Justin Upton is saving Atlanta

Justin the nick of Time

The younger Upton is saving the Braves from failure one swing at a time

By Caleb Odom

 

   All eyes are on No. 8 as he stands in the right handed batters box on Saturday night at Turner Field against the Chicago Cubs.

   Sure he has already hit four home runs during this young season of just six games but honestly, how many people really thought Justin Upton could do the incredible like story-book in the bottom of the 9th?

   Upton's brother B.J. had just tied the game up 5-5 in the inning with a lead-off solo home run to left center but come on. What are the odds of Justin hitting a walk-off home run to win it for the Braves?

   That kind of stuff only happens in movies, not for the Atlanta Braves who are playing their first homestand in the post-Chipper Jones era.

    The Chicago Cubs' closer Carlos Marmol, who needs to try out for a pitching job in the home run derby, grooved a pitch right into Justin Upton's wheelhouse and the Atlanta left fielder did the rest. 

   Upton's swing was mighty and instantly he let go of his bat because he knew no Cub was going to catch that ball.

   The ball flew high over the outfield grass to dead center landing in the stands as the Atlanta crowd exploded.

   Game over.

   As Justin Upton rounded the base pads for the second time that day one thing had been made clear.

   When the game is on the line Atlanta's new number three hitter is going to deliver with a bomb.

   Through six games Upton has a .318 average with five home runs and thanks in part to him his team is leading the Washington Nationals by one game in the division.

   The skeptics will say, "It's only been six games" or "They haven't played Washington yet".

   Go ahead, doubt.

   But when Justin Upton and the Braves stay hot the doubts will fall apart like an ash bat meeting a 95 mph fastball.

   The real test for Atlanta is of course on April 12 in Washington, DC when the Braves face the defending NL East champs at Nationals Park.

   What Justin Upton brings to the Braves is hope.

   Hope in that possibility that this Atlanta team has what it takes to compete with the best the National League has to offer.

  Hope that the Braves can silence teams like the Reds and the Giants while putting distance on the NL East teams.
   For the Braves to lose a player of the caliber of Martin Prado in a trade the organization has to be certain that the new player can improve the team further than what the former player provided.
   Justin Upton has big shoes to fill and only time will tell if the trade was worth it or just another Frank Wren blunder like the acquisition of Dan Uggla.
   Justin has the potential to strike fear in the hearts of every pitcher in the NL East if he stays hot like he is.
   For a franchise that has been trying to find a winning combination in vain for the last few years, Atlanta needed hero to emerge from the all the young talent of Heyward, Freeman, and Simmons while making veterans like McCann and Hudson even better.
   Justin Upton is that hero for the Braves.
   He makes his team better because of his defense and offense that includes his presence at the plate.
Upton and Atlanta are after World Series rings in the years to come.
   Every time Justin steps up to the plate he is saving the Braves from failure with his swings.
   This is only the beginning of Upton era in Atlanta.
   Just don't be shocked if Justin wins the 2013 National League MVP along with a World Series victory for his Braves.