Not just reach .500, but exceed it.
Slow starts are nothing new to the Braves, not in the long arc of the baseball universe.
I started watching baseball in 2001. In that time, I remember the following:
- 2001 Braves did not get above .500 for good until June 1;
- Make that May 22 for the 2002 Braves;
- Even the 2003 Braves took 19 games to get above .500 for good;
- You had to wait until July 6 for the 2004 Braves;
- And when the Braves started another run in 2010, May 20 was the date;
- We’re also talking mid-May for the 2019 team;
- And of course, we all know the 2021 story — August 8;
- But it was June 5 in 2022 en route to 101 wins.
So, when will it be this year? Maybe never? I’m not saying it won’t be “never,” as some of the Braves’ problems are self-inflicted. Nor am I saying that even reaching a win-above-losses total at some point guarantees a successful season in the end. But, even with the self-inflicted problems, the Braves are hanging around and should get some decent talent infusions over the course of the season.
Me? I’ll say it happens, where “it” is “above .500 for good” in the June 3-5 series against the Diamondbacks at home. The Braves have a tough stretch before that, especially a road series in Philadelphia, but if they keep it steady and avoid doing the stuff they’ve been all-too-eager to try that tanks their own win expectancy, they can figure out then and take aim at the Mets and Phillies with the ball flying better than it has been. In the second half of June, they have nine of 12 games against either the Mets or the Phillies at one point, so that would be a pretty important time to get it together.
Daily Notes
Record: 19-21
Yesterday’s wOBA and xwOBA: .269 / .362 (Season rank: 15th | 16th)
Yesterday’s wOBA and xwOBA allowed: .311 / .269 (Season rank: 16th | 12th)
Yesterday’s homers: 0
Yesterday’s homers allowed: 0
Record when out-xwOBAing: 13-9 (League: 445-154)
Record when out-xwOBAed: 6-12 (League: 154-445)
Record when out-wOBAing: 16-2 (League: 511-90)
Record when out-wOBAed: 3-19 (League: 90-511)
Record when outhomering: 9-3 (League: 311-89)
Record when outhomered: 4-12 (League: 89-311)