"I almost felt like this series, we didn't expect to win," Braun said after the Brewers dropped their fifth consecutive game and ninth in a row on the road.

"We were competing; I know everybody tried hard. But it's not about trying hard. You've got to expect to win. I almost feel like we never really expected to win any of these games. I just kind of had that feeling.

"It's just a feeling. Every time we were winning, I just didn't feel we expected to win. It was like we were just content to be there and compete. I don't think we necessarily expected to win."

The implication here of course is that he does expect to win and that his teammates are not all on the same page. If that is the case, it is obviously a problem. He does say that he thinks guys are working hard and "competing" and that should help soften the blow a little bit.

Braun seems to be trying to assume a mantle of leadership and that isn't a bad thing in and of itself. The problem is how he's chosen to go about it. He did not call a private team meeting and directly address those he is speaking about face to face. Instead, he went to the media and called his teammates out that way.

What Braun said can easily be interpreted (or misinterpreted, if you're so inclined) as grandstanding and putting himself above the rest of the team as opposed to a part of them. Even if that isn't what he intended, it would be understandable if the other players felt that is what he was doing. Braun is hitting the ball exceptionally well at the moment, which means he has cover for his performance and thus his comments seem to be directed at others, and not really including himself. Don't forget that Braun just got a huge payday and that can also create some resentment from players who have been around longer.

There is a reason that players usually don't say this type of thing in the media and when it happens it is news; it isn't really a good thing to call out your teammates to a reporter instead of to their faces. If Braun really wants to be a team leader, he is going to have to start doing this sort of thing with his teammates personally and not to the media. Of course that wouldn't provide the fans with the satisfaction of having a player express their frustration with the team. But being a leader isn't about pleasing those on the outside of a situation. It is about leading others towards a common goal.

What Braun said may have needed saying, but he almost certainly chose the wrong place to express his thoughts.