Atlanta Braves' Freddie Freeman attempts a bunt against the Houston Astros in the first inning of spring training baseball game, Tuesday, March 22, 2016, in Kissimmee, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)Braves By The Numbers
100Total home runs hit by the Braves in 2015, the lowest total in the major leagues by 20.170Total home runs allowed by Braves’ pitchers in 2015, the sixth most in the National League.1107Total strikeouts by Braves’ hitters in 2015, down 262 from the year before. Ironically, the team scored the same number of runs (573) in each of the last two seasons.66.5The projected Braves’ win total by Las Vegas sportsbook Bovada which, if true, would put them neck-and-neck with the Phillies for the majors’ worst record. The same site had Atlanta winning 73.5 games a year ago.7Pitchers listed among the Braves’ top 10 prospects, according to MLB.com, the youngest being 18-year-old Kolby Allard, the oldest a pair of 23-year-olds in Aaron Blair and Tyrell Jenkins.
As the Braves begin their final year at Turner Field, a practically new team takes the field for the 2016 season.
Improved lineup
Ok, saying the Braves will hit better this year is like saying Steph Curry is a pretty good shooter. For Atlanta, there is nowhere to go but up after a historically bad 2015 at the plate. Here are just a few of the areas the team ranked dead last (as in 30th): runs, homers, total bases, slugging percentage and OPS (on-base plus slugging). No other team could have had a pitcher with a 3.02 ERA produce a 6-17 record. Needless to say, Shelby Miller wasn't very torn up with the offseason trade to Arizona. That trade, though, was a coup for the Braves and the most immediate return will be at the top of the lineup in CF Ender Inciarte, who is a serious upgrade over Cameron Maybin. If Enciarte and Nick Markakis can produce at the top of the order that could mean big things for Freddie Freeman, who will also have the protection he needs in LF Hector Olivera and 3B Adonis Garcia. The other new addition is SS Erick Aybar, who brings a much more steady bat to the team than the traded Andrelton Simmons.
It's Teheran and ?
The Miller trade, however, does have a downside in that Julio Teheran is really the only sure thing in the rotation. The Braves tried the veteran castoff strategy last year and it didn't work, so they're trying it again. This year it's 31-year-old Bud Norris and 28-year-old Jhoulys Chacin, a pair that combined for a 5-12 mark a year ago. Norris, who has been inconsistent in camp, will get his shot while Chacin, who was a 14-game winner in 2013 with Colorado, has had a strong camp and could be a nice surprise. Matt Wisler will also be in the rotation after a mostly-strong debut last year and Williams Perez will get a look as the No. 5 starter. Perez was strong until injuries hit last year, then came back too early and was knocked around late. Of course, there are several young candidates to start at some point this year, including Mike Foltynewicz, who is trying to recover from injury. Manny Banuelos was a candidate until experiencing elbow discomfort late in camp. Of the rookies, expect to see righty Aaron Blair first, the team's No. 4 prospect who came over in the Simmons deal.
Prospect watching
The Braves organization has never had this much top-tier talent and several of the kids will make appearances in Atlanta sometime during the season. A year ago there was ample young pitching and very little in the position player pool. That changed after one amazing trade and what appears to be the team's best draft in years. No. 1 prospect Dansby Swanson is about as can't-miss as you can get and the 22-year-old former Vanderbilt star and No. 1 draft pick by the Diamondbacks is close to being ready either as a shortstop or second baseman. Middle infielder Ozzie Albies, the No. 3 prospect, is also close and could provide the team with an electric leadoff hitter. Two recent draftees, catcher Lucas Herbert and third baseman Austin Riley, are already ranked among the team's top 20 prospects, as are outfielders Mallex Smith and Braxton Davidson. On the mound there is even more to like in the minors with Blair and No. 2 prospect Sean Newcomb coming over from the Angels to join electric 18-year-old draftee Kolby Allard, 19-year-old Touki Toussaint, Braves' minor league pitcher of the year Tyrell Jenkins, flame throwing former top draft pick Lucas Sims and Max Fried, the former Padre top prospect who is healthy after recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2014.
There will be trades
John Hart did a lot of the heavy lifting in the Braves' rebuild and new GM John Coppelella will try to use what is now a loaded farm system and some very useful veterans to mold a contender. He'll do that with trades and the obvious key is for the young pitchers to develop as expected this year. Pitching prospects are very volatile - remember how great the staff was going to be with the likes of Jair Jurrjens, Kris Medlen, Brandon Beachy and Tommy Hanson? - but with 20 pitchers among the top 30 prospects, even a few washouts won't alter the plan. For this year, expect shortstop Erick Aybar and closer Jason Grilli to be traded at some point. It's expected Coppelella and crew will start looking at more major league-ready players and could start dipping into the pitching prospect pool to get them. It could be another very active summer for the front office.
Fredi on the hotseat?
Las Vegas oddsmakers are usually right and they have Fredi Gonzalez as this year's choice as the first manager to get fired. Not sure about that, but the safer bet might be that someone different will be in charge as the Braves open SunTrust Park next year. Gonzalez, with the help of mentor Bobby Cox, has made it this far, but his contract is up after this year. The feeling among many is that the team's new beginning next year will need a new face in the dugout and that new face could well be player favorite Eddie Perez. The former Braves' catcher and current bullpen coach recently took Venezuela to the Caribbean Series championship and earned high praise from his players. Atlanta may have to pull the trigger during the season if another team fires its manager (hello, Brad Ausmus) and starts courting the red-hot Perez.