House That Hank Built
Fansided

Atlanta Braves, Your Attitude is Showing

By Alan Carpenter

facebooktwitterreddit

Jul 27, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) reacts after striking out in the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The Orioles won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

As of today, the Atlanta Braves have lost more games away from Turner Field than the St. Louis Cardinals have lost… period.  21-47 on the road vs. the Cards’ 45 losses.  They also have fewer wins than any American League team – and the 6th-worst record overall.

More from Tomahawk Take

How bad is it?  It’s showing up in the attitudes of the players. 

During the 5th inning last night, broadcaster Joe Simpson was all over this incident:  with Cameron Maybin on second base after a double, Freddie Freeman pulled a grounder to first base – which moved Maybin to third with just one out.  Normally, a fundamental productive out is greeted with respectful high fives, hugs, mild forearm bashes and the like, but hardly anyone in the dugout even moved when Freeman returned (notably Shelby Miller and Kevin Seitzer were among those who did acknowledge the result).

That’s not Braves’ baseball.

What else happened that inning?  Jonny Gomes singled up the middle to drive in Maybin.  So there’s a run that the Braves have had precious few of these last weeks – and this one was assisted by getting a runner into scoring position.

Such attitudes are noticed – and that’s not going to play well among fans who do.

Is the Worst Over?

Atlanta has 37 games remaining.  Mercifully, that’s 24 at home, just 13 on the road.  If you’re into projections and believe that the same relative win-rates can be maintained, that’s 14 home wins, 4 road victories for a final record of 72-90.

Eventually, the team could start looking more like a 2016 version of itself:  Hector Olivera will probably be called up within the next week, and Christian Bethancourt has already been re-promoted to give him what could be a final audition before determining whether he is actually the catching future.

But the schedule is not entirely in their favor down the stretch.  True, we have the worst team in baseball in town right now, but after that things get a bit dicier:

  • Yankees (fighting for their division – or the 1st Wild Card spot)
  • Miami (okay, that’s another story)
  • Washington (4 games.  Has that club given up yet?  We’ll find out.)
  • Philly (been much better lately)
  • Mets (4 games. One of the hotter teams in baseball)
  • Toronto (‘Resurgent’ Blue Jays)
  • Philly / Mets / Miami / Washington all again
  • St. Louis (only way this is easy is if they’ve already clinched)

11 remaining matchups… 7 of those vs. contenders (if you count the Nationals).  It could make that 72-90 projection tough to achieve.

But there’s another angle that’s going to eat away at the Braves’ resolve:  the fans.  Last night, Turner Field hosted just 13,920 patrons.  That’s way down from the average of 25,651 – which ranks 23rd in the majors as it is- besting only Arizona (that will change), Philly, the ChiSox, Oakland, Miami, Cleveland, and Tampa Bay.

Granted, this was a school night, but at the same time, you’d have to wonder if Atlanta-area fans are already converting their mindset over to the imminent football season.  Given the numbers, I would not be surprised at all to see the Braves’ attendance fall to a 26th ranking by season’s end… that despite a huge box-office series coming up with the Yankees.

It will be up to the players to give the fans a reason to stick around.

Time to Buck Up

Look, nobody wants a season to go badly.  Nobody wants to see a few productive players sold off to the highest bidder, either, for that tends to kick the legs out from under your chair.  Unfortunately, things like this happen, and the resulting losses will wear on you… no doubt.

It seems, I’m not the only one to feel this way… and as a former player, Paul Byrd should know:

Disappointment ultimately happens to 29 clubs every year – even to the most promising of clubs.  In 2008, the Braves went 72-90 despite having Tim Hudson, Tom Glavine, and Mike Hampton in the rotation, yet all were hurt and Chipper Jones‘ .364 batting couldn’t overcome those losses as pitchers like Chuck James, Jo-Jo Reyes, and Charlie Morton were pressed into service.

I don’t believe this 2015 incarnation is a club that’s quit, but I do think they are tired and worn down by the mounting losses.  They need something good to happen… a shot in the arm, a big inning, a walk-off comeback win… heck, how about just a W for Shelby Miller?

That would be good.  Let’s see if they can cue one up for Wednesday night… as part of a Rockies’ sweep.

Next: Promotion and Demotion Commotion

Home/Braves News