Spring is a time of rebirth. There is a sense of renewal, and there is a fresh outlook for what lies ahead. Seemingly, the world is reborn with the warm rays of sun that begin to melt away the cold left by winter.
Rarely in the modern history of the Atlanta Braves has there been this much excitement about Spring Training. For so long, Braves fans have known what to expect. And for so long those expectations were met so often, that there was a sense of boredom that surrounded the franchise.
In the late 90's it seemed that the season didn't even start until October, when the sentiment of the fan base seemed to be "I'll get excited when you win the World Series, because anything less is utter failure." Sustained excellence seemed to cast a certain malaise over the season. Bobby Cox was a manager who believed in steadiness over 162 game season was the best way to be successful, and so the Braves went about their business in a way that at times seemed dispassionate. Although we revere names like Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz, and Cox, reverence doesn't produce excitement.
Excitement is exactly the word that surrounds the Braves heading into the 2013 season.
There were moments that had a similar feeling in the mid-2000's when the Baby Braves, Francour, McCann, Johnson, and Langerhans brought a fresh face to the franchise. They were new faces that had yet to produce at the level that would demand great expectations, so what we were left with was a great sense of joy in their success.
There was no doubt that the franchise was at a crossroads following the 2012 season. After what can only be described as a heartbreaking and anger-inducing loss to the Cardinals (the team that had ended the Braves season in 2011 as well), Chipper Jones was set to retire. Jones' career was played out over the exact span of time where the franchise went from perennial cellar-dweller to perennial champions. Drafted in 1990 with the first overall pick, Jones would find his way to the big leagues during the end of the 1993 season, in the midst of the last great pennant race in baseball history. Jones watched as the Braves overcame the Giants in the last weekend of the season, overcoming a 10 game deficit at the All-Star Break.
After an injury in 1994 (appropriate seeing as how the 1994 season will forever be seen as a black eye for Major League Baseball), Jones was a rookie in 1995 as the Braves won their allusive World Series. Jones was one of the best players in baseball from 1996 on, and his team would continue to be one of the best teams in baseball over that time period.
It is often forgotten that Jones moved to the outfield for two years in the early 2000's in hopes of making the team better. Jones had been the MVP in 1999 and it would have been easy for him to refuse to switch positions during the apex of his career, but Jones moved to left field while Vinny Castilla played third, and that was the beginning of Chipper as the leader of the franchise. Jones roll changed over the last 10 years of his career. From All-Star, to mentor to the Baby Braves, to Batting Champion, to wise old man, and back to All-Star in his final season.
There is no overstating the symbolism of Jones retirement. He was the last Brave from the 1995 World Series team, now that era is over.
Frank Wren had two choices this off-season. He could shrink away from the challenge of rebuilding the franchise, or he could embrace it. He could have kept the same team that had been in place for the past few seasons, tried to find someone to play left-field or third base, and just ride out this team as long as he could. I mean, they have made the playoffs two of the last three years, and the only time they missed the playoffs (2011) it took an historic collapse to come up short.
But Frank Wren took what could only be described as the complete opposite approach. In an off-season that has been unlike any other for the franchise since 1990, Wren has completely overhauled the team and built a new machine that can win now, and win in the future.
The bold move towards the future started with the outright release of Jair Jurrjens and then the trade of Tommy Hanson. For the past few years, it was thought that these two pitchers were going to be the foundation for the rotation for years to come. However, each pitcher has struggled over the past two seasons. Wren was tired of waiting, and he knew that he had some young arms that needed a chance to get in the rotation, so he got rid of them. The biggest part of these moves will be the relief pitcher that the Braves got from the Angles in return for Hanson. Jordan Walden will be a critical addition to what was already one of the best bullpens in baseball.
Next he went out and made the biggest free agent signing in the history of the franchise. The BJ Upton signing was met with a mixed review from Braves fans because everyone had loved Michael Bourn so much. But Bourn was wanting way too much money. Upton is younger than Bourn and coming off a season where he hit 28 home runs Bourn overplayed his hand so much that Upton actually got more money (5 years and 75 million) than Bourn got with the Indians (4 years 48 million).
The final bold move came in early January when Wren traded for Justin Upton. Sending Martin Prado to Arizona, in the deal along with Randall Delgado and a couple of other players, the Braves acquired the former number one pick in the MLB Draft at the age of 25. Playing along side his brother and with three years left on his contract, the Braves are primed to get the very best out of Justin Upton. How many times can you remember a team getting an MVP caliber player in the early stages of his career with so much time left on his contract? I'm sure it has happened before, but I can't think of it.
So now we arrive at spring, and as the flowers begin to bloom, so do the hopes of Braves country. In a season that was going to be unlike anything the Braves have experienced in 17 years (with the absence of Chipper), Frank Wren has managed to rejuvenate the franchise in a remarkable way.
The 2013 Braves will offer a daunting lineup that will have legitimate power from the number two spot to the number 7 spot. These Braves are going to produce more runs with their legs than any Braves team has since the days of Otis Nixon. These Braves are going to strikeout a lot, but they are going to hit a lot too. This Braves team is going to feature what will be, in my estimation, the best bullpen in baseball. The question surrounding these Braves is going to be whether or not the young starting pitching staff is going to be good enough to help the Braves win the division. The acquisition of Paul Maholm last season will be critical to provide a veteran presence, along with Tim Hudson. Kris Medlen will be a starter for the entire season, Mike Minor is in the rotation, and Brandon Beachy will be back before July. The starters are young, but they are talented. Before Beachy returns, Julio Teheran will have his chance to be a regular starter in the rotation, and if he struggles the Braves have a couple of other young guys just waiting to get their shot. A potent offense and the most athletic outfield in the majors will help the young pitching staff.
There is nothing guaranteed with this team. If the pitching staff holds up, they can win the division and make a run in the playoffs. If none of the Braves' hitters can find the clutch gene that Chipper Jones had, then they won't be able to score enough to win.
Either way, as spring training games begin in Florida and Arizona this week I can honestly say that I have not been this excited about a season in a very long time. As a fan, you have to admire the work that the front office has done to put a team on the field that has the ability to win. Fans need to support this team. Buy tickets in April, May, and June and when the trade deadline comes around in July, if this team needs something to win, you know Frank Wren will go out and get it. If there is one thing that this off-season has shown me, is that the Braves are committed to winning now and in the future, and as a fan, that is all you can ask for.
