If you have been following the Atlanta Braves during the offseason, your Braves team spirit is more likely than not at an all time low. What seemingly started with the trade of Brian McCann to the New York Yankees in 2013, was followed by the trading of fan favorites Jason Heyward, Justin Upton, and Evan Gattis. The team has been slowly entering into a downward spiral of trading off the players who have made the Braves... well, the Braves.
This trend has held true during this off-season, with the trading of fan favorites such as Andrelton Simmons and Shelby Miller. Braves fans have begun to wonder if anyone is safe on the Braves roster anymore. While this may be hard for die-hard fans such as myself to swallow, fret not Braves Country, as its always darkest before the dawn. Given some of the Braves off-season pickups, paired with some of the long-term investments the team has made in young and talented pitchers, here is why it may not be so bad to be an Atlanta Braves fan in the upcoming seasons:
Dansby Swanson
While he may not be as talented as Andrelton Simmons just yet, Dansby Swanson shows the most promise out of any shortstop in the MLB right now, both on offense and defense. Being the overall first pick in the 2015 MLB Draft, with a College World Series Championship under his belt, Dansby Swanson is no stranger to being on top. While Simmons was a stone wall with a glove in his hand at the short stop position, his offensive capabilities were lackluster to say the least, sporting a .265 batting average with only 4 home runs last season. While the Marietta native may have only played college ball, Swanson's stats speak for themselves. Hitting over 15 home runs with a .300 batting average during his last two seasons at Vanderbilt, Swanson has a lot of promise in the next upcoming seasons. All he needs is to be given some time for growth and development in the Major Leagues, which is exactly what these next few seasons will do.
Ender Inciarte
With two seasons of Major League Baseball under his belt, the Venezuelan outfielder Ender Inciarte has wasted no time in making a name for himself. Batting over .300 in just his second season in the MLB, Ender shows a lot of promise on the offensive side of the game. He is also a very talented defensive player, proving so as a Gold Glove finalist for the 2015 season, and going on to win the award during the winter season in Venezuela. Inciarte is also valuable in the fact that he can play any position after he played over 20 games last season in left, center and right field for the Diamondbacks. This is a huge pick for the Braves, as right field is already occupied by the solid defensive veteran Nick Markakis, so Ender playing left or center field will only strengthen the Braves defense.
In closing, while the upcoming season may be a little shaky for fans to watch, we must understand what the Braves are trying to achieve. With two solid pickups such as these in the 2015 offseason, it is no question that the organization is laying the foundation with new talent for a very competitive team in years to come. While players such as Simmons and Miller are incredible players, the Braves need young players who are going to be consistent on both sides of the ball.
That is why picks such as Swanson and Inciarte only make sense. With a few years to develop the young pitching prospects the team has picked up, plus the additional time to find better defensive players, the Braves are shaping up to be a very strong team in the upcoming seasons. All it takes is time and the patience of Braves fans such as myself.
