2011 ATLANTA BRAVES

As the Boston Red Sox were melting down in the American League, the Atlanta Braves were following suit in the NL wild-card race. The Braves hitters were suddenly not hitting, as they let the St. Louis Cardinals who caught and passed them on the next-to-last day of the season. The Braves were 9-18 in September. St. Louis trailed the Braves by 10 1/2 in late August, 8 1/2 on Sept. 6, and by three with five games to play.

For the first time in 20 years, Bobby Cox was not managing the team, which was celebrating their 40^th year in Atlanta, being transplanted from Milwaukee.

Fredi Gonzalez, former third-base coach for the Braves between 2003 and 2006 had taken over the helm. The Braves attempted to return to the postseason for a second consecutive season, having gained one on a Wild Card berth the year before.

Entering September with a record of 80–55 and an 8 ¹⁄₂-game lead in the Wild Card standings over the Cardinals in St. Louis, the Braves went 9–18 in September to finish the season with a record of 89–73! This September collapse caused the team to fall one game behind the Cards in the Wild Card race at the end of the regular season, which consequently eliminated them from postseason contention.

 That's all I wrote, Folks!