Why can’t this year’s surprise team be the Braves?

Let’s see now … where did we leave off four months ago?

Oh, yes. The Atlanta Braves had quietly become the one of hottest teams in the National League, right along with the Chicago Cubs, who now wear the title of World Champions.

The Braves won 20 of the last 30 games to not only avoid their first 100-loss season since 1988, but also provide hope that the worst of this painful tear-down and rebuild was behind them.

To that team which finished a respectable 50-47 after June 14 – not a small sample size – the Braves added three quality starting pitchers and a starting second baseman, all without surrendering anyone who contributed to that resurgence.

That’s not enough to sway the oddsmakers in Las Vegas. The Braves’ projected over/under win total of 71.5 is the second-lowest in the major leagues, ahead of the San Diego Padres (64.5). The Falcons’ projected win total for 2016 was 7.5. How’d that turn out?

The improvements might make sitting in traffic to get to the new SunTrust Park that much more bearable.

Granted, maybe it’s premature to proclaim the Braves playoff contenders. There’s still a lot to like about this team, especially compared to the teams that broke camp the past two seasons. It begins with Manager Brian Snitker, who stepped into an abysmal situation last season when Fredi Gonzalez was fired. Snitker might not be the big-name manager some fans – and possibly the front office – wanted. But he’s respected by the players and he created a positive clubhouse environment.

Snitker embraces higher expectations for this season, and not just to be competitive but to win the National League East.

“I think our club, what we accomplished last year and how we ended and going into this year, I think it’s a legit feeling, the positivity and just wanting to get after it,” Snitker told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

There’s a surprise team just about every year in baseball. So why can’t that team this year be the Braves? Here are some reasons why Atlanta could be that team.

Begin with the improved starting rotation. The Braves used 16 starting pitchers last season. Ten of those pitchers, who accounted for 56 starts, are gone. The front office whiffed on efforts to trade for Chris Sale, Chris Archer and Jose Quintana. But adding Bartlolo Colon, Jaime Garcia and R.A. Dickey is a significant upgrade to a starting rotation that was short on experience and quality. Those three veterans started 92 games and logged 533 innings, collectively.

That leaves Matt Wisler and Mike Foltynewicz – who ranked second and third, respectively, on the team in starts and innings – to compete with Josh Collmenter and Aaron Blair for the final spot in the rotation.

The Braves won 68 games last season. The upgrade in starting pitching alone ought to be worth 15 more wins. That would be 83 wins, which wouldn’t be enough to win the division, or even a wildcard spot. But it would be a healthy start.

Only six National League teams finished with winning records last season.

The strengthened starting rotation should help the bullpen, which became overtaxed last season. For one thing, it should lessen the burden on the relievers. Getting through the sixth inning was a challenge for most of the starters other than Teheran.

The top five relievers should be solid, especially if Arodys Vizcaino is healthy and throws strikes. Jim Johnson, Ian Krol, Mauricio Cabrera and Jose Ramirez because very reliable.

The other three spots, assuming they go with an eight-man bullpen, are anybody’s guess. Blaine Boyer, Daniel Winkler, Eric O’Flaherty and Paco Rodriguez all have been injured in recent years. One or two of the jobs could be won by starters who fail to make the rotation.

The third reason for optimism is the starting lineup. Adding second baseman Brandon Phillips strengthens an already respectable lineup. He may not be the All-Star he once was, but Phillips is a veteran who still can produce.

Maybe the Braves are still a year or two away from challenging the Cubs for the National League pennant. But there’s a lot to like about this team.

This story was originally published February 18, 2017 at 4:00 PM with the headline "Why can’t this year’s surprise team be the Braves?."