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After three consecutive 90-game losing seasons, the Atlanta Braves were chosen to occupy third place in the East of the National League, likely behind the Washington Nationals and New York Mets.
But their young players had other ideas.
Not old enough to know the meaning of fear, they continued to fend for themselves, eliminating their rivals with more experience and depth.
At seven days of the 2018 season, this determination has borne fruit in the team's first division title since 2013.
On a sunny Saturday afternoon at Sun Trust Park, also a newcomer to Braves baseball, the team won its third consecutive game against the Philadelphia Phillies, eliminating their only challenger. Mike Foltyniewicz, one of the four Braves on All-Star in July, won the seventh game without leaving the field.
Braves pitcher Mike Foltynewicz faces the Philadelphia Phillies in the first leg of a game on Sept. 22 in Atlanta. The Braves won the 5-3 match and the NL East title. (AP Photo / John Bazemore)
Hard to believe, just two days ago, Phillies hitter Rhys Hoskins proclaimed the first of the four-game series "the most important game we will play this year."
The National League schedule kicks off Phils with seven of their last 10 games against Atlanta. But after the Braves won 6-1 on a west coast swing last week, Philadelphia should have won almost all.
Immediately ahead for the Braves is a series of division of the National League against the winner of a division of the West that remains outstanding. The Los Angeles Dodgers, last year's NL champions, look like the winner, although the Colorado Rockies have the advantage of playing four home games next week against the Phillies.
The Braves, meanwhile, might not take a well deserved rest.
Long-time veterans Freddie Freeman and Nick Markakis want to continue their quest for 100 wins, with the two also in contention for their first titles at the bat.
Ronald Acuna, Jr., who took the lead on July 20, was the turning point of the season. He needs four more circuits to reach 30.
Close friend Ozzie Albies, who finishes his first full season at 21, needs two for 25, while third baseman Johan Camargo needs a pair to reach 20.
Atlanta Braves second baseman, Ozzie Albies, triumphed in the ninth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco on Sept. 10. (AP Photo / Scot Tucker)
The entire field, including the short film Dansby Swanson, could win Gold Gloves – an honor that has somehow escaped Freeman in previous seasons. Markakis and center Ender Inciarte, the previous winners of the field equipment, would like to win again.
The strike is there; the team is second in the heats and the first in the batting average with riders in the scoring position. These Braves are particularly dangerous at the end of the round, as they proved Friday night when they played five points against Philadelphia in the seventh end, having been led 4-1 at the top of the inning.
Albies, a 5 "8" striker from Curacao, has beaten 20 homers before the stars break and only three since, although one of them made the difference in Friday's match evening.
And Acuna, a 20-year-old rookie rookie already compared to Hank Aaron, hit a record eight home runs to lead games. Two of them came the same day, at both ends of a double-headed. With lightning speed and prodigious power, he is a strong candidate to join Aaron and Dale Murphy as Braves who hit 30 homers and stole 30 bases in the same season.
Markakis, from Atlanta, whose four-year contract expires at the end of the season, is the most used of players, but perhaps the most important: his presence in the cleaning forces the pitchers to better guide Freeman. Markakis has not only been part of the star team this year for the first time in his 14 year career, but has gotten more votes from fans than any other National League contender.
Nick Markakis, the Braves defenseman, defeated the Philadelphia Phillies on September 21st in Atlanta. (AP Photo / John Bazemore)
Neither Kurt Suzuki nor Tyler Flowers, who share the catch, have an all-star pedigree, but are two-way players whose bats seem to be gaining momentum lately. In addition, Flowers is one of the best pitcher of the game.
This is important for a team of young, inexperienced pitchers who often struggle to find the strike zone.
With the exception of # 1 pitcher Mike Foltynewicz and former US leagues Anibal Sanchez and Kevin Gausman, Braves pitchers are dropping far too many steps, often leading to rival races.
As a result, manager Brian Snitker will spend the next 10 days pondering what pitchers will retain and remove from their list of 25 playoff players.
Previously, Julio Tehran is struggling to win a Sun Trust Park and the awesome southpaw Sean Newcomb has been irregular since he was the only Dodgers forward on July 29th. It is possible that rookie Touki Toussaint Year, will crack the rotation of the playoffs after a handful of strong performance in the stretch.
Touki Toussaint, the Atlanta Braves rookie, warms up before a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sept. 9 in Phoenix. (AP Photo / Darryl Webb)
The coach is even less sure, although the former Aroldis Vizcaino finished Saturday with success, allowing the Phillies to not reach the ninth. While Vizcaino was out with shoulder problems, lefty A.J. Minter did a decent job in this role but was hardly automatic.
Brad Brach, Dan Winkler or left-handers Jesse Biddle and Sam Freeman were not either. Craig Kimbrel, from the nearby town of Huntsville, may be an Atlanta priority this winter, while offering another contract to Markakis, the 34-year-old.
While the offense was on time, the Braves could be as big a surprise in the playoffs as in the regular season. At least the tired arms of their pens should have time to recover.
Even after the elimination of the playoffs in history, the Braves of 2018 will not be over. Acuna, the likely NL rookie of the year, could be rewarded. Snitker, the favorite for the manager of the year; and perhaps Freeman, a black horse candidate for the most useful player.
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After three consecutive 90-game losing seasons, the Atlanta Braves were chosen to occupy third place in the East of the National League, likely behind the Washington Nationals and New York Mets.
But their young players had other ideas.
Not old enough to know the meaning of fear, they continued to fend for themselves, eliminating their rivals with more experience and depth.
At seven days of the 2018 season, this determination has borne fruit in the team's first division title since 2013.
On a sunny Saturday afternoon at Sun Trust Park, also a newcomer to Braves baseball, the team won its third consecutive game against the Philadelphia Phillies, eliminating their only challenger. Mike Foltyniewicz, one of the four Braves on All-Star in July, won the seventh game without leaving the field.
Braves pitcher Mike Foltynewicz faces the Philadelphia Phillies in the first leg of a game on Sept. 22 in Atlanta. The Braves won the 5-3 match and the NL East title. (AP Photo / John Bazemore)
Hard to believe, just two days ago, Phillies hitter Rhys Hoskins proclaimed the first of the four-game series "the most important game we will play this year."
The National League schedule kicks off Phils with seven of their last 10 games against Atlanta. But after the Braves won 6-1 on a west coast swing last week, Philadelphia should have won almost all.
Immediately ahead for the Braves is a series of division of the National League against the winner of a division of the West that remains outstanding. The Los Angeles Dodgers, last year's NL champions, look like the winner, although the Colorado Rockies have the advantage of playing four home games next week against the Phillies.
The Braves, meanwhile, might not take a well deserved rest.
Long-time veterans Freddie Freeman and Nick Markakis want to continue their quest for 100 wins, with the two also in contention for their first titles at the bat.
Ronald Acuna, Jr., who took the lead on July 20, was the turning point of the season. He needs four more circuits to reach 30.
Close friend Ozzie Albies, who finishes his first full season at 21, needs two for 25, while third baseman Johan Camargo needs a pair to reach 20.
Atlanta Braves second baseman, Ozzie Albies, triumphed in the ninth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco on Sept. 10. (AP Photo / Scot Tucker)
The entire field, including the short film Dansby Swanson, could win Gold Gloves – an honor that has somehow escaped Freeman in previous seasons. Markakis and center Ender Inciarte, the previous winners of the field equipment, would like to win again.
The strike is there; the team is second in the heats and the first in the batting average with riders in the scoring position. These Braves are particularly dangerous at the end of the round, as they proved Friday night when they played five points against Philadelphia in the seventh end, having been led 4-1 at the top of the inning.
Albies, a 5 "8" striker from Curacao, has beaten 20 homers before the stars break and only three since, although one of them made the difference in Friday's match evening.
And Acuna, a 20-year-old rookie rookie already compared to Hank Aaron, hit a record eight home runs to lead games. Two of them came the same day, at both ends of a double-headed. With lightning speed and prodigious power, he is a strong candidate to join Aaron and Dale Murphy as Braves who hit 30 homers and stole 30 bases in the same season.
Markakis, from Atlanta, whose four-year contract expires at the end of the season, is the most used of players, but perhaps the most important: his presence in the cleaning forces the pitchers to better guide Freeman. Markakis has not only been part of the star team this year for the first time in his 14 year career, but has gotten more votes from fans than any other National League contender.
Nick Markakis, the Braves defenseman, defeated the Philadelphia Phillies on September 21st in Atlanta. (AP Photo / John Bazemore)
Neither Kurt Suzuki nor Tyler Flowers, who share the catch, have an all-star pedigree, but are two-way players whose bats seem to be gaining momentum lately. In addition, Flowers is one of the best pitcher of the game.
This is important for a team of young, inexperienced pitchers who often struggle to find the strike zone.
With the exception of # 1 pitcher Mike Foltynewicz and former US leagues Anibal Sanchez and Kevin Gausman, Braves pitchers are dropping far too many steps, often leading to rival races.
As a result, manager Brian Snitker will spend the next 10 days pondering what pitchers will retain and remove from their list of 25 playoff players.
Previously, Julio Tehran is struggling to win a Sun Trust Park and the awesome southpaw Sean Newcomb has been irregular since he was the only Dodgers forward on July 29th. It is possible that rookie Touki Toussaint Year, will crack the rotation of the playoffs after a handful of strong performance in the stretch.
Touki Toussaint, the Atlanta Braves rookie, warms up before a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sept. 9 in Phoenix. (AP Photo / Darryl Webb)
The coach is even less sure, although the former Aroldis Vizcaino finished Saturday with success, allowing the Phillies to not reach the ninth. While Vizcaino was out with shoulder problems, lefty A.J. Minter did a decent job in this role but was hardly automatic.
Brad Brach, Dan Winkler or left-handers Jesse Biddle and Sam Freeman were not either. Craig Kimbrel, from the nearby town of Huntsville, may be an Atlanta priority this winter, while offering another contract to Markakis, the 34-year-old.
While the offense was on time, the Braves could be as big a surprise in the playoffs as in the regular season. At least the tired arms of their pens should have time to recover.
Even after the elimination of the playoffs in history, the Braves of 2018 will not be over. Acuna, the likely NL rookie of the year, could be rewarded. Snitker, the favorite for the manager of the year; and perhaps Freeman, a black horse candidate for the most useful player.
