Braves: Time for MLB to Recognize Problem with Unbalanced Schedules

There is a huge problem in Major League Baseball going unaddressed and the Atlanta Braves have certainly suffered from it in 2021. 

I understand this is coming to come off as whiny to a lot of people because of the struggles the Atlanta Braves have had this year, but that doesn’t mean I’m not right.

With all of the tanking going on in Major League Baseball right now, the league has to do something with the schedules.

It’s just not fair that the Braves play in a division where there are four teams trying to win a World Series, and another young team that is up-and-coming.

Meanwhile, the two central divisions maybe have two or three teams combined that actually came into this season trying to compete.

I also cover the Milwaukee Brewers and they are currently one of the hottest teams in baseball winning 17 of their last 21 games.

During that stretch, they’ve played the Reds, Padres, Nationals, Tigers, Diamondbacks, Reds, and Pirates.

That’s not exactly death row in terms of teams to play. Now, credit to the Brewers as they’ve taken care of business and won the game they’re supposed to — I’m not taking anything away from them.

The Braves certainly haven’t done that this year having just lost a series to the Miami Marlins.

Over that same stretch, the Braves have played the Pirates, Red Sox, Mets, Nationals, Dodgers, Phillies, and Marlins.

Four of those teams are over .500 and came into this season with postseason hopes.

The Padres are the only team from the Brewers schedule over that time you can say that about; although, the Reds are currently a game over .500.

Yes, this is complaining and whining. And yes, the Braves should still be better than they are.

But it’s a lot easier to work through your issues as a team when the competition isn’t really trying to win in a particular year.

You look at the two East divisions, which are matched up AGAIN this year, and there is really only one bad team in the Baltimore Orioles. Sure, the Nationals are not far behind, but if you catch Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg when you face them it will be a struggle for your offense.

You look at the postseason in 2020. Four NL Central teams made it with the expanded postseason — and all got bounced in the first round.

The schedules just aren’t fair and it’s allowing good teams to have great records in some divisions while being a detriment to good teams in other divisions.

I’ve always loved divisions and it’s created some great rivalries, but if we’re all about making it fair for everyone and getting the best teams to the postseason, something has to be done to the schedule.