2017 Pre-Season Profile: Atlanta Braves

#20

The Atlanta Braves continue to design the blueprint for how to rebuild a franchise.  Will their youth movement open up their new ballpark with a successful 2017 season?

My 2016 Predictions

4th in NL East

The Atlanta Braves will lead the league this year in big league debuts.

2016 Results

68-93, 5th in NL East

The 2016 was an interesting one for the Atlanta Braves.  Their youth movement started off horribly as they were easily the worst team in the league the first half of the season, leading to the firing of manager Fredi Gonzalez 37 games in.  However, the end of the year started to see a turnaround as they were one of the hottest teams in the league in September.  They may have had one more win too, but they were the opponent in the cancelled game following the death of Marlins' star Jose Fernandez.

Additions / Subtractions

The Braves were one of the most active teams this offseason.  Their approach seemed to be to surround their youngsters with solid veterans that will help make them successful.  This led to acquiring guys like Bartolo Colon, RA Dickey, Kurt Suzuki, and Brandon Phillips.  Add to that Matt Kemp, who was acquired mid-season last year, and you have a really good balance between rising stars and proven veterans moving forward.  Possibly the two most significant additions this offseason have nothing to do with the lineup.  Brian Snitker, a lifetime Brave, had the interim tag removed as th team's manager in 2017.  However, the biggest change for the team is the opening of their brand new ballpark, replacing the Olympic-Stadium-turned-baseball-park Turner Field.  The opening of a new stadium always brings some heightened excitement to any season.

Most Important Hitter

Adonis Garcia

The Braves are a roster filled with either kids trying to prove themselves or veterans helping fill in the holes.  Then there is Adonis Garcia, who doesn't really fit either category.  At 32 years old, this Cuban defector is only entering his third season in the big leagues.  He is still figuring out how to hit in the league, but he is too old to be considered one of the young guys.  This season could be a make-or-break year for Garcia.  If he has a successful season, then he will be considered part of the new young core moving forward.  If he struggles, he could easily be considered one of the expendable veterans that could be dropped or traded at any point for the next phenom to take over.

Most Important Pitcher

Jaime Garcia

Amidst all the old guys picked up over the offseason, the move to get Jaime Garcia (no relation to Adonis) could easily slide under the radar.  However, this is the kind of "low-risk-high-reward" moves that could really pay off for the Braves.  It wasn't long ago that Jaime Garcia was considered one of the better young pitchers in the game.  However, a few injuries in recent years have derailed a once promising career.  Now the 30 year old lefty is looking to resurrect his career in Atlanta.  If he can recapture some of his glory from St. Louis, he could really solidify a fascinating starting rotation.

Player to Watch

Ozzie Albies

Everyone knows about Rookie of the Year favorite Dansby Swanson.  However, one of the guys to watch for this season is Ozzie Albies.  Overshadowed by Swanson, Albies is still a top 10 prospect in all of baseball.  Because of Swanson, this 20 year old has been transitioning from shortstop to second base.  With Brandon Phillips now starting at second, it allows the Braves to have some patience with Albies, but it also gives him a mentor.  In his prime, nobody did it better than Phillips.  Watch for Albies to be brought along slowly, but once he hits Atlanta, enjoy what will become one of the best young double play combos in the league.

2017 Prediction

3rd in NL East

It sounds like a bit of a stretch, but this team has so much going for it moving into 2017.  They have a young core that ended 2016 with a lot of positive momentum.  They brought in a lot of veteran talent that can stabilize the roster and bring some consistency.  They also have the buzz surrounding the opening of SunTrust Park, which often inspires teams to overachieve.  The Braves are still several years away from truly competing, but they are going to make some great strides in the right direction this season and really surprise a lot of people.

Fearless Prediction

The Atlanta Braves will be over .500 at the All Star Break.

What will lead to a strong season for the Braves is a fast start.  Look for them to be one of the hottest teams in baseball at the start of the season.  Eventually they will cool off as the veterans slow down or get traded and the team hands some spots over to kids like Ozzie Albies.  However, the fast start will have them as the talk of the league for a good portion of the early summer.

2017 Pre-Season Profile: Cincinnati Reds

#30

It's that time of year again!  Time to look at the upcoming baseball season.  This year, as I go through each team and their outlook for this season, I am going through by my own pre-season power rankings.  We start with the end with one of the few teams that know they have no shot entering this season: the Cincinnati Reds.

My 2016 Predictions

4th in NL Central

Manager Bryan Price will be fired before the All Star Break.

2016 Results

68-94, 5th in NL Central

Somehow, I gave the Reds too much credit last season.  I knew they weren't going to be good.  I had no idea just how bad they would be.  They were stuck in a weird spot of trying to rebuild while holding onto some franchise favorite veterans.  Finishing in the bottom 5 of the entire league, it's a miracle my Fearless Prediction was wrong!

2017 Additions / Subtractions

At the 2015 Trade Deadline, the Reds finally started the slow rebuild process when they traded Johnny Cueto to the Royals.  Then, in the 2016 offseason, they traded Todd Frazier to the White Sox.  They continued the process at the 2016 Trade Deadline when they traded Jay Bruce to the Mets.  This offseason kept the slow dismantling moving by trading Brandon Phillips to the Braves.  Outside of this and additions of veteran pitchers Scott Feldman and Drew Storen, the Reds were pretty quiet as they allow their young players (Adam Duvall, Scott Schebler, Eugenio Suarez, Jose Mazara) try to establish themselves.

Most Important Hitter

Joey Votto

Last year, I said the Reds' Most Important Hitter was Jay Bruce, not because of what he would contribute to the team, but because of what he would get the team in the trade market.  Joey Votto, one of the only members of the old guard left, could be serving a similar purpose in 2017.  First off, Votto is one of the best hitters in baseball, a fact that has been true for all the 2010's.  He is the Reds best player, which is why he is still around.  The Reds need to make a decision on what they want to do with Votto.  Do they keep him to mentor their young crop of hitters, possibly dooming him to play for mediocre teams for the rest of his career?  Or do they trade him and his big contract to continue to add to their young talent base?  This question will likely be answered in 2017.  If they still have him at the end of the season, he is staying put.  If they don't, he will bring a healthy batch of prospects.

Most Important Pitcher

Brandon Finnegan

If the Reds want to win anytime soon, some of their young talent needs to start emerging.  Brandon Finnegan was the centerpiece in the package the Reds got back from the Royals for Johnny Cueto in 2015.  In 2016, Finnegan had an average season in his first full year in the big leagues.  Now, it is time for him to take a step forward and emerge as a possible ace moving forward.  If he does that, the Reds might not be as terrible as you think.

Player to Watch

Amir Garrett

A rebuilding team like this is usually a revolving door of rookies throughout the season.  One of the more intriguing prospects bound to make his debut this year is left-handed flamethrower Amir Garrett.  This 24 year old is still a little rough around the edges, but he has the potential of being a front-line starter for years to come.

2017 Prediction

5th in NL Central

Being at the bottom of my Pre-Season Power Rankings, this prediction is fairly anticlimactic.  The Reds have some potential, with guys like Duvall and Schebler flashing some greatness last year.  However, they still have such a long way to go, mainly because they refuse to fully commit to the rebuild.  Why are guys like Votto, Zack Cozart, and Devin Mesoraco still on the roster?  There is nothing exciting about a team that is going nowhere.  That's where the Reds are.  Either sell the farm and rebuild or reload and try to win with what you have.  Being caught in the middle never works.

Fearless Prediction

Zack Cozart will be traded before the All Star Break.

I really thought about going with the same prediction as last year, but I thought that might be too obvious.  Of all the veterans still on the roster, Zack Cozart seems to be the logical next choice to be traded.  Jose Peraza, slated to be the starting 2nd baseman, is the shortstop of the future.  He can't move over till Cozart is gone though.  Look for a team that has a key injury to an infielder to make a move for Cozart, who still has something left to prove in this league.

2016 Pre-Season Profile: Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds finished 2015 in the cellar for the first time since 1983.  Will 2016 bring about a different result?

Last Season

My 2015 Prediction: 5th in NL Central

2015 Result: 64-98, 5th in NL Central

No one in 2015 had the loss column hit triple digits, however the Reds are one of several teams that sure came close.  The Reds got caught with an aging core and not enough talent ready to play to replenish the declining talent.  Even if they did, they had too much money committed to their roster that they couldn't really get rid of many of their problems.  Needless to say, their season end up as a disaster with few prospects to be better soon.

2016 Additions / Subtractions

Starting at the 2015 Trade Deadline, the Reds started unloading some of their better talent to get back prospects that could bolster their farm system.  Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake was traded last season, then the offseason saw Todd Frazier and Aroldis Chapman moving on.  Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce were in serious trade talk as well, but the deals fell through.  They have started to show that their strategy is a franchise reset.

Most Important Hitter

Jay Bruce

Jay Bruce is one of the best hitters the Reds have left, however there is a different reason he is their most important hitter this year.  Bruce is the best trade chip the Reds still have.  If the season heads south quick, which a lot of people expect it to, the question stops being if Bruce gets traded, and switches to when Bruce gets traded.  How well the Reds orchestrate a trade of Jay Bruce will help determine how good they will be in the future and how long it takes them to get there.

Most Important Pitcher

Homer Bailey

The Reds are pretty shaky all around their lineup.  One of the biggest question marks entering the season for them is how good Homer Bailey will be.  Bailey missed most of last season with Tommy John surgery.  He might be ready in time for the season to start.  If this doesn't happen, or he struggles when he comes back, look for Homer Bailey's season to become an audition for all teams looking to trade for an established starter at the Trade Deadline.

Player to Watch

Jesse Winker

A team like the Cincinnati Reds usually has a lot of opportunities to get their prospects time in the big leagues.  As they are attempting to build from the ground up, their top prospects will slowly but surely work their way in.  Jesse Winker is their top prospect right now.  This left-handed hitting outfielder could be a call-up if a Jay Bruce trade ever gets finalized.

2016 Prediction

4th in NL Central

It looks like the Reds have a little farther to fall before they can bounce back.  The only reason they are not in last place is because of a team in their division that is even worse off (mainly, because they don't have Joey Votto).  The Reds will be in the bottom five of the league, especially considering how good the top three in the division are.  Hopefully, it can start to turn around soon, but not in 2016.

Fearless Prediction

Manager Bryan Price will be fired before the All Star Break.

When you have a team like the Reds, it is hard to determine whether the poor play on the field is a result of the aging roster or a bad manager.  Either way, the manager ends up getting blamed at some point.  Bryan Price barely made it to 2016 after their terrible 2015.  Pitching coaches rarely make good managers, and I don't think Price is an exception to that rule.