Why the stand-pat Braves soon might stand atop the NL East
The new brothers of bash? Dan Uggla and Freddie Freeman. (AJC photo by Hyosub Shin)
The collapse of September? It was, to invoke the word immediately and permanently attached, epic. But here’s the part of the 2011 season that was lost in the rubble: Despite going 8-19 in September, despite not hitting a lick all summer, the Braves still won 89 games.
A new season is at hand, and the Braves haven’t changed much. Some folks can’t understand why the roster wasn’t gutted, but here’s why: The 2011 team had to fall apart as completely as any team had ever fallen apart — 10 minutes later, the Boston Red Sox usurped that throne of shame — not to make the playoffs. As bad as they were in September, the Braves needed only to win two of their final five games to grab the wild card, and the National League wild-card winner wound up taking the World Series.
Is it outrageous to suggest that, with a bit more hitting, the 2012 Braves should win at least 90 games? (The mix-and-match melange of 2010 won 91, so that’s kind of the new baseline. Pardon the pun.) Is it unreasonable to speculate that the Phillies, who will be without Ryan Howard and Chase Utley until who knows when, won’t win 102 this time? Is it a flight of fancy to posit that the Braves are closer now to finishing atop the NL East than at any time since their reign of excellence subsided in 2006?
My answers: No, no and no. My reasons:
Better bats: The National League batting average for 2011 was .253; the Braves hit .243. Good hitters fell into deep slumps that became bad habits, and one-and-done hitting coach Larry Parrish was at a loss to offer assistance. The Braves now have two hitting coaches, each of whom should be better than Parrish. We aren’t apt to see a player of Dan Uggla’s portfolio hitting .185 through the All-Star break ever again, and someday we’ll look back at Jason Heyward’s .227 and ask, “How the heck did that happen?”
This isn’t to say the Braves are going to become the Buckhead Bombers. If you check the composition of the NL East, you’ll note that every team except the Mets, who really don’t count, stood higher in league rankings last season in pitching than in hitting. That doesn’t figure to change. Because these teams pitch so well and play each other so often, nobody figures to hit much. But the Braves have something they’ve lacked for lo these many years, and it’s …
The Bourn benefit: Trading for Michael Bourn was a deadline deal that should have propelled the Braves to the World Series. That it didn’t in 2011 doesn’t mean it can’t in 2012. Bourn is a leadoff hitter with speed, and this team hasn’t had one of those since Rafael Furcal. Does a batting order of Bourn, Martin Prado, Chipper Jones, Brian McCann, Uggla, Heyward, Freddie Freeman look lousy on its face? Do you really expect such a lineup to finish 14th among NL entries in on-base percentage a second year running?
And we say again: The Braves don’t have to score in clusters to win. They proved that last season. But let’s say the Braves hit closer to .260 this season than .240: Might they win 95 games? We ask because they do have …
Big-time arms: At the All-Star break, the Braves held the second-lowest ERA in baseball. Injuries to Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson fluffed up that number over the second half, but they still finished fourth overall. Even with its September wobbles, their bullpen wound up being statistically the best in the business.
There’s no guarantee against a sore arm, but plucking Livan Hernandez from the ether offers a bit of insurance. As the Braves learned all too well, Hernandez can throw a big game against anybody anytime. (Usually it has been against the Braves.) Landing Livan is the kind of subtle move that can mean the difference between missing the playoffs by a game and winning the division. Speaking of which …
The NL East is bunching up: The Miami (nee Florida) Marlins and Washington Nationals have upgraded, but there’s no consensus as to which one looks better. Almost everyone is of the opinion that the aging and infirm Phillies will come back to the pack. That doesn’t mean Philly can’t eke out one more division title, but its time as the class of the division is nearing its end.
Chipper Jones says that the East is more balanced than he has ever seen it, and Chipper arrived in the Senior Circuit when the current East was still a sophomore. The Phillies might be too old and the Nationals too young, and the Marlins finished 30 games out of first place (and 17 behind the Braves) last season. In a division in such flux, might the team that chose continuity over change be the one that profits most?
It might. It just might.
By Mark Bradley
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
132 comments Add your comment
Sonny Clusters
April 4th, 2012
4:57 pm
Clusters!
J.J.M.
April 4th, 2012
4:58 pm
I really love the braves but im just not too excited about them this season
Mark Bradley
April 4th, 2012
4:58 pm
If you’ll note, that word — “clusters” — is included above.
Kudos, for the record.
Sonny Clusters
April 4th, 2012
5:00 pm
“And we say again: The Braves don’t have to score in clusters to win.” – MB
Clusters are going to score if they are in the game. Always have. Always will.
Sonny Clusters
April 4th, 2012
5:04 pm
Yes, we was gratified to see our name in the blog and we won’t soon forget it. When we was little we was written up in The Sporting News for our ability to throw a baseball through the hospital window just after we was born. That was our highlight until today.
We was wondering what you think about Brian Jordan saying that Dan Uggla has “Pop-Pie” arms? We wasn’t sure what to make of that.
wright714
April 4th, 2012
5:04 pm
Hanson and Heyward and the x-factors here. I think so they go…..so go the Braves
matt r
April 4th, 2012
5:07 pm
A tradition unlike any other… the optimism for home teams of Mark Bradley.
Remarkable
April 4th, 2012
5:08 pm
Dan Uggla will be back to his hitting ways, and Jason Heyward is tearing it up. We will have Michael Bourn for the whole season and you can’t tell me that won’t result in a few extra wins. Unlike many, I think that we will miss Chipper in the line up. He is a threat from both sides of the plate and feared by many pitchers for his consistent late inning hitting. I look for a GREAT season and an even better post-season.
richsethhardy
April 4th, 2012
5:09 pm
If you think about it, all the teams in the east have “Ifs” Imo the braves “Ifs” are smallest. I mean the phillies best two players are BIG Ifs. Can the Marlins best pitcher, Josh Johnson, stay healthy? Can Reyes stay healthy? WIll Zambrano, Hanley Ramirez, and Ozzie Guillen all blow up like a nuclear power plant gone wrong? The Nats dont know how to win. The mets suck. All we have to worry about is, will heyward bounce back (almost made playoffs last year with his production non existent) And can hanson and JJ stay healthy. Big concerns, but not compared to what other teams have to worry about
Eisendawg
April 4th, 2012
5:10 pm
Mark, you are the ultimate optimist. Really hope you are right, but it’s a little scary when our team is signing the “Nats” cast-aways.
Hillbilly D
April 4th, 2012
5:11 pm
My 2 ¢
The Phillies won’t be quite as tough, given injuries to Howard and Utley but they should have enough pitching to repeat. The Braves I expect to finish 2nd or 3rd. Washington is gaining ground but they look to still be a year away. Miami may make a run but given some of the personality mix they have, they may just as well implode. The Mets are still the Mets.
So, that’s how it looks now but it remains to be seen how each team will fare against the injury bug. That’s something nobody can predict or control.
RecentWreck
April 4th, 2012
5:12 pm
Good article, Mark, and I for one, appreciate the optimism. I believe it will be Fish, Phils, and Braves between the Division and two WCs, but I’m not sure who falls where. Be interesting to see, and I’m glad we get 162 to sort it out. Go Braves!
Radio GaGa
April 4th, 2012
5:15 pm
I’m with them, but I think there a helluva lot of ifs. The biggest among them are whether Heyward is back and how many games Chipper can play. Prado needs to revert to 2010 form and we can’t afford a sophomore slump from Freeman. And no sore arms among the starters, unless one of them puts Medlin in the rotation where he belongs.
Michael G.
April 4th, 2012
5:22 pm
Loking forward to seeing JJ pitch past August for the 1st time in his career this year.
UGA fans are idiots
April 4th, 2012
5:22 pm
Clusters needs to write for the AJC. MUCH more entertaining.
Robert Barron
April 4th, 2012
5:24 pm
Well reasoned Mark.
2 good hiting coaches to choose from.
Have to like that.
Skeezix
April 4th, 2012
5:25 pm
My confidence has been shattered by last September’s crash. The offense still worries me. Yet, after much thought and to my own surprise, I am predicting the Braves to finish second.
ATLBrave
April 4th, 2012
5:37 pm
Braves will make the playoffs… either division or WC… its how you finish the season…..Cards showed both last year. Braves will not collapse again…. steady wins all season… consistent pitching… with improved bating. which will happen…. takes us to October!!!!!!!!!
blazerdawg
April 4th, 2012
5:37 pm
Love my Bravos, but with a rookie shortstop, I dunno….
KC
April 4th, 2012
5:40 pm
Win it for the Chipper!
extremus
April 4th, 2012
5:51 pm
While I don’t expect the 2012 Braves to be terrible, I just don’t trust what they have on the field enough to expect them to be great, either. Yes, winning the division is possible, and if you get into the playoffs it really is a crapshoot, so your chances are about as good as anybody else’s…but that’s assuming a LOT of things go right AND that you get in.
After last year’s “more heads needed to roll” collapse and with a lot of players already gimpy with injuries this Spring, it’s hard to be overflowing with enthusiasm. I’ll watch them on TV and root for them as always, but I’ll reserve any predictions for after the season, thank you kindly (unlike Mr. Bradley, who may have jinxed the Braves yet again by writing a positively charged column).
ATLBrave
April 4th, 2012
5:52 pm
@blazerdawg
Doesnt matter he is a rookie… maybe Simmons will be playing here after a couple weeks/months if you are worried about defense…..
Offensivly… cant be worse than ole Seabass last year…. hit a lot of rally killing DP balls… w/RISP
Will be fine there… 8 in lineup either way you look at it… will have a solid 1-7..
Sonny Clusters
April 4th, 2012
5:53 pm
Back when we was playing ball we would always pride ourselves in being able to hit behind the runner and we can’t remember ever failing to get a run in from third base if we had a baseball bat in our hands. Seeing all these runners dying out at second and third base makes us sick because those runs could be scoring if the batters would just choke up a little on the bat and put the ball in play instead of raring back on their heels and swinging for the fence. We was thinking the Braves are champions at that and they might want to have some little signs printed up and hung out in the outfield signifying the championship.
John
April 4th, 2012
5:53 pm
Braves will be in the running, but then tale off late due to injuries…. (since they have one of the worst training staffs in baseball) …and burnt out bullpen since starters cannot go more than 5 innings and bullpen gets overworked.
They also play in too many close games due to an inconsistent offense, which also burns out the bullpen.
If you want to see a real championship team, tune in to the Texas Rangers.
Disgusted
April 4th, 2012
5:58 pm
I will believe it when I see it.
Even if they get off to a good satrt (and they should vs the Mets and Astros), that is not going to erase what happened in September.
They will be closer to 4th than first before it is all said and done. This team does not play well in September, remember that they almost choked up in 2010. Had it not been for the maligned Derek Lowe for that one good stretch he had with us, they would have choked that up too.
Bunch of Bums. Born to lose no matter what.
Sonny Clusters
April 4th, 2012
5:59 pm
When we was in school we played on a team with Phlegm Lattimore who was always clearing his throat and making gurgling sounds like he had gerd and that was before they even knew about gerd. Well, the Lattimore’s owned a sign shop in Snellville and they was always making signs and we was thinking they ought to call John Schureholz and see if they can be the Official Sign Maker of the Atlanta Braves because that looks like good money with all the insignificant little signs hanging out in the outfield signifying “Championships” that really aren’t squat. If the Braves do win a pennant we will ask Luscious Lattimore (Phlegm’s sister) if she will donate a sign and let the homeboy see how good it looks and maybe he will change over to Lattimore Signs and Banners and Labels like we did long ago.
bvillebaron
April 4th, 2012
6:08 pm
Excellent article Mark. It never ceases to amaze me how so many people are downgrading the Braves because of their “ifs” and ignore the fact that all of the other competitors in the NL East have as many, if not more, ifs than the Braves.
Moe Leary
April 4th, 2012
6:10 pm
Maybe Livan can tell us how to beat Washington.
ohhhhYEAH
April 4th, 2012
6:12 pm
@ Remarkable
Heyward is anything but “tearing it up.” He hit a few homers this spring, but thats really about it. He didnt get many hits, and didnt walk a whole lot either. Dont exactly call that tearing it up
Bub
April 4th, 2012
6:15 pm
Really? Again with this crap? 2 years ago it was 8 reasons why they won’t squander. Then last year it was they will win the wild card and advance in the playoffs. Now this garbage. 2 teams got better than them. Phillies are slightly weaker. Mets the same and you think this? You’re the biggest homer writing idiot sports writer this paper has ever had.
lanier
April 4th, 2012
6:19 pm
hate to say it but 3rd is the best I can see. hope not but thats it with this team
A Father
April 4th, 2012
6:22 pm
When given the opportunity to bet total strikeouts against the Braves, anything over 8 or 8.5 is a great money maker.
"Chef" Tim Dix
April 4th, 2012
6:22 pm
bvillebaron :
As in Barnesville?
reckingball
April 4th, 2012
6:55 pm
The Braves play to their full potential, they win the 2012 WS.
GO BRAVES!
Larry
April 4th, 2012
7:00 pm
bvillebaron,
One major difference…none of the other teams in our division have such a big “if” at manager.
jfreak13713
April 4th, 2012
7:11 pm
On paper they look good but as we found out last year an injury or two can chage things. What if Heyward doesn’t hit? What if JJ and Hanson continue to have injury issues? What if Freeman has 2nd year slump? What if Prado is just average? Of course what if none of those things happen? Well, the Braves will probably win 95 or more games! Either way I like this team and barring injuries they should be pretty good!
Ten Bears
April 4th, 2012
8:15 pm
Love your stuff MB but gotta disagree with you on this one Pollyana.
27% of the roster tied up in a Cleveland starter and a 40 year old 3rd baseman who had as many knee surgeries as homers this spring.
We have a starter coming off back surgery, another wearing a knee brace and our #1 just changed his delivery.
Had Bourne when it counted last year-got nothing from that
Heyward hasn’t hit since May of 2010 – long slump
The next major league game our shortstop starts will be his first
Sorry, don’t see playoffs stamped on this group
O-my
April 4th, 2012
8:45 pm
Its fun to dream…
Cards have a no-hitter going in 6th against Marlins in their new crib..
joey
April 4th, 2012
8:48 pm
reckingball which mental hospital did you just get out of?
NRBQ
April 4th, 2012
8:55 pm
That we won 89 games last year is sorta miraculous, given that Fredi brought out the hook every game in the fifth inning, and the hitters were sucktastic WRISP.
As Sonny said, nothing will kill you quicker than not hitting with MOB or at least moving the runners over. Except maybe wearing the pen out by August.
Skeezix
April 4th, 2012
8:57 pm
I’ve watched some of the Marlins/Redbirds game. Has anybody seen that thing the Marlins have out in CF? It looks like some kind of big fat totem pole. And what’s with all the lime green paint?
Lohse has a no hitter going through 6.
joey
April 4th, 2012
9:00 pm
no hitter through 7…
Jockich Ahn Smelley, II
April 4th, 2012
9:01 pm
Bradley, you been smoking (and INHALING) the same “stuff” as Bacari and his entourage at UGA?????? The Braves atop the East??? Someone get my crack pipe!!!
Fredi
April 4th, 2012
9:02 pm
I really have no idea what I’m doing.
Skeezix
April 4th, 2012
9:05 pm
They are in the bottom of the seventh now and Lohse just gave up a hit.
joey
April 4th, 2012
9:06 pm
my bad reyes gets 1st hit in 7th.
Mama Clusters
April 4th, 2012
9:21 pm
Sonny! You better getcher beehind of that interwebs and get back ter werkin on them front steps who need fixin. I don’t care what blog you was on.
Rilo
April 4th, 2012
9:25 pm
You’re dreaming. Way too many “if’s” in this lineup. I hope I’m wrong but too many guys will have to play at a much higher level.
jerry
April 4th, 2012
9:31 pm
Don’t forget the ‘80 Dawgs and the ‘95 Braves. You can never tell when the great state of Georgia is going to produce another fluke. But not this year.
STH
April 4th, 2012
10:44 pm
Bradley cmon man. At least schultz bites once in awhile. Did you miss the JS=BS repair the weakness letter? What exactly was repaired? Braves remain in a state of offensive disrepair. Wrens ‘we think as currently constructed’…is tired and empty. There’s 3 guys in the sox or giants fo more qualified to run an mlb team. HOPE is not a strategy. A collapse of that significance requires more. The people that INVEST in the product DESERVE more. And yes FG is clearly overmatched. If you can’t see it, well you’re just to close to the buffett. In case you haven’t surmised, no, I did not renew. Those 110s are available. Enough. Tolerance of mediocrity…
PS Permanently block that idiot rball
YoungerThan ThatNow
April 4th, 2012
10:48 pm
Good column MB… and how can a REAL Braves fan not be optimistic. I hear all of these “negative nellys”, but personally I can’t consider them real fans with all of their naysayings. I’m not saying that everybody has to think that the 2012 Braves are a shoe-in for the WS trophy, but come on people… the Braves haven’t played a single meaningful game yet! Give them the benefit of the doubt, and until they prove different, believe that anything can happen… because it can! That’s why you play the games… it’s a long season and the people who make their living making decisions for this ballclub know what they’re doing. They may make a mistake, or mis-judge a player sometime… but overall they do the best they can with what they’re given to work with. The Cardinals were not the best team in baseball in 2011… but they got hot at the right time and had great momentum going into the playoffs, and they parlayed that into an unexpected World Series Championship.
Livan said that he was glad to be in a Braves uni, if for no other reason, because he didn’t have to face the Braves lineup again! Well, that works both ways… he’s made Braves hitters look terrible more times than not, and I’m glad that he’s here for insurance. And I think the Braves brass has done a good job of providing some bullpen help that will hopefully prevent a late season “wearing down” of the big 3 in the back end of the bullpen.
This team has more upside than the 2011 Braves did and overall, I’m happy with this club and ready to get it on… and as I said last night, right now everybody’s tied for first… except for the Marlins, they just dropped their opener to the Cards!
Hy Ronatt
April 4th, 2012
11:44 pm
more like cluster fark.
Bradley the Homer
April 5th, 2012
12:48 am
Could see this article coming from last year. 90% of your articles are homersitic and 90% of the time they are wrong. You are a complete joke.
John Leonard
April 5th, 2012
1:19 am
Mark;Most times your column is a fun read,this time just funny.
iTiSi
April 5th, 2012
1:22 am
Wouldn’t it be so refreshing and enlightening to have JUST ONE AJC sportswriter to actually tell it like it is, rather than do nothing but “feel good ” stories, and try to one-up the other one as to who can be the most homerific?
clay
April 5th, 2012
3:39 am
So ready for 1:05 today to get all these haters off here for a couple of days.
No. 1 Braves Fan
April 5th, 2012
4:32 am
We need to get people like Clusters who post on Braves blogs to be Braves fans. Those who post disparaging remarks about the same thing time after time need to rethink and decide where they want to go. We knew last year that Clusters does not like the division championship sign..
steve whitmire
April 5th, 2012
6:35 am
Good work Bradley, as usual, now that we’ve got that brown nosing out of the way, hope springs eternal in the minds of Braves baseball aficionados as opening day approaches and this year is no exception, so let’s play ball!
papadawg
April 5th, 2012
7:24 am
MB it’s fun to be a dreamer. Dreaming about the Braves winning more than 80 games is like dreaming about winning the 640 million dollar lottery last week.
Remember Your Rootz
April 5th, 2012
7:51 am
If Stan Kasten can scrounge up $2 BILLION, why the heck didn’t he buy the Braves?
Cecil34
April 5th, 2012
7:56 am
Mark, you need to stay out of the opium dens – they are “clouding” your judgment.
What you speak of will not happen.
Herschel Talker
April 5th, 2012
8:06 am
MB:
I would agree with you if Fredi wasn’t the manager. He is a clown and is guaranteed to screw things up.
FIRE FREDI GONZALEZ!!!
HT
JoeFan
April 5th, 2012
8:12 am
To much has to fall right for the Braves to contend. Not saying it can’t happen but odds are the Braves will be just an average team at best.
Joey
April 5th, 2012
8:21 am
What worries me most about the “Buckhead Bombers,” Mark is their inability to hit with RISP – either dead last or next to last in MLB.
If that lack of clutch hitting continues this season, it renders that “Bourn benefit” null and void. He will be left standing on 2nd or 3rd, while the Bombers flail.
M Lowenthal
April 5th, 2012
8:25 am
Mark, please quit comparing batting average to compare offensive quality. You later use on base percentage. Use slugging percentage and on base percentage so that readers get an actual picture of how the offenses compare.
Arnold Ziffel
April 5th, 2012
8:37 am
Where your logic is wrong is assuming the Braves would have won the WS- as the Cards did- had they won the WC spot. They clearly would not have and that’s why standing pat this year is a slap in the face to all paying fans. Braves are cheap and are are only interested in “making” the playoffs not winning in the playoffs. This is why they havent had a series win in the postseason for 7 years and campaign on concession deals instead of making the team better. This year will be more of the same. I wont be wasting my money down at the Ted but feel free to waste yours.
Snake doc
April 5th, 2012
8:57 am
This is a joke – Right?
dtanner
April 5th, 2012
8:59 am
mark you are the consumate homer,always overrating the local teams and underrating all others,the braves will be mediocre and finish mid pack
DePort
April 5th, 2012
9:00 am
You Braves haters will eat your words by the end of the season!!!
jjGator
April 5th, 2012
9:07 am
Good optimistic article, Mark! Agree with your comments. A thought–while I like Freddie as our mgr, I have to lay some blame on him for his choice of a hitting instructor last season. But, will give him the benefit of the doubt as he most likely wanted a reasonable way to reassign TP and he did show loyalty to his previous hitting instructor in Miami. I believe he will continue his learning curve and be a better mgr as time goes on! Go Braves!!
dc74
April 5th, 2012
9:14 am
Bradley you never learn…
Brave Hokie
April 5th, 2012
9:23 am
It’s the Braves: what can go wrong will go wrong: be it June, Sept, or Oct… till my last breath
Najeh Davenpoop
April 5th, 2012
9:58 am
If everything goes right for the Braves, they can win the division and go far in the playoffs. The advantage of having a big payroll like Philly, though, is that everything doesn’t have to go right for them.
Hope sprung a leak
April 5th, 2012
10:00 am
Did I just read that Livan Hernandez can be the difference between making the playoffs and sitting at home. If there was ever a sign that this Braves team has taken a step back, it was their bargain hunting for pitchers from the castoffs of the Astros and Nationals and both of those bums making the opening day roster. Meanwhile Kris Medlen is pitching in middle relief while a rookie who didn’t show anything in the spring is in the rotation. Livan Hernandez the difference-maker? Really?
Jackie Chile
April 5th, 2012
10:15 am
As long as we have Chipper standing like a statue at 3rd for 60-80 games we’ll be just fine.
ClemsonBrad
April 5th, 2012
10:18 am
Happy Opening Day!
P Rose
April 5th, 2012
10:21 am
Sorry for the re-post, but this got into Mark’s last column late yesterday; this is for those who missed it.
It’s a Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall
Oh where has it gone, that 14-year run?
And where has it gone, when baseball was fun
I seen an epic collapse and an idle off-season
I seen washed-up relievers get signed for no reason
I seen thousands of seats that were empty as oceans
I seen millionaire infielders go through the motions
And it’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard,
It’s a hard rain’s a-gonna fall
Oh where has it gone, that pride in our team?
That once could compete like the girls on the Dream
I seen men fanny-pattin’ and squeezin’ and huggin’
I seen a manager tippin’ his cap and a-shruggin’
I seen tool races, kiss cams and discounted hot dogs
I seen clusters of sonnies complain on these chop blogs
I seen Cardinals scrap like a cat in a dog fight
I seen a game-winnin’ grounder get lost in the spotlight
I seen fans from the North in the Ted celebratin’
I seen Braves fans a-watchin’ and hopin’ and waitin’
And it’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard,
It’s a hard rain’s a-gonna fall
oldguy
April 5th, 2012
10:27 am
All we hear about is how much and how wonderful ALL our pitchers are but then we sign 1 pitcher that must be 121 yrs old and one with lifetime ERA over 5.Why dont er ever hear about that big slugger we drafted?,,,,BECAUSE WE NEVER DO DRAFT ANY….TO HUNG UP ON ANOTHER PITCHER.
Don
April 5th, 2012
10:38 am
“Big Time Arms” – I agree that the Braves “had” Big Time Arms – and no question – Pitching is the Name Of The Game – by far the most significant element to winning.
BUT remember, FOUR out of the FIVE of those “Big Time Arms ” (4 out of 5 of the Starting Pitchers – counting Medlen who was a Starter when he was injured) are COMMING OFF INJURES.
And like it or not (unlike Position Players), many (perhaps most) Pitchers do NOT RETURN TO THEIR FORMER GREATNESS after serious injury.
The Braves will be fortunate if TWO of the FOUR return to their former effectiveness.
True, the Braves have a wealth of ADDITIONAL young Pitching talent, and this may be enough to get them through this season in good shape.
But, will these young Pitchers soon follow the other Braves Pitchers through the Braves “INJURY MILL FOR PITCHERS” that has existed for the last several years???
Since Leo left as Pitching Coach 6 or 7 years ago; — The Braves have had a large number of different Strting Pitchers. Counting those who have been in the rotation a reasonable length of time, HOW MANY of this large total of Startign Pitchers have NOT ENDED UP BEING INJURED???
Don
April 5th, 2012
10:49 am
Agree that the Braves should get off to a good start. The first part of their schedule is really, really weak.
buster brave
April 5th, 2012
10:52 am
Well put Mark Bradley.
cloudodust
April 5th, 2012
11:04 am
MB : I too subscribe to the theory of Hope Springs Eternal. Until proven otherwise, I remain….
Rags
April 5th, 2012
11:09 am
Look, here’s the issue. The only way we’ll be able to see if this year’s Braves are better than last year’s Braves will be for them to be one of the four best teams in baseball on September 1st and then not collapse again. We still have 5 months to wait and see if they’re better. We’ll know sooner if they’re worse than last year, but until September 1st we will not know if they’re better. That’s a long wait, and that’s why so many of the folks I know who used to rabid Braves fans and taking a wait-and-see attitude with this year’s team.
DawginLex
April 5th, 2012
11:11 am
Mark
Would love to see the Braves win the division but I’m not seeing it.
No Chipper
Rookie SS
Injured starting pitching
Underachieving manager
3rd place and 84 wins is my guess
Hope I’m wrong!!!!!!!
Tumbledown
April 5th, 2012
11:19 am
We get it, Don. Do you have to post the same thing in every blog?
Don
April 5th, 2012
11:30 am
“The Braves have fewer “Ifs” than the other teams.”
Right “IF” YOU DON’T COUNT”
IF we didn’t have FOUR out of our FIVE Starting Pitchrers (counting Medlen who was a Starter when he was Injured) ALL COMMING OFF INJURIES.
What IF 2 out of the 4 to not return to their former greatness??
What IF 3 out of the 4 do not returen to being effective?
What IF ALL FOUR of them do not return to their former effectiveness?
(And like it or not, MANY (perhaps most) TIMES PITCHERS do not after serious injury.
AND IF, Heyward’s offensive production is like a major league corner outfielder instead of not even being good enough to be a reserve 4th or 5th outfielder. What basis is there to think that it will – when he showed no signs of making adjustments once pitchers learned how to pitch to him.
AND IF Chipper suddenly starts playing acceptable defense at third base – to say nothing of IF his hitting will give acceptable production – or how many games he will be able to play.
AND IF the rookie shortstop will give acceptable offensive production – even assuming that his defense is adequate.
AND IF the second baseman unlike last season has an acceptable batting average and an acceptable On Base Average.
AND IF Fredi is really a better manager than Bobby Cox (that needs to be SIGNIFICANTLY better).
AND IF the new hitting coaches can really get the job done. There are very, very few really good hitting coaches – Do we have one of them?
AND IF we have a productive left fielder to fill in for Prado when he has to play 3rd for Chipper
AND IF the Braves “INJURY MILLL FOR PITCHERS” that has existed in 6 or 7 years since Leo left as Pitching Coach – does not continue. (Since Leo left, of all the large number of different Starting Pitchers that we have had, how many have NOT BEEN INJURED??
AND ALL THIS ASSUMES that we will get good production from the catcher, the first baseman, the center fielder and from Prado.
pete babcock
April 5th, 2012
11:36 am
hitting wasn’t the problem at the end of the season, it was the pitching. Hitting wasn’t present all year
reckingball
April 5th, 2012
11:45 am
STH@10:44pm………The Braves can win this div. and the WS.
How many of the “experts” predicted that the Giants would win it all, a couple of years ago?
You and you’re defeatist buddies want to bad mouth the Braves at every opportunity, that is your choice.
You down and out, gloom and doomers can’t realize, that with all of the injuries, some bizzare in-game moves by the manager, a SS that could not buy a hit with RISP, a wore-out $15million pitcher, and a lot of plan old bad luck, they were just 2 wins from at least, making it into the playoffs last year.
Ban yourself, loser.
reckingball
April 5th, 2012
11:50 am
I’m thankfull, that the men that fought for us in WW2, did not possess the defeatist attitude, that so many of these ’someone peed in my cornflakes” commenters own.
reckingball
April 5th, 2012
11:53 am
BTW, this tool-bar at the bottom blows.
Splendid Splinter
April 5th, 2012
12:52 pm
I hope you’re right MB. I think the season will hinge on Freeman and Heyward. Uggla will hit, although not much for average; Prado will be better than last year; McCann will have a better year than last year, Chipper will be lucky to play 100 games. If Freeman avoids the sophomore slump, and Heyard hits 280, I think they have enough pitching to make the playoffs and maybe win the division. If all of those things don’t come together, look out 4th place.
reebok
April 5th, 2012
1:48 pm
These discussions always come around to the same thing…if every player on the roster plays at their highest level ever, we will win it all! Well, that’s true of every team. Braves 3rd or 4th in the division.
GTT
April 5th, 2012
2:07 pm
Injuries to Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson fluffed up that number over the second half
Don’t forget Derek Lowe’s culpability.
Appalachia Brave
April 5th, 2012
2:08 pm
oh boy…here we go again…this type article comes out every daggone year! This guy must get commission on ticket sales. I’ve seen it year after year..I’ll beleive it when I see it….If they don’t get it done this year…FRANK and his entire staff have to go. And hopefully liberty media with them!
Mitchell
April 5th, 2012
2:09 pm
Why the stand-pat Braves soon might stand atop the NL East
4:51 pm April 4, 2012, by Mark Bradley
Soon… Might… ?
Way to put yourself out there Mark Bradley.
I’m gonna hold you to that. Soon might.
Could maybe.
Strong words.
Joey
April 5th, 2012
2:35 pm
Joey
April 5th, 2012
8:21 am
What worries me most about the “Buckhead Bombers,” Mark is their inability to hit with RISP – either dead last or next to last in MLB.
If that lack of clutch hitting continues this season, it renders that “Bourn benefit” null and void. He will be left standing on 2nd or 3rd, while the Bombers flail.
************************************************************
Anbody see the 5th inning?
Like I said @ 8:21 . . .
Mister Frisky
April 5th, 2012
2:56 pm
Another steamer delivered to your door by the AJC.
Warmth, Love, Peace
April 5th, 2012
3:07 pm
“Why the stand-pat Braves soon might stand atop the NL East”
or not
Buster Cluster
April 5th, 2012
4:43 pm
Why not just quit all the if’s, and’s and but’s and let the season play out? What’s the use? All those questions have a way of answering themselves come the end of September. Ya’ll are like a bunch of women with all your analyzing, re-analyzing and over-analyzing, and re-over-analyzing.
What's yours is mine
April 5th, 2012
4:47 pm
If a frog had wings he wouldn’t bump his butt every time he jumped.
Joe
April 6th, 2012
10:24 am
You gotta like MB’s optimism but no way this team wins the NL East. Even with an improved hitting coach and assistant they still seem to struggle with RISP. The starting pitching is questionable and Fredi has never shown he could get it done as a FM. Wren screws up more deals than he gets right even Michael Bourn hasn’t done as well in Atlanta as he did in Houston. I say a 4th place finish is more likely.
Mitchell
April 6th, 2012
10:32 am
Mark Bradley, please retire.
Mitchell
April 6th, 2012
10:38 am
Oh, the blog doesn’t like me criticizing Mr. Bradley.
But why would I ever want to do that?
Mitchell
April 6th, 2012
10:42 am
Hi.
ATLANTA FAN
April 6th, 2012
12:43 pm
Good points MB. One thing I would like to point out is that :::: THE FANS SHOULD SHOW UP MORE FOR OUR TEAM. That in my opinon would make a big factor with the Braves winning. Lets support our team GO BRAVES
P Rose
April 6th, 2012
1:09 pm
“But let’s say the Braves hit closer to .260 this season than .240…” But WHY on earth would we say THAT?! Yesterday’s performance by the offense was just god-awful.
Tip your Hat and Stand Pat, Fall Flat like a doormat.
April 6th, 2012
3:25 pm
We was wondering if Chipper Bones the Met Killer could have just attempted to limp out onto the ball field and swat a single with his cane on opening day when we had the bases loaded. We was also wondering if Heyward might have some vision trouble seeing as how he can’t ever seem to get his bat around to those inside pitches that seem to keep baffling him. We was finally wondering how long it would be until we end up dead and buried and selling off pieces to contenders for the World Series.
ray k
April 6th, 2012
5:20 pm
The Mets, the team that “doesn’t count,” held us to 4 hits yesterday.
ray k
April 6th, 2012
5:21 pm
The Braves should hit a little better, but if they can’t drive in runs, it doesn’t matter one bit. The hitting is bad–the situational hitting is an unmitigated travesty.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Unexpectedly Revised Downward)
April 6th, 2012
10:27 pm
Is it a flight of fancy to posit that the Braves are closer now to finishing atop the NL East than at any time since their reign of excellence subsided in 2006?
———————-
Yes.
Please, bring us more difficult questions.
And “big time arms”? Please. It’s the same oversold garbage from you and the Braves every year. When the Braves big time arms face the Phillies lineup, the big time arms fold. When the Phillies big time arms face the Braves, the Braves hitters fold.
Phillies in a walk.
Disgusted
April 6th, 2012
11:19 pm
Hey, if there is any little bit of hope it might be the Hawks.
Its the only exciting pro team right now.
Big Time Braves Fan
April 7th, 2012
9:45 am
Even if the braves hit .400 that’s no guarantee they will win more games. Avg is just one statistic, one aspect of the game. I hope the Braves do well this year- I hope they win the world series, but that collapse showed that his lineup might not be as good on the field as they originally looked on paper. Its affects also might linger more than we hope. Time will tell.
fsubrave
April 7th, 2012
4:34 pm
MB..I hope you dont believe any of this hyperbole you wasted your time typing….have you not watched this team this spring or the first two games for that matter? they are horiffic…cellar dwellars come august…bank on it my friend
rc35
April 7th, 2012
4:46 pm
How the Braves can stand atop the NL East.
1. Wait until they come back home.
2. Buy print edition of AJC.
3. Open paper to Sports section.
4. Find NL East standings.
5. Place paper on floor.
6. Carefully place either foot on standings.
7. Braves now stand “atop” NL East!
Mister Frisky
April 7th, 2012
6:39 pm
Standing pat is working out pretty efin good so far.
Savannah Ghost
April 7th, 2012
9:36 pm
I love how Bradley dismisses the Mets not counting. What does that say about the Braves? This article is pie-in-the-sky and must be based upon a hot stove Frank Wren PowerPoint.
FAIL!!!
April 8th, 2012
8:07 am
Put away your pom-poms, Bradley. What a colossal joke.
Joey Villa Rica
April 8th, 2012
11:15 am
The kiss of death,, Way to go Bradley
GwinnettDad
April 8th, 2012
4:22 pm
The Braves have scored 4 earned runs in three games and are 0-3. They sucked this series. They sucked all spring. They sucked last fall. Just how bad this team may be has not yet been determined, but it may be among the biggest W-L disasters in recent Atlanta history.
BosnianBaller
April 8th, 2012
5:37 pm
Bradley hypes up the Braves each April. Last year it was “No way theses Braves are losing…no not these braves w/ the re-vamped offense” He hypes them up always. I said to myself last year whatever Bradley thinks about the Braves the exact opposite will happen and I was right.
alex
April 8th, 2012
5:52 pm
Bradley, brilliant ;opinions are like a..holes, everybodies got one
Losersville U.S.A.
April 8th, 2012
6:05 pm
This team will not win 70 games… Awful hitting and pitching looks very very suspect.
Plus a manager who is not up to the task of a Major League manager and a GM, who has attended every class put on by The don waddell school of how to ruin a professional sports team !!!!
Last place ??? 99% bet on it !!
This is why we are THE WORST Sports city in The World and will continue to be !
Savannah Ghost
April 8th, 2012
6:23 pm
Sure glad Wren didn’t make an offseason move(s) to beef up the offense. Yup, glad the team stood pat. Ignore the man behind the curtain.
Go Go Pilots
April 8th, 2012
6:25 pm
Hello we lead East we 0-3 with Marlins in last here…Great freddi picks nose n hat tips we Miss chipper say Joe simpson of we say what hear are sports dept wiz will can…chip well bein chip and Diaz beenin ugh…and what with this lookin at pitch’Yes i see why Lance Parrish was Fired cause no one here has a brain use…and he with detroit and they swept boston and hittin coach….Oooop Frankie Wren sittin all ready to crap in pants if they not do better are he be lookin at gate and please freddie Gonz….0-3 and houston will best us in Houston to heyward swings like a Bad case of acme here!
Savannah Ghost
April 8th, 2012
6:38 pm
Someone needs to give Wren smelling salts so he wakes up and makes a move before it’s too late. What a pant load.
Mitchell
April 8th, 2012
6:55 pm
Let’s try this again…
Why the stand-pat Braves soon might stand atop the NL East
Famous last words.
Mark Bradley, please go away.
Mitchell
April 8th, 2012
6:58 pm
Somebody doesn’t like me saying unkind things about Mark Bradley.
I promise I won’t be mean anymore.
Don’t eat my posts, pretty please blog overlord.
Don Sutton's wine glass
April 8th, 2012
8:19 pm
Are you insane Mark?
Stumpknocker
April 8th, 2012
8:31 pm
This is the same “Dog &Pony” show that was around 30 years ago….Come July and Aug who in hell would want to set in 100 degree Atl heat and watch this crap ???
Deb
April 9th, 2012
10:02 am
OOOPS! How about those Mets Mark?
Big D
April 9th, 2012
11:06 am
Can we have another column of how the Braves are lucky to be opening against the “weak” Mets?
Big D
April 9th, 2012
11:09 am
This is a bad team. Weak at almost every position!