State of the Braves

The Braves go 1-5 in their west coast road trip against the Mariners and Dodgers. It's easy to feel a bit down as a Braves fan right now. Their vaunted offense is underperforming and the Phillies have taken the top spot in the NL East. So, what is to blame for the offensive struggles? And how can the Braves bounce back quickly?

The Braves' starters have been on quite a tear lately. Led by Max Fried's awesome "Maddux" shutout, the entire five-man staff has been lights out. Travis d'Arnaud has been the star of the offense. His three-homer game provided a memorable moment and a reminder of how good an offfensive performer he can be. And we are all happy to welcome back Ozzie Albies, as he came off the IL from his toe fracture.

Marcell Ozuna's career resurgence should be appreciated. It's rare and remarkable. And impactful on the field! Even though the Braves have had to deal with their share of injuries in the early going of the 2024 season (including Ozzie Albies most recently), Ozuna's performance has a been a key to keeping the Braves on top of the NL East.

While the Braves are 7-4 and sitting atop the NL East, it feels as if they haven't come close to finding their groove yet. Ronald Acuna hasn't found his MVP form yet, Spencer Strider's injury has created a question at the fifth starter spot, and the bullpen has waivered in the last few games. Weather and the schedule haven't helped, but soon I expect this team to start rolling.

Spencer Strider's arm injury is a major blow to the Braves, but to what level? What are the short-term and long-term implications of the injury, and how do they ensure that Strider's injury does not derail their promising season?

The Braves start the 2024 regular season with a 2-1 series win against the Phillies in Philadelphia. The offense and the bullpen were particularly impressive. As early as it is, this series may provide a few clues to the strength of the Braves team. Even when stars like Max Fried falter, the Braves are more than capable of picking each other up and dominating the opponent.

Can the Braves repeat their 2023 win total? How will they perform in the playoffs? Which players are the most important for their regular season and playoff success? Tune in for a full season preview with complete playoff predictions for every MLB division along with my World Series matchup.

Join me as I give my 6 boldest Braves player predictions for the 2024 season. How good can Ronald Acuna be this year? Will Austin Riley take another step towards super-stardom? Can Spencer Strider win a Cy Young? All that and more in this fun episode.

With the additions of Chris Sale and Reynaldo Lopez, the Braves boast one of the top starting rotations in baseball. How good is it? Like all rotations, it will depend on health. But a full season of Strider, Fried, Sale, and Morton paired with the best offense in baseball would make the Braves a force to be reckoned with this season.

How good can the Braves outfield actually be? The sky is the limit for this talented young group anchored by the reigning MVP. Ronald Acuna, Michael Harris, and Jarred Kelenic could make up one of the best outfields in Braves history.

As the Braves begin spring training, we preview their vaunted infield. Last year the entire infield was named to the all-star team. Can it happen again? Who is likely to improve in 2024? Who might experience regression? Join me as we fully break down the Braves infield.

Ronald Acuna showed up to spring training and quickly announced he wants to be a Brave for life. In this episode, I analyze what a Ronald Acuna extension would look like, when it might happen, and how it might affect players like Max Fried and Ozzie Albies.

Everyone has been talking about how the Braves need to bring an edge to how they play this season. While that is certainly true, the maturation of Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuna, Jr. may be one of the most underrated parts of the Braves 2024 success and beyond. Evidence of this maturity and leadership is showing itself early in spring camp. Oh, and Ronald wants to be a Brave for life. So, that's good too.

Even though many publications have the Braves farm system ranked in the bottom five, there are exciting players at the top. Pitching is the most vital need for the Braves, but some lesser-known position players may provide some surprises for the Braves in the next few years, as well.

While the Braves' farm system is generally regarded as bottom third in baseball, the team has a great recent track record of development. Their commitment to high-character guys with upside has paid off most recently with players like Michael Harris and Spencer Strider. In this episode, I rank the Braves 9th-16th best prospects.

How is it possible that Andruw Jones still isn't in the Hall of Fame? The writers prove themselves as a poor judge of greatness. While Andruw had his offensive issues, he stands as the greatest defensive centerfielder of all-time. Tune in for my full argument for Andruw's induction. I don't think you wil find a more thoughtful analysis. He deserves to be in.

In this special episode, we look back at some of my favorite "non-star" Braves since I became a fan (1991). As you look back with me, consider who your favorite Braves have been over the years.

Soon after the Braves sign Chris Sale to a new contract that could take him through 2026, they lock up GM Alex Anthopoulos to a seven-year extension that will take him through 2031. Sale comes with some risk, but also potentially big rewards. Anthopoulos is a no-brainer. His long-term future with the Braves brings greater certainty to the Braves' bright future.

It's not surprising that the Braves acquired a starting pitcher this offseason, but no one was predicting that they would trade for 7-time all-star Chris Sale. Sending the talented, popular Vaughn Grissom to Boston, the Braves take on the often injured, but gifted Sale. Time will tell who wins this trade.

After an insane few weeks, the Dodgers have added Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Glasnow. The media narrative is they are a super team and by far the best team in baseball. But is that the reality? Let's take a deeper dive into 2024 and beyond for the Braves and Dodgers.