The End of an Era

I guess it wasn't meant to be.

Much has been made of how this was Bobby Cox's last season, and with good reason. He managed the Braves for 25 years, 15 of which were the most storied in the history of the franchise. During that, he compiled the fourth most wins in baseball history. It's a tremendous career and it is very difficult to see him go. If nothing else, at least the Braves' early playoff exit will spare us all the countless Tim McCarver and Joe Buck hagiographies in which they beat the legendary man into the ground.

In the middle of the summer, the Atlanta Braves looked like a genuine World Series contender, boasting the best record in the National League. This was before Oswalt became the third head of Cerberus in Philadelphia, before Cliff Lee joined Texas, and before the Rays and the Yankees started winning every game except the ones where they played each other.

But then baseball happened. Within weeks, the Braves lost Chipper, Martin Prado, Jair Jurrjens, and Kris Medlen. All of a sudden one of the deepest benches in baseball became one of the weakest lineups in playoff history. I'll admit to crippling bouts of homerism on more occasions that is appropriate. But even I had to recognize that a team that is pinch-hitting with Diory Hernandez -- proud owner of a .424 OPS in the major leagues -- with their season on the line is a team that is going home.

The lineup was not overwhelming even with Chipper and Prado, but it was solid. Their loss, however, was devastating. Filled with hitters who are, to put it politely, not-quite-ready-for-primetime, it was only a matter of time. At least bowing out to the Giants saved the Braves from the privilege of being the first team ever to be on the wrong end of three back-to-back-to-back perfect games in the NLCS. Over the last month of the season, I can think of no better analogue for the Braves than this:



If there is one silver lining to the Braves' elimination last night, and if you will permit me a bit of a rant, it is that we will never have to endure the presence of Melky Cabrera in a Braves uniform again. At this point, I am not sure who is a more awful ballplayer, Melky or Jeff Francouer. By every statistical measure, Melky was the worst outfielder in baseball this season. He had a -1.2 WAR. You could plug in Ryan Klesko's 40-year old legs in left field and he'd do better. Melky can't run, he can't hit, he can't field, he can't throw. He's the quintessential no-tools baseball player. To those who haven't had the opportunity to watch him play baseball, I say: Picture a turd who grew legs but doesn't quite know what to do with them. Nothing could switch my mood from mild to enraged faster than a one-pitch Melky at-bat, or a routine ground ball to left field that suddenly turned into a triple. The man is an abomination, and I am actually turning cartwheels at the realization that I never have to see him befoul Turner Field again. Good riddance, and may we see you in hell before we see you in Atlanta again.

(Deep breath)

Sorry. I needed that.

There were great things about the year, don't get me wrong. Tim Hudson's comeback player of the year season. Tommy Hanson's ascendancy. Derek Lowe's late season re-birth. A bullpen that is beyond outstanding -- even with the lost of Billy Wagner, who had a final season for the ages, the emergence of Jonny Venters and Craig Kimbrel is a tremendous boon for Atlanta. Brian McCann continues to put up numbers as good as Joe Mauer's, with a fraction of the press. And, of course, Jason Heyward, who posted an OBP of over .390 at age 20, who runs the bases better than anybody I've ever seen, who will have a great season next year and a beast of a season the year afterward, the first of many in what will be a historic career. Believe the hype. It's real.

And so ends another baseball season. It's a shame that the Braves couldn't see their manager to a championship on his last tour. Still, it was a better season than anyone expected, particularly when you take the injuries into account. Nothing beats fighting for the playoff spot on the last day of the season, unless you are suffering through a division series where all the games were decided by one run. This was a memorable, unforgettable season, fielding perhaps the most exciting team since that lone World Series 15 years ago.

And now it is over. The idea of anyone but Bobby Cox in the Braves dugout is sad and bewildering. It wasn't a World Series, but at least there was playoff baseball in Atlanta once again. It was the very least that the man deserved. Thanks, Bobby.