It's been a while...

It is not at all with enjoyment that I give this new blog post.

The Braves over the last month have gone from good to horrendous and their numbers show that they are one of the worst hitting clubs in the National League.  If it weren't for the pitching staff, who has been well above average for most of the yaer, this Braves' club would be bottom dwellers.

The season thus far isn't a complete loss, as they aren't too far out of 1st that it would warrant a "all hope is lost" kind of post.  However, there are a few things that the Braves need to do in order to get their cards in order.

1) Get healthy.  Jason Heyward, Tim Hudson, and Chipper Jones headline some of the Braves current minor injuries, though I currently do not have a lot of info about Huddy at the moment.  Brandon Beachy and Peter Moylan are also part of the injury club.  Moylan's injury has him out for an indefinite period of time.  Back injuries to pitchers can be career ending if not fixed correctly.  Beachy has his own problems with a strained oblique.  Quite a few players throughout the majors have experienced setbacks with this injury and the Braves do not want to miss Beachy for any more time than he's currently expected to be out for.

2) Hitting.  Before Jason Heyward went down with a shoulder injury, he was not showing the prowess that he showed us all in his freshman season.  It may be a sophomore slump, but it could also be the fact that he isn't correctly notifying the coaching staff, and thereby rehabbing, injuries.  Dan Uggla has also been a black hole in the line-up proving only the ability to hit at or below the Mendoza line.  The hitting outside of these two players is nearly as bleak.  Before this Sunday's game, the Braves' hitters had a .309 OBP. 

3) Coaching staff.  Something's gotta give here.  Fredi Gonzalez is receiving less and less fan support each day and his in-game decision making is proving to be maddening each day.  While this may or may not be something that Larry Parrish has preached, the Braves' hitters have been quite a bit more aggressive at the plate and their swing percentages across the board have been up.  If there isn't a change in coaching techique over the next month, the Braves will be further out of the division race before even All-Star break.

It's absurd to see such a good team struggling as much as it has, and if the struggles continue the NL East division will leave the Braves in the dust.