About The Islander. (St. Simons Island, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (March 11, 2019)
Many picking the Nationals - but I'll stick with the Braves By Dave Jordan As odd as it sounds, the 2019 Major League Baseball season begins March 20. Let that sink in: we’re not even into March Madness, and the Boys of Summer are about to hit the diamond for real, playing games that actually count in the standings. In their infinite wisdom (sarcasm), the folks who run baseball had the bright idea of having the Seattle Mari ners and Oakland Athletics play two regular season games in Japan on March 20-21, eight days before every body else plays for real and smack-dab in the middle of every other team’s spring training schedule. Then, on March 28, they’ll do it all over again: all 30 teams will play - in cluding the Mariners and A’s - and the regular season will officially be under way. Baseball will pump its chest and call that day “Opening Day,” even though it’s truly not. But I digress ... With the season drawing nigh, many folks who do such things for a living have anointed the Washington Nationals as the team to beat in the National League East. Keep in mind, this is the division the Atlanta Braves won in 2018 by eight games over Washington and by 10 games over the Philadelphia Phil lies, who collectively and completely fell apart in September. Ehhh, not so fast, my friend: I’m sticking with the Braves. Reason 1: Atlanta signed free agent Josh Donaldson in the off-sea son to bolster its offense, which really wasn’t bad at all in 2018. Donaldson will play third base and likely bat second in the order, ahead of Freddie Freeman. When healthy, Josh Donaldson is as dangerous a hitter as there is in baseball. He was the 2015 American League MVP after posting these video game-type numbers: 41 home runs, 123 RBIs, 122 runs scored, 41 doubles, a .297 batting average and a .371 on- base percentage. If J.D. plays 140 games, he’ll hit 30- plus homers and drive in 100+. He’s that good. And fans will love him: he’s old school and plays the game hard and for keeps. Reason 2: Ronald Acuna turned 20. That sounds silly on the face, but with Acuna in the lineup from Day 1 - and likely batting in the lead-off spot ahead of Donaldson - the Braves will torment many a pitching staff. Acuna, too, is good for 30/100 and should throw in 25-plus stolen bases for good measure. He might score 130 runs with Donaldson and Freeman batting behind him, no kidding. Recall, Acuna was a mere 19-year- old babe in the woods when he de buted in 2018, but went on to lead the Braves in homers with 26 while also driving in 64, swiping 16 bases and batting .293 - in just 111 games. Extrapolate those numbers (great word) over a full schedule of 162 CCGA Distinguished Speakers Series to feature RyanGravel On March 21 the College of Coastal Georgia Foundation's 2019 Distin guished Speakers Series kicks off with an event featuring Ryan Gravel. Can a big idea transform a city? Ryan Gravel says he knows it can be cause he has spent the past 20 years watching it happen. While a graduate student at Geor gia Tech, Gravel used his master’s the sis to spark a big idea for Atlanta. He proposed turning a 22-mile stretch of old railroad lines into a series of multi use trails, modem streetcar routes, and parks. From that initial spark was born the BeltLine, a project that has fanned the flames of urban redevelop ment in Georgia’s largest city. Gravel will be the featured speaker at the inaugural event of the College of Coastal Georgia Foundation’s 2019 Distinguished Speakers Series. Gravel will share learnings from the Atlanta BeltLine project, sit down for an on stage interview with former Atlanta Journal-Constitution Managing Edi tor Bert Roughton, and field questions from the audience about what a Bruns wick-specific big idea could mean for the future of the region. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m. and Gravel will speak at 6 p.m. The event will be at the Southeast Conference Center, College of Coastal Georgia, Brunswick. Advanced registration is free and required. Guests can register at coast- algeorgia.eventbrite.com. games and that works out to roughly 38 homers, 93 ribbies, 23 steals and a whole lot of giddy Braves fans. Reason 3: Brian Snitker is smart er than Davey Martinez and Gabe Kapler. The Braves manager is one of the more underrated skippers in all of baseball, and has forgotten more base ball than the Washington and Phila delphia managers, respectively, ever knew. While Washington’s starting pitch ing - on paper - might be better than the Braves, and the Nats’ bullpen - on paper - might seem stronger, Snitker will work his magic with the Atlanta staff more adroitly than Martinez will March 11,2019, The Islander, Page 13 his. While Philly’s lineup - now with studly new faces Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto, Andrew McCutchen and Jean Segura - may seem more impres sive on paper, I trust Snitker to wring just enough runs out of the Braves’ lineup to stay in the hunt the entire season and clip all other contenders and pretenders in the end. Either way, it figures to be one ex citing season. I, for one, can’t wait. Baseball, after all, is our greatest game. Dave Jordan is the host of The Coastal Sports Connection, heard weekdays on Talk Radio 93.7 FM WBQO. 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