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Sunday, August 21, 2005
A dose of fear may go long way
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
Just so there is no misunderstanding, division-lead shrinkage is not being taken lightly by the Braves. The door to the clubhouse was closed before Sunday night’s game for a players-only meeting. Anybody entering was certain to be grabbed by a security guard and escorted to either the nearest tub of leeches or the Braves’ bullpen (both of which have been outlawed in 37 states).
Once the doors swung open, however, there were few signs of bloodshed.
“Just the court,” said pitcher Tim Hudson, who keeps the books for the team’s kangaroo court. “Having some fun.” (Hey, it doesn’t get any more serious than fining John Smoltz for a wimpy ring tone on his cell.) So there is no panic in Bravesville. They broke from the courtroom and then salvaged the last game of the San Diego series with a 6-2 win, ending a three-game skid. They are 9-10 in August. That’s not great but it’s also not worth chugging a Prozac smoothie over.
You go 9-10 in the National League West, you get sprayed with Moet. But there is a problem with going 9-10 in the East. It obliterates all of those preconceived notions that when the Braves passed the Washington Nationals into first place last month, it secured much beyond a pulse in August.
Even with Sunday’s win, the Braves’ division lead stands at 3 1/2 and their magic number for clinching over Philadelphia or Florida is 35. The fact you’re not hearing much about a magic number illustrates the absurdity of foregone conclusions. (For the record, the magic number over New York is 33. But we can reasonably count out the Mets because, well, they’re the Mets.)
“I don’t pay attention until it’s something like 15,” Bobby Cox said.
“Maybe 10,” said coach Terry Pendleton.
“I don’t pay attention to anything until I see the plastic,” said Marcus Giles.
The plastic?
“To cover the lockers.”
Of late, the only things you have wanted to cover is your eyes. The Marlins are 9-1-1 in their last 11 series. The Phillies are 5-1-1 in their last seven. The Braves are 2-3 in their last five.
Here we are in August and there’s only one thing scarier than hearing, “The Braves trail going into the ninth.” That is, of course, “The Braves lead going into the ninth and coming in to close …”
But maybe this isn’t so bad. Locking up division titles early hasn’t exactly been a winning formula for October. There are still nine naked fingers.
“To be honest with you, I think that’s been our problem,” Giles said. “We clinch it too early and then we relax and try to play with our hands in our pockets. We play tentatively and try not to get hurt. We try to save everybody - save arms, save legs. The next thing you know we’re sitting on the couch after the first week of the playoffs. I think we need to quit being so excited about making the playoffs so often and be a little bit more worried about getting further in the playoffs and closer to a World Series.”
There have been thoughts that this Braves team will succeed where others have failed. That stems from the roster’s youth, enthusiasm and, it follows, blind stupidity. As in: “Nobody told us a team that plays 16 rookies is not supposed to be here.
There have been endless comparisons to this team and the one in 1991 team. That year, never more than 2 1/2 games separated the Braves and Dodgers after Aug. 10 in the West Division. They reached game seven of the World Series.
“I don’t want to clinch,” Giles said. “I mean, I do want to clinch. But not now. That’s just been our problem in the past. We get lackadaisical. This game is the opposite of football. In football you can flip a switch and get mad. This game is about momentum and getting into a groove. We’re just not doing that.”
No, this is not your basic groove. But if they don’t find one soon, clinching too early will be the least of their concerns. And somebody else will be counting down a magic number.
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