2025 Atlanta Braves Season Thread

[TheGreatShowtime]

I feel that, but pitching is volatile in general. I wanted Fried back for sure but I wasn't interested in paying Blake Snell or Corbin Burnes crazy money. And when you talk about that second tier of SP, we have so many arms that have the potential to put up similar numbers for a fraction of the price that you have to at least give them a chance to take those spots.

We're already locked in with:

Sale
Lopez
Schwellenbach
Strider when he's back, even if he's not 100%

Then we got:

Ian Anderson
Bryce Elder
Grant Holmes
AJ Smith-Shawver
Hurston Waldrep

Already on the 40-man, alongside a bunch of rando lottery tickets,

Then behind that, idk how much yall follow the minors, but you got guys like Hackenburg, Burkhalter, Braun, and a few more that are showing the same type of traits and progress to "come out of nowhere" next year like the Spencers did.

That's a lot of lottery tickets for really only 1.5 open spots in the rotation. It's not guaranteed, but I think that it's a pretty sure bet that 2-3 of these guys can at least be "average", which is all we really need them to be.

I don't know. Sale can fall off a cliff any time given his age. I'm not expecting him to, but I wouldn't be surprised if it happens. I think Lopez likely overachieved last year. Schwellenbach could take the next step. But the other guys listed don't give me much hope. The league figured out Elder fast. Ian Anderson can't seem to put it together. AJSS could take the next step. Grant Holmes doesn't really give me confidence. Waldrep could be good, but that's my Gator bias coming out.

 

[Trust Me]

I don't know. Sale can fall off a cliff any time given his age. I'm not expecting him to, but I wouldn't be surprised if it happens. I think Lopez likely overachieved last year. Schellenbach could take the next step. But the other guys listed don't give me much hope. The league figured out Elder fast. Ian Anderson can't seem to put it together. AJSS could take the next step. Grant Holmes doesn't really give me confidence. Waldrep could be good, but that's my Gator bias coming out.

My Orlando Magic brethren... this is where our allegiances part ways.

 

[The_Sheff]

I have no confidence in anyone in our organization stepping up to be that 5th starter. AA can still make a move though, so we'll see. A lot of people wanted Arcia replaced at SS but I'm one of the few that is ok with him. He has an above average glove which is almost just as valuable as having a more consistent bat at that position.

Keeping it 100, i dont even know if a team like the Braves can make moves to legit challenge for a title until MLB fixes the bullshyt the Dodgers are doing. I cant even be mad at them for standing pat.

 

[Professor K.]

I don't know. Sale can fall off a cliff any time given his age. I'm not expecting him to, but I wouldn't be surprised if it happens. I think Lopez likely overachieved last year. Schellenbach could take the next step. But the other guys listed don't give me much hope. The league figured out Elder fast. Ian Anderson can't seem to put it together. AJSS could take the next step. Grant Holmes doesn't really give me confidence. Waldrep could be good, but that's my Gator bias coming out.

Everything you said is true, I just understand why AA would bet on it working out

I think we all have repressed the memory of just how bad our luck was on offense last year. Everybody underperformed to such an absurd degree that you gotta bank on a collective bounceback that just needs average pitching to be a successful baseball team.

Now, the pitching could end far less than average if Sale gets old, or if Lopez falls off, or if Strider doesn't come back strong, or if none of the lottery tickets are winners, but the odds of all those "ifs" happening are just as low as.... the odds of our offense falling off like it did last year

The pitching carried the team last year, this year is the offense's turn. On paper, yeah, the pitching is mid. But given the circumstances, it's mid by design

 

[Born2BKing]

Everything you said is true, I just understand why AA would bet on it working out

I think we all have repressed the memory of just how bad our luck was on offense last year. Everybody underperformed to such an absurd degree that you gotta bank on a collective bounceback that just needs average pitching to be a successful baseball team.

Now, the pitching could end far less than average if Sale gets old, or if Lopez falls off, or if Strider doesn't come back strong, or if none of the lottery tickets are winners, but the odds of all those "ifs" happening are just as low as.... the odds of our offense falling off like it did last year

The pitching carried the team last year, this year is the offense's turn. On paper, yeah, the pitching is mid. But given the circumstances, it's mid by design

Are we trying to win in the playoffs or just make the playoffs? We not winning shyt in October as our pitching staff is currently constructed.

 

[Born2BKing]

Keeping it 100, i dont even know if a team like the Braves can make moves to legit challenge for a title until MLB fixes the bullshyt the Dodgers are doing. I cant even be mad at them for standing pat.

Unless they get hit with the injury bug, I don't see anyone beating the Dodgers. They are a fukking juggernaut.

 

[Motife43]

Are we trying to win in the playoffs or just make the playoffs? We not winning shyt in October as our pitching staff is currently constructed.

I would say no. In a playoff game I don’t have trust in any healthy starter other than Sale.

But it’s been the bats that have failed us the past two postseasons…

 

[Professor K.]

Are we trying to win in the playoffs or just make the playoffs? We not winning shyt in October as our pitching staff is currently constructed.

Worse pitching staffs than ours have won before. Like @Motife43 said, it's on the bats to produce in the offs now. All the Dodger nut riding gotta stop. Are they the best team in baseball? Yeah, sure. Are they invincible? Hell no. If we going into the season forgetting everything we know about what this team is capable of and how volatile the sport of baseball is in and of itself and just saying "nobody can beat LA " then we minus whale lock the thread right now and save ourselves 162 games of trouble

 

[RaspberryFitted]

If Acuna goes out with another injury in some point of the season, we’ll have to have some uncomfortable conversations

 

[daemonova]

If Acuna goes out with another injury in some point of the season, we’ll have to have some uncomfortable conversations

He not hank Aaron, that's it

 

[hashmander]

If Acuna goes out with another injury in some point of the season, we’ll have to have some uncomfortable conversations

he'll still be under a good contract.

 

[daemonova]

 

[daemonova]

Reynaldo López will start in North Port against Boston on Tuesday, when the Braves have a split-squad. Spencer Schwellenbach will start in Bradenton against the Pirates.

 

[Motife43]

Crime Dog sighting too

 

[daemonova]