The slow start by the Atlanta Braves this year oddly enough has me thinking about the 1982 Cincinnati Reds and how sometimes fans just need to realize that their team might not be as good as they have been in the recent past.

After the Braves beat the Reds for the sixth of their 13 consecutive wins to begin the season, Cincinnati shortstop Dave Concepcion was not convinced the Bravos were for real. “They (the Braves) have got 156 games to go, and they look the same as in the past to me. The same team,” Concepcion told Tim Tucker of the then Atlanta Journal.

“You see some averages now you won’t see in July,” Concepcion added. “They’re not going to win the division. I’ll say that.”

Given the recent history of the Braves at the time, Concepcion was not exactly out on a limb with his prediction, even though he ended up being wrong; the Braves did win the division that season. John Bench had a different reaction to the Braves 6-0 start. He said, “Atlanta is a tough team.”

Given that same recent history, Concepcion likely thought the Reds would overtake the Braves and win the division themselves. The Braves finished last every season from 1976-1979, showed a glimmer of hope in 1980 by going 81-80, but sunk back to an overall record of 50-56 in the strike-shortened 1981 season.

The Reds won six division titles in the ‘70s, won the World Series in 1975 and 1976, and were coming off a season in which they had the best record in baseball. Outside of 1971, the Big Red Machine had been a dominant force ever since Concepcion joined the team in 1970.

The Braves are coming off a second-place finish last year, which followed six consecutive division titles. But the Braves got worse as the season progressed last season, limped into the postseason, and bowed out in the first round.

Going into the offseason, it was obvious the Braves had some holes to fill, and more holes opened up as the offseason progressed. They lost pitchers Max Fried, Charlie Morton, and A.J. Minter to free agency and knew that Spencer Strider would not be ready by Opening Day, yet they did not sign a single pitcher to fill the gap. The Braves also knew they would begin the season without right fielder Ronald Acuña, yet they did not bring back Ramón Laureano. The one significant offseason move they made, signing outfielder Jurickson Profar, backfired when he tested positive for a banned substance and was suspended for 80 games.

The Braves’ offense was supposed to be better, or at least more disciplined, after they parted ways with hitting coach Kevin Seitzer and replaced him with Tim Hyers. But the Braves wrapped up the weekend hitting .227 as a team and .180 with runners in scoring position.

So, Braves fans might do well to brace themselves for a long season.

Now, let us return to 1981 and that best record in baseball for the Reds. Due to the strike, Major League Baseball decided to divide the season into two halves, with the division winners from both halves making the postseason. Despite having the best record, the Reds finished second in both halves of the season, so they did not qualify for the playoffs.

The St. Louis Cardinals suffered a similar fate that year. They had the best overall record in the National League East but finished second in both halves.

Maybe Dave Concepcion was still suffering from a disappointment hangover when he bad-mouthed the Braves after their 6-0 start.

(Quotes from Dave Concepcion and John Bench are from the April 13, 1982 edition of the Atlanta Journal, accessed via Newspapers.com on April 13, 2025.)