With the best record in the league at 12-2, it appears as if I was wrong about the Atlanta Braves, at least to this point in the season. I've been an Atlanta Braves fan for as long as I can remember, but after Chipper Jones retired, and the team parted ways with both Michael Bourne and Martin Prado, I was very concerned about the team's offense going into this season. While I acknowledged that, barring injury, the team has one of the best all-around pitching staffs in all of baseball (starters and bullpen), as the saying goes, "You can't win if you don't score."
To my credit, I have been pretty accurate about the team's offense. I said that while the team would have some added pop they haven't seen for a while with the additions of B.J. Upton, Justin Upton, and Chris Johnson, the team didn't have a true leadoff hitter and possessed many players prone to the strikeout. This would most likely result in a very streaky season for the team, unless the likes of B.J. Upton and/or Dan Uggla could hit with more consistency. To this point in the season, the Braves are middle of the pack in both batting average (16th at .254) and on base percentage (14th at .324). They're 10th in runs scored (68) and 4th in slugging percentage (.458). Among regular starters, though, only the newly acquired Chris Johnson (.409) and Justin Upton (.333) are hitting anywhere above .300. The next closest to that mark is back-up catcher Evan Gattis, who's currently filling in for the injured Brian McCann and batting .262. Shortstop Andrelton Simmons is hitting just .200. Second baseman Dan Uggla is hitting a measly .163. Outfielders B.J. Upton and Jason Heyward are both hitting terribly thus far this season, with averages at a paltry .140 and .128. The team has struck out 121 times and walked only 44. The good news for the offense? Both first baseman Freddie Freeman and the before-mentioned Brian McCann are out with injury, so the offense will likely improve when they return.
I was also pretty accurate with my claim that the Braves have one of the best pitching staffs in all of baseball. However, I was wrong in the fact the Braves pitching staff hasn't been just one of the best in all of baseball, they have been THE best in all of baseball. They're currently 1st in E.R.A. (1.77), 1st in WHIP (1.00), and 1st in batting average against (.206). Of the four regular starters who will remain in the rotation when Brandon Beachy returns from injury, Tim Hudson has the highest E.RA. at 2.50. No, that's not a typo. Kris Medlen's E.R.A. is at 1.42. Mike Minor's is at 0.95. Paul Maholm has thrown 20.1 innings without allowing a run. Those four guys have a strikeout to walk ratio of 58 to 17 (3.4 : 1).
Now, as much as I'd love to see the Braves' starters continue to put up the video game-like numbers they are right now, that's very unlikely to occur. Due to this, the offense is going to have to hit with more consistency if the team wants to really challenge the Washington Nationals for the National League East crown and contend for the World Series title. Hopefully when Freeman and McCann return to the lineup, they'll bring a great deal more stability to the lineup and help take the load off the pitching staff. I'd take great pitching and mediocre hitting over the reverse any day of the week. However, like with all teams, the Braves' great pitchers will have their off days and will need the offense to step up more consistently when that does inevitably happen.
http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/atl/atlanta-braves
To my credit, I have been pretty accurate about the team's offense. I said that while the team would have some added pop they haven't seen for a while with the additions of B.J. Upton, Justin Upton, and Chris Johnson, the team didn't have a true leadoff hitter and possessed many players prone to the strikeout. This would most likely result in a very streaky season for the team, unless the likes of B.J. Upton and/or Dan Uggla could hit with more consistency. To this point in the season, the Braves are middle of the pack in both batting average (16th at .254) and on base percentage (14th at .324). They're 10th in runs scored (68) and 4th in slugging percentage (.458). Among regular starters, though, only the newly acquired Chris Johnson (.409) and Justin Upton (.333) are hitting anywhere above .300. The next closest to that mark is back-up catcher Evan Gattis, who's currently filling in for the injured Brian McCann and batting .262. Shortstop Andrelton Simmons is hitting just .200. Second baseman Dan Uggla is hitting a measly .163. Outfielders B.J. Upton and Jason Heyward are both hitting terribly thus far this season, with averages at a paltry .140 and .128. The team has struck out 121 times and walked only 44. The good news for the offense? Both first baseman Freddie Freeman and the before-mentioned Brian McCann are out with injury, so the offense will likely improve when they return.
I was also pretty accurate with my claim that the Braves have one of the best pitching staffs in all of baseball. However, I was wrong in the fact the Braves pitching staff hasn't been just one of the best in all of baseball, they have been THE best in all of baseball. They're currently 1st in E.R.A. (1.77), 1st in WHIP (1.00), and 1st in batting average against (.206). Of the four regular starters who will remain in the rotation when Brandon Beachy returns from injury, Tim Hudson has the highest E.RA. at 2.50. No, that's not a typo. Kris Medlen's E.R.A. is at 1.42. Mike Minor's is at 0.95. Paul Maholm has thrown 20.1 innings without allowing a run. Those four guys have a strikeout to walk ratio of 58 to 17 (3.4 : 1).
Now, as much as I'd love to see the Braves' starters continue to put up the video game-like numbers they are right now, that's very unlikely to occur. Due to this, the offense is going to have to hit with more consistency if the team wants to really challenge the Washington Nationals for the National League East crown and contend for the World Series title. Hopefully when Freeman and McCann return to the lineup, they'll bring a great deal more stability to the lineup and help take the load off the pitching staff. I'd take great pitching and mediocre hitting over the reverse any day of the week. However, like with all teams, the Braves' great pitchers will have their off days and will need the offense to step up more consistently when that does inevitably happen.
http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/atl/atlanta-braves
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