Braves.Today.Com

By Bud L. Ellis
braves.today.com

Nationals 6, Braves 3

Top of the Order: Different city, same result as the Braves struggled in Tom Glavine’s return from the disabled list, losing at Washington by the same score they lost by in Sunday’s series finale in New York.

The Good: Glavine was solid in his first game following the first disabled-list stint of his career, going six innings, scattering six hits while allowing two runs, walking one and striking out two. The lefty had good command most of the night and didn’t look like he was rusty at all. Also back in the lineup was Chipper Jones, who picked up where he left off before back spasms sidelined him for the final two games in New York. Chipper went 2-for-5 and smacked his eighth homer of the season, a solo shot that tied the game at 2-2 in the sixth. Mark Kotsay and Kelly Johnson each drove in runs. Yunel Escobar also returned to the field after missing most of the Mets series with a busted finger. Ruben Gotay came off the bench with a pinch-hit single. Away from the big-league club, Mike Gonzalez threw another good inning at extended spring training and the lefty appears close to joining the big-league club. ETA: mid-May.

The Bad: Glavine deserved a much, much better fate, but – stop me if you’ve heard this before – a lack of situational hitting and a bullpen meltdown turned a close game into a mini-rout. First, the bullpen. Charged with keeping the game locked at 2-2 entering the seventh, Blaine Boyer failed miserably, allowing four runs in the frame as the Nats blew the game open. The big blow: A double by Ryan Zimmerman that plated the first two runs, on a pitch that got way, way, WAY too much of the plate. Jorge Campillo came on and allowed two more runs (charged to Boyer) score. Hmmmm, down 6-2 with six outs to go is a heck of a lot different than being tied. Now, that lack of offense. The Braves had their chances. In the seventh, with two runners on and the top of the order up, Johnson, Escobar and Jones couldn’t do jack to plate the go-ahead run. Weak. Chipper left three runners in scoring position on the night, and committed an error (still good to have him back, obviously).

View from the Sports Garage: Another night where you feel like the Braves left one on the table. Frustrating as all get out. Sure, the three-run margin at the finish isn’t as painful as losing a one-run game (and let me remind you, Atlanta has yet to win a one-run decision in 2008). But, this game felt like one the Braves should’ve won, especially after Glavine manned up and pitched well. Take out the back-to-back jacks he allowed to Zimmerman and Nick Johnson in the third, and he was just about as good as you could ask for, and still, it wasn’t enough. Boyer’s problem continues to be pitches in key spots that get too much of the plate; the ball Zimmerman hit was intended to be outside, yet tailed back over the heart of the dish. Smack! Two runs in, game totally changed. At some point, you keep thinking, the Braves are going to break out of this and put it all together. And we’ve seen that already this season (remember the Dodgers’ series, when the Braves came through in the clutch AND the bullpen locked down things?), but Atlanta just can’t put the clutch hitting and solid bullpen work together enough times to fashion another winning streak.

And with John Smoltz on the shelf for maybe two weeks, for maybe a month – and maybe returning to the bullpen in an attempt to salvage his season and career – ANY night the Braves get an effort like they got from their starter tonight, they HAVE to win. Plain and simple. When they don’t, it’s a wasted opportunity. True, the NL East remains a quagmire, but eventually the Mets or Phillies are going to rip off eight of 11 or 10 of 14. If the Braves continue to lose games they are in position to win, they are going to find themselves in one heck of a hole as summer arrives. I still think this team will kick it into gear and soon – especially if the pitching health can stabilize – but right now, sitting here today, I don’t think there is any way the Braves can afford to slip seven or eight games out. And if somebody other than the Braves gets hot in the East, that’s exactly what will happen.

On deck
Braves at Nationals
4:35 p.m. today, Nationals Park

The Skinny: Jair Jurrjens, savior of Braves Nation. Huh? Yeah, that’s where we’re at right now, turning to the 22-year old greenhorn time and time again to stop the bleeding and pitch the Braves into the winner’s circle. His performance this season has been stellar, and no example shines brighter than what he did at Shea Stadium Friday night. On the verge of completely losing control – of the game and of his emotions – Jurrjens gathered himself and locked down New York from there, as the Braves roared back for victory. Hmmm, that’s the last time the Braves won a game. Jair Jurrjens, skid stopper. He climbs the hill against Shawn Hill, who was a surprise last season but so far has battled control issues and a sore forearm for the Nats. Note the 4:35 p.m. start time … at least the game will be over before the Hawks take on Boston in Game 5 of their playoff series that suddenly is a series (had to give the Hawks an attaboy … not like anybody else in the A is giving us reason to cheer these days).

–30–

By Bud L. Ellis
braves.today.com

ATLANTA – The line says it all – three innings pitched, seven hits, four runs.

Sounds like an outing by one of those plug-and-pitch-and-pray starting pitchers the Atlanta Braves have employed throughout the middle and back end of their rotation the past two seasons.

Nope. Try co-ace Tim Hudson, who mustered that less-than-stellar effort Saturday against the Mets at Shea Stadium. This comes two starts after another non-gem: a three-inning, six-hit, four-run performance against the Marlins.

In and of itself, one of the National League’s better pitchers lasting just three innings twice in a three-start span, not even a month into the season, is cause for concern. But given the state of the Braves’ pitching staff on April 29, it’s reason enough for Braves Nation to panic.

The Braves stand one game under .500 (somehow), and one pitching injury away from putting a help wanted ad in the newspaper. The list of Braves starters who have spent time on the disabled list this season – John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, Mike Hampton, Chuck James – would form a pretty good front four for any team.

When healthy, the Braves have the arms to match up with anybody in baseball. But health has not been on their side through the first four weeks of 2008, which increases the pressure on Hudson (3-2, 3.74 ERA in six starts) to perform when he climbs the bump every fifth day. So far, the results have been mixed:

March 30: In the season opener in D.C., Hudson was solid. His location betrayed him in a long first inning, but after giving up two runs he set down the final 19 hitters he faced. His teammates rallied to tie the game in the ninth, taking him off the hook for the loss in a game the Braves dropped on Ryan Zimmerman’s walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth.

April 5: Facing the Mets, Hudson again was victimized by one bad inning, the fifth, when a blown call on an inning-ending double play was correctly reversed. The Mets went on to score in that inning, but the Braves still won as Hudson scattered six hits over six innings.

April 11: Maybe one of his best two or three starts as a Brave, especially considering had the game in Colorado the day before not been snowed out, Hudson would’ve pitch. Suffering from the flu, he likely would not have been as effective as he was a night later in much-warmer D.C. Hudson allowed three hits over eight shutout innings, completely stuffing the Nationals and throwing two-thirds of his 96 pitches for strikes (64). Absolutely, totally in control.

April 16: Here’s where things started to get shaky. Hudson never had command of his breaking ball, and his fastball – which normally tops out in the low 90s – never broke 86 on the radar gun as the Marlins teed off on Hudson for six hits and four runs in three innings. Afterward, Hudson said he wasn’t hurt. Still impacted by the flu, perhaps?

April 21: With the nervous eyes of Braves Nation watching – the blogs and talk shows were full of “Hudson must be injured” talk after his previous start – Hudson calmed the waters, hitting 90-plus on his first three fastballs of the first inning. Throwing his heater around 90 mph consistently all night, Hudson scattered 10 hits over six innings but only allowed Washington one earned run as the Braves cruised.

April 26: Back to Saturday at Shea. What happened? Hudson never had good command. True, he didn’t walk anybody and 41 of his 60 pitches were strikes. But his pitches in the zone had no movement, and the Mets teed off on him. While his velocity was good, location was not. And location in pitching – and in real estate – is everything.

So here we sit, wondering what’s next on the roller-coaster ride that has become Tim Hudson’s season. Were things humming along smoothly for the Braves at this point, Hudson’s ups-and-downs still would be alarming.

But look around. Glavine returns from the disabled list tonight, but is this the first sign of the venerable lefty breaking down? Will Hampton ever toe the slab in a major league game again? James’ shoulder is still barking, and will he ever learn a third pitch? Then there is Smoltz, the co-ace along with Hudson. Smoltz’s performance Sunday – and the tone of his postgame comments – can’t help but make you wonder if the bearded one realizes he’s nearing the end of the line.

The ascent of Tim Hudson from very good to one of the game’s elite has reached a critical juncture. Whether or not the Braves can overcome the rash of injuries that has decimated their pitching corps rest squarely on Hudson’s slender shoulders.

This much is clear: Three-inning stints will not cut it. He’s an ace, maybe the only one the Braves have at this point. Time for him to start pitching like one.

–30–

By Bud L. Ellis
braves.today.com

Mets 6, Braves 3

Top of the Order: John Smoltz only could grind out four innings and the Mets took advantage of the bearded one’s less-than-stellar stuff, as the injury-depleted Braves dropped the rubber game of a big series with their NL-East rivals at Shea Stadium.

The Good: With Chipper Jones out of the lineup, Jeff Francoeur moved into the No. 3 spot in the batting order and responded with two hits. Mark Teixeira went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. He also was robbed of an extra-base hit on a great play by Ryan Church in right-center in the seventh (tip your cap on that one; heck of a play at the base of the wall by the Mets’ right fielder). Mark Kotsay went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI, as he bounced back from a tight back that sidelined him late last week. We have a Chris Resop sighting, and this one actually won’t make you cringe: one inning, no walks, no hits, no runs, two strikeouts. Brent Lillibridge, who has looked overwhelmed at the plate in his first two games in the bigs, hustled out a fielder’s choice to drive in his first run. But honestly, the best thing about Sunday’s game: it’s over.

The Bad: No Chipper, no Yunel Escobar, and as hard as he tried, Smoltz had nothing from the get-go. Hurts to say that because Smoltz is the ultimate battler, but on this day there wasn’t jack in the tank and now he may have to shut it down for a few days. Ugh. Will Ohman ended the Braves’ run of bullpen excellence with two ugly innings: four hits, two runs, which turned a one-run game into a three-run game RIGHT AFTER the Braves had pulled within one in the top of the sixth. Nice, Will. No better way to sap a team’s momentum after it cuts a four-run gap to one than by letting the other guys dent the dish a couple of times in the bottom of the inning to re-extend the cushion. The Braves finished with nine hits, but left eight runners on base. Oh, and add this to the pile of trepidation: closer Rafael Soriano reported elbow discomfort after his first side session since going on the DL, a session that saw him throw nothing but fastballs. A series that started out so right ended so wrong.

View from the Sports Garage: OK, so who expected Tim Hudson and Smoltz to combine for 14 hits and eight earned runs in seven innings? Yeah, me neither. Anytime you leave New York City, you have to feel good because, well, you’re no longer in New York City. But the Braves certainly weren’t happy boarding the charter to D.C. Sunday evening. This series was there for the taking with the victory Friday night, with co-aces Hudson and Smoltz on the mound for the weekend games. Uh, didn’t go according to plan. We’ll have more on Hudson in Tuesday’s off-day piece (hey, no game today, so gonna write on the spaghetti-thin right-hander’s recent roller-coaster ride, of which I’m sure Braves Nation at this point is screaming, “Let me off of here!”). As much as I admire Smoltz, I’m officially classifying myself now as “worried” about the right-hander. I wrote Sunday morning that Smoltz appeared to gain strength in each of his prior outings after starting the season on the DL (granted, he only missed one start). But he admitted after Sunday’s game his recovery from Tuesday’s start wasn’t great, which leads one to wonder just how bad he’s feeling.

There is no way Smoltz needs to pitch Saturday against the Reds. The Braves are not where they wanted to be when the fifth week of the season dawned, but they still are just three games out of first place after a hellacious first month of the season. A quasi-healthy Smoltz – face it, he’s not going to be able to give this team seven innings on a consistent basis – is critical to the Braves’ postseason aspirations, aspirations that appear a little more shaky after what we saw yesterday. To look at the glass as one-fifth full instead of four-fifths empty, the Braves didn’t have Chipper or Escobar in either of the weekend losses, did play a raw rookie at shortstop and did get an overall solid effort from the bullpen this weekend. But a loss is a loss, and this one hurts today – and could hurt for weeks to come if Smoltz is out for any extended period of time.

On deck
Braves vs. Nationals
7:10 p.m. Tuesday, Nationals Park

The Skinny: Last time Tom Glavine climbed the bump at Nationals Park, he lasted all of four hitters, a hamstring injury ending his first start at the new yard in the first inning and sending him to the DL for the first time in his storied career. But one shred of good news for the Braves in the Lost Weekend at Shea is Glavine’s solid bullpen session that will result in him coming off the shelf Tuesday and starting Tuesday night. Acquired in the offseason to stabilize the rotation behind Hudson and Smoltz, Glavine now is charged with settling the entire apple cart, after Hudson and Smoltz both went down in flames to the Mets – setting off panic buttons throughout Braves Nation. Opposing Glavine is Tim Redding, who has three of the Nats’ nine victories. Would it be stating the obvious that Glavine needs to pitch at least six innings to quell the panic Braves’ fans are feeling today? May be a tall order for a pitcher coming off the DL with a hammy injury. At least today is an off day, and word is Chipper will return to the lineup and Escobar could be back in there, too.

–30–

By Bud L. Ellis
braves.today.com

Mets 4, Braves 3

Top of the Order: One bad inning from Tim Hudson turned a 2-0 lead into a 4-2 deficit, and that proved to be the difference as the undermanned Braves – missing Chipper Jones and Yunel Escobar – dropped the middle game of the three-game series with the boys from Flushing.

The Good: Martin Prado, an emergency starter at third base, did his part, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and nearly tying the game in the ninth, flying out to deep right-center. Mark Teixeira doubled home a run in the top of the first to give the Braves an early lead. Rookie Gregor Blanco didn’t have a hit, but walked and stole a base to add to his impressive first month in the majors. Take away Hudson, and the pitching was super. The bullpen continues its good work, stringing together five scoreless innings (just two hits and two walks allowed) from Buddy Carlyle, Royce Ring, Jeff Bennett and Jorge Campillo. Since Thursday, the bullpen has not allowed a run in 12 innings. Campillo struck out four in two innings, lowering his ERA to 0.79. Dude needs to stick around after Tom Glavine and (hopefully) Mike Hampton return; Campillo made the Mets look stupid with his breaking stuff hitting the corners.

The Bad: Jones has set the tone for this team with his great play throughout the first month of the season, but Saturday morning he set the tone for the day in a different way. Jones suffered back spasms in the clubhouse and ended up missing the game, joining Escobar (finger contusion) on the sidelines. Once the game began, Hudson couldn’t locate his pitches consistently and the wheels came off the apple cart in the third inning. The Braves only could muster six hits after back-to-back impressive offensive showings. Kelly Johnson, who hit in the third hole with Chipper out, was un-Chipper-like: 0-for-3 with three strikeouts. Brent Lillibridge, promoted to give the Braves a short-term shortstop while Escobar’s finger injury heals, went 0-for-4 in his big-league debut with three strikeouts. But hey, he now has four more major-league at-bats than I do, so perhaps this doesn’t belong in The Bad category. And poor Phil Stockman. Promoted to the big club Friday, he was shipped right back to Richmond to make room for Lillibridge, who will be on his way back to Triple-A when Glavine returns from the disabled list Tuesday in Washington. Hope you enjoyed your one night in the NYC, mate.

View from the Sports Garage: Tim Hudson, what the … well, you know? I’m sensing a little bit of the ol’ Steve Carlton Operating Procedure here. When you’re good, you’re unhittable. When you’re bad, you’re in the showers way early. For the second time in his past three starts, Huddy was finished after three innings – not exactly co-ace material, and not exactly beneficial for a bullpen that’s been overworked and injured. But unlike his three-inning disaster in Florida 10 days ago, when Hudson’s fastball only reached the mid-80s, his heater Saturday consistently hit the low-90s. His location was consistent, too … consistently awful. Huddy’s control is his key to dominance. If he’s painting the black and working both sides of the plate, he’s one of the harder pitchers in baseball to hit. But from the outset today, you could tell Hudson just didn’t have that sharpness. It all fell apart on him in the third, and credit the Mets for jumping on Hudson and taking advantage of his pitch location. Then again, it was like Huddy was throwing batting practice out there. Ugh.

On deck
Braves vs. Mets
1:10 p.m. today, Shea Stadium

The Skinny: So this is what, the 834th time in his career John Smoltz has toed the slab for the Braves with Atlanta needing the bearded one to man up and pitch well? There is nobody – and I mean nobody – in baseball who is more geared for big moments that the soon-to-be 41-year-old who joined the 3,000 strikeout club his last time out. Smoltz was a tough-luck loser in that historic outing, going seven sparkling innings. His numbers on the season – 3-1 with an 0.78 ERA – are impressive, but to me, what’s been more of note is the fact Smoltzie has gotten stronger with each outing. Perhaps the ol’ veteran knew what he was doing in spring training when he elected to pitch simulated games and make his buddy Tiger Woods look bad on back fields at Lake Buena Vista, as opposed to making six starts over the course of March. The Mets counter with Nelson Figueroa, who isn’t exactly Pedro Martinez (he took Pedro’s spot when Daddy’s hammy popped the first week of the season), but who is 1-1 with a 4.05 ERA. The Braves need this one. Losing the final two games of the series after winning the first one, losing games started by the rotation’s top two pitchers, would put a pretty sour taste in everybody’s mouth.

–30–

By Bud L. Ellis
braves.today.com

Braves 6, Mets 3

Top of the Order: Jair Jurrjens overcame a shaky third-inning – assisted by a ridiculous interpretation of the strike zone – to pitch six strong innings, and Kelly Johnson’s two-run homer gave the Braves the lead for keeps as Atlanta snagged the opener of a three-game series with their chief NL-East rival.

The Good: Lots and lots of it on a great night for the Braves. Let’s start with Jurrjens, who continues to pitch like a guy who’s been in the bigs for a lot longer than three months. Jurrjens allowed just two hits, and despite four consecutive walks in the third inning, rebounded to retire the final 10 hitters he faced. Johnson, who cranked a grand slam against the Mets three weeks ago, ripped a two-home homer off Mike Pelfrey in the sixth to break a 3-3 tie. Johnson reached base three times (two hits, one walk) and drove in four runs. Atlanta finished with 13 hits, three by rookie Gregor Blanco. The bullpen was sensational, as Will Ohman, Blaine Boyer, Royce Ring and Manny Acosta took the baton from Jurrjens and rolled unimpeded to the finish line, locking down the Mets over the final three innings. The top six guys in the New York lineup finished the night 0-for-20. And, even more good news down the I-95 Corridor: Mike Hampton pitched three scoreless innings for Triple-A Richmond, allowing three hits and throwing 32 strikes in 50 pitches.

The Bad: Jurrjens threw more than 40 of his 107 pitches in a rough third inning, but give home plate umpire Tim McClelland – who had an awful night – a big assist for that. Jurrjens walked four batters in a row with two outs in the third, forcing in three runs in the process. Jurrjens clearly had Luis Castillo struck out – which would’ve ended the inning with no runs scoring – and the cripple pitch to Mr. Everything (aka David Wright) looked like a strike, too. McClelland got an earful from Bobby Cox, who tossed the skipper for Bobby’s 136th career ejection. Shortstop Yunel Escobar busted his right index finger trying to bunt in the top of the first. Escobar came out of the game before the bottom of the first, and there was plenty of blood visible when he took off his batting glove. X-rays were negative, though, and he’s considered day-to-day … then again, aren’t we all?

View from the Sports Garage: A big victory for the Braves and another statement definitely delivered to the boys from Flushing. Atlanta improved to 3-0 on the season against the Mets and moved one-half game ahead of New York in the East. But despite the offense and the bullpen and Cox getting run and McClelland’s butcher job behind the plate and Escobar getting hurt, Jurrjens was THE story. I think we all knew he was talented when Frank Wren shipped Edgar Renteria to Detroit for Jurrjens and Gorkys Hernandez in October. But who thought the 22-year-old kid would be the glue of this rotation this soon? I wouldn’t dare compare somebody with 12 major-league starts to a guy with 349 career victories, but you can see some Greg Maddux in the Curaco native. Jurrjens pitches to contact, works the plate as well as any young pitcher I’ve seen in quite a while, and he’s a competitor who can channel his emotions. Visibly upset at the horrendous job McClellan did behind the plate in the third, Jurrjens collected himself and didn’t allow squat the rest of the way. Stellar.

Some guys are throwers. Jurrjens is a pitcher, in every single sense of the word. And he can swing the warclub, too. Jurrjens broke a season-long 0-for-39 slump by Braves pitchers with a sixth-inning single, the first hit by an Atlanta hurler this season. Job well done, kid.

On deck
Braves vs. Mets
1:10 p.m. today, Shea Stadium

The Skinny: We saw Tim Hudson and John Maine hook up three weeks ago in Atlanta, a game the Braves broke open on Johnson’s grand slam. Hudson answered questions about his velocity with a solid performance Monday against Washington. Maine needed 109 pitches to get through six innings against the Cubs his last time out, and the Braves teed off on him in Atlanta earlier this month, giving up eight hits and four runs in four innings. You have to feel good about things if you’re the Braves. With Friday’s series opener in their back pocket, the Braves send co-ace Hudson to the bump today, followed by co-ace John Smoltz Sunday. A sweep certainly is possible, and would really send a clear message to the Mets and the rest of the East.

–30–

By Bud L. Ellis
braves.today.com

Braves 7, Marlins 4

Top of the Order: Chipper Jones celebrated his 36th birthday in style, raising his major-league leading average to .442 by going 3-for-3 with a homer, as the Braves built an early 6-1 lead that held up, leading to a split of the two-game set with the NL-East leaders.

The Good: One night after stranding 13 runners and going an abysmal 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position, the Braves wasted little time cashing in on scoring chances. Atlanta scored five times in the bottom of the first, including three hits with runners in scoring position during the outburst. Jones, who is absolutely killing the ball during his torrid first month, hit his seventh homer of the season in the second inning, staking Chuck James to a five-run lead and further strengthening Jones’ case for NL player-of-the-month honors. James was wild but effective enough to gut out five innings, picking up his second win. Jorge Campillo bounced back from Tuesday’s disastrous ninth inning with two scoreless innings of relief, and Manny Acosta shut the door from there, pitching around a pair of walks in a hitless two-inning stint for his second save. And bullpen help could be on the way, and soon: Mike Gonzalez pitched a perfect inning at extended spring training. Brian McCann added his first career triple in the eighth, crash-landing into third base with a belly flop that rattled windows within a 30-mile radius of Turner Field.

The Bad: James made it interesting – and not in a good way. Staked to the early lead, he slowly and painfully allowed Florida back in the game, walking five in five innings. Three of his five walks scored (doesn’t that almost always seem to happen?). After the game, the Braves shipped Chuckie back to Triple-A Richmond – maybe he’ll find a third pitch along the way from Atlanta to Virginia. Atlanta will promote a reliever to add a fresh arm to the bullpen heading into the weekend; a move will be announced today. Acosta did struggle with his control, walking two and throwing nearly as many balls (18) as strikes (19). But in fairness, it was his longest outing of the season.

View from the Sports Garage: After two frustrating losses, this is exactly what the Braves needed. Atlanta finishes the homestand 5-2, and don’t discount the difference between going 5-2 and 4-3. A loss Thursday, and all the momentum from the Braves’ five-game winning streak would’ve been totally lost. Thursday’s performance was made-to-order, especially with the Braves heading to New York this weekend for a three-game series with the Mets. The offensive showing in particular was encouraging, and look at the averages several of the Braves are sporting: Chipper is hitting .442, Yunel Escobar is at .310, McCann is hitting .286, Jeff Francoeur is at .292 and Matt Diaz – who drove in two more runs – stands at .308. There is no doubt this team is built to score runs, with so many solid hitters up and down the lineup. That fact makes games like Wednesday’s so hard to take, but the Braves’ response Thursday was just what the doctor ordered. On to New York … bring your pepper spray.

On deck
Braves at Mets
7:10 p.m. today, Shea Stadium, New York

The skinny: Throughout spring training and in his first month as a Brave, 22-year-old righty Jair Jurrjens has impressed with his command of the strike zone and his poise on the mound. He enters the bowels of you-know-where Friday night when he toes the slab at Shea against the Mets. But it’s doubtful the leatherlungs in Flushing will rattle Jurrjens, who pitches like he’s 32 and acts like he has been doing this for a decade. Jurrjens fanned eight in seven sparkling innings Sunday against the Dodgers, and a good performance Friday would go a long way to setting the tone for the big series against the Mets. Atlanta sits just one-half game behind the Metropolitans, who send Mike Pelfrey to the mound in the series opener.

–30–

By Bud L. Ellis
braves.today.com

Marlins 7, Braves 2

Top of the Order: One night after being shut out, the Braves squandered scoring chance after scoring chance, leaving a staggering 13 runners on base in a series-opening loss to the NL-East leaders.

The Good: Can’t pin this one on Jeff Bennett at all. Running a fever on Tuesday, the right-hander survived a rough three-run first inning, then locked up the Florida offense for the next five innings. Left fielder Matt Diaz looks like he’s not interested in platooning with Gregor Blanco anymore. Diaz, who didn’t start over the weekend against the Dodgers, went 2-for-4 with a homer and is 7-for-12 since returning to the starting lineup Monday. Leadoff hitter Kelly Johnson did his job, going 2-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base. Buddy Carlyle and Will Ohman both looked good in relief in the seventh. Off the field, there is word Mike Gonzalez’s rehab is going so well, the lefty could be ready for the majors by the middle of next month.

The Bad: OK, so the bullpen let the game get out of hand in the eighth and ninth innings. Whatever. Never should’ve gotten to that point. Florida starter Andrew Miller came into the game with a 9.68 ERA, and the Braves had him on the ropes constantly throughout his five innings. The Braves finished with 12 hits, but were miserable in the clutch, going 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Horrible. Bullpen wise, Blaine Boyer and Chris Resop didn’t get the job done in the late innings, each allowing a pair of runs as the Fish swam away with the series opener.

View from the Sports Garage: Most of the time, you can pinpoint one situation in a game in retrospect and say, “yep, that’s where it turned.” Wednesday, that moment came in the bottom of the second. After falling behind 3-0 in the first, the Braves pulled within 3-2 and had the bases loaded in the second – after the Marlins intentionally walked Chipper Jones – with cleanup hitter Mark Teixeira at the plate. But Tex grounded out to end the inning, setting the tone for a very, very frustrating night offensively. Granted, the Braves scored twice, but had so many more opportunities in a game that could’ve seen Atlanta pull within one game of first place. I don’t care if Moe, Larry and Curly are pitching, you can’t afford to squander opportunities, and the Braves were pros at doing just that all night long.

As for Resop, who allowed three hits and two runs in the ninth? He’s quickly, quickly pitching himself out of a spot with this organization. Watching him in spring training, it was easy to get excited about his 99 mph fastball. The problem? That 99 mph is going about 115 back up the middle. Resop’s control has been brutal (six walks in 7 1/3 innings pitched), and his stuff gets hammered far, far too often (12 hits allowed). He’s out of options, and in my opinion, he’s out of time. The LAST thing an injury-riddled and overworked bullpen needs is somebody who can’t get hitters out, and all the speed in the world doesn’t mean squat if you can’t hit your spots.

On deck
Braves vs. Marlins
7:10 p.m. today, Turner Field

The skinny: In a matchup of pitchers sporting 7-something ERAs, Chuck James (7.88) toes the slab for the Braves against Florida’s Burke Badenhop (7.00). For all the bashing James takes, well deserved after his putrid season debut in Colorado two weeks ago, Chuckie shined against the Dodgers in his second start last Saturday (he did allow a homer to the shell of Andruw Jones’ former self). James allowed four hits in five innings and, beyond getting the Braves the victory, hopefully gave himself the confidence he needs to pitch at the major-league level. James’ keys remain the same: keep the ball low in the zone and try not to get drilled the third time through the lineup. Want something encouraging in closing? James is 3-1 lifetime against the Marlins, with a sparkling 1.19 ERA (hey, it sounds better than 7.78).

–30–

By Bud L. Ellis
braves.today.com

Nationals 6, Braves 0

Top of the Order: John Smoltz notched career strikeout No. 3,000 and was sharp through seven innings, but the Nats blew it open in the ninth against the Braves’ bullpen, ending Atlanta’s five-game winning streak.

The Good: Not much on the field, other than Smoltz becoming the 16th pitcher to reach 3,000 Ks (he struck out 10). Yunel Escobar (star-in-the-making; write it down!) and Matt Diaz each had two hits, and Blaine Boyer and Royce Ring combined to shut down the Nationals in the eighth before all you-know-what broke loose in the ninth. On the injury front, Mike Hampton pronounced himself ready for a minor-league rehab stint after a good bullpen session, and Tom Glavine believes he’ll be ready to come off the DL and start Tuesday at Washington. Very, very good signs.

The Bad: The Braves were impatient against Washington starter John Lannan and three relievers, only getting five hits. Maybe the Braves were pressing, trying to win for Smoltz on his historic night. The ninth inning was a train wreck. Jorge Campillo allowed five runs, but only one earned – although he committed the throwing error that opened the floodgates. He also walked two, and Chris Resop allowed a hit and a walk in his 1/3 of an inning. Ugh.

View from the Sports Garage: Winning for Smoltz would’ve been fantastic, but it’s hard to really be down on the bullpen even though things got rough in the ninth. Losing your closer for two weeks and your set-up guy for maybe 12 months is going to upset the apple cart somewhat, but the Braves still have the depth to still lock down a game late. Happened throughout the five-game streak. Didn’t happen last night. Campillo – who hadn’t allowed a run in seven innings before last night – didn’t pitch well. It happens.

On deck
Braves vs. Marlins
7:10 p.m. today, Turner Field

The skinny: I watched Jeff Bennett shut down the Dodgers last Friday night at Turner Field. He’ll toe the slab tonight against the Flying Fish, who come in with a 1 ½-game lead in the NL East and the – I can’t believe I’m saying this – third-best record in the NL. Wow. The Braves are two games behind Florida; a sweep of this two-game set would put the Braves on the cusp of first place heading into this weekend’s three-game tilt with the Mets at Shea Stadium, aka the Crappiest Dump for Major League Baseball this side of South Florida.

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By Bud L. Ellis
braves.today.com

ATLANTA — Seventeen summers ago, the 1991 Braves arrived at the All-Star Break on the verge of tumbling out of contention in the National League West.

Atlanta — which hadn’t sniffed a pennant race since 1983 — found itself nine and one-half games out of first place after the final series of the first half, a weekend set in which the Braves lost two of three games at division leader Los Angeles.

In his third full season in the Braves’ rotation, John Smoltz was on the verge of tumbling out of the major leagues. The hard-throwing right-hander had endured a nightmarish first half, and sat nine games below .500 at 2-11 following his final start before the break. He was one, perhaps two losses away from being demoted to Triple-A Richmond, not exactly the return on investment Atlanta envisioned when they shipped veteran Doyle Alexander to Detroit in 1987 for the young right-hander.

If you know your Braves history, you remember Atlanta turned things around in the second half of 1991, launching a magical run that pushed the Braves to Game 7 of the World Series. And how fitting that Smoltz, who went 12-2 during Atlanta’s second-half surge, toed the slab for that historic Game 7 duel with Jack Morris in the Metrodome.

As you know, neither the Braves nor Smoltz have looked back.

Tuesday night, Smoltz added another historic brushstroke to his masterpiece of a career, notching career strikeout No. 3,000 in the third inning of the Braves’ 6-0 loss to the Nationals at Turner Field.

So much has changed since Smoltz and the Braves stumbled out of Los Angeles and into the All-Star Break in July 1991: Four arm surgeries, a move to the bullpen, a move back to the starting rotation, a Cy Young Award, far less hair on top of his head, a full beard … and, oh yeah, the admiration of Braves Nation and all of baseball for the only player who has been with Atlanta since that 1991 season turned a city upside down and captured the attention of the sports world.

The term warrior is overused in sports lexicon today, tossed around far too often to describe feats far inferior to the word’s definition. That’s not the case with Smoltz. Arguably, there never has been a Brave who has willed more from his body and pushed himself to excellence for such a sustained period, regardless of injury and other factors (including the changing dynamics of his role on the team, the makeup of the roster and off-the-field challenges that include a divorce). Countless times, Smoltz could have walked away from the game, but his drive, desire and competitive fire have allowed him to carve out a place among the all-time greats.

Striking out 3,000 hitters speaks volumes of the right-hander’s longevity, effectiveness, and willingness as he’s grown older to use his slider and off-speed pitches more than his fastball. He’d have far more strikeouts were it not for the three seasons he spent as a closer – racking up 154 saves – and the time missed by injury. He’ll turn 41 next month, far removed from the struggling kid who lost in L.A. on that final weekend of the first half in 1991, hitting the break with a 5.16 ERA and wondering if the phone to Richmond was about to ring.

Let there be no doubt: Five years after he retires, the phone will ring and Cooperstown will be on the other line. Tonight, John Smoltz stands as the 16th member of the 3,000-strikeout club. For Braves fans, the bearded icon of this franchise’s run from laughing stock to powerhouse stands alone.

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