No Lead is Safe (Don't Go Easy)

It's the bottom of the eighth inning. The home team is up 9-0. Home coach decides to let up on their opponnent, figuring they would win anyway. He tells the batters not to try anymore and the inning ends quickly. In the top of the ninth, the closer gives up two singles and a walk, then a home run. He's pulled, and the next pitcher allows more runs, making it a tie ballgame. Desperate, the coach uses a new pitcher, who blows the lead. The bottom of the ninth proves fruitless.

No lead is safe, especially in the highly competitive NL East. The Nationals learned this the hard way during The Game Which Shall Not Be Named. Last year, they had a nine run lead over the Atlanta Braves, and blew it in ten innings. In a series against the Chicago Cubs, the two teams engaged in fights over the fact that they were still playing aggressive ball.

I don't understand why people get so angry when a team keeps bringing their A-game when they're leading by so much. That is how the game is played, collecting hits and runs. In school you don't purposely stop getting good grades just because someone else isn't getting any. You keep working for something better, the next level.

Please. Stop complaining about this and enjoy the game of baseball.

Around The League | Braves trade Martin Prado for Justin Upton

ATLANTA--- The Atlanta Braves have aquired Justin Upton from the Diamondbacks for Martin Prado and several top prospects. This trade will unite the recently-signed BJ Upton with his younger brother, creating a power duo in the outfield. J. Upton is a powerhouse, and it can be expected that he and his brother will cut down the opposition easily. Justin Upton was a valuable asset to the Diamondbacks and will undoubtedly be the same (or better) for Atlanta. The Braves' outfield is now absolutely stacked, with the Upton brothers and Jason Heyward.

The prospects Arizona recieved are pitchers Randall Delgado and Zeke Spruill, who was ranked at number 6 on the Braves' Top 20 prospects, utility man Martin Prado, and infielders Nick Ahmed and Brandon Drury.

source(s): MLB.com, Mark Bowman