Atlanta Braves: Please Let This Colon-oscopy End Now

The resurgent Atlanta Braves (37-40) lost in San Diego last night (7-4). Bartolo Colon, sadly, was the main reason why.

This isn’t going to be a merciless pile-on on Bartolo Colon. When the Atlanta Braves went out and signed him this past off-season, I didn’t like it, but I understood why. Reality is I’ve never liked Colon. But, that was mainly because he was very good for other teams, and consistently beat the Braves. Now he’s on our team, and he is still beating us.

If that sounds familiar think of Mike Hampton and Dan Uggla. Two players who spent most of their careers killing the Braves. One was with the Mets and the other with the Marlins. The Atlanta Braves went out and got them, and they were awful. Subsequently, continuing to kill us…just in our own jersey.

Colon is in that spot now. Look, he’s had a great career. There is no shame it. Dude should be very proud. But, it’s over. And that fact is painfully obvious to all Atlanta Braves fans.

After a lengthy stint on the DL, Brian Snitker, inexplicably, gave Colon another start, and this is what he did with it: 4 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO, 8.14 ERA. That’s awful. You don’t even have to look at that stat line, though. Catcher Tyler Flowers said, after the game, that “Big Sexy” was a little unlucky. So, be it. It’s possible. Luck is certainly a part of the game.

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Here’s what we know. Colon gave up 6 ER to the hapless Padres, and the mostly erratic, Braves Bullpen gave up only 1 earned run. Atlanta lost 7-4. In other words, Atlanta scored enough to win and the bullpen pitched well enough to win. Colon’s effort was just too bad for the rest of the team to overcome it.

Call me crazy, but when a Starting Pitcher is so bad that he takes away any chance of winning, he shouldn’t be the Starting Pitcher anymore. Ever.

By all accounts, Bartolo Colon is a great teammate and has had an amazing career. One that any reader of this article would be proud of. But, it’s over.

The Atlanta Braves are three games under .500. They can win the rubber match against San Diego tonight and win their 4th straight series. Then it’s on to Oakland. ATL can get to .500 on this road trip. Which is an incredibly important milestone and indicator this late in June.

What is obvious is that they just can’t do that with Colon on the bump.

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