It’s Opening Day…or Opening Week…well, the season actually started a week or so ago…you know, I can’t even figure out baseball any longer. The season apparently began when Los Angeles and Arizona faced off in Australia, even though the Diamondbacks had five preseason games remaining. Only in modern day baseball can you start your season before finishing your preseason.
All the confusion aside, I’m actually excited about baseball being back. The long dark days of post-football-pre-baseball, when only basketball is getting national attention, are finally over.
The hometown Atlanta Braves begin this season with a limp in their step. They lost two of their top starting pitchers in the span of a day, as both Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy required Tommy John Surgery to repair damaged elbows. Mike Minor is currently out with injury, meaning the Braves must rely on a young, somewhat inexperienced starting staff to get them through much of the early season. To compensate for the rash of injuries to the rotation, the Braves reached a quick deal with Ervin Santana.
The offense for the Braves should be just as explosive as last season. Catcher Brian McCann departed for the “greener” pastures of Yankee Stadium. Taking his place will be journeyman catcher Evan Gattis. Gattis, otherwise known as El Oso Blanco (The White Bear), was a pleasant surprise last season, proving that he could smash the ball into different zip codes when required.
At first base we have Freddie Freeman. While not as flashy as other first basemen, Freeman is the complete professional. He has power when needed, but is also willing to sacrifice himself to move runners over. Personally, I think Freeman is an MVP candidate in the making.
Second base could be a sore sport for Atlanta once again. A few years back, the Braves pulled off what some writers called a coup by signing Dan Uggla away from the Marlins. Uggla was a power-hitting player better known for his bat than his glove. But once he got to Atlanta, it was as if Uggla forgot how to hit. He became the worst type of streaky player. The streaks he went on were good, but they were far too short compared to his bad-to-mediocre play.
Shortstop may be the brightest point on the Braves roster. The position is held down by Andrelton Simmons. Last season, Simmons turned in what might just be the single best defensive season a player has ever had. He has range and he has a cannon for an arm. His bat is somewhat lacking, but he’s shown improvement. He’s never going to be a 40 home run kind of guy, but if he gives you 15-20 homers and 75+ RBI, on top of his defensive skills, that’s a great season.
Third base looks to be the domain of Chris Johnson once again. Johnson was a “throw-in” on the Justin Upton trade, but he proved just as valuable as Upton. He’s consistent at the plate (lead the team in batting average in 2013) and he’s more than adequate in the field. Don’t look for him to set the world on fire either way, but Johnson’s good enough for an everyday roster spot and his bat produces enough runs to help you win.
The outfield, from left to right, goes like this: Justin Upton, B.J. Upton, Jason Heyward.
Justin Upton patrols left field and was the big news for the Braves prior to 2013. He came to the team in a blockbuster trade (the aforementioned trade in which Chris Johnson was thrown in). Since arriving in Atlanta, Upton has been a streaky player, though better and more consistent than Dan Uggla. He still has a ton of untapped potential, and could easily put on an MVP-type year.
Older brother B.J. Upton was one of the biggest free agent signings the Braves have ever made. Now they need B.J. to have a good season and prove that the money wasn’t wasted. B.J. has really been disappointing during his Braves stint so far, but like younger brother Justin, B.J. has loads of potential as a centerfielder…he just needs to put it all together.
Right fielder Jason Heyward is a possible face of the franchise. He has all the potential in the world, but his biggest foe has been his health. No one can stop a case of appendicitis, and it’s hard to avoid having your jaw broken by an errant fastball. If Heyward can stay healthy for an entire season, he could be a 40-50 homer guy, and could easily provide 100+ RBI, given this Braves lineup.
The pitching staff, like I said earlier, is a patchwork in injury replacements. Ervin Santana and Aaron Harang were brought in to salvage depth in the starting rotation. The bullpen likely remains the greatest weapon for the Braves…namely their closer, Craig Kimbrel. There are few pitchers as “lights-out” as Kimbrel. Watching him work is like watching a clinic in how to save a game for your team.
Predictions
American League
East: Tampa Bay Rays
Central: Detroit Tigers
West: Texas Rangers
Wild Cards: Los Angeles Angels, New York Yankees
National League
East: Washington Nationals
Central: St Louis Cardinals
West: Los Angeles Dodgers
Wild Cards: Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates
World Series:
Detroit Tigers over Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games
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