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Atlanta Braves 2021 Season Thread

WebslingrWebslingr Posts: 184 ✭✭✭✭ Senior

An inauspicious start indeed...I know it's a long season, 162 games and all that. But...

0-4, and correct me if I'm wrong but didn't we lose 2 'Opening Day' walkoffs....without playing a double-header...not sure if that's ever happened before. And oh yeah, lost the All-Star Game too...all in the first week of the season. Yikes....the GA Sports Curse seems to be alive and well in 2021:(

p.s. Sorry bout the melancholy nature of this first-post of the Season thread...but kinda matches my mood right now.

p.s.s. I don't really believe in sports curses. I mean....I'm a rational man, a mathematician, and a proponent of the scientific-method in general. But man...this one tests my resolve on a yearly basis:)

p.s.s.s. Go Braves !!!

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Comments

  • TNDawg71TNDawg71 Posts: 2,218 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    It may be difficult for the bullpen to recreate the success from last year. The starters should be better 1-5. Albies and Acuna can help improve the offense.

  • HipdawgHipdawg Posts: 88 ✭✭✭ Junior

    Abies be needs to improve from left side. Why not try batting right all the time if you are not moving the needle. No excuse, but schedule has not done the braves any favors so far...

  • TeddyTeddy Posts: 7,109 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    I was surprised to not see Dansby in the 2 hole with him having a solid 2020 and looking like he was turning a corner at the plate.

  • WebslingrWebslingr Posts: 184 ✭✭✭✭ Senior

    With the recent UGA Football Injury news....seems like a great time to revisit this thread. Yeah...an inauspicious start for the Bravos...and all Georgians. We lost the All-Star Game...in April...to Colorado...did that really happen ???

    Many that watched the first-half of the Braves 2021 Season may be thinking, 'Meh.' True, we finished the first-half 1 game under .500...and were never above .500. However, the 2021 Braves Season has been anything but 'Meh.'

    Here's a listing of a few things that I believe will mark the 2021 Braves Season for all time...some Good, some Bad, some Legendary...and the Season ain't over....

    1) RIP Phil Niekro 04/01/39 - 12/26/20

    I know...a melancholy beginning to this list...but I can see a twinkle in his eye...what a career Knucksie.

    2) The Braves start the Season on 04/01/21...some symmetry there with Knucksie's B-day. However, they drop that one...and the next three...start 0-4. Took till Aug 5 to get over .500...beat the Cards and clawed our way to 55-54....whew (wipe sweat off brow).

    3) We lose our ace Pitcher (#40) before the first game...and our ace Hitter (#13) before the All-Star break...yeah, more melancholy.

    4) Starting with a Loss vs the Rays on July 16, the Braves alternated Wins and Losses for 18 games straight...ending on Aug 4 with 2 Wins in a row against the Cards...yippee !!! (This is the first of 2 'unofficial' Braves records this season...so far...unofficial cuz I can't find any stats to confirm or deny...just can't imagine this ain't a record.)

    5) In July, Freddie Freeman goes 138 pitches in 35 plate appearances without a swing and miss...yeah u read that right. (This is the 2nd 'unofficial' Braves record this year...can't find any stats on it...but come' on.)

    6) On Aug 13, Dansby Swanson hit a HR in a victory against the Nats. It was his 21st of the year...a new Season record for a Braves shortstop. Plenty of Season left...how high will the new Braves mark be ??

    7) And just last night, Freddie hits for the cycle against the Marlins. This is the 4th Atlanta Braves cycle...and Fredrick has 2 of them. Luv this dude...M V FREE !!!

    8) RIP Hank Aaron 02/05/34 - 01/22/21

    I know....more melancholy. One of...if not The best...hitters of all time. Henry could flat-out rake...under immense pressure, was tough as nails and gracious as rain at the same time...a true Southern Gentleman....and Legendary...forevermore The Hammer.

    Like I said...the 2021 Braves Season has been anything but 'Meh'...and its not over...

    Braves 2021 World Champs...and...Dawgs 2021 National Champs. Yes please, and make it a double.

    Go Braves and Go Dawgs !!!!!!

  • donmedeirosdonmedeiros Posts: 3,379 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    Nice chronology. I have oft lamented the Bravos bullpen this season and was shocked to see how well closer Will Smith had actually done - only 4 blown saves. It seemed like 40 to me. As meh as they have been (alternating wins and losses for 19 games) they have been whatever the opposite of meh is for a couple of weeks now. Offense, defense, pitching and managing have all been very productive. My fingers are crossed for the final 40 or so games.

  • philipsmith99philipsmith99 Posts: 2,082 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    Made a determined effort to watch braves this year. Paused youtubetv, went with att t and watched until mid june, enough. Restarted youtube and added mlbtv on Father's Day special $52. Now watching most appealing game of day and watching some braves on day after.

    If they continue to impress, may catch them again on att t.

    TBD

  • TNDawg71TNDawg71 Posts: 2,218 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    We watch almost every game. What they were able to do at the trade deadline is unbelievable. I never would've guessed they could survive the injuries and rough start. Weak division helped but this is a fun team to watch. That infield can straight out hit.

  • BillyDawg1BillyDawg1 Posts: 2,866 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    The Braves have now gone 15-2 over their last 17 games after a win tonight. They will either be 4 or 4.5 up on Philly after tonight, depending on the outcome of The Philly vs SAan Diego game. The math is getting more and more favorable for The Bravos chances of winning their 4th straight division title. If we just go 20-19 the rest of the way, Philly would have to go 25-15 to tie us. Brian Snitker is the man.

  • TNDawg71TNDawg71 Posts: 2,218 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    He really is just a solid manager. I mean that as high praise. The bullpen scares me at times, but this team is fun to watch.

  • BillyDawg1BillyDawg1 Posts: 2,866 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    The bull pen has rounded out pretty well now. I think if the playoffs started now we'd be in good shape.

  • donmedeirosdonmedeiros Posts: 3,379 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    thanks for those #s. Being a glass half-empty kind of guy, I worried this long win streak will soon come to an end and we might go back to that win, lose, win, lose type of streak we had. If we can just play a little better than that, we'd have a good shot at the division title. Our bullpen scares the cra.p out of me.

  • BillyDawg1BillyDawg1 Posts: 2,866 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    That run of playing .500 ball seemed endless. All the way back to near the beginning of the season when Soroka and others were injured Snitker said he wouldn't be worried if the team took to The all star break or later to make it's move. In retrospect it was uncanny.

    Can you imagine preparing and waiting for your time to come into your 60s, then having instant and sustained success ? I couldn't be happier for the man. Now, let's win a World Series or 2.

  • BillyDawg1BillyDawg1 Posts: 2,866 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate
    edited August 2021

    The Braves won 3-1 today against The Orioles. The team is 16-2 over their last 18 games and 5 up in The East. We now have 4 starters and 4 relievers pitching well, that's enough to win in postseason play.

  • donmedeirosdonmedeiros Posts: 3,379 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    If/when Ian Anderson makes it back, some decisions will have to be made, if he comes back and pitches well. I wonder if Soroka will ever pitch again...what a loss it was when he re-tore his Achilles. We'd have had 3 to 3.5 aces on our staff.

  • BillyDawg1BillyDawg1 Posts: 2,866 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate
    edited August 2021

    Soroka is just the latest in a long line of Braves's starters since the end of the big 3's reign. It's been one good year then injury or simply not repeating their success. It's too bad, the young man had HOF ability.

    I just looked for another case like Soroka's. When I Google pitchers re-tear achilles ONLY Soroka's name comes up. After 3 surgeries to repair the same achilles, I fear you might be right, his career might be over.

  • TNDawg71TNDawg71 Posts: 2,218 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    Ynoa looks truly dominant at times.

  • BillyDawg1BillyDawg1 Posts: 2,866 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    Ynoa has given up 2 or fewer earned runs in 8 of his 10 starts this season.

    Fried has a 0.67 era in August

    Morton has a 2.25 era in August

    Toussaint has a 3.24 era in August

    Smyly has given up more than 3 earned runs in just 1 of his last 18 starts.

    Anderson has better stuff than any of those guys, but he hasn't been in form since April, he is a big question mark right now.

    On balance this is a staff as of now that can hold down the opponents's score in a high percentage of starts. I'll post again on how our pen is doing of late.

  • dirtypantsdirtypants Posts: 259 ✭✭✭✭ Senior

    I can't say enough about how well the team has performed since the trade deadline. The guys we picked up aren't even necessarily the ones carrying the weight either. We finally got the remaining core guys playing at a very high level, and that's exactly what carried us so far in the playoffs last year. There is historical precedent for a team like ours to go the distance, even with the young talent we have on the mound. We have to focus on sustaining results now, because the other teams in the division have the talent to go on a run like we just did, and we could easily backslide again.

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