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April For Atlanta Braves Hearkens Better Days Ahead

By W. M. Lawson

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 29: Dansby Swanson #7 of the Atlanta Braves turns a double play as Aaron Altherr #23 of the Philadelphia Phillies slides under the throw in the sixth inning during a game at Citizens Bank Park on April 29, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Braves won 10-1. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 29: Dansby Swanson #7 of the Atlanta Braves turns a double play as Aaron Altherr #23 of the Philadelphia Phillies slides under the throw in the sixth inning during a game at Citizens Bank Park on April 29, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Braves won 10-1. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /
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The Atlanta Braves (16-11) ended the month of April by winning another series against Philly. The entire month points to a coming resurgence and reemergence.

The last time the Atlanta Braves finished the month of April with a winning record was 2014. The record then was (17-9). Our beloved Braves ended that year with a record of (79-83). Still, this team looks different than that team. It feels different, and at (16-11), Atlanta looks to be a team built for a continued resurgence.

Comparing April performance in 2014 to how that club ended the year certainly does, and should, give one pause not to draw too many conclusions about how things will wind up this year. Naturally, things like injuries can derail and reschedule things in a single day.

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This 2018 team, though, just has a different look and feel to them. Just go look at the 2014 roster and compare it to this 2018 incarnation.

The first thing that jumps out is the lack of giant contracts right now. Then, you had the Upton brothers. You had Dan Uggla. One could argue that their production, maybe save J Upton, never matched the money paid.

Freeman, Simmons, Kimbrel, and maybe Gattis, were the only consistent producers on that team. Teheran, Santana, and Heyward had moments, but the team’s winning or losing depended on hot streaks. Hot streaks that needed to include a few of those guys getting hot at the same time.

That is not how you would look at this 2018 team. Ender Inciarte could be one of the top 3 Centerfielders in all of Major League Baseball. Ozzie Albies should get Player of the Month and is in MVP conversations. Dansby Swanson isn’t Andrelton Simmons, but he’s played really, really well.

Ronald Acuna Jr. is as advertised, which is ridiculous considering the hype around him. Have you noticed how they are pitching him already? Nick Markakis is more consistent than Heyward ever was, even though we still have nothing but love for the local kid.

And please forgive, as this is not a bump on any of those earlier Braves, but give me Preston Tucker over Jordan Schafer, Ryan Flaherty over Chris Johnson, and Flowers/Suzuki over Bethancourt/Laird any day of the week.

And that doesn’t even get into the pitching. Nor does it address the coaching staff.

Are these Atlanta Braves guaranteed to end the year better than the 2014 Atlanta Braves? No. Is this team built completely differently and gilded to sustain continued above average, and possibly winning, play? Absolutely.

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