Atlanta Braves: Is The Park The Problem; Yes, THE PARK?
By W. M. Lawson
The Atlanta Braves built a beautiful new ball park. That ball park might be the most dangerous thing in the City of Atlanta.
Ok. Nobody is saying the words, but the question is being asked…” Is it the ball park? Why can’t we win at home”? Admit it. Even the most pessimistic of us still believes in this team. We do. I, definitely do. But of all the challenges that our beloved Atlanta Braves would face, in 2017, I didn’t know it would be our own stadium. And it might be our biggest challenge.
Look, I get that the starting pitching is bad. I get that Dansby Swanson is an error machine and hits for nothing. And I get that it wasn’t long ago that we were really relevant, and now we’re not. I get it. Atlanta Braves fans, those who are conditional or always, get it. But, the stadium.
Many words have been written about the stadium moving to Cobb County. Words that carry more weight than these. But nobody could’ve envisioned a situation where they built a stadium that they can’t win in. Why would you build a brand new, state-of-the-art facility, that will be showcased, unless you want people there? And you get people there by winning, no?
Here, I offer two stats: Our new ball park has given up the 2nd most HRs in the NL, and our pitching staff’s ERA is 27th out of 30. Things don’t happen in a vacuum.
More from ATL All Day
- Atlanta Braves: Felix Has Already Shown Enough to Win a Rotation Spot
- Atlanta Braves Implode Late To Phillies, Cole Hamels Remains Sidelined
- Kyle Wright Shines As Folty Struggles In Atlanta Braves Loss To Red Sox
- Atlanta Hawks Sweep Back-to-Back Games Over Weekend
- Atlanta Braves: Grapefruit League Play Check Up
But yet, they built a baseball park where our, already struggling, pitching staff can’t pitch. Where Swanson makes routine errors? Where it kinda looks like only the opposing hitters see the ball? How is that possible? This is the question that nobody wants to ask. Because we believe. Because we love.
Frankly, I don’t want to ask that question, or even contemplate it. I don’t like the answer. Because I don’t think they have the answer.
I will say this, though. I dig this team. They have players who are elite. They have a feeling about them that invokes joy in the game. And if you know or care anything about “The Game”, that gives you joy. Which is baseball.