The Atlanta Braves deserve to believe they are the best team this season

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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – SEPTEMBER 05: Ronald Acuna Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves reacts after hitting a solo homer in the fifth inning against the Washington Nationals at SunTrust Park on September 05, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

As the media are still collectively fawning over teams like the Cubs, Dodgers, and Nationals, this Atlanta Braves team is looking poised and ready to destroy the competition in October.

It is amazing just how invisible the Atlanta Braves still are.

Despite winning the NL East in 2018 and despite being ready to repeat this Summer, it’s practically impossible to turn on the MLB Network or MLB Network Radio and hear anyone who thinks that the Braves are merely a speed bump for the Dodgers to win the NL pennant or that the ‘hot take’ is that the Nationals will give the Dodgers all they can handle – and perhaps more.

It’s time to extol the greatness of this Atlanta Braves team. For sure: if you see some swagger to their step, there’s a reason for it… and the numbers say so.

45-34

This is the record of the Braves against teams with a .500 record or better.

No other club has more such wins. No other club has a higher number of such games played (79) excepting Milwaukee (43-49) and Philly (41-39).

Only the Dodgers are more than 11 games above water with this stat (42-30). The Yankees match them (40-29). Neither those clubs are that close to the same overall strength of schedule, and Atlanta still has several more such contests to wade through.

22-8

This is the record of the Atlanta Braves over their past 30 games. Not just a streak; not their last 10. This is thirty games – a full month+ of the season.

Only the Cardinals have won as many as 21 over that period, followed by a quintet of clubs with 20-10 records (Yankees, Astros, Dodgers, A’ and Nationals).

But that’s just getting started…

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