But the Braves are a different beast than, say, the Blackhawks are when it comes to my Four Bs. Where I entered the most recent NHL Playoffs with enormous confidence and felt like a Stanley Cup was a very realistic goal, I remember full well that crazy shit happens in the baseball postseason. And while Atlanta has been playing out of their mind in so many respects, it just takes a couple guys going into a sudden slump to watch the whole dream vanish in a matter of three or four games.
Still, there is no denying that what the Braves have accomplished thus far this season has been remarkable. The East has not just been the complete disappointment of the Washington Nationals that many people expected to end up in the Fall Classic, but this Atlanta team has also been better than most anybody expected. If they can indeed maintain this level of play, then the team has as good an argument as anybody. While the use of the Tim Hudson season-ending injury in this third quarter graphic is very reminiscent of the Chipper Jones third quarter injury three years ago, the Braves have just continued to reach into the farm system and plug in another pitcher every time it seems that they have suffered a devastating loss. The depth club's depth has been nothing short of remarkable, and now with it seeming that a division title can be wrapped up much earlier in September than anybody could have possibly hoped for, there won't have to be any worry about overextending key players before the playoffs begin.
All things considered, everything looks quite golden for Atlanta ... for now.
