Staff Predictions on the Atlanta Braves NLDS series
It’s that time of the year again.
No, I am not talking about playoff baseball all around the MLB. I’m talking about predictions from some people who just love the game and like to say a few words and in reality, just hope to not be completely wrong at all their picks.
Honestly speaking, this years group of NLDS series matchups has some fascinating and on paper, some great potential series.
The Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers could make a case for their series perhaps being the most competitive and even among the four series however. We should be in for a battle and a good few games of baseball.
For the fourth straight year, the Atlanta Braves have captured the NL East title, and this very well may have been the toughest and it was definitely the most stressful. Let’s put a positive spin on it though and let’s hope that the battles this team has endured since early July will have them ready for the rigorous stretch that can come with October baseball.
With all that being said, I have asked some of the guys and gals here at Tomahawk Take to give me who will win the Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers series? Who will be the MVP of the series? How many games will the series go, and lastly, what will be the X-Factor(s) that make the difference.
I will now go ahead and give my predictions and be the woeful one who tries not to embarrass themselves first.
James’ NLDS picks-
I am not going to lie here, it has been obvious for a few weeks that whatever team won the NL East was going to face the Brewers. All along, I thought to myself that the Brewers would win the series and advance to the NLCS.
Two things have changed my mind.
- The way the Brewers ended the season
- A deeper dive into the numbers prove that the Braves can hang with them
I have completely flipped and now I will take the Braves in a decisive game 5 of this series.
It’s not going to be easy and the Brewers have the second best 1-2-3 starting rotation in this years playoffs but the Braves can pull it off I believe.
Adam Duvall will win the MVP of the series as he will hit a couple of the Brewers hard throwing fastballs deep into the stands and finish the series with 5 or 6 RBI.
For myself though, the X-factors of this series will be Ian Anderson and Huascar Ynoa. We know what the Atlanta Braves should get out of Morton and Fried, but the middle games could be where the Atlanta Braves either make it or get sent packing. We are going to need the good versions of both of those arms.
Admittedly, we here when making predictions sometimes are probably a little biased, but as you will see, that is not entirely the case here this time.
Jake’s NLDS picks-
Jake went with the Milwaukee Brewers to defeat the Atlanta Braves in a 4 game series.
He did say that the Brewers relief corps that will presumably pitch the middle innings of the games is worrisome but the Atlanta Braves will struggle to manufacture runs and the decrease in home runs will limit the Braves’ run-scoring opportunities.
Jake also has Josh Hader as the series MVP as he says he will collect multiple, multiple-inning saves. And to go along with the earlier statement, the X-factor in the series will be the Brewers’ ability to limit the long ball for the Atlanta Braves.
Daniel’s NLDS picks-
Daniel, like Jake, see’s this being a four-game series but Daniel did indeed go with the Atlanta Braves to be victorious.
The MVP of this series according to Daniel will be Jorge Soler as he says this team has taken on a different feel and look since Soler has become Acuna “lite.” He will be the difference maker and will provide a couple of big hits to propel the Braves to the minor upset.
The X-factor according to Daniel will be Charlie Morton and Max Fried being able to limit Milwaukee and their sometimes pedestrian offense. Daniel goes on to say that while Milwaukee does possess some advantages over Atlanta in this series, the gap is not as wide as the advantages that the Braves hold over the Brewers.
Let’s get right back into it with the final picks.
Trent’s NLDS picks-
Another Brewers pick here by the staff.
Trent has the Brew-Crew winning the series in the fifth and final game.
Based on his selection of Corbin Burnes being the MVP, I believe Trent thinks he will keep the Braves bats silent in game 1 and game 5 of the series. Certainly capable of doing that, let’s hope Trent is wrong.
Trent’s X-factor is similar to Jake’s thinking earlier and that is that Josh Hader is maybe the most dominant closer in baseball and has the ability to pitch multiple innings in this series in every game.
Sam’s NLDS picks-
Sam has the Atlanta Braves being victorious in five games.
Also, just like Daniel, Sam has Jorge Soler being the team MVP when all is said and done.
A common theme among everyone’s picks is Josh Hader is someone who the Braves need to keep off the mound at all costs as Sam once again picked him as the X-Factor for the Brewers in this series. He would go on and say that the X-Factor for the Braves in this series is the curveball against the Brewers hitters. He goes more into depth about that in this article here, which you should really read, or read again if previously read.
Fred’s NLDS picks-
Fred picks the Atlanta Braves in five games. That’s all I could muster out of him.
I want to thank all the other writers for providing me with this info, and it’s fair to say this should be a back-and-forth series where either team could wind up victorious.
Next. Throw me the keys.. dark
Let’s all hope that at the end of it, the Atlanta Braves are the ones still standing.