AJC > Sports > Braves > Blog > Archives > 2006 > July > 06
Thursday, July 6, 2006
There’s still hope
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Although the Braves have stopped their fall, they remain 13 1/2 games behind the New York Mets in the NL East.
Another division title appears out of reach. The wild-card may not be.
The Braves open a four-game home series with Cincinnati tonight and it is an opportunity to show that they are still a playoff threat.
The Braves are just 7 1/2 games out of the wild-card, although there are a lot of teams to pass. One is Cincinnati, which has lost five straight and fallen out of the wild-card lead.
The Braves have won seven of their past 12 games and three of the four series.
John Smoltz said that the Braves needed to go 8-2 on this homestand leading up to the All-Star break. A sweep of the Reds would do it.
The Braves dug themselves a big hole with their June swoon. But they may yet be able to get out of it.
Having Chipper Jones able to play despite his sore foot is a big lift to the offense, and the pitching is getting better. Hope may not be lost after all.
