Fight For The 2017 Top Draft Pick: Where Do Atlanta Braves Stack Up?

Braves Keep Winning, Moving Up In Standings

The Atlanta Braves defeated the Miami Marlins on Thursday evening to improve to 62-91 in the 2017 season. The Braves have been one of the hottest teams in the MLB in September as they are 12-8 for the month…okay, maybe not one of the best, but it’s quite the improvement for the Braves, right? With only nine games left this season, the battle for the first pick and top five in the 2017 draft is ramping up.

The teams in contention — worst teams in the MLB — are the Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays, Oakland A’s, LA Angels, San Diego Padres, Arizona DBacks, Cincinnati Reds, and our Atlanta Braves.

Let’s go team by team and look at the remaining games to try and predict where the Braves will be picking in June of 2017.

Minnesota Twins – 55-98

Teams to play: vs Mariners (x3), at Royals (x3), at White Sox (x3)

Outlook: The Twins are awful and have been all season. After a year in 2015 where they contended for a playoff spot, they laid an egg in 2016. The Mariners are still contending for the AL Wildcard…so I’m thinking they sweep these Twins. The defending champs, the Royals, still are a solid team and should beat up on the Twins. The White Sox should be better, but are very mediocre. I think the Twins find a way to win three more games in 2017 either two against the White Sox or Royals….and I’m being kind here.

Predicting Record: 58-104

Atlanta Braves – 62-91

Teams to play: at Marlins (x3), vs Phillies (x3), vs Tigers (x3)

Outlook: The Braves are playing better now then they have all season…hell, for the past few seasons. The addition of Matt Kemp has sparked now only the offseason, but it seems as though the pitching staff has benefited as well. Atlanta could and should continue to win ball games late this season…which is great to watch, but could directly affect our 2017 draft pick. Once fighting, almost a shoe in, for that top spot…Atlanta’s fan base is now hoping for a top 3 pick. We play well against the Marlins and hopefully we can knock them out of any playoff hopes. The Phillies and Braves have played tough against each other so this series will be a toss up. The Tigers are fighting for that last AL Wildcard spot so this could be a huge series for them. Let’s play spoiler with them as well…why not?!?

Predicting Record: 68-94

Cincinnati Reds – 63-89

Teams to play: at Brewers (x3), at Cardinals (x4), vs Cubs (x3)

Outlook: Cincinnati is a team that will probably jump ahead (or behind whichever way you look at it) for the 2017 draft. This team is bad as well as they’ve lost seven or their last eight games. The Brewers series is the only one they have a chance on. Cardinals are in the NL Wildcard hunt — 0.5 games out — and the Cubs are the best team in baseball. The Reds will have a tough battle to win games heading down the stretch.

Predicting Record: 65-97

San Diego Padres – 64-89

Teams to play: vs Giants (x3), vs Dodgers (x3), at D-Backs (x3)

Outlook: Tough games ahead for the Padres as they take on the NL West leading Dodgers, a Wildcard playoff contender — they are struggling — and the lonely DBacks. The Padres are 5-5 in their last 10 games and actually swept the Giants a week ago. The Padres will be lucky to steal one game from both the Giants and Dodgers. I see the Padres winning maybe three games.

Predicting Record: 66-96

Arizona Diamondbacks – 64-88

Teams to play: at Orioles (x3), at Nationals (x4), vs Padres (x3)

Outlook: The DBacks have been awful at home, so it could be a good thing that they have seven more games on the road. Too bad it’s against an AL team contending for the Wildcard spot and the Nationals that have pretty much sealed the NL East. Like every other bad team, they won’t win many games over the final two weeks of the season. DBacks have a good shot at a top three pick in the 2017 draft.

Predicting Record: 67-95

Tampa Bay Rays – 64-87

Teams to play: vs Red Sox (x3), at White Sox (x4), at Rangers (x3)

Outlook: Pretty tough ride ahead for the Rays. They usually play tough against the Red Sox, their divisional rival, but we’re talking about late September play. The Red Sox are in cruise mood right now as they are battling for the top record in the AL. I see them sweeping the Rays in Florida. The Rays may be able to get a game or two against the White Sox, but they know what they’re playing for right now…2017 draft pick. Rangers have the top record in the AL right now and won’t be off the gas pedal in the final regular series of 2016.

Predicting Record: 66-96

Oakland A’s – 66-86

Teams to play: vs Rangers (x3), at Angels (x3), at Mariners (x4)

Outlook: The A’s are one of those teams that even when they stink, they keep fighting. I see this team battling till the end and could win a couple good games down the stretch. I can see them taking one game from the Rangers, two from the Angels and two from the Mariners. They have lost three in a row to the Astros, but before that took two of three from the Rangers. Earlier this month, the A’s were swept by the Mariners, but that’s when Seattle was still in the race for the postseason. By this series, the Mariners won’t be anymore.

Predicting Record: 71-91

LA Angels – 67-86

Teams to play: at Astros (x3), vs A’s (x3), vs Astros (x3)

Outlook: This is a great opportunity for the Astros to make up a lot of ground on the AL Wildcard. The Angels will play the Astros six times in the final two weeks as the Astros sit just a game and a half back from the final spot in the AL. Houston is a really good team that has played really well in September and the later portion of 2016. The Angels did beat the Astros last night 2-0, but I can’t imagine them winning this series. I’m thinking the Angels win three more games in 2016.

Predicting Record: 70-92

Next: Predicting Braves Position Players In 2017

MLB 2017 Draft – My Thoughts

Minnesota Twins
Cincinnati Reds
Tampa Bay Rays
San Diego Padres
Arizona Diamondbacks
Atlanta Braves

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The Fight For The 2017 Top Draft Pick…Where Do The Atlanta Braves Stack Up?

By Jeff Schafer | Sep 23, 2016