Three concerns that could doom the Atlanta Braves this Summer

General Shenanigans

In 60 games, literally anything can happen.

Some team bursts forth and goes on a run and can’t be caught. Another team emerges in a tailspin and can’t get out of it.

The Nationals were that team at the start of the 2019 campaign, but they had 110-ish games to overcome their dreadful start.  Teams won’t have that luxury in 2020.

This year, there’s always the health-scare fear: that someone might catch “the bug” and infect half the clubhouse before anyone’s aware, and suddenly your Triple-A team is playing major league games.

There is little doubt that the Atlanta Braves have the talent to win 35+ games in this shortened season. Making that happen – given parameters that are all magnified immensely now – is another matter entirely as it’s going to take all of that talent and some luck, for they can control some things, but not all things involved.

• Instant replay reviews: knowing when to use these is going to be as important as their outcome.
• Bullpen management – never mind the 3-batter minimum rule – will be a key.
• Pinch-hitter matchups will be vital (exactly why the Braves wanted a real hitting threat from the left side).
• Team defense will be magnified since giving away extra runs cannot be tolerated.
• Even starting pitcher outings will have to be monitored closely and treated more like playoff baseball than regular-season outings.
• Will you play for ties to go into extra innings or go for a win before that? If you’re in extras, do you bunt the first hitter or swing away? How important will that first out be to protect?
• Toward the end of the season, how many teams will noticeably throw in the towel early? How will their play impact the integrity of an already unbalanced schedule?
• Heck, will rainouts and the inability to make them up impact the schedules of certain teams?

You get the point: there are a myriad of unknowns that have to be played out this Summer – all of which will impact all teams. The fear, however, is that this Atlanta Braves squad whose talent window is fully open will be negatively impacted in some fundamental ways.

Here’s hoping they can overcome all of that and keep playing into October.

My guess: a spirited September run gets them to a 35-25 record and the hope that it’s enough to hold off the Nationals and Phillies.