We all have our own ways of processing the frustration of watching the Braves underperform.  Lousy play by our team brings out a myriad of reactions from the fans, including the regulars on this site. 

As I’ve commented before, my default position as a fan is positive.  I tend to look for hopeful signs even when things aren’t going well, and I resist overreaction to small sample sizes.  I hear Earl Weaver’s voice in my head ( “this ain’t football; we play every day”) reminding me not to put too much emphasis on a bad game or a bad week.  There is usually plenty of time to turn things around.

After last night’s 4-3 loss to the Phillies, the Braves are 2-9 on the season.  My innate optimism is starting to fail me; it’s getting harder to put a positive spin on things.  Oh, I could point to some signs of hope.  They didn’t get blown out–it was another tight one with the Phils that could easily have gone either way.  They came from behind twice.  Philly took a 1-0 lead in the top of the 6th, but the Braves scored 2 in the bottom of the inning to take the lead.  A Bryce Harper two run dinger in the 7th put the Phils back on top, but an Austin Riley solo shot in the 8th tied it up.  After Raisel Iglesias yielded the lead in the 9th on a solo homer to Trea Turner, the Braves had a couple of hits and the tying run at third with two outs in the bottom of the inning.  Alas, the final comeback came up 90 feet short and left us with another dispiriting loss.

The bullpen surrendered all four Philly runs.  Grant Holmes started the game and managed to leave after four plus innings in a scoreless game.  But he allowed 3 hits and 4 walks on the night, and by the time he walked Schwarber to lead off the 5th he had already surpassed 100 pitches.  Replay showed that Schwarber should have been out; the ump missed a third strike swing and miss, but erroneously ruled that Schwarber had gotten a piece of it.  But as Putter and others noted, why was Holmes even allowed to face the top of the order for the third time?  In this case, Aaron Bummer came on and was masterful, striking out Turner and getting a GIDP from Harper.  But in the 6th Pierce Johnson allowed an inherited runner to score, and Dylan Lee and Iglesias gave up the aforementioned homers to Turner and Harper.

Although the pen let us down, to me the most dispiriting aspect of this loss was the offense.  Braves had plenty of baserunners on the night: 10 hits, 5 walks, and one HBP.  But they left 12 of those runners stranded, six of which occurred in two AB’s by Riley.  Austin came up with the bags full and two outs in both the 3rd and 5th innings, and each time he popped out to end the inning. 

The Braves are 2-9 on the young season because they are not scoring runs.  They are last or next to last in the NL in runs scored, slugging percentage, home runs, and total bases.  The Big Bear continues to do his part, but somehow the rest of the lineup is struggling just like they did last year.  The puzzling thing is that this is still mostly the same lineup that was one of the most prolific of all time in 2023. 

The optimist in me says that the offense will turn it around soon; surely they won’t continue to score just three runs per game.  (I apologize for calling you Shirley.)  Despite his struggles early in the game, Riley came through in the 8th and 9th.  He could break out at any time.  Sean Murphy looks good at the plate so far in his return from injury.  MHII managed another sac fly (two nights in a row).

But throughout last season I told myself the same sorts of things, and the offense never really woke up.  Maybe I should start to expect less.  Then if they do start to score runs, I’ll be pleasantly surprised.

So, Braves, you’re facing Jesus Luzardo tonight behind PDQ.  Why don’t you give me a pleasant surprise, hit a few homers, and score a dozen.