Braves

[frosgrim]

What a strange season for this team. Start off 0-4, then go on a tear, then have a 8 game losing streak, and now playing good ball again.

Defensively this team has been bad, but since bringing up Simmons they seem to have picked up the glove work. That play Simmons made last night to start the double play in the 7th was AMAZING.

What I've genarlly liked so far: in general the guys seem to have much better at bats this season than last. I have to think that Walker has a significant effect on the approach at the plate. However, not everyone is doing what they need to do.

[*]Heyward looks bad. He really needs to be still at the plate. That timing bounce he does changes his eye level too much.

[*]I don't what is going on wht McCann, but his swing is off

On the flip side:

[*]Uggla is producing RBIs

[*]Bourne is solid

[*]Prado is hitting like he did a couple of years ago. From what i read, Prado's given up on hitting for power and is just looking to drive the ball.

[*]Freeman was really raking the ball until the eye issue. Hopefully that is now corrected and he gets back to where he was a few weeks ago

Starting pitching has not been a strength of the team. Hanson & Hudson are good, but not spectacular. Beachy for the most part has been a very good, and at times spectacular. Minor is a huge dissapointment. I think he needs another pitch to get hitters to stop sitting on his change-up. Maybe a cutter?

The bullpen is not as dominant as last year mainly due to Venters' struggles. Kimbrel is lights out.

What is amazing is that despite that 8 game losing streak, the Braves sit a game out of first. I'm not convinced, yet, that this team is a playoff team. Their collective psyche seems fragile, but maybe this current good play (without Chipper) will give them the confidence they need to make a strong run the rest of the way.

What do you all think?

[Eddielives]

The Braves as a team are pretty much like the sports fans in this city....hot and cold. I think what we'll wind up seeing as this season progresses is more of the same. We will have stretches where we are mentally strong and winning and then when we hit a tough stretch, the mindset of the team will weaken and we'll all be saying what the hell is wrong with these guys. My prediction is because of our tough division, it is going to come down to the last week or so of the season. If the Braves soil their drawers like last year, we're out. If we have momentum going into the final stretch, we could ride that to a world series.

[macdaddy]

The Braves as a team are pretty much like the sports fans in this city....hot and cold. I think what we'll wind up seeing as this season progresses is more of the same. We will have stretches where we are mentally strong and winning and then when we hit a tough stretch, the mindset of the team will weaken and we'll all be saying what the hell is wrong with these guys. My prediction is because of our tough division, it is going to come down to the last week or so of the season. If the Braves soil their drawers like last year, we're out. If we have momentum going into the final stretch, we could ride that to a world series.

Yes. In a way i think being hot and cold is better. We were consistent for so long and we consistently got beat in the playoffs. i'd just soon be the wildcard team that runs the table in the playoffs. The Braves looked great the last few days.

[bird_dirt]

Brave retiring #29 today.

[AHF]

Heyward looks bad. He really needs to be still at the plate. That timing bounce he does changes his eye level too much.

Definitely runs hot and cold himself. He may be getting hot again which would be a boon to Atlanta.

[macdaddy]

Definitely runs hot and cold himself. He may be getting hot again which would be a boon to Atlanta.

Yes! Two homers yesterday including that dead center field 420 foot shot. Damn. The double play by the new kid at short was spectacular too.

[WraithSentinel]

I am expecting the starters to hit their stride the 2nd half of the season.

[Admin]

How'd y'all like that 8th inning last night?

http://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/2012/06/12/mlbtv_nyaatl_22227617_1200K.mp4

[WraithSentinel]

One thing is sure about this Braves team. They are consistently inconsistent. One week they look unbeatable and next week they look to nail down the #1 draft pick in next year draft.