When it comes to the 2025 MLB season, there may not be a more disappointing team than the Atlanta Braves.
Despite entering the year as the betting favorite to win the National League East, the Braves currently lay claim to a 39-50 record, having lost nine of their last 11 games, including each of their last four.
Suffice it to say, frustration in Atlanta hasn’t been hard to find this season. And following a 9-6 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday, The Athletic’s David O’Brien took to X to voice his own dissatisfaction with the way some of his coverage has been consumed amid the team’s underwhelming season.
“So many two-faced hypocrites here; losing brings out the worst of you,” the senior writer wrote. “When they’re losing, you say we don’t ask tough questions. When they’re winning, you say we’re negative if we upset them, and fanboys quickly jump to the side of any player whatsoever who criticizes a reporter.”
So many two-faced hypocrites here; losing brings out the worst of you. When they’re losing, you say we don’t ask tough questions. When they’re winning, you say we’re negative if we upset them, and fanboys quickly jump to the side of any player whatsoever who criticizes a reporter
— David O’Brien (@DOBrienATL) July 6, 2025
That proved to be just the first salvo in a seven-post thread in which the longtime beat writer took issue with some of the backlash to his work. O’Brien noted that he was dismissed by many when he said that the Braves’ desire to avoid the luxury tax would play a key role in its offseason plans before questioning why so many fans seemingly want reporters like himself to have a more adversarial relationship with the players and coaches they cover.
“If I wanted players to like me, I’d avoid writing all the pile of negative stats I’ve written here virtually every day this season,” he continued. “I wouldn’t say they lack the fiery leadership that Wash brought, and that previous players had. But some of you don’t or won’t grasp that, cuz… all you think will prove that reporters aren’t carrying water for teams is if they ask questions repeatedly in pressers so you can see the show, even if the answer given is rarely what you want to hear. You’d just have us ask it again, to piss off the person for the show…
“And you either aren’t smart enough, or mature enough, to see it’s not wanting people to be your friends, it’s wanting to to communicate with them professionally over a 162-game season, for 7 months, rather than piss off someone for a soundbite….”
…all you think will prove that reporters aren’t carrying water for teams is if they ask questions repeatedly in pressers so you can see the show, even if the answer given is rarely what you want to hear. You’d just have us ask it again, to piss off the person for the show….
— David O’Brien (@DOBrienATL) July 6, 2025
And you either aren’t smart enough, or mature enough, to see it’s not wanting people to be your friends, it’s wanting to to communicate with them professionally over a 162-game season, for 7 months, rather than piss off someone for a soundbite….
— David O’Brien (@DOBrienATL) July 6, 2025
While O’Brien certainly raises some valid points about unrealistic expectations for reporters from a certain portion of fans, it isn’t often that you see media members address their audience with such obvious frustration. Perhaps more than anything, that speaks to the disappointing nature of the Braves’ season, which has impacted not just their players, coaches and fans, but in turn, those covering the team.