Stacking up current Atlanta Braves roster with 2019 version
Who’s better
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Obviously this is pure conjecture and impossible to say, but on paper I’d say the 2020 team is slightly better than the 2019 version.
I know there is a big hole in the lineup with Donaldson gone, but I have that much faith in Dansby, Camargo, and Riley to pick up the slack.
Travis d’Arnaud should help bring more offense from the catcher position as well.
We may also get a full season of a healthy Freddie Freeman after offseason surgery to remove those bone spurs.
And I’ve always been a big believer in Ender Inciarte and think he can get it going again (at the bottom of the lineup).
Of course, you can’t account for injuries in the offseason, but I still think this lineup has the ability to be a top 10 offense.
And as I’ve written, I think the starting rotation already is top 10.
Then when you account for the bullpen additions this offseason you can see how this 2020 roster is already better than the 2019 version.
Going into the 2019 season a lot of gambling sites pegged the Braves for around 86 wins.
So it appears they already believe this 2020 team is better than the 2019 version — or at least the one that started the season.
And there is a good chance Atlanta makes a move or two before the in-season trade deadline to improve them even more.
Maybe it’s the Christmas spirit getting the best of me, but the more I look at this team on paper, the better I feel about their chances in 2020 with or without another addition this offseason.
However, that’s not going to keep me from writing about wanting to see the Braves do more. Just making the playoffs isn’t good enough anymore.
They need to be building a team to win the World Series, and neither the 2019 or current 2020 roster are good enough to accomplish that at this point.
And I do believe there are more moves to come this offseason. But it’s nice to see a good foundation has already been built.