Atlanta Braves: The Plan Is Working
With the lights and the glamour of SunTrust Park beginning to wind down, the Atlanta Braves sit at (13-20) two weeks into May.
With the lights and the glamour of SunTrust Park beginning to wind down, the Atlanta Braves sit at (11-20) two weeks into May. This isn’t an opinion, but factual, in that the Braves believe it or not remain on schedule for the overall scheme that the front office set in place a just a few years ago.
Did anyone in Atlanta want to see Turner Field go out as a blurry memory with thousands of stadium seats empty? No. Was a team that was in contention almost year in and year out meant to tank, all for the sake of rebuilding the franchise?
No, but the organization didn’t care what the fans thought because they had a plan, and it is working.
Heading into 2016, the Braves seemingly had no chance of being competitive. The franchise had traded away everyone from Craig Kimbrel to the Upton brothers duo (which we all knew B.J. had to go anyway).
Enter 2017, and the story was different in that the Braves had a chance to stun some critics and to make a push at the postseason.
With the additions of Dansby Swanson, Matt Kemp, Brandon Phillips, Bartolo Colon, and even R.A. Dickey the Braves had a fighting chance. Although we sit 9 games back of the Nationals in May, which I understand it’s early, but the Braves have had the most success this season against teams the likes of the Padres, and the Marlins.
John Coppolella and the top tier of the Braves knew back in 2015 that the rebuild towards World Title contention would require dedication and patience.
Whether you simply despise what the front office has done to the once beloved MLB team of the south, or you believe in the rebuild, you cannot deny the Braves are at least competing.
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With 11 of their first 30 games consisting of losses which were within two runs, and the bullpen blowing saves late in the game, the facts are there.
The Braves rather than being 13-20, would be 24-9, and sitting atop the NL East alongside the Washington Nationals.
Folks, the team is gradually getting better each and every series they play in. Even though mentioned in my previous article that Swanson, Kemp, Folty, and Colon should be traded, it was just to highlight the idea that one of those trades could catapult the team to winning those tighter games in the later innings.
Braves Country, we’re just about ready to begin the march towards a World Championship, and I know we can all agree, 1995 has been far too long.
Next: Atlanta Braves: Keep the Faith Braves Nation! Keep the Faith!