Atlanta Braves: Do They Have Enough Offense to Beat Brewers Pitching in NLDS?

The playoffs are right around the corner, and, assuming the Braves can keep their finger in the dam until then, they'll likely be headed to either Milwaukee or Arizona.

The Brewers boast a fierce offensive lineup, but also back it up with solid pitching.

The Braves, though hobbled by some recent injuries, should feel confident, at least on offense, if they have to head up to Wisconsin.

Let's look at five reasons by the Bravos' offense will outpace the Brewers pitching in the NLDS.

Speed

The additions of Michael Bourn and Jose Constanza have given the Braves' offense a shot in the arm.

By having these two speedsters at their disposal, Atlanta can do more with less actual offense.

For a team struggling to find their identity at the plate, speed can cure all ailments.

Chipper Jones

The 39 -year-old veteran continues to impress us.

Chipper Jones is in the middle of a second half hot streak that has him hitting .347 (51-for-147) since July 1.

Even better for Braves fans?

During the 43 games of this stretch, he's belted 10 homers and driven in 22 runs.

With Chipper hitting like this, look for the Braves to do some serious damage in the Beer State.

The Brewers Lack a Shut Down Starter

Let me preface this by saying, I'm not sure if the Braves have one either, but this article is about the Braves' offense against the Brewers pitching.

The Brewers have a very solid starting staff, but not a single one of their front-end pitchers is a shut down guy, in the mold of Lincecum, the entire Phillles staff and CC Sabathia.

Playing a short series against a team with one or two shut down starters can mean almost certain death if a team's offense has been struggling.

Luckily for the Braves, they won't have to worry about facing any 2011 Cy Young candidates when they visit Milwaukee.

Dan Uggla

If someone had told me in July that Dan Uggla would be hitting near .240 and trail only Albert Pujols in the National League home run race, I would have called them crazy.

The streak that Uggla has been on is nothing short of incredible.

He's raised his average more than 60 points and has kept it close to the .240 line for the past few weeks.

The bottom line is that Uggla is the power hitter the Braves have waited for all year.

If a team wants to make a run, they have to have someone they can rely on to get the ball out of the park.

The Brewers better not throw Uggla a fastball. Ever.

The Milwaukee Brewer Bullpen

While John Axford is having a phenomenal year, the Brewers bullpen as a whole cannot keep the Braves in check come crunch time.

Atlanta has had a knack for scoring runs late all season, and look for that trend to continue if they head up North for the playoffs.

The Milwaukee pen's ERA is more than a half run higher than the Braves, and that includes Axford who has been the brightest spot among Brewer relievers.

Bottom line here is, the Brewers lack the shut down bullpen that can break team's physique before they even step on the mound.