More than a quarter of the way into this season and it is obvious this year’s Atlanta Braves are not last year’s team. The players may mostly be the same, but injuries and failures at the plate have left this team almost unrecognizable — compared to last year.
It is past time that Major League Baseball and Atlanta Braves fans stop comparing this year’s version of the Braves to last year’s team that obliterated multiple team hitting records. It is obvious to see that if the Braves will contend for a World Series championship this year, or at least win a seventh straight National League East Division title, it will be done on the strength of its pitching, not at the plate.