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Atlanta Braves’ Half-Way Picture Is Pretty, But Not Perfect

By W. M. Lawson

ATLANTA, GA - MAY 06: Pitcher Mike Soroka #40 of the Atlanta Braves throws a pitch in the first inning during the game against the San Francisco Giants at SunTrust Park on May 6, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - MAY 06: Pitcher Mike Soroka #40 of the Atlanta Braves throws a pitch in the first inning during the game against the San Francisco Giants at SunTrust Park on May 6, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images) /
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The Atlanta Braves sit at the All-Star break 10 games over .500, and in a pennant race. It’s a pretty picture, but there are some storm clouds on the horizon.

As the MLB takes that not-so-mid-year breather at the All-Star break, the general story around the Atlanta Braves is a positive one. Truthfully, if one had been given the option in March for the Braves to sit where they do at the break, most fans would have been outright giddy. Yes, the first half of the season has to make you smile. But it’s not all rainbows and pots of gold just yet.

To be sure, it would be silly to focus on the (3-7) stretch that Atlanta endured coming into this break. This treatise, in no way, is a direct response to that. Was it a good look for a team looking to make some playoff noise? Uh, no. But it also wasn’t defining of the first bifurcation of the season, nor is it determinative of the second session.

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Stats can be skewed to reflect a narrative, if needed. Therefore, let’s just look at generic numbers. According Baseball Reference, ATL’s team Batting Average is .267 (non-pitcher). .258 with Pitchers. That’s good enough for 5th in MLB. Total team ERA is 3.83. That is good enough for 5th in the NL and 10th overall.

It would be safe to surmise that a team with those numbers might be 10 games over .500 after playing 94 games.

The pause in the mid-season celebration should spring from the fact that there are 68 games remaining, and the reasons why Atlanta went (3-7) over that period won’t be solved during this brief All-Star respite.

The health of the pitching staff, or lack thereof, can’t be ignored. Soroka is on the 60 day DL, and probably won’t be back. The aging McCarthy has knee issues, and if you are north of 30 years old, you know that ain’t good. Fried has blisters. Vizcaino has shoulder inflammation.

Aside from “timely” hitting, you could argue that the main reason Atlanta has seen success is that young pitching, and position players, have outperformed, admirably, early expectations. It isn’t coincidence that, once Soroka and Acuna went down, so did the Braves’ record and trending results.

Add to this the baffling and maddening usage of the Bullpen by Manager Brian Snitker, and you get the sneaking suspicion that the long, arduous MLB season is starting to grind the team a little. Which happens.

The team, as a whole, hits well, but it is a streaky hitting team. Young teams mostly are; Making the health of the pitching staff that much more important.

All teams deal with health issues. For a team like Atlanta, though, featuring youth and inexperience all over the place, bad health will kill dreams.

This isn’t to say that the Atlanta Braves, or their fans, should slide away from post-season dreaming. It is to say that those dreams will turn to nightmares, quickly, if the pitching staff stays hurt.

The schedule is brutal towards the latter part of August, and the Braves are right in the thick of a legit pennant race.

Next: Atlanta Braves: Top Players the Braves Should Target with Trade Deadline Looming

They’ll need all hands on deck to finish well.

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