Five Keys to the Braves Winning the East

 

               

    The Atlanta Braves will take the field tonight 3 1/2 games behind the first place Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East, and if they can stay the course and make a few adjustments there is no reason they can't be sitting on top of the division come October. The reality is that the Braves are good enough to hold a multiple game lead in four of the six Major League divisions this year. Their good play has blessed them with a five game lead in the Wild Card race. But ask anyone around the Braves organization and it's clear what the goal is: overtake the Phillies. They are certainly good enough to do it. Head to head Atlanta and Philadelphia have split the 12 games they have played this season at six wins apiece.

    So what exactly do the Braves have to do to win their first division title since 2005? They must hold steady and make a few adjustments. I believe that if the Braves can accomplish the following five things, while playing like they did in the first half of the season, they will find themselves with a division title at the end of the season.

1. Dan Uggla Must Produce at the Plate

When GM Frank Wren signed Dan Uggla this offseason for 5 years at $62 million, he was expected to be the pop in the middle of Atlanta's lineup. Instead he has become the weakest link. His home run total has been on par (15), but his RBI numbers (34) and .185 average have both been major disappointments. If Uggla can find his groove again it could really spark the entire lineup. Uggla has been striking out at an atrocious rate and in the process has killed quite a few potential scoring opportunities. His power has been fine, but he needs to work his counts a little more and relearn how to get on base consistently. Things are looking up though. Over the past month he has raised his batting average from .170 to .185 while hammering out 8 home runs and 15 rbi's. Continued progress from Uggla could signal a more powerful offense. An offense with Uggla clicking, combined with the pitching Atlanta has been putting on the mound, could be a potent combination.

2. Chipper Needs to Stay Healthy for the Stretch Run

Chipper Jones is the only player left on the team from the 1995 World Series Championship, and he is the heart and soul of the team. This young team needs a veteran and leader like Chipper on the field in order to pursue a title. When the season is on the line you want Chipper at the plate, if you are an Atlanta fan. Without Chipper playing last postseason, the Braves struggled mightily. A postseason team with Chipper is more likely to succeed. He underwent microscopic knee surgery last week, and hopes to be back by July 25.

3. The Braves Need a Threat on the Base Paths

The one category the Braves are seriously lacking in is speed. For the majority of the season Atlanta has done without a threat on the base paths, and at times it has hurt them. Outfielder Jordan Schafer has emerged as a pretty decent baserunner, and if he can continue to reach base the Braves should be fine. But Schafer's ability to get on base is sometimes a question mark. So whether Wren decides to keep with Schafer, or (as some rumors have suggested) make a trade for a guy like Houston's Michael Bourn, the Braves must find/keep a base-stealer.

4. McCann Must Stay Healthy

Enough said. His career has been, for the most part, injury free. But if there is one player the Braves cannot afford to lose for an extended period of time, it is Brian McCann. His importance is three fold. One, he is the best hitter in the lineup. Two, he is the signal caller behind the plate. A portion of the Braves success on the mound must be credited to the intelligent games McCann calls. Third, he is a leader in the clubhouse and someone younger players rely on.

5. The Braves Must Beat the Phillies Head to Head (and the Nationals for that matter)

As mentioned before, the Braves and Phillies split the first four series between them at 6 games apiece. There are still 9 games remaining between the top two teams in the East, and there is no better way for the Braves to pick up games than to beat them head to head. As a side note, it would be a big help if the Braves could discover what the rest of Major League Baseball has and beat the Washington Nationals. For some reason Atlanta has always struggled with defeating the perennial bottom dwellers and at some point it's going to come back to bite them. The Braves have 12 games remaining against Washington (including a series starting tonight in Atlanta), and anything less than 8-4 should be considered sub-par.