The Braves Are Choking

The Atlanta Braves have seen a 10.5 game lead in the NL Wild Card race now slip to 2.5 after another meltdown in Florida last night. All they needed was another out and they appeared to have it when Emilio Bonifacio hit an easy big hop grounder right to future Hall of Famer Chipper Jones. The game was over if Chipper makes the play and the Braves maintain a 3.5 game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals. But somehow, someway Chipper lost the ball in the lights (how in the fuck do you lose a groundball?) and the ball went trickling past him. Chipper fucking Bucknered the game last night! Then former Brave Omar Infante stepped to the plate and launched a Craig Kimbrel fastball into the leftfield stands. Game over. The Braves season is now in serious jeopardy after the Cardinals beat Roy Halladay last night. The Cards have won 15 of their last 20 including 3 in the past 4 days vs Philly. The Bravos on the other hand have lost 12 of 18.

This would be one of the biggest choke jobs in Major League baseball history. Granted the Red Sox are attempting the same in the AL but I don't give a shit about the Red Sox other than I laid some money on them before the season to win the whole thing. The Braves seem to always pull this shit once September/October rolls around. They lose all their momentum and if they make the playoffs it's one and done. It's like they are the perennial All-Star break darlings only to have the makeup wear thin and reveal their ugly selves come October. It's just so fucking frustrating to watch.

Now they still have a lead in the Wild Card and they still control their destiny. It's time for some of their key players to step up. I'm looking at Brian McCann, Martin Prado, and Jason Heyward in particular. They have to start producing or the Braves are fucked. Will they? They better.