2011 MLB Predictions: 10 Reasons Why the Atlanta Braves Will Improve
Baseball is fast approaching, and many pundits and fans are making predictions for how the divisions and teams will finish at the end of the 2011 season.
However, when it comes to their outlook on the Braves, I am surprised many do not have them making the playoffs or even winning 90 games.
Yes, the team lost a legend in Bobby Cox and, yes, they lost some key bullpen members. But they also have added many new talented faces to the team that should help return them to the postseason.
Many returning players have learned and matured, while the veterans will continue to do what they have always done. Almost all players, except for Kris Medlen, will be injury-free by the time March 31 comes around.
There are other factors that will play into how their season turns out, and I will touch on those in this list. The Braves have the right tools in place to make the playoffs, and thus there should be more confidence in the team.
Here are my top 10 reasons why the Braves will be a better team this year than they were in 2010.
Schedule
1 of 10
Generally, in baseball, the schedule does not play that much of a factor overall, because it rarely changes from year to year. However, this year, the Braves catch a break.
The Braves will play the same NL teams this year like always, but they will be playing different AL teams. Last year, the Braves played the Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals and the Tampa Bay Rays. As you can see, they had quite a tough slate of games—but it gets easier this season.
This year, they play the Texas Rangers, LA Angels, Seattle Mariners, Toronto Blue Jays and the Baltimore Orioles. Based on last year's results, the combined record of these five teams was 382-482 (.472%). Last year's teams' combined regular season record was 426-384 (.532 %)
Now, the Braves only play 15 games against the AL but, as shown by last year, every game counts. If the Braves take advantage of this easier schedule, then they should be in good shape come September.
Coaching Changes
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Bobby Cox was a great manager, no doubt about it. I would have loved it if he didn't retire, but I can not control that. Plus, he is getting up there in age, so his retiring is very understandable.
Now it is time for his protégé to step in and do what Bobby Cox did: win.
It will be hard for Fredi Gonzalez to replicate what Cox did, but he should be able to do a commendable job. He did a great job with a team with one of the lowest payrolls in MLB and he knows the Braves' system. If he can do what he did with the Marlins, then he will do fine—and maybe do things right that Cox didn't.
The Braves also have other new coaches. Larry Parrish is now the new hitting coach, Carlos Tosca is the new bench coach and Terry Pendleton is the new first base coach. I believe that these were all great changes, especially demoting Pendleton.
Both Parrish and Tosca are former managers, which adds experience to the coaching staff. Parrish should hopefully do a better job than Pendleton coaching the hitters—something that is needed in order for the Braves to succeed. They have a lot of talent offensively, but it has yet to be exploited.
This new coaching staff should bring necessary changes to the team, helping them achieve greater goals in the long run
The Phillies' Offense
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Yes, the Phillies offense is overrated. There, I said it. Look, say what you will about their past performances, but they are slowly falling apart.
Chase Utley is becoming more and more injury prone, as proven by last year as well as his more recent cortisone shot in his knee. Ryan Howard had a dramatic decrease in power and average last year because pitchers are finally figuring out that he can be easily subdued with pitches that aren't fastballs (any of them).
Jimmy Rollins is getting old, and his numbers are decreasing as well. Although he only played in 88 games last year, he only hit .243 and had an OPS of .694. Ibanez also is getting old, and had a regression of performance. While his batting average stayed relatively the same, his HR total was cut by more than one-half. His OPS also dropped by .103 and his slugging percentage also decreased.
While Phillies' fans love to point out that their catcher had a higher batting average than Brian McCann this past season, they ignore the fact that his career stats are much worse than McCann's. I believe that last year was a fluke year and that he will be just a bottom of the order batter.
Domonic Brown, though a rookie, is not looking so great. He just had an injury that requires surgery and, even if he played, he'd probably be just okay. His replacement, Ben Francisco, is also average. In fact, Francisco fits more of the mold of bench player, not starter.
Finally, the Phillies lost Jayson Werth; a valuable piece to their 2010 offense. They have no respectable replacement for him, which will certainly show during the season. His loss may be more important than the Phillies' addition of Cliff Lee in the long run.
Overall, the Phillies' offense should be good, but not great. Their offense used to be what made the team powerful, but that is not the case this year. I believe their offense may drag them down, even with the Phillies' great pitching staff.
The Braves should, and can, take advantage of the Phillies' offensive weaknesses, helping them tremendously.
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Dan Uggla
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Finally, the Braves have a true power hitter. I have been waiting for the Braves get someone who can knock the ball out of the park on a consistent basis. Now, my wait is over.
Uggla has hit 30-plus HRs in every season in the past four years. This tells you how consistent he is in terms of power. He also has potential to have a good batting average, as shown by his .287 BA last season.
Another positive about Uggla, is his stats at Turner Field—his new home park. In 45 games playing at Turner Field, he has hit 12 HRs, 36 RBI and has a .354 BA. If he can replicate numbers similar to those, he will be an MVP candidate.
I have my fingers crossed that he will not be a major liability defensively, but I can only hope. He has been a poor defender in his career, which is something the Braves do not need.
Overall, I believe he will become a very valuable asset to an offense that has lacked a power hitter since the departure of Mark Teixeira. With the addition of Dan Uggla, the Braves may have one of the most complete offenses in the league in 2011.
Chipper Jones' Return
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Braves fans know how valuable Chipper Jones has been for the team, but, in recent years, he has either underperformed or been injured. He is being paid a huge salary, but he has not been earning it.
However, he showed signs of his old self last year in the second half of the season. His hot streak ended with a season-ending injury that required major surgery. It looked like the end of Chipper's career, but he vowed to return. And return he has.
He has played in most of the spring training games this year with good results. He hit a home run a few days ago, and has hit with a decent average. It is only spring training, but those are good signs.
Even if he does hit like he has in the past two years, he still will carry a high on-base percentage. He also will be a good influence on the younger hitters such as Freddie Freeman and even Jason Heyward. He is still valuable to the lineup, and his return is much needed and will improve the team.
Nate McClouth
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I never thought I would ever be saying this, but I believe Nate McClouth will positively affect the team. From what I have been hearing from Florida, he is a new and better hitter.
McClouth has been a huge bust ever since he came from Pittsburgh, and most Braves fans dislike him (including me). However, he has potential to be an All-Star, and it is showing in Orlando this spring.
He has been the best hitter this spring for the Braves and has already surpassed his hit total from last year's spring training. As I said before, I know this is only spring training, but you can still see changes in swings and batting stances and so on.
Atlanta needs McClouth to play like he is paid and, I think this year, he will. In fact, I will go as far as to say he will hit at least .270. He has the potential and I believe he will prove it this season.
Tommy Hanson
7 of 10
It wasn't like he was bad, but his win total last year was not beneficial to Atlanta. He had a record of 10-11, although with a great ERA of 3.33.
However, he is young (24) and he will only improve. He has the potential to be an All-Star and a Cy Young winner. He just needs to harness his skills and pitch wisely.
His main problem last year was his emotions. He would get too tight or worked up in beginning of games, which led to mental errors and pitching mistakes. If he can learn to become a smarter pitcher, then the sky is the limit.
Hanson this year will most likely win at least 15 games if nothing goes wrong. I believe he will learn from his mistakes and pitch to win; something that will help the Braves improve.
Freddie Freeman
8 of 10
It is amazing to me that the Braves have this many talented prospects. Freeman continues the Braves' tradition of having great players come up from their minor league system and have an immediate impact on the team.
Freeman is not a Jason Heyward, so expectations should not be as high. However, Freeman is a great contact hitter, meaning he will have a good batting average.
The Braves have needed stability at first base for a while, and Freeman is going to be their solution to the problem. He is expected to start on opening day and be there all season.
Even if Freeman does not play well offensively, he will still be a defensive asset. Many people who have seen him play have said that he is a great defender, and has potential to win gold gloves.
His talent hopefully will show itself on the field, and will bolster the Braves' lineup. He will be protected by Uggla and McCann, so he should get some pitches to hit. The Braves should improve due to his role on the team.
The Bullpen
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While I expect a drop off for the closer's spot, I believe the rest of the 'pen will improve. First of all, it will have Jonny Venters, Peter Moylan and Eric O'Flaherty, all of whom had ERAs under 3.00 last season.
Secondly, the addition of Scott Linebrink and George Sherrill should bring experience to the bullpen. With Billy Wagner leaving, there weren't any true veterans left. Thankfully, Frank Wren signed these two to be both reliable and quality relievers, as well as mentors.
Sherrill was brought to Atlanta to get out lefties. He's good at getting lefties out with ease, and this will help the bullpen because the Braves' rivals have many good left handed hitters.
Finally, the bullpen will improve due to added depth. The Braves will have players like Brandon Beachy, Scott Proctor, Cristhian Martinez, Kris Medlen (when he recovers from Tommy John surgery), Stephen Marek, etc. All of these players will give breathing room to the bullpen, and they will provide a strong safety net in case the bullpen becomes injured.
Once again, this year, I believe the bullpen will be a strong point for the Braves. They will have a fire-throwing rookie as their closer and great returning players. The bullpen will be able to hold and finish games consistently and comfortably, which will help improve the team.
The Rest of the Team
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The major thing that people seem to ignore about the Braves, is that they made the playoffs last year. This year, most of that same team will be returning to reload and try again.
The Braves will have Jason Heyward, Martin Prado, Brian McCann, Alex Gonzalez, Tim Hudson, Derek Lowe, Jair Jurrjens, Eric Hinske and others. Those are all great players who can repeat or even do better this year. The addition of the improvements I mentioned, added to this base of players, can only mean a better team.
Most of these players will improve this year, especially Heyward, Prado, Jurrjens and McCann. The pitching staff will continue to dominate and the lineup may finally be lethal. The Braves just need to mix the ingredients.
The Braves have the potential to be the next NL dynasty, and this year could be the beginning of it. Even if that doesn't happen, I still have strong feelings that the Braves will actually improve this year from last; not deteriorate.
I will say this: Look out for the 2011 Atlanta Braves.
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