Braves keeping pace despite recent woes

Baseball Betting Lines

06/15/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It's amazing how baseball works with the mix of streaks, slumps and so on. For the Atlanta Braves, a three-game sweep by the Minnesota Twins still has them in the thick of a tight race for NL East supremacy.

It was only the second time this season Atlanta was swept in a set (Philadelphia -- May 25-27).

Bobby Cox's club has just three wins over the last 12 contests, but his team is only 2 1/2 games behind the division-leading New York Mets. The Mets have struggled as of late which is a big reason for Atlanta's current spot in the standings. Philadelphia has been playing good ball and sits two games back.

I'm sure Cox thought his team would get a lift with the return of star third baseman Chipper Jones, who missed almost three weeks (19 games) due to bone bruises on both of his hands. Jones hadn't played since a loss to the Mets on May 23 and returned from the disabled list in a setback to Minnesota on Wednesday, going 3-for-4 as a designated hitter. He went 1-for-2 with two walks in last night's loss in the series finale at the Metrodome.

"We're at a pretty frustrating part of our season," Jones said following Wednesday's loss in the second test of the Minnesota series.

Jones is right, but with the Mets scheduled to visit the red-hot Yankees this weekend in the Bronx and the Phillies hosting the defending AL champion Detroit Tigers, the Braves have a chance to gain more ground or even take over the NL East with an upcoming set against the Cleveland Indians. Atlanta will receive a tremendous boost when veteran pitcher John Smoltz returns to the mound on Saturday.

Smoltz hasn't toed the rubber since the Florida Marlins handed him his third loss of the season on June 5 because of a sore right shoulder. Smoltz, who was reached for two runs and three hits in six innings, went 5-1 in nine previous starts before the setback. His shoulder should be ready tomorrow versus the Tribe.

In order to stop their June swoon, the Braves have to take at least two of three games from Cleveland this weekend at Jacobs Field. Atlanta is 5-9 so far this month after going 14-14 in May and 16-9 during April.

The Braves and Indians will be playing a rematch of the 1995 World Series won by Atlanta in six games. Jones, Smoltz and current bullpen coach Eddie Perez were on that championship team. Cleveland won two of three games against the Braves in 2004 at Turner Field.

WHO'S HOT

Right-handed relief pitcher Rafael Soriano has been lights out over his last 21 trips to the mound. Soriano owns a 0.42 earned run average in 21 1/3 innings with four saves over that span.

Rookie catcher/first baseman Jarrod Saltalamacchia, whose 14-letter last name is the longest in major league history, made his first start in the infield last night against the Twins at the Metrodome.

Nicknamed "Salty", the youngster has been a pleasant surprise with every chance he gets and is batting .302 with two homers and eight RBI in 22 games this season. He has nine hits, including a home run, and three runs batted in over his last seven games.

WHO'S NOT

Even in his contract year, Braves All-Star center fielder Andruw Jones is batting just .163 through 14 games this month. Jones, who has nine hits in 55 at-bats in June, is batting .215 with 11 homers and 42 RBI this season.

I thought contract years meant ballplayers go out and play their best. So far Jones is looking much like my older and less-athletic sister did when she was a softball player for Notre Dame High School in Easton, PA.

No offense, Kelly.

You have to admit he is still drawing fans and has been a staple in center for many years, and yet he is only 30. Jones can still knock the ball out of the park, but consistency has been his Achilles' heel in 2007.

Starting pitcher Tim Hudson is just 1-3 over his last six starts with a 6.14 ERA and the Braves are 2-4 during that stretch.

In Thursday's loss to the Twins, Hudson was reached for two hits over 7 1/3 innings for the no decision. The right-hander was 5-1 over the first nine starts of the 2007 campaign.

ON DECK

After the Braves complete a six-game road trip with three tests against the Cleveland Indians at Jacobs Field, they will open a nine-game homestand.

Atlanta will host the Boston Red Sox for three games before the Detroit Tigers pay a visit to Turner Field for three more. The club will then close out the stand with a three-game set versus the National League East-rival Washington Nationals.