It’s a long season, but time might not be on the Braves’ side
A sight seldom seen thus far: The Atlanta Braves in the process of scoring runs. (AP photo)
Update: The Braves are no longer 0-3. They’re 0-4. They lost to the Astros on Monday by five runs, which takes some doing. And now we return to regularly scheduled programming.
Stipulation: It’s a long season. It’s so long that, by the time the Braves finish their regular season, the Georgia Bulldogs — who haven’t yet gotten to G-Day — will have played five actual games. To judge a baseball team off its first series is akin to rating an NFL club on how it handles the opening kickoff of Week 1. That said …
The Braves didn’t enter 2012 with the benefit of the doubt carried by most winning teams. The Braves, as we know, went 9-18 in September 2011. They began the new season by getting swept by a team picked to finish last in the National League East. The awoke Monday having gone 9-21 over the past 30 regular-season games. That’s a winning percentage of .300. Carried over a 162-game schedule, that rate would yield a 49-113 record, which would be the worst in Atlanta annals.
But enough non-fun with numbers. I don’t expect the Braves to lose 113 games. I’m on record as believing they’ll win 92 or thereabouts and make the playoffs, perhaps as NL East champ. I thought last week — and think still — that this is a good team. But even Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm couldn’t fail to note that the Braves of Opening Weekend 2012 bore a lamentable likeness to the Braves of September 2011.
The Epic Collapse ended with them being swept by Philadelphia. The new season commenced with another sweep. Midway through Game 2, the issue wasn’t so much if they’d win — they didn’t lead in the series — but if they’d manage a run. Six innings into Game 3, they hadn’t even mustered a hit.
The weekend’s unhappy totals: Seven runs, 14 hits, 11 walks against 25 strikeouts, an on-base percentage of .238 and a team batting average of .151. Come back, Larry Parrish! All is forgiven!
I’m kidding about the last part. But black humor will soon give way to utter bleakness if the Braves don’t start to hit and win. There’s no consolation in noting that the Yankees and Red Sox likewise started 0-3, or that the Marlins were 1-3, or that the Phillies scored one fewer run in their first three games than did the local Hitless Wonders. At this point, the Braves can’t worry about anyone else. They’ve got to get themselves right.
A team coming off an egregious September — and then a pretty rotten spring training, not that spring training counts — needs to win games and influence people, and it needs to do it soon. Otherwise the doubters will be in full cry, and some of that doubt will spread to the clubhouse. It was never going to be easy for the Braves to put September 2011 behind them, but it will be impossible if April 2012 becomes more of the same.
Baseball isn’t so much a game of momentum — momentum is tomorrow’s starting pitching, to quote the apt phrase — as belief. Even good teams have crummy weeks. By Memorial Day, though, you can begin to tell which teams, in their heart of hearts, see themselves as winners. The same Braves roster in a different year might be able to shrug off an awful April; I’m not sure this one can.
A sorry start could impel Frank Wren to start making trades. He resisted the urge over the winter, but he’s not by nature the most patient of general managers. Some of you will say: “Wren needs to be making trades hand over fist!” Even if he does, beggars tend not to be choosy. Would Wren in right-the-ship mode be able to wait for a sweet deal — getting Michael Bourn without sacrificing a prime arm — or would desperation trump good sense?
Nor would a poor April augur well for the biggest hire of Wren’s tenure. Fredi Gonzalez was seen as such an obvious successor to Bobby Cox that the GM didn’t bother to interview anyone else. To suggest that the collapse was all the manager’s fault is to ignore the obvious: Gonzalez’s best starting pitchers got hurt. But when a team falls to pieces at the shank of one season and makes almost no personnel changes, the front office has essentially said: “We’ve got enough talent.” When a team believed to have enough talent doesn’t win, what usually happens?
I know, I know. A week from now, this could all be moot. The Braves could go on a tear and claim first place and Gonzalez could be managing this club for the next 15 years. It is, let’s say again, a long season. But the 2012 Braves are already on the clock.
By Mark Bradley
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317 comments Add your comment
@Stinger
April 9th, 2012
4:02 pm
All that nonsense REALLY helped when the Braves were choak’in away each Oct back in the 90’s???
Big Lou
April 9th, 2012
4:03 pm
I don’t really comment on the Braves blogs, because usually I am content with the team/organization as a whole. Yet, I am frustrated with the fact that the Braves have SO MUCH TALENT, but can’t hit the broad side of the barn. Why is that? I’m starting to think coaching is the issue.
Same thing with the Falcons last year, and what happened? BVG ‘got hired’ at Auburn and Mularkey ‘got promoted’ in Jacksonville. A. Blank went and got Mike Nolan the beast DC and a decent OC from Jacksonville that did well with a REAL QB. That’s what owners do. They fix problems for the fans.
Yet, I still see Gonzalez coaching… why? He isn’t good at all. Changes need to be made.
Also, for people or ‘fans’ saying that other individuals are not REAL FANS because we criticize… are the reasons why the city is called Looserville. I still pay to go to the games with my hard earned money. I have a right to complain when I don’t see results.
Bobbys' Booger
April 9th, 2012
4:04 pm
@ BogLou…thanks for your sane comment…
iTiSi
April 9th, 2012
4:09 pm
Think I will post over here, DOB has a short fuse(among other things). Speaking of short, those with a short memory will not remember that the Braves are now 0-8 going back to last season. Also, Furcal is hitting .524 in his first 3 games with St. Louis. Didn’t he play for the Braves at one time? If the Braves had all the players they had let go in the last 5 yrs. there’ s no doulbt a WS would be in the picture. Stupidity abounds in the upper echelons!
Bobbys' Booger
April 9th, 2012
4:10 pm
For the talent level of this team…the Braves are the worst team in MLB.
Stinger 2
April 9th, 2012
4:12 pm
Big Lou: You have a right to criticize all you want. But remember if you don`t have a solution you are part of the problem. I have not seen a single fan who criticizes come up with a solution or anything close to it.
Bobbys' Booger
April 9th, 2012
4:15 pm
Stinger 2 you are daft. I said Fire Fredi in October. That would’ve helped. I say fire him right now. That will help. Send J Wayward to the minors. That will help. If firing Fredi doesn’t get the team motivated, trade Bourn in early July. That will help in 2013.
Big Lou
April 9th, 2012
4:18 pm
“Big Lou: You have a right to criticize all you want. But remember if you don`t have a solution you are part of the problem. I have not seen a single fan who criticizes come up with a solution or anything close to it.”
I did come up with a solution… Fire Gonzalez. I bet the Braves could hire a bunch of good candidates that can run circles around that guy.
It’s the same problem with the Hawks. Cheap as heck coaching with tons of talent. Who is Larry Drew again? Oh yeah, the lowest paid coach in the league who was assistant coach to the guy who got canned. SMART MOVE.
They need fresh leadership–a new start. I was skeptical about Gonzalez when they hired him and last year confirmed it. He needs to go. It’s not the talent.
iTiSi
April 9th, 2012
4:20 pm
FG made a statement over the weekend that ” the team that scores first usually wins”. Twice I tried to get DOB to check that out to see if Fredi was just pulling it out of the air. AJC sportswriters can check with Elias Sports Burea. As far as I know he didn’t. Were I a writer I would not let him get away with profound statements like that without questioning his source. Maybe MB will check that out in his spare time. Does anyone know if this is factual. Anyway I always thought the team that scored the most runs would usually win.
Robert
April 9th, 2012
4:21 pm
How can millions of Americans be unemployed, yet Frank Wren hangs on to a job with a six-figure salary? Again, never, EVER let someone in sports name his (or her) successor. It never works.
Jackie Chiles
April 9th, 2012
4:24 pm
We need to bring in Vern Rapp or Don Zimmer.
Rodney
April 9th, 2012
4:29 pm
I know one weekend don’t determines the season. What I would prefer is that my manager shut his mouth about the Magic and perhaps brings some magic to this team and win. I am tied of paying for tickets to see Atlanta’s team look like a recreation team. oops did I say that!
4th place finish in 2012
April 9th, 2012
4:34 pm
I’ve been an Atlanta Braves fan since I was 10 years old (I’m 40 now). I had no problem with suffering with them during the lean years of the mid-to-late 1980’s….even though we werent very good…we had some entertaining players (Pascual Perez, Rafael Ramirez, Rick Camp, etc.) as well as players who played hard (Dale Murphy)…and of course a player (Bob Horner), while suffering through a number of injuries, had enough heart to come out and confront Chump Summers during that infamous Braves-Padres brawl, even though he had a broken wrist. I watched almost every game during those 100 loss seasons…and was still proud to be a Braves fan.
I didnt complain too much about only winning 1 World Series during our 14 year division title stretch from 1991-2005…because at least every year, we were pretty much guaranteed a spot in the playoffs…something most teams fans would love to experience. While our manager (Bobby Cox) was prone to mismanaging and sticking with certain players too long….our starting pitching was so strong, they had so much determination and heart…that they were almost able to will their way through Cox’s mistakes.
However, since 2006, this Braves franchise has been a huge disappointment. We lose to teams we used to beat up on (in other words, bad teams dont fear us anymore). We lack the ability to manufacture runs…or play fundamental baseball. We play with a lack of passion, no sense of urgency, and give the same tired excuses of why we lose. These guys just go about their business and do the old “tip the hat” or “blame bad calls” or “seeing eye infield singles” or “injuries” on their failure to win. It’s pretty bad when the best part of your club that shows any heart….is the three headed closer combo of Kimbrel, Venters and EOF…who ironically wont have very many leads to protect in 2012.
I remember when prospects we touted actually were the real deal. This bunch that’s been coming up the past 6 years…..only one, Brian McCann, our All-Star catcher, has shown he’s the real deal. However, he’s a DH waiting to happen in a few years….presenting Braves management with a dilemma of either overpaying him in order to keep him when he’s eligible for free agency after the 2013 season….or risk losing him in free agency to a team like the Yankees or Red Sox, both of whom have a pressing need for someone of McCann’s ability to hit behind the plate. Both teams can preserve McCann’s body by DHing him on days he need off from catching…something the Braves simply cant do in the National League. Teheran, Delgado, Minor, Pastornicky, Heyward are all jokes. Pastornicky will make Andres Thomas look like an All-Star.
Everyone from New ownership….to a new team President….a new GM…and a new team manager…..is needed in order to transform the culture of mediocrity that’s permeated the team I grew up loving like the Black Plague in the Middle Ages. We will never seriously contend for another championship…as long as the culture of blaming others….as long as the Atlanta Press and so-called Braves fans continue to lap up the kool-aid that Braves management feeds them.
We need true change of accountability…and RESULTS!
reckingball
April 9th, 2012
4:52 pm
The Braves are about to go on a tear and start winning.
go braves!
Peter
April 9th, 2012
4:55 pm
Well good thing we traded away Omar Infante……. 3 Hrs so far this year…….
In my mind the downfall started when Gregor Blanco was traded away for Rick Ankiel…..we were a .600 plus ball club when Blanco started.
I do love the easy going attitude the braves have……. heck they can be 3-15 and calm as a cucumber.
ronald
April 9th, 2012
5:12 pm
Why would you think that this is a good baseball team when it isn’t?
Prado's not a 3rd baseman
April 9th, 2012
5:21 pm
The Braves lay claim to the worst left side of the infield in MLB, a .500 record would be an accomplishment for this bunch, its gonna be a long hot sad year!
STEELY DAN MAN
April 9th, 2012
5:31 pm
My thoughts to the Braves ….. ” If loving you is wrong, please make it feel right “
Bob
April 9th, 2012
5:36 pm
The Braves have a few really talented athletes and they have many glorified AAA players hyped. Their mananger and GM are both AAA hyped. Who can neglect lack of hitting for four+ years? And when did they last perform as a team?
Stinger 2
April 9th, 2012
5:38 pm
Big Lou: Have you checked the Hawks record this year unter Larry Drew?
As for your and others solution to fire FG, who should the Braves hire that would be better after three games into the season? The answer of ” anyone would not be the solution. It would have to be someone who has a proven record of stepping in and turning it around immediately.
Sonny Clusters
April 9th, 2012
5:40 pm
We was at Publix this morning and we saw a person sitting out front eating some Braves peanuts. We said to ourselves, “This must be a real fan, a true fan. Somebody eating Braves peanuts is probably sitting there thinking pleasant thoughts about the Braves and their 0-3 record and remarkably dull baseball.” You know what, we was right! We walked up and took a seat and said, “We hope they win today . . .” when suddenly and without warning that silly little man started wheezing and sputtering and whining and said to us, “People like you are the problem. You’re not a real fan, you’re not a true fan, you’re not a real, true. fan. Golly, gee, gee willikers.” We got up and left.
tree rollins
April 9th, 2012
5:40 pm
Is it that the Braves are not training the kids well enough in the minors to hit?? Or, are we drafting lousy hitters to begin with? Or, are we ruining their swing when they get to the big league team? I just keep seeing our players hit better when they go to other teams. Let’s change the team name from the Braves to something else ( I don’t care – call them the RoadHogs in our overblown traffic city). Maybe if they think they’re playing for a new team they’ll hit better!!
tree rollins
April 9th, 2012
5:43 pm
I thought Pendleton was a lousy hitting coach – then I saw Larry Parrish! Now with Walker I’d beg to have either of the other guys back. Can’t anybody teach hitting any more? Oh, yeah maybe the Chipper. Ok Jones, hurry up and retire so we can make you batting coach – or maybe your Dad.
Mike Lum Fan
April 9th, 2012
5:44 pm
Ever notice how Joe Simpson sugar coats EVERYTHING? Consecutive walks from the pitcher? “Those were good pitches”. 0 for 4 at the plate with 2 strike outs? “He’s had some good swings today”. Sure glad Joe’s not in the front office.
tree rollins
April 9th, 2012
5:47 pm
Bring back Chief Noc-a-Homa – that’s the missing ingredient on this team!!
63 year Braves Fan
April 9th, 2012
5:51 pm
I predicted last week that the end of the Fredi Gonzalez era was going to start in New York. Hope
I was right. Sonny Clusters for manager.
63 year Braves Fan
April 9th, 2012
5:57 pm
Been a Braves fan since 1948. I miss Bob Elliot, Alvin Dark, Tommy Holmes and Spahn & Sain.
They were all lovable over-achievers because they cared for the fans.
Bryan
April 9th, 2012
6:30 pm
They are chokers. Always have been and until you cleanse the virus and get rid of 90% of everyone, it will stay that way. Fredi is a joke and needs to be fired now. But they will keep him while winning 1-3 games this month. Yes they will only win 1-3 games this month. Tonight it will be an ugly 0-4 start and how many teams make the playoffs starting with 4 losses? About 1%
Dawgdad (The Original)
April 9th, 2012
6:38 pm
We are happy with our team.
We are over Sept, starting a new season.
It is only Spring Training, wins and loses don’t mean anything.
It is early.
Pitchers are always head of hitters.
Just need to put together some hits.
Looked good on offense, we really got Santana to throw a lot of pitches.
Dickey and his knuckleball are just unhitable.
Never listen to what they say, watch what they do.
Bobby Petrino to His Wife
April 9th, 2012
6:48 pm
Honey, I was just trying to teach her how to be a student athlete development coordinator. She is like a daughter to me. Honest. You know you can trust me.
…..Just ask the people of Atlanta. They know how honest I am.
CA Braves Fan Since 1990
April 9th, 2012
6:49 pm
I have been a Braves fan here in CA since 1990. The problem with the Braves is they don’t hustle. Its the managements job to light a fire in the club house, so to speak, to get their players motivated to win. When I watch the braves in the 90’s I see a team that hustled every time they hit and every time to field a ball. They had a energy like no other team. They had great pitching like we have now. When I watch a game (I watch 120 to 140 every year) and I see a braves player jog to first on a ground out, it tells me they don’t want to win and are to worried about getting hurt. Let’s take a look at a Jose Reyes. or Andrew McCutchen. Do you ever see them “JOG” to first base on a ground out? They are putting in 100% of effort every single game. The braves give around 40% effort everyday. We have mega talent on this team but Frank Wren continues to allow his management to allow mediocre play. The Braves need to stop playing baseball to “collect” a paycheck. They need to play like they want to win. If you don’t want to win, retire or quit. This behavior needs to stop and if it doesn’t, Fredi and his entire staff needs to go asap. Bring in young blood to manage this team. Someone who won’t allow players to hide behind him and someone who wont shy away from calling his players out when needed. The Braves need to get it together. It is a disgrace to see what they have become. I hate saying the truth but I am a 22 year fan and I can say that. I expect more from this team today and not when THEY want to.
Miami Marlins Coach
April 9th, 2012
6:51 pm
Fidel is my favorite communist dictator.
dawg4u
April 9th, 2012
6:51 pm
The Braves need a fist pumping guy who is very edgy and competitive kind of like our Ron Gant of days gone by or Lenny Dykstra (yesteryear Dykstra if course). Those guys motivated the guys on the team and excited the fan base. The current Braves have no one like that and we look bored and uninterested. Fredi seems like a nice guy and good family man but just not the type you want running the ballclub. I know it’s only April 9, but something needs to change and to change fast. It’s painful to watch.
Hillbilly D
April 9th, 2012
6:55 pm
I’m not a Braves’ fan but goodness gracious, this is baseball; you don’t panic after 3 games.
CA Braves Fan Since 1990
April 9th, 2012
7:03 pm
Hillbilly D: it is not just the first three games. You would have to look at the last month or two of last season. We have just about the same team as last year. It’s not going to end until Frank Wren does something with this Management Team.
Tom
April 9th, 2012
7:03 pm
Omar Infante has 2 homers this year; More than any braves player
Baby Ruth
April 9th, 2012
7:03 pm
Please fire Frank Wren! Please someone buy the team from Liberty Media!
fsubrave
April 9th, 2012
7:05 pm
This Braves team is not going on a tear…the best player is a gimpy 40 yr old..what does that tell you? it doesn’t bode well for this team
Tom
April 9th, 2012
7:07 pm
How many hits do you think they will get tonight? My guess is 4. And 1 run. Of course the 680 announcers are pumping them up talking about last year. Clueless idiots. This team is in biiiig trouble
Farnsworthy
April 9th, 2012
7:09 pm
Calvin: We aren’t all that bad. A little demented maybe, prone to overreaction maybe, and some have probably even been convicted of various crimes and misdemeanors. But come on guy. What do you expect? After all we are sports fans. And we can’t help it, most of us got dropped from our freshmen teams in HS. Hang out with us awhile. We might even grow on you.
K
April 9th, 2012
7:14 pm
I hope they lose every game this month
Najeh Davenpoop
April 9th, 2012
7:21 pm
” Come back, Larry Parrish! All is forgiven!”
This should say Come Back Terry Pendleton.
Bradley Jinx
April 9th, 2012
7:27 pm
“Why the stand-pat Braves soon might stand atop the NL East”
I don’t believe it to be pure coincidence that Bradley writes this article and the Braves proceed to lose their first 3 games, putting them complete opposite of “atop the NL East”. It just means Bradley’s curse still lives and we can expect it to keep flexing it’s power as the year goes on and the articles keep getting written
Pete Babcock
April 9th, 2012
7:30 pm
Why is Fredi already platooning Heyward? Terrible manager
dawg4u
April 9th, 2012
7:34 pm
@CA Braves Fan Since 1990 – I totally agree with your comments about the Braves now compared to their ways in the 90’s and couldn’t have said it better myself. Something has definitely got to give.
K
April 9th, 2012
7:40 pm
I want to read
8 reasons why the Braves won’t turn this season around!!!
K
April 9th, 2012
7:43 pm
Ca braves fan
The braves are the equivalent of a gov’t run team.
iTiSi
April 9th, 2012
7:47 pm
Wonder if the Braves front office would consider hiring Bobby Petrino to replace FG? Thank BP may be job hunting soon, and he couldn’t possibly do any worse than FG is doing. Besides that BP knows his way around Atlanta, and heck, may even still have lots of friends here. Something else just occurred to me. If Fredi Gonzalez and President BO switched jobs would we even notice, as far as the team and the country is concerned? Seems those two have a lot in common.
Nativebird
April 9th, 2012
7:49 pm
Can somebody tell me why this manager sits his brand new starting shortstop for jack Wilson? What for Wilson’s incredible bat? What, in this “managers” infinite wisdom, he’s worried about wearing out this 22 year old over 3 games?
CA Braves Fan Since 1990
April 9th, 2012
7:50 pm
@ K: Ha ha! That is correct and you could even say they are run like a corporation, since in reality they are owned and operated by a corporation. All about the bottom dollar and not about putting a winning team on the field. We need a new owner that is a family or an individual.