No Laughing Matter

Thirteen games ago (although it seems closer to several lifetimes), the Atlanta Braves orchestrated one of their most improbable, most dramatic, most inspiring comebacks in years; it was reminiscent of some of the all time classics of the 90’s, starring a glacially slow Sid Bream and a still svelte Barry Bonds dressed in yellow and black. That single game convinced this Braves fan to buy the MLB package.

When Nate McClouth hit a ball over the right field wall in the 10th inning two weeks ago, sealing the win over the arch rival Philadelphia Phillies in the first game of a divisional tone setting three game series, the entire Braves bench, in a maneuver perhaps even too outside the box for Jeff Blauser, disappeared. Nate, all smiles, crossed an empty home plate and scurried into the tunnel in search of his teammates.

Maybe he should have hired a detective.

Because over the following nine games, the guys wearing Atlanta Braves uniforms who looked eerily similar in physical appearance to the guys from the first thirteen games of the season, barely hit .200.  They were thrice shout out, had almost no home runs, and left about one hundred men on base.

Maybe the mass exodus out of the dugout wasn’t a ruse–maybe they were boycotting the win?

The Braves have since stemmed the bleeeding, running, mercifully, into a Houston Astros club without a pulse. If nothing else, it was a much needed morale booster before another road trip, which, if it plays out like the last one, could easily be the knell of the death bell for a last place team in a division with no play toy anymore– not that the Washington Nationals were ever the Braves’ whipping boys anyway. Quite the opposite actually, which is why Atlanta needs to arrive in fighting shape tonight, not looking road weary as they often do to start road trips.

As bad as the losing streak was, several teams have lost nine in a row and made the playoffs before (no team, however, has ever lost ten straight and made the world series).

The Braves team that disappeared from the dugout that night against Philly needs to take the field and keep it if they’re going to make a serious run at the division.

So, guys, all kidding aside…  all. kidding. aside.

okay?

Ray Kelsey [tomahawk take]