Atlanta Braves: Back on the Winning Track?

Just one week ago, the Atlanta Braves found themselves in a miserable place. They had just dropped two of three to the Florida Marlins to fall to 5-9, and to top it all off it looked as if Tom Glavine was going to make his first trip ever to the disabled list.

One week later, Tom Glavine is on the disabled list, but the Braves are riding a season-high five-game winning streak, including a weekend sweep at home over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

During that winning streak, no Braves starter allowed more than one earned run, and the only one not to complete five innings was Jeff Bennett, who was making his fourth appearance in seven games.

It also doesn't hurt that Chipper Jones has been on fire to begin this season, and had back-to-back multi-home run nights to start the winning streak.

During the Braves' run of 14 consecutive division titles, pitching was the foundation. However, in previous years when they have struggled, the pitching just has not been there. The Braves have an excellent lineup, but good pitching is always going to beat good hitting.

Now let's not get too excited over a small winning streak early in the season.

Atlanta still faces many health issues in their pitching staff. Mike Hampton and Tom Glavine are both sitting on the disabled list right now. Along with them are arguably the Braves three best relief pitchers, Rafael Soriano, Peter Moylan, and Mike Gonzalez. One has to wonder how long the Braves can hold up with these five pitchers not playing.

If this pitching staff is able to get healthy, then couple it together with an excellent lineup and the National League better watch out. Pitching is what won divisions for Atlanta in the nineties, and if they want to return the division crown to Atlanta in 2008, pitching will have to do it again.