As part of our MLB Postseason coverage, Martin Gandy from SB Nation's Atlanta Braves blog, Talking Chop, examines why Atlanta, the N.L. Wild Card champion, will beat the Giants in the NLDS. And then details why they'll lose.
2010 MLB Playoffs: What Can Go Right (And Wrong) For The Braves
Why they will win:
The Braves have done pretty well against the Giants this year, and have been able to win some of the close games head to head. With the way the Braves top-three starters are pitching right now, they should be able to match-up well against the strong starting pitching of the Giants. The extra rest between the end of the regular season and the start of the playoffs should give the Braves time to rest all their nagging injuries. More importantly, “Win one for Bochy” just doesn’t have the same allure as “Win one for Bobby.”
Why they will lose:
The Braves are a schizophrenic team when it comes to scoring runs. They could erupt for double digits, or they could be nearly no-hit by good pitching. They almost crumbled under playoff-like pressure in the final three games before relaxing and squeezing out a win in game No. 162. The Braves can’t suffer any more injuries, as they’re already playing with a completely different infield from the one that started the season.
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