Balancing Optimism with Realism – The Plight of the Braves Fan

“We’re a .500 team. 
It’s time to stop being in denial and recognize the vicious cycle the
Braves are stuck in.  You are the WORST
about that.”  Ok, look…I am one of those
people who have a hard time giving up on my team.  As someone once said about me, “You, my dear,
never give up on the Braves or anyone else in life until they’ve been
mathematically eliminated.”  That being
said, there is something to be said for balancing that oh-so-fun dose of
realism with some optimism.

So, with 54 games left in the season that saw Frenchie
playing right field for the Mets, and after a good series in San Diego, I
thought now would be a good time to give all those Debbie Downers “realists”
some good thoughts to go with those “womp, womp, womps”:

• Adam
  LaRoche is 9-for-18 with a homer and three walks in five games since being
  acquired from the Boston Red Sox
• TIM
  HUDSON!!  Is expected to return to
  the line-up at the end of the month, presumably sending Kawakami to the
  bullpen….niiice.
• Get
  ready for a “are you serious?” stat: the Braves (12-8) have a better
  record since the All-Star break than the best team in baseball, the
  Dodgers (10-10).  What…..a series we
  have coming up.
• We
  also have a better ERA (3.31) than the Dodgers (3.66) since the break.
• Two
  words: Martin. Prado.
• Derek
  Lowe seems to have gotten his groove back, winning his last 4 outings.
• Julio
  Franco Garret Anderson is batting .450 since the break.

Debbie, consider your parade officially rained-on.