As we count down the time until that glorious thing which we call “Opening Day” arrives, every team across Major League Baseball – Atlanta Braves included – fosters some sense of renewed enthusiasm for a fresh start.
The sense of hope for some teams is obvious. This is especially true for multiple rivals of our Atlanta Braves.
The Philadelphia Phillies, for example, had a whale of an offseason, bringing in Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto and other big names.
The San Diego Padres got their man when they inked Manny Machado to a deal.
The Atlanta Braves, meanwhile, have been almost frustratingly steadfast in their conservative approach of protecting its farm system and payroll space. To date, the “big splash” for GM Alex Anthopoulos was bringing in former AL-MVP Josh Donaldson. Otherwise, it’s been fairly quiet.
Not that this approach is all wrong, mind you. This is a team that won 90 games and a division title a season ago and returns…just about everybody.
But while most would be interested in the potential 2019 campaigns of star first baseman Freddie Freeman, young phenom outfielder Ronald Acuna, Jr., or the aforementioned Donaldson, the fact is that those players seem to be “certainties” in a sport where certainties don’t come often.
Freeman is sure to be one of baseball’s best first basemen. Acuna seems highly unlikely to drop off significantly from his impressive rookie year. Donaldson, if healthy, is a huge presence.
Instead, for Atlanta to defend its National League East title in 2019, the story might not be the expected names: it might come down some of the “regular guys”.
Call them what you want. The booms-or-busts. The X-factors. One thing is for sure: the success of the Atlanta Braves in a ridiculously tough division might hinge on how these three players step up – or disappoint.