Could the Braves win 90 games this season?

[jpx7]

I'm not sure what you are even asking...

Are you seriously asking if hitters do worse against higher velocity? Or better against lower velocity?

Or are you somehow suggesting that 88 mph today is the same as 88 mph 30 years ago, as if athletes overall haven't improved by leaps and bounds in the last 3 decades?

I think he’s just saying that the most likely scenario is that hitters are better today, on average, so it’s harder for pitchers to succeed at 88 mph, on average. Then he listed an alternative, self-admittedly less likely explanation: that hitters aren’t better / 88mph doesn’t play worse, but instead that teams just shifted their preferences to what higher velocities have always provided.

[thethe]

Yeah I don't agree that Maddux and glove wouldn't have been highly touted. The charting is clear now and the science is getting real good

[Enscheff]

9:53
Put me in coach: The Braves offense has 2.4 more WAR than the second most team in baseball. Please put into context.

9:53
Jeff Sullivan: You already did

9:54
Jeff Sullivan: Now, the Braves are also No. 1 in BABIP, so, you know, of course they’re *somewhat* overachieving. Weird to see them 26th in hard-hit rate

9:55
Jeff Sullivan: By expected wOBA, the Braves rank 15th

9:55
Jeff Sullivan: That’s actually big! I didn’t expect to find them so low

9:56
Jeff Sullivan: The Braves have baseball’s greatest difference between wOBA and expected wOBA. the Rays are next, and they also have a high BABIP

I expect to see a slew of articles about why the Braves won't continue to win. Ivan at TC just today rewrote my explanation about why Albies' early results are an illusion.

It's fun being the overachieving team!

[NYCBrave]

9:53
Put me in coach: The Braves offense has 2.4 more WAR than the second most team in baseball. Please put into context.

9:53
Jeff Sullivan: You already did

9:54
Jeff Sullivan: Now, the Braves are also No. 1 in BABIP, so, you know, of course they’re *somewhat* overachieving. Weird to see them 26th in hard-hit rate

9:55
Jeff Sullivan: By expected wOBA, the Braves rank 15th

9:55
Jeff Sullivan: That’s actually big! I didn’t expect to find them so low

9:56
Jeff Sullivan: The Braves have baseball’s greatest difference between wOBA and expected wOBA. the Rays are next, and they also have a high BABIP

I expect to see a slew of articles about why the Braves won't continue to win. Ivan at TC just today rewrote my explanation about why Albies' early results are an illusion.

It's fun being the overachieving team!

I always try not to get to high in the good times and too low in the bad times. Still think this is around a .500 team since the pitching is so unstable, but I've been pleasantly surprised so far.

[Managuarantano's Volunteers]

Way more fun being overachieving than underachieving

[Enscheff]

If the playoffs started today, the NL East would be sending 2 teams.

Neither of those teams are the Nats or Mets.

[msstate7]

If the playoffs started today, the NL East would be sending 2 teams.

Neither of those teams are the Nats or Mets.

Braves would be the 1-seed too. Best winning % and RD in nl

[bravesfanMatt]

Since my request for title change to 100 didn’t happen. Can we at least change the could to when will

[Slippyjms]

Since my request for title change to 100 didn’t happen. Can we at least change the could to when will

I think it’s still a bit soon for that. Like where the season’s headed though :)

[Nerfherders]

It feels like this 25-15 start is pretty legit. We have the best differential, which is usually a better sign of future results, and anecdotally I don't remember alot of games where we came back in the 8th or 9th to win, which is usually how poorer teams manage to win games. Most of our wins have been legit take the lead early and hold it. This is only our 10th 1-run game, and we are only 1-3 in extras. We also havent had an extended slump yet - The largest streak of losing baseball was in the second and third weeks of the season at 4-5. Otherwise we've had winning records in just about every 7 game span you can put together. In other words, this is how the 90's Braves went through a season. Very ho-hum, win 2 out of 3 and continue on, type of season.

[Slippyjms]

Feels like a good time to bring this back :)

[thewupk]

This is what CyYoung31 called...everything going right. The young kids developed into real players and you had a vet turn in a MVP season.

I will quote myself as this still pretty apparent. Everything has pretty much gone right for the braves.

[CyYoung31]

I will quote myself as this still pretty apparent. Everything has pretty much gone right for the braves.

Yep. Young kids playing above expectations (Acuna, Ozzie, Camargo). Overachieving from veterans (Markakis, Culberson). A team with superior talent underachieving. Relatively lucky on the health front. The Braves have checked all of the boxes this year.

Spoiler: 

*KNOCK ON SOME MAJOR WOOD*