Don't Look Now, But...

Here come the Atlanta Braves!

Last night, the Braves went into a playoff atmosphere in Philadelphia and spanked the Fightin' Phils 10-6. The Braves are now 2.5 out of the Wild Card, but probably have a better chance of winning the East if they can sweep the Phillies and the Mets continue their freefall.

Where did this late charge come from? The Braves team playing right now is the one we thought we were getting with the Mark Teixeira trade. For whatever reason, it didn't happen. The Braves pitching has been abysmal, the hitting untimely and the wins hard to come by. Now, in September, the Braves look the cream of the National League.

If the Braves can pull off a miracle and make the playoffs, they will be the team to beat in National League playoffs. With Tim Hudson and John Smoltz, the Braves have a duo that rivals the Schilling/Johnson pairing that got the Diamondbacks their World Series championship. Hudson is quietly having a Cy Young caliber year and John Smoltz continues to beef up his Hall of Fame credentials with each dominant start.

The line-up is clicking as well. Chipper Jones is going to win the batting title, Edgar Renteria is back and hitting just under Chipper's .340 average and Teixeira continues to be a beast at the plate.

Is the hole too big at this point? Probably, but not surely. The Braves must win the Phillies series and probably need a sweep. They then go to Houston, the worst team in the National League this year. The Mets can't hang with the Nationals and can't seem to right their ship. As far as the wildcard race, the Padres are without Milton Bradley and Mike Cameron was also banged up over the weekend. San Diego got a great comeback win last night, but they might be vulnerable. The Colorado Rockies are the scariest team in the wildcard race, winning nine straight. I can't name 4 Colorado Rockies, but they have hung around all year and are now in position to get into the playoffs.

(Speaking of Colorado, the Phillies' new park is the New Mile High. The ball FLIES out of there.)

Playoff baseball has begun in the National League. The Braves send Hudson and Smoltz to the mound over the next two nights with their season in the balance. Somehow, someway, they are right in the thick of things once again.