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Home > Terence Moore > Archives > 2008 > August > 27
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Glavine believes Braves will bounce back
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If John Smoltz or Tom Glavine says something is so regarding the Braves’ past, present or future, I believe them.
For the most part.
They’ve earned the benefit of the doubt as future Hall of Famers.
For the most part.
Here’s the reason for my waffling: The other day I asked Glavine if he thought these wretched Braves of 2008 remind him of the ones of two decades ago that lost 106 games. “No, because with those teams, we were so bad that there was no light at the end of the tunnel,” said Glavine, who finished his rookie season back then with a 7-17 record and 4.56 ERA.
Added Glavine, “I think with this team, you look and go, ‘Oh, man.’ You get a couple of guys here and there healthy, and they’re back next year. And if you make a splash or two with a free agent or even a trade - I mean, this team has a chance of being right back in the thick of things next year.”
Until then, there is this year for the Braves, and it features them tumbling down the National League East standings in a hurry with issues at the plate, on the mound and in the field. Sound familiar? It should, because this sounds like most of those brutal years for the Braves during the latter 1980s in general, and 1988 in particular.
That Braves team of 20 years ago finished with a 4.09 ERA. This one has a 4.41 ERA. Then again, this team is hitting better than that one (.267 to .242). Plus, despite a slew of errors in the past month, this team is fielding better (.983 to .975). It’s just that most of the statistics for this team are dropping instead of rising.
So do you agree with Glavine’s suggestion that this is just a bump in the road that doesn’t compare to 1988? Or do you think the ugly days live again for the Braves - and will for the foreseeable future?
I say it’s just a bump. A gigantic one, but not an insurmountable one.
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