The Braves are NL East’s best team – why isn’t that enough?
There are no big names in this photo. Just two Braves on another winning night. (AP photo)
Bill Parcells, who has held several jobs and flirted with many more, famously said that in the NFL “you are what your record says you are.” Which I guess explains it. The Braves don’t play football.
The local baseball club entered play Wednesday night with the National League’s best record and the fattest lead in either circuit. They subsequently ceded the NL’s best record to San Diego, which seized on a rare Billy Wagner clanger to prevail in 12 innings, but still. The Phillies lost, too, and that’s the team many still regard as the class of the East.
ESPN’s “SportsCenter” posed the musical question Wednesday: Are the Braves as good as their record? Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer doesn’t think so. On Monday he described the Braves as “a nice team” but contended that “the Phillies, if they play as they can, have nothing to worry about.” Mr. Ford also characterized Brian McCann and Troy Glaus as “easy outs.” His conclusion: “The Braves are fine, but they aren’t as good as the real Phillies.”
Reality check: The third-place Phillies awoke Wednesday to find themselves seven games behind the “nice” Braves.
True confession: I understand the skepticism — to a degree. I was leery of Frank Wren’s winter moves, and I was all but convinced that Wren had assembled a wreck of a roster when the Braves dropped nine consecutive April games. But times change, and so should perceptions. And what right-thinking folks should be perceiving about now is that the Braves mightn’t look imposing, but they sure do win.
This isn’t a team that has a hot month and has coasted. The Braves were 29-22 when they claimed first place on the last day of May. They’re 26-17 since. Put another way, even after their best stretch ended — they were 20-8 in May — they’ve still won better than six of every 10 games.
And they’ve cleared every hurdle the schedule has raised. Remember the 11-game road trip that commenced just after Memorial Day? Remember how that was supposed to tell us if the Braves were pretenders? They went 6-5. Remember what happened next? They came home and took two of three from Tampa Bay, which arrived tied for first in the American League East. Remember the allegedly difficult East Coast swing before the All-Star break? They won two of three games against both the Phillies and the Mets.
Still there are doubts. Part of that is understandable. The Phillies have become the brand name in the National League, same as the Braves were for more than a decade, and outlets such as ESPN traffic in Brand Names. The Braves long ago lost their sizzle, and they don’t have a Big Name on which to rebuild the Brand Name.
The first person you think about when you think of the Braves is Bobby Cox, who doesn’t play. The second person is Chipper Jones, who plays sometimes but isn’t having a Chipper year. Even Jason Heyward, the buzz of spring training, has cooled. As splendid as they’ve been, Martin Prado and Tim Hudson don’t stir the masses the way A-Rod and CC Sabathia do.
There’s no vast media conspiracy to deny these Braves their due, but it’s nonetheless true that we in the media aren’t great with nuance. We like our stories ready-made. We like superstars and super feats. (”Kobe scores 81!”) The Braves are nothing if not nuanced, and that’s why much of the watching world still expects the Phillies of Ryan Howard and Doc Halladay to rush past them. But that’s not going to happen, for a rather basic reason:
The Braves are the better team.
Said Matt Diaz, the hottest Brave: “I’m not saying that things weren’t good here in other years, but the chemistry on this team is something different … From 1 through 25, this is a team.”
To appreciate these Braves requires a bit of effort. Other than Prado, you won’t find a Brave among the National League’s leaders in any major offensive category. (Unless you count walks, which aren’t terribly exciting.) Only Hudson and Billy Wagner show up among the pitching leaders. But those aren’t the numbers that matter.
The ones that do are found in the standings, and there the Braves are atop the NL East. And that should be enough to satisfy any media outlet.
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865 comments Add your comment
Mark Bradley
July 21st, 2010
7:06 pm
Andy Roddick threw out the first pitch. But who cares about him?
GovClintonTyree
July 21st, 2010
7:08 pm
Right on Andy. Was kind of hoping he got stuck on MARTA. Or maybe 285, a la Pascual.
Sports Blog Atlanta
July 21st, 2010
7:09 pm
This Braves team reminds me of the earlier 90’s teams. They had good offensive players but not great ones. Same with this team (Players like McCann and Chipper are better than good, but they are not playing that way). Even still, they find a way to score enough runs and win. Bobby Cox has done a masterful job of pushing the right buttons. This team is not intimidated by other teams and therefore can go all the way.
Husker Tony
July 21st, 2010
7:09 pm
Tommy gets back on track tonight…..I hope.
Dirty Dawg
July 21st, 2010
7:09 pm
There’s no sense in our getting cocky about this season…there’s way too many games to go…but the fact is we’re in first, are playing winning baseball and, due primarily to the strength of the bench, have overcome the injuries that we’ve had. I’ve mentioned it on this before, but the reason Atlanta was able to maintain a level of excellence over all those years was that they made, for the most part, good decisions about players and kept a level head about themselves. Not that the Philly players have ‘gone arrogant’ about their two years of Division winning performance, but then seems to me that Rollins and the Hawaiian have been pretty mouthy all along. Just think how cocky that team and their fans would be if they had won it 15 years in a row.
Mark Bradley
July 21st, 2010
7:10 pm
I wouldn’t dispute that, Sports Blog Atlanta.
Husker Tony
July 21st, 2010
7:10 pm
Mark,
I do he is from Nebraska!!! He does suck but hey when a star comes from Nebraska you gotta be excited about him!!
GovClintonTyree
July 21st, 2010
7:10 pm
So Blanco goes back to Gwinnett. As atrocious as Nate’s first half was, Melky OBPed .020 better than Nate and they tied in homers, despite Melky having 115 more ABs. I’d have optioned Melky.
Although I will say Melky has the best OF arm on the club – maybe in the NL. Very strong and very accurate.
Husker Tony
July 21st, 2010
7:12 pm
Govclinton, Its all about money my friend.
Mark Bradley
July 21st, 2010
7:12 pm
Jerry Hairston leads off with a single
Husker Tony
July 21st, 2010
7:14 pm
Dang that was a joke.
amicusterrae
July 21st, 2010
7:14 pm
GovClintonTyree, can’t argue, though there were a lot of other more egregious choices. Like Halle Berry in the 60s. No way.
bp
July 21st, 2010
7:15 pm
Hansons ball is doing nothing again.
GovClintonTyree
July 21st, 2010
7:15 pm
Mark, here’s an honest question. Don Sutton alluded to this a few weeks ago on radio. He said Hanson’s “not the sharpest knife in the drawer, though I love him like a brother.” I have an affinity for smart pitchers (the two guys we had the last decade come to mind). I think it’s critical to making necessary adjustments, and I must say, I haven’t been overwhelmed with Hanson’s work the last 4-6 weeks…. Hanson’s laconic demeanor might belie his intelligence, but I’m wondering if you share Don’s opinion.
Coach D
July 21st, 2010
7:15 pm
Man, that was a rope by Hairston!
Question for you Mark: Do teams do batting practice prior to 1:10 games?
Change Turner Field to Aaron Stadium
July 21st, 2010
7:17 pm
I don’t care what the National Media thinks of my Braves. We’re just take it one game at a time and see how things play out come October.
Mark Bradley
July 21st, 2010
7:17 pm
They do as a rule, Coach D. But sometimes they don’t. It depends on the team.
GovClintonTyree
July 21st, 2010
7:18 pm
Husker, there’s only about $1.3m remaining on Melky’s deal before we non-tender him. Why not junk him now? He’s gotta be hitting 60% ground balls.
My Yankee friend told me he’d grow on me. And he has, to a certain extent…I just think he’s a very limited player and I don’t think there’s any upside there. He’s not gonna bust through and hit 20 dingers one year. He’s just a guy.
Good arm, though. Really good.
Husker Tony
July 21st, 2010
7:18 pm
bp, agree, luckily we are playing the Padres, they can’t hit all to well.
GovClintonTyree
July 21st, 2010
7:19 pm
Change etc – did you learn that from the great Crash Davis?
Husker Tony
July 21st, 2010
7:20 pm
Govclinton, once u send him down can’t other clubs claim him off waivers though eventuallly?? or am i saying that wrong?
bp
July 21st, 2010
7:20 pm
I was scared to death he was gonna let McOut leadoff
Ross
July 21st, 2010
7:21 pm
Where the hayel is Diaz?
Husker Tony
July 21st, 2010
7:22 pm
Not a bad at bat by Heyward, good pitch by Garland.
Robert
July 21st, 2010
7:23 pm
The Braves had far and away the best team in baseball many times between 1991 and about 2002. Except for one freak year when they didnt play a full season and when the starting pitching ran the table three times running in the playoffs, it did not matter.
Why should it be any different now?
The players are different. And this year’s team actually plays with some heart and guts (something sorely missing since about 1992). But it’s still managed by an idiot.
The media is making nice about Cox in his last season. But they arent fools. Any writer who came out and said “Look, the Braves might have the best record and the best 25 man roster in the NL, but nobody takes them seriously because Cox is an idiot” would get excoriated by the old-boys club.
So they speak in code – i.e. The Phillies have nothing to worry about
Ross
July 21st, 2010
7:23 pm
No Infante, no Diaz – trying to lose?
GovClintonTyree
July 21st, 2010
7:23 pm
Husker, I think it depends on if he has options left, and I believe he does. I could be wrong. If he doesn’t, you have to run him through waivers and if somebody claims him you can work up a deal or let him go and let them pay him. It wouldn’t kill me to lose him.
Newbomb Turk
July 21st, 2010
7:26 pm
MB, here’s a rulebook question. Did you see Mattingly last night when he got called for visiting the mound twice in an inning when he stepped off the mound and went right back to it? What if a coach or manager went out to visit the pitcher, but stopped short of the dirt and stayed on the grass outside of the pitcher’s mound? Would that be considered an official visit? Could they go out and “visit” with the pitcher and infield a many times as they wanted to without having to make a pitching change?
John Kruk's fat roll
July 21st, 2010
7:28 pm
I sho love me some Phillies
GovClintonTyree
July 21st, 2010
7:29 pm
Ross, RHP going in Garland. Bobby loves his splits and he likes to use the whole roster – ergo, Hinske in LF. Diaz on the bench is a potent bat to bring in against a LH pitcher later. Awfully hard to sit Diaz though. Infante, too.
Gumby
July 21st, 2010
7:30 pm
I do perceive that the media ouside Atlanta thinks the 2010 Braves are a fluke and are a little miffed because A: they saw us as a last place team which makes them angry to be wrong, and B: because we won’t take our past titles and just drift away into the night. After all the national media only wants to talk NY, Boston, or LA.
On the other hand I sort of feel like Tom Berenger in Major League…when he said the only thing left to do is go win the whole F’ing thing.
John Kruk
July 21st, 2010
7:30 pm
Did somebody say fried chicken??
My old Kentucky home
July 21st, 2010
7:31 pm
MB…Is this a Live Blog from Turner Field..?? you usually say if it is..?? The Padres are fun to watch….they are crafty….
Mark Bradley
July 21st, 2010
7:32 pm
It is, My old Kentucky home. (I said so in the post, if not the headline itself).
And the Padres lead 1-0.
GovClintonTyree
July 21st, 2010
7:32 pm
Hanson just shouldn’t be this hittable.
Ed
July 21st, 2010
7:33 pm
Here we go again with Hanson. He’s pitching like the little boy band. Maybe we should trade him. And what a pathetic arm in left field whoever that was. I can throw that well.
"Chef" Tim Dix
July 21st, 2010
7:33 pm
Hi! Who wants pie?
Mark Bradley
July 21st, 2010
7:33 pm
Matt Diaz sits because Jon Garland is a right-hander, Ross.
Speaking of Garland, he just got a hit.
Medi
July 21st, 2010
7:33 pm
Take him out NOW before the game gets out of hand. So sick of this red headed douche.
"Chef" Tim Dix
July 21st, 2010
7:33 pm
They are currently MMMBopping Hanson…
Trey
July 21st, 2010
7:34 pm
Nick, wrong again. You were actually fourth not third, Heath was third.
Newbomb Turk
July 21st, 2010
7:34 pm
MB, did you see Mattingly last night get called for visiting the mound twice after he stepped off the dirt surrounding the pitcher’s mound then he stepped back onto it?? Question: What if a coach or manager went out to visit the pitcher and stopped short of getting on the dirt…if they just stayed on the grass around the mound and had the pitcher come to them? Would that count as an official visit? Could they visit as many times as they wished in an inning without have to make a pitching change?
"Chef" Tim Dix
July 21st, 2010
7:34 pm
Medi…Please take your meds…
Mark Bradley
July 21st, 2010
7:34 pm
Nice one, Chef.
I myself actually have seen the group Hanson perform.
Frank
July 21st, 2010
7:35 pm
Hanson looks like chuck norris. Why was he put on such a high pedistal? I never thought he was that good a pitcher. This season shows it. He’s a 10-12 pitcher.
Newbomb Turk
July 21st, 2010
7:35 pm
sorry for the duplicate posts…i didn’tthink my first one went through.
"Chef" Tim Dix
July 21st, 2010
7:36 pm
Just means your a good dad, Mark.
You did take the kids, didn’t you?
GovClintonTyree
July 21st, 2010
7:36 pm
Hanson just hung the curve to Hairston. Hairston missed it.
Medi
July 21st, 2010
7:36 pm
I guess you like watching your team lose because a pitcher just doesn’t have it anymore? Look at his past 6 starts. Pathetic.
Sonny Clusters
July 21st, 2010
7:37 pm
How de we know this is live? What is Chino Cadahia wearing?