Never in my history of watching sports have I been as frustrated as I have been with the 2009 version of the Atlanta Braves.
I have watched as they hit great in spurts of three games, and then perform terribly in five. I've watched a dominant pitching staff throw quality innings night-in and night-out for Atlanta, only to see the pitcher rewarded with a loss in a 1-0 game.
Other games, we've watched Atlanta hold a lead for the majority of the game, only to have the relief staff blow the game to pieces.
One week, I'll write about how these Braves are hot and could end up being awesome in a short series in the playoffs. The following week, I'll most likely write about how it's time for a fire sale.
That's just what you get with this year's Braves squad. There not too good, but at the same time not too bad. They're similar to what the scripture statement, "I'd rather you be hot or cold, because if you are lukewarm I will vomit you out of my mouth."
That's exactly what I feel like from week-to-week watching these guys play.
How do you sweep the first place, defending world champions and then lose two out of three against a team with 23 wins? How does that happen?
Saturday's game was Bobby Cox's fault. Tommy Hanson pitched lights out and was still going strong, despite reaching the 100-pitch plateau in the seventh inning. So instead of sticking with the 22-year old in the eighth, Cox brings in Mike Gonzalez, who had pitched in four of five straight, and he promptly blows the game.
Sunday, Scott Olsen, whom the Braves normally own, throws a gem against the light-hitting Bravos.
I just don't get it. I recently wrote that the Braves had gotten over the hump with their fourth consecutiveve win, which was the most consistent Atlanta had been all season long. They won a fifth and were cruising along in the sixth until Bobby's latest boneheaded move.
Now, they are losers of two in a row, heading to Wrigley to play the white-hot Chicago Cubs.
The Braves are somewhere between needing one solid power hitter to compete in '09, and needing to trade every key piece away for prospects in hopes of competing in 2011 and beyond.
It's sickening, maddening, and just downright awful to watch this team play great for three or four games, only to completely blow whatever momentum they had with three or four straight losses.
This team is dysfunctional in every sense of the word. Jeff Francoeur sat out his second straight game, Yunel Escobar has a serious chip on his shoulder, and both seem like they want to be elsewhere.
How Francoeur is still employed by the Braves, I will never understand. Why the Braves didn't trade Yunel Escobar for the first big offer they received baffles me as well.
One thing is still certain; if Atlanta does not win five of its last eight games to get to .500 before the break, then it's time to sell. I said that before the mini-streak and now I'm saying it after.
It's make or break time for the Yo-Yo Braves.
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