Braves manager Brian Snitker stood on the field yelling in disgust during the third inning of a game against the Phillies on March 31.
The usually serene Snitker was visibly frustrated to unprecedented levels when Phillies manager Gabe Kapler stalled the game so that reliever Hoby Milner, who wasn’t warmed up, could enter the game.
The behavior resulted in Snitker’s second ejection of the three-game opening series. MLB issued a warning to Kapler, who explained the incident as a communications error. The Braves won 15-2, taking the series.
Little was it known at the time, those games launched the next edition of the Braves-Phillies rivalry. In fact, the rivalry not only is renewed, but positioned to be among the best in the sport.
Both once-prideful franchises bottomed out in recent seasons. Call it rebuilding, tanking or a combination thereof, but neither was featured in many MLB promos.
They were dark-horse picks entering the season, and that’s proved a valid belief. When the Phillies signed Jake Arrieta in spring training, their seemingly long-shot playoff odds became slightly more believable.
The same can be said of the Braves after No. 1 prospect Ronald Acuna arguably was the best player in Florida during spring training. Ozzie Albies’ power-charged jump couldn’t have been predicted, but most anticipated a step forward for the 21-year-old second baseman.
“I don’t think people envisioned success for both of us this quickly,” Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman said. “And here we are.”
Promises of long-time contention are coming to fruition. The youth is bursting onto the scene. The little financial commitments on both sides invite fan speculation as to what big-names can be added to their cores next winter.
“We saw it some last year when we played them at the end of the year,” Snitker said. “They’re so young and athletic. Nice, good looking players. I looked at them thinking, ‘That’s what we’re trying to get: young, athletic players.’ We’ve taken a step in the right direction doing that.”
The Braves and Phillies have seen each other nine times, with the Braves taking two of three in each meeting. After Wednesday, they won’t see each other again until late September.
“It seems like an abnormal amount of times to play in the first couple months of the season,” Snitker said.
The Braves own the best record in the NL at 28-17. The Phillies sit 1.5 games back entering Monday, with the third-best record in the senior circuit.
Seven of the Braves’ last 10 games this season come against the Phillies, which invites wondering minds to consider playoff implications.
Perhaps that becomes a bit rich in 2018. Be it now or soon, the days of the Braves and Phillies competing atop the East appear close to returning.
“I can see (a long-time rivalry) unfolding,” Kapler said. “Their lineup, top to bottom, is dangerous and we respect it. We’re prepared for it. We feel like we know how to attack it. On the flip side, we know they’ve prepared well for us. It’s a good organization with an excellent general manager and great leadership. It’s going to be a good battle.”
Odubel Herrera and Rhys Hoskins are two lineup pillars for the Phillies. And while their respective ages of 26 and 25 are more than Acuna’s 20 or Albies’ 21, the pairing is nearly as frightening.
“They’re similar to us, they’re pulling things together this year,” Braves starter Sean Newcomb said. “Overall as a team they’re playing well. Similar to us. Anytime you play somebody in the division, especially when you’re both playing pretty well, it’s good. It brings some of the intensity before the first pitch is even thrown.”
The rivals have managed their surprising starts in different ways. The Braves are 19-9 against the NL East; the Phillies are 8-14.
Philadelphia is a staggering 18-4 out of division play. They played an easier early schedule than the Braves, and took advantage of the struggling Marlins, Reds and Rays in April, posting an 8-1 mark against the trio.
They swept a four-game series with the Giants after San Francisco demolished the Braves in a three-game sweep at SunTrust Park. The Phillies split a four-game set in St. Louis over the weekend.
“They have lot of young guys who make big impacts,” Freeman said. “I don’t think you have a lot of guys who are big-name guys who have a long back of the baseball cards. So I think we’re pretty similar in a lot of ways.”
When it comes to facing the Braves, however, the Phillies have gone cold. They’ve hit .210 and accumulated a 5.47 ERA in the nine head-to-head matchups.
“Every time we face the Braves, we get more familiarity with them,” Kapler said. “And they get more and more familiar with us. Which is good because we feel like our preparation is second to none.”
Even in May, every game matters between these two. When you have two, rising teams trying to prove themselves, it can create urgency in a sport that traditionally lacks it in the early months.
“It’s never too early to watch the scoreboard,” Kapler said. “We watch highlights like everybody else. We watch the standings like everybody else and we ride the emotions of wanting to take first place. We’re pushing very hard in that direction with our preparation and our work.”
If they have it their way – and it’s looking more believable by the day – the Braves and Phillies will be scoreboard-watching each other for years to come.
