For the Atlanta Braves, it appears that all of their recent success may be history. Entering this weekend’s series against the Miami Marlins, Atlanta was performing very good, catching up to the Phillies and other teams. The Braves need to put the pieces together after losing the final two games of the four-game series at home against the Fish.
Although Atlanta is unlikely to catch Philadelphia in the division, stranger things have happened in baseball history. It is infuriating when a team appears to be turning the turnaround, only to fall short against a team that they should otherwise defeat in a few dubious games. Although Miami has many mature guys and a sense of pride in their professional baseball team, Atlanta had to win three out of the four games.
This Snitker comment that David O’Brien of The Athletic obtained truly sets the tone for this next week.
“Happy we have tomorrow off so we can get rid of this one and take a few showers.” since we had won the previous two games of this series and were playing so well going into it. You always have to restart after getting a foothold or whatever else and getting slapped in the mouth.
Snitker is tough, that much I’ll grant him. Braves Country has been frustrated with the season because, aside from not being able to watch half of it on Bally due to Xfinity, we keep hearing hints or glimpses of hope that this team will flip a switch and we will all be able to enjoy winning Braves baseball once again. That reasoning has an issue in that I’m not sure if there is a switch.
On Tuesday, Atlanta begins a three-game home stand against the Milwaukee Brewers, who lead the NL Central.
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The last statement from Brian Snitker was not what any Braves fan needed to hear.
I get that in some ways this was divisional play on vacation day, but you need to do more when it comes to house protection. You have to seize the opportunity whenever this enduring rebuilding club visits town because Miami is always fierce. I find it amazing that Philadelphia allowed the Braves and the New York Mets to even compete in the divisional race. Every victory you get must be earned by gritting your teeth!
What’s even more concerning is that Max Fried made his first start back since being placed on the IL during Sunday’s 7-0 loss to the Marlins. Fried has occasionally been unhittable when he’s on. And then there are times when he starts, like Sunday afternoon. In any case, at this stage of the season, you want everyone to be pulling in the same direction. Not that the Braves don’t want to accomplish it, but this squad hasn’t had an easy time of it.
The good news is that Atlanta created enough of a buffer in the early part of the summer to guarantee that the Braves would still be in the postseason, barring an unanticipated collapse. Even if they were eliminated in the first round of the NLWCS, I suppose it is still preferable to be in the postseason than to watch it from home on the couch and wish you were there. It seems like the Braves let two games slip away.
There is not much time left for the Braves to bring everything together and prove to us what kind of club they are.
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