Yes, I know it's only May, but with the Braves two frustrating one run losses to the Mets the last two days, Atlanta is now 9 games out of first place. While the Braves have rallied from such deficits before, most notably in 1991, when they were 9 1-2 out at the All Star Break, 1993, when they were 10 out in July, and in 2001, when they were as many as 9 out in June, this Braves team looks like it has no resilency. We have awful relief pitching, not enough hitting or clutch hitting, and poor execution. Right now, unless someone in the NL East gets hot, and the Mets go unexpectedly cold, this NL East could be a runaway, where the Mets win by 20 games. I have never liked the Mets, but they seem to have it all this year. They have fine speed, good hitting, excellent power, and a fantastic bullpen. The big question for them is their starting pitching, as Pedro Martinez and Tom Glavine are getting up there in age, and the starters behind them are a question mark.
As for the Braves, if they cant win the division, I hope they at least get it turned around to compete for the wild card. At 12-18, they are playing on pace to lose 90 games, a completely unexpected feat with their team. While I cant exactly say I expected them to win the East in a runaway, I certainly expected them to be in contention, have a shot to win the East, or at least, be in the wild card hunt. It is only May, but this Braves team needs to start winning some games somewhere, or, it could well be that their remarkable streak of division titles, and winning baseball, ends with a most unexpected thud, with an inglorious fall into the second division, a place they haven't resided since 1990, a decade and a half, and three presidents ago, for those keeping track.
Mitch
As for the Braves, if they cant win the division, I hope they at least get it turned around to compete for the wild card. At 12-18, they are playing on pace to lose 90 games, a completely unexpected feat with their team. While I cant exactly say I expected them to win the East in a runaway, I certainly expected them to be in contention, have a shot to win the East, or at least, be in the wild card hunt. It is only May, but this Braves team needs to start winning some games somewhere, or, it could well be that their remarkable streak of division titles, and winning baseball, ends with a most unexpected thud, with an inglorious fall into the second division, a place they haven't resided since 1990, a decade and a half, and three presidents ago, for those keeping track.
Mitch
