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Atlanta Braves’ September Outlook: 5 Things to Watch For

By Alan Carpenter

Aug 7, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Atlanta Braves catcher A.J. Pierzynski (15) looks on as his team plays the St. Louis Cardinals during the seventh inning at Busch Stadium. The Braves won 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 7, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Atlanta Braves catcher A.J. Pierzynski (15) looks on as his team plays the St. Louis Cardinals during the seventh inning at Busch Stadium. The Braves won 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Aug 31, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves center fielder Ender Inciarte (11) and right fielder Nick Markakis (22) celebrate their win against the San Diego Padres at Turner Field. The Braves won 8-1. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 31, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves center fielder Ender Inciarte (11) and right fielder Nick Markakis (22) celebrate their win against the San Diego Padres at Turner Field. The Braves won 8-1. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /

Both trade deadlines have now passed.  The Braves have the second worst record in baseball.  More lineup turnover is coming this off-season.  So why watch baseball in September?  There’s a lot more reasons than you might think.

50-83.  That’s the record as the calendar page was turned this morning.  But for the first time all season, there’s a team with a worse record than the Braves. That fact alone is driving more than a few people a little nuts… the disappointing bit being those agreeing with the proposition that losing 100+ games for the sake that #1 overall draft slot is a goal worth pursuing.

During the month of August, the Braves produced the 12th-best team WAR (not counting pitching) in the majors. That’s on par with teams like the Blue Jays and Cardinals… and certainly not what we saw at the beginning of the year when the offense couldn’t seem to get out of its own way.

So for September, injuries are healing, players are returning, and several have gotten into a second-half groove that had been sorely missing through June.

Over the past couple of weeks, there’s been reason for optimism with the pitching as well with starters actually getting beyond the 5th inning with some regularity.

Still, this is a last place team and all of the “interesting” wheeling and dealing is over until probably late November.  So let’s take a look at the hand we’ve been dealt and see which cards might be of particular interest to watch down the stretch.

1. Nick Markakis

Markakis is still due $10.5 million per season for 2017-18.  Now approaching 33, he has declined this season (.268/.343/.388) though his second half has been much closer to career norms (.299/.372/.439).  But he also leads the team in RBI with 73 and probably will get to double-digits in homers.

Atlanta is still looking for another “bat”.  They would prefer that it come from the third base or catching positions, but there’s no guarantee for either.  There’s a hope that an off-season workout regimen might renew Matt Kemp, but that’s also speculative.

Then there’s Mallex Smith… what to do with him?

In Markakis, you have a steady performer who is getting on base and driving in runs.  If you opt to remove that resource, then you’d better be certain that the replacement can replace that production.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR:  Evidence that Nick is worth keeping around and not being shopped during the off-season for pennies on the dollar.

Next: Last Hurrahs?

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