The Atlanta Braves began a turnaround in 1991 that has seen them make the playoffs 16 times since then. Over that stretch the Braves have only endured two losing seasons. Since 2011 Fredi Gonzalez has been the manager of the Braves. His first season saw a meteoric collapse by the Braves as the team missed the playoffs by one game. Last season the Braves won 94 games only to fall to the St. Louis Cardinals via controversial fashion in the National League’s Wild Card Game. This season the Braves are 45-34 as they currently hold a 5 game lead over the Washington Nationals in the NL East. As good as the Braves have been so far this season you must ask yourself when will the slide begin for this team?
The Braves were one of the most popular teams in Major League Baseball during the 1990’s as they were led by the starting pitching trio of Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz. As good as those Brave teams were, they faced a ton of criticism as they only managed to win one World Series Championship which came in 1996.
Now Gonzalez’s bunch must find a way to not only make the postseason, but to stay around for awhile.
Braves general manager Frank Wren provided a face lift to the team last offseason. First the Braves signed former Tampa Bay Rays outfielder B.J. Upton to a five-year, $75 million deal which was followed by the Braves acquiring his brother Justin Upton from the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Upton brothers would now be teaming with Jason Heyward to give the Braves a formidable outfield trio. Offensively these three were expected to be the core that would carry the Braves this season, but it hasn’t worked out that way so far.
Justin Upton only has a .241 batting average, but his .352 on-base percentage and 15 home runs have made up for his average albeit 12 of those home runs came in the month of April. Little brother B.J. Upton has struggled mightily this season which is evident by his .174 batting average as the Braves even flirted with the notion of demoting him to the minors. Heyward has been stuck in neutral as well as he has only hit 6 home runs with 16 runs batted in.
Entering play today the Braves .242 team batting average is 10th in the National League as first baseman Freddie Freeman is the only Brave player this year with at least 200 at-bats to have a batting average over .300 as he checks in at .304.
Once again the Braves have one of the best pitching staffs in baseball as their 3.22 team earned run average is second in the NL. Braves starting pitcher Kris Medlen hasn’t been as automatic on the mound this year like he was in 2012, but his 3.02 earned run average is 15th in the National League. Braves starting pitchers Mike Minor and Paul Maholm both have 8 victories which lead the club. Braves relief pitch Craig Kimbrel is second in the National League in saves with 22 as he has still been the shut down guy for this team in the ninth inning, but you wonder with that the way that Gonzalez manages a bullpen how much will the unit have left in the tank come late September and hopefully for early October?
This is an extremely weak National League East this season, but if the Nationals get players such as outfielder Bryce Harper healthy and if the Philadelphia Phillies do not become sellers at the trade deadline, both can become contenders in the second half of the season within the division which could spice things up for the Braves. Right now the door is open for the Braves to make the playoffs, but what are they going to do if and when they step through the door? The Uptons and Heyward will have to step it up to meet the level of Freeman and the Braves pitching staff. If they don’t the Braves and Gonzalez will face more criticism later in the year.
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