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Whereas Atlanta followers apparently are fairly sensitive about any perceived criticism of their membership, even we’ve to confess there’s one thing fairly baller about clinching the NL East in the future after the Phillies broadcasters had been bitching in regards to the bravado Atlanta confirmed as they had been kicking the Phils’ ass as soon as once more. Which all led to this:
Verify and mate.
Oh certain, the Phillies received final yr’s Division Sequence. That was 4 video games. Over the past 5 full common seasons, when Philly and anybody else within the NL East has had 162 video games to show they had been the higher group, not often has anybody come shut. The Mets did final yr, and misplaced on a tiebreaker. However that’s been about it. Atlanta clinched this yr with 17 video games to go. In 2021 they received by 6.5 video games. They received by 4 in 2019, over the eventual World Sequence champs. 2018 the hole was eight video games.
Maybe probably the most startling stat, is that the NL East in its present iteration has been round for 28 seasons. Atlanta has received it 18 occasions. That is simply what they do.
No matter we might consider their White Flight ballpark and suburb, or their gleefully racist chanting at video games that we’ll quickly be bombarded with in October, that is the mannequin group on the sphere in all of MLB. Whereas the Mets and Padres have tried to shortcut the constructing course of by way of money and trades, or different groups have gone the opposite means like Tampa and Cleveland, what Atlanta and the Dodgers have confirmed is that if any group needs an prolonged run of dominance then a group should spend and develop on the identical time. Atlanta did it a special means, paying their guys like Ronald Acuna Jr. Ozzie Albies, Spencer Strider, Austin Riley, Michael Harris II, and others originally of their careers, giving them extra money at first so they might give them much less on the finish. That definitely raised some controversy when Acuna and Albies signed, however then once more, nobody made them signal these offers. And so they received extra money then they’d have. Maybe it’s going to look callous if Atlanta goes on to discard them as they strategy 30, nevertheless it’s extra probably nobody will care as they rack up division titles and presumably pennants too.
Maybe what Atlanta has been finest at is realizing which of the excess of prospects they needed to transfer alongside in offers for guys that had been established and able to contribute large time. Matt Olson got here in return for some auxiliary bench items and one pitcher who’s accomplished okay at AA. Sean Murphy arrived for the actual contributor of William Contreras, who wasn’t wanted when Murphy was arriving, and a complete bunch of lottery tickets. It was once when John Schuerholtz was in command of Atlanta that if he referred to as you providing any of his prospects, you wanted to hold up the telephone. Alex Anthopoulos needs to be gaining the identical rep.
They’ll be probably the most full group, definitely within the NL, heading into the playoffs. The Dodgers are scraping collectively a rotation at this level. The Brewers can barely hit. The Phillies are nonetheless constructed for brief sequence the place they’ll principally give attention to the highest of their roster. The Cubs have a spotty offense, one starter they’ll belief, and a supervisor who eats paint chips. Everybody under that’s ass.
It’s going to be this manner for some time. Everybody who really issues for Atlanta is beneath 30. And it’s not like anybody within the East is poised to spring on them once they age. It’s been this manner for 30 years.
And one thing to make you smile
-Anyway, we’ll shut with a heartwarming facet of baseball. Click on during in reverse for those who can:
Comply with Sam on Twitter @Felsgate and on Bluesky @Felsgate.bsky.social
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