In a season where the Washington Nationals were expected to win the National League East and probably have a 14- game lead with 45 games left, the Braves lead D.C.’s team by that margin.
In all honesty, I love that the team was not expected to win the division. Now, of course, we’re talking about as far as the MLB talking heads go. For Braves fans, we expect the team to win the division every year and wholeheartedly believe that they can.
The best part is, we don’t have the Bryce Harper’s of the world and we’re all the better for it.
Atlanta is full of young talent, especially with the pitchers that are in the system. The likes of Julio Teheran, Mike Minor, and closer Craig Kimbrel are fantastic and give Braves fans extended confidence when they take the mound. Kimbrel and Minor are both 25-years old, while Teheran is coming into an ace-type of role with the rotation at age 22.
Young position players are also a key to the Braves success this season. All-Star first- baseman Freddie Freeman and shortstop Andrelton Simmons are both just 23 years old and, already, have people coming to the ballpark just to see what they’re going to do next.
The entire outfield, with the exception of Jordan Schafer and B.J. Upton, are under the age of 25. Left-fielder Justin Upton is leading the team and ranked sixth in the NL with 22 home runs.
The outfield has produced the some of the biggest surprises of the season. Todd Cunningham had a hit in his first at-bat and scored a run in the same game with the big club after being called up from Gwinnett. Joey Terdoslavich has four doubles and three RBIs in his 12 hits for the season.
One of the more impressive rookie players this season has easily been Evan Gattis. Gattis is listed as a catcher and covered the first month of the season behind the plate while Brian McCann was finishing his rehab from shoulder surgery. That month, Gattis hit six home runs. Since McCann’s return to the field, Gattis has split time in the outfield and catcher positions, hitting nine home runs to total 15 on the season as a part of his 46 RBIs. Gattis has earned his way into Rookie of the Year talks, that is if ESPN doesn’t go ahead and inscribe Yasiel Puig’s name on the award before it’s given.
So, if the Braves have all of this impressive young talent, why bring up the “Bryce Harper’s of the world?” Easy. The Braves have some of the best under-the-radar talent in the MLB. Harper was expected to produce and turn around his club from day one.
Atlanta is an excellent organization in growing their young players into very good players. They expect them to contribute, but don’t rely so heavily on them. (Plus, the team usually doesn’t have to put up with the egos of the Bryce Harper’s.) This formula has worked for many seasons, especially the 2013 season and it is exactly why the Braves will be in the postseason.
Of the 45 games left this seas on, the Braves only have seven against teams with winning records. Three games against the Indians at Turner Field, where the best home record in baseball stands at 39-16, and four games in St. Louis against the Cardinals.
Currently, the team holds the best record in baseball and, even though the American League has home-field advantage in the World Series, having the best record in the NL will earn the Braves that advantage throughout the playoffs.
Combining the Braves success at the Ted with home-field advantage during the playoffs is exactly why they should be considered heavy favorites to reach the NLCS (Oh, and there’s this Waffle House #RallyWaffle thing). I would consider them to be favorites to win the NL and play in the World Series, but, then again, I am a fan.
