Atlanta Braves: World Series Contenders or Pretenders?

Well, fellow members of Braves Country, we're through 89 games of the MLB regular season and our beloved team is five games up in the National League East standings. 

We have the best record in the National League by a game and a half over the surprising San Diego Padres. 

Our pitching has been stellar at times and above average at others. Our offense has looked like world beaters at some points and like the 2009 edition of the Atlanta Braves at others.

We're beyond the half-way point and past the All-Star Game, so postseason discussion is becoming more and more realistic. 

This is our legendary skipper's last season and perhaps our legendary third baseman's last go as well. 

The Braves are winning close games that the past few years we would have found a way to lose. Bench players are stepping up and playing like stars, and the season is taking on a magical feel. 

Oh not to mention we have a hometown rookie who at times, has played like one of the best players in baseball. 

A journeyman utility player capped off a bottom of the ninth, seven-run comeback with a pinch-hit walk off grand slam.

It's the stuff of Hollywood. 

This kind of stuff had been happening at the Braves expense the past few years; this season, the tide has turned. 

We have a great mix of veterans and young players. We recently traded the one weak link in the clubhouse (Yunel Escobar) to Toronto for a proven veteran shortstop with World Series experience. 

We have proven we can win in comeback fashion, blow outs, tight games, scoring a lot of runs, scoring little runs, etc.

This is all well and good but as Braves fans, we have seen this before. 

We made the postseason 14 years in a row and walked away with only one championship to show for it. 

Making the playoffs, while a great accomplishment, cannot be our only focus.

This is Bobby, and potentially Chipper's last season. They deserve to go out with a ring on their fingers, not just another bitter postseason let down.

So that begs the question, are the Braves legitimate World Series contenders? 

Or is this all smoke and mirrors? 

Some people don't think we have a good enough team to hang on and make the playoffs, or if we do they don't think we can advance far. 

People question whether we have good enough pitching "aces" to go pitch for pitch with other "aces." Some people think our team has a "flukey" feel to it.

I think we are legit World Series contenders. 

I think we will win our division because we have the easiest schedule from here on out in the division—40 of our final 70 games are at the Ted where we are a MLB best 31-11. 

We have fewer games against teams above .500 than the Mets or Phillies. We have the best pitching rotation and by far the best bullpen in the NL East. 

Jurrjens just made his third start after coming back from the disabled list and looks to only get stronger as the season wears on. Tim Hudson is pitching like an "ace" and Kris Medlen has been money.

While I'd like to see the Braves add some power to the outfield I think we could be fine if we stand pat.  We just recently got Matt Diaz back, Eric Hinske has looked good, and rookie phenom Jason Heyward just got off the disabled list

As far as the postseason goes, that is kind of a crap-shoot. 

Anything could happen but we would have the best bullpen, a good offense that puts up the best on-base percentage of any team in the league. I would also put our starting rotation up against any rotation in baseball.

Am I predicting with any certainty a Braves championship? No. 

All I am saying is that Braves Country has a reason to be optimistic for the first time in a few years when the calendar hits October.