Sick League: Orlando Arcia Gives Manny Machado A Warm, Tender, Loving Hug In The Middle Of The Braves Getting Swept Out Of The Wild Card
A part of me actually started to think maybe I was a little too harsh on the Braves the other day after they celebrated together with the Mets after both teams clinched wild card berths. It was a bizarre situation with the teams splitting a double-header getting the 1 win both of them needed to get into the postseason, and I doubt there's a ton of precedent set on how to handle that celebration.
But down 1-0 in the series. Now 3-1 in the bottom of the 2nd inning of game 2. Manny Machado hits a double to left that drives in 2 runs to give the Padres the lead, and now they have runners on 2nd and 3rd. The season is on the line. Spring training. 162 games. That final game of the season to put themselves in the postseason again. Everything that has gone into getting the Braves to where they were....
And Orlando Arcia is out here cuddling with Manny Machado on 2nd base. The man who just ended the Braves' season, and Arcia walks over, gives him a loving embrace, whispers some sweet nothings in his ear, and 3 pitches later Jackson Merrill hits a triple that brings in 2 more runs. Probably tough for a pitcher to hit his spots when he's watching his shortstop flirting with the enemy in the middle of him getting rocked out there.
At the end of the day, I was correct in my analysis. The Braves are a loser franchise with a roster and fanbase filled with dorks and nerds.