Newest Brave Kotchman focuses on hitting

Casey Kotchman seems quiet by nature. Unfortunately for him, his bat has seemed quiet, too.

Since arriving from the Angels in the Mark Teixeira trade on July 29, Kotchman has hit only .159 (10-for-63) with three extra-base hits in his first 18 games for the Braves.

For the Angels, he’d hit .287 with 24 doubles, 12 homers and 54 RBIs. He’s homered in three of four games before the trade.

Kotchman isn’t blaming added pressure for his problems, though.

“I think I just hit a couple-week period during the season where you’re not real productive,” said Kotchman, who led the Angels in hits (107) and RBIs (54) when he was traded. “I don’t really think it’s anything more than that. I’m doing the same work, tee work, the drills that I normally do. I haven’t gotten the results you would like to get, especially when you’re changing teams.”

When he arrived in Atlanta, hitting coach Terry Pendleton asked him what was one thing in his swing he struggled with the most. Kotchman told him lunging at the ball. Pendleton said that’s what’s been plaguing him lately.

“His stride is really long,” Pendleton said. “And with that long stride, his body moves forward which causes him to lunge for the ball, which slows his hands down. Pitches he should be really hitting, he’s getting on top of and rolling over because his body is so far out in front of his hands.”

Kotchman has been focusing on putting more weight on his backside and keeping his body under control. Pendleton thinks that, and catching his breath, is all he needs.

“He’s hit everywhere he’s been, and I believe he’s going to do it here, too,” Pendleton said. “We just need to get him settled down a little bit, that’s all.”

Reyes to start Tuesday

The Braves announced that left-hander Jo-Jo Reyes will return to the rotation Tuesday to start the opener of the Mets series at Shea Stadium. Reyes will start in place of Tom Glavine, who made one start and went back on the disabled list with season-ending elbow problems.

Reyes has made three starts for Richmond since he was sent back down, going 0-0 with a 3.94 ERA. He’s given up 16 hits in 16 innings, with eight walks and 13 strikeouts. Reyes traveled to Atlanta on Sunday and will fly to New York with the team following Monday’s game against the Giants.

Reyes was sent down after a rough outing coming out of a rain delay in Philadelphia on July 27 (five runs in 2-2/3 innings of relief). That was the last in a stretch in which Reyes went 0-5 with an 8.74 ERA over six outings with an opponents’ batting average of .354.

Smoltz at the mike

John Smoltz enjoyed his first trip into the Braves broadcast booth as a fill-in color commentator Saturday night on Peachtree TV.

He said his only real gaffe was when he told his daughters on the air it was time to go to bed. He got a text back from them that it was Saturday.

“In a situation like this — for me — I’m just trying to do my best, trying to have fun,” Smoltz said. “I’m not trying to be anything I’m not. It could be awkward, but I don’t look at it that way. I’m not ever going to be a full-time guy. If time permits and there are opportunities like that, it’s pretty fun. But it’s a little awkward when you want to come back next year [as a player].”

Two-million attendance mark

The Braves surpassed 2 million in attendance Saturday night. It’s the 18th consecutive year they’ve drawn more than 2 million fans, going back through 1991, including the strike year in 1994.