It was your typical unexciting midweek baseball game in August. Only a handful of fans gathered at Nationals Park to see the Nationals play a team with the worst record in baseball. Dansby Swanson, former number one draft pick , darling of the Braves organization and the future of the franchise, lined a pitch deep to the center field off of Gio Gonzalez early in the game. Could this be it, Swanson’s first big league home run and start of a long and illustrious career in Atlanta? Well, unfortunately no or better put, not yet. The ball didn’t lead to a slow trot around the bases for Swanson, but what followed could not have created more excitement for a Braves fan.
2016 Braves
It has been a difficult year for what was one of the most consistent franchises in all of sports. Yes, the hay day of the Braves was in the 1990s and early 2000s when they were the dream of every American sports team. A national TV deal and multiple future Hall of Famers on the mound and the dugout catapulted the team to playoff appearance after playoff appearance. Those days are long gone, as a new team, new manager, new players and next year, a new stadium have taken over. The construction of Sun Trust Park is the light at the end of the tunnel for fans in Atlanta.
The misery of the Braves organization has been been exacerbated by the quality of players on the field. The past two years have seen big names and fan favorites like Justin Upton, Jason Heyward, Shelby Miller, Andrelton Simmons and Craig Kimbrel leave the organization. The wins and the fans have similarly followed suit. Yet, followers of the Braves remain optimistic, for the future remains bright. The loss of their stars have resulted in fewer wins in the box score, but also led to more draft picks, international slots, and young talent.
Bright Future
Two years ago, the Braves’ minor league system seemed like a barren wasteland, when their top prospects looked like big time dud Christian Bettencourt. Now, Atlanta has the top farm system in the MLB according to Keith Law of ESPN. With names in the pipeline like Sean Newcomb and Ozzie Albies, their prospects certainly look like they will be able to pack a little more punch. This could not have happened without shipping out their top players. The Braves currently have the worst record in baseball and are in line for the number one draft pick in next year’s draft, and more importantly another droplet in the growing pool of potential. The struggles on the field are only leading to more future investment through the draft. While the fans have left the stadium, they have jumped on the rebuild train.
Some of the young guns are already having their impact felt in the box score. Along with Swanson, who made his debut in August and is keeping a .300 batting average, Mallex Smith’s speed dazzled fans early in the season before he went down with injury. Matt Wisler, Aaron Blair and Tyrell Jenkins have each shown signs of promise off the mound at different points in the season. Of course, stock piling young players and draft players are not without risk. Players get hurt, traded, worn out or just don’t reach the unattainable expectations put on them. So, bad performances in the big leagues are certainly no guarantee of future success, just ask the Kansas City Royals and the Houston Astros who suffered for years waiting for their rebuild to kick in to high gear.
Patience Will Pay Off
With this in mind, is there any hope for ailing fans? Knowing that youngsters are chomping at the ankles of the starting veterans and knowing that losing will lead to better stock in the draft, many Braves fans are faced with perplexing situations. Do they cheer for their team to lose? Do they cheer for their veterans to struggle, leading to more playing time and opportunity for younger players? Do they avoid buying tickets to the stadium, instead opting for saving their money knowing that the team will be better next year (or the the year after that)?
The progression of these players is now what drives spectators to the field and keeps eyes glued to the TV despite the score. The game is no longer about the Braves and the Nationals on a cloudy Tuesday night in August, but seeing a glimpse of Smith’s speed or Blair’s fastball. Swanson playing a routine groundball can be more of a firework then any Matt Kemp home run. The game within the game, which has enthralled spectators for years, is what drives the fans these days. Within the box score, a sliver of joy can be found in the smallest developments of young players.
Swanson’s ball never left the park. It bounced off the wall and trickled back towards the infield away from the centerfielder. Swanson raced around first, then second and then third. As he neared home plate, Swanson dove for home plate, head first, without regard for himself, only the desire to score in his mind. Swanson’s first major league home run, at 22 years young in his rookie year, never left the park. Sliding past home, dirt covering his jersey, Swanson rose, flipping his luscious hair, as every Braves fan knees became week with pure love. The inside the park home run did not count for much. The Braves did not win the game and they will not win many more this year. But with moments like Swanson rising from his sprint around the bases, the losses seem to hurt a little less. Swanson, hair and all, gives the Braves organization and their fans something to cheer for, something to buy tickets for , and something to wait eagerly for.