The Braves ended their 7-game road losing streak, with an 8-1 win over the Pirates on Monday afternoon, after dropping the first game of the double-header, 5-0. Tim Hudson (War Eagle!) played the role of the stopper on the staff, going seven strong innings en route to the win, while Brian McCann and Mark Kotsay each tallied 3 RBI.
So, now that the pesky road losing streak is out of the way, maybe this can be the start of something good for the already road-weary Braves. They are a league-best 14-4 at the Ted this season, but are a league-worst 5-14 away from Hot-lanta. The key to the Braves fortunes this season may lie in which one of these trends (and that’s all they are at this point) disappears first. No team can play at either one of those paces all season, can they?
The Braves simply can’t hit on the road. They are capable of it, they just don’t. And, initially, I couldn’t figure out why. Now, it’s easy. They are pressing. It’s in their heads. Every single one of them is tight at the plate, over-swinging, trying to do too much, etc. When I played, I had to write, “Don’t think, just do” in the bill of my cap to keep me from over-thinking. The Braves should do the same. Baseball is a sport built on instinct and muscle memory. They know how to play. They’ve done it their entire lives. For the Braves to kick this habit, they need to stop thinking about baseball, and just play. I know many will think, “it’s easier said than done,” but it’s not. It’s just a game, play it.
Barrett Sallee has worked professionally in the Atlanta sports market in various aspects for over 7 years. He can be reached at barrettsallee@hotmail.com
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