Atlanta Braves: 5 Burning Questions for Rest of 2015
Sep 15, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; NHRA top fuel dragster driver Brandon Bernstein has a fire alongside David Grubnic during the Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
After this week of play, the 2015 baseball season will crest the half-way mark and start careening down through the second half of the season. For all of the epic-level changes that have already been made to Atlanta Braves since late September of 2014, I know of no one who thinks that they are even remotely done in reshaping the team for the future… and that certainly includes the Front Office itself:
"@Ken_Rosenthal tweet from midnight on June 21: #Braves’ Hart: “Always looking for big talent. Never want this organization to be in the position I was when I took this job. Stay tuned.” (Note: the original tweet seems to have been removed… possibly due to the implied slam of Frank Wren)"
Heck, I don’t know if they even know when that ‘future’ will arrive… or if they will necessarily know what ‘done’ means. But certainly, the moves have been pro-active and aggressive.
Showing the Way
When you look around baseball, there are a number of teams that you can point to and think “Wow, that club needs to make some changes.” Exhibit 1A would be the Phillies. You would expect they would be looking at the Braves and thinking “Huh – that approach is working for them, maybe we should try it.” Yet the Phils have hung onto Cole Hamels and Jonathan Papelbon, while having waited far too long to move Chase Utley and Cliff Lee.
Not only are the Phillies and similar clubs (Rockies, Brewers) still clinging to their better players, clubs such as Atlanta were the willing off-season sellers and thus were able to almost take their pick of the available prospects. Philadelphia – even if finally moving Hamels soon – has certainly further delayed their own recovery schedule.
As painful as the Atlanta plan has been… it’s been strongly in motion for 9 months now. Waiting “too long” hasn’t been an issue here, and doubtless: the foot will be on the gas pedal for a while yet.
With that as a backdrop, let’s now take a look at the biggest questions that will be hounding the Atlanta Braves between now and the end of this season.
Next: For Sale - Everybody?