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5 Reasons Why the Atlanta Braves Will Compete for Playoffs in 2017

By Alan Carpenter

Mar 6, 2015; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; The Atlanta Braves scoreboard featuring a new countdown clock during the inning of a spring training baseball game at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 6, 2015; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; The Atlanta Braves scoreboard featuring a new countdown clock during the inning of a spring training baseball game at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 6, 2015; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; The Atlanta Braves scoreboard featuring a new countdown clock during the inning of a spring training baseball game at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 6, 2015; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; The Atlanta Braves scoreboard featuring a new countdown clock during the inning of a spring training baseball game at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

Already a .500 Team

After June 7th, the Braves’ record was 16-42, a .276 win percentage.  Last night’s 12-2 victory represented their most lopsided victory of the year (yes, it was against the beleaguered Phillies pitching, but it’s what we’ve got).  It also got them up to .414 for the year, a 49 and 50 record since that low water mark in June.

What has gotten them to this point is the hitting and run-scoring.

At the beginning of the season, I opined that the offense had a chance to be pretty good since it appeared that Atlanta had upgraded several positions over the winter – one way or another.

That has played out big-time, but not nearly as had been expected… or as quickly.  There were definitely multiple under-performers on the offensive side through June, but all of those issues have been resolved – one way or another.

Now that Freddie Freeman has some support in the lineup (not just Kemp – everybody), his bat went from “pretty good” to “on fire”.

So suddenly, the Braves have bats to be reckoned with… nearly all of which are expected to return for 2017.

Meanwhile, they are doing this despite bad pitching.

  • Over the second half, the Braves starting pitching ERA is the worst in baseball (5.68).
  • Injuries have abounded as well, which have accelerated the revolving mound door.
  • Multiple rookies have… pitched like rookies.  It’s not a bad thing, but he most unfortunate part about that fact is the number of rookies that had to be pressed into service for a variety of reasons.

How well does this kind of run-scoring normally play?  Over that post-All-Star-Break period, the Rockies are #1 in scoring for the league .  The Braves are tied for 4th – with the Cubs – but just 1 run behind the Dodgers and DBacks for second place.

With a .500 team now… just stabilizing the pitching staff should immediately pay dividends next season while giving the prospects a better chance to prove their readiness.

So if your definition of ‘competitive’ is limited to an equal number of wins and losses… I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the Braves of 2017.

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