Atlanta Braves: 5 bold predictions for the NLDS

The Atlanta Braves square off with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS. What are some truly bold things that could happen?

With the Atlanta Braves as the underdog in the NLDS, some have felt that a “bold” prediction is simply predicting the Braves to defeat the Dodgers in their series. We’ve got 5 predictions that are truly bold for you here…

A particular maligned Atlanta Braves bench member will come up big

Okay, just that line isn’t all that “bold”, but the player I’m thinking of certainly is. In April, the Atlanta Braves had many heroes. One of those was the pride of Deering High School in Portland, Maine and a graduate of Vanderbilt University. That’s right, I’m talking about Ryan Flaherty.

Seriously, we all knew that Flaherty’s .300/.398/.400 line in April wasn’t a thing he could sustain all season long. Getting frustrated because he fell off from that pace seems like a very odd thing to rant and rave about as an Atlanta Braves fan.

Instead, let’s look at his career line. Flaherty is a career .216/.286/.347 hitter. He’s also a guy whose bat has never been his calling card. Flaherty is known for his glove, and right now, the Atlanta Braves have a major hole in their tremendous infield defense that has carried them all season.

Enter Ryan Flaherty. I am not saying he’ll even play a full game the entire series, but there will come a time in this series when Flaherty will come up big for the Atlanta Braves, whether it’s making a play with his glove, on the bases, or perhaps even with his much-maligned bat.