You’re going to listen to lots in regards to the Braves over the subsequent couple months. They’re the most effective staff in baseball, and that’s the way it goes. A few of you’re Braves followers, so attending to see extra of your favourite staff in October will simply be yet one more drop of excellent information in a season crammed as much as the brim with completely happy headlines. However for these of you who’re detached or ambivalent towards the Braves, for these of you who detest them in your very core, I’ve just a little deal with. That’s all this text is: a deal with to convey a bit extra enjoyable to the wall-to-wall protection awaiting us all.
On Tuesday evening, Daniel Vogelbach homered to straightaway heart subject and Michael Harris II tried to rob it. Harris tried very laborious, and I went again and watched the replay to see precisely how shut he got here to creating the play. Nevertheless, after watching a number of occasions, my consideration shifted. I stored rewinding as a result of I observed that one thing was protruding of Harris’ glove and flapping just like the tongue of a golden retriever:
That’s the little positioning card that tells Harris the place to face for every batter. These cheat sheets are a small a part of the revolution in outfield positioning that has hammered BABIP league-wide during the last a number of years. Your native sports activities outlet most likely wrote in regards to the phenomenon when these playing cards began showing again in 2018, however at this level they’re outdated hat (particularly for the Yankees, who actually stored the playing cards of their hats).
Though the playing cards have been round for some time, this was the primary time I’d ever observed a participant maintaining one of their glove. I began checking the tape to search out out whether or not this was a one-off, or whether or not Harris is a recurring glove stuffer. He undoubtedly wasn’t doing this as a rookie in 2022, no less than not typically sufficient that I may spot an occasion both on Baseball Savant or in a spotlight reel, however it seems he’s been doing it for the reason that very starting of this season. The primary time I noticed the cardboard in his glove was in Atlanta’s second sport of the season again on April 1. Right here he’s checking the cardboard only a couple weeks in the past:
As you may see, the glove is a really handy place to maintain a positioning card. Harris doesn’t need to go to his again pocket or take away his hat each time he desires to examine it. The solutions are actually within the palm of his hand. Nonetheless, I don’t know he does it. I attempted strolling round my condominium tossing a ball into my glove for a pair minutes. First, I slid a folded Put up-it word between my palm and the leather-based. Then I attempted a enterprise card. Each of them drove me completely bananas. They moved, they bought caught, they rustled, and the corners caught on my palm. I can’t think about doing one thing so irritating for half an inning, not to mention an entire season’s price of video games. I’d discover it so anxious to have one thing flapping round inside my glove and always threatening to flee.
However right here’s the factor: Harris appears to like having issues flap round whereas he’s enjoying the outfield. That’s no less than a part of the explanation he retains the cardboard in his glove within the first place. He can’t maintain it in his pocket as a result of each again pockets are already in use:
The left pocket at all times holds his baserunning mitten. The appropriate pocket is at all times turned inside out. He’s been enjoying that means since earlier than he bought known as as much as the majors. Why does Harris convey his baserunning mitten into the sphere regardless that he has but to document a stolen base whereas enjoying protection? Why does his proper pocket should be turned inside out like he’s modeling for that Probability card in Monopoly the place you need to pay a poor tax of $15? I don’t have a solution for you. I can’t say for sure that Harris enjoys the sensation of issues flapping each which means whereas he chases down a ball within the hole, however that’s the most effective speculation I’ve bought. If he doesn’t take pleasure in it, then he’s in determined want of a fanny pack.
Nevertheless, that may not be the one purpose Harris stashes the cardboard in his glove. Because it seems, he’s not the one Courageous who makes use of their leather-based as space for storing:
That’s Ronald Acuña Jr. checking his card then stashing it in his personal glove. Harris very actually discovered from the most effective. Acuña began maintaining the positioning card in his glove final 12 months, and he has continued this season. I do know I simply advised you that maintaining a card in my glove for a pair minutes drove me loopy, but when I have been a 22-year-old and Ronald Acuña Jr. advised me to do it, I’d most likely study to dwell with the discomfort.
However we’re not likely in it for the why. We’re in it the how. I watched a number of clips of Acuña and Harris fielding this season. Acuña’s card appears to be sticking all the best way out each time the ball is hit his means. Harris’ is extra enjoyable as a result of his card picks its spots. Relying on the form of play he’s making, his positioning card variously peeks out, pokes out, and pops out of his glove, and I’m right here to let you know that it’s virtually at all times cute. Any time I watch the Braves play protection, I now maintain an eye fixed out for the cardboard, which often pops out to say hiya, then scoots again to security as shortly as potential. It’s like he’s attempting to rob dwelling runs with a cuckoo clock. This sport inside a sport is my reward to you, the one that is caught watching the Braves while you’d relatively be watching another staff.
The cardboard is best to identify when Harris is throwing the ball again into the infield. His glove shifts downward as he drops his proper arm, and the cardboard pops out for everybody to see as he raises his arm again up. It’s as if the cardboard is aware of that the final batter simply bought out, and it could possibly’t wait to inform Harris the place to face for the subsequent one, just like the world’s most informative prairie canine.
Nevertheless, seeing the cardboard after the play isn’t as enjoyable as seeing it in motion. Harris’ card has an uncanny tendency to pop midway out of his glove when he’s making a spotlight reel catch. It’s laborious responsible it. In case you have been alongside for the journey when Harris was robbing a Shohei Ohtani dwelling run, you may want your share of the limelight as properly:
Nevertheless, neither of these is my favourite time to catch a glimpse of the cardboard. My favourite is when Harris is securing a plain outdated fly ball or popup. On these routine performs, the cardboard tends to peek out from the heel of the glove ever so barely, like a cautious turtle. Once you’re watching in actual time, it’s only a flash of white, so fast that it’s laborious to make sure that you’re even seeing it in any respect:
I’d like to let you know that Harris has radically improved his protection since he began maintaining an ace up his sleeve, however that’s not the case. He was already a prime 20 outfielder within the sport, and the metrics have him positioned in roughly the identical spot this 12 months. That is simply another reason to regulate him.
