ATLANTA — It’s not hard to find a photo of Ronald Acuña Jr. smiling from two years ago. Google his name and “World Series” and you’ll find snapshots and videos of him hoisting trophies above his head or riding victory parades, but generally he’s a part of something special. It looked as if it had just become something, and it actually was. a little bit. I mean. For a while.
Then again, what does a person think when he or she is one of the best athletes in the world, a famous core player on a team, and then his knee blows out, and the team doesn’t blow it out, and goes on to win world championships? Is it true? A series without you?
What are you really thinking when you see a championship ring or stadium banner?
Is it personal pride or something else entirely?
“I’m happy from a team standpoint, but in the back of my mind I’m also thinking, ‘If I was healthy, I could come out and help the team,'” Braves coach Eric Young Sr. said. Friday. “Knowing Ronald, and he said it himself at the parade, he’s thinking, ‘I want to do it again, but I want to play.'” Two years ago, he said, “I want to do it again, but I want to play.” I missed everything about being on that stage. I know he had mixed emotions. He was hurting inside.”
The Braves open the postseason against the Phillies on Saturday night. They are the best team in baseball. Having the best record doesn’t necessarily equate to playoff success. Since play began in the majors in 1969, only 14 teams with the best records have won the World Series.
As evidence of this randomness, the Braves won the title two years ago with 88 wins, which is only the 12th-best record in the majors. I don’t know if that makes Acuña feel better or worse.
Early two seasons ago, he jumped for a fly ball, fell awkwardly and suffered a torn ACL. His rehabilitation was long and painful, to the point that at times he doubted he would ever be able to return to the level he is at today. He returned during last season, but played in the outfield on an interim basis, had poor timing at the plate, and his knee was still sore.
“He was definitely different,” general manager Alex Anthopoulos said. “He wanted to come back. He was nervous. He played a lot but had to DH just because his knee would swell. I checked with him and he said, “He’s fine,” so we continued playing with him. But that seemed like it would take some time. ”
He started to hit his stride late in the season and was eager to prove himself in the postseason. He hit .333 in four games with the Phillies, but did not hit a home run in 17 at-bats, and the Braves, who lacked starting pitching and offensive ability, quickly dismissed him.
This time it feels different.
“He wants this, and in a bad way,” said Ozzie Albies, who is friends with Acuña and whose locker in the clubhouse is next to Acuña’s. “He wants to be in the big moments. He wants to be part of something big.”
It would be a stretch to say that if Acuña goes this postseason, the Braves will too. History teaches us that pitching determines championships, even if the Braves put up cartoonish offensive numbers. The all-important factors will likely be Max Fried’s blister, Spencer Strider’s arm, and the bullpen. But we’ve seen Acuña take over games, and he’s just coming off one of the best seasons in history.
even deeper
Braves Game 1 starter Spencer Strider is intimidating on the field, but hilarious off the field.
“Thankfully, I feel 100 percent back to normal now,” he said through an interpreter. “I’d be lying if I said I thought I’d be back to 100 percent. Last year, I felt like I was always saying, ‘Yeah, I’m 100 percent, I’m 100 percent.’ But I feel like that’s what I was really telling myself. ”
Speaking about the mixed emotions of 2021, he said: But I was happy to be part of the team and celebrate together. ”
He arrived late for a short off-season press conference, wearing a freshly made gray T-shirt with his name in blue and “40/70” written in bold red letters. There’s nothing better than carrying his resume close to your chest.
The numbers this season are dizzying. Acuña became the fifth player in Major League history to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases. He also founded his own clubs called 40-50, 40-60 and 40-70.
He stayed healthy and appeared in a career-high 159 games. He had a batting average of .337, an OPS of 1.012, 41 home runs, 106 RBIs, and 73 stolen bases. He ranked first in the majors in RBI, hits, total bases, on-base percentage, and stolen bases. He had a batting average of .384 with eight home runs and 18 in the top of the inning, completely demoralizing opposing pitchers.
Given the chance, the man could have blindfolded himself and smashed a pebble 450 feet into the ground.
He became the first player since DiMaggio, Gehrig, and Ruth to have at least 200 hits, 100 RBIs, 145 RBIs, and 40 home runs in a season.
I try not to use too many numbers. But one thing he’s learned as a sportswriter is that if he has the opportunity to mention DiMaggio, Gehrig, Ruth, he’ll take it.
“I feel like in 2019, when I was a player who could just play without restrictions,” Acuña said. That was before the knee, before the COVID-19 season, before the mixed emotions of the World Series and doubts about his future.
He is in a completely different place than when he began his rehabilitation mission.he said The Athletic He plans to call his mother in Venezuela in April 2022 and tell her he wants to quit. “I really didn’t mean to do that,” he said. “That’s just me saying it. It was just the emotion of the moment. I had to fight the pain every day. My body wasn’t used to it. It wasn’t used to me. It was the worst thing that ever happened to me in my life.”
His mother told him, “You are a warrior.” She reminded him of his family and friends back home who supported him. Those words would carry him into the next day.
Acuña is still young (only 25 years old) and had some maturation issues along the way. He doesn’t like doing interviews, and although he made the classic “I’ll be right back” statement to reporters on Friday, he never returned, canceling out some anticipated one-on-ones. “You’ve seen him in the clubhouse. He’s quiet, almost shy,” Anthopoulos said. “But the players you see on the field are night and day different than the players you see in the clubhouse.”
intense. Animation. Almost dizzy. On stage, no one questions his spirit or ability to embrace big games and postseason moments. A grand slam in the third playoff game against the Dodgers in 2018. A year later, he went 8-for-18 (.444 batting average) with a home run, triple, and double against the Cardinals in the National League. He went 3-for-4 in Game 1 against the Phillies last season, but then the rest of the team struggled. However, at that time he was not completely healthy.
“He’s probably the only player right now who’s going to start this thing,” manager Brian Snitker said. “I told him, ‘Now you’ll have that chance.'” Because he’s whole and healthy. Even after a great year like he did, I know he can’t wait to get started. ”
Because if the Braves could win another World Series and Acuña was at the center of it, there would be no emotional conflict. His joy will be complete and healthy, just like his body.
(Top photo of Ronald Acuña Jr. at the Braves’ 2021 World Series championship celebration at Trust Park: John Adams / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)