Despite record, Braves show promise

The unofficial first half of the Major League season ends today with the Atlanta Braves buried in last place. They were 30-57 going into Saturday’s game against Chicago White Sox.

I know. Shocker right?

Excuse me for sounding like Bobby Cox, who after a pitcher got rocked for seven runs in three innings would say something like, “Left a couple pitches up, but I thought he threw great.”

As bad as the first half has been, it could have been worse. They could have been this dreadful without showing any signs of promise.

We knew even before pitchers and catchers reported in February that this season would be a lost cause, at least in terms of wins and losses. But a lost cause in the standings doesn’t have to mean the season has been a complete waste.

If we are to believe that management is committed to building a sustainable winner, then there has to be more success than things like Jeff Francoeur’s nice homecoming or Lucas Harrell’s sudden comeback. Here’s what gives them hope for a better 2017.

▪ The resurgence of Julio Teheran and Freddie Freeman as franchise players.

After a bit of a shaky start, Teheran is pitching again like a staff ace, Saturday’s poor game notwithstanding. For all the rumors about trading him, it appears the Braves will not part with Teheran unless they get a staggering haul in return. Such a haul would have to include someone like Boston’s Mookie Betts or the Cubs’ Kyle Schwarber, perhaps in a three-way deal.

The better Teharan pitches, the more trade value he commands. But it also makes him more important to their plans to build around pitching without blowing up the payroll.

Freeman got off to an even worse start but has been one of the top hitters in baseball for about six weeks. It wasn’t enough to propel him to another All-Star invitation. But he has re-established himself as the anchor of the lineup.

▪ The impact of Ender Inciarte.

Speaking of slow starts. Inciarte did nothing for the first two months of the season. A lot of that was due to his pulled hamstring in the first week of the season. But Inciarte keeps getting better and is among the top center fielders in baseball.

▪ The development Matt Wisler.

Sure, there’s cause for concern when a young pitcher goes through rough spots, as Wisler has recently. But that’s part of the development process. Maybe he doesn’t project as a top of the rotation starter. But he can be a solid No. 3 or 4 starter with a little more seasoning.

▪ The quiet work of Ian Krol.

The Braves traded Cameron Maybin to Detroit for Krol not just to unload Maybin’s contract but to add a young power left arm to the bullpen. A poor spring training forced Krol to start the season in the minor leagues. But he has been very reliable since he was recalled May 10.

That’s five important pieces. Hey, it’s a start. Several other young players have shown flashes of promise. They all need strong second halves to play their way into the picture for next season and beyond.

The most promising has been Mallex Smith. Despite some rookie mistakes, Smith made an impact at the bottom or top of the batting order before suffering a fractured thumb. His speed has always been obvious with 226 stolen bases in less than five minor league seasons. But his power and clutch hitting have been unexpected. He has proved he can play in the big leagues. Now he has to prove he can make adjustments and be consistent.

The rest, not surprisingly, are all pitchers. Williams Perez, John Gant and Mike Foltynewicz were looking like solid starters until they got hurt. Now they will have to work their way back into form.

Arodys Vizcaino has been dominant at times as the closer. But his struggles with consistency may ultimately mean he needs to be a set-up man.

Mauricio Cabrera and Dario Alvarez are two young power arms who could be dominant in the bullpen. If Tyrell Jenkins gets some more starts and performs, he could earn a spot in the rotation.

How all of these young players perform in the second half could go a long way in determining whether the Braves will try to win next season or push the rebuilding project back another year.

This story was originally published July 9, 2016 at 5:31 PM with the headline "Despite record, Braves show promise."