Could the Braves win 90 games this season?

[clvclv]

The hitting will cool off for sure, but the hitting was never going to be an issue anyways. Our pitching was always going to make or break this team. So far, I really like what we've seen from our rotation. Folty, has definitely taken a step forward so far. McCarthy was a steal and hopefully he's pitching for a new contract and can stay healthy. JT has been better than last year for sure. Newk looks like he can easily be a good 4th-5th starter at worst and has shown flashes of more. Soroka's start was very encouraging even though I expect him to be sent back down.

Our BP is a different story. We've actually been very lucky to have not blown more games than we have. And now we could possibly lose our best reliever for an extended period of time. We need to be on the lookout for relief help in a hurry.

Time to start leveraging some of that SP depth - particularly as it looks more and more likely that we take another arm at #8 in June (and possibly even another college arm). Would love for AA to get on the horn with the Reds about Iglesias - nobody out there matches up with their needs (pitching, pitching, and more pitching) better than we do.

[nsacpi]

This is why I don't expect anyone from the rotation to be traded to make room for Soroka or Gohara. AA has to have a fear of losing Sanchez and McCarthy on back to back to starts following a Teheran trade.

It's also the reason I would have preferred seeing more Wisler last night than Soroka. Soroka has just been so good that I think Wisler is still the greater unknown. He may be a viable rotation option now, and I think that a little more confidence in him could open up more possibilities to make changes to the rotation.

I think AA will operate on the assumption that we will lose 1 or 2 starting pitchers over the course of the season. So yeah I agree he is going to hold on to the major league ready starting pitchers we currently have. I do think some of them will be given opportunities in the pen. Like Fried currently is being used.

[Super]

The Kemp trade was brilliant.

thank god we had kemp as trade bait

[thewupk]

I think AA will operate on the assumption that we will lose 1 or 2 starting pitchers over the course of the season. So yeah I agree he is going to hold on to the major league ready starting pitchers we currently have. I do think some of them will be given opportunities in the pen. Like Fried currently is being used.

Pitching depth is key. These things have a way of working themselves out. If Julio/Sanchez, etc pitch good enough to keep Gohara and Soroka down then that's a good thing. If not they will get replaced.

[Runnin]

A .621 winning percentage, where we're at now, translates to 101 wins. And I think we've just been through the toughest part of the season. 90 seems very doable.

[clvclv]

Pitching depth is key. These things have a way of working themselves out. If Julio/Sanchez, etc pitch good enough to keep Gohara and Soroka down then that's a good thing. If not they will get replaced.

I'm not sure I'd thin the depth out looking for an "Ace" (or high-end Closer) at this point - Folty, Newcomb, Gohara, Wright, and even Soroka can be that guy on any night that they're on IMO. I wouldn't be against taking one or two of those next wave guys and turning them into somebody like Iglesias or Brad Hand though.

If you could "jump the market" and get one of those guys NOW before other potential playoff teams start sniffing around (or have a need arise), it's not like it would just be a win-now move. I'm as excited as all the other pozzys by the way we're playing now, but I'm not getting the cart before the horse (just yet) and counting us as a playoff team, but adding a lockdown Closer and moving everybody else up an inning sure would help move you in that direction if you did it now. It would be a *elluva nice luxury to be able to run Iglesias/Hand, Viz, Minter, Winkler, and Freeman out there on any given night in a must-have game.

[Russ2dollas]

Another option for pen help are our current guys. If a guy has an innings limit you could move him to the pen. We also have a lot of arms who could debuted in the Pen.

I really don't want to spend anyone in our top 20 for a pen arm.

[clvclv]

Another option for pen help are our current guys. If a guy has an innings limit you could move him to the pen. We also have a lot of arms who could debuted in the Pen.

I really don't want to spend anyone in our top 20 for a pen arm.

I don't have any problem with breaking guys in in the pen, but not necessarily in high-leverage roles - we know how likely Snit is to ride guys into the ground, and I'd hate to ruin one because he started to rely on them and used them like he has Freeman.

[bravesfanMatt]

Can we change the title to 100 games please.

[Enscheff]

Somebody forgot to tell all these young players that it's only year 4 of the rebuild and they are only supposed to win 77 games.

[bravesfanMatt]

Somebody forgot to tell all these young players that it's only year 4 of the rebuild and they are only supposed to win 77 games.

Kids these days. They never listen.

[Jaw]

FanGraphs now projects the Braves to go 63-70 the rest of the way, to finish at 81-81.

[Orphan Black]

Time to start leveraging some of that SP depth - particularly as it looks more and more likely that we take another arm at #8 in June (and possibly even another college arm). Would love for AA to get on the horn with the Reds about Iglesias - nobody out there matches up with their needs (pitching, pitching, and more pitching) better than we do.

he'd fit right in with his 8 walks in 12 IP

[thewupk]

FanGraphs now projects the Braves to go 63-70 the rest of the way, to finish at 81-81.

Should be noted that that win% the rest of the way would be 77 wins over a full season which is up from what was projected at the start of the season which was 72 wins. The Braves making the playoffs is now at 18.5% which is way up from the 3.2% to start the year. The Nats are now only projected to win 88 games which is down from the 92 they had to start the year.

So we are definitely in that everything needs to go right scenario right now. Braves are playing great and the most talented team coming into the year has had a poor start.

[Carp]

FanGraphs now projects the Braves to go 63-70 the rest of the way, to finish at 81-81.

I'd be disappointed considering how we have started, but most of us thought we'd be an 80-85 win team before the season anyways. Anything in that area or higher should be considered great progress, imo.

But if the pitching holds out, we'll definitely finish 85+ wins.

[50PoundHead]

I will go as far as upgrading my pre-season mid-70s win prediction to say we could go .500, but getting to 90 is still out of my mental grasp. I see the Braves as a team for which a lot of things will have to continue to go right. Even if me become middling, there's at least a base being built to 2019 and beyond.

[jpx7]

I will go as far as upgrading my pre-season mid-70s win prediction to say we could go .500, but getting to 90 is still out of my mental grasp. I see the Braves as a team for which a lot of things will have to continue to go right. Even if me become middling, there's at least a base being built to 2019 and beyond.

That’s where I’m at still, as well.

I thought the offense would be better this season, but I’m not sure they can maintain being this much better. I also was bearish on that rotation, which has likewise broken pretty outstanding; but even with some regression looks like it’ll produce better than I expected.

[bravesfanforlife88]

If we hold onto the win today, all we need to do is go 71-61 the rest of the way!

[jimsnores]

If we hold onto the win today, all we need to do is go 71-61 the rest of the way!

Which would have sounded stupid just a week ago, to most people. It strangely doesn't, now, even if not actually expected to happen.

[nsacpi]

That’s where I’m at still, as well.

I thought the offense would be better this season, but I’m not sure they can maintain being this much better. I also was bearish on that rotation, which has likewise broken pretty outstanding; but even with some regression looks like it’ll produce better than I expected.

Suzuki and Muk will almost surely regress...as in 99% probability...just a question of how much

Ditto for Flaherty

I think the kids (Albies, Acuna, Swanson, Camargo) will regress as a group...also very high probability

Freeman is a good bet to maintain...so is Inciarte who is rounding into his usual form

The pitching I think will be good but not outstanding. I like our pitching depth.

I was a relative optimist coming into the season, pegging this team at about 80 wins. I guess I'm around 85 wins now.