Atlanta Braves Sean Newcomb Establishing Himself as An Ace?
By Kit Anderson
Sean Newcomb could soon be considered the best pitcher on the Atlanta Braves roster. He has looked dominant this season and looks to be turning into the pitcher Braves’ fans have waited impatiently for.
The Atlanta Braves have had a frustrating last three years. Calling the last three seasons frustrating is an understatement. They have been filled with underachieving players and journeymen veterans disappointing the Braves’ faithful.
This season has been a turning of the page for the Braves. Watching this team has been exciting with their talent and youth-infused energy. They have staying power and currently own the best record in the National League.
Offensively the Braves have been fantastic overshadowing the performance their pitchers have been putting together. After struggling the first two weeks of the season the Braves’ pitching staff appears to be rounding into form.
The staff has no bigger contributor than Sean Newcomb who has looked dominant in his last three starts. He hasn’t given up a run and has piled up the strikeouts looking like an ace.
It is a welcome sight for a team in need of a pitcher to step up and be “that guy”. The guy the Braves are confident handing the ball in a must-win game. A guy the Braves have lacked since before Chipper Jones decided to hang up his spikes.
Newcomb has a 4-1 record with an impressive 2.51 ERA. He has struck out 54 hitters in 46.2 innings pitched. The numbers alone don’t tell the story for Newcomb, however.
The difference in Newcomb this year compared to last was immediately obvious in Spring Training. He is bringing a confidence and mound presence I have never seen from him in his time in the minors or his rookie season.
It is a confidence and sense of control all good pitchers must have and Newcomb has it. Paired with his great velocity and change of pace pitches Newcomb is showing you flashes of the pitcher he is becoming.
This isn’t simply a hot streak for the young lefty. The Braves traded Andrelton Simmons for a reason. While that trade is still very debatable Newcomb is showing you why the Braves felt the ability to deal their defensive star in exchange for a future ace.
While my personal opinion on the trade remains the same Newcomb is erasing some of the pain Braves fans felt in losing Simmons.
Newcomb is starting to close in on his first full year of Major League experience. If you watch the tape it is obvious just how much Newcomb has grown in that year as a pitcher.
The only downside or concern for Newcomb should be the fact he has walked 22 hitters a number needing improvement.
Aside from cutting down on walks, there isn’t anything to dislike about the way Newcomb is contributing.
He is proving himself to be the best current pitcher in the Braves’ rotation. He has strikeout ability or the ability to get consistent soft contact outs, he is adaptable. Sean Newcomb has arrived Braves’ fans and will soon cement himself as an ace.