Atlanta Braves: 5 Things We Learned From Braves First 15 Games
By Deke Lloyd
The Atlanta Braves started the season with a demoralizing sweep to a division rival in Philadelphia. Since then, the Braves have gone 9-3. The team has been able to win with a mix of timely pitching and strong offensive performances while blending them both to look the team from last season but improving still as this young team matures and gels.
The Atlanta Braves are going to have a season-long fight on their hands with the Mets, Phillies, and Nationals, who have all looked very good at points of the very early season. But the way the Braves have handled these first 15 games, going 9-6 in that time, this team will be in the mix for the rest of the season.
The season is very young, 15 games, but that doesn’t mean we can’t see what’s working and what’s not. A lot has been working for this team. And there have been places where the Braves need to improve.
At this point, it’s still so early that everything can change overnight. The Braves are a breakout performance to an injury to a slouch or any number of good or bad things that can knock this season out of whack for the next 5 months. It’s a long, long season. But as of now, the season has been more positive in the first 15 games. Here are a few observations from the first 15 games.