Get in Line for the Bandwagon

Don't look now, actually do. Look at the NL East standings. The Atlanta Braves are 4 games behind the division lead. Granted they also are in 4th place, but who would've guessed coming off the back to back sweeps (which put the Bravos at 7.5 out) that it would only take 10 games to get back to within 4. It would have been feasible with a 10-0 run, but Atlanta only went 6-4.

This sudden "turn around" has given hope to Braves fans and confirmed something that I've thought was possible: Everyone else is overrated. I hadn't said it yet, because... well, I knew i'd sound like the biggest homer ever, and you don't want to sound like a homer when the website you write for is part of the "No Bias Network." I figured I'd be breaking company policy. Well, that and the fact that I didn't have any statistical proof; only a gut feeling. Then, while I was looking at ESPN.com's standings page, I noticed something in the "run differential" line.

The Atlanta Braves have the 3rd highest run differential in the NL (+42). The Cubs lead the Majors with a ridiculous +106, the Phils are 2nd in the NL with a +79. The 2nd and 3rd place Marlins (+2) and Mets (+6) combine for 1/7 of the Braves total. This didn't surprise me much at all. The Fish are just too bad defensively at this point, not to mention too reliant on the HR. The Mets? They will have to do a lot more than win a few games under a new manager with the same mentality as the one they just fired if they want to get away from the "dysfuntional" tag that they have (deservedly) been given by the pundits.

The difference between the Braves and Phils is pretty high, but is given perspective when you consider this fact: Philly has won 5 games by nine+ runs (including one by 18 and another by 15) while the Braves have yet to win a game by that margin. Now, there is something to be said for obliterating opponents like that, but I still think that those wins skew Philidelphia's wide margin.

In defense of the Phillies--and in recognition of that "No Bias" issue again--the Braves will have to improve on their 1-5 record against the reigning division champs in order to truly prove that the numbers are misleading. The Braves will get their chance with another series against the Phils next week. For now, they simply need to take advantage of Philadelphia's current slump and keep doing what they're supposed to do--which is win series at home and against inferior opponents. 3 HR games from star first basemen and an offense that has been putting up higher scores with a little more consistency won't hurt either.