Atlanta Braves Looking Ahead To April…Or Should We Be?

What a way for the Atlanta Braves to start the season for the last season at Turner Field.  Can you say, running through the gauntlet in April?

Going through the schedule for 2016, lets start the series and get your thoughts on what the Braves face through the first month of the season.

Overall, the Braves do not start the season until April 4, 2016.  Of the remaining days in April, twenty-seven of them, the Braves only have three off days – essentially playing 24 games in 27 days.

This includes an initial stretch of 12 games in 15 days, followed by another off day.  But after that, it is 12 games in 12 days leading up to the end of April.

Thirteen of these games are at home, while eleven are on the road.

If the stretch of games was not bad enough, the opponents the Braves face are even worse.

The Braves have Opening Day at home against the Washington Nationals and reigning MVP Bryce Harper.  With the next day off, the Braves then face the Nationals again on April 6^th, ending the initial series.

Following is an off day, but then the St. Louis Cardinals come to town for a three game series.  A Cardinals team that could have easily gone to and won The World Series last year.

Can you say the possibility of going 0-5 to start the season?

Now the Braves go the road for seven games.  Another series against the Nationals, only this time it is four games, followed by a three game series in Florida against the Marlins.

The Braves have to get at least one from the Nationals and should get all three from the Marlins, so does this mean they could be 4-8 before another off day?

Now the stretch of 12 games in 12 days.  First, opening back at home against the Dodgers for a three game stretch and then three games against the N.Y. Mets, before the Red Sox come in for a two game set.

Two very hard opponents and the Red Sox, but the Braves should get three of those games – 7-13.

Immediately though the Braves head up to Boston to take on the Red Sox at Fenway for two games, before going to Chicago to face the Cubs for two games to end the month.

Likely only one game here, so does that mean 8-16 for the opening month?

Hopefully not, but if you rely on the play from last season these predictions could turn into reality.  Let’s hope on the side of predictability on November 25th is far off.