The Braves have taken my lovely little Spring Training dream and started to bend it.  Kind of like the spoon in The Matrix.  It’s just starting to bend and not in a good way. 

The Marlins came into town with a very big three game series on the line.  When the Marlins showed up, they shared an identical record with the Braves atop the NL East standings.  It was all even.  Until they started to play that is.  The Braves proceeded to be unable to muster more than 7 runs in 3 games.  Chipper and Brian McCann both went down with nagging injuries.  And then there was the bullpen.  Once again, it let us all down and in one case was completely responsible for the game loss.

If there is any silver lining to this three game series, it is the Braves starting pitching, which was still very, very good.  Vasquez and Lowe were really outstanding in their games.  Kawakami was also perfectly acceptable.  In all three games, the starting pitchers kept the games very close and the Marlins off the scoreboard for the most part.

Until the bullpen came in.  That’s where the dream gets a little wiggly.  Peter Moylan is starting to remind me of the Black Knight from Monty Python.  Four walks, it’s just a flesh wound.  Seven runs, come over here and I will bite you and get you out that way.  ‘Tis but a scratch.  And in the end Arthur, or in this case the Marlins, walk off the field saying “Victory is mine, or in their case ours!”

If the Braves are to contend in the NL East beating the Marlins is a must.  They cannot win games against the Nationals, Phillies, and Mets and then drop every series to the Marlins and prevail.  It’s just not possible.  And it’s going to take more than a bullpen throwing crap and screaming “Oh, oh, I see, running away then. You yellow b******! Come back here and take what’s coming to you. I’ll bite your legs off!”