Why These Atlanta Braves Will Go Deep

Let's just pretend for one second. Let's pretend that the Colorado Rockies lose their last eight games, and the Braves, only 2.5 back, make it to October. The Braves would most likely find themselves starting the postseason against that scary Joe Torre team from the west coast, the LA Dodgers. Game over for the Braves right? Cinderella's ball is busted?

Wrong.

It's the age old statement that the Braves have pinned atop their locker room doors this season: Pitching Wins Championships. Fluctuating daily, the team leaders in ERA have featured one steady team all season long: the Atlanta Braves.

After last season's embarrassing display of pitching efforts, Frank Wren hit the free-agent market hard, bringing in hurlers Derek Lowe, Javier Vazquez, and Japanese right-hander Kenshin Kawakami.

Each pitcher this season has some revealing nickname that rings true about a quality the Bravos have utilized this year: Lowe, the veteran who has been "old reliable" through MOST of the 2009 season, Vazquez has been the "work horse" often pitching deep into games and ringing up gaudy strikeout numbers, and Kawakami, who bless his heart now resides in the bullpen, often called the "dragon slayer" for his efforts against big time opposing pitchers.

These three solid flamethrowers would be cornerstones on most big league ball clubs, but they aren't even the most promising on the Braves, as young gun Jair Jurjens has arguably been the staff ace, with young rookie arm Tommy Hanson close on his heels.

Picture this three-man rotation in the NLDS: Tommy Hanson, Jair Jurrjens, & Javier Vazquez. That doesn't make you shutter? Fine, let's go to games four and five. Tim Hudson and Derek  Lowe. Scary isn't it? The Braves this year were blessed with one of the best problems a baseball club can have: too much quality pitching.

That being said, the bullpen has been one of the best in the majors with long-man Kris Medlen, set-up Mike Gonzalez, and closer Rafeal Soriano. It's teams like these that find themselves battling late October.

If needed, I could go in depth on the recent offensive explosion from Braves bat's like Brian McCann, Adam LaRoche, Yunel Escobar, Matt Diaz, and Martin Prado. But I don't. This stat should speak for itself: Since the All-Star break, the Braves are first in the NL in runs scored. That is all you need to know about this team.

They have battled back and now find themselves salivating at the notion that they are 2.5 games away from showing the world that they are not the same offensive absent team that struggled in May. These Braves want to show you the fresh new rotation, the dynamic lineup, and most of all, they want to show you that they are prepared to go the distance.