State of the Braves

Despite a few good signs from Austin Riley and Sean Murphy, the Braves offense reached a new low in Wednesday's game against the Blue Jays. The offensive performance spoiled the return of Spencer Strider, and leaves fans wondering if this team can ever get it going.

The Braves start the season 0-6, Jurikson Profar gets suspended for a performance-enhancing drug, and Reynaldo Lopez is out for at least the first half of the season with a shoulder injury. It is the worse possible start for a team that was supposed to be one of the best in baseball. What has happened to this team? And can they rebound?

As the season is almost here, join me as I once make some bold predictions about the Braves season. Which players might vy for the MVP, Cy Young, all-star appearances, and more? And which players might lose their jobs by the end of the year? The bottom line is the Braves should bounce back from a rough, injury-filled 2024 season and be big-time World Series contenders. It should be a fun season to...

What team will win the NL East? Have the Phillies really overtaken the Braves as the favorite to win the East or are the "experts" forgetting just how good the Braves are when healthy? Can the Braves legitimately hope to beat the Dodgers? We'll discuss that and more in a full playoff prediction episode.

Sean Murphy goes down with a cracked rib for 4-6 weeks, opening the door for top prospect Drake Baldwin to start the year in the big leagues. Is Baldwin ready and what might happen with the Braves' catching situation beyond the first few weeks.

Perhaps we forget too quickly how good this team can be. But early in spring, the signs are there that 2024 is in the rear view mirror. Jurikson Profar is already showing the type of player he can be, while Austin Riley and Matt Olson are looking much better than they did last spring. Meanwhile on the pitching side of things, A.J. Smith-Shawver and Spencer Schwellenbach are providing confidence th...

We all lived through a difficult Braves' 2024 season. Let's think good thoughts. What good things could break right for the Braves this spring? From good health, to surprise performers, to some needed development from some young players, spring training could set up things nicely for the Braves to be one of the best teams in baseball in 2025.

Other than adding Jurikson Profar, the Braves have done next to nothing this offseason despite having a team that can compete for a championship. Why? Part of the reason may be the long-term outlook. Join me as I break down the Braves roster situation over the next few years, where there s

The Braves finally break radio silence and sign all-star left fielder Jurikson Profar to a 3-year, $42 million deal. Profar, the newest Brave from Curacao, fits for many reasons, not only filling an obvious need in the outfield, but bringing on-base skills and a low strikeout rate to a team that prioritizes power. Profar is coming off a career year, so the big question is, will the changes he made...

Is anyone else annoyed, confused, or downright over the Braves' offseason? The Dodgers have dominated the baseball offseason for the 2nd consecutive year, while the Braves haven't signed or traded for a single major league player. What is going on? Is it actually possible that no major moves are made by Alex Anthopolous and the Atlanta front office? While that is unlikely, it is getting ha...

Despite being inactive this offseason, there are still many good players the Braves could still acquire through free agency or via trade. In this episode, we dive into which positions and players the Braves should prioritize. We also discuss whether the international signing period could be a factor holding up the Braves' decisions, and we imagine a scenario where Ozuna plays the outfield and open...

While the Braves' front office has done a great job building a perennial contender, the farm system has lagged behind for some time, especially when it comes to position prospects. In this episode, we discuss why that is and why it is so important that the Braves start addressing this weakness.

Alex Anthopolous and the rest of the Braves' brass have been strangely silent thus far this offseason. While other contenders, including the Mets and Phillies, have added through trades and free agency, the Braves have only added a few non-consequential depth pieces. Are they just patiently waiting to strike on a big-time player, or are they pinching pennies and willing to stand pat with their cur...

With the free agent market at an all-time high, will the Braves pivot to trades to fill out their needs? In this Winter Meetings episode, we dive into some possible trade scenarios for the Braves to solve their outfield and starting pitching needs, with a few surprises.

Let's attempt the impossible and try to read the mind of Alex Anthopoulos. How will the Braves' tackle this offseason? Will they go for a big free agent like Willy Adames? Will they bring back Max Fried? Will they trade for Garrett Crochet? Know Alex, he will hunt for value wherever he can find it.

Starting pitching, shortstop, outfield, and bullpen are all areas the Braves should target this offseason. But which areas will they prioritize? In this episode, I give you six different packages of moves the Braves could make to solidify the team, and I give you my favorite. Let me know which one you like best, or if there is a different strategy you would employ.

It's without debate that the Braves would not have sniffed the playoffs without the heroics of their starting rotation. Even with Spencer Strider going down with injury, Chris Sale, Max Fried, Reynaldo Lopez, and rookie Spencer Schwellenbach were terrific. Can they run it back in 2025 as Strider returns? The biggest question is, will Max Fried exit via free agency? We also discuss: Jorge Soler tra...

The Braves hire their new hitting coach Tim Hyers from the Texas Rangers. Will he bring a new hitting approach to the Braves? Freddie Freeman is about to win the World Series MVP. How should Braves fans feel about that as the Braves sit at home? The Braves' outfield was a disappointing combination of injury an underperformance. Other than health, what needs to happen for them to bounce back and be...

After Brian Snitker made comments that the entire Braves' coach staff would return for 2025, Kevin Seitzer and two other coaches were fired by the Braves' front office. How much was Seitzer to blame for the Braves 2024 offensive failures? We'll discuss his comments after being fired and analyze what the Braves can do to improve moving forward. We also discuss Jeff Francoeur's recent comments on th...

Despite all five Braves infielders being all-stars in 2023, the 2024 version of the Braves infield was a mixture of disappointing regression and injuries. How the the Braves' infield rebound to help the Braves reclaim the NL East and become World Series favorites in 2025?

The trying 2024 season ends abruptly for the Braves as the Padres sweep them 2-0 in the wild card round of the MLB playoffs. The Chris Sale injury and a lack of offense sunk the team. How much of the season can be blamed on injuries, and what do the Braves need to do in the offseason to strengthen their roster moving forward?

Last week it looked unlikely that the Braves would make the playoffs. Then briefly it looked like a lock. Then it required the Braves to beat the Mets in the final game of the year. Thankfully, the Braves got it done, but they had to do it without their ace, Chris Sale. Now, without an off day and without Sale, the Braves will have to figure out who is pitching in game 1 of their series against th...

With Ozzie Albies' return, the Braves hope to earn the last wild card spot against the Mets with the upcoming series in Atlanta. Do they have what it takes? Will their style of power and pitching be enough, while overcoming all of the many obstacles the 2024 season has brought? We also discuss Chipper Jones' recent comments on the Braves' offensive philosophy from the top down, and the...

As bad as the Braves' offense has been thanks to a combination of injuries and underperformance, the starting rotation and closer Raisel Iglesias have been spectacular this season. Can the pitching staff really drag this team into October? Or perhaps the offense can find new life in the last few weeks of the season. In a season filled with bad breaks and little magic, it may just take good ol&...

The Braves had a chance to win every game in the four-game set in Philly, but poor execution and questionable coaching decisions were all the Phillies needed to take 3 of 4 from the Braves and likely seal up the division. The Braves will have to bounce back in a big way after the disappointing result, as the Mets are only 1 game out of the final wild card spot held by the Braves.