October is here - Ut-oh!

It's that time of year again in HOT-Lanta. It's cooling down. There is a little bit of a chill in the air. Here in Atlanta that could mean only one thing - it's time for the Braves to let us down again.



We had a great regular season! Yeah, yeah. Call me when the October misery is over.

Yes, it's time for the Braves to be in the playoffs (and once again they are) and to quietly fade away. This team has lost 9 out of the last 10 postseason series they have played including the last 7. Since 1991, the Braves have been to the playoffs 16 times and won their last game a total of 1 time. It's a pretty remarkable feat but not one we are really proud of in Atlanta. This season's team promises to be different...or the same. It just depends how you want to look at it.

Here are the top 5 reasons this postseason will be no different than the last 7:

1. This team strikes out a ton and they'll be facing the Dodgers who have 2 Aces at the top of their rotation.
2. Fredi Gonzalez is Bobby Cox reincarnated.
3. The Braves 2 highest paid players barely made the playoff roster. Dan Uggla and B.J. Upton have been 2 of the biggest disappointments in the majors this season much less the Braves.
4. The Braves starting pitching is good. The Dodgers starting pitching is great.
5. The Braves bullpen was once its strength but thanks to injuries and exhaustion, it may now be a weakness.

Here are the top 5 reasons this postseason could be different than the last 7:

1. Luck. Seriously, the Braves have not had much of it. See the infield fly call last year and Brooks Conrad's awful play a few years ago.



The terrible infield fly call against the Braves last year probably cost them a chance to advance in the postseason.




Brooks Conrad isn't getting a key to the city anytime soon for his 2010 postseason performance against the Giants. The Giants should have given him a World Series ring.

2. Freddie Freeman. The guy is clutch. He has put this team on his back. He's a legitimate MVP candidate.

3. Kris Medlen. The guy is pitching lights out right now.

4. The Braves have homefield advantage in the first round. They had the best home record in the Majors this year. Should they win and face the Cardinals, they'll have revenge on their minds from the last 2 seasons.

5. Maybe God has a sense of humor. Maybe he'll just let them win once so Atlanta fans can have something to cheer about.



A preview of a 2013 World Series photo? Fingers crossed!

Finally, it's time for my prediction which is basically my way of listening to my head and my heart.

Braves vs. Dodgers - Braves in 5 - homefield will actually mean something even against Kershaw

Cardinals vs. Pirates (Pirates will beat the Reds tonight) - Cardinals in 4

Rays vs. Red Sox (Rays will beat the Indians) - Red Sox in 4

A's vs. Tigers - Tigers in 5

Braves vs. Cardinals - Braves in 7 - I think it's time for the Braves to finally get even with the Red Birds and erase the demons of seasons past.

Tigers vs. Red Sox - Tigers in 7

Braves vs. Tigers - The Tigers swept the Braves in the regular season so I'm picking the Braves in 6.

Ok, that was from my heart.

Now the prediction using my head - Dodgers in 4, Uggla will complain about his vision, Fredi will do a terrible job of managing, someone will make a big error, blah, blah blah.

Enjoy the postseason everyone!

I hope I can share a real postseason with my wife and children this time around. They need to feel the magic and excitement of a terrific October...a man can dream.

Andy