The Atlanta Braves Braves entered June ten games behind the Mets and without a winning streak. The last time that happened, the streak ended on June 3rd.
On June 1st, the 2001 Atlanta Braves were in second place, 7-1/2 games behind the Phillies, and without a winning streak on the season. They beat the Pirates 5-1 and swept the doubleheader on June 3rd, giving the club its first 3-game winning streak of the season.
The Braves finished that road trip with a 9-3 record, 2-1/2 games back in the East, and went on to win the division again, finishing two games ahead of the Phillies.
Atlanta Braves comeback redux
Twenty-one years later, the Atlanta Braves entered June in second place June, 10-1/2 games behind the Mets, and tonight, they have a chance to record their first 3-game winning streak of the season on June 3rd.
The club has every chance to end this road trip 5-2 before returning home to start a run of 12 games against sub-.500 teams over the next two weeks. While it’s unlikely they pull within two games of the Mets, they can begin to move within striking distance tonight with another June 3rd win.
Bats and bullpen awaken!
Making a run like that requires a lineup that continues to hit as it has the last two games and a return to form Austin Riley. Ozuna is far too easy to strike out; without the threat of Riley behind him, the middle of the order looks hollow.
Speaking of Ozuna, he should DH or sit, and I’m sure he would if Duvall was more than the fourth-outfielder he’s become. As it stands, Duvall left when Ronnie starts in right, and Ozuna has to start the rest of the time,
It’s also time for a bullpen with so much talent to pitch like it. I have no idea where the team would stand if Jackson Stephens hadn’t stepped up. Jansen’s become unreliable, and Smith looks like the bad signing from early 2021, Minter’s great one game and shaky the next; all of that makes managing the pen a crap-shoot.
That’s a wrap
Alex Anthopoulos said the club’s talent speaks for itself; they need to speak louder and more often. We have far too many hitters swinging from their heels at bad pitches and too many pitchers unwilling to attack the zone and trust their stuff. If they don’t trust it, why should the manager trust it?
The 2001 Atlanta Braves showed the way. It’s time for the 2022 version to step into the harness and take the strain. They can start with a win tonight. Who knows, that win might get a mention in Jayson Stark’s column.