Our current opponent?The Braves.

 

On another message board a couple weeks back, this topic was brought up and I mentioned that I didn?t think there was any chance of ATL finishing last in the NL East, not with the Nationals or while our guys are in the cellar with the $14+ million payroll. I had already penciled the Marlins for 50-112 to begin the season. I still think ATL will finish at least .500 and in 3rd place.

 

Yes, 62 games into the season, ATL is closer to last place (only 3 games ahead) than first place and the current Marlins hot streak notwithstanding, I still think the Marlins will finish last (2007 and beyond is a different story :thumbup ) as the young kids will hit a wall in August, because that?s what happens in baseball. Like many other MB.com posters have said, they figured the Marlins would play their best ball in the middle of the season, which I agree, plus this season is not about wins, but growth of the kids.

 

I?m bumping up my guess for the season to 60-102, still losing 100 games but finishing better than the 1998 group. Of course, 70-92 would be nice , but I don?t think the kids can keep up that pace.

 

Now my question to you all, not so much as where the Fish will end up, but do you think the Braves can finish last?

 

Have a good day everybody!

Can? Of course. Will they? I don't think so. Atlanta is streaking in the wrong direction right now but I have no doubt Atlanta will right the ship and finish in one of the top 3 positions in the division.

 

A mod should move this topic to the MLB forum.

If they are in last for one day I will be so happy :lol . I doubt they will be in last though.

No.

 

They are only 3.5 out of 2nd place.

 

Atlanta has always been a 2nd half team.

Yea I agree I dont think they will be in last for any length of time!

Not only will they not finish last, I feel they will win the division again or finish 3 or 4 games out.

 

The Mets will cool off (the pitching will catch up to them) and the Braves will get very hot in August and September.

 

 

Sad but true.

I'd say that they look pretty much done by now, but they have proved us wrong 14 years in a row now. A mets collapse seems unlikely, but if anything happens to their rotation--lose pedro, or glavine, then we best watch out. Boby Cox always finds a way to win.

Most messages from Braves fans I have read on fan forums (I have been reading some of these during the current series) seem to be pretty negative.

 

At chopnation.com, the Braves fans are writing about throwing in the towel this season, reasons the team is losing (no Leo Mazzone, terrible bullpen, bad decisions by Bobby Cox, bad hitting, the team giving up, etc) and the losses to the Marlins this series being the straw that broke the camel's back.

 

Hell, I have seen messages on that board saying the current Braves team looks worse than some of the pre-1991 Braves. These Braves fans are in a tailspin right now. They got too used to winning.

 

If the Mets play .500 ball from here on out (49-49) they will finish with a record of 90-72. For the Braves to top that, they would have to win 61 of the next 98 games (.606 pct).

How many times have we counted them out during their run as division title champions????

 

I'm not diggin their grave just yet.

Braves don't have the pitching this year.

 

However, no way they finish last....I believe the Nationals will finish last because they are having a fire sale at the trading deadline. They will trade Livan Hernandez, Jose Vidro, Jose Guillen, and Alfonso Soriano.