Jair Jurrjens pitched great. That’s not a surprise. His teammates, on the other hand, looked tired, indifferent, bored even. That’s not shocking either. It’s getting to be quite predictable, actually. Every time the Braves play an inspired game, like the one against the Cubs on Monday, they, within days, again look like the Bad News Bears. There are teams out there, in the expanse of Major League Baseball polarity, who are further out of first than the Braves, but who manage to show a pulse on a consistent basis. What they lack in budget (talent), they make up for in effort. The Marlins, on a shoe string budget one third of Atlanta’s, have battled back, whizzed past the hapless Braves proud claim on third place, and become contenders again. Can you name one of their players besides that Ramirez guy?
The Braves pattern is almost mathematical–they can’t escape mediocrity. My question is, how badly do they want to? They seem almost resigned to the idea of being average. Every loss has a scapegoat; it’s as though they take turns forgetting how to play baseball, and whats more, they seem to do it unapologetically. Tonight it was Garret Anderson’s turn to wear the dunce cap, as he failed to back up a tricky single that got past Hernandez at second, essentially handing the Red Sox a double on a silver platter. And we all know what happens when you give teams of the Red Sox’ caliber anything above and beyond what they earn on their own: they beat you with it. Plain and simple.
Say what you will about Jeff Bennett’s ineffectiveness in big games this year, and his temper tantrum in the dug out following the double he gifte wrapped for A-Rod that put the Yankess ahead; he obviously cares. He even performed Rambo-like impromptu surgery on himself so he could go back out and pitch another inning–with a broken hand. The all stars on the team who are felled by pesky bouts of “dizziness” would do well to take note. This is a baseball diamond–not an operating table. There are no lives at stake. Only a season.
The question is: who cares?
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