For the last four seasons, I’ve dialed up the old analog machine to project the balance of that current season. As silly as it sounds, there have been time – like last year – when the predictive outcome was more accurate than anyone would like.
Before this goes any further – this is tongue-in-cheek. This is not real. Do not use this for anything else other than for a few minutes of person enjoyment (or angst). This is the Battery Power Almanac (BPA), similar to the Farmer’s Almanac, which hopefully most of you have at least heard of at some point in your life. If not, go ask an grandparent or aunt or uncle or the internet.
Here’s how this works: Each of the “6” years going back 40 years will be reviewed for composite team or player results to get prediction now how the 2026 will pan out. Basically, this is the anti-AI and probably about as accurate. Also, here’s a 2026-specific acknowledgement, the past versions of this folly took place several weeks earlier in the season. This year, well, 2026 is running late.
But hey, who’s counting? Admit it, you probably even forgot this was a thing!
That’s okay, because it is time to buckle in on a bench seat of a 1986 Caprice and get ready to go for an old-school ride. Be careful, the metal gets hot this time of year.
2026 is going to go really good or really bad
Last year, when BPA predicted 81 wins it seems an impossibility, and yet, it ended up erroring on the side of optimism. So this year when BPA dialed up a 79 win season, either the outlier 1996 season is going to be the predictive indicator or something horrendous is going to happen during the rest of the season.
I can’t imagine what that might be short of the Braves being sold to a bitcoin-rich clown who decides to fold the team and turn Truist Park into a clown training academy?
1986: 72-891996: 96-662006: 79-832016: 68-93
If you happen to be too young to remember 1996, that Braves team should have won the World Series. The team was much better than the 1995 one.
Jim Leyritz still haunts my dreams.
The other years? From the year than ended the Division streak (2006) to the trash that was 1986 and 2016, “6” wasn’t good. But with Bobby Cox passing away earlier this year, maybe his “6” will bring some luck to Atlanta in 2026.
As mentioned above, that 1996 Braves team won the National League East and the NL pennant before facing the New York Yankees in the World Series. The Braves were up 2-0 in the series and then 2-1 going into Game 4. In Game 4 were up 6-3 going into the eight inning an then it happened. That home run; still too soon.
You know, ’96 was better than the alternatives because the other three seasons saw Atlanta finish an average of more than 20 games out of first place.
1986: Last place in the NL West1996: Lost in World Series 4-22006: Third place in NL East2016: Last place in NL East
Your 2026 Atlanta Braves All-Star or six
BPA is says three 2026 All-Stars because sometimes math isn’t hard. If three is the magic number, and through late-May it seems like three would be a pretty low bar, at least one of those players should be a starting pitcher. Chris Sale seems like a safe bet. As for the other players, based on history, an infielder and outfielder seem to be likely, which is probably good news for two of the three of Drake Baldwin, Matt Olson and Michael Harris II.
However, let’s get jiggy with it (okay, that was 1998, but close enough) and project six – yes, six All-Stars: Chris Sale, TWO-TIME ALL-STAR BRYCE ELDER, Matt Olson, Raisel Iglesias, Drake Baldwin and Dylan Lee.
1986: (1) Dale Murphy (OF)1996: (6) Tom Glavine (SP), Chipper Jones (3B), Greg Maddux (SP), Fred McGriff (1B), John Smoltz (SP), Mark Wohlers (RP)2006: (3) Andruw Jones (OF), Brian McCann (C), Edger Renteria (SS)2016: (1) Julio Teheran (SP)
How will the Braves fair when it comes to individual awards? BPA thinks it is time to get your polishing cloth out and get ready to shine a trophy or two.
No MVP for the Braves in 2026, but chances are there will be multiple vote-getters in the top 10.
1986: Dale Murphy (20)1996: Chipper Jones (4), John Smoltz (11), Marquis Grissom (13),2006: Andruw Jones (11), Chipper Jones (20)2016: Freddie Freeman (6)
BPA used AI and AI said John Smoltz was going to win the 2026 NL Cy Young. Don’t listen to that noise. Using the 1996 Guide to Making Your Dreams Almost Come True the Braves end up with two of the top five in the Cy Young.
1986: Zero1996: John Smoltz (WINNER), Greg Maddux (5)2006: John Smoltz (7)2016: Zip
Last year, BPA thought Drake Baldwin could factor in the ROY race if they got in enough games. Admittedly, BPA didn’t foresee Sean Murphy getting hurt. If there’s no other reason to not listen to BPA for any of your personal prognostication purposes, it not able to project a Sean Murphy injury should be reason enough.
No chance the Braves get a ROY the year this year. Heck, no one probably even gets a vote.
1986: Sadly, no one voted for Paul Assenmacher.1996: Jermaine Dye (6)2006: Six Florida Marlins got ROY votes. Zero Braves did.2016: Remember when we all dreamed on Tyrell Jenkins?
When the team sucks, the manager does not get awarded
BPA is just chuckling at this year’s project. Every result is just nope. Walt Weiss will get votes this year. Will it be enough votes? First-year managers with success often get rewarded, so never say never but BPA still says nope.
1986: Chuck Tanner won a World Series with the Pirates but not even close with Atlanta.1996: Bobby Cox (4)2006: Nothing to see here2016: Nor here.
It feels like no one talks about WAR anymore. The whole bWAR vs. fWAR seems like a relic from a different era – sort of like WWE vs. WCW. Chris Sale seems like the safe choice as does Matt Olson.
1986: Starting pitcher, David Palmer (3.6 bWAR), Third baseman, Ken Oberkfell (3.4 bWAR)1996: Starting pitcher, John Smoltz (7.7 bWAR), Third baseman, Chipper Jones (6.2 bWAR)2006: Starting pitcher, John Smoltz (5.8 bWAR), Outfielder, Andruw Jones (5.6 bWAR)2016: Starting pitcher, Julio Teheran (4.8 bWAR), First baseman, Freddie Freeman (6.2 bWAR)
What have we learned from this year’s BPA?
More than anything else, this is a reminder than 1986, 2006 and 2016 were unfortunate. There weren’t too many redeeming qualities about 2016 and 1986, especially.
If, for some reason, 2026 ends up like any non-1996 year, then next year maybe you should listen more closely to BPA and the whispers of the past.
Let’s all root for the 2026 get into the World Series but NOT face the Yankees.
