It seems like every time I write about the Braves being in contention for the playoffs, something miserable happens to them, so it is with trepidation that I write this post. Keeping my fingers crossed … here we go …
According to ESPN, what the Braves are attempting to do has never been done before.
This team was 8½ games out in the wild-card race with 21 games left in the season. And now, with seven games to go, these same Braves are only two out in the loss column.
So if they can stampede back this week to overtake Colorado, the Braves will go down in history.
The Elias Sports Bureau reports that before this outfit came along, only one club in history — the 1964 Cardinals — had ever been 8½ games back in September and lived to make up that entire deficit and play a postseason game. So the Braves would tie that record if they win the wild card.
But the last date on which those ’64 Cardinals were 8½ back was Sept. 5, when they still had 27 games to play. So the Braves would be the first team to trail by that many games as late as Sept. 11 on the calendar, and with just 21 to play on the schedule. Oh, and one more thing: If they somehow blow by the Phillies and win the NL East, they’ll own all these records unto themselves, since they were a whopping nine games behind the Phillies after games of Sept. 9.
The Braves have made up this ground by going 14-2 over the past 2½ weeks, with both losses coming against Philadelphia last weekend. The Braves finish the season with three home games against Florida (the Marlins are 4-2 at Turner Field this season) and four at home against Washington, a team they’re 5-0 against in Atlanta and 9-4 against altogether.
The Braves are currently up 3-0 on the Marlines in the 5th. Assuming I do not jinx them, the Braves will be 2 games back of the Rockies.
Go Braves!
