Here's reason to be thankful this season
This story was excerpted from Mark Bowman’s Braves Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
As we enjoy Thanksgiving week, I figured it would be a good time to mention the events from the 2022 Braves season that made me most grateful.
The chance to get to know Michael Harris II and Spencer Strider
These are extremely talented players, and even better young men. Harris’ character became even more appreciated as I worked on this story about how he continues to honor his late friend.
As for Strider, I just love the edge he brings to the park every day. He has a great baseball IQ, and his confidence is as genuine as it gets.
The chance to spend another year around Ozzie Albies
Yeah, he spent much of the season on the injured list, but it was still fun to see him bring his upbeat personality to the stadium on a daily basis. I’ll never forget the smile he displayed as he talked about how cool it was to visit the White House in September. This guy tries to get the most out of every day.
The chance to see Austin Riley become a father
Watching Riley develop into one of the game’s best players has been cool, but it was just as enjoyable to see him light up whenever he was asked about Eason Michael Riley, who was born in April. The proud papa is already looking forward to taking Eason out for his first hunt.
The chance to see Kyle Wright become himself
Wright completed five innings in just five of 14 career starts before this year, when he notched an MLB-best 21 wins. His talent has always been visible. His diligence and perseverance shined even brighter this year.
The chance to see Travis d’Arnaud and William Contreras flourish
Numbers won’t show the significant impact d’Arnaud has had since joining the Braves before the 2020 season, but his influence was visible as Contreras showed that his value can extend beyond his power. The defensive strides Contreras made over the past year further enriched the Braves’ future.
The chance to do this job
There are so many people who have paved the way for me to do this job for more than two decades. This includes you, the readers. Without you, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to do what I love. Thank you very much.