Have the Braves started their patented end of season collapse?

[starkvegasdawg]

The end of August everybody thought they would have the division long wrapped up by now. They had a huge lead and were going into a stretch of games against very bad teams. So far in September they have gone 6-8 against teams with a combined winning percentage of .435. The best team they have played has been Philly with a winning percentage of .463. I am assuming they will close out the division but then I my gut tells me we are in store for another post season of losing games 3-2. Our offensive production has also tanked. In the month of September we have scored 47 runs (3.35/game) while giving up 51 runs (3.64/game). However, that is slightly misleading. One of those games we scored 13 runs in a win and one game we gave up 7 in a loss. Taking those two extremes out and we have averaged only 2.61 runs/game while giving up 3.38 runs/game for the month. I know losing Heyward hurt but the Braves' bats have seemingly always gone ice cold come post season. I know baseball is all about getting hot at the right time and it is looking like we peaked too early. Should have started the post season the end of August.

[smootness]

'Peaking too early' is mostly nonsense, especially in baseball.

It's just as likely we continue to play like this as it is that we get out of this cold stretch and get hot again.

[msstate7]

I'm not worried. We still have best record in nl by 2 games. We've skipped some of our starters' starts, rested players, brought it relievers we usually wouldn't, and coasted in general.

My concerns at the moment are minor, walden, getting Heyward back, and as always uggla and bj. I do think fredi may have shut uggla down so that could be a good thing

[smootness]

BJ and Uggla will get very little playing time in the postseason, so I'm not worried about that. I really wish we had Pena, or even Pastornicky, to put in there, but we don't; and honestly, I think I might rather have Uggla than Elliott Johnson.

But once Heyward comes back (and he will make it back in time for the playoffs), our outfield will either be Heyward/Justin/Gattis or Schafer/Heyward/Justin.

[msstate7]

I really hope Heyward comes back ready to go so we can use him in cf. I want gattis' bat in the lineup for postseason even though he's a defensive liability.