The impact of Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr. extends to all aspects of the game of baseball. He’s a true five-tool player who can beat his opponents in so many different ways. <\/p>\n
One of those aspects is on the basepaths. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been a real force the last couple of years due to healing from his second knee injury. But it seems he is finally healthy enough to start being terror on the bases again. <\/p>\n
Braves manager Walt Weiss, who has his first win as Atlanta’s skipper, continues to have glowing things to say about his outfielder. In a recent interview, Weiss compared Acu\u00f1a Jr. <\/a>to one of his former teammates, Hall of Fame outfielder Rickey Henderson. That is a very bold comparison to make, but after Weiss’ explanation, it’s easy to see why he would. <\/p>\n Walt Weiss compared Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr. to Rickey Henderson and it honestly isn’t THAT crazy<\/p>\n Weiss mentioned that in the few years he played with Henderson, he noticed how much of an impact he had at the top of the lineup, just like Ronald. <\/p>\n “He can take over a game and set the tone for us every night. We didn\u2019t have to hit a homer to lead off a game, but just getting on base and the havoc he creates right out of the gate, that\u2019s what I like about having him lead off.\u201d<\/p>\n Acu\u00f1a Jr. is absolutely built for the lead-off spot, as he can create havoc in so many different ways. Now that he’s fully healthy, he’s going to be more active on the bases. Weiss mentioned he wants the team to be more active<\/a> this season and become “multidimensional” as an offense. <\/p>\n Atlanta has been too reliant on homers to score the last couple of seasons. Their win against the Royals on Opening Day<\/a> only further showed how powerful this offense can be. However, he’s right that the Braves offense cannot rely on that every game.<\/p>\n