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Atlanta Braves first half awards: MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, top minor-leaguers

By Jeff Schafer

MIAMI, FL - JULY 09: Ronald Acuna #24 of the Atlanta Braves and the World Team looks on against the U.S. Team during the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Marlins Park on July 9, 2017 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - JULY 09: Ronald Acuna #24 of the Atlanta Braves and the World Team looks on against the U.S. Team during the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Marlins Park on July 9, 2017 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 09: Luke Jackson
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 09: Luke Jackson /

The 2017 All-Star break has arrived and marked the unofficial halfway point of the season, so we figured we’d look back at the first half of the season and give out some awards.

The Atlanta Braves finished off the “first half” of the 2017 season pretty strong.  Their record shows 42-45, but the Braves are looking like a playoff team right now.

The Braves currently sit 9.5 games behind the Washington Nationals for first place in the NL East and 8 games out of a Wild Card position.  Those WC spots are currently being held by the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies…both teams may and could very well fall off.

With Freddie Freeman returning after seven weeks, and Sean Rodriguez, Adonis Garcia, and Micah Johnson all on their way back, this team could catch fire in the second half of the season.

The one thing I don’t want the Braves to do is to sell the farm in anticipation to win this year.  We don’t have Frank Wren running the ship anymore and I don’t think John Coppolella will make any questionable moves to jeopardize the future of this organization.

Though the Braves are still under .500, it just feels like we have the ability to win any ball game were playing.  This lineup is very deep and opposing pitchers will have to realize that in the second half.

It’s tough to say what the Braves need heading into the final three months of the 2017 season — the one on the tip of my tongue is a starting pitcher, but when you think about it, do we?

The starting staff currently looks like this…

  1. Julio Teheran
  2. Mike Foltynewicz
  3. R.A. Dickey
  4. Jaime Garcia
  5. Sean Newcomb

Yes, if the Braves could somehow trade Dickey and Garcia there would be room in the rotation, but I’m not sure they’re going to be able to.  Another possibility I guess if the Braves acquire a SP would be to move Dickey or Newcomb to the bullpen…a move, at least for Newcomb, I’m not sure I see happening.

In any case, the future is unknown.  What we d know is what we saw in the first half of the 2017 season.  Let’s look back at how the Braves did so far…

Let’s start giving away the awards now…click the “next” tab to begin

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