A Letter To the Atlanta Braves: What Team Am I Writing To?

Dear Atlanta Braves,

Please make up your mind.

I cannot tell what to make of you.

After Thursday night’s loss to the Dodgers, I had given up all hope. Then, out of nowhere, clutch hits happen, you win in 12 innings and hope is restored.

It’s been like this all year.

The season started with you going 5-1. You then proceeded to 2-7, including dropping two of three to the Pirates and Nationals.

Then, starting May 6, you went 6-2, winning three series against the real competition in the division (i.e. everyone but the Nationals).

The rest of the season was filled with just as much frustration. Win three, lose four. Win two, lose two.

It’s not just the game results, I can’t remember ever being so confused about where a team is heading.

I know that everyone has their hot and cold streaks; the best teams will struggle and the Nationals will do what they are doing now (currently on a seven game win streak).

As Tommy Lasorda once said, “No matter how good you are, you're going to lose one-third of your games. No matter how bad you are you're going to win one-third of your games. It's the other third that makes the difference.”

54 games is one third of the season, and your record is 56-54. With one third left to play, which team are you?

Will the team with clutch hitting and a great pitching show up the majority of the time? Or will the powerless and punchless lineup and unreliable middle relief sink more of our starters good outings?

I expect each baseball season to end with me living and dying with each pitch in your games, but it shouldn’t be happening this early.

I don’t know if there will be a race for us at the end; I don’t know what to expect anymore.

At this point, the only thing I can ask you for is consistency. If the real Braves team is that of the punchless lineup, so be it; just let me know who you are.

As any fan, I want to watch you go deep into the playoffs, but at this point, I just want to know who you are.