Spring Training is off and running, and the Atlanta Braves are getting ready for a long season that should be filled with plenty of winning, and the players know it. Several players have been outspoken about the level of expectation that they are putting on themselves, as they should be, because the expectation level is as high as it can be: WORLD SERIES OR BUST.
The Braves had a nice offseason, adding Chris Sale and Jared Kelenic among others. Sale would be slotted as the third or fourth starter, without the pressure of having to be an ace after a few injury riddled seasons. Kelenic will likely be the every day left fielder, with low pressure to live up to the top-five prospect that he once was. If either of these guys out-performs the expectations that have been put on them, then this team may be better than the 104-win season from last year.
On top of that, there is a five-way battle going on for the fifth starter job. This team will be good, but how good? So good, that not winning the whole thing may just be looked upon as a failure. Randy McMichael and John Fricke discuss the expectation level of the 2024 Braves.
