Media Credit: Steve Mitchell – USA Today Sports
In losing 95 games last year, the Atlanta Braves posted their worst record since 1990. Coming off a campaign filled with roster upheaval and under performance, the Braves head into 2016 with more questions than certainties. Season two of the rebuild likely will look awfully similar to last year as the Braves bid farewell to Turner Field, their home for the past nineteen years.
This offseason, the Braves named John Coppolella to the General Manager post, and he wasted no time making his mark on the organization with two major trades. “Coppy” immediately shuttled two of the Braves most established players in Andrelton Simmons and Shelby Miller for a hefty haul of prospects, and likely stop gap players in Ender Inciarte and Erick Aybar. While the wins and losses may not be pleasing to loyal Braves fans, there will be no shortage of intrigue as the Braves wind through the 162-game schedule.
The only real question for this Braves team is: Is it possible to lose every game in a an MLB season?
If it weren’t for the 18 games vs the Phillies I would say yes. Thanks for reading!
I don’t know….but we’ve got a damn good shot at it.
I sure hope Perez is not in the rotation, let alone on the team. His WHIP and K:B ratio are all you need to see. His starts were tough to watch last year. Same with Folty. Neither will succeed until they can learn to locate there fastball on the inside part of the plate, which I don’t think they will. I don’t mind moving Folty to the bullpen where he can do what he does, just throw hard. I’d like to see Blair in the rotation to start the year if he has a good spring. It’s annoying when teams wait to call up a kid for an extra year of control. These boys are going to need all the big league experience they can get if we want to compete in 17, 18.
Of Banuelos, Folty, and Perez…Banuelos looked the best when healthy, but I don’t know if he can be counted on. I doubt either Blair or Newcombe start in the Bigs for the very reason you disdain, the extra year of control. I don’t necessarily like it but for a team like the Braves it makes sense. Why burn a year over 6 weeks of pitching for a team that goes no where. No IF the Cubs were burned last year by not bringing up Bryant, now that is a different story.