Sometimes it’s best to wait before bestowing any cutesy nicknames on colorful ballclubs and their players.
The Gashouse Gang, Murderers’ Row, the Whiz Kids, the Big Red Machine and the Nasty Boys are all a part of World Series history, remembered not only for what they accomplished on the field, but also for their own distinct style of play.
But just as you don’t put the cart before the horse, you don’t hand out the T-shirt-ready moniker without some postseason success to back it up. This year’s overhyped example: Houston’s “Killer B’s.”
Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio and Derek Bell have been a postseason dud so far in their divisional series with Atlanta, combining to go 1-for-25 with no RBIs to help dig the Astros an 0-2 hole.
They’re now being referred to by wise-guy writers as the Killer Z’s, the Killer Breeze and the Killer Fleas, with more unflattering nicknames to follow if they don’t show up in Game 3.
“It’s magnified,” Bagwell said, “because I keep having to talk about it to 30 reporters.”
Sorry to correct Mr. Bagwell, one of the premier hitters in baseball, but the Killer B’s collective slump is magnified because it’s October, the month that traditionally separates the truly great players from the mere mortals. If Bagwell and his fellow B’s don’t answer the bell against John Smoltz and the Braves Friday in the Astrodome, they will be media-free the rest of the winter.
The chances of Houston rallying from an 0-2 deficit to knock off Atlanta in the National League division series appear to be virtually miscroscopic.
“It’s not impossible, but it’s a Herculean task,” Astros catcher Brad Ausmus said. “We’re backed into a corner with our hands tied and a blindfold on.”
Only two teams have beaten the Braves three straight this year–Baltimore in the opening interleague series in mid-June and Colorado in mid-September.
The Braves, who after six straight playoff appearances are quite used to having 30 reporters in their faces, don’t seem to be caught up in the great expectations being put on them. It was only 12 months ago they wasted a 2-0 lead against the Yankees in the World Series.
“You always have to keep that in the back of your mind,” Smoltz said. “You can’t say, `It’s over, it’s over, it’s over.’ Humility is huge this time of the year, because when everything turns, it can get ugly.”
Smoltz believes one of the Braves’ biggest advantages is their playoff experience, which removes any pressure that results from being pushed into the national spotlight.
“I can’t imagine anyone feeling like this is not the best time of year,” Smoltz said. “You have to let go of the fact that you might fail. You have to face the music anyway, and (the B’s) are going to have to face it about (going) 1-for-25.”
It was two Octobers ago, after the Braves finished off Cleveland in a six-game World Series, that Smoltz criticized the Indians for being an “arrogant” team. There’s a fine line between arrogance and confidence, but the Braves are a very, very confident group right now.
