Atlanta Braves: Five Reasons They Will Beat the Cardinals in Round One

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 06: Second baseman Ozzie Albies #1 of the Atlanta Braves is congratulated by teammate and first baseman Freddie Freeman #5 after Albies hit a solo home run in the third inning during the game against the Washington Nationals at SunTrust Park on September 06, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images) /

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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JULY 05: Brian McCann #16 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates with his teammates after hitting a walk off single in the bottom of the 9th to defeat the Miami Marlins at SunTrust Park on July 05, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images) /

4.Atlanta Has Been Preparing For This and Has Unfinished Business

The argument can be made that clinching so early hurt the Braves as much as it helped. They limped into the postseason losing the majority of their games during the final week of the season and simply were coasting into the postseason.

This allowed them the ability to rest starters, get healthy, line up their rotation, and gear up to finish what they started last season.

On the flip side the Cardinals were fighting for their postseason lives during the final month of the season. With seemingly every series making or breaking their postseason chances. That wears on a team and doesn’t allow them the rest or preparation that Atlanta has had over the last two weeks.

While the Cardinals may be a bit sharper in some areas, long-term in this series Atlanta has the advantage. They had time to get healthy, and a healthy Atlanta Braves team is bad news for any club unfortunate enough to face them this postseason.

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