Atlanta Braves: Signs Of Life?

By all accounts the Atlanta Braves should have gone home with a series win over the Boston Red Sox today.

But thanks to another stupid, boneheaded Yunel Escobar brain fart, and quite possibly the worst home plate umpiring I've seen since Eric Gregg in '97 they were only able to salvage one of three games at Fenway.

Braves fans take heart! The bats are finally showing some signs of life.

Of course on Saturday, Josh Beckett virtually owned the Braves. He allowed 0 runs and threw 94 pitches in a complete game shutout. But he was just on. No one could have hit him on that night.

In their last four games the Braves have scored a combined 21 runs. The sad part, they're .500 in those four games.

But there are finally signs of life.

Nate McLouth had an awesome series in Boston going 4-for-12, with a HR, a double, and 3 RBI. Garret Anderson finally perked up with a 7-for-11 series, with 5 RBI.

Jeff Francoeur is still the same unfortunately. Now he's starting to bellyache again. Last season he was irked when the Braves decided to send him down to double-a Mississippi to regain his swing and confidence. Well obviously all that little trip did was tick him off royally.

When learning he had been benched for Sunday's finale, Francoer said, "It's his [Bobby Cox] decision. I've been swinging the bat good lately. I had some of my best at-bats of the season [Saturday night]."

To that I say, grounding into a double play with runners on first and second and only one out in the eighth inning of a 3-0 game was considered one of your best at-bats, Jeff? Really? Is that how far your career has fallen?

I believe Francoeur will be out of Atlanta before July. His latest round of excuse-making, and whining will expedite that process. In the interim I would expect Matt Diaz to take over in RF. Which is definitely not a bad thing.

Martin Prado needs to be the starting second-baseman on this team. Kelly Johnson might be on the fringe of another of his patented streaks, but I'll take Prado in their everyday. He's just consistent. Exactly what the Braves need.

I almost wish Yunel Escobar wasn't as good as he is with the bat. But he is costing the Braves more runs and games than he is actually pushing across lately. The flyball dropping right in front of him Sunday is completely inexcusable. David Ortiz reached on that Yunel-brain fart and would come around to score two batters later.

Throw that in with the four runs that scored last Sunday in Baltimore because of Yunel's mental breakdown, and the game winning run allowed by him the previous Wednesday against the Pirates and you have five runs and potentially three losses that Yunel has almost single-handedly cost Atlanta.

It's a tough situation though, since he is a great hitter. It's times like these you wish that the National League had the DH.

I dont have any idea who the Braves will or wont trade for. I just know they supposedly cannot add any more salary. So that would eliminate just about every name on the rumor list.

I sincerely hope that Javier Vazquez will not be involved in any trade that Wren has in oven. That guy has been the most clutch pitcher on this team, and should Atlanta luck-up and actually make the playoffs he will really come in handy. I know that's a departure from my last few posts, but this guy has definitely proven his worth.

There are some reasons for Braves fans to perk up going into this tough stretch against the Cubs, Yankees, Red Sox, and Phillies. At least the Braves offense is showing some life. And considering the pitching the Braves have, we should have every reason to be optimistic right now.

The Braves are only 4.5 games out of first thanks to the suddenly terrible Phillies, and lackluster Mets. As long as the offense continues to wake up and the other NL East teams struggle you cannot count these Braves out.

Talk about a sharp contrast from last week at this time.