The Atlanta Braves have allowed only 8 runs in the last 4 games and have a 1-3 record to show for it. That, Braves fans, tells the story of the 2008 season thus far. ‘Thus far’–a pair of words I have attached to blogs ad nausium this year in an attempt to stay–or at least seem–even tempered in the face of absurdity; optimistic, what with dozens of games yet to play that will allow the law of averages to clean things up for us a bit. Well, ‘thus far’ now encapsulates almost a third of the season and thus far, folks, the Atlanta Braves, with a team ERA near the top of the league, a run differential near the top, and the hottest hitter on the planet in 50 years is a .500 ball club that has no business being in the playoffs whatsoever. They seem uninspired, prone to acts of idiocy on the base pads when the game is on the line, and utterly incapable of winning games when Chipper Jones isn’t playing or isn’t playing well. Thank God it isn’t often or we may have less than 10 wins. Thus far.
Chipper Jones went an uncharacteristic 0-5 at the plate, hitting into 2 double plays, and then misplaying a couple balls in the 12th that he normally scoops up in his sleep. Hey, he can’t be superhuman all the time. For a guy who gets on base 3 times a game, without fail, I think we can cut him a little slack.
The Braves are now a shocking 2-16 in one run games this year and 6-36 if you go into last year (please let’s not). Will what we have done ‘thus far’ at the 100th, 130th, or 162nd game of the year be a brighter assessment? Will the law of averages catch up with us at some point and serve as a springboard into the post season? Something tells me if we ought not rely on any one thing too much.
But then, we have a tendency to do that this year.
Ray–[BravesNuWorld]
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Atlanta Braves, braves, Braves and one run games, Braves lose to Red, Chipper Jones, Red
