A run in the making

[AJonesATL]

Rather than viewing 2023 as a waste (which it admittedly feels like in the lingering frustration), I'm going to try to focus on a potential bigger picture and some positive vibes.

6 division titles. A WS. Two NLCS appearances. Two hundred win seasons. Two MVP seasons (Freeman / Acuna). All-time homerun record - and yes, 40-70. That is just a ridiculous 6-year stretch for an organization.

There is definitely a feeling of "incomplete" right now. With this talent, this run, it feels like a single WS would be disappointing. No doubt, if we go and win the next 4-5+ divisions and come away empty handed, it will start to have that 1990's like feeling of wanting more. But at least for now, in the "bigger picture," what we did in 2023 is highly additive to a special run that is still only in the mid-innings.

So I'll be bold and forward looking. I think this team as constructed, with the right continued moves, might only be half way through a 10-year+ type of run of excellence that can deliver multiple WS, an exceptional amount of division titles, and a team / era that cements itself in the record books.

The Giants won 3 titles in 6-years and yet no one truly thinks of the Giants as some all-time team and honestly they are more thought of as a fluke than a team people like to recall as some "special era" - to go truly go down in history, you need sustained excellence, continuity of familiar faces / players, and yes - multiple WS titles.

So what's my point? In this single season right now, it feels like we didn't get our goal accomplished. We all wanted a WS. Though I'd say in the bigger picture of what is being built, this season was incredibly successful and highly additive to the bigger picture of Braves baseball legacy being built.

Some ironic parallels though, in that we won 4 division titles leading up to the 1995 WS and won it in our 4th try - just like in 2021. That makes this year the equivalence of 1997... So only 8 more playoff losses in a row to go to meet that era of playoff misery! On a separate tangent in looking back, crazy that in the 90's we swept divisional round in each of 96-98 and in each of 95 / 99, won it 3-1. We had a 5-year stretch in the divisional round that we went 15-2!

[NYCBrave]

Thanks for the perspective. I'll add some of my own. If you would have told me back in 2017, that the Braves were about to win 6 division titles and a world series, and be poised to continue that run of dominance into the future, I would have thought you were crazy, but signed up for it in a heartbeat.

[zbhargrove]

I've calmed down quite a bit... and I think we are well setup to keep this up for several more years. The losing is disappointing the part that makes it worse is just that it has been against the Phillies... I don't think I've ever hated a team more.

[bravesnumberone]

The ingredients are all there, and I'm glad this is a upper-level team in the sport that brings us winning baseball on a steady basis, but I don't think we can sugarcoat it. Next season will end the same way if everyone - from the players, to the coaching staff, to the front office - doesn't take lessons from the last two postseasons and make the necessary adjustments.

[Tapate50]

They get a chance next year to lift the choke label.

Until then, it is what it is

[AJonesATL]

No doubt we played like sh*t this series. But its just bonkers to me to put a choke label on a team that just won it all not but 24 months ago . I mean as of today the Astros are still literally the only team in baseball that has won it all more recently than us.

TD, Albies, Arcia, Riley, Rosario, Acuna...all WS champs. Fried WS champ. I know Acuna didn't play in the WS, but its as if people forget this guy had a postseason against the Cards where he literally went 8-18, homer, three doubles, a tripple and 4 walks. He sported a casual 444/565/889/1454. He's a guy that hit a grand slam in like his 3rd ever postseason game. Did he just become a choker over night? Is he a choker because he missed a grandslam by 5 feet this year that would have been iconic? Is Olson a choker that can't perform in the playoffs? I guess something changed where he became a choker this year but wasn't last year when he went 4-12 with two homers and 4 walks vs. Philly...Maybe Ozuna doesn't know how to perform in the playoffs? I guess it doesn't count that he once had a playoffs where he went 12 for 37 with two homers and a 324/359/595/954 slash.

How about the Phillies...for all this narrative on them, they are the team that took a 2-1 WS lead and then proceeded to score 0 runs, 2 runs, and 1 run...with two of those three games at home! I mean , if anything, that sounds like choking to me. On the verge of the ultimate and then ****ting your pants at the finish line.

Now I'll make the distinction - I think its quite possible the team was pressing this year and that contributed to the snowball effect we saw. But I just can't label this team a choker, when almost the entire team has either won a WS with us, or has a clear history of big post season performances in the past.

If I was to maybe single out one player that potentially seems to get in his head in the playoffs offensively, it might be Michael Harris, which isn't necessarily surprising from a 21 year old playing for his home town and he probably does need to figure out how to change the approach and grind out ABS come this time of year

[CyYoung31]

No doubt we played like sh*t this series. But its just bonkers to me to put a choke label on a team that just won it all not but 24 months ago . I mean as of today the Astros are still literally the only team in baseball that has won it all more recently than us.

TD, Albies, Arcia, Riley, Rosario, Acuna...all WS champs. Fried WS champ. I know Acuna didn't play in the WS, but its as if people forget this guy had a postseason against the Cards where he literally went 8-18, homer, three doubles, a tripple and 4 walks. He sported a casual 444/565/889/1454. He's a guy that hit a grand slam in like his 3rd ever postseason game. Did he just become a choker over night? Is he a choker because he missed a grandslam by 5 feet this year that would have been iconic? Is Olson a choker that can't perform in the playoffs? I guess something changed where he became a choker this year but wasn't last year when he went 4-12 with two homers and 4 walks vs. Philly...Maybe Ozuna doesn't know how to perform in the playoffs? I guess it doesn't count that he once had a playoffs where he went 12 for 37 with two homers and a 324/359/595/954 slash.

How about the Phillies...for all this narrative on them, they are the team that took a 2-1 WS lead and then proceeded to score 0 runs, 2 runs, and 1 run...with two of those three games at home! I mean , if anything, that sounds like choking to me. On the verge of the ultimate and then ****ting your pants at the finish line.

Now I'll make the distinction - I think its quite possible the team was pressing this year and that contributed to the snowball effect we saw. But I just can't label this team a choker, when almost the entire team has either won a WS with us, or has a clear history of big post season performances in the past.

If I was to maybe single out one player that potentially seems to get in his head in the playoffs offensively, it might be Michael Harris, which isn't necessarily surprising from a 21 year old playing for his home town and he probably does need to figure out how to change the approach and grind out ABS come this time of year

Well said. And I agree. But I think there was some pressing going on this year, as you can tell by the ABs the team was having. They’re not chokers though. Players/teams have bad series in the playoffs. It happens to all teams, even the Astros and the 90’s Yankees.

[drewdat]

My guess, in game 1, timing was off due to the break, and then they started to press after getting shut out, which kept them from ever getting it going offensively