6/24 GDT: Milwaukee Brewers (40-36) vs Atlanta Braves (35-38)

[Nerfherders]

I'm loving how this team is playing lately. The best part is Ive been able to see 5 out of the 6 games this week because they havent been blacked out on replay. Add to that the rare nationally televised game today.

[sturg33]

I've said this on a few occasions recently but since the horrid baseball we witnessed in 2014 this team has been more enjoyable to watch every year and each year more enjoyable than the one prior. It's palatable on the field and with the fan base.

2018 is going to be one hell of a ride.

It's actually the gloating that makes making Braves games tougher to watch.

Let's be honest, the "nega-braves" have been much more right than the posi-braves.... but every time there is a glimmer of good news, the posi-braves come here to gloat, which brings out the nega-braves to point to an uncomfortable reality.

thethe, the 2015 team was HORRIBLE to watch. Last year - while slightly better, was HORRIBLE to watch. Watching bad baseball is no fun. To argue otherwise is just nonsense... If we're lucky, this year's team will Finnish as good as the 2014 team, which you just described as horrible to watch.

I'm happy the team is playing better. I really really hope we turn it around and become really good, because the reason I'm negative is because I hate watching my team suck.

[Freshmaker]

I think that's basically what thethe is saying. The bottoming out was a couple of years ago, and now we're on our way to becoming competitive again. The pitching has gotten better as the season has gone on, and the offense continues to be good. We won't sniff a WC spot this year, but I think we'll finish a couple of games over .500, provided the injury bug doesn't bite us again. I'm excited to see how we do once Freeman is back in the lineup

[UNCBlue012]

I'm not excited about our current rotation situation, which will get at least get better, but I love this offense and it's capabilities. This month alone has been incredible. Add a hopefully healthy Freddie and we could be a top lineup in the NL.

[Enscheff]

It's actually the gloating that makes making Braves games tougher to watch.

Let's be honest, the "nega-braves" have been much more right than the posi-braves.... but every time there is a glimmer of good news, the posi-braves come here to gloat, which brings out the nega-braves to point to an uncomfortable reality.

thethe, the 2015 team was HORRIBLE to watch. Last year - while slightly better, was HORRIBLE to watch. Watching bad baseball is no fun. To argue otherwise is just nonsense... If we're lucky, this year's team will Finnish as good as the 2014 team, which you just described as horrible to watch.

I'm happy the team is playing better. I really really hope we turn it around and become really good, because the reason I'm negative is because I hate watching my team suck.

Every time the Braves win a few games in a row the pozzy-Barves get all giddy and decide to say "I told you so". Then the Braves lose 6 of their next 8 and reality sets in.

Through all these ups and downs so far, the Braves are in pace to win 74 games, or about exactly what they were projected to win.

They are getting better, exactly as expected. They are not good, but they are getting good. It's dangerous to think the team is better than it really is because that will lead to an attempt to accelerate the rebuild. That would be a huge mistake this season.

[VirginiaBrave]

I think the majority of the Negi Braves weren't around in the '80s and they just couldn't handle the losing. Add to that their favorites were dumped for what they saw as a silly reason. As a matter of fact, I think a good number of them would have kept you know who over Freddie. They felt like winning was an entitlement.

[Pugfan]

It's actually the gloating that makes making Braves games tougher to watch.

Let's be honest, the "nega-braves" have been much more right than the posi-braves.... but every time there is a glimmer of good news, the posi-braves come here to gloat, which brings out the nega-braves to point to an uncomfortable reality.

thethe, the 2015 team was HORRIBLE to watch. Last year - while slightly better, was HORRIBLE to watch. Watching bad baseball is no fun. To argue otherwise is just nonsense... If we're lucky, this year's team will Finnish as good as the 2014 team, which you just described as horrible to watch.

I'm happy the team is playing better. I really really hope we turn it around and become really good, because the reason I'm negative is because I hate watching my team suck.

The 2014 Braves under achieved big time. They were expected to be a playoff team then crapped the bed after a great first month of the season. This season is nowhere near as frustrating as 2014. The minor league system is also in much better shape now.

[Enscheff]

The 2014 Braves under achieved big time. They were expected to be a playoff team then crapped the bed after a great first month of the season. This season is nowhere near as frustrating as 2014. The minor league system is also in much better shape now.

2011 was worse! The Braves were a near lock to match up with the Brewers that postseason. My family is originally from WI, so my dad is obviously a Brewers fan. The day I clicked "buy" on flights and tickets and hotels to watch the entire NLDS series in Atlanta and Milwaukee for the 2 of us, the Braves started to **** the bed.

It ended up being too expensive to change all the flights, so we still ended up in Atlanta and Milwaukee. Spent a few days in Atlanta doing nothing but a stadium tour and watched the Brewers vs DBacks in Milwaukee. It was fun, but not $3k worth of fun haha.

[thethe]

I'm not excited about our current rotation situation, which will get at least get better, but I love this offense and it's capabilities. This month alone has been incredible. Add a hopefully healthy Freddie and we could be a top lineup in the NL.

If in some weird universe where freeman is actually a serviceable third baseman the braves might have an interesting September.

[thethe]

It's actually the gloating that makes making Braves games tougher to watch.

Let's be honest, the "nega-braves" have been much more right than the posi-braves.... but every time there is a glimmer of good news, the posi-braves come here to gloat, which brings out the nega-braves to point to an uncomfortable reality.

thethe, the 2015 team was HORRIBLE to watch. Last year - while slightly better, was HORRIBLE to watch. Watching bad baseball is no fun. To argue otherwise is just nonsense... If we're lucky, this year's team will Finnish as good as the 2014 team, which you just described as horrible to watch.

I'm happy the team is playing better. I really really hope we turn it around and become really good, because the reason I'm negative is because I hate watching my team suck.

It's a personal preference of course so I shouldn't state it as a fact. You won't have to watch the team suck for much longer.

[DirkPiggler]

The 2014 Braves under achieved big time. They were expected to be a playoff team then crapped the bed after a great first month of the season. This season is nowhere near as frustrating as 2014. The minor league system is also in much better shape now.

Exactly.

I'd rather see a team with an 80 win ceiling win 75 games than watch a potential 95-100 win team go 79-83. At least right now we aren't burdened by current expectations.

[The Chosen One]

Not necessarily crapped the bed. The 2014 team lost Medlen and Beachy in back to back days in ST. Not having them sucked.

[Pugfan]

I think the majority of the Negi Braves weren't around in the '80s and they just couldn't handle the losing. Add to that their favorites were dumped for what they saw as a silly reason. As a matter of fact, I think a good number of them would have kept you know who over Freddie. They felt like winning was an entitlement.

I remember attending Braves vs. Mets games back in 1985 and 1986 at Shea. I was only 9 and 10. It was so embarrassing to going to my first ever game in 85 and watching them lose 17-5. I wanted to burn the Braves hat that I wore to the game.

[Pugfan]

Not necessarily crapped the bed. The 2014 team lost Medlen and Beachy in back to back days in ST. Not having them sucked.

The Braves forgot how to score runs in 2014. Been a fan since 1984 and the 2014 team is my least favorite one of the Bunch.

[USMA76]

Every time the Braves win a few games in a row the pozzy-Barves get all giddy and decide to say "I told you so". Then the Braves lose 6 of their next 8 and reality sets in.

Through all these ups and downs so far, the Braves are in pace to win 74 games, or about exactly what they were projected to win.

They are getting better, exactly as expected. They are not good, but they are getting good. It's dangerous to think the team is better than it really is because that will lead to an attempt to accelerate the rebuild. That would be a huge mistake this season.

The team is two games under .500 after 74 games. How does that project to 14 games under .500 after 162 games?

[Enscheff]

The team is two games under .500 after 74 games. How does that project to 14 games under .500 after 162 games?

Yup, on pace to win 78 games, and exactly what the knowledgeable optimistic projections pegged them at.

[mfree80]

Every time the Braves win a few games in a row the pozzy-Barves get all giddy and decide to say "I told you so". Then the Braves lose 6 of their next 8 and reality sets in.

Through all these ups and downs so far, the Braves are in pace to win 74 games, or about exactly what they were projected to win.

They are getting better, exactly as expected. They are not good, but they are getting good. It's dangerous to think the team is better than it really is because that will lead to an attempt to accelerate the rebuild. That would be a huge mistake this season.

Interesting... What i see is just the opposite. Any sign of optimism is met with... Well, it isn't real, the FO sucks, the players are not as good as we think, there is no hope for a successful team.... and by the way anybody who sees even a glimmer of hope is a complete idiot who doesn't know anything and is certainly not as smart as the genius Negabraves.

[msstate7]

Yup, on pace to win 78 games, and exactly what the knowledgeable optimistic projections pegged them at.

And Freddie freeman is almost back. The staff is pitching much better. I think we could see aj minter and winkler before long move into the pen. No reason to think this team will fall apart

[Enscheff]

Interesting... What i see is just the opposite. Any sign of optimism is met with... Well, it isn't real, the FO sucks, the players are not as good as we think, there is no hope for a successful team.... and by the way anybody who sees even a glimmer of hope is a complete idiot who doesn't know anything and is certainly not as smart as the genius Negabraves.

Yeah, not everyone wants to join in on the circle jerk every time something unsustainable happens. Some of us want to discuss the Braves in a manner grounded in reality.

Even I get caught up in the pozzy sometimes though. Just a couple weeks ago I said something along the line of "I think the Braves can pencil in a Rio platoon at 3b in 2018". I know what Rio is, yet I allowed the excitement of a handful of productive ABs cloud my judgement. It was dumb to lose a grip on reality...the Braves will need to address 3b this offseason if they want to contend for a WC slot, period. Hopefully the FO didn't make the same mistake I did...the same mistake they've made multiple times with Adonis.

[Enscheff]

And Freddie freeman is almost back. The staff is pitching much better. I think we could see aj minter and winkler before long move into the pen. No reason to think this team will fall apart

They are on pace to win exactly the number of games I predicted they would win. How does that mean I think they will fall apart?