Braves - More Good than Bad lately

[Nerfherders]

The Braves winning ways have been a nice change for the last couple months, but this trend actually goes back over a year:

Braves Records:
23-15 in their last 38 games
34-25 in their last 59 games

76-70 since Kemp joined the team.
82-80 in their last 162 games.

Their winning record in fact goes back even farther, to June 12th of last year (95-94)

[Enscheff]

Does Coppy get to add a banner to the facade for finishing with a .500 record?

Seems like they sure are trying hard for it!!

[VirginiaBrave]

No, but it proves things are headed in the direction they need to be. You just refuse to acknowledge it.

[Preacher]

Coppy has made some really solid moves with this club, look at the production we've gotten out of Flowers/Suzuki and then consider how little they make. Inciarte has turned into a star, Adams was a really good fill-in and Phillips was a great pickup for basically nothing.

Colon ended up being a disaster, but overall lots of pretty good decisions.

[bravesfanMatt]

Coppy has made some really solid moves with this club, look at the production we've gotten out of Flowers/Suzuki and then consider how little they make. Inciarte has turned into a star, Adams was a really good fill-in and Phillips was a great pickup for basically nothing.

Colon ended up being a disaster, but overall lots of pretty good decisions.

It is impressive that he is toeing the line between being respectable and still building a great farm system. I know there has been we should've out there.. but the results are still there that we have great organization, watchable mlb team, and a promising future. There is NOTHING wrong with this. As a fan, I am happy with my team

[Preacher]

It is impressive that he is toeing the line between being respectable and still building a great farm system. I know there has been we should've out there.. but the results are still there that we have great organization, watchable mlb team, and a promising future. There is NOTHING wrong with this. As a fan, I am happy with my team

yea man, I agree. Certainly things I can quibble with and I still hope he trades BP/JG at the deadline. But he has put a decent product on the MLB in the first season of a new stadium without sacrificing any of best (second best) farm system in the game. Our future is really bright

[PurpleBrave]

My only concern is that we have been doing "well" in spite of our young players not because of them. Which one of our prospects has made a large contribution to that 82-80 record? It's been all Freeman and the old guys.

[Preacher]

My only concern is that we have been doing "well" in spite of our young players not because of them. Which one of our prospects has made a large contribution to that 82-80 record? It's been all Freeman and the old guys.

ummm. Inciarte??

[PurpleBrave]

ummm. Inciarte??

Okay, so one guy...and he wasn't really one of our prospects.

[50PoundHead]

I have enjoyed the fact that they are playing with more focus. This team clearly has a ceiling, but I think it shows the difference between a team with guys on on-the-job training vs. veterans who know what they are doing. The faults of this year's edition is based on talent, or lack thereof.

I get the argument that a full-blown-everyone-of-value-traded rebuild may have made more sense, but that wasn't the road chosen. Now if we can develop guys to slot in as veterans leave, we might really have something. I hope they don't start bringing guys up too soon. I still think 2020 is when it will all come to fruition. I'm old and patient.

[bravesguy]

My only concern is that we have been doing "well" in spite of our young players not because of them. Which one of our prospects has made a large contribution to that 82-80 record? It's been all Freeman and the old guys.

That is the point of the way Coppy rebuilt.

1) Staff a team of quality (albeit stop gap) players that are not going to block the young guys. That way we stay competitive as we rebuild.
2) Then as young guys come up, replace veterans with young guys that do not see a significant drop off. That way we only get better (without big drop off).

Built / tear down team (as of 1.5 years ago).
- replaced vet pitcher with Folty (check)
- replace vet CF with Inciarte (check)
- replaced SS with Swanson (no check yet)
- replaced vet pitcher (Colon) with Newcomb (no check yet)

Coming Sept or next year (2018)
- replace vet pitcher with Fried (failed so far - fall back is keep Dickey)
- replace vet pitcher with Weigel (failed thus Coppy trying to get a young SP in trade)
- replace 2B with Albies
- replace 3B with Rio (failed switched with Camargo for now)

Next Sept or 2019
- replace Markakis with Acuna
- replace vet pitcher with Allard / Soroka / Gohara

Sept 2019 or 2020
- replace Kemp with Dustin Peterson (or someone else because it is hard to see this far into the future)

The true test of a GM is can you build a plan (which it looks like Coppy did) and then can you respond when the plan doesn't work out as planned.
- Replace SRod with Phillips (check)
- Replace HO with Kemp (check)
- Backfill hurt FF with Adams (check)
- cover up Swanson with Camargo (check)
- fill in SP rotation when Fried falls back and Weigel gets hurt (working on it)


The end is on its way, but a lot of things still have to work out.

[PurpleBrave]

I left out Folty. I'm optimistic with the direction we are going, but it seems like our "improvement" has less to do with the pieces we've acquired for the rebuild and more about the older additions we've made. That and the NL as a whole has been down sans about 5 teams. The next two years will be more telling.

[Chico]

I know many don't care, but people are actually talking about going to the game instead of just the Battery lately.

[cajunrevenge]

Does Coppy get to add a banner to the facade for finishing with a .500 record?

Seems like they sure are trying hard for it!!

I don't like you but I like your spirit.

[cajunrevenge]

That is the point of the way Coppy rebuilt.

1) Staff a team of quality (albeit stop gap) players that are not going to block the young guys. That way we stay competitive as we rebuild.
2) Then as young guys come up, replace veterans with young guys that do not see a significant drop off. That way we only get better (without big drop off).

Built / tear down team (as of 1.5 years ago).
- replaced vet pitcher with Folty (check)
- replace vet CF with Inciarte (check)
- replaced SS with Swanson (no check yet)
- replaced vet pitcher (Colon) with Newcomb (no check yet)

Coming Sept or next year (2018)
- replace vet pitcher with Fried (failed so far - fall back is keep Dickey)
- replace vet pitcher with Weigel (failed thus Coppy trying to get a young SP in trade)
- replace 2B with Albies
- replace 3B with Rio (failed switched with Camargo for now)

Next Sept or 2019
- replace Markakis with Acuna
- replace vet pitcher with Allard / Soroka / Gohara

Sept 2019 or 2020
- replace Kemp with Dustin Peterson (or someone else because it is hard to see this far into the future)

The true test of a GM is can you build a plan (which it looks like Coppy did) and then can you respond when the plan doesn't work out as planned.
- Replace SRod with Phillips (check)
- Replace HO with Kemp (check)
- Backfill hurt FF with Adams (check)
- cover up Swanson with Camargo (check)
- fill in SP rotation when Fried falls back and Weigel gets hurt (working on it)


The end is on its way, but a lot of things still have to work out.

Your blowing your cover Coppy.