What can the 2017 Atlanta Braves learn from the 2016 Chicago Cubs?

Comparing Cubs Regulars to Braves Regulars (OPS):

In this exercise, I’m removing catchers as both teams used soft-platoons, therefore catchers stats will go under a separate category.

1st Base:  Anthony Rizzo, .928 OPS vs. Freddie Freeman, .968 OPS
2nd Base:  Javier Baez, .739 OPS vs. Jace Peterson, .715 OPS
3rd Base:  Kris Bryant, .939 OPS vs. Adonis Garcia, .717 OPS
Shortstop:  Addison Russell, .738 OPS vs. Dansby Swanson, .808 OPS
LF:  Ben Zobrist, .831 OPS vs. Matt Kemp, .855 OPS
CF:  Dexter Fowler, .840 OPS vs. Ender Inciarte, .732 OPS
RF:  Jason Heyward, .631 OPS vs. Nick Markakis, .744 OPS

Total – Cubs .806 OPS vs. Braves .791 OPS

In my opinion, this is a real eye-opener as there’s only a .015 point difference in OPS when comparing the 2 teams.

Granted this includes a black-hole of Jason Heyward’s .631 OPS that’s likely going to be replaced in some fashion by either a more productive Jason Heyward or an outfield shift that includes Kyle Schwarber in LF, but it’s still promising.

However, notice the glaring difference is the production at 3rd base. There’s no way the Braves can fill 3B by adding a player that’s comparable to Kris Bryant, but there are options to explore that are better than our current Adonis Garcia.

Now, let’s compare the benches of these 2 teams.

Comparing Cubs part-time players to Braves part-time players

I’m going to spare the list of part-time players for both teams and just get to the nitty-gritty:

Batting Average:  Cubs .249 to Braves .238 [-11 points]
On-Base Percentage:  Cubs .329 to Braves .290 [-39]
Slugging Percentage:  Cubs .368 to Braves .354 [-14]
On-Base+Slugging (OPS):  Cubs .697 to Braves .634 [-63]

That’s a HUGE difference. The Cubs take the Braves to the cleaners in every single category (though yes – the fourth one combines the middle pair).  As Brandon said, they are a complete team.

Their bench is deep. It has no weakness. Each player on their bench can hit. Each player on their bench can field. And many on their bench can play multiple positions. Joe Maddon is a fantastic manager but even I could manage a team with this much offensive and defensive flexibility.

So what could the Braves do to mirror the Cubs of 2016 for their inaugural year at SunTrust Park? Let’s take a look, shall we? It’s likely not as complicated as one might think.

Plan for Braves to Clone Cubs Depth

The Braves have many of the options already on the team but in my opinion they weren’t used in the roles that best suited them.

Going forward, I’d like for the Braves to solidify roles and become a Maddon-esque team where the bench provides frequent rest to the regulars, and most of the production provided from the bench isn’t a significant decrease from the regular lineup. I think this can be achieved fairly easily.

Here’s what I’d do:

1. Ozzie Albies becomes full-time 2nd baseman and Jace Peterson moves to a super-utility role… once he’s healthy and ready to go, of course.
2. Braves pursue free agent Luis Valbuena to platoon at 3rd base with Adonis Garcia.
3. Mallex Smith becomes 4th OFer.
4. Braves pursue free agent Ryan Raburn as bench bat.
5. Braves trade for Brian McCann (if cost can be contained).

Jace and Adonis are both projected to become Braves regulars, but both are flawed in their own way.  Jace has struggled a bit defensively but the real struggle has been his inability to hit left-handed pitching. Albies does not have that struggle and should be a cog in the offensive lineup for many years.

Luis Valbuena is a great compliment to Adonis Garcia as he hits right-handed pitching very well. Shall I say more?

There’s not much more that I’d love to see than Mallex getting a chance to be a regular player. The problem is that he still makes the mistakes of an early Minor Leaguer and needs seasoning.

Making Smith the 4th OFer, pinch-running, spot-starting, and replacing Kemp defensively, likely gets him the exposure he needs to prove his full-time worth for the future.

Ryan Raburn is a left-handed masher and would be a great presence on the bench as he can play multiple positions and provides more of that flexibility that the Braves crave.

While it’s not a popular opinion on Twitter, I’m still a fan of Brian McCann being a Brave in 2017. I think his work ethic and ability to coach his own pitchers makes him invaluable to any team. He’d provide 2/3 of a potent catching duo.

Final Breakdown:

Regulars in the Lineup – Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies, Luis Valbuena, Dansby Swanson, Matt Kemp, Ender Inciarte, Nick Markakis, Brian McCann

Regular Bench – Jace Peterson, Adonis Garcia, Ryan Rayburn, Mallex Smith, Tyler Flowers

This is a much more flexible, competitive team, equipped to be interchangeable and ready to compete for a postseason birth!  Now…about that pitching.  Well, that’s for another day!

Next: Matt Marking Medical Progress

Let’s say it together…1, 2, 3

Go Braves!