Somebody Up There must really like the Atlanta Braves
The Braves are 10-14 in September. They’ve won one of the past seven series. They’ve gone from three games ahead of Philadelphia on Sept. 1 to six games back with six to play. And you know what?
They still should win the wild card.
They start the week a half-game behind San Diego, which is a half-game behind San Francisco in the National League West. The Braves play the Marlins these next three days. The Padres have four against the Cubs. The Giants have three against Arizona. But here’s the catch:
The Padres and Giants finish against one other. One of them has to lose each of the season’s final three days. The Braves end against the Phils, who have already clinched a playoff berth and a tie for the East title. That quirk of scheduling should be enough to get the Braves into the postseason. Provided the Braves remember what it is to win a series, which is, as we know, not exactly a certainty.
The Braves have lost three series to last-place clubs in three weeks. Of their 10 victories in September, four have been posted by Derek Lowe. Their rotation is coming unglued. Their batting order fell to pieces a while back. The wonder isn’t that this team is losing but that it still holds the chance to win something. The Braves are most fortunate.
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423 comments Add your comment
The Atlanta Braves Offense
September 27th, 2010
12:11 pm
Shucks! Bobby said we got to work six more days. Sure wish we could go ahead and start our vacations now.
Appalachia Brave
September 27th, 2010
12:12 pm
Should have kept Adam LaRouche…He hit 24 HR’s this year. FRANK messed this team up when he started bringing in all these bums…..
Ken Shelton
September 27th, 2010
12:13 pm
Past years post seasons fate not withstanding. If the Baseball Gods were to see their way to blow the winds away from the recently seemingly-defeated-before-they-stroll to the plate” seldom-clutch lineup of the Braves. Contrary to popular belief of the Bravo’s dropping a potential first series quickly, think again….We all know the Braves strength lies in the pitching, a little on hitting. Consider a three man rotation of Hudson, Lowe and Hanson up against any other teams top three opponents, and no-doubt we have a shot. Problem will be making the cut, considering the lineup Bobby Cox keeps marching out. While he’s still a decent hitter, Infante’s skills have come back down to planet earth, Prado as great as he’s been through August is hurting the team more than he’s helping for most part. And granted a great game yesterday, I still don’t believe Rick Ankiel is a quality hitter, and the Melky-man barely is good enough to be worthy of a bench role. I still say play Troy Glaus at least some with his rested knees to see if he can rekindle the magic he had earlier in the season, as after all, the Braves only jump-started their winning ways and over-jumped other teams with the opponents riding the strong power burst of Glaus. I still feel its a long-shot at best to make the Wild card, but let’s step it up a notch our Bravos and win one for the ‘Gipper” (or in this case, Bobby Cox)!
Jabo
September 27th, 2010
12:13 pm
The braves can’t hit with runners on base. This has been a problem all year but lately it has really manifested. When is the last time you saw a sacriface fly to score a runner from third? I think they probably have already set a record for hitting into double plays. It’s pathetic to watch this bunch find ways to lose. We have good young players with a bright future if they don’t let this bad season mess this up. 2011 Go Braves!
ClownStephenson
September 27th, 2010
12:16 pm
The Braves are so pathetic and LUCKY its ridiculous!!!! THE BRAVES SOMEHOW, SOMEWAY HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE OF URGENCY WHATSOEVER. This is the most critical time of the year when you MUST be playing your best baseball to be eligible for post season play. So what do the Braves do, by the way, AGAINST THE WORST COMPETITION IN THE LEAGUE: They lose 2 out of 3 against the Pirates (the Pirates stink); the Braves lose 2 out of 3 against the Nationals (the Nats stink); the Braves get swept by the Phillies (it should have been the other way around if the Braves were serious about playing in the post-season), and the Braves collapse against the Florida Marlins (losing 2 out of 3). The Braves have LOST 6 out of their last 7 games but somehow, miraculously they are only 1/2 game out of the wild card (BIGGEST MIRACLE EVER IN BASEBALL HISTORY). Like Bradley has said, the Braves are not dead and they are right there in striking distance to take care of their business. The only problem is that the Braves will probably have to beat the Pbillies to get into the post-season. The hillbilly Phillies are list a MACHINE and they are stuck on automatic pilot like a bulldozer to seek and destroy all competion thrust in front of them. The Phillies will win the world series this year if the Braves bats dont come to life soon.
Navigator
September 27th, 2010
12:19 pm
I think the situation for better hitting could improve if Glaus went to third, Prado to second and Infante to the outfield. We know BCox won’t do that, and the best thing for all of us is that his regime is just about finished. Next year the team starts with many new players, new coaching staff, and hopefully a new belief in building the team with youth, much like the Falcons are doing. Yeah, things won’t be as smooth, but the potential for success goes up. You know this bunch of veterans bring nothing.
Liberty Media
September 27th, 2010
12:19 pm
Atlanta fans are too negative and critical of the superb ownership and management that the Braves have. They are lucky we haven’t moved the team to Las Vegas.
Drewster Rockitt
September 27th, 2010
12:20 pm
I agree. Bark Madlu, write about football, the Hawks, the Thrashers, the Chase, beach volleyball or probable routes for the Tour de France, but please, please, Please quit saying anything, especially anything nice, about the Braves. You are just making it worse.
Tami
September 27th, 2010
12:20 pm
LOL….I love GTHorsie’s comment about jinxing the Braves. Thanks for the laugh.
But you’ve got to wonder what has suddenly spooked the Braves. Or if they were Cinderella at mid-season, and turned back into pumpkins come late August. Technically….yes. They’re still in the WC hunt. But why? If they continue to play this way, they’ll either play themselves out of the WC hunt. Or, if by a fluke they make it in, they’ll be eliminated in 3 games. I truly hope that Bobby really juggles the lineup and that the pitchers deliver some gems this week. It would be nice to finish Bobby’s final season strong — whether they’re able to make it into the postseason or not.
Mr. Baseball
September 27th, 2010
12:23 pm
“Just make the playoffs, if we make the playoffs, we have had a successful season” – The famous Atlanta mantra. The nonsense that has all those pretty flags pasted up on the wall next to the dancing cow at the stadium that is more Six Flags than a baseball park.
This team went on the road with the loyals proclaiming “we need to sweep the Mets, 2 of 3 from the Phillies and sweep the Nats” Well, how did that work out? You’re predicted 8-1 road trip became a 4-5 choke job.
Now, the claims and predictions still abound – 4-2, 5-1, etc. The reality is that this team is incapable of winning when it has to. You can all argue whose fault that it, but that fact remains. The Braves led the Division and controlled their destiny – a 7 game lead is now a 6 game deficit. They led the Wild Card and controlled their destiny – that is gone now too.
And history also tells us that Cox teams fall flat on their face in the post season. Even though it has been awhile, what evidence is there that this team, the one that collapsed in September, will be any different – any different from the Braves of 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 – all teams that were booted out of the playoffs in the first round?
Brave Hokie
September 27th, 2010
12:24 pm
I have never seen a weaker, more heartless, more gutless team down the stretch than our Atl Braves… & that goes for the 14 year streak, as well….
After Sept, they wilt, underachieve, and frankly act like they could care-less.
I wish I could…
Dirty Dawg
September 27th, 2010
12:26 pm
Actually Mark I think we already have the solution to our center field problem…he’s paying right field. Heyward’s got the speed and the arm to play the position as well or better than anybody else we have. Unless, of course, they can teach Ankiel to hit in the off-season. Now as for who’ll play right, go get Werth.
RJM Dawg
September 27th, 2010
12:27 pm
It would be nice to see one of my two favorite teams (Bulldogs and Braves) win something this year. Ain’t gonna happen with the Bulldogs so hopefully the Braves will get it together here in the final week!
Quicherbichin
September 27th, 2010
12:29 pm
The way most of you people whine and moan and complain, you’d think that Bobby Cox is either Chuck Tanner or Eddie Haas. If you people had been around to see the 70s Braves or the late 80s Braves, then you’d be happy with what you have now and just unhappy about probably not making the playoffs. But because you got spoiled by winning, you have this sense of entitlement. . well, all except for Sonny Clusters who was on acid or something the entire time. he probably sold to Dock Ellis back in the day.
Paul310
September 27th, 2010
12:31 pm
It has been an interesting year, amazing we won the games we did. Most of the year we were playing with five hitters in the lineup, when you consider very little production from center and first for most of the year. What is the combined batting average for center, left and first? Traditional power positions, and then you add in someone else is always in a slump or recovering from an injury. Lineup doesn’t intimidate anyone. Great effort from the bench, bullpen, and pitching staff. I will go with 3-3 this week, miss the WC by one.
Bruised Brave fan
September 27th, 2010
12:34 pm
Solution to the Braves problem is simple.
Keep Infante, Prado, Diaz, Heyward, Ross, McCann, Freeman, and Conrad. Let everyone else go, manager, players and coaches included, and start over. Trade, trade, trade, but stop the habit of trading for over the hill castoffs.
Christopher Chance
September 27th, 2010
12:36 pm
The Braves are like a troublesome child who keeps getting chance after chance. Even though the “stars” have lined up for them to make the play-offs……..they simply refrain from being their worst enemy.
Everyone ASSUMES that because of the scheduling, the Braves are a shoo-in to make the play-offs. However, there’s something called WINNING THESE WINNABLE GAMES that MUST happen if we are going to make the play-offs……………something we’ve shown that we have been unable to do this month.
There is something wrong with our team’s mental capacity. This team has shown in the month of September that it cannot handle this kind of pressure. If it could, then we’d have a MUCH BETTER record than 10-14 against basically inferior competition.
I’ve heard people say that once Bobby Cox believes in you, then that player does not have to deal with pressure. I feel that in the long run, shielding a player from pressure will not help him excel.
The great players in the history of all sports have excelled under pressure. They WANT the ball AND the limelight when it’s crunch time. NO GUTS NO GLORY. When they mess up, they step up to the plate and accept blame. They dont have their manager feed a gullible local press with excuse after excuse of how if liners dropped in that they would have won the game (especially when your team has committed a number of errors, ran themselves out of innings, left a league leading number of runners on base, as well as being unable to do some of the basic fundamental things like hit the cut off man AND hit and run with runners on base).
Last year, when Luis Castillo dropped that game ending pop-up that A-Rod hit that allowed the Yankees to score the winning runs……..Castillo stayed after the game and answered EVERY question that the “foaming at the mouth” New York media had to ask him. Because of his willingness to “be a man and face the music” (which is something that many in sports lack today)…….the NY press actually gave him props for not running away (something that our Brian McCann didnt do last week against Philly when he threw several balls into center field….as well as get thrown out at 3rd in a seemingly foolish attempt to tag up).
I blame the Atlanta press for not having the sack to challenge both management and our players. If the Atlanta press wasnt so concerned with writing love pieces giving the perspectives of Lord Bobby’s former coaches and players…..then maybe they themselves would put enough pressure on our team to either step up……..or get out of dodge.
Instead, I suspect that we’ll see one more week of “fluff” pieces. After all. even fluffers get paid.
Former Chief Knockahoma
September 27th, 2010
12:38 pm
The Braves are not dead. They are however, on the Trail of Tears.
Ron Roberts
September 27th, 2010
12:40 pm
Mark, I love the optimism, but that “looking at the schedule” crap didn’t pan out so well for us in losing series of late against teams like Washington (twice, actually) and Pittsburgh.
The wheels are falling off this ride; Prado’s ailing, Hudson seems to be running out of gas, Jurrjens is wobbly, we have a 1B with a bad back and another with bad knees and a third who’s a AAA all-star; we have two LF who can’t hit consistently, a CF that hasn’t hit all year, save for a little burst two weeks ago, and an error-prone SS who hasn’t put up the numbers with us he was putting up in Toronto. We traded for Ankiel, who was hitting .270 before we got him and around the Mendoza line WITH us; we picked up Kyle Farnsworth to help solidify the pen and he’s only BLOWN a handful of games for us instead of helping out.
We’re starting (lately, anyhow) two AAA pitchers in the rotation, to go with the ailing Jurrjens, the AC/DC Hanson and the worn-down Hudson.
Oh, and the Marlins always give us fits.
Matter of religious terminology
September 27th, 2010
12:42 pm
The Braves are not dead. They’ve just gone to the Happy hunting ground.
Fred
September 27th, 2010
12:43 pm
I agree with the Bruised Braves Fan and wish to add that if Wren makes one more stupid trade or signs one more over the hill cast off from any team in the world he should be added to the list to go.
Peter
September 27th, 2010
12:45 pm
I have been very negative about the Braves since the Wren moves……I think his choices were silly at best.
We lack speed, and Blanco gave us that for one guy……and he could play center field. I don’t like Farsworth, and his history in the playoffs as a Brave, is scary at best.
That said, anything CAN HAPPEN once the playoffs start…….
Guys can get hurt on the opposing teams, guys that stunk it up during the season can become over night sensations.
I don’t particularly like the Braves chances……but nothing is over until the last out is played for the Braves.
John Lennon
September 27th, 2010
12:45 pm
The Braves are not dead. But the Beatles are more popular.
Christopher Chance
September 27th, 2010
12:46 pm
Mark Bradley……….if talent was the issue, we wouldnt have been able to competed for the best record in the National League for most of the season (from June on).
Lack of talent hasnt caused us to go 10-14 in September. Running ourselves out of innings, sloppy defense, leaving runners on base, lack of fundamentals (bunting, hit and running, moving runners over, hitting a sacrifice fly, etc.)……are things that you dont need a lot of talent to do.
What you need is a manager who will not only take the time to call his guys early to the ball park and teach them these fundamental drills EACH AND EVERY DAY until they get it right……but also rip them a new one when they fail to execute.
Talent? You’re just making excuses for Bobby Cox. A lack of talent excuse doesnt fly when you’ve been 20 games over .500.
Mike
September 27th, 2010
12:47 pm
Adam Laroche will hit 25 home runs and drive in 100+ runs this year for a last place team that will lose almost 100 games. How did we let this guy get away twice?
Just sayin’.
Christopher Chance
September 27th, 2010
12:47 pm
Mark Bradley……what’s the over/under on the number of fluff pieces that will be posted on Bobby Cox this week?
Elvis
September 27th, 2010
12:50 pm
The Braves are not dead.
Mitchell
September 27th, 2010
12:51 pm
bjohndawg
September 27th, 2010
10:20 am
Bobby deserves to be in the playoffs.
Nobody deserves to be in the playoffs, least of all Bobby.
You earn it.
Runnin
September 27th, 2010
12:52 pm
I guess we can give up now. I was holding out but Bradley’s never been right about anything.
Turk Wendell
September 27th, 2010
12:52 pm
If Braves weren’t jinxed before, they sure are now with this article. Get out the chicken and start chewin’ or the Braves will be packing their $#!+ and going home. This message has been approved by Tim Hudson.
Jim Morrison
September 27th, 2010
12:52 pm
The Braves are the Lizard King, they can choke anything…
Christopher Chance
September 27th, 2010
12:52 pm
Mark Bradley………..Bobby Cox addressing the team before Game 3 of the Philly series? That’s a doctor letting a sick patient wait days in the emergency room before making a feeble attempt to treat him.
What Lord Bobby should have done was send a STRONG MESSAGE (like Charlie Manuel did) and set his rotation for the Philly series. That would have shown his players that the Philly series was urgent AND that he wants his best to face them. Instead, he basically laid down and said “let’s save our best pitchers (Hudson and Lowe) for the Nationals.
What a joke. The best want to play the best. However our best was on the sidelines against the best.
What kind of message does that send? Our recent clearly answers that.
Jeff Francoeur
September 27th, 2010
12:54 pm
Watch ME go to the post-season w/my shiny NEW team… I have done SO MUCH to deserve this…
DC Brave
September 27th, 2010
12:54 pm
I recently read the book Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer by Warren St. John. The book is about a whole lot more than Alabama football. The book is about being a die-hard fan…about using the word “we” when talking about the prospects for an upcoming game. “We are looking good.” Or for the Braves lately, “man, WE cannot buy a hit with runners in scoring position.” Pulling for my team is killing me this year. I have literally had blood pressure problems watching the past few games. The apparent lack of interest by my team’s owners is maddening. Yet for all their faults, the Braves are my team, as they have been since 1982, when Dad took me to that first game. C’mon Braves. Don’t let US down. Make us proud. Finish strong. If WE go down, WE all go down together. Go Braves.
James
September 27th, 2010
12:57 pm
Fire Bobby Cox now and let Freddi Gonzalez finish out the remainder of the season.
Lil' Barry Bailout
September 27th, 2010
12:58 pm
Sorry, Mark, but the Phillies are going to bitchslap the weak-azz Braves three more times just for the pure fun of it.
Larry
September 27th, 2010
12:58 pm
Someone in the Braves clubhouse needs to stand up an say hey It’s time to win it for the Old Man… The city of Atlanta expect you to at least try… And we will be disappointed if you do not….
Mike
September 27th, 2010
12:59 pm
@DC Brave…you’d stop all this “we” stuff in a heartbeat if you ever tried to get an autograph for your kid two hours before a game.
Paul Lentz
September 27th, 2010
12:59 pm
My new name is Christopher Chance.
Jackson Firth
September 27th, 2010
1:00 pm
Bobby Cox is a great manager only in the eyes of the Braves public relations writers who act as AJC sportswriters. Their junk will probably get him voted into the HOF. Sports writers denied that honor to one of the games best players ever, Pete Rose.
Paul Lentz
September 27th, 2010
1:00 pm
…and I still don’t know what the he!! I’m talking about.
DC Brave
September 27th, 2010
1:01 pm
Mike….that is funny. I got a baseball signed by David Ross and Brian McCann. Getting an autograph is about timing. How would you like to have a hundred people screaming at you for an autograph an hour before you close a big deal or have a big day at work? Especially nowadays when so many people are only out to get the autograph so they can sell it on E-bay.
Christopher Chance
September 27th, 2010
1:02 pm
GermanBravesFan………your 9:36am post is off the mark.
Braves fans like me desperately want to see the Braves make the play-offs and win. However, loyalty to a team does not mean that we have to be blind to reality.
I’m not going to overlook the fact that our manager has created an environment where our players continue to shoot themselves in the foot………….while many in the Atlanta press continue to let Lord Bobby get away with the BS excuses that he feeds them.
We live in a country where questioning our leaders is mandatory. Why should sports be any different?
Do you think that Yankees, Red Sox and Philly fans are any less “loyal” because they rip their teams when they lose? Because of pressure from the press, those teams know that they have to do what it takes to compete….they know that their moves and play on the field will be scrutinized by both fans and the media alike.
However, in comfy Atlanta……..sports teams dont have to worry about that (especially the Braves).
Bottom line, the Atlanta media is complicit in all this. Their inability and refusal to be TRULY objective and critical when warranted has given Braves management and their players a SAFE HAVEN to not put the best product on the field.
SR
September 27th, 2010
1:02 pm
They don’t show up when they absolutely have to, why think these last 6 games will be any different? They will lose tonight and they will be fortunate to win back to back series. You got automatic outs and Double Play machines up and down the lineup. Add in the chokers with runners on and you get the picture. It’s over and if it isn’t now, it soon will be.
Turk Wendell
September 27th, 2010
1:03 pm
The only message Bobby has for his players is “Wait here while my (favorites)boys do their best and then it will be your turn to save the day. If you don’t then you blew it,not my boys.-YOU!
Bobby Cox reminds me of what Jon Koncak said about D.W. after hogging the ball until the shot clock was running out. “Here’s the ball shoot!” Just like when Bobby let’s his boys play first. It’s either here’s the ball (with runners in scoring position and no one out) or go pinch hit with two outs after a double play.Bobby’s favorites and assumptions have killed this team and once again disgraced the state of baseball in Braves country.
Lil' Barry Bailout
September 27th, 2010
1:05 pm
Man, I watched a LOT of games this year, only to (probably) not get to see the Braves in the playoffs. What was I thinking?
Petro
September 27th, 2010
1:06 pm
Mark, I like you and feel you’re a good write but you’re delusional to think this team is getting the WC. The Braves couldn’t even win a serioes against the Nats! They have a worn outt Hudson and a washed up Lowe. You’re too smart to believe your own column.
DC Brave
September 27th, 2010
1:08 pm
@Christopher Chance, I used to share your thoughts. I used to think that the apparent light treatment Bobby’s decisions receive by the media was unhealthy. But look at it from another angle. Let’s say the columnists slammed the obviously bad decisions…like not bunting with runners on 1st and 2nd and nobody out. No one but the fans is going to read that…meaning, there is no one out there to gauge public sentiment and “take somebody to the woodshed.” This is because the Braves effectively have no owners. They were purchased as a tax write-off. The result is that they only person Braves Upper Mgt is accountable too for the team’s performance is themselves…so long as they don’t draw Liberty Media’s attention by trying to spend too much money. What a sweet deal for Frank Wren and JS these days…
Herschel Talker
September 27th, 2010
1:09 pm
Christopher Chance at 1:02PM:
Very well said.
HT
Laughing So Hard Peed My Pants
September 27th, 2010
1:10 pm
“Appalachia Brave
September 27th, 2010
12:12 pm
Should have kept Adam LaRouche…He hit 24 HR’s this year. FRANK messed this team up when he started bringing in all these bums…..”
When you tell everyone you haven’t cut payroll, but you have to cut payroll because you don’t have the money to spend to keep payroll at the current level, it can be complicated.
I’ve seen all this talk about ATL media types not being tough enough with Cox or Wren or the players and not writing enough critical reviews or columns.
Ya know…. I can live with that. What I can’t live with is when Wren and Mcquirk and company say they weren’t cutting payroll and still insisted they weren’t and had not cut payroll even when every other payroll tracking mechanism outside of ATL showed us they had INDEED CUT PAYROLL! (COTS anyone?) Now for THAT I will give ATL media grief for! They should have called these guys out each and every day in a column until they admitted they had lied to the fans and indeed cut payroll. That should never have gone unchallenged. Managements fuzzy math on that was a joke. The Fans ain’t stockholders so therefore they can’t hold the Braves hand to the fire for accurate accounting. On the other hand, the Braves owe it to the fans to be forthcoming and not lie to them about the product they are selling.