Folks wonder how the Braves expect to score runs after trading away three of the top four hitters from an offense that was already the second-worst in the majors in that endeavor. They dealt their top two home runs hitters (Justin Upton, Evan Gattis) and Jason Heyward.
They added one accomplished lineup regular in right fielder Nick Markakis, who’s coming back from December neck surgery, and a few other veterans expected to fill platoon or backup roles, including left fielder Jonny Gomes and catcher A.J. Pierzynski.
Nevertheless, Braves officials believe they could be an improved offensive team by reducing strikeouts and having parts that fit together better than last year and can manufacture runs without hitting the ball over the fence.
“I think we’ve been a very easy target nationally when you look at the Braves and you say, ‘Trade Heyward, star player; Trade Upton, star player; Trade Gattis, big bat,’” said John Hart, Braves president of baseball operations. “You just connect the dots and you say, ‘It’s not going to be a very good offense.’ And I think if you want to dig a little deeper you look and say, this is a club that had a lot of strikeouts last year, it was 29th in the league in runs scored, it wasn’t a real easy functioning offense as it was.
“There’s no promise; I’m not going to jump up and say this is going to be a better offense. It’s going to be a different offense. (Manager) Fredi (Gonzalez), I think, is going to have a little more maneuverability. You’re going to have a different flavor there, we’re not going to be so reliant there on the long ball, there’s going to be a chance for us to do some more things.”
Many pundits pick the Braves to lose 90 or more games and finish no better than third in the improved National League East. Braves players say they can surprise a lot of people and are going into the season with the same goal – playoff berth. Hart said he also believes that’s possible despite the team’s apparent shortcomings.
“Do a lot of things have to come together? Are we in a tough division? Yes, yes,” Hart said. “But I don’t think that anybody came in with the idea or even discussed that we were going to blow this thing up. We held onto our core guys all winter. We never discussed them. We’re not looking to run up the white flag and not compete.
“As (manager) Fredi (Gonzalez) and I talked about, we’re going in with the idea that we’re going to attempt to be a playoff club this year. That’s the goal. We’ll just have to let it unfold as we go through the spring.”
He said the Braves never considered trading closer Craig Kimbrel or others from the “core” of young players they signed to long-term contracts last spring, including first baseman Freddie Freeman, shortstop Andrelton Simmons and starting pitcher Julio Teheran.
“Listen, we want to compete and win this year,” he said. “We want to be beter in ’16, we want to be better in ’17. I like the core that we have that’s here, and I think that part of is that every year we’re going to be looking to continue to add players from our system that are going to be there….
“For our core guys that we have here that are under contract — we love the players, we love the makeup, and we’re looking to add to that core. Now, we’ll play it out. Every year is a new adventure. It doesn’t mean that you don’t take a look at things as you go along. But that’s the plan: Build around our core.”
