The Braves acquired both Upton brothers this offseason.

The Braves made headlines this offseason with their acquisition of B.J. Upton in November, signing him to a five year deal worth about $75 million. However, just when the offseason was winding down and it appeared the Braves were done, they surprised everyone and acquired B.J.’s brother Justin from the Diamondbacks. The tandem added a boost to the Atlanta offense that they so badly needed, and had some experts picking them to challenge the Nationals for the NL crown.

Thus far, it appears the Braves made the right move, at least with Justin Upton. If the season ended today, he would be the unanimous MVP. Upton is leading the majors with 12 home runs, three more than anyone else. That, to go along with a not-too-shabby .287/.387/.693 has carried the otherwise mediocre Braves offense.

In reality, it has been the pitching that has carried the Atlanta Braves this season. Despite trading Tommy Hanson this winter, the Braves lead baseball in team ERA with an outstanding 3.10 mark coming into today’s action. More specifically, it has been their bullpen, which has been even stronger than last year’s. Craig Kimbrel has continued his dominance, striking out 15 batters in 10.2 innings. Kimbrel and Jordan Walden, who the Braves received in the Tommy Hanson trade, are among five relievers with at least ten innings pitched and an ERA under two. Compare that to the Mets, who have two such pitchers.

This Braves team is good (yes, even better than the Marlins if you can believe it) and will put up a very tough fight, especially in close games. The key for the Mets will be scoring runs off their starting pitching, because  if they trail in the late innings, the odds are stacked against them.

Pitching Matchups

Game 1: Shaun Marcum (5.2 IP, 50 ERA+, 1.33 K/BB) vs. Mike Minor (31.2 IP, 125 ERA+, 5.40 K/BB)

Minor, 25, was selected seventh overall in the 2009 draft by the Braves and quickly rose to stardom in their minor league system. Once he reached the big leagues, he never pitched like the ace some thought he could become. Minor came into the season with a career ERA of 4.37 in 302.2 career innings. This year, however, has been much better for him, at least so far. Over five starts, he has a 3.13 ERA and career-best 1.4 BB/9 rate. He was roughed up for six runs in 6.2 innings against the juggernaut Detroit offense, but had a 1.80 ERA in four starts coming into that outing.

Game 2: Jonathon Niese (32.2 IP, 112 ERA+, 1.31 K/BB) vs. Julio Teheran (28.1 IP, 77 ERA+, 2.50 K/BB)

Teheran has been a highly-regarded prospect since his breakout year in the minors in 2009. He worked his way through the minors fairly quickly, until stalling at Triple-A last season. Coming off a dominant season in Triple-A in 2011, Teheran failed to earn a job out of spring training, and was sent back. Once he was back in the minors, Teheran wasn’t the same pitcher. His 3.0 walks per nine wasn’t terrible, but his 6.7 strikeouts was a career-low. What was most concerning was the 18 home runs he gave up, doubling his previous career-worst of nine. Teheran has a 5.08 ERA in five starts, striking out 20 and walking eight in 28.1 innings.

Game 3: Matt Harvey (40.1 IP, 237 ERA+, 3.83 K/BB) vs. Tim Hudson (35 IP, 101 ERA+, 2.18 K/BB)

Even at age 37, Hudson continues to be the rock of the Atlanta rotation. In 11 of his past 12 seasons, Hudson has posted an ERA below four. This year, he has a 3.86 ERA in 35 innings over six starts. In his last outing, Hudson shut down the Nationals, holding them to one run on three hits in seven innings on only 96 pitches.

Series News & Notes

• The Mets sent down a struggling Collin Cowgill today in favor of the red-hot Andrew Brown, who has been tearing it up with the Las Vegas 51s. Brown was hitting .367 with a .440 On-Base Percentage and two home runs in 25 games.
• Jordany Valdespin slugged a three-run pinch-hit home run on Wednesday to give the Mets a 5-4 lead…It was the Mets first pinch-hit home run of the year and the sixth pinch-hit of Valdespin’s brief career…He is tied for second all-time on the club’s pinch-hit home run list.
• New York has scored three or fewer runs in eight of itslast 12 games and is hitting .202 (89-441) over that span…Overall, the Mets are seventh in the majors scoring 4.85 runs per game.
• Craig Kimbrel recorded his 98th career save Monday in Atlanta’s 3-2 win over Washington…Kimbrel’s career save percentage of 89.1 (98/110) ranks fi fth all-time among pitchers with at least 100 save opportunities (see chart at right)…According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the quickest anyone has ever reached 100 career saves was Eric Gagne, who did in his 104th opportunity, followed by John Smoltz (107th) and Joakim Soria (112th)…Kimbrel could tie Soria for third all time if he can convert each of his next two opportunities.
• The Atlanta bullpen’s homerless streak was snapped at 21 games last Friday (April 26) at Detroit when reliever Anthony Varvaro surrendered a three-run shot in the fourth inning…Since the franchise moved to Atlanta (1966), that was the furthest into a season (21 games) that a Braves team has gone without the bullpen allowing a home run.

Take off your Mets blinders momentarily, and tell us who you think is the best pitcher in the NL East.

I decided to add some other worthy candidates just to make it a little more interesting.

The stats I used are from the 2009 season and are meant to provide some additional depth. Remember that some pitchers may have spent time on the DL or in the minors, so do consider their overall body of work as well as reputation and whether they are on the downside, upside or prime of their careers.

I eliminated wins because it’s not really an indication of how good a pitcher really is. I added strikeouts per nine innings ratio and strikeouts to walks ratio as it makes it easier to compare pitchers who may not have had similar innings pitched.

If you could have just one of these pitchers on your team right now, which one would you choose?

Who is the real Beast of the NL East?

Pat Misch made his fourth start for the Mets and wasn’t sharp at all, allowing 4 runs on 8 hits and 1 walk in five innings pitched. He’s looking less and less like an option for the rotation. After two spectacular starts, Misch has followed them up with back to back dismal performances.

The offense was practically inept, much as it was on Sunday when they were shutout by Pedro Martinez. The Mets were only able to collect four hits, two of them by Daniel Murphy.

Here’s the scary thing though…

Look at that bench…

What we are seeing right now is quite possibly a preview of the 2010 Mets without the presence of Jose Reyes.

With all this talk of Dan Murphy remaining at first base, and a platoon with Angel Pagan being a viable plan in left field, we’re getting a glimpse of how impotent this team could be unless the Mets get a bonafide slugger for first base, left field or both.

With Carlos Beltran and David Wright back in the lineup, and Luis Castillo, Jeff Francoeur and Thole/Omir behind the plate, would this team be that much better even if Jose Reyes was healthy and playing?

First we were shutout by an aging pitcher who was left for the dead on the side of the road by Omar Minaya, and now the team is shutout by a rookie who was the Braves 22nd round pick in 2005. All a starting pitcher needs is just one plus pitch to shut this team down.

Another thing worth discussing is this…

Last week, Jerry Manuel held a team meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to get the message across that he expected his team to think and play as if they were going to win a championship.

“I just wanted to be sure that we stay concentrating on what’s ahead.  And, despite where we are in the standings, even though the end is very near, the quest for a championship continues.  You have to try and prepare that mindset, despite the conclusion of the season being so close.  There are enough players here who we feel are going to be a part of this, who still have to think in that mindset of ‘championship.”

Somehow, it doesn’t seem like the team embraced this idea… Either that or Manuel’s message went in one ear and out the other. And therein lies my concern… Does Jerry Manuel still have his finger on the pulse of this team?

Are any of the current players still listening as intently as they were when he first became manager or when he directed his first spring training with the team?

It just bugs the hell out of me that this team looks like they would rather be doing anything else besides playing baseball right now, and that’s a little disturbing to say the least.

What’s On Our Minds

1. What’s the deal with the Braves?

The Atlanta Braves have been very busy in the last 24 hours…

First they released 305 game winner, Tom Glavine after he made it all the way back from an injury and was ready to be activated. He had just finished throwing six scoreless innings in a minor league game and was expected to be activated this weekend. NOT!

I was actually a little giddy when I heard this and one of my friends on Twitter said it perfectly…

“I wonder if Tom Glavine is devastated now!”

The Glavine cut was very reminiscent of how they let John Smoltz go, so to make sure that there wouldn’t be any severe backlash from the fans, GM Frank Wren made a trade.

The Braves acquired All-Star outfielder Nate McLouth from the Pirates in exchange for three prospects; left-handed pitcher Jeff Locke, outfielder Gorkys Hernandez and right-handed pitcher Charlie Morton.

Not bad for the Braves, but I kind of thought they were in rebuilding mode and this trade obviously means they are in “win now” mode, which is something I never really considered before now. Sure, McLouth is a solid player, and a 90+ RBI bat, and he’s only 26 years old, but the Braves still have some issues on that team. The Braves weren’t done yet…

Late last night, Frank Wren announced that the Braves will be promoting number one prospect and one of the most exciting and highly anticipated pitching phenoms in baseball, Tommy Hanson.

The Braves’ top-rated pitching prospect is being brought from Class AAA Gwinnett to make his major-league debut in a start Saturday against Milwaukee. 

Hanson has been dominant against International League hitters, posting a 1.49 ERA and .169 opponents’ batting average, with 90 strikeouts and 17 walks in 66-1/3 innings.

This kid is going to be the next big thing in baseball, and if I remember correctly, he absolutely was unhittable in Arizona Fall League and took home the MVP.

Memo to Omar – Please respond with a counter-move… Please…

2. Are you really worried about Jose Reyes?

Last night, while playing in a minor league on rehab assignment, Jose Reyes came out of the game with discomfort on his knee.

He is now back in New York where he will have the knee and his calf re-examined. Reyes had initially been put on the disabled list with tendinitis in his calf.

Jerry Manuel doesn’t seem to worried about it…

“All the indications I have is that it wasn’t as damaging as it sounded,” Jerry Manuel told reporters. “So, maybe instead of Friday, then we’ll have him back by the weekend. If not, then definitely for the Phillies series when we get home… His legs are obviously very important.”

The thing of it is, when the Mets say they’re not worried… THAT’S WHEN I START WORRYING!

David Lennon writes, that Reyes, left in the third inning after experiencing “discomfort” in his right knee. The Mets had hoped that Reyes would be activated tomorrow – his first day eligible to come off the disabled list – but those plans have been scrapped indefinitely.

Indefinitely… That word is never good….

In the outfield, Garret Anderson will start in LF, and top prospect Jordan Schafer will start in CF. Jeff Francoeur will seek to put last season’s struggles behind him and have a productive season in RF. Francoeur remains one of the better outfield arms in the NL.

The infield remains the same as the one that finished last year. Chipper “Larreee!” Jones, fresh off of his 3-year extension, will man 3B. Yunel Escobar will play SS, Kelly Johnson at 2B, and Casey Kotchman at 1B. The Braves top power hitter, Brian McCann, will set up shop behind the plate.

Clearly, the most drastic changes are the ones throwing to McCann. After depending on 3 older and injured pitchers, the Braves went out to overhaul their rotation. They paid $60 mil for Lowe, signed Kawakimi from Japan, and traded for Javier Vasquez from the White Sox. Jair Jurrjens will be the 4th starter, and the 5th is an interesting question. Tom Glavine would have filled that spot, but he will start the season on the DL. Tommy Hanson is the top pitching prospect, and trendy ROY pick, but if he takes Glavine’s spot, the rotation will be all right-handed. So that’s why Jo-Jo Reyes is going to be in the conversation all year if anyone struggles or gets injured, Reyes is the only left-hander close to starting, but he went winless in his last 13 starts last year. Rafael Soriano will set-up for closer, Mike Gonzalez.

Notes: Derek Lowe will be making his third consecutive start against the Phillies tonight, he faced them twice in the NLCS…The Braves went 21-12 in the Grapefruit League… Prospects Freddie Freeman and Jason Heyward had good springs, but will start the year in the minors… The Braves will retire Greg Maddux’s number 31 this July… In February, the Braves become the first MLB team to open a baseball academy in Spain.

The Braves could be the Toronto Blue Jays of the NL East, 84+ wins, not enough to catch the top two teams in the division.

***

Now for a game, Movie Star to Met 6 Degrees of Separation.

Can you find the 6 Degrees of Separation between Ashton Kutcher and Johan Santana.

Answer to follow in the Philadelphia Phillies preview.