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Predicting The Atlanta Braves Record At The End of 2017

By Jeff Schafer

Feb 25, 2017; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; The Atlanta Braves line up for the national anthem prior to a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 25, 2017; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; The Atlanta Braves line up for the national anthem prior to a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports /
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Braves Record At The End of The Season Will Be….

March 22…we’re officially 11 days until the MLB Opening Day of 2017, 12 days until the Atlanta Braves play and 23 days away from the first ever Braves game at the brand new SunTrust Park.

What’s even further away is October 1st…the last day of the 2017 season — If anyone would like to do the math on that one go for it.  Tonight, that’s what we’ll be looking into.  Before any games are played, be the Braves take the field, before the announcer says “play ball” over SunTrust Parks’ new PA system…let’s try to predict the Braves final record.

Yeah, I realize I’m setting myself up for failure, but it’s always fun to speculate what will happen and then look back to see how you’ve done.  In a few days, Alan will post our annual NL/AL predictions, Cy Young, ROY and MVP awards, but right here is strictly for the Braves.

This post also stems back a little to Bleacher Report’s article that they’ve published today.  Here is the link to check it out.  They’ve predicted every MLB team’s final record and why they think what they think.  Good article, but I don’t agree.

First, let’s take a look at what they’ve said….

"But if 2016 is any indication, Kemp and Phillips don’t bring much more than name value. So it’ll be mostly up to the incumbents to improve on last year’s bad offense and mediocre defense. That’s too much heavy lifting for Swanson, Freddie Freeman and Ender Inciarte alone."

Ouch, did anyone else’s heart hurt a little after reading that paragraph?

Okay, maybe Bartolo Colon, R.A. Dickey, Brandon Phillips, Matt Kemp and even Jaime Garcia and Kurt Suzuki bring huge name recognition, but they also bring so much more.  Leadership — in and out of the clubhouse — lineup depth, durability, consistency, and these guys have gas still left in the tank and have the drive (because they’re Atlanta-born) to succeed.

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I don’t think they’re giving the Braves enough credit.  Especially after what they did in the last few weeks of the 2016 season and the additions they’ve brought in this offseason.

Bleacher Report has made their predictions for the Atlanta Braves in 2017 and they say they’ll end with a 70-92 record and will finish 5th in the NL East.

After finish the 2016 68-93 and the improvements this offseason, with a full season of Swanson…only two games higher?  Man!

In this article, they also posted what PECOTA said the Braves would finish with…76-86.

MLB Tonight recently did a Braves prediction on their 30 Clubs in 30 Days show.  Kevin Millar said he thinks the Braves will be “a tick above” .500 for 2017.  Brian Kenny didn’t agree with him though.  The video is below.

One thing, if you watched until the end, that I thought was interesting…the question popped up “Bartolo Colon ends the year with the Braves?”  I think he will be, what’s your take?

So let’s get to what everyone came here for…my predictions.

Yes, I’m a huge Atlanta Braves fan and my initial thoughts are that they’ll make a few mid-season trades, make the playoffs and win the World Series, but I’m going to be realisitic with this prediction.

Next: Are the Atlanta Braves Shopping at the WBC?

I’m going to sit right around what PECOTA and Millar says.

Braves Final Record Predictions: 83-79

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