Atlanta Braves: Is It Ozzie Albies Time?

The Atlanta Braves have a number of personnel decisions to mull over these next few weeks. No decision will be tougher than the one at 2nd Base.

They say there are “good problems” and “bad problems”. Like having multiple really, really good Quarterbacks is a “good problem to have”. We always hear that. In that sense, the Atlanta Braves have a good situation at 2nd Base, currently. It sure doesn’t feel that way, though.

Our beloved Braves are (40-43) and 9.5 games out of First. To be sure, a significant improvement over last year. The manner of play and effort in 2017 gives Braves fans reason to be genuinely optimistic. That’s not a feeling felt much in the last 5 years. Braves Country is feeling it.

But there are a couple of really tough decisions to be made in the next few weeks at key positions. Everyone talks about Freddie Freeman at 3rd to keep Matt Adams. And they should. That is crazy baseball happening.

One of the main reasons, though, that Atlanta is where it is…is Brandon Phillips. His first year playing for the home team has been an unmitigated success. His glove is still above average, and his stat line at the plate is the best we’ve seen at that position, in Atlanta, in a decade.

You’d be an idiot to get rid of that guy. The problem is that, in rebuilding, you always have to keep the plan the plan. Enter Ozhaino Jurdy Jiandro Albies…20 year old infielder from Curacao, and the future at 2nd Base. Albies can definitely play the game. I’d wager that he’ll have a very good career. The idea is that, if he’s ready, and Phillips is valuable, get something for Phillips and bring the kid up. I have no doubt that Brandon Phillips would garner something very valuable.

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Think about how risky that is, though. We know Phillips is on track to match last year’s numbers, and that means .290-ish with 60-ish RBI. Can Albies match those numbers? Maybe, but probably not. He’s a baller, no doubt, but those numbers are MLB upper-tier.

My prediction is that this decision, and not the Freeman/Adams wonder-show, will determine the speed of the progress or regress that is coming. It will also tell us exactly where the Braves’ Front Office mindset is.

So, yeah. It is a good problem in some ways. There is a high chance that whoever is at 2nd Base for the Braves in the near future will be very good. That is a good thing.

But the direction of this decision is crucial. It is possible to get it wrong. It is also possible to make a decision and have folks say three years later, “Man, that decision was big”.

July, 31 is the MLB Trade Deadline. Tic Toc.

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