7. The Atlanta Braves will make the playoffs
Admittedly, the last three seasons have brought very little reason to think that a winning record is in the cards for 2017, let alone a playoff spot. So, why the optimism?
Well, let’s break the 2016 season down into two parts.
The 2016 season was bad for the #Braves, but they finished headed in the right direction pic.twitter.com/ItGpogovo9
— Sportsnaut (@Sportsnaut) February 7, 2017
For the record, since the inception of the second wild card spot in 2012, 93-69 would have been good enough to earn a Wild Card spot or win the National League East in each year.
Granted, it would normally be crazy to weigh what happened in 42 games over what happened in 119. But Dansby Swanson debuted on August 17. That skews things towards the later, smaller sample.
The 2015 No. 1 overall pick was darn impressive in 2016. Making the jump from AA to the majors, he slashed at .302/.361/.442 with 20 runs scored, three homers, 17 RBI and three steals in 129 at-bats. How good can he be over a full season with some MLB experience under his belt?
Additionally, Matt Kemp will be in Atlanta for a full season. Sean Rodriguez isn’t a superstar, but he’s a nice role player who has a knack for playing on teams that win. Bartolo Colon is certainly not a Cy Young contender anymore, but he’s a capable pitcher who will bring stability to the rotation behind ace Julio Teheran
The National League East (and the National League in general) is no cakewalk. Given the last three years, a playoff spot may seem crazy. But looking at the trajectory of the Braves, October baseball is well within the realm of possibility.