professional baseball or in college. And the Braves are adept at developing pitching, which might help Caminiti debut within the next few years.
“It’s been one of my goals for as long as I can remember, since I started playing baseball, to be on a Major League Baseball team,” he said. “I think it would just be an incredible experience and just a cool feeling.”
For now, Caminiti can feel accomplished with this: He was the first prep arm selected in this month’s MLB draft, and his signing bonus of $3,556,300 – full slot for the No. 24 pick in the draft – could end up being the largest for a high school pitcher in this draft.
“It’s pretty incredible,” Caminiti said of that point. “I always thought of myself as a really good player – just that confidence level – and then when that happened, I was like, ‘Wow, this is something I’ve never experienced before, and it’s incredible.’”
The lineup without Riley
Riley is on the paternity list after his wife, Anna, gave birth to their second son, Beau Williams Riley, at 12:34 a.m. Tuesday.
Snitker said Riley will meet the team in New York after his time on the paternity list. That series against the Mets begins Thursday.
On Tuesday, Snitker put Marcell Ozuna in the three-hole, where Riley usually hits. Nacho Alvarez Jr., who was batting second, was in at third base for Riley. And Zack Short, batting ninth, was in at second base, where Alvarez played Monday in his MLB debut.
The game, though, was postponed.
Wednesday’s starters
Allan Winans was in the clubhouse Tuesday. He’s slated to start Game 1 of Wednesday’s game against the Reds, Snitker said.
At Triple-A Gwinnett this season, Winans has a 2.74 ERA over 82 innings.
Chris Sale, originally scheduled to pitch Tuesday, will start Game 2 on Wednesday.
About the Author
