I didn't realize we had a Braves thread. Been a fan since I was little and I try to make it down for one game a year, but haven't had the time to keep up with them the last few years. What are they looking like for this season?
Badass. Should be a close race with Washington for the NL East. Whoever finishes second is probably in the Wild Card play-in game, like the Braves ended up last year.
They're badass offensively but the pitching has the potential to get shaky. Hard to be confident in Hudson, Maholm, Medlen, Minor, and Teheran. Teheran is likely going to be in the 5 spot until Beachy gets healthy. He's been streaky at best in the Dominican League this offseason so you can probably chalk up every 5th game as a blowout unless Freddie brings in the bullpen (which is one of the best in baseball) from 4-9th like he did last year.
I will say that the best part of toos is the Braves thread. Almost every intelligent poster left over there is in that thread.
My favorite Braves blog is still Capital Avenue Club blog. But they've gone full on sabre metrics so it's not as good (to my tastes) anymore. They still have the most intelligent comments and insights on the fan forum that I've ever come across.
I'm reasonably confident in the rotation. Medlen and Minor were both rolling last year, and I don't see any big reasons for them to have ERAs over, say, 3.50. Huddy and Maholm should both be solid. I'm more bullish on Teheran as well (though it's basically unfounded). From what I saw, the reports from the Dominican were more encouraging than those from the minors last season (at least). The Braves have also been having him work on different things in the minors, so I'm not sure the struggles can be taken at 100% face value. He's definitely a question mark, though.
He (Teheran) certainly has the ability but he hasn't learned to pace himself. He gets tired in the 5th, leaves his fastball up in the zone and loses movement on his changeup. His fastball was around 95 complemented by a 81mph C-U which, in itself, is enough for significant swing and misses as long he can maintain control. It will be to his benefit that the Braves have probably a top 3 bullpen in the league with 3 long relievers who can dominate the plate any given outing.
I'm starting to get the spring/baseball fever. I'm excited about this season. It will be interesting to see if this team has enough to push the Nationals.
It is still hard for me to get excited. Fredi, the guy who cries over making a play-in game, Gonzalez is still the manager, and last season ended with bad plays by the now retired Hall of Fame 3rd baseman and a bullshit infield fly call. It is hard to get "**** baseball" out of my head.
I think they'll be really good, but the Nats are probably the best all around team in baseball. We'll end up in that bullshit play in game against a team that we're 5 games better than and blow it again.
As a life long fan, what has upset me the most is how they shrink in October. In the 90s, they played like Peyton's Colts. They would be so far ahead that they were able to coast into the postseason and then had no life when the playoffs began. It seems they are still that way even though they aren't running away and hiding in the division anymore. I just want to see them play a little harder, have more excitement on the field during the postseason, quit playing like it's just another game when it isn't ... and for God's sake, work the damn count!!! Seems like that light doesn't come on in their heads until the 4th inning and the opposing pitcher is in his groove having only thrown 50 pitches to get into the 4th. It's maddening.
