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
Billy
April 9th, 2012
11:12 pm
Fredi just said “we’ll get it going”..lol
JWOOD
April 9th, 2012
11:15 pm
Gonzalez gives them no chance to win. Close game and he brings in the third strong bullpen. Absolutely confidence destroying decisions on top of his already dubious decisions to play a bench player at third base during a 0-3 start.
BBQ MAN
April 9th, 2012
11:21 pm
get a life naysayers
Rally The Caps...Not Tip The Caps
April 9th, 2012
11:22 pm
Mark…come on please help us figure it out. This many Braves fans can’t be this wrong about their team. Please do ask Chipper about laughing on the sideline and not motivating his team after four errors. Oh I forgot he got a COWBOY HAT to celebrate. LOL…..what a hoot!
J-Man
April 9th, 2012
11:23 pm
0-4. This team just doesn’t have any heart and play with no effort. This team has given up on Fredi Gonzalez. Its time to release Gonzalez
bro
April 9th, 2012
11:28 pm
Did the Braves fail to make a trade because no other team wanted anything they had to offer. Bourn is this year and gone. Uggla is inconsistent. Hayward just can not hit. Prado is a none factor and a hotdog. Diaz-even the Pirates gave him back. Lowe, they had to pay Cleveland to take him. The so called great arms have gotten their tails handed to them lately and the current starting staff would not even make the half the rosters in either league. What happen to the great scouts and the teams ability to draft quality players. You can’t make a trade if you have nothing to offer. Wren sat on his butt and did nothing to improve this team. Now the fans will suffer through another year of failure. I swear it could be the falcons or the hawks playing at Turner Field.
rugburn
April 9th, 2012
11:35 pm
derek lowe has more wins this year than the braves.
J-Man
April 9th, 2012
11:47 pm
DOB this coddling of Fredi Gonzalez by the Beat writers in Atlanta has gone too far. After 4 games of sub-standard baseball isnt the thing. Its the final Month and a half of last year……you know the complete choke of a 10 1/2 game lead, that allowed a team to come in and WIN the World Series. But the writes dont blame Fredi Gonzalez for his awful moves, his lack of intensity, and overall willingness to place blame on his team losing. Its always “Tip your hat” with this clown, but you writers cant point this out because your too “Buddy Buddy” with Gonzalez. Nobody has pointed the Collapse on him and it appears that you Atlanta writers go out of your way to keep the heat off of him.
Gwinnett Fred
April 9th, 2012
11:49 pm
This team blows.
But they are perfect in one aspect – they can’t hit, field or pitch – a trifecta!
Charles Absher
April 10th, 2012
12:03 am
I have a feeling it is going to be a long year.
Klaus
April 10th, 2012
12:06 am
First rule of mgt is everything is your fault. How much more fault can FG take and still have a job?
I say 45 days. Over or under thoughts?
extremus
April 10th, 2012
12:13 am
This team isn’t playing “mad” or seeking to prove last September was a fluke; they’re looking exactly the way they did then: beaten and already waiting for the axe(s) to fall. There’s no sense that they are having any fun being there or that they believe they’re going to win any given game. Massive changes could be forthcoming organization-wide, and in the not-too-distant future. All we can hope is that when the dust settles the Braves will at least be moving in the right direction (even if it’s from fourth or fifth place in the NL East), because right now this bunch just doesn’t project as a championship-caliber team, and likely won’t until those changes DO happen.
The way things are going we’re going to see Chief Noc-A-Homa’s tepee in the outfield stands again and perhaps even an ostrich race or two to help hold the 4 or 5,000 fans’ attention in the stands by the end of August. That’s right, come to Turner Field and party like it’s 1989! All we’d need is for Dale Murphy to come out of retirement; hey, he couldn’t be much worse than our current outfielders.
COOPER
April 10th, 2012
12:31 am
One huge problem with the braves and one small problem need to get resilved and then Atlanta can move forward.
1- Get rid of a very selfish Chipper Jones. Atlanta doesn’t owe him anything, he has made over 100 million dollars in his career . Does anyone that want to say we owe him anything really know how much money that is . He should have left at least 2 years ago
2- The biggest problem is the ownership group. They could care least about if Atlanta wins or loses. I urge everybody not to support going to the games until someone buys the braves that wants them in Atlanta. I know that Liberty Media may move them if nobody will go to a game but that would be better than them staying and being this bad. Real baseball fans that have played the game know that winning is the only thing that matters and right now we don’t have the finances ,knowledge or leadership to get that accomplished.
One thing that we could do is trade Jurrjens and make Medlen a starter. Stop using a 50 year old pitcher so much, in Herdandez. Send Heyward back to the minor league to relearn how to hit the ball or release him. I could go, on and on.
burt
April 10th, 2012
1:44 am
2012 braves home games.—————————— emply seats here we come.five position needs to be replace with major league ball players.
Ted
April 10th, 2012
2:08 am
Don’t know about you guys but sure looking forward to next season…….
Oh yeah it is next season.
Well, sure looking forward to next – next season.
Can not believe what has happened to our team.
Disgusted
April 10th, 2012
2:08 am
This Braves team is not making it easy to forget last September and put it in the rear view mirror.
Face it, the fans for the most part are not forgetting it. And until they play better that is fair.
Drexel Gal
April 10th, 2012
3:13 am
Your math is wrong (which is characteristic for a Liberal). Winning 9 of 30 games (9-21) is a winning percentage of .300. A winning percentage of .333 would require winning TEN of thirty games.
Stinger 2
April 10th, 2012
4:47 am
Braves problem is related to fan apathy. The majority of the fans are doing nothing but complaining.
The players and Fredi may not read thes blogs but they know through the media how the fans are already quiting on them. Maybe they will play better when the fans give better support.
Weather Channel Expert
April 10th, 2012
6:08 am
I like how the talking heads (e.g. that idiot Chernoff on 680 the Fan) are saying how awful the Mets and Astros are. Maybe the Braves are just as bad.
legionaire
April 10th, 2012
6:22 am
The game Sunday was only interesting when we thought a no hitter would be pitched. The Braves were able to foul that up and still lose. This bunch reminds me of the old Braves of Rico Carty, Bob Ueker, and Perez (who missed a start after snorting blow and circling 285 trying to find the stadium) They lost over a hundred games. History is about to repeat.
steve whitmire
April 10th, 2012
6:23 am
the two most overused words in the English language currently are: sucks and awesome. But how else to describe the Braves this year that to say they suck like a bucket of ticks, unless, the Mets and Astros have somehow become awesome teams, and that seems like a stretch. Wow this looks to be a long boring summer.
tim
April 10th, 2012
7:09 am
fire the bums ! this has no heart no fire they didn’t have it last year they don’t have it know. it is time to give up on folks such as heyward start trading some of these people and lets get into a real rebuilding process with young talent not named heyward among others. unload the diaz,constanza,bourn,mac’s and fat overweight pitchers and thirdbaseman of the world.
Douglas
April 10th, 2012
7:19 am
Professional baseball is one of the most boring sports game in history. It’s slow…takes hours to play..who cares? When is college football starting?
Fire Fredi NOW!!!!!!!
April 10th, 2012
7:41 am
Fredi G’s team continues its’ epic collapse! How much longer does it take for Management to see he has no credibility as a major league manager…..he needs to be fired NOW and see if we can find a manager with some FIRE to kick the butts of these lousy ballplayer pretenders who call themselves the Braves.
Double Zero Eight
April 10th, 2012
7:43 am
I consider myself a loyal fan and a realist. Many of us have been
bashed on AJC blogs for speaking the “ugly truth”. The Braves are
a mediocre team. They will finish the year slightly above .500. The pitching
is good (at least on on paper0, but the hitting is and will continue to be
atrocious. Without a significant trade for a “bat”, the Braves are doomed
to finish no higher than third in the division, and miss the playoffs.
Double Zero Eight
April 10th, 2012
7:45 am
My previous post should read (at least on paper) on line 4..
TechRon
April 10th, 2012
7:48 am
As I stated at the end of last season, they needed/need to clean house. You must start with Gonzalez, a total dumbass. Anyone who would stick with Derek Lowe when the stupidest person in Georgia could tell he had NOTHING deserves to be fired. Heyward will never be able to hit big league pitching. Chipper is pretty much done. McCann layed down on us. Keepers are most remaining pitchers, Freeman, Bourne. Everyone else can go as far as I am concerned. They don’t have a real tough out on their whole roster. It is sickening to see them roll over and die, inning after inning, without even an effort to compete. They suck, and their management sucks.
Senor Coughee
April 10th, 2012
8:04 am
Haven’t been to a game since 1994. They still appreciate the fans now, as much as they did then.
MitchC
April 10th, 2012
8:05 am
In the past.. the Braves have had slow starts, and it might not have mattered, psychologically. Due to The Collapse, last year, it would have been productive to have gotten off to a good start.
With 158 games left, it isnt time to panic. The Phillies are far from great either. Then again, they have injuries too.
Hopefully, the Braves can right themselves, but I would like to see Wren improve the team somehow, especially since he stood pat over the winter.
Boycott the Braves
April 10th, 2012
8:06 am
Boycott this lousy team – do not show up at the games….hurt the management in their pocketbooks and maybe they will sit up and take notice of how fed up the fans are with the DO NOTHING BAD TIME BRAVES!
Peter
April 10th, 2012
8:14 am
If the Met’s and Houston are awful…… Then the Braves have to be considered flat out TERRIBLE !
Loosing Managar = Loosing Record
April 10th, 2012
8:16 am
The Braves hired a lossing managar with a loosing record. What did they excpet?
double
April 10th, 2012
8:19 am
Slow start,fast finish…..Dream on.
jacket3
April 10th, 2012
8:28 am
MB – long season awaits. Looks like the Bravo’s mindset is still at Disneyworld. Time for Freddie to throw Wiffle ball at batting practice for a week or so.
ugafan13
April 10th, 2012
8:30 am
Let’s recap…shoddy defense, shaky starting pitchers and no offense. No matter howyou slice it we have problems. Can we overcome them? Yes, but we better figure out an answer pretty quickly!
McDonough Braves Fan
April 10th, 2012
8:32 am
Lets face it, the Braves do not have an overall good team. There is absolutely no power offense and the defense is questionable. It is going to be a long season
curious
April 10th, 2012
8:46 am
Relax. Atlanta learned something last September. You can’t blow a lead if you’re last. Now, that’s positve thinking.
Matt
April 10th, 2012
8:52 am
Looks like Joe Tess is back.
shelbydawkins
April 10th, 2012
9:03 am
Put 2012 behind us? I’m still trying to put 1996 and 1997 behind me…
Steve
April 10th, 2012
9:03 am
Often times, teams are a direct reflection of their leader. I would say that in the case of the Braves, that is what we are seeing. I know a manager doesn’t play but he sure can be an influence. Just sayin’.
WinderDawg
April 10th, 2012
9:15 am
They are done…No stars on the field. Left side of the infield should be in Gwinnett.
BulldogBen
April 10th, 2012
9:20 am
Stinger 2, “maybe they will play better when the fans give better support”. Are you kidding me??? It’s the fans fault now? The Braves have enjoyed Top 10-15 attendance status for 20 years now. The problem is that we show TOO MUCH support for mediocre product.
Also, if you need to be coddled by warm and fuzzy fans then they’re in the wrong business.
Every last one of our Pro Teams are in no man’s lands of good but not great. AKA….Also Ran’s.
When we’re hanging our hats Bubba Watson for our sports pride, then the teams have gone to crap.
Tommy O'Flatulence
April 10th, 2012
9:27 am
Is it true that Fredi Gonzalez said that he “had to tip his cap to Fidel Castro as well as General Sherman?”
Oh, PLEASE let it be true!
Post Counter
April 10th, 2012
9:31 am
TWO HUNDRED NINETY THIRD
newnan_dawg1963
April 10th, 2012
9:31 am
If they have to lose 20 or 30 in a row to get rid of FREDI PLEASE BE GONE ZALEZ.
keep losing this guy has no clue. This team has no life. Face it ATL is where pro teams
go to die REALIST
Deb
April 10th, 2012
9:32 am
HOw about the Mets?
Rusty
April 10th, 2012
9:47 am
Possibly NL East Champs?!??? Bradley, have you actually WATCHED the last 4 games??
ANTOINEFORD
April 10th, 2012
9:59 am
They will start off about 9-22 and Freddy the hat tipper will be playing golf with Freddi Falcon.
Go Go Pilots
April 10th, 2012
10:04 am
Well after tonight game ends at 12 midnight are so astros win 11-2 we be 0-5 and freddie and MB and Obrien will share storys of pass winds….Here One 0-6 goin Home play mets at The Ted where if freddi craps he get booed and heyward will get Booed chipper well he just claim the 5th! 64-98 record folks for Us. See excitin Baseball go to Tampa and see real baseball not A-Ball!
ThanksFrank
April 10th, 2012
10:08 am
This “team” loses 100 games, easy. Freddi has NO idea what he’s doing. The players are hapless. Frank Wren and Liberty Media made it a point to this offseason to openly brag that they don’t really care by pretending 2011’s catastrophe didn’t happen. Time for us to make the Ted look like the Marlins’ crowds of years past. WE, the fans, need to tangibly show that giving up and not even trying to improve the team isn’t acceptable by keeping our money in our wallet and staying far, far away from Turner Field. Mid–80’s, here we go again.