A special Braves’ season is unfolding before our very eyes
Win, win, win: It's not exactly boring this time around. (AJC photo by Jason Getz)
You felt it first on Opening Day, and again in the back-from-the-dead rally against the Phillies in April, and again and again in the last-at-bat victories since. And you felt it Monday night, when a big crowd showed up to behold Stephen Strasburg and saw the home side win again. You felt, for want of a better word, electricity.
Electricity at Turner Field. Electricity at a Braves’ game. Electricity not felt at this venue this millennium. Electricity for a Braves’ club unlike the Braves we’d come to know and take pretty much for granted.
Larger gatherings. Tougher-minded players. And — oh, yeah; this, too — more victories.
It began with Jason Heyward hitting a three-run homer on his first big-league swing, but it has become a roster-wide thing. From Martin Prado hitting everything to Troy Glaus crushing everything to Tim Hudson re-inventing himself to Derek Lowe finding himself to Eric Hinske becoming more than just a pinch-hitter. From Kris Medlen to Brooks Conrad to Johnny Venters. From a team that had fallen on mediocrity to a club that keeps clinging to first place.
For 15 seasons the Braves won so much we got bored with the winning, but there’s no tedium to this bunch. This feels closer to the worst-to-first crew of 1991 than its more lordly successors. This team feels like an underdog, which it was when the season commenced and surely still is. This is a collection of old and young, of the unsung and the unassuming. You wouldn’t take this everyday eight over Philadelphia’s, but this everyday eight leads the Phillies by 3 1/2 games.
For 15 seasons the Braves came to own first place, and then, in 2006, they lapsed into mediocrity. They’re not mediocrities any longer. They’re in first place, and they’re fun to watch, and this has already been the most exhilarating season since the old ballpark was demolished. And it’s not yet the Fourth of July.
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164 comments Add your comment
Don
June 30th, 2010
9:47 am
Everyone seems to forget that Heyward’s problems did not start with the thumb. The thumb is not the main cause of his problems. His problems resulted form Bobby Cox saying that he needed to be more agressive (and who knows what else). Before that he had a great BA and OBA and was showing unbelievable maturity for a 20 year old – was being patient, was being very selective, was hitting to all fields. Granted, he may have been taking a few too many good pitches, but correcting that would have automatically come with maturity. Cox’ comments caused him to stop being selective and patient, to start swinging at bad pitches, to start trying to pull everything (or at least significantly more), and to start overswinging. His entire approach went in the tank and his BA and OBA into terrible decline. To have made such a comment to a 20 years old rookie who was showing that kind of maturity and approach was absoluitely absurd.
Melky way
June 30th, 2010
9:59 am
Matt,who knows its just something they do.
Marty
June 30th, 2010
11:01 am
For much of the Braves 15 years of “wow”, even if the Braves were behind, there were no worries. There was a unshakable confidence that by the 27th out, all would be good. That feeling’s been gone for at least 5 years, but FINALLY, it’s back again. Once again it feels great to know the very worst possible outcome is they’ll be competitive. That makes it a real pleasure to listen/watch a game. Again. Finally.
Johnny3Steps
June 30th, 2010
12:08 pm
Bradley……………………………Keep yo’ predictions to yo’ self………………..We remember what happened in the past. LOL
Thomas
June 30th, 2010
4:30 pm
It feels good….to win….It feels bad to lose. Winning teams draw crowds and losing teams draw critics, should have, could have, only if, what if, fire this one, fire that one, trade this one, send down that one. This is a well rounded team with the potential for playoffs, if everyone stays healthy and plays fundamental ball. GO BRAVES!!!!!
Clean Up Turner Field
June 30th, 2010
4:40 pm
If Turner Field would make a good fan experience around the field they’d have higher attendance.
http://www.facebook.com/atlantabeltline#!/group.php?gid=123753825241&ref=ts
Brian Harris
June 30th, 2010
4:45 pm
Mark this is a really good article. I have always been a huge fan of the Braves and it was quite unsettling to see them be so content with mediocrity these last few years. There didn’t seem to be any fight in them at all. This year is different they look like the Bravos of old and the city of Atlanta couldn’t be prouder. I wouldn’t want Bobby to go out any other way.
scottbravesfan
June 30th, 2010
5:26 pm
Appalachian Brave,
Hey I assume you have MLB Extra innings? If so the reason it was blacked out on there is because you are in the Nationals home territory of Virginia and you should have been able to see the game on MASN with the Nationals broadcasters. Even if you don’t have MLB Extra Innings the games with the Nats should all be on MASN if you have cable or a dish.
Also only in Atlanta could winning get old. I just hope that we sell out the playoff games if and when they happen that crap was so embarrassing when we couldn’t sell out playoff games.
Steve Skelton
June 30th, 2010
6:10 pm
VERY well stated Mr. Bradley. It does have that 1991 feel. I hope this proves to be prophetic come October…except that we WIN the World Series this go around. Great column.
UcantCLA
June 30th, 2010
6:49 pm
Mark there are alot of rumors about the Braves looking for a bat in the outfield. What are the chances that we go after Josh Hamilton. You know the Rangers are broke and we can givem Nate and a pitching prospect.
Braves Fan Since "80
June 30th, 2010
6:58 pm
Yeah win the division or not this team reminds me of the Braves of days gone by…. Acouple years of growth and a couple of additions we will be a Yankee Killer
Braves Fan Since "80
June 30th, 2010
7:01 pm
Everyone seems to forget that Heyward’s problems did not start with the thumb. The thumb is not the main cause of his problems. His problems resulted form Bobby Cox saying that he needed to be more agressive (and who knows what else). Before that he had a great BA and OBA and was showing unbelievable maturity for a 20 year old —-Blah Blah Blah….. if you are not managing the Yankees well then you full of it…. big hat no cattle
Joe
June 30th, 2010
7:43 pm
I remember ‘91 like it was yesterday. Living here in the Bay Area, we did not have the internet or cell phones-I would call the SF Chronicle News Hotline (555 News or something like that) to get updates on the Braves scores. I especially remember being out of town and only having access to a pay phone (up in Bend Oregon-as my GF at the time took me to a Shakespeare festival) and the Braves overcame a 6 game deficit to the Dodgers right around the All-Star break. I remember how pleasant that week was. I also remember reports of this haunting chant that had started up and I was looking forward to hearing more about that…what a special year ‘91 was and with Bobby on his last season, time to let him go in style….
Swhite1115
July 2nd, 2010
12:24 pm
Thanks for validating what I’ve been telling my friends since early June. This has the look and feel of the 91 Braves, no doubt. They want to win, which I think has been missing for a while.