All That Losing is Paying Off

They're not in first. They're not setting the league on fire. But goddamn, the Braves are actually doing kinda well right now. And I'm all for it.

First of all...the entire infield is playing truly well, which is truly shocking, because two of the people in it were essentially counted out last year. Yes, it could be assumed that Freddie Freeman and Ozzie Albies would do fantastic this year, as they have been consistently great for Atlanta. But Dansby Swanson's impressive start has been a welcome surprise, as Swanson's 2017 numbers got people pretty afraid that he'd never be able to hit in the majors.

Even more surprising is the astonishingly incredible performance of Ryan Flaherty at third. This is a guy who had been a backup infielder for Baltimore for a few years, worked Spring Training with the Phillies, was released just prior to the start of the season only to be picked up by Atlanta. Flaherty has been playing wonderfully at third, edging out Adonis Garcia for the starting gig and complementing the stellar infield. This shouldn't be working as well as it is, and yet here we are.

And yes, there's also some nice stuff going on with Lane Adams, Nick Markakis, Anibal Sanchez and Brandon McCarthy. Of course, there are some roster depth issues, especially with the rotation, and there's the unsettling issue of Julio Teheran's gradual loss of control, which is leaving the team without a true ace right now. And yes, Mike Foltynewicz could, in all theory, step up, but I don't think he's capable of doing that quite yet.

Still, with a +.500 record and with a few more wins than Washington, the Braves are off to a nice start. I don't know how much this will say about their season, as they're playing in a tough division with a lot of 30-year olds and injuries abound, but it's definitely nice to know how much talent is there.

Coming Tomorrow- A veteran pitcher, suiting up for a team who's losing its identity.

Uncustomed Heroes of Baseball: Orioles

It was a hell of a year to be an Orioles fan, wasn't it?

These guys were inches away from a World Series, and I was pulling for them to make it. I guess the Royals were playing a little better at the end there, but that doesn't detract from the fact that the O's had a kickass year.

The guy above will be playing for the Mariners next year, but he was the O's' best offensive producer in 2014.

The reigning champion of Baltimore's First Annual game of Musical Catchers, Caleb Joseph was a nice replacement at backstop for an injured Matt Wieters, and while he didn't produce as much as Wieters usually does, he was still a nice enough addition to the roster.

Alejandro De Aza was a late-season roster addition, plucked from the depths of the White Sox lineup. De Aza was a really nice defensive and offensive outfielder, and will likely be a nice player next season, now that Nick Markakis is gone.

Zach Britton was the Orioles' closer this season, and had a nice season of it, making me forget about how awful Jim Johnson was.

David Lough was a nice utilityman addition to the lineup, and did well in the DH spot occasionally.

Wei-Yin Chen had another nice season, and is still one of the better starters on the Orioles.

After being less-than-perfect in 2013, Bud Norris had a nice comeback with the Orioles, pitching nicely into the postseason.

Ryan Flaherty was one of the two guys they tried at 2nd base, and he did pretty well for himself.

In my opinion, Jonathan Schoop was the better of the two, because he played the most games, and made some nice strides during his rookie season. I hope I see him a lot next season.

Coming Tomorrow- I might post a bunch, as it's Christmas and all, but look for the Padres to start it off.