Atlanta Braves coach believes Dansby Swanson's replacement is ready to take the position: "I really have a lot of confidence in [Vaughn Grissom]"
The Atlanta Braves made headlines by not re-signing star shortstop Dansby Swanson. The Braves hardly ever let their own talent get to free agency by extending them early and often. Swanson not only got to free agency, but he also signed elsewhere.
Despite the Braves probably not wanting to spend as much as the Chicago Cubs did, their decision leaves them with a glaring hole in the infield, at least on paper.
However, infield coach Ron Washington believes Swanson's heir-apparent Vaughn Grissom is ready to take on the role. Speaking to MLB Network, Washington said:
"There's a lot of upside. He has talent, to be a young kid. All he needs is to learn how to play the position. The organization became proactive in making certain that when we get to spring training, he's ready to compete for the [shortstop] job."
"I like his actions [at shortstop]... He has tremendous aptitude."
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He continued:
"I like his actions [at shortstop]. He's got a good arm. He certainly is a strong kid. He's got tremendous aptitude. I've been very impressed with his progress. Young infielders is what I build... I really have a lot of confidence in him."
The Braves' shortstop situation will be monitored closely this season. Whoever takes on the role will certainly be compared to the fan favorite and Atlanta local Swanson.
If Washington is to be believed, Grissom might be ready to make the transition very easy for Braves fans.
How many games are the Atlanta Braves going to win this season?
The Atlanta Braves won 101 games last season and had the third-best record in baseball. This year, they've made a few roster changes.
Obviously, Dansby Swanson is gone and will take his over 6 fWAR with him. The Braves also lost catcher William Contreras, but replaced him with Sean Murphy.
This team should be one of the best yet again. The Fangraphs' projections say the Braves will win 93 games, the most in the majors. These are obviously very conservative.
If they can stay healthy, there's no reason why the Braves can't win around 100 games yet again. They'll have steep competition in the division with the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies, but they're plenty good enough once again.