The optimism inherent in baseball spring training is so contagious that even a dispassionate and cynical old hack such as me is not immune. That’s why, in spite of myself, I started to buy into the Braves’ counter-narrative during my two weeks at their camp in Florida.
It’s the one that says the Braves can trade away three good big-league hitters, replace them with inferior production, and still be a better offense (and team) because of a more fundamental approach to hitting. Rationally, this is not a likely scenario but something about springtime baseball made it seem possible.
After all, that’s why they play the games, you never know, and all of the other tired clichés that somehow sound fresh in the spring. In the Grapefruit League every team has a chance, all the breaks will go their way, and nothing is impossible.
It was in that spirit that I gave the Braves the benefit of the doubt during camp. Plus, there were legitimate reasons to believe they could be pretty good. The starting pitching is strong, Freddie Freeman is still in the lineup and Melvin Upton Jr. was going to be out of the lineup for a while.
Not even that shocker of a trade on the eve of opening day could darken my spring sunniness. Braves boss John Hart stepped in it by saying he never would deal closer Craig Kimbrel but I understand why he did it. Closers are overrated in general and while Kimbrel is an exception, he has more value for a team that will have more games to close over the next couple of seasons.
Plus Upton is gone for good, which was the point.
So I was still full of that spring optimism when I sat down to watch the Braves play at Miami on opening day. But I was fully prepared for a flat performance that would make my skeptical instincts flare up and make me curse myself for ever seeing the Braves' cup as half full.
Instead, the Braves went out and executed their new plan to near-perfection. There was small ball with Eric Young Jr. and hotshot rookie Jace Peterson leading the way. New right fielder Nick Markakis had a timely hit.
And about that bullpen: After Braves ace Julio Teheran loaded the bases in the seventh, lefty Luis Avilan induced a double-play and Jim Johnson finished the inning. Jason Grilli came on to finish the victory, striking out star slugger Gincarlo Stanton.
“Braves, with this A-B-C brand of baseball, win the 2015 opener in Miami by a final score of 2-to-1,” Braves TV play-by-play man Chip Caray said in summary. “Just how the Braves scripted it, that’s exactly how they played today.”
With that, my optimism lasted at least until Day 2. I've got no rooting interest in this thing but, who knows, maybe it will last a while longer.
