Final Thoughts on 2012 Atlanta Braves: Getting harder to build hopes up

This is an all-too-familiar sight, with an Atlanta legend heading for the showers one last time. Like Bobby two years ago, we're left feeling like another longtime Brave deserved so much better. And this year, that statement holds even more meaning because Chipper's final season ends in what I obviously felt—and probably feel even more strongly now—was a ridiculously cheap single elimination "playoff" game.

Furthermore, Jones should not be leaving after a game in which the fans that cheered him on for 19 seasons delayed the game for 19 minutes by littering the field with trash. Yes, the infield fly rule being ludicrously invoked in a key eighth inning play was utterly preposterous, and it unfortunately proved exactly what Chipper himself feared about the one-game Wild Card idea:

Now if you were to say the two wild-card teams will play a best two-out-of-three [series], I'd be OK with that. I think it's more fair from a standpoint that anything can happen in one game -- a blown call by an umpire, a bad day at the office … at least in a two-of-three game series you have some sort of leeway.

Still, it is important to remember that even had that call not been made, no runs would have been added for Atlanta. Rather, the Braves would have admittedly had another golden opportunity with the bases loaded and only one out. Considering that the team ended the night by leaving 10 men on base, scoring that inning was still no guarantee. Oh, and then there were the three errors. And when Jones made the first one, I had the feeling it was the start of something bad.

It appears that as a Braves fan, I'm developing a stronger sense for imminent disappointment.

So like Bobby Cox, Chipper Jones retires with only one championship ring to show for many, many years of terrific winning baseball. The only upside I find to this is that Atlanta now has $14 million freed up. Considering that Michael Bourn becomes a free agent now (and he's represented by Scott Boras), the timing is quite critical. However, it is important to remember that there are quite a few other key players—including Jason Heyward, Tommy Hanson, Jonny Venters, Kris Medlen and Martin Prado—who will be eligible for arbitration, and both Tim Hudson and Brian McCann have contract options.

Assuming all of those issues can be addressed, there will still be encouraging elements for next season. However, there's little reason not to think that this year's division-winning Nationals won't be even better without this year's Stephen Strasburg shutdown being an issue. Oh, and then there's the Phillies, who might not start with their heads up their asses next year.

After some dissatisfied fans were quick to call for Fredi Gonzalez to be fired after the collapse last season, I believe that he has demonstrated that he's still a very solid manager. The Braves were not expected to be contenders this year, and yet Gonzalez helped guide Atlanta to a three-way tie for the league's fourth-best record. Coming into the Wild Card playoff, the defense had been fairly outstanding too (fourth-best fielding percentage and a league-leading 53.1 UZR that was nearly 10 points higher than the next best team, the Angels).

But as has been the case with every postseason berth since 2001, it was short-lived. And that's where I'm at a loss for words. More bats? Better bats? What's the trick here?

There are no more legends to say farewell to in the near future. Instead, there's just more of them in the making. So, I guess that's the role that fellows like McCann, Venters or Heyward get to assume. Who will step up? Beyond that, how far will they actually end up taking this team?

Somebody needs to step up, and give me a real reason to expect more ... a reason to believe.