Braves enter All-Star break with sights set on special second-half run

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Braves on Sunday evening packed up the visiting clubhouse at Tropicana Park. The vibe was peaceful, even after a loss. These guys deserve to be proud of their incredible first half.It ended with a 10-4 loss to the Rays on Sunday.But the Braves experienced far more good than bad. Records. A terrific overall record. Eight All-Stars. And on and on.They care about what happens after the All-Star break, though.Five observations:1. The Braves are 60-29 as they head into the All-Star break. Barring a second-half collapse, they should win their sixth straight National League East crown. Barring an even greater meltdown, they will make the postseason.The Braves are happy, but they are not stopping here.They did not show up in spring training to put together a jaw-dropping first half and leave it at that. No, they have greater expectations.They want to win it all.“I said this, I think, a long time ago: There was a point where I’d drive to the ballpark and hope to win. And then I started driving to the ballpark and expecting to win,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “These guys come to the park every day and they expect to win.
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