With playoffs near, Braves hope Bourn gets back in groove

He looks tired to me. It may be the stress of performing below his normal high standards, and not figuring a way out of it that makes him look and seem tired. He doesn’t look happy and confident at all. Ironically, this slump seeme to begin with an AJC about Bourn and how he would be holding all of the cards in new contract negotiations with the Braves after this season. Looks like someone has dealt a couple of jokers now.

But, without him playing at the same level he played at during the first four months, the Braves may get past the first Wild Card with Medlin pitching, but that will be it. Jones is also showing the strain now limping and hurting through a long season, slipping below .300, but he will step up (see below).

Pray that Prado stays healthy and that Uggla’s resurgence has real legs. Hanson is done and needs to come out of the rotation. Who knows what’s wrong there? Freeman and Heyward are two young guys that will have real opportunities to step up and lead and get hits with runners on base if they can win the Wild Card, and a chance for them move up into the next level.

But, beyond that, they need Bourn, just like the Big Red Machine needed Pete Rose. All those years with no slumps that are so common today. But, I guess it makes sense that the guy who got more hits than any other player ever could afford the luxury of a slump and still accomplish that feat. Jones is cut out of the same cloth as Rose, so his leadership now is critical, and he knows it, and he will show up. But, the Braves still need Bourn back in form to win the NLCS.

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