Philadelphia has been on an incredible run, 9-1 in their last 10 games to take a 5.5 lead over Atlanta. The Braves have also been on a run of sorts, going 8-2 in their last 10, doing their level best to keep pace with the defending World Champs.
Atlanta is now 49-46, and a legitimate Wild Card challenger. I am not sure that the Braves have enough power and a real quality stopper to make a move, but it is nice to actually see the Braves in the playoff picture.
Mark Bradley of the ajc thinks Atlanta has a playoff worthy team.
This isn’t the same team we saw in May, both figuratively and literally. Jordan Schafer and Kelly Johnson are in Class AAA and Jeff Francoeur is a Met. Those were, as a multitude of you pointed out, the biggest holes in an unassuming batting order. But now Martin Prado is hitting like Pete Rose and Francoeur isn’t killing innings and Nate McLouth is providing professional, as opposed to amateurish, at-bats. And did I mention that the pitching is still great?
Good points. The starting pitching has been very good, but the bullpen, always the Achilles heel for the Braves, still scares me. I would just stick with Soriano and see if they can trade for someone that will absolutely eat up the 7th and 8th innings.
It is still July, but at least I can talk Braves playoff hopes and dreams.
