Atlanta Braves: Ronald Acuna not to blame for loss in game one

As soon as the game ended, fingers pointed towards one distinct moment. But is blame really warranted for Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna?

We’ve seen it before. A high fly ball to deep left or right field. The hitter goes into full-on watch mode. Atlanta Braves phenom Ronald Acuna, as he has done many times before, began a home run trot while carrying his bat up the first baseline. There was just one problem.

The ball that he hit ricocheted off the brick wall in right and Dexter Fowler played it so well that Acuna had to remain at first base.

That simple base-running gaffe is nothing new for Acuna, who had been pulled from a game this season for not hustling to first base.

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At the point of the said gaffe, the Braves were leading the Cardinals 3-1. They would eventually lose the game 7-6.

There was such a hyper-focus on the incident; on how different the outcome would be should the exciting and speedy Acuna be standing in scoring position as opposed to just the first 90 feet.

But would the inning have played out any differently if he was on second?

Ozzie Albies grounded to second so that would have moved him to third without hesitation.

Freddie Freeman was hit by a pitch and that would put runners on the corners.

This is where it gets tricky because, despite Donaldson lining into a double play to end the inning, Acuna was that second out. He was only the second out because he was standing on second base.

If he was on third, would have still been a double play? Would the defense be playing in to prevent a run? Would they still be at double-play depth? If the defense was in, would the liner have gotten past Paul DeJong at short?

For the sake of the argument, let’s pretend it goes as a lineout and both Freeman and Acuna get back in time. Nick Markakis led off the eighth inning with a flyout so if that is the case, then still no runs would have scored.

What matters is that Acuna made up for his gaffe by actually getting the good part of the baseball in the bottom of the ninth; when his team really needed it.

Acuna is a spark plug to this new-age Braves team. He nearly completed a 40-40 campaign; a feat only four men have accomplished in all of baseball history.

Yes, he is young. Yes, he made a lazy mistake – again. But if there is anything Acuna is worthy of, it’s most certainly not blame.

If the Atlanta Braves can turn around and win the series, no one will care about it. But if history has taught us anything – Bill Buckner, Steve Bartman, and just recently Trent Grisham – one simple mistake can ruin you in the eyes of the public.

The only cure is winning, and that’s what Acuna needs to do in order to win back his fan base. That and run to first base.