The All-Star break is here, and to the surprise of everyone, the Braves find themselves the envy of the baseball landscape with a six-game lead over the second place Nationals, and a half-game more on the confusing saga that is the post-Pat Gillick Phillies. No sane person could have predicted this would happen, and in the spirit of that notion, Braves country should be deliriously happy with this team's performance and success so far.
In light of the circumstances, the season's first half could not have gone much better for the Braves. Keep in mind, at various points this season, this team has gone without Freddie Freeman, Jason Heyward, and Brian McCann for weeks at a time. Brandon Beachy hasn't thrown a pitch at Turner Field. Evan Gattis missed most of June. This doesn't even touch the bullpen and bench, not to mention the CURSE OF SAM HOLBROOK so plainly evident in the Reds' series. This team has been hit hard by injuries, yet has still managed to go 54-41 in 95 games, keeping every team in the division at bay for the duration with relative ease.
The injuries to Justin and Heyward don't appear to be serious. BJ's adductor muscle is worrisome since he's a guy that relies so much on speed in his game, but having time to relax at home will surely be very beneficial for him. Gattis' injury is also worrisome as oblique strains tend to linger, but getting the All-Star break to rest it is a big boost. The same can be said for Freeman's thumb. Taken as a whole, and considering the scope of the available information, the extent of the injuries don't seem to indicate a long-run concern. We can only hope that remains the case.
Much has been made about the offense. The media chorus echoes these sentiments loudly and frequently. Yes, they do strikeout a lot. No, the event of a strikeout isn't necessarily any worse than a non-strikeout event (oftentimes it's better). What goes unsaid, however, is the fact that the Braves have regressed slowly but surely towards the mean in team K% since the start of the season, continuously falling month after month. The offense has been making more "productive outs" lately. The situational aspect of the game has improved after lacking for so long. While it's not nearly as much a priority as other aspects of hitting, it's still a factor.
The Braves have been very fortunate as far as pitcher health is concerned. During the offensive swoon, the starting pitching kept this team in games, often allowing a thrilling late-inning comeback. Maholm and Hudson have been somewhat distressing, but Medlen, Minor, and Teheran have been excellent. The looming addition of Beachy only helps the matter. The bullpen, while somewhat patchwork, has been a net positive. Kimbrel hasn't been 2012 Kimbrel, but he's still one of the game's best closers, so some slack is advised.
With 67 games left on the schedule, the pressure is on Washington and Philadelphia to try and keep up, but neither appear to pose an imminent threat. While the Phillies seem to be sure bets to fade, Washington is still capable of making a run. All it takes is a week to take a seven-game lead down to a one-game lead, as many Washington faithful hoped to see this past week. With that in mind, it's imperative to protect assets with a eye on the season's 2nd half. In other words, if guys like BJ, Heyward, Freeman, or anyone else need time off to rest injuries, now is the time to do so. While the games count the same regardless of whether they take place during July or September, a six-game cushion and an easy schedule afford this team the privilege to have that mindset. The Braves have a six-game road trip to PHI and WAS from August 2-7, and fielding a healthy starting nine would go a long way to crushing the playoff aspirations of the rival teams.
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