Know Those Braves

[Frayed Knot]

At Atlanta
Friday 7:35
Saturday: 4:15 (FOX)
Sunday: 1:35

We faced the Braves in two series this year but not since mid-April so it�s been a while.
Mets won 3 straight to start the season at Citifield but then lost 2 of 3 in Atlanta.

Their overall record has more or less paralleled ours; nothing great but not sinking either.
April 14-9
May: 14-15
June: 13-12
July: 5-3


So even though it�s the first series after the AS break and both teams are coming off this extended break, somehow they both find themselves in a pitching pinch.

With the Mets the obvious culprits are Gee�s shoulder, Johan�s ankle, and Dickey�s 1 inning in the ASG.
For the Braves their problem stems from the injury to surprise 2012 ace Brandon Beachy (out for season) and the the inability of top prospects Julio Teheran, Randall Delgado, and Jair Jurrgens to do the little things - like, y'know, retire major league hitters.

So while the Mets go with Young, Dickey & TBA (probably Johan) still listed for Sunday, the Braves counter with Tim Hudson (despite reported cortisone shots) [7-4; 3.56], Tommy Hanson [10-5; 3.71], and ... Ben Sheets?!?!?!?!?!?!
Yes, that Ben Sheets, the 1st round pick of 1999 who didn�t pitch at all in 2009 or 2011 and only a half season in 2010 (and not particularly well). He was picked up off the side of the road by the Braves like a week and a half ago and tossed into just two re-hab (or should that be re-introduction?) starts at AA before getting slid right into the ML rotation. Gotta pound the piss outta him, no?


So what�s up with these dudes since we last saw them?

C - Brian McCann
Was chugging along well below his normal offense until suddenly going deep 4 times in the last 6 games [.238/.301/.430 overall, 13 HRs]. He tends to do that sorta shit.

1B - Freddie Freeman
Last year�s #2 RoY is going along at a similar pace to last year. No sophmore slump but not exactly progressing either. [.264/.318/.451 - 11 HRs]
Freeman looks like a male model but one for a real low budget store, like WalMart clothes or something.

2B - Dan Uggla
Always a streaky hitter, Uggla actually started well this season (the opposite of last) but is crashing to a 15 for his last 107 stretch including 2-for-26 during July
I think 2-for-26 is also his recent groundball fielding pct.

SS - ???
If you recall they started the season at SS with rookie Tyler Pastornicky but he didn�t hit and neither did glove-specialist Jack Wilson (no surprise there) so, in typical Atlanta fashion, they just reached down and came up with a better choice, in this case it was the 22 y/o Andrelton Simmons (sounds like an Cyborg news anchor) from the island nation of Curacao who went from rookie ball just a year and a half ago to hitting .300 with power and top-notch defense.
But then he just was DL�d yesterday with a broken finger (say it with me boys and girls: from sliding in head-first) so we may be back to Pastornicky (currently in the minors) and/or Wilson again.
We probably caught a break there.

3B - Chipper Jones
When Chipper manages to play, which he�s done a bit more than half the time this year, he hits [.318/.396/.480]. We�ll probably see him two of the three games if form holds. Juan Francisco or Martin Prado fills in otherwise.


RF - Jason Heyward
Bouncing back from his sophomore slump - is on pace for 60+ XBHs over a full season

CF - Michael Bourne
In the midst of a legit AS season; he�s hitting [.311/.366/.451], fielding and running.

LF - Martin Prado most often [.321/.382/.457], or Matt Diaz whenever they need some Hairston-like LHP-punisher (he�s 3-for-28 v RHPs)

Pen:
Craig Kimbrel is closing and having a stupid-good year: 5 runs allowed on 13 hits over 33 IPs; [1.36; 0.697]
But LHP(ain in the ass) Johnny Venters is on the shelf meaning Eric O�Flaherty will be their main anti-LHB weapon out of the pen although, like most teams, they'll probably bring up 7 or 8 LH relievers just for this series.
Kris (is he married to a Kardashian?) Medlen and ex-Phil Chad Durbin fill in from the right side.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Prado, Bourn, and Heyward comprise 3 of the top 5 OFs-- in terms of fWAR or bWAR-- in the NL.

That said, I can't imagine we won't see Diaz the Johan-Killer (.514/.528/.714 over 39 PAs) on Sunday.

Got a weird feeling about Sheets this weekend, and I can't tell if it's just the usual paranoia.

[Lefty Specialist]

Ben Sheets? What, Steve Avery wasn't available?

[Zvon]

Great KTE. I am now prepared for any eventuality that involves us kickin some Brave ass.