Might as well not even play the NLDS

E

Enscheff

Well-known member
According to BP, the Braves should just skip the NLDS:

"Prediction

Of the four Division Series, this one seems ripest for a sweep. The Dodgers were the only National League club to win 45 games on the road this season, so playing the first two at Turner Field won’t bother them. The three-headed monster of Kershaw, Greinke, and Ryu delivers the brooms."
 
I'm worried because our lineup swings and misses but I think our pitching keeps it close and hopefully somoene hits a thiree run homer or two for us.
 
Kershaw and Greinke haven't had much postseason experience and what little experience they have isn't that impressive. Let's see how well they do with 50,000+ fans chopping.:tchop:
 
I liked what a commenter wrote about their article:

"...Braves, who scuffled to a 13-14 record in September. That put Atlanta on a collision course with Los Angeles, which won 62 of its last 90 games and only eased up on the gas pedal when the West division title was well in hand."

So ATL "scuffled" to a 13-14 September record, and the Dodgers "eased off the gas pedal" going 12-15 in September despite being arguably just as "in" the Home Field Advantage race as St. Louis and ATL?

I'll repeat what I said in another thread. I think we're better off playing the Dodgers in the first round than we would have been playing either the Pirates or Reds. The only contingency where losing the home field will hurt is if there is a game 7 against the Cardinals.
 
Enscheff said:
According to BP, the Braves should just skip the NLDS:

"Prediction

Of the four Division Series, this one seems ripest for a sweep. The Dodgers were the only National League club to win 45 games on the road this season, so playing the first two at Turner Field won’t bother them. The three-headed monster of Kershaw, Greinke, and Ryu delivers the brooms."
Click to expand...
45 wins on the road but none in Atlanta.
 
nsacpi said:
I liked what a commenter wrote about their article:

"...Braves, who scuffled to a 13-14 record in September. That put Atlanta on a collision course with Los Angeles, which won 62 of its last 90 games and only eased up on the gas pedal when the West division title was well in hand."

So ATL "scuffled" to a 13-14 September record, and the Dodgers "eased off the gas pedal" going 12-15 in September despite being arguably just as "in" the Home Field Advantage race as St. Louis and ATL?

I'll repeat what I said in another thread. I think we're better off playing the Dodgers in the first round than we would have been playing either the Pirates or Reds. The only contingency where losing the home field will hurt is if there is a game 7 against the Cardinals.
Click to expand...

Yeah I also noticed the anti-Braves spin in the article. Which is odd because BP is usually pretty unbiased.

I am a little less enthused than you are about facing the Dodgers staff though. I predict a LOT of Ks (like 20+ each game) and we better hope someone runs into a pitch for a 3 run bomb.
 
Being the underdog is cool, less pressure on the team.
The only regret is all the injuries we have, very similar, unfortunately, to 2004/2005/2010.

Game 1 is so important in a short series, we lost it since 2002, and look at what happened.

As always, playoffs are a crapshoot, I wouldn't give credit to any prediction. It's all an "IF" game. If our offense clicks, nobody can beat the Braves this year.
 
pecas said:
Being the underdog is cool, less pressure on the team.
The only regret is all the injuries we have, very similar, unfortunately, to 2004/2005/2010.

Game 1 is so important in a short series, we lost it since 2002, and look at what happened.

As always, playoffs are a crapshoot, I wouldn't give credit to any prediction. It's all an "IF" game. If our offense clicks, nobody can beat the Braves this year.
Click to expand...

The injury situation is better for us. No Kemp. Possibly no Ethier. Ramirez will play but has a bad back.
 
You guys have some good points in response to the article. My main concern is we end up like in 2010, we faced the Giants dominant pitching staff. Game 1 Lincecum gave up only 2 hits and had 14 Ks. Game 2, Cain went 6 2/3 and gave up 0 ER. Game 3 Sanchez went 7 1/3, gave up 1 ER and had 7 Ks. Game 4 Bumgarner gave up 2 ER in 6 IP.
 
Yeah... that 2010 team.

Heyward had the bad oblique and bad thumb to close out the year. He pretty much was a non-factor offensively from where he started that year.
No Prado.
Rick Ankiel playing centerfield.
Limping Derek Lee playing first.
Conrad starting.
All-Star Omar starting.
No Chipper.
Melky Cabrera. lol

We were lucky to score any runs with that lineup. Ankiel was K'ing as much as Schafer has been the last month.
 
NYCBrave said:
You guys have some good points in response to the article. My main concern is we end up like in 2010, we faced the Giants dominant pitching staff. Game 1 Lincecum gave up only 2 hits and had 14 Ks. Game 2, Cain went 6 2/3 and gave up 0 ER. Game 3 Sanchez went 7 1/3, gave up 1 ER and had 7 Ks. Game 4 Bumgarner gave up 2 ER in 6 IP.
Click to expand...

Our lineup was pretty feeble in 2010. Lots of injuries. If Kershaw and company dominate this lineup it will be a much more impressive accomplishment.
 
KeithLockhart said:
Yeah... that 2010 team.

Heyward had the bad oblique and bad thumb to close out the year. He pretty much was a non-factor offensively from where he started that year.
No Prado.
Rick Ankiel playing centerfield.
Limping Derek Lee playing first.
Conrad starting.
All-Star Omar starting.
No Chipper.
Melky Cabrera. lol

We were lucky to score any runs with that lineup. Ankiel was K'ing as much as Schafer has been the last month.
Click to expand...

I forgot how beat up we were that year. Our lineup this year is looking a lot stronger, even with the injuries we've had all year
 
playoffs aren't a crapshoot.. teams who have a great september have won the WS going back to 07
only exception was the Cards in '06, who limped into the playoffs with 83 wins and still won the WS
 
I acknowledge and completely agree that the Dodgers are the favorite because of their pitching.

But a reliable journalist would make sure to point out the Braves' strengths as well.
 
My only worry to be honest is starting pitching. Our bullpen should be rested with the few days off. Offense should be good to go. Not saying we'll score 5 runs, but we should score enough runs.

If Medlen, Minor, Tehearn keep them at bay, I don't see us losing.
 
Minor's start may well be the most critical. If we do lose game 1, we simply can't lose game 2. And if we win game 1, we need to win game 2, so at worst, we'll be coming back to Atlanta.
 
PawPawMaxwell said:
45 wins on the road but none in Atlanta.
Click to expand...

That means nothing since we got them when the Dodgers were struggling.

Never faced Kershaw in either series.

It wouldn't be a total surprise though, Kershaw and Greinke have been insane in the second half.
 
bravesnumberone said:
Minor's start may well be the most critical. If we do lose game 1, we simply can't lose game 2. And if we win game 1, we need to win game 2, so at worst, we'll be coming back to Atlanta.
Click to expand...

So basically we need to win both games 1 and 2 right? ha

Dodgers could very well sweep. Greinke and Kershaw are great pitchers and it will be tough. I think we'll need something along what we faced with Cliff Lee which is keep it close and when and if they make a mistake we hit them for it. I don't feel great about our chances against LA but I don't have the hopeless feeling of some and I am not assuming that it's a done deal that we're going to get beat.
 
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