Catching the Braves in 29 Games
The Braves have a three-game lead over the Phillies in the National League East. Both teams have 29 games to play.
Who has the easiest road to the division title?
Let’s take a look (teams in bold have a winning record):
PHILLIES
Upcoming schedule: 1 game @ Rockies, 3 games vs. Brewers, 4 games vs. Marlins, 3 games @ Mets, 3 games @ Marlins, 3 games vs. Nationals, 3 games vs. Braves, 3 games vs. Mets, 3 games @ Nationals, 3 games @ Braves. That’s 16 games at home, 13 on the road, 14 against winning teams and 15 against losing teams.
BRAVES
Upcoming schedule: 1 game vs. Mets, 3 games @ Marlins, 3 games @ Pirates; 4 games vs. Cardinals, 3 games vs. Nationals, 3 games @ Mets, 3 games @ Phillies, 3 games @ Nationals, 3 games vs. Marlins, 3 games vs. Phillies. That’s 14 games at home, 15 on the road, 16 games vs. winning teams and 13 against losing teams.
The Phillies have two more home games and play two fewer games against winning teams. That’s not much of an advantage, if any.
The Phillies only play teams in the division following this weekend’s series against the Brewers at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies are 5-7 against the Braves this season. They are 6-6 against the Mets, who they play six times, 7-5 against the Nationals, who they play six times, and 7-4 against the Marlins, who they play seven times.
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Todd Zolecki
I don’t think it matters who we are playing in Sept vs who the Braves are playing in September. For starters, over the past several years, this team has been incredible in the last month. Also, I think CBP is the epitome of the “home field advantage” where every game this month will feel like its a World Series game, whereas the Braves put about 15,000 in the seats. Go Phillies!!!
It’s going to come down to the 6 games with Atlanta. The Phillies will set up their pitching so that Halladay, Hamels and Oswalt pitch both series. Just stay in touch till then.
Great breakdown, Zo! Phan52 is right. IMHO, the division teams always play the Phillies tough. It’s going to come down to who wins the Phillies vs Braves series.
I’d like to see them catch – or at least be within a game of – the Braves before those head-to-heads. I think those will be pretty close to a split. I don’t expect either team to take 5 of 6, or anything like that.