2021 Pre-Season Profile: Atlanta Braves

 #6

The Atlanta Braves continued to show in 2020 that they are one of the best young teams in all of baseball, coming one win away from making the World Series.  Can they continue to take steps forward in 2021?

2020 Predictions

#10 - 2nd in NL East, WILD CARD, lose in Wild Card Game

MIH - Marcell Ozuna

MIP - Cole Hamels

PTW - Kyle Wright

2020 Results

#6 - 35-25, 1st in NL East, lost in NLCS

I thought 2020 was due to be a step back for the young Braves roster.  Instead, they leapt forward.  I thought Cole Hamels was going to be a factor, and he pitched one game.  Marcell Ozuna had a big year, but not as big as league MVP Freddie Freeman.  Their young pitching stepped up, and that was after Opening Day starter Mike Soroka went down with an injury in his third start.  This all just proved how talented this team truly is and how high their ceiling is going forward.

Additions / Subtractions

Despite the big 2020 season, the Braves still understand the need for some veteran pitching to mentor the young aces they are developing.  So they went out and picked up Drew Smyly and Charlie Morton to pitch alongside the kids.  The other big move was re-signing Marcell Ozuna.  The only real subtractions from the lineup were Adam Duvall leaving for the Marlins and the retirement of Nick Markakis, moves that made room in the lineup considering there is no DH this year.  They did lose some key bullpen arms in Mark Melancon and Darren O'Day.

Most Important Hitter

Dansby Swanson

The Braves' lineup is pretty loaded with stars.  From Freddie Freeman to Marcell Ozuna to possibly the best of them all in Ronald Acuna Jr., this lineup can produce runs.  The breakout star among stars last season was Dansby Swanson.  He put together his best season to date at the plate and trailed only Freeman and pitching phenom Max Fried on the team in WAR (his highest WAR mark of his career despite it only being a 60 game season).  The question is whether or not the former number one overall pick can replicate that level of production for a full 162.  If he can, he becomes yet another weapon opposing pitchers have to deal with in this lineup.

Most Important Pitcher

Will Smith

The Braves always have a plethora of starting pitching, but the real question mark this season is the bullpen.  Closer Mark Melancon and specialist Darren O'Day left this team in the offseason and weren't really replaced.  So who is the closer?  How will they end the brilliant games their starters will pitch?  The most likely option, and the option the Braves need to emerge, is Will Smith.  A former All Star closer with the Giants, Smith has shown he can be an impact arm at the end of a game, something no one else in the bullpen has really proven.  If he can establish himself as the guy, all the other arms in the pen can start to find their role.  If he can't, it might be bullpen by committee which rarely ever works.

Prospect to Watch

Cristian Pache

After a taste of the big leagues in 2020 as a 21 year old, Cristian Pache will be the Opening day starting centerfielder.  Ranked the 12th best prospect in baseball, Pache is an elite defender (which earned him a spot on the postseason roster last season) that is still learning how to be an impact bat in a lineup.  He has shown some great progress and could be the next great young star in the Braves lineup.

2021 Prediction

1st in NL East, lose in NLDS

Emerging from the mayhem of the NL East in 1st place is going to be no easy task, but the Braves seem to have the depth and the youth to do it.  With that said, I think come October some of that youth could hurt them from making a deep run this season, especially considering how strong some of the other contenders are.  It might be a quick exit, but the Braves are a powerhouse that are here to stay for awhile.

Fearless Prediction

Ronald Acuna Jr. wins the NL MVP.

Somehow, Ronald Acuna Jr. is just entering his age 23 season, and he has already established himself as a perennial MVP candidate.  He won Rookie of the Year in 2018, finished 5th in MVP in 2019, and finished 12th in MVP in 2020 despite missing some time with injury and his teammate taking first place.  This could be the year he emerges with the crown.  What will help him is the development of Cristian Pache so he doesn't have to play centerfield anymore.  Being in rightfield might be a little less taxing and might be able to preserve some health.  Either way, it should be a big year for Acuna.

2018 Pre-Season Profile: Miami Marlins

#30

It is a magical time of year.  Pitchers and catchers have reported to Spring Training, and the rest of the players are not far behind.  We are less than a week away from the first Spring Training game, and before we know it, we will be in the middle of another outstanding baseball season.  This offseason has been unlike any other, with many of the top free agents still looking for jobs as camps open.  Players are looking to cash in with big contracts while clubs are scared of signing the latest free agent bust.  The trade market has been rich, with many teams searching for alternate solutions to upgrade their roster.  As I start my pre-season profiles for each club, there are still many unanswered questions for many players and many teams.

As we go from last to first, we start with one of the most active teams of the offseason as they seemed determined to go from average and emerging to terrible and rebuilding.

My 2017 Predictions

4th in NL East

The Marlins will trade for Jose Quintana mid-season.

2017 Results
77-85, 2nd in NL East

The Marlins finished with almost the exact same record as they did in 2016, however the weak NL East had them finish in second.  After tragically losing one of the faces of the franchise in Jose Fernandez at the end of the 2016 season, their other face, Giancarlo Stanton, had a career year that ended in him winning the NL MVP award.  I thought the Marlins might make some moves to really try and compete, with the starting rotation being the biggest hole in their roster.  Instead of making a splash for a guy like Quintana, the splash came in the new ownership group that was in place by the time the season ended.

Additions / Subtractions

With Derek Jeter & Co. now owning the Marlins, the philosophy of the franchise took a complete 180.  Instead of trying to find new ways to complement their strong lineup, the new ownership group decided the status quo was not sustainable financially.  If they needed to shed payroll, they needed to just blow up the current core and start over.  That is exactly what they did.  Gone are All Star caliber players like Dee Gordon, Christian Yelich, Marcell Ozuna, and reigning MVP Stanton along with the hundreds of millions of dollars committed to them.  Prospects were brought back, but some of the trades were simply salary dumps when you see the level of prospects they got in return.  The franchise had a complete reset, with second baseman Starlin Castro being the only established major leaguer brought back in any transaction.

Most Important Hitter

J.T. Realmuto

Along with Justin Bour, Realmuto is one of only two remaining members of the former Marlins core still on the roster, and he is not happy about it.  He has been very vocal this offseason about the fact that he wants to be traded as well so he has a chance to compete.  This makes him valuable to the Marlins because if they do decide to move him (which might be necessary if he becomes a cancer in the locker room) he should bring back a decent haul.  Yelich brought back the best haul of the offseason trades.  A similar haul might be in the cards for Realmuto, a 27 year old catcher with pop getting ready to enter his prime.

Most Important Pitcher

Jose Urena

In a year where the pitching staff was the downfall of the Marlins, Urena was a bright spot in 2017, going well over 100 innings for the first time in his career.  He was effective in those innings, earning 14 wins, a 3.82 ERA, and a 106 ERA+.  This makes him the only Marlins pitcher with more than 10 starts that was above league average (ERA+ 100).  All of this is promising, considering he is only entering his age 26 season.  This may be the future ace of the staff if he isn't already.  He may be one of the few things Marlins fans have to look forward to.

Prospect to Watch

Lewis Brinson

By far, the best prospect the Marlins got in their wheeling and dealing this offseason was Lewis Brinson from the Brewers in the Yelich deal.  He has been one of the top prospects for the last few years in all of baseball, and he is slated to be the Marlins Opening Day centerfielder.  He has a real chance of becoming a star and a new face of the new Marlins for the foreseeable future.

2018 Prediction

5th in NL East

Almost by design, the Marlins have the worst roster in the league by a decent amount.  They seem to be trying to employ the Astros blueprint of success.  Tear down to nothing and rebuild around some top draft picks.  The problem with this method is it takes several years to see any results.  Expect at least two or three 100 loss seasons before the Marlins improve.

Fearless Prediction

Half of the Marlins Opening Day starting lineup will not be on the roster by season's end.

The Marlins can't be done unloading pieces.  They should probably pick up a couple veteran players that are still in free agency to fill out their roster so they can at least look respectable on Opening Day.  However, look for players like Martin Prado, Starlin Castro, J.T. Realmuto, Justin Bour, Dan Straily, Wei-Yin Chen, and whatever veterans they might pick up along the way to either be traded or dropped by season's end.

2017 Pre-Season Profile: Miami Marlins

#21

When the Miami Marlins finished their 2016 season, no one cared what their record was because of an unthinkable tragedy.  Will the Marlins be able to recover and have a successful 2017 season?

My 2016 Predictions

3rd in NL East

Giancarlo Stanton will play a full season and hit 55+ home runs.

2016 Results

79-82, 3rd in NL East

Looking at the numbers, the Miami Marlins had a successful season as they once again took a step forward as one of the fun young teams to watch.  However, none of that mattered after the morning of September 25, when ace Jose Fernandez was killed in a boating accident.  This led to that night's game being cancelled (hence only the 161 games played) and one of the most tragic weeks in baseball history as the Marlins struggled to finish the season while missing their emotional leader.  What was an encouraging sign of a bright future for the franchise, 2016 turned into a season that left them lost and wondering where to turn.  As for my Fearless Prediction, once again injuries kept Stanton from playing a full season.  We are still waiting to see what heights he can reach if he could stay on the field fr a full season.

Additions / Subtractions

Jose Fernandez's untimely death left a huge hole in this team that was going to be hard to fill.  On a positive note, the Marlins' roster is mostly unchanged moving into 2017.  They did sign a couple pitchers to try and fill Fernandez's shoes.  Edinson Volquez, following some successful seasons with the Royals, is now considered the ace of the Marlins with fellow newcomer Dan Straily sliding into the #2 spot.

Most Important Hitter

Giancarlo Stanton

Like I have already stated, a full season of a healthy Giancarlo Stanton would be a sight to see.  Unfortunately, this has yet to happen in his young career.  Stanton is the heart of this order and the player that makes it work.  When he isn't in the lineup, the Marlins have few places to turn for power despite a strong lineup.  If they are to be successful in 2017, they need a full season from Stanton.

Most Important Pitcher

Adam Conley

Adam Conley had flashes of brilliance in 2016.  The problem was they were only flashes.  This is fine for a pitcher entering only his second full season in the big leagues, but with Jose Fernandez gone, the Marlins' pitching staff is now looking quite old.  Conley, at 27, is the youngest pitcher in their projected starting five and really the only one that hasn't already hit his ceiling.  Conley showed flashes of being a star in 2016.  They need him to be a star in 2017.

Player to Watch

Brian Anderson

The Marlins continue to sport one of the worst farm systems in all of baseball, only having one player in the Top 100 Prospects (who won't be major league ready for another couple seasons).  This leaves little chance at getting any rookies this season that could have a noticeable impact on the team.  One that might have a chance is infielder Brian Anderson.  If injuries derail the seasons of any of the Marlins' starting infielders, look for Anderson to get a chance to prove himself with the big club.

2017 Prediction

4th in NL East

I love the Marlins' lineup.  From Stanton to Dee Gordon, Christian Yelich, JT Realmuto, and Marcell Ozuna, the Marlins have an incredible young core of hitters.  The problem is their pitching.  Jose Fernandez's death might be one of the most tragic events in recent baseball history.  Not only was he only 24 years old with his entire life, let alone his baseball career, in front of him, but he was one of two or three pillars on which the Marlins were building this franchise.  With his tragic passing, they lost all momentum that may have been built in 2016.  It also left their starting rotation looking like one of the worst in the league.  They need more than Volquez and Straily to stabilize and solidify this pitching staff.  Unless they fix their pitching soon, they might waste the great window they have with their young lineup.

Fearless Prediction

The Marlins will trade for Jose Quintana mid-season.

Like I said, the Marlins need to do something big to fix their rotation.  Jose Quintana is the biggest arm available on the trading market.  The Marlins don't have a farm system to put together a monster package of prospects like other teams have done, but I think they can figure something out to make something like this happen.  Quintana would be a great fit for any team, but considering the Latin presence in Miami, Quintana might be able to appeal to the community at large in a way Jose Fernandez was able to.

2016 Pre-Season Profile: Miami Marlins

The Miami Marlins have a history of either being really good or really bad.  In 2015, they reached a rare position: they were mediocre.  Will 2016 be a step in one direction or another?

Last Season

My 2015 Prediction: 2nd in NL East

2015 Result: 71-91, 3rd in NL East

I was high on the Marlins coming into the 2015 season, however the season quickly went south and turned bizarre when they fired their manager Mike Redmond in favor of their general manager who had never managed before on any level.  I had them in second potentially battling for a Wild Card spot.  Instead, they ended up with 90 losses.  The only thing that kept them from going lower in the standings was how bad the Braves and Phillies were.

2016 Additions / Subtractions

The Marlins always seem to either go all in or sell everyone every offseason.  This offseason looked a little different.  They brought in a solid starter in Wei-Yin Chen and re-signed Dee Gordon.  They really didn't do much more.  They know they have something interesting building in Miami, and these few moves are small pieces that will help the team continue to develop.  The biggest move they made was at manager.  Don Mattingly is a vast improvement over the joke that was Dan Jennings last season.  He will actually be able to lead this team where they need to go.

Most Important Hitter

Marcell Ozuna

Many people say Marcell Ozuna is one of those special talents that can do it all.  The problem is he has yet to put it all together on the field for the Marlins.  For the Marlins to start taking steps forward, a player like Ozuna has to have a breakout season and show what kind of player his talent projects him to be.

Most Important Pitcher

Jose Fernandez

In 2013, Jose Fernandez showed that he has the talent to be one of the best pitchers in baseball.  Then, the dreaded Tommy John derailed his next two seasons.  Now, he is entering 2016 at full strength and should ready to be the superstar again.  This team is currently being built around two superstars: Fernandez and Giancarlo Stanton.  For this to continue, Fernandez needs to get back to that elite status.

Player to Watch

Jarlin Garcia

One problem the Marlins have is they do not have a very good farm system.  Their best prospects are still a few years away also.  The best player in the system that has a chance to make an impact this season is Jarlin Garcia.  He is a 23 year old left-handed pitcher that could get some starts this season for the big club.  Depending on his success, he could figure more into the plans moving forward.

2016 Prediction

3rd in NL East

The Marlins should be better than they were last season, however it shouldn't move them up the standings in the NL East at all.  The NL East has two elite teams, two terrible teams, and the Marlins who are somewhere in the middle.  In the next couple seasons, they might be contenders but not quite yet.

Fearless Prediction

Giancarlo Stanton will play a full season and hit 55+ home runs.

Giancarlo Stanton is a freak.  His only problem so far has been injuries, many of them freak injuries.  He hasn't played a full season since 2011.  Last season, he hit 27 home runs in 74 games.  That is just insane!  He is due to catch some breaks in terms of the injury bug so he can truly show what kind of production he can have.  He was halfway to 55 home runs in less than half the season in 2015.  A full season in 2016 should bring ridiculous production.