Southern Sports Edition
Is Alabama Good For SEC?
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
When my wife and I moved to Brunswick a little over 13 years ago, I assume that like most people new to town, we drove right by Willie’s Weenie Wagon, snickered at the name, and didn’t think anything more about it.
Needless to say, we quickly learned from the error of our ways, and weekly visits to Willie’s became the norm. We moved away from Glynn Co. 10 years ago, yet anytime we vacation in Florida we always tend to plan our driving schedule around eating at Willie’s.
The only drawback I’ve encountered with this strategy is that because I’m such a big fan of the pork chop sandwich, it almost renders the rest of the menu obsolete, since it’s the only thing I order. Unless I’m in the mood for a pork chop sandwich, I don’t go to Willie’s.
I know this is an odd segue into my story, but I mention this because over the past few weeks I’ve started to wonder if Alabama’s success since Nick Saban has actually been a problem for the SEC as a whole?
I know that sounds like a weird thing to say: having the most dominant team in college football may actually be a hindrance to your conference overall, but just hear me out.
The lifeblood of any collegiate football program is obviously recruiting. It’s much easier to win as an average coach if you are surrounded by talent than it is to be a great coach with little talent around you. Between 2000-2010 there were eight different teams that held the number one recruiting class during that span. In the six recruiting classes since then there has been only one; Alabama.
Nick Saban is on such a roll that at this point he can basically hand pick certainly any defensive player he wants, and probably just about any offense player too, short of the quarterback.
The talent that used to be spread throughout the conference, or to at least three or four different teams each year, is now landing primarily in one area. It’s not a coincidence that the level of talent, and frankly the play, across the conference has been on the decline while the Tide are on track to win their fourth national championship in six years.
Plus, and let’s just be honest with each other here, as long as that list is of things I don’t like about Saban, there isn’t a better coach in the country
It goes without saying that the SEC still has a lot of incoming talent that doesn’t wind up in Tuscaloosa, so please don’t think I’m comparing them to MAC or anything. Every year there are always a few other SEC teams bringing in huge classes, it’s just that the names of those teams change from year to year, and that’s the problem I’m talking about.
When you have one team dominate the talent pool like Alabama has been doing this entire decade, you’re going to see the rest of the conference suffer.
This type of separation usually doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s really only taken shape in the SEC over the past few years, but you can see where it’s trending. If Alabama continues their reign don’t be surprised if the SEC starts to resemble the old ACC (one strong team surrounded by mediocrity).
Oh, by the way, did you know the ACC has a winning record against SEC competition over past three years. I’m just saying…..
Now, who is up for a pork chop sandwich? I’m hungry.
Rodriguez Bargain For Braves
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
After striking quickly on both R.A. Dickey and Bartolo Colon, the Braves continued their offseason feast on Thanksgiving morning by agreeing to a 2-year, $11. 5 million-dollar deal with super utility man Sean Rodriguez.
At first glance, this deal doesn’t seem like anything out of the ordinary. Rodriguez is a part-time player, and part-time players usually don’t break the bank in free agency. What’s interesting is that Rodriguez isn’t your ordinary part time player, and that might quickly make this deal a real bargain for the Braves.
To understand what Rodriguez is, we must understand what he was. Prior to 2016, he posted no higher than a .716 OPS in parts of eight seasons for the Angels, Rays, and Pirates. In those eight seasons, Rodriguez only broke 400 plate appearances one time, and only reached double-digit home runs once with 12.
For players like Rodriguez to survive in the majors, they must adapt. If they become too one-dimensional, their days on big league rosters are numbered. Through his athleticism, Rodriguez was able to survive by producing value with his glove. As a result, the 2016 version of Sean Rodriguez was a multi-positional asset that could plug just about any hole in the Pirates lineup.
In 2016, he exploded offensively, putting up an .859 OPS in 342 plate appearances over 140 games. Because of the low number of plate appearances for that level of production, you would think that Rodriguez is a perfect example of a lefty-mashing platoon hitter, but that’s not entirely true.
Of his 342 plate appearances, only 94 came against left handed pitching. When given his opportunities against southpaws, he did his damage with a .286/.415/.519 to go along with four home runs, four doubles, and a triple. Still, only 94 plate appearances shows that the Pirates didn’t think was only deployable against lefties.
In his other 248 plate appearances, Rodriguez still put up nice numbers. With a .265/.324/.507 slash to go along with a healthy 14 home runs and 12 doubles.
Obviously, we don’t know how he would have performed with another 250 plate appearances in 2016. But, we can confidently believe that his lack of an everyday spot in the lineup was not his fault.
In a crowded Pittsburg infield that included Jung-Ho Kang, Josh Harrison, David Freese, Jordy Mercer, John Jaso, and then-top prospect Josh Bell all competing for playing time at just four positions, Rodriguez wasn’t given the plate appearances his performance warranted.
Looking forward for the Pirates, Rodriguez was a luxury that they ended up deeming not worth the $5-7 million per year offers he was looking at receiving on the open market.
For the Braves, however, veteran position players are hard to spot on their roster that’s been stripped down to the bone over the last two years. His value increases on that team with an opportunity to amass over 500 plate appearances while providing good defense at multiple positions.
With his high level of performance and positional flexibility, it’s hard to imagine that the $5.5 million in annual average value he received isn’t a bargain for the type of production he’s capable of at multiple positions.
Like pitch framing, there isn’t a perfect way to account for positional flexibility, how it affects a player’s total value to his team, and how it translates into dollars – just look at World Series MVP Ben Zobrist.
Moving forward to 2017, the Braves secured someone they could plug in at second base and immediately see top-level production. Through the adjustments he made in his swing, Rodriguez could be considered a 20 home run threat for at least 2017.
If he continues to provide the above-average defense he’s known for, Rodriguez could provide the type of value that will make him the free agent bargain of the offseason.
Glynn’s Season Ends
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2016 campaign for the Glynn Academy Red Terrors ended at the hands of the Northside Warner Robins Eagles, 42-20.
In my opinion, this was not a game that Northside won, but instead a game that Glynn beat themselves. The Terrors turned the ball over four times and the Eagles put up 21 points off of those four turnovers.
Typically, Glynn has been the team forcing the turnovers all season long. It was just not their night.
The Red Terrors went to the half trailing 28-7 and came out in third quarter and scored a TD, giving the Glynn faithful some hope for a comeback. Don’t forget the Terrors came back from a 24-7 deficit last season in the Elite 8 against Stockbridge to advance to the Final Four. The turning point in that game was the Terrors’ goal line stand late in the 3rd quarter which turned the game on its head. That stand will forever be known in Glynn lore as the ‘Stand in Stockbridge”.
However, the Red Terrors would have no such come back against the Eagles. Northside’s defense proved to be just as fast as Glynn’s offense and made it tough on Glynn’s offense all night. The Terrors did actually end up with more yards in the game than the Eagles, but when you turn the ball over four times and once on downs it makes it really tough to win a football game.
After the Terrors scored a late touchdown to make the score 35-20 it looked like there was still some hope for a miraculous comeback. However, Northside scored on an onside kick attempt to push the lead back out to three scores and the Terrors season would end shortly after.
Northside Warner Robins has proven to be quite the thorn in the Red Terrors side as they have now knocked Glynn out of the playoffs 3 of the last 5 years. The Eagles beat the Terrors in 2011 in the first round, then again in 2014 in the Elite 8 and then again, this season in the Elite 8.
The last time the Eagles beat Glynn it was en route to state title. Northside is hoping history repeats itself. The Eagles will play Tucker in the semifinals.
As for the Red Terrors, this most recent run marks the 3rd consecutive year they have made the Elite 8 and the second straight region title for Glynn.
Though, the season is over there was much to be proud of for the Red Terrors.
Looking ahead to 2017 the region will still be the same with BHS, Richmond Hill, Effingham, and Bradwell. The Terrors will be favored to bring home a 3rd straight region title.
I also think it is fitting to say farewell to DeeJay Dallas, I have covered high school football in every corner of this great state for almost 15 years and I have never seen a player more talented at the high school level than DeeJay Dallas. Glynn will miss him but will have a more than capable Randon Jernigan to take the reins next season.
Congrats on a great season Red Terrors.
Georgia Bulldogs versus Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Preview
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
This is a bittersweet time in college football. We’re down to the final week of the regular season. The highlight of this is the many in state rivalry games. We get match ups like Alabama vs. Auburn, Clemson vs. South Carolina, Florida vs. Florida State, USC vs. UCLA and Washington vs. Washington State.
You see where I’m going with this. These games might not decide a spot in the playoffs but they are for bragging rights for the next 364 days. My favorite game is Georgia versus Georgia Tech. This game is called Clean, Old Fashioned Hate for a reason. They first played in 1893 making it one of the oldest rivalries in the country.
This has been a very one-sided rivalry especially as of late. Since the year 2000 UGA is 13-3 against Tech. Paul Johnson is only 2-6 in the series after becoming the Yellow Jackets head coach in December 2007. I think his record is something to keep in mind depending on the outcome of this game.
Georgia Tech (7-4) has had a decent season but it’s a drastic improvement over last year when they finished 3-9. They’re led by senior quarterback Justin Thomas. He’s very good at running the spread option offense that Coach Paul Johnson is known for.
Thomas has over 550 rushing yards and averages 4.6 yards per carry. They don’t pass often but when they do Thomas normally takes long shots down the field. He only averages 6.7 completions per game and he has close to 1,300 passing yards.
Georgia (7-4) is experiencing some growing pains under first year head coach Kirby Smart. They got rid of their most successful coach since the Vince Dooley era last year for not winning enough big games. Smart has to be feeling some pressure especially knowing that it’s tough to reach the unrealistic expectations of the UGA fan base.
The Bulldogs are led by true freshman quarterback Jacob Eason. He was Gatorade Football Player of the Year in 2015. His father Tony was an NFL quarterback that also played in a Super Bowl so he seems to have the pedigree for a successful career. He’s only completing 55% of his passes with 13 touchdowns to 6 interceptions. He’s going through growing pains now but the experience he’s getting should pay off next season.
We tell our kids all the time: You’re remembered by what your senior class does and what your record is against Georgia Tech. So I think the same case as any rivalry. You’ve got to keep it within the grasp of your emotions. You play with emotion, but you’ve got to play with controlled emotion. You’ve got to make good decisions on the field. You’ve got to prepare well,” Smart said.
Neither team is ranked but I expect this to be one of the best rivalry games this weekend. Both teams are already bowl eligible but the winner can possibly have a nine-win season with a win in this game and the bowl game. That will provide a lot of momentum going into the offseason.
They play in Athens at noon Saturday. I think being at home is a big advantage for Georgia. They also have superior talent to Georgia Tech so I expect them to win. Georgia is having a down year so if Georgia Tech still can’t win this game they should look at changing coaches immediately.
Ryan Tannehill Worth Miami Dolphins Money
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Last summer I wrote a piece revolving around the contract extensions given to Cam Newton and Ryan Tannehill, focusing more on the Dolphins and how they really didn’t have a choice considering there weren’t a lot of alternatives for them to choose from.
I still stand by my opinion at the time I wrote it, but much like the dumbbells I own collecting dust underneath my bed, amongst my wife’s photo albums and lord knows what else, I wonder if Miami is starting to have buyer’s remorse?
What started out as a disastrous beginning to the season for Miami (1-4) has turned around somewhat of late. Their offensive line has been playing better, opening up some nice running lanes for Jay Ajayi, who has become one of the league’s leading rushers. Their defense is finally starting to live up to the exceedingly high expectations they were burdened with to start the season, and they are right in the middle of the playoff hunt.
I really want to jump on the Dolphins’ bandwagon and believe that not only will they make the playoffs, but make a run at New England once they get there. I have confidence in the ground game and feel better about their defense with every passing week, but I just can’t bring myself to jump aboard. Mainly, because of Tannehill.
It’s not that I think Tannehill is a horrible quarterback or anything, I just don’t have a lot of confidence in him. I mean, I like the fact I can buy a large cheese pizza from Little Caesar’s for $5. However, don’t confuse my enthusiasm that for so little money I can feed my kids and myself for a night while my wife is out with the fact that I’m actually going to enjoy that pizza. No matter how much I enjoy saving the money it’s not something I want to do with any type of regularity.
To be completely fair and honest though, I must admit my prognostications over the past two months have been anything but stellar. Seriously, take a look and you’ll see a losing streak that should put me on every bookie’s Christmas card list. So, don’t be surprised at all if Tannehill all of a sudden becomes the second coming of Dan Marino.
If you’re a Miami fan, you’d better hope that happens because you don’t have a plethora of other options, if it doesn’t.
Because Tannehill makes so much money it will be extremely difficult to find a trade partner if management decides they want to move him. And you can’t cut him since his release would end in what I would assume to be a huge salary cap hit. For better or worse, he is the Dolphins quarterback over the next few years.
I’m not saying Miami is anywhere near making such a drastic decision like either of those two options would be. But if you feel like you have a team that can make a playoff run (they do), and your quarterback may be the reason you are hesitant to look too far into it (he probably is), you’d like to have a little bit of flexibility, if needed.
Tannehill seems to have all the attributes that you look for in your starting quarterback, but for whatever reason just can’t put it all together on a consistent basis. If Miami is going to make a run at the playoffs they’ll need him to prove me wrong. If the past few months have taught me anything, my money is on Tannehill.
Glynn Academy Terrors Beat Allatoona Buccaneers
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The rematch of last year’s state title game took place in the second round of the GHSA 6A playoffs.
The Allatoona Buccaneers, who beat the Glynn Academy Red Terrors last season in the Georgia Dome 10-6, took the five-hour trip from Acworth to Glynn County Stadium.
Most felt the Terrors were the better team this time around by far. However, the Bucs took the opening drive of the game right down the field and put themselves in field goal range. Allatoona lined up for the kick and that kick sailed left and no good. The game was over at that point.
Glynn opened up on offense and scored on a 47-yard TD pass by DeeJay Dallas to Quandre Mosely; a thing of beauty
By the half the Terrors had built a 20-0 advantage, which included a double pass for a touchdown; another thing of beauty. Dallas threw to Randon Jernigan behind the line of scrimmage and then went out a few yards for Jernigan to make a pass back across field to him. When Dallas caught the pass he had a convoy of blockers which lead him to the end zone for a 58-yard score.
Allatoona came out in the second half hoping to right the ship and get back into the game. Instead Glynn scored the first TD of the second half to give themselves a 27-0 lead. The Buccaneers then threw an interception on the ensuing possession and the Red Terrors punched that into the end zone and just like that it was 34-0 and at that point any hopes of a second half rally by Allatoona had ended.
Glynn had a 40-0 lead heading into the 4th quarter, which meant the defending state champs would be on a running clock in the 4th quarter; GHSA’s version of the mercy rule.
The Red Terrors had won 47-7 when the clock read 0:00 and eliminated the defending state champions.
Next up for Glynn Academy will the Northside Warner Robins Eagles, who are a perennial power house. As a matter fact, just two short years ago Northside won the state title and beat Glynn Academy in the Elite 8 on their way to the Georgia Dome.
The Eagles have beaten Grovetown and Langston Hughes to get to this point in the playoffs. Northside Warner Robins comes in with a 10-2 record and are no stranger to winning playoff games on the road, which they will have to do to advance against Glynn as the Terrors are the higher seed and will be at home in the friendly confines of Glynn County Stadium. Glynn Academy is undefeated at home this season.
It will be a great game. In my opinion, the winner of that game will be the team the limits the running game of the opposing offense the most as both teams are heavily run oriented teams.
Georgia Bulldogs own Auburn Tigers
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
When Kirby Smart sits down with his CPA to do his 2016 taxes he and Mark Richt will share a lot in common, as Kirby will list Auburn as a dependent on his tax return.
The UGA ownership of Auburn continues as the Dawgs won for the 9th time in last 11 meetings with the Tigers with the 13-7 win at Sanford Stadium. Things were so rough for the Tigers that they could not even muster a first down in the second half. This is an offense that averages 300 rushing yards per game, but the UGA defense held them to under 200 yards of total offense for the entire game.
UGA has AU’s number in football right now. I was watching the game and I was amazed at how atrocious the Auburn play calling was in the second half of the contest.
Even the SEC officiating crew tried to give the game to Auburn with horrible calls to ensure an Iron Bowl in two weeks for the SEC West title and Auburn just did not want to take it.
How many times in the second half on 3rd and 2 did Auburn throw the football? When was the last time UGA won a football game without scoring an offensive touchdown?
Georgia salvaged its season with a win over Auburn. How many times have we repeated that statement over the past 16 years?
The oldest rivalry game in the South is one sided at the moment and Gus Malzahn is now 1-3 with three straight defeats at the hands of UGA. Auburn plays UGA like UGA plays Florida in Jacksonville and that is not aggressive and playing not to lose which is usually a recipe for long losing streaks in rivalry games.
It was UGA’s first win over a top ten team since 2014 which by the way was Auburn. By now you are getting the ownership theme right?
This was Kirby Smart’s signature win in what has been a rough year 1 at the helm in Athens. Now Smart must continue to recruit offensive lineman and play-makers in space.
Riley Ridley is turning into a game changer in Athens. UGA is a few pieces away from having a super offense to compliment the talents of Jacob Eason who is starting to look very sharp at QB.
The defense is starting to develop into a good unit. Rod Blankenship looks like Adam Vinatieri, and the Clark Kent glasses are the talk of the Classic City.
If this UGA team can finish 9-4 with a Bowl win and Kirby pulls in this monster class he is assembling then year two could be a treat to watch next fall. Kudos to the crowd for the electric atmosphere as well with a who’s who list of recruits in attendance.
Back to Auburn, how do the Tigers seem to lay an egg in this game annually now? So much of their success depends on recruiting athletes from Georgia as Alabama and Nick Saban own the entire State of Alabama. Is Gus on the hot seat again?
The only thing separating Auburn from 11 straight losses to UGA is being the highest bidder for Cam Newton and a tipped fluke pass in 2013.
Where is Pat Dye when you need him? Coach Dye would not be having this. As for Kirby, he gets a little extra back from the government next year having Auburn as an additional dependent.
The Smart family will be chanting “War Damn Eagle” next year on their family vacation.
Great feeling it is to own Auburn, and to hear the excuses associated with it.
Who Will Be in the College Football Playoffs?
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
We’re reaching the home stretch of the college football season. We had one of the most chaotic Saturday’s in recent memory. It was the first time Nos. 2,3 and 4 lost in the AP Poll since 1985. Now the rankings are shaken up. I’ll examine the teams most likely to make the playoffs.
Alabama (10-0) has been the most dominant team this season and their still undefeated.
Their final two regular season games are at home against FCS Chattanooga and No. 16 Auburn. The SEC Championship game opponent is not set yet. Right now they would face Florida.
The East is so bad it doesn’t matter who the opponent is. The Crimson Tide are basically a lock to finish the season undefeated and remain No. 1.
With all of the upsets Ohio State (9-1) benefitted the most moving up to No. 2. Their last games are at Michigan State and at home against No. 4 Michigan. The Spartans (3-7) are having a subpar year so this should be an easy win.
The rivalry game against Michigan (9-1) will be tough. The Wolverines lost their starting quarterback Wilton Speight with a broken collarbone. That should increase OSU’s chances of winning.
The odd thing is even after winning their last two games they aren’t expected to play in the Big Ten Championship game. Penn State beat the Buckeyes so if they win their last two games they’ll represent the East in the championship game. Now we have to wonder if the committee will hold that against them.
No. 3 Louisville (9-1) is in the same situation as Ohio State. The Cardinals lost to Clemson so the tiebreaker belongs to the Tigers. Clemson will represent the Atlantic division in the conference championship game if they win their final conference game.
The one advantage Louisville has is they have the best player in the country, quarterback Lamar Jackson. He’s the clear cut favorite to win the Heisman. The playoff selection committee might choose the Cardinals to represent the ACC despite not winning the conference.
Michigan’s last two opponents are Indiana and Ohio State. If they can pull the upset on the road against OSU they’ll play in the conference championship game. Winning that will guarantee them a spot in the playoffs. I don’t like that the Wolverines have lost their starting QB but winning is still possible. We saw Ohio State win the 2014 national championship with a 3rd string quarterback.
No. 5 Clemson (9-1) should have easy wins to finish the season. They play Wake Forest and South Carolina. Their opponent in the ACC Championship will be Virginia Tech or North Carolina.
Washington dropped from No. 4 to No. 7 after losing to USC. The Huskies play Arizona State and at No. 20 Washington State. The Apple Cup game against the Cougars will be tough.
I’m not sure if they’ll win but if they do they will represent the Pac 12 North in the championship game. Currently they would play Colorado but that can change.
The last two weeks should be very exciting to watch. Alabama is guaranteed to finish and stay No. 1.
Ohio State and Clemson will also make the playoffs. The final spot is tricky. If Washington wins out they will be in but if they lose I’m not sure who the fourth team will be.
Carolina Panthers Blow Playoff Chances
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
At this point in the NFL season you pretty much have an idea where every team stands.
Sure, there may be an anomaly like the Kansas City Chiefs last year, who started out 1-5 and then went on the win their final 10 games, but for the most part there aren’t too many big surprises.
In the case of the Carolina Panthers, they are basically the NFL’s version of HBO’s “Vinyl”. There are high expectations at the beginning of the season due to the person who gets top billing, his supporting cast, and the people behind the scenes who put everything together.
Only it turns out halfway through the season you realize you now spend your Sundays not only wishing for it all to be over, but you’re watching episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm instead because you need a good laugh.
Needless to say, the 2016 campaign that started out with hopes of another possible Super Bowl appearance more or less came to an end when Carolina lost to those aforementioned Chiefs, 17-20 this past weekend.
Sure, they’re not mathematically eliminated from the playoffs as of yet, but at 3-6 they might as well be.
The Kansas City loss was actually fairly apropos when you look at the Panthers season as a whole. Much like those lofty expectations to start the year, the Panthers had a lot going for them coming into the weekend.
After a two game winning streak, where it looked like the Panthers Defense was starting to come around and Jonathan Stewart returned to the backfield, things were starting to go their way.
Even though they entered the game 3-5 a win, coupled with what ended up being an Atlanta loss, would put Carolina in better position than you would normally expect for a sub .500 team. Well, obviously, that didn’t happen.
Carolina played like the better team for most of the game, but like in a number of losses they’ve had this year, they just couldn’t close it out in the end. I can almost count on the missed opportunities and mental mistakes taking place about as often as Bobby Cannavale’s character doing lines of coke, which was just about every week.
Even if Carolina were to avenge all three of their NFC South losses from earlier this year, which is a huge “if”, they still play both the Raiders and Seattle on the road, in back to back weeks, followed by a much improved San Diego Chargers team in Charlotte.
Throw in the Washington game and 8-8 is about the best any Panthers fan can realistically hope for. Even a record of 9-7 probably wouldn’t be enough for a playoff appearance.
Over the next two months there will be a lot of talk about “showing what they’re made of” and “getting a jumpstart on next year” which I’ve always thought was a load of crap. The Jaguars finished last season on a tear and was a popular pick to win the AFC South. How is that whole “jumpstart on next year” thing working out for them?
And putting forth a courageous effort? How is playing hard the remainder of this season going to have any impact on next year?
Atlanta Braves Sign Dickey and Colon
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
I get the Bartolo Colon and R.A. Dickey signings. Well, I guess I can say more specifically that I would have more than likely been happy to sign one of them, but I can understand the signing of both, even though it’s not a dream scenario.
Colon is 43 years old, and Dickey is 42. They’re both well past their primes, but adding them to a rotation that was rife with youth and trouble in 2016 takes the Braves a step closer to respectability, if not actual contention.
John Hart is no stranger to these kinds of signings, inking Orel Hershiser and Dennis Martinez in the twilight of their careers to pitch for his up and coming Indians team in the mid-90s, a team that reached the World Series in 1995 and 1997.
The Braves aren’t the Indians of the mid-’90s, but they led the major leagues in runs scored for the final month of the season. They have an established star in Freddie Freeman and a star on the rise in shortstop Dansby Swanson.
The rebuilding program begun by Hart and general manager John Coppolella looks promising, much more than it did a year ago at this time. The Braves move into their new ballpark in April, and even if it turns out they’re not ready to compete with the Mets and Washington Nationals at the top of the National League East, they should at least be fun to watch.
Colon, of course, became one of the game’s best characters during his three seasons with the Mets. He pitched, fielded and even hit, with a memorable home run last May in San Diego.
The Braves would settle for seeing him make the 33 starts and pitch the 191.2 innings he did for the Mets in 2016. They’d hope for close to the same from Dickey, who won a Cy Young Award with the Mets in 2012 and spent the last four seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Dickey’s 195 starts over the last six years are tied for the sixth-most in the major leagues, while Colon’s 175 starts over that span rank 19th.
That’s huge for the Braves, who spent most of the season struggling to find guys to make starts. There were plenty of warm bodies, just very few who were ready to make the leap to the big leagues and stay. The consistency that these two older gentlemen will likely bring to the rotation will be a huge feather in the cap of Brian Snitker.
The Braves hope to take a big step forward in 2017, and they figure to be significantly better in 2018 and beyond, with Swanson set to be joined by Ozzie Albies in the middle of the infield and with young pitching on the way.
Five of the six Braves who made 10 or more starts in 2016 are 25 or younger. Eight of the top 12 Braves minor league prospects, as ranked by MLB.com, are pitchers.
The issue Hart and Coppolella faced was too many of those guys who started games this past year weren’t ready, and too many of those top prospects aren’t yet ready to advance.
Short-term deals were important, because the Braves believe some of those prospects will be ready to contribute soon. Eating innings was important, because the Braves had 42 games in 2016 where their starter didn’t finish the fifth.
Realistically, Colon and Dickey are place-holders, two aging pitchers who make the Braves more presentable while a young team gets better around them.
But if one or both can pitch at least decently well, the Braves should expect to see a lot more checks in the win column next season.
