We just saw three division champs eliminated from the MLB postseason in their league division series between both circuits, including a pair of teams with more than 100 wins in the American League Central-champion Twins and the Dodgers, seven-time repeat champs of the National League West. Not that the NL East-winning Braves (97 wins) or AL wild-card Rays (96) were chumps, but as impressive as that quartet of teams was during the regular season, all now head back to the drawing board to decide what they'll need to do during the offseason to earn a return ticket to October.
Atlanta Braves
What went wrong: Giving up 10 runs in the first inning of a deciding series game is never the way a team wants to end its season, but the wheels came off for the Braves after they blew many opportunities to clinch the series in Game 4. There wasn't a single weakness that caused their season to end, and a healthy Freddie Freeman might have changed the team's fortunes. If pinpointing a problem is necessary, the blame lies with the arms in not giving the offense an opportunity to take a lead in some games and then blowing that lead in others.
