AJC > Sports > Braves > Blog > Archives > 2006 > June > 14
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Looks like streak’s over
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Chris Reitsma is no longer around to boo. But that hardly solves the Braves’ bullpen or other problems.
Reitsma was an easy - and worthy - target. The Braves’ shortcomings, though, go much deeper.
As bad as the bullpen has been, the starting rotation really hasn’t been all that much better. The Braves rank at the bottom of the National League in quality starts.
The offense is also very inconsistent. The problem there, of course, is way too many strikeouts. Too often, the Braves can’t even put the ball in play at key moments in close games.
It all adds up to a team 11 games out of first place and five games under .500. Another division title appears to be just a pipe dream now.
Reitsma would have saved himself and the Braves some grief if he had been upfront about the numbness in his pitching hand earlier. But he didn’t want to make excuses and thought the numbness would go away.
It didn’t. Now Reitsma is on the disabled list and 6-foot-8 Phil Stockman will get his chance to plug one of the many holes in the leaking bullpen.
General manager John Schuerholz should have made moves in the offseason to fix the bullpen and find a leadoff hitter. It is probably too late now.
The Braves could trade Marcus Giles and Adam LaRoche. But would that really bring back all that the Braves need? Not likely.
The Braves won’t keep playing this badly, but it looks like the streak of first-place finishes is over.
