3 Braves weaknesses that reared ugly heads in Phillies series

104 regular season wins. 1 postseason win.

That is not the way the Atlanta Braves drew it up. It's not how anyone in their right mind predicted the postseason going for a Braves team that looked like it was one of the strongest teams built in recent memory. Most thought the National League would be a cakewalk, their first true test due to come out of the American League in the penultimate series of the year.

Instead, the Braves find themselves out after four games to the same team that upset them last year.

While plenty of functional aspects of the team simply flamed out and stopped working at the wrong time altogether, there were cracks in the foundation that really started to show during the postseason. This may have been one of the strongest teams ever built, but years from now hardly anyone will remember that fact given their postseason failure.

Here are three weaknesses that were clear as day this postseason, but only visible after intense examination during the regular season.

Pitching depth was a clear concern

Yes, the Braves were missing some crucial pieces of their starting rotation due to injury, but there were also weaknesses showing in the starting rotation even at full health. Atlanta had some Cy Young competitor starters, but even those players had some weaknesses show throughout the year.

Brian Snitker was forced to give Bryce Elder the start in Game 3. Elder, an inexperienced pitcher in his first playoff game ever was entirely outmatched. He has great movement on his pitches that at first glance appeared to be enough to get the job done... But once the sun went down and the batter's eye in center field wasn't glazed with auburn light, it was clear batters were going to take him for a ride.

Elder got great playoff experience, but the lack of pitching resources forced the Braves hand and forced them into this corner.