My nominee for the most amazing team in the majors this season?
There are plenty of candidates, but I think I'm going with the Atlanta Braves.
Entering spring training, their projected starting rotation included John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, and Mike Hampton. Those three have combined for the wonderfully grand total of five wins, and it's not at certain that that number will increase by much. Not with Hampton perpetually rehabbing, Smoltz joining the bullpen, and Glavine now suffering what might be a serious elbow injury.
Nevertheless, the Braves currently sport the fourth-best run differential in the National League.
Bobby Cox's finest hour?
Maybe. Except the Braves are 32-33. Because they're a mind-blowing 3-17 in one-run games.
With just decent luck -- say, an 8-12 record in one-run games, and a healthy season from Smoltz or Glavine -- the Braves might be 39-26, a game or two ahead of the (theoretically) second-place Phillies. They might wind up having the juice to finish ahead of the Phillies, or atop the wild-card standings.
Today, though? Absent that decent luck for the first 10 weeks of this season?
The Braves are finished. Tim Hudson's a good pitcher but he can't pitch any better than he's pitched. Chipper Jones is a great hitter, but can't hit as well as he's been hitting. Even as the Braves' luck evens out, as it almost has to, it's hard to see them doing any better than they're already doing.
Rob Neyer
