By John A. Tures, Professor of Political Science, LaGrange College

Here’s a pitch for the Atlanta Braves. They don’t have to be the Dodgers’ or Padres’ staff. They should aim to be as good as they were last year, wait for the offense to get reinforced, and wake up to make a deep run in the playoffs.

First of all, put Max Fried in the rearview mirror. Hey, I love Fried as much as any Braves fan. My son and I got to meet him. We watched his first-ever win as a starter. But there was no way the Atlanta Braves could keep him, based on what he could command. I see no shortage of articles proclaiming, “The Braves shouldn’t have let him walk,” and “The Braves will regret not resigning him.” You may as well see a headline saying, “Middle Class couple lets Upper Class Mansion slip between their fingers.” For what Fried would have commanded, the smart Braves payroll would have been upended.

Spencer Schwellenbach has been pitching close to Fried’s numbers. Let him keep progressing. It’s more affordable.

Pitcher Chris Sale is unlikely to duplicate his amazing success last year. But replacing Schwellenbach’s production is reasonable. Let Spencer Strider know he doesn’t have to be a world-beater upon his return, so he doesn’t reinjure himself in the process. Spelling Reynaldo Lopez’s numbers would be understandable.

Let Smith-Shawver pitch his way back into the rotation. Bryce Elder, if he continues his progress, can replace Charlie Morton, who is looking at a rough Spring with the Baltimore Orioles. If he does come back, spot starter and long-relief sound good, eh?

Second of all, the Braves do need some bullpen relief. De Los Santos is getting martyred out there. We miss A.J. Minter, now throwing for our mortal enemy, the Mets. And Joe Jiminez is going for the year. Luckily, Pierce Johnson and Aaron Bummer show some signs of coming back a little; consistency is going to be most valued here. Craig Kimbrel is showing signs of his old self, but he doesn’t need to be. Just spelling Minter will do at this point.

On the offense and defense side, Nick Allen has effectively pushed Orlando Arcia on offense, and his defense looks fine. He doesn’t need to be a world-beater: Just approaching Arcia’s better numbers would be a lot.

The Alex Verdugo comeback tour is going well, paving the way for the team to survive until Ronald Acuna Jr. is ready. With Harris solidly in center, the Braves can afford to be patient on Acuna, especially if Jared Kelenic and Eli White keep improving. The team is lights out behind the plate with Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy. Could one be trade bait for a super valuable need? Only if the deal is amazing,

Yes, the Braves don’t look like World Series Champions right now, but neither did the 1995 and 2021 Braves. It’s about clutch plays, timely hitting, and pitching getting the job done. We have the right manager and great fans. Let’s hope the team lives up to those.

John A. Tures is a professor of political science at LaGrange College in LaGrange, Georgia. His views are his own. He can be reached at jtures@lagrange.edu. His “X” account is JohnTures2.